Category: Uncategorized

Olivia Discon

Many of us Sam Houston students have heard the phrase “There is nothing to do in Huntsville”. Well, after this past Saturday, December 2, even the naysayers were left in awe of the sheer amount of holiday festivities hosted by the city.

Bright and early, LEAP students volunteered at Main Street’s Christmas Fair, ran by our very own, Jessica Cuevas. The event was bustling with activities at every corner, with the opportunity to get a head start on some holiday shopping, spend time with family, and most exciting to Texans, the rare chance to frolic in snow!

Santa Claus happened to make a surprise appearance this year, and to say the children were excited to share their Christmas lists with him was an understatement. For those who were not as thrilled, Madison Cawthon gave her best shot at trying to get children to smile for a quick photo-op with the man in red.

Just a few steps away, Huntsville’s Parks and Leisure Department hosted Winter in the Park at Rather Park. The children (ourselves included) were able to enjoy several craft making stations, bounce houses, and face-painting to the tune of some wonderful live holiday music. This was a project that fellow LEAP Ambassador Cinthia Villarreal worked on, and it was great to see her in action!

These community-centered events are a testament to the importance of togetherness. What was most enjoyable, in my experience, was the look of pure joy amongst the passerby. The event allowed for families to have fun and reinvigorate their sense of Christmas spirit, and through them, the volunteers felt the gratification of what it is to serve their community. Though these acts of volunteerism don’t lessen the chances of our stockings being filled with coal this year, we were happy to do it anyway. In my first jingle through the Huntsville holidays, I can joyfully declare that when it comes to celebrating Christmas, Huntsville’s definitely ‘sleighs’ it!

By Olivia Discon

In a world riddled with corruption, inequity, and violence, it can be difficult to discern a sense of hope. Dictatorships, in particular, have continued to be a looming threat to international peace. Venezuela, a nation who is on the heels of communist countries such as Russia and China in its tyranny, is not as equally accredited on the world’s stage.

To learn the current state of Venezuelan affairs from the perspective of the former Venezuelan President could not have been a more informative and sobering account. With that, we drove to Houston to hear from President Juan Guaidó.

Maryanne Maldonado, the CEO of the World Affairs Council (WAC), started off the evening by emphasizing the importance of gatherings such as these. Through this, she gave LEAP a shoutout, saying;”Making the drive from Huntsville to Houston is a true commitment to education.”

A touching narrative of the President’s upbringing ensued, shared by Jose Valera. President Guaidó’s inspiration to tackle the tyranny in Venezuela began with a tragedy in his own life. After a natural disaster destroyed his childhood home, resulting in the deaths of many of his neighbors, he had come to realize the utter incompetency of the leadership in his country. In his early adulthood, Guaidó went on to join the 2007 Venezuelan Protests and founded his own political party, otherwise known as the Popular Will party.

In a conversation moderated by Ronan O’Malley, President Guaidó explained the conflict in Venezuela through the lens of his own experiences and the hopes he carries for his nation’s future.

President Guaidó reverberated with a resounding call for democracy, underlining the pressing need for transparent elections in Venezuela to authentically represent its people. Furthermore, it stressed the critical plea for international support and investment to facilitate the nation’s economic resurgence and stability.

Even now, amidst his tireless efforts for democracy, President Guaidó continues to grapple with the pervasive corruption that has plagued Venezuela. Just a week ago, the Venezuelan Public Ministry sought his arrest for misusing 19 billion dollars in state funds. This allegation is considered by the President as propaganda, a desperate attempt by those in power to undermine his legitimacy to those around the world that can’t distinguish nuances within the headlines. “We do not want to win a game if we have not participated…”, Guaidó remarked. “You can ask everyone (in Venezuela) if they desire peace or war, and 99% will answer peace… never forget the human factor!”

In a world overshadowed by oppression, gatherings like these offer a glimmer of hope and the belief that positive change is possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Gusto Gourmet

After the event, we sought to savor the flavors of Venezuela by visiting Gusto Gourmet. The group indulged in tequeños, or Venezuelan cheese sticks, for our appetizer while we revisited the World Affairs Council meeting. For the main dishes, we had the opportunity to try Reina Pepiada, Arepa Pelua, and Pabellon Cachapa. This was a first for most of the students that evening, but was considered by Morgan as one of her favorite restaurants. The meal was not only satisfying but also gave us a valuable perspective, as we realized that the cost of just one of our dishes equals the monthly earnings of a Venezuelan citizen, which amounts to $15. With that, our night came to an end, not without hope, but with an understanding of the real-world obstacles and dynamics at play. As President Guaidó said himself “Is it easy? No. Is it possible? Of course.”

Olivia Discon

After a successful first day of immersing ourselves into the various subdisciplines within politics, LEAP students continued in their educational pursuits at The Texas Tribune Festival.

The Paxton Trial has been a hot-button topic recently; and who better to provide insight into the verdict than the lead prosecutors on the case? Dick DeGuerin, Erin Epley, Rusty Hardin, and Harriet O’Neill provided the crowd with the many dynamics at play during the trial. We didn’t know it yet, but this panel was the favorite of the day among the group.

Continuing the conversations, we were able to hear from Emergent 25, a pharmaceutical manufacturer (Amanda Becker), a U.S. Representative (Henry Cuellar), Texas Senator (Royce West), and the Attorney General of Oregon (Ellen Rosenblum) in the context of the Opioid Crisis and how the epidemic is being addressed. Ariza and I were able to speak with Representative Cuellar shortly after the panel and we were able to get a photo!

We took a brief break for lunch to meet with SHSU Alumni and former SHAIP intern Spencer Copeland, where we were able to talk about our educational goals and interests over Kerbey Lane, an Austin staple. 

Trying a new method of tackling the ‘Tribune, we split into two groups corresponding to our shared interests. Ariza and Ashlyn attended “El Paso Matters Presents: Texas and the Border,” covering the realities of border towns and upcoming legislation that could address immigration issues. 

Ashlyn noted; “I thought the legislation from Rep. Morales was innovative in the approach of documenting immigrants and providing a new citizenship process for a bipartisan effort.”

Ariza added; “As someone who was born and raised in a border town, all you see are problems. Rep Morales’ idea, which would alter how immigration is conducted and boost Texas’ economy, caught my attention.”

Morgan and I, who have a shared interest in collective community growth, were particularly interested in the future implications of the skill gap in children’s education on their surrounding communities. A one-on-one with Houston Independent School District Superintendent, Mike Miles, to cover innovative methods in maintaining equity, closing the skill gap, and “changing the culture” of education over time was a great way to understand how those issues will be addressed going forward. 

Many people find politics to be a frightening subject, so to continue with the theme, we headed to the Alamo Drafthouse Theatre to experience a supernatural murder mystery titled A Haunting in Venice.

Inspired by Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party, the deceitful group, featuring our favorite retired French detective, Hercule Poirot, was left on All Hallows Eve in a haunted palazzo to reveal the true cause of Alicia Drake’s death. 

True to many of Christie’s works, the truth was impossible to anticipate. With elements of the other-worldly occurrences and hidden secrets, this film left the group anxious of what might transpire next.

Before leaving, we couldn’t help ourselves but to recreate the film poster just outside the theatre. Similar to the movie, it was impossible to distinguish the guilt and mischief from our demeanor. 

This two day adventure at The Texas Tribune Festival was a true delight, and allowed all of us to distinguish the aspects of politics and government that interested us. Our political immersion at the state capital complimented the excellent education we have in the classroom at SHSU. 

Ashlyn Parker

Once a semester, KSAM’s Larry Crippen hosts the LEAP Center for a discussion that airs on “Around Town.” The program focuses on one person or organization, but since LEAP is an engagement organization, the program inevitably covers many aspects of the University and the community.

And so it was the LEAP Ambassadors, along with their advisor Mike Yawn, that met with Larry Crippen at the KSAM radio station for a short discussion of the upcoming fall semester. For example visits from Jeff Guinn to discuss his book Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage and Chris Tritico to discuss his successful law career .

Along with annual community service projects LEAP always enjoys being a part of such as M*A*S*H, Scare on the Square, and Christmas on the Square.

We also shouted out our past, recent, and current internships we have got the opportunity to do over the last year such as the Sam Houston Austin Internship Program, my summer internship with The Normandy group in DC, and the City of Huntsville Internship Program.

It was one of several collaborations with the media this year–undertaken by us and our advisor. And while we may never get accustomed to speaking into a microphone or camera, it was an enjoyable event, in part because we also work with KSAM every fall on their Make A Smile Happen gift drive

Following a full day of hearing court cases on SHSU’s campus, LEAP students moved their roving classroom to TAMU’s Bush School, where they attended a presentation by FBI Director Chris Wray, a program sponsored jointly by the World Affairs Council and the Bush School at TAMU.

Director Wray offered an interesting tour of the foremost threats to United States safety. According to Wray, the top threats to the United States are China, Iran, Russia, and terrorism, both foreign and domestic. Notably, Wray highlighted the fact that a key to all of these threats is understanding the potential for cybercrime.

This is a double-edged sword, because just as technology allows the “bad guys” more opportunities to hide money (primarily through cryptocurrency), it also offers “more ways to fight the crime.” In short, much of the FBI’s job is trying to maintain technological superiority over people with malignant intentions.

Another focus of the FBI, according to the Director, is the spike in crime in large US cities, as well as the key role that Fentanyl plays in 21st-century crime. Such discussions support the LEAP Center’s mission to show the interconnectedness of things, inasmuch as students will be seeing journalist Ioan Grillo discuss crime and Fentanyl in a World Affairs Council event in a couple of weeks.

Following the event, students had a chance to meet former Director of Counterintelligence for the CIA, Jim Olson, who has been a good friend to LEAP students over the years.

It was a long day, in a busy string of weeks, but it is the type of activity that shows the scaffolding approach to education taken by the LEAP Center. In an eight-day period, LEAP students got to see–and experience–the world, including (1) assisting immigrants with passing the Naturalization Exam in their “Citizenship Preparatory Course,” (2) hearing from the FBI Director, (3) learning from the CIA Director, and (4) attending the 10th Court of Appeals hearings.

Seeing the world through the eyes of others, is a great way to learn, and LEAP students are learning much!