San Marcos community holds memorial to honor Israeli victims of October 7
By Jacquelyn Burrer News Contributor
San Marcos community members and Texas State students held a memorial on Oct. 14 at the Price Community Center to stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and honor those who died on Oct. 7, 2023.
The memorial service hosted Sagi Gabay, a survivor of the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival, to share
his experience of escaping the attack.
“Faces of October 7th,” the group that brought Gabay to San Marcos works to bring survivors to different cities and college campuses across North America to share their stories.
Texas State students and members of Jewish Bobcats also led a prayer in honor of those who died and to show their solidarity with the people of Israel.
BY
The Davenport discontinues ‘A Brunch of Drag,’ sparks community concerns
By Lucciana Choueiry and Jacquelyn Burrer News Editor and News Contributor
Once a month, A Brunch of Drag brought the San Marcos queer community together at The Davenport. On Sept. 22, the event held its final show before the venue shut it down.
Eileen Dover, drag artist and performer, hosted A Brunch of Drag every fourth Sunday of each month for the past two years at The Davenport on South Guadalupe Street. She said the last show, which celebrated the event’s two-year anniversary, was sold out, which typically consisted of 125 to
150 people. A typical Brunch of Drag started at 2 p.m. with an afternoon filled with mimosas, music and performances all while surrounded by the local queer community.
“Regulars started to get familiar with when it starts, what happens, when the queens walk. They know everything at this point, especially the ‘loyals’...,” Dover said. “There’s so much happening in our real world and reality, so our show was about taking people into drag fantasy. If you need to cry, cry, if you need to laugh, laugh – you got to feel everything but don’t feel uncomfortable. That was our Sunday.”
Residents report mismanagement, mold at The Junction
By Eleanor Munoz News Reporter
When Morgan Colon, environmental science senior, moved into her new apartment at The Junction, a rent-by-the-room apartment complex located on West Avenue, her unit was dirty and in the midst of reconstruction.
According to Colon, the initial unit she moved
Speak On It: Black students discuss recent hate crime
By Staff
After Jemein Lefang’s, a computer information systems freshman, car was vandalized with a racial slur on Sept. 24, discussions surrounding the seriousness of hate crimes are happening on campus.
The University Star interviewed Lefang, Texas State’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Jordan Williams and Black Men United Vice president Jordan Hunter in order to gain perspective on this issue and insight on how this hate crime is affecting Lefang and the black community at Texas State.
Lefang said despite feeling supported by the university, his sense of safety is not the same as it once was.
into this year was infested with roaches, had appliances out of order and a fire alarm uninstalled with wires hanging from the ceiling. Colon said she stayed with her uncle in Wimberley instead of moving in and is staying at a friend’s apartment currently.
“[One of the managers] showed me this new unit, it was not nearly as bad as the other one, but it was still dirty,” Colon said.
“Then I opened the vents, and I was like, this is not going to work.”
Colon suspected mold in the vents, and lab tests at Assured Bio Labs confirmed it as Cladosporium mold. The CDC notes that Cladosporium is a common indoor mold, and exposure can lead to symptoms like sore throat and coughing.
By Jude Botello Sports Contributor
Texas State defeated Arkansas State 41-9 during the parent’s weekend showdown after the impressive performance of red shirt senior quarterback Jordan McCloud. The Bobcats have now won back-to-back games after losing two straight against Arizona State and Sam Houston State. Additionally, Texas State had its second sellout crowd of 28,000 of the season.
After allowing three field goals for the first and second quarters, the Bobcats did not allow another score for the rest of the game, keeping the Red Wolves out of the end zone the entirety of the game.
Arkansas State’s road record extended to 0-3 following its loss to Texas State.
Saturday marked McCloud’s fifth game this season with more than three touchdowns and his third finishing with 300+ passing yards.
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 7
The student council for Jewish Bobcats light a candle for the victims of the October 7th massacre at the memorial held by Chabad Texas State University, Chabad San Marcos and Faces of October Seventh, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at the Price Center and Garden.
Kenya Monae grabs money from the crowd at The Davenport in San Marcos.
PHOTO
MEG BOLES
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER PAUL CARDOZA
PHOTO BY KHANG LE
Residents also filed complaints against The Junction regarding mold growing in apartments’ air vents in 2023.
Campus Realty Advisors (CRA), a real estate company based in Atlanta, purchased The Junction and secured financing for improvements of the complex on June 24, according to a press release from Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital.
CRA also plans to change the name of The Junction to “One09 West,” according to Founder of CRA Randy Herron in a written email statement to The University Star.
“Prior to our purchase, there had been some deferred maintenance that had led to a poor living environment,” Herron wrote. “[Before] the start of this fall semester, we were able to fix most of those past issues in the residents’ units while completing other unit interior enhancements.”
Herron wrote new kitchen appliances, backsplashes, plank-style flooring in all bedrooms, new plumbing, lighting fixtures and a full repainting of all unit interiors were some of the planned renovations.
“We recognize that our residents’ daily routines can be disrupted a bit during the few days that renovations take place in any individual apartment. We have committed to completing the improvements as quickly and efficiently as possible while keeping our
residents informed along the way,” Herron wrote.
Jillian Martinez, history graduate student currently living at The Junction and a previous tenant in 2022, said she was surprised by the condition of her new unit, which was dirty when she moved in. She ended up cleaning parts of it herself.
“When I came back this year it’s under new property management and I kind of wanted to give them hope, and they’ve fallen flat,” Martinez said.
Regarding the advertised apartment renovations, Martinez said the carpeting was removed in the bedrooms and a backsplash was added to the kitchen. She also said her living room floors had visible cosmetic damage such as paint splatter.
“I filled out multiple [maintenance requests] letting them know the issues in my bathroom, kitchen, in my room [during the first week of move-in], and they told me that the following week they would start working on those work orders, and nothing has been done,” Martinez said.
In an interview with The Star in February, Ethan Chou, a staff attorney at the Attorney for Students Office, said there aren’t many options for students who want to break a lease after it’s been signed.
“[Students] could try to negotiate some sort of termination, usually with the corporate office,” Chou said. “Especially in situations that are compelling from a human perspective.”
The Junction is also listed as a featured apartment on Texas State’s Off-Campus Housing Marketplace website.
In a written interview with The Star, Executive Director of Housing and Residential Life Bill Mattera said Texas State works with an outside provider to run the off-campus apartment website. Mattera added that DHRL started a new process to review apartment applications for the website, and it will now include a representative from Student Government.
“Apartment complexes with five or more unresolved complaints during an academic year may be delisted,” Mattera wrote. “Unresolved complaints indicate that student issues have not been suitably addressed.”
There hasn’t been a formal removal process for apartment complexes in place prior to this year, according to Mattera.
“Students are encouraged to provide issues to the Off-Campus Living office, which will contact the property to encourage resolution,” Mattera said.
Chou said landlords are only required to make diligent efforts to repair conditions that affect the physical health or safety of a tenant in Texas. He said what falls under a health and safety issue is complicated.
“I also went to the student attorney and they helped a lot too and just kind of told me what to do,” Colon said. “The only thing I can kind of nail them on now is the mold.”
After getting the lab results back from the mold, Colon said that she didn’t have to pay rent for October or utilities for the past two months and has received a move-out statement in her resident portal.
According to Colon, management has not responded to her emails, and she has yet to get an official indication that her lease is terminated.
“I refuse to move in. I refuse to take those keys,” Colon said.
Mayoral candidates debate ahead of general elections
By Lucciana Choueiry News Editor
The San Marcos mayoral candidates debated their platforms during an event hosted by Texas State’s Student Government at 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 14 in the LBJ Ballroom.
San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson and challenger Juan Miguel Arredondo are vying for the mayoral seat in the upcoming general election.
During Monday’s debate, the candidates laid out their visions for the city’s future, highlighting their key policies
that affect Texas State students.
Texas State hit record enrollment this year with 40,678 students. Hughson said a goal of hers is to bring in more affordable housing to accommodate that growing number.
“We have approved over 3,000 units of low-income housing for our residents, which could include college students after graduation,” Hughson said.
Arredondo harped on his experiences as a Texas State alumnus himself in understanding the need for housing adjacent to the university.
“I experienced that convenience of being located close to our university, being able to walk downtown, being able to walk to class and you shouldn’t just have to live in the historic district of San Marcos to have that experience,” Arredondo said.
Another topic the candidates talked about was the relationship between the city and university, which Arredondo said could be improved.
“Meeting with university administrators regularly is critical. Being an advocate for the university is critical, and not just when you’re on the ballot. It’s one thing to say that you support Texas State when you’re on the ballot on campus asking students
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to vote for you, but my track record speaks for itself,” Arredondo said.
For Hughson, it is important to her to work with Texas State and be as involved as she can be within the campus community. An example she provided was her involvement with the University Master Plan.
“I would love to talk to students more, but I do believe that we’ve got a good working relationship, and I don’t have an issue with students,” Hughson said.
The candidates then spoke about the San Marcos economy and its ability to retain students to stay in the city post-graduation as well as attract new residents. However, Arredondo said the key issue is a lack of access to high-paying jobs and economic opportunity.
“I would point to specific examples of young people who fought so hard to stay in this community, but just couldn’t, because the economic opportunity isn’t there, and that goes for graduates and lifelong residents alike,” Arredondo said. “So what would I do? It would be actually having a commitment to addressing those issues.”
Hughson explained that it is not realistic to have jobs lined up in San
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Marcos for the thousands of students who graduate from Texas State every year.
“Not all students want to stay here. I’m happy for the ones that do, it’s nice that they do but some wish to return home, some seek job employment elsewhere,” Hughson said.
The San Marcos mayoral race will appear on the general election ballot, with early voting scheduled from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1, leading up to election day on Nov. 5.
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Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, October 15, 2024. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.
Deadlines: Letters to the Editor or any contributed articles are due on Monday the week prior to publication. Corrections: Any errors that are in the pages of The University Star and brought to our attention will be corrected as soon as possible.
Lucciana Choueiry
Juan Miguel Arredondo discusses his platform for mayor at a debate, Monday, Oct. 14 at LBJ Ballroom.
Mold grows on the vent of Morgan Colon’s apartment at The Junction during move-in, Sept. 3, 2024.
Bathtub filled with construction debris at Morgan Colon’s apartment at The Junction, Aug. 23, 2024.
Mayor Jane Hughson discusses her platform for mayor at a debate, Monday, Oct. 14 at LBJ Ballroom.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN COLON
PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN COLON
BY ROSEY MENDOZA
BY ROSEY MENDOZA
Everyone was really confused…because no one really knew what’s going on,” Gabay said. “Something told me not to stay [in the bomb shelter]..., so we went back to the car, and this decision basically saved our lives because... the Hamas terrorists arrived in the shelter exactly four minutes later.”
Gabay then showed video footage of Hamas militants throwing hand grenades into the bomb shelter and shooting individuals who attempted to escape.
Something told me not to stay [in the bomb shelter]..., so we went back to the car, and this decision basically saved our lives because... the Hamas terrorists arrived in the shelter exactly four minutes later.”
“[Oct. 7] changed the life of all Jews around the world and gave us a reminder that our life can be really a struggle sometimes,” organizer Noy Zarchi said. “Antisemitism has risen since [Oct. 7]…, and I believe that at the end of the day, we’ll be getting through this as part of our history because challenge is part of being a Jew.”
At the Nova music festival, Gabay said he and his friends fled to their cars to leave the festival after seeing the incoming rockets. Gabay and his ex-girlfriend eventually decided to leave their car to temporarily take shelter in a nearby bomb shelter.
“In the shelter, there were around 30 people.
The morning after the last show, Dover sent a message to The Davenport’s staff, as usual, to thank them for their work on the brunch. A few minutes later, the permanent staff who worked the brunches were fired.
“[The staff] got a phone call by the owner that said they were terminated,” Dover said. “They said they can no longer pay the staff what they’re asking and they’re moving forward with someone else. It was really sudden, right after a huge, successful drag brunch… and it was primarily the queer staff, the people that have made our brunch successful, [who were fired].”
After hearing the news, Dover reached out to the owner to discuss the future of A Brunch of Drag. However, she said the owner would not commit to a meeting. Instead of scheduling a time to talk, the owner texted her two weeks later, saying they could no longer afford the showcase and it would be paused until further notice.
Dover said the expenses for the Sunday brunch include payments for the DJ, the host and the drag performers. The total cost varies depending on how many performers The Davenport books, but typically runs “a couple hundred dollars or so once a month.”
“[The owner] just really didn’t care to have a conversation,” Dover said. “We’ve been here for two years. We’ve been making you money. We were making profit. The conversation could have been ‘what can we do to change that? If we’re not making numbers, can we have a meeting to talk about maybe decreasing the budget for our show?’... but it was just a lack of care.”
Gavin Miranda, president of Bobcat PRIDE and former dancer at Stonewall Warehouse, said he feels the queer community in San Marcos is being pushed out.
Stonewall Warehouse was the only dedicated gay bar between South Austin and San Antonio until it shut down in January 2023. After Stonewall closed, additional bars and venues stepped up to host drag performances, such as The Porch and The Railyard.
“I immediately got flashbacks of Stonewall because I found out
“Most of the people that were in the shelter were murdered or kidnapped,” Gabay said. “The ones that managed to survive [are] those that just hid behind the bodies… I’m really grateful for the divine protection, something just brought me outside this shelter.”
Gabay said he and his ex-girlfriend eventually left their car to run toward the fields as the roads were now blocked.
“After ten minutes of walking, I just started to see the sand near us starting to jump,” Gabay said. “It took us a couple of seconds to understand what was going on, and then we just recognized that we were getting shot. Everyone was screaming, and I was thinking I didn’t even have time to be scared or anything.”
Gabay eventually made it to a nearby town where he sought medical help to treat his ankle that broke while he was escaping.
“We walked probably 14 miles,” Gabay said. “After one hour, there were rescue buses that took
people from there to a safe place…I remember I started to cry in the car, like just a very silent cry. I started to think about my friends who were still there, and they don’t answer [their phones], and they might [have been] murdered [or] kidnapped.”
Texas State President Kelly Damphousse spoke at the memorial while wearing a yellow ribbon pin, a symbol to show solidarity with Israel and returning the hostages. Damphousse specifically cited the recent act on Oct. 7, 2024, of vandalism on campus where individuals spray-painted phrases, such as “Hands Off Lebanon” and “Viva Palestine” located at Lampasas Hall, Old Main and the Chemistry building.
“We had an act of vandalism a couple of weeks ago on our campus where vandals came onto our campus and spray-painted antisemitic slogans on our campus,” Damphousse said. “We don’t know yet who did that, [and] we are still investigating that process.”
Damphousse said he called Rabbi Ari Weingarten after the incident to inform him of what happened and to reaffirm Texas State’s commitment toward ensuring a safe place on campus for Jewish students.
“As I stood outside of Old Main where they had spray-painted the slogans...I was touched by the energy that I felt about what had happened on our campus,” Damphousse said. “[I] thought about how much was heavier the magnitude of the angst and frustration and fear and anxiety people must have had that day when they experienced on the massacre of Oct. 7.”
Now, a year after the attack, Gabay said he is hoping for those affected to soon achieve peace and the return of the hostages.
“I think I’m not the same Sagi and I never will be,” Gabay said. “My goal is never to stop trying to fill [my life] with light and hope.”
through my dance troupe manager the same [way],” Miranda said. “ Like, ‘the owner has sold the place. We’re not having shows there anymore, and we need another venue.’ And here we are two years later, and we still haven’t found that venue.”
Miranda said he believes if San Marcos had more queer people
Brunch of Drag, largely due to the lack of conversations between the business and the performers.
“I didn’t think it was gonna impact people as much as the Stonewall situation, which I think is also a similarity, since people [are] so distraught about what’s happening,” Dover said.
The Davenport’s website specifi-
They said they can no longer pay the staff what they’re asking and they’re moving forward with someone else. It was really sudden… and it was primarily the queer staff, the people that have made our brunch successful, who were fired.”
Eileen Dover Drag artist and host of A Brunch of Drag
owning these businesses, the community would not be seeing the same closures.
“Once we plant our feet in the ground, something comes by and rips us out,” Miranda said. “I feel like we’re trying so hard to find a space, [and] the moment something like [A Brunch of Drag] gets our hopes up, I feel like it’s just ripped away from us… [businesses] say they’re allies, but they’re not actually an ally.”
Dover said she sees similarities in the closings of Stonewall and A
cally states the San Marcos location is “Women, Minority and LGBTQIA+ led,” in contrast to their other two locations in Montrose and Clear Lake. However, A Brunch of Drag performer Xtra said she never saw the owner at a show.
“I’ve never met the owner, never once has he shown up to a show,” Xtra said. “He doesn’t care what the show looks like as a visual. Unfortunately, it is the people in power who have no understanding of the day to day business, or the events that they
throw or the things they sign their name on to.”
Dover said despite the drag brunches lasting for two years, there was never a formal contract between The Davenport and Dover or the other drag performers. However, they were already discussing future plans before The Davenport pulled the plug on the Sunday brunch.
“Drag is not unionized,” Xtra said. “We don’t have laws protecting us. Businesses are allowed to, just right before the show, cancel on us…[businesses] don’t ever talk to us like we’re business people, but at least the good drag queens, they’re all business people.”
Miranda said if San Marcos does not create queer spaces, then students will seek them out elsewhere by traveling to bigger cities, such as Austin.
Dover envisions securing a larger, permanent venue in San Marcos where drag performers and the queer community can live freely and come together to create a consistent queer space.
“[A Brunch of Drag] became like loyalty, it had consistency, and I think people really reacted well to that,” Dover said. “I think [the closure is] only igniting me to produce more shows, and open up the idea of just being more inclusive and having consistency of doing drag more often. We’re hoping that we might not even have a pause. We might be back before the end of the month.”
The University Star reached out to The Davenport for an interview but received no response.
Sagi Gabay answers questions at the memorial service regarding the Oct. 7th attack, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at the Price Center.
Drag performer Xtra performs at “A Brunch of Drag” at The Davenport on South Guadalupe Street. She said there are no laws protecting drag so business owners cancel on the queens at the last minute.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER PAUL CARDOZA
Sagi Gabay Survivor of the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival
PHOTO BY KATHERINE REA
Opinions in The University Star are not necessarily those of our entire publication, Texas State University’s administration, Board of Regents, School of Journalism and Mass Communication or Student Publications Board.
“I’m just wary, because if I were to go somewhere at night time, is somebody gonna follow me?” Lefang said. “Obviously, somebody already was looking at me to know where I was parked.”
Upon finding out about the crime, Texas State’s NAACP chapter made efforts to bring campus awareness to the incident. Williams said the NAACP is an outlet for the Texas State community in regard to racial injustice.
“Any time a person feels like they’re experiencing some type of racial injustice or racial profiling on the Texas State campus, they are allowed to come to us and we will do everything we can to ensure they have a voice,” Williams said. “[We will] also fight
with them until they feel like they’ve got the justice that they deserve.”
Williams said the NAACP initially found out about the incident through a Reddit post from Lefang’s sister. He said the NAACP released its statement when it became clear the university wasn’t going to say anything. Although Texas State President Kelly Damphousse has since released a statement condemning the crime, Williams said there is more to be done.
“There is a lot that could be done within [campus security] because there’s no way that someone should be able to have their car keyed like this,” Williams said. “Security cameras should be upgraded regularly.”
Lefang said after hearing others’ reactions to the hate crime, he felt the incident spoke to an issue larger than himself.
“It honestly made me more in tune with my political side, like it made me want to put a voice out there for more people,” Lefang said. “I feel like I was defaced. Not only me, but my car, and it was a message put out for me and all the other Black people.”
Williams said that though this was a terrible incident, it shows there is a larger problem at hand.
“It’s overall an issue of systematic hate,” Williams said. “That’s pretty much what it all boils down to. It’s the fact that systematic hate is allowed on campus. There should be no reason
why the university allows people to express this type of hate. I feel like the university should speak against that, especially since they push for more minority colored people to come to this campus.”
Hunter said he feels the hate crime was a mostly isolated incident and Texas State does a good job in including all students, but the university should prioritize sitting down and having conversations about the hate crime and what it means for the future.
“I know administration cares for students and they’re willing to work with us,” Hunter said. “[We need] to make sure we’re still having conversations with administration and sitting down with them.”
Hunter also believes the student body has a large role in ensuring the hate crime remains an isolated incident.
“I think the student body can support Black students just by acknowledging what had happened, having the conversation of why did this happen and how it can be prevented in the future,” Hunter said. “I think that’s the most important thing; addressing it and talking about it and not letting it get swept under the rug, because though this is what I feel is an isolated incident, if it’s swept under the rug and not talked about, it could potentially happen again.”
This hate crime should’ve never happened at Texas State. However, it did and it’s crucial the ones who committed it are discovered and held accountable. To prevent this incident repeating itself in the future, acts of hate cannot be tolerated, and wider discussions surrounding racial hate need to be fostered on campus.
Students of color have an important voice in elections
By Madison Green Opinions Columnist
Voting is more than just a right, it is a civic duty. Not only does voting benefit those in the present, it reaffirms that the decisions made today impact the future.
When it comes to civic engagement, people of color and other minorities face unique challenges, such as voter suppression. According to the League of Women Voters, voter suppression occurs when systems are implemented to challenge and discourage specific demographics from casting a ballot.
The League of Women Voters also states, “The most widely used forms of voter suppression include discriminatory voter ID and proof-of-citizenship restrictions, reduced polling place hours in communities of color, the elimination of early voting opportunities and illegal purges of voters from the rolls.”
Preventing voter suppression is especially important at universities. In 2018 voter suppression among college students was pertinent at Texas State. According to The University Star, there was a request from the North Hays GOP President Wally Kinny to keep on campus voting limited to three days after it was suggested the lack of times could contribute to voter suppression.
Due to forms of voter suppression that marginalized communities face, it is easy to understand why some students of color might perceive voting as an arduous task. It’s important to understand this fact as Texas State has an “overall minority enrollment of over 50%.
Lillian Swearingen, a student leader for Texas Rising at Texas State,
said it is not typical forms of voter suppression, like gerrymandering, impacting students of color. Rather, it is the preconceived notions these students have about voting based on how their families were impacted by voter suppression.
“When students who have grown up in these environments come to college, it is not so much ‘should I vote or shouldn’t I vote,’” Swearingen said. “I think it may be a little bit more like voting just takes too much time and effort.”
In addition, as more people vote, the representation of the population becomes more diverse. As the presidential race will be on the ballot this
November, the stakes are even higher, and a multicultural perspective is especially important as injustices are becoming more frequent. The racially motivated hate crime in the Woods Street Parking Garage is a devastating example that showcases the importance for minority groups to use their voice and call for change to benefit the whole.
Overall, voting is important for minority groups at Texas State because it was a withheld right for so long.
According to The Carnegie Cooperation of New York, the Voting Rights Act, which barred many practices that states had to prevent African Americans from casting their votes, had
a central component that protected preclearance overturned in 2013 in Shelby County v. Holder. This illustrates how constant the battle is to keep power with the people, especially minority groups.
Although some students likely find themselves questioning how truly important their one vote is, they must recognize if voting was not important, there would be no need to withhold it from marginalized groups in the past. Swearingen said another issue that contributes to a lack of student voting is many students don’t believe their vote will change anything.
However, one vote can make a huge change, especially in local elections. According to the Center for American Progress, in 2016 over 340 state office elections were determined by less than 500 votes.
Therefore, a vote is never wasted. Even if voting seems tedious, students should still vote. Being able to have an impact and make a change in the local community is rewarding as students are seeing the direct fruits of their labor.
For those planning to vote on campus, according to Texas State Student Involvement, the polling location is room 306 in the LBJ Student Center. Early voting starts on Oct. 21 and ends on Nov. 1.
- Madison Green is a psychology and advertising senior
The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor in Chief and Opinions Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.
ILLUSTRATION BY KATLIN MARTINEZ
FROM FRONT COMMUNITY
LOGO BY SARAH MANNING
Halfway To Halloween
Student-led performance wraps up Hispanic Heritage Month
By Megan Weise Life and Arts Reporter
When Josh Trevino, technical theatre sophomore, joined “¡Viva Cultura!” as the production stage manager, he was excited it was a larger-scale production than he expected it to be.
Earlier this year, Alex Blanco, theatre education junior, and Emilio Amaya, performance and production junior, co-produced “¡Viva Cultura!” to celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture. According to Trevino, the celebration showcase was unique because it was the first production solely emphasizing Hispanic culture in the Texas State Theatre Department.
“[Blanco and Amaya are] very passionate about
what they’re doing,” Trevino said. “It’s honestly been inspiring to work with them because they’re the first people to do [a production like this] here. And they’re the first people to have the guts to do it, and it’s something that needed to be done.”
Texas State is a Hispanic Serving Institution. However, Blanco said there is not a lot of diversity in the theater program. The production gathered a cast of 23 people from multiple cultural and academic backgrounds.
“I’ve worked with many casts before, and these individuals want to be here,” Blanco said. “People came out of hiding to be a part of this event because typically in the theater community, we see a lot of the same people doing things over and over again. In this production, this is a lot
of people’s first time performing at Texas State.”
The showcase on Oct. 12 included 16 acts with notable performances such as a group musical number of “In the Heights,” a monologue from the play “Marisol” by José Rivera and a musical number of “Remember Me” from “Coco.”
“I think the most important thing for us was just telling true, authentic stories and just celebrating our voices,” Amaya said. “This event started off as just a little idea [that] me and Alex talked about... [and] one little thing evolved into something more than me or Alex could have expected.”
Each act sampled important instances from various productions that share significant aspects of Hispanic and Latino culture.
“We picked a lot of pieces from plays and musicals and songs that just celebrated what it means to be Latino in this world,” Amaya said. “We were given a lot of scripts and we just had to read through them and try to find which pieces, which scenes from those pieces, spoke to us the most.”
“¡Viva Cultura!” was the first production Amaya and Blanco directed. It was an independent and student-driven project with a faculty member ensuring the production ran smoothly.
“I’m very proud of my culture,” Amaya said. “I bring it here, I share it whenever I can and it’s something I want to incorporate now into my career... as I get out into the real world. I hope I can be a part of some sort of revolution for Latinos’ representation.”
Amaya wanted the audience to connect with the stories shared in “¡Viva Cultura!” regardless of their ethnic background.
“Even if you’re not a part of our community, you still find some sort of connection to it,” Amaya said. “You see how beautiful and colorful our community is [and] how vibrant we can be despite hard times that we’ve gone through in the past and hard times that we’re going through now... This is who we are.”
TXST student donates stem cells to save life
By Jamin Ochoa Life and Arts Reporter
Allison Havard, health sciences sophomore and vice president for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) chapter at Texas State, recently underwent the process of donating her peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) to an anonymous patient in need, only a few months after joining the registry.
NMDP is the global stem cell registry whose mission is to help save or prolong the lives of those with blood cancer or disorders through cellular therapy. Havard joined the registry last March and by July learned she was an exact match for a patient.
“For a lot of people, it takes years where they never find a match,” Havard said. “Within a couple of months, I did, which shows someone was out there and I was whoever they needed.”
Havard said her registration process was easy and she didn’t expect anything to come of it as soon as it did. She said when it came to actually donating, it was a straightforward process. Blood is drawn from one arm, the stem cells are removed and then the blood is returned to the other arm. Havard was nervous going into the donation, but she said she walked away from it with a different feeling.
“It was a very humbling experience because I went into it not having a lot of experience having medical things done to me,” Havard said. “I’m so glad I got this opportunity, but I’m even happier that someone else has the opportunity to possibly have their life saved.”
Kamryn Schwarmer, theatre performance and production junior, was encouraged to join the registry after a community member was in need of finding a match. Havard was the first
match she met, and after doing so she could learn more about the process of medical donations. She understands nerves or feelings of inconvenience for potential donors but hopes they can also get some perspective and knowledge.
“I think Allison told me [the procedure] takes maybe 4-6 hours,” Scharmer said. “That’s 4-6 hours of your life to give someone maybe 20-30 years.”
Havard is working with Jocelyn Auxier, human development and family science sophomore and co-president of NMDP, to encourage students to be open to donating a part of their body to help potentially save others. Havard said NMDP recently crossed 1,000 registered donors here at Texas State, but the number of matches including Havard is proportionally low.
“We have at least five potential donors, and five is a lot of people,
but also at the same time it’s out of 1,000,” Havard said. “The higher amount of people we have added, the higher chances that other people get to find their life saving match.”
Auxier claims with NMDP being established on campus since this May, it had success in getting students to consider donating. However, she hopes more people will be open to medical donations, whether through NMDP or other donation centers in the future, as it’s more than a simple donation.
“What you are doing is really beyond that one day of donation because that part of you is giving the gift of life,” Auxier said. “You might not think you’re doing a lot of good, but you’re giving what matters most.”
Theatre students perform for ¡Viva Cultura! representing different ethnic groups while closing out their performances, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Performing Arts Center.
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
On the receiving note, senior wide receiver Joey Hobert continued establishing himself as the leader of the wide receiver room, with a stat line of 10 receptions and 101 yards while hauling in two touchdowns for the day. The balancing of the offensive attack was put on the back of junior running back Ismail Mahdi and his rushing ability, gaining a season-high 164 yards on 17 carries.
“We’re a really good football team, you can see that every time we play,” Texas State Head Coach G.J. Kinne stated. “That was an emotional, hardfought, grind-your-butt-all week win”
In addition to the offense’s powerful performance, the Bobcat defense shined, allowing nine points the entire game, which was due in part to the defensive line showing their ability to contain and shut down Arkansas State’s rushing attack.
The Bobcats held the Red Wolves to 171 rushing yards throughout the game, preventing them from establishing a ground game. This forced Arkansas State sophomore quarterback Jalen Raynor to rely on his passing game, which Texas State’s secondary was prepared to handle, holding the Red Wolves to only 213 passing yards.
The defense’s main pillar of the game was redshirt senior cornerback Jordan Polk, who recorded a team-high seven tackles, one sack and his second forced fumble in the last two games.
Another highlight from the defensive standpoint was the first interception for junior linebacker Treylin Payne, who also put two tackles on the stat sheet in the matchup against the Red Wolves.
“You know how the game is gonna go if you don’t let them in the end zone,” Polk said. “We had to not get caught in the emotions, with what happened last year, we just had to focus.”
Now after back-to-back wins, Texas State has a chance to win three consecutive games as it will travel to play a 2-4 Old Dominion team.
Kickoff between Texas State and Old Dominion is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at S.B. Ballard Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia. The game will be available to stream on ESPNU.
Bobcat track and field adds world record hurdler and former collegiate thrower to staff
By Jacob De Luna Sports Reporter
The Texas State track and field announced two additions to its coaching staff: Aries Merritt and Natalie Ramirez, this offseason.
Merritt joins the program as an assistant coach in sprints, hurdles and relays. Ramirez will be the director of operations and assistant coach in throwing.
Merritt is the current world record holder for the 110-meter hurdle event with a recorded time of 12.80 seconds. He broke the previous record by 0.07 seconds on Sept. 7, 2012 at the Memorial Van Damme meet hosted in Belgium.
According to Merritt, the move from Brown University to Texas State has been smooth.
“My transition was pretty seamless, Coach [John] Frazier was very accommodating just as Texas State has been,” Merritt said. “They relocated me from Brown and it has been fairly quick to say the least.”
Merritt said things have been great thus far in the limited amount of time he has been in San Marcos and with the Texas State track team.
“My time in San Marcos has been excellent so far,” Merritt said. “The team is really, really good and I am directing them on the right track and the right path. I expect them to do really big things this year in the track season.”
Merritt spoke about his previous encounters at the University of Tennessee with Frazier who holds the position of Texas State Director of Track and Field.
“We did have a previous relationship back when I was in college. I turned pro in 2006 and Frazier was just hired around the time I was finishing my degree,” Merritt said.
The world record holder gave his thoughts about working with Frazier, one of his former college coaches.
“He was a fairly good coach then, and he is still a good coach now,” Merritt said. “We have always had a very good working relationship.”
Merritt gave his thoughts on what he hopes the track and field program can accomplish this upcoming season.
“I am hoping we can win a conference championship yet again. The idea is to win both men’s and women’s this year,” Merritt said. “I want to see a lot of the kids make it to NCAA regionals and the NCAA [Championships] and do some damage on the national level.”
Ramirez also spoke about her relationship with Frazier, leading her to coach at Texas State.
“He recruited me to UCLA in 2019, and he was my coach for two years,” Ramirez said. “I always trusted him as an athlete, and in my career as a coach and director of operations. I always felt he would be the perfect person to learn from.”
According to Ramirez, she expects her time in San Marcos will continue to be extraordinary.
“So far it has been amazing and I anticipate it to continue to be amazing,” Ramirez said. “Everybody has been so kind and welcoming, I love the staff and the athletes have been great.”
Ramirez spoke about what she hopes the track and field team can achieve this season.
“Getting another conference championship on the women’s side and hopefully getting towards the same goal on the men’s side. Getting to the bigger stages like junior world or indoor world is completely attainable for these athletes.”
Texas State track and field’s first meet will be the Ted Nelson Invitational on Jan. 25 hosted in College Station.
Texas State long jumper aims to leap over the competition to a national championship
By R.J. Porcher Sports Contributor
Texas State junior long/triple jumper Chris Preddie enters the 2024-25 track and field season with am impressive collegiate resume to his name.
After winning the Sun Belt Conference Championship in both the indoor and outdoor seasons last year, Preddie now has his sights set on a national championship.
Preddie jumped his personal best during the triple jump with a jump of 51’2.75 (15.61). When asked how he felt at that moment of winning, Preddie said it was surreal.
“I knew I could do it,” Preddie said. “Honestly, it was surreal. I feel like every year there is something that happens; like my freshman year, I got hurt, which is always the case for me. To finally be able to put the pieces together for the whole year is exciting to me.”
Texas State jumps coach Kendall
Gustafson worked with Preddie all three of his years at Texas State. Gustafson said she was not surprised by Freddie’s success.
“I get to watch him every day at practice, so I know what he’s capable of,” Gustafson said. “I wasn’t surprised. It has gotten to the point with [Chris] where when he does something that other people are blown away by. I’m not really surprised; he doesn’t have a limit really.”
The Little River Academy native opened the 2024 indoor season finishing in fourth place in the long jump with a jump of 23’10.25” (7.27). He finished in first place in six different meets throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons.
“I feel like I can be in contention of winning NCAA,” Preddie said. “Even above that it is a world championships year, so I want to be able to compete in that and give my best effort. Whatever my body allows me to do, be happy and smile.”
story.
Aries Merritt poses for a headshot as an assistant coach and director of operations for the Texas State track and field in sprints, hurdles and relays.
ILLUSTRATION BY KAITLIN MARTINEZ
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS Texas State sophomore long jumper Chris Preddie leaps in the air during the men’s long jump event at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at the Birmingham CrossPlex in Birmingham, Alabama.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS STATE ATHLETICS
This Week at Texas State
Theatre junior James Cazares performs “La Bamba” for the ¡Viva Cultura! audience, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Performing Arts Center. ¡Viva Cultura! celebrates Hispanic heritage through performances of Latin music, stories and representation.
Psychology freshman Kacie Aldrich sings on stage during Glo Karaoke at family weekend, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, at George’s. Family weekend featured fun-filled activities for students and parents to attend.
Mechanical engineering freshman Jryus Berry throws a pitch to his little brother as they play wiffle ball during the family weekend tailgate, Saturday, Oct.12, 2024, at Bobcat Ballpark.
Students cheer on the Texas State football squad from the student section during the game versus Arkansas State, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at UFCU Stadium. UFCU Stadium welcomed a sold-out crowd in attendance for the family weekend game and tailgate during the Bobcats’ 41-9 victory.
Theatre junior Natalia Luna performs Marisol by Jose Rivera during ¡Viva Cultura!, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Performing Arts Center.
¡Viva Cultura! celebrates Hispanic heritage through performances of Latin music, stories and representation.
PHOTO BY KHANG LE
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
PHOTO BY KOBE ARRIAGA
PHOTO BY KHANG LE
PHOTO BY KHANG LE