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Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

All content by Grace Barnes
‘Concrete Cowboy’ explores father-son relationship, Philadelphia’s cowboy culture

‘Concrete Cowboy’ explores father-son relationship, Philadelphia’s cowboy culture

Grace Barnes April 4, 2021

“Concrete Cowboy” earnestly explores Philadelphia’s Black cowboy subculture and the relationship between an estranged father and son. Although its coming-of-age narrative is predictable, strong performances...

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‘It was my favorite place’: students reflect on the permanent closures of local restaurants

Grace Barnes and Jennifer Errico March 24, 2021

Editor's Note: This article first appeared in the March 12 issue of The Daily Texan.   Each week Charlie Garcia used to set aside $20 from his serving tips to eat at Fricano’s Deli.   West...

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What to check out if you’re going to SXSW

Editor's Note: This story first appeared in The Daily Texan's March 10 print edition.   The Daily Texan’s team of South by Southwest Online reporters have created a list of must-sees for students...

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Justine Bateman’s ‘Violet’ plays with visuals, sound, creating an anxiety-inducing, ultimately satisfying film

Grace Barnes March 19, 2021

Writer-director Justine Bateman’s new film “Violet,” which premiered at South by Southwest Online on Thursday, is anxiety-inducing, infuriating and ultimately freeing. It is experimental...

Pete Buttigieg headshot

US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg talks climate change, equity

Grace Barnes March 18, 2021

Newly appointed United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart on Thursday as part of South By Southwest Online’s keynote speaker sessions....

Subjects of Desire - Courtesy of Hungry Eyes Media

‘Subjects of Desire’ documentary examines relationship between race, power, beauty from history to present

Grace Barnes March 18, 2021

TW: This story contain descriptions of enslavement and sexual violence.  A timely follow-up to Channing Godfrey Peoples’ 2020 narrative film “Miss Juneteenth,” which follows...

Executive Order Q&A w_ Director, Photo-Courtesy-of-Elo-Company copy

Q&A: ‘Executive Order’ director Lázaro Ramos talks balancing images of police brutality with Black joy

Grace Barnes March 16, 2021

TW: police brutality, violent imagery Editor’s note: Because his first language is Portuguese, Lázaro Ramos spoke mostly in English and occasionally used a translator.  “Executive...

Executive Order Q&A with Enoch, photo-by-Mariana-Vianna-Courtesy-of-Elo-Company

Q&A: ‘Executive Order’ actor Alfred Enoch talks the specificity and universality of his new film

Grace Barnes March 15, 2021

Alfred Enoch, best known for playing Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter films and Wesley Gibbons on hit show “How to Get Away with Murder,” stars in the new Brazilian film “Executive Order,”...

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Six women-led films premiering at SXSW

Grace Barnes March 8, 2021

South By Southwest has always been a paragon of film festivals for independent filmmakers everywhere, giving them the opportunity to share their films with vast audiences and renowned creatives, producers...

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UT alum James Romo talks ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’

Grace Barnes March 8, 2021

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new film, “Raya and the Last Dragon,” follows a lone warrior as she searches for the last living dragon in the fantastical land of Kumandra, hoping to restore...

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Here’s who is offering water near and around UT campus

Morgan-Taylor Thomas, Jennifer Errico, and Grace Barnes February 18, 2021

Editor’s Note: This story was updated regularly until Sunday, February 22. Information within this story may no longer be up to date. As inclement weather continues, individuals on campus,...

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What’s open, closed or free around UT campus

Editor’s Note: This story was updated regularly until Sunday, February 22. Information within this story may no longer be or up to date. Freezing temperatures, unsafe road conditions and low power...

Malcolm & Marie - Courtesy of NetflixWEB

Quarantine-produced ‘Malcolm & Marie’: A self-indulgent series of monologues

Grace Barnes February 8, 2021

Writer and director Sam Levinson’s newest film “Malcolm & Marie”, released Feb. 5 on Netflix, is a memorable and daring piece of work that relies on the brilliance of its actors to...

No_Mans_Land_Review

‘No Man’s Land’ modernizes the Western, attempts to reverse undocumented immigration

Grace Barnes January 25, 2021

The product of two brothers, filmmakers and Texans, “No Man’s Land” is an earnest attempt to reverse the stereotyped narrative of illegal immigration into America — instead, the...

2021movieslisticlecourtesyofwarnerbrosweb

The most anticipated film releases of 2021

Grace Barnes January 22, 2021

“Delayed” was the word that marked Hollywood in 2020 as COVID-19 made theatergoing risky, leading many studios to push their films’ release dates to 2021. A number of cinephile favorites,...

Courtesy_WaltDisneyCo

Chadwick Boseman’s films: where to watch them, what they meant to Black UT students

Grace Barnes September 1, 2020

Chadwick Boseman, an actor best known for his role as Marvel’s Black Panther, died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Boseman also played icons such as baseball legend Jackie Robinson,...

filmlisticle_CourtesyofNetflix

Procrastination 101: 6 films, TV shows coming to streaming services this fall

Grace Barnes August 26, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain the entertainment industry, viewers have been  unable to watch films originally set to release this year. Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller “TENET”...

BoysState_CourtesyofApple

Documentary ‘Boys State’ highlights UT student running faux political campaign with image of unity, bipartisanship

Grace Barnes August 26, 2020

As a liberal inspired by Sen. Bernie Sanders and the son of a Mexican immigrant, Steven Garza was an odd man out at Texas Boys State 2018.  Boys State, a summer program held annually across the...

‘Miss Juneteenth’ explores Black womanhood, celebrates freedom, Black beauty

Grace Barnes June 23, 2020

Painting a portrait of Black life in contemporary Texas, Channing Godfrey Peoples’ directorial debut “Miss Juneteenth” is a timely celebration of freedom and Black beauty.   On...

Miss Juneteenth Q&A Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Q&A: ‘Miss Juneteenth’ actress discusses power of Black beauty pageant

Grace Barnes June 23, 2020

June 19, or Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were notified of their freedom, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. “Miss Juneteenth,” written...

protest art_courtesy of Andrew Czap

Associate professor releases film in response to killing of George Floyd, aims to rewrite narrative of Black experience

Grace Barnes June 20, 2020

At 11 years old, Ya’Ke Smith watched “Boyz n the Hood” for the first time.  Released in 1991, the film follows Tre Styles, a young Black boy sent to live with his father in south...

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Future of film industry remains uncertain following COVID-19

Avery Wohleb and Grace Barnes May 9, 2020

Editor’s note: This story is part of The Daily Texan’s coverage of how coronavirus concerns are affecting UT-Austin. Read the rest of our coverage here. Before the COVID-19 pandemic took...

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Q&A: Center for Professional Education facilitator talks time management, staying on top of online classes

Grace Barnes April 7, 2020

The transition to online learning has been difficult for many students, with technical challenges and spotty Wi-Fi being just a few of their problems. The Daily Texan spoke to Jennifer Lazarow, who...

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Across state lines: Out-of-state students face difficulties returning for belongings

Grace Barnes March 31, 2020

Editor’s note: This story is part of The Daily Texan’s coverage of how coronavirus concerns are affecting UT-Austin. Read the rest of our coverage here. Comprising a mere 10.6% of the student...

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What it’s like to live in West Campus during the COVID-19 pandemic

Grace Barnes March 27, 2020

After President Gregory Fenves announced that residence halls would be closing, students started to leave campus in droves, packing up their belongings and heading for home. But some students remain...

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Alternative spring break idea: Road trip to Texas cinematic destinations

Grace Barnes March 10, 2020

Last Friday, the Austin community received the devastating news that South by Southwest, the annual film, music and interactive festival, would be canceled for the first time ever in its 34-year history. If...

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Austin jewelry making business promotes sustainability, feminine power

Grace Barnes March 4, 2020

Beyoncé needed it in 24 hours, and Nina Berenato delivered.  Last spring, Berenato, an Austin-based metalsmith and jewelry designer, got a call from her public relations firm. Beyoncé’s...

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Viva Day Spa in Austin provides guests with ‘upscale but unpretentious’ spa experience

Grace Barnes March 4, 2020

Laurie Aroch, Maya Aroch and Shannon Mouser had no business opening a spa. Fifteen years ago, the pharmacist, ex-corporate employee and masseuse did it anyway.  While the two sisters and their...

(Un)divided documentary courtesy of Doha Debates

‘(Un)divided’ documentary features unlikely friendship between UT alumna, Trump supporter

Grace Barnes February 19, 2020

In 2017, several months after Donald Trump had been elected president, Amina Amdeen went to a Love Trumps Hate rally in Austin. Joseph Weidknecht, a Trump supporter, was also marching toward the capitol...

single ladies listicle courtesy of blumhouse production

What to watch on Valentine’s Day if you’re single

Grace Barnes February 14, 2020

It’s that time of year again for heart-shaped boxes, bouquets of roses and chocolate-covered strawberries. It’s the day when some lucky couples go out for romantic candlelit dinner dates or...

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Q&A: Illinois professor discusses Disney’s ambiguous, almost imperceptible approach to Latinidad

Grace Barnes February 10, 2020

Angharad Valdivia, a Latino/Latina Studies professor and media scholar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign gave a lecture Feb. 6 titled “What’s up with Disney & Latinidad?...

LeahCoxPortrait courtesy Jim Lafferty copy

‘Dance can be a way of understanding the world’: New dance professor Leah Cox seeks to engage nondancers

Grace Barnes February 4, 2020

When UT’s job announcement for a new dance professor came across Leah Cox’s desk, she wasn’t necessarily looking for a job, but after reading the description, she knew UT was where she...

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‘In Their Own Form’ explores black identity through time travel, alternate realities

Grace Barnes January 29, 2020

Through the lens of contemporary photography, “In Their Own Form” reimagines the transnational Black experience and what it might look like without the burden of racism and oppression permeating...

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Ranch Hand co-owners talk business, McCombs, how their food is more than just salad

Grace Barnes January 24, 2020

In a little more than three years, health-conscious grain bowl business Ranch Hand has gone from a meal subscription service at UT to local food truck to sharing space with other small businesses at Native...

Sex education courtesy Netflix

‘Sex Education’ season 2 uses empathetic storytelling, destroys stigma around awkward topic

Grace Barnes January 21, 2020

Netflix’s original show is back to give its young audiences a second round of a true sex education ­— not the kind you learned in high school. Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), the son...

African Children's Choir_courtesy of Sarah Wanyana

African Children’s Choir celebrates celebrates 50th tour since founding

Grace Barnes December 4, 2019

The first time Tina Sipp heard the African Children’s Choir perform, she knew she wanted to be a part of their mission. After joining the organization as a volunteer tour chaperone, Sipp held...

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RTF associate professor PJ Raval contributes unique background, filmmaking experience to UT

Grace Barnes November 20, 2019

Growing up in a more conservative small town in central California, PJ Raval said there weren’t many people who looked like him, which left him feeling isolated. Raval is a queer, first-generation...

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Celebrating the 30th anniversary of ‘Like Water for Chocolate’

Grace Barnes November 11, 2019

Laura Esquivel is a Mexican novelist, screenwriter and politician. Her first novel, “Como agua para chocolate,” which translates to “Like Water for Chocolate,” was published in...

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5 informative podcasts offer direction for college students

Grace Barnes November 6, 2019

Balancing exams, clubs, friends, payments, work and staying healthy can be tricky for college students. Oftentimes, self-care and enrichment fall to the back burner in the chaos of a busy schedule. Podcasts...

Ephraim Owens Q&A_Courtesy of Manny Alcalá

Q&A: Jazz musician Ephraim Owens talks genre, growing up, life as musician

Grace Barnes October 29, 2019

Dallas-born Ephraim Owens is a blues, jazz and gospel trumpeter who performs in Austin and around the world. He has also recorded with artists such as Sheryl Crow and Mumford & Sons. Owens enrolled...

Saakred Courtesy Arturo Vilchis

Local artist Saakred documents their transition experience through art exhibition ‘Sin Nombre, Sin Cuerpo’

Grace Barnes October 24, 2019

Texas contemporary artist Saakred came out as transgender in 2015 and has been documenting their experience through music and visual art ever since. “Sin Nombre, Sin Cuerpo,” which means...

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UT alum Cait Zellers on making it in the art world: It’s all about community

Grace Barnes October 21, 2019

Since graduating from UT in 2012, comic artist Cait Zellers has been telling “angry feminist stories.” Zellers sells prints, fan art, stickers and comic books under the brand name “Miss...

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Three healthy, no-bake alternatives to Halloween Candy

Grace Barnes October 9, 2019

With Halloween quickly approaching, giant bags of candy line the shelves of every supermarket. For students looking to curb their Halloween cravings minus the calories, the Texan compiled a list of three...

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Once Upon a Time … in Tarantinoland

Grace Barnes September 16, 2019

Film fans flocked to theaters to witness famed director Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” on July 26. The nostalgic piece fixates on recreating...

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