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Essential Workers Share Their Experience Working During COVID-19

By Angela Murillo Martinez

Essential workers have been the backbone of our country during the pandemic. They have put themselves on the front lines to continue to work in order to provide for themselves and others in their community.

Unlike some of us, many of them have had to continue to go to a physical location to work instead of working remotely. Not only are they having to continue to go to work, but many of them are also having to be around people each day essentially putting themselves at risk. It’s important that we recognize these modern-day heroes that are continuing to work so that we can continue on with our lives.

Whether it is being able to buy groceries at a store that is constantly being cleaned for us, or going to the doctor’s office for a checkup where they are protecting each patient, or even attending class in person or online. There are many people behind the scenes working to allow you to remain healthy and safe during this time.

Many of these essential workers are our own classmates and even the teachers who are having to learn how to continue to teach online or even in person. This also includes custodians cleaning our schools in order to avoid the spread of COVID-19. They allow us to continue to live our lives safely, go to class in a clean school, and even continue to learn despite the pandemic that has changed the way we all live.

A fellow riverbat student, Manuel Murillo, who works at FedEx underground has not stopped working since the beginning of the pandemic. In a warehouse where they come in contact with boxes from all over the world, they haven’t experienced one single case amongst their staff.

“We were told that once one case came up in our warehouse, we would close down, but so far, it hasn’t happened, and hopefully it doesn’t happen ever,” he said.

People who worked at companies such as these have seen an increase in packages that they are having to work with as many more people are spending time at home and ordering a lot more than usual. They have found themselves with an increased workload and are having to push through this in order to deliver packages in time.

For students like Murillo, more challenges arise as they continue to work in this environment. Murillo states that he finds himself having to take extra precautions as a result of his asthma. From constantly washing his hands and using hand sanitizer after touching packages, to wearing masks while working in a warehouse.

“Sometimes you just want to take it off, it’s so hot, and you’re having to carry all these packages, and so you’re all sweaty,” he continues, “but we can’t, it isn’t really an option,” said Murillo.

Many offices have remained closed and continue to work remotely, but that isn’t the case Arielle Alston, a legal assistant, and ACC alumni. Alston has had to return to the office during the summer, in a time where COVID-19 cases only continued to rise. Although in her office they only recently increased the in-office capacity to 50%, and in the beginning allowed them to work one week in the office, and the other two at home. She still had to learn how to stay safe in a small office since she had not only her health to worry about, but also her families who she would go home to.

Alston, along with her co-workers has had to follow the same guidelines as everyone else in order to remain healthy while at work.

“There are several precautions being taken in my office to protect everyone’s health. Everyone in the office is required to wear a mask if they leave their own office. If they are entering into another person’s office – they are required to wear their masks,” she said.

Each day, anyone going into Alston’s workplace has to get their temperature checked before going into the building, anyone who’s temperature is high isn’t allowed to go in.

Alston shares the challenges she has faced trying to learn a new job during these challenging times.

“At first it was difficult – being out of our usual environment required new procedures, and there was definitely a learning curve,” she said.

Now, Alston states that she has definitely become more familiar with working remotely and also working at the office every now and then. And now with more people in the office, she is having to remind herself, even more, to wear her mask when she is not in her office, and constantly wash her hands.

Students such as Joshua Solis, who works at Patient Care Technician (PCT) at Ascension Seton Hays in Kyle have also continued working since the start of pandemic. Solis states that he has found this stressful because they never know if someone around them has the virus and there still is little information about COVID-19 that we know of.

“Working during the pandemic has also been scary because you see your coworkers get the virus, then get nervous thinking that you might have it,” he said.

Solis’ workplace has adapted a universal masking policy that requires everyone to wear a mask if they are going to be within six feet of one another. But besides the masks, staff members are having to wear face shields to reduce the chances of spreading the virus and also have reduced the amount of time spent in the patient’s room for the same reason. Some precautions that he is following to protect himself and others are staying home as much as possible, checking his temperature daily, and wearing a mask wherever he goes.

“Because I am in the nursing program, we have to go to clinical’s, so I definitely do not want to get sick because I do not want to miss out on the learning experience,” he shared.

When Solis isn’t working or learning, he emphasizes the importance of taking care of his mental health by watching movies on Netflix and catch up on his sleep.

For faculty in ACC, it’s taken time to adjust to these new changes that even now continue to change as time goes on. John Lancaster, a full time faculty member and assistant DC for building construction, has had to learn how to adjust to teaching online classes.

“I’ve been an educator for 47 years in all the different levels. I must say that I have a lot of experience, but no experience in teaching an online class,” he said.

Having many students who are already in the workforce, he had to not only learn how to teach classes online, but also learn how to make online learning easy for his students who are used to having face to face classes. He found himself teaching students how to log into Blackboard to even teach them how to submit assignments. Many of his students who are in the workforce already, struggled with this switch since everything now relied heavily on writing and reading, a skill that may not be everyone’s strong suits.

Despite this, he continued to support his students as they adapted to these new changes that none of them had signed up for. Lancaster states that he has made it a point to reach out to his students before class to see how they were doing and even shared his phone number with them so that they could be in contact with him if they ever needed to talk.

Like many students all throughout the country, he found that his students had found themselves overwhelmed with everything going on and that many were struggling to adjust to online classes and were even struggling with depression. This only encouraged him more to reach out to and check in with them consistently.

Although he has tried his best to be flexible and adaptable, Lancaster said that he has found that many students have struggled with online classes. As much as he tries to reach out to many and provide support, many of them don’t reply and end up struggling in class and not performing well.

“Soon, maybe spring semester, that we can go to more hybrid classes and connect more students,” he said.

Lancaster shares how he has gone way to make sure his students are able to understand the content in the best way possible since they are having to learn content through online classes which have many limitations unlike face to face classes.

“We have to be aware of our audience at all times, we are teaching an audience that once again, didn’t bargain for this, so we have to be sensitive to their needs and make sure we are available to meet their needs,” he said.

He makes sure to provide them with necessary tools to make sure they understand the content and provide enough tools for them to study and review, and prepare for tests and quizzes.

Lancaster also shares that he has worked hard to check in not only on his students but other faculty members, and even is hoping to be able to celebrate upcoming graduates instead of just an online graduation that recognizes their hard work and accomplishments.

Mauri Winters, ACC’s HR Wellness Benefits Coordinator, talked to us about what is being done to protect the health of our faculty and staff during these times.

“It’s important that we focus on employee’s health in all aspects of their life,” she said.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, mental health has become a huge concern, as depression increase amongst people in our country. They’ve made sure that employees are taking time for themselves and their mental health. Employees are being offered different programs to help them during these weird and difficult times. For example, the employee’s assistance program, where full-time employees can get short term counseling for free. They have also offered free online exercise classes for all employees to work out from Monday to Saturday that is made to fit into their busy schedules.

It’s important that we continue to support and thank our essential workers in our community, especially those who work at ACC, or even students who attend classes with us. The saying, “not all heroes wear capes,” has never meant more than it does now. Essential workers throughout the country, and especially those in our ACC community, have worked hard and have even put themselves at risk to continue to work. We often forget to appreciate those around us who are working hard to allow us to go buy groceries, or get that new package delivered to us, or even go to class. But now, more than ever, it is important to thank essential workers for everything they have done and continue to do. It hasn’t been easy, but many of us have had the privilege of staying home for work and even school, while others have had to go to work despite the pandemic. It only takes a second to thank them, so next time you come across an essential worker, don’t forget to do so. These are difficult times and it takes a hero to be able to do what they do.

Local Coffee Shop Bennu Opens Third Location

By Alexa Smith

An Austin Staple, Bennu Coffee, has recently opened their third location on Jacob Fontaine Lane right next to Austin Community College’s Highland campus.

Bennu’s first location opened on East Martin Luther King Blvd. in 2009. The coffee houses’ second location was opened in 2017 after Bennu owners Stephanie and Steve Williams bought the location formerly home to Domincan Joe’s.

Bennu has long been a staple for college students around Austin, as they used to offer 24 hour service. This was a hit for students to stay up late studying for exams and getting homework done. While their hours have been reduced due to COVID-19, students still flock to all three locations to get a dose of caffeine and productivity.

The new location on Jacob Fontaine Lane is part of the overall development of the area around Highland. If you haven’t made it to campus in a few months, you’d be surprised to see there are apartments and a small shopping center quickly growing. This will offer ACC students more food and drink options within walking distance of The Highland Campus, something that was missing before these developments.

While Kick Butt coffee and 89 Degrees are nearby, they can take a while to walk to and aren’t the best option for grabbing a bite in between classes without driving.

The new Bennu location and other restaurants nearby, such as The Pho and iBubbleTea offer easily walkable options right next to the Highland campus.

The hours of operation for this new location are from 6 am to 7 pm. Bennu coffee also offers take out as well as socially distanced seating inside and outside. Although there is limited seating outside the indoor area is spacious and makes for a great study spot while keeping your distance.

If you’re not sure what to order, I recommend the cold brew and an almond croissant. Steve has been perfecting the cold brew for years and it’s brewed for over 16 hours with organic South American beans.

Bennu’s other locations are also open from 6 am to 7pm. To connect with the business virtually, visit their instagram page @bennucoffee.

COVID-19 Pandemic Takes a Toll on ACC Student Artists

By Angela Murillo Martinez

ACCENT reporter, Angela Murillo Martinez, met with two ACC students who have had their artistic work impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACC Student Life Hosts Virtual Enneagram Workshop Series for Students

Written By: Marissa Greene

How familiar does this scenario sound to you? One day while bored on the internet you decide to do what most people do when bored on the internet — you take a personality quiz. Whether it be just for the fun of it or for personal development, after a quick google search, you have thousands upon thousands of options to choose from. Whether that be the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment, the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, or perhaps you simply want to find out if you would be a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor while as student at Hogwarts, a personality test might have shaped you in one way or another.

Despite whatever preconceptions you may have about personality tests, there may be one that you might want to know more about, and that is the Enneagram of Types.

“The Enneagram of Personality Types is a modern synthesis of a number of ancient wisdom traditions, but the person who originally put the system together was Oscar Ichazo.” According to The Enneagram Institute.

Ichazo was searching for a systematic approach to applying all of his teachings on “psychology, cosmology, metaphysics, spirituality, and so forth, combined with various practices to bring about transformations of human consciousness,” (The Enneagram Institute). He, and a group of psychologists and writers, Claudio Naranjo and John Lilly, visited Arica, Chile in the late 1960s and early 70s to study Ichazo’s findings and most notably, the Enneagram symbol.

Although the Enneagram Symbol has ancient roots in Greek philosophy, the symbol was “reintroduced to the modern world by George Gurdjieff, the founder of a highly influential inner work school,” according to The Enneagram Institute. Which is what many of us may be familiar with today.

The Enneagram of Personality Types is a set of nine numbers that represent nine basic personality types.

One: The Reformer
Two: The Helper
Three: The Achiever
Four: The Individualist
Five: The Investigator
Six: The Loyalist
Seven: The Enthusiast
Eight: The Challenger
Nine: The Peacemaker

Although these numbers give some foundation to the lengthy process of fully understanding the enneagram system, these numbers don’t solely identify the individual. As a matter of fact, everyone will resonate with each of the numbers to a certain degree.

However, unlike other personality typing systems, The Enneagram of Personality Types functions differently because there is no “official” enneagram test.

“Technically, we really are not supposed to take a test to identify our number. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t push a test or workshop” said Lauren Christian, a Student Life Coordinator at Austin Community College.

For the Fall 2020 semester, Christian has been hosting a virtual enneagram workshop series with ACC Student Life that breaks down the nine basic personality types into three triads: the gut, the heart, and the head. These events are dedicated to helping students better understand The Enneagram of Personality Types and discover their conscious or subconscious motivations.

“Two different people can have similar actions for very different reasons and very different thought patterns behind them. So the enneagram is a personality typing system that looks at the motivations that a person has learned through their life,” said Christian.

Through this enneagram workshop series, students will be able to learn not only more about their motivations but also get a better understanding of those around them and how to communicate with them. Not only that but also how to utilize information from the enneagram workshop to identify better ways to be productive.

Through Christian’s own personal experience learning about her enneagram number, she shares how she applies this concept to combat situations where she feels the least productive.

“One of the common things about the nine’s is that momentum is one of the biggest things. So if you slow down, it takes a lot of energy to get back out of it. If you get going, you can keep going,” said Christian.

Christian also states that because she has learned more about the enneagram system, she is able to make personal reminders to keep her momentum going or even communicate her needs to others when in need of help.

“It can help you better understand ‘Why am I slowing down?” or “Why am I speeding up?” That can be applied to school work, relationships, and things like that,” said Christian.

There are two workshops left for the remainder of the semester. On Oct.19 the workshop will cover enneagram numbers two, three, and four that make up the heart triad. On Nov. 9 the event will wrap up the series with enneagram numbers five, six, and seven, also known as the head triad. Students are encouraged to participate in all the workshops no matter how much background knowledge one has about this concept.

“Come with any questions you may have and be ready to look at yourself and your motivations,” said Christian.

For more information on the Enneagram Workshop Series or to RSVP, visit the MYSL Website.

ACC Fashion Design makes COVID-19 Masks for Essential Staff

Written By Emily Pesina

Aspiring, stylish, and essential一the fashion departments at Austin Community College have cultivated Austin once again. From bringing awareness to heart health with the Red Dress campaign, to an expected Corset-making for Breast Cancer Awareness, this year’s big project: to create COVID masks for essential employees who continue to work on campus. ACCENT sat down with the working riverbats who were there that day to reminisce over their experience with the face cloth that was to be produced, times a thousand.

When the ACC district closed its doors due to the pandemic, Victoria Taylor, professor and head chairperson for the fashion and design department at ACC, immediately reached out to campus operations. “When this pandemic started, I was reaching out right away to my dean and my vice president saying ‘we have fabric, I have stitchers [and] students who can make masks. How can we help?”” said Taylor. It turned out that the head of campus operations, Sharrion Jenkins, had the same idea. Both women, having worked together before with their knowledge in the fashion lab and its equipment, were connected in thought when this idea was emerging. Taylor and Jenkins put their resources together. The space and equipment was already there, now all that was needed were working hands for the project.

Victoria Taylor, one of the working riverbats for the thousand-mask creation.

“The way the project came along was, it had to do with the need. We could not find masks when it became apparent that COVID had hit the U.S… being in operations, we were responsible for the COVID response”, said Jenkins. At the start of the project, Taylor juggled the needles of meeting her students’ needs and being available for the mask-making project, and Jenkins faced a shortage of thread. However, supply of thread was found in the most unlikely places, which was necessary in order to produce quality masks. With the fabrics already there, which were provided by donations from the fashion and design department, the mannequins were set aside and social distancing guidelines were put in place to create a safe and working environment. Once the facility support, under Jenkin’s wing, clashed in the working space, then it was time to get started.

With challenges overcome, the project was on the road in no time.

“Even though it was stressful because we didn’t really know what was going on with this virus, we felt like we were doing our part”, says Jenkins. Sitting a machine apart and working one person at a table, she noted that her workers kept a positive attitude in this. Jenkins explains that many of the workers knew how to legitimately sew, and everyone was excited about this project because they got to do different things rather than the same procedures everyday, which made the experience not monotonous at all.

All kinds of fabric flooded the tables. The working riverbats were the hardworking wheels for this project.

With the working women sewing inside, other employees, notably the campus managers across the district, wanted to help. Packs to make ten masks were placed inside a plastic bag with all the pieces included, and were safely distributed to helpers who would come pick it up. They would then take it home to sew all the pieces together, and bring it back to campus once all the pieces were joined together. “Everybody was amazed at the end… there was never a time when we said we couldn’t do it”, mentioned Jenkins. Summing up the experience as “fun” and “togetherness”, she mentions that even though nobody knew how the project would end up, the initial goal of one-hundred masks, which then turned into five hundred masks, became a long and hardworking thousand for essential employees who continue to work on campus today.

An ACC helper picks up a packet of masks to sew at home.

For Victoria Taylor, she sums up her experience assisting with the masks as “proud”. Taylor pushes her students to not only keep your focus on what’s on your desk, but extend your vision

into the world to be aware of what’s going on, and how you can give back to the community. That is the oath that student Isabella Collins went through. Collins, a second-year Fashion Design student and employed by the Fashion Incubator, has aspiring ambitions to start her own brand. After being left jobless for several months since she had quit her salesperson job to fulfill an internship that would be interrupted by COVID, Collins was called in for a project that involved lots and lots of facemasks. Having prior experience in crafting and selling masks on the side as a means to make some cash, becoming part of the Fashion Incubator’s thousand-mask creation一a separate project than the Fashion & Design’s department一threw Collins into a cycle of sewing, mistakes, frustration, ripping seams, starting over, sticky needles, and surprises that put her skills, equipment, and patience to the test. Fortunately, her understanding boss allowed her to produce masks on site at the Fashion Incubator, which was a real improvement as far as her progress.

Victoria Taylor and Isabella Collins, a second year Fashion Design student.

“I’m a very determined person,” says Collins, “but I do get frustrated doing the same thing every day, so it definitely taught me to stick with it and to have self-control… even when you’re good at something, mistakes still happen.” After being able to transition from working at home to on site, her new durable equipment that could produce masks much faster still posed challenges to her and her team. Her mental and physical health, as well as her schedule, were put to the test. Yet she was able to stick to a schedule that allowed her to balance her schoolwork and her job. Keeping herself motivated through exercise and her teammates, the stress that the team felt was worked through to meet their daily goals, which in turn became a three month project with a thousand and one masks produced.

Collins’ workspace before she transitioned on site. The dresses hanging on the window are her original designs.

With unique materials to create this two-color sided mask, Collins says that even though it was mentally challenging, the experience in working with the Fashion Incubator to create its own thousand-mask creation definitely toughened her up, which is why she sums up her experience working in the fashion incubator as “perseverance.” After months spent producing the same mask, Collins is grateful to have been part of this project and challenge, as she calls on others to take similar steps. “Take opportunities that may not be what they seem. You can learn so much from jobs that you don’t expect will help you… me getting a window sales job, that does not seem like a job that a designer would want, but I learned so much about the process…” Collins believes that every opportunity and job that you go through can benefit you in some way. “Don’t look down on yourself because you can’t get that high end job, because everything you go through will help you later on.” Life is a teacher and we are its students embarking on our own journey.

The masks produced at the Fashion Incubator by Isabella Collins and her team.

Visit the ACC Fashion Design Website for more details about the area of study.

University Transfer Tips for ACC Riverbats

Written By Grant E. Loveless

Hello Riverbat! Ready To Leave The Nest & Transfer?

Students every day attend community college for a number of reasons, but one of the top reasons is to better prepare themselves to attend and get a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university. If this is your ultimate goal, then you’re probably wondering whether the process of transferring will be difficult or easy and the answer is that it is simple with planning, preparation and patience.

As said above, students attend community college for a number of reasons and most of the time the reason is to use their time as a stepping stone and learning opportunity for the next step up towards a 4-year degree. If you want to take this path, here’s what you should do:

Do Not ‘Go With The Flow,’ Create A Plan!
- Talk to an academic advisor.
- Find resources, tools and more on ACC Transfer’s website! (Do not forget to schedule an appointment!)
Decide If You Want To Obtain An Associate’s Degree
- Obtaining your associate’s degree can prove quite useful and fulfilling in the long run helpful for a number of reasons:
  1. Degrees often transfer more easily than individual courses
  2. An associate’s degree certifies that you have completed all of your general education requirements (be sure you have a basic understanding of the general education requirements at the school to which you are transferring).
  3. An associate’s degree provides you with a credential to fall back on should you need to put your bachelor’s work on hold for any reason.
Do Your Research & Search For A New Home!
- Research the university you want to attend and speak to an admissions advisor. Let them know you’re interested in transferring and see if there’s any information they can provide to help. It could also be helpful to network with professors and see if there are any programs you could participate in to make yourself stand out.
  1. Define your educational goals. (i.e: What kind of degree do you want to get? What do you want to major in? What kind of career and job do you want after you graduate? … etc.)
  2. Think about which universities you’d want to transfer to. It’s important to plan for this ahead of transferring because every school has different requirements. You want to make sure that everything you do during your time at community college will help you get accepted to your university.
  3. Talk to your community college advisor and tell them about your plan to transfer to a university.
Communication Is Key!
- Communicate with your community college advisor (and university transfer advisor) regularly to make sure you’re taking the right classes and doing the right things to make your transfer possible.
Apply for FASFA or TASFA Before Application Deadline!
- Apply for financial aid when you’re in community college and when you plan to go to a university. Your school might have scholarships available specifically for transfer students, so make sure you know about them.

All this information can look stressful or make you anxious about transferring to a university from a community college, BUT you will succeed if you follow these tips and head over to view ACC Transfer’s website! It will be a smooth and easy process if you follow these tips and do well in your classes, good luck and I assure you that you will be great.

Student resources listed on austincc.edu

Advising-Area of study advisors will help you select your classes, stay on track for your degree program, and make decisions about your educational and career goals.

University Transfer & Equivalency Guides– Alist of four-year institutions with links and guides to help students plan their transfer to a four-year degree.

Transfer Services– There are many ways to transfer to a four-year university via ACC. Transfer Services will help you navigate the possibilities. The department can also answer your questions about earning some credits here while you’re enrolled at another institution.

What I Learned from Online Tutoring

Written by Marissa Greene

The need to make assignment deadlines, ace quizzes and exams, and overall perform well in each enrolled course can sometimes be overwhelming for students. Especially when you are taking a class that you may find challenging to do well in. Thankfully, there are some knowledgeable individuals dedicated to helping you improve as a student. They are called tutors and you should definitely meet with one. Here are five things that I learned from online tutoring at Austin Community College.

Tutoring is for Everyone
Online tutoring is a great tool for any student aiming for success this semester. Whether it’s understanding the calculus homework, perfecting that one essay, or even needing some guidance in your courses if English isn’t your first language, ACC online tutoring has you covered! Many times, students assume that tutoring is the last resort to take when your grades start going south. However, at the beginning of each semester, many professors from all areas of study encourage students to familiarize themselves and utilize tutoring in order to maintain those high grades from the very start.

Finding Your Tutor is as Easy as 123
Don’t think online tutoring can help you? The dynamic and versatile team of six online tutors might ask you to reconsider. From a specific class subject to general test taking strategies, students have the opportunity to browse through the online tutor’s profile and find the tutor best suited for their academic needs. While reading through their bio’s you’ll learn how dedicated they are to helping Riverbats succeed and even pick up some special learning methods that they can apply to other classes in the future.

Planning for Tutoring Sessions
Want to make the most out of your tutoring sessions? Planning and preparing for each session is just as important as the tutoring itself. Before your meeting with an online tutor, create a few measurable goals of what you would like to accomplish by the end of the session along with some questions regarding the course material that can help you get there. Have your notes, textbook, and any other course materials within an arm’s reach. Create an organized and quiet space to conduct the session. For tips on this, read ACCENT’s tips on how to create a remote workspace.

Unlimited and Free ACC Tutoring
ACC online tutoring is completely free and every riverbat has an unlimited number of tutoring sessions that they can schedule. Another resource that ACC students can take advantage of is receiving live online assistance with a tutor from Brainfuse, one of Austin Community College’s partnerships to create a more enriching learning experience. Every student is allotted 300 minutes (five hours) of online Brainfuse tutoring.

Online Tutoring Adapts to Your Needs
Students who are in need of an interpreter, seeking to learn studying habits that can reduce academic stress, and wanting to feel more confident in a specific subject can all benefit from online tutoring. The tutors who are excited to help you better understand concepts so that you can do your best this semester.

To get started, complete an online tutoring request form located at https://www.austincc.edu/students/tutoring/online

Cultural Appreciation vs. Cultural Appropriation: Why It Matters

By Grant Loveless

Learning to understand a culture that is different than your own is so important in becoming a mindful citizen and leader. Developing the skill of cultural or cross-cultural competence is challenging, but worth the journey as it is an important way to identify, not only your own prejudices and biases towards BIPOC, but also ways in which your community, home or school can create equitable spaces for people who are underserved. With that said, cultural appropriation and appreciation is a continuous conversation that has “canceled” celebrities, addressed the trauma and microaggressions that BIPOC have to combat day-to-day, and has assisted in uplifting and supporting BIPOC and their cultures as well. In this article, four tips will be given to you to identify, address, and approach cultural appropriation and appreciation wherever you are.

First, let’s distinguish the two; appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally whereas appropriation is simply taking, adopting or “cherry-picking” one aspect of a culture that is not your own and using it for your own personal interest. Simply, one requires permission (i.e cultural exchange) and the other is without. With this simple exercise, we’ll see if you can identify the differences:

Purchasing a piece of jewelry or clothing that may have important cultural significance to that culture, but simply using it as a fashion statement.
- (Appreciation or Appreciation)
Supporting an African artist by purchasing designs directly from them.
- (Appreciation or Appreciation)
Capturing a photo of a ritual ceremony simply for the sake of getting as many likes on Facebook as possible.
- (Appreciation or Appreciation)
Wearing a South Asian bindi when invited to do so at an Indian festival.
- (Appreciation or Appreciation)

In all, taking a part of another culture without understanding what it truly means can be harmful not only to those whose culture you are using but also to those with whom you share it.

Through an interview with Dr. Khayree Williams, Austin Community College’s Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center Director, self-journeying strategies were developed to understand and identify appropriation and appreciation in your own communities, schools, homes and even get-togethers with friends:

Examine your own culture. Through self-reflection and evaluation, you will be better able to understand differences and determine what is important in cultures across the world. If you realize that a specific aspect of your own cultural background is the foundation to your identity, and it would offend you if someone were to use it without understanding fully what it means, consider that people all over the world, in cultures other than your own, may feel exactly the same way.
1. Think about: Would I be offended if someone wore an important aspect of culture without understanding what it truly means?
Listen & be mindful: As Williams said, “The greatest way to become knowledgeable and appreciate another culture is by listening and being mindful to those who are a part of the fabric of that culture or society.” From that, your task is to listen to their stories, gain insight on the implications behind the aspects of their culture that you are interested in, and utilize that dialogue(s) to broaden your worldview.
1. Think about: I recently purchased a well-decorated scarf from a Native-American artist. Did I take time to discuss with the artist who created the piece to learn more about their background, what their work means to them, and how it fits into the foundation of their identity? If not, I may be appropriating instead of appreciating.
Analyze the context: What does a symbol or outfit mean to a specific culture? When and where is it appropriate to use it? Grasp what the various aspects of a culture are and why they are so crucial. If you really have an interest in a person’s culture or heritage, more than likely, they will be elated to share with you the aspects that matter to them.
1. Think about: Did I just take a piece of someone’s culture to use for my own benefit, without knowing the significance behind it? Did I ask about the origins of the custom, item, or symbol? This is so important in understanding and appreciating a culture.
Be open to teach and share your own culture: The most meaningful part of cultural exchange – and what best tells the difference from appropriation is that exchange is mutual. Williams said, “At ACC, through my work, I am able to teach and help others understand who they are, how to gain insight and a unique perspective about someone else or a group and create those relationships and a shared understanding of someone and their background and culture.”
1. Think about: Am I equally interested in sharing a piece of my culture and heritage with someone else? Chances are, this person is just as eager to learn about my culture as I am about theirs. This is a beautiful and warming component of cultural exchange and appreciation!

Be mindful, do not stop being curious, and learning and appreciating other cultures. Do it properly, with guidance and mindfulness and you will be the change needed to uplift and amplify the voices of BIPOC whose language, food, and traditions are deeply rooted in who they are.

Four ways Austin Celebrates LGBTQIA+ Pride During A Pandemic

Written by Emily Pesina

During times like these where staying indoors could potentially save your life and others; many public events, restaurants, and social gatherings have moved to a virtual platform. One of the largest annual traditions to be affected this year is Pride Month. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of the nationally recognized celebration members of the LGBTQIA+ community and others make every effort to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. Which is considered a tipping point for this movement in the United States, according to the Library of Congress.

In previous years, you could find people celebrating in colorful pride parades, parties, and other large social gatherings. However, with more than two million people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the United States, alternative options have been made to still celebrate Pride as well as keep people safe and healthy. Here are four ways the Austinites have celebrated Pride month this year local events, nationally, and globally.

Thee Gay Agenda

Check out Thee Gay Agenda (TGA), a queer art collective based in ATX. TGA has hosted virtual events through Zoom such as “Thee Stay Homo Series”, a variety of queer creatives that call for bringing the LGBTQIA+ community closer while in quarantine. Thee Gay Agenda also focuses on uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices by sharing artwork of various local artists. TGA described this as “a culmination of expression and a celebration of queerness in the face of objection.” in order to combat hate comments sometimes left on their page.

Currently, TGA and Austin Black Pride have been working together to create “Thee Learning Factory Fund: a set of funds that are allocated to subsidize the cost of materials and classes for Black and queer individuals who wish to participate. This includes journals, tarot decks, jump rings, stained glass materials, and more.” in order to help those who want to participate in their series. If you’re interested in this unique, interactive, and knowledgeable fun group, check them out at their Instagram @thee.gay.agenda or website, https://www.theegayagenda.com/, for Pride events in June.

UT Austin Lavender Graduation and ACC LGBTQIA+ Pride Demonstrations

While many graduating students completed their final courses behind a screen rather than on campus this academic year, the University of Texas at Austin formed a Lavender Graduation ceremony. On May 20, UT Austin held this ceremony on Facebook Live to honor the achievements of graduating Longhorns who are also a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. The event included speeches from UT faculty, staff, and students, a care package that included a Lavender Graduation Certificate, a rainbow tassel, and a virtual cupcake.

“One of the ways you can celebrate pride is by owning a rainbow look. Whether that is owning a flag or wearing a pin,” said Whitney Stone, ACC dance Major. Like many others, Stone also plans on celebrating Pride Month virtually this year.

#IDAHOBIT

Annually, May 17 marks International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, Biphobia, and Intersexphobia (IDAHOBIT). Usually, a day where people come out for marches of Pride and awareness-raising events about the harassment that the LGBTQIA+ community faces, this year people stayed in while being openly-queer on social media. Connected through the hashtag #IDAHOBIT, the community united globally as people went from sharing selfies with rainbow-painted cheeks to raising awareness of discriminatory-attitude events.

“I try to celebrate the accomplishments of LGBT, but it’s more of not just in June, but throughout the year,” said ACC graduate, Margo DeAlva.

DeAlva is the creator of ACC’s LGBTeQuity, AND an award-winning LGBT star award for her courageous achievements such as her self-made documentary Transtastic.

“It’s important for everybody in this time, whether for pride month or throughout the year, to reminisce over your accomplishments,” DeAlva added, “It’s not selfish to talk to your loved ones about it and just be like “Hey, how did you feel when I first told you I was this or that, and what do you think about it now?” Although many societies around the world have progressed in acceptance and inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community, there remain battles left to fight.” DeAlva said.

@virtualpride2k20 on Instagram

@Virtualpride2k20, an Instagram account founded by Kiara Fox, is hosting a month-long virtual event taking place in June that strives to unite the LGBTQIA+ community in providing not just community, but a youth-driven grassroots movement.

On their Instagram page, various social media stars such as Eugene Yang from the Try Guys, Raquel Bagwell, a well-known content creator for the app Tik Tok, and many others share their experiences being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as host self-care days, and history about this community. To participate in this global event you can tune in to @virtualpride2k20’s EST Instagram/Twitch live streams, and post on social media with the hashtag corresponding to the day’s activity.

Being on the Front Lines of Advocacy, Change and Justice

We Are Here & We Will Be Seen

By: Grant E. Loveless

In America we are young, tired and traumatized. We are tired of validating our space, our existence and the reason why we should have a seat at the table. Youth are continuously ignored, being dismissed, and unheard. Stereotyping youth as “too young” or “not experienced enough” has been a
consistent strategy to devalue the movements that we create.

Youth are dying. Bullets piercing our skin, the hands of our “ protectors ” bruise us, while the weight of our own communities burden us with expectations that we, as a future generation, are expected to embrace.
Not only do we confront our internalized trauma while witnessing the oppressive realities of our world, we also resist the tendency to reduce youth experiences into pure statistics, devoid of socio-political meaning. We know that if we die at the hands of police, justice will not be served within the “ justice ” system and will be left as a number to the added list of Black and brown bodies whose blood is stained in our streets at the root of America’s issue: racism. We should not have to experience the moments that are supposed to be the cornerstone of our lives in fear and uncertainty.
However, we conjured our power to disrupt the day-to-day uncertainties, disadvantages and injustices. We as youth have blossomed into an impalpable force to where youth advocates like Nahjah and Nashon Wilson in Stafford, VA; the four women who built the Teens4Equality organization in Nashville, TN; Mical Juliet, Franki Phoenix, Zauvier Fenceroy and myself in Austin, Texas continue to push for public and social policy reform, collaborative change and economic justice. With our efforts being recognized it is imperative that we continue to prepare youth for what is to come. As U.S Senator Cory Booker said, “ You don’t have to be one of those people that accepts things as they are. Every day, take responsibility for changing them right where you are.”

Below are five tips for youth I have created from my experience as a Youth Advocate and Student Leader in the City of Austin to begin their journey into advocacy, community activism and social entrepreneurship.

You are your Number One Priority
If you do not take care of yourself how can you serve others at the best capacity you can. Self care is about self-reflection and it’s a journey. Learning and establishing a self care routine does not happen overnight, it takes time. You may be thinking, what does self care mean? Well, self care is ambiguous. Self care means knowing who you are and understanding
your limits; developing a good sleeping pattern and eating habits; constructing ways to decompress and realign your mind, spirit and energy; taking time to know yourself, your goals and how you want to manifest the change-maker you want to be; identifying what you love and hate or what motivates and discourages you. Self care can be simply defined as self love,
but on that journey to that you first must identify your “why” and thrive.

Find Your “Why” and Your Vision
To find your “why” and your vision you must: identify your core values;
discover who inspires you, who motivates you to be the catalyst of change in your community; and understand that your vision takes time to develop and grow. It will change, shift and possibly renew itself over time. With developing your “why” and vision you cannot put your hands in multiple pots, overwhelming and stressing yourself. Take your time and volunteer with local organizations,reach out to community members whose interests align with yours and ask questions or do a journey of self-discovery and read books, articles or blogs to gain knowledge on your interests and whichever topic you feel touches your soul start pursuing it. However, with this journey you must understand not everyone will agree with your stance nor stand with you when you need support.

Be Aware of Who Is For You and Against You
In the world of advocacy and on your way to achieving justice and change you will have your allies and opposes. Not everyone will agree with your values, ideas or your right to have a seat at the table. You must be prepared for that realization and “no” to your cause. However, this should never discourage you. Utilize your colleagues, close peers, past and current employers, teachers or anyone who is interested in investing in you and form a community. Once you have a community backing you up, you will be unstoppable. If you are not given a seat at the table build your own table and create the change you want to see. Your existence does not need validation, you are a force and a resistance.

Time Management
Do not overwhelm, stress or burden yourself trying to take advantage of every opportunity and the issues damaging your communities. Establish a foundation for your brand and the issues you want to solve in your community as well as using your local community members and organizations to further your goals. When you use time managing tools like Trello, Asana, Google Calendar or even the Reminders app on your phone you can then begin implementing strategies to your success on how much time you are allocating for the issues you want to solve and the commitments you are going to take on.

You Are NEVER Alone
You are never alone. Whatever country, state, city or town you reside in there are organizations and individuals who will support, uplift and cherish the work you do. Remember it doesn’t matter what platform you use, it’s about the work you produce and the presence you create when you walk into a room. You will never be alone, we are here always.

I urge you to utilize these tips and start generating the momentum you want to see your community taking in approaching and addressing structures of ageism, racism, xenophobia or any sign of inequity. Start now.
Author a call-to-action plan. Engage with your communities. Mobilize and create change.