The Liberator Magazine
The Official Publication of the College of Liberal Arts
Written by Brooke Quach. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 started as a federal law pertaining to gender discrimination in university athletic departments and has now expanded to cover all programs and activities at public and private educational institutions that receive public funding. The law states that “No person in the United […]
Written by Brooke Quach. We roll into Austin at 40 miles per hour, caught in the traffic of ACL, but still eager to explore our second home. My friend and fellow UT classmate points to the east of I-35 and states matter-of-factly that this area is the ghetto of Austin. It’s where you don’t want to be, where you’re most […]
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Image by Yulissa Chavez. Back in September 2017, President Trump called to end the program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which protected an estimated 800,000 young adults who were brought to the United States as children. With the program now coming to an end, these individuals are now eligible for deportation, regardless of their criminal […]
Written by Varun Hukeri. Imagine the relationship between a university and its students through the lens of the social contract theory. Students voluntarily agree to follow the rules of the university, and in turn the university ensures a set of guarantees to the students. If a student violates the rules of the university, they face certain consequences. What happens when […]
Written by Brooke Quach. On September 23, 2017, Frank Rich, writer and producer of HBO’s award-winning comedy Veep, appeared via Skype at the largest Texas Tribune Festival ever. To begin the panel, the moderator Jacob Weisberg stated, “Although I think that the official title of our panel is ‘Veep Imitates Life,’ after watching this season, I certainly have the feeling […]
Written by Christina Lopez. The “One on One with Beto O’Rourke” convened on September 23rd, 2017 during the seventh annual Texas Tribune Festival. O’Rourke is a Democratic congressman from El Paso, Texas, who has been making waves throughout the state after he announced his “longshot race” for the Senate against Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in 2018. Texas Tribune CEO Evan […]
Written by Varun Hukeri. Originally published as part of the Spring 2017 “Power” Issue. There is no doubt that 2016 has been one of the most momentous years for American and global politics. From Brexit to the election of Donald Trump, this past year marks a radical shift in the power paradigm that has long dominated the political landscape since […]
Written by Amina Amdeen. Originally published as part of the Spring 2017 “Power” issue. “Turns out, once you go black you can go anywhere else.” The audience erupts with laughter. “For the first time in American history they’re asking the black man to stay,” Trevor Noah continued. Trevor Noah is not a political commentator, pundit, or confirmed expert. He is […]
Written by Christina Lopez. My childhood was written in windblown dirt against my neighborhood’s sidewalks. The infrequent rainstorms left a brown aroma upon the earth, the citadel of mountains surrounding the city were composed of brown dirt. The brown was in my brother’s skin, my mother’s hair, and my father’s eyes. The brown was everywhere. As a Hispanic born in […]
Written by Jacob Hood. On November 8th, 2016, America saw a shift in the political atmosphere. On January 20th, 2017, a new national reality was ushered in, leading to an uproar of protest and political tension. Central to the overwhelming anxiety surrounding this new administration is a concern about policy. The changes being made to policies already in place– and the […]
Written by Jacob Hood. Images by Texas Tribune. The panel for “Race and Law Enforcement” convened on September 24th at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center for the sixth annual Texas Tribune Festival. The panel consisted of Art Acevedo, Chief of the Austin Police Department, Marc Levin, Director of the Center for Effective Justice and Right on Crime at […]
Written by Amina Amdeen. While I removed my shoes at the door of a one-bedroom apartment, the scent of basmati rice and biryani spices suddenly overwhelmed me. Surrounded by the fragrances of my childhood, I felt at ease. I knew the family inside was an Iraqi family. Since the beginning of this year, 7,802 refugees have arrived in Texas, more than any other state […]
Written by Emily Lang. Images by Emily Lang. The Atlantic article titled “The Liberal Millennial Revolution” states that Millennials now comprise the same proportion of eligible voters as the Baby Boomer generation. In today’s volatile political climate, it is more important than ever to not only vote, but to be an informed voter. Political entertainment programs like The Colbert Report […]
Written by Rebekah Edwards. Originally published as part of the Spring 2016 “Narrative” Issue. Slut shaming, victim blaming, and blatant dismissal have created a culture of silence and shame regarding sexual violence on college campuses. Recently, schools across the country have been called out on rampant sexual violence, including UT where a reported 18.5% of female undergraduates experience sexual assault. The rising awareness around sexual […]
Written by Sarah Lynn Neal. With the 2016 presidential election almost 10 months away, you’ve probably been wondering to yourself: why should we care about the race this early in the year, and, of all fifty states, why is Iowa getting so much attention? Yes, Iowa, that seemingly insignificant, Midwestern state. Iowa’s importance in the presidential election doesn’t seem to […]
Written by Frances Molina. Photo courtesy Marsha Miller, UT News. 1. President Fenves inaugurated into office as the 29th University of Texas President During the fall of 2015, the University of Texas welcomed its 29th president, Gregory L. Fenves. Fenves began his presidency in June and celebrated his inauguration with an audience of over 1,800 faculty, students, and staff in […]
