Emma Weidmann's Camayak portfolio

By Emma Weidmann + 3 others for The Baylor Lariat - 8 min read

A tale of two Americas: First-generation Texans embrace heritage amid immigration crackdowns

A man flew a split American and Mexican flag at an immigration protest in Waco on Sunday. Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-Chief

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefWhat it means to be American is “constantly changing, constantly evolving,” said Felipe Hinojosa, history professor and endowed chair for Baylor in Latin America. Indeed, America is experiencing a demographic shift. The immigrant population in the United States hit an all-time high in Feb. 2024, as 51.4 million migrants made up 15.5% of the country, according...

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Letter from the editor: Signing off

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefWhen I write a story, I’m usually working on a tight deadline. I get maybe a day or two from pitch to publication. But this one, my very last byline in The Baylor Lariat, has taken me four years to write. I remember pretty vividly the day that I walked into the newsroom for the first...

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Dozens protest against immigration raids, deportation

On Sunday, dozens flocked to the corner of Waco Drive and Valley Mills Drive to protest against mass deportation and ICE raids. On the opposite corner of the intersection stood a handful of Trump supporters who were in favor of the president's stance on immigration. Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-Chief

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefOn an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon, dozens stood on the corner of Valley Mills and Waco Drive to protest against deportation and show support for migrants.“Part of it is to show the undocumented community that they're not alone,” said Faith W., a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation Waco chapter. “Part of it is...

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Meet the Texans vying for a spot in Trump’s cabinet

Brooke Rollins, Scott Turner (left) and John Ratcliffe (right) are three Texans tapped to occupy positions in the Trump cabinet. AP Photo

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefAs the second Trump administration comes out of a first-week frenzy of executive orders and a fair share of controversy, the president’s cabinet picks face Senate confirmation. Three of the positions in the cabinet could be filled by Texans — one has secured confirmation, and two others await a decision. With these picks, Texas joins New...

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Campus plastered with stickers promoting white supremacist group

Stickers for Patriot Front, "a cluster of Texas-based neo-Nazis who created a new blend of traditional white supremacist ideology, alt-right sensibilities and activism, and militia style armed insurrection" were found across campus. The group is active nationwide, and Texas is one of their most active states. Caleb Garcia | Photographer

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefA graduate student was walking from Truett Seminary to Dutton Garage on Jan. 17 when she spotted a sticker on the back of a street sign. She had seen one last semester while gassing up her car at H-E-B. But this time, she looked closer. The sticker depicted a Revolutionary War soldier holding a fasces, a...

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Trump sworn in for second term as president of the United States

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump holds the Bible during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, Pool)

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefWASHINGTON, D. C. — A new era is dawning with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, but just what it is that’s around the corner depends on who you ask. For the thousands of MAGA faithful who trudged through the snow to show support for the president, a “golden...

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Hail to the chief: Thousands brave freezing temps throughout inaugural events

The 60th presidential inauguration was the coldest inaugural day, with temperatures dropping to the high teens, since President Ronald Reagan's second term. Kassidy Tsikitas | Photo Editor

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefWASHINGTON D. C. — Cold breaths hung suspended in the freezing air. Pellets of hail came down from a gray January sky, bounced off parkas and melted into furry hats as thousands of supporters of Donald Trump stood in fierce winter weather, hoping to get a glimpse of the president. Hope for the administration and faith...

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Borders, bills, bank accounts: What Texans want from Trump

Like many Texans, Fort Worth voter Jeff Wood supported Trump with the hope the new administration would prioritize important topics such as immigration and the economy. Kassidy Tsikitas | Photo Editor

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefWASHINGTON, D. C. — What had seemed like a neck-and-neck race according to some polls wasn’t much of a nail-biter after all. More than 6 million Texans voted for President Donald Trump in November, putting a 14% margin between the once former, now current president and Kamala Harris. Many of those voters made the journey to...

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Give props to Mrs. Claus

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefRecently, a holiday ad for a British retailer, Boots, sparked outrage for depicting Mrs. Claus as the mastermind behind the elvish operation at the North Pole instead of jolly Saint Nick. It paid homage to the labor of love that produces holiday magic year after year that falls mainly to women. Naturally, it made people mad....

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The dog days: Oscar Mayer Hotdoggers travel the country in iconic Wienermobile

Connor Wolff, aka "Captain Glizzy" (left) and Akira Potts, aka "Aioli Akira" (right) make up the Oscar Mayer Hotdogger team for the South. They stopped in Waco Monday after coming up from San Antonio and Austin. Their next stop will be in Houston after their original travel plan was derailed ...

By Emma Weidmann | Editor-in-ChiefIn a 27-foot, hot dog-shaped van, the Oscar Mayer Hotdoggers are nothing short of conspicuous in a place like Waco. Wherever they go, they turn heads, drop jaws and make phones come out to record. But for Akira Potts, also known as “Aioli Akira,” the attention is welcome. Being a Hotdogger was Potts’ dream job as...

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