Arts & Communication Festival
April 1-11, 2025
2025 Arts and Communication Festival:
The landscape has changed, and there are challenges ahead, but we’ll navigate them
together. In times of uncertainty, the arts and communication disciplines offer powerful
ways to express, connect, and inspire. Moving forward with integrity, honesty, and
compassion has never been more important. We invite you to join us from April 1 to 11, 2025, for the Arts and Communication Festival, where creativity and meaningful dialogue
will champion what is good, just, and right.
Tuesday, April 1
Center for Social Inquiry and Transformation Presents:
The Black Power Mix Tape Film Screening and Discussion
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m
TDECU Tour Room
Wednesday, April 2
Artist Talk with Lauren Kussro: Intervals
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
O’Kane Gallery
Thursday, April 3
Actively Moving Forward in Challenging Times:
Student Luncheon with Professor Angela Davis
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
A300
Center for Social Inquiry and Transformation Inaugural Lecture
A Moderated Discussion with Professor Angela Davis
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Robertson Auditorium
RSVP to Attend
Monday, April 7
Master of Arts in Strategic Communication (MASC) Graduate Degree Information Showcase
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Mural Area/ACAD Booth
Performance: Conjunto
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m
Mural Area / Ticket booth
Women’s Health Lecture: Moving Forward after Trauma
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
TDECU Tour Room
GEORGE ADESINA, MD, MSPH, FACC
Dr. George Adesina is a Cardiologist at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, a fellow of the American
College of Cardiology, and a member of the American Heart Association, American Medical
Association, Texas Medical Association, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Before
joining Kelsey-Seybold in 2018, Dr. Adesina served as Assistant Professor of Internal
Medicine - General Adult Cardiologist at The University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston.
NAOMI BERGER-PEREZ, LPC, LMFT
Ms. Naomi Berger-Perez is the Director of Counseling Services at the University of
Houston-Downtown. She has worked in the field of mental health for over 16 years and
is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, holding
a supervisor status for both.
YAJAIRA CECILIANO-NAVARRO, PHD
Dr. Ceciliano-Navarro is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of
Houston-Downtown whose current research focuses on comparing the impacts of incarcerations
and deportations on nuclear and extended families.
AMANDA GARZA, MA, LPC
Ms. Amanda Garza works for Ajana Therapy & Clinical Services. She specializes in working
with individuals seeking support for codependency, intimate partner violence, self-worth
struggles, anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, stress management, as well as general
issues.
Artist talk with Gonzalo Alvarez: Moving Forward with Storytelling:
Decolonizing through Graphic Novels and Videogames
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m
Robertson Auditorium
GONZALO ALVAREZ
Gonzalo Alvarez is a first-generation Chicano author, illustrator, and designer from
Port Arthur, Texas. His work is characterized by world-building Aztec fantasy worlds.
He holds a B.F.A. in Drawing from Lamar University. Gonzalo's thesis was an Aztec
fantasy comic book, The Legend of Polloman. He is currently working on a full-length
graphic novel to be published by Harper Collins in 2026. His 2017 video game Borders,
which tells his parents' immigration story in the first person, has received international
acclaim. He founded Studio Tecuanis in 2022, a studio dedicated to creating Aztec
games, and released NAWALLI: The Aztec Card Game in 2023. He has exhibited and led
panels internationally at Indiecade E3 2017, Worldcon76, Festival Vértice UNAM, and
more.
Tuesday, April 8
Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts:
Moving Forward: Legal Essentials for Creatives and Performers
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
TDECU Room
JUSTEN S. BARKS
Justen S. Barks is the Director of the Entertainment Law Clinic at the University
of Houston Law Center. He also donates his time pro bono to the Texas Accountants
and Lawyers for the Arts. Justen is also a commercial, intellectual property, and
entertainment litigator with extensive experience representing entertainment companies
and creators in enforcing and defending their rights. Justen has represented Grammy®-winning
recording artists, global fashion brands, documentary filmmakers, and others. His
practice includes work before the U.S. Trademark and Copyright Office, the Trademark
Trial and Appeal Board, and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as litigation
in state and federal courts. Justen's experience litigating intellectual property
disputes and entertainment contracts allows him to educate and inform his clients
in negotiations, corporate transactions, due diligence and risk management.
ERIN RODGERS
Erin Rodgers is currently a partner at Rodgers Selvera PLLC in Houston. Her areas
of practice include entertainment law, nonprofit law, intellectual property law, and
corporate law. Erin received her Bachelor of Music in Music Business from Loyola University
New Orleans and her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. She has extensive
experience representing clients in all facets of the entertainment industry. In addition
to her legal practice, Erin is a classically trained clarinetist. She also plays piano,
accordion, and guitar. Erin currently performs with Houston bands National Pleasure,
The Wheel Workers, and Houston's Accordion Super Stars, and is a core artist at Catastrophic
Theatre. She also supports the local arts community through board service, volunteering,
and advocacy for many local arts organizations
Center for Latino Studies Presents Emerging Scholars’ Talk with Javier Rivera
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Room SSB-121
Performance: UHD Concert Chorale
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mural Area (Coat/Booth)
Zine Fest: Moving Forward: Zine History Presentation & Workshop
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
TDECU Tour Room
PATRICK BROOKS
Patrick Brooks is a Houston-based zine designer/publisher/web developer. His primary
focus isa family-friendly invitational zine, hey everybody… Let’s make a zine!, which
has reached ten issues and counting. He has also created a zine for Aurora Picture
Show’s twentieth anniversary, five editions of an activist zine targeted towards saving
the River Oaks Theatre and various one-off projects. He has been tabling at Zine Fest
Houston since 2013 and has been a ZFH organizer starting with the 2021 edition. He
is a strong believer in the continued relevance of zines as the most personal and
affordable means of self-expression.
Wednesday, April 9
Performance: Gator Groove
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Mural Area (Skyline/Booth)
Arts and Communication Internship Fair
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
ACAD 300
COMM Studies Speaker: Moving Forward... Now what?
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Milam Travis
With our eyes on the future, what are necessary communication skills that we need to propel our academic and career goals? What can we do now to better prepare for our future career and education? Join our panel of UHD experts to discuss how we can make our collegiate experience benefit our future career.
PANELISTS
Michelle Duvall, Current MASC student
Camille McCall, Career Counselor II
Dr. Kara Winkler, Assistant Professor, Communication Studies
Thursday, April 10
Center for Latino Studies Presents: Emerging Scholars Talk with Samantha Ceballos
11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Room SSB-121
Exhibition: UHD Student Art Exhibit
4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
O’Kane Gallery Girard Street Building, GSB322