Dropkicks, bodyslams, moonsaults, colorful outfits, excited fans, and a necessary message converged during the Diversity in Spots event, held Wednesday, April 26, at the Maverick Activity Center. The event featured an afternoon of entertainment with live wrestling but also opened the door to discussing the need for greater diversity in sports.   

Before the start of the wrestling matches, former professional wrestler and ring announcer Aaron Machbitz shared with the audience how professional wrestling can be one of the most inclusive sports in the world. 

"If we have these conversations (about diversity) here in this space, then it can domino out to create these larger conversations that are much needed and very necessary," Aaron said. "This event encourages you to have these conversations to think about diversity, inclusion, and how professional wrestling can be used as a vehicle of change." 

Throughout the event, students got the chance to watch three live wrestling matches. These matches showed students that sports can unite people, strengthen communities and build lifelong friendships. 

As each match unfolded, the audience connected with the action before their eyes in and around the wrestling ring. Each time the wrestlers did a body slam, a DDT, or made a jump from the ropes, cheers from fans resonated throughout the gym. 

These cheers later boiled into a fever pitch. Phrases like "Oh no, he didn't" or "Wow" could be heard from the audience as they jumped from the seats with their hands waving in the air in surprise at what they were witnessing. 

Chris Loper, a communications major, stated that excitement could be seen as the drama unfolded in the ring. He noted that he is drawn to wrestling because of the excitement it brings to the audience. 

"I got into wrestling by watching it on television, with events like Monday Night Raw or SmackDown every Friday night," Chris said. "Every time you hear a slam in the ring, it's a dramatic moment. This is amazing." 

Chris stated that while the matches were great, the event's message was powerful one that sports need to be a place for everyone. He noted that much more work is still necessary to have more inclusion and better minority representation in sports. 

In between matches, several UTA athletes shared their history with racism they experienced in their athletic career. 

Morgan Westbrook, a UTA softball player, spoke to students about the discrimination she faced while looking at other universities' athletic programs. 

Morgan recalled the pride she felt when stepping onto the competition field against one of these other universities as a maverick and winning the game as a freshman.  

She added that diversity in sports still needs to be sought after so that future athletes won't face the same discrimination she faced on or off the field. 

Students also had the chance to explore a mobile exhibit from the UTA Libraries Special Collections Department called “Mavericks in Motion.” The exhibit highlighted the history of UTA sports and athletes, with photos and memorabilia on display. 

The Diversity in Sports event saw people from across the university not only enjoy the action inside the wrestling ring, but also take to heart meaningful lessons from the athletes who shared their stories. Not your typical wrestling event. 

Students attending the latest Maverick Kitchen got the chance to learn about the history connected with soul food as they created some tasty dishes to enjoy on Thursday, Feb. 23.  

Milaun Murry, Experiential Learning Librarian, shared with students some of the history and culture connected with soul food.  

“This month's Maverick Kitchen was a celebration and highlight of Soul Food with fried chicken/fish, baked mac n' cheese, and collard greens. Understanding the history behind the dish and the ingredients used is equally as important as the meal itself,” Milaun said. ” Being able to teach how to create a healthier version of a popular soul food dish and talk about where it came from was a gratifying experience.” 

Milaun stated that soul food was created by enslaved African Americans created soul food using items that were readily accessible to them. One example she gave was pigs' feet. 

Students could make fried chicken or fried Tilapia. They were then taken through the steps of how to prepare their meat with breading and the pan they would use to fry. She noted that Tilapia was being used over Catfish, which is traditionally used because it is a “healthier choice” with a “similar taste.” 

Amisha Islam, a Nursing major, stated that this event provides people with a great opportunity to learn something new.  

“I thought that it was very interactive. I love how she taught about the heritage of African American communities and how she incorporated it all into the class,” Amisha said. “It is not just cooking, but you’re learning as well.” 

To complement the chicken or fish, students were given two side dishes considered staples in soul food, collard greens and mac n’ cheese.  

Unlike regular collard greens that are cooked with meat like a ham hock or turkey neck to flavor the greens., the ones at Maverick Kitchen were made in a vegan style. With vegan collard greens, the meat was substituted with fresh garlic, herbs, and a longer cooking time to provide that additional flavor. 

Davin Knight, a Nursing major, stated that it is exciting to learn a new way to cook an existing dish. She noted that events like this help to encourage people to try new things.  

“Everyone should partake in this event,” Davin said. “I feel like it is a great experience for everyone, especially if you know how to cook or you don’t know how to cook. No matter your experience, you should still attempt it.” 

Members of the black community came together to share their personal hair journey and how their hairstyle reflects their identity as part of the Black Hair-itage panel event at the UTA Central Library Tuesday, Feb. 7. 

Milaun Murry, an Experiential Learning librarian, asked the panel about the role hair plays in the black community and in their personal lives. 

Xavien Johns, panelist, and UTA alum, shared that hair has always been a way to express personal identity. 

“I think that black hair has always been a way of self-expression. I think of fros in the 1970s to braids to now with the locs,” Xavien said. “It is our opportunity to be our truer selves.” 

Dr. Jandel Crutchfield, panelist and Assistant Social Work professor, shared Xavien’s thoughts about the role hair plays in the black community. She shared that the way people wear their hair represents freedom. 

“Our hair has often been policed down to the legislation and laws,” Jandel said. “For us to wear our hair the way we want is why it is near and dear to us, and I agree that it is part of self-expression as well.” 

 Milaun then asked the panel when they each started their hair journey. Panel members told Milaun that they started their hair journey early in life, during high school and some panelists stated it was later in college. The reasons behind these hair journeys included wanting a more natural look, health reasons, and self-expression. 

The panel was asked about the stigmas or prejudices they faced during their hair journey. 

Adre Clay, a UTA student, stated that he faced prejudices connected with his hairstyle at work. Police came into his workplace and placed him in handcuffs. The officers informed him that he fit the description of a robbery suspect due to his dreadlock hairstyle. 

He noted this is the type of prejudice “we face every day when we decide to grow our hair out” when people make assumptions or are uneducated. 

Members of the audience shared similar experiences they have had with their hair, not only at the workplace, but at school and out in public. They suggested that employers and the university could take a more active role in understanding hairstyles, the culture connected with them, and what is involved with proper hair care. 

Also, audience members mentioned that these conversations need to occur regularly and not just during Black History Month in February. 

Following the panel discussion, Milaun gave a hands-on demonstration about how to make different hair care products at home and gave instructions on hair care. 

The UTA Central Library will host an open conversation for people to learn about Afro-Latino culture. The Afro-Latino Roundtable event will take place from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, in the studio classroom of the Central Library.  

Milaun Murry, Experiential Learning librarian, stated that the event provides a platform for people to have conversations, learn from one another and bring people together from across the university.  

“The event is not a structured event,” Milaun said. “It is just an opportunity for individuals who want to learn more about Afro-Latino culture or identify as Afto-Latino.” 

Milaun stated she identifies as an Afro-Latina because her family is from Belize in Central America.  

She stated in a previous article that being a person of mixed-race ancestry can be difficult to explain because you don’t fit into one recognizable group of individuals. So, you must regularly explain your family’s history to new people you meet.  

There is no set program for the roundtable. No speaker will address the group attending the event.  

The event is just an opportunity for people to come together, learn from each other, ask questions, share their experiences and educate people about Afro-Latino culture. It is just going to be an open conversation. No registration is required to attend the event.  

For more information about the Afro-Latino Roundtable, go to the UTA Libraries website at https://libraries.uta.edu or through the libraries’ social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

Native American art and artists are being celebrated through a new exhibition that is taking place at the UTA Libraries. The Native Now exhibit is on the sixth-floor atrium of the Central Library through the end of the semester. 

The exhibit is sponsored by the UTA Native American Student Association, the Art & Art History DEI Committee, and the Office of Cultural Engagement and Social Change. 

Sampson Dewey, UTA Native American Student Association President, stated that the exhibit showcases unique pieces of art that tell their own story. 

"Our biggest goal in this exhibit was to bring a contemporary voice of Native American Artists, not just to UTA, but to the entire community," Sampson said. "Many times, when Native art is being shown or is on display, it is usually a little bit older art. Stuff that has been dug up and found. This exhibit was our way to show that there are still Native American artists out there who are still doing great work." 

One of the artists' works on display is from Jason Lujan, who is a member of the Chiricahua Apache Nation. 

The Tacoma Art Museum website states that Lujan's work explores interconnectivity. He strives to create an international sense of place in his work through his personal experiences.  

"Jason is in the art department at the University of Calgary in Canada. He is a Native American Student Association and UTA alum," Sampson said. "In the exhibit, Jason has a print of two Bell Helicopters named after two Native American tribes, the Comanche and the Kiowa." 

Sampson stated that another set of Lujan's helicopter prints is currently on display at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. 

Along with Lujan's work, the exhibit features historic artifacts recovered by paleontologists, items from individuals' art collections and newer artists. 

"We have a sculpture by one of our elders that passed away a few years ago. His name was Eugen Brown, and he was one of our biggest supporters of the Native American Student Association," Sampson said. "He made this wonderful sculpture based on a book that he had. The book is out there, too, right next to it. It all comes from that book from which he drew inspiration." 

Sampson encourages everyone to come out to see the exhibit. He hopes that people will be inspired by what they see and gain a greater appreciation of Native American Art. 

Students will have the chance to learn about food's role in Native American Culture through a cooking demonstration and talk at the UTA Central Library at Noon Monday, Nov. 14. 

Nico Albert Williams, the Owner and Executive Chief of Burning Cedar Indigenous Foods will share her insight and knowledge about these foods with students as a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. 

The food Nico creates through her company specializes in traditional and modern Native American cuisine. Her work specializes in the revitalization of ancestral Indigenous foodways and promotes healing and wellness in the Native American community. Nico also educates people outside of the Native American community about Indigenous foods. 

"What I usually do is a combination of the cooking demonstration, and I give an educational talk about what Native American food is because people are fairly unfamiliar with it being the original cuisine of this land," Nico said. "Some people might associate Indian tacos or frybread, but really there is so much more to Native American Foods than just foods like that. Those foods came about as we were being put on reservations and forced to make survival food with government rations." 

Nico stated that there are so many ancestral foods that are beautiful and connected to the land, Native Americans' origin story and culture. The dishes she prepares reflect that story and are incorporated into the presentation. The dish Nico is looking to prepare for students at UTA is called Three Sisters' Stew. 

"The three sisters are corn, beans and squash. We grow them together," Nico said. "Traditional Native American farming is not like the agriculture you see these days, where it is a monoculture where there are acres of one crop. That is not how Indigenous people farmed. We plant crops that support one another and add nutrients back into the soil." 

Nico explained that in the three sisters' farming method, the corn is planted first. 

The corn stalk becomes the support structure for the beans. The bean plants draw in nitrates from the air, which goes into their roots and the soil aiding the other plants. With its large leaves, the squash is planted last and shades the ground to keep moisture in it. It also keeps the ground cool for the plant's seeds and roots. 

At the end of the presentation, students will have the chance to taste the dish Nico has prepared throughout her talk. 

"I hope that the students will come away with a better understanding of what Native American food is and know a little bit more about Native American culture. How we relate to the land, plants, animals, water, air and land that we share," Nico said. 

For more information about Burning Cedar Indigenous Foods, go to www.burningcedar.com. 

The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries' newest amenity for students is now open. Through a collaboration between the library and the LGBTQ+ Program, the Rainbow Lounge is a place for LGBTQ+ students to gather and build community. 

Elle Covington, a Multidisciplinary librarian with Research Services, stated that the work of many people made the creation of the Rainbow Lounge possible. The space in a former study room at the UTA Central Library will give queer and trans students a place they can make their own. 

"The Rainbow Lounge is a project that we have been working on with the university's LBGTQ+ program to put together a space in the libraries that specifically focuses on our queer and trans students," Elle said.  

The Rainbow Lounge will not only be a place for students to meet and study, but they will be able to connect with the LGBTQ+ program and the student organization the Pride Peers. 

These groups will host events and meetings and provide mentorship services to students in the space. UTA faculty and staff members will be in that space from time to time to also offer mentorship to students. 

The lounge will also feature a small rotating collection that will highlight UTA Libraries larger Queer Pride collection. This includes books on queer and trans history, queer studies and books written by queer and trans authors.  

The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries would provide the furniture for the Rainbow Lounge, but it would be up to the students to decorate it. During this process, resources at the libraries' FabLab will be used to create signs for the lounge, but anything that might go on the walls will give its look and character. The location of the Rainbow Lounge is on the third floor in room 318.  

Elle is excited to see the lounge move from idea to reality. 

"Hopefully, this space will help them academically if they didn't feel super safe coming into the libraries to do things. So being able to open some of those avenues lets them know they have advocates," Elle said. "It shows at the library that we are not just saying we are a safe and welcoming place, but we have a visual representation and a commitment behind it." 

Students gathered in the UTA Libraries FabLab to try their hand at creating some unique pieces of art at the Pride Screen Printing Walk-Up event held Thursday, Oct. 20.  

During this event, students had the chance to screen print posters, T-shirts, and other items to show their support for UTA Pride Month. 

Elle Covington, a Multidisciplinary librarian with Research Services, stated that the screen-printing event was designed to get the word out about the new Rainbow Lounge. 

The Rainbow Lounge is a space on the third floor of UTA Central Library that will give queer and trans students a place to gather. The lounge had its soft opening the week of Oct. 24. While it is still awaiting final touches, students are invited to visit the space to study, build community and check out books by queer and trans authors.  

“Today is our first event here to promote the rainbow lounge. We wanted to have the students to be able to do some interactive stuff to make them feel a part of the Rainbow Lounge,” Elle said. “We are working with the FabLab now to get the screen-printing setup. We have two designs. One will be a single color, and the other will be a multi-color gradient situation.” 

Christine Vo, a journalism major, saw the event advertised on social media and thought it would be interesting trying out printmaking.  

“I think that it is a really cool event. I haven’t done this before, so getting to practice it is cool,” Christine said. “If there are more events like this, I will definitely be coming and possibly bringing an article of clothing next time to screen print.” 

Jaya Gratts, an art major, shared Christine’s thoughts about the screen-printing event.  

“I saw a flyer for this event at the counter at the front desk. I have always been interested in screen printing,” Jaya said. “I like making physical art like this. It is very fulfilling.” 

UTA Libraries will honor the history of the LGBTQ+ community through a special event from 5 – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the UTA Central Library sixth-floor parlor. The event will have a panel of three speakers who will discuss their experiences with the AIDS epidemic and the legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.    

The first panelist is Todd Camp, Founder and Director of the Fort Worth Gay Historical Archive, YesterQueer. 

The Texas State Historical Foundation states that Camp’s journalism career spans more than two decades, with 18 of those years at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has written and illustrated three graphic novels and seven long-running comic strips. Camp is the co-founder of Q-Cinema, Fort Worth’s Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, for which he served as Artistic Director for 14 years.  

Kathryn Slover, a Digital Archivist for Special Collections, stated that Camp would be able to provide information about the local LGBTQ+ community that might be unknown to people. 

“He has done an amazing job with community archiving and has a wonderful collection. Todd was chosen to give that local history perspective,” Kathryn said. “He is going to be speaking on how the AIDS epidemic impacted Tarrant County and Fort Worth generally, but he will be talking about more broadly the local history that he has been working on gathering.” 

The second panelist is LaLonnie Lehman, who served as a theater professor at Texas Christian University for more than 50 years and is the author of several books. Lehman will be sharing her experience with the audience about creating a panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt while she was at TCU. 

The National AIDS Memorial website states that the quilt was conceived in November 1985 by human rights activist, author and lecturer Cleve Jones. The AIDS Memorial Quilt is a 54-ton tapestry with nearly 50,000 panels dedicated to more than 110,000 individuals.  

The final panelist is Hollace Weiner, a former Star-Telegram reporter who covered the LBGTQ+ community beat for the newspaper.  

Sara Pezzoni, a Photo Collection Coordinator for Special Collections, stated that when researching the LBGTQ+ community, Weiner’s name came up. 

“I had just been doing research for the quilt as well as anything that we may have had in the collection related to gay history or pride,” Sara said. “Her name kept showing up as an author for these articles about issues relating to AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community.” 

Sara stated she reached out to Weiner to see if she knew someone that would be interested in the panel. Weiner told her that she would be interested in being a panelist. During her time at the newspaper, Weiner had covered the LBGTQ+ community. She also helped to draft a policy at the paper that would list partners of LBGTQ+ people in obituaries. 

Josh Mackrill, UTA LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator, will be at the event to speak for a few minutes about resources for HIV and AIDS in the local community. 

Following the discussion, a question-and-answer session will be held with the panelists. 

The panel discussion is free to attend, and there will be food at the event. For more information, go to the UTA Libraries website at https://events.uta.edu/event/aids_memorial_quilt_exhibit.  

Additional information about the event is on the MavOrgs website at https://mavorgs.campuslabs.com/engage/event/8206692 

Brazos Park was in full celebration as members of the UTA community came together to celebrate National Coming Out Day Tuesday, Oct. 11. Students had the chance to learn from community and campus partners how they serve the LGBTQ+ community and take part in several fun activities.  

Joshua Mackrill, UTA LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator, stated that Tuesday's celebration was about bringing people together, supporting one another and showing LGBTQ+ pride. 

“National Coming Out Day started in 1988 and has been a tradition for the LGBTQ+ Community throughout the last three decades. Traditionally this has been a day for people in the LGBTQ+ Community as a way to share parts of their identity with their family, community, and friends,” Joshua said. “I think that this (event) is a way for students to have a mini pride in their own backyard.” 

Joshua stated there are several ways that the campus community can show its support for the LGBTQ+ community.  

“There are several things, it can start by putting your pronouns in your email, including LGBTQ+ scholars in lessons, and making sure we are highlighting the accomplishment of LGBTQ+ people on our campus and community,” Joshua said. “Never make assumptions and always create space for LGBTQ+ and marginalized people, and lastly attend UTA’s Mav Ally Trainings to learn more.” 

Roscoe Raygoza, a Biology major, stated she came to the event to show her support for the UTA LGBTQ+ program that has helped so many people. 

"I wanted to come out today because I identify as a queer transman. I wanted to show my support for the UTA LBGTQ+ program. They have definitely helped me personally with my journey and welcome to the university," Roscoe said. "I am glad that they have all these resources available for students, whether they are in the closet or out of the closet and whether they are questioning or not. It is just nice to see that the university supports students like me. " 

Kathryn Mosely, a Public Health major, serving cupcakes at the event, shared similar feelings about the day's importance. 

"I think it is a great time for people who want to feel included. We're just giving them time to come out and interact with everybody and give them information about stuff on campus," Kathryn said. "I have recently been open about myself and being in the community. I think that it is cool to feel included in everything, and they have specific stuff for us. It is great." 

Kathryn stated that people on campus and around the area could show their support for the LGBTQ+ community by "listing and trying to understand where they are coming from and how they are expressing themselves to you." 

For more information about the LGBTQ+ Program at UTA and its upcoming event, people can visit www.uta.edu/student-affairs. 

People will have the opportunity to learn about the cultural significance of luchadores in Latinx culture and see several live wrestling matches at the Lucha Libre event. The event will take place at Noon on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Brazos Park. 

Milaun Murry, Experiential Learning librarian, stated that the event would provide people with a unique learning opportunity. She noted that the event has grown in popularity and excitement since it was launched last year.  

“This is our second year hosting the Lucha Libre event. Last year it was more focused on just providing some context on the historical elements, the cultural elements that existed, and why Lucha Libre does have a level of importance in Latinx culture,” Milaun said. “We kept getting responses from students asking where they could go and see some of these matches and if we were going to do one here on campus. So, from that excitement, the dean, Rebecca Bichel, had already said we could definitely go bigger and do a little bit more since the students were interested in that.” 

Lucha Libre will take place in Brazos Park on campus, where a professional wrestling ring will be set up. There will be four wrestling matches set to take place, with the possibility of more.  

In between the matches, there will be several speakers who will share their insights on the Lucha libre culture. 

“Ray Aces is one of the speakers who will be here for the Lucha Libre event. He is a professional mask maker,” Milaun said. “He will be going into a lot more detail about the cultural implications that came with the mask because many of the colors in masks symbolize certain things.” 

Professional wrestler and former luchador Prince Adam will be returning to speak at the event and share his experience. Adam will be doing a live wrestling match as well.  

The family-friendly event is free and open to everyone attending. Free food will be available. People are not required to register, but if they do, they will be entered into a raffle for a wrestling-themed prize. Registration can be done online at https://bit.ly/3Cy8ZCf. Brazos Park is across from the University Center and Health Center.  

The UTA Libraries Special Collections Department has opened a new mini-exhibit to honor Hispanic heritage, culture, and history during Hispanic Heritage Month. 

The mini-exhibit is displayed in front of the Special Collections Department through Saturday, Oct. 15. It is on the sixth floor of the UTA Central Library. 

Priscilla Escobedo, Exhibit Co-curator and Special Collections archivist, stated that the mini exhibits highlight items from the more extensive collections, such as historical books and photographs so that they can be seen by more people who visit the library.  

"We are kind of traversing through history here in this exhibit," Priscilla said. "The current exhibit has photographs from the late 1930s to the early to mid-1940s, as well as some other photographs that are close to the 1890s and the 1910s." 

During the monthlong exhibit, Priscilla stated that the mini exhibit would change each week to feature a different collection representing Hispanic heritage. 

Sara Pezzoni, Exhibit Co-curator, and Photo Collections Coordinator, shared Priscilla's thoughts about the exhibit. She feels that visitors will be able to connect with the people whose story is on display and find they share similar experiences.  

"I think it's important that people remember that humanity hasn't changed so radically in the last 100 years that we can't imagine connecting with somebody from the past," Sara said. "One of our main goals of Special Collections is to help students see themselves in the archives and be able to have those shared experiences of 'oh, they weren't so different from me' and engage with us on that level." 

For more information about the Hispanic Heritage Month Mini exhibit, visit the UTA Libraries; events calendar at https://libraries.uta.edu/news-events/current.  

Additional information about current UTA Libraries events and news can be found on the library's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media pages. 

Over the summer, Sampson Dewey had the unique opportunity to help honor Native American tribes through his internship with the Dallas Museum of Art and UTA Libraries Special Collections Department. 

As a member of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of Fallon, Nevada, Sampson provided unique insight while reviewing historical documents for the university and the histories of tribal lands as a land acknowledgment task force member for the museum. 

A land acknowledgment is a formal statement that shows respect and honors the land's Indigenous people. The acknowledgment seeks to provide a complete history of the area and not exclude Indigenous peoples' contributions. 

Before Sampson served on the DMA's task force, he helped with UTA's land acknowledgment statement as a student. He felt honored to serve in this role, representing and giving a voice to Native Americans from the past and present. 

At the Dallas Museum of Art, Sampson researched, reviewed, and updated information on current land acknowledgments with other groups. He developed a contact list of Native American Representatives and allies who could help the task force in their next steps in the land acknowledgment process.    

Through Sampson and fellow task force members' efforts, the DMA's acknowledgment recognizes that its location was the ancestral home of the Caddo, Wichita, Tawakoni and Kiikaapoi, as well as other peoples that passed through the area, including the Comanche, Kiowa, the Apache and other unknown Indigenous peoples. 

Work at UTA 

The other half of Sampson's internship was in the UTA Libraries' Special Collections Department, reviewing historical documents from or related to Native Americans. During his work, Sampson reviewed items in the collection to see if any historical inaccuracies and culturally sensitive information, such as descriptions of prayers and ceremonies, were present and see if they might need to be restricted. 

One of the items that made an impression on Sampson was a Western Navajo Indian School journal from 1909 from Tuba City, Arizona. Sampson had to transcribe and research the journal. In the journal, students would write about their lives. 

"The teachers had them do a monthly journal. Students would copy different articles on stories they were reading and share them with people in the community," Sampson said. "One of the (entries) that I remember is that they were talking about how their teacher told them how to grow corn. So, the teacher told them to bring in a box. He filled it with soil and grew some corn. He (the student) drew a little picture of the presentation in the journal." 

Sampson stated that he dove deeper into finding out more about these students by looking at documents such as the Indian census of 1910. The census gave biographical information on these students, such as their occupation after leaving school and the names of their family members. 

With his internship completed, Sampson plans to continue working with UTA and the DMA land acknowledgment projects. He also wanted to let people know that there is an Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration taking place from 3-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10, and encourages everyone to come out.   

To find out more about the Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, go to https://bit.ly/3BIghBM for more information.  

The UTA Libraries Special Collections' new mini exhibit “Change is Upon Us: UTA’s Integration in 1962” has a powerful story to tell visitors. The exhibit tells how Arlington State College, now UTA, became an integrated campus. 

Evan Spencer, a Public Services librarian/archivist in the Special Collections and Archives Department, shared that several Black students, with the help of the Dallas NAACP, were able to change university admission policy. 

“All public schools in Texas were segregated until Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954. A lot of the schools did not listen to that until much later,” Evan said. “(At the time) Arlington State College was segregated, and in the spring of 1962, several students from James Madison High School, a Black high school in Dallas, applied to attend.” 

 Evan stated that the official policy of the Texas A&M System at that time, which Arlington State College was a part of, was to forward any black applicants to Prairie View A&M. Prairie View is near Houston. 

“Those students had no interest in going to Prairie View; they wanted to go to Arlington State College. They wanted to stay close to home and didn’t want to go to Prairie View. So, they hired a lawyer named Fred Finch Jr., who was with the Dallas NAACP,” Evan said. “Fred Finch sent a letter to the president of Arlington State College, President Jack Woolf. It (the letter) said they were going to file a lawsuit.” 

Evan stated that President Woolf knew the college would lose the lawsuit at that point. Rather than go to court, the university changed the admission policy on July 10, 1962. This change allowed Black students to apply and attend the college that fall. Arlington State College became UTA in 1965, three years later. 

Evan stated that many people have stopped by to see the exhibit and are curious about the display. 

He noted that these mini exhibits allow more people to learn about the university’s history and highlight the records that are a part of Special Collections. 

To read the full story about how the campus was integrated, go to The Compass Rose blog post on the UTA Libraries website at https://bit.ly/3RJCOEO. 

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Maverick Kitchen will be celebrating the culture and food of Puerto Rico with a "Puerto Rican Eats” event Thursday, September 29, at 12:30 p.m., in the Studios classroom on the first floor of the UTA Central Library. 

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. This month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.  

Milaun Murry, Experiential Learning librarian, stated that this event not only feeds students but it educates them about the vibrant culture of the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Maverick Kitchen works to honor the culture and history of students across campus through the creation of these unique dishes, she said. 

“Our intent is that everyone can say at one point in time there is a Maverick Kitchen that relates to them, and they feel like, ‘oh man, this is something that reminds me of home,’” Milaun said. 

The Puerto Rican Eats event will run from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m., allowing time for cooking and presenting historical and cultural information to students about the dish’s country of origin.  

Maverick Kitchen is a series of cooking workshops designed to provide students with an engaging learning experience around food. As a part of the workshop, students learn about the cultural significance of different dishes and basic food and kitchen safety skills.  

Space is limited to 25 people due to the classroom size for the cooking session. No registration is required, but space availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. It is free to attend. During the cooking demonstration, students will learn how to make the recipe and be given the food afterward.  

For more information about Maverick Kitchen, go online to https://libraries.uta.edu.  

In honor of uploading more than 100,000 images to its Digital Gallery, the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries is highlighting several of the collections that users can access for free online. 

“Our Digital Gallery is a priceless resource for scholars in Maverick Country and around the world,” said Rebecca Bichel, dean for UTA Libraries. “The six collections we are highlighting to celebrate our latest milestone provide a glimpse into the wealth of materials available to researchers 24/7, thanks to generous donation by members of the UTA community and the financial support of grants from private and public institutions and individuals.” 

The Digital Gallery is managed by UTA Libraries staff in Digital Creation, Special Collections, and Marketing & Communications. 

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, which collects more than four million photos dating from 1849 to 1991, anchors the Digital Gallery. The materials arrived in increments from 1984 through 1999, according to Photograph Collections Coordinator Sara Pezzoni. 

“Thanks to six grants in the last five years, as well as research and publication requests, exhibits, and internal needs, we have been able to digitize about 1.8% of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection,” she said.

These grants include two $25,000 TexTreasures grants by the Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC) for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 to digitize Through the Lens of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: A Photographic View of World War II in Fort Worth as well as a grant from the Tarrant County Historical Society to digitize Fort Worth, Texas Residential Architecture, 1940s-1990s. UTA Libraries also shared a $50,000 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) with Texas Christian University to create Emperor of West Texas – Digitizing the Amon G. Carter Papers. Finally, the Libraries was awarded two more $24,909 TexTreasures grants by TSLAC for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 to digitize Big Hair and Bigger Business: The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Captures the 1950s.

This collection includes journalistic materials relevant to history of Arlington. General subjects include buildings, events, landmarks, people, businesses, schools, and street scenes in the Arlington area. The most notable are images of Arlington Downs, Arlington State College/University of Texas at Arlington including the 1957 Junior Rose Bowl game, General Motors plant, and Mineral Wells. 

“This collection hasn’t been processed yet, which is why only 0.12% of its contents have been digitized so far,” Pezzoni said. “We are currently able to digitize the materials in this collection thanks to research requests and internal needs like exhibits.” 

The raw materials of the collection were received by Special Collections in increments from 1991-1998. 

According to the Texas State Historical Association, the Reeder School was a celebrated children’s theater school in Fort Worth. It was founded by Flora (nee Blanc) and Dickson Reeder in the fall of 1945 and thrived until its closure in 1958. 

The Reeder School Records were donated to UTA Libraries over several years from 1993 to 2018 by Flora Reeder herself, as well as her estate, Edmund P. Cranz, the Arts Council of Fort Worth, and an anonymous donor. 

“Records from this collection were processed with assistance from various grants and digitized by students and staff members,” said Pricilla Escobedo, archivist for UTA Libraries Special Collections. “While the online collection only represents a small fraction of the overall collection of Reeder School Records—we have 50 boxes of materials!—we hope that our students and scholars will enjoy the various photos of the school’s many productions, hand-drawn costume studies, and sketches of various set designs they will find in our Digital Gallery."

Elzie Odom was the first and only (yet) African American mayor of Arlington, TX. He was elected mayor in 1997 and served until 2003. He also served on the City Council. More information about Elzie Odom can be found on the City of Arlington's website.  

The Odom family donated their papers in February 2020 in a ceremony held in the UTA Libraries Atrium. Then-head of Special Collections, Brenda McClurkin, said at the time, “It is a privilege to be charged with preserving the Odoms’ papers. We hope our students, faculty, staff, and visitors will explore the collection for themselves and learn more about these important leaders in our local history.” 

About half of the total collection has been digitized through the efforts of UTA Libraries’ Digital Creation department, including scrapbooks created by the Odoms’ daughter, Barbara Odom-Wesley, who has served on the Arlington City Council since 2019. 

These essential records of the Moving Mav’s wheelchair basketball team were donated to Special Collections from 2011-2018 by Helen Eustace and current head coach of adaptive sports for UTA Doug Garner. The collection includes photographs, news clippings, journals, score sheets, manuscript materials, and more related to the history of Movin’ Mavs team. 

“It’s difficult to say exactly how much of the collections has been digitized,” said Michael Barera, University and Labor Archivist. “However, a significant portion was made available online for the Texas Disability History Collection in 2018, as well as digitized for the Digital Gallery in subsequent years.” 

The Maps of Africa Collection is UTA Libraries newest acquisition, courtesy of UTA alumnus and friend of the Libraries Dr. Jack Franke. Nearly 200 maps from this collection have been digitized so far, representing about a third of Franke’s donation. 

“We were lucky to be acquire grant funding for two art history interns—Mya Lewis and Jessica Khazem—to make these gorgeous maps available online,” said Ben Huseman, Cartographic Archivist for UTA Libraries. “We hope to continue to their efforts in the future to ensure more people are able to access these important pieces of history.” 

When Leyla Bunster was promoted to Multidisciplinary Librarian in February, she was most excited to begin her inaugural work with the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington.

This research area is a passion of Bunster’s from her student days, and she is optimistic about the role she will play as the first liaison librarian to the Center.

“The CMAS leadership team has been incredibly welcoming,” Bunster said. “CMAS Associate Director, Dr. Xavier Medina Vidal, has provided me with a great deal of information about the history of CMAS and their current vision for the Center. I’m excited to see this partnership grow!”

In addition to her more traditional responsibilities, CMAS provides some unique opportunities for Bunster as a new liaison with its minor in Mexican American and Latino/a Studies (MALS), which consists of several course options across multiple disciplines.

“The MALS minor allows me to engage in communication with students and faculty from disciplines outside of my designated subject areas,” Bunster said. “I believe that this is a great opportunity to partner with other subject librarians and academic departments to learn more about the institution and Libraries resources outside of my subjects.”

The Libraries Guiding Principles—We Care, We Empower, We Take Ownership, and We Are Extraordinary—also greatly influence the way Bunster approaches her role as a liaison librarian.

“I care about the success of our students and faculty, and I enjoy connecting members of our UTA community to the Libraries’ resources and tools that will assist them with their projects,” Bunster said. “I’m always excited when I have the opportunity to provide class instruction lessons, and I view this as one of the many ways that we can help empower our students. I enjoy sharing some of the amazing resources we have available in the Libraries, and I often find that they are just as excited to hear about them.”

Vidal expressed disappointment that there was no librarian assigned to CMAS; however, now that Bunster is on board, he is excited to see what the future holds. UTA is consistently ranked among the Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanic Students, according to an annual list from The Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine.

“Our first meeting was at CMAS, and we talked about our research and professional interests and worked to identify synergies between the Libraries and CMAS,” Vidal said. “We explored ways for our units to collaborate.”

Vidal sees his partnership with Bunster as an opportunity to broaden the impact of CMAS beyond the Center’s physical space—and ideally influence the ways students’ engage with Mexican American and Latino studies.

“I hope that students’ ability to research and write on topics in Mexican American studies will improve,” Vidal said. “I think that when students see Mexican American and Latino studies having meaning and importance in places beyond our four walls at CMAS, it’s a win for everyone.”

Vidal also has campus-wide goals—and sees this new work with the Libraries as an important step to achieving them.

“I would like for the University to lean into its identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution—for that to happen, the University must commit more resources to support the teaching and research of Latino/Hispanic faculty and make the resources widely available and accessible to Latino students,” Vidal said. “The Libraries, in many ways what anchors us all, ought to be at the forefront of that effort and should be supported by the University in their commitment to supporting Latino students in the spirit of our HSI identity.”

Students interested in the Center for Mexican American Studies can explore their website for more information.

UTA Libraries welcomed Essraa Nawar, Leatherby Libraries Development Librarian and Chair for Arts, Exhibits and Events Committee at Chapman University, as the second speaker in its Diversity Series on Sept. 25.

Nawar presented on her topic, “Diversity: between staged and organic” to about 30 members of Libraries staff.

“We are honored that Essraa accepted our invitation to share her work and personal experiences with us at UTA Libraries,” said Dean Rebecca Bichel. “Diversity is a core strength for UTA, and conversations like this encourage all of us to broaden our perspectives and open ourselves to engage broadly with our community.”

The Diversity Series, curated by the University Libraries Deans Council (ULDC), highlights librarians from across the country for their effort to promote diversity in their work. Talks from additional speakers are expected by the end of 2019-2020 school year.

Librarian and ULDC member Peter Zhang says the series highlights the Libraries’ strategic priority to promote diversity and inclusion.

“We are a diverse campus, and the City of Arlington is a diverse community,” Zhang said. “UTA Libraries strives to offer programming that speaks to the variety of populations that make our community strong. We know we have work to do, and hope this series inspires important conversations about inclusion.”

Zhang proposed bringing Nawar to UTA Libraries after seeing her present at the Academic Library Advancement and Development Network (ALDN) conference in 2018 in Fort Worth. UTA was a sponsor of that conference.

In her presentation, Nawar shared case studies on how Leatherby Libraries not only capitalizes on current campus, national and international events but also uses their own staffs’ and students’ diverse skills, background and connections to bring their programs to life.

She also says sharing personal stories from marginalized groups has the power to fight stereotypes. The hashtag #ChangeTheNarrative gives others a way to connect as they go about their everyday lives—all while debunking myths and challenging prejudice.

“I want to change the perspective of people who see someone looking like me, wearing a headscarf, and wonder, ‘where are you from?’” Nawar said. “I also want us to, all together, redefine the concept of diversity. I want us not to focus just on race, religion, and gender—you’re defined by your life experiences, your travels, even the books that you read. I think we really need to redefine that concept and use it in a more organic way.”

Maria Baagala, Organizational Excellence Library Specialist Lead, was inspired by Nawar’s discussion, which resonated with her own experiences.

“Essraa’s talk was very, very good,” Baagala said. “I also did not grow up [in the United States], and I related to what she was saying. This really needs to be taught everywhere, especially at universities as diverse as UTA.”

Nawar’s next stop was Amman, Jordan, where she met with more than 200 librarians from the region to help bolster their libraries’ programming.

UTA Libraries demonstrated its commitment to diversity and inclusion with a “Human Library” event in the library mall on Sept. 19.

The event facilitated open conversations between eight human “books” and students curious about a host of experiences, from immigration to polyamory to fat shaming and more. Participants had thirty minutes to “read” the books and pose questions that challenged prejudice.

“We are committed to promoting and celebrating diversity at UTA,” said Rebecca Bichel, Dean of UTA Libraries. “The Human Library event brings the UTA community together to learn from one another’s experiences and broaden our understanding of what it means to be human.”

Milaun Murry, UTA Libraries Experiential Learning Outreach & Events Specialist, says the event was a success.

“This is the second year we have participated in the Human Library, and it was definitely our best event yet,” Murry said. “We hope those who participated share what they’ve learned and continue the work of cultivating community on campus.”

Rashad Harrison, a UTA alumnus from the class of 2019, happened upon the event while walking his dog, Bevo, and decided to participate. 

“The term, ‘Human Library’…it spoke to my curiosity,” Harrison said. “I can definitely say it was a great experience.”

The alum recommends the event to those looking for new and different perspectives.

“The Human Library teaches a lot of people about diversity,” Harrison said. “If you want to learn something, I would suggest coming out here.”

The Human Library or “Menneskebiblioteket” as it is called in Danish, was created in Copenhagen in the spring of 2000 by Ronni Abergel and his brother Dany and colleagues Asma Mouna and Christoffer Erichsen. Human Library events have been hosted on six continents in more than 80 countries.