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

Kamal Taj

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter

All content by Kamal Taj
Houses stand behind the Corte Madera Creek in Greenbrae, Calif. on Monday, May 22, 2023. (Gina Castro / Xpress Magazine)

Seawater, Minus the Salt Please

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
May 27, 2023

From agriculture to personal use, water is a precious resource that is often taken for granted. Showers that could be 10 minutes become 30, and cars are washed on hot summer days with hoses left on. Sink...

Horsepower in the Park

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
May 21, 2023

This podcast was created to accompany the story "Horsepower in the Park" by Kamal Taj. Podcast Transcript Kamal Taj: Breezes push through the high reaching eucalyptus and fill the air with their sweet,...

Claire helps get the next group ready for their ride at Chaparral Ranch at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco CA., Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Chris Myers / Xpress Magazine)

Horsepower in the Park

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
May 15, 2023

On a crisp spring day, a breeze pushes through the high-reaching eucalyptus trees and fills the air with a sweet, earthy scent. People walk, jog, converse and enjoy the environment that is Golden Gate...

A graffitied statue of Junipero Serra is seen off of Highway 280. (Chris Meyers / Xpress Magazine)

Monumental Sins?

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
April 28, 2023

Along one particular stretch of Interstate 280, hundreds of drivers pass by a statue of Junipero Serra — sometimes in pristine condition, other times covered in paint and graffiti marks. Statues from...

A chocolate operator oversees the roasting of the cacao beans at a low temperature for long periods of time at Dandelion Chocolate on 16th St. in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 17, 2023. The roasting time and temperature affect the outcome of the flavor of the chocolate, like anything in cooking, and is a trial and error process for making chocolate when new beans come into the factory. (Tatyana Ekmekjian/Xpress Magazine)

For the Love of Chocolate

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
March 6, 2023

In the wake of the holidays, students and staff alike shake off their confectionery hangovers. Belts are retightened, diet promises are renewed and vows are made to hold off on the sweets altogether –...

The top of the Cesar Chavez Student Center on campus under the light of the full moon in San Francisco, Calif., on Dec. 7, 2022. (Tatyana Ekmekjian / Xpress Magazine)

S.E.T.I. Phone Home

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
December 9, 2022

Looking up at the night sky, it’s easy to get lost in the vastness of space — a nebulous murk speckled with points of brilliance. Mysterious planets orbit massive burning fusion reactions, smoldering...

Winter Ladue makes an announcement from the Cetus ferry’s ticketing station as it transits from San Francisco to Alameda, Calif. on Nov. 14. “I like to remind everyone why they ride the ferry instead of taking BART,” Ladue said before making an announcement about the sunset. (Joshua Carter / Xpress Magazine)

Get Your Sea Legs Back

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
November 18, 2022

At the Oakland Ferry Terminal near Jack London Square, the morning’s marine layer begins to burn off, receding back towards the peninsula. The thick, gray fog gives way to a cerulean-blue sky smudged...

Josh Nero holds a sheet of negatives up to the light in his apartment on campus during a portrait session on Nov. 3, 2022. Nero, a third-year student, has shot film for years, and hopes to make a career out of film photography. (Juliana Yamada / Xpress Magazine)

Out of the Picture?

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
November 11, 2022

As one steps into the void, their eyes narrow to help adjust to the darkness. The pitch black gives way to a martian red. A dank, metallic smell of chemicals strikes the back of their nose. The sounds...

The Fight for Lot 25

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
October 23, 2022

Kamal Taj: Making your way over to Stonestown Galleria from San Francisco State, you may find your view blocked by a sunbleached wall stretching down Winston Drive. Take a second look. Walls don't usually...

A sign posted in the window of an RV parked along Lake Merced Boulevard. It stands as a reminder to any who may forget someone lives  inside. Residents often deal with break-ins and belongings being stolen, such as generators or other personal effects.(Kamal Taj / Xpress Magazine)

The Fight for Lot 25

Kamal Taj, Senior Reporter
October 20, 2022

If someone makes the short walk from SF State to Stonestown Galleria, their view might be blocked by what seems like a sun-bleached wall stretching down either end of Winston Drive. The sound of passing...

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The student-run magazine of San Francisco State University
Kamal Taj