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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022 VOLUME 96 ■ ISSUE 24

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Austin Phillips shares thoughts on being elected for Tech’s centennial year.

Ruth Usoro, Jacoby Shelton and head coach Wes Kittley preview Indoor NCAA Championships.

Attending the gym is already an anxious activity, women should not have to worry about harassment while working out..

OPINIONS

ONLINE

INDEX

Syphilis cases have risen in Lubbock. Local health experts explain what is happening around the city.

PG 2

PG 3

PG 4

ONLINE

LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

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More than just a sign Lubbock road signs honor historical women

By TANA THOMPSON L a Vida Editor Turn on Glenna Goodacre Blvd. Merge on to Marsha Sharp Freeway.

Two of the streets around Texas Tech campus are named after impactful women, yet many students do not know the stories behind the names they are driving on.

When Title IX went into effect, Tech started a women’s athletics program. Margaret Wilson was one of the members who started that and she hired Marsha Sharp in 1981 as an assistant coach. Sharp then served as the Tech women’s basketball head coach from 1982 to 2006, Lynn Whitfield, a Southwest Collections Archivist said.

“She basically elevated the basketball program to national prominence. The Lady

I’ll say the Glenna Goodacre is certainly one of the most important American artists, and the city of Lubbock has every right to be extremely proud of her roots in this city and in West Texas,” SEAN CUNNINGHAM HISTORY PROFESSOR

Raiders won the NCAA championship in 1993,” Whitfield said. “It was a huge deal for Texas Tech. I mean, the news coverage

alone, you know, was national, and so most people know her because of her success in athletics. But what they probably don’t know as much about her was that she was a very good mentor to her students.”

Glenna Goodacre did not attend Tech, yet she left her artful impact on the campus.

“There are many sculpture pieces around campus that are attributed to her. So she is one of the best well-known Texas sculptors,” Whitfield said. “Of course, she’s also known as a New Mexico sculptor because that’s where she eventually moved and set up her studio. She’s primarily known for sculptures of people, particularly women, as some of her female sculptures are very well known.”

After reaching out to many Lubbock organizations like City of Lubbock, it is unknown how these streets received their names, but Sean Cunningham, chair of the department of history, said changing the names of these streets was to represent Sharp’s and Goodacre’s accomplishments.

“I’ll say the Glenna Goodacre is certainly one of the most important American artists, and the city of Lubbock has every right to be extremely proud of her roots in this city and in West Texas,” Cunningham said. “ Marsha Sharp is certainly one of the most important people not simply women, but people to ever work at Texas Tech University and to shape sports for women in West Texas, as well as educational opportunities for women and many others across this region.”

Laura Ray, the manager for communications and marketing at the Museum of

Texas Tech, said these women are very

well known in the area. “ S h a r p brought Texas Tech women’s basketball to championship level, which is something that has rarely been done at Texas Tech. And then it’s neat that our current basketball coach was a student of Marsha Sharp’s at that time, which is nice,” Ray said. “Then Glenna Goodacre is a very prominent artist … She has several artworks around town and on campus and then we even have several of her pieces here at the museum as well.”

March is Women’s History Month, and students on Tech’s campus are surrounded by history that impactful women made, including having streets named after them.

Sharp was born in Tulia, and attended Wayland Baptist University.

After she graduated, she became an assistant coach at Wayland Baptist, and then went to West Texas State University to get her degree.

Although Sharp did not attend Tech, she worked her way up to head coach.

“While she was head coach, her female athletes had a very high graduation rate, I think something like 97 percent,” Whitfield said. “After she retired, she helped establish the Marsha Sharp Center for student athletes, which is where you know, students can go to get special tutoring and other kinds of help with academics. So she contributed quite a bit of money to help founding that here on campus.”

Sharp also founded the Marsha FILE PHOTOS/The Daily Toreador

Sharp Academy in Lubbock, which is a private school for students who need more than what is offered in the public

school system, Whitfield said.

“She’s known for athletics, primarily, and being a fabulous coach,” Whitfield said. “However, she’s also known for promoting and supporting students toward academic excellence.”

Goodacre was born in Lubbock, yet she, like Sharp, did not attend Tech. She kept her ties with Lubbock because her father was one of the earliest graduates from the university. Goodacre died in April of 2020.

“As far as Texas Tech, her connection is that she donated or we’ve gotten several pieces from them. So, the Texas Tech Museum has one that has children playing a game of tug of war. Then there’s Park Place, which is on the side of the human sciences building,” Whitfield said. “It’s a large sculpture piece depicting all people of different walks of life sitting in a park setting. And you’ll notice a lot of people just enjoy sitting and being part of the sculpture.”

Goodacre was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame in Lubbock in 1997, then they named what was Eighth Street after her in 2005.

“I think one of the possible reasons that they were chosen to have streets named after them is, you know, they are very successful in their field,” Whitfield said. “They have national prominence, they are both positive role models and they both tried to support positive views of women, whether it’s athletics or, you know, in sculpture pieces.” @TanaThompsonDT

TOP Marsha Sharp’s photo at the Texas Tech Museum. LEFT Glenna Goodacre has art around the Texas Tech campus.

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MARCH 10, 2022

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Phillips elected as 98th student body president

By GRACIE HANCOCK Staff Writer

Austin Phillips has been announced the 98th Texas Tech student body president for the university’s centennial year. Phillips, a third-year finance student and Lubbock native, came from a long line of Red Raiders.

Phillips has been involved in Student Government Association since his freshman year when he was part of the First-Year Leadership Association, in which he served as vice president.

Phillips then went on to be elected senator for the Rawls College of Business his second year, serving on the Finance Committee.

This year, Phillips served as an at-large senator and the chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee.

“It’s an extreme honor and a privilege to have been elected to serve in this position. I grew up a Red Raider and all my family is or has always been around Tech,” Phillips said. “A lot of my great memories growing up, and role models and everyone that I knew kind of was shaped around Texas Tech, and I can truthfully say that Texas Tech has made me the person that I am today.”

Phillips said it means so much to not only to be student body president but hold the position in Tech’s 100 centennial year anniversary.

“Especially in the centennial year and being able

to represent and be a part of the university during such a monumental time,” Phillips said. “We’ve been the university that has been able to provide and open so many doors for so many students.”

Tech is a diverse campus, with over 40,000 students from all different parts of the world. Phillips said with having such a diverse student body it is important to have a president who knows how to take action, but also knows when to stop and listen to students.

“I think the first (goal) more than anything, in terms of policy, is sitting down and listening to all of our vast student populations and figuring out what it is that they want to see on campus and being that liaison and their voice,” Phillips said.

He understands the importance of being the liaison between the student body and the Tech administration, Phillips said.

When representing an entire student body, things can seem overwhelming, and Phillips said he has learned to lean on his family in those times. They have been a major support system in his process to become president.

“But being able to lean back on my family and discuss it all with them was something that was really, really beneficial to me,” Phillips said.

While finding support from his family, Phillips also is driven by his need to help those around him.

“ A u s t i n w a s t h e TA (teachers assistant) of my business leadership class with Kent Hance, former chancellor of Texas Tech,” Lauren Hamilton, a secondyear media strategies student from Little Elm, said.

“He (Phillips) was always

on time, always present, always trying to help the students any way he could.

He’s a big proponent for Tech and wants the best for all of us.”

When talking to people about their experiences with Phillips, his peers

make it clear that he is a selfless individual.

Meagan Trujillo, a thirdyear nursing student from Dumas, said she was able to work with Phillips on the royalty court throughout homecoming week.

It is an extreme honor and a privilege to have been elected to serve in this position.

AUSTIN PHILLIPS

COURTESY PHOTO

Austin Phillips was elected as the 2022-2023 Student Government Association President. Phillips grew up on Texas Tech’s campus, and has many goals for the upcoming year.

“He’s such a kind and humble person,” Trujillo said.

“Always willing to help others and a person of character in the aspect of opportunity.

He’s going to serve as a great student body president because of how selfless he is.”

When talking about his predecessor, senior economics student and current SGA president Faisal AlHmoud, describes Phillips as a natural leader and someone who always made sure people received the help that they needed to succeed.

Al-Hmound and Phillips are both natives of Lubbock but did not meet one another until they got to college.

Al-Hmoud met Phillips during his second year where he served as a tutor for first-year students.

“He was always like, helping me pretty much and I didn’t have to ask him, you know, like, he was always making sure that

his friends were ok too, and that meant a lot to me,” AlHmoud said.

Al-Hmoud said the ups and downs of being student body president are complex.

As president, Phillips will have to find resources in every area of the university and make resolutions that include and affect each aspect of campus.

Phillips is equipped to handle the job of representing the student body successfully because he understands the complexity of this position and the demands he must meet of the students and the campus administration, Al-Hmoud said. He was next to Phillips as he excelled through student government and saw first-hand the natural abilities Phillips inhibited that made him a prime future presidential candidate.

“He was a really, really good senator,” Al-Hmoud said. “He understands the civil government process really thoroughly. It’s like a web, it’s not one thing.”

Phillips said he is excited and honored to represent Tech’s student body and help students achieve their goals.

“I want to make sure that every student has the opportunity and the resources available to make the most out of their Red Raider experience and I know a lot of people said it but I really do mean it: My door is always open,” Phillips said. “I’m always ready to talk and to listen.” @GracieHancockDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

US reaches out to oil states as prices are rising WASHINGTON (AP) — Three checkered oil regimes that President Joe Biden and past U.S. leaders have spectacularly snubbed — Venezuela,

Saudi Arabia and Iran — are now targets of U.S. outreach as global fuel prices reach jarring levels during the Ukraine crisis.

But it’s not clear any U.S.

diplomacy could get more crude oil on the market fast enough to help the current supply crunch, or tear onceshunned oil states away from

what — for Saudi Arabia in particular — are profitable alliances with Russia.

For the Biden administration, the U.S. overtures to three

problematic oil giants at best could lead to stabilizing rising oil and gas prices and draw those governments closer to the West and away from Rus-

sia and China. At worst, Biden risks humiliating rebuffs and condemnation for outreach to governments accused of rights abuses and violence.

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SPORTS

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Tech prepares for NCAA Indoor Championships

By MICHAEL ALVAREZ Sports Reporter

Texas Tech’s head track & field coach Wes Kittley said Tech will have 18 athletes competing in the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend in Birmingham, Alabama.

Friday’s events begin at 10 a.m. and Saturday’s events start at 10:30 a.m.

The men’s team will have 10 athletes take part in 11 events, while the women will have eight girls compete in 10 events.

In this week’s installment of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the men’s ranked in at No. 5 while the women were No. 8.

Both the men’s and women’s teams have been ranked in the top ten all year, according to Tech Athletics.

“I am really excited to take two top-10 teams into this meet,” head coach Wes Kittley said. “It’s been very unusual because it’s hard to have two teams at the same time hitting on all cylinders. So just really proud of this group.”

Tech is coming off a week break following the Big 12 Indoor Championships where both teams placed second. The men’s side scored a total of 155 points, while the women scored 124, according to Tech Athletics.

Junior Jacoby Shelton is coming off a two firstplace finish weekend at the Big 12 Championships for the men’s 60-meter and 200-meter dashes, according to Tech Athletics. He recorded a time of 6.64 seconds in the 60-meter and a time of 20.80 seconds in the 200-meter.

“I really want to keep the same momentum we had last week going into nationals,” Shelton said. “The 60 is more the race I favor a

lot, so I was able to provide for the team and hoping I can build off what I did last week going into nationals.”

This is the second consecutive year Shelton claimed the top spot for the 60-meter dash at the Big 12 Championships, according to Tech Athletics.

“I was excited, I was very ecstatic,” Shelton said. “All and all I was actually nervous to defend my title, and I guess the nervousness trying to defend my title made me think about how I didn’t wanna lose it. So, you know, it kind of gave me a little bit more of an edge to just push further and try and defend it even more.”

Shelton is one of two Tech athletes that are competing in multiple events, the 60 and 200-meter dashes, and is grateful for everyone around him that helped him succeed this season “It’s really just the process of working with everybody here,” Shelton said.

“You know, coach Rob, coach Z they know what they’re doing day in and day out at practice. It’s a process, you just kind of feel it so when you know the process goes right everything goes well and I think that was pivotal to my success.”

This is the third year in a row Shelton has qualified for nationals, but a hamstring injury last year and COVID-19 his sophomore year has kept him from competing.

“The injury I had last year was really a blessing in disguise,” Shelton said. ”I was running exceptionally well, but after the injury, I became more of a smooth runner and run more efficient. So, I really just wanna win, you know, just compete. If I don’t win I wanna place top three or get a PR (personal record) in the 60 and the 200, plus I wanna win for the team.”

This is the last meet of

FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador

Senior jumper Ruth Usoro in the women’s long jump at the Texas Tech Shootout in the Sports Performance Center on Feb. 14, 2020. the indoor season and Shelton only had good things to say about Kittley. “ I n a l l h o n e s t y, h e ’s probably the best coach that I’ve ever had,” Shelton said. “I’m grateful for letting him allow me to be here for years. They’ve done a phenomenal job with us on and off the track and helping us grow into who we want to be.

Senior Ruth Usoro was also among the Red Raiders that reclaimed their crown in the Big 12 Championships, winning the women’s long jump for the thirdstraight season with a leap of 6.59-meters, according to Tech Athletics.

“It feels great and first of all, all glory to God,” Usoro said. “Because he’s the one working with me and I just feel so happy to be carrying my team along going into nationals.”

Usoro will be the only

other Red Raider competing in multiple events, the women’s long and triple jumps, according to Tech Athletics.

In last year’s meet, Usoro placed first in women’s triple jump and said she looks to go out there and have fun.

“I’m going there to have fun first of all,” Usoro said.

“I just follow god, if that means defending the crown, fine, if that doesn’t mean defending the crown that’s still ok as long as I have fun, I know I’m doing what I need to do.”

Usoro said one of her favorite things about competing is getting to do it with teammates who support and push her to be her best.

“We’re not selfish teammates, we’re not selfish people. When one person falls, you’re ready to pick the other person back up,” Usoro said. “So, we’re always there to push each other. If I don’t win, I would

have nothing but happiness towards her if she won and I know that goes both ways.”

Usoro, in her fourth season, said she’s proud to represent a school she’s grateful for.

“I’m always a Red Raider,”

Usoro said. “It’s such an honor to be a Red Raider, to know wherever I go my school has been represented by me and through me. Wherever I go I’ll be grateful for the time I have spent here.” @MikeAlvarezDT

OPINIONS

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COLUMN

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Gyms should accommodate for women’s safety

W

hen I lived overseas, there was a gym in my complex that had certain hours for women. I was more comfortable working out at those times versus missing the designated hours, then I would just not go.

While in the United States there are women-only gyms, they tend to be a niche type of workouts. Barre workouts include the barre, or yoga studios only cater to yoga workouts but what about gyms that have everything a normal facility would have?

On TikTok, there are countless videos of women working out who will be approached by a man who wants to help. Regardless if they had good intentions or not, no one has the authority

Chyna Vargas is a second-year journalism major from San Antonio.

or right to go up to a woman and harass them.

If there was a gym that catered to women only, men would not only be able to do that, but a woman would probably feel more comfortable going to another woman if they need assistance. There has been too many videos on the internet of men feeling obligated in assisting women in the gym, when it is clearly not needed.

Working out is already a brave task itself to do. A lot of time this is the first step

in working out journeys and they should not be trampled by men possibly approaching or better yet, being creepy by the machines.

Women wear whatever makes them feel comfortable, which includes leggings, shorts or jogging pants but if it becomes sexualized at a gym, that makes a woman not want to go. She should not have to change what she wears at a place meant to work out her body.

According to a study conducted by Bar Blend, a workout page, out of 1,331 women, approximately 530 of those women felt sometimes when they go to the gym, they feel unsafe when working out.

The other 192 women most often do feel unsafe when working out.

Going to the gym should not feel unsafe or uncomfortable and with men dominating the facility, it leads to the idea women should just not go to the gym. When in reality these facilities should make everyone feel comfortable, not just men.

Gyms specifically made for women may be difficult to do, another option would be the University Recreational Center, have hours that are designated for just women to enjoy the gym. Each year, they host a women’s night, where those who identify as women can enjoy four hours to the gym for themselves and learn how to be healthy active women.

I have attended one of these nights and gained an amazing experience as

women were teaching women about our bodies and how to reach obtainable goals.

While the idea may seem controversial for some and maybe even a step back in equality, think about how it is only a few hours of the week.

Regardless if they had good intentions or not, no one has the authority or right to go up to a woman and harras them.

The hours could be late at night where women usually don’t feel the most comfortable because again, things happen in the dark but a gym facility

that opened had hours from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. dedicated to women would not be the step in the wrong direction but recognizing if we can’t change all men but we can make it safer for women.

The University Rec Center is open until midnight and so two hours out of the 16-hour open work day is not a big difference.

It is hard to explain the little worries women go through on a daily basis and while we are not complaining about them, we just would like to see change happen. Because if change is not happening to the majority, the minority cannot be helped. A simple adaptation to gym facilities on campus is a small change but can make a huge impact. @ChynaVargasDT

CARTOON

ASSOCIATES PRESS

MLB cancels 93 more games NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred canceled 93 more games Wednesday, appearing to close the remaining chance to play a full 162-game schedule and threatening locked out players with loss of salary and service time.

After the sides narrowed many economic differences and became bogged down over management’s attempt to gain an international amateur draft, MLB announced two additional series had been canceled through April 13. That raised the total to 184 games wiped out from the 2,430-game regular season, or 7.6.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Texas flagged 27,000 mail ballots AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More than 27,000 mail ballots in Texas were flagged for rejection in the first test of new voting restrictions enacted across the U.S., jeopardizing votes cast by Democrats and Republicans alike and in counties big and small, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

It puts the rate of rejected mail ballots in Texas on track to significantly surpass previous elections. The preliminary figures — reported by Texas counties after votes were counted in the state’s March 1 primary — is the fullest picture to date of how new election rules rushed into place

by Republicans following the 2020 election made it harder for thousands of voters in both parties. Some will wind up not having their ballots count at all.

Rejected mail ballots are relatively uncommon in a typical election. But the initial rejection rate among mail voters in the Texas primary was roughly 17% across 120 counties, according to countyby-county figures obtained by AP. Those counties accounted for the vast majority of the nearly 3 million voters in Texas’ first-in-the-nation primary.

Although the final number of discounted ballots will be lower, the early numbers suggest Texas’ rejection rate will far exceed the 2020 general election, when federal data showed that less than 1% of mail ballots statewide were rejected.

“It took me three tries and 28 days but I got my ballot and I voted,” said Pamiel Gaskin, 75, of Houston. Like many re-

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

jected mail voters, she did not list a matching identification number that Texas’ new law requires.

For now, the numbers do not represent how many Texas ballots were effectively thrown out. Voters had until Monday to “fix” rejected mail ballots, which in most cases meant providing identification that is now required under a sweeping law signed last fall by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

New requirements include listing an identification number — either a driver’s license or a Social Security number — on the ballot’s carrier envelope.

That number must match the county’s records. If a ballot is rejected, voters could add an ID number via an online ballot tracking system, go to the county’s election offices and fix the problem in person, or vote with a provisional ballot on election day.

County election officers say they worked feverishly to contact those voters in time, in many cases successfully, and a full and final tally of rejected ballots in Texas is expected to come into focus in the coming days.

But already, scores of mail ballots have been disqualified for good.

Along the Texas border, El Paso County reported that 725 mail ballots were officially rejected and not counted after a final canvass Monday — about 16% of all such ballots cast. In the booming suburbs of Austin, Williamson County had a final number of 521 rejected ballots, nearly evenly split evenly between Republican and Democratic primary voters.

Roughly 8,300 mail ballots

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

in Texas were rejected in the 2020 election, according to the U.S. Elections Assistance Commission.

Some rejected mail voters could have casted a ballot in person later. Antonio Riveria, El Paso County’s assistant elections administrator, said Wednesday that number is unknown in his office. But they typically reject significantly fewer mail ballots.

“It’s a lot less. Maybe 10,” he said.

The numbers underline how voters across Texas — in big cities and rural outposts, red and blue — were tripped up by the new law that Abbott and other Republicans assured would make it “easier to vote and harder to cheat.”

At least 17 other states will also vote this year under new voting laws, many pushed by Republican lawmakers who especially took aim at mail ballots after states expanded options to make voting safer during the coronavirus outbreak. Some of the restrictions were fueled by the continued false claims in the GOP about widespread fraud in President Joe Biden’s victory.

Abbott’s office did not return requests for comment about the number of rejected ballots.

Texas Secretary of State John Scott, who Abbott appointed as the state’s chief election officer, has called the high rate of rejections a matter of voters not being familiar with the new rules and expressed confidence that the numbers will drop in future elections.

Texas’ new mail voting rules require voters to return ballots with a personal identification

number — such as a driver’s license number — which then must match the number in voter registration files. Other new rules in Texas ban drivethru voting and 24-hour polling centers and make it a felony for a government official to solicit mail ballots. In Texas, mail ballots are generally limited to people who are over the age of 65, have a disability or are out of the county.

The law also requires counties to publicly post a one-page “reconciliation report” of voters and ballots after each election as an extra measure of transparency. The report instructs counties to include the number of mail ballots and how many were flagged for rejection.

The AP obtained reports from 120 counties — nearly half of the 254 in Texas — through county websites and contacting all counties that had not posted a report publicly.

In Texas’ largest county, around Houston, Harris County officials said more than 11,000 mail ballots had been flagged for rejection as of March 2. But in the county’s preliminary report that is dated a day later, the number of rejected mail ballots was listed at 3,277. On Tuesday, Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria said she was stepping down following a bungled vote count.

Houston Democrats have been among the most outspoken over Texas’ new voting laws, which they say are designed to weaken minority turnout. But Republican-leaning counties struggled with the new rules as well.

In Parker County, which former President Donald

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Trump carried by a 4-to-1 margin in 2020, the county reported 250 mail ballots as rejected or pending out of 1,100 mail votes — about 23%. Along the Texas coast in Nueces County, which Trump narrowly won, the rejection rate was 8%.

According to the county reports, in the five counties won by Trump that had the most mail-in voters, a combined 4,216 mailed ballots were rejected or still pending after the day of the election, a rate of 21% of the total. In the counties won by Biden with the most mail-in voters, which include most of Texas’ biggest cities, a combined 11,190 votes were similarly rejected or pending, which amounted to 13%.

Kara Sands, the election administrator in Nueces County, said her office pressed voters to include more than one identification number as a guardrail against having their ballot rejected. But she said her office wasn’t inundated with voter frustration.

“We really didn’t get a lot of folks complaining about that,” she said.

Te x a s h o l d s p r i m a r y runoffs in May, and elections officials say their goal now is to educate voters to avoid a repeat next time.

Christopher Davis, the elections administrator in Williamson County, said the final rejection rate of 11.5% was “by far the highest we have ever seen” in the county of more than 600,000 people.

“The hope is we knock down that rejection rate,” he said.

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Leslie Sotomayor joins women’s and gender studies

By MELANIE ESCALANTE News Reporter

Leslie Sotomayor remembers revisiting college between the ages of 30 and 31 as a mother, and as a woman getting to know herself.

“I had never dreamt of any of this,” Sotomayor said, picking up her recently published book titled, ‘Teaching In/Between: Curating Educational Spaces with Autohistoria-Teoría and Conocimiento.’

come a language for herself such as writing her book, her poetry and creating her paintings — her visual testimonios.

“Academia in my experience is very segregative. If you’re an artist, you’re an artist. If you’re a writer, you’re a writer,” Sotomayor said. “You’re in these boxes and what I envisioned for myself and what I felt was ‘I’m not only one of these things, I’m all of these things.’”

Sotomayor said she’s

WYATT ADAMS/The Daily Toreador

Leslie Sotomayor, PhD, beside her newly published book “Teaching In/Between: Curating Educational Spaces with AutohistoriaTeoría and Conocimiento” while in her office on March 3, 2022.

Sotomayor, women’s and gender studies visiting assistant professor, said the process of getting her first book published took about two years and is centered around her doctorate dissertation; Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of conocimiento and autohistoria-teoría.

“Her (Gloria Anzaldúa') work, I mean, it changed my life in so many different ways that are apart of everything I do in my life and so with time it’s a process of how I’m absorbing that in different ways, and it changes throughout time so theorizing about my own experiences and talking about that with others creates new ways of interpreting and looking at where I’ve been and what I’ve gone through,” Sotomayor said. “One way that it comes out in the book is through theorizing through what I know, just as Anzaldúa did.”

The visiting assistant professor from North Bergen, New Jersey, said she expels her life experiences through outlets that be-

proud of the work she does to build community through collaboration and unite people’s voices.

“Having those collaborative voices throughout the process made the experience of publishing this book really, not only meaningful, but an embodiment of what my philosophy is as an educator and artist and curator, which is that our testimonios¬—our lived experiences— are our knowledge base and we all have them and so we all come to the table with them already,” Sotomayor said.

“How do we create community and empowerment for ourselves and each other through that?”

Dylan Hinkle, a doctoral student from Pennsylvania pursuing a degree in family consumer sciences education, said Sotomayor’s classes taught him to think about society differently whether it concerns women’s rights, immigration, the LGBTQ population, or the disabled population.

“If I have a question or I need to bounce an idea off

of someone, I know I can ask her and I admire and appreciate her lens because she understands what I’m interested in and she can give me that women’s and gender studies perspective that I may not get from somewhere else,” Hinkle said.

From what he knows about Sotomayor’s recent publication, Hinkle said the written work aligns with how she teaches her classes.

“I’ll just say that it’s not everyday that I’m going to run out and buy a professor’s book but her class was really meaningful and I learned a lot of things about society and myself. I feel like this book is an extension of that,” Hinkle said.

Sotomayor said one of the most challenging aspects in publishing her book was being vulnerable.

“I’m sharing a lot of my personal experiences in these different capacities; in academia, in theorizing about my lived experiences, about my family life so, ‘How much can I share, and should I share that I feel good about to help others?”

Sotomayor said.

She grew up in a sheltered, Hispanic home. Her mother has an eighth-grade education and her father, a sixth-grade education.

Her parents had heard of the “American Dream” and instilled the idea of pursuing an education in the upbringing of their children, Sotomayor said.

“I’ve always seen my parents as people who have never heard the word ‘no.’

They’re the bravest human beings that I know so I think that impacts you a lot when you see that modeled even if they don’t know what they’re model-

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Leslie Sotomayor, Ph.D, is a Women’s and Gender Studies Visiting Assistant Professor. She describes herself as a passionate, creative, intuitive artist and educator on March 3, 2022. ing it for,” Sotomayor said, tearing up.

Christen García, assistant professor and committee chair for Art Education at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, said she and Sotomayor met as students at Penn State.

“There’s not a lot of Latino representation in the program there (Penn State) with faculty or students and I guess we just bonded over that, as Latinas and being in a doctorate program with a university that doesn’t represent Latinos very well,” García said.

“We bonded because we had similar research interests too.”

The committee chair for art education at University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley from the San Diego-Tijuana border area, said Sotomayor represents LatinaLatinx art education that has not historically been represented.

“She's not afraid to go af-

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discover different points of connection for her students, as well as her future work.

“The work always continues so I hope that there’s seeds of passion and intentionality for social justice, and making your corner of the world something better is something that we strive for as individuals,” Sotomayor said. @MelaniereDT

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MARCH 10, 2022

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Shifting the narrative surrounding tattoos

By MADISON VIDALES News Reporter

Tattoos are a common body modification that have transitioned meanings throughout the years, ranging from cultural, class and personal decisions.

Although widely accepted today, there is still a stigma surrounding tattoos. Those in opposition deem them unprofessional or see them in a negative light; however, individuals with tattoos still find themselves working in professional settings or working as tattoo artists making a living off of their art.

why people are commodifying their bodies and why they feel the need to do this. I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all to get tatted.”

Wood served eight years in the Marines before moving on to bartending during his undergraduate studies. At these occupations compared to his work now as an instructor, Wood said it was more than common to see colleagues tatted up at work.

“Before I hadn’t really worked in many professional fields,” Wood said. “My main source of income was my occupation in the military and a military member without a

MADISON VIDALES/The Daily Toreador

Jack Wood, graduate teaching assistant, answers a students question about the importance of eye contact in public speaking on Feb. 28, 2022.

Tattooing as a form of self expression stems beyond an individual presenting themselves, Jack Wood, a graduate teaching assistant in the communication studies department, said. When an individual gets a tattoo, they inherently brand and associate themselves with tattoo culture. This concept creates a sense of identity and individuality.

“The more people exist under marketization, the more people not only have to self-brand themselves professionally, but also personally,” Wood said. “‘I’m different from this person because of this’ or ‘I’m interesting this way so you should date me.’ You got to take in the sociology of

tattoo is kind of rare, weird even. During undergrad, my I supported myself through bartending and who cares about tattoos there? In fact, they want you to have tattoos.

Now that I’ve gone through professional interviews, I definitely try and hide my tattoos because you don’t know if people have a prejudice about it.”

One part of the negative stigma with tattoos includes underlying messages of subtle classism. This part of the stigma has individuals associate tattoos with the lower class. Wood said he keeps in mind other individuals’ negative associations with tattoos and doesn’t immediately show off his tattoos to his students.

“Most of my students that I teach here are going to be middle class to upper middle class,” Wood said. “But that’s just a part of the institution, and with that being said, I have not really seen that many students with tattoos.

They all come from a different upbringing where it’s mostly based on professionalism compared to where I came from. Because of that, I don’t want to come out the gate showing my tattoos and have these students think I’m some ex-con.”

One argument about tattoo artists is how tattooing is not a reliable source of income. Tattoo artist Bridgette Castillo from Stay True Tattoo said tattooing puts money in their pockets just like any other job.

“We make enough money to get cars, houses, travel, you name it,” Castillo said.

“It’s pretty much a full-on profession no matter what.

It’s 2022. You should be a little more open minded. The art has gotten more intricate and it’s really a true form of art.”

Another stigma associated with tattoos is the idea that tattoos make women less feminine. Castillo said women do not lose their femininity because of tattoos but rather express it through them and present their strength for enduring the needle.

“There’s a lot of women (who get tattoos) and even have the strength to get exciting and really big pieces,” Castillo said. “These women are still very pretty and some don’t even feel pretty until they get their tattoos.”

Before teaching at Texas Tech, Bethany White, teaching assistant for fundamentals of communication and instructor of record for public speaking, said when she was a public teacher, her boss constantly called out her tattoos.

White said having tattoos does not inhibit her ability to teach.

“I taught public education and there you weren’t allowed to show any tattoos at

all,” White said. “Even times where I wore long sleeves, it would slip and my principal would say, ‘that’s very unprofessional, maybe you need to wear tighter sleeves so they won’t slide up.’ It was all geared towards unprofessionalism and ‘that’s not the image we want to portray’ but this doesn’t affect my ability to do my job or my intelligence.”

White said having tattoos has connected her to her students more. Her students point out and compliment her tattoos and show off their own to her.

“I have my tattoos out anytime I can, because I’m really proud of them,” White said.

“Students like that, they go up like, ‘oh these are so cool, where’d you get them, what’s the meaning behind them?’

I’ve even had students say, ‘I just got this tattoo’ and we bonded over it. I’ve recognized the mutual interest, which is cool anytime you can get leveled with your students.”

Malachi Matsuda, an honors science and humanities major from El Paso, is a Japanese-American with tattoos. In Japan, Matsuda said tattoos are affiliated with gangs and hold a much more negative connotation compared to any connotations in America.

“Since I am Japanese, having tattoos is not just frowned upon but dishonorable,” Matsuda said. “Luckily, my immediate family does not disown me for having tattoos but my extended family in Japan will have nothing but shame for me.”

In America, Matsuda said the most common and sometimes the only worst reaction to a tattoo is receiving glares and side-eye glances. Covering his tattoos in Japan serves a much more serious reason— his safety.

“Japan recently made tattoos legal again but that does not change the extreme negative connotation towards them,” Matsuda said. “I have already accepted when I go

MADISON VIDALES/The Daily Toreador

Jack Wood, graduate teaching assistant for public speaking, lectures students with his tattoos on display on Feb. 28, 2022. back to Japan I have to cover my tattoos. Not because I want to avoid being side-eyed, but for my own safety.”

Jackson Fowler, an apprentice at Edoc Ink, said tattooing is an art form that has lasted through the years, changing purpose and style as time progressed.

“Tattoo artists are a part of a society that has been around forever,” Fowler said.

“Only recently has it become acceptable. Tattoo artists premodern era were sort of like medicine men who passed down secret trade not everyone was capable of. Tattooing is not something everyone is capable of.”

Individuals who carry a negative perception of tattoos inherited their views from their upbringing Fowler said and often try to push their ideas onto those who oppose them.

“Tattoos are something that someone chooses to put on their body so it doesn’t really matter what everyone

else thinks,” Fowler said.

“People who judge tattoos live in a state of ignorance.

They have views given to them by the society they lived in but they feel the need to push these views onto other people.”

The negative stigma behind tattoos is something people should get over. Being tattooed is liberating for some and is a part of the human experience, Fowler said.

“If I were speaking directly to these people, I would tell them to get over themselves,” Fowler said. “Putting a tattoo on your skin is one of the most liberating things you can do.

Your body is the way you experience the world. We live in a country that is supposedly founded on the idea that you can pursue things within your personal liberty. Some people don’t associate tattoos with personal liberty. They associate it with criminality, it seems.” @MaddieVidalesDT