Vol. 66, Issue 4
Est. 1981
September 19 - September 26, 2023
THE PAISANO
Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio Community /PaisanoOnline
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UTSA launches Hispanic Heritage Month with Jovita Idár Quarter Release
Dustin Vickers/The Paisano
By Faith Kouadio Staff Writer
Dustin Vickers/The Paisano
reer in teaching, she began her career in journalism by writing for her father’s newspaper, “La Crónica,” which discussed current events concerning the civil rights of Tejanos. As a result, Idár developed a strong sense of justice, leading her to organize the First Mexican Congress with her family to help fight racism and the increasing lynching of Tejanos, promote the teaching of Spanish and bilingualism in schools and support the Mexican Revolution. Along with her friend Leanor Villegas de Magnoń, Idár supported La Cruz Blanca by assembling Mexican-American women to be nurses in the Revolution. She founded and served as the first President of “La Liga Femenil Mexicanista” (The League of Mexican Women), which successfully drew women’s participation into public spheres and matters. Idár eventually became a staff member at “El Progreso,” where she published an article criticizing President Woodrow Wilson’s order to send military troops to the border during the Mexican Revolution. The Texas Rangers were sent to shut “El Progreso” down forcibly. Idár refused to shut it down, blocked their entry by standing at the door and defended her First Amendment right to the freedom of the press. The Rangers returned the following day in Idár’s absence and physically destroyed the press with sledgehammers. After her father’s death, she took over “La Crónica” and established her newspaper, “Evolución.” She later moved to San Antonio, where she started a free nursery school and co-editMexican-American and multi-award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa was the keynote speaker for the event. ed for “El Heraldo Christia-
no.” Idár passed away poured 2000 in 1946. Jovita Idár The Quarter Requarters into a lease event began with a display of Mexishort documentary about can mosaic tiles. Idár’s life and a perforThe Mariachi Los us tin mance by UTSA’s Mariachi Paisanos and Ballet Vic k e rs Los Paisanos. UTSA PresiFolklorico concluded the /The Paisano dent Taylor Eighmy spoke a few night with a traditional dance. words at the introduction: “Jovita was All guests in attendance received a Jovita a powerful force with ideas far ahead of Idár quarter. her time. She believed education was the foundation for a better future and fought tirelessly to bring equal opportunities for all.” Amongst the honored guests were the “Jovita was a powerful descendents and family of Idár. Deputy force with ideas far Director of the U.S. Mint, Kristie McNalahead of her time. She ly, then followed to talk about Idár and the believed education was creation of the American Women Quarters the foundation for a Program. better future and fought The keynote speaker for the event was tirelessly to bring equal Mexican-American and multi-award-winopportunities for all.” ning journalist, Maria Hinojosa. Hinojosa spoke about her experience as one of the foremost Mexican-American journalists today and what Idár’s legacy means to her. “I’m ashamed, but I’m not surprised that The Buena Vista theater was full of atI didn’t know about Jovita. For me, it was tendees excited by the representation of Frederick Douglass and Ida B. Wells that Idár in the quarter. Alansa, a history stuI understood were like my godmother and dent at Texas A&M San Antonio, says: “I my godfather of journalism. And then, I always tell my friends that Hispanic hisdiscovered Jovita. So now, I not only have tory is just so overlooked, especially in Ida and Frederick, I have ‘mi angelita JoTexas. I have my friend asking me who vita,’ Hinoja said. “In this work, there is light, but there is [also] a lot of darkness. Cesar Chavez is when we’re driving down Jovita knew that light, and she knew that the street. She’s like, ‘who is that?’ I’m darkness. But there’s this thing about Jo- like, ‘you should know who this is.’” Alansa’s grandmother Elsa, who immivita, that we all feel, that she had this duty, grated to Laredo, added: “We should be this total sense of civic duty.” proud and also try to learn, and if we don’t McNally presented Idár’s great-niece, learn, try to encourage people to learn Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Lopez, and Presiabout the heritage we’re bringing into this dent Eighmy each with two American country.” Woman Quarters. All speakers, Reverend The full Jovita Idár Quarter Release Dr. Elizabeth Lopez and Jennifer Herrera, Celebration video is available on the Buethe Vice President of External Affairs for na Vista Theater YouTube channel. the National Women’s History Museum, D
UTSA hosted the Jovita Idár Quarter Release Thursday at the downtown Buena Vista Theater in collaboration with the United States Mint and the National Women’s History Museum. The event commemorated the achievements of Mexican-American journalist, suffragist and activist Jovita Idár with the creation of her dedicated quarter. It also served to launch Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The quarter is the ninth and most recent in the national American Women Quarters Program, which features prominent American women and began dedications with Maya Angelou and Dr. Sally Ride. The design is printed on the reverse, or the tail side, of a regular quarter. On it, there is a portrait of Idár with her hands clasped, and on her dress are miniature inscriptions of her accomplishments, careers and the newspapers she wrote for. The art was designed by John P. McGraw. Idár was born in 1885 in Laredo, Texas. After resigning from a short ca-
HCAP merges demography and sociology departments
By Misty Olawunmi Staff Writer
“We talked about the pros and cons of bringing these two departments together. It was sort of an overwhelming sense that this was a win-win for students.” Current sociology and demography students will not be affected in the immediate short term as the existing programs remain the same. Instead, the merger will provide more opportunities for students to explore the curriculum and classes they can take and link the two programs together. “One thing we want to explore is within the undergraduate sociology program [where] we could create a couple of different concentrations. We’re hoping that we’ll kind of have different routes [so] that students can [access] different
connections between the classroom and money and spending it on cigarettes and careers,” Swisher said. “I think it’s going different things that social policy makers to both appeal to students’ interests [and] don’t think the family should do,” Swisher also provide all students with an expanded said. toolkit of skills.” “It’s really [about] trusting families to In addition to the skills undergraduates make the best decisions for themselves.” can learn, there is also a keen interest For more information about the in increasing the collaboration between programs the Department of Sociology students and faculty within all programs in and Demography provides, visit the research. For example, Professor Melinda department’s website or contact the Denton and Professor Kara Joyner department chair at raymond.swisher@ are collaborating on the San Antonio utsa.edu. Generating Opportunities for Achieving Lasting Success Initiative. The project is a basic income program for lower income families in San Antonio that aims to promote long-term growth by providing families income and mentoring them in their finances. “The goal is to promote financial solvency and selfsufficiency for families. It’s kind of a departure from the way we used to view welfare payments [like] concerns The HCAP Student Success Center (MS 2.02.36) offers tutoring, peer about families misusing the mentorship and workshops to support student success.
Dustin Vickers/The Paisano
The Departments of Demography and Sociology in the College for Health, Community and Policy recently merged into one department. Now known as the Department of Sociology and Demography, the program aims to increase collaboration between similar interests in health disparities, immigration, racial and ethnic inequalities and more. According to department chair Ray Swisher, the merger was an easy decision based on the benefits and the strong foundation between the two disciplines. “All but one of the demography faculty have PhDs in sociology. More importantly, they do research that’s very comparable,” Swisher said. “The faculties met separately last year. We talked about the pros and cons of bringing these two departments together. It was sort of an overwhelming sense that this was a winwin for students.” The department consists of five degree programs: a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Bachelor of Science in Health, Aging and Society, a Master of Science in Applied Demography, a Master of Science in Sociology and a doctorate in Applied Demography.