FL A S H THE BLUE & WHITE
The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi
www.thejsuflash.com
INSIDE
Vol. 79 / No. 23 OPINION
Clement Gibson says farewell page 3
NEWS
Fraternity Complaints page 4
April 25, 2019
VA R I E T Y Beyoncé page 6
S P O RT S
Baseball continues to dominate page 8
jsums.edu
Crudup and Crear set to deliver commencement addresses Special to The Flash
Bishop Ronnie C. Crudup, Sr., will be the 2019 Graduate commencement speaker for Jackson State University students. Bishop Crudup is the Administrative Bishop for the Fellowship of International Churches, and the Chief Bishop for the Mid-South Diocese. In addition, he serves as the Senior Pastor of New Horizon Church International, which he started in 1987, under the instructions of the Holy Spirit to “go establish a church that would be on a new horizon.” For over 25 years, Bishop Crudup has transparently and unapologetically displayed his passion in proclaiming the consecration power of God’s Word and in empowering the masses by dividing the Word of Truth into practical Biblical principles that transform lives to fulfill their divine calling and destiny in Christ. Gifted as a visionary leader, prolific life-application Bible teacher, and dynamic preacher, Bishop Crudup witnessed the congregation multiply from 56 members to over 3,000 members, 5 plus ministries and a bible school. Blessed with an undeniable anointing on his life, many people characterize Bishop Crudup as one of the greatest spiritual leaders of our time. Bishop Crudup serves as the founder and president for two Faith Based 501C3 ministries (New Horizon Ministries Inc. and the We Make It Better Foundation); in addition to being the founder and president of Ekklesia School of Ministry and Theology.
Also, Bishop Crudup is the co-founder and CEO of the Mississippi Faith-Based Coalition for Community Renewal. Formerly, he served on numerous local, state, and national community development organizations and boards. These include: Former Chairman for the City of Jackson’s Redevelopment Authority, 100 Concerned Clergy of Jackson, Transformation Jackson, Central Mississippi Medical Center, Working Together Jackson, The Hope/Enterprise Corporation, and Telos. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Jackson State University, and he holds a Master of Divinity degree from Reformed Theological Seminary. Bishop Crudup has celebrated over 40 years of his life with First Lady Jacqueline Crudup. Together they have four grown children and eight young grandchildren. Currently, Bishop Crudup and First Lady Crudup reside in South Jackson. Brigadier General Robert Crear will deliver the Undergraduate commencement address. General Crear has served worldwide, commanded and led soldiers and civilians at every level, while serving in high level leadership positions with the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). At the Pentagon he served as the military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works; At the Corps Headquarters in Washington DC, he served as Assistant Director of Civil Works and as the Chief of Staff; In the field he commanded the Vicksburg District, the Southwest Division (SWD) and the Mis-
sissippi Valley Division (MVD); Additionally, he served as President of the Mississippi River Commission, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. In his last assignment as MVD Commander and President of the Mississippi River Commission, Crear was responsible for a $7.5 billion civil works program. In addition, he played a vital role in managing the Corps water resources program in the entire Mississippi River Valley. The boundaries of the Mississippi Valley Division extend from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, include portions of 12 states, and encompass 370,000 square miles. The programs and activities overseen by the MVD and MRC are conducted by 5700 employees in six district offices located in St. Paul, Minn., Rock Island, Ill., St. Louis, Mo., Memphis, Tenn., Vicksburg, Miss., and New Orleans, La. General Crear holds the position of Distinguished Visiting Lecturer of Applied Engineering, National Security and Homeland Security at Jackson State University, Jackson, Ms. He is founder and CEO of The Crear Group consulting firm. He is Chairman of Free Flow Power Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary Free Flow Development LLC a hydropower developer based in Gloucester, Ma that is using proprietary technology to extract energy from moving water (Mississippi River) to produce electricity. He is married to his high school sweetheart, the former Reatha Hall. They have four adult children.
Jackson State University’s Graduate Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 3, 2019 at 4 p.m. in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. All graduating students should plan to arrive by 2:30 p.m. in order to line up to march into the facility under the leadership of the Faculty and Student Marshals. Family and friends of graduates should not that commencement seating will begin approximately two hours prior to the start time in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center. The doors will close at 3:50 p.m., in order to allow the program to officially begin without interruptions. The Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 8 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. All graduating students should plan to arrive by 6:30 a.m. in order to line up to march into the facility under the leadership of the Faculty and Student Marshals. As JSU students look forward to life after JSU, employment news is good for the class of 2019. Employers plan to hire 16.6 percent more new graduates from the Class of 2019 than they did from the Class of 2018 for positions in the United States, according to results of National Association of Colleges and Employer’s (NACE) Job Outlook 2019 survey. Employers had success converting their interns and co-ops from the Class of 2018 into fulltime, entry-level hires, according to results of NACE’s 2019 Internship & Co-op Survey Report. Both the offer and acceptance rates have also increased for Class
YES, WE’RE SOCIAL!
of 2018 intern hires. The bump in acceptance rate follows a trend of gradual growth over the last three years. This could signal that, while employers overall are offering more internships, students remain somewhat selective about the offers they accept. This news also bodes well for 2020 graduates as employers are preparing for a robust recruiting season this fall, which is in line with results of recent research that highlight the growing focus on fall recruiting. More than 99 percent of respondents to NACE’s Job Outlook 2019 Spring Update survey noted plans to participate in on-campus recruiting this fall. Of this group, nearly 83 percent will be seeking hires to fill both their full-time openings and positions in their internship/co-op programs. (See Figure 1.) The overall percentage is up from 97.6 percent of 2018 respondents and 96.7 percent of 2017 respondents indicating plans for fall recruiting. Students should be reminded that rehearsal for the undergraduate ceremony will be held on today, May 2, 2019 at the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium and will begin promptly at 9 a.m. The rehearsal for the Graduate ceremony will be held on Thursday May 2, 2019 at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center (AAC) and begin promptly at 11 a.m.. All diploma recipients are urged to attend, along with both faculty and student marshals, as well as all College Standard Bearers.
@JSU_StudentPub
Tiger Events
Page 2 - April 25, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
The Blue & White Flash Jackson State University
P.O. Box 18449 Jackson, Mississippi 39217 Phone: 601.979.2167 / Fax: 601.979.2876 E-Mail: theflash@jsums.edu
JSU’s 7-Day Weather Forecast
THURSDAY High 73o Low 60o Storms
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The Blue & White Flash Staff SHANNON D. TATUM Publications Manager CLEMENT GIBSON Editor- in-Chief DEJA DAVIS Managing Editor
CIANNA REEVES Managing Editor
DARRIUS BARRON Sports Editor
KALIN NORMAN Photography Editor
Wakil Atig Zahriah Balentine Kambui Bomani Halle Coleman Ke”Aria Frelix K’Shatriyah Humphrey Zipporah Jones
Tamera McCook Luis Montgomery Sunshine Noel Jasmine Sanders Kayla Sims Landrie Tchakoua Angel Varner
Letters To The Editor
Letters to the editor are welcome. Editors reserve the right to print or reject for publication any letters received. Letters must include the author’s name(s), address, and phone number; phone number will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for space and libel consideration. Materials must be submitted by Monday at 5 p.m. for publication on Thursday.
Editorial Staff
The Blue & White Flash is open to contributions from all Jackson State University students. We encourage all students, regardless of major and/or classification, to participate in the production of their newspaper. For information concerning your contribution to “The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University,” call 601-979-2167 or visit room 211 in the Blackburn Language Arts Building.
Publication/Distribution Information
The Blue & White Flash is a weekly newspaper written and edited by the students with the counsel of the adviser. Editorials and letters to the editor represent the views of the writer(s). Views expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty/staff, the administration, the student body, or the Board of Trustees. The editors determine the time of the publication and the ethical qualities of all articles. Articles and other materials in The Flash cannot be republished without the expressed written permissions of the editor, adviser and the Student Publications Board at Jackson State University. The Flash is published during the fall and spring semesters, but not during university-recognized holidays, mid-semester and final examinations. The Flash is distributed at various locations around the Jackson State University campus, free of charge to students, staff and faculty. Additional copies may be obtained from the Office of Student Publications.
Awards & Honors The Blue & White Flash has received numerous awards and honors from the Mississippi Press Association, Black College Communications Association and the Southern Regional Press Institute. The Flash proudly hosted the 2003 and 2010 HBCU Newspaper Conference and Job Fair at Jackson State University.
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Subscription rates for The Blue & White Flash are 25 issues for $25 or the special alumni rate of 25 issues for $20. To subscribe to the Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University, submit your name, address, city, state, and zip code. Make a check or money order payable to The Blue & White Flash and mail to address above.
The Blue & White Flash
Opinion
Page 3 - April 25, 2019
Graphic by Iqra Mahmood
Editor Clement Gibson says farewell to Thee I Love COMMENTARY
Clement Gibson Editor-in-Chief
The best thing you can always do, is the right thing. The next best thing you can always do, is the wrong thing. The worst thing you can always do is nothing. Do something.
Now, what does it look like? How do you ‘do something?’ Well, I’ve come up with three steps. One, take action. Two, stop making excuses. Three, fail… and learn. According to the United Negro College Fund, in total, the nation’s HBCU’s generate $14.8 billion in economic impact annually. We’re already in environments that are used to taking action and known for doing so. However, this did not happen overnight. It started with small steps. Because small steps build consistency and consistency builds discipline— and believe me you’re going to need a whole lot of it in life and on this journey. For example, summer time is approaching and I want to shed a couple pounds. I’m not going to sign up to run a 5K tomorrow. Instead, I’m going to take a small step and get a gym membership. Go to the gym once a week, then twice a week because a lot of this journey is mental. When you see yourself doing something you
start to believe that you can do it. I would love to tell everyone to go and reach for the stars, but sometimes we don’t even know that there is a star to be reached until we take that first small step onto the journey. Step two— stop making excuses. ‘You see I would, but I don’t have the time.’ Or ‘I was just too busy.’ Then there’s college student’s favorite, ‘I don’t have any money, I’m just a broke college student.’ The fact of the matter is, we make time for the things and people that are important to us and make excuses about everything else. And if we were to cut back on some of our bad habits, we’d probably have a lot more money than we think we actually do. At our finger tips every day, we have the resources needed to help propel us to the opportunities we need to be successful. But we need to start taking accountability for ourselves and control what we can control.
We come from a great history of people who had less money, less resources and the same amount of time and accomplished great things for us. 51 years and 21 days ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. This man did a lot of great things for us. But let me tell you one thing that he did not do… make excuses. Step three— fail…. and learn. Michael Jordan once said, ‘You miss 100 percent of the shots you do not take.’ Along the way there’s going to be a lot of naysayers. You may take seven shots and miss all of them— remaining at zero percent. Someone may not shoot at all and also be at zero percent. They’ll say, ‘We’re both at zero percent so we’re on the same plateau. Why should I even try?’ But that’s where the ‘and learn,’ comes in because if you miss that, then you miss the whole message. We need to make sure that we are not scared to fail. When you
fail, document how you failed, why you failed and think about it. Learn from your mistakes and grow from what you learn. And the best part about failing is, you no longer feel the pressure to be perfect because believe me, nobody is perfect. Fail big, fail young and fail hard, but always learn when you do. As I close, I want to challenge you all to do something. Take action with small steps. Stop making excuses about your time, money and resources and control what you can. And fail big and young but learn. Place your hand over your heart and feel it. So long as that thing is beating, do something. Because the worst thing you can do… is nothing. Farewell until we meet again! Clement Out!! The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.
News
Page 4 - April 25, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
JSU chapter of Omega Psi Phi receives community complaints
Cianna Hope Reeves 2019-2020 Editor-in-Chief
What is supposed to be a memorable time for Greek college students has now turned sour after members of one fraternity received complaints by the community they live in. City of Jackson residents are taking action against the Epsilon Upsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi for partying and loud music at their fraternity house located in south Jackson. The home at 1771 Casteel Drive is currently the hot spot where the fraternity members fellowship, congregate and host gatherings for others to enjoy; however, too much pleasure Is becoming an issue for some living in proximity of the home. Neighbors say excessive partying in the middle of a residential area is disturbing and as it nears close to summer, they fear it will get worse. Residents voiced their concerns during a city hall meeting on April 16. They called out to Jackson Council members for help, claiming they can no longer deal with the blasting music, crowded streets, and other conditions that they have experienced on frequent basis. “Summertime is coming. Something has to be done,” declared Rev. Wayne McDaniel as he stood at the podium to address his growing concerns. These complaints are not new. Prior to their arrival to city hall, several notices were directed to the owner of the home, Walter Wofford and complaints sent to Councilman Charles Tillman,
whose ward the home is located in. McDaniel, a neighbor and NAACP Jackson Chapter President, is strongly advocating that city leaders take action against what some neighbors consider to be disorderly conduct. He also stated during the meeting that a pit bull roams from home to home, occasionally without an attached leash or methods to keep the dog at its residence. The wandering animal has attacked two residents, according to McDaniel, and has some neighbors afraid to step outside. Members living in the neighborhood appealed to the councilmen and councilwoman for help and declared that they cannot continue to take any more disturbing nights, especially as it gets warmer. Fran Camper, a resident who lives adjacent from the south Jackson home, begged that the matters be addressed promptly with a solution. “Why should we tolerate all of this? We pay taxes? We work hard and we need something done immediately. It’s going on two years. This summer they are going to [do the same thing] again, so please you all, help us,” Camper said with frustration. They also argued how difficult it is to park or get into their driveways because vehicles are often aligned along the perimeter of the fraternity’s home and discussed how some of the neighbors have to pick up discarded trash left from partying the night before. Camper said the police have
Google Image - Clarion-Ledger
Home on 1771 Casteel Drive.
been contacted on several occasions and have insisted they file papers against the owner of the house. In response to Camper’s statement, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba assured that a plan is being put in place. “We are going to address [the situation] and that may require some work with the neighborhood association simultaneous to do that, but we are going to press forward,” reiterated Lumumba. Ward 4 Councilman, De’Keither Stamps, suggested additional police task force would possibly monitor the area, even though he understands the college-goers are simply enjoying their freedom. “I think the short-term solution is to police it aggressively, for the police to be actively engaged
in this,” proposed Stamps. He continued, “They’re doing all the stuff you normally do at most colleges, but it’s just not appropriate in the middle of a neighborhood.” The fraternity’s Regional Representative, James Cistrunk, said he has been confronted about other issues regarding the fraternity but assured those concerned that the organization does not have a direct connection to the rented property. He also said that if the complaints continue, he would analyze the situation and move forward from there. “We don’t normally govern how they run their house, but if it’s a continuous situation, it’s something we need to look at,” said Cistrunk in an interview with The Clarion Ledger. Meanwhile, a student at JSU
who wished to remain anonymous is not in favor of how media platforms have shined a light on the buzzing situation. “I feel like the media is always going to broadcast something negative about Greek life and that is not the always the case. Everybody is not doing wrong, and I don’t approve of how [the media] generalizes situations that one or two persons are a part of and immediately associate it with the entire chapter,” said the student. We reached out to Susan Powell, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, prior to print deadline in order to obtain a statement but could not be reached for comment. Members of the Epsilon Upsilon Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was also asked for a comment but the chapter collectivel-y agreed not to comment on the claims.
Photographer/Writer William Kelly says farewell to Thee I Love Since arriving at JSU in 2014, I’ve always looked forward to typing my senior farewell. Of course, now that the time has come, I don’t even know where to start or what to say. So, I suppose I’ll start from the beginning. (Fades into flashback). I entered JSU with a very extensive list of what I perceived as attainable achievements and intentions. Mostly all of which involved my trusty camera. As a freshman it was nearly impossible to spot me without a camera or notebook, for interviews, in hand. It got to the point where people assumed that I was an upperclassman. These assumptions only grew more bizarre as I started to find myself in situations where I had to clarify that I wasn’t in grad school, yet, as a sophomore and junior in college. As I look back, I wonder, was it really so bizarre to ask? Were the countless hours lacking sleep and missing out on “fun” with my peers worth it? Well, I like to believe so. In my five years I’ve achieved more than I could have ever imagined and manifested. I earned the title of yearbook editor of the last eXperience e-Yearbook, being the first freshman to hold this title. I’ve freelanced and worked with University Communications since my freshman year. I held my first celebrity interview as a sophomore.
William H. Kelly III
I’ve been the Associate Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Blue and White Flash and eXperience Magazine with Student Publications. I served as the Director of Photography for the Sonic Boom of the South. I’ve had a photo featured on the CBS Face the Nation Recap of Best Commencement Speeches in
2016. I’ve represented my university at multiple journalism conferences, some of which I was awarded 1st, 2nd, and/or 3rd Place awards for reporting and photography. I was recommended to represent the Journalism Department as an intern at the Jackson Free Press, where
I was blessed to be hired fulltime at the end of my summer internship. In the same year, I was also recommended by department to study abroad in Sri Lanka and publish a magazine and website with the Ole Miss Journalism Department. I was the only Jackson State student and black male to participate. As I navigated through my fifth and final year at JSU, I reflected in peace knowing that I had nothing else to accomplish except graduating. However, God and the Universal Energies weren’t done with me yet. I was surprised to learn that some of my photos were used for the banners surrounding the campus and another was used for a wall in the CSEL office. Along with this, I now have photos framed in the music department building. These were amongst the many humbling moments of my entire collegiate career. They were literally the final things on my list of goals before graduating and it happened. Goals I had nearly forgotten about. So, to conclude my farewell, I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to all of these accomplishments and furthermore had a direct hand in making this happen for me. It was necessary to revisit what is shown on my resume and portfolio in order to give credit to the true recipients of these glories. Ms. Shannon and
Ms. Kierra with Student Publications. Mr. Charles Smith, L.A. Warren, and Kentrice Rush with University Communications. Ramon Jackson, Ousman Camara, and the Band Staff with the Sonic Boom of the South. My peers, friends, employers, and supporters. As this is my farewell letter, it was only right to mention all that I’ve accomplished. However, let it be known that the true acknowledgment goes to all of you who recommended, published, respected, encouraged, taught, mentored, supported, and believed in me all while wiping my tears and patting me on the back every step of the way when I doubted my worth and ability. It is impossible to truly express my gratitude and emotion (I’m literally refraining from crying right now, lol) towards your efforts, but it doesn’t hurt to try. Over the years, everyone has always seen what I’VE achieved and what I’VE done, but now they’ll know who truly made my dreams a reality. What WE’VE achieved. Without ALL of you, and more, none of this would have or could have been made possible. I will continue to over-achieve and make you proud. THANK YOU for willingly investing into the future of a young black man who just wanted to make it out of the ghetto, and successfully did just that.
Flash writer K’Shatriyah Humphrey chooses to embrace hope Imagine growing up in a small town with a population of 3,000 citizens. Of that 3,000, approximately 1,900 are teens. Imagine attending a high school with only 530 kids in the entire school. Of that 530, only 200 decided to attend an institution of higher learning. Why did only 200 out of the 530 make this choice? Hope could possibly be a factor, along with negativity. Hope was lost for many of my peers during our childhood. Some watched my peers lose hope and rather than encourage them to continue on to bigger and better things, they decided to embrace the hopelessness. They chose to make statements like, “If you are not
an athlete, doctor or lawyer, you will not be successful.” I decided to embrace hope rather than hopelessness and attended Jackson State University. I wanted to major in journalism and media studies, so I did. While at Jackson State, I’ve learned the importance of family, as well as working hard to get what you want. Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard. Fear will NOT play a factor in my success. I will not embrace hoplessness but instead, I plan to be a beacon of light to others so that they too will choose hope. Stereotypes of underachievers
are prevalent when many people think about the mighty Mississippi Delta. It saddens me to say farewell to JSU, but in my true heart, I can never say goodbye. I want to inform my peers that we are successful, and we cannot limit ourselves but we must soar higher because we know what we are capable of achieving in our hearts. Imagine sitting in the family living room watching television and seeing your idol on the screen. Knowing that every celebrity has a background, we must live accordingly in hopes of reaching star status to find out that we are indeed living to create a background for ourselves.
K’Shatriyah Humphrey
The Blue & White Flash
Page 5 - April 25, 2019
JMS Awards Day
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Photos 1 - 9 by Kalin Norman
(1-9) Students in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies receive awards during the Senior Awards Day.
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Variety
Page 6 - April 25, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team makes it to final four
Photo provided by Gabrielle Jones
The JSU Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team during the awards ceremony.
Gabrielle Jones
MC301 Contributor The Jackson State University Honda Campus All-Star Challenge team made it to the final four during the national championship tournament, which kicked off April 13, 2019 in Torrance, Calif. JSU’s team competed against 48 other HBCU’s for bragging rights during the competition. Unfortunately, the team was defeated by Florida A&M University.
After practicing MondayFriday weekly to get ready for the big tournament, the students were ready to make a great impression for Jackson State. JSU President William Bynum Jr. attended the competition to support the team. Teammates not attending the tournament believed the team would do well because they had player who had participated in previous national tournaments. “I thought that the team played fairly well to only have one player with the national experience. They persevered
through tough times and made it farther than most people believed they would. I knew they had the skills to make it from participating in long practices and stiff gameplay against one another,” said Isaiah Barnett, a junior computer science major from Durant, Miss. The new players on the national team: Kaitlin Littleberry, Gamica Norwood, and Aaron Ridley, had to go against veterans of the game. Their expectations were high but they did not know what to expect going into the game.
“I was expecting to lose the first game. So many of the schools had members that had been competing for years, meanwhile this was my first time ever. The first day competing, I kept thinking I was not good enough, so I only played one game however the second and last day something finally clicked in my confidence,” said Norwood, a junior math education major from Gary, Ind. She added: “I had people coming to me all throughout the competition saying just how much they were routing for me. We made it so far in the end it was matter a matter of two ultimate challenge questions. I am still happy that I had the experience and I know what I have to do next year to get even further.” The team entered their first day of competition with a match against Xavier University. “The match against Xavier was a tough one. We knew going into that match that they had won the Prairie View A&M University qualifying tournament, and that they were hungry and eager for a rematch against us to even the score from last year, so we approached this game with elevated focus and aggression. The game lived up to its hype, as it was back and forth, and it came down to the ultimate challenge,”
said team captain Justin Clarke, a senior accounting major from Memphis, Tenn. At the end of the match, JSU would take the win over Xavier with a score of 540 to 425. “In the end, we emerged victorious, but not without the bruises and scars indicative of good battle. That match is definitely one I will remember for the foreseeable future,” said Clarke. After the Xavier victory, the JSU began a win streak beating teams throughout the day, such as University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and Kentucky State University. “I knew that we were good at what we do. Even though we had new members. I knew that we were going to make it to the finals. We practiced hard and worked even harder. We had a huge support system and coach (Joshua) Cotton believed in us and I believed in us also,” said Ridley, a freshman accounting major from Memphis, Tenn. Although JSU lost in the final four against Florida A&M University, the team still received the Star Award. “The whole experience as a new national team member was amazing,” stated Littleberry, a junior political science major from Bakersfield, Calif.
JSU featured in Beyoncé’s documentary Homecoming Deja Davis
2019-2020 Managing Editor Everyone can now get in formation whenever they want to tune into the two hour iconic Coachella performance better known as “Beychella” to see what all it took to actually come together. The new Netflix documentary “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” premiered early Wed. April 17, capturing Beyoncé’s unforgettable performance at the 2018 Coachella music festival as well as behind the scenes of her crew’s hard work and dedication during the choreography process. Throughout the film the singer included quotes from remarkable black creatives such as WEB DuBois, Nina Simone, Toni Morrison and Reginald Lewis that appeared various times serving as title cards between displaying the footage of the concert. Beyoncé spoke mostly in voiceover, maintaining a mysterious presence even in those rare moments of her at her lowest, with intimate footage from the months of rehearsals it took to re-train her body postpregnancy and also to see her complicated vision come to life all while focusing on her lifelong dream of attending an HBCU like her father.
“My college was Destiny’s Child,” she says. “My college was traveling around the world, and life was my teacher.” No African-American woman had ever headlined the arts and music festival’s main stage, making history which made her specifically want to showcase her culture while taking fans through an onstage parade of her many hits that were all re-orchestrated and reimagined to suit the musical backdrop of a marching band. When it comes to Beyoncé releases, there is usually an element of surprises. A day after “Queen B” dropped her celebrated documentary, along with a surprise album, Homecoming: The Live Album, that features all of the music from her Coachella performance, the former First Lady Michelle Obama took to Twitter to congratulate the Grammy winner on the film. “Hey, Queen! Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly. I’d say I’m surprised but I know who you are. I’ve seen it up close and personal. Girl, you make me so proud, and I love you,” Obama said. She continued, “I also love that your new Netflix film, Homecoming, is informed by the Black leaders, thinkers, and poets who paved the way for folks like
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us. I love that it’s both a celebration and a call to action. And I love that you’re using this film to inspire the next generation of history makers and record breakers who’ll run the world in the years ahead. So to you my friend, I just wanna say, keep telling the truth because you can do it in a way that no one else can.” The singer wanted numerous types of people to be represented in her Coachella performance. She said, “There was no rules - we were
able to create a safe free space where none of us were marginalized.” “It was important to me that everyone who had never seen themselves represented felt that they were on that stage with us... I wanted everyone to feel grateful for their curves, sass, honesty and freedom - there were no rules”. Famous dancer, choreographer and baton twirler Diddi Emah, who performed at Beyoncé’s Coachella show, echoed those thoughts: “I
thought I’d be too short, too thick - to have things that black families’ value up on stage for the world to see and for them to understand us that little bit more is just all a blessing”. This documentary exemplified the beauty and greatness of black culture, and also gave people the chance to celebrate the necessity and importance of attending a historically black college and university.
Lupus awareness gains momentum during the month of April Kayla Sims
MC301/Staff Writer It has been said that April showers brings May flowers, but May is more than a month of blossoming flowers, graduations and celebrations. May is Lupus Awareness Month. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system begins to attack its own healthy tissues and organs. According to Medical News Today, around 1.5 million people in the United States and more than 5 million people worldwide are affected by lupus and research shows that the life expectancy for the fatal disease is up to 40 years. Algedia Drummonds is a mother from Clarksdale, Miss., whose daughter suffers from Lupus. “It is really heartbreaking, for her and myself as a parent. My daughter was diagnosed with Lupus only a few months after she was born and it hurts me to know that there is no known cure.” According to Drummonds, the diagnosis of her daughter changed her life drastically. “My life isn’t the same at
all. My daughter is sometimes hospitalized for several days at a time and that puts my life at a halt. I can’t heal her, but I can bring awareness to the disease and support parents who are going through the difficulties of having a child with lupus.” Jackson State University Army ROTC has also brought awareness to the fatal disease with the Cierra Brookins Lupus Color Run. The Lupus Color Run was hosted Thursday April 18, in front of the student center and ended on the GibbsGreen plaza with hotspot. Micheal Nealy, a junior English major from Detroit, Mich., explained the purpose and the positive effects of the walk. According to Nealy, the color run made an impact on his feelings toward Lupus and the people who suffering from it. “Recently, my mother was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis and she has been hospitalized. I am really surprised about this walk, before my mother was diagnosed I wouldn’t have paid it any attention but now I understand the purpose and I am glad that JSU supports the cause as well.”
This year’s world lupus day is May 10th and is sponsored by the World Lupus Federation which is a coalition of lupus patient organizations from around the world, that works to improve the quality of life for people affected by lupus. Lupus within the body is regularly invisible. However millions around the globe experience the ill effects of it. Its symptoms, such as fatigue, confusion, shortness of breath and joint pain, are so common that many of its victims, predominantly women who mistake the signs of the fatal disease as stress or tiredness. Lupus causes any system or organ in the body to be affected including the skin, lungs, blood cells, heart, joints, brain or kidneys which causes it to look different in everyone. Because of that, it can be hard to get a diagnosis, as doctors confuse symptoms with other diseases. Several famous celebrities suffer from the fatal disease. Many spoke publicly about the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives. The multitalented actor, producer, and television host, Nick Cannon was diagnosed with Lupus in 2012. He
experienced symptoms such as kidney failure and blot clots in his lungs before a proper diagnosis. In an interview with Huffington Post, Cannon described the fear he felt in not knowing what the disease is and how to cope with it. “I knew nothing about it until I was diagnosed.… But to me, I’m healthier now than I’ve ever been before,” said Cannon. Singer and songwriter, Toni Braxton also opened up about diagnosed with lupus in 2010, and how the illness was the reason behind her divorce in 2013. In a live interview, Braxton stated that the type of lupus she has affects her heart and is often times wears her body out from all of the touring. Despite her multiple hospital stays and dedicated days to resting, Braxton said she’s still never let her symptoms force her to cancel a show. According to lupus. org, around 90% of those diagnosed with lupus are women, with black women around three times more likely to develop the condition than white women. Tasandra Humphrey, a senior biology major from Greenville, Miss., talked
about hopes the fatal disease. “Just last month I had a childhood friend pass from Lupus, I knew she had the disease but I wasn’t expecting for her to go so soon. It hurts me to know that there is no cure for lupus but I plan in changing that over the course of the next 20 years.” Humphrey encourages everyone to become more aware of illness like lupus and speak out about the unknown. “May is the month to walk, run and get involved with supporting Lupus. We must come together and try to find a cure for the unknown.” The color for Lupus awareness is purple and next month everyone is encouraged to wear purple in honor of the people who are affected by the disease. Through rallying and public support, over 200 groups and 839 million people have brought awareness to lupus. The deadly disease did not receive research funding until the late 2005. This May, millions of people are participating in bringing greater attention and resources to the efforts being made to end the suffering caused by Lupus.
Page 7 - April 25, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
MCAN/MDAN Mississippi Press Association Education Foundation
Celebrity Roast
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Sports
Page 8 - April 25, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
Tigers continue dominance on the diamond against Devils
Wakil Atig 2019-2020 Sports Editor
The Tigers of Jackson State University have been on a tremendous tear during the last leg of the regular season. Since their stellar victory over Alcorn State on March 31, the Tigers have been on a 13-game winning streak. The Tigers have been dominating competition in the last month while improving their overall record for the season at 25-18 and 12-6 in conference play. On April 20, which was Senior Day, the Tigers showed nothing less than pure dominance as they pounced on the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State University, defeating them 19-3. The game was ultimately ended in the seventh inning due to the 10-0 mercy rule. The Tigers gained control of the game early on. They scored a total of seven runs in the bottom of the first inning alone and never allowed Mississippi Valley a chance to gain any momentum. It was a rough outing for the Delta Devils. To get things rolling for the Tigers, senior Raul Hernandez hit an RBI single up the middle that was followed by an RBI double down the left field line by junior Jaylyn Williams. Junior Wesley Reyes then added a twoRBI double through the left side as the Tigers were leading the game 4-0.
The Tigers were unstoppable at this point. As the first inning closed, senior Tyler Culpepper scored off a Mississippi Valley error on the field. The Delta Devils were completely discombobulated by the barrage of hits by the Tigers. Junior Chandler Dillard added an RBI single and junior Equon Smith came in the clutch with a sacrifice fly to close the scoring in the first inning. Smith finished the game 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Culpepper continued his dominance throughout the game as he finished 3-for-5 with five runs batted in and scoring three times. Junior Chris Prentiss batted 3-for-5 with two RBIs and scored two runs. Senior Justin Moore went 1-for-1 with two RBIs in his lone at-bat. Redshirt Anthony Becerra had a great pitching performance for the Tigers. He tossed 6 innings, scattered six hits, allowed three runs, two walks, and fanned seven batters. He also induced eight flyouts. In the end, the Tigers were just too much for the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State University. This win concluded a series sweep by the Tigers and proved once again why they are one of the best teams in the conference. Fans definitely were excited as they cheered on the Tigers on what so far has been a magical season. Despite all the adversity the
gojsutigers.com
JSU player rips a ball in win against MVSU Devils.
team has been faced with this season, they have remained firm and persistent. A true testament to what a team is. This game was also an inaugural Homecoming for 1977 and 1978 teams as they were both honored before the game. The 1978 team still holds the school’s record for most wins with 52. Taliah Cooper, a senior
psychology major from Chicago, Ill. said, “This year’s baseball team is very good. Since I have been at Jackson State University, I don’t remember them winning this many games in a row. I hope they carry this winning attitude into the playoffs. It would be great to win a championship.” NaKaela Cobb, a freshman social work major from Chicago,
Ill., said this team has made her into a baseball fan. “I am so proud of our baseball team. Before coming to Jackson State, I never was a fan of baseball. But after going to a few games and seeing them blow teams out, I’m a fan now. We have the best baseball amongst HBCUs and that’s facts. They make me proud to be a Tiger,” said Cobb.
Free agents Durant and Irving could reshape the league
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Kambui Bomani
Sports Writer
The NBA Playoffs are currently in progress, but it is never too late to get a head start into predicting the future destinations of a plethora of NBA free agents as we head into the league’s 2019 Free Agency Summer. Because of the in-depth talent pool expected to be headed into the open market, the viewing public has perceived the summer of 2019 as being the NBA’s biggest free agency class in recent memory.
So, while going through the large list of individuals who are potential free agents and predicting where they could go in the near future would be a very enjoyable article, here is a condensed analysis of two major players in this year’s free agency class who’s potential destinations could reshape the league once again during the early stages of the 21st century. Kevin Durant, Small Forward, Golden State Warriors - Potential Destination: New York Knicks Kevin Durant has been
regarded as the league’s second-best player behind Los Angeles Laker LeBron James for nearly a decade. During this time, he has transitioned from being the go-to guy on an iso-oriented Oklahoma City Thunder team, to the main cog on an All-Star saturated Golden State Warrior squad that has won back to back NBA Championships since his arrival, and three of the last four titles overall. Durant has gone through a variety of criticism during his Warriors tenure, but with the chance of him hoisting up a third straight Larry O’Brien Trophy is seeming to be inevitable. The pulse around the league is that Durant will leave the winning confines of Golden State and go elsewhere next season as he enters the late stages of his prime. The new team that many NBA sources around the league expect Kevin to go to is the New York Knicks, which from a basketball sense is a deal being made with fire but from a business perspective appeases the aspirations of Durant’s new agent Rich Kleiman. The Knicks have not been on the side of winning for the past five or six years and
while they have the chance to possess the number one pick, there is no guarantee they will actually get it or obtain the correct draft prospect that’s capable of developing into a future NBA star. However, if the chips do fall where they may and the Knicks add another superstar to their contract books to pair with Durant, then their once bleak past, present, and future, can become a glowing ray of light almost overnight. Kyrie Irving, Point Guard, Boston Celtics Potential Destination: Boston Celtics/ New York Knicks It has been a rocky year for Kyrie Irving as he is nearing the conclusion of his $90+ million dollar extension that the Cleveland Cavaliers granted him in 2014. A Celtics team that was predicted to run through the East with relative ease during this season, amassed just 49 wins which underachieved expectations. The feeling throughout the Celtic’s camp all year has been heavy tension in the locker room between young players who obtained postseason success the year prior and Kyrie Irving who tried to become a vocal leader almost overnight by utilizing unique techniques through the media
to implore his teammates to bend to his will. The team in itself still made the playoffs and swept the Indiana Pacers during their first-round matchup in workman like fashion. However, if the team falls short of an NBA Finals appearance, it is fair to say after the year Kyrie had spiritually and emotionally with Boston, the perineal All-Star could move on. Boston could potentially offer him a max contract and if so, it’s a winning proposition he cannot pass up both economically and professionally. The side effects are if the remaining members on the team would be okay with him returning leaving Irving to in essence decide would he be willing to pick up the pieces of his career yet again and move to a new proving ground. Potentially partnering with Durant in New York to create a dynamic duo surrounded by the potential likes of Zion Williamson and a few quality role players seems just as appeasing out in the east. That and the allure to serve a piece of humble pie to the same Celtic team that for a year seems to have taken his greatness on the court for granted.
“Pooh” highlights ups and downs of Rose’s NBA career Darrius Barron
2019-2020 Managing Editor In a city where the blistering cold of winter breaks through the concrete, and the showers of April nourish the dirt that lies between those cracks, plants that grow from the concrete often wither and die; but the Rose did not. The Rose withered, but always found its way back to bloom. Derrick Rose, a son of Chicago, and arguably the most favored professional basketball player from the city has achieved great accolades early in his career. Despite being plagued by critical injuries, and being subjected to criticism from almost every angle of his career, Rose faced the adversity and refused to stop living his dream. On April 11, 2019, a documentary that would showcase Rose’s life beyond the court aired on WatchStadium.com, a website geared to sports. “Pooh, the Derrick Rose Story” was named after Rose himself; Pooh being his nickname. “Pooh” told Rose’s story from a point of view that fans did not already have.
Beginning with a potential career ending injury in a playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2012; Rose’s fanbase and the Chicago Bulls fanbase as a whole would experience lots of controversy in the following years. The documentary which featured several key people in Rose’s life shed light on how everything affected them, and how they noticed a change in everything from the Chicago Bulls organization, his fanbase, and most importantly, Rose himself. The Chicago Bulls were a league favorite at the time to derail the eastern conference juggernauts, the Miami Heat. Former Bulls All-Star Center, Joakim Noah opens up about how Rose’s injury not only affected the team, but how he had selfish feelings about the situation. “I look back at that time and I don’t like it because I feel like I wanted him to come back, selfishly. He was also my brother and I wanted him to be right; so I was torn a little bit,” said Noah. Beyond the injuries, one of the hypersensitive moments of the documentary was the moment Rose
was told that the Bulls traded him to the New York Knicks during the 2016 offseason. A camera crew who Rose was working with to shoot the documentary caught Rose’s raw emotion as he received the news from his agent, BJ Armstrong. Before Rose got the bad news about the trade, he was speaking about his future with the Chicago Bulls. Rose was hopeful to retire a Bull, and those happy emotions quickly turned into tears after he got call. “Pooh” also covered the rape allegation that troubled Rose and his entourage at the start of his time with the Knicks. During the 2016-17 preseason, Rose was accused of raping his exgirlfriend. At the time, fans had little information about the case. According to the documentary, the ex-girlfriend in question was referred to as Jane Doe. She filed a civil suit against Rose and two of his friends in which she would receive $21.5M if she won the case. Rose and his two friends would later be cleared of the charges. After the Knicks controversy, and being traded twice more to the
Cleveland Cavaliers, and then to the Utah Jazz in one season; Rose would find a new home in with former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The documentary also caught the upside to Rose’s late NBA career. Scoring 50 points against the Utah Jazz was milestone for Rose that sent shockwaves through the entire NBA world. “Pooh” covered Rose’s career from the start, up until halfway through his second season with the Timberwolves. The number of well-known names like Chance the Rapper, Joakim Noah, John Calipari, and many more who came together to help tell the story is a testament to how many different directions the documentary branches out to. Rose fans like Chance the Rapper believes that the Chicago Bulls should retire his jersey. Sadly, not all of his fans feel the same. Syderrick Maiten, a speech communications major from Greenville, Miss., said: “D. Rose is my favorite player and h accomplished a few things before his major injuries. Do not get me wrong, but retiring his jersey now will be a slap in the
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Derrick Rose
face to the ones who have their jerseys already retired due to the work they have put in…” “Pooh the Derrick Rose Story” can be viewed on WatchStadium. com/Pooh/. More NBA discussion can be heard on the “At the Whistle” podcast on the “JSUBlueWhiteFlash” YouTube channel.