The Bridge - April 2015

SOUTHBOUND IV

SEVENTEEN

PHOTO ESSAY

Indie rock reigned as out-of-state bands came to Laredo to give our town a taste of SXSW. PAGE 8

TAMIU will be featured in Seventeen Magazine’s May 2015 issue, Read more about who and why on PAGE 6

See photos from Take Back the Night, Holi, The Big Event and the Spring Dance Concert on PAGE 4 and 5

TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER @TAMIUBRIDGE

NEWS BRIEFLY CRUZ WILL NOT BE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Presidential candidate Ted Cruz will not become the University’s commencement speaker for the 2015 Spring graduation.

As first reported by The Bridge, the s e n a t o r ’s campaign approached the University offering to speak at the event in early April. In a statement released shortly after, TAMIU said the candidate was “regrettably unable to join us” at the ceremony.

A petition against Cruz’s visit, due to the change in schedule the graduation ceremonies would have to undergo to accommodate Cruz’s visit, totaled more than 200 signatures.

MARIACHI GROUP PERFORMS AT SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan de Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s most celebrated mariachi groups visited the University to host the first annual International Mariachi Workshop. The workshop brought in mariachi students from LISD, UISD and the surrounding areas to hone their mariachi craft under some of the best musicians.

SENIOR ART SHOW TO OPEN APRIL 23 15 Views of Blue, the senior student art show hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Fine and Performing Arts, is set to open shortly at the Fine and Performing Arts Gallery.

The opening reception will be held Thursday, April 23 from 6 - 7:30 P.M. The exhibit will run until May 14.

Gallery hours run from 8 A.M - 5 P.M., Monday-Friday or by appointment. For more information, contact David Bogus at 956-3263079

RUSSELL BOOK SIGNING SET Jan Jarboe Russell, the author of “The Train to Crystal City” will visit the University on Wednesday, April 29 at 6 P.M. for a book signing and lecture.

His book tells the true story of internment camps in Crystal City, Texas during World War II from 19421948.

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ON CAMPUS

KLRN STUDIO INAUGURATED

BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR @TAMIUBRIDGE

On Thursday April 16, 2015, Texas A&M International University held its opening dedication ceremony for its new video studio, the TAMIU KLRN Studio, a digital learning laboratory that is located on the second floor of Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall.

TAMIU administrators, IBC executives, and KLRN Public Television of South Texas executives hosted the event which was open to the public

and included a video conference via remote broadcasting with IBC Senior Vice President Eddie Aldrete.

Starting earlier than the scheduled 1:30pm time, visiting KLRN president and CEO, Arthur Rojas Emerson, and Dr. Ray Keck III, TAMIU President, were on hand to cut the ribbon. Then they began letting the public enter the new fully functioning broadcast and video studio.

As announced in the TAMIU press release, Dr. Keck stated, “The TAMIU KLRN Studio provides a remarkable

ON CAMPUS

opportunity for students to use professional quality in their studies.”

During the opening ceremony, Emerson stated that “Future graduates of TAMIU…will have the best international education and the best education in journalism and broadcast management that any university can deliver.

Future winners and presidents will come from this university thanks to this team.”

Funded with generous do-

JUDITH MAE AGUILAR | THE BRIDGE STAFF

TAMIU Adminstration and KLRN executives teleconference with Eddie Aldrete, Senior Vice President of IBC Bank

KLRN PAGE 2

ON CAMPUS

STUDENTS IN ACTION

HELPING HANDS AUÑON

NASA’s Auñon visits TAMIU

BY KHLOE TORRES @TAMIUBRIDGE

LUISCANELA@DUSTY.TAMIU.EDU

GEORGE GONZALEZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Various student organizations of TAMIU get together to help package and organize food at the South Texas Food Bank for the Student Government Association’s Big Event on March 28th.

Big Event a big success

BY GEORGE GONZALEZ

JORGE.GONZALEZ@DUSTY.TAMIU.EDU

On Thursday, March 5, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) was honored to receive astronaut Serena M. Auñón, who is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Dr. Auñón presented to an audience of students from different academic levels including TAMIU faculty members as well as to students majoring in engineering, mathematics, medicine, and physics.

Dr. Auñón began by describing her life before working at NASA. She mentioned that her education was always her priority.

Dr. Auñón received a degree in electrical engineering from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and a PhD in medicine

TAMIU honors fallen students

BY LOUIE CANELA

In support of the South Texas Food Bank, students of Texas A&M International University participated in “The Big Event” on Saturday, March 28th. Benefiting the South Texas Food Bank on Freight Street, over 300 students took part in the

FOR MORE ON TAMIU VOLUNTEERS SEE PAGE 4 AND 5 event from 8am to 1pm. They to organized food, packaged fruits, painted the buildings walls, and even engaged in fun competitions.

Originally beginning at Te x a s A&M

University at College Station in 1982, The Big Event has been adopted by dozens of universities and now serves

VOLUNTEER PAGE 2

Texas A&M International University hosted their annual Celebration of Life on Tuesday April 7, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the TAMIU Center of the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. The university gathered as a community at the Celebration of Life to remember fallen TAMIU Alumni, Faculty and Students.

Rosanne Palacios, TAMIU Vice President for Institutional Advancement, welcomed attendees to the event. There were performances by the TAMIU Choir with Dr. Collin Campbell, Memorial Bells of First United Methodist Church, Antonio Machado, ‘14 and Omar Ramirez, ‘16. Roll Calls were conducted by Miguel San Miguel, ‘16 Mr. TAMIU 2015, Martha S. Trevino, ‘05 and Alejandro Martinez, ‘89 members of the TAMIU Alumni Association.

This year the roll call of Alumni, Faculty and Students included the following: David A. Alegria, ‘76 Sylvia Mares, ‘94 Marc D. Barrera, ‘08 Ricardo A. Rvamirez, ‘14 Blanca M. Esquivel, ‘00 Antonio R. Rangel, ‘74 Norma A. Flores, ‘93 Jorge L. Serna, ‘78 Martha E. Garza, ‘94 Roger S. Montiel, ‘96 Adela V. Gonzalez, ‘12

NASA PAGE 2

LIFE PAGE 2

APERTURE: FEATURED PHOTO

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Llamas elected student president

BY LOUIS SAN MIGUEL @LOUIS_SM

GUNFIGHTS IN REYNOSA, MEX Gunfights and roadblocks broke out in Reynosa, the border city to McAllen, Texas. The gunfire erupted soon after Mexican authorities attempted to capture a top member of the Gulf Cartel.

The cartel member is reported to be “El Gafe,’

APRIL 2015

JUDITH MAE AGUILAR | THE BRIDGE STAFF

TAMIU Students celebrated Holi, the festival of colors, on the TAMIU quad by throwing colored cornstarch at each other. The event was sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs and the Association of International Studies.

Sophomore Joshua Llamas will take over as Student Government Association president for the 2015-2016 school year after defeating sophomore Hugo Campos in the student election held in early April. Llamas will replace outgoing SGA president Jackie Briseño.

“I thank you all for your ardent support and vote!” Llamas said in a statement via Facebook. “This

journey starts and together, we will secure the future of our University!”

Both candidates had a depth of experience in SGA, LLAMAS with Llamas and Campos both serving as a senator at-large in the organization this past year.

Voting statistics were unavailable at press time, but will be available online when recieved.

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THE BRIDGE

Students interested writing, editing, photographing or designing with The Bridge are welcome to contact Editor-in-Chief Louis San Miguel at louis. sm@gmail.com for more information. The Bridge will also accept submissions of potential stories, photos, poems, cartoons, and other pieces of literature at the same email address. Included in this issue is “Dumb Love”

by Rebekah Rodriguez

VOLUNTEER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

APRIL 2015

TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER

STAFF LIST Editor-in-chief.........................................Louis San Miguel Assoc. editor-in-chief............................Judith Mae Aguilar Asst. editor-in-chief.....................................Leo Hernandez Online Editor...................................................Louie Canela Social Media Editor........................................Louie Canela Head Copy Editor......................................George Gonzalez Copy Editors...................................................Khloe Torres Tina Gomez Dago Carmona Allison Ramirez Rebekah Rodriguez Spanish Editor.................................................Karen Alanis Design Editor...........................................Louis San Miguel

CONTACT INFO The Bridge staff can be reached through a multiple number of avenues. As journalists we always strive to be factual and unbaised. You can contact us with any comments or concerns through the following locations: Twitter: twitter.com/TAMIUBridge Facebook: facebook.com/TheBridgeTAMIU GEORGE GONZALEZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Itzamara Flores (left) and Joy Davis (right) of the Artisans: Art Society help complete a mural for the South Texas Food Bank during the Student Government Association’s Big Event on Saturday, March 28th. many communities across the country. Previous Big Events at TAMIU have included park cleanups and repairs to homes.

This year, Dust Devils selected the South Texas Food Bank as their recipient. Serving over 30,000 families throughout eight counties in South Texas, the local food bank is a member agency of the United Way of Laredo, a certified member of the Feeding Texas and Feeding America’s Food Bank Network – the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization.

Jose Roberto Dovalina of the Student Government Association emphasised the purpose behind the event

LIFE

stating, “The importance of The Big Event is that we are thanking the community for having the university, donors, and for having a university in your hometown.” Dovalina explained, “not a lot of people are privileged to have that.”

Aside from the hundreds of students working, members of the Artisans: Art Society of TAMIU were also on site painting a mural for the food bank.

Originally approached by the SGA back in February to design and create the mural, students of the organization put their talents together to come up with an picture that was both meaningful and everlast-

ing. Using the themes; “community engagement,” “community service,” and “feeding the hungry,” the art society constructed a colorful piece that was representational of its message, gaining many participates to stop and compliment their work.

The charismatic Dovalina was also happy to see the unprecedented amount of student volunteers that helped make the event such a success. He stated, “I am really overwhelmed. We had over 325 participantes which is double from what we had last year,” concluding, “it just makes me really happy. All these organizations are here because they really want to

participate more in this but also Dusty Cup, which is going to be exceptional for SGA.” Students who belong to organizations not only received community service hours for helping at The Big Event, but they also earned points towards Dusty Cup, a campus-wide Olympics style competition that took place on Saturday, April 11th.

Nevertheless, Dovalina says there will be other ways for students to get involved before the semester ends. He stated, “I know we’re going to have an event for Earth Day on April 22nd and we’re going to have another for International Students though the dates TBA.”

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Francis L. Wawroski, Jr., ‘75 Isela V. Gonzalez, ‘87 Nancy J. Wright, ‘77, ‘82 Ricardo Guerrero, ‘86 Angie Herrera, ‘75, ‘82 Sylvia S. Lopez, ‘97 Sandra A. Lozano, ‘06 Dr. Rafael A. Lecuona, Professor Emeritus, College of Arts and Sciences Mandy Garcia, freshman at TAMIU stated,“The ceremony was handled with grace and it was executed beautifully. The performance of A don Francisco Giner de Los Rios was

NASA

LOUIE CANELA | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Miguel San Miguel, Mr. TAMIU 2015 presenting the wreath at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Memorial Garden during the Celebration of Life.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

from the University of Texas - Health Science Center at Houston. Auñón also completed a degree in aerospace medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and a masters in Public Health in 2007. She is also certified in aerospace medicine.

KLRN

a very special unique touch to honor the ones we’ve lost. You could tell the attendees loved it by their facial expressions.”

The celebration concluded with the placement of the wreath at the Lamar Bruni Vergara Garden with a performance of “Amazing Grace” by the TAMIU Choir. A reception followed at the Student Success Center Breezeway.

For additional information, contact Louie Canela at luiscanela@dusty.tamiu.edu or Yelitza Howard, Director of Alumni Relations, at yelitza. howard@tamiu.edu wvbv

Although Dr. Auñón’s passion was medicine, she always dreamed of being an astronaut.

She mentioned, “If you would have asked me at five years old what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would’ve of said an astronaut.” Her greatest honor is being able to be a part NASA

STEM which is an organization of a group of people who specialize in Service Teacher Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Dr. Auñón expects the number of women in the NASA to grow as it is doing currently, and she is excited that more people are

interested in an aviation career as this has different branches and specialties.

This presentation served as an important learning experience for all the students who were present, as it is a career that they can now consider pursuing.

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nations from the community, including those from Matias de Llano Charitable Trust, Lamar Bruni Vergara trust, Arduindegui Oil and The Prairie Foundation, the studio will allow students a chance to create original video content and explore the vast broadcasting career sector.

With this new studio, the College of Arts and Sciences will continue to grow, especially in the field of communications. Along with the growth of the education in communications, including the recent opening of its Master’s program, TAMIU students can be expected to have the best available resources at the ready.

JUDITH MAE AGUILAR | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Website: thebridgenewspaper.com

Additionally, reporters can be reached at their individual emails and Twitter pages which are detailed in the bylines of the various stories contained within our pages.

APRIL 2015

THE BRIDGE

3

NATIONAL

Clinton announces Presidental campaign

BY TINA GOMEZ @TAMIUBRIDGE

Anticipation grew on Sunday, Apr. 12, as the world stayed tuned to the internet and their television sets; the announcement came through just after 3 p.m. that Hillary Rodham Clinton would be running for President in the upcoming 2016 presidential election race.

The former First Lady released her decision shortly after both GOP candidates Ted Cruz and Rand Paul reported they too would be campaigning for the presidential bid.

After months --and arguably years of speculation, Hillary confirmed to the world through means of a video, “I’m running for president”.

Hilary has put in the work and set the wheels in motion for a presidential campaign that is speculated to be one for the books. However, this is not the first time the former First Lady makes a run for the hill.

In 2008, the former secretary of state laced up her running shoes and went up against democratic favorites former Senator John Edwards, and then former Senator Barack Obama.

The possibility of welcom-

COURTESY PHOTO | TIME MAGAZINE

Hillary Clinton consults her phone on the campaign trail. Clinton was currently under scrutiny for using her personal email account on a home server. ing the first female president was short lived after President Obama trumped Clinton in the primaries.

Clinton is back on the campaign trail and her strategy needs to be aggressive in order to win the upcoming election.

According to The New York Times, in order for the presidential hopeful to win “the general election, she will need to win over the so-called Obama coalition of blacks [sic.] and young, college-educated white voters who

supported Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. But she will also need to maintain her base of support among white working-class women while battling it out for college-educated women in the suburbs.”

In Clinton’s favor, she was recently endorsed by the POTUS. “I think she would be an excellent president”, Obama stated. The president’s current stance on backing Hillary Clinton could help her platform and gain the votes

that had lead to Obama’s 2008 and 2012 election wins.

Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State that served under Nixon, also gave credit to Clinton for her role as the Secretary of State.

According to Politico, Kissinger spoke candidly about the former first lady. “I’ve known her for many years now, and I respect her intellect,” he stated. “She ran the State Department in the most effective way that I’ve ever seen.”

These endorsements will

aid Clinton in her run for the Democratic primary win however, she’s had a tumultuous track record as the former Secretary of State.

Recently, Clinton was making headlines over the fact that she did not adhere to guidelines that failed to enforce her to utilize her government-provided email address. Instead, during her tenure as the aid to the President, she used her personal email account hosted on a server at home to conduct

personal, public and governmental business. When asked why she decided to stick with her personal email address, she stated, “I thought it would be easier to just carry one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two.”

Clinton is currently racing through her campaign trail, and her first stop on the map was a small coffee shop in Iowa. A caffeine-fueled Clinton stated she is ready to “drink my way across Iowa”.

It is projected that small retail shops, like the java house, are key locations on the current road to the presidency. These locally owned establishments will be the primary setting for her to secure one-on-one time with voters.

According to recent primary poll data, hosted by Real Clear Politics, Clinton is a favorable front runner. Currently, she leads with an average 35.2 percent approval over her adversaries.

Whether the Nation is ready for the first female president or not, Hillary has successfully received the presidential endorsement to run up that hill.

For questions or comments Tina Gomez can be reached at cristinagomez@dusty.tamiu.edu

ON CAMPUS

Speaker series brings Negroponte, DeCesare

BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR AND REBEKAH RODRIGUEZ Every semester, as part of the Western Hemispheric Trade Keynote Speaker series and sponsored by the International Bank of Commerce, guest speakers are invited to speak on areas of interest and expertise. For the 20142015 academic year, two of the speakers invited during the Spring semester were Dr. Donna De Cesare and Dr. Diana Villiers Negroponte.

Dr. Donna De Cesare, an associate professor of journalism for the University of Texas and an award winning photographer, came to TAMIU and presented on “Unsettled/Desasosiego: Children in a World of Gangs.”

Dr. De Cesare spoke on March 25th of her experience as a photojournalist and photographing children in gang-saturated communities. She spoke of her effort in gaining the confidence of people in those communities, especially those children already involved in gangs.

“One of the most important lessons I hope people take from my work, is the importance of providing young people space for their voices and a sense of possibility as well as real opportunities,” she concluded her presentation poignantly.

Dr. Diana Villiers Negroponte, a public policy scholar for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for

Scholars in Washington, D.C, covered in her presentation of the Mexican Economy under President Enrique Peña Nieto. Included in her presentation concern the attempt of inviting business opportunities to Mexico considering the great concern of violence and political challenges.

She stated, “Modern Mexico, trading Mexico, must engage with those problems, recognize them and sweep them under the carpet...there is too much at stake.”

Each speaker brought to the fore front grave discussions that affect the citizens of Laredo in one way or another and the crowd of students and Laredo/Nuevo Laredo citizens who joined the discussions. At the end of each discussion, questions were allowed from the audiences which both speakers answered thoughtfully.

Dr. Negroponte was the last speaker for the 2014-2015 academic year, but there will be a new set of speakers for the upcoming 2015-2016 academic year. Please on the lookout for further information concerning these new speakers on the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade.

DESASOSIEGO Donna DeCesare’s presentation, “Unsettled/Desasosiego: Children in a World of Gangs,” held on

JUDITH MAE AGUILAR | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Dr. Diana Villiers Negroponte answers questions from the audience after her presentation on the Mexican Economy. the evening of March 25 in the Student Center Ballroom, sparked a variety of reactions among its audience members.

University President Dr. Ray Keck was the first to speak during the Q&A portion of DeCesare’s visit. Referring to the conditions faced by citizens in war-torn countries, Keck simply asked “What can we do?”

“Reach out to young people, [by] feeding their imagination, allowing them to discover themselves, supporting the arts, and of course, supporting education,” DeCesare answered.

Texas A&M International University students and faculty, along with other members of the Laredo community, shared their thoughts follow-

ing the presentation’s conclusion.

Jaime Herrera, a board member of the local Logistics and Manufacturing Association, shared his highly personal connection to the stories presented by the guest speaker. A native of El Salvador, Herrera came to the United States during the Salvadoran Civil War. Upon addressing DeCesare, he became emotional, recounting how at the age of 14, he witnessed the murder of his own teacher.

“I chose to come because the topic is very close to my heart. I lived through this as a teenager,” Herrera told The Bridge.

“I was very moved, and she was very real in what she

wrote,” said Herrera, who added “We can see that in our own community.”

“What she [Donna DeCesare] brought up in the lecture is happening two, three blocks away from my house, in Nuevo Laredo. Many of these kids cross the river in search for a better life here in America. I really don’t see why we, as a community, won’t help these unfortunate kids,” said Rosaura Martinez. “They’re coming to us for help! What is it that we do? We report them, and they go back to where they were running from. It is sad,” added Martinez However, another student, Daniel Rodriguez, was more critical of the presentation.

“I feel the speaker is guilty of paternalism. The speaker played on the audience’s heart strings to try and make them see it her way. While it is a tragedy that such horrendous things happen to innocent children, these things happen all around the globe,” said Rodriguez. “What kind of people would we be to make it our ‘duty’ to clean it all up?

We cannot try to help other people while we ourselves are having problems.”

He added, “If we want to fix the West and the world, we cannot immediately put ourselves on a pedestal and offer help to any and all who need it.” Rodriguez further described U.S. government intervention in foreign crises as “jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.”

Dr. Jack Byham, visiting

professor of political science, shared his perspective.

“The overall effect of the presentation made me very grateful,” said Byham. “Not in a superior, gloating way, but [it made me] profoundly grateful to not have been born into a situation like that. Not that you can’t be happy coming from that situation, but it does hold you back, especially as you get older.”

He added that he found the element of art to be particularly interesting.

“She’s also an artist...I wonder how that artistry relates to the goal, which seems to be this moving presentation of a brutal reality,” said Byham.

“I would like to hear how the element of an art form adds or detracts from the authenticity of the presentation. Artfulness invites a point of view and other preferences, political or otherwise. There is an element of rhetorical persuasion,” Byham explained.

Though the viewpoints of audience members differed, most in attendance agreed that the presentation did not fall short of impact. As the audience left the ballroom, some wiped tears, while others waited to speak to DeCesare one-on-one. Yet regardless of their opinion, conversations among individuals from all levels of education filled the hallway at the end of the evening.

For more information on Donna DeCesare and her work, visit http://www.donnadecesare.com.

LOCAL CALENDAR MAY 15

MAY 4

MAY 14-15

CORD, HOODING CERMONIES

TONIC @ LAREDO COLLISEUM

MAY 16

MAY 29

MAY 30

LAST CLASS DAY

SPRING COMMENCEMENT

BREAKING BENJAMIN @ LEA

WWE LIVE @ LEA

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THE BRIDGE - PHOTO ESSAY

APRIL 2015

HOLI

PHOTOS AND STORY BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR Colored cornstarch went flying through the air, as TAMIU students celebrated Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors. Holi is a celebrated to mark the arrival of Spring which is the season of hope and joy.

The local festival was put together by Association of International Students and the Indian Student Association. Festivities began the day before with Hindi Culture and Language sessions and Henna tattooing.

Then on March 26th at 2 P.M., students

wearing white shirts and holding bags of brightly colored corn starch, began to gather on the Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center Green .

After taking a photo, the group, not waiting for the signal, let the colors fly. The fun continued with two other sessions and was not dampened even with rain. The fun did end for the year though at 5pm, but many students, no doubt had some fun stories to keep entertained for another year.

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT PHOTOS BY DAGO CARMONA

APRIL 2015

THE BRIDGE - PHOTO ESSAY

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SPRING DANCE CONCERT PHOTOS BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR

THE BIG EVENT PHOTOS BY GEORGE GONZALEZ

DISCOVER TAMIU STORY BY GEORGE GONZALEZ AND JUDITH MAE AGUILAR, PHOTO BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR

On Saturday March 21st, Texas A&M International University’s held its first campus-wide Open House billed as “Discover TAMIU.” The event took place from 10am to 4pm and offered students of all ages, families, and community members a chance to experience the various opportunities the university has to offer.

In the Fine & Performing Arts Building, many different activities were held from both the theater and art departments. The art facility gave attendants tours of the building while volunteers helped youngsters with some arts and crafts that had taken place outside the gallery. Downstairs was also an inter-

active ceramics event while two shorts, part of the Entremeses play, performed in the theater by Dr. Gilbert Martinez’s acting and characterization students.

The Student Center was full of student organizations presenting different

kinds of games and hands-on activities, as well as many informative presentations. For instance, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) held a giant sized game of Operation for kids to play. Other events in the

Student Center Ballroom included a hands-on CPR training session and a fun teeth-related game for youngsters by the TAMIU Pre-Dental Society.

The Writing Center at the Dr. Billy F. Cowart Hall held workshops and The Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center also held various activities, notably in the Planetarium, which had various showings throughout the afternoon. The Earth & Environmental Studies department was also on board and showcased various fossils and skulls of prehistoric animals.

Overall, the one-day event was a celebration of everything that makes getting a higher education at TAMIU worthwhile.

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THE BRIDGE

APRIL 2015

STUDENT REFLECTION

TAMIU style to be featured in Seventeen

BY ALLISON RAMIREZ @TAMIUBRIDGE

Around two years ago, I submitted an application to intern for the college street-style website, CollegeFashionista. Since I was attending Texas A & M International University (TAMIU) and all the other interns were attending Ivy League schools or colleges in large cities, I was a little uncertain about how I would measure up to the rest of the candidates. I decided to toss my hesitations aside and apply anyways; looking back, I honestly think this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

In a couple of semesters, I’ve managed to build strong ties with the CollegeFashionista team and have made lasting connections with inspirational people in the fashion industry. Fortunately, the relationships I’ve made have opened up some incredible doors for

both myself and TAMIU’s style savvy students. While participating in partnerships with American Eagle Outfitters, Macy’s, and The Huffington Post have been some of my favorite moments as a Style Guru, this spring proved to be the most exciting semester yet. In February, I was selected by the CollegeFashionista team to photograph an on-campus style story to be printed in Seventeen Magazine’s May 2015 issue.

Of course, upon hearing this news I proceeded to scream at the top of my lungs out of joy. The fact that I had landed this internship in the first place had always been such an accomplishment for me, but to be given the opportunity to have my fashion photography printed in a nationwide magazine was just beyond me. In my excitement, I failed to realize that it was currently mid-February and around 30 degrees outside.

The magazine had request-

ed inspirational spring and summer looks. Again, it was 30 degrees outside!

Since I knew an opportunity like this was far too amazing to pass up, I told myself to relax a little and proceeded to scour through both the campus grounds and my iPhone contacts for stylish students. While I was used to spontaneously photographing students on campus for my CollegeFashionista posts, I was completely frantic. I had to locate a minimum of five girls who were willing to brave the cold and style their best warm weather looks within the span of 48 hours. Yes, shockingly, I was only given 48 hours!

Luckily for me, many of my aesthetically gifted friends and acquaintances felt just as passionate about the possibility of the spread being featured as I did. Despite the fierce winds, rain, and bitter cold, I was able to photograph over ten TAMIU Fashionistas. From

ON CAMPUS

cut-off denim shorts to gladiator sandals, we received so many puzzled reactions--including a few laughs--from the TAMIU community as the girls posed on campus in their spring looks. Thankfully, since I had a couple of semesters as a Style Guru under my belt, it was easy for me to ignore all the awkward stares and focus on shooting the best photos I could.

Ovverall, my experience curating street-style photos for Seventeen Magazine was a whirlwind of emotions, a few mental breakdowns, and mostly, utter excitement.

Although I’ll be graduating in a few weeks and leaving TAMIU and my internship at CollegeFashionista behind, I will always be eternally grateful that I was able to give our small university a voice when it comes to the world of fashion. Keep an eye out for some of your fellow classmates as Seventeen Magazine’s May issue hits newsstands nationwide!

COURTESY PHOTO

Fashionable TAMIU students will be featured in Seventeen’s May issue.

EVENT REVIEW | DAVE CHAPELLE IN AUSTIN

Don’t call it a comeback

BY TINA GOMEZ @TAMIUBRIDGE

LOUIE CANELA | THE BRIDGE STAFF

The Staff of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research pose for a picture at the Open House held at TAMIU.

Graduate Studies open house held

BY LOUIE CANELA

LUISCANELA@DUSTY.TAMIU.EDU

The Office of Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR) hosted their bi-annual Graduate Open House at Texas A&M International University on April 9, 2015 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Student Center Ballroom.

The event was open to the public and attendees had a chance to enter a raffle for $1000 scholarship to pursue a graduate degree at TAMIU; which made even more prospective students show up! Free gift bags were also given to everyone that showed up which included a OGSR t-shirt and sun shades for vehicles!

Suzanne Alford, Associate Director, TAMIU Office of Graduate Studies and Research noted,“Graduate school is a perfect opportunity to enhance your career.

While times are difficult economically in our country, higher education is the smartest investment you can

make at this and all times because it will allow you to see returns in the form of enhanced knowledge, career advancement and higher salaries. Application forms for graduate school may be filled out at the event. We encourage everyone who is interested in banking on a brighter future through higher education to attend.”

Graduate studies programs in attendance were the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and the A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business.

Advisors from every college were ready to assist with answering questions from prospective students including the Office of Graduate Studies who answered questions about graduate financial assistance.

For more information contact Louie Canela at l u i s c a n e l a @ d u s t y. t a m i u . edu or the Office of Graduate Studies and Research at 326.3020 or graduateschool@tamiu.edu

Dave Chapelle is rumored to be releasing a new standup comedy special on HBO, according to sources on the user news generated site, Reddit. The comedian packed the Austin City Limits Live theater with a series of shows over the Easter weekend, and some of those shows were recorded according to audience members.

“Can confirm. They told us it would be taped” acknowledged a reddit user, “From beginning to end, it was amazing”. A final confirmation over whether or not the entertainer’s stand up was recorded has been reported by the Washington Post. “There were cameras at those shows, which may have been filming something, and that something may one day turn into a televised comedy special.”

Fortunately enough, I was able to attend the April 2nd sold out show at 7pm that

evening. Mind you, we were given no instructions about the taping in progress however, secuCHAPELLE rity was in full force; and I mean full force.

Instructions were drilled into us for a half-hour before the doors opened at the ACL Live theatre. “No cell phones.

No picture/video taking. No Heckling.

VIOLATORS WILL BE EJECTED.” Security staff went down the line yelling at ticket holders as we nodded in agreeance. A second staff member walked over to us and uttered, “They threw a banana at the poor guy.”

According to USA Today, Chapelle was previously hit with a banana peel at his show in Santa Fe, NM, by an audience member. “The man who threw the peel tried to run out of the theater but was caught by security” USA Today stated. “[The heckler] was arrested for battery and

disorderly conduct.”

The comic’s act opened up with plenty of material over the banana peel incident. He continued to joke about other instances of heckling he’s received from previous tour dates and thankfully, during our show, there was no heckling.

Although there wasn’t any heckling, midway through the set, a female audience member was caught trying to sneak a photo of the comedian in action. Chapelle quickly stopped his act and asked the woman to please stop and put her phone away. Audience members began to turn in their seats to find the culprit, and booed the woman in disapproval. Security made their way to the floor, and had the woman delete the photo.

“I’m just protecting my intellectual property”, muttered Chappelle as the crowd clapped and cheered.

As he closed out the show, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. In unison, we all wiped our tears of laughter and stood

on our feet to give Dave the standing ovation he deserved.

Chappelle returned to the stage for Funny or Die’s Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival tour this past Fall and has continued to successfully pack venue’s with people who are still waiting for a Chapelle’s Show revival. The Oddball Comedy tour was the comedian’s first triumphant return to the stage after his quick exit from the limelight back in 2006.

If suspicions are true surrounding the possible standup special, fans may be interested in the new HBO Now subscription service. HBO’s new standalone streaming service allows for premium content to be streamed over a broadband connection.

If this is Chapelles’ effort to make his back onto our television set’s, well then, -- Welcome back Dave! (And well played HBO).

For questions, comments or concerns Tina Gomez can be reached at cristinagomez@ dusty.tamiu.edu

HUMANS OF NEW YORK

An NYC picture worth $100k

BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR @TAMIUBRIDGE

Recently, the end result of a heartwarming story inspired by a photo came to a close.

Students from Mott Hall Bridges Academy of Brownsville, New York, visited Harvard University to inspire its students to reach for the best.

It began with a photo taken and posted by photographer Brandon Stanton on January 29, 2015 of a 14-year old boy from the New York area. As part of his Humans of New York blog, Brandon goes around New York City and interviews people he meets on the streets. His question to this particular person was, “Who’s influenced you the most in your life?”

The boys answer was, “My

principal, Ms. Lopez…[who] one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told us each one of us matter.” Being interested in in the blog for some time, I was inspired by this and more than 1 million others felt the same as the photo was liked on Facebook over a million times.

Not too much after that, Brandon visited the boy’s school Mott Hall Bridges Academy (MHBA) and together with school principal, Mrs. Lopez, and her Director of Programs, Mrs. Achu, they strategized for a campaign to raise funds for scholars, what Mrs. Lopez calls her students, of the school to visit Harvard University as a part as a motivational effort to get students to think beyond their neighborhood which rates as

having the highest crime rate in New York City. The belief was that $100,000 would be enough to begin this program and allow three different trips with three sets of student over three years. After posting the link to the Indiegogo campaign on his Facebook, this goal was met within 45 minutes.

But it did not stop there, by the time the fundraiser ended on February 10, 2015, almost 1.5 million dollars had been raised that would be used not only to fund what would not be a permanent program, but other summer programs and a scholarship fund named after the boy whose picture started this all and who would receive the first scholarship, The Vidal Scholarship Fund.

The world came together to make this happen and the

world watched as not only did Vidal get a chance to visit Harvard, but he, photographer Brandon, and his principal, Mrs. Lopez, were invited and got to meet with President Barack Obama.

Even though this is not the first time Brandon has done this, having raised funds after Hurricane Sandy and to assist a couple in adopting from Ethiopia, it was his most successful to date.

Brandon keeps telling the stories of the people of New York through his blog and Facebook page, which has over 12 million followers. If interested, you can follow this story and the story of MHBA through their Facebook pages (www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork and www.facebook.com/motthallbridges).

ON CAMPUS

Student organizations compete at dusty cup

BY GEORGE GONZALEZ

JORGE.GONZALEZ@DUSTY.TAMIU.EDU

Saturday, April 11th marked the annual Texas A&M International University’s Dusty Cup. Hosted by the Student Government Association, Dusty Cup was created as a fun way for student organizations to participate in friendly-competitions. Taking place

from 9am to 5pm, this was the first time my art themed student organization, the Artisans, participated in the event. Over a dozen fraternities and student organizations participated at the annual event. Clubs such as Sigma Lambda Beta, Global Medical Brigade, Maroon Mob, and the Freshman Leadership Organization were just a few that were in attendance.

Students were asked to get to campus at 8:30am at the Student Center Rotunda. The events competitions promptly began at 9am at the Student Center Rotunda. Clubs were divided in threes and went in separate rooms to play four rounds of Jeopardy. Questions & categories ranged from Mexican culture, lyrics, athletes, pop culture, and TAMIU history.

After a pizza lunch, the physical aspect of the competition began at the Recreational Sports building. The first competition consisted of relays which included running toward the end of the court and hitting a small ball off a cone with a larger ball, walking like a crab, crawling like a cat, and hoping with one leg. Soon after, games such as Ship to Shore and

Blindfold Guiding led to hilarious results.

The meat and potatoes of the event, however, was the epic dodgeball tournament.

Contestants and members of the organizations had 17 minutes to play as many rounds as was needed. Whichever organization won the most rounds during the 17 minute proceeded to move up in the tournament.

All in all, the event was fun and the members of the Artisans had a great and exhilarating experience. For this to have been our first time, and my last as an undergraduate, it was an intense and a wonderful time to interact with my fellow student leaders and officers. I can only hope that the next president of the Artisans will participate in next years Dusty Cup.

APRIL 2015

THE BRIDGE

SPORTS

TAMIU CHEER PLACES FOURTH

The TAMIU cheerleading team were unable to repeat as national champions, placing fourth in the NCA College National Challenge Cup. TAMIU Cheer will return next season for the 2016 competition. Those interested in joining the TAMIU cheer are welcome to attend coed and all-girl tryouts held on May 17, 2015.

MEN’S GOLF IN HORSESHOE BAY The Men’s Golf team finished the Heartland Conference Tournament sixth out of seven teams with a team total of 930. Dallas Baptist was the eventual winner with a team score of 830 at the finish of the tournament. Soph-

omore Stevie Martinez led the Dustdevils, shooting 227 over the three days of the tournament.

on two hits with two strikeouts.

Cody Perez was 3-of-5 at the plate in the loss.

BASEBALL RECAP

SOFTBALL RECAP

TAMIU’s baseball team recently split a doubleheader against Our Lady of the Lake University, winning the first game 5-4, but losing the following game 8-1. The games bring the Dustdevil’s record to (16-25) on the season.

Nick Perales (2-1) earned the win in the first

The Dustdevil’s strong defense on the diamond once again led to victory with a 6-1 win over the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies. The softball team improves their record to 23-21, while the Aggies fall to 12-33. Brittany Mussett filled the scoresheet, going 3-of-3 at the plate with one run and two runs batted in. Freshman Delainy Thompson (7-8) earned the win with no earned runs in six innings, but allowing eight hits.

game, allowing no runs

RAPTURE shopping experience to Laredo.

She commented, “We used to travel a lot to places like Chicago and San Francisco and every time we were there we always stopped by resale shops. At this point, we realized that Laredo didn’t have any places like that. As a lot of people enjoy buying second-hand clothing, we decided to explore our options and open Rapture.”

Reyes also expressed her love for seeing the new and interesting items that customers bring into the store. She mentioned, “Sometimes we’ll only find one or two things, but other times we’ll find some really nice purses, jewelry, or clothing. It evens gets to the point that all of us are fighting over an item!”

In reference to college students, Reyes expressed how she understands our need for new clothes despite our tight bank accounts.

For that reason, both Reyes and Guardiola have established a convenient range of price points at

They say love is blind, deaf, and dumb.

And you are no different.

You look at me and see A piece of faulty marble for you to sculpt Or a marionette whose strings you pull and jerk Any which way you please.

I say “I love you” in words That somehow always come in twos: “Lie down.”

“Don’t worry.”

“I’m here.”

But it’s all white noise.

For such a brilliant mind, You know not what you do.

You know not what I know.

You don’t see the toll of Trying to be yours: The salt rushing into my wounds For every moment I am An afterthought, a last resort Convenient, and guaranteed

In every little lie you tell me, I find a path to the truth.

In every cold shoulder, I find a plea for open arms.

And in your stubborn silence, I hear the loudest cry.

Rapture, ranging from $3 and up.

As college is also a time of transition, Reyes highlighted the fact that Rapture has options for recent graduates as well. She remarked, “We offer career clothing such as slacks, button-ups, and blazers that start at $5.99. To be honest, you can walk out with enough clothes to make different outfits for a week and only spend around $100.”

If you’re a college student with a tight budget who loves designer labels, Rapture might be just the place for you! Reyes mentioned that it isn’t uncommon for them to receive Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, and Tory Burch items. Rapture sells such pieces at discounted prices and offers payments plans to make owning these coveted items a reality for anyone.

To learn more about Rapture’s unique and unparalleled shopping experience or how you can get some extra cash in your wallet, the boutique may be reached at (956) 727-8873.

to my community.” Tristán.

“Also the idea of having this legal city-wide scavenger hunt is actually fun.”

Tristán and Laurent invite artists of all disciplines and skill level to participate by visiting their websites below.

Laredo Free Art Friday can be found on Instagram under the username @LDOfreeartfriday. Their facebook page is located at facebook.com/ LDOfreeartfriday.

DANCE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 to Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk.” With flashing disco lights and witty dance moves, the dancers had the audience clapping and shouting. One of the last performances was a jazz interpretation of the Japanese Taiko drummers, and although it is not a wellknown type of performance, the TAMIU performers took the moves and created an interesting display.

At the end of the performance, the dancers took the stage to give bows to the audience and were called back enthusiastically for encore bowing. The dancers performed these routines one more time on Saturday evening.

CINÉ

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 an entirely female-led effort.

During production, Moran noticed a remarkable similarity between herself and the other women involved.

“Both in front of and behind the camera, we were all working women,” said Moran.

Inspired by the success of Jornaleras, Moran shared that her next project will be Laredo-based, and also focus on women. Two local nonprofit agencies, Casa de Misericordia and PILLAR, are among her community partners

DUMB LOVE

BY REBEKAH RODRIGUEZ They call you a lost cause, But I believe I found you.

Even though loving you Often hurts more than it heals.

I have left my door wide open When you have never led me to yours.

I praise you just as much As you choose to curse me.

I have picked you up more times Than you have ever let me fall.

If love is blind, deaf, and dumb, I am no different.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

so no confusion was made... but I believe the final product was magnificent and more than I expected.”

Through dance, she took the audience through the development of a human through its life: from its birth to learning to crawl then walk, as a robust child and adult, to finally an aged human as they struggle to keeping going in life. The audience seemed to be awestruck as the lights dimmed at the end of the piece and then broke into exuberant clapping.

One of the crowd-pleasing arrangements, though was a piece called “Give It To Ya,” which was a Jazz performance

STUDENT SUBMISSION

PHOTO BY KIARA RIOJAS | TAMIU SPORTS INFORMATION

ART

“I believe artists can use Free Art Friday as a way to bring attention to the work they do.”

Tristán said. “I’ve meet a couple of folks who have become highly recognized just by putting out some free art” However, she also shared her main motivation isn’t monetary.

“For myself, the main drive for me hiding artwork is just being able to connect with other artists here in town and being able to give something back

7

for this project. She expressed that she hopes to have an all female crew once again.

“It will be an experiment on several levels,” stated Moran.

“So that’s what I’ll be dedicating my entire summer to!” she added with a laugh.

For more information on Cine Las Americas, visit www.cinelasamericas.org.

For those interested in viewing Moran’s work, visit www. marcelamoran.com.

ALLISON RAMIREZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

SOUTHBOUND Starting off the evening was Clear Plastic Masks. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, the bluesy garage rock band consisting of vocalist/keyboardist Andrew Katz, guitarist Matt Menold, bassist Eduardo DuQuesne, and drummer Charles Garmendia opened the evening long event with crunchy guitars and Alt Nation-fitted hooks. The band was also very talkative and interacted with the audience a lot, at one point even dedicated a song, “to all the working girls.”

As the group performed the amount of people that were in attendance kept growing. Local Laredo music lovers and out-oftowners kept coming to enjoy and support the local rock festival.

Old No. 2 also had great drink specials throughout the evening which was an added bonus for fellow patrons.

Scheduled to perform at the event was Fly Golden Eagle; however due to a member of their band having a baby, the group had to cancel the remaining tour dates at the last minute. The band stated on their website: “Sorry everyone in Laredo, Fort Worth, Little Rock, and Hattiesburg! We’re not going to be able to make it. Matt and his wife are having a baby!

We’ll catch everyone in the deep summer!”

Regardless, the show went on with Chief Scout, an Athens, Georgia-based psychedelic indie-rock band who took the Old No. 2 stage immediately after Clear Plastic Masks. Made up of members Trey Strange, J Ric, and Jacky B, the group tore into an hour long set with indie-rock swagger and Velvet Underground-inspired soundscapes.

Texas A&M International University art major Ariana Sutton was in attendance during the first two sets by Clear Plastic Masks and Chief Scout. With Southbound IV being the first time she had ever attended the annual event, Sutton emphasizing on the idea of using the Laredo festival as a vehicle for bands to get recognition.

Ariana stated, “This is a great kick-off for bands to get well known. This is original and yet familiar music. I’m shocked that I haven’t heard of these bands.”

Further adding, “This was way more than I was expecting. The music is really cool and I can’t

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

GEORGE GONZALEZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

The psychedelic Athens, Georgia-based group Cheif Scout takes the Old No. 2 stage for the 4th annual Southbound Music Fest on the 18th of March. wait to download their music and album so I start listening them some more.”

Starting their set a half an hour after Chief Scout, Laredo favorites Sol Cat took the stage. With vocalist Brett Hammann, lead guitarist Jaan Cohan, rhythm guitarist Johnny Fisher, bassist Aaron Martin, keyboardist Jeremy Clark and drummer Ryan Usher, Sol Cat was a sheer highlight of the evening.

Since the members of Sol Cat also act as art directors, and studio engineers, the bands sound was one of the most solid and sonically profound of the evenings performers. It was a refreshing and interesting dynamic and made the group really stand out from the rest.

However, the main attraction of the night belonged to the headliners, JEFF the Brotherhood.

The Nashville-based rock group has gotten much more notoriety since they first performed in Laredo back in May of 2011, opening up for The Greenhornes.

Since opening up for Jack Lawrence-side project, two-piece rock band consisting of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall, have shared the stage with The Kills, recorded a live album at Jack White’s Third

Man Records, and were signed by Warner Brothers Records (who they dropped earlier this year.)

The band’s hit single, “Sixpack” has even been featured on the soundtrack to the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto V. Nevertheless, the band hit the stage one-by-one picking up their instruments that had been fine tuned hours before. At this point in the show the fog machine was on fire because the room was thick with evaporated “fog juice.”

Immediately, came the wails of the guitars as they opened up the set and the vocals of lead singer, Jake Orall, resonated through the packed venue.

The crowd reacted in the only way they could --in such a tight spaced area, they shook, they rocked, and they embraced the vibrations from the monitors.

Concertgoers were reciprocating the love from the band by singing-along to the tunes that the brotherhood kept shelling out.

If you were a fly on the wall or just spectating from behind the bar, you would have a great takeway to share the day after; it was all about the music. To get a sense of the style, you would need to play Black Sabbath at 40BPM on your computer, layer over some samples from the Black Keys,

and incorporate plenty of cymbal rushes a-la Styx. It was a complete voyage on the ears and mind. The psychedelic melodies that continued to pour over the crowd were euphoric and mellow; the music had everyone shaking in unison, including the founders of B-Live Promotions.

“We were lucky enough to book JEFF the Brotherhood in 2011 when they were just starting out.

They loved playing here so much that they make it a point to play Laredo each time they tour.” said B-Live co-founder, Robert Saldana. “They are a great bunch of guys and they are one of my favorite bands. The fact I get to see them live in Laredo is a dream come true.”

Conclusively, the music festival was a big success. TAMIU student Ariana Sutton describes, “I think this is a great opportunity for people to come check these bands out.” She further expanded, “I really support the bands and what they’re trying to do. Traveling and coming to these small towns, just trying to get known. It takes a lot of hard work.”

In speaking about her favorite part of the evening, Sutton stated, “basically the out of towners and rocking out with the locals.”

LIFE & ARTS

8

THE BRIDGE

FASHION

COLLEGE FASHION ON A BUDGET

APRIL 2015

FILM

COURTESY PHOTO

Marcela Moran and an unnamed guest on the set of Jornaleras. The film will be screened at this year’s Cine Las Americas Film Festival.

hits Austin fest

BY REBEKAH RODRIGUEZ @REBEKAHRDZ

ALLISON RAMIREZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Some of the vintage and designer items currently for sale at Rapture Retail and Resale

Rapture offers affordable fashion

BY ALLISON RAMIREZ @TAMIUBRIDGE

As college students, having enough funds to cover our daily expenses can be quite the challenge. With tuition, meals, and other fees draining our bank accounts, at times it’s hard to even think about updating our wardrobes. Luckily, Rapture Retail and Resale has made efforts to allow stylish students to look their best during college.

Located a few miles away from Texas A&M International Uni-

versity (TAMIU) at 7220 Bob Bullock Loop, Rapture is a unique and eclectic consignment boutique that features a wide array of gently worn vintage and designer clothing at incredible prices.

Customers also have the option of bringing in their own gently used clothing to resell it for cash or credit towards new items from the store. The boutique’s co-owner, Monica Reyes, mentioned that her and her sister, Debbie Guardiola, were determined to bring a more diversified and exciting

EVENT REVIEW SOUTHBOUND FESTIVAL

RAPTURE PAGE 7

ALLISON RAMIREZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Other than designer purses, fashionable footwear is also available at Rapture.

Jornaleras, a documentary directed by Associate Professor of Communication, Marcela Moran, will make its Texas premiere on April 25 in Austin at the annual Cine Las Americas Film Festival.

The film has been previously screened in Athens, Ohio and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and will be featured as part of the “Hecho en Tejas” portion of the festival. Moran shared the idea behind the film’s conception, along with other aspects of its production.

The film’s title is rooted in the Spanish term jornada, which roughly translates to “a day’s work.” The term is heavily associated with manual laborers (usually male) who regularly seek out work in the mornings. According to Moran, it has become “a very political term” often used to describe undocumented workers. With this in mind, Moran decided to feminize the term to fit the narratives explored in the documentary.

Free art movement springs up @LOUIS_SM

GEORGE GONZALEZ | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Indie rock reigns at SouthBound festival

BY GEORGE GONZALEZ AND TINA GOMEZ

CINÉ PAGE 7

ART

BY LOUIS SAN MIGUEL

Nashville, Tennessee indie-rock group, Clear Plastic Masks performs at Southbound IV.

“I had already been working with the documentary format, and on immigration issues, but I usually focused on the journey. My producer suggested exploring immigration in the U.S., but after they’ve made it.”

Moran explained. “It felt like the right thing to do.”

The director and her crew traveled to New York and Chicago in 2014, where they interviewed several undocumented workers. However, the film’s production was not without its hurdles. Besides financial limitations, Moran explained the difficulties of finding people willing to be interviewed.

“A lot of work goes into building trust, and you have to do it fast,” she said. “It can be very draining at times.”

Fortunately, three women were willing to open up to Moran. Upon her return to Laredo, Moran found the New York womens’ stories compelling enough to be made into an individual documentary.

As stated on the Cine Las Americas website and emphasized by Moran, the film was

Old pirate legends state that ancient treasure maps can lead to huge riches stashed away below an iconic red X. Those who decipher the map’s clues are given not only the chance to gain untold riches, but also given the thrill of a hunt. Today, pirates are more likely to appear in feature films than they are galavanting the open seas, but a movement has sprouted in Laredo that has kept their treasure-hunting spirit alive.

Laredo Free Art Friday is an online movement created by local artists who give back to their community. As an online movement, anyone who has a social media account — a Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr or Twitter — is welcomed to engage in the hunt, whether it’s as a hider or a seeker.

To participate, artists create a work of art, mark it with the #LDOFreeArtFriday hashtag and their information and hide it in a pub-

COURTESY PHOTO

A screen capture from the Laredo Free Art Friday Instagram shows the various works of art hidden in Laredo on past Free Art Fridays. lic place, ranging from coffee shops to the artist’s favorite spot in Laredo.

The artist then posts a clue on the Laredo Free Art Friday Facebook or Instagram page inviting the public to find their piece of art.

“We leave a piece of art and ourselves out there.” Laredo

Free Art Friday co-founder Shelee Laurent said. “Its hard to let go and give away something that you made from scratch. We hope that whoever finds it appreciates it.”

Once the piece of art is found, the seeker is then tasked with posting their find online, letting other po-

tential seekers know that the hunt is over for the piece and how excited they are.

“Recently I hid a small framed watercolor portrait in Lowe’s for laughs...” Tristán, Laredo Free Art Friday co-founder, said. “But within half an hour, I got two messages from folks saying that they went and couldn’t find it. A few minutes after that, some woman who found it posted it online and was super excited that she got to it first. I couldn’t stop laughing when that happened... ” Tristán and Laurent, both native Laredoans founded Laredo Free Art Friday after Tristán’s time at the University of Texas at Austin.

Tristán participated in the Free Art Friday movement in Austin and saw project in action and the good it did.

After Tristán moved back to Laredo after graduation, Laurent, who had also heard of the movement, pitched the idea to Tristán and the two realized Free Art Fridays could also thrive in the small, but emerging Laredo art community.

The movement started out slowly, with Laurent and Tristán as the only artists participating, but has grown to encompass as many as a dozen artists who all work in different media, ranging from poetry, to paintings, to sketches and even woodcut stamps.

Likewise, the response from the Laredo public has also been pleasant.

“We’ve received messages from folks through our private Facebook accounts and through our main Free Art Friday page saying that they are happy to hear that something like this exists.” Tristán said. “I’ve even gotten some great feedback from my friends back in Austin about starting this here and have even got a few artists from there to send some pieces over to help us gain more traction.”

The movement has even helped her financially, bringing in commissions and sales for her independent art company, Moonhowler Press.

ART PAGE 7

EVENT REVIEW | TAMIU SPRING DANCE CONCERT

The night of Wednesday, March 18th brought back one of Laredo’s newest traditions in the live rock n’ roll music scene: Southbound IV. Taking place at rock bar, Old No. 2, the Southbound Music Festival came back showcasing four talented indie-rock groups.

Originally started by B-Live Productions, the annual event has become an opportunity for indie rock bands to perform away from the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival that takes place every April in Austin, Texas.

Given the overwhelming amount of press and coverage that SXSW gets, many performers and musical groups have to find an alternate venue to perform.

Because of this, the Southbound Music Fest has become the stable for indie rock bands to play in Laredo. Though this year’s event was significantly smaller than previous efforts, it brought back some of Nashville’s best up-andcoming indie rock groups, as well as the buzzworthy JEFF the Brotherhood.

Dancers preform diverse acts

SOUTHBOUND PAGE 7

DANCE PAGE 7

BY JUDITH MAE AGUILAR @TAMIUBRIDGE

JUDITH MAE AGUILAR | THE BRIDGE STAFF

Dancers from the Department of Fine and Performing Arts dance at their annual Spring Dance Cancert.

The students of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts dance classes brought excitement to their audience at Texas A&M International University’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Theater during their performance of their Spring Concert.

Family and friends were catcalling and whooping to their loved ones from seats, providing encouragement

FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM THE TAMIU DANCE CONCERT, SEE PAGE 5 for any nerves they may be have been experiencing before the curtain went up on the Friday night of April 17th at 8pm. And what a performance it was!

Dancers presented ensembles choreographed in

ballet, jazz, flamenco, and modern dance styles providing a range of enjoyment to the crowd. One of the most interesting dances of the evening was a modern dance named “Development” performed by Ana Luisa Ortiz, a student majoring in Communication and minoring in Dance.

When asked about her performance Ortiz stated, “It was a hard piece to elaborate because I wanted to provide a clear message