The Signal Vol. 88 No. 25

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LOCAL

NATIONAL

GLOBAL

Voting law causes Will Smith to pull movie from Georgia

Daunte Wright: Police chief said officer meant to grab taser

Debate sparks in Britain over potential vaccine passport plans

According to WSB-TV, producers for Apple Studios’ runaway slave drama “Emancipation” halt production in Georgia following new voting law. Will Smith, producer and star of the movie, said it wouldn’t feel right to give money to a government that enacts regressive laws.

Following the controversial abortion bill and voting law, studios have threatened to cease production in Georgia.

On Sunday, a Minnesota police officer accidentally pulled her gun during a traffic stop and fatally shot Daunte Wright, a black man. Monday, following protests, Minnesota Police Chief Tim Gannon said he believes the police officer meant to draw her taser. Gannon announced that he prematurely released the body cam video of the stop to encourage transparency in the community, according to NBC News.

On Monday, non-essential shops and outdoor seating at restaurants have reopened in the United Kingdom on their route to normalcy, according to ABC News. In reaction to post-COVID plans, Britain is considering “COVID Status Certificates” also known as vaccine passports. The idea sparked a debate about vaccine inequality and data privacy in Europe’s most successful country to administer the vaccine.

NEWS

April 13, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

Brianna Bailey runs uncontested for SGA president The current Atlanta speaker of the Senate discusses plans for the 92nd administration SHARAYAH DAVIS Managing Editor

C

urrent Student Government Association Atlanta Speaker of the Senate Brianna Bailey is running uncontested for university-wide president for the 2021-22 school year.

She maintains her focus from her campaign for speaker, emphasizing that the students have the power.

“I may possess a title, but you hold all the power,” Bailey said during her 2020 campaign.

To ensure students have the power, Bailey aims to build better communication between students, SGA and the university, make SGA more accessible and better unify Georgia State’s campuses.

She noted that communication between students, SGA and Georgia State faculty and staff has been inadequate for several years, leading to many internal problems.

“Georgia State University has over 54,000 students spread out over its six campuses throughout metro Atlanta. Proper communication is vital in productivity, efficiency and safety for all,” Bailey said. “Poor communication leads to an influx of related issues such as campus safety, student involvement and education quality.”

“

I may possess a title, but you hold all the power,” Bailey said during her 2020 campaign.

”

— BRIANNA BAILEY

SGA Presidential candidate

Bailey believes that poor communication played a role in three issues students have brought to SGA in the past year: campus safety, advisement center operations and poor event attendance.

Over the past year, students have raised concerns regarding inoperable police call boxes and inadequate police presence on campus.

“I know the police presence [issue] is something that has been prevalent, but I think it probably got worse due to COVID,” Bailey said.

Bailey hopes to resolve these issues by bringing them to Georgia State and the GSUPD’s attention to fix the police call boxes and make other accommodations. She also wants to work with GSUPD regarding the lack of police presence.

“We want to figure out those things to relay that information to the students and then figure out what the students will want for us to do to actually make the change,” Bailey said.

SGA also received complaints from students criticizing the advisement center’s operations.

“I believe one of the main issues with the advisement is the fact that a lot of the advisors leave, and they have to continuously change out people,” Bailey said.

“So then, they are not able to build those relationships with the students themselves.”

Bailey proposed putting students in advisement

groups to solve these issues, where they are familiar for Perimeter students that come to those events on with more than one advisor. the Atlanta campus and not forcing them to have to “If one [advisor] does decide to leave there, figure out the transportation for themselves,” she said. [students] are not left hanging out to dry with some “[I want to] utilize the buses that we already have.” new advisor who knows nothing about them. [I want Bailey won the title of Atlanta speaker last March to] just increase the relationship building,” she said. after a runoff with Audrey Abraham; she plans to take As for event attendance and student outreach, Bailey her experiences from her current position into this wants to hold sessions for students to openly speak new role. about the events they want to see on their campuses.

“This position has granted me the opportunity to “[I want to] increase the communication between effectively evaluate the critical needs and changes for the student body and the faculty and staff to make sure the organization and the university as a whole,” Bailey that they’re actually doing what the students want to said. see or want to experience,” she said.

The pandemic taught Bailey the importance of using Serving in SGA during the pandemic was a necessary technology and social media to connect with students, experience for Bailey, learning skills that “different allowing them to voice their concerns to bring administrations didn’t have the opportunity to.” beneficial change to the university. She aims to boost “[I learned] new ways to advance the university SGA’s social media presence so that students are more through different mechanisms: how important aware of SGA events and create new SGA social media technology is [and] how important it is to make pages for each campus to view upcoming events easily. sure you have backup plans for everything,” she “We’ll make sure people that are able to see us and said. “I think that’s one of the crucial things that I just scrolling through their timeline. They’ll say, ‘Oh, learned during this administration that I feel I [can] SGA is holding a discussion or something,’” Bailey implement into the next administration.” said. “And then there’ll be more informed rather than just use utilizing PIN, which a lot of students don’t check often.”

SGA has currently been working on legislation to change its structure and unify the downtown and Perimeter campuses.

Bailey plans to continue this effort, focusing on creating one SGA for the Perimeter campuses and one for the Atlanta campus.

“It’s easier because the main thing that we’re normally focused on throughout an administration is filling vacancies,” she said. “So if we don’t have those vacancies, then we can actually worry about getting the work done for the student body.”

Because of the pandemic, the 91st administration did not get the opportunity to focus on increasing transportation options between campuses like they planned. With the possibility of a return to campus in the fall, Bailey hopes to “start those strides that the last administration didn’t actually get the chance to.”

“Specifically, I was Atlanta speaker of the Senate Brianna Bailey is focusing on having the running unopposed for the title of Student Government PHOTO SUBMITTED BY BRIANNA BAILEY events and making sure Association university-wide president. we have transportation

NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

4

2021 SGA candidates: Speakers of Georgia State’s Senates Demari Freeman shares his goals for Newton’s SGA ISA CARDONA Associate Arts and Living Editor

S

ophomore Demari Freeman is a candidate for Speaker of the Senate for the Newton campus, whose STEM-oriented skill set and mentality will provide a unique perspective.

“I feel like, as a STEM major for computer science, I could look at initiatives or problems more analytically,” Freeman said. “[I want to start] bringing that sort of logic into problem-solving as well or trying to bring up more initiatives.”

Freeman became interested in the role of Speaker of the Senate because it mainly focuses on communication and information, which would greatly help develop his skills.

Although he hasn’t had any SGA experience, Freeman learned how to succeed in a team environment through his time in the robotics club in high school. There he would write down notes and schedules for his team.

“I mainly communicated with everyone [at robotics club], including my

JADA JONES Arts and Living Editor

teacher at the time, so the Speaker of the Senate would be the next logical step in developing my communication skills and team experience,” he said.

His goals for becoming an elected official are to start having more higher-level science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes be available at the Newton campus. He also wants to get more student influence and involvement in big decisions involving the campus.

While Freeman enjoys his STEM classes and professors on the Newton campus, he sees a lack of higher-level ones, especially for computer science and engineering.

The same goes for math classes, as the highest level that Freeman can take on the Netwon campus is Calculus 2.

He was able to take his first two required courses for his major but saw that he’d have to go to another nearby campus to continue.

As Speaker of the Senate, he will connect SGA and the student body by conducting more surveys and getting the

Demari Freeman is a sophomore who’s working to bring more representation and higher-level STEM classes to the Newton campus.

Things to know about SGA newcomer Queen Mufty-Raini

main consensus about what the student body prefers. He also wants to bridge the gap between Newton and the other Georgia State campuses so SGA can better serve students and listen to their concerns.

“I feel like there could be more representation for the Newton campus,” Freeman said. “Maybe it’s just because [Newton] is farther away than everywhere else in general, but I feel like there could be more community and shared experience between all campuses.”

Overall, Freeman hopes to be a great Speaker of the Senate for the upcoming fall semester and believes he has the appropriate communication skills and professionalism for the job. “[I want] to be better at my role and gain more experience and to try to better represent the Newton campus in front of all the other campuses,” he said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DEMARI FREEMAN

Q

ueen MuftyRaini is a junior at Georgia State running for Atlanta’s seat for Speaker of the Senate.

To her advantage, MuftyRaini was involved in her high school’s Student Government Association and hoped to bring her leadership experience to Georgia State. Though she hasn’t held office at a collegiate level, she believes she has the expertise to get the job done.

“I’ve always been that person to run for SGA and Homecoming,” she said. “I thought that I would be the same person in college.”

When campaigning, Mufty-Raini primarily used social media and her memberships in campus organizations like Collegiate 100 and PantherLeap to spread the word about her run for office.

“I used my social media to campaign by making different posts and flyers,” she said. “I’m also very involved on campus, and [I’m always] walking up to them and tell[ing] them about myself to get my name out there.”

Her objective as Speaker of the Senate is as literal

as it gets: speak for the people.

“I really hope I’m able to be the voice for college students,” she said. “I hope to see different things happening on campus, especially since we’ll be in person in the fall.”

Mufty-Raini is making it a priority to increase student involvement on campus. Her entire campaign revolves around finding ways to bring students together.

She plans to do this by targeting students who don’t have a sense of belonging at Georgia State and help them find their way.

“I want to start by creating an organization for students on campus who feel like they don’t fit in anywhere,” she said. “I want us to use the Student Center more. I feel like people don’t get a campus feel at Georgia State, but I want them to get that feeling.”

Mufty-Raini’s most urgent point of action is changing the atmosphere in the student centers. She dislikes that most people go there to get something to eat, then leave and go about their day. She wants

Queen Mufty-Raini hopes to increase the student centers’ community feel to make students feel invited to interact.

the student centers to incorporate a higher sense of community among students.

“Maybe I can host events like ‘Jeopardy’ or raffle tickets because I’m sure people would want to participate in that,” she said. “I’d want them to do surveys so I can see what [students] want on campus.”

Her final strategy to increase student involvement on campus is an ambitious one; she wants to create digital software to inform students about upcoming campus events.

“I don’t feel like people get college updates, so if I could have a way for everyone to be informed about everything that’s going on.”

When posed with the possibility that Outlook and Panther Involvement Network already implement one of her strategies, Mufty-Raini believes that most students don’t regularly check them.

“Maybe I can have a software where people have to text back so I know they’ve seen the message,” she said. “That will take a lot, but I’ll look into it.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY QUEEN MUFTY-RAINI

5

THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

Police received reports of nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents since COVID-19 hit, and it continues.

PHOTO BY DEENA KAYYALI | THE SIGNAL

Hate crimes bring attention to Asian American community Georgia State professor shares importance of embracing ethnic difference LEAH LI Staff Reporter

A

n AAPI Data study shows that 10% of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have encountered anti-Asian hate crimes from January to March 2021, which exceeds the national average by about 6%. In other words, millions of AAPI have faced similar threats in their daily lives.

A mass shooting happened in three spas in north Atlanta on the evening of March 17, killing eight people, with six of them being Asian women.

Police caught the suspect, Robert Aaron Long, that night during his drive to Florida in a traffic stop on Interstate 75, roughly 150 miles south of Atlanta.

At about 5 p.m. that evening, he shot outside a Cherokee County spa, killing four people. He then killed four more at two spas about 30 miles away an hour later.

According to CNN, Long faced a charge of aggravated assault and four counts of murder from the Cherokee County sheriff ’s office and four more counts of murder from the Atlanta Police Department.

Frank Reynolds, a sheriff of Cherokee County, said that Long might have a sexual addiction, which “could be the motivation behind the shooting.”

An anonymous caller to 911 said Long was “kicked out of the house by his family” due to sexual addiction.

One law enforcement source indicates he spends a long time watching pornography online.

Long admitted to his sex addiction and told the investigators that he saw the spas as “a temptation,” and he shot to try to “eliminate” it.

As sex falls into the category of a hate crime under Georgia law, Long may also face a hate crime charge if his shots were to make those women scapegoats and express his hatred that they enticed him sexually.

Long said the shootings were “not racially motivated.”

However, as most of the victims were Asian, this case brought up society’s attention to the anti-Asian hate wave resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese lab origin theory of the COVID-19 pandemic is the leading cause of the anti-Asian hate crime surge. Although no official research indicates this theory is true, many Americans still believe so, thanks to Trump saying “China virus” persistently.

An article from Bloomberg News states that the U.S. has found “new evidence” that the coronavirus comes

from a lab in Wuhan, China, in fall 2019.

As Trump firmly believes the Chinese lab origin theory, most Americans who think so are conservatives.

According to an article from The New Republic, over two-thirds of conservatives believe that coronavirus originates from a Chinese lab.

According to an NBC News article, police received reports of nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents over the past year since COVID-19 hit. Almost 70% of the victims were female.

“The coalescence of racism and sexism, including the stereotype that Asian women are meek and subservient, likely factors into this disparity,” the article states.

Although Trump cannot speak as publicly as he used to about this due to his ban on social media, similar anti-Asian hate crimes continue to occur. On March 27, San Francisco police caught a man who stalked and threatened an Asian woman several times.

The 42-year-old woman, who works at a bakery, first called police on March 24, saying the man suddenly burst into the store threatening that he would shoot the Chinese. The report indicates he did this for three consecutive days.

On the following Wednesday, New York City police caught a man named Brandon Elliot for assaulting an old Asian woman physically and verbally. The victim “suffered a fractured pelvis and head contusion in the vicious attack.”

After all of these instances of increased violence toward AAPI, the #StopAsianHate movement quickly began and received firm support.

People gathered together, rallying in major cities across the country. On March 20, the Saturday after the mass shooting, hundreds of people gathered near the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. They carried posters saying “Stop Asian Hate,” with American flags in their hands.

Both Georgia senators joined the rally, leading a silent moment to mourn for the victims. Senator Ossoff said they should “build a state and a nation where no one lives in fear because of who they are or where they or their family come from.”

Up north in Philadelphia, people of different ages gathered together at Chinatown. They began their rally with a lion dance, a symbol of “a new start for the city and better days ahead.” Speakers told the crowd

about racism incidents they experienced, and AAPI participants chanted, “We are not the virus.”

Activist Sharlene Cubelo said the isolation she felt indicated that acting out in solidarity is crucial.

People should “show the Asian American community specifically that we are here for them.”

Many Asian American CEOs also spoke out.

According to CNBC, about 1,000 of them are giving $10 million to organizations that support the AAPI communities, including Zoom CEO Eric Yuan and YouTube co-founder Steve Chen.

Yuan said it was “disheartening” to see all the antiAsian hate incidents, and it is vital for him to “stand up with fellows who are suffering during this time.”

In addition to donations, the business leaders also pledged to support Asian employees. For example, they will establish better AAPI employee representation and help the AAPI resource groups in their companies.

All these deeds seem to reveal that more people are aware of the importance of embracing diversity.

However, Hector L’Hoeste, a Georgia State Department of World Languages and Cultures professor, shared different views.

L’Hoeste saw people from his neighborhood protesting against anti-Asian hate, but he only knew of one Asian person living in the community.

Therefore, he wondered how many of these people protesting against Asian hatred have an Asian person within their close circle of friends. L’Hoeste said he “sincerely doubt[ed] that many of them do.”

“In plain terms, we live together, but we don’t mix …

The South is still very far away from embracing social mixing,” he said. “And as long as we don’t mix, it will be very difficult to fight xenophobia and fear of the other.”

From L’Hoeste’s perspective, some people “preach celebration of diversity by day and practice homogeneity and ethnic exclusion by night.” The engagement of difference in a political protest is “almost entirely absent” in people’s actual lives.

“As long as we don’t change this dynamic, we’re doomed to repeat the mistakes of previous generations,” he said. “Tokenism isn’t inclusion, and celebration of diversity and protest against ethnic hatred isn’t acceptance.”

OPINIONS

April 13, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/OPINIONS

Georgia’s new voting law overhauls the state’s election system, despite no need being apparent

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

Georgia’s new voting law has some issues GASB 202 is problematic, but not for the reasons many think KENNETH LOCKETT III Opinions Editor

I

t’s now April, and we are quickly approaching six months after the battle that was the 2020 election. And while the Biden administration and Democrats attempt to move forward with their agenda, Republicans across the country have made their displeasure clear. One of the groups of Republicans not happy with the result of the 2020 election is the Georgia Republicans.

Who could blame them? Not only did Georgians vote for a Democratic presidential candidate, the first time since 1992, but they also elected two Democratic senators, one being the first Black person to win a statewide race in Georgia’s history.

Even then, their reaction to punish the citizens of Georgia is shocking to some. In late March, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Senate Bill 202, an election law that gives the state government enormous authority over county election boards.

Just some of the things it does include 1) criminalizing giving food to those waiting in line at the polls, 2) creating an ID requirement to obtain an absentee ballot and 3) limiting the use of ballot drop boxes.

Many of you have likely heard of number two, as it has been in the news quite a lot as progressive groups sue Georgia over the law. And it’s a valid argument, as many people in low-income areas can’t get a state ID, or their state ID is expired or suspended.

However, the state does give people who don’t have and can’t get a state or federal ID options. It’s called a voter ID, and it’s free of charge for registered voters.

But Georgia sure doesn’t make it easy to get one.

Here are ALL the requirements, as listed on the Georgia Secretary of States’ website: • A photo identity document or approved nonphoto identity document that includes full legal name and date of birth • Documentation showing the voter’s date of birth • Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter • Documentation showing the applicant’s name

and residential address So, basically, a birth certificate, your voter card and a utility bill. It’s almost like a reduced version of the requirements for a Georgia driver’s license but free.

Seems simple enough, right?

Well, let me tell you a story. A few years ago, my grandfather moved down from New Jersey. And I was tasked with setting him up, making sure he had a driver’s license, making sure his Social Security address was changed and all that good stuff.

Well, in the process of doing this, we came to realize he lost his birth certificate. It seems like an easy fix, right? No, no, no. You see, my grandfather was born in 1938. As a Black man, he didn’t receive things like his birth certificate and Social Security card.

In fact, the Social Security Administration didn’t even have his birthday correct. Luckily, he is a war veteran, so we could prove his identity through Veterans Affairs.

But many older Americans, especially those in low-income areas, don’t have someone who can find the answer for them. They don’t have someone that knows how to get another Social Security card and birth certificate. But frankly, voter IDs aren’t even the scariest part of the law.

Easily the scariest part of the elections law is the amount of unchecked power the state has given itself. Under the old law, the county handled election management decisions, meaning if your ballot was disqualified, someone in your county did that.

However, the now ultra-partisan State Election Board can effectively say that a county’s election board is underperforming and replace the entire board with the new law. Not chosen by the citizens but selected by the state.

So what is now allowed to happen is say Republican officials can completely replace the Dekalb County election board. That gives them the power to “disqualify” just enough Democratic votes to turn an election red. The same thing could happen in Fulton

County or Clayton County, all three of which are major Democratic voting centers.

Oh, if that doesn’t concern you, wait for this. The state also allows the Republican-controlled general assembly to select the election board chair, giving the state the authority to choose three voting members of the board.

This is a direct response to Brad Raffensperger, the former chair, standing up to Donald Trump when he asked him, point-blank, to commit election fraud. Josh McLaurin, a Democratic representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, explained to Vox, “By centralizing control over those processes, Republicans make their own manipulation easier while also removing a principal barrier to their lies.”

I’m not even going to go into the food aspect of the law. A 2018 study showed that voters in poor, minority areas had to wait in far longer lines than predominantly white, affluent areas. This is because Republicans have been closing voting booths at increasing rates, especially in poor, minority areas.

Republicans are committing widespread antidemocratic actions that are explicitly targeting poor people and minority people. And in 2022, we will see if their efforts are successful.

But we can not let that happen.

In 2020, we made history. We showed the world that we would not stand for bigotry in our government.

We will fight back with every tool in our belt. We will protest, we will vote, and we will run for office. And no matter what Republicans try to do, we will fight back.

No matter how hard they make it for us to vote, we will go out and vote. Even if they make it illegal to protest like they are attempting in Flordia, we will continue to exercise our rights as American citizens.

We will not be silenced for doing what’s right.

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

7

Stop Asian Hate is a movement, not a moment We need to support our Asian communities CALLIE MCNORTON Associate Opinions Editor

D

elaina Ashley Yaun. Xiaojie Tan. Daoyou Feng.

Paul Andre Michels. Hyun Jung Grant. Soon Chung Park. Suncha Kim. Yong Ae Yue. These names are the catalyst for the Stop Asian Hate movement, or are they?

Even though the events on March 16 sent a shockwave through our country, the discrimination Asian communities face continues to be overlooked. It is time to understand the Asian perspective in this country and call out the hate.

Throughout 2020, the number of Asian American hate crimes and incidents sky-rocketed. The rise in hate crimes is often blamed on the narrative that Asian’s are to blame for COVID-19 and its spread. Stop AAPI Hate reported more than 2,800 incidents.

“My husband and I were walking home after grocery shopping, and three to four people in a car shouted, ‘Virus, go to hell!’ to us while they drove by,” a firsthand account from the report stated.

Furthermore, after Trump used the choice words “China-Virus,” it was clear that he added fuel to the fire. A study published by the American Journal of Public Health revealed that 20% of tweets with #COVID19 had antiAsian language.

Anti-Asian sentiment in this country goes back generations. The Chinese massacre of 1871, the Chinese Exclusion Act, Japanese internment and the murder of Vincent Chin are clear indicators of such.

So why do many feel like this is the first time we truly see such hate? Even still, why are the murders not defined as hate crimes by law enforcement?

“The gaslighting of the issues Asian persons face in the United States is a consequence of the ‘model minority’ myth, which is a Reagan-era political tool used to divide and pin minority groups against one another,” Anthony Nguyen, a second-year law student at Georgia State, said.

“This line of reasoning has been perpetuated for decades, and as a result, Asian plight in America is effectively censored and unseen.”

Asian Americans are constantly told that there is no racism against them. Gaslighting these communities makes them voiceless and submissive. This is clearly seen in how law enforcement defines the murders and downplaying other hate crimes.

We have to disassociate from the “model minority” myth. It is the only way our country will truly be able to

serve Asian Americans justly.

Even though there is an outcry, there is also solidarity.

“Stop Asian Hate” rallies have been seen nationwide.

Coast to coast, thousands have demonstrated. Along with protests, many organizations have gained support.

In Atlanta, Asian American Resource Center and Asian American’s Advancing Justice champion these communities through legal advocacy and addressing poverty. Victim memorial funds have also been put in place for victims of different hate crimes, including the shooting.

“

The rise in hate crimes is often blamed on the narrative that Asian’s are to blame for COVID-19 and its spread. Stop AAPI Hate reported more than 2,800 incidents.

— CALLIE MCNORTON Associate Opinions Editor

”

Pi Delta Psi, an Asian American cultural interest fraternity, is hosting a t-shirt fundraiser. Proceeds will go directly to the families of victims and the non-profit Stop AAPI Hate.

Our student body needs to support each other and show solidarity. With a fraternity right on campus hosting a fundraiser, it is clear that there are resources in which to be involved more than just on social media.

The lines between activism and performative activism are blurred. On the one hand, it is better than

More than 2,800 hate crimes or incidents happened in 2020, and many attribute it to the lack of compassion since COVID-19.

silence. However, some feel it shows a lack of actual acknowledgment and solidarity.

Social media consumes us, and it does not have to be a bad thing. Reposting something on your Instagram story but not having an open dialogue is harmful. It takes 10 seconds to repost, so what does it really prove?

Sure, they are usually circulating for a good reason and to keep us informed, but ask yourself your intentions. If you are just scared of being called racist or ignorant, you may be a white person who does not see the whole picture.

This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with minorities in this country.

“Like Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement, the Stop Asian Hate movement seeks to implement real and lasting change in our laws and our interactions with others,” Nguyen said. “We are not asking people to post Instagram stories daily or march in the streets every weekend. Instead, we ask others to learn why we are in this moment and how we got here. Our energy needs to be directed to making the conversation not only heard but moved forward.”

Atlanta is hurting and tired. Our Asian communities are hurting and tired. Americans are hurting and tired. What’s next?

“Stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder, so when anyone is attacked because of their race, gender [or[ identity, we can stand up to defeat this,” Ricky Ly, former board member of Pi Delta Psi, said.

Take the time. Research organizations and victims to support or donate to. Go to a Stop Asian Hate rally. Take time to repost on social media, but read what you’re posting. Ask family and friends what they think, and tell them if they’re wrong. Tell them if they’re right. Support Asian-owned businesses. Read an article on different Asian cultures. Watch a documentary on the history of Asian American discrimination.

It is messy and difficult to confront what is happening to our Asian American communities. We are continuing a fight that is generations long, and it is far from over.

“It is critical to address the issues at hand, to acknowledge the root cause of these violent and deadly attacks — an intersection of racism, sexism, misogyny — so that we can root out these evils in our society. To look within ourselves and our histories to understand the past and move forward toward a more just and equitable tomorrow,” Ly said.

PHOTO BY HARRY WYMAN

This Week’s Spread: NEWS WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/NEWS

Student Government Association: Meet Your Senator Candidates Atlanta Campus

Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions Emerald Gibbs Nutrition Major Sophomore

Robinson College of Business Matthew Adjin-Tettey

Bethany McCullough

Accounting Major

Pre-Managerial Sciences Major

Senior

Freshman

Jenelle Ryan

Frederick Severtson

Risk Management and Insurance Major

Risk Management Major

Senior

Senior

College of Arts & Sciences Jocelyn Aguirre Political Science Major Junior

Ira Livnat

Diana Mejia

Political Science Major

Political Science Major

Junior

Junior

Saher Pirmohammed

Rodrigo Ruiz-Tello

Interdisciplinary Studies Major

Political Science Major Sophomore

Junior

Myla Williams

Saadh Ahmed

Political Science Major

Computer Science Major

Freshman

Senior

PAGE LAYOUT BY EVAN KOENIGS | THE SIGNAL, PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY SGA SENATOR CANDIDATES

ARTS & LIVING

April 13, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/ARTSANDLIVING

Bubble tea’s journey from Taiwan to Atlanta The boba tea fad began in Taiwan and exploded overseas COLE PODANY Staff Reporter

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Students and leasing consultants alike agree that rent is not affordable for college students.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

The rent is high, and student stress is higher

Students try to find affordable rent that doesn’t break the bank DEENA KAYYALI Staff Reporter

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he 2021-22 school year’s leasing season is about to begin. According to Rent.com, the busiest renting and moving period occurs between May and September. Moving can bring feelings of excitement, change and stress, especially when concerning college students.

Off-campus student living is a popular option for college students around the country. According to a survey from Multifamily Executive, 80% of 7,000 participating students live in off-campus housing.

With such a high demand for apartments, affordable rent is hard for students to find, especially in Atlanta. Several parts of the city are undergoing gentrification and modernization, which results in skyrocketiang rents that most young students cannot afford.

Along with being a junior at Georgia State, Francesca Vranesevich is a leasing consultant for The Mix Atlanta, a highrise student apartment complex. Vransevich describes the difficulties of finding an affordable apartment in the city amid Atlanta’s constant expansion.

“Working as a leasing consultant, I

see first hand what goes into students making ends meet,” she said. “So many people struggle to pay the high city prices for rent in the city.”

The average monthly rent in Atlanta is around $2,000 a month, and many young people need financial assistance to pay these fees.

Sadie King is a leasing consultant at the apartment complex, The Local on 14th. From her experience working as a consultant, King believes that finding a nice yet affordable apartment is nearly impossible for many college students.

“I believe that apartment complexes need to make it easier for students to get approved, without needing three times the amount of rent for income,” she said.

Many leases ending in late July make many students feel a frenzied panic to find viable options in a short period.

Ian Mcleod is a senior who is graduating in August. From his years of experience apartment hunting and paying rent, he speaks on the expensive buildings near campus.

“There are so many options when it comes to apartments and places to live, but none of them are very

affordable,” he said. “A lot of students can’t pay the high rates without having to work almost full-time jobs.”

Junior Jahmani Taylor is currently apartment hunting and spoke of living in Atlanta as a full-time student.

“While I think living in Atlanta as a student comes with a lot of perks, the option[s] can be super limited,” Taylor said. “Not only are student apartment options almost twice the price of rent as a normal apartment complex, but they come with a variety of issues, like lack of security and uncleanliness.”

After moving out on their own and getting a taste of freedom, not many students wish to move back home.

However, considering the constant work and maintenance to afford rent, that is the possible reality for many.

“I think regular apartments are skeptical about student tenants for a variety of reasons, so for a lot of students, the options are extremely limited,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, as the city of Atlanta grows, the living options available to students will too.”

aiwanese entrepreneur Tu Tsong-He was $133,000 in debt and reflecting on the loss of his failed hot pot restaurant when he opened the doors to a new tea shop. To save his livelihood, he needed to differentiate his tea shop from others, so he poured tea over large tapioca balls, creating the iconic bubble or “boba” tea.

Or perhaps Lin Hsiu Hui created the drink in 1988 when she poured tapioca balls into her black tea and shared it with coworkers at a meeting. She claims she then began selling the drink at her tea chain, and bubble tea outsold every other beverage on the menu.

Bubble tea’s origin story is murky; multiple people claim they created the drink, but its international popularity is indisputable.

The drink made its way into the United States in the early 1990s when Congress abolished policies disallowing Asians and other ethnic groups’ entry. Young Asian-Americans brought bubble tea with them to the United States, and “boba culture” flourished in Los Angeles before it exploded across the country. Boba was no longer just a drink but an unshakable aspect of Taiwanese culture in America.

Kung Fu Tea, once a hotspot on campus for Georgia State students looking for boba tea or a quiet place to study, closed late last year. Kung Fu Tea’s website describes the location at 2 Park Place South as “temporarily closed.”

Still, those looking for their boba fix are in luck. The boba scene in Atlanta is alive and well, and alternatives near campus offer a taste of the beloved drink.

Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe Bubble tea owes most

of its popularity to its customizability. Soft and chewy tapioca balls offer a unique textural experience, along with add-ins like grass jellies, coffee jellies or popping boba, which are bubbles filled with fruit juice.

Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe is the poster child of customizability, offering almost 100 flavors, including avocado, kumquat lemon and white chocolate, and toppings like rainbow jelly, chia seeds and custard pudding. The cafe also offers frappes, slushies and coffees.

While Sweet Hut Bakery & Cafe’s two Atlanta locations are not open for dine-in due to COVID-19, the cafe provides customers a unique alternative. The cafe will deliver gallons of milk tea with free boba directly to customers’ doors.

Honey Bubble

Inside a sleek, modern interior designed and coowned by Douglas Hines of HGTV, a large blackboard on the wall displays chalk art. Chill lo-fi music plays as tea enthusiasts relax on leather sofas, many of them working on laptops.

Honey Bubble brews its tea hourly and offers baked goods like macarons and Brooklyn egg creams. The tea shop prides itself on visitors’ experience as much as it prides itself on its teas and treats, the latter of which it outsources from local bakeries.

“From unhealthy ingredients, poor service, high prices and unwelcoming design — the list became what Honey Bubble would do differently,” Mei Hines, Doug’s wife and co-owner of Honey Bubble, said. “Quality is something that can’t be faked.”

ARTS&LIVING

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

11

Is beauty truly in the eyes of the beholder?

Students discuss the beauty industry’s flaws CATHERINE USHER Staff Reporter

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or decades, the beauty industry has significantly influenced society’s beauty standards. The industry sets trends with which most women and men try to keep up.

Although the standards placed by the beauty industry are the norm for beauty standards, many feel that it abuses its power by praising women for having certain features while condemning other women for theirs.

Georgia State junior Chanese Bowers feels that beauty standards created a box that many women do not fit in. She believes that the beauty industry lacks representation in advertising, which causes many women to have low self-esteem.

“Beauty brands tend to have a direct impact on women’s self-esteem because they only use models that they perceive to be beautiful in advertisements,” she said. “When young women see they don’t fit the traditional standard of beauty, they try their hardest to fit in.”

To Bowers, this lack of representation in the beauty industry is one reason why women start to experiment with body modification. Although she has never altered her body, Bowers admits that she deals with this issue.

“As a Black woman, I feel that I lack the eurocentric features which are desired in today’s society,” she said. “I feel like this has had a negative effect on both my self-esteem and confidence.”

Although she has become more confident in her skin, Bowers thinks it would be nice for beauty brands to celebrate women’s differences and have more representation from darker-skinned models.

Georgia State sophomore Dianera Baret feels that beauty brands

should focus more on the concept of enhancing beauty rather than covering up flaws. Beauty brands mainly use models with perfect, airbrushed features to advertise their products.

Like many others, Baret thinks this is where the fine line between these beauty brands and their potential consumers starts. Most feel that these beauty brands advertise for average women to look like these models.

“Even when [making] a comparison on good and bad mascara, beauty brands may use a model with longer lashes to model theirs and a model with shorter lashes to model the other brand,” she said. “Even though both brands lengthen your natural eyelash, these beauty brands advertise to people based on the certain details on your body that you’re already insecure about.”

Baret expressed that these are the type of sales tactics that target the average person’s insecurities, allowing them to believe that they have to change a specific feature to be attractive.

She feels that the beauty industry could positively affect people if they start using models’ unfiltered photos to advertise their products.

“Allowing models with skin flaws such as wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, beauty moles, as well as naturally yellow teeth will show average women that they too can be considered beautiful,” she said. “Beauty brands should also stop using artificial lighting to stop the shadow of skin texture.”

Although the beauty industry is influential in society, some can agree that these brands should work on their advertising by using models that represent average women.

ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM MONTES | THE SIGNAL

Childish Gambino’s ‘3.15.20’: a day that will live in obscurity

The artist’s fourth studio album is the black sheep of his discography DESMOND LEAKE Staff Reporter

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tlanta native Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino, needs little introduction. Whether it is his prolific acting career in shows like “Atlanta” or his role as Lando Calrissian in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” he has quite the reputation to uphold.

His discography as Childish Gambino is equally as impressive as his filmography. Across his four studio albums, Gambino has several hits, including the high-energy, juvenile-sounding “Bonfire,” the synth-filled love song that is “3005” and a successful transition to neo-soul with his album “Awaken, My Love!”

It would be a disservice to discuss his discography and not talk about “This Is America,” a single elevated by its poignant music video about gun violence, systemic racism and other heavy topics.

That single alone made him the first rap artist to win Song of the Year and Record of The Year at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

Unannounced on March 15, 2020, the website DonaldGloverPresents.com began playing a continuous loop of 12

unreleased songs before being taken down later that day.

The website then updated with a countdown that would end on March 22, 2020, the day the album dropped. The album’s title ended up being “3.15.20,” referencing the day it debuted on DonaldGloverPresents.com.

The album was initially released to positive acclaim. Critics praised it and often referred to it as experimental. For example, the track “32.22” features heavy distortion and tribal chanting across its three-minute runtime.

In contrast, the very next track, “35.31,” has Gambino rapping over a country-inspired instrumental about moving hay bales, seemingly a metaphor for selling marijuana.

Now, with the hype of Gambino releasing another album after the meteoric success of “This Is America” and “Awaken, My Love!” it would be reasonable to assume that this album would end up doing well.

However, the album debuted at #14 on the Billboard 200 and only sold 25,273 copies in its first week.

This album’s reception is in sharp contrast to “Awaken, My Love!” which debuted at No. 4 on the same chart and sold 101,000 copies

its first week.

There are multiple factors at play to explain the lackluster success of his fourth album.

The album’s promotion was cryptic, with the album being up for 12 hours on a website and then abruptly replaced with a countdown. There is also the fact that it dropped on a Sunday, while the Billboard 200 tracks releases on a Friday to Thursday schedule, thus Gambino lost out on two days of sales.

The album owes most of its downfall to its lack of promotion and its arbitrary naming scheme.

Of the twelve tracks, only two have names.

Instead, every other track is referred to by its timestamp on the album, such as “42.46.”

This method’s problem is that it makes it harder to find a specific track to stream since the title is not easily searchable. If one were to go to Childish Gambino’s Spotify and go to his listed popular tracks, not a single song from “3.15.20” would be up there.

Compared to the rest of Gambino’s discography, “3.15.20” will most likely be remembered for its odd naming scheme rather than its musical contributions.

SPORTS

April 13, 2021

WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM/SPORTS

Antavious Lane must be a vocal leader

Third-year safety focused on making 2021 his year JASON RICHBURG Staff Reporter

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Georgia State has five talented players to watch headed into their first spring game on Friday.

PHOTO BY MATT SICILIANO-SALAZAR | THE SIGNAL

The five names to watch at Georgia State spring game

Newcomers, vets and more could shine this season JULIAN HARDEN Staff Reporter

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eorgia State will hit the field for their first spring practice on April 16 at Center Parc Stadium. While many of Shawn Elliott’s men deserve a spotlight, here are five Panthers to watch.

No. 1 Mikele Colasurudo, Quarterback

2020 was an eventful year for the redshirt freshman, but not in the best way. Colasurdo went down with COVID-19 and suffered from its lingering effects. He wasn’t able to participate in many workouts due to lockdown and hurt his ability to compete with starting quarterback Cornelius Brown. While he may not have seen much of the gridiron, Colasurdo has been working hard going into spring practice.

While fans got glimpses of his play in garbage time against Coastal Carolina and Western Kentucky, the outside forces robbed him of an opportunity to show his talent to fans.

2021 could bring a new opportunity for Colasurdo to show off his talents in spring practice. He’s currently behind Brown and Furman transfer Darren Grainger, but no one should be surprised if he ends up in a battle for the starting job.

No. 2 Shamar McCollum, Outside Linebacker

The Panthers had one of the best front sevens in the nation, but with it came the departure of outside linebacker Jordan Strachan to South Carolina. Strachan led the nation with 10.5 sacks and earned a spot on the 2020 All-Sun Belt Conference third team.

McCollum transferred from Wake Forest and, in two seasons, racked up 24 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

For the Panthers to even have a shot in just their first four games, the pass rush has to get pressure on the quarterback.

No. 3 Dawson Hill, Running Back

Georgia State prides itself on its rushing attack, and in the last two seasons, it’s been a focal point. However, injuries have severely limited Hill from taking advantage of the opportunity. The redshirt junior has suffered through a nagging shoulder injury throughout his tenure at Georgia State.

Hill has failed to be a factor in 2019 or 2020 and managed a measly 21-yards in just four carries over his college career.

Hill will start the season behind starter Destin Coastes, Tucker Gregg and Jamyest Williams on the depth chart.

Hill will be a player to watch as he

seeks his first significant role in the Panther offense in the 2021 season.

No. 4 Miles Dickens, Defensive End

Dickens is a name to watch simply because the highest ranked 2018 recruit didn’t see any significant reps in 2020.

The loss of Strachan leaves a hole in the front seven and provides Dickens a considerable opportunity to get playing time.

While it will be complicated with Hadrick Willis and Jeffrey Clark, a good spring could propel Dickens to more reps in the season. Hopefully, with a solid showing in the spring, it won’t be long until we witness another star pass rusher for the Panthers in the fall.

No. 5 Ja’Cyais Credle, Wide Receiver

Finally, Central Florida transfer Ja’Cyais Credle hopes to add another explosive target for Brown. While Sam Pickney is the WR1, the addition of Credle will look to add another explosive target.

Georgia State didn’t have an issue on offense. Still, with Pickney emerging as the top receiver, it’ll be interesting to see if Credle can be the number two receiver heading into the season.

n Georgia State’s short 11-year football history, the Panthers have put five players in the NFL, including wide receiver Albert Wilson and All-Pro kicker Will Lutz.

The Panthers may send more to the NFL soon, which could include 2020 All-Sun Belt Conference safety Antavious Lane.

A 5-foot, 9-inch safety out of West Palm Beach, the junior was one of the Sun Belt Conference’s top defensive players this past season. But, his journey starting was not easy.

In high school, Lane was a three-star recruit.

He recorded 103 tackles and six interceptions (four for touchdowns) and was named First-team Palm Beach All-County in his senior year at Dwyer High School.

Lane gave himself the nickname “hit stick” after his sophomore year at Dwyer, and he has lived up to it at Georgia State.

After redshirting his freshman season, Lane took full advantage of the opportunity he got his sophomore season. He racked up 55 tackles, a forced fumble and four interceptions, a pick-six, and one forced fumble.

Arguably, Lane’s most important season performance was back in December against Western Kentucky in the Lending Tree Bowl on Dec. 26, where the Panthers won 39-21.

Lane recorded five tackles and gave Western Kentucky Quarterback Tyrell Pigrome his first interception after previously throwing none in 278 straight passing attempts.

In addition to solid stats each game, Lane provides the Panthers with a locker room presence who never hesitates to give teammates recognition.

“The guys up front make my job way easier.

Guys like Jeffery Clark and Akeem Smith, those guys can get to the quarterback.

They do their job very well, and that’s what makes my job a lot easier,” Lane said.

This season, the Panthers face their most challenging non-conference schedule in the school’s history, facing Army, North Carolina, Charlotte and Auburn.

Lane is not that focused on the schedule and believes the Panthers are more than capable of competing at a high level this season.

“I look at the schedule, but I try to focus on what we have here for right now and get better as a team, and I’ll focus on that when that time comes,” Lane said.

The Panthers finished with a 6-4 record last season, and Lane is ready to see the team be an even better team than what they were a season ago.

Luckily, the Panthers bring back 22 of 24 starters from last year, including wide receiver Sam Pinckney, wide receiver Cornelious McCoy, running back Destin Coates, tight end Roger Carter, left guard Shamarious Gilmore, and center Malik Sumter.

“I’m looking forward to having a better season than last season; hopefully, we can start off stronger than what we finished last season,” Lane said.

Besides being a phenomenal talent on the field, Lane is also a dedicated student off the field. He is an economics major and contributed to the Panther football team reaching a 3.0 GPA last spring semester.

While the Panthers are thriving in the classroom, they’ll look to repeat the success they had in 2020.

Antavious Lane’s success could factor heavily on how well the defense does

SPORTS

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

13

Introducing Coach Eman Naghavi

Former O-Line coach at ULM keeps his role at Georgia State MEADOW BARROW Staff Reporter

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eorgia State has a new Panther in town.

On March 25, Georgia State head football coach Shawn Elliott announced the newest edition to his staff, Eman Naghavi. A former offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Louisiana, Naghavi will serve as the Panthers’ new offensive line coach.

He will replace Thomas Austin, who is now the offensive assistant coach at Clemson.

administration in 2008, he broke out into the business world.

But Nagahvi’s came quickly after coming to a realization: he couldn’t step away from the game he loved.

“At first, I didn’t know if I wanted to [coach],” Naghavi said. “I played college ball, and I was pretty good, and I actually got out into the business world, and I figured out really quick that that’s not what I enjoyed doing.”

Naghavi’s true passion was coaching, and he’s had a massive effect on the programs he’s coached since he realized that.

“I enjoy coaching,” Naghavi said. “[I like] making guys do things that they’re not comfortable doing and then seeing it translate onto the field.”

Naghavi started coaching the offensive line at the University of LouisianaMonroe after two years of coaching at the University of Texas from 2013 -15 and two years at his alma mater, McNeese State, from 2015-17.

While at ULM, Naghavi led his offense to rank second in total and scoring offense in the Sun Belt.

“I had a lot of experience [at ULM],” Naghavi said.

“That’s definitely been a great advantage, just working in the — EMAN NEGHAVI Sun Belt. Being able to build those guys up and be able to Georgia State compete in the Sun Belt and Offensive Line Coach know what the Sun Belt’s about has helped me in my Naghavi played college career so far, especially taking football at McNeese State the job here at Georgia State.”

University from 2005-08.

The Panthers’ offense Seven years after his career has been on fire on the field ended as running back, and will only get better as he became the offensive the former three-time Allline coach and recruiting Southland Conference pick coordinator at his alma mater makes his first steps onto the in 2015. field.

While playing for the “The cool thing about Cowboys, Naghavi led the coming here is we’ve got a lot league in rushing and total of returners back,” Naghavi offense for two years in a row said. “They’ve been pretty and scoring offense for three good offensively [the] last years. few years, so I’m just trying His tireless efforts to learn what they’re doing. helped the team achieve an Maybe change a couple of undefeated regular season techniques but try to keep in 2007, culminating in everything the same and try a Southland Conference to build off of the success Championship victory. that Coach Glenn and Coach After receiving his Elliott have been doing on Bachelor’s degree in business offense.”

“

I enjoy coaching,” Naghavi said. “[I like] making guys do things that they’re not comfortable doing and then seeing it translate onto the field.

”

GSU men’s tennis is physically and mentally prepared to keep moving forward.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GSU ATHLETICS

Georgia State men’s tennis team on fire

Georgia State men’s tennis team is playing their best ball MARQUIS CHAMBERS Staff Reporter

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uilding a well-organized, winning culture is essential for any sports team to function. The Georgia State men’s tennis team established one before the season began, beginning with personnel.

“We have a couple of new faces on the team, one transfer and one player just joined us from Romania this semester,” Jonathan Wolff said. “I think COVID has brought us closer together. Our guys do a great job of having a great culture like a family, win or lose.”

The team’s stronger bond got them a 12-5 record in the Sun Belt Conference. According to Wolff, they have a target on their back, and they know they must come ready to play every match.

“Every year, we play most of your tougher competition, like your power five schools and other schools at the beginning of the season,” Wolff said.

The Georgia State men’s tennis team knows how hard they have to win these matches against the Sun Belt Conference’s tough competition.

“We know the tough competition and what’s out there. We’re putting in the hard work on and off the court,” Wolff said. “The way this schedule is going, these teams are tough, but they’re beatable, and our guys just keep believing every

time they step on the court, they’re the better team.”

“

Always a team effort, and I give credit to all the guys for what they have done so far, and hopefully, we can keep the win streak alive.

”

— JONATHAN WOLFF

Georgia State men’s tennis head coach

In this unusual season with the COVID-19 protocols and not having a fall tournament schedule, the team still has had multiple bright spots in their singles and doubles play. Andrei Duarte, Vazha

Shubladze, who recently just won student-athlete of the week, and Robert Grinvalds have been undeniably good for coach Wolff.

Every player and coach has a set of goals they want to accomplish in the season’s duration, which Wolff and his staff produce.

“We have team goals; some guys have double goals to get ranked in doubles,” Wolff said.

“Our team goal, of course, is to win a conference championship [But] the main goal is to be in our best form going in mentally and physically going in, and our smaller goal is to stay healthy.”

According to Wolff, as the team gets mentally and physically prepared, they do not have to worry about their fitness level.

However, maintaining excellent health could take a total team effort to bring home a conference title.

“I know it’s easy to pinpoint one guy like yesterday the sixth guy clinched, but then it was a total team effort for the doubles, and it happened to be that last guy on the court able to clinch it,” Wolff said.

“Always a team effort, and I give credit to all the guys for what they have done so far, and hopefully, we can keep the win streak alive.”

April 13, 2021

THREE BIG THINGS

GAMES SUDOKU

UNIVERSITY

STATE

NATIONAL

Georgia State rewrites its history book

Umpires blow crucial call to end the Braves’ weekend

Baylor ends Gonzaga’s dream run in national championship

Even with two home runs from Ryan Glass, the Panthers baseball team dropped their first game of Sunday’s double-header to Appalachian State.

Then, Georgia State bounded back for one of the most memorable comebacks in school history in the second game. Brad Stromdahl’s team entered the top of the ninth down 12-6 and went to work. They scored nine runs, eventually winning the game 15-13, with Josh Smith’s clutch grand slam giving the Panthers their eighth win of the season.

The Philadelphia Phillies took the 7-6 win on Sunday night, leaving Major League Baseball’s players and fans still questioning the replay system.

As Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm slid into home plate, the umpires initially called him safe. However, instant replay clearly presented evidence that Bohm never touched home before Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud tagged him.

The umpires upheld the call, with nobody, including Philly fans, understanding what they saw.

Behind 22 points from Final Four Most Outstanding Player Jared Butler, the Baylor Bears defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 86-70 last Monday. Gonzaga entered the game with a 32-0 record, seeking the first undefeated season since the 1975-76 Indiana Hoosiers.

Both teams will send players to the NBA Draft, none more coveted than Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs. The freshman posted 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in his lone college basketball season.

THE KICKBACK

TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

15

Joel Hurt: a visionary and a monster From slavery to convict leasing, one PHOTO COURTESY OF Atlanta businessman blurred the GSU LIBRARY ARCHIVES lines between the two

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oel Hurt, an Atlanta Businessman of the late 1800s to the early 1900s and co-founder of Suntrust Bank, is credited with building the Atlanta we see today. He is the man behind The Hurt Building on 33 Hurt Plaza, featured in the Golden Globe-nominated series “Lovecraft Country,” the Equitable Building and the Inman Park neighborhood’s development.

However, people do not say much about how Joel Hurt contracted labor from prisons to create materials for his buildings.

After the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865, which abolished slavery in the United States, business owners could no longer rely on enslaved people’s labor.

However, the legalization of convict leasing in 1868 made it easy for business owners to rent out prisoners charged with misdemeanors to perform strenuous physical work.

In 1876, the U.S. passed legislation allowing multiple companies to lease prisoners for a maximum of 23 years, giving the government and large business owners incentive to continue the prison-labor system.

Although business owners convinced the public that prison labor was an ethical practice, rumors spread to

MONIQUE ROJAS Staff Reporter Gov. Rufus Bullock about the laborers’ actual treatment.

Members of the Prison Commission began discussing the end of convict leasing in 1902, citing issues with disciplining convict camp wardens over their treatment of prisoners. The commission wanted to ensure prison labor’s allocation to building and maintaining public roads, paving the way for chain gangs.

In most instances, prisoners lived in convict camps.

Camps allowed for prisoners to be easily accessible to leaseholders. In 1908 former prisoner Ed Strickland detailed to a jury how convict wardens working at the Chattahoochee Brick Company camp whipped laborers for hours, with most of the day filled with their screams.

Some prisoners were whipped so severely they succumbed to their injuries, such as Peter Harris, who Joel Hurt contracted for labor.

In this same court case, the plaintiff called several business owners, including Joel Hurt, to the stand to defend their use of convict leasing. In a convict camp leased by Hurt, a prisoner contracted pneumonia due to poor living conditions.

Hurt refused to provide medical care to the prisoner,

causing him to die. There were instances in which he demanded prisoners be whipped for singing and smiling.

The Prison Commission declared Hurt to be the most challenging private business owner to work with because he refused to follow the law.

Not only did Hurt engage in unethical business practices, but there is evidence that he paid wardens a confidential second salary to ensure the mistreatment of prison laborers. Hurt paid wardens and medical practitioners an additional $40 to $700 a month under the table. That is roughly $1,400 to $20,000 in today’s money.

The Hurt family made documented complaints about prisoners not being worked before sunset and after sunrise.

On April 1, 1909, convict leasing was officially abolished in Georgia through a Senate and House bill.

Although convict leasing ended, companies such as Georgia Correctional Industries use prison labor to build furniture, produce paint and screenprint, and Georgia is one of five states where prisoners do not receive mandatory compensation for their work.

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

Homecoming Pounce Happy Hour 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza Conflict Resolution Workshop 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Virtual

Panther Market 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza Georgia State’s Got Talent 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Virtual

Pounce and the Chocolate Factory 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Unity Plaza Navigating Spaces That Weren’t Made for You 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Virtual

Movie on the Turf 6:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Green Lot Event Time Location

APR 16

THURSDAY APR 15

WEDNESDAY APR 14

TUESDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Feeding the Homeless Mission 2021 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 AM Hurt Park Atlanta from the Ashes: Downtown History Tour 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Woodruff Park

Beautiful Blackbird Live!

9:30 a.m.

Alliance Theatre Yo-Yo Ma 7:00 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Monday Morning Yoga with MGC 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Central Parc Stadium Hot Wings Hot Topics 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Virtual

APR 19

SATURDAY APR 18

APR 17

APR 13

THE KICKBACK

A 19th-century businessman who abused the convict leasing system