The Daily Texan 2021-10-22 by The Daily Texan

DT VOLUME 122, ISSUE 28 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

ut parents deserve better

Parental leave policy and child care accessibility must be improved. abriella corker

/ the daily texan staff

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Jennifer Livingston reflects on her career as she was inducted into the Hall of Honor.

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Abriella Corker

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UT must make child care more accessible for University employees.

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Contents:

UT to expand Indigenous language courses next semester Four different Indigenous languages will be offered to diversify the University’s curriculum. By Ubah Moallim @habukam

T will offer online courses on four different Indigenous languages next spring that will be available for any student to access. The University’s Indigenous Languages Initiative developed the courses to “promote and revitalize” Indigenous languages, according to their website. Offering these courses expands visibility for Indigenous peoples and their cultures, Quechua instructor Jermani Ojeda-Ludena said. “To learn an Indigenous language is a process of decolonization, especially of our minds,” said graduate student Ojeda-Ludena. “To teach an Indigenous language is also (to) make visible the voice of millions of Indigenous people.” Kelly McDonough, director of UT’s Indigenous Languages Initiative, said native speakers will teach the classes. The languages to be taught include Maya K’iche’, Nahuatl, Quechua and Mapuche. The courses will incorporate audio, visual and written elements

destiny alexander

for students to learn the languages, McDonough said. Since the courses are open access, McDonough said she hopes it will give teachers around the world materials to adopt Indigenous language learning into their classrooms. “(We want) to give people the opportunity to ... interact with Indigenous literature, to be able to start to think about how the Indigenous worldview might be different from one’s own worldview,” McDonough said. McDonough said the language courses have original learning materials, some of which were developed by visiting locations with native speakers and incorporating their expertise. There are 20 lessons of Quechua, 30 lessons of Nauhault and 40 lessons of Maya K’iche’ that are set to be released Jan. 1, McDonough said. “Teaching Indigenous languages at a prestigious university or research

/ the daily texan staff

university says something to the world about the value of Indigenous languages,” Mcdonough said. “It’s also a message to non-Indigenous people that we are still here — Indigenous people did not go away — we have complex, intellectual lives.” Ojeda-Ludena said there is a lack of spaces to expand Indigenous languages because newer generations of Indigenous people prefer to speak Spanish or English for fear of discrimination. Montserrat Madariaga-Caro, managing editor of the Native American and Indigenous Studies journal at UT, said people have a responsibility to learn about Indigenous cultures if they inhabit Indigenous land. “The aim is not gaining knowledge of an ‘other’ as a research object, but to foster human relations of care among diverse peoples (and) acknowledging the context of colonial violence,” said Madariaga-Caro.

The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely. If we have made an error, let us know about it. E-mail managingeditor@thedailytexan.com.

NEWS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

University Co-op Food Trucks struggle to find new location as court’s closure approaches By Tori Duff @torianneduff

Many family-owned restaurants in the University Co-op Food Court are struggling to relocate after the University decided to convert the lot into employee parking, only giving vendors a month’s notice. Many restaurants are looking to relocate near campus, but only a few have successfully found a new spot to move to after the Co-op ends their parking lot leases Oct. 31. Edward Sumner, owner of Don Japanese Kitchen, said he is trying to find a spot in West Campus to keep their clientele base and continue to serve students. Sumner said he hopes to relocate to Dobie Mall, but it’s a long process, as the building is currently changing ownership since UT recently purchased the complex to provide more University housing. “We’re currently looking around with a few brokers to find any location that is in walking distance of campus,” Sumner said. “Our

game plan right now is to try to survive, and hopefully by the time the spring semester rolls around we’ll hear back from someone.” Public health sophomore Ravi Parekh said he usually stops by Don’s about twice a week and he’s going to miss it. Because he eats at the truck regularly, he said he’s built a relationship with the owners and employees. “I love this place, and I think it’s really important for UT culture too,” Parekh said. “The line’s (long) every day, no matter what time. I’ve come in torrential rain and the line was still ridiculously long.” Sumner said the University giving the food trucks a little over a month to relocate was disrespectful to their businesses. Don’s currently has a second location in San Marcos, which Sumner said may have to hold the family until they can relocate in West Campus. “We’re all family businesses, so we were all very upset for them to only give us one month to let us know that they’ll be shutting it down, because we’re making our livelihood,” Sumner said.

FOOD

Other Food Trucks Jefe’s Street Tacos said it will continue serving food at their Lamar location until it finds a new court for its West Campus truck. The second location, Jefe’s Mexican Restaurant, can be found at 720 jacob levy / the daily texan staff N. Lamar Blvd. Vittle Vibes, an Indian UT students walk into the Food Court behind the University Co-op on Oct. 21, 2021. The Food Court is home to many food trucks, fusion vegetarian and vegan including the very popular Don’s Japanese Kitchen. restaurant, is currently in the process of securing a new location, but has not announced it yet. A restau- did not respond in time to requests for comrant spokesperson did not specify if it would ment by The Daily Texan and has not posted be able to stay in West Campus, and Vittle any information about its new location. Song La, a Taiwanese street food truck, Vibes will have its last day at the Co-op Food secured a new location in south Austin at the Court on Oct. 23. Trippy Buck Coffee has not found Thicket Food Park and will reopen at this loa new location but hopes to stay in West cation in November. Song La’s last day at UniCampus as the truck has just begun to versity Co-op Food Court will be Oct. 24. The Thicket is located at 7800 S. 1st St., establish a steady clientele. Gyro House, a Mediterranean restaurant, roughly a 25 minute drive from campus.

S A N I K A N AYA K

Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

COLUMN

OPINION

Make child care accessible for UT parents UT must address child care funding to help make these services more accessible to students and staff.

By Hillary Ma Columnist

arents can all empathize with the same question when it comes to raising a newborn child: How and where do you find adequate child care? Child care costs are on the rise in Austin; the financial pressures of COVID are only exacerbating the issue. To serve the community, UT must prioritize expanding their child care services to make child care more accessible for parents campuswide. When the pandemic hit, Zoom accommodations gave Maile Marriott, a physics graduate teaching assistant, an opportunity to adjust to parenthood. Turning off cameras and keeping her microphone on mute enabled a semi-smooth balance between her research work and parenting obligations. But with UT’s push for in-person classes this fall, Marriott and her law student husband are struggling to find the proper care for their 18-month-old daughter.

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.

“We’re living off of my graduate stipend,” Marriott said. “We can’t really afford child care.” Marriott isn’t the only parent struggling. Other graduate students and faculty members echo this sentiment. “We don’t get paid a lot (from the University).” Marriott said. “I’m an employee, but I’m also a student.” Student employee compensation for graduate students can range from $2,000-$7,000 monthly, depending on your work position. On top of that, graduate students are also victims of Austin’s overpriced rent, utilities and groceries — the basic necessities. If you are a new parent searching for affordable child care in Austin, UT’s Child Development Center may interest you at a monthly tuition rate between $800 and$1220. These tuition rates vary depending on two factors: your child’s age and annual income. “Austin’s just exploding right now. It’s only going to keep growing and it’s getting harder to find openings anywhere in daycare — even if you can afford it,” Marriott said. Another obstacle while applying

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emily maccormack

for child care services at the UT CDC is the infamous waitlist system. Hara Cootes, program director of the Child Development Center, emphasized how important it is for new parents to get onto the waitlist. “Even if you’re not interested in enrolling today doesn’t mean you might not need it next year,” Cootes said. “That will assure access when you need it down the road.” The average wait time to receive proper child care could reach up to three years, depending on the age of your child. Infants are the longest on the waitlist due to high costs of infant care and rising demand. Cootes said that the Child Development Center is also in the process of building new schools to open next summer, increasing the overall facility capacity by 20%. “A lot of child care centers in Austin have closed due to COVID. … The programs that are open don’t provide infant care, which is why it’s really important that we are doubling our infant

/ the daily texan staff

capacity next summer,” Cootes said. The solution sounds easy — pour more funds into the system and hopefully child care can expand accessibility — but it’s a little more complicated than that. The problem extends to more than just endowment. Not enough funds are being properly allocated to address the long waitlist and affordability for child care. The University’s efforts should not stop at merely building another facility. The rigidness of the waitlist is causing parents to expend more unnecessary energy, time and stress for a monthly tuition bill way over what they can afford. Dancing around these underlying issues and frustrations being expressed by employees and student parents isn’t solving anything. During these turbulent times, parents need and deserve all the support they can get. At the end of the day, no parent at UT should feel punished for having a child. Ma is a journalism and Chinese junior from The Woodlands, Texas.

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OPINION

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

COLUMN

UT must make parental leave more accommodating By Michael Zhang Columnist

A recent study done by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that across the U.S. and Canada, around 120 of of 197 universities included in the study have some form of paid maternity leave, and 114 of 197 in the study had some form of paid paternity leave. UT, however, has zero days of paid parental leave and offers only 12 weeks of unpaid leave with a guarantee that the institution won’t replace employees by the time they return. Additionally, UT forces employees to use their paid sick leave first during their parental leave. Expecting a new child already takes an immense emotional and physical toll on parents. UT only contributes to this overwhelming stress parents experience by perpetuating an inflexible parental leave policy. By considering paid coverage of parental leave, UT can make its leave policy more accommodating for staff and faculty. If they are unable to do so, UT should at least increase the amount of paid sick days given to employees. “To not have some kind of paid leave and have to use your sick days, that has my stamp of disapproval,” said a parent and professor at UT who wishes to remain anonymous. “Being a professor gives certain flexibility where this is not as much of an issue. But somebody who’s an administrator and needs to be on campus and interfacing with people, I don’t know how they could possibly manage at all.” As the professor states, a University employee working a traditional 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. position under this policy does not have the flexibility to take care of a baby and work simultaneously. Considering that Texas ranks nationally as one of the highest states in childbirth costs, if the

paris van natta

employee cannot work and runs out of sick leave, this policy can wreak havoc on the financial stability of their household. If not their employees, who is UT really looking out for in its parental leave policy? Veronica Trevino, media manager of financial and Administrative Services Communications, described the legality behind UT’s parental leave policy in an email. “The University implements leave policies authorized and directed by state and federal requirements and offers disability insurance plans as set forth by UT System. More information may be found in Texas

Government Code, Chapter 661.” The Code, set by the state of Texas, does require that a state employee cannot take a parental leave of absence exceeding 12 weeks. However, the Code of Texas does not enforce the scarce amount of paid sick days given to the UT employees. Suppose UT cannot provide fully paid parental leave. In that case, they could at least give their employees more paid sick days to partially alleviate the financial burden that rests upon these new parents. Recently UT has unveiled a new system for transferring sick days, allowing fellow employees to donate them to one another. If this new

/ the daily texan staff

system is UT’s claim to progress in parental leave — a policy that encourages employees to ration and give away what little time off they have to others who desperately need it — UT needs to do better. If the University cannot cover the cost of parental leave, it should at least allow more paid sick days so that overburdened parents can take their short 12 weeks of leave with some form of stability. UT, improve your parental leave policy for both your employees’ well-being and the future generations of our campus’ best and brightest. Michael Zhang is an undeclared PACE freshman from Katy, Texas.

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.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

NEWS

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Government calls to expand West Campus’ affordable housing plan By Tori Duff & Lauren Abel

@torianneduff @laurena0324

UT Student Government is pushing Austin City Council to lower the median family income required for students to receive affordable housing in West Campus amid a rising cost of living in the city. SG approved legislation last week to make S.M.A.R.T housing more accessible to students and sent the legislation to Austin’s City Council, but SG did not include a target income number to access S.M.A.R.T housing. The proposed legislation also calls to update the city’s Land Development Code so the construction of student S.M.A.R.T housing can expand outside of West Campus. “(S.M.A.R.T housing is) tied to median family income and ... vastly overstates what the income of students actually is and what they can afford,” said Rylan Maksoud, Student Government’s housing policy director. “We’re calling on City Council to lower the percentage of median family income that the rent limits are tied to to reduce the rent for students in

S.M.A.R.T housing.” S.M.A.R.T housing is an Austin plan designed to create housing that is accessible to everyone by requiring developers to set aside at least 10% of housing units for low-income residents. To qualify for the housing currently, a student’s median family income must be 60% or less than $81,000. The West Campus area also has an individual housing plan called the University Neighborhood Overlay. The plan requires 10% of housing to be reserved for people making under 50% of the median family income in Austin, while another 10% is reserved for people making under 60% of the median family income. Nathan Jones, an Austin Housing and Planning Committee spokesperson, said the city updates what income level Austinites need to meet for affordable housing based on the population every year. However, SG said students who are paying for their own housing do not make the same amount of money as Austin adults. The housing plan organizes West Campus’ affordable student housing because of the way the neighborhood is zoned, according to the resolution. Areas on the

outskirts of West Campus do not have affordable housing models, so the area is running out of space to build more affordable units, the resolution said. “Austin is currently in the midst of a housing affordability crisis, pricing out students, professors, and valuable university community members,” the resolution said. Jones redirected comments on the limited space available for the housing plan. The city did not immediately respond to The Daily Texan request for comment. While SG passed the legislation, no actual changes to the affordable housing plan can be made without the approval of City Council. The process would require multiple steps by the city to update the plan, including a change of code, a rezoning application and a resolution by the council, Jones said. “(Student Government) would have to go to the planning commission for a recommendation and then finally the City Council for approval,” Jones said. “City Council makes these changes, but the actual steps by which that happens is just like everything in government — there are procedures.”

anthony mireles

/ the daily texan file

UT’s Student Government is pushing Austin City Council to lower the median family income required for students to receive affordable housing in West Campus amid a rising cost of living in the city.

Graduate student James Wilson currently lives in S.M.A.R.T housing in East Austin. Wilson said that while the housing is obtainable for graduate students, some undergraduates may have issues obtaining affordable housing if their parents are co-signers. “You have to have a minimum income, and then there is a maximum income cut-off, but for a lot of students, they’re not making that much in a year to meet those standards, and if you have a parent that makes more than that (and) is a co-signer, you can’t qualify,” Wilson said. “So there are some intentional barriers to prevent undergrads from getting access to these units.” Graduate student Cecilia Fitzgerald said she applied for S.M.A.R.T housing over the summer, but had some issues with the application process. Fitzgerald said she was not approved until the day before she needed to move in, but by then, she had already moved into another place. “It would be great if (the city) re-evaluated their income criteria, especially for undergraduate students that aren’t necessarily making income,” Fitzgerald said.

LIFE&ARTS

FIZA KUZHIYIL

Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

STATE

UT students, attorney address Senate Bill 8

The fight for accessible abortions is far from over. By Peyton Sims & Ikram Mohamed

@peytonjsims @ikramxmoham

ro-choice signs waved in the air as hundreds of women chanted for their human rights. Erupting with anger, protestors flooded the Texas State Capitol on Sept. 1, only hours after Senate Bill 8 went into effect. Senate Bill 8 prevents any woman in Texas from receiving an abortion after the first detection of a fetus’s heartbeat, which could be as early as six weeks. The bill makes no exceptions for rape or incest and penalizes those who attempt to perform the procedure. Wanting to get involved in the fight for women’s rights, Isabel Richards and Shreya Tamma joined Women’s March ATX, a local women’s activisit group, to get other UT students involved with the anti-abortion bill protests. “I’ve always been a big proponent for reproductive rights, but it was specifically the dramatic passing of Senate Bill 8 that made me want to get involved recently,” said mechanical engineering sophomore Richards. “We, as citizens of Texas, don’t approve of (Senate Bill 8), and we think it’s completely unconstitutional.” After attending the Austin Women’s March on Oct. 2 outside the Texas Capitol, where thousands joined together to listen to a diverse group of speakers address important womens’ rights issues, biomedical engineering junior Tamma said she believes legislators need to consider abortion with an open mind. “I wish legislators listened to their constituents and came out to events like (The Women’s March) and tried to truly understand other people’s stories, but that has not been

assad malik

/ the daily texan staff

At the Austin Women’s March on Oct. 2, 2021, people wave pro-life signs outside of the Texas Capitol. Protestors were present to rally against the anti-abortion laws recenly passed by the Texas Legislature.

happening,” Tamma said. “Senate Bill 8 is a good starting point to get lots of people rallied up, but I think that there’s a much larger movement behind all of this.” Tamma said she sometimes feels demotivated, especially when recieving criticism from pro-life and pro-Senate Bill 8 groups. However, she won’t give up. “When I go to events like (The Women’s March), my heart is just filled with so much hope,” Tamma said. “There’s people willing to put their lives on the line to defend a woman’s right to abortion and health care.” Attorney Austin Kaplan, a speaker at the Austin Women’s March who represents Planned Parenthood in the Texas legislation

against Senate Bill 8, said he believes every student needs to take an active role in Senate Bill 8’s removal. “I’ve now spent a month straight litigating days, nights, weekends, against this law trying to get a court to finally order it unconstitutional,” Kaplan said. “We were nearly successful, and so the fight goes on.” Nikita Kakkad, a biomedical engineering and Plan II sophomore, said she understands that choosing to get an abortion can be incredibly difficult. If she became pregnant right now, shesaid she would definitely consider abortion. “Parenthood simply isn’t an option for

me right now,” Kakkad said. “I’m just not emotionally, physically or mentally in the place to want to have a child, especially because I want to go to graduate school and do things beyond just being a mother.” Kakkad said while she thinks it’s important that the Biden administration shared their opposition to Senate Bill 8, the fight will continue until all women have equitable access to abortions. “I don’t think me saying I’m pro-choice or anti-Senate Bill 8 means I think it’s an easy decision for anyone to make or that it would be an easy decision for me to make,” Kakkad said. “I just think the choice needs to be available.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

LIFE&ARTS

STUDENT LIFE

UT students plan to dress up their pets for Halloween this year By Kiernan McCormick @KiernanMcCormi4

Last Halloween, Noah Krivi and his family dressed up their 12-yearold dog, Buddy, in a children’s bumble bee costume: wings, antennae headband and all. So began an annual tradition. “That was the first time we did it, because COVID had been kinda rough, so we were just looking for things to make us feel better,” the biology sophomore said. This year, Buddy will be dressing up as a wizard, but not just any ole regular wizard, Krivi said. Mickey Mouse’s hat and robe in Disney’s Fantasia segment “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” acts as the inspiration for the K-9’s costume. Krivi said he came up with the costume idea randomly, after an unsuccessful attempt at finding an option at Petco. He said he will probably purchase from the children’s costume section at Walmart again. Angela Li, an unspecified business sophomore, also began dressing up her pet — an almost 3-yearold domestic shorthair cat named Mavis — for Halloween last year as a distraction from quarantine. The costume? A pumpkin outfit Li bought at PetSmart. Mavis will be dressing up as a hotdog this year, another PetSmart find. Li said she enjoys taking pictures of Mavis dressed up

assad malik

/ the daily texan staff

As Halloween approaches, pet owners can’t keep their hands off of costumes for their furry friends. A student at UT who lives in an apartment put her own cat in a hotdog costume.

and seeing how adorable she looks in her costume. “Her little face and the costume are just so cute,” Li said. Mackenzie Ejuma said she and her mom get satisfaction from dressing up her two Yorkies, Maksim and Mikayla. “We just like seeing them dressed up. We dress them up for Christmas, too, in little tutus,” Ejuma said. “It’s just really cute to see them (in costume).”

Ejuma, a sociology freshman, said she purchased a football player and cheerleader costume for her dogs to wear this Halloween. Maksim will be the football player and Mikayla will be the cheerleader. In past years, Maksim and Mikayla dressed up as other iconic duos, such as an angel and devil. Like Li’s cat Mavis, they also dressed up as pumpkins one year.

Ejuma said she did not have a specific costume idea in mind for her dogs, she just liked the football player and cheerleader outfits she found at Target. “Really, it’s Target’s fault, because they always get me,” Ejuma said. “I never really plan on dressing (Maksim and Mikayla) up, and then I see (the costume), and I’m like, ‘That’s so cute,’ so it just kind of happens.”

For UT students, and pet owners in general, dressing up a furry friend for Halloween holds a deeper meaning, one beyond superficiality. “(Putting a Halloween costume on one’s pet) is part of the Halloween spirit because a lot of people feel like they themselves are too old to dress up now, so they like to project and dress something else up like their pet,” Li said.

Krivi said dressing up his dog Buddy brings him happiness and acts as a sort of creative outlet for him. “(Dressing up Buddy for Halloween) is a little bit of a way to still celebrate and have a little bit of fun, because I don’t go out and I don’t party for Halloween or anything,” Krivi said. “It also makes me feel good. I don’t know what it is about it, but it makes me smile.”

LIFE&ARTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

BOOKS

Off the Shelf: Zoe Mantarakis

By Jade Emerson @jade__emerson

Zoe Mantarakis believes sharing stories builds bridges and serves as a gateway to inherent human connection. Mantarakis, an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Kinesiology, first read “Where We Come From” alongside students in REACH,

a freshmen book club she helps lead. Written by UT professor Oscar Cásares, “Where We Come From” resonates with Mantarakis through its poignant social commentary and message of shared humanity.

The Daily Texan: What is the book about?

Zoe Mantarakis: This is a book about border life. It talks about growing up in Brownsville and …

people who are born and raised on the Texas side versus people born and raised on the Mexico side versus people who come across on a daily basis to work versus people who try to come across illegally and have to use what they call a “coyote” to shepherd them across the desert in the night. … Living in Texas, there’s something we can all relate to.

DT: Is there a line that stands out to you?

ZM: “She does something that she hasn’t done before. She touches him.” It’s talking about an (American) woman who’s been housing a refugee little boy who crossed the border illegally and has had to hide out for his own safety. She’s housed him for a long time, fed him, but she hasn’t touched him the whole book. … That was

a big deal for me, to read (about) this acknowledgement of our humanity. The thing that can connect us (is) being touched — something as simple as holding someone’s hand, a pat on the back, a hug. I spent some time in India years ago and I felt very separate. There were many people affected by poverty and homelessness — issues that I felt were so big I couldn’t heal or fix it in one little

trip. But it changed when I received a massage from this older lady, … I remember the moment, thinking you can’t just look at other people or look at poverty. It makes you feel like … you’re on one side, they’re on the other. But when you touch, that’s what brings people together again and we can all remember our humanity. DT: What is the biggest takeaway in your life from this book?

ZM: Our story is worth telling. It’s always worth it to speak. There’s a lot of pain in the secrets that we keep about where we come from. … The other thing that it brought up for me (is) that feeling of food insecurity. That’s something that’s not spoken about a lot, the experience of not knowing where your next meal is coming from (and) relying on the goodwill of others. It’s an issue that touches many students on campus. We have to talk about it and it’s not a secret.

DT: Do you feel like you would be in a different place having not read this book?

lorianne willett

/ the daily texan staff

Zoe Mantarakis, assistant professor of practice in the Department of Kinesiology, believes sharing stories builds bridges and serves as a gateway to inherent human connection. She first read “Where We Come From” alongside students in REACH, a freshmen book club she helps lead.

ZM: Every time a story is told that … reveals an element of humanity or a secret that we thought we were the only one (who had), we realize, “I’m not the only one who’s been through that.” It breaks down barriers. It breaks down boundaries. We aren’t the same after having read it. It brings us together.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

SPORTS

FEATURE

Texas diver inspires young audiences through collaborative children’s book By Emma Hutchinson @emmahutch_

Standing at the edge of the platform, Jordan Windle prepares for his next dive. The graduate student scans the bleachers for his father, Jerry Windle, a face that’s been in the stands for the past 15 years. Down below, Jerry’s reassuring smile gives Jordan all the strength he needs. During his time at Texas, Jordan has been nothing short of impressive in the diving world. He’s a nine-time All-American athlete, a five-time Big 12 champion and Team USA diver at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Jerry’s smile has been there through it all. At just 18 months, Jordan was adopted from a Cambodian orphanage by Jerry, a single gay man looking to be not just a parent, but a source of light and positivity for his son. “His desire, as it has been from the very beginning of our relationship together, is to make people happy and to be joyful,” Jerry said. “He grew from this little tiny, very, very shy, little boy, into a person that celebrates life, celebrates humanity and believes in one human existence.” However, the rainbow that so brightly radiated from Jordan’s affectionate nature, endured some rain. Jordan said he was heavily bullied throughout his elementary years. “I was bullied for my dad being gay, me being a different color and me not having a mom.

UT diver Jordan Windle has faced adversity throughout his career, but with support from his father, continues to do what he loves.

It was because I was different,” Jordan said. “(Jerry) was always that rock that I needed, that support system.” As Jordan rallied against the world’s hate, he looked to be an inspiration to other children going through similar situations, but was unsure how to reach such a vast audience. The answer came from his own bedroom in the form of a bedtime story. “When I was younger, I could only fall asleep to my dad’s

singing or him telling me a bedtime story. My dad would always tell me this story about ‘The Prince of Cambodia’ because that’s where I was adopted from, and he’d base the story off me,” Jordan said. “Eventually, (at 10 years old), I got really bored of that, so I was like, ‘Dad, I want something different. I can’t sleep,’ and so he was like, ‘OK, fine, how about we go back and forth and make a story together.’” Leaving Jordan’s room that night, Jerry immediately put pen

to paper, and just like that, the two had written a children’s book titled, “An Orphan No More: The True Story of a Boy.” The tale followed a white rooster that cared for a brown duckling who was left behind by his mother, reflecting Jordan and Jerry’s life journey through the lens of two adorable barnyard animals. While the book was meant to teach children about acceptance and give them a sense of comfort in being different, it also paved the way for Jordan and Jerry to stay connected once their

journeys took different paths. Having lost his parents at a young age, Jerry hoped to take his regret of not having a stronger physical connection with them and turn it into motivation to create a bond with Jordan that would last beyond his lifetime. “We published it to honestly give him something to give to his children and grandchildren,” Jerry said. “I hope he’ll look at the book and remember (our relationship) fondly even more when I’m gone, and the legacy that hopefully I’ve left behind.” Jordan sees his success in diving as a way to repay his father for the immense amount of encouragement and support he’s provided inside and outside of athletics. “He sacrificed so much for me and just knowing that I had someone like that who was willing to go out of their way to just let me chase my dreams, it meant everything to me,” Jordan said. “Through school and through diving, I’ve really just been putting everything out there for him.” Now, Jerry can confidently say that he’s accomplished his goal as a parent, but said the role of being each other’s lifeline will continue for years to come. “He has left such an impression on me as a human being and to see who he has become, is probably the greatest gift of all,” Jerry said. “I mean, he is the reason for my existence, and I know that no matter what happens in my life, if people come and go, he is always the constant that will be there until the end.”

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Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

FEATURE

Former Texas swimmer reflects on her path to the pool Former Texas swimming and diving star, Jessica Livingston, was inducted into Hall of Honor last weekend.

By Aakriti Singla Sports Reporter

he former four-time Big 12 champion has one piece of advice for those who wish to walk in her shoes: “When you stick to it, you will see the results.” From an early age, Jessica Livingston Gibson spent a large majority of her childhood years as a gymnast. From the high beam to the vault, Gibson thought gymnastics was what she wanted to do. That was before Gibson’s mother signed her up for a local diving competition. Though reluctant, Gibson quickly translated her skills from the balance beam to the diving board. Despite the preparation and encouragement she received from her coaches, she placed among the last on the leaderboard. But Gibson kept diving. “It was just kind of the sport that stuck,” Gibson said. It would be several competitions later before Gibson would hold her first trophy. One sunny morning in The Woodlands, Texas, Gibson stepped onto the diving board expecting to come last. Instead, she went from 25th place to first, winning the first of many gold medals. “It was very unexpected because I had always been at the bottom of the competition and to win that medal was a reminder that if I work hard and keep trying, I can really do it,” Gibson said. Gibson still has the gold medal from her first diving competition. It followed the five-time All-American everywhere afterward, including to the Forty Acres, where she was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor last weekend. Gibson first arrived at Texas as a sophomore in 2005 after transferring from the University of Minnesota. She quickly became one of the top divers in the Longhorns’ swimming and diving program. As a sophomore, her successful collegiate career was met with an incredible start at the Big 12 Championship

jonathan sherchand

/ the daily texan file

Former UT diver Jessica Livingston Gibson was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor last weekend. Throughout her time at the University, Gibson was a four-time Big 12 champion, among winning many other awards.

meet, where she won the platform event and placed third and fourth on the 1-meter board and 3-meter board, respectively. In the same year, Gibson went on to help the Longhorns win the league’s team title. Her junior year, in 2006, Gibson won the platform event at the conference and was awarded the Big 12 Women’s Diver of the Year award. A year later, at the 2007 NCAA Championship event, Gibson won the individual title on platform. “I really just had to trust my training,” Gibson said. “If you overthink, you can get in your head and nerves can get the better of you. I knew I had to stay calm and in the moment. We practice every day for several hours a day for that reason, so that we can autopilot. And that’s what I did.” Gibson’s successful career with the Longhorns finished in 2009 where she placed second on the platform and helped the Longhorns to an outstanding fifth-place finish. Some of Gibson’s most memorable moments, though, were those that weren’t on screen or in the papers. The former Longhorn star said that beyond just her numbers and stats in the pool, she made some of her closest relationships at Texas.

“I had three of my former teammates from Texas who are still some of my best friends who came to support me at the induction,” Gibson said. “So it really goes to show just how much it transfers further than the sport itself.” After earning her degree in advertising from Texas in 2009, Gibson went on to become a finalist at two USA Olympic trials and later went on to compete in several competitions as a member of the U.S. National Team. Now a national buying director for ALDI in Illinois and a mother, Gibson reflects on her achievements at Texas as she walked down the stage last Friday to be inducted to the Hall of Honor. “I was thrilled. I honestly didn’t expect it all. The caliber of athletes that I get to be a part of in the Hall of Honor is amazing and a huge honor,” Gibson said. For those that look up to Gibson and her career, she leaves one piece of advice. “I know it sounds cliché or obvious, but stick to it,” Gibson said. “That’s really, to me, the reason that I’ve been successful. It’s not because I was always successful at diving or that it was my one-niche thing, but I knew that if I stuck to it, I would always see the results from there.”

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Comics Editors | @TEXANCOMICS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2021

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