1.22.19 by The Paisano

5 | Arts & Life

7 | Sports

Becoming San Antonio

Athlete of the week

Vol. 59, Issue 2

Est. 1981

January 22 - January 29, 2019

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Thousands march for ... Locals discuss reasons for marching

Leonard Wilson: San Antonio native “First of all, I think if we can keep it alive and in terms of making the dream a reality it’s one thing to have a dream but it’s another thing to make the dream become possible. One of the things that Dr. King talked about was making sure that little white kids and little black kids will have the opportunity to walk hand in hand, and until we can really embrace that diversity, I think we can say not we shall overcome, but we have overcome and that’s why I believe.”

Stephanie Keene: Acadmic advisor in business studies “You just have to, you can’t let his legacy die. People have worked so hard to have the right to walk together and to even eat at the same restaurant and to throw that away would be ridiculous.”

Grace Adedipe: junior, biomedical engineer

“Today means a lot to me because I believe in civil rights for minority groups and the LGBT+ community. I believe that by taking a stand to come to this march we are saying we are an all-inclusive city and an all-inclusive country. With our political climate right now that is exactly what we need. And I’m all for inclusivity!”

The San Antonio community gathers to march in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

By Carlos Prado Staff Writer San Antonio held it’s 51st annual march to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 21. The dream that was envisioned by Dr. King came out in full force.

UTSA hosts Success Walk

Hundreds of people from all walks of life participated in this act of unity and fellowship. Many guest speakers showed their support, such as Apostle T.E. Booker, Shaun King, San Antonio’s own Mayor Ron Nirenberg and many more. UTSA’s

By Joseph Torres Staff Writer

Joseph Torres/The Paisano

The Roadrunner Success Walk was held at UTSA on Jan. 16 as part of Roadrunner Days Spring Edition. The John Peace Library (JPL) and Multidisciplinary Studies (MS) Building provided open source information

designed to promote student success on campus. The Roadrunner Success Walk aimed to bring awareness to students about educational resources available at UTSA. This self-paced tour took place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at four different student service locations inside the JPL and the MS

African-American and MexicanAmerican study programs were also in attendance accompanied by UTSA students, staff and alumni.

President Eighmy seeks campus improvement By Heather Montoya Co-News Editor

Students stand in line for refreshments.

Jack Myer/The Paisano

Building. UTSA offers these services through a student funded program, also known as a student service fee, applied to tuition costs. These services Continued on page 2 See “Roadrunner day event informs students of campus resources”

President Eighmy’s priorities for 2019 emphasize the university’s strategic initiatives, next capital campaign and funding. The strategic initiative that Eighmy would like to highlight for students is the Classroom to Career initiative. Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and vice president for academic affairs, leads this initiative which promotes learning outside of the classroom. “I am a huge believer in the impact of experiential learning — it transformed my own college experience and so I know the value first hand,” Eighmy said. “Our goal is to have 75 percent of all UTSA students participate in some kind of learning opportunity outside the

classroom by the time they graduate.” Eighmy hopes to make the most of UTSA’s 50th anniversary celebrations and will launch UTSA’s next capital campaign, which seeks a 500 million dollar endowment and R1 Carnegie classification by this September. Eighmy will also be working with lawmakers in Austin during the spring and winter to make a case for UTSA’s funding. “It’s a short and intense legislative season that comes once a biennium, so we’ll have lots of work to do to be sure we’re making a good case for our funding priorities,” Eighmy said. In addition to focusing on the classroom to career initiative, launching a capital campaign and advocating for UTSA’s funding, plans for campus

expansion will also be underway in 2019. “On the Main Campus, we have two new residence halls in the works—one specifically for freshmen and one for Honors students,” Eighmy said. “We’re also building a new mini-neighborhood adjacent to UTSA Boulevard called Roadrunner Village. It will have housing, dining and shopping, really adding to the sense of vibrant residential life on campus.” UTSA also plans on working on the Roadrunner Athletics Center of Excellence, adding a center to house student success programs and also expandContinued on page 2 See “UTSA plans to work on strategic initiatives, capital campaign and funding”

UTSA alumnus announces entrance in 2019 NFL Draft By Adrianne Kristianto Social Media Coordinator Josiah Tauaefa, UTSA alumnus and former Roadrunner linebacker, announced that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL Draft on Dec. 28 via social media. In the 2018 football season, Tauaefa had 113 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and

three quarterback hurries. Tauaefa was named honorable mention All-Conference USA by the league’s head coaches in 2019, was the first Roadrunner to achieve the Freshman AllAmerican Team his freshman year and is one of the 10 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, which acknowledges the nation’s top linebacker. “It was a tough decision

because so much went into it,” Tauaefa said. “I’m going to miss playing with those guys and that brotherhood, but I feel like I made the right decision.” Being the biggest inspiraContinued on page 2 See “Tauaefa forgoes senior season” Josiah Tauaefa forgoes senior year to enter NFL Draft.

Ricky Galindo/The Paisano

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UTSA plans to work on strategic initiatives, capital campaign and funding

UTSA Academic Affairs and the Human Health Planning Advisory Task Force will hold a series of Q&A sessions beginning in January. The task force was launched last November to explore college structure for leveraging university strengths in human health, such as related education and research efforts to better serve the UTSA and San Antonio community. The first session will be held on Jan. 25 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Buena Vista Street Building Theater (BVB 1.326) at the downtown campus and will be hosted by task force members in the College of Public Policy and College of Architecture, Construction and Planning.

Texas Justin Timberlake visited patients at HCA Healthcare Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio on Jan. 18. A video of the patients was shared widely all week to get Timberlake to visit the hospital. The 37-year-old pop singer visited the young patients before performing at his “Man of the Woods” tour at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

U.S. A crowd of teenagers surrounded a Native American elder and other activists and mocked them after the Indigenous Peoples March at the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18. Videos of the confrontation show a smiling young man in a red Make America Great Again hat standing directly in front of the man, who was playing a drum and chanting. Other kids could be seen laughing, jumping around and making fun of the chants.

Continued from Page 1

The Tomás Rivera Center was one of the stops on the Roadrunner Success Walk.

Joseph Torres/The Paisano

reservations and more.

Roadrunner day informs students of campus resources Continued from Page 1 are accessible to all students currently enrolled. This event was accompanied with a prize drawing for students who checked in at all four locations: Academic Success Coaching, Library Services, Tomás Rivera Center (TRC) Tutoring Services and the TRC Supplemental Instruction Program. Light refreshments were provided at each location. Academic Success Coaching is located at MS 1.02.02 on the Main Campus and Durango Building (DBB) 2.114 downtown. This service allows students to meet one-on-one with an academic coach who provides guidance. Lisa Johns, Director of Academic Success Coaching added, “Students can visit one or several times [as needed] for help getting organized.” Academic coaches also provide several resource workshops throughout the semester that are walk-in friendly. In the JPL, the Information Desk Library Services has resources that include: textbooks on reserve, laptops and headphones check out, study room

Library Subject Specialists also provide support for many courses UTSA offers. For more information you can visit their website (lib.utsa.edu/services). TRC Tutoring Services is located in JPL 2.01.12 at the second floor South Commons in the Quantitative Skills Lab or Q-lab. Tutoring is available for STEM courses: mathematics, engineering, physics, biology, chemistry and economics. Javier Cervantes, Lecturer I, said, “The Q-Lab has excellent tutors and we encourage students to come early and often.” Students may also call ahead for tutoring availability information. TRC Supplemental Instruction Program is located in JPL 4.02.08. For students taking historically difficult courses at UTSA, the program is available and offers weekly study sessions to promote student’s success on campus. The Supplemental Instructors (SI) are students who previously succeeded in the course. Students are encouraged to stop by for weekly study sessions.

ing the Downtown Campus. Expansion at the Downtown Campus will include building a new residence building on Cattleman’s Square, building a new headquarters for the college of business and working on two projects. “We’ve also got our new School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center in the works — two projects that will really put San Antonio on the map as the nation’s top producer of workforce talent and R&D for the data analytics, business intelligence and cybersecurity industries,” Eighmy said. According to Eighmy, challenges he and the university face involve political and cultural divides as well as ensuring that UTSA is affordable. “Preventing sexual violence,

Eighmy plans for expansion at the Downtown Campus.

World Thousands of people across Colombia took to the streets demanding peace and chanting “no to terrorism.” The protests were in response to the death of 20 police cadets in a car bomb attack in the capitol, Bogotá, on Jan. 17. President Iván Duque and his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, were among those marching in Bogotá. Duque blamed the attack on the National Liberation Army (ELN) and has ruled out any restart of peace negotiations with the left-wing rebels.

Scientists in Antarctica have uncovered remnants of tiny animals in mud dredged from a lake that had been covered by a thick mantle of ice for thousands of years. Researchers on the expedition, known as the Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA), were the first to sample Lake Mercer, a body of water 600 kilometers away from the South Pole. The team looked at the renemants under a microscope and described the creatures to look like spiders or crustacean creatures with legs. Until now, scientists had not considered Antarctic lakes like Mercer to be suitable environments for organisms larger than microbes.

Ellyson Ortega/The Paisano

Tauaefa forgoes senior season Continued from Page 1

Science

reinforcing a culture of inclusivity and providing students with tools for civil discourse are all top priorities for UTSA this year,” Eighmy said. “Ensuring that UTSA remains affordable is another challenge that is always top-of-mind for me.” Even though Eighmy and the university have faced challenges, he is still proud of everything the university has done so far such as expanding the Downtown Campus, redesigning the university’s budget, restructuring UTSA senior leadership and improving retention and graduation rates. “We’ve made a lot of strides over the past year. The rapid improvements we’re seeing in UTSA retention and graduation rates are remarkable and of a scale rarely seen at public universities,” Eighmy said.

Tauaefa announced draft entrance on social media.

Ellyson Ortega/The Paisano

tion to the middle-linebacker, Tauaefa’s family has an extensive background in sports. “My dad, all my siblings, my aunts and uncles played sports. [There was] plenty of motivation to carry that on and be like them,” said the Dallas native. As a student at UTSA, Tauaefa was a communication major and hopes to use what he learned to preach and minister Christian gospel later in life. “Football is just the platform that God has allowed me to use to get involved with organizations, volunteering and being able to bless other people who might be in need,” Tauaefa said. The former UTSA linebacker appreciates his experience and everything he learned at UTSA. “[The memories] mean so much

to me over the years and has taught me a lot that I will continue to use throughout the rest of my life,” Tauaefa said. Tauaefa is currently back in his hometown, Dallas, for his training for the NFL. “Josiah certainly developed into one of the best players in UTSA history and that was because of his hard work and dedication to be the best he could be,” said UTSA Head Coach Frank Wilson. Tauaefa wishes his former teammates nothing but success in future seasons. “I hope they continue building and molding our culture into a winning one and to get more and more people to buy into what the coaching staff and all of San Antonio is trying to accomplish,” Tauaefa said.

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editor@paisano-online.com | 3

opinion Fight for your dreams Editorial A dream is a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. In life a dream is a goal people hope to one day attain. Like Martin Luther King Jr., many people dream of peace, equality and love. Like DACA Dreamers who want to be regarded as the Americans they are. From Jan. 11-26, San Antonio locals have a chance to express their dreams by participating in DreamWeek. According to DreamWeek.org, DreamWeek is a 16-day summit of events that allow individuals to exchange ideas on issues to further the advancement of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings of tolerance, equality and diversity. The DreamWeek conference is an open forum where real world issues will be discussed in a respectful manner. In today’s climate, a summit like this is important because it allows people to express their views and lets their voices be heard. People from different cultural, social and political backgrounds may feel as though they aren’t being heard; therefore, they remain quiet, and when those people finally are able to speak out, they may feel like nobody cares or nothing will change. DreamWeek gives a person a chance to discuss how

to make the world a better place. For example, one of the events at DreamWeek is “When women lead, the world works for all.” This specific session will discuss how women’s leadership can make the world a better place for everyone. Details about DreamWeek events can be found on DreamWeek.org. Attend one session during DreamWeek. Learn about someone you may have never known before. Express your views, even if they are not popular. Dream to make the world a better place, and make that dream a reality.

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New age conservatives harass Native American Commentary

By Alfonzo Mendoza Contributing Writer On Jan. 18, thousands of Native Americans gathered outside the Interior Department – Bureau of Indian Affairs to begin the first Indigenous Peoples March in Washington D.C. Apart from having their land stripped away and forcibly stolen, some of their grievances include the organization of Indian reservations or lack thereof, injustices towards the indigenous community and misrepresentation in the media and society. As the March for Life took to the streets of Washington D.C., the Indigenous Peoples March, which happened to coincide, specifically received a tremendous amount of support after videos went viral of Make America

Great Again (MAGA) teens disgustingly harassing and mocking a Native American Vietnam War veteran, Nathan Phillips. The video that has circulated around social media platforms show a large group of white male teens swarming around Phillips while he continues to beat his drum. The male students in the video attend Covington Archdiocese Catholic School in Northern Kentucky and made the journey to voice their anti-abortion beliefs. Phillips, singing a song about unity and strength, was met at an impasse when one of the Covington students stepped in front of him and refused to let him continue marching, holding a grim smirk on his face and a red hat on his head. “If I took another step, I’d be putting myself into his presence, his space, and I would’ve touched him. That would’ve been the thing that they would’ve needed to spring on me,” Phillips said. The students all share one commonality: their

red hats. As many of us know, racism is still alive and thriving in this country and since the election of Donald Trump there has been a spike in racially charged incidents. With the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from the current administration and widespread fear mongering by white conservatives, this makes us wonder what direction our country is headed towards. The red hat represents not only a political platform, but also a set of immoral ideological practices that promotes hatred. Native Americans already face extreme challenges in American society. With President Trump launching racially motivated jokes towards Sen. Elizabeth Warren about her Native heritage, his recent tweet poking fun at the Wounded Knee massacre of 1890 further disrespects a people that are already so horribly mistreated.

The MAGA teens that hassled Phillips began chanting “build the wall,” a common saying used by the president to promote his anti-immigrant and anti-Latinx agenda. “This is indigenous land. We’re not supposed to have walls here, we never did,” Phillips said. This type of language has always been prevalent in American society and these white teens that were born into positions of power have most likely never felt or understood oppression. This incident

raises many questions about our society; what does it say about the new modern conservative youth that Trump birthed, or rather, sheltered? What values are parents and educators teaching their students? “I wish I could see that energy from those young men, and put that energy into making this country really great.” Phillips said. “We took care of our elders, of our children. We always provided and taught them right from wrong.”

Analyzing our country’s societal and political dynamics is definitely a slippery slope. Native Americans, a marginalized group that have lived in the shadows of our society, are finally being heard. Phillips’ story is sweeping the nation, and with many marches planned for MLK Day, it is invigorating to see the widespread support but also acknowledging the challenges that the community still faces.

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Spring got me sprung Commentary

By Katrina Clements Managing Editor Entering this spring semester brings my anxiety to a new level; I just spent a whole month being stressed to max capacity by my family and now I have to go back to school and push even harder? I need more time! I’m not ready! Before I knew it, I was packing up my car and heading back to San Antonio. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and busy

schedule here; however, I enjoy it a lot more when I’m not dealing with the stress of the holidays and their aftermath. As we enter the spring semester, we adjust ourselves back into our daily routines as college students. Winter break allows us four weeks to decompress, recover from the fall semester and spend time with our friends and families back home. While four weeks sounds like enough time to get your groove back, it actually gives you just enough time to fall into a new routine before having to revert back to student life. I entered winter break in hopes of spending my time doing things for myself, since during the semester

I have a difficult time balancing work, school and leisure. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. I spent the first two weeks of the break rushing around town from store-to-store buying Christmas gifts for my family and driving my dad to doctors’ appointments. Just as the stress of shopping ended, Christmas arrived. My sisters, accompanied by their husbands and three dogs, came into town, creating a whole new element of chaos. Picture this: I’m running around my house making sure the dogs don’t kill each other, checking on food in the oven, all while trying to make sure I was spending this limited quality time with my family.

By the end of the week, I was a total grinch and couldn’t wait for Christmas to be over and done with. While I love going home for the holidays, this year was not relaxing whatsoever. I hadn’t spent any time doing the things I told myself I was going to do. Winter break doesn’t allow for much alone time if you’re anything like me: I have a big family, have to act as a caretaker, have divorced parents and I’m also an acting family member to my best friend’s family. When the fall semester begins, I am ready to take on the semester as I am rested, carefree and just spent three months living my best life, compared to entering the spring

semester, where I am tired, stressed and not ready to face my responsibilities. I’m not saying we need a longer winter break, but I am saying that going back to school afterward is definitely much harder. As stressed as I was during the holidays, saying goodbye to my family and friends was all the more difficult knowing that I’m not going to see them again until summer. I’m not able to travel home for three-day-weekends and I’m travelling for spring break, so this goodbye stung a little more than usual. As we enter our second week of the spring semester, I have almost settled back into my hectic routine of classes, work and trying to get enough

sleep at night. Another day, another to-do list. I hope to find the time for myself that I wasn’t able to have over winter break, and I hope you do too. Here’s what I recommend if you’re struggling this semester: call your mom – she will always be happy to hear from you. Go on a hike – San Antonio has some beautiful trails that will take your mind off school and give you a dopamine boost. And lastly, make time to do things you enjoy no matter how busy your schedule gets. There is time, I promise. Getting your groove back is hard no matter what time of year, but I know it’s hard out here in the spring.

Inside the mind of a serial ghoster

So, you’ve made a mistake

Commentary

By Alex Hanks Contributing Writer Anybody who has a cellphone has heard of the term “ghosting.” Dictionary.com defines it as “the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation.” Many of you reading this have been ghosted. In fact many of you reading this have also been the ghoster. I would have to admit that I am in fact, a serial ghoster. Now many of you may ask why any decent human being would ghost another person. Why would I consistently cut off contact with people without explanation? And I would answer with one simple phrase: “inner peace.” At the young age of 22, I am still finding out who I am, what makes me happy, what I love and what I want to be associated with. With that being said, meeting any person who compromises any of those characteristics listed compromises my peace and thus should not be apart of my life. It sounds cold. It sounds brutal. Yet, what most people don’t realize is that you

don’t owe anyone an explanation. Our college years are the years of taking risks, pushing forward and securing our future, not everyone has a role in being apart of our respective journeys. I am here to tell you that ghosting someone is not something that should be stigmatized. It should be celebrated. If shorty keeps hitting you with the “wow that’s crazy” text, ghost her. If your boo hits your line with some beliefs that totally compromise your own, ghost them. If I slide in her DM’s and find out she’s still an R.Kelly fan in 2019, she’s ghosted (and blocked). Shoot, if your mom hits you with the “unload the dishwasher,” ghost her too! (I am only kidding, sorry mom). I am here to take a stand. We as scholars, forward thinkers and innovators must stop stigmatizing the art of ghosting. Face it, some people are dry. There are an abundance of things I would rather do besides reply to another “damn that’s crazy.” I am a college student and I don’t have time for buffoonery. Don’t get me

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wrong, I’ve been ghosted dozens of times. I’ve realized that it’s not personal. It’s a two-way street. We all live in our separate worlds, with separate ambitions. UTSA is a massive campus, with so many diverse, beautiful individuals. Why would I settle for someone who isn’t on the same page I am, when I could walk into the JPL or MH and find a dozen other people who are more interested in the things I am. So if I ghosted you and you’re reading this: You were either boring, not ambitious, a little racist or simply on a different path than I was. It’s nothing personal but I gotta go secure a bag at some point, and you were standing in my way. So with that being said, protect your energy. Learn to love hanging out with yourself. Take some time to truly find out what brings you happiness. Temporarily cutting yourself off from the rest of the world can be one of the most liberating aspects of your life. Be kind to yourself.

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If you are reading this article it is because you read the title and thought, “I did that,” or maybe you’re bored and want something interesting to read. Regardless, maybe you and I can learn something. We all regret the mistakes we make, especially when they hurt the ones we love. I made a mistake that I regret and am now facing the consequences. You may be in a similar situation and, just like me, you are trying to figure out what to do. The first step is accepting the situation. As much as we wish, we cannot turn back the clock and wish the situation never happened. It happened, and now we must deal with it. While it sounds simple, we often find ourselves looking back and thinking, “What if I did this differently?” However, thinking this way is a waste of our brain power and will only lead to the creation of alternate realities that will never happen. Instead let’s focus on the positive and think about

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what we learned from the situation. We must attempt to rise above the situation and think of what we can do differently next time. Too often we beat ourselves up over a mistake. We ponder upon the mistake, let it fester and allow it to ingrain itself into our psyche. This is not healthy and will do nothing but lead to negative feelings and create negative habits. This could fall between sitting in class and running the scenario over in your head on one end of the spectrum, and drinking on the other. Dwelling on the past does nothing. I’m not saying we must forget the whole situation ever happened, but we cannot let the situation consume us. We have a whole life to live, and we must allow ourselves to move on. Once we do this, we can begin learning from our mistakes. If you make a mistake, big or small, and say you learned nothing from the situation then you are a fool. This may sound harsh, but that’s because it needs to be said. Life is about growing and learning, and we learn the

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most from our mistakes. Continuing the same behavior or action after a mistake means you didn’t learn. We must instead adapt ourselves to become better than the person we were before the situation occurred and try to do better in the future. Grow from the experience in the hopes you will not make the same mistake again. Every situation is different and requires different levels of attention. What I offer is simply a way to allow ourselves to grow as individuals from our mistakes. All I offer is what we learned together in this article. That we must accept and learn. It is only once you become at peace with yourself that you can begin the process of mending the rift between yourself and others. I cannot promise that rift will be mended, as so far mine has not, but it is my honest hope that you have better luck. I leave you with this quote by Marcus Aurelius, “Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.”

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@paisano-online.com | 5

Arts & Life Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

Illustration courtesy of Eddie Monsibaiz

Becoming San Antonio UTSA alumna showcases the faces of San Antonio By Alfonzo Mendoza Contributing Writer

an Antonio proudly hosts one of the most diverse week-long summits that aims to create a dialogue between different cultures and communities — DreamWeek. Many of the events include interactive art exhibits that paint the modern day vision of Martin Luther King Jr. “Becoming San Antonio: Centuries of Immigration” boldly displays the capturing stories of migration to San Antonio. The interactive exhibit curated by Michael Cirlos, author of the successful book “Humans of San Antonio,” was displayed at the Briscoe Museum of Western Art over the past week and purveyed an extremely strong message about the culture of San Antonio. Cirlos began his academic career studying abroad at Webster University in Thailand and pursued international relations and psychology. While abroad, he found his passion for photography, crediting his fellow colleagues as one of the reasons he explored his newfound interest. “It was meeting people abroad that were also interested in photography that encouraged me to branch out. I had a little point-and-shoot camera and we’d shoot photos. I didn’t think it would turn into a career for me, I just thought man this is so much fun,” Cirlos said. Keeping up with his passion for photography, Cirlos recently released a book called “Humans of San Antonio,” with photos that personified the city’s culture and diversity. The project, which took five years to complete, was inspired by “Humans of New York,” and was introduced to Cirlos by a friend while at a restaurant. Trinity University Press eventually took notice of Cirlos’ increased popularity on social media and presented him with the opportunity to turn his work into a book. “They wanted to catalogue the images and stories I had taken over the years, and put them together in a book, ‘Humans of San Antonio,’” Cirlos said. In relation to his commitment in the San Antonio community, DreamWeek reached out to Cirlos and asked him to create a collaborative piece that demonstrated the uniqueness and character of the city. “Becoming San Antonio: Centuries of Immigration” features many photographs and stories from the “Humans of San Antonio” book and seamlessly brings together a wide array of cultures. Many of the week’s events, including the highly anticipated march, feature interactive art exhibits that paint the modern-day vision of Martin Luther King Jr. The display case greets patrons with an interactive touch panel that allows them to swipe through individual photos and narratives, while also presenting a time line that allows viewers to pin exactly when their family arrived in San Antonio. The exhibit showcases an extensive selection of photographs, each with a powerful backstory about the compelling lives of San Antonio migrants. The exhibition does a wonderful job at capturing the diversity and soul of San Antonio. The photos of San Antonio immigrants past and present tell a powerful story that one must see to understand. “It’s about bringing people together and realizing, the vast majority of people in San Antonio have some sort of family lineage that comes from somewhere else,” Cirlos said. For more information about the exhibit and Cirlos, visit www.michaelcirlos.com.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Generations of San Antonio citizens are honored at the DreamWeek exhibit.

Photo courtesy of Alfonzo Mendoza

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Big Sis Advice: Social media & relationships

Anyone can wear the mask “Spider - Man: Into the Spider - verse” analysis

By: Kimiya Factory

By Kirkland Luther

Staff Writer

Arts & Life Editor “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” is the latest installment in the Spider-Man movie franchise and has already solidified its place in superhero and cinema history with its aesthetically pleasing comic book – animation style, relatable story and inspiring messages. The Sony Animation film was released worldwide on Dec. 14, 2018 and made $35 million opening weekend, falling short of its $90 million budget. However, the movie picked up momentum through word-of-mouth and shares online, and grossed $160 million since the time of this publication. The film’s release barely made the award season cut off and won a Golden Globe for Best Animated Film. Die-hard Marvel fans and casual audiences attest to the film’s vibrant visuals and fresh-take on the seemingly over-saturated “origin story” market. Moreover, viewers praise ‘Spider-verse’s’ central message that “anyone can wear the mask.” The movie follows Miles Morales, a Brooklyn teenager who recently transferred to a private school per his parents, namely father’s, wishes. Miles feels conflicted with his current placement in life and struggles to find his identity looking namely toward his father, a police officer; and uncle, a somewhat mysterious individual with a criminal past. Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider while tagging – or spray painting – an abandoned subway station before witnessing a stand-off between Spider-Man and the film’s main antagonist, Kingpin. Kingpin kills Spider-Man and a dimensional rift opens transporting five different “Spider-People” from alternate universes to Miles’ who must now take on the responsibility of Spider-Man. Miles learns to master his new abilities and saves Brooklyn with the help of the various iterations of Spider-Man: Peter B. Parker, Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker and Spider-Ham. The story of Miles Morales is a fresh take on the passé superhero origin story. Even though the film introduces and incorporates seven different iterations of the Spider-Man character, it is done incredibly tactfully and respectfully. The film knows that viewers are familiar with Peter Parker and how he got his powers, so the story deliberately spends less time with each iteration’s formation to focus on Miles. It can be inferred that this movie is a sort of ‘passing-ofthe-torch” for the franchise to begin familiarizing audiences with the story of Miles Morales. Another key component of the film is its medium: animation. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse” is a computer animation marvel — so much so that Sony is in the midst of patenting the innovative technology used to create the film’s colorful comic-book style. The vibrant settings and characters move fluidly across the landscape and excite the viewers during the snappy, sharp action sequences. The movie incorporates numerous comic-book elements seen in the textures, backgrounds and environment itself.

For example, a bagel hits a scientist in the face during a chase scene and “BAGEL!” flashes over the pursuer’s head in iconic comic-book fashion. Animation is wrongfully thought of as a medium exclusively for children, but this movie does everything it can to break those who still hold that idea. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is an important installment in the Spider-Man franchise with its message that “anyone can wear the mask.” Peter Parker has been the central figure of every Spider-Man movie and television series, thus making Miles Morales’ on-screen debut a landmark achievement for film. Morales’ Afro-Latino background is a highly praised component of his character as many people of the same background celebrate their representation through such a high profile and beloved superhero. Miles’ age does not hinder his connection to the older audience either. The teenager’s struggle to find his place in the world is something many people can relate to during many stages of their lives. Miles admires Spider-Man and wants to carry the torch of his fallen hero but comes short when trying to initially master his abilities. Audiences relate to Miles’ internal conflict of living up to his idol and society’s expectations: While Miles possesses the abilities to be great, he lacks the confidence to take on a lead role. Similarly, many students finally get accepted to universities but don’t always know what they want to pursue; new hires start their jobs but may feel like they do not deserve the position. People see someone doing something and think, “I can do that too. But how would I get there and how would I even be able to fill their shoes?” However, by taking a leap of faith, one can write their own version of a familiar story and wear the mask. Pick up a comic-book themed copy of the PaisanoPlus March 5, 2019.

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Photo courtesy of Dominique Beltran

As Valentine’s Day approaches, along with the artificial flex of who got roses or taken out to dinner, an interesting and reoccuring conversation that I find prevalent in my life is the correlation between social media and relationships. Two solid questions that I pose about this interesting topic are: When did there even become a correlation? Does this make everyone’s life harder? I only say this because I’ve been in relationships too. As foolish as it sounds, one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make was posting whoever was in my life at the moment for the first time. That’s right, posting one human being opened a can of worms I would have to consider every single time. And then if I went on a date or got flowers, it became a moment for myself and my followers. I would hurry to post a picture of where people would routinely leave “y’all are so cute!” in the comments, stroking whatever stamp of approval I needed to deem my relationship “put-together.” I’m not sure when it was, but one day and a relationship later, I realized that the sparkle in my significant other’s smile as they watched me open the present I received, or the way that moment felt, was far better than making a post about it that everyone could always see. That moment became mine, and mine only, making me think twice about posting something only I needed to cherish. With that being said, our generation has the lovely honor of being connected to people in the instance of a second, bringing out all kinds of insecurities no one ever knew they had. This correlation was created the moment technology advanced and social media became a smokescreen into people’s personal lives, making navigating the already-complicated world of dating that much harder. Word of advice: Put the phone down and stare into each other’s eyes while sharing a shake or whatever it was that couples did before posing for a phone screen that wiggled its way into the majority of society’s date nights. The moment is in time, not your social media post. For all of my love-birds,

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Xoxo, Big Sis

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

The Weekend January 25 - BRICKADELIC Vintage Market / Free 5 - 11:45 p.m. at Brick at Blue Star Join the Mermaid Farm and Brick at Blue Star in celebration of sustainable fashion with a night of vintage shopping, yummy eats, drink specials and good music. January 26 - South of Hannah Book Signing / Free 2 - 4 p.m. at Dead Tree Books Author David Norman is signing his new book “South of Hannah.” January 26 - Tales in the Tavern / Free 8 - 11 p.m. at La Tuna & La Tuna Grill Hosting a band of musical storytellers using musical expression to tell a wide range of stories. January 27 - San Antonio Nerd Night / Free 2 - 10 p.m. at Knight Watch Games Gamers converge the fourth Sunday of every month for a meet-up benefiting area non-profits.

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 2 2 - J an u ar y 2 9, 2019

sports@paisano-online.com | 7

Sports

Ethan Gullett/The Paisano

Forward Marie Benson drives past multiple Middle Tennessee State defenders on her way to the rim.

Roadrunners fall at home

Women’s Basketball drop home games to MTSU, UAB

By Jose Bouquett Contributing Writer

dd enough pressure on coal and you will make a diamond. On Thursday January 14th, in the Convocation Center, Middle Tennessee (MTSU) pressured a young UTSA women’s basketball team and received a win. UTSA (6-9, 1-2 C-USA) came into Thursday’s match with confidence after their three-point victory against North Texas and it showed during the first half. The first quarter was a close affair with UTSA only down four points heading into the second quarter against the co-leader of the C-USA standings. Marie Benson, junior standout, led the team in scoring through two quarters with eight as UTSA found themselves in a 34-25 deficit. MTSU’s half court pressure began to squeeze the fight out of the Roadrunners in the second half, and Alex Johnson, the

Blue Raiders pre-season all-American, took advantage as she tallied a game-high of 17 points and seven rebounds. The inexperienced Roadrunners back court felt the effects of Middle Tennessee’s defense and turned the ball over 19 times which led to 11 points for the Blue Raiders. UTSA head coach, Kristen Holt, reflected this sentiment after the final buzzer. “I’ll give them some credit because I thought their defense was so good, and they were really pressuring our passing lanes,” said Holt. “I love what we were doing defensively, but we just weren’t getting anything on the offensive end, and it kind of got us deflated.” Despite the Blue Raiders suffocating defense, the Roadrunners showed grit on the defensive end by forcing 16 turnovers of their own and kept them within touching distance of Middle Tennessee. After, a tough first half, junior Forward Tija Hawkins lit up the scoreboard with an

eight-point third quarter, brought UTSA within single digits of Middle Tennessee and gave the Roadrunners hope going into the fourth quarter. Middle Tennessee displayed resolved and weathered a UTSA run and put together one of their own that would ultimately seal the victory. The Roadrunners were held scoreless for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter and were outscored 20-9, which led to a 72-52 loss at home. Coach Holt lamented their shot selection during the second half: “I didn’t think it (the shot selection) was great,” Holt said. “At times we were rushed and we did not know what else to do, so we put up a quick shot. But I think that’s a part of being composed, playing together and we didn’t do a great job of that.” One of the major factors that led to UTSA’s defeat was three-point shooting. The Roadrunners shot a measly 3-9 from behind the arch while MTSU made 7-18

shots and provided themselves a large cushion in the fourth quarter. UTSA forced five of its nine three-pointers in the fourth quarter and only shot 1-5 in the last period. Marie Benson continued her peak form by totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds. Karrington Donald and Hawkins each scored in double figures and they were the only three to do so for the roadrunners. Middle Tennessee’s big three of Johnson, Taylor Sutton and Anna Jones all scored in double figures with Sutton and Jones scoring 13 each and Jordan Majors contributed a massive 14 points from of the bench. Coach Holt’s second season as head coach of the Roadrunners has not gone as expected as UTSA dropped another game on Saturday to UAB which forces their record down to 6-11 and 1-4 in conference play.

Track and Field strike gold By Ryan Garza Sports Editor The UTSA Roadrunners participated in the FasTrack Invitational on Jan. 19 at Yeoman Fieldhouse in Houston, TX. The meet only lasted the day but the ‘Runners were successful enough to secure nine gold medals amongst the men and women with multiple ‘Runners being able to break personal bests. Senior thrower Vincent Perez, who is a graduate of Marshall High School, had a career best in the weight throw which helped him secure a gold medal with an overall throw of 18.67 meters, being almost one meter further than the next closest thrower. The men’s long jump team secured all three top spots in the event. Freshman Gary

Haasbroek won the event with a jump of 7.55 meters. Sophomore Andre Douglas got second place with junior Jake McDaniel grabbing the bronze medal. Douglas found success in the men’s triple jump by landing a gold medal in the event for the second week in a row. After blowing his competition out of the water in his first meet, the young Jamaican outdid himself and was able to beat his indoor personal record with a jump of 15.59 meters. Senior Patrick Prince won gold in the 60 meter hurdles with an overall time of 7.84 seconds. The last gold medal on the men’s side went to senior Desmond Jefferson who won the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.98 seconds. Freshman Jamal Anderson cleared the 6-2 mark in the high jump which garnered him a third place finish while junior Mike Zuniga won bronze in

Andre Douglas won his second gold medal of the indoor season at the FasTrack Invitational.

the shot put with a throw of 13.45 meters. The men’s 4x400 meter relay team was three seconds away from placing third. The team was made up of Haasbroek, junior Andrew Pirgo and sophomores Austin Crocker and Tyler Welch. On the women’s teams there was a total of four gold medals won. The 4x400 meter relay team consists of freshman Orla Brothers, junior Darionne Gibson, sophomore Jamiah Jackson and senior Sierra Andres were able to secure a first place finish with a time of 3 minutes 51.56 seconds. Brothers and Gibson also participated in the women’s 400 meter dash with the freshman from England taking the gold with a time of 56.47 seconds and Gibson securing a second place finish with a time of 56.75 seconds. Senior Gabriyella Torres won her first

Jeff Huehn/ UTSA Athletics Gabriyella Torres won her first gold medal of the season in the long jump.

event of the season by winning gold in the long jump with a leap of 5.76 meters. The last gold medal was won by senior distance runner Charlette Janicek who won by 22 seconds and recorded a time of 11 minutes, 12.99 seconds in the 3000 meters. Junior Maia Campbell and senior Caroline Bellows both had second places with Campbell a throw of 16.63 meters and Bellows clearing the 3.64 meter mark on the women’s pole vault. Jackson also placed second in the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.63 seconds. Junior distance runner Rian Rodriguez finished day with a bronze in the mile with a time of 5 minutes, 48.91 seconds. The Roadrunners will be back in Houston once again for a two-day meet on January 25-26 at the Yeoman Fieldhouse.

Jeff Huehn/ UTSA Athletics

J an u ar y 22 - J an u ar y 29, 2019

8 | sports@paisano-online.com

Athlete of the Week: Tija Hawkins

Tija Hawkins going above and beyond to take the ball to the rim.

Jack Myer/The Paisano

By Jack Myer Distribution Manager

Among the leaders of the UTSA Women’s Basketball team, Tija Hawkins sets herself apart with her relentless defense and dominance on offense. Since her debut three seasons ago, she has risen from coming off the bench as a freshman to starting at forward as a sophomore. Now, as a junior, she is a veteran on the team, playing an average 26.8 minutes and netting 11.6 points, an improvement from last season’s 7.5 points per game in 24.8 minutes. Her best game this year came against Texas A&M Kingsville, where she put up 19 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes, pushing the ‘Runners to their sixth win of the season. The women’s loss to UAB on Jan 17 was her twelfth double digit scoring effort of the season. Going into the C-USA tournament on March Tija Hawkins attempting a free throw against MTSU. 13-16, the experience of me, and helping me out whenKilleen, Texas where she was a Hawkins and the other veterans ever I felt down about sometwo-year starting center for the on the team will be imperative to thing,” she said. Hawkins played Girls’ Basketball team. the Roadrunners’ success. other sports growing up, but she After high school, Hawkins Growing up, Hawkins’ bigdidn’t take up basketball until was drawn to UTSA by the gest motivator was her mom. her sophomore year at Robert women’s basketball coach from “She was always encouraging M. Shoemaker High School in 2013-2017, Lubomyr “Luby”

Ethan Gullett/The Paisano

Lichonczak. “[Lichonczak] was very family-oriented and Coach Holt was under him, so me leaving from home, being three hours away, being in a family was very fitting for me,” Hawkins said.

Wild Art: Kat Joseph photographed the Super Blood Wolf Moon. She captured its vibrancy by using a long exposure on Jan. 20. Visit YouTube.com/PaisanoOnline or scan the code below to watch the Paisano Poll from the MLK March.

Hawkins mentally prepares for each game by listening to music and has to chew gum every game she plays. Since coming to UTSA, Hawkins says she has learned a lot about perseverance and made a lot of friends. “Teamwork, how to fight through adversity in life, as well as how to be social,” Hawkins said. When she isn’t playing basketball, she likes to paint, go to museums and watch anime. “I’m kind of a nerd,” Hawkins said. Hawkins is a communication major, and after college she plans on working in journalism or broadcasting. Hawkins teammates and the people around her are her motivators. “I always try to motivate people,” Hawkins said, “and people motivate me. People motivate me to motivate them.” At 6’1’’, Hawkins isn’t difficult to spot on the basketball court, but opponents definitely find her difficult to shoot over. Looking forward, Hawkins will be part of a veteran core that will lead the Roadrunners for both the remainder of this year and the next. Catch her in action at home on Jan. 31 at 11:00 a.m. against Western Kentucky University.