April 2014
CONTEST ISSUE Migrant Worker to Professor p. 5
Photo Contest Winner p. 6 - 7
SXSW Wrap Up p. 12
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Contents Spotlight............................... 5 Photo Contest Winner......... 6-7 Essay Contest Winners........ 8 Contest Winners Cont......... 11 SXSW Wrap Up.................... 12 Editorial Staff
Multimedia Editor
Business Manager
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• Justin Hobby
• Ruby Pinon
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• Kimberly Hancock
• Andrew Hikel • Giselle Suazo
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• Era Sundar
Photo Editor • Stevi Cotton
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Above: Alex Blake of Division Miniscula performs March 16 at Buffalo Billiards during the South by Southwest festival. On the Cover: Mexican rock band Division Miniscula is pictured on stage March 16 at Buffalo Billiards during SXSW. Photos by Accent Photo Editor Stevi Cotton.
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Spotlight
On the Record
Dr. Andres Tijerina Carizma Barrera, Reporter
“People called us Mexicans, denied us schooling and said, ‘We don’t hire Mexicans.’ I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t just a Mexican, but a Mexican American.”
Courtesy of www.borderlandsbooks.com
ACC history professor Dr. Andres Tijerina grew up as a migrant farm worker and went on to become an award-winning author. He spoke to Accent about his experiences and achievements. ACCENT: What inspired your passion for history and learning? TIJERINA: Growing up as a migrant farm worker, I was part of a school system that tried to make me quit school so I wouldn’t get a degree or a diploma — but become a worker. Because I wasn’t allowed to go to school like the other children, my desire for education grew. By the time we were in the 7th grade, my siblings and I were all a grade year ahead. ACCENT: What motivated you to write books about history and Mexican history in particular?
TIJERINA: People called us Mexicans, denied us schooling and said, “We don’t hire Mexicans.” I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t just a Mexican, but a Mexican American. ACCENT: Tell us about your books and the process of writing them. TIJERINA: My book on Mexican American history is titled “Tejanos & Texas Under the Mexican Flag,” and the U.S. history textbook that I coauthored with William Montgomery, “Building a Democratic Nation,” is being used
in classes at ACC. It took me 10 years to write each book. I wrote late into the night on weekends and holidays for years. ACCENT: How did it feel to be honored with the award from the American Association of State & Local history for “Tejanos & Texas Under the Mexican Flag”? TIJERINA: It was a vindication for me. It was a victory because I had been in other lines of work. As Executive Director for the state of Texas, I was the highest ranking Mexican-American state employee at the age of 33. I left all that and become a writer, and I was wondering if I had made the right decision. When I won the awards, it proved that I made the right decision to become a writer and full-time professor. ACCENT: You’ve worked at colleges all across Texas, why did you choose to become a part of the ACC faculty? TIJERINA: I get to live in Austin, which has some of the richest archives in the world, and ACC gives me the support, appreciation and facilities to write books and teach. I’m very grateful for ACC. ACCENT: If you could tell students one thing about Tejano history, what would it be? TIJERINA: Everything that people brag about, and associate with Texas: longhorns, stallions, boots and hats... it’s all Mexican. But not only in the visual sense but the family values, laws and education. If it weren’t for Mexicans, Texas would be Ohio. Editor’s Note: This interview has been condensed and edited
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Photo Story Winner
Every Day Life on the Sand Holler Farm Tyler Weems— First Place
Stephanie and Scott Little created the Sand Holler Farm in 2008 in Dale, Texas. The farm has grown into a large operation where animals are raised and organic foods are grown.
After laughing at a comment about the only chicken with “feathery clown feet,” Lauryn Williams picks up the bird December 1 to get a closer look..
Kevin Becker diligently works on creating new rows of soil on the morning of November 16 to replace the summer jalapeño plants with winter lettuce plants. “Transition time of the year is always the hardest work, but it’s just something that has to be done,” Kevin said.
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December 10, 2013 brought along an icy morning, but Scott Johnson works through the cold to continue planting onions while Courtney Harrington finishes the icy task of watering the rest of the plants.
Photo Story Winner After working since 6 a.m. December 10, dealing with flat tractor tires and struggling to start fires with wood dampened in the recent rain , Anna Stanley and Brian Fontenot take a well-deserved rest of the day off as their dog, Rusko, follows..
Scott Little picks and breaks open one of the last jalapeños of the season on November 16. As Sand Holler switches from summer to winter crops, jalapeño plants were ripped out of the ground to be placed in a compost pile .
Scott Little begins making his rounds early on the morning of November 16, 2013 to make sure everyone working is on task. “They know I’m just walking around to give them a hand if they need one,” Scott said playfully with a friendly smile on his face.
Scott Johnson, Courtney Harrington, and Jared Howard stand surrounded by ducks on an almost-freezing, December 10 morning. “No, no! Not me!” Courtney yelled jokingly as they discussed who would change out the coops that day..
After the sun had warmed the early afternoon of December 1, Lauryn Williams came outside to grind unused tree limbs to make small wood chips for the new rows of soil being made for the winter crops. “There’s so much dang mulch in my shoe,” she said with a laugh.
Tess, the angora goat, took a break from grazing on November 16 to observe the happenings beyond the fencing of her one-acre pen.
April 2014 | 7
Essay Winners
Modernizing Chivalry
Cody Smith — First Place We were on our way to Randall’s one evening, when the all-too-familiar, Austin traffic brought us to a grinding halt. I was humming along with the radio when a “CLICK!” caught me by surprise. My girlfriend had locked the doors of the car, and I couldn’t fathom why. I conveyed my confusion with the lift of an eyebrow. She simply pointed past me at something outside the passenger side window. Following her finger, my eyes eventually made out
what looked like a small gathering of homeless men. One of the panhandlers had begun limping towards our car. “So what,” I thought aloud, “Just tell them we don’t have any money.” (This was true. I rarely carry cash as a debt-laden undergrad with a food-service job.) “Things are just a little different as a girl,” she offered. We drove off, leaving the homeless fellow and his tattered, trench coat behind, but the simple truth of her blunt words had sunk in. Even in America, the most modern, and equality-driven of countries, women still have concerns for their personal safety. There is a commonly-held belief in today’s society, that the notion of chivalry is dead. Perhaps it is, and if we’re talking about it in a classical sense, it should stay that way. Many women would argue that they don’t want or need a man looking out for them. I agree. Surely, women do not need a man to protect or shelter them based on outdated beliefs. This would be an acknowledgement of difference or weakness. Women are our equals in every sense of the phrase. It’s time
to start treating them as such. I propose a modernized version of chivalry. It is not only an acknowledgement of the true equality of the opposite sex, but a need for actually treating them as such. Recognize that girlfriends, on their way to the supermarket late at night, have concerns about their safety. No, you don’t necessarily have to walk them to safety, but let’s not be the creepy, drunken guy lurking around or staring at them. Let’s make sure we are not objectifying them in the form of awkward and downright disrespectful pick-up attempts. I can’t fathom an area more prone to acts of sexist machismo than the bars and lounges of our beloved college town, Austin. I’ve witnessed testosterone run wild. One night, I watched a man persistently harass a group of ladies playing pool at Bender Bar until they grew too uncomfortable and walked away from their game. It is never acceptable to ruin someone’s attempt at a good time. Don’t be that guy. He is the reason females have to worry about their ability to feel safe and comfort-
able, and as our equals, this is a burden they shouldn’t be forced to endure. I doubt Mr. Obnoxious would have pestered a handful of his manly peers on the pool table. Growing up, I listened to my two sisters vent their feelings of discomfort toward cat-calling crews of construction workers. Many times, they described going to the local gym only to be met with distasteful ogling. These males may have believed their actions to be socially acceptable; they would be wrong. My sisters’ distress was proof that what is“normal” behavior to one, can have lasting negativity on the psyche of another. I ask, is that the type of social sphere we want our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and perhaps someday, daughters inhabiting? By making women feel more comfortable, safe and valued through modernized chivalry and equality-driven morals, we will foster a society with fewer locked doors and less degradation of our worthy feminine counterparts.
This article has been condensed and edited.
Grow Local to Benefit Your Community Andrew Gere — Second Place Growing up in the Texas Hill Country exposed me to farm life. My family always had a large vegetable garden and we raised chickens. My little sister even had a prize-winning lamb. My mom always cooked healthy meals that included fresh produce and unprocessed meat. We would share fresh eggs and vegetables from our garden, with neighbors. In return, our neighbors might give us goat cheese, peaches and fresh cow’s milk. This made maintaining a healthy lifestyle and staying connected with nature and our community easy. Our family never questioned the food we ate, but we always noticed that the grocery store didn’t provide near the quality of taste that we and our neighbors grew and raised, but chalked it up mostly to freshness. When I moved out of my parents’ house, I ate more unhealthy and fast-food. I noticed that my health suffered and I gained weight.
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My siblings noticed this change as well, and our entire family began questioning what our modern diet options were. Just as our family began questioning food, so too did many other Americans. We learned that certain produce was genetically modified, and that much produce was artificially ripened. We learned that artificial hormones, high amounts of antibiotics and chemicals are added to meats and dairy products, and fast food added unhealthy and unnecessary things to their food in order to appeal to the customer’s taste. As food at the grocery store became less healthy and a lot less tasty, fast food made ample gains in making temptatious food. Our family located and began shopping at local farmer’s markets over grocery stores. My mom stopped buying the typical seeds sold, and ordered heirloom seeds. My mom convinced my dad to stop using chemical fertilizers, and converted him to use and
experiment with different, organic methods. My older brother built a completely organic farm on his land. Locally grown food tends to be tastier and better for your health. The environment also wins. Rather than shipping from across the planet or refrigerated trucks that use fuel, polluting the air, you have a much smaller carbon output with local farming. Instead of your standard-sized regular tomato crossed with fish genes to survive in cold weather and then artificially ripened with barely any flavor, you can have a tasty, heirloom tomato. Top chefs have their own gardens or buy locally to serve up the freshest and tastiest food possible. Locally grown food brings the local community together and provides many with a beneficial experience. You can see people smile when they say things like, “I got these tomatoes from Jim’s farm down the road.”
Programs such as Community Supported Agriculture allow ways for people to find others in their community to buy shares of food and/or get involved. The family experience is also great as kids of all ages learn how things in nature are all connected, especially if you or your family does some of the growing. With so many gains to be had from buying and growing locally and the trend of big agriculture becoming unsustainable, it is easy to see why so many people are instead looking locally when it comes to producing their food needs. While much praise should be given to big agriculture for providing food for the human race over the past century, it is becoming apparent that there is a need for and many positives that can come from locally grown food.
This article has been condensed and edited.
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Contests Cont.
The Business of Beauty Meredith Markovich— Second Place
Jamie Rivera reaches for the right pair of scissors on Dec. 5, 2013 to give a haircut. She has an assortment of combs and scissors for different thicknesses of hair..
Deandra Way shows approval her updo, which was done by Jamie Rivera at Red Stella Salon. Way planned to have dinner with friends and head to some East-side bars afterward.
Jamie Rivera does Torri Martinher’s makeup for a photo shoot to add to Rivera’s portfolio. Torri is an Austin Community College student and is pursing ballet.
Jamie Rivera, hairstylist at Red Stella Salon on north Lamar and 51 Street, gives herself a make-up touch up before her next client. “I like making my clients look good, so I naturally like to,” she said. Remnants of Erika Brooke Galo’s haircut lay on the salon floor.
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April 2014 | 11
SXSW
Wrap up! P h o to s by
Stevi Cotton
Photo Editor
Andrew Hikel
Photographer