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LSO celebrates Hispanic heritage, C1
Local art exhibit reopens, D1
SU alumna pursues olympic dream, E1
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Volume 64 No. 7
Trump holds rally locally
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Faculty hears students experiences of on-campus racism Blake Garlock Staff Writer
Carmine Scicchitano/The Slate President Donald Trump held a rally for his campaign in Middletown, Pennsylvania, last Saturday. Nearing Election Day, candidates are appealing to swing state voters in an attempt to secure votes. Trump spoke about a variety of topics including the election, his Supreme Court pick and voting by mail. For more photos of the event, visit theslateonline.com.
Women’s Center celebrates 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment Noel Miller News Editor
The Women’s Center at Shippensburg University celebrated the 19th Amendment over Zoom with a panel of speakers from both on- and off-campus organizations. Speakers paid tribute to those who fought for the right and the diversity among them. Many speakers addressed the importance of voting in the upcoming elections and encouraged attendees to register to vote. Arielle Catron, SU Women’s Center director, welcomed more than 40 attendees and began the evening with a video on the history of the suffragist movement from NowThis. Carton then welcomed Ashley Lewis, academic support director and associate dean of exploratory studies,
as the first speaker of the evening. Lewis spoke on the importance of women’s votes and things that can prevent women and others from voting. “Voting is also evidence of your pulse,” Lewis said. She said it indicates that a person is engaged in social and political activities. However, there are people and things that have and will try to stop individuals from voting, according to Lewis. Lewis said some politicians attempt to discourage citizens through voter suppression. Gerrymandering, racist and sexist laws have tried to prohibit the vote of women, people of color and other minorities in America. However, not all voting obstacles are so obvious. Lewis referred to the belief some people have that their vote does not matter, as vot-
er repression. People may be disillusioned by the opinions of others and repress their own vote. Lewis ended her speech by describing the power that each vote holds. “The failure to vote can signify a figurative death. The death of your agency, your individuality, your voice and stop to your social and political pulse,” Lewis said. Following Lewis, Erin Kramer, One PA executive director, a multi-issue organization, spoke. One PA is a membership-based organization that does civic engagement and issue campaigning, according to Kramer. She focused on how this year was the 100th anniversary of the white woman’s right to vote and that it took women of color many years after to fully exercise their own right to vote.
Register to vote by Oct. 19th
One PA works to help individuals overcome forms of voter suppression that exist today, Kramer said. Many of One PA members are politically neglected while white individuals like herself “have their hand held” to come vote, Kramer said. People must work collectively to disrupt the system that does not want everyone to participate, Kramer said. Cassy Zaleski, a SU graduate student and intern at the Women’s Center, showed a PowerPoint presentation celebrating many suffragettes of color and their work to achieve the 19th Amendment. Many of the women in the presentation were the first women or the first women of color to accomplish the tasks, Zaleski said.
Members of the Shippensburg University community gathered on Zoom Thursday afternoon for students to discuss their experiences with race on campus. The Office of Equity, Inclusion and Compliance hosted the Zoom listening session with Kara Laskowski, human communication studies department chair, moderating the discussion. Laskowski filled the place of Chief Diversity Officer Stephanie Jirard, who could not attend because of other obligations. “We are here today to listen,” Laskowski said. “To students who, in their collegiate life, have encountered incidents of microaggression, overt racism and other forms of identity injury.” After Laskowski’s introduction, students were given the opportunity to tell their own stories. Jasmine Jones told her story first. Jones spoke about an incident in the on-campus UPS store at the beginning of the semester. Jones said she went to the store with some friends to pick up a package. There was a long line, and as she waited, Jones noticed a trend occurring at the counter. “There were three Black people in the store,” Jones said. “And the person working the counter gave everyone their packages but only asked the Black people to see their ID.” Jones said the incident made her and her friends feel uncomfortable. Officials said students picking up packages at the campus UPS store are required to show their student ID before receiving any packages. Jones understood this rule but wondered why everyone in the store was not asked to show
See “WOMEN,” A2
Naked ballots could disqualify mail-in ballots after Pa. Supreme Court ruling Noel Miller News Editor
Pick up a voter registration packet located underneath The Slate newspaper stands around campus To get registered or to volunteer with ShipVotes, visit its website http://www.ship.edu/life/resources/shipvotes/
their student ID except for the Black students. “I feel like there’s not a lot of people that are socially aware of what’s going on here,” Jones said. “I feel if people were more aware of their surroundings, they would be more cautious about what they do, because it is making people of my color feel uncomfortable.” Danielle Williams, a Student Government Association (SGA) Multicultural Student Affairs senator, shared her concerns about the lack of action in combating racism. “Teachers say they want to be there for us and help, but its just a conversation sometimes,” Williams said. “This is a great event Dr. Jirard put on, but I hope it continues after 4 p.m. today because, honestly, that’s just how it goes.” Williams continued to express her desire to see words turn to action. “It’s great that we keep throwing around the word ‘change’ and talking about what needs to be done,” Williams said. “But I want to see consistency, seriously.” Political science professor Alison Dagnes, expanded on Williams’ thoughts and acknowledged that social injustice has been ignored. “We are at a point in history where change hasn’t come,” Dagnes said. “In many ways, the country has moved backwards.” Dagnes went on to explain that, from her perspective as a political science professor, the current movement for social justice feels different. “I feel like this is different,” Dagnes said. “Politically it is different, the conversations are different, and I see the movement is different. It feels like big change can come.”
Pennsylvania is often a deciding state in the presidential election; however, during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic many voters are opting for a mail-in ballot, but a new ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court could prevent thousands of votes from being counted. On Sept. 17, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided that mail-in ballots must be enclosed in the secrecy envelope to be counted by poll workers. The ruling also includes absentee ballots. After a voter applies for their mail-in ballot he or she will receive it through the mail. The voter will mark their ballot and seal it in the secrecy envelope and then mail into their county election office, according to votespa. com. Much of the emphasis in Election Day preparation has focused on voter registration
deadlines and mail-in deadlines; however, some are worried the addition of secrecy envelopes will confuse voters. Last Monday, Lisa Deeley, Philadelphia city commissioners chairwoman, sent a letter to Pennsylvania lawmakers saying the requirement of the secrecy envelope would cause “electoral chaos.” In her letter, Deeley explained how eliminating the secrecy envelope would benefit the voting process such as helping to streamline the process, would cost nothing and allow more ballots to be scanned per hour. The deadline for voter registration in Pennsylvania is Oct. 19 and mail-in ballot applications need to be received by the voter’s county election office on Oct. 27 by 5 p.m., according to votespa.com. The deadline to return a mail-in ballot is 8 p.m. on Election Day, Votespa.com said. For more information on voter registration and mail-in ballots, visit votespa.com/Pages/ default.aspx.