Ending Hate

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By Halie Davis

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After the shooting in Charlottesville, philosophy professor Bryan Register decided it was time for Austin to step away from hosting vigils and break the silence. Having never organ

ized an event like this, he quickly gathered politicians and educators to speak at the Rally Against White Supremacy this past August. Register’s intention was to start the conversation about ending hate.

“The reason that people are supposed to work to overcome racism isn’t because they are personally responsible for it. We’re supposed to work for a better world.”

Living in the ‘Make America Great Again’ era, the nation is seeing a backlash from many groups. Feminists took to the Internet with #MeToo. The LGBTQIA community pushed against the Texas legislator passing the ‘bathroom bill’ (Senate Bill 6). Many ethnic and racial minorities flooded the streets during the Day Without Immigrants protest. Fists were raised during NFL games against racial injustice and police brutality.

In the current political climate it’s almost difficult to ignore the amount of controversy the Republican Party receives for backing candidates with bad behavior, like Roy Moore. To address these issues local voter turnouts are changing, calls are being made to government officials and protests are happening.

Patricia Hatcher, humanities associate professor, spoke at the Rally Against White Supremacy. “One of our speakers earlier said we are not born with hate. That’s true. Hate is a learned behavior. It’s time we unlearn it.”

film-policeThe theme of the protest was to speak out against hate of any sort. Speakers ranged from various areas in the Austin community from Reverent John MacIver Gage to Mayor Steve Adler.

“Austin city council has its heart in the right place when it comes to issues about race,” Register says. “They are concerned about gentrification in East Austin. But whether their concern is translated into actual action is a separate question and we’ll be seeing what they do with CodeNEXT.”

CodeNEXT is a project designed to re-shape the city. This document contains over 1,000 pages, explaining a Land Development Code structured to make Austin a more livable city. The city council is set to publish the third draft of the code in February. So, as the cost of living in Austin continues to rise, so does the price of higher education.

“I think a lot of our processes are geared towards students that have come from privilege, who do have parents that went through the process or went to school,” says Black Student Association (BSA) advisor Latisha Marion. “Gentrification is happening, but it’s our responsibility to acknowledge that and try to adjust to fit those cultures or people trying to come [to ACC].”

In recent years, ACC has experienced a decline of enrollment from minority students. With organizations such as Black Student Success Committee, ACC is focused on recruiting and retaining students of color and/ lower income. Encouraging students to become members of these organizations is one of the strategies ACC is using to increase the number of students’ enrollment to completion. As members they are expected to act as peer mentors for other and incoming students.

“The feedback we’ve been getting from students is that they don’t feel comfortable,” Marion says. “Students that are in classes are saying, ‘hey when I came, I was uncomfortable as well. I didn’t know that I was going to be welcomed. Nobody looks like me or gave me attention I think I deserved.’”

Another way ACC works to combat these feelings is through their partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the Big Read. Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric is the chosen book for Spring 2018. Citizen is a book-length poem about micro aggressions. This project is meant to spark conversation among students, faculty and the community about being a person of color in a country with a legacy of white supremacy. The main intention is to provide insights growing from these discussions.

“The key is to keep the dialogue going about tolerance and anti racism,” says Hatcher. “That is how we will command change.”

Many put up a guard when topics about racism and inequality enter a discussion. However, at the rally, congressman Lloyd Doggett did not shy away from speaking against President Donald Trump empowering racist and white supremacists. Doggett’s speech started with, “in Austin, we don’t all have to agree on everything as long as we respect our differences. We need everyone in this community to turn up the heat on hate.”

However, people of minority groups have a tendency to adapt in heated political climates. Racial and ethnic differences have been in America since it was founded. The differences that have grown are showing from the majority.

“I think I hear about it more from our counterparts that are more distraught and upset about it,” Marion says. “Even the students that aren’t black and in BSA, want to do this [to speak out]…they’re enthusiastic about making the change and making voices be heard.”

Contrary to those students benefiting from white supremacy, Register says there is a difference for feeling personal guilt and taking responsibility for overcoming the consequences of these crimes. “There are many white people who become defensive when there is a question about their benefitting from white supremacy. And the fact is, I am not responsible for white supremacy. I did not own slaves. Also, I benefit from that history. It’s because I have this benefit from that history that I have some responsibility for overcoming these problems – not because I created the problems.”

As students work to turn up the heat on hate, some mentors suggest becoming involved through campus organizations, like BSA.

“On a smaller scale, I think that’s exactly how we bring about awareness,” says Marion. “That’s how we change things, how we make people change their minds about social situations and I think it has a larger impact than any protest can ever have, when you’re getting the people one on one and you’re teaching them something.”

Conversations about understanding people of color, the transgender community and everywhere in between can be seen in the media, but how do we act on them individually? One on one or in protests, the first plan of action towards ending hate is gathering together and speaking out.

“I think the next step is to move [conversations] onto our college campuses and get the student body involved,” says Hatcher. “During the 60’s the college community were the biggest voices and we need to have that happen again.”

Pick this story up in the Spring 2018 Life4U magazine on campus[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/_dHMfBNf0Bo”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Hunger & Homelessness

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Written by Arleene Lozano
Video by Sam Douglas
Photos by Halie Davis

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Students at the OXFAM Hunger Banquet as low-class

Hunger and Homelessness is a popular topic across the world. The United States alone is constantly struggling with this problem. There are 23,122 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in Texas, according to the 2016 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). About 40 percent of the homeless in the U.S. are under the age of eighteen.

“I think it is getting harder [for students] to be self-sufficient,” Mass Communication major William Menjivar says. “Regardless of your income, whether you are at the 1 percent or not, I think at some point you are going to struggle. I think a lot of college students will sacrifice in the area of being able to eat so that they can provide in other ways, like having clothes on their back.”

Hunger and homelessness can derive from various factors in a person’s life like being born into poverty, being mentally or physically disabled, experiencing job loss, being incarcerated and more. People experiencing hunger and homelessness, may not have asked for this lifestyle but can’t seem to find the right help.

“When it comes to the topic of hunger and homelessness, I think that people are aware of it, however it becomes very easy to ignore,” Student Life Supervisor Kelly Brown says.

Throughout the city of Austin and its suburbs, it is unavoidably easy to spot someone on the side of the streets, and highways holding up signs and walking up and down the lines of cars stopped at a red light asking for some sort of help.

ACC recognizes the situation is difficult, so every year the Office of Student Life steps to raise awareness of hunger and homelessness. The Student Life Food Pantry program asked that each campus host a minimum of one program during the week of November 13-17, 2017.

The purpose and objective of this program derives from a statistic provided by the Wisconsin Hope Lab stating that “an estimated average of 13 percent of community college students may be homeless.”

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Statistics from the OXFAM Hunger Banquet

With these statistics, ACC Student Life’s Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week hopes to provide educational awareness to these problems. According to Office of Student Life, the objective of this week is to raise awareness regarding hunger and homelessness at ACC and the greater Austin area, educate the student body about these issues and build support for solutions. Plus, connect students with resources and encourage them to act and volunteer with Operation: Riverbats.

During this week, ACC campuses conducted events such as a sock drive, cardboard brigade, a hunger banquet and more.

“I think that everything ACC is doing, is definitely useful to the community,” says Menjivar. “It definitely raises awareness of how serious the situation is and I think it adds some humanity to it.”

Every year, the Office of Student Life hosts the  OXFAM Hunger Banquet. Brown says, “Oxfam America is a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty and hunger. The purpose and focus of the Oxfam Hunger Banquet is to bring awareness to global poverty, hunger, and the efforts that are being made to stop it. Essentially, we understand that everybody walks with a certain amount of privilege in life and we want everybody to recognize that and give them an opportunity to discuss it and the ways that they can help those that are suffering from food insecurity and housing insecurity.”

With the certainty that at least one classmate is food insecure, ACC Student Life offers a free service to its students, known as the Food Pantry. Every Student Life office has a food pantry full of canned and boxed, healthy foods for students experiencing food insecurity. Two in three community college students are food insecure, according to the Wisconsin Hope Lab. This affects many students on the ACC campuses.

“We see that here at Austin Community College, you see it pretty much at any two-year, four-year, higher education,” Brown says. “What we want to do here is educated students that there are opportunities for them to get food through food pantries popping up across the nation or through programs like Aunt Bertha.”

Other local and national organizations that Student Life connects students with are Give Pulse, Feeding America, Covenant House, Students Against Hunger, and Central Texas Food Bank.

Aunt Bertha is a search and referral platform that helps those facing social needs to find and make referrals to appropriate programs and services for food, shelter, health, care, work, financial assistance, and more, according to auntbertha.com. This website lists free and reduced cost service programs in every zip code. This platform currently has 1,853 programs serving people in Austin – some of which include the 31 food pantries they have listed.

Feeding America focuses on creating a nationwide network of member food banks to engage the nation in the fight to end hunger, according to feedingamerica.org. Feeding America is a U.S. based non-profit organization with more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through many food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies.

According to covenanthouse.org, Covenant House offers housing and support services to young people in need, reaching nearly 80,000 boys and girls every year by saving the lives of homeless, runaway, and trafficked young people. Almost 40 percent of the homeless in the U.S. are under 18. In the U.S. alone, more than 20,000 kids are forced into prostitution by human trafficking networks every year. 10 to 50 percent of homeless youth engage in survival sex, or the exchange of sex for food, clothing, or shelter.

Central Texas Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief charity in Central Texas. They work with donors across the country, financial supporters and volunteers to fill unmet needs in Central Texas. They assist families who qualify for federal assistance programs, share free food and knowledge on low-cost, healthy eating with families in need, and make food affordable for charitable government partners. Their website helps people locate places nearby if they are ever in need of a meal.

“College students should care about the homeless because they are people, just like you, me and somebody that is just trying to get by,” Menjivar says. “Maybe at some point, they fell down on their luck and did not have the means to get back up so they had to humble themselves to the point of asking for help. If I were in the situation, I would want somebody to help me out so we should open up our hearts to helping other people.”

This is not to say that all community college students are struggling. For those who are not, there are multiple ways to get informed and involved to help others who are going through these daily struggles. “In the Austin population, where we do have a large homeless population, they almost become fixtures that we get used to and therefore it becomes easier and easier to pass it by,” Brown says.

Students have an array of options to choose from if needed and the Office of Student Life can direct someone seeking help in the right direction in order to prevent skipping a meal. Having so many cities and nation-wide resources available at any moment for the hungry and homeless is a great start ending the issue of hunger and homelessness.

Pick this story up in the Spring 2018 Life4U magazine on campus[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/ajBV-skK4wk”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Building Resumes

Written by Mariana Foran

Starting college, there are many things to think about like paying for classes, which ones to take, where to live and more. Ultimately, ACC provides students with an education and sources to add to a resume to get a job in the appropriate area of study. However, not many know how to write a resume, or what to even put on it.

Many advisors suggest students build their experience at ACC by joining student organizations, volunteering, internships and anything that can give you experience beyond the classroom.

“I think the biggest mistake I see college students make when it comes to building their resume is, they don’t pay attention to anything except school,” says ACC advisor Don Bradley. “They do the bare minimum to get by and at the end they find themselves with a piece paper, nothing more. If an employer had a choice between two college graduates, one with a degree and one with a degree and an impressive resume of things they did in college who do you think they are going to hire?”

It’s not uncommon to attend class, go home and/or work and call it a day. However, the Office of Student Life offers multiple ways to to volunteer and participate in campus activities. If being on campus is too limiting, they can help you find ways to be involved in the community.

Bradley says, “I was very protective over my GPA and basically did whatever I could fit into my schedule. Doing stuff gives you experience and you never know who you might meet or what kind of connections you can make.”

Every job application should have a tailored resume and cover letter.

Resume
Resumes should include several sections: your career objective, a list of experience and skills that pertain to the job and education. It is ok to apply to jobs before graduation, just be sure to place your expected graduation date under the education section. If a list of references isn’t asked for, then include it at the bottom of your resume. Have three or four references of current and/ past co-workers and managers who can speak, honestly, about your work ethic.

Cover Letter
In addition to a resume, many employers, often, ask for a cover letter. A cover letter is a summary of your resume and a formal way of introducing yourself. This is the opportunity to explain how a past experience or skill set, listed in your resume, makes you a top candidate for the job.

“Sincerity is an important element to a good cover letter,” says Bradley. “Staying away from empty phrases also, give people the facts they need not a flowy paragraph about how you’re a people person. The absolute worst thing you can do is use your cover letter to kiss up. Being a kiss up is a big turn off and it makes you seem lazy,”

When writing a cover letter, try keep it about a page long. Human Resources and the managers are receiving many resumes and cover letters (if asked), so be sure to keep it short simple and to the point. Formally address the boss or company you are writing it to and close it with the best way to reach out to you for an interview.

The libraries on every ACC campus has readings that can help you build your resume and cover letter. Or you can visit their online guide at austincc.edu/careerinfo. For hands-on learning, the Highland ACCelerator hosts several Resume & Cover Letter workshops throughout the semester.

Pick this story up in the Spring 2018 Life4U magazine on campus.

Show Review: The Story So Far, Turnstile, & Drug Church Throw Down at The Mohawk

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Written and photos by Taylor Kokas

Despite this year’s sudden cancellation of Sound On Sound Fest, many artists were able to be rescheduled at various venues around town to perform for the live music capitol audience. The festival continued on in spirit, early that Saturday afternoon. Fans lined up on both corners of The Mohawk, awaiting performances from their favorite punk bands: Drug Church, Turnstile, and headliner The Story So Far.

Thirty minutes after the doors opened, Drug Church warmed up the crowd playing songs like “Banco Popular,” “But does it work?”and their newest single “Weed Pin”. After finishing up their short, 30 minute set, the crowd continued to grow. As casual fans played it safe and settled along the railing of the upper levels of the venue, dedicated fans and avid moshers made their way down to the front of the stage. For a good 45 minutes, Turnstile performed songs like “Drop” and “Fazed Out” inciting the crowd to throw down in the pit. Crowd surfers made their way to the stage hoping to be handed the mic from lead vocalist Brendan Yates (who occasionally tossed the mic out while he dancing around on stage). After their set, fans dispersed to grab a drink, buy some merch, or re-situate themselves for the final act.

The Story So Far Knife

The Story So Far kicked off their set playing two of their most popular songs, “Things I can’t change” and “Nerve” while also performing their newest single “Out of it.” It was a wild set, as some fans surfed their way up to the front, attempting to get a hug from lead vocalist Parker Cannon. At one point during a break between songs, Cannon was handed a switchblade, causing some shock amongst the band. Parker put it away safely in front of the drum kit and continued on with the show. Throughout the remainder of the night, fans jammed out to a setlist of the band’s greatest hits from their past three albums while also squeezing in a couple covers from Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. Fans left with a fun, memorable performance to reflect on as they exited the venue to go home and recover from their ringing eardrums.  

Pick this review up in the Spring 2018 Life4U magazine on campus.

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Wizard World Comic Con

Written by Tracy Fuller

Calling all cosplayers, pop-culture and comic book lovers, Wizard World Austin is here! If you’ve never attended Wizard World, you are in for a real treat. It’s filled with tons of panels, workshops, celebrities, gaming competitions and more.

This year’s line-up is looking particularly sweet. Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Kate Beckinsale (Underworld), Val Kilmer (Batman Forever, Top Gun), the Firefly trio of Summer Glau (Arrow),  Jewel Staite (Stargate: Atlantis) and Sean Maher (The Playboy Club), Michael Rooker  (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Walking Dead) and Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek) are celebrity guests scheduled to visit this comic con and pop culture extravaganza.

WWE Superstars, the Hardy Boyz will make an appearance on Saturday, November 18. They will embrace fans, pose for photo ops and sign autographs from 3-6 p.m.

Momoa, Glau, Staite, and Maher are scheduled to arrive on Saturday and Sunday, November 18-19; the others will be on hand, all three days.

Wizard World Comic Con Austin will also highlight non-stop live entertainment, gaming, exclusive Q&A sessions with top celebrities, movie screenings hosted by stars and directors and more.

Wizard World is the home of the most creative comics artists and writers on the planet. Artist Alley in Austin will feature Jorge Molina (Thor, Avengers), Katy Farina  and Rian Sygh (Rick & Morty, Steven Universe), Shawn Coss (Cyanide & Happiness),  Steve Geiger (Punisher, Spider-Man), Stuart Sayger (ROM, Micronauts), Guy Gilchrist  (Nancy, Muppet Babies), Phil Ortiz (The Simpsons), Tom Cook (Masters of the Universe),  Mark Kistler (Secret City), Clinton Hobart (licensed Disney Fine Artist), Genese Davis  (The Holder’s Dominion), Victor Dandridge (The Samaritan),  Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Night, Wonder Woman Psychology: Lassoing the Truth) and many others.

Wizard World Comic Con events bring thousands of fans of all ages to admire the greatest in pop culture: movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more. The 14th and final event scheduled on the 2017 Wizard World calendar, Austin show hours are Friday, November 17, 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, November 18, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, November 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids 10 and under are admitted free with paid adult.

Wizard World Comic Con Austin is also the place for cosplay, with fans young and old showing off their best costumes throughout the event. Fans dressed as every imaginable character – and some never before dreamed – will roam the convention floor and participate in the famed Wizard World Costume Contest on Saturday evening.

Halloween in Austin

Written by Tracy Fuller

The Halloween season in Austin can be indulging. With the hustle and bustle of the academic life, it’s paramount that time is made to decompress, especially after midterms. There are several events in town to suit your social craving from cult classic horror screenings to traditional 6th Street shenanigans. But remember, Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year – so play enough to make it back to class.

Halloween At The Drive-In (10/23)

What better way to celebrate Halloween than at the drive-in! The 35th anniversary of the cult classic Poltergeist is on the big screen. Drive your car right in, sit back and enjoy this classic tale of ghosts and ghouls. Moreover, the Blue Starlite Drive-In will hook you up when you get your reservation ticket, good for $10 of saloon drinks or concession stand beverages while there.

Jewels In The Wasteland: They Live (10/25)

A special screening of John Carpenter’s cult classic They Live. Wrestling-turned-actor Roddy Piper plays a drifter who accidentally finds out first hand that people have become enslaved by an alien-like elite who lurk behind an advanced system of propaganda and deceits.

This screening includes a live introduction from Austin Film Society Founder Richard Linklater (Dazed & Confused, School of Rock). Following the screening, there will be a post conversation on stage with Mr. Linklater as well.

Stranger Things Season 2 Watch Party (10/27)

Taking you to the “Upside Down” at Buzzmill to celebrate the second season of your favorite 80’s themed thriller TV series. Hosting a costume contest, specialty cocktails and Buzz Mill waffles, plus a DJ spinning a Stranger Things playlist. Leave a mark at the photo booth, and watch the Season 2 premiere on the big screen.  Come out and get like any Demogorgon would because a portion of the proceeds is going towards Hurricane Harvey relief.

Alien Apocalypse Halloween Lock-In (10/28)

The Blazer Tag “Alien Apocalypse Halloween Lock-In” is the biggest Blazer Tag event of the season with tons of games, trivia, and all-night laser tag! Show up in your best Halloween costume, and you could have a chance at winning the Colossal Costume Contest. Not to mention, showing off in the arcade. There will be prizes and giveaways all the way until the sun comes up!

LCD Soundsystem with special guest Big Freedia (10/31)

Dance yourself clean with LCD Soundsystem at the Austin360 Amphitheater. After reuniting, the band is on their ‘American Dream’ tour with the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia. It should be a boo-ty shaking time. Doors at 7, show at 8p.

House of Torment (9/22-11/11)

A Halloween staple for the Austin area is House of Torment. Every year people line up to get their fright fix. Even while standing in line, you will get a taste of what’s coming. It’s a unique experience for everyone due to the control room operators. They can trigger different effects for each patron, making it a complete and unexpected time for everyone. It is named as the number one haunt in America by Hauntworld Magazine.

 

Austin City Limits 2017

Written and photos by Halie Davis

Pulling in headliners as Jay-Z, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Killers, Chance The Rapper and Gorrillaz, made for a variety of dance parties across the stages. If those artists just weren’t an attendees jam, silent disco was offered. Adding in a new stage this year (Barton Springs) and the festival merchandise store, it’s evident to see the growth of the festival.

We were able to take some photos of bands we were able to catch, from the multi-talented musician Tash Sultana to Austin’s The Black Angels. There is more to be found on aclfestival.com.

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ACC at PRIDE Parade

Written by Ruben Hernandez
Photos by Stefanie Vermillion

The annual Austin Pride Parade is a festivity that comes once a year. From across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, the festival allows self-expression in a variety of forms from all walks of life. While the Pride Parade isn’t Austin-exclusive, locals did use this as an opportunity to hit the streets and enjoy Austin’s nightlife. Many establishments, like Apple and Google, marched to show their Pride spirit. ACC was no exception to the long list of organizations that marched through downtown Austin on September 30th.

“I think it’s of paramount importance that you celebrate Pride, especially in times like these,” second-year ACC student Jacob Silverthorne said. “The point is to be loud and proud, and to remind people that no matter what they do or if they’re trying to take away our rights, that we’re not going anywhere. We’re still going to be here.”

Pride is a big deal for many. Some see it as a way to acknowledge a group of people who may not always have the spotlight. It’s a way for people to come together for a better cause.

“The Pride Parade is a celebration of our difficult past, our current place in society, and where we are going,” first year ACC Student Patrick Rodriguez said. “I feel pride is a way for people to come together and say, ‘We are gay and we deserve an equal place in the world.’ Even though the parade has evolved into many varied forms, it still shows our diverse and varied cultures within the LGBTQ and friends community.“

Not only is it important to some that the general public celebrates Pride, it is also comforting for others to know that ACC celebrates with them. Having an entry in the parade shows that ACC is supportive to those that are members of the LGBTQ community.

“Knowing that ACC is involved regardless of the political or religious rhetoric, shows me that the school supports an equitable environment that is committed to treating all of its students with respect,” SIlverthorne said. “Just simply having ACC attend, and show their support for LGBTQ rights goes a long way in making not only me feel welcome, but also other LGBTQ students as well.”

The Pride Parade is a sight to see for many first-timers. Silverthorne believes that while it may be fun to attend, there’s a lesson that attendees should walk away with.

“If someone went to Pride and had to learn something, I think that they should learn that we’re just like everyone else – people who value our freedom,” Silverthorne said. “We also value our liberty and our ability to search for happiness in the one life that we get. LGBTQ lives are just as important as theirs, or anyone else for that matter.”

Due to weather complications from Hurricane Harvey, the Pride Parade was rescheduled. The Pride Festival is set for October 21st in Austin at Fiesta Gardens.

More photos of ACC at Pride Parade can be found on the ACC LGBT eQuity Facebook page.

Prizes, Pizza, and Kombucha Pop: A Look at the Eastview Campus Fall Fest

Story and photos by Shaina Kambo, Reporter

Eastview Campus hosted the Fall Fest, a student appreciation event providing free food, admission, and activities open to all ACC students.

The seventeen-member Enrollment Management Team at Eastview Campus organized the October 15 event.  Recruiting Advising Specialist Kendra Singletary said the aim of putting on such an event was to allow students to have a moment to relax between classes.

“It’s a way for students to get to know their enrollment management team and get together [with] some of their fellow classmates in a fun environment,” Singletary said.

The arrival of midday brought along several curious and hungry students who ate pizza and candy coated popcorn while trying out the different activities including shooting basketballs into inflatable hoops , competing in a game of indoor soccer, and trying to score against their opponents in the  Fake- It-‘til- You-Make-It Challenge: a game involving opposite facing players  moving against the pull of an elastic cord which joins them together in an attempt to dunk a basketball their corresponding hoop.

The management team joined in on the amusement. Event coordinator and Recruiting Advising Specialist Vincent Bustillos said he had no qualms with defeating his coworkers at the Fake-It Challenge on more than one occasion.

He also said that various organizations such as H-E-B, ACC Student Life, and the ACC Bookstore, donated food and giveaway items for the Fall Fest. LIVE Soda Kombucha “generously donated over eighty bottles” of the organic beverage for the event, Bustillos said. “[I] definitely want to give them recognition.” He hopes to help organize future campus events for students to enjoy.

As the raffle numbers were announced, several students glanced at their blue tickets in anticipation to win something. The first prize of the afternoon, a twenty dollar gift card to H-E-B, was awarded to freshman Mikhayla Johnson, the first of several raffle winners.

Megan Reyes, who’s in her fourth semester at ACC, walked away with a LIVE Soda case containing coupons for free drinks, a hat, t-shirt, and a bandana. Fifteen minutes later, Amy Deng, a dental hygiene major, won an ACC backpack including a school-themed banner, t-shirt, sunglasses, and water bottle.

Student Derrick Ellis said that he enjoyed the event and would like to see “more events like this”. Ellis spent much of his time at the event competing against first-year Meagan Harper in a game of life-size Connect Four.

 

 

 

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FACE-OFF – Students competing against each other in the Fake- It-‘Til-You-Make-It Challenge.

 

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PIZZA-APPRECIATION – Students enjoying some pizza.

 

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IN-BETWEEN – Students taking a break between classes during the Fall Fest.

 

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ALL SMILES – Recruiting advising specialist Kendra Singletary enjoying the festivities.

A Surreal Steve-O

Story by Christian Santiago, reporter

In lieu of recording his Showtime comedy special at the Paramount Theater on November 21, Steve-O of Jackass fame took some time to speak with Accent to answer a few questions.

Accent: What inspires you? What’s the inspiration for the things that you do?

Steve-O: “My main inspiration is the fact that I am an attention whore. I’m also a sensitive guy, it’s important to me to be impressive.”

A: As a stand up comic, are there any other comedians that you look up to?

S: “Dane Cook was a big deal for me. He put the wind in my sails early on. Beyond that I generally don’t model myself after anybody. My experience in life as a drug addict, alcoholic, sex addict, and as a maniac is where I draw my material from.”

A: Your fans have grown to love you by watching you go through some sort of pain or get sick by your own stunts. What is it like to have so many fans that love to watch you go through that?

S: “I don’t feel like my fans are sadistic, I just feel like there is an inherent compulsion for people to stare at accidents and be comforted by the misfortune of others. I think Jackass was about manufacturing accidents for this reason.

A: What motivated you to work with and promote the efforts of the David Lynch Foundation including starting a fundraiser?

S: “David Lynch teaches transcendental meditation. The program that I am raising money for is to bring this [program] to inner city youth. I have been practicing transcendental meditation for two and a half years and it’s really helped.”

A: How did you come up with the seaworld protest?

S: “The whole thing was really random. My buddies and I were looking for cool stunts to do with drones, but I thought it would be a really cool shot to bring a killer whale, and it would be a great publicity stunt for bringing attention to Sea world”

A: You’ve gone from home movies, to TV series, to feature films. You’ve published a book, and you’ve garnered a following on your Youtube channel. What’s your favorite medium to work in? And If you had a choice, how would you like to continue entertaining your fans in the future?

S: “I love it all, and again, thats because I’m an attention whore through and through. Right now I am looking to make my own movie and I have a great idea for it. That and my stand up is another thing I am working on. I can’t tell you enough how excited I am to come to Austin and perform. I feel like this is my opportunity to really break through. I love Austin, and this is going to be the best show [The Paramount] has ever had.”

Steve-O is extending a special invitation to ACC students. Purchase your tickets online at tickets.austintheatre.org, use promo code “jailed” to get a discount on your purchase.