FL A S H THE BLUE & WHITE
The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi
www.thejsuflash.co m
INSIDE
Vol. 78 / No. 18 OPINION
Racial Climate in America page 3
NEWS
Rev. Barron Banks page 4
VA R I E T Y Flirting at JSU page 5
February 15, 2018
S P O RT S Baseball Preview page 8
Photo: The New York Times A father embraced his daughter after being reunited outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Wednesday.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting leaves several dead Aaron Walker Managing Editor A gunman op ene d f ire at a S out h Flor id a hig h s cho ol on We dnes d ay af ter no on Feb.14, k i l ling 17 p e ople mu lt iple, of f ici a ls s aid. He was l ater ident if ie d as Ni kol aus Cr uz. According to NB C Ne ws.com, The Broward C ount y Sher if f ’s Of f ice t we ete d t hat t here were “at le ast 14 v ic t ims” af ter t he sho ot ing at Mar j or y Stoneman D oug l as Hig h S cho ol in Park l and, Fl a. It was not imme di ately cle ar how many of t hos e v ic t ims were injure d and how many had die d. Broward C ount y Public S cho ols t we ete d t hat t he s ound of gunf ire broke out shor t ly b efore s cho ol was dismiss e d for t he d ay. The hig h s cho ol went on
imme di ate lo ckdow n, Park l and Mayor C hr ist ine Huns chofsky told NB C Mi ami. At Fl ash press t imes t here were no det ai ls on w ho t he sho oter was. Many Jacks on St ate Universit y students were sho cke d to he ar of yet anot her mass sho ot ing in Flor id a. Jas a ly n Luc as, a s enior mass communic at ion maj or f rom C le vel and, Miss. s aid, “I t hin k t hat t he s cho ol sho ot ing is re a l ly s ad and t hat p e ople re a l ly c an’t go to o many pl aces or s end t heir chi ld to o many pl aces in fe ar t hat s omet hing mig ht happ en to t hem.” Luc as adde d, “I t hin k s cho ols shou ld do s cre ening for e ver y for e ver y student for ment a l he a lt h b e c aus e you ne ver k now t hes e d ays w hen s ome one f ina l ly snaps.”
O t hers fe el t hat t his is one more unne cess ar y t rage dy w here p e ople have lost t heir lives. “ The s cho ol sho ot ing was ver y t rag ic and I hate t hat a l l of t hos e inno cent p e ople lost t heir lives,” s aid She dr ick L av ig ne, a junior e duc at ion maj or f rom B aton R ouge, L a. “And once again a C auc asi an ma le has shot up a s cho ol f u l l of inno cent chi ldren. What dr ives a man to want to k i l l chi ldren? But as a lways he w i l l not get t he punishment t hat he des er ves.” O t her students on c ampus are concer ne d ab out t he many mass sho ot ings t hat have b e en happ en l ately in t he U.S. Kay l a B an ks, a f reshman biolog y/preme dicine maj or f rom C hic ago, Il l. s aid, “I’m
obv iously concer ne d b e c aus e since t he ye ar st ar te d it has b e en a lot of mass sho ot ings a lre ady,” s aid B an ks. “I just want to k now w hat is t r ig ger ing t he sho ot ings.” A fe dera l of f ici a l has ident if ie d t he Flor id a s cho ol sho ot ing susp e c t as Cr uz. The of f ici a l sp oke to The Ass o ci ate d Press on condit ion of anony mit y. The of f ici a l s ays he had b e en br iefe d on t he invest igat ion into t he sho ot ing at t he S out h Flor id a hig h s cho ol, but was not aut hor ize d to dis c uss it publicly. Aut hor it ies l ater announce d t hat t he y had t a ken a for mer student, ab out 18 ye ars old, into c usto dy af ter lo c at ing him of f t he s cho ol g rounds. At press t ime t he sher if f s aid 17 p e ople had die d in t he sho ot ing .
YES, WE’RE SOCIAL!
Of f ici a ls s ay t he susp e c t, a for mer student, was pre v iously exp el le d for dis ciplinar y re as ons. The Sher if f s ays t he man had at le ast one r if le and mu lt iple magazines. He s ays most of t he fat a lit ies were inside t he bui lding t houg h s ome were found fat a l ly shot outside. Draeisha Brow n, a s ophomore studio maj or f rom Gre env i l le, Miss s aid, I fe el b ad and s or r y for t he students w ho attend t he s cho ol t hat t he sho ot ing happ ene d at and my he ar t and prayers go out to a l l t he p e ople t hat were hur t or injure d, to t he ones t hat lost t heir lives and t heir fami lies, and to a l l of t he students t hat are s afe,” s aid Brow n. Jacks on St ate employe es are c ur rent ly mand ate d to p ar t icip ate in Ac t ive Sho oter t raining .
@JSU_StudentPub
Tiger Events
Page 2 - February 15, 2018
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
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The Blue & White Flash Staff SHANNON D. TATUM Publications Manager
KIERRA D. THOMAS Graphic Designer
ALEXANDRIA GALTNEY Editor- in-Chief AARON WALKER Managing Editor
CHELSEY JONES Managing Editor
Morgan Beard Kambui Bomani Winnie Bush Tavia Calvin Jared Dorsey K’Shatriyah Humphrey
Gabrielle Jones Mia Jones Zipporah Jones William H. Kelly III Kalin Norman Bari Yakubu
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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Opinion
Page 3 - February 15, 2018
The Blue & White Flash
Cartoon: Bari Yakubu
The racial climate in America is better and worse COMMENTARY
Aaron Walker Managing Editor Someone recently asked the question in the Flash newsroom, “Do you think racism in America is better or worse since the Civil Rights era?” After an hour-long debate with pros and cons on both sides and no unanimous conclusion, we decided to ask the students at Jackson
State. See below. There were things we could all agree upon however; racism in America is not just against blacks and it definitely still exists. Whether its better or worse is subjective. My experiences as a black man in America may be different from yours. When thinking about the racial climate since the Civil Rights Movement and whether or not things or better, my answer is both yes and no. As ambiguous as that sounds, it’s still my truth. Yes, we have come a long way from Ku Klux Klan members lynching black people, but racial violence against unarmed black men and women is prevalent. Yes, we have the right to vote with no intimidation or stupid registration tests, although sadly, many are not exercising this privilege and the reigning administration seems to be on a mission to send us back to the Jim Crow era.
Yes, we have more opportunities for economic success, but disparities among minorities still remain. You see where I’m going with this? We have come a long way when it comes to equal rights for minorities in America, but we have a long way to go. The purpose of the Civil Rights Movement was to gain equal rights for all; this included getting AfricanAmericans the right to vote. And we have it! Now, African-Americans and all minorities have the power to change elections. If we would all just go out and vote, we would be able to put people in office that best represent everyone, not just a certain group. Some may say, “what are you talking about, the United States had its first AfricanAmerican president?” But let’s not forget that even with President Barack Obama in
office, African- Americans and minorities were racially profiled and civil unrest existed in many states because of this. We are still dealing with some of the same issues from back in the day, including police brutality. But now, instead of the Civil Rights Movement, we have the Black Lives Matter Movement. We have yet to solve the equation for racism in this country, so we still have a long way to go. When a mentally unbalanced young white man can sit quietly in a historic black church during a Bible study for an hour and then kill nine black parishioners in order to start a race war, we still have a long way to go. When America’s first black president feels compelled to use part of his State of the Union address midway through his second term in office to talk about
the state of the dialogue between blacks and whites in America, we still have a long way to go. How can the racial climate improve when there is a president in office that publicly supports white supremacy? How can the racial climate improve when that same man talks vulgarly about women and minority groups and pretty much anyone who disagrees with him with his angry Twitter fingers? In my opinion, this country is not moving forward when it comes to the racial climate in America but I do not feel like the country is moving back to the 1960s either. We can only hope that this country will not lose the progress our ancestors fought for when dealing with racism in this country. The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.
“Has the racial climate in America improved since the Civil Rights era? Why or Why? Compiled by Martavian Thompson, Evan Jones, Alexia Lee, Kearia Alexander, Amber Taylor, Antonio Cheeks and Destiny Cyprian
Quintavious Phillips Graduate Student Education Drew, Miss. “It has improved, however we have a long way to go. African-Americans have more privileges, rights, and opportunities now but we still experience racial profiling and discrimination.”
Janaeya Washington Sophomore Music Vicksburg, Miss. “I think it’s still the same honestly. It’s just hidden more. They still do the same things to hurt us. They just subliminally do it now.”
Kenaja Wade Senior Biology Jackson, Miss.
Joshua Collins Senior Civil Engineering Hoover, Ala.
Tavion Green Senior Physical Therapy Gary, Ind.
“Yes, because my great grandfather was white and he did not tolerate black people, but it is refreshing to see how my family has grown and evolved to better appreciate the history of our people.”
“I do believe that the racial climate has changed since then. I believe that because we have dwindled down tension between the races, despite what the mass majority thinks.”
“No, because some races don’t have the same opportunities as others.”
Keysha McKenzie Senior Entrepreneurship Memphis, Tenn. “There’s been marked improvement in that area of our society. Even with the isolated situations of racial profiling and the targeting of a certain groups of people by another group of people, it has improved.”
Jarrick Jackson Freshman Graphic Design Byram, Miss.
Kaylin Carthledge Sophomore Speech Pathology Dallas, Texas
Larry Boykin Jr. Graduate Student Education Montgomery, Ala.
Christian White Sophomore Graphic Design Hattiesburg, Miss.
Craig Neal, Jr. Sophomore Biology/Pre-Medicine Chicago, Ill.
Lorrisa Baker Junior Social Work Byram, Miss.
“Barely, the amount of race crimes wouldn’t be this prominent if it has actually improved.”
“I would say it’s gotten better in a sense. You don’t hear many stories of whites spitting or beating up people just because (the cops do though) and that’s where it goes downhill.”
“I do not believe the racial climate in America has improved since the Civil Right era. White America had found new ways to keep black America at an old racial standpoint.”
“Yes, I think it has improved just a little because AfricanAmericans have more freedom today than back then.”
“No, I believe racism still exists because I’ve seen people try to get a job and don’t because of the color of their skin.”
“It has improved a lot because there is not as much racism as it used to be. Maybe in other parts of the world, but in the south it’s not as bad as it used to be.”
News
Page 4 - February 15, 2018
The Blue & White Flash
Spotlight
Rev. Barron Banks
During Black History Month, the Flash would like to take the time to honor our own. We continue this series with a spotlight of a professor most students credit with keeping the legacy of Black History alive for many JSU students, Reverend Barron Banks. Chelsey Jones Managing Editor Rev. Barron Banks, is a philosophy instructor for the Department of History and Philosophy, a reverend, the chaplain of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association, Inc. and a winner of numerous awards for his community service. Banks is also one of the many people to have been fortunate enough to march with Civil Rights icon, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. According to Banks, his civil rights journey started at a young age. “The earliest part of my life, which pertains to African-American history or black history, was when I was 18 years of age,” he said. “My third year of Jackson State, I went to vote. The only way I could really vote was with the federal registers standing around with guns on them to make sure that I was not harassed or put in jail.” Two weeks prior, an African-American minister had been severely beaten for taking people to get registered to vote. During this time, certain areas of the south were being deputized with federal marshals to keep order. Banks reflected on his experience with meeting Martin Luther King, Jr. “I marched from Canton to Tchula,” he said. “James Meredith marched. He had just integrated Ole Miss and maybe a year or so after that he decided to do a one-man march from Memphis to
Mississippi to deal with the garbage workers. He got shot in Senatobia, Miss. I was a freshman at JSU at the time. “ The news of Meredith being shot spread across the country. King heard the news and decided to join Meredith’s march. Meredith’s one-man march soon became a march with thousands of people. Well-known people such as Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne and Stokley Carmichael also took part in the march. “We camped out that night in Canton. That’s when I joined the march,” Banks said. Banks stated that he lied to his mother about being at the march. His mother was a schoolteacher. During that time anyone that was known to be associated with Civil Rights activists would be quickly fired. A year or two after Banks marched, King would be assassinated in 1968. “We were in the (Student) Union building when we heard the news of Dr. King being shot,” he said. “A riot broke out on campus. (John) Peoples was president then and he shut down campus because it was going to be rough. Lynch Street was open back then and any cars coming through with white people …it wasn’t good,” said Banks. A tank was brought on campus in an effort to keep everyone in order. The tank could shoot teargas and bullets. While trying to convince the students to stop rioting, Banks was unfortunately shot at by the
tank. Banks also discussed the time he was a victim of racism at a bus station. “I was a sophomore. I happened to be in Yazoo City. My mother and my aunt were shopping there because in Tchula, we didn’t have places you could shop. I ventured off from them and went to the bus station to find an alarm clock.” After getting the clock, Banks decided to go get a hamburger. He went to the lunch counter to get one. He noticed that the white waitress would not take his order. Instead of leaving, he decided to stay and wait. “I should’ve left,” he said. “After 30 minutes, she came up to me and said she couldn’t serve me. I asked her why she didn’t tell me earlier so I could’ve left. I found out later she wanted me to stay there so that the folks she called could come.” As Banks tried to leave, he was harassed by five white men. They warned him that next time he came back around there, they would throw him in the Yazoo River. Banks has experienced so much during his long life. He was a part of both of Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaigns, was an active member in the NAACP and a witness to the Civil Rights Movement. He continues to honor’s King’s dream by discussing him in his philosophy classes at JSU and by continuing to promote service to his community.
Jackson State’s Department Public Safety enforces decal policy Anyaah Copeland MC301 Contributor On most college campuses safety is the number one priority and Jackson State University’s Department of Public Safety plans to make sure its students and staff are safe. On Friday, Feb. 9, 2018, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) passed out letters to all incoming traffic entering the university campus. The notice stated the on Feb. 12, the university would begin enforcement of the decal policy for all vehicles. The notice read: All faculty, staff and students must have a current university decal to enter campus. You will be turned around if you do not have a current decal. Students must purchase their decals at B.F. Roberts and pick it up at the Department of Public Safety or ID Center. All employees can purchase a decal at the Department of Public Safety. Faith Evans was angered by news of the enforcement of the policy. “It’s bull. A lot of people don’t have cars and need rides to and from places. Making it mandatory that everyone has a decal is pointless for people who do not attend the college or live on campus,” said, Faith Evans, a
biology/pre-medicine major from Grenada, Miss. “I stay in Alexander Hall and my boyfriend was dropping me off one night and it was past 12 a.m. at night and the security officer said I had to be dropped off at the Athletics and Assembly Center (AAC) and walk to my dorm. If they were so concerned about our safety then they would at least provide transportation to and from locations.” According to Sergeant Damarius Cotton, the policy is not a new one, it is just being enforced after giving new students and employees time to acquire the decal. The campus opening delays due to the water crisis, further delayed the enforcement date. Cotton explained that the main goal of the decal policy is to provide a safe environment for the students and staff. “DPS officers will judge each instance of a person trying to come on campus on a case by case basis. If parents are trying to drop students off or if a student is getting a ride back to campus, we will allow those people to come on campus after providing license and vehicle information. If the person dropping a student off is not allowed on campus and let’s say it’s nighttime,
Photo (1) Google Image by and Photos (2-3) by Chelsey Jones Public safety officer checks decal as car enters the campus.
we will provide an escort for that person to their residence hall,” said Cotton. “Our goal is to make sure our students and staff are safe.” It doesn’t bother me because I have a decal but for those who don’t, maybe they cannot afford the decal for financial reason,” said Deanza Prince, a senior biology major from Clarksdale, Miss. Residential Student
Parking is available at McAlister and Whiteside Lot, Tiger World Lot, Dixon Hall, Alexander Hall Lot, Athletic Assembly Center, Just Science Hall Lot and University Pointe Lot. Commuter Student Parking is available at the AAC, Just Science Hall, John A. Peoples South and East Lot, College of Education West Lot, T.B. Ellis, Walter Payton, Poindexter St., Short St. and Pearl St.
All parking lots are opened to commuter students with a valid parking decal after 5:30 p.m. Commuters are advised to park correctly between the white lines and not in handicapped stalls unless they have a handicapped license plate or hang tag on their vehicles. Student can purchase a decal for $40. Tickets for not having a decal are $50 per ticket.
The Blue & White Flash
Variety
Page 4 - February 15, 2018
Celebrating love and empty pockets for Valentine’s Day 2018 Courtney Jones MC301 Contributor Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and while your hearts may be full, your pockets may be emptier on this special day. Every year on Feb. 14, many people exchange gifts, chocolate, flowers and love on this special day. But according to the increase in spending, love equals money. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 55 percent of the population celebrates this day of love. Compared to last year’s average spending of $136.57, U.S. consumers are expected to spend an average of $143.56 on Valentine’s Day in 2018. In the United States alone, total spending is expected to reach $19.6 billion, which is over a billion dollar boost from last year. This means that those participating in Valentine’s day this year plan on spending $4.7 billion on jewelry, $3.7 billion on an evening out, $2 billion on
Google Images
flowers, $1.9 billion on clothing, $1.5 billion on gift cards, and $894 million on greeting cards. Even those who may not have a special someone have something special in mind for this day of love. According to c p a p r a c t i c e a d v i s o r. c o m , 27 percent of consumers who are not observing the holiday have an alternative
in mind such as treating themselves or spending time with friends and family. Imani Manyfield, a sophomore business administration major from Gary, Ind., believes Valentine’s Day is about the person and not how much you spend. “Valentine’s Day is a day to appreciate the love shared between you and
your significant other or just some one that you cherish. It’s a day to celebrate love,” said Manyfield. While Valentine’s Day is recognized in many countries, there are different ways of celebrating the day of love. We know what Valentine’s Day means to us, but where did this holiday originate? According to
theholidayspot.com, Valentine’s Day originates from the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in midFebruary, but Pope Gelasius soon replaced this festival with St. Valentine’s Day. It has now evolved into a celebration of romance. Some students plan on doing big things for their significant other this Valentine’s Day. Ramone Ward, a senior business administration major from Atlanta, Ga. said, “I spent $5 last year, but it looks like this year I’m going to be spending my refund and my life savings,” said Ward. Many others are a little last minute when it comes to finding that “perfect” gift. “Around 3 p.m., I’m going to get up and go find a gift that I neglected to get until the day of. After I find some cheap gift we are going to go out to eat at Waffle House. Then we are going to go home watch a Netflix movie and that’s it,” said Erric Foster, a junior industrial engineering major from Houston, Texas.
JSU’s Art Department celebrated a flirtatious Valentine’s Day
Photo by: Christopher Lane Students participate in speed dating during Flirt Spot event.
Winnie Bush Staff Writer Love is in the air at thee Jackson State University. As Valentine’s Day approaches, the Department of Art and Theatre turned its monthly Art Spot into the Flirt Spot where JSU singles got the chance to mix, mingle and meet other single locals. “Since it is three days before Valentine’s, we
decided to have the first Flirt Spot event. This idea was actually cultivated by my students so we are truly keeping it student-centered,” said Shonda McCarthy, director of the Art Gallery. “We are giving students two minutes to ask other singles questions in a way to get to know them better while rotating. Our hope is that students are able to make a love connection.” Some of the questions
asked during the speed dating game included: do you have kids, when was your last relationship, what are your best features, what is your credit score, how close are you to God. Attendees enjoyed the exciting, fast-paced dates because it allowed them to ask as many questions are possible before time ran out. “I really enjoyed the event especially because it was fast, simple and straight-
forward. I was surprised at the turnout because I didn’t really expect that many people,” said Titus Smith, a JSU sophomore. Many students came to the event to look for a “bae” to have for Valentine’s Day. Other students just came to experience people trying to find the perfect match. Ayako Bailey, a senior social work major from Natchez, Miss. and participant in the process
said, “Valentine’s Day to me is just another day. Because I firmly believe that if someone truly loves you that it shouldn’t just be a day of gifts. It should be a day to celebrate love. And love is time and just being present. However, as someone who loves love, it felt good to see people try to make a connection with other singles who come from different walks of life.” Jennifer Wiles, the president of Essence of a Lady Tiger student organization, sold $1 candy grams during the Flirt Spot in honor of Valentine’s Day. She entitled the candy grams “Love is for Dum-Dums.” Students took turns purchasing candy and asking if the candy grams could be delivered to their significant others. The purpose of the event was to celebrate Valentine’s Day and help single people find someone to celebrate the holiday with. However, some students think that Valentine’s Day is a pointless holiday. Tasha Brown, an attendee of the event said, “Valentine’s Day is overrated because it should be an everyday thing not a one-day celebration.” More information on the next Flirt Spot will be released soon.
Best & Worst Valentine’s Day Experiences Compiled by Gabrielle Jones
Chareese Smith Junior Biology/Pre-Physical Therapy Canton, Miss. “As a little girl, Valentine’s Day was pretty special to me. All of my family members would shower me with gifts, but the most important gift was the one from my father. His gifts were roses and a bear dancing to “Wild Thang” by The Troggs. It was funny and special to me because it was a song he always sung to me as a little girl! The words he told me were ‘A little girl’s first Valentine should always be her father’ and that stuck with me since then. I appreciate him for showing me the true meaning of love and always being there when I need him the most. ” James Meeks Finance Senior Jackson, Miss. “My best Valentine’s Day experience was in 2012. There was this girl that I had a crush on in class. So on Valentine’s Day, I asked what was her favorite flower and I bought her a teddy bear, her favorite flowers, and chocolate. It was a surprise, so I brought the things to class and gave it to her and I got her number.” Ladarius Singleton Civil Engineering Sophomore Slidell, La. “My best Valentine’s Day experience was with my one and only girlfriend. We had fun bowling, losing and going out to eat.”
Darrius Barron Junior Chicago, Ill. Mass Communication “My worst Valentine’s Day experience was when I was at work and I was watching people walk back and forth buying gifts for their lovers and me and girlfriend at the time fell out because she was seeing someone else.” Kaitlin Littleberry Freshman Political Science Bakersfield, Calif. “I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day so that’s bad.” Gamica Norwood Sophomore Math Education Chicago, Ill. “I took my date out to eat and they were allergic to the food, that was my worst experience.” Chanel Epps Sophomore Entrepreneurship Atlanta, Ga. “My worst Valentine’s Day experience happened when I was out with date at a lunch date, this was back when there was a “Kik” (social media chat app) so he let me see his phone and I changed his profile picture to a picture of us. That’s when I noticed his girlfriend texting him and asking who I was.”
News
Page 6 - February 15, 2018
The Blue & White Flash
Jackson State works to stop deadly influenza virus in its tracks Elena Williams MC301 Contributor Illnesses and deaths from the Influenza virus (flu) continue to wreak havoc across much of the United States but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health organizations are still urging people to get vaccinated. According to the CDC, getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccinations can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations. The Jackson State University Health Center recently released an alert regarding this issue. It read in part: The JSU Health Center is partnering with a local clinic to provide flu shots on campus. However, in light of this year’s underperforming vaccine, the most effective ways of reducing your chances of becoming ill from the flu this year are: • Avoiding close contact with people who are ill (Help provide affected friends and roommates with
a protected space.) • Wiping down frequently touched surfaces and washing your hands more often • Getting a prescription for the recommended anti-viral medication (Oseltamivir) for you and immediate family members if you begin to feel ill (It’s best to start therapy within the first 48 hours after symptoms begin. This will shorten the course of the disease for you and can prevent close contacts
from developing it.) Dr. Samuel Jones, director of Health Services at Jackson State explained what is different with the current flu virus. “Typically, the best way to lessen one’s chance is to get a flu vaccine. It is not perfect but, in some years, it matches whatever the strand that is going around and other years, as this year, it is not a perfect match. In fact, if you got a flu shot, the virus going around has a 70 percent chance of not
being the virus that your flu shot covered,” said Jones. Jones said that many JSU students have come to the Health Center on campus and were diagnosed with the flu. “We are seeing quite a number of students who have been diagnosed with the flu. Approximately 8 percent of the students that we see here at the health center have the flu or flu like symptoms,” said Jones. The Health Center is doing all that it can to keep
the virus from rampantly spreading throughout campus and released the following protocol that they will follow: • Will follow a liberal policy of providing class and work excuses for anyone reporting flu-like symptoms • Will provide a prescription for Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and send it electronically to any local pharmacy of your choice or to your hometown pharmacy anywhere in the nation • Will provide antibiotics and other medications at the Health Center for a nominal cost to any student at risk for developing complications of the flu (i.e., strep throat, pneumonia, asthma flareup) • Will provide masks for anyone who needs extra protection while visiting necessary places such as the cafeteria If you think you have the flu, please visit t h e J S U He a l t h C e n t e r located on Prentiss Street directly across f r o m t h e L e e E . Wi l l i a m s At h l e t i c s a n d A s s e m b l y C e n t e r. Aaron Walker contributed to this story.
Super group August Greene brings optimism to the city of Jackson
Provided by: MADDRAMA MADDRAMA Performance Troupe performing during the “Optimistic” video shoot.
Clement Gibson Staff Writer Super group August Greene, featuring Mississippi native Brandy Norwood, brought a message of ‘optimism’ to the city of Jackson in January.
August Greene includes well-known rapper and activist Common, pianist Robert Glasper and drummer Karriem Riggins. The smooth and soulful sound of the group was further enhanced by vocals of Brandy in the song “Optimistic”.
Some may recognize the song “Optimistic” as first being performed by Sounds of Blackness. In the reprisal, the video was shot in Jackson, Miss. and featured Jackson State University student members of MADDRAMA Performance Troupe, Mayor
Chokwe Antar Lumumba, human rights activist Hollis Watkins, retired JSU English professor Frankye Adams and more. Filmed over Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend, these musical forces joined to add another soulful hit to their resumes. Members of MADDRAMA were honored to be a part of a project sharing such a powerful message. Lalonie Wroten, a freshman biolog y/premedicine major from Sacramento, Calif., enjoyed the message, and opportunity to participate in the video. “Just being a part of MADDRAMA opens you up to a lot of good things…Pay attention to the message, wherever you come from, no matter the background, you just have to be optimistic and push through,” said Wroten. Clyde Okojie, a senior theater major from Brandon, Miss. who also ser ves as MADDRAMA’s vice president was excited to share his stor y with the visitors. “Being from here, you
don’t see a lot of people coming down here to talk to us… a lot of people when they come here, they have this preconceived idea of what Mississippi is like so getting to talk to outsiders and explain and show them my world was nice,” said Okojie. Kr ystyanna Moore, a freshman business administration major from Augusta, Ga. appreciated the opportunity to work with B+, the video’s director. “It was cool because we were given creative control for a lot of the shots we were in… we were asked what we wanted to see in our shots and gave our input on that,” said Moore. Assistant Professor Mark Henderson, who also ser ves as the Department of Speech Communication and Theater chair at JSU, founded MADDRAMA in 2004. “Optimistic” was released on Feb. 7 2018, just four days before the birthday of Brandy, who was born in McComb, Miss. If you have not seen the video yet, it can be viewed on YouTube.
Jackson State hosts its first Culinary Council meeting of the semester Winnie Bush Staff Writer On Feb. 8, 2018, Jackson State University hosted its first Student Culinar y Council for the spring 2018 semester. Students were invited to taste, talk, learn and share their experiences in regards to campus dining. Dining Ser vices Manager Jeromie Jones opened the discussion by welcoming ever yone to the meeting and asked that all attendees do an introduction of themselves and to ask any and all questions. Some students took the opportunity to discuss ways to make dining ser vices better. Gregor y Smith, a junior elementar y major from Jackson, Miss., said, “I think more flavors should be added to the food and I’d like to suggest that WOW Café be replaced with something else since it has been closed down for
a while now.” Jasmine Thomas, a graduate mass communication major from Atlanta, Ga. also had suggestions. “I would like to suggest that we have consistent options like in my former university, we had a variety of options to choose from. If you want international options, there was a section for that, we also had southern options,” said Thomas. Jones also took the time to explain the difference between SodexoMagic and Sodexo for people who did not know. “ The difference between Sodexo and SodexoMagic is SodexoMagic is owned in part by Magic Johnson, which gives us a little bit more range to do more things while Sodexo follows the standard Sodexo recipes and guidelines. But we are a little bit different in that we can bring in more variety than the basic Sodexo,” said Jones.
Students also praised the new improvements made to Heritage Dining Hall. Justin Clarke, a junior accounting major and the president of the Culinar y Council from Memphis, Tenn. said, “I like the new high tables and stools and I am ver y appreciative of the changes.” Kamesha Hill, the executive director of Auxiliar y Enterprises, explained to attendees the areas covered by Auxiliar y Enterprises. “Auxiliar y consists of JSU Dining Ser vices/ SodexoMagic, JSU Rex Plex/ Walter Payton Center, Contractual Ser vices, JSU Postal Ser vices, Tiger Prints, Tiger Tech@JSU and the UPS Store,” Hill said. Students are encouraged to leave comments at the cafeteria and to also attend the next meeting for more information. The next meeting date is to be announced at a later time.
Photo: Winnie Bush Dining Services Manager Jeromie Jones and employee discuss dining services.
JSU Tiger Career Closet holds open house Shelby Brown Staff Writer
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Jackson State University’s Career Center hosted the Tiger Career Closet Open House on Feb. 6 at 11 a.m on the first floor of the Reddix building. During the open house, the Career Ser vices Center staff assisted the students who stopped by and looked around. Students were able to come in and look through the new and gently worn donated professional clothing and choose from the selection. Once they found exactly what they wanted, the students were able to take the item home for free. According to the Career Center’s website: The Tiger Career Closet is a program dedicated to providing professional attire to currently enrolled JSU students who are in need of professional attire for job inter views or for the purpose of attending a function while representing JSU. Their goal is to help students look their best throughout their job search to make a positive impression as they enter the professional world. “ The program was spearheaded by our first lady, Mrs. Bynum. She was instrumental in pulling together a committee at the beginning of the school year. This is a program that she worked on at her previous institution and she wanted to bring it to Jackson State,” said Lashanda Jordan, director of the Career Ser vice Center at Jackson State. The grand opening of the Career Closet was held during the fall 2017 semester during Homecoming week. The spring semester open
house was a reminder for students that the Career Closet is here to stay. “We wanted to make sure that the students knew that it was here. Because the grand opening was back in November. We will tr y to do an open house at least once ever y semester so students can know that the closet is here for them to utilize. Since our grand opening, we’ve had so far about twelve students to utilize the closet and were hoping to drum up more students interest in the closet,” said Jordan. Some students feel that closet is ver y beneficial to the campus. Arianna Willis, a junior psycholog y major from Atlanta, Ga. said, “I believe that the Career Closet will benefit students because a lot of students don’t have access to inter view clothes and clothes for certain events. It’s convenient that you can just come and not have to worr y about going out to find something expensive.” Demarco McDonald, a sophomore computer engineering major from Heidelberg, Miss., also believes the Career Closet is a great resource for students. “Here at the Career Closet, we have wardrobe and a stylist to help the students navigate what they want and prefer. I think that it will be longterm because students can only purchase once a year. The more people hear about it, the more students will come and find out about it,” said McDonald. Students interested in acquiring clothing items and accessories from the Career Closet can come on Tuesday through Thursday from 1-4 p.m. or go online and set up an appointment for a stylist.
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Sports
Page 8 - February 15, 2018
The Blue & White Flash
Jackson State baseball team has high hopes for 2018 season
Morgan Beard Sports Editor The Jackson State University baseball team came close last year to winning a SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Championship. Last year in 2017, they had a record of 38-17 overall and (20-4) in SWAC play. The Tigers did win the SWAC Eastern Division but took an early loss in the SWAC Baseball Tournament. Head Coach Omar Johnson and JSU will look to once again be contenders for the SWAC title and Eastern Division crown this season. To make this achievement possible, the Tigers will need to get contributions from new players to replace the production of the key players that graduated last season. This season, JSU will have to overcome the loss of key offensive player’s from a season ago and the best overall hitter, Bryce Brown. Brown led Jackson State in batting with an average (.374), on base percentage (.514), and was tied for second on the team in hits with 61. JSU will also miss the production of pitcher Miguel Yrigoyen. Yrigoyen led the team in wins last season with nine, and had a 2.93 ERA, led the team in innings pitched (89) and was second in strikeouts (65). All while starting 13 games for JSU last season. Senior catcher Stephan Vidal from Curacao spoke about this season. “I couldn’t be more excited
for this season. I cannot wait to step on the diamond again and chase that ring with my awesome teammates. We have a great group of guys and we have been working so hard since the school year started and now it’s finally time to put that work into play,” said Vidal. According to SWAC.com, Alabama State is predicted to win the Eastern Division and Texas Southern is predicted to win the Western Division as the SWAC announced its 2018 Preseason Baseball Honors two weeks ago. The honors were voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Alabama State totaled 67 points in the East Division predicted order of finish and received 10 first place votes. Jackson State totaled the second most points with 57 (1 first place vote). Senior outfield Lamar Briggs from Charlotte, N.C., was named to the ALLSWAC first team. Briggs was second on the team in batting average (.356), third in slugging percentage (.470), led the team in hits with 78. Briggs, a humble senior, spoke about this season and his teammates. “I’m pretty confident about this season, we have a lot of good players that are
going to do a lot good things for us this year. My favorite part is the competition and the best part is playing for JSU my senior year and knowing that we have a chance to win conference tournament,” said Briggs. Senior first and third baseman Jesus Santana from Caguas, Puerto Rico, was named 2018 preseason ALLSWAC team. Santana is a powerful batter in the lineup for the Tigers this season. Last season, he led JSU in slugging percentage (.525), was fifth in runs scores with 40, fourth in hits (57), and first in RBIs with 65. Santana spoke about this
season and what to expect. “I feel very excited and very thankful to be wearing the Jackson State uniform one last time. We have a good group of players and staff that I’m more than positive that we are going to go a long way this season. We have a lot of diversity on the team with guys from all over the World with good abilities to make an impact as soon as we start,” said Santana. The Tiger’s first game of the season will be against the Bulldogs of Mississippi State University on Feb. 21, 2018 on the JSU campus at the baseball field. The game starts at 6 p.m.
African-Americans making history at 2018 Winter Olympics Morgan Beard Sports Editor As Black History Month celebrations continue, a lot of history is being made at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Of the 2,952 athletes competing at this year’s games, only 43 (1.45-percent) of those athletes are black. Some have already made history, while all are challenging perceptions of what a winter athlete looks like. Eighteen-year-old Maame Afua Biney is the first African-American woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speed skating team, an accomplishment for which she gives all glory to God. The teen immigrated to America from her native Ghana when she was just 5 years old. She started skating when she was young and spent years getting up early every day to practice. Biney said in an emotional Instagam post, “I’m still in awe that I’m going to the Olympics!! I want to start off by thanking God. I am so sure that none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for him. Known for explosiveness off the starting line, Biney dominates the 500-meter races for short track skating. While training for the olympics, the bubbly college senior studies online classes to
graduate with her friends in the spring and apply to chemical engineering programs for college. Jordan Greenway is the first black hockey player for team USA. At 6 feet 6 inches, 20 years old and 227 pounds, Greenway is the biggest player on the USA team that will compete in Pyeongchange. However, the left-winger has also put up some decent numbers in the East U.S. college conference, scoring 15 goals and chipping in with 42 assists over the past two seasons. In 2015, Greenway was drafted by the Minnesota Wild, who made him the 50th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Instead, pursuing a college education and not turning professional has worked in his favor. Had he actually made it to the NHL, he would have been barred from playing in Pyeongchang. According to CNN, Greenway spoke about the honor of the achievement, “ I dreamed of it as a kid, and I didn’t think it was going to happen before I graduated college, but I’m fortunate that it did, and I just couldn’t be more excited! I am the first African – American to be able to play hockey for the United States at the Olympics, but hopefully I am the first of many,” Greenway said. In a sport that is not
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really popular in the black community, there are currently 15 AfricanAmerican hockey players playing in the NHL (National Hockey League). According to NHL.com, the first African-American hockey player to play in the NHL was Willie O’Ree, who debut with Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958. There have also been over 88 African-Americans to play in the NHL. The most decorated long-track speed skater, Shani Davis, is competing in his fifth and maybe his final Olympic games.
Since competing in the Olympics, Davis is the first African-American to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics, the only skater to claim back-to-back titles in the 1,000 meters. Davis has world records, world championships, and world cup titles. He has pretty much done it all. Erin Jackson made history when she earned third place in the 500 meter race at the U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Trial, the first black woman to secure a spot on the long-track team. The 25-year-old
central Florida native is a 10-time world champion inline skater and is a former roller derby player competing with the New Jax City Rollers, switching to ice in Feb. 2017. She also graduated cum laude with an undergraduate in materials science engineering from the University of Florida and hopes to return to school to pursue her master’s degree. The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics is set to end on Feb. 25 , 2018. You can watch all the events on NBC and WatchNBC Sports.