Tuesday, March 26, 2019
2019 SGA SPRING ELECTIONS Miss Southern Alacia Brew Niya Roberson
1427 (59.6%) 966 (40.4%)
SGA President Donald Dunbar Karl Phillips
1680 (70.8%) 694 (29.2%)
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Volume 72, Issue 8
www.southerndigest.com
TALE OF THE TALLIES Brew, Dunbar win big in 2019 Elections
Men’s Fed. President
509 (55.3%) 411 (44.7%)
A&E:
Voter Turnout: 2411 (47.2%) of 5108 electors voted
HIV Awareness + “US” Movie pg. 8
*results are certified by Simply Voting
Dante Davis
The Southern Digest
It was announced on March 22, 2019 that Southern University was the winner of the 2-Week, Metamucil challenge and $10,000. In a competition that pit the students, alumni, and faculty of historically black colleges and universities against each other, registrants took Metamucil once a day for two weeks. The university with the most registered participants would receive $10,000 towards an on-campus health program of their choosing. The competition was a success according to the Brand Manager for Metamucil, Amy Hoffman. “We’re thrilled to extend our congratulations to the students and faculty of Southern University and A&M College, along with their alumni and supporters who signed up for the Metamucil 2-Week Challenge. Metamucil has always been a brand that stands for helping people make small, meaningful improvements to their health and wellness routines, and we can’t wait to see how Southern University and A&M College will use this grant to propel that same mission on their campus this year,” said Hoffman. Word of the competition spread thanks to Southern University’s network of dedicated alumni. The president of the Cincinnati Alumni Chapter, See SU WINS page 3
Honor’s Pinning Ceremony pg. 2
Baseball Sweeps Grambling in Weekend play pg. 4
Miss Sophomore
SU wins 2-Week HBCU Challenge
News:
Sports:
Byron Hall 400 (51.0%) Chandler Vidrine 384 (49.0%)
Jaden Johnson Lessie Williams
What’s Inside:
Features:
SU Artist + Kodak Black Vs. Young M.A. pg. 10
Commentary: President-elect, Donald Dunbar, sheds tears of joy upon hearing the election results. Dunbar gathered 1,680 votes to become the new SGA President. (Najeri Evans/DIGEST)
MIss Southern-elect, Alacia Brew, erupts in emotion as the 2019 spring results are revealed. Brew defeated Niya Roberson by 461 votes to become the 89th Miss Southern University. (Contara Mayfield/DIGEST)
Candidate for MIss Southern, Niya Roberson is consoled by a fellow student as the 2019 Spring Election results are announced. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)
Candidate for SGA President, Karl Phillips, alongside his campaign team, keeps a level face upon hearing the final results for SGA President. (Rocelyn Hamilton/DIGEST)
Seeing Green:
SU Medical Marijuana close to production James Eaglin, Jr.
The Southern Digest
Two representatives from the team working with Ilera Holistic Healthcare to operate Southern’s medical marijuana plant provided an update during the SU System Board of Supervisors meeting last Friday at the J.S. Clark Administration Building. “We have been working and meeting very frequently and working diligently to make sure we have a sustainable program for years to come,” said Executive Director of the
Medical Marijuana Program, Janana Snowden. Associate Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Affairs and External Engagement of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center Dr. Calvin Walker presented Snowden and colleague Dr. Chandra Canacee to the board, who primarily spoke on the project updates. Canacee shared that the initial environmental phase is completed, with the proper facilities being secured and a successful cleanout of the properties.
Black Intersectionality pg. 11
Boeing Bound: Several Southern University students tour New Orleans site James Eaglin, Jr.
The Southern Digest
Last week, the East Baton Rouge Planning Commission supported rezoning 2,000 feet of the acquired Plank Road site, described by Congressional District 2 Board Member Dr. Leroy Davis as “an old milk processing plant,” under the condition that a 500-foot barrier is established between residents and the facility. Construction is set to begin in May, with clones to be available by early summer, and products set to hit the market between late summer and early August.
More than a dozen Southern University students started last Friday morning outside T.T. Allain Hall, boarding a bus headed to New Orleans, LA. Their destination: the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility, to learn more about one of the buildings’ primary tenants, The Boeing Company. While on the site, students were able get a sneak peek of the aircraft manufacturing company’s latest projects and hear from former SU graduates who are currently employed
See GREEN page 3
See BOEING page 3
www.southerndigest.com THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
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Page 2 - Tuesday, March 26, 2019
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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 editorial and commentary pages. 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.
EDITORIAL POLICY
Staff editorials represent the opinions of the author and the majority opinion of the Southern DIGEST Student Editorial Board, which is comprised of the student staff of editors and columnists. The Southern DIGEST provides an open forum to educate, inform and enlighten the students, faculty and staff at Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA.
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Tutoring Center for Student Success offers free and friendly academic tutoring to SU students seeking to improve or maintain their knowledge base in Math, Chemistry, Biology and Nursing classes. Our centers offer assistance Monday – Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. The learning centers are located in Stewart Hall, Room 155 and Pinchback Hall, 1st Floor.
Home Depot Retool Your School We need your help again. Last year, you helped us win $40K to repair and remodel parts of the John B. Cade Library. Let’s do it again to continue to make our campus beautiful. Vote now and vote often for SU in the The Home Depot: Retool Your School Program! Use the hashtags, #southernu_rys19 and #rys10strong, in your posts on social media about the competition. Wesley Center at Southern University The Wesley Center at Southern University will have worship service on March 31, 2019 at 3:00 pm. This one hour service is open to all students and community residents. For more information feel free to call us at 225-772-5445. Coca-Cola Opportunity Coca-Cola UNITED’s ‘Pay It Forward’ Internship Contest applications are now available to those interested in applying for 2019. Those selected for the prestigious program will be given the opportunity to participate in a week-long internship at a local bottler within the Coca-Cola UNITED family of bottlers. The program offers students firsthand experience in a range of roles available at Coca-Cola, including operations management, packaging, pricing, event planning and
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926 philanthropy. The contest is open to those age 18 years or older at time of entry. Facility Services/Physical Plant The Southern University Historic Preservation Team is seeking volunteers. Students who are interested in Historic Preservation will assist with research, photography, surveying and writing. Interested persons should contact Ms. White at (225)771-4741. Nutrition Zone Every Thursday, Dietetic interns and Senior Nutrition students are available at Thrift Hall (Room 154) and the Intramural Sports Center. Walk-ins and appointments are welcome. Contact 225-771-4289 or email nutritionzone2019@ yahoo.com for more information. Fireside Chats Have something on your mind? Join Dr. James Ammons at White Hall March 26 at 6pm for a Fireside Chat. Refreshments will be served. Tennis The SU Women’s Tennis team will travel to Tallahassee, FL on March 28. Time is 11am. The Jaguars will also go against Bethune-Cookman in Daytona, FL on March 30 at 10:30am. Baseball The SU Jaguars Baseball team will travel to New Orleans, LA today to face-off against UNO. Time is 6:30pm. They will also host Northwestern State at Lee-Hines Field on March 27 at 6pm. Prairie View will travel to SU University for a weekend series March 29 at 6pm and March 30 at
3pm. Softball The SU Jaguar softball will host Grambling State on March 2930. Time is TBA. Track and Field The SU Track and Field team will travel to Austin, TX to participate in the Texas Relays from March 27-30. Time is TBA. Alumni Flag Football Game The SU Football Alumni Association and the S-Club is sponsoring an an alumni flag football game March 30 at 10am. Registration to participate is open to former players only. Spring Game The SU Football team will participate in its Spring game March 30 at A.W. Mumford Stadium at 1pm. Southern University Gospel Choir SUGC will be ministering in Jackson, MS on March 29 and Donaldsonville, LA on March 31. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for more details. Collegiate 100 of Southern University Help Collegiate 100 members attend the 100 Black Men Conference in Las Vegas, NV by participating in a raffle for a $100 VISA gift card. See any C100 member for details. DIGEST RETRACTION:
The Digest originally ran an article entitled “Phenominal Women of SU” on March 19, 2019. We originally published that the “My Sister’s Keeper” initiative was a White House supported initiative. My Sister’s Keeper is an initiative solely under the Black Women’s Health Imperative. We apologize for the error.
News southerndigest.com
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - Page 3
2019 Honors College Pinning Ceremony Debrandin Brown
The Southern Digest
The 2019 Honors College Pinning Ceremony featured over one hundred students being honored for their academic excellence over the course of the last academic year. Members of administration in the Honors College, as well as members of the Southern University Administration were in attendance to see this year’s Honors College Inductees receive their pins. Taking place in the Cotillion Ballroom in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union, the program featured a huge turnout of family and friends to see this year’s honorees. In light of the turnout, seating became scarce very quickly as family and friends poured in the room, with many left standing in the back of the room for the duration of the program. After the greeting and introductions were complete, this year’s deliverer of the Honors Charge was none other than Executive Vice President/ Executive Vice Chancellor, Dr. James Ammons. Ammons congratulated the inductees on their induction, but not before reminding them of the work that lies ahead of them
2019 Honors College Inductees awaiting the start of the Pinning Ceremony in the Cotillion Ballroom on Friday, March 22. (DeBrandin Brown//DIGEST)
and the crowded competition that they will face going forward in their respective fields. “It’s not just at Southern, it’s not just in Louisiana, and it’s not just in America; you better believe that your competition is global,” said Dr. Ammons. For many of the students honored, being inducted into the Honors College helps assure them that they are going in the right direction and that their hard work is paying off. “For me, it means that whenever I’m met with
John Montgomery, and his wife, Dwylett Montgomery, brought the competition to the attention of Director of Alumni Affairs and Executive Director of the Southern University Alumni Federation, Derrick Warren, who, along with the Southern University Alumni Federation National President, LaQuitta Thomas, and alumnus, LaDonte Lotts, created videos and other promotional items to spread awareness of the challenge. Derrick Warren credits Southern University’s success in this competition
challenges, I can overcome them if I work hard enough.” said Erysse Green, a Junior Psychology major from Antioch, CA when asked what being honored for academics means to her as an upperclassmen. In total, only 20 upperclassmen were inducted into this year’s Honors College. After the pinnings were complete, there was the Freshmen Class Response that was aptly titled, “Beyond All Limits,” which was given by members of the Honors
to the determination of the entire Jaguar family saying, “Our SUS Family came through! Thanks to the support of the greatest Alumni in the world, our student body and other supporters, we will receive $10,000 in support of health related initiatives for the SU System.” Thanks to the support from the alumni, students on campus were able to hear about competition. Sophomore Chemistry major and participant of the Two-Week Challenge, Destiny Banks, was very excited to hear
Students Association. “We take pride in showing the university and the community that we are responsible and committed individuals ready to go beyond all limits.” said President of the Honors Students Association, Alexandria Nelson. The 2019 Fall and Spring semesters have had consistently growing numbers of Honors College Inductees over the past three years, with this year’s total of inductees standing at 133.
that Southern was the winner. “The health center on-campus does so much, so I’m just glad that we were able to get more funding for it,” said Banks. The good news was announced by the international president of Zeta Phi Beta Inc, Sheryl Underwood, on the Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show along with co-host J. Anthony. Sheryl Underwood is an avid supporter of HBCUs and helped support the competition on her social media. This news comes in the middle
GREEN from page 1
“We have been moving what I would consider in the scope of medical marijuana industry at lightning speed,” said Canacee. In terms of promotion, a website and brochures are being finalized to help distribute information about the resources provided by the plant to physicians, pharmacies, and patients alike. Canacee also detailed the importance of making sure local and state legislatives understand the importance of medical marijuana. Local businesses are already looking forward to the addition to the community. Since being recognized as Southern’s medical marijuana partner after buying a majority of Advanced Biometrics last November, Ilera Holistic Healthcare has already paid SU more than $2 million. During the presentation, it was also clarified that although production will take place in a temporary location, there are plans to construct a new 67,000 square foot permanent facility.
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SU WINS from page 1 of another, similar, consumer-brand interaction competition, Home Depot’s, “Retool Your School” which has participants either voting via the website https://retoolyourschool.com/vote/ or by using the hashtags, #southernu_rys19 and #rys10strong, in a post on Twitter. The difference between the two competitions is the price: Home Depot is giving away ten different grants worth $50,000 apiece. Partake in helping Southern University win the Retool Your School competition by using the hashtags above. BOEING from page 1
with Boeing, including former Mr. College of Business Demarcus Alexander and SU alumna Jakina Hebert. Located in the New Orleans East district, the Michoud Assembly Facility was built in 1943 during World War II. Standing at 832 acres, Michoud is amongst the largest production buildings the nation, according to its official website. Although the building is still currently owned and managed by NASA, spaces have been occupied within the property by multiple tenants, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Textron Systems, the United States Coast Guard, and others. During the tour, students were also able to view some of the other amenities to the facility,
including a barber shop and hair salon, health clinic, and an ATM. Senior accounting major Marcus Hill, Jr. was impressed by the site saying, “It was interesting to get an in-depth experience of the work environment for engineers.” Considered as the largest American exporter of goods and services, Boeing is a Fortune 50 company that has been in existence for more than a century, with ties in the New Orleans area since the 1960s. Following the campus tour, Human Resources Business Partner and Southern University at New Orleans alumnus, Oliver Duvernay, briefly discussed Boeing’s relationship in New Orleans and its role in Deep
Space Exploration with the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket projects currently under production. “I actually learned that the airlines I fly with most use Boeing airplanes,” said senior marketing major Majesti Smith. “You can learn something new every day,” said Duvernay, “and that is important in terms of the balance of life.” Alexander mentioned that Southern University graduates have been woven throughout the history of Boeing’s existence in New Orleans. Currently, six SU alumni are employees at Michoud. Boeing has also contributed to Southern University, donating $35,000 back in 2009 and $36,000 last September.
Hill was impressed. “It shows that Southern University ensures that students are prepared for life after college. Also, this shows that Boeing is very active with Southern University and seeking STEM majors to be apart of their great company,” The session ended with Alexander and Hebert speaking to students about the importance of education and planning for a future career with Boeing or any other companies. Alexander noted that having soft skills, presentation skills, and written and verbal communication skills are just as important to recruiters as one’s GPA. Hebert advised students to use the S.T.A.R. method (situation, task, action, result) when responding to questions during an interview.
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Smith considered the event a success, “Southern University prides itself on granting students lucrative opportunities. So for any alum to come back and provide said opportunities for students truly speaks to the level of commitment of a Jaguar.” Prospective students seeking an internship from Boeing can increase their chances of being selected by including specific accomplishments in their resumes, creating a profile via boeing.com/collegecareers, visiting the Boeing booth at the career fair during the fall semester, demonstrating a passion for extracurricular activities and/or special interests, and gaining relevant experience.
Sports southerndigest.com
Page 4 - Tuesday, March 26, 2019
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Southern Sweeps Grambling 3-0 During Alumni Weekend
Logan Williams
The Southern Digest
The Southern University baseball team took on the Grambling State Tigers during a three game homestand on Alumni Weekend at Lee Hines Field. After suffering a 6-5 loss to Lamar last Tuesday, Southern looked to come away with a win heading into this weekend’s series. Grambling struck first in the 2nd inning of game one with a double and two walks, leading to their first score of the game. A two-run RBI single from Rafael Ramirez III gave Grambling a 4-0 lead at the bottom of the inning. The Jaguars broke the game open in the 4th inning, tallying seven runs, including a pair of two run RBI singles from Willie Ward and Hunter Davis that gave Southern a 8-5 lead after four innings.
“Once we finally got some pitchers in there that were throwing strikes, we put ourselves in a good situation,” Head Coach Kerrick Johnson said after the victory. The Jaguars would score three runs in the 7th inning and six runs in the 8th inning to seal an impressive 18-8 win. “I think early we struggled a little bit with are pitching and then once we got things going we started to slow things down and know what the pitchers were doing and attacking it,” Coach Johnson said about the 21 hit performance. Game 2 of the series saw an up and down pitching night for the Jaguars as they gave up 13 hits of the night to Grambling. Although momentum swung back and forth throughout the contest, the Jags continued to be able to create runs. Although pitching for the
Courtesy: John Oubre
Jags wasn’t as efficient as it had been for the previous game, Grambling’s proved to be even less solid as they gave up a whopping 15 runs on the night. Southern closed out the 2nd game of the weekend series
with a win vs Grambling 15-13. Tallying 14 hits and 15 runs on the game, the Jags took a 2-0 lead going into the final game of the series. Game 3 of the 3-game series vs Grambling saw Hunter
Jags bounce back with win against Valley Jayln Garner
The Southern Digest
The Southern University Jags faced off against Mississippi Valley in the first game of a triple header on March 22 at Jaguar Field. This was a close matchup between the two SWAC teams. Winning only one game against Jackson State last week in their triple header, the Jags were looking to start this series off on a good foot. The game started a little slow for the Lady Jags in the first two innings, but at the top of the third inning, an error made by Southern’s pitcher and infielder freshman Christy Kelly gave Valley the games first hit, although they couldn’t capitalize off the error with a run. Later in the bottom of the fifth inning, an error made by Mississippi Valley led to the Lady Jags scoring their only two points of the game by freshman Paytin Mercado, and senior Jaslyn Perrodin. The Jaguars won the first game 2-1. The second game of the series saw efficient pitching from the Jaguars, with Southern allowing only three runs on five hits. Southern recorded four runs on six hits to take a 2-0 series advantage over Mississippi Valley. After falling behind, the Jags were able to pull off a late comeback to extend their series lead to 2-0 heading into Saturday’s final game. “When we were forced to come from behind for the win
Junior, pitcher, Aubrion James chants during pregame as she prepares to take the mound when the Jaguars faced off against Mississippi Valley on Friday, March 22 at Jaguar Field. (Jairus Moore/DIGEST)
in game two, that showed a lot of poise and improvement from the first contest,” said Coach Garris. The concluding series saw the Jags outfielders continue to shine as Mississippi Valley struggled to create runs in the final game of the weekend series. Despite tallying a total of eight hits during the course of the game, the Jags were able to complete the sweep of Mississippi Valley 5-1. When asked how he though the team looked, Head Coach for the Jaguars softball team had this to say, “Stronger and stronger. From the great pitching by Aubrion James in the first game, to the gutsy
comeback in the second game, we improved every game. We scored more runs in each game and once we tied the third game, we never looked back. The last game we got a really good performance all around offensively.” said Coach Garris after the weekend sweep of Mississippi Valley. Despite getting the win however, there was no doubt that Garris wanted to see improvement from his squad going forward. When asked what he wants to see from his team specifically going onto the next game, Garris said this. “Overall consistency from everyone. While we have improved greatly offensively
as a team and our defense has come along too, we need to continue to improve those areas. The schedule has many tough opponents left. We will need to play really well to be able to have a chance to be successful,” said Garris. Looking forward to next weekend’s series vs Grambling, Coach Garris and the softball team will look to keep up their winning ways as they take on Grambling on Jaguar Field in a two-game series on March 29 and 30. “You always want to beat your rival! We will be back on the Bluff, and our newly renovated See JAGS page 5
David, Hampton Hudson, and William Nelson all record three RBIs on the afternoon. After a flurry of runs by the Jags in the See SWEEP page 5
Sports southerndigest.com
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - Page 5
One Last Dance: SU Former Southern Football player, Devon Gales falls to Bulldogs in Returns to the Sidelines NCAA Tourney Cameron Fontenot
The Southern Digest
The Southern University women’s basketball successful season came to an end at the hands of the number one-seeded Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs on Friday night. This was the Jags’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010 in front of a crowd of nearly 10,000 fans. The Lady Bulldogs only lost two games in the entire season and were a tough test for the Jags. The Lady Bulldogs won the tip and scored a quick bucket out of the gate. On the other end, Jaguar Rishonti Cowart scored a three-pointer off of a Courtney Parsons assist. Unfortunately, this was the last time that the Jags would see the lead for the remainder of the game. The Lady Bulldogs would go on a 35-7 run to end the first quarter and also would hold the Jags to only 10 points off of 21% shooting. The Lady Bulldogs shot a hot 73% from the field and only missed four shots during the course of the game. At halftime, Skylar O’Bear was the Jags’ leading scorer with five points. The Jaguars shot 33% from the field and trailed the Lady Bulldogs 5529. Lady Bulldogs forward Teaira
McCowan presented a problem for the Jaguars all night, allowing McCowan to record double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. In the second half, it did not get any better for Southern. The Lady Bulldogs went on a 31-5 run for the entire third quarter and were up by 52 points at the end of the third. In the fourth quarter, it was more of the same for Southern. The Jags managed to put up 12 points in the third, but by then, the damage was already done. In quarters 1-3, the Lady Bulldogs outscored Southern 68-15 enroute to building a huge lead early on in the contest. The Jags would go on to lose in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Tournament to the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs 10346. Head coach Carlos Funchess led this Southern women’s basketball team to a regular season record of 20-13 record (14-4 in the SWAC), the SWAC regular season championship, and a SWAC Tournament Championship in his first season as head coach. Despite the looming losses of seniors Skylar O’Bear, Rishonti Cowart, Courtney Parsons, and Danayea Charles, the Jags will go into the offseason looking to repeat as champions next season.
Debrandin Brown
The Southern Digest
In 2015 when the Southern Jaguars played the University of Georgia, Devon Gales’ life was changed forever as he suffered as debilitating spinal injury that paralyzed him from the neck down. Four years removed from his life-changing injury, Gales has made substantial progress in his recovery, now able to completely utilize his upper body, despite still being bound to his wheelchair. “I’m grateful just to have something coming back,” said Gales. “Just to know there is still a chance that I’m going to be able to walk again.” After his injury and during his rehab, Gales received consistent support from the Georgia community as he has worked to rehabilitate his body and share his message of perseverance with young athletes playing the game today.
GALES
After becoming such an integral part of the community during his time in rehab in Georgia, Gales was offered a position as an assistant football coach at Jefferson High in the Georgia area. After meeting the Gales family during Devon’s rehabilitation, Jefferson High head coach Gene Cathcart said this about his decision to add Gales to his coaching staff for the upcoming season. “It was brought to our attention upon meeting this wonderful family that Devon missed the game and practices and being part of a football team in
the game he still loved so much,” Cathcart said in an interview with Access WDUN. While it is unclear as of yet in what capacity Gales will operate at in the program, Coach Cathcart and many others from the Georgia community have spoken out about the impact. According to Cathcart during his Access WDUM interview, he believes that the team could “benefit from Gales’ story of perseverance.” After hearing a motivational speech given by Gales at Jefferson High, Superintendent Dr. John Jackson was the first to float the idea of offering Gales a position of the Jefferson football staff. “It was funny because I’ve never been called coach. It was always Devon, so just to have that behind me and just hearing the kids say, coach Gales, coach Devon or whatever they want to call it. I’m happy with whatever they call it,” Gales told Access WDUN. SWEEP from page 4
4th and 5th innings, Southern took a lead that they never relinquished for the rest of the contest. Jacob Snyder led a good pitching day for Southern’s pitchers, allowing only three runs on three hits after pitching 67 times on the afternoon. Southern defeated Grambling 3-0 in a clean sweep during their weekend series as they look to continue their latest hot streak as they take on Northwestern State at home on March 27. JAGS from page 4 field has a great view for fans everywhere inside the yard. So, we need the Jaguar Nation out in full force!” said Coach Garris on what he’s looking forward to during next weekends series.
Spring Fest 2019 Be safe. Don’t Drink
Photos of the week southerndigest.com
Page 6 - Tuesday, March 26, 2019
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Junior, Pitcher, Aubrion James, fires a strike during the Jaguars game against Mississippi Valley on Friday, March 22 at Jaguar Field. (Jairus Moore/DIGEST)
Students attend the 139th Founders’ Day Convocation in the Felton G. Clark Activity Center on Tuesday, March 19. (Adriana Trosclair/DIGEST)
The new members of the Beta Alpha chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. strolling after being revealed during their New Initiate Presentation in Seymour Gym on Saturday, March 22. (Rocelyn Hamilton/DIGEST)
Senior nursing major, Jerry Wilson from Opelousas, discusses the classes and majors hosted in DeBose Music Hall during a campus tour on Wednesday, March 20. (Kiyanna Givens/DIGEST)
Mentorship Academy High School students show interest in the barber shop near Burger King as they tour the campus on Tuesday March 18. (Kiyanna Givens/DIGEST)
Senior, Courtland Collins, joins in on a double dutch activity held outside the SmithBrown Memorial Student Union during Pretty Wednesday. (Diamond Butler/DIGEST)
Photos of the week southerndigest.com
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - Page 7
Miss Southern elect, Alacia Brew, presents her business wear at the Miss SU Revue in the F. G. Clark Activity Center on Tuesday, March 21. (Jairus Moore/DIGEST)
SUSLA Connect transfer student and student ambassador, Korryn Shaw hosts a University campus tour for visiting high school students on Wednesday, March 20. (Kiyanna Givens/DIGEST)
Think Smart Be Safe hosted “Think Smart Strike Out Stigma” for free HIV testing and a bowling competition on Friday, March 22, inside the Bowling alley. (Kyndall Jones/ DIGEST)
President Ray L. Belton presents Attorney Domoine Rutledge with a plaque for being the guest speaker at the 139th Founders’ Day Convocation in Felton G. Clark Activity Center on Tuesday, March 19. (Adriana Trosclair/DIGEST)
Students and candidates gather in the union courtyard during election week to take part in Southern University’s traditional dance, The SU Shuffle on March 20. (Kiyanna Givens/DIGEST)
Candidate for Mens Federation President, Byron Hall, and his campaign team erupt with joy as they hear the results fo the Spring Elections. (Rocelyn Hamilton/DIGEST)
Arts & Entertainment southerndigest.com
Page 8 - Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Kiyanna Givens
HIV/AIDS Awareness
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
The Southern Digest
March is a very important month for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or HIV. National days for HIV and AIDS include the following: National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and National Native HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day. HIV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, if not treated. Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely, even with treatment. So once one contracts HIV, they have it for life. This makes it crucial for college students to understand the importance of practicing safe intercourse. During the year of 2017, studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that AfricanAmericans in the United States are the top race that fall victim to HIV/AIDS. Louisiana is no longer in the top five in the United States for AIDS/HIV cases. Another study done by the CDC shows that as of 2017, Louisiana has actually climbed its way down to number 10 for the number of diagnosed victims with the infection. Southern University has ways of getting students educated and
Micheal Liedtke/Talib arbel Ap Tech Writers
source: Womens Health.gov
informed when it
A twenty-two year old senior math and physics major, Sageda Mason, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana commented, “By providing an abundance of resources, w e , African
comes to HIV/AIDS. More than once every semester free HIV testing is done in the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. Whenever a student participates in the procedure, he or she receives free food and also free clothing and other gear related to HIV and AIDS prevention. This is an effective way to allow the students to feel more at ease and less pressured as they take the test.
American students who attend HBCUs, are aware of the causes and effects of HIV and AIDS. If not, we should be because we are, first, young adults who should be aware of our health and the results of our actions. I’m almost certain that anyone who attends any institution has heard of each at least once. Therefore, we should be responsible for learning more
Lupita’s character, is at a beach in Santa Cruz with her parents. She ventures off on her own and enters a funhouse where she encounters an evil doppelganger. The movie then forwards to present day, where Thomas has developed a family of her own
Apple is expected to announce that it’s launching a video service that could compete with Netflix, Amazon and cable TV itself. It’s a long-awaited attempt from the iPhone maker, several years after Netflix turned “binge watching” into a worldwide phenomenon. The new video service is expected to have original TV shows and movies that reportedly cost Apple more than $1 billion — far less than Netflix and HBO spend every year. Also expected is a subscription service consisting of news, entertainment and sports bundled from newspapers and magazines. Apple is making the announcements at its Cupertino, California, headquarters during an event likely to be studded with Hollywood celebrities. The iPhone has long been Apple’s marquee product and main money maker, but sales are starting to decline. The company is pushing digital subscriptions as it searches for new growth. Making must-have TV shows and movies that are watchable on any device has propelled Netflix into a force in both Silicon Valley and Hollywood. But Apple remained focused on making on gadgets: iPhones, iPads, computers and its Apple TV streaming box for TVs. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs began toying with the idea of building a powerful TV business, but he couldn’t pull it off before his death in 2011. It has taken his successor, CEO Tim Cook, nearly eight years to draw up the script that the company will now try to execute. “Apple is very late to this game,” eMarketer analyst Paul Verna said. “Netflix has become the gold standard in how to create and distribute content, using all the data they have about their viewers.” Netflix’s prowess has attracted 139 million subscribers worldwide. But Apple will have several other deep-pocketed competitors
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about the virus. This is because most of us are sexually active. I believe that students who attend HBCUs are very much aware of what HIV and AIDS are; however, I don’t think that we are actively doing what’s necessary to guarantee that we don’t become victims of it...We don’t take the consequences of engaging in sex as seriously as we should.” HBCUs house mostly African-American students, which implies that it is moderately up to them to make an impact and affect the numbers aforementioned in a positive way. For more information about HIV/AIDS and AIDS prevention please be sure to visit www.HIV.gov
Movie Review: Jordan Peeles’ “US” Trevor Moore
The Southern Digest
Jordan Peele’s second horror film Us premiered in theaters this past Thursday, March 21. With this film having to fulfill some of the same expectations of his first film Get Out, Peele had to prove to his audience that he could catch audience’s attention again with yet another psychological thriller. The Academy Award winning writer, actor, and director created the film with the ideal theme that people are their own biggest enemy. Peele began his career with an acting role in Comedy. In 2003 he debuted on Fox’s Mad TV and continued on for 5 seasons, until leaving the show in 2008, just before the series ended in 2009. In 2012, he then created his own comedy series entitled Key & Peele featuring a co-starring role with comedian Keegan-Michael Key, which aired on Comedy Central for five seasons. The acting experience he received over the years prepared him to enter into the directing field. With all of the success and accolades he received from Get
Longawaited video service expected from Apple
This image released by Universal Pictures shows, from left, Evan Alex, Lupita Nyong’o and Shahadi Wright Joseph in a scene from “Us,” written, produced and directed by Jordan Peele. (Claudette Barius/Universal Pictures via AP)
Out, Peele attempts to put his unique vision on screen again to tell a different story. Previews for the cinema aired in 2018, just before Christmas. The film features a family composed of a husband portrayed by Winston Duke, wife Lupita Nyong’o, with children who are played by
Shahadi Wright Joseph, and Evan Alex. Although this is Joseph and Alex’s debut cinema, Nyong’o made her acting debut in the movie Twelve Years a Slave and Duke is most notably known for his role in the Marvel film Black Panther. The beginning of the movie is a flashback to the year 1986. Adelaide Thomas,
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Tuesday, March 26, 2019 - Page 9
Keenon Glover
The Southern Digest
The story of Hip-hop is often told like this: Clive Campbell was born into the dancehall culture of Kingston, Jamaica in 1955. He was fascinated by the sounds and artistry of the ‘disco jockeys’, and this fascination migrated with him to the Bronx at the age of 12. His towering stature earned him the nickname of ‘Hercules’ amongst his graffiti crew. In his latter teenage years, he acquired a rare copy of Sex Machine by James Brown, further intensifying his love for disco jockeying. This story is a lengthy one, but it eventually leads to him creating the genre now known as Hip-hop in August 11, 1973 at a party on Sedgwick Avenue. Since then, Hip-hop has become a vehicle for political movements, a cultural titan and a genre that grosses approximately $10 billion in the music industry per year. These a d v a nc ement s have given many groups of marginalized peoples, especially members of the African diaspora, a way to tell their stories to those who would
otherwise be oblivious. Kendrick Lamar, a child of a member of the Gangster Disciples who spent his youth in poverty, was the first non-classical or jazz artist to receive a Pulitzer Prize for his 2018 album DAMN, serving as a testament to the validity of the the creativity of Hip-hop. Yet, one of the largest controversies amongst the Hip-hop world is whether this creativity is still appreciated, and whether the community itself has just become “Hip-pop”. Recently, this conversation arose following videos showing rappers Blueface, Cardi B and NBA Youngboy giving virtually identical opinions on the genre: “I don’t give a f*** about rap.” The artists all stated that they pursued rap solely for the financial benefits, and that aspects such as lyricism, performances and variety hold no meaning to them. When one looks at how these artists handle the music industry, this lack of care seems to cause many issues for them. R e c e n t l y, L o s Angeles b o r n rapper
APPLE from page 8 fighting for consumers’ dollars. Amazon has also become a formidable force in video streaming. Walt Disney Co. is launching its own service this year, armed with an imposing library that became more formidable with its purchase of 21st Century Fox’s films and TV series. AT&T is debuting another streaming service built around HBO. Apple has plenty of money to spend, though, with about $245 billion in cash and marketable securities. It must prove itself attractive to Hollywood even
without a track record for supporting high-quality programming and then ensuring it gets widely seen. As part of its efforts to make quick connections, Apple hired two longtime Sony television executives, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, in 2017. They have reportedly signed up stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Aniston.
Blueface explained on the Breakfast Club radio show that he was unaware that he is currently signed to 4 different record labels, something that can pose legal issues for many artists. Each of these labels receives a portion of all profits made from any aspect of his career, ranging from songs to tour merchandise, to the tour profits themselves. As for Cardi B, her biggest criticism lies in the pinnacle of Hip-hop itself: lyrics. She expressed in a video on her Instagram page that, “I like to make money. I don’t really give a f*** about being lyrical.” She has been criticized for her usage of various songwriters, particularly the artist Pardison Fontaine. Initially, it was believed that the song Be Careful, from her debut album Invasion of Privacy, was copied from Fontaine based off a video of him singing a version of the song with his own vocals a year before the release of the album. Later, she clarified that he was a credited writer on the track. Recently, the importance of songwriting has become a symbol of influence in Hip-hop, though it was initially the status quo. Rappers such as J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z and Kendrick Lamar pride themselves on their writing, and often critique the See CULTURE page 10
and is on vacation in Santa Cruz. They visit the same beach where she first encountered the doppelganger, and though she experiences some frustration, and causes a scene, she makes it home to explain to her husband her feelings of discomfort. This is when the family learns about the counterparts of them all, which are called shadows. Adelaide’s shadow is the ringleader of the operation, as she assembles the rest of the shadows of the world to work together in a plot for world domination. Their main goal is to kill and replace them so they can live their lives out as humans. Each shadow appears
Rocelyn Hamilton
The Southern Digest
Megan Thee Stallion. Hot Girl Meg. Tina Snow. These are a few of the personas of the rising rapper hailing from Houston, Texas. Born Megan Pete, the rapper PETE began to gain attention two years ago when her verse over Drake’s “4pm in Calabasas” went viral on “The Houston Cypher”. A few months after the cypher, she released another freestyle titled ‘Stali Freestyle’, which quickly gained over a million views on YouTube and countless reposts on Instagram. Since then, Megan has garnered an influx of streaming numbers and a record deal with 300 Entertainment, making her the first woman to be signed to that label. Megan was exposed to rap at a young age thanks to her mother, Holly Thomas, being a rapper under the name ‘Holly-
photo: hiphop-n-more.com
STATE OF THE CULTURE
Megan Thee HBCU Stallion
See STALLION page 10
US from page 8 to be visibly the authentic human, but they seem to have traits that are opposite from the actual person. The family fights for their lives, and though Peele has a knack for comedy, he does not disappoint with the action, and suspense of the film to keep the audience on their toes. Peele did not want his audience to feel as if this film was based on prejudice persons and everyday racial issues that were similar to his last film, but the purpose was meant to promote constructive thinking.
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Industry Artists of the Modern Era: Shallow Vs. Deep Hannah Schlaman
The Southern Digest
Shakearah Winston
The Southern Digest Name/Stage Name: Audi Watson Genre: R&B Social Media: @Shawty_audi5k Soundcloud: adw504hokage Name/Stage Name: Matt Paige Genre: Hip Hop/ Rap Social Media: @mattpaige96 Soundcloud:mattpaige Name/Stage Name: Jorrian Ben/Furly Genre: Bounce Music Social Media: @LookFurly YouTube: LOOKFURLY Name/Stage Name: Mooce Genre: Hip-hop/Rap Social Media: @m00ce Soundcloud: Mooce Name/Stage Name: Amari Tatum/TatumSwag Genre: Hip-hop/ Rap Social Media: IG: @TatumSwag Twitter: @AmariTatum Soundcloud: @TatumSwag YouTube: @TatumSwag Name/Stage Name: Jalon Jones Genre: R&B Social Media: IG- @IAmJalon Twitter- @Shir_Jones Soundcloud: J.Jones Name/Stage Name: Micheal Bingham/Mike B Genre: R&B/ Soul, Gospel, and Covers Social Media: IG/Twitter : @Soulful_Keyz Soundcloud: OfficialMikeB1995 YouTube: Micheal Bingham
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The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Since the beginning of time, music has played an unbelievably influential part society. Though it may not be recognized, music artists are constantly impacting that society in some way, shape, or form. A shallow artist is an artist who may not realize how great an impact they have, a mainstream ideal, and whose impact to society is more detrimental rather than beneficial. A deep artist is someone who speaks with a message, with intentions of opening the minds and eyes of their listeners. A shallow artist of this generation would be someone like Kanye West. What really makes him one of the most shallow artists is the way he has carried himself as a black man, and by the way he has voiced his opinion on some controversial issues. The biggest and most memorable event involving Kanye was when he spoke on TMZ Live, claiming that he thinks slavery was an act of choice. Everyone has a right to their own opinion but just by him blatantly speaking without factual information behind his opinion with decades of information behind this topic,
it was shallow for him to not choose his words wiser and with supportive arguments. As representing a black man in today’s society, his actions impacted the black community and more so his image. Another artist who would fall into this category would be 6ix9ine. Though he has had a lot of popular hit songs, his persona and message he sends to his audience is less than impressive. His music communicates an unhealthy state of mind, seeing himself above others, including the law. While his music may not have first be accepted by the masses, many of his listeners mimic traits of his personality, which overall damages the minds of any fans. Contrasting, recently deceased Mac Miller was a deep artist. Again, people will have their opinion about any artist, but from the many rappers, Mac Miller was an artist who preached about a lifestyle he lived. The way he portrayed his music was always through a bigger message, not by what he thought would bring him top hits and nominations. Positivity and prosperity was something a listener could take away from from his music. Another artist who would fall into this deeper category
Shallow Artists: Kanye West ; “Ultralight beam” and “Mercy” Kodak Black ; “Tunnel Vision” xxxtentacion ; “Look At Me!” 6ix9ine ; “FEFE” NBA Youngboy ; “I Am Who They Say I Am” Travis Scott ; “WAKE UP” Deep Artists: Mac Miller ; “Stay” Logic ; “Never Been” J. Cole ; “Crooked Smile” Drake ; “Nice For What” Big Sean ; “I Know” Kendrick Lamar ; “HUMBLE”
would be Drake, from peers, some consider him to be a soft rapper, an artist who spends more time in his feelings than in the studio. But to others, Drake is highly slept on. He is considered a deep artist because one aspect that Drake has that many other artists in the industry don’t have is versatility, and having versatility and depth in his music puts him into a category of greatness and a maker of meaningful music.
Kodak Black vs. Young M.A.
Shakearah Winston
The Southern Digest
Kodak Black, a Florida native rapper, has been in the media a lot recently relating to feuds with women on social media from Lil Wayne’s daughter, Reginae Carter, her mother Toya, and now the latest being with Brooklyn rapper Young M.A. Performing at the Springfest concert Thursday, what does his presence mean on an HBCU campus. Kodak Black released his new song “Pimpin Ain’t Easy” February 25. The song ignited controversy across social media platforms, as he addressed Young M.A, an openly gay artist, in a sexual manner. Pieces of the song are riddled with homophonic sentiments, “I don’t even see the confusion, I’m f****** Young M.A as long as she got a c*****.” The song referred to her in the chorus as well. He used derogatory remarks such as “dyke”, rapping, “I go Young M.A on these dumb b******, like a dyke man you n***** can’t f*** with me.” Young M.A responded on Instagram live by saying that he was “weird” and the people
in her comments were weird as well for continuing to bring it up. She stated, “Obviously the n**** is weird, obviously he’s on some s***.” She also stated, “I know I’m a female..but at the end of the day that’s not my preference.” Afterwards, Kodak Black responded to Young M.A’s live video by saying “How you a girl, but don’t want your pu*** penetrated? Don’t be mad at me because I want you baby.” Many people on YouTube and The Shade Room expressed the disrespect the LGBTQIA community felt. Their response lying in the fact that he didn’t respect her preference and others thought it was okay because at the end of the day, she is in fact still a woman. In his song “Pimpin Ain’t Easy”, he also referred to other women such as Dej Loaf, and Missy Elliot. He stated that he was “f****** Dej Loaf like a stud”, and told Missy Elliot to “come sex me”. How far should we go with this situation? Should Kodak Black be punished for his words or rewarded for his boldness? If a gay man pursued Kodak Black, an openly straight man in a sexual manner for his
DIGEST Illustration
anatomy before his preference, would it still be funny? Would it still be okay or would it be harassment? It all comes down to one question, should we respect people’s preference or our own opinions first?
CULTURE from page 9 heavy usage of ghostwriters and songwriters in Hip-hop. This conversation begs the questions, has Hip-hop strayed too far from its roots, or are some artists still stuck in the ‘old school’? STALLION from page 9 Wood’. It was Thomas who also told Megan to hold off on starting a career until she was 21 after she found out about her daughters talent. Thomas, who also was Megan’s manager, passed away on March 22. “I knew I wanted to be a rapper when I was like 5. My mom was a rapper. I would go to the studio with her, and that definitely showed me I can do this, I wanna do this,” said the 24 year old in a recent interview with ESSENCE magazine. Megan released her first EP, Make it Hot, in 2017 and followed it up with Tina Snow in June 2018, channeling one of the many aliases of her favorite rapper Pimp C., Tony Snow. The mixtape debuted at #2 on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts and has gained over 11 million streams across all platforms. The project includes singles like ‘Freak Nasty’, ‘Cognac Queen’, and the more popular ‘Big Ol’ Freak’, which moved up to #21 on the Billboard Hip Hop Charts and has over 2 million views on YouTube. Despite having a fast-growing career, the Houston rapper is also a college student. Megan is currently a full-time student enrolled at Texas Southern University pursuing a degree in Health Administration. “For anybody who’s in college, once you start and you already start spending money on it, and you already put all this time into your education, I don’t feel like it’s necessary to give up because you already put so much time into your education,” the artist explains in an interview with DJ Booth. However, Megan Thee Stallion is not the only one to have a career while still in school. Well known rapper and bounce artist, Treety, has also accomplished the same. Treety graduated in December of 2017 from Southern University with a degree in Mass Communications. In an Instagram post reflecting back on her graduation the rapper says, “I had a family member ask me so what you gone do with that degree and I told her nothing I’m a rapper and she thought I was a joke. And a lot of people do but that’s the people I gotta make out of an example when I get to where I’m going.” Megan Thee Stallion is slated to graduate in the fall of 2019 and hopes to open up assisted living facilities in Houston.
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Legalization Versus Decriminalization: It doesn’t make sense, but just go with it Dante Davis
The Southern Digest
The laws surrounding the possession and use of marijuana over the past couple years have been getting looser and looser. States and counties around the country have been decriminalizing, and even legalizing it. People tend to get confused, however, on the topic of decriminalization versus legalization as they are often used interchangeably when they shouldn’t be. Legalization is when the state, or hopefully in a couple years the federal government, passes a law regulating the sale and use of marijuana for either recreational or medical use. Think of California and Colorado when it comes to sale and possession, since both are completely legal there. Now, decriminalization is where marijuana is still entirely illegal, but the penalties surrounding possession and usage typically will not land you in prison. Baton Rouge and New Orleans are both examples of marijuana being decriminalized as both cities have passed city ordinances, laws enforceable only in a particular city passed by the governing body of said city, on personal marijuana use. The two ordinances, Section 54-505 and Section 13:966 of the New Orleans
and Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances, are significantly more lax in their respective punishments for “simple” marijuana possession or of less than 14 grams. As opposed to the state law, found in Title 40 Section 966 and Section 1046 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, that calls for 15 days in parish jail and/or a fine of $300, the two city ordinances call for a fine of just $40 with no jail time whatsoever. Because there is a conflict between the state law and city law, it is up to the local court system to determine which one to follow. In this case, the city ordinance should take precedence over state law, because the intent of the city ordinance is to cut down on the number of people serving jail or prison time for marijuana possession. Meaning, that a person caught with 14 grams or less in either Baton Rouge or New Orleans will potentially only have to pay a $40 fine. This all works because city ordinances act as a more specific code of law for an individual city since cities can range drastically in population, culture, and political orientation. New Orleans and Baton Rouge both have more cases of marijuana possession since one is a college town and the other is a tourist attraction. Also, both lean more towards Democrats than anywhere else in Louisiana. This means
that neither city wants harsh punishments, nor does the legal system have the capacity to deal with every incident of marijuana possession, hence the city ordinance. All in all, decriminalization versus legalization can be summed up as this; with decriminalization, marijuana is still illegal, but there is no significant punishment for it. Legalization means that the sale and use of it are regulated in some way, shape, or form by some government entity. Personally, it doesn’t make sense to me why you would not have a punishment for something but still have it be illegal, but hey, what do I know.
Black Intersectionality
Keenon Glover
The Southern Digest
“There is no such thing as a singleissue struggle, because we do not lead single-issue lives.” Author and activist Audre Lorde said this in 1982 during her speech, “Learning from the 60’s.” The meaningfulness of this holds even more importance in this day and age than when Lorde originally said it. As the representation of Black people in the arts, media and politics grows at a steady rate, it has become increasingly obvious how diverse we truly are. These revelations, however, has caused much dishevelment amongst the Black community, particularly when sexual orientation or gender identity is mentioned. In fact, even mentioning the LGBTQ+ community is often treated as a taboo in many households, especially those with strong Christian and Muslim foundations. Not only does this get in the way of straight and cisgendered (those who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) children being prepared to interact with diverse groups of people in their adulthood, it also causes queer children to feel alienated in their own community. Queer Black activists such as Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Marsha P. Johnson and Bayard Rustin often have their queerness disregarded when their influence on Black liberation is mentioned, and this is much more of an issue than most realize. We even see this in our art, such as The Color Purple. Alice Walker herself was a lesbian, and wove elements of her sexual identity into this book. In Steven Spielberg’s movie based off of the book, her sexual identity was largely removed.
DIGEST Illustration
This same “straight-washing” occured in Black Panther, which originally gave a nod to Okoye’s lesbian relationship from the contemporary Black Panther storyline. When we ignore the other identities that Black people can experience outside of our race, it turns our image into a monolithic form of itself. Without the distinctions we have, our story of growth and progression hits a dead-end. In simpler terms, we end up hating each other because we can’t acknowledge our differences, and therefore can’t respect them. Lorde spoke fiercely against sexism, racism, classism, homophobia and all other forms of oppression in her speech because she suffered from all of these issues. This forced her to understand that they are different dialects of the same language, hate. It is impossible to speak up against the anti-Black effects of colonialism without acknowledging that they also distanced us from the cultures of Africa that embraced sexual and gender ambiguity. It’s also impossible to acknowledge these “queer spiritualities” without acknowledging how respected women were in these pre-
colonial societies. Ultimately, it is essential to to amplify the voices of Black people who face intersectional identities, or we may suffer without the perspectives they have to offer. Although conversations such as these may go against the teachings of older generations, just like conversations surrounding natural hair, skin color, gender roles, health and education. As the future (and present) influencers of the Black community, we must remind ourselves of the importance of a diverse narrative, as well as challenging the current one. EDITORIAL/ OPINION POLICY
This Southern DIGEST is not responsible for individual opinions expressed in submissions, editorials, opinions/commentary pieces. It is the sole opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of any professional faculty, staff or administrator of the University.
Same Ol’ Springfest Leah Williams
The Southern Digest
Springfest really is one of the top three most highly anticipated weeks in the spring semester. Personally, the only week more important than Springfest is spring break. With the stress of the semester, some students, including myself, use this week to unwind and have fun with their friends. The line-up of events is always phenomenal, but it’s always pretty much the same. Every year we know we’re going to have the concert, the comedy show, and huge Pretty Wednesday, some kind of community service event and a crawfish boil. Usually, we have a fashion show, but for some reason we don’t this year. Can we switch it up sometimes? We could do so many more things. What about a pool party? The pool in Seymour has been up to code for a while now. I know at first, many students would be reluctant to go, but the ones that do go can enjoy themselves. This would be more of an RA thing than an SGA thing, but what if all of the residential halls hosted video game tournaments? Everyone could put in $5 and show their banner or ID to prove they’re a student to enter the tournament, then the winner gets the money. One hall can do NBA 2K, one could do Madden, one could do a dance video game, etc. Or even, what about a pool tournament in Lacumba’s Playpen with the same rules of entry? Then, the community service event is always over the weekend. Many students, like myself, work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but still want to get involved with the community service events. What about doing several campus beautification events throughout the week? Our campus gets extremely dirty during Springfest week, so having several campus cleaning events will help the custodial staff tremendously. It will also benefit the student body by giving us multiple chances to participate in community service events during the week. Another idea for Springfest, moving Pretty Wednesday from that afternoon to that night. I remember having an event in front of the Student Union at night a few semesters back, and many students had a great time. Or, even if it is during the day, we should have more tables and encourage student business owners to sell their products. I know sometimes we have events where student entrepreneurs can do this in the Student Union, but it shouldn’t be limited to once a year, and should definitely be encouraged during one of the biggest weeks of the year on campus. These are just some ideas from one of the thousands of Southern and SUSLA connect students on campus. Pretty much every year, we either get a survey in our SUBR email, or SGA asks Twitter who we want as artists for the concert. For real diversity of events, the same should happen for new ideas for events.
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