November 6, 2019

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 11

H’BURG’S INCLUSIVITY PG 3

VAPE SHOP TROUBLES PG 4

IMPEACHMENT OPINIONS PG 7

Black full-time faculty account for 3%

ALYSSA BASS EXECUTIVE EDITOR Photo by Bethany Morris | Printz Cheryl Jenkins, Ph.D., is part of the 3% black full-time faculty.

ssociate professor Cheryl Jenkins, Ph.D., has heard she is someone’s first black professor annually since she started teaching at Southern Miss in 2008.

Now the comment isn’t as surprising as it was the first time she heard it.

As one of the few black fulltime professors, Jenkins said she is drained by the pressure to provide an experience for the black students in her journalism and Black Studies classes.

“It’s very intimidating because I don’t know what it is,” she said. “I don’t know if they’re just looking for a black face or they’re looking for a black experience or if they’re looking for a

nurturer. I don’t know what it means when you say you take a class because you want to have a black professor. I’m a human being, so I’m probably not going to give you whatever that thing is you’re looking for outside of just that black face.”

After two black professors in the School of Communication left in May, Jenkins is the only black professor left in the school.

According to the latest data from Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, full-time black professors made up 19 out of 555 of full-time professors in fall 2017. These numbers, which exclude instructors and lecturers, have remained nearly the same for

the last 10 years. While university administration attempts to attract more minority faculty members, a national problem, some black undergraduates continue to look for black mentors on campus and work toward being the representation they aren’t seeing by pursuing graduate degrees.

“I’m disappointed by it,” Jenkins said. “Evidently, because I’ve heard [I’m someone’s first black professor] for 11 years, evidently it’s something that is necessary for students.”

Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Moser said Southern Miss alters between meeting national averages for minority faculty to “dipping below slightly,” and the

university could create better strategies to recruit and retain minority faculty.

He said he has met with faculty groups to discuss minority faculty retention and has heard student concerns through Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Amy Miller.

“I am encouraged by steps many units have taken to diversify their candidate pools in their faculty searches, and I am also encouraged that as an institution we are attracting more minority faculty applicants to disciplines that have traditionally been less diverse,” Moser said.

CONTINUED | PG 3

NEWS NOVEMBER 6, 2019 MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor

Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu

News Editor

Caleb McCluskey caleb.mccluskey@usm.edu

Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu

Feature/Lifestyle Editor Karigan Teer karigan.teer@usm.edu

Sports Editor

Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu

Multimedia Editor

Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu

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Letter to the Editor There has been an enormous outcry since my arrival to USM in 2016 for the administration to do something about the awful parking situation. Students pay $162 a year for dwindling parking spaces that our largely commuter student-base uses to get to class. After three years of inaction and even the removal of existing parking spaces with the new volleyball center (no offense, ladies), I propose that we start an initiative of our own to change our daily commute for the better. Dockless electric scooter sharing would be a positive addition to The University of Southern Mississippi’s campus. They’ll help students get around campus more easily and allow us to rely less on cars, freeing up parking spaces and giving students an environ-

mentally friendly transportation option.

These scooters could be used in conjunction with the already existing transportation system in helping students arrive to class on-time and without the fear of being stuck with a parking spot over half a mile away from their classroom.

Scooters provided by operators like Lime are completely carbon neutral and 30% of their riders report using them to replace trips they otherwise would have taken with a car. That means less traffic and pollution for our campus. Micromobility is being embraced by cities and communities all over the world. Southern Miss should join in utilizing innovative and sustainable transportation methods as well. Lime scooters have an incredible

range of 12-25 miles, depending on the landscape. Hattiesburg is relatively flat so the range of a fully charged Lime would be enough to go from campus to Turtle Creek Mall and back, SEVEN times. Personally, I’ve driven these scooters and they are easy to use and, honestly, a fun time to get around on. Our students would embrace this new method of transportation to ease the burden off of our inactive administration whether they are blind to the problem or refuse to address it.

Ryder Leifried Printz Contributor Senior Public Relations Major

Webmaster

Omer Arshad omer.arshad@usm.edu

Photo Editor

Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu

Design Editor

Emily Brinkman emily.brinkman@usm.edu

Graphic Designers

Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu Comic by Darius Harris | Printz

Kathleen Hetherington kathleen.hetherington@usm.edu Alexandria Moore alexandria.casey@usm.edu

Comic by Darius Harris | Printz

Printz Advisor

chuck.cook@usm.edu

Football Gameday Parking Notice

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

The Southern Miss vs. UAB Football game will be Saturday, November 9. On Friday, November 8, towing will begin in the following parking lots at 5 pm: Century Park North & Physical Plant parking lots. Century Park North and Pete Taylor lots will close at NOON. Physical Plant parking lot will close at 4 pm. All vehicles in these locations must be moved no later than 5 pm on Friday. On Saturday November 9, towing will begin in the following parking lots at 8 am: McCarty Hall, Wilbur Hall, Bolton, Eaglewalk Lot, Eaglewalk Spaces, Hillcrest and East Memorial Drive. Students who park their vehicles at Century Park North will not be allowed back into the lot until 6 am Sunday morning. All other vehicles parked in restricted areas must be moved by 8 am on game day (Saturday).

PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: 34th and 35th Ave Lot s Arthell Kelley Lot Fraternity Row Parking Garage

Hillcrest Gravel Lot Ross Boulevard South Lots Sports Field Lot Scholarship Hall Lot

If a vehicle is towed for a football game, a tow fee must be paid to Parking and Transit Services before the vehicle is released.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated, Parking and Transit Services 601.266.5447 or 601.266.4943

For a full listing of ALL RESERVED LOTS https:// www.usm.edu/parking-transitservices/2019_football_gameday_map.pdf

NEWS NOVEMBER, 6 2019

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CONTINUED FROM PG 1 Moser said hiring has been more intentional through advertising in publications like The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Education and Higher Ed Jobs, investing in supplemental search components that match minority faculty with open positions and using funds to connect early career faculty members and graduate students to Southern Miss through lectures and presentations.

Southern Miss’ Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Office reported that minority representation is the highest in service maintenance workers, who made up 64% of that category in 2016.

More specifically, students are more likely to see black service maintenance workers, who accounted for 113 of 226 of full-time service workers in fall 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Senior psychology major Shundrell McMullan said she is used to seeing more nonblack faculty and students after attending predominantly white schools before coming to Southern Miss. Although she’s comfortable with talking to them, she feels she can’t relate to them unless it’s on an academic level.

Black students are second to white students as the highest racial group at Southern Miss.

According to the Office of Institutional Research, black students were 29% of the student population in the 2018-19 academic year.

McMullan said nonblack students don’t try to understand black students’ perspectives, even in classes centered around race. When she took Multicultural Counseling, she thought to herself, “For a subject that deals with so many diverse cultures, where is this representation?”

In the same class, she watched a black student call black women lazy as some nonblack students smiled. She was disgusted.

McMullan has taken classes taught by two black instructors, one of them a graduate student and the other a faculty member.

She said she began thinking about the lack

Bethany Morris | Printz

of faculty diversity when she took Sherita Johnson’s, Ph.D., Introduction to Black Studies course in Fall 2018.

“Our school promotes diversity, which I love, but I only see that within the student body,” McMullan said. “If black students are 29% of the population, then we need that same energy in full-time black faculty,” McMullan said. “I truly believe that our success can be altered by something as small as seeing black professors. As thankful as I am for him, having a black president is just not enough. It means more. It helps us realize that we can make it.”

University leaders create an affirmative action plan annually to comply with federal law. The plan focuses on equal employment opportunities for minorities, women, veterans and people with disabilities, according to Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Equal Employment Opportunity Director Krystyna Varnado.

Varnado said the current goal for minority faculty is 19.2%. Her office’s recent analysis found no underutilization, meaning the

Cheryl Jenkins, Ph.D., teaches news editing.

current percentage of minority faculty at Southern Miss was not statistically significant from the national labor market at 17.2%.

The analysis does not break down faculty by academic rank or race and ethnicity.

“To achieve even greater diversity than the AAP requires, we have to be uniquely creative in recruiting those faculty members,” Varnado said.

Jenkins said black faculty members are most likely to look for jobs in specialized electronic mailing lists, Facebook groups and organizations dedicated to black faculty.

“That is where I’m going to go to search because it’s been vetted by someone who looks like me, who says this place is safe, and it won’t be so isolated,” Jenkins said. “If you want good quality black faculty, you go to their places.”

The McNair Scholars program aims to provide underrepresented groups, such as racial minorities and low-income and first-generation students, with research opportunities, mentorship and graduate

school preparation.

Southern Miss alumna and former McNair scholar Tiara Watson graduated with a degree in psychology in May 2019 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in counseling psychology at Southern Illinois University.

Watson said despite Southern Miss being a predominantly white institution, university leaders do a good job of creating programs and organizations for minority groups. She also said the McNair program’s acknowledgement of the challenges minorities face to go into higher education inspired her to apply, and the networking and mentoring the program provides is vital.

“The goal of the McNair program is not only to motivate those underrepresented populations to go into graduate study, but specifically go into graduate study to obtain a degree to go back and teach at universities,” Watson said. “When you hear other people, see other people who look like you and hear their stories and aspirations it inspires you to keep going and contribute back to society and academia.”

“I feel like the whole infrastructure of society in education has to change … [The lack of black faculty] on college campuses is definitely not a surface level problem.”

In fall 2016, the national average percentage of full-time black professors was 5%, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

When Jenkins was pursuing her undergraduate degree at Southern Miss in the 90s, she wasn’t taught by any black fulltime professors. When she was a junior, a black graduate student taught one of her journalism classes and inspired her.

“He wasn’t here long enough to mentor me, but the first opportunity I got to work with the Printz, the first time I was given reassurance in a class—like, ‘You got this. Good job,’—my first conference, everything like that that that prepared professional development I did was with him,” she said. “I had white professors who were mentors, but that instructor made me feel like I could actually do this.”

Re-examining Hattiesburg’s history: Leaders discuss inclusivity CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR

n this three-part series, News Editor Caleb McCluskey will uncover Hattiesburg’s past and debate its progress with some of Hattiesburg’s prominent leaders and scholars. In part one, McCluskey asks, “Is Hattiesburg inclusive?”

Hattiesburg is well known as a civil rights city and considered to be quite progressive to many of its residents, but to others, there is an undercurrent of racism and prejudice that cannot be overlooked.

“In 2019, we are still dealing with issues of race because I have to raise that issue— because it is one that actually exists,” Ward 2 Councilwoman Deborah Delgado said.

“The system of the white majority has not built a progressive community for African Americans.”

Despite Hattiesburg’s movement toward being more inclusive, some believe institutionalized racism is stifling African American voices. While some people believe Hattiesburg is better than it once was, others believe times have changed, but not for the better.

Sixth Avenue, known as the museum district, shines a light on the civil rights movement with Oseola McCarty’s home, the African American Military History Museum and Eureka School Museum, but Forrest County Supervisor Rod Woullard, who represents District 4, said progress

does not excuse many issues that persist in Hattiesburg’s culture.

“We cannot legislate morality,” Woullard said. “Until our hearts truly change for one another and toward one another, these problems are going to persist.”

Delgado said her ward has issues with flooding, but she has had trouble fixing the problem. She said she feels if people considered the quality of life of everyone, there would have been a solution to their flooding issue already.

“I think if there were not black and poor people living in those areas, we would have embraced methods for learning how to live with the water many years ago,” Delgado said.

Delgado said Hattiesburg has a large African American population, but because the majority of the black population lives in two wards, they only have a say for two of the five people on the council.

According to data released by the American Community Survey published

by World Population Review in 2019, African Americans make up a little over 53% of Hattiesburg’s population.

Delgado said redistricting, the process of redrawing electoral districts, has caused the African American voice in the community to be quietened. She said creating another predominantly African American ward could fix the issue.

“If we are the majority, why is it we only control 40% of the votes on the city council,” Delgado said. “The white community controls 60% of the power on the city council, and it’s not right.”

Delgado said she often faces issues of race as a black politician and is sometimes

labeled an angry black woman.

“When I speak out or speak up, I am an angry black woman,” Delgado said. “If it is one of my white colleagues, that person is active, being aggressive, getting the word out about the community, fighting for the rights of that community, but I am an angry, racist, black woman. No. I want the very same thing that every other community in Hattiesburg has.”

According to Delgado, who has worked as a city councilwoman for 18 years, being an elected official is hard for her because she is always on the defensive and trying to change minds.

“It is difficult to be an elected official and be black in Hattiesburg,” Delgado said. “I find myself in a situation where I am here to get the maximum benefit for my community, but it is hard when I only have the one vote. I am always trying to convince people to vote with me.”

Woullard said there is a large difference between racism and institutionalized racism, which is a system that gives advantages or disadvantages to people based on their race. He said there is not much he can do to change racism, but he has the power to change institutionalized racism.

“If you hate me because of the color of my skin, there ain’t nothing I can do to change that,” Woullard said. “But if it is institutionalized racism, where the system is not there for everybody, and you’re taking my tax dollars and helping to perpetuate that, I have got a say in that.”

Despite the issues Delgado said she sees in Hattiesburg, she still believes it is accepting, but she said there is a catch.

“I think Hattiesburg is pretty accepting because we want to be a place that welcomes people, but I think it is surface level in many instances,” Delgado said.

“You can be accepting in terms of what’s counted for the community, but in terms of real participation and real decision

making and real engagement, I don’t think so.”

Benjamin Morris is the author of several books, including “Hattiesburg, Mississippi: The History of the Hub City.” He said the answer to “Is Hattiesburg accepting,” depends on whom you ask. He also said factors like being a college and military town make Hattiesburg more accepting than other cities.

“Hattiesburg enjoys three very strong sectors, which traditionally do promote diversity and communication across all lines of society. Not just race,” Morris said.

Morris said universities, military service and art assist in building community.

Morris said art societies were a part of Hattiesburg since its founding and art grapples with ideas, stories and experiences beyond one’s own. Because of this, art expands horizons and builds the community as a whole.

“If I am trying to gauge whether a city is inclusive and fun, I always look to see if there is an art scene there. If there’s not, then I get worried,” Morris said. “If there is, then I always feel like I’m on the right track.”

Despite these positive qualities, Morris said there are also some issues he sees in Hattiesburg. Because political positions are often inherited from family and Hattiesburg is a relatively young town, there is less time for opinions to change.

“Frequently, political positions are inherited,” Morris said. “If in Hattiesburg it’s only been a couple generations from the founding to now, I am more likely to expect that some of the political positions that the founders held might not have shifted very much.”

In part two of three, McCluskey will focus on civil rights history in Hattiesburg, prominent figures therein and some of the memorials, markers and memories that are associated with the movement.

FEATURES NOVEMBER 6, 2019

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Vaping advocates worry over e-cig bans JACK MCCALLUM ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR raq veteran Bill Wikstrom smoked cigarettes for over 20 years before he switched to vaping. A vape store owner and former two-pack-a-day smoker, Wikstrom said he believes he would not be alive for his grandkids had he not found a way to quit cigarettes.

Recent news related to vaping and e-cigarette illnesses and deaths have increased customer concerns and upset Wikstrom, making him one of many business owners concerned about the effects of news related to vaping illness and death.

“If you destroy this industry and the shops that are actually the ones holding the line and preventing people from doing this kind of stuff, then just imagine all the illnesses that you’re going to have from people who don’t know s--- about it,” Wikstrom said.

Wikstrom is the owner of Vaporized and 12 other vaping and e-cigarette shops in the Southeast. Besides owning stores, Wikstrom owns and sells a brand of vape juice called Paradigm.

According to Wikstrom, the difference between his juice and the ones that have been linked to deaths is that Wikstrom said he tests his juice through the Food and Drug Administration, and all four of his juices’ ingredients are items found at a grocery store: propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine and artificial flavoring.

As of Oct. 29, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 1,888 cases of lung illnesses and 37 deaths, one of which was in Mississippi, have been linked to vaping and e-cigarette products. Most patients report a history of using products containing THC, and the CDC currently recommends people not to use vaping products containing THC. Wikstrom said that media sensationalism has led to a misconception between the type

Meghan Fuller | Printz

of vape juice he sells and the THC-based juice that is cut with chemicals like formaldehyde.

“It’s all about the misleading headlines.

Because what may happen is you might actually have a shred of journalistic integrity,” Wikstrom said. “And then you go back and look over it with your editor, and they may say, ‘You need to change this to something that’s a little bit more sensational.’”

Melisa and Craig Brown are a married couple and owners of Twisted Vapes shop and Golden Cutz salon on Fourth Street.

Together they have seen the effects of the news surrounding vaping and e-cigarette illnesses.

Prior to the recent news, the couple was able to make a living off of their business. Now they risk closure and Craig Brown is going back to

his construction job, so that they can pay the bills.

“We can definitely tell a cut in new customers for sure because I think all this negative publicity is making people scared to come in and get educated on what we actually sell,” Melisa Brown said. “And we’re a small shop. You can tell by our numbers that we aren’t selling anything illegal. We were never trying to get rich off of it anyway. We wanted to make a living.”

Mississippi State Department of Health has reported seven cases of vaping-related lung illness since Oct. 22 with all cases being of 18-34 year-olds. Three reported illnesses were from exclusive use of nicotine, three were from exclusively THC and one was from a

combination of both.

The department warns of the harm in vaping and e-cigarette products containing THC and said no specific brand or product has been linked to the outbreak. The department recommends for concerned vape users to refrain from vaping and for ex-cigarette smokers to not switch back.

Some vape shop owners and advocates agree with the Department of Health about the dangers associated with non-FDA approved products as well as not following the given rules of one’s vaping device. Juul, an e-cigarette device that has seen controversy and lawsuits over its youth-centric advertising, sells individual vaping pods that contain nicotine and can be popped out of a chewing gum-like package.

Twisted Vapes worker Patty Thornton said these single-use vaping pods, made for products like Juul and its rival Blu, can cause injuries when unknowing users attempt to refill them.

“None of our shops support Juul,” Thornton said. “You see college kids using them obviously, some of your friends probably use them. There’s kids trying to take the cheap way out and refill them. Do you know how unsafe it is to refill Juul pods? That is not what they are for.”

There are currently nine stand-alone, operating vape shops in Hattiesburg.

Convenience stores have become the highest earners in the industry, though.

Walmart, Walgreens and Kroger recently announced they would no longer sell e-cig products because of the outbreak. E-cig products like Juul and Blu are still commonly found in convenience stores.

Owners of vape shops and advocates for the right to vape are angry, but also scared.

In a once-growing industry that now finds itself as the face of an outbreak, there remains a community of people who wish to make a living and not turn back to cigarettes.

“I cut 38 paychecks. For some of these people, it’s their livelihoods,” Wikstrom said.

Dixie Darling earns Miss USM title MOLLY SCHRAEDER PRINTZ REPORTER hen senior public relations major Vivian O’Neal was in seventh grade, she entered the world of pageants.

Taking O’Neal under her wing, a woman from her church taught her how to do hair and makeup. As she got older, her father told her that if she really wanted to pursue pageants, she could potentially earn scholarship money.

The opportunity for scholarships pushed O’Neal to become involved with the Miss America organization. In high school, she competed for Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen and hoped she would complete in the Miss America circuit one day.

On Oct. 26, O’Neal earned the title of Miss University of Southern Mississippi, granting her the opportunity to represent Southern Miss, advocate for what she believes in and compete for Miss Mississippi in the summer.

A dedicated student, a Dixie Darling and a member of Phi Mu sorority, O’Neal said she has kept herself busy her whole life.

“I knew that this was the year I needed to compete, and this was going to be the year that I would do my best. Whether that meant winning the title or not, I didn’t know, but I knew that this was going to be the year that I could put my best foot forward,” O’Neal said.

“If I did win, I would be 100% ready to accept every responsibility that comes along with being Miss USM.” Leading up to Miss USM, O’Neal said the hardest part was conquering the ability to manage her time while preparing for the competition.

“To be Miss USM, you need to be a good

student. Because school, ultimately, comes first,” O’Neal said.

Southern Miss alumnae Macy Mitchell is a long-time friend of O’Neal and was Miss USM in 2016 and 2018. She said that being Miss USM means being someone for others to relate to and respect as a representation of the university, attending many events and being able to interact with members of the public on and off campus.

“I think that [O’Neal] is going to be the type of Miss USM that is going to attract people and going to attract attention. Not because of how beautiful and how talented she is, but because of her heart. And I think that’s the most important quality to have as a Miss USM,” Mitchell said.

As a senior, this was O’Neal’s last chance to compete for Miss USM. She said she felt ready to accept all of the preparation that came with it and the responsibility to come should she win.

During the pageant, O’Neal performed a jazz dance number that helped her earn her title. “[O’Neal] has a very unique confidence, and that’s something that I like to see in someone.

And what I mean by that is that Vivian is very aware of her abilities,” Mitchell said. “She’s aware that she’s a beautiful dancer and has beautiful stage presence, but at the same time, she’s also very humble. She doesn’t take any competition or any placement in competition lightly.”

Senior communications major Katelyn Perry also competed for this year’s Miss USM. She said she is proud to call O’Neal her friend and thrilled for her to be Miss USM. “Vivian is always completely herself. She doesn’t put on airs; she doesn’t put on fronts.

She does her best, and that is what it is. And I’m really, really proud of her for that,” Perry said.

Now that O’Neal is Miss USM, she said she

Nyaharika Rai | Printz

Newly crowned Miss USM Vivian O’Neal poses in front of Shoemaker Square.

is most excited about her opportunity to further her social impact initiative, Capable, a program to help bridge the gap between students living with and without disabilities.

O’Neal’s first social impact initiative was raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, an organization she said is close to her heart due to her brother’s muscular disease.

By adopting Capable, O’Neal said the initiative allowed her to be more hands-on with the cause.

O’Neal said education is key to breaking the barrier between students with different

capabilities and has started creating a curriculum to use for students in kindergarten to third grade. She hopes to further the initiative in collaboration with Southern Miss, allowing students to be a part of Capable as well.

O’Neal said being a senior and earning the title of Miss USM allows her to reflect on what Southern Miss has done for her.

“Not only am I given the opportunity to represent the university that means so much to me, I also have the opportunity to give back to it,” O’Neal said.

LIFESTYLE NOVEMBER 6, 2019

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VSCO girls break trendsetter molds LILLIE BUSCH PRINTZ REPORTER Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz

n your way to class, you see a girl with a large bottle that belongs more on a rocket ship than a college kid’s possession. The brightly colored bottle—a Hydro Flask, you later learn—swings from her fingers. Stickers with hashtags like #savetheturtles decorate the bottle’s metal surface. You speed up, because you’re going to be late, and you notice that she wears a Pura Vida necklace, despite the weather being 50-something degrees, and the beach being more than 90 minutes away.

Little did you know that you saw a VSCO girl. However, for now, she is nothing more than an odd assortment of interests dictated by fashion and aesthetics. The name stems from the VSCO mobile photography app, which is described by the CEO as “a chiller, more creative” companion to Instagram.

Their most common accessories are the omnipresent Hydro Flask and reusable straws.

“I get made fun of a lot for having a Hydro Flask. It honestly doesn’t bother me,” Chloe Emfinger, a junior media production major and self-proclaimed VSCO girl, said. “Being called a VSCO girl a lot doesn’t bother me; however, I’ve seen it really bother some other girls.” She sipped from her yellow Hydro Flask and crossed her legs. “I guess it just depends on how you handle yourself as to whether it bothers you or not.”

“I think they’re making carrying a wa-

ter bottle popular, instead of lame, like the lunchbox theory. No one wants to carry a lunchbox until it’s cool,” Emery Johnson, a senior speech pathology major, said. “I like oversized shirts and scrunchies, and they’re [VSCO girls] are making them cool.”

“Specifically, on the Hydro Flask, VSCO girls definitely made those popular. I’m not sure how big of an impact they’re making, but at this point, most people associate Hydro Flasks and metal straws with VSCO girls,” Emfinger continued.

However, VSCO girls are more than just trendsetters. They influence more than fashion trends, especially with her efforts towards promoting environmentalism and marine conversation.

A recent NPR podcast claimed that VSCO girls are the first large group of Generation Z to push climate change into the mainstream conversation.

By toting reusable bottles and straws, as well as promoting thrifting and purchasing things secondhand, the trendsetters push for being environmentally conscious. They also commonly participate in climate strikes, as pushed by young climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The most common phrases associated with VSCO girls are “And I oop—” and “sksksksk”, which stem from marginalized communities, like people of color.

For their environmentalist efforts, how-

e v e r, VSCO girls say #savetheturtles. Not only is the phrase derived from a popular TikTok video, but it is also an online store selling reusable products, such as silicone straws and plastic carrying cases for utensils. Whether VSCO girls are aware of it or not, they indirectly advertise reusable products.

If anything, VSCO girls are reincarnations of previous eco-warriors, such as the Baby Boomers’ hippies. The girls promote peace, love, and happiness

through filtered photos and “giving back” to the environment.

However, regardless of the VSCO girls’ trends and their aesthetics, the bigger problems at hand—pollution, climate change, overconsumption— cannot be solved by individual citizens alone. 500 million straws do not disappear overnight.

The younger generations should not have to desperately try to save a world that the generations before them created.

Thrifted Gold: Books make unique accent pieces BETHANY MORRIS SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR f you love books and pops of color in your living space, then this thrift is for you. The books we choose to read often reflect our own interests, beliefs and aspirations. From a design standpoint, the texture and pops of color that a book can add to a living space is subtle but can give an overall cozy feel to the living space.

When I’m browsing thrift stores, I often look for books. I look for bright colors and interesting patterns that can make a living space pop. Adding books to a bookshelf that reflect your field of interests will also add a personal touch to your space.

When someone walks into a room, I like for them to get a sense of who you are.

Filling the room with your interests makes for great conversation pieces.

I am a photojournalism major. When I went to New York, I found an amateur photographer book from the 60s. I’m also a Spanish minor, so I have found many Spanish books for less than $1 at thrift stores.

I found the perfect condition book, “Noche Oscura en Lima” at Southern Antiques in Laurel for $1. The lady who previously owned it was also taking Spanish courses and even had her notes jotted down from her lecture in the book.

for their clients. The simplistic way they incorporate books into their clients’ spaces is the key to using books as décor in your home. By adding books to your living space, it gives you a natural look for a boho eclectic vibe.

The best advice I can give while searching for thrifted books in thrift stores is to take your time while browsing through the stores or booths. Many stores and booths at thrift stores use vintage books for décor. Every time I go to a thrift store, I’m almost 100% positive that I can find books from the Reader’s Digest book collections. Reader’s Digest are the best books to choose if you want to incorporate interesting patterns into your living space, and usually these books are no more than a $1.

Listed below are the thrift stores that I have the most luck at buying books. I hope that you’ll think about incorporating books into your décor whether you’re a bookworm or not!

Bethany Morris | Printz

It’s mind blowing to me to think that this lady 40 years ago was in my place struggling to learn a second language and that is the link that connects us.

In addition to finding books of your interest, you can also add thrifted books to give pops of color to your bookshelf and tie the colors of books with throw pillows in your room. Books also work into

the overall aesthetic for a room and make a great pedestal for candles, which adds volume to a shelf or end table. By adding variation in depth and height of accent pieces in a room, it can be eye catching and adds even more interest to the room.

Two of my favorite interior designers, Joanna Gaines and Erin Napier, tend to use books when they remodel houses

BEST THRIFT STORES FOR BOOKS ACROSS MISSISSIPPI: 1.

Southern Antiques, Laurel, MS

2.

Lucky Rabbit, Hattiesburg, MS

3.

NUTS Laurel, MS

4.

City Thrift Jackson, MS

5.

The Atrium Meridian, MS

ENTERTAINMENT NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Brooke Candy debuts

on ‘Sexorcism’ JACK MCCALLUM ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR

Illustration by Alexandria Moore | Printz

fter years of building her hype as well as her dedicated, underground fanbase, Brooke Candy has finally released her debut album “Sexorcism.” Demented, confident and raunchy, “Sexorcism” fully delivers as a fresh introduction to the tatted-up, selfproclaimed freaky princess.

Brooke Candy’s name has circulated music blogs over the past decade ever since she appeared in Grimes’ video for “Genesis.” After several mediocre EPs and meh singles, Brooke Candy seemed to have flatlined. There was truly no sign of who Brooke Candy was as an artist other than being RCA’s gayer version of Iggy Azalea.

“Sexorcism,” however, stands out from all of Brooke’s work as well as her contemporaries. For the first time in her career, it seems like Brooke Candy knows who she is and who she wants to be.

Brooke Candy is an artist who greatly benefited from being dropped by her label and going independent. Under RCA, everything released by Brooke felt forced or inspired by another artist. The 2017 Sia feature “Living Out Loud” particularly had none of the personality that was

first shown on “Das Me.” Thankfully, after finding a distribution deal with UK-based indie label NUXXE, Brooke’s voice is being heard, and it actually sounds like she is living out loud, not just saying it. Tracks like “FMU,” “Swing” and “Rim” are so nasty, catchy and natural-sounding. Where rapping about anilingus could easily come across as awkward or try-hard, Brooke does it with such effortless confidence.

The attitude and sex appeal of Brooke Candy naturally oozes from of almost every track. Whatever it was, whether it be her old label or simply growing up, tracks on “Sexorcism” sound so true and

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with confidence real. Where she sounded like a desperate, wannabe popstar on “Happy Days,” she now sounds like an authentic, regular orgy attendee on tracks like “XXXTC.” Part of the magic of this album comes from the collaborations with artists

about where someone gets their fame as long as they are dedicated to releasing good music.

Another standout track surprisingly comes from an Iggy Azalea feature, “Cum.” This sleazy house track brings together two of this decade’s more controversial female rappers in an undeniably fun ode to orgasms. Some

like Erika Jayne, Rico Nasty, Violet Chachki, Bree Runway, Ashnikko and others. “Sexorcism” thrives off of the collaborative nature and how so many different voices are able to exist and thrive.

On the surface, it might seem like Brooke Candy would have a hard time collaborating with someone off of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” but that is why “Drip” works so well. Knowing about Erika Jayne, her husband, music career and love of gays all come together for this to be one of the best tracks this year.

Brooke Candy is showing on “Drip” that she is not a music snob, and she doesn’t want to be one either. No one should care

of Iggy’s rhymes come across as a bit elementary, but Brooke’s punchy chorus completely makes up for that.

There are no bad tracks on “Sexorcism,” but a few are sadly not as stellar as the rest. “Encore” is a bit forgettable and disappointing when considering how it features a Spanish verse from La Goony Chonga. “Freak Like Me” is also just a slowed-down pop track that sounds like it could have been by any other artist.

“Sexorcism” fits its name with themes of having lots of unapologetic sex, being an outsider and demanding respect from others. It finally seems like Brooke Candy is comfortable with who she is, and she is everything that the people need.

Rudd offers double the fun in Netflix show MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER aul Rudd’s new Netflix show, “Living with Yourself ” digs into the deepest desires of its viewers. Its scientific plot captures the true possibility of cloning while leaving a hilariously awkward theme in its path.

Rudd’s character Miles Elliot visits a spa after a recommendation in an attempt to become a better person.

After waking up in a grave hours later, he finds a clone of himself living in his house who has no recollection of the events. Cloning themes hit on society’s inner fantasy of constantly bettering oneself. Humanity has made many efforts in order to change the way it looks, feels or acts while somehow never feeling fully satisfied.

Although the show is a spot-on illustration of cloning and the events that follow, the production itself also seems like a duplicate. “Multiplicity,” a 1996 sci-fi starring Michael Keaton has a similar plot. Keaton’s character, Doug, is offered a chance to have a more macho clone of himself. Of course, in the movie, there are various other clones and issues that prove contrast from the show, but the two have many similarities.

While Rudd’s show is comparable to the Keaton classic, it is different in the sense of characters. Through the set design as well as the diverse personalities of the characters, the

show displays originality in multiple aspects. With Miles, Rudd conveys a lazy, flawed human being with a lack of determination. However, his clone is quite the opposite with an innocent, joyful personality in contrast to the original Miles.

Rudd’s acting in the first season was astounding and diverse, but also a little held back. He showed g r e a t promise when acting as Miles with his rugged, disturbed personality, but seemed to be distant from his role as the c l o n e.

Rudd is a universally loved actor so hopefully, he will open up to the possibilities of both characters and their achievements in the next season.

While the possibility of cloning is very prevalent throughout the show, it is not often coherent. Miles just goes into a spa where his DNA is swabbed and later wakes up in a grave. The process of forming that DNA is not shown, nor is the making of the clone.

With the explanation present, viewers would have a true understanding of the events that took place throughout the creation of Miles’ clone.

Miles’ relationship with Kate, his wife, is an odd one. The season never truly shows a backstory to where their marriage began, but their feelings for one another are evident towards the end. While trying to have a child, Miles and Kate struggle, which might be the turning point that led him to go to the spa.

The show does take a few episodes to truly discover the plot, but “Living with Yourself ” has surpassed expectations and opened

viewers’ eyes to their own desires.

Rudd exceeds the portrayal of two characters in order to create diversity between both versions of Miles. The aspect of self-improvement within the cloning theme has created a first season that will frankly be hard to top.

Illustration by Derrick “DJ” Reed | Printz

OPINION NOVEMBER 6, 2019

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Trump’s impeachment: INCOMPETENCE WARRANTS IMPEACHMENT WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER or two years now Americans have had to put up with the shenanigans of President Donald Trump, and his time in office needs to end.

When the billionaire announced his candidacy in 2015, no one expected him to win. He ran on a campaign that boasted about draining the swamp in Washington and building a wall to keep immigrants out.

When he wasn’t talking his absurd plans, he was tweeting to his heart’s content, lashing out at anyone and everyone who disagreed with his policies. Then, in 2016, he won the election.

At first, I, like many others, thought, “Oh, this won’t be so bad.” Boy, was I wrong. Two years and one too many controversies later, I’m regretting those words.

As a president, Trump has no clue how to run a country. He knows how to run a business empire, but managing buildings is a lot different from managing a country.

He’s a man who acts on his own agenda. He claims to love America and wants to keep it great, but he’s really doing it for his own good.

He’s a bratty kid who thinks he can do what he wants and get away with it.

The amount of scandals surrounding this man is too many to list in this article.

From hush-money payments to porn

stars to saying people of the alt-right are “very fine people” to proclaiming “fire and fury” to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and all of this in just 2017.

Joe Rogan once said on a stand-up special that Donald Trump is like a guy who runs into a room, drunken and stir crazy, shouting all sorts of nonsense that’s hard to believe, and he’s right. Yet, Trump’s most insane ramblings are found on Twitter, which he seems to spend more time on than in the Oval Office.

People will defend Trump saying he’s boosted the job market and bettered the economy. Well, it wasn’t all his doing.

Keep in mind, when Barack Obama became President, he had to fix an economy that was in the midst of a severe recession.

Besides, working wages are low and making a living is incredibly difficult.

More people might be working, but they sure aren’t earning enough for their efforts.

This is just scraping the top part of what is a colossal, toxic iceberg of a president. Anybody who disagrees with him is an enemy of the people, whether it’s the news media, politicians, especially Democrats, or even the average Joes.

When word got out about how he had called the Ukranian president and asked for him to dig up dirt on potential candidate Joe Biden and his son, I thought, “Can this presidency go anymore downhill?”

Impeaching the president or even voting him out of office next year will do a lot to help America.

BRINGS NOTHING BUT NEGATIVITY CONRAD ACOSTA PRINTZ REPORTER he impeachment proceedings currently going through the House are detrimental to the American public for a multitude of reasons, all of which end in a more divided America.

While the grounds for impeachment, specifically in reference to the Ukraine-Biden scandal, are present, we can see that impeachment this close to an election is not going to be impactful and is taking focus away from policy within the larger discourse surrounding the election.

When looking at whether or not impeachment is a beneficial path to take, it’s vital to look at its track record throughout American history. Only two American presidents have ever been impeached, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and neither one of these cases actually led to the president being removed. Pursuing impeachment this close to the end of Donald Trump’s term is doomed to be ineffective. Even if he were to be successfully impeached, the question of whether he could actually be removed would remain unanswered all the

way until the end of this term.

Not only does it make the impeachment proceedings a waste of government time and resources, but it also unnecessarily puts the Democrats in a bad light because they are the ones causing this. While the argument could be made that pushing Trump on this scandal is harming his public favorability on a national level, this benefit to the Democrats is completely negated by the fact that people within swing districts have more of a reason to vote Republican in the midterm election because of these proceedings.

The much better path would be to simply push the facts of the scandal into the national view, especially during the debates.

This way, the things that Trump has done remain a part of the national conversation without bringing all the negatives to the House Democrats or taking focus away from policy, which is really what the election should be focused on.

The details of the Ukraine scandal are relevant, and they should be a part of the national discourse as we move closer to the 2020 election. However, taking up resources to run an entire impeachment proceeding against Trump does nothing but harm both Democrats and the national conversation as a whole.

Kanye West uses religion as a prop LILLIE BUSCH PRINTZ REPORTER eligion, and by extension, Christianity, has become a prop and publicity tool in media. Public officials utilize it as a bargaining chip with their citizens.

Anti-abortionists use Christianity to promote their cause. Let’s not forget the slightly blasphemous theme of the 2017 Met Gala, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” Adding to a very long list, rapper Kanye West has now released a gospel-inspired album.

How does one man change from calling himself God in 2013 to releasing an album titled “Jesus Is King” in 2019?

Some may answer that West did, in fact, find comfort and self-growth in religion.

However, considering the celebrity’s history, it is much more likely that the album is another stunt. This character transformation is more about West himself than idolizing any religious figure.

Along with the album release and announcement of a documentary by the same name, West has also been conducting so-called Sunday Services. These elusive performances are never televised, although the celebrity guest list is extensive. Stars

such as Katy Perry, Brad Pitt and Tyler the Creator are just a few. What better time to promote an album than during the biggest musical festival—Coachella?

It is also convenient that West released the album after his many divisive comments, such as the time that he said slavery was a choice and defended President Trump while wearing a Make America Great Again baseball cap. Christianity, the largest religion in the world with an impressive global total of 2.2 billion, rules as a common ground in the United States.

It is also a channel for unity. Perhaps West’s spiritual transformation is, in part, a hopeful one-fell attempt at putting himself in the public’s good graces.

West’s misstep, however, is that Christianity thrives on tradition, especially in gospel music. West’s “Jesus is King” album, with its short songs and rap paired with a choir, is definitely nontraditional.

Regardless of West’s motives, the album is ahead of its time in the church. The Christian church is already divided between the young and the older adherents—West’s album is another nail in the coffin.

Another fact that disproves West’s claims of spiritual growth is the album’s merch and its outrageous prices. Christian motifs, such as Jesus’s face and crosses, are printed on hoodies, t-shirts, shorts and jogger

sweatpants. Anyone raised in a church will most likely feel a twinge in their gut—something feels wrong about the merchandise, and the fact that a hoodie costs $240. Similar to the 2017 Met Gala, the clothes are in bad taste, if not outright blasphemous.

Moving forward following the album’s release, the best way for West to move the public opinion in his favor is to prove his

authenticity as a reborn man. Perhaps he should donate a portion of the album and merch proceeds to a religious foundation or nonprofit.

In conclusion, the album itself isn’t terrible. Maybe the most eye-rolling track is “Closed on Sunday,” where West sings about Chick-fil-A. However, Kanye West’s reasons are much more questionable, and that is where the problem lies.

Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

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Punter from down under shares American experience MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR he coolest Aussie you’ll ever meet,” sophomore long snapper T.J. Harvey said about punter Matt Bromell.

“He’s a cafeteria food connoisseur, a wildlife expert and has a massive leg.”

Growing up in Australia, Matt Bromell spent his childhood playing tennis, basketball and Australian football.

“Australian football involves a lot of punting,” Bromell said. “It’s a similar kind of football, so the skills translate over to American football.”

After spending 10 months learning how to punt at a training academy in Melbourne, Bromell received a call from Southern Miss tight ends coach Reed Stringer.

“We were really just combing all over the world for a punter,” head coach Jay Hopson said.

“We came across Matt, and we began a dialogue and then certainly talked to his coaches. We got more and more details about him, and we found that this was a guy we may like.”

Without hesitation, Bromell accepted the offer and considered it a great opportunity.

“I flew over for fall camp, and it’s been going ever since that,” Bromell said. “I wanted to challenge myself and do something different. I had kind of fallen out of love with Australian football.

It was getting a bit repetitive, and I thought it was a great opportunity to come over here and play.”

Since then, Bromell has found his place on the Southern Miss football team. After adjusting to the heat and humidity that come along with living in the southern region of the United States, Bromell felt more comfortable kicking.

“Training and practice was really intense definitely. It’s on another level than it is from Australian football back home,” Bromell said.

Bromell has had seven attempts throughout the 2019 season, including a 46-yard punt

Matt Bromell punts in Alabama.

Courtesy of Southern Miss Athletics

against North Texas, which his father was able to witness.

“My dad was able to get to the North Texas game and see me get a kick so that was pretty awesome,” Bromell said. “He didn’t know the rules of the game, so I had to try and explain to him when I’m actually meant to come on and punt.”

Since Bromell is 9,357 miles from home, he has had to form new relationships with his teammates.

“He’s a guy that has fit right in. That specialists group, that is a group in itself right there, so fitting into that group is saying something,”

Hopson said.

Bromell’s roommate and teammate Ryan Schemtob has guided Bromell through American culture and the good and bad that comes with it.

“That’s the thing too [with him] being from Australia; a lot of the culture shocks here I can mess around with him, and he doesn’t understand it,” Schemtob said.

Other than differences such as how Americans tip, the Aussie has seen how passionate Americans can be especially when it comes to athletics. “[They are] much, much more intense especially in sport,” Bromell said. “I just feel like the overall capacity of sport is so much higher here,

and the demand for it is just crazy. Whatever channel you put on TV, there are just stats thrown at you. It’s unbelievable.”

During his season with the Golden Eagles, Bromell has punted in front of over 90,000 people during the Sept. 21 game at Alabama.

The scale in which Americans consume sports “is crazy” to Bromell.

Schemtob sees how Bromell inspires others.

“Everyone has their own role, so he plays a big role,” Schemtob said. “[Bromell] shows you can keep chasing the dream even if you live on the entire different side of the world. He came over here and made it happen.”

Soccer falls to LA Tech in final game MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR

he Southern Miss soccer team (7-10-1) finished the regular season with a 2-1 loss to Louisiana Tech (13-4-2) in overtime on Nov. 1.

“Clearly they were the better team and we had our chances,” Coach Mohammed El-Zare said. “This is the only sport in the world that the statistics do not determine the winner. Such a cruel game. We deserve better, but it is the sport that we love.”

The first half was scoreless despite the Golden Eagles taking 14 shots. LA Tech had four saves for the half. At minute 75, LA Tech’s Autumn Woodard scored with an assist from Stella Li. Hailey Pohevitz scored for the Golden Eagles at minute 83 with an assist from Madisyn Flammia and tied the game. Woodard had another goal in overtime to give LA Tech their thirteenth win of the season.

“They put in their chances, and we didn’t. But going forward, we are a mature team, a together team,” El-Zare said. “This is just a small bump on our way to bigger and better things.”

Southern Miss finished at the bottom of the conference with a final standing of 12 out of 14, a drastic contrast from the 2018 team’s conference final appearance.

“It wasn’t what we wanted,” senior Jess Shepherd said. “We had a big incoming class of new people, so we just had to find our moment. But it just never came unfortunately.”

The Manchester, England, native celebrated her two-season career after the game during Senior Day festivities. In her final season as a Golden

Kaitlin Fayard runs with the ball.

Michael Sandoz | Printz

Eagle, Shepherd played for 1,018 minutes.

Shepherd also had 11 shots for the season; four were shots on the goal.

“My statistics probably don’t show it, but out there on the field I’ve done everything I can. I don’t have any regrets,” Shepherd said.

Redshirt senior Kaitlin Fayard completed five seasons with the Golden Eagles after joining the team as a walk on.

“What a story. She came in here as a walk on,

and today she is not only on scholarship and has been a starter since her sophomore year on,” El-Zare said. “The amount of work she has put in all these years, graduating and now finishing up her masters is something I’m really proud of.”

Fayard spent 1,580 minutes on the field during her final season with 15 shots and nine shots on the goal.

“I am so grateful I had the opportunity to play my fifth year,” Fayard said. “We set higher

standards, and we didn’t get the outcome that we wanted. But this team has meant the world to me.”

The remainder of the senior class included Karsen Gildea, who had two saves against FIU. Jacky Manteas spent 732 minutes on the field with 14 shots and four shots on the goal.

“All of them are moving on to bigger and better things and that’s what this is all about,” El-Zare said. “They will be missed, but we wish them all the best.”