Live Austin Magazine by LASA Ezine

Live Austin Magazine

Down Fall

Biographies

About the Magazine

Gustavo M is 15 years old and has lived in Austin all his life. He have traveled to Florida for some summers he mostly slacks off and is sometimes a burden and is a procrastinator, for this class that was a major problem that cost him some bad grades not 80s or 70s more like 24 for all of you that worry about 80s and 70s those are not bad grades! He was a great student up to 7th grade the learned that slacking off is a lot more fun but he still does quality work other may disagree but they never get to see it but now regrets his slaking off has a hard time spontaneously dancing and does have a hard time with brute authority

We would like to thank you for picking up our magazine and reading this letter. At live Austin we try to give the reader a view of life in the eyes of an Austinite and their daily lives.Live Austin Magazine wants you to be a part of Austin Texas. Additionaly want you to feel that being in Austin is better than fried ice cream. Please enjoy yourself while reading about some educational and freedom of art problems, some hard working people, and some history of this fine city. Thank you -Nathan R. Christian D. Gustavo M.

Nathan R. is a native of Austin, Texas. He has been a very active community server—helping such causes as SMart Austin, Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, and Head Start. Nathan is currently a freshman at the LBJ Liberal Arts and Science Academy where is an active member of the Marching Band and the intermural Rugby team. As a young child Nathan was an avid soccer player and gamer. Nathan aspires to go to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and study Civil Engineering. Nathan lives with his father, mother, step-father and his twin 4-year old brothers. His older sister is a freshman away at college.

Christian D is a 15 year old teen. He likes to play soccer, draw and loves México. He loves how Austin is cool weird at the same time. Also he likes to slack off and hit Gustavo for no reason. His friends always say “you’re such a Mexican” and it’s true. They also say that to “stop been a Mexican or they are going to start throwing rocks at us ha.”

Opinions for thought

when it comes to graffiti it seems the bylaw is blind. “In my mind, that’s a piece of art,” Randal says. “I gave him permission to do it, so why should I take this down?” Says the homeowner.if the property owner gave the artist the permission to paint the mural the council or anybody can have no power because its not their land. it depends on the owner if he wants took keep the mural. Graffiti is a form of art.Since

caveman been drawing things on walls for a long time, its just recently coming back..”Though graffiti dates to ancient civilizations, it took recent artists such as Keith Haring to nudge this counterculture art form toward the mainstream,” says Stephanie wright a publisher at the San Francisco Chronicle. Keith Haring is on of the most well know graffiti artist and has help bring back graffiti.

BY: Christian Y.

s graffiti a form of freedom? Many people ask this question. When some people see graffiti they feel free, excited, and sad in some occasions but other people think it is a violation of property. The city of Austin has an organized group called Austin Youth Development Project(AYDP)to go remove graffiti from the site. This means that Austin does not

want graffiti. Graffiti is prohibited in Austin but it shouldn’t be this way. The first amendment says we have the freedom of speech. Acording the Constitution “ congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech...”According to the Austin ordinance, if someone gets caught doing graffiti they are doing a crime. Those two facts don’t add

up because when you do graffiti it is showing freedom of speech, but the Austin ordinance is not following the constitution because its a crime here in Austin. Why cant we keep our art if it’s on our property. In Canada some homeowners had painted a mural in their properties, but the York Community Council considered it as graffiti and told the homeowners to take it down. they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but

ARTIST

Banksy Keith

Haring

We consider art and graffiti different but they are so closely related to each other. Art is in the eye of the beholder so it depends on the beho if its art or a way of vandalism. Graffiti is art and art is a form of speech, if we cant have our art, than we will be restricted form our freedoms.

Keep it Beautiful, Austin

New solutions for new problems

By Gustavo M

n June 14, 2003, Adam Glasgow a police officer of Austin spotted a stolen vehicle. He was at the intersection of airport boulevard and E. 12th street Glasgow notified the police dispatcher but instead of waiting Glasgow approached the vehicle and parked 2ft from the vehicle. Glasgow got out and ordered Jesse Owens (the suspect) to open the door Owens opened the door hitting the bumper of the cop car. Glasgow then ordered Owens to put his hands out but Owens did not respond so Glasgow tried to reach for Owens hands but Owens shut the door on Glasgow’s hand and started driving. Glasgow running to stay with the vehicle decided to shoot his wepon with was in his trapped hand. Glasgow was not following any of his training and got in to a bad situation. But if there was additional training to help an officer out of a situation like this maybe Glasgow would have never had to use lethal force. The Austin police department needs to train and better equip their officers to face unpredictable targets and situations that threaten citizens and other police.

By: Nathan R.

3 the criminal is working his way to come out on top. And when an officer willingly or unwillingly puts himself in this situation he doesn’t know what to do because they are not trained to get out of it. if Glasgow would have had training to regain control of the situation. The Austin police department needs to apply predator drones to its police force arsenal to help the police on the ground

Keep Austin Beautiful has organized clean up volenteers and beautifacation volenteers to keep Austin lookin’ so great. 1. The executive director Rodney Ahart was giving a speach after an event.

2. A small volenteer group cleans and creates gardens in front of LBJ highschool.

5. The totaly awsome and fasionable Keep Austin Beautiful recycling bins.

3. Around 6 tons of trash that the last “Clean Sweep” cleaned.

6. Most of the First Keep Austin Beautiful Clean up Members.

4. The Dive clean up of aditorium shores.

6 5

Police officers need to be trained to face unpredictable targets. Glasgow ended up almost dying because he was not prepared to deal with the situation he got in. Criminals can trick a police officer in to thinking that he is under submission when the reality is that

The Downfall of our Commuity

businesses, housing and the economic stability.

work force and decrease their life-time earning poten-

Despite AISD’s best intentions and level of

tial. Less earning equals less economic development.

community support partnered with fiscal funding, all

Austin Independent School District is an urban school

students and families will feel the impact of this crisis.

district among a state that is on the brink of disaster.

AISD is proposing the following cuts: 170 technology

Consider these numbers: Texas is ranked 45th in the

support/speech/physical therapist; 275 paraprofes-

nation for SAT scores, 43rd for high school gradua-

and 523 campus teachers.

By: Nathan Rodriguez

tion rates, and Texas

sionals, 49 headquarter administrators, “Virtually

every campus would be affected. Decisions on who will lose their jobs will be

“Virtually every campus

number

would be affected.”

children.

of schools and other educational positions and allowing

to be a Texan right now considering the lack of

the quality of our education to be compromised. This is

funding for public education in my community

unacceptable considering Austin is the state Capital of

The Austin community has been wronged.

Texas and should be the premier leader in education.

community I mean teachers, students, local business-

es, and anyone else in the area.

The AISD Board of

of living in Austin. Cutting teachers and other edu-

Trustees continues to ask for an increase in taxes while

cational professionals doesn’t only affect them, it

simultaneously lowering the quality of education for

affect the entire community.

students. Currently, only $1.23 of tax revenues is spent

their jobs the entire family is impacted and thus in-

on each Austin student. This is the second lowest in

fluences our entire community. Less salaries equates

the central Texas area. AISD has been cutting jobs out

to less spending which ultimately trickle downs to

We have deliberately lowered the standard

When teachers lose

uninsured Considering

these numbers, the eco-

determined first on performance, second

am not proud to be an Austinite, nor am I proud

is ranked 1st in the

on seniority and third on professional background,

nomic

including education and certification; said Michael

nel cuts are going to put Texans at greater risk.

Houser, the district’s top human resources official.”

If Austin Independent School District would like to

In times when students are at greater risk due to their

prepare their students to compete with other com-

external risk factors such as second language learners,

munities and create a stronger workforce, AISD

economic challenges and first- generation students,

must step up and invest in the future. The timing is

AISD officials are making cuts that continue to place

never greater than now to create a plan which will al-

student in the path of harm. Putting students in class-

low students and their families to take pride in the

rooms with greater ratios has never been a strategy

quality of their education.

that has paid off. Research continues to demonstrate

point its greatest resource. AISD must consider the

lower student to teacher ratios allows students to learn

impact of their decisions on not only the quality of

more. Stronger learning communities lead to students

education but the standard of living in our community.

continuing their education beyond high school. The opposite does not allow for students to create positive learning communities, decreases the learning opportunities resulting in students likely not finishing high school, much less continuation. In many cases, with no higher education students go straight into the

crisis

and

the

pending

budget/person-

AISD must not disap-

Feature Section

Down and Dirty to Clean and Creative by: Nathan R.

On a recent spring day in a variety of neighborhoods, and parks around the city of Austin, over 6,000 eager volunteers collected over 30 tons of garbage and debris. Volunteers were treated to a cloudy day with cooler than normal temperatures. Although the relentless sun was not among the volunteers, worker’s t-shirts were drenched with sweat; however, their spirits were still soaring high after 8 hours of labor. Volunteers come from all walks of life; they are executives, stay-at-home parents, college students, young children and even some grandparents. “Making a difference, giving people an opportunity to contribute, provide the opportunity to give back (to Austin)” said Rodney Ahart, executive director of Keep Austin Beautiful, “is what makes Austin unique and adds to the quality of our life and our community.” Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) is among one of the many organizations that provide services for the betterment of a cleaner and more livable Austin. KAB was created in response to the declining environmental conditions in the United States in the 1970s and early 1980s, “the city of Austin (contracted) our services for cleanup, beautification, and education,” according to Ahart. Most of the educational programs promote environmental stewardship through presentations, handson activities and service learning projects. Many of the beautifying efforts revolve around empowering

and supporting schools, neighborhood groups and local businesses in efforts to beautify their communities and restore habitats. Since its inception in 1985, KAB, along with Ahart and his staff, are among the leaders which keep Austin clean, litter-free, and full of plant-life throughout the city. KAB is responsible for many of the city-wide park clean-ups, including Lady Bird Lake, Auditorium Shores, Zilker Park and various grassroots neighborhood clean-ups. One of the newest ac-

“...’I’ Makes the Difference...”

— Robert Crumley executive director of SmART

tivities of Keep Austin Beautiful is their Neighborhood Beautification Grants. KAB awards support to neighborhoods in their efforts to beautify and improve public spaces. KAB designed the program to help groups of residents and neighborhood organizations take ownership of their local environment, and build a stronger community by developing and nurturing relationships among neighbors. In 2010, KAB granted 10 community grants to neighborhood groups. Accord-

ing to Ahart, one group is East Austin Independent Business Alliance. East Sixth IBIZ District will work with Sol Design Lab and a team of Uplift Austin Garza High School students to design and build recycled metal planter boxes for the East Sixth street corridor. Students and volunteers will partner with local businesses to implement 6-10 planter boxes for businesses to maintain and to grow native plants and edible herbs. The planters will use recycled steel from a local scrap yard which will be welded into functional and sculptural shapes and colorfully painted Another organization among the many in Austin is SMArt (Socially Motivated Art) Austin. SMArt Austin is another local non-profit arts organization founded in February of 2004. SMArt furnishes individuals and communities with direct support for the funding, creation, display and donation of interactive artworks (art that generates social interaction) to enhance the cultural legacy of generations. This

innovative model of collaboration brings together students, artists/ non-artists, community members, businesses and organizations to create a visually stunning and playful environment. Robert Crumley, executive director of SMArt Austin, works with other private, non-profit and civic groups in Austin to create unique pieces of interactive art that eventually become part of the Austin culture. SMArt is the “brain-child” of Crumley. At the time Crumley was coming of age in Spokane, Washington it became the sight of the 1974 World’s Expo. According to Crumley, the Expo brought to the forefront artistic issues and community involvement. This early experience gave rise to SMArt’s seeds being planted in the mind and heart of Crumley. During his early teens and well into college, Crumley realized the importance of working as a team to create something unique for the betterment of not only the team, but the entire community. Throughout

his college life and his early career, Crumley continued to germinate the concept of SMArt. Although Crumley did not pursue Art as an educational focus in college, it continued to be a passion and interest. When Crumley moved to Austin in early 2003, he began to assemble city leaders, artists/non-artists, along with others who had an interest, to create SMArt Austin. “It is up to individuals to make the visions we all have for our community a reality, weather that be a cleaner community, a socially involved community, or an artistic one. ’I’ make the difference.” The most current project SMArt is working on with the City of Austin is a project called “52 Dates”. The community will be invited to submit provocative thoughts and callsto-action such as: “You are Beautiful”, “Start a conversation with the stranger next to you.” or “Donate/ volunteer with a non-profit.” These phrases will then be etched in acid

into the concrete at various sidewalk intersections. The point is to foster connections and a sense of belonging within the Austin community.” The entire artistic process involves community interaction from the call for submissions to the strangers acting upon what they read on the street corner,” according to Crumley. Both Keep Austin Beautiful and SMart Austin are local non-profits that provide services and art to Austin. Over the years, KAB has collected thousands of tons of garbage, granted thousands of dollars and worked with over 100,000 volunteers. SMArt has worked with other city leaders, other non-profits and will continue to make contributions to the city. Both organizations are strong and solid in Austin. According to Crumley, SMArt will begin to pursue opportunities outside the Austin community.

EL FOTBOLISTA

BY CHRISTIAN DIAZ

As the hot sun is beating down on the tired soccer players, César Santos is running down the soccer field with a scratched up soccer ball. Cesar sees if there any teammates’ open and decides to shout towards the goal. As a cloud of dirt rises through the air the soccer ball goes into the goal. In the soccer season César dedicates his afternoon to practice soccer and during the game he gives it his all. In the recent 2010-2011 year, Cesar’s senior year, he has brought the LBJ/LASA soccer team to the state play-offs. Managing his time he has been able to have excellent grades. “Soccer can interfere with your work you just need to know how to time mange it and it definitely dose when we have games I thinking of the game the whole day and it just takes away most of the time “César said “There is no doubt in my mind that Cesar is dedicated to playing soccer. I mean this in two ways, on and off the field. To be a player on the level that Santos is, you really have to know the game in and out, he reads about it, watches professional matches, plays on his own time, trains at home. It’s highly apparent from his love of the sport that he is more than dedicated to becoming a better athlete.” Patrick Delgado, Cesar’s teammate, said

When his friends sometimes see I’m during the day of a game they see him all excited but not paying that much attention to the school work he has. “I know this happens to alot of us on the team, and it’s only natural that soccer would draw away focus from school. I think that Cesar gets so into the season, that sometimes he lets his school work slide. This isn’t always true though, because he knows that if he fails he can’t play, so he definitely is more prone to making up study hall after school and going above and beyond his classroom work to make sure he is successful in his school work as well.” Patrick said Academically César has gotten good grades and applied to Methodist University in North Carolina. He has decided to go to North Carolina and join the soccer team. “Methodist division 2 school in North Carolina I really want to go there just because it’s freaking peaceful over there and it just has a bunch of nature, its would be like been away from the city. ”said cesar. As most of his friends, he is going to be able to do well in Methodist and achieve his goals as a soccer player. “Its anew experience that he should enjoy and do great.” Said Liliana Ortega, Cesar’s good friend . “Cesar is highly adaptable, very personable, and he tends

to make the most out of any situation.” says Patrick “I know that it will be tough for a while, but I also know that he will find success one way or another.” As good César is in soccer he has played other sports such as baseball and track just for the experience but he did not really like baseball and he did not really like to run for track. Unlike those sports soccer feels his passion. Also he helps his teammates on many occasions. His teammates say: “Cesar is more than just a team player; he truly embodies the spirit of the teams he plays for. A player that people can look up to and count on to help carry the team especially when they need it most. Although his style of play is much more individual, he makes a difference on a larger scale.” Says Patrick. “Cesar is, more than anything else, passionate about the game. Even if he isn’t feeling up to it at the time, or has been having a rough day, when he steps on the field, under all the lights-you can just tell that something gets into him, the adrenaline must take over, because once that moment hits, he won’t stop playing for anything.” Cesar has brought out many characteristics just by playing soccer and when he his mind set on something he does it well. “Simply put, the best thing that Cesar brings to a team: himself. What I mean by that, he makes friends with everyone on a team very quickly, he always wants to hang out and play soccer, and constantly get better individually and as a team. This kind of attitude is inspiring and it creates a strong drive within the team to do better.” Patrick said. There has been many times the LBJ/LASA soccer team has been in problem like been tied with the other team. “That’s a hard one, since he is always making valuable plays. As a midfielder and a forward, Cesar loves to possess the ball. Sometimes I get nervous when he wants to single-handedly take on the entire opposing team (or so it seems), but while the defense is pushing him over, kicking at him, tugging his shirt, and generally trying to get the ball away, he just seems to fall through them, and stumble around-the whole while maintaining perfect control of the

ball- then all of a sudden he breaks free, even though he doesn’t realize it for a second, when he turns around and notices that he has a shot on goal...it sucks to be that

goalie.”

by Gustavo Maldonado

The Day i Saw Him Walk A look inside prison through the eyes of a prisoner

Home think about your home the place were you can rest, think, love, and live. A place were your family has lived in for years or weeks the were your bed lies in its spot were it has been when you left it there, the backyard and its memories of friends and family at barbeques, party’s every ting is at your home. Now what if all that went away and in its place was a huge room with 50 people in it with you, your breakfast was at 3:00 am, lunch was 10:00 am, diner at 5:00 pm. Your basic freedoms, taken from you: privacy, independence, and speech. Not enjoying life, but just living through it. This is the life of many prisoners. Even if things seem more horrible outside to others looking at their situation but it will all ways be the same. Mr. Maldonado is one of these inmates the reasons for his arrest cannot be fully reveled, Mr. Maldonado has 5 year sentence in Dominguez Unit for a DUI (Driving Under Influence of alcohol) fortionally he has a chance to see parole and have an early release but that is not what this story is about. This story is about what the daily life of a prisoner in Dominguez unit San Antonio TX. From his early dawn to his lightless night, we will see life in jail through the eyes of a prisoner Today is like any other day in Dominguez unit San Antonio. The prisoners get up at 2:00 in the morning to change in to the clothes that have been brought to them for the day. “Pues ya no nos bamos a dormir, Ya nos alistamos para ir a desayunar” Mr. Maldonado wrights “Well now we don’t go to sleep, now we get ready to go eat breakfast.” Mr. Maldonado gets up and walks to eat at 3:00 AM (his group is the first to eat) a two-minute walk to reach the mess hall, after eating he will come back to his bed were most inmates sleep until 8:00 AM. “Nos tenemos que suvir a las camas a dormir o aser lo que quieramos porque no podemos estar en la sala” He wrights “We have to get on our beds to sleep or do what we want because we cannot be in the living room.” Starting at 8:00 visitors can come in and check in but it may take up to an hour to actually see the person but the visit last for two hours. The prisoners can receive snacks that the visitors buy in the visiting area from vending machines. “Mi favorita visita fue cuando mire a Joshy caminar por la primira ves,” he says over telephone “My favorite visit was when i saw Joshy walk for the very first time.” Joshy is the name we call my little bro his name is Joshua and was one when this happened. My father was no able to see my little brother on his first birthday, at that time, not all of us could see him at the same time and we did not always get the chance.

Also at 8:00 the prisoners are free to wander their living quarters and the TVs turn on but my father never watches it “Siempre me tienen que despertar a las 10:30 AM para ir a almorsar, porque siempre me duermo tarde.” he wrights “A leer un libro o la biblia o aser una carta que vaya mandar.” “They always have to wake me up at 10:30 to eat lunch because I always sleep late.” “Reading a book or the bible or writing a letter to send” Even in prison there’s time play and draw my father draws pictures and sells them to other inmates for postage stamps. The prison may provide jobs but the real pay is in cooking. “los que cosinan tienen el mejor trabajo porque roban comida i la venden por estampillas.” he says in a visit “the guys that cook the food are the ones with the best job because they take some and sell it to the other inmates for stamps” the jail does provide jobs to shorten the time they serve but the inmates have a system of jobs for eachother like drawing, giving leftovers, food pooling(one buys the food shares with others), selling food, then theres also getting messeges out to family members, and many more that i have not heard of. My father draws, food pools, and gives messeges, to get stamps At five PM its time for dinner and after they finish they ether go back or they get to go outside “Y aya me pongo a levantar pesas o a jugar volivol” he wrights “And i lift weghts or play volyball After this he takes a shower and sees his favorit show One In A Half Men at nine he calls his family to inform on whats happend or to hear the status on his reliese.

Cristo Rey

My second home

by Christian Diaz

risto Rey is a place i have been attending for 4years, and boy let me tell you, those four years are full of unforgetable memories. The joy and friendships i have made in Cristo Rey have changed me forever. I use to be the type of person who would make any excuse just not to go to church; i hated church. However Cristo Rey is not just a church you go to and pray and then go home, its something more. Cristo Rey changed my feelings towards attending church, it made it possible for me to actually enjoy it. In Cristo Rey i discovered a commu-

nity that showed me there’s way more then just praying and worshiping god. This community of amazing, heart warming people allowed me to feel welcomed. They showed me that in church you can meet new people, help others by beeing in programs sponserted by the church, talk about everyday problems, and worship god. In Cristo Rey i am an active member. I’m in four ministeries like “Caminando con Jesus,” “Angeles misioneros de Cristo” and two other programs

Thanks to the extra prisoner work my father can buy ramin noodles or a spam sandwich Un foutionaly after some time this food has growne bland but he has to live with it. When my father sleeps he thinks of all that has happend to him and about his sons and how hard he has tried to raise us “este es mi dia y manana sera igual y sera por el resto del tiempo que este en este lugar ”

Feature Section

Austin

l a t i p a c c i s u m live d l r o w e h t f o

texas