Civic Engagement – Page 91 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Destination Austin: BBQ, Politics, and Scenic Views

Riding through through the rain and flooded roads, LEAP Students (Brian Aldaco, Isabela Gonzales and Christina Perez) and Professor Yawn eagerly headed to a Boot Camp–a boot camp for politics, that is. Before arriving at this campus for campaigning, however, we decided it was time to treat our palates with dinner at Southside Market and BBQ in the city of Elgin. We enjoyed a plate of ribs, brisket, and the signature beef sausage (considered “the best around” ), complemented by the restaurant’s homemade honey mesquite bbq. After an amusing table chat and a quick sighting of the Victorian house style which served as City Hall, we resumed our route to Austin, Texas.

Our second pit stop landed us at Mount Bonnell, where we got to enjoy the gorgeous view of Lake Austin. We weren’t the only ones: romantic couples sat alongside the cliffs, watching the last vestiges of the sun as its rays faded over the Colorado River. Indeed, the spot is a great place for a picnic or to simply take selfies with friends.

To the east, visitors see the outline of Austin’s downtown. On both sides, at least at this time of year, the surroundings are lit by the flashes of fireflies–and, on this night, actual lightning! We recommend that everyone visit Mount Bonnell at least once.

Following our “hike” up Mount Bonnell, we detoured the Capitol building which was, surprisingly, open for visitors. We headed in, learning briefly about some of the governors of Texas, enjoying the dome…

…and taking an obligatory photo alongside Elizabet Ney’s Sam Houston.

With our history fixed complete, we took another detour to get a late-night dessert at Quacks 43rd Street Bakery. Brian ordered a lemon cupcake–opting for the vegan option to fully assimilate in the Austin–Isabela ordered a Snicker Doodle cookie, and I (Christina) had a short-bread cookie shaped like a palm tree. Professor Yawn bought us Salted Caramel Brownies and Ginger Krinkles…

Over all we enjoyed the coffee shop styled bakery with its colorful walls and trendy appearance. With our bellies stuffed we headed to the hotel in order to rest and prepare for tomorrow’s busy itinerary.

College 101: AVID About Learning

Robert Loughran left SHSU in 2011, graduating with a degree in Political Science and plans to go into education. But he returned to his Bearkat home this Saturday, bringing 45 middle-schoolers and a few parents, all of whom wanted to learn more about Sam Houston State University. On hand to help were the LEAP Ambassadors, who served as young chaperones, tour guides, and mentors for a six-hour workday on Saturday.

To begin the day LEAP Ambassadors welcomed the AVID Students, who travelled 3 hours to visit Huntsville and Sam Houston State University, at Carbonero‘s for lunch. Carboneros is a local restaurant that serves authentic Salvadoran food. At the restaurant, the students were seated in groups of 7-8 with their classmates and also with one of the six LEAP Ambassadors who were present to mentor them throughout the day. This made lunch interactive and interesting because we all got to learn a little about each other. The students and volunteers got to enjoy a buffet-style lunch which included pupusas, rotisserie chicken, chicken/beef enchiladas, tacos al carbon, their famous chaufa rice, and hamburgers for the not-so-adventurous students. For an hour we ate, talked about what the day had in store, prepared for the next portion of the day and enjoyed the enthusiasm of 45 students who travelled from a Dallas school district—on a Saturday—to get a taste of El Salvadoran food and of college.

Following a full meal, AVID students headed to campus to attend a mock college class taught by Professor Yawn.

The goal of the class was to give the students a realistic idea of what to expect in a real college level course. To that end, the students were given three days to read the Bill of Rights and summaries of four court cases.

It was a lot to chew on for middle schoolers, and the grades reflected that.

But the students perked up for Professor Yawn’s lecture, which ranged from the criminal justice amendments of the US Constitution to the role that technology plays in changing interpretations of “search and seizure.”

The students eagerly asked questions and were willing to participate in Professor Yawn’s role-playing examples—including an arrest and detention which, incidentally, tied in to the days’ later activities.

Many students commented that the class was their favorite part of the day! Even LEAP Ambassadors enjoyed and learned from the lecture.

AVID_Day_Alex_Karla_Web — Alejandra Galvan and Karla Rosales

Breaking into groups, the Ambassadors teamed up to lead students on a tour across campus. Visiting the Newton Gresham Library, the Lowman Student Center, Rec Sports, the Performing Arts Center, and the College of Criminal Justice, we hoped each group got a sampling of what SHSU offers academically and recreationally. The tour time allowed students to ask questions and learn more about the University. Even LEAP Ambassadors brushed up on the University’s history. For example, we learned that SHSU became the first fully air-conditioned campus in the world during SHSU President Harmon L. Lowman’s presidency! Once the tours were finished, we regrouped and AVID students eagerly boarded the bus to visit the Texas Prison Museum.

It is impossible to come to Huntsville without knowing at least three things about the area: (1) it’s the home of Sam Houston, the man; (2) it’s the home of Sam Houston, the University; and (3) Huntsville has prisons. The AVID students got a briefing on the first two during class and the SHSU tour and their final destination allowed them to experience the history of the Texas Prison System at the Texas Prison Museum.

Visitors to the Museum are encouraged to watch a short history of the Texas Prison system when they arrive, and AVID students eagerly sat for the eight-minute program.

They were also treated to a brief overview by Jim Willett, who worked for the prison for 30 years, many of those years as Warden of the Walls Unit. He provided a few interesting details, and then showed the young students a large model of the Unit he once supervised.

The students’ attention was also caught by the masterful pieces of art located throughout the museum. One piece that caught everyone’s attention was a large piece of wood, much like a tree stump, that had animal faces carved into it. It is an impressive piece of art work, and it’s difficult and sad to think about it being created in a prison.

Of course, the most famous piece of wood in the Museum is the prison’s notorious electric chair. Located toward the rear of the Museum, surrounded by the institutional green walls of the prison system and illuminated by a single fluorescent light, Ol’ Sparky sits forlornly. It’s chilling to experience this instrument from a few feet away.

Another popular exhibit was the illegal contraband that has been confiscated from inmates over the years. These items would impress any engineer, architect, or inventor. Pipe shotguns made of lined paper towel rolls, lead and string; a tattoo machines made from a pencil and stored in a sock; hollowed out wood-soled shoes that hid a knife blade, much like a James Bond gadget. Seeing these things close up not only made us all thankful for the glass separating the contraband from us, but also for our freedom.

Of course, no trip to the Texas Prison Museum is complete without a photograph of the visitors in the model jail cell. Students displayed way too much pleasure while posing in the jail cells.

The exhibits of the Texas Prison Museum have valuable lessons to teach both young and old. And these exact lessons are why the LEAP Ambassadors and AVID Students sacrificed a Saturday to educate and empower ourselves with knowledge and service.

It was a long day, but so worth it! It gave AVID students an idea of what to expect in college and what the Huntsville community can offer and it prompted the LEAP Ambassadors to play a mentorship role, which for most, was a new experience. I believe that we all benefited from what LEAP calls AVID Day and we hope that we can do it again in the future.

Day Three in the Big D: GOP Convention

Our last day at the Convention was, in many ways, the longest. But for the Walker County Delegation, which overwhelmingly supported Ted Cruz for President, it was also a fun day.

The first thing on our agenda was kolaches with Congressman Kevin Brady. It was there that we saw Francine Stanfield, Brady’s Campaign Manager, who recognized us from previous events for which we had volunteered. Both Congressman Brady and his staff were very welcoming to the Walker County Delegation and to us as SHSU students, as always.

We congratulated Congressman Brady on his recent win and after meeting with him for a few minutes we proceeded to the breakfast table for kolaches and fruit to give us energy for the long congressional district caucus meeting ahead of us. Although we only had to vote on delegates and alternates to send to the national convention, it took roughly 6 hours. The meeting began shortly after 8am and ended around 2pm.

At this meeting we had to elect the delegates that would attend the National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio and also the party representatives who will represent us to the national delegation in Washington, DC. This process was interspersed with various speeches by elected officials or candidates. The first of these was the best, with Congressman Brady opening the proceedings.

The usual order of business, however, was a bit more tedious. The process for nominations proceeded in the following manner:

A nomination;
Speeches for each nominee, including those by the nominee him or herself (nominees got three minutes total);
Voting for each delegate (and alternate) position;
A run-off of two or three candidates, depending on the proportion of the original candidates receiving a threshold of votes;
Start over for the next position.

Because there were between 5-9 candidates running for each position, the process took a while.

It was an interesting process, but it’s unclear exactly how meaningful it was. Each delegate elected to attend the national convention would have to pledge to vote for the candidate according to the state’s primary’s result. In the end Montgomery County Delegate Ann Kate fulfilled the position for first delegate, which was bound to vote for Cruz.

Steve Toth of Montgomery County fulfilled the second delegate position, which also was bound to vote for Cruz. Finally Ann Mazone of Grimes County fulfilled the third delegate position, which was bound to vote for Donald Trump in the national convention.

This last one was a special victory for our county’s Cynthia Prehoda, who had nominated her.

CD_Caucus_Prehoda_Speaking_Web — Walker County Delegate, Cynthia Prehoda, Nominates Ann Mazone

Even though this process seemed lengthy to some…

CD_Caucus_Kaitlyn_Karla_2_Web — Kaitlyn and Karla

it was full of energized nominees that proved to be great entertainment to the public. Some delegates were so passionate that they fought back tears while giving there speeches and others were persistent and ran for all three positions in hopes of getting elected to one–all of this interspersed with lottery drawings for speaking order…

…and dashes to the podium to get voting ballots for each position…

By about noon, we decided we better get a group photo, while there was still a group left to photograph!

Walker_County_Delegation_1 — Megan Chapa Photographs the Walker County Delegation

After a busy morning of delegate voting, we decided that it was time to indulge in a satisfying lunch break. Thus, Megan Chapa, Kaitlyn Tyra, Kay Deahl, and I (Brian Aldaco) went down to Cafe Herrera. The Mexican cuisine style restaurant is conveniently situated a street across the convention center. This allotted the sufficient time for the eager delegates to return in time for the remainder of the convention’s general session.

Upon entering through the rustic Spanish-style doorway of the restaurant, the savory aroma of the sizzling beef pleasantly overtook our senses. This was a proper indicator that we had chosen the right lunching venue. With our menu items ordered we distracted our appetite with the classic Mexican chips accompanied by a spicy green salsa and an even hotter red salsa. The wait for our piece d’resistance was minimal, however, thanks to the quick cooking skills of the chef (surely he must have known of Ted Cruz’s imminent arrival). With our Enchiladas Verdes, Enchiladas Rojas, and tacos al pastor served, we continued to enjoy the entertaining anecdotes of Mrs. Deahl. Sharing her history of Republican participation and college experiences made us consider our privilege to attend the State Convention with greater appreciation. After our plates were cleared we rushed across the road, entered through the convention doors, and climbed up the stairs. We were ready to continue fulfilling the duties of a State Convention delegate.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz was the speaker at the last main session. He won the Texas Republican Primary for the presidential candidacy so all the delegates were really excited to hear Senator Cruz speak! All the seats had “thank you, Ted” signs so that the delegates were able to show their appreciation for all of his efforts during his campaign race.

His wife, Heidi Cruz, introduced him on stage. She gave us insight of their campaign tour and expressed how good it felt to be back home in Texas! All were happy that the two and their two children, Catherine and Caroline, sacrificed so much to represent Republicans all across the United States.

Senator Cruz’s speech was very positive. He reaffirmed the beliefs that he will fight for in the Senate and how his unsuccessful presidential campaign will not hinder any future efforts during his office term. Although he did not endorse any candidate during his speech, he left many of us more hopeful about the future of our party and our nation.

The excitement of hearing Senator Cruz speak gave many delegates energy as we prepared for the rest of the fourth and final general session.

The Honorable Attorney General Ken Paxton–who, incidentally, is facing criminal charges as for Securities Fraud–gave remarks following Senator Cruz’s speech. He discussed his successes as Attorney General and some of the current issues Texas is facing. His speech informed delegates about his opinions on current events and how he plans to handle these situations. The Honorable Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller (also under investigation) and the Honorable Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton also spoke to delegates. Thanking the delegates for their continued support, their speeches were generally positive about the future of the Republican Party and the State of Texas.

Andy Ngyuen, President of Texas Asian Republican Assembly provided his perspective on being a Republican. His life story as a refugee escaping Vietnam for a better life in America helped exemplify the pursuit of the American Dream, one of freedom and liberty. Ngyuen believes that by upholding these principles, the party would become the moral example of the nation.

The final speaker was Senator Jeff Sessions, who served as a kind-of surrogate for Donald Trump. Sessions, who represents Alabama, has endorsed Trump, and is stumping for him on the trail.

Once the guest speakers were finished presenting, it was time to call the final General Session to order. Our main point of business was to elect a National Committeeman and Committeewoman. After hearing the candidates speak, each Congressional District voted by paper ballot to determine which nominee would be elected. Each Congressional District then reported the numbers to the Convention Secretary during a roll call. Voting by paper ballots was a tedious process, yet it provided more accuracy than a voice vote would have. For Committeeman, Robin Armstrong was reelected. For Committeewoman, Toni Ann Dashiell was also reelected in a surprisingly close election. Although the delegation cast only two votes, it took about an hour and a half to complete! Fortunately, electing the at-large delegates and alternate delegates to the National Convention were easier because they were submitted by a committee and we could approve them as a slate and by voice vote.

After we approved the two lists of delegates to attend the National Convention on Texas’ behalf, the Convention was adjourned. It was an accomplished feeling to know we completed our first State Convention as delegates!

The process was exciting, entertaining, and rewarding. We learned about Parliamentary Procedure, current events, and helped participate in an important democratic process. It was tempting to bask in the glow of the final exit from the convention…

…but we chose instead to think of how lucky we were to be in Walker County, where voters nominated students to attend the State Convention.

Our initial foray into this type of politics could only have been made more rewarding by the presence of Linda McKenzie and Terry Stivers, both of whom had much to do with our attendance at the convention.

Thanks to all the members of the Republican Party who helped make this possible, and we look forward to participating further in the years to come!

Convention Politics: Day 2 in the Big D

It was our second day at the convention and, as we would learn, things would unfold a bit differently than the day before. There was more entertainment, but more actual work, too, and that led to some discord in the party ranks–but, thankfully, not among the Walker County delegation, who remained pleasant even when disagreeing on policy issues.

For the first order of convention business, we gathered inside the Senatorial District 5 meeting room. Here, the delegates would vote on state party leaders: State Party Chairman, State Party Vice chairman, State Executive Chairman, and State Executive Chairwoman. After the delegate seating process was finished, with a delegate count of 248, it was then permissible to commence voting and declare nominees for the different positions.

Two nominations for state party chairman were made, one for Jared Woodfill and a competing one to keep Tom Mechler. After the ballots were distributed to each county chair and the delegates gave their vote, it was time for the Senatorial Caucus chairman to announce the winner of this caucus. The rules, however, are a bit more complicated. The vote isn’t to actually see who wins, but to see if candidates can achieve a minimum needed to be nominated from the floor of the convention. The minimum, as it turns out, is to achieve 20% of the overall delegate vote of all Senatorial Caucuses or to actually win three of the 31 caucuses.

As it turned out, Mechler won our caucus. In fact, as we would learn later in the day, he won almost all the caucuses and he would handily defeat Woodfill as Chair of the Republican Party of Texas.

Before we got to the floor, however, the delegates received a rewarding speech delivered by U.S. Senator John Cornyn. His delivery included his opinion on how the party is to keep strong in the upcoming years and received strong support from the crowd.

This powerful delivery was all the more special for we were able to briefly meet with the Senator, a meeting that we were grateful for.

Following our meeting with Senator Cornyn, nominations began for Vice Chair, a process that yielded Kathy Adams and Amy Clark. The delegates then voted 51 to 216 in favor of Clark. This, too, augured well for Clark who went on to win easily in the other Caucuses. Mike McCloskey won the nomination for District 5 Executive Chairman with a 216 majority vote and Nida Davidson won the nomination for District 5 Executive Chairwoman uncontested.

During the convention we came across the opportunity to become an Abbott University graduate. Names can be deceiving, however, for the program consisted of two 45 minute courses ( as opposed to the traditional 4 years). The classes offered in the program were structured to educate its attendants on how to utilize modern tools of communication and efficient organizational skills to run a successful campaign. Alex and Karla attended organization building session…

…and Kaitlyn, Brian and Megan attended the social media class.

While organization building was a class to help expand an organization and mobilize resources to maximize influence, social media would help us learn about amplifying messages and maximizing reach with conservatives on the most effective social networks.

One of my (Karla) favorite pieces of advice during the class was “ask and shut up”. It is similar to the salesman’s mantra of to stop speaking after the sale is made, but I never realized how much of a difference this can make. This is the best way to ask for a commitment from a volunteer, sponsor, or a voter. We also got plenty of advice for one-on-one meetings, including tips on how to make a personal connection during meetings. To achieve a personal level the first thing that is needed is to begin with our personal story, then the other person will most likely proceed to telling their story, in which case we can listen and better understand the person with whom we are communicating. After this, we can “ask the question and shut up” and hopefully get a commitment from them that will help us towards our goal to expand and mobilize resources.

Once we had all shared our different learning experiences over lunch, it was time for more action at the Third General Session. The Second General Session was postponed and combined with the third due to committee meetings running behind. However, the Third General Session was by far the most interesting session!

It began with business from the second session–approval of the committee updates. This included the Report of the Permanent Chair, Adoption of Agenda & Supplemental Rules, Report of the Permanent Organization Committee (on which Professor Yawn served), Report of the Permanent State Nominating Committee, and Presentation of Incoming State Republican Executive Committee Members. This portion of the meeting was quick and easy, although the Rules portion got a bit acrimonious.

Not, however, as acrimonious as the policy platform debates! Many Republicans were passionate about their principles and beliefs and they expressed that by debating for or against certain planks.

The planks varied from educational and judicial power to issues such as abortion. The most heated of the debates was on whether to secede from the US, an issue that is a trifle bizarre to us. The whole secession thing has pretty much been settled. But parties are made up of diverse elements, and the zealous of these elements tend to be the ones who go to convention. The entire discussion not only included debate, but the opportunity to amend each of the amendments–all 266.

It was a long process, however, the LEAP Ambassadors were grateful to have attended Parliamentary Procedures Process training and it was easy to differentiate those who attended and those who did not. Those who did not attend, in my opinion, prolonged the process because they had to verify the rules frequently and were “out of order” many times.

It was also beneficial to us because we followed the meeting fairly well and enjoyed ourselves.

We did not expect to see the heated debates in the session, but it was both interesting and entertaining. After much debate, there was a majority vote to end all debate (which many were ecstatic about; others were very unhappy about) on the entire platform, which then allowed us to participate in the first-ever use of Scantron voting for each plank in the platform.

Even though it took us a while to read through all 266 planks and vote, we felt pride in preforming our delegate duties.

I think the LEAP Ambassadors took a lot away from today. The session really showed the spectrum of issues and the varying level of support for both the sensible and strange policies that had been proposed.

Once we were all finished voting, we took a short drive from the convention center through downtown Dallas where Governor Abbott hosted his tailgate on a parking garage rooftop overlooking the city. Upon our arrival we were presented with our Abbott University Diplomas and directed upstairs. Blake Roach, (one of our favorite JF/LEAP Alums), who works as Governor Abbott’s advance man, welcomed us shortly after we arrived.

He explained his responsibilities as an Advance Man and his experience working with the Texas Legislature. Blake was nice enough to introduce us to Audrey Abbott, the First Daughter of Texas.

Audrey_Abbott_LEAP_Ambassadors — Karla, Megan, Audrey, Alex, Brian, and Kaitlyn

She is now a college sophomore, so we had many things in common. Well, other than the fact that her dad is the Governor of Texas, of course! She was personable and easy to talk to. She told us about what her experience as the first daughter of Texas has been like and let us know that Governor Abbott had actually filmed a campaign advertisement in the same parking garage two years ago during his campaign for Governor!

And after eating Texas BBQ for dinner…

we were welcomed by Governor Abbott himself!

On this one, though, Ryan Brim already had us beat, having met the Governor earlier in the day.

It was a great event and fun way to end an eventful day. Knowing we would be back early tomorrow morning, we hurried home to get some rest before our final day of the State Convention.

Day One: Big D and the GOP

Ever since we attended the Walker County Republican Convention, we had been hearing many anecdotes from previous State delegates about the State Convention, and not all of the stories were good. So we were equal parts excited and anxious to see what the 2016 Republican State Convention would be like in person.

Part I: Parliamentary Training (Brian Aldaco)

The Convention is able, in theory, to flow smoothly because it is governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, and we began the convention attending the parliamentary procedure training provided by Richard Hayes, the Parliamentarian. The procedure is used often enough that this training would benefit us tremendously in other situations. The Parliamentarian led the training and gave us a sheet to help us follow along. This sheet was extremely helpful, but it was his personality that made the training interesting.

We got helpful tips to make sure the meetings ran efficiently and we learned that the goal is to have an efficient meeting by focusing on the substance instead of parliamentary maneuvers, which often just serve to delay the proceedings. It was fairly obvious that, even before the convention had officially commenced, that Hayes was anticipating dilatory tactics and his anticipatory frustration was manifest in his suggestions. At one point, Professor Yawn leaned over and said, “I’m going to have him explain my syllabus to my classes from now on.”

After learning the basics of how the Convention will work, we had a break to spend wandering through the exhibit hall. There we were able to buy GOP pins and other Republican memorabilia. The exhibit hall was also filled with information booths of different candidates aside from the Presidential race, making for a fun tour, followed by our arrival at the large hall for our first general session.

Part II: The Session (Alex Galvan)

We weren’t sure what to expect of the session, but we were grateful to have many delegates there looking out for us. Thomas Leeper, Stephanie Fors, Mike Yawn, Kara Veinotte, Cynthia Prehoda, Richard Yawn, Dorothy Yawn, Gerald Skidmore, Bobby Gardner, Micah Slaughter, Tore Fossum, Larry Hughes, Leah Boyd, Chad Byrd, Kay Deahl, and Judy Emmett were all on hand to explain things, laugh with us, and sometimes cringe with us. The day held much promise.

We began the session with a prayer, an exuberant national anthem–including the rarely heard 2nd verse–and the pledge of allegiance to the American and Texas flags. After the opening ceremony the session began with a brief overview of convention affairs by the Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tom Mechler. These affairs included various delegate seating issues, which were quickly resolved by the delegate’s votes. Even though I am unable to vote as I am attending as a guest, it was still insightful to look into these procedures. In this case the cooperation in delegate participation and Chairman efficiency proved for a speedy process that allowed for the rest of the session to continue.

Part III: The Speakers (Karla Rosales)

After the Chairman’s proceedings, we all enjoyed a passionate discourse delivered by our state’s Governor Gregg Abbott. In his speech he voiced his opinion on how he believes the nation’s political spirit ought to be shaped, a message received with enthusiasm.

This was most noticeable when Governor Abbot received standing ovations at passionate moments in his speech. Similarly, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker of the House Joe Straus, Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, and Land Commissioner George P. Bush also joined the stage for their remarks.

All of the enthusiasm from the moving speeches made us look forward to discussing our thoughts over our upcoming lunch break.

Before we sped off to lunch, Alex was caught by a Univision news crew for a quick interview.

Alex expertly fielded questions on topics ranging from Hispanic support for Donald Trump to the direction of the party, this burgeoning barrister’s fifteen minutes of fame ended, and we all headed to Cindi’s New York Deli for lunch.

Part IV: The Break and Senatorial Caucus (Kaitlyn Tyra)

Cindi’s New York Deli that offered classics like reubens, pastramis, and other sandwiches for lunch. We all ordered different meals, some more adventurous than others. Brian ordered a beef tongue sandwich and Karla and Kaitlyn stuck to what they knew and ordered a regular turkey and ham sandwich. During lunch we had a great time discussing and comparing the most outrageous outfits and signs at the convention…

…and our new experiences thus far.

After lunch we were ready for our first Senatorial District Caucus Meeting, where all the delegates from Senatorial District 5 (Senator Charles Schwertner’s District) met to elect representatives to the Permanent State Committees. Not only would we elect representatives, but we also were privileged to meet with members of the Texas Legislature such as Representative Larry Gonzales and his Chief of Staff, Chris Sanchez….

…and Senator Schwertner…

…and his Chief of Staff, Tom Holloway.

Speaking with both Chiefs of Staff offered helpful advice as we prepare to interview for the Austin Internship Program beginning in the next legislative session. During our Senatorial District Caucus Meeting we were assembled by counties and began by electing a Chairman to lead the caucus. Immediately following, we nominated and voted on our appointments for the Rules Committee, Platform Committee, and Credentials Committee. Electing representatives from each senate district in Texas ensures that we have representation in each procedural and policy area–people we trust to represent our views at the state level.

Part V: Random Sightings (Mike Yawn)

As rare as it is to meet with state-wide elected officials, we saw something even more rare. Yes, we saw Ryan Brim working!

At first, we thought our eyes were deceiving us, and that it might perhaps be an urban legend of some sort, something akin to a sighting of bigfoot…

…but, no, Ryan had obtained a job as Page at the convention (thank you Linda McKenzie!), and he had various tasks such as posting contradictory signs to confuse bewildered delegates.

Part VI: Wrapping Up (Megan Chapa)

After a quick break and stroll to the opposite side of the convention center, we gathered for our first Congressional District Caucus Meeting. The Congressional District Caucus Meeting elects representatives to National Committees. Interestingly enough, in this meeting it took longer for people to find their seats than it actually took to vote! The short meeting was a plus, because after a long day of labor and lawmaking, we were ready for the southern food of Ellen’s.

The newly renovated restaurant was homely and offered a variety of traditional southern plates and breakfast options. The group experimented with salads, breakfast steaks, shrimp and grits, and chicken fried steak. The restaurant had just moved locations and the service was a bit rocky (menus please!), but we all enjoyed the food. We also enjoyed the interesting conversation about the day’s events at the 2016 Republican Convention.

Thomas Leeper, First Assistant City Attorney for Bryan TX, joined us and shared with us some of his favorite legal books, advice on law school, and a few of his law-school and career experiences.

With dinner complete, we headed back to the Omni, hoping to walk off some of the food. On the way, we stopped at one of Dallas’s civic engagement spots: one of the Big D signs posted around town. Promoting the town logo of “The Big D”, the City has put up signs around town with a giant “B” and “G,” with a space in between. This space is designed to be filled by citizens, turning “i” into the City–Big D. And that’s what we did.

But that was our only stop, because our destination included an ice-cream social by Senator Lois Kolkhorst and one of her staff members, Matthew Russell.

It was great talking with a wonderful leader within the party and state. Many of her constituents were present and she made time to talk with all of them. It definitely showed us the importance of being a leader and maintaining strong relationships with constituents.

After a long day, all of us were exhausted but also excited to watch another convention day unfold. We have learned so much and have met and watched many great leaders. We hope to take what we have learned back to our communities!

Alex, Megan, Kaitlyn, Karla, and Brian would like to thank all of the Walker County Republicans who voted them as delegates and who have welcomed them to the Convention. This trip was self-funded and was not subsidized by either SHSU or the LEAP Center.

Hunts-Vegas & HEARTS

Viva, Viva, Lost Wages!! Well, maybe those are not the exact words of the famous Elvis song, but as we all can imagine those words fit the exact same meaning of Las Vegas! Once again, the LEAP Ambassadors are back for the annual Casino Night at the HEARTS Veterans Museum. The theme for this year’s casino night was 50’s and 60’s retro, so the LEAP Ambassadors left their suits at home and came in retro costumes of varying authenticity.

Of course, the boys displayed their stylish bowties. It was a particularly poignant event for me. It was my first event as a LEAP Ambassador last year, and it is my last event of this academic year, my last as an SHSU student. THe roulette wheel, as it were, went full circle. So I went all in on the costume.

The H.E.A.R.T.S Veterans Museum of Texas honors veterans both past and present. The museum serves as a place for former, present, and future veterans to all come together to reflect on and share their experiences serving the country. Just as important, the museum allows all people to see the price that our veterans and those serving today have paid for this country. They do this through exhibits and programming, the latter led by the capable Letty Clark and when she asked us to volunteer for this event, we were more than happy to do so.

After a delicious meal, and a concert from Marilyn Monroe herself…

…the gambling began and the crowd rushed to the games! The games included poker, black jack, bingo and many slot machines. All the LEAP Ambassadors were very busy with their tasks.

Alex and Karla sold tickets for the raffle.

Bryan helped develop fabulous pictures to capture everyone’s great memories of the night.

Karla and Beatriz enjoyed their time helping at the Bingo Table.

And the two most outgoing Ambassadors, Megan and yours truly, used our charm to sell poker chips.

Before the night ended, the Ambassadors were lucky enough to be given the opportunity to play some of the casino games. For some, it was their first time playing, but I was there to guide them through the process.

We had some winners and some losers at the tables, but it was all fun!

After the gambling had ceased, the main event had come: the raffle for prizes. Megan was the prize announcer and Alex chose all of the lucky winning tickets. Some of the major prizes included a one-hour massage at The Facemaker, a barbecue grill, a shotgun, and a trip to a resort and casino!

With some time spent with Marilyn Monroe, some time spent with one of our favorite community members Letty Clark, and some time spent together for a good cause, made it a fun, rewarding evening.

Of course, on a sadder note, I’ll be leaving my SHSU family, a prospect that made everyone sad (except, apparently, for Beatriz and Brian) …

But I’ll be back–for next year’s football game and some other random occasions, and LEAP will continue doing its usual combination of volunteerism, programming, pre-lawing, and travel excursions. Until then…

Celebrating the 60th of The Searchers with John Ford, John Wayne, and Glenn Frankel

Would we miss a thrill-packed screening of an American film treasure accompanied by the expertise of a Pulitzer-Prize wining journalist? As the Duke would say, “That’ll be the day.”

This past Friday, the LEAP Ambassadors saddled up in their western garb and rode down to the Katy and E. Don Walker Education Center to volunteer at the showing of The Searchers. The 1956 western masterpiece, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, follows the story of a Confederate soldier’s return to his Texas home three years after the Civil War. However, the joy of reuniting with his brother and sister-in-law is short-lived, when a Comanche tribe attacks his family. After the raid, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) discovers that his brother’s family has been killed and her two daughters kidnapped by the tribe leader. It is then up to him and his brother’s adoptive son Martin Pawley (Jeffrey Hunter) to journey through Comanche territory in search of little Debbie Edwards (Natalie Woods) and her older sister Lucy Edwards (Pippa Scott).

Before the screening, the guests enjoyed a reception in the Center’s lobby area with popcorn, chips, and a punch of our own concoction. It was during this time that the attendants had the chance to talk with former The Washington Post journalist and author of “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend”: Glenn Frankel. In his book, Frankel discusses the film’s historical background and significance in American film culture. Apart from providing signatures to his book, Frankel had the opportunity to interact with guests who shared his admiration towards the film.

As a bonus, guests also had the chance to venture into the Walker Education Center’s art gallery, where they could see the wonderful work of Mark Burns. As another treat, SHSU History Professor Dr. Jim Olson stopped by to watch the film. In fact, he brought an autographed copy of his book on John Wayne to give to Mr. Frankel, and Mr. Frankel gave Olson an autographed copy of “The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend.” It was a nice moment.

Moreover, in the center of the foyer was Burns’ 25 foot panorama of the Grand Canyon. Although the film was shot in Monument Valley not the Grand Canyon, the landscape evoked the rugged western landscape of the film very well, and set the stage for a wonderful evening.

The film was introduced by Glenn Frankel whereupon he briefly discussed the topics of his book.

From this presentation, what was really captivating was Frankel’s devotion to learn more about the film, one which ultimately led to his extensive research. By sharing his experiences we were able learn about the film’s capacity to revive Ford’s dejected spirit, the homage offered to western movie legend Harry Carry by John Wayne, the dynamic relationship between all of the actors, and much more. Furthermore, we gained a greater understating of Ford’s artistic ability in directing the film, one which inspired renowned directors such as Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese. Whether it was our first time or our hundredth to view The Searchers, Frankel was able to instill in us a greater appreciation towards the film. Through the screening of the film, my second time to watch it, it was hard not to wonder how much this movie meant to the rest of our guests.

As a young eighteen year old I lacked the intimate bond of other viewers who had first watched the film closer to its release. The Searchers had the power to foster in Frankel’s youth a love for charismatic characters, intriguing plots, groundbreaking directing techniques, which would later in his life compel him to devote part of his life to the film. Because of this I feel all the more fortunate to have been part of this experience.

Frankel_Group_Cowboys_Web — LEAP Ambassadors with Glenn Frankel (in a John Wayne pose)

After the screening, the ambassadors, Political Science Professor Mike Yawn, English Professor Ralph Pease, Wynne Home operator Linda Pease, and Glenn Frankel enjoyed dinner at Carbonero. It was here that we continued to indulge on the film and had the opportunity to learn more about Frankel’s career in journalism. As the night drew to a close we marked the end of a very restless week, one which will reside within me for a very long time after meeting some of the most fascinating and inspiring people.

Let’s Talk–About Almost Everything!

In the middle of a busy week for the LEAP center, the Ambassadors made time for a day of “Let’s Talk.” This event is one of our favorite, giving us, SHSU faculty and staff, and the community a chance to dine with guest speakers from all over the country. With speakers ranging from paranormal activity investigator Kenneth Rigali to Jiu-Jitsu instructor Daniel Rivas to true-crime author Kathryn Casey to Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, it was difficult to choose which table at which to sit.

But before the actual event itself, the LEAP Center, as the sponsor of four of the speakers, had a day full of activities. Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Glenn Frankel, for example, visited with Dr. George Diaz’s Texas History class….

…where he discussed Cynthia Ann Parker and the TX frontier. The students were engaged, and his topic was lively…

Mark Burns also led a classroom discussion, but his classroom was moved to his exhibit space at the Walker Education Center. Dr. Rebecca Finley’s class met there and had the chance to not only meet with Burns, but do so in the midst–literally–of his work.

Things got more interesting as Mr. Burns joined some of us–along with true-crime author Kathryn Casey–at the Texas Prison Museum. Casey and Burns enjoyed the various exhibits, and Burns even spent time in jail…

Following the full day of events, the evening began with a VIP reception, which our speakers attended and met with other speakers…

…then was followed by a more general reception…

…and then by an introduction from President Hoyt and dinner.

I was dining with Mr. Bill Hensel, who was the External Affairs Manager for the Port of Houston Authority. We were joined by former Houston Post journalist Mrs. Hensel, Conroe’s Community Impact Newspaper Editor Jesse Mendoza , a Sam Houston State University web editor, Houston World Affairs Council representative Sandija Bayou and her two colleagues, and Sam Houston State University Political Science Professor Mike Yawn.

Mr. Hensel began with a discussion of the historical background of the port and, particularly, Congressman Tom Ball’s contribution to the Ship Channel. We also learned of the every-day activity of the port, the disruption resulting from weather events, and anti-terrorism measures.

For someone who was not very familiar with the modern marvel that is the Port of Houston, it was a rewarding experience to learn how crucial the Port of Houston Authority is to American commerce. But apart from his current profession, it was just as pleasant to learn of Hensel’s past journalism experience. Before his employment by the Port of Houston Authority, Hensel had worked for the Houston Chronicle. With all of his past experiences in journalism and now local government, combined with the perspectives of all of us sitting in the table, every question and comment directed towards Hensel served as an extra ingredient that at the end would makeup a very rich conversation. At the end of the dinner we all slowly rose from our seats as if we were unable to pull ourselves from our captivating speakers, exchanged business cards, and thanked Hensel for his willingness to share so much about his career.

Even though I had the experience of only one table, we had LEAP Ambassadors at several tables. Austin Campbell, for example, was at astronaut Tommy Hollaway’s table. “He was a very good host,” noted Campbell. “He had a way of making something as complicated as science and NASA understandable to the common person. Food and conversation are fundamental to human nature and mixing the two resulted in an enjoyable evening!” –Austin Campbell

Other Ambassadors sat at the table of Iron Chef Michael Frietsch, the table of artistic directors Andy and Dionne Noble, Paranormal Investigator Kenneth Rigali, and financial advisor Flip Flippen.

Meanwhile our sponsored speakers held their tables captivated, whether it was Mark Burns discussing photography…

…Philip Mudd discussing the CIA and FBI…

…Glenn Frankel discussing the Texas Frontier and John Wayne’s The Searchers…

…or Kathryn Casey discussing murder in Texas…

…the evening was engaging and fun.

With so many bright minds sharing their professional joys and struggles, it was easy to be inspired. Although all the professions practiced by these guests were very different, the spirit that has impulsed their success is identical. Unspoiled by the desire for fame or wealth, this spirit of dedication and passion is what every speaker had to offer. This virtue embodied in our special guests is what made my Let’s Talk experience so rewarding.

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