The world tuned in with anxious anticipation for the reveal of the next U.S. president. Polls fluctuated, beginning in favor of Kamala Harris but shifting toward Donald Trump by the late night. By early morning, news of Trump's victory spread on social media.
On campus, many students and professors mourned Harris' failed candidacy. Attitudes shifted toward anger and sadness.
"Trump's America is terrifying, not only for me but for my peers," Tulane architecture senior Savanna Lawson said. "Trump's America wants to have total control over my life."
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Graduate students make pilgrimage to Vatican for global Synod
By Maria DiFelice mldifeli@my.loyno.edu
Loyola graduate students got to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Rome, according to assistant professor of pastoral studies, Emily Jendzejec. Six students and one faculty member went on a pilgrimage in Rome to experience a Catholic Synod.
The Synod is a council that comes together and helps make spiritual decisions on the Catholic Church, Jendzejec said. Catholic leaders and invitees come together to discuss current issues facing the Church. Members of the Synod are Catholics chosen by Pope Francis.
Jendzejec teaches a class about Synodality and what it means for people of Catholic faith. She said observing and participating in conversations not only
benefited her students but also offered her experience and knowledge.
“I think that being part of this trip, and going on this trip with, like, once in a lifetime opportunity, but also a once in a kind of church opportunity,” Jendzejec said.
According to Jendzejec, the trip has been in the works for about a year. The group joined several other Jesuit institutions and created a space for students to experience the Synod through communion, participation, and mission, Jendzejec said.
“I think it’s an incredible opportunity,” Jendzejec said. “And what is amazing really, too, is that we collaborated with 14 other universities, and we're kind of thinking about this too.”
Milissa Else, a student of Jendzejec, said the experience was something that
helped her grow as a Catholic. According to Else, she took the class in order to help her understand the Synod on a different level, especially helping her in her pastoral work within the church.
“It was a deeply spiritual pilgrimage to sacred sites and locations throughout Rome,” Else said.
Else and Jendzejec met the delegates in the Synod to ask questions and converse. They said those conversations stood out to them the most on the trip. According to Else, they visited sacred places like the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica that were personally significant to them as Catholics. Else and Jendzejec said being able to see these places helped them grow a connection through their faith.
“It was just so exciting to be able to kind of go past the Swiss Guards and to walk up to the Senate hall and to walk in there, an iconic space, a space that we've all seen,” said Else.
City struggles with unemployment, savings Upcoming events
By Violet Bucaro vabucaro@my.loyno.edu
With high unemployment, a tourist economy, and low-wage part time jobs, New Orleanians are desperate to save money.
““It’s so up in the air. That’s how I would say it is in New Orleans.”
Recent Loyola graduate, Ryder Vassilos is a newly employed sales associate at Petco. He said had to hunt for a job for several months. Vassilos said he’s been unable to save, and his existing savings are burning out.
“While I am burning though that, [I’m] just desperately trying to find another job,” he said, “It’s so up in the air. That’s how I would say it is in New Orleans.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The number of discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached who believed that no jobs were available for them, changed little at 379,000 in October.”
Vassilos said it’s difficult to find well paying retail jobs. He said the popularity of online job applications makes it hard to stand out.
“It’s hard to hear back because you’re just a PDF,” he said.
While searching for work, Vassilos said the majority he found were parttime, minimum wage, and temporary jobs aimed at college students.
“It’s a tourist economy and a college city at the same time,” Vassilos said.
Unemployment in New Orleans is higher than the national unemployment rate.
Will Harrison is a private wealth investment specialist at Merrill Lynch, who manages clients’ money and guides in-
vestments. He said the large proportion of low income workers in New Orleans and Louisiana face higher risks of unemployment.
Orleans Parish’s unemployment rate was around 4.9% in Aug., while Louisiana's was 3.9%.
Orleans Parish's unemployment rate is higher than surrounding areas from St. Tammany to Plaquemines Parish, according to Harrison.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. unemployment as of Sept. 2023 was 3.8%. In 2024 it rose to 4.1%. Harrison said it is hard for locals to find jobs due to the rising unemployment in New Orleans.
“Increasing unemployment is not good. My sister has been looking for a job for a couple months and is having trouble finding one because people are hiring less and are being stricter with who they hire,” Harrison said.
Harrison said the rate of change in unemployment is growing slightly, but the economy is in good shape. This is abnormal, he said, because historically when unemployment grows by a percent, it usually indicates a recession.
The current rate of unemployment nationally is 4.1% which is the percentage of people who are looking for jobs but do not have one, he said.
According to BLS, the number of unemployed people was little changed at 7.0 million, updated on Oct. 24. “These measures are higher than a year earlier, when the jobless rate was 3.8 percent, and the number of unemployed people was 6.4 million,” BLS said.
Harrison said, less people are working, and less people are spending, which all mean less growth for the overall economy.
The Federal Reserve recently cut interest rates by a half percent on Sept. 18 to combat inflation and achieve stabilization based on the national unemployment rate, according to the Federal Reserve.
Harrison said New Orleans has less dynamic employment because it does not have a lot of tech-startups. In addi-
tion, the population isn’t growing, and the economy was built off of oil and gas, which has drastically lowered jobs, he said. These numbers are down 58% from 2013-2023, according to the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
Even when businesses in New Orleans are looking to hire, workers are not able to sustain, Vassilos said. Vassilos mentioned that New Orleans's dependence on tourism creates a harder environment for stable jobs.
Vassilos said the issue with not having a salaried job is the lack of budgeting he is able to do. With a monthly paycheck he is unable to plan ahead, create solidified savings, and budget his life.
“None of that is workable, you know, for an actual salary,” Vassiolos said, “It’s so touch and go, and you have to exert yourself in a way that is exhausting.”
Harrison said the reason it is a struggle to save money is that the population in the bottom 20-40% incomes are living paycheck to paycheck which means there is little expendable money.
Vassilos said there were a lot of factors that make it difficult to live affordably.
“It's just that no one wants to pay you full time, but everyone wants you to be committed,” he said.
Vassilos said he is pigeonholed and cannot save money.
“Currently I just have no ability to save anything. It’s still not enough, and I can’t budget around it,” he said.
Harrison said the lack of funds are spent on necessities, and the top 10% of wealthy individuals in the country own the majority of investable assets, and the bottom 10% own around 1%. This causes a huge wealth gap which is perpetuated by low interest rates, he said.
According to the Institute for Policy Studies, “The top 10% of US households own about 93% of the stock market wealth.”
Harrison mentioned he has noticed that the younger generations in New Orleans are not saving and have no resources to do so.
“I have spoken to children in lower income communities about basic saving and personal finance and the idea to save money is totally non-existent, it’s almost laughable,” Harrison said.
Annual Faculty vs. Student Basketball Game
Info Sessions Study Abroad 2025
Nov. 12, Copenhagen Summer, 12:30 p.m. Bobet Hall 445 -- Prague Summer, 5 p.m. Bobet Hall 332
A look into Black men’s mental health
Nov. 14, 6 p.m. Octavia Room
TAD: Everybody
Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. at Lower Depths Experimental Theatre
Private investment specialist Will Harrison analyzes data of unemployment and economy trends in his office at Merrill Lynch on Sept. 30. Violet Bucaro/The Maroon
Graduate students pose together in Rome. Courtesy of Emily Jendzejec
Ryder Vassilos Loyola design alum
LIFE & TIMES
“ Picturing Blackness” : Photo gallery honors New Orleans photographer
By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu
Loyola University’s Monroe Library has unveiled a new photography exhibition, “A Tribute to Harold Baquet: Picturing Blackness.”
Located on the 4th floor of Monroe Library, this new installation is a “mediation on Black imagery and culture,” according to Christine Harvey, Loyola’s College of Music and Media public relation manager, highlighting the work and legacy of noted New Orleans photographer, Harold Baquet.
According to Harvey, Baquet spent 30 years photographing New Orleans with a special focus on the political and daily life of black people. Additionally, he worked at New Orleans City Hall as a photographer during the mayoral administrations of Dutch Morial and Sidney Barthelemy, and later spent 25 years as the photographer at Loyola.
Loyola public relations senior Siobhan Terry was involved with the installation process of the exhibit.
“I got to hear lots of sweet stories about Baquet from professors during the installation and at the exhibit opening,” Terry said. The gallery includes the work of ten additional photographers from black communities in New Orleans, according to a press release from Harvey. The additional artists were asked to provide photos in the style and spirit of Baquet, resulting in an exhibit of 55 total images.
“It was so satisfying watching everything come together and how different pieces from different artists all complimented each other,” Terry said. “I felt honored to hang Harold Baquets pieces seeing how much of an impact he left on Loyola.”
"A Tribute to Harold Baquet: Picturing Blackness" photo gallery in Loyola's Monroe Library. Eloise Pickering/The Maroon
"Hands on trumpet", shot by Eric Waters. Photo is displayed in the Harold Baquet tribute gallery in Loyola's Monroe Library. Eloise Pickering/The Maroon
Harold Baquet pictured in Loyola's library. Eloise Pickering/The Maroon "Shoes Series". Photo by Harold Baquet, courtesy of Christine Harvey.
"Dix on South Rampart". Photo by Harold Baquet, courtesy of Christine Harvey
Image by Delaney Goerge in Loyola's new photo gallery. Eloise Pickering/ The Maroon
LOCAL & WORLDVIEW
Ochsner Health names first female CEO
By Nicholas Gonzales nbgonzal@my.loyno.edu
Ochsner Health’s mission is to “serve, heal, lead, educate, and innovate.” This aligns with the aspirations of Beth Walker, the first woman CEO of Ochsner Medical Center-New Orleans.
Walker began her career at Ochsner Health 22 years ago as an administrative fellow and has held several leadership roles since.
During her time at Ochsner Baptist, Walker demonstrated her commitment to improving the health of the community, particularly during the titanic pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past few weeks have been a “whirlwind” for Walker due to Hurricane Francine and the transition to her new role. Managing the hospital during the hurricane, sleeping on the office floor, and only having one week at Baptist before moving to the main campus has been a hectic experience, Walker said.
This is not the first time Baptist has endured a hurricane. The historic walls of Baptist, built in 1926, have withstood nearly 45 hurricanes.
“We’re good at hurricanes,” Walker said. “We know how to manage supplies, house people, we know the issues that will come up,” Walker said. Ochsner Baptist turned on its generators as a precaution against power loss.
Originally from Ohio, Walker earned a master’s in health administration from Ohio State. Over the past twenty-two years, she has developed a strong bond with the city and its community, drawn by Ochsner's supportive culture, which she said she finds unique.
Having served at both Ochsner Northshore and Ochsner Baptist, returning to “main campus” feels like a “full-circle moment,” she said.
“I was here during Katrina, and you wanted to build something back,” Walker explains of her long commitment to the region.
According to Walker, the contributing factor to her success is finding purpose in the work and striving to continue the mission of Ochsner Health alongside her team, supportive community, and healthy relationships within the workplace.
“There is world-class health care right here in the community,” Walker said.
Walker said the relationships she has built with staff and the Ochsner community are key to their shared success.
Walker emphasized the importance of teamwork, noting that Ochsner’s ambitious goals can't be achieved alone.
“We do unbelievable work here, and I want to keep telling that story and continue to adopt changing, lifesaving methods,” Walker said. “It's not about Ochsner growing larger but about serving more people.”
She said Ochsner’s group practice model offers a unique level of care unmatched in the Gulf South. This “uniqueness” has led to many new ventures including the building of new facilities for Ochsner Children’s Hospital and the Ochsner Neuroscience Institute. In addition, their recent partnership MD Anderson will give Louisiana residents the ability for cancer treatments close to home, Walker said.
Walker also said being the first woman CEO of Ochsner Medical Center has not been a burden. Instead, she has received support from her male colleagues who recognize a culture at Ochsner that is eager to invest in her and cheer her on.
“[The] majority of the time, it was the men saying, ‘You can do this,’” Walker said.
Walker said her positive experience is not universal for many women, but she is grateful to serve as a mentor and a symbol of representation for women in the field.
“For a number of years, people wanted to call me out as a woman CEO, ‘Gosh, the only woman in the room.’
And I sort of didn’t want that to be the dialogue,” she said. “But what I learned is that women everywhere want people they can look up to. And so, I flipped a bit.”
According to Walker, there was a time in her career where she lacked confidence. However, she overcame these insecurities by following her life coach’s advice.
“You have to come to terms with the fact you are successful because of who you are not in spite of who you are,” Walker said. “Your secret sauce is who you are.”
“Discipline, sacrifice, and a balance of confidence and humility” are the ingredients to Walker’s sauce.
SOUL NOLA celebrates planting its 10,000th tree
By Kloe Witt kgwitt@my.loyno.edu
Seeds are being planted in efforts to make New Orleans a greener place, thanks to the organization SOUL NOLA.
Sustaining Our Urban Landscape is a nonprofit organization that has been working since 2016 to reforest parts of New Orleans. On Oct. 26, they will be celebrating a new milestone of planting their 10,000 trees.
“It gets me emotional. I'm so proud,” founder and executive director of SOUL Susannah Burley said. “I remember our first planting, my husband and I had carried shovels in our cars.”
Burley said she doesn’t remember
how many tries they planted that day but knows it wasn’t many. Now, they’re planting almost 2,000 trees. She said this is proof that the communities do want more of these trees.
The organization mostly focuses on planting in frontline environmental justice communities, which are areas most heavily affected by climate change and tend to be communities of color, indigenous, and low-income.
These are especially vital in New Orleans because trees like bald cypress can consume over 800 gallons of water a day. They also reduce temperature, improve air quality, and serve as windbreaks during storms.
Joanne Fleming-Bradley lives in Gen-
tilly Woods and said she has been a huge cheerleader for the organization. She said she volunteers at every planting event she can and thanks those involved for showing up.
Fleming-Bradle said she is excited to witness the 10,000 trees being planted in her neighborhood and hopes this will make people understand the importance of trees. She said this is important in her neighborhood because many people have to walk to stores, banks, and jobs. She said having trees that just provide shade help during the humid, hot summers.
“I hope that in that process, people will actually start to realize the importance of just having shade,” Fleming-Bradley said.
Pet evacuation bill protects strays from Hurricane Francine
By Ava Dufrene acdufren@my.loyno.edu
An estimated 50-70 thousand animals died in Hurricane Katrina, according to the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Among the fifteen thousand pets rescued by the SPCA, about 15-20% were reunited with their owners.
The SPCA pushed for a solution to address this issue and succeeded: the Pet Evacuation Bill requires national, local,
and state governments to include pets in their evacuation plans.
In advance of Hurricane Francine, the SPCA called for volunteers to temporarily foster their animals. Over 100 animals found temporary placement in foster care.
Zeus’s Rescue is a nonprofit organization whose “goal is to eliminate pet homelessness and euthanasia” that are a result of overcrowding at the local shelters, says Michelle Cheramie the founder
and executive director. The organization can house up to 60 dogs. Some of the animals “get dumped on the street” and end up in their care according to Sydney Victoria, one of the kennel staff. Zeus’s Rescue divides the organization’s plans according to the expected category level. For any storm Level 3 or higher, the shelter moves dogs to a Mississippi location, Victoria said. Anything below that, they begin to bunker down and gather supplies.
SOUL volunteer Anna Hernandez works hard shoveling dirt in Mid-City on Jan. 20, 2023. SOUL has made strides to reforest New Orleans. Kloe Witt/The Maroon
Eloise Pickering/The Maroon
Courtesy of Beth Walker
Courtesy of Beth Walker
REVIEWS
Taylor Swift brings magic to New Orleans
By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu
When Taylor Swift made her star-studded appearance in the Big Easy for The Eras Tour, it felt like the entire city had embraced her. From the giant friendship bracelets on the dome, an entire section of the skeleton house dedicated to Swift, to characterized beignets at Cafe du Monde dressed up in each era, everyone had pulled out all the stops to greet the popstar and the Swifties who’d be visiting the city for the show. For me, who has been lucky enough to call New Orleans home, it was indescribably special to see a city I love so much embrace a person I love so much – whose music has been the soundtrack of my life and time in NOLA.
In 2023, I was lucky enough to see the show in Atlanta on April 29, and even though I was lucky enough to score tickets at all, but especially on such a special day, it didn’t even compare to seeing the show in New Orleans. For the Atlanta show, my best friend and I traveled 13 hours – go figure – each way on the Amtrak, and on the journey there, we ate packed lunches and made friendship bracelets until we were sufficiently annoyed with dropping beads on every bump we hit. When we got to our hotel room, we ate lukewarm ramen because that’s all that we had at midnight in a city we’d never been to. On the day of the show, we were proper tourists and visited the World of Coca-Cola – where
we took a million photos and got to try so many different sodas. Even though I’ll cherish those memories forever, and while it was fun to travel to a new place, especially to see Swift perform, it was an entirely different experience for her to come to us. When it was announced that Swift would be making a stop in NOLA, it was over a year in advance, and even though I signed up for a presale code with at least four different email accounts, there were no codes in my inboxes. And with the demand for this tour, I was starting to accept that our trip to Atlanta, where we sat behind the stage, would be the only time I’d see her. I also knew deep down that if she was coming to my city, I’d do everything in my power to be there.
Luckily, I had a friend who had a friend – which seems to be the only way to get tickets to the show these days –and we scored tickets for night one, and the countdown began. From there, I had already begun planning my outfit, but little did anyone know – a new album was on the horizon. During the first leg of the U.S. tour, we were all still sobbing during “Tolerate It” and hadn’t yet been introduced to “Female Rage: The Musical.” Nearly a year after seeing Swift in Atlanta, she released “The Tortured Poets Department,”and when she went back out on tour in Paris, she revealed the new era in the show – which left me forever changed – even though I was only watching from a grainy livestream thousands of miles away.
That’s when I knew that my outfit had to be the dress that she wears during the TTPD set.
As a proud member of the Tortured Poets Department, I was truly counting the days until I’d see the new songs live, and when I did, I was sobbing in my white dress, screaming “So High School,” which were the song lyrics I’d spent hours adorning to my dress to match Swift’s tour outfit. Not only did the new set make her New Orleans shows special for me, but the speeches she gave were so sweet, and anytime she speaks to the crowd, I often feel like she’s talking only to me, which is pretty hard to do in a stadium filled with 65,000 other people.
In the speech before “All Too Well,” on night two, she said, “There’s just so many things that you’ve done that have made this tour feel more special than any tour I’ve done. Like, you know I write one song that has a line about ‘make the friendship bracelets’ in it, and all of a sudden, I show up at the tour, and you guys are making bracelets, trading them, and making new friends… and spreading so much joy. Now, fast forward, we come to play New Orleans, and there’s a giant friendship bracelet on the outside of the stadium. That’s all you. You have made this tour into this magnificent display of joy and excitement, and that’s honestly why I’ve had more fun on this tour than I could ever have imagined.” There were so many special aspects of Swift’s New Orleans visit, including a couple anniversaries. And there’s nothing that Swift loves more than an anniversary.
Swift celebrated her 18th year of making music by playing “Our Song” from her self-titled debut album on night one during the surprise song set. She celebrated “1989,” her fifth studio album’s 10 year anniversary and the rerecorded version’s first anniversary, which she honored by playing “How You Get the Girl” mashed up with “Clean,” which are some pretty deep cuts for Swifties. I remember standing, tucked in a corner – since I didn’t have an actual ticket – struggling to breathe because I was crying and singing at the same time, and
no one could’ve prepared me for what it would be like to hear one of my all-time favorite songs live with no warning. And I should also probably mention now that I was fortunate enough to attend all three shows, which still doesn’t feel real to me.
And I know you’re wondering how I got so lucky…
“ Now, I don’t know if Swift has favorites, but if she does, New Orleans is definitely one of them.”
Well, a few weeks before the show, a friend forwarded me an email that was asking for student leaders to work the merch stands at the concert, and without hesitation, I wrote my name on the Google form and filled out the application. At that point, I was completely fine with just getting to be outside of the stadium on the other nights of the show, but instead, I got to be in the 100s section, screaming-singing my heart out – each night more and more incredible than the last.
It didn't matter that I wasn’t covered in glitter or wearing an outfit that took hours to create, I was so honored to just be there, even if I had been standing in the heat for 12 hours prior.
Those three hours felt like nothing, and even though by the end, I’d seen the show four times, it felt like the first time every time.
There were just so many tiny details that Swift put into the show to make it uniquely ours. On night one during the 1989 set, Swift rose from beneath the stage wearing purple, gold, and green to represent Mardi Gras. During “Bejeweled,” the stage also lit up those same colors.
And my favorite part was the ad lib in “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” from beloved backup dancer Kam Saunders who changes the spoken
“like ever” part of the song for each city. For night one, he said, “Oh no baby,” with the New Orleans twang that everyone knows and loves. For night two, he said, “Uh, uh ain’t gone happen.” For night three, he said, “She said what she said.” It was also incredibly special for Saunders to be on his “brother’s turf,” as his younger brother plays for the Saints and was formerly a guy on the Chiefs, alongside Travis Kelce.
Each night Swift and her team went above and beyond to make every show special, including bringing out Sabrina Carpenter for night two to perform a mash up of “Espresso,” “Is It Over Now?,” and “Please, Please, Please.” It doesn’t matter if you’re in the front row or in the nosebleeds, at Swift’s concerts, it’s just magical to be in the room, but there was nothing like The Eras Tour in New Orleans.
During opening night before “Lover,” Swift said she knew that when the tour came to end, she wanted it to be in the “most fun cities with the craziest, most passionate, generous crowds,” and that’s when she said, “We’ve got to go, you guessed it, to come see you in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana.” Now, I don’t know if Swift has favorites, but if she does, New Orleans is definitely one of them. I think Swifties everywhere can agree that we got some of the best outfits, surprise songs, and the most magical moments of any shows on the tour.
And to top it all off, Swift not only recognized our generosity, but she matched it by donating 75,000 meals to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, and my hope is that her donation was able to counteract some of the harm that came with Governor Jeff Landry’s forced relocation of the homeless camp beneath the overpass near the stadium. The food bank shared on their Instagram account, “When kindness meets action, magic happens.”
And it seems like everywhere Swift goes, she brings magic and leaves a little behind, and New Orleans was no different.
Maleigh Crespo/The Maroon
REVIEWS
And God said, “ Let there be lips!”
By Cameron Adams cladams@my.loyno.edu
And God Said, “Let There be Lips!”
As a film major, a musical theater fan, and a lover of Halloween, the movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” felt like it was made specifically for me.
My first watch of it was in the eighth grade, debatably too young to view this avant-garde story of sexual liberation. Soon after, I fell in love and watched it more times than I could count on two hands and quickly found out about the shadow cast performances that happen in movie theaters across the nation every month. When I moved to New Orleans, I heard about The Prytania Theater’s “Rocky Horror” shadow cast group known as The Well Hung Speakers. I had already gone once in August with a close friend of mine, also a film major, but now I wanted to expand my love of the experience to my new friends I had made in the past weeks at college. Always looking for something fun to do for their first semester here, I convinced thirteen of my closest friends at the time to venture all the way to The Prytania to view a midnight showing of a movie most of them knew nothing about.
As one of the few people that had actually been to the show before, I was put in charge of making sure everyone got to The Prytania in one piece. The show didn’t start till midnight and the journey there was only twenty-five minutes, split between streetcar and walking. That being said, I still told everyone in the groupchat to be ready by 10:30 p.m. since I knew none of them had the ability to be on time to save their lives. Sure enough, 11 o’clock rolled around and a third of the group strolled into my room asking if we were ready to go. Everyone else slowly filtered in while it took another fifteen minutes before the crew of Sonny, Austin, and Zach strutted in
with their matching outfits they had supposedly been secretly planning together for weeks. The word “outfits” is used loosely here since they only consisted of black trousers and matching black suspenders on these beaming bare chested men. With only a spare second for the room to erupt into laughter and delight at these bachelorette stripper wannabes, I pushed everyone out the door as we started our journey to The Prytania.
We had not even begun to consider the social graces of streetcar riding when we originally planned for our night out. I blame myself mostly since I was the “Rocky Horror” veteran of the group and simply described the dress code to them all as, “glam rock sex.” Not wanting to become any more of a nuisance to the passengers of the streetcar, all of us that could, began to strip off a layer of clothing in a mad dash to hand it to the closest half-naked guy we were with.
My friend Sam gave Austin her bright red sweater that he opted to tuck into his pants under his suspenders in what can best be described as a “lumberjack business casual.”
Yael offered up his leather jacket to Zach (aka “Gym Zach”), who was afraid his muscles were going to rip a seam if he moved them even slightly above his head. Finally, our good friend Montey, always one to share, took off his button up shirt and gave it to Sonny, leaving him with just a simple black under armor tank top for the ride to the movies. He was still more covered up then half the group we were with.
Through the residential area of uptown New Orleans, on the corner of Prytania and Leontine street, sits the historical Prytania Theater, a glorified brick box with a carved archway leading into the lobby of a grand cinema that belongs in the 1950s. Lined up around the block stood a hoard of “Rocky Horror” fanatics, some you could tell
were bringing their friends along on the ride for the first time like I was. Some patrons came dressed in full costume of their favorite character you could tell probably took months to put together. Some decided to take a simpler route and come in their favorite loose band tee while others took the opportunity to use the night as their own personal Victoria’s Secret lingerie party–all of which the establishment considered as acceptable forms of dress for the night ahead. Before we had time to sit down and breathe, the lights started to dim and the audience began to roar as the fans prepared for their favorite night of the month. The movie opened with the audience yelling, “And God said ‘Let there be lips!’” as those iconic bright red lips came into frame to sing the opening song. Members of the troupe took to the stage and began to strip down to barelythere lingerie. If any of my friends didn’t know what they were getting into before this moment, they did now.
Tyler the Creator delivers
his
Through each song we were dancing in our seats and sometimes even in the aisles with the rest of the audience. Each song raised the excitement in the room, climaxing during the performance “Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me.”
Once the now sexually liberated Janet began to become a “creature of the night” with the titular Rocky character, girls from the “Rocky Horror” troupe began to come around and give a few lucky patrons a lap dance in their seats. Some of those lucky fans being half our group that came with us. The other half of us, feeling pitiful to have chosen the seats we did, looked in awe only a row behind us as seven of our closest friends, one after the other, received the first lap dance of their lives.
As the night came to a close, the theater troupe came out to a full standing ovation for their curtain call. My group of pals, who I was so worried would think the experience was too weird, began to clap and holler as the credits rolled. My friend Montey turned to me and said,
“We have to come again next month!” With the clock striking 2 a.m., the fourteen of us filed out of the theater and began our trek back home on foot, not wanting to wait thirty minutes for the only running streetcar this late, but not seeming to mind the walk anyways. As we journeyed back, I passed by each of my friends talking together in small groups raving about their favorite scenes and bits from the night. Some of them started listing off all the people they had to bring with them next month to experience it again. It was probably the biggest ego boost I had had in a few months just to know that I planned something that all of my friends had fun at. After a nearly thirty minute walk that felt like no time at all, we made it back to the towering brick campus of Loyola and climbed into our beds where we were ready to do the “Time Warp” all over again next month.
new record “ CHROMAKOPIA”
By Zac Lester zolester@my.loyno.edu
Tyler, the Creator has evolved and matured both sonically and personally, from being a successful fashion designer, model, festival proprietor, and actor, with a role in Josh Safdie’s upcoming film “Marty Supreme”.
And now, exploding out of the monochromatic dystopia and into the latest colorful world of Tyler, the Creator lies the LA rapper’s seventh studio album, “CHROMAKOPIA”, following the self-produced “Call Me If You Get Lost”, released in 2021. Tyler chose to release the album unconventionally on a Monday, contrary to contemporary album release days. Tyler did this to encourage his fans to listen without the distractions the weekend brings with it, aiming to revive a more traditional, pre-digital way of hearing their favorite artists’ new record.
The record hones in on Tyler’s fatherhood, now aged 33, particularly with tracks such as ‘Hey Jane’, where the rapper describes a pregnancy scare, illustrating the struggling undertones and mixed emotions of the entire record. It’s raw and anxious, lyrically striking in a similar sense to the emotionally personal
tracks on Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”. Features include Daniel Caesar, Lil Wayne, Doechii, an unexpected ScHoolboy Q appearance, Sexyy Redd, Teezo Touchdown, and GloRilla, amongst others. His mother guides Tyler through voice notes that glue the record together, giving advice and wise words throughout. Yet, to a lot of fans' disappointment, there is no Frank Ocean appearance.
"an explosion of colour, hype, and volume"
It feels as though the album was a symbol of sorts for Tyler to finally turn around and look back at his previous characters (Tyler Baudelaire, Igor, Flower Boy, Chur Bum from Cherry Bomb, Wolf Haley, or Goblin), with a new masked general-uniformed
character that feels like a conclusion or even a deconstruction of his previous alter-egos.
Tyler’s fixation on pushing boundaries, experimenting with new synth structures and sounds from many aspects of a multitude of genres never fails to excite fans, and the record’s opening song “St. Chroma” embodies this, with layers of soul and rock accompanied by Daniel Caesar’s uplifting vocals that dramatically crash into an explosion of color, hype, and volume to open the album, especially after the build-up high anticipation of the song being previewed in the first trailer of the entire record.
“Balloon”, however, is my favorite track, probably because of how good Doechii’s big energy feature is, putting me onto the rapper. With “Yeezus” vibes, Tyler showcases his true lyricism onto the cartoony beat and includes a familiar sample “I Wanna Rock”, also heard in Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode”, ending the album in brilliant arrogance with “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”, leaving me wanting more.
The album is a true gem in the microwave of today, Tyler will be touring the album in 2025, stopping off for fans in three different continents.
Courtesy of The Well Hung Speakers @thewellhungspeakers
JUMPS
Harris campaign stirs youth action
Continued from p.1
Major concerns among Loyola student voters included women's right to abortion, democracy, first amendment rights, LGBT rights, war in the Middle East, and border security.
Many students took pride in exercising their right to vote.
"My Black ancestors fought, sacrificed, and died for my vote," criminology junior Kynslie Green said.
Psychology pre-law sophomore Keyshawn Crawford said he hoped Kamala Harris would win because of how Harris affected young voters and college students. Musical theater sophomore Yeva Guthrie described voting in this election as choosing the lesser of two evils. Environmental studies senior Natalia Arredondo said local involvement will be essential moving forward.
SPORTS
“ We have to help each other.”
Natalia
Arredondo, Loyola senior
"During these four years, community organization is a must," Arredondo said. "We have to help each other."
At Howard University, Harris delivered a message to young voters as part of her concession speech.
"Don't ever stop trying to make the world a better place," Harris said to the crowd. "You have power, and don't you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before. You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world and so do everyone who is watching: Do not despair."
Wolf Pack volleyball saw their eight game winning streak come to an end last weekend when they traveled to play the top ranked team in the Southern States Athletic Conference, the University of Mobile, and lost in a close five-set match.
“I think the whole team walked out of there with their heads held high,” head coach Jesse Zabal said. “We played a really strong match and we are a completely different team from the first day of the season. They were proud of the work they put in and they know that Mobile is in the same position we were last year and we'd likely see them at some point during the conference tournament. And I think they're all motivated by that.”
The result saw the Wolf Pack drop to 10-15 overall record, but with a 7-5 record in SSAC play, Loyola is only one game behind the third placed team in the conference William Carey University, who they’ll play on Nov. 9 to close the regular season.
“Our last regular season match with William Carey is a big one,” Zabal said. “This group knows that we've been dominant against them the past few years and want to prove that we still are. We're looking to keep the energy high, remain steady in our commitment to bettering
Men's Basketball
ourselves individually and as whole, and not take for granted any moment that we have to keep growing.”
The team finds themselves in slightly unfamiliar territory this season, as they don’t have total control over where they finish in conference play, after last season’s 13-2 conference record saw them clinch a second place finish and a trip to the conference semifinals.
“This has been an interesting year in the SSAC,” Zabal said. “There's a lot up in the air and we still have to wait for these final matches to play out to see conference seedings. That's not been the case
“ I'm excited to see where the season takes us in the next few weeks.”
Jesse Zabal, Volleyball head coach
for the past three to four years.”
Despite the uncertainty that is surrounding the team as the regular season comes to a close, Coach Zabal said the team can only focus on growing and getting better with every match they play.
“There may be some scenarios that
Saturday,
are a better path for us, but we're just going to keep focusing on one match at a time,” she said. “This group has shown a unique ability to regroup and refocus on the goals at hand. They could've allowed the season to be what it was and the losses to overcome their ability to turn things around, but they didn't. They have grown to trust each other on the court, get their jobs done, and have each other's backs.”
And with the postseason rapidly approaching, the Wolf Pack are setting their sights on making a run back to the conference championship, something they haven’t done since the 2021-22 season.
“We'll be guaranteed three matches [in the conference tournament] and of course our goal will be to win all three,” Zabal said. “Second, at the very least we want to finish top two in our pool, then make it beyond semi-finals, and ultimately, we'd like to achieve the goal of winning the conference tournament title, something we haven't done yet.”
The SSAC Tournament begins on Nov. 13 in Montgomery, Ala. and the Wolf Pack will be looking to perform well enough there to secure a place in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Tournament when teams are announced on Nov. 18 at 12 p.m.
“I'm excited to see where the season takes us in the next few weeks,” Zabal said.
Men's Basketball
Tuesday, Nov. 12 |
Junior outside hitter Juliet Petruzelli prepares to serve against Xavier University of Louisiana on Oct. 8, 2024 in the Den. Ava Dufrene/The Maroon
Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP
OPINION
What a Trump presidency means for America
By Nicholas Gonzales nbgonzal@my.loyno.edu
Take Trump at his word. On Nov. 5, Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States and will soon enter his second term.
During the campaign, the President-elect has called for the penalizing of his political enemies and stated that he would use the military against Americans he referred to as “the enemy from within.” Trump also called to “go after” the people who encouraged his trials regarding the Jan. 6 insurrection.
“If he did that, it’d be an authoritarian system,” Lindsay Chervinsky, a presidential historian, told AP News, “the end of the system of laws rather than of one man.”
For many, Trump’s victory represents not just a setback for rights, but a direct threat to democracy and the rule of law, especially after the Capitol riots and the attempt to overturn the 2020 election. In addition to motivating the riots and refusing the tradition of a peaceful transfer of power, during his first term in response to police brutality-related protests, Trump demanded the use of military forces. However, this order was denied by former General Mark Milley who emphasized that military person-
nel “swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution and the values embedded within it.” In 2019, compelled by Democrats of the formal impeachment committee, the Trump administration released a description of Trump’s call to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy concerning Hillary Clinton’s emails. The transcript suggests that Trump would refuse military aid to Ukraine based on the country’s assistance in investigating Trump’s opponents.
Evidence of his failures are illustrated by Trump’s first term resulting in the withdrawal from international agreements, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, which planned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, began a trade war with China, and verbally attacked U.S. allies. Furthermore, in 2019 Trump exited the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) , an agreement that limited the making of short and intermediate-range nuclear weapons sparking apprehension for a second nuclear arms race.
According to acclaimed journalist Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” President Trump has engaged in several private phone calls with Vladimir Putin, whom he called “genius” and “savvy,” since he departed from office. Also since leaving office, Trump has referred to
his opponents using offensive language and, while on stage with former FOX News host Tucker Carlson, stated that former U.S. Representative Liz Chaney should be placed with “a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her.”
According to the Washington Post, Donald Trump’s four year term and Project 2025 will result in cutting the Department of Education, placing the Justice Department and FBI under the jurisdiction of the president, restricting reproductive rights and care, and the threat of a national abortion ban, mass deportations and attempt to rescind DACA, dismantling climate change protections, and ban trans people from the military. Trump also suggested “ideological screening” for immigrants, ending birthright citizenship (although unlikely because of constitutional projections), reducing President Biden’s income tax hikes on the wealthy, lowering corporate income tax from 21% to 15%, and removing the Inflation Reduction Act. One campaign promise that both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris shared, however, was tax exemptions on earned tips.
On civil rights and LGBTQ+ rights, Trump aspires to end all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the government in addition to rolling back
Title IX protections, which prohibits sexbased discrimination in federally funded educational programs, to transgender students. Trump also plans to make it simpler to eliminate federal workers which could limit the power of federal employees to enforce laws and rules. Concerning education, Trump will remove federal funding from “any school or program pushing Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children” – a vague ordinance leaving possibilities of general bigotry. Trump’s repealing of the Affordance Care Act, with the replacement of his vague “concepts of a plan.”
It is evident that during the election Harris failed to gain the American working class. However, during a Trump Presidency, the administration will lower corporate tax rates for domestic manufacturers and impose tariffs on all imported goods that will subsequently raise prices on goods for consumers. Project 2025, like Trump’s first term, will gut federal employee unions.
It is a misconception that the president primarily influences the market, especially in four years. However, President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 created significant job growth after the recession of 2008 and impacted manufacturing, construction, and retail trade. Arguably, Trump inherited the Obama Era economy. During Trump’s term, the budget was run up by 7.8 trillion dollars. In 2017, the Trump budget “proposed ‘massive cuts’ to spending on medical and scientific research, public health and dis-
AP Photo/Richard Drew
ease-prevention programs, and health insurance for low-income” according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal. In 2021, Biden inherited the Trump economy yet improved economics with legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Bill, and the Build Better Act. The U.S. was the fastest-growing economy since the pandemic. What does the Presidency mean for abortion rights and the LGBTQ community? There has been significant concern that Obergefell v. Hodges, the Federal Law legalizing same-sex marriage, will be overturned since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion suggests that the majority of cases going back to Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965 should be reviewed. The worse case scenario is that Obergefell is overturned, the issue of same-sex marriage is returned to the states, and a Republican controlled congress (The Republicans currently have the Senate), issue a nationwide ban on queer marriage. Similarly, the worst case scenario regarding reproductive freedom has been lingering on the average voter’s mind since 2022 with Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Although Trump has claimed on Truth Social that he would veto a federal abortion ban there is still little faith particularly considering Trump avoided that stance during the debate with Harris in September.
On the evening of Nov. 6, Kamala Harris told supporters while conceding that “the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
Community action does more than voting ever could
By Chris Maldonado cwmaldon@my.loyno.edu
Well, another election cycle in the United States has come and gone. It has been a real spectacle, a captivating battle between convicted felon, fascist, and former president Donald Trump with his MAGA fanatics and the former top cop (derogatory), neoliberal (derogatory), and current Vice President Kamala Harris with her Brat militia. So many memorable debate moments such as boasting about owning a handgun, immigrants eating pets, or repeated misogynistic and racist remarks. It has been a real rollercoaster, so much so that I feel people have lost sight of a few things: 1. These candidates have absolutely zero interest in your actual well being, 2. Your conditions of existence will only worsen with either in office, and 3. You would
be much better served working towards helping your respective community. Now before the wrong impression is made I would like to stress that I understand that a Trump presidency would be horrific and that it is completely reasonable to not want him in office when his policies threaten your basic right to exist. Another Trump presidency would be akin to handing a chimp a machine gun with an endless supply of ammo. However, I would like us to stop this idea that there is any moral superiority to be found on either side of the political aisle. As Americans we are practically forced to choose between two candidates who flagrantly do not represent our interests and who will continue to propagate the systems that harm both those at home and those in other countries. Both candidates have openly expressed their undying support for Israel in its current
genocidal and expansionist onslaught of Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran even when peppering these declarations of support with halfhearted calls for a ceasefire. Trump has his Project 2025 manifesto that reads like a spin off of “A Handmaid’s Tale” while Harris psychotically championed for the U.S. to have the “most lethal fighting force in the world” at the Democratic National Convention. Both candidates and their respective parties serve the interests of the upper class with little to no regard for the working class beyond trying to siphon votes from working class voters who see their interests represented amongst third party candidates. The point being is that we should not kid ourselves into thinking any of these candidates actually represent our interests nor do they have any reservations in terms of the wanton violence and destruction they seek to
enable throughout the rest of the world. These candidates only represent the interests of the imperialist ruling class profiting off of exploitation both domestic and abroad.
Now that both my diatribe and this election is over I would like us all to turn our attention to things that matter and will actually have a positive tangible impact on our lives and enable us to affect even greater change. What I am referring to is increased participation in community building, community projects, efforts to organize in workplaces across all communities, and local elections. Our interests will never be represented by those in the binary money-ladened aisles of the American political mainstream. What will actually enact the will of the people is forming connections within and engaging with our respective communities as previously described.
When communities are united and organized, it is very hard for any political force to withstand the political demands of the people whether it be a demand for increased surveillance and accountability of police proceedings, the protection of free speech on college campuses, demands for bodily autonomy, economic equality, economic divestment, ceasefire, and the list goes on. It is only by pushing past the smokescreen of mainstream politics and uniting with your community that actual beneficial change comes about beyond capitulating to the false or unrepresentative promises of wealthy conniving bureaucrat politicians who filter in and out of the election cycle every four years.
“Whichever [candidates] win, conditions will worsen and favor revolution” - Jose Maria Sison
EDITORIAL
Trump won. What now?
In the small hours of Nov. 6, 2024, a seismic shift swept across the United States. Donald Trump, a convicted felon—34 charges and counting— impeached twice, accused of sexual misconduct, and publicly vowing to be a dictator on “day one,” reclaimed the presidency. No matter where one stands politically, this moment undeniably reshapes American society and its democratic traditions.
For those waking up to this news with a sense of dread, the reality is this: the next four years will test not only our resilience but also the very fabric of our democracy. With Republicans firmly controlling the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court and poised to echo this conservative resurgence, the country is set on a deeply divisive path. We can expect policies that prioritize one side of the ideological divide—hard-line stances on immigration, health care restrictions, and sweeping changes to education and environmental policy.
This isn’t an end, but it is a departure from what many might call normalcy. There will be pushback, undoubtedly, from activist groups, state governments, and citizens unwilling to let go of their civil liberties without a fight. And while it’s too early to declare democracy itself dead, this is an era where hate and division have found fertile ground. What we face is a challenge to our national identity, one that calls for vigilance, courage, and, if nothing else, a hope that unity might someday break through the tumult.
To begin with the most immediate and tangible impact: the economy. Donald Trump’s economic approach, if we can call it a “plan,” has few specifics. Even Trump himself has referred to these policies as “concepts” rather than concrete strategies. What we can anticipate, however, is a resumption of a pro-corporate, supply-side model that has historically prioritized the wealth of the top one percent and major corporations, often at a cost borne by middle- and working-class Americans.
If you find yourself in a high-income bracket, prepare for tax relief. Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which disproportionately favored the wealthy, are likely to be made permanent. The original intent, or at least the way they were sold, was to stimulate economic growth, increase wages, and create jobs—but studies have shown that these cuts largely failed to deliver on those promises, especially for everyday Americans and for young workers just entering the job market. Wages, adjusted for inflation, barely budged; job growth was tepid at best. Instead, most of the benefits went to corporations and the already-wealthy, reinforcing a system where wealth accumulates at the top while economic gains for regular Americans remain elusive.
This strategy is a reflection of priorities that place corporate interests above those of the public, risking widening inequality and eroding opportunities for those who aren’t already in the upper echelons of wealth. As a result, under Trump’s likely economic trajectory, the middle class and working families may well be left on the sidelines, watching wealth trickle upwards.
College students now face an economic landscape where wages stagnate, and the cost of living keeps climbing. Trump’s promises of economic growth ring hollow for those navigating a system that favors corporate gains over individual prospects. Tuition continues its relentless ascent, as does the collective burden of student debt. For students entering a job market under these conditions, relief is unlikely. Trump's fiscal approach will likely result in a federal government with fewer resources to invest in education, healthcare, and social services—areas crucial to students and young Americans setting out in the world.
With Trump’s tax priorities aimed at wealth preservation for the upper crust, the public infrastructure and social programs that generations of Americans have relied on may face cuts or neglect. This is a choice, a prioritization that leaves students on their own to bear the brunt of tuition hikes and debt accumulation. For many, the reality is stark: fewer opportunities for federal assistance and a system tilted toward those who already have a foothold on the ladder of success.
In Trump’s America, young people may be left to wonder: Who does this economy really serve? And where does that leave the next generation, striving to build a future in a country where the support systems currently in place, once assumed to be foundational, begin to erode?
The economic hurdles facing young Americans under Trump’s deregulation push are vast, creating a landscape that could well undercut job growth and economic mobility for years. His drive to scale back regulations, particularly in fields like technology, renewable energy, and healthcare, may mean short-term gains for corporations but will likely have long-term costs for workers and consumers alike.
In a deregulated environment, companies might compromise on product quality or safety, and, without guardrails, they could pass on costs to consumers.
The young workers entering these industries—those looking to make a mark in clean energy or the fast-evolving tech world—may find themselves in a marketplace increasingly influenced by corporate imperatives rather than innovation or sustainability.
Then there are the tariffs—a hallmark of Trump’s economic platform. On the surface, Trump presents these as a patriotic strategy to "bring back American jobs." In reality, tariffs function as a tax on imported goods, and the costs don’t fall on foreign producers but on American importers, who then pass these expenses back to consumers. Prices go up, and industries reliant on global supply chains, like manufacturing, bear the brunt. Retaliatory tariffs from trading partners add to the strain, impacting U.S. exporters and disrupting trade networks.
Trump’s framing—positioning tariffs as a way to spur domestic production—ignores current realities, including historically low unemployment rates. Attempting to relocate manufacturing entirely to the U.S. will raise production, labor, costs and, ultimately, higher prices for consumers. For young people, these
economic choices signal a period where both opportunity and affordability might be hard to come by in an economy increasingly tilted to benefit corporations at the expense of the public. The promise of a “pro-growth” economy may, in reality, be nothing more than a hollow shell.
Under Trump’s vision, the future of American education may be in a precarious position. His administration has shown a clear antipathy toward public education and higher education institutions, particularly those that have failed to align with his ideological agenda.
One of the most dramatic potential shifts would be Trump’s plan to transfer control of education from the federal government to individual states. This decentralization of power would not only reduce federal oversight but also likely diminish federal funding, a critical resource that countless students rely on to access higher education. In states with conservative leadership, this shift could result in sweeping cuts to programs that foster diversity, protect students against sexual harassment under Title IX, and support inclusive campus environments. Protections that have long enabled students from marginalized backgrounds to thrive could be rolled back, effectively shrinking opportunities for those who rely on them most.
For students reliant on federal financial aid, the outlook isn’t great either. Trump’s education policy suggests a reallocation of resources away from higher education, which could mean cuts to grants and subsidized loans—the lifelines for millions of students pursuing degrees. Interest rates on existing loans may climb, exacerbating the already overwhelming debt crisis that students face. If the federal government reduces its support, many students could find themselves without adequate financial assistance to obtain their degree, leaving them to either take on more debt or abandon higher education altogether.
These moves would deepen existing divides in educational access and quality, creating barriers that students from disadvantaged backgrounds might find insurmountable. In an era where higher education is viewed as a pathway to upward mobility socially and economically, Trump’s policies threaten to make that path narrower, costlier, and more fraught. This vision for education stands in stark contrast to a future where education serves as a public good, an equalizer, and a bridge to opportunity for all Americans.
One of the most troubling potential impacts of another Trump presidency is the likely shift toward harsher immigration policies—changes that would reverberate profoundly, especially among college students who are undocumented or on student visas. Trump’s stance on immigration has been consistently antagonistic, advocating for the repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program that has provided temporary protection for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. For many DACA recipients, college students among them, this program has been a bridge to education, employment, and a sense of stability in the only country they’ve ever called home.
term would likely mirror, if not amplify,
the anti-immigrant stance of his first. His administration’s family separation policies, which separated children from their parents at the border, were a grim hallmark of his earlier tenure, casting a shadow of fear and uncertainty over immigrant communities nationwide. Students from immigrant families, especially those undocumented or in mixed-status households, live with the ever-present threat of policy shifts that could jeopardize their safety and stability. The psychological toll on these young people cannot be overstated; many pursue higher education while grappling with the daily fear of deportation or separation from family members.
For students on F-1 visas or other temporary statuses, a second Trump administration almost certainly brings intensified scrutiny and stricter immigration policies. International students already navigate a complicated system, juggling visa limitations, restrictive work authorizations, and the ever-present requirement to maintain full-time student status to avoid jeopardizing their eligibility. Under Trump, this already fraught experience would likely become even more precarious.
The visa renewal process—demanding and stressful under normal circumstances—could become a bureaucratic minefield. Heightened scrutiny would likely delay visa approvals and create additional obstacles for students who seek to stay in the U.S. after graduation, whether through work authorizations like Optional Practical Training or pathways to permanent residency. Already, Trump’s immigration rhetoric has added a layer of uncertainty to the lives of these students, many of whom chose to study in the U.S. believing it would offer stability and opportunity. For those pursuing long-term visas or green cards, the process could stretch from difficult to nearly untenable, reducing the appeal of American universities for international talent
and placing yet another barrier between
For college students, the reality of a Trump presidency is a call to action, a reminder that political engagement is not optional but essential. At a time when policies are likely to affect education affordability, civil rights, and support for marginalized communities, staying informed and politically active is more important than ever. Advocacy—whether for accessible education, gender equity, or the protection of immigrant students—isn’t just a high-minded ideal but a necessary step to protect the opportunities and freedoms that students rely on.
One effective avenue for change begins at the local level. The decisions made in city councils and state legislatures often have the most immediate impact on our daily life. Engaging with these issues, attending local council meetings, and voicing concerns to local representatives can influence policy on the ground. College students, uniquely positioned at the intersection of youth and education, hold a power in numbers. Their voices, whether raised in public forums, through community organizations, or by writing to local leaders, can shape local policy on issues ranging from public transit to affordable housing to campus safety.
In these turbulent times, political involvement is a safeguard against policies that could undermine the rights and well-being of students and future generations. By staying engaged and advocating for values that promote equity and access, students can ensure their voices continue to resonate in the corridors of power. If students stand on the sidelines, they may find themselves in a nation where their freedoms are eroded, civic institutions weakened, and the promise of democracy compromised. This generation must rally, not only to safeguard their own futures but to protect the foundational ideals of the country they call home.
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Huntsville, Alabama. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
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