ISSUE 10, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2018
The Southern DIGEST www.southerndigest.com ● The sentinel of the enlightened student body at Southern University and A&M College ● Since 1926
“Equality, Truth, and Matter”:
“Out Like A Light”: Campus Power Outage
Diversifying LGBTQ+ Leadership Jacqueline Morgan ● DIGEST Editor-in-Chief
Leading in to Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 12 - 19), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) hosted the 13th annual Historically Black and Universities (HBCU) Leadership Summit: “Leading In Truth”, this past week from Thursday, November 8 - Monday, November 12. This year’s program was hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, and encompassed 46 “fierce advocates” of an applicant pool of 156 HBCU students that identify in the LGBTQ+ community. Associate Director of the HBCU Program, Leslie Hall, shed some light on the statement behind the name of this year’s summit. “‘Leading in Truth’ is more than a tagline, it is a call to action. It requires you to LEAD from a place of authenticity. Make an effort to lead in your truth each day,” he elaborated. Students from 25 HBCUs, and 12 states total, joined forces for five days to discuss and dissect topics like leadership, equity, inclusion, identities, oppression, health & wellness, religion, and selfdiscovery. Various workshops and discussions were led by trendsetters and advocates in the LGBTQ+ community
like Hope Giselle, Amiyah Scott, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Karamo Brown, Kirk Pressley (MC Boom Boom Balenciaga), and Isaiah R. Wilson and more; each holding status a crusader for marginalized groups in the LGBTQ+ community.
Najeri Evans ● DIGEST Staff Editor
HBCU students attending the summit engage in a session titled “Living & Leading Authentically: Overcoming Internalized Oppression’s Stronghold Over Our Dreams” led by Isaiah Wilson on Friday, November 9 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jacqueline Morgan/DIGEST)
According to the HRC website, “HRC Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program empowers LGBTQ+ HBCU students to be changeagents on their campus and lead resourcefully through the intersections of race, religion, gender identity, class and sexual orientation.” Senior at Philander Smith College, Christiana Marie Webb feels that the experience provided that empowerment through the introduction of ball culture. Ball culture can be described as a creative outlet and genre of LGBTQ+ subculture in the community. Partaking in ball culture is a liberating and expressive form of talent that the students of the program were able to delve into with confidence. “This summit has impacted me in a very positive way; I’m usually very shy and don’t participate in things such as the ball. By taking part in the ball and actually winning a category, for me, it took me out of my shell and I had a great time and felt really good and pretty. I loved the energy and vibes that were
Guest speaker, Amiyah Scott, engages students of the summit in a conversation surrounding the transgender community during a “Lunch Chat and Chew” on Friday, November 9 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jacqueline Morgan/DIGEST)
given and received. I had an amazing time,” Webb expressed. Over the course of the program, students were given the opportunity to not only interact intellectually and emotionally with one another, but with alumni of the program and active advocates of the LGBTQ+ community as well. Alumni of the program were allotted the opportunity to return as mentors to the students, as well as members of the organizing committee, offering a
mirroring experience for the previous cohorts. Alumna, Ashlie Arvin, partook in the fall of 2016, representing Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia as the president of MOSAIC, the LGBTQ+ group on campus. Her experience during the summit led her to pour that support back into the program’s latest cohort. “This is my second time going to the HRC HBCU Leadership Summit and this time was very different because I see LEADERSHIP on page 3
2018 JAGUAR PREVIEW: Welcome to the Bluff Debrandin Brown ● Gabrielle Hutchinson DIGEST Staff Editors
Throughout Saturday morning and afternoon, Southern University hosted its annual Jaguar Preview Day around campus where future Jaguars were able to tour the campus, enjoy festivities, and get a peak of what all Southern University has to offer. The high school students gathered on Southern’s campus were afforded a multitude of activities and opportunities to occupy themselves throughout the day, with the campus tour
being one of the main events of the day. As the groups of future Jags moved around campus, they were taught the history behind building names, such as P. B. S. Pinchback and T.T. Allain, among others. “The excitement and enthusiasm of the high school students is the best part about high school preview day.” said Alexis Evans, a sophomore nursing major and sophomore class justice from Frisco, Texas. Many were eager, and those who were ready to commit had the opportunity to apply on site. see JAGUAR PREVIEW on page 3
Southern University academic departments and student organizations stanf near their tables ready to inform high school students on what they have to offer during the Southern University High School Day in the Mini Dome on November 10. (A’Yanna Muigua/DIGEST) www.southerndigest.com
On Monday, November 12, Southern University classes were delayed until 1 pm due to temporary power outages across campus. SGA President, Anthony Kenney posted on Twitter when complications began Saturday morning, “A power pole broke this morning at about 2. We have completed a campus assessment… Back residence halls are still out as of this tweet. Water Pump System was affected as well. They’re currently fixing as we speak.” Emails sent out to students announcing the delay listed the areas affected as of Monday morning, “Law Center and Law Annex, Higgins Hall, Mayberry Dining Hall, John B. Cade Library, J.S. Clark Administration, Donald Wade House, Southern University Museum of Art, J.S Clark Annex (Human Resources), Lottie Anthony, Dunn Dining Hall, Bradford Hall, Boley Hall.” Boley Hall and Dunn Dining Hall have been without power and water since complications began. Residents of Boley and Bradford Hall were provided with temporary housing, as well as meals until complications are resolved. Junior marketing major, Myah Page from Hammond, Louisiana expressed, “When the power outage happened, I didn’t think it would last very long… it was very inconvenient for me and other students. We had to be transported to a hotel and we’ve been here for the past 3 days.” While most students are able to remain on campus, they have shared concerns as well. Celeste Maine, freshman business marketing major from West Monroe, Louisiana agreed, “The power outage is aggravating because many students have lost food, have gotten sick… and have not been able to meet deadlines for classes. Though aggravated, I understand things happen… I do appreciate the improvement in terms of see OUTAGES on page 3