March 24, 2026
OPINION Page 2
Harry Styles is officially back and funkier than ever!
NEWS Page 3
Jazmine Ulloa explores the blood and culture that binds El Paso
ARTS & CULTURE Page 5
Metalcore band Waves in April debuts first tour performance at El Paso
SPORTS Page 8
Locomotive get a draw with Colorado Springs
Women have managed to not only transform the entertainment industry but dominate it as well.
From Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” performance at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards to Gen-Z artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter speaking openly about political issues, female artists have pushed creative and cultural boundaries.
given her a look into the artist’s side of the entertainment industry.
This has provided her insight into the evolution of women’s role in pop culture and how it’s become as influential as it is today.
Advertising with a minor in commercial music to pursue a career in the music industry.
of social and professional spaces or visual scrutiny, sexualization and many more.
Erin Coulehan, adjunct faculty professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), specializes in gender and women’s studies and pop culture. Her reporting for publications such as Rolling Stone, Elle, Teen Vogue and The New York Times has also
“We see these women pop stars really dominating their industry, and we’re seeing it across all genres, which we hadn’t before. We have of course, in pop music, and then we’re seeing it in hip hop and now in indie rock. We’re seeing bands like ‘The Last Dinner Party’, or ‘The Marias,’ who are really very womenheavy and influenced, and they’re doing so well,” Coulehan said.
This undeniable rise of female artists has inspired young singers, like Natalia Bermudez, or Nana Bersa, senior studying Media
“It’s a great opportunity that they’re giving us, but I still think that there’s so much work to do in terms of, like, the same rights when it comes to women in all of all of the fields and especially music,” Bermudez said. “We’re not just about looks. We’re more than that. I think that we are passionate and talented, and all the things that men are too, but we still need to, try harder, just because we’re women. I feel grateful that I’m living in an era where I can share my music with female artists.”
Throughout history women have faced many barriers, from legal and economic restrictions, exclusion
“It goes back to the history of subjugation against women, and then us women being delayed in so much that men that had, you know, was inherent for them. Men always had the right to vote. Men could always get a credit card. It wasn’t until 1993 that marital rape was considered a crime, so women have had so much stacked against them, not even only professionally and I think that there’s a lot of very predatory systems when it comes to corporations and especially entertainment,” Coulehan said.
Even with so many challenges, instead of accepting the role of victims, female musicians embraced
a role as powerhouses behind social change and took the stage as the artists inspired by these changes around them.
“Something that really helped women enter these spaces was the rise of disco in the 70s, because for the first time, women didn’t have to be out on a date to be out in a social scene. So, this was the first time in history that women were getting ready together and like trading makeup and outfits and like, kind of imagining what the night was going to be like, and then they were able to go to these disco clubs and dance and be free and really get into that world,” Coulehan said.
Ximena Cordero, editor-in-chief
ADRIAN GONZALEZ B Y
STAFF REPORTER THE PROSPECTOR
For the better part of two decades, Bruno Mars has functioned as pop music’s premier stylistic chameleon. He has successfully navigated the 1960s soul of Motown, the 1970s funk of James Brown and the 1980s synth-pop of Prince.
But on his latest studio effort,
“The Romantic,” released Feb. 27, Mars doesn’t just visit the past; he moves into a new territory entirely. By leaning into the rich musical textures of Mexican music, he has created his most vibrant and personally resonant work to date.
“I just feel like Bruno Mars has good songs... generational songs,” junior forensic science major Sarah Recendez said. “Growing up, I listened to majority of the songs [he made], so him coming back was good.”
What struck me immediately upon the first listen was how authentically Mars treats his influences. This isn’t a vacation into
a new genre; it is a deep-seated appreciation of the culture he was exploring.
For some, the shift was unexpected. Dominic Neufeld, a computer science freshman, admitted to being “more than too shocked” by the pivot.
“He’s been gone for a while, and he came back with just, [with] like, this Latino type [of] music,” Neufeld said.
The first song, “Risk It All,” is one of my personal favorites. It is a slow, beautiful song that uses traditional Mexican instruments. It sounds very different from his older, faster hits like “24K Magic.”
Students are already finding personal parallels in the track’s heavy themes. Neufeld noted a deep connection to the song’s title.
“As of recently, I’ve mostly just been risking most of my life. I’ve been in a pickle, but I’m trying my best.” Nuefeld said.
read MORE at theprospectordaily.com
Harry Styles is officially back and funkier than ever!
After a four-year hiatus, Harry Styles announced his fourth studio album, “Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally” on Jan. 15, posting the album cover, detailing him standing below a disco ball from the sky while being out in the dark.
The first single of the album, “Aperture”, was released on Jan. 22, with the music video releasing a day after. The song serves as the opening track for the album and felt like
something new from Harry Styles. He’s known for being a theatrical and spontaneously playful kind of artist, but it felt more laid back and toned down, while showcasing the experimental flair of his style,
using techno sounds that’s never been heard from his previous work.
“Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally” (KISSCO) has 12 original songs, with all of them feeling as if they fit into categories from the album’s title, like the songs, “American Girls,” “The Waiting Game” and “Coming Up Roses” feeling like they fit in “Kiss All The Time,” having a slower and more laid back sound, and how songs like “Ready, Steady, Go”, “Pop,”
new sound, it’s still very reminisent of Styles’ old music.
“I loved the album, it was really cool,” Gutierrez said. “I feel like it’s so different and I think he got inspiration from other artists, but it’s also very him and super chill, but also super fun.”
announced a special titled “Harry Styles. One Night in Manchester,” that would be streaming on Netflix March 8, only two days after the release of the album.
“Dance No More” and “Are You Listening Yet?” fit more into the “Disco, Occasionally” side of the album, having an upbeat sound with its disco and pop funk influence playing a role.
Fans noticed the sound shift his album has taken, which has been received positively.
University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) senior, Angelica Gutierrez, believed that while it’s a
UTEP senior, Vanessa Carreon, added that there was similarities in his new sound to other artists like The Marias and CAKE.
“He’s definitely taken the time to find his sound. I just love how much synth there is, because when I heard the album title, I thought it was going to be disco,” Carreon said. “I was expecting a lot of disco, kind of like in ‘Harry’s House’, like ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’. But I think this one, even though it didn’t really fulfill that whole disco thing that I thought he was going to do, I still loved the direction. I think it was a combination of nice, quiet, chill, but danceable if you like Harry Styles’ music.”
With the release of the new album, it built more hype when he
The Netflix special was a prerecorded live performance from March 6 in the Manchester Coop Arena of Styles singing the album front to back and performing past songs of his including “From the Dining Table,” “Golden,” Watermelon Sugar,” “As It Was” and “Sign of the Times”.
During some moments of the show, he spoke about some of the song’s meanings behind them, giving his audience and viewers more context of the new songs that have been released, making the show more intimate and special for fans of Harry Styles.
UTEP junior, Elizabeth Martinez, found the Netflix special to be fun and enjoyable for fans of Styles.
read MORE at theprospectordaily.com
Ximena Cordero, editor-in-chief
Growing up in the 915, New York Times national reporter Jazmine Ulloa was taught to keep herself out of the story. But on March 9, standing before a crowd of former teachers, childhood friends and the very families she spent a decade interviewing, the Burges High School alumna admitted that this story required her to break the rules.
The event, held at the Philanthropy Theater in
partnership with El Paso Matters, served as a homecoming for Ulloa, whose book, “El Paso: Five Families and One Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory,” was published on March 3.
The discussion served as a deep dive into the story behind the book and why its history is important not only to Ulloa, but to the entire El Paso community.
“I felt like I needed to explore my own history and to serve kind of as a guide for the reader,” Ulloa said.
“And I also was asking very personal
questions, really hard questions of families, so I realized I’m a hypocrite, you know, because I didn’t know my family history that deeply. I figured if I’m going to be asking these hard questions of the families I’m interviewing, I should be doing the same with my own.”
This personal connection is woven through a narrative that traces a century of border history through five local families including the Chews, Martinezes, Holguins, Rubios and Murals.
A central theme of the discussion was Ulloa’s argument that El Paso deserves the same historical reverence as the nation’s most famous port of entry, Ellis Island.
“We hold Ellis Island at such regard, right, it’s this place that symbolizes our most sacred ideals of welcoming,” Ulloa said. “But it’s really through El Paso where you can see that nativist strain, and how race and racism have shaped immigration policies from the very beginning and how they continue to shape the way that it is.”
Ulloa noted that this project was catalyzed by the Aug. 3, 2019, Walmart mass shooting, recalling it as one of the hardest assignments of her career and the moment that “started it all.”
Through the lens of that event, she addressed broader national conversation.
“I want people to realize that there is no Latino invasion of the United States,” Ulloa said. “Latinos have always been part of who we are as Americans.”
The weight of that history was felt deeply by those in
‘More to the border than violence’: Jazmine Ulloa explores the blood and culture that binds El Paso
the audience, including her former journalism teacher, Patricia Monroe.
“She always had that intensity as a student journalist,” Monroe said.
“And I just knew she was going to be a star. So, in a way, I’m not surprised that she has made it all the way to the New York Times.”
The fmilies featured in the book also attended; some having shared their family heirlooms and fragile audio recordings to help Ulloa piece together the past. Ulloa recalled the emotional weight of handling a tape recorder sent through the mail, which contained the only surviving interview of a relative’s experience being picked up by Pancho Villa’s army.
The emotional core of the evening was further captured by Ulloa’s mother, Laura Martinez, who spoke about the lessons she gave Ulloa when she was just 4 years old.
“I brought her a book about Juárez and we started studying the letters and syllables together because I wanted her to always speak Spanish,” Martinez said. “To never forget her mother tongue, and for me to always speak Spanish, and for her to be Mexican, to feel that she was Mexican.”
Reflecting on the current political climate regarding immigration, Martinez added that while families may face separation, the community remains resilient.
spirit because we can start from scratch.” Martinez said.
That spirit of resilience and historical importance was echoed by community members like Jack Loveridge, vice president of the El Paso ISD (EPISD) school board, who emphasized that El Paso’s story is not just local, but continental.
“El Paso is the biggest, most important international city that they might not have ever heard of,” Loveridge said. “And that its story is integral to the story of the whole United States and really the Americas broadly.”
For current students and the next generation, the evening was a lesson in visibility and advocacy. Andrea Tellez, a program advisor at the University of Texas at El Paso and high school friend of Ulloa, said she hopes the book instills a sense of pride in a city where middle ground is often hard to find.
“I hope that they’ll see people like Jazmine, who have come from such a long place, you know, to get where she’s at,” Tellez said.
Ulloa concluded the evening by reminding the audience that the border is defined by more than just the violence seen in the headlines.
“There’s more to the border than violence,” Ulloa said. “There’s, like I said, trade, culture, family, and blood. Blood that binds, blood that ties families through generations through time and space and distance.”
“They can take us down, they can kneel us in the streets, they can separate us from our families, but what they cannot do is break our
B Y
VANESSA OROZCO
CONTRIBUTOR THE PROSPECTOR
Vice
President
of
Business Affairs
Brendan Gallagher, Ph.D., unveiled the University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) plans for a new green space, Arroyo Park, which will replace the now-retired Liberal Arts building.
The project will be built in two phases, with the first expected to be completed in 2028 while the second phase is expected to be completed in 2031. The design comes from Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, longtime partners of the university who also designed Centennial Plaza.
“The architecture will be a similar aesthetic to the rest of the campus. We’ll adopt this similar Bhutanese style,” Gallagher said. “For our community, it’s going to have a beautiful overlook bridge that’s going to provide a tremendous view of the surrounding area. That bridge will interconnect with our
new Texas Western Hall.”
Along with the park, the university union will also undergo renovations to connect it to Texas Western via bridge.
“As the lifespan for the Liberal Arts building worked its way to a natural conclusion, the question arose of what should take its place,”
Gallagher said. “The arroyo that it was sitting on top of emerged as the leading candidate for what should take its place, which would of course be the restoration of that arroyo.”
The new Liberal Arts building, Texas Western Hall, came in under budget when construction was completed. Remaining funds will now be redirected toward the Arroyo Park project.
The university will also receive an heirloom from the family of El Paso artist Tom Lea. The gift, an owl sculpture that once sat in the artist’s backyard, will be installed near the entrance of the overlook bridge and accompanied by a quote from John
Burroughs’ book “The Summit of the Years”: “I go to books and to nature as the bee goes to a flower, for the nectar that I can make into my own honey.”
“It is going to be located right at the entry point for that overlook bridge so everybody that goes along that bridge, as they’re going to and from Texas Western Hall to the Union, will go by that beautiful owl sculpture with the inscription,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher said the restoration will also include a pavilion for gatherings, terraced lawns and landscaping inspired by the Chihuahuan Desert.
Construction will cause some displacement during the project, but Gallagher said communication teams will provide updates to students and faculty both online and on campus.
“Across El Paso and beyond, when people hear of UTEP, or they visualize UTEP in their minds, they visualize our beautiful
Bhutanese inspired architecture and the Chihuahuan landscaping,” Gallagher said.
He added that he hopes students and staff will see the park as an enhancement to the university’s campus identity once it is complete.
“I have every expectation that when students, staff and faculty walk through this for the first time upon completion, that they will find this to be a rich enhancement
of that exact aesthetic,” Gallagher said.
The project was officially announced March 4 during an unveiling event at the gated former Liberal Arts building alongside UTEP President Heather Wilson.
REPORTER
PROSPECTOR
To celebrate the bloom of the Mexican golden poppies, El Paso’s Museum of Archeology hosted its annual ‘Poppies fest,’ from March 13 to March 15. This event celebrated the bloom of the flowers in the Northeast El Paso area and brought the community together to enjoy both nature and culture.
In collaboration with the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), the El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA), the El Paso Museum of History (EPMH) and sponsored by GECU. Local businesses and artists will also brought their work to this golden festival. Sebastian Ribas-Normand, director of the El Paso Museum of Archelogy, finds that the best part about organizing the festival is seeing the community build something together.
“The most rewarding thing I would say is the answer of vendors, community partners, volunteers and everybody that wants to pitch in and put their little grain of sand to the pile to make it better for the public. I think we’ve established some great partnerships this year,” Ribas-Normand said.
This edition of the festival will be the first time the event happens for a full weekend. However, activities started in the first week of March, or ‘The Poppies Month.’
The museum hosted activities such painting classes by professional artist Maria Natividad, drop-in activities for kids to enjoy and hikes to explore and learn about the museum grounds.
“We wanted to do that, so we have the chance to offer more possibilities to the community of El Paso and the region, but also at the same time to make it a little bit more manageable for us.” RibasNormand said.
Since its beginning, in 2007 the festival has aimed to take care of El Paso’s wildlife. Originally, it
was meant to encourage the city to protect Castner Range, these efforts gave fruits in 2023 when it was named a national monument.
“Throughout the years, it has kept that base, but it has changed to be more a festival for the whole community, for the family and more focused on the yellow Mexican golden puppies that we have here growing during the season here in March and April,”
Ribas-Normand said. “That’s kind of how it has stuck to the public. We want to shift a little bit more towards educating about preservation and conservation of the land.”
As of right now, the museum lands are the only area of Castner Range that is open to the public.
For this reason, Ribas-Normand encouraged attendees to enjoy the opportunity to be at the national monument, while keeping a respectful attitude towards the plants.
“We kind of want to use these to pull and to draw attention towards, not only preserving the poppies, which are very fragile flowers, but to preserve the Chihuahuan desert in general,” Ribas-Normand said.
“We have 17 acres that we want people to understand that needs to be taken care of, that they are very fragile. We have sponsors that are sponsoring yard signs with instructions of not going off, not picking up poppies and not picking up plants.”
Poppies are a cultural landmark of their own, with traditions that linger in their scent and colorful petals. For years they have been conserved and appreciated by El Pasoans, which is why the Museum of Archeology emphasizes the importance of remembering that picking one can be damaging to the whole plant.
“You have references of brides that wanted to spread poppies for their weddings, or people that have lost dear ones and that have spread
seeds for them to remember them that way,” Ribas-Normand said.
“It’s interesting to see how the community is wanting to enhance the field of poppies, and I think those seedings that have been happening throughout the years, are what has been contributing, to the super-blooms that we get every five to 10 years, when we have the whole side of the mountainside that it’s completely yellow.”
That mix of community, culture and nature is the essence featured throughout the 2026 edition of the festival.
“Our focus is one to the community, with the market, performances, dances, and including a factor of Native American communities, participating,” Ribas-Normand said. “We will have a Native American market inside the Museum, and then we will have two performances by Native American communities.”
Thanks to the continues collaboration of community partners, and a two-year sponsorship from GECU, the El Paso community can expect more to come from the ‘Poppies Fest.’ A place where El Pasoans can experience the bloom, celebrate local traditions and support the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.
Vivien Noe C, is a Staff Reporter, at The Prospector and can be reached at vgnoe@miners.utep.edu
Abby Pedroza, editor
On Feb. 27, upcoming metalcore band Waves in April performed its first tour stop at the Rockhouse Bar & Grill in El Paso.
They traveled from New Braunfels, Texas, joining Taken by Tides for their “Back to Hell Tour.” Other opening acts included Honey Vrosa, CZYK and Glorious.
Waves in April consists of four members, Dierks Canada, lead screamer and plays bass and guitar; Willy Canada, the drummer; Luke Wilson, who plays guitar and bass while providing screams and backup vocals; and Elle Gorman, the band’s lead singer.
“I did not expect this to be our first stop,” Dierks Canada said. “It’s very cool, [and] very far. This is the first time I’ve been in El Paso.”
The band draws inspiration from a wide range of subgenres within the metalcore fanbase.
“We all grew up listening to Alice in Chains, pop punk music and Slipknot,” Wilson said. “I love Core, Hardcore, Death Core too
and all that. I just love that kind of history of the genre, and we all gravitated toward that sound, that headier sound, and always just like the things that were just fun to play.”
Gorman finds her singing voice to range in different styles, but metal is where her passion stays true for her.
“When it comes to what I’m singing, you could really put it in any genre,” Gorman said.
“Sometimes people tell me I sound western, like I’m from the seventies, it just depends. The sound of metal music is where my passion is, and so that’s where I am.”
During the performance, Waves in April played a short setlist that included previously released songs such as “Lying Figure,” “Uzumaki,” and a cover of Paramore’s “Decode.”
They closed the set with their newly released single “Neverbloom,” that debuted the same day as the show.
The band members said the song marked an important moment in their collaboration as a group.
“I’m not the original singer for this band,” Gorman said. “I came
into this about a year and a half ago at this point, and this was the first song that we collectively wrote together.”
Dierks Canada added onto the comment.
“Neverbloom also comes from the truest space from us,” Dierks Canada said. “There wasn’t a song map, but we had the title, the chorus, and we just hammered it out and we’re like, this is it.”
Willy Canada added the final input to what this song meant to the band.
“This is the first song that we’ve released where I have writing credits,” Willy Canada said.
With their song “Neverbloom,” finally being out, they also have their debut album in the works, hoping that it will be released this year.
“We have a full album in the can,” Dierks Canada said. “It’s going to release this year, probably during the summer.”
Wilson explained
what listeners can expect with the new album and how this album has helped them experiment but also relive their nostalgia over the years.
“I think with this new album we have coming out, you’re going to hear a lot of new sounds from us that aren’t from before,” Wilson said. “You can hear how we formed the album. You can get a sense of the band. This album has been written over the past six years.”
While the album is in the works and is hoped to be released during the summer, there is still a possibility that it isn’t definite.
“This is not a promise,” Gorman said. “But we are playing Red Rocks this summer in July, and we’re going to try to have it come out before that.”
The band hopes to reach metalcore listeners who were fans of the old metal scene,
drawing inspiration from bands like Motionless in White. Their goal is to modernize the classic style of metal and bring it back to a new generation.
When asked what new listeners could expect from them, the band had more than one answer.
“If you like the old scene, if you like the old Crabcore scene, you’ll like us,” Dierks Canada said. “We’re trying to modernize classic metal core and just bring it back but also mix modern [metal] because we love both sides of the spectrum so much.”
Waves in April will continue joining Taken by Tides on their “Back to Hell Tour” all throughout March. Aziel
C. B Y
Frankenstein was looking for a companion, but The Bride fell in love with vengeance. In the upcoming film “The Bride!,” director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s mission was to give a voice to this woman, Frankenstein’s bride, who influenced culture ever since her appearance in the film “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935).
In the 1935 film, the bride’s character doesn’t say a word. Audiences can expect none of this silent suffering in this film. There will still be suffering, but this time it will be loud, accompanied by romance, humanity and monstrosity.
“Elsa Lanchester is in the movie as the bride for like two minutes, and she doesn’t speak one word, and yet she’s made this major impact on our culture,” Gyllenhaal said. “I mean, the way I got the sort of idea to work on this project was from a huge tattoo that this guy had of the Bride of Frankenstein on his forearm. She’s made a real impact, but she doesn’t speak. I felt it was an interesting jumping off point, but it didn’t offer all that much to work with, except for the blank space where she kind of could have been.”
Frankenstein’s Monster, as a character, has faced the opposite predicament. For over 200 years, Frankenstein has been interpreted and reimagined by many artists.
However, what makes this version of Frankenstein’s Monster, played
by Christian Bale, stand out is the deep humanity behind his abnormal appearance.
“With him living for as long as he does, having the look that he does, and having committed the atrocious crimes that he committed when he was a child, giant but still a child. So, we see it’s someone who is living in a very extreme fashion, and then his loneliness is really extreme as well,” Bale said, “And then completely unexpected, all he wants is just someone who he can maybe hold their hand, and he ends up getting the most passionate affair and communion that he’s ever had in his life. It sets him a blaze, allows him to live again without completely being obsessed with his past.”
The Bride of Frankenstein, played by Jessie Buckley, is on a mission for justice, while Frankenstein’ Monster is searching for love. As their missions become tangled together, they find much more than they expected.
“What if we reinvigorate this woman to ask the questions, to seek the truth, to look for a love that can hold all of who she is as a woman? And vice versa, for this man who’s been given the identity of a monster who actually is just desperate for love in himself,” Buckley said.
“The Bride!” tells a story that is not limited to horror or romance.
It is also about a woman reclaiming her own voice and helping others find theirs, both in the film and in the audience.
“I think that feeling of trying to
define yourself for real, to really get a sense of who you are, not entirely separate from the world you live in, but like really trying to listen to your own mind is always scary. I do think that the bride after having been someone you know before she’s killed, who wants to say no and can’t figure out how to do it, wants to say a lot of things that she can’t figure out how to say,” Gyllenhaal said.
“When she is brought back to life, she’s almost a superhero. She doesn’t have the same filter that all of us have. She’s able to say, risk, express and need things that we, at least in my generation, are scared to want, are afraid to express, and that’s very scary for people. It’s scary for people to encounter something that’s new always, and it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have to encounter it.”
This film aims to make audiences think differently. Whether through murder or dance sequences, every element is driven by purpose and commitment.
“It’s kind of a possession, which you’ll understand if you’ve seen the film, and one that then ends up sparking a revolution.” Bale said. After almost a hundred years of silence, The Bride has a lot to say. Audiences can take the risk and join this revolution at their local cinemas.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct errors in the names, titles and roles of individuals quoted.
Valeria Contreras, an awardwinning filmmaker and adjunct professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has been selected as one of five directors for the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Directors Incubator, earning $35,000 in funding and mentorship from Netflix to bring her original film “Oranges” to life.
Contreras grew up in El Paso, always showing an interest in the arts. She started out illustrating educational comic books for young children and went on to found “Valcon Comics.” She later studied in New York City, earning her master’s in film from Columbia University.
“When I was super young, I would watch T.V. and I’d be excited to watch cartoons, I was inspired every time I would watch them, especially seeing the stories and seeing the different characters,” Contreras said. “I started developing cartoons and comics of my own when I was young and worked on educational graphic novels that taught kids about the environment or about different artists, but I really wanted
to be able to gain experience doing live action films and being able to know what it is to be on set. So that initial interest led me eventually to my journey of wanting to go to film school.”
Inspired by her hometown’s values and history, Contreras has written films like “Homesick” a film about a couple separated because of the COVID-19 pandemic and forced to be on different sides of the border. “Oranges” tells the history of the El Paso-Juarez streetcar by showing the story of two sisters the day before one of them moves away.
“A lot of my work experience was in politics and local government, and I think what I was really interested in was bringing together politics in the sense of storytelling.
It’s important to be able to use the medium to elevate stories that may have not otherwise been treated with the nuance or respect
that they deserve,” Contreras said. “Trying to [in my work] explore stories alongside the U.S.-Mexico border, and really being able to not just explore stories as they have been in previous films, about violence or chaos, but really trying to explore stories about resilience, strength and love.”
To bring “Oranges” to life, Contreras collaborated with friend and producer Soumya Singh. She also partnered with Femme Frontera for this film’s production. Together, they outlined how they would finance the project, presenting both the creative and practical aspects of making a film to NALIP.
read MORE at theprospectordaily.com
‘The Bridge,’ between cities
From March 2 to April. 8, The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) Union Gallery opened its newest exhibit, “The Bridge,” showcasing a vibrant collection of photographs, paintings and mixed media works from both student and professional artists. Coming together to celebrate the shared culture, identity and community of life in the El Paso-Ciudad Juárez borderland.
Curated by UTEP student Katy Ruiz, “The Bridge,” takes its name from the literal international bridge and metaphorical cultural bridge connecting the two “sister cities,” one shaped by the people who cross back and forth everyday.
“I believe it really showcases that both sides are not so different. We have a lot of shared values,
even though we might be separated by the border,” Ruiz said. “In some ways, we’re the sister cities, but in other ways, it feels like we’re one city.”
Expanding from one of her previous gallery projects, Ruiz explained that she hand-picked pieces from students and professional artists. Specifically, those who regularly crossed the border in order to highlight the shared history and community of both cities.
One featured artist, Ganna Lukashevska, brought with her paintings is a deeply personal perspective to the exhibit. Fleeing Ukraine with her family, Lukashevska would experience the realities of the U.S.-Mexico border.
After being detained and separated from her husband while pregnant after arriving in the U.S. read MORE at theprospectordaily.com
Kristian Hernandez, editor
After Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera’s contract with the El Paso Locomotive was not renewed for the 2026 season, the Locos club had to look for a new coach to lead the team and find another playoff berth.
On Dec. 29, 2025 the Locomotive announced a new head coach, Junior Gonzalez. Coaching since 2004 at the collegiate level, Gonzalez has experience in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the United States U-15 national team.
The Locos aren’t the only ones with new faces. The Colorado Springs Switchbacks parted ways with Sporting Director Stephen Hogan and Head Coach James Chambers, on Nov. 4, 2025.
Within the same month, the Switchbacks appointed Alan McCann as Head Coach. He was an assistant coach for the team and
has moved up the ranks within the organization since 2021.
As of March 24, William Cabrera has not signed with a club since his departure from the Locomotive.
The Switchbacks were the first to score in Southwest University Park in the 5’ from a corner kick from midfielder Sam Williams with forward Khori Bennett making the score 1-0.
“[We] really didn’t get a chance to get going because we took the goal so early,” Gonzalez said. “So, restart defending is definitely something that we talked about, playing against a team that [is] very direct and very restart driven.”
El Paso was able to equalize off of a rebound from the post right into seasoned veteran of North American soccer forward Rubio Rubin in the 21’.
Rubin scored again in the 50’ from a crucial Colorado Springs turnover. El Paso stayed
opportunistic around the box, and it paid off twice.
“I felt confident and obviously felt fit. But yeah, to get two goals tonight, it’s good. Obviously, as a striker to get on the scoreboard,” Rubin said.
16-year-old hometown defender Kenneth Hoban who started the match for the Locos. He was the youngest to sign with the organization at 15 years old.
“Congrats to Kenny, I did not know it was his first start,” Rubin said. “Young bucks like him, pushed me, who’s 30. To see him, be so young and be doing what he’s doing, it speaks volumes to what this club is all about.”
The Locos crowd was in full swing as a tradition began such as when the opponents’ goalie would make a kickoff, the crowd would shout “p***” right when the goalie made impact with the ball.
The Switchbacks got their turn
to equalize when defender Isaiah Foster scored the header goal and created the final score 2-2. Foster made his professional debut with Colorado Springs in 2022, then had some stints with MLS NEXT Pro and MLS with FC Dallas and now making a full circle journey to his pro debut club.
The Locomotive club mentioned how the home opener gave the team a lot of learning opportunities and room to grow chemistry around each other as well.
“Anytime you’re in a new team, and it’s a new group, I’ve only been here, what, two months?” Gonzalez said. “For sure it’s going to be a learning curve. I’m still trying to figure out the city of El Paso and find the good places to go eat and meeting people.”
Gonzalez’s strategy for an offensive game plan against the Switchbacks was to take advantage of the flanks and sides of the pitch,
which leans into his philosophy and style for the team.
“Attacking fullbacks are a big part of how I teach. And to be fair, even the center backs at times,” Gonzalez said. “I like to pride myself in having a freeflowing team. And if any player can join the attack, we just have to make sure we’re structured for transitional moments.”
On March 14, the Locomotive shutout Monterey Bay FC to win their first match of the season. El Paso will be on the road to face off against Sacramento Republic FC and will be back home on April 4, to take on the Las Vegas Lights FC.
Depending on the day, junior guard Caleb Blackwell’s pregame ritual might involve the smooth R&B sounds of Miguel, but when the stakes are higher, when the rivalry is personal and the Don Haskins Center is vibrating, the 6-foot-1 guard switches to something heavier.
“If it’s one of those games, like New Mexico State... definitely some [NBA] Youngboy,” Blackwell said.
That duality, the ability to be “chill” one moment and a “menace” the next, has defined Blackwell’s first season in El Paso.
The Buford, Georgia, native has emerged as a starting guard of The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) men basketball team, but his path to the desert was forged in the silence of a redshirt year at Alabama A&M and the grit of the junior college circuit.
For Blackwell, the hardest part of redshirting was not the physical toll; it was the view from the sideline.
“Definitely knowing that I could be out there,” Blackwell said.
“Helping my team... knowing I was ready for the moment. Having to watch them…but I also think it helped me learn how to just
be patient.”
That patience paid off. Blackwell took his game to South Plains College, where he earned Junior College (JUCO) Second-Team AllAmerican honors.
When he finally saw his name on that list, he felt a “sense of appreciation” for the work that had previously gone unnoticed. It is a period of his life he credits for the “chip” on his shoulder that he carries today.
“I’m going to have to do a little bit extra to be seen, that I am a shorter guard, a smaller guard,” Blackwell said. “To be successful in this day and age, you have to be spectacular. I think really just the chip on my shoulder... just knowing that I have to do more.”
That extra effort was seen on Feb. 7 against rival New Mexico State University (NMSU).
After suffering a concussion in January that briefly stripped away his “ability to play,” Blackwell returned to the floor with a new perspective.
He utilized the time away to sit back and analyze what Head Coach Joe Golding expected of him.
The result was a 21-point explosion that silenced the Aggies in a 91-88 overtime thriller.
“Honestly, that was my favorite experience, I would say, so far in
college,” Blackwell said, recalling the I-10 rivalry atmosphere.
When asked to describe himself in three words, Blackwell did not hesitate: “Fun, energetic, a menace.”
The “fun” comes from his versatility, the ability to dunk on a fast break or pull up from 3-point range. The “energetic” side is seen in his spirit, celebrating a teammate’s bucket as much as his own. And then there is “menace.”
“You can get weird times during the game where it gets serious,” Blackwell said. “And [with] my straight face, [you know] I’m always smiling.”
Now a veteran of the “old school” grind, Blackwell has a clear message for the next generation of players currently sitting where he once was, wearing a redshirt, wondering if their time will come.
“Take advantage of every practice. Take advantage of all the moments that you get,” Blackwell said. “The games that you watch on the bench, those are your real-life film sessions. Take that year to become the best version of yourself. All the deficiencies that you have, attack those.”
Although the Rhinos’ Teddy Bear Toss has become an annual tradition, the event itself has been part of hockey since 1993 when the major junior ice hockey team known as the Kamloops Blazers. Part of the Western Hockey League (WHL), many more teams associated with junior and minor hockey league began the tradition when the home team scored the first goal of the night for their team.
The American Hockey League (AHL) Hershey Bears, who are an affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL) Washington Capitals, are known to have the record for most stuffed toys in a game with 102,343.
The El Paso Rhinos organization has two teams. One plays in the National American Hockey League (NAHL) which is a Tier II Junior league and the other plays in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) known as a Teir III junior league that’s directly affiliated with the NAHL respectively.
The NAHL El Paso Rhinos (31-18-2-4) came off a 6-1 victory against fellow South Division opponent Odessa Jackalopes (2225-4-3) right before their second matchup of the weekend where the Rhinos looked to clinch a playoff position under new head coach Mike Rivera who joined midway through the 2024-2025 season. He was the head coach for the NA3HL Rhinos during the 2024-2025 season. Joining him this season was
new assistant head coach Austin Cline.
Odessa found themselves scoring five minutes into the first period from forward Nicholas Arlington where the Jackalopes would create chaos in the slot and finding openings. Before the halfway point of the period, fellow Jackalopes forward Adam Matar found the back of the net on a power play caused by El Paso forward Jacob Solano.
After Odessa’s 2-0 lead coming in the second period, the Jackalopes got another goal from forward Daniel Kuczkowski. Not long after, Rhino defenseman Alexi Gregoire would score his third goal of the regular season and give the home crowd the greenlight to toss the teddy bears on the ice.
The Rhino’s Teddy Bear Toss was in honor of Joni Arnett who graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice along with a Master’s degree in Sociology. Arnett lost her life on July 1, 2007, and is survived by her two children, Preston and Brett Eastman. The stuffed animals were collected and donated to local charities.
With a game filled with scuffles from both teams totaling 10 penalty minutes for Odessa and six penalty minutes for El Paso, the Rhinos were looking to cut down Odessa’s 3-1 lead in the third period. Back-and-forth chirps from both teams occurred throughout the game. Comments such as “You’re a p****” were heard from the Rhinos bench towards the Jackalopes. Rhinos
forward and recent commit to the NCAA Division I Robert Morris University Troy Hunka scored off a fast break into the offensive zone, cutting down Odessa’s lead 3-2.
The Rhinos changed the pace on defense to take back possession of puck and maintain offensive pressure. After a two-minute slashing penalty from Gregiore 11:30 into the period, El paso needed to hold off Odessa to keep their chances alive for the weekend sweep. Rhino goalie Logan Hughes made a crucial save which helped Rhinos look for more opportunities to find the net again.
With 2:18 minutes left in the third period, El Paso pulled their goalie to bring in an extra player. After an aggressive set of scuffles and fastbreak chances for both teams, the Jackalopes scored on the empty net from forward Caden Chiossi making the final score a 4-2 victory for Odessa.
“I think the second game, we couldn’t, we really weren’t getting pucks deep,” Hunka said. “The main adjustment [in the third period] was our coach was kind of, he was on us for turning over pucks, like I said, in the neutral zone.
On March 7, the Rhinos clinched a playoff spot for the Robertson Cup and finished ninth in the league overall.
“We’re very confident, tonight was unfortunate, but we’ve been playing pretty good [these] last 10 games, so I think we’re pretty confident and we’re going to be reeady for the playoffs,” Hunka said.
Rhino fans Erwin Delgado and Joel Delgado also commented on the Rhinos’ chances for the playoffs.
“I think they’re working really hard. We’ve been here pretty much all season. I think some of these minor setbacks aren’t really big things for them at the end,” Delgado said. “ I think they’re going to have a great postseason afterwards too.”
While Odessa’s season is over, a highlight for them was former alum Connor Hellebuyck winning gold for Team USA during the 2026 Olympics held in Italy. Hellebuyck currently plays for the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL.
For El Paso, they will play the Corpus Christi IceRays at the Hillard Center on March 27, with both teams clinching their playoff spots.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro, editor
SEBASTIAN PEREZ-NAVARRO B Y
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR THE PROSPECTOR
Just like a loving relationship, sometimes things go wrong. Unfortunatly episode two of The Prospector Podcast ran into audio issues, but that didn’t stop the crew from having fun.
Episode two put the spotlight on the University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) softball program, who just started thier Conference
USA season. Multimedia editor
Sebastian Perez-Navarro, hosts
Audience Engagement editor
Cameron Mason and staff reporter Adrian Gonzalez Jr. talk about UTEP’s softball program, and throw some digs at their former high school rivals.
May is an important month for UTEP, as the Sun Bowl will host both BTS and Post Malone in a span of days. Devout BTS fan and arts and culture editor Abby
Pedroza joins The Prospector Podcast to discuss her process of buying tickets, and what she looks foward to for the concert. She’s joined by editor-in-chief Ximena Cordero, who appears in the podcast for the first time in her new role. To impress her, PerezNavarro and Mason do their best to sing her a song.
University of Texas System Board of Regents and the Texas Legislature.
The start of the spring semester typically means new beginnings for students, but at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), spring brought an interactive learning space through the form of a new building, Texas Western Hall. As students and professors become more acclimated into the space, the video above deep dives into the future of learning at UTEP by exploring the new building. Construction began on the new building all the way back in 2023. The funds to make UTEP’s new addition were split between the
The building has 30 classrooms, 20 collaborative rooms, and a 3000 square foot rooftop terrace.
Frank Perez, Ph.D., a UTEP professor of Communication, expressed that this building increases UTEP’s status as a Research One institution.
“I think that for us to be tier one, our students need to feel that they’re on a tier one campus,” Perez said. “I think that this building and the last two or three that have been added really began to create that feel.”
A new building means new technology. To match the modern
CONTRIBUTOR THE PROSPECTOR AZIEL RAMOS B Y
On Feb. 27, upcoming metalcore band Waves in April performed its first tour stop at the Rockhouse Bar & Grill in El Paso.
They traveled from New Braunfels, Texas, joining Taken by Tides for their “Back to Hell Tour.” Other opening acts included Honey Vrosa, CZYK and Glorious.
Waves in April consists of four members, Dierks Canada, lead screamer and plays bass and guitar; Willy Canada, the drummer; Luke Wilson, who plays guitar and bass while providing screams and backup vocals; and Elle Gorman, the band’s lead singer.
feel of contemporary learning spaces in other universities, Texas Western Hall has incorporated LG create boards and DV LEDs all around the building.
Yet, there’s still a process to incorporating this technology into the everyday learning routines of UTEP professors.
Find out what political science professor Jesse Kapenga has to say by watching the video.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is the multimedia editor at The Prospector and may be reached at spereznavarro@miners.utep.edu
“I did not expect this to be our first stop,” Dierks Canada said.
“It’s very cool, [and] very far. This is the first time I’ve been in El Paso.”
The band draws inspiration from a wide range of subgenres within the metalcore fanbase.
“We all grew up listening to Alice in Chains, pop punk music and Slipknot,” Wilson said. “I love Core, Hardcore, Death Core too and all that. I just love that kind of history of the genre, and we all gravitated toward that sound, that headier sound, and always just like the things that were just fun to play.”
Gorman finds her singing voice
to range in different styles, but metal is where her passion stays true for her.
“When it comes to what I’m singing, you could really put it in any genre,” Gorman said. “Sometimes people tell me I sound western, like I’m from the seventies, it just depends. The sound of metal music is where my passion is, and so that’s where I am.”
During the performance, Waves in April played a short setlist that included previously released songs such as “Lying Figure,” “Uzumaki,” and a cover of Paramore’s “Decode.” They closed the set with their newly released single “Neverbloom,” that debuted the same day as the show.
The band members said the song marked an important moment in their collaboration as a group.
“I’m not the original singer for this band,” Gorman said. “I came into this a year and a half ago, and this was the first song that we collectively wrote together.”
Dierks Canada added;
“Neverbloom also comes from the truest space from us,” Dierks Canada said. “There wasn’t a song map, but we had the title, the chorus, and we just hammered it out and we’re like, this is it.” the band.
Aziel Ramos is a contributor and may be reached at aramos45@miners.utep.edu