News

Episode 2: ‘How to Fold a Taco’

On this adventure, learn the magical art of folding a taco from magicians, wrestlers, and even a dinosaur! Anyone can learn how to fold and eat this yummy treat. Written by Naibe Reynoso, illustrated by Ana Varela, and published by Con Todo Press. Cómo Doblar un Taco de Naibe ReynosoEn este aventura, aprende el arte…

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Ashley and Kenny share their tips for tough interviews

Imagine the pressure attached to producing a new true crime podcast on the heels of the success of “The Orange Tree.” But when you have a partner who has your back, it’s not so bad. Ashley Miznazi and Kenny Jones, co-hosts of The Drag’s next true crime podcast “Delivering Darkness,” first worked together at The…

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Austin

After the Federal Highway Act of 1956, interstate highways all over the country plowed through Black and Latinx communities and when I-35 was constructed in Austin, it cemented a racial divide between the west and east sides of the city. Now that Austin grows in population and popularity, it faces more pressure to redevelop neighborhoods…

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Meet our summer 2021 interns

The Drag is so excited to welcome six interns to our team this summer! Meet our summer 2021 intern team: Laurie Grobe is a journalism and museum studies senior at UT Austin, and is currently an intern for the Lady Bird podcast. They love stories with a twist ending and collecting more books than they…

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Chisholm Trail

Today, I-35 is one of the country’s main freight highways, but before it existed, a different path fed America: The Chisholm Trail. 1 out of 4 of the cowboys driving cattle up to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail were Black men, and Texas’ history is filled with forgotten stories of the Black cowboys who tamed…

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Cotulla

Cotulla, Texas has used its place on the Eagle Ford Pass, an oil and natural gas field, to keep its economy afloat. However, the latest oil bust has turned Cotulla to a new form of revenue: heritage tourism. Now the sleepy small town is undergoing a transformation to pull drivers off the highway and revitalize the community.

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Sabrina LeBoeuf never got to be a barista, and she’s OK with that

When I came to college, I had a list of odd jobs that I wanted to try. I wanted to work at an ice cream parlor and a movie theater. I dreamed about becoming a barista and serving up brews for sleep-deprived college students. So when my professor Robert Quigley sent me an email asking…

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Madi Thomason credits success to putting her foot in the door

I distinctly remember how this whole journey started. I was at orientation the summer before my freshman year and Robert Quigley walked into the room to speak to us. He said that if we became one of his students he would be on our side for the long haul. I decided then that was exactly…

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Laredo

Interstate 35 begins in the border city of Laredo, and its role as a major port of entry has made it more than just an economic hub. Since 1898, it’s been home to Washington’s Birthday Celebration, a month-long series of events attracting over 400,000 guests in honor of America’s first president. But what does such a patriotic celebration mean in a city so intertwined in Mexican history?

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Gainesville

Giant, kitschy roadside attractions dominated American roadways in the 1960s. Among them were fiberglass figurines known as muffler men, drawing travelers into restaurants, auto shops, and even a sandblasting shop off I-35 in Gainesville, Texas. These quirky constructions reveal insights into the history of advertising and America’s attachment to nostalgia.

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