April 13 2021 . Volume 76 . Issue 8
Invest in Your Future, It’s All About The Credit Renaldo Ruffin The Southern Digest
The Southern University Society of Finance Education & Development Program hosted a seminar in a Zoom meeting on April 6, 2021, to discuss and offer advice to many individuals on how to build credit and to invest in their future. The seminar was hosted by four student ambassadors: junior finance major Lenecia Turner, junior accountant major Zykia Stewart, junior finance major Daniel Pichon, and senior Melvin Emery III who is double majoring in Finance and Accounting. Turner gave key advice on how to build credit faster, advising the audience to “get a secured credit card and be sure to pay bills on time.” Paying bills on time is very essential to building credit. It will lead to paying low-interest rates on credit cards, loans, give you
A Night of Financial Literacy
Kynnedi S. Jackson The Southern Digest
On Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at 6:30 PM the Louisiana National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also known as the NAACP Youth and College Division held a Financial Literacy Workshop via Z oom. The session focused in various areas of finance such as budgeting, investing, and credit. The meeting was hosted by the Southern University and Louisiana State University Chapters of the NAACP. Each school had a student to represent them as speakers. The zoom consisted of NAACP members from all across the state of Louisiana. The two chapters came together to host this event to increase financial literacy and understanding amongst peers in a fun and engaging way. Kelsey Perine, Southern University’s NAACP chapter president and Louisiana NAACP Youth and College Division president said, “As state conference president, I wanted this to be a launching point for all the good things that are to come from our conference. I wanted events that showcased our units as leaders and advocates. This event was just the beginning See LITERACY page 3
Courtesy SFE&PD
more negotiating power, higher credit limits, and will make your life much easier to get approved for buying a house and apartment rentals. It is very important to not damage one’s credit history by not
paying bills on time and going over the given credit card limit. Establishing credit and learning to use it cleverly when you are young can make life much easier and simpler when you transition
SULC host virtual symposium
to adulthood. Senior Melvin Emery III gave the importance of setting up credit when young. He said, “without establishing a positive credit history, it will become more difficult and costlier to get an apartment, credit card, or even a loan.” If you have not set up a positive credit history, many lenders will be very reluctant to approve you, especially if you never had credit in your name. Emery III also said that “two faster ways to establish credit history is to become an authorized user on joint accounts, and to get a secured credit card.” Southern University student, Kevin Teljarrell II, a junior finance major, explained that he feels that it is an essential aspect as a young adult to build credit while young. He said that “building credit will make life much smoother and easier when we get older.”
pressure” while the autopsy done
Everyone at least one time in their life has experienced microaggression, even when they did not know it. A microaggression is a brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignity, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicates hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups. In simpler terms, it is the intentional or unintentional verbal, behavioral, or environmental insults towards a minority—culture, race, gender (specifically women), or religion. On Friday, April 9th, Southern University Law Center hosted a virtual symposium via Zoom talking about microaggression and implicit bias within the society from homes to the classroom, to work environments. Guest speakers were Attorney LaToya Burrell and Dr. Shandra Forrest-Bank. These women spoke on their experience with microaggression in the workplace, how to recognize it, and how to respond to it professionally. Examples of microaggression and implicit bias may be if one Hispanic girl in Spanish class and the teacher calls on her, assuming she knows Spanish because of her ethnic background. Another example is a woman in a male workspace. Her boss and coworkers do not seek advice or help from her because they figure she does not know anything since she is a woman. This is an everyday occurrence in one environment or another. Microaggression comes in many different forms. When it comes to race and colorism, a common phrase is, “You speak well for a Black person” or “You’re pretty for a Black girl.” If a woman is driving an Audi or is wearing name-brand clothing, the typical question as a microaggression is, “What does your husband do?” or “What do your parents do?”, as if the woman cannot afford it herself. In the workplace, a Black, Hispanic, or gay man may not be given the same task as a white or straight man based on the mere fact that the boss may feel like he cannot manage it. Some people do not believe
See TRIAL page 3
See SULC page 3
See FUTURE page 3
Updates on the Derek Chauvin Trial
Jalexis Edwards The Southern Digest
George Floyd, an African American male, died on May 25, 2020, after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes and twentynine seconds. This led to multiple protests and marches throughout the United States demanding justice for Floyd and his family after the video of Floyd’s arrest and his death went viral. As a result, the trial of Chauvin, the officer involved, is currently being televised by several mainstream media platforms as the country watches the events in the courtroom play out. Chauvin’s trial for third-degree murder, second-degree murder, and manslaughter began on March 29, 2021, and continues. From the opening statements, the prosecution has argued that Chauvin murdered Floyd by blocking his airways by doing an untrained motion and using excessive force while the defense has argued that Floyd died from drug consumption and preexisting health conditions before his arrest by Chauvin. Both experts hired by Floyd’s family and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled Floyd’s death a homicide, murder. However, they differ in the
Rodney Floyd, brother of George Floyd, enters the Hennepin County Government Center Tuesday, April 6, 2021, in Minneapolis where testimony continues in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin is charged with murder in the death of George Floyd during an arrest last May in Minneapolis. (Mark Vancleave/Star Tribune via AP)
cause of death. The independent autopsy done by Floyd’s family listed the cause of death as “asphyxiation from sustained
Tiffany Williams The Southern Digest
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
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NEWS BRIEFS
Page 2 | Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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KORI GAUTHIER
Has not been seen since April 6th. She is a Freshman at LSU. Her vehicle was involved in an accident (currently in the junk yard) on the Mississippi River bridge at or around 1:00am on April 7th. $10k Reward to anyone that leads her home. Please contact Spencer Gauthier at (832) 221-2864 with any information. LITERACY from page 1 and I am so excited to show what else we have in store.” The night consisted of learning easier ways to budget. Investment techniques were also offered throughout the session. One of the main focusses of the event was to discuss credit. The big “C” word is something not many college students have knowledge on but is one of the biggest problems young adults run into when entering the real world. Every student in attendance was taught how to build their credit. There were even new ideas presented to build credit rather than the traditional way of getting a credit card. As young adults it is important to balance your money and know your money. Xavier left everyone in attendance with a meaningful statement, “Make sure that you are conscious with your saving. The way you spend your money today, can influence the amount of money you have in the future.” Be on the lookout for upcoming events from the NAACP.
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Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | Page 3
Career Services Hosts a Women’s Summit Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest
then coordinate a conference specific to our male students for the fall semester and invite alumni to engage with our students but due to The Southern University’s Career Services funding, I postponed the event and kept the Center hosted a Women’s Summit that plan to host it in the future.” featured information centered around The Women’s Summit kicked off with improving the daily lives of women throughout Alicia Keys’ music video, “Girl On Fire.” the black community. The event was held on There were different breakout rooms that Zoom and sponsored by Procter & Gamble students could choose from for business and (P&G). All students that registered for the entrepreneurs. Lots of essential advice was event were guaranteed to receive a SUcess given by successful women and alumni of Box that included a professional portfolio, Southern University. Students engaged in the SU lapel pin, and journal. Many girls joined conversations through the Zoom chatbox. the call, eager for inspiration. The motto was Not only was career advice given, but also TOGETHER We Will Win! healthy advice on what to eat and how to Ms. Tamara Foster-Montgomery, the treat yourself. A motivational speaker and Director of the Office of Career Services, jack of all trades, Katina Semien, dropped wrote a plan to set up this program way some knowledge related to the motto saying, back in 2015. Ms. Montgomery said, “I “Collaboration, not competition, is how you wrote a plan to establish this program on will succeed.” our campus for our female students. At that All types of accomplished women were on time, we wanted to have an event specific to the call from health coaches to the National the female student during the Spring and
FUTURE from page 1
President of the Southern University Alumni Federation. Legendary R&B singer Brandy’s mother, Mrs. Sonja Norwood, even hopped on the call and was a guest speaker. “Crystallize knowing who you are and your personality,” the Southern alumna finished, ending the event with words of encouragement. You could feel the love and wisdom through the screen from these amazing ladies. They were true class acts that took time out of their busy schedules to give hope to students. “I felt very welcomed and empowered from the very beginning! It was definitely a great experience that every young woman that attends this university should have!” said Destyne Howard, a sophomore from Houston, Texas. At the end of the event, the song “True Southern Girl” by the Human Jukebox was played. The 2021 Women’s Summit was one for the books and left an impact on young women at Southern University. In the future, it will be an annual event. SULC from page 1
in microaggression and if they do, they do not see themselves as the micro aggressor. Granted, some people are uneducated in microaggression and do not know what not to say or do. They do not realize their words or actions may be offensive to someone of a specific race or culture. Those who do not believe microaggression exists may not be ready to address it or acknowledge that it is an issue. Dr. Shandra Forrest-Bank explains that “...white people who are usually my audience... who I’m trying to educate about this, go straight to denying that microaggressions happen and defending their own actions or believing defiantly that they don’t participate
in racism.” One can give advice, resources, and try to enlighten someone of the issue but they may not be willing to accept it. Attorney Burrell says, “Even if you lead that horse to the water, you can’t make them drink.” There are a few ways to respond to microaggression without seeming aggressive. Attorney Burrell quoted Michelle Obama saying, “When they go low, we go high.” One way to respond to microaggression is to answer a question with a question but in a passive way. One must be aware of their tone and the way they form the question to not seem hostile. This especially applies to black people considering they are stereotyped as
aggressive. Questions you can respond with are, “May you elaborate?”, “Can you give an example?”, or “May you restate the question?” Doing this will give the aggressor time to understand what they said or did was wrong. Ways to avoid being the micro-aggressor is to understand the different stereotypes associated with other races, religions, and ethnic groups. One may say or do something that is okay to one race but is offensive to another. Being educated on this matter will not only make minorities feel less of a target but will also bring them joy knowing that someone understands the problem.
TRIAL from page 1
Locks representing victims of police violence, including George Floyd, hang on a fence outside the Hennepin County Government Center, Tuesday, March 30, 2021, in Minneapolis where the trial for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin continues. Chauvin is charged with murder in the death of Floyd during an arrest last May in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
by Hennepin County listed the cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” Upon questioning, Dr. Baker, Hennepin County Medical Examiner, reiterated that he stood by his medical report that listed Floyd’s death as a homicide, and his former employee who was a part of his training, Dr. Lindsey Thomas, said she interpreted Baker’s report as, “What it means to me is that the activities of the law enforcement officers resulted in Mr. Floyd’s death. And that specifically those activities were the subdual, the restraint, and the neck compression…There’s no evidence… to suggest he would have died that night except for the interactions with law enforcement.” Baker also told Chauvin’s attorneys that he did intentionally not view the video of Floyd before his report. “I did not want to bias my exam by going in with preconceived notions that might lead me down one pathway or another.” As well as hearing from medical examiners, the court was also shown pictures and videos of Floyd, police, and bystanders throughout the arrest with attorneys pointing out damages to Floyd’s body because of the arrest, the large crowd, commentary made by Floyd, police officers, and the crowd. Witnesses
NEWS
included but were not limited to several police officers, medical examiners, civilians that saw the accident, forensic toxicologist, Floyd’s girlfriend, the cashier who initially called in the report, and more. Each must convince the jury of their argument. The jury consists of twelve members and three alternates, all of which had to fill out a sixteen-page questionnaire about how many times they viewed the video of Floyd’s death, their feelings about the police, and more. Based on self-identification, there is one black woman, two multiracial women, three white men, three black men, and six white women, seven of which are under forty years old. If convicted of all charges, Chauvin could face up to seventy-five years in prison. According to the Washington Post, Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe, a law professor at the University of California at Davis School of Law, “There are people all over the nation, all over the world, that are looking at this to get a sense of how much they can believe in our system of justice.” Many believe this trial will not only decide the outcome of Chauvin but also the worth of black lives in the United States. For now, the United States watches on in anticipation of the outcome.
He chose finance as his major because he’s, “…very interested in the stock market in terms of supply and demand. and to see how everything fluctuates.” Responsible credit use while you are younger can build a strong credit history that will help you get your adult life off to a strong start when you set out on your own. Positive credit history will lead to a positive and smooth life. Invest in your future early
Help keep the campus safe! Let’s all commit to wearing a mask at all times and adhering to the safety protocols to keep everyone on campus safe.
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SPORTS
Page 4 | Tuesday, April 13, 2021
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926
Almost There: Soccer outlasts Prairie View in SWAC Tournament, but fall short in hopes to win it all Alexis Easton The Southern Digest
The Southern University Women’s soccer team traveled to Prairie View over the weekend to compete in the first round of the SWAC Tournament. The first half of the game started off slow for both teams as they went the whole half without a goal. The Panthers attempted multiple shots, all saved by junior goalkeeper, Chioma Eriken. Between the two teams, the offense and defense were both a major factor in the way this game was played. While the Jags didn’t attempt as many shots in the first half, their offense and determination to keep possession of the ball was an early sign that the Jags were there to play. At the start of the second half, the Jags were determined to bring something to the scoreboard. With a pass from sophomore midfielder/forward Brynn Hill to sophomore defender/midfielder
Cordney Armstong in the 72nd minute, Southern was able to score the only point in the game to defeat Prairie View A&M. This goal was the second for Armstrong this season. The Jags were able to take seven shots compared to the Panther’s ten and still came out on top of the game. This was an especially important and great game for goalkeeper Chioma Eriken as she had her first shutout of the season with a total of six saves. The adrenaline and stamina the Lady Jags kept up with the whole game was a pleasant feeling for head coach Jeremy Fontenot. “I am very pleased with our effort and ability to be able to compete for 90 minutes. “ Despite the Jaguar win vs Prairie View, their stint in the tourney was short lived as they faced Grambling later in the weekend to bring their 2021 season to a close. Southern University’s soccer team finished the season with a record of 3-5.
DIGEST ART
Southern drops 2 of 3 in weekend series vs GSU runs. Southern registered five hits on six runs vs the Tigers in game two. However Grambling totaled 19 hits putting up Southern walked into this series against fourteen runs in the process. They would arch rival Grambling State with a chance get home runs from Cameron Phelts and to have a good position in the SWAC West Keylon Mack in a 14-6 win to clinch the standings, as they came into the series with series win. The Jags would rebound on Sunday an 8-4 record in the SWAC so far this year. after a disappointing double header the day Saturday was a double header between before. On the mound was Joseph Battaglia the Jaguars and Tigers. In game one, III. He had a stellar performance on the Wilhelm Allen started and would have mound as he only allowed five hits and two a rough day through 6 innings, giving runs in the afternoon. The Jaguars were up nine hits and seven runs for the Jags. able to hit off Grambling State pitcher However, Southern’s bats would have a Marc Luna, getting eight hits off him great game. Catcher Taj Porter would on the day. In total the Jaguars registered go 4-5 including a home run in the fifth twelve hits. Tremaine Spears and O’neill inning. However the Jags would falter in Burgos homered for the Jags with Burgos the seventh as Grambling would put up homering twice. Jags avoid getting swept five runs to win 12-9. 10-3. The Jags moved to 11-17 on the In game two of the double header the season and will face Prairie View A&M at pitching struggles continued. Jerome home next weekend. Bohannon II started the game and pitched four innings and gave up ten hits and eight Logan Williams The Southern Digest
Sophomore, Infielder O’Neill Burgos at bat during Saturday’s SWAC matchup against Grambling. (SU Athletics)
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SPORTS
Can We Go Back to the Status Quo? DeBrandin Brown The Southern Digest
Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in the United States, the sentiment had been stated to the death of how unprecedented of a season that this spring of 2021 would be for all SWAC sporting teams that have participated. While this had been true in a variety of ways from the student-athlete perspective, the viewpoint of the general spectator at home has changed little. As the viewing audience, however, it does benefit us to understand just how the landscape of the SWAC may be changed due to the effects that this season has had, on not only the corporation that is the SWAC, but the thousands of studentathletes who sport SWAC jerseys on
Saturday afternoons. For instance, the already overworked training staffs of many prominent HBCUs have persevered throughout the chaotic season that has been up to this point, but just like the athletes that they tend to, there’s only so much work that can be done before the grind of the stacked seasons wears on anyone. If the priority is keeping injuries to a minimum and being as effective as possible in keeping our players on the field, it would serve to benefit all SWAC Athletics programs to invest in their medical and training staff over the summer as we attempt to transition back into some sort of normalcy in SWAC sports. Similarly, what is the fate of the marching band? I feel as though I speak for the majority when I say that as much
as we love all the student-athletes that produce on the field and courts of play, the Human Jukebox plays an integral role to who Southern is as not only an educational institution but a cultural institution as well. If the threat of COVID is still in Fall 2021 what it was six months ago, then we are still a world away from the true SWAC sports experience. Most importantly, however, we must take into account the student-athletes. For the majority of student-athletes who have donned a SWAC jersey, the amount of research that has begun to go into maintaining peak physical condition has become common knowledge. For many, shortening their schedule means losing out on preparation, rest, and recovery time just for the sake of maintaining the conference calendar.
Then again, there are likely just as many student-athletes who want to hoop and take the field, regardless of the circumstance, and to them, I say that their voices should be heard as well. In any room where the fate of the studentathlete is being discussed, however, they should have adequate representation in those spheres. After all, if the history of sports has taught us one thing, it’s taught us the health of the student-athlete is ultimately best left in the hands of the student-athlete, and while I’d love to see full-powered SWAC action in the Fall, I’d urge all participating parties to heed their bodies and put their own health first and foremost
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FEATURES
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Setting Trends: SU Men’s Federation President-Elect talks the future Alumna blazes her own path
Doing it Different:
Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest
“Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all GRADNEY the facts,”, scientist Albert Einstein once said. Trelin Gradney, a junior majoring in mass communications from Baton Rouge, Louisiana was recently elected as the Southern University’s 2021-2022 Men’s Federation President. This quote resonates with much of his personal philosophy. Gradney had been paying attention to Southern University’s Men’s Federation since he went to Belaire High School. He was introduced to it by a former president, Anthony Kenney, and through social media. The Baton Rouge native has dipped his feet in other organizations such as Collegiate 100 and First Year Experience
(FYE), just to name a few. He has been serving the Southern University campus since he was a freshman and was even crowned as Mr. Freshman in Fall 2018. The name of the theme for his Men’s Fed campaign was BarberShop. He wanted a theme that every man could relate to and associate with an open space for knowledge, resources, and opportunities. His platform is about bringing more attention to males’ mental health, and connecting current students with alumni for career guidance and opportunities. He wants to recognize student entrepreneurs, athletes, and honors students. Gradney hopes to build a closer relationship with the community, strengthen professional developmental skills, and implement social events for the men to connect and interact with colleagues. The president-elect shared his inspiration, saying “To be completely honest, my inspiration comes from those who doubt themselves to hold a leadership position. It’s not easy being a leader but it’s worth it. I get up every day and be the best leader I can for my high school
classmates, my colleagues, my friends and most importantly my family, my little cousins, nephew, and niece. Those people inspire me to keep going because I know they’re looking up to me and I reach back to guide them.” Gradney expressed gratitude for his big achievement. “I feel blessed; it was definitely God performing this miracle. Honestly, it doesn’t feel real right now but it’s real because I worked really hard for it. I will always hold those 270 votes close to my heart because each and every vote saw me fit to lead them as their President.” The junior wanted to drop some knowledge for his peers. “If I could give any advice to young men, I would tell them to always be true to themselves. To be unapologetic. Be authentic. Be real. Be a man. Being a man is being transparent, honest, and holding yourself accountable at all times.” This young man’s journey at Southern University has been challenging, but rewarding as well. The public figure knows
treatment within the world of medicine. “After what happened with the Tuskegee experiment, I really can’t trust the vaccines right now,” said junior computer science major Khristopher Harmon. Although he did state he will eventually get vaccinated, he said the experiment that
Jalayna Bolden, a L ouisiana native and graduate of Southern University, is is now setting t re n d s for Black BOLDEN women by devoting her time towards the community. Bolden currently leads the AT&T Supplier Diversity Team, ensuring that the company maintains a diverse supplier base of minority women, selfdisabled veterans, and LGBTQ+ led businesses. Bolden’s journey began in the U.S. Department of Defense, where she worked as a federal government contracting officer, responsible for awarding contracts for critical U.S. Air Force projects. After graduating Southern University, Bolden started her career working at AT&T 20 years ago as a senior sourcing manager. She was responsible for developing acquisition strategies, negotiating and managing supplier agreements for multiple network technologies. Later, she was selected for the Global Supply Chain Leadership Development program and worked with AT&T’s Corporate Real Estate organization. Bolden secured the position as AT&T’s Director of supplier diversity in May 2018. In the midst of succeeding, Bolden earned her MBA in finance from University of Incarnate, one of the largest Catholic universities located in San Antonio, Texas. Darnell Williams, a third-year student majoring in psychology at Southern says Bolden’s success shows how capable Black women are. “She graduated from Southern and secured her MBA at Incarnate. That’s amazing, I think it resembles the capability all Black women have.” Ayanna Lee, a second-year student studying law, says seeing Jalayna Bolden succeed means that anything is possible. “The media never really focuses on the women that graduate from HBCUs and succeed. Hearing about Jalayna’s story reminded me that anything is possible as long as you stay dedicated.” Bolden has now taken over
See VACCINES page 8
See TRENDS page 8
See DIFFERENT page 8
Vaccinations at SU: Exploring the Different Perspectives Logan Williams The Southern Digest
See STARDOM page 5
As is well understood by now, COVID-19 has transformed our society and the way we live for the last thirteen months, and vaccines for the virus that has claimed the life of 559,000 people in America are starting to roll out. In Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards has said that people aged sixteen and older can get the vaccines. On campus here at Southern, there is a mass vaccination site where people can come get the vaccines, but there has been relatively low turnout at this site. This scenario provides a monumental question: why aren’t many people getting the vaccination? Are the masses still skeptical of the side effects that the vaccines such as the Pfizer, moderna, or Johnson & Johnson may present? That could be true, says junior nursing major Alfred Davis. “Many people are scared of the side effects that can happen to them,” he remarked. One of these concerns presented may be over the rapid timeline of the virus’ vaccine development, which took under a year to be completed. However, this can be attributed to this vaccine being treated as
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
high priority, with many of the leading doctors around the world having been called on in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. Particularly, African Americans have displayed hesitancy towards taking the vaccine, although the COVID-19 virus has led to many deaths across the community. The cause of this hesitance can be found in African Americans neglectful
Whitney Thomas The Southern Digest
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Expectations: Student-Life in Fall 2021 Lealer Sims The Southern Digest
Around this time last year, Southern University was one hundred percent online. Students that lived on campus had no choice but to pack their belongings and leave the dorms and apartments. March 13, 2020 was the day that campus life at Southern University made an extremely drastic change. It was a normal Thursday afternoon when the students got an email saying that in-person classes were going to be canceled. Around this time last year, Southern University went one
hundred percent online. Students that lived on campus had no choice but to pack their belongings and leave the dorms/apartments. That weekend, students began to pack their bags and return home, and no one knew when they would return. Southern University was getting ready for its annual spring fest concert, where NBA Young Boy, a popular Louisiana rapper, was scheduled to perform. Election week, instead of campaigning on campus, was completely virtual and social media based because we were on lockdown during the election. After a long summer break from
March to August, some students returned to campus. The freshman class of 2024 moved into the dorms, but they did not get the traditional welcome back week. A lot of students are in Baton Rouge, but some students have not returned to campus since the pandemic started. Most classes are online, on Zoom or Microsoft teams. Campus events are virtual, and the in-person events are limited capacity. Football season was canceled in the fall, and there was only one home game this semester. Pageants are pre-recorded and uploaded online, rather than students packing the event center. Freshman
have yet to experience Pretty Wednesday. Masks are enforced on campus and the in-person classes must be socially distant. Fortunately, in 2021, students and faculty have begun to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Slowly, but surely the whole campus will be vaccinated. Some people are still hesitant about getting it, but there may be a point where it will be required for work or travel. In Fall of 2021, I have a strong feeling that campus life will be closer to how it was before the coronavirus pandemic. There are more people vaccinated than we think. A lot of
OPINION
Southern students and faculty will get vaccinated over the summer. I want to be able to go to Pretty Wednesday to dress nice and hear lit music after class. I want to go to more than one home football game. I want to see some in-person pageants, and maybe even participate in one. I want to have a traditional homecoming and spring fest. I just want to feel like I am on the yard. Hopefully things go as planned because I have a strong feeling that Southern students will be getting our experience back in fall of 2021.
Missing Normalcy: Looking Forward to Fall Jamien Williams The Southern Digest
COVID has had an everlasting effect on our day to day lives and has required the majority population to do something different, whether that is citizens having to wear masks, to a job having to fire workers for a safelypopulated work spaces, to even restaurants and businesses not allowing a lot of people inside their establishment for a time. COVID has definitely had an effect on Southern University’s class schedules with classes being online, offline, and hybrid, but also on the school’s on campus activities ranging from sports events, fraternity events, concerts, and pageants. Before COVID, everyone was able to attend the campus events
without a problem and fully experience the college lifestyle. But now that we are in the midst of a life threatening global pandemic, the school must have had to make changes in order to keep their students safe. There is definitely a substantial difference in on campus activities such as sports events. The main sport to have changed would be football. Going into next fall, we can expect to see traditional SWAC football customs such as tailgating making a return. Football may be the school’s most successful turn-out event due to students being able to get in the games for free and also for the amazing music the band has to offer, and with COVID vaccinations becoming more abundant in all places, it’s the
hope that the many students and fans who would not attend do to COVID regulations may be making a comeback as well. Fraternity events such as parties, workshops, and the like have also had to come to a halt at COVID. They do resume online however, via Zoom in which groups are able to hold their calls. How much of a difference so far in overall attendance is unclear, but it seems to be a difference in effectiveness and they are not able to fully get their point across as they would probably hope. With the vaccine becoming more readily available, most students may feel like they may not be getting the full college experience if next fall doesn’t have more interactive studentcentered activities.
I personally do not enjoy going to parties and seeing a lot of random people, but I do miss seeing the excitement on people’s faces before and after their own experience. This being said, the biggest thing that needs to make a comeback are music concerts. Class of 2020 just received the extremely short end of the stick since they were unable to have either Springfest or Homecoming in their final semester. The pageants were a huge part of campus activities and always kept the campus with something to do, whether it’s participating in them or simply just going to spectate. My personal favorite was the Ms. Thicker Than a Snicker pageant. It was truly an extraordinarily fun pageant to be at and enjoy and in my years of
being here they always had the biggest turn out. From the football games to the pageants, everything, I feel, will and must return but only in due time. I am most excited for the football games being packed out and being around my fellow students as the band provides the amazing music they do as the football team proceeds to defeat and demoralize the other team. They are all such a huge part of campus life and offer that liveliness that people can talk about and perhaps even inspire friends or family to attend school here. Without these activities Southern has a void inside of it that only these pieces can fill. Class of 2020 has already missed a year of fun, but will class of 2021 be next?
WTF?! What’s With This Asian Hate? Diamond Butler The Southern Digest
I thought I have seen everything in life but there is always something that proves me wrong. With the current issues going on I just have one question. WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON? What’s really going on with the people of today? Everywhere you look, mass ignorance among people of different factions are creating an issue for those around them. For those who do not know what I am referring to, it is the hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Since the pandemic started, a lot of people have taken to placing the blame on Asians, as though they have bought into the former President Trump’s claim that people of Asian descent had purposefully created
this virus. If you do the research, you find that the COVID virus has been around for years like the plague, the flu virus, and other diseases known and unknown. From one stupid and racist belief, a bunch of ignorant people decided to take matters into their own hands. Across the country, there have been hundreds of attacks and harassment made on Asians. If you look at the news you will find in every state, there have been incidents targeted at Asians. Like in New York, an Asian woman was attacked on her way to church. In Georgia, there were gun attacks on salons that left eight people dead with six of them being of Asian descent. People, it is f****** 2021; why do we still have racism?! There is no excuse as to why people can not accept another
person regardless of their race. For a country that is said to be created by immigrants, it sure as hell seems to be against accepting anyone of a different race outside of Caucasian. Answer this for me: what is so hard for some people to just give equal and fair treatment to those outside their race? For decades people of other races must fight just to have the same basic human rights as everyone else with marches like the Black Lives Matter movement and now the Stop the Asian Hate protests. These stereotypes, biases, and racial slurs needed to die like before anyone in my generation was born. We as people, as a nation, should not even have these racial stereotypes, biases, and slurs still around. Take me, as an African American woman. I should not have to fear and
wonder what is going to happen to me or my family every time I leave the house. When it comes to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, they should not have to be blamed for something that was not even in their control. Yes, we have the COVID pandemic. Yes, it sucks, but that does not give racists and ignorant individuals the right to go ahead and target them physically, emotionally, sexually, or mentally. Think of it this way: you do not want a random person to come up to someone you love and just attack them or call them certain names. So why would you do that to someone else? Where is the logic in that? Now before you go and say that I am saying everyone is racist, that is not the case. What I am doing is simply point out the bull**** that me, and
thousands of others are tired of seeing every day. This is why I am glad to see the peaceful protests. I am glad to see people who have been racially targeted speaking out and letting their voices be heard. It is 2021 and we need to do better. I guarantee many want a future where their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren do not have to experience this madness. As people we have a choice, we can either live in chaos or peace. I would rather live in peace where there is no racism, harassment of any kind and every human being is treated as a human being. I want to live in a country where you do not have to fear when in public. So, what are we going to do in America? What are we going to do from this point to get to the peace?
OPINIONS/SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Southern DIGEST is not responsible for individual opinions expressed in speak out submissions, editorials, opinions and commentary pieces, including sports commentaries. It is the sole opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of any professional faculty, staff or administrator of the University. The Southern DIGEST reserves the right to edit any contributions and or reject them without notification. Authors are encouraged to limit the length of submissions to 300 words. Letters should not include libelous statements. Offensive and personal attacks will not be permitted. The DIGEST will not print “open letters” addressed to someone else. All contributions must be type written, signed and must include the author’s address and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be printed. Southern University students should include their majors, hometowns and year in school. When referring to specific DIGEST articles, please include the date and title. All materials should be directed to the editor in chief of The Southern DIGEST, P.O. Box 10180, Baton Rouge, La. 70813. Materials may be delivered by hand to the DIGEST office located in Suite 1064 Harris Hall or can be e-mailed to digest@subr.edu.
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Page 8 | Tuesday, April 13, 2021
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DIFFERENT from page 6 that it will always inspire him and others to never give up on goals and dreams no matter how things may go left or how long it may take. After graduating from Southern University, Gradney plans to depart from Louisiana. He looks forward to pursuing his Master’s in social work far from the South and leaving behind a legacy after his term. VACCINE from page 6
injected many African Americans with syphilis for 40 years still leaves him to not trust these organizations right now. However, Black people also played a significant role in the creation of these vaccines. In a March interview John Hopkins medicine vice president and chief diversity officer Sherita Golden, M.D., M.H.S. said that people of color, along with immigrants and people with disabilities, have endured centuries of having their trust violated. She also stated that it’s up to the healthcare organizations to repair relationships with minorities. With the country opening back up, scientists can see the “end of tunnel” in the fight against COVID-19, but the collective guard cannot be let down when it comes to this virus. One must continue to wear masks and get vaccinated to defeat COVID-19. STARDOM from page 6
media outlets by securing 3.1 billion dollars for black businesses during the pandemic. Her passion for the community will continue to shine as she leads AT&T’s first diversity program in the country. Bolden responded to an interview for Minority Business News Texas pushing the understanding that it’s not about the money, but the community’s benefit. “It’s about the impact of those dollars reaching communities where suppliers are located. The impact of job creation and building strong, sustainable communities is also how we measure the program’s success.” With Jalayna overcoming obstacles as a Black woman and obtaining multiple levels of success, students are able to see that it’s never where one comes from, but where they’re going .
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