May / June 2021 - RGVision Magazine

M AY/J UN E 2 0 2 1 | VO LUM E 13 ISSUE 3

Jefa La

Female leaders in the Valley share their conquering moments toward success.

DIANA IZAGUIRRE

ON THE FRONTLINES

RGVision kicks off "La Jefa" series with a self-made millionaire.

A testimony of nurses who beat COVID-19.

MARIO SUPER-STAR SALAZAR Godfather of RGV comedy.

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STAFF D O M I N I Q U E Y. Z M U DA GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ILLUSTRATOR

S O F I A A LEM A N MANAGING EDITOR/WRITER

DA N T E T U EX I DIGITAL MANAGER

K ELS EY G A R C I A CERTIFIED DIGITAL MARKETING AGENT/WRITER

GAB E P U EN T E PUBLISHER/CEO

M A R K PU EN T E VIDEO PRODUCTION LEAD

WA LD O PA LO M A R ES

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Copyright by RGVision Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without expressed written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

The opinions and views expressed in the magazine don’t necessarily reflect those of our advertisers or collaborators. RGVision magazine is published bi-monthly and circulates 12,000 copies across the Rio Grande Valley in 450 locations with a direct mail distribution to major hospitals and Superintendents within Region 1. The RGVision office is located at 801 N. Bryan Road, Mission, TX 78572.

Harlingen CISD PSJA ISD South Texas College Brownsville ISD Sergio Contreras Leonardo Chang Boone Tyson RC Cepeda Dr. Alfonso Mercado Quinta Mazatlån

Barbara Delgado Norma Hess Michael Gonzalez Gabriella Renee

WRITERS

CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS

Matthew 14:27-29 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

RGVision is BACK! Well, we never went anywhere BUT, as for many of you, I am sure getting out was a bit problematic for obvious reasons we dare not to mention.

Moving forward into 2021, full steam ahead, RGVision is proud to bring back our mixers, powerful stories, and community events that have made our region special and unique. In this issue, we cover a new series profiling some of the valleys strongest female leaders who have uplifted, inspired, and educated our community for generations to come. Read as they share struggles and triumphs being female in male dominated industries, overcoming stereotypes and shattering ceilings to create new norms for females to succeed in uncharted areas of business.

The stories shared during the interview with these women brought me to Matthew 14:27-29, a clear depiction of how working in faith has resulted in extraordinary outcomes.

And how it only takes one person to step out of the boat for others to realize that they can do it to. Thank you for picking up this issue, please follow us online and share with others. This publication is inspired by the valley and for the valley. Stay inspired, encouraged, and educated!

PHOTOGRAPHERS

VIDEO PRODUCTION

Amy Casebier Rocio Villalobos Nathaniel Mata Janie Briones Cori Smelker Elisa Garcia Steven Hughes Jose De Leon III Aimee Ashby Jose Lozano

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A special thank you to all the advertisers who support this publication: You are the power behind the flywheel igniting positive change that keeps the conversation going.

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS 2021

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VOLUME 13 ISSUE 3 RGVISION MAGAZINE

40 ON THE COVER

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4 6 DIA NA IZAG U IRRE

L A JEFA

RGVision kicks off "La Jefa" series with a self-made millionaire.

Female leaders in the Valley share their conquering moments toward success.

6 0 ON T HE FRONT LINES

A testimony of nurses who beat COVID-19.

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EDUCATION

HCISD Alumna pg 8 Health and Safety pg 10 Choose Wisely pg 12 Student Avocate pg 16 One for the Books pg 18 School Safety pg 20 Student Support pg 22

BUSINESS

Throw Odd the Mask? pg 24 Texas Energy pg 26 Financial Focus pg 28 Home Refinancing pg 30 PPP Loan pg 32 The History of Banking pg 34 Exceeding the Standard pg 38 The World's Gone Digital pg 50

M A RIO S U PER- S TA R S A LA ZA R Godfather of RGV comedy.

HEALTH

QUALITY OF LIFE

Grieveing During COVID-19 pg 52 Healthy Smiles pg 54 Obesity is a Red Flag pg 58 Learning to Love Yourself pg 64 One-Stop Shop pg 68

75 for Saving Lives pg 70 Monarch Butterfly Pledge pg 72 A Perfect Gift for Any Occasion pg 74 They're Back pg 76 RGV Serial Tipper pg 80 Jackson Ranch Church pg 82 The Haze pg 90 Outdoor Summer Chow Down pg 92

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RGVISION ADVISORY BOARD

Each and every member of our advisory board charges RGVision with growth and commitment within our business development, social engagement, and editorial efforts. Through their feedback and contributions, RGVision will continue to help tell and share the Rio Grande Valley’s stories and extend the invitation to join the conversation.

M A R I T Z A ES Q U EDA

J AV I E R D E L E O N

R O B ER T D U N K I N

ED D I E LU C I O I I I

R E N E A. F LO R E S

BY R O N J AY LEW I S

B I LL M A R T I N

M A RK P E T E R S O N

A N D R EA R O D R I G U EZ

F R ED S A N D OVA L

TO M TO R K E L S O N

V ER O N I C A V ELA W H I TAC R E

S A B R I N A WA LK ER H ER N A N D EZ

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HCISD ALUMNA BEGINS MEDICAL CAREER AMID PANDEMIC

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“Being a doctor, especially a family medicine doctor requires so many skill-sets that I knew I wanted in a future career."

D r. F e h i m a Da wy, a 20 0 9 Harlin gen High Sch ool gradu ate

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When she graduated from high school, Dawy moved to Georgetown, Texas, to complete her undergraduate education at Southwestern University. Later, she attended Louisiana State University Health for medical school.

“I majored in anthropology in college because I loved seeing how health and culture intersect,” Dawy said. “In medical school I was able to serve as the president of the executive council, our form of student government that oversaw the medical school, graduate school, and School of Allied Health.

It was an amazing opportunity to see what needs my colleagues had and work with LSU leadership to make lasting positive change.”

Currently, Dawy is a first-year resident physician at UT Health San Antonio Family and Community Medicine Program, where she takes care of patients in the hospital and clinic while learning how to be the best doctor she can be.

Her most memorable experience as a resident physician is starting her first year as a doctor during the COVID-19 pandemic, a year she describes as “difficult but educational.”

Dawy hopes to return to the Rio Grande Valley to pursue her practice in the future.

“I know I wouldn’t be who I am today or have the interests I do today if it wasn’t for growing up in Harlingen, Texas,” Dawy said. “It took me leaving Harlingen to realize how much I missed it. It’s a special place with special people; it feels like home. I also feel like it would be a responsibility and an honor to come back and treat patients in my hometown.

The RGV needs physicians.”

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When it comes to choosing a career, some students know what they want to be even before kindergarten while others discover their passions later in life.

Dr. Fehima Dawy, a 2009 Harlingen High School graduate, decided that she wanted to be a doctor during her senior year of high school.

“Being a first-generation college student, I didn’t know much about the process to become a physician,” Dawy said. “But I was able to shadow Dr. Walther at his clinic during my senior year and that really sealed the deal.”

Dawy found she could pursue her passion and skills through a career in medicine.

“Being a doctor — especially a family medicine doctor — requires so many skill sets that I knew I wanted in a future career,” she said. “I get to problem solve for solutions to my patients’ health concerns, get to use my hands for procedures in the hospital and in the clinic, and have the opportunity to get to know my patients as people.”

While in high school, Dawy took part in many sports and clubs that helped her develop as a student and an athlete, including student council, varsity tennis, decathlon, and drama club.

“I loved to do a little bit of everything while I was in high school,” she said.

While reflecting back to her years in high school, she recalled the time she spent in her calculus class with appreciation.

“Mr. Hill was an incredible math teacher that instilled a love of knowledge and learning in me,” Dawy said. “I don’t use calculus in my daily life, but when I look back at high school, I’m grateful for my time with him.”

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HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT AT PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD Despite the many challenges the 2020-2021 school year has presented to school districts in the state, nation and across the world, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA ISD) has continued its commitment always to do what’s best for students, staff and families.

Challenged like never before during the COVID-19 pandemic, PSJA ISD leaders have taken steps to maintain health and safety at the forefront, while continuing to provide a highquality education for all.

“At PSJA ISD we strive to make the best decisions for our families,” said PSJA Superintendent Dr. Jorge L. Arredondo. “While we have lived through unprecedented times, our commitment to our students remains the same and stronger than ever.”

Among the many actions PSJA ISD has taken this school year, the following programs and initiatives were established to maintain high academic learning outcomes:

The PSJA ISD Board of Trustees passed a policy in June 2020 that provided students and their families with social and emotional learning (SEL) with wraparound services. The district-wide policy requires each campus to have a team that focuses on addressing the non-academic needs of students to assist the district’s families and focus on the whole child. Services include mental health, community and social resources, as well as, recreational, cultural and spiritual resources, relationship skills, legal and safety tools, and crisis support.

“PSJA ISD has always been about going above and beyond and supporting our students every step of the way,” said PSJA ISD School Board President Jorge Zambrano. “During the pandemic it was no different, food services continued, connectivity and device distributions were made, and we invested in social and emotional programs to support our families’ well-being throughout the pandemic. We are thankful for the team members who came together to support one another and our families."

In addition to supporting students and their families, staff members were also assisted by incorporating a new Employee Wellness Counselor and Wraparound Specialists at the district level and the district's Health Services Department increasing the level of support provided to all.

“Since the pandemic started, we saw a great need to increase our social and emotional assistance for all, including our employees who

HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING CONTINUES A total of $11.3 million were spent on one-toone devices, hotspots, wi-fi on buses and other connectivity support systems. Some of that cost will be reimbursed by the Texas Education Agency through their project Operation Connectivity.

These efforts ensured learning continued and connectivity gaps were closed.

PSJA ISD was instrumental in offering students and families coordinated support to combat the mental health effects of COVID-19.

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Pha rr -Sa n Jua n-Al a mo Ind ep end ent Sc h o ol Di s t r i ct B oa r d of E d u ca t i on M e m b e r s

MAINTAINING HEALTH & SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT As part of its continuing efforts to maintain health and safety as a top priority, PSJA ISD was one of the first school districts to launch a COVID-19 Hotline in the Summer of 2020. This hotline is a multi-team operation that includes campus nurses and assistance from additional medical experts to serve staff, students, and parents.

The efforts are possible through a collaboration with what the district calls First-Responder departments such as the PSJA Health Services Department, PSJA Operations Division, Human Resources Departments, and the Technology Department to assist all employees and supervisors with a mechanism to appropriately communicate employee actions should an employee, student or family member exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 or come in direct contact with someone that is positive with COVID-19.

A PSJA Safety Compliance Taskforce was also implemented to do random support assessments at all district facilities to ensure proper health and safety protocols are always followed. To further build on communication, the district launched a live COVID-19 Dashboard to notify all district stakeholders of district facilities that may be shut down due to a probable case and are being disinfected.

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The PSJA ISD School Board of Trustees also approved various key improvements to schools and facilities districtwide to protect staff from COVID-19. Improvements include the purchase of hundreds of air purifiers for all facilities and campuses districtwide, personal protection equipment (PPE) such as thermometers, face shields and masks, and the purchasing of touchless water fountains, to name a few.

Since January 2021, all PSJA ISD district facilities started offering RAPID Response COVID-19 Testing (nasal swab) 15-minute tests to staff members reporting to work and for students with parental consent if they opted for in-person instruction.

In addition, PSJA ISD became the first school district in Rio Grande Valley and Texas to be designated as an official COVID-19 vaccine provider by the state. To date, the district has helped administer more than 25,000 vaccines to the community thanks to the efforts of various departments working together such as the PSJA Health Services, PSJA Operations, PSJA Police Department, PSJA Security and PSJA Athletic Trainers, to name a few.

“This has been one of the most challenging school years in history,” said Board President Zambrano. “We commend all of the PSJA ISD administration, teachers, and staff for their continued dedication and leadership throughout this time. While we know it has been anything but easy, it fills us with pride and hope to see us get through these trying times.”

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also needed guidance and resources to withstand the effects incurred by the pandemic,” said Superintendent Dr. Arredondo.

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F r o n t r o w ( f r om l e f t): Sup e r i nte nde nt D r. J or ge L. Arredon do, Presiden t Jorge Zambran o; S e c o n d r o w ( fr o m l e f t): M e m be r R i ca r do Pe dr a z a; Secretary-Treasu rer Jorge Palacios; Member Carlos Villegas Jr. ; A s s t . S e c r e tar y - Tr e as ur e r Cy nthi a A . Guti e r r ez; Member Jesse Zambran o; an d Vice-Presiden t Jesu s Vela Jr..

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CHOOSE

WISELY Top 5 STC Advantages According to the Jaguar Community

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b y Sou t h Te x a s C ol l e g e Melissa Hurtado was looking for a destiny when she enrolled at a for-profit trade school, but all she found was debt.

Stephanie Hernandez was not only facing big tuition bills at her career college, but also becoming frustrated with the impersonal instructional style.

Different students. Different institutions.

Same old story. And while both Hurtado and Hernandez would eventually find a happier existence at South Texas College, it’s safe to say they left their for-profit experience with a few tales to tell.

“I got my MOS certification but was never able to get my certificate paper because I was left in debt,” said Hurtado, who switched to STC after the vexing experience.

A few semesters earlier, Hernandez made the same choice. Initially, the healthcare program she chose at her proprietary school seemed fast. It seemed focused. Little did she know, at the time, that the non-transferable credits would lead her directly into an academic brick wall.

“While a proprietary school can be fast and quick, it will not help you if you wanted to continue your education,” Hernandez said.

“Always think about your future and how far you can go.”

It would take a polar-opposite experience

at STC to regain trust in the higher education system. Indeed, the moment they set foot in class, both Hurtado and Hernandez knew something was different. Suddenly, between the low-anxiety atmosphere and compassionate guidance of STC faculty and staff, they began to feel less like customers and more like part of a community.

“I feel as if I learned way better at my community college,” said Hernandez, who graduated from STC in 2020 after making the switch. She is considering returning to the college to pursue a bachelor’s degree. “The biggest difference for me was that [STC] was way more organized and structured.”

To hear STC leadership tell it, though, the biggest difference between for-profit and community college is less about structure and more about the mission statement – in other words, the reason for each institution to exist.

“We focus on getting students what they need to be successful in their educational and career journey,” said Sara Lozano, dean of business, public safety, and technology at STC. “Most of our programs offer small classes with individualized attention and really allow students to become part of the local community.”

And while cost and convenience are the attributes most often touted by public, two-

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year colleges, Lozano believes that STC affords students a deeper experience through connections and resources not found anywhere else. With advantages like decades-deep workforce partnerships and access to public funding to improve facilities and curricula, STC isn’t just the wallet-savvy option. It’s the best higher education choice allaround.

“South Texas College is truly a college for the community,” Lozano said. “I am so fortunate to be able to work for ‘the good guys.’”

ADVANTAGE #3: CONNECTEDNESS It sounds cliché, but community colleges care. They’re responsible to the communities that support them, not beholden to investors with nothing but the bottom line in mind. Meanwhile, employers and families rely just as heavily on the career pipelines speeded by community

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Community colleges are known for providing a broad spectrum of opportunities, and with 127 degree and certificate programs, covering everything from basic skills to bachelor’s degrees, South Texas College is no exception.

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ADVANTAGE #2: AGILITY Even before the pandemic, communities counted on two-year colleges to provide innovative solutions to regional problems. So it was no surprise that, when the health crisis began forcing higher education off campus, it was community colleges that had the built-in flexibility to pivot online.

In STC’s case, adapting meant mounting a Herculean effort to reimagine the college classroom while maintaining all of the advantages of a connected campus community. Where remote instruction was impossible, STC innovated distancing and sanitation strategies to keep its students on course for a debt-free outcome.

According to Lozano, the unique agility of a community college tends to extend to students themselves. Through articulation agreements, partnerships, and workforce connections, institutions like STC can afford students a more flexible future than a “one-trick” trade school.

“South Texas College is an accredited institution [so] students can also take classes and continue their education at other institutions … with the majority if not all of their classes transferring,” Lozano said. “[That] is not always the case for proprietary schools.”

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ADVANTAGE #1: OPPORTUNITY “Everyone’s educational journey is different,” said Lozano, which is why it’s so important for a student to feel like they have options to explore. Community colleges are known for providing a broad spectrum of opportunities, and with 127 degree and certificate programs covering everything from basic skills to bachelor’s degrees, STC is no exception.

With cutting-edge amenities like FESTO robots and the 198-seat Cooper Center for performing arts, career education students are sometimes surprised to find facilities that match STC’s industry-expert faculty step-for-step. Meanwhile, university-bound students have access to a network of nearly 50 connected institutions all accepting STC credit for transfer.

Whether honing salary-boosting skills like Hurtado, or moving up the higher education ladder like Hernandez, STC represents freedom of choice.

“My advice would be to look at … long-term goals and not just something quick,” Hernandez said.

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colleges. The result is a time-tempered trust between two-year colleges and the communities they serve.

For Lozano, who believes a community college’s advantage is in its “individualized attention,” the best part is the built-in opportunities that the partnership continues to provide.

“We are able to expose students to projects and experiences that include volunteer opportunities, skills training, and community service,” she said.

he said, while adding that his first call is always to the college when looking for qualified employees.

ADVANTAGE #5: COST! We’ve left “low cost” for last on this list because there’s really no comparison. According to College Board, community college students pay an average of $3,264 annually while for-profit institutions charge $15,130 – nearly five times as much.

Likewise, tuition at South Texas College amounts to just a fraction of a for-profit education. And thanks to transferable credits accepted by Texas A&M, Baylor, Arizona State, and beyond, students don’t even need to stay to make STC a great value.

“Cost is a big factor,” Hernandez said. “STC is affordable and offers full financial aid while a proprietary is always almost double or triple cost-wise with very little financial help.”

Visit our homepage to learn more about what it means to “Experience Exceptional” at South Texas College. Have an STC success story to share? Contact us through our Marketing and PR page.

ADVANTAGE #4: CREDIBILITY With tradition comes trust. Community colleges build their reputations not on quarterly profit statements but on persistent success in facilitating positive outcomes and uplifting families. While younger than many public colleges, STC has demonstrated its commitment to the long haul in 28 years of consistent, transparent service to the Rio Grande Valley.

For local hiring managers like 5x5 Brewing Company’s George Rice, that longevity translates to ongoing confidence in new hires and belief in the programs that helped them develop. “STC is mindful of this stuff,”

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STUDENT ADVOCATE

STC Trustee Rodriguez to Advocate for Students on Statewide Board

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by So ut h Texa s Co l l ege | p h o to b y B en B r i on e s South Texas College Trustee Paul R. Rodriguez now represents the region on the board responsible for overseeing 750,000 community college students statewide.

Rodriguez was elected earlier this month to serve on the board of directors for the Community College Association of Texas Trustees (CCATT), which works in tandem with its parent organization, the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC), to advocate for hundreds of thousands of students across the state.

With over 400 members from among the 50 community colleges in Texas, CCATT represents the only elected officials in higher education in Texas, and relies on its board of directors to provide leadership on important issues for colleges.

In addition to their own careers, and service on their respective college boards, CCATT members spend the time and energy to help direct the work of CCATT at the state level, according to Carol A. Scott, CCATT chairman of the board as well as the board chair for Del Mar College.

“CCATT relies on the breadth and depth of our board members to represent the diverse interests of community colleges across the state,” Scott said. “Mr. Rodriguez, as a former board chair and representing one of the largest community colleges in the state, brings a wealth of experience to our association board.”

Rodriguez had formerly been a member of CCATT’s Legislative Committee and, along with his colleagues on the South Texas College Board of Trustees, hosted a CCATT Trustee Leadership Seminar in 2020.

First appointed to STC’s Board of Trustees in 2012, Rodriguez is a former board chair. He currently serves as a member of STC’s Education and Workforce Development Committee as well as the Finance, Audit, and Human Resources Committee.

He represents District 3 for the college, which includes south McAllen, southwest Pharr, Hidalgo, Sharyland, Southeast Mission, and Granjeno.

“Community college trustees in Texas are the only elected officials in higher education,” Rodriguez said.

South Texas College Tr us tee Paul R. Rodr iguez has been s elected to s er ve on the boar d of dir ector s for the Community College As s ociation of Texas Tr us tee s (CCATT), wor king at the s tatewide level to advocate for hundr eds of thous ands of s tudents in Texas .

“The Community College Association of Texas Trustees advocates for community colleges and provides professional development to foster student success and ensure excellence in governance.

“With community colleges located throughout the state, it is important that South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley be represented in order to provide more support from the State of Texas and the federal government for our students’ educational and workforce development needs. I look forward to participating in these efforts and to effectively represent our region.”

“With community colleges located throughout the state, it is important that South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley be represented in order to provide more support from the State of Texas and the federal government for our students’ educational and workforce development needs. I look forward to participating in these efforts and to effectively represent our region.”

STC Trustee Paul R. Rodriguez

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ONE FOR

THE

BOOKS School Districts Adopt Safety Protocols and Learning Options as New Normal

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b y Amy Ca s eb i er

best hand-washing practices to restroom capacities and breakfast and lunch instructions.

McAllen ISD continues to plan what the 2021-22 school year will look like — and whether students will be in classrooms, remote, or some combination of both. Other districts hope for in-person learning in the fall.

“I’m very hopeful that with the progress that’s being made on vaccines that we will be in a great position in the fall to have all our students back — and getting back to our core business of educating students,” said Dr. Alicia Noyola, superintendent of Harlingen CISD. When vaccinations opened up throughout Texas, so did the possibility of normalcy returning.

Everyone over the age of 18 became eligible to receive a vaccine on March 29 in Texas. Pfizer vaccines are authorized for those 16 and older. Texas started prioritizing teachers and all school district staff March 3.

“I have been so blessed with the support of our Harlingen community,” Noyola said. “The week after the state moved to prioritize school district personnel, by the

School districts in the Rio Grande Valley are preparing to wrap up a school year unlike any other — one that future generations of students will learn about in history books.

Districts quickly adapted to distribute devices for remote learning while adhering to guidelines and safety protocols to welcome some students back into classrooms.

McAllen ISD parents still have the choice whether to send their students in to learn on campus or keep them at home for remote instruction, said Mark May, communication specialist at the district. McAllen ISD started issuing free electronic learning devices to all students in 2011, lessening the transition pains to remote learning at the end of the 2019-20 school year when the pandemic hit the RGV. To ensure everyone stayed connected no matter where they may be learning, the district also provided internet hotspots to students with slow internet or other web challenges. On McAllen campuses, a number of safety protocols have been followed for the 2020-21 school year, including everything from disinfecting spaces and

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able to come to school.”

While about 8 percent of students have opted in for in-person instruction, Mission CISD personnel have been particularly focused on transition students — such as fifth-graders, eighth-graders, and seniors — to make sure they don’t fall behind. All instructional staff returned to teach from their classrooms April 5.

“One of the high school principals told me, ‘you were right — the minute our students started to see more students in the classrooms, we started receiving calls that they, too, want to come in,” Perez said. “We’re excited about that.”

Mission CISD utilizes a number of safety protocols for their in-person students — including a quality disinfectant they previously only used during regular flu season or outbreaks of stomach bugs. Now, they mist the facilities as often as twice a day.

Harlingen CISD has also worked hard to make their students safe on campuses, distributing masks for the students, adding desk shields, and positioning hand-sanitizing and hand-washing stations throughout the halls. The district currently has a 50-50 split of in-person and remote learners.

“It certainly has been a learning year for everybody — students and staff,” Noyola said. “I’m really excited at what the fall may bring. Our hope is that, barring unforeseen circumstances, that our state, our nation will be in a position that we will be able to come back into face-to-face instruction.”

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end of the following Friday, everyone in our district that wanted to be vaccinated was vaccinated. We were just so fortunate that we were getting calls from local pharmacies and other medical centers saying, ‘if you need to send us people, we’re ready.’”

She added that the relief personnel experienced was palpable.

“I heard people say, ‘it’s like a weight’s lifted off my shoulders,’” she said. “When that concern to some degree is addressed, our teachers can even more so focus on the work of supporting our children and moving them forward with their education and other needs.”

Mission CISD also experienced a similar level of support from the community when its teachers and staff became eligible to be vaccinated. The district partnered with Hidalgo County, the City of Mission, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, and Richard’s Pharmacy to roll out vaccines for personnel and their families.

“We’ve been blessed — our staff came together,” said Dr. Carol G. Perez, Mission CISD superintendent. “Even for these clinics that we’re collaborating with the county, our staff members stepped up to the plate. Our nurses, our clerical assistants, our technology staff said, ‘we’re ready to go help.’ We’ve loaned out our staff to be on the front lines and assist with the data entry, with the injections and so forth.

“We didn’t have to ask. They volunteered because they believe that it’s very important that our community be safe. And if our community is safe, then our children will be

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SCHOOL SAFETY Brownsville ISD Marks One Year of COVID Safety, Mitigation and Vaccination

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b y N a th a ni e l M a t a | p h ot os p r ov i d e d The COVID-19 pandemic hit the RGV hard and without warning just over a year ago. For school districts and school administrators, that meant quickly scrambling during spring break to enact plans that protected students, faculty, and instructors.

Schools went from instruction at brick and mortar campuses to a new virtual setting to mitigate the virus.

Brownsville ISD Superintendent Dr. Rene Gutierrez says in his three decades of education, this was all new.

“Since the pandemic started it’s been very challenging because everything that we were going through we had never seen before in our lives — there was no warning light,” Gutierrez said. “This is my 34th year as an educator and never before had I seen something like that. We were preparing and adjusting every day. It was a different way to run our schools.”

Despite not being able to hold in-person classes, he said his district prioritized keeping in touch with students.

“We were able to keep our schools operating,” Gutierrez said. “One of the things we wanted to make sure of was to keep everyone safe but also to stay in contact with our students. As time went by last spring, it was more evident that students weren’t going to come back because it wasn’t safe. We never wanted to lose contact. That was a priority — serving our students.”

One silver lining Gutierrez mentioned was the imperative task of getting devices and internet access to students so they could participate in online or virtual learning.

“It really pushed us to get technology into the hands of our children,” he said. “Getting them devices, getting them hotspots — maybe they didn’t have connectivity. It put us on a fast tract. Of course, they were challenging times because some of our kids live in areas with low connectivity, but we did our best to accommodate them.”

Individuals that stepped up during Brownsville ISD’s COVID response were Deputy Superintendent Dr. Nellie

Cantu, Director of Employee Benefits, Risk Management, and Safety Dustin Garza, and Alonso Guerrero, who went from serving as a school nurse to health services director.

Around the state, school districts received correspondence and guidelines from multiple sources from the CDC at the national level as well as the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, Texas Education Agency, Cameron County, and the City of Brownsville.

“Obviously it was a shock to everybody,” Garza said. “A lot of meetings, a lot of debriefings, a lot of guidance from the local and federal government. It was just a matter of all our brains coming together and creating a plan.

The summer was a lot of different ideas — adjusting to mandates and things coming out of the state.”

On the flip side of the pandemic was the effort to test and now vaccinate the population. BISD stepped up in that field as well. Guerrero has been a big part of the coordination efforts as he moved into a larger role within the district.

“I was a school nurse but during COVID I helped out with the COVID testing for district employees and then students,” Guerrero said. “In January the position opened to become the director of health services. Then we started assisting the city and the county with vaccines and we haven’t stopped since.”

Now the district is taking up the vaccine effort by signing up as a distributor of shots.

“We have about 86 percent of our staff administered with the vaccine,” Guttirrez said in early April. “Our next step is we applied as a school district to be a provider of vaccines. That means we can get them from the federal government and do our own administration of vaccines.

That’s going to help us because perhaps our next step, once we are able to vaccinate all of our staff, is to move onto students that qualify as well as parents that qualify.

It’s an ongoing process.”

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STUDENT SUPPORT UTRGV Joins Other Colleges in Temporarily Waiving Test Scores for Admissions During COVID

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by A m y C a s e b i e r Just as life changed for everyone at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, expectations for incoming college students shifted, as well. As classroom instruction went fully virtual, testing centers for the SAT and ACT exams — traditional measures of college readiness — closed.

Many institutions — the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, included — waived the requirement of those exams for admissions, making test score submissions an optional part of the application process.

“We didn’t want that to be an additional barrier for students when wanting to go to college in the fall of a pandemic starting,” said Dara Newton, associate vice president for strategic enrollment at UTRGV. As businesses — and testing centers — begin to open back up as restrictions ease and vaccines become more readily available, some students are opting to include SAT and ACT scores in their application packets.

However, this facet of admissions is not required for the fall 2021 semester — or fall 2022.

“We wanted to continue that practice to support our students during a very

unprecedented time for higher ed,” Newton said. Announcements for the fall 2023 semester may likely come sooner than later, she added, so that current high school sophomores and juniors can know where to focus their efforts.

While 46 percent of freshmen rank in the top 25 percent of their class and a majority begin their academic career at UTRGV with prior college hours, Newton pointed out that UTRGV admissions doesn’t utilize specific standards for factors like rankings and scores. Instead, the admissions team encourages students to share as much information about themselves as possible.

“We can render decisions with an SAT or an ACT score and we can render decisions without that,” she said. “As a holistic institution, that really allows us to continue to look at a bigger picture of the student. Test score does not necessarily define a student.”

Admissions staff often take note of extracurricular involvement, community service, job history, and class choices in addition to transcripts and test scores.

They consider each student individually to determine who will be a good fit for UTRGV.

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“We have an excellent team and no matter the situation or the day somebody decides that they’re ready to go to college, we have dedicated individuals that would be here to support them.”

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The university recorded an all-time high enrollment during the fall 2020 semester.

While the numbers aren’t in yet for fall 2021 — admissions were in the middle of the enrollment cycle at the time of publication — Newton expressed optimism for the incoming class.

“We feel confident in the direction we’re headed and that our classes are going to be solid and look good again in the fall,” she said.

UTRGV continues to be flexible in offering its support to all students.

“We have an excellent team and no matter the situation or the day somebody decides that they’re ready to go to college, we have dedicated individuals that would be here to support them,” Newton said. “UTRGV is here to support students and help them figure out the right path to their ultimate goals.”

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“Our goal is to set students up to be successful,” Newton said. “We don’t want to put somebody in a situation where they’re not successful in their first year of college and then maybe there’s a level of frustration and then they stop. So the goal is to help them be comfortable and successful in that first term, first year — even beyond that.”

One of the admission team’s biggest challenges at UTRGV during the onset of the pandemic was how they connected to prospective students.

“We were very used to having a model where we were able to be with students in the high school,” Newton said. “We were able to be present to add that additional support.

Through the pandemic we’ve really had to restructure how we support students.”

However, COVID didn’t hurt the number of students wanting to study at UTRGV.

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Da r a N ewto n, a s s o ci a te v i ce p r e s i d e nt f or s tr a te gic en rollmen t at UT RGV

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THROW OFF THE MASK? RGV Businesses Set Their Own Safety Policies After Texas Reopens

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by Amy Casebier What that further notice might look like remains a mystery for everyone here.

“We were surprised — we were worried about how that’s going to affect us because we still need to get our customers and our employees protected,” Saul Sanchez, co-owner of Carats in McAllen, said of the end of the mask mandate.

Carats still encourages masks to be worn by both employees and customers. “So far, we haven’t had any issues. Everybody walking into the store, they wear a mask. We haven’t seen any big change on that.”

Carats follows disinfection procedures for its jewelry, utilizing an ultraviolet light over the items, and adheres to social distancing guidelines whenever possible.

Sanchez says he doesn’t anticipate anything changing about the way Carats operates — maskwearing included — until a majority of residents are vaccinated.

“I have some customers [who say], ‘I am already vaccinated,’” Sanchez said, commenting on any pushback the shop has received about its safety measures. “I say, ‘well, I am, too, but we still need to wear our masks.’ Nobody has

Life as we knew it changed March 2020 in the Rio Grande Valley with the arrival of COVID-19.

Residents and business owners adapted as quickly as they could, donning face masks to ward off the coronavirus and revising strategies to stay afloat and support their community.

“We adapted to the challenge because of the fantastic team and the brand and the market,” said Shirley Bralley, marketing director at Charlie Clark Nissan. “We gave back to the community a lot to let them know we were supporting what was going on. It was a challenge, but we fared well.”

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott opened Texas in March 2021 by lifting the mandate to wear masks in public places and increasing capacities in all businesses, RGV companies took matters into their own hands.

“We made an immediate decision to continue to do business as we had been and to continue to follow guidelines to protect our employees and customers,” Bralley said. “We respect the governor and what he is saying, but we will continue to disinfect vehicles before and after people are in and continue to wear masks until further notice.”

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enough for us. We’re family-owned. They take very good complained yet. care of us.”

“Everybody’s pretty reasonable and everybody respects Time and time again, the sense of community and that we still need to have our employees protected.” coming together has shone as the silver lining of the Sanchez adds that Carats was one of many businesses pandemic. That is also evident in vendor markets that in the region that enjoyed support from the community continue to pop up throughout the region. during the pandemic — and the push to buy local.

The Tres Lagos Farmer’s Market in North McAllen After the announcement that Texas was reopening, a slew of RGV businesses released statements and posted provides a venue for a collection of vendors. Cindy Treviño, property manager for Rhodes Enterprises and director for announcements on their social media to let patrons know the market, prioritizes farmers, bakers, and other creators they would still be following protocols recommended by with handcrafted items for sale. When COVID-19 hit the the Centers for Disease Control.

Valley, Treviño canceled the April 2020 market. Vendors “We’ve learned a lot in the last year, not only about the and shoppers returned in October 2020 — with new rules resiliency of our industry and team, but more importantly that we are stewards of our customers’ and employees’ to the gathering that included masks.

“When we decided to open up health and well-being. We are the market again during COVID more certain than ever before we wanted people in and out — that we can operate safely we didn’t want people to stick even in the most adverse "We made an immediate around too much,” Treviño said. circumstances,” read a March Despite the recent reopening 5 post from Chef Larry and decision to continue to of the state and revised Jessica Delgado of Salomé do business as we had safety protocols, not much on Main in McAllen. “Our team been and to continue more has changed at the Tres members and purveyors will to follow guidelines to Lagos market. still be required to wear masks, “Even though they lifted the and we are asking our guests protect our employees mask mandate, we still haven’t to continue to wear them when and customers.” changed our rules as far as the not seated at their tables.”

Sh i r l e y B r a l l e y, marketin g farmer’s market goes,” Treviño When Suerte Bar & Grill d i r e cto r at Ch arlie Clark N issan said. “It hasn’t hurt the visitors. posted March 3 that it would We still have a big turnout.” still be requiring masks Nearly 1,000 people showed up at its three locations, the for the March farmer’s market. announcement garnered some Each vendor has a bottle of sanitizer handy and their 1,400 reactions on Facebook — a majority of them positive.

Suerte has implemented several safety procedures booths are arranged to encourage social distancing. since the start of the pandemic, including a sanitation Masks for all are still required for the time being, Treviño machine that sprays a mist at visitors as they enter, a said, and vendors have been restricted from offering samples of their wares. touch-less, freestanding temperature check machine, “It’s a little harder for vendors to sell when they can’t a mask requirement whenever not sitting down, and sample,” she said. “If we bring that back, the vendors will frequent restroom checks and surface disinfectants.

“It was a really big eye opener,” Suerte Uptown manager be a lot happier. Then again, at our last market, our vendors sold out in 30 minutes to an hour — a lot of them did.”

Julian Aguilar said on the new protocols required. He The open-air setting of the market works in favor of this added how normal it used to be for people to casually initiative. So does the increase of availability of vaccines. share drinks with each other just over a year ago.

“COVID’s been hard. It’s taught us a lot about family, our With COVID-19 vaccinations open for all adults in Texas community, and taking care of our servers,” he said. “That’s as of March 29, normal might come sooner than anyone could have hoped. been our biggest priority — using this platform to take care “The vaccinations are going to be the biggest help to get of our servers, bartenders, staff, kitchen, door people … I think just being able to give them a steady paycheck is everything back on track,” Suerte’s Aguilar said.

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Sergio Contreras President/CEO RGV Partnership

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Reliable and Diverse Energy Sources are Needed in Texas

Texas’ lead in connecting the country to oil and gas has built life as we know it. However, today’s energy infrastructure is not the end to our journey of ingenuity.

In fact, following the events of the Texas freeze, the energy industry is at a pivotal moment. In 2021, Texas is set to produce almost 30% of all new solar generation capacity in the nation as well as an outsized proportion of new wind and natural gas. Continuing to develop clean energy infrastructure will help diversify our economy, improve quality of life, and connect hardworking Americans from rural and urban areas alike with meaningful job opportunities. These careers will be responsible for building the

infrastructure needed to mitigate these types of shortcomings in the future.

Prior to the storm, the Rio Grande Valley has seen this firsthand as billiondollar investments have broken ground.

Enrollment in Harlingen’s Texas State Technical College wind energy technician program has soared as students seek out annual average incomes between $53,000 and $90,000. Projects already underway grow their payrolls with construction and other skilled labor, pay landowners, and enrich nearby communities.

Pre-pandemic, Texas ranked second in the nation for clean energy jobs with more than 240,000 positions filled in renewables, energy efficiency,

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clear that we need to lay the groundwork for transmission infrastructure that is resilient, reliable, and weathered to last for generations. It is time to implement policies, garner investments toward, and encourage a massive effort to modernize our energy infrastructure statewide — all while creating lasting, high-paying jobs for people across the state.

Given the size and scope of current crises, Texas cannot miss the opportunity for our elected officials to come together and advance the future of all-of-the-above energy solutions, much of which needs to include clean energy. By investing in modernizing critical infrastructure, our elected officials will also support local and rural development, increase the number of well-paying careers available, and reduce the cost of electricity for consumers. With leadership that is committed to investing in reliable energy and building the next iteration of our energy infrastructure, Texans can use this failure as a propellant to blaze a trail as a national and international leader in energy.

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transportation, and other clean energy professions combined. However, like nearly every other economic sector, our clean energy economy has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Lone Star State, more than 18,500 clean energy workers have lost their jobs since March 2020. And Texas is not alone in its experience. Out of the roughly 3.3 million clean energy workers employed across the country in 2019, nearly half a million are still out of work.

As we examine the consequences of both COVID-19 and the polar vortex for the Texan energy sector, we need things to change. We need leaders to address the issues by not pointing fingers, speaking the truths on the issues at hand, and refusing to protect the status quo. Misdiagnosing the root cause of the Texan energy grid’s susceptibility to crises leaves us vulnerable for the next one that rolls around. Now, more than ever, we need leadership to meet the moment with honesty, resolve, and an eye for the future. As we analyze our next best steps, we need to focus on efforts that will power a stronger, more tenacious economy. It is

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FINANCIAL FOCUS Financial Checklist for New(er) Parents

another protection-related idea: Try to build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money held in a low-risk, liquid account.

Without such a fund, you might have to tap into your longerterm investments to pay unexpected costs, such as a major car repair.

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If you’re a brand-new parent, or even if you’ve been one for a little while, you’re no doubt filled with the many joys your child brings you. But as caught up as you are with the feelings and experiences of today, you also need to think about the future – specifically, the financial issues that accompany a growing family. What are some of the key moves you need to make?

Here’s “checklist” to consider:

• PREPARE FOR HIGH COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION. You may already be thinking about sending your child to college. And it is indeed a good idea to start planning early because college is expensive, and it’s getting more so every year. However, you can prepare for these expenses through a college-savings vehicle, such as a 529 plan. A financial professional can help you pick the investment, or investment strategy, that’s appropriate for your needs. But whatever route you decide to follow, you won’t want to wait until your child is close to college age.

• ESTABLISH A BUDGET. If you’re going to meet the additional expenses of a child, plus make progress toward other objectives, such as paying down debts, you’ll need to know where your money is going. Setting a budget, and sticking to it, may seem difficult, but once you’ve gotten into the habit, it will become easier – and for many people, following a budget actually gives them more of a sense of control over their finances. Over time, expenses related to your children will change, so you’ll need to adjust your budget accordingly – for example, once a child is in school full-time, childcare expenses may drop, which could allow you to boost your savings.

• KEEP LONG-TERM GOALS IN MIND. Even while planning for the costs associated with raising a child, including saving for college, you can’t forget your other long-term goals. It isn’t selfish to build resources for your own retirement – in fact, you’ll ultimately be helping your family greatly by taking steps to maintain your financial independence throughout your life. So, during your working years, try to consistently contribute as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or other employersponsored retirement plan.

Having a child is obviously a life-changing event, and one with considerable financial challenges – but they can be manageable if you make the right moves at the right times.

• PROTECT AGAINST THE UNEXPECTED. If something were to happen to you, how would your child, or children, be affected? Even a family with two working parents can face serious financial difficulties if one of the parents were to die prematurely, or even just drop out of the workforce temporarily due to illness or injury. To help ensure your family could still stay in your home and your children could still afford to pursue higher education, you’ll want to create an appropriate protection strategy involving both life and disability insurance. Your employer may offer both, but the coverage provided may not be sufficient for your needs, so you may need to purchase your own policies. And here’s

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC

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Boone Tyson

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Real Estate Agent, House Flipper, Rental Property Owner | TNT Real Estate Group (956) 621-6714 | boone@forsalergv.com

HOME REFINANCING Using a Refinance to Put Your Money to Work These last 12 months have been some of the most confusing that people have ever experienced. With a regular inundation of both good and bad, positive and negative information, it can be difficult to filter through all the noise and discern what’s right for oneself and one’s family. This is true in a number of areas and can be especially relevant when it comes

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to making sound financial decisions amid so much uncertainty.

One of last year’s hot topics was refinancing a home mortgage. If this is not a term you are familiar with, it is essentially taking your existing mortgage and converting it into a new mortgage. This can be done by lengthening or shortening the number of years left to pay it off, changing your interest rate, and even potentially changing the balance of your current mortgage. The most common scenario is taking your existing terms, leaving the balance the same, and reducing your interest rate. This would decrease your monthly payment amount or increase how much of your monthly payment goes toward your principal balance. That means more of that payment is going back into your pocket long term in the form of equity in your home.

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A great reason to refinance is likely the most uncommon — but possibly the most profitable option — of all. Imagine you purchased a house for $100,000 exactly 10 years ago and you have been paying $800 per month ever since. Over the course of the last 10 years, you have paid your mortgage principal balance down by $25,000. In addition to that principal pay down, your house has also appreciated at 4% per year. The new value of the house is just under $150,000. This means your house currently has around $75,000 in equity. All that to say, your house currently has a 50% equity position.

Why is this important? Because you essentially have $75,000 in a less traditional form of savings account that is not earning you any return. One way to access that equity is by doing what’s called a “cash-out refinance.”

When doing this type of refi — let’s call it a COR — lenders will refinance your house and give you a new loan and

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that you cashed out and use it as a down payment for a rental property that rents at $1,100 each month. This would be a pretty standard rent for an average threebedroom house in McAllen or Edinburg. Let’s say that particular rental house was purchased for $100,000 and you used $20,000 for a 20% down payment (the minimum requirement for an investment house) and $5,000 for your closing costs. And let's say this mortgage payment has an average monthly PITI charge of $700. You now have two payments totalling $1,600 and you have rent coming in at $1,100. So you only have to pay $500 per month out of pocket rather than the $800 that you were originally paying. You could save that $300 every single month and add it to the $9,500 you still have left over from your refinance and you will be in a position to do this all again in a few years.

Many people may argue that this is risky and may not be comfortable with the debt load, but I would like to counter that with the following math. On both properties, you still have a 25% equity position. It is unlikely that the real estate market in the Valley will decline by 25% so you will probably not be upside down or at risk of losing your properties at any point in time. Each month, you will have roughly $200 per house going toward your principal balance pay down. That’s roughly $5,000 per year. In addition to this, you now own $250,000 worth of real estate that is appreciating at 4% per year. That’s another $10,000 being added to your pocket each year. So by spending $500 per month on a mortgage you would have been paying anyway, you are making roughly $9,000 per year in the form of appreciation and principal reduction.

And to accomplish all of this, it required $0 out of your own pocket because you tapped in to the equity you already had in your house.

Imagine what it could look like if you did this every three to five years!

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The most common scenario is taking your existing terms, leaving the balance the same and reducing your interest rate. This would decrease your monthly payment amount or increase how much of your monthly payment goes towards your principal balance. That means more of that payment is going back into your pocket longterm in the form of equity in your home.

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new interest rate for up to 75% of its total appraised value.

So in the example above, 75% of $150,000 is $112,500.

Subtract $75,000 for the remaining mortgage balance from that and you have $37,500. Go ahead and reduce by $3,000 to account for some closing costs. This gives you $34,500 you could reinvest somewhere else.

Now, let’s say your new mortgage balance of $112,500 has a total monthly PITI (principal, interest, taxes, insurance) payment of $900. You could take the $34,500

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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Helping Small Businesses

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b y J a n i e B r i on e s their employees, mortgage interest, rent, utilities, uninsured property damage during 2020, certain supplier costs, and expenses for operations.

The PPP loan interest rate is 1%. Loans prior to June 5, 2020, have a two-year maturity and loans after June 5, 2020, have a five-year maturity. Sole proprietors, independent contractors, and selfemployed businesses who employed less than 500 employees were eligible to apply for the PPP in 2020 and in 2021.

Hugo Hinojosa, senior vice president of Freedom Bank, explains that small business owners were able to apply for the PPP loan through the SBA website tool that matches the borrower with a lender. “The application is available online for the borrower to apply for the first draw or second draw,” Hinojosa said. “Borrowers who applied in 2020 were eligible to reapply for a second loan in 2021 to help business owners continue paying their employees for at least two-and-a-half months.”

According to the SBA website, the borrower can find a lender using the SBA tool search or download the form and contact a lender. First-time borrowers must select the first draw application form. Secondtime borrowers who used the full amount, had no more than 300 employees, and had their gross income reduced by 25% in 2019 and 2020 must select the second draw application form.

The devastating consequences of a pandemic affected the local community, especially small businesses in the Rio Grande Valley. Some small businesses had to close their doors due to the pandemic shutdown while others struggled to continue afloat. Jorge Garcia, who has had his fire and safety business for over 15 years, witnessed firsthand the challenges of keeping his business open and the struggles of paying his employees during the pandemic. “Many of the businesses that we service closed and it was very difficult to find new clients, and I didn’t want to let go of my employees who have worked with me for more than 10 years,” he said.

Garcia learned about the Paycheck Protection Program through a friend. He was directed to the Small Business Administration website, where he printed the application and took it to his bank. It ended up being a lengthy and frustrating process, Garcia said, because of additional paperwork the bank required.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury website announced that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) created the PPP loan April 3, 2020, and was implemented by the Small Business Administration. According to the SBA website, the PPP loan was designed to help small businesses with funds to continue paying

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When it comes to your to-do list, put your future first.

“The PPP loan was established in 2020 as a result of the pandemic for small businesses and sole proprietorships to cover their payroll and it has been well received in the community."

O ma r Quinta nilla , s e ni o r v i ce p r e s i d e nt of cor p or a te ban kin g at F rost Ban k an d M cA l l e n ci ty com m i s s i one r, D i s tr i ct 3

To find out how to get your financial goals on track, As of March 7, 2021, a report from the PPP said Omar Quintanilla, senior vice president of contact your Jones corporate banking at Frost Bank and McAllen reported nationally a total of 2,409,105 loans Edward were approved with a total of 5,198 lenders. city commissioner, District 3. “Although this financial advisor today.

The report includes changes made by the is a loan, it is not based on the borrowers’

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To find out how to get your financial goals on track, contact your Edward Jones financial advisor today.

www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC

Financial Advisor

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4500 N 10th St Suite 40 Mcallen, TX 78504 956-630-0241

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MKD-8652B-A

Leonardo F Chang

MAY/JUN 2021

When it comes to your to-do list, put your future first.

FAP-1966E-A

Biden administration for the 2021 PPP loan. credit. So far there is no information whether Individuals who filed Form 1040 and Schedule the loan will be extended or of any additional C may use their gross income instead of net funding, but businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible and contact their profit to calculate their loan amount.

“This new change allowed banks to use a Leonardo F Chang bank for any deadlines and changes.”

Borrowers must first demonstrate that they new funding calculationFinancial for sole proprietors, Advisor independent contractors, and self-employed were adversely affected by the pandemic.

4500 N 10th St Suite 40 The second determining factor for the loan is individuals to qualify Mcallen, for more TX financial 78504-0241 based on the average monthly payroll of the support,” Hinojosa said. 956-630-0241 As this new calculator was based on gross business. There was an additional funding income, the calculation worked as follows: A period this year for a second loan that was borrower whose gross income in 2020 was extended to May 31.

“There is a major change from last year to $100,000 would be divided by 12 for monthly payroll and then multiplied by 2.5 plus the this year and it is very difficult,” Quintanilla Economic Injury Disaster Loan. This particular said. “Many borrowers who applied for the second draw must show proof of an borrower would therefore qualify for $20,833.

“This loan helped many in the Valley during income reduction of 25% drop in revenue to be eligible. Another change in the PPP loan this pandemic,” Hinojosa said.

Other small businesses were not quite so application was that restaurants can borrow lucky. The Small Business Majority report up to 3.5 times the average monthly payroll.”

Restaurants in particular took the biggest from January 2021 reported 59% of small business owners’ revenue declined during hit during the pandemic. That means that the pandemic shutdown and continue to be they benefit the most from this type of down as of this year. The report also mentions assistance.

“Although this is a 1% loan and borrowers that 57% of small business owners found the application process difficult and only 33% would need to pay it back, the federal received the full amount of the loan requested. government established a PPP Loan The McAllen Chamber of Commerce forgiveness application for borrowers to fill Business Status Survey #4 (part 1) reports out and request for the loan to be forgiven,” that the Valley’s “economy collapsed during Quintanilla added. “The loan is forgivable if the second quarter in 2020 and in the second the loan was used for the intended purposes. half of 2021 there was a four percent growth Once the borrower fills out the form with the proper documentation, submits it to their in GDP.” “The PPP loan was established in 2020 as lender, the SBA reviews the loan and the SBA a result of the pandemic for small businesses approves the forgiveness part.

“The PPP loan helped businesses and and sole proprietorships to cover their payroll and it has been well received in the community,” employees dramatically in our community.”

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THE HISTORY OF BANKING 75 Years of Community Spirit and Pride in Valley Banking

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VA L L E Y H I S T O R Y Signage for new style and look of Harlingen National Bank, June 1967.

“The new bank was quickly tested by Mother Nature. In September of 1967, hurricane Bulla paid a call to South Texas.

The building took all that Bulla had to dish out without any damage. or loss. And since that time, it has withstood numerous storms.” – Bob Dunkin

How many of us today could name one person from the bank we trust to take care of our money? Even before 2020 turned the world on its head and caused companies to completely rethink how to run their respective industries — and how to allow their clients to safely conduct business — banking was already seeing a massive change in how customers interacted with their finances.

Bob Dunkin, former CEO and President of First Community Bank in San Benito from 1979 to 2010, recalls the “early” days of banking. “In 1945, when I was a young teen, my father founded Harlingen National Bank,” he said. “People who were shopping at the local grocery store parked in our parking lot, so I was tasked with letting them know we were a new bank and inviting them to bank with us.” Soon enough, Dunkin was “promoted” from inviting shoppers in the parking lot to working inside. He moved from one department to the next, learning all the ins and outs of banking — from working on the combined ledger, a huge hard-covered book with everyone’s accounts painstakingly tracked in ink, to being a teller, and beyond.

After completing a bachelor’s of business at the University of Texas, Dunkin went back into his father’s bank — this time, in a PR position. In the 1960s, the Valley became an attractive option for out-ofstate families seeking reasonably priced homes. The affordability of the homes, the

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low cost of living, and the beautiful weather enticed families from up north to plant roots.

Dunkin saw an opportunity to grow the bank, driving to the homes and offering his bank’s services. He then planted a palm tree in the front garden of any family who joined the bank. “You can drive through some of those areas today and see many of those midcentury homes still with their palm trees,” Dunkin said.

In 1979, after working in the bank with his brothers (his parents and wife were killed in a tragic car accident a few years prior), Dunkin decided to strike out on his own and founded First Community Bank in San Benito. “We were in a house trailer,” Dunkin said with a chuckle. “Not the best way to engender confidence in your bank or its founder, is it? But soon enough we were able to erect a gorgeous building and we grew from there.”

Then the 1980s happened. According to the FDIC, from 1980 through 1989, 425 Texas commercial banks failed — including nine of the state's 10 largest bank-holding companies. These banks had not diversified their portfolios and when oil and real estate crashed, so did they. But First Community Bank did not. In fact, according to Dunkin, not only did they not experience losses, the bank actually grew. Dunkin attributes the bank’s success to personal relationships and the ability to use technology to their advantage, picking and choosing what

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PICTURED TOP TO BOTTOM: 1. The Harlingen National Bank opened its door for business on June 1, 1945 at 219 E. Jackson, Harlingen, Texas.

2. In 1948 the 25-foot front was expanded to 50-feet. Plate glass double front doors and Cordova Cream Limestone front was the highlight of the new building.

3. In 1958 a complete transformation resulted in presenting one of the most modern small banks in the state. A second floor with large community room and employees' lounge, was added. The bank front was enhanced by a gold anodized sun shiled and a new tall, slim and graceful bank sign.

4. And now, the brilliant, magnificent new structure of today!

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This is a copy of the Statement of Condition as of April 25, 1967. Quarterly, banks were required to publish their balance sheet in a local newspaper.

would work for them and not just always going with the latest and greatest — unless it added value.

But that was then, and this is now. What does banking look like in 2021? Michael Scaief, chairman of Texas Regional Bank, has been a part of banking in one way or another since the 1980s, moving from a position as a teller, then as a trainee manager, to buying a bank and opening its doors on May 7, 2010. During that time he saw the 1980s collapse of banking (with its resultant banking term, “Texas Ratio”), to out-of-state banks being allowed to operate in Texas, the buyouts of smaller institutions by national and international banks, and then the growth of online banking and mobile apps.

“We knew we wanted to get back into relational banking,” Scaief said. “In the previous two or three decades, the banking model had changed so drastically; bankers were expected to push growth, watch the bottom line, but spending time with the public, being a part of the community, getting involved with the local chamber of commerce, sponsoring little league, was frowned upon. However, we lost the relationships that actually make us who we are.”

As a result, Texas Regional Bank has forged wonderful affiliations with everyone and everything from corporations to local families. “Households drive business,” Scaief said. Currently, the bank carries the accounts for around 40,000 families.

In March 2021, the bank opened 550 new accounts — in a time when around 300 per month new accounts is the norm. Growth of the bank has also allowed expansion in wealth management and in setting up trust funds.

Texas Regional Bank also has an eye on the international market. “Mexico has a tremendous economy and our relationship with them in terms of foreign exchange trading could not be better or more robust,” Scaief said. “We are able to compete in the international arena very comfortably.”

What really sets Texas Regional Bank apart from other banks, including some of the larger national banks, is that it funds locally, deposits locally, and loans in the community.

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F.L. Fred Flynn and his wife, Josey with D.B."Buss' Dunkin and Lucy Dunkin. Mr. Flynn was a well-known mortgage banker and savings and loan officer through Flynn Investment Company. Circa 1955

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D.B. Dunkin, the Bank President and one of the founders of Harlingen State Bank, circa 1945 (Bob Dunkin’s father) Texas Bankers Convention in San Antonio in 1964 Sam Countiss and his wife, Lucy. Buss Dunkin. Lefty Guenzel and his wife. Sam Countiss was a director, founder and Vice President of Harlingen National Bank.

That means the money works for the community at large — not for some nameless entity that may or may not be in Texas. This bolstered as the world faced a pandemic and an uncertain future.

“Mobile apps and the ability to do almost everything you need to do on your phone was a lifesaver in one way,” Scaief said. “Drive-thru banking instead of lobby banking became the mainstay of our locations. And although mobile apps are great, and in 2020 were definitely a way we could connect with our customers, at the end of the day we still want relationships with our customers.”

One way they maintained — and even grew — relationships with customers during the pandemic was by giving clients extensions on loans. Another way was by ensuring that small businesses knew how to apply for the Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP), in many cases walking business owners through the process.

There is a proverb that goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” This is true in almost every aspect of life — even banking. Historically, banking has

"Sage of the Southwest Texas” at the annual Chamber of Commerce meeting. Robert Dunkin, outgoing two-term board chairman. Frank Boggus, incoming board chairman.

W.C. Newberry of San Marcos, speaker

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Coin separator and roller “We had to roll them all into the tubes so the tellers could use them. This is one of the first jobs I mastered in banking as a kid.”

- Bob Dunkin

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been about relationships and trust, forging connections and being the cornerstone of a thriving community. There have been times, it seems, where that has not been the case, where a client has felt nameless and faceless. Dunkin saw that happen during his 60 years of banking. He saw the results of banks so worried about the bottom line they forgot who they worked for. Today, however, with men like Scaief at the helm of Texas Regional Bank, we see a resurgence of community spirit and pride, and a return to the values that make the Valley great.

PICTURED TOP TO BOTTOM: 1. 0n the way to the gin in Harlingen, 2. Lighting store in Brownsville 3. Construction of the original Hidalgo County Court House 4. Restaurant in Mission where the guys got together regularly.

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EXCEEDING

THE STANDARD Lacks Takes Extreme Precautions to Safeguard Employee and Customer Health

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b y Ro c i o Vi l l a l o b os | p h ot os b y M a r k P u e n t e serve the needs of their customers, Lacks allows walkins but continues to encourage customers to book an appointment with a dedicated sales consultant or to shop online.

“Opening up has really been in phases.” Leal said. By listening to feedback from store directors and customers on a regular basis, Lacks has been able to responsibly and safely resume operations.

The first opportunity for partial reopening came Memorial Day weekend. Ahead of this, Mendoza and her team trained the 538 employees across the 11 Texas locations and supporting units on new safety protocols and what to expect upon their return. Confident in their ability and measures to reduce chances of the virus spreading as much as possible, they welcomed customers back.

To ensure a smooth return and that any potential hiccups could be swiftly and thoroughly addressed, not all the stores opened at once. The first store to reopen was the largest showroom in McAllen, then others, one by one, in the subsequent days.

“Some of our team members were scared at first to come back to work, and of course it was understandable

The COVID-19 pandemic took many businesses by surprise last year, leaving them with little time to adjust their operations in order to continue to serve their customers. While they couldn’t anticipate all the challenges or how long it would last, Lacks stayed ahead of the curve, springing into action to create a strategic plan for navigating this unprecedented challenge.

“We did anticipate a shutdown,” said Safety and Fleet Director Gloria Mendoza, explaining the preparation efforts in March 2020. “We communicated with our employees, making sure we were transparent with them and they understood everything that was happening.”

According to Human Resources Director Tammy Leal, the Lacks executive team began meeting in February as word of the virus was beginning to spread and decided to temporarily close March 18, ahead of Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order closing nonessential businesses.

“Realizing the severity of how contagious the virus is, we wanted to be safe,” she said.

The stores have since reopened, using CDC recommendations as a guide while also monitoring local case counts and hospitalizations. In order to

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All locations keep a checklist of things to sanitize and disinfect three to four times a day, concentrating on high-traffic areas.

Lacks' safety measures even earned them recognition from Rio Grande City for its “Top-Rated COVID-19 Best Business Practices.”

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— there was a lot of uncertainty,” said Training and Development Manager Benita Vasquez. “We trained stores; they would prepare the location, then they would reopen. As we continued doing this, employees saw that we were serious about the safety protocols and felt safe.”

Mendoza explains what the training — based off CDC guidelines and strategically tailored to each individual department for maximum effectiveness — looked like.

“It started off with stopping the spread of germs — talking to them about how to make sure they wash their hands correctly, covering your cough or sneezing with a tissue, things like that,” she said. “Every single position had a little bit of a different procedure to follow — from our customer service associates to sales consultants and delivery drivers.

“We put posters throughout the locations and restrooms just as reminders on washing your hands and social distancing,” she added. “They do appreciate us going above and beyond to make sure they’re safe in our stores.”

Additionally, all locations keep a checklist of things to sanitize and disinfect three to four times a day, concentrating on high-traffic areas. Lacks’ safety measures earned them recognition from Rio Grande City for its “Top-Rated COVID-19 Best Business Practices.”

Safety training went well beyond the stores. The employees working in every other department also received special training for how to conduct their duties.

“If a customer were to come pick up furniture here, we asked them to stay in their vehicle,” Mendoza said. “Any employee that is assisting a customer has to wear PPE, gloves and a mask, any time they handle something going into a customer’s home.”

And to minimize the risk of entering a home with any potential cases of the virus, delivery drivers were trained to keep a 6-foot distance and to ask a list of questions.

“Is anyone in the household sick, is anyone waiting on COVID-19 test results, and has anyone been in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19?” she

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explained. “If a customer answers ‘yes’ to any of these questions, we’d have to reschedule delivery.”

In the cases an employee discovers they were exposed to COVID-19, Lacks also has a protocol in place. The individual is assigned a case manager to follow them through the process — from getting tested to receiving the results and the recovery ahead, if they are infected.

“We follow CDC guidelines and are constantly following the county guidelines just to make sure that if an employee says they're sick for whatever reason, we take the proper steps to make sure that nothing is spread here,” Mendoza said.

Further guidelines were developed for customers, which Mendoza said has been met with an excellent response.

When the statewide mask mandate was lifted in March 2021, Lacks made the decision to keep all safety protocols in place for as long as health experts recommend.

Recognizing customers have various needs and comfort levels for shopping, it’s been a priority for Lacks to take their preferences into account and offer different options.

“For us, utilizing our website to help serve customers who don’t feel comfortable engaging in-person is incredibly important,” Director of Content and Creative Jimena PeñaGarza said. “Keeping our website updated with COVIDrelated information as well as the latest products allows for customers to minimize contact with people outside their homes.”

As more people learn about the precautions being taken at all Lacks locations, Peña-Garza said customers are feeling more confident to shop in person.

“The pandemic has put everyone in an interesting position,” she said. “We are all spending more time at home, which makes it easy to identify things that could use refreshing. Now, more than ever, our customers are interested in making their homes more comfortable.

“We’re grateful for the trust our customers have in us to help make that happen.”

For more information, you can browse online at lacks.com or book an appointment with a store nearest you through the site.

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Female Leaders in the Valley Share Their Conquering Moments Toward Success

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Jessica Delgado

Maritza Esqueda

“If you want that leadership position or executive position, just hang in there and keep fighting for it because it’s achievable. And whatever you do to have the right mindset, turn it on and figure it out, keep the fire burning and just make it happen.”

Jessica Delgado,

Co-Own er of Delgado Collect iv e

“We can support each other, not just as women, but as other entrepreneurs. Everybody's ideas are unique, no matter what business you're in, your ideas are unique to the way that you run your business.”

Maritza Esqueda, COO an d Ma n a g in g Partn er at Lon estar Sh reddin g a n d Docu men t Storage

“I'm here for a purpose and it is a much bigger purpose than just selling cars. And I believe that I'm here to impact change. And whether you believe it or not, we're going to carry forward. And the more you continue pressing forward, for me, was really how I feel I overcame that gender gap.”

Natasha del Barrio,

CE O at Bert Ogden Au to G ro u p

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I think I'm always cognizant of the fact that I'm a woman, and I think that you have to be comfortable with who you are. You have to bring ‘yourself,’ the person that you're confident in, to the table all of the time. And don't wait for anybody to invite you. I'm a big proponent of, “take your seat at the table--And if there's no chair, bring your own.”

JoAnn Gama, Co-F ou n der, CEO a n d Su perin ten den t of I DE A Pu blic S c h o o ls

Natasha del Barrio

JoAnn Gama

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RGVision celebrates Latina women of our community with a new, recurring series of the magazine titled ”La Jefa” that tells the compelling journey of female leaders in the Valley and how they came to be the women they are today.

There is power and strength in the Latina community of our neighborhoods, women who fought, sweat, cried, but ultimately didn’t stop chasing their dream until it became a reality.

The term “La Jefa” perfectly encompasses the traditional use of the word, which translated means “The Lady Boss.” And to properly introduce the series, RGVision Magazine had the pleasure of sitting with some of the Valley’s most notable women leaders in an exclusive roundtable discussion. This discussion aims to inspire, grant courage, and ignite passion for the Valley’s current and future executives.

However, as Helen Keller said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.”

When asked what challenges these women had to overcome, they were open.

leader in this organization and put my pride aside.

Granted, I was very young at that time and had so much to learn and grow. But thinking on how you get to the next step. ... Sometimes it’s just using less words, listening, and then showing the result of what's needed. And it may not be what we agree with all the time. We have to face the obstacle sometimes hanging by our fingernails. You gotta just keep going with all your grit, all your mind and get to the next step if you really want it. And if you want that leadership position or executive position, just hang in there and keep fighting for it because it’s achievable.

And whatever you do to have the right mindset, turn it on and figure it out, keep the fire burning and just make it happen.

NATASHA DEL BARRIO, CEO AT BERT OGDEN AUTO

COLLECTIVE When I began 20 years ago, it was a 95% maledominated industry. I was a manager at Carrabba’s Italian Grill and got put on a 30-day notice for how I approached my team. I am direct, to the point and I lead with quickness because in our industry it's fast paced and guests need what they need. There's no exception and when we make mistakes, we fix it. But I got put on a 30-day notice, in spite of being one of the strongest managers in the region. I was crushed. I was heartbroken, thinking, “I am going to lose my job that I've worked so hard for.”

My ultimate goal at the time was being a partner or president of Carraba’s one day. I thought, “So am I doing something wrong? Is it my kind intensity? Is it too much?”

And I learned that it really wasn't too much. I learned that maybe my direction as a leader was spot on and probably wouldn't be the same direction he had given my male counterpart at the time.

But listening and going forward, I asked myself, “how do I make a change?” Because I want to be a female

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JESSICA DELGADO, CO-OWNER OF DELGADO

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I've been in and around this industry since 1999, and I don't think in the earliest years of my career I really appreciated how challenging it could be to be a female in this business. I have got such an assertive, go-getter attitude that I often miss some of the naysayers because I'm just so focused on where I'm going and what I'm doing.

The further along, the more obvious it became. The more I began dealing with male counterparts I realized that whether I was right, wrong, or indifferent, I was going to have to prove myself to them.

One of the challenges too, are the insecurities you place upon yourself when you have that awakening moment — that moment when you burst out of that bubble and realize there are some questions about your competency based on your gender.

And sometimes you can get in your own way and you can let those things get into your own head. But luckily I was surrounded by enough good people who had the right intention and mindset for me. And I just became committed to the idea that if these people believe I can do it, I believe I can do it, too. I know I was meant for this, I'm here for a purpose and it is a much bigger purpose than just selling cars. And I believe that I'm here to impact change. And whether you believe it or not, we're going to carry forward. And the more you continue pressing forward, for me, was really how I feel I overcame that gender gap.

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JOANN GAMA, CO-FOUNDER, CEO AND SUPERINTENDENT OF IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS I'll just share a really funny story. So for two years I had an executive assistant that was a 25-year-old, blond-haired, white male. And when I traveled to schools or big meetings or conferences or regional board meetings, my assistant came with me. And there were so many times everyone would greet him first and shake his hand and ask him what he needed and what he wanted.

And all the eye contact would be to him. All the questions would be directed to him and I'd be like, “I don't think this is gonna work.”

Inherently, folks would make eye contact with him, would go to him, ask him the questions and would completely ignore me.

It was very interesting and it lasted two years. I was like, “this isn't gonna work. Not against you, but this is just way too … yeah.”

Clearly [people thought] I was his assistant touring his schools and putting him in front of funders and regional board members.

I think I'm always cognizant of the fact that I'm a woman, and I think that you have to be comfortable with who you are. You have to bring ‘yourself,’ the person that you're confident in, to the table all of the time. And don't wait for anybody to invite you. I'm a big proponent of, “take your seat at the table-And if there's no chair, bring your own.”

trusted, an older relative of mine. And I was like, “Hey, you know, this happened to me today.” And he was like, “Well, what did you wear? What'd you say?” as if I had invited it, you know?

I always think about that. And I think about young women in business. And I think about how I hope the newer generation with the newer movements in gender equality, have shifted and changed for the better. That somebody who's young and wants to go out and just be successful, don’t have men behaving that way anymore.

I'm really inspired by the change in behavior and the shift in behavior. And I've seen it with myself, I've seen it with my saleswomen. For me, that was an experience that I'll never forget, but also really changed me as a person.

It was a big moment where I knew, and I know now, it was because I was a woman, and a young woman, a single woman. It was very impressionable for me, for sure.

But surprisingly, past the hardships and tribulations, these women’s humble definitions of success were both comforting and profound. Because at the end of the day, women are fierce-hearted, empowering, sensitive, strong, perseverent, and extraordinary human beings just trying to bravely press on and make the world a better place while creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

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LISTEN TO THE FULL ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION HERE This recurring series will highlight one “Jefa” in future magazine issues showcasing her trials and triumphs to the fiery star she’s become today. We love our entrepreneurs, CEOs, superintendents, and every woman in between who makes a difference every day in someone’s life.

Please follow and share “La Jefa” as RGVision continues to showcase our community’s female leaders telling their own stories in their own words.

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DOCUMENT STORAGE When I first started the business, I went door to door trying to jump on my business.

I was 23 and I wasn't married. I remember going to a certain man's office and asking for his business. And he was very forward with me and asked for some things that I wasn't really willing to give him. And I knew it was because I was young, and a woman and he was very forward and said, “Well, if you're ever going to do anything in this area, you're going to have to behave a little differently.”

And I walked out of there and I cried.

I went and I spoke to somebody who I

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PARTNER LONESTAR SHREDDING AND

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MARITZA ESQUEDA, COO AND MANAGING

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DIANA

IZAGUIRRE Lady Boss of the Valley

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According to a 2019 report by Statista, 76 percent of U.S. millionaires were white or Caucasian, with Latinos only accounting for 7 percent of the total demographic. In the Rio Grande Valley, located at 2121 East Griffin Pkwy #2 in Mission, you can find one Latina who defies these odds: Diana Izaguirre, a self-made millionaire.

Izaguirre is the president and founder of Izaguirre Engineering Group, a company that provides land development services across the Valley and Austin, Houston, and Puerto Rico.

At 22, she started her company in 2007 after graduating from the University of Texas at A&M Kingsville with a bachelor’s in civil engineering in 2006. The Mission native, now 36, owns 100 percent of the company.

As an engineer and real estate developer, Izaguirre explained her work days start as early as 6 a.m., sometimes having to get ready for the day while on phone calls with contractors. Although her days are “hectic,” she said she would not trade her job for the world.

However, Izaguirre did not always want to be an engineer.

She grew up wanting to be a doctor and got accepted to the then-University of Texas-Pan American to study pre-med.

Having a father with an engineering background and who is a self-employed land developer, Izaguirre said seeing him work subconsciously inspired her to pursue a civil engineering degree.

“My parents came from Mexico,” she said. “My father went to school, barefoot, when he was little. All his life, he kept saying, ‘One day, I'm not going to be like this.’ So he worked so hard, and now he's an inspiration. I don't think I ever dreamed of all the things that I've been able to be a part of. I've always been a very hard worker. I've always been very dedicated.”

According to a 2020 study by the State of U.S. Science and

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“I've been told things that could make you feel discouraged. It was a challenge. It just made me want to prove that it doesn't matter that I'm a woman or it doesn't matter that I'm young. I can do it just as well as any other engineer that has been doing this.”

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D i a na Iz a gui r r e, p r e s i d e n t an d fou n der of I zagu irre E n gin eerin g G rou p

Engineering, Latinos make up 16 percent of the United States’ population. Still, only 8.6 percent of the STEM workforce identify as Latino.

Fourteen years after opening Izaguirre Engineering Group, the company is thriving. Izaguirre explained most of her clients come via word of mouth. The last time she handed out a business card was in 2008.

“I think teamwork is the best,” she said. “My little sister helps with all the financial stuff because she has the mortgage loan originator license. My little brother is going to law school. So he helps out in our office, as well. I learn from my father and my mother. My mother taught us a lot of discipline, and we're just very goal-oriented kids. We've been very blessed with work and good projects. And I've learned a lot along the way.”

One of the things Izaguirre has had to come face-toface with is being a woman in a male-dominated industry — and being a young business owner. According to a 2019 study by the Society of Women Engineers, only 13 percent of engineers in the United States’ workforce are women.

“Some men just didn't want to talk to me,” she said. “I've been told, ‘We don't want to work with you because you're a woman.’ I've also been told, ‘You're the first woman I've ever worked with.’ I've been told things that could make you feel discouraged. It was a challenge. It just made me want to prove that it doesn't matter that I'm a woman or it doesn't matter that I'm young. I can do it just as well as any other engineer that has been doing this.”

According to Catalyst, a nonprofit working to build better workplaces for women, only 14 percent of women of color earned STEM-related bachelor’s degrees from 2017 to 2018, with Latinas earning only 4.3 percent.

However, the percentage of Latina engineers in the workforce decreases to 2.3 percent. Izaguirre explained her college graduating class was dominated by men, and although being one of the few women in the field has its difficulties, hard work and respect can go a long way.

“I've learned to be patient, and that nothing is

impossible,” she said. “It might take a little longer. You have to be very dedicated. When all my friends were out having a good time, I was still working. I would work from 8 to 8 at night. It’s a lot of growing without knowing how fast you're growing.”

Izaguirre said the most rewarding part of her career is giving back to her community. She does public speaking events at various Mission high schools, such as Thelma R. Salinas T-STEM Early College High School, to encourage more girls in STEM. Additionally, she is the chairwoman for the Mission Housing Authority and Zoning Board and the board president of the Hidalgo County Irrigation District 6.

“I think it's so cute how these kids have so much more opportunities than we had,” she said. “They have all this technology. All we just do is say, ‘You can do it, too.’ I was one of those kids once. I didn't know that I wanted to do engineering. But had I seen or gone to these presentations and seen a woman up there saying, ‘Hey, I'm a civil engineer,’ it would have been easier for me to pick.”

Izaguirre said she believes in staying humble and having priorities. She credits her friends and family as her support system. She explained having hard-working parents has served as an inspiration.

“It just depends how you set your goals,” she said.

“I think you can have ideas or can have dreams, but if you don't put action into them, they're going to stay as a dream — versus if you take action and put in the hard work. Sometimes you have to sacrifice certain things like going out. I sacrificed my personal life, but I was able to do all the things that I wanted.”

In addition to setting goals, Izaguirre said she wants young girls and women to know their worth.

“Sometimes even if (people) put you down or say no, or say ‘I don't want to work with you because you're a woman,’ it doesn't matter,” she said. “Get up and keep going. Don't let anybody stop you.”

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Chief Conspirator | The Digital UpRoar 323.325.5420 ; 956.802.9541 www.TheDigitalUpRoar.com

“THE WORLD’S GONE DIGITAL… SO SHOULD YOUR BRAND” Zoom. Teams. Live Streams.

2020 was the year that made these words become such a staple in our day-to-day vernacular both at home and at the office thanks to the rapid growth in demand for more creative ways to “connect” with the outside world while many of us quarantined in our makeshift “bunkers.”

Through the pandemic, all sorts of devices, softwares, and apps rose to the occasion to make life and work easier to get through, providing digital and virtual experiences that mimic the real world to the best of their ability.

It has become quite clear that there is no better time than now to embrace what this digital age has brought to the table when it comes to things you can do for your brand or business. So much so that it has become more than just a digital age — it is an uproar.

At The Digital UpRoar, we focus and specialize in providing state-of-the-art solutions by putting brands in people’s hands — literally. How?

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B U S I N E S S

Tired of your boring business card? We do custom digital business cards. I haven’t had to print boring business cards in months because I always carry my digital card that lets me network and interact with leads, wowing them and getting their emails instantly right then and there. Don’t let your card end up in the trash or stuck at the bottom of someone’s desk — put it to work.

We’ve also partnered with The Sign Depot, a local premier sign company. Together, we can turn almost any printed sign into a digital marketing piece where people can tap or scan your sign and interact with your brand in full digital glory.

So what is The Digital UpRoar? We are a boutique digital agency à la carte that doesn’t just “think outside the box” because who needs a box in the first place? We don’t believe in being traditional and we definitely don’t subscribe to cookie-cutter, lifeless, and ineffective solutions. In order to be ahead of your competition, you need to be ahead of the curve. The Digital UpRoar can help get you in the right lane and put that pedal to the metal.

We started in Los Angeles and felt the RGV would be a great place to provide local businesses some wonderful solutions for their brands.

It’s easier and more affordable than you think to get started. Check out our website or call our number to find out about all of the exciting and effective ways we can help bring your business up to date since, after all, the world’s gone digital — and so should your brand.

TO SEE OUR MAGAZINE COVER COME TO LIFE: 1.) Scan this code 2.) Allow camera permission 3.) Scan this cover!”

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One way is by creating stunning virtual tours that don’t just let the user “walk through” a house or business like most other tours. Our custom-branded premium tours allow your clients to click and interact with all sorts of elements like pop-up videos, Google Maps integration, social media profile pages, scavenger hunts, pre-generated emails, and other features. Virtual tours aren’t just for real estate — think showrooms, hotels, Airbnb properties, event centers, museums, retail stores, restaurants, gyms, construction sites, and more. While much of the population is still nervous to go anywhere other than work and home, let us create a beautiful, interactive virtual tour for your business that is easy to send to anyone so you can get that digital foot traffic you may be missing! Just wait until you see our tours through a VR headset.

One word: Epic.

Another wonderful thing about the 360-degree footage we capture is that we can also create weeks (if not months) of engaging, post-worthy content for your social profiles. It is time to stop posting paragraphs of words that people will just skim over and let us create some cool and fun custom content using high-quality production and headturning effects.

Want to try our mixed reality solutions?

Think of the game Pokémon GO but for your brand. We can do that.

Doing live events? Ask about our 360 live streams that can stream directly on your Facebook, YouTube, or website, letting anyone feel like they’re actually there at your event all from the comfort of their home or office.

H E A L T H

GRIEVING DURING

COVID-19: A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC when

this kind of loss may not recognize those

experiencing a loss, and it can lead to

as significant setbacks and thus may fail to

different reactions, including shock or denial,

understand their experience as grief. With so

distress, anger, and loss of sleep or appetite,

many facing sudden loss, advice on how to

among others. Without doubt, over the last

comfort others, as well as ways to process our

year, many people have and continue to

own grief during this pandemic is essential.

experience losses caused by the ongoing

Fortunately, there are some strategies to help

COVID-19 pandemic. Many have lost loved

process the loss of a loved one — or any other

ones. According to the Centers for Disease

loss — in a healthy manner. These include:

Control and Prevention, the United States

• ACKNOWLEDGING THE LOSS AND PAIN.

has recorded over half a million deaths, while

Dismissing the loss does not alleviate the pain.

Texas and Hidalgo County have registered

Instead, find some way to reduce the grief.

almost 50,000 and 3,000 deaths, respectively,

Expressing grief through art, gardening, and

at the time of publication. Coping with the

writing can bring comfort.

death of a loved one is always difficult, but

• CONNECTING WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY.

it can be particularly challenging amid a

Connecting with friends and family through

global pandemic. For instance, guidelines

video communication to exchange stories and

established by the authorities may impact

photos of a loved one.

funeral services or other important coping

• ACCEPTING THE FEELINGS AND KNOWING

actions that help us grieve the loss of a loved

THEY ARE VALID. Feeling different types of

one. Unfortunately, these restrictions add to

emotions such as anger and sadness is a normal

the grief and sadness experienced by loved

reaction when grieving a significant loss.

ones left behind. Moreover, many people

• KEEPING THE MEMORIES OF YOUR LOVED

have experienced other types of losses,

ONE ALIVE. Create a photo album, memory

ranging from losing their jobs and financial

book, blog, or webpage to remember your loved

security to losing their daily routines

one, and ask family and friends to contribute

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Grief

is

a

natural

response

their pictures, memories, and stories.

and lifestyles. People experiencing

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Grief is a natural response when experiencing a loss, and it can lead to different reactions, including shock or denial, distress, anger, and loss of sleep or appetite, among others.

• CREATING A RITUAL TO HONOR YOUR LOVED ONE.

basic, concrete information, while older children may

Engage in an activity with the goal of honoring your loved

appreciate more details.

one. This can be planting a tree in their honor, preparing

• PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL HELP IF NEEDED. Find

their favorite meal, or visiting their favorite spots in town,

a school counselor or mental health professional

among other ideas. These little rituals can serve as a way

to obtain further support for your child or teenager

to honor the life of your loved one.

grieving, if necessary.

• JOINING A SUPPORT GROUP. Studies have found many benefits of peer support for bereaved survivors such

RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC

as reduced grief symptoms for depression, anxiety, and

• Support groups are available for people experiencing the

loneliness. Online support groups may connect you with

loss of a loved one. Below are some free, online, and phone

others experiencing similar emotions.

resources available for you. As always, talk to your health

• ALLOWING YOURSELF TO SEEK HELP. Mental health

provider if you are experiencing a difficult time with the

services can assist by offering counseling to process

loss of a loved one.

difficult emotions. Each of us heal differently, so take

• Online mourning support groups for adults and minors:

your time and go at your own pace.

https://www.mourninghope.org/griefresources/covid.html

Below are some additional tips for parents and others

• Children’s Bereavement Center Rio Grande Valley:

trying to help a child or teenager with the grieving

956-368-4065 https://cbc-rgv.org/

process:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Abraham Martinez, Amanda Palomin, Andy Torres, Pablo Ruiz,

doodling. At the same time, respect their silence.

Sandra Chapa, Maria Sevilla-Matos, and Josue Cerroblanco

• PROVIDE ANSWERS. Depriving children from answers and information is detrimental to their mourning and healing. It jeopardizes their trust and communication,

ARTICLE PROVIDED BY

Alfonso Mercado

making them susceptible to feelings of isolation and

PH.D., Licensed Psychologist Valley Psychological Services - Assistant Professor Department of Psychology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | www.utpa.edu/psychology

confusion.

•ACCOMMODATE

THEIR

MATURITY

AND

DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL. Younger children may need

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Co-authors include Dr. Mercado’s Mental Health Lab at UTRGV:

while engaging in other activities such as walking or

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by listening. Children may feel more comfortable talking

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• LISTEN. Adults can demonstrate their care and concern

H E A L T H

H E A L T H Y

SMILES Understanding General Anesthesia with Rodeo Dental b y St e v e n H u g h e s | p h ot os p r ov i d e d Although the dental instruments and machines in the clinic can intimidate both parents and children, general anesthesia helps manage anxieties and ease young patients through the procedure. Dr. Kevin Smith, an anesthesiologist at Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics, explained the importance of using the medication to lower fears and keep a child comfortable during the treatment.

WHY SHOULD GENERAL ANESTHESIA BE USED IN DENTISTRY? Dr. Smith: “Many of the patients seen are as young as 1 year old up to about 5 or 6 years old. And if they have a significant amount of dental decay … they just aren’t developed enough, psychologically, to handle some of the things that older kids or teens or grownups can experience during surgery. It’s a matter of how you manage their behavior ... in a typical dental setting. We do that, obviously, by integrating general anesthesia techniques.”

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HOW DOES RODEO DENTAL’S USE OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DENTISTRY? Dr. Smith: “It is a service that enables dentistry to be accessed or completed. So, in other words, if a child has, let’s say, a whole mouthful of decay that needs to be taken care of — abscesses, infections — anesthesia becomes the vehicle that helps the child arrive at a … successful treatment. So we’re just an adjunct that facilitates successful treatment to accomplish.”

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HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE GENERAL ANESTHESIA ON A PATIENT? Dr. Smith: “What we do for Rodeo is we work with them every day, but it’s in many clinics throughout the state of Texas. We essentially bring all the hospital equipment into the dental clinic, and we turn it into a mini operation

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WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING GENERAL ANESTHESIA? Dr. Smith: “Some of the misconceptions that people might have or at least questions they might have been ‘why can’t, my child, eat before the procedure,’ and we’ve touched on that a little bit. Other misconceptions or questions people might have are ‘will my child wake up during the procedure?’ The answer to that is no. This is the same kind of anesthesia that they would receive if having appendix surgery or tonsil removal. There’s a misconception about the difference between sedation and anesthesia. When giving a child sedation, they take medicines. Usually, it can be done by an anesthesiologist.

Or it can be done by a trained pediatric dentist, a specialist in dentistry for that. If somebody has sedation, that’s like adding a drug to a semi-well-behaved child already. We always like to say that sedation in dentistry doesn't turn bad behavior into good, and it doesn’t turn an uncooperative child into a cooperative child. It takes the edge off for the child during the appointment. Now, that’s in contrast to anesthesia, where somebody loses all their reflexes. Maybe one of the other misconceptions that parents might have is ‘can I be in the room when this happens?' It is a different level of treatment. We want to put all of our focus on the safety and the treatment of the child. When we have any other person in the room, besides the personnel directly related to the treatment, it distracts from our goal.

Which is giving complete undivided attention to the child, to their safety, to their comfort, and to a successful treatment.”

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL FOR A PATIENT WHEN YOU’RE USING GENERAL ANESTHESIA ON THEM? Dr. Smith: “We want families and, above all, patients to have a very positive experience. From the first moment they come into the room, we want to have a positive and uplifting environment. We talk with the patients, and we interact with them. We do all the things that we can to engage a young child’s mind in a world that, for them, can be otherwise quite scary. Clinical environments can be a little bit threatening, especially for some of these children that have had some bad experiences before they’ve seen us. Our goal is to have very safe, very predictable, and very dependable methods of anesthetic delivery, and, at the same time, build as much of a sincere relationship as we can with the family members and with these patients in the short time we have with them.”

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA? PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES.

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PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR APPROACH TO USING GENERAL ANESTHESIA ON A PATIENT. Dr. Smith: “The child breathes Sevoflirane, an inhalation anesthetic with some oxygen and, within about 10 breaths, they are all the way asleep. We don’t do anything else on the child until they’re sleeping. We hook up the monitors and do all the things that could otherwise be looked at or interpreted as scary for a young child. After that, we prepare the child for surgery. We set up the American Society of Anesthesiology standard monitors to see their blood pressure, heart rate, and the pulse oximetry, a test used to measure the oxygen level of the blood. We put all those monitors on intravenous lines and a needle or tube inserted into a vein that transfers medicines or fluids are placed. We prepare the child by intubating them in the dental operation; that is, we place a breathing tube that allows that child’s airway to be safe and protected. Then, it’s about careful monitoring the whole time. The pediatric dentist then can come in and do full-mouth dental rehabilitation needed on the child.

When the child is done, we wake the child up and, they end up waking up in a separate room, comfortable in a recovery position with the parents back in the room at that point. It works very smoothly for these patients.”

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WHAT ARE SOME WAYS PATIENTS CAN PREPARE THEMSELVES TO GO UNDER ANESTHESIA? Dr. Smith: “Giving strict adherence to the direction that we will give before that day, which means we want to make sure a child’s health is optimized. In preparation for the day, we want to assure that the child hasn’t had anything to eat or drink for safety reasons when a child goes unconscious under anesthesia. We want to make sure that there are no contents in the stomach that can come up and go into the lung or, in other words, aspirate.

So, adherence to the preliminary instructions that we give parents, that’s the best way to prepare for that.”

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room for the day. So, every day, we could have anywhere from six to eight to 10 patients having treatment. Once we’re through with the operation for that day, or two days or so, or however many days we have for that particular clinic, we pack things up, and we move to another scheduled clinic.”

H E A L T H

"Our goal is to have very safe, very predic"table, and very dependable methods of anesthetic delivery, and, at the same time, have built as much of a sincere relationship that we can with the family members and with these patients in the short time we have with them” Dr. Ke v i n S m i t h ,

an an esth esiologist at Rodeo Den tal & Orth odon tics

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Dr. Smith: “As far as my own experience with the couple of times that I have been under general anesthesia, I’m in the field, so receiving it isn't quite so scary to me. I know what’s going on a little bit. But, I can understand, also, a lot of anxiety and fear and trepidation with these children or maybe more so with the parents.”

that is having the parent in the room while their child is going to sleep and then having them back in the room before the child is awake so they’re there when their child wakes up.”

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD OR SHARE WITH ME ABOUT RODEO DENTAL’S USE FOR GENERAL ANESTHESIA? Dr. Smith: “Not only is our goal to have safe treatments that are effective for these patients, we want to do this in a way where we maintain a positive environment.

Also, the question that might arise is ‘who might be an appropriate patient for anesthesia?’ We provide these services to patients of all ages and backgrounds. We focus primarily on younger children; our training is for them. Occasionally, we have older patients that … need various types of surgery. The question that comes up is ‘can adults have the same procedure done under anesthesia?’ The answer is yes. We review health histories and, … we are in contact with their doctors.

If other doctors are involved, we make sure that we’re optimizing a patient’s health and that they are prepared for an out of hospital experience like this.”

For more information about Rodeo Dental & Orthodontics, call (888) 453-4129 or visit rodeodentaltexas.com.

WHAT HAVE BEEN OTHERS’ EXPERIENCES UNDER YOUR TYPE OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA? Dr. Smith: “We typically have very positive experiences.

It’s not an uncommon scenario to have a tearful parent before the procedure because of anxiety and concern.

That’s not a bad thing. When a parent shows emotion, that means they love their child; we would like to see that. There’s some consolation involved, we talk them through things. As the child makes it through the procedure successfully, we’re pleased when we have a very predictable method that has their children … undergo the anesthesia, and wake up safely. We tend to see the same outcome with many of these patients with high levels of anxiety. They’re very thankful, and they’re very relieved. They didn’t realize it was going to be such a positive experience afterward. I think part of

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What’s Going on Down There?

Yes, down there! Why does talking about women’s sexual function make even qualified doctors squirm, just as much as it does the rest of us. Yet, we do not blink an eye watching the sex-capades of reality TV. Or hearing about a celebrity’s IVF or menopausal woes.

There is nothing wrong with sharing your concerns with a knowledgeable, trustworthy, and empathetic physician when it comes to your vagina. Oh yes, I said the V word!

Dr. Troy Hailparn is a leader in her field regarding women’s sexual function, appearance and genital health.

She gives women back their pre-childbirth body function along with their confidence. “When a woman feels good about her body, her self-confidence shines through in every aspect of her life. She may be Mommy all day, but she is still a woman”

Troy Robbin Hailparn,M.D. Board Certified Female OB/GYN

She wants to empower women to be aware of their options, seek the right treatment, and receive the care they deserve.

• Vaginal Rejuvenation Non-Surgical/Surgical • Labiaplasty Minora & Majora Reduction • Clitoral hood reduction – reconstruction • O-Shot • ThermiVa

www.cosmeticgyn.net

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210.615.6646 info@cosmeticgyn.net 525 Oak Centre Drive – Suite 220 San Antonio, Texas 78258

H E A L T H

‘OBESITY IS A RED FLAG’ Valley Baptist Bariatric Surgery Team Helps Patients Gain Independence

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b y Amy Ca s e b i e r | p h ot os p r ov i d e d are life-changing. Most referrals for bariatric surgery at Valley Baptist come from patients who have already experienced it for themselves. Other doctors throughout the region refer their patients to Barba, recognizing his experience and expertise in the field. He has performed more than 5,000 gastric sleeves and bypasses as well as revision surgeries.

Yolanda Perez said she was healthy overall, but she struggled to lose weight and keep it off — the numbers on the scale seesawing between radical diets. She received a gastric sleeve at Valley Baptist after six months’ worth of nutritional consultation. Almost immediately, she started feeling better.

Perez credits Valley Baptist’s bariatric support group for helping her stay on track — while offering her the opportunity to make lasting relationships with other patients.

“I developed very good friendships from other women who had surgery around the same time I did,” she said.

“I would say that we became best friends. They’re a big part of my life.”

Perez attended monthly meetings “religiously,” she said, because she wanted to make sure the process was right for her. Even well after her surgery, she continued to go to act as a source of information for new patients.

“We have a lot of success stories,” Montemayor said.

“People who used to be in wheelchairs, they gained independence. Their quality of life has just changed completely — not to mention their health. No more diabetes. They’re sleeping. They can bend over and dress themselves, tie their shoes. There’s so many people.”

Montemayor added that her program has seen even

Gabriela Terrazas first started considering weight-loss surgery when she was thinking about her young children.

“I was very overweight. I was easily exhausted — especially going up stairs,” she said. “I have two little ones I need to take care of, and I asked myself, ‘what’s going to happen to them if anything happens to me?’”

Terrazas had high cholesterol and diabetes. She qualified to speak with the bariatric surgery team at Valley Baptist Health System. Dr. Carlos Barba helped her determine that a gastric bypass would work best for her health.

It’s been nearly a year-and-a-half since her surgery.

Terrazas has experienced big changes in both her health and how she takes care of herself. She learned to limit the amount of food that she consumes — and how she’s eating it — while also ensuring she’s choosing the right kind of food to get the proper nutrition. Before, Terrazas would walk a block and be winded. Now, she exercises five days a week, often jogging.

Her family has applauded her weight-loss journey.

“They are very proud of me that I feel better, that I look better,” Terrazas said. “They see that my energy’s different and that I’m more active with my children.”

Individuals should consider bariatric surgery when they can’t lose weight on their own and recognize that their weight is a problem, said Marcela Montemayor, registered nurse and program director at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. She warns, however, that this procedure isn’t the “easy way” to lose weight.

“This surgery is not a miracle,” Montemayor said.

“People have to change their lifestyles.”

But if patients are willing to put in the work, the results

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“We have a lot of success stories. People who used to be in wheelchairs, they gained independence.

Their quality of life has just changed completely — not to mention their health.

No more diabetes. They’re sleeping. They can bend over and dress themselves, tie their shoes. There’s so many people.”

Ma rcela Mo nte ma yo r, r e gi s te r e d n u r s e a n d p r o g r a m di r e ctor at Val l e y B a p t is t M e d ic a l Ce nte r - Br o w ns v i l l e

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more patients during the pandemic — particularly since obesity is one of the health conditions that can make COVID-19 even worse.

“COVID brought to our attention the risks of obesity.

Obesity is a red flag that you can see visually. It’s a sign of how you’re probably not eating correctly, but what you’re not seeing is how your insides are responding,” she said. “That puts us at a huge risk.”

The number of weight-loss surgeries at Valley Baptist in 2020 exceeded those in 2019 — even when the team paused procedures for several weeks twice in the year as COVID infections rose in the region.

When the surge of cases ebbed, weight-loss surgeries resumed.

“We haven’t stopped since then,” Montemayor said.

“I have people calling me telling me, ‘please help me — I’m very overweight and I’m struggling to breathe and I already have diabetes and I’m so scared of COVID.” If someone is on the fence about having weight-loss surgery, Terrazas recommends moving forward with it — especially with Valley Baptist.

“I would tell them, yes, do it, because it’s not just for you — it’s for your children,” she said. “I would recommend Valley Baptist because it’s an amazing staff they have. They’re amazing and they’re there to help you and I had a wonderful experience.”

Learn more about bariatric surgery at Valley Baptist Health System by visiting www.valleybaptist.net/ services/bariatric-surgery.

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H E A L T H

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ON THE

FRONTLINES A Testimony of Nurses Who Beat COVID b y E l i s a G a r i ca | p h ot os b y N or m a H e s s

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ON THE FRONTLINES With careers in the medical field, the pandemic would affect McAllen residents Sofie and Raymond Fuentes differently.

In April 2020, a few weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency, the Fuentes decided to borrow from their 401(k) to purchase a small camper and park it in their driveway for Raymond, an emergency room nurse, to use.

Sofie, who works from home for an insurance company, battles with Lupus, an auto-immune disease. She said although she and their three sons were out of danger, with Raymond working in the ER, they knew they would be bearing the brunt of the virus.

Their concern came true when Raymond and Sofie contracted COVID-19 in summer 2020.

Raymond continued to live in the camper until July 2020, when a tornado watch hit the Valley due to Hurricane Hannah. Like many Valley residents, the Fuentes boarded their windows and prepared water to stay safe when the hurricane made landfall on July 25. However, Raymond recalls recognizing his first COVID symptom on July 22.

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In July and August 2020, the Rio Grande Valley had the highest COVID mortality rate in the country. In addition, 5% of people here tested positive for the virus — compared to the national average of 1%, according to Hidalgo County Health Authority Dr. Ivan Melendez. Now, the Valley’s death rate percentage is near the national average of 1%, Dr. Melendez said.

“Our population (in Hidalgo County) was probably sicker than other populations — even among other border areas,” Melendez said. “It’s easy to say that the reason the death rates are so high is that we're No. 1 in diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hemodialysis utilization in the country. For example, the diabetes rate in the country is 7 to 10%, and in the Valley it's 30%.”

According to Melendez, Valley residents have baseline health that is sicker due to the lack of primary health care access such as preventive care. Additionally, nearly 40% of people in the Valley are underinsured or uninsured compared to the national rate of 7%, Melendez said.

“Our Valley people were sicker,” he added. “Imagine running a marathon and having people that are trained and people that are not trained. Well, we’re those people who got to get up and run 26.3 miles (without training). That's why a lot of our people die.”

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treatment. I work in the emergency room not because it's the easiest. I work because I like helping people. I'm able to buffer some of the worst cases into something palatable or something tolerable.”

However, early in the pandemic, no one knew how the coronavirus would spread or how long or difficult exposure would be, according to Sofie.

“Things got politicized instead of just being told the truth and how to truly protect and equip ourselves,” she said. “It was a decision that we made knowing full well that we all could get COVID. We sat down at the table and prayed and had a very long conversation, and people need to know that those conversations happened all over the country. We talked about ‘Why are we in health care?’ ‘Why are we nurses?’ ‘Where are our priorities? ‘What does our community need?’ And we decided that (Raymond) would stay working in the emergency room.”

“My first symptom was feeling like I got hit by a truck,” Raymond said. “I've never felt this way before. I didn't get hospitalized until my 14th day of illness. When I couldn't make it to the restroom anymore, I couldn't make it. I couldn't bathe myself. I was just extremely short of breath beyond anything I had ever felt before.”

As soon as the hurricane passed, Sofie called 9-1-1 for her husband.

Throughout Raymond’s hospitalization, the Fuentes received support and prayers from their friends and family.

In fact, Sofie said she did not have to cook a single meal the entire time Raymond was in the hospital. The day the doctor called to tell Sofie her husband would be going home was the same day Sofie spiked a 104-degree fever.

In addition to fevers, Sofie experienced shortness of breath, which landed her in the COVID unit. While hospitalized, Sofie said one of the lowest points of her illness was when her oxygen levels kept dropping, forcing doctors and nurses to check her oxygenation every five minutes.

“I was more short of breath than I had ever been in my life,” she said. “I was struggling to breathe so badly. I couldn't speak. And I got a piece of paper and a pen and wrote, ‘Ventilate me, please.’ And I kept pointing at the paper.

The doctors said, ‘If we ventilate you, you're not coming off of the vent. You need to breathe.’”

During her 15-day hospitalization, Sofie started to give up when she kept hearing a voice in her head that told her to “just hold her breath.” Sofie explained she knew she was dying and signed a do-not-resuscitate order, a decision she did not want her family to make. Despite being close to death, Sofie was still cognitive of what was going on around her. Her family camped out in the parking lot and was with her every day, holding encouraging signs, flowers, and balloons through the window. “(The nurse) told me to turn and look at my dad. She told me, ‘Your dad needs you to fight. And your kids need you to fight,’” Sofie said. “At that point, I surrendered. But not to that voice that was telling me not to breathe. I surrendered, and that was the only way I would survive because I had no fight left. I had to tap into the divinity of the people in the room, like the nurse, doctor, respiratory therapist, and the CNA. It was God working through them. I had to fight with their strength. It was like every breath was a fight.”

Sofie fought minute by minute — and won. Toward the end of her hospitalization, she received physical therapy and learned how to walk and breathe again. Raymond explained that continuing to work as a healthcare worker on the pandemic’s frontlines was a responsibility he gladly took — despite knowing his health was at risk.

“We chose our profession not because of money, not because it was glamorous, but we like to help people,” Raymond said. “And most of our population is underserved, without resources, and we are their primary source for

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COME TOGETHER Although the Valley has been bearing the brunt of the pandemic, Sofie said she believes “some of the ways that put us at risk, like having a tight-knit community, has been what has gotten us through because we are used to showing up for our people.”

The Fuentes said that despite their circumstances, the fact they can lean on their family keeps them moving forward.

“COVID took so much from me. It took so much but also gave me so much gratitude,” Sofie said. “I don't know if I'll ever be the person that I was before, but this person is happy to be alive. We took the boys out to (La Lomita), and there was a wishing well. Everybody got a quarter, and all three boys made the same wish that I would get better, that I would be stronger. And that's my prayer every day.”

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MITIGATE THE RISK On March 2, Abbott announced he would end Texas’ statewide mask mandate on March 10 and allow all businesses to open at full capacity.

“It’s time to start moving towards more liberal restrictions.

We can loosen up a little bit,” Melendez said. “But the last thing you do is eliminate masks and open up everything. Is that our goal? Absolutely. Were we there? I don’t think so.”

Melendez explained removing the mandate was premature but still sees most people wearing a mask regardless of the removal. “(Wearing a mask is) a sign of respect and care for each other in our community,” Sofie said. “The mask is not really to protect you. It's to protect everyone around you.”

Melendez added vaccinations have been significant in helping the Valley decrease its death rate to the national average of 1%.

“We're getting around 20,000 vaccines a week. And they're all gone,” Melendez said. “ [People] are waiting in lines and sleeping in cars to get the vaccine. The demand is so high.”

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LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF

Twitter, there is an increase in body positivity posts and photos in the LGBTQ community. Additionally, people are setting realistic lifestyle goals for their health. Dr. Jorge Miranda, a physician at Wellness Health Group, a healthcare center in Mission, said it is not difficult to make these goals.

Hard work is needed to achieve goals, especially when they’re related to one's health. Miranda recommends seeking help when needed.

He explained there are several bodily and health processes to be aware of while setting lifestyle goals.

They are nutrition, stressors, and sleep.

“By doing that, you can, I think, relatively achieve your goals, so long as they are reasonable,” Miranda said.

The shape of a person is like a spectrum. I’ve seen people eat junk food but have a chiseled body or consume a wholesome meal with little muscle definition. Miranda said it’s all about being balanced with our body’s delicate health.

Nevertheless, body shaming has left a few scars on those who have experienced it and live while worrying about their bodies.

One of these individuals is Noel Rangel, a Brownsville native. He shared his story about being body-shamed and how it affects him.

Rangel uses the dating app Tinder, but he felt discouraged to talk to others whenever asked for a body photo. People have told Rangel on dating apps he’s “too heavy.” It makes him feel bad, as he’s trying to stay positive and accept his body shape and weight.

Although he wanted to retaliate, he remains respectful and moves to another conversation.

“Everyone, I think, has this fight or flight instinct,” Rangel said. “Sometimes my fight instinct is a little bit stronger and I wanted to respond rudely, but … it’s not worth it.”

Rangel feels intimidated whenever he’s around fit gay men.

“Maybe that’s a personal issue,” Rangel said. “If they’re in a clique, it’s four or five of them. They’re all skinny and tall and I don’t fit in [those categories]. It feels like I’m being excluded.”

Specifically, Rangel feels like this at hangouts or other social gatherings (before the COVID-19 pandemic).

“There might be other gay males there that are not trying to make you feel bad, but the aura or the energy they carry with themselves is very condescending like they’re better [because] they’re skinny or fit,” Rangel said. “It feels sometimes a bit … discouraging or sad, knowing that I’m not on their level.”

Giving Our Bodies Grace Against Body Shame

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by Steven Hugh es | p h o to b y Mi c h a el G o n z a l e z Behind closed doors, it is impossible to know how people feel about their bodies. It’s common sense that making rude comments about bodies isn’t acceptable.

However, individuals ignoring this are harming others.

Frankly, shaming a person based on their appearance isn’t a good personality. It makes people feel like they can’t love their bodies. This behavior has a grip on the LGBTQ community, especially from what I’ve seen on Twitter.

It is nothing new since it’s been prevalent within the community for as long as I can remember.

Dr. Jo Ann Martinez-Contreras, the director of behavioral health and substance use at the Valley AIDS Council, said body shaming has been around for generations.

Telecommunication development, like instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp, made unintentional changes to how it happens.

While people hide behind a screen, negative remarks about bodies are “devastating to a gay individual,” Martinez-Contreras said. She added media influences what consumers view as beautiful.

“The media has said you have to look a certain way to be desirable or attractive,” she said. “Its supposedly ideal kind of body to strive for … after you see so many of those images, every individual is apt to buy into it.”

Martinez-Contreras reminded me of learning the idiom “sticks and stones may break my bones (but words will never hurt me)”; however, she argued words can harm people deeply.

“Yes, they do,” she said. “They really hurt. … It affects an individual for many years. Even if someone says ‘Oh, well it’s nothing,’ [we’re] always aware of it because we’re surrounded by images of what is perceived as or what is [beautiful].”

Regardless, people are embracing their bodies. On

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“They really hurt … It affects an individual for many years. Even if someone says ‘Oh, well it’s nothing, [we’re] always aware of it because we’re surrounded by images of what is perceived as or what is beautiful.”

Dr. Jo A nn Ma r ti nez -Co ntr er a s ,

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while opening it.

Although it started as one, the person asked me if “I was looking.” That means they wanted to have sex. I declined because I didn’t feel comfortable with doing it at the time.

The person didn’t like that response as they said, “put down the fork.”

This statement is a rude way to jab at my body image.

I started feeling anxious after reading the message. I felt my heartbeat increase, my breathing quicken, and my eyes water. I didn’t know what to do. So, I blocked the person.

Getting over the interaction was hard for me. At the time, I didn’t know how to handle these situations. That, unfortunately, caused me to hate my body.

“I look too fat,” was a constant thought in my mind. It got to a point where I believed people stared at me. I felt judging energy whenever I was shopping, eating, walking, and more.

Eventually, I didn't want to feel awful about myself anymore.

"I deserve better," I told myself.

I opened up about my mental health to family and friends and went to therapy. Feeling weird, awkward, and emotional became normal during this. I often felt like I made no progress. However, I learned to change that perspective.

The change started when I began appreciating what the body does. As my confidence grew, I explored my appearance. I painted my nails, wore perfume, let friends put makeup on me, and wore a crop top.

Becoming comfortable in a crop top felt like a test.

At first, I only wore it in my room. If I needed to leave, I changed into a T-shirt. Gradually, I walked around my apartment in it.

What took the longest to be OK with was going public in the crop top. The judging feeling prevented me from comfortably wearing it. I remember when I wanted to wear the crop top while taking the trash to the dumpster. It was dark; not a lot of residents would see me.

Doing it was a rush of adrenaline. Since then, selfesteem grew. I looked in the mirror and felt attractive.

It grew after I posted a pic of me in an orange UTRGV “South Texas Showdown” T-shirt I cut into a crop top on my Instagram story. My friends reacted positively to it as they complimented me and expressed their support.

With confidence, I can say it does get better. I’m proud to be 200 pounds, a person of color, gay, and nonbinary.

The key is being honest with yourself and talking about it, learn about self-compassion.

Rangel practices self-love. He compares it to being “at the beach with your friends and [feeling] like they’re going to see my stomach if I get in the water, I shouldn’t take off my shirt,” he explained. “Your friends [are] probably concerned about playing Spotify or getting the sandwiches out. Your friends don’t care. Your family members don’t care.”

The Brownsville native has felt that he didn’t want to take off his shirt. However, he noticed that his friends don’t say anything about his body.

In addition to accepting his body shape, Rangel wants to lose weight and get fit.

“I think people confuse the fact that you're a husky guy or husky girl and you can’t love your body because you’re promoting [an] unhealthy lifestyle,” Rangle said. “You can still practice self-love and get fit or lose weight.”

Another Rio Grande Valley resident who shared their body-shaming experience is Josue Jimenez, a Mission native.

While exploring Grindr for the first time in 2018, Jimenez received a message from a blank profile. The person complimented his face but called him fat.

In response, Jimenez called the person out by saying “at least I have a face to show,” thus ending the conversation.

“He kind of reminded me there’s still some hostility towards people who may not be in the best [body figure],” Jimenez said.

Unfortunately, the person who body-shamed Jimenez sent him a request to be friends on Snapchat. Without thinking, he accepted it and saw the individual’s post body shaming others on their Snapchat story.

Seeing the posts reminded Jimenez of his similar experience. Thus, he removed the person from his Snapchat.

“I’m not here to entertain people like this in my life,” Jimenez said.

The advice Jimenez gave is knowing support is plentiful compared to negativity and learning to accept yourself.

I, too, have experienced being body-shamed. Though I grew and learned from it, the process was grueling.

At 18 years old, I download the Grindr app onto my phone after hearing about it on Instagram. My awareness regarding the body-shaming issue in the LGBTQ community was low. So, I wasn't prepared to experience it firsthand.

I scrolled down the small orange grid, occasionally stopping to check a profile. Suddenly, Grindr’s notification binged, signifying I received a message.

“It’ll be another bland conversation,” I said to myself

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ONE-STOP SHOP

Drs. Andre and Anessa Acuña founded Doctor’s Physical Therapy & Sports Institute (DPTSI) to provide athletes with performance-guided training with a focus on injury prevention — something they felt the Rio Grande Valley had been missing.

With certifications and fellowship training in sports orthopedic manual therapy, running rehabilitation specialty training, and other advanced specialties, the DPTSI Outpatient Clinic and Sports Institute are the places for patients to rehabilitate and athletes to train, recover, and improve upon their physical abilities through a science-based approach.

Dr. Andre Acuña believes recovery is the single most important part of any training or exercise program. It was his desire to help the community rehabilitate from weaknesses and disabilities that got him into the field of physical therapy.

“Recovery allows time for the human body to heal itself and prepare for the next training load,” he said. “It also allows for improved performance and it decreases the risk of injury.”

He adds factors that influence recovery include sleep, nutrition, hydration, mental fatigue, alcohol intake, and stress levels — all of which are taken into account when developing a plan for treatment of any athlete or gym-goer.

“We never treat a patient or an athlete with a ‘cookie-cutter’ generalized approach,” Dr. Andre Acuña said. “Our athletes

‘Functional Fitness and Sports Institutes Tailoring Plans, Providing Best Outcomes for Clients through Science-Based Approach and use of Advanced Technology’

by Ro cio V illa lo b o s | p h o to b y Mi c h a el G o nz al e z

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“Anybody wanting to come use the Quickboard is welcome at our facilities. We can create a profile for each member, perform the agility screen test to evaluate their outcomes and discuss potential workouts to improve their performance and test results.”

Dr. A ndr e A c uña , D o ctor ’s P hy s i cal The r ap y &

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who inconsistently exercise at a gym could benefit from supervised training.

“We often discuss with our patients and athletes about Wolff’s Law,” he said. “It states: ‘Your bones will adapt based on the stress or demands placed on them. When you work your muscles, they put stress on your bones. In response, your bone tissue remodels and becomes stronger.’

“Wolff’s Law can also work on the contrary, meaning if you don’t stress your muscles or bones, then atrophy and weaker bones can become a response to the lack of use.”

Dr. Andre Acuña takes pride in DPTSI and DPTSI Outpatient Clinic being the “one-stop shop for training, nutrition, wellness and recovery.” The sports institute offers “open gym hours'' for those who prefer to work out on their own. Small group beginner, intermediate, and skilled workout classes, as well as six- to eight-week oneto-one summer training for specific athletic skills, are also available.

If looking to relax after recovery or training, DPTSI also has a spa branch, offering treatments including body scrubs, hot stone massages, and more.

The training facility is located at 9120 N. 23rd St. in McAllen; the outpatient clinic is located at 5216 S. Jackson Road in Edinburg. For more information on their programs, visit dptsi. org or call them at (956) 205-2704.

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work one-to-one with professionally trained coaches and strength and conditioning specialists.”

The outpatient clinic focuses on physical therapy — treating chronic pain and spinal and sports injuries.

Meanwhile, the sports institute focuses on conditioning and developing optimal nutrition plans to facilitate one’s fitness goal — and also offers treatments such as cupping.

Part of what helps DPTSI serve patients with such personalized and effective treatments is the use of advanced technology and equipment.

For unloading and joint preservation, DPTSI utilizes anti-gravity and underwater treadmills, which are clinically proven to produce effective results in rehabilitation. For balance, neurocognitive training, and proprioception — perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body — one tool they use is the QuickBoard Visual Trainer.

The board incorporates real-time sensors to offer immediate feedback to the user to improve control of their nerves and muscles. Dr. Andre Acuña said it has been a huge asset to the business.

“The outcomes of performance for all users have rendered very significant and positive results,” he said. “We can test a user on their agility performance and assign individualized specific training programs to improve their outcomes.”

For athletes, it helps to improve their speed, agility and reaction-response times. It is also useful for anyone who has suffered a concussion, balance deficits, as well as those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, strokes, or who have undergone orthopedic surgery.

“Anybody wanting to come use the Quickboard is welcome at our facilities,” Dr. Andre Acuña said. “We can create a profile for each member, perform the agility screen test to evaluate their outcomes, and discuss potential workouts to improve their performance and test results.”

Youth and adult patients with rehabilitative needs, along with athletes in sports ranging from football and soccer to swimming, boxing, and more are DPTSI’s primary clientele. But due to COVID-19 shutdowns and lack of consistent training, Dr. Andre Acuña said even individuals

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FOR SAVING LIVES Local Restauranteur Fights to Beat Cancer in the RGV

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Jessica Delgado, co-owner of Delgado Collective, a collection of the Valley’s finest restaurants, continues to make a difference past the restaurant scene and into saving lives through cancer research. This past year, she was approached by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to be the Valley’s first ever candidate for the 2021 Man & Woman of the Year Campaign. LLS is the largest volunteer health organization devoted to finding a cure for blood cancers.

Delgado explained that she recently had a family member die from cancer. “This is one disease that everyone in their lifetime will have a loved one affected by. It’s so unfortunately relevant,” she said. “We’ll all be affected in some way in our lifetime — probably in a very devastating way.” Although her family member’s cancer wasn’t specifically a blood cancer like leukemia or lymphoma, it made her appreciate the work that LLS is doing for the world in the fight to beat cancer. “The faster we find a cure for this disease, the better for us all.”

There are 10 other candidates from San Antonio to South Texas who are also running for the title of Man & Woman of the Year. Each candidate is tasked with giving their team a certain dollar amount to fundraise, and Delgado chose a goal of $75,000. The candidate who raises the most funds within a 10-week timeframe receives the title. Delgado and her team of 6 volunteers, named 75 for Saving Lives, have already been hard at work.

She said these funds are important because they help all cancer patients. “The majority of the funds raised goes straight to research and supporting patients— 74 cents of each dollar goes to researching a cure for blood cancers and helping patients and their families,” she said. “A beautiful thing I learned about LLS is that since 2017,85% of all FDA approved blood cancer treatments in the market today were funded by LLS. They’re doing some major, major research for our cancer

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community throughout the country and across the world.”

In addition to research, LLS provides support and advocacy for cancer patients and their families, from seeking FDA approval for new drugs, counseling for families, travel stipends for care, informational resources, and more.

Delgado explained that LLS works globally, including with hospital systems in the Rio Grande Valley such as Vannie Cook Children’s Clinic, Texas Oncology, Children’s Hospital, and Rio Grande Regional Hospital. “Their hope is to get more awareness and advocacy in the Rio Grande Valley so our community really knows about the great things that LLS is doing for the cancer community.”

If you would like to donate to 75 for Saving Lives, you can go to www.mwoy.org and type in “Jessica Delgado” to find her fundraising page, which provides information on where to send your check or how to pay electronically. You can also find Delgado on Facebook to donate.

“I want to thank all of my generous donors so far,” she said. “These first three weeks have just been really amazing and beautiful seeing all the contributions coming into this organization that I’m so passionate about. Thank you for your generous and sincere donations to this cause. I’m so grateful for each one of you and each business that supported this mission of saving lives and beating cancer.”

Delgado also wanted to share that one of the newest focuses by LLS is their Children’s Initiative, and their mission is to raise $100 million in the next few years that goes specifically to children’s research. Unfortunately, the drugs that are being used to treat cancer patients don’t differ between children and adults except for in the dosage amount. Right now, there aren’t cancer treatments designed specifically for children’s bodies, and the drugs they receive now can lead to chronic illnesses, infertility, or further medical issues throughout the rest of their lives. Every year, there are around 4,000 children diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma. “We’ve got to figure out a way to help people beat cancer,” Delgado said.

If you would like to donate to this initiative in addition to the Man & Woman of the Year campaign, please visit www.LLS.org.

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To learn more visit

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MONARCH BUTTERFLY

PLEDGE

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b y Qui nta Ma z a tl á n - Center for U r b a n E col og y | p h ot os p r ov i d e d

For the monarch butterfly, life starts small.

They hatch from an egg the size of a pencil tip, grow through five instars as a caterpillar, change drastically as a chrysalis, and emerge and roam as an adult. Throughout their lives they make incremental changes — shed skin here, eat differently there, change flight direction — that cumulatively result in one of the most impressive and renowned lifetime migrations of any animal in the world.

Making sure that future generations are able to experience monarch migration also takes incremental changes that, when added together, contribute to the conservation of a species.

The City of McAllen has committed to the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, a National Wildlife Federation project dedicated to creating habitat for the monarch butterfly and raising awareness of the perils the iconic species is facing, to make those incremental changes.

Over the past three decades, monarch populations have declined in North American by 90% and 99% in the eastern and western parts of their range, respectively. The declines are thought to be caused by a combination of factors, including loss of the native nectar plants that fuel their annual migration and milkweeds, the butterflies’ host plant for reproduction.

Additional causes for concern for monarchs are climate change, pesticides, and parasites.

The City of McAllen was the first Lower Rio Grande Valley city to sign up for the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Leadership Circle, which means accomplishing at least eight action items that contribute to monarch conservation.

These action items include engaging with the community through outreach and creating habitats that will support monarchs and other pollinators.

An example of one action already being taken is the creation of butterfly gardens at McAllen Independent School District elementary schools. Led by Quinta Mazatlán, the schools are guided through the process of creating a butterfly garden — from site preparation to establishing the plants — and supplied with native plants from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These gardens not only create habitat for monarchs and other butterflies but also serve as an outdoor learning experience for school kids to learn about science and nature.

Quinta Mazatlán has also planted hundreds of native nectar plants and milkweeds in their urban sanctuary in McAllen. John Brush, urban ecologist for the City of McAllen, said the efforts have already made a difference in the park. “We see Monarch caterpillars on our milkweeds almost every spring now,” he said. “We also have documented over 90 other butterfly species and a number of native bees using our gardens and forest.”

For the monarch, starting small does not stop it from making its magnificent journey.

We can take encouragement from this butterfly, knowing that every milkweed, nectar plant, and garden does make a difference.

If you are interested in learning more about the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge and how to help monarch butterflies, call Quinta Mazatlán at (956) 681-3370.

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Afor Perfect Gift AnyOccasion Veteran Leads Prosperous Valley Edible Arrangements

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b y Ro c i o Vi l l a l ob os | p h ot os p r ov i d e d Hurricane Katrina.

“At that point I lost a lot of stuff and pretty much came back in scraps,” he said. “Then the opportunity just came about. I took a leap of faith and became an entrepreneur.”

On top of overseeing the operations, Welton is involved in every other aspect.

“Cutting fruit, tasting fruit, dipping fruit, delivering fruit — it gives me a direct contact with my customers and employees to know we’re serving a good product from the ground up,” he said. “I’m very active with local vendors trying to provide the best products. I’m very hands-on with my guys to make sure they’re meeting the standards and raising the bar.”

He believes in being a servant leader and operates on the principle of three Rs: recruit, retain, and recycle.

“What that represents is you go out and do your marketing; do your best to show whenever a customer needs you, they can count on you,” Welton said. “You recycle the customer — ‘Hey, you know what? Today I might not want fruit. Do you know where I can get some good flowers?’ ‘Sure, I got a friend down the street.’

“There are enough people for everyone to survive. You have to be a giver. Those who give will receive.”

Though part of a franchise, the shops are run like a neighborhood business, looking out for the community.

During February’s ice storm, he said the surrounding

Maurice Welton has been running the RGV’s Edible Arrangements for 14 years now, but the feeling of excitement he receives when delivering an arrangement hasn’t left him. The job has allowed him to meet all kinds of people.

“I do my best to be from place to place so I know what a customer is getting,” he said. “I take great pleasure and pride delivering to children. The little children missing a tooth get a big old smile. They’re happier to see the balloon than they are the arrangement.”

Another delivery that stood out to him was to a woman turning 101 years old.

“That was a fantastic moment,” he said. “I asked one question: ‘How did you become 100?’ The response was, ‘just be nice to people.’”

Welton brought the first Edible Arrangements shop to McAllen in 2007 and has since expanded it to four locations across the RGV. Though not a Valley native, his service in the U.S. Army led him to McAllen as a food inspector overseeing MREs (Meals Ready to Eat).

Food service has always been a passion for him.

“We all start at the leg of our mom asking to help with the cake batter,” he said. “I was just fascinated. Some people say this industry calls you — you don’t call it.”

Following his Army service in McAllen, he went to New Orleans for work only to return after being displaced by

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first in line at corporate to bring it to the Valley,” Welton said.

The current locations are in Brownsville, Weslaco, McAllen, and Mission — a span that allows them to reach anywhere from Rio Grande City to South Padre Island. For now, he doesn’t have plans for opening additional stores, instead focusing on continuing to provide consistent, quality products where they’re established.

Wherever there are two or more people in one place, he believes Edible Arrangements has the right product for them — from dipped fruit bouquets to chocolate-covered strawberries, cookies, brownies, and cupcakes.

Apart from the usual birthdays and anniversaries, Welton has seen people order products for other unique events.

“People are happier getting divorced than getting married,” he said. “A woman came to one of our stores one day asking, ‘do you have anything for divorce parties? My girlfriend has been divorced for over a year so me and my coworkers are going to take her out to celebrate the first anniversary of her divorce.’”

With Mother’s Day coming up, Welton encourages anyone who hasn’t yet given them a try to do so. The holiday specials start at $29.99 and in certain locations, you can buy your floral arrangement along with the edible fruit basket.

"Moms, suegras, even grandmas who are like moms or aunties that are like moms — any woman that is a mother deserves an arrangement,” he said. “It’s a very universal gift. Who doesn’t like fruit? It’s good for the body. Add a little chocolate and you feel even better.”

businesses helped one another out with what they had.

“That’s how we like to work things out,” he said. “When we first opened up this area right here [in Weslaco], we gave arrangements to all these businesses in a 5-mile radius as a ‘Hi, how are you doing? We’re here.’”

Similarly, the employees across the stores are viewed as family — some of them fellow veterans.

“A couple of people have been here for over 10 years,” Welton said. “People love what we do, love to work where we’re at. We’re all as one.”

They’re always hiring and he said it’s also a great place for a young person interested in the food industry to get their start, just as he did. Welton got his first job after school, which he said helped prepare him for his career ahead in food prep and running a business.

According to Welton, Edible Arrangements experienced the most rapid growth in the years right after first opening in 2007. With every additional store, the franchise application had to start from scratch.

“Any great business has to start in white space, meaning no one is there but you,” he said. “It gives better opportunities because there’s no competition. As you progress, you have to look at the numbers. Can a community sustain it? I felt it could. People love what we do.”

In addition to maintaining a relationship with his neighbors and customers, he’s part of the larger Edible Arrangements community, staying in touch with hundreds of other stores.

“I want to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s happening and changing across the country so I can be

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Celebrate National Dinosaur Day with Museum of South Texas History

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b y J os e D e Le on I I I It’s a national holiday so big that it’s celebrated twice over the summer — on May 15 and June 1 — revolving around a group of animals that continues to capture the imagination despite dying millions of years ago.

And in honor of this holiday, the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg will celebrate National Dinosaur Day with an exhibit and an activity that invites the public to participate.

“We were thinking of doing coloring pages and re-releasing some of our activity videos that are history based,” said Anna Garrigos, the museum’s community engagement specialist.

“That way they’ll have a bit of a backstory talking about history, dinosaurs, fossils, stratigraphy — anything encouraging them to look into the field of natural science like archeology and paleontology.”

Activities involve a series of downloadable coloring pages for people to color — collaborations with local artists will be included, according to Garrigos. Kids will also get to perform activities to learn about stratigraphy — the study of rock layers — via pudding cups.

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“Everyone loves a dinosaur — the imagination takes over when we think of them,” Pena said. “We all were that 7-yearold who loved dinosaurs and had plastic T-Rexes we played in the dirt with. It's such a play on the imagination when we think how there once was something that huge that roamed the Earth. I think dinosaurs are our childhood. We all want to relive that.”

According to Zachary Riggs, a park ranger at Dinosaur Valley State Park in Somerville, Texas, there have been two confirmed dinosaur species whose fossils have been found in Texas. They belong to an Acrocanthosaurs — a theropod, or three-toed meat-eating dinosaur — that once inhabited at least parts of what’s now North America during the early Cretaceous period roughly 125 million years ago.

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“People are still looking for more information and knowledge and we’re trying our best to present that,” Garrigos said.

MOSTHistory is home to two prehistoric fossils: a Columbian mammoth and a mosasaur. According to the museum’s exhibits coordinator, Melissa Pena, the museum hopes to highlight the history of the area with their upcoming dinosaur day exhibit.

“We started looking into excavations done in Mexico and Central, Northern Texas to get a better idea of what may have been in our area,” Pena said. “We’re working toward expanding our exhibits based on excavations around us while also trying to collect from our area.”

Pena said she’s not surprised dinosaurs remain popular.

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Pena explained. “I feel that since we don’t have a T-Rex or one of the popular dinosaurs, no one thinks about the Valley having major historical importance, but we do. We have a fantastic projectile collection we’re working on exhibiting with the university on this huge project. There's certain parts we need to weave in but we’re telling everyone we have a historic story that needs to be shown.”

Garrigos said she agreed with Pena on the value of learning more of the prehistoric period in the Rio Grande Valley.

“There’s a story to be told here that shaped the environment to what it is now,” Garrigos said. “It's important to understand why we benefit from the immediate land around us — it all comes to a point generations later.”

Garrigos said she has high hopes for the upcoming exhibit.

“We hope to make it an interactive one that is open to the public,” she said. “We will have the activities ready to download on our website and we’re hoping if it is done, we are able to capture the imagination of the children participating in the activity so we can see what they imagine a dinosaur might have looked like, which is still a mystery.

At the end of the day, we don’t really know what a dinosaur looked like, let alone what color they were — it’s all just imagination and guesses. We’re hoping to have enthusiasm for our activities. Plenty of kids love dinosaurs and I hope we’re able to get some of that imagination at the museum.”

MOSTHistory is currently open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

It is closed Mondays. Social distancing and the usage of masks are required. The museum is open at 75% capacity and those wanting to visit the museum must purchase a ticket online in advance at https://mosthistory.ticketspice. com/timed-tickets.

For more information, visit the museum at mosthistory.org.

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Most Acrocanthosaurus fossils have been found in Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

The bipedal dinosaur also left its mark through South and Central Texas, stomping up and down what’s now Interstate 35 from Laredo to Dallas-Fort Worth.

The other dinosaur species confirmed to be in the state is a Sauroposeidon, known as the tallest known dinosaur to have roamed the Earth. It weighed in at over 4 tons and stood 60 feet tall.

Dinosaur Valley State Park is home to perfectly preserved dinosaur footprints that serve as a memento of what life was like millions of years ago, Riggs said.

“You can put your hand down on those footprints and see and feel so much detail,” Riggs said. “As a science-driven person, I love being able to look back at all the different organisms in time and say, ‘Wow, look at how life has changed.’ For our state, we can look at the rocks, fossils, and footprints to take that knowledge to see what the area looked like back when dinosaurs were actually making those footprints here 113 million years ago.”

The footprints show that most of Texas was underwater hundreds of millions of years ago with a large body of water stretching from what is now the Dallas-Fort Worth area into the Arctic Ocean, Riggs said.

“So a lot of Texas was an ancient beach with lots of dinosaurs walking along this path leaving their tracks in the mud — it’s a snapchat for us,” he said.

Pena said that due to most of Texas being underwater during the prehistoric age, archeologists would have to dig deeper than anyone has gone before to find dinosaur fossils in South Texas.

Even if dinosaurs aren’t found in the area, Pena said she believes their history is vital to the museum’s mission.

“Our mission is to tell the history of the Valley, South Texas and Northeastern Mexico. This is part of that history,”

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FACES OF THE VALLEY:

RGV SERIAL TIPPER

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by Aimee Ashby p h o to b y G a b r i e l l a Re n e e P h ot og r a p h y

she wanted to do something to help them and raise awareness in the process.

Ruiz says that she has always posted on her personal Facebook page for community outreach and crowd funding for causes such as purchasing books for Ronald McDonald House in Houston. When she posted her idea for Serial Tipper, she says the outpouring was immediate.

“By day three, we had raised close to a thousand dollars,” she said. “After the first post was made, it took off and went viral on my personal account.”

It was then she decided that in order to reach more people, she needed to create a public page on Facebook named RGV Serial Tipper. She says the page managed to get about 4,500 likes. Videos posted on TikTok really took off and were viewed by thousands of followers.

“One video about a recipient in Harlingen reached about 200,000 to 300,000 likes,” Ruiz said.

She isn’t surprised about the level of success this movement has garnered. “We all have so much good in us, if we just kind of like scratch at the surface, and see how we can give of ourselves,” Ruiz said. “I know this because my family and friends have always shown up in instances like this. Our community is built upon people who are literally willing to give the shirt off their back, and to give $50 or even a $1,000 tip for somebody.”

At the suggestion of a friend, she decided it was important to include restaurants in Hidalgo, Starr, Willacy,

One person can make a difference, and when they encourage others to join their cause, positive change happens in the community.

Meet Clarissa Ruiz, the inspiration behind RGV Serial Tipper, a movement that was started to raise money to help restaurant servers. She got the idea on TikTok from a woman in Tennessee, who had noticed that during the pandemic, people were not leaving tips at restaurants and decided to do something about it. Ruiz loved the idea and felt it was something that needed to be started in the Rio Grande Valley. She has lived here most of her life and enjoys being a part of community outreach and service — and wanted to give back in a meaningful way.

She says that the most important reason that she started the movement was to glorify God. When the pandemic began, some restaurants had to close and lay off staff. It was a difficult time due to the lockdown, and while many restaurants reopened, they offered only takeout and curbside service.

“I have many close friends — even a best friend of mine who has been a server and has told me stories about how they will get a $200 tab, yet receive no tip,” Ruiz said. “We are seeing those stories spike even more now because people believe they don’t have to tip if they are picking up curbside.”

She knew that many of the waiters and waitresses depended on tips to be able to pay their bills, so

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followers why it was so important to spread hope right here in the community.

“I think what people need here in the Valley, and why they took to it so easily, was because it wasn’t anything with a lot of glitz or glam. It was literally people coming together and pouring into one pot, and pouring that pot of blessing into somebody else’s, with no expectation other than just spreading hope,” Ruiz said. The pandemic has been difficult for so many, and this was one way to bring change in a positive way. She adds she felt the presence of God the entire time. She loved that she was reaching out to people and impacting lives.

After 39 weeks, she decided it was time to step away from Serial Tipper. “I felt that God told me that the time had come — that I had done what I had set out to do and that it was time to move on,” Ruiz said. She reiterates that the project was only possible because of the community we have here.

“I was so, so blessed to be the person that was simply the face of this movement,” she said. “There were literally thousands of people giving throughout the whole process, which was a little over five or six months. And I want to remind people, because of this movement, there is still so much hope. There is still goodness in the Rio Grande Valley, and if we scratch the surface hard enough, we can all find it.”

Ruiz is now planning to start a nonprofit organization called Unified Hope, focusing on high school students throughout the Rio Grande Valley, which will start in Hidalgo County. It is something she says she has always wanted to do, and it is possible because she now has an incredible and gracious public platform. Ruiz remains thankful for the support that she has received.

and Cameron counties to deliver the tips. Followers of her page would make suggestions as to who should receive the tip for that week. It required quite a bit of driving, but Ruiz enjoyed trying out the new restaurants that were recommended.

“It was nice to see people supporting people across the four counties,” she said. “When it came time to go to a specific county, what I found really awesome was that some of the smaller cities really came around in support and were overwhelmed with generosity for the individual.

People there often recommended individuals they felt had worked very hard, sometimes a friend or family member. I think it was really neat to see an actual whole community coming behind one person a week, or four people the next.”

Ruiz was touched by the responses she got from the recipients and by the appreciation they had for the generosity of so many people. She tells the story of a server in Pharr who works at Junction Cafe. When she was told that she had been chosen to receive the tip that week, she became emotional as Ruiz counted the tip and told her they had raised $600 for her. The server told her that the money was a big blessing for her and her family because during Hurricane Hanna, the roof of their home had collapsed and she was having to work extra hours to raise money to rebuild that part of their house. She cried, thankful for the way so many had come together to help her.

Ruiz says she feels the reason so many wanted to help was because “when there is vulnerability, there is community, and when there is community, there is hope.”

When she posted her videos, she was very open and honest about her personal struggles and worries, as well as her desires, hopes, and dreams. She wanted to be the most sincere person that she could, and would tell her

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Visit the Valley

JACKSON RANCH CHURCH

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by Nathaniel Mata

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because it is one of this area’s earliest Protestant churches but because of the land's former owner and the context around its existence.

For residents looking for something to do, somewhere to visit, maybe it’s time to skip the retail plazas, bowling alleys, and movie theatres and explore a landmark — especially one whose pristine and quiet history is being encroached by border wall construction and litigation.

Before the Civil War, former slave owner Nathaniel Jackson had gotten sweet with an African-American enslaved woman named Matilda Hicks. With adult children and 11 freed slaves in tow, Jackson’s family wanted to escape the intolerance of race mixing and potential

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Our backyard is full of history and it’s important to take in as much as we can. To learn about the history of this land is to better understand why this region is so bustling today. It explains why for centuries people from different backgrounds settled and moved through this fertile river delta for generations.

The Rio Grande Valley is 4,244 square miles from Starr County in the west and the Gulf Coast in the east, from the northern ranchlands where the RGV begins to the banks of the Rio Grande that separates one nation from another.

One of the most interesting still-standing historical locations is the Jackson Ranch Church south of Pharr. This site is worth visiting not only

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danger in the Deep South. The move alone was on the verge of a crime because the children of enslaved women were automatically born into slavery. Jackson broke this cycle.

“It’s a remarkable date because that was the year of the Dred Scott decision,” STC professor and local historian Ruben Flores said. “At the very core of it said that the constitution didn’t apply to Africans, to slaves.”

The Jacksons settled in Pharr and used the proximity to the Mexican border as a final stop for fugitive and runaway slaves seeking refuge from ruthless laws demanding their return to bondage.

“The Jacksons’ idea was to go to Mexico, but when they got to the site of the ranch they decided that they wanted to settle on the United States side,” Flores said. “It was a little intimidating going into Mexico not knowing the language. So Nathaniel Jackson bought 5,000 acres for 36 cents an acre.”

Along with raising livestock and growing corn and sugarcane, the ranch was a hotspot of activity in the Civil War era with enslaved people escaping bondage and dashing to safety in Mexico.

UTRGV’s CHAPS (Community Historical Archaeological Project with Schools) designated the Church Ranch as an important location in the Valley’s Civil War Trail since it was situated along the Military Road (now Military Highway) between Fort Ringgold, in Rio Grande City, and Fort Brown in Brownsville.

Many think of the Underground Railroad as the safe passage of Africans to Canada or the free northern states, but the Jackson Ranch is proof that there was a southern route to freedom.

“A lot of the African Americans that came through decided not to go into Mexico and stayed there with him and they eventually ended up staying in the Rio Grande Valley,”

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Jackson gave freed Black folks a place to work and live without the cruel nature of slavery. The agriculture and livestock were tended to with workers, not human property.

The still-standing church that was erected on the property was another subject of conflict and struggle in these pre-Civil War days. Nathaniel Jackson felt the Methodist church was not harsh enough in its stance against slavery and brought in a minister to make the practice Methodist Epicostal. At that time, the Methodist church was having internal conflict all across the United States for taking a side or being too neutral.

The Civil War was truly a battle for the soul of the United States. The war was also fought in the pews as white slave owners and Confederates hoped their churches would condone and bless the heinous practice.

“The church has been renovated — there’s a sign from the United Methodist Church and the cemetery is still intact with marked and unmarked graves,” Flores said. “It’s all there off of Doffing Road.”

Nathaniel Jackson passed in 1865, leaving his eldest son Eli the plot of land with the church and cemetery site, while the rest of his kin were giving parcels of the ranch.

Nathaniel is buried in an unmarked grave, while Eli is one of the oldest marked tombs.

As recently as last summer, descendants of Nathaniel and Matilda have been fighting to preserve the land around the property — specifically from border wall construction that can be seen in a YouTube interview in 2020. Exactly what made the site so attractive to the family could be the reason for lots of charges, proximity to the border.

You still can, for the time being, stand at the site and appreciate the massive amount of history that was born from forbidden love in a time of turmoil in a location where languages, cultures, nations, and races collide. The Jacksons showed us 164 years ago that it’s possible to coexist.

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MARIO SUPERSTAR SALAZAR Godfather of RGV Comedy b y So fi a Al ema n | p h ot os b y B a r b a r a De l g a d o and then about a year into it, they made me the booker [booking agent] — which is pretty unheard of for such a young comic. And then I finally got to feature, which is the middle act. Then I finally got to headline, and then I started performing out of town and it became an actual career a few years after. Now I've been doing it ever since and it’s been a really, really fun ride.

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After a year of recovering from a global pandemic, comedian Mario Superstar Salazar didn’t hesitate to continue helping the Valley by being his funny self. With roast videos, comedic sports commentary, and stand-up comedy, Salazar kept the laugh track going. A phlegmatic voice answers the call, as we conduct an over-the-phone interview. I ask if he’s just woken up and he responds, “I’m having my after-breakfast joint to get my creative juices flowing.”

TELL ME ABOUT THAT FIRST SHOW. HOW DID IT GO? WHAT WAS THE FIRST JOKE YOU TOLD? I didn't really do a joke. I did a story about me getting drunk in the Marine Corps and partying in Japan. One of the first jokes that I wrote and performed was a silly local joke. It was so silly.

“Me and my friend were driving up north 281 and I noticed that my buddy was all, aguitado, (he was all sad).

And I was like, ‘Owassa’ matter with you? And he’s like, nombre, bro, no tengo ‘Nolana.’ And they’re about to kick me out of my ‘Cantón.’”

It was one of the first jokes and it was so silly, people just kind of chuckled and said, “that’s funny — this guy has something.”

So yeah, I felt really proud of myself. I was like “yea, they laughed at my silly joke!” I know a lot of people say the first time they went up was really bad. And then some people say they went up and totally crushed it. For me, I know I did good. I didn't completely kill but I knew I had something. And I knew right off the bat I had good stage presence. So in my mind I was like, “dude, this is what you were destined to do.” And I kept at it and worked hard to be where I'm at now.

SO TELL ME, HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO COMEDY? I've always been a fan of stand-up comedy. When I was a kid, most kids would be watching Star Wars and I was watching Eddie Murphy and Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Kinison. I was just so enamored with stand-up comedy. Even when I was in the Marine Corps, I would play Def Comedy Jam videos in my barracks. My Marine buddies would come over and we would just laugh — I’d watch them over and over again. So when I got out of the military, I came back home and heard that Cine El Rey in McAllen was doing comedy Wednesday nights. And I've always been funny in school and I was so enamored with stand-up, but I never thought I could actually do it.

When I got stationed in San Diego, I kind of got the bug to do an open mic, but I never actually went through with it. So being home, hearing that Cine was doing Wednesday night comedy, I emailed them. This was back in the MySpace days, so it was a long time ago. I was like, “Hey man, why aren’t you guys giving locals an opportunity to do a stand-up?” And they were like, “Well, we are, it’s just that nobody has approached us. You’re the first one.” The owner of Cine El Rey always makes fun of me because I was kind of rude.

And he was like, “come check out a show and we'll put you up on stage the following week.” So I went and the following week I actually got up on stage and did pretty good. From there I just started performing every week until eventually they made me the permanent host

HOW HAVE YOU GROWN AS A COMEDIAN? When I first did it, it was like a dream come true — it was just such a surreal moment. Now, knowing it’s my career and my purpose, I'm very free on stage. I’ve become more personal on stage. I don’t just do jokes, I talk about my life.

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HOW DID YOUR COMEDY CHANGE DURING THE PANDEMIC? I actually started going viral during the time that I wasn't putting on shows. Another dream of mine has always been to be a sports commentator. I wanted to go to college to pursue a career in journalism and be a sportscaster. So during the pandemic, I started doing public commentary videos and other silly stuff. I started producing a lot of viral videos and it was funny, man.

I’d say around September, when things were still on lockdown, I would tell my buddy about going viral and he's like, “man, people really want to see you now.”

I also adapted well because of those videos. And while I still couldn't perform live, a lot of people started hiring me to do roast videos for their loved ones. It all started because some dude messaged me and he's like, “Hey, man, do you do personal roast videos?” I'm like, “yeah, dude.” I had never done one but I figured it would be pretty

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Before the pandemic I had a sense that I was kind of just going through the motions, just ‘cause I was on the road so much. Get on the road Thursday, get back Monday, and then chill at the house till Wednesday, then do it all over again on Thursday.

During the apocalypse or the pandemic — I call the pandemic period the apocalypse — I fell back in love with comedy and realized how much I missed the stage.

I started working a lot more at my craft. Since I wasn't performing, I actually started writing a lot more. And then I started watching myself on video, like old stand-up shows that I performed. For me, it's really hard to watch myself because I start critiquing myself too much. It's uncomfortable for me, but it was something I started doing because it makes me a better comic. I'm like, “Hey, I should've added this in there,” or, “hey, I should have paused there.” So the pandemic has really made me fall in love with stand-up again.

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easy. He sent me video clips of wife cooking and dancing, and asked if I could roast his wife for her birthday.

Then I posted it up on my social media and was like “man, I can’t believe I just got paid to roast somebody’s wife.” So then a lot of people started hitting me up asking, “Hey, can you roast my friend?” “Can you roast my tía, you know, it's her birthday?”

During that time, I also opened up my online store, where I have a bunch of shirts for sale … I think I have more shirts than jokes … (chuckles) I have shirts, caps, and coffee cups.

So that's how I survived — with the roast videos and my online store. I had to adapt, for those months we were on extreme lockdown.

HOW DID THE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR FANS CHANGE? I got a lot of new fans because of those viral videos.

A lot of them, surprisingly, still don't know I do stand-up.

And the fans that have been with me for a while, they're just so happy for me. They’ll say “Man, this is awesome that you finally have the attention that you deserve, you know?” They're happy that I have sold-out shows now.

Because there's been times we would put on a show, be super excited, promote it, then the day of the show, there would be like six people in the crowd.

We still gave an awesome show to those six people.

But now we actually have a lot of people turn up for shows. I know the pandemic is still going on, so we do everything safely, but to see a lot of people turn up for the shows now is pretty exciting.

Those viral videos, I'm really thankful for them because they brought a lot of new fans. And a lot of times these people with viral videos don't do stand-up, they just put out videos but don’t actually perform anywhere. So it's double awesome for the fans. They're like, “Oh, dude, not only does he do these awesome videos, but we can go see him this weekend in Corpus.” I’m like “Yea, man, I’ve been doing stand-up for 15 years now.” It’s really awesome

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WHAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARNED DURING COVID? I learned to always count your blessings. And I learned my purpose. I've always wanted to do stand-up, but now I know my purpose is to make the Valley a hotbed for stand-up comedy. Everybody's talking about how Austin's the next LA for stand-up comedy. I want people to say “The Rio Grande Valley has a huge and very strong comedy scene.” Comics that are here from the Valley, I want them to succeed as much as I want to succeed in my career because I want to open up a comedy club. I think the Valley needs it. And if not me, it's going to be somebody else.

And I feel like I know the business and I know comedians, and I know what works about here [RGV]. So

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that'll be another step in my career. I realized my purpose is to bring as much laughter to the Rio Grande Valley.

Once my comedy club is up and running, my vision is to open up my own movie studio down here just making the Valley, like nombre, man, we have a lot of land — we can use all that land for studios and comedy clubs and a bunch of cool stuff. I think it's time. There's so much talent here in the Valley and I just get excited about it.

I've been staying up late at night coming up with different lineups for the club and the setup of how I want it — with different theme nights. I just get excited about it. During the pandemic, I started thinking more about my purpose, which is not only for me to make it, but for the Valley to make it. I want people moving here for stand-up, and for the opportunities that are down here.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO MAKE FUN OF ABOUT THE VALLEY? My favorite thing to make fun of in the Valley is just how we love to party. How we go tambien balls out in regards to partying. I have a joke I used to do all the time, “The Valley's the only place where you could be over 40 years old and still get excited about spring break.” We’re party people down here.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH? WHY DOES THAT MATTER TO YOU? Well, first of all because I’m very needy, (chuckles).

When people laugh, I’m like, “they like me!” But also because laughter really is the best medicine and you feel so good after a good laugh. Like when you and your camaradas are remembering a story and you get that good hearty laugh — that's so good for the soul. I think laughter is something that's never gonna go. It's something that humans are always gonna need.

When I first said this was gonna be a career for me, my mom was like, “Porque no lo haces como un hobby?

Nunca sabes cuando vas a tener otro show.” And I would tell her, “Siempre va ver riza en el mundo, siempre va querer reirse la gente.” People are always gonna want to laugh. It’s going to be something humans are always going to need-: shelter, water, food … and laughter.

WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU IN YOUR CAREER? Once I was doing a show in Raymondville, Texas.

During the middle of my show, there was a raid. They were looking for some drug dealer. He was in the restroom at the time doing a drug deal while I was performing. When they arrested the guy, they were bringing him out, I was making fun of his shoes saying, “nombre, guey, te van hechar burla en el bote con esas shoes, bro.”

And then in Eagle Pass, Texas, I almost got arrested.

The owner who hired us wasn't at the show, it was only the manager who didn't even know what was going on.

And we're like, “dude, here's a flyer ... we're performing.”

There were people there who were there for the show. The manager was like, “Nombre, sacan estas comediantes.”

So they wanted me to stop my show. And I'm like, “I’m not going to stop my show.” And they called the cops on me while I was performing, so I could get off the stage. And I'm like “nah, dude, I came to do a show.” The promoter still paid me, so I was like, “dude, I got paid, I got a job to do, I’m gonna do my show.” So the cops had to come and literally drag me away from the stage. There were like six cop cars that came, I was about to get arrested and I was telling them this is ridiculous. I got paid for a show and I'm doing the show, I didn't do anything wrong. The cops said, “Oh, they want to arrest you for trespassing.” I said, “How can I be trespassing? My flyer’s right there. Like my face is right here.” (laughing)

WHAT MAKES THE VALLEY FUNNY? We're always quick. At a party there's always a group of dudes tirando mosca to each other, you know. Even when I was a kid, I would see my uncles together, you know, tirando mosca to each other, laughing, joking around and being happy. I think there's a comedian in everybody's family here in the Valley. I think the Valley has a lot of funny people. We just grew up with that joyful mentality here.

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ANY ADVICE FOR UP-AND-COMING COMEDIANS? My advice is to start living by the motto of “reacting with kindness and love to every situation you face.” You’ll be such a happier person and the people around you will be such happier people.

I’d also remind them if they truly believe that this is their purpose to just hit as many show or open mics as possible. Study the greats and immerse yourself in everything stand-up. Don't let anybody ever tell you that you're not funny. Follow your dreams and you follow your purpose.

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WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE VALLEY? The people. People from the Valley are so connected.

We understand each other. We love the Valley. I know a lot of people say things like, “Oh, I can't wait to leave,” but honestly we have so much pride for this area and we have so much pride as people. We're really good-natured people down here and I love the people. I’ve done shows in Houston, California, and Washington, and there's always somebody in the crowd, that's like, “Dude I'm from the Valley, man. I got my family over there.” Just the way they talk and the way they carry themselves, I immediately know they're from the Valley. It's just a magical place.

Texans have pride, but Texans from the Valley have pride multiplied by a billion. Puro 956 mentality — it’s awesome.

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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ONLY SEE IN THE VALLEY? The Valley is the only place where you’ll see a fight at Chuck E Cheese and the guys fighting are usually wearing their letterman jacket. They're like 50 years old and their kids are playing and they're fighting in their letterman jackets.

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b y Jo s e Lo z a no

It all happened so quickly. I wasn’t prepared for it to go by so fast. I had heard stories about it, but I never believed those stories. Perhaps I should start at the beginning of this whole mess.

My name, Ex. I grew up in this sleepy little town where the generation before me thought it was appropriate to fill their children’s heads with folklore tales that left us dreading the place we lived. I tried not to believe these stories, but I can’t say the same for my brother Tommy. I was 18 when I left at the first chance I got. I felt bad because I abandoned my 11-year-old brother. Needless to say, he looked up to me, as was usually the case between siblings and I remember him following me all over town. I would tell him that he was annoying, but secretly I enjoyed having him follow me around.

One day, I was arriving home from work when my phone began to ring. I looked down and saw it was my mom calling and I winced at the thought of answering. She always had the same thing to say. “When are you coming home? Why did you leave?

Your brother keeps asking for you…”

I had a rough day at work and wasn’t in the mood to find ways to dodge the questions. I placed my finger on the screen and was about to swipe left to ignore the call, but against my better judgment, I answered the call and was accosted by a hysterical voice, “You have to come home, it’s starting!” I recognized the frantic ranting of my mom right away.

“Calm down mom, what are you talking about?” I asked.

“Tommy, he’s been marked. You need to

come home now,” was the last thing she said before she hung up. I tried calling her back a few times but she never answered.

I wondered if it was all a rush to get me to come home, but the panic in her voice seemed real. I slid the key into the lock and stood there for a moment before I removed the key and headed home. I drove through the night and pulled in early in the morning. As I drove into my hometown I noticed that nothing had changed, it was as if I had stepped back in time. Boys were playing football in the park while the girls were off to the side jumping rope and playing hop-scotch.

Parents sat nearby, talking to each other and not paying much attention to the children. Everything seemed like it was when I was a child here, but I could feel something eerie in the air. I kept driving and soon found myself pulling into the driveway of my childhood home. I sat in my car as memories of my adolescence flooded my mind. My mother came out of the house in a rush and met me as I stepped out of my car.

“Hurry, we don’t have time,” she blurted out as she grabbed my arm and rushed us into the house and up the stairs. We didn’t stop until we stood in front of the door to Tommy’s room. “He’s in there,” my mom whispered. “He won’t come out. I’ve heard him talking to someone, but he is alone.

He’s been marked.”

I put my ear to the door and listened carefully but heard nothing. “Mom, I think you are overreacting. I don’t hear him.”

My mom begged me to go in and talk to him. Normally, I would have ignored her and found a way to move on, but I

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and took a sip of my soda. “I see that you upped the ante with Tommy. Why did you go and teach him that dreadful poem?” I asked as I made my way to the door that led to the backyard. My mom stopped what she was doing and stared at me. “What poem?” She asked. I just chuckled a bit. “Come on mom. The poem he was repeating, the one about the man and the haze.” My mom just looked at me as if she didn’t know what I was talking about. “Beware the man who leaves his mark, he lives in the shadows and the dark. He stalks his prey for days, then takes them with the haze. Tommy was repeating it over and over.” My mom stood there motionless as I repeated the words I heard my brother utter. “I didn’t teach him that poem.” She insisted. As I looked at her with a discombobulated smirk, I realized that she was telling me the truth.

If she didn’t teach him that poem, then who did?

Just then, I noticed a haze settle in. My mom, becoming hysterical, ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs while I followed close behind. As we made our way up the stairs we heard some stirring coming from Tommy’s room. It sounded as if something was being dragged across the floor. Suddenly, the sound stopped and was followed by a loud scream and glass breaking. My mom frantically tried to open the door, but it was jammed shut.

I shoved her out of the way and violently kicked in the door, attempting to rescue my brother.

But what we saw instead stopped us in our tracks. Everything had been thrown out of the closet and the bed had been flipped over, showing a struggle had just happened. I walked over to the window and as I looked out I saw the haze disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

Once the skies cleared I looked down the street and saw other parents standing in their children’s rooms staring at the sky.

To this day I don’t know what happened to my brother, but that poem Tommy was repeating on the last day I saw him still plays in my head.

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figured going in there would be better than staying out in the hallway. I slowly opened the door and peeked in. The lights were turned off and the windows had been closed. The only light in the room was a small red dot in the ceiling which marked where the smoke detector was. I stepped in the room and closed the door behind me. I flipped the light switch but nothing happened, the darkness still encompassed the room. “Tommy,” I called out. “Tommy it’s me, Ex.” I walked over to the window and slowly opened the blinds to allow some light in. I turned away from the window and saw Tommy sitting in his bed facing the closet. He was perfectly still and his eyes were glued to the top of the closet. I sat next to him and looked up in the same spot he was staring at but saw nothing. “What are we looking at?” I asked him as I nudged him a bit. Tommy’s eyes stayed focused on the closet as he spoke to me. “The man is in there, waiting.”

I looked in the closet but saw nothing. I walked over to the closet and turned on the light and again saw nothing in there.

I stood there for a moment and watched Tommy. His eyes stayed glued to the top of the closet. He never acknowledged me, it was as if I wasn’t there. I left the closet light on and made my way to the door. As I grabbed the doorknob, I turned back and noticed Tommy had gotten off the bed only to turn the closet light off then return to where he sat before. As he sat back in his bed he began chanting. I stood there and listened to him for a while before I stepped out of the room and left him to sit alone as he recited the same words over and over. I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen where I found my mom pacing. She saw me enter the room and locked her eyes on me as I grabbed a soda from the fridge. “Well,” she asked.

“Well nothing,” I answered. “He’s probably spooked. It might be because of those stories you have been putting in his head. I’m surprised I didn’t end up that way to be honest.” “Those weren’t stories, they were precautionary tales,” she responded. I just looked at my mom

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This issue’s “Food Fav” from RGVision is a compilation of dining experiences that allow us to relish the outdoors. It’s summertime and many families will be enjoying vacation or exploring their evening in nature. With COVID still not entirely behind us, families want to eat at restaurants knowing they won’t have to be in close proximity to others. As a parent, you always want to know your kid will have space to cover “messy eating” and walk around if they have to. Here are RGVision’s favorite locally owned and operated restaurants to eat outdoors. All of them are family-friendly with lots of elbow room in the fresh air.

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Edinburg City Hall, 415 W. University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539 LIVE MUSIC: 5 to 10 p.m.

FOOD TRUCKS: Check out their Facebook @ edinburgarts OPERATION HOURS: Every first and third Friday of the month DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: Picnic tables spaced to accommodate social distancing — and fairytale-like string lights illuminating a starry night. A variety of food to be tried. They serve both food and beer.

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EDINB U R G FO O D T RUCK S & TU N E S

“People should eat here because it’s safe and socially distanced, all the tables are very well spaced out, and the area is very large. It's outdoors, pet-friendly, and there’s always delicious food.”

Magdiel Castle, assistant director of cultural arts, City of Edinburg

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204 Palm St., South Padre Island, TX 78597 LIVE MUSIC: Seven nights a week from 6 to 9 p.m.

Bagpipes played every day at sunset.

SIGNATURE DISH: Seafood Sampler or Shrimp Sampler Plate are both a little taste of our Gulf Coast.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: One word: bagpipes. What a wonderful experience that grounds the listener with a sense of hope and courage. This restaurant also remains family-friendly throughout the night, so it makes a great hangout for mom, dad, and even grandma, grandpa, and the kiddos.

“Our outside deck is dog-friendly — for behaved dogs or behaved owners only. Enjoy our open-air dining, views of Laguna Madre, casual dress, live local entertainment, and family-friendly. It’s all in one.”

Brandy Buntin, owner of Lobo Del Mar

T HE E ATE RYD OWNTOW N W E S LACO

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400 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX 78596 LIVE MUSIC: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening FOOD TRUCKS: Check their Facebook @TheEateryWeslaco OPERATION HOURS: Tuesday to Sunday afternoon to 11 p.m.

Vintage Hot & Cold Brew open seven days a week Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Monday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday: Food Park closed DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: Plenty of wonderful photo opportunities that highlight the food park for social media spotlights, including a notable backdrop proclaiming, “You Are Beautiful.” A diverse selection of food to delight the taste buds of every palate.

“Once you enter, and drop the real world off, it’s just so chill and relaxed — something that Weslaco has never seen before.

Come and eat, don't eat, get on your phone, get some work done, sit under an umbrella, drink coffee, drink a beer, listen to music, whatever you want to do. Bring your family, friends, and come as you are.”

Mario Mendiola, owner and developer of The Eatery 95

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MAY 6 TO MAY 16, RIO GRANDE VALLEY LIVESTOCK SHOW 1000 N. Texas Ave., Mercedes, TX 78570 MAY 22 TO MAY 23, SMOKIN ON THE RIO, MERCEDES, TX JUNE AND BEYOND, BIG DOG BBQ CENTRAL LOCATION 340 W. 10th St., Mercedes, TX 78570 LIVE MUSIC: Saturday evenings starting June Signature Dish: BBQ Sunday — 16 oz bowl with beans, rice, and then topped with brisket, potato salad, pico de gallo and homemade tostadas.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: One of the very few barbecue joints in the Valley that only smokes with wood from the Valley: mesquite, pecan, or live oak. They try to keep their barbecue as “Valley'' as possible, with all the backyard staples like fajita, mollejas, tripas, brisket, chicken leg quarters, and other recognizable South Texas barbecue items.

“I take the same time on every plate no matter how busy we are.

Everything has to be picture perfect, and top quality, before it gets served to the customers. That’s one thing we do take a lot of pride in.”

Rudy de la Torre, owner and pitmaster of Big Dog BBQ

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3154 Central Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78520 LIVE MUSIC: Thursday and Friday during happy hour, 4 p.m. Sunday SIGNATURE DISH: Tortilla Soup and Chicken Cigars for appetizers, and Philly Cheesesteaks or Shrimp Plates — only served with fresh shrimp from our Gulf.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: The staff definitely makes Cobbleheads special. There is a lot of pride to work here. Some of the staff has been with the restaurant for years, and they make their customers feel like family.

This Fourth of July, they will be celebrating 25 years of business. The owner hand-crafts and designs tables to fit a very homey, welcoming, and colorful atmosphere.

This restaurant’s outdoor dining is waterside, which makes a beautiful and relaxing view.

“We are in the process of giving our outside dock a new look , as it is very popular with our clientele. We keep trying to change with the times, but it all comes down to the basics.

Try our best to make everyone feel special.”

Joe Kenney, owner or, as he calls himself, “head dishwasher” at Cobbleheads 96

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U NI VE R S I TY D R A F T H O U S E 2405 W. University Drive, F, Edinburg, TX 78539 LIVE MUSIC: 6 p.m.- close Wednesdays and Saturdays SIGNATURE DISH: Burgers — they have a variety of burgers with specialty concocted combinations and the best fried pickles found in the Valley.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: From the same owners as Santa Fe Steakhouse and Republic of the Rio Grande, you can trust the food is top-notch quality.

Literally everything on the menu is delicious, but the atmosphere is comfy and casual — and the price is at an affordable price point. They have a huge variety of tap beer from all over Texas and the U.S. “We take a lot of care in creating our menu. We’re constantly trying new products to see if we can improve anything. Our beef patties are blended specifically by us and we try to put our best product forward at all times.”

Bo Ragusin, general manager, University Draft House, Edinburg

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801 Bryan Road, Mission, TX 78572 LIVE MUSIC: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings FOOD TRUCKS: Check their Facebook @MissionFoodPark OPERATION HOURS: Thursday and Sunday 4 to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 4 p.m. to midnight DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: There’s both a brewery, 5x5 Brewing Co., and a coffee shop, Jitterz Coffee Bar, which appeals to a wide demographic. The park is also one of the biggest in the Valley, with plenty of space to let the kiddos run around safely. The variety of trucks are meticulously chosen to cater to all taste buds. The music is kid-friendly, and there is space to dance. They have special events like “Market Days,” among others.

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“It’s a safe outdoor space. If you want to sit in an isolated, little picnic table with your family, only take your mask off to eat then put it back on, you can. You have those options — you’re not going to get encroached on by people because there’s so much space. It doesn’t matter if you’re bringing the family, hanging out with the kids, hanging out with your parents, or if you’re on a date night. You can find your crowd and your day here at the food park.”

Daniel Rivera, director of programs and marketing for Mission EDC

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1409 N. Main St., McAllen, TX 78501 LIVE MUSIC: Acoustic music 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays for Taco Tuesday.

SIGNATURE DISH: Estofado — signature beef short rib, mole negro, poblano golden potatoes, heirloom carrots, and nixtamal tortillas. Nixtamal tortillas consist of steeping corn in food-grade lye then grinding it to make corn tortillas from scratch and by hand. All of their corn vessels are made using this process.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTER: Everything is made from scratch with local produce, and an eclectic array of handcrafted agave spirits — tequila, mezcal, and sotol — with freshly squeezed citrus juice from the Valley’s citrus industry. Enjoy sitting in the arts and entertainment district in downtown McAllen in a stunning historical building.

“We pride ourselves in cultivating a world-class experience with world-class atmospheres and ambiance. The building is beautiful, the food is beautifully and meticulously made, and of course everything is from scratch — including the cocktails. We feel everything is necessary for an excellent dining experience.”

Jessica Delgado, co-owner of Delgado Collective Restaurants

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ST EFA N O ' S BROOKLY N PIZ Z A 4201 W. U.S. 83, Harlingen, TX 78552 LIVE MUSIC: 7 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Magician comes on Friday for indoor entertainment.

SIGNATURE DISH: Lasagna, chicken alfredo, or Discovery of Italy, which comes with lasagna, chicken parmesan, and fettuccine alfredo DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: Large covered patio. When it’s hot, they turn on the ceiling fans, and when it rains, they still allow patrons to sit under the patio. Budget-wise, it’s very economical and possible to feed a family of 10 under $100.

“You need to come on the weekend. The atmosphere is different at night, the lights come on, the music is on, just sitting outside is awesome. I do that when I’m off, and I really don’t like to come out. It’s a nice environment.”

Christie Castillo, manager at Stefano’s Brooklyn Pizza

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“We are a place of celebration. We are one of the few restaurants that can seat a table of two or 50 people at a moment's notice on our patio. Whether it’s someone's wedding rehearsal or a 90-year-old’s birthday party, we’ve celebrated it all! We offer weekly music concerts in the courtyard highlighting regional mariachi music with local talent. We also curate cultural events such as our Día de Los Muertos Celebration, Que Viva la Salsa Night, wine tastings, art workshops, and more. Every day is a fiesta at Nana’s!”

Roxanna Trevino, owner of Nana’s Taqueria

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1802 S. International Blvd., Weslaco, TX 78596 LIVE MUSIC: Variety music (cumbias, country, and rock ‘n’ roll) 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays. Mariachi night 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.

SIGNATURE DISH: Their house specialty is lonches.

They are small, freshly baked bolillo bread rolls that are lightly fried on the outside while the inside remains soft and warm. They are filled with picadillo (ground beef with special seasoning) and topped with thin cabbage, tomato, cilantro, avocado, and Mexican cheese. They originate from Nana’s owner’s hometown of Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC: A little culturally rooted Mexican shop called Para Mi, with all of the trinkets, clothes, and accessories associated with our abuelitas. You can eat and shop for gifts all made by hand. Take a selfie in front of their many colorful Mexican murals that make the spirit of our past come alive. Authentic Mexican food options made from fresh local ingredients that have gained the approval of customers on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border.

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