The Flare Magazine by The Flare

The Flare Magazine Ki lg o re C o lle g e

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Sp r i n g 2 0 1 7

Table of contents Foreword

editorial by TIMOTHY STUCKEY

Sons of Abraham

editorial and photograph by YOSEF IBITAYO

U.N.I.T.Y.

editorial by DA’JAH THOMPSON photograph by TIMOTHY STUCKEY

nity, the concept and theme throughout this magazine, can be a powerful force. By looking into the things that unite us; we may cast

Letter from the editor:

off the shackles of ignorance and bias that hold us back as a species.

When I took on the role of editor, I made it a personal goal to implement these values into the work that went into creating this magazine. I didn’t want this to be “my magazine” that happened to feature other student’s work. I wished for this to be a true composition of perspectives provided by individuals who represent not only the variety of Kilgore College, but also our planet. My fellow students rose above and beyond and with the help of our incredible instructors

America: The Great Divide

editorial by TIMOTHY STUCKEY photographs by DIANA CASTILLO & TERENCE JACKSON

Dropping Labels

we created this narrative and I am proud and privileged to have worked

editorial by ALEXIA MCGEE photograph by BAYLOR ROBERSON

10 Editor: Timothy Stuckey Design Editor: Meaghan Morton Photographers: Diana Castillo, Max Cervantes, Grace Garcia, Linda Grimes, Kyleen Hunter, Yosef Ibitayo, Terence Jackson, Elizabeth Lumpkin, Hailey Pennington,Meaghan Morton, Sara Redford, Baylor Roberson, Kiana Rose, Kori Stroud, Timothy Stuckey, Daria Tucker, Grant Worley

alongside such a wonderful and unique group of people.

Community

editorial by DA’JAH THOMPSON & ALLISON TALIAFERRO photograph by TIMOTHY STUCKEY

16 The Neighborhood editorial and photograph by MAX CERVANTES

Writers: Max Cervantes, Yosef Ibitayo, Kaitlin Mitchell, Timothy Stuckey, Allison Taliaferro, Da’Jah Thompson Ad Manager............Yasmine Wilson Photography Adviser.............O. Rufus Lovett Editorial Adviser.....................Rachel Stallard Design Adviser....................Jamie Maldanado

Project Unity

photographs by PHOTOGRAPHY STUDENTS

Printed by Hudson Graphics, Inc. Longview, Texas

DISCLAIMER: Staff positions are held by Kilgore College communications students. Comments and views expressed in The Flare Magazine reflect the thoughts of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of other students, staff members, faculty members, administrative officers or the Board of Trustees.

-Timothy Stuckey

Sons of Abraham The variety in the search for faith Story and photographs by Yosef Ibitayo

merica is broken. The morals and traditions that used to define us as “one nation under God” are all but gone from

the thoughts and behaviors of the everyman; and they are scorned when not brought up in a very specific, non-threatening way. Seeing a Christian walk up to people on the street and witness to them is a rare sight, and Jews and Muslims are mocked and insulted by ignorant individuals who have no knowledge of their culture beyond what is fed to them by the perpetrators of such ignorance. What happened to us? When did it become fashionable to tear down the foundations of our home, to create a new law devoid of any Divine influence? Are we, the adopted sons of Abraham, simply outdated? Or, rather, do we have the advantage of being a bridge between all peoples and nations, through the God that holds our cultures together? For Tim Leventry, a Messianic Jew, the loss of tradition has been difficult. He holds on to the dietary restrictions of his forefathers — avoiding pork-based products and the meat of scavengers and “burrowers,” and keeping the traditional dress required of his people in the Torah, despite the jeers from those who lack understanding of Jewish culture and religion. As such, he feels more at home amongst the believers who regularly attend KC’s campus ministries and the Muslim international students whom he has befriended. Despite this, he still treats those who wrong him with the respect and kindness they require. “I’m still going to try and be out there and help people, and be nice to them, and be kind and compassionate and stuff,” Leventry said, “It’s not

Continued on Page 4

“It’s hard when the actions of a few just affect everybody. In our religion, it stresses that you look at Christians, look at Jews, and look at how they do things and learn from them, because you can learn from everybody— even if we don’t believe precisely the same exact things, you can learn from everybody.” — Radwan Bakkali, London sophomore

God in whom he placed his faith, he also found a “family” of fellow believers who shared the connection that he had. “Rather than servants of our God, we view ourselves as children of our God, as kind of in a relationship with our God,” Palmer said. The open nature of the Abrahamic God may feel, at first glance, like an oddity. People have gotten so accustomed to the preformed groups they become a part of that something as allinclusive as the Abrahamic religion is a thing to be looked down on. However, as people like Leventry, Palmer, and Radwan Bakkali show us, this openness need not be a detriment. Bakkali, a British-Moroccan Muslim who moved to Kilgore from London, has had to deal with misinformed individuals who receive the majority of their information from sources

Continued from Page 3

‘just because you see the world differently, I’m going to treat you differently.’”

with an ultra-conservative bent, such as Fox News. Bakkali has learned to combat the stereotype assigned to him by educating people

This kind of gracious treatment extends beyond

on the proper traditions and beliefs of Islam.

Jewish culture, manifesting itself in the Christian

According to Bakkali, the actions of groups like

and Muslim faiths and the tenets their preachers

al-Qaeda and Boko Haram are not in line with

and imams teach. Despite the behavior from

the true faith of Islam, and the focus of the media

radical groups like the Westboro Baptist Church

and the general public on these individuals only

and al-Qaeda, most Christians and Muslims are

hurts him and his fellow believers more.

content to live peaceably side-by-side with their

“It’s hard when the actions of a few just affect

non-believing neighbors. Some, like Toby Palmer,

everybody,” he said. “In our religion, it stresses

will even go further in their faith by focusing their

that you look at Christians, look at Jews, and

beliefs into a career in theology.

look at how they do things and learn from them,

Palmer converted to Christianity at the age of 13,

because you can learn from everybody— even if

at a youth conference he attended with his cousin.

we don’t believe precisely the same exact things,

As a child living in the American foster care

you can learn from everybody.”

system for most of his youth, Palmer struggled

These sort of beliefs, and the communities

with dark thoughts and could not focus on faith as

they form, are an integral part of our American

part of his life. He admits he struggled to believe

culture. In order for us to remain united we need

in a God who had no involvement in helping him

the support that they provide.

out of his troubles. Following his conversion, however, Palmer found

not only a renewed focus and connection with the

U.N.I.T.Y Understanding, nourishment, importance, treasures and years Story by Da’Jah Thompson

he “U” is for Understanding each other in a way that pulls us together and turns dreams into reality. The “N” represents the Nourishment our young minds use to build relationships with each other. The “I”

stands for the Importance of coming together as a whole. The “T” represents the Treasures everyone carries as their time together comes to an end. The “Y” stands for Years of friendship that will continue to grow as the days go by. UNITY, the state of being united or joined as a whole — a team, a campus that has to come together for the greater good and for positive experiences. KC has brought together many individuals through different sporting events, concerts, plays and campus activities. Unity can be expressed whether you are participating in extra-curricular activities or as part of the campus body. “The way I have felt the sense of unity with my time here at Kilgore was building a brotherhood with my basketball teammates,” said Jamar Sandifer, Ranger Basketball player and Dallas freshman. “We went through adversity together. We had our adventures and, with each day, we became closer as friends. When one of us was having trouble with something, or was in need, we came together as a group to help. We were always there to uplift each other.” Women’s basketball team member Danielle Meador, Corpus Christi freshman, said, “As a unit all of the girls have the same purpose and goals as a team. We know we have each others’ backs at all times.”

Continued on Page 8

Photograph by Timothy Stuckey

“We’re all fighting Rangers, ready to fight for the victory!” Continued from Page 7

Unity is expressed in different ways within each sport, but they all have one end goal — brotherhood (or sisterhood). Coming together and creating a family while battling through the hardships that each person experiences is what builds a team. The excitement, the laughter and the friendships that are made on campus as we go from class to class, or enjoy the campus events brings the student body and the community together. Ranger football player Byron Proctor, San Antonio sophomore, said,

A piece of the puzzle by Kaitlin Mitchell

arlier

this

year,

was

planning my schedule for my last semester, it dawned on me my

college experience hasn’t been anything like I imagined. Initially, I thought it natural to be single-minded and focused solely on my grades and getting my degree, because that’s what everyone else around me was doing. It never occurred to me that becoming a part of something greater than myself would help me achieve that goal.

“I personally would say everybody’s motives being similar with one another and Kilgore being more of a cornerstone college that most students are in similar situations, which makes it easier for the students to communicate with their peers.” New growth and a sense of home here at KC is a bond that will stay with each of us as we push through to the end. KC is full of different races, genders, ages and cultures, but by putting aside our physical differences, we unite and achieve many things. We laugh together. We fight together. We represent KC to the best of our ability, while enjoying our “home away from home” and growing into respectable adults together. From here until the end of time, “We’re all fighting Rangers, ready to fight for the victory!”

I haven’t really been an overly social person and, aside from my family and my core group of friends, there is nobody from my previous classroom endeavors who I feel more connected to than the people I have come to know this semester — my Flare family. Despite not being a social butterfly, I was still involved in nearly everything growing up: Yearbook, choir, theatre, Rachel’s Challenge, Key Club and teacher’s assistant. You name it, I did it. Even though I was in all of these organizations, I never took anything away from them other than the fact I had fun. These organizations never contributed to my well-being or anything of use, nor did I click with every member. They didn’t support each other in the same way that I have witnessed the students at KC do. They did not participate in each other’s lives or invest in getting to know their classmates. Rather we just showed up, did our assignments and went home. The teachers were not invested in their students, nor did they make an effort to relay any kind of team spirit. These extracurricular activities were just something to do and an excuse to hang out with my friends. After being so one-track minded, it made me wonder why teammates develop such close bonds and why I had never had that experience before, despite being a part of so many things. Maybe it’s the pressure of succeeding that causes people to work together. Maybe it’s wanting to have your name on something. Maybe it’s knowing what you do matters.

Regardless of the reason, I feel like being part of a team effort gives one a sense of purpose and that is one thing I have taken away from being here. Finding people who share your passions and with whom you have made memories is a feeling that is hard to describe. I took a leap of faith jumping into a program two years too late, but it’s amazing how people you would normally not be associated with end up becoming the people you depend on the most. I’ve learned that being a part of something bigger unifies people, and everyone who belongs to a true team forms a certain respect for one another no matter how different they might be. Mattie Stepanek summed up what it’s like to find people who want the best for you: “Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” This year alone I have witnessed my classmates go through hard times in their personal lives, get frustrated with one another, write about controversial topics without fear, and handle criticism with great humility. Every time there is a problem someone else is there to lend a hand and offer a solution. Even though there have been some rough patches, someone always comes through and they just make it work. I may not have learned what it is that brings about these unique relationships, but joining a team like The Flare staff has left an impression on me that I know I’ll always remember. It is a team unlike any other.

America: The Great Divide

Photograph by Terence Jackson

‘...Hope for a better future is not only written within the fabric of our culture; it facilitates it...’

“I have often looked at that sun behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know it is a rising and not a setting sun.” -Benjamin Franklin Story by Timothy Stuckey

he last two decades have been strenuous on the morale of our country’s population. Constant war with an unclear agenda against a seemingly endless stream of enemies, economic crises and social unrest have molded the American people into a weary, reactive and paranoid parody of what we used to be. Decades of party loyalty and disingenuousness among our leaders have helped strengthen the divide between us. A person affiliated with any of the main two political parties is seen as another enemy to quell rather than a countryman to work with by the opposite party. Racial and religious strife continue to grow as fellow citizens either feel unheard or unwanted. Continued on Page 13

Continued from Page 11

Simply put, we’re screwed unless we step up. This last election was arguably one of the more divisive in our country’s history. Republicans, hopeful Trump would bring about a positive change in our country, have sadly come up empty. Democrats have lost credibility after a tough loss and shady political tactics that saw Hillary Clinton chosen over Bernie Sanders. Dismissing each other’s views, opinions and feelings have only exacerbated issues. We cannot just label people who vote for Trump as “crazy” or “racist” and disregard liberals as “sore losers.” Both group’s concern and passion for their country and its future are valid and worthy of discussion. The atmosphere only seems to have become more volatile every day as each side blames the other while ignoring its own part in the creation of dysfunction we find ourselves living in. This circular “blame game” distracts us while our leaders continue to make questionable decisions and deals at our expense. There comes a time when you’re faced with so many problems you question just how much you’re willing to let happen and how much you’re willing to take before you do something about it. Multiply that by an entire country and you have a potentially volatile situation ready to erupt. With violent occurrences being instigated on both sides of the aisle, having a rational conversation is a goal rarely reached these days. Can we lay all of these issues solely on Trump? While it would be easy to do (as Trump isn’t completely blameless), it would be false to lay every issue at his feet. The truth is, most of the problems we face today are the same problems we refused to look at decades ago until they became too large to ignore. What we are seeing today is the result of apathy. Problems do not go away if we simply ignore them and the reality we live in today proves that. Our country is not perfect by any means, but therein lies its true beauty. With our Constitution we can amend laws that are archaic or unnecessary. We, the people, are granted inalienable rights that value liberty and basic human dignity. We can elect leaders and we can replace those leaders. Some may think this is the beginning of the end for the United States, but until men and women in this country stop believing in the principles of freedom and liberty then that will never be the case. Hope for a better future is not only written within the fabric of our culture; it facilitates it.

Photograph by Diana Castillo

Dropping Story by Alexia McGee

ho would you be if the world never gave you a label? Would you be black, white, yellow, red? Or would you be a part of humanity — the human race? Labels distort our vision of who people really are and society has taught us to judge based on

how much pigmentation is present in the skin. Labels were created to cause division, and where there is division there is conflict — and conflict starts wars. In 1987, a group of scientists concluded that genetically we are all descended from a “mitochondrial Eve.” Taking DNA from 147 people across all of today’s major racial groups, the geneticists discovered all roads lead to Africa, culminating in a single female who lived about 200,000 years ago. This proves that the concept of race is one that has evolved over time, eventually become less connected with ancestral and family ties and more concerned with superficial physical characteristics. Some people who are considered to be “white” actually have more pigment in their skin than other people who identify as “black.” Pigmentation, which determines skin color, is the dividing factor for the human race. The human species contains no subgroups. Race categories were arbitrarily assigned. When considering skin color, for example, the social construction of race perceptive recognizes that the relative darkness or fairness of skin is an evolutionary adaption to the available sunlight in different regions of the world. Our bodies are not us; they are not who we are. Our bodies are a suit that we are born into with a no-return policy. For example, if I were to purchase a suit

Lab

in the store, people would not mistake me for my suit because I’m wearing it. So why are we mistaken for our bodies when they are not who we are? We are so much more than our skin.

The human race was never meant to be labeled like items in the grocery store.

Who we are is not skin deep, so how can a label like black or white define us? We cannot be defined by one word, or even two or three, when we are all so complex. When we stop looking at what makes us different and focus on how we are

all the same then we can be unified. The world is not just black and white, but contains millions of shades of gray in between. Whatever you call yourself is divide us, we will not be free. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of this freedom from the steps of the Lincoln

Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 when he spoke of “his dream” by saying, “Maybe one day we will live in a nation where we will not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.”

Photograph by Baylor Roberson

els

just a label. We were made to connect, and until we realize labels separate and

COMM U N I T Y

Photographs by Timothy Stuckey

hile we have reflected on broader terms of unity, we also looked into the lives of four KC students and their perspectives on the subject of unity.

The Artist

Lauren Brown

auren Brown, secretary of the KC Art Club, began developing a passion for art in junior high when her school started art classes. “I always liked to doodle, and I really enjoyed making origami,” Brown said. “Art has helped me become more confident in myself and have peace during stressful situations.” Brown is currently a Graphic Design Major, but enjoys expressing herself in many ways. “I really love to explore colors and how they affect people. Painting and using Prismacolors are the most fun ways to express artwork,” she said. Brown has gained inspiration from artists such as Thomas Kinkade and George Rodrigue, whose painting styles aided in her own art aesthetic. Brown, who considers herself a “perfectionist,” tends to focus more on the realistic side of her work. “I focus more on quality, than quantity,” Brown said. The Art Club’s most recent project was painting outdoors on the KC campus, which helped the art club members grow as artists and as a unit. “Unity happens when everyone in the group shares the same vision,” Brown said. Unity is important when working with a group of people because it helps get the goal finished more efficiently. Every member of the Art Club serves an important role in the club. Being the club’s secretary, Brown attends meetings every Friday and keeps track of dates and important information in order to help unify the group. Art reflects one’s self-expression. Someone can look at a piece of artwork and develop a different meaning than the next. Art is subjective, but sometimes we are able to empathize with the message the artist is portraying. Artwork has the ability to unite people into a collective mindset and has done so for ages. - By Allison Taliaferro

The Gamer

Jacob Dyer

ediation at its finest, concentration at its peak and relaxation put high on a pedestal; he focuses in on the mission. Gaming is a way to escape the world while virtually venturing out and meeting new and interesting people. Garvin Jacob Dyer is not your typical gamer. He’s not one to jump up and cause a scene or go out and buy every game on the market — just the ones he is the most fond of. However, he does get excited when he accomplishes what may have seemed impossible. Dyer uses gaming to connect and unite with many gamers who he plays online or in person. “Gaming has allowed me to interact with different people around the world,” he said. This has broadened his virtual friend base and allowed him to get to know and battle individuals around the world. People express themselves in many ways, depending on the genre and style of play. Some yell at the person on the other end of the headset continuously,

some throw their controllers over small mistakes made during a game and some even turn the system off mid-game if they are losing. Dyer considers himself a silent player; he’s straight to the point, calm, and collected. “I like playing more relaxed games; exploring where I don’t have to stand up and get energetic like I would with sports games. I’d rather just play laid back games,” he said. Although it may seem unimaginable to some, unity can be sought out while playing different games online. “When a whole group of people, no matter their differences or backgrounds, come together and have the same goal and bring different things to the table and utilize each other’s strengths and weaknesses at times makes it pretty fun and interesting,” he said. Dyer’s current favorite game is “Midnight Club 3 Dub Edition Remix”, a street racing game. He likes it because it doesn’t take much to play the game; it’s not a big challenge and overall it’s interesting, fun and calm game. His favorite gamer is Chris Smoove. “He plays every single game and has his own YouTube channel in which people just request games for him to play,” Dyer said. “If he likes them, he will put up a video while playing them.” Watching these keeps Dyer busy when he is not playing other games or taking a break from his favorite racing game to participate in Madden or NBA 2k tournaments. Besides playing games, he likes to write poetry, read, or just socialize with his roommates, which allows him to mix it up and enjoy life in different ways. For Dyer, the concept of unity is all fun and games. -By Da’Jah Thompson

The Brain

The Jock

Ken Fagans

he sound of shoulder pads crashing against the opposing teams’ pads heightens his adrenaline and passion for the sport. Ken Fagans’ position on the field is defense; his main role on the team is to tackle the running back on the opposing team or try to tackle the quarterback before they have a change to throw the ball. “My game is very simple: you work through defenders (offense line) to get to the quarterback or the running back and take them down. You just do your job and hopefully everyone else does their job to make it successful,” Fagans said. You may think football practices for players would be hardcore every day, or even extreme, considering their strength and capability to perform at a high level is expected; however that is not always the case. “Our practice is really fun because you get to go against, not only a teammate, but a fellow friend to show them who’s boss,” he said. “Practices can be tedious, but it’s worth it and they are challenging but a fun experience.” Among every sports team in the nation, unity is sought out

through the players and coaches. “Coming together and forming that brotherhood and clicking on a higher level and bonding,” he said. This new family that has been created through the hardships and battles fought throughout the season brings players together, no matter their different backgrounds, personalities or interests, and unites them to accomplish their goals. Football is known to impact a number of player’s lives by turning them away from negative situations and putting them back on the right path. “Football has made an impact on my life by giving me the opportunity to further my education and give me very important skills that I will need in life. Having a passion for the game itself can take you a long way when it comes to all the time and hard work you have to put in as a player to advance your game,” Fagans said. “I do have a passion for football due to the fact it has given me so much and helped me so much in my life.” - By Da’Jah Thompson

Tara Clayton

cademics is a way to bring scholars from every background together and that’s what Tara Clayton intends to do as President Gamma Omicron, KC‘s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. After graduating from Henderson High School in 2006, Clayton joined the U.S. Army-National Guard and served on active duty for six years. “During the active period we did drills once a month and two weeks out of the summer to prepare us in case anything happened,” Clayton said. After Clayton’s two-year inactive period ended in 2014, she decided to attend KC in the Fall 2015. “I was looking around at universities and a lot of them had asked if I was PTK affiliated. I actually found out about PTK though looking at other colleges,” she said. Clayton decided to take a class during the Christmas break where she met Michele Daniels, KC‘s PTK adviser who got Clayton involved. “Next thing I knew, I’m going to the Regional Conference and I wasn’t even a member yet,” she said. Soon after the Regional conference Clayton expressed to Daniels that she was interested in becoming president of the organization. “As soon as I showed interest in being an officer, she snatched me under her wing and we went from there,” Clayton said. Upon becoming President of the PTK, Clayton aimed to unify the group through projects, meetings and conferences. “When we have conferences, we all have to work together. We have discussion groups where we listen to each other’s ideas,” Clayton said. The PTK‘s most recent project consisted of spreading awareness of the new campus carry rules, regarding student‘s right to openly carry firearms on campus. “We have been trying to show the difference between reality and the misconceptions that people have. A lot of students are worried about guns being on campus and what it means for them. We want to bring light to what the reality is,” Clayton said. It’s important to Clayton to keep an open mind as president of the PTK and listen to every member’s ideas. With such a diverse group of students, Clayton aims to make sure everyone is heard. “To me unity is being able to take people with different ideas and different viewpoints and be able to come together toward a common goal,” Clayton said. While keeping unity within the group, Clayton also helps

with projects that spread unity around campus. “For Valentine’s Day, we sold carnations out in the Devall Student Center. We tried to convey to everyone that this flower could make someone’s day. We had a lot of people who bought several flowers and started handing them out to random people on campus,” Clayton said. Clayton is also a member of several other campus honor organizations, including the National Technical Honor Society and Sigma Kappa Delta, the English Honor Society. “Being a member of these groups has shown me that it doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are; it only matters if you do your best,” Clayton said. Being a member of these organizations has not only taught Clayton the value of work ethic, but also how to spread unity and reach a common goal. - Allison Taliaferro

Come together Story and photographs by Max Cervantes

7 billion people span across 195 countries in seven continents. More than

Although numerous bodies of water separate us, we are living on one planet called Earth. Unfortunately, there seem to be more things that separate us than unite us. Maybe if we take the time to get to know our neighbor, we would find things that make us similar. We breathe the same air, we look at the same sky. If we look at things that make us the same instead of different and still celebrate the things that make us unique, we can achieve greater goals. Even here in our own backyard we have students from multiple backgrounds with a lot more in common than you might think. Lydian Palencia, a freshman from Honduras, migrated to America in early 2016. “My first semester was actually in California, but I had to move out,” Palencia said. “I was looking for a community college that had dorms in Texas. I wanted to be close to Dallas because I had two siblings that live over there. Kilgore was my second option because my first option didn’t have dorms so that’s how I ended up here.” “The culture shock was way different in East Texas than in California,” Palencia said, “I didn’t know that people ate applesauce. I didn’t know that was a thing until I moved to East Texas. Even though Honduras is located more than 1,000 miles away, Palencia found something in common that reminded her of home. “One thing that made me more at home is how friendly the people of East Texas are,” Palencia said, “People from my hometown in Continued on Page 24

“In general we are all living the same life here and in Pakistan. We are all trying to improve our lives.” -Nabeel Khan, Pakistan freshman are One Republic, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. Some of my favorite movies are “Fast and the Furious” and “The Conjuring.” In Vietnam there seem to be a dislike for some certain types of music just like here at home. “A lot of adult people don’t like to listen to rap music or electronic dance music,” Nguyen said, “Maybe if they were under the age of 30 they might like it, but adults think it’s too loud.” Of course with every great country there are some misconceptions that might arise. “People think that politics or the government in my country is not stable, they are rising up against the government. I don’t really care too much about that because I already achieved my main purpose and that was to be here,” Nguyen said. “I want to say thank you to my parents for giving me a chance for me to be here and study in America. What I like about Americans, particularly in Texas, is that they are willing to help you,” he added. Continued from Page 22

Honduras are known to be really friendly.” Not only are the people friendly in Honduras but they also celebrate a certain holiday that is widely known to be more “American.” “Some people in Honduras actually celebrate Thanksgiving and eat turkey,” Palencia said “We would even get a Thanksgiving holiday off.” Unfortunately, due to Honduras’ past, there are negative stereotypes that still affect it today. “Whenever they mention Honduras on the media, it’s either corruption or violence, I won’t

Nabeel Khan, a freshman from Pakistan, migrated to America in August 2016. “I was actually in Alabama,” Khan said. “A friend recommended me to Kilgore College because it was a good college. It was affordable and the quality of education was good.” “Before coming here and in Alabama, I was a little bit nervous, but people were friendly and it made me more comfortable to start my life here,” Khan said, “Starting over is always a struggle but I met good people and I’m thankful that they made my experience good here. I’m still meeting new people when I go to my classes; students here help each other which is good.”

deny the corruption or the violence but it tends to mask the true beauty of what Honduras

“People have asked me if I felt a big change in the culture when I came here, I usually

actually is,” she said “In Honduras, people will treat you right and make you feel at home. If

answer with yes but it’s not that much different and it wasn’t that difficult to adapt to the

you actually experience it, it’s beautiful.”

culture. It’s very comfortable and not in a bad way,” Khan said.

Quang Nguyen, a freshman from Vietnam, migrated to America in August 2016. “After

“It wasn’t easy to immigrate from Pakistan. I have family over there and I never left my

graduating from high school, I decided to come to America,” Nguyen said, “I found out

family for very long periods of time,” he said. “My main purpose was for me to reach a good

about Kilgore through the website, I also used to have a friend that studied here and he

quality of education so I can do something for my family and for myself in the future.”

recommended the school because it was a good place to start. I did some research and Kilgore

One thing that reminded Khan of home was how welcoming the people in this country

had some good programs, particularly the American Honors Program. Coming to study in

are. “People welcome you here, like they do in Pakistan,” he said. “If you don’t even know a

America was my biggest dream. America offers a good education and a good opportunity for

person they will say hello to you, which is also something we do in Pakistan,” Khan said. Due

self-development.”

to current world events, there are some assumptions and misconceptions that many people

When he first arrived to America, Nguyen faced some obstacles right from the start. “The biggest obstacle was the different language; I had a big struggle with communication. After a few months, I improved my communication skills by talking to people,” he said. Another thing that puzzled Nguyen was the American diet. “We mainly ate white rice and fish in Vietnam, but in America I noticed that a lot of people mainly eat fast food like pizza and hamburgers,” Nguyen said. Fortunately, Nguyen felt right at home with the famous East Texas weather. “Seventy percent of the time it was hot in Vietnam. The humidity isn’t very high so it’s easy

have about Pakistan. “What I will say regarding that is to meet the people and ask them. It’s better to ask them and see how they live. Don’t listen too much to the media that is trying to portray a bad image about Pakistan. Try to communicate with the people,” Khan said, “in general we are all living the same life here and in Pakistan. We are all trying to improve our lives.” Even though we all came from different locations or backgrounds, we all face the same struggles on this wild ride called life. Maybe if we took the time to get to know our neighbor, we would find the ride to be a little less bumpy.

for me to live here,” Nguyen said. The power of Taylor Swift and Vin Diesel seem to be some things that transcends any language barrier around the world. “I listened to music in English

and watched American movies since I was young,” Nguyen said, “Some of my favorite artists

PROJECT UNITY KC photography students were charged with visually interpreting, in black and white, the concept of Unity. Students considered both symbolic and literal possibilities as they created the following images selected

KYLEEN HUNTER

TERENCE JACKSON

from the Unity Project.

DIANA CASTILLO

HAILEY PENNINGTON

DARIA TUCKER

GRANT WORLEY

GRACE GARCIA

“Unity is vision; it must have been part of the process of learning to see.” -Henry Adams MAX CERVANTES

Kori Stroud

Kiana Rose

MEAGHAN MORTON

DARIA TUCKER ELIZABETH LUMPKIN

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Photograph by Sarah Redford

“Unity is strength; Division is weakness.” LONGVIEW

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Kilgore College

Journalism â&#x20AC;¢ Photography

U n i t e d IN C O M M U NI C ATI O N Ph o t o g r a p h

l i n da

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