Visit our website Volume 73, Issue 4
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
WHAT’S INSIDE
Pretty Wednesday Goes Dark Whitney Thomas
The Southern Digest
“Most HBCUs are very firm about sticking to tradition, but here at Southern University, we aren’t afraid of progression and have the ability to switch things up a bit. That’s what makes us so unique from the rest.” Says Lauryn Freeman, a Sophomore fashion major here at Southern. Wednesday September 11th at 8:00pm saw Southern broke from tradition as the first Pretty Wednesday “After Dark” took place. Unlike common Pretty Wednesday events held in the day time, this nightly event came with a different vibe. Not only were there more students but there were also many things that took place during this event that brought more student amusement. Student Government had a lot to do with this leading to an outstanding turnout for the night. Pretty Wednesday is an event that has been ongoing for years on Southern’s campus. It all started as a day to dress up in business casual clothes, representing the future Black students of the corporate world, but has slowly changed to a day less about professional development and more about social development as it has turned into a mini outdoor party each Wednesday. Executive Director for PreCollege and Outreach and class of 92 graduate, Dr. Camacia SmithRoss, wants Pretty Wednesday to return to its roots, “There were no Pretty Wednesday when I was an undergrad. I think that it’s great that its a time to socialize but I also think that it could serve a better role in being a networking event.” Tents for students who were campaigning surrounded students and became one of the main attractions of the night, as free candy, and drinks were handed out as bribery to gain students votes. In between songs each candidate would introduce themselves, tell their classifications, and inform students to vote for them. Just when you though the event was starting to settle, in came the Greeks giving off their best See GOING DARK page 3
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SPORTS
NEWS
Jaguars Blowout Edward Waters
Ballots fron the Bluff
A&E
Coppin’ Our Rights
Campaign Week Recap: Miss Senior, Miss Freshman Announced see News pg. 3
see Sports pg. 4
Senior agricultural economics major from Winnsboro, Desrael Dumas, cries tears of joy as she is announced as the 2019-2020 Miss Senior elect on September 13 in front of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)
Lealer Sims
The Southern Digest
The start of the week of September 9 brought with it posters and signs, campaign tables, and hopeful candidates taking pictures and giving out free food and merch as campaign week ramped up. Campaign week happens annually as upper and lower classmen vie to fill various positions within the Student Government Association. The SGA has a cabinet made up of a president, vice-president, three senators, and two justices
see A&E pg. 8
Dominique Taylor a freshman political science major from Mobile, AL stares in awe as she is announced as the 2019-2020 MIss Freshman elect on September 13 in front of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)
from each matriculating class of students to represent the values and issues of their respective student populations as they continue their studies at Southern. SGA also offers four titles within the Royal Court for young women: Miss Freshman, Miss Sophomore, Miss Junior, and Miss Senior for each of the respective graduating classes. If the class president and cabinet is the voice of each year of See RECAP page 3
Prelude to the Career Fair: Organizations host Professional Development events Dante Davis
The Southern Digest
Director of Career Services, Tamara Foster Montgomery, has always said that the students “need to take ownership of their journey during their matriculation at Southern University and take care of business in the classroom so that they can get gainful employment once they graduate,” and it seems that the message is being heard loud and clear by the student body as students began preparing for the career fair as various organizations on campus hosted professional development events during the week of September 9. These events ranged from simple resume
writing workshops and mock interviews to professional attire demonstrations as both Beta Kappa Chi and the National Society of Black Engineers hosted a resume writing workshop. Students came and received instruction in how to write a resume, what information to put, and how to frame any work experience in the best possible light. Students were also encouraged to bring their own resumes to have them critiqued in preparation for the career fair. Not to be outdone, the Association for Computikng Machinery hosted a LinkedIn workshop for students looking to build their See PRELUDE page 3
www.southerndigest.com THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
COMMENTARY
HBCU: Numbers on the Rise
see Comm. pg. 11
Publication Information southerndigest.com
Page 2 - Tuesday, September 17, 2019
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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.
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Campus Briefs
Jaguar Speakout Be sure to check out our YouTube channel for the latest edition of Jaguar Speakout. Who knows, YOU could be featured on our next episode! School of Nursing The SUSON will be holding its annual WIC clinic weekly, Mon - Fri from 9am - 3:30pm in the nursing building. For more information or to set up an appointment, contact the clinic at (225) - 771 - 3324. Honda National Quiz Bowl Competition Calling the Best and the Brightest!!!!!! Become a Part of the Southern University National Quiz Bowl Team The local Honda National Quiz Bowl Competition will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, at 6:00pm in Smith Brown Cotillion Ballroom. Please sign-up for the competition in Room #103 at the Dolores Spikes Honors College before Tuesday, October 14, 2019 at 5:00pm. Prizes will be given to participants. Contact: Deadra James Mackie- 225-771-4854 College of Business The Department of Accounting, Finance, and Economics is offering ten $2,000 scholarships to current freshman and sophomore students to provide support to Finance majors who are pursuing a concentration in risk management and insurance. Contact Ms. Holmes at 225-771-5934 or adela_ holmes@subr.edu for details. Residential Life & Housing Dorm Queen Pageant The Department of Residential Life & Housing invites you to relive the Beyoncé Homecoming experience at this year’s Dorm Queen Selection Pageant to be held in the Event Center on Tues 9/17 at 7pm Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition The Southern University Visual Arts Gallery in Hayden Hall will be displaying recent works from visual arts faculty members. The
gallery will be open Mon - Thurs from 10am - 4pm through Oct 3. Contact Randall Henry at 225771-4109 for more info.
Wednesday at 5:30 pm at the Wesley Foundation. ALL students are welcome! Please call (225) 775-4106 for more information!
Lacumba Spinners SU One Card The SU Lacumba Spinners are If you have completed the holding auditions on September registration process and have 20-21 in the Intramural Complex. not received your Southern Students are required to wear all University ID “SU1 Card”, black dance attire, bring a $25 please follow the attached registration fee, and student ID. All instructions to obtain your interested individuals email your card. Only first time students, name and classification to su_lacumbaspinners@yahoo.com transfers and returning students who require an ID at this time should complete the SU1 Card PrettyGirlTalk: ID Form. The ID office is The Glam Experience currently located in J.B. Moore The Collegiate 100 Black Hall auditorium. Women of Southern University & PrettyGirlTalk will be hosting 2019 Bayou Classic BizTech a shopping and networking Challenge session featuring black female Students have an opportunity entrepreneurs and professionals on to win $10,000 by entering Mon 9/23 at 7:30pm in the Event business ideas into the Fall Center Pitch Competition. Proposals must be submitted by teams Headshot Day of 3-5 members no later than The Urban Forestry Graduate Oct 22 at 5pm. Visit www. Association will be providing $7 biztechchallenge.com for more professional headshot services info. campus wide on Tues 9/24 from 12:30pm - 4:30pm in Rm. 104 Jaguar Athletics of Fisher Hall. All proceeds Football go towards efforts to improve Sat 9/21 ~ 6pm and sustain the on-campus v. Florida A&M environment. Tallahasse, FL 2019 Career Exploration Week Soccer The Office of Career Services will Wed 9/18 ~ 6pm be sponsoring Career Exploration v. UL-Monroe Week 9/15-9/19, highlighted by Jaguar Park the Fall Career Fair Wed 9/18 at the F.G. Clark Activity Center Volleyball from 10:00am-3:00pm. **Troy Tournament** Fri 9/20 Food Pantry v. The Citadel SU students are able to visit the v. Florida A&M Jaguar Eats food pantry located next to the computer lab in the Sat 9/21 Smith-Brown Memorial Student @ Troy Union every Mon, Wed, and Fri from 4:00pm-8:00pm to receive Combined Cross Country free food items. Student IDs must Sat 9/21 be present. 2nd Annual Nicholls State CXC Invitational Camphor Memorial UMC Wesley Foundation Bible Study, Fellowship, Food and Fun! Join Pastor Elenora M. Cushenberry and Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church every
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Ballots from the Bluff Paris Duncan
The Southern Digest
As election season is upon us, organizations on campus are making an effort to ensure that students are registered and knowledgeable about the issues on the ballet as the Gamma Eta Omega and Beta Psi chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. hosted a voter registration drive September 14. Voter registration events serve as an important step in getting students involved in the election process. Because young people, particularly young black people, are the least likely to vote, politicians cater less to the interests of them. This means that issues such as internet privacy and other important issues for young people are brushed aside. Organizations such as Southern University’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is currently planning a variety of
events to help get students excited about the voting process. NAACP Chapter President, Kelsey Perine, encourages everyone to go out and get registered for elections this fall, “The Southern University Chapter of NAACP hopes to encourage students to go vote by empowering them with the necessary information needed to decisions in the polls. We want all students to feel confident when they go in the polls that they know exactly who and what they are voting for. We are working with administration, SGA, and other organizations to hopefully provide candidate forums, rallies, and transportation to the polls in order to get students out to vote. We also have an initiative called the High School Voter Program where we are registering eligible high schoolers and teaching them the importance of voting and civic engagement. “
Here is a short list of tips to help you become an informed voter. •
Know your candidates: its ideal to research your candidates to get a decent look at who you are electing to make decisions for you and your family. Use reputable resources to research policies they’ve implemented in their communities and if they have been involved in any community outreach. How about the issues that matter to you? Is the candidate in support of those same values and able to economically oversee that those things get done? Great places to research a candidate’s past office experience would be federal sites such as congress.gov or your state legislature website. (http://www.legis.la.gov)
•
Know your district: Districts are not limited to the booths. The electoral college for federal elections work on a single-winner based system. Which means, voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. According to Ballotpedia.org, “If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner.” Therefore your electoral college winners in Louisiana is dependent upon votes in local elections. Hence, why community participation is vital. Districts can be found at (http://house.louisiana.gov/) and are redrawn every 10 years.
•
Updating and Verifying Voter Registration: most voter registrations are still done by paper. Because paper can easily be disposed of or “lost” it’s imperative that you insure you are not only registered by in your correct district but also that you are registered on the Louisiana Secretary of State Website (https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/registrar) and provide the necessary information. Keep in mind also that every state is required to allow individuals not residing in their home state an opportunity to vote in elections via a mail in ballot, so being an out-ofstate student is no excuse to not vote.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - Page 3 RECAP from page 1
students, then the class queen is the face as each one of them serve as the class representative for special events outside of Southern. The available spots for this year’s campaign week were Freshman class president and cabinet, four justices and five senators spread out among the four classes along with Miss Freshman and Miss Senior. The Association for Women Students, a branch of SGA that represents all the women on campus, also had an open position for vice president. As the positions for Junior and Senior class president and cabinet were already filled, the most closely watched election this year was the race between candidates vying for Miss Freshman and Miss Senior. Dominique Taylor from Mobile, Alabama and Hayley Wesley from Shrevport, Louisiana were the two candidates running for Miss Freshman while Desrael Dumas from Winnsboro, Louisiana and Tamiko Stroud from Donaldsonville, Louisiana were campaigning for Miss Senior. The two candidates for Miss Senior each have different but equally selfless reasons for why they are going through the trouble of campaigning. Tamikio Shroud wants help students as they prepare to transition from college student to professional, “I just want to make sure I can pass the knowledge I’ve learned these past three years on to others to ease their transition from college to beginning their career,” while Desrael Dumas is focused on improving campus unity, “I want to become Miss Senior because
I want to bring unity to the senior class as well as implement programs that are geared towards life after college.” Throughout the week the four candidates participated in various events to promote themselves and speak in front of the student body and state why they are the most worthy of the title of Miss Freshman or Senior. Thursday brought with it the Fall Revue, a pageant designed to just that as the contenders showcase themselves in front of the student body in as they show off not only their grace and style, but also their intelligence through a live interview with the Elections Committee. The Elections Commissioner of the Student Government Association, Ariel Briggs, explained that she wanted things to make sure the candidates understood the weight of each of the titles, “the Elections Committee is more hands-on with the candidates this year. We want to make sure that the candidates have a better understanding of the code.” As the class queens are used by the university in marketing and at public events, it’s understandable that they face a large amount of scrutiny, ““[The expectations for the candidates is that] they uphold the campaigns that they pushed all week and represent the university in a good light.” While each of the candidates were deserving of their respective titles for class queen, there could only ever be two winners. The results were announced on Friday, September 13, and saw Desrael Dumas and Dominique Taylor being crowned as Miss Senior and Miss Freshman respectively. PRELUDE from page 1
Students gather around Smith-Brown Memorial Union to enjoy their first pretty Wednesday at night on September 11. (Amari Cannon/DIGEST)
strolls, leaving the crowd more hyped throughout the night. Next the attention shifted to the red carpet located on one side of the union, as different candidates running for student government each strutted up and down one by one showing over their boldness of confidence and different looks. Alycia primus, a nursing major Freshman expressed how she feels the event should be held on more nights, “Most students have class during the times that Pretty Wednesday is taking place, including me. Imagine how many more students
would enjoy the event if it were held on some nights. I Know for a fact I would.” After the two-hour event ended students then took to twitter to express how much of a good time, they had and how putting some pretty Wednesday at night wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Overall many students were pleased with the event, and the student government president, Donald Dunbar, received great feedback. Hopefully Southern students will continue to go beyond the tradition, and continue switching things up beyond the usual standpoints.
brand on the LinkedIn social site. With thousands of employers and well over ten million active job listings, LinkedIn is a powerful resource that is often underutilized and misused. President of the Association for Computing Machinery, Gerren Smith, commented that everyone left with a better understanding of how to best leverage the platform, “The networking capabilities that LinkedIn offers as a platform to sell yourself on a professional level [makes it incredibly valuable].” Resumes can be the difference between getting an interview and not hearing back from a company, making them crucial for students who have limited if any job experience. This is why Career Services also offers resume critiques throughout the entire year for students as well as mock interviews. In addition to the clothing that Career Services routinely gives
out to students in need, they also partnered with JCPenney to allow students to purchase any professional attire at the store with a sixty percent discount on September 15, enabling students to purchase any dress shirts, skirts, suits, and everything else that is expected for a job interview. As Mrs. Montgomery said, it’s up to each student to take advantage of these opportunities. College is just as much about getting ready for life as an adult as it is about getting a degree. The Vice-President of the National Society of Black Engineers, Makenzie Richard, explains how crucial it is for students to participate in these events, “Professional development events help students build their brand. By getting them to envision themselves in the work force, looking and sounding the part, it brings them closer to their professional goals.”
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Sports southerndigest.com
Page 4 - Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Jaguars Blow-Out Edward Waters
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Jayln Garner
The Southern Digest
Opening their home schedule vs Edward Waters, Coach Dawson Odums and the Southern University Jaguars football team gave A.W. Mumford Stadium a show before having to head to Tallahassee next week. Southern’s defense set the tone early in the first quarter, stuffing the run against Edward Waters and causing a three and out to begin the game. Punting for Edward Waters worked in the favor Southern for most of the game with the offense having great field position to start their first offensive drive. Running Back Devon Benn had an efficient game rushing the ball. The Jaguars rushed for 407 yards against Edward Waters defense, which was a huge part of the offense all game. Last week, Memphis staggered the Jags run game, so to bounce back and run the ball down EWC throats flawlessly is a check in the box for the Jaguar offense. Early in the first quarter, Benn gave the Jaguars their first touchdown of many from him, giving Southern an early 7-0 lead. Mid first quarter, a QB run from second year starter Ladarius Skelton pushed the lead to 14-0. After a penalty by EWC on a fair catch, Southern’s defensive end Jalen Ivy beats his man and forces a safety to bring
Red shirt Junior., Ladarious Skelton, scrambles out of the pocket against Edward Waters College during the 2nd Annual Pete Richardson Classic on Saturday, September 14 at A.W. Mumford Stadium. (Joseph Delaney-McAllister/DIGEST)
the score to 16-0 Southern. The secondary played especially well on the ball throughout the game, forcing three turnovers. The turnovers started off with an interception by safety Benjamin Harris in the endzone, leading to Southern extending their lead. DE Jordan Lewis recorded a 95 yard pick six, which was subsequently followed by an interception by CB Tamaurice Smith early in the fourth quarter. The 95 yard pick 6 by defensive end Jordan Lewis was a tail sign of just how in sync the
Southern defense had been all game. To put the cherry on top to end the game, CB OJ Tucker finishes the game for good with sack, Southern’s only of the game. By the late third quarter, Southern stretched their lead to a staggering 54-0. The game plan for the matchup against EWC was to get the ground game going, and that plan was executed thoroughly. Benn, who recorded three rushing touchdowns and 120 yards in the 3rd quarter alone, says that “ It’s always great to put that one in the right hand
ultimately game ending goal by (Soph) forward Skyla Sykes. The Lady Jags were presented multiple opportunities in the game with chances to compete down the stretch, but wide shots by Cordney Armstrong and forward Lauryn McKinney late in the game soured any thoughts of a Jaguar victory. Dropping the game with a score of 3-0, the Lady Jaguars couldn’t muster up a comeback against the Cajuns late in the second half. “When you play teams of that caliber like ULL, you have to take chances and we didn’t,” said head coach Jeremy Fontenot after the game. Ultimately, the season is still in its early stages, but without a win on the board yet, Southern’s head coach Jeremy Fontenot will have a lot that he wants to see his team improve on as the Jags look forward to SWAC play. The Lady Jaguars will play Troy in their home opener at Jaguar Park on Friday September 13 @5pm to kickoff their home schedule.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been diagnosed with a torn ligament near the thumb of his throwing hand that is expected to sideline him at least six weeks, said a person familiar with the situation. Brees has elected to have surgery, but it is not yet clear when the operation will take place or who will perform it, the person said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the diagnosis has not been announced. Brees left Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter after the thumb on his right hand hit the hand of on-rushing Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald on the follow trough of a throw. The Saints lost the game 27-9, with backup Teddy Bridgewater going 17 for 30 passing for 165 yards during the last three-plus quarters. Brees has missed only one full game because of an injury in his previous 13 seasons with New Orleans. The Saints narrowly lost that game, with Luke McCown at quarterback, at Carolina during the 2015 season. Brees is the NFL’s all-time leader in completions with 6,621 and yards passing with 74,845. His 522 touchdowns tie him for second all-time with New England’s Tom Brady, 17 behind retired former Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. The Saints are practicing this week in the Seattle area before playing the Seahawks on Sunday. New Orleans’ five games after they play Seattle are
Jaguar Soccer Leaves New Orleans Winless Debrandin Brown
The Southern Digest
Early into this 2019-2020 season, the Southern University Women’s Soccer Team haven’t had too much to prowl about, having already lost their first two games of the season. In their most recent game against Stephen F. Austin, the Jags looked to break their early losing streak. The University of LouisianaLafayette (ULL) Ragin Cajuns started off in rhythm early with a goal by senior Katherine Whittman, which tallied up to her second goal of the season, coming off an assist from freshman Rachel Sutter. The first half of the game saw the Ragin Cajuns take an early 1-0 lead, with good defensive play from both teams carrying over into the second half of play. Southern’s sophomore goalie Chioma Eriken had a total of six saves in the second half of the game. Ragin Cajuns midfielder Una Einarsdottir hit a goal midway through the second half, her first of the season followed by another
column, we came out with high intensity, great execution and just knew what we had to do.” Southern’s starting center Jaylon Brinson described teammate Devon Benn as a “human joystick”, saying that “because we can do our job he can do his. With us being able to open up lanes it allows him to do his job.” According to quarterback LaDarius Skelton, once the offense put their foot on the gas pedal, there was no looking back and they never held back. “Getting the running game
started helps with the opening up the passing game,” said Skelton. Although it was a 61 point blowout, head coach Dawson Odums felt as if the game was far from flawless Jaguar football. Feeling as though the team did play consistent throughout the game, the most glaring thing was the two fifteen yard penalties by Southern and a missed field goal. “A selfish category in football” said Odums about the penalties. “This go around, I feel you saw a more complete football team on the field, and I feel like our defense is getting a lot better, now can we duplicate that same performance against a better football team that we play against on Saturday.” said Odums. According to Odums, going into a renewed rivalry on Florida A&M University’s home field will be tough next week. “ They’re a tough opponent and it’s tough to win up there. I’ve been fortunate enough to go up there and play but they’re going to have a great crowd.” Having high expectations of Jaguar Nation coming in droves to cheer on the Jaguars, Coach Odom has great faith that this classic match-up will be great for college football. Coach Odums and the Southern Jaguars head to Tallahassee, Florida to face rival Florida A&M University for the first time in seven years. Kick-off begins @5 at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
AP Source: Saints’ Brees has torn ligament in thumb
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees watches from the sidelines after getting hurt during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
against Dallas, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Chicago and Arizona, followed by a Week 9 bye. Bridgewater, who returned this season on a one-year, free-agent deal, is the primary backup. Taysom Hill, who plays a variety of skill positions on offense and also plays on special teams, is the third string QB. It remains to be seen how his playing time at various positions will be affected if he is elevated to second-string QB while Brees is out. At 1-1, the Saints are tied for first place in the NFC South. They entered the season with high expectations after advancing to the NFC title game last season, losing to the Rams in a game marred by officials’ non-call of pass interference and helmet-to-helmet contact fouls committed by a Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman against then Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis.
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Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - Page 5
Photos of the week southerndigest.com
Page 6 - Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
The 89th Miss Southern University, Alacia Brew, accompanies the Miss Senior and Miss Freshman candidates during their Fall 2019 Revue on Septemeber 12, 2019 in the University Event Center. (Jodeci Ashford/DIGEST)
Southern University student volunteers finish off their guided reading service event with Ryan Elementary students on September 13 for the Reading Hour hosted by the Junior Class. (Sydney Brown/DIGEST).
Members of Omega Psi Phi discuss topics about relationships while hosting “Red Flag Event� in Reed Hall Tuesday September 10 (Jalynn Jacobs)/DIGEST)
Participants of the True Blue Legends Golf Classic line up in golf carts to begin playing at Santa Maria Golf Course on September 13. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)
SUBR President Dr. Ray L. Belton being interviewed by WAFB at the True Blue Legends Golf Classic on September 13 at Santa Maria Golf Course. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc tailgate and stroll on their plot before the first home game of the season on Saturday September 14. (Adriana Trosclair/DIGEST)
Members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. participating in Late Night Pretty Wednesday hosted by on September 11. (Amari Cannon/Digest)
The Jaguars defensive line gets ready to take down Edward Waters College at the first home game of the season on saturday September 14 in Ace W. Mumford Stadium. (Adriana Trosclair/DIGEST)
Photos of the week southerndigest.com
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. collect toiletry items for women during their Code Red Feminine Hygiene Drive on September 11 in the Union Lobby. (Adriana Trosclair/DIGEST)
Membes of the Dallas Alumni Chapter pose for a quick photo with the the Southern University Volleyball Team before their match against UT-Arlington. (Courtesy: Paisley Martin)
Senior agricultural economics major, Desrael Dumas reacts with shock and excitement upon hearing the results for Miss Senior in the 2019 Fall Elections in front of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Friday, September 13. (Rocelyn Hamilton/DIGEST)
Dominique Taylor, a Political Science major from Mobile, Alabama, is full of emotion after hearing the 2019 Fall Elections results for Miss Freshman on Friday, September 13 on the steps of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union. (Rocelyn Hamilton/DIGEST).
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - Page 7
Southern Alumni enjoying the Football Extravaganza in the F.G Activity Center on September, 13. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST)
Miss Freshman elect, Dominique Taylor, stands at her campaign table with supports during Elections Week fall 2019. (Davon Jackson/DIGEST)
Arts & Entertainment Page 8 - Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Reading Hour with Ryan Elementary Kennon Glover
The Southern Digest
The state of Louisiana has had a complex relationship with education, having its education system ranked in 48th place by U.S. News & World Report. With statistics such as this being the face of learning across the country, many in the state have called for a culture shift to change these numbers. Here at Southern University, that change has already begun. Last Friday, student volunteers from Southern University spent their day at Ryan Elementary for their Reading Hour. The purpose of this event is to teach better literacy and reading comprehension through guided reading. Junior class president Kelsey Perine expressed the inspiration behind the event, “Donald Dunbar, the former Junior Class President and the current SGA president, held the same event last year and we wanted to continue. Hopefully, future junior class presidents continue it.” She also expressed her appreciation for the event and her desire to serve the local community through her position, “As junior class president and NAACP
Ryan Elementary students listen attentively as a Southern University student volunteer reads to them on Thursday, September 13 as part of the Reading Hour hosted by the Junior Class. (Sydney Brown/DIGEST).
chapter president, I promised that I would give back to our community through service and this is upholding that promise.
Donald wanted all SGA leaders to make sure that every event, program, and initiative we have has an impact. Through
this initiative, we hope to have an impact of the 2nd grade students at Ryan Elementary. Also, I personally love giving
back, reading, and kids so I will always jump at the opportunity to combine all three.” Volunteers ranged from members of SGA and NAACP to students who had an interest in community service. After being split into various groups in order to accommodate all the classes, volunteers were quick to bond with the students. Christopher Torres of Sacramento, California discussed with a class of 2nd graders the importance of literacy as they grow up. He accompanied junior class vice president Simone Craven and Criminal Justice major Shayla Johnson in reading a rendition of “Three Little Pigs”, and expressed his own appreciation for the event as an Education major. “I think it really shows the kids that the skills that they’re learning goes beyond this classroom, this school and this education system. There are real life applications to the skills that they’re learning here. And letting kids know that it’s okay to give back to the community” Towards the closing of the event, principal of Ryan Elementary Dr. Melvin L. See READING page 10
Coppin’ Our Rights: Black Community Relations with Police Najeri Evans
The Southern Digest
Since this nation’s founding, black communities have been oppressed by government, policed by authorities, and ostracized by societal majority. Founded in 1776, many of the signatures on the tremendously admired Constitution are by the very same men who owned slaves. Louisiana, which falls into the Bible Belt region, especially feels the brunt of this effect. “That the black gets to make her case at all is an incremental evolution in justice from the antebellum south, where white people could and did make all manner of false accusations allowed to be witnesses against whites in any official proceeding,” The Guardian states. Contributing to the point, tragedy fell in Baton Rouge July 5th of 2016. Alton Sterling was killed by Baton Rouge Police Department. The Washington Post reads, “Sterling’s death prompted intense protests after he was killed in July 2016 by officers Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake, who were responding to a call about a man who had threatened someone
with a gun. The Baton Rouge officers found the 37-year-old Sterling selling CDs outside a convenience store, and fatally shot him during an encounter that lasted less than 90 seconds.” Under 90 seconds. In less than a minute and a half, you can: change clothes, brush your teeth, sing the anthem, make a phone call, die while black... For decades, black community relations with police have been poor. Coming from a past of video footage of Rodney King’s beating, the failure to indict on behalf of Trayvon Martin and much more, #BlackLivesMatter erupted in 2013 in protest of police brutality throughout the nation. Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.) summarized it best when he said during an interview that the decision continues to create distance between African Americans and law enforcement. “Trust between the Baton Rouge community and law enforcement has deeply eroded”. An article in Harvard Law Review corresponds to the mishap, “... Fourth Amendment law, explicit and implicit biases, and racial anxiety- that explain why white police officers might systematically overpolice and
deploy violence against African Americans arguably implicate black police officers as well.” Reflecting upon the casualty, Baton Rouge is home to three major colleges. For parents of incoming freshman, police violence is something no one should have to be concerned about. Going back further in the city’s history, it was Louisiana’s governor who ordered 300 law enforcement officers to Southern’s campus in 1972 during a student protest. That same protest later resulted in the two deaths of Denver Smith and Leonard Brown. Khadijah Al-Uqdah, Junior Criminal Justice Major from Inglewood, California comments, “The Black community has a poor relationship with the police department. Instead of trusting them with protecting our lives, it’s come to a point where we’re fearful for our lives because of all the past actions that have occurred.” In fact, The Washington Post reports, “A Pew poll in 2017 found that while 60 percent of Americans said that the deaths of black Americans at the hand of law enforcement represented broader problems between
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police and black citizens 31 percent of police officers say the same.” “One nation, indivisible, with
Liberty and Justice for all”... or something like that.
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A Different HBCU: Culture Over Time
The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
Whitney Thomas
The Southern Digest
Historically Black Colleges and Universities are well known for being institutions that bring a high level of diversity and tradition with a togetherness like no other. This leads to a wellestablished bond between students and staff that can be cherished for years. Although it is a blessing to attend any college and graduate with a degree, it is even more of an honor to graduate from an HBCU, and many students on Southern’s campus, and across the nation do well at showing their pride. HBCUs are all unique individually but are all historic as a whole. The first HBCU founded was Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, originally called “the institute for colored youth” in 1837. Richard Humpherys, a Quaker philanthropist, knew that African Americans needed preparation for the changes to society, so he dedicated a tenth of his estate to create a new kind of institution. This then opened the door for other HBCU colleges to open, pushing more African Americans in America towards success. Now, it is understood that HBCUs were created so that the African American race could thrive and prosper, but when students began to encounter HBCU colleges for themselves, they quickly realized that multimedia platforms generally popularized these institutions for what they once were, and not for what
they are now. Prime examples include A Different World (1993), the film Drumline(2002), and Stomp The Yard filmed in 2007. A lot of younger people began to believe that the events portrayed in each show/film was all that HBCUs were about, without understanding the reality of it. The more diversity students bring to HBCUs, the more the culture will continue to change. Fashion, tradition, and a set system all lead to students receiving the HBCU experience and becoming culture shocked. HBCUs in the 80s and 90s were mainly publicized as reinforcement to black empowerment, and played a major part in African Americans finding their way out of racist segregation. This became more than just receiving an education, and was now looked at as a way for African Americans to reclaim their power. Now in a modernday society not only is segregation not a problem within the education system anymore, but attending an HBCU now means something different than what would have meant in the 90s. Typically HBCUs are known for different things which makes people’s reasoning for attending them much different. For example, Southern University is known for its outstanding program in Agricultural Science and Engineering, but publicized for its marching unit. Xavier University in Louisiana is known for its outstanding nursing program and publicized as a
On This Day in History September 17th Najeri Evans
The Southern Digest
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In 1862, the bloodiest day in U.S. military history occurred. 26,000 men were dead, missing, or wounded after Confederate/Union conflict.
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1849, Harriet Tubman escapes slavery for the first time with two of her brothers in Maryland.
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In 1861, the first class for escaped slaves was taught at Fortress Monroe Virginia which is now Hampton University by Mary Peake.
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Race riots erupt in South Carolina in 1876.
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In 1947, Sporting News awards Jackie Robinson as Rookie of the Year.
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Ernie Banks becomes the first black player for the Chicago Cubs in 1953.
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1956, Black students enter at Clay Ky elementary school.
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The Justice Department files the first suit to end public school segregation in 1962.
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In 1983, Vanessa Williams (NY) was crowned the 56th Miss America, the first black title winner, at age 20 in 1984.
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Barry Bonds hits his 700th career MLB home run in 2004.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - Page 9
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shrewd college. Students are now able to attend different HBCUs based off what they feel be a better fit for them, giving students the opportunity to be comfortable and to flourish in an environment that fits them. Furthermore, the tradition has changed in that students no longer keep life on campus repetitive. Tiffany Knighten, an alumni and former Dancing Doll, was able to express how things were back when she was in college and how things are now. “You all have so much more freedom to express yourselves in any way
you please, and have the power to enforce or change things you may not like, back when I was in college (1988) we had to take everything how it came, and of course we didn’t want to but we had no outlets to freely express ourselves. Now if you all don’t like certain originations you can easily go start your own, back then it was a ‘take it or leave it’ thing.” The culture of HBCUs changed tremendously over time, pouring in some See HBCU page 10
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The Sentinel Of An Enlightened Student Body since 1926
NBA 2k20: A Review Evan Funchess
The Southern DIGEST
The 21st installment of the NBA 2K series has had one of the more intriguing launches of its run of games. NBA 2K20, through new features and experiences, looks to propel the title further than it’s ever been before. The gameplay is far different than any other entry in the series. It’s slower than the usual up-tempo style. “It’s alright, it reminds me of the old 2k” said Kazanksi Colar, a marketing major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. “It’s more realistic, I feel like each year it gets closer to real-life”. said Keonde Devold, an engineering major from New Orleans, Louisiana. The game from a structure standpoint stumbled out the gate with a good amount of glitches. One glitch in particular that had adverse effects was the rep bar freezing. The glitch prevented many players from leveling up their myPlayer. The glitch was later patched, but there are still a fair amount of glitches that are active in the game. Community manager Ronnie2k tweeted “The past few days have been tough, but it’s a testament to how big the game has gotten and how you challenge us to be better”. To start its’ most highly coveted mode, MyCareer has brought along many recognizable faces to its story. Among them including Idris Elba, Rosario
DIGEST ILLUSTRATION
Dawson, and many popular NBA athletes to boot. The story is a robust experience to start the game. Throughout the story, your created character is asked to make important decisions and participate in numerous activities. The story takes you from college to the NBA through various events like the NBA Combine and the NBA Summer League. Overall, it is a nice appetizer for the rest of the mode. The second most popular mode, MyTeam, set out to accomplish some new things while also adhering to its growing online community. After playing the mode, my biggest takeaway from the mode was the addition of evolution cards. Evolution cards go up in rating over time the more you play and achieve goals. One downside I found, however, was
READING from page 8 Hollins elaborated on the clearly communicated point: these students participation holds importance. “We pride ourselves on community involvement and relationships with that community. Also, reading is first here. So for you guys to come
out and engage in reading activities with the students is very important. We read across the curriculum, it’s very important that all students learn to read. Elementary school is the foundation, so we focus on reading pre-K through 5th grade here.” HBCU from page 9
of the most creative and talented African American students. The opportunity to attend such amazing institutions allows students to be themselves, while still ensuring that
they never feel less than apart. It is not the HBCUs that have shifted the culture but the students that pushed the purpose of HBCUs to be more than just a power of black intelligence.
Kiyanna Givens/DIGEST ART
the continued use of contracts in the mode. I dislike the system because it handcuffs the player to an extent. For each game you play your players consume contracts. If you don’t have the MyTeam points or virtual currency to keep up the contracts, you could find yourself in a bind. I noticed strides had been made in the rewards department as well, with this year’s game rewarding those who log in daily with a chance at a high overall card. Another mode that got a facelift was MyGM. Over the last couple of iterations of NBA 2K, the model has become more detailed every time. From, Lebron-Esque prospects coming out of the draft to dealing with assistant gm’s leaking info to the media, the last few years have had an impressive storyline. This year’s game, however, took a more competitive
approach than its predecessors. This year MyGM has a leaderboard that compares your progress overtime to other players. Once you choose a team, you are allotted action points, which makes you choose what you seek to accomplish for that day. These actions are not limited to talking with your players, the staff, or even the team owner himself. Although, this change is extremely detailed. it also can seem overwhelming and irritating at times. This experience was a calculated one, but also a seeming frustrating one as well. This year’s version of NBA 2K looks to have its typical ups and downs with some added features. 2K looked to jump forward this year, but instead, was forced to take small steps toward a big destination.
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Tuesday, September 17, 2019 - Page 11
Taking Action: Every College Student Should Contact His/Her Representative
April Pou
The Southern Digest
College students should be mobilized to contact their local government representatives because, simply put, it works. Emails, phone calls, snail mail and even town hall meetings all influence politicians. Clint Borgen, CEO of the Borgen project, says that congressmen have told him that as few as 7-10 constituents contacting him on a matter has garnered his support on a certain bill. So, what does that mean for a college student? Bills that affect your education and future demand your input. After all, these politicians are paid, and paid well, to represent you. Acts such as Keeping Girls in School may garner your attention and solicit a call to your congressional representative. Ask them to sponsor bills that you care about. If enough voters in a certain
Garland Johnson
The Southern Digest
Education is necessary to overcome the conditions that have been placed purposely on the black community. It is our portal to deeper knowledge that will equip us with wisdom that will set us free from our oppressors. More and more young black adults are making a conscious decision to attend a historically black college or university (HBCU) rather than a predominantly white institution (PWI). HBCUs were built and founded off the
area called in about infrastructure, a representative will be motivated to pen or cosponsor a bill addressing roads, sewage, drainage or other concerns. Imagine if the student body contacted their leader to better fund higher education, sponsor a student debt relief plan, or pen a bill in support of environmental sustainability. Arhon Keels, a junior interdisciplinary studies major, said that if an issue was substantial enough to her she’d not only call, write and email; she’d show up at the office or events the representative is slated to attend. Do they even read all those letters and emails? The answer from those inthe-know is a resounding yes. Kathryn Schulz, of The New Yorker, says that, “No matter how a message comes in—by phone, email, post, fax, carrier pigeon—it is entered into a software program known as a constituent-management system.”
Each time you contact a representative, no matter the branch, your concern is read and tallied into a database. Unequivocally, the politician and his team will review issues that his or her voting base is most concerned about. Keels said that she was aware that either the legislator or an intern from his or her team will read or acknowledge her communique. Each citizen must get his voice heard singularly to have a collective impact. A motivated and polarized constituency gets their agendas heard and encourage their representatives to vote in their best interests. It is important to contact politicians in your district, otherwise they have no incentive to hear your concerns. In fact, your information will only be logged into the database if you are a resident of the legislator’s district. It is important to state this in phone calls and to enter your address in the body of emails and letters.
Find out who your representatives are by performing a simple web search. Voters registered in Louisiana may contact Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D and John Kennedy. Other representatives vary by district, according to your address. Important Dates: Louisiana Vote Online Registration Deadline 9/21/2019 Early Voting Begins 9/28/2019 Early Voting Ends 10/5/2019 Deadline to Request a Mail in Ballot 10/8/2019 Deadline for Registrar to Receive Completed Ballot 10/11/2019 Voting Day 10/12/2019 (Gubernatorial Primary Election) Voting Day II 11/16/2019 (Gubernatorial General Election)
HBCU Numbers on the Rise
fact that black students were being discriminated against from attending college. We made education a priority and determined to accomplish the goal of educating our people by any means necessary. Today, HBCU numbers are on the rise every year and are looking to increase annually. The energy and the vibe at an HBCU is one like no other. The people, the culture, the atmosphere, it’s beautiful. The last two freshman classes here at Southern have been some of the highest in terms of enrollment that we have had in years. The increasing population is a great
thing for Southern and the community. The largest HBCU in the nation, North Carolina A&T State University, has just surpassed 12,000 students this year. I feel as if the increasing numbers of enrollment in black institutions is the beginning of a revolution worldwide. A black mind is the most powerful thing on the planet. HBCUs give black students a sense of pride about their schools, heritage, and history. It also provides young black adults with important facts about our history and empower us to make the change necessary to help our people.
More successful black people in the world will allow us to invest into making our communities better and build wealth. Black people in the past have shown us that when we value “togetherness” we are an unstoppable force and are subject to mandatory resistance by opposing forces due to our natural dominance. Overall, the culture is starting to shift back towards back towards black institutions as the new generation are beginning to regain that sense of “black pride” that our parents and grandparents valued so much Education is merely knowledge,
Unanswered Questions: Fumes On Campus Jayla Honore
The Southern Digest
There has been a lot of ruckus going on around campus and I’ve been sniffing up some answers! Southern University’s campus has been fumed up lately, and after doing some investigating, I think I found a couple of reasons why the fumes are taking over the campus. If you ever go in the SmithBrown Memorial Student Union, you are more than likely going to hear someone complaining about the things that they smell on campus. It’s no secret that there are plenty of historic sites, old dorms, and old buildings all over Southern University’s campus. I have visited John B. Cade Library. On all four of the floors, I smelled all sorts of fumes. As you all may know, the library has been worked on for various reasons. On January 23, 2018, a pipe
ruptured in the library, resulting in all four of the floors flooding and took a while to remove all of the water. I personally feel as though the library already had a smell to it because it was old, but the water definitely added a smell because of the mildew. If you visit the fourth floor, you can still smell a hint of the mildew from the pipe rupturing. I visited the bluff on campus as well. Even though this is an outside area, there are plenty of scents that can be discovered just by taking a walk! There’s a “mini beach” located all the way towards the bottom of the bluff. The Mississippi River has been known to release a salty “beachy” sort of smell . The smell comes from the gulf, and all sorts of things that wash up on the coast from loiter to dead animals. The bluff isn’t the only place on campus that’s emitting fumes. When you go towards the back
of the campus, you can also smell the animals in the big field behind the 400’s apartments. Not only that, but there are plenty of dumpsters and debris back there. It has a kind of sewage smell. The smells towards the back of campus are the worse because of the hot garbage that marinades in the dumpsters. That’s not the only spot on campus that smells like a sewage system. In between the union, and the library, you can smell hot garbage in those dumpsters towards the back of the parking garage. You can also smell fumes emitting around the circle. I think it comes from Dunn Hall’s dining area. There are a variety of foods cooked in this dining hall, and I think the dumpsters, along with the smell of food, and new paint causes it to smell like a mix of food, and new building. I think that if we’re more
eco-friendly and do a better job of cleaning up around campus, the fumes would subside. Not all fumes, but the smells would be lighter. Especially being that they mostly come from the back of campus. We should probably accommodate more trash cans to the back of campus. Although it isn’t right, full dumpsters and trash cans encourage people to loiter.
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but when you apply knowledge then you obtain wisdom. Learning and interacting within our community helps us achieve our goals and give us a better chance at life when we stay within one another. I believe that our ancestors have paved a way for us to be successful in this very moment and break out the chains society has placed on black people. It’s up to us to make that change and that change starts with educating the youth. As the numbers in the classroom increase, so will the soldiers we have preserving our culture and importance in the field. EDITORIAL 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 in submissions, editorials, opinions and commentary pieces located on page 11. 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.
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