FL A S H THE BLUE & WHITE
The Official Student Newspaper of Jackson State University Jackson, Mississippi
www.thejsuflash.com
INSIDE
Vol. 80 / No. 4 OPINION
Opiod Crisis page 3
September 26, 2019
VA R I E T Y
NEWS
71st Emmy Awards page 7
Constitution Day page 4
S P O RT S
Cross Country Mook Invitational page 8
Photo By: Kayla Sims
Student receives information from recruiters at bi-annual Graduate and Professional Schools Day.
JSU students explore post graduation options at Graduate & Professional Schools Day Kayla Sims Staff Writer As graduating seniors are nearing the end of the undergraduate careers, many are asking the question, What’s next? Some may decide to enter the workforce immediately, while others are exploring the option of Postbaccalaureate degree programs. Postbaccalaureate degree programs include master’s and doctoral programs, as well as professional doctoral programs such as law, medicine, and dentistry. Jackson State University hosted its bi-annual Graduate & Professional School’s Day in order to give students who are pursuing a higher education an opportunity to gain knowledge about different programs offered across the nation in their desired field. From law programs to pharmacy schools, students had the opportunity to seek educational advice from some of the top schools in Mississippi and the
surrounding areas. Over 30 graduate schools participated in the event, which took place on Sept. 19 in the Student Center Ballrooms A&B. The participants recruited undergraduate students and also assisted potential students with the application process. Shanepha Thompson, Career Services representative said, “We brought various colleges here, some students knew and some didn’t but the ultimate goal was achieved and that was to help students with life after undergraduate.” Renee Melton, a senior criminal justice major from Canton, Miss., said events such Grad-Pro Day are beneficial for students hoping to achieve advanced degrees who are in need of help. “Post-graduation stress is real, I am already starting to feel it before I graduate. Events like this eases the burden off of my shoulders just a little because I did not know where to start looking for a graduate program. I think this event should be mandatory for all graduating seniors,” said Melton
Jackson State University’s Career Services Center hosted the event and also conducts seminars dedicated to professional development and assisting students with life after graduation. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the fall of 2019, 3 million students across the United states opted to attend postbaccalaureate degree programs. Brenteria Travis, manager of graduate admissions at The University of Mississippi, explained some of the challenges she noticed that students face when applying to graduate programs. “I have noticed that students often get discouraged when applying for a graduate program, and my goal is to help students figure out what they want to do and how they can achieve it because I have been in that exact situation before,” said Travis. Fatoumatta Sisay, director of Graduate Admissions at Jackson State University, explains why JSU participates in the event. “Jackson State University’s
graduate program was there to recruit students to attend our graduate program. We have some of the best graduate programs in the state of Mississippi with 36 masters programs, 12 specialist and about 12 doctorate programs,” said Sisay. Sisay added, “In the past five years our enrollment numbers have increased, about 75% of the people enrolled in the graduate program are Jackson State Alumni, and we found out that students don’t know too much about the programs we offer so when we host events for other schools we try to be front and center. Some students attending this event wanted a more graduate school options when browsing to discover a school that coincided with their major. Jarika Hanson, a senior psychology major from Jackson, Miss., was one of these students. “I love that Jackson State hosts events like these because as students, we oftentimes are lost and events like this help shine the light
YES, WE’RE SOCIAL!
on what matters the most. The only thing I did not like was the lack of options in schools for my major,” explained Hanson. Students had the chance to talk with professionals about future career goals, graduate assistantships, and tuition assistance. Schools hailing from New York, represented their graduate program and invited students to application waivers, tuition waivers and campus tours. Derreck Moore, a senior computer engineering major from Baton Rouge, La., talked about how this event helped impacted him. “At first, I wasn’t going to graduate school because after undergraduate I would be making enough money to support myself, but after I began talking to some of the schools, I realized that there was always more money to be made. I know exactly what graduate program I want to enroll in now and I can thank my college home Jackson State for that,” said Moore.
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The Blue & White Flash
The Blue & White Flash Jackson State University P.O. Box 18449 Jackson, Mississippi 39217 Phone: 601.979.2082 E-Mail: theflash@jsums.edu
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The Blue & White Flash Staff SHANNON D. TATUM Publications Manager CIANNA HOPE REEVES Editor- in-Chief DARRIUS BARRON Managing Editor
DEJA DAVIS Managing Editor
WAKIL ATIG Sports Editor
KALIN NORMAN Photography Editor
Chioma Ajuonuma Kharynton Allen Zahriah Balentine Jordan Canada Halle Coleman Ry’n Good Myha Harris Capri Howard Zipporah Jones
Monica McGhee Ivory Lowe Vernell Mitchell Stan Moore II Luis Montgomery Kaylin Robinson Kelsei Scott Kayla Sims Treasure Thigpen
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 601-979-2082 or visit room 111 in the Rose E. McCoy 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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The Blue & White Flash
Opinion
Page 3 - September 26, 2019
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A tale of racial disparity between two equally destructive drugs COMMENTARY
Darrius Barron Staff Writer From cocaine came crack, from crack came the destruction of families and communities across several generations. During the crack
epidemic of the 1980’s, white Americans watched from home as African-Americans died overdosing on crack, and those who were lucky enough to survive the high were jailed for having the substance. The war on drugs that began in the 70’s added to the fire of the crack epidemic. People from affected communities felt as if the war was not on the drug itself, but on them. Today, one could still drive through most black neighborhoods in the United States and see the devastation left behind from the crack epidemic. Opioids however, is a completely different subject; or is it? The year is 2019 and prescription pills reign supreme in an astonishing number of white communities across the country. Now, black Americans watch from home as white Americans die overdosing on pills.
The difference between both epidemics is that African-Americans are left with a sense of confusion while learning about opioids on the news. Unlike AfricanAmerican neighborhoods in Los Angeles circa 1985, there are no battering ram tanks driving through the neighborhoods of white residents in Los Angeles to bust opioid dealers. In 2019, the battering rams were replaced with treatment facilities. People are now empathetic about how so many people are dying by overdosing on medication. Instead of being arrested and jailed because of an addiction, opioid addicts have the power to sue the people responsible for making a blockbuster painkiller that they would eventually get addicted to. I am not writing to belittle anyone who is battling
addiction, that is not my purpose whatsoever. If you are reading this article and you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, I really hope you get better. I am writing this to emphasize the privilege one group has that another did not; the patience and empathy the United States has for one group, was nowhere to be found when another group sold everything, including themselves, to get high. Where do we go from here? Children are watching as entertainers promote drug use as a positive. Unlike parents before the tech boom, parents today cannot easily sensor what is shown to their child through technology. We can start by shaming entertainers who make drug abuse of any kind popular. The question should not be “why does the opioid epidemic in white
communities get so much attention and care,” it should be “what can be done to help rebuild life in our communities?” How can the AfricanAmerican community feel loved by our country when we can walk to the corner store and see our uncle or aunt strung out beyond belief? We take things like that in stride, and we have done the best we can to help our people out, but there is only so much we can do. Whether or not the government steps in to aid the struggle with addiction, the fact still remains that these people look like us, are from our communities, and we must continue to do what we can to help those who are losing the battle with addiction. The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.
“How do you feel the Opiod Crisis affects college students?” Compiled by: Amber Artis
Jaylan Green Junior Pre-Physical Therapy Natchez, Miss. “When it was crack in the 80’s nobody cared, but now since it’s Caucasian young Americans everyone wants to call it a health crisis and be so concerned.”
Jeremy Welch Senior Biology Crystal Springs, Miss. “I think it’s a very serious epidemic and many take it to get through their class schedule but they need to get counseling.”
Glasia Walker Sophomore Chemistry Edgard, La. “It’s funny how when it was the AfricanAmerican drug problem it was a war on drugs, but now since the white people are on opioids it’s a crisis.”
Imani Brigham Junior Biology/Pre-Medicine Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jayohn Lee Senior Pre-Physical Therapy Magee, Miss.
Alli Royer Freshman Mathematics Atlanta, Ga.
“Whether it’s weed or heroin everyone has an addiction and I don’t feel like it’s an opioid crisis… it’s an allaround crisis.”
I feel like its affecting the college community because how easy it is to get close to it. Students have easy access to drug now which is causing the epidemic to rise.”
“Opiods are being normalized now, it has come to the point where people are openly talking about taking them.”
Makala Scott Junior Biology Tulsa, Okla. “I believe that a lot of the drug use in college comes from the desire of wanting to relax. Many college students are so easily influenced too.”
Jamema Brown Freshman Public Health Admin. Milwaukee, Wis.
Marisha Robinson Freshman Biology Grand Rapids, Mich.
Rakya Robinson Sophomore Biology/Pre-Dentistry Long Beach, Calif.
Summer Wade Sophomore Business Admin. Chicago, Ill.
Khaliya Irving Senior Psychology Chicago, Ill.
“I believe it’s because they are stressed and don’t have anyone to confide in so they think drugs are the only way out.”
“Drugs are an escape from a lot of issues for college students. prevalent.”
“It starts with the doctors because there are others way to treat pain and if you know that it is addictive, they should take precautions and find other methods of treatment.”
“The whole world is on drugs.”
“I didn’t know it was still a crisis because nowadays most people are talking about weed and crack so hearing someone talk about opioids is kind of weird.”
News
Page 4 - September 26, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
Voter suppression discussed at annual Constitution Day Luis Montgomery Staff Writer Jackson State University students viewed and discussed the documentary “Rigged”, which focuses on voter suppression and fraud, during the annual Constitution Day observance on Sept. 17. Student Affairs and the Department of Political Science sponsored the event. Many students, like Jayla Patton, a junior political science major from Arcadia, Mich., were very interested in the topic of the event. “I think that it is important for my generation especially, to be educated on the voting process and be made aware of the illegal doings on both the governmental and citizen sides,” said Patton. According to a NBC article, the filmmakers say the political movement to uncover “voter fraud” grew out of the backlash against the expansion of voting rights after President Barack Obama’s election in 2008. Proponents of voter restrictions claimed that there were thousands, maybe millions, of votes that were illegally cast, though no one ever produced any evidence of fraud on this scale. The documentary claims that millions of people of color, students, women, the old and workers were turned away from the polls on one technicality or another, or just plain intimidated
into not voting in 2016. While filmed primarily during the 2016 presidential election, the documentary lays out a variety of voter suppression tactics with a focus on how the Republican Party has used each one to win elections for its candidates. The “malevolent” strategy, termed by narrator Jeffrey Wright, described in the film as a 10-point national exercise in political and policy machinations, intended to combat what is seen from a GOP point of view as a losing demographic contest. 1) Operation Redmap: the strategy to take control of state legislatures. 2) Gerrymandering or Pack & Crack: as one political operative says: “Whoever gerrymanders usually wins.” 3) Voter restriction laws: “There are only so many old, white, straight men left and the only way to win is to suppress the vote,” said one Republican staffer in the documentary. 4) Gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965 “Racism is about policy,” said Rev. William Barber II, the leader of the Poor People’s Campaign, said in “Rigged”. 5) Voter fraud: Leverage the Big Lie (fixing a system that wasn’t broke.) 6) Voter poll purges. 7) Voter intimidation. 8) Voter ID déjà vu. 9) The Voter Integrity Commission, which was established by Trump in the
Photo by Luis Montgomery Students filled the Student Center theater for Constitution Day and the showing of the documentary “Rigged”.
aftermath of the 2016 election to root out voter fraud. It has since been disbanded. 10) Change the courts. “Rigged shows how the right to vote is under attack from every direction, and we need to let people know about it,” said executive producers Mac Heller and Timothy Smith in an interview with MSN. “Unless we act now and seek to protect and, yes, augment the right to vote, we will witness the slow bleed-out of our democracy.” The film aims to raise the consciousness of communities
of poverty and color, who are the main targets of the Voter Suppression Playbook. “You didn’t have this clamor for voter suppression until African-Americans and Latinos started voting in record numbers, especially in and after 2008,” Rev. Barber II said. Anthony Higgins, a freshman computer engineering major from Miami, Fla., said the documentary was very informative. “I feel like this documentary really touched base on a lot of efforts to keep the minority votes
down. It is really unsettling to know that even in our current state we are still given the run around to be able to vote or to be given various stipulations that could basically discourage us from voting,” said Higgins. He continued,” Even in 1915, when African-Americans were allowed to vote, there was still a long list of obstacles such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and the grandfather clause.” At a little over an hour, “Rigged” presented several outlooks for current and future voters.
Purdue Pharma files bankruptcy amid opiod crisis lawsuits
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Halle Coleman Staff Writer The use of opioids are a nationwide epidemic and one of the prescription companies responsible for the widespread destruction is now paying back. Purdue Pharma, prescription opioid OxyContin makers, filed for bankruptcy Sept. 15 after a string on lawsuits are pending against them. The file comes as a part of a $10 billion agreement to attempt to settle opioid lawsuits. This agreement involves both state and local governments that have accused Purdue Pharma of
mismarketing and deception in regard to opioids. The settlement would order the Sackler family, Purdue Pharma owners, to release ownership of Purdue into a trust fund controlled by the plaintiffs suing. Additionally, the Sacklers would also have to sell their nonpharmaceutical businesses and contribute at least $3 billion of their personal assets. Purdue Pharma has been accused of contributing to the nationwide opioid health crisis. OxyContin is one of the most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose. In the 1990s, Purdue Pharma unveiled OxyContin as a non-
addictive painkiller. The company encouraged doctors to prescribe their drugs with the promise that misuse, addiction, and overdose would be rare. The extended-release formula that Purdue Pharma advertised actually made the OxyContin pill more prone to misuse. People started to discover that by smashing, snorting, and injecting the pills, they would be able to bypass the slow-release mechanism. Even as addiction to the pill began to rise, the Sackler family continued to argue that their pills were safe, and that misuse was rare. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
“In 2017, the number of overdose deaths involving opioids (including prescription opioids and illegal opioids like heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl) was 6 times higher than in 1999. On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.” Many states disapprove of the plan to settle including New York and Pennsylvania. According to Reuters, a lawyer for the state of New York told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain that the proposed deal did not address how settlement funds will be allocated among governments. He also said settling states did not appear as interested in conducting thorough investigations of Purdue. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro stated Wednesday, “This apparent settlement is a slap in the face to everyone who has had to bury a loved one due to this family’s destruction and greed,” in a statement obtained by CNN. “It allows the Sackler family to walk away billionaires and admit no wrongdoing.” On Friday, New York Attorney General Letitia James publically announced that she uncovered roughly $1 billion in wire transfers “between the Sacklers, entities they control and different financial institutions, including those that have funneled funds into Swiss bank accounts.” James’s office is pursuing a lawsuit against both Purdue and the Sackler family individually.
As part of that suit, James issued 33 subpoenas to financial institutions in order to better understand the family’s wealth and socioeconomic influence. The return of one of those subpoenas led to the detection of previously undisclosed $1 billion in wire transfers. James argues the transfer could mean the family has far more wealth than admitting, which would give those pursuing the settlement allowance to seek more than the $3 billion that has been tentatively agreed to. Henry McWilliams, a freshmen biology major from Raleigh, N.C., argues that money cannot replace emotional and mental trauma. “Although people may be receiving money in the lawsuit, that doesn’t change the fact that many people have lost their lives or been permanently effected by opioid overdoses,” said McWilliams. Aliyah Johnson, a junior psychology major from Chicago, Ill., disagrees. “I feel like the only reason people are talking about opioids now is because a lot of white people are dying. If it was a lot of black people misusing them, nobody would care. Just like how black people were dying from using crack and no “epidemic” was declared. The government just let them die,” said Johnson. It has not been announced whether or not the new allegations against Purdue Pharma will lead to an updated settlement.
Felicity Huffman sentenced in college admission scandal Myha Harris Staff Writer Award-winning actress, Felicity Huffman, was sentenced to 14 days in prison for paying thousands of dollars to have her daughter’s SAT scores raised. Before the sentence was handed down, prosecutors dismissed Huffman’s previous articulation of parental concern, saying, “Welcome to parenthood.” They compared her case with a series of other systematic education fraud cases where defendants were sentenced to prison time. Of those charged, more than 30 parents are accused of conspiring with Huffman and more than a dozen of them have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud.
Huffman, along with the actress Lori Loughlin, was among the most famous parents swept up in the scandal. Although, she isn’t the first to receive special treatment for her child’s education through bribery, she is the first parent to be sentenced for the immense college cheating scandal that has oscillated America’s higher education system. Huffman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. CNN reports that U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said Huffman must serve 12 months of supervised release, 250 hours of community service and pay a $30,000 fine. Huffman’s attorney requested that the actress be allowed to spend her 14-day prison sentence at a federal
correctional institution in Dublin, California, that only holds 1,235 female inmates in Alameda County, about 35 miles outside of San Francisco. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has the final authority to decide where Huffman will serve time when she reports to the bureau in six weeks, on October 25, according to the CNN report. If held at the Federal Correctional Institution of Dublin, Huffman would have to wear khaki clothing with her inmate number and her name and make her bed by 6:30 a.m. After the sentencing, Huffman issued this statement: “I accept the court’s decision today without reservation. I have always been prepared to accept whatever punishment Judge Talwani imposed. I broke the law. There are no excuses or justifications for
my actions. Period.” She also apologized to the students who work hard every day to get into college and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children. According to the CNN report, Huffman stated, “I can promise you that in the months and years to come that I will try and live a more honest life.” Even though Huffman is receiving a lot of whiplash from authorities, she has received a lot of advice from people in her career field. Abbey Lee Miller stated, “Huffman will be sent to a “big, huge room with bunk beds” in order to acclimate to prison life…she’s not going to get a job because she won’t be there long enough. She’s not going to learn how to be a plumber and how to do HVAC.
Even with Huffman’s scandal taking America by storm the question still remains will this be a wake-up call for parents who pleaded guilty in similar cases? Factual information for this story was obtained from CNN. com and Bostonglobe.com.
The Blue & White Flash
Page 5 - September 26, 2019
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7. 1-7) Jackson State University paint and draw at Art HotSpot hosted by the Department of Art.
JSU at a Glance
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Photos 1-7 by Monica McGhee
Variety
Page 6 - September 26, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
Hostless 71st annual Emmy Awards has record low viewers Jordon Canada Staff Writer The 71st Annual Emmy followed in the Oscars footsteps and went hostless this year; however, the award show still grabbed a lot of attention as stars across Hollywood gathered in Los Angeles to take home the grand trophy. Amazon’s comedic series “Fleabag”, which stars the show’s creator and writer Phoebe Waller Bride, a conflicted woman struggling with sex addiction, swept the 2019 Emmy’s. The 34-yearold comedic star walked away with three of those awards, including Outstanding Directing and Writing for a Comedy Series. After she and “Fleabags” third walk onto the Emmy’s Stage, Phoebe said in excitement, “this is getting ridiculous”. A tear provoking montage of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” was played right before the cast walked to present the award for supporting actress in a limited series or movie. With Fox’s hit series Empire nearing its end, the show stars Cookie and Luscious Lyons, Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, respectively, came out to introduce another montage bidding farewell to shows that aired their final seasons this year including, Gotham, House of Cards, Jane the Virgin, and the beloved Big Bang Theory.
The award show continued with the lovely Zendaya presenting the next award. Although her new HBO show “Euphoria” wasn’t qualified for the Emmys this year, she came out to present the award for directing in a limited series or movie category, which included Ava Duvernay’s nomination for the Netflix special “When They See Us”. Although Duvernay did not take home any personal awards for the directing of the show, her pupil Jerome Jharrel had a big win. Jharrel took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie after his remarkable portrayal of Korey Wise in “When They See Us”. The series tells the story of the five young men who were falsely accused, tried, convicted and later exonerated for the rape of a New York Woman in 1989. Jharrel accepted the award, and in the midst of a standing ovation, he thanked his mother, father, and Duvernay. He ended his speech by dedicating the award to the men that he and his co-stars portrayed saying, “Most importantly, this is for the men that we know as the exonerated five. This is for Raymond, Yusef, Antron, Kevin, and King Korey Wise!” Matthias Wilson, a sophomore psychology from Jackson, Miss., said “Roles like the one Jerome Jharrel
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played are not appreciated, but this one was well deserved and way overdue.” “When They See Us” had a total of 16 nominations, including directing for a limited series, outstanding limited series, and a number of supporting actor and actress nominations. Another interesting win was for Billy Porter. Porter made history becoming the first openly gay AfricanAmerican man to win an Emmy for his role in the FX show “Pose”. Porter who wore a hat so tall that anyone sitting
behind him had to stream the show on their phones, to home the awards for The final award of the night, Outstanding Drama Series, went to none other than “Game of Thrones”. As the huge cast lined the stage, the show’s theme song played for the final time on the Emmy’s stage. After a 10-year reign, “Game of Thrones” racked up 160 Emmy nominations and 59 Emmy wins since the first show aired in 2011. The show also tied its record this year of most Emmy wins in a year
with a solid 12. Tiarra Raley, a junior interdisciplinary study major from Waterloo, Iowa, was excited to see her favorite show win the final award of the night. “It was kind of depressing, because I had fallen in love with so many of the characters especially Jon Snow,” she said. Although there were trending moments throughout the show, the Emmy Awards racked in 6 million viewers—the lowest rating of all-time in the show’s history.
Students discuss how drug use in entertainment affects Americans Zipporah Jones Staff Writer Pop culture and substance abuse have been intertwined for decades. Now more than ever, it is common to hear about artists discussing using drugs in their songs and their performances even showcase the same thing. As a result of this behavior from celebrities many admire, people began to accept the notion that using illegal substances are okay. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, firsttime users are teenagers. The NIH reported that illicit drug use is higher among those in their late teens to the age of 20. During the late high school and early college years, many students start to experiment with drugs, and their decision-making skills are not quite fully developed and unfortunately, it is the same group that is mostly influenced by pop culture and the media. Shows like HBO’s “Euphoria” put viewers in the shoes of someone who is a drug user. Viewers are about to “experience” with the main character what it is like to take drugs, and the show paints it
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is an entertaining experience. Rappers like Future and Young Thug often mention heavy drug usage in their songs. Young Thug states, “Hundred Percocet’s, I took like four or five off the rip”, in his song titled “Ecstasy” on his album, “So Much Fun”. Rappers and singers often talk about using an excess number of drugs in their songs and having fun, but at what cost? In America and the United
Kingdom, drug usage is significantly higher than in other areas. According to ourworldindata.org, as of 2018 the prevalence of substance use disorders is highest across Eastern Europe and the United States, occurring in 5-6 percent of the population. This means around 1-in-20 suffers from substance dependency. With these statistics, it is quite possible that drug abuse and dependence may be a
problem on the local level. In schools, especially colleges, drug usage is prevalent. Some students feel that the link between pop-culture and drug use is celebrity influence. “A lot of people look up to certain people that they consider to be role models, and they (people) are easily influenced by their (role models) behaviors,” said Octavia Curtis, a junior
communicative disorders major from Natchez, Miss. Other students feel that the problem is not only the influence, but the popularity of drug culture. “I think that pop culture has affected drug usage in our community in the sense that it encourages it. Despite so much awareness being brought about on drug abuse (i.e D.A.R.E.), people in our community still abuse drugs because it’s the “popular” thing to do,” said Aja Purvis, a freshman chemistry major from Jackson, Miss. She added, “Hip-hop artists play a huge role in why drug usage holds so much weight in pop culture because they talk about it the most. It’s to the point where it’s almost romanticized, since people associate that with the artist and associate the artist with something or someone worth idolizing.” If pop culture really is affecting the way that people in their late teens and early 20s perceive drugs, then does there need to be a change? Yet, the question still remains—will artists ever inform their young listeners the dangers of substance abuse?
Houston rapper Megan The Stallion signs with Roc Nation Darrelyn Braddy Staff Writer After releasing rap hits including “Big Ol’ Freak” and “Hot Girl Summer”, Houston born rapper, Megan Thee Stallion, has finally settled with a management team. Megan Thee Stallion posted an announcement via Instagram “I am officially a part of the @ rocnation fam!” She included a photo of her along with JayZ. Jay- Z’s entertainment label, Roc Nation, has signed other well known artists including Big Sean, J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Shakira, Vic Mensa, and Jaden Smith. The artist found herself a swift way to the top with the release of her debut mixtape “Fever” in May of 2019. The mixtape features artists including Da Baby and Juicy J. “Cash S—t” featuring Da Baby found its way to the Billboard Hot 100. This contract signing follows
the untimely death of her mother who passed due to a brain tumor. Megan Thee Stallion, real name Megan Pete, is the daughter of rapper HollyWood. She grew up watching her mother record in the studio knowing she wanted to follow in her footsteps. Her mother maintained that she wait until she was 21 to attempt to make a career out of rapping. At age 24, she has worked her way into the industry and taken it by storm with her suggestive lyrics and confident attitude. She gained the nickname “Stallion” in high school due to her height (5’10) and beauty. She decided to keep that nickname early on as she was beginning to find her footing in the game. Stallion credits her fan base for her hasty success, lovingly naming them “hotties.” To think it all began as videos of her doing a cypher at 21. She was the only female of ten rappers trying to make a name for themselves.
She showed herself strong again at a cypher in March with the rest of XXL’s 2019 class. Most viewers reigned Megan and Da Baby supreme following that cypher. It only further progressed her career. Six months later she is sipping champagne and signing contracts to join the Roc Nation family. People are now comparing her to other female rap royalties including Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Lil Kim. Her confident demeanor and sexually explicit lyrics fit right in with these artists. She also follows them in creating her own movement, Hot Girl Summer. It promotes confidence and positivity for young females. #HotGirlSummer has trended on Instagram and Twitter promoting the movement, the single, and the artist. This success comes with other wins for her including an August performance at the Video Music Awards and an appearance with Anna Wintour,
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long time editor-in-chief at Vouge, during New York Fashion week. Megan Thee Stallion finds herself in the spotlight this year. Her fifteen minutes of fame does not seem to be over by a long shot. Her “hotties” are looking
forward to her debut album with the Roc Nation family. Hopefully she follows in the footsteps of fellow Roc Nation artist, J. Cole, and releases something that keeps us coming back for more.
Page 7 - September 26, 2019
The Blue & White Flash
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The Blue & White Flash
Tiger Cross Country places at the Mook Invitational Capri Howard Staff Writer After slightly falling short in the 2018 SWAC Championships, the Tigers held their heads high knowing they worked hard and there was more to come. This season, the Tiger’s are back and more than prepared to fight for a title. The cross-country team came out on top at The Mook Invitational in Ruston, La. hosted by Louisiana Tech University. The meet consisted of six teams; Northwestern State, Louisiana Tech, UL Monroe, Grambling, and Mississippi Valley The women’s team finished in 1st place with two top finishers, while the men’s team took third overall with one top finisher. After such a strong showing at the Mississippi College Invitational the previous weekend, the Lady Tigers were determined to win this competition-- and they did exactly that. Not only did they take first out of seven teams, they also had two runners place in the top seven. “I think the key to us taking first place was making sure we started off strong and making sure we stayed close together and ran to our best abilities. Winning our second meet reassured that all the hard work
that my team and I have been putting in is paying off,” said Taylor Hayes, a junior computer engineering major from Grand Prairie, Texas. She continued, “I am confident that we are going to continue to make people open their eyes and pay attention to the Jackson State cross country team because we are coming for that ring.” The two top finishers for the girls’ side were Mercy Chebet with a time of 15:41.2, and Taylor Hayes with 15:55.4. On the boys’ side is Jallah Gailman, who rounded out the top seven with a time of 21:17.7. These three runners were also top finishers in the previous Mississippi College meet. Mercy Chebet, a sophomore computer science major from Kenya, who earned a spot on the second team All-Swac honors last season affirmed that the team is only getting better. “I feel that it was an improvement, I believe that upcoming meets will be better as we prepare for the conference meet. I believe in myself and my team,” said Chebet. Although the men’s team top-runner and two-time SWAC individual champion, Vincent Langat, was out for an internship, the team stepped up and ran some of their personal best in his absence. Alan Johnson, a junior mass
Photo provided by JSU Athletics JSU Tiger Cross Country team competed in the Mook Invitational.
communication major from Atlanta, Ga. explained his goals for this upcoming season. “I’m looking forward to a progressive season going into indoor track season. I use cross country to help increase my
endurance as I juggle multiple events throughout track season. I also look forward to winning a cross country conference title. For the upcoming meet, we will be focusing a lot more on speed training and overall intensity of
workouts as we move closer to the championships.” The Tigers will compete again at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Millsaps College Invitational in Clinton, Miss. .
Lady Tiger Soccer team fights to the last second of game
Photo by Wakil Atig Brynn Walker making an aggressive attempt to the goal.
Wakil Atig Sports Editor Sunday, Sept. 22, was filled with action as the Lady Tiger Soccer team of Jackson State University battled the University of North Alabama in
an overtime thriller. This game was the Lady Tigers last home game before they compete for the SWAC championship. Midway through the second half, sophomore, Brittney Williams went down from a debilitating collision with an
opposing player. She was in route to a goal right before an accident that ended in a horrific scream from the field. She wouldn’t return to the game. Despite a hard fought game with both teams competing at a high level, the game remained
scoreless throughout both halfs. Overtime was no different until the final seconds of the game as a North Alabama player scored on a subtle kick to win the game. This play was devastating for JSU as all of their hard work throughout the game came down to one play. The Lady Tigers who are currently dealing with several injuries, never showed any signs of quitting. This game prepared JSU for what may be in store in the remaining games. Their grit and tenacity embodies what their program is about from the coaching staff to its players. The Lady Tigers have improved tremendously over the past few games. They went from a team that allowed 6.5 goals per game to just 1.5. That is a big step for them as they have a limited rotation in their roster. As they prepare for the SWAC tournament this weekend, JSU plans to work strategically on the game plan their coaching staff has set in place for them. If the Lady Tigers continue to work hard as a unit as they have thus far, their hard work will soon pay off in wins on their overall record. The Lady Tigers get a chance at a fresh start this Friday as they enter the SWAC tournament in Birmingham,
Ala. This will be a big game for JSU as they have a golden opportunity to apply all of their experience and execution to a conference opponent. The Lady Tigers first conference game will be against Howard University. CJ Smith, a senior accounting and finance major Memphis, Tenn., believes the Lady Tigers has a chance to make a huge impact in the SWAC. “I believe they’re playing their best and putting forth a tremendous amount of effort. They’re communicating well on the field which is a good thing. I believe their experience throughout the season with battling adversity will give them the edge over opponents to come. They just have to remain healthy,” said Smith. Thaddaeus Smith, a freshman entrepreneurship major from Omaha, Neb., sees great potential in the Lady Tigers. “I can see them actually being a threat for the rest of the teams in their respective conference. Throughout this game they have worked extremely hard to score, but just came up short. I”m excited to see what they will do in the remainder of the season,” said Smith.
Big business has entered the world of collegiate sports Kambui Bomani Sports Writer The world of college sports consists of various student-athletes who play for the love of the game. Whether the goal is to get to the professional ranks or become the best player they can be, student-athletes have become intertwined with their respective sport. The ultimate goal is to possibly gain the biggest payoff ever from the game they love. Whether it be through getting drafted to a professional team or earning a huge endorsement deal that will sustain their financial needs. With years passing and controversy involving several prospects, the facts still remain that the studentathlete is a pawn in the corporate world run by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. T he NCCA has been known to uphold amateurism as the most important thing their student-athletes can covet. They refuse to allow college athletes to profit off of their likeness or let alone obtain
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illegal financial benefits from outside sources while in school. The reasoning behind this can be that colleges deeply believe giving students athletic scholarships to attend their programs is adequate compensation. However, the drop-off of payment that the school
obtains from specific sports program in comparison to what the college athletes recuperate in athletic scholarships is massive. Collegiate football in the state of Texas alone is worth a combined $1.1 billion dollars. This is the root of the issue for student-athletes around the
country. There is no specific collegiate union in place to represent these students as a whole. The average studentathlete works extremely hard and dedicates their life to be ready for game day. They sacrifice their life, education, and health to obtain success for themselves and their schools but are behooved forever trying to garner equitable compensation for their efforts. They’re deemed as criminals in the public eye for protesting for protection of their human likeness or for forming a union designed to farmer equal pay. On Sept. 13, the state of California passed a law in favor of a bill that could make it possible for student athletes to earn money for their names, images, and likeness. “The Fair Pay to Play” act that was proposed by senator Nancy Skinner, has the opportunity to make the NCAA relinquish their rope on not paying their student-athletes. This bill is not yet a law and has various nuances that still need to be figured out. However, if passed in its totality, it has the chance to alter the history of amateurism
forever in collegiate sports. Taronta Gines Jr., a junior accounting major from Moss Point, Miss., is in full support of college athletes getting paid. “I’ve been an athlete my whole life and I can’t imagine playing for the number one ranked program with the highest selling jersey and not getting paid. It’s just not right. Some of these players come from environments that are harsh and they not only deserve the money, but they need it. It’s also not about the money entirely. Equal compensation for your work is a deeper conversation,” said Gines Jr. Dasia Dyson, a sophomore healthcare administration major from New Orleans, La., said college athletes should be paid in addition to them receiving a scholarship. “College athletes should get paid even if they receive a scholarship to attend school. The scholarship is essentially a form of pay but is not substantial enough considering the school is generating millions of dollars and students are struggling,” said Dyson.