Volume 68 No. 08 by THE TSU HERALD

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Vol 68 | Number 08 THE TSU HERALD | November 18th, 2015

CAMPUS NEWS page 3

TSU STUDENTS EXPERIENCE ‘A NIGHT WITHOUT SHELTER’

LIFE & STYLE page 9

THE DANGERS OF WEARING WAIST TRAINERS

OPINION page 11

MIZZOU SETS EXAMPLE

SPORTS page 8

WHO RUNS THE WORLD?

GIRLS! SPORTS RUNDOWN

The Leading Ladies of Texas Southern University

Campus News Letter from the Editor BY LENZI CAUSEY Editor-In-Chief

university have suffered great losses, including the lives of two beloved Tigers: Lakeytrick Quinn and Brent Randall. To the Families of the Fallen:

I genuinely hope that you have enjoyed reading The Herald this semester. With today’s issues at the forefront of our publication, it is my duty and privelege to present them to you with the utmost effort, respect and care. Over the course of the semester, we at the

I am consistently praying for the mending of your hearts and intense support in such a crucial time. I cannot identify with or fathom the pain you are undergoing, but I can assure you the images of your sons are etched in my heart and I will carry them with me closely. To the Student Body:

I am most proud to be a part of the history making occurring at Texas SouthEDITORIAL STAFF ern because of you. We have accomplished great milestones by burying our T h e T S U H e r a l d differences for a greater EDITOR-IN-CHIEF is LENZI S. CAUSEY p u b l i s h e d b y t h e cause... the well-being and uplifting of our university. students of SPORTS EDITOR JONATHAN DAVIS OPINION EDITOR LINDSAY GARY STAFF WRITER MAHBUBA MATOVU Publications Manager TIYOSHA TURNER Advisors SERBINO SANDIFER-WALKER MICHAEL BERRYHILL

Te x a s S o u t h e r n U n i v e r s i t y. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration. The newspaper is p r i n t e d b i w e e k l y, except during holidays and examination periods. For additional information, call (713) 313-6710.

From the conditions of our housing facilities, to accomodating students in need, #TakeBackTxSU has established a way for students to better communicate with our administration. From my perspective, it opened a door that students felt they had been locked out of. By bringing the issues out front, the student body, with all its constituents and all its components, achieving goals for the greater good of the university. I am most proud to be at a university, to be a leader at a university, where the

students are proud to fight for the education we all pay for. To the World: I have watched you, recorded you, spoke of you, prayed for you, praised you, scorned you, cried for you, and smiled with you. I have experienced so much of what you have in store for me in such a short amount of time. I have recognized my gifts and my potential beyond what I thought I would. My journey is just beginning. Best Regards to All,

Lenzi S. Causey, Editor-In-Chief Tigers Express Excitement for Basketball Season at Midnight Madness Event Last Wednesday, in The Health & Physical Education Arena, Student Government Association in partnership with the TSU Athletics Department presented Midnight Madness, a showcase of the reigning Men & Women’s Southwestern Athletic Conference champion basketball teams. The event included raffles and giveaways including 2 Beats Pills, a pair of Beats Headphones, and a 40-inch Samsung Television. The Men’s and Woman’s team took turns coming out individually to their own personal song and raised excitement while the crowd cheered for them. “As the organizer of the event I think overall it was a success, in spite of the delays it was a great turnout. I think it gave our basketball teams and players the extra momentum from the student body showing that we appreciate their hard work and back to back SWAC championships and we are all ready for basketball season,” Student Government Association Internal Vice President Henry Mokoko said. Following, the giveaways there were multiple contests held including a Half Court Shot Contest, 3 Point Contest, and a 5-minute scrimmage between the basketball team.

Campus News TSU students experience ‘A Night Without Shelter’ BY MAHBUBA MATOVU Staff Writer

It was now 3:20 a.m. The cold had become more evident with the aggressiveness of the wind. Students curled up in their sleeping bags. Others bundled up on the benches in front of the Student Center. The mosquitoes had also become a little more vicious. The once merry making crowd of over 100 students had now withered to 34. The DJ had played his last song two hours ago. Many of the conversations had died down, as students opted to scroll away on their phones. Marcus Esther, a student at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, quietly flipped through the pages of his notes. “I am going to spend the entire night, but I’ve got to study too. I have a test on Friday,” Esther said. Like the rest of the students, Esther was taking part in A Night without Shelter, an event presented by Texas Southern University’s Student Government Association, on Tuesday, November 10th. According to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are over half a million people that are homeless at any given time in the United States of America. The city of Houston ranks third in homelessness, leaving over 5000 people living without shelter. SGA organizes this event annually to raise awareness of homelessness in the city of Houston. “It is very important for us to make this something that is known among the student body and raise awareness for our city,” Denitra Sanders, the Chief Election Commissioner said. “I used to have this idea of everyone that was homeless, that it was their own fault. Taking part in this event changed my mind and made me realize that people are put in different circumstances which place them in the position of homelessness. If we can do just a little bit to make their lives better, then it is our responsibility to our community,” Sanders said. The two-part event started at 10 p.m. with

students gathering in the Tiger Room of the Student Center to make blankets for the homeless. DJ Dwells, also a student at TSU, kept the room lively with music, as the students cut and tied little notes to make cozy blankets and scarves for both children and adults. “We have a goal of making at least 100 blankets, 25 for children and 75 for adults,” SGA President, Crystal Owens said. Completion of the blankets was followed by the night without shelter experience, where students had to spend the night in front of the Student Center from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. An excited group of students lay out their sleeping bags while others enjoyed the music that had followed the group to the sleeping area. TSU Police made a few rounds every now and then to make sure the event was running smoothly, and the area was safe. Unfortunately, the police shut down the music at 1:30 a.m. At 4 a.m., with only 22 students left, almost all of the conversations had died down and a few had managed to fall asleep. An ant that has strayed its way into a student’s sleeping bag, caused a startled awakening for the student, and had been the

last straw for three others. The student as folded her red blanket and gathered the rest of her belongings to leave. Her two friends, tried to convince her to stay, but all efforts fell on deaf ears. National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week is held the week before Thanksgiving to remind people to share compassion with their neighbors that are experiencing homelessness. A Night without Shelter is an event held nationwide by various organizations to bring awareness to the issue. “People don’t realize how serious homelessness is, so this event will help them gain the experience of what it means to be homeless,” Owens said.

Campus News Southern artist calls TSU home BY SHIQUITA SMITH Contributing Writer Austin Allen James Connects with Texas Southern University Students through Art and Poetry. James is a fourth-year visiting instructor at Texas Southern University, who is on tour promoting his art and poetry. James’s first published collection, ‘Silva,’ celebrates visual expression with enchanting complexity. “I was always more interested in finding something meaningful and making a living from it,” James says. “Searching through unknowns and finding something creative and meaningful to me through which I could make a living.” Most of James’s art work is created in his home studio, located on Houston’s north side. James schedules TSU in the middle of his tour because he considers it home and wants to give back. Proceeds from his book signing at TSU will be donated to a good cause. “I’m very grateful to TSU for the home that I have here, and helping me to do everything that I do,” James says. “I want to give back, so the money made from the books sold at this event, will go to a donation for students.”

In 2017, James will publish ‘Ghosting’, a visual book about furniture. In the book, he will invent an image within the early stages of painting; the image will still exist when the painting is complete. “Ghosting is an amorphous sort of blob in some sense and in some senses it has more form and you can see something in it,” James says. “But, is that something I create? No, that’s a muse thing; I go through the process for it to come to life.” James uses part of the event to pose for photos, autograph his works, answer questions and give advice to students. He encourages students to be loyal to the process and ensures beginners, that it’s okay to follow the masters. “You’ve got to be loyal to the process, whatever that is; you find it, you love it, you be loyal to it and it’ll be loyal to you,” James says. “A lot of painters got started by copying the masters, particularly in Europe, that’s the mode; break off down the road into creating your own voice.”

James tells students about a dream that inspired him to paint, although he doesn’t usually go to his dreams for inspiration. In the dream, James is alone in his bed at night, when someone or something, stabs him with salt. “We can’t live without salt, if a vampire came and sucked all your salt away, you’d be gone; don’t let anyone take your salt away,” James says. He describes salt as that thing we can’t live without. James’s first book of art, ‘Siva’ opens with the dream expressed in a poem. “That’s why I painted this dream, whoa; I never dream like that, James says. “I had to paint this dream.” James is about 30 pages into his new book. Upon completion, he plans to relax for a year. “I’m going to lay low; that’s a good thing, see you in 2017,” he says.

Texas Southern University ‘Ocean of Soul’ marching band director resigns Courtesy of click2houston.com Texas Southern University Provost Dr. James W. Ward announced Wednesday that he has accepted the resignation of Prof. Richard Lee, director of the school’s “Ocean of Soul” marching band. Lee will continue to teach classes and serve the school in other ways. “I want to thank Professor Lee for 22 years of exceptional service to the band and our students,” Ward said. “He has always been, and continues to be, the consummate professional and gentleman. And for that, the university is forever grateful.” Lee received many local, state, national and

international honors while leading the band. The “Ocean of Soul” band appeared at the Honda Battle of the Band Challenge in Atlanta and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. It also performed for the City of Houston, METRO, NFL and NBA sports teams and more. Lee earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas Southern University and was a member of the first “Ocean of Soul” ban under Benjamin J. Butler. He is a member of the Ocean of Soul Hall of Fame and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

Campus News TSU College of Education earns landmark accreditation Courtesy of TSU Marketing and Communication The Texas Southern University College of Education is listed among some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation after receiving an accreditation from the largest accrediting body in the country. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) has given TSU the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation until Spring 2022. TSU College of Education met all of the CAEP standards in undergraduate and graduate programs with no areas for improvement. The accreditation will make it easier for TSU

graduates to earn board certification through the new National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. “We met the target level of excellence in Clinical Practice and Field Experiences for undergraduate teaching major,” Dr. Lillian Poats, Dean of TSU College of Education stated. “The TSU faculty and staff in the College of Education are honored to have achieved this milestone.” There are currently 623 schools accredited by NCATE including Stanford, Texas A&M and Southern Utah State.

Cover Story Who Runs the

The Leading Ladies of Te

BY VALERIE Contributi

Make’la Hubbard Editor-In-Chief at the Tiger Yearbook

Tammy Richmond President of the Dallas Club

Channing Briggs Miss Texas Southern University

Dari Hester President of the University Program Council

Fearless. Prosperous. Driven. Passionate. While meeting with eight of Texas Southern University’s leading ladies, these were some of the words the resilient students used to describe themselves. At a time where society is turned upside down and people of color face the same issues as generations have had to endure years ago, women at times have it worse and are typically not given credit for the work they do to make differences in their communities.

cally and socially, but having a sense of togetherness to uplift one another is a shared goal of these leading ladies. Earlier in the semester there was huge social media frenzy about a student- lead movement that made national news called #TakeBackTxSU. It gave the students at TSU a chance to bring their issues and concerns they had on campus to the forefront and Administration was able to quickly get to work to address and

The diversely backgrounded ladies come together to discuss how being a leader on campus will change the campus and even the world. “Within my role as president of the Student Government Association, Im able to inspire my fellow tigers, greatly! I encourage involvement into local politics as well as having a helping hand in the community and a strong participation on campus. Most importantly, I am able to remind them that academic achievement should be the primary focus and showcase the many resources we have on campus for them to succeed,” SGA President Crystal Owens said. It can be stated that there is a direct urgency for the students here at Texas Southern to be active in community politics, do well academi-

fix them. Dallas Club President, Tammy Richmond ,was able to join forces with leaders of the #TakeBackTxSU movement and wants to ensure all students and the university family know one of the main focuses for the movement is to “bring

Cover Story World: GIRLS!

exas Southern University

E MADISON ing Writer everyone together.” “We are a family and should be able to count on each other, student, administrator, faculty and/ or staff,” Richmond said. That movement wasn’t the only thing that had students pulling out their cell phones to tweet and interact on a bigger issue; University Program Council has been able to trend on social media and create thousands of stories on

“There’s an undeniable joy I receive knowing that my team and I have been able to put smiles on students faces, roars of excitement from crowds at jam-packed events through UPC,” Hester said. The leading ladies possess many like qualities that enable them to be able to be successful and lead hundreds of students to make a difference. Some may even say its difficult, but they do it whilst staying on top of their academics. “I have been able to maintain a GPA above a 3.0 [average]since stepping foot on Texas Southern’s campus, and being Editor of a 360- page publication only has increased my drive to work harder and lead my staff into the path of making a great book for the student body,” Makela Hubbard, Editor-In-Chief of the Tiger Yearbook said.

Snapchat. Amongst other campus organizations like K.I.N.K.S., California Club and Collegiate 100, UPC has been able to give students something to look forward to and post to social media. These organizations are female-led as well.

With powerful role models who show possibility like Michelle Obama, Oprah and TSU alum, Barbara Jordan, these ladies are not prepared to give up or in to society’s lack of perseverance like those before us. Holding down nearly 60+ organizations on the campus of TSU, one could only agree that these young ladies leading TSU into the right direction.

Denitra Sanders President of Collegiate 100

Crystal Owens President of Student Government Association

Kierra Jones President of the K.I.N.K.S. Natural Hair Club

Mary Rucker President of the California Club

Sports Sports Rundown BY JONATHAN DAVIS, JORGE MOSCOZO AND MARCUS SMITH Sports Editor and Contribtuing Writers

Texas Southern University Lady Tigers Volleyball team concluded the season on a four-game winning streak that granted them SWAC West Champions for the third straight year. During that four game span, the Lady Tigers dismantled each opponent. They have been able to comfortably handle any opposition in their path. That stretch included three sets to none sweep against Prairie View A&M on Senior Day, honoring seniors Lauren Smith and Robyn Shannon for the hard work and dedication that was put into this program. During the winning streak, Shannon has led the team with 12.2 digs per game while Kali Fluke averaged 11 kills during the same stretch. Both would crack the top five in kills per set in the SWAC. Fluke landed at third and Shannon at fifth. As a team, the Lady Tigers posted a .267 attack percentage on the season and their opponents were held to .126. The Lady Tigers are excited, yet hungry for the chance to compete for a SWAC championship. After winning the west division three years in a row, the volleyball team has rallied together, ready to fight and leave it all on the floor. “We’re coming in like the big dogs. We have to. There’s no time to lay down. It’s SWAC, we have to get out there and go, go, go,” said Taylor Dickerson, sophomore middle blocker. The SWAC Tournament begins on November 20 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The number one-seeded Texas Southern will take on the fourth-seeded Alcorn State University Braves at 1:00pm at the Moody Intramural Center. The Tigers defeated the Braves in a three set sweep in their previous meeting on October 16. It is time for college hoops as basketball officially

tipped off over the eventful weekend in sports. Men’s basketball was able to take the court for the first time since their loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Despite dropping the first two games of the season respectively to New Mexico and Creighton University, the Tigers were able to get good productivity from returning seniors Malcolm Riley and Chris Thomas. Thomas scored 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting in 38 minutes against Creighton. Malcolm Riley has had back-to-back good performances adding 18 points and nine rebounds against Creighton and 20 points, including 3-of-5 from beyond the three-point strike. Men’s basketball will be back in action on Thursday when they travel to Greenville, South Carolina for a game against Clemson. The game starts at 7:00pm. The Lady Tigers basketball team was also in action over the weekend as they traveled to Lawrence, Kansas to take the Lady Jayhawks of the University of Kansas. The Lady Tigers lost by a narrow seven points with a final score of 72-65. Jazzmin Parker had an efficient game shooting 50%, en route to a 25-point outing. Kianna Vines chipped in with 18 points and pulled down seven boards. This is the first time the Lady Tigers would step on the court since last season’s mortifying game against Southern University that ended in a brawl. After being recognized as one of top powerhouses in women’s basketball, the Lady Tigers are determined to get back to where they were last season and are out to show to everyone what last season would have been if the incident never

occurred. The Lady Tigers next game is against Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma at 7:00pm. Texas Southern’s Lady Tigers Soccer Team fell 3-0 last Thursday to Alabama State’s Lady Hornets in the first round of the 2015 Southwestern Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament. John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama became the host of the four-day competition, and it became TSU’s seventh overall appearance. This is now their sixth straight entrance. Both teams played both sides of the ball until halftime ended with a 0-0 result. Things changed in the second half when ASU put the ball in the net within seven minutes. A second goal followed, and the third goal led the Lady Hornets to a semifinal spot in the tournament. Although TSU won the shots battle of 24 to ASU’s 12, their shots could not produce goals. TSU’s season is over, but they kept their heads up as they had a season of improvement, commitment, and newly-broken records. Their journey to a SWAC Championship is continuing. The Texas Southern University Football Team was routed in their last home game of the season, 65-13 by Alcorn State. The Tigers gave up 519 total yards of offense to Alcorn State, while only gaining 236 yards. The Braves had a monster day on the ground, rushing for 334 yards compared to only 52 yards by Texas Southern. On top of that, The Tigers were penalized 5 times for 145 yards and gave up 3 turnovers. The Texas Southern University Football Team will end their season on November 28th, on the road against the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs.

Life & Style The dangers of wearing waist trainers BY EL’LOHNA JONES Contributing Writer Social media rhas a greater influence on us than we believe. It causes rifts and uprising in trends, even when they may be harmful. When we see Kim Kardashian or Jessica Alba on instagram showing how the corsets make them look this certain way we go out and mimic what we see. But what they don’t tell is the dangers of wearing corsets. For centuries, women have used constraining undergarments to contour their bodies for a desired, shapely appearance. Recently, the search for a slimmer waist has sparked resurgence in the use of corsets to attain an unnatural hourglass figure.

method and body-sculpting tool. Although acquiring an hourglass figure may be ideal for running down the beach or fitting into a skintight dress, it is not ideal for internal organs, which can be compressed and damaged as a result of wearing the garment. Instead of exercising or dieting, women in the 19th Century used corsets as a way to acquire a curvy shape with an unnaturally tiny waist. However, women of this era who wore corsets faced a harsh reality when it came to their health and well being, wrote Samuel Thomas von Sommerring, a physician and anatomist, in his 1793 essay On the Effects of the Corset.

“All it really does is compresses the fat and squishes it in, but as soon as you take it off it comes right back,” Becky Fox of Fox Fitness said, adding that the truth is, it’s just a quick fix.

Wearing a waist trainer may help boost some women’s confidence and encourage them to exercise and eat healthy… But as for the claims that these devices can actually reshape the body or trigger fat loss, there is no medical evidence.

The corset is a less than perfect weight-loss

If a waist trainer is too tight, which many of

them appear to be, it could cause discomfort, interfere with breathing, or contribute to heartburn. Your stomach may be pushed beyond the diaphragm, which could cause reflux. If you’re wearing one and you experience those symptoms, that’s a definite sign that you need to loosen or remove it. Wearing a waist-cinching device for a workout isn’t a good idea either because it restricts your mobility and your ability to take full, deep breaths, which can really affect your ability to work hard. Waist trainers do not have any lasting effect on waist size, shape, or appearance. They’ll make you look slimmer while you wear them, but you may have to put up with some discomfort, and maybe even some health risks, in return. If you want tighter abs, core exercises like planks and twisting crunches can help define stomach muscles. To really lose inches around your waist, you have to do it the old-fashioned way: with proper nutrition and hard work, in the form of moderate to high-intensity exercise.

Charlie Sheen luckier than most with HIV thanks to ‘undetectable’ virus

Courtesy of USA Today

Charie Sheen can expect to live a long and healthy life in spite of having HIV, thanks to medications that have transformed the disease from a death sentence into a chronic disease. Sheen owes his health to antiretroviral drugs, the HIV cocktails developed in the 1990s that can keep the virus at bay. Sheen announced Tuesday that levels of HIV in his blood are undetectable — meaning that there is too little of the virus in his blood for standard tests to measure. Doctors describe such patients as being “virally suppressed,” a condition that dramatically reduces their risk of developing full-blown AIDS or its complications. “He’s an example of how if you have HIV and you take medication so that you are suppressed, you can have a normal life,” said Carlos del Rio, professor of global health and medicine at Emory University and co-director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research in Atlanta. “We need to have more people who are suppressed on therapy if we are going to suppress the epidemic.” When levels of HIV are too low to be detected, it’s almost impossible for infected people to spread the infection to others, such as through sex or by sharing needles, said Elizabeth Montgomery Collins, an associate professor in the section of retrovirology and global health at

the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Scientists call this phenomenon “treatment as prevention.” Collins said she still advises her HIV-positive patients to use condoms, even if they’re on medication. The partners of people with HIV have another way to stay healthy. They can take anti-AIDS medications themselves, a regimen called pre-exposure prophylaxis, which has been shown in clinical trials to dramatically reduce their risk of becoming infected. Taking medication faithfully is important because it prevents the virus from staging a comeback, del Rio said. Sheen has acknowledged his struggles with depression and substance abuse — two conditions that can make it more difficult for people to stick to a treatment plan, said Oriol Gutierrez, editor in chief of POZ magazine, which addresses the needs of people living with HIV or AIDS. Gutierrez has been HIV positive since 1992. In having his disease under control, Sheen is luckier than most people with HIV in the USA, del Rio said. Only about 30% of the more than 1.3 million HIVpositive patients in the U.S. are virally suppressed — not because drugs don’t work, but because people aren’t

taking them, del Rio said. About 1 in 8 people people with HIV don’t know they’re infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Others know they’re infected but don’t have access to medical care because they’re poor, uninsured or disabled by other serious conditions, such as addiction or mental illness. Even when HIV-positive people have access to medical care, it’s often inadequate, del Rio said. The stigma and shame of HIV and AIDS make many people afraid to be tested, Gutierrez said. Many people are in denial about their risk, said Thomas Giordano, an associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Thomas Street Clinic, a Houston HIV clinic. “As a fellow person living with the virus, I have nothing but complete understanding of the shame and stigma that he has faced,” Gutierrez said. Some health advocates hope that Sheen’s fame will remind Americans of the risks of the disease, the importance of being tested and the need to make life-saving treatment available to everyone.

Opinion

Fat is the New Black BY ANITA FREEMAN Contribuing Writer When I walk into a room, or down the street, most heads turn. Some in my audience turn away or smile. Others laugh or make rude comments or gestures. The way I look offends so many people, and they are not shy about letting me know. Déjà vu. I have been treated like this before. Thirty years earlier in a predominately white high school, with students that hated me just because of the color of my skin.

surgery. Also, a large number turn to drugs or alcohol to satisfy their urges. Commercials bombard you with weight loss products. Shows on television work against fat people. Magazines equate beauty with dress size. Twelve is now plus size, even though the average American woman is a size fourteen. In most movies, if you see a fat person, he or she is either comic relief, a maid or dysfunctional. There are some exceptions, but not many.

Now, it is the same hate, but a different issue. This one crosses all color lines. It is called fat-shaming, one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice. A tool, allegedly used to guilt the overweight victims into losing weight. I say victim because a victim is defined as: one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment. Ironically, many times, fat-shaming has the opposite effect.

Women are dying or being disfigured, all in the name of beauty. Donda West, Kanye West’s mother, died getting a tummy tuck. Studies show that one out of 200 die, after weight loss

Other adverse effects of fat-shaming affects our youth. There are serious increases in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating cases. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate, of any mental disorder, as a result of heart or organ failure, malnutrition or suicide, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry. Society has decided that if you are overweight, then you are sub-human. With me, in the room, people will discuss how disgusting it would be if they got fat. “Fat people are just lazy.” “Just push yourself away from the table.” “You have such a pretty face, if you would just lose the weight.” Job interviewers seem to look more at your size, than your resume.

The Washington Post reported, that a study in the United Kingdom, suggests that fat-shaming does not encourage weight loss, but can result in weight gain. My own mother told me over and over that no one would love me as long as I was fat. As a child, I thought she actually was telling me that she did not love me. As I grew older, I realize that she was trying to prepare me for the outside world. A harsh, unforgiving one. Oprah Winfrey, my shero, at her first big weight loss reveal, pulled a wagon with sixtyseven pounds of fat, in a clear plastic bag, on stage. She went on to say how disgusting all of that fat was, and how she hated her former self. I did not lose weight, so should I hate myself?

keep hearing that people are “hating” on it. I’m not sure how anyone could hate on love but that’s okay. You may have your memes. Honestly, I’m at work too busy to check Twitter anyway. #Booked. Hope you enjoy next week’s show!”

Recently, on an episode of the hit show Empire, Gabourey Sidibe as her character, Becky, underwent a love scene with another character. She was attacked via social media quips about her weight. She reacted accordingly on social media and via television interviews. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she spoke on the love scene and social acceptance. “I, a plus sized, dark-skinned woman, had a love scene on primetime television. I had the most fun ever filming that scene even though I was nervous. But I felt sexy and beautiful and I felt like I was doing a good job,” Sidibe said. “I’m very proud of the work we all did to make that scene a great opening for the episode. I

The weight loss industry is building on this. ABC News reported that the annual revenue, including diet books, drugs, and surgery, is over 20 billion dollars. Celebrity endorsers average half a million to three million dollars, for weight loss products. There are over 100 million dieters in America, at this time. 80 percent of them fail, then try the next new fad. This results in yo-yo dieting, which is hazardous to your health. Why does it offend you, that I am happy, with who I am? Why should I have to beg for your acceptance? Who are you, to decide, how I should look? Does it make you feel better about yourself, if I feel bad about mine? I am a proud, intelligent, big, beautiful Black woman. Your opinion of me will never define who I am.

Opinion Mizzou sets example BY LINDSAY GARY Opinion Editor

on their campus? Will it stop racism on other campuses in the United States? Although it showed those who believe we live in a post-racial society that this is in fact a myth, racism still prevails in this country and will continue to do so if proper and continuous action isn’t taken. This is literally the same fight our parents and grandparents thought they had won. The right to go to any school without the possibility of racism or discrimination still has not been achieved. I think this signifies the necessity of a different approach.

A couple of months ago, I was wondering what happened to our black celebrity leaders. Entertainers like Harry Belafonte and Ruby Dee who helped fund the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and marched with Dr. King; and athletes like Muhammad Ali and ___ who promoted black power and openly spoke out against black oppression in America and internationally. These were the best of our black entertainers and athletes who courageously used their acclaim as an opportunity to uplift the masses of blacks. There were many back then like Paul Robeson who didn’t allow a fear of being blacklisted or blackmailed to prevent them from being leaders for the black community. Now, celebrites likes this, especially athletes are rare. Beyonce continues joyfully model the American flag while her people suffer at the hands of that flag’s hypocrisy and Michael Jordan continues to exploit the little black boys and girls who kill over his tennis shoes. It’s disgusting. But then I heard about Mizzou. Athletes with a backbone. Student athletes

After more research, I discovered that the actions of the football players were a result of other courses of action taken by the rest of the black students on campus. Fed up with the university’s history of oppression since it’s founding in 1839, the racism they experienced in 2015, and Wolfe’s neglect of these issues, the students staged a protest at the school’s homecoming parade. During their moving protest, they were humiliated by the crowd and police officers while the president sat idly by and allowed it to happen. One student was allegedly even clipped by the president’s driver. After this incident, they started a petition for the president’s removal. Although he eventually apologized, it was far too late. 176 years too late. with the support of the football players, Wolfe was successfully squeezed out. Power, and proof. Proof that when blacks in positions of power and the black masses unite on a consensus and plan an organized strategy against oppression, change will be made.

On November 7, 2015, black football players at the University of Missouri went on strike. They declared they wouldn’t play until the now former university president, Tim Wolfe, stepped down.

What these students did was so commendable. and brave.

He resigned a couple days later.

Will what they did actually alleviate racism

It’s a step in the right direction but it brings about even more discussions.

It’s time for us to take the “I don’t want or need to sit with you” attitude when white America says “you can’t sit us.” It’s time for us to stop looking for the validation of white America. We need to validate each other and our own institutions. It’s time we go back to building up our own communities and working to become selfsufficient. We know and the rest of the world knows we are “good enough” to go to predominantly white institutions and succeed. This has been proven, yet we still find the need to support these institutions that usually don’t support us. It is clear that in 2015 historically black colleges and universities. are more than relevant. IF we enroll in our institutions and create our own jobs and business, we, the number one consumers in this country, will cripple the economy. This strategy won’t solve racism, because no matter what we do as a community, we still live in a racist country. However, being strategic with our economic power will put us in a stronger position to make that political demands that we will need to eradicate systemic racism. In the meantime, while the long fight against racism takes place, we won’t have to suffer in our colleges and at our jobs. I’d rather worry about the long line at the financial aid office than be afraid to leave my dorm on account of racist terroristic threats on my black life.

What’s Happening on campus & around town

Monday - 11/16

Tuesday - 11/17 Big Girls Don’t Cry SSLC 238 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Monday - 11/23

Tuesday - 11/24 UPC Canned Food Auction 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Wednesday - 11/18 Reverse Hump Day Tiger Room 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Thursday - 11/19 Dallas vs. Houston Basketball Game HPE Arena 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Wednesday - 11/25

Thursday - 11/26 Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday - 11/20 UPC Cafe Party SSLC Cafeteria 8 p.m.-12 a.m.

Friday - 11/27

The Weekend 11/21 & 11/22

The Weekend 11/28 & 11/29

Thanksgiving Holiday Break Our calendar is reserved for the advertisement of on and off campus events. If you are interested in having your event placed on our calendar, then please stop by room 221 of the Student Center or call us at (713) 313-6710.

20 Questions

1. What happened to our previous band director? 2. How are all the changes in administration working out? 3. Who is going to pass their finals? 4. Are you going to pass your classes this semester? 5. Do you spend more time on the yard than studying? 6. Don’t you think you should fix that? 7. Who enjoyed Apollo Night? 8. Why were people so rude in the Twitter feed? 9. Who were the hosts of the show? 10. Is UPC doing a good job of putting together events? 11.Who can’t wait for Spring Fest? 12.Is it too early to be planning for spring break? 13. When is spring break? 14. Who is graduating in a few weeks? 15.Who has #TxSU16 in their IG bio but is actually graduating on time? 16. Where did #TakeBackTxSU go? 17. When will the visitation limits in campus housing be lifted? 18. Has anyone seen the cameras being fixed? 19. Are all the lights on campus fixed? 20. Do you feel our administration is doing their very best?

Anonymously submit your 20 questions submissions via Ask.Fm today: TSU20Questions

DISCLAIMER: The questions are submitted by the student body and are not the views of The TSU Herald or Texas Southern University as a whole. Feel free to bring your questions to room 221 of the Student Center. Questions are printed at the discretion of The TSU Herald.

#TSU20QUESTIONS