Join us in wishing our Marketing Intern, Allana Borbon (they/them), a happy birthday! They have been kicking a** and taking names at Ace Studios, from their incredible admin skills to their newfound love for video editing and cinematography. They have been learning a ton and are a fantastic asset to our team.
Look at mini Allana on Halloween… as a pirate!
By Robert Nunez, Content Coordinator
The year is 2018. The University of Nevada, Reno basketball team, has put Northern Nevada on the map by earning a ticket to compete nationally in the March Madness tournament. Out of 16 teams in the South Regional Conference, Nevada is ranked 7th. (68 units in total – split into four regions). Here we go!
The first game against the 10th ranked Texas Longhorns saw Nevada down by 14 points at the half. After a consistent rally throughout the second half, game-tying free throws by Nevada in the last 3 seconds of the game, and back-and-forth action in overtime, Nevada grinds out a victory to move on to the second round. At the end of the game, I feel like I just ran a marathon, thinking, “That’s the most nerve-wracking game of basketball I have ever watched. Surely, the next game will be a little more mellow”. – I could not have been more wrong!
The opponent to beat next was 2nd ranked Cincinnati, which, if the math is math-ing correctly, Cincinnati has a team that is about five times better than the one the Texas Longhorns had. The math immediately did its thing, as Nevada began the game 0-10. Cincinnati scored 10 points before Nevada even scored any at all. For the next 20 minutes of gameplay, my hopes of a “Sweet-Sixteen” Nevada team diminished more and more with every basket that Cincinnati scored. It happened with 11 minutes left and a score of 65-43 (favoring Cinci). Quite possibly the most significant and most exhilarating 10 minutes of any sport I have ever watched. The final score was 75-73 (favoring Nevada), which means The Wolf Pack scored 32 points in the last ten minutes of the game while only allowing Cincinnati to score 8. The 22-point comeback by Nevada was the second-largest comeback in NCAA March Madness history! I will never forget the feeling of seeing my school and people who I often saw on campus shake up the sports world on a national level.
In the Sweet Sixteen, Nevada matched up against Loyola Chicago. The Wolf Pack had just come off two cardiac games against two outstanding teams and were now up against a team that was ranked 11th. If the math always matched, this game should have been won by Nevada, and they should have gone on to the “Elite Eight” for the first time in school history. However, during the March Madness tournament, the math only math’s when the math wants. Nevada lost the game to Loyola Chicago, and their tournament run was over, while Loyola went on to the Semi-Finals and had one of the greatest dark-horse tournament runs ever! (An 11th ranked team rarely makes it that far).
I was bitter, but I was also reminded why sports fans adore this yearly tournament. Ranks are ultimately just a suggestion in March, and you never know the tournament’s outcome. No matter which ranks the team you support gets tagged with; you can count on some crazy s**t during these mad two weeks in March.
By Catherine Acedillo, Marketing Coordinator
From the ones we love most to those who have inspired us throughout history, a month is not long enough to thank women for all their hard work and attributes they have made to our history, culture, and society. According to WomensHistory.org, Women’s History Month originally started as Women’s History Week. In February 1980, the Presidential Proclamation of President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8th as the National Women’s History Week – the same day as International Women’s Day.
The NationWomansHistoryAlliance.org – a non-profit organization founded in 1980 committed to educating and recognizing women’s diversity and significant contributions – states that the growing influence of educators and public-school curriculums sparked the idea of having a whole month, rather than just a week to celebrate these significant accomplishments. By 1986, 14 states in the U.S. had declared March as Women’s History Month. Those states included Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Oregon, and Alaska. This state-by-state movement ultimately persuaded Congress into declaring National Women’s History Month in March of 1987. Today, we can find tons of events nationwide, ranging anywhere from luncheons and brunches to week-long campaigns to promote the narrative set forth by women. Without women, we wouldn’t have computer programming, solar-powered homes, medical syringes, Wi-Fi, and chocolate chip cookies. At Ace Studios, we would like to highlight our following team members for being the kick-ass creative women they are:
These ladies are constantly raising the bar and showing us as a company how to bring forth a better future for our communities and show the diversity of each of their backgrounds in doing so. Without the persistence and the dedication these gals bring to our team, we would not be where we are today. Online analytics shows that currently, in the U.S., there are approximately 12.3 million women-owned businesses, 40% of the total of U.S. businesses.
These women provide jobs for nearly 10 million people and rank in $1.9 million in revenue as of 2020. We support and give thanks to women in business, inspiring us to flourish with confidence in our capabilities. While we should still celebrate women throughout the other 11 months of the year, March is the month we can commemorate and bring awareness to the sacrifices women have made to make the world a more accepting and inclusive place.
It sometimes feels like the sky is falling, but it’s not. Sometimes, we feel like the world is going to end, but we’re still here. It might feel like some days there is an inability to move in any particular direction, but I promise you… you can. I understand more than anyone that motivation is unfortunately not an infinite resource. I’ve learned that you have to replenish it daily. I’ve had to learn to evolve, endure, and mend my broken pieces. I had to be more kind to myself.
Never forget that when thoughts of failure or trepidation creep in, you aren’t alone. Days never have to be perfect. Perfection only comes at an expense of our mental health.
This February, I challenge you to stay motivated by feeding yourself a daily diet of things that drive you. Question your happiness. What does it look like? What does it mean to you?
-Kurt Thigpen, CEO
By Allana Borbon, Marketing intern
Recently, pronouns have been a huge part of societal norms and have impacted how people identify themselves in our generation.
You may be asking, “What even are pronouns?” Pronouns are words that replace or use to identify a noun, and in this case, people. The usage of the correct pronouns is a respectful way to address someone in terms that they are comfortable with. With that, pronouns are represented as he/him, she/her, they/them, etc. These are applicable to all, and everyone has the right to choose which pronoun fits them best and provides comfort for their needs.
Many find it nerve-wracking to ask someone for their pronouns without trying to sound rude or inconsiderate of their feelings. The easiest way to accomplish this is to introduce yourself with your own pronouns in order to give them an opportunity to mention theirs as well. For example, “Hello, my name is Allana, I go by they/them pronouns”. Learning and understanding the importance of pronouns can go a long way because it shows respect and consideration towards clients and employees. Including your own pronouns in your introductions can help to encourage others in sharing their own, which will bring an overall understanding within the business.
It is important to be able to understand and be accepting of other people’s pronouns in business because it provides a comfortable environment for the clients. With the clients feeling comfortable working and maneuvering around with the employers, it makes for an easier process of communication and business relations between both parties.
Learning about pronouns is a significant way of creating business relations alongside personal relations. Branching out onto that thought, pronouns are an additional way for employers and consumers to be able to form a respectful relationship as they work alongside each other. It allows for a more smooth process when the consumer doesn’t feel uneasy and will be more willing to make the business relations more beneficial.