1.22.20 by The Paisano

6 | Arts & Life

8 | Sports

Sparking Change

Vol. 61, Issue 1

Athlete of the week: Jhivvan Jackson

Est. 1981

January 21 - January 28, 2020

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Former UTSA lecturer faces federal drug charges Rose Rodriguez-Rabin pleads not guilty after being released

By Breahna Luera News Editor Rose Rodriguez-Rabin, a former lecturer in UTSA’s writing program, was released from federal custody and pled not guilty to charges against her after allegedly taking part in the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine. Rodriguez-Rabin and Brandon Sims, her reported roommate, were officially indicted on Jan. 7 and are facing three charges each: conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Sims faces one additional charge: unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rodriguez-Rabin was released on Dec. 20 under orders not to contact Sims or any UTSA students, according to her conditions of release set by U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower. Sims remains in custody. Both

were scheduled for arraignment on Jan. 16, but Rodriguez-Rabin signed a waiver of personal appearance on Jan. 10, excusing herself from appearing for arraignment. She pled not guilty to her crimes. A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sting operation on Dec. 7 showed that Rodriguez-Rabin was accused of manufacturing and distributing 1,000 counterfeit Adderall pills. A DEA Confidential Source (CS) arranged the meeting in Austin with Rodriguez-Rabin, who used the alias “Irene Adler” — a character from the Sherlock Holmes series. Rodriguez-Rabin sold the CS 1,000 Adderall pills, equalling 680.8 grams for $3,300. After the exchange, the CS identified “Irene Adler” as Rodriguez-Rabin. Task Force Officer Ronald Enriquez filed a federal criminal complaint on Dec. 10, charging her with manufacture-delivery of 680 grams or more of Adderall. United States Magistrate Judge Mark Lane then approved

the criminal complaint for the arrest of Rodriguez-Rabin. She was arrested on Dec. 11. Lane also approved two search warrants on locations allegedly connected with the manufacturing and distribution of the pills. Surveillance began on Rodriguez-Rabin’s apartment on Dec. 11, and Task Force Officer Jeff Brennecke observed Sims leave the apartment and get into a white Ford Transit van. Special Agent Tim Davis followed Sims to a storage unit, where Sims was caught with an orange duffel bag holding a significant amount of Adderall pills and an industrial pill tableting mixer. Special Agent John Schexnayder conducted a Marquis Reagent drug test on one of the tablets; the test came back positive for methamphetamine. Sims was taken into custody, and on Dec. 12, Schexnayder filed a criminal complaint, charging him with distribution of controlled substances containing a mixture or substance of methamphetamine.

Mugshot of Rose Rodriguez-Rabin. Photo courtesy of Guadalupe County Records

No further dates have been set for Rodriguez-Rabin or Sims’ cases. UTSA Chief Communications Officer Joe Izbrand gave a statement to The Paisano on Dec. 12 about the university’s response. “Ms. Rodriguez-Rabin has been suspended from her duties as a lecturer in our writing program, effective immediately, pending further investigation,” Izbrand said. “The UTSA Police Department is working closely

with federal law enforcement officials to determine if the allegations against her extend to any criminal activity on our campuses.” Final grades for students in Rodriguez-Rabin’s fall classes were submitted on Dec. 18. The Writing Program has assigned other members of its faculty to teach Rodriguez-Rabin’s spring classes.

UT regents approve increased tuition and fees By Josh Peck News Editor

Starting in Fall 2020, UTSA students on the traditional tuition rate plan will see an increase of 2.6%, or approximately $305.91, in their tuition and fees after the University of Texas (UT) System Board of Regents voted in Nov. 2019 to approve UTSA’s proposed increases. Students on the guaranteed rate plan will see an increase of 7%, or approximately $547.32, to their tuition and fees. This will be followed by another increase of 2.6% and 7% for the traditional and guaranteed rate plans, respectively, in Fall 2021. College of Science (COS) students who are taking 15 semester credit hours will be charged differential tuition starting Fall 2020. For undergraduate students in the COS, this will mean an increase of $750 to

their tuition, and graduate students in the COS will see an increase of $450 to their tuition. An additional $15 proposed increase to the Transportation Fee will be subject to a student referendum. Students voted down a similar referendum held in 2018. The university was unable to comment on when the referendum would be held.

Twins among first impacted by UTSA’s Bold Promise

Adrian and Jennifer Uribe attend Bold Promise announcement on Dec. 12.

Robyn Castro/The Paisano

Graphic by Paola Esquivel

UTSA proposed these tuition and fees increases in Fall 2019 after gathering input from students in the President’s Student Advisory Council, Student Government Association Executive Branch and Student Services Fee Advisory Committee. According to a UTSA Today article from Nov. 2019, the funds will be used to “support student

By Breahna Luera News Editor UTSA has recently announced its new Bold Promise program, a program that offers free tuition for eligible incoming freshmen. High school seniors and twins Adrian and Jennifer Uribe will be among the first Roadrunners affected by this program. Growing up on San Antonio’s West Side, the Uribe twins have always appreciated having each other for support. “From the beginning of elementary school to now in our senior year of high school, we’ve always been together,” A. Uribe said. “Of course, we don’t have the exact same classes, but we still have the contact and connection that we’ve had for the past 17 years. We grew up on the West Side of San Antonio, and I think one of the biggest contributions to our success was having each other there when we needed support.” Both Uribe twins are part of the Engineering Institute at Sidney Lanier High School. J. Uribe chose the architecture path within the institute. “From the beginning of high school, I was presented

success initiatives, boost faculty support, fund new academic advising resources and provide new revenue to increase the financial aid available to UTSA students who come from households with a median annual income at or below San Antonio’s median income,” as well as help fund an upgrade to UTSA’s technology infrastructure. UTSA’s tuition and fees increases have been the lowest among UT institutions in the past five years, with an average increase of $511 compared to the $592 to $2,414 average increases at other UT institutions. This year’s increase of 2.6% aligns with the Higher Education Price Index adjusted inflation for the next two years, but it is a departure from UTSA’s average rate increase over the last five years of 1.7%.

Three students pass away By Breahna Luera News Editor UTSA lost three Roadrunners in the Fall 2019 semester. Mariana Otero passed away in a car accident on Oct. 16. Senior finance major Eric Naranjo passed away in a plane crash on Dec. 1. Sophomore pre-music major Caesar Caballero passed away by suicide on Dec. 4. Dean of Students LT Robinson sent an email to the student body on

Dec. 12 addressing the deaths of these students, along with an announcement for UTSA’s annual Roadrunner Remembrance Ceremony, which will occur on March 20. There, UTSA students can remember Otero, Naranjo and Caballero, as well as other members of the community who have passed away in the past year.

Continued on page 2 See “Future students express gratitude for Bold Promise program”

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UTSA UTSA has been named among the nation’s top 10 best Hispanic-serving schools in five degree categories by Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine. The magazine ranked UTSA based on the percent of degrees in the categories listed awarded to Hispanic students in 2017. UTSA ranked third in architecture, with 56% of degrees awarded to Hispanic students; third in bilingual, multilingual and multicultural education, with 97% of degrees awarded to Hispanic students; fourth in parks, recreation, leisure and fitness studies, with 52%; fifth in communication and media studies, with 57%; and sixth in computer/IT administration and management, with 47%.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott vetoed all refugee resettlement in Texas on Jan. 10 after an executive order from President Donald Trump allowed states to decide whether to accept refugees for resettlement. On Jan. 15, a district judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction that blocked the executive order from Trump. The injunction means that refugees will be resettled in Texas until further notice.

U.S. The Senate impeachment trial for President Donald Trump begins this week with opening statements from lawyers defending Trump and House managers acting as prosecutors against the president. After opening statements, the Senate will decide to either end the trial and take a vote on whether to convict or acquit Trump, or they will continue the trial and bring witnesses to testify.

Students get involved in civil rights and social justice Organization designs civil rights trip By Josh Peck News Editor

Josh Peck/The Paisano

Students participate in the MLK March holding a UTSA banner.

Over 40 UTSA students visited memorials, museums and other historical sites across several southern states this January to get hands-on education regarding the history of civil rights and social justice in the U.S. The program is called the Civil Rights and Social Justice Experience (CRSJ), and the Student Leadership Center (SLC), which offers leadership development opportunities to students, staff and faculty, organizes the trip every year for students. This year’s program lasted five days and included sites such as the

San Antonio holds nation’s largest MLK march By Josh Peck News Editor

Hundreds of members of the UTSA community attended the largest annual MLK March in the country on Monday, Jan. 20. The march celebrates King’s life and the civil rights movement that he embodied.

The march stretches across the San Antonio East Side and hundreds of thousands of San Antonians attend every year. Organizers projected that 300,000 people would participate in this year’s march.

Participants reflect on CRSJ By Josh Peck News Editor

Students take a group picture at the end of the MLK March.

Students and staff who recently took part in the Civil Rights and Social Justice Experience (CRSJ) speak on what the program and MLK March mean to them.

Science NASA and the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration have deemed 2019 the secondhottest recorded year to date, just behind 2016. According to Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, the past five years and decade have been the warmest. This is all thanks to El Niño–Southern Oscillation, an irregular variation in the winds and sea surface in the Pacific Ocean.

Eliot Howard recognizes value of CRSJ for students.

Josh Peck/The Paisano

“Going on this march was really immersive after seeing and going on the [Edmund Pettus Bridge] that MLK walked through. It was just a really nice experience.” Ethan Guerrero reflects on MLK March.

Josh Peck/The Paisano

Alicia Ramos, senior medical humanities major:

Eliot Howard, interim director of the Student Leadership Center:

“[The CRSJ is important because students] recognize that their privilege and opportunity as college students … means that there is an opportunity and a responsibility to learn about being civic leaders and more engaged in their communities.”

Josh Peck/The Paisano

Ethan Guerrero, junior pre-med psychology major:

World New South Wales, a state in Australia that has been ravaged by deadly fires for weeks, is now facing threats from powerful storms and baseball-sized hail. The rain has put out many fires in New South Wales, but dozens of flames rage on in the state and in Victoria, a state to the south. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has said that hot and windy conditions, the weather conditions that primed the area for fires in the first place, will return to New South Wales later this week.

Whitney Plantation in Louisiana and the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched on Bloody Sunday. Many of the students that took part in the CRSJ Experience will be attending the annual San Antonio MLK March to celebrate the legacy of the civil rights movement. The march takes place on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m., starting at 3501 MLK Drive. The SLC will be hosting a reflection in which students who attended the trip will be able to highlight what they learned in the Denman room (SU 2.01.28) on Jan. 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Alicia Ramos shares experiences from CRSJ.

Josh Peck/The Paisano

“The [CRSJ Experience] was just an eye-opening experience that truly helped me put myself into the shoes of what others experienced … in the civil rights movement.”

Future students express gratitude for Bold Promise program Continued from Page 1 with three opportunities to choose from when I applied to be a member of the Lanier High School Engineering Institute,” J. Uribe said. “The one that really caught my attention was the architecture program. I’ve been with the program for four years now, and I definitely found my passion; the way you can take your own design and shape it and modify it to become a reality always fascinates me.” She hopes to major in architecture at UTSA and become a licensed architect. “One of my biggest career goals is to earn my official architecture license, which might not sound difficult at first, but it really is,” J. Uribe said. “There are many different parts of the licensing process that are very stressful, such as the many tests

and design projects that get you through school.” A. Uribe chose to be a part of the construction path in the Engineering Institute. “I joined the Engineering Institute but didn’t really have an idea what I would do after high school,” A. Uribe said. “I joined the construction program and … gained a lot of different exposure to the three different fields: architecture, construction and engineering. I realized that I had a really strong passion for the designing of structures … which is why I have chosen civil engineering as my career.” He plans on majoring in civil engineering at UTSA and owning his own engineering firm in San Antonio one day. UTSA has always been J. Uribe’s number one school, and

she looks forward to attending college with her brother in anticipation of an easier transition to college for both of them. “From the beginning of high school, I knew that UTSA was my top choice school,” J. Uribe said. “UTSA has everything that I am looking for and has a really great architecture program. Everybody talks about how frightening starting college is, but I feel that by having each other there for support and help is really going to help us succeed throughout our career.” A. Uribe looks forward to the connections he will make at UTSA. “One of the things that I am looking forward to is the networking and exposure opportunities for many different aspects of college,” A. Uribe said. “I

know that UTSA is a very diverse and inviting campus, and I just can’t wait for what I am going to be a part of and the people that I am going to meet.” He is also thankful to the Bold Promise program for the aid it will provide to his family and the opportunities it will allow him and his sister to have. “Going to college under the Bold Promise definitely means a lot to me and my family,” A. Uribe said. “Paying for college has always been the most stressful obstacle that we’ve encountered, and we know that our parents do not have the money to pay for tuition — especially for both of us — so the Bold Promise has definitely relieved some stress and allowed us to focus on our careers and schooling.”

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OPINION Bold Promise or bold scholarship? Editorial

Beginning in Fall 2020, UTSA’s Bold Promise initiative gurantees full financial aid for tuition and mandatory fees for eight semesters to students who satisfy specific requirements: being an incoming freshman in Fall 2020, having a median household income of $50,500 or less and being in the top 25% of their high school graduating class. The Bold Promise is a step in the right direction, but two aspects are prob-

lematic: Meritocratic stipulations will disqualify the candidates who need this financial help the most, and UTSA strays from other Texas universities that offer free tuition without significant academic requirements. These free-tuition initiatives are not new to Texans; universities including Rice University, UT Austin, UT El Paso and Texas State have programs making college free for prospective students.

However, those programs do not come with the significant academic caveat the Bold Promise does. Both Rice University and UT Austin require a 2.0 high school GPA to qualify for free tuition, the equivalent of a C average. For UTSA’s Bold Promise program, applicants must be in the top 25% of their high school class to qualify. This condition alone veers the Bold Promise program from a tuition-free opportunity

for students in need toward a merit-based reward, becoming the Bold Promise Scholarship. Rice University waives tuition for “lowincome” students who have a household income of less than $130,000. While this income would not categorize a student as a one-percenter, a household income of suwch magnitude is miles away from the $50,980 median household income for San Antonio. The financial threshold for UT Austin’s program is $65,000 or less, and Texas State’s program has a $35,000 threshold. Rice University’s commitment to accommodate a broader range of students is excellent, and UTSA’s $50,500 threshold to qualify ensures college becomes a realistic opportunity for high school students across Texas. President Eighmy advertises that Bold Promise reaffirms UTSA’s “founding commitment” that San Antonians deserve access to high-quality education and opportunities; however, Bold Promise has turned into a recruiting opportunity to boost enrollment numbers. UTSA’s Bold Promise is not entirely need-based, it’s meritbased and need-considerate. Further, it is more selective than nearly all other major Texas universities. Therefore, UTSA should remove the top 25% requirement and use the widely accepted academic requirement of a 2.0 high school GPA.

Emmanuelle Maher /The Paisano

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Greg Abbott doesn’t care about homeless people Commentary

By Dawson Fagan Opinion Editor

of homelessness. The Housing First principle prevents homeless individuals from bouncing from shelter to shelter. This strategy is how Houston went from a homeless population of 8,538 in 2011 to just over 3,900 in 2019. To authentically fight for the homeless, San Antonio must develop affordable, permanent housing. However, according to Apartment List, an online rent aggregator site, rent in San Antonio has gone up 16.5% from 2008 to 2018. During that same time, average renter wages increased by only 3.5%. This lack of wage growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is what led

to San Antonio’s poverty rate of 20% in 2018, topping the list for the highest poverty rate of any large metropolitan area in the country. So, following Gov. Abbott’s remarks and San Antonio’s pride in how it deals with its homeless population, the perfect model is one of increasing poverty, decreasing affordable housing, and a constant homeless population. The Department of Housing and Urban Development requires cities to do a homelessness PIT report during the last 10 days of January, every year. Remember these trends, and see if Houston surprises or if San Antonio takes a cue.

Will Stransky/The Paisano

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott loves to criminalize homelessness, and he (rightly) catches a lot of condemnation for that. However, Gov. Abbott also loves the way San Antonio deals with its homeless population. What does that say about us? Gov. Abbott regularly attributes crimes to homeless individuals without any evidence, as he did recently with the Woodburn stabbing in Austin and last August when he tweeted, “Look at this insanity caused by Austin’s reckless homeless policy.” The “insanity” was a car accident that the Austin Police Department stated was unrelated to homelessness or pedestrians. Gov. Abbott has also praised San Antonio’s handling of homelessness, saying, “Probably the best template for this is a strategy that’s been developed in San Antonio.” The problem is San Antonio’s homeless population hasn’t substantially decreased since 2010. Instead, the homeless population in San Antonio has just moved from downtown to Haven for Hope, which does not follow a Housing First model, a homelessness triage

philosophy that quickly and automatically connects victims of homelessness to permanent housing, without barriers such as sobriety. From 2011 to 2019, the San Antonio homeless population shrunk by almost 11%, from 3,222 to 2,872, according to local organization South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless. However, according to the same point-in-time (PIT) studies, the prevalence of homeless families went up by 18% from 2018 to 2019. This last data point is likely the result of an increase in housing costs and a stagnant wage trend. The point is this: 350 fewer victims of homelessness over eight years is not exactly a feat, especially considering the number of homeless families has gone up. So, how is San Antonio the ideal model? Recognizing that San Antonio is the perfect model only for Gov. Abbott is essential. Gov. Abbott likes what San Antonio has done for its homeless population because we just moved these people out of downtown, instead of into homes. Houston homelessness has gone down by 54% since 2011, according to the latest PIT report, and that decrease is the result of permanent, affordable housing. To quote Andy Icken, Houston’s Chief Development Officer, “The solution to homelessness is a home.” According to Icken, this principle inspired the Houston Housing Authority to focus on permanent housing for victims

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Escapable demons: The fall of Aaron Hernandez Commentary

By Alex Hanks Opinon Editor Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez reached the limelight once again this week with Netflix’s latest documentary: “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.” The documentary offers a compelling look into the life of the former Super Bowl champion and gives insight into the various aspects of his life that led up to his murder convictions and suicide. What is so striking about the case of Aaron Hernandez is he indulged in a malicious lifestyle yet continued to play football on the biggest stage in the world. Hernandez was charged with murder almost three months before beginning his fourth season with the Patriots. That same year, his team would go on to beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, all while he was on trial for murder in the first degree, where he was found guilty and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. While detectives were investigating Hernandez’s role in the murder of friend and semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd, they tied a vehicle at his cousin’s house to a double murder that occurred in 2012, deeming him a suspect. This meant that Hernandez played an entire NFL season despite allegedly murdering two people in a drive-by shooting. Upon being acquitted of these charges, Hernandez was found dead in his cell five days later, ruled as a suicide.

The rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez continues to be a spectacle to the American public. Yet it should also raise a great amount of concern for the National Football League and players who may be facing the same health conditions Hernandez had been facing since he was 17 years old. Hernandez’s family consented to have his brain donated for the sake of science after he died by suicide. Ann McKee, a neurologist from Boston University, analyzed his brain and discovered that Hernandez had the worst case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) ever found in an individual his age. McKee’s discovery allowed her to form comprehensive preventative measures for the disease. His advanced stage of CTE (Stage Three) demonstrated that his frontal lobe, the part of the brain primarily responsible for rationality and decision making was drastically deteriorated. Hernandez committed murder, and the criminal justice system did its job by convicting him. The argument for the CTE playing a role in the murders he committed is strong. His paranoia and irrational behavior makes sense when considering the accelerated neurological damage his brain demonstrated. Would the murders have occurred had Hernandez never played football and took so many hits? That is a question that can never M ax be answered, but what we can do is enact Ag ui more preventative measures to ensure rre /T the brains of young individuals do he Pa isa not face as much damage. Football no is violent, and it is also one of the pinnacles of American life. Football clearly isn’t going anywhere, but the National Football League and helmet manufacturers can collaborate to preserve the lives of the men who endure the violent sport for the American public. Concussion protocol needs to be revamped, and although the policy for concussions has seen comprehensive change, the damage players’ brains have seen is irreversible. The National Football League should decelerate brain damage through various initiatives and work to guarantee safety on the field. Aaron Hernandez should serve as a testament to the NFL: these men deserve to have a life after football.

What impeachment could mean for Democrats, and America Commentary

By Alex Hanks Opinion Editor The disunity in the U.S.’s political arena is increasing — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has officially sent the articles of impeachment to the Senate, and the Senate has sworn an oath to be fair jurors. This administration has been nothing short of mobbish. Trump’s attorney, Rudy Giulani, and others have been implicated for their direct involvement in the Ukraine scheme, and the case against Trump seems to be magnifying by the day. It is critical to question whether Trump’s removal from office would be good for the state of American politics as a whole. Political polarity has been the broad theme of the past five years of American life. There seems to be no middle ground in sight, and radicalism has peaked on both sides of the aisle. So is impeachment really a good thing for the left? There’s a substantial risk involved with impeachment, and the House of Representatives knows this. No matter what Trump says or does, whether it’s forcing the postmaster general to increase shipping rates for Amazon in an effort to spite CEO Jeff Bezos or being responsible for the migrant children in cages — where at least six have died under federal custody — Trump’s base remains impenetrable. If his voter base has not jumped ship on him after his countless atrocities, it is safe to say he has their vote come November. What ramifications would a successful removal from office entail for the American people? Impeachment without removal would propel the right into a state of denial. They began discrediting the proceedings by resorting to their favorite phrase, “witch hunt” and threatening violence if their dream of Trump’s America comes to a halt with his removal. Trump has been seen on Twitter and in person at rallies bolstering his plan to simply refuse to leave office and live the rest of his life as president. While this is as close as you can get to impossible, this sort of divisive rhetoric dichoto-

Alex Hanks /The Paisano

mizes the fabric of American life and will require damage control if he is removed from the White House. His base is ready for civil war, and with the 2020 election less than 10 months away, Democrats need to handle this situation with care in an effort to ensure that the White House turns blue. The combination of an unimpressive roster of democratic candidates mixed with an impeachment trial could harm the left and polarize the Democratic Party even more. The House impeached Trump with ease, but the Senate trial will be unimaginably difficult. The Republican Senate majority has barred media outlets from attending, and all electronic devices are prohibited— each Senator and attendee will be checked upon entering. The trial may call various witnesses, and with Democrats holding 45 seats against the Republicans’ 53 seats in the senate, it will be nearly impossible for them to secure the 67 votes needed to convict Trump. If the votes are secured, Trump would be the first president removed from office. Where Trump deviates from the cases of Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton is his inability to comply with the impeachment process. He has consistently refused to turn over evidence and allow witnesses’ testimonies. I predict that this obstruction will deepen during the trial due to the absence of reporters in the court and access to the trial. This does not look good for the Democratic Party, and their outrage is warranted. Transparency has not been a strong suit with this administration, and prohibiting the outside world from capturing this dark moment in American history will further darken the state of our democracy. The bottom line is that Trump was rightfully impeached and should be swiftly removed. The Republican Party has been in limbo since the moment he was inaugurated, and this moment in American history would be the perfect opportunity for the left to swing the votes of republican voters who may be in the beginning stages of exiting the Trump train. Democrats should start preparing for the polarity and further divide in the political arena if he is removed. Trump should be removed, but while Republicans are in self-preservation mode, the left should be in damagecontrol mode, snagging every swing voter who recognizes Trump’s atrocities. The 2020 election couldn’t be a more critical time in this country, and if Trump is removed, the left needs to be ready to make comprehensive progress the second he starts packing his bags. What really matters at the end of this painful era in American history is we can take these dark times, learn from them and seek never to repeat them.

The Paisano Rudy Sanchez | Editor-in-Chief Editor@paisano-online.com Joseph Torres | Managing Editor Manager@paisano-online.com

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Arts & Life Artists of UTSA A conversation with SA creative Emmanuelle Maher By Sofia Garcia Arts & Life Editor

All graphics by Emmanuelle Maher/The Paisano

Emmanuelle Maher (they/them) is a senior information systems major with a minor in computer science and has created visuals for each section of The Paisano.

They use art for a creative outlet, activism and community outreach. Finding inspiration in the works of science fiction writers Katsuhiro Otomo and Octavia E. Butler, Maher relates to the vulnerability of the main character in Butler’s book, “Parable of the Sower,” who was really terrified and anxious about people getting to know the real her. A childhood of playing “Animal Crossing” helped Maher find serenity in the game’s ability to make the mundane seem special. The game allowed them to process difficult parts of their life and contributed to the inspiration behind their art pieces. Maher is also inspired by the patience of their loved ones during times of trauma. Q: What is your background as an artist?

A: I watched a lot of anime growing up, and I wanted to draw like that. I wanted to go to art school, but my parents wouldn’t let me, so I am self-taught. I do a lot of comics, illustrations and logos, but I quickly realized that graphic design is not my passion. I have done a lot of art for local organizations as well, including the city chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and MOVE Texas. I teach sixth grade art at a westside elementary school for SAY Sí of San Antonio; it is incredibly fun and rewarding. I am also part of a program that teaches comic-drawing, animations and video games to high school students each day after school. Q: Describe your art to someone who has never seen it.

A: I would describe my art as intimate and fleeting. I don’t post a lot of art online, and that is mostly because I am busy, but there is something that I have become very aware of when it comes to my art and personal interactions: Usually, I will just show up, dump some really deep stuff and disappear. I think it is important to be real but not contrived and have to force your art. Actually, before I came to this interview, I posted to my Instagram a comic about a traumatic time in my life, and then I drove here.

Q: What connection do you have to your art?

A: Mostly, my art is about personal experiences. I recently made a piece that addresses my identity as a Filipino person, and it has to do with the fact that my people were also colonized by the Spanish. I have read a lot about the death of Ferdinand Magellan, a man that wanted to take over the same land that my family was from. It made me really angry, so I channeled that ancestral rage, and I drew a three-part work for it. Aside from that, it is mostly a lot of weird comics where I draw myself as a dog and present my trauma. Q: What is something that you want your art to say to people?

A: As someone with a lot of social anxiety that struggles with small talk and needs a purpose for talking to people, I would like to get to know people and for people to get to know me, but there’s the question of when I should tell them about all of the traumas that make me the person I am. I feel like my art helps to bridge the gap when people take the time to really look at the art. I am also really self-conscious about there being a discrepancy with the way I present online and in real life, so I try to be sincere in all aspects, but my art usually serves as a safety net for that. Q: Why do you think art is important?

A: I think art is very versatile — not just visually, but with what it can convey. Conveying abstract art for any artist can be difficult because it has to flow and be cohesive. Art can take a lot of interrelated subjects and convey them simultaneously. I think it is really neat how, despite the potential for incompletion of ideas, art can make them seem complete and sensical. It is a snapshot in time. Maher is applying to graduate school, contributing to the #ChangeRapeCulture Movement with Kimiya Factory and developing the creative youths of San Antonio. Instagram: @puppyboyfriend

J an u ar y 21 - J an u ar y 28, 2020

6 | arts@paisano-online.com

Sparking change UTSA alumnus Joey Asturias unveils #GROW2020 campaign

‘Slyvia Plath with the ego of Madonna’

By Sofia Garcia

By: Paris Cantu

Arts & Life Editor

Staff Writer

UTSA alumnus Joey Asturias and his team at the Green Lab have started a movement called #GROW2020 that they hope will change the stigma around cannabis. The Green Lab is a marketing agency that aims to endorse different companies involved with marijuana and CBD. Focusing on brand building, the Green Lab has started a campaign centered around normalizing the use of cannabis. Starting with students at UTSA, Asturias plans to eventually influence the entire San Antonio area. “I want to normalize the use of cannabis using the college students in the area. They are really the center of movements like these and have the ability to influence major change,” Asturias stated. Asturias graduated in May 2019 with a marketing degree and was eager to continue his hard work with different brands, some of which include HighTimes and Day One CBD

Sparkling Water. To gain experience with the “business-to-consumer” side of the Green Lab, he contributed to the multimedia component of the company by through YouTube channel, podcast and website. Asturias found himself seeking more involvement with the Green Lab and moved to the marketing department, where he learned to develop designs that allowed more exposure for the companies that desired it. Asturias found inspiration for the movement within the Barack Obama “Hope” poster; he was interested in the way the artist used his own brand to make a political impact. Asturias plans to use his clothing brand, “Rair Threads,” to merge streetwear and politics. With this plan in mind, he will take to the UTSA campus in hopes of using his platform to normalize cannabis use and making strides to break the stigma surrounding the plant. The

criminal justice system is a forprofit business, with Texas being at the helm for marijuana arrests. 12% of America’s marijuana charges came from the state of Texas. Possession of marijuana in small quantities is decriminalized in San Antonio, but the hardship and inconvenience of being detained for a crime that will inevitably be thrown out in court still enforces the stigma surrounding marijuana. Asturias believes that marijuana users are no different from nonsmokers, and his campaign will seek to prove this over the coming months. Asturias plans to stay with the Green Lab and continue working toward fostering the conversation surrounding marijuana and CBD. @JoeyAsteroid @GreenLabMedia @RairThreads

Photo Courtesy of Joey Asturias

Reteaching history

Photo Courtesy of Joey Asturias

The civil rights and social justice experience By Kennedi Smith Contributing Writer The Civil Rights and Social Justice Experience was a trip I will never forget. Its goal was to immerse a diverse group of almost 50 UTSA students in the history of the civil rights movement through an array of monuments, museums and other historical markers. The trip is open to every student at UTSA. We left San Antonio and headed to Edgard, Louisiana, where we visited the Whitney Plantation. We then made our way to Jackson, Mississippi; Selma, Alabama; and Montgomery, Alabama, and concluded our trip in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Throughout the trip, we were blown away by the history and the inspiration behind the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Edmund Pettis Bridge, Legacy Museum and National Museum for Peace and Justice. I learned more information about my family history and the unfathomable history of this country. My peers and I were overcome with emotion because of

the dark truths this country holds under its soil that are purposely left out of our textbooks. This trip told the real story of the United States, and it created a safe space for us to be vulnerable and indulge in healthy conversations about the people, events and injustices that we learned about. I took home over 100 years of information and a life-changing experience, facilitated by world changers and faculty members that truly strive to create safe spaces for these truths. This trip highlighted my ancestor’s lives as their strength and endurance were commemorated. I encourage every single student, no matter their race or background, to attend, grow and immerse themselves in what may be hard to see and understand. This experience will be life-changing for everyone who attends, and it may be the push attendees need to fuel their fire, passion and leadership.

Ethan Gullet/The Paisano

During the rise of third-wave feminism, Elizabeth Wurtzel provided her unique voice that commanded attention with narcissistic “sad girl” tones. At age 27, Wurtzel published her first book, “Prozac Nation,” which dominated the feminine memoir scene of the 90s. Her book details her depression and gradual progression into mental instability, and later, substance abuse. She chronicles the follies of feminine youth tainted by mental illness. In the prologue, Wetzel compares herself to “one of those people like Anne Sexton or Sylvia Plath who are just better off dead.” Perhaps this is what set the tone for a later review from The New York Times Review of Books that labeled her writing “Sylvia Plath with the ego of Madonna,” revealing her personality to be equal parts sadness and narcissism. Wetzel was a proponent of what she called “do-me feminism,” a branch comparable to third-wave feminism before third-wave feminism began. A woman willing to write about mental illness with a unique sheerness, Wurtzel started a movement of confessional female writers, who are unafraid to fully account their lives and leaving nothing unwritten. Her half-privileged, half-struggling persona, whose influence is found in every female memoirist and every “sad girl” Twitter personality, provided the likes of Melissa Broder and Rebecca Solnit a place in the publishing world to be transparent with their writing. Akin to other Generation X literary and cultural pioneers, Wurtzel died young at age 52 on Jan. 7, 2020, of breast cancer. A woman “early for history,” she was unapologetically disruptive in her writing, and changed the conversation on mental illness and women with larger-than-life personalities. In her own words, “I am the original mean girl.”

Photo Courtesy of Kennedi Smith

The Weekend UTSA Events January 21 - Una Reflexión Que Vale La Pena Mirar / Free 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Student Union Corridor Take a look at the curation of the works of Juan Vallejo. January 25 - Changing Social Discourses / Free 1 - 4 p.m. at the UTSA Main Art Gallery This exhibit presents the work of women who are committed to challenging and transforming societal and cultural norms. San Antonio Local Events

Photo Courtesy of Kennedi Smith

January 25 - Jammin’ Jams Tree Adoption/ Free 7 a.m. at The Historic Pearl The annual fruit and nut tree adoption event is back! Adopt apple, pear, citrus, fig, nectarine, olive, peach, plum or pomegranate trees with your friends and family. January 25 - Rides & Coffee / Free 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. at Detail Garage Kick off the weekend with cool cars, music, coffee and donuts. Enjoy this car meet with your fellow car lovers and indulge in the variety of rides. January 26 - Locals Artisan Market / Free Admission 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at DollfaceDen A blend of San Antonio local creators who produce art, food, clothing, jewelry, wares and more. Support the growing San Antonio Artisan culture.

Photo Courtesy of Kennedi Smith

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

J a nu a r y 2 1 - J an u ar y 2 8, 2020

sports@paisano-online.com | 7

Sports ‘Feel the juice’: Meet Jeff Traylor Get to know the third head coach in UTSA football history

Julia Maenius/The Paisano

Coach Traylor receives a team jersey from Dr. Lisa Campos during his welcome press conference.

By Ryan Garza Sports Editor

fter another losing season, UTSA athletics felt the need to make some changes to its football program, including bringing in a new head coach. UTSA announced Jeff Traylor would be the third head coach in the university’s football history on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. By the end of the week, Traylor had 10 recruits come onto campus for official visits with the team. “We had a kid here Wednesday and Thursday. Then we had eight more kids [come] on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Traylor stated when asked how the recruiting aspect of the job was going. Traylor had a 15-year career as head coach for Gilmer High School’s football team in East Texas, where he was able to make it to five state championships and win three. Traylor feels the relationships he has built with Texas high school coaches have helped him get to where he is now. “No doubt that they’re the reason I got the job. They’re the reason I’ll keep the job, and they’re the reason we’ll make

this place great,” Traylor said. “We’ve evaluated over 2,100 kids all from Texas high school coaches. We’ve tried to get back to every one of them, and the ones that we missed, they’ve texted me and reminded me and we’re still trying to get an evaluation back to them.” Traylor said he was drawn to UTSA because he believes it will be a great fit for him. “I think so much in this business is about the fit. Great coaches have gone to jobs and just weren’t a good fit, and it just was a great fit for me,” Traylor said. “It’s a new program. We have the ability to shape our own tradition. I’m the third head coach in the history of the program, and that excites me,” Traylor said. “So I’ve just been so excited and honored and humbled that they would think that I’m the right person for this job, and it’s not anything more than that.” Traylor made sure that one of his first tasks as head coach was to get in touch with his group of student athletes from the previous season. “I’ve already talked to them. You know, they didn’t pick me. I picked them. I chose them. They didn’t choose me. I just

Men’s basketball hits the road By Julia Maenius Assistant Sports Editor

resorted to the foul game in an attempt to stop the ‘Runners’ offense from picking up, but the ‘Runners maintained their momentum and possession of the ball to end the game 86-70. “You want to make plays and put yourself in position in every league game to win, and then you have to make gamewinning plays,” head coach Steve Henson said. The ‘Runners will be on the road this week as they travel to Denton to face the University of North Texas Mean Green on Thursday, Jan. 23, and then they will face the Rice University Owls on Saturday, Jan. 27. The ‘Runners will return to the Historic Convocation Center on Thursday, Jan. 30, as they face the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers.

The UTSA men’s basketball team (9-10, 3-3 C-USA) hosted the University of Texas at El Paso Miners on Saturday, Jan. 18, after losing to the Miners by two points in overtime earlier that week. With a slow start in the first half, junior guard Keaton Wallace put the Roadrunners on the board with an inside jumpshot. The Miners focused on strong defense to combat the outside shooting from the ‘Runners. The Miners forced multiple turnovers throughout the game, but senior forward Atem Bior answered with a 10-4 run, contributing to his season high 13-point game. “No team in this league is easy to beat, whether you are at home or away. Any time you get a league win, we feel good about it,” Bior said. The ‘Runners capitalized on fast break shooting with Wallace leading the team in scoring. The Miners answered the ‘Runners’ lead with a full-court press to force back-to-back turnovers, regaining control of the ball. The ‘Runners answered with a dunk by freshman center Jacob Germany to close the half on top, 48-31. “We did pretty good this game about personnel, knowing who we are guarding and who we need to contest harder,” Wallace said. Junior guard Jhivvan Jackson led the team on offense in the second half. Both teams ran a more fast-paced game, which resulted in large outside shots with multiple turnovers. The ‘Runners began to lose control of the ball after the 12-minute mark but managed to stay in the lead for the duration of the game. The Miners Keaton Wallace puts a shot up.

asked for a chance. I just wanted them to give me a chance. I asked them three things that need to be fixed and three things that are already great about this place. So the things that are great, I am going to try to make better, and the things that they identified that we need to work on, we’re going to work on.” In 2019, UTSA became the first university to implement the Brenda Tracy Rule to help with the zero-tolerance policy on campus. Traylor believes the rules behind this are simple and says that he was made aware this would be a very important part of taking the job. “Dr. Campos and President Eighmy were very upfront when they hired me. This was going to be part of the deal.” Traylor would like to instill a winning work ethic in everything that his players and coaching staff do by stacking up wins in everyday activities so they can be the best they can possibly be. “I know what everybody wants me to say. But we just keep stacking one great day on top of another great day on top of another great day, and you’ll look up and you’ll have a really good football team.” “Come watch, come look, come check

us out,” is what Traylor wants fans to know about what he plans on doing for the program. “Come feel the energy. Feel the juice. Be around us. Get to know us. Give us a chance.” Do not expect any graduate transfers to come in and lead the team as quarterback because Traylor believes that the man for the job is already here on campus. “I didn’t bring a grad transfer for a reason. We feel our quarterback is on campus and we’re going to open it up and will compete for it. Whoever can lead the team in the end zone the most will be the starting quarterback,” Traylor said. Students and fans will get their first glimpse of the Roadrunners during the spring game later this semester. “I would hope you’d see we’ve installed most of our offense, and it’s starting to look a little more polished,” Traylor said. “That’s what we hope to see, you know. We want to get it installed.” Traylor and the Roadrunners will kickoff their 2020 season on Sept. 5 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as they take on the defending national champion Louisiana State University Tigers.

Women’s basketball begins home stand

Charlene Mass defends the basket against the Cardinals.

Julia Maenius/The Paisano

By Ryan Garza Sports Editor

Josh Peck/The Paisano

UTSA women’s basketball (6-10, 2-3 C-USA) fell to the University of Texas at El Paso Miners, 54-94, on Jan. 18, and will have a two-game home stand before they hit the road once again. Three different Roadrunners are averaging double-digit points per game. Mikayla Woods leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points per game, followed by Adryana Quezada and Karrington Donald recording 13.1 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. Timea Toth has been leading the ‘Runners in rebounds with 6.3 per game. Quezada, Woods and Evelyn Omemmah are next on the team with 5.7 rebounds per game. The ‘Runners are currently forcing 15.5 turnovers per game and holding opponents to 74.8 points per game. To kick off the two-game home stand,

the ‘Runners will welcome the University of North Texas Mean Green (8-10, 2-4 CUSA) on Jan. 23. Tip-off will take place at 11 a.m. to start the Education/Orange Out game. The Mean Green have only won one out of their last five games; an overtime victory at home against Louisiana Tech. Their leading scorer is Anisha George, with 12.8 points per game. The second game of the home stand will take place on Jan. 25, against the Rice University Owls (11-6, 6-0 C-USA) with tip-off set for 2 p.m. in what looks to be a tough home match for the ‘Runners. The leading scorer for the Owls is Erica Ogwumike, who is currently averaging 16.4 points per game this season. The Owls on defense are restricting opponents to 55.4 points per game.

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8 | sports@paisano-online.com

Athlete of the Week: Jhivvan Jackson By Julia Maenius Assistant Sports Editor

Junior guard Jhivvan Jackson has made his way into UTSA basketball history, holding the third all-time scoring title while he finishes up his third season for the Roadrunners. Jackson first picked up a ball at age four, beginning his long basketball career which eventually led him to become a pivotal component in the ‘Runners’ offense, averaging 25.7 points per game. “I kept progressing over the years,” Jackson said. “I always played up and matched everybody’s level of competitiveness.” Jackson has been crowned with multiple achievements, including being added to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Preseason Watch List and preseason All-Conference USA team and named Conference USA Player of the Week and preseason C-USA Player of the Year. Jackson has become the number two scorer in the National Collegiate Athletic Association for Division 1 basketball. “I chose UTSA because of the coaches and the school,” Jackson said. “Our recruiting class really wanted to come in here and change the culture, and I think that was one of our main goals.” Native of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Jackson has become the leading scorer for the ‘Runners, providing the team with strong outside shooting and large offensive plays. “I only took one visit, and then I committed the next day,” Jackson said. “I already had trust in the coaches because they always came to my high school and always reached out to my family, which

Jhivvan Jackson looks on during a game against LA Tech.

was a huge part, and they kept in touch every day.” Averaging over 33 minutes per game and having played in all 18 games this

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practice,” Jackson said. “That is the biggest leadership change I have made. I see things in games and in practice of other teams that coaches might not see, so I always try to help my team by giving them tips or anything on how to be a better player or scorer. I think our main focus right now is winning and getting stops on defense.” With a 9-10 season record, Jackson leads the nation with the most rebounds for players standing six feet and below. “Getting our first win, since we had a rough start this year, and getting better every day with my teammates has been the best part about this season.” Jackson has been a three-year starter for the Roadrunners. “I work really hard, and I think that is my work paying off,” Jackson said. “That was my role, to come in here and try to score, and I accepted that role. It is all thanks to my teammates and the coaches that gave me the freedom to play my game the way I can.” Jackson looks forward to continuing the ‘Runners’ conference slate with a thankful attitude toward the teammates and coaches that have assisted him in his journey. “It has taken me places,” Jackson said. “Without basketball, I wouldn’t be here in San Antonio, and I would probably still be in Puerto Rico. I have made a lot of friendships that I am going to have for the rest of my life. I have met great people and great fans, and this is literally all I have ever dreamed of. My dream was to come to a four-year college, and living it is a blessing.”