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It’s been almost two months since a deadly shooting on West Sixth Street left three people dead, including one UT Austin student. Now a new scholarship to help underprivileged students advance their education has been created in honor of Savitha Shanmugasundaram’s life.
UT Austin has announced a new Dell Medical Center and research campus following a $750 million gift from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation — one that makes the Dells UT’s first-ever billion-dollar donors.
And, the satirical media outlet The Onion says they’ve acquired Infowars, the Austin-based source for decades of conspiracy theories.
Plus: The Indie Meme Film Festival is back for its 11th year. We’ll hear more about what’s coming to town.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:08] It’s been almost two months since a deadly 6-3 shooting left multiple people dead, including one UT Austin student. Now a new scholarship to help underprivileged students advance their education has been created in honor of her life. We’re going to hear more about her. And UT Austin has announced a new Dell Medical Center and Research Campus following a historic gift of three-quarters of a billion dollars. More about the announcement and the future location coming up on today’s show.
KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:00:34] The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:40] Plus, the independent memetic or indie meme film festival is back for its 11th year. We’re gonna chat with a couple of folks behind this year’s fest about what’s coming to town. You’re gonna wanna hear that conversation. It’s coming up next and it’s right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there, you are tuned in to Austin Signal coming to you from community powered public radio. This is KUT News. It is Tuesday, April 21st. I’m your host, Jerry Keehanwal. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Williamson County that is in effect until 3 15 this afternoon. There’s also a flood advisory, so keep your eyes peeled and as always have multiple ways to stay weather aware and keep it tuned here to KUT News. For the latest. Thank you for making us part of your day. The University of Texas’ plans for a new hospital and research center on the UT campus are officially underway. The university announced the new name of the hospital, the UT Dell Medical Center, after a $750 million gift from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation late last year. The Advanced Research Center is set to focus on clinical care and research with advanced computing and artificial intelligence too. For more about what this means for us here in the Austin area. We’re speaking with Gabby Munoz, KUT’s digital managing editor. Stepping in for health care reporter Olivia Aldridge, who is at the press conference right now. Gabby, thanks for being here. Thanks for having me. So there is already a Dell Medical Center on campus currently, correct?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:02:23] So it is a little bit confusing, kind of like our many moody venues here in Austin.
Jerry Quijano [00:02:27] Okay, okay. Well now I understand it, since you already mentioned that. Yeah, okay
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:02:30] What currently exists is the medical school, the Dell Medical School, which was established in 2013 and it had its first class a few years later. That also received a multi-million dollar donation from the Dells 50 million back in 2013. What’s currently in the works is a new hospital, which will be called the UT Dell Medical Center, as well as the UT dell campus for advanced research. And it was also announced this afternoon that UT will be making some renovations to Dobie Residence Hall and renaming it Dell House.
Jerry Quijano [00:02:58] Okay, so what is the vision that they have for this future medical and research center?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:03:03] They are really focusing on integrating modern technology, like advanced computing and artificial intelligence, in ways that will focus healthcare on prevention.
Jerry Quijano [00:03:12] Okay, well certainly lots that sticks out to me in this story, but the the amount of the gift that the dells gave Was huge 750 million dollars. Can you tell us a little bit more about that gift?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:03:22] That’s right, the $750 million donation makes the Dell’s UT’s first ever billion dollar donors.
Jerry Quijano [00:03:29] Wow, okay, that’s a long list of donors, so that’s quite the honor, I would say. Now this originally was supposed to be built here on the land that used to house the Irwin Center. That’s not the case moving forward, correct?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:03:44] That’s correct. It was originally planned for the Irwin Center site, but UT announced a couple of months ago that they thought growth would be limited at that site, so the medical center will be up in North Austin near the J.J. Pickle Research Campus.
Jerry Quijano [00:03:56] Okay, and MD Anderson Cancer Center, I believe they were part of this initial announcement. Are they still part of this announcement going forward?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:04:03] Yes, so MD Anderson will be integrated into the medical center, which will make that cancer care accessible to Austinites without having to make the trip to Houston.
Jerry Quijano [00:04:12] Okay, this is something that we have been talking about for a while here on Austin Signal, so with this announcement today, what does the timeline for this project look like now that, you know, like we officially have a name? What happens next?
Gabrielle Muñoz [00:04:24] The medical center is set to break ground later this year, open in 2030 and have its full programs open a couple of years later.
Jerry Quijano [00:04:31] Alrighty, we have been speaking with KUT’s digital managing editor, Gabby Munoz. She has been stepping in for Olivia Aldridge, KUTs healthcare reporter, who is at the press conference right now. Excuse me, Olivia’s gonna have more online at kut.org and on the KUT app. Gabby, thank you for stepping in. A new scholarship is being established at the University of Texas in honor of Savitha Shahn, a student who was one of the people killed in a gunfire attack on West 6th Street earlier this year. QUT’s Greta Diaz-Gonzalez-Vasquez has this remembrance.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:05:14] Bright and with a bubbly personality. That’s how Savita Shatmuga Sundaram is described by her friends. She was someone that was just always intrinsically happy and made the most of everything. That’s Harini Ram, one of Savita’s college friends. Savita was born in Texas and raised in Austin. The 21-year-old was doing a double major at UT. Ram says there was never a dual moment with Savita. We’ve had so many adventures and I honestly think it’s because of her. Ram says Savita was the glue of their group of friends. She pushed them to go out, travel, see the world. They went to New York and Puerto Rico together. Eshita Bangre, another one of her close friends, says she was capable and smart. On Savita’s junior year, they were co-presidents of the Indian Student Association at UT.
Eshitha Bangre [00:06:02] She would be the first person to be there and she was the most dependable, independent, hardworking, just, and she gave it her all.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:06:10] Ranga says Savitha was a great public speaker, but she also knew how to listen and comfort others. And I think she was
Eshitha Bangre [00:06:17] like a great mentor in the sense that she would really put things into like perspective. More than giving advice and stuff, she was almost like a therapist to everyone.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:06:26] Savita’s family often traveled to India. There, during her high school years, she taught English and gave motivational speeches about women empowerment. During the pandemic, while she was in high school, Savita started a sticker business on Etsy, then a YouTube channel with over 20,000 followers and millions of views.
Savitha Shanmugasundaram [00:06:45] I want to show you guys ways and give you ideas on how to be productive this summer If you’re in desperate need and don’t know how to take effective and I wanted to show you guys different ways to
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:06:56] organize your school papers, your…
Savitha Shanmugasundaram [00:06:57] Binders.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:06:58] Ram says Savita donated her earnings to education nonprofits. She was very passionate on closing the educational gaps in underprivileged communities. In college, Savita was involved in multiple student groups. She would organize and judge dance competitions with a group called Ras Rodeo. She was a member of the Indian Cultural Association. Savita also developed an AI tool to help students break out complex code, and she mentor younger students. She had a different way of helping out different people, if that makes sense. Helping people out was a family thing. When Savita was a teenager, a stranger paid for her family’s meal at a restaurant. The stranger told them to pay it forward. Ram says Savita took it at heart.
Harini Ram [00:07:43] Which I think is like the best thing about her is that even though like she had such a busy schedule at everything, she was so like committed to just helping anyone out.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:07:53] And even with her busy schedule and multiple friend groups, Bangor says Savita would text her parents every day and meet them at least once a week.
Eshitha Bangre [00:08:01] She was very, very close to them, and honestly, like, her mom and her were best friends. There was nothing they kept from each other, and it really shows in the way that, you know, she and her mom, you know, were like best friends, and she was like, I don’t
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:08:12] rocks with people. With her mom she would try new restaurants. With her dad they had a longtime tradition of grabbing coffee and talking about her future. Savita always dreamed of a future filled with adventure. She wanted to travel the world and see the seven wonders. So far she had seen four. She had a job lined up in San Francisco after graduation.
Eshitha Bangre [00:08:33] She wanted to really be in a role that was meaningful to her and where she could actually make a difference.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:08:38] Bangor says, in the long run, Savita wanted to work helping out underprivileged students. She had a 15-year plan. But Savita’s future was cut short. She was one of three people killed on March 1st when a gunman opened fire on Sixth Street. After her death, Savita’s friends have become close to her parents. Bangra says they text almost every day and see each other once a week.
Eshitha Bangre [00:09:09] Kind of makes us feel like Saevi’s still here, listening to stories about her childhood and just being close to them is just a sense of, it’s just like a sense warm, a sense comfort.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:09:23] Savitha was supposed to graduate in May. Instead, UT will give her a post-Mustua degree. To keep her legacy alive, her parents set up the Savithashan Endowment Scholarship at UT. The goal is to raise $500,000 by the end of May. The university will match that amount for a total of $1 million. The scholarship will give financial help to as many as 10 underprivileged students each year. Branger says the endowment embodies Savitha’s mantra. Paying it forward.
Eshitha Bangre [00:09:54] It’s something so meaningful and she would have stood for this and it’s something to remember her by for many many years and I know it’s going to have a lasting impact.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:10:06] As for her absence in their lives, Ram says she’s trying to live her life the way Savita would have done it.
Harini Ram [00:10:11] I remember she would always say like, we will never have this moment in time again, so like make the most of it. And I think after everything that happened, you know, I’m really taking that to heart.
Greta Diaz Gonzalez Vasquez [00:10:28] They also want to carry out Sabitha’s legacy of paying it forward. I’m Greta Díaz González Vázquez in Austin.
Jerry Quijano [00:10:43] And we’re gonna have more about this story in the show notes for today’s podcast. And you can always find more from us at kut.org slash Signal. We are about to take a break and coming up after that break, we have an update on the Alex Jones versus the Onion situation. And we are talking with folks behind the Indie Meme Film Fest, which focuses on South Asian independent cinema. That’s after the break here on Austin Signal. But before we let you go KUT reporters are continuing to work hard to tell the stories that matter to you, our listeners. Recently, here on Austin Signal, we had stories that focused on data centers and the city council and their ongoing budget situation. But that got us to thinking, what questions do you have about what’s going on out at city council or with the city’s budget or with data centers or pretty much anything that’s going here in Austin or central Texas? We want to hear from you. Let us know, you can send an email at news at kut.org. And again, we’re gonna have a link to that in the podcast show notes. We’re gonna be back in just a moment. This is Austin Signal. Welcome back. This is Austin Signal. We’re glad to be part of your rainy Tuesday. The satirical media outlet The Onion said Monday that it has finally acquired Alex Jones’s Infowars platform. KUT’s Andrew Weber has more about that story.
Andrew Weber [00:12:16] The acquisition was part of the Austin-based conspiracy theorist’s defamation lawsuit brought by families of the Sandy Hook shooting. Jones was ordered by a Travis County judge to liquidate his assets to pay more than a billion dollars in damages. About a year and a half ago, The Onion said it would take over the site and share profits with the Sandy hook families. Onion CEO Ben Collins says that’s important for the families who are consistently harassed after Jones repeatedly called them crisis actors in the wake of the shooting that killed 20 school children. Collins said owning Infowars in the South Austin studio where it’s broadcast is a symbolic victory for family.
Ben Collins [00:12:51] They can go in there whenever they want and you know put their feet up if they want. And that that is important to me and hopefully to them that they get to be able to do that and feel like what happened to them won’t happen to anybody else.
Andrew Weber [00:13:05] Jones pushed back on the acquisition on his show. A Travis County judge could finalize the handover after a hearing later this month. I’m Andrew Weber in Austin.
Jerry Quijano [00:13:21] Austin has no shortage of opportunities to explore niche and indie films, and this week film buffs can experience a slice of South Asian independent cinema at the Indie Meme Film Festival. Now in its eleventh year, the festival features screenings, Q&As with filmmakers, and lots of other events out at the Austin Film Society Cinema. Joining me now is Anaya Ravi, board president of the festival. Anaya, welcome.
Ananyaa Ravi [00:13:46] Thanks, Jerry. Good to be here.
Jerry Quijano [00:13:47] And also joining us today is Alka Banot, co-founder of the festival. Alka, good to speak with you.
Alka Bhanot [00:13:53] Thank you for having us.
Jerry Quijano [00:13:55] So let’s start with you, Alka. The festival, again, is in its 11th year. Tell us a little bit about its beginnings.
Alka Bhanot [00:14:02] So Indie Meme was set up in 2013, it’s been a while. The festival started in 2016. I think we started off as a South Asian film society and then quickly pivoted to the festival in addition to screening films through the year. And I think the festival has really grown organically with community support, with a lot of interest from the people for whom we do what we do. Also, the the content coming from South Asia has exploded and there are just such incredible films being made there that we realized that we had to expand our programming to kind of give a platform to more and more filmmakers and films and stories from that part of the world. And in addition to the film festival, we have consciously been adding and expanding. Other programs, we’ve done some Indie Meme Lit events, which is inviting authors to Austin, South Asian authors to Boston and doing some book readings. We’ve also had master classes with our international filmmakers in attendance. So we’ve started to also nurture and build a community of South Asian filmmakers right here in our backyard, so in Texas. And I think… It’s just been a wild ride and Ananya has joined as the president of the board last year and has hit the ground running. She’s been a volunteer and with the with the organization for almost 10 years.
Ananyaa Ravi [00:15:33] I mean, Indium helped me find a community when I first moved to Austin eight years ago and it feels really special that I get to be here now talking to you about this latest edition of the festival which I think people will be really excited about.
Jerry Quijano [00:15:49] What sort of community have you found that’s been fostered at the Indie Meme Film Fest?
Alka Bhanot [00:15:54] So I think what we all say as a team at Indie Meme is that people come for the movies and the filmmakers and the creativity and the art and stay for the community because I think that’s a really engaged and involved community. It is very exciting. You can actually participate as much or as less as you want. You could be a listener to all these amazing conversations or you can actually initiate them. And we have the best parties.
Jerry Quijano [00:16:22] Yeah, and I know you have lots of exciting things that you want to share about the festival. Before we move forward, though, I wanted to ask about the name Indie Meme, like Meme has taken on an entirely new meaning, I’d say, over the last decade or so. What is the name? What are the origins of the name Indie Meme?
Alka Bhanot [00:16:37] So when I had decided to set up an organization to do what we wanted to do, I wanted to call it Indie Me, but that was taken. But Indie Meme seemed perfect at that point, because the word has actually taken on a life of its own over the last 15 years. At that point, it really was the beginnings of that understanding. And it was about spreading something like Wi-Fi without any big formal marketing push behind it. And we didn’t have any money. We didn’t know anybody. So it was really about, oh, come see this. And do you like it? Will you please tell your friends? And that’s really how we grew. And indie is like short for independent. So I think indie meme. Also gives us that incredible space to be whatever we want to be, not necessarily only film, but it can be cultural arts, which is what Indy Mium is today, really, a cultural arts organization in Austin.
Jerry Quijano [00:17:44] So, Ananya, can you tell us about some of the films at this year’s festival, and are there any particular themes that the films focus on?
Ananyaa Ravi [00:17:51] Yeah, so the theme for the festival is Pushing Boundaries because we have four documentaries and six narratives and they kind of span all the kinds of things. I think there’s something for everybody with this festival. So we’re starting with edgy films like Shurquah and F Toys, both of which are amazing. Both are dystopian but very different types of dystopia. There are also films that kind of go further west than we have before with with letters from Wall Street. Polish documentary, and Cycle of Love, which is a documentary about a man cycles from Delhi to Sweden for the love of his life, and both he and his wife are going to be there. And we’re also touching on just family bonds and relationships with our opening night from Shape of Momo and Vimokht, which was our kickoff. And let Alka talk about giving.
Alka Bhanot [00:18:42] Yeah, no, I mean, I love all the films in the festival, of course, but I think people should give it a shot. But I think that people should give a shot to our closing night film, which is Give It a Shot, which has been directed by Vishali Sinha. She’s a New York based filmmaker. We’ve had her film Ask the Sexpert at the first festival in 2017, so it’s great to have him back. And give it a shot talks about a reversible male contraceptive which has been researched and trials have been done in India by Dr. Guha, who’s a researcher and scientist in India. So I think it’s gonna be a really exciting conversation post-screening, we would love for the theater to be full and just, you know, happy to be putting on the 11th edition of this festival.
Jerry Quijano [00:19:31] Okay, well this is the eleventh year of the festival. I know there’s lots of exciting films you’re gonna be sharing. Is there anything new that you’re gonna be doing this year?
Alka Bhanot [00:19:39] Yes, so I’d mentioned about the Texas-based South Asian film community that we really want to encourage and support. So I think extending that this year we are organizing the first Indie Meme Industry Mixer and the hope is for us to connect the local talent with the visiting South Asian Indie-Meme filmmakers, international as well as national filmmakers. With our ecosystem in Austin and the incredible, thriving film industry that we have. So it’s our first step, and we’re gonna have two panels. We’re gonna Elizabeth Avion as our keynote speaker. We’re going to be providing resources to our filmmakers in Austin, Texas, as well as the visiting filmmakers about… Film incentives in Texas now, and all other facilities that they could get, and resources and grants and things like that. So we’re excited about starting something new this year, and we hope to build on it in future years.
Jerry Quijano [00:20:47] Very cool. Where can listeners find more about like show times and tickets? Where can they find more information?
Ananyaa Ravi [00:20:52] IndieMeme.org
Jerry Quijano [00:20:57] Well, the Indie Meme Film Festival starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday at AFS Cinema. We’ve been speaking with the festival’s board president, Ananya Ravi, as well as co-founder Alka Banone. Thank you both.
Ananyaa Ravi [00:21:09] Thanks, Jerry.
Jerry Quijano [00:21:11] And you’ll be able to hear more from Anaya Ravi, plus many more artists, local leaders, and our very own KUT reporters out at our inaugural KUT Fest. It is coming up quickly around the corner on May 1st and 2nd, and it’s happening right here on the UT Austin campus. Earlier in the show, we name dropped KUT’s Olivia Aldridge. She’s gonna be moderating the panel, Mining the Gaps in Healthcare. That is on Friday morning. That panel is free and open to the public. And if you dig films, I’m going to be moderating a panel called Roll Credits, focusing on how Austin and Texas became go-to locations for major film and TV productions. There is a whole lot more going on at the KUT Fest. There’s KUT for Kids. We’re going to have music performances. So much more happening out there. So check it out. You can get your tickets now at KUT.org. Well that is it for today’s show. A reminder. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Williamson County. That is in effect until 3 15 this afternoon. So have multiple ways to stay weather aware and keep it tuned in to KUT for the latest. We’re going to have links to the stories that we shared in today’s show, in the podcast Show Notes. And you can always find more from us at kut.org slash signal. Renee Chavez directed today’s Show, Alexa Hart produced the show, and Kristin Cabrera is our managing producer. I’m your host, Jerry Kehannel. Again, if you have anything that you want us to know about, you can email us, news at k-u-t dot org. We’re going to be back at the same time tomorrow. We’ll talk to you then.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
