FEBRUARY 2 ISSUE by Southern Digest

February 2, 2021 . Volume 76 . Issue 1

SU Lab enters the World of Esports Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest

Last Thursday, January 28, the Southern University Laboratory School commemorated the grand opening of their accredited Esports and Media Lab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. For those of you who do not know, Esports is a form of sport competition using video games. This was major history and a big deal for Southern University Lab School, as they are the first high school to unveil an esports lab in Louisiana. The new lab will act as the residence of SU Lab’s esports students and teams. Modern and futuristic equipment including Bloody Hands Light Strike Gaming Keyboards, RIG Gaming Headsets, Vertagear gaming chairs, Alienware Aurora R11, Zowie monitors, mouse pads, 65’’ smart TV’s, PlayStation 4’s, Nintendo Switches, and an observation/streaming room will play a part in the Media lab. The Southern University Lab School thanked their loyal sponsors Addice Inc., Bloody Hands, RIG, and Vertagear for equipping the lab. Wanting their students to

DAVID CRARY AP National Writer

(Philip Greenberg via AP) (Courtesy/Will Norwood)

think outside of the box, the Southern University Lab School have made their students leaders in the state of Louisiana with esports education. “We are providing inclusive competition, where skill is the

great equalizer. This lab is not just for our competitive esports teams. The space will offer all students the best in science, technology, entertainment, math, and esports education,” said Christopher Turner, founder of the eSports

and Media Lab program in the Summer of 2019. According to him, “…the Southern University Laboratory Esports Club is a home to all gamers on campus, See SU ESPORTS page 3

Student Affairs to Needed Inspiration Miss Southern hosts “Message the Rescue from God” Whitney Thomas The Southern Digest

A lot of things changed in the world when the pandemic first began to spread. Students have faced difficulties from being disconnected from on-campus learning to being involved with daily student affairs and activities. This semester, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Carl Walton, along with the Division of Student Affairs, is working hard to ensure that students can still be involved and connected beyond the restrictions that were placed due to COVID. Like the previous semester, there are expectations in place by the administration and will remain the same beyond this semester. Students are expected to socialize at a six feet distance, wear a mask, and sanitize regularly to keep healthy habits while on campus. Dr. Walton says, “The University is backing students up 100% in regard to their health and safety.” He continues, “One of the things we’ve done this semester to help with that is provided more opportunity for testing on campus.”

ACLU, for first time, elects Black person as its president

Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest

WALTON

This semester, the University and Student Affairs have made it a requirement for all residential students to be tested. In addition, students were offered free testing in the Intramural Complex from the first week of classes through the rest of the semester. Health services have stepped up by working with groups that meet weekly, by giving them the protocol to get tested regularly. The focus for this semester is to have student involvement once See STUDENT AFFAIRS page 3

that with us all living during a pandemic, there comes a time where we need faith in our lives Having a close relationship and words of encouragement.” with God is key to a prosperous According to Batiste, her own life. On Tuesday evening, strong support system helped January 26, the 90th Miss her out a lot in this regard. Southern University, Kennedie Aliya Creecy, a senior majoring Batiste, a senior Criminal Justice in Mass Communications from Major from Lawtell, Louisiana Metairie blessed attendees with kicked off the Spring 2021 a prayer to get the event started semester with her first event, “A as well as a few gospel songs, Conversation with God,” which including “Encourage Yourself ” was held in the Student Union’s by Donald Lawrence and The Cotillion Ballroom. Tickets Tri-City Singers. for the event were available The song could not have come through Eventbrite but were at a more perfect time and was limited to a certain amount since heavily related to the purpose COVID-19 is still around. The of this event. Ms. Creecy says event was a sellout. As students that “Spiritual music really goes arrived for the event they were a long way and can uplift you gifted with customized SU through anything.” hand sanitizers, SU masks, and The event’s keynote speaker raffle tickets by Miss Southern was Winton R. Anderson, University herself. Seats were Assistant Director of Student socially distanced per the Leadership and Engagement. university’s COVID protocols Mr. Anderson has many roles and the event itself was managed in his life. He is a Pastor for with proper safety procedures. Greater Philadelphia Baptist Baptiste was very adamant about making this event come See INSPIRATION page 3 to life, stating that “I know

NEW YORK (AP) — Deborah Archer, a professor at New York University School of Law with expertise in civil rights and racial justice, has become the first Black person in the 101-year history of the American Civil Liberties Union to be elected its president. The ACLU announced Monday that Archer was elected over the weekend in a virtual meeting of the organization’s 69-member board of directors. She succeeds Susan Herman, a professor at Brooklyn Law School who had served as president since 2008. As the ACLU’s eighth president since 1920, Archer will act as chair of its board of the directors, overseeing organizational matters and the setting of civil liberties policies. The fight against racial injustice is expected to be a top priority. The ACLU’s day-to-day operations are managed by its executive director — a post currently held by Anthony Romero. During former President Donald Trump’s four years in office, the ACLU filed an unprecedented 413 lawsuits and other legal actions against his administration, challenging policies related to immigrant rights, voting rights, LGBT rights, racial justice and other issues. The campaign against Trump’s administration — promoted in a catchy “See You In Court” ad campaign — fueled huge increases in donations and membership. According to Romero, the See ACLU page 3

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SU ESPORTS from page 1

both in competitive and noncompetitive natures and is continuing to grow as they reach a wider audience.” According to Turner, the sole purpose of the Southern University Laboratory Esports Club is to give an opening to all students to relieve stress through gaming. Competitive teams will be formed and part of yearly competitions such as High School Esports League and PlayVS, just to name a few. There were a lot of respected guests and people in the esports industry at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. One such person in attendance was Danny Martin, CEO and Cofounder of Esposure, an esports masterclass program whose headquarters are in Texas. According to Mr. Martin, there are a variety of different aspects that go into esports. Mr. Martin says that “Esports means the ability to provide career

opportunities for individuals within communities.” In 2010 while in college, Martin noted how he started getting involved with esports. He went into the esports business because he saw an opportunity to help tournament organizers build viable communities within the gaming industry. Mr. Martin also states that “Esports has provided me with the opportunity to impact lives financially.” The CEO thinks that the new Esports and Media Lab at The Southern University Lab School was an innovative idea and will provide students with the necessary skills to compete in today’s workplace When you think about esports, it is not just about gaming. 9th grader, Troy Murphy of from Port Allen gaming competitively at Southern University Lab School’s Grand Opening of Esports and Media It instructs students so much Lab on Thursday, January 28. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST) more like coding and sciences. Students will get to apply what they are learning to their passion. of innovation is what we look for, Lab School is doing their The ecosystem for esports is a desire, and want for our future thing by producing formidable billion-dollar industry. This type leaders. The Southern University students to lead in every way! INSPIRATION from page 1

Church, in Slaughter, Louisiana, and Praise Temple Religious Organization of Baton Rouge. Anderson dropped some much-needed spiritual knowledge on students. One of his messages from the event was “There’s one thing that you should all know and that is that God has a purpose for you,” said Anderson. After Mr. Anderson was done speaking, Miss Southern University raffled off a Bible and a Prayer Book. There was an abundance of raffle

tickets left over. So instead of using them, she asked for students to volunteer and share what they learned from the keynote speaker to win the prizes. After the giveaway, students lined up for a photo opportunity. Overall, A Conversation with God was a success. Excellent job to the 90th Miss Southern University for pulling off such an event. We look forward to seeing more events this Spring! ACLU from page 1

ACLU national office and its state affiliates received about $175 million in donations in the three months after Trump’s election, helping to finance a major expansion of staff. “The ACLU has proven itself as an invaluable voice in the fight for civil rights in the last four years of the Trump era, and we are better positioned than ever to face the work ahead,” Archer said. Early in her career, after graduating from Yale Law School, she was a legal fellow at the ACLU in 1997-98. She has been a member of the ACLU’s board since 2009, and a general counsel and member of the board’s executive committee since 2017. At NYU Law School, Archer is a professor of clinical law and director of its Civil Rights

Clinic. She has served as chair of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, which investigates alleged police misconduct, and also was assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “There is no one better equipped, who best personifies or is more capable to helm the future battles for civil rights, civil liberties, and systemic equality than Deborah Archer,” Romero said. Romero is hopeful that the newly installed administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be more attentive to the ACLU’s major concerns than the Trump administration was, but he expects daunting challenges ahead. “President Trump may be gone but his toxic

legacy on civil rights and civil liberties is still very much with us,” Romero said. “It will take years to clean up.” “At the top of our agenda is the effort to redouble this nation’s longstanding but frayed commitment to civil rights and racial justice,” he added. “The country needs a president who will be transformational when it comes to these issues.” Other ACLU priorities, Romero said, include voting rights, a rollback of the Trump administration’s get-tough immigration policies, and joining in efforts to thwart anti-abortion legislation surfacing in many Republican-governed states.

NEWS

STUDENT AFFAIRS from page 1

again with health safety being the priority. Student Affairs have established that only 25 people maximum will be allowed in attendance per event. Every event will also be streamed live for students who were not able to take part in person. The reason for this, according to Dr. Walton, is that he wants students to be flexible and able to adjust to any sudden occurring changes. Miyah Jhonson, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice says, “Nothing has been the same since [COVID began] honestly, but I like that they are trying with us. Our university is actually one out of many to have a lot of involvement from the student body. I think we can look forward to a great semester.” Meeting student’s expectations is the plan this semester. Students that are in organizations and other extracurricular activities are being recommended to continue meeting while staying inside of health guidelines. Student Affairs is also launching the “Safeguard Southern” campaign. This event will include handouts of shirts, masks, and hand sanitizer. The goal is to keep students motivated and focused on safe habits while being on campus. Jaden Boyd, a junior majoring in Accounting says, “They’re only giving us the opportunity to be this involved on campus because we are meeting them halfway by following the regulations. I think we all want to have a good semester after being away for so long. I don’t think it’ll be hard for students to comply.” As of now, these events are the only aspects Student Affairs must report, but students can expect to hear more in the future. While the COVID pandemic is continuing to affect us in many ways, the people in Student Affairs will continue to try for student life. For now, students will continue to follow COVID guidelines when it comes to daily life and on-campus events.

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Back to Business: Southern Men’s Basketball rolls back into the win column against Alcorn Evan Funchess The Southern Digest

On Saturday night Southern Men’s basketball looked to get back in the win column after two straight losses on their previous road trip. In this game, they traveled to Mississippi to face off with the Alcorn State Braves. Leading into the game Alcorn was coming off of a win against Alabama State. The first half could only be categorized as a festival of buckets for Southern, as they never took their foot off the gas against their opponents. They maintained a fast-paced and efficient offense that was led by Junior guard Jayden Saddler. Saddler scored all 19 of his points in a first-half offensive explosion. They also took care of business at the foul line shooting 84 percent from there during the first half. Going into the half, the Jags built a 19 point lead over to set the tone of the game. The second half mirrored the first half in the fact that the Jags continued to play keep-away holding their lead against the Braves. At one point they lead by a resounding 30 points. Their

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performance closely resembled their win against Mississippi Valley State in which they won by over 40 points. The second half had a few rough moments for the Jags but they stayed solid and won 76-59. They never lost the lead as they laid the foundation for the win in the first half. With the win, the Jagaurs broke their two game losing streak. When asked what the week of practice was like going into the game Coach Woods spoke about the feeling amongst the team. “It was tough, I was disappointed in our effort.” Junior guard Jayden Saddler led the team in scoring with 19 points. Coach Woods talked about the effort brought by Saddler. “Jayden is a point guard, and always looks to provide whatever the team needs.” When asked what was the team mantra going into the next one Woods spoke to their attention to detail. “Staying focused, and playing with a sense of urgency.” Their next game will be Saturday against their traditional rival Grambling State.

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Volleyball falls short in home opener Evan Funchess The Southern Digest

On Sunday night Southern Women’s Volleyball took the floor for the first time this year in a matchup against UAPB. Southern last season finished conference play with a record of 12-6 overall. UAPB came into this match with a win and loss in their two previous outings. The first set began as a tightly contested match between each team. Southern then lost the lead to UAPB once they went on a five score run. UAPB would maintain the lead the rest of the set winning 25-15. In the second set, Southern was able to settle and score more in the early going. They went on a 3-0 run early to set the tone. However, UAPB was able to respond to the run with a 3-0 run of their own. Though Southern would show signs of greatness during this set they still went on to lose the set 2521. In the third set, Southern began on a rampage with four straight kills. Three of which belonged to Senior Imani Litz who finished the game with a team-high 10 kills. The third

Reservation Domination: Jaguars Clamp down Braves in Lorman, extend streak to four Garland Johnson The Southern Digest

On Saturday, the women’s basketball team traveled to Lorman, MS to take on the Alcorn Braves for the first matchup of the year. The team got off to a slow start only scoring 11 points in the first quarter but was able to shake back in the second quarter after going 8 for 9 at the free-throw line and only trail 34-28 at halftime. After making adjustments, the Lady Jags came back out and was able to outscore the Braves in the 3rd quarter and cut the Alcorn lead just 3. But it was the 4th quarter of the game where the Lady Jags locked in on defense leaving Alcorn scoreless for nearly 6 minutes. But it was the last 3 minutes of the game that was the turning point for the Lady Jags. With the score tied at 51-51, Southern star and leading scorer hit a tough 3 point shot to give her team a late lead in the 4th. Shortly after, the team forced a turnover that led to a kickout assist to Tyneisha Metcalf for another clutch 3 pointers

putting the team up by 6 points that ultimately ending the game. When asked about the play, Funchess said “The shot clock was running down and she grabbed it at the top of the key, squared up, and she got a good look and drilled it. With the pass, she came down through the defense and kicked it out to Tyneisha wide open in the corner.” They were able to stay consistent on the defensive end and clamped up for the remainder of the game to capture a 57-51 victory. \ Senior guard Nakia Kincey led the team in scoring with 10 points while Sophmore guard Genovea Johnson, Sophomore forward Raven White, and Junior guard Tyeneisha Metcalf all finished with 8 points. It was a great effort by the entire team especially on defense. “It was a grind-it-out game,” Funchess said. “We missed a lot of easy shots around the basket but we kept playing hard. If you’re not scoring you can’t let the other team score.” The team held Alcorn to just 4-14 from the field in the games two final quarters and only 5

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points total in the 4th quarter This is the Lady Jaguars’ 4th consecutive win in SWAC play and improves the overall

conference record to 5-2 and 3rd place in the standings. Next Saturday the Lady Jags will be taking on the rival Grambling

State for a chance to improve the win streak to five.

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SPIKED from page 4

Students getting a mentor at the Peer Mentor Meet and Greet PopUp outside the Harris Hall Breezeway on Wednesday, January 27. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST)

Nursing Major Aaliyah Strickland sits down for lunch inside the Stduent Union Food Court despite the new normal of social distancing. ( Jaylnn Jacobs/DIGEST)

Southern University Lab students Tyler Wallace and Dacorion Marioneaux utilizing their new gaming equipment at the Grand Opening of the Esports and Media Lab on January 28. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST)

Students gather at the soft opening of Prime Grill, the new restaurant in the student union on January 28. (Kyndall Jones/DIGEST)

set is also where Southern had its biggest run of the night with six straight points in their favor. UAPB however would respond with 11 straight points of their own. UAPB went on to win the set 25-20 and winning the match 3-0. Although Southern was shut out in this match they still made good plays and will look to build on them going forward. Coach Jacobs also spoke to some of the good plays they made. “We had some good swings.” With this being the team’s first game of play she also spoke to their struggles in preparation for the season. “We haven’t been able to do anything besides scrimmage ourselves.” Notably, with COVID-19 still running through the country, it has truly put a dampening on teams offseason and inseason training routines. Through it, all though energy is still the key factor for women’s volleyball going forward. When asked about its importance to the team Coach Jacobs spoke with an exuberance. “Energy is a huge factor in the way the game flows.” The Jags have a chance at redemption as they faceoff against Grambling Monday night in Seymour Gym.

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Love’s Out in Color: Black/LGBTQ Discussions A B**** Album Review Debrandin Brown The Southern Digest

Courtesy Men’s Fed/AWS

many in the Catholic Church in particular up until recently is argued by many in the gay community to have worsened the already tense environment that has been America’s gradual acceptance of the gay community. Similarly, another issue that was brought up by multiple speakers at the event included the anxiety that comes with identifying as one letter in the commonly used LGBTQ acronym. It’s in this regard that the idea

of the + comes into account, as it gives the freedom to the members of the community to explore the intricacies of what they want to identify as without discouraging any particular term from being used to describe one’s personhood. “The event was something my cabinet & I was really looking forward to and to see it come to life meant a lot. As an organization, I want to always make sure that all students have a safe space on campus,” said Kayon Johnson, President of the Men’s Federation when asked about what guided the organization of the event. All in all, this event allowed for a civil discourse and conversion on how the aforementioned areas of focus, among numerous others, affects black members of the LGBTQ community on an HBCU campus. The one message that explored at great lengths during this event was the idea that even in an environment with people who share the same skin color as you, it’s still tremendously hard to find a place where you can be yourself without fear of judgement.

Cicely Tyson: The Beacon of a Legacy Jayln Garner The Southern Digest

Tyson began her acting career in her early 30’s and never looked back. Although Tyson starred in many low-budget projects to start her career, it wasn’t until her infamous film “Sounder” where she gained an Oscar and Academy Award nominations for best actress for her role as a sharecropper’s wife. Two years later, her role in “The Autobiography Miss Jane Pittman” where she played an 110-year-old former slave whose life was depicted up through the Civil Rights movement made her a star in Hollywood, garnering her two Emmy awards. She was a woman who was committed to presenting only positive images of black women, so with that she didn’t have steady work in film or television and was noted to have participated in several shortlived Broadway shows. Taking on supporting cast roles in the television miniseries “Roots” and “The Women of Brewster Place,” it wasn’t until 1994 that she won another Emmy award for her performance in the television movie “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.” After her performance in 1991 film “Fried Green Tomatoes” and 1997 film “Hoodlum” Tyson didn’t grace the big screen again until 2012 in the film, ”The Help,” which went on to win an Oscar for Best Picture. A few years later, billionaire actor, director, and producer Tyler Perry reintroduced the younger generation to Cicely Tyson,

FILE - Cicely Tyson arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 20, 2009, in Los Angeles. Tyson, the pioneering Black actress who gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecropper’s wife in “Sounder,” a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers’ hearts in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” has died. She was 96. Tyson’s death was announced by her family, via her manager Larry Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

presenting the youth with her emphatic talent amongst several of his most popular movies in the last decade, including many of Perry’s Madea projects. Leading a career that was 70plus years in the making, Cicely Tyson was a trailblazing pioneer

for young black girls and women in the world who have standards and morals that won’t be filtered by Hollywood’s view of the African American woman. There will always be a word you think of when talking about Cicely Tyson. It will be “class.” A class all by herself.

Kyndall Jones The Southern Digest

Album Cover Art/ ericalexandrakis.com

Consisting of a wide demographic of people throughout the student body and university staff, Southern University is home to many members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as an overall majority of African Americans; as to expected at one of the country’s most renowned HBCU campuses. In an effort to have a better understanding of this diversity and some of the struggles that members of the aforementioned communities go through, the Out in Color event brought many of the misconceptions and norms associated with being a member of the LGBTQ+ community to the forefront. One of the issues that was tackled early on in the nights’ dialogue was the role that the African American culture and social norms have played in the passing down of oppressive thought processes associated with the gay populous along the black community. The deep roots that the church has in the black community along with the long-running hateful rhetoric that has existed amongst

Grammy-nominated artist and two-time cancer survivor Eric Alexandrakis will be releasing his new project titled “Love’s A B*****” near Valentines Day on February 1, 2021. The alternative EPK is a thrilling and lively mix of sounds that has a tone to that of the ’80s and ‘90s rock. Being born in 1999, I can’t speak on very much of the characteristics of rock music at that point in time. However, the sound presented by Alexandrakis is akin to the sounds that bands like Nirvana, Blink-182, The Beatles, and AC/DC have become well-known for. “Love’s A B*****” is a remix of Alexandrakis’s critically acclaimed double album entitled “TERRA”. All tracks were written, arranged, recorded, produced, performed, and mixed by Alexandrakis on a 16-track recorder. Alexandrakis is a two-time alumnus of the University of Miami, having obtained his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Public Relations, and his master’s degree in Music Business. Alexandrakis’s father is a co-founder of the University of Crete, and his mother was highly accomplished in the field of Philosophy through her published works. A standout favorite from the album is “Mediterranean Sun”. It presented a fond flashback of taking a drive to the local beach in my area with my family on summer break as a child. This track presented an all-around feel-good vibe with light hearted instrumentation. Another great tune displayed by Alexandrakis was “She Sparkles” which is the track that precedes “Mediterranean Sun.” Overall,“Love’s a B*****” presents a unique sound with personalized production that Alexandrakis has managed to make his own, ranking at just around a 7/10 on this reviewer’s music scale. While this EPK experience may not be your particular cup of tea, we can appreciate the direction taken and applaud Mr. Alexandrakis on his variety of accomplishments and rising growth as an independent

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The State of the Democracy Debrandin Brown The Southern Digest

Since the conclusion of the last World War, the United States has been seen by many around the globe to be a beacon to hope and equality for the rest of the world to follow. In the year 2021, mere centuries after the official abolishment of slavery, the substance of equality still manages to allude black Americans within the borders of the nation that we are told ever so frequently to pledge allegiance to. The reality of the story however, is that the United States is in the midst of a new revolution; one led by the youth and one that refuses to settle for compromise. Instead, the youth crusades for the realization of their beliefs through the system

that our reality has been built upon; that the west has been built upon: democracy. As the new year has become the present, the world has been shown an America where liberty, justice, and equality is just as fragile at home as it is in the farthest community of people from our shores. For many, this is where resolve matters most and the reasons that we seek to make change in whatever way possible have become the things that we stake our names to. For the longest, our democracy has been defined by cooperation between ideologies wanting to destroy each other and has opposed each other at every turn, and yet we continually return to the table in hopes of being able to find a better answer; a more American answer.

And yet, as those rioters stormed Capital Hill and flooded the People’s house in January of 2021, I’m reminded of the nation’s pledge, its pledge to the people. It was only then however that I understood that those people who threatened the sanctity of the people’s democracy are fueled by the same thing as us who are so stoutly opposed to them; the desire for the freedom to make this brave new world one that will love and accept us for who we are. In this world of compromise and neutrality for the sake of peace however, the youth of both sides understand that this freedom is something that must be taken. This isn’t a rallying cry to unite behind the Biden-democracy and its fence-sitting history

of compromise; but rather, it’s a request to unite behind the goal of being better and being united. For so long, black and brown people have been made to conform and adjust to the world as it was built around us. From my perspective of the present however, we have a chance to lay the foundations of a world that can live up to the expectations of greatness that the stories of America the Unifier has promised us all since we were small children pledging allegiance to a flag whose blood and sacrifices we’ve become numb to. It’s coming to pass that the majority is becoming the minority, and vice versa in more ways than one. It’s what this brave, new environment of growth can be that has the

Where’s My Disinfectant, Southern? Diamond Butler The Southern Digest

Here we are in a new semester, still dealing with COVID-19 and still, we have yet to receive any disinfectants for the classrooms. Now speaking as a student, I am tired of coming to classrooms where other people touched the same items as I have and only have hand sanitizer to use as means to make sure I don’t get sick. At other colleges like LSU, Xavier, Grambling, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the rooms on campus where they know a lot of students will gather to and touch the same surfaces, they make sure to have

sprays, hand wipes, disinfectant wipes, gloves, and other necessities in place for the students. So why isn’t Southern doing the same? Where are the sanitation stations you promised to students? It’s the beginning of the semester, and when going to the various classrooms all I see is a big bottle of Germ-X on the front desk and nothing else. For me to feel safe and comfortable in the classroom, I’m focrced to bring my own sprays and wipes from home which I pay for with my own money. Now with a college as big as Southern, I know that funding isn’t the reason why we don’t have sanitation stations throughout campus especially in the laboratories and computer rooms. Like, come on Southern: this is something that was supposed to be provided

In the Aftermath of the Storm Ryann Jordan The Southern Digest

Generally speaking, 2020 was like nothing that most people could have expected, consisting of endless tragedy continuing throughout the whole year and leaving people in a state of uncertainty for the new year. Racial tensions were high, corrupt politicians, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the anticipated Presidential election. Even in the darkest of times in our country however, President elect Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris became proof of hope for many people in the United States who believe in a Donald Trump-led America is an unsustainable perversion of the liberties

promised by this nation so long ago. The Inauguration was an important event in this country in the sense that we have the first Black and South Asian female vice president in history serving in the Oval Office along with Presidemt Biden. Mrs. Harris’ vice presidency has become an important form of representation for young girls of color in this country and a major stepping stone for black people, especially those attending and have graduated from an HBCU. President Biden and Vice President Harris’ Inauguration was nothing short of excellence all around. Regal style, grace, and elegance occupied the capital on January 20, Michelle Obama, National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, the Biden and Harris

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OPINION youth on both sides of the fence rallying for the mic and to the light; to prove that their way is better, that their way works. Witnessing this story play out for the minuscule amount of time that I’ve been on this Earth, it’s clear to me that the black and brown people who have unwittingly made this nation their home are the ones who will serve as the catalysts to our own revolution. Now, more than any time before, is the time to act and choose our path with conviction and in unity. In ways that only they could before, through the stock market, in the courtrooms, and now in the Oval Office, a better world that answers our questions and empowers our youth is within our grasp, if only we all were to reach out and take it.

to us since the start of the pandemic. However, what I hear through the grapevines is the reason that we as students do not have these supplies is that the heads of our departments did not request them. Are you serious right now? What type of excuse is that? Regardless of if the heads of our departments did not ask for these stations, there should have still been a proactive decision and more of an effort to make sure that these disinfectant items were ready for student usage. For a lot of students who have classes that can not be done online and are needed to graduate coming to campus is a risk we take every day since we do not know who’s sick and who’s not. While reading this some of you may be saying that I am being too harsh and not

seeing the other efforts the school is making. Now I do see the efforts the school is making with the temperature checks at the gates, the opportunities to get tested for COVID-19, and other behind the scenes movements and I am grateful for that. What I am doing is speaking on an issue myself and other students have when it comes to being safe in the classroom with the pandemic going on. So, either as students, we get the COVID stations and other necessities that the college has promised as soon as possible, or someone needs to come out with a legit explanation and not an excuse as to why it has not happened yet.

children among many others. Michelle Obama was the talk of all socials with her Burgundy ensemble and laid tresses, giving an elegant and classy take as a former first lady. Dr. Jill Biden and Madame Vice President followed in the jewel tone theme and executed a sleek modern look for the historical event. The women were definitely not letting up this inauguration season and it shows! Prior to the Inauguration of President elect Biden, the capital had been raided by trump supporters deemed as a terrorist attack on the capitol. This attack put many lives in danger and even caused some to lose their lives in this act of insurrection. The attack on the capitol not only exhibited this country’s lack of leadership, but the systematic and institutionalized racism

brought about through morally corrupt ideals from just as corrupt politicians. Politicians that are consistently feeding falsified information to fellow supporters and bringing about attacks like the one on the capitol are part of the reason that racial tensions have been so high. Following the attack on the capitol, moving forward with the Inauguration, security was a necessary factor in order to keep the President and his family as well as others in attendance safe from threats during the event. And so even as a new year has arrived, we are faced with the constant renewal of perseverance as people who were born into this controversial melting pot of a world, and yet we still hold that hope for a better tomorrow just as close as we always have.

CONTACTS (area code 225) Student Media Newsroom........................................ 771.2231 Advertising Office..................................................... 771.5833 Director’s Office ....................................................... 771.5812 Editorial STAFF Editor-in-Chief...........................................Debrandin Brown Managing Editor ................................................. Jayln Garner Multimedia Editor..............................................Jairus Moore Public Relations Editor....................................... Aliya Creecy News Editor ................................................. Diamond Butler Features Editor ............................................................. Vacant Photo Editor.............................................. Adriana Trosclair Sports Editor....................................................Evan Funchess Web Editor......................................................... Dante Davis

SUBMISSIONS POLICY The Southern DIGEST welcomes letters from readers commenting on current issues and other matters of general interest to the SU family and public. We set aside this space to publish these letters for others to enjoy. This newspaper is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on its editorials, commentaries, ans speakouts. 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.

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Page 8 | Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926