5 | ARTS & LIFE
3 | OPINION
2 | NEWS State of the City — Week of 11/15/2022 Vol. 65, Issue 12
7 | SPORTS
A Rendition of ‘The Brothers Grimm Story’
From red tsunami to red ripple
Is UTSA football underrated?
Est. 1981
November 15 - November 22, 2022
THE PAISANO
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‘Tres Culturas, Un Puerto Rico’ event honors Puerto Rico’s three cultures Read the full story in the Arts & Life section
Abortion: In California, voters approved an amendment to add “reproductive freedom” to the state’s constitution, which includes abortion, contraception and other pregnancy-related matters. A similar amendment was passed in Vermont that protects an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy, liberty and dignity. In Kentucky, voters rejected a measure that stated there is no state constitutional right to abortion. In Montana, voters defeated a measure that declared infants born at any developmental state to be legal persons deserving of medical care.
Camila Martinez Rivera/The Paisano
University celebrates first-gen students with week-long event
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By Gauri Raje News Editor
ast week, UTSA hosted “First-Gen Fest,” a week-long event featuring various programs to celebrate the university’s firstgeneration students, while also providing them with help and guidance as they navigate college. The fest kicked off on Monday, Nov. 7, with a Major/Career Exploration Workshop and a virtual First-Gen Family Social. The festival’s main event took place on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at the UTSA Central Plaza and commemorated National First-Gen Day. Several other events were held throughout the next two days. The fest ended on Veterans Day with a First-Generation Veteran Identity Workshop, which was aimed at recognizing military veteran students who are also first-generation.. “45% of our students are firstgen, and 15% of our students are military affiliated … we have several veteran students who are
Last week, UTSA hosted “First-Gen Fest” to celebrate its first-generation students.
also first-gen and so, we wanted to acknowledge that,” Tammy Wyatt, vice provost for student success, said. Currently, UTSA offers its first-generation students a variety of resources, the most notable being the university’s First to Go & Graduate Program, which falls under the larger FirstGeneration and Transfer Student programs offered. Through the former, first-generation students can connect with a peer mentor who is also a first-generation student at UTSA. In addition, students are also assigned a faculty coach, who works with students and peer mentors to provide further guidance and assistance. “[Peer mentors can help students] talk ... through experiences that they may have had that were similar … any struggles … challenges or any highlights,” Wyatt said. Any first-generation student who meets the requirements can apply to be a peer mentor.
See Fest on Page 2
Photo courtesy of KC Gonzalez, senior associate director of academicstrategic commnications
‘Sex Talk 2.0’ creates safe space for sexual health discussions
During “Sex Talk 2.0,” panelists answered any questions students had about sexual health and wellbeing.
By Jessica McLaren Assistant News Editor
On Wednesday, Nov. 9, UTSA Wellbeing Services hosted its biannual sexual health education and violence prevention panel in the Denman Ballroom (SU 2.01.28). “Sex Talk 2.0,” which takes place once every semester, serves to create “a safe space for students to ask questions about sex as it pertains to their health and wellbeing.” Last week’s discussion involved a panel of sexual health experts from San Antonio Metro Health, Planned Parenthood, Kind Clinic, Operation Brave, BAE-B-SAFE and a woman-owned local business, Love Shack Boutique. In the weeks leading up to the panel, students had the opportunity to submit anonymous questions through an online questionnaire. Wellbeing Education Coordinator Jamie Singh believes this helps to relieve some of the pressure students may feel when asking questions,
What passed during last week’s elections?
Jessica McLaren/The Paisano
especially with the open and honest environment that Sex Talk provides. “On the questionnaire itself, we have it written to where [students] can ask us anything, judgment-free and we say this in the beginning before we even start answering questions at the panel [and] if anyone is being disrespectful, they will be asked to leave,” Singh said. “I don’t have any tolerance for that … I have no problem calling someone out … especially if I let them know beforehand.” Singh further explained that although some sex-related questions can certainly generate a laugh, it is important to take them seriously in the context of sexual health and wellbeing. “Whether this is a joke or not, I can’t treat it that way because that’s how you get those unhealthy environments,” Singh said. “[We] provide information . . . that’s truly the goal [of Sex Talk].”
See Testing on Page 2
Marijuana: Voters in Arkansas, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota faced citizeninitiated measures to legalize marijuana. The initiative was approved in Missouri and defeated in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. The initiative was also approved in Maryland, where representatives left it up to the voters to decide. Missouri also proposed an initiative that would enact a 6% tax on recreational marijuana to fund certain programs. Voting-related policies: Connecticut approved an amendment to allow in-person early voting, as it previously did not provide voters with this option. In Michigan, voters approved an initiative establishing certain voting policies as rights in the state constitution. These policies include nine required days of early voting, state-funded prepaid stamps, an absentee ballot tracking system and more. Voters in Arizona and Nebraska decided on measures regarding voter identification requirements, and voters in Ohio approved an amendment to prohibit local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote. In Colorado, voters approved a proposal regarding presentation of income-taxrelated initiatives on the ballot. Enslavement, servitude and criminal punishment: Voters in Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont decided on whether to repeal language from their state constitution that allows for enslavement or servitude as a form of criminal punishment or, in Vermont, as a form of debt repayment. Alabama, Oregon and Tennessee approved the initiative to change the wording, while Louisiana rejected the measure. Workers rights: Although a final determination has not been made, Illinois is on track to protect workers’ rights with Amendment 1, which states that workers have the right to organize and bargain collectively. The amendment would also prohibit any law that interfered with this right.