April 19,2017 by Driftwood

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 60 Issue: 22

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APRIL 19, 2017

Bestselling author and high-proﬁle conservative ﬁgure J.D. Vance gives talk at UNO Alumni Center living in a period where we’re waking up to the fact that a lot of things are not working, a lot of communities are left behind. That recognition can be incred-

would like it to in the United States; and again, it’s not happening for extremely complicated reasons.” “One of the things that bothers

me about these conversations is that it framed human beings as being only motivated by two emotions. People are complicated; people are voting for Trump

family you grew up with and all of the negative experiences and take some responsibility.’ That internal monologue has to happen On Monday, the University of for a lot of people who grew up New Orleans hosted J.D. Vance, in these kinds of the New York Times families.” best-selling author The alternative of “Hillbilly Elegy,” right the Trump which was arguably campaign brought the most popular to the forefront of book of 2016 in American politics the Homer L. Hitt was brought up as Alumni Center as well. part of its ongoing “I think the way Tocqueville Project. the alternative right Vance touched on recruits people who topics like religion’s are searching for place in citizens’ meaning is akin to communities, lower terrorist groups. It income Amerimakes me think: can problems and What is it about possible solutions as Western society that well as the current can raise someone in and highly divided incredible comfort political climate. and leave them with Admission was such a deficit of free, and the alumni meaning they find it center was packed. in an ISIS or alterChris Surprenant, native right message a philosophy profesboard online?” sor at UNO and host “These kids get of the forum, said he caught up in this believed the event tribalism. I’m worwent well. “Our ried our society is community here failing to give exisat the university is Author J.D. Vance, left, spoke at the Homer Hitt Alumni Center on Tuesday about his literary smash hit, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Rod Dreher was tential meaning.” vibrant, and many Vance talked about -Photo by Christopher Walker people were excited also present and spoke about Christianity in a secular environment. the solutions he to be here tonight. ibly powerful; you can’t solve a me about the way we talk about for all kinds of different reasons believed would help the kind of We had a great turnout.” problem unless you recognize it’s the problems of lower-income – half of them they are not even communities around the country “It’s always an honor to have there.” Americans in the country is we consciously aware of.” akin to the kind he came from and the opportunity to listen to a New Vance expressed his distrust have decided on this either-or Although Vance made it very give meaning to those struggling York Times best-selling author and fundamental dislike of Trump, framing. Either the economy is clear he considers himself a to find value in their lives. and talk about a topic of current whom he compared to an opioid unfair and government policy is conservative, there were multiple “What we should do is try to interest and significance,” Surfor his people: not a real solution inadequate, or there’s a failure of times throughout the talk Vance find ways to be really involved prenant continued. to problems. “When criticized the in a community – however you “Hillbilly Elegy” is a memoir I see the problems Republican Party define it. If you’re a religious perthat chronicles Vance’s childhood in my community, and the ways they son: some sort of church. If you’re upbringing in two extremely povdealt with modnot a religious person: a commuerty-stricken Rust-Belt towns. Af- they are incredibly complicated – 20 or ern-day issues. nity organization or working with ter graduating high school, Vance 30 factor problems “It always underprivileged kids.” enlisted in the Marine Corps and that requires a combothers me when “There is something missing in served in Iraq before graduating plex and thoughtful folks on the a life that is completely divorced from Ohio University and Yale intervention from right talk about from the larger American comLaw school. nonprofits, churches, the problems of munity. There is value to being The memoir came out late last communities, and lower-income involved in something bigger than June and had modest sales until policymakers.” Americans in yourself. My child is coming in Trump clenched the Republican “It does not strike morally condemseven weeks, and I want to instill nomination. Afterward, the book’s me that Trump will natory ways.” in him that it wasn’t just our famisales exploded. deal with these prob“If you think of ly versus the world.” Vance said, “The book got lems with the complexities they personal responsibility.” the way I grew up and some of the “I’m optimistic about the fuwrapped up in this political-viral require.” “I think that is an incredibly ways I interacted with my wife ture; I think people are recognizmoment and had a lot of people Although Vance made it out short-sighted and incomplete way when we first started dating, that ing maybe we’ve lost something asking questions about the white of his small town and graduated to talk about the problems of low- was not really my fault, in a moral in being a little too obsessed with working class in this country; from one of the most prestigious er-income Americans. It reminds sense; I was doing the same thing getting the next shiny jewel in our Americans wanted to know more universities in the world, he said me of the conversation a lot of people in my family had been professional crown. Maybe there about the people that voted for he is acutely aware success stories folks were having about what was doing going back generations.” really is something valuable in Trump.” like his are few and far between. really driving attraction to Donald “However, I also think I benfinding a home and planting your“I think there’s a weird way “The fundamental thesis of the Trump. Was it economic anxiety efited from this idea that ‘look, self there and making a difference both the declinist and the optibook is that upward mobility is or was it racial anxiety?” J.D., you eventually have to cut in it.” mistic narrative of America have not happening as much as we “The thing that always annoyed the link from the past, from the something to offer. I think we’re

Christopher Walker Editor-in-Chief

“There is something missing in a life that is completely divorced from the larger American community. There is value to being involved in something bigger than yourself.” - J.D. Vance

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

NEWS

Abita Springs to transition to fully renewable energy within two decades BY ANJANAE CRUMP Managing Editor Abita Springs recently became the first city in Louisiana and the 24th in the country to commit to transitioning to 100-percent renewable energy. Abita Springs Mayor Greg Lemon said this goal is planned to be reached by 2030. “We hope to set an example for the state of Louisiana and the rest of the country. This shows that a small community can do something … to become more energy-efficient and sustainable,” said the mayor. Lemon said the goal is “a hard deal,” but it is something the city can work toward. “Right now, we’re working on figuring out the engineering and being able to put solar panels on our town hall [and] other buildings that are in the community, as well as some of our school lift stations. We are in the process of rebuilding our town sign, and then we are going to put some electrical vehicle charging units at it so the people can come to Abita Springs and charge up their electrical vehicles.” “We are collecting data about our energy uses in everything that

we do in the municipality [and] reducing that footprint. We’re also looking at street lights. We’re going with different types of street lights that use less energy and that also are night-sky compatible.” Lemon said that as technology gets better, he hopes to have even more options available to help the city become as energy-efficient as possible. The changes his administration is making are not just for lessened environmental impact; they are planned to have significant financial benefits as well. “I believe we can save about $10,000 in street lights alone per year. I think we can save about $15-18,000 in energy consumption, as it is now, for our municipal buildings. So those [numbers] are substantial to us because we don’t have a big budget; it’s about a balance between the environment and the economics.” However, financial savings are certainly not the only positive effect of the transition to 100-percent renewable energy. “The big benefit is that we get our community involved. …We take it to our citizens and they become environmentally friendly and [it] also goes to the schools. We’re educating the schools because these young kids coming up

are going to be the future,” said Lemon. “We’ve done a resolution committing to this for the town, and it’s going to go way beyond me being mayor. I’m hoping it will pass from generation to generation,” he continued. Despite the pros of Abita’s renewable-energy project, there is, according to Lemon, one major con to the program that is specific to the state of Louisiana. “We’re an oil-and-gas state,” said Lemon, “so the perception is that solar energy or other alternative energy is going to kill all the businesses that are around oil and gas, and that’s just not true. We can coexist in the same realm.” “In fact, the electric companies, really, are energy companies, so they should be looking at more than just coal-fire generators and oil-fire generators. They ought to be looking at solar forms and wind forms and other alternatives.” He said, “It’s change. We’ve got to change the way we think, and change is always difficult. It’s truly a balance.” To learn more, call the Abita Springs town hall at 985-8920711. Lemon said he’d be glad to talk about it.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK What is your opinion of President Trump’s first 100 days in office? I think it’s been pretty bad. I feel like Trump often says the wrong things and the media picks up on those things quickly and easily. I feel like many people thought his presidency was going to go a lot better and people are definitely disappointed. As for the missile strikes, I don’t think they were good or bad, but unnecessary. They were definitely eye-opening. ANDREW BUNCH Sophomore, Film

It’s been really chaotic and scary. Thinking back to when Obama was inaugurated, things got kind of quiet. Since Trump was inaugurated, you hear of all these things happening. It’s been a slow and steady build up and now there are those bombings.

Staying on top of possible TOPS changes: how raise in standards could affect students BY JAMIE LLOYD News Editor The TOPS debate rages on as numerous schools from around the state brace themselves for the next potential TOPS shortfall in the coming semesters. The good news for those who receive support from the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students is that program requirements will remain intact—for now. Suggested requirements from the Louisiana Board of Regents would have set TOPS students shouldering 30 hours a year of coursework, as opposed to the more lenient 24-hour requirement. Rachel Matthews, a sophomore at UNO in Computer Science, received the Homer Hitt scholarship, but uses TOPS to cover other financial obligations from schooling. She said that beefing up the TOPS requirements to 30 hours could be a strain on working students, “especially the farther you go in your college career, with taking 4000-level classes.” Film & Theatre major and TOPS recipient Quentin Diresto echoed similar thoughts. “It would definitely affect working students. Fifteen hours of classes [a semester] is a bit much.” The board originally argued this course load increase would make a getting a degree in four years a more achievable goal for students. This decision to scrap new requirements was made in late February by the board, describing

a move to toughen TOPS requirements at present time a little hasty in the long run. Board directors called the problem “complex” and warranted more debate and research into the matter before coming up with a concrete solution to funding. However, in recent weeks there have been whispers through the academic grapevine that TOPS scholarships might be becoming more exclusive. An article published by the Times-Picayune entitled “TOPS goes to upper-income students more, middle-class students less, than 10 years ago” alleges that the main proportion of TOPS funding is disproportionately going to students from higher-income households than lower-income households. Additionally, figures also cited in the same article illustrated that financial aid via TOPS has dropped from students of lower-income households—going from 8.6 percent to 6.8 percent of students from households making less than $15,000 between 2005 and 2014. At the University of New Orleans, it is estimated that around 70 percent of students receive financial aid, and a third of that number qualify for the Pell Grant, a federal grant that is awarded historically to low-income college students. UNO managed to cover the TOPS deficit the spring 2017 semester; whether or not that will be sustainable for later semesters is questionable.

Adam Norris, spokesperson of the university, stated that while he is uncertain what percentage of TOPS could be realistically funded during the event of another shortfall, he added that UNO “will explore every opportunity to try to mitigate the burden on our students.” The drama surrounding the TOPS program in Louisiana is a stark contrast to what the state of New York is currently unveiling—a plan to become the first state to offer free tuition for instate students for any in-state two or four-year universities or public colleges. The College Promise Campaign issued a statement praising the move by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, which began as a hefty proposal in January. Dr. Martha Kanter, Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign, said the proposed Excelsior Scholarship “has great potential to increase the state’s economic and social prosperity that stems from a better educated middle class” and described it as an opportunity “for students to complete an undergraduate degree without bearing the burden of college tuition.” New York’s new program signifies a growing trend on the front lines of higher education. What comes next in the future of TOPS and the fate of higher education in Louisiana is to be determined.es of higher education. What comes next in the future of TOPS and the fate of higher education in Louisiana is to be determined.

JUDE AGOGLIA Sophomore, Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism

I feel like Trump has not been as radical as he said he would be during the campaign. That’s a good thing for the people who ran against him, who were scared of him being in office. It’s a bad thing for the extremist who felt like he was going to do everything that he said. I think e’s trying to balance the Bible and the checkbook right now and be morale and fiscally responsible, but those things just don’t go hand-in-hand.

JON LEWIS Freshman, Earth and Environmental Sciences

It could be worse. We could be dead yesterday, but we live for another week. I could understand the missile strike because I feel like I would do that too. I also feel like everything going on is propaganda and are just distractions from something else. I don’t know what that could be, but it’s there. ALDIN WILLIAMS Freshman, Fine Arts

Photos by Nathan Nguyen

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

Student government association elects new president and vice president BY MICHAEL HABERMANN Contributor The University of New Orleans recently held Student Government Association elections, and after a runoff, Nigel Watkins was elected president, while Jill Edwards was elected vice president. SGA functions as an intermediary between students and the UNO administration, acting to voice the concerns of the student

body. Participants in SGA are able to learn about leadership, teamwork and the politics behind representing large groups. Nigel Watkins spoke about SGA’s mission and priorities under him. “Each year, SGA [transfers] a budget through our constitution, and 25 percent of our budget is automatically allocated to SAC [Student Activities Council], which is a department of SGA that puts on all of the events.” “Every student organization on

campus goes through us. Every student organization in the spring submits a budget to us with requests for the year of what funds they want … They are handled by a committee within SGA made up of senators, graduate students and a set amount of students chosen by the president.” SGA’s budget is formed works from students’ tuition fees. Watkins explained the portion taken from each student is decided by administration with authority above that of SGA.

According to Watkins, there are a wide range of issues that SGA must take into consideration when planning for the upcoming year. “We can’t start to move forward if we don’t address the present issues that the students currently have … I’ve lived on campus for two years, and the things students seem to complain about most include: food on campus, overall campus appearance and school spirit.” “I have already sat in on several meetings with administration,

and I can say changes are coming in all of those areas.” Not all of the SGA senate seats were filled; therefore everyone who ran for senate was elected. Head of Senate will be chosen in the near future. Watkins encouraged student involvement. “Any student can be part of these committees or [can] become a senator … if a student wants to be … part of this process … they can apply to be appointed.”

New vegetarian options offer more diversity in campus dining BY JAMIE LLOYD News Editor It’s no secret that vegetarian and vegan options seem to be making their way onto campus more and more. The Galley, in particular, is a hot spot for this trending culinary scene. “Vegan options actually started last semester, after we did some reviews with the campus community and saw that that was a trend,” said Tionne Sanchez, residential location manager of The Galley. This semester, The Galley is seeing arguably more vegan options than ever, with foods that cater to vegans on all areas of The Galley, as opposed to simply the salad bar. “The lunch feature is a vegan saute. At dinnertime, there are more stationary entrees.” There are additionally identi-

fiers on the sneeze guards and menu cards, specifying which food items contain meat. The Galley’s hot station is also introducing concepts leaning more towards vegan-friendly options. “A lot of the concepts that we do in The Galley are a format from our corporate station. We followed the guidelines so we have more structured guidelines with consistent recipes from university to university within the Aramark framework” “A good basis of our feedback comes from our food committee, but just in general, it’s us sitting down, talking with the larger scale of the campus community, staff included,” said Sanchez. “They’re a large part of our customer base as well, with management having to keep up with the trends and being able to offer something among all customer bases.” While the vegetarian options on campus are widespread, vegan

options still remain rather elusive. Sanchez said the The Galley is becoming increasingly committed to serving food that meets the criteria of vegetarians, vegans, and non-vegetarians alike, citing the “healthy balance” between meat and veggies present in the dining hall. Sanchez, who became regional location manager of The Galley in August and is an alumna of UNO, added that the story on the new veggie-friendly options is “good to put out The Galley has made recent eﬀorts to expand its vegetarian and vegan options. there, because not ev-Photo by Christopher Walker is also helping drum up interest “A lot of people who aren’t eryone is aware of it.” in students who frequent The vegan or vegetarian will gravitate Sanchez said the curiosity to Galley. towards this station.” try something new for a change

Campus Greek life enrollment drops amidst TOPS budget cuts BY MICHAEL HABERMANN Contributor The three councils of the University of New Orleans’ Greek-life system include the Interfraternity Council, the National Panhellenic Council and the Panhellenic Association, which, together, comprise of 15 active and inactive distinct chapters.

According to Vantonio Hall, a member of Theta Xi fraternity, all chapters have experienced a significant drop in new membership. “I’ve talked to people, like the previous Greek Life advisor. They’re thinking a big part could partially be the loss of TOPS, they mentioned that enrollment was down.” It’s true that UNO’s enrollment fell 4.6 percent from 2015 to

2016, while transfer numbers have risen, according to UNO’s data center. “Of course, fraternities and sororities cost money to join,” said Hall, “[and] if you don’t have that [TOPS] scholarship … if you’re having to find other resources to pay for school and other things, you may not have the money to put forth for an organization.” Hall spoke of his own relation-

UNO CALENDAR Wednesday, April 19, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Counseling Services offers alcohol screening. Free pizza will be served. North Patio, University Center. Wednesday, April 19, 7-9 p.m.: Jazz at the Sandbar featuring harmonicist Howard Levy. The Cove Thursday, April 20, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: Diversity Affairs and the Vietnamese American Student Association present Cultural Cafe. Vietnamese food will be served. Gallery Lounge, University Center Tuesday, April 25, 12:30-1:30 p.m.: The LRC Learning Series is hosting a “Managing Test Anxiety” workshop that offers fine-tuning with academic skills and test-taking. Room 208, University Center Wednesday, April 26, noon: UNO SGA Senate meeting. Room 208, University Center

ship to the program. “One of the reasons I stayed in Louisiana was because of TOPS. And I know that helped a lot of people go to school. And I know several people who weren’t able to continue in school because they didn’t have TOPS.” The larger the student body, the higher the chance that more students will join fraternities or sororities. The school has been focused on increasing enrollment since the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Prior to the storm, the university had around twice as many students as current enrollment numbers. In addition, UNO is widely considered a commuter school. The most recent statistics from US News and World Report say that as much as 90 percent of the student body may live off-campus. It’s unclear how many students are interested in joining a fraternity or sorority if they do not live on campus. Greek Life at UNO has a reputation for being decidedly more open and friendly than Greek Life at other state schools, in part because of the smaller student body, according to students like Hall. Practices like hazing are not tolerated even under the table, and there is little rivalry between the different chapters outside of

events like Greek Week. Hall explained, “Because of our small size, we interact so much. I have friends in just about every fraternity and sorority. It’s not as divided.” Hall said several chapters plan to host more events in the fall to draw in new members. Members aren’t the only ones who are looking to make changes regarding new recruitment strategies. IFC President Matt Stennis noted, “Last year, Panhellenic did most of the recruitment events … next year, we’re gonna have IFC do some of their own recruitment events along with Panhellenic so that we have more events, more of a presence on campus. Also, we’re trying to work on our social media.” “We’re all talking to Nationals right now trying to get somebody from over there to come over to us and talk to us about recruitment strategies,” Stennis said. He added that he hopes partnering with someone from the national chapter of IFC can yield a new perspective and get a concrete game plan in place to improve recruitment efforts. Stennis said he is hopeful about the future of Greek Life at UNO: “I definitely see it growing. I see the passion is there for it … we just have to find better ways of getting the word out.”

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

SPORTS

Clayton O’Callaghan, Nicholls post wins at South Alabama Invitational Courtesy of UNO Athletics University of New Orleans senior distance runner Clayton O’Callaghan took first place in the 3,000 meters Saturday at the 17th South Alabama Invitational Track and Field Meet in Mobile. The Privateers also got an individual win from Southland Conference high hurdles champion Michael Nicholls as well as a personal record in the 100-meter dash. O’Callaghan, an honorable mention cross country all-state selection by the Louisiana Sportwriters Association, turned in a time of 9:05.78, 5 seconds faster than the second place finisher.

The New Roads, Louisiana native was not alone in the race as UNO sophomore Mark Golay finished fifth in 9:32.16 and Federico Machado crossed the line eighth in 9:50:11. Nicholls, a sophomore from Barbados, was tops in the 110-meter high hurdles with a winning time of 14.0 seconds. Nicholls also ran in the 100-meters and produced his best time ever in the event of 10.70. In the men’s long jump, Alex Hawkins of New Orleans placed third with a personal best of 23’4.75” “If I had to rate the day I’d call it a B or maybe a B+,” said head

track and field coach Benjamin Dalton. “I’m really excited that we are coming together as a team and the LSU Meet next week will be really big. We’ve just got to keep building.” New Orleans was one of 18 teams competing in the South Alabama Invitational. The Privateers will hit the track again Saturday, Apr. 22, at the LSU Alumni Gold Meet in Baton Rouge. Clayton O’Calloghan in action against the Texas A&M Islanders. -Photo courtesy of UNO Athletics

New Orleans Athletics signs apparel deal with Under Armour

Courtesy of UNO Athletics The University of New Orleans Department of Athletics and Under Armour (NYSE:

2017. As part of the multi-year agreement, the Baltimore-based global leader in performance footwear, apparel and equipment will provide on-field and training gear for the student-ath-Photo courtesy of UNO Athletics letes who compete for UA) announce a new partnerNew Orleans’ 14 NCAA Division ship agreement whereby Under I programs. Additionally, Under Armour will become the official Armour will outfit UNO Athletsports performance outfitter of ics’ coaches and staff. the Privateers beginning July 1, “We are delighted to align our

program with one of the most progressive and recognizable sports performance brands in the world,” New Orleans Director of Athletics Derek Morel said. “The Privateers are rising and this partnership with Under Armour will unify all of our student-athletes and coaches while serving as another testament to the collective renaissance of New Orleans Athletics.” The new official outfitter agreement includes marketing entitlement that will complement Under Armour’s brand marketing campaigns through print and venue presence within the University of New Orleans Department of Athletics and comes at a renaissance of the Privateers. On the hardwood, the Privateer men’s and women’s basketball teams enjoyed multiple successes, including a trip for

the men to the NCAA Tournament – the program’s first in over two decades – while the women qualified for their first Southland Conference Tournament berth since joining the league for the 2013-14 campaign. In addition, the volleyball team posted one of the biggest turnarounds in Division 1 in Fall 2015 and the baseball program saw a 17-game improvement from 2015 to 2016. This season, UNO has enjoyed a banner year to date, highlighted by a season sweep of in-state rival LSU. The University of New Orleans Department of Athletics joins the growing Under Armour roster of NCAA Division I partners that includes Auburn, Boston College, Cincinnati, Maryland, Northwestern, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Texas Tech, the U.S. Naval Academy, Utah and Wisconsin.

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

The Midlo Center offers history scholars resources for research tourists and anyone else. Atkinson said, “It gives the students this information and experience on digital history so that they can get jobs because that’s where the jobs are.” She continued, “Our internship The Midlo Center along with the Historic New Orleans Collection sponsored “Sold South,” a panel on slaves sold by Georgetown Uni- program is versity that ended up in Louisiana. Panel members include Adam Rothman professor from Gerogetown, and Cheralyn Branche and really good. … They’re Sandra Green, descendents of slaves, and panel moderator UNO professor emeritus Raphael Cassimere. -Photo courtesy of Al Kennedy always talking can just hit the ground running and man Midlo Chair. Today, History BY ANJANAE CRUMP about the save some time.” Professor Mary Mitchell holds sciences and other programs at the Managing Editor Besides helping scholars who the Midlo chair, making her the university giving people jobs and visit from all around the world, director of the Midlo Center. that liberal arts is just this place The Ethel and Herman L. Midlo the Midlo Center also produces Historian Gwendolyn Midlo where you think, but actually, the Center for New Orleans Studies, and participates in a number of Hall, Ethel and Herman Midjobs in Louisiana are in tourism, located at the different programs. lo’s daughter, has also been of and all the archives: the World University of New Orleans, Atkinson said, “[The Midlo great benefit to the Midlo Center War II Museum, the National might look like a specialized Center] supports programs that through her years of counsel, Parks Service, the Whitney Plantalibrary confined to one room in circulate good histories of the city: tion, the Historic New Orleans as well as of great influence in the Liberal Arts building,but it is lecture series, oral history projects, Collection – these places are Louisiana Historical Studies so much more . In addition to proeducational components of festithrough her detailed work on early hiring.” moting a better understanding of vals like Satchmo Summerfest and Louisiana. Though the internship is a local history, politics, and public Co-director Connie Atkinson French Quarter Festival, digital three-hour course in the history policy with a focus on civil rights, said, “With the Midlo Center’s history projects – anything that department, anyone can volunteer. the Center has become a valuable [Visiting Scholar Program, rehelps get the story of New Orleans For instance, Alahna Moore, a resource for scholars. searchers] can call us … and we’ll out to the city.” student in Urban Studies helps to The Midlo Center was created suggest some places to stay near Many of these programs are design their tour maps and Travis in memory of Herman L. Midlo, a the archives and tell them when student-driven, such as the tours Waguespack, a graduate student civil rights lawyer in New Orlethey’re open so they can call ahead on neworleanshistorical.org, with a degree in film helps to film ans during the 1930s through the of time and have the stuff ready. which are curated partly by UNO projects. 1950s. After his death, his wife, students. The students write the Atkinson said, “People want Ethel Midlo, funded the center and We can also tell them about some archives they don’t know about. story behind the featured historic the real story, they don’t want this in 1994 funded the Ethel and HerSo by the time they get here, they locations, which can be viewed by

fake story.” She said the Midlo center tries to, “get all the research off the dusty academic shelf and into the community where people who were born here learn their history. Because everybody here spoke different languages and English was the one that won out, everything in French – all the dowries, all the menus, all the recipes, all the letters – we can’t read them.” “So our history was sometimes lost, but if we can find it and dust it off and get it out there – it’s not ours, we don’t own it, the city owns it – then they deserve to get it. So any way we can get the story of our city out to the people of our city, it’s a project we want to do and get involved with.” Some of the Midlo Center’s current projects include: Freedom on the Move – a collaborative digital humanities project on runaway slave advertisements in the southern United States, the Caribbean and Brazil; Humanities Action Lab – a nationwide collaborative project to engage in dialogues on incarceration, and many more. Atkinson said, “Students get an opportunity to work with our various projects in many ways, giving them experience in many areas of public history and research. We have students working on oral history projects as videographers, interviewers, transcribers and organizers; we have students participating in conferences such as the Organization of American Historians meeting in New Orleans this April. … Their experience gained at the Midlo Center gives them an advantage in a competitive world.”

Annual American history conference draws attention to New Orleans BY MINDY JARRETT Copy Editor The Organization of American Historians held its annual conference in New Orleans April 6-9. The meeting, conveniently coinciding with French Quarter Fest, brought an additional 1,700 visitors to the city, all of whom participated or attended the OAH’s roundtable discussions, documentary screenings, and panel-based forums surrounding the conference’s 2017 theme: circulation. The conference theme was Circulation, which OAH President Nancy F. Cott said was inspired by location. “New Orleans was and is a place in and through which people, goods, ideas, arts, capital have always been circulating. It is a city of movement,” said OAH President Nancy F. Cott. The organization’s local committee featured University of New Orleans Associate Professors Connie Atkinson and Molly Mitchell who are members of the OAH Local Committee; the two also serve as co-directors at the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies, one of many sponsors of the conference. “There were people asking for information about the Midlo Center. Some wanted to bring infor-

mation that was at the booth back with them to their prospective institutions,” said UNO graduate student Tara Garbutt. “I was so proud to see that the Midlo Center and UNO were well represented.” In addition to the smaller sessions, the conference featured larger plenary sessions, as well as offsite workshops, special events and sessions. The Midlo Center sponsored two off-site sessions: “States of Incarceration: A National Dialogue of Local Histories,” held at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and “’Black New Orleans:’ John Blassingame’s Classic and New Directions in the City’s Early African American History,” held at the Ashe Cultural Center. “We all agreed that an excellent way to enter into the historical literature on New Orleans at this year’s OAH convention would be to have a conversation on John Blassingame’s ‘Black New Orleans,’” said V.P. Franklin, chair of the Blassingame panel. Franklin, editor of the “Journal of African American History,” is a distinguished professor emeritus of history at the University of California Riverside; his editorial office has been located on UNO’s campus since 2015. “I want to

give a special shout out to some of the people at the University of New Orleans, particularly in the history department,” said Franklin. Blassingame’s book, which was published in 1973, is one consistently referenced by historians due to its groundbreaking research on the social and economic activities of the former group of free people of color and newly freed UNO public history graduate students Courtney Carver, Jessica Jennings, Tara Garbutt, African Americans and Mindy Jarrett pose with Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies Co-Director Connie following the Civil Atkinson at the Organization of American Historians’ annual conference on April 8. War. “It may turn -Photo by Mindy Jarrett out to be his most these stories avoid the fact that questioned Jessica Johnson, assisenduring scholthe connection to slavery in New tant professor at Johns Hopkins arly contribution,” said Tulane Orleans was also the most durable University. University professor and panelist in the South.” Johnson added, “When I’m enLawrence Powell. Emerging interest in the field of countering Blassingame’s ‘Black Northwestern University public history, which uses history New Orleans,’ I’m immensely professor and panelist Leslie to address real-world issues, has grateful for the work it does to Harris explained, “Reading certain changed historical narratives, make space and pave the way for romanticized histories of the city especially in tourist-driven cities histories of southern cities that not before Blassingame’s work would such as New Orleans. beholden to plantation tradition or give you the sense that there was “It’s a seemingly simple premplantation complex.” no slavery in the city.” ise, right? – that black voices need “New Orleans was easier, but to tell the story of themselves,”

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Welcome to Opposite Day: Where the book is worse than the movie

BY CHRISTOPHER WALKER Editor-In-Chief “Well, if you had read the book…” “The book was so

much better than the movie…” and “Hollywood really butchered the screen adaptation…” are phrases commonly heard when any piece of written work gets turned into a movie or television show. The phrases are usually correct; Hollywood typically needs to take out smaller, more intimate and detailed material from the novel to make the important plot-driven events fit in the allotted screen time. These details and subtleties that get left on the cutting-room floor are usually what cause the reader to fall in love with the characters in the first place, and consequently, most screen adaptations let the source material down

in some way, shape or form. Welcome to opposite day, where the show is more fleshed out than the book, and the characters are more realized by Hollywood than by the author. If you hear any of the previously mentioned phrases in relation to “13 Reasons Why,” you have the authority to disregard anything that person says about the novel; perhaps you can disregard anything they say about entertainment in general. “13 Reasons Why” was written by Jay Asher, a writer who can now happily rank himself among the likes of soulless literary peddler Paula Hawkins (“The Girl on the Train”), whose work is clearly nothing more than a blueprint for a Hollywood adaptation. It’s well known in Hollywood that it’s far easier to write a book that gets turned into a movie or show than it is to sell a screenplay, and “13 Reasons Why” feels like a screenplay given a major makeover just hours before the big

dance. Of course, both authors are laughing all the way to the bank. To be fair to “13 Reasons Why,” the high-concept idea behind the work is solid, and the novel and its subsequent adaptation bring much-needed awareness to suicide and its warning signs. There is quality here, no doubt; but it is entirely in the concept, not the execution. The characters are one-dimensional to the point of being more akin to vague concepts in the reader’s head than flesh and blood on the page. The main character who listens to the tape, Clay, is a blatant and shameless shell for the reader to place his or her mind in. Clay has no personality whatsoever; Clay is as “everyman” as “everyman” can possibly get. Nothing interesting or remotely unique graces Clay. Not even Hannah, the girl who commits sucide, is given much of a personality. Like Clay, she is clearly a stand-in for the reader, an “everyman.”

Hannah relates her story and the events that lead to her suicide, but in the process we don’t learn much about her. With these stick-figure characters and a series of loosely connected events, the book reads more like an extended pamphlet about suicide awareness than an actual novel. Only one hot tub scene at the very end of the novel really gets into Hannah’s head, and makes the reader truly understand how trapped and alone she feels. Other than that, the novel does not open her brain up to inspect how she operates. This is a novel that would have greatly benefited from an expansion. Perhaps not how Netflix did it; there are a myriad of ways the novel could have been lengthened without resorting to focusing on other characters. If you have to decide between the show and the novel, skip reading the book. It’s a letdown.

Netﬂix adaptation of popular book adds depth but loses message

-Photo courtesy of Netﬂix

BY ANNA GOWIN Features & Entertainment Editor If you’ve been anywhere on

Facebook or Twitter lately, you have likely heard the hype surrounding the recent Netflix adaptation of Jay Asher’s popular novel, “13 Reasons Why.” The teen

drama is easily the most talked about Netflix series since 2016’s smash hit, “Stranger Things.” But why? The show’s plot is almost identical to the novel’s, centering around a collection of 13 tapes that chronicle the people who drove student Hannah Baker to commit suicide, from the mouth of Hannah herself. It’s certainly a premise that is immediately engaging, filled with tension and stomach-churning dread with each new episode, as the cards quickly stack up against Hannah in a series of flashbacks. There is also a lot to be said for the show’s casting. Clay Jensen (played by Dylan Minette) is the current listener of the tapes, and his emotional journey through hearing Hannah’s journey toward suicide and reflection on the friendship and budding romance is compelling. Minette and Katherine Langford (who plays Hannah Bake) have a believable tension and chemistry, one that is almost enough to drive the show on its own. Yet, despite the show’s well-written plot twists and impressive cast performances, there is something about the series that

feels undeniably shallow. In an attempt to add depth to the narrative (and stretch it out for 13 hourlength episodes), the audience gets a multidimensional portrait into the lives of those surrounding Hannah and what is happening to all of them after her death. Unfortunately, this is where the show seems to fail in its execution of the key idea. Many watchers and critics are praising the show for its honest portrayal of teen suicide, depression and high school-aged cruelty, even going so far as to show the suicide on the screen. However, by fleshing out the characters who were not Hannah Baker, the show stops being a fundamental story about Hannah Baker in the same way that the novel’s narrower scope is. When a story of suicide becomes more about the repercussions for the people left behind and less about the actual person who committed suicide, it loses authenticity, while also creating a manipulative image of Hannah and other suicidal teens. It’s a show that can and should make the audience feel queasy while watching—finding entertainment in the horrific treatment

of teenagers that is, in ways, accurate to the experience of a lot of real people, is a questionable idea. People who make the case that the show’s brutal honesty about suicide also say that this is the kind of show that will change the mentality of people who might bully others or trivialize suicide. But there is an argument to be made that in creating a form of entertainment surrounding the idea, especially in the case of “13 Reasons Why,” where the show becomes less about the effects on Hannah and more on the effects on the people who “killed” her, that we are ultimately putting suicide up on a pedestal. Turning trauma into spectacle, even when it is fictional, may have repercussions beyond increased awareness. While the revenge-narrative of Hannah’s choices makes for a compelling and gut-wrenching drama, it makes for a rather poor portrayal of genuine emotion and the experience of depression. If you or someone you know may be in emotional stress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours at 1-800-2738255. They also offer an online chat option at suicideprevention-

Now Hiring: 2017-2018 Managing Editor and Section Editors. If you would like to apply for either of those positions or just want to write for Driftwood, please attend the informational meeting on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 12:30 p.m. in UC 252. If possible, please bring writing samples. Internships are available through the English Department. If you cannot attend, please email driftwood@uno.edu

ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

Kendrick conquers his demons on “DAMN.”

BY NIGEL WASHINGTON Contributor

Kendrick Lamar’s eyes pierce through the cover of his fourth studio album “DAMN.” with a menacing glare. His face screams of anger, depression, defeat and fatigue as one side of his face rests in the light and the other is almost masked by darkness. This is a different Kenny than we’ve come to know. On 2015’s “To Pimp A Butterfly,” he was inspiring, even when he seemed defeated by alcoholism, systemic racism and police brutality. His social commentary linked perfectly with jazz and neo-soul instrumentals that moved the heart and evoked serious thought about who the black man is in today’s America. “DAMN.” features a different Lamar with a new agenda. The intro, “BLOOD.,” is a story of a blind woman telling Lamar he’s dead, and what follows is a descriptive listing from Lamar about his evils, fears, mental status and religious beliefs that feels more like a eulogy than an album. The follow-up track, “DNA.,”

is a boisterous exclamation of his inner workings, some good and some evil. “I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA.” The Mike WiLL Made-It beat is just as aggressive as Lamar’s rapping, with bass that vibrates bodies to the core and enough variations throughout that demand your attention. On “FEAR.,” he recounts moments of his early years: being afraid of getting whippings from his mom at the age of seven for doing typical childish things like crying when he soiled himself; believing his fate is out of his hands due to the death that surrounds him as a 17-year-old black male living in the ghetto, and listing all the ways he will “probably die;” and being afraid that he will lose his newfound fame and fortune as a 27-year old successful rapper and end up in a more dire situation than he was in before the success. This Lamar would kill his friend’s son’s murderer outside a church on “XXX.” His evils are clear and damning to his character. Religious references are sprinkled throughout the album. Just

Finals fest “better than ever”

a few examples are Lamar calling himself an Israelite on “YAH.” and chanting “nobody is praying for me” on the opening of “FEEL.” Lamar has found solace in religion and is depending on it to prevent his fall into eternal damnation. K. Dot’s salvation is explained on the album’s finale, “DUCKWORTH.,” where he tells a story when Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, the CEO of Lamar’s Kendrick Lamar skyrockets to the top of Billboard 200 with new album “DAMN.” label, Top Dawg En- -Photo courtesy of Kendricklamar.com tertainment – almost Lamar does the same. The songs many devilish paths, but he has killed Lamar’s father in a KFC. If ends with the entire album rewind- managed to transcend them and this had happened, there would be ing itself and bringing us back to become something better. Life is no Lamar, and he admits he would the story of the blind woman in a cycle; with every rise comes a have likely been gunned down the album’s intro. descent, and another chance to by gang violence since he would Lamar has come full circle, not lose yourself forever to sin. He have been fatherless. Luckily, only as a rapper, but as a person will certainly deal with evil again, Tiffith was able to reverse his evil and a believer. His life struggles but Kendrick Lamar has found a tendencies with Lamar’s father could have brought him down way to overcome. and turn it into good karma, and

Staff Pick: Book recommendation Christopher Walker Editor-in-chief “Before the Fall” - Noah Hawley

-Photo by Nathan Nguyen

BY MALLORY WELCH Contributor It’s no secret that finals bring stress, irritability and sleep deprivation. While the inevitability of finals may be fast approaching, the University of New Orleans Finals Fest hopes to provide welcome relief and relaxation for students this Friday, April 21. Finals Fest is a student-organized music festival created with the intention of allowing the student body time to relax and destress before buckling down and preparing for exams. According to Everett Fontenot, creator of Finals Fest, this year’s celebration is likely to be the best yet due to the massive expansion of the festival since its introduction to the student body in 2016. This year’s lineup features seven local bands and artists. While last spring might have been the first Finals Fest, Everett Fontenot and his fellow festival organizers also put on a Finals Fest surrounding last semester’s fall finals week. Fontenot, who is also the bass player for local band Foxhunter, said that for him, “Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces, people dancing, and enjoying the bands”

made all the hard work worth it. The local bands change each time the festival comes around, with some groups like Fontenot’s own “Foxhunter” performing every year. Finals Fest provides a blend of indie-rock and funk during the day, but typically transitions into electronic artists as the night wears on. Local bands such as “Paris Avenue,” “Murda Mystery,” “Rougarou,” “DJ Champagn3,” “Foxhunter,” “Dudeyo,” and “Damond Young” are scheduled to perform this year. In addition to local music, the festival will have local food and art available for sale from both student and non-student artists. In past years, some have even done live art that was completed over the course of the festival and then available for sale. Finals Fest will be from 3 p.m.10 p.m. at the UNO Amphitheater. Admission is free, and t-shirts are $10. This week’s festival will be the last for Fontenot, Buck and the other organizers, since they are graduating seniors. If you are interested in continuing this newborn campus tradition, please contact Everett Fontenot at ejfonte1@ uno.edu for more information.

Last year’s “Before the Fall” is a prime example of a modern-day thriller that refuses to paint by the numbers. Inside this novel is a tightly woven, meticulously crafted story walking a tightrope between steel-cold satire and fast-paced mystery. Not once does the story let up, and the reader is immersed in a web of fame, wealth and sex. Ultimately, the novel’s heart and soul deal with the truth and the lies we tell others (and ourselves). It is an absolute blast from start to finish.

Anna Gowin Features and Entertainment editor “The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake” - Aimee Bender Bender’s novel tells the story of Rose, a girl who discovers that she can taste the emotions of the people who make food in the food itself. The magical realism of Rose’s world creates a wonderfully immersive story, one neatly tied together by Bender’s beautifully simple writing style. “The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake” is ultimately a story about innocence and what it feels like to grow up and lose it. It’s a beautiful story of growing up through a one-of-a-kind lens.

Jamie Lloyd News Editor “The Flick” - Annie Baker Baker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “The Flick” is not exactly a traditional book recommendation, but nevertheless, is a piece of literature that should not be overlooked by bookworms nor thespians. The play revolves around a charming old movie theater and its colorful cast of three misfit employees that find themselves working there. The dialogue is street-smart yet oddly poignant, and the storyline is nothing short of captivating as the reader becomes the fly on the wall to Baker’s coming-of-age tale, which highlights happiness and heartache with sharp wit and refreshing satire. It is a real page-turner, for sure.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

COMICS & PUZZLES

“Part 1: Time Travel UNO Professors” - by Barrington Hebert

“STUDENT BLUES” - by peter hofpauir

SUDOKU

WORD SEARCH

BLOOD DUCKWORTH FEEL KENDRICK LUST DAMN ELEMENT GOD

LOVE PRIDE DNA FEAR HUMBLE LOYALITY YAH

OPINION

POINT/COUNTER-POINT

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

Disastrous pepsi commercial aftermath

Pepsi ad displays worst of capitalistic ignorance BY ANNA GOWIN Features & Entertainment Editor While it may be fading into the background now, Pepsi’s controversial ad was all anyone could talk about a couple of weeks ago. The tv spot spawned countless think pieces as well as a whole new wave of memes. And it’s easy to see why. While Pepsi may have seen the error of their ways since the ad aired, and apologized for their own tone-deafness, it’s hard to see any of that as sincere, knowing what the intention of the ad was in the first place. And the intention of the ad was to sell Pepsi, like all of their ads are. The intention was never to

bridge cultural gaps, or make a political statement about the corporation’s stance on minority activism or police brutality. The intention was to capitalize on what Pepsi saw as something audiences would connect to. “What’s the harm in that?” You might ask, “That’s literally the job of marketing.” And in most cases that makes perfect sense. Of course companies are going to try and profit off of things that are buzzing through the sphere of popular media. And when those things are, say, a love of pop divas (2004’s Beyonce, Pink and Britney Spears gladiator battle) or emojis (2016’s spring campaign), then they really are harmless. Just a company that

wants to give the people something they like that will make more people buy their product. But that isn’t what this is. When the moment in pop culture is a movement that addresses something as serious as police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, then the company is sending a really dangerous message: we are not afraid to capitalize on the death of people. While it may seem a little dramatic, that is in essence what Pepsi did, intentionally or not. They took something that is about tearing down oppressive systems and demanding justice for minority groups, and made it about making money. It was a move that showed a definite shamelessness from the

people who are making executive decisions at Pepsi. And the choice of Kendall Jenner, who many already view as someone who capitalizes off of political ignorance and appropriation of black culture, spoke even further to Pepsi’s ignorance regarding the current political and social climate. At the end of the day, corporations aren’t people. Their apologies can never truly be sincere because they are not representative of one person or even a group of people realizing the error of their ways. They can only respond in a way that will hopefully recover the face (and profit) they’ve lost.

Pepsi: a misguided yet well-intentioned misﬁre BY CHRISTOPHER WALKER Editor-In-Chief Unless you’ve had your head stuck in the sand for the past two weeks whilst simultaneously living under a rock, you have probably heard about the recent fallout from Pepsi’s disastrous commercial. In fact, if you had not seen the commercial and had just heard people’s reaction to it, you would be forgiven for thinking it was a commercial promoting hatred and racism. Let’s be clear before I start defending Pepsi; the ad we are discussing is not good by any stretch. At all. However, it was a well-intentioned television spot and it does

not deserve the visceral reaction it has gotten. Most of the loudest disgust and hatred has come from the internet community; the largely white community that hypes bacon up to near mythical levels and thinks “Rick and Morty” is a good television show. The internet being the internet, their response was a massive overreaction to a cheesy ad. Did the ad take the Black Lives Matter Movement too lightly? Yes. Did it blatantly try to use cultural diversity as a selling point? Obviously. However, Pepsi was clearly standing behind Black Lives Matter, a point everyone is conveniently glossing over because hopping on the “be pissed at Pepsi”

train is too much fun to resist. By putting an obvious and positive portrayal of Black Lives Matter in (AKA, not portraying protestors as hooligans and deviants), Pepsi stood behind the defining social issue of the last few years. Standing behind Black Lives Matter and cultural inclusion is a bigger deal than many who are pissed at the ad realize; the ad portraying protest and globalization is a direct middle finger at the presidency. 61 million people voted for Trump, and it’s fair to say a fair number can count being fed up with protesters, globalization and increased cultural inclusion as a major reason they voted for Trump.

Pepsi made a statement, and while it’s not a “bold” one, I would also argue that it’s not “safe.” “They just used a bunch of different cultures to sell their product,” is a common criticism leveled at the ad. Of course they did. However, promoting culture WHILE trying to make a profit is not a crime, and should not be treated as such. It’s akin to doing charity work to get a photo for Instagram at the end; just because the act was not totally sincere does not make it evil. There was still good done. I can’t help but think of Pepsi as a well-intentioned yet hopelessly unhip father trying to impress his children by quoting a meme, little

realizing it’s several years old. Thinking he’s hip, but just ending up embarrassing himself after a failed reference. With all the talk of globalization and cultural diversity in the country, it really was just a matter of time before this out of touch commercial (in same way shape or form) emerged from corporate America. Pepsi immediately apologized, and while it’s hard to call a corporate apology “sincere” in the truest since, it seemed to come as close as one can get. Hopefully corporate America has learned its lesson, and will be a little more “in-tune” with the social issue next time they try to exploit it.

2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252, New Orleans, LA 70148 (504) 280-6377 Christopher Walker, Editor-in-Chief.......................................................................................................driftwoodeditor@uno.edu Anjanae Crump, Managing Editor....................................................................................................................driftwood@uno.edu Mindy Jarrett.....................................................Copy Editor Matthew Ramos............................................................Staff Writer Jamie Lloyd.......................................................News Editor Kimberly Williams.............................................Business Manager Anna Gowin.......................Features & Entertainment Editor Angelle Cleneay............................................Social Media Manager Sanjiv Pradhanang.......................................Visual Director Matthew Stennis............................................Distribution Manager Nathan Nguyen............................................ Layout Editor Milan Holman........................................Driftwood Video Producer Brennan Probst......................................Head Photographer Vickie Kennedy....................................................................Adviser

Driftwood is produced solely by students of the University of New Orleans. Driftwood publishes every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters with the exception of holiday breaks and midterms/ finals week. Letters to the Editor and columns are the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinion of the Driftwood editorial board. All letters to the Editor are subject to editing for length, style and grammar.

Editorials are the opinions of the Driftwood editorial staff and do not reflect the opinions of the University of New Orleans, its administration or staff. Please limit letters to 500 words. Submissions can be emailed to driftwoodeditor@uno.edu and must be sent no later than 5p.m. on the Monday before publication.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017