TODO Austin May 2017

A few more miles to go.

CelebrASIA Austin Pecan Street Festival Cine Las Americas Film Fest Cinco de Mayo in Austin

www.todoaustin.com VOLUME IX / MAY 2017

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS broadcast 18.1 / cable 9 klru.org

SEE YOUR FAVORITE PBS SHOWS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE WITH KLRU PBS KIDS 24/7!

KLRU IS PROVIDING THIS FREE, FUN, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR ALL FAMILIES!

RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS THAT PBS KIDS RESOURCES BUILD LITERACY SKILLS, BOOST MATH LEARNING AND FOSTER SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH.

Learn more at KLRU.org Also This Month

The Talk

Canine Soldiers

National Memorial Day Concert

Generations of black parents have had The Talk with their children about how to survive interactions with police. Watch a national followed by a local conversation on the issue.

Explore the intimate bond between Military Working Dogs and their handlers - combat soldiers who make life-anddeath decisions based on the instincts of the dogs.

Join co-hosts Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna for the 28th broadcast of this night of remembrance honoring the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Thursday, May 25th, at 7:30 pm; Sunday, May 28th, at 10:30 pm

Sunday, May 28th, at 7 pm and 9 pm

Friday, May 12th, at 7:30 pm

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS is community supported. More than 85% of our funding comes from the public. PLEASE CONSIDER INVESTING IN KLRU.

C E N T R O U R B A N O HABLA Austin

Remote citizen communication The public now has the ability to participate during General Citizen’s Communications during regularly-scheduled City Council meetings via video conferencing. “Remote citizen communication makes government more accessible to Austinites,” said Mayor Steve Adler. “This allows the City Council to hear from people we might not normally hear from.” Time is set aside at noon at each council meeting for a maximum of 10 individuals to address the city council on topics of their choice. A person who intends to speak at this time must register in advance with the Office of the City Clerk to include the meeting date, name, contact information, and location (either in Council Chambers at the meeting or off-site at a participating library). Contact the Office of the City Clerk to sign up. Beginning May 4, Remote Citizen Communication will be available at local library branches. iACT Hope Awards Interfaith Action of Central Texas celebrates Austin as a welcoming community and a place of refuge. On Tuesday May 2, iACT will host the Hope Awards at the Bullock Texas State History Museum with the theme, “Celebrating a Place of Refuge.” The Hope Awards is iACT’s major fundraiser for community service programs.

Simone Talma Flowers, iACT executive director,

Gilbert Tuhabonye to speak at Hope Awards.

Austin’s MULTICULTURAL media source for EIGHT YEARS • Find us at TODOAustin.com

said, “The iACT Hope Awards is a celebration of everything we do at iACT to keep Austin a vibrant community full of hope and love.” The 2017 Hope Awards honorees will include: AISD, Bullock Texas State History Museum, Mehraz Rahman, A Glimmer of Hope Foundation and St. John’s United Methodist Church.

Austin wins urban planning award The City of Austin has received the Gold 2017 National Planning Achievement Award for Urban Design from the American Planning Association (APA). The award recognizes Austin’s Historic Cemeteries Master Plan, which provides a framework for rehabilitating and transforming five cemetery properties into community open spaces. “The Historic Cemeteries Master Plan has united our community around a vision for how to preserve and activate these unique and complex spaces,” said Kimberly McNeeley, Acting Director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.

Poll confirms ATX is for millennials The results of the 2017 Zandan Poll, a comprehensive public opinion poll of Austinarea residents, shows that eight out of ten Austinites believe Austin lives up to the positive hype it frequently receives, driven by millennials’ and a host of other newly minted residents to the Austin metropolitan area. Almost one out of every two Austin metro residents gave our city top marks for being a better place to raise a family than other U.S. cities. These positive marks come at the same time that a majority (66 percent) of Austinites report that they have cut back on spending due to the rising cost of living in the Austin area.

Texas children’s healthcare failing The personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on Apr 24 naming Texas as 2017’s 5th worst state for children’s health care. In order to determine which states offer the most cost-effective and highest-quality health care for children, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 28 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of children aged 0 to 17 in excellent or very good health to pediatricians and family doctors per capita.

Volume IX, Number 1 PUBLISHER/EDITOR // Gavin Lance Garcia info@todoaustin.com ART DIRECTOR // Dave McClinton dmdesigninc.com EDITOR //Lesly Reynaga // lesly@todoaustin.com MANAGING EDITOR // Meredith C. Cox meredith@todoaustin.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS // Liz Lopez, Monica Peña, Katie Walsh, Erica Stall Wiggins, Yvonne Lim Wilson CONTRIBUTING STAFF // Rose Di Grazia, Callie

Entering our ninth year of publication

to face challenges such as gentrification, which continues to force families to migrate to suburban areas and other parts of Austin.

By Lesly Reynaga

“The importance of this decrease in share should not be underestimated as just a few decades ago African Americans made-up around 15 percent of the city’s population and just a few decades from now African Americans could represent a mere five percent of the city’s population and constitute the smallest minority group in the city,” City Demographer Ryan Robinson states.

TODO Austin is proud to celebrate the beginning of its ninth year of publishing this month. This paper was created eight volumes ago as a form of expression for Austin’s minority communities.

Our mission has become more significant with the years as Austin’s rapid growth continues to impact its demographics in various ways.

The Asian and Latino communities continue to expand in our city--household growth in both of these communities far exceeds the growth of Anglo households, according to the City Department of Planning and Zoning. The Asian and Latino populations are also socioeconomically diverse.

It would be unfair to ignore the great contributions that diversification have brought to Austin. Multiculturalism is a big factor in the continued success and growth of this city, and TODO Austin aims to tell the stories of the real faces who are the engine of our thriving community.

TODO Austin continues to receive ongoing support from a number of local organizations, including long-time partners such as the City of Austin, Guero’s Taco Bar, Long Center for the Performing Arts, KLRU, Austin Symphony Orchestra and Texas Performing Arts.

Latinos contribute to various sector jobs, from high-tech and trade to construction and service, in addition to the fact that higher-than-average Latino household sizes have kept Austin one of the youngest cities in the country.

Our Asian community is made up of residents with origins in several countries, mostly India, Vietnam and China. A great number of Vietnamese households migrating from the Houston area have enriched our city with a highly entrepreneurial population that has opened new businesses, purchased restaurants, made loans available to its network and acquired real estate.

More critically, Austin’s African American community is heading the opposite direction.

East Austin’s historical African American density began its decline in the 1980s and continues

Just as vital to TODO Austin have been the countless hours of work from our Associate Editors Liz Lopez and Monica Peña, Contributing Staff Rose Di Grazia and César E. López Linares, Managing and Web Editor Meredith C. Cox, Art Director and co-founder Dave McClinton, Publisher and co-founder Gavin Garcia and hundreds of contributors over the years.

We are also grateful to the local businesses around the city that provide our print media a space for distribution.

We look forward to another year of sharing stories about culture and diversity that change the course of our local history.

Finally, we invite all our readers to join in events such as the Asian American Resource Center’s annual CelebrASIA: Asian Pacific American Food and Heritage Festival, commemorating Asian Pacific Heritage Month on Saturday, May 6, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Langford, César E. López Linares, Genoveva Rodriguez, Diana Sanchez

ONLINE EDITION // TODOAustin.com COVER // xxxxxxxxx

PRODUCTION SERVICES // Anthony Garcia

TODO Austin // Multicultural Media for All of Austin. TODO Austin is a free print and online journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage and promoting the concept of community in an ethnically diverse city.

Circulation throughout Austin, from the Westside’s Pennybacker Bridge to the Eastside’s Montopolis Bridge.

CONTRIBUTORS // Alka Bhanot, Roy Casagranda, Cat Cardenas, Cindy Casares, Evelyn C. Castillo, Lobo Corona, Nora De LaRosa, Laura Donnelly Gonzalez, Monica Faulkner, Mark Guerra, Laure Cook Heffron, Mari Hernandez, Yadira Izquierdo, Chaille Jolink, Ryan Jordan, Ali Khataw, Ramey Ko, Harish Kotecha, Sonia Kotecha, Julia Lee, Isabel Lopez-Aguilar, Michael Mosser, Cristina Parker, Carola Rivera, Paul Saldaña, Marion Sanchez, Sameer Shah, Blake Shanley, Dani Slabaugh, Corey Tabor, Rama Tiru, Carola Rivera, Rama Tiru, Blanca Valencia, Lesley Varghese, Lichen Zhen

TODO Austin is published by Spark Awakened Publishing. © 2017 Spark Awakened Publishing. All rights reserved.

The views expressed here are the authors and should not be taken to represent those of Spark Awakened Publishing or of any of its associates or partners.

ADVERTISING/SUBMISSIONS/EDITORIAL: info@todoaustin.com, 512.538.4115 TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM 03

Separating children and moms will not curb unauthorized entry into the U.S.

of their children when faced with violence and persecution.

By Monica Faulkner & Laurie Cook Heffron

Recent news reports have indicated that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering causing children psychological harm as a strategy to curb illegal immigration from Central America. It is contemplating separating mothers and children who cross the border without authorization.

By Michael Mosser

One hundred days into Donald Trump’s presidency, but by the sheer volume of news coverage alone, one could be forgiven for thinking that it has been far longer since the inauguration.

Regardless of whether this practice becomes official policy, it is already happening in Texas, and it is not deterring women from escaping violence in their home countries.

Texas immigration advocates have recently noted cases of mothers who have had their children sent to detention facilities 300 miles away from them. Even though family detention centers have had capacity for more families, children are being taken from their mothers at the border and bussed to different locations. Mothers have no means of contacting their children or knowing that their children are safe. It has been a common practice to not house adolescent males in family detention once they reach 16 years old. However, much younger children are being separated from their mothers.

Since 2011, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in arrivals of Central American immigrant women and their children. During the past two years, our government apprehended more than 100,000 immigrant families, primarily Central American women traveling with their children.

Central American women’s motivations to migrate are often tied to poverty, violence and persecution in their home countries. Crossing the border is often a decision of last resort as they search of safety and refuge. The journey and potential detention in America may still be a safer option even if there is potential for detention and separation from a child. As one woman told us, “I die here or I take my chances and maybe die on the way.”

As social workers, we have worked with women in these situations. We have heard consistent themes in their stories of rape, severe domestic violence, threats from gangs, human trafficking and lack of police protection. When murders of women are not investigated and when bodies are left in streets in their home countries, there is a clear message that women’s lives do not matter.

As parents ourselves, we acknowledge that separation and psychological harm to our children is something we would avoid at all costs.

Thus, we appreciate the urgency with which many immigrant parents seek the safety and protection 04 TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM

Danger of news media polarization lies in our easy acceptance of the narratives we are given

As researchers, we also understand that the criminalization of immigrant mothers comes with a price — a price that will largely be paid by children. Separating children from their mothers erodes mental health and disrupts attachment, dynamics that may persist even after families are reunified. Even when families are not separated, the pervasive fear of such an event carries damaging consequences.

Regardless of the lens one might use to consider immigration policy, separating mothers from their children is inhumane and has not, and will not, deter unauthorized entry into our country.

Women coming from Central America have more to fear in their own countries than they do here.

When choices are so constrained that mothers must choose between certain death or separation from children for a temporary period, mothers often choose separation because at least they will still be alive to fight for their children.

Ripping children from their mothers’ arms and sending them to separate detention facilities is not a deterrent. There is simply no other rational reason to implement such a policy. We must resist the notion that a humane response is not feasible. Rather, we have both the know-how and the responsibility to keep families together and to offer a comprehensive, trauma-informed response to those seeking asylum in the United States.

Women and their children should be released to the community together, where they can proceed with the process of applying for asylum, but taxpayers will not have to foot the bill for detaining them, and children will not experience harm.

Monica Faulkner is a research associate professor and director of the Texas Institute for Family and Child Wellbeing in the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin. Laurie Cook Heffron is an assistant professor of social work at St. Edward’s University.

Depending on one’s choice of media outlet, one could also be forgiven for thinking there are two entirely different, but parallel, universes in which that news is being made.

The continuous news coverage is aided and abetted by a president whose communication style and media-savvy personality have proved to be a perfect fit for the fragmented media environment that has emerged during the past few years.

And the idea of a “parallel universe” is exemplified when, on two screens carrying two separate networks reporting on the same set of facts, one media outlet is reporting on the existence of classified information that shows alleged malfeasance within the administration while another reports on the failure to find and prosecute leakers of that classified information.

None of this is new or noteworthy. Partisan and polarized media exists around the world, in countries ranked high and low on the Freedom House index of democracy.

What seems new to us – or at least more transparent with Trump in particular – is how the media has chosen to package the news in a way that Americans have gotten used to consuming it: based on what suits pre-existing thoughts and narratives.

We saw this during the election with stories about “echo chambers” and “bubbles” whereby prevailing voter opinions were reinforced via the news outlets or stories chosen. To a large extent, this has continued into the present, with the end result that there is no longer one media, but rather fractured media streams that serve not to illuminate “truth” but rather to reinforce dogma.

Thus, many pundits fear that the media has lost its objectivity and, depending on its partisan slant, seeks to either support or tear down the president and the administration.

To the defenders of the administration, gone is the pretense of objectivity, replaced by partisan muckraking. The adversarial media, this argument goes, has gone too far. By framing every news item as an example of weakness in the administration, it diminishes the institutional and normative power of the presidency itself.

By contrast, critics of the administration argue that the media, by reporting facts that may be inconvenient or damaging, serves as the last line of defense in speaking truth to power and illuminating abuses. Both sides argue the other has little regard for the “truth.” Both see a diminution of trust in the institutions of governance and in the free exchange of information, which is corrosive to democracy, dangerous to the republic, and undermines the exceptional ideal of who we are as Americans.

But here’s the thing: None of this, in and of itself, is dangerous to democracy.

The real danger lies in our passive acceptance of the narratives we are given.

Rather than bemoan the fact that the media is fragmenting, we should embrace it. We should make it, in truth, even more adversarial.

The key is to do it right – a modern, allaspects debating society where arguments are based on reasoned analysis of information, and where narratives are seen for what they truly are: seductive stories imbued with meaning.

By and of themselves, they have no power.

The narratives of the “crooked government” or the “willfully ignorant media” are influential only if we accept their meanings unquestioningly and blindly.

An educated, engaged populace that triangulates news sources to unpack the narratives guiding the stories will be better equipped to return the media to its rightful place in American society: As a vessel for delivery of information, not as a propaganda tool of the regime or its critics. Failing that, those who fear for the health of the U.S. are right. We won’t be so exceptional after all.

Michael Mosser is a lecturer in the Department of Government, the Center for European Studies, and the International Relations and Global Governance program at The University of Texas at Austin

My Brother’s Keeper Coding Makerspace Student Showcase. Sat., May 13, 1 p.m. Come see and support the My Brother’s Keeper student projects. Students have been coding scenes that can be used to create virtual reality websites and apps that can be shared with anyone. Here is an opportunity for boys of color in college and grades 11-12 to attend a free Coding Makerspace at the Carver Museum. To foster an inclusive computing culture, Changing

Cine Las Americas 20th Annual International Film Festival. Mon., May 3 - Fri., May 7. The line-up and full schedule for the 2017 Cine Las Americas International Film Festival is available here www.cinelasamericas.org. Black Box. Awards of Excellence 2017. Sat., May 20. This award is to be granted as the highest distinction and celebration of lasting contributions by artists and community members. Join us for an enchanting evening ceremony.

Expectations has added WebVR (virtual reality) coding projects to the My Brother’s Keeper Coding Makerspace.

Sounds of Young Black and Gifted Concert, Wed., May 31, 1:30 p.m.

Youth from all over the Austin Metropolitan area will dance, sing and perform instrumental pieces. The concert will be immediately following the annual B.L. Joyce Parade supporting education in the fine arts. The parade will start at Huston-Tillotson University at 11 a.m. and end at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center at 1 p.m. with the concert starting at 1:30 p.m. Join us in demonstrating our community support of our young men and women in their hard work and ongoing accomplishments at the end of the school year.

Pro-immigration communities disappointed by House passage of SB 4, “antisanctuary cities” In late April, the Texas House’s voted to pass SB 4, which will punish local police officers if they do not fully cooperate with detainer requests issued

by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. SB 4 would also allow local peace officers to inquire into the legal status of people who are arrested or detained. Procedural steps are all that remain before it is expected to pass through a conference committee and be signed by Governor Abbott into Texas state law.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops expressed disappointment on the last-minute amendment, which allows police to inquire into the status of detained persons, in addition to those who are arrested: “We are deeply disappointed that the House revised SB 4 to include people who have committed no crime that merits arrest or citation,” said Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin, who also serves as chair of the

The American Soldier. Thu., May 25 and Fri., 26, 8 p.m. Douglas Taurel presents his powerful solo show based on actual letters written by veterans and their family members from the American Revolution all the way through to the current day conflict in Afghanistan. The American Soldier, performed off Broadway, received four stars at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, was nominated for the international Amnesty Award in Theatre Excellence, and was recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Writing Workshop: Critique Session I. Conducted by Ire’ne Lara Silva. Sat., May 20, 1 - 5 p.m. Ire’ne Lara Silva is the author of “furia, flesh to bone,” which won the 2013 Premio Aztlan, the digital chapbook, “Enduring Azucares,” and the forthcoming “Blood Sugar Canto.” Raul Salinas Room.

Through a variety of educational programs, the Asian American Resource Center is dedicated to providing our community with camps, workshops, classes and events that highlight the rich diversity of Asian and Asian American cultures.

The AARC’s Recreational and Intergenerational Community Education is a program designed to address the intergenerational wellness and education needs of Austin residents, with particular focus on the underserved Asian American community. The RICE program is a comprehensive educational program tailored to needs of seniors, adults and youth.

In Sanskrit, the word for rice carries the meaning “sustainer of the human race.” Rice is a staple food spanning countries from the Philippines, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and beyond.

The RICE Program encompasses several components, including: Senior Lunch Social: Free meals for Austin seniors ages 60+ every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Recreational Activities: Including Tai Chi, table tennis, Asian board games, yoga, crafts, other.

Health Education: Including topics such as heart health, diabetes management and other.

RICE Intergenerational Garden: Community members of all ages will work on projects together to develop our intergenerational garden that will consist of Asian produce, herbs and flora.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration and Refugee Services. “This will not help peace officers build trust with the migrant community, which is critical to keeping all our communities safe.”

“In my testimony before legislative committees,” Bishop Vásquez continued, “I urged our legislators to develop humane and respectful ways for cities and peace officers to address immigration enforcement issues. I am also concerned that SB 4 may add to the human tragedy of causing families to be torn apart, when such painful tragedies can and should be avoided. The Gospel teaches us to be compassionate to the stranger and to listen to each other. I think, unfortunately, SB 4 continues to wedge us further apart and moves us away from the pastoral and human care the Gospel tells us is our vocation.”

Acknowledging governments have the right and responsibility to maintain their borders, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the GalvestonHouston Archdiocese added, “Immigration law should be enforced in a way that is targeted, proportional and humane. This bill does not meet the standard.”

“Immigrants who come to this country to work or to flee violence are not a threat to our safety,” explained Archbishop Gustavo GarcíaSiller of the San Antonio Archdiocese. “Sadly, this legislation will suppress their ability to contribute to our society and economy, and as a matter of principle, the unity of families must be safeguarded.”

United We Dream, the largest immigrant youthled organization in the nation, vowed to continue resistance.

“Our fight does not end here,” State Coordinator with United We Dream Karla Perez said. “Today we will protest and tomorrow we will continue our work in our cities to protect our people from this racist, anti-immigrant law and the actions of the executive office that it echoes.”

“Once again, proponents of this bill have directed their hate at the children and families of this state, people of color and our LGBTQ community,” Perez continued. “They have found new ways to criminalize our families, and have shown that they do not care about dignity and respect for immigrants in our state. History will not judge them well. We remind them that this is not over, and like our presence here, our fight for liberation remains immoveable. We are here to stay!”

TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM 05

FREE

May 2017 FEATURED EVENTS: CelebrASIA Festival

Saturday, May 6th, 11am - 3pm Celebrate Asian Pacific American Month with food, fun, and kids activities!

Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Rd. More information at www.austintexas.gov/AARC

40th Annual PUN-OFF World Championships

Saturday, May 13th 12pm-6pm Old-school, quirky festival celebrating quick witted wordplay - live music too!

O’Henry Museum, 409 East 5th St. More information at www.ohenrymuseum.org

West Austin Studio Tour Group Show, May 13th - 21st

At this annual self-guided tour, meet the artists who drive our vibrant creative culture!

Doughtery Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. More information at www.austintexas.gov/dac

Ney Day!

Saturday, May 20th 12pm-5pm

Celebrate women in the arts, sciences, and civic life through live music, trapeze, art and technology demos, and more!

Elisabet Ney Museum, 304 East 44th St. www.austintexas.gov/elisabetney

Visit our Facebook page for all upcoming events! www.facebook.com/ArtsInParks The City of Austin is proud to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities, please call 512-974-3914.

Good Times at Güero’s For great tunes and great rita’s!

Please join us for live music on our outside jardin stage, every Wednesday through Sunday. THANKS TO THE FANS & BANDS WHO SUPPORT US!!!

MAY Line-up

TACO BAR

1412 S. Congress Avenue • Austin, Texas 78704 Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 8am-11pm

OUTDOOR SHOWS ARE “WEATHER PERMITTING” -----------------------------------------------------------------------WED 5/3 KDRP RADIO SHOW @ 6:00 THU 5/4 LOS FLAMES @ 6:30 FRI 5/5 CAZADORES TEQUILA CINCO DE MAYO @ 6:30 -----------------------------------------------------------------------SAT 5/6 THE BREW @ 2:30 / EL TULE’ @ 6:30 SUN 5/7 ZYDECO BLANCO (CRAWFISH BOIL) @ 1:00 - 6:00 WED 5/10 SUN RADIO SHOW @ 6:00 THU 5/11 JORGE TAMAYO & FRIENDS @ 6:30 FRI 5/12 JONAS ALVAREZ BAND @ 6:30 -----------------------------------------------------------------------SAT 5/13 TEXAS TYCOONS @ 2:30 / MICAH SHALOM & THE BABYLONIANS @ 6:30 SUN 5/14 TRENT TURNER @ 12:00 / BLUE MIST @ 3:00 WED 5/17 SUN RADIO SHOW @ 6:00 THU 5/18 TOM BEN LINDLEY @ 6:30 FRI 5/19 THE BOB FUENTES SHOW @ 6:30 -----------------------------------------------------------------------SAT 5/20 JIM STRINGER @ 2:30 / AUSTIN HEAT @ 6:30 SUN 5/21 THE SIDEMEN @ 12:00 / MITCH WEBB Y LOS SWINDLES @ 3:00 WED 5/24 SUN RADIO SHOW @ 6:00 THU 5/25 TEX TOMAS @ 6:30 FRI 5/26 THE BOB FUENTES SHOW @ 6:30 -----------------------------------------------------------------------SAT 5/27 HUCK & THE JACKKIVES @ 12:00 / TUESDAY’S TONE @ 2:30 / GLEN COLLINS @ 6:30 SUN 5/28 TRIO MUSICAL @ 12:00 / CHICKEN STRUT @ 3:00

www.GuerosTacoBar.com

aboutCitizenship character. is also I am about character. I am an American.

We’re just an American. We’re just waiting our country waiting forforour country to recognize it. to recognize it.

¡Con ¡Conliberta libertad para todos! para todos

You are cordially invited to attend our annual event!

— Jose Antonio Vargas

Awards of Excellence

— Jose Antonio Vargas

Pol. Adv. Pd. by Sarah Eckhardt Campaign

PODER ad1.indd 1

2017

Saturday, May 20 600 River St, Austin, TX 78701 5pm

3/4/15 12:26 PM

Pol. Adv. Pd. by Sarah Eckhardt Campaign

PODER ad1.indd 1

3/4/15 12:26

STAYING COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY Committed to building and strengthening relationships between our office and residents so that we can better serve the needs of our community.

ABOUT THE EVENT Established in 2009 by the ESB-MACC Advisory Board, this award recognizes remarkable Latinos for the highest artistic excellence they bring to the cultural arts of Austin. Individuals or groups from any artistic discipline who have demonstrated distinguished service, leadership, dedication, outstanding performance and a lasting contribution in the arts can be considered for this honor.

The City of Austin is proud to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require assistance for participation in our programs or use of our facilities, please call (512) 974-3914.

SGT TONYA NIXON TRAVIS COUNTY CONSTABLE PRECINCT ONE 4717 HEFLIN LN STE 127 AUSTIN, TX 78721 512-854-7510

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May

By Carola Rivera

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month--a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Our local community is invited to celebrate the occasion at two different events--the Asian American Resource Center’s fourth annual CelebrASIA Austin: Asian Pacific American Food and Heritage Festival and the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce’s Ovation gala.

decade, presidents passed annual proclamations for Asian Pacific American Heritage Week until 1990 when Congress passed a law that expanded the observance to a month for 1990. It was finally in 1992 when Congress passed a new law which annually designated May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of

The term “Asian Pacific” encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Like most commemorative months, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated with Congress. In June 1978, Rep. Frank Horton introduced a resolution proposing that the President proclaim a week to include a seven-day period beginning on May 4, 1979 as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week.

This resolution was passed by the House and then the Senate and was signed by President Jimmy Carter on October 5, 1978. During the next

By Rama Tiru

Hindu Charities for America is celebrating the fifth annual Bollywood Meets Borscht Belt on Sunday, May 28, 4 -7 p.m. at Dell Community Center.

Once again this year, Hindu Charities for America and the South Asian community is thrilled to be partnering with the Austin Jewish community to raise funds to buy school supplies for more than 1,000 homeless and economically disadvantaged children of Austin, Del Valley and Manor school districts.

When hearing the name Hindu Charities for America, many people assume that the organization is a religious one or that it’s involved with charitable works in India. However, Hindu Charities of America is founded on the principle “We give where we live.” The organization was founded in 2010 with the goal of creating a 08 TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM

CelebrASIA is a free community event celebrating its fourth anniversary on Sat., May 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year, CelebrASIA commemorates the “Year of the Mango.” You’re invited to learn how to cook with mango with Chefs Min and Jenna Choe of Jenna’s Asian Kitchen, Diana Nguyen of EM Gourmet and Fred Wu of ThaiKun with culinary educator, chef and food writer Shefaly Ravula of Shef’s Kitchen leading live interviews throughout the day.

Attendees are invited to experience a range of Asian flavors with food and beverages available for sale from local Asian restaurants including Jenna’s Asian Kitchen (Pan Asian), Swad (Indian), Shahi Café (Middle Eastern, South Asian), Burma Bliss (Burmese-Thai), Tea Haus (Taiwanese) and Kona Ice.

Before diving into the details of Austin’s own celebrations, let’s explore some of the history behind this holiday.

Join Indian and Jewish communities in 5th annual bicultural event supporting education

the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

vehicle for Indian communities across the U.S. to give back to the communities that have embraced them and provided opportunities for their own success. Hindu Charities for America’s mission is to bridge income disparity through education.

Interactive Heritage Showcases, presented by local cultural organizations, featuring activities, clothing, decor and artifacts from various regions of Asia.

Learn more about area service organizations at the Community Outreach Fair.

CelebrASIA Austin highlights the growing Asian American population of Austin, which is the fastest growing demographic group in Central Texas and constitutes nearly seven percent of the Austin population. Please visit the AARC website at austintexas.gov/aarc for additional updates and program schedule or call the main line at 512-974-1700.

The Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce turns five this year and the public is invited to celebrate with them during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the annual gala, Ovation, Friday, May 19, 6 - 11 p.m.

The Asian Marketplace Street Bazaar at CelebrASIA will provide more opportunities for cultural exploration with arts, crafts and merchandise available for sale.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner is Sada Cumber, former special envoy to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Mr. Cumber will be in Austin to accept his award in person, along with other honorees such as Journeyman Construction, SparkCognition and the Wong Family.

In addition, attendees will enjoy outdoor cultural performances throughout the day with Victoria Maranan of Spectrum News serving as emcee.

Children will enjoy various crafts, face painting, moon bounce and other ongoing activities.

Attendees will explore the world through indoor

There will be a gala reception for mingling with civic, business and community leaders and award honorees, and music by the retro band The Barberettes all the way from Korea.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit austinasianchamber.org.

Rama Tiru Photo

Education is the driving goal of Mr. Harish Kotecha, the founder of Hindu Charities for America. Mr. Kotecha believes that Indians started coming to the U.S. in big numbers because of their education, technical knowledge and ease with the English language. These are the main reasons they are a successful minority group in America.

From its inception in 2010, Hindu Charities for America explored various ways to raise funds to help economically disadvantaged and homeless children with their school supply needs. Taking advantage of Austin’s cultural diversity for the past four years, the South Asian and Jewish communities of Austin have put together Bollywood Meets Borscht Belt at the Dell Community Center, 7300 Hart Ln. In the past four years, generous participation from both communities enabled to raise money to provide backpacks, library books and school supplies to more than 2,100 children in the Austin and Manor Independent School Districts. Hindu Charities of America also hosts annual fundraising galas that help support its education goals.

In 2016, the Austin community donated $23,000 in schools supplies for over 1,400 homeless

students in the Austin Area. Additionally, $43,000 was donated for scholarships that support almost 80 students living below the poverty line.

The organization’s success is only possible thanks to selfless service-oriented groups of volunteers and businesses that donate their time, efforts and resources to the cause. The event specially recognizes all the performing and visual artists who give their creative time freely every year, as well as local Indian restaurants providing food and our local Jewish community providing dessert and chai.

The simple but important mission of Hindu Charities for America of imparting knowledge to all American youth brings people together and gives them a sense of pride and purpose. Hindu

Charities for America will soon become a national movement for all Americans of Indian origin to participate and build a strong, successful and educated community of diverse cultures.

The entire Austin community is invited to participate and support the event, which will feature Indian dinner followed by Jewish dessert, along with unique entertainment featuring a fusion theatrical production of Indian and Jewish dance and music and an art gallery.

Bollywood meets Borscht Belt is a family friendly event. Tickets for children ages six to 12 are $10, adult tickets are $30 and children under six enter with free admission. For more details, visit hc4a.org.

To Do Música

By Liz Lopez BROWN SOUND NEWS KOOP Radio 91.7, Austin’s community radio station, will be losing established DJ Vanessa Burden soon to pursue other personal projects.

“KOOP gave me the opportunity to grow and learn so much in the last 5 years I’ve been on the FM,” she stated on a Facebook post. For more information, contact her via her Facebook page and for radio station volunteer opportunities, visit koop.org.

The Rancho Alegre Conjunto Festival, which started in 2012, returns after a brief absence and this year it will be held at the legendary Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater on May 5 and 7. The Rancho Alegre Conjunto Festival hosts a fresh take on Conjunto, a traditional accordion-driven Texas music form. In the prior years of this festival, over 40 different groups, many of whom had never played in Austin, performed in the “Live Music Capital of the World.” The festival will be held on

Friday, May 5, starting at 4 p.m. and returns on Sunday, May 7 set to begin at 2 p.m. Among the large line up, the TexManiacs will perform on Sunday, May 7 and it’s free and family-friendly.

Stubb’s Austin, 801 Red River St. For up to date information, visit ranchoalegreradio.org.

activities and musical acts are offered, featuring One Ton Country (Friday, May 19 at 6 p.m.) and Rick Trevino (Saturday, May 20 at 6:15 p.m.). It is suggested to take your own chair. Old Town Leander, 100 N Brushy St and more information available at oldtownstreetfestival.com

Steve Rat Silvas announced via his Facebook page that he is in the final stages of producing and recording a project for “Powered By Faith,” a music ministry. The project was started a year ago and will begin mixing and mastering at Hacienda. For more information on this project and updates, contact Steve Rat Silvas via his Facebook page.

Las Cafeteras will preview their new record, “Tastes Like L.A.,” released April 14, where you can enjoy a short set of son jarocho, hip hop, social justice inspiration y más. Las Cafeteras fuse Afro-Mexican (son jarocho), hip hop, folk, Native American and more genres. Monday, May 1 7-9 p.m. Santa Cruz Center for Culture, 1805 E 7th St. For more information about the band and the new release, visit lascafeteras.bandcamp.com.

The Austin Tejano Music Coalition has started the live filmed auditions for the 2017 Tejano Idol vocal competition. To view the varied cities that the organization has planned to conduct the auditions and the dates, visit atmc-tejanoidol.com.

The Old Town Street Festival is a fun festival held each spring in downtown Leander’s charming Old Town District. The streets of Old Town Leander fill with local and national artisans offering handcrafted creations. Family-friendly

VITERA

RECOM M END ED S HOWS Felix Pompa will be performing on May 5 and May 13 at Azul Tequila North, 3815 Dry Creek Dr. 7-9 p.m. No cover. azultequila.com.

--Tio Chico described as “Brazilian Music with a kick!” on their website reported via Facebook they will perform on May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Oskar Blues Brewery Austin, 10420 Metric Blvd.

No cover and visit their page or website for more information tio-chico.com/ --Haydn Vitera announced he is performing at the Monday Night Jam, alongside many friends who perform with groups such as Zane Williams, Hudson Moore and Charlie Robison. The next one is set with Paul Eason and Friends at 9 p.m. on May 8 at 118 Cheatham St., San Marcos. cheathamstreet.com --The Peruvian band La Inédita comes to town with their fourth international World Tour, presenting their new album “Feel Da Fayah,” which proposes a mix of traditional Peruvian cumbia, raggamuffin and electronic music. Also joining the bill is Austin’s multicultural Ska band, Los Kurados, and Dj Vanessa La Bestia will have you in the mix in between sets. Saturday, May 6. Doors at 9:30pm, Flamingo Cantina, 515 E 6th St. (512) 494-9336. flamingocantina.com --OK Corral is proud to present Austin’s own Ruben Ramos, El Gato Negro on Friday, May 12 Doors -8 pm. Michael Salgado is back in Austin Friday, May 19 Doors: 8pm. These performances are ticketed events. Follow them on Instagram for your chance to win tickets. OK Corral 629 W Ben White Blvd.

CINCO DE MAYO E VE NT S: The Backstage at El Mercado Restaurant South is the place to party for Cinco De Mayo 2017! Join in the fun as Amorada Tequila presents Los Jazz Vatos and of course all the tequila and Tex-Mex your heart desires! Tickets and table reservations online. Doors open 7 p.m., Downbeat 8 p.m. All ages event. General Admission Tix are $15 in adv.

--5 DE MAYO IN LOCKHART TEXAS! Cinco de Mayo Friday night features Conjunto Romo, Lucky Joe and DJ Jesse the Jammer! Saturday night will see Devin Banda 6 p.m., La Tropa F, DJ Doh Boi and other young artists. For more information please call 512-398-9600. Greater Caldwell County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

--Performing live at the Texas club Acero. No cover. Saturday, May 6 at 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Texas Club Grill, 4914 Burleson Rd, Austin.

--Kick off your Cinco De Mayo weekend with some Tequila Rock from VITERA and very special guest electric violinist Cassandra Sotos at the legendary Antone’s! See the Cinco For Cinco event page on Facebook for full details and ticket link and come join the fiesta. Friday, May 5 at 7 - 8:30 p.m. Antone’s, 305 E. 5th St. $5 Tickets Available. ticketfly.com.

Las Cafeteras

La Indedita TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM 09

Austin’s iconic Pecan Street Festival celebrates 40th anniversary

By Meredith C. Cox

Pecan Street Festival has long been an anticipated event in Austin every spring and fall — so long, in fact, that this year is the 40th anniversary of the beloved street festival. But let’s say you’re new to the city—here’s what the festival is all about!

Pecan Street is a free, two-day arts festival held yearly in downtown Austin’s Sixth Street Historic District. The spring portion always falls on the first Saturday and Sunday in May—this year on May 6 and 7—and attracts hundreds of local and national artisans. Attendees find original handcrafted creations in a variety of mediums—from metal, wood, fiber, clay, leather, glass, and stone, to repurposed materials of all kinds. The offerings go from the beautiful to the strange, but are definitely unique to each artisan.

“The most important element [of the event] is the people who attend,” Pecan Street Festival promoter Luis Zapata said. “These are beautiful, creative, art-loving people who respect each other and gather there to remind each other that we are a very special community.”

Even those of us who have been in Austin a

while may not even know the history of why Sixth Street is still referred to as Pecan Street occasionally, or where this festival got its name.

When Edwin Waller (the first mayor of Austin in 1840) designed Austin’s street grid, he named north/south streets after Texas rivers and recommended numeric designations for east/ west streets. Instead, they were named after trees, because that seemed like a great idea at the time. Some years later that decision was reversed and the streets were renamed with numbers, as Waller originally suggested. Even though Pecan Street became Sixth Street, this festival still honors its original name.

Because the festival is in Austin, there’s plenty of music and food accompanying it. This year, it features 44 of Austin’s top musical acts, from upand-comers to renowned veterans, like Ringo Deathstar, Riders Against the Storm, Annabelle Chairlegs, BLXPLTN, My Jerusalem, and TODO Austin’s own Lesly Reynaga. The performances are spread out on three different stages around the festival on Trinity, Neches and Red River streets.

Food-wise, expect about 30 vendors this year, offering both healthy fare but also traditional festival eats like funnel cakes, smoothies, crepes, fresh-squeezed lemonade, beer and plenty of regional cuisine.

Like Austin itself, Pecan Street Festival attendees are diverse. Some come to buy art, others come for the food or the music, some come for the kid-friendly activities (like rides, a petting zoo, face-painting, interactive workshops and street

magicians), but they all come to take part in a tradition that is 100 percent Austin and has been known now for four decades as a great, free way to spend a weekend.

“A few years ago, Ballet Austin was doing hip hop lessons at the festival,” Zapata shared in an anecdote. “Leslie [Keep Austin Weird’s famous homeless man and peace activist] shows up drunk in a thong. Next thing you know, the ladies taking the class are getting their picture taken with Leslie-wealthy , fancy ladies celebrating a transgendered homeless through iconic character. I remember

Cine Las Americas announces initial selection for 20th annual International Film Festival

Featured guests during the festival include “Ambulante Más Allá” director of training and production, María Inés Roqué, who will be a feature film juror and will introduce each Ambulante program, taking place at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.

By Liz Lopez

Films will be presented at the Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. MLK Blvd., the Santa Cruz Theater, 1805 E. Seventh St., and the ESB-MACC, 600 River St.

Cine Las Americas announced a list of its 2017 program for the 20th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival to be held in various venues from May 3-7 in Austin. The list includes the opening and closing night features and what has become a signature of the festival lineup, the “Hecho en Tejas” film program. All films are presented in English or with English subtitles (if English is not the original language).

The full festival lineup will include feature films, including new releases that are new to the Austin market, short films, documentaries and music videos. Together, they highlight a diversity of themes, genres and styles characteristic of contemporary national and international cinema trends.

“We are really pleased with how this year’s program is coming together, offering an impressive lineup of films from both established directors and new filmmakers,” festival director Jean Lauer 10 TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM

The opening night feature film is “Me Estás Matando Susana” (“You’re Killing Me Susana”), directed by Roberto Sneider and featuring Gael Garcia Bernal and Veronica Echegui. Bernal’s character, Eligio, is a fun-loving, charismatic actor who wakes up one morning to realize that his wife Susana (Echegui) has left him without a word or warning. The film will screen at the Blanton Museum of Art at 7 p.m. on May 3.

said. “The selections are diverse as usual, but audience members may notice that we have included more films produced and co-produced

by Mexican filmmakers than in previous years.

We felt it was especially important this year to showcase work from Texas’s neighboring country, as part of our mission of promoting cross-national understanding.”

CLAIFF marks its twentieth effort with a list of remarkable premieres, including the documentary film, “Dolores,” May 4, 6 p.m. at the Blanton Museum of Art. Granted unprecedented access to both Dolores Huerta and her children, director Peter Bratt sheds light on this enigmatic, intensely private woman. The film chronicles the life of United Farm Workers co-founder, Dolores Huerta.

History books may focus on the leadership role that Cesar Chavez played with the UFW, but

thinking, ‘Austinites, we are the very best of America.’”

The Pecan Street Association supports the Austin community by donating festival proceeds to several local nonprofit groups and municipal-aid organizations each year, often forming partnerships to further charitable efforts.

As part of their 40th celebration, the Pecan Street Association is asking festival part-takers to help them build their archive of the Pecan Street Festival.

For more information, visit pecanstreetfestival.org.

Huerta, the mother of 11, was right by his side, during the boycotts, marches and strikes that the UFW used to bring attention to the plight of the laborers in the fields.

The closing night feature is “Sueño en Otro idioma” (“I Dream in Another Language”), also from Mexico.

A 2017 Sundance Audience Award winner, the film is directed by Ernesto Contreras and tells the story of a young linguist who travels to the Mexican jungle to research a language on the verge of extinction.

The film will screening on May 7 at 7 p.m., Blanton Museum of Art. A perennial favorite, the “Hecho en Tejas” program, features films and videos shot and/or produced in Texas, showcasing the wide variety of work by filmmakers with varied backgrounds and experience. These selections complement the festival’s national and international lineup, and include films from both up-and-coming talent and veteran filmmakers. For the eighth consecutive year, Cine Las Americas is partnering with the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, to present a jury award to the best “Hecho en Tejas” film. This year’s “Hecho en Tejas” jury member is one of the founders of Cine Las Americas, Celeste Quesada.

To purchase tickets, passes or a membership and a badge, as well as the full schedule for the festival, visit cinelasamericas.org.

CELEBRATING

DIVERSITY

BRIDGE2BRIDGE From Montopolis Bridge to 360 Bridge, Everything Austin

The City Theatre Austin presents Dan Goggin’s musical comedy “Nunsense” May 5-28. Filled with sisterly love and good cheer, the original hit show was translated into at least 26 languages by the time it closed in the 90s.

Directed by Jim Lindsay and choreographed by Laura Lund; featuring Little Sisters of Hoboken B.J. Ortwein, Sam Watson, Lariena Armstrong, Jennifer Bateman and Stefanie Salyers. citytheatreaustin.org.

The second-annual Austin Refugee Day Festival and soccer tournament on Saturday, May 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Onion Creek Soccer Complex, is a free event open to the public. The fun park day for the community, celebrating the city’s refugee population, will include a 7-on-7 soccer tournament, kids’ activities, carnival games, face painting, etc., as well as info and resource booths for attendees. atxrefugeedayfestival.com

CINCO DE MAYO Austin’s longest running Cinco de Mayo observance is an annual outdoor party that takes place at beautiful Fiesta Gardens. Fiestas Patrias of Austin will hold their tenth annual festival on Saturday, May 6 at Fiesta Gardens Park. Gates open at noon with live music/entertainment from A.J. Castillo, La Tropa F, Eddie Gonzalez, Rumores, Mia Garcia, Yayo Castillo, and Ballet Folklorico de Mari Cruz.

The 25th annual Austin Tejano Conjunto Festival, featuring Johnny Degollado y su Conjunto, is Sunday, May 7 at Fiesta Gardens Park. Gates open at noon with a line-up of Los Pinky’s, Los Fantasmas del Valle, Boni Mauricio y Los Maximos, Santos Sosa, Flavio Longoria y Los Conjunto Kingz and Conjunto Baraja de Oro. Mexic-Arte Museum hosts Taste of Mexico on Wednesday, May 3 at 6 p.m. Guests can sample creative cuisines from over 50 of Austin’s most eclectic and exciting restaurants, food trucks, and beverage purveyors with this year’s highlight of French influence in Mexican foodscapes.

A Robert Rodriguez double feature is Thursday May 4 at Blue Starlite Drive In. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and films start at 8:30 p.m. In “Desperado,” an itinerant musician, looking for work, gets mistaken for a hitman and thereby entangled in a web of love, corruption, and death. In “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” a hitman becomes involved in international espionage involving a psychotic CIA agent and a corrupt Mexican general.

Also among Cinco de Mayor events are Vitera at Antone’s (doors at 5 p.m.), Cinco De Mayo Fiesta at Hotel Vegas, 7 p.m. on Friday, May 5 with El Tule, The Reputations, Crashin in Con King Louie, DJ uLOVEi and more. All day celebration at Mean Eyed Cat, Black Sheep Lodge, Pinthouse Pizza Brewpub, Flying Saucer and Yard Bar, all begin at 11 a.m.

India Fine Arts presents a South Asian concert Saturday, May 6, at 6 p.m. in Jones Auditorium, Ragsdale Center at St. Edward’s University. Featured artists are vocalist Vidushi Amritha Murali, violinist Vidwan R.K. Sriramkumar and Vidwan Arun Prakash on mridanam.

Musicians, Rasokas and critics have high praise for Murali, who has recorded several discs with the Charsur Digital Work Station, Chennai. austinifa.org Actress Robin Givens, actor Columbus Short, actor Nephew Tommy, actress Jackée Harry, actorsinger Christopher Williams, singer Shirley Murdock, “Lil G” from the R&B group Silk, actress-singer Cheryl Pepsii Riley and more unite at The Theatre at the Erwin Center on Friday, May 12 in “Momma’s Boy,” the story of how a man is forced to change the life of another and turn him into a grown man. uterwincenter.com Big Medium’s West Austin Studio Tour (WEST) is a free, annual, self-guided art event spanning across two weekends in May. West provides opportunities for the public to meet the local artists and artisans of Austin in creative spaces, including studios, galleries, pop-up shows and happenings. This year’s sixth celebration of West is May 13-14 and 20-21, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For more info go to west.bigmedium.org Long ago, possums were silky white with beautiful tails and loved to play tricks, particularly on poor Coyote.

In Pollyanna Theatre Company’s “Playing Possum,” a retelling of Mexican folklore, we follow Possum’s adventures. Combined with Spanish language elements, the play will have children laughing while they think about what it really means to be clever. May 13-14 and 20-21 at Rollins Studio Theatre.

Austin Symphony Orchestra concludes its 106th season with a performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s famous Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, featuring Gabriela Montero, whose visionary interpretations and unique improvisational gifts have won her a devoted following.

The Rachmaninoff piece is considered a staple of repertory in concert halls around the world. FridaySaturday, May 19-20. austinsymphony.org

Austin Fashion Week 2017 announces honored Style Setters

By Monica Peña

Austin never hurts for a good music festival. After the crush of a massive event like SXSW, sometimes it’s nice to get a little bit out of the city for a music event a little bit smaller, a bit friendlier and a lot more Texas: Old Settler’s Music Festival.

Old Settler’s Festival is a central Texas music stalwart celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Over the past couple of decades, it’s grown into a nationally known music event featuring roots, folk, bluegrass and Americana music. Old Settler’s has found its home at the Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch and offers lots of options is camping is your style (they accept tents, RVs and trailers). But it’s also close enough to Austin if you just like to sleep in a real bed at night after a long day of fest-ing.

There are also artisans, craftsmen and other vendors come from every corner of Texas and across the country to provide Old Settler’s Festival goers with unique, one-of-a-kind treasures. There’s tons of food and craft beer, and it’s definitely kid-friendly, too--imagine petting zoos, arts and crafts, a climbing wall, playgrounds and swimming at Onion Creek.

As usual, festivals are a great opportunity to see the bands you already love and discover new ones. This year’s lineup includes the classic alt-country Texas band Old 97’s, soon to be releasing their 11th LP. You can also catch the Mexican-American band Los Lobos, Brooklynbased indie-folk trio the Lone Bellow, and bluegrass legends The Del McCoury Band. Music from these parts will be well represented as well, with performers like Shakey Graves, Shinyribs, Wood & Wire, and The Last Bandoleros.

Old Settler’s Music Festival is April 20-23rd, in Driftwood, TX. For tickets and more information visit oldsettlersmusicfest.org.

TODO AUSTIN // MAY 2017 // TODOAUSTIN.COM 11