Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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The 27 acres of land just east of U.S. Route 183 look just like any other patch of open land in Texas. The grass is a faded green and overgrown with shrubbery, patches of moss cling to the trees and only birds and insects call this place home. The thousands of drivers who pass by it everyday easily overlook it. But, when Nate Schleueter and the rest of the Mobile Loaves & Fishes team look into this field, they see a vision, one that will revolutionize how communities deal with chronic homelessness.
#BLACKSTUDENTSMATTER: THE STATE OF BLACK UT
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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Segregation is no longer an issue, but black students now deal with the scrutiny of being the only black person in a classroom. The court case for affirmative action may be over, but black students now hear statements like, “You’re only here because you’re black.” These issues, combined with other factors, are why up to 25 percent of black students get dizzy, stop running the race and drop out of UT before graduation.
INFLUENCER: MEET NIA
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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Senior journalism major and National Society for Black Journalists President Nia Wesley sat down with ORANGE Magazine after winning the ATX Influencer Award to talk journalism, blackness and her plans to become a household name.
AFRICAN STUDENT UNION'S FEST AFRICA WILL COMBINE TRADITIONAL CULTURE AND MODERN STYLE
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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For so long, it seemed that African students were faced with only two options: forsake their African culture and assimilate into American culture or be labeled an outcast for choosing to be African. But by creating the Fest Africa program, the African Students Association at UT attempts to show that it doesn’t always have to be one or the other.
HUMANS OF THE TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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The Texas Book Festival comes to the Capital every year with vendors, publishers, authors and musicians from various genres. Every year there’s a cooking tent, a tent for poetry and the children’s tent on Congress and 10th streets. Being at the festival year after year feels like a déjà vu moment — everything is exactly where you left it. But the people bring you back to reality. People from all backgrounds come together at the annual event, and each of them has a perspective that brings life to the festival. Here are few of their stories.
PEOPLE OF COLOR AS DEPICTED IN EAST AUSTIN STREET ART
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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The process of gentrification doesn’t just take a toll on the economic aspect of the city, it silences the unique identity that people of color have created for themselves. The east side of Interstate Highway 35 has roots that stem from the 19th century, when the land was offered to newly freed black slaves. The area was designated as the “Negro District,” and black people were prohibited from buying houses in any other part of the town. When integration happened in the 1960s, other racial minorities moved in, creating a distinct and vibrant community.
21: A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR TRAYVON MARTIN
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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Trayvon Martin would have turned 21 this month. It’s been four years since his violent death shook America like an earthquake, and we can still feel the aftershocks of grief when we remember his painful passing.To celebrate Trayvon Martin’s life, graduate students at the University of Texas at Austin X’ene Sky Taylor and Hakeem Adewumi held a 21st birthday celebration for him on Saturday, Feb. 6, the day after his birthday. The party took place at the Communities of Color building on Springdale Road in East Austin.
BLACK AND BETTER THAN EVER: OUR FAVORITE 2016 BLACK HISTORY MONTH MOMENTS
Originally published on ORANGE Magazine
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It’s a leap year, and that means even more time to celebrate our Black achievement and progress. Since 1926, Blacks have heralded February as a month to not only reflect upon past history, but to also pay tribute to how far we’ve come. It goes without saying that Black lives should be celebrated year-round, but as we claim this month as our own, we’re commemorating the end of this year’s Black History Month with a compilation of our favorite moments.
UNLIKELY BALLERINA
Originally published in ORANGE Magazine's third Digital Issue.
Read full article here, on page 6.
It’s a world where one must stand out in ability and poise, while simultaneously fitting in. But what happens when you can’t fit in, when you don’t meet the standards of beauty? What happens when your skin is too dark, your body is too curvy and your kinky hair won’t lie perfectly in a bun? Meet KaCee Dobbins, 19, a black ballerina who’s defying the stereotypes one tutu at a time.