The Liberator Magazine
The Official Publication of the College of Liberal Arts
Written by Kara Hildebrand (she/her)Graphic by Quynhmai Tran (she/her) – Flipping on an episode of Riverdale (totally ironically, of course), presents the unsuspecting audience member with a cast in their mid-to-late twenties lamenting about relatable teenager problems. The school dance got canceled, the boy next door doesn’t like me back, and parents are so controlling. Perhaps this slips past them, […]
Written by Justin PastranoGraphic by Asiyah Saeed. – Trigger Warning: I have every intention of being sensitive towards those who have been affected by suicide. This is a profound issue in our society that should be discussed. The target audience here is not for those who may be experiencing these issues. The Myth of Sisyphus has an emphasis on the […]
Written by Jadyn Simental.Graphic by Quynhmai Tran. – Sometimes I catch myself deepening my voice to hide any form of femininity. I find myself eyeing make-up in stores, but then remember the time I was caught wearing it in high school and swore it was acne medicine. I talk about painting my nails with friends, but consider my disapproving mother […]
Written by Alyssa Hiarker.Graphic by Quynhmai Tran. – We all know the horror movie experience: a darkened theatre, ominous music to set the mood, screams followed by a collective breath of laughter, strangers turned to friends as the tension builds with each new scare. There’s more to horror movies than just the moments of abject terror that come with jump scares; […]
Written by Hayle Chen. Graphic by Quynhmai Tran. – For Allison, who told me I could absolutely write on a topic that I had never pitched to her before—you brought the best kind of control to this chaotic world. “To be in hell is to drift; to be in heaven is to steer.” When addressing the fervent lust for control that […]
Written by Hayle Chen. Graphic by Quynhmai Tran. – Communication. Thirteen letters, five syllables, and an abundance of dichotomies: we do it all the time. From the fleeting goodbye you call out to your roommate as the door slams shut, to delivering well-composed answers specifically devised for a life-altering interview, communication is undoubtedly humanity’s unwavering constant. However, do we recognize […]
Written by Harrison Fernelius. Graphic by Emma Robinson. – Strip malls, aren’t they beautiful? Now before you pass judgment, please let me explain. Some of the most vivid memories of my childhood come from those summer days spent strip mall shopping with my mom. The palpable heat of the sun giving way to the ice-cold chill of the store, as […]
Written by Bismarck Andino. Graphic by Emma Robinson. – Despite having access to eight dining locations throughout campus, some students at the University of Texas at Austin go to classes without eating a meal. Jalesha Bass, communication and leadership and journalism double major, is one student whose eating patterns have been disrupted due to financial stress. Bass said her experience […]
Written by Frida Silva. Graphic by Emma Robinson. – When the Twilight films first started being released, expressing any positive feelings for the movies meant enduring endless shame and online harassment. Just like any other pop culture phenomenon with a fan base consisting of mainly teenage girls, Twilight generated endless memes and jokes at the expense of the franchise and […]
Written by Caroline Rock. Graphic by Emma Robinson. – On a night when you can’t seem to think straight Tears wash away a layer of your face Revealing someone you thought you’d outgrown To show you for, maybe, the person you really are A girl Trying to grow up Crawling in your own skin each day Until finally you can’t […]
Written by Christina Lopez. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– For Antonio Limon, college was never a question of if, but where, he was going to go. He remembers his mom always encouraging him to achieve A’s in his classes and volunteer to boost his prospects of a college education . She […]
Written by Dila Sarikaya. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– As my Mom and I did some casual window shopping, I looked over my shoulder and saw a big Christmas tree– one of the extravagant ones shopping plazas put up during the holiday season. Its lights, sparkle, and sheer size caught my […]
Written by Brooke Quach. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– The volleyball struck him in the head so hard that he only recognized the impact after his scrawny body fell on the floor. His ears rang, but he could still hear the big white boy with the red face yell “GOOK” with […]
Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– Since time immemorial, humans have struggled with the concept of good and trying to understand what makes a good person. Conversations about the relativity and subjectivity of goodness go back thousands of years to the earliest civilizations and carries onto the floors […]
Written by Yulissa Chavez. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– Growing up in a Latina household, forced me to comply with the idea that my body was the property of God. This mentality may suggest that I learned to appreciate my body, but instead, I grew up learning to be afraid of […]
Written by Taylar Henderson. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– I don’t know who I am. For my entire life, I’ve relied solely on what other people defined me as. In elementary school, I was creative, loud, and outgoing. In middle school, I was weird, nerdy, and edgy. In high school, I […]
