The Signal: Vol. 89 | No. 01

VOL. 89 | NO. 01

WELCOME BACK! THE SIGNAL IN A MINUTE IS HERE TO STAY!

THE YEAR OF THE PANTHER: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BACK TO SCHOOL PG. 06

GREAT HOMES, GREAT FOOD, AND SPORTS: WELCOME TO SUMMERHILL PG. 12

EST.1933

Independent, Impactful & Impartial

COVER BY OLIVIA MADRZYK | THE SIGNAL

@gsusignal

georgiastatesignal.com

BLOTTER AUG. 13

EDITORIAL NEWS EDITOR Vacant signalnewseditor@gmail.com ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Vacant OPINIONS EDITOR Callie McNorton signalopinions@gmail.com ASSOCIATE OPINIONS EDITOR Vacant ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Deena Kayyali signalliving@gmail.com ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Desmond Leake SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Freedman signalsport1@gmail.com ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Erik Indrisano COPY EDITOR Emma Barrett signalcopyeditor@gmail.com PRODUCTION PRODUCTION EDITOR Evan Koenigs signalprod@gmail.com ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION EDITOR Olivia Madrzyk PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO EDITOR Harry Wyman signalphoto2@gmail.com ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Vacant DIGITAL DIGITAL EDITOR Caitlin Whisby signalmanaging@gmail.com ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR Vacant VIDEO EDITOR Tyrik Wynn signalvideoeditor@gmail.com ASSOCIATE VIDEO EDITOR Vacant PODCAST EDITOR Timo Clark THE SIGNAL BUREAUS ALPHARETTA BUREAU CHIEF Vacant CLARKSTON BUREAU CHIEF Vacant DECATUR BUREAU CHIEF Vacant DUNWOODY BUREAU CHIEF Vacant NEWTON BUREAU CHIEF Vacant ADVERTISING STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu BUSINESS COORDINATOR Wakesha Henley whenley@gsu.edu PERIMETER STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Zoana Price zprice@gsu.edu ADVERTISING The deadline for all advertising is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the desired issue of publication. Ads must be printready and in PDF format; files must be delivered via e-mail at signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com.

Please visit our website at www.georgiastatesignal. com/advertise for more information, including rates and payment methods.

MISSION STATEMENT The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, The Signal shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional newspaper environment.

The Signal shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State community.

COVERAGE REQUESTS Requests for coverage and tips should be subwmitted to the Editor in Chief and/or the relevant section editor.

SUBMIT LETTER TO EDITOR Letters must be submitted to the Editor in Chief via e-mail and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. Letters should be 400-500 words maximum.

The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances. Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication.

The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication.

Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to The Signal’s policy. The Signal reserves the right to modify and/ or reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff.

DISCLAIMER Opinions and Letters to the Editor expressed in The Signal are the opinions of the writers and readers. It does not reflect the opinions of The Signal.

OFFICE INFORMATION The Signal Student Center West, Suite 250 P.O. Box 3968 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-413-1620 Fax: 404-413-162

At 12:42 p.m, a Georgia State student was a victim of larceny. The case is still active.

AUG. 14

Oh you evil twin, that means we evil then

AUG. 16

AUG. 15

Oh! When did that building get there?

At 2:00 p.m the Sculpture Building was criminally damaged. The case remains active.

Uh, sir, this building is closed.

A non-Georgia State person was found trespassing on the Decatur Campus at 5:50 p.m.

Two seperate robberies took place at 25 Peachtree Street, one at 3:12 p.m. and one at 7:12 p.m., both nonGeorgia State offenders have been arrested.

NEWS BRIEFS

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matthew Siciliano-Salazar signaleditor@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Kenneth Lockett III signalmanagingeditor@gmail.com MARKETING MANAGER Ruth Mang signalmarketingmanager@gmail.com

Hey! Did you take my Juul?

LOCAL

NATIONAL

GLOBAL

Atlanta reaches grim milestone of over 100 murders in 2021

FDA green lights the Pfizer COVID vaccine.

President Biden says evacuation from Kabul is accelerating

After a record breaking number of homicide investigations in 2020, this year aims to surpass that. After reporting a 60% increase in homicide cases in June, Atlanta Police Department reports the trend has since slowed. The sudden increase comes in direct correlation with the city’s historic crime wave that prompted the City of Buckhead to look at leaving the City of Atlanta’s sphere.

On August 23, the FDA gave the Pfizer vaccine a greenlight for full authorization. This comes as the delta variant takes the nation by storm reeking havoc among the unvaccinated population.

President Joe Biden said this weekend that the U.S.-led evacuation of high priority individuals accelerated over the weekend, although it remains vulnerable to threats posed by the Islamic State. This also comes as the Pentagon requests planes from U.S. airlines to assist in the effort. Conservatives and humanitarian groups criticize the president over his handling of the crisis.

NEWS

August 24, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

With food insecurity being one of the leading issues that plague many college students, that fun perception of the college years is often revealed to have a depressing reality.

PHOTO BY STONE RAY | THE SIGNAL

Combating food insecurity one student pantry at a time Panther Pantry aims to combat student food insecurity ISIAH ANDERSON News Editor

M

any nostalgically regard college as one of the most incredible times of a person’s life. It’s the chance to have fun before officially entering the adult world. However, with food insecurity being one of the leading issues that plague many college students, that fun perception is often revealed to have a depressing reality.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” The lack of consistent access to food has become an ever-growing issue for college students in recent years.

In 2017, the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AACU) reported that rates of food insecurity were higher at two-year institutions than their four-year counterparts.

28% of students have very low food insecurity at twoyear or community institutions, compared to the 24% of four-year institutions. Furthermore, they reported that only 20% of college students that are food insecure received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stamps.

Given the smaller percentage of food insecure college students at four-year institutions, it’s evident that there’s a distinction between “traditional” and “untraditional” college students regarding food insecurity.

In a 2018 Government Accountability Office report, less than one-third of college students are “traditional” students that enroll in college directly after high school and are financially dependent on their parents.

On the other hand, 71% of college students are “untraditional,” meaning they are financially independent, enrolled part-time, work full-time jobs, are caretakers for dependents or did not receive a traditional high school diploma.

The report also found that federal student aid does not generally cover all college costs for low-income students, adding that college students may not have access to federal food assistance incentives like SNAP.

Additionally, many college students come from lowincome households where lack of food and nutrition are commonplace and barriers to schoolwork. These students worry about having enough time and money to eat balanced meals.

Students have to worry about purchasing textbooks, spending multiple hours in class, in the library, studying for exams or writing essays, which can leave some students with very little money or time to use for food.

The main eating options for students are the dining hall or the infamous Grab-n-Go stores, where students can get their favorite snacks or drinks. However, these options are still expensive for a more financially compromised student.

Alleviating food insecurities for college students is a problem that has no easy solution. Fortunately, there is a haven where Georgia State students can combat food insecurity, the Panther’s Pantry.

The Panther’s Pantry, founded in 2014, is an on-campus organization where students can donate food and other necessities to give back to their fellow students. According to Leslie Knapp, Assistant Director of Student Nutrition Services, the Panther’s Pantry’s mission is to “distribute food and basic necessities to the Georgia State community in an effort to alleviate the stress associated with shortterm food insecurity and other financial constraints.”

Georgia State founded the program after a survey conducted by Coordinated Program (CP) students in the Student Nutrition Services found out that 68% of Georgia State students were food insecure at one point during their enrollment.

“Additionally, evidenced-based studies have shown food insecurity among college students has been linked to lower graduation rates and undermines their ability to succeed academically and otherwise,” Knapp said. Due to this, Knapp has also clarified that students do not need to be experiencing extreme food insecurity to utilize Panther’s Pantry.

“While it depends on inventory, we do aim to provide a variety of food groups for [all] students,” Knapp said. “In

general, they receive proteins, canned vegetables, [canned] fruits, grains, as well as beverages and snacks like protein bars and applesauce, just to name a few.”

This accessibility contributes to the Panther’s Pantry’s goal of encouraging a greater understanding of food insecurity in college students and finding ways to combat it.

“Taking the time to talk with students to understand their food and nutrition situation,” according to Knapp, “is the best way to support and assist them through their college experience.”

Knapp has also said that having campus food pantries, a case management team to connect students to resources, nutrition education and mental health services are all first steps to combating food insecurity at the base level. Wellnourished students usually have higher GPAs, perform better academically and experience fewer mood disorders than those not as well-nourished.

Any enrolled students can visit the pantry with their Panther ID once per week to receive one food bag and one hygiene bag. No financial information is required.

The Panther’s Pantry’s various social media sites also provide links to community resources, information on food insecurity and other helpful resources. Additionally, these pages offer students nutrition education, food demonstrations, and nutrition counseling to prepare different “tasteful” foods on a budget.

This semester, the Pantry will be hosting virtual and in-person outreach events to highlight new initiatives for the year. These include the Produce to Pantry initiative and their new food recovery program, which will allow the Pantry to distribute microwaveable meals as part of our pantry offerings.

For students interested in attending, the sign-up is accessible on their Instagram page (@pantherspantry).

For more information on volunteering or donating items, students can visit pantry.gsu.edu.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

Welcome to Georgia State

PHOTOS BY STONE RAY AND HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

NEWS

4

5

THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

Growth at Study Abroad Georgia State continues its study abroad programs COBY DAWKINS Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State’s Study Abroad Programs will be hosting a wide array of inperson and virtual events this semester for students interested in studying abroad. The department offers various locations to travel to and has numerous resources available for students interested in the program in the postpandemic world.

According to Laura Boudon, the Director of Study Abroad Programs, 13 new study abroad programs are joining the current list this year. All of which will go to exciting new destinations, such as Belize, Peru, Thailand and Spain.

“Students will [now] have the option to choose from over 50 programs this school year,” Boudon said.

As stated on the Panther Involvement Networks’ website, the department’s mission is to “enable [our] diverse students to participate in safe, inclusive, high-quality, international academic for-credit experiences that contribute to their success as students and their global citizenship,” Georgia State’s study abroad programs occur at numerous points in the year, including during spring break, summer semesters, the entire fall or spring semester and other points throughout the academic year. This variety allows students to choose the program that meets their personal and educational goals.

There are also opportunities available for students who do not have a passport or the ability to pay. The Study Abroad Programs’ website has numerous resources for students to fund and support their study abroad experience, even on a budget.

The department hosts multiple sessions for students to gain insight on potential scholarships, fund-raising opportunities and advice on travel.

Additionally, students can go to the department’s website to schedule a one-on-one meeting with

an advisor to discuss what program aligns with their goals. These advisors also detail what scholarships are available for study abroad programs and how to transfer credits back to Georgia State, in addition to other essential information.

This year, the department will be continuing its “Free Passport” initiative, which helps students get their first passports. The student must be a U.S. citizen, currently enrolled and complete the Study Abroad 101 quiz to be eligible for the program.

“The initiative has helped over 700 Georgia State students receive their first passport,” Boudon said.

This November, there will be a study abroad fair for students to obtain more insight and clear any studyabroad myths. The fair will take place on November 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center East Ballroom.

To be eligible for study abroad, undergraduate students need a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, and graduate students need a 3.0. Students who wish to enroll in a study abroad program have two application deadlines.

Students who choose to do a faculty-led program abroad during the spring 2022 semester need to apply by October 15, 2021.

Students who want to travel during the summer 2022 semester need to apply by February 1, 2022.

When considering studying abroad, Mrs. Boudon recommends students plan early, research scholarships options, meet with an advisor, attend the study abroad fair and check out the COVID-19 requirements for their chosen destination. Taking these measures as soon as possible will ensure the best study abroad experience.

For more information on the numerous events planned or requirements for the Study Abroad Programs, check out their website at mystudyabroad. gsu.edu.

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

Welcome back Georgia State students

A short message from the Editor-In-Chief MATTHEW SICILIANO-SALAZAR Editor-In-Chief

A

s you probably realize, we have slowly gotten back into the swing of things. Students are back on campus, faculty and staff have begun maintaining regular normal operation hours, and much of Georgia State University is ready for another semester. Welcome back to another year at Georgia State University. Many of the students attending classes in person have not been on campus for quite some time. There is a new greenway, Library north has been redesigned, and many of the student organizations are ready to thrive for another academic year.

There are five months to the Fall semester, and I already know you’re going to do so well. As you begin your semester, I ask that you take things slow. Be sure to stay on top of your academics and try not to overwhelm yourself with what is

ahead of you.

For those who may be concerned or anxious about what these next few months look like, I promise you got this in the bag. If you’ve thought about joining an organization on campus, now is the time. If you’ve thought about changing your major because you’re not interested in the classes you’re enrolled in, now is the time. If you’ve thought about saying hi to new faces, now is the time. Now, it is your time to experience new concepts and new ideas. Beginning classes on August 23rd is your first step, and maintaining that degree is your last. No matter what, there will always be someone there to help you along the way. With time, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

This year is new to all of us.

For some of you, this may be your first time picking up The Signal.

These next few months you will start seeing our paper products located throughout campus. Pick up a copy! The Signal is reporting on behalf of the student body, so you can locate articles in our paper that may end up interesting or benefit you in many ways. One main reason that The Signal may interest or benefit you, is by joining our team! The Signal is always interested in hiring new faces.

If you believe you’re a dedicated journalist, please don’t hesitate to apply online, or you can locate The Signal’s office at Student Center West Suite 250.

As I finish my last semester, I’d like to thank the students, faculty, and staff at Georgia State University. These last 4 years have been an amazing experience, and I’m so happy that I’ve been able to attend my last semester in Atlanta.

OPINIONS

August 24, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

The Year of the Panther: Mask Up A back to school guide to Fall 2021 Georgia State University

S ALYSSIA HARDGE

Staff Columnist

tudents across the country have been in the shackles of online learning for the past year and a half, missing valuable experiences they might never get back. This upcoming fall semester will be the first time many students will be stepping on campus, bringing the hope for an exciting and safe in-person semester. However, the return to school has also come with many changes for Georgia State.

Living in what many call a “post-pandemic” world, the debate around whether or not masks should be optional has become a hot topic lately. Regardless of your thoughts on them, Georgia State will be providing Georgia State branded and Pounce-inspired masks while supplies last in the Student Center East Information Center on the Downtown Campus.

Face masks will also be available in the Student Life offices on each Perimeter College campus. Students can receive one mask each.

Library North’s new rooftop terrace is now open on the Downtown Campus. This elegant space features 92 seats and 23 tables, and it’s perfect for studying or taking a break from the library.

I find the study rooms in the library to be a quiet place where I can complete my schoolwork. Having the terrace open just in time for the upcoming semester will allow students to enjoy the outdoors, a city view, and a nice place to study.

However, college isn’t always all about work. Students should enjoy the start of their year. The Panther Welcome is Georgia State’s official welcome celebration for new and returning students.

University officials host this event each semester to help them feel welcomed and safe as they enter the university. There are various events and activities planned for every campus, including virtual events for our online students.

With numerous events and activities, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with other students and officially feel a part of the panther family.

Part of looking forward to this new school year is looking forward to having in-person classes. However, with COVID-19 Delta Variant cases on the rise leading to local mandates for Atlanta, many face-to-face classes are being transitioned to online or hybrid. You can check the status of your courses on PAWS or Navigate. On the bright side, virtual classes mean class in bed!

The university has many opportunities planned for this semester. If you find yourself struggling to get settled in, have a

hard time with classes or even make friends, many resources are available to help. Don’t be afraid to contact your advisor with any questions.

Going to school in the city is a dream many students can’t wait to live.

Times have changed, but the Georgia State experience is a constant. This semester will be “paw”-tastic.

Good luck with your studies, have fun and be safe!

PHOTO BY STONE RAY | THE SIGNAL

Reparations for Summerhill, Now Reflecting on the sale of Turner Field to Panther Holdings

I TREVOR KOSLOSKI

Staff Columnist

t’s been four years since Georgia State’s Carter & Associates led joint venture, Panther Holdings, acquired 68 acres in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood. Hank Aaron Boulevard’s now become an ocean of high-rises and new construction, with bare-brick and pastel settlements enclosing the residue of an ousted community.

Fulton Avenue will be adopting a new alabaster-tiled encampment in the form of our Convocation Center. A block south, our peers at Carter have erected Aspen Heights. Since the complex’s introduction, the neighborhood’s rent has lurched upwards 210%.

The city of Atlanta has been fascinated with Summerhill since at least 1993, prodding it with the odd capital injection, circulating packets with colorful illustrations rezoning a block here, a block there. However, it remained a mere fascination unrealized until a confluence of conditions enabled an entry.

The Braves vacated Summerhill by 2015. The Turner Field Community Benefits Coalition (TFCBC) entered shortly after that with an outlay of wants: funds to prevent displacement, preservation of historic properties and a spot among the conversations of those wood-paneled Buckhead halls.

All the city wanted in response was a Community Benefits Agreement or CBA. An agreement to ensure the neighborhood wasn’t so quickly sold to the development vision, to indistinguishable AutoCAD renderings with slick streetcars and plain steel balusters – to portraits of city blocks that looked nothing like theirs, to people who looked nothing like them.

Atlanta City Council passed a resolution in 2016. A solicitation for

proposals to redevelop Summerhill is released. The Council left the CBA out of the draft. Panther Holdings emerged from the principal bidder by July. The Atlanta City Council drafted closing documents by November.

The involved parties are indiscernible, a nexus of acronyms. What can you see from outside, staring at that marble, that teak, at the press releases and interviews asking their questions and providing their answers? What can you see from behind that line of cops?

Summerhill’s cleanly sold by early 2017. Their Councilwoman Carla Smith here reiterates an initial appeal, first promising a year earlier to “sit down and work with them [TFCBC.].” Only 10% of residential units are set aside for tenants making less than 80% of the area’s median income – a criterion below the city’s standards for affordable housing. Smith receives $2500 from the president of Carter a week after the sale.

Panther Holdings later negotiated a temporary agreement with the more amiable Summerhill organization. All opaque hands would be washed clean as glass by a week’s headlines of “CBA Reached.” It wouldn’t matter; everything that mattered would be arrested or sold.

M. Brian Blake is replacing Mark Becker as our university’s president.

I hope he will redirect the development. I hope demands for a CBA will return to make amends for its absence.

I hope President Blake will build something better for Summerhill. If these hopes endure unrealized, I hope we will be ready to stay ourselves. I hope from the streets below we will greet him.

Welcome back to Atlanta, President Blake. How will you treat our city?

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

OPINIONS

7

University Housing: Yes or No? The Advantages of University Housing

O

GABBY MILLER Staff Columnist

ne of the most intimidating aspects of enrolling in college is the confusion surrounding housing. Many people ask similar questions: “Where am I going to live?”, “Will the location be close to classes?” and “Will I have a proper university experience here?”

Georgia State is a big college surrounded by a lot of out-of-schoolactivity. Choosing where to live can be tricky if you do not know how to go about it.

To help students with these questions, Shannon Corey, Georgia State’s Director of University Housing, provided The Signal with insight into selecting the right living option for you. With university housing being so important, looking into campus living conditions is critical for students.

Students benefit from living on campus. “[The] Benefits of living on campus are numerous,” Corey said. “A recent study: The Case for Campus Housing, was done by the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International. This study [found] that both first-and secondyear students who lived on campus persisted (Spring to Fall) at higher rates than their counterparts who lived off-campus.”

Another one of the excellent qualities of University Housing is the safety measures taken to protect students every day. Due to the rise in

crime since early May, safety has become a top priority for the University Housing department.

According to Ms. Corey, University Housing has various safety procedures to help keep the students safe. There are even safety workers that watch the school and help students throughout the entire day. These measures ensure that people feel safe while living on-campus.

But what about off-campus? Though off-campus living is underdiscussed, there are also good reasons to live away from campus. One of them is you get to have more privacy than you would on-campus. Some people benefit from being alone.

Another good condition of off-campus housing is that you are in complete control of your location. A student can control where you will be living, whether you will have a roommate or not, whether or not you want a pet and how close they live to campus. With off-campus living, you get to see firsthand what to expect when moving somewhere new as a working adult.

Deciding on housing is a big step to take when you go off to college. It often takes incredible amounts of research. However, finding the perfect spot for you is an essential step to getting your degree.

It’s time to protect our women

Why service industry working women are particularly vulnerable

I CALLIE MCNORTON

Opinions Editor

t’s a depressingly familiar situation now. Mariam Abdulrab was walking into her home after a late-night bar shift when a man kidnapped her at gunpoint. By 10 a.m. the following day, witnesses found her body in the Lakewood Heights neighborhood.

“Mariam brought light to every single person she came in contact with and will forever be missed. We will be closed this weekend to grieve and savor our last moments with her,” says Revery VR Bar, the bar Abdulrab worked at via Instagram. However, Abdulrab’s death has become part of a more significant trend.

The death of three women within the last month has hit Atlanta hard.

It’s almost numbing when you see another Atlanta murder, as homicide and crime rates continue to rise. However, when unassuming women are gunned down, fear feels more warranted than usual.

Similar to the woman killed in Piedmont Park, 40-yearold Katie Janness, Abdulrab was a bartender. While these and the third murder at Yellow River Park are not connected, it is hard to gloss over the uniting factor of these women. They all worked in service jobs.

These deaths shine a spotlight on what risks young people unknowingly take on when they work strange hours. Younger millennials predominantly work in the service industry.

Typically, a restaurant or bar closes between ten or later.

These late hours put these workers on the streets of Atlanta late at night.

Katie Janness was walking her dog at one in the morning, which might have been the only time she had time or energy to do so. People should not blame the victims themselves for their deaths, but they shine a light on a more significant issue. These deaths highlight how the current hours of service jobs put many people, especially women, at risk.

1 in 3 women experiences physical, sexual or emotional violence in their lifetime. It is hard to quantify when you talk to women, but every one of them lives with the constant fear of harassment or abuse, especially at work.

“Women’s everyday working lives are characterized by anxiety, depression, panic attacks, sleep disorders, attention deficit, and memory problems, and feeling vulnerable,” says Public Services International.

While many recognize the growing epidemic of crime against women in the service industry combined with young people relying on service industry jobs, what is the solution? I don’t know if there is one.

With the labor shortage caused by COVID-19, people already in the service industry are working longer, weirder hours because no one else will. These late hours make women in the service industry especially vulnerable to crime.

This infinite loop of overworking and underpaying comes at the cost of vulnerable women.

My only hope is that employers can recognize the issue and pay us what we are due. Furthermore, it is crucial to bring awareness to women’s safety, especially in the workplace.

The responsibility is not on us to find new jobs. It is on employers and the community who need to support women.

The burden is not on us to feel safe at night. It is on the men who prey on women. It is on the employers who refuse to let women walk home early. It is on the everlasting sexism and patriarchy.

We need to tear it down.

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN | THE SIGNAL

This Week’s Spread: Arts & Living WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

“No Homo” - Hip Hop’s never-ending battle against homophobia

Hip-hop loves irreverence, as longs as that irreverence is heterosexual and hypermasculine.

Written by: Desmond Leake - ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIVING EDITOR

I

n light of North Carolina rapper DaBaby’s homophobic comments during his July Rolling Loud performance, the issue of homophobia in rap has come to the forefront of pop culture yet again. However, DaBaby’s recent comments have sparked a new debate.

The most surprising thing about the DaBaby situation is not the fact he went on a misinformed tirade about AIDS and “sucking dick in the parking lot!” DaBaby is not the first rapper to use homophobia as a call to action. The surprising thing about this most recent incident is that DaBaby received consequences for his homophobic statements.

These condemnations came from people outside the regular hip-hop sphere, such as Dua Lipa and Elton John. Still, the hip-hop and rap genres’ irreverence for societal norms often means that many who follow hip-hop and rap don’t care about his statements.

On DaBaby’s Instagram page, fans have jokingly commented on his most recent posts about how he managed to escape being “canceled” by the media. It is tough to say whether this means that the average rap fan simply does not care about homophobia, but it does paint a picture of how deep-seated the problem of homophobia is in the genre.

Hip-Hop’s struggles with homophobia have existed since its inception. Despite its roots as a rebellious subculture, hip-hop’s ideas of hypermasculinity clash with the concept of queerness. Homophobia is a constant for many rappers. Eminem, one of the most recognizable rappers ever, consistently used the f-slur in many songs.

When asked why he uses the word in an interview with Rolling Stone, Eminem claimed it had nothing to do with sexuality. “It was [a way of ] calling someone a bitch or a punk or asshole,” he said.

Whether Eminem uses it as a jab towards LGBTQ+ people or not, it mirrors the typical use of homophobia to emasculate one’s opponents. Specifically, in battle raps, the f-slur is thrown around rather liberally. A thread on the subreddit r/rapbattles discusses the use of the word with a variety of different opinions.

“Battle rap is 100% about freedom of speech,” one user said. “You got a problem with calling someone [the f-slur] but not with saying they’ll gun down your family?” However, others see this comment as short-sided. “Describing violence metaphorically does not perpetuate violence the way using racial and homophobic slurs perpetuate racism and homophobia,” said another user.

The freedom of speech argument concerning the use of various slurs in rap and hip-hop music goes back to the irreverent roots of the genre but fails to address why rappers use slurs like the f-slur as an insult. The standard tactic of emasculation as an insult goes back to the rap subculture’s rampant problem with misogyny, as many of its members perceive anything feminine as weak. Emasculation also relates to various stereotypes surrounding LGBTQ+ people, particularly gay men.

Many hip-hop and rap artists are called gay as an insult for wearing particular articles of clothing. Atlanta rapper Young Thug wore an elaborate dress on the cover of his album “JEFFERY”. Almost immediately, speculation about his sexuality became the main topic of discussion in hip-hop circles.

Another Atlanta rapper, Playboi Carti, rapped “they thought I was gay!” during his song New Tank, referencing the critics of his androgynous fashion style. Memes about the supposed decline of rap often mention the androgynous fashion trends of today’s rap artists.

Atlanta rapper ILoveMakonnen came out as gay in a series of tweets in 2017, to a mix of support and hate from the hip hop crowd.

The Migos in particular did not take too kindly to the idea of a gay rapper. In an interview with Rolling Stones, rapper Quavo juxtaposes Makonnen’s sexuality with his subject matter to imply they are connected.

“We ain’t saying it’s nothing wrong with the gays,” said Quavo. “But he first came out talking about trapping and selling Molly.”

Jay-Z once called the rapper Nas the f-slur during their famous feud in his song “The Takeover”, and Nas responded in turn, calling him “Gay-Z” on his song “Ether”. The purpose of these lines goes back to the machismo ideal of hip-hop, and what better way to question the masculinity of a rival than insisting that he is gay.

With an incentive not to be gay in hip-hop, it should be of little surprise that being gay can cause moral panic in its fans. When

rapper Tyler, the Creator, alluded to being bisexual across his album Flower Boy, it instantly became the album’s main conversation. Some fans chose to deny the artist’s bisexuality, instead suggesting that the rapper was trolling his audience.

The hip-hop community in the early 2000s, for the most part, did not acknowledge the hypocrisy of a marginalized subculture discriminating against another marginalized subculture. Kanye West was one of the first mainstream rappers to address said hypocrisy in 2005.

“Hip-hop seemed like it was about fighting for your rights in the beginning, about speaking your mind and breaking down barriers or whatever, but everybody in hiphop discriminates against gay people,” West said.

The 2010s marked a distinct turning point for the genre in terms of mainstream popularity for LGBTQ+ artists.

With the rise of artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, ILoveMakonnen and Kevin Abstract, the notion of “gayness” as an insult in the hip-hop community is being challenged. The most prominent example of this shift is Lil Nas X, who is currently the most-streamed rapper in the world despite his status as an openly gay man.

The rising success of these LGBTQ+ artists paradoxically also shows just how far hip-hop culture must go in tackling homophobia. Lil Nas X finds himself dealing with constant barrages of hate on social media and has become a scapegoat for homophobia by other rappers.

Lil Nas X talked about hiring security after the backlash surrounding the video for his song “MONTERO” in a recent interview. The content of the video is not out of the ordinary in terms of explicitness in rap. It just so happens that when a gay black man is the one giving a lap dance, it becomes an issue of morality.

This phenomenon isn’t even limited to just Lil Nas X. On the BROCKHAMPTON song, “STAR”, rapper Kevin Abstract references having sex with another man. A user on Youtube compiled various reactions to the song, ranging from completely ignoring it to turning off the song completely. One reaction video even talked about how Kevin should “lead into his sexuality a little less aggressively,” as if implying that the world simply is not ready for a gay rapper.

Kevin Abstract is no stranger to such criticism. In his song “JUNKY”, he poses himself the rhetorical question “Why you always rap about being gay?” and answers it with “Because not enough niggas rap and be gay.”

While the cancelation of DaBaby’s festival bookings following his homophobic statements may give the illusion of progressive change, that’s unfortunately not the case.

Rappers such as T.I. justify DaBaby’s homophobia by claiming that if Lil Nas X can be gay, then DaBaby can be homophobic and is simply “living his truth.” Rapper Boosie Baddazz even threatened to attack Lil Nas X on Instagram. Ultimately, while hip-hop is slowly confronting its homophobic roots, it still has a long way to go.

Despite artists like Boosie and TI, rap is probably at its most queer-friendly now more than ever. Lil Nas X was featured at the 2020 Grammy’s and sung a remix of his song Rodeo with Nas, essentially giving X a cosign from one of the most influential artists of our generation. Nas also seems to have grown more introspective with age. In recent performances, he typically stays silent whenever one of his old homophobic lines would play in a song.

Hip-Hop most likely will never be a genuinely allinclusive space for LGBTQ+ people. Given the historical issues with the treatment of women in the genre and how misogyny plays a role in the rampant homophobia in the industry, it is a pipe dream to believe that homophobia will ever be removed fully from hip-hop. Still, there has not been a better time to be an LGBTQ+ artist in the hiphop community.

PHOTO FROM DEPOSITPHOTOS, LAYOUT BY EVAN KOENIGS | THE SIGNAL

ARTS & LIVING

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

August 24, 2021

ILLUSTRATION BY OLIVIA MADRZYK | THE SIGNAL

Changing majors is a major decision

Georgia State’s solutions to preventing the financial troubles and effects of switching one’s major COLE PODANY Staff Reporter

W

ith most colleges offering hundreds of degree programs, it is no surprise that 80% of college students change their major at least once.

Changing one’s major can be an exciting opportunity for some students to pursue a newfound passion or career they may not have considered before.

For others, changing their major can feel like falling into a pit of massive debt. When a student changes their major, it reduces access to financial aid and may cause some to have credits that do not count toward their new degree.

Depending on the degree program a student switches to, changing majors can almost cause them to restart their degree program. While most students are willing to put in the extra time, many cannot afford the tuition required to switch programs.

“If you encounter a student with over $50,000 in debt, you will usually find that the student transferred majors or schools, or both,” said Bob Hildreth, the Founder of Inversant, a college access and financial program for lowincome families. “If you switch majors once or twice,” he added, “you may end up with a lot more student debt.”

This debt frequently emerges from reduced access to scholarships. The Pell Grant and HOPE Scholarship, two crucial programs for many Georgia State students, are time-based. If students use up all of their lifetime Pell Grant or HOPE Scholarship awards due to needing to take more classes than initially planned, they will have to pay their remaining tuition out of pocket.

The average four-year student ends up with 17 unused credits, but that number can skyrocket if a student decides to switch majors. As an example, suppose a student changes their major from Biology to English. They may need to take multiple semesters worth of English credits while having 20 Biology credits that don’t apply to their degree.

Georgia State offers over 250 majors, minors, and various other programs. Inevitably, some students will confidently check off one box on their application, only to change their minds about what they are studying later in their college career. This curiosity is a normal part of the college process.

“Students [should be able] to take risks in learning without penalties,” Bob Hildreth said regarding the subject.

“Do we really want to penalize students for these very qualities we should be encouraging?”

In a survey conducted of college graduates, 61% reported they would have picked a different major if they could go back. Georgia State seeks to combat these problems with its meta majors and Freshman Learning Community programs. Georgia State defines meta majors as a larger group of common academic interests grouped under one banner. For example, Biology and Chemistry are both majors under the greater meta major of Natural Sciences.

After selecting a meta major, students take courses related to their broader category but do not select a specialization until later. Georgia State has designed these programs to help students pick a pathway to graduation while still allowing them room to explore. It also ensures students take classes that will count towards their graduation no matter what major they ultimately choose.

“Requiring all students to choose a meta major puts students on a path that should allow flexibility in future specialization while ensuring their early course credits will count towards their final majors,” Georgia State’s meta majors website states. “meta majors provide clarity and direction in what would otherwise be a confusing and unstructured registration process.”

Georgia State’s meta major program does not just offer a cushion for those who change their major; it discourages students from changing it in the first place. After Georgia State implemented the meta majors program, it saw a 30% reduction in the rate of students changing their majors.

Freshman Learning Communities also increased retention and graduation rates by 4%.

“Organizing all students into academic focus areas can help build a supportive community among students, boost their grades and reduce the number of unrelated courses for student’s degree requirements,” said Jennifer Lee, a senior policy analyst for higher education at the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute.

“For example, first-year students at Georgia State University who participate in Freshman Learning Communities, small student cohorts with the same focus area and schedule, earn higher grades and are more likely

to continue to their second year than students who do not.”

Education experts such as David Ross, the former CEO of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning and Global Education Consultant, praised Georgia State’s meta majors program’s positive impact on graduation rates.

“My children are prime examples of the importance of support networks and effective mentors. They are carving their pathway, but they have road maps, field guides, and camp counselors to help them along the way,” Ross said.

“This should be the case for all students, [and] because of the Guided Pathways and meta majors programs [that] community colleges and four-year universities [are adopting], we are beginning to see the broad-scale benefits of such support.”

Other colleges around the country are taking similar approaches to increase graduation rates and decrease the number of students changing their majors.

The University of Colorado Boulder, for example, offers a Program in Exploratory Studies in which students receive personalized advising sessions to help them decide on a path they are happy to stay on until graduation. Chestnut Hill College implemented a voluntary program where students can speak with advisors weekly to discuss their majors and future careers to help them finalize their decisions.

Programs that increase graduation rates and decrease the rate of students changing their major result in students wasting less money, spending time on new courses, and having more confidence in their career decisions.

With more low-income students attending college than ever while federal aid often being unable to support them, struggling students need the direct path to graduation offered by meta majors. Otherwise, many who want to explore new pathways might have to decide between dropping out or taking out student loans with hefty interest rates.

“The need is clear. A solution is evident,” Ross said. “It’s time for all learners to take a walk along a Guided Pathway toward their future of work and community engagement.”

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

ARTS&LIVING

11

“Punisher” review: the stunning and heartsick album Phoebe Bridgers weaves through her most recent album “Punisher.”

GRACE BRASWELL Staff Reporter

P

hoebe Bridgers is a master of destruction. The 25-year-old Los Angeles native writes music that captures moments soaked in angst, disguising heartsick lyrics with her delicate vocals. Bridgers is one of those songwriters whose songs haunt the listener, with her music resonating heavily in the hearts of those who listen.

Recently, Bridgers gained immense popularity through her second album, “Punisher,” receiving four Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance for her hit single “Kyoto.” Before the 2021 Grammy’s, Elton John tweeted that he would “hit someone” if Bridgers did not win.

“Punisher” takes listeners down a winding path, breaking their hearts as the album goes on. Each song tells a different story, alluding to several personal anecdotes and specific scenarios from Bridgers’ life.

One of the first songs on the album, “Garden Song,” displays soul-crushing lyrics and mesmerizing synths.

Bridgers described the song to Zane Lowe as being about “growing up and falling in love and murder,” enriched by surrealist, magical elements.

Other songs reflect these surrealist ideas as well. For example, the album’s title track details Bridgers imagining herself chatting with one of her songwriting idols, Elliott Smith, discussing the house where he died and the heart he had for his fans.

She uses infectious lyrics such as “I love a good place to hide in plain sight” to describe the feeling of walking alone late at night in a drug store. She then goes on to say, “what if I told you I feel like I know you, but we’ve never met,” alluding to Smith passing before she could meet him.

The song “Graceland, Too” also highlights themes of death and trauma. The song opens with the line, “no longer a danger to herself or others, she made up her mind and laced up her shoes.”

Through this song, Bridgers uses the story of a tattered,

traumatized woman to highlight the trials and tribulations of trauma recovery. With lyrics such as “she can do anything she wants to,” Bridgers perfectly builds the feeling of having no idea where to go or what to do while being satisfied with one’s life.

The simplicity of “Punisher” speaks. Bridgers captures the everyday figments of life with a desolate smirk.

Lyrics like “I hate living by the hospital, the sirens go all night” come across as sarcastic complaints before swerving their focus to highlight the inevitability of death with lyrics such as, “I used to joke that if they woke you up, somebody better is dying.” Bridgers’ talent is that she can take something as terrifying as death and brush it off as a casual bit of conversation.

Bridgers features several artists with the same emofolk, indie songwriter vibes throughout the album, such as Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus. Bridgers became acquainted with Bright Eyes as a middle schooler, and the band continues to be one of her all-time favorites.

On the podcast “X on Y,” she stated that the band creates “music that grows up with you,” which Bridgers also aspires to make. Working with Oberst was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Bridgers has collaborated with Oberst, Dacus and Baker through Better Oblivion Community Center and Boygenius. These collaborations aid to the nightmarish but raw feeling of the music.

“Savior Complex,” the 8th song on the album, constructs the story of dating someone who hates themselves, alluding to a relationship with a damaged person. Bridgers builds this narrative through lyrics such as “baby, you’re a vampire, you want blood, and I promised.”

The “savior” character in the song diverts an abundance of energy to their broken lover. However, Bridgers portrays this as just a coping mechanism to deal with their own emotions and problems.

Phoebe Bridgers’ “Punisher” is no sophomore slump. The artist uses imagery as her weapon throughout the album, creating a masterpiece of destruction, death and intensity.

Key Notes, an interactive music analysis podcast, discussed “Savior Complex” in a recent episode. Key Notes used “Savior Complex” as an example to describe what is known as “the perfect chord.”

It is not an exaggeration to say that “Moon Song” is one of the saddest songs on the album. Through this song, Bridgers discusses the agony of one-sided love. In the chorus, it is apparent that Bridgers is heartbroken as she sings, “If I could give you the moon, I would give you the moon.”

In this song, Bridgers explains that loving this person is like “a dog with a bird at your door.” The one-sided lover, represented by the dog, doesn’t understand why the gift is not appreciated. Neither does Bridgers when she gives everything she has to someone who doesn’t feel the same way.

Phoebe Bridgers creates music for those who appreciate the dissection of everyday life. For the people who can romanticize even the idea of eating a sleeve of saltines on the floor. However, this album can also easily transition from the mundane to the grand and fantastic.

Bridgers closes the album with “I Know The End,” a song that alludes to the end of the world. The song builds and builds, discussing topics such as alien spaceships and government conspiracies.

The end of the song is chaos. As drums crash, guitars blare and violins screech, Bridgers screams at the top of her lungs to complete the chaotic moment of rock perfection.

The song is teeming with this looming feeling of anxiety, chaos and destruction, which wraps up the album in an insanely brilliant way.

“Punisher” anatomizes such a broad and wild range of topics, from drug trips to long car rides to sex to relationships. This album perfectly grasps reality in a beautifully direct sense, and Bridgers does it so effortlessly.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY PHOEBE BRIDGERS

SPORTS

August 24, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

The Panthers are in for a whirlwind first four weeks

Army, UNC, Charlotte and Auburn needs to bring out leaders MARQUIS CHAMBERS Staff Reporter

E

ILLUSTRATION BY XX | THE SIGNAL

Patience has paid off for Georgia State Summerhill is longer just home to Panthers football ANDREW FREEDMAN Sports Editor

O

ver the last few years, Georgia State’s students have seen new developments come into fruition, with Summerhill serving as the latest to reconstruct residences.

As the official home for Georgia State athletics and its student-athletes, 565 Hank, named after the Atlanta Braves great Hank Aaron, will join Hedgewood and Aspen Heights in an area that has been rebuilt from the ground up. People often called it a deserted spot. There wasn’t much to do after students got off the shuttle, and, as Mike Holmes, Georgia State’s associate athletic director, remembers, that adjective summed it up well.

“When the Braves weren’t playing, no one really wanted to come south of I-20,” Holmes said. “It wasn’t a desirable place to be.”

Three years later, Summerhill is quite the opposite.

Junior’s Pizza, Pete’s Hot Dogs and Wood’s Chapel BBQ are a few restaurants that have students and alumni coming back wanting more. No matter what someone’s looking for, they’ll leave Summerhill satisfied with a full stomach and a view that looked abandoned just four years ago. In a society where many people need immediate responses, Holmes’ mantra is “people want things immediately.”

“This is a seven-to-ten-year commitment. All this is going to get done,” Holmes said. “People [were unsure if the project would be successful]. I think people can see now it’s all happening.”

The area will include a Publix in late-2022 to join the Center Parc Credit Union–– Georgia State’s most prominent partner on the project–– that sits on Hank Aaron Avenue. The grocery store could serve as the convenience to everyone, from students to staff members either looking to build a quick lunch or stop and get a chicken tender sub from the deli.

Subsequently, Georgia State’s precarious situation left them needing more facilities.

The Convocation Center, which should finish next year, wasn’t even part of the school’s Turner Field purchase. They bought the 6.5-acre plot that was a Department of Driver Services later in a separate transaction.

Georgia State bought Turner Field for $22.8 million in late-2016 when the team was still making a name for themselves in the Sun Belt Conference. At the time, there wasn’t much of an identity for the team. They had just come off a 3-9 season and were nowhere close to competing with the Sun Belt’s top programs. Today, Shawn Elliott has become a bowl game regular, with four in the last five years.

Yet, the Convocation Center could emerge as the athletics department’s top facility when it begins hosting basketball games and other events in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Moreover, from a student-athlete perspective, choosing a place to live is about convenience as well. Georgia State long snapper Charlie Flint is one of the many Panthers who moved to the Summerhill area.

“I had a house with my teammates

before Aspen was even built, so I already kind of knew the appeal of living close,” Flint said. “And I think other people are starting to figure it out. The location is getting nicer, and it’s a lot more accessible and convenient to live close.”

As the area became more appealing, Flint and his friends took notice and saw that the “all-around aspect was obviously an eye-catcher for everybody.”

Flint, who earned a spot on the Spring 2021 President’s List, was blown away by the final product. He echoed Holmes’ thoughts on the area needing time to be built and not becoming an overnight success.

The area could draw more fans to attend Georgia State sporting events in the room with just a short walk from their front doors to the Center Parc Stadium Gates. Over the last few years, Flint noted, students didn’t attend the home games.

The school hasn’t seen a big turnout in their early years, but the redshirt senior sees a change coming soon.

“In the beginning [of construction], one of the problems was attendance. [Georgia State] offered free shuttles for students on campus, but it still just wasn’t convenient for students to come to games,” Flint said.

“With these new hundreds and hundreds of apartment rooms for students in general, it would absolutely, 100% raise attendance.”

The Panthers kick off their season on Sept. 4 against the Army Black Knights from Center Parc Stadium, right around the corner from Summerhill.

ven with the COVID-19 Delta Variant, expectations are high as Georgia State football prepares to fill Center Parc Stadium at total capacity for the first time in 17 months.

Head coach Shawn Elliott illustrated the new health and safety protocols in place, less than two weeks away from their season opener against the Army Black Knights, with a noontime kickoff on ESPNU. “We still have our protocols in place to keep our players safe,” Elliott said. “The vaccinated players are not required to do the testing, and the unvaccinated players are certainly required...Pretty similar protocols in place, COVID-19 is what you make of it, and we try to do everything by the book.”

Elliott returns all offensive starters and nine defensive this year, and hopes to follow up an exceptional 2020 season where they ranked seventh in total sacks and tied for tenth in forced turnovers.

“When you look at our returning starters and our returning production offensively and defensively, you can see exactly where we are,” Elliott said.

However, good leadership on and off the field is only one of the stepping stools to a successful season.

Getting players to buy into the program, the training, the coaching staff and most importantly, themselves to win and bowl games is another crucial piece.

“We’ve got great leadership from the [talented] guys who are seniors this year.

We’ve got an abundance of leadership, so that means good quality practices, which means a lot of focus and energy,” Elliott said.

“When you have that [many] returning, it’s a little bit easier on the coaching.

These players have been through so much, and they know what to expect and

how to conduct themselves.”

Not only do the seniors and fifth-year “super seniors” bring leadership, but they also bring an exciting play to the field alongside other returning players. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Cornelious Brown IV is another returner this year and is looking forward to an outstanding season once more.

“We have a veteran football team with a lot of experience, and that bodes well for playing tough contests early. I feel like our team will handle it and handle it well,” Elliott added.

Brown, a dual-threat quarterback, threw for nearly 2,300 yards and 17 touchdowns while also running for another 301 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. His resume may be short but is distinct across Sun Belt Conference quarterbacks.

For quarterbacks to play good football, they must have an excellent offensive line who puts their bodies on the line every play to protect them. Brown will be continuing behind a veteran line that will be returning all five of its starters. One of those starters being the four-time all Sun Belt player Shamarious Gilmore.

As the Panthers look to kick off the season with a win against the Army, their non-conference schedule also sets them up to challenge against good teams.

“I think those first four games are all really tough,” Elliott said. “If you’re going to play tough teams, you’ve got to be tough yourself.

When you [play against] Army, North Carolina, Charlotte and Auburn, you’ve got to be ready to play,” Elliott said.

Elliott and the Panthers will do just that as they open their season matching up with the Black Knights, followed by the Tar Heels, 49ers and Tigers in their first four weeks.

SPORTS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

13

One Year Away: Convocation Center

State officials on the progress of the new stadium JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State is exactly one year away from opening its doors to the long-awaited Convocation Center!

The Panthers’ investment into their athletics programs is finally coming to fruition after much anticipation and brief stoppage caused by the pandemic. The new state-ofthe-art facility is opening in August 2022. Across campus, the excitement is continuing to grow.

Georgia State’s new facility will host between 7,000 to 8,000 fans for basketball games, concerts and commencement ceremonies.

Plans for The Convocation Center have been in the making since 2019 to revitalize the Summerhill area.

Georgia State officially broke ground on the $85.2 project on Nov. 20, with former Georgia State University President Mark Becker in attendance.

Georgia State believes the new stadium will be an immediate booster for student interaction and overall game attendance.

The GSU Sports Arena holds just over 3,200, and with the Panthers’ rise in popularity, the program is overdue for an upgrade.

However, students have packed the small arena and created electric atmospheres over the years. This atmosphere has made games against the Georgia Southern Eagles and LouisianaLafayette Ragin Cajuns mustsee events.

Some are nervous that the change in venues could hurt overall attendance. Still, head coach Rob Lanier is not worried about attendance based on the consistent support of his two seasons in the sports arena.

“I’m not worried about lacking attendance at games,” Lanier said. “We’ve always had tremendous support from students, and I expect that to continue as we move into our new home.”

The Convocation Center looks to improve the basketball program and add another area of entertainment for students and alumni.

A 2019 poll from Stadium asked ‘a handful’ of Sun Belt Conference coaches to rank programs based on several categories. Georgia State finished second to LouisianaLafayette.

While coming in second in the conference is nothing to sneeze at, the major weakness noted by rival coaches was the quality of the facilities. One of the coaches that participated in the poll lambasted the current Sports Arena.

“The [facilities] are one of the worst in the league. They play on the fifth floor of a class building. It’s got the feel of a high school gym,” the Sun Belt head coach told the Stadium.

Georgia State built the GSU Sports Arena in 1973 with no intention of hosting major games for a successful midmajor basketball program.

The new center aims to be a premier college basketball facility, hosting talented nonconference opponents.

Ben Moore of 247 Sports revealed that the new stadium’s construction has already had a tremendous impact.

“The new players are definitely excited about playing in the stadium,” Moore said. “The new facility is already playing a significant role in recruiting for the basketball program.”

Assistant Athletic Director Mike Holmes also shared his excitement about the construction of the convocation center.

“I can’t wait for the first game inside. “ Holmes said.

“It’s [Convocation Center] is a game-changer for the basketball program and Georgia State.”

The stadium, once completed, looks to be the crown jewel of basketball in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Convocation Center will be one of the large-scale stadiums in the conference and the best scenery with glass displaying the beauty of downtown Atlanta.

The Convocation Center will be opening its doors in August of 2022, hosting in-town rival Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Travis Schlenk came to Atlanta after a 12-year stint as the Golden State Warriors assistant general manager.

PHOTO BY KOVOP58 | DEPOSITPHOTOS

Travis Schlenk and the Hawks’ playoff run was no fluke

Meet the man behind the resurgence of the Hawks in the east ANTWANE WILLIS Staff Reporter

S

ince the summer of 2017, the Atlanta Hawks have improved through the NBA Draft and free agency, but one of their most important players in the rebuild doesn’t wear a jersey. Travis Schlenk came to Atlanta after a 12-year stint as the Golden State Warriors assistant general manager from 2004-2017. Schlenk guided the Dubs through a golden age that saw them win two championships in three years (2015 and 2017).

His five years with the Hawks have been nothing short of shabby. He selected John Collins with the No. 19 picks in the 2017 NBA draft and, after the infamous Trae Young-Luka Dončić draft-night trade in 2018, the franchise’s improvements are evident.

Young has improved each year as the Hawks continue to add to their previous year’s win totals. The sharpshooting playmaker out of Oklahoma shined in his first season: 19 points and eight assists per game.

Young’s second year saw him add 10 points to his nightly scoring, and he finished the season averaging 29 points and nine assists, both top five in the league during the 2019-20 season PPG & 9 assists. Last season, Young averaged another 25 points and nine assists per game in the most efficient year of the initial three on his contract.

The franchise rewarded him with a five-year, $207 million maximum contract extension that will stay with the franchise until the summer of 2027.

John Collins is also continuing to develop into a complete player as he enters his fifth NBA season. The fourth-

year forward averaged 18 points and eight rebounds in a career-high 63 games after averaging 21 points and ten rebounds the season prior. Over the last two years, his career average of 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds have led to a $125 million extension with the franchise.

Along with Young, Schlenk has found a hidden gem out of Maryland with the 19th overall pick, Kevin Huerter. The fourth-year player has earned various nicknames, from Red Velvet (for his red hair) to K’Von (how his teammates referred to him after a challenging game) while enjoying early success with the franchise.

Huerter’s team role would fluctuate from the starting lineup to the 6th man role, as he fits both. He has been an outstanding shooter, with an over 40% average across the last three years he has been on the team.

The Hawks held the No. 4 and No. 10 picks in the 2019 draft, which they used on Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter (fresh off an NCAA Championship) out of Virginia and Duke’s Cam Reddish. Both players have made immediate impacts in their first two seasons by spreading the floor and playing solid defense.

Schlenk also moved to acquire Clint Capela from the Houston Rockets last February, but he didn’t play until the beginning of the 2020-21 season due to a foot injury. It was a successful first campaign for Capela, who averaged a career-high 15 points and a league-best 14.3 rebounds per game.

These new acquisitions have helped the team reemerge in the eastern conference after rebuilding for four years. Along with

new players, the Hawks promoted Nate McMillan to the full-time head coach after their playoff exit in June. The signing came after McMillan guided the Hawks to a 27-11 record in the wake of Lloyd Pierce’s firing.

State Farm Event Security Officer Michael Dennis has worked at State Farm Arena for years, returning to the arena’s days as Phillips Arena and witnessing the franchise’s recent 180-degree turn.

“Watching the Hawks grow has been pretty cool to see, especially from an employee standpoint,” Dennis said.

“When I started working there, the fans would boo and be rude because we were not good at all, but now that we are winning, everything has gotten better.”

The Hawks’ most recent run ended on July 3 when they lost to the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The game shocked many, including ESPN analysts who grew skeptical of the Hawks after immensely struggling under Pierce.

State Farm Arena employee Davon Rowe has also been very pleased with the recent success of the team.

“The Hawks’ progress has been amazing,” Rowe said. “[They have been] drafting the right type of players who want to play hard for the city of Atlanta has been great for fans and the Hawks office,” Rowe added. “They only can get better from the Eastern Conference Finals, and the future looks bright giving Trae Young and John Collins max contracts. It shows the city cares about these players enough to win a championship.”

August 24, 2021

GAMES SUDOKU

THE KICKBACK

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

GAMES

15

COMIC

Your Comic Should be Here!

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

The Welcome Breakfast 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

CN Cafe

Ice Cream Social 1:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Newton Campus Student Life Building

Wellness Walk 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Online

Panther Prowl 7:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Student Center East

#TakeCareOfYouGSU 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Online at BeWellPanthers YouTube

Comedy Show 7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

Student Center East

Culture, Communities, and Inclusion Open House 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza

AUG 27

THURSDAY AUG 26

WEDNESDAY AUG 25

TUESDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Panther Community Plunge 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Student Center East

KISS 7:30 p.m.

Cellairis Lakewood Amphitheatre

Peaceful Place Meditation 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Online

AUG 30

SATURDAY AUG 29

AUG 28

AUG 24

THE KICKBACK

Live Journaling with BeWellPanthers 2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Online