The Signal Vol. 86 No. 22 by The Signal

PAST PRESIDENTS

WELL, FINALLY

NEW BUSINESSES

PANTHER’S HEART

Two presidents share their experiences leading the campus in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Gwinnett is finally coming around to MARTA again. Will they make the right choice?

A new pizza place in Sweet Auburn Market and a coworking place for women of color.

Women’s basketball’s Allison Johnson overcomes family trials and honors her parents.

NEWS PAGE 5

MARCH 5 - MARCH 12, 2019

OPINIONS PAGE 17

A&L

PAGE 11

SPORTS PAGE 21

VOL. 86 | NO. 22

THE

SGA

ISSUE

ANTHONY JONES ONE OF FIVE

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & COVER DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

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PAST PRESIDENTS

WELL, FINALLY

NEW BUSINESSES

PANTHER’S HEART

Two presidents share their experiences leading the campus in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Gwinnett is finally coming around to MARTA again. Will they make the right choice?

A new pizza place in Sweet Auburn Market and a coworking place for women of color.

Women’s basketball’s Allison Johnson overcomes family trials and honors her parents.

NEWS PAGE 5

MARCH 5 - MARCH 12, 2019

OPINIONS PAGE 17

A&L

PAGE 11

SPORTS PAGE 21

VOL. 86 | NO. 22

THE

SGA

I R A

ISSUE

L I V N A T

ONE OF FIVE

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & COVER DESIGN BY EVAN STAMPS | THE SIGNAL

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

PAST PRESIDENTS

WELL, FINALLY

NEW BUSINESSES

PANTHER’S HEART

Two presidents share their experiences leading the campus in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Gwinnett is finally coming around to MARTA again. Will they make the right choice?

A new pizza place in Sweet Auburn Market and a coworking place for women of color.

Women’s basketball’s Allison Johnson overcomes family trials and honors her parents.

NEWS PAGE 5

OPINIONS PAGE 17

A&L

PAGE 11

SPORTS PAGE 21

MARCH 5 - MARCH 12, 2019

VOL. 86 | NO. 22

THE

SGA

ISSUE

JAZMIN MEJIA ONE OF FIVE

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & COVER DESIGN BY SHANCHEZE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

PAST PRESIDENTS

WELL, FINALLY

NEW BUSINESSES

PANTHER’S HEART

Two presidents share their experiences leading the campus in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Gwinnett is finally coming around to MARTA again. Will they make the right choice?

A new pizza place in Sweet Auburn Market and a coworking place for women of color.

Women’s basketball’s Allison Johnson overcomes family trials and honors her parents.

NEWS PAGE 5

OPINIONS PAGE 17

MARCH 5 - MARCH 12, 2019

A&L

PAGE 11

SPORTS PAGE 21

VOL. 86 | NO. 22

THE

SGA

ISSUE

NASHBI GRAND-JEAN ONE OF FIVE

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & COVER DESIGN BY DEMETRI BURKE | THE SIGNAL

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

PAST PRESIDENTS

WELL, FINALLY

NEW BUSINESSES

PANTHER’S HEART

Two presidents share their experiences leading the campus in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Gwinnett is finally coming around to MARTA again. Will they make the right choice?

A new pizza place in Sweet Auburn Market and a coworking place for women of color.

Women’s basketball’s Allison Johnson overcomes family trials and honors her parents.

NEWS PAGE 5

OPINIONS PAGE 17

A&L

PAGE 11

SPORTS PAGE 21

MARCH 5 - MARCH 12, 2019

VOL. 86 | NO. 22

THE

SGA

ISSUE

S H AY ’ N A F I E L D S ONE OF FIVE

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ & COVER DESIGN BY AMBER KIRLEW | THE SIGNAL

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

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2/25/19 3:29 PM

NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

It’s not the White House, but it’ll do

SGA president nets at least $13K from the university each year ADA WOOD & WILL SOLOMONS Associate News Editor & News Editor

very Student Government Association president from this year — beginning with the 89th administration — forward will receive a $3,000 credit per semester off their University Housing costs. But it doesn’t stop there. When this $6,000 credit is compounded with the president’s stipend of about $7,000 a year, the current president and all subsequent presidents net approximately $13,000 per year from the university. SGA President Franklin Patterson said he was told by Corey Gray, his predecessor for the 2017-2018 school year, that the creation of this credit was something he had been working on before he left office. SGA university-wide advisor Boyd Beckwith, University Housing Director Randy Brown and former Vice President for Student Affairs Douglass Covey were also a part of the conversation. Beckwith said that due to Georgia State’s consolidation with Georgia Perimeter College, it was necessary to have a president that was accessible to the most students. “It really came out of the consolidation on how we can assure that no matter what campus the president comes from they would have a base of operation on the Atlanta campus, [where the majority of the students they serve are],” Beckwith said. He also confirmed that Patterson was the first president to receive it but didn’t request it. Overall, it was decided based on the desire to aid the president in their duties and the program will continue until the university decides to suspend it. “Oftentimes they are on campus late at night,” he said. “This just makes it much easier for them to be more available to their constituents. Patterson said the group moved toward this because they thought the SGA president should have the opportunity to stay on campus to understand the residential side of student issues. The only

students who receive a credit for housing separate from Patterson are Resident Assistants and other students employed by Housing. Athletes and other students on specific scholarships also receive housing, but that’s not classified as a credit. “This was my first year living on campus and it’s been a really unique experience,” Patterson said. “There are a lot of benefits to living on campus.” However, SGA has intended to keep this information out of the public’s eye for fear that it would be a main incentive for future candidates. Patterson himself wasn’t aware of the housing stipend until after he won the election. Beckwith said that the most important part is that, just like any other student organization, credits and stipends aren’t the focus of the recruiting process. “Does it change who’s going to run if it’s more because of the housing than it is because they want to serve their fellow students?” he said. Patterson knows getting paid helps him allot more time for his presidential duties but doesn’t want to see the day that anyone goes for the job solely for the money – something he said he certainly didn’t do. “This is all fine and good … but when those benefits are promoted up front, you run into the problem of people doing this for selfish reasons,” Patterson said. The credit is strictly the price discount, with no other housing benefits provided. Depending upon what housing option the president chooses, the final cost could change. For example, Patterson said if they decide to room with multiple people their housing would be entirely free. But, if they opt for more privacy and space, they will need to pay the remainder that the $3,000 credit didn’t cover. Patterson opted for the second option and pays approximately $1,400 per semester to stay at the University Lofts. Any dorm building is available for this option. However, the president does not gain any special privilege when it comes to selecting which option to stay in. He or she will have to complete the dorm application and waitlist the same as any other student.

The Signal reached out to Corvias for more information and then was told to speak to University Housing on specific cases such as this one. A call to Housing and an email was sent Natalie Bonner, associate to the director, to set up a meeting, but no response was received. After two days with no response, The Signal went in person to schedule a meeting and was told to email, but since that had already been done, Bonner assisted in scheduling a meeting for Monday, Feb. 25. On Monday, an email was received to reschedule the meeting to Tuesday. At the Tuesday meeting, Brown would not answer questions because the exact questions were not given in advance, and he did not want to give answers that would violate FERPA, claiming that he didn’t want to speak to a specific person (Patterson’s) situation. FERPA, the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, generally applies to release of academic information of students – not university policies on presidential compensation. The Signal was then told to submit questions and that it would take roughly 48 hours. Following that, The Signal received an email on Wednesday by Brown that stated “[I had] a few unanticipated things come up. So I anticipate not being able to provide a response tomorrow. I will try to update you on Friday where I am with responding.” On Friday, an email at around 10 a.m. asked Brown when the questions would be in and asked to be directed to someone else if possible. A call was made to the office at 4:32 p.m., and the recipient said he had stepped out of the office for the day. From Feb. 20 to March 1, The Signal worked to contact Brown for responses to questions regarding the credit and hasn’t received the answers to them, with Brown sending an email on Monday, March 4, stating that he was working to get the answers and apologizing for not getting them sooner. It was, however, easy to get the exact same questions answered by Beckwith and Patterson. Even when first asked about the stipend, Beckwith said, “That’s not a secret.”

SGA Budget Proposal FY18 FY18 Total SGA Budget Personnel Account

STIPEND POSITIONS President Executive Vice President (Old President) Communications Director Finance Director Speaker of the Senate (Old EVP) Academic Affairs Committee Chair Student Life Committee Chair Student Services Committee Chair Speaker Pro Tempore Senate Clerk Chief Justice Associate Chief Justice Associate Chief Justice Chair, Election Commission 2 Supporting Positions, Election Commission

$131,835.00

FY17 $130,000.00

$47,900.00

$56,700.00

Monthly Stipend Amount

# of Months Paid

586.67 586.67 400.00 266.67 293.33 320.00 266.67 320.00 200.00 100.00 350.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 300.00

Yearly Stipend Amount 12 12 12 12 12 10 12 10 10 9 12 9 9 4 4

SUBTOTAL (AMOUNT BUDGETED)

Student Assistant Positions Student Assistant x 20 Work Hours Student Assistant x 15 Work Hours Summer* SUBTOTAL STUDENT ASSISTANT TOTAL STUDENT PERSONNEL ACCOUNT

# of Weeks

Hourly Wage 35 $ 15 $ 50

8.00 8.00

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

7,040 7,040 4,800 3,200 3,520 3,200 3,200 3,200 2,000 900 4,200 1,800 1,800 800 1,200

47,900

Total FY17 Amount $5,600 $2,400 $8,000 $55,900

FY18 Stipend Amount $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

7,040 7,040 4,800 3,200 3,520 3,200 3,200 3,200 2,000 900 4,200 1,800 1,800 800 1,200

Total FY18 Amount $5,600 $2,400

Reason for Adjustment

No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 New stipend for this position as of FY18. No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18 No Adjustment for FY18

Reason for Adjustment

Hours reduced to reflect the true amount of assistance needed. Hours reduced to reflect the true amount of assistance needed.

NEWS

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

What is the extent of SGA’s power?

How students are actually able to impact university policy WILL SOLOMONS News Editor

he Student Government Association elections begin in just a few weeks. Students will be selecting their peers to represent them for the next year. These student leaders have an important role to play: to listen and try to alleviate the concerns of the student body. So, how do SGA representatives accomplish that? There are a few ways SGA can influence what happens at the university. The primary way is through sitting on various university committees and acting as the student voice to administrators. Boyd Beckwith, SGA university-wide advisor and senior director of the Student Center, said that’s where they have the most power. “I think where they can have the most impact is because it is SGA officers who are often sitting on University Senate committees where they are again sharing the voice of the students when it’s everything from the Admissions and Standards committee or the Student Life committee,” Beckwith said. Since the university yields such a large student body, Beckwith said that selecting a few key students to sit on these committees allows more efficient lines of communication between administration and the student body. “They are essentially the go-between because clearly you can’t have … 50,000 students all coming to all these different meetings so again, it’s elected representation,” he said. “When students are voting, they’re saying ‘I choose you to represent my concerns to the administration.’” Some senators also sit on the Student Activity Fee Council and the Mandatory Fee Council which handle how student

fees are distributed. Students who sit on those councils have the majority of votes – more than faculty and staff present – to ensure that students and their needs are the priority. But it’s not just senators who sit on committees. SGA President Franklin Patterson and previous and subsequent presidents have a spot reserved on Georgia State University President Mark Becker’s Administrative Council, where top university officials such as department heads and provosts update Becker on vital university matters. “The fact [is] that the president sits on the Administrative Council with Dr. Becker and all his direct reports so there’s a student at the table who can say, ‘Wow did you think about how this could affect students?’” Beckwith said. Beckwith said the ability to sit on these committees enables the officers to form relationships that allow for efficient lines of communication to get initiatives accomplished.. “I think it’s the personal relationships that the SGA officers are able to build with the administrators [that] have an impact on decisions that are being made,” he said. Patterson’s views on SGA’s role as a liaison between students and the university are the same as Beckwith’s. “Influence is power,” he said. “It’s the relationships that people build with the upper administration that allow us to get things done, because without those relationships it truly is a waste of time.” Beckwith pointed out an example in the past of SGA using their influence with administrators to impact their constituents. “I think one example would be the role SGA played with commencement, and how for several years, once we lost doing it in the dome, we were doing it over at McCamish pavilion,” he said. “So, the administrators wanted to know: Would students prefer to be on our campus even if it meant potentially getting wet?” Since then, there’s been a focus to keep the Panthers’ commencement at Georgia State facilities.

Sen. Kiersten Nicholson, head senator for the School of Public Health caucus, listens in during last week’s University-wide Senate meeting.

While other governmental bodies, such as the U.S. Congress, exercise their power through legislation, Beckwith said that’s not the case with SGA, with legislation primarily affecting their own governance. “I think they have a significant ability to impact the university. I think often times the incoming SGA officers think the way to make that happen is through legislation,” he said. “The vast majority of legislation is to affect their own bylaws.” When new senators come in, Beckwith said that they sometimes have an idealized vision of legislation that affects the university, but he said that’s not feasible. “I think they have a significant ability to impact the university. I think often times the incoming SGA officers think the way to make that happen is through legislation,” he said. Other than passing legislation to affect their bylaws or sitting on university committees, SGA also makes official resolutions that support student organizations and policies that could affect the university. At the last SGA university-wide meeting on Feb. 28, Patterson mentioned that they were in the process of drafting and introducing resolutions to support both The Signal and Panthers for Black Feminism. They also passed legislation that supported the College Transparency Act, a piece of legislation that is currently being circulated through the U.S. Congress. One of the greatest challenges that faces any SGA administration is time. Some of the policies that they try to implement may not go into effect long after that administration has graduated. “I think the other thing that students have a hard time understanding is it’s not the change won’t happen, but because we are now the largest university in the state, bureaucracy’s big, and it may take a year for a particular change to happen,” Beckwith said. “Like you could put something in place, especially things that are budgetary, [but] that whole process is a multiyear process.”

PHOTO BY DANIEL VARITEK | THE SIGNAL

NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

A lawsuit and a legacy

A look at past Student Government Association presidents

LOCAL

ADA WOOD

Associate News Editor

Potential state takeover of Hartsfield-Jackson

here have been now 89 administrations of the Student Government Association, each being led by a president elected by the student body. Two presidents stick out as influential members of Georgia State’s history, both serving at a time of substantial change and transition for the expanding university.

The City of Atlanta has ownership and operation over Hartsfield-Jackson – one of the world’s busiest airports – and is fighting to not lose this control. A proposal was introduced in the Georgia Senate to bring ownership to the state government, rather than under the local, city officials, Fox 5 reports. A statement from the press secretary for Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michael Smith, said the proposals amounted to “theft.” The bill, which would see a vote by Thursday would create the a board appointed by state officials called the Major Airport Authority. The legislation was introduced by Republican Sen. Burt Jones.

JOHN KNAPP (1979)

Would you believe that Georgia State once had an SGA president so controversial that The Signal dedicated five pages of coverage in one issue simply for a Q&A between a reporter and this president? It’s true, he exists, and his name is John Knapp. Attending Georgia State from 1976 to 1981, Knapp held the SGA presidency in 1979. In the April 30, 1979 issue, Knapp and reporter Bruce Dunbar discussed high tensions between the president and the publication. This discussion included talk about an editorial The Signal wrote that claimed Knapp inserted campaign flyers in recent issues. Having placed them inside would have been illegal, as this would be advertising he had not paid for. Knapp denied this and said the flyers were placed between the issues, but not in them, which was not illegal. “Let me tell you something about that. That was the most irresponsible piece of yellow journalism I’ve ever seen in my life,” Knapp said in the 1979 interview. Yet, a year later in 1980, Knapp would be not only writing for The Signal, but he would be leading it as editor. “[I] was disappointed in the quality of the newspaper, and I felt like the newspaper should do a better job,” Knapp said in a recent interview. “So, I decided that I could apply for the job and maybe we could bring some fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to the newspaper.” When Knapp arrived as editor, he recognized that he had disagreements in the past with many of the current staff members and accordingly called an allstaff meeting. He told the room, “Anyone who had a position at the newspaper prior to my arrival will still have that position but you’ll have to recognize that I am the new editor.’” Almost everyone walked out. Knapp said he thinks the staff thought the issue wouldn’t go out the following week without their help. However, Knapp was prepared and invited the journalism students he knew who had wanted to be part of the paper in the past to put the next week’s issue together and sure enough it made it to the newsstands. The Signal wasn’t the only media organization Knapp feuded with as president. In Dec. 1979, Atlanta Magazine wrote an article about Knapp’s controversial appointments. They soon saw Knapp in court when he sued them for $150,000 in damages for inaccuracies in the story, causing him “public scandal.” But how did the case end? “I was successful,” Knapp said. “They did pay me a settlement and write a letter of apology.” Fate – or a good business deal rather – led him back to Georgia State in 2006 when he came to work as both a professor and the director for the Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility. Knapp established an interdisciplinary center in order to incorporate and emphasize the importance of learning ethics into business practices at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Today, Knapp is president of Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania and thinks his past positions help him better play his new presidential role. “It’s my policy today as a college president to ask the Student Government Association to take on issues

NEWS BRIEFS

Dexter Warrior

NATIONAL Michael Cohen testifies about Trump John Knapp

that are important to students,” he said. “I do think that you need the wisdom of the students you serve and the student government leaders, when they are empowered properly, have the opportunity to bring something to the table that only students can bring.” Knapp has recently brought a few issues to the SGA on his campus and asked them to think the problem through before he makes a decision. “In those cases we actually follow the students’ advice because they were very diligent in taking that responsibility seriously,” he said. “[I] don’t know if I would have thought that way had I not been in that role as an undergraduate myself.”

DEXTER WARRIOR (1984)

In the Feb. 14, 1984 issue of The Signal, Dexter Warrior was introduced as a candidate for SGA president alongside two competitors: David Adcock and David Lubel. Candidates were given a quiz to test their knowledge on SGA, Georgia State and the University System of Georgia. His competitors scored 72 and 68, respectively. Warrior received the highest score at 84. Warrior was involved with SGA for three years, which he believed to be a big strength in comparison to his opponents, as he had first served as a senator and executive vice president. “By building on this and my own qualifications as a leader I think I have just as much if not more knowledge of the senate than the other candidates,” Warrior said in 1984. Today, his reflection is the same. “It was 35 years ago, 1984,” Warrior said. “I had a desire to serve. I didn’t know it would eventually lead to becoming president of the SGA but I felt I was qualified to run for president, so I did.” Warrior would later win with 63 percent of the vote, a victory that didn’t require a runoff, something he is proud of to this day. He came prepared with several years of experience under his belt before

taking on the presidency and attributes that to his success. “If you want to call it old-school thinking, I’m from the mindset that I want to be prepared for an assignment when I take it on,” he said. The 1984 Rampway identified that Warrior had become the first black president in campus history. “That was an accomplishment. Back then, the Georgia State population was easily 80 percent white students,” he said. Warrior remembered that one big initiative he took on as president was getting telephones installed on campus so students wouldn’t have to find a payphone to make a call. Yet, he realizes how antiquated this success was today. “I don’t think I would be where I’m at today had I not gone through the experiences I had at Georgia State,” he said. Warrior recounted his struggles, including failing his English class his first year. Today, he sees that it was probably good he failed the class because it forced him to develop his writing skills. He still has ties to the university through the Honorary Real Estate Council. Warrior served under three university presidents – Noah Langdale as SGA president and on the Foundation Board as an alumni member for Carl Patton and Mark Becker. Warrior thinks the primary function of SGA is to represent all students including graduate and Perimeter campus students. Their role is the same as the university’s role: to improve student success. But, with SGA, the priority is on the student perspective – which might include things the administration can’t see. “With 50,000 students, that’s not an easy task,” he said. “The question [for student leaders] is: Are we aspiring toward those goals in our organizations to try and make sure I’m leaving it at least a little better than I found it?”

The President of the United States, Donald Trump was described this week as “a racist, a conman, a cheat.” The man who made these claims was his former attorney Michael Cohen, one of his closest advisors in the past. Cohen testified publicly before Congress before heading to prison for previously lying under oath. While testifying, Cohen said, “I am not protecting Mr. Trump anymore.”

GLOBAL Conflict in Kashmir

Tensions are rising in the Kashmir province, nestled between India and Pakistan. The region has seen conflict for years, but recently it has escalated and gained international attention. At the end of February, an Indian pilot was captured by Pakistani forces and has since been returned home. Both parties have launched attacks within the region, killing dozens and displacing civilians. According to Aljazeera, Indian local authorities are accused of attacking and discriminating against Muslim communities, some of which were considered to be in opposition to India.

NEWS

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Student challenges professor for 7th District

Nabilah Islam, a 2012 graduate, will face Carolyn Bourdeaux in 2020 DANIEL VARITEK Editor-in-Chief

ext year, students will head to the polls with an interesting decision: Should a Georgia State professor or a Georgia State graduate represent them in the 7th Congressional District? Carolyn Bourdeaux, a 2018 Democratic candidate for District 7, was a novice to the political scene last year. A professor within the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, she ran on Medicaid expansion and affordable college education. Despite being a first-time candidate, Bourdeaux came incredibly close to unseating four-term Republican incumbent Rob Woodall. Bourdeaux initially contested the results of the election and called for a recount. She ultimately lost by just 0.14 percent, the closest any Democrat has come to unseating Woodall. The 2020 race already promised to be galvanizing. Woodall announced last month that he planned to retire at the end of his term, all but guaranteeing a path to the seat for Bourdeaux. But now another first-time Democratic candidate challenges that path: Nabilah Islam, a Georgia State graduate and political activist. While attending Georgia State, Islam was once told she wasn’t made for politics. “I was a political science major, and I was given an assignment in one of my classes to have an informational interview with someone who works in politics,” Islam said. Her only connection to politics came from a professor who happened to be dating someone in politics at the time. “So, when I sat down with him — I don’t know if he intentionally did this — but this man was a white man, and he told me that people who come from well-connected, wealthy backgrounds are folks that are much more prosperous working in politics,” Islam said. It was immediately clear Islam didn’t fit that bill. Raised by a mother who herself was born in a mud hut in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Islam grew up in the culturally rich Buford Highway area. “My parents did whatever job they could to save up money to get a house in Norcross so that I could go to school in the Norcross school district,” Islam said. Islam eventually attended Central Gwinnett High School, where she was captain of the debate team. She enrolled at Georgia State in 2008 and quickly became involved on campus, serving as the president of the International Student Associations Council and a member of Model United Nations for four semesters. “Going to Georgia State — it being an urban college … being so close to the heart of all the decisions that are being made in Georgia — definitely gave me a bird’s-eye view of how things are done on the local level,” Islam said. She said she felt disempowered as a result of that conversation with her professor. “That very next day, I changed my degree to marketing because I thought that would be something that would be achievable for a person like myself,” Islam said. Islam soon realized she was still capable of working in politics, and she served as a legislative aide while in college. She’s since been involved in Jason Carter’s bid for governor and Andrew Dickens’ run for Atlanta City Council. She also served as deputy southern states director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. She’s now running for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District, advocating for Medicare and a livable wage. “I believe healthcare is a human right,” Islam said. “I’m advocating for a livable wage; $7.25 isn’t a sustainable wage for someone to live off of. Folks shouldn’t be living paycheck to paycheck.” She’s also acutely focused on regional development, particularly with transportation. “Georgia State is a commuter college, and I’ve made that commute before. It takes you an hour and 30 minutes to travel from Gwinnett to Georgia State. The reason it’s like that is because we don’t have transit options,” Islam said. “Now we have the opportunity to make that right on March 19 and vote yes. And on the federal level, I’m going to advocate for federal dollars for transit in our local

community.” Policy change isn’t the only thing Islam hopes to bring to Congress. Looking back on that conversation with her professor, Islam said she wants to use her seat as a means to empower other women and people of color and accurately represent the interests of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties. “Growing up in Gwinnett County, I never saw anyone that looked like me in leadership,” Islam said. “We have less than five people of color on any of the city councils all throughout Gwinnett County. It was just something so shocking to me. Since 2010, we’ve been a majority-minority county, but I never saw anyone encouraging us to sit at the table.” Her inspiration for running came from the House of Representatives’ recent freshman class, which includes progressive superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “We had the most diverse Congress ever get elected, and for me it was inspiring because it showed me that my identity wasn’t a handicap,” Islam told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last month. Islam said she spoke with Bourdeaux before announcing her candidacy and understands the importance of flipping this seat. “We talked about how it’s important to have a Democrat win this district. We’re both focused on making sure no matter who wins the primary that we get a Democrat to win in the general,” Islam said. Regardless, she said she’s committed to winning. “I intend to win,” Islam said. So, why should Georgia State students vote for Islam? “I have a lived experience that is similar to this district, and I know what it’s like to

grow up here. I’ve attended elementary through high school here. I’m going to be a bold, progressive voice for this district and make sure the people of District 7 have a seat at the table. This district deserves someone who understands their lived experience.” Students who are interested in working with Islam’s campaign can visit nabilahforcongress.com. Editor’s Note: The Signal has not endorsed any candidate in this or other Congressional races.

ILLUSTRATION BY DEVIN PHILLIPS

FIELDS

GRAND-JEAN

JONES

LIVNAT

RITTERBUSCH RAHMAN

ALO

MEJIA

CALIXTE

WRIGHT

COCHRAN

SGA

JACKSON

DEHART

HENRY

THOMAS JONATHAN WALTERS GARCIA

MILANI

PURSUING THE POSITIONS

TOOKE

LOPEZ

ABRAHAM

MINETOS

COGGINS

Several dozen candidates are campaigning for control of the Student Government Association. With only a few of them able to win, The Signal will be watching closely as ads fly on social media and candidates canvas in Georgia Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plazas. This is where our coverage begins, where the candidates discuss what issues are most important to them and why you as a student should vote from March 26-28.

TINSLEY

AIKEN

MACKEY DURRANI

EBIRINGA

JONES

SIMPSON ELLINGTON-MYLES RESTREPO FRANCIS

GARRETT

METELUS

JACKSON

MAI

TSHIZUBU

MANNING

SCOTT

TANNWALTON HASSAN JONES LANDERS ABDUR-RAHIM PARKER MARTINEZ ORAK MCIVER SAIED

VALVERDE RAMIREZ

PRESIDENT

ANTHONY JONES

IRA LIVNAT

JAZMIN MEJIA

What makes you the best candidate for president?

ATLANTA

I am the best fit for this position because of my diversity. I grew up and went to high school in two completely different areas. My childhood was filled with predominately Caucasian private schools and my high school was predominantly Hispanic. Now going to a predominantly African-American University, I can truly say my outlook is extremely diverse. These experiences make me the best fit to represent a University known for its diversity.

ATLANTA

There are five high impact practices by which I will improve Georgia State, and that only I, as a candidate, am qualified to address. Increasing inter-campus transportation and engagement: Students are more active and engaged in their community and schoolwork when they interact with their peers. I am doing this through PantherHackers, and we recently expanded our outreach to the Perimeter campuses by delivering keynote lectures. We want to involve all Georgia State students, no matter what campus they attend. You can trust that I continue to push for increased engagement and will do the same thing for all students in all GSU campuses.

ATLANTA

The best candidate is one who knows their students. As a member of Spotlight, I have interacted so much with students of all ages, interests and backgrounds. As a member of SGA, I have seen and talked to the ones behind the scenes making sure our students are being represented well and continually fight for issues to be resolved. I am the best candidate for SGA President because I am aware of the ins and outs of what Georgia State is capable of and what student government can create and change.

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NASHBI GRAND-JEAN

SHAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;NA FIELDS

What makes you the best candidate for president?

I am an honest and true servant to my people. I have no other wish than to humbly, but efficiently serve, represent, and advocate on behalf of the student body. Being a proud panther all these years I am unbiasedly aware of all the joys and sorrows of attending Georgia state. I wish to eliminate those sorrows and amplify those joys with integrity, sincerity, and efficiency. To represent a student body of over 50,000 students, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to have a leader who understands what the students need and understand how to interact with university faculty & executives. For years, I have worked with university executives on different levels and departments to make sure that student voices were being heard. I understand how the university works and would be able to translate student wishes to faculty and staff in a way they would be able to understand.

My unique experiences as a teen entrepreneur, red carpet host, theater magnet student, and social justice leader will serve as an advantage in this election. I am not new to leadership or creating strategies to develop a remarkable and memorable outcome. I believe that there is a grave need for servantleadership to be exemplified as a student. Often times, we are impressed by titles and accolades, yet we may lack an understanding of the difference between a dictatorship and progressive leadership. There is a major difference between one who leads from inside four walls in an office space, and one who actively identifies as a servant leader by guiding their members and leading along-side of them to execute the vision of a project. I am not running for office to dictate. I am running for office to be of service to the students.

ATLANTA

TO READ FULL INTERVIEWS GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

JESSIE CALIXTE

HAMZA RAHMAN

GREGORY WRIGHT

Controversial topics are being danced around in the student body of GSU. Instead of dancing around them, a leader must bring it to the light. Because of what happened when some SGA members went to Israel last semester, the organization basically lost the respect of many students on campus, Once I am the Executive Vice President, I will make sure that SGA regain its respect because in other to progress we need to be on the same page with the students that we are serving. It saddened me to see how divided we are, I am here to make peace and to help GSU moving forward with a new State of Mind. I want to assure any organization on campus that the Student Government is theirs, and as EVP I would make sure that I represent my peers properly and work on their behalf. When we cooperate, everybody wins.

One of the first issues I would tackle is parking and transportation. Most of our students are commuters and therefore need adequate access to parking. The Blue Lot and Blue Route remain unreliable, with a disproportionate number of buses allocated to the route. This issue needs to be resolved.I would also like to tackle the lack of dietary options provided by PantherDining. Halal and Kosher option are not always offered, alienating and preventing Muslim and Jewish Students that observe these dietary laws from residing in Piedmont North and Piedmont Central, as they can’t use their meal plans to their full extent and can’t eat nutritiously without Halal or Kosher options.

As EVP, I look to improve student participation in SGA held events and sporting events. I look to continue to the work of the Safety Committee from the 89th administration and address the growing concern of smoking on campus. I want to work with transportation to help identify more pick up points for students and better bus scheduling to avoid huge crowds at bus stops, during our busiest hours. Lastly, I want to make every student at Georgia State aware of who their SGA representatives are and create more student leaders in the process.

ATLANTA

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SPEAKER

What are your most important goals as Speaker of the Senate?

KAELEN THOMAS ATLANTA

AVERYONA WALTERS ATLANTA

I want to increase participation within SGA, As Speaker of the Senate, my goals are expand SGA’s outreach, and further the goals to provide and serve for Atlanta Senate of all Senators. by developing an environment for each Senator to continue to be open, honest, and innovative. As Speaker of the Senate, my goal is to organize and establish a safe space where Senators are able to advocate for student issues, so that Atlanta campus can feel secure.

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What on-campus issues would you tackle first as Executive Vice President?

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ANGENY METELUS

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PETER MINETOS

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JAYLEN SCOTT

AYANI SIMPSON

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ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

New businesses you should check out

A coworking space and a pizza joint are now within walking distance MARY PITTS Staff Reporter

n the heart of the ever changing and constantly growing city of Atlanta, students at Georgia State are in a prime position to discover the newest, hippest businesses. Check out this new working space and pizza place.

A WORKING SPACE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR

Located next to Georgia State in Historic Fourth Ward, Monday & Co is a new, inclusive coworking space catered especially to creative black women in the Atlanta area. Founded by Candice Vanwye, originally from a small, rural town in South Carolina, Monday & Co boasts a variety of features to help members

create content and gain exposure, including an outdoor area and office and studio spaces for recording podcasts, filming videos and taking photos. “We have a lot of photo shoots in here,” Vanwye said. “I came up with this idea because I’ve been working for myself since 2013, and I’ve always been a member of coworking spaces. Even more so female-oriented coworking spaces. But I always feel like I’m left out unless it’s Black History month or unless it’s Women’s History month.” According to Vanwye, Monday & Co is her passion project. After feeling alienated from other traditional coworking spaces, she decided to create one that met her own needs, as well as the needs of many other creative, ambitious women. “First of all, sometimes if you’re a woman and you speak up in a male-dominated space they act like you’re stupid,” she said. “The reason I came up with this is that I just wanted a place that was cozy like this that didn’t make anybody feel left out. So we can have everybody’s pictures on the wall.” A similar motive inspired Vanwye’s other business venture, an influencer agency for women of color called Brown Girl Bloggers, which “has served as a leading voice in the online community for [women of color] and has been able to foster the trust and respect of these influencers as well as their audiences.” Through Brown Girl Bloggers, Vanwye “promotes, educates, and unites women of color in creative spaces.” Inclusivity is not the only draw to Monday & Co. Vanwye chose to open her workspace in the historic neighborhood of Fourth Ward, adjacent to not only Georgia State’s campus but also the area where Martin Luther King Jr. grew up, an area brimming with history and inspiration. Vanwye loves the walkability and convenience of the neighborhood. “I’ve definitely ordered Jeni’s Ice Cream and Sublime Donuts,” she said. “It’s the American dream.” Those looking to collaborate on content should not feel intimidated walking into Monday & Co. The sense of community inside the space is palpable as murmurs of creatives working together on their art float through the airy space, which is flooded with natural

This new creative workspace located in the heart of Downtown Atlanta is welcoming for working black women.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONDAY & CO.

light. Vanwye emphasized that while the space is intended for black women, all are welcome. “I know that the white people that do come in here are already going to come in with a level of respect for other cultures,” she said. “Nobody is going to come in here if they don’t want to smell people’s food or listen to other types of music.” Monday & Co is a great space for those looking to elevate their content by drawing insight from other diverse, imaginative types. “We listen to crazy music sometimes, or sometimes we’ll have a Beyonce day and we’ll be loud in here,” Vanwye said. “But then we just get to work and it’s so collaborative, too.”

THE ONLY PIZZA IN SWEET AUBURN MARKET

Open for business starting April 1, Carlo’s Pizza is soon to be Sweet Auburn Municipal Market’s newest restaurant. Located close to Georgia State at 209 Edgewood Ave. SE, the family owned and operated joint will be a convenient spot for students to curb their pizza cravings. Carlo’s will boast “thin crust, light, bright, and refreshing sauce, and the highest grade of mozzarella cheese.” The operation is run by the Accardi brothers from Wildwood, New Jersey. The second oldest brother, Joe Accardi, said the inspiration for the business came from their late father, Carlo Samuel Accardi, who honored his own dad in the same sentimental way in 1985. “Our dad owned a pizza place named after his dad in Wildwood, New Jersey,” he said. “Carlo is the name of our dad. He actually passed just not quite a year ago. So, it just kind of felt right to open this up and the opportunity presented itself, and it kind of felt

meant to be.” Carlo’s Pizza is bringing Italian cuisine back to Sweet Auburn Municipal Market. Pizza has been missing in the market ever since the closing of Three Cities Pizza, which served Detroit style pizza and scared pizza lovers after a failed health inspection in the fall of 2018. According to their page on the market’s website, the Accardi brothers are hopeful that the restaurant could become “Atlanta’s newest favorite pizza joint.” Carlo’s Pizza rounds out the wide selection of restaurants within the marketplace. Georgia State students who thirst for a diverse array of choices will be pleased by the market’s food offerings. Patrons at the market can experience everything from Venezuelan cuisine at Arepa Mia to Caribbean flavors at Afrodish. Started under a large tent by farmers selling livestock and produce after the great Atlanta fire in 1917, the market is a historical landmark in the city of Atlanta where restaurants like Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Bell Street Burritos have distinguished themselves as well-known Atlanta staples. Just a short walk from campus, Georgia State students like sophomore Ethan Mudd head to the market for a breath of fresh air and great food. “There are so many restaurants and shops, like how could you not love it,” Mudd said. Beyond restaurants, Sweet Auburn also offers retail shops, fresh meat and seafood markets, fresh produce markets and dessert shops. The market operates from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. “I wish they were open later,” Mudd said. “But it’s like the best and closest place to get fresh produce.”

LOVE YOUR NATURAL SELF Arielle Wilson @CurlFriendAri 44.7K on Instagram

Arielle Wilson is graduating in the spring with a degree in journalism. During the week, she focuses on her school work and on the weekends she records videos of herself for her 19,000 YouTube followers and 44,700 Instagram followers. “I do refer to myself as a natural hair influencer because that’s what I focus on. But I mostly just try to give out advice and help other girls with curly nappy textures,” Wilson said. “Somebody actually recognized me today.” Wilson’s mom is a full time YouTuber with 100,000+ subscribers. Her most popular channel is making crafts, but she also has another channel singing songs

for preschoolers. Wilson was inspired by her mom thought that since she was already doing her hair, might as well use it to educate others. “She inspired me to do it. Why not create video something you’re already doing?” Wilson said. “I’m already going to do my hair.” Along with a monthly check from YouTube for around $500, she is invited to model, receives pro to review and goes to hair shows. But a lot of the t it conflicts with school. “Sometimes you can’t take every job opportunit because you have to study or you have a paper to w or midterms coming up,” Wilson said. “It really is

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR

INFLUENCE? STUDENT INFLUENCERS SHARE BEHIND THE SCENES

WRITTEN BY SYDNEY BLOEME ARTS & LIVING EDITOR

ith the age of digital media, advertisements are moving off television and into your pockets. Companies are now looking past traditional celebrities to students you may be sitting next to. These students can make anything close to $500 a month for a few weekends of recording themselves doing their hair.

YOUR PAST DOESN’T DEFINE YOUR FUTURE Willie Craddick Jr. @Williecraddickjr 107K on Instagram

Willie Craddick Jr. is a teen author of two books, owns his own clothing line and has 107,000 followers on Instagram. He spends his days connecting with other people and companies and even recently spoke at the Georgia State Capitol building. Although he considers himself an influencer, he thinks there’s more to the term. “This term means a lot to me depending on what you use it for. I use my platform to motivate teens like me to follow their dreams no matter their circumstances,” Craddick said. “I do consider myself an influencer, moreso a leader for the youth.” Craddick wrote his first book, “The Life of a Boy With

PAGE DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL PHOTOS BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL

Big Dreams,” about his life and how he stayed positive after all it’s tragedies. He uses these situations to discuss staying focused on goals and how to learn from each situation. He considers his influence to be inspirational to teens in similar situations. “I say inspiration because me not having a support system from my parents did not stop me from following my dreams,” Craddick said. Craddick is 18 years old and pursuing a business degree at Georgia State. And while juggling school and his brand is stressful and takes up most of his time, he always advocates to have a plan and remain positive.

“School is my main focus but after I’ve finished my school work, I focus on my career,” he said. “This takes up my whole day.” Focusing on his career looks like answering phone calls, writing emails and reaching out to companies about his brand. As for his Instagram, he said his photos don’t require too much thought. “I just post pictures after my events and take personal photos,” Craddick said. “I try to be as professional as possible but still myself in the process.”

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struggle.” While Wilson enjoys making videos, she mostly wants to use her platform to change the conversation around natural hair. “I just feel like it’s my purpose to educate and show them that your hair is not difficult. You’ve been taught that it’s difficult. It requires work but that’s who you are,” Wilson said. “My motto that I go by is, ‘Unapologetically wear your natural hair.’”

FIND VALUE IN THE LITTLE THINGS Drew Shah @DrewShah1 over 3 million views on Snapchat Drew Shah started on Snapchat, recording his own aimless wandering around the city. He wanted to document what he was doing and felt like others would enjoy it as well. “My content is essentially a vlog … With the width of content from app development, food, a new city, a baseball game or whatever it may be; there was always depth, value, and transparency,” Shah said. Through meeting new people and exchanging social media, he starting quickly gaining more and more views

on each story until one day he reached one million views. “I would get people and organizations sharing my content as they found value in it. It was a combination of doing things that would make for interesting stories and organic growth,” he said. “I try to do stuff, and I happen to post about it, simple as that. Once Shah’s posts became more noticed, he started focusing on chasing better content and was invited to new opportunities.

“GaryVee invited me to his Super Bowl party where I got to talk to YG, ItsWoahVicky and Patrick Bet David intimately,” Shah said. Shah said although he has worked with companies such as Twitter, Amazon and Audi among others in the past, he hasn’t received any compensation for his posts but hopes to cover more paid events in the future. Today, because Snapchat has started to take the back burner to Instagram, he has moved over to Instagram stories and has started rebuilding his following there.

ARTS & LIVING

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

The hidden ways to get what you need on campus Weave, textbooks and drugs near you SYDNEY BLOEME Arts & Living Editor

oday, being in the age of social media, buying products and services from other students around you has never been easier. Everything from GroupMe’s boasting free food to Facebook groups selling textbooks have sprung up on the iPhones of those around you. So, whatever you’re looking for, there’s a chat for that.

TEXTBOOKS, APARTMENTS, CLASS RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADVICE

The Georgia State book exchange has been in effect since Dec. 10, 2007. It started as a place for students to ditch University Bookstore prices and buy/sell their used textbooks, but today offers more of an online forum, answering questions about refunds, giving advice about classes and also advertising rooms for rent. Jenny Scarlet has been part of the book exchange since the beginning of the fall 2018 semester. She appreciates the discussions on the page. “I like being able to ask other students about their experiences because they’re usually very honest and more relatable and I like how everybody helps each other out,” she said. While Scarlet hasn’t bought anything herself, she used the page to help a friend find an apartment. Current admins of the group are previously graduated Georgia State students Rebecca Moss and Samuel Hanks. Hanks became admin first after a curious moment of weakness. “I wish there was a better story than this, it was empty and I just clicked the button,” Hanks said. Hanks thought the page was useful, and with his relative

understanding of technology and Facebook, thought he could take on the new responsibility. As admin, he said he doesn’t do too much besides accept new members and delete spam posts, but luckily the page has never gotten too out of control. “The people we have to remove are generally trying to publicize their own businesses. At worst it’s just things completely unrelated to Georgia State,” he said. “There’s been nothing that requires too much emotional investment.” And while the page has evolved from being strictly book related, Moss welcomes the change as she accepts any posts “student experience related.” “It’s becoming more of a [Georgia State] page than just a book exchange page,” she said. “During times when there’s a lot of confusion and chaos like the beginning of the semester when people are looking for refunds is usually when it gets the busiest.”

FREE FOOD, CAMPUS EVENTS, LASH AND HAIR SERVICES OR PHOTOGRAPHY/ART

Josh Williams created the “Lunchroom” GroupMe sometime between fall 2014 and spring 2015 when he was on the marketing committee for Spotlight as a means for students to become more involved on campus through their favorite free item: food. “I really just started it to promote events because free food was always the best selling point to students,” Williams said. “It was just a free food GroupMe then. Once more and more people got in it, it became the lunchroom.” Today, the lunchroom GroupMe still boasts the locations of free food but now with more advertised events and services. These services range from offering to do someone else’s taxes, buying/selling hair and fixing phone screens along with advertised internship opportunities and job openings. Student Allie Nicole has been part of the group for a few weeks. She loves using it as a way to stay informed as to what is happening on campus. “It’s good to hear about things that I may not have heard of like events or possible internship or job opportunities,” Nicole said. “I like using it because I think it’s an easy way to connect with a large group of other students.” The GroupMe currently has almost

2,900 members with new members added daily.

DOCTOR’S NOTES, DRUGS, FAKE IDS OR PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING ELSE ILLEGAL

The page’s admin’s name has been changed to John Doe to protect his privacy. The page’s name and platform will also remain nameless to protect the group and those in the group. John Doe created the page in 2016 when planning a large get-together to celebrate the holiday of 420 with his friends. They needed a way to coordinate who was bringing what and thus, the page was born. Eventually, more and more people were being added. “At first, it started off as 20 people and then everyone started asking each other, ‘whos the plug’ and I always had the answer,” Doe said. “Eventually, I started adding the other plugs to [the group] and they would add their clients.” Doe had made a name for himself on campus selling marijuana. He liked using the group to connect others buying and selling for when he wasn’t available. Eventually the page blew up to where it hit maximum capacity with 2,000 people. “I was like, look at this monster I’ve created. It took on a life of its own,” he said. Doe sold drugs to pay off his $37,000 of student loans from attending Georgia State. He appreciates the hustle and although he no longer sells, he still enjoys sitting back and watching the page do it’s own thing. “Girl, you gotta hustle in a thousand different directions. Those student loans will eat your a-- out in the worst way,” Doe said. “Whenever I log in to check, it’s because I want something. It used to be only for weed but now you can get anything on it. This girl was selling fake ids, fake money, guns, playstations, tvs on there. Private dances have advertised there too.” Most of the advertising on the page is looking for various drugs and various dealers from all over Atlanta. Dealers post their menus and their pricing. Students advertise the psychedelic mushrooms they grew in their bathroom or the million different types of edibles they made. The Georgia State University Police Department Chief Joseph Spillane told The Signal they aren’t aware of any online drug selling and have never have experienced problems with any of the buy/sell groups in general.

POSTS INCLUDE: • “Gas at One 12???” • “Come get some Nachos for $5” • “Who can serve me rn i’m on exit 15,” • “Pick up by Grant Park,” • “Yo if you were trying to sell me 2 green xans by the mix my phone died,” • “Gas, carts, muscle relaxers 5-10 mg, beans...delivering now hit me,” • “Yo I lost my juul anyone on here got a juul battery they’re trying to sell for the low,” • “Do any of ya’ll live in commons? I’ll come to you,” • “who got a dr note,” • “not edibles but still baked goods lol,” • “15 an hour studio session at one12 PM me,”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

ARTS & LIVING

Recording out of your mom’s basement Avoiding record labels and their prices EUGENE RUBINCHIK Staff Reporter

he advent of YouTube tutorials and music distribution websites like SoundCloud have made putting “stay-athome rapper” on your resume increasingly possible.

THE STAY-AT-HOME RAPPER

Georgia State student and rapper 770Tash makes his own beats in his bedroom. He said there’s a certain feel to DIY studios that professional ones lack. “I prefer homemade studios because the vibes are a lot better and there’s no pressure, especially if you know who is mixing and recording your stuff,” he said. Rappers like Migos and 21 Savage have popularized rapping in bedrooms as a means of utilizing what they had. In an interview with Noisey, Migos are seen recording in a closet of their then country club mansion, attributing the reason to this low budget production method to their low budget roots, explaining that recording alone in your closet brings out emotion that the feel of a professional studio can’t. Whether Migos inspired or not, these bedroom studios now inhabit ex-suburban kid’s personal spaces personifying the idea of the grind and contributing to a rapper’s authenticity. Rapper PA$TOR-T has used both homemade and professional studios, yet he prefers finding his sound in a bedroom. “I’m able to add more to a song in the moment: emotions, better lyrics and different kinds of feelings versus having to relive the moment I wrote the song in a studio,” Rapper PA$TOR-T said. Bedroom studios effectively cut production costs as a laptop, microphone and a friend with a certain know-how completes the low-budget studio trifecta. No group puts a face to the modern bedroom studio quite like Atlanta’s own Danger Incorporated. Previously Georgia Tech and Georgia State students respectively, Danger Incorporated members Louie Dufflebags and Boothlord paved a career born out of their bedrooms even filming a music video at One12. The duo inspired the likes of Corporate Lingo, a local rapper who can be seen on Instagram working a corporate job by day and using his bedroom studio to live a rapper lifestyle by night.

comeup, adopting an eye-catching image complete with a “cry baby” face tattoo. Peep, who also created music in his bedroom, created his own brand and distanced himself even from wellestablished artists at the time. Independent record label AWAL supports the notion of the lone-artist, reporting a 78 percent growth in the indie industry in 2016 and an astonishing 80 percent of stream revenue coming from independent music. “The future will only lead to more empowerment for artists along with more sustainable ways to build their careers,” AWAL founder Willard Ahdritz said on his website. The “anti-label” record label claims that now is the ideal time for artists to control their own path, and the label boasts artists like Rex Orange County and Gus Dapperton. In their own rights, these artists and many others seemed to be born on the

internet moments before reaching their artistic maturity. “With all the tech that’s available now, anyone can make music, but only a few can make their kind of music, it’s a blessing to be honest. There are enough resources out there for anyone to make it, no excuses,” PA$TOR-T said. Regardless of the endless resources available for stay-at-home artists, studio time is still in high demand for others. Especially in a rap metropolis like Atlanta, artists often go out of their way to get whatever studio time they can on their only off days. “I feel like with how much competition there is in the industry there should be more availability with studio time and equipment. Everyone should have a chance to go in and spend time with whatever they need to finish,” Sully said.

ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT

Lingo and Danger Incorporated’s careers would not reach the height that they have attained without the help of easily accessible software and equipment. Otherwise, these artists would be paying out a studio worker’s hourly wage, and many artists choose to do away with this extraneous expense. “Access to equipment has been good to the industry. A lot of people who would never get the chance otherwise are now showing us their art, putting out projects that are unique and changing the mainstream sound,” 770Tash said. Established studios can come off as intimidating, treating the production process as a box to tick off rather than a collaboration. “I hate recording in studios because there’s pressure that builds up when you’re in the booth, especially as an upcoming artist,”770Tash said. “A lot of people think that the studio is a place to hang out and chill, but it’s a place to work. It’s hard to put out what your really want though because of different distractions in the studio.” While some artists appreciate the chill and laid-back vibe of a bedroom studio, others such as Rapper Cambo Sully prefer visiting the studio for help the same way one would go to their school’s career center for help building a resume. “Professional studios offer better sound and more options for how you want your music to sound. I’d say that it also gives off a little more confidence when you’re recording,” Sully said.

BUILDING A PLATFORM

Record labels demand substantial legal action for assisting in distribution, so social media plays a pivotal role in bedroom curated music. Bedroom studios exemplify the broke artist lifestyle, so an effective presence on social media is much more feasible than dishing out money to a label that may not have your preferred image as a priority. Artists like Lil Peep took advantage of this system during his

ILLUSTRATION BY AMBER KIRLEW | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

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things you don’t want to miss

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Mardi Gras with the Crawdaddy’s

Wonderful Women in Film

Jewish Music Festival

Women’s Day Tea Party

I Wanna be a Cowboy Baby

St. Patty Dogs Unite

Dive into the Diverse Circus

March 5

March 6

March 7

March 8

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Can’t go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras? No worries, put on your best Mardi Gras costume and head over to Blind Willie’s Blues Club and party with the Crawdaddy’s.

Start your celebration of Women’s History Month early with Women’s Adventure Film Tour. The tour features a variety of fantastic women who are doing extraordinary things around the world.

Have Jewish Pride or want to learn more about the Jewish community? Visit the Atlanta History Center at 7:30 p.m.. There will be a new music performance everyday up until March 16th.

Keep the celebration of women going by attending The International Women’s Day Tea Party. Come dressed in you best “Tea Party Chic” and be ready to share your passions.

Unleash or tame the beast while seeing the top 35 Professional Bull Riders going head-tohead with the fiercest bulls in the country at the Infinite Energy Arena at 7:45 p.m.

Dogs in silly costumes, what more do we have to say? Get a jump start on the St. Patrick’s Day Holiday by attending the St. Paw-trick’s Day Rescue Dog Olympics at Piedmont Park!

The UniverSoul Circus will be in Duluth until March 14th, so you have until then to see Caribbean dancers, Chinese acrobats and African clowns, at Gwinnett Place Mall.

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crossword

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this week’s theme:

Shrek

Ogres and donkeys and onions, oh my! This week’s crossword is all about Shrek. We hope you enjoy!

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To suggest a topic, email us: signalgamespage@gmail.com

across

6. Fiona sends donkey to the woods to find a blue flower with what color thorns? 8. In “Shrek Forever After,” Rumpelstiltskin has ___ as his minions. 9. “Get out of my ___!” 11. This character is a princess by day and an ogre by night. 13. Fiona’s dad is actually a ___ who was magically turned into a human. 14. Rumpelstiltskin has a giant pet ___ named Fifi. 15. In Shrek the Third, Fiona’s friend ___ is secretly dating Prince Charming. 17. The iconic line “That’ll do Donkey, That’ll do” is actually a

riff of of a line from the movie “___.” 18. What is the name of the iconic Smash Mouth song from the franchise? 20. “I like that ___, it’s a nice ___.” 21. In Far Far Away Idol, ___ ___ was the guest judge. 22. What was the name of the giant gingerbread man in Shrek 2? 23. This character was turned into a stallion when he drank Fairy Godmother’s potion.

DOWN

1. In “Shrek the Third,” Shrek sets off to find ___ because he is the only other heir to the throne.

2. Ogres are like ___. They have layers. 3. He was hired by King Harold to kill Shrek. 4. He was the son of Fairy Godmother. 5. Shrek and Fiona have three kids names Farkle, Fergus and ___. 7. Lord ___ is the short ruler of Duloc. 10. Donkey says that “in the morning, he’s making ___.” 12. What kind of creature is shrek? 15. With the help of his merry men, he tried to steal Fiona away from Shrek in the woods. 16. The tavern where the villians go is called The ___ Apple. 19. This Disney princess makes a cameo in Shrek 2 when she kisses Shrek on the beach during his and Fiona’s honeymoon.

OPINIONS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

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SGA’s Israel trip causes controversy; no problem! The trip to Israel raises constitutional questions, but it’s not an issue ZACHARY VINSON Staff Columnist

he Student Government Association has been embroiled in controversy about a trip to Israel taken by five top officials. The trip sparked outrage among some students and organizations who used SGA’s first meeting of the semester to protest the trip and present a list of demands to the SGA body. On Feb. 13, questions were raised as to whether the trip itself was even constitutional under article 4, section 4.3 of the SGA constitution as The Signal’s Ada Wood and William Solomons reported. Article 4, section 4.3 states that SGA members are required to “not accept gifts exceeding $5.00 in value from individuals or organizations for performing official SGA duties.” There is little question that the trip to Israel offered by GSU Hillel, Georgia State’s Jewish student organization, could be considered a gift. The next logical question is what to do about the violation? I say nothing.

The purpose of the cited section is to ensure that no outside influence can purchase a change in legislation through gifts. The problem is that there is really no way that SGA can legislate any changes with regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict, because of state and federal law that place Georgia and the U.S. respectively in the pro-Israel camp. The wider precedent set by the state effectively makes it impossible for SGA to pass pro-Palestinian legislation in practice. On the other side, there has been no additional pro-Israel legislation or any negative legislation with regard to Palestinian students. Furthermore, there are questions about what such pro-Israel legislation would even look like. Thus, the trip does not even have the possibility of legislative impact. The lack of legislative impact may not even matter because the trip falls under a different part of the same section of the SGA constitution. Section 4.3 also states that representatives “will respect all members of Georgia State University and Atlanta communities regardless of race, color, sex, religion, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender, disability, national origin, or veteran status which is in compliance with Georgia State University’s nondiscrimination policy.” Georgia State has a small but significant Jewish and Israeli

population that certainly disagrees with the protestors, who in some instances characterize Israel as stolen Palestinian land. The Anti-Defamation League reported that “anti-Semitic incidents reported by non-Jewish schools … nearly doubled” from 2016 to 2017. Since it is the duty of SGA members to respect all Georgia State students and represent them in their entirety, the Israel trip could be seen as a way to gain a perspective that would have otherwise been missing. SGA President Franklin Patterson suggested as much in a statement. “Instead of seeing this trip as a means to offend, it was used to gain insight into different mindsets, which would have been normally overlooked,” he said. There is a solid argument that by going on the Israel trip, SGA officials were attempting to uphold the constitution by respecting the varied perspectives on Georgia State’s campuses, just as they respected the protestors who were offering a different point of view. Regardless of your opinion on the conflict, the members of SGA should not be asked to step down for receiving a gift that can have no legislative impact or for attempting to understand both sides of a complex debate.

Gwinnett County gridlocked without MARTA

MARTA wants to expand to Gwinnett County. Will the residents let them? SHARI CELESTINE Staff Columnist

have lived in Gwinnett County since high school, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve heard that MARTA has been kept out of the county because residents wanted to keep shady characters out of the area. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution interviewed a man who said, “That place has a reputation for murder and rape — the wrong people. We don’t need ‘em, we don’t want ‘em.” He’s talking about people from the capital coming into Gwinnett. That’s a very thinly veiled way of saying you don’t want people of color in the area. Well, it’s 2019 now and Gwinnett is paying the price for its narrow-minded thoughts. It’s been 30 years since MARTA has asked the county to partner up and now it seems we’re finally on board, but who will benefit from this change if the county

agrees to hop on board? Last week, Student Government Association President Franklin Patterson spoke with The Signal’s Zach Salling on this issue pertaining to a student’s perspective. Patterson said, “We’ve been getting mixed reviews. If it affects students personally, that’s when they care about [the referendum]. Most [students Patterson has spoken with] are against it. They believe it’s going to bring the wrong type of people to Gwinnett.” So, what’s the “right” kind of people? As a commuter student, it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to travel from home to campus every day. I travel by car anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to the closest MARTA station, Kensington. It’s about a 30-minute ride to the Georgia State Station. If there is an accident or delay on the train anywhere along the way, add another 30 minutes to my commute. And then I’m late for class or work. I would love to have the option of taking the train and transferring to a bus to commute back and forth between school and home. I feel so separated from my peers because I have that commute to worry about to get home. But the stress

of beating traffic would almost melt away if I could just ride MARTA home. As a band-aid, Gwinnett has joined Xpress, a part of Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, and Gwinnett County Transit, the public transit system, for Gwinnett to bus residents from the county to the city. Xpress has 33 routes that all lead to either Downtown Atlanta or Midtown. The GWT has four local and five express routes that also carry residents from outside the perimeter to Downtown. It sounds nice, but there is a very pricy catch. Because these alternatives are outside of MARTA, you can’t use the same plan for these buses interchangeably. If you buy an Xpress package, you can transfer over to a MARTA bus or train after, but it doesn’t work the other way around. Isn’t it interesting that all routes lead to Downtown? There’s all this animosity about “the wrong people,” but residents of Gwinnett desperately need transportation to Downtown. You can’t have it both ways; something’s got to give and after 30 years, it might be time Gwinnett County steps up.

ILLUSTRATION BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

OPINIONS

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

letter from the editor How to be SGA president DANIEL VARITEK Editor-in-Chief

ho should the next Student Government Association president be? For many, that is still to be

decided. You will have five options to choose from — the largest candidate pool in over 10 years. This race brings three former and current SGA representatives, and two candidates with no SGA experience. All are from the Downtown campus. I treat this race with great respect and attention. The SGA president is one of the most important student positions at the school because whoever holds that office has the ear of the administration. And if the president can successfully develop meaningful proposals, they can truly effect positive change on our campus. I certainly have thoughts on what the next president should be like: fearless yet humble; transformative yet contemplative; adventurous yet analytical. But three distinct people bring powerful voices to this article because they’ve done something you and I haven’t: They’ve been SGA president. Thus, I write this article primarily to our five candidates, but also to those who might consider running next year. Here’s how to be SGA president.

BRING EXPERIENCE

The ideal presidential candidate brings expertise and knowledge on how to lead and how to navigate the bureaucracy of higher education. It should be immediately clear to a

candidate that things don’t move quickly here, and it could take an entire academic year just to accomplish one goal. If a candidate brings no experience to the table, the student body should truly consider: Why are they running? “I would have a challenge trying to understand the psychology behind it, especially when you’re going to come in and become president when you haven’t been involved [with SGA] before. What’s really your motivation behind it?” Dexter Warrior, SGA president in ‘84, said in a recent interview.

RUN TO REPRESENT

No presidential candidate should be running for personal gain. I believe in the power of servant leadership, and I hope our next president is committed to putting the interests of students first. But that doesn’t happen by itself, John Knapp, SGA president in ‘79, told me last week. “It requires a proactive, intentional outreach, and then helping people understand that there actually is a mechanism by which students can bring their needs and concerns to the attention of people who have been elected to represent them,” he said. “Hard work, right?” It is hard work, especially considering there were just 27,000 students at Georgia State when Knapp was elected president. There are now over 50,000 students sprawled across metro Atlanta, all coming from diverse backgrounds. Our next president should be running to represent us, no matter who we are or where we come from. “What can we do to keep advancing — holistically — this whole student life

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Daniel Varitek

element?” Warrior added.

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CREATE SUPPORTED POLICIES

Editorial NEWS EDITOR Will Solomons

The natural follow-up to fair representation and experience is putting them both into action. Our SGA president should be eager to do the work to find policy proposals that the student body largely supports. “Recognize that you have the opportunity in that position to effect significant and positive change where needed for the students of the university. And the way to do that most effectively is to develop thoughtful, wellresearched proposals to solve problems,” Knapp said. Franklin Patterson, current SGA president, partially agreed with that sentiment. “In terms of big things, I do agree … For the university to actually [see your proposal as] credible, you need at least over a 10 percent survey average of the student population,” Patterson said. Research is important; you don’t want to present a policy as representative of the student body when students haven’t even weighed in on it. But for Patterson, he puts more focus on building influence. “If you have a relationship with somebody, that’s influence. And if you have a relationship with the upper administration, no matter what you say, no matter what you do … if you have a good relationship, they’re more likely to listen to you than to go against you,” Patterson said. At the end of the day, our students decide who they believe can represent and execute for our campuses, and I value their choice greatly. No matter that choice, The Signal looks forward to working with — and holding to account — our next SGA president.

What does it mean to “Bleed Blue?”

The responsibility as student leaders to represent students

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EDITORIAL e’ve probably all heard that Panthers are supposed to “bleed blue,” but what does that mean? To us, it means that we strive to make the experience for our fellow students the best possible. Because of this, it’s our job as students — and student leaders — to praise accomplishments and to make what’s wrong right. To do so, we must support one another and voice our concerns whenever there are policies implemented or actions taken that we disagree with. An example of students taking action recently is when several students signed a petition to get rid of supplementary material for a physics lab. That’s just a small act that raised awareness for something multiple students were concerned about. However, the university ultimately decided not to accept and changes to the curriculum. Several student leaders, including staff here at The Signal, sit on various boards and committees within the university. We shouldn’t shy away from mentioning something going on in our departments that concern us, because what are they going to do? Fire us? If we witness something that isn’t quite right, it’s imperative that we say something. This goes for all student leaders. From The

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Signal to Panther Report News to SGA. We all need to speak up when something is wrong and we all need to use our collective voices to support other students. It’s time to represent every concern because as students, we are the stakeholders at the university. We are the customers and consumers. The university is a product built and design for us and we must make sure it fits students needs and desires. With the SGA elections on the horizon, we ask that you consider who you vote for – and to actually vote – so that we can all have student leaders that will function as the voice for students and not the voice of the university. That extends to any student organization on campus, from the ones with 10 members to those with over 100. These leaders are the ones that sit beside the university president and administration. They are the ones who get to say what students want and need. By voting, you are determining who will be speaking on your behalf about the future of the university. And you are determining if that person is someone who you think will speak on your behalf at all. You are deciding the person you think will stand up to university administration and stand up for students if

necessary, to build a better Georgia State. That doesn’t mean that we have to always bash the university either. We should acknowledge and share the successes of the university. Recently we were named No. 2 most innovative university in the nation, second to Arizona State University. We also graduated the most African-American students in the nation. These ranking are awesome, but they shouldn’t be representative of how the university is doing as a whole. When prospective students come to tour the campus, tour guides are told to avoid anything negative at all, which is understandable, to try and convince students to come to the university. However, when they’ve applied and begin attending, students should still be privy to all aspects -- both positive and negative. Once students are here, they need to know the truth and The Signal is here to provide that no matter what it is. They also need someone to raise their voice up for them and SGA is meant to serve that role. Every student leader has a purpose: to make Georgia State the best it can be for students.

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SPORTS TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

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The price of winning in college athletics

Player compensation against NCAA rules but standard in programs JERELL RUSHIN Sports Editor

ollege athletics is about winning — often at any cost. Player compensation has owned a stake in college sports for much of its history, despite it being clearly against NCAA regulations. The NCAA, which runs college athletics, was originally an organization created for player safety. In the process, it also helped stave off the banishment of football. But now, the NCAA generates more than one billion dollars per year — and players aren’t allowed to receive any of it.

WHAT’S AN IMPERMISSIBLE BENEFIT?

The NCAA rules against “impermissible benefits” have been, and are, broken by schools time and time again to gain an advantage over other competing schools. It’s also a part of big time college athletics culture. Here are some impermissible benefits that student-athletes and prospects can’t receive from university employees or athletics representatives. Receiving any of the following will jeopardize a studentathlete’s eligibility: cash or loans in any amount; gifts of any kind or free services; special discounts for goods or services; use of an automobile; a promise of financial aid for postgraduate education; and tickets to an athletic, institutional or community event. Athletes receiving impermissible benefits might not be common throughout all Division I athletic programs. It’s much more common within Football Bowl Subdivision programs. And within the FBS, it’s historically the wealthiest programs within the Power Five conferences that break NCAA benefits rules. When a rumor circulates, fans of rival schools — most likely with little insight — will scream guilty. “There’s always allegations,” Dave Ubben, Tennessee football beat writer for The Athletic, said. “Jeremy Stidham is a good example at Auburn — flips commit to Baylor. Then he post a picture in a Baylor hoodie next to a big truck. But there’s no information to back it up. He had a good relationship with [Baylor head coach] Art Briles.”

TRACKING DOWN PAY-FOR-PLAY

It’s often hard to pinpoint that anything against the NCAA’s rules has even happened. This is the process through which a potential violation could actually make the news. Team A — a team with no history of grabbing strong recruits — gets a highly touted recruit to commit. Ubben said that a booster at Team B, who knows that Team A gave the players some benefits, can become upset. “The most common situation is when someone feels done wrong in some way and blows the whistle,” Ubben said. “Usually [it’s] a disgruntled party that is aware of what happened or for whatever reason.” One of those reasons may be because a recruit switched their commitment after receiving benefits from the disgruntled party or their program. That disgruntled party may notify the NCAA or a reporter of the situation off the record. Ubben also mentioned it’s very possible that a booster that was phased out of Team A may give the NCAA a tip about Team A’s improper recruiting methods. Before they make the claims, the NCAA or the reporter would still need to do labor-intensive research and factchecking before it hits the news. “If you’re going to mention a guys names, you better have facts to back it up,” Ubben said.

An Adidas executive was found guilty for two charges — conspiracy to commit wire fraud and actual wire fraud — for his part in findings of the Louisville program. The executive was also found guilty for another count of wire fraud with the Kansas program. Louisville’s former head coach, Rick Pitino, was fired after the report was published. In February 2019, specific players and more schools involved became public when Yahoo! Sports discovered documents and bank records from the FBI investigation. Yahoo! said “at least 20 Division I basketball programs and more than 25 players” were involved in what would be NCAA violations. In football, former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze resigned in 2017 after USA Today reported he made a phone call, from an university phone, to an escort service. Those calls coordinated with his trips to recruit players. Despite the potential consequences of getting caught, the athletic world still firmly believes that programs are still using gifts to court recruits in some way, shape or form. “There is no evidence that anything has changed per se,” Ryan Wright, the national recruiting director for Recruiting News Guru, said. “If a staff is going to cheat, or an alumni base, they will cheat.” Wright went on to say that he thinks the recruiting style culture is set by the head coach’s character and trickled down through the rest of the program. But boosters who provide money to these univeristies have power in decisions on coaching hires and firings. “With the massive salaries given to college coaches to win, especially among Power 5 teams, extra pressure is put upon them to win and win immediately,” Wright said. “Some coaching staffs may feel the need to lure a player with illegal benefits succumbing to external pressure. Some form of cheating has seemingly been in the game for 40 to 50 years if not longer. The actions of Rick Pitino and/or Hugh Freeze will not change that.” The NCAA violations possibly take place in sports other than the biggest money generators for the NCAA — men’s basketball and football. Los Angeles Angels pitcher and former Georgia State Panther Nathan Bates said he heard of rumors that players at Power Five schools received impermissible benefits in the process of committing to a college program. “I didn’t know of any benefits going on at GSU or any mid major schools and I only heard the same rumors as other people about things like big SEC schools giving benefits to football players and things like that,” Bates said. Even though he’s only heard of this occurring in football, he’s “sure it happens in the big D1 baseball schools for big prospects too.”

REAL ALLEGATIONS AND VIOLATIONS

Playing college basketball, and by default dealing with the NCAA, could become less popular for the top

REAL ALLEGATIONS AND VIOLATIONS

A 2017 FBI investigation made national headlines because of alleged bribery, wire fraud and corruption in college basketball. ILLUSTRATION BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

prospects beginning in 2019. The NBA is now allowing elite prospects to skip college and go to the G League for $125,000 contracts as long as they’re 18 years old. The G League is the NBA’s developmental league. For elite prospects, immediately joining the G League is a way to maneuver around playing college basketball and make money over the table. The NBA requires players to spend at least one year removed from high school, so players usually spend one year playing basketball in college or overseas professionally to become eligible for the NBA. A players who does that is commonly referred to as a “one-and-done.” Even bigger news for high school basketball players who want to go straight to the NBA is this: In late February, USA Today reported that the NBA proposed lowering the age of NBA Draft-eligible players from 19 to 18 in time for the 2022 NBA Draft. NBA players have been successful in the NBA before the league required players to be 19 years old and a year removed from high school. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady and J.R. Smith are just a few. Still, not every prospect will be more enticed to go to the G League or enter NBA Draft in 2022 because of the money. But if the college head coaches, conferences and the NCAA allowed players to make money off their name and likeness, then it’s a possibility that players won’t accept impermissible benefits as frequently as they do today. It could help college be more attractive than jumping to the pros out of high school. “The natural next stop is the Olympic model, the right to monetize your name, likeness,” Ubben said. “If a car dealership wants to give a recruit $100,000 to a player to sign autographs, schools don’t have to pay. No Title IX issues. It just hasn’t happened because the people in power have no incentive to change. They’re not losing money. I don’t understand. There is no good reason why the Olympic model isn’t in place.” The NCAA said that the culture of giving players underthe-table benefits is a problem if those allegations are indeed true. Many people, including the players making money for the NCAA, say that the NCAA limiting players from making money for themselves is the real problem.

SPORTS

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Panthers eyeing season sweeps of the Eagles

Men and women play Southern with tournament seeding on the line DANIEL RICHARDSON Staff Reporter

he Georgia State men’s basketball team will be taking on the Georgia Southern Eagles (20-10) on Saturday in Statesboro. Since Ron Hunter took over as head coach of the Panthers (21-9) in the 2011-12 season, the team hasn’t won a game against the Eagles on the road home floor.

BYE INO THE SEMIFINALS ON THE LINE

A win for Georgia State would make it the first time in five seasons that either team would sweep the rivalry series. Georgia State has played 23 contests in Statesboro in the last 25 seasons, with the last win coming during the 1996-97 season. The Panthers are entering Saturday’s game with that in mind, coupled with the fact that Georgia Southern has lost 11 straight contests in Atlanta dating back to the 1993 season. “We know that this group hasn’t won down in Statesboro and that is what we want to focus on,”senior guard Jeff Thomas said. “We have had some really good battles with Georgia Southern over the years. We haven’t won down there and they haven’t won up here. There will probably be a lot on the line next week, but this group will be ready.” For both the Panthers and the Eagles, the outcome of the game is bigger than the ongoing rivalry for the two teams. Both teams are tied at second place in the Sun Belt Conference standings at 12-5. A guaranteed bye into the Sun Belt tournament semifinals in on the line. “I think it is very important for us to get a bye, but more importantly, we need to be playing our best basketball as the calendar turns to March,” Thomas said. “We showed we can win three games in three days last year, but to have to win just two in two days would make things a little easier. At this point in the year, physical and mental rest are two of the most important things for us and with the way the schedule could work out, that could give us an advantage going to New Orleans.” After winning the past two home games of the season last week, the Panthers are poised to get a season-defining win against the Eagles. With the stakes as high as they are, Georgia Southern will be prepared to give Georgia State its best shot, hoping that it will be enough to avoid a similar fate seen in their Feb. 2 contest that Georgia State won. “We’re in the tournament right now because you’re playing for seeding,” head coach Ron Hunter said after the team’s Thursday night win against Arkansas State. “You have the two or three teams at the top trying to win it. And so you getting everybody’s best shot every night trying to [win] because this is the turning point.” The home game against the Eagles in February served as a statement win for the Panthers. Winning in a close affair, Georgia State asserted its dominance down the stretch of the game in the second half. In that game, the Panthers’ defense showed great ability to slow down the Eagles’ offense that has been one of the most efficient in the conference. The Eagles are entering the upcoming showdown on a fivegame winning streak and are averaging 80.6 points per game in that span. Tookie Brown, Georgia Southern’s leading scorer who averages 17.9 points per game this season, was held to only 11 points on nine shots against Georgia State in February The magnitude of Saturday’s game will likely allow for a more typical performance from the senior guard. For the Panthers to continue to have success on the defensive

end, the team will need to stick with their principles and keep the Eagles from scoring inside – which Georgia Southern was able to do easily in the second half of their first meeting. Georgia State’s hunt to cause March madness begins with a game against an in-state rival with just as much to gain and lose. The Panthers are aware that all of their goals – including winning a regular season and conference title as well as a berth back to the NCAA Tournament – are still on the table if they can continue to play winning basketball. “The biggest thing for us is to continue to play relaxed and have fun,” Thomas said. “When we are having fun on the court, we always play better. [Coach’s] biggest message to us is to just take it one game at a time. If we do what we are capable of, we will accomplish our goals at the end of the season.”

WOMEN’S TEAM TO FACE GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT HOME

The Georgia State women’s basketball team will be facing the Georgia Southern Eagles (7-21) at the GSU Sports Arena on Saturday in an affair that can also determine Sun Belt tournament matchups. The Panthers (16-12), who sit fourth in the conference, hope to keep pace with the rest of the conference to ensure that they will have the best possible matchup. But the players on the team have said they are focused on playing winning basketball and not seeding are but rather the bigger picture: the Sun Belt Tournament. “We’ve turned things around this season as a program, but none of us are satisfied with just winning games and being top [four],” senior guard Jada Lewis said. “Our focus and goal is to win the tournament and it started from game [one]; not just in this last game against [Southern].” Georgia State was able to take advantage of Georgia Southern offensively on their home floor in their previous meeting. Coming into the game on a five-game winning streak, the Panthers exuded confidence in a game that was never close. In the last meeting, forward Allison Johnson set a career-high in points with 21 scored – just one game after her 19 points against UT Arlington set her previous high. The

team’s 3-point mark, 12-of-21, tied a school record for made 3-pointers made in a game. Georgia State shot 60 percent from the field, which stands as the fifth best shooting performance in school history – a mark not met since the 1987 season. Despite several statistical markers achieved in their February matchup against the Eagles, the Panthers aren’t overly confident and understand that they can’t overlook their opponent. The Georgia State women will also have the same opportunity to sweep Georgia Southern’s basketball team. The Eagles have underwhelmed this season, as the team owns the conference’s worst conference record, 2-13, and the most losses for a Sun Belt conference at 19. “[Georgia Southern] is a good team. It may not show in their record, but this is still a team who comes out and plays their hardest for 40 minutes,” Lewis said. “The first matchup doesn’t matter. Our mindset coming into the game is the same as any opponent; play hard for 40 minutes and win the game. I know if we do those things, our seniors will have a special last game in the GSU Sports Arena.” More than seeding or preparing for the tournament, the seniors on the Panthers’ squad will be celebrated for Senior Night. The team and head coach Gene Hill want to play well as a proper send-off for their departing players. “Coach lets us know the importance of every game,” senior Janessa Murphy said. “Especially the seniors, we don’t want to go out with any regrets. He’s telling us to leave everything we have out on the court. He also wants us to play with confidence. We’ve shown people our ability to bounce back and we will continue to fight in March.”

ILLUSTRATION BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

SPORTS

Allison Johnson plays basketball for her parents Johnson dedicates every game to her mother, a breast cancer survivor CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter

rowing up in Spain, senior Allison Johnson knew that she wanted to be just like her father, Ed Johnson – a professional basketball player for over 12 seasons. Now in her senior season at Georgia State, Allison is playing one of the best stretches of her career. It happened when it matters most – while the Panthers fight for one of the top sports in the Sun Belt Conference tournament. With only two more guaranteed games in her collegiate career, she plans to leave it all on the floor.

PLAYING FOR HER PARENTS

In 2018, Johnson’s mom, Isabel Arguelles, was diagnosed with breast cancer. That, combined with the passing of her father Ed in 2016, put strain on her family. Allison missed some practices and team events at the beginning of this season to be with her mother who she is close with. Every season, each Panther women’s basketball team picks a game to dedicate to breast awareness called “Play4Kay” named after legendary women’s basketball coach Kay Yow. Georgia State participated in three of those games this year – matchups against Troy, South Alabama and Appalachian State. For Johnson, every game she’s in is played in honor of breast cancer awareness because of her mother. After the Feb. 9 game against Troy where she recorded 19 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, she took to Twitter and said, “That win means so much to me!! My Mom, herself is a breast cancer survivor, and I promised her we’d get this one for her!! Love my team.” In the next two Play4Kay games she scored 13 and 20 points respectively. And with her mom in attendance against Coastal Carolina, she fell one rebound short of a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds. “I talk to her before every game and tell her that these games will be dedicated to her,” Johnson said. “But I don’t think I’ve been playing harder, I always play hard.” Despite the recent uptick, Johnson had a season-high of 21 against Georgia Southern.It has really been a joy for her mother to watch. “For me, this is my dream,” Arguelles said. “I’m so proud; I wish that my husband was here because he dreamed [this] all of his life [too], to see Allison doing such a great job. She’s a hard worker, which is the most important thing to me. It’s not about being a star or not; she’s doing a great job helping the team, and I love to see her playing that way.” After playing collegiately at Tennessee State, Ed Johnson was selected in both the 1968 ABA and NBA drafts. During his time in the ABA, Johnson averaged around 15 points per game per 36 minutes according to Basketball-Reference. Although children of professional athletes often feel pressure to live up to their parents’ standard or even exceed it, Johnson doesn’t feel any pressure to live up to her father’s standards and never has. “No, not really,” Allison said. “They’ve always told me to do what you want, make sure that you go hard and enjoy it. So that’s what I’ve done, I don’t feel like I have to be like him. Of course, I would love to be better than him, but he was a great player, so I just do what he taught me.”

MOVING TO ATLANTA

Johnson and her family moved to Norcross, Georgia when she was 12, and she would end up attending Norcross High School. She decided to play college ball at Kennesaw State, where she would play for two seasons. She was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman Team. After her sophomore season, she decided to head south down Interstate 75 and transfer to Georgia State. Johnson had to sit out her junior year, but her success this year has made the wait worth it. “It was really tough, to sit out, and I thought to myself a lot, ‘Was it worth it? But it was definitely worth it,” Johnson said. “ I had time to work on my game, and improve my three-point shot; I didn’t have one at Kennesaw. So I definitely think it was a good decision if you’re not happy.” Despite the success of this season, she still believes that starting her career at Kennesaw State was the best move. “I think that God had it planned this way for me, so I believe

Allison Johnson (left) pictured with her mother Isabel Arguelles (center) and her sister Addie Johnson (right) in the GSU Sports Arena.

that’s how it was supposed to be,” Johnson said. Assistant coach Tiffany Morton works with her every day and has seen a significant improvement in her basketball IQ. “This year she’s done a great job in making the transition from going 100 mph, to now slowing down, facing up, reading the defense and then looking at what they’re giving her,” Morton said. “And it has helped her be more successful with being able to score and helping us that way.” More importantly for the Panthers, her improved play gives them consistency on the offensive side of the ball. The coaching staff knows what it will get from her on a nightly basis.

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL

Even if her scoring isn’t there, Morton can count on Johnson to bring heart and effort every minute that she’s on the floor. “I think one thing that truly separates Allison from people that we play against as far as her opponents and defenders is her heart, her compassion for the game and just how much she wants to win and just the ability to sacrifice and give everything’s she’s got in those possessions,” Morton said. With her collegiate career almost over, Johnson will continue to play for both her parents and her teammates in search of a Sun Belt championship.

SPORTS

GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

Beach volleyball splits at Stetson Spring Fling GSU’s beach volleyball team starts the season off 2-2 GREG HOLLIS Staff Reporter

he Georgia State beach volleyball team is off to its worst start since its inaugural season in 2013 – the Panthers are 4-4. The Panthers opened their season 2-2 in Stetson Spring Fling in Deland, Florida at Stetson. They dominated their two wins. However, they lost 5-0 in games to the No. 10 in the country, Florida International, and the hosting school. On both days of the tournament, the Panthers split. More of the same happened in the team’s second tournament of the season, the Horned Frog Challenge. With two losses and two wins in that challenge as well, Georgia State is .500 on the season. When they began 4-4 in 2013, the Panthers finished 8-9. No other Georgia State beach volleyball team has finished worst than a .667 win percentage for a season. With 23 regular season matches remaining, the Panthers have plenty of time to improve. But the team has just three seniors and one graduate. A final record tethering around .500 final would be a stark contrast from the young program’s traditional success. “Our freshmen and sophomores come in with more experience than younger players in the past because the sport is growing at the lower levels,” senior player Ashley McGinn said. “They have a lot of experience when it comes to the sport itself, now they just have gain experience in those high pressure situations where the team is counting on them. Our coaches and older players do a great job with that in practice, the younger players are killing it in practice situations and will do the same in game situations.” That’s how the Panthers ended up 4-4.

STETSON CHALLENGE

The first game on day one against Stetson didn’t go the Panthers’ way. They got off to a bad start and dropped all their sets on all five courts. In the second game on day one, the Panthers played much better showing shades of last season’s Panthers who finished in the Top 15 in the country. Georgia State won in straight sets against Eckerd College even after running into trouble on court one and three, where they had to win a playoff sets on both courts. During the next day of action, the Panthers started the day winning in straight sets with no playoffs against St. Leo. Kate Novack and Kaylee McClure started off by winning the first set 21-11, 21-17 on court one. Brooke Weiner and Kelly Dorn would follow up with a straight set win on court two. Olivia Stasevich and Maddy Delmonte would finish off the

Georgia State’s beach volleyball team is off to a rough start this season, struggling in a number of tournaments.

sweep against the Lions with a 21-13, 21-19 set win. Georgia State fell in straight sets in last match against No. 10 Florida International. In the first set, Maddie Gordon and Becky Tresham forced a playoff. After that Georgia State didn’t have much luck losing the remainder of their sets with no playoff. Preseason Coastal Collegiate Conference Association Allconference player, Brooke Weiner finished the weekend finished 2-2 in pairs. “I think for it being the first weekend we did pretty well,” McGinn said. “We definitely have a lot of room to grow, but we learned a lot about our team this weekend.”

HORNED FROG CHALLENGED

The Panthers split again this week in Fort Worth, Texas. They

PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL

started their weekend against the host of the tournament, TCU. They came just short of victory, losing the matchup 2-3. They would go on to win their next matchup 4-1 against Missouri State to close out the first day. Georgia State went on a two-game win streak the next day when they barely beat in a tough battle 3-2. Anna Rantala earned her first career win. She played with Mattie Johnson, and the duo won both their sets on the fifth court 21-17, 21-7. Brooke Weiner and Kate Novack would brought the victory home by winning their two sets on court three. The Panthers faced off against Grand Canyon in their last matchup on day two. They lost the matchup 3-2. Georgia State will make a trip to play in March-to-May Tournament hosted by UAB next weekend.

From GSU student-athlete to House representative Former women’s basketball player serves District 56 in Georgia JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

hen “Able” Mable Thomas began her journey at Georgia State University, she was not at the university that students would recognize today. In the 80s, Georgia State was just starting to expand its campus in the downtown area and, overall, was still trying to find its identity. Thomas played on the women’s basketball team in the mid-80s and began to develop her leadership skills needed to eventually run for office. She served as a senator on the executive board of the Student Government Association. Now, she’s a House Representative of District 56 in Georgia. Thomas’ mission as representative is to insure that the voices of her district were always heard. Even while representing District 56, she still strives to help other citizens in need. “It has never mattered to whether you were in my district or not, because I’m always able and ready for help,” Thomas said. Growing up in Atlanta, Thomas was dedicated to her faith,

family and achieving equality with others. When Thomas received her B.S. in public administration from Georgia State, she became a presidential delegate for the Democratic National Convention in 1984. She was a delegate for Jesse Jackson, who was the first major party black candidate to run a nationwide campaign. Thomas frequently uses the mantra “peace and love,” as she sees those are the ways to truly make change. By using those values, she tries to go above and beyond to serve the people she represents. Even though Jackson didn’t achieve the nomination, Thomas still felt accomplished and she found her drive to eventually run for office in 1997 for a seat in the Atlanta City Council. In 2008, Thomas ran for the House of Representatives, challenging longtime Georgia representative John Lewis. She lost, but even in defeat, she was still was determined to serve Georgia. Thomas would face the incumbent candidate in Grace Towns Hamilton, who has a decorated history as she was the first black woman to be elected into the Georgia General Assembly. Hamilton also helped implement the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the state. Thomas would defeat Hamilton in 1984, but would eventually

return to the Georgia House in 2000. This victory for Thomas was significant as it’s difficult to unseat an incumbent candidate in politics. Thomas, in her tenure as a representative, has been through controversial times in the Georgia House. In 2015, the Georgia religious freedom bill, or “SB 129,” was introduced to the Georgia Senate. The bill was controversial because many were divided whether one’s religious beliefs take precedence over those especially in the LGBT community. “I fight the good fight and know that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us,” Thomas said. Thomas believed that if the bill was passed, it would be an infringement on the rights of fellow Georgia citizens, especially those of the lesbian and gay community. Thomas set up a phone line to those who opposed the bill, and many called and voiced their opposition to what many saw a potentially discriminatory law. Throughout her now three-decade political career, Thomas has shown that for serving her community doesn’t just stop at the 56th district. She’s now looking into more community outreach programs, specifically those aimed at the youth of her district.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2019

SPORTS BRIEFS softball • • •

• •

Went 1-5 in the I-75 Challenge at the Robert E. Heck Softball Complex The Panthers lost their opening two games to Western Carolina After losing to Fordham early on Saturday, the Panthers defeated Fordham 5-4 later in the day on a Caitlin Ray walk-off single It was their first home win of the season The Panthers lost to Hofstra on Sunday and are 2-17 overall

baseball

SPORTS CALENDAR

• • • • •

• •

Went 0-4 on the week The Panthers lost a road game 3-7 at Georgia Tech last Tuesday Lost 10-0 to Georgia Tech the next day at the GSU Baseball Complex Samford visited for a weekend series The Panthers lost 13-2 in the series opener Hunter Gaddis picked up his first loss of the season in the game Samford won 8-6 in game one on Saturday after taking the lead for good in the seventh inning The Bulldogs won game two 2-1 Plays Mercer on Tuesday and East Tennessee State this weekend at home

men’s tennis • •

•

• •

Began the week with a 4-3 loss to No. 45 Florida Atlantic Quentin Coulaud won the singles match at the No. 4 position to tie the score 3-3, but State lost the deciding match No. 49 Georgia State defeated North Florida 4-3 and Kennesaw State 4-0 on Saturday at home Charlotte broke the Panthers’ two-game winning streak on Saturday when they won 4-3 They stand at 6-6 on the season Georgia State faces East Tennessee State and Southern Mississippi this Saturday in Tennessee

TENNIS

BASEBALL

MERCER

Macon, Georgia

GSU Baseball Complex

6 P.M.

EAST TENNESSEE STATE

women’s tennis

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

4 P.M.

10 A.M.

GSU Clarkston Campus

GSU Baseball Complex

2 P.M.

MARCH 10 HOUSTON BAPTIST

men’s basketball

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

5 P.M.

10:30 P.M.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

MARCH 10

MARCH 9 1 P.M.

MARCH 9 SOUTHERN MISS

MARCH 9

MARCH 10

9 A.M.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

BASKETBALL 2 P.M.

TULANE

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Statesboro, Georgia

EASTERN TENNESSEE

TBA

Johnson City, Tennessee

MARCH 9

MARCH 9 EASTERN TENNESSEE

MARCH 9

men’s tennis

MARCH 8 EASTERN TENNESSEE

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

MARCH 9

MARCH 5

GSU Baseball Complex

• •

women’s basketball GEORGIA SOUTHERN

2 P.M.

GSU Sports Arena

AUSTIN PEAY

12 P.M.

Gulf Shores, Alabama

SUN BELT CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS school

conf

overall

streak

TEXAS STATE

12-5

23-7

GEORGIA STATE

12-5

21-9

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

12-5

20-10

UTA

11-6

15-15

LOUISIANA

8-7

17-11

ULM

8-8

15-13

COASTAL CAROLINA

8-8

14-14

SOUTH ALABAMA

7-9

14-15

ARKANSAS STATE

6-10

12-17

LITTLE ROCK

5-11

10-19

APPALACHIAN STATE

4-11

9-19

TROY

4-12

11-17

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