02.19.19 by The Paisano

5 | Arts & Life

7 | Sports

The colors painted on campus

Vol. 59, Issue 6

Athlete of the week: Kylee Kato

Est. 1981

February 19 - February 26, 2019

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#ChangeRapeCulture protest at the Sombrilla By Alfonzo Mendoza Staff Writer

Continued on page 2 See “Students advocate for change”

Passerby covers ears while walking by protest.

The Fifth San Antonio Conference on Stem Cell Research & Regenerative Medicine took place Feb. 7 and 8 at the Wyndham Garden Riverwalk Hotel. RegenMed SA, an organization promoting stem cell research between institutions and individuals, hosted the conference. UTSA biology professor John McCarrey, Kleberg Distinguished University Chair in Cellular & Molecular Biology and Director of San Antonio Cellular Therapeutics Institute, founded RegenMed SA. “RegenMed SA grew out of an initial effort coordinated by BioMed SA to catalogue biomedical assets and expertise on various medically relevant topics within San Antonio,” McCarrey said. “RegenMed SA represents entities at all levels – from basic stem cell biology to tissue engineering to regenerative medicine in the clinic to manufacturing of products relevant to these areas by local biotechnology firms. The primary objective of RegenMed SA is to serve as a conduit to bring together scientists from all parts of San Antonio who are interested in

these topics.” The conference had presentations on how stem cells can: regrow tissue for burn victims, target tumors, be used as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and help to understand how bipolar disorder happens from the makeup of the cell. Stem cells provide new research that can be used in bone marrow transplants to replace cells that were lost during chemotherapy. “[This conference featured] updates of ongoing research related to stem cells and regenerative medicine taking place at local universities, medical schools, research institutes, military medical installations and biotechnology companies,” McCarrey said. The conference gathered 150 cell researchers from across the country and they will all have discussions on the many different uses for stem cells. They focused on the science behind stem cells and how stem cell research can be used in health technology. People from all across San Antonio including BioBridge Global, Texas Biomedical Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio attended. The conference was a success and McCarrey explained

By Alejandro (AJ) Lopez Co-News Editor

President Taylor Eighmy announced the President’s Initiative on Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct on Feb. 11. The goal of this initiative is to create a zero tolerance environment for sexual assault and misconduct at UTSA. “Our students deserve to live, work and study in an environment with zero tolerance for sexual assault,” LT Robinson, UTSA interim dean of students and director of the Student Leadership Center, said. Robinson was appointed by President Eighmy to lead this initiative. She regularly reports updates and feedback to President Eighmy. Jack Myer/The Paisano

Jack Myer/The Paisano

Conference focuses on regenerative medicine By Kaylee Boggan Staff Writer

New initiative strives for zero tolerance environment

UTSA students filled the Sombrilla in protest, calling for a far-reaching and immediate change in sexual assault proceedings and rape culture on campus on Feb. 12. The protest occurred the day after the announcement of President Eighmy’s Initiative on Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct. The plan builds upon several past initiatives such as Culture of Respect Collective and Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, and aims to achieve a zero tolerance environment for sexual assault. The protests included a variety of signs with references to the procedural questions students are asked Protestors pose with signs in front of Student Union. when bringing forth a sexual assault case as well as popular movement hashtags: Me Too, Change Rape Culture and What Were You Wearing? Gerald Lewis, UTSA associate vice president of public safety and chief of police, commented on UTSA PD’s protocol when on-campus rallies occur. “Our goal is to ensure that protests and rallies are conducted in a peaceful manner while allowing students to exercise their First Amendment rights. UTSA PD officers observe campus rallies, provide a visible police presence to encourage a peaceful event and respond as appropriate if safety issues were to occur,” Lewis said.

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more about their goal. “[The goal was] to bring together investigators working in San Antonio who are interested in stem cell research, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and related biotechnology applications,” McCarrey said. “This topic holds great promise for new approaches to otherwise incurable diseases. These new approaches will involve cell-based therapies designed to restore normal physiological function in tissues or organs in which the patient’s normal functions have failed.” Stem cell research can be very useful to pharmacies because they can test drugs on stem cells instead of endangering human subjects. Stem cells can also be used in organ transplantation by researching how cells enable the body to accept foreign substances such as tissue. “Stem cells can be used to model any cell type in the body to facilitate studies of cells in petri dishes that can be used to a) better understand the molecular etiology of diseases, b) improve Continued on page 2 See “Researchers discuss uses for stem cells”

Immediately upon President Eighmy’s arrival in fall 2017, he was briefed on the results of the Cultivating Learning and Safe Environments (CLASE) survey. The survey was conducted by UT Austin researchers on behalf of the UT system; it quantified sexual assault and misconduct at each UT system institution based on student surveys. From there, President Eighmy conducted an external review of the Title IX office and its policies and procedures. Since that time, students, faculty and staff members have provided additional input on how to cultivate a zero tolerance environment. “All of that information has progressively led to the creContinued on page 2 See “University aims to change policies”

Students led silent protest

Protesters march in Sombrilla.

By Alejandro (AJ) Lopez Co-News Editor The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted their annual Silent Library Protest on Feb. 14. This year’s protest focused on change for school

Alejandro (AJ) Lopez/The Paisano

systems and the challenges that minority students, faculty and staff face. Protesters started their march at 2 p.m. and walked to several locations on campus. Protesters carried signs with quotes attributed to UTSA administration, faculty and staff.

Student government develops videos for mental health By Breahna Luera Contributing Writer UTSA’s Student Government Association (SGA) is putting together a series of mental health videos. The videos, which will include student athletes who share their mental health testimonies, will be posted on social media. Brittany Garcia, senior public health major and SGA President, and Anjali Shah freshman kinesiology major and SGA’s Student Health Action Committee (SHAC) coordinator, are orchestrating the development of these videos. SHAC has been struggling with providing helpful information to students in a way that interests them.

“It’s [the videos] kind of a revamp of SHAC. Before, it used to be a lot more event based, but they weren’t getting a good amount of students to come out. We noticed that and I felt like the past two years the SHAC directors just felt a lot of disappointment,” Garcia said. According to Garcia, the idea to post the videos on social media came from the realization that people are more likely to watch a short video that informs them rather than go to a session to get the same information. Garcia hopes that this revamp provides students with the information they would Continued on page 2 See “Committee advocates for awareness”

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UTSA President Eighmy has selected 20 undergraduate students to serve on the inaugural President’s Student Advisory Council. The council aims to provide the president with insight into student experiences at UTSA and will serve as a voice for new ideas and strategic initiatives. The selected students will serve up to two-year terms, depending on their graduation date.

Texas A 55-mile stretch of the Rio Grande Valley has been designated for a physical barrier along Texas’ southern border. However, five cultural sites are located in the path of the planned border fencing, which has sparked outrage by activists and community members. A group of activists have spent four weeks camping at the 154-yearold Eli Jackson cemetery in Pharr, Texas, to protest future construction. Another affected site in question is the National Butterfly Center, a preserve of 100 acres that attracts hundreds of butterfly species.

U.S. On Feb. 15, President Trump declared a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexican border. The House Judiciary Committee stated they will investigate the president’s claim and House Democrats intend to introduce legislation to block the president’s decision. White House officials stated that the emergency provides the president access to remove $3.6 billion from military construction projects, $2.5 billion from counternarcotics programs and $600 million from the Treasury Department.

World The United States military flew humanitarian aid, such as nutritional supplements and hygiene kits, from Florida to Cúcuta, Columbia, on Feb. 16. The aid is an effort to relieve people from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s act of blocking the main road that connects Columbia and Venezuela. Maduro blocked the road after his opposition began trying to drive aid into Venezuela as a result of Venezuelan military siding with Maduro, even though Juan Guaidó claimed to have the right to serve as interim president until a new presidential election is held.

Business Danielle Teucher gave her fiveyear-old daughter a 23andMe DNA test that revealed the identity of her sperm donor’s mother. After reaching out to her daughter’s biological grandmother, Teucher received a letter from NW Cryobank, the sperm bank she used, threatening $20,000 in penalties for reaching out to the donor’s family and violating the agreement she signed when buying the sperm. The growing interest and use of DNA tests has made it difficult to protect the privacy of sperm donors.

UTSA aims to change policies Continued from Page 1 ation of new resources and programs to educate our students about sexual assault and misconduct prevention,” Robinson said. “The Presidential Initiative formalizes and centralizes our efforts.” A steering committee led by Robinson will guide three task forces: one in programming and outreach, a second in training and development and a third in data governance and reporting. “This initiative is about establishing prevention and awareness programs,” Robinson said. “In these early stages, we are working to highlight and educate the university community about available resources and reporting structure while expanding the services and processes based on regional and national standards.” Student volunteers and university partners from Violence Prevention and Student Advocacy, Student Affairs, UTSA Police Department, Office of Equal Opportunity Standards, Title IX, the Faculty Senate and the Staff Council are working together in this initiative. “We have a very engaged campus community and we have received a lot of constructive suggestions and recommendations from our students, faculty and staff that align with our current plans to

expand and clarify policies, procedures and resources,” Robinson said. Leading up to the initiative, the university established a variety of resources to support survivors of sexual assault including: creating The Office of Student Advocacy, Violence Prevention and Empowerment; naming Suzanne Patrick as the Title IX coordinator in Dec. 2018; moving to annual compliance training; joining the Culture of Respect Collective in January 2019; and purchasing Maxient software to track behavioral issues in one centralized location. Additionally, the university hired Ice Miller in fall 2018 to investigate sexual assault and misconduct allegations. The investigation is currently ongoing and awaiting final reports according to Robinson. Robinson added that colleges and universities across the nation are grappling with sexual assault and misconduct. She believes the initiative is beneficial for the UTSA community. “At UTSA, we are committed to using every resource we have to help our students succeed, and that means we need to talk about this topic, regardless of how difficult it is,” Robinson said.

Students advocate for change Continued from Page 1 Spectators passed by as chants regarding the current situation filled the area. “Stop the silence, you incite violence. These are the questions we are asked when we are assaulted because we deserve this behavior. If the police won’t help us then we will help ourselves,” Kimiya Factory, a senior political science major, chanted. According to Lewis, UTSA’s standard procedure on sexual assault allegations includes: reporting an allegation, a detective or police officer would call to discuss the case and collect evidence; being advised of right to file a complaint with EOS and receive counseling and health services from the university; discussing safety plans, crime victim rights Kimiya Factory yells and available resources with UTSA PD’s Chief Lewis. Crime Victim’s Liaison; and forwarding police report to UTSA PD’s Criminal Investigation Section. Amidst the protests and chants, a particular sign that said, “Rapists shouldn’t have rights” created a heated discussion amongst multiple UTSA students. Gathering around a table, a UTSA freshman said, “My mom was a victim of rape and I understand. I have a lot of people that have gone through that. I understand when people say rapists shouldn’t have rights – I agree personally, but as far as the governments and the constitution, everyone is given basic rights to protect us all.” The protestors stood under the Sombrilla for an hour and drew support from many students as they walked by. Gabrielle Oliveira, a junior communications major commented, “Every place should have this. Students should feel safe in their own university and campus. I feel really good about this movement and hope they get a lot of attention and create positive change.”

Researchers discuss uses for stem cells Continued from Page 1 ways to diagnose specific disease states, c) test the efficacy and safety of drugs that might be used to mitigate each disease and d) discover approaches to prevent specific diseases,” McCarrey said. UTSA has also helped enable more research since they have integrative biomedicine as one of their five research areas. The university has formed the Center for Innovation and Drug Discovery, the Institute for Health Disparities Research, the San Antonio Cellular Therapeutics Institute, the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the UTSA Neuroscience Institute to support must of the research talked about at this conference.

Jack Myer/The Paisano

Committee advocates for awarness Continued from Page 1

have received from a session as well as information regarding mental health on campus and the different resources available through an SGA online platform each month. Shah let the student body dictate what the first video series would highlight. “I actually went to [Garcia] for sexual health, but then when I went out and I asked people they all said mental health,” Shah said. Shah heard stories about athletes struggling with mental health, and she, along with Garcia, set out to find some of UTSA’s best athletes to spread the message about mental health awareness. “We were talking about how do we incorporate athletics more with student life, and kind of see how do we bridge the gap that formed after the tuition and fee increase that happened last year,” Garcia said. “There was kind of a disconnect in the student body between the athletes and the student population.” After contacting the athletic coordinators, Stefanie Cisneros and Christine Moeller volunteered to be interviewed. Shah wanted the athletes to be comfortable with opening up about their issues so students can see that others feel the same way they do. “We know what it’s like to be students who are working, who are constantly doing stuff for school on campus,” Shah said. “We’re on campus long hours a day. That really affects you.” “Everybody has something going on but we’re all sitting on this campus trying to get that fouryear degree,” Shah said. SGA hopes these videos show students that it’s not uncommon to struggle with mental health. “Self love is being able to admit to yourself and say ‘I’m not ok’ and being able to talk about it,” Shah said. SGA’s main priority is to spread awareness about overcoming mental health struggles to as many people as they can. Shah hopes to receive feedback from the videos to see if they are helping students. SHAC has a plan to highlight a new topic every month and share helpful tips and information with the students of UTSA through their Instagram and Twitter. To watch the mental health videos and stay tuned with everything SHAC has to offer, follow them on Instagram: @utsasga_shac or Twitter: @UtsasgaSHAC. Follow SGA on Instagram: @utsasga or Twitter: @UTSASGA

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opinion Overcoming academic and mental health struggles Editorial When students first go to college they expect it to be all fun and games. They don’t know about the late nights and early mornings; they don’t understand what it’s like to sit in a classroom and feel inadequate because they don’t know the answer to a question; they don’t know the strain college will place on personal relationships because of the stress of exams. Therefore, students should not be ridiculed for their struggles in college because college can have a negative impact on a student’s mental health. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 30 percent of college students reported that stress had negatively affected their academic performance; 85 percent of college students reported they felt overwhelmed with tasks given to them during the academic year; 41.6 percent stated anxiety as the top presenting concern among college students. These statistics are concerning because they show

how college can have a negative impact on a student’s mental health. College tends to have these effects on students predominantly because it makes students feel inadequate and insecure about their shortcomings. When a student struggles rigorously for an exam and they put their heart and soul into studying, but then they fail and are crushed. This completely destroys peoples’ confidence, and makes them question who they are and what they are capable of. These feelings of inadequacy can lead to other mental health issues, which may cause students to completely lose focus and forget who they are. They begin showing up late to classes, then stop showing up at all. They lose complete confidence and never want to admit it. Many people believe that failing one exam should not affect students’ mental health because they should grow up, but how could you ask a young adult in college to be resilient when they have never struggled without their parents by their side. For most college students, every

time they made a mistake in the past, someone was there to tell them how to fix it. Now, they must figure out how to fix it on their own. College is a place of self-discovery. Students will struggle with academics, but those student’s struggles should be validated. Students should be encouraged to express the issues they are having with their mental health. When college becomes extremely difficult, students should not be made to feel inadequate. They should feel empowered by their ability to be in a difficult environment while constantly striving for success.

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The dark side of social media Commentary

By Joseph Torres Assistant News Editor I made a bold move and started to sit in the front row of my classes this semester. When I started classes last semester, I was sitting around the middle of my classrooms trying to blend in; I didn’t want the attention the first row typically receives. However, sitting in the middle rows, I became

increasingly distracted by the abundance of electronic devices in front of me. Let’s be honest, most people really don’t listen to the “no cell phone” policy that some teachers have in place. I’m sure most of you have heard a rogue phone go off from a video in class at least once. So, what’s so important that we can’t wait an hour and fifteen minutes to see? Maybe your favorite celebrity just made another post on Instagram, a tweet about a cat is going viral or maybe your Snapchat is starting an earthquake in your pocket from new messages. As one of my professors said last semes-

ter: Let those messages sit there, they’re not going anywhere so you can wait to respond – be mysterious. I loved this advice, “be mysterious” made me laugh every time; it was used to control the cell phone use in class. We don’t have an obligation to reply instantly to every message we receive, although it may feel that way at times. This urge to grab our phones immediately upon receipt of a snap or direct message (DM) is starting to show a negative correlation to our mental health. This has become known as the fear of missing out or FOMO. In a study conducted on 140 undergraduate

students at Pennsylvania University, researchers asked half of the students to limit their use of Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to 30 minutes a day, or 10 minutes per app. The students also participated in psychological surveys before and after the three-week experiment period. The results showed that students who limited their use on social media reported less feelings of FOMO, anxiety, depression and loneliness. This is the first study to have an experimental approach which has the ability to show causation. As more research and studies are being con-

ducted on the use of social media platforms and their relationship with mental health, we should start paying closer attention. The fear of missing out is associated with high levels of anxiety that can lead to increased depression and loneliness. It’s important to consider the consequences of being so involved in the online social world. Keeping up with the latest viral information is mentally tasking and as this study now shows: More time spent away from social media may decrease negative impacts on mental health. In Dr. Walton’s own words, “Social media, especially

spending long periods of time on it, is just not that good for us. We may not need to quit it completely, but limiting our time on social media considerably and reconnecting with friends and family in real life, is definitely the way to go.” I also want to add that mental health is nothing to be embarrassed about. Please don’t be afraid to reach out, it’s a sign of strength not weakness. UTSA provides counseling services for students and can be reached at (210) 458-4140.

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Daggers of the mind Commentary

By Rolando Ramos Contributing Writer How many times has someone joked about internet trolls in the past? How many times has one talked to you about someone behind their back? It’s tough to count, isn’t it? Unfortunately, that’s how rampant bullying is. Contrary to the famous saying, words can seri-

ously hurt someone. Not many people understand just how much of an impact their words have on others. For some people, an insult may just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Next thing you know, they’re in the news or in a viral video for taking their own life. The most popular account of suicide from bullying comes from Amanda Todd. Two years before her death, Todd was video chatting with random people who complimented her looks and one of them convinced her to expose herself. The stranger then

used the photos he took to blackmail her into a “show.” Police informed her later that the photos of her were circulating on the internet, which resulted in her family having to move. However, the blackmailer resurfaced on Facebook, circulating the photos to all her classmates, which resulted in her being bullied at school and changing classes. The abuse cycle continued—her family would move, she’d change accounts, the blackmailer would resurface and circulate the images and her classmates would bully her about it. Her mental state worsened.

Shane Dawson’s conspiracies

We love finding videos on social media that make us think or doubt our knowledge. A video of a girl with a mermaid tail or a fishhead-monkey. Even if we conclude that they are clearly not real, they still makes us look at everything through a different light. As social networks continue to rise, so do the people behind the camera. Shane Dawson is an accomplished Youtube star who has shed light on conspiracy theories. Dawson has also included behind the scenes life of famous Youtubers such as Tana Mongeau, Jeffree Star and Jake Paul. Dawson’s TV series type videos on Youtube are arguably the most popular of the category, making the star even more popular in the media. Dawson’s most recent two-part conspiracy video accumulated over 50 million views. His stories open people’s minds regarding ideas that roam the web. Dawson’s videos have raised backlash against the Youtube star

a big deal and I couldn’t even appreciate my accomplishments because they were always undermined. I fell in love with a beautiful woman, but I didn’t understand how to appropriately express my feelings. I lost that woman’s friendship as a result and the bullying increased. There were times when I had contemplated how life would be if I had never existed or if I had ended it right then and there. I don’t know how I made it through but I did. Bullying is a very serious issue, and as a community, we should never use our words to cause pain or humiliation;

but instead to express love and appreciation. It is also not the victim’s responsibility to “toughen up,” and simply ignoring the bullies does nothing but enable them. The bullies must be held accountable for the pain they inflict on others, verbal or physical. Many lives are lost to bullying and it must end as soon as possible. If you see someone in trouble, defend them or tell an authority figure. Hold the bullies accountable; the next person who could be lost might be the person sitting right next you.

No bamba Commentary

Commentary

By Shelly Moreno Contributing Writer

Her grades suffered and she had to be treated for severe depression, all of which was ammo for her bullies to use. On Sept 7. 2012, she posted a video describing her experiences, and then a month later, she was found dead in her home. However, even after her death, she was still bullied by others who posted inappropriate photos on her memorial page and turned it into a “Suicide Squad” meme. I, myself, was bullied for eight years straight in grade school because I was trying to fit in and do what others were doing. Any mistake I made big or small was made into

due to his outrageous claims. Even with his multimillion views and rising fame, Dawson still creates content on his channel that makes people think. In my perspective, Dawson helped me become more self-aware of our countries’ policies. Due to his proximity to the California Wildfire last year, he theorizes what started the fire in his recent video of “Conspiracy theories with Shane Dawson.” Dawson’s findings are not factual, but more theoretical. Yet, his video has made many people question if he could actually be correct. Dawson assumes that the fire was started by lasers, but he does say it’s all theoretical. His videos are a way to interact with events happening in our daily life with a twist. Not only are his theories causing social media to explode with memes, companies have also released statements discrediting any false claims the Youtube star has imposed on their products. One of the most recent companies to do so was Chuck E. Cheese.

The Paisano Kenyatta Battle | Editor in Chief Editor@paisano-online.com Katrina Clements | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com Alex Hanks | Assistant Editor in Chief Rudy Sanchez | Assistant Managing Editor

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Dawson and his friends visit a local Chuck E. Cheese to prove to his audience his newfound theory of how the company reuses pizza slices. Yes, you read that right. Dawson and other social media accounts have bought the idea to the public eye that Chuck E. Cheese has recycled pizza by reheating and adding cheese as “glue.” The company directed the public through news sources and social media that their pizza is made fresh. Even though the theory entertained viewers, Dawson’s theory was shut down by the company. The internet has shown people of all ages the strangest things, but they’re mostly for entertainment. Dawson is just one of many that upload abnormal stories that helped raise his view count throughout the years. Many think that he does this for fame but I truly think he loves what he does. Some of his theories may or may not be fully factual in every sense. Yet, he has entertained his followers for over 12 years, making him a worldwide Youtube star.

By Alex Hanks Assistant Editor in Chief Sheck Wes, the rapper behind “Mo Bamba,” spent this past week in the spotlight after accusations of physical and mental abuse by ex-girlfriend and singer Justine Skye. While all signs point to Sheck being guilty, I won’t be writing about the case itself. I would rather use this section of the paper to discuss the flat out disgusting responses and attacks Skye faced on social media as well as the vast amount of individuals who are victimized everyday for speaking out against their abusers. Rather than believe women like Skye, we immediately expect her to offer an explanation on why she stayed with Sheck. “Why not just leave and walk out the door?” It would take at least a dozen newspapers to explain how wrong that question is. It’s never that easy. Victims are not only trapped by their abuser’s physical actions, but their narcissism and sociopathic behavior; it is sad this still needs to be explained in 2019. Just like a single mother working 60 hours a week to put food on the table is crippled by a capitalist

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system that fails to work for her, victims of abuse are trapped by an abuser who refuses to let them grow and progress as individuals. They knock you down to your weakest points and will do everything in their power to ensure you never get the courage to say “enough is enough.” Especially with celebrities, we are often in a sense of denial. As fans of the art they create, we are blinded by the fact that they can do such horrific things. Yet, we must remember that these celebrities are humans too, and sometimes humans suck. Seeing someone you look up to outed as an abuser alters our sense of the world and forces us to look for any excuse to say they aren’t capable of abusing someone, and that’s where victimization plays its role. It takes a colossal amount of courage to come out publicly against your abuser. Partially, because victims know that they will be ridiculed, discredited and shamed. When these victims finally reach out to the public, the last thing they need is more mental abuse from the court of public opinion. I wish I knew how to get rid of victimization culture, but a good start would be making victims feel heard. They need all the support

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they can get during such trying times. As a male, I would encourage other men to listen to victims and make their stories feel validated. These individuals are sharing vividly painful experiences in an effort to shed light on the epidemic of domestic abuse. Victims are not the ones to blame, and we often treat them as if they did something wrong. If we want to create a safer world for the women in our life; it starts with simply believing them when they share their testimonies. One of the easiest ways to prevent victimization is not giving guys like Sheck Wes a platform. We constantly make the same mistake of forgiving abusive artists by buying their music, seeing their movies and purchasing their content. If we continue to give platforms to Sheck, Chris Brown, Johnny Depp and the countless other artists with a track record of abuse; it paints a picture of men not being held accountable for their actions. If we really want to fight the long fought battle of injustice against women, it must start in the home. If someone such as Justine Skye can not feel safe in her own home, the cycle of victimization and abuse will never end.

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Arts & Life The colors painted on campus A look into some of the iconic art around UTSA By Kaylee Benavides Contributing Writer

“Fiesta Dancers” by Luis Jimenez pose outside the Student Union.

he city of San Antonio is known for its large art presence. While the McNay may seem like the best place to experience priceless works of art, UTSA has a collection consisting of works by high caliber international artists such as Nicholas Krushenick, Mexican master Manuel Alvarez Bravo and praised San Antonio artists such as Cándido Veras. UTSA Art Specialist and Curator for the UTSA Art Collection, Arturo Infante Almeida, reveals the history behind the works on campus giving insight into the pieces of history that fill the walls of UTSA. As art curator for the university since 2002, Almeida specializes in collecting and placing all artwork throughout the campuses. Former UTSA President Dr. Ricardo Romo partnered with Almeida to transform the walls of the university from motivational posters to the inspiring works of South Texas and International artists that now characterize UTSA. Today there are over 2,700 artworks in the collection consisting of pieces from the AT&T Collection, the Veinticinco Project, as well as works from well known California and San Antonio artists and UTSA’s very own alumni and graduate students. Almeida is constantly rearranging pieces as the university continues to grow, and while his focus is “Big-Juice March” by Nicholas Krushenick on the current collection, many of the pieces he has incorporated into it have been created by art students experience he had in 1995 sitting in the Perry-Castañeda and discovered in the 1604 gallery. The works of art that fill the campuses seem to be placed perfectly in each Library at UT Austin in front of an original Andy Warhol. Being so close to such a well known and admired building due to Almeida’s trained photographer eye. work of art in a public setting was something that he “That’s the hardest part of my job. I go to different would never forget. departments and different buildings and I have to look “It’s like a full circle, here I am putting an exhibit at how I can represent the artist’s art in these hallways. I together here, and I want y’all [the students of UTSA] to had to train my eye,” Almeida said. experience that too,” Almeida said. Abstract art is everywhere on campus, but unbeThe work of well-known artist Luis Jimenez can be knownst to many students at UTSA, an original Nicholas found throughout UTSA’s Main Campus. His sculpture Krushenick is placed on the second floor of the John entitled Border Crossing is located on the second floor of Peace Library (JPL). Krushenick was a New York based the Student Union, and his iconic Fiesta Dancers sculpartist whose work marked the beginnings of Pop Art and ture stands proudly outside the Student Union. While would later inspire artists like Andy Warhol. His original his sculptures are well known by students at UTSA, piece “Big-Juice March” is part of the AT&T CollecJimenez’s unique drawing of Cesar Chavez on a stone tion at UTSA and catches eyes every day. Despite the can be found in the Dean’s area in the library. The rare rareness of the piece, Almeida decided to place it above piece is part of the Veinticinco project, a collaboration a seating area in such a central location because of an

“Tumba reciente” by Manuel Alvarez Bravo

Photo courtesy of Kaylee Benavides

made up of 25 original prints by 25 Latino and Latina artists, and something Almeida knew he had to include on the campus. Jimenez’s work can also be found in front of the world’s largest museum, the Smithsonian, but luckily students do not have to travel to admire his work. To have his art at the university is significant, and something students should be mindful of as they experience it every day. Jimenez himself felt a deep connection to UTSA and visited multiple times to see his beloved works on display. The work of many UTSA alumni such as Richard Armendariz and Rex Hausmann can be found in the collection and inspire art students to one day have their own work on display at the university. The work of alumni and faculty professor Richard Armendariz can be found in the Denver Art Museum as well as on campus. His work “Tiburon Love” is located on the second floor of the library, and is one that catches many student’s eye. Armendariz is known for painting landscapes and was inspired by the scenery on his frequent trips between San Antonio and his hometown of El Paso. The Dean’s area in the library holds the most priceless collection on campus. The two box sets are photos by photographers Manuel Alvarez Bravo and Elliot Erwitt. The Bravo photographs —including photos such as “Tumba reciente” and “Los agachados”— were donated in 1970 by art professor Louis H. Stumberg, and Erwitt’s photos are a central point of a popular study area. Students, faculty and staff at UTSA are surrounded by these works of art every day and are truly amazed as they strike up conversation and inspire many students to do their thesis’ on certain pieces. Knowing the history behind the works amplifies that experience. With the large collection UTSA has acquired and the admiration thereof, Almeida hopes that UTSA will one day have its very own museum of art and is prepared to curate it in the future. Almeida currently conducts tours of the art on campus upon request and hopes to make them more frequent. The art on campus will continue to characterize UTSA and embrace the culture of San Antonio. “[Art] Is important to the university itself, to the staff, and to our community itself,” Almeida said.

Photo courtesy of Kaylee Benavides

F e bru ar y 19 - F e bru ar y 26, 2019

6 | arts@paisano-online.com

MSA host poetry slam and open mic

Big Sis Advice: Dating a black girl By: Kimiya Factory

By Maha Qadri

Staff Writer

Magazine Editor The Lone Star Council (LSC) of Texas seeks to unite Muslim Student Associations (MSA) across Texas by hosting various state-wide events throughout the year. Last week, LSC debuted their first annual Poetry Slam, which was held on the UTSA campus. The event featured two rounds of competitive slamming of “Themed Slam,” with each contestant presenting self-written work about keeping faith through hard times, and a brief open mic. “There are so many talented Muslim students, we want to be able to give them a platform where we’re like, ‘hey, the art that you’re doing; It’s real.’ It’s being recognized. It’s not just you busting out rhymes in your room. This is your platform, this is your stage,” Ameera Khan, chairperson of LSC and event organizer said. First to the mic was Sana Din, a sophomore psychology student. She opened with her qualms of never belonging to a group – too Asian to be American and vice-versa – but she learned to find solace in Allah. She went on to explain how her prayers helped her through her hardest times and He gives her the strength to keep going every day, ending with encouragement to the audience to also keep going. Another featured poet was Wasiq Javed, a political science student at the University of Houston (UH). In his poem, he reflected on his time as a kid; how he used to hide his true self and his culture in fear of judgment. Throughout his self-reflection, he hinted at adolescent issues such as peer pressure and social hierarchies. “All people cared about was getting known and having lifes. Talking down on others to make themselves feel better,” Javed said. “Jealousy and fights and all these, you realize – we’re temporary.” By the end of the poem, Javed has reached the present and stated that he is “just becoming free.” UTSA alumnus Omar Akram took the mic with a poem detailing the faux-acceptance of South Asian culture by the American people. Inspired by his time in med school, he related the crushing loneliness and self-doubt that he felt in that time to the pain of refugees. He ended on a positive note that his own success in the medical field inspires those who come to this country with nothing – that they, too, can be something. Madam Al-Hakeem took the mic later on with two gutwrenching poems. One stemmed from the racist views of Syrian people and how she learned to speak up for herself and her people. “Your expression of your first amendment is only a display that I literally have no obligation to obey,” AlHakeem said. “And don’t expect me to back away from the Syrian identity I have every right to claim.” The second poem was an in-depth immersion into the mind of those who contemplate suicide while oppressed. “What difference does it make if I’m the one holding the blade? At least this time I won’t feel betrayed.” As a special guest, Zainab Mabizari was the final poet of the night. She is best known for her TEDx Talk with

UH, “As I Lay Dying.” She is a former medical student, but has placed medicine on the backburner as she pursues her talent for slam poetry and public speaking. She performed four poems for the event. The first and last spoke about taking pride in your own culture and ancestry — to “stand erect with a spine built from the history they have left you.” In her other two, she thought back to late last year when her father had a stroke. With such hard times around her, her heart grew nostalgic as she watched old videos of their “Coffee Dates,” which ended up being the title of this poem. She took the audience back to the stress-filled, anxiety-ridden time and how no one seemed to notice her family’s struggle. The LSC hopes to continue with the slam annually. “Hopefully we can continue doing this and build upon it every single year so that the poetry slam is the highlight of people’s year,” Khan said. “We want to be able to recognize and cultivate a culture within our Muslim community where arts, like poetry, are recognized, where it’s appreciated.” By continuing to use poetry as a means of addressing social issues within the Muslim community, we can unite all Texas MSA’s and create a significant difference in the way our culture views these problems. For more information about the MSA Lone Star Council, visit www.msa-texas.org.

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How to Interpret Your Dreams Spiritually Discover and share how our dreams are often more spiritual than we realize, and how to better interpret and gain helpful guidance from them.

Open Discussion — Free Booklet Included Thursday, February 21, 7:30–8:30 PM SU Magnolia Room, 2.01.30

Info: Mitziani- rbo233@my.utsa www.EKSanAntonio.org Presented by the Eckankar Student Organization

Photo courtesy of Dominique Beltran

To be completely honest, I was shaking my head while writing that title. Shaking my head more so at the fact that ‘dating a black girl’ has to be a thing. Trying sushi, going to yoga classes, being in college; those are all things. The race that a human being identifies as constantly being a factor in her love-life? Totally separate. I’ll never forget when I became reminded yet again as a child, that my blackness was a thing. I had the biggest crush on a blonde haired, blue eyed white boy in my elementary class. And being the only black girl in a rural town with slim-to-no kids who looked like me, meant having crushes on people who didn’t look like me either. One day he found out that I had a crush on him and the first thing that came out of his mouth was, “Ew, I would never date a black girl.” “Ew?” I was mortified, and with the mental process of an eight-year-old, what hurt my feelings more than the fact that he said such a horrible thing was the fact that I was black. I am black. I will always be black; nothing will change that. I wish it would’ve stopped there, but it didn’t. By high school I was told “You’re so great, but I couldn’t. My parents could never know about you.” Add on the stereotypes about me potentially having an attitude upon being asked to make a sandwich, and assuming I wanted ‘mixed-babies’ for ‘goodhair’, and that brings me to college; a whole new kind of micro-aggression. I became fetishized. It’s cool or hip to be with a black-girl apparently. Phrases I never asked for like, “I’ve dated black women before,” “You’re so hot for a black girl!” and, drumroll, please, “You’re the kind of black girl I would proudly date.” Is your skin crawling yet? Imagine mine every time I thought someone actually liked me, only to find out that I was some kind of message that said “Hey look at me I’m not racist, I’m open-minded and I voted for Obama!” I would be compared to chocolate, or thrown into sexual conversations that I never wanted to have- all because of the color of my skin. The list goes on and on. Is dating any easier? Hell no. Will dating get any easier? Maybe. Because dating should be easier for black women. Dating is hard enough, and what I refuse to do is allow myself to ever be sorry about my race for the affections of another. Although it is unfortunate that I can’t connect with somebody without BET’s latest special being attached to someone’s perception of dating me, I can embrace my individuality and dismiss any comments like the ones I’ve mentioned in this week’s column. For all my sistas who had a dollar for everytime someone compared them to chocolate, Xoxo, Big Sis

The Weekend February 22 - The Smoke Show / Free 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Felder Gallery Featuring the works of Texas based artist Tim McMean. Pieces include the motif of birds such as ravens and crows. February 23 - Annual Rummage Around Sale / Free 8 - 10:15 a.m. at Phil Hardberger Park Urban Ecology Center Three area birders, Alan and Patsy Kuentz and Lora Reynolds, lead the walk looking for birds and showing how to identify those common to the area. February 23 - Anitra Jay / Free 8:30 p.m. at Bar 301 Houston-based singer-songwriter mixes elements of R&B, spoken word poetry and pop. February 24 - Never Surrender or Retreat/ Free 10:00 a.m. at the Alamo Watch a live recreation and reading of Colonel William Travis’ impassioned call for reinforcements.

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

Fe b ru a r y 1 9 - Febru ar y 26, 2019

sports@paisano-online.com | 7

Sports Roadrunner baseball off to rocky start UTSA baseball goes 1-2 against McNeese State

Jose Bouquett/The Paisano

‘Runners huddle together before the game.

By Jose Bouquett Staff Writer

TSA baseball opened its season with a three-game series against former Southland Conference foe, the McNeese State Cowboys. Senior pitcher Karan Patel took the mound for the Roadrunners as their front-line starter on Friday, Feb. 15. A two-inning deadlock ended when Patel lost control and McNeese State left fielder Peyton Harden scored a run, giving the Cowboys an early lead. The ‘Runners began their weekend of errors with an early error from senior captain Bryan Arias. McNeese State took advantage of a walk and a passed ball and broke open a four-run lead in the fifth inning. The Roadrunner bullpen would have a long night as McNeese State would go on to score in every inning after the fifth. Juniors Jake Harrison, Hunter Grimes and

Connor Heffron allowed 16 runs and gave up five home runs to McNeese State. The ‘Runners fell 16-5 to McNeese State. “KP [Patel] got us off to a good start,” UTSA head coach Jason Marshall said. “We didn’t throw well out of the ‘pen and it really forces your hand. You don’t just bring out your best guys down 5-0.” McNeese State would continue their scorching offensive performance on Saturday, Feb. 16, by taking advantage of a wild start from senior captain Bradley Griggs. The Cowboys wasted no time and hit a leadoff home run and a second home run later in the inning. Griggs began the season by hitting a batter and walking the second batter of the inning. Outfielder Shane Selman would drive both runs in and score after a single by Carson Maxwell, pushing the Cowboy lead to 7-0 in the second inning. UTSA plated two runs in the bottom of second after sophomore Jonathan Tapia singled, scoring sophomores Chase Keng

and Chase Hacker, which brought the score to 7-2. Back-to-back singles opened the fourth inning and an error from Hacker loaded the bases for the Cowboys. Outfielder for the Cowboys Jake Dickerson singled home two runs and a throwing error from UTSA shortstop Joshua Lamb added a third. McNeese State scored five runs in the inning and backed up the series victory with a 12-3 win over UTSA. UTSA leaned on senior Palmer Wenzel to start the final game of the series and hoped to avoid the series sweep. In his first career start, Wenzel would shine for the Roadrunners and leave them with a positive finish to a poor series. Both McNeese State and UTSA would put runs on the scoreboard in the first inning, but UTSA would come away with an early 2-1 lead after junior Griffin Paxton scores on a wild pitch. After another pair of runs were scored from both teams, both pitchers began throwing scoreless innings with UTSA

leading 3-2. Wenzel dominated through six innings, giving up five hits and striking out five. Coach Marshall would turn to junior pitcher Cameron Carver to close the door for the ‘Runners. Carver pitched the final three innings and did not allow a hit and struck out two. Cowboy pitcher Cayne Ueckert matched Carver inning-for-inning until the seventh, when Paxton’s two run single gave UTSA the insurance it needed for a 5-2 victory. “Sunday’s always a moving day and the last game of the weekend is always tough,” coach Marshall said. “I was proud of our guys. We just needed a quality start and to get off a good beginning of the game and dance around a few mistakes early is good.” Find the Roadrunners in action on Tuesday against Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi at 6 p.m. and again this weekend against Dartmouth at 6 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Softball season in full swing By Jack Myer Distribution Manager/Photo Assistant The UTSA women’s softball team took on the Baylor Bears at home on Wednesday, Feb. 13, after going 1-3 in the Bobcat Classic in San Marcos, Texas. The Roadrunners traveled to Hammond, Louisiana, to compete in the Lion Classic II. They won three out of their five games in the Lion Classic, improving their record to 4-6 and fifth in the Conference USA (C-USA) Western Division standings. Madison Nelson got the start on Wednesday against the Bears and gave up a home run in the second inning. Kaitlin Lopez responded in the bottom of the inning with a nuke to center field, but a single in the top of the third inning scored the second run for the Bears, making the score 2-1. The Baylor defense pinned the Roadrunners to their solitary run and tacked on two runs in the sixth inning, extending their lead to 4-1 and ending Nelson’s evening. Clarissa Hernandez took over on the mound for the ‘Runners and held the damage to four, giving up only one hit in 1.2 innings pitched. However, the Roadrunner offense showed no signs of life and their efforts proved too little too late. The Roadrunners then headed to Hammond, Louisiana, to play in the Lion Classic II. They opened the tournament on Friday, Feb. 15, against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Celeste Lough-

man had three hits and Bailee Baldwin homered, but UTSA was defeated 5-4. The ‘Runners then played Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and Marena Estell led them to their first win since the first game of the season, pitching a complete game with five hits and zero earned runs for a 5-3 victory. UTSA continued on playing Prairie View A&M University on Saturday, Feb. 16, and Prairie View A&M’s five unanswered runs in the first three innings proved to be too much for the ‘Runners, who lost 6-2. UTSA’s next opponent was Southeastern Louisiana University, in which Nelson’s complete-game shutout Celeste Loughman takes a swing at a pitch to get on base. and Riley Grunberg’s seventh-inning single to by three MSU errors, improving the ‘Runscore Kindell Brooks gave the ‘Runners a ners record to 2-3 in the Lion Classic and 1-0 victory. The Roadrunners’ final game 4-6 overall. of the Lion Classic was a 2-1 win over The Roadrunners will be in Beaumont, Missouri State University (MSU), Nelson Texas, on Feb. 22-24, for the Cardinal once again got the start, and held MSU Classic. The ‘Runners will take on Maine Bears to one run in a winning effort aided University, Rhode Island University twice,

Ethan Gullett/UTSA Athletics

Maine University (MU) again and finally Lamar University. Come see them in action at home in a double-header against the University of Alabama-Birmingham on March 9, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

F e bru ar y 19 - F e bru ar y 26, 2019

8 | sports@paisano-online.com

Athlete of the Week: Kylee Kato

Kylee Kato prepares to swing the ball over the net.

By Julia Maenius Staff Writer

Junior Kylee Kato has been an essential player to the start of the women’s tennis 2018-19 season. Kato has led UTSA in singles with a mark of 4-2, and has taken over doubles alongside freshman partner Jasmin Starr with a 5-2 mark, ranking as team best. Kato has moved over 3,500 miles from Maui, Hawaii, to pursue her passion for tennis. Nine-year-old Kato joined her elementary school best friend in tennis lessons and immediately fell in love with the sport. Kato also played soccer and competed in gymnastics, but after she

discovered tennis, she dropped everything else. Kato continued to play tennis throughout high school, and she competed on the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Hawaii Pacific Team. USTA would select the top-ranked players in the Hawaii Pacific section, creating a juniors team to compete in tournaments at the local, regional and national levels. “Every match that I’m able to win is such an accomplishment,” Kato said. “For me to play at this kind of level, especially Division I, has always been my dream.” Kato first stepped foot onto UTSA in her senior hear of high school for her first official visit.

Former UTSA head tennis coach Erin Scott had been teammates with Kato’s high school coach at the University of Washington. Once coach Scott caught wind of Kato, she worked hard to recruit this soon to be stand out player for the ‘Runners. Kato was excited to move away from Hawaii and begin a new life away from the place she was born and raised. After her first visit, Kato fell in love with San Antonio. “I would always tell people I felt ‘stuck on the rock,’ and I knew I wanted to go to school where not many people were from Hawaii so I could feel like I had actually moved away from

home,” Kato said. “Of course Hawaii will always be home, but I absolutely love San Antonio.” As a three-year veteran on the team, Kato has been exposed to many cultures from various athletes at UTSA. “It’s fun meeting a bunch of new people from all over the world,” Kato said. “It opens your eyes because you realized that you’re actually playing tennis with someone from Brazil, Australia or even Spain, and it’s crazy to the see the cultural differences we all have.” With the start of a new 2018-19 season, a new reign of coaching was born. Head coach Ki Kroll was welcomed by a

Renato Lopez/The Paisano

team eager to experience a new practice regime, travel plans and overall game expectations. Shortly after being hired, Kroll let his true blue and orange colors show winning over the hearts of the team. “[Kroll] is always pushing us to do our best and you can tell he really wants what is best for is, not only in tennis, but in school and life as well,” Kato said. Kato’s close-knit team has given her the support she needed to excel in tennis through constant team encouragement. Being a Hawaii native, Kato has been a culturally welcoming individual for the tennis team.

#GoCodeSA

CODEATHON 2019 FRIDAY - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22-24, 2019 TRINITY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS Be a part of VIA’s GoCodeSA Codeathon, an event designed to bring together the best coders, designers, and tech minds in the area, and challenge them to turn bright ideas into smart transit innovation. GoCodeSA Codeathon is free for participants, to compete for cash prizes based on their work. Applicants must register as a group, each composed of at least two and at most five individuals. Tech-field judges will conduct reviews and select the top three entries. More than $10,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded. Register at GOCODESA.com.