By Mahlah Freeman

At 19 years old Kandy worked a hard nine-to-five at a burger joint and lived paycheck to paycheck. After complaining to a friend about her exhaustion, the woman invited her to join the “fast life.”

“I was like ‘How?’ She gave me the rundown on everything,” said Kandy, a pseudonym she asked to use. 

The life that would take her away from her drudgery meant posting provocative photos of herself, meeting men in hotels throughout Houston and performing sexual acts as an escort. 

“She gave me the website to post my ads on and I posted pictures of myself on there,” Kandy said. “The men would hit me up, text me all day.” 

According to Yale Global Health and Justice, sex work is broadly defined as the consensual sexual activity between adults for money. Sex work and prostitution are often used interchangeably, but many people who sell sexual services prefer the term “sex worker.”

Sex trafficking involves the intentional movement and exploitation of a person through force, fraud or coercion for sex. 

The line between the two can be thin and blurry. For example, prostitution or sex work involves people over the age of 18 but anyone under 18 involved in sex work is considered a victim of sex trafficking. Advocates for these women say that fuzzy distinction makes it more difficult for those who need help to ask for it. 

“When trying to think about the differences between prostitution and sex trafficking, prostitution can be voluntary, while sex trafficking is generally not,” said Ayanna Neal, lead sexual assault and civil rights attorney at Grewal Law in Michigan. 

According to Rafael Flores, a Washington, D.C. advocate from the Polaris Project, the thin line between sex trafficking and sex work is freedom. If a person is free and in control, it’s often seen as sex work. However, he said, it is hard to tell the difference between a sex worker and a sex trafficking victim because looking free doesn’t mean someone is. 

“You’re not going to find anyone chained to a wall or restricted of movement,” Flores said. “The chains are psychological.”

Even women in Kandy’s line of work have teetered on the line between sex work and trafficking.

“I have never met a girl that’s been a victim of trafficking but I’ve met some girls that I feel like are pretty close to it,” Kandy said. 

Kandy was referring to women with Gorilla pimps. A Gorilla pimp is a pimp who beats on his prostitutes, forces them to go out and only refers to their women as their “bitches.”

“I think that is considered sex trafficking because they don’t have a choice. They want to leave but they can’t,” Kandy said. “They’re usually younger girls who can’t go back home, so they just stay.”

Kandy said she believes that if sex work were more open and police made it safer, women wouldn’t need pimps for protection and the government could focus on the women who are being forced into sex work versus women who do it consensually.

Many organizations in the United States share Kandy’s thoughts and are fighting to decriminalize sex work. 

Sex work is illegal in the U.S. except for a few limited circumstances like in Nevada prostitution is legal in some rural counties but not in major metropolitan areas like Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City and Maine decriminalized sex work in June 2023 but buying sex stayed illegal. 

Decriminalizing Sex Work is one of many non-profits working to decriminalize prostitution through public education, policy research and outreach. Members of organizations like this one say they believe it would significantly help combat sex trafficking by allowing sex workers to report abuse and access support services without fear of legal repercussions, ultimately making them less vulnerable to exploitation. 

“Criminalization creates a black market and pushes people into shadows,” said Ariela Moscowitz, director of communication at the non-profit. “Decriminalizing consensual adult sex work can eradicate trafficking. Where sex work has been decriminalized, exploitation and violence has decreased drastically.” 

Moscowitz said she believes that the criminalization of sex work sends sex workers the message they are disposable and less than human and puts them at risk to bad actors. 

When sex work is illegal, sex workers are less likely to report violence or exploitation to law enforcement. Because sex workers fear arrest, it makes it harder for police to identify and assist trafficking victims according to research from the Human Rights Watch. 

“They make it harder because every day we’d be more scared of laws (police) than we would be of people coming to rob us or something,” said Kandy who has been an escort for a year. 

Decriminalization allows for a clearer distinction between consensual sex work and forced sex trafficking, enabling law enforcement to better target traffickers and build trust with sex workers.

Because sex work is still illegal, Neal said that a more achievable goal is having legislation that focuses on readily training law enforcement and prosecutors. Since sexual activity is involved in both, the line blurs on what’s happening, especially when victims are under the influence of drugs. 

While conversations about sex work and sex trafficking may be difficult for people, advocates say it is important to understand the differences so that people can more easily spot sex trafficking and help victims. 

“Be aware of your surroundings, be observant,” Neal said. “Because you never know if that's an opportunity for you to literally save someone's life.”

Dec. 1, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg2N0Cla2pw 

As the new name, D’Wayne Anderson Gymnasium was revealed on a sleek sign above the entrance, applause and cheers filled the air, mingling with a few tears.

“This is not just deserved, it’s well earned,” said Tiffany Cabin, a long-time friend and coworker of Anderson. “He put his heart and soul into ensuring that this was a really positive environment for kids to develop, learn and grow.”

On Friday, the southeast Austin community gathered to honor the legacy of D’Wayne Anderson, a man who spent 23 years working for Austin Parks and Recreation. In October 2023, Cabin spoke before the Parks and Recreation Board to advocate for the renaming of the gym in Anderson’s honor.

Co-workers, friends, family and mentees were invited to testify about Anderson’s legacy and they all told the story of Anderson’s lasting impact on them.

“I was just making sure that I was capturing all of D’wayne’s qualities and the love and care that he had for this community,” Cabin said, “I wanted to make sure that it resonated through the application process.”

Cabin said that the board decision was unanimous.

The gym’s new name was unveiled at the George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center in Southeast Austin on Friday, Nov. 15.

The gym was filled with excitement and laughter as the Austin community gathered together to celebrate the occasion. The City of Austin officials like Sheriff George Morales, and interim park director Angela Means spoke about Anderson’s legacy and stated how it is an honor to be a part of the process

“He was the first one to put my name up there,” said Morales referring to when the Dove Spring Recreational Center was renamed after him in 2019. “This is not just an honor you give to someone. This is an honor that was earned.”

After the new sign was unveiled the atmosphere was a mix of laughter and tears. For many the renaming solidifies Anderson’s passion for the Dove Springs Community.

Anderson’s friends and family say they hope his legacy will live on through the gym, inspiring everyone who enters the space will strive for their personal best and positively impact others, just as Anderson always encouraged.

“Thank you for this honor to our friend D’wyane,” Morales said.

Nov. 22, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-WBqNDKj3M 

At a packed luncheon filled with advocates, survivors and supporters, the Safe Alliance rallied the community of Austin in the fight to end all forms of abuse. Heartfelt stories and inspiring speeches filled the room as guests united over a shared meal to support the mission of ending violence and empowering those affected.. 

“Safe works because we all care to care,” Dewi Smith, a Safe Alliance volunteer, said. “And to expand that care, we need you.” 

The Safe Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending abuse in all forms. Its mission is to create a safe and just community by providing support, resources, and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and child abuse.  

“It is really important to have (events) like this so people can come and witness what our clientele experiences so that they can connect it to the cause,” said Dani Fletcher, senior director of marketing and communication at Safe.

The organization offers a range of services, including a prevention education program, shelter, counseling, legal aid and a 24/7 confidential hotline. Its guiding principles emphasize respectful relationships, inclusivity, survivor focus, accountability and collaboration to achieve its vision.

The celebration is an annual event, and it kicked off with a tour of the east Austin campus where attendees stopped at the four stations to explain the different topics Safe provides services for. After the tours, guests were invited into the auditorium to eat lunch and given pledge cards for donations ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. 

“With your help, Safe can provide comfort and a pathway to healing,” Smith said. “Where survivors can feel safe and start rebuilding their life.”

Fletcher said the event’s importance lies in its ability to attract donors and community partners who help visualize the vital work Safe is doing beyond the statistics posted on its website. 

“Being here, being able to be where it’s being done just adds value to the experience and helps people understand the after-effects of violence and abuse and how they have to put their lives back together,” Fletcher said.  

Many staff members at Safe are survivors themselves and view their roles not as jobs but as a duty to the community. Diana Hernandez, Safe cares advocate manager, is a survivor of domestic violence, trafficking and child abuse, and was the keynote speaker. She shared her journey as a survivor and how she came to work at Safe and received a standing ovation. 

“For me getting out of bed (to come to work) is not a job, it’s my passion. I feel that this is the way that I can give back,” Hernandez said. “Helping people and meeting them where they’re at and being an advocate is very important. We are there from day one when they want us in their life all the way until they need us no longer.”

If you would like to be involved in the change Safe is making you can visit their website at https://www.safeaustin.org

Nov. 15, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman

In elementary school, Toni McKinley was sex trafficked for the first time. Then again when she was 15. Then again when she was 18. 

With no food, money or place to call home, McKinley was stuck. 

“At 18, I had nowhere to go. I ended up in a trafficker’s home who was a retired police officer, of all things,” she said. “Everyone knew him as a man who took kids in and helped them get off the street. Now I know there was more to that from living there with him.”

When a friend found her and pulled her out of this cycle, McKinley found help from a local community college for freedom, funds, food and education. 

“There came a point in my life where enough is enough,” McKinley said. “I'm not going to allow people to take advantage of me anymore.”

According to the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrant human trafficking prevention page, the public receives conflicting and confusing information about trafficking. Movies, TV shows, and social media can depict glamorized versions of pimps and victims or present sex trafficking as solely snatch-and-grab scenarios. Since the public plays a major role in the identification and reporting of human trafficking it is crucial to dispel the myths about human and sex trafficking. The Human Trafficking Hotline website states that some common myths about sex trafficking are that victims are physically bound and trapped, trafficked across state and national borders, or kidnapped by strangers.

“We have these pictures on the internet of trafficking survivors with bruises, and it's dark. They're chained and locked up and that's not what trafficking for the most part looks like,” said McKinley, who is now the executive director of Magdalene House — long-term residential program focused on helping sex trafficking survivors get back on their feet.. 

McKinley said that stories like her own are often not what people picture when they think of sex trafficking. But, trafficking is more often subtle and can go unnoticed by the public.

“It's easy for us to just walk down the street or be in a restaurant and see a girl and a young guy, or a guy and a young girl and not really think much of it and wonder what's going on here,” McKinley said. “Is there anything going on there? But I can spot it out everywhere I go, but the average person doesn't.”

Madeline Moffett, an audit analyst at Allies Against Slavery, said that lots of people have the wrong assumption about where traffickers come from and where sex trafficking takes place.

Based on their 2022 data, 77% of sex trafficking in Texas happens within in the state, not out of state and 87% of sex trafficking happens inside the United States not outside. 

McKinley said the first step of sex trafficking prevention is identifying the correct stereotypes and myths of sex trafficking. While the urgency to combat sex trafficking remains high, myths about the nature of trafficking and the profiles of victims and perpetrators could misdirect resources and efforts. 

“It's not that distant right from our lives. People are exploited by people known to them, people in their neighborhoods and people in their families. It happens more often than we think,” said Noël Busch-Armendariz, professor and director of the University of Texas Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault and the author of  “Debunking the Myth of ‘Super Bowl Sex Trafficking’: Media hype or evidenced-based coverage.”

Busch-Armendariz has worked in violent crime and violent interpersonal crime for 35 years. She said she believes ecological theory is one fundamental idea for prevention programs. Ecological theory is a psychology theory that describes how environmental systems and set principles in ecology influence human development.

According to Busch-Armendariz, traffickers prey on vulnerability. They look for psychological or emotional vulnerabilities, economic hardship and lack of a social safety net.

“When I was 18, an old friend found me and he helped me get out. I just remember being so broke and so hungry,” McKinley said. “It would have been easy to like go to a strip club and make money, but I just knew I wouldn't survive. I would have dove into more drugs and alcohol and probably been re-exploited again.” 

While working to find an end to sex trafficking is the goal, Busch-Armendariz said that the best way to prevent sex trafficking is by creating long-term prevention strategies and developing protective factors like employment, basic education opportunities, and access to basic needs.

“We absolutely have to take care of the basic needs and make sure that anybody who's being exploited for the purpose of sex or labor has a safe place for as long as they need,” she said. “They need housing, employment and school needs met. All of that has to be taken care of. The more you know about trafficking, the more education you have, the less vulnerable you are.” 

Busch-Armendariz emphasized prevention should also start with children. Adults should focus on trust building and parents should talk with their children about the relationships they’re having. 

“A lot of times because we're loyal to adults, and we tend to dismiss what kids have to say about the funny feelings they get with maybe a trusted adult seen in the eyes of another adult,” Busch-Armendariz said. 

According to the Texas Child Sex Trafficking Team, traffickers can often be people children are taught to trust, but traffickers are increasingly using the internet the victimize children. 

“I think it goes way beyond stranger danger,” said Bruce Kellison, director of the Bureau of Business Research at the I.C. Squared Institute at UT. “A big part is teaching boys and girls what a healthy relationship looks like starting from a young age.” 

Kellison said if young children are taught proper sex education, bodily autonomy and relationship etiquette it could help prevent sexual abuse later in life. 

“If you get into a relationship and somebody is asking you to sleep with other people for money it should set off all kinds of alarms in your head that that’s not healthy,” Kellison said. “Not after the 10th time when you can’t find your driver's license and you're headed out of state with a bunch of people to be set up in a brothel.”

McKinley said she allows her children to set boundaries and “push back a little.” She said it exercises that neural pathway in their brain. When stranger danger, which often isn’t a stranger, comes up and says, “I want you to do this and everything's going to be OK,” they won’t be afraid to say no and tell someone. 

Busch-Armendariz's research calls for a multidisciplinary approach to combating sex trafficking. She said the burden doesn’t just fall on law enforcement but social workers, the medical profession, nurses, primary caregivers, emergency rooms, rape crisis centers, PTAs, principals, counselors and after-school programs. All of these careers are interconnected and can better collaborate to create comprehensive prevention strategies. That also happens to be this mission at Allies Against Slavery.

“That is kind of what our mission is. To integrating data through lots of different lenses so that we can kind of come to this comprehensive understanding of what trafficking is and what types of interventions are the most effective,” Moffett said. 

McKinley said she believes it takes a community. A lot of the women at Magdalene House don’t have family and need a community. People can contribute monetarily or voluntarily and help to build as much normalcy for victims of sex trafficking at Magdalene and other homes and programs across the U.S. 

“If they know how to do resume writing or job coaching or if they just want to hang out and do a movie night and make dinner,” McKinley said. “We're just all looking for people to just be in relationship. That way when they graduate they leave knowing they have a community and are not alone.” 

Oct. 27, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVJ9rZmvh9k 

A local church is blending faith-based principles with modern manners in its etiquette class.

Wesley United Methodist Church’s youth ministry started an annual etiquette class in 2016. The class was originally aimed at girls ages 12-17 but became co-ed in 2018. The age range expanded this year to include younger children.

“They seem to be getting younger and younger when they ask for these activities,” said director of children and youth ministry Sondra Johnson.

The class covers a variety of topics such as self-presentation, place settings, proper hygiene and more. Johnson said the class curriculum grows every year as new concepts such as “proper social media etiquette” emerge.

Wesley is a small church and has a mostly African American congregation. Children’s ministry coordinator Lydia Williams said many members feel responsible for ensuring that the congregation’s youth and children grow up to be productive members of society.

“We kinda feel the responsibility because we know that we are sending them out into the world. There’s always going to be people looking at you, and deciding right away what they think about you and what they may want to do with and or for you. And that’s a responsibility we can help with,” Williams said.

Giavanni Zarruk, a 9-year-old etiquette student, said her parents forced her to come, but she was glad they did, because she learned so much and can’t wait to share her new skills with friends on the playground.

“When I was in the classroom, some people didn’t know what etiquette means, but now we’re starting to know how etiquette works,” Zarruk said.

After two hours of training, the students went to the church’s fellowship hall to test their new skills at a fancy dinner.

Congregation member Brandon Robinson, also known as Chef Blaq Robb, prepared the meal. Robinson said he didn’t get etiquette training until his time in the military. When asked, he said he was “down” to supply a gourmet meal for the students.

“You never know who you gon’ eat with so you need to know how to conduct yourself in certain situations,” Robinson said.

Johnson said her goal is to fill in the gaps between what the students learn at school and at home. She hopes enrolled students will use the basic etiquette somewhere in their lives.

“That’s our aim. To teach them the basics no matter where they are,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s the classroom or the boardroom one day, they are going to be equipped if they come through this program.”

To find out more about the etiquette class or the church, visit wesleyunited.org.

April. 28, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApgQ-BdaKX4  

Eight UT students competed to be crowned Miss Black UT on March 28 at the Student Activity Center.

The Miss Black UT Pageant is a yearly scholarship pageant hosted by the Black Student Alliance (BSA). Participants must be a young black woman at UT,  hold a leadership position on campus, be actively involved in the community, and dedicate the time it takes to get the pageant off the ground.

“We like to highlight and showcase the exceptional young women who are leaders, followers, and organizers in our community. It’s the time for them to shine and showcase what they got, build a sisterhood and compete for a grand prize of $1000,” pageant coordinator Nia Franzua said.

Tayler Edwards took home the crown, a $1000 scholarship, and the title of Miss Black UT 2024. Edwards said she competed to boost her confidence. She said she was a shy kid who hid from the spotlight. Edwards never thought she would be Miss Black UT.

“I went from being scared to wondering maybe this is a possibility to now I’m here and I have so much support with me,” Edwards said. Each woman interested in the pageant had to raise $300 to cover the cost. 

Franzua said the women showed their dedication to the pageant by exceeding the original goal and raising over $7000 among each other through Double Good Fundraising.

The pageant consisted of five categories: opening statement, UT spirit wear, talent, formal, and Q&A.

“I’m excited about the UT spirit wear category!  I have been to a lot of games because of my dance schedule and I’m just excited to dress up and be in UT spirit gear,” Ivy Camille Sampson said.

This was the second year the Black Student Association hosted the pageant, which the organization called “Miss BSA” in 2023. It is a restart after a 10-year hiatus from the original of a similar pageant called Miss Iota Delta, hosted by the Iota Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

“We thought we should just take the [pageant], and we should be able to showcase these young exceptional women…We decided to change the name because we wanted to highlight the many different components of black  UT and the [different] girls that are a part of that,” Franzua said. 

For many women competing in the pageant, it isn’t just about the six-inch crown or the check, but what the title of Miss Black UT allows them to do for their community.

“Being Miss Black UT would mean being able to be a leader to the little black girls in the Austin community. I know when you come to Austin you’re like ‘Where are the black people?’ There are Black girls just like me who grew up here and to be a leader for them is very important to me,” Wynter Winston said.

BSA members said the pageant is about scholarship and community. Their goal is to uplift black women and display excellence in their community, especially in the wake of Senate Bill 17. The bill bans Texas public universities from having DEI programs and training. The BSA wants future classes to see that everything they do is a collaborative process, not a competitive process.

“We can work together. It’s not a single person carrying this entire thing, it’s a group, it’s a community,” Sampson said.

Kelsey Green finished second and received a $500 scholarship and Wynter Winston finished third and received a $250 scholarship.

April. 04, 2024

By Mahlah Freeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttMOH6HOoYg 

At the University of Texas Turtle Pond, 100 students sat under the stars and listened to melodies belted by local singers. The on-campus concert, hosted by TX Votes, hopes to encourage early voting. 

Founded in 2006, TX Votes is housed in the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life in the Moody College of Communication. The organization is a non-partisan, non-advocacy, civic engagement group at UT focusing on increasing voter turnout among students. 

“We’re here for you no matter which way you lean. It’s about getting students civically engaged,” said Ava Snoozy, a TX Votes member.  

During election cycles, the organization registers students, volunteers at registrar training sessions, hosts guest speakers and holds events to encourage students to vote.

Early voting was held Feb. 20 to Mar. 1, TX Votes hosted their concert on Feb. 23  to kick off early voting with a bang. 

“We’re hosting this concert tonight with the goal that [students] learn about what’s going on. They fill out a plan to vote, enjoy the music, and then go head to the polls,” said Scott Poole, TX Votes President. 

Modern Sophia and 4411, two local bands, performed at the event.

“We are trying to encourage early voting, and this [concert] is something we’re excited to endorse,” said Sophia Nace, lead singer of Modern Sophia.

“Our age group has the lowest voter turnout, and I think it’s important to increase that,” said Jillian Hester, TX Votes Vice President. 

Members of TX Votes believe there are many reasons why those numbers are so low. From long Election Day lines to a lack of knowledge and simply no motivation. 

“In young people, if you instill with them a desire to continue democracy and to continue voting from a young age that will carry that further into their lives,” Snoozy said.

TX Votes hopes the concert and other future events will encourage students to talk about voting. The group believes starting small will end with a big impact and spread civic engagement among the UT community. 

“I hope people just come and have a fun time, and in the process, they learn about voting. I think most people recognize the importance of voting,” Poole said. “All we have to do is give them the information and help those who don’t have enough information find it.”

TX votes members encourage any students to send questions about voting to their Instagram txvotes_cea.

“We have a lot more power than we think,’” Nance said, “and voting is one of the ways we can practice that.”

March 19, 2024

By: Mahlah Freeman

The dark dance room on the fifth floor of Belmont Hall at the University of Texas was filled with purple light and vibrant reggaeton music. Members chatted with each other until “let's get started” rang through the air.

The group members circled up and laughter filled the room as the members started with an icebreaker telling a little about themselves and guessing reggaeton songs after only listening for five seconds. 

The members broke into their formation facing the endless row of mirrors on the wall and purple light washed over their faces. Loud reggaeton music filled the room and the co-choreographer, Jasmin Aquines, counted down from five to begin their warm-up.

"You know, you think dance club and you think reggaeton and you think, just another org who dances but we are so much more than that,” said Laysha Gonzalez founder, president and head choreographer of the Reggaeton Dance Club at UT. Gonzalez stood in a bright pink two-piece workout set that matched the vibrant welcome she gave to the members of Texas Lassos who joined the organization for a rehearsal collaboration.

Gonzalez started the organization in the spring of her sophomore year in 2023 after going through a difficult, dark mental journey at the time. She didn't have friends whom she felt like she could really connect with. Being away from home, first generation, a minority woman and part of the LGBTQ community, Gonzalez felt these factors put her in a very small specific category that made it difficult for her to meet other people. As a person who advocates for mental health and loves connecting with people, Gonzalez decided to start this organization as a solution to her problem.

“I thought to myself what’s a better way than to find community, friends and meet other people while also dancing? (Dancing) is great physical exercise and also great (for) mental health," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez's goal for this organization was for every student who joined to feel welcomed and included, and she stated that she already had members share that they felt that way.

Aquines struggles with extreme anxiety. She wasn’t diagnosed until much later in her life, so she is just now learning effective coping mechanisms, but Aquines said sometimes it can still get the better of her. When she first came to the University of Texas she didn’t have many Latino friends until she joined this club.

"They have just been so great and just been so welcoming and we have like a huge friend group even amongst the officers,” Aquines said.

For Aquines, dancing is an outlet that helps her separate her anxiety and gives her peace. Her struggle makes her feel more compassion for anyone who is joining the organization.

"Everyone's a dancer, you know, just because you don't know how to do one move doesn't mean that you won't be able to dance,” Aquines said.

She turned around in the middle of her routine and encouraged everyone to try their best. She told the dancer there were no bad dancers. Aquines showed no fear, moving boldly as she led choreography at the front of the room.

“That's not what it means to dance. Dance is to express yourself. My primary role is to make those in my team comfortable and able to express themselves in any way possible,” Aquines said.

Rebecca Subbino, a member of the organization, said that she’s not the best dancer but enjoys going every week to learn something new, but mostly likes the open environment. When attending her first meeting, Gonzalez was honest about what she was going through that day, and everyone was understanding and nonjudgmental.

"After I saw her get personal with us,” Subbino said, “That's when I realized this wasn't a regular dance club. This was kind of like a family.”

Subbino laughed with fellow dancers as they got moves wrong and came in at incorrect 8 counts.

Subbino also likes how the organization goes out of its way to be inclusive. She said the club is very relaxed and there are lots of social things to do outside of dancing like parties, mixers, holiday-themed celebrations and profit shares. The organization is also for everyone and you don't have to be Hispanic just to join.

Fabiola Amaya, a member of the organization, likes the organization because she feels that everyone is welcoming, inviting and accepting of different people who join.

"It was just like such a welcoming and inviting atmosphere that just kind of got stuck in my mind,” Amaya said.

Amaya identifies as Latinx and disabled. She is unable to do a lot of fitness or anything fitness-related. Amaya thinks people aren't always welcoming of people with disabilities in sports.

During a fast-paced routine, Amaya spun her electric wheelchair as others twirled around the floor.

"That’s something that I haven't experienced in this sport, everyone has been really welcoming and accepting,” Amaya said.

Amaya is also a social work major, and lots of the things she deals with are very emotionally heavy, since joining the club she’s felt her mental health has gotten better.

According to PubMed Central Latin dancing can be beneficial to mental health by reducing stress. It can also improve mood, social connection, and cognitive function.

"When I joined I kind of knew it would be fun and kind of just carefree, but I didn't realize how positively it would affect my mental health,” Amaya said.

Gonzalez hopes that people can find a safe place on campus where they can make connections beyond academics whether it’s in her organization or not. She hopes the current and future members will feel loved, confident, and strive every day to make this organization a fun, welcoming place.

"You don't have to really make much of an effort here,” Gonzalez said, “Other than just wanting love and wanting to be loved."

Nov. 20 , 2023

By: Mahlah Freeman

Sofia Scalzo, a Latina American in the Kappa Delta sorority at the University of Texas, knows life as a woman of color in a white sorority and how separating it may be.

She’s restarting and reforming an organization called Sisters of Color to bring minorities in the University Panhellenic Council together to create inclusivity, empowerment, and representation in white sororities on UT’s campus.

"I believe to change a system you have to be a part of it, so it's kind of what I'm doing," Scalzo said.

Sisters of Color started as an online discussion founded by another member in Kappa Delta in the fall of 2018. The discussion channel was used for women of color in the sororities across campus to have a safe place to voice concerns and have conversations. After a couple of years of new leadership, the channel dwindled out. When Scalzo heard a distasteful comment from someone she considered a friend, she decided she should promote diversity more.

Scalzo felt empowered to pick the program back up and is turning it into the organization Sisters of Color.  She talked to the different presidents to possibly host meetings at their houses in the future. She also talked to businesses for sponsorships.

"Sometimes people don't know, not because they weren't told explicitly, but because they weren't raised with the intention that (diversity) is important,” Scalzo said, who worked on Kappa Delta’s DEI committee and the Panhellenic DEI taskforce. “It's hard to grasp that in college unless someone that sees you as a friend brings that to you.”

Scalzo's efforts are needed, according to Natalie Perez, a UT senior, who dropped Kappa Delta in the spring of 2021 after she felt her sorority didn’t do enough to make her feel included.

Perez joined her sorority to make friends, find her community on campus and feel included, but she felt the exact opposite. She felt like the young women were standoffish and didn't make the effort to get to know her or support her in things she did outside the sorority. She also didn’t feel like she was in a safe space to safe space to talk about her culture or her background.

"It's not that I didn't have anything that they didn't,” Perez said.  “I just felt like I wasn't their ideal girl.”

Perez said she felt, that Kappa Delta chose her not because they wanted her, but because they needed a brown girl to fit a quota.

"I had dinner with my big and my grand big after I dropped and they asked me 'do you know any other Latinas that are looking to join Greek life,'" Perez said.

Victoria Gong, a Chinese American, who is a member of Alpha Chi Omega had the opposite experience. She decided to join her sorority because she felt closely connected to AXO’s philanthropy. Though Gong knows she’s a minority in her sorority, she said she feels her sorority makes efforts to be diverse and inclusive. Her sorority hosts DEI events every two weeks and has classes on implicit bias.

"There is an awareness that you are different, but I've never felt because I'm different I don't belong," Gong said.

Scalzo's vision is to make Sisters of Color a small organization within Greek life for women's empowerment and representation. She plans to bring speakers who are women of color and were in Greek life to speak to fellow members and gain sponsorships.  To keep the organization alive after she graduates, Scalzo has secured funding for the organization, and by the spring she'll have a complete officer board.

"Being a minority in a majority is a task to behold,” Scalzo said. “I want to leave Greek life better than when I joined it.”

Nov. 29, 2023

Austin was recognized as the 10th largest city in the United States as of May, according to the United States Census Bureau. With bigger artists flocking to the city and the cost of living rising, groups in and out of Austin are looking for ways to support independent musicians struggling financially in The Live Music Capital of the World.

“Now, you have to have multiple bands, you have to play multiple instruments, you have to be able to teach, write, produce, engineer, video edit (and) graphic design,” said Greg Gonzalez, a working musician for over 30 years who’s witnessed multiple changes and developments in the Austin music scene. “All these different skills that you have to have that you can leverage to be able to make a living.” 

Independent artists, also known as indie artists, have the benefits of creative control and complete ownership of their music, but this comes with financial pitfalls. Indie artists have to cover recording, mixing and distribution expenses. Outside of producing music alone, they must pay for preserving music, traveling to different gigs, funding merchandise and covering living expenses. 

Austin hosts many festivals like Austin City Limits and South by Southwest. Festivals like these make the city an attractive place for indie artists to come, perform, and make money. However, these festivals are once a year. Artists don’t make enough from them to sustain their lifestyles or keep up with the cost of living in the city. 

“The cost of living in Austin has become exorbitant. People now have to live in the outskirts of town, still sharing apartments with a bunch of people, but they can no longer get by on part-time construction or coffee shop jobs. They’re having to work full time,” Gonzalez said. 

The cost of living in Austin is 10% higher than the national average, according to Coli.org. The 2022 Greater Austin Music Census found that nearly 40% of 2,260 music industry respondents struggled to afford housing.

The census found that the amount of people entering the music industry aged 18 to 39 has decreased by 12% compared to the 2014 Greater Austin Music Census. Without young indie artists to bolster the music industry, many fear Austin’s culture of off-the-cuff live music might see a decline. 

“There’s this common misconception that musicians are kind of pie-in-the-sky dreamers who don’t contribute anything, and it’s just sort of a hobby, but really, it does contribute a lot of quality of life to the community as well as to the economy,” Gonzalez said. 

Music industry work had a direct impact of $10 billion in revenue and spurred $26.6 billion in economic activity overall in Texas in 2022, according to the 2023 Economic Impact of Music in Texas report by the Texas Music Office.

Due to many problems indie artists face in Austin, companies and organizations are finding solutions to ensure the independent music scene survives in the Live Music Capital of the World.

Live Music Fund

By Melody Jones

The Austin government recognizes the benefit of indie artists to the city’s culture and economy and has created a grant to give them a boost.

Independent musicians in Austin looking to fund music endeavors can apply to the Live Music Fund. The first round of grant awardees was announced in August, according to the city. 

Through this program devised by the Austin City Council and its music commission, in collaboration with The Long Center, indie musicians and promoters in Austin can apply for $5,000 or $10,000 grants. The fund organizers then decide who gets these grants, depending on whether applicants meet guidelines for preservation, innovation, elevation and collaboration. 

Austin musician Greg Gonzalez also serves as program manager for the city’s Music and Entertainment Division, where he helps organize the Live Music Fund.

“So if you had an event on the east side of Austin in a historical neighborhood or at a venue that’s been around for a while, say, in the African American Cultural Heritage District,” Gonzalez said, providing an example of preservation efforts. “You got points for that.” 

Traits that exemplify innovation could be technological innovations, such as live streaming an event with captions, or accessibility efforts, like making a venue handicap friendly. 

The elevation and collaboration guidelines focus on boosting up-and-coming musicians of new, unique musical styles as well as established musicians who represent Austin’s history of music, like country artists.

“In the past, cultural awards of this nature were usually given to nonprofits or groups which had already been established,” Gonzalez said. “And part of the consultations and studies that were done realized that this was inequitable. Only people of a certain level of organization, of education, of access were frequently able to put together these kinds of grant proposals.”

Gonzalez said the Live Music Fund can serve as a stepping stone for musicians of all backgrounds to gain not only funds but also business and networking experience that have become vital in today’s music industry.

“There’s a lot of these opportunities out there and a lot of people are unaware of them. They don’t try for them or they say, ‘That’s not for me’,” Gonzalez said. “So this opens up that door and hopefully gives people the idea like, ‘I could do this. I could get into this.’”

Tini Music Co-Op

By Mahlah Freeman

A Toronto Canada Music co-op is encouraging independent artists everywhere to preserve and archive their own music as a way to earn money to help buffer the expenses of their lifestyle

The Toronto Information Network of Independent Music Co-operative also known as the TINI Music -Co-Op is an organization focused on documenting and archiving music and other materials of independent artists.

"The way we thought to do this was to create a network, a community network where people can work on this part-time and help us document independent music," said Simon Rogers, a co-founder of TINI Music Co-op.

Rogers and his co-founders Curtis Sassur and Liz Hysen thought of the idea of independent music preservation while preparing large media collections for universities. They realized a whole field of independent music wasn't being documented, and they wanted to address that gap. They worked to find how to document music in a way that would also lead to work for archivists and have musicians think about DIY Shows. TINI launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We were sort of all sitting at home. We couldn't go into the archives, and we were like we have this idea about sort of community networking and getting the idea is documentation out there. Why don't we just start,” Rogers said.

According to Rogers, when artists document their music it can lead to registration of copyright radio so they can earn international royalties. Some royalties may result in just pennies, which may seem like chump change to major labels, but to artists, it can mean that they have a lot of different sources of stable revenue over a long period. 

“Even though it's not a lot of money, it might be enough to sustain you through times when you're not able to tour or you're not able to play a lot of venues or the venues get shut down because of a thing like the pandemic,” Rogers said.

TINI Music’s goal is to release information that will be beneficial to all kinds of communities anywhere, not just Toronto. They hope people take their ideas and run with them and use the information in their own communities.

“So (the name) TINI It's kind of a joke. The whole point is small is beautiful,” Rogers said. “We're not trying to take anything over from anybody else, we're just looking for ways to help other people.

SpaceFlight Records

By Pearson Neal

SpaceFlight Records is a nonprofit record label designed to help independent artists enter licensing agreements and other contracts without financial risk.

“SpaceFlight was founded because there were not a lot of labels in Austin,” said Brett Orrison, founder of SpaceFlight Records.

SpaceFlight Records offers multiple programs to help artists. These include licensing opportunities, artist development programs, fellowships, recording contracts and collaborations. 

According to Orrison, there are three tiers that the company works with the artists on. The tiers are artist development, artist fellowship and an equitable recording contract.

“SpaceFlight is trying to change the modern record deal in favor of the artist,” Orrison said.

Spaceflight’s development program allows artists who have already completed recording for an album to work with the company for legal counsel, promotion and distribution of songs.

The artist fellowship allows artists to get a record deal with SpaceFlight where they receive 100% of royalties until they reach 2,000 records sold. After that, the artist enters an equitable recording contract with the company.

An equitable recording contract is when the artist retains control of their music, while still getting the support of the record company. SpaceFlight’s contract with artists is that the artist gets 75% of the royalties for their music, while SpaceFlight receives the other 25%.

Artists could also choose to make 250 physical copies of their music, with Spaceflight covering manufacturing costs and helping with promotion. The musician gets 100% of the royalties after the cost of manufacturing is paid off.

Licensing through SpaceFlight allows artists to have a catalog of songs where they receive 60% of the total payment when their music is used. SpaceFlight also pitches the music to companies on behalf of the artists, according to Orrison. According to their mission page, the licensing program has produced over $200,000 for artists and continues to grow.

A non-profit record label can have a significant impact on the city of Austin because music contributes to the cultural fabric connectivity of a community, according to its mission page.

According to Orrison, SpaceFlight is always looking for artists at shows and accepts unsolicited submissions, which not every record label does. Orrison also said that SpaceFlight does seminars at colleges and universities.

“We are always looking for young artists,” Orrison said.

Local Live

By Meredith Roberts

Local Live, a University of Texas student organization that showcases local indie musicians, exposes artists to new audiences, which can mean more bookings and exposure for independent artists.

“I genuinely do think artists who get showcased on Local Live get a new audience out of it,” said Michael Norris, a producer on Local Live. “If a band has a particularly good set, and there are staff members who are involved with those venues then they feel incentivized like, ‘Oh, this is a great band.’”

Local Live is a collaboration between two UT Austin student organizations, KVRX, which is the student radio station, and Texas Student Television, which is the local student-run TV station, Norris said. According to Texas Student Television’s website, Local Live broadcasts an hour-long performance every Sunday night. Student volunteers run the show, and artists are handpicked with their small audiences in mind.

Artists need to qualify for KVRX broadcasting to perform for Local Live, Norris said. This means any Billboard 200 singles don’t qualify, and artists must have fewer than 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify or Apple Music.

“We want to showcase artists who don’t necessarily have mainstream platforms,” Norris said.

Norris named The Dead Houseplants as his favorite performance of the year. The group, a new alternative grunge metal band, performed with KVRX on Feb. 10, according to its website. The band has 68 monthly listeners and one song with 2,598 plays, according to its Spotify analytics.

“Seeing their name pop up has also been exciting,” Norris said. “Another fun aspect of the show is, since these bands are local, you end up seeing their names for co-op shows and local venues.”

Although Local Live hosts smaller, independent artists, some performers have found success.

“The most famous example who we always use is Mitski. Mitski actually played on Local Live in 2013,” Norris said. “I think it makes the members of this show very appreciative knowing that they might have a piece of exposing a now very popular and impactful artist to one, two or 50 new fans.”

Oct. 29, 2023

By: Mahlah Freeman

For 23 years in his many different positions at Austin Parks and Recreation, D’Wayne Anderson wore many hats such as mentor, leader and father to impact every at-risk kid who stepped foot in his gym. He went beyond his written job description to ensure that each one of those kids could reach their full potential. 

His impact prompted a former co-worker, Tiffany Cabin, to rename the George Morales Dove Springs Gymnasium after Anderson.

“Anytime we walk into that facility, you know, we feel his presence,” said Cabin, an Austin resident who said she knew Anderson for 23 years before his death on Jan. 22. “I wanted to create a legacy to where those that got to meet him and knew him still feel it but then also can share with friends and family about who he was.”

Anderson was known as an integral part of the parks department and left many lasting impressions on those he worked with. Co-workers described him as a private, kind, selfless and hard-working person with a presence that demanded respect. The Sept. 25 Austin Parks and Recreation Commission meeting members discussed Cabin’s application to rename the George Morales Dove Springs Gymnasium after Anderson.

“With [his] family and friends as well, he is a big ole teddy bear for lack of better words,” said Victor Davis, Anderson's best friend of 40 years.

In the parks department, Anderson worked in sports and with children. According to Davis, Anderson always wanted to work with children, specifically at-risk youth. He would often go into schools and speak to counselors and teachers on behalf of students with absentee parents. He even stayed overtime to speak to parents who worked late hours.

"After working with D’Wayne I can tell you this, he did give that bit more,” Barbara Garcia, Anderson’s co-worker of 17 years, . “He wanted nothing more than for every kid to graduate and be successful in the ways they need to be.”

Davis said the renaming of Dove Springs Gym would allow Anderson’s family to understand his positive influence. 

 “I saw D’Wayne’s impact every day, but for his dad, his dad was not here with him. He didn't necessarily see the day-to-day impact," Davis said, with tears in his eyes. “It’s well deserved.” 

Garcia said she agreed that Anderson’s efforts earned this recognition. Simone Pollard, another co-worker of Anderson, said if the commission accepts Cabin’s application, Anderson would make history as one of few African-American males in Austin to have a gym named after him. One of those gyms, located at the Virginia L. Brown Recreation Center, is named after Mervin J. “Merv” Griffin, an African-American male who often worked in the same spaces as Anderson and retired and died shortly before he did.

"I think that the history that has been put into his life, the gym being able to be named after him just signifies who he is," Pollard said, "that he was important enough for people to think enough about him, to say 'we need to name something after him.'"

After Anderson's death, Cabin and her former boss formed the idea to rename the gym. The parks department has a process where anyone can submit an application to rename a facility or structure. From there, a director receives that application. If they sign off on it, it goes through the board and city council's office for approval.

“We just had to do this for our sake of saying, D’Wayne you matter to us and we thank you,’” Cabin said.

In this case, the approval only needs the board's support, not the council’s. According to Cabin, she has received lots of support on the item so far and it will definitely be approved. Things will just take a little bit longer since she missed the first deadline due to complications with the application. 

"It's good to see that the people, the community he served think that highly of him,” Davis said in tears. “His legacy is going to live on."

Oct. 19, 2023

By: Mahlah Freeman

Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho encouraged University of Texas graduates on Thursday to delight in life's detours and to be illogical.

“Whatever you think your life is going to look like you’re wrong, and I couldn’t be more excited that you're wrong. Because life never looks anything like we plan it to look like,” Acho said.

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, which contained around 13,000 graduates and 60,000 people, filled with cheers and laughter as Acho joked with the crowd before his speech. 

The Cleveland Browns drafted Acho, a UT football player at the time, as the sixth-round pick in 2012.  During his rookie year, Acho tore his MCL and was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Multiple injuries led him back to UT to get his master's degree in sports psychology. While in Austin, he took a job as a sports analyst, which got him into TV. 

Acho commended the class of 2022 for enduring their detour as they faced COVID-19 and racial tension during their sophomore year. 

“Here’s the beauty of a detour,” Acho said. “A detour prepares you for your destiny while your destiny is being prepared for you.”

Acho’s second point was “be illogical.” He told the graduates a story of a man who broke a scientific theory. Scientists believed running a mile in under four minutes would cause your heart to explode. On May 6, 1952, Roger Bannister chose to be illogical and ran a mile in under four minutes, and in two years 10 more people accomplished the same goal. 

“So when you are illogical, you will end up in places you never imagined, doing things you’ve never dreamed of, and opening doors that never have been opened,” Acho said.

After the death of George Floyd in 2020, Acho felt empowered to speak. The video he shot trying to reconcile the country's racial divide garnered 25 million views in five days.  That video led to the second episode of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” with fellow UT alumnus Matthew McConaughey. From there, Acho partnered with Oprah Winfrey and wrote a book that became a best seller.  

“So what is being illogical? Being illogical is believing that it is so even when it is not, so, so it that it can be so,” Acho said. 

Acho continued with his final point, asking students to use their "thing," just as Oprah had applauded him for finding and using his thing. 

“‘You have the thing, my friend, you have the thing. And coming from someone who had the thing and has the thing you my friend you have the thing,’” Acho said, quoting Winfrey. Acho encouraged the graduating students in the crowd to find their thing, which may be a natural ability, passion or something they excel at. 

“It is your development in private that leads to your praise in public,” Acho said.  

He told students to not waste energy on setting goals, but to use that energy to believe in objectives with no limitations.

“A goal is an end towards which energy is aimed,” Acho said. “But why would I start something with the end in mind?”

Acho gave the class of 2022 his verbal appreciation and each graduate a copy of his book “Illogical: Saying Yes to a Life Without Limits.” 

“Class of 2022, you all have started here,” Acho said, “But now it’s time to go change the world.”

Sept. 9, 2023