The Maroon March 24, 2023 Issue

Frustrated N Confused

Students frustrated with Bird N Brine app

By Kloe Witt kgwitt@loyno.edu @kloewitt22

Students on Loyola’s campus love their chicken. But what they don’t love is needing confusing apps to get that chicken. This is what some students on campus have complained about when it comes to the new Bird N Brine chicken spot that replaced the Original Burger Company in the Danna Center.

Erica Glenn, retail and marketing manager for Sodexo at Loyola, said the decision to switch was part of a “We Heard You” program. In this program, Sodexo posted on the Loyno Dining Instagram with a poll asking what students favorite fast food was.

“The common denominator was chicken, so we decided to proceed with Bird N Brine,” Glenn said.

Unlike the Original Burger Company, Bird N Brine doesn’t offer in-person ordering. Instead, students have to order through the Everyday app.

“Bird N Brine is a virtual concept. As dining is progressing into the future, more virtual concepts are becoming the norm. We thought it would be ideal to introduce this option on campus,” Glenn said.

The use of virtual ordering is a key part of the restaurant. However, it also seems to be a downfall. Many students have said they are frustrated with the app.

Mass communication freshman Maggie Powell said the app has caused her to change her mind while ordering.

“Most of the time, I get half way through the app and I’m just like, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ I get frustrated,” Powell said.

This follows suit with other initiatives

Loyola has launched which have increased dependence on virtual communication as a way of heading to the future in several ways, but students have continued to prefer traditional face-to-face interaction.

“Being in line and being able to be there and watch it happen, I guess, it’s better and easier,” Powell said.

According to Glenn, Sodexo is aware of the issues with the app. However, she said these are more due to Loyola’s Wi-Fi connectivity issues. This is something that the university disputes, having recently invested in new internet infrastructure.

Chief Information Officer Alan Schomaker said the internet has continued to be improved across campus. Glenn said they are working to fix the app’s issues.

Even with the issues, Glenn said Bird N Brine has been more successful than the previous joint and has received positive feedback.

“We took another poll not too long after opening Bird N Brine, because we really wanted to hear back what the community had to say. We have received mixed feedback, mostly positive,” Glenn said.

Although Powell said she did enjoy the food, when comparing it to Raising Cane’s and Zaxby’s, she still prefers the Original Burger Company.

“Hashtag OBC for life,” she said.

Glenn said depending on the future, Sodexo will consider an in-person ordering option. In the meantime, she said they are focusing on education.

“We would like to educate everyone on how to use the app, so that it is as easy as ordering anything else online,” she said.

Professor starts initiative against human trafficking

By Macie Batson mmbatson@my.loyno.edu @maciembats

Media professor Ty Lawson had a vision for a class that taught more than just the “nuts and bolts” when coming to Loyola. He said he recognized the importance of teaching students how to create media that matters.

With the help of the School of Communication and Design and in partnering with Loyola College of Law, Lawson was able to create a new course called “Mapping Human Trafficking” and an initiative titled “Media that Matters,” in which students will be campaigning for awareness of forced labor, human trafficking, and sex trafficking.

Loyola students are also collaborating with Universidad Austral in Argentina to examine different trafficking cases in Central and Latin America, as well as in the United States and China, according to Lawson.

Lawson said that his main inspiration for this course and initiative is the fact that not many people realize that human trafficking goes beyond sex trafficking.

“It’s something we don’t even realize, I mean it’s a $150 billion industry and 20 million people are trafficked every day. There’s money in it,” he said. “We can’t ignore that.”

Lawson talked about the unsafe and inhumane conditions that incarcerated people are forced to undertake, and how Louisiana is a bit late in trying to address this issue, considering the governor’s office of human trafficking only came about four years ago.

“Louisiana is sandwiched between Mississippi and Texas, which are two of the leading states in human trafficking,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that New Orleans didn’t have an office sooner, because we’re a place where we know it happens, because we’re a tourist city.”

See INITIATIVE, page 2

Sophia Maxim/The Maroon

INITIATIVE: Anti-trafficking initiative hosts panel discussion

Continued from page 1

Gaining Traction

After going all out and tagging every post with “#mediathatmatters,” Lawson said the initiative started gaining traction.

He said that his course became a popular elective, with a total of 24 students enrolled and students from various majors wishing to participate.

Not only did students express interest in the initiative, but Lawson also said that officials from the Miami and Houston Police Departments, the mayor of Houston, and the executive director of the Louisiana Governor's Office of Human Trafficking Prevention have shown support and interest in participating.

Lawson hosted an event last week titled “Media that Matters: Investigating Forced Labor in the Bayou” in honor of his new effort, where numerous speakers and students joined in a panel discussion about forced labor in Louisiana.

“They [the executive director at the Louisiana Governor's Office of Human Trafficking Prevention] drove all the way from Baton Rouge to come to my event,” Lawson said. “The support has been absolutely amazing.”

Professors from the Loyola College of Law also wanted to take part in raising awareness, including Loyola law professor Andrea Armstrong, who spoke at Lawson’s event last week.

Armstrong said that her research and areas of expertise aligned with Lawson’s initiative, and she believes that this ini-

Donnelley Center celebrates 25 years

The Donnelley Center will be celebrating their 25 year anniversary on Thursday, March 30. The Donnelley Center offers a variety of services for nonprofit organizations in the New Orleans area, such as strategic planning, media relations, graphic design, and social media strategies. The celebration will honor their nonprofit clients, alumni, and benefactors, as well as offer informative discussions about fundraising strategies and nonprofit management. For more information, contact donnelleycenter@loyno.edu.

LUCAP offers service opportunity

tiative will benefit students greatly.

“I think that this is so important, and I'm really a fan of Professor Lawson's approach to this,” Armstrong said. “I think his students are incredibly fortunate to be able to learn about this stuff with him.”

Armstrong has worked with the Promise of Justice Initiative and conducted extensive study to better understand incarcerated labor in Louisiana, including where it occurs, the conditions that exist, and the types of work that these individuals do.

Real-world ties

The Promise of Justice Initiative strives to effect positive change for those involved in the criminal justice system through impact litigation, direct services, and community engagement.

In response to Armstrong's research, the Promise of Justice Initiative created a video documentary that contained a series of interviews with Armstrong and individuals who have been incarcerated. The series, which focuses on the individuals' experiences with forced labor, was shown at Lawson's event, as well as additional screenings throughout Louisiana.

As a result of both Lawson and Armstrong’s initiatives, Armstrong said that students became interested in hosting a larger event in order to share with the public what they’ve learned. She also said it has helped students be able to apply the things they are learning in the real world by understanding that things like human trafficking exist in their community, whether they can see it or not.

“Professor Lawson’s course, including this event, are part of the Loyola and Jesuit mission,” Armstrong said. “We use our education and our knowledge to advance justice and dignity for every single person in the vein of our social justice purpose curriculum.”

Local impact

Loyola history junior Nha Nguyen, who served as a student moderator for Lawson's event, said that joining the Promise of Justice Initiative is the first action the community can take to fight against human trafficking.

“We really wanted to hold this event for people to have a better insight and understanding of human trafficking, specifically forced labor in prison systems in Louisiana, and why it truly is a collective cause that we all should be part of,” Nguyen said. “If you can be involved in any way, it helps.”

Nguyen added that she told Lawson that although she’s a history major, she still wanted to be involved in raising awareness.

Similarly, religious studies junior Michael Chandler, who attended the event, stated that the initiative's topic drew him in. He said that by attending events like "Media that Matters," people might learn things they would never have known

otherwise.

“I think it’s important for people to educate themselves on topics such as this by attending events that they wouldn’t usually go to,” Chandler said. “I never make it to these types of events, but I am glad I did because I would’ve never known of the conditions that these people have undergone.”

He added that more discussion amongst the community would lead to more laws being implemented, and that legislators would have to listen if more people became aware of the issues at hand.

“Actions that one can take start at the ballot,” Chandler said. “We have to find representatives who will see this issue as important to their agenda, and make the situation more public so more people are aware.”

At the end of this semester,

Nguyen said the students in Lawson’s course will be hosting an event where they will present the class’ final project, which entails an interactive map regarding human trafficking. They will be teaming up with a professor and students from Universidad Austral to create the map that will tell the stories that are along the various trafficking routes in North, Central, and South America.

Loyola announces leadership changes

By Arianna D'Antonio asdantonl@my.loyno.edu

After serving as Loyola’s interim president for almost a year, the university announced that the Rev. Justin Daffron, S.J. will be shifting leadership to serve as interim provost and senior vice president of strategy.

The email that was sent March 21 to staff and students also said that current provost Tanuja Singh will be serving as the next president of the University of Indianapolis starting this July.

“We are thankful for her numerous accomplishments working in collabora-

tion with the Deans and President’s Cabinet over the last three years,” the email read. “Joining the university in the midst of the pandemic, she helped bring stability and a strategic mindset during highly uncertain times.”

According to the email, this transition will help align the work that has been undertaken by Loyola for over five years, including crucial elements of the strategic plan, and Daffron is prepared for this new position.

During the remainder of her time at Loyola, Singh will be supporting Daffron’s transition into his new position.

“Having previously served as the

Associate Provost at Loyola University Chicago, Vice President for Mission and Identity at Loyola New Orleans, and other top posts at Jesuit universities, he is well prepared to serve Loyola during this time of transition,” the email said.

According to last month’s presidential search update, the university confirmed that the Board of Trustees would have their final selection by late March.

The latest email update revealed that the new president will be on campus Friday, March 24, and the announcement will be made prior to the afternoon event in the Peace Quad. The email also encouraged the Loyola community to at-

tend and wear maroon and gold to show Loyola pride as the Wolf Pack welcomes in our new president.

“The presidential decision follows a long nationwide search process in which the Presidential Search Committee identified qualified candidates for in-person interviews," the email said.

The Board of Trustees said in the email that the new president is eager to lead the institution to the next level while embracing the university’s mission: to pursue truth, wisdom, and virtue, and to work for a more just world.

Loyola University Community Action Program is hosting a service opportunity with the Saint Bernard Project Saturday, April 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Saint Bernard Project is a nonprofit disaster relief organization that has primarily served in St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina. Loyola's community action program will announce the location each service week. Those interested in volunteering can contact Katie Buc at kdbuc@my.loyno.edu.

Law school hosts 5K

The College of Law’s Student Bar Association will be hosting a five kilometer race for charity in Audubon Park on Saturday, April 1 at 9 a.m. The charity event is called Race Judicata, and will benefit Disability Rights Louisiana. For more information, contact alumna Libby Whiteside Kiger at lkiger@disabilityrightsla.org or 504-613-4535.

15th Peace Conference to begin

Loyola’s Student Peace Initiative is hosting the 15th annual Peace Conference from March 27 to 31. During the week-long conference, students will hear from notable speakers such as Noam Chomsky. The conference provides a platform for students to share their artistic and academic projects created throughout the past year. For more information about the conference, contact peacecon@loyno.edu or check on their instagram for a full schedule of events at @loyno_peacecon.

Fall registration begins soon

Registration for the fall 2023 semester begins Monday, March 27. Registration information can be found through Loyola’s Summer and Fall 2023 Registration page on the Academic Affairs website. This year, Loyola is requiring students to provide an emergency contact in addition to the registration agreement that must be signed prior to registration. Questions can be emailed to registrar@ loyno.edu.

Devin Cruice and Alexis Horton moderate speakers (L-R) Andrea Armstrong, Engrid Hamilton, Landon Marshall, and Sara Gozalo at Media That Matters, an event held on March 13. The interactive map will be unveiled in May. Anna Hummel/The Maroon

“We use our education and our knowledge to advance justice and dignity for every single person in the vein of our social justice purpose curriculum.”

— Andrea Armstrong Loyola law professor

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Loyola United Methodists remain united despite church schisms

By Kincaid Leger rkleger@my.loyno.edu

NOLA Wesley House is one United Methodist Church that has been a refuge for some of Loyola’s queer methodists.

“The Wesley House is almost like a safe haven for us, because there are a lot of churches who aren’t as affirming,” said Kaley Delker, sophomore history major and parishioner.

United Methodist Churches have been undergoing a schism over the choice of some churches to ordain queer marriages and clergy, despite official UMC policy not recognizing them as legitimate. This has led some conservative UMC churches to break from the national body in an ongoing process of disaffiliation, according to Rev. Zoë Garry, pastor at the Loyola and Tulane UMC campus ministry called NOLA Wesley.

Last year alone, 58 Louisiana churches left the UMC, including the largest former UMC church in the state, the Associated Press reported. As of January this year, over 2,000 churches, 6.6% of all UMC churches, have divorced themselves from the UMC. This process requires two-thirds of the congregation to vote to leave and continue pension and liability payments for two years, The

Week reported.

Not having a supportive home church network can be challenging for queer students, Garry said.

“We have several students who did grow up in the Methodist church and it is a conversation, and, especially for our students who are in queer bodies, those conversations at home are really painful,” Garry said. “This is a place where they can talk about their anger or mistrust or rejection.”

Garry described NOLA Wesley as a proud “progressive Protestant voice for the Tulane and Loyola Community” and a “queer-affirming Methodist and Presbyterian ministry.” Despite larger schisms, Garry said the student body at Loyola has remained united behind the queer-inclusive identity espoused by NOLA Wesley.

“We are definitely affected by the schism, because those are the churches that support us and love us and pray for us, but we ourselves have our own unique identity,” she said.

Delker seconded the notion that the Methodist community at Loyola remains united under a progressive and queer-inclusive vision of the church. However, Delker also stressed the challenges students face in finding accep-

tance outside of campus.

“I have been to other Methodist churches in the area to see if I was more comfortable there than at the Wesley House and I wasn’t,” she said.

Away from campus, sectarian disputes have impacted students, Delker and Garry said.

“There were conservative rioters throwing things at delegates who had pronoun pins on or people who were supportive of the [queer] community,” Delker said, recalling a violent protest she saw at a Florida UMC conference.

“With the rising amount of anti-LGBTQ legislation, there is definitely a fear that the UMC will turn more conservative.”

Next year, the UMC will host its 2024 general conference, which will determine how the church will view queer marriage and clergy going forward, Garry said. While she predicted the conference would prove contentious, Garry said she remains hopeful that the UMC would move to recognize queer marriages and clergy.

“I am always and ever hopeful that the voices and the votes of the congregation will be rooted in affirmation and love, and I believe that is what is at stake,” she said.

Loyolans speak on state bill requiring age verification to access porn

By Abigail Schmidt acschmid@my.loyno.edu

A new law requires Louisiana residents to provide their government-issued IDs to view mainstream pornography websites, but Loyola professor Ty Lawson said the government should be prioritizing combating sex trafficking which pornography contributes to.

The new instated law, Act 440, has already gone into effect for sites such as PornHub and Redtube. Louisiana was the first state to enact this law back in January and since then, seven states have since followed.

The act states that pornography contributes to the hyper-sexualization of minors, impacts brain development, sexual functioning, and leads to unhealthy relationships in the future.

Lawson, who has created a course at Loyola called “Media that Matters: Examining Forced Labor in the Bayou," and has spoken with several organizations that advocate against human trafficking, said that this act will not help Louisiana’s pornography consumption, which has been dubbed a public health crisis, according to the New York Post.

“People who want to see that are going to see that regardless,” Lawson said. “It’s easy to fake documents to lie about age. That is not a priority.”

The pornography industry is one of the leading forms of sex trafficking, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Lawson said that he believes that the priority for the government should be to have “tougher laws and prosecute the person making the content.”

Sex trafficking is a $150 billion industry, according to the Polaris Project, an organization working to raise awareness and prevent it.

Another advocacy organization, Fight The New Drug is working to raise awareness about the dangers of the pornography industry and its connections with sex trafficking.

One website they have targeted is OnlyFans, a site commonly referred to as “ethical porn.” The site claims to ver-

ify its users to ensure they are of legal age. However, an investigation by the BBC revealed that OnlyFans’ age verification process has not prevented users from uploading child pornography. Like many who try to access PornHub, users have been caught using fake identification to upload content, according to Fight The New Drug.

A report by The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction showed that the levels of buying and sharing child pornography are increasing with the growth of the Internet and online communities.

“The Internet and advances in digital technology have provided fertile ground for offenders,” the report said.

On top of how easy it can be to use a fake ID to access these websites, one Loyola student has already found a way out of showing their ID.

Loyola student Pat Doe, whose name has been changed for privacy reasons, said they also believe that this law is not helpful for the prevention of porn consumption and that they believe this law is targeting the wrong group.

“If the government is going to create a law that is actually going to sufficiently help abuse in the porn industry, they need to have laws that focus on disciplining porn companies more severely, especially when it comes to issues of rape and sex trafficking,” Doe said. “That law does nothing, because all you need is a VPN to get around it.”

Doe said they believe anyone who knows how to access these online communities will be unaffected by Act 440.

“(The new law) does nothing. Any person using the dark web or some part of the Internet that is not easily accessible to the general public uses a VPN. That law does not protect that, does not get rid of that, and does not impact that,” Doe said.

A painted depiction of Jesus Christ holding a progressive flag inside a Methodist church. The ordination of gay clergy members and gay marriages has split Methodist churches nationwide. Kincaid Leger/The Maroon

All attempts to access porn sites are blocked without age verification in Louisiana. As the new Louisiana law came into effect, it is now required to present age verification through a digital ID. Photo Illustration by Torrie Shuff/The Maroon

Literary-reading series revamped at The Eliza Jane hotel

By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu

The Loyola University English department has partnered with The Eliza Jane hotel to reboot its monthly reading series, formerly known as 1718.

The revamped literary-reading series will now be called Dear Eliza Jane, held in The Press Room at the hotel.

The event will feature a published writer, along with student writers in a monthly public reading.

“It’s just an invaluable experience for students to be able to read alongside award-winning authors,” English professor Christopher Schaberg said.

Although the series event will become fully student-run as it once was, it is currently under the direction of Schaberg, who is also the director of the Center for Editing and Publishing.

English senior Blair Anderson said he was excited to attend the event, not only to support his friends who were reading, but also to meet new authors and eventually, read some of his own work.

“I never got involved with 1718, but I always regretted that,” he said.

New York Times’ bestselling author and New Orleans local Jami Attenberg was the first headliner of the event series.

“I have done this reading series twice before when it was at the Columns hotel. And I loved that experience, but it's always great to try something new,” Attenberg said.

The literary-reading event will be the third Thursday of every month in The Eliza Jane’s press room, where there will be specialty cocktails, mocktails, and hors d'oeuvres inspired by the invited author.

“This is all real professional experience,” Schaberg said. “And to me, it's all about helping our students understand the broader network of literature publishing.”

The 'mad Black woman' stigma still exists in today's culture

By Jariah Johnson jejohnso@my.loyno.edu

Sheila Fulks can’t be too angry. If she’s too loud, she knows she will be called aggressive.

Fulks is a Black woman, and like many Black women, she said she feels obligated to change who she is because she fears being stigmatized as a mad Black woman if her anger comes off as too much.

Cassandra James-Weathersby, founder and executive director of Black Women Do Heal. This is an organization that provides coaching and mental health support for Black and Brown women who have been through traumatic events and they are able to share their healing stories to reduce the stigma of mental health and promote wellness, said that Black women are forced to silence their pain and control their actions so others will not stigmatize and judge them.

“The stigma comes from being rooted in systematic racism. It is one of those things where it makes us look like villains and we weaponize white women’s tears,” James-Weathersby said.

James-Weathersby said Black women do not feel they have the grace given to them to heal from traumatic situations. Instead, she said they hide their pain because of the stigma. They often do not go to counseling for their trauma due to the fear that sharing their stories in society could cause more trauma, she said.

“Black women are the least likely to go get help when it comes down to traumatic situations,” James-Weathersby said. Black women often say they struggle with their perceptions at work, in busi-

nesses, and in public areas, because they must be sure their expressions do not come off wrong, said Ebony Brown, founder and CEO of Grace House of Baton Rouge. When their expression is taken incorrectly, it can lead to the woman feeling attacked as a person, even if it is subtle.

Brown said with her being a passionate Black woman who is vocal and active about protecting her business in American society, she is viewed as a target of the stigma.

“People either think I am wasting my time, or spending too much money on certain things by me protecting my businesses, and in response, they try to attack me with my passion and personality and say that I am rude, when that is not the case,” Brown said.

Though the issue may seem uncommon now, James-Weathersby said the stigma is still very much alive. Black women do not have to directly be called mad Black women for them to feel attacked, she said.

“It is still common. It is just done in different ways,” James-Weathersby said. “Instead of saying you’re angry when you’re really just passionate, they say “you’re so loud. Don’t express yourself in that way.”

James-Weathersby said the way to fight the stigma is to re-evaluate the strength of Black women and embrace the beauty within rather than accept the circumstances.

“Until you believe that stigma is not you, you will believe it,” she said. “We have to recognize that we are beautiful Black women, whether the dominant culture chooses to see it or not.”

NOLA public library showcases local music talent with streaming platform

By Arianna D'Antonio asdanton@my.loyno.edu

@AriDAntonio

The New Orleans public library created its own streaming platform to promote local musicians, giving artists opportunities to showcase their music and pull the strings of the community together.

The platform, Crescent City Sounds, connects members of the New Orleans community with local musician’s work through their own commercial-free streaming.

Joshua Smith, New Orleans public library associate and key curator of Crescent City Sounds, initiated Crescent City Sounds through a conversation with a friend and former colleague, who just set up the streaming platform Electric Ladybird for Austin Public Library. Now, Crescent City Sounds has a number of curators who look for local artists to inspire a new generation of music.

“I thought it was awesome and something that we definitely needed in New Orleans,” Smith said. “It took a couple of years of pitching it to anyone who would listen, but I eventually got the okay to start the process at New Orleans Public Library.”

After getting approval, Smith and other curators started meeting with the folks at Rabble, the company that builds Mu-

sicat, which is the platform Crescent City Sounds runs on. After these preliminary meetings, Smith said it was time to set a date and start approaching people from the local music world to act as curators. Then the curators began collecting music from the public, making their selections, and publishing the music, Smith said.

Kaye the Beast, a current Crescent City Sounds artist, heard buzz through the music community grapevine about Crescent City Sounds, and said he thought it was a great idea.

“Local music can get lost in the shuffle because there are so many talented artists at different points in their careers and that means different levels of visibility for each,” he said. “It’s cool to have a place where we all can be found.”

Kaye the Beast then decided to submit his work, and said the rest was history.

“I’ve been on there for a little under a year, and it has brought notoriety as well as some bragging rights, since I was one of the first 20 or so artists to join the platform,” Kaye said.

Kiefer "Kidnap" Napolitano, another independent artist on the platform, said his job is to make sure his art reaches listeners, and Crescent City Sounds provides him with just that.

See CRESCENT, page 8

Photo illustration by Gabrielle Korein/The Maroon

A student hangs a flyer for Crescent City Sounds in a Loyola studio. The platform looks to bring the music community in New Orleans together. Photo Illustration by Maleigh Crespo/The Maroon

“Embrace the beauty within rather than accept the circumstances.”

— Cassancra James-Weathersby Founder and executive director of Black Women Do Heal

CRESCENT: Artists speak out about music platform

Continued from page 6

“I found CCS through an Instagram ad, and shortly after, my friend and fellow New Orleans artist, Alfred Banks, came into 90s Kid’s Closet, a vintage store on Magazine where I’m currently employed, and encouraged me to submit a project for their new streaming service,” Kidnap said.

Kidnap originally submitted his debut project “Gas Petals,” but didn’t know it would be chosen to be one of the first projects available on the platform.

“It’s a great feeling as an independent artist to not only have my work accepted, but also knowing my work is in

the ears of the people in the New Orleans community,” he said.

Curator Alison Fernerstock, DJ at WWOZ and local music journalist, emphasized how hard the library is working to make Crescent City Sounds diverse so listeners might discover bands outside their usual taste and support them by attending shows or buying albums.

“There are so many entities and institutions in New Orleans that promote local music: nightclubs, record stores, museums, foundations,” said Fernerstock. “They could potentially help Crescent City Sounds with outreach efforts by using their own networks to make more fans aware it exists.”

Fernerstock said that the platform provides another avenue for people who can’t attend live shows, such as those who might have small children, transportation issues, or mobility challenges.

“Some of these bands might have a song or two played on local radio, like WWOZ or WTUL, but with Crescent City Sounds, a fan can go listen to a whole album as much as they want on their own schedule,” said Fernerstock.

Kate O’Brien, CCS artist known as Beach Angel, finds the music community of New Orleans to be a little disorganized and sees Crescent City Sounds as a means of pulling the music community together.

“My band had just released a single that I wanted to submit, and it got accepted,” she said. “Someone who works there had reached out to me, and they were really passionate about archiving New Orleans artists and having a new streaming service that was free, which I thought was really cool.”

Artists whose work is selected are also offered an honorarium of $250. Beach Angel commended Crescent City Sounds for these cash prizes, and said she wishes the prizes were more universal information because few people knew about them when she submitted.

“We were doing a lot of recording during that time last year, which can be

costly and that helped,” she said.

Kaye the Beast highlighted that, compared to larger streaming platforms like SoundCloud and Spotify, Crescent City Sounds has room to grow in order to compete with the likes of these mainstream platforms.

Fernerstock and Smith both said that Crescent City Sounds compensates their artists better than larger streaming platforms like Spotify.

“I was paid for my work, which immediately helped pay off studio time for my future releases. It’s been a huge confidence boost for what’s to come,” Kidnap said.

Baseball carries 20-9 record into 2nd half of season

By Elle Haavie ehaavie@my.loyno.edu

The Loyola baseball team is currently in the middle of their season and in the heart of their conference schedule, winning 20 out of the 29 games they’ve played so far. They are currently 7-2 in the Southern States Athletic Conference.

Head coach Jeremy Kennedy said he believes the team is on its way to reach its full potential.

“We've done a nice job in some areas and have a lot of room for improvement in some others,” Kennedy said. “We are still in the process of becoming the team we are capable of. We’ve been able to play pretty well and win some games, despite the fact that we haven’t come

close to our potential yet.”

Stephen Still, a junior political science major and pitcher on the team, said he is optimistic about the upcoming conference games.

“There have definitely been some games we wish we could have won, but that happens, and we’ve done a good job of not letting that snowball and staying game to game,” he said.

The conference games have just started with only three 3-game series being played so far against Talladega College, Brewton Parker College, and Stillman College. Loyola won their most recent game against Stillman on March 18, giving the team a three in a row winning streak.

Even though the team came out vic-

Sophomores create new majorette dance team

By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu

Sophomores Natasha Calixte and Reagan Rogers have been dancing since they were in high school, but when they came to Loyola, they saw a deficit in the dance department.

Loyola has a dance team, but you don’t really ever see them around, Calixte said.

Calixte, a forensic chemistry major, and Rogers, a psychology major, saw this as an opportunity to start their own dance club. Flawless Golden Wolves is a majorette-style dance team, which is a dance team that performs hip-hop and jazz style dance, usually alongside marching bands.

Rogers said they chose to start a majorette dance team to pay homage to historically Black colleges and universities, and to bring excitement to the Loyola community.

“It’s a way to bring the minority community on our campus together, and a way to express yourself through a different type of dance than what Loyola

WHAT YOU MISSED

MARCH 22

Tennis beats Jones College at City Park Tennis Center

MARCH 23

Tennis vs. University of Mobile in Mobile, Ala.

Esports vs. Shenendoah University in "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate"

WHAT'S UP NEXT

MARCH 25

has already,” Rogers said. “We’re trying to bring more school spirit, be more involved, and add a little spice.”

Flawless Golden Wolves will have a week-long tryout informational from March 27 to 31 in the University Sports Complex from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day. Tryouts will be held on April 1 in the Audubon Room from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m..

Tryouts are open to anyone with any amount of dance experience, Rogers said.

“Even if you don't have dance experience, it's all about having fun at the end of the day,” she said. “And a lot of things can be taught.”

The co-founders encourage students who want to audition to show up, even if they’re just thinking about auditioning, show all the skills that they have, and not hold anything back.

Flawless Golden Wolves plan to perform at Wolf Pack Welcome, and other school events to boost morale.

“We’re trying to be the ones you see around campus,” Rogers said.

torious, the coach and the players said they are still aiming to improve even more and continue to advance in the conference.

“We took two of three from Talladega, who are a really good team. It was a good start, but we’re not satisfied and could definitely play better,” Still said. “Our conference is very strong and we know we have to be locked in every week.”

Kennedy said that while their team has the best defense in the conference, there is still some areas they want to improve on.

“I think we have the best defense in the conference,” Kennedy said. “We need to prove that we can also have the best pitching staff and offense. The group is confident and knows its best baseball is

still ahead.”

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics released the first in-season baseball coaches Top 25 poll on March 7, and Loyola has been moved up to No. 14 after starting at No. 23 in the pre-season poll.

Still said that although the baseball field is pretty far from campus, students can come support the Wolf Pack right here in the neighborhood next month, by coming to watch their series against Faulkner University at Turchin Stadium on Tulane’s campus on April 21.

“The school should come out because it's a fun time,” he said. “More students would elevate the experience. We play and have a good time.”

Baseball at University of Mobile in Mobile, Ala. at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Track & field at Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss.

MARCH 28

Women's Golf at Cumberland University Music City Invite in Old Hickory, Tenn.

Baseball vs. Dillard University at Segnette Field at 5 p.m.

Flawless Golden Wolves co-founders Natasha Calixte (left) and Reagan Rogers (right) discuss logistics for the new dance team. The dance team will hold tryouts on April 1 in the Audubon Room. Maleigh Crespo/The Maroon

Junior outfielder Aaron Davis swings at a pitch against Stillman College at Segnette Field on March 18, 2023. The Wolf Pack took two out of three games against the Tigers and boosted their record to 20-9 on the season. James Hufnagel/The Maroon

Res Life needs to get over themselves

Everyone who has ever lived in a Loyola residence hall has a horror story. That bathroom stall that was broken by some freshman in a drunken rage, and stayed that way for weeks.

The makeshift slip ‘n’ slide in Biever Hall. The chicken in that vacant Resident Assistant dorm. The crazy clowns that terrorized the halls. Straight-up shit in the shower. These stories are usually disgusting, sometimes traumatizing, but always funny … at least with some time and distance to process. But beyond the goofy tales that become legend, there are also those not-so-funny horror stories. The ones that a million emails and phone calls could not rectify. The horror stories that at best, ended in tears, but at worst, left students homeless.

This semester, residents of Biever Hall were each fined $10 due to the graffiti “Fuck ResLife” that was written

in permanent marker in the stairwell. Rather than taking punitive action across over 300 students, perhaps Residential Life should have first asked ‘why, oh why, would somebody think to write in permanent marker such a message in the stairwell? And why is it so terribly hard to pinpoint only a single person who would think of such a sentiment?’

There is a massive amount of graffiti covering the halls and bathrooms of Biever Hall, yet Residential Life only takes action when a minimal amount of graffiti, only two words written in permanent marker, is directed toward them. This implies that vandalism is acceptable unless it is commentary against Residential Life.

This fine also highlights the impotence of Residential Life toward actual problems, and reinforces the idea that it only cares about retaining its image.

Residential Life does not exist to perform unjust collective punishment, like taking money from on-campus residents at will, while ignoring its own ineptitude.

And where exactly is all the money they collected? How is it being used?

Now, we say all this fully understanding how horribly feral many young college students are. We are sure managing university housing isn’t much dissimilar to overseeing a wolf preserve.

All that being said, the actions of a few crazy college students shouldn’t be cause to penalize all. Amongst those students, there are some who have been victim to the wrong kinds of Residential Life horror stories, and don’t need another dang fine they did nothing to deserve and will have no idea where their money is going.

HOWLS & GROWLS

HOWL to a new university president

GROWL to getting run over

HOWL to Kloe

GROWL to minor inconveniences

HOWL to crawfish

GROWL to the Everyday app

HOWL to peanut butter baby

GROWL to chargers

EDITORIAL BOARD

Macie Batson & Jackie Galli

Editors-in-Chief

Cristo Dulom Managing Editor for Print

Ava Acharya Managing Editor for Digital

Devin Cruice News Director

Maleigh Crespo Design Chief

Gabrielle Korein Photo Editor

Patrick Hamilton News Editor

Abigail Schmidt Life & Times Editor

Aron Boehle Worldview Editor

Matthew Richards Sports Editor

Mark Michel Opinion & Editorial Editor

Kloe Witt Breaking News Editor

Mia Oliva Reviews Editor Equity & Inclusion Officers

Victoria Hardy & Melody Newsome

Arianna D'Antonio Senior Staff Writer

Torrie Shuff Senior Staff Photographer Copy Editors

Heather Rabassa & Violet Bucaro

Bella Kelley Social Media Coordinator

Alexis Horton Assignment Editor

EDITORIAL POLICY

The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University.

Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board.

The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola.

Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication.

Please send all submissions —

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Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu.

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Photo Illustration by Abigail Schmidt/The Maroon

Zombies make dystopian media better

TANESHA TAYLOR Design sophomore tctaylor@my.loyno.edu

From 1927’s “Metropolis” to “The Hunger Games”, the idea of dystopia has always captivated audiences. Growing up, dystopia quickly became one of my favorite genres. Movies like “The Maze Runner” and “Divergent” as well as TV shows such as “The 100” have always held a special place in my heart. But to me, there has always been something missing from the run-of-themill collapsed society trope. And that’s zombies.

Seemingly straight-forward stories at first glance, every zombie-related story in the media is unique. They each carry their own stories, themes, and iconic pieces of world building that keep the genre fresh. When we think of the classic zombie monster, we imagine them to be slow and mumbling for brains. But what I love about zombie media is that each iteration of the zombie can be completely different

from the last.

If you’ve ever watched the Syfy television series “Z Nation”, they explain that the faster the zombies are, the more recently they’ve turned. This, compared to “The Last of Us”, is different, as the zombies in “The Last Of Us”, also known as the “infected,” are generally faster and stronger regardless of when they were turned. “Walkers” of “The Walking Dead” are slow and drag their feet. This is one small change that can affect the tone of the story, since a slower zombie is much less scary than a zombie that can easily chase you down. These differences present in zombie media is how audiences stay interested in the genre and keep coming back for more, as no two zombies are alike.

Likewise, some zombie media does not go into detail about the origins of the zombies, while others do. For instance, “Dawn of the Dead” does not explain a single thing about how its zombie apocalypse was caused. But in the Netflix series “All of Us Are Dead”, audiences get an hour-long episode to detail its zombie origins: how it started, where it started, and how it managed to spread. While both series are enjoyable and effective, each has their own strengths and

weaknesses when it comes to conveying the intended stories.

Because of this, zombie media has been captivating audiences since the dawn of the genre. There’s just something special about an average person being thrown into a life-or-death survival situ ation that’s so incredibly en tertaining. We grow attached to these char acters because we see ourselves in them, and the stories they tell resonate and stay with us forever. And once again, the media keeps evolving. The basic rules of the genre are understood, but each new addition to the media can be expanded upon as much as they please. This is what makes zombie media the best type of dystopian media.

Driving is dangerous, and drivers need to act like it

act like it.

And I am not talking about driving intoxicated, which is objectively awful, but simply absent minded driving. If you are too distracted or tired to notice pedestrians and generally pay attention to your surroundings, then you should not be behind the wheel.

Imagine this:

you’re walking in your neighborhood, getting groceries. It's a beautiful, sunny day. Perfect for a leisurely walk. You’re crossing the street. You look both ways and take a step into the street, when out of nowhere some asshole takes a sharp turn. No turn signal. No forethought. Not an ounce of consideration for anyone who might be walking. You jump backwards, shocked and startled. Driving is incredibly dangerous. It is all too easy for someone to lose their life due to careless driving. And countless people have. Yet, far too many drivers seem completely oblivious to this fact. In essence, far too many people prioritize their own convenience over real human lives. It’s selfish, and honestly, disturbing.

By getting behind the wheel, you are taking responsibility for other people’s lives, both legally and ethically. Fucking

I should not have to risk my life for something as mundane as walking to class. And yet, this is a frequent occurrence because people think that road safety laws do not apply to them.

And I get it. You’re in a hurry. You have places to be, people to see, things to do. But are any of these things more important than someone’s life?

They shouldn’t be.

Unintentional injury, often car crashes, is the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 15 and 24. Too many people have loved ones who have been significantly injured, or even killed, in these highly preventable accidents.

Beyond being tragic, it's infuriating to think how much destruction could be avoided if people simply paid better mind.

Get over yourself and pay attention.

Photo illustration by Gabrielle Korein/The Maroon

“It is all too easy for someone to lose their life due to careless driving.”

Elle Haavie/The Maroon

“Seemingly straight-forward stories at first glance, every zombie-related story in the media is unique.”