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The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

Neal Wong

Neal Wong, Online Editor

Neal Wong (he/him) is a fourth-year journalism student and minoring in education. He was born and raised in San Francisco and attended Washington High School. He has photographed and written for Golden Gate Xpress first as a contributor, then as a photographer, then as the copy editor, and now as the online editor. His photos have also been published by the San Francisco Bay View, San Francisco Public Press, Mission Local, and Xpress Magazine. Neal has also created and taught four San Francisco State University Experimental College courses. His hobbies include traveling, cooking, and reading the news. You can contact him at [email protected].

Neal Wong (él) es un estudiante de cuarto año que estudia Periodismo con una Especialización en Educación. Es originalmente de San Francisco y asistió a la Washington High School. Ha fotografiado y escrito para Golden Gate Xpress primero como colaborador, luego como fotógrafo, después como redactor de textos y ahora como redactor en línea. Sus fotos han aparecido en San Francisco Bay View, San Francisco Public Press, Mission Local y Xpress Magazine. Neal también ha creado y enseñado cuatro cursos del Experimental College en la Universidad Estatal de San Francisco. Sus pasatiempos incluyen viajar, cocinar y leer las noticias. Puedes contactarlo en [email protected].

All content by Neal Wong
(L-R) Elana Carrier and Dominick Perez pose for a photo near Macy’s Great Tree in Union Square, San Francisco on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Giant Christmas tree lights up in Union Square

Johnny Conterez, Staff Reporter Nov 14, 2024

The Macy’s department store seen from Union Square on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.

Takumi Sugawara, the president of the Turning Point USA chapter at SFSU, holds a microphone as Shane Zaldivar speaks in the Seven Hills Conference Center’s Nob Hill Room on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Turning Point SFSU hosts first event in over a year with detransitioner Chloe Cole

Autumn Rose Alvarez and Trevor Schock Nov 13, 2024

Takumi Sugawara, the president of the Turning Point USA chapter at SFSU, holds a microphone as Shane Zaldivar speaks in the Seven Hills Conference Center’s Nob Hill Room on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Neal...

The scene inside Cafe Rosso on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Students face unexpected fees from on-campus eateries owned by the same person

Paula Sibulo, Staff Reporter Nov 6, 2024

The scene inside Cafe Rosso on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

The Science and Engineering Innovation Center on Oct. 28, 2024. It wasn't here when I came to SFSU in Fall 2021. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Dear future SFSU students…

Neal Wong, Online Editor Nov 5, 2024

Dear future San Francisco State University students, It’s that time of the year again when people are thinking about college and working on applications. For some reason, you’re set on coming here...

Adrian Tejada, a first-year cinema student, stands for a photo as Patrick from “SpongeBob Squarepants” on October 31, 2024. He said he chose this costume because he was interested in SpongeBob ever since he was a child and saw the costume at Party City. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Photos: Superheroes, video game characters and furries strut on campus for Halloween 2024

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 31, 2024

Halloween spirit was in full swing at San Francisco State University, where students and faculty embraced the opportunity to showcase their creativity and passions through a wide array of costumes. From...

The men’s basketball team watches the dunk contest during Midnight Madness in the Main Gym on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Midnight Madness event shoots Gators into a new season

Eddie Monares, Staff Reporter Oct 29, 2024

The Dancing Divas of State perform during Midnight Madness in the Main Gym on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.

Customers line up at the Sam’s Chowder Mobile food truck on campus on October 23, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

SFSU welcomes food trucks back to campus

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 25, 2024

Signs and flyers around campus direct people to food trucks, which have now returned to San Francisco State University after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. The trucks, which come on Tuesdays and Wednesdays...

A long exposure photo of people getting off an Oakland Airport Connector train at Coliseum Station in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Platform barriers on BART still years away

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 21, 2024

Three weeks ago, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) issued three “major medical emergency” alerts — these are incidents when people have been hit by trains, according to BART’s website. These three...

Protesters picket against rideshare denials to blind people with guide dogs, outside Lyft headquarters on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. They protested outside Uber headquarters earlier. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Blind community from around the country protests over rideshare discrimination

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 15, 2024

On Oct. 15, White Cane Awareness Day, a day meant to celebrate the independence of blind individuals, over 150 protesters gathered outside the headquarters of Uber and Lyft in San Francisco to bring awareness...

Attendees of B.R.U.H.’s “Time to Self-Care” event painted in Rigoberta Menchu Hall on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Midterm stress melts away at ‘Time to Self-Care’ event hosted by B.R.U.H.

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 11, 2024

Soothing Jhené Aiko and Erykah Badu songs were playing as students gathered in Rigoberta Menchu Hall for an evening of painting, making body scrubs and building community on Thursday. Black Residents...

A sign for the Zen Den in Mashouf Wellness Center on Sept. 26, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Zen Den: The campus nap room you probably didn’t know about

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 11, 2024

Are you sleepy? Students are one of the most sleep-deprived populations — a study published in 2014 says more than 70% of students reported sleeping less than eight hours per day, and more than 50%...

The library building on August 27, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] SFSU to reduce library funding as part of ongoing budget cuts

Trevor Schock, Staff Reporter Oct 10, 2024

The library building on August 27, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Miembros de Estudiantes por Gaza protestan en la Avenida 19 y Holloway el martes 8 de octubre de 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Live Updates: Students for Gaza SFSU embark on day-long strike

GGX Staff Oct 8, 2024

Miembros de Estudiantes por Gaza protestan en la Avenida 19 y Holloway el martes 8 de octubre de 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Whit Johnson, a San Francisco State alum and anchor for ABC World News and Good Morning America, is seen on a camera screen in Studio 3 of Marcus Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] SFSU alum and ABC News journalist returns to his alma mater

Paula Sibulo, Staff Reporter Oct 5, 2024

Whit Johnson, a San Francisco State alum and anchor for ABC World News and Good Morning America, is seen on a camera screen in Studio 3 of Marcus Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate...

John Ryan looks inside a car during the Gator Greasers car show on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Gator Greasers show off automobiles in annual car show

Jake Knoeller, Sports Editor Oct 3, 2024

Gabe Allen, Gator Greasers club founder, poses for a photo on his 2019 Triumph Bobber motorcycle on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Howard Goldblatt, former SFSU professor and award-winning translator, speaks in the Humanities Auditorium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Howard Goldblatt, decorated translator and former professor, visits SFSU

Neal Wong, Online Editor Oct 2, 2024

In 1969, Howard Goldblatt entered the Chinese master’s program at San Francisco State College, led by the late Kai-Yu Hsu. In the program, students were required to memorize a Chinese poem. Goldblatt...

Kevin DeAntoni poses for a portrait on a BART Blue Line train heading to Dublin/Pleasanton on Sept. 11, 2024. DeAntoni’s interest in BART grew after riding it frequently to see his boyfriend. (Andrew Fogel / Golden Gate Xpress)

Love on BART: An SFSU student’s path to public transit after meeting his boyfriend

Neal Wong, Online Editor Sep 27, 2024

While riding Bay Area Rapid Transit to see his boyfriend in Walnut Creek, Kevin DeAntoni, a 22-year-old business administration student, typically watches streamer Hasan Piker or listens to the band Cigarettes...

Professor Midori McKeon poses for a photo in the Toshiko Mishima Memorial Tea Room on Sept. 13, 2024. She is wearing a kimono with a flower pattern and an obi with a design inspired by the four seasons. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Japanese tea room may stop being used to teach about tea culture

Neal Wong, Online Editor Sep 20, 2024

A bamboo and wooden structure sits in a quiet corner of the Humanities Building, surrounded by gray and white rocks that have been there since the 1990s. In Room 117, the Toshiko Mishima Memorial Tea Room...

Gator Take: Monarca Dining Hall (formerly City Eats) is not bad

Gator Take: Monarca Dining Hall (formerly City Eats) is not bad

Neal Wong, Online Editor Sep 16, 2024

I didn’t say it was good but you have to agree that it has its merits. Food quality is never the highlight of an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) place — it’s the quantity. In that regard, Monarca Dining...

Miembros de La Raza en su oficina el jueves 12 de septiembre de 2024. El presidente de Estudiantes Asociados, Brandon Foley (con la camisa morada y blanca), también estaba presente. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] La Raza, una organización estudiantil, regresa a SFSU

Sophia Rerucha, Spanish Editor Sep 14, 2024

Miembros de La Raza en su oficina el jueves 12 de septiembre de 2024. El presidente de Estudiantes Asociados, Brandon Foley (con la camisa morada y blanca), también estaba presente. (Neal Wong / Golden...

Shibuya Scamble Crossing in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan on June 14, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

SF State offers dozens of study abroad programs on six continents

Neal Wong, Online Editor Sep 11, 2024

Studying in a foreign country can be a life-changing experience. American students and students from foreign countries, including those who are undocumented, can participate in an SF State Abroad program. “If...

Xplainer: Fall 2024 tuition and fees

Xplainer: Fall 2024 tuition and fees

Neal Wong, Online Editor Sep 2, 2024

$3,925 in tuition and fees were charged to most full-time undergraduate students at San Francisco State University this semester. Of that, $3,042 was tuition and $883 was campus fees. That’s $281...

An estimated 200 people attended a rally in support of Palestine at Malcolm X Plaza on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Students for Gaza SFSU host rally to address university divestment

Melissa Garcia, Staff Reporter Aug 31, 2024

An estimated 200 people attended a rally in support of Palestine at Malcolm X Plaza on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

SFSU’s library building on August 27, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Xplainer: J. Paul Leonard Library

Paula Sibulo, Staff Reporter Aug 27, 2024

SFSU’s library building on August 27, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

A south-facing view of the West Grove Commons on Aug. 16, 2024, just days before the first students are set to move in. (Dan Hernandez / Golden Gate Xpress)

West Grove Commons, SFSU’s newest dorm building, welcomes freshmen for Fall 2024

Neal Wong and Dan Hernandez Aug 27, 2024

West Grove Commons, San Francisco State University’s newest housing building, officially opened last week to 750 students ahead of the fall semester.  The new building, which was designed and built...

An SFSU shuttle awaiting passengers on Aug. 21, 2023, the first day of the Fall 2023 semester. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] SFSU shuttle service will be discontinued in the fall

Gabriela Calvillo Alvarez, Editor-in-Chief Jun 16, 2024

An SFSU shuttle driver looks in the vehicle’s mirror on Aug. 21, 2023, the first day of the Fall 2023 semester. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Near the Village at Centennial Square on May 6, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] How SFSU is dealing with dating violence on campus

Natalie Rocha, Staff Reporter May 28, 2024

Near the Village at Centennial Square on May 6, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Graduates walk to receive their diplomas at SFSU’s commencement at Oracle Park on Friday, May 24, 2024. The weather varied throughout the ceremony, with small raindrops and gusts of wind occasionally being felt. (Andrew Fogel / Golden Gate Xpress)

Commencement in Photos: Gators celebrate graduation

Neal Wong and Andrew Fogel May 27, 2024

For several hours, Oracle Park was home to a giant celebration where the undergraduate journeys of thousands of students ended — at San Francisco State University’s 2024 commencement on May 24. Occasionally,...

Gator Take: SFSU should build a food court

Gator Take: SFSU should build a food court

Neal Wong, Online Editor May 23, 2024

Students and staff at San Francisco State University deserve more — and better — food options. Having a food court would provide that. Cesar Chavez Student Center’s ground floor comes to mind,...

Burma Superstar’s garlic noodles with duck on May 20, 2024. The food was ordered to go before being plated and photographed. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Lunch at Burma Superstar

Neal Wong, Online Editor May 21, 2024

Burma Superstar, a restaurant in San Francisco’s Richmond District, is credited with popularizing Burmese cuisine in the Bay Area. I’ve passed under its brown awning hundreds of times (I live in the...

Xplainer: Oakland International Airport

Xplainer: Oakland International Airport

Neal Wong, Online Editor May 20, 2024

San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport, also known as OAK, offers round-trip flights as cheap as $39 to Los Angeles (LAX), $46 to Las Vegas (LAS), and $50 to San Diego (SAN) in June. The airport...

Xplainer: San Francisco International Airport

Xplainer: San Francisco International Airport

Neal Wong, Online Editor May 20, 2024

If you’ll be flying during the summer, chances are you’ll be at San Francisco International Airport, which is also called SFO. This airport is the closest to campus and the largest in the Bay Area,...

Students pack up items from the encampment on the evening of Wednesdsy, May 15, 2024.

[Photo] Pro-Palestine encampment, SFSU reach divestment agreement

Cami Dominguez, Campus Editor May 14, 2024

Students pack up items from the encampment on the evening of Wednesdsy, May 15, 2024.

The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park on May 2, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Gator Take: Make art more accessible for students

Natalie Metcalf, Staff Reporter May 10, 2024

The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park on May 2, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Pro-Palestinian protestors march, chant and place flyers in the Humanities Building on May 9, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] SFSU students enter Humanities Building in spontaneous protest for Gaza

Adriana Hernandez and Sunthi Jong May 9, 2024

Pro-Palestinian protestors chant as they march back toward their encampment at SFSU after putting up flyers on May 9, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

The pro-Palestinian encampment at San Francisco State University on May 6, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Live Updates: SFSU President Mahoney negotiates with students

Natalie Rocha and Luke Cramer May 6, 2024

The pro-Palestinian encampment at San Francisco State University on May 6, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

A protestor directs chants through a megaphone as other protestors set up tents at San Francisco State University's quad on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] SFSU begins encampments in solidarity with Gaza, joining a nationwide movement

Luke Cramer, Staff Reporter Apr 29, 2024

A protestor directs chants through a megaphone as other protestors set up tents at San Francisco State University's quad on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

A car heads east on Holloway Avenue with buildings in University Park South in the background on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Motor vehicle theft at University Park South results in arrest

Kathia Noriega, Managing Editor May 1, 2024

A car heads east on Holloway Avenue with buildings in University Park South in the background on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

An attendee smiles in the crowd during the show at the 12th Annual Rhythms Music Festival in Annex I at SFSU on May 13, 2023. (David Jones / Golden Gate Xpress)

Destroy Lonely to headline 13th Annual Rhythms Music Festival

Neal Wong, Online Editor Apr 22, 2024

Over 700 students are expected to attend Destroy Lonely’s performance on April 27 in Annex I to conclude this year’s Rhythms Music Festival. Redveil will be the opener. General admission tickets...

Xplainer: SFSU Shuttle Service

Xplainer: SFSU Shuttle Service

Neal Wong, Online Editor Apr 22, 2024

19th and Holloway is a hub for several modes of transportation, including Muni buses, Muni Metro light rail and San Francisco State University’s shuttle service. SFSU’s shuttle service began in...

Humanities Building room 301 on April 18, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] The Incredible Shrinking CSU: Unraveling the Impact of Declining University Enrollment at SFSU

Zac Zavala, Staff Reporter Apr 19, 2024

Humanities Building room 301 on April 18, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

A City Eats employee votes on the decision to ratify a new wage contract near Mary Ward Hall on April 3, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] City Eats and Bricks employees win higher wages in new contract

Cami Dominguez, Campus Editor Apr 12, 2024

(L-R) Madison Wise, Catherine Calasanz, Eugenia Gutierrez, Rebecca Mora and Susana Elep count votes in the Bricks restaurant on April 3, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

Tatihn Mellieon, Steve Dickinson, and Thomas Ziemer pose for a photo in the Poetry Center reading room on April 10, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

[Photo] Five lesser-known, on-campus study spots at SFSU

Neal Wong, Online Editor Apr 10, 2024

Students use the Cahill Lab on Feb. 6, 2024. (Neal Wong / Golden Gate Xpress)

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