Vol. 65, Issue 1
Est. 1981
January 24 - January 31, 2023
THE PAISANO
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /ThePaisano
/PaisanoOnline
@ThePaisano
@PaisanoMedia
Paisano-Online.com
50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade spurs demonsrations on both sides Pro-choice protest held in downtown
Pro-life movement takes to the streets By Gauri Raje News Editor
By Gauri Raje News Editor
n the eve of Roe v. Wade’s 50th anniversary, the San Antonio March for Life took place at the Main Plaza in downtown San Antonio. The event occurred six months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Chants of “Texas is pro-life” were repeated as the event began with a prayer from the chairman for San Antonio March for Life and followed by the National Anthem. The chairman also called on the crowd to “defeat” the San Antonio Justice Charter, which includes decriminalization of abortion. The first speaker at the event was senior Galaxy Acton, the president of Students for Life at UTSA. “We love participating in any pro-life march and also any counter-protest because it’s important for everyone to know that the prolife generation is here — we’re not silent, and there’s a good amount of us,” Acton said. At the event, Acton spoke about what it is like to be a prolife student facing harassment for her beliefs. Acton elaborated on one such experience which was met with a lukewarm response from UTSA admin. “Regarding this incident of [oncampus harassment], it’s been reported … [we were both present] at the meetings to give our side, provide the evidence, everything, just for us to be told … ‘You’re still out tabling. Obviously, you don’t feel [threatened], obviously, you don’t feel harassed,’” Acton said. “And, you know, that’s hurtful because, at the end of the day, we’ve been saying, ‘Parents need us, and I’m not gonna be quiet because I’m being yelled at or ‘cause I’m being called names.’ Someone needs me.” According to Acton, Students for Life America has been helping the oncampus chapter. The former has sent a letter to UTSA regarding the incident, to which a response is still pending. “[It also hurts the pro-life movement] because we’ve had people say, ‘I don’t wanna join because of the hate that you receive.’ We’ve had people leave because of mental health reasons, because of this,” Acton added. Access to abortion, as it stands now, is prohibited in the state of Texas. This
On the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, pro-choice citizens from across San Antonio and beyond gathered at 214 W Nueva St. to
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includes a ban on all abortions past the six-week mark and a trigger law that makes performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to life in prison. Similar bans have been enacted in other states across the U.S. Pedro Björn Ovin Suarez, vice president for Students for Life at UTSA, responded to the notion that, given this near-total abortion ban, America as a country is headed in a backward direction. Suarez said that the pro-life movement “realizes that abortion is a violent and traumatic experience both for the pre-born obviously and for the mother as well.” “When people say that we’re going back to past times, I really don’t think so,” Suarez said.
“We love participating in any pro-life march and also any counter-protest because it’s important for people to know that the pro-life generation is here ...” Read the full article at paisano-online.com
the effects of the Supreme Court ruling last year. One of the first speakers at the event was Vanessa Canauhtli, a member of Mujeres Marcharán and Autonomous Brown Berets De San Anto. Canauhtli emphasized the fact that the Democratic party “does not have the power to legalize abortion in Texas.” “What they need is a mass mobilization of people just like you — people committed to the everyday work of connecting people of all backgrounds [who] struggle under the brutality of white supremacy, capitalism and patriarchy,” Canauhtli said. “An alternative power structure, so huge, so loud and well supported that they cannot ignore us and they have to hear our demands.” Canauhtli also highlighted the importance of demanding the right to abortion and putting pressure on the government, adding that activism is not an easy task. “There are risks, there are friends and loved ones who will leave, but in their place, you will gain Dustin Vickers/The Paisano comrades, and a comrade participate in an abortion rights protest. is a true partner in struggle, who sees The protest was a part of several of the same light in you and brings you its kind held in cities around Texas, new joy,” Canauhtli said. “It is with this including Austin, Houston, Dallas and spirit which will guide us through these Waco, collectively termed “Texas Day dark, dystopian times.” of Action.” The event in San Antonio was hosted by Mujeres Marcharán, Sueños Sin Fronteras, AVOW, R.E.D. “There are risks, there Moon Project and the Party for are friends and loved ones Socialism and Liberation. who will leave, but in their In September of 2021, a law place, you will gain combanning abortions after the six-week rades, and a comrade is a mark was enacted in Texas. The law true partner in struggle...” also allowed private citizens to sue abortion providers and anyone who helps a pregnant individual get an abortion. After the Supreme Court Canauhtli’s speech was followed by overturned Roe v. Wade in August of chants of “legalize abortion once and last year, the state’s trigger law, which for all.” made performing an abortion a felony The crowd then welcomed the next punishable by up to life in prison, also speaker of the event, Rockie Gonzalez, went into effect. who serves as deputy director at the The event, which took place on Austin Justice Coalition. Gonzalez also Sunday, Jan. 22, featured speakers co-founded the Frontera Fund, which is from organizations and individuals that an abortion fund serving the Rio Grande have been actively fighting for the right Valley and is the founder of the R.E.D. to legal abortion in the state of Texas Moon project. following the aforementioned ban and Read the full article at paisano-online.com
New $91.8 million facility home to UTSA’s School of Data Science By Gauri Raje News Editor
of Labor Statistics lists the job outlook for the field as being “much faster than average,” with a projected growth of 36 percent from 2021 to 2031. Given the growth of data science and its increasing importance, President Eighmy highlighted the unique
On Jan. 9, 2023, UTSA inaugurated San Pedro I, which houses the new School of Data Science and the National Security Collaboration Center. The new building, located at 506 Dolorosa St., is a part of the university’s larger efforts to expand its downtown presence. IBM describes data science as a discipline that “combines math and statistics, specialized programming, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning with specific subject President Taylor Eighmy speaks at the opneing matter expertise of San Pedro I to uncover actionable insights hidden in an government, university, organization’s data.” industry and national security Despite being a relatively ecosystem here in San Antonio new field, data science is one at the opening ceremony. of the fastest-growing industry Eighmy went on to state that in the nation. The U.S. Bureau
the university has an obligation to advance equity, develop the workforce of the future and drive the economy of San Antonio and Texas as a whole. “San Pedro I is so much more than a new building; it’s a testament to UTSA’s commitment to serve San Antonio, especially our Downtown community, around these incredible national security and data science ecosystems that we have here in San Antonio,” Eighmy said. “We have the opportunity UTSA Courtesy Photo to educate and prepare the next generation of data science leaders … especially from the equity lens that is core to who we are at UTSA...”
See San Pedro on Page 2
Engagement in UTSA’s film and media program led by student urgency By Mason Hickok Editor-in-Chief It started in a GroupMe In the days leading up to the start of the fall 2022 semester, students in the forthcoming film and media program were hard at work to start a club. Finally, in mid-October, the Entertainment and Film Club formally held its first meeting. Club president Noah Reyes described how students were communicating in the Film and Media GroupMe about wanting to start a club as soon as possible. The group went to Student Activities and began the logistical process of registering a student organization. “We just kind of came together and put all [of] our ideas together,” Reyes said. “[We] assigned our positions based on what we think would work the best, and we tried to
enforce what would become the Entertainment and Film Club.” Reyes hopes that people joining the club can find a sense of community and diversity. “[We hope] other people bring their own experiences and own knowledge to the table, and we can learn from each other,” Reyes said. “And who knows, somebody may find their future career, which could set them on a really good path in life.” To learn and to create Vice President Emily Flores described what the early days of the club looked like and the conversations with the officers on what structure the club should take. “We talked about our motto [and] what we wanted the club to look like,” Flores said. “People wanted to learn, and they also wanted to create; so we came up with ‘to learn and to create.’”
See Film on Page 2