VOL . 102, no. 7
t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f t e x a s at e l pa s o
October 4, 2016
“I could care less if my hair makes you uncomfortable” UTEP’s Black Student Union stands with natural hair movement
michalea Román / The Prospector Black Student Union member and senior interdisciplary studies major Tasha Morris-Perez plays with her daughter Kiara’s hair in between shots at their natural hair photo shoot.
by Michaela Román The Prospector If a person’s appearance is tied to their culture, but is not permanent, that person can now legally be denied employment. UTEP’s Black Student Union set up a protest photo shoot on Sunday, Sept. 25 at Leech Grove to stand in support with those who have faced natural discrimination nationally and internationally throughout the last few months. At the start of this school year, students at Pretoria High School For Girls, a public school in the capital of South Africa, reported that staff would tell them that “they look like monkeys, or have nests on their heads.” The girls began spreading the hashtag #StopRacismAtPretoriaGirlsHigh via social media and it wasn’t long before they received international attention.
“We experience the same things here in the states,” said Shyla Cooks, senior biology major and president of the BSU. “Often natural hair is looked down on as being
You conforming basically means you’re giving up being yourself—you’re giving up being black.
- Antton Robinson, Black Student Union vice president
ugly or needing to be tamed in all settings.” According to the Pretoria school’s code of conduct, student’s hair must be brushed and neatly tied back. Although cornrows and braids are allowed, they must be at a maximum diameter of 10mm and girls are not allowed to have Afros. Cooks noticed the PHS girl’s bravery to protest and said that even though they’re in a place as remote as El Paso, they felt they should still give the girls a voice. “It’s so ridiculous that it’s hair because it’s self identity,” Cooks said. “Your natural hair identifies you, why should you be stopped to wear your hair?” Just a month after the South African students protested their right to natural hair, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld employers’ right to deny potential employees based on their hairstyle. In 2010 in Mobile, Alabama,
Chastity Jones, a woman with dreadlocks, was getting ready to start a job when human resources let her know she could not keep her dreads because according to company policy they “tend to get messy.” The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission took Jones’ issue to court and on Sept. 15, in a 3-0 ruling, the court agreed that dreadlocks are not immutable (unable to be changed over time) and employers are allowed to ask employees to change that. “One time in high school, I came to school with my (natural) hair and people were like ‘why is your hair like that?’ ‘Why don’t you pick it out?’ or ‘Why don’t you cut it off ?’ ‘Why is your hair so nappy?’, said junior Antton Robinson, vice president of the BSU. “You don’t want to just conform to everyone else’s standards because you conforming basically means
you’re giving up being yourself— you’re giving up being black.” The natural hair movement is something sophomore nursing major Sonia Mugeni has been practicing since she was a junior in high school, even after she was told it looked unprofessional and she would get feedback such as, “Oh, why are you wearing your hair like that? It looks ugly, it looks dirty.” Mugeni said her family also frowned upon her hair choice. “I’m the first one in my family to go natural,” Mugeni said. “My family would say, ‘What are you doing? Why can’t you just relax your hair? It looks horrible. It looks like you haven’t combed it.’” At the protest, Mugeni held a sign that read, “I could care less if I make you uncomfortable.” “I love my natural hair, I don’t think I’ll ever go back,” she said.
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OPINION
Editor-in-Chief
Michaela Román, 747-7477
The Republicans’ lost cause
by adrian broaddus The Prospector
One of the nation’s, or better yet, a majority of Donald Trump supporters’ worst misconceptions is the saying, “I may not agree with all of what Trump says, but I would never vote for crooked Hillary.” As I scratch my head and remove my palm from my face, the irrational claim sparked my new concept of the presidential race: this is a battle of the most popular, yet most unqualified elephant versus the most qualified, least popular donkey. Among the college trends, it’s become more popular to flaunt “Make America Great Again” slogans left and right, chant racist sayings such as “build that wall,” and feel powerful by saying you are voting for Trump. On the other hand, it is looked down upon for individuals to boast that they are going to vote Hillary. Rather, they use sayings like “anything but Trump” and “I’m just not going to vote at all.” It is sickening to see the societal influences of this election. How America could soar through so much acceptance and equality throughout the past decade, yet want to marginalize it more by ostracizing a female who pushes for more equality, and then glorify a misogynistic man when he makes sexist, racist and rash remarks. And I understand their reasoning—Trump is a businessman so the economy could boom, he has a definitive immigration plan and plans to strengthen the military. People like that.
I understand the mistrust individuals have toward Hillary for deleting her emails. But what I do not understand is the fact that even though this country is progressively becoming more diverse, Trump wants to be rid of the minority inflation by demeaning it in a racist approach. I do not understand why people in El Paso, Texas—the largest border city in the United States—can actually have people who want to see a large wall surrounding the entire border, as if the current border patrol, river and fencing isn’t enough. I do not understand how a nation can turn its back on a prominent former secretary of state for one mistake; or how Americans can define whether a presidency should be legitimized by the deletion of controversial emails. Supporters may not believe in Trump’s entire reformation process, yet they would settle for this beyond-mediocre plan, rather than voting for Hillary. The same Republicans, who vouched for someone respectable like Marco Rubio and even stood beside Ted Cruz, the same Republicans who swore they would never vote for Trump—they are all coming outside the cave that they stayed in for six months and slowly are conforming to these beliefs. Then there are the Republicans who have packed their bags for this election and want no part of 2016. The lesser of two evils is entirely overlooked; yet it is so mind-boggling that Republican Party affiliates are so blinded by their hatred, mistrust and persecution of Hillary to see through the fine line. The elephant has blinded the Republicans all across the nation, and after this election may never regain its supporters’ trust again. Follow Adrain Broaddus on twitter @adrian_broaddus
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our view
Black Student Union protests against hair shaming
Members of UTEP’s Black Student Union hold signs at Leech Grove in solidarity with national and international victims of hair discrimination.
Departamento de becas no se preocupa por estudiantes internacionales by grecia sanchez The Prospector Editors note: the quotes by Dodd and Mijares were translated from English to Spanish
Actualmente, el Departamento de Becas de UTEP tiene disponibles 569 becas para más de 23,000 estudiantes en este semestre. De las 569 becas disponibles, 120 son solamente para ciudadanos estadounidenses, cuatro para estudiantes internacionales, dos para alumnos mexicanos, una para “good neighbors” (alumnos procedentes de México ó Canadá) y una para alumnos provenientes de Alemania. Las 441 restantes están abiertas para cualquier estudiante, sin importar su nacionalidad. La directora del departamento de becas de UTEP, Elizabeth S. Dodd, explicó que el departamento funciona por medio de donaciones. Estas son por parte de corporaciones, compañías, fundaciones, egresados y personas particulares donando su propio financiamiento. Debido a esto, los donantes tienen el control de los requisitos y la criteria general que piden a los estudiantes para su propia inversión. Según Dodd, las becas son realmente la única manera de ayudar a estudiantes internacionales con sus gastos de universidad, ya que tampoco reciben ayuda por parte del gobierno estadounidense (financial aid). “La mayoría del tiempo siempre oigo a estudiantes internacionales
quejarse. Piensan que no pueden calificar para nada y esto no es cierto. Queremos que aprendan que esto no es así”, enfatizó Dodd. “Si un donante no dice que tengas que ser ciudadano, entonces es muy probable que puedas aplicar. No sé por qué sigo oyendo que no hay oportunidades. Los donantes conocen la comunidad, saben que es una comunidad bilingüe y conocen la universidad. Ellos quieren ayudarte y apoyarte. Sólo es cuestión de que apliques”. Dodd menciona que los estudiantes internacionales ni siquiera se molestan en buscar becas ni en aplicar para las mismas, siendo que el procedimiento, que asegura es rápido y fácil, es el mismo para todos.
“Para nosotros, si realmente necesitas una beca vas a tomarte el tiempo de aplicar a ellas”, dijo Dodd. “Nosotros no podemos aplicar por ti. Si no aplicas, el dinero se va a otra persona. Es un no definitivo”. Dodd enfatiza que los estudiantes tienen que tener el hábito de una búsqueda constante antes, durante y después de la universidad, si es que desean seguir estudiando después de su licenciatura. “No quiero que piensen que ser estudiantes internacionales automáticamente los elimina de oportunidades para becas”, Dodd mencionó. “Ser internacional no es algo malo, es algo bueno. Los
see Becas on page 5
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October 4, 2016
Opening session kicks off Ability Awareness Week
Ability Awareness week Events Tuesday, Oct. 4
Claudia Hernandez / The Prospector On Monday Oct. 3, annual Ability Awareness Week began to encourage and inform the UTEP community about living with disabilities.
by Mariana Rodriguez The Prospector With over 10 different educational lectures, seminars and events UTEP began its annual Ability Awareness Week Monday, October 3. The university has dedicated an entire week to bring attention toward students and individuals with disabilities since 2008. The events are aimed at educating and encouraging participation in changing the climate around the word “disability.” Neelam Agarwal, assistant director for the Center for Accommodations and Support Services, has been actively trying to change the conversation. “Disabilities are not a taboo,” Agarwal said. “One out of five people have disabilities.” The opening session started with a tribute to Prince, a well-known artist with a little-known chronic illness, who demonstrated that anything is possible, even for those with disabilities. The music set the tone for the rest of the session and the week. The amount of opportunities at UTEP for students with disabilities is growing. The Center for Accom-
modations and Support Services aids students in living a campus life that is non-restrictive and not defined by their disability. “Wherever UTEP goes, we follow,” Agarwal said. “Our role is to level the playing field. We are only the facilitators.” When the center is not aiding students in campus life, they are aiming to inspire others to bring awareness to visible and invisible disabilities. Awareness Ability Week not only brings disabilities to the front lines of campus life, it also aims at inspiring students into become contributing members of the community. Restrictions such as transportation for afterschool activities and organizations, encouraging students to speak out about issues on campus and inspiring high schoolers to apply to college are just some of the topics that CASS and the Annual Ability Awareness Week are trying to address. “Talent is everywhere. It crosses gender, the social and the economical. What isn’t everywhere is the ability to develop that talent.” said UTEP president Diana Natalicio at the opening ceremony.
This week hopes to produce leaders, not only at the university, but in the community. Ability Awareness Week is aimed at people with disabilities, including students at UTEP. By opening up opportunities in the community, students at UTEP benefit and expand on those experiences. According to the Helen A. Keller Institute, students with disabilities are 8 percent less likely to attend college because of the lack of confidence instilled by the community. To facilitators such as Agarwal, producing events such as Ability Awareness Week will change the climate around students with disabilities and will allow the number of student leaders with disabilities to change. Educational seminars, resource fairs and basketball games aim to help change the conversation. “All of you are very much a part of the opportunity story at UTEP,” said Natalicio. Ability Awareness week ends Friday, Oct. 7. For more information about the week’s events, visit http://sa.utep.edu/cass/events/ ability-awareness-week/. Mariana Rodriguez may be reached at marianarodz11@ gmail.com.
Disability Sensitivity seminar with Hector Flores 9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at Union East, Acacia room 102. Service and Assistance Animals with Isaac Valencia 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Union East, Acacia room 102. Invisible No More seminar 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Union East, Acacia room 102.
Wednesday, Oct. 5
Health and disability vendor and service providers 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Centennial Plaza Photovoice Presentation and Reception 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Tomas Rivera Conference Center 3rd floor Union East.
Thursday, Oct. 6 “Learn the facts about Social Security Benefits, Money, and How to Keep it” 9 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. at Union East, Acacia room 102
friday, Oct. 7 Student Annual Interdisciplinary Research Symposium 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Union East 3rd floor. Registration opens at 11:30 a.m.
question of the week
Would you pay more to eat healthier? claudia hernandez, nina titovets, gaby velasquez / The Prospector
Adriana Hernandez
Senior graphic design major “Probably, depends on what kind of food; I mean organic food is not in budget wise. I wouldn’t mind trying it out here and there, but not as a daily thing.”
Jesus Nieto
Sophomore mathematics major “I would pay more for a healthy choice. Although, I don’t think many people would. They would rather save money, and I think that’s an issue we have to work on.”
Cesar Ochoa
Sophmore music major “If I had the money, I would pay more, but I don’t so I eat what I can.”
Karen Cortinas
Senior graphic design major “I don’t think so just because of the budget and because in the U.S. it is more common to spend less money on bad food than it is to spend more money on good food.”
David Bernal
Iva Ivanova
“Yes, I would pay more to eat healthier due to the reason that I am actually an organic gardener myself.”
“I am within my means ready to pay more for healthy food but there are people that can’t afford that and I think we should all work together to change this.”
Juan Carlos Berjes
Karla Aceves
Miguel Manriquez
“Yes and no, I want to be healthy but at the same time most healthy food doesn’t taste good so I try to balance it out.”
“I would be willing to pay a premium to buy organic more healthy food, but at the same time I think that it is possible to keep a low cost and also buy healthy food and prepare it yourself instead of buying it elsewhere.”
Irma Salmo
Junior nursing major “I would pay more for better quality food, because it’d be better for my health. I feel that it is a good investment in myself.”
Freshman civil engineering major
Sophomore cellular and molecular biochem major
Sophmore American literature major
Faculty in the department of psychology
Sophomore physics major “I think it’s more convenient to pay a higher price for healthier food. I would do it, because cheaper food tend to have a lot of chemicals.”
THEPROSPECTOR
NEWS | 5 |
October 4, 2016
from Becas on page 3 donantes están aquí para ayudarte y también nosotros”. Sin embargo, desde el principio de la entrevista, la directora mencionó que el departamento nunca se preocupa por estudiantes internacionales encontrando becas. “Para ser honestos, la mayoría de las oportunidades son para ciudadanos. Aún así los internacionales pueden aplicar para becas fuera de UTEP al menos cada mes, que es el tiempo ideal y deben estar preparados con los documentos necesarios”, Dodd mencionó. Ilse Mijares, una estudiante internacional en educación especial de tercer año, fue becada el semestre pasado por el Consulado Mexicano. Sin embargo, asegura que la beca de $1,000 dólares le fue dada por simple suerte. “Nunca apliqué para la beca, simplemente recibí una llamada de la persona a cargo, firmé papeles y listo. Me dijeron que contaba con todos los requisitos que era básicamente tener un promedio de calificaciones de 3.0 o más, y ser mexicano”, Mijares dijo. Mijares, quien había estado buscando becas desde la primavera del 2011, explica que esta es la beca que se le ha sido otorgada desde que comenzó a estudiar en la universidad. “No había tenido beca antes porque la mayoría no eran para mi carrera y porque el requisito de la ciudadanía estaba en demasiadas aplicaciones”, Mijares dijo. La experiencia del estudiante internacional Paul Perez es parecida. El estudiante de cuarto año de ingeniería mecánica le fue otorgada la beca IME Scholarship Program
y describe este proceso como aleatorio. “Había aplicado para becas desde antes de ser freshmen, buscaba cada semestre y no encontraba nada. De las diez becas que buscaba, podía aplicar para dos porque las demás eran para ciudadanos”, Perez calculó. “Para la beca que me gané ni siquiera había aplicado, me hablaron del departamento de becas de UTEP y me dijeron que había sido seleccionado para esta beca porque cumplía con todos los requisitos”. Para ambos estudiantes, las becas de $1,000 dólares fueron una sola ocasión. Según lo explica Dodd, las becas otorgadas a estudiantes de UTEP se quedan con el estudiante hasta que el mismo se gradúa, característica que no suele pasar con las oportunidades fuera de UTEP. Jamin Herrera, estudiante de segundo año en periodismo, describe el proceso de encontrar becas como algo difícil debido a las especificaciones de los donantes y el hecho de no ser americana. “No hay muchas a las que pueda aplicar. Tienes que contar con ciertos puntajes, cierto portafolio, cierto promedio, cierta experiencia y la ciudadanía”, Herrera dijo. “Creo que UTEP no cuenta con las becas necesarias para estudiantes internacionales, yo no vi ninguna que fuera especialmente para estudiantes internacionales”. Herrera menciona haber buscado becas antes y durante el primer semestre de UTEP. Segun Herrera, actualmente se ha dado por vencida con la batalla de encontrar becas. Follow Grecia Sanchez on twitter @grecias068
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| 6 | NEWS
Playing the numbers game: it’s all about the polls
OctOBer 4, 2016
by chRistian vasquez The Prospector Trump interrupted Clinton 51 times. Clinton interrupted Trump 17 times. The media has focused on the number of times Trump made a gaff or Hillary stretched the truth–one wink and a 20-second wiggle, 37 sniffles alongside “wrong!” shouted 12 times. But the numbers that affect the presidential election are not going to be how long the candidates focused on climate change (82 seconds if you didn’t know), but how the debate is going to affect the polls in the swing states. Quinnipiac polls released Monday, Oct. 3, shows Clinton leading in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania while Trump leads in Ohio. The leads are only by three to five percent so the 82 electoral votes are still up for grab. Out of the 11 swing states, Clinton is ahead in all of them except for Ohio in which Trump is leading, and Iowa where they have not come out with any polling data as of yet. Public Policy Polling released polling from Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia three days after the debate. With a total of 86 electoral votes, these five key swing states have Clinton in the lead, and if she manages to keep the lead in these states she will have reached more
than the 270 mark needed to win the presidential election. A poll done by Public Policy Polling also showed that Clinton was thought to have won the debate in all five essential swing states and that she made headway with voters under 30, with at least a 19-point lead in all of the key states in this category. But it’s still not completely clear whether the debate had a significant impact because these states were already leaning toward Clinton before the debate. Nevada is the only state that has turned after the debate. Clinton is leading in two polls taken after the debate by six and one point with a margin of error at 4.4 and 3.5, respectively. The state has been a true toss up, going back and forth between the two candidates. However, with only six electoral points, it is not an essential state for Clinton to win over. Historically, the debates have not been a major factor in the election, The Washington Monthly reports that a number of studies have shown that, while voters learn new information from the debates, the information is not going to change their pick for president. In other number news, the New York Times received a couple of pages out of Trumps tax documents from 1995 that reveal that Trump could have avoided paying taxes for nearly two decades.
The tax exemption comes from Trump declaring that he lost $915,729,293,—which—allowed Trump to be tax exempt for 18 years based off his earnings. In response to the tax leak, Clinton has released a “tax calculator” that is meant to “calculate how much you would pay in taxes if you paid the same as Donald Trump.” The calculator only has one outcome: “$0.00.” Clinton has her own leak as a recording at a Virginia fundraiser in February, where she described herself as aligned politically “occupying from the center-left to the center-right. And I don’t have much company there.” Clinton also talked about supporters of Bernie Sanders having a “deep desire to believe that we can have free college, free healthcare, that what we’ve done hasn’t gone far enough, and that we just need to… go as far as, you know, Scandinavia, whatever that means, and half the people don’t know what that means, but it’s something that they deeply feel.” These comments, particularly the aim at Sanders’ supporters, have drawn criticism for being patronizing to millennials as well as her own description of her political beliefs that seem to go back and forth between progressive and centrist depending on who she is speaking with. Follow christian vasquez on twitter @chrismvasq
PAGE 7 October 4, 2016
entertainment
Editor
ERIC VAsQUEZ, 747-7477
Set design, costumes make ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ a grand spectacle If the appeal of singing and dancing to songs like “It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive” and “I Say a Little Prayer” doesn’t do it for you, then the scenic transitions and visual appeal will satisfy.
There was 234 costumes total. The lead roles, probably 40 altogether.
michaela Román / The Prospector Lead roles Felicia, Tick and Bernadette showcase one of 40 costumes worn throughout the performance.
By eric vasquez The Prospector The UTEP Dinner Theatre premiered their first show of the fall season, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” this weekend exhibiting not only students’ singing chops, but their talent and capacity for costume and stage design. “Priscilla” is set in Australia and follows three drag queen performers— Tick, Bernadette and Felicia—as they drive across the outback in a tour bus
en route to star in a show at a casino owned by Tick’s wife. Although the storyline is simple enough—a trio of friends road tripping—the drag culture and music from the ‘80s disco era launches the production into a whole other world of glitter, feathers and dangerously high heels. A “Priscilla” production demands unapologetic flamboyance, and the UDT rose to meet those demands with their costumes and set design. Usually, the backdrop of a UDT musical remains in place. The set-
ting is kept in a single room like the main floor of a bar or dancehall, but with a musical like “Priscilla” that covers so much ground, a change of scenery is necessary. The open desert, the inside of a casino, a neighborhood dive bar, a long-forgotten cabaret show and a cozy backyard were some of the background transitions during the show, all the while a tour bus was wheeled off and on stage, rotating to reveal the interior whenever the characters were on the road.
- Lauren Peña, costume designer “Priscilla,” despite being in and of itself a fairly entertaining musical, was eclipsed by the fact that the majority of the set design and costumes were made by students: the ridiculously wide bellbottom pants, the liquid-like silver capes, the flowing dresses and batch of rugged drunks. Lauren Peña, an English major, helped make the costumes. “There was 234 costumes total. The lead roles, probably 40 altogether,” Peña
said. “About 12 wigs total between the three (Tick, Bernadette and Felicia), and I, a whopping 5-feet-3-inches tall, was changing a 6-foot man in heels.” Although Peña’s job prior to opening night involved designing costumes that fit the actors, the real work comes during the show when the main characters are off stage, and costume changes have to be swift enough to be on time for their lines, careful enough not to tear the fabric, and precise so that there isn’t a malfunction on stage. The job is easy enough when the costumes involve suits and dresses, maybe a pair of jeans, but “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” involves wigs 3-feet tall or made completely of flowers and unitards that could rip down to the leg with one misplaced step. It takes a team of two to change the actors. “I’m there every show,” Peña said. “And the other person interchanges. We mostly do the leads and the cast helps each other out.” Productions of “Priscilla” continue this weekend with discount dinner shows happening on Oct. 5, 6, 12 and 13 and regularly priced shows on Oct. 7 and 14. Tickets are $34.50 for Friday and Saturday performances, $31.50 on Wednesday and Thursday performances, and $17.50 for no-dinner performances on Oct. 9 and 16. Tickets may be bought at ticketmaster.com. Follow Eric Vasquez on twitter @ericbaskets
Juárez-El Paso based band The Chamanas nominated for a Latin Grammy By Andres gallegos The Prospector Every member of The Chamanas has been in the local music scene for more than 10 years, but the band is only three years old. During those years, every member of The Chamanas was scattered. They all knew each other some way or another, and it wasn’t until their paths converged that something exceptional was born. Now they have garnered a Latin Grammy nomination for best new artist.
So you think that all the year’s work has been rewarded, but you still want more. If we win, ‘chingon,’ if we don’t then we’re still grateful.
- Alejandro Bustillos, drummer for The Chamanas The Chamanas, comprised of bassist Manuel Calderon, vocalist Paulina Reza, guitarist Hector Carreón, drummer Alejandro Bustillos and keyboardist Fernando Fonseca, released their debut album, “Once, Once,” in August 2015, and the nomination came a couple of weeks after the album turned a year old. The Chamanas managed to catch the attention of the Latin Grammy committee quickly because of their
distinct sound. Their music is a collection of the beats and spiciness, the strings and keys that are the color and soul of the border. To understand The Chamanas is to understand the boundary between two countries—the line where cultures mix and play. Alejandro Bustillos, The Chamanas’ drummer, woke up to a phone call from the band’s manager informing him of the nomination. He disregarded it. It wasn’t until he was fully awake and a second source confirmed the news that he became excited. “The nomination itself feels like a reward. It has been a lot of work. We’ve done a lot of press in Mexico and the U.S. plus the acoustic sets,” Bustillo said. “So you think that all the year’s work has been rewarded, but you still want more. If we win, ‘chingon,’ if we don’t then we’re still grateful.” It has been a lot of work throughout the year. On top of the multiple interviews throughout the week, there is also the performing that a band must do–whether it is practice, acoustic sets or actual shows that must be done on both sides of the border. The fact that a band has to do the same or more amount of press work than playing music may not seem logical, but if a band wants to be known it needs to get its name out there and that is what The Chamanas have been doing. Still, even if putting their name out there may seem like a top priority, The Chamanas put their money where their mouths are. At the end of the day, it is their wellcomposed music that was nominated. Ivan Vicencio, a fan of the band who had a chance to see them play at the Juárez Fest this past April, was completely mesmerized.
Photo courtesy of the chamanas facebook page “It was an underestimated performance,” Vicencio said. “They didn’t get a lot of time, but they blew the roof off. They really lit up the show.” A listener who doesn’t know The Chamanas may not know at first if the album is pop or folkloric, but it turns out that it’s both and more. “No song is like the other. Track number two has nothing in common with track 14 or 15,” Bustillos said. And it’s true, one song may carry hints of cumbia, another may feature a synthesizer. The Chamanas’ sound is a mixture of the old and new. For example their cover of the song, “Te Juro Que Te Amo” by Los Terricolas, a Venezuelan pop music group of the ‘70s, or their song “Alas De Hierro,” which has hints of “Jose Jose.” The band pays tribute to the music their parents listened to and use the best
of this epoch’s sound to fuse those sounds, but they don’t stay in the past, not completely. Before the Latin Grammy nomination came, the last time The Chamanas received a great outpouring from fans was when they released their cover for Portugal. the Man’s song, “Purple, Yellow, Red and Blue.” Not only did they translate the song into Spanish, but they fused the song with the distinct Chamanas’ style. If the border breeds this kind of music, it is because it raised these types of musicians. Every member of The Chamanas has a distinct contribution: Manuel not only plays bass, but he also produces the songs, Paulina and Hector write them, Fernando, who is the most musically educated member of the band, deals with the harmony and Bustillos comes up with the beat and plays the drums. Still, any deci-
sion concerning the songs is made together. “We consult with each other what it is that we want or what we feel sounds better,” Bustillos said. “And sure we may clash, but once the song is being produced then things are more agreeable.” Although The Chamanas’ name and faces will be televised at the Latin Grammys on Nov. 17, and although they’ve been playing together for three years, Bustillos feels that they are still new. “No one knows us,” Bustillos said. “Hopefully that will change because a band this original, with a sound that feels like colors, deserves to have the attention of everyone, if not at least of the whole border they so eloquently represent.” Andres Gallegos may be reached at theprospectordaily. ent@gmail.com.
THEPROSPECTOR
| 8 | ENTERTAINMENT
October 4, 2016
our view
The season for mazes, roasted corn, and pumpkins has arrived
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Graduate & Doctoral Programs Medical Schools Law Schools
Tuesday, October 4, 2016 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Union Building - East, 3rd Floor • Meet representatives from UTEP and around the nation • Learn about admissions requirements, procedures and timelines • Get tips on what will set you apart from other applicants • Ask questions about financial aid and scholarship opportunities Sponsored by University Career Center 103 Union West
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Learn. Grow. Succeed.
Gaby Velasquez/ The Prospector/ El Pasoan spend their fall weekends at the corn mazes scattered throughout the El Paso-Las Cruses area.
2016 VOTE VOTE VOTE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (SGA)
FALL ELECTIONS THE VOICE OF THE STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE
ONLINE VOTING
ELECTION POLLING STATIONS
Begins: Wednesday, October 5 at 7:00 am
Wednesday, October 5 10:00 – 11:30am at the Library
Ends: Thursday, October 6 at 5:00 pm
Thursday, October 6 1:00 - 3:00 pm at the Union East Entrance
POSITIONS AVAILABLE Liberal Arts Collegiate Senator (1)
Nursing Collegiate Senator (1)
For more information including the election code, Visit the SGA Office at 304 Union Bldg, East. 915-747-5584 or visit our website at www.utep.edu/sga
Ga.velasquez
corn Mazes Close to ep el paso’s cornmaze Where:1100 Old Hueco Tanks Road, El Paso, TX 79927 Tickets: Ages 12+: $10.95 Ages 3 to 11: $8.95 Children 2 and under: FREE
La Union maze
Where:1101 Hwy 28, La Union, NM 88021 Tickets: Ages 6+: $12 plus tax. Ages 2 to 5: $5 plus tax. Children 2 and under: FREE
Mesilla Valley
Where:3855 West Picacho Ave Las Cruces, NM 88005 Tickets: Ages 12+: $12 plus tax. Ages 3 to 11: $10 plus tax Children 2 and under: FREE
THEPROSPECTOR
ENTERTAINMENT | 9 |
October 4, 2016
Museum celebrates Texas archaeology month with free tours
nina Titovets / The Prospector The Museum of Archaeology off Transmountain houses artifacts, replicas and authentic instruments from the native cultures of the land we inhabit.
By stephanie hinojosa The Prospector At the end of the winding highway that runs through the Franklin Mountains is the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, home to artifacts and depictions from El Paso’s 14,000-year-old prehistoric and indigenous history. The museum and the grounds that surround it offer an archive to the development of tribes and native nations in Southwest Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico that have otherwise been forgotten. Upon entering the museum, visitors are introduced to the role of archaeologists and their contributions to the understanding of human nature. Visitors are then led
into the south gallery, where they learn the history of native tribes that have dwelled in caves surrounding the Franklin Mountains since the Ice Age through the 20th century. Pueblos that have been excavated near the museum are accompanied by dioramas depicting the daily lives of these natives. The north gallery holds artifacts and pottery collected by archaeologists from the Southwest region of the country. Also on display are pictorial tablets of native beliefs and tales that were popular in the region. At the end of the museum tour, visitors are encouraged to venture out into the 15 acres of the Chihuahua desert garden and nature trails, where indigenous plants used for food and remedies
by the natives have been preserved and tended. “I think it’s awesome that we have this museum here in the city, I really feel like I found a hidden treasure,” said first-time visitor Ana Bencomo. “It’s important because we get so caught up in our present-day lives that we forget where we came from and how this city came about, I feel like it made me appreciate the city more.” The museum’s modest appearance and three-room setup give the impression that the facility’s sole purpose is to provide information and display artifacts, but the establishment has been contributing archaeological discoveries and developments for 39 years. The museum welcomes archaeolo-
gists to take part in their research, while students from UTEP and NMSU frequently come to study the grounds to further their thesis preparations. “While being an anthropology student and museum studies minor, I’ve had the opportunity to merge both of my studies through the museum,” UTEP student and museum intern Ayleen Gutierrez said. “I’ve gotten amazing insights into the functions of both fields through an educational and diverse institution outside of the university. I’ve learned to work the different aspects of the museum from collections to educational programming for different audiences, and the people that I’ve worked with love what they do.”
The El Paso Museum of Archaeology offers the willing learner a glimpse into their ancestors and the people who knew these mountains before they were called the Franklins. The museum is open to the public free of charge and hosts free daily tours. They will be screening the documentary “Ancient America: The Southwest” every Saturday of the month in honor of Texas Archaeology month. Admission to the museum is free and tours are available upon request. Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
MinuteEarth investigates concepts of the world that most people might take for just plain fact. For MinuteEarth, the answer “that’s just how it is” is not acceptable, whether they’re asking why all sand is the same, where earth’s water came from exactly or whether or not fetuses poop. Most of their videos are under five minutes, making it easy to take a quick study break or to launch into a blizzard of other questions such as whether or not math can predict the spot pattern of an unborn leopard.
A pitfall lies within this channel, however. Be careful to stick to the videos alone and not the movies it discusses, you still have work to do.
or minute Earth flexing your brain. The Slow Mo Guys, as their title suggests, do nothing more than film themselves doing things with high-speed cameras: a golf ball smashing against a wall or shooting a gun under water. Other videos have more flare, however, as the channel features slow-motion videos of a paint cannon exploding or a kernel of popcorn popping. Just wait until you find the Taser gun video. There’s something soothing about watching what normally happens in milliseconds slowed down to three minutes, all the small movements missed in real time caught by these impressive cameras.
animated with fight scenes that would make Mario proud. Another section of Wisecrack is their “Thug Notes” series. A play off of Spark Notes, popular books like “To Kill A Mockingbird” and Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” are summarized by a homie as if he were talking about his homies. Thus, the homie’s first observation concerning “Fight Club” begins as “our nameless narrator’s life has taken some weird ass turns.” Although, you may not be able to quote his phrasing in a paper, the fact that you can digest massive works of literature from someone who is practically yelling at you is downright enjoyable.
Wisecrack
CrashCourse
Stephanie Hinojosa may be reached at smhinojosa@ miners.utep.edu.
Youtube channels for productive procrastination By eric vasquez The Prospector Yes, you. Retying your shoes even though you’re sitting down, or gearing up for another Starbucks run because you swear all you need is an extra jolt of energy to get that paper done. We see you, we’re one of you, but studies show—and by studies I mean one of the many ventures into extreme procrastination done by our reporters—that there is a right and a wrong way to procrastinate. Eating a whole bag of Hot Cheetos? That’s a wrong way to procrastinate. Taking a walk to clear the head? That’s a right way to procrastinate, at least according to actual scientific studies such as the one published on the Smithsonian website. Among the many ways to procrastinate, burning through Youtube videos seems to be a popular choice. So, we compiled a list of Youtube channels that offer worthwhile procrastination. These channels are entertaining, but educational enough to make you feel good spending the time not doing whatever it is you are supposed to be doing.
MinuteEarth
This channel asks the questions of a 4-year-old and investigates them with the understanding of a college professor, all the while illustrating and explaining as if the viewer is 4 years old.
Nerdwriter1 Delving more into the arts—particularly film and television— Nerdwriter1 is essentially that kid in English class, who would throw the discussion into existentialism and the fleeting mortality of the human race when the teacher asked if anyone remembered what was Gatsby’s favorite saying. Nerdwriter1 walks you through a film or show, explains what is happening in a scene and interprets the metaphorical meaning the director is trying to communicate. In one video, Nerdwriter1 pulls Harry Potter’s feelings of loneliness from the director’s choice in framing him separate from a busy dinner table. In another, he explains how “Interstellar” moved away from storytelling and stuck with utter spectacle.
Kurzgesagt In a Nutshell Although, In a Nutshell provides provoking information and pleasing animations in their videos, readers should be wary of their subject matter. Videos such as “Limits of Humanity” and “Three Ways to Destroy the Universe” fall into the titanic questions of astronomy, biology and physics, and can leave you paralysed on the library carpet questioning the meaning of anything; especially the importance of your blog posts due at midnight compared to the inevitable extinction of Earth from the Sun’s explosion. If you can handle a moment of nihilism, then their videos explaining black holes and the banking system are certainly worth the information—just in case you come across a black hole or a bank.
The Slow Mo Guys Perhaps the bombardment of numbers and squiggles you call calculus has you fried and the last thing you need is In a Nutshell
This channel is a bit hard to categorize, as within the profile are several entertaining and educational sections. As their profile states, “we are a collective of comedians, academics, filmmakers, and artists who are super curious about the world around us. Our channel explores cool topics in unusual (and hopefully super entertaining) ways.” One of the more original series of videos Wisecrack has is their “8-bit Philosophy.” As the name suggests, these videos dig around modern as well as ancient questions, all the while illustrating them like a Super Nintendo video game. Videos like “What is Real” and “Is Kanye West Even Human” are hilariously
After John Green was finished with turning teenage tears into money with “The Fault In Our Stars,” he began a series of videos called Crashcourse–an umbrella term for varying subjects. Green, along with his brother Hank, enlist high school teachers and professors to provide information ranging from economics, world history, psychology, physiology and government. The information is digestable, and the animated characters are fun to look at, even if they are killing each other as they are in the “Who Started World War I” video. photos courtesy of channels’ facebook Follow Eric Vasquez on twitter @ericbaskets
THEPROSPECTOR
| 10 | ENTERTAINMENT
October 4, 2016
Bon Iver ditches slow indie-folk sound in ‘22, A Million”
special to The Prospector
By Adrian broaddus The Prospector Half a decade ago, Justin Vernon, better known as Bon Iver, stole the indie-folk stage with his singer-songwriter tunes from his sophomore self-titled album, “Bon Iver.” He was already making a name for himself as he captured audiences with a somber, coming-of-age record fueled by a bad breakup, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” featuring Bon Iver’s most popular song “Skinny Love.” Since then, Vernon took a five-year hiatus to live life and dive into what it truly means to be Bon Iver before releasing his third studio album, “22, a Million.” Compared to his previous albums, “22, A Million” is a whole different animal.
The record is a piece of work that his indie folk fans can appreciate through its entirety and perception. This album features very little folk sounds, but instead uses synthetic and electronic tunes. Vernon takes away his rhythmic guitars and replaces them with samples of jazzy saxophones. He abandons his traditional soft, tortured singing and radicalizes it with a new instrument called a Messina, which alters the voice by dividing a melody into different harmonies as heard on “715-Creeks” and “45.” The soft-spoken, hymn-like tune “22, Over Soon,” opens the album beautifully. Different pitches, melodies and samples flood the song, which sounds distorted at times but never loses the listener’s attention. Vernon’s issues with mortality are foreshadowed on the track with a resounding hymn, “It might be over soon.” The tone continues in “715-Creeks,” which sounds like a continuation of James Blake and Vernon’s track “Fall Creek Boys Choir” on Blake’s album “Enough Thunder.” The somber distortions mixed with aggressive lyrics question the substance of faith and love. As an added note, most likely not an accident, 715 happens to be the area code in Wisconsin where Vernon was born.
The next track, “33 God,” is a reference to the age in which Jesus Christ was crucified. Contrary to the face value of a religious track, Vernon delivers a song that allows the listener interpret freely. The lyrics “I didn’t need you that night/Not going to need you anytime” can be perceived in many different ways—lost love or loss of faith. The song is the first time Vernon uses single keys instead of chords to accompany the track. “29 #Strafford APTS” might be the perfect track for day one Bon Iver fans. Accompanied by his drummer Sean Carey, the song is a classic folk song with minimal distortion. It also resembles a continuation of “Re: Stacks” or “Skinny Love.” Vernon’s faithlessness continues through “666 upside down arrow,” where he fights off the inner demons that plague him every day. He sings, “I’m still standing in/ Still standing in your need of prayer/The need of prayer,” which might not necessarily relate to religion, but a cry for help to abandon his problems. The song distorts background noise with chiming vocals. Gentle ambiance and duality is carried onto the next two tracks, “21 Moon Water” and “8 (circle).” Through long, tropical melodies “21 Moon Water” sounds peaceful up until the halfway point, where
Vernon uses a distorted flute on the outro. The song swiftly transitions to “8 (circle),” where the sax comes back in. This track continues the pace of the last two, but blends a kick drum with distinct vocals. This is by far the sharpest transition between tracks throughout the album.
Unique to this album, Vernon is accompanied by minimal beats and uses only his vocals through the first half of “45.” Then, at the halfway point, he brings back the Messina to modify his pitch, which resembles an accordion. Accompanied by a traditional piano and echoing vocals, “00000 Million” is the perfect sendingforth track. The splendor that
If it’s harmed, it’s harmed me, it’ll harm, I’ll let it in.
his lyrics pose is a double-meaning perception of allowing to be harmed and not permitting harm to oneself, “If it’s harmed, it’s harmed me, it’ll harm, I let it in.” Vernon took a complex, innovative risk on “22, a Million.” But, he is successful in creating a work of art that adds depth to his illustri-
- Bon Iver “00000 Million”
ous career. Through electronic noises and dark distortions, Bon Iver abandons the indie pop, folk
The fina-l two tracks are in direct opposition to the rest of the album, ending in optimism for meaning in his previous suffering.
aesthetic he was known for and has shown he is more than a weeping, rainy-day musician. Follow Adrain Broaddus on twitter @adrian_broaddus
PAGE 11 October 4, 2016
Sports
Editor
Adrian Broaddus, 747-7477
Muegge targets success for rifle team
gaby VELASQUEZ/ The Prospector UTEP rifle head coach Hannah Muegge (right) enters her second season as head coach for the Miners and has high goals for the coming years in the program.
By mike flores The Prospector
The sport of rifling takes the form of a gem—they are rare to find on most campuses, and it takes a definitive, keen eye to have what it takes to excel in the sport. In fact, there are only 32 NCAA programs that hold a women’s rifle team, and the No. 18-ranked Miners happen to be one of the programs. For the head coach of the Miners, Hannah Muegge, constant improvement from her team is her main motivation going into the season and the Patriot Rifle Conference play. This is UTEP’s largest roster in three seasons, with eight girls shooting for coach Muegge in her first recruiting class of her coaching career. Muegge and her troop racked up a score of 4,577 in their first match against Nevada on Oct. 1. They scored 2,273 in small-bore and 2,304 in air rifle. This is just the start of what Muegge wants to do with her squad this year. “I would like to see us in the top 10,” Muegge said. “I’m a realistic person; I don’t like to give numbers, but I know it’s possible. I know we can make it happen.” Before coaching, Muegge competed in rifle herself. She was born in Boling, Texas, where she started at the age of 9, alongside a family full of hunters, and she fell in love with the sport. Her family would travel to matches together and enjoy what the sport had to offer. Her parents also
became certified NRA coaches, which assisted in her rifling career and, from a very young age, she knew she had her family’s support. In high school, Muegge participated in the USA Shooting Championship for three years (2007-2010). She also found herself competing for the Texas State Rifle Association Smallbore Team from 2008-2012, where she was named to the U.S. Drew Cup Team after her first year of shooting. Muegge began her collegiate career after she met George Brenzovich, former head coach for UTEP’s rifle team. The two met while Hannah was shooting at the NRA Nationals at the Camp Perry Outdoors Championships in Ohio. She was recruited by Brenzovich and Tennessee and became a firstgeneration college student. “I didn’t know what college was, I didn’t know what a college visit was, but after it all, I knew UTEP was the best place for me,” Muegge said. “El Paso welcomed me with open arms.” One of Muegge’s greatest accomplishments shooting for UTEP was when she qualified for the 2012 NCAA championship—only eight teams get the privilege each year. The Miners finished fifth. She still wears her 2012 championship ring to show off her illustrious accomplishment. “We were underdogs, but we did it,” Muegge said. Muegge’s leadership and shooting skills were rewarded the following
season as she was named UTEP’s MVP in 2013.
I would like to see us in the top 10. I’m a realistic person, I don’t like to give numbers, but I know it’s possible.
- Hannah Muegge UTEP women’s rifle head coach Deep down, Muegge knew that she could reach her full potential in rifling under coach Brenzovich, but it never crossed her mind to coach after her playing career. Majoring in business administration, her thoughts on the future were to pursue a career in the business world until her coach decided to retire mid-season during her senior year. Then, she was abruptly offered the interim coaching position in June 2015. She has not looked back since. “I didn’t hesitate to accept it. UTEP is home—it has shaped me into who I am,” Muegge said.
Knowing Muegge’s past in the sport, she can relate to her players, whether it is balancing homework, schoolwork, time management or just giving suggestions on the daily life of a college athlete. “I want my athletes to receive the full experience of being a studentathlete, but pushing for goals outside of rifling is even bigger,” Muegge said. As a coach, her goals are to help her girls not only succeed in the classroom and the sport, but also to help them pave their way for a better future. She recognizes the girls she coaches as students first—the athletes have to maintain a grade of C or better, there are mandatory study halls and required progress reports from every class. Abby Monique, a freshman from Massachusetts, made her decision last fall to come play for coach Muegge. She emphasized that Muegge was a big influence in her decision. “Coach was very welcoming, and she made my decision a lot easier to come compete for UTEP,” Monique said. “It’s definitely a family atmosphere here.” Coming into the year, coach Muegge can feel the energy from her players. They are extremely determined to feed off of last year’s personal and team achievements, and they all know to live by their coach’s motto. “Live in the moment. One shot at a time,” Muegee said. “Rifling is 90 percent mental, 10 percent physical.” On Feb. 18, the Miners will participate in their last match of the season–
the qualifier. Even though every contest is something to look forward to, the Miners will set their sights on this date. It is a chance for them to challenge themselves against the best in the nation, and possibly make it to the NCAA Championship. The qualifier is a great measuring stick and will determine if the team is where it wants to be or give them a chance to correct and train even harder for the future. Muegge’s dreams and aspirations for UTEP’s rifling team started as a student-athlete, but now her expectations are set in coaching for years to come. In a couple of seasons, coach Muegge expects her Miners to become one of the nation’s elite programs; but as the program grows, she also wants to have better relationships with her players. “I want to be someone they can look up to—a role model,” she said. Next up, Muegge and the Miners will host their first home opener against Nevada on Oct. 8 at the UTEP rifle range, which is located the military science building. Also, on Monday, Oct. 10, students, staff, and faculty will get an opportunity to take a shot of their own on the range. Follow Mike Flores on twitter @MikeyTheReal
THEPROSPECTOR
| 12 | SPORTS
October 4, 2016
UTEP seeks mid-season redemption against FIU
By Adrian broaddus The Prospector
Instead of hanging their heads low after their 28-7 loss on the road against Louisiana Tech, the Miners’ football squad had their chins up after they lost their fourth game in a row. It is hard for a team to truly feel good after coming off their fourthstraight loss, but this game showed milestones in improvement. “I still like our chances for our team,” Kugler said. “I don’t want to look back at the end of the season and say ‘we should have corrected that.’ The time to correct mistakes is now.”
Previously, the Miners had put less than 258 total yards of offense in three weeks. Against the Bulldogs, the offense racked in nearly double the yardage with 415 total yards. Defensively, the squad held Conference USA standout quarterback Ryan Higgins to 197 yards, and their entire offense to 387 yards. This was the first time the Miners’ offense out-gained their opponent on yardage since the NM State game. There are things to continue to tweak and things to tip their hat to, according to head coach Sean Kugler. “Defensively, I thought we played extremely well in spurts and then we
gave up the big plays.” Kugler said. “We’ve got to feed off each other. When the offense scores, the defense has got to come out and get a three and out. When the defense stops them and puts the offense in good field position, they’ve got to take advantage and score. I thought we moved the ball efficiently, but seven points isn’t going to cut it.” The Miners (1-4, 0-2 C-USA) will come back to the Sun Bowl to face FIU on Saturday, Oct. 7. This game is just what the low-confidence Miners need to boost their self-assurance; or so they hope.
FIU (1-4, 1-0 C-USA) became the first Division I football program to fire their head coach this season, when athletic director for the Panthers, Pete Garcia, fired Ron Turner, who had been attempting to reconstruct the team for over three seasons. Turner was fired after the team started off 0-4. Defensive coordinator Ron Cooper was named the interim head coach. Cooper saw recent success as he and his troops defeated rival Florida Atlantic, 33-31. They rushed for the most yards in a single game since 2010 for 270 yards. They were fronted by Alex Gardner’s 119 yards, Anthony Jones’ 90 yards and quarterback Alex McGough’s 61 yards. It was a complete turnaround for the Panthers, who desperately needed change. Last year, the injury-plagued Miners suffered a tough 52-12 loss on the road against FIU. McGough gunned 270 yards for the Panthers. They scored 35 unanswered points to start off the game, and the Miners were extremely set back. On the Miners’ side, the offense has yet another week where the quarterback situation is not certain. After
suffering a rough hit late in the game versus LA Tech, starting quarterback Ryan Metz’ situation is uncertain for Saturday’s game. If injured, Zack Greenlee would most than likely become the Miners’ starting quarterback for Saturday’s contest. Greenlee lost the starting job to Metz after he struggled in their 34-7 loss to Southern Mississippi on Sept. 24. On the run-the-ball segment, Aaron Jones is still trucking as the nation’s fourth-best rusher. Kugler commended his ferocious play against the Bulldogs. “To me, it was one of the most gutsy performances by him,” Kugler said. “He kept coming back, kept wanting to play.” His twin brother, Alvin, has been out of the lineup for the past three games. Despite attending practice last week, Alvin still remained inactive against the Golden Eagles. The Miners’ defense has missed Alvin’s presence and remains to be a question coming into this week as well. Kickoff against the Panthers is slated for 5 p.m. in the Sun Bowl. Follow Adrain Broaddus on twitter @adrian_broaddus