October 23, 2024, TCC The Collegian

Resetting the Pace — Local artist brings colorful works to TR Campus | Page 6

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 – Volume 38 • Issue 9

@tccthecollegian • collegian.tccd.edu

NORTHEAST

Board upholds Children’s Center closure FOUSIA ABDULLAHI

editor-in-chief fousia.abdullahi@my.tccd.edu

The TCC board of trustees took no action to reverse the college’s decision to close the NE Campus Children’s Center despite parents’ disapproval during its meeting Oct. 17.

When the session ended after more than an hour, Board President Teresa Ayala said that the board is not taking any action as a result of the closed session.

TCC General Counsel Antonio Allen said the Children’s Center is an academic learning lab that needs to meet the standards of TCC and

the state.

“What you heard the chancellor say is that part of the reason for the decision to close was that as a result of this incident, we went back and we looked at the operation of that lab,” Allen said. “And what we found in looking at the operation of the lab is that the way it was being operated didn’t meet the standard.”

Allen said that due to the investigation and personnel matters that he could not comment on what parts of the operation didn’t meet TCC and state standards.

He also said the administration didn’t agree with the parents’ characterization of the incident.

The Children’s Center illness/ report form that was provided to

The Collegian and the board of trustees by the parents said “that the child was laying on his cot when (the teacher) walked over to him telling him to stop making noise and then she proceeded to pull his cot from under him causing him to fall on the floor,” the report said.

“Several minutes later as the (child) was laying on the floor the (teacher) proceeded to ask the (child) to stop doing what he was doing. ‘Making noise’ and then walked over to him and grabbed his arm and pulled him across the carpet to a different area. The (teacher) then proceeded to hold his arms for an extended about of time until he cried.”

Read more online at collegian.tccd.edu

Antonio Reynolds/The Collegian

Tarrant County parent Jeanette Favela addresses the board with her sons Rafael and Roman, asking them to reconsider closing the Children’s Center.

NORTHWEST

DISTRICT

New citizens celebrate at naturalization event

Canvas access restored

Students, staff take part in third citizenship ceremony JENNA BLAIR

staff reporter collegian.editor@tccd.edu

With wide smiles and shared high fives, 51 people from 22 countries recited their oaths and became U.S. citizens at a naturalization ceremony at NW Campus on Oct. 11.

The ceremony marked the culmination of months of preparation and excitement for participants as they fulfilled their dreams.

Javier Fong, who is originally from Lima, Peru, came to the U.S. in 1996 in search of better opportunities. The road to citizenship brought discrimination at times, but Fong said he feels equal to everyone now.

“It’s anybody’s dream,” Fong said. “They’ve got better education here and jobs for everyone.”

Shaline Williams left Ghana as a baby in 2000 when her grandparents sent her and her mother to the U.S. Her mother became a citizen, but Williams didn’t start her citizenship process until 2018.

Williams missed her initial citizenship interview, so she had to wait a couple of years to reschedule it. She said once she completed her interview, the process only lasted about nine months.

“It’s been a long time,” Williams said. “It’s long overdue because I’ve been here since I was a baby.”

Originally from Nigeria,

FOUSIA ABDULLAHI

editor-in-chief fousia.abdullahi@my.tccd.edu

Antonio Reynolds/The Collegian

NW Campus Vice President of Student Affair James Edwards presents a naturalization certificate to Shaline Williams who started her citizenship process in 2018.

Raimot Bayo-Adefisan, came to the U.S. in 2015 when she was 38 years old. She came alone in hopes of finding more opportunities for herself and her family.

“I like the freedom: the freedom of speech and freedom of religion,” Bayo-Adefisan said.

Friday’s ceremony was the third time a naturalization ceremony has been held at NW Campus.

Lourdes Davenport, coordinator for the English Language Learning Program, brought the idea of hosting a naturalization ceremony at NW Campus to the presi-

dent of the several years ago. She had met the director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services through a non-profit where she volunteered. She found out all she had to do was ask if this was a possibility.

See Naturalization, Page 3

NORTHEAST

TRINITY RIVER

Students learn domestic abuse signs, solutions

DEA agent discusses rising fentanyl crisis

LAUREN HARPER

multimedia editor lauren.harper903@my.tccd.edu

NE Campus discussed the unexpected warning signs and potential solutions for domestic abuse in “Go Purple: Stop the Violence,” with The Women’s Center of Tarrant County on Oct 17.

Trauma trainer and event presenter Chelsea Davis said holding events like these at college campuses helps bring awareness to a demographic struggling with building and maintaining healthy relationships.

“Late teens to mid-20s are a really high-risk age group for any sort Read more online at collegian.tccd.edu

Students and instructors are starting to get some classes back on their Canvas dashboard after the learning management system was down for more than eight hours.

Students and staff noticed that Canvas was glitching early this morning and went down shortly after. Students were unenrolled from their classes and instructors lost access to their class content.

At around 11:47 a.m. an email was sent out to instructors by the TCC OneIT Team saying: “We have begun the process of restoration. We are estimating that it will likely take 5 to 6 hours to fully resolve itself. We will keep monitoring it throughout the day and will let you know when the data is fully reloaded. We are also working on ensuring this does not happen again. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

Courses all disappeared from the dashboard and Instructors have not been able to do their grading.

Those teaching weekend classes struggled to deliver content to students.

Faculty and Students should now be able to return to their work normally at this time.

James Abbott

District director of user support

CHEYENNE SHAWN

campus editor cheyenne.shawn@my.tccd.edu

As the opioid epidemic continues to escalate, DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez talked on Oct. 16 about the harsh realities of the growing fentanyl crisis.

Speaking to TR students, the agent detailed the alarming statistics surrounding opioid overdoses and the importance of awareness and prevention.

“I do not say this lightly, fentanyl is by far that most deadliest illicit drug that I have ever seen in my career,” Chavez said.

Chavez explained that fentanyl is often disguised as other pills. He described the lack of quality control in manufacturing, where potency and composition of each pill varies, noting that See Fentanyl, Page 3

Alex Hoben/The Collegian

DEA special agent Eduardo Chavez shows NE student Natalia Rich and SE student Alexa Gonzalez how small a dosage of fentanyl can kill someone.

“I had a slide prepared with instructions for how to start on the next three backgrounds of our mixed media sketchbook pages,” said art adjunct instructor Amy Edwards. “I had to switch things around on the agenda. So, we’ll probably be doing that next week.”

Students said they are troubled by the incident because they use weekends to catch up and study for tests.

“It is Saturday, and I only have like two days to complete it,” said South Campus student Bianca Lira.

“Then again, I have till midnight on Monday. So, I’m hoping that it’s just one fix and then we’re good because that’s what usually happens, especially when it comes to the power outages at TCC.” After the Initial announcement to faculty, TCC could not provide an ETA for when classes would be See Canvas, Page 3

2 • Wednesday, October 23, 2024

NEWS

DISTRICT

Town Hall meeting talks election security As the elections draw closer, discussions about election security and the integrity of the process are a hot topic.

Tarrant County Precinct 2 Commissioner Alisa Simmons hosted a town hall meeting at the Arlington sub-courthouse to address questions and concerns about polling site protection measures on Oct. 17.

Election Administrator Clint Ludwig, who became the election administrator in August 2023, presented an election guide and answered attendees’ questions. He said that Tarrant County has surpassed the 1.3 million registered voter’s mark.

He also urged voters to be careful of misinformation and disinformation and emphasized the importance of verifying any election news by checking the official Tarrant County website.

“I get a lot of briefs from a lot of intelligence organizations across the United States,” Ludwig said. “Elections are a very, very big concern right now. The biggest concern is misinformation and disinformation and artificial intelligence and the ability to generate this false information.”

During the presentation he went over how to register, deadlines, the requirements and guidelines for absentee ballots. He also gave the dates and timings for the 51 early polling sites in Tarrant County and Election Day logistics of the 349 polling locations.

Ludwig said that as a Marine, he accompanied the casket of a fallen soldier and presented the flag to the spouse, an experience he explained reminded him of the privilege of voting.

“I've said to the spouse of this individual and thanked them, on behalf of the President of United States, of the Commonwealth of the Marine Corps, for their sacrifice so our

rights, our freedoms, our liberties, they have a very significant meaning to me, Ludwig said.”

A press release issued by the commissioner’s office listed increased training for election officials and a new e-pollbook system as methods the county planned to use to bolster election access and security.

It also claimed a cybersecurity and physical security assessment of the election offices had been conducted.

Notably absent from the meeting was the Tarrant County Elections Integrity Task Force that was put together by Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, Sheriff Bill Waybourn and District Attorney Phil Sorrells.

“I absolutely invited the Election Integrity Task Force team to come and join our elections administrator to present tonight,” Simmons said. “They refused.”

Simmons said that the leader of the election integrity unit told her that she was told to decline.

Tarrant County Election Judge Assistant Sabrina Mitchell said content on social media and in the news about upcoming voting is making people uneasy.

“But there’s no threats here in Tarrant County,” Mitchell said. “I feel like there’s nothing to be worried about now.”

Ludwing mentioned the implementation of numbered ballots to minimize concerns about voter fraud. However, several attending community members protested, claiming the serialized addition was a costly repeat of safety measures already in place.

Gwen Johnson, an election judge for 40 years, said any remaining blank ballots can be reused for future voting. Extra numbered ballots have to be disposed of and replaced.

“It’s costing us money to number those ballots like that,” she said. “In any given election where you have 60 people vote, you open 200 ballots. The rest of them are just sitting up there blank. You only use 60 out of that 200.”

enrollment was restored before 9 a.m. on Oct 21, with the only remaining issues revolving around groups within classes.

“We just now got an update from Instructure on the effort to resolve this issue, and these groups within classes have been

restored. Both teams have spot checked a couple dozen and we look good moving forward,” it read. “Faculty and Students should now be able to return to their work normally at this time.”

Alex Hoben contributed to this report.

FOUSIA ABDULLAHI

editor-in-chief collegian.editor collegian.edi tor@tccd.edu @tccd.edu

Kailey Raley/The Collegian

Tarrant County Precinct 2 Commissioner Alisa Simmons inquires about the need and safety of unique identifiers on voting ballots.

Canvas

(continued from page 1)

back on the dashboard.

Homer Hensley, TCC manager of user services, said there was an unexpected failure with the process used to update student data, and the data still existed in both our systems and in Canvas. It essentially caused the data to become out of sync. TCC is working with

the vendor to ensure all student data is fully restored, he said.

“Most of the changes we will make will be internal to IT and won’t be publicized for security reasons,” Hensley said.

An update released by district director of user support James Abbott said the Canvas

Fentanyl

(continued from page 1)

even the small variation in dosage can be fatal.

A deadly dose is only two milligrams, making it significantly more dangerous than other drugs. The use of fentanyl in medical environments is controlled by micrograms.

He emphasized the importance of understanding the risks associated with fentanyl pills and the need for better regulation and control in their production.

Fentanyl affects all, it’s nondiscriminatory impact across all socioeconomic and demographic groups.

Rachel Phillips and Linda Kelly were attendees that share a more emotional connection to the topic. They both had a family member pass away from a fentanyl overdose.

Kelly’s 17-year-old grandson spoke to his mom saying goodnight before he went to

Consider it done

Naturalization

his bedroom. His sister went into his room and found him. He took a pill he thought was Xanax.

“It was a completely silent event,” Kelly said. “That’s how fast it came and went.”

Phillip’s 44-year-old brother, an addict in recovery, also died from a fentanyl overdose.

Her brother didn’t know what he was taking, he had been out of the scene for a while.

“He was actually in the recovery industry for years before he relapsed as a peer support specialist,” Phillips said.

Both are now part of nonprofit organizations that try to bring awareness to the fentanyl epidemic.

“It’s universally nondiscriminatory in how it will just grab a hold of you because of how powerful it is,” Chavez said.

(continued from page 1)

Davenport’s team worked with the USCIS to plan and set up the event, ensuring that it ran smoothly.

“I feel an overwhelming sense of joy and pride that so many people aspire to and work toward becoming citizens of our great nation,” Davenport said. “Last time, one of our students’ who had just become naturalized citizen did our keynote speech. And today, it was one of our alumni. She’s a product of TCC, so her speech was so special.”

Alex Vargas, a career adviser on NW Campus, gave the keynote speech at this year’s naturalization ceremony. She earned her Associate of Arts degree at TCC and has now been working at NW Campus for over 20 years.

Vargas left her home of Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico when she was 9 years old to join her mother in El Paso. Her mother came to America in search of a better life for her and her children, but it was a challenge at first, Vargas said.

“It wasn’t just about moving to a new place. It was about finding a sense of belonging and creating a new life,” Vargas said.

“Every step was a part of my transformation, and I carry that experience with me, shaping who I am today.”

Vargas enjoys being a part of the naturalization ceremonies held at NW Campus because of her own experience of becoming a citizen and adapting to a new life.

“Each ceremony reminds me of the journey I took, the challenges I faced and the dreams I pursued,” Vargas said.

The process of citizenship is a multifaceted system. Applicants must first make sure they have all the documents needed such as an identification card, travel records and proof of marital status.

They must also go through a mandatory background check conducted by the FBI, including being fingerprinted and photographed. Next, they must complete their interview with a USCIS representative, which consists of an English and civics test.

The last step to becoming a citizen is to recite the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony and receive a certificate of citizenship.

At the ceremony, the new citizens celebrated and looked to their families and friends with smiles and thumbs up as they took in their new reality.

“I’m so happy,” Bayo-Adefisan said.

“God bless America.”

TCC FOOD PANTRY HOURS

Learn More

NE Campus Monday-Thursday: 9AM-5PM Friday-Sunday: Closed

SE Campus Temporarily closed for construction, pre-made grocery bags available from the library and Student Activities.

South Campus Monday-Thursday: 9AM-4PM Friday-Sunday: Closed

NW Community Food Market: Open every third Friday of each month on campus near NW13.

CAMPUS LIFE

Wednesday October 23, 2024 • 3

CAMPUS VOICES Q: “What do you do to de-stress?”

Adil Virani

Denver Danyla

Alanna Dyer

Jonathan Puskas

“I talk with people in my classes, and that helps me socialize and get my thoughts out. Whenever I see them going around to different classes, I will just strike up a conversation for like two minutes.

It doesn’t make me feel like I have to keep [my thoughts] to myself, I just like to share it with others, and that way I don’t feel as overwhelmed.”

“I like to paint miniatures of War Hammer, which is a good, relaxing time for myself. I need some kind of creative, artistic output and so the slow nature of painting these little miniatures has helped me out a little bit with that.”

“Usually, I just draw and put on music to space out. This is gonna sound so strange, but since I have ADHD, [I] just hone in on something in my room like a piece of furniture and stare at that for a little bit.”

“I find it easier for me to just put in some earbuds and listen to some music. Music really helps me destress. My dad has kind of been a big part of that. He always made music a part of my life. There’s certain artists that I really like that I can relate to, and some music is just really calming in a sense.”

Karla Martines

Alex Thomas

Giselle Andrade

Emily Nguyen

“Well, currently I am stressing.

Right now, to de stress, I probably listen to music, eat and probably vent to friend.”

“I usually talk to somebody like a counselor, or just take the time off, take a nap or just unwind. [I play] video games...Overwatch, Call of Duty, Borderlands 3.”

“I usually listen to podcasts or watch my favorite tv shows. I also go to the gym. I’m watching Vampire Diaries, and I like to do cardio [at the gym] because I’m able to listen to podcasts or watch TV shows.

“I just doodle cats, actually. It’s really fun, I really like cats. I also have a cat at home, so just drawing them calms me down.”

NE Campus

NE Campus

SE Campus

NW Campus

NW Campus

South Campus

South Campus

DISTRICT CRIME LOG

CAMPUS EVENTS Northwest

Northwest

Oct. 23

Oct. 26

Oct. 29

Fall Pathways Exploration Day

Citizenship Application Workshop

Explore different academic paths and career opportunities in the lobby, NW01.

Proyecto Inmigrante members assist with completing all application forms for naturalization in NW11, Room 1101.

Cults: how to avoid them A presentation exploring cults and the manipulation tactics used by their leaders in the cultural discovery center, Room Trinity River 3102.

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

1 to 2 p.m.

Northeast

Northeast

South

Oct. 27

Oct. 30

Oct. 24

Fall Orchestra Concert

ZombieFest

Music students and community musicians perform a repertoire of music in the center corner, NSTU 1615C.

Zombies roam NE campus after hours for a ghoulish festival outside between NFAB and NCAB.

GHOSTlight Gallery A theatrical play where aspiring actors are called to a mysterious rehearsal held in S performing arts center, Room 1110.

7 to 8:30 p.m.

7 to 8:30 p.m.

7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

South

Districtwide

Districtwide

Oct. 29

Oct. 25

Oct. 28

Inside Out: Family Feud Compete with a team to name the most popular answers to survey questions about feelings in the student center, Room 2105.

Financial Aid Offices Closed

Open Registration

All student financial aid offices will be closed on this day for staff training.

Enrollment for the spring 2025 semester begins.

All Day

All Day

11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NE Campus

For more details about these and other events visit: https://calendar.tccd.edu/

Oct. 13 Attempt to commit a felony, theft, or an assault in the parking lot on TR Campus was reported and is still an active investigation.

Oct. 14 Theft of property valued at under $2,500 was reported in the Fire Service Center on NW Campus and is still an active investigation.

Oct. 15 Disorderly conduct of abusive, indecent, profane or vulgar language in a public place was reported in South Campus’ Early College High School.

Oct. 16 Theft of property valued at under $750 occurred in the East Fork Building on TR Campus Oct. 9th and is still an active investigation.

A report of stalking was made on NE Campus.

Oct. 18

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Theft of property valued at under $100 was reported in the Health and Physical Building on NW Campus.

Oct. 19 Theft of property valued at under $750 was reported on NW Campus.

OPINION

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 • 4

EDITORIAL

Texas abortion ban threatens reproductive health Texas women need to be given back their bodily autonomy. Senate Bill 8 which bans abortions, has taken away the rights of woman and her doctors to choose what medical decisions they make.

The death rate for newborns and infants has been on the rise since the ban was enacted in 2021.

In a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, researchers found that when taking into account the data in Texas and the rest of the U.S. “They found that between 2021 and 2022, infant deaths in Texas rose from 1,985 to 2,240, a year-over-year increase of 255 deaths.”

It’s not just baby deaths on the rise but instances of women being denied an abortion when their pregnancies are no longer viable or create a health complication.

Kate Cox, a Texas woman whose fetus was nonviable, went to the emergency room multiple times and was denied an abortion even after taking her case to the Texas Supreme Court, which rejected her two requests.

Cox ended up with severe medical complications, which may have resulted in her possibly having a uterine rupture or not being able to have more children in the future if she had not left the state to seek medical care.

There are exceptions on what actions do not violate the ban, such as when there is an extreme medical need that risks the mother’s life or if the victim was raped and wanted to terminate the pregnancy.

The problem is that the language is so vague that even the Texas Supreme Court cannot find where the threshold is for when a woman’s life

TJ Favela/The Collegian

is under immediate threat. It’s not just the courts but doctors who are also afraid of losing their license or their jobs if they perform an abortion. So, they are often waiting until women are in grave danger to step in and help her.

Cox and other women are resorting to leaving their states to get medical help from doctors in a state that

hasn’t banned abortion yet.

This also opens the door for the possibility that women from some communities who cannot afford to leave their home state will bring back some archaic forms of home abortions, putting themselves at an increased risk of death and infection.

This issue goes beyond Dobbs

v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a 2022 supreme court case, that decided that the 14th Amendment does not protect a woman’s right to an abortion.

The Guttmacher Institute, a leading research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights world-

wide, found that Texas and other States restrictions on clinics and care are having a nationwide impact.

“Altogether, these 15 states are home to almost 22 million women of reproductive age (aged 15–49), in addition to other people who may not identify as women but are capable of becoming pregnant and may need an abortion. The Guttmacher said that means almost one-third (29%) of the total US population of women of reproductive age are living in states where abortion is either unavailable or severely restricted.”

During this election cycle, we are seeing Democrats and Republicans using abortion as talking points to rally their base voters. A woman’s health is a matter of life and death and shouldn’t be used as a political tool by the right or left.

The religious right has been fighting a war on abortion for decades, with literature, advertisement and protests outside of clinic where they harassed woman in need of reproductive care.

Religion should never be used as a weapon against the rights of women and other groups.

Women in this country are fighting a losing war on multiple fronts: fair pay, equal opportunity, access to education and domestic violence.

They are also fighting a battle to make their own reproductive decisions.

Women should not be told what they can and cannot do with their bodies. If you can trust them to make the right decisions in the military, and the Pentagon, frankly, it’s insulting and dangerous when woman are not trusted to make a decision about their own uterus.

VIEWPOINTS

Transphobic ads act as malicious voter-grab Former President Donald Trump’s recent anti-trans ads are a desperate attempt to secure the votes of transphobic Americans.

The Trump campaign has spent an estimated $19 million to show two ads in battleground states and during football games, according to data from to CBS News. These ads criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming care for inmates have been repeated an estimated 55,000 times since Oct. 1.

The ads end with a catchy tagline, which seems to be something the Trump team is good at — “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.”

This is not the first time during this campaign that Trump has criticized Harris’ stance on transgender issues. During the presidential debates, Trump called out Harris for what he saw as her support of “transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison.”

Trump’s anti-trans rhetoric has also emphasized the need to

FRED NGUYEN campus editor

collegian.editor@tccd.edu

“keep men out of women’s sports.”

He has specifically spoken about the Paris Olympics during his rallies and, without mentioning their names, falsely claimed gold medalists Imane Khelif of Algeria and Li Yu-ting of Taiwan were men.

By focusing on transgender issues, Trump is betting that this more divisive topic will sway more voters in the weeks leading up to Nov. 5 and further agitate his supporters.

The problem is that most voters don’t care about transgender debates as much as other issues.

The average American would likely

be more swayed by ads about the economy, immigration and abortion.

According to a recent Gallup poll, only 38% of Americans consider transgender rights as “extremely or very important to their presidential vote choice.”

Yet the Trump campaign has chosen to target the most vulnerable group in America because they think it will get the majority on their side.

This is because neither party has given outspoken and consistent support to transgender Americans.

Transgender rights have been a topic of major controversy in the years leading up to this election.

Both sides of the political aisle are divided on the issue, and transgender communities are usually left disappointed by lawmakers, regardless of which party they’re aligned with.

This is especially true in Texas.

Senator Ted Cruz’s recent inflammatory ads criticizing Democratic candidate Collin Allred’s support for the LGBTQ+ community

put Allred on the defensive. Cruz accused Allred of wanting to harm women with his inclusive policies and used imagery of a man wearing a blue “Allred” jersey looming over girls like a villain from a horror film.

Allred’s response to this was a strangely mild ad that unfortunately echoed conservative talking points, which drew criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates.

“So let me be clear — I don’t want boys playing girls’ sports or any of this ridiculous stuff that Ted Cruz is saying,” Allred said in the ad.

Transphobic politicians avoid directly attacking transgender communities and instead use more divisive issues like transgender athletes and transgender women using women’s bathrooms as a convenient way to paint their opponent as extremist.

This campaign of fearmongering doesn’t inform voters for their decision on Nov. 5 but plays into their prejudices against their fellow Americans.

The Collegian is a weekly student publication serving the Tarrant County College District. Editorial statements and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the TCC administration.

Meet the Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Fousia Abdullahi

MANAGING EDITOR Huda Qureshi

ILLUSTRATOR TJ Favela

DESIGNERS

Jerry Swinney Elliot McWilliams

PHOTOGRAPHERS Joan Pham Kailey Raley

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Dominick Martinez

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Lauren Harper

Separating morals from music that defines us I had the joy of going to high school during the late ‘90s. Country music, alternative and gangster rap rang through the halls of our high school providing the soundtrack to our lives.

While watching the news the other day, I saw that Garth Brooks, ‘90’s country superstar, has been accused of rape. Instinctively, my first thought was “No, not Garth.”

As a woman, I believe women when it comes to instances regarding rape, abuse or assault. But as a lifelong fan, what about my love for the musician or band?

The jokes, memes and lunchroom conversations about rapper Puff Daddy, Diddy, or Sean Combs, are arguably accurate. If the criminal charges against him are true, Mr. Comb’s has created a pickle for himself, and his empire.

The list of musicians that Comb’s has produced music for is lengthy, including Notorious B.I.G., Mariah Carey, TLC, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, and Jay-Z. My interal conflict begins. Do I need to stop listening to Biggie because he worked so closely with Diddy? What about all of the other musicians that are linked together by my memories and glory days?

Dave Grohl recently admitted to having extra marital affairs and

REBECCA CHAMPLIN campus editor

collegian.editor@tccd.edu

getting a woman pregnant. My brain stumbles as I try to imagine never listening to “Nirvana” or “The Foo Fighters” again.

Kanye West has made repeated comments in recent years expressing antisemitism and racially derogative views and language. While some may give West a pass because of his bi-polar disorder, many can’t discount the hurtful remarks he has made.

West’s behavior hit me hard.

His music was a daily part of my life in my 20s. So many core memories and foundations of friendship were built while listening to him perform.

I believe that everyone has a fine, invisible line as to what they will tolerate and what they cannot look away from.

When the R. Kelly documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” came out in 2019, I watched transfixed to the

horror revealed in front of my eyes.

That documentary haunted me and elicited feelings of sadness for the girls involved.

I went through my music list and removed any song he had sung.

I don’t think I could ever attempt to listen to those songs again without thinking of the abused women he hurt.

After seeing the Combs video of him beating up his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, I went through a similar process of deleting his music.

“It’s All About the Benjamins” and “Mo Money Mo Problems” went to the same deserted island of music that R. Kelly inhabits.

I choose not to actively listen to West anymore. Every once in a while, a song of his will pop on from an older playlist of mine, and I may listen to the song, not in support of West but reminiscing about the memory attached to it.

I will not purchase an album from West again. Perhaps I could reconsider if he publicly apologized for his remarks and showed an effort to right his wrongs. He has yet to do that, so I am not very optimistic.

People are humans and make mistakes. While I am disappointed in Grohl, if I deleted every song from an artist who has had extra marital affairs or impregnated someone out

of a monogamous relationship, I wouldn’t have any music left.

If the allegations are proven true against Brooks, his music will have to join the island. I pray he is a bigger man than what he has been accused of, but as we can see, our heroes are not always deserving of wearing the capes their fans bestow on them.

To the artists performing heinous acts, tolerating them, or looking the other way when they see or hear something, you are the problem. The things you attempt to do under cover of darkness will eventually come to light.

If you are a victim of domestic violence or rape, there are amazing resources that will help you.

The Women’s Center of Fort Worth is a valuable resource assisting women regarding sexual assault and domestic violence. They have programs that offer counseling, options you can take leaving a domestic violence situation and even services to help women find careers.

Please report your account to the police. They are the ones that can help these skeeze balls stay away from you or from hurting other women. If you need support to do so, I am a friend that can show you how to get help and resources. You are never alone.

DIGITAL EDITOR Alex Hoben

CAMPUS EDITORS Rebecca Champlin Fred Nguyen Ash Petrie Cheyenne Shawn

Professional Staff ADVISERS

Chris Whitley Lori Dann

PRODUCTION MANAGER Stacy Luecker

Letter Policy Letters to the paper should be 150 words or less, free from libel and poor taste and include the writer’s Colleague ID or telephone number (the numbers will not be published).

Letters may be brought to: The Collegian office (NCAB 1124A, NE Campus) E-mail: collegian.editor@tccd.edu Office: 817-515-6391

@tccthecollegian • collegian.tccd.edu

ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 • 5

PLAY PREVIEW

‘The Thin Place’ offers thrilling drama Speaking between two worlds, theirs and the unknown LAUREN HARPER

multimedia editor lauren.harper903@my.tccd.edu

SE Campus drama illustrates grief’s turmoil with an eerie twist ending in their rendition of “The Thin Place,” running Nov. 13-15.

The play follows the complicated friendship between Hilda, the lead character who portrays the natural curiosity about the afterlife following a family loss, and Linda, a clairvoyant whose strong demeanor sets up the shock value of the final scenes.

Director and associate professor of drama Drew Hampton said since introducing the story to the troupe, his goal was to create a show that was more than the play’s traditional monolithic dialogue.

“My key to this play is ‘How can we visibly move the audience? How can we allow them to be interested visually?’” he said.

“Audiences want to see more. Rather than simply be told a story that elicits images, I think live theater audiences, especially audiences in 2024, want to see that actually come to life rather than it just be in their minds.”

Stage manager Lily Clouse said this approach, along with enhanced lighting and sound effects not used in previous shows, was a performance characteristic that would stick with the viewer.

“The selling point I would give this show is its immersiveness, and not just in the typical actor-interacting-with-audience way,” she said. “I think visually, this is going to be one of my favorites.”

From the opening act, Clouse said that communication with the audience brings them into the story. She said Hilda’s engagement builds a personal depiction of the psychological confusion commonly felt with loss

Alex Hoben/The Collegian

SE student Kristen Wirkler, who plays Hilda, tells the story of her mothers mysterious disappearance during a party. and encourages the viewer to be emotionally invested in her future and well-being.

Another strategy, Kristen Wirkler , TCC graduate and actor playing Hilda, uses to up

Alex Hoben/The Collegian

Hilda and Linda, played by SE students Kristen Wirkler and Dayen Cruz talk about the conflicts that happened with Linda’s aunt and uncle, played by ensemble characters J’Nea Freeman and Timmy Huynh.

the emotional ante is connecting Hilda’s circumstances to those similar to her own.

“To me, this definitely speaks on family connection. My character, Hilda, was really close with her grandmother, and her life changed when her grandmother died,” she said.

“I am very close to my family. I can’t imagine going through what Hilda went through.”

Hampton commended the actors for their performances during the heavier scenes.

“With the girls that are playing Hilda and Linda, their characters are asked to go through a bit more of a rollercoaster in terms of emotions,” he said. “I was emotionally affected just watching [Hilda], it felt like that moment of reaching out and trying to find connection to someone who may or may not be there.”

Despite playing people with different behaviors and beliefs, each cast member implemented a small part of their personality into their character.

Noah Flores explained how he shaped his character, Jerry, a businessman and source of comedic relief, around his humoristic traits. He described his favorite scene to act

out, a scenario many viewers could relate to.

“I’m, for the lack of a better term, attempting to shoot my shot, and it’s just not going well,” he said. “It’s one of those times where I get to really ham it up, try to be as funny as I can. I love making people laugh.

Finding the awkwardness, more or less the angst of it, is my favorite part.”

Ensemble member Timmy Huynh said the rising action and climax are monologueoriented, making it more difficult to keep the audience engaged. Complex discussions between characters introduce background information crucial to understanding the concluding scenes.

However, their banter’s natural feel is captivating without loud musical numbers or flashy choreography, which Huynh explained is partly linked to the character’s relationships off stage.

“The wonderful thing about theater is that there’s always a sense of community,” he said. “It’s always affecting the performance.

A big part of that magic in the sense that ‘Oh, these are people with relationships’ comes from that connection.”

Curtains open at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13-15 with an extra 1:30 p.m. performance Nov. 15.

MOVIE REVIEW

‘The Wild Robot’ tugs at heart strings of all ages REBECCA CHAMPLIN

campus editor rebecca.champlin@my.tccd.edu

DreamWorks Animation Studio hits you in the feels with “The Wild Robot.”

The new film brings an all-star voice cast to a clever script written and directed by Chris Sanders.

His impressive career spans from working on major Disney films like “The Lion King” and “Lilo and Stitch” to DreamWorks blockbusters such as “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Croods.”

Sanders strikes animation gold with “The Wild Robot.” The movie cleverly disguises a narrative that every parent can relate to, while bringing childlike humor and love to the story.

When robot ROZZUM unit 7134, voiced

by “Black Panther” and “Us” actress Lupita Nyong’o, arrives on a remote island, she faces the task of figuring out what she was made for.

Along the way, Roz, as she is affectionately known as later in the movie, comes across a baby goose egg. Roz is convinced she has found her calling, taking all measures to ensure the egg will hatch.

A sneaky fox named Think, voiced by “Game of Thrones” and “The Last of Us” actor Pedro Pascal, helps Roz navigate her way through parenthood.

Various forest animals assist Roz on her journey and are voiced by Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill and more.

As most parents know, the challenges that come with parenting are endless. Sanders does a fantastic job showing these everyday struggles in a way that children can understand, while simultaneously engrossing adults

into the plot.

Children walk away from the movie knowing that parents will do anything they can to see their children succeed.

Adults walk away feeling more connected than they thought they would from an animated movie.

Life lessons such as the power of teamwork, never giving up on yourself or someone you care for and having to let something go that you love are topics where every age can use a refresher course.

If you are a recent empty nester, be prepared to bring a box of tissues.

The story pays homage to Sanders’ Disney roots, having slight details reminiscent of “Wall-E.” Two different robots are put into two different circumstances and the audiences leave warm and fuzzy knowing even the hardest of steel beings can express love.

The cinematography and brilliance of colors

dance across the screen, making viewers believe they are in that forest. The expressions on the various characters’ animated faces are enough to warm even the coldest of hearts.

While DreamWorks has a heavy animation dominance with beloved classics such as the “Shrek” and “Madagascar” franchises, it may finally see their next animated Oscar winner with “The Wild Robot.”

There are a few slightly scary scenes for parents of very young children, but overall, this is a fun, feel-good, family film that all ages will enjoy.

You will laugh. You will cry. But most of all, you will leave the movie feeling love in your heart.

6 • Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Backyard Scenarios 1(left), 2 (center) and 3 are a series of oil paintings on raised panels made in 2024.

Photos by Cheyenne Shawn/The Collegian

Resetting the pace

Artist Aubree Dale stands in front of her piece “Where We Always Meet” that was inspired by a place in Austin.

TR gallery showcases local abstract artist’s work CHEYENNE SHAWN

campus editor cheyenne.shawn@my.tccd.edu chey enne.shawn@my.tccd.edu

Aubree Dale is a multidisciplinary artist that describes her style as abstract maximalism, using expansive color palettes and translucent layers.

She values technical and creative challenges. She works with various media, including sculpture, bioplastics and assemblage.

She’s now a guest artist opening an exhibit of her work, “Resetting the Pace,” which is on display in TR Campus’ East Fork Gallery until Dec. 6.

The exhibit invites viewers to explore the joys of life reflected through large- and small-scale oil paintings that take snapshots of natural landscapes and intimate settings.

“I like the technical challenge of making something really bright,” Dale said. “If you take any of these colors just on their own, they’re going to be very different. So, context and what’s adjacent to it is pretty significant to how we perceive it.”

Dale’s love for art started in her childhood where she was influenced by seeing

how her mom liked to decorate and work on crafts. Supportive art teachers in high school helped guide her decision to pursue art more seriously.

Recently becoming more comfortable with sharing these parts of her, Dale talked about how each piece shows universal human experiences. This is her way of documenting her own experiences and sharing them with people.

Each piece tells its own story from showing friends enjoying each other’s company, reflecting on long-term friendships, places around Austin she experienced while living there and finding art with things around her house in Fort Worth.

Human elements are incorporated into her art, sometimes using figurative work to represent various scenarios or emotions.

She said the piece “Soaked” is her favorite. This painting started off as a different series but evolved into personal reflection on feeling rejected by a place.

“It’s just something you put on yourself to feel like you don’t fit in,” Dale said. “It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day.”

The painting was done in multiple layers, using a toothpick to create various galaxies

and make the grass look textured. She played with translucent layers and smears, bringing different techniques to it.

“I’m most interested in this one because I really enjoyed working on the night sky,” Dale said.

She talked about the importance of composition and viewer experience, arranging objects or blocks to create dynamic and balanced arrangements, manipulating materials and building systems to be efficient, experimenting with making her own bioplastics.

“I thought it’d be interesting to create packaging, but from bioplastics so they’re more minimalistic,” she said.

Dale highlighted the significance of family support, community and maintaining artistic integrity. She advised aspiring artists to experiment, learn diverse skills and prioritize their own vision.

Gwen Meharg, artist and friend, described Dale as one of her artist heroes, explaining how her work is the kind of work you can sit with, and you’ll see something new every time.

“There are deep stories behind everything,” Meharg said.

“Dear Patio, I Love You,” is a large oil on stretched canvas piece made in 2021. The show “Resetting the Pace” will be open for viewing until Dec. 6.