stop the music
DT Volume 121, Issue 9 Tuesday, august 4, 2020
some longhorn band members opt out of playing ‘the eyes of texas’ at football games after butler school of music changes policy. barb daly / the daily texan staff
Contents:
Assoc. Managing Editors Brittany Miller, Marcus Krum
Senior Audio Producer Aurora Berry
Internal Relations Director Lauren Girgis
Photo Editor Amna Ijaz
External Relations Director Assoc. Photo Editor Angelica Arinze Jamie Hwang Assoc. Editors Julia Zaksek, Jennifer Beck
Life&Arts Editor Trinady Joslin
Illustration Coordinator Abriella Corker
Assoc. Life&Arts Editor Ariana Arredondo
News Editor Nicole Stuessy
Sr. Life&Arts Reporters
Assoc. News Editors Emily Hernandez, Neelam Bohra
Sports Editor Myah Taylor
Beat Reporters Hannah Williford, Anna Canizales, Hannah Ortega, Areeba Amer Enterprise Reporter Meara Isenberg Copy Desk Chief Jimena Pinzon Associate Copy Desk Chief Irissa Omandam Design Editor Sierra Wiggers Assoc. Design Editor Maria Perez
Aisling Ayers, Grace Barnes
Assoc. Sports Editor Donnavan Smoot, Stephen Wagner Comics Editors Alekka Hernandez, Barbra Daly Assoc. Comics Editor Raquel “Rocky” Higine Senior Comics Artists Destiny Alexander, Steph Sonik
page
Senior Videographer Jennifer Xia
page
Managing Editor Sami Sparber
page
Assoc. Multimedia Editor Faith Castle
page
PERMANENT STAFF Editor-in-Chief Emily Caldwell
04 06 08 09 10
page
DT
CONTACT US MAIN TELEPHONE (512) 471-4591
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Caldwell (512) 232-2212 editor@dailytexanonline.com
News Dining halls will operate with smaller menus and additional late-night hours this fall.
MANAGING EDITOR
cover
NEWS OFFICE
Sami Sparber (512) 232-2217 managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com (512) 232-2207
Some Longhorn Band members decide not to play ‘The Eyes of Texas’ because of the alma mater’s racist history.
Opinion UT must increase transparency surrounding tuition payments and provide students with an itemized tuition bill.
Life & arts Nonprofit Six Square works to combat gentrification in East Austin through education and advocacy.
news@dailytexanonline.com
The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. Call (512) 232-2217 or e-mail managingeditor@dailytexanonline.com.
BUSINESS & ADVERTISING (512) 471-8590 advertise@texasstudentmedia.com Director Gerald Johnson Business/ Operations Manager Frank Serpas III, Janie Castillo-Flores Advertising Manager Emily Cohen Assistant Advertising Manager
Grant Daniels
sports The Big 12 announces schedule changes for the upcoming football season.
Social Media Editor Michael Hernandez Assoc. Social Media Editor
Production Michael Gammon Special Projects Stephen Salisbury Account Executives Diane Byram, Pam Garner, Julianne Phillipp, Drew Sulski Design Tillie Policastro
THE DAILY TEXAN MAIL SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Haley Riley
Senior Designers Christina Peebles, Megan Fletcher
Senior Social Media Staffer Katya Bandouil
One Semester (Fall/Spring) $60.00
Multimedia Editor Harper Carlton
Editorial Adviser Peter Chen
Two Semesters (Fall & Spring) $120.00 Summer Session $40.00 One Year (Fall, Spring and Summer)
$150.00
To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 471-5083. Send orders and address changes to Texas Student Media, P.O. Box D, Austin, TX 78713-8904.
ISSUE STAFF Comic Artists Julia Zheng, Cate Lowry, Marissa Xiong Copy Editors Chloe Roman, Phoebe Hayes Columnists Rayne Daniel, Richard Lee
Column Illustrators Chloe Gonzales, Helen Brown Life & Arts Reporter
AUSTIN WEATHER TODAY Aug 4
HI LO
96º 75º
ADVERTISING DEADLINES
Anissa Reyes
TOMORROW Aug 5
HI LO
Explore the Past. Imagine the Future. Let Texas history inspire you.
98º 75º
“i gotta tell my mom why i didn’t do the dishes”
Austin
TEXAS Your support makes the Bullock Museum’s educational mission possible. Additional support for educational programming provided by the Texas State History Museum Foundation.
Monday .......................... Thursday, 12 p.m. Tuesday ............................. Friday, 12 p.m. Wednesday ........................ Monday, 12 p.m. Thursday ......................... Tuesday, 12 p.m. Friday ..........................Wednesday, 12 p.m. Classified Ads (M-F).......Thursday, 12 p.m.
COPYRIGHT Copyright 2020 Texas Student Media. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in the print and online editions, are the property of Texas Student Media and may not be reproduced or republished in part or in whole without written permission.
The Daily Texan, a student newspaper at The University of Texas at Austin, is published by Texas Student Media, 2500 Whitis Ave., Austin, TX 78712. The Daily Texan is published daily, Monday through Friday, during the regular academic year and is published once weekly during the summer semester. The Daily Texan does not publish during academic breaks, most Federal Holidays and exam periods. News contributions will be accepted by telephone 2.120). Entire contents copyright 2020 Texas Student Media.
NEWS
News Editor
3
NICOLE STUESSY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
CORONAVIRUS
Students react to University self-quarantine guidance UT is asking students to quarantine themselves for 14 days before returning to campus. By Hannah Ortega @_hannahortega_
efore returning to campus, the University is asking students to quarantine themselves for 14 days and to use the Protect Texas Together app to track their symptoms, according to a July 29 email from UT Interim President Jay Hartzell. “We know that everyone’s situation is different; please make self-quarantine plans in a manner that makes sense for you,” Hartzell said in the email. “We are relying on all students to take very seriously the responsibility of preventing the spread of COVID-19, and self-quarantining is a critical first step.” On July 30, the Senate of College Councils published results from a survey regarding the University’s reopening plan. In the survey, which over 1,400 students took, students gave an average rating of 3.79 out of 10 to UT’s reopening plan communication. Senate President Alcess Nonot said that
while quarantining is a good measure to take, UT should have announced those guidelines sooner. ”Students’ plans are already changing,” said Nonot, a biology and human development and family sciences senior. “People are signing leases, people are trying to get out of leases, people have to figure out where they’re going to quarantine and how.” Hartzell said students who cannot quarantine at home should look for other methods to quarantine themselves before stepping foot on campus for the first time. Students who are already in Austin will also need to isolate, he said. According to Hartzell’s email, the Protect Texas Together app, which will help with tracking symptoms and contact tracing, will be released in mid-August. The app will supply a daily campus pass if a user does not have virus symptoms. If a user has significant symptoms, they will not receive a pass and will be pointed to University Health Services or UT Health Austin. “In theory, it’s really important to
alejandra gavilanes / the daily texan staff track and receive data from students on their wellness and really gain a grasp on how the student body is being affected by COVID,” said Winston Hung, student body vice president. “I would really encourage
I would really encourage everybody to take things seriously and have a collective mind with something like COVID-19.” WINSTON HUNG
student body vice president
everybody to take things seriously and have a collective mind with something like COVID-19, but it really depends on how seriously students take it.” The app will also allow a student to scan QR codes that will be outside many buildings and to make note of their location when they enter or leave a room. Nonot said she worries about the likelihood of students using the app since it is not mandatory to do so, but believes its features are helpful considering the reopening plan. “I am of the opinion that reopening shouldn’t occur,” Nonot said. “We should have as (little) on-campus activities as possible. Under the circumstances that we do have to open, I think that the Protect Texas app is good. I think any opportunity to do contact tracing, to do wellness checks, will be to our benefit.”
4
News Editor
NICOLE STUESSY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
NEWS
CAMPUS
Dining halls to offer limited menus, late-night hours By Meara Isenberg @mearaannee
Dining on campus will look different this fall, as efforts are made to maintain social distancing and minimize cross-contact, said Erich Geiger, senior director of dining and catering for University Housing and Dining. All dining locations will be open but may be operating in different ways, Geiger said. Changes to dining halls include more locations, extended hours, different layouts and less variety in food served. “We were wanting to make as safe an environment as possible for students coming back on campus,” Geiger said. Kinsolving Dining and Jester 2nd Floor Dining, the two primary dining halls on campus, are both located within residence halls. To de-densify these locations, Jester City Limits and Littlefield Patio Cafe will also open as primary dining hall locations in the fall, Geiger said. UHD will also add a latenight meal at dining hall locations Monday through
Thursday from 9 p.m. to 11:00 p.m, Geiger said. Dining hall locations previously closed at 9 p.m. In the dining halls, social distancing will be managed both inside the serving area and outside, where there will be a queue. A limited number of patrons will be allowed inside the serving area at a time to maintain safety, Geiger said. Dining hall layouts have changed significantly, with different rooms for serving and seating, Geiger said. Lots of signage will be in the dining halls to help patrons navigate these changes, he said. Cross-contact is what occurs when students touch an item, then another student touches the same item, Geiger said. To avoid this, there will be no self-service at dining locations in the fall. Vegetarian options will still be offered at dining locations, and allergy-friendly options will be available at both J2 and at Kinsolving, Geiger said. There will also be readyto-go meals offered at convenience stores Jester City Market, Kin’s Market and Bliss. Mary Escobar-Bonner, a
lead cashier at Littlefield Patio Cafe, said she thinks timing could be an issue this fall, as the amount of students allowed inside a dining hall at once is limited. She said the location started limiting occupants during spring break, and as a result, there were lines outside the door where the patio area was filled with people. “We’re going to have to learn how to get the customers in (and) be able to be
courteous and speedy at the same time so that they can get out, so that we can get more kids in, because everybody’s got to eat,” Escobar-Bonner said. To maintain speed of service, the variety of dining hall offerings will be reduced in the fall, Geiger said. Students will also be able to look at menus to decide what they want prior to entering a dining hall. Economics senior Chang
Guo purchased a Longhorn 25 commuter meal plan last year, and plans to continue using it in the fall. He said the University’s plans to enforce social distancing in the dining halls and offer ready-to-go meals stood out to him. “Overall, I feel like UT is doing a good job as far as ensuring student safety in the dining facilities,” Guo said. “I will definitely be giving their dining options a try in the fall.”
Everybody’s got to eat.” MARY ESCOBAR-BONNER
cashier, littlefield patio cafe
dan martinez / the daily texan staff
NEWS
News Editor
5
NICOLE STUESSY
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 CITY
Community speaks out against limited budget cuts for APD By Hannah Williford @HannahWillifor2
Austin City Council faced backlash during public hearings after it released its budget for the next fiscal year and cut funding for the Austin Police Department less than many citizens hoped it would. The budget planned a $11.3 million cut to APD’s previous budget, leaving it with $434 million out of the $4.2 billion city budget. The council heard from hundreds of community members over the span of two meetings on July 23 and July 30, and almost all citizens asked for larger cuts to APD during the almost 10- and eighthour sessions, according to reporting from the Austin American-Statesman. Austinites are calling for large budget cuts to APD following nationwide protests sparked by the police killings of Black Americans, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Mike Ramos, who was fatally shot by an APD officer in April. The Austin Justice Coalition, a group that has been at the forefront of calls for change from APD, called for cuts ranging from $100 to $236 million. Founder Chas Moore said the $11.3 million cut was not reflective of what
the community wants. “Everything (APD does) can be done better by somebody else,” Moore said. “Mental health crisis calls. Let’s send people that are experienced and licensed to deal with people that experience mental health issues. Traffic. Why do we have people with guns giving people tickets for basic traffic violations?... Juvenile cases. Let’s send people that actually work with kids.” $9.2 million of the budget’s current reduction would result from leaving 70 currently vacant jobs empty and eradicating 30 new planned positions. Compared to the last fiscal year, the new police department budget would be a $150,928 decrease. Bennett Burke, a political communication and history sophomore, said he called into the meetings on July 23 and 30 to speak with city council. Burke said although he wrote his own blurb to present to the city council, he followed the talking points of Communities of Color United and the Austin Justice Coalition, both of which advocated for cuts of at least $100 million. “It was almost a little comical watching all the people testify because it’s a super heavy topic and there’s so much tragedy surrounding it. … But the proposed budget
was just a joke,” Burke said. “It was miniscule decrease … But it was pretty heartening to hear so many people united calling for these demands that these organizations put forth.” Rylan Maksoud, a government and Plan II senior, said after attending the protests following the murder of George Floyd by police, he has followed the budget meetings closely. Maksoud said with the exceptions of council members Greg Casar and Natasha Harper-Madison, and Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza, he felt the city council remained uncommitted to change. “I’ve never ever seen a response like this from this kind of community,” Maksoud said. “Usually the only people at city council are older, whiter retirees who have lots of free time to spend all day in city council physically testifying. But now with the pandemic and the opportunity to call in, people at home without much to do, the response has been much more reflective of the overall community sentiment.” City manager Spencer Cronk said it was too late to make drastic changes to the proposed budget. After a final city council work, the budget will be adopted on Aug. 12 and go into effect Oct. 1.
sierra wiggers / the daily texan staff
6
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
COVER STORY
BLM
directing change
jamie hwang / the daily texan staff Senior drum major Ally Morales decided that she will not initiate “The Eyes of Texas” for Longhorn Band members to play after she learned of the song’s minstrelsy origins. UT Interim President Jay Hartzell announced in July that “The Eyes of Texas” would remain the alma mater despite many student-athletes’ requests to remove the song.
By Stephen Wagner
Some Longhorn Band members say they won’t play ‘The Eyes of Texas’ in the fall.
@stephenwag22
f the Longhorn Band plays “The Eyes of Texas” again, it won’t be because senior drum major Ally Morales conducted it. Growing up in Austin with parents who were avid UT fans, “The
Eyes of Texas” was ingrained in Morales’ childhood. She was taught the song in elementary school and had the lyrics memorized well before she arrived on the Forty Acres. As the drum major, Morales cues the rest of the Longhorn Band to begin playing and has directed the band through its alma mater numerous times. Then, she learned the song’s minstrelsy origin. “When I learned the history of (the
If the thing that I thought united everyone doesn’t, then it’s not worth (having).” ALLY MORALES
senior drum major
7
song), (my views) immediately changed because it excludes members of the student body,” said Morales, a music education senior. “If the thing that I thought united everyone doesn’t, then it’s not worth (having). Because the decision is up to me, I will not initiate ‘The Eyes of Texas’ for others to play.” UT’s alma mater has faced intense criticism from members of the Longhorn community due to its racist origins. The song was originally performed at minstrel shows, where performers wore blackface, and has lyrics that were in part inspired by the words of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Spurred by recent nationwide calls for racial equality, more than two dozen UT student-athletes released a statement June 12 calling on the University and Texas Athletics to address racial injustice. Their list of demands included removing “The Eyes of Texas” as the alma mater. A month later, UT Interim President Jay Hartzell addressed some of the requests in a statement to the UT community, but said “The Eyes of Texas” would remain the alma mater. Days later, Butler School of Music director Mary Ellen Poole wrote in a letter that students would not be penalized for refusing to play “The Eyes of Texas.” Poole declined a request for individual comment on the story. At least four of 49 Longhorn Band section leaders and all 11 members of the newly founded organization, LHBlacks, told The Daily Texan they will be joining Morales in her decision not to play the song. Judson Hayden, a corporate communications junior and saxophone section leader, is president
It’s not something that has the wonderful context we once associated with it. It feels kind of like a burden at this point.” ALBERT TREVINO
snare drum section leader
of LHBlacks, Longhorn Band’s only all-Black student organization. Created after the police killing of George Floyd in late May, Hayden said the group aims to stand behind the less than 3% of Black students in Longhorn Band. Several band members, including Hayden, say they worry not playing the alma mater will result in losing support from donors. University spokesperson J.B. Bird said possible financial dropoff from donors was not a driving factor in UT’s decision to keep the song as the alma mater. Still, drumline section leader Alex Shah said he worries about the possibility, as he has received scholarships funded by alumni donors. “One of my big fears is that even though I think changing the song is an important thing to do and that we should do it, I am concerned that it’s going to upset a lot of the alumni and it’s going to come back to bite us later on,” said Shah, a biology junior. Julie Flowers, a 2003 alumna and member of the Longhorn Alumni Band, said she would consider no longer donating to UT if Longhorn Band stopped playing the song. Flowers said she can’t picture a UT game or ceremony without the alma mater. “If (‘The Eyes of Texas’) was no longer the song of the University, I would feel kind of a detachment,” Flowers said. “I definitely would not feel the same as an alumnus of the school if that was suddenly changed.” Flowers said she believes the minstrel show the song was first performed at was racist, but the song itself isn’t. “I don’t think the song itself was ever intended to degrade anyone,
I think the intention and purpose of the song was to unify the school and give us an identity,” Flowers said. “I don’t think that any of it was intended in a negative way.” Albert Trevino, the snare drum section leader, said he also once thought the alma mater was a staple of the Longhorn Band experience, but he no longer desires to play it after learning about the song’s origin. “I think that ‘The Eyes’ no longer carries that punch that it used to have,” computer science junior Trevino said. “It’s not something that has the wonderful context we once associated with it. It feels kind of like a burden at this point.” It is still unclear if the Longhorn Band will perform “The Eyes of Texas” in the fall due to the number of members who oppose it, or who would direct the song if they do perform. Longhorn band director Scott Hanna did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Texan. On Thursday, Hanna sent a message to the band obtained by the Texan saying members would not perform on the field in the fall, citing coronavirus concerns. Despite his concerns, Hayden said he recognizes the song is a tradition, but still does not believe it should be played. “It’s not like the song isn’t important to the Black members of the school,” Hayden said. “It does mean something. That’s not a justification for keeping it, especially with the amount of hurt that is behind the song itself. (People) don’t feel unified by the song, they feel more excluded by it.”
8
Editor-In-Chief
E M I LY C A L D W E L L
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
OPINION
COLUMN
COLUMN
We must go legacy-blind
Issue itemized tuition bill
chloe gonzales / the daily texan By Rayne Daniel Columnist
Three years ago, I went through sorority recruitment at The University of Texas. For a select few, this is where the Greek journey begins. However, mine, like many others, began within my very own home — years before I ever stepped foot in Austin. My mother proudly participated in Greek life during her time, and in the sorority community, that makes me her legacy. I can’t pretend that at the time of my recruitment I didn’t feel a sense of superiority walking down hallways I knew my mom had walked before me. But it wasn’t until a year after I joined my sorority that I began to realize the racist, supremacist implications of legacy status in Greek life. From the mouth of a sorority sister, until sorority applications are forced to go legacy-blind, we will continue to perpetuate the uninterrupted marginalization of Black, Indigenous and students of color. In order to create an equitable recruitment process, the University Panhellenic Council must discontinue legacy prioritization. I value tradition, and I value the tradition of sisterhood my grandmother, mother, aunt and cousins have laid before me. However, my sorority was founded in the late 1800s, and it wasn’t until fall of 1956 that UT integrated its student body, allowing Black students to enroll for the first time. “Some women are not legacies because their family members simply did not wish to be a part of the Panhellenic community,” Catherine Holley, vice president of recruitment for the University Panhellenic Council, said in an email. “Other women are not legacies because their LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.
family members were not allowed to be in a sorority due to the racist history of our campus and country.” It’s no wonder that when I look in the mirror, I see every sorority legacy looking back at me. It’s no coincidence that we all look the same. When my time came to be on the other side of the big white doors, I was not prepared for the legacy protocols I would be told to follow. Recruitment showed me the darkest version of the Greek community I had loved and respected for a year. “If an organization chooses to prioritize potential new members who are legacies, then it will continually extend membership to a select group of women — mostly white and cisgender,” Holley said. I was taught to roll out the red carpet for a legacy. I could spot their faces in a crowd because they were some of the few I was required to remember. Legacies stand in their own room when visiting the house and speak only with the most impressive members of the chapter. If we are ever sitting, their chair goes front and center. If a sorority does not wish to take a legacy, they often need to justify their decision to a national board. Most nights during the week of recruitment left me distressed. It takes a toll to rate girls on a number scale, knowing not long ago it was your own faults being reasoned down to statistics. You feel guilt for every girl, but especially those you know most houses won’t give a second glance. Oftentimes these girls are Black, Indigenous and people of color. From that point forward, I began to distance myself from the only real community I knew, and I did not return for recruitment the following year. In my eyes, Greek life at UT no longer felt like a welcoming space. If this is how I felt, I can’t imagine how nonlegacies felt. I implore the University Panhellenic Council to rethink their policies on showcasing legacies during recruitment. Legacy-blind applications will not completely solve the diversity problem, and they will not make the Greek community completely welcoming to customarily expelled groups. However, it is a message to all potential new members that we within UT’s Greek life are ready for a change, and those who wish to explore Greek life will not be judged on the experiences of their predecessors any longer. Daniel is a biomedical engineering and French senior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Whether it’s academics, athletics or artistry, The University of Texas is renowned for its world class resources, faculty and staff. Unsurprisingly, meeting such high standards comes at a price. The cost of a UT degree continues to increase year after year, placing an additional burden on students and their families. Students’ tuition money plays a crucial role in supporting the University’s mission to provide high-quality education. Therefore, we deserve to know specifically how our money is being allocated in order to achieve that goal, especially now that many in-person resources will be unavailable to students this fall while tuition continues to rise. For the sake of transparency, I urge UT to provide students with an itemized tuition bill beginning spring 2021. Currently, UT tuition receipts display one bulk payment without details on how money is distributed to different resources on campus. The University budget offers a small breakdown of where the money goes, but details are sparse. Broad and unspecific descriptions of the University’s spending leave many students wondering if their money is appropriately spent on resources such as the Counseling and Mental Health Center, RecSports or University Health Services. “Student tuition dollars are funneled directly into the University’s overall budget,” Joey Williams, director of communications for the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, said in an email. “In this case, no itemized information would be available to students.” Currently, UT combines the money from tuition, public support, grants and other contributions into one overall budget. By pooling funds, UT blurs the lines regarding the flow of tuition dollars throughout the University. This system, in absence of itemized bills, reduces transparency and creates mistrust within the student body. “I’m not sure if (tuition) money is being appropriately dispersed,” biomedical engineering senior Lydia Sevier said. “If billing was itemized, at least I could see where it goes.” While it would be ideal for the University to charge items by the line, implementation could be challenging. If such a direct charge is impractical, alternative solutions still promote transparency. For example, the University could provide the yearly cost of maintaining RecSports and what percentage of the cost is covered by student tuition. UT
SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.
RECYCLE | Please recycle this copy of The Daily Texan. Place the paper in one of the recycling bins on campus or back in the burnt-orange newsstand where you found it.
By Richard Lee Columnist
helen brown / the daily texan could then divide the cost of RecSports operations across the student population, providing a de facto itemized bill. Applying this strategy, at least for large University programs, could give students a clearer idea of how UT spends tuition money. Spaces such as gyms and libraries may be unavailable this fall to students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This could allow UT to redirect maintenance costs towards developing online courses and resources for students. However, without an itemized bill outlining such changes in funding, students won’t know. “We recognize that teaching and learning will look different this year … but the cost to deliver our classes has not gone down,” Williams said. Again, the problem is that without any insight as to where our money goes, it is impossible for students to determine whether or not they are getting the resources they pay thousands of dollars for. Students’ frustrations are only amplified in the face of this year’s tuition hike despite many classes moving online. “Especially considering that UT increased tuition the last few years, I wish there would be an itemized bill,” said Callie Patten, international relations and global studies junior. “(UT) needs to account for resources students can’t use this semester, especially for those staying at home.” The University holds us to high standards. Asking students to bear what may be the biggest financial responsibility of their lives is just one of them. Now, it’s time for students to hold the University to the same standards by demanding clarity surrounding our tuition dollars. UT must prove to students that their needs are being met. Providing itemized billing will increase transparency, trust and accountability. Only then can students truly be informed. Lee is a civil engineering junior from Plano, Texas. EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.
LIFE&ARTS
Life&Arts Editor
9
TRINADY JOSLIN
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
CITY
‘Legacy of East Austin is in jeopardy’ Nonprofit organization Six Square advocates for the Black community and preservation of East Austin. By Anissa Reyes @anissaareyes
ix Square is a nonprofit named after the six square miles which once made up the “Negro District” in the city of Austin’s “1928 Master Plan.” The plan “recommended” Black people move to East Austin and was a loophole to the 1917 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled racial zoning as unconstitutional. “This will eliminate the necessity of duplication of white and black schools, white and black parks, and other duplicate facilities for this area,” the plan says. Today, many Black residents still remain in East Austin, but gentrification is pushing them out. According to United States census data from a 2014 report by Eric Tang, an African and African Diaspora Studies associate professor, Austin’s population grew by 20.4% and was the only city of the 10 fastest growing U.S. cities with a declining Black population. Benson Owens is the acting executive director for Six Square, which aims to preserve and celebrate East Austin. “I have a very unique lens because I actually got to be a child living through the (history) and then mobilizing to impact legislation and how this community treats Black people,” Benson Owens said. Shelbi Mitchell, a UT alumna
copyright moyo oyelola, and reproduced with permission From left, Six Square directors Regine Malibiran and Shelbi Mitchell advocate for the Black community and aim to preserve East Austin. This picture was taken at the Carver Museum’s opening reception for the PRESENCE core exhibit.
and Austin native is the director of cultural experiences and expressions at Six Square. She said gentrification in the past few years has made it difficult for the history and art of the Black community in the district to survive. “Racism, discrimination and even segregation is still the same, it just looks different,” Mitchell said. “Gentrification is a huge example of that. It’s the 1928 plan all over again.” Mitchell and Benson Owens said they’ve seen East Austin houses and businesses from when they were young be redeveloped or torn down due
to gentrification. “We need to be talking about (gentrification) because the legacy of East Austin is in jeopardy of being repurposed and rebranded,” Benson Owens said. “There’s a discomfort around (talking about) it, and for me, we don’t have the luxury of being uncomfortable about it.” Benson Owens said she and other original residents have had to relocate to places such as Pflugerville or Hutto for affordable housing. According to a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau Report, 7.8% of people living in Austin are Black. In Pflugerville and
Hutto, both suburbs of Austin with lower living costs, 17.5% and 12.9% of residents are Black, respectively. “Pflugerville is a transplant for Black people,” Benson Owens said. “We all know why we live where we have to live, and
so it feels really challenging to have to commute to your roots.” Six Square tells the history of the district through tours and events and provides economic resources for Black creatives and entrepreneurs. To help Black creatives affected by the pandemic, Six Square created a relief fund that gave out grants of $1,500. “It’s really a multifaceted approach,” said Regine Malibiran, UT alumna and director of Six Square’s programs and innovation. “There’s always going to be the educational history aspect of it, but we also have to address the people that need us to act now.” Benson Owens said she’s disheartened by current gentrification in East Austin and hopes to continue to advocate for and tell the story of her childhood home. “You can’t stay angry forever,” Benson Owens said. “So then you get past that and (say), ‘How do we co-create a new narrative where both exist? How do we embrace the story and respect and honor the past and hold space for the present and build a new future?’”
10
Sports Editor M Y A H
TAY L O R
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
Big 12 football season plan becomes clearer The conference shifts to a 10-game schedule following other Power Five leagues. By Donnavan Smoot @Dsmoot3D
ith less than five weeks until Texas’ football season is scheduled to kick off against South Florida on Sept. 5, the Big 12 Conference answered one of the upcoming season’s biggest questions Monday night. The Big 12 has approved a plan for each football team to play nine conference games and one home non-conference game according to a statement released Monday night. After the SEC announced July 30 that it would be moving to a conference-only schedule, Texas’ highly anticipated Week 2 matchup against reigning national champion LSU was canceled. That leaves Texas to play either South Florida or UTEP at home before beginning the conference slate. “We believe this change provides the best opportunity going forward,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in the statement. “However, we will undoubtedly need to be flexible as we progress through the season in order to combat the challenges that lie ahead.” While other Power Five conferences are opting for a 10-game conference-only schedule, the Big 12 is allowing one non-conference game to ensure each Big 12 school reaches the 10-game benchmark. The Big 12 is the only conference to allow
There continues to be a lot more questions than answers about what the football season will look like.” BOB BOWLSBY
big 12 commissioner
lillian michel / the daily texan file non-conference play. The news came three days after the Big 12 Conference announced the cancellation of its 2020 Football Media Days on July 30, continuing the series of changes that impacted the event in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 6, the conference announced that the event, originally scheduled for July 20-21 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, would be held in a virtual format. Then on July 15, the conference announced the event would be rescheduled for Aug. 3. “There continues to be a lot more questions than answers about what the football season will look like,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. “A media day
is intended to talk football and the prospects for the season. Part of that discussion is who you will be playing and when. With the ongoing consideration of scheduling models by our Board of Directors, this is the best course of action at this time.” The schedule decision is just one of the issues Texas is facing right now, as the athletics department is working to implement new safety guidelines at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium this fall, a spokesperson announced Monday. “The safety of our student-athletes, fans, visitors and staff is our top priority,” said Drew Martin, Texas’ executive senior associate athletic director for external affairs, in a video statement. Austin-Travis County is still in Stage
4 — out of five — of the risk-based guidelines, according to Austin Public Health. While the statewide 50% stadium capacity limit is still in place, University officials are entertaining the possibility of holding games at a 25% capacity. DKR seats over 95,000 fans. With a quarter of the stadium being full, that would put 23,899 people in the stands for the six home games. Not to mention, the Red River Showdown is still set to happen in Dallas come October. With the schedule up in the air, the University not knowing the logistics of the season and several players planning to sit out the season for social justice reasons, Longhorn senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger tweeted a very simple message about the team’s mentality. “We’ll be ready to go, just let us know.”
COMICS
Comics Editors
B A R B D A LY & A L E K K A H E R N A N D E Z
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020
11
12
Sports Editor M Y A H
TAY L O R
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2020 FOOTBALL
SPORTS
Boyce forgoes senior year to prioritize mental health, personal growth By Myah Taylor @t_myah
Bogged down by football, school and his own thoughts, Kobe Boyce decided he couldn’t push his emotions to the side anymore. The former Texas cornerback announced July 18 that he’d be stepping away from football to focus on his mental health. Boyce, a rising senior, said he’s struggled with depression for years. Now free from football, he’s already seen himself improve. “My mom just saw me. … She said she hasn’t seen me look this healthy in a long time,” Boyce said. “I feel like a million bucks right now.” But it took Boyce years to reach this point, partly because he couldn’t identify the problem. He recalls initially characterizing depression as a state of extreme sadness, a “dark cloud.” It wasn’t until Boyce took a health class at UT that he learned depression manifests differently in people. His mother, Mary Boyce, said he became more irritable and argumentative, and she wondered if he was getting the full extent of what UT had to offer outside of athletics. “I think he was lonelier than we thought,” Mary said. “He’s always been a real popular kid and coming to a school like Texas … (making friends) didn’t happen as easily as he probably thought it would.” Despite being on a team of over 75 people, Kobe said
football didn’t help. One practice would end at 8 or 9 p.m., and he’d have to be up for another at 5 or 6 a.m. He would battle between staying up to enjoy life or going straight to bed. UT’s coursework is hard too, Kobe said. Often, he would “crawl through the day.” Once the pandemic hit, Kobe lost weight, broke out and played video games all day. Had he not spoken up, it would’ve probably been a worse story, he said. “(Compartmentalizing) is damn near impossible when you get to a point when you can’t even think,” Kobe said. “Don’t ever feel like you need to be silent about what you’re going through.”
Support from his family made leaving football easier, Kobe said. Mary said her son has a testimony that can help other people, so she’s proud of him for speaking out and empowering other athletes to do the same. More people are starting conversations, but Kobe said he believes the stigma surrounding men’s mental health hasn’t changed, especially in sports where people who open up can be labeled “soft.” “All these people that are showing love and stuff — I love it,” Kobe said. “But it has to start within the system of where you’re in … I don’t think I’ve
heard the words ‘mental health’ in football.” Aaron Rochlen, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, said this phenomenon could be attributed to stereotypes about male athletes which characterize them as tough and able to handle rigorous situations. “Depression doesn’t really play that game,” Rochlen said. “When you’re in a competitive world of physical sport and you’re struggling with feelings of vulnerability, … it can be really incompatible.” Football began making Kobe feel more stressed than happy, but he said he doesn’t
regret playing at Texas. Starting against LSU last fall and meeting so many great people, including his idol Peyton Manning at a practice, are moments Kobe said he’ll tell his future kids about. Mary said Kobe will still have to navigate the highs and lows of depression and face new challenges as a regular student, such as tackling his studies without resources provided by Texas Athletics, but he’s excited for what’s next. “I’m not in the loop,” Kobe said. “I really want to have an actual college experience, walk around and stuff. ... I was on the run all the time.”
amna ijaz / the daily texan file Former defensive back Kobe Boyce celebrates a play during Texas’ 36-30 victory against Oklahoma State on Sept. 21, 2019. Boyce has left the Longhorn program to focus on himself after battles with mental health.