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The student-run magazine of San Francisco State University

Xpress Magazine

The student-run magazine of San Francisco State University

Xpress Magazine

The student-run magazine of San Francisco State University

Xpress Magazine

For 25 years, die-hard fans of Emmylou Harris arrive early to the festival grounds for her sound check. (Braelyn Furse / Xpress Magazine)

The Church of Emmylou Harris

Bailey Zitko, Editor-in-Chief
October 12, 2025

By the third day of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the morning fog was still lifting as a small crowd of 60 gathered on the dewy grass. Emmylou Harris — the legendary singer-songwriter and, arguably, the...

Ben Fong-Torres talks on the phone at his desk in 1973. (Photo courtesy of the Ben Fong-Torres Collection)

What Goes Around Comes Around: A Conversation with Ben Fong-Torres

Bailey Zitko, Editor-in-Chief
October 11, 2025

Across the street from Martha & Bros. Coffee Co. in Noe Valley — just 18 miles from his childhood home in Oakland — Ben Fong-Torres sits in a squeaky metal chair. He’s sipping a large coffee...

Guests look above and below Claude’s enclosure to watch him eat his fish “cake” on Sept. 14, 2025. (Angelique Persails / Xpress Magazine)

Claude the Albino Alligator’s Birthday Bash

Angelique Persails, Staff Reporter
October 11, 2025

The albino alligator at the California Academy of Sciences, Claude, turned 30-years-old this year. Claude has lived in the Academy’s Steinhart Aquarium and has been cared for by the dedicated team since...

Openhouse proudly marches in the San Francisco Pride Parade each year, drawing more than 200 community members for the contingent. Walking and riding on a decorated trolley car, this contingent is typically near the front of the parade, symbolizing the way that many of these community elders lead the way for LGBTQ+ liberation. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Arocena)

Aging with Pride

Hannah Clark-Nixon, Staff Reporter
October 11, 2025

When you hear “San Francisco Pride” visions may bubble to the surface: City Hall awash in rainbow light, generations entwined in a shared struggle, the air itself made lighter.  Under the 307-foot...

AKPsi fraternity member, Luke Htet, talks to potential new member at the  informational night on Sep. 8th, 2025. (Photo by Lara Magdesian / Xpress )

Current Outreach for Your Future Outlook

Lara Magdesian, Staff Reporter
October 11, 2025

It’s senior year, and the anxiety of a post-graduation job search looms over students' heads. The pressure in competing for internships is ever present and is only exacerbated with the emergence of AI...

A crowd gathers for the first karaoke night of the fall semester at The Depot. (Haley Abarca / Xpress Magazine)

SF State’s The Depot Numbers Waver with The Pub Closure

Claudia Perez, Contributor
October 3, 2025

Since SF State’s The Pub closed in March, students have been wondering where to get a beer after class and if the closure will affect business at the neighboring depot.   As the new school...

In celebration of their 25th iteration of the production, Joyce Yin and Sharleen Ignacio work on a visual arts timeline of "Stories High" performances from 1999 to 2024. (Angelique Persails / Xpress Magazine)

Bindlestiff Studio: 25th Anniversary of “Stories High”

Angelique Persails, Staff Reporter
September 14, 2025

Bindlestiff Studio is a rare example of an ethnicity-focused community theater in the city that helps many Filipino artists express themselves. Bindlestiff, a volunteer-run performing arts center in San...

A Living Archive of Culture & Identity

A Living Archive of Culture & Identity

Hannah Clark-Nixon, Staff Reporter
September 9, 2025

Black women’s hair carries a profound heritage extending far beyond style or appearance; it is a living archive of culture, resilience, and identity. For centuries, braids, twists and natural textures...

Nicholas Panameno

Xpression: SF State Fit Check

In March, Xpress Magazine canvassed campus with flyers on message boards inviting SF State students to join us in a fashion editorial project. In early April, 12 participants gathered on the third floor...

4.6 miles away from Richardson Bay, Raylene Gorum prepares tea in her Sausalito art study. (Asé Mora/ XPress Magazine)

The Untold Grit of Public Installation Art

Asé Mora, Staff Reporter
May 17, 2025

On the coast of Sausalito, a quarter mile from Marinship Park, is the venue for Sausalito’s historical art festival. Tucked inside a bleak ordinary office building, is Bay Area artist Raylene Gorum’s...

Lead vocalist Louis Addis sings during an Elephant Garden band rehearsal. (Braelyn Furse / Xpress Magazine)

Into the Elephant Garden

Natalie Gallegos, Content & Online Editor
May 10, 2025

On the SF State campus, the beat of a drum loudly echoes out of a single building. There are guitars lined up on the wall, signs and posters of animated figures, bands and a multi-colored flashing fluorescent...

Ryan White looks proudly at his monitor in the editing booth. (Olivia Moran / Xpress Magazine)

Finding Universal Understanding with Filmmaker Ryan White

AJ Voorheis, Visuals & Multimedia Editor
May 4, 2025

Roughly 50 miles north of San Francisco, in Sonoma County, surrounded by towering redwoods, wide-stretched wineries, and the region’s famous Russian River, SF State alum Ryan White found inspiration...

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