Events – Page 4

Break Not for SXSW

Written by Nathaniel Torres

With the temperatures this week you’d never be able to tell but spring is coming! Bright, warm sun with just the slightest cool breeze is going to make for that beautiful, albeit short-lived Texas spring. We already had that spring fakeout week where even the foliage was fooled and started to bloom, so next time it should be here to stay. At least temperatures aren’t colder than the arctic-like they were in the Midwest this winter. While waiting out this final cold front you may find it helpful to start planning your spring break. Keep in mind that this year, for the first time in several years, SXSW and local spring break holiday will not be matching up. AISD’s spring break is after SXSW. There are some concerns being raised about traffic as the city will be bursting at the seams with the local students who usually try to escape the madness now being obligated to their class schedules. Surprisingly it is not mentioned that this will make for an interesting experiment on participation grades.

If you are looking for something different and exciting to do over break we compiled a list of events and places to visit that will provide adventure and rejuvenation, or at the very least, a unique story to tell. We have suggestions for the older souls, the crusaders, and the staycationers. Be sure to read through and see what fits you!

If your first instinct is to get out of town on what will probably be Austin’s busiest, most crowded weekend, then the first place we suggest you go is right down I-35 to San Antonio to enjoy their 13th annual Fest of Trails. You K-9 loving, outdoor, laze abouts will enjoy this. This event invites everybody to come out to McAllister Park with a kite, your dog, or just a blanket to spend the day petting 4-legged friends and watching a sky full of kites. Early on there will be doggie contests including best-dressed dog and owner-pet look alike duo. Then at noon the pooches will be putting on a parade! Sometimes it’s about the simple things. San Antonio also has many other big city attractions. The Pearl district is one of the newer parts of the River Walk that includes a variety of restaurants, local shops and the San Antonio Art Museum (SAMA) that has discount admission for students. Those who prefer a bigger rush can take advantage of the Six Flags that is also located down there.

However, if you were hoping for something a little more unconventional, then how about taking a hot balloon ride up in Georgetown? The Georgetown Hot Air Balloon Festival takes place March 22 and 23 and you can be a spectator for as little as 12 bucks plus parking. An extra 30 bucks will get you a ticket for a ride in the balloon. Different ticket packages can be purchased on the Eventbrite site https://www.eventbrite.com/e/georgetown-hot-air-balloon-festival-victory-cup-polo-match-tickets-51584776455. There will be food, wine, live music, and a polo match. This is definitely an experience that will stand out in spring break story swaps. You can hold your pinky on high while telling about how you took the opportunity to become more cultured.

Okay, so you’re young, you’re hip, and you want an adventure. No problem! If you really want to get away and become one with nature then we suggest hitting up one of Texas’ State Parks. If you have been in Austin for some time you have probably heard of Jacob’s Well and Hamilton Pool. These destinations have become popular and often close early due to hitting capacity quickly so we excluded them to make room for less ordinary parks around our state. Be sure to take a second look at the State Parks website to reserve your spot and know the elements you will be in and as always take water! https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/

If you could paddle up Lady Bird Lake and up our Colorado River, surprise! You would not end up in Colorado. You would eventually hit Gorman falls in Colorado Bend State Park. Again, not Colorado. The park is about a 2-hour drive from downtown Austin where you can camp, paddle, hike and bike. The trail up to the fall is not for the faint of heart but the falls is a rewarding sight to all who make it.

Enchanted Rock is also about 2 hours away. Campsites are available along with 11 miles of hiking trails (no biking). The “dome” was created by flowing magma about 7 miles beneath the surface and now sits 1,825 ft above sea level. Don’t worry if you want to make it to the summit that is 425 ft for you from its base. This park may not have a water way for you to swim or paddle, but in trade it offers bouldering and lead climbing routes for all you rock climbers out there.

If you are committed to a further destination that is not Big Bend, then check out Caddo Lake. Located five hours northeast, Caddo has 50 miles of waterway to canoe and kayak through. You can camp or you can take it up a notch and rent a cabin. If fishing is how you find your zen then this may be the spot for you, with 71 species living in the lake. Just be sure to keep an eye peeled for gators.

Then, there is the grand Canyon (of Texas). Palo Duro Canyon is the second biggest canyon in the nation – 120 miles long and 20 miles wide. This destination is for those serious about getting away or who enjoy long car rides, being that it is a 7-hour drive. You can take a horseback guided tour through the canyon, and both hiking and biking are allowed on designated trails. You can rent a cabin or reserve a campsite with water and electricity. For those fascinated by wide views of rugged nature, this one’s for you.

Now, don’t let us tell you that you need to drive hours away to have a worthy spring break. This is Austin, after all. Lady Bird Lake and the greenbelt running through the middle of our city is the envy of many. Pinballz has 3 locations across the city for adult gaming experience- at least you could say you got out. iFly located in north Austin offers indoor skydiving, eliminating the height and hefty price tag of ordinary skydiving. You can practice rock climbing indoors in the AC at ABP (Austin Bouldering Project) by Springdale and Airport. Then pick a board game and grab a frosty beverage at Friends and Allies right next door.

The important thing is that you enjoy spring because before you know it it will be summer and almost too hot to move. Grab your friends and make some memories. Let us know what you plan to do this spring break and tag us #ACCSL.

Student of the Year: Amber Rodriguez

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Starting Classes

“I recommend bringing a planner or creating some type of schedule. It could be as simple as writing down your class schedule for a week and whatever you work. For me, I have to have hours down in the day like ‘what am I doing this hour?’ It helps remind myself that I do have time here and not there”

Staying Strong

“‘Don’t be a fool, stay in school’ is a motto in my household. I love going to school, it’s inspired me to want to learn more. I’ve always been kind of the odd ball in class.”

Working in Student Life

“I networked so much and was able to create a lot here at my time in Student Life… I did come out a much stronger and much more confident person because of it. I don’t know how to thank everybody for how much I’ve learned here.”

Future Self

“I want to be in the Computer Science field, because that’s the future and I want to be part of it. My one goal is to find a job I do really love and do enjoy.”

Why School?

“ACC is cheaper to take classes. Higher education is the key to success. I know from my parents, they didn’t get past high school and they had dreamed of going to college…I hope students see there is a lot of opportunity getting a higher education.”

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Animation Biz

Written and Filmed by Nathaniel Torres[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

These days access to our favorite shows is easier than ever. With a few clicks or taps you can open your preferred streaming service to binge your favorite shows. Some may remember the days of on demand shows, back when DVR was spelled VCR. In order to find out what your favorite tv show characters were doing, viewers had to wake up for saturday morning cartoons.

Now, you might have an animated character dancing around your head, bringing back some childhood joy. Our favorite childhood characters were there to make us smile, but have you ever considered the hands that drew them?

This past Spring, ACC GDAMG & 2Design hosted a workshop on character design with guest animator, Stephen Silver, at the Northridge campus. Five minutes after the printed start time of his lecture he stated that anyone who was not there at that point was already not taking themselves seriously enough. He, then, pointed up at the collage of pictures that had been projected on the screen and reveals that it, in fact, was a test. Did anyone pick up their pencils and start drawing? Did anyone find inspiration from the peculiar human faces that were a part of the collage? Was the opportunity to fill in the blank areas of the sketchpad taken? One may not expect an animation creator to be so adamant, but as Silver continues he cuts through the mounted apprehension with direction. “If this is going to be your life’s work then you should always be refining your craft.”

Silver has contributed to series such as Histeria!, Kim Possible, Danny Phantom, The Penguins of Madagascar, and more recently the revamped version of Scooby-Doo “Be Cool Scooby-Doo.” Despite that many of these works are targeted towards children, animation itself is growing and becoming a much more regular part of adult lives.

In 2017 TV By the Numbers reported that more cable viewers, ages 18-49, were tuning in to Adult Swim programming than most late-night shows. According to a report by the Entertainment Software Association the average gamer is 34-years-old with 72 percent of the market made up of gamers that are 18 and older. The video game industry shows no signs of slowing. With the developments in VR and AR games it’s predicted there will be steady growth in the industry through 2020.

As it goes, the workforce is seeing an ever-increasing amount of technology involved with their work and the animation sector is no stranger to this. “Honestly, I can’t believe how much has changed in such a short time,” says animator Cindy Crowell.

Crowell has been animating since 1992. She started at StarToons, an animation studio open from 1988-2001, working on Warner Bros. produced series such as Tazmania, Tiny Toons and the Animaniacs. “It was pretty amazing, this was back in the glory days of pencil and paper. I’d get a stack of key animation drawings from the lead animators and sit there on the light table and flip the pages, do all the in-betweens and clean up. I absolutely loved it, I miss those days.”

Technology has changed the business since then. Computer animation has been a part of cinematography for over 40 years. Since the premiere of Toy
Story (1995), the industry began receiving major investments and returns on Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) movies. Animation light tables, discs and paper have all been shelved in place of computers loaded with programs that allow the artists to explore their work on a screen.

As technology booms and the free market flexes, artists are finding themselves needing to be familiar with multiple software programs for various projects. Adaptability seems to be a fundamental requirement of artists right from the get go. Silver says, “The most important thing is versatility. You want to show a range. You can’t just have apples and oranges and pears in your portfolio because all of a sudden they go, ‘Oh, he can do that but he can’t draw strawberries.’ You really want to make sure to show that range because the more versatile you are, the more opportunities you’ll get.”

This point could not be stressed enough by both Silver and Crowell. Turns out, there are dozens upon dozens of ambitious students, eager to only show off their anime illustrations. “Everyone can draw anime these days,” says Crowell. “The call is really for people who can do it all.” ce.

Finding a steady job in the animation business isn’t easy. The Animation Guild in California offers benefits, only to those working at a union member studio. Union members must accrue 600 hours (approx. 3 months) to qualify for a period of six-month benefits – if they continue to work at least 400 hours in one of those studios. Their benefits continue to cover them even if they are laid off. The artist can also bank their hours in case of a prolonged period without work follows. This goes to show that in the state employing the densest number of animators, one of the largest unions takes into account that getting hired at a studio does not mean you get to stay there.

“A lot of times [a project] will start out with just a few people,” Crowell says. “Then, they hire on a bunch of people determined, flexible and familiar with rejection. “It’s so important to attend local conventions,” Silver says. “It’s like an artist’s market. It’s the effort. It’s knocking on one door after another. There’s going to be a lot rejection and you have to be prepared for it.”

Crowell has been at Powerhouse Animations for 17 years. She acknowledges it’s unusual for a studio to be around this long, but also knows there the mindset to have in order to work at a continuing business. “One thing that I really wished they would have taught me more of when I was in animation and in art school is that when you are a commercial artist you really have to have the ability to follow directions from your supervisors and make changes that they want or that the client has requested even if they seem dumb or pointless. You have to not take it personally.”

Animation is more than creating art. There is rejection, deadlines and the tedious details that are required to create the work seen on screen for a limited amount of time.

For those who are willing to endure such real job requirements and are lucky enough to land desk space in a studio know that there are perks of the job. Studios, like Powerhouse Animations have activities for their employees like arcade games, a big screen TV, couches, countless artwork on the walls and life size cutouts of video game characters. And there’s the seemingly obvious reward of seeing your artwork come to life in front of hundreds, thousands, potentially, millions of viewers.

Spongebob Squarepants singing “Sweet Victory” has millions of views on YouTube despite copyright. Peter Griffin fighting the Ernie the Giant Chicken has gone on to create posters, mugs, and action figures. There are countless cars with the Hyrule Crest stickered on their back windshields and bumpers.

It is all about knowing what you want to do in the industry whether it be background design, character design, storyboarding and being honest with yourself, according to Silver. Do you have the skill to do it and making sure you are getting opinions from more than just your family. “You have to not let things offend you or upset you and that’s the bottom line. You can’t be too sensitive.”

Silver also suggests that individuals be as plugged in as possible in order to benefit from networking. Follow your favorite artists on social media to see where they will be exhibiting their work or offering critiques and check in to AWN.com (Animation World Network) for information and job listings. Make sure to take initiative and reach out to your local studios to find out what programs they are using but do not get hung up on them. Both Silver and Crowell both say the programs do not fully rid the need of skill with paper and pencil.

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Transtastic

Written and Edited by Halie Davis
Filmed by Taylor Kokas

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Blue, pink and white flags were printed on posters that hung up around various campuses this past spring. These colors sandwiched together, horizontally are the Transgender flag. Text on the posters promoted the premiere of a student-made documentary, Transtastic, supported by an LGBTQ resource fair.

Transtastic is the creation of ACC student, Margo De Alva. As a transgender person, she felt the urge to create something that further explains transgender than the textbook definition.

“Coming into the school semester, I was asked several times ‘why do you dress like this?’ ‘Why do you act like this?’” says De Alva. “I just wanted ACC to have a better understanding and I wanted to reach out to people who were in my situation, or are in my situation.”

After graduating from high school, De Alva attempted attending college. But, the timing was off.

“I was very, very sad for several years because I was scared to tell everybody. I didn’t even know what Transgender was. I knew I wanted to be a woman, but I didn’t know the term…I had to venture off to YouTube to even know what transgender meant.”

In recent years, the public has seen more videos, articles and events, regarding transgender people. In 2014, Laverne Cox is the first transgender person on the cover of Time Magazine. Making her public debut at the 2015 ESPYs, Caitlyn Jenner spoke for transgender children and people. That same year and the following, Jeffrey Tambor brought home an Emmy for Leading Actor in Comedy Series, Transparent. In 2016, NPR reported that 1.4 million adults identify as transgender, according to a study done by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. The highest number of reported deaths among Transgender people, occurred in 2017.
This year Cox poses for the cover of Cosmopolitan
Magazine, Scarlett Johansson apologizes and announces her withdraw from the transgender project, Rub
&
Tug, and Wisconsin is covering two of its residents’ gender confirmation surgeries.

Transgender may be a term that is confusing for the general public to understand, let alone an individual. This past summer, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that in 2019 being transgender will no longer be considered a mental illness. Often, a fake identity is created by a transgender person to try and fit into society’s standards of male and female roles.

“Dorothy [Alexander] is one of the friends who helped start everything,” De Alva says. “She met me when I was, I guess a boy. She met me and could tell something was up because of the way I acted and stuff. Like she said in [Transtastic], I would joke around about getting my nails done and she’d be like, ‘if you want to get your nails done, I’ll go with you, it’s not a big deal.’ There were times I’d try to act masculine and she’d look at me and and be like, ‘I don’t really feel like this suits you.’ She was just reminding me that ‘I think you’re a different person,’ so when I finally told her, she was like ‘I knew it all along.’”

Some of De Alva’s friends and family were accepting, but not eveyone. At 12-years-old she knew she wanted to be considered a female, but was still unsure about the ways to express herself. “I had no choice but to put on this persona of what I felt like a man or teenage boy was supposed to be, because it was very rough. I was getting picked on in school from the other boys and I remember them telling me ‘you’re such a girl, man up.’”

In her early adolescence, De Alva was living with her dad in the Rundberg area of Austin. This neighborhood is known as a rougher one to many Austinites.

From 2012-2016 Restore Rundberg was a grant received to revitalize the area. Since the funding closed, the Austin Police Department has continued extension programs throughout the area, like Summer in Rundberg to keep the neighborhood children safe when not in school. Restore Rundberg decreased property crime in the area and the city itself.

Crime rates are higher in lower income areas than high-income households, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Some neighborhoods in Austin with a median household income ranging from $7,000 to $38,000 are St. Johns (Rundberg area), North Lamar and East Riverside. Neighborhoods in Austin with a median household income range of $130,000 to $217,000 are Bee Cliffs, Bella Mar and Avery Ranch.

Like many cities, the public education provided to its residents depends on their neighborhood. According to the U.S. News & World Report’s list of Best High Schools in America, Westlake (EISD) ranked 213. Westwood (RRISD) followed up at 221 with a graduation rate of 99 and college readiness score of 72. Vandegrift (LIST) land at 339 while the top ranking AISD school is Anderson at 1,038. Schools like Lanier, Reagan and Eastside Memorial did not place in the national or state rankings. Students at the non-ranking schools live in neighborhoods like East Riverside, North Lamar and St. Johns.

“LGBTQ people are not just on the North side or by Highland.”

DeAlva attended Wooldridge Elementary School, which filters into Lanier High School. These are some of the schools associated with the Rundberg area.
“Rundberg, from my experience, wasn’t necessarily the best place to live at,” De Alva says. “The boys needed to have this role of being tough. In middle school, they were running around, talking about sports…In 2006, I remember being in middle school and LGBT was picked on. Nobody said it was ok.”

De Alva lived with a boy persona until 2015, when she became a junior in high school. At this time, De Alva has moved to the Lakeline area with her grandma. At Westwood High School she was noticing LGBT was more accepted than her previous schools. She was making friends who were openly gay or lesbian. “Their friends weren’t mean about it and they still liked them.”
De Alva was noticing a different world, where people were more accepting and open about being gay. Moreover, she did not feel the urge to live in her previous identity; the one that would mock or ignore people from the LGBT community. “If I had met [an LGBT person] when I was in Rundberg, I would have no choice but to pick on them if I had friends around…my grandma lived in this place where I could listen to how [an LGBT person] felt.”

After taking a break from school, Margo De Alva discovered acceptance in the LGBT community, friends and family. Although hesitant to begin college, Margo found a home in Student Life.

Northridge’s Student Life Coordinator, Tim Prata, assisted Margo with the creation of Transtastic. After listening to her thoughts and hopes, Prata introduced De Alva to ACC’s LGBT eQ Committee and Student Life’s YouTube series, Life4U. From there, the group took De Alva’s documentary idea and created Transtastic. Last March, Transtastic premiered after its resource fair concluded. A Q&A session was held after the documentary premiere with Margo De Alva and others featured in the Transtastic.
“My friends are accepting, so I’ve reached out to several and they have my back with things like ‘hey, I feel uncomfortable going to the bathroom, would you go with me?’ and they will.”

In the 2019 legislative session, many Texans are hoping to continue the discussion about the Bathroom Bill. This bill, defines access to public restrooms by transgender people. In 2015 the Austin City Council passed an ordinance stating that all businesses with a single-use restroom must provide gender-neutral bathrooms. Every ACC campus, with the exception of Riverside, has a family bathroom for its transgender students, faculty and staff. However, having only one single-use bathroom on a campus can be difficult for transgender people – especially if it’s in use.

“LGBTQ people are not just on the north side or by the Highland campus – we’re everywhere,” says De Alva. “There should just be more family bathrooms in general. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to hold going to the bathroom because [some business] doesn’t have it.”

Although De Alva’s goal is to live a life as Margo, she chooses not to use the women’s bathroom, even if it’s the only option. “I don’t want to go into the women’s bathroom because I don’t want to alarm females. I’m totally understanding that it can alarm everybody, so I just try to stick to the family bathrooms”

Austin businesses like Alamo Drafthouse at Mueller, Hillside Farmacy and Cheer Up Charlies offer gender-neutral bathrooms. These areas have closed-off stalls for private business and sinks to wash. CEO of Alamo Drafthouse, Tim League, says there are “no complaints at all” in an article from the Austin American Statesman.
De Alva is knowledgeable about which businesses have a restroom for her to use due to personal experience. Fortunately, her support system is able to accompany her to the restroom, if needed. “I’ve had my grandpa tell me ‘if you have to go, I’ll go in there with you and make sure no one says anything…As sweet as that is, it’s humiliating to have to go with my grandfather.”

De Alva says she doesn’t expect sweet gestures, but is thankful for the support. After revealing herself as a transgender person, she’s lost relationships but stays positive. “You’re going to have people that don’t like you no matter what, so you might as well be who you are.”

Margo De Alva plans to transform Transtastic into an event at ACC. She also hopes to open a safe area for the LGBT community to talk and relate with one another. “You know I still have not met someone who is transgender at the school, that I can reach out to. At the event, I started to see more people and they were talking to me and it was great to know that I’m not alone.”

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Riverbat Ambassador of the Year

Student Life as an Ambassador

“People peep their heads in but won’t come in, so that’s one of the things I’m still trying to make happen, having more people in the office. We have game days and food so it’s welcoming for everybody. Sometimes we have this cart that we go around with food and try to talk to them about whatever event.”

Why be a Riverbat Ambassador?

“It’s worth it, it’s fun. It helps you stay focused in school because you’re in school while doing it. It’s a good opportunity to grown and learn more about yourself and other people.”

Gaining Skills

“I wanted to expand my communication skills and this has helped me.”

Memory Lane

“My favorite memory would be Riverbat Bash week. it was fun and inspiring because we got to do a lot of things for the students and it made them happy and comfortable. That was our main goal. Everyone was dancing and having fun.”

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5 Things to do during PRIDE Month

The Stonewall riots occurred on June June 28, 1969 in New York City. This night at the Stonewall Inn a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations erupted by members of the LGBT community against a police raid. These acts are known to have sparked the Gay revolution. Show off that special PRIDE this month!

Drag Queen Bingo: Pride Edition on June 18. Bring yourself, friends and an appetite to Red’s Porch (Quarry location) starting at 8p. Make a reservation at 512-236-5436 and be ready for some shenanigans.
Austin LGBT Chamber June Happy Hour on June 21. Meet and mingle with fellow LGBT business and allied business owners and professionals. At Harrison Branch – Farmers Insurance at 6:30p.
Proud! Austin LGBT Awards Gala on June 23. Celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month at LINE ATX Hotel at 6p. Toast to the LGBT Chamber for turning 21 years. Keynote speaker, Sarah Weddington (argued Roe v. Wade) will be in there to celebrate with all in attendance.
8th Annual Stonewall Celebration on June 27. Rally at the Texas State Capitol on the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Pay tribute to those who have and continue to spark the modern day gay rights movement. This year marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Daybreaker ATX/PRIDE Party on June 29. Celebrate all love at Native Hostel at 6a. Stretch out in the morning during yoga from 6-7a, then dance your heart out from 7-9a with Girlfriend ATX.

ACC Jazz Ensemble Performs for Draylen Mason

Written by Tracy Fuller

The annual Texas Community Music Festival kicked off in Austin this past April at Central Market North. This festival has become a set tradition for the residents of the area. Each day of the festival, there are different sets of musical performances. Anything ranging from full-sized orchestras to Scottish pipe and drums. This music festival has become a staple for folks and families of all ages and sizes to enjoy.

This years gathering was a little different than all of the others. Not only was it being billed as their 13th anniversary but an extraordinary performance had taken place on the Friday of the 28th. The Austin Community College Jazz Ensemble was there to honor former ACC student, Draylen Mason. Mason is one of the victims from the Austin bombings this past spring.

The Ensemble had a unique piece written for Mason. Their performance, featuring jazz bassist Sophia Villarreal, took place in front of a large crowd.

The ACC Jazz Ensemble is led by Dr. Tom ‘Bop’ Husak from the Northridge campus. Husak carried the troupe in such an honorable fashion at the festival. Draylen had the heart for music, and many looked up to it. “Draylen’s music was inspirational,” says Dr. Husak. “The jazz community suffered a great loss when he passed.”

It was amazing to see the ACC Jazz Ensemble headline the festival that night. It was a perfect setting based on a family community against an Austin sunset backdrop.

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SXSW Film Review: Family

Written by Tracy Fuller

SXSW is one of the premier spots to showcase a new film coming to the big screen in North America. With this year’s festival having a record number of films premiering, there was a considerable buzz generating around Laura Steinel’s Family.

Family is a comedy-drama that focuses on a young teenager, Maddie (Byrn Vale) looking for acceptance and love – a borrowed concept from the timeless John Candy classic Uncle Buck. Kate (Taylor Schilling) is asked to take care of Maddie while her parents go out of town to care for a family member. Kate is by no means fit to watch over anyone’s child, much less herself.

Because Kate is so self-absorbed and unfiltered in every minute of her day, she does not have the first idea of how to relate to Maddie. When she does begin to listen to stories of being harassed at school, Kate can connect to it from her childhood. It is at that point the walls she has built around herself slowly begin to chip away. What was supposed to be one night watching Maddie becomes a full week. This takes Kate entirely out of her comfort zone at work, causing her to start neglecting details.

At work, Kate is known to be cutthroat, but now that she is distracted trying to care for Maddie, it begins to backfire. The more she leans towards the nurturing side, the more Kate’s calloused exterior starts to soften.

In the middle of Kate’s failed efforts, Maddie ends up going missing and finds her identity within the Juggalo family. During the search for Maddie, Kate learns that she has made her way to the Gathering of the Juggalos. The Gathering is a music festival which has gained some notoriety and continues to be a topic of discussion in today’s pop culture.

The series of events proposes a moral decision of what is more important to Kate: working on her career or building a relationship with Maddie. By the end of the movie, you will find yourself in the feels. This production was brilliantly put together and structured. It made me quite happy to see Steinel portray Juggalos at their core, which compliments the storyline so well as finding love and acceptance in each other.

One of the things I adore about this film is how that very same love and acceptance from the Juggalos is captured in this comedy gold classic. This movie captures the essence of family, not only by blood but also by bonds. I left the theater thankful for my friends. Furthermore, it was an incredible experience hanging out with Laura Steinel and the rest of the cast. I look forward to seeing this one again.

NxNRG

Written by Amye Bueno
Photos by Wes Eng

As part of Stress Less Finals Week, and a chance to show off students’ talent, Student Life specialist Josh Garcia, hosted the first annual North by Northridge(NxNRG) showcase. “NxNRG is a showcase of student artwork of all different mediums” says Garcia.

Artwork included paintings, photography, digital art, and more. “We were going to have some music but the weather was kind of unpredictable today,” says Garcia. The weather was predicted to be a high of 86 with clouds in the sky and possible rain.

Northridge is known for hosting many creative and design departments including creative digital, music business, animation and more. Students submitted artwork and set up tables along the breezeway with their artwork on display. There were also interactive tables where students could paint flower pots, a friendship bracelet making station hosted by Riverbat Ambassador Dorothy Alexander. Plus, Student Life hosted a swag station with finals necessities like scantrons and pencils. Chick-fil-a was also nearby to show their support for students with sandwiches and prizes.

Wrapping up NxNRG, students had one last chance to de-stress by giving the piñata their best shot. This created an opportunity to network and interact with other students, faculty, and staff. As this was the first NxNRG, Student Life hopes to host this event for students every semester.

“Student Life is an opportunity for students to connect with their campus, with pretty much everything relating to outside of the classroom” says Garcia. Aiming to help students succeed in and out of the classroom, and connecting them with resources, Student Life is here to help students at ACC. “Student Life has done a lot, a lot for me, it’s another place I can call home” says gaming student and aspiring Riverbat Ambassador, Ty Howard.

If you would like to get involved or volunteer, stop by your Student Life office located on your campus or visit austincc.edu/sl for opportunities and resources available to you.

SXSW Film Review: Blockers

Written by Tracy Fuller

A New Spin On An Adult-Teen Raunchy Comedy

Blockers is an adult raunchy comedy that revolves around three high school girls who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Little do they know, their parents come together to ruin their plans.

Blockers is the directing debut for Kay Cannon. Cannon pushes the strengths of its cast while capturing the different dynamics in the 3 (sets) of parents and their conflicts.

Single mom Lisa (Leslie Mann) is having denial issues with the imminent departure of her daughter Julie (Kathryn Newton) for college. Mitchell (John Cena) is a buff dad but holds some strong feminine qualities mixed with small doses of testosterone. He tries to have a bonding relationship with daughter Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) as if she was his son but wears a dress. Divorcee dad Hunter (Gideon Adlon) who has not been around since the marriage dissolved. He now recognizes the value of his relationship with daughter, Sam (Gideon Adlon) and tries to salvage it by making sure her prom night is a memorable one.

After the girls leave for prom, the parents stumble upon a confusing bit of emojis that they ultimately discover as the sex pact. All the parents set out to track them down and stop them from consummating the night.

What ensues as a crazy chase all over town cause a few disastrous events to occur. In the midst of all these events, the trio of parents finds a way to work through their dilemmas. Coincidently, as are the three girls.

Blockers is more on the rated R side of comedy. The film also balances teen humor with adult humor. I mean imagine parading through a hough naked and blindfolded chasing your partner down by their own “musk.”

The movie portrays what a typical environment is for today’s teen. They set out to have a great time. In doing so the insecurities of the parents is brought to light, something many parents today can relate. Even with the teen sex comedy, it highlights, in the end, some rethought decisions that lead to a better scenario for everyone.

This movie has the laughs, love, and appeal that make you think of American Pie or any John Hughes film.

While the talented and well-known talent casts the roles of the parents, the teens are the heart of the movie. These up and coming actresses sell their respective parts flawlessly.

The real predicament is whether the parents and the girls can make peace with the fact that everybody has to grow up. In the end, this movie has a bit of everything to keep you entertained. I was glad to see Cena’s acting get stretched. Also noting, Leslie Mann, who probably gives one of her best performances. I would see this movie again for sure.