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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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Dreaming of an American Education

Written and Filmed by Ruben Hernandez[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Living the American dream is something that many people have chased for years. For those living in the United States, it can be achieved with a great amount of effort and relentlessness. However, those who have found their way into the states from another country have a few extra obstacles to overcome. Alex Albino, a Dreamer and DACA recipient, is one of these people.

“I was born in Celaya, Mexico,” Albino said. “More specifically in the state of Guanajuato. My family and I moved to a smaller town, but at the age of eight we relocated to the United States because my parents were having legal issues with a small business that we had. We came to the States to support ourselves and live a better life.”

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act protects young immigrants from the risk of deportation. With the potential repeal of this act currently being discussed among political and governmental entities, Dreamers, like Albino, have to be aware now more than ever.

“While I have four siblings, my older brother, my twin brother and I are the ones protected by DACA,” Albino said. “There are some things you have to do in order to be eligible to be protected, which some people don’t know about. I’m not sure how much trouble a 16 year-old can get into, but part of the process was me having to undergo a background screening. My older brother was also drug-tested.”

Albino is one of thousands of immigrants with protection under DACA. However, that is only a first step towards the end goal of American citizenship.

“They checked if we were going to school or not at that time,” Albino said. “They also checked things like what year we came into this country and how old we were. In the end, they gave us what is similar to an ID, but instead is basically a work permit. It lets me work anywhere in the United States.”
Albino says that there is plenty to the process of becoming protected and keeping his DACA status, especially in the legal sense. However, when it comes to daily life in the U.S., Albino and his family want to live their American dream.

“We try not to stand out as much,” Albino said. “That’s especially due to the current administration, and because we aren’t from here. We just live life; we pay our taxes, work day-by-day, and strive. We also try to stay out of trouble, simply because we are trying to become good citizens of this country.”

In his time since moving here, Albino believes that he has found a good place to start and make something of himself. He’s found many opportunities that he says wouldn’t have been presented in Mexico.

“Socially, I think I’m striving,” Albino said. “I try to be as social of a person as I can. Also, some people think that it is difficult learning English, but I will say that English is one of my strongest subjects. Growing up here – for the most part – I’ve grown culturally attached to the language.”
Many DACA recipients have the common goal of wanting to live a normal, American life. While the political side of the DACA discussion may be a constant debate, no words are necessary to understand the peace that many immigrants are wanting to obtain for themselves.

“I’m personally appreciative,” Albino said. “I’m appreciative for every day I’m here, and I would not trade it for a moment in Mexico. In general, I think we’re all living for the American dream. I love being able to stay in the country and being able to enjoy the opportunities that others have.”

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Mental Health

Written by Ruben Hernandez

Mental health is the foundation of our existence. Not only does our own mental health affect our well-being, it attributes to how we operate, react and feel.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Mental illnesses are categorized into two sections: Any Mental Illness (AMI), and Serious Mental Illness (SMI). AMI covers all of the general mental illnesses, while SMIs are a smaller and more severe subcategory of AMIs.

AMI is defined as any sort of mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. These disorders can range from a mildly impactive disorder to one that causes severe impairment. As of 2016, there are 44.7 million U.S. adults with AMI, which is 18.3 percent of the U.S. adult population.

SMI is defined as mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that causes functional impairment and interferes with major life activities. There are 10.8 million U.S. adults with SMI, representing 4.2 percent of the U.S. adult population.

Almost one in five adults over the age of 18 have some sort of mental illness. It seems that mental illnesses are becoming more common and are caused by a variety of factors.

According to a 2014 study by Oxford University, serious mental illnesses can reduce life expectancy by 10 to 20 years. More specifically, the reduction in life expectancy in bipolar disorder, for example, is between nine and 20 years, and seven to 11 years for recurring depression. The reduction of life expectancy among smokers is eight to 10 years. Yet, we publicly recognize smoking as more of a problem than having a form of anxiety or being diagnosed with depression.

So, why don’t we worry about our mental health more often? Part of that answer seems that we don’t want to. There are people who feel no urge to worry about their mental health because it’s a hindrance to their goals. Many, also, tend to push their feelings to the back of their minds. Others believe there isn’t enough time for their emotions, as they are occupied on juggling activities such as work and education.

Those with mental illnesses that are still in school, such as young adolescents, have seen hindered progress towards attaining their education. According to Columbia University, anxiety disorders affect 31.9% percent of all adolescents, and co-occur in one third of depressed youth, and attribute to a reduced likelihood of not attending college. Those with a repeated occurrence of social phobia are almost twice as likely to fail a grade or not finish high school.

One way to help this is acknowledging your mental illness. While that is easier said than done, just being able to recognize the fact that there is something wrong is a step in the process of living and coping with a mental illness.

Those impacted by mental illnesses usually experience it in their own way, so offering solutions like “just go workout” is a gray area.
Counseling, therapy, medication and even service animals are ways to nullify the effects of a mental illness.

However, none of those can totally erase the impact of having an illness. There isn’t a “cure” to mental illness.
We can offer possible solutions to help live and cope with our mental illnesses, but there’s one thing about wanting to ease the impacts of an illness: it’s all a solo journey. You are the person responsible for your own journey, and while others can help and support, it’s all on you to make the decision to overcome your struggles. So, take a deep breath. Relax. If you find that you might be struggling with any sort of illness or disorder, know that it is okay to feel the way that you do. You are not alone.

If you need assistance, please utilize the counselors at ACC at austincc.edu/students/counseling.

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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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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Photos of SXSW 2018

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Photos by Tracy Fuller

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Ending Hate

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By Halie Davis

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.”

The 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.”

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Hunger & Homelessness

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

homeless-hunger — 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.”

homeless statistics — 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.

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Motivation in a New Year

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Written by Arlenne Lozano
Video from the Student Life Chronicle

Motivation is a force that drives people to execute goals. Sustaining motivation can pay off in many ways; such as achieving personal goals, feeling successful or earning a reward. Hard work does pay off. Whether it’s working towards a degree or continuing education, the struggle to keep the motivation is real.

“I think we’re naturally goal-directed; we have a purpose for doing most things,” says ACC Counselor Dawn Allison. “‘I want this degree for this career’ or something like that, but then there is just every day slogging through the homework, studies, and attendance, so sometimes we lose sight of that.”

So, how can students keep the motivation going in the upcoming year and semester?

Have S.M.A.R.T. Goals:
Specific – A person who knows what their goals are is off to a good start but it can become a problem if that goal is too broad. The more specific and narrow the goal is, the more manageable and achievable. Ask personal questions, such as: why is this goal important to me? What do I want to accomplish with this goal in mind? What resources do I have that will allow me to accomplish the goal?

Measurable – Having a goal that is measurable is important because it helps one keep track of the progress. Having access to measuring a goal opens the ability to stay focused and meet important deadlines.

Achievable – Having achievable goals is vital to the process itself. Continue to reach for the stars, but think about the realistic ways you can get there. Ask yourself, “what skills are necessary for a particular goal” – what is needed to build them – go from there.

Relevant – Sometimes a person’s goals are influenced by family, friends, other loved ones.

Another important question to ask yourself, “is this my goal?” Maybe trying to be an engineer, just because the family does it, is not what you truly want as a career. Making a goal personal can turn out to be very rewarding.

Time-limiting/Time-bound – Create a deadline or target date for each goal. Think about what you can accomplish in six days, weeks, months, and years from today. Think about what there is to do today i order to meet that deadline.

Prioritize:
Students have a lot going on that requires a day-to-day balancing act. Prioritizing responsibilities can help make the tasks less intrusive, stressful and overbearing on one’s personal life.

Know What Personally Motivates You:
It is important for all individuals to understand what personally drives them each and every day.Allison said, “We’re driven by something to look forward to.” Perhaps the source is money, a new car, a degree, or good grades.

See an Advisor/Counselor:
Seeing an advisor can be important for students to find the help they might need. Students might need help with transferring, choosing classes, or knowing what their next academic step is. Educational goals can be either short or long-term, so it is important to take advantage of given opportunities. Make an appointment with a counselor at austincc.edu/support-and-services.

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