By Josue Hernandez @TheEtCetera Kwinton Gray sits relaxed between his Nord Stage 2 EX keyboard and a grand piano, gazing out into a room where he once sat and watched other musicians play. His large frame sits tall on the piano bench as he begins running his hands from one end of the keys to the other. The...

By YESENIA ALVARADO @YeseniaA_ETC In the middle of the day, Morty Ortega rides in the front seat of his fixer’s truck. Writer JK Nickell sits behind him as the truck slows down. Ortega waits anxiously as the fixer puts the truck in park, opens the door and heads off with a box of cigarettes in his hand. Hearts...

To try to encompass the entirety of African-American music in a single article is a futile effort. From early work songs and spirituals to blues, jazz, rock and roll, soul, hip-hop and everything in between, black music has dominated American culture and has found itself as the foundation for the majority...

On Valentine’s Day, many couples will do the typical lovey-dovey activities, but what about those of us without a date? What will we do to stave off perpetual crippling loneliness? If you are single on February 14th, it’s expected that you won’t be partaking in most kinds of romantic encounters,...

Eastfield kicked off Black History Month celebrations today with a read-in and storytelling event, looking at traditional stories to emphasize the impact of black culture in America. More events are planned on campus throughout the mont, including a DNA experiment, a look at hair in black culture and musical...

By YESENIA ALVARADO @YeseniaA_ETC Growing up watching movies about Tejano singer Selena, music major Vanessa Kincheloe found herself with a passion for music and singing at a very young age. She spent her childhood singing and making music in her Odessa home, using a karaoke machine to belt out her favorite...

By MACKS PREWITT @MacksPrewittETC Mesquite is possibly one of the most boring places in Texas if you are looking for something to do. But if you are looking for places to eat, you might come across an abundance of top notch hole-in-the-wall donut places and my favorite burger place I have ever eaten...

By CAROLINE CEOLIN @CaroCeolinETC Kathy Lovas tries to push the boundaries of art with everything she does, questioning social understandings of what art really is, in her “Close Up Magic” gallery collection. Pieces like a store-bought shovel mounted on a plain, white wall make reference to work...

By MACKS PREWITT @MacksPrewittETC A slight breeze blows through the open door of the Deep Vellum bookstore. The store is narrow, but the ceiling is tall and the shelves almost reach to the top. Two women sit at the front desk having a conversation over coffee as customers browse the shelves. Soft...

By JESUS AYALA @AyalaETC Author Andrea Amosson shared how she uses location, history and characteristics of those she has met in her lifetime into her stories at an Oct. 19 common book event. Held during Hispanic Heritage Month, Amosson’s talk focused on her most recent book, “Las Lunas De Atacama,”...

By MACKS PREWITT @MacksPrewittETC Eastfield’s art collection just got a permanent addition in the form of a mural painted along the walls of the pool enclosure by local artist Brennen Bechtol. He was hired by the administration to provide some relief to the white walls of the pool. Bechtol started...

By ALE PENA @AlePenaETC The human body is always in motion — whether the movements are as simple as an absentminded twitch of a finger or as complex as a ballet twirl. What if we are forced to recognize the innumerous simple movements over the complex ones? These are the questions raised by Brandon...

By DAVID SILVA @DavidSilvaETC Summer is over and last time I checked the world is still garbage. As you read this Donald Trump is probably tossing paper-towels to hurricane-stricken citizens like he’s MJ shooting a fade-away jumper. One out of every seven people on this planet still suffers from...

By KATHRYN HIGGINS @KatyHigginsETC With a variety of electrical tools in-hand, Mitchell Walker moves into a dimly lit room in search of a breaker box. The room is filled with several massive, softly whirring machines that line the wall. “Well, the problem’s not in here,” Walker announces...

By Caroline Ceolin @TheEtCetera If you’re anything like me and believe we should take an insipid and soporific holiday such as Valentine’s Day for example and replace it with a second Halloween, then October is probably your favorite time of the year. But, with so many “boo!” loving, pumpkin-carving...

By MACKS PREWITT @MacksPrewittETC Coffee, Books, Culture. This is the slogan of one of the best independent bookstores in Dallas. Deep Vellum Books, located in Deep Ellum, makes you feel like you are just picking a book off of your bookshelf at home. Sitting on the corner of South Walton and Commerce...