February 23, 2021 . Volume 76 . Issue 3
Never Lose Hope: A Discussion on Black Mental Health Douglas Taylor Jr. The Southern Digest
On Tuesday, February 9, the Southern University and A&M College Counseling Center partnered with the Black Mental Health Program, Kappa Alpha Psi, and book author Kenyon Glover in hosting a mental health awareness event. They specifically hope to bring attention and awareness to the mental illness experienced within the African American community. Directed by Dr. ValaRay Irving, Director of Southern University’s Counseling Center, and Mr. Carl Watson, the Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs at Southern University, the event came with the intent on acknowledging mental illness in a time where it is most needed. Mental health is one of the leading causes of death throughout society and is ostracized in everyday discussions. Dr. Irving brought to light how mental illness heavily affects the African American community. She begins to acknowledge the demographic of African Americans within the population of America. Dr. Irving states, “We represent over 13.4% of the
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population, and that is over 60% of people reporting a mental illness in the past year.” As she continues, Dr. Irving recognizes the prevalence of how mental illness leads to depression and suicide among the African American community due to isolation, trauma, and violence. This is stated as “Depression is the
primary reason we see that some people will consider suicide, and it happens every 12 minutes.” Dr. Irving presented a study by race and gender among the African American community and other demographics such as Indian, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. This study shows a similar difference in the
suicide rate of all races between women and men. The rate of suicide among black women and men is 2.9% to 12.0%. Not only was the African American rate seen as so, but other demographics were shown to have a significant doubling in the suicide rate between men and women as well. The guest speaker of the night was Kenyon Glover, a well-known film actor, producer, book author, and former NBA basketball player. Born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana, Glover is the oldest of three siblings and is the author of his latest book, which was published on October 20 of last year. It is entitled, “The Rebirth & Resurrection of a New Man,” and entails Glover’s experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts throughout his life and how he overcame them. Coming out of Neville High School, Glover attended the University of Massachusetts, then transferred to the University of Maine. He played basketball in England, which furthered his placement into the NBA with a chance to play with the See MENTAL HEALTH page 3
Leading the way: Southern University BioJags Kynnedi Jackson The Southern Digest
On Tuesday, February 9, Southern University’s BioJags hosted a student body meeting. This meeting was held via Zoom and was a remarkable success. The BioJags is an organization founded in 2018 during the Fall semester by its current President Jera’Nae Garner-Donald. The purpose of this group is to guide Biology majors through their journey at Southern University. Professor Emmanuel D. Williams, Assistant Professor of Biology and the Pre-Med advisor, stated, “BioJags is perhaps the most effective club on campus. It was created by students, run by students, to help students.” The organization serves as a form of mentorship to students with biology oriented majors. According to BioJags Vice President Anthony Davis, “As an organization we assist majors
With the recent meeting in mind, the BioJags are ready to get things rolling. The call consisted of over fifty members who discussed several future events. All events will still be fun and creative while members interact virtually throughout this pandemic. Ms. Tanganika Johnson, a Biology Professor, and advisor share a few words on the success of the group. She says, “As the advisor of BioJags I am impressed with the student leaders and their ability to get the biology majors involved with what the organization has going DIGEST ART on to improve relations between by hosting a plethora of events we know that studies aren’t the faculty and students within the and programs from Al sessions only factors.” The goal within biology department.” The BioJags have full intentions and IG (Instagram) live sessions the organization is to work with to continue growing as a student developing the interpersonal to assist with extra tutoring for organization. The group can only relationships between students both majors and non-majors to get better. BioJags hope this is a and faculty. To achieve this goal, occupational panels that consist successful semester for the group. the BioJags host Biology Meet of a variety of job opportunities Vice President Davis says that as and Greets which allows for staff for biology majors…while we an organization they “are ready to and students to mingle in a relaxed know our overall goal is to get tackle the semester.” and warming environment. biology majors to graduation,
BLACKHISTORYFACT.
Scientist and mathematician Benjamin Banneker is credited with helping to design the blueprints for Washington, D.C.
When Life Happens: The Challenges of Young Black Women Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest
With COVID running rampant and with no reason to go anywhere any time soon, one needs to keep their mental health intact to maintian a stable life. On Wednesday evening, February 10, the Collegiate 100 Black Women of Southern University presented a virtual event called “When Life Happens,” where they had an open discussion about the most prevalent issues that young black women experience daily. Myisha Jackson, a licensed counselor, says, “A lot of people have been struggling with the pandemic.” During the event, the C100 women were assisted by a panel of other experienced counselors, authors, and advocates on the journey of knowing and caring for themselves better. The experienced professionals offered advice and guidance on topics like anxiety, managing stress, healing from domestic violence, building healthy relationships, and addressing sexual violence. Before panelists were introduced, the C100 women dropped a link in the Zoom chatbox. It was a game called “Asking for a Friend”. The game allowed students to anonymously ask a licensed counselor about their “hypothetical situations.” They were able to get things off their minds and chests as their responses were sent through Google Forms. Also, in the Zoom chat box, people shared what they were going through and their favorite ways to cope with anxiety and stress. “I hope this is a safe space and you guys can get all the help you need,” said domestic violence counselor Kimberly Spruill to the audience. As the event continued, all speakers had 20 minutes to give information on certain issues and to convey any advice they had. For instance, a topic See C100 page 3
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CAMPUS BRIEFS
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HEALTH DISPARITIES: TRUSTING OUR HEALTH SYSTEM POST THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENT On Wednesday, February 24, 2021 Southern University’s Agricultural Center
RETOOL YOUR SCHOOL Did you vote for SUBR (Cluster 1) and SUSLA (Cluster 2) today? Voting is unlimited. We have a chance to win $100K across the SU System!
FINANCIAL AID AWARENESS MONTH ADVOCATE:SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS WEEK February 24 “Where the Money Reside” at 11am-1pm (FA Office Pavillion) 6:00pm Scholarship Hunt Zoom Session WWW.SUBR.EDU/FINANCIALAID 225.771.2790/ FINANCIALAID@SUBR.EDU
Vote now at, https://retoolyourschool. com/vote/. #Southernu_Rys21 #Sus_ Rys21#WeAreSouthern #FinishStronger
BLACK COLLEGIATE WELLNESS UNPACKING THE BLACK MATERNAL & INFANT HEALTH CRISIS: Mayor- President of East Baton Rouge Parish Sharon Weston Broome along with Frankie Robertson founder of The Amanola Group will bring together young women and educate them on the crisis that is . Sponsored by Pew Charitable in partnership With DCFS, LDH, And The Governor’s Office on Women’s Policy JAGUAR SPORTS Football vs Alabama State, Friday, February 26, 2021 Baseball Weekend Series vs Louisiana Tech, February 26 (6:00pm), 27 (2:00 pm) , 28 (1:00) Softball vs University of Louisiana at Monroe; Friday @ 1:00 pm Softball Weekend Series vs University of North Alabama, February 26 (3:00 pm), February 27 (1:00 pm & 3:00 pm)
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HBCU CASH OUT Collaborating with HBCU alumni Lance Gross and Keshia Knight Pulliam, the interactive social media contest, from February 8 - March 8, will award a grand prize of $25,000 to three different winners who creatively share how attending a HBCU is helping them achieve their goals. Acknowledging the vital role of HBCUs, which were established prior to 1964 with the principal mission to educate Black Americans, applicants may enter by following a two-step process: 1. Log onto www.tbshbcucashout.com to submit their information and read the official contest rules. 2. Submit a video (60 seconds or less) via Instagram, Twitter or YouTube using the hashtag #HBCUCashOutContest and tagging @tbsnetwork (Instagram and Twitter) or @tbs (YouTube). Eligible entrants must have graduated from an HBCU recognized by the U.S. Department of Education on or after December 1, 2015. For more information on TBS HBCU Cash Out™, visit www. tbshbcucashout.com.
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SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Southern DIGEST welcomes letters from readers commenting on current issues and other matters of general interest to the SU family and public. We set aside this space to publish these letters for others to enjoy. This newspaper is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on its editorials, commentaries, ans speakouts. The Southern DIGEST reserves the right to edit any contributions and or reject them without notification. Authors are encouraged to limit the length of submissions to 300 words. Letters should not include libelous statements. Offensive and personal attacks will not be permitted. The DIGEST will not print “open letters” addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and
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What’s Stopping You? Tiffany Williams The Southern Digest
On February 11, Links Incorporated hosted an HBCUs Professional Networking Series, where many black business owners and people of high positions gave tips and answered questions on careers in business, finance, and entrepreneurship. Throughout this event, the panelists gave the building blocks to becoming an entrepreneur. At some point in life, everyone has thought of starting a business, whether it be big or small. The best business to have is one that you are enthusiastic about. From there, your hobby can become your main source of income. To become an entrepreneur, one must adopt a certain mentality. Fear of failure is what stops many people from pursuing their dream and leaving them with regrets.
Jon Renthrope, the CEO of Cajun Fire Brewing Company, states “You got to be ready to take a risk.” The real question is are you in a position to take that risk. If you are willing to take the risk, you have to take the time to prepare and plan on what you will do amidst your limited resources. Another aspect that is needed when being an entrepreneur is having the proper finances. Few people are fortunate to have a family for support or to lend them money to start. For those that are not in a financial position to start a business, they must take out a loan. Unfortunately, bankers just cannot take your word and believe in your dream to say yes to a loan. You must have a reasonable plan to get the money. To become successful, you are going to be rejected. “Don’t take no for an answer. Don’t be afraid of rejection,” says David Ellis, the
President, and CEO of Entergy in New Orleans. From other entrepreneurs having the drive to continue after a rejection is what will help you achieve your dream. In today’s business world most rejections come from the gender and race of a person. A common example of this is a woman in a male dominated environment. Mia James, the Business Manager for DDG Destroyer Program at Huntington Ingalls, says “You cannot be less than what life called you to become.” The next aspect of having your own business is to take advantage of your resources and get knowledge of any business. If you are in college look for guidance, join programs, and apply for internships. Malaika Moran, marketing and business strategy consultant of SocialStep Consulting says, “Better to start off in corporate America.”
Why Do HBCUs Matter? Tiffany Wiiliams The Southern Digest
Many HBCUs, or historically Black colleges and universities, have been overlooked and underrepresented for a long time. Regardless of that, many of these universities have produced a lot of graduates who have gone to be the top in their field. This accomplishment is done through the many opportunities and fairs that the university or outside organization provides. Last month on January 27, there was a teacher’s fair hosted by the Education Me Foundation. This event consisted of a discussion panel with alumni and faculty members from various HBCUs talking about the importance of the universities. Other topics discussed were on how to save K-12 education, how the presidential election could help the enrollment at HBCUs,
and why they are important. Since the presidential election, HBCUs have been on people’s radar with Vice President Kamala Harris being an HBCU alumnus and President Biden being supportive of HBCUs. Southern University faculty member Dr. Jacqueline Preastly said that, “I do believe that it will make a significant impact on HBCUs.” Before the election, many prospective athletes have already chosen to go to HBCUs for either athletics, continuation of their family legacy, for an HBCU experience, or to take a stand against the abuse of Black people in society and predominantly white institutions. During the year 2020, people’s eyes were open to the mistreatment of Black people through the Black Lives Matter movement and many well-circulated videos of discrimination on the Internet.
On social media, people are commenting on how they wish they could have gone to an HBCU, but they were not offered the money to go. Either the scholarship was too small, the university did not have money to give, or the university put their money towards the school. What most people do not know is that much of the money HBCUs get is government funding. Due to most of the funding going to help the school, a majority of HBCUs can only give a small amount for certain scholarships. However, during campaigning President Biden has promised a 10 billion dollar funding for HBCUs. President Biden is quoted as saying that “Just imagine how much more creative and innovative we’d be if this nation held the historically Black colleges and universities to the same … funding and resources of public universities
MENTAL HEALTH from page 1
Through this method, it starts you on the path to building relationships with people. In the business world, you never know when you are going to need them and vice versa. You must expand your experience because you can be gaining knowledge and information you could use in the future. As well you may even discover that you like other interests and want to invest your time in that. The last aspect you want to keep in mind is to be confident that what you do is going to keep you going. People are going to challenge you because of skin color, hometown, alumnus, and so on. The answers won’t come easily, but that’s life. You must be mentally and financially ready to manage the unexpected in the entrepreneurial game.
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to compete for jobs in industries of the future.” When this was mentioned during the discussion, Dr. Preastly said that “There’s a $60 billion proposal on the table already for HBCUs.” This money could be given to various HBCUs around the nation to continue their education programs and benefit in other areas. Historically Black Colleges and Universities are not just known for Black people, sports, and their bands. HBCUs are what builds character, longtime friends, creates future politicians, engineers, nurses, lawyers, agricultural scientists, and much more. Dr. Jerryl Briggs, a faculty member at Mississippi Valley State University says, “There is no limitation to what you can achieve or who you are.” This is why students should never want to fault attending an HBCU but instead embrace all the opportunities they offer. C100 from page 1
discussed were the four types of anxiety: physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive. Swallowing and getting hotheaded is the physical part. Feeling fear, nervousness, and stress is the emotional part. Pacing around and engaging in unhealthy activities is the behavioral part. Having thoughts of the future and different outcomes is a cognitive part. With this knowledge given, students should be able to produce health alternatives to overcome the anxiety. This virtual event enlightened young women to stop worrying about things they have no control
over and to start being okay with it. Fixing your thoughts is a great thing to practice through methods like meditation. The experienced professionals let spectators know to seek rest if you feel you are not on task. We can not retain information if our minds are all over the place. It is beneficial to take deep breaths and get fresh air. Therapy is not really talked about in the Black community. C100 women encouraged students to visit Southern University’s Counseling Center. This virtual event enlightened young women to stop worrying about things they have no control
over and being okay with it. Fixing your thoughts is a great thing to practice like meditation. When dealing with stress it is beneficial to take deep breaths and get fresh air. The experienced professionals let those who participated in the event know to seek rest if you feel that you are not up to a task. As the event came to a close, the panel participants gave some closing remarks. Though therapy is not talked about in the Black community, many colleges offer it and include the cost in the tuition. This is why the C100 women encouraged students to visit Southern University’s Counseling Center.
NEWS
Although the “When Life Happens” event was mainly about the negatives of stress, students found out that all stress is not bad. It wants to communicate with us. Quiyanna Wilson, a member of the C100 Women of SU stated, “Everyone needs a moment to sit in a car for a moment and even replay some songs.” It is highly suggested that we all use stress, anxiety, and fear as energy. Bring awareness to your thoughts. It has helped many to encourage positive action regarding stressful situations.
Milwaukee Bucks. Around this time, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for what Glover says is “… a charge he didn’t commit.” It was placed on his shoulders from a close relative of his, but after 3 months of thorough investigation, the charges were dropped from Glover, and he proceeded with his everyday life as an NBA star. Shortly after his return, Glover suffered a brutal knee injury and was deemed unable to continue his dream to play in the NBA. This is when Glover’s states his experience with depression and suicide began. Due to what Glover desctribed as crushed dream, he develops a slight drinking habit and tried to commit suicide three different times, ultimately failing in each act. Glover exclaims, “2006 to 2020, I’ve been dealing with suicidal thoughts every, single, day.” During these 14 years, Glover defines himself as a lost soul, which in his understanding means being not knowing his place in the world, as well as being unconnected to God. In attempts of overcoming these circumstances, Glover goes onto therapy and writes his thoughts in a journal. Glover recognized his journal entries could give hope to others who deal with depression and suicidal thoughts and went ahead to evolve his experience into a book. After the release of his book, Glover began to receive positive feedback from those who are equally affected by this common illness. Glover feels like it is his duty to give others hope within themselves when it comes to this topic. In an interview with the author, when asked about his opinion of mental health within black men, he says, “As black men, we tend to be judged more harshly than any other race.” Through his book and the overall purpose of the event, Southern University wants to allow African American males to see that there is hope for overcoming this issue. Dr. Walter gave his thoughts on the topic as well, noting that it is important for “[young black men] to begin to think through it and know that they can get beyond any kind of issues they might be having.” Southern University is no stranger in addressing the issue of mental health within not only African American males, but of this issue and who it pertains to overall. Currently, they are in high hopes of hosting another event compared to this one with an even better turnout in an attempt to contribute to a decrease in stigma and an increase in healing regarding mental health issues.
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SPORTSSplitter: Southern baseball splits
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Page 4 | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
doubleheader against UNO
Evan Funchess The Southern Digest
On Friday, The Southern Men’s baseball team opened their season with a three-game series against the University of New Orleans baseball team. The latter two games were played as a doubleheader on Saturday. Southern is coming off a season that was cut short by COVID-19. In the games that they played, however, they went 6-10 overall. In this series, they would look to continue their two-year opening day win streak. Southern hasn’t lost an opening day game since 2018. This series would also serve as the first series for new interim head coach Cris Crenshaw. In the first game on Friday, Southern jumped out to a tworun lead over their opponents. UNO fought back in the second inning scoring a run but Southern still maintained their lead going into the third. Leading off in the third inning redshirt junior Tremaine Spears hit a two-run bomb to left field to increase Southern’s lead to three. UNO then answered back in the bottom of the third with two runs and one of them being a home run. In the third inning,
both teams would combine for five runs as UNO tied the game. UNO would go on to break the tie with a double that led to a score in the fourth inning. Once the tie was broken, Southern only managed to score once more as UNO went on to take the first game in the series.
This series began with fireworks from both teams and would set the tone of the doubleheader that followed. In the first game of the doubleheader both teams came out quiet as no runs were scored in the first two innings. UNO was the first to break the tie
with a run in the third but, this run wouldn’t go unanswered. In the fifth inning, Southern found a way to wake up the bats and scored three runs. The loudest of the three runs was a two run shot to left field by Sophomore O’Neill Burgos. UNO scored once more at the bottom of the
fifth but, Southern still retained a one score lead over their opponents. In the sixth inning both teams traded one run a piece, but Southern was still able to maintain control. The next three innings were scoreless for both teams as it seemed that their firepower had finally exhausted. Southern held on to the lead and won the game 4-3. The second game of the doubleheader went a bit differently. UNO rebounded from the loss that they just received from the Jags by notching five total runs to begin the first inning. This inning would tell the tale of the rest of game as the Jags tried to answer back to their offense but just came up short. The final score of the game was 3-6 as the Jags split the double header right down the middle. The Jags have many positive takeaways from the game to use going forward. It’s worth noting that in the game they won, their pitchers pitched three straight scoreless innings. Southern will look to get back into the win column on Friday against Louisiana Tech.
Double trouble: Southern softball drops doubleheader against Golden Eagles
Evan Funchess The Southern Digest
On Sunday, Southern University softball resumed their spring campaign by facing off against Southern Mississippi. Southern softball looked to capture their first win of the season after dropping their last three games. In their last game, they lost to Southern Miss. at home so they looked to have different luck at their opponent’s place. From a historical perspective, Southern has never defeated Southern Miss. in their ninegame history. However, Southern still
sought to achieve victory over their strong opponents. In the first inning, Southern Miss. built a towering six-run lead over the Jags. The theme of the first inning would carry on through the first game of the twogame series. Southern Miss. went on to score three more times while holding the Jags to zero runs through all 5 innings. Redshirt Junior Cameron Andrews and Grad student Kameri Mott registered the two hits by Southern in the first of the two games. The second game in comparison to the first was a much more hotly contested affair.
Both teams went without scoring through the first two innings. Southern Miss. then broke the tie with two scores in the third inning. The Jags then answered back in the third inning with a sacrifice hit coming from grad student Kameri Mott, which led to a score at the plate by grad student Mateighia Tanner. This would be the only score by the Jags however as they were held without a run for the rest of the game. Southern Miss. increased their lead by four total runs with two coming in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth. This time the Jags were able to register a run but they were
held to a single hit. That hit was credited to Redshirt Junior Mariyah Sandoval. The Jags played a tough series but in the end, just came up short. The defensive prowess that they showed in the first two innings of the second game should give the team hope going forward. Offensively, the team has had some rough outings recently but, will look to rebound in their next contest. Their next game will be Monday where they will take on Eastern Illinois University in another doubleheader.
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Tuesday, February 23, 2021 | Page 5
SPORTS
A story of compromise: NBA All-Star Weekend Dante Davis The Southern Digest
All-Star Weekend is happening? In a pandemic? The NBA was heralded last year as the gold standard for how to operate in this new world of quarantine and social distancing. I’m not gonna lie, I personally like the idea of All-Star weekend. 2020 was rough but it’s a new year and a new decade; we could all use a little more positivity and fun in our lives right now. Some of basketball’s most iconic moments have happened over AllStar Weekend. With that being said, the players don’t like the idea so the weekend should be
WINTER SNEAUX STORM
Sports Commentary
canceled. If the players don’t want to be there, they aren’t going to play a game worth watching and The King, Lebron James himself, has already expressed his distaste along with several other NBA players. Sacramento King’s guard, De’Aaron Fox, even was bold enough to ask about the elephant in the room: “If we have to wear masks and do all this for a regular game, what’s the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?” The NBA has been very restrictive and the players see a double standard because the safer option would be to just cancel the weekend. The main reason players are averse to this year’s All-Star Weekend is due to the schedule. The league originally
Photo Essay
Keith Lewis The Southern Digest
In spite of the harsh winter weather that shocked the Southern most part of the country, students at Southern University found a way to make the most out of the situation. While Southern University doesn’t get frosty weather often, it’s always something that’s worth capitalizing on when it does come this way.
had expressed no intentions to have an All-Star Weekend so many players had already planned out how they were going to spend that time off. The past season getting stretched into the middle of October means that many of the league’s top players had a condensed offseason and were looking forward to a little rest or, because of COVID, were looking forward to getting a chance to see their families as many players are, understandably, spending more time than away normal. So just as you would be if your boss refused your time-off request, the players are pissed because they have to work and I feel that. The schedule for All-Star Weekend is
also not that impressive anyways. It’s set to take place on March 7, in Atlanta, but rather than a weekend, it’s a single night. The 3-point contest and skills challenge will act as the pregame for the All-Star game and the dunk contest will be the halftime performance. It feels like a compromise, but it’s giving me more of a money grab/contract fulfillment vibe than anything else. It’s like the NBA has to have something that weekend and this is the best way to not upset its players or fans too much. A compromise in the truest of senses. But I’ll remain hopeful. Maybe it’ll give us another iconic, poster worthy moment.
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FEATURES
Page 6 | Tuesday, February 23, 2021
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Coming to Stage: Miss Thicker than a Snicker Pageant 2021
Kynnedi S. Jackson The Southern Digest
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along’.” This quote by former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt perfectly entails the spirit and purpose behind Southern University’s Miss Thicker Than a Snicker Pageant, which celebrates the beauty and confidence of plus-size women. The Annual Miss Thicker than a Snicker Pageant was held on Thursday, February 11, 2021, through a livestream on Youtube due to social distance measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. This year, Southern’s Student Government Association representatives of the class of 2021 headed and coordinated the event. Nykera Dixon, Senior Class Vice President, stated “Miss Thicker than a Snicker is a pageant that is to empower women who are not your average size. They are not your typical models, they’re not what you look for in what you would think a queen is, but they are a queen nonetheless. This pageant is to showcase the
beauty in being unique and being different, both physically, mentally, and emotionally.” This year the pageant had two contestants, who made glamorous displays with their different outfits, talents, and personalities. Ladesyaonna Coney was named Miss Congeniality, with Shayla Johnson being crowned The 2021 Miss Thicker Than a Snicker. When asked what she plans to do with this title, Johnson stated that she plans on focusing on amplifying the voices and healing of sexual assault victims, primarily here on Southern University’s campus. Johnson also stated that she learned a lot from this pageant experience, with her main lesson being to “really just to be how you are.” Through all the difficulties presented to the Class of 2021 when putting on this event, due to the current crisis, they were still able to coordinate as any other group of hosts have. Emanee Drake, Senior Class President, reflects on the event, saying, “This year was really trying… we all as SGA and a cabinet keep on pushing forward and we do not let our circumstances weigh us down.” Congratulations are in order to both contestants.
On February Health Is 10, 2021, Nutrition and Public Health Wealth: Local advocate of The Maxine Advocate Firm, Ellen C. McKnight, Educates MPA hosted an event, “Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind, and Healthy Life” here at Students on Southern University. During this McKnight shared methods Dietary Wellness event, of maintaining good health and MCKNIGHT
Jarriel Jackson The Southern Digest
practicing a healthy diet to attendees, including students. Jourdan Hilaire, the Coordinator of Orientation, University College Office, gave a bit
Junior, Criminal Justice major, Shayla Johnson smiles shortly after being crowned the 2021 Miss Thick than a Snicka on Thursday, February 11. (Keith Lewis/DIGEST)
of insight on the content taught in the seminar. He stated, “The program was amazing! Ms. McKnight and her team facilitated an in-depth conversation about creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle physically and mentally through proper nutrition. Towards the end of the program she made and offered us a healthy food option that many of us enjoyed. I can’t wait until we can bring them back again!” A crowd of 20 students and staff were in attendance, many of which spoke positively of McKnight’s program. “I believe this program definitely benefited all of the people who attended. Mental and physical
Why You Should Watch Judas and the Black Messiah Diamond Butler The Southern Digest
When it comes to movies depicting Black history or culture, many are littered with stereotypes or complete misinterpretation of significant events. However, among those inaccurate movies are hidden gems that truly highlight the Black experience with proper execution. To those reading this, let it be known that Judas and the Black Messiah is one of those hidden gems. Released on Friday, February 12, this film was directed by film director Shaka King, known for his other films such as Newlyweeds and Lazercism. The setting takes us to Chicago during the late 1960s, where the Black Panther party had a crucial impact in the fight against racism and police brutality. This American biographical drama follows Fred Hampton, the chairman of the
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Daniel Kaluuya in a scene from “Judas and the Black Messiah.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
Chicago Black Panther Party chapter, and his complex downfall at the hands of his most trusted companion, William O’Neal. Within the first ten minutes of the movie, the audience is sucked into this intense era of power struggles and liberation movements. A fusion of moments of powerfully moving monologues, high impact storytelling, as well as sentimental insights into these historical figures’ lives, this creates a film that tells a true story and reveals a side of history that you do not find in textbooks. With its amazing storytelling and cast members, this movie does not disappoint.
Aiding in the storytelling, Judas and the Black Messiah features a slew of new and seasoned actors and actresses that fit their roles perfectly. For instance, playing Fred Hampton is Daniel Kaluuya, best known for his roles as W’Kabi in Black Panther and Chris Washington in Get Out. LaKeith Stanfield who plays William O’Neal, the FBI informant, alongside Dominique Fishback as Deborah Johnson, Hampton’s girlfriend. While watching these actors on the screen, it’s apparent how they embraced and embodied the roles that they were given in order to properly serve this story.
health is very important, and should be taken seriously. I want to thank Ms. McKnight,” said Victoria Rencher, a freshman Mechanical Engineering major. Tiyan Southall, a freshman Engineering major expressed his own appreciation for the event, “I think that it is great that Ms. McKnight came to SU and spoke to the school about health. It is something that we all need to learn about and take seriously.” Willie Picou, a freshman computer Science major, said that he appreciates the healthy lifestyle and healthy eating advice, stating that he will definitely keep those tips in mine when it comes to choosing a diet.
Besides the scenes of the movie, there is also the soundtrack which helps move the story. Often, in documentary drama films, the soundtrack is overbearing, as though it is trying to make a point of what is going on in the scene. In this case, however, the soundtrack takes a backseat to everything and lets the acting and storytelling do the work. Even though there are great aspects to the film, there is much debate as to whether it does justice to the real people and events. From my perspective, it does just that, giving a proper depiction of the story it covers. At the end of the movie, as the viewer, I found myself at the end of a deeply emotional wave. There were moments I felt inspired, moments I was crying my eyes out, and moments where I wanted to fight. While retelling events, it does not try to force an opinion on you but lets you produce your own. Even though these events occurred over fifty years ago, you likely could find yourself questioning what you would do if in the same situation, and whether the sacrifice would be worth it. To have your own personal experience, you can see this film in theaters and on the HBO Max platform.
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Tuesday, February 23, 2021 | Page 7
OPINION
Mardi Gras 2021: The worst in history! Lealer Sims The Southern Digest
Mardi Gras is a traditional holiday that people in Louisiana look forward to every single year in February. It is also extremely popular amongst Southern University students who have roots throughout the Southern part of the country. Said holiday has proven to be so traditional and omnipresent of a cultural event that the University gives students a two-day break (Monday-Tuesday) every Spring so that they can celebrate it. This year, the fanfare was boosted to the umpteenth degree with both Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day falling on the same weekend! Doesn’t that sound like fun? The answer ultimately turned out to be no. We
are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and there was a winter storm this past weekend that left large parts of the Baton Rouge area without power for exceedingly long stretches of time. Mardi Gras was already canceled in New Orleans due to COVID regulations, but the weather made things even worse for the state as a whole. This isn’t even to mention the deadly impact that the storm had on the occupants of our neighboring state such as Texas. February 14th was not bad, but it started getting extremely cold later that night. Monday morning, students woke up to ice covering the ground and trees outside. A lot of people could not even get in their cars because the ice sealed it shut. The roads were covered in ice, making it very unsafe
to drive, and the situation developed in such a way where even I-110 was shut down throughout the early periods of the week. As previously mentioned, the power and water went out for a lot of people throughout Baton Rouge, including a large number of college students hailing from Southern University and LSU. A lot of students had to sleep in the freezing temperatures with no heat. They had to use their cars to charge their phones and warm themselves up. The university was forced to shut down on Wednesday and Thursday due to the winter storm and power outages, which extended the prolonged Mardi Gras weekend students had been on leading into the storm. Teachers had to extend deadlines for assignments,
because students did not have electricity to do their homework. A lot of organizations also had to postpone their virtual events. If we’re keeping count then, this long weekend qualifies as one of the worst that inhabitants of the Southern states have had to deal with in years. While we all feel sympathy for the families adversely affected by the storm, I speak for a lot of students when I wish that times were normal so we could go out and safely celebrate Mardi Gras. The only good that came out of this storm was that hopefully Southern students and faculty could catch up on sleep! Hopefully next year Mardi Gras will be much better.
making them not as significant. However, let’s give Brady the benefit of the doubt. Let’s say no one is ever able to beat the current amount of Super Bowl wins, playoff wins, division titles, Super Bowl MVPS, etcetera that Brady has accomplished over his career. This still leads to the debate of if Brady is even the greatest football player of all time with competitors such as Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, and Jim Brown. Now, if you look at the debate outside of football, which does not have a professional league in every country, Brady still falls short of being the G.O.A.T. This puts Tom Brady on the same platform as Muhammad
Ali, Simone Biles, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, Babe Ruth, and more which frankly he cannot compete against. These are athletes who have played on a world stage, have created new moves in their sports, have multiple titles, have won championships while pregnant, affected the marketability of their sports, have no scandals, have played in the pros of multiple sports, and more. While Tom Brady may be one of the greatest, he is not the greatest. Give Tom Brady his flowers for all of his accomplishments but not the flowers he did not water.
Is this your G.O.A.T? Jalexis Edwards The Southern Digest
Upon winning his seventh Super Bowl in February of 2021, people have been posing the question of if Tom Brady is truly the greatest of all time, or the G.O.A.T. To that I say, have you people lost your mind?! Tom Brady will never be the greatest athlete of all time, and for a variety of different reasons both within and outside of the sport that he plays. Tom Brady is forty-three years old. In November of 2019, Tom Brady’s trainer, Alex Guerrero, said, “We talk about it all the time. Every year he just adds
another year. He goes in and he’s like, ‘Guys, I feel so good still…I think I can go like 46 or 47.” Theoretically, this gives Brady an opportunity to play and win three or four more Super Bowls which could bring his ring total up to an impressive eleven rings. This certainly has G.O.A.T. written all over it and is a great accomplishment…but only in the sport of football until eventually someone else beats that record. This same line of thought can be applied to most of the records Brady currently holds. As time progresses, it is likely that someone else such as Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow eventually breaks Brady’s records
Skating by: The Trump Trials Kynnedi S. Jackson The Southern Digest
OPINIONS/SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Southern DIGEST is not responsible for individual opinions expressed in speak out submissions, editorials, opinions and commentary pieces, including sports commentaries. It is the sole opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of any professional faculty, staff or administrator of the University. The Southern DIGEST reserves the right to edit any contributions and or reject them without notification. Authors are encouraged to limit the length of submissions to 300 words. Letters should not include libelous statements. Offensive and personal attacks will not be permitted. The DIGEST will not print “open letters” addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and year in school. When referring to specific DIGEST articles, please include the date and title. All materials should be directed to the editor in chief of The Southern DIGEST, P.O. Box 10180, Baton Rouge, La. 70813. Materials may be delivered by hand to the DIGEST office located in Suite 1064 Harris Hall or can be e-mailed to digest@subr.edu.
On Saturday, February 13, 2021, while most of the world was preparing for Valentine’s day, former President Donald J. Trump was being acquitted for a second time after the Senate failed to convict the outgoing President for his involvement in this past winter’s assault of the United States capital. As previously noted, this was the conclusion of his second impeachment trial which saw the controversial president escape what for many people, is obvious guilt. However, due to a vote of 57-43, Trump was still not convicted, with 67 total votes needed to properly convict him. Although this did not end how most would have expected, history was still made. Seven
Republicans voted alongside the Democrats stating that Trump was in fact guilty for provoking the actions that took place at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, which took the lives of five people, including a police officer who was trying to keep the peace. Still, Trump and his lawyers are claiming that he called for “peaceful and patriotic” protest, though media from both wings of the political spectrum reported otherwise. The seven Senators that had the courage enough to vote across the party lines are now being sanctioned in their home states, but are still standing strong to their beliefs. Mitch McConnell happens to be one of the Senators who in fact voted to acquit Trump. McConnell became very vocal with the results of the Senate stating, “The Senate’s
decision today does not condone anything that happened on or before that terrible day…It simply shows that senators did what the former President failed to do. We put our constitutional duty first.” With that being said we can only hope that in the near future other Republicans will understand what McConnell and the other Senators are feeling. This by far is not the end of Trump’s trials. He is still under investigation in Georgia and possibly Pennsylvania for charges in relation to the past year’s election. Though the hopes are high for the remaining Republicans to come to their senses, the truth is Trump brings in a lot of financial support for all Republicans. However, some are starting to realize that money is not everything. In essence,
Republicans are playing with what has already been viewed as an uncontrollable person, but the money draw can not be matched. The main goal of the Democrats was to stop Trump from being able to run again, and Republicans may have feared that if this happened funding would cease. The ongoing impeachment for Trump initially began in 2019 with the charge of abuse of power. He was acquitted during this trial also. Like the old saying goes, the “third time’s a charm.” Hopefully within the next few months Trump will be rightfully convicted. Nonetheless these trials are serving as a distraction from what is really important, which is pandemic relief for the people.
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