The LEAP Center typically invites Professor Val Ricks from the South Texas College of Law–Houston to campus in the spring, but we made it a fall event this year. And so it was that, last week, Professor Ricks spoke to 35 SHSU pre-law students who signed up for an educational event–without extra credit, a class assignment, or give-away prizes.
They came because they wanted to learn, and they were willing to do some dense reading beforehand. The reading involved a contract, and this was no accident. Professor Ricks is one of the leading experts in the country on contract law; in fact, some of our alumni who have gone on to law school have informed us that they were assigned his book in their classes!
Professor Ricks began the course by informing us of his goals for this and any class that he teaches: (1) Get the words of the law – law is words, (2) Set the words out in a workable way, (3) Practice applying them, and (4) Consider what is “right” – the law is a moral exercise.
He went about this through the Socratic method since everyone loves being called on and questioned until they cannot answer. At least, we will have to if we plan on practicing the law, especially, in the courtroom. Through his random number generator, he called on those people to answer his questions regarding the G.D. Holdings, INC v H.D.H. Land & Timber, L.P., 407 S.W.3d 856, 2013, after delivering the facts and procedures of this case.
Many of us believed we were prepared but we did not know what to expect, so were we really prepared for Professor Ricks to hit us with questions like, What is the legal issue being addressed? How did you draw this conclusion? What is the ruling of the Court? A few of us addressed this question with the trial court’s ruling which led Professor Ricks to ask us, Where did you read that? Why do you think that is the final ruling? In these instances he let us help each other out when the person he called on was stuck, which we later learned that in an actual law class he would have picked that individual’s brain until they provided the answer he was looking for.
We continued this process as we provided evidence that we thought best fit or would prove the three different clauses of Promissory Estoppel- the legal issue of the case – (a) a promise, (b)foreseeability of reliance by the promissor, and (c) substantial reliance by the promisee to his detriment. It was at this moment, that we felt the high pressure that lawyers feel in a courtroom the most. With us acting as lawyers and Professor Ricks as a judge, who questioned us to help fill in the gaps in the story and understand what we were thinking. This proved to be a lot harder than we thought since proving that a promise, the first part of Promissory Estoppel, had been made was difficult and some of us soon learned that in this context a promise was defined as a commitment.
Following the class, most of us were more certain than ever that we wanted to attend law school. This was a sentiment Professor Ricks encouraged, as we learned when he stayed after to encourage us, answer questions, and take photos.
On the final day of the trip, we made sure to stop by the Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Presidential Library. This will be the third presidential library we have been to since we have also seen Harry S. Truman’s and George H. W. Bush’s Presidential Libraries.
Lyndon B. Johnson was a small-town Texas boy born in 1908. His dad worked in the Texas legislature and his mom was a college-educated woman who was ahead of her time. He was very involved throughout his time in public school including being class president of his 6-student class. He ended up graduating from Southwest Texas State Teachers College with a bachelor’s in education. During his teaching years near the border, the job was able to open his eyes to true poverty and discrimination even among young kids.
Because of the struggle he observed in his students, they inspired him to get into politics to be able to make changes for the underserved communities. He soon started working for a US Congressman in Washington, D.C. while attending law school. He shortly became a senator himself preparing him for his goal to become president. When he lost the Democratic nominee in 1963, John F. Kennedy took him in as a vice president.
Due to the unfortunate assassination of John F. Kennedy, LBJ became a United States president from 1963-1969. Through his library, we learned about this extraordinary man who accomplished so much in 6 years that inspired so much change for the better in America.
The memories of his students boosted his motivation to deal with these issues he saw back home to get them handled now. He extended the new deal made by Franklin Roosevelt which would help provide better access to healthcare and education for low-income families. For example, the Headstart program promotes education to young children in low-income families.
One cause LBJ is notable for is helping certain populations who did not have a voice, such as minority or poverty-ridden groups. During his presidency, he was able to pass acts that enacted a lot of social change, like the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act prohibited discrimination on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in any instance. Thus, ending segregation which became a huge victory for the Civil Rights movement.
Even though the U.S. did not land on the moon during LBJ’s Presidency he contributed many efforts to make it happen. Therefore, in the museum, they have a section dedicated to America winning the space race and putting a man on the moon. They even have a real moon rock!
LBJ’s most infamous move in the presidency was getting America more involved in the Vietnam war. He was increasing the military presence in Vietnam, which resulted in many young lives being lost in the battle against communism. Many people protested our involvement ultimately taking a big toll on the president.
All of his conversations were recorded in the White House office telephone, so in the Presidential library, you can listen to over 100 phone calls via a wall-mounted phone throughout the library. We each got to experience different phone calls with him some being from other people in government and his mistress.
He was good with people but did not know the definition of personal space. He can be seen in many photos leaning over people with his 6’4’’ frame laughing or yelling, otherwise known as “the Johnson Treatment”. We were actually able to get a feel for the experience ourselves with a picture of LBJ leaning over us.
Lucky for us, we were also able to see the special exhibit of Lady Bird: Beyond the Wildflowers. It featured all kinds of memorabilia from her life including books, diplomas, letters, outfits, and more. This exhibit was made to hone in on who Mrs. Johnson really was and give a broader focus on her life outside of LBJ. My favorite part of this exhibit was getting to see all the elegant dresses she would wear to all sorts of different social events.
Not many other college students can say they have gone to three presidential libraries, so we are always thankful for these opportunities to learn more about our nation’s history. We are always impressed by the artifacts and stories told in the libraries that really in-body the person they are representing.
Two years ago, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) made a decision that they needed approach to diversifying courts across the country. They created a new position–Director of Racial Equity, Fairness, and Inclusion–and they hired Bell to “address racial equality in the justice system.” And, today, owing to a partnership between CRIJ’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT), Bell spoke to faculty, staff and students at SHSU.
Introduced by Nu Epps, CJ’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion…
…Bell got to the point quickly, discussing a “Blueprint” for a new justice system. This change begins with awareness, requires institutional (and institutionalized) change, is expanded by new processes, and is nourished by recruiting justice-system actors from a cross-section of the United States.
These changes can range from being aware of our biases, includes modifications of how we treat people in the justice system, and extends to the manner in which we target opportunities. One of these opportunities, which will be unveiled fully within the year, is C.O.R.A, which involves targeting minority-serving institutions for internships, clerkships, and positions within the criminal justice system.
Bell is well positioned to assess many of these changes. With a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Business Administration, a Certificate in Judicial Administration from Michigan State University, and a graduate of the NCSC Court Management Fellows program. He has also worked in the court system for more than a decade, serving as judicial administrator, clerk, and as a planner for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council of Georgia.
Bell’s experience, wisdom, and inspirational message influenced at least one student in the audience. Kiara Williams, a senior Criminal Justice major at SHSU, noted that it was “an uplifting talk, and it opened me up to some opportunities I had not considered.”
Following the event, Bell spent time speaking with audience members, encouraging students (including Williams), and discussing potential future partnerships–before being whisked away to his next opportunity to spread a message of fairness and awareness.
After a long drive Wednesday evening to Louisiana, we were up and early to attend our first Academic Conference – The Popular Culture Association in the South! The three presenters for the Film and Noir session were Professor Yawn, Matthew Wysocki of Flagler College, and Lauren Mitchell of Vanderbilt.
Professor Yawn presented over “A Simple Plan,” directed by Sam Raini, (most famously known for the Evil Dead movies).
He argued that the film is best understood by looking at it from a tragic framework, with questions of free will and fate, the allure of the American dream at its center, and the tension between brothers.
The motif of “brotherhood” is seen again in “Only God forgives,” which Matthew Wysocki addressed in his presentation. More elaborately, though, it addresses the role of mother. Crystal, an untraditional mother if ever there was one, uses manipulation and raw power to gain even more power, abandoning all of what would normally be regarded as traditional maternal behavior.
Lauren Mitchell presented her paper over the movie “Hereditary. ” This film continues the theme of motherhood, highlighting the difficult time we have of seeing mothers as real people, who sometimes becomes mothers despite not wanting children, who sacrifice goals and hopes and dreams for others.
We successfully survived, and even enjoyed our first academic conference, and embarked on our way to our next stop!
Brunch at Elizabeth’s
Ashley Kinyon
This afternoon, we drove down to Elizabeth’s Restaurant right next to the Mississippi River. We started with an assortment of appetizers; boudin balls, fried green tomatoes, (some with seafood!), and possibly the strangest of the bunch, praline bacon. While we waited for the starters, we learned that many foods that we love in the US originated in New Orleans, either by invention or through trade. This includes pralines, which originated in France, but which was improved on in New Orleans, and then spread mostly through the South.
My favorite of the selection was the boudin balls, Morgan favored the fried green tomatoes, and for Yvette it was the praline bacon.
To maximize on adventure and try new (to us) flavors, we ordered four main dishes. For our main course, Morgan and Victoria ordered the shrimp and grits; the ratio of shrimp and grits was perfect.
Jessica played it safe with the avocado toast, with a poached egg. Although to her credit, the toast did have some NOLA spice to it, and she paired it with a side of grits.
Yvette chose the duck waffles, which she enjoyed but deemed too spicy, a recurring motif throughout the trip (and from what I gathered, throughout her life).
I picked the sweet meal out of the bunch and had banana foster French toast, which was delicious!
For dessert, we had bread pudding and pecan pie. The bread pudding was average, not the table’s favorite, but the pecan pie was amazing, better than any I’ve had in Texas.
Thoroughly stuffed and with high expectations for our next NOLA meal, we embarked on our adventure!
Homer Plessy
With a bit of downtime, we hustled over to a City Park, one highlighting civil rights. It was the site of Homer Plessy’s train ride, where he spurred a test case on Jim Crow laws.
Unfortunately, Plessy lost in 1896, and the doctrine of “Separate but Equal” became shameful precedent in the US, not replaced until 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education.
While at the Plessy site, we also looked over the rest of the park, taking in some of NOLA’s civil rights heroes.
Zooming through NOLA
Yvette Mendoza
We have concluded over three separate LEAP trips that there is no better way to learn more about a new city than by Segway, and we did just that in NOLA! Our excellent tour guide, John, with Nation Tours did a great job explaining the richness of history, architecture, and culture in New Orleans. So as the LEAP Ambassadors took their Segways through the French Quarter to the Mississippi River, we all gained a deeper understanding of NOLA.
John frequently time-traveled and described what the city was like in days past. Some of the tour was a refresher on previous history lessons, while other parts were new information. We learned that NOLA went through 4 major governing shifts. The city was initially founded by the French, taken over by the Spanish, fell again under French rule, and then finally doubled the size of the U.S. in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase.
Next, we headed to Jackson Square. This central location is deemed such because of the “Hero of New Orleans,” Andrew Jackson, and his unexpected victory as General at the Battle of New Orleans in early 1815. This was a major win for the United States because it spared the US the prospect of the British having control over the mouth of the Mississippi.
Perhaps the prime feature of Jackson Square must be the stunning, almost 300-year-old, St. Louis Cathedral. This Cathedral is one of the oldest in the country and was founded during Spanish occupation!
Our jaws dropped when we discovered we were stepping in front of the oldest Cathedral. We could not miss a photo opportunity!
Up next, Bourbon Street! Here we learned more about the Spanish stock architecture and the fantastic bars that perform the best jazz in New Orleans. this blend of modern-day culture, with historic surroundings is the city’s largest source of revenue Pre-covid, NOLA saw millions of tourists each year, and now those numbers are significantly lower. In fact, without tourists, there is genuinely no thriving NOLA since no revenue is being made.
No matter your age, interests, taste, there is something to be found by everyone in NOLA!
New Orleans felt like its own country. The way the people, location, and everything else are something we are not used to. We are so grateful we were able to learn so much on the Segway Tour guided by John; thank you so much!
Dinner at Oceana
Morgan Robertson
To conclude our evening, we stopped at the corner of Conti and Bourbon for yet another taste of NOLA. Oceana is popular for having a wide variety of NOLA standards, such as oysters, po’boys, and étouffée to name just a few.
To start, we stuck with our trend of an assortment of appetizers including, gator tail bites, boudin balls, fresh, Rockefeller oysters, and chargrilled oysters. For Ashley and me, this was our first time to try oysters and we had slightly different reactions. Ashley tried the Rockefeller oysters and determined they were not her favorite. I tried all three and enjoyed the Rockefeller the most! Everyone enjoyed the boudin balls, and we all agreed that alligator tastes a lot like chicken.
For our main meals, we once again mimicked family style, and tried many new flavors. Victoria and I split a blackened redfish, with a side of greens, Yvette and Jessica ventured out with the taste of New Orleans (creole jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, red beans and rice with smoked sausage), Ashley had the fried shrimp platter, and Professor Yawn and Stephanie split the Bayou Duck.
Verdicts were split on what the best entrée was, but at least three out of seven favored the blackened redfish. The flavors were once again unique but fantastic, a trip to NOLA could be made simply for the food.
Despite having little room for dessert (except for Stephanie because she effectively planned) we selected three options carrot cake, la boehme crème brule, and of course, bread pudding. The bread pudding was easily the favorite, but everyone enjoyed the sweet treats to end our wonderful meal!
Bourbon Street
We might have seen Bourbon St. during the day, but it was almost a completely new place after dark. Our steps fell in time to the bass of the music around us, and it almost felt like a runway with the flashing lights. If it is true that anyone can find something on Bourbon St, it’s even more true at night. Being only a Thursday night, however, we might gone at a slightly better time as it was not insanely busy.
Not wanting to linger on Bourbon Street and needing some sleep, we headed back to our hotels, to get rest for another day of learning and fun tomorrow.
The “team of teams” concept of the LEAP Ambassadors was on full display Tuesday, as each Ambassador led a team to different events. Jessica Cuevas went to “State of the City,” Yvette Mendoza led “Beyond Bars,” and I coordinated a team to see Ambassador Nikki Haley at a World Affairs Council event. With us were: Ashley Kinyon, Riya Prasad, and Ingrid Cuero.
The event was tailored around her book titled If You Want Something Done, and the rest of the evening fit that theme.
CEO, Maryanne Maldonado, gave a brief introduction and thanked everyone for attending.
She then introduced the moderator for the evening, Co-Owner and Global CFO of Houston-based Worldwide Oilfield Machine (WOM), Rani Puranik.
Puranik began the evening by reading directly from Ambassador Haley’s book. In her book, Ambassador Haley describes feminism as “working hard and proving you deserve to be in the room.”
The book is about women throughout history, some names are widely known, others not so much. Ambassador Haley connected these women with one attribute: courage. Each woman in her book took a stand for what they believed in, even if it scared them. This is something that Ambassador Haley came to live her life by; she makes efforts to do something, even if it scares her.
The conversation then drifted over to her time as the 29th U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Slightly as a joke, but also very true, Ambassador Haley compared her time at the U.N. to high school with the cliques. She said everyone “hung out with” those from similar countries and didn’t mingle much outside of that. Ambassador Haley stated proudly that she made efforts to host a monthly dinner and invite Ambassadors from every country; she especially made efforts to invite those with opposing views.
She gave old, but sound advice, to keep your enemies close and learn about them as much as possible. Ambassador Haley said her goal quickly became to listen, and attempt to understand opposing points of view. Negotiations were made much easier when there was a rapport to work from.
After the event, Ambassador Haley was nice enough to take a photo with us, and, keeping with the theme of the event, she encouraged all of us (all women) in our endeavors.
On behalf of the LEAP center, thank you to WAC for being such gracious hosts, and allowing us fantastic opportunities. Thank you to Ambassador Haley for your service to the country, as a Governor and Ambassador.
Dinner at Bawarchi Biryanis
Ingrid Cuero
Indian food is quite different than what I am used to, but I was excited to try something new with the LEAP Center! At Bawarchi Biryanis, we started with veggie samosas, paneer samosas, garlic, and regular naan. The garlic naan was the group favorite, but Riya loved the samosas and said they were very similar to what her family makes.
I had a Veg Dum Biryani, which included a mixture of rice, vegetables, and a variety of seasonings. The rice was a bit too spicy for my liking, and Riya informed me that it might not be the best starter dish. However, I am grateful to have had the chance to try new food!
Morgan and Riya both had curry-based meals; Morgan had the Saag Panner, and Riya had a Chicken tika. They both loved their selections!
Stephanie had the Aloo Gobi Malala, which is potatoes and cauliflower cooked in Indian spices, and Ashley had the Chicken Lollipops.
Everyone loved their meals and enjoyed trying what everyone else selected.
If it’s October at SHSU, there is probably a Distinguished Alumni Gala occurring at SHSU. Charlie Vienne, Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, and his staff do a great job of recognizing many of SHSU’s distinguished graduates and also putting on a wonderful event. This year, with MC duties once again taken by Chris Tritico…
…Alumni Relations recognized Kelly Dehay and Mary Ellen Thornton for their service; named Constance Jones Simmons the “2022 Outstanding Young Alumni;” and designated Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, Kyle Lehne, and Jill Sharp Vaughn as the 2022 “Distinguished Alumni.”
Following the Color Guard and an outstanding musical performance of the National Anthem by Lucianna Astorga…
…Tritico led off with some jokes, including one directed at our advisor, Professor Mike Yawn.
Apparently, the two had spoke on the phone once while Yawn and his “long-suffering girlfriend,” Ms. Stephanie, were on vacation in Oklahoma, and Tritico thought this was hilarious. He introduced Yawn to the crowd, mentioned his favored “vacation spots, and then asked, rhetorically, “Who vacations in Oklahoma?”
When he got done with his funny business, we were free to eat and enjoy each other’s company. Two of us, Ingrid Cuero and Jessica Cuevas, sat at the LEAP Table, with Yawn, Stephanie, Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, Mr. and Mrs. Holland, and Blake Roach. Two of us, Morgan Robertson and Ashlyn Parker, sat at a table with Mr. and Mrs. Frosch, Mac and Leanne Woodward, and Judge Danny Pierce and his wife, Cindy. And three of us sat at a table sponsored by Rick Hanna and Larry and Marsha Corley. We were fortunate to have people sponsor us, and we were fortunate to be at tables with great conversations and great conversationalists!
Of course, the real purpose of the evening was to showcase the alumni, and Tritico, President White…
…and Larry Larrison (President of the Alumni Association) did that very well.
They introduced each of the speakers, showed a brief bio of each, and then the honored guests spoke briefly. For us, as students, it was a great opportunity to see role models who had also spent time learning at SHSU. Whether it was the philanthropy of Kelly Dehay…
…or the innovative teaching of Mary Ellen Thornton…
…or amazing screen presence of Constance Jones Simmons…
…the public leadership of Troy Finner…
…the business acumen of Kyle Lehne…
…or the multi-faceted leadership of Jill Sharp Vaughn…
…there was a model (or several) for us.
Indeed, we had a diverse crew of students, with a POLS major, two HIST majors, three CRIJ majors, and a Public Health Major. We all had a chance to spend time with Mr. Tritico;
…we met and took photos with Chief Finner;
…Ashlyn Parker had a chance to meet her Dean, Dean Emily Roper; and we all had a chance to meet President White again.
And we all had an excellent time, learning from those who have been here before us…
…and in whose paths we hope to follow (and chart a few of our own)!
Although this was our last day, it was also one we were most anticipating, full of big hitters and topics of particular interest to us.
The Supremes, by Jessica Cuevas
It is not every day that the opportunity to see one-third of the Texas Supreme Court , including the Chief Justice, presents itself. The LEAP Ambassadors were ecstatic to see and hear from the longest serving member of this court, who has been elected seven times, the 27th Chief Justice: Chief Justice Nathan Hecht. We also had a chance to see Justice Brett Busby, who was appointed in February of 2019, and Justice Rebeca Huddle who was appointed in October of 2020.
I had previously taken Dr. John Domino’s online Judicial Systems course, and hearing the Justices speak of their process for choosing a case and who gets to determine who writes the opinion, was an in-person version of his class! Out of all the hundreds of cases that get appealed and that they receive, they only listen and select about 10% of the cases for the docket.
These are usually cases the Justices believe to be important in determining the legal development in Texas. This process can be extensive since each justice reviews the cases on their own and only reconvenes to discuss which cases they would like to cover.
Typically when this occurs, they are unanimous in agreeing on which cases they would like to listen to and which ones they would rather not. For a case to not be heard or selected, two-thirds of the court need to agree that there is no important legal question being asked. If one of the justices disagrees with this decision and would like to advocate for this case, they can explain why it is important at their next meeting. If the case gets four votes then it is granted, hence “the rule of four.” For the most part, this court prides itself on its collegiality since they tend to be in consensus on many of the cases.
I learned that it is not unusual for a dissenting opinion to become the majority opinion after hearing different sides of the issues and finessing the legal ruling, which is an interesting process. Unlike the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), where the Chief Justice gets to choose someone from the majority opinion to write it, the Texas Supreme Court has the justices draw blue index cards that determine the cases they will write. They do this to prevent one justice from being extremely knowledgeable in one area of the law, and so that everyone has a basic understanding of every area.
Yvette even got the chance to ask the Justices what a typical day for them looks like.
Of course, the justices responded by saying that there is no “typical day,” but there are days that they dedicate specifically to just reading, writing, or having hearings. During hearings, the justices like to ask questions to the lawyers so that they can elaborate on the areas where they see gaps to better understand the case they are trying to make and know what direction they are focused on and why. They want to be persuaded. A member of the audience asked the justices for their thoughts on term limits, to which Chief Hecht responded with how he thought there should not be any for members of the judicial branch since it takes time to develop the experience to become a judge and a good one at that. Funny enough Justice Busby remarked that of course, Chief Justice Hecht would not want term limits, since he is the longest serving member of the court.
One-on-one with Ted Cruz
Morgan Robertson
Staying with TTF’s emphasis on fluidity across the political spectrum, our second session of the day was a one-on-one session with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, moderated by Senior correspondent at the Washington Examiner, David Drucker.
We noticed that major speakers were typically hosted at the Paramount Theatre. I particularly enjoyed the wonderful venue and the art deco design, perhaps because I work for the Old Town Theatre in Huntsville.
Senator Cruz shared with the audience some of his family history, and more specifically, his father’s process through immigration, which he then compared to today’s immigration process. Senator Cruz gave a vivid description of what the border and the Rio Grande look like today.
Drucker then prompted the topic of his presidential run. Senator Cruz said he looks back on his campaign fondly and enjoyed running for President. Although in 2016 he was not the main target of political attention, Senator Cruz was engaged and deliberate with his campaign.
His comments, and at times his mere presence, seemed to irritate the crowd, many of whom came to simply heckle him. To his credit, Senator Cruz said a few times that he will be more than happy to sit-down and have a conversation with everyone. However, he indicated he would not engage in yelling back and forth across the auditorium is not a conversation. Senator Cruz said in an ideal world, both parties could sit at a table together and strive to find a solution.
When it was time for questions from the audience, the first one was about gun control, and this set the tone for the remainder of the program. The audience strongly disagreed with Cruz, and they let their feelings be known.
Beto is Back
Yvette Mendoza
Beto is a favorite of the Texas Tribune, and we have seen him present at more than one, and each time he is a featured speaker and a crowd favorite. This time was no different, although the office for which he is running is different. Having run for the TX Senate, then for President, he is now running for Governor against Abbott. Beto went into great detail on his history, past experiences running for various elected positions, and what changes he would make if he became the next Governor of Texas.
Beto had an exciting track to becoming a politician from El Paso, Texas; as a dream to become a part of a band, he decided to attend Columbia University in New York. He soon realizes the hectic New York lifestyle was not for him and headed back to El Paso as a businessman. He became more interested in local politics, serving as a council member and being mayor pro tempore. He also was a US House member for six years, before embarking on his failed bids for Senator and President, respectively.
He believes in stricter gun laws, specifically moving the age from 18 to 21 to own an AR-15. Regarding our border crisis, Beto advocates that we need immigrants to work for us, which would ultimately benefit our economy in his eyes. Lastly, he touched on universal health care by opting in on Obamacare’s Medicare program.
We will (likely) know the outcome of Beto’s latest bid by the end of the night on November 8!
Public Health Sessions
Ashlyn Parker
I got to venture on my own a bit on this last day of the festival and go to some sessions that specifically piqued my interest. The most impactful event I went to was named “Reality Bites,” which featured a panel that discussed trust in science. The panel consisted of Andrew Dessler, Jehmu Greene, Jennifer Mercieca, and Allison Stewart and was narrated by John Schwartz.
Jennifer Mercieca spoke compellingly about how she and her dad would watch television news together when she was young. Today, however, with programming and advertising often working off algorithms, she and her dad watch very few of the same programs. The news today pushes for reactions, often by appealing to those who already agree with them.
The panel collectively agreed that Republican propaganda has been increasing for years, and its effects are now quite obvious. By 2020, when the pandemic hit, the George Floyd riots were pervasive, and the outcome of the 2020 election tilted Democratic, Republicans were left trusting few media figures and even fewer federal government officials–with the exception, of course, of President Trump.
Allison Stewart, a public health information analyst, discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded differently than previous health scares. In the past, the facts have largely spoken for themselves, and those facts would prompt people to get vaccinated or take precautions, but that didn’t happen in 2020–in fact, resistance to this has morphed into a full-blown anti-science agenda.
_____________________________________________
I missed the first LEAP event with Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, but thankfully I was able to hear him speak on COVID-19 with Dr. Celine Gounder, who served on the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Advisory Board. The session was narrated by the CEO of the Texas Tribune, Evan Smith.
Peter Hotez, being an expert in vaccines, spoke highly of vaccine efforts, but he does not fully agree with mandatory vaccines. Dr. Grounder was also somewhat critical of the CDC for not communicating the airborne nature of the disease. She believed think the mask mandates helped save lives.
Overall, I had a chance to hear from inspiring figures in public health and communications, which appeals to me greatly as a Public Health major. Both of the sessions focused on miscommunication and disinformation in the media, and they both emphasized that the media–and their algorithms–are as much to blame as the people who refuse to see facts.
Liz Cheney
Morgan Robertson
As a fantastic conclusion to the night, we once again took our seats in Paramount Theatre to hear from the closing speaker. Wyoming Representative, Liz Cheney, took the stage to a standing ovation.
Congresswoman Cheney has had an extensive career as an attorney and as an employee of the State Department. She has served as Wyoming’s lone congressperson since her win in 2019 and will remain in congress until January.
Although she is a Republican, she does not shy away from speaking out against certain members of the party, especially Former President Donald Trump. Congresswoman Cheney credits this as the reason for her loss during the Republican primaries.
Congresswoman Cheney is Vice Chair on the House Select Committee to investigate the Attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. Most of the conversation centered around Evan Smith asking questions relating to the attack, and Congresswoman Cheney disclosing little. She did describe that the members on the committee decided to operate slightly differently than typical committee hearings. Instead of giving each member 5 minutes during a hearing, the committee has split the hearings up so that two or three members are given the time needed to examine evidence.
Smith then asked the Congresswoman a very straightforward question, that I’m sure many in the audience wanted to ask as well: “Will you run for President?” She avoided giving an answer, which in turn led to another question. Smith phrased the question in such a way that hinted to her recent loss of her seat, and how will she keep fighting. Congresswoman Cheney assured the crowd that even though she is no longer going to be a congresswoman, she is certainly not going anywhere and will continue to put her country first.
Indian Cuisine
Yvette Mendoza
To finish off a great day of new experiences, we were able to add to the list an Indian restaurant called Asiana Indian Cuisine.
With the entrees, our waiter highly recommended ‘the bullet,’ which was nan bread with jalapenos that may have been a little too spicy for us but still very tasty. Our favorite had to have been chicken 65, cubes marinated in spices. Having the assorted platter of samosa, spring rolls, reshmo kabobs, and keema samosa it was delicious.
Next up were entrees from the vegetable saag paneer, having a blend of cottage cheese and spinach, chicken tikka masala with a creamy tomato butter sauce, and the butter chicken!
Professor Yawn returned to an authentic traditional dish by getting the curry chicken.
Lastly, for dessert, we had carrot halwa, which was not a favorite, but we did enjoy the Zauq-E-Shah. This was a great way to top off our day!
Following an eventful first day of interviews and new connections, the LEAP Ambassadors were excited to hit the ground running with the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival!
Texas State Capitol
Jessica Cuevas
Our Friday morning began with a trip to the Texas Capitol, where we met with the Chief of Staff for Senator Bryan Hughes, Cody Terry. (Senator Hughes represents the Tyler area, where Morgan is from!) During our time with Mr. Terry, we got a surprise visit from Senator Charles Schwertner’s former Chief of Staff, Tom Holloway. We were also lucky enough to meet Caroline Harris, who, after winning the primary (congratulations!), will compete in the general election for her own seat!
Between welcomed and insightful interruptions, Mr. Terry shared a few words of wisdom regarding internships applicable to any office.
He advised us to find something we are interested in and run with it.
We also met with Scott Jenkines, Chief of Staff for Representative Armando “Mando” Martinez who represents the Valley (District 39). Mr. Jenkines gave us a more technical overview of the innerworkings of the Texas House.
From both chiefs we learned about how different offices and committees work, and what members look for and expect from interns. We were grateful to have been able to sneak some questions in, and we are very thankful for the opportunity to have met with them and learn more about the legislative session. It was a great start for our day, which we soon followed with a trek down to the Paramount Theatre for our second Texas Tribune Festival session!
This session was actually two-pronged. We had the opportunity to experience Austin’s stunning Paramount Theatre, a historic Art Deco structure built in 1915.
The second was, of course, the session topic: a One-on-One with former Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, moderated by Kara Swisher!
Our main takeaway from Hillary Clinton was her stance on empowering women in politics. This was perfect for all four of us since we had just left the Capitol, where we all hope to intern in the next session..
With empowerment comes controversial issues, and in her talk, it was clear the most popular topic was her 2016 run against Donald Trump for President. He was a central topic of discussion, specifically regarding the deleted emails, predictions for future elections, and the possible criminal charges he may face.
Clinton repeatedly emphasized that she did not delete any emails and “never corresponded about classified emails.” Clinton has raised money in an interesting, but slightly self-deprecating way, by selling hats that read “But Her Emails.” [FS2] Clinton and Swisher laughed about the merch, but on a more serious note, each dollar raised from the hats is donated to the next Democratic candidate for the next presidential election.
Although she will not be running for office in the future, Clinton still contributes much to the current political officials in the Democratic party. When the question was raised if Trump is likely to run again, Clinton predicted he will run again, although this time he may also have criminal charges pending, after the search of Mar-a-Lago.
Aside from the political drama, Clinton vocalized the importance of Social Security, Medicare, and having a strong social democracy. She believes this will happen only if we continue to vote Democrats into office. But whether or not you are a Democrat or a Republican, we must vote and empower one another. Hearing from Hillary Clinton showed us that you can overcome what may seem to be impossible—an excellent takeaway!
Previewing the 88th: Part Four
Ashlyn Parker
TTF hosts multiple sessions about the upcoming Texas Legislative Session. Although we beelined it to Raise Your Hand Texas, where the fourth session was held, many others had the same idea, and we ended up in the SRO section. Nonetheless, it was completely worth it.
The impressive panel included Senator Carol Alvarado, Senator Cesar Blanco, Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Democratic Candidate for Senate District 27 Morgan LaMantia, and moderator Matthew Watkins, Managing Editor for News and Politics at TheTexas Tribune. With the State of Texas’ budget surplus of about $30 billion, redistricting, and the Texas governor’s election, this session will definitely face new opportunities and challenges.
Abortion is a heavy topic for discussion during this session, after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The panel didn’t suggest that any major bills will pass to restore those rights, but they would like to pass legislation to allow for certain exceptions of abortions like incest, rape, or medical complications. For example, Texas has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, so adopting legislation that will protect the mother’s life from risk of a full-term pregnancy could lower that statistic. Senator Blanco expects this upcoming governor’s election to be a “Roe-vember,” implying that many voters will vote solely driven by their beliefs or stance on abortion.
Another topic this panel expects will be up for much debate is gun regulations. Although gun regulations have been debated for decades, what makes the topic so complicated for this upcoming session is the increase in school shootings, specifically the Uvalde school shooting. Many people are fed up with turning on the news to another school shooting where innocent lives have been lost, and voters will be letting their legislators know that. The panel hopes to see stricter gun laws passed to help stop gun violence in Texas, which has a higher gun mortality rate than the national average. There was a call to action to the right to place more emphasis on the gun laws in Texas.
The panel also mentioned plans to focus on other issues that were “not just political stunts,” such as lowering property taxes and fixing the worker shortage, specifically for teachers and nurses.
One topic the panel did consider a political stunt wasthe border wall. The panel understands Republicans’ concern, but they do not like the way the Republican party goes about it. They would like to focus on improving the treatment of the immigrants coming in and not just throwing them into state camps or foster care. We were informed by the panel that some of these kids being thrown under state custody are dying due to the living conditions they are being put under at the border camps. Right now, the quality of care is improving due to neighboring border city communities that take kids in and provide them with better conditions, so the senators would like to see a change in that sector.
With (hopefully) our internships for this upcoming session, we found this discussion impactful and inspiring. We always enjoy getting to hear different points of views, so it will be great to ponder on these ideas until January!
40 North
Jessica Cuevas
Following a busy day, we met up with SHSU alumna (and former LEAP Center student worker), Annie Jamarik, Chief of Staff for Representative Hugh Shine. Annie recommended a great local pizza joint, called 40 North.
Considering Annie’s recommendations, we ordered the Classic Pepperoni (a bit spicy), the Margherita Di Bufala, the Barbe, and probably (most) everyone’s favorite, the Hot Honey.
As we ate, Annie gave us sound advice, both from the perspective of an intern and as a chief. She advised us to build our networks early and joked that we have already started with her! Along with her encouraging advice, she also had some practical advice, too. We asked about wardrobe and best places to shop, and even what kinds of shoes to wear every day.
We are very thankful to Annie for joining us for a great dinner and for all her advice and words of wisdom about interning in this upcoming session at the Capitol.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 