FORT WORTH — Roxana Aguirre, Fort Worth resident and educator, teared up as the room around her erupted in applause. After around four hours of discussion and nearly 160 speakers in open forum, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court approved a list of 51 early voting sites — including those at UTA and several other colleges — for the November presidential election at Thursday’s meeting. The measure passed 4-1, with County Judge Tim O’Hare in opposition. “As an educator, I just feel that seeing college-age students come out and exercise your democratic right to let your elected officials know that you are against something they are proposing is beautiful to see,” Aguirre said. Adding to the uncertainty of the proceedings was the in-person absence of Commissioners Alisa Simmons and Roy Brooks, who have been vocal about the need for more early voting sites. The two were in Washington D.C. for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Conference. Many among those who spoke to the commissioners had criticized the court for proceeding without them. The two voted remotely on the measure. Simmons thanked the citizens and students for their engagement in local governance. “Those young people, this is what it's about,” she said. “Thank you for coming over, and thank you to your professors and advisers for allowing you to come over and participate in your local government right here in your footprint.” O’Hare said the idea behind having multiple voting locations is to be equally spread out and accessible to all. Having locations less than a mile apart makes no sense, he said, because voting sites in some communities are 10 to 15 miles apart. “You don't win them all,” O’Hare said after the meeting. “I stood up for what I believed in and the rest of the court did not agree with the way I saw it.” Among those speaking at the meeting, including groups of advocates, elected officials, UTA students and staff, most pleaded to keep the university sites, saying any attempt to remove voting locations was an act of voter suppression. “A voteless people is a hopeless people,” said Relius Johnson, New Maverick Orientation director. College campuses are a microcosm of society because of the diverse student populations, and UTA is located around thriving areas where people vote, Johnson said. Having a polling site on campus allows everyone in the community to have their voice heard. Democracy begins on college campuses, and young people are changing this nation, environmental science senior Rogelio Meixueiro said. Tarrant County is paving the way for change in Texas, Meixueiro said, and while he’s happy with UTA’s energy to keep the site on campus, he believes the work is not done until after Election Day. “I think now our duty is ensuring that hundreds of students in our university and all across the county make their voice heard, and hey, we’re paving the way,” he said. Everyone should have their votes and voices heard, said Taylor Tracy, first vice president for UTA’s NAACP chapter, after the meeting. The nonpartisan organization attended the meeting to ensure it was educating and advocating for students while empowering people. “We just want everybody to have the ability to be able to vote,” Tracy said. During the Sept. 4 meeting, the Commissioners Court failed to approve a list of 50 early voting locations, 2-2, for the second time within two years, with Commissioner Manny Ramirez absent from the vote. The Maverick Activities Center was an active voting location but was unavailable for early voting during the 2023 November constitutional amendment election. However, it was open for the primary election in March. The 4-1 vote Thursday approved the original list and added the Vietnamese American Community Home in Dalworthington Gardens. “I think that we have to have more objective criteria and we have to have better reasoning whenever we’re selecting sites, but again, reducing the number is not a priority,” Ramirez said at the meeting before voting to approve the list. O’Hare is not against having intentional polling locations, but the current list of voting sites with some locations within almost a mile from one another would be a waste of money, he said. Three other voting site drafts were proposed with fewer locations, and O’Hare said he would have supported any of those along with the newly added location. Early presidential voting at UTA began as early as 2000, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. This year, citizens can register to vote until Oct. 7, with early voting running from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. @PMalkomes @trinhvchristine news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The UTA Observatory and College of Science will host International Observe the Moon Night on the top floor of the Park Central parking garage from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday. NASA’s annual International Observe the Moon Night encourages people around the world to observe the moon. The moon will be at or close to the first-quarter phase. According to NASA, a first-quarter moon offers excellent viewing opportunities along the terminator, the line between night and day, where shadows enhance the moon's cratered landscape. Planetarium program coordinator McKenna Dowd said they will have a 16-inch Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, meaning it has two mirrors: a primary and a secondary mirror to help focus the light into the eyepiece. This is the largest telescope they have. The observatory will also feature a smaller 11-inch telescope, multiple 8-inch telescopes and a 6-inch telescope for viewing. Dowd said that spectators are welcome to bring their own observing equipment and the event will feature free food and water, glow sticks and chairs for attendees while supplies last. “It's an event for moon lovers and anyone who loves to look up at the sky to come together and celebrate and observe the moon, and just share curiosity and wonder for our night sky and our moon,” Dowd said. The event is free, apart from parking. Instructions to obtain a parking permit for the event can be found on the observatory’s website. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

This is a crime wrap-up from Sept. 6 to 10. Reckless damage or destruction of property On Sept. 6, an unaffiliated male reported damage to his vehicle while it was parked, UTA Police Capt. Mike McCord said in an email. Reckless damage or destruction is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. This case is still active. Criminal mischief On Sept. 8, an officer found damage to a section of landscape, McCord said. Criminal mischief with $100 to $750 in pecuniary loss is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. This case is still active. Harassment On Sept. 9, a female staff member reported receiving harassing messages from an unaffiliated male, McCord said. Harassment is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $2,000, up to 180 days in jail or both. Purchasing or furnishing alcohol to a minor On Sept. 10, officers investigated a possibly intoxicated unaffiliated female, McCord said. She was arrested for providing alcohol to a minor and transported to Arlington Police Department jail. Purchasing or furnishing alcohol to a minor is a class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $4,000, up to one year in jail or both. Consumption of alcohol by a minor In the same Sept. 10 report, an unaffiliated female associate was issued a citation for consumption of alcohol by a minor, McCord said. Consumption of alcohol by a minor is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. Theft of property On Sept. 10, a male student reported the theft of a weight stack extender, McCord said. Theft of property worth $100 to $750 is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000, up to 180 days in jail or both. This case is still active. @hjgarcia0 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Mavericks celebrated La Kermés on the Library mall honoring Hispanic Serving Institution Week on Wednesday. HSI Week is held one week before Hispanic Heritage Month, with one of its biggest events being La Kermés, a festival typical to Hispanic culture, that involves food, activities, games and music. Students from various heritages joined together for the Hispanic heritage festival that included baile, food and the opportunity to win one of three $500 scholarships offered by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Maria Delgado, senior director of HSI Initiatives, said she works to ensure that UTA continues to be recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution while integrating Hispanic heritage. The HSI designation allows Mavericks to apply for financial support. Delgado emphasizes that this support is designed to benefit all students, not just Latinos. “I am very, very excited about doing all of these activities and events,” Delgado said. “I'm Latina, so it's very nice for me to be able to share with all of our students about our HSI culture, but also bring them scholarships and bring them money.” Senior education major Jennifer Bautista said that being a full-time student with clinicals prevents her from being able to work. The $500 scholarship would be a great help to her dreams of being a first-generation graduate and being a voice for her Hispanic community in her career path. “[In] education there needs to be more representation, especially for Hispanic students whose parents don't speak English,” Bautista said. “I want to be that voice to help those students who can't do for themselves and [who] are translating for their parents as well because I was that kid who was translating for my parents.” Valeria Loera, visual communications design major and president of the Association of Mexican-American Students, said that the ability to meet other students of Mexican heritage has allowed her to make the most of her UTA experience and she is grateful to have the opportunity to represent her culture with events like La Kermés. “The fact that we're even able to host tables here and play our music out loud and serve our food, it's a privilege, and we're really grateful for it,” Loera said. Drew Miller, senior associate vice president of Student Affairs and dean of students, is new to the UTA community and attended La Kermés to learn more about the different organizations offered to students on campus, saying he wants to be a part of supporting the Hispanic community. “I don't think I've ever been on a campus where the students are this engaged, this willing to come out, show support, get involved. It has been a joy to see and so it's just been so exciting to see so many students [of] Hispanic origin, but also not [of] Hispanic origin, just coming out to learn, to support. It’s amazing,” Miller said. @arj3395 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The New York Liberty (30-6) entered College Park Center with one goal: to stay No. 1 in the WNBA standings. Despite the Dallas Wings’ (9-27) efforts to close the season out strong, the team dropped its fifth-straight loss, 105-91. The Wings were eliminated from playoff contention after Sunday’s loss. When asked what continues to motivate the team, head coach Latricia Trammell said it was their resumes that pushed them forward. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention, the team’s still watching film, practicing and focusing on both sides of the court. “We're still locked in, and we're not changing anything that what we've been doing,” Trammell said. Trammell said that as competitors, the team is focused on winning every game and aims to be “upsetters” in the final season stretch. With every top team playing for seeding, the plan is to disrupt teams vying for playoff spots. Despite the loss, it was the Wings’ third game in the last six where five players scored in double-scoring figures. Forward Maddy Siegrist reached double-digit scoring with 10 points, her first since returning from injury and grabbed game-high rebounds. Forward Natasha Howard recorded her sixth 20-point game this season. In a season riddled with injuries, players want to give their all, not knowing how many games they’ll play, Siegrist said. The team played hard Tuesday, but she said that moral victories won’t get teams far. With the playoffs out of reach, it’s a great opportunity for young players to “finish strong” and showcase their talents to build momentum before heading into the next season, Howard said. The Wings held the Liberty under their average on fast break points but the Liberty dominated by hitting 16 3-pointers. The Wings never led, trailing by 17 in the first half and 25 in the second. Forward Satou Sabally didn’t have a huge performance, recording nine points, but she had fun competing against her sister, Liberty forward Nyara Sabally, sending her to the free-throw line after a hard foul. There’s a little trash talk between the two, but Trammell said it’s all love and respect between the two. “What an incredible thing to say that both sisters are playing in the WNBA,” Trammell said. “A lot of respect there.” Dallas guard Arike Ogunbowale recorded 23 points, three rebounds and four assists, 11 away from becoming the Wings’ franchise leader for career points. “Anything that she has accomplished is not a small feat,” Trammell said. “It's from her dedication, her hard work, being the professional that she is. Even in the off season, she stays locked in and I'm extremely excited to see what she's going to do next. She's an impact and what she's done for this franchise, the women's game, for me, is pretty special.” The Wings will be back in action 7 p.m. Thursday at College Park Center for their rematch against the Liberty. @heyyyitslando sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not just compete in the Paralympics, but to become part of the first wheelchair basketball team to achieve three consecutive gold medals in the Paris Paralympic Games, said Fabian Romo, Paralympic gold medalist and UTA alumnus. “[I] couldn't be more proud to be their teammate, to be part of that team that made history with them,” Romo said. “Super grateful that I could be part of that whole team, to be able to finish [the veterans’ careers] off on such a high note.” Throughout the past two weeks, Movin’ Mavs players hosted Paralympic watch parties to cheer on the wheelchair basketball teams at Trinity Hall and the Maverick Activities Center. With each U.S. bucket made, cheers grew louder as the players held their breath between every point, glancing at each other in excitement. When the U.S. team secured the Paralympic gold, they couldn’t contain themselves as “USA” chants filled the room. “That’s history-making,” kinesiology junior Ke’Sean Paire said. Team USA’s men’s wheelchair basketball cemented themselves in history defeating Great Britain, 73-69, during the 2024 Paris Paralympics, becoming the first men’s wheelchair basketball team to win three consecutive gold medals at the Paralympics. Romo said he’s known a lot of players in the Movin’ Mavs community since they were kids. He said he feels like a big brother to them, and it means a lot to have their support and to have them in his corner. “I've always done what I can, not just for them, but for the [Movin’ Mavs],” Romo said. “Ever since I graduated, I would always come back and stick around because this is a family. I'm always going to support the program and whoever comes in, that's family.” The men’s team won all three games in group play, their quarterfinals and semifinal matchups by an average of 36 points, becoming the most successful men’s wheelchair team of all time. “Knowing that their hard work paid off, and I was able to watch their hard work, hopefully I can apply some of their knowledge of the game and how their hard work came to play,” Movin’ Mavs player Carrington Marendes said. The USA women’s wheelchair basketball team secured silver after falling to the Netherlands, 63-49, in the finals. Paire said watching and supporting the Paralympics as a team motivates players to keep working hard to improve every day. He’s able to look back on the film to see what the U.S. teams did, implementing it in practice. “It’s amazing,” he said. “Just being able to watch in real time is an amazing feeling. Especially, when you know people that’s on the team you either played against or played with, it’s just like, ‘Wow.’” Marendes said he didn’t register the feat Team USA would accomplish until the announcers continuously repeated the chance for its third consecutive gold. “That really speaks about the consistency and about the longevity of the team. They’ve been together for so long doing the same thing,” Marendes said. Former UTA players like Romo and Paul Schulte, with assistant coach Mike Paye, won on an international stage after competing on university courts. After winning gold, Romo embraced his parents, thanking them for their sacrifices from driving him to practices to watching him win a gold medal in Paris. “They’ve been my biggest fans,” Romo said. “They’ve seen all the losses and all the wins. So it’s always been them behind me, and they just couldn’t be more proud of me.” Watching the men’s team claim gold was a bittersweet feeling, Marendes said. It’s been his goal to make the U.S. team, and being around his teammates created a fun atmosphere when cheering the team on and watching UTA alumni achieve their dreams. “In the inside, I’m feeling a lot more excited about it, because I want to be there one day,” Marendes said. “It’s a really great feeling.” @heyyyitslando sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Given the fluidity of the collegiate athletics coaching business, Mike Trapasso, UTA head baseball coach, wasn’t surprised about former head coach Clay Van Hook’s resignation. After supporting Van Hook’s decision, Trapasso had a question to answer: Was it time to step back into a head coaching role again? Trapasso, who has coached Division I baseball for over three decades, was hired as an assistant coach by Van Hook. Following Van Hook’s resignation in early August, UTA Athletics made the decision to promote Trapasso. “My job was to give him my thoughts. If he took it to heart, great. If he wanted to do something else, great. We presented to the players as if it was all of our idea,” Trapasso said. “That’s what being an assistant coach is about.” Trapasso said a lot of young coaches aren’t secure enough in what they’re doing to hire a former head coach, but Van Hook didn’t have those insecurities, something that showed what kind of person he was. “I was very happy in that role, supporting [Van Hook] and trying to help him not make the same mistakes, as a young coach, that I made when I was a young coach,” Trapasso said. Prior to his time in Arlington, Trapasso spent 20 years as the head coach for the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, guiding the Rainbow Warriors to multiple National Collegiate Athletic Association Regional appearances and later served as a pitching coach at the United States Naval Academy in 2022. He was also named Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times, making appearances in back-to-back WAC championship games in 2010 with a title win and going back in 2011. Three years removed from his head coaching job at Hawai’i, Trapasso knew he wanted to venture into head coaching again and told Athletics director Jon Fagg that he was interested in the job the day after Van Hook’s resignation was announced. “My faith is the most important thing in what I do, and I feel strongly that we’re all called to do things until we’re not,” Trapasso said. “And I still feel called to really do this and try to create a culture for these young men where they can succeed.” Less than two weeks after Van Hook resigned, Trapasso was announced as the eighth coach in program history. Mavericks first baseman Tyce Armstrong said that with Trapasso’s experience as a head coach and the team, they had a feeling he would be the one hired to the position. “We were just hoping they weren’t going to bring in somebody that hasn’t been here and only give them a week for getting recollected with this team,” Armstrong said. The coaching staff was consistent and collaborative, leading to a seamless transition, Trapasso said. He added that the coaching change isn’t like many where a new coach has to go in and learn the whole team. While the personality of the team needs to be figured out, that’s something that changes every season. “We have that relationship with these guys already. We were ready to take, and are hoping to take, that next step in development with a lot of guys who’ve been here for a year or two, and it’s going to take a lot of work and we’ll have to see how that goes,” Trapasso said. Armstrong, entering his fourth year at UTA, has had three different head coaches during his time as a Maverick and said he’s thankful his newest coach will be someone he already knows. “I have a connection with him and so do most of the guys that have been on this team. Even the new guys are already making connections with him,” he said. In his first year as head coach, Trapasso hopes to set a culture for the team and establish an identity for the program. “We want our program’s identity to be one where we develop guys. Where guys come into our program and get better through good coaching and hard work,” Trapasso said. “But then each team, every year, depending on its personnel, has to have its own identity as a team, and that’s based usually on skill sets.” He hopes to use his time with the team during fall practices to eliminate team issues such as walks, errors, strikeouts and not being able to get bunts down. “I know that he’s going to get our guys right,” Armstrong said. “We have a lot of talent who just came in from the [transfer] portal and from [junior college], so he’s going to work with them this fall, he’s going to get them right, and I’m really excited to see what it’s going to be in the spring.” The team is set to announce their fall exhibition schedule in the coming weeks. @jwheels_1 @heyyyitslando sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The volleyball team (6-0) remains undefeated with a victory over the University of Louisiana Monroe (1-5) on Saturday at College Park Center to complete the UTA Classic sweep. After winning a challenging opening match of the three-game home set against Santa Clara University, UTA cruised to victories against McNeese State University and ULM in straight sets. UTA dominated the first set 25-13, led by five kills from graduate outside hitter Brianna Ford, who was named last week’s Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week. Louisiana Monroe provided more resistance in the second and third sets. However, UTA pulled ahead in both, 25-21 and 25-20. Head coach J.T. Wenger said the team has leaned on the leadership and experience of the group of graduate students. “It's very impactful to have a handful of graduate students that have been around,” Wenger said. “They know the ups and downs of the season, they've weathered storms in the past, they know how to ride a wave when things are going well.” Ford said the team’s motto for the season is “just believe,” inspired by Ted Lasso. The team even created their own version of the sign, adding glitter. The players want to prove to themselves that they can beat any team. “I think that we just want to prove to ourselves that we are capable of beating any team,” Ford said. “We just have to go out and have our best two and a half hours out on the court.” Graduate setter Mollie Blank said the team works hard in practice to get tempo and location on point to maintain a high-level offensive performance. She led all players with 23 assists. Graduate middle blocker Paige Reagor recorded 13 points and 11 kills. The Mavericks will return to action at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 as they prepare for the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational. @babyboimatt news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Television Academy hosted its 76th annual Emmy Awards on Sunday, honoring the past year’s exceptional entertainment and storytelling. As this year’s hosts, actors Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, “Schitt’s Creek” father-son duo, recognized directors, writers, actors, producers and other technical and creative areas for outstanding work in a television or limited series. Here’s a list of the winners from key categories and where to watch each show. View the full list of winners here. Outstanding Comedy Series “Hacks,” available on HBO Max, won Outstanding Comedy Series after being nominated for 16 categories this year. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series 13-time Emmy-nominee Jean Smart won her sixth Emmy as Deborah Vance in HBO Max’s “Hacks.” Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Jeremy Allen White won his second Emmy as Carmy in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Liza Colón-Zayas won her first Emmy as Tina in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Ebon Moss-Bachrach won her second Emmy as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich in FX’s “The Bear.” Outstanding Drama Series Streaming on FX, “Shōgun” was nominated for 25 categories, the most of the night, taking home four Emmys. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Anna Sawai won her first Emmy as Toda Mariko in FX’s “Shōgun.” This was Sawai’s first Emmy nomination and win. Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Hiroyuki Sanada won his first Emmy as Yoshii Toranaga in FX’s “Shōgun.” This was Sanada’s first Emmy win and nomination. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Two-time Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Debicki won her first Emmy as Princess Diana in Netflix’s “The Crown.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Three-time Emmy-nominee Billy Crudup won his second Emmy as Cory Ellison in ”The Morning Show” on Apple TV+. Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series “Baby Reindeer,” streaming on Netflix, was nominated for 11 categories and took home four Emmys. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Four-time Emmy-nominee Jodie Foster won her first Emmy as Detective Elizabeth Danvers in HBO Max’s “True Detective: Night Country.” Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Two-time Emmy-nominee Richard Gadd won his second Emmy of the night as Donny in Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” He also won Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Jessica Gunning won her first Emmy as Martha in Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Lamorne Morris won his first Emmy as Deputy Witt Farr in FX’s “Fargo.” @_itsjinelle life-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Metroplex residents have a variety of activities to choose from this upcoming week, including dog-friendly festivals, local live music and various sporting events. Entertainment Join Canine Companions, a nonprofit providing trained service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities, for DogFest from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 14 at Community Beer Co. in Dallas. The family and pet-friendly festival will have music, vendors and activities. Registration for DogFest is free and can be done online. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden will kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with its seventh annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sept. 14 and 15. The two-day event will feature a quinceañera fashion show, musical performances and cooking demonstrations. Tickets range from $10 to $16 and are available online. Taste test or compete with homemade salsas at On Tap’s third annual salsa competition from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 15 on North Mesquite Street. Entry fees are available online at $5 for tasters and $15 for competitors, with a prize of $100 for 1st place and $50 for the people’s choice award. Music K-pop group NCT Dream is bringing their Dream World Tour to Fort Worth at 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at Dickies Arena. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster starting at $75.50. As part of Levitt Pavilion’s free concert series, grab some friends to see Del Castillo with Los Juanos take the stage 7 p.m. Sept. 20. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to take advantage of open lawn seating. Sports Head to Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth for the second round of the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 14. Attendees can see top riders from the Monster Energy American Motorcyclist Association Supercross Championship and the Pro Motocross Championship. Tickets are available online, starting at $40. Cheer on the Texas Rangers as they face off against the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m. Sept. 17 and 18 at Globe Life Field. Tickets can be purchased online for as low as $20, coupled with a dollar hot dog day promotion at the ballpark Sept. 18. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

With nearly 40.1 million eligible voters, Generation Z will have a chance to impact the upcoming presidential election, with social media playing a vital role. In an online era, most election updates are shared throughout the internet. Whether it’s making a meme, a cartoon of a candidate, clips of speeches being reposted or social media accounts created to spread voter awareness and show support for their party, social media has played a pivotal role in the 2024 Kamala Harris and Donald Trump presidential election campaigns and may continue to impact the 8 million people aging into voter eligibility. Amanda Jordan, Department of Communication lecturer, said the 2008 presidential election was the first election where social media was available, but it wasn’t widely used. Its usage grew by the 2012 presidential election because of the shift in interest and candidate personalities, Democratic nominee Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Over the past decade, Jordan has seen a big change in where students get information when they’re ready to vote. She said social media has become a place for communities to find information about current candidates, which can have its ups and downs. “[One of the bigger] downsides of elections and social media is, it’s very difficult to trust information that you find,” she said. “It’s difficult to trust information you find about anything, but really [in] politics, in the United States and globally, it is a buyer beware situation.” For a portion of Gen Z, this is the first presidential election they’ll be voting in, which can be intimidating, but having social media platforms encourage voting and explain the process can make going to the polls easier. Connecting people through social media with a shared interest, like singer Taylor Swift, can take a level of voting intimidation away. Emerald Medrano, UT - El Paso creative writing major, is one of the original co-founders of the social media account @Swifties4Kamala. The page aims to promote voting in fun ways, like making friendship bracelets or gathering with like-minded people to watch debates. Medrano said he wanted to bring “Swiftie culture” into politics, to provide comfort to new voters. During a moment of uncertainty after President Joe Biden announced that he stepped down from the race, Medrano turned to X in July 2024 to express his worries. “I have a lot of faith in Swifties, a lot of trust in the community I’m a part of online, that we could do something. So, I made a tweet that was like, ‘We should organize and get together and do something this election to promote voting,’” he said. Trump supporters have also created fandom and community groups such as Swifties for Trump, Moms for Liberty, Turning Point Action and the NELK Boys, a group of YouTubers advocating for Trump. “What I am seeing is a grassroots ability to get people to make sure they’re registered to vote,” Jordan said. “That was a door-to-door thing, and frankly, door-to-door anything is terrifying these days. Social media can take that out and allow you to reach more people, and that’s fantastic.” The NELK Boys consist of four Canadian friends who make prank videos on YouTube. On the 8.17 million subscriber platform, they’ve sold t-shirts and have had Donald Trump Jr. on their podcast supporting the former president’s campaign. The channel uses its platform to discuss the upcoming election, showing its young subscribers a personal side of the Republican Party. Younger people are the least likely to vote because issues regarding homeownership or paying taxes don’t apply to them yet, but if candidates are saying anything that interests these voters, it will entice them to vote for them, said Rebecca Deen, senior associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and political science professor. For example, Harris’ campaign discusses reproductive freedom and economic crises, whereas Trump emphasizes strength and cracks down on crime. Although there have been memes and posts on social media poking fun at both candidates and the election, it’s the way they hold themselves and react to the media that will catch voters' attention, Deen said. “Media has always been a powerful tool,” Medrano said. “Media is how we frame what we see and the narratives of who these people are, what they’ll bring to our country.” Deen said candidates need to meet the media landscape; they have to be able to use it to their advantage. “Presidential candidates, politicians — all politicians, but especially presidential candidates — have to navigate the media landscape that they’re in,” Deen said. “It’s not that it’s become more positive or that [Harris] turned it positive. She’s just been able to navigate very adeptly through the media world that she’s lived in.” On social platform X, the verified account @trumpswiftie has nearly 20,000 followers and uses their platforms to connect Trump-supporting Swifties to discuss the upcoming election. The account often posts memes and reposts informational media on its page. Launched by Trump, Truth Social is a platform that encourages free, open and honest expression without discrimination based on political ideology, according to the Associated Press. In August, Trump reposted photos of various AI-generated Swifties for Trump supporters on his Truth Social account saying, “I accept!,” showing formal support to voters. Following the Sept. 10 presidential debate, Swift took to her social media to announce her disproval of the false AI endorsements created with her likeness and announced her endorsement for Harris. "The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth," Swift wrote in an Instagram post. Freelance producer Irene Kim, co-founder and executive director of @Swifties4Kamala, said using existing fandom culture to share resources has been effective to hopefully make receiving election information fun. “I felt like this was a really good chance for us to work together on something else we care a lot about, which is protecting each other’s rights,” Kim said. Serving as a modern-day version of political cartoons, memes and election trends have been essential to this campaign, among all parties. “This is how political movements start,” Kim said. “It’s just from the people you know and trust, and so it felt like a really good opportunity here.” @Swifties4Kamala wants to make things digestible and accessible, reaching people who may not have been educated otherwise. “We’re not taught a lot of this in school. We really should be, but we’re not,” Kim said. “I think it’s very valid that if you don’t understand something, you’re not really going to be a part of it.” Working with Social Goods, a nonprofit organization that donates its merchandise sale profits to voter registration efforts, @Swifties4Kamala has amassed over 41,000 voter registration checks and shares information with over 75,000 followers on their X page alone. While various groups focus on providing information to the public, Jordan said to still verify your facts, because even though a social media group says something, that doesn’t automatically make it true. “I don’t think any single candidate is perfect, and that makes things hard,” Kim said. “But I think what we need to do in this situation is go with what works best.” @amandaLaldridge @_itsjinelle life-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Residents can enjoy galleries, conceptual performances, music and tours throughout the Metroplex. Entertainment View the “Woven Narrative” gallery by artist Paulette Martsolf from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Umbrella Gallery in Dallas. The gallery will be hosted through Oct. 18 with free admission. Enjoy A New Colorful Tour of Deep Ellum with Dezman “Dezi 5” Lehman, founder of the Dallas Entertainment Awards, starting 3 p.m. Sept. 7. The event is free to attend every Saturday and will begin at the Dallas Community Center, taking attendees down Elm, Main and Crowdus streets while exploring Deep Ellum’s history. Tres Artes “The Painter and the Poet,” at 8 p.m. Sept. 7 at the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas. The performance follows the story of a forbidden love with conceptual choreography, costuming and music as actors delve into the provocative history of Spain and the LGBTQ+ community. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online starting at $25. Enter a fairytale with glass slippers, wayward princes and midnight spells 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas for its ballet adaptation of Cinderella. Tickets can be purchased online starting at $25. Music Part of Levitt’s free concert series, join locals 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at Levitt Pavilion on Abram Street to see artists Hankins, Riley Gilbreath & Lonestar Blue, and The Vintage Yell take the stage. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to take advantage of open seating on the lawn. Enjoy rock group LoveBites’ debut world tour, The Thin Line Between Love and Hate, from 7 to 11 p.m. Sept. 8 at The Echo Lounge & Music Hall in Dallas. Tickets can be purchased online starting at $42. @XenaDuly news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu