Stonewall closes after eight years
By Elijah Cardenas Life and Arts ContributorOn Jan. 1, after a successful New Year’s event, Stonewall Warehouse, San Marcos’ only LGBTQ nightclub, closed its doors and sold the business. According to former manager and show director Lena Jacobs, the Stonewall Warehouse staff were called in by the owner to discuss plans for the new rules for 2023 but after the meeting, the entire Stonewall staff was let go.
Pandemic, cold and flu season:
What to expect returning to campus
By Blake Leschber News ReporterThis winter is different than the ones prior as the cold, flu and COVID-19 have continued to wildly spread across communities. Dr. Emilio Carranco, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of the Student Health Center, said viruses spread earlier this season causing a worse winter than in previous years.
“We had a very early flu season, we saw very high levels of flu activity in the state of Texas,” Carranco said. “We saw a lot of people developing serious illness with the flu so we saw that earlier this season than in other seasons.”
Carranco said that while the flu may be starting to decline, other viruses such as Rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, are continuing to rise and infect individuals.
According to Carranco, the Student Health Center can provide prescriptions for these viruses to help students who cannot get to pharmacies off campus.
According to Rodney Rohde, professor and chair of the Clinical Laboratory Science Program at Texas State, the weather is a large factor.
“When it’s cold weather […] the humidity goes way down,” Rohde said. “That’s because there’s no moisture in the air and when that happens, viruses can do a better job of staying airborne because there’s nothing to pull them out of the air.”
Another explanation for these diseases spreading during the winter according to Kim Deming, an MSN registered nurse, is that more people are gathering indoors rather than having outdoor experiences.
“We usually see a rise in flu, cold and COVID cases in the winter due to many gatherings,” Deming said. “These
San Marcos and Texas State celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day
By Brianna Chavez Life and Arts Reporter
Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday in 1983, 15 years after the civil rights activist’s assassination. The holiday wasn’t officially celebrated nationwide until three years later in 1986. Since then, those who remember King’s legacy have come together each holiday to celebrate and acknowledge the work that has been accomplished, as well as the work that still needs to be done in order for everyone to be treated equally.
The Dunbar Heritage Association (DHA) hosted its 21st MLK March and Celebration on Jan. 16, as well as an MLK Kids event held at the San Marcos Public Library on Jan. 14. Jonafa Banbury, secretary for the DHA, was excited for the community to celebrate.
“It’s that one time of year where so many people come together for the very same reason,” Banbury said. “We hope that they learn a little bit of history, as well as remember and commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life.”
The march began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Crossroads Memorial on the corner of LBJ and MLK Drives. The march began at 9:30 a.m. at the memorial and continued down MLK Drive. Alex Banbury Jr., president of the DHA, noted that the route goes through The Dunbar Historic District, a historically Black neighborhood in San Marcos.
“Given this opportunity to walk through the neighborhood lets others know that there is a historically Black neighborhood here in San Marcos, filled with a lot of history,” Banbury Jr. said.
The Dunbar Historic District holds memories of days past but is something DHA doesn’t want the public to forget. Harvey E. Miller, the founder of the DHA, moved to San Marcos in 1966. Years later, Miller helped turn the old Dunbar school, which was closed due to integration, into the Dunbar Park and Dunbar Recreation Center for the community. He also organized Juneteenth celebrations. He organized the
DHA in 1999.
Miller died in 2020, but the legacy of his community work lives on. Some people may see MLK Day as a day off from work or a three-day weekend, Jonafa Banbury said, but everyone should be reminded of its historical significance.
“This celebration of MLK Day is an opportunity to celebrate as well as start thinking of the history because the civil rights movement wasn’t very long ago,” Banbury said. “There are things happening all the time, injustices that we still see today”
After the walk down MLK Drive, the group made their way to the Hays County Historic Courthouse where a celebration was held. This year’s theme was Black Resistance and featured guest speakers including Buda city council member LaVonia Horne-Williams and Texas State President Kelly Damphousse. Creole food from Lil’ Lafayette 337, sausage wraps from the San Marcos Police Department and snacks from Texas State’s Center for Diversity and Gender Studies were freely served at the Dunbar Recreation Center after the program and keynote address.
Texas State’s Division of Inclusive Excellence hosted the 39th annual Commemoration Celebration, with a poster-making workshop on Jan. 16 in the LBJ Student Center (LBJSC) Unity Lounge. The posters will be used for the Solidarity March on from the LBJ Statue to the LBJSC Grand Ballroom on Jan. 17.
Evan Bookman, a political science master and graduate assistant within the Division of Inclusive Excellence, said that Texas State alumnus and former president Lyndon B. Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr. worked to enact the Civil Rights Acts in the 1960s.
King pressured Johnson to sign into law the policies that his predecessor, John F. Kennedy, had been working toward. From the ending of legal segregation to prohibiting racial discrimination when it comes to voting, these laws changed the U.S. and Johnson’s presidency.
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About Us
History: The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University and is published every Tuesday of the spring and fall and once a month in the summer semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. on publication days with a distribution of 3,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels HeraldZeitung.
Copyright: Copyright Tuesday, January 17, 2023. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor-in-chief.
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FROM FRONT HEALTH
While these viruses continue to spread, individuals can still take preventative measures to protect themselves from these viruses when they spread the easiest.
The first measure is to simply identify the symptoms and know when it is best to stay home. One of the struggles with this step, however, is that the diseases and infections present during the winter show similar symptoms.
“One of the headaches with COVID-19, allergies, influenza is that all of them have very similar symptoms,” Rohde said. “This is very typical because respiratory viruses tend to give you simple symptoms.”
According to Rohde these symptoms can include headaches, cough, fatigue, sneezing, runny nose and a sore throat. However, there are some differences between the common cold, the flu and COVID-19.
“With a cold you will never have fever but [with] COVID-19 or flu, you tend to get fever,” Rohde said. “With COVID you sometimes lose your taste and smell; we’re not seeing that as much with the common cold or with the flu.”
Carranco recommends that the very first step one should take when feeling these symptoms is to take a COVID-19 test to rule out the chance of infection. Tests can be found at the Student Health Center.
“If you get symptoms of a cold, you should always rule out COVID-19,” Carranco said. “If you rule that out then at least you know you don’t have to isolate for five days.”
There are simple preventative measures that every person can take every day such as covering coughs and sneezes but there
SAFETY
is another one that Carranco said many people seem to overlook, and that is washing hands.
“Make sure you wash your hands often especially before you eat,” Carranco said. “This time of the year people are sick and not washing their hands enough and so they’re contaminating handles and doorknobs … and all kinds of things so the best thing to do is wash your hands often.”
If you’re not getting better after two or three days, it’s time to go see the doctor."
DR. EMILIO CARRANCO Director, Student Health CenterVaccinations are another preventative measure that one can take to protect themselves from these winter diseases. While vaccinations are not 100% foolproof, most physicians recommend them to curb the transmittance of most viruses.
“Certainly, people should be up to date with their vaccinations, not just for COVID-19 but for any other preventable infection,” Rohde said. “If [your] body has no issues with vaccines, you should always be up to date on vaccination.”
As classes start at Texas State, lectures will be filled with as many as 400+ students in one room, meaning these viruses can spread from person to person at a rapid pace in the classroom. However, there are some preventative measures that Rohde recommends when within these rooms.
“You can try to maybe have a seat or
two between you [and another student] if possible,” Rohde said. “Maybe sit at the back of the room of that’s something that’s going to be of concern to you so you’re not down in front of people.”
Carranco recommends going to visit a doctor if symptoms are not improving after two to three days to properly diagnose the issue.
“If you’re not getting better after two or three days, it’s time to go see the doctor because more than likely you’re not going to be able to figure it out on your own,” Carranco said. “The doctor can help you figure out what’s going on and figure out what the right treatment is.”
Rohde recommends looking at the winter months in a new light and said people should take preventative measures not only to protect themselves but the entire community.
“You really should be thinking about the people around you that might be immunocompromised […] any type of infection can be very detrimental to those individuals,” Rohde said. “So try to think about [measures] in terms of community health.”
Cyclists express concern as students return to campus
By Nichaela Shaheen News EditorThose wanting to increase fitness in the New Year by bicycling ought to be aware of the laws and cautions of cycling as fatalities in Texas rise.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in 2021, 2,266 traffic crashes involved bicyclists, totaling 92 deaths. These results indicate a 12% increase in fatalities compared to the past year [2020].
Curtis Smith, a math and construction science junior, and Amanda Murillo, a photography junior, who recently began cycling to and from campus together have already experienced dangerous encounters on the road.
"If you're on a sidewalk, someone might be turning left at a crosswalk and they don't see any pedestrians, that's how I've almost gotten hit," Smith said. "That's my fault for being on the sidewalk. I've had a lot of close calls, it's definitely scary but you also realize you probably shouldn't be doing that."
According to TxDOT, the top contributing factors in crashes are driver inattention and failure of yielding the right of way at stop signs.
Bicyclists are protected under section
"It's very beneficial to them and because people walking on the sidewalks don't have to take a chance of you being hit by a bicycle or what have you," Williams said. "I like the idea of having a designated lane for bike activity."
TxDOT’s recent campaign "Be Safe.
MARC WILLIAMS Executive Director, TxDOTDrive Smart." was created to promote education for safety surrounding driving, cycling and walking in hopes of preventing pedestrian and bicyclists fatalities and injuries.
“Year after year, we’re seeing fatalities from traffic crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists climb,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in a press release. “Each of us has a shared responsibility to help reverse this trend. Whether you’re behind the wheel, on foot or riding a bicycle, we’re asking all Texans to be safe and smart, and that starts with obeying traffic laws.”
Texas law requires drivers to stop and yield to pedestrians and bicyclists and if operating a bicycle, one must always stop at red lights and stop signs. Using hand signals, proper lighting at night and riding in the same direction as traffic are also some of the state regulations.
Where there are no bike lanes, riders must ride as close to the right-hand curb as possible. Williams believes awareness of biking laws is essential to protecting others on the road.
the exception of if they call us for a crash or if they hit somebody or something like that where it was clearly their fault or they didn't obey the laws of the road or just being unsafe about what they're doing," Williams said.
According to TxDOT, pedestrians and bicyclists count for one in five traffic deaths. For frequent cyclist and Galaxy Bicycle bike mechanic Ram Moore, knowing the laws are important but understanding when they work best is key.
Moore said the biking community in San Marcos is very active and there is space for all those interested in riding.
"San Marcos has a pretty strong cycling community, there's various different group rides that happen around town, different sort of pockets of people. A lot of people know each other, there's a good sense of community here," Moore said.
551.10., rights and duties of the Texas Transportation Code, which states they are to be treated like drivers operating a vehicle.
The rules of operating a bicycle also apply to mopeds, golf carts and other low-powered vehicles according to Texas transportation codes.
San Marcos police officer Jack Williams said he has seen an increase in cyclists around town, especially with the newer bike lanes added since Feb. 2022.
"It's very important, no different than when you get your driver's license to drive a car, you have to go through driver safety and all that. I think the same thing if you're going to ride a bicycle in the roadway," Williams said. "You should also have some awareness of the safety, the rules of the road. Hopefully the better choices are made."
Those who disobey these laws can face criminal penalties such as probation requiring the completion of driving safety courses and fines up to $200. The San Marcos Police Department's main focus is to help and not prosecute.
"I don't recall ever having to take enforcement action against a bicyclist with
Whether you’re behind the wheel, on foot or riding a bicycle, we’re asking all Texans to be safe and smart, and that starts with obeying traffic laws.”
Texas is failing in aiding the less fortunate
By Kien Johnson Opinions ContributorIn December, Texas experienced its second winter storm. With temperatures reaching the single digits, Texans found themselves cold even in the safety of their own homes. For those without places to stay, the conditions only worsened.
While some private citizens banded together to support local shelters and provide more opportunities for lower-income people, landlords and private housing companies exacerbated the issue by increasing rent prices. In turn, they were placing further strain on the shelters and the social safety net designed to prevent situations such as these from arising.
Increasing rent in times of physical and economic struggle coupled with the lack of meaningful action from any level of government has resulted in a much harder path to safety for local homeless populations, especially during extreme weather events. More than 400 public school students in Hays County were accounted for by one homeless shelter, the H.O.M.E. Center, in 2022. With the strain on shelters becoming more prevalent, the responsibility lies at the foot of our lawmakers to take care of their constituents.
In the last year, activist groups and civil rights organizations are beginning to question their lawmakers’ effectiveness at curtailing the issue and getting people without homes the help they need. For example, in Dallas, a lawsuit was filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project against the city and its police force regarding a new policy that heavily fines anyone found loitering in most public spaces. The organization, made up of Texas lawyers and advocates, argues that fining those who cannot afford homes effectively criminalizes poverty. Unfortunately, Dallas is not alone in enacting policies like this; they have rapidly spread throughout central Texas.
For the last two years, more has been done in central Texas to criminalize homelessness than has been done to solve it, spearheaded by local propositions and the statewide camping ban, HB1925. Local conservative leaders applauded the effort, but the outcomes of these policies resulted in far more displacement and difficulty surviving for displaced people in the area. Although San Marcos is better than most of central Texas on these policies, there have been efforts to reinstate bans and enforce them more heavily.
Anti-homeless legislation has undoubtedly hurt those affected the most after the COVID-19 eviction moratorium ended. After evictions based on rent payments were reinstated, landlords heavily raised the rent on low-income housing across the country. Restricting access to affordable housing to recuperate losses from the pandemic resulted in a significant displacement of lower-income families and individuals, who then had to seek sanctuary in nearby homeless shelters. Again, this departure from private housing would have consequences, this time on the shelter for this situation.
In Hays County, there are few shelters for the displaced to turn to even in dire instances such as the December winter storm or the evictions reinstatement of months prior. In addition, KXAN reported the funds of arguably the most visited shelter and preparation centers in Hays County, the H.O.M.E. Center, have taken a severe hit in the last few months.
The H.O.M.E. Center, which has helped over 300 families in 2022 alone, is reportedly closing its doors due to a lack of revenue to pay for staff and operations. This unfortunate news also comes at a time when the homeless population in Hays County is rapidly increasing at an unsustainable rate for any shelter. Even without the surge in homeless people, local shelters in the county are running out of funds that rely heavily on donations.
Pressure from landlords and interest groups has taken policies such as rent control or expanding public housing off the table in Texas. However, such an effort is possible to fight for; although imperfect, these policies would inevitably free up strain on the shelters and the individuals who need them. Rent control would give those in a financial bind one less bill to worry about, and public housing expansion would allow those who cannot afford to house a path to stability not previously present.
Central Texas interest groups, such as Save Austin Now, the proponents of 2022’s homeless camping ban, voiced a common argument that people without homes are dangerous and harass innocent bypassers. Although this may be true from an anecdotal perspective, there is very little evidence to suggest this behavior pattern is present in all or even most homeless populations.
Panhandling does happen, and in some instances, can be very direct and demanding, but this alone does
not mean the solution is to ban them from doing so. It places people without housing in more danger of extreme weather and displacement. Instead, attacking the problem at the source is a much more sustainable solution to ending homelessness. Refusing to allow those with the ability to exploit would lead to better opportunities to get out of poverty.
Homeless people and the impoverished in Texas are struggling, yet the action our government has taken at all levels seems to be targeting their only lifelines. Homeless shelters are overrun in central Texas as evictions and displaced population numbers surge throughout the region. There are solutions to these problems. It will take a joint effort between the public and government officials with integrity. In light of the recent extreme weather in the region, homeless people need all the help they can get.
-Kien Johnson is a sociology freshman
The University Star welcomes Letters to the Editor from its readers. All submissions are reviewed and considered by the Editor-in-Chief and Opinion Editor for publication. Not all letters are guaranteed for publication.
Students that don't write will eventually become students that can't write. As digital assistance eases our lives, we will lose our capabilities. A study done by McGill University found that relying on GPS decreases the user's spatial memory, and given ChatGPT's ability to write emails, songs and even computer code, our other faculties are becoming obsolete alongside navigation.
Fortunately, we still have a significant advantage over AI programs like ChatGPT regarding writing: our unorthodoxy. ChatGPT is a Large Language Model, a deep learning algorithm that scans an immense amount, sometimes petabytes, of text data. It uses this data to compile a typical response to the words and phrases that the user inputs. The software isn't coming up with anything extraordinary or attempting to be ambitious; its goal is to produce the most normal human responses to our requests. This weakness is evident in ChatGPT's poetry and songwriting, which sound, albeit impressive for a machine, crude and formulaic.
While our ability to be innovative has us a step ahead of the chatbot regarding literary and artistic pursuits, AI has us clinched in educational essay writing, a practice that has become unflinchingly standardized itself. Schools and universities everywhere teach the five-paragraph essay with its thesis followed by three points and an encompassing conclusion, which lends itself perfectly to Large Language Models. Most American essays are graded not for creativity or presentation but for adherence to the formula.
By changing the essay grading criteria from formula-focused to one that emphasizes effective self-expression and unconventional thought, schools will decrease the practicality of cheating with AI while encouraging creativity and quality in writing. For example, essays on if Hamlet was furious would not be graded on the number of appropriate quotations and paragraphs; but on the potency of the prose and the overall persuasiveness of the argument.
If schools update the modern essay, they could instill in students a love of writing, a valuable activity that benefits the mind and body. Expressive writing can increase college students' GPAs and seemingly improve lung functionality in asthmatics.
By Reece Cavallo Opinions Contributor
Artificial Intelligence could be the end of writing assignments. The release of ChatGPT, an AI-powered online chatbot, last November marks, in some minds, the advent of the outsourcing of writing from human hands to cold, metallic claws.
OpenAI, The San Franciscan research company behind ChatGPT, develops software with the stated goal "to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity." While the benefit to all of humanity is still in question, students from junior high to higher learning are excited. ChatGPT, with a request using natural language, will answer the most pressing questions and synthesize complete stories, poems and even essays on command.
This free software spells trouble for the education industry, and there isn't an easy solution. New York City has already banned the chatbot in its public schools, a move that is, although likely to be emulated nationwide, very easily bypassed by a VPN.
Having tested ChatGPT myself, I can attest to its impressive writing, at least compared to the majority of high school essays. The software can write papers on even the most obscure texts and give direct quotes to back up its thesis. Written documents from the bot would outscore the average American high schooler and match the average college student. And provided ChatGPT's accessibility and students' distaste for writing, the software is already in use, whether it is banned or not.
Software like ChatGPT will be the death of online and take-home writing assignments if schools maintain the status quo. Still, if handled right, the arrival of such technology could ignite the spark that resurrects quality writing in American education. Rather than making another skill irrelevant, AI could prompt us to salvage a lost art.
-Reece Cavallo is a mechanical engineering freshman
Stonewall closes after eight years
get these messages from these people right now that are freshmen and they're like, what are we going to do? I don't even know what I'm gonna do and it hurts me so much for them to not be able to go anywhere and not be able to experience it. This was in our backyard."
According to Paynter, the prevention of drunk driving along I-35 was one of the reasons for the foundation of Stonewall in 2014. A local LGBTQ bar meant patrons did not have to make the drive to San Antonio or Austin.
“The city pushed [to] open a bar, a queer space, because of the drunk driving between specifically San Marcos and Austin," Mo Paynter said. "We would close down the bar at midnight and literally leave and drive to Austin.”
By Elijah Cardenas Life and Arts ContributorOn Jan. 1, after a successful New Year's event, Stonewall Warehouse, San Marcos' only LGBTQ nightclub, closed its doors and sold the business. According to former manager and show director Lena Jacobs, the Stonewall staff was called in by the owner to discuss plans for 2023. After the meeting, the entire Stonewall staff was let go.
"We were given no notice, no chance to say goodbye with closure, peace or reassurance," Jacobs said in a statement. "Not just for us but for all of our performers and patrons that have been loyal to the business for years."
The nightclub on The Square was located on top of Freddy C's Lounge. Both were owned by Jamie Frailicks. Last year, Freddy C's was renovated with flooring, lighting and equipment. Stonewall, however, lacked a central cooling system and heat during hot summers, creating slick unsafe floors for performers and staff. During the cold weather in winter, the business had no heating and faced consistent out-oforder restrooms and slow repairs.
Public statements shared with the press by Frailicks said he made the decision to close the business because of operations concerns. Employees, however, believe the business was overlooked in favor of the other business, leading to its decline. Jacobs shared a Gofundme for employees with her announcement of the bar's closing to social media.
"I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken that my employees that mean more than anything are now without," Jacobs said in a statement. "They deserve better and so did I."
Before Stonewall opened in 2014, LGBTQ Texas State students and San Marcos locals attended bars in The Square during designated LGBTQ-friendly events. Stonewall was the only LGBTQ nightclub in San Marcos and one of the few bars with a age limit of 18.
Stonewall introduced the drag scene to San Marcos with Drag Tuesdays. Drag Queen Chitah Daniels Kennedy was one of the drag queens accredited as the mother of the San Marcos drag scene. She inspired,
dared and invited aspiring drag queens to perform in the heart of San Marcos. The performances grew and in 2018, Stonewall created opportunities to pay drag performers with Spotlight Fridays.
2022 Miss Stonewall performer Tequila Rose began performing the night of former President Donald J. Trump's election night in 2016, inspired by Chitah Daniels Kennedy and other LGBTQ community members to resist the oncoming wave of anti-LGBTQ sentiment and legislation. To her and many others, Stonewall was more than a nightclub. It was home.
“Every time I was there was always a great memory," Tequila Rose said. "There was nothing ever something that went bad even at my worst, I still had fun... My mission statement whenever I was on stage was to always inspire, motivate, encourage other people in our community and getting to use that platform to spread joy was the most pure thing for me.”
Stonewall was a safe space for the LGBTQ community in San Marcos and in the surrounding areas. Austin musician and Texas State alumna Mo Paynter said that even after moving to Austin postgraduation, she would drive down to visit Stonewall Warehouse.
“Once you walked through those doors, you could just be yourself,” Mo Paynter said. “Yeah, you might get judged walking down the street holding someone's hand, but once you walked in there, you were good. We would go down there and spend our whole nights there and it would be the most fun ever because we didn't have to go to Austin anymore to be that person. It was in our home. In our city where we wanted to be accepted. Loved.”
In 2023, Texas legislators plan to introduce over a dozen bills targeting gender-affirming care for children, classroom lessons about sexuality and drag shows. The loss of a physical space where the local LGBTQ community could gather leaves a void in San Marcos, Tequila Rose said.
"Stonewall was a place to was a place of first for many experiences for so many people," Tequila Rose said. "That's what I think is the true hurtful factor that for years to come in this city, there's not going to be a place where those incoming freshmen can go to and have it get to know people from their community. I
Stonewall is just one of many LGBTQ places closing in recent years. In 2022, Fourth Street was home to half of Austin’s LGBTQ spaces and facing redevelopment. The closing of those spaces as well as a new wave of anti-drag performance protests terrorizing LGBTQ event attendees has made it difficult for individuals to be in those spaces. According to Austin artist and Texas State alumna Lexi Paynter, she and her wife have felt unease and even danger when considering going to events such as drag brunch.
“Queer spaces are those spaces and places where you can be yourself and that's what's so unfortunate, right?" Lexi Paynter said. "Those are places where I can dance with my wife and not have to look around and make sure that we're not going to be in danger or that somebody's watching, and thinking something weird or gross or whatever. Those spaces are so important for that and they're just closing left and right.”
The former Stonewall Warehouse has been sold and will be remodeled. Community members gathered at Uproot above the Root Cellar Cafe for a farewell party on Jan 14. Attendees celebrated what was a second home to many, and remembered the joys and fond memories that Stonewall Warehouse gave them.
The Porch will host The Final Brick: A Benefit for Stonewall Performers with drag performances, DJs and karaoke on Saturday, Jan. 26.
“The city pushed open a bar, a queer space, because of the drunk driving between specifically San Marcos and Austin. We would close down the bar at midnight and literally leave and drive to Austin.”
Drinks on the go Vending
Studio San Martian share the joy of art, by hosting its Fluid Art Workshop
By Ben Middleton Life and Arts Reporter
Chatter fills the air inside the neon art-lined walls of Studio San Martian. People sit at paint-covered folding tables and pour acrylic paint on canvases as they learn a new style of art in the process.
Studio San Martian will host a Fluid Art Workshop guided by the local artist MJ, who plans to share the techniques and nuances of the artistic medium with the community. Fluid art is an artistic medium that consists of strategically pouring acrylic paint on a canvas to make an abstract piece of art. Changing the consistency of the paint and the pouring technique produces different results.
just painting alone at home and getting discouraged,” Huckaby said. “So we wanted to be able to be those people that you could come to first.”
Studio San Martian started in 2018 as a cooperative art space that functioned as a normal studio. Over time Huckaby incorporated other types of artistic expression, hosting fire spinners and DJs. These events attracted more artists to the studio which led to more community
or a music event or talent show, just anything where people can express themselves all the time and to just have a safe space for that.”
The friendships and network inside of the studio encourage artists to get involved and volunteer for events. Huckaby is thankful for the volunteers who help set up the events because without them the almost daily events would be impossible. In her eyes, the “Martians” create a special place through the effort they put in.
“I feel like we have our own special little band of weirdos ... you know, we chose the name San Martian because people that are kind of like the funny ones and the weird ones or the black sheeps or the like, and the people that we want to shine a beacon to,” Huckaby said.
Before Studio San Martian, Huckaby worked at a now-defunct art studio in New Braunfels which hosted classes and workshops. While working there, she learned how to teach a workshop and about the financial benefits of hosting one, both for the business and the instructor.
Her instructing experience was a guideline for the structure of workshops at Studio San Martian which is meant to be a fun introduction to the art form being taught. The studio hosts workshops for a wide variety of art styles and mediums with the intent to create an enjoyable experience for anyone.
MJ has been doing fluid paintings since 2018. MJ typically uses fluid art as backgrounds for paintings or collages. She is drawn to fluid art because of its unique texture, which she believes creates a fascinating sense of movement and complexity inside of the piece.
“Texture is everything,” MJ said. “I feel like if you have a really interesting visual texture, your piece is going to have so much more depth and intensity to it. It’s going to really make your eye move around the entire painting.”
MJ moved to San Marcos this last October and was introduced to Studio San Martian by a friend and Studio San Martian manager Rami. With Rami’s help, MJ became a part of Studio San Martian’s community and started hosting some of the workshops for the studio. She also hosts jewelry workshops.
As well as being a way for the studio to profit, the studio’s co-founder Kelly Huckaby sees the workshops as being a resource for the community to get involved in creating art.
“Maybe they’re interested in painting that and they’re
events. The increased demand led to frequent events and the creation of a unique artistic community within the walls of the studio.
“We’re just trying to have an event going on almost every day,” Rami said. “Whether that be an art workshop
MJ enjoys hosting the workshops to be able to share her art form with others and to also make some extra income from hosting the workshop. She hopes that she can help people find a way to make art that they want to share with their loved ones, and she hopes that the art she teaches them brings them a sense of peace.
“When [people who attend the workshop] are stressed, maybe they can make a fluid art painting or sit and play with some jewelry and beat some necklaces for a few hours,” MJ said. “I mean, that’s the best thing that I could hope people take from the workshops.”
The event costs $25 for paint and 2 canvases and will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 20, at Studio San Martian located at 1904 Old Ranch Road.
To sign up or learn more about Studio San Martian, visit https://www.studiosanmartian.com/.
“MLK and a group of Black leaders and organizations were responsible for basically pestering Lyndon B. Johnson to sign legislation that gave us the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Civil Rights Act which dealt with fair housing,” Bookman said.
A program in the ballroom will follow the march and feature Texas State students giving remarks, performing slam poetry and singing. Guest speaker Leonard N. Moore, author and professor, will address attendees. A reception with food and refreshments will follow.
King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech will turn 60 years old this August. Bookman said King was just one piece of a bigger picture and that we and future generations are the ones to keep fighting for that dream to become closer in reach.
“It’s important for us to celebrate MLK on this day and other individuals that continue to engage in a collective struggle to advance human rights,” Bookman said. “You’re on the right side of history if you’re celebrating and honoring them.”
To learn more about the Dunbar Heritage Association and future events, visit https://dhasmtx.com. To learn more about Texas State’s Division of Inclusive Excellence and future events, visit https://inclusion.txst.edu/students/.
We’re just trying to have an event going on almost everyday. Whether that be an art workshop or a music event or talent show, just anything where people can express themselves all the time and to just have a safe space for that.RAMI Studio San Martian manager
Texas State's first sports psychologist aims to decrease mental health stigma
By Isaac Valdez-Cervantes Sports Contributor
In October, Texas State hired Emily Cabano to fill the newly created position of a sports psychologist. The hiring of Cabano marks the first time in Texas State Athletics history that the program has had full access to a sports psychologist.
This position within the athletics department was a priority leading up to the hiring. With the funding finally being available, the program was able to fill the position.
Cabano wants to leave a lasting impact on the athletic community on campus.
"I want to have a positive impact, of course. To decrease the stigma, to increase mental health literacy and really support students to reach their goals,” Cabano said. “High-level athletes experience a greater risk of psychological disorders … they have higher demands at a very specific time in life where mental health becomes important.”
Athletic Director Don Coryell said in a statement that Texas State assessed its need to support the mental well-being of players and coaches and that Cabano will be a valuable resource to the athletics program.
"After many conversations with our coaches, staff and student-athletes, we identified a need to better support the mental well-being within Texas State Athletics. Dr. Cabano is an important piece to that as she gives our student-athletes a dedicated person for counseling and adds to their overall experi-
FOOTBALL
ATHLETICSence," Coryell said in a press release.
Cabano holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Seattle Pacific University and a master's degree in sport and performance psychology from the University of Denver.
Cabano is also a former D1 student-athlete and a former gymnastic coach.
Tracy Shoemake, executive senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator, said Cabano was the right one for the job with her unique blend of past experiences.
"It is something that we wanted for a long time but the funding hasn’t always been available," Shoemake
said. "It was a great combination in the fact that she’d been a student-athlete and a coach, and now as a mental health professional, she’s seen it from all sides.”
Baseball head coach Steven Trout recognizes how the pressures of being a student-athlete can affect one's mental health, and said that the hiring of Cabano will be an excellent resource for his team.
“Growing up, being on their own for the first time, going to school trying to keep their grades up and then putting the pressure of being a student-athlete… that’s a lot on their plate,” Trout said. "[Studentathletes] are judged more than the normal students. They’re judged on how they’re doing individually… that’s where the extra stress gets put on them.”
Cabano's job consists of giving mental performance and mental health services such as counseling for depression, anxiety, trauma and personality disorders to individual athletes, groups or teams.
Cabano also works with the Texas State Counseling Center. Not only will she be helping student-athletes, but she will also see the general student population as well.
"Just building relationships with students, coaches, administrators and the counseling staff too, that’s really my favorite part [of the job],” Cabano said. “I really believe that asking for help is an act of courage, so I would encourage them to be courageous."
From high school star to head coach:
G.J. Kinne’s path to Texas State
By David Cuevas Assistant Sports EditorWhen the expedited search for a new head football coach began after deciding to part ways with Jake Spavital, Texas State President Kelly Damphousse told Athletic Director Don Coryell there were three specific components he wanted in the university’s next coach.
“I asked them to look for someone who’s got experience being a head football coach, someone who had close ties with Texas football and Texas high school football in particular and also, someone who had an offensive scheme that could score a lot of points,” Damphousse said. “And I think we’ve found someone who can do that.”
Enter Gary Joe ‘G.J.’ Kinne.
The 34-year-old arrives at Texas State fresh off his inaugural season as the head coach at the University of the Incarnate Word, where the Cardinals finished 12-2 with the nation’s top offense scoring 53 points per game.
Kinne was selected over Washington State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Eric Morris and Sam Houston State head coach K.C. Keeler.
“It was very important to us that we hire someone with head coaching experience,” Coryell said. “Someone who has done this before. Someone who has won on their own, managed their own games and learned firsthand from their experiences.”
Kinne grew up in Mesquite, Texas. He was a star quarterback at Canton High School, where he was coached by his father, former Baylor linebacker Gary Joseph Kinne.
“I’m a Texas guy through and through,” Kinne said. “I’m the son of a Texas high school football coach. I grew up on the sidelines, I grew up in the fieldhouse on the back of the bus after the games. After I got done playing, I always knew I wanted to be a coach.”
After a stellar collegiate career at the University of Tulsa, in which he accumulated 9,472 passing yards and threw 81 touchdown passes over three
seasons and was named the 2010 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, Kinne went undrafted in the 2012 NFL Draft and was later signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets.
Kinne became a well-traveled journeyman as a professional football player, spending time with the Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Kinne's first coaching experience came during his stint with the Giants.
"I wanted to get into coaching at some point," Kinne said. "Steve Spagnuolo and Tom Coughlin came up to me one day and said they wanted to talk to me after practice. So, I sat in there and built a game plan with those guys. They put me up in the booth on a headset with Steve. I was basically a coach when I was playing. That was a lot of fun for me and I felt like I did a pretty good job, so I knew I wanted to get into coaching."
Over the course of his five-year professional football career, Kinne played a multitude of different positions.
“He played quarterback, he played running back, he played wide receiver and he played defensive back in the NFL,” Coryell said. “So, he knows what it takes to compete at the highest level and he has a very unique perspective on the game.”
Despite inheriting a team already built to win, Kinne managed to make the Cardinals even more explosive than they were under its previous head coach Eric Morris. In his lone season at Incarnate Word, the Cardinals led all of college football in scoring with 53 points per game along with total yards per game at 582. The defense also allowed the fewest points per game at 19, and second-fewest total yards per game at 338.
His coaching job at Incarnate Word is what led him to Texas State. While Kinne’s ability as a coach and knowledge of the game is not to be questioned, what is to be questioned is his long-term commitment to the program.
The biggest concern about Kinne becoming the next head coach among Texas State fans is if he’ll leave for another job if he is able to lead the
Bobcats to immediate success seeing how he has never remained at any of his previous jobs longer than one season.
“I’m committed to Texas State,” Kinne said. “I think any time you’re good at what you do, you’re going to get rewarded for that. And I’m just so happy to be here and I’m definitely committed to Texas State.”
Kinne’s coaching journey to Texas State has been an expeditious and impressive one. Only time will tell if he will have more success at Texas State than his predecessors but he is setting his goals and expectations for the program extremely high.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Kinne said. “We want to be in bowl games, we want to be in championships; we want to be in the College Football Playoff. That’s the reason I chose to come here, because of the expectation and because of the commitment to the football program.”
