1.15.19 by The Paisano

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UTSA men’s basketball on a roll

Vol. 59, Issue 1

Est. 1981

January 15 - January 22, 2019

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UTSA celebrates 50th anniversary

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Julian Castro announces run for presidency By Kimiya Factory Staff Writer On Jan. 12, hundreds of San Antonio residents gathered in the Guadalupe Plaza to hear Julian Castro announce his presidential bid for the 2020 midterm elections. The former mayor kicked off a campaign that includes a narrative of immigration and lower and middle class workers in hopes of gaining the Democratic vote. First, there was a familial introduction

Special banners made to recognize anniversary.

by his identical twin brother, Congressman Joaquin Castro, and mother, Rosie Castro. The former head of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Planning formatted his speech by telling a story of the generations of Latino Americans who helped shape his brother and himself into the politicians they are today. He also went on to advocate for other Continued on page 2 See “San Antonio native states political

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Year of events planned to honor the university’s founding By Heather Montoya Co-News Editor UTSA will be hosting events throughout 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the university’s establishment. “UTSA was established on June 5, 1969 when Texas

Governor Preston Smith took the Texas House Bill to create UTSA and signed it into law on the back of Representative Frank Lombardino of San Antonio, the ‘father of UTSA’” said Marjie French, UTSA vice president for external relations and chief development

officer. In honor of the anniversary, UTSA is offering Roadrunner Days for the spring semester. Roadrunner Days began on Jan. 11 and will continue through Jan. 26. A birthday celebration at the Alamo involving the re-

enactment of the bill signing will take place this summer and the university will also celebrate the anniversary Continued on page 2 See “Roadrunners encouraged to celebrate institution’s birthday”

Julian Castro announces run for presidency at Guadalupe Plaza.

Photo Courtesy of Dominique Beltran

Myron Anderson named vice president for inclusive excellence By Alejandro (AJ) Lopez Co-News Editor

Students engaged in social justice.

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Student Leadership Center adds day to annual trip Students explore civil rights history By Kimiya Factory Staff Writer This year, the Student Leadership Center (SLC) facilitated the annual Civil Rights and Social Justice trip (CRSJ) and added a sixth day to the usually five-day trip. The trip included visits to nine museums in the cities of New Orleans, Louisiana; Jackson, Mississippi; Selma, Alabama; and Memphis, Tennessee. The SLC at UTSA facilitates trips like the CRSJ trip and other leadership-skill building

workshops to further connect students with faculty and staff in a way that allows students to develop leadership skills and make connections they can use after graduation. “The Civil Rights and Social Justice experience (CRSJ) is a five-day bus trip through the Deep South, which immerses students in the history of the civil rights movement. We’ll Continued on page 2 See “Social justice trip serves as learning opportunity”

Myron Anderson was selected as the university’s vice president for inclusive excellence in early November and officially began to fulfill his duties in this founding position on Jan. 1. Anderson will be assisting UTSA in moving in a strategic direction towards improving the campus climate for underrepresented groups. Anderson brings more than 25 years of professional experience in higher education, including time as a faculty member conducting research in education technology to UTSA. “My journey to get this position took place throughout my life,” Anderson said. “You look at my understanding of equity, and actually being apart of inequities throughout my life, really gave me a passion to see how we can promote equity for everybody.” In his position, Anderson uses an equitable, inclusive and excellence lens to see how the university can collectively work together to promote equity for all. Prior to joining UTSA, Anderson served in a similar position as associate to the president for diversity at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “Taking [all previous experiences], learning, understanding and developing as a person has helped shaped who I am today

and really prepared me to be a part of this collective work that we as an institution, student body, faculty and staff have to do to promote inclusive excellence at UTSA.” Anderson has also conducted research in instructional technology, distance education, campus climate, diversity and microaggressions in higher education. One of Anderson’s goals for his position is to move UTSA towards an inclusive excellence ecosystem in order to sustain inclusivity, equity, excellence and gratuity. “Part of my job is to look at our systems, programs, current projects, possible gaps and look how we can develop new programs based best practices

for a national stage, and try to see how we get a 60/40 split of systems and reaction measures to allow us to advance inclusivity,” said Anderson. There are five elements associated with the inclusive excellence ecosystem: education, programs, policy procedures, organizational climate and systems. Anderson states that by viewing these five elements through different lenses along with proactively listening to the campus, he can observe ways to build teams and communities to better assist him in looking at these Continued on page 2 See “Experienced administrator joins UTSA”

Myron Anderson, UTSA’s vice president for inclusive excellence.

Photo Courtesy of UTSA

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UTSA UTSA’s Institute for P-20 Initiatives and the Texas Mentoring Partnership hosted the Texas Mentoring Summit (TMS), which focuses on the impact of mentoring students through grade school and college, on Jan. 10 and 11. This was the seventh annual TMS and it was hosted at UTSA’s Downtown Campus. The keynote speaker was the author of “Homeless by Choice,” Roy Juarez, Jr.

Texas The Texas State Preservation Board, the board overseeing the state’s capitol grounds, voted unanimously on Jan. 11 to remove the “Children of the Confederacy Creed” plaque. The plaque has been controversial due to its assertion that the Civil War was not a rebellion and was not fought to sustain slavery. For more than a year, officials have been complaining about the plaque and its historical inaccuracies.

U.S. A winter storm hit states in the Midwest on Jan. 12 and at least nine people have been reported dead as a result of the storm. Central Missouri received about 17 inches of snow, as reported by the National Weather Service. The Illinois State Police reported that college students who returned to campus for the semester were involved in many of the car crashes the storm caused.

Roadrunners encouraged to participate in institution’s birthday Continued from Page 1 at the Asian Festival, Diploma Dash, the UTSA Day of Service, Fiesta and Homecoming. “In September, we will host a special 50th anniversary alumni gala at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts,” French said. “Proceeds from the gala will support student scholarships.” The Office of the President will sponsor a monthly series, the UTSA 50th anniversary Scholar Speaker series, beginning in January that is free and open to the public. “It will engage the community in interesting topics ranging from music and brain health to cyber security and sustainability,” French said. Some students express appreciation for the year of celebrations the university will have this year. “I’m glad UTSA is celebrating for the whole year, it is a big milestone,” Elijah Mazuca, a senior philosophy major, said. “It’s good for students to celebrate and be proud of their school.” University Communications and Marketing (UCM) and the university-wide 50th anniver-

sary committee began planning the celebrations last summer. Anniversary committee members include representatives from University Development, University Communications and Marketing, Alumni Programs, Donor Relations, the President’s Office, UTSA Libraries, Facilities, the Institute of Texan Cultures, Faculty Senate, Business Affairs, Student Affairs, Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise, Athletics, the colleges and the Student Government Association. “The Office of University Communications and Marketing has also been working very hard on a variety of projects to prepare the university for the yearlong celebration,” French said. “Over the holidays, UCM placed a large 50th anniversary banner on the Baurle Road Garage and on the Ximenez Avenue Garage as well as colorful 50th pole banners on Main and downtown walkways.” Since the university’s establishment, UTSA has grown from having 671 students in 1969 to 32,101 students in 2019 and has also increased the number of campuses from one to four.

Social justice trip serves as learning opportunity

World Four people, two of which were firefighters, died in an explosion at a bakery in Paris on Jan. 12. In addition to four deaths, the explosion injured about 47 people. Officials reported that a gas leak caused the explosion. French interior minister, Christophe Castaner, reported that firefighters were able to save seven people.

Business SpaceX, Elon Musk’s private rocket company, will have approximately 6,000 employees after the company lays off about 10 percent of its workforce. According to SpaceX, the company is not in financial trouble and claims the layoffs are in anticipation of future challenges.

Science Dozens of seals have been stranded in Roddickton-Bide Arm, a Canadian town located on the island of Newfoundland, since Jan. 3. The wind and high tide caused the seals to be washed ashore. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans are strategizing a way to get the seals back into the ocean.

Students visit Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Continued from Page 1

usually stop in three to five cities and students will get to visit historical sites of the civil rights movement. In the past this has included New Orleans, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama; and Memphis, Tennessee.” Vincent Perez, associate director of the SLC said. The trip is an opportunity for students who are curious about the civil rights movement to stop at famous landmarks such as Little Rock High School, the National Civil Rights Institute and the Slave Haven Underground Railroad. Large and small group discussions about student’s experiences visiting each historical location are offered, creating a learning experience for everyone who goes on the trip. Pearl Gonzalez, an attendee of the recent trip and graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Program enjoyed the experience.

Kimiya Factory/The Paisano

“Being able to immerse myself in historical sites, discussions and insights has given me an experience beyond the textbook. I not only got to experience the untold narrative of civil rights history, but I was given a sense of unity in this continuous fight for justice. In a world filled with so much chaos and hopelessness I was given an experience that enhanced my perspective and given me hope in humanity again,” Gonzalez said. After the trip, students who attended the trip are required to apply their experience to the San Antonio Community and participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. march held in San Antonio on Jan. 21. Students must also reflect on their experience at a banquet being held Jan. 15 on UTSA’s Main Campus in the Denman Ballroom at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend both the march and the banquet.

“Over the last 50 years, so many people have contributed to developing UTSA into the university that you know today,” French said. “Acknowledging the university’s rich history with the community and the milestones that Roadrunners worked so hard to achieve led us

Roadrunner Days continue with Spring Welcome and Anniversary Kickoff.

Kimiya Factory/The Paisano

Samantha Flores/The Paisano

San Antonio native states political views Continued from Page 1

pressing issues in America such as the Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ movements. Castro critiqued Donald Trump’s reference to immigrants and plan to build a wall across the U.S. — Mexico Border. “We say no to building a wall and say yes to building community. We say no to scapegoating immigrants, and yes to dreamers, yes to keeping families together and yes to finally passing comprehensive immigration reform,” Castro said. After attending Stanford University and Harvard Law, Castro took to his local community by being elected to city council and implementing programs tailored towards the lower and middle class such as Pre-K SA and Cafe College. Being selected to be the secretary of housing by Obama in 2014 helped his rise in the Democratic Party, making him competitive for the upcoming presidential race. Political critics predict that Beto O’Rourke

becoming a nominee in the Democratic race would knock him out of the forefront, but Castro remains hopeful. “Of course, I’d rather be the only Democrat running from Texas,” Castro told CNN. “But I think that we are going to have a crowded primary, we don’t know who is going to run and so everybody is going to have to go and put out their vision and do the hard work of campaigning and reaching voters.” His event highlighted the importance of Latino culture by having local taco trucks cater the event and by playing everything from mariachi to Selena Quintanilla. “I am just going to be myself,” stated the newest Democratic nominee. “My focus will be about representing everybody, but of course there is a special significance to the Latino community especially, because many Latinos feel like there is a target on their back from this administration.”

Julian Castro greets San Antonio citizens.

Photo Courtesy of Dominique Beltran

Experienced administrator joins UTSA Continued from Page 1

Statute at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

to designate a full year for our anniversary.” For more information on UTSA’s 50th anniversary and the events being held, visit www. utsa.edu/50. To share photos and memories of UTSA on social media, use #UTSA50.

elements. By doing so, Anderson believes the university will be able to listen, cocreate, harvest the knowledge and then implement programs. “The goal is for UTSA to be the best institution in the country,” said Anderson. “I see myself as an ingredient amongst the entire leadership team, student body, faculty and staff to help them achieve their goals and agendas especially as it relates to

diversity and inclusion. My goal is to be one of the ingredients that allows us to be successful.” One reason why Anderson decided to come to UTSA is because of the students. Prior to his interview for the position, Anderson talked to students to share their thoughts on the campus and said they loved it here. “I’m seeing a school that takes students where they are and raises them to new heights. I said ‘wow, I want to be apart of that,’” said Anderson.

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editor@paisano-online.com | 3

opinion 50 years later: students still first Editorial UTSA has been in existence for 50 years and has established itself as a great institution. It is not UT. It has its own culture and its own mission. As a Hispanic-serving institution, UTSA has continued to show its dedication to its student body: teachers encouraging students in the classroom and administrators making students feel like a family. After 50 years of creating its own culture, UTSA should not sacrifice its identity to gain acclaim. In order for UTSA to attain top-tier status, university administrators may make decisions that could enhance the reputation of the university, but at the expense of the student body and the faculty. Over the past few semesters UTSA has continued to invest

millions of dollars into the athletics program. UTSA Football coach Frank Wilson’s salary is $675,000. In contrast, some UTSA faculty who teach full time make as little as $26,000. There has been debate for several years about the value of paying college coaches larger salaries than professors. It could be because of America’s fascination with sports or the amount of revenue gained from successful college sports programs. Whatever the case, the disparity between a coach’s salary and a professor’s salary should not be so enormous – especially if that head coach has not been very successful. A top-tier sports program is not the reason this university has been successful for 50 years; it is not the reason

students enjoy attending UTSA. Students love UTSA because they believe this university is more than a school. It is a place students can call home. It is a place where students can get to know faculty, administrators and staff. It is a place students can one day tell their kids about. As UTSA moves into the next era, university leaders should continue to put the well-being of students first by listening to students’ opinions and ensuring adequate funding for academic resources. Funding athletics should be a distant third. Happy Birthday, UTSA! You have a bright and exciting future.

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New year, new me Commentary

By Joseph Torres Staff Writer New year, new me: How many times have you heard or seen this quote since the new year began? I often think of New Year’s resolutions as promises of a better diet, frequenting the gym more, getting out of my comfort zone and even reading more books.

Over the holidays, I asked my niece if she had any resolutions. She was unfamiliar with this idea, so after briefly explaining it as “a promise you make to yourself that you wish to keep all year,” she began to come up with some resolutions of her own. During this conversation she told me she promised herself to make the A-Honor roll in school. After this initial resolution, the conversation took a turn I was not expecting. She followed up with saying she hopes people can stop bullying each other and try to be the best adults possible when

they grow up. This got me thinking about how we approach New Year’s resolutions. While most of us will aspire to eat better or read more books, I feel there’s something fundamentally essential to starting a new year off right and that is reflection. With each year that passes, we are fortunate to reflect on the events of the previous 12 months. Our achievements and our struggles all get lumped into a single collective thought that we’ll inevitably label 2018. From time to time, we’ll reach into our minds and elaborate on stories from the past year, the end result always

showing growth. As the ambiance of the holidays lingers into January, there remains a measurable feeling of optimism that we all share. A new year, a fresh start. I’d like to challenge you to reflect on the person you are today. Did you keep your resolutions from last year? Did you have a great accomplishment like making the A-Honor roll? What did it take to get where you are today? I’m sure you can easily tell me a story about how hard finals were, or how difficult it was to transition into college from high school. Good

news, you did it! You made it through finals and are ready to start a new semester. The idea of reflection is paramount to our growth as young adults. While it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of life at times, we cannot forgo this fairly easy idea to maintain a constant balance moving forward. My niece’s sudden realization of her own importance in the greater role of societal morality is the perfect example. That brought good thoughts and good feelings. What I took from this conversation with a nine-year-old was that we can do better.

Not only for ourselves but for everyone around us. The old forgotten story of “pay it forward” should be restored and it starts with the individual: You. So while I do plan to read another 50 books this year as one of my New Year’s resolutions, I also plan to pay more compliments to strangers. I challenge you for every resolution you make for yourself, consider one that will impact another person in a more positive manner. Let us respect ourselves this new year and bring a new meaning to the quote “new year, new me.”

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Government shutdown continues Commentary

By Arnulfo Caballero Staff Writer On midnight, Dec. 22, 2018 EST, the government was shut down for the second time in 2018. This shutdown has continued forward into 2019, and is now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The main issue of this shutdown has been President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion dollars to

build a border wall. Trump, in his attempt to deliver upon the promise he made to build a wall in his 2016 presidential campaign, called for Congress to add $5.7 billion dollars in the budget for a border wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Congress has not budged, and the president has promised not to pass any budgetary bill that does not include money for the wall. Trump tweeted on Jan. 10, in regards to the current partisan split on the wall: “There is GREAT unity with the Republicans in the House and Senate, despite the Fake News Media working in overdrive to make the story

look otherwise. The Opposition Party & the Dems know we must have Strong Border Security, but don’t want to give “Trump” another one of many wins!” There has been an attempt to end the shutdown, with the Democratcontrolled House passing a budgetary bill sans wall money. However, the Republican controlled Senate will not pass the bill due to Trump’s threat to veto any bill that does not have money for the wall. This shutdown has far reaching effects. Government workers are currently not being paid, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without a source of income. This past Friday marked the first time that

Commentary abusive behavior was overlooked due to his staggering ability to make hits after hits after hits – one of the main reasons victims of sexual harassment tend to defer from speaking their truth. As an R&B fanatic, artists ranging from Ginuwine to Brent Faiyaz have made the cut in my Apple Music library, and R. Kelly was one of them. Songs like “Ignition (Remix),” “Bump n’ Grind” and even the famous “I Believe I Can Fly” are Kelly’s most prominent songs that were acclaimed by the masses. Behind these multiple award-nominated-songs, lies Kelly’s questioned and concealed sexual allegations towards young women – from being indicted on 21 counts of child pornography to performing sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl. Even after all these malicious scandals were swirling, Kelly could still return to the studio one more time and collaborate with iconic artists such as Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga and many others. Preying on younger women since he was 25 years old, Robert Kelly was untouchable. “Can you separate art from [the artist]? It’s hard but I can,” tweeted Ibrahim “Ebro” Darden, a wellknown radio presenter. As controversial as it is bewildering, this tweet portrays the constant support provided by the community

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for him: “nobody wants to give up the music they love, and nobody wants to think badly of the artist they love.” One may think that by still bumping R. Kelly in their car is not a big deal, but let me tell you why it is: An automatic deposit of almost $22,000 goes into his pocket every month. And that is only for one song. On Jan. 5, his songs generated a staggering increase of streaming on all platforms by 116 percent from Jan. 2, the day before “Surviving R. Kelly” began–he is still getting that paper. By supporting heinous artists like R. Kelly, we are consequently discouraging victims of sexual and physical abuse to come out and tell their truth. Knowing that your unfortunate story is being ignored and sometimes ridiculed by other people is as traumatic as it is exhausting. These artists receive pillars after pillars of support from their label, fans, the media and many more, but those victims receive none if we don’t tune in to them. I’m aware that it is difficult to detach ourselves from the artist, but at the same time, we are still allowing them to make new music, go on tours, continue to expand their platform, voice and have other opportunities. Just remember: If you support evil, you are evil. With that being said, let’s mute R. Kelly.

Sports

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leaving too many class assignments and opportunities neglected. What happened? My expectations for my first year of college did not match reality. I was apathetic and unmotivated. I did not find my studies particularly interesting and I lacked any gusto to earn satisfactory grades on my assignments. I was not happy with what was happening and I was convinced I had unwillingly admitted myself into a statistic for college freshman dropout rates. After much selfreflection, I realized my college fantasy was bogus: there’s no such thing as a perfect college experience. Perfection, itself, is faux. I spent so much time fantasizing over something that was never going to happen. And here’s the worst part: I already knew this! I knew it when I went out on nights before exams, and I knew it when I was procrastinating instead of working on projects or studying. While I thought I was living a fantasy, I was subconsciously blinding myself from what was happening right in front of me: I was not happy with where I was or where I was going.

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After a semester defined by a lackluster performance, remaining optimistic is seemingly impossible. I’ve learned this from experience. Spring 2017: a semester that taught me a lot (not in the classroom, however). Although I learned from that turbulent time, I wouldn’t say that I have “bounced back.” The very phrase implies that I’ve returned to a place I once was. Neither have I ever been “back” nor do I want to go “back” to the time before that pivotal semester. During my first year at UTSA, I fell in love with the fantasy of college life: absolute freedom unmoored from parental supervision, accompanied by an effortless, elegant academic performance bringing professors and classmates alike to their knees – my first mistake. In reality, I was not so deft. That semester was filled with too many night outings mixed with procrastination – resulting in too many 8 a.m. alarms being silenced,

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able to pay rent and other necessities because they won’t be receiving their paychecks. Border security can be debated without ‘holding the American people hostage’ just because a talking Cheeto wants a wall.” However, there are students who are in favor of the shutdown to bring about border security. A communication major, Alexander Owen, said, “The wall is worth the shutdown because it will make America safer by decreasing drugs and illegal immigrants making it into our country.”

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the dollars for (2018-2019) awards in place. Direct loans and the Pell Grant program will also continue to operate.” However, veterans and researchers will not be able to reach government staff for assistance. Everything else should function normally, with no real adverse effects on UTSA students, veterans or researchers for the time being. Students are currently divided on the issue of the current shutdown. Pedro Castro, a radio television and film major at UT said, “Build the wall or not. Shutting down the government just f***** over all government employees, average Americans and they will end up not being

How to bounce back after a bad semester

Mute R. Kelly

By Adrianne Kristianto Social Media Coordinator The person responsible for paving the path of the R&B world is now one of the most abhorred people just days after we welcomed 2019. Born Robert Sylvester Kelly, the R&B superstar had successfully dodged bullets after bullets of accusations of abuse, manipulation and inappropriate encounters with young women. The six-part docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” aired by Lifetime, brought back attention to Kelly’s riddled scandals that have been going on for almost three decades; 26 years of sexual, physical and mental abuse performed towards our women and somehow, we decided to disassociate ourselves from him just today. His sickening actions have always been right in front of our eyes, and yet, we chose to blind ourselves. Why did we wait so long to realize that R. Kelly, the man who married a 15-year-old Aaliyah when he was 27 years old, was a predator? A potent artist considered by the music industry and the people, Kelly’s

government workers went without a check. While certain government workers such as customs agents continue to work and will receive back pay, other government workers will not be so lucky. This shutdown has also affected food stamps, welfare and tax refunds, meaning millions of people will continue to be adversely affected if this shutdown continues. However, UTSA students do not have to worry about their federal loans or grants being delayed for the 2018-2019 school year. In an article posted by Christi Fish on UTSA Today, “Federal student aid programs are forwardfunded, putting most of

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Furthermore, I interrogated the source of my apathy and questioned the things that genuinely interested me and I concluded they were not compatible with my major. From there my ambitions and goals shifted towards a new direction. During this come-toJesus moment, I learned more about myself than any other period in my life. I’m not proud of that semester, but I’m fortunate to have learned some valuable lessons from that time. Perfection is a perpetually insatiable concept when you want to be happy with your college experience. Therefore, if you spend your time obsessing over perfection, you too will find yourself insatiable. I have not “bounced back” from my bad semester and I do not intend to do so. I plan to utilize what I have learned from that enlightening semester and move forward towards a future I am proud to be striving for. In college, we are in a constant state of learning. Even at the most unexpected times, we are presented with didactic opportunities that can change our lives for the better.

The Paisano is published by the Paisano Educational Trust, a non-profit, tax exempt, educational organization. The Paisano is operated by members of the Student Newspaper Association, a registered student organization. The Paisano is NOT sponsored, financed or endorsed by UTSA. New issues are published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters, excluding holidays and exam periods. The Paisano is distributed on all three UTSA campuses — Main, Downtown and the Institute of Texan Cultures. Additionally, Paisano publications are distributed at a variety of off-campus locations, including Tri-point and a variety of apartment complexes near the UTSA Main Campus. All revenues are generated through advertising and donations. Advertising inquiries and donations should be directed to: 14526 Roadrunner Way Suite 101 San Antonio, TX 78249 Phone: (210)-690-9301 © 2018, The Paisano The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Handbook of Operating Procedures states in 5.03 that: The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will not exercise control over the format or content of Student Publications, but will regulate distribution on campus. Student Publications will be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and their editors and managers are solely responsible for editorial and content policies and decisions. Editors and managers of Student Publications will not be subject to arbitrary suspension/expulsion or removal from their positions within a Registered or Sponsored Student Organization (Student Organization) by the University because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or content. Student Organizations that distribute Student Publications are afforded the same rights and privileges as Student Organizations that do not distribute Student Publications.

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Arts & Life Music Medicine Former UTSA student highlights his struggles and accomplishments

By Kaylee Boggan Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Brandon Fletcher and Shelby Gordon

ormer music major and Spirit of San AnAward at the University Life Awards. tonio (SOSA) drum major Bobby Joe De “In my time as a drum major I wanted to leave a legand a fluent saxophonist. Leon Jr.’s life changed forever in August acy of excellence, determination and passion,” De Leon “I have played a couple of instruments in my thirteen2018 when he was diagnosed with primary said. “My main goal was to show that even students who ish years as a musician,” De Leon said. “I play all the cardiac cancer. came from small schools/band programs, like myself, saxophones, primarily alto and soprano, guitar for ma“I was first told that it was benign and shortly found could land these big roles on a university level. Another riachi, some percussion for Drum Corps (in my earlier out later it was cancerous,” De Leon said. “[The] timing goal was to push SOSA over the 300 members mark.” years), and I also sing. I started singing for mariachi and was horrible because I was in my last semester at UTSA. De Leon is a national collegiate mariachi vocal finalist when I got here to UTSA I had the tremendous opporI hadn’t told anybody until a couple tunity to teach the freshman our fight of weeks of knowing just because I song and alma mater.” felt embarrassed.” Even though De Leon is still battling The tumor in his heart is difficult cancer, he is trying to maintain a posito treat and expensive; in addition tive attitude. to his school work, De Leon had to “The everyday life has been tough,” figure out how to pay for chemoDe Leon said. “I am in pain every day, therapy. tired every day and just trying to be op“I’ve been lucky enough to have timistic. The beginning was tough but met so many people in my life every day is a milestone in my eyes.” who live all around the country,” De Leon’s parents have been his bighe said. “They are the reason I’ve gest supporters throughout school and been able to pay for so much of it. his cancer diagnosis. I am blessed to have them in my “My parents are definitely my stronlife.” gest supporters,” he said. “ They’ve After the diagnosis, De Leon been to every football game, concert in continued to teach at Churchill band and mariachi, parade and so much High School and Tejeda Middle more since I’ve been here. I’m the School, and even finished his BA person I am today because of how they in Music Studies with a certifiraised me. Life wasn’t always easy back cate in saxophone performance in home. Money wasn’t the best, but they December 2018. While a student at always made sure that my sister and I UTSA, he was an active member got what we needed. They inspire me of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa to be the best that I can be. I don’t ever Kappa Psi, National Honorary want to let them down and I hope that Band Service Fraternity, Mariachi I’ve made them proud parents.” Los Paisanos, the Spirit of San Recently, De Leon was informed that Antonio Marching Band and the the tumor has gotten small enough for a Spirit of San Antonio Student Asdoctor to perform surgery and possibly sociation. remove it. The surgeries to remove the Ron Ellis, the director of the tumor start at approximately $10,000. bands, inspired De Leon to teach De Leon’s GoFundMe has raided music at the high school or college $4,765 and he hopes to reach his goal level. of $20,000. “He has been my mentor from the beginning and I owe a lot of my success to him,” De Leon says. “Not only a great teacher but he’s great with life advice. He gave me an awesome opportunity to be the drum major instructor and a position on the professional staff for SOSA this past fall and it truly was a fantastic experience.” As a drum major, De Leon Photo courtesy of Brandon Fletcher and Shelby Gordon De Leon shines bright while received the UTSA Golden Feather posing with his saxophone

Otro mundo es posible Esperanza Peace & Justice Center to host political injustice panel By Kirkland Luther Arts & Life Editor The Esperanza Peace & Justice Center will host “Otro Mundo Es Posible: Creating Positive Change Under the Current Presidential Administration” on Friday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The free DreamWeek event is open to the public. DreamWeek is a 16-day event series aspiring “to advance Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings of tolerance, equality and diversity.” “Otro Mundo Es Posible” is a plática, or talk, focusing on local to national issues such as housing in San Antonio and advocacy for Palestine. The panel consists of local advocacy group and community organization representatives Nadine Saliba, Carolina Canizales, Amy Kastely and Alex Birnel. Together, the four representatives are striving for awareness and discussion surrounding political policies during recent and current presidential administration and their impact on marginalized groups at the local, state and national level. Yaneth Flores, Cultural Organizer at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center said, “The connection between these issues is in the racist and xenophobic policies and actions of the nation-state, affecting every aspect of our lives. Today’s struggles are the aftermath of decades of U.S. imperialism and systemic oppression, and we hope to discuss this in a conversation about how we can work to create positive, radical change in our community.” Saliba writes for the center’s monthly newsletter, La Voz de Esperanza, and is an advocate for the plight of Arabs. She’s building bridges through cultural understanding between Americans and Arab Americans. Canizales is a 2012 UTSA alumna pursuing her master’s in public administration through the university’s program. Fluent in Spanish, Canizales is the Texas Campaigns Strategist at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. She led United We Dream’s De-

Nadine Saliba

Carolina Canizales

portation Defense Program between 2012 and 2016. According to Esperanza Center’s website, she “trained and empowered local communities to defend their rights, stop unjust deportations and challenged ongoing collaboration between local police and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE).” Kastely is a member of the Texas and New Mexico bars and recently retired from her position as a professor of law at St. Mary’s University. According to the center’s website, she “served as lead counsel in Esperanza et al. v. City of San Antonio, the first case recognizing the importance of cultural rights in public arts funding.” She also served as the center’s representative against racial bias in San Antonio’s historic preservation, accountability for government officials’ democratic values and preservation of the Edward’s Aquifer. Alex Birnel serves San Antonio as Advocacy Manager for MOVE-Texas and cochair of the local Democratic Socialists of America and a Democratic Socialists of America National Political Committee member. Birnel founded MOVE while studying anthropology and political science at UTSA. The Esperanza Peace & Justice Center has continuously provided opportunity, experience and understanding to the San Antonio community as a means to “create alliances” according to the website. Flores continued, “We hope to create a space for all those who need it, teaching and learning from each other, and advocating for the rights of our community. Folks can support the Esperanza by showing up to our events and sharing Esperanza with others.” For more information about the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center and Friday’s event, please visit esperanzacenter.org.

Amy Kastely

Alex Birnel All photos courtesy of the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center

J an u ar y 15 - J an u ar y 22, 2019

6 | arts@paisano-online.com

Big Sis Advice: New year, same me

Free to please Paper Tiger hosts annual free concert series

By: Kimiya Factory Staff Writer

By Kirkland Luther Arts & Life Editor Paper Tiger, located downtown on the St. Mary’s Strip, recently concluded their annual “Free Week” concert series where local and surrounding area musicians perform free concerts at the venue for four days. Now it is time to update your New Year’s playlist featuring performing artists from last week’s concert series:

Scan the QR code to listen now!

Photo courtesy of Dominique Beltran

Wayne Holtz mesmerizes his listeners with infectious and raw pop melodies. His dazzling shows command attention and get anyone’s feet moving. Songs like “Bored on the Dance Floor,” “A Minute with Mark,” and “Black Attack” continue to energize San Antonio with positive, passionate and honest lyrics about overcoming anxieties, love and sex.

The Cops are a part of “Houston’s finest” punks protecting and serving the current state of affairs. Their 11-track debut LP, “First Offense,” clocks in at a rapid-fire 20:14. Dispatcher sound bites mixed with fuzzed-out vocals about police brutality, privilege and corruption shout over heartpounding beats in moments like “Protect and Serve,” “Downtown” and “Night Stick.” Dressed head to toe in lampooned officer uniforms, The Cops captivate audiences with adrenaline-fueled truth of injustice.

Greetings all. This semester marks the beginning of the new year 2019, also including countless Instagram posts with the same caption, “New year, new me.” As I scroll past each post of my re-invented followers, I can’t help but wonder if it’s okay to stay the same? The year of 2018 knocked me down so many times, however the amount of times that I had to get up made me into someone that I’m not ready to let go of. Just like a diamond, created by time and pressure, 2018 felt like the pressure cooker of my life. I discovered so many things about myself that even thinking about a new “me” — according to the changing of a date that marks a new year- made old-year me anxious. There were so many cloudy days that I found myself yelling at the sky, “why me?” Then there were other days that the sun came out and revealed why my situation chose me. Now, am I saying I’m a diamond in my final form? Hell no. I discovered many things about myself, though. I would take the shirt off my back for the people that I love. I like blueberry preserve jelly and I prefer that there not be one cloud in the sky on a sunny day. Waiting to do things last minute and grabbing carne asada tacos from the southside have become my weakness. While each of these things that I’ve discovered about myself are small or big in their own way, they’re nonetheless a treasure chest of discoveries that digging up was so hard to do yet in the end, are totally worth it. Why not change the game instead of re-inventing yourself for clout or a following increase? Hold onto whatever diamond you came to be as a result of the previous year. Something along the lines of “New year, same me.” Yeah, that sounds about right. For my diamonds Xoxo, Big Sis

Oxford defines ‘pantheon’ as, “a group of particularly respected, famous, or important people” and PNTHN live up to the name. PNTHN is a collective of nine rappers, producers and engineers hailing from San Marcos and are one of the most important groups today. Their uplifting, catchy and distinct flows found in tracks like “AZTEC,” “Megatron” and “Communion” have listeners hitting repeat and turning their volume up to 11.

True Indigo hypnotizes the San Antonio soundscape with sonorous croons, driving drums and bending basslines behind grooving guitar riffs. Songs such as “Moonshine,” “I Saw Purple” and “Loretta’s Bender” drip droning tones down listeners’ ears and into glistening puddles of psychedelic garage rock.

Send your suggestions for Big Sis Advice to arts@ paisano-online.com

The Weekend January 18 - Los Comedy Compadres / $5 9 - 10:30 p.m. at Jokesters 22 Los Comedy Compadres with Steven Padilla will bring the laughs Friday night. January 19 - SAAACM Open House / Free 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at The Sutton Family Homestead Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend to learn more about the San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum during this DreamWeek event. January 19 - Randy Cordero / Free 3 - 5 p.m. at Hotel Valencia Riverwalk Enjoy a free performance by the acclaimed flamenco guitarist. January 19 - An Incredible Weight|Wait / Free 6 - 9 p.m. at Brick at Mantle Art Space Artists Sarah Francis Hollis and Taylor Maupin examine the destruction caused by a violent relationship within the context of Hollis’ testimony.

To feature your event in “The Weekend” email the arts editor at arts@paisano-online.com

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

J a nu a r y 1 5 - J an u ar y 2 2, 2019

sports@paisano-online.com | 7

Sports The Green aren’t so mean after all

UTSA’s red-hot stretch began on Dec. 17 at home with a 101-77 victory over the Bethany College Swedes. The ‘Runners’ continued The UTSA men’s baskettheir success against Texas A&M ball team, seeking their first Corpus Christi, Southeastern Oklaconference championship homa State, UTEP (twice), Rice since joining Conference USA and North Texas. (C-USA) in 2013, is currently Looking ahead, the remainder of undefeated in conference play UTSA’s schedule is solely against and holds the lead in C-USA. in-conference opponents, so each Overall, the team got off to a game is crucial to the ‘Runners’ slow start, losing seven of their bonus play hopes. UTSA looks to first 10 games, but they headed continue building momentum in into the game on January 12 these games to propel them into the against the University of North bonus play tournament beginning Texas (UNT) on a six-game on Feb. 23. winning streak and an overall The Roadrunners will need to record of 9-7. UTSA led by see continued performance from as many as 10 in the second Guard Giovanni De Nicolao dribbles past some Oklahoma Sooners on his way to the rim. Jack Myer/The Paisano team leaders Jackson, Allen, Bior half, and after six lead changes sophomore guard Jhivvan Jackson led and contributed 16 to UTSA’s winning and Wallace. This young and and a late UNT surge, UTSA prevailed the team with 60 free throw attempts, effort against UNT. The ‘Runners’ as a talented core should carry UTSA through 76-74 in a nailbiter over the Mean Green, making 50 of them. Jackson also shot team have put up 78.7 points per game the remainder of this season and in the improving their overall record to 10-7 and the contested jump shot with 1.6 seconds over their seven-game win streak, 12.7 future. their conference record to 4-0. left to play that gave the ‘Runners the points more than their opponents. The The Roadrunners hope to keep the The ‘Runners’ seven-game win streak victory over the Mean Green on Saturday January 12 win snaps a four-game losing streak alive, Jan. 17, at Middle Tennessee was led by sophomore guard Keaton afternoon and finished the game with 17 streak against the Mean Green and gives at 6:30 p.m. Wallace’s average of 33.8 minutes per points. Senior forward Nick Allen set a the ‘Runners their best 11-game stretch in game and junior forward Atem Bior’s career high of 20 points win against Rice, 30 years. 5.6 rebounds per game. Over the span By Jack Myer Staff Writer

Guard Karrington Donald races her way past several defenders in a game against Sul Ross State.

Lindsey Thomas/The Paisano

Women’s basketball off to slow start By Nisa Rodriguez Staff Writer UTSA’s women’s basketball team began their conference play during the break. Although they got off to a slow start, the ladies took their first win of the conference on Jan. 12. The Roadrunners started their conference play against UTEP on Jan. 5. The Roadrunners had a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, but they lost momentum in the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, the Miners continued to control the basketball which lead to them scoring 24 points and taking the win at 73-60. The Roadrunners suffered a big loss against Rice on Jan. 10. In the first quarter,

the Rice Owls started the game off with a quick six points. Although Tija Hawkins and Marie Benson shot 35.8 percent on the court, Rice came out on top for the first quarter at 28-15. Rice continued to score in the second quarter, shooting 53.3 percent from the court and increasing their lead. The Owls kept the lead at the half with 48-22. In the third quarter, Benson and Hawkins scored double digits for the Roadrunners, but Rice still won the quarter with 70-33. UTSA scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, but it was still not enough for the win. Rice took the game home with a score of 85-54. UTSA won their first game in conference on Jan. 12 against North Texas with a close

score of 57-54. The Roadrunners improved their record to 6-9 overall and 1-2 in CUSA action. During the first quarter, the Roadrunners started off strong with Benson scoring the first layup. North Texas went on a 6-0 run until Hawkins tied the game at six. The Roadrunners took a 10-8 lead with 2:40 remaining. Both teams worked for the ball and eventually tied at 15, finishing the first quarter. Although North Texas started the second quarter with a quick four points, Benson tied the game at 19. Karrington Donald shot a 3-pointer which increased their lead to 22-19. Kourtney Kekec made a layup to take the lead to seven. She continued with another layup as the Roadrunners led by nine. UTSA took their

largest lead of the half with just 37 seconds remaining. Roadrunners led 34-22 at the half. Coming into the third quarter the Roadrunners continued to lead until UNT shot a 3-pointer. UNT’s renewed momentum tightened the score to 50-43, UTSA at the top. Both teams started off the fourth quarter unable to control the basketball until UNT made a layup to bridge the gap to three. From then, the game was tied until Marie Benson took two free throws to lead the Roadrunners to victory. With their first conference win in the books, the UTSA women’s basketball team returns to action this Thursday, Jan. 17. They will face Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m. in the Convocation Center.

Track and Field season is upon us By Ryan Garza Sports Editor With the spring semester underway, it is time for Track and Field to take off once again. The first meet of the indoor season took place Jan. 11 through Jan. 12 up in College Station for the Ted Nelson Invitational. The first meet of the season went rather well for some Roadrunners with multiple studentathletes finding themselves inside the top three finishes. The women’s distance medley relay team placed third at the meet. Colleen Gilbert, Creshawn Cresser, Stephanie Sauceda and Amber Boyd make up the team that clocked a total time of 12 minutes, 33.56 seconds. In the women’s pole vault, senior Caroline

Bellows and freshman Alexandria Gray ended the day finishing in seventh and 11th place, respectively, with a height of 3.59 meters. On the men’s side, senior distance runner Luca Chatham won the mile with a time of 4 minutes, 10.32 seconds. Sophomore Andre Douglas placed first in the triple jump with a mark of 15.44 meters winning the event by almost a foot. The men’s distance medley relay team grabbed a second-place finish by the combined efforts of Chatham, Chris Rosules, Zack Kovar and Monty Bertschy with an overall time of 10 minutes, 12.61 seconds. Senior thrower Vincent Perez brought home a silver medal with a throw of 18.11 meters in

the weight throw. Another senior who had a big day was Vasha Sheriff who placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.41 seconds. After two days of competition, the women ended the meet with a seventh-place finish and a combined team score of 20.5, trailing Abilene Christian University by 10.5 points. The men finished in fourth place with a combined score of 75 which gave them a higher score than both the University of Texas and Texas State while only being six points out of placing in a top three spot. The meet was the first of the season and the first of five for the indoor track season. The next two meets will take place in Houston on Jan. 19 and Jan. 25.

Senior Luca Chatham rounds the corner during his mile event.

Jeff Huehn/ UTSA Athletics

8 | sports@paisano-online.com

J an u ar y 15 - J an u ar y 22, 2019