February 9, 2021 . Volume 76 . Issue 2
Students gain insight into being a BOSS Delta Sigma Destiny Morris The Southern Digest
Southern University’s class of 2023 and 2024 hosted an Entrepreneur Empowerment Expo for rising entrepreneurs via Instagram Live on February 3rd. The guest speaker of the expo was Jasmine Daggs, the 34-yearold founder of the Jazzemaxx Collection. During the expo, she gave inspired students a threestep plan guaranteed to make a thriving business. The first step Jasmine gave was to “Manifest what you want.” She spoke of how in the ninth grade, she knew that she wanted to attend a career-high school and get her cosmetology license while at L.E. Rabouin High School, which is located in New Orleans, Louisiana. By writing down a career plan and believing in it, she was able to attract the education she wanted to start her 18-year career in the hair and beauty industry. The next step to a successful business, which is emphasized by Daggs, is to “Have discipline.” Daggs recalled a time when she would be late to her beauty
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shop, but she had to realize that “Time is money.” To have a million-dollar mindset, you are accountable for your actions and others. The last step she shared with over 200 viewers was, “Do not be afraid about not having money.”
She informed viewers that she did not have to take out a loan for her beauty shops because she was her brand. Using herself, she was able to gain clients by wearing her own line of extensions. If you are serious about your business and you have faith, just “jump
and do it,” she advised. After listing her steps to success, Daggs and the host Sophomore Activities coordinator Nicole Malone, opened the live up for questions from the viewers. The first question asked by a promising student entrepreneur was “How do you build your brand?” Jasmine’s advice was to “…make sure you look like what you are selling by promoting yourself and most importantly networking.” By meeting other girls in the hair and beauty industry, she was able to secure brand ambassadors that helped get her brand out. Collaborating with a team can boost productivity and make the process a little easier. Daggs was able to answer a host of questions, educate students about business insights, and give advice about pricing, branding, and funding. A commenter on the live, @iam_cmbj, expressed his agreement with everything by saying, “Work that 9-5 to fund that small business until the business funds itself.” When asked why the class of See BOSS page 3
Change is Good: SGA Senate Revises Its Constitution
Whitney Thomas The Southern Digest
On the evening of February 2nd, the official Southern University Senate held its meeting via a Zoom call. Southern University’s Student Government Association legislative branch held the meeting to revise the SGA constitution. The Senate saw problems within its constitution that made it hard for them to follow. Such problems consisted of the constitution being outdated and full of loopholes ,which made it hard for the Senate to govern themselves properly. These problems were discussed and fixed during the meeting. After the swearingin of the Executive Cabinet, Senior Senator Blake Redding introduced the newly revised bills. Senate bill #2 was introduced to amend Article VI letter I of The Southern University Constitution. The reason for this revisal is to change how proceedings for the SGA are handled in regards to the removal
A-C of the Southern University Constitution. This new bill will affect how the SGA President and Miss Southern will be funded during their college career. After being revised these sections are now saying that “… both SGA President and Miss Southern will receive a full scholarship in equivalence to the
Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest
On Tuesday evening, February 2, the ladies of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Delta Sigma Sorority, Inc. hosted an event on Zoom named S.E.L.F, which stands for Sufficiently Empowering Limitless Faith. Female students had to register for the event in the ladies of Alpha Tau’s Instagram bio and even upload a professional headshot to complete registration. The required attire for S.E.L.F was comfortable casual instead of the usual business professional attire. Over 100 young women joined the Zoom meeting. To start the event, the ladies of Alpha Tau shared a video of the legendary Ms. Cicely Tyson, who recently passed away and was also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She spoke beautifully with timeless words that will forever stick with black women. “Hey, Queen. When you’ve come to have learned all that I have learned, one thing remains the same and that is being true to yourself is the key,” stated Tyson.
amount of the tuition for both fall and spring semester as a fulltime in-state student. The SGA President and Miss Southern will also be receiving room and board all Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters if they decide
After Ms. Tyson’s video finished playing, the ladies of Alpha Tau did icebreakers with participants. They broke down how the evening would be going with discussions. The members of DST brought up topics and allowed participants to share their stories and experiences. Girls were randomly picked to speak. So many girls wanted to say something but were not able to speak due to the number of online people. The ladies of Alpha Tau suggested that participants write in the Zoom chatbox. Lots of hands were raised on the screen, and the Zoom group chat was so popular that DST members had to disable it. In the group chat, favorite quotes about self-worth were shared between one another. There were plenty of great questions asked and answers given. Agye Mintah, a sophomore Nursing major
See CHANGE page 3
See S.E.L.F. page 3
Snapshot from the February 2 Senate Meeting held via zoom (Diamond Butler/DIGEST)
of a Senate member. This revisal is stated as “If a member of SGA must go through a hearing, the Chief of Justice is to inform the student body of the outcome.” None of the senators had an issue with this revision so the bill was voted for and passed. The next bill to get amended was Article VII, Section 5, letters
Theta host S.E.L.F virtual event
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A&M COLLEGE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
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CAMPUS BRIEFS NAVIGATING SPIRITUALLY AND MENTAL HEALTH
The
Page 2 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021
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If you have served at least 2 months in jail in the last five years. The next re-entry legal clinic is Feb 27 and sign in will be from 10:00-10:30am. The first clinic will only accept the first 25 people. Masks are required. Location: East Baton Rouge Parish Public Library- Main Library 7711 Goodwood Blvd Baton Rouge, LA 70806 www.DoINeedCOVID19test.com
BLUFF Wellness Center along with the Division of Student Affair, University Counseling Center,and the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity : Tuesday February 9, 2021 @9pm “Black Men and Mental Health: Normalizing The Conversation” Livestream available via: Instagram @southernu_osm | Twitter @southernuosm DIVISION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DOIT) GEAUX GET TESTED TRAINING SESSIONS Free Covid-19 Testing Southern FEBRUARY - MARCH 2021 University 9am-4pm, M-F. Southern A series of remote training sessions University has partnered with will be available through the Division local, state and federal officials to of Information Technology (DoIT) offer free Covid-19 testing at the during the months of February F.G. Clark Activity Center. It is and March 2021. Please review the not required to pre-register for calendar for a brief descriptions, a test but encouraged at: www. dates and times that each session is DoINeedCOVID19test.com scheduled by visiting http://www. sus.edu/doittraining. Once you have selected a training session you may JUNIOR AND SENIOR register for that session(s) by clicking CLASSES PARTNERSHIP the following link: http://www.sus. WITH VOLUNTEERS IN edu/doittrainingsignu PUBLIC SCHOOLS(VIPS): THE SUPPLY DRIVE
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STUDENT MEDIA OFFICE Director........................................................Jermaine Proshee Publications Mgr. ...........................................Devin Hadrick Business/Advertising Mgr. ................ Camelia Jackson 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 Writer ................................................................Alexis Easton Writer ...........................................................Kynnedi Jackson Writer ...........................................................Teyanah Owems Writer ............................................................ Jalexis Edwards Writer ...................................................... Garland Johnon, Jr. Writer ............................................................ Destiny Morris Writer ..........................................................Whitney Thomas Writer .................................................................Jaylnn Jacobs Photographer ...................................................... Keith Lewis Photographer ............................................... Isaac Armstrong Photographer ...................................................... Keith Lewis Photographer ....................................................Jhalen Brown Photographer .............................................. Tiffany Williams
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. 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. PUBLICATION ASSOCIATIONS The Southern DIGEST is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), College Media Advisers Association (CMA), Full member of the Associated Press (AP) and the Louisiana Press Association (LPA). The Office of Student Media is a department in the Division of Student Affairs.
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Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | Page 3
Access Granted: Housing implements keycards Jaylnn Jacobs The Southern Digest
Southern University housing safety regulations improved to an all-time high when the department of housing gave students a key card to enter the facility. Yes, a key card! Outside of all the dorms on the Southern University campus, there is an electronic device where students must put a card to it for the doors to open. Key cards are more secure than having free access to come in. These locks usually work with cards of some form or another. The one part about using this type of access control system on a University campus is the flexibility it gives housing staff. Keycards information can be set to automatically lock and unlock doors at preset times, to allow access for specific individuals during off-hours and prevent access for unauthorized individuals, to instantly activate a campus lockdown in case of emergency. “Key cards are mainly for keeping the students safe from random people coming in and out the building,” said Kennedi
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Hudson, a freshman residential assistant at Southern University about the purpose of having the key cards. “The key cards are good for safety precautions, especially from people who don’t live on campus,” said sophomore Jasmine Pierre. The key card is securing the safety of the students on campus especially in a pandemic. It will control the coronavirus cases and limit who goes in and out of the building. The cards would stop
intruders from causing harm, inflicting injury to students, and committing serious criminal activity. The safety of campus is one of the most crucial defining factors for many students, particularly for female students. A college campus should be a safe environment for everyone. Those key cards will make campus housing more secure in knowing students are safe in their dorm. “The key card is something that I’m not used to. Some days
they will operate and some days they won’t and that’s a problem, it is always a hassle,” said freshman Brandon Horne, pointing out one downside to the new security measure. The key cards are a protective way to keep students safe. However, the card takes so much time to process to open the doors, and will lock again if it is not opened quickly. This can be difficult for a student arriving from Mayberry with a plate full of food. BOSS from page 1
2023 and 2024 chose her to be their guest speaker the Sophomore Class President, Carlos Brister said, “I wanted to give the young entrepreneurs of Southern University more insight of how they could grow, start, or continue their small business.” Brister
continued by saying “What better way to do that by bringing in someone who started from the bottom and grew her business into a six figure company? Not only is she a business owner, but she is also an investor.” As the expo ended, viewers showed their
gratitude by leaving hearts and endless “thank you” in the comments. Jasmine Daggs left an impressionable mark for the hundreds of motivated viewers.
NEWS CHANGE from page 1
to live on campus.” This bill was also passed after all senators voted yes to its terms. The next two bills to be amended were Articles I-XII and Article IV. Articles added to Articles IV would be the elected Student Government Association officials and include IX with the Elections Committee. Article IV will now say that the SGA President can appoint the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, Finance Director, Activities Coordinator, Director of Public Relations, and a Business Manager. The last three bills to be amended were Articles VIII, Articles IV section 1-8, and Article V. The bill for Article VIII will add the Elections Commissioner to the elections process and specify the qualifications to become the Elections Commissioner. Article IV Sections 1-8 will outline the duties of elected Student Government Association officials. Article V outlines the Duties of the Executive branch. Senior Senate Blake Redding says “…the overall purpose of the meeting was fulfilled. Everything went smooth, we got straight to the point, and did what needed to be done.” S.E.L.F. from page 1 from Tacoma, Washington said, “It feels so good to be able to relate with everyone in here.” Some of the Deltas even shared their testimonies and tips from themselves. There was too much valuable information to take in from this meeting. Nothing but jewels were dropped for participants. The ladies of Alpha Tau spoke on everything from how to carry yourself as a woman, to first impressions on people. Not only did they encourage girls to be involved in organizations on campus, but to stay on top of schoolwork and watch the company you keep. Kori Toliver, a sophomore majoring in Mass Communications from New Orleans concluded, “This topic has many different aspects. The company you keep says a lot about where you are going.” At the end of the S.E.L.F event, the ladies of Alpha Tau asked for participants to fill out a survey about how they presented as an organization. Lots of young women were not ready to leave the Zoom meeting because it was so good. The ladies of Alpha Tau were nice enough to stay on the call and answer some questions. They were very open and honest from the beginning to end. I was glad to be a witness to such an amazing event. If it were not for COVID and this event had been in person, the magic, and sisterly love would have been even more felt.
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The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926
Page 4 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Lady Jags Increase Win Streak to 5
Garland Johnson, Jr. The Southern Digest
The Lady Jags faced off against the rival Grambling Tigers for the final matchup of the year. The team started off slow but, was able to pull off a 70-63 win after locking in on defense and a strong second quarter. “We struggled to score early but we played with the kind of defensive intensity that it takes to win,” said Coach Funchess. Southern outscored Grambling 28-15 in the second quarter. The offense came up big in the 2nd quarter, scoring 28 points sparked by an Amani Mcwain deep contested threepoint shot to start the second quarter. After that, Nakiya Kincey completely took over when she forced a steal, and converted on a fastbreak bucket to bring the Jags within two. The following possession she stole the ball again and drove to the cup for a tough and-one layup. She then hit a three to give the Jags a 24-23 lead that they would hold for the rest of the game. Kincey led the team with 16 points, five steals, and five rebounds. Chloe Fleming also had a scoring stretch of her own, when she scored three baskets back to back to back to give Southern a 38-32 lead at halftime.
Junior, Guard, Tyeniesha Metcalf, scores a jumpshot in the first-half of the Women’s SU versus Grambling State Basketball Game February 6 (Tiffany Williams/DIGEST)
The third quarter started off sluggish for both teams. Southern’s defense kept the Tigers in check for the entire quarter, forcing several shooting slumps down the stretch. The
rest of the game was Southern staying focused on defense and scoring enough points to maintain the lead. Coach Funchess acknowledged his team and their determination
to remain focused on defense, said Funchess in response to the plethora of turnovers his team was able to create al night. “We were solid defensively,” Funchess also spoke on the
Tough Loss: Men’s basketball falls to Grambling 72-69 in SWAC play
Alexis Easton The Southern Digest
On Saturday, February 7th, the Jaguars Men’s basketball team fell short against confernce rival Gramdling at home in a SWAC doubleheader. Within the first 15 seconds, Grambling scored a three and that was the begining of the Tigers hot shooting spree. The Tigers came to the court with a win on their mind and possibly seeking revenge for the Jaguars beating them at their own court previously. They came in hot with back to back shots, great offense, and admittedly strong defense with 4 offensive rebounds and 17 defensive rebounds. At the beginning of the first half, the Tigers led by the biggest score difference in the game of 29-9. Southern was having a hard time getting and scoring the ball, while the Tiger offense was through the roof. “We couldn’t make a shot,” Coach Sean Woods says, “and they made everything.” Between the fouls from Southern and the steals from Grambling, the first
shooting slump in the third quarter saying “We had a little spurt in the third quarter where we lost our poise, but we fought through it. If you’re not scoring, you can’t let them score.” The 4th quarter was tight but once again, Southern’s defense appeared to be too much for the Tigers. The Tigers was able to come back within three points late in the 4th quarter but, Genovea Johnson got to the rim and converted a 3-point play giving Southern a 67-61 lead ending the game. Johnson finished with 14 and continues to dominate this season. Southern’s stellar defense scored 20 points off the 29 turnovers forced for the game ,and gave them the win they needed to increase their win streak to five. After the game, Coach Funchess had this to say, “Rivalry games are always tough, and Coach Murray does a great job having his teams prepared. It was a good win for us, and now we have to get ready for a very talented Jackson State team coming in here on Monday”. The Jaguars are going to have to come with that same intense defense if they want to defeat a hot Jackson State team who is currently on a sevengame win streak.
Close one: Southern Women’s
volleyball loses a tight game against Tigers Evan Funchess The Southern Digest
Senior,Forward, Andre Allen, drives to the basket during the Jaguars game against Grambling State. (Isaac Armstrong/DIGEST
half had the arena stressing as fans watched in disbelief of how the Jags were playing. The Jaguars stepped it up after Junior guard and forward Samkelo Cele had a good layup and scored the Jags’ first point. Once the score started rolling in, most of Southern’s points came from the free-throw line with a 50% accuracy. Three-
pointers were another big thing for Jags in the first half with a 33.3% accuracy. The team utilized Grad student forward Harrison Henderson. The score increased but at the end of the first half, Southern was trailing behind, 40-33. In the second half of the game, the energy in the Jaguars shifted and was noticeable. “When you
make your baskets, you can get in your defense,” Coach stated about the team’s comeback. “We started making shots.”, Samkelo Cele came with high energy as he dunked multiple times and had 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Senior guard Ahsante Shivers also was a big contributor in the See TOUGH LOSS page 5
On Sunday afternoon Southern Women’s volleyball looked to continue their winning ways in their home game against Jackson State. In their previous outing, they beat Grambling State University 3-1 and would look to build on the foundation they built in that game. The first set of the match began great for the Jags as they scored three straight points against Jackson State to start. Jackson State then began to match the Jag’s offense by capitalizing on Southern’s attack errors. This set was riddled with errors as they began to See VOLLEYBALL page 5
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Sophmore, Guard, Genovea Johnson, goes up for a layup in the first-half of the Women’s SU against Grambling State Basketball game February 6. (Tiffany Williams/DIGEST)
Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | Page 5
Center, Harrison Henderson drive through the lane over Grambling’s Kelton Edwards during the Jaguars game against Grambling State. (Isaac Armstrong/DIGEST
Junior Class President Kevin Taylor, works with senior Jaylan Guidry, and SGA Vice President Kasey Williams to help beautify the campus on near Bradford Hall on February 7. (Courtesy Photo/DIGEST)
Contestant #2, freshman, Corian Boyd, kisses the hand of Miss Freshman, Jasmine Brown in the “King of Harlem” Mister Freshman Pageant (Tiffany Williams/DIGEST)
Dean of Students, Montrice O’Neal receives his T-shirt in the SmithBrown Memorial Union during Freshmore Week. February 5. (Jalynn Jacobs/DIGEST)
Junior, history major and personal trainer, Azariah Pierce, coaches program participants during the “Sweet Sweat” fitness event hosted by the University College on Friday, February 5 inside the Royal Cotillion Ballroom. (Jhalen Brown/DIGEST)
PHOTOS
TOUGH LOSS from page 4 second half, with his constant defensive rebounds and his 3 pointers. Even with the energy coming back onto the court, the momentum slowed down. The team started making shots, but the fouls began to hurt them as they played. Other things like giving away turnovers, hand slipping, and inattention also hurt the team as the half went on. “We were off-balance, we just got to bounce back. It’s a game we gave away,” Coach noted. In the end, the Jags came close but were not able to defeat the Tigers. In the last sixteen seconds, the Tigers scored and the Jag’s offense after that could not gain any points. The ending score was 72-69. The team hopes to regain their winning streak on Monday, February 8th, when they face off against Jackson State at home. VOLLEYBALL from page 4 pile up to an insurmountable lead for Jackson State. Though the first set had not gone the way the Jags hoped it would, they still brought great energy into the second set. It was back and forth for a while between the two teams but, Southern’s offense proved to be too much for Jackson State in the second set. Southern tied the sets at one and took their momentum from the second set into the third. They began to battle it out in a similar fashion to the second set. This time the Jag’s was able to take advantage of errors made by Jackson State. After taking a 2-1 lead, the Jag’s once again found themselves in a tough position, as they dropped the fourth set to Jackson State. The fifth set culminated in a hardfought loss for the Jags as they fell to Jackson State. Their next outing will be against Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday which will be the final game of their four-game homestand.
BLACK HISTORY FACT. Alfred L. Cralle was an African American businessman and inventor who was best known for inventing the ice cream scoop in 1897.
Annika Robinson. a freshman English major, painting her canvas colorfully at the Freshmore’s Trap N Paint held inside the Student Union’s Ballroom on February 1. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST)
At the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on Feburary 2, the Collective Organization talks to Southern University students while handing out free PopTarts. (Diamond Butler/ DIGEST)
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Page 6 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926
The Harlem Renaissance Reimagined; A New Mr. Freshman is Crowned
Debrandin Brown The Southern Digest
Representing the newest class of male Jaguars who have made their way onto the Bluff, the Mr. Freshman pageant is a traditional way for participating students to put their skills, fashion sense, and talent on display for not only campus alumni, the judges, and their peers, but the student body as a whole as they get some of their first pageant experiences at Southern University. Like most things in a post-COVID world however, changes had to be made in this year’s proceedings in order to make the annual affair as safe as possible . Featuring some of the Class of 2025’s biggest names, this year’s Mr. Freshman pageant proved to be distinctly different from years past, with normal crowds being taken out of the equation due to COVID-19 safety measures. These measures included the event itself being closed off, to the student body in favor of a pre-recorded film event that was presented on YouTube. Featuring Jefferson Blackmon II
from Austin, Texas, Corian Boyd from Dallas, Texas, Jarriel Jackson from Houma, Louisiana, and this year’s winner Beloveson Philippe from Orlando, Florida. This year’s pageant has a familiar list of names among the newest class of Southern Jags. Consisting of four contestants, this year’s pageant was mainly composed of fashion show elements that allowed the contestants to express themselves through different outfit combinations and styles, all of which were expressive of the Harlem Renaissance theme that the event carried throughout its entirety. The Harlem Renaissance theme was present in not only the outfits worn by the participating contestants, but also in the music and decorations that adorned the venue. During the weeks leading up into the event, the contestants practiced together and had the opportunity to socialize with one another as they perfected their own outfits and performances. According to
Trap ‘n’ Paint; A Colorful Opening to Freshmore Week Te’yanah Owens The Southern Digest
Last Monday evening, February 1, Southern University’s Class of 2023 and Class of 2024 began Freshmore Week with a “Trap and Paint” event, which was held in the Student Union’s Ballroom. Upon entry to the ballroom, students were given light up glasses and designed masks of different styles. Per the new normal, masks were required and social distancing was strictly enforced, with three people being assigned to a table set with canvases, paint, and brushes. To students’ surprise, all the canvases already had drawings of a SU logo and characters from the Proud Family, which represented the overall theme of Freshmore Week. The sketch consisted of the main character Penny Proud, LaCienega Boulevardez, and an obscure professor-looking character that could not even be found on Google! Some students liked that the canvases came prepared because they did not know how to draw; other artists were a little upset because they wanted to freestyle. Either way, students thought highly of the painting event. “I feel like it’s unique and different because of the
Debrandin Brown/DIGEST
See MR. FRESHMAN page 8
A Look Behind the Magic; The Makings of Freshmore Week
Freshman and Sophmore class passing out T-Shirts Inside the Smith-Brown Memorial Union on February 5 during Freshmore week. (Jalynn Jacobs DIGEST).
Jalexis Edwards The Southern Digest
Destyne Howard, a sophomore majoring in Political Science from Houston, Texas looking like an artist with a beret while painting at the Freshmore’s Trap N Paint held inside the Student Union’s Ballroom on February 1. (Te’yanah Owens/DIGEST)
theme,” said Dajah Askins, a freshman Nursing major from Plaquemine, Louisiana. The event featured music from rap artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, VickeeLo, and BRS Kash which played while students were painting. Carlos
Brister, sophomore Class President and mechanical engineering major from Hammond, Louisiana, tried to get the crowd lit by singing See TRAP-N-PAINT page 8
Last week was Freshmore Week, a week that is annually dedicated to Southern University’s freshman and sophomore classes and hosted by the Student Government Association. With themes chosen by the voted-upon student leadership, each day held a new event and activity meant to encourage participation from the two youngest classes of students on The Bluff. The events included a Trap ‘n’ Paint event that would allow students to express
themselves, through artistic activities such as painting. The week also consisted of a scholarship giveaway, entrepreneurship showcasing, and the Mr. Freshman pageant, among many other events. Generally speaking, the week itself is meant to get newer members of the Jaguar family better acclimated to the campus culture, and encourage them to be active in campus sponsored events and gatherings. The winner of this year’s Mr. Freshman pageant, Beloveson See FRESHMORE page 8
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OPINION HBCU COVID Woes Continue Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | Page 7
The Sentinel of an Enlightened Student Body Since 1926
Jaguar SPEAKOUT
What change in the refund process would you like to see this semester compared to past semesters? Jaylnn Jacobs The Southern Digest Dajah Askins Nursing Plaquemine, LA
“A change in the refund process I would like to see this semester that didn’t happen last semester is better communication on how to access it.”
ASKINS
Roderick Gremillion Elementary Education Baton Rouge
GREMILLION
“I believe the student refund process should be much faster to all of the students to utilize their money for the things they need for school.” Melissa Blackson Graduate Student Clinical Counseling Winnsboro, LA
BLACKSON
“I would like to see refunds processed in a more timely manner. Alot of other schools recieve their refunds before the semester starts to help with expenses that they need for school such as books, rents, car notes etc. I believe that processing them at least 1 week before school starts would help...”
Korryn Shaw Mass Communication Chicago, IL
“Releasing funds early to students like LSU.” SHAW 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.
Kynnedi S. Jackson The Southern Digest
Emotions initially rose high in 2020 with the announcement of the 47th annual Bayou Classic being postponed, and are even higher now with the new information that has been released regarding the status of participating bands within the Southwestern Athletics Conference (SWAC) . It was announced in October of 2020 that the Bayou Classic would be held on April 17, 2021 in Shreveport, Louisiana, and although many share the mindset that the change in scenery would not give the same feel, many fans were still excited to attend the event. After all, the Bayou Classic is not just a regular football game, it is the “Granddaddy” of all HBCU rivalries. More than the game itself however, is the culture that is presented through the HBCU culture that’s put on the forefront of the black college sports stage. This includes the soulful sound
of the marching bands stepping into formation, and the loud, passionate chants and calls from the honorable, prestigious and most distinguished Divine Nine. The back-and-forth battle of the bands in the stands, the melodic sounds as the players run to their positions, the halftime performance, and so much more all make up the “Classic Experience” that so many fans and alumni return to annually. However, in January of 2021, SWAC announced that no away bands will be able to play at games. Being that both Southern University and Grambling State are away teams for the classic rivalry matchup, and as such, no band will be allowed to perform during the game. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt to several events that we have grown used to over the years, but never did anyone imagine a Bayou Classic without the Human JukeBox and the World Famed Tiger Marching Band. Despite the obvious disappointment however,
the decision was well thought out for the safety of all band members, players, spectators and all stakeholders involved in this year’s Bayou Classic. With the constant rise of COVID-19 cases and the state of Louisiana going back into Phase 2 of quarantine earlier in the year, this was the most logical decision to make. Although we don’t want to hear it, all decisions are made with the best interest of all parties involved in mind. The news has come as quite a disappointment to not only the bands, but also many spectators. On the bright side, our ears will still be graced with the sound of the band at all home games this year. This season is definitely like no other, but at least there is still a season to be played. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that next year’s performances will be off the charts. We are certainly in for a treat with both school’s performances. It will be one to remember for years to come. This is only a minor setback for a major comeback.
The Importance of Social Events in a Pandemic Debrandin Brown The Southern Digest
Generally speaking, humans are social creatures who need interaction with other people for peak mental and social development. Since the COVID-19 pandemic first began to ravage large parts of the country in March of 2020. However, people have been forced to reevaluate to what degree of importance they wish to give that social aspect of human nature. For many, being social with their peers is already a difficult enough task without a pandemic, and the foils that come along with it dictating how social we can be with each other. With this being said, the impact that having social relationships, or a lack thereof, has on mental health cannot be understated enough during a period in time, where depression and anxiety is at an all time high for not only college students, but everyone. Many people would claim that they have an aversion to being social and being forced to socialize in venues that make them feel uncomfortable, such as school and on their jobs. The truth of the matter however, is that we all desire some aspect of socialization and
human interaction in some form or another, whether this being with a small circle of friends, your family, or your significant other.
With this in mind, it’s important to note how each of these relationships and their consistency over time impacts the individual when that consistency is compromised, due to a seemingly overnight change in national protocol as it relates to social interaction. At the onset of COVID-19’s emergence in the United States, millions were sent home from their schools and jobs with little regard to how this would affect their mental health. Despite the reality that said social exodus was completely necessary in order to safely respond to the threat that COVID-19 presented to us all. Since that moment in time, people have had to make compromises to their own socialization practices as locations such as parks, tourist attractions, restaurants, and clubs, among many others have had to change in order to return to some sense of normalcy in everyday life. For some people however, this change is easier said than done. On an individual basis, there’s no statistics or data charts that can accurately reflect the
effect that upending carefully crafted daily routines and practices has on the average person who may or may not already have a propensity to struggle with their mental health in normal circumstances, yet alone in a global pandemic. And yet, this is no fault of any one person or group of people, rather it’s the situation that we have found ourselves in as a people; either adapt and make the change work for you, or don’t. As harsh as this reality may seem, it’s the one that we currently find ourselves subject to in more ways than one. In 2021 more than any other time in recent history, it’s up to the individual to allocate the proper time and care into maintaining their own social relationships and mental health, if for no other reason than no one else will. Check on your friends, let them know that you are there for them, and if your bonds are true, you will hopefully get that same reassurance in response. But if not, it’s our personal responsibility to maintain balance within ourselves and create internal and external safe spaces that can coexist in this new, less socially available world.
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Page 8 | Tuesday, February 9, 2021
FRESHMORE from page 6
DIGEST ART
Philippe noted the impact that Freshmore Week has had on him. “Coming out on top and winning the Mr. Freshman pageant made me feel like I just went over a big stepping stone in the beginning of my life as a college student,” said Philippe. The week also featured a band TikTok challenge, basketball game, and a t-shirt giveaway that saw student participation and support come out in droves. Events were held both in-person and virtually as to make the week’s activities available to everyone in one form or another. In-person events had strict COVID-19 guidelines that had to be followed, and as a result, only a limited number of students were able to attend the in-person events. In-person events included the Trap ‘n’ Paint event where students listened to trap music while painting Proud Family themed paintings. Tickets for this event sold out on the day the event was posted. The care package and t-shirt giveaway
were also in person. The theme for the week was The Proud Family, a television series three featured a happy black family. This theme was used for advertisements and was featured on the t-shirts that were given to members of the freshmen and sophomore classes. “It’s always been a tradition for every class to have a week. With COVID, we wanted to hold events with a traditional fill but that still followed COVID guidelines. Participation was through the roof, and [because of this] we plan to do some of the events again,” said Carlos Brister, the sophomore class President, about his take on the week as a whole. Freshmore week garnered much success that can be attributed to the joint efforts of Student Affairs and the Student Government Association, and both parties hope to continue the trend of having safe, fun events for members of the student body.
MR. TRAP-N-PAINT from page 6
Meek Mill’s classic song “Dreams and Nightmares.” The event also featured the reintroduction of the SU Shuffle, a Southern dance that’s traditionally taught to incoming freshmen during their individual orientation sessions leading up to the school year. When the Trap ‘n’ Paint event was over, students went on stage and showed off their canvases for a photo opportunity. They even used the fun Boomerang feature on Instagram and uploaded them on the University’s Class of 2023 and Class of 2024’s Instagram pages. For the students involved, many noted that it was a proud moment to watch the freshmen get a little experience of what a normal semester consists of and how active our campus is with events. “I must say this event had an amazing turnout. The moment we said we were having a Trap ‘n’ Paint event, the students were so excited. Had we not been in a COVID space we would have had way more participation. This is an event I want to do again because it was in such high demand,” said Sophomore Class President Carlos Brister. Good luck to the Class of 2024 and we hope to see them enjoy more events during their time at The Southern University!
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MR. FRESHMAN from page 6
this year’s winner, Beloveson Philippe, this social aspect of working with the other contestants were his favorite part of the pageantry process. “The pageant is something I would consider doing in the future because of the connection I made with the other contestants and how much fun we had practicing and performing,” said Philippe, a freshman therapeutic recreation major from Orlando, Florida, when asked on the impact that his pageantry experience may have for him going forward. According to Philippe, he is no stranger to pageants and has had the opportunity to participate in and spectate numerous fashion shows prior to his arrival on the Bluff. “Coming out on top and winning the Mr. Freshman pageant made me feel like I just went over a big stepping stone in the beginning of my life as a college student,” said Philippe in response to the impact that winning his first collegiate pageant has had on him. While the pageant formatting itself may be different than long-time Jags may be used to, the uniqueness of the experience has done nothing to take away from the experience from the contestants, according to Philippe. Depending on the pageants set to take place in this semester or future ones, we may see more than one of this year’s contestants on the pageant stage again.