Movie night spotlights BLM movement
Students struggle with internships during pandemic
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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
VOLUME 99 ISSUE 5
www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com
Are ethically sourced clothes accessible?
March 1, 2021
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Bone marrow drive helps local teen P4 Memorial held for Joshua Comer P 4
Women’s basketball falls to Texas State P 8
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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
March 1, 2021
BRIEFS CALENDAR 1
Monday, March
31 Ambassadors interest meeting, 7 p.m., online via Zoom
2
Tuesday, March Tuesday Night @ Thrive, 6 p.m., Thrive House
Wednesday, March
3
Ambitious Women Wednesday, 12 p.m., online via Zoom
4
Thursday, March
CCM Dollar Lunch, 11 a.m., Christ the King Chapel
5
Friday, March
Interview tips, 1 p.m., online via Zoom
6
Saturday, March No event planned
7
Sunday, March No event planned
QUOTE
Shreveport
Baton Rouge
California
United States
KNOE- A double shooting has been reported on E 68th Street in Shreveport. It happened around 2:44 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, Caddo 911 dispatch records show. The fire department now has three units, down from a half dozen initially, responding to a medical emergency on E 68th between Line and Thornhill avenues. Fourteen police units also responded to the scene. Police officials say two children were shot, a 15-year-old and a 5 or 6-yearold. The teen was shot in the leg, while the younger child was shot in the arm. Both appear to have non-lifethreatening injuries. Police are looking for a silver truck they believe was involved in the shooting. Authorities urge anyone with any information about this shooting to call the Shreveport Police Department.
KNOE- Former LSU head football coach Les Miles reached a settlement with a former student who accused him of harassment almost a decade ago, according to a report from The Advocate newspaper. The newspaper reports the settlement has surfaced due to Husch Blackwell, a third-party law firm, investigating the university’s handling of Title IX violations following last year’s USA Today report claiming the university mishandled sexual misconduct allegations for years. Sources told The Advocate, a former LSU Athletic Department intern accused Miles of “hitting on her.” When contacted by the newspaper Wednesday, Miles denied making advances toward a student intern. However, he did not directly answer the newspaper’s questions regarding the settlement.
MCT- California has surpassed 50,000 COVID-19 deaths, a tally that came as Los Angeles County reported a backlog of more than 800 deaths over the autumn and winter surge. The count comes as daily coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths have dropped considerably in recent weeks, although some scientists remain concerned about the potential spread of mutant variants that are more contagious and possibly more lethal. While California has the largest number of COVID-19 deaths of any state in the nation, it ranks 32nd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for COVID-19 deaths on a per capita basis. The backlog of 806 new COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County, which mostly occurred in December and January, was discovered following extensive checks of death records, according to the public health director.
MCT- The House passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package early Saturday, pushing forward the aid millions of Americans have waited for as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic that has killed half a million Americans and crippled the economy. The bill passed 219-212, on a nearly party-line vote well after midnight Eastern time. Two Democrats opposed the bill while no Republicans voted in favor of the bill. House Democrats included a $15 minimum wage in the legislation, even though the measure will likely be stripped out in the Senate, after that chamber’s parliamentarian advised it was not allowed under rules being used to pass the relief bill. The Senate could pass its version of the bill as soon as next week using an expedited process called reconciliation.
Two children shot LSU student offered State passes 50,000 Biden's COVID-19 relief bill passes in drive-by shooting harassment settlement COVID-19 deaths
TODAY IN HISTORY
ART HEALS
"You can't make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”
March 1 1872: Yellowstone becomes the world's first national park. 1909: First U.S. university school of nursing established, University of Minnesota.
Michelle Obama, former first lady
1939: Japanese Imperial Army ammunition dump explodes at Hirakata, Osaka, Japan. 1954: Four Puerto Ricans open fire in U.S. House of Representatives, injuring five members. 1974: Watergate grand jury indicts seven presidential aides.
Front page credits: Main photo: ULM photo services
1985: Pentagon accepts theory that atomic war would cause a nuclear winter.
Top sidebar photo: Calli Sinclair Bottom sidebar photo: Carley Nail photo by Calli Sinclair
Students gathered in the Hangar to participate in Hawk-art Therapy hosted by CAB, the Cultural Diversity Council, the NAACP and NPHC on Feb. 17.
March 1, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 3
OPINION
LGBT
'They' deserve to be respected Hope Anderson Recently, there has been a surge of people using they/them pronouns. You can find “they/them” in bios on social media and even in more professional settings such as Zoom usernames and emails. You might even know someone that uses they/ them pronouns. However, with the surge of they/ them pronouns came a surge of controversy as to whether or not they are "valid." People often argue that they/them pronouns are unnecessary and aren’t grammatically correct. Typically, those who use they/ them pronouns label themselves as non-binary. This means they do not identify as exclusively feminine or masculine.
It can also mean they feel either both feminine and masculine energies combined or none at all. In essence, they are gender neutral. Despite what some people believe, they/them pronouns are grammatically correct. Although this surge of they/ them pronouns being linked to one person seems rather recent, it goes back to 14th century writing. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Literary giants Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth and Geoffrey Chaucer all used singular they in their writing.” And no, just because big writers in the past did something a certain way does not mean it is correct. But, think of your own usage of they/ them pronouns. Whenever you don’t know or want to disclose someone’s gender that you are talking about, you resort to they/them pronouns. For example, “My sister’s friend is taking her to the game. They are picking her up at our house.” The gender of your sister’s friend is unknown, so "they" was used to refer to said person.
It’s an easy, effortless switch that didn’t cross your mind twice. I personally do not find it to be that difficult to turn to they/them pronouns when someone has requested them. As long as you are actively trying, you should be fine. You probably will slip up. Just correct yourself and move on. Continuing to educate yourself as to why people use they/them pronouns is important. More information comes out all the time, so just stay up to date. Also, just talk to people who use they/them pronouns. Everyone is different. Some people might not like gendered terms such as sir or ma’am, while others don’t care. No matter someone’s reasoning behind using they/them pronouns, their requests should be adhered to. At the end of the day, if using they/ them pronouns for someone is such an issue for you, then refer to them by name. After all, pronouns are optional in use. contact Hope Anderson at andersonhl@warhawks.ulm.edu
Fashion
Stubbs 131 700 University Avenue Monroe, LA 71209 Editor-in-Chief - Kaitlin Maness Co-managing Editor Design - Sunil Bishwokarma Co-managing Editor News - Loryn Kykendall Opinion Editor - Chloe Chapel Freestyle Editor - Uchechi Owunna Sports Editor - Cameron Jett Copy Editor - Carley Nail Multimedia Editor - Saugat Shrestha Photo Editor - Calli Sinclair 318-342-5453 ulmhawkeyead@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in personal columns are the opinions of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the editors, staff, adviser or the university. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of The Hawkeye’s editorial board, but not necessarily the opinions of the adviser or the university. The Hawkeye (USPS #440-700) is published weekly except vacation, exam & holiday periods by The University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA 71209. Annual subscription price is $15.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Monroe, LA 71203. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hawkeye, 700 University Ave., Stubbs 131, Monroe, LA 71209-8832.
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Don’t agree? Let us know! Contact the writers or the editor at chapelcb@warhawks.ulm.edu
graphic courtesy The Trevor Project
Ethical clothing: Saving the planet comes with exceptions PAGE 8
September 21, 2020
SPORTS
Caitlyn Cullen What’s more important—looking trendy or saving the planet? For most people, I hope the answer is saving the planet. But that choice isn’t always accessible. According to Good Trend, clothing is considered ethical if its production focuses on reducing harm to workers as well as the planet. In recent years, online clothing sites like SHEIN and ROMWE gained popularity. They offer stylish and cheap clothing for men and women with sizes up to 4X. However, they are not ethically sourced. Ethically sourced clothing is not accessible to everyone. Plus-size women struggle most to find both unethically and ethically sourced clothing due to price and size restrictions. Because women’s clothing sizes vary immensely depending on brand, material and fit, sizes 10
and above are often considered plus-size. This is a problem because according to Racked, 68% of American women are a size 14 or above. Plus-sized clothing generally comes with a hefty price tag. For example, Torrid is a plus-size store that offers t-shirts at a price of $39. Most college students would rather spend $39 on more important things such as food or rent. In addition to plus-size clothing being expensive, it is typically tailored toward older women. This leaves plus-size teens wondering where they can get trendy clothes at affordable prices. Often, young plus-size women will resort to unethical clothing brands. Unethically sourced clothing is significantly cheaper, which allows the buyer to purchase multiple articles of clothing for the price of one ethically sourced item. The solution is for ethically sourced clothing to be size inclusive and cheaper. A large majority of ethical clothing brands only go up to sizes L or XL. Therefore, by increasing the size range, more plus-size women will be able to purchase ethically sourced clothing. Additionally, the price of ethically sourced clothing needs to drastically decrease before people will even consider purchasing them. Giving everyone access to ethically sourced clothing puts us one step closer to saving our planet. contact Caitlyn Cullen at cullenck@warhawks.ulm.edu
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March 1, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
NEWS
Health
Bone marrow drive supports local teen by Loryn Kykendall
Courtlynn Havard went to the doctor last year thinking she had kidney problems. It turned out she had two rare and life-threatening blood diseases called aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. The 10th grade student from Winnsboro hasn’t been able to go to school or play sports since she was diagnosed Courtlynn Havard in October of 2020. She plays softball and soccer, and said it’s been tough not getting to do the things she loves. “It just takes all of that energy and all that potential that you put into the work and it just gets taken away from you,” Harvard said in an interview with WGNO. A result of the diseases is bone marrow failure and Havard needs a transplant as soon as possible, but she hasn’t been able to find a match yet. Her family, in partner with an international nonprofit called DKMS, has been holding bone marrow drives in an attempt to find one. Last Thursday one of these drives was held on ULM’s campus. About 90 people drove through and quickly swabbed their cheeks in hopes of being the match Havard is
photo courtesy ULM photo services
NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK: Courtlynn Havard, 15, was diagnosed last year with two rare blood diseases. Her family, along with an organization called DKMS, has been holding bone marrow drives looking for a match, but have not yet found one.
looking for. Chrissie Autin, director of event services, helped organize the event along with Circle K and SGA. She said the process of figuring out if they’ve found a match could take months, but she’s proud of the students who turned out. “In true Warhawk fashion, our students once again showed their eagerness to help others in a time of
need,” Autin said. Tyler Lunsford, a nursing student and member of SGA, helped people at the drive do their paperwork and instructed them on how to swab themselves. Lunsford said that once you swab yourself you stay in the system for life. He has a cousin with Leukemia, and said that even if the people who got tested Thursday aren’t a match
for Havard, they could be a match for someone else in need. One of the students who got tested was Abigail Ward, a freshman radiologic tech- Lunsford nology major who knows Havard personally. She
went to the same high school and graduated with Havard’s two older sisters who now attend ULM. “This sweet girl needs a match so she can continue her favorite things,” Ward said. Havard’s mom, Jaimie, said Ward Courtlynn is most looking forward to getting back out on the field with her “softball sisters.” Jaimie also said that Courtlynn’s condition has gone from moderate to severe. But focusing on helping other kids with blood diseases has kept her daughter positive and motivated. “If she can just keep focusing Jaimie Havard on them and their stories and bringing awareness, it really helps her not to dwell on her challenges,” Jaimie Havard said. If you missed the drive on campus, there’s also a virtual donor drive on the DKMS website where you can request a swab kit to be sent to your home. The link to this can be found on the Hawkeye website. contact Loryn Kykendall at kykendalllk@warhawks.ulm.edu
In Memory
Memorial service held for Joshua Comer by Kaitlin Maness
Standing in his colleague’s doorway with a question ready to part his lips. A friendly smile plastered across his face as he glides through Walker Hall, saying hello in passing. Infectious laughter spilling from him and spreading to others. These are the memories students, faculty and staff have chosen to keep of Joshua Comer, an assistant communication professor. On Jan. 17, Comer, 39, died from gunshot wounds. He was allegedly murdered by his father-in-law, Jack Mathews. The university grieves the loss of not only a beloved professor but also the communication program’s director. To help people begin healing from Comer’s death, the School of Humanities organized a memorial in his honor last weekend.
Comer was known for his kindness and humor. With his personality alone, he captured the attention of each room he entered. And he was deserving of it according to the School of Humanities Director Ruth Smith. “I think if you walked into a room and you found Josh there, he’s the kind of person who would not demand center stage but before long, he would be center stage,” Smith said. Catherine Wilson, Comer’s former faculty mentor, said it was difficult for her to choose just one thing to say about Comer. In the end, she chose his “showmanship” as a professor. “Joshua Comer was a natural born teacher,” Wilson said. “A lot of people take years to turn into a good teacher but he was an excellent teacher from the jump.” Students seemed to agree as dozens of video submissions detailing their experiences with Comer flashed across the screens in the Han-
photo by Calli Sinclair
LASTING IMPRESSION: Students, faculty and staff gathered on Feb. 27 in honor of Joshua Comer. Friends and colleagues spoke of their time with the former professor and communication program director.
gar. The memorial video was organized by instructor Charles Lilly and various students from the communication program. “I think he used his time on earth to do what he loved,” Wilson said. “And he had the great, good fortune of loving what he did and he did it so well.” Comer worked at ULM for only three years. But in his short time on staff, he transformed the communication department. He helped
recruit new professors and instructors like Lilly. He aided students through their practicum assignments and internships. He filled the position of communication program director after Lesli Pace. “We are all thankful for the too brief time that we had with this gentleman,” Wilson said. contact Kaitlin Maness at manessk@warhawks.ulm.edu
March 1, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
PAGE 5
NEWS
Academics
COVID makes internships harder for some students by Ashlyn Dupree After working hard to finish your degree, you finally graduate, proud of your accomplishment and are seeking a job related to your degree. One of the first questions you can expect a future employer to ask is “Do you have a resume?” or “Do you have any experience in this field?” Unfortunately, during the pandemic, it can be especially hard to find internships. And not getting an internship can prevent many students from graduating. The internship coordinator for speechlanguage pathology, Amanda Elias, said there are no options for SPLP students to replace internships. SPLP students are required by the Creative Arts Agency to complete internships to graduate and receive certification. Elias said it’s been a struggle to find internships because of COVID-19. “Some facilities are very leery about letting students come into the facility, especially if that facility has high COVID numbers,” Elias said. Most internship sites have many restrictions, which results in clinicians declining students from internships, according to Carolyn Murphy, an occupational therapy professor. Murphy also said that most clinicians are dealing with high levels of stress and burn out. They don’t want a student to add to their stress. Plus, students are restricted on what patients they can treat because of COVID. For other majors like health studies, nursing and accounting, there has been no change in finding
internships. Many of these majors have switched either to virtual internships or continued inperson internships with restrictions. Carter Saterfiel, a senior nursing major, has continued his internship normally. Saterfiel said compared to previous internships he’s had, it’s no different. “As future nurses, we expect healthcare to always be changing. Times like Saterfiel now are what we are trained for,” Saterfield said. “I believe the need for the nurse—and our healthcare workers—has been recognized more globally than ever before.” And while many students can get a virtual internship, their feelings about it are mixed. Myra Edwards, a junior health studies major, said she doesn’t feel as if her experience at her internship is as hands on as it would have been prior to COVID. She feels the lack of client interaction. “I am unable to see any of the clients and learn about how their mannerisms coincide with the situation they went to therapy for,” Edwards said. “I am unable to see how counselors Edwards interact with their clients and to see how to properly handle a client while being face-to-face in a professional health care setting.”
photo courtesy MCT Campus
HELP NOT WANTED: While some students’ internship opportunities have not been affected by the pandemic, others are having a hard time finding something hands-on, or even finding an internship at all.
Many financing students have not experienced the effects of having an internship because they switched to online, according to Arturo Rodriguez, a finance professor. But Rodriguez said international students are suffering from COVID internships as well. Most small businesses do not want to hire international students due to the rules set in place by the Trump administration and required
paperwork from the Department of Homeland Security. “Employers are a little bit more hesitant to hire international students because after their permit expires or after they graduate, then they have to sponsor them with these ads and that’s a big expense for a small business,” Rodriguez said. contact Ashlyn Dupree at dupreeaf@warhawks.ulm.edu
Activism
Forum educates students on BLM’s past, present by Alexis Page
The Black Lives Matter movement is alive and well—and students are fighting to keep it that way. A march was held on campus last summer and BLM letters now adorn the grass of Bayou Park. RSOs are continuing the effort by educating students on the movement. The NAACP and National Pan-Hellenic Council held a Zoom event on Feb. 23 to tell fellow students about the origins, goals and impact of the BLM movement. They talked about the struggles Black people faced in the past and today. The meeting began with a discussion of the BLM mural on campus. Adewumi Ariwajoye, political action head of NAACP, suggested another possible artistic endeavor for next year. “I would love to have a big banner that says ‘BLM’,” Ariwajoye said. “Students [can] put quotes, their feelings and aspirations to show that they are heard.” There was also a symbolic significance to the meeting as Feb. 23 marked the one-year anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, a victim
photo courtesy Pixabay
KEEPING THE FIRE ALIVE: The NAACP and National Pan-Hellenic Council held a forum Feb. 23 to teach students about the past and present of the Black Lives Matter movement and discuss the fight for change.
of racial violence. A brief history and list of BLM’s demands were listed. Such demands included convicting Donald Trump to ban him from future political positions, removing Republican poli-
ticians who attempted to overturn the 2020 election and enacting the BREATHE Act. The BREATHE Act would diverge funding from incarceration and policing to promote healthy and equitable communities, especial-
ly for Black youth. There was a discussion on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots. How would the police have responded had the rioters been Black? Since the murders of Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor last year, protests swept the world in a uniting call for racial justice. Ariwajoye went to a protest for Floyd in her native town, Slidell. “I see my father, my brother, my uncle’s life [and] my life,” Ariwajoye said. “George Floyd’s voice can no longer be heard, so I want to make sure that it’s heard through me and that Lewis he didn’t die in vain.” Shania Lewis, CAB secretary, also answered the call in protests. “I felt it was my duty to march for those that lost their lives, but also [for] my family and future family,” said Lewis. “Justice for one African American is justice for all.” contact Alexis Page at pagean@warhawks.ulm.edu
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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
March 1, 2021
FREESTYLE
Culture
Warhawks ‘Dance It Out,’ learn about history of break-dancing with International Student Association by Uchechi Owunna
“Left knee in, left knee out, right knee in, right knee out.” Nishant Shrestha stood in front of the Activity Center’s multipurpose room and guided Warhawks as they did the Tootsie Roll across the floor, sweating, panting and laughing, during the Dance It Out event on Friday. This event was organized by the International Students Association in honor of Black History Month. They provided water and goody bags of snacks for the attendees. The class started out with the instructor telling the students to go around and introduce themselves to each other. Then he explained the history of breakdancing before he started teaching the basic steps of the dance. Shrestha, a second semester master’s in business administration student who instructed the dance class, said he thinks dance is one of the main Shrestha ways to make
people aware of Black history. If you study Black history, so many historical events have given rise to different dances. There are dances created by African slaves that are still popular. “There are African dances for every occasion of life. There are dances for the gods, dances to celebrate birth, dances to mourn the death, dances for the rain, dances for the nature. Everything,” Shrestha said. “Now, I am glad so many of these dances are famous today in many forms, but I would like people to also be aware of the history that it came from while enjoying it.” Chelsi Rogers, a junior biology major, said she thought the event was very effective in educating people about Black history and details of the Rogers Black culture that are not commonly known. Rogers said that they were able to dance just like the creators of the dance had. They also struggled learning just as they had. There was
more connection between the past and the present. In a sense, they were able to re-live a small piece of Black history by just dancing and learning how and why it came to be. Phan Ngoc Tram, the events coordinator for ISA, said she thought the event was fun and that the students got a chance to learn about the history of break-dancing and practice some of the basic techniques of the dance without having to sit in a history class. “Break dancing is a part of the lifestyle of African Americans and it is relevant to teach and educate yourself about its origins and importance,” Phan said. “This is was the aim of our organization as part of celebrating Black History Month.” Shrestha said that he enjoyed teaching the class and being a part of such huge cause while doing what he loves. He suggested that the organization keeps the tradition going. He said he would love to see traditions and arts from different parts of the world. People can sing their songs, or wear their traditional clothes in a fashion show, cook their
photo courtesy Calli Sinclair
IT’S IN THE FEET, FACE AND ATTITUDE: Warhawks put on their style as they groove to the music and master their toprock break-dancing.
food Just share their culture in any food–Just way possible. “Something as simple as a dance, that I’ve seen preformed many times, had taken on a new meaning. It was more than a dance, but a way to express themselves without
the use of violence,” Rogers said. “As far as how it is significant to Black history, it shows the creativity of my people and the pure talent that they possess which often goes unseen.” contact Uchechi Owunna at owunnaud@warhawks.ulm.edu
Campus Event
Movie night screening spreads awareness, educates students on systemic racism by Adrena Williams
photo courtesy Calli Sinclair
A HAIRBRUSH IS NOT A GUN: Students sit, ready and waiting, before the lights are turned off and “The Hate U Give” begins.
Meilan Whitaker sat in rapt attention with her eyes glued to the screen in front of her as she watched the movie shown on Thursday evening to honor Black History Month. Movie night was hosted by CAB, the NAACP and the NPHC and they played “The Hate U Give,” a movie about police brutality and systemic racism. Along with an excellent choice of film, snacks like candy, chips, drinks and popcorn were provided. Students seemed to have a good time as most of the audience stayed until the end of the movie. “I went to movie night to show support to NAACP and the NPHC but I enjoyed the movie,” said Whitaker, a pre-nursing student. “I think it properly showed how people are faced with racial dilemmas every day and it truly felt empowering to me.” Ty’leshia Brown, junior CAB and NAACP member, said the organizations decided to choose “The Hate U Give”
because it’s Black History Month, and it was a good movie to show students the importance of Black lives. “It breaks down how police brutalityBrown affects people in our community which relates to the Black Lives Matter marches we had last year,” Brown said. Brown also said that she is hoping to be able to host more movie nights showcasing Black empowerment in the future. This movie was shown to wrap up Black History Month and to teach students about the struggles of being Black. The movie also showed how Black people feel trying to be something they are not. It gave the main character, Starr, a choice to be herself and speak out about the systemic racism members of her community face daily. Kiauna Rollins, an NAACP member, said she believes the movie was played
to exhibit the harsh reality of what it means to live in two different worlds as a Black person. “Going to a predominantly white institution both in college and high school, I can sometimes relate,” Rollins said. “When people live with different perspectives and privileges, they don’t quite understand the hardships of your community or your life.” Rollins said that it was a hard decision trying to find the right movie to play so that no one became offended or felt uneasy. Movies such as “Miles Morales” and “Moonlight” were recommended but unfortunately did not make the cut. This was probably a good decision since “The Hate U Give” resonated with the students so well. “We, as the Black community, have fought these hardships throughout history for so long, but ‘The Hate U Give’ is a modern example of finding your voice in the middle of it all,” Rollins said. contact Adrena Williams at williaaj@warhawks.ulm.edu
March 1, 2021
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THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
FREESTYLE
Movie Review
Trends
Black Panthers fall Fast fashion like Boohoo prey to ‘Judas’ should be booed, discouraged by Alexis Page
What comes to mind when you hear “Black Panther?” It’s completely fine if Marvel’s blockbuster superhero is your answer. Our story, however, deals with a group now overshadowed by the Wakadan savior. The Black Panther Party, a militant civil rights political party, fought for equality among Blacks and all races. Their aggressive methods remain debatable but their actions were pure: free breakfast for children, free medical care and uniting other races in shared harmony. Shaka King’s Golden Globenominated “Judas and the Black Messiah” retells a blood-boiling tale of Panther leader, Fred Hampton, and FBI informant, Bill O’Neal. Armed with two stellar performances, it paints an infuriating picture of police brutality, federal persecution and systemic racism of the past all too familiar today. In Chicago, 1968, O’Neal is up to no good. He impersonates an FBI agent and unsuccessfully attempts car theft. An agent makes a deal with him to earn his freedom–infiltrate and disrupt the Panthers, including Hampton. Will O’Neal play Judas and, in essence, betray his own people’s strife for justice? Or, will he turn his back on the Bureau and stand up for the stigmatized Panthers? Daniel Kaluuya plays the
bass-voiced Hampton as confident, powerful and inspirational, energizing every room with his words. You’ll see precisely why he was nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe this year. Lakeith Stanfield plays cowardly O’Neal as conflicted, foolish and indecisive. I’ll let you decide whether he deserves sympathy or damnation–a great debate with friends. This film is based on true events worthy of cinematic treatment. During the ‘50s, the FBI launched “COINTELPRO,” Counter-Intelligence Program, a series of secret, illegal operations meant to infiltrate and destroy American organizations. Blacks were main targets like the Panthers and Martin Luther
King. Some COINTELPRO documents can be viewed on the Bureau’s website. Listen as then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, played by Martin Sheen, condemns the Panthers as “the single greatest threat to our national security.” O’Neal participated in only one interview about his involvement. The ending is utterly shocking–and all true. “Judas and the Black Messiah” retells a painful era in American history and reminds us the fight for civil rights is far from over. It’s another example of Black excellence making headlines in Hollywood’s whitewashed landscape. Raise your fist and repeat after Hampton: “I am a revolutionary.” contact Alexis Page at pagean@warhawks.ulm.edu
Last week, I walked into H&M to look for a black blazer to wear to my creative design internship. After walking around the formal attire aisle for a few minutes, I quickly found a blazer that fit me perfectly. Even though the blazer was not cheap, it was affordable. Like me, most people run to stores like Forever 21, H&M, Zara, GUESS, Topshop, Victoria Secret and other fast fashion brands to source for clothes on special occasions like birthday parties, interviews, showers and even weddings. There is nothing necessarily wrong with looking for affordable and well-fitting clothes. The problem is with the stores we purchase our outfits from and the way they manufacture their products. According to Town&Country, fast fashion refers to clothing manufactured at warp speed and sold at a low price. Instead of releasing two or more collections during major seasons per year, as was the standard in the fashion industry for generations, they constantly push out new products. This allows them to keep up the pace of their ever-changing consumers’ tastes. In order to make new fashionable clothes more affordable to the consumers, clothes are being made for a lower price at a faster pace. They are produced by workers who are getting little to no pay with extremely long hours. This
is not fair to the workers. Fast fashion businesses feed off of employees who are desperate for the money and that need a job. This is how they get their workers. Fast fashion should not be the way to shop. Companies overworking their workers to make a quick buck should not be legal. Consumers who are aware that the stores they are buying from are abusing their workers are selfish individuals. The customers who do not know can be understood but should be informed. While buying from these stores is a bad move, it is easy to do and it is more cost efficient for the consumer, especially college students with limited budgets, and that is the catch. According to Statista, fast fashion equals out to $19 billion globally. The price might come to you as a surprise, but it makes sense. These fashion stores are the ones that sell good clothes that anyone can buy to keep up in the fashion world. This means that if fast fashion was to leave, it would be a lot more expensive and harder to find clothes that meet the regular status-quo. You would not be able to walk into your neighborhood H&M to pick up a quick outfit anymore. Instead, you would have to break the bank to buy clothing as simple as a shirt. Swap your fast fashion brands for brands like, Patagonia, Levi’s, Cuyana, Threads 4 Thought and People Tree Ltd. However, for people that do not have a ton of money to purchase a $65 Levi’s Cubano shirt, we can take different steps to stay away from fast fashion. According to Flare, we can shop from local stores and brands, sign up for mailing lists, shop second hand like ThredUp. There is also the optiond of browsing re-sale apps like Ebay, expand our online shopping network, use clothing rental services like Gwynnie Bee or just shop less often. contact Adrena Williams at williaaj@warhawks.ulm.edu
PAGE 8
March 1, 2021
THE STUDENT-RUN NEWSPAPER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA MONROE
SPORTS
Track and Field
ULM bottoms out at championship
Men’s Basketball
Texas State Bobcats outlast Warhawks by Cameron Jett
photo courtesy ULM athletics
STRONGMAN: Darryl Givens muscled his way to a fourth place finish in the shot put. by Cameron Jett
The Warhawks were left in the dust at the Sun Belt Indoor Conference Championship. Both the men’s and women’s divisions finished last in the meeting. While the group performance was lackluster, some individuals did find success in the meet. Over the two-day event, 15 Warhawks earned top-10 finishes. Arkansas State men’s and women’s teams won first place in the event, repeating their conference championship sweep from last year. Men’s and women’s teams each had one athlete place third, the highest of any ULM athletes. Eric Hawkins earned third in the 800-meter event with a time of 1:52.42. Hawkins also took part in the 4x400 relay that earned fifth place with a time of 3:22.60. This squad was made up of Hawkins as well as Jhavonte Perry, Nolan Smith and Reid Guirlando. Briwanna Sam earned third in the weight throw competition. The senior’s 18.83 meter throw was just three-hundredths of a meter away from tying for second place with Arkansas State’s Grace Flowers. Two other ULM athletes also placed in the top-10 for this event. Alivia Busch finished sixth with a 16.75 meter toss and Jadyn Walden finished ninth with a 16.34 meter toss. In the men’s weight throw, Jakob Fudge’s 17.38 meter toss earned himself fifth place in the event. Darryl Givens showed his power with a fourth place shot put of 12.52 meters and a seventh place long jump of 6.63 meters. Rebekka Schubert had a strong showing in the women’s pentathlon, as she finished top 10 in four of the five events. Schubert finished ninth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.25 seconds, seventh in the shot put with a throw of 10.18 meters, seventh in the 800-meter with a time of 2:30 and fifth in the long jump with a distance of 5.49 meters. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu
Men’s basketball dropped two games to Texas State to close out their season after winning three of their last four. The Warhawks hope to fix their mistakes before the conference championship tournament next weekend. Rebounding has been one of the most lackluster areas of play for the Warhawks all season. Over these two games, that trend would reappear. Through two games, Texas State won the rebounding battle 65-51. The lack of rebounds kept ULM out of contention for the entire first game. Texas State started out strong and ULM was never able to tie or take the lead, as the Bobcats cruised to a 58-49 win. Their second meeting in this series had six ties and five lead changes. Ultimately the Warhawks would
fall 61-57. Texas State shot a lowly 3-10 from three in the first half, but they would come out after halftime and make four of five to reestablish their lead. ULM made six of their 18 threes in the first half, but they shot two for nine in the second half. Josh Nicholas would be the lone Warhawk to score in double digits in both games. He recorded 10 points and three takeaways coming off the bench and would score 17 points as a starter the next night. Nicholas proved he is the team’s premier scorer with his high shooting percentages. The Warhawks have been giving their younger bigs more play time as of late. Sophomore Luke Phillips and freshman Thomas Howell have seen a spike in minutes while the 7’1” senior Chris Efretuei has had his minutes
photo courtesy ULM athletics
LEAD THE CHARGE: ULM forward advances the ball and leads his offense.
limited and was removed from the starting lineup after Friday’s competition. Texas State will finish their season as one of the Sun Belt’s more successful teams. While the record looks abysmal, the Warhawks have played close with most of the teams in the conference. With the tournament on
the horizon, ULM has the potential to force an upset in the early rounds. An automatic bid to March Madness goes to the winner, and this could bring out the best in every Warhawk. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu
Women’s Basketball
Bobcats defense halts ULM by Cameron Jett
Women’s basketball closed their regular season out with two losses to Texas State. After ending their 15game losing streak against Little Rock earlier in the week, the Warhawks found themselves on the losing end yet again. “We’re disappointed we didn’t carry over the same intensity and execution on both ends of the floor,” Coach Brooks Williams said in comparison to their win on Monday. Scoring was not an issue for either team in their matchup. The difference between the two teams was discipline with the ball. Through two games, ULM committed 19 more turnovers than the Bobcats. Even shooting 9-18 from three would not be enough to win, as the Warhawks lost their first encounter 62-85. ULM squandered opportunities when they did force turnovers. ULM only
photo by Carley Nail
LEADERS: ULM guard Gara Beth Self gets her offense ready to run a play against the Texas State Bobcats.
scored one point off turnovers in the first matchup, whereas Texas State scored 20. Even with three players reaching double digit scoring, the Warhawks would still lose by 23.
The second meeting was another night with low shooting numbers for most of the Warhawks, but the 56-68 final score does not reflect how drastic the difference in scoring was. Junior guard Kierra
Brimzy reached double digits both nights. She had a 12-point outing in the first contest before leading the team in scoring with 15 and assists with seven in the latter matchup.
Sophomore guard Gara Beth Self led the Warhawks in scoring in the first meeting with 16 points, shooting four for six from three. These two games were winnable if not for turnovers. The lack of ball control and the inability to force them defensively is what kept ULM from closing out their season with wins. ULM will get one final shot to perform at their peak in the Sun Belt Championship tournament. It will take a high level of preparation by the coaching staff and the players to force an upset against some of the better teams in the conference. If ULM is able to slow the pace of the game, limit their turnovers and limit the total possessions, then it is possible they can find a way to win next week. Let’s hope the Warhawks can hit a winning streak. contact Cameron Jett at jettcm@warhawks.ulm.edu