Legacy Spring 2016 by Reveille

Growing Up Black How much do you know about black lives?

The Heart Of Tigerland LEGACY examines the burdens of activism.

TURMOIL Enter the saga of black gold in Sportsman's Paradise.

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LEGACY Magazine

Editor In Chief Keem O. Muhammad

Managing Editor Michael Tarver

Creative Director Kristin Hudson

Digital Director Maleiya Porter-Jones

Creatives Madeline Rathle Brandon Harris Madeline Simpson Emily Brauner Bri Basco Alberto Valdes Hye Jung

Writers Bianca Smith Emily Price Hayley Franklin John Hanley Laeh Alexander Cynthea Corfah Makenzie Godso Casey Spinks Kayla Randal

Sales Manager Samuel Accardo

editorial Brian Charles

Publisher Office of Student Media

Mission Statement: LEGACY Magazine focuses on arts and entertainment, culture, fashion and food via design, in-depth features, profiles, and photography. The onus is on LEGACY to incite a dynamically engaging and challenging discourse in the LSU community and Louisiana at-large.

Dear est Reader, Your LEGACY’s creative and editorial staffs have hustled with brains and brawn to cook up delicious food for thought throughout each page. We have so much to incite and discuss with you in print and online at lsuegacymag.com. For instance: Far too many of us are complacent with “what is” and volatile to change. We hide behind the cheap complacency of “I’m not racist,” meanwhile Americans are brutally executed in broad daylight, on film, yet without consequence. We find comfort in the rhetoric of pundits who tell us university safe spaces simply “protect” students from views they “disagree” with: willfully ignoring the reason safe spaces were created in the first place. We pride ourselves in publicly shaming women for living as they please -- like men do -- instead of demanding better from a culture which promotes the often violent, sexual assault of innocent human beings. We post half-assed statements on Facebook and Twitter and go right back to allowing the same horrors to continue destroying our country and fellow citizens. We shrug to others and say, “that’s just how it is here.” Until the problem becomes our own.

Important moments magnify when members of the dominant culture get involved. But these spurs are also reactive. We are on the heels of an important moment -- as millennials, we must be proactive in thoughtfully questioning, accurately understanding and actively engaging each problem our society faces. If not for our own sake today, then for the legacy we leave tomorrow’s generation. As you turn these pages, we want you to not only think for yourself, but to continue discovering the importance of the cultures and lives of others, particularly those who do not look like you and are completely different from your own. We want you to not only embrace what’s equitable for all, but to defend it with great enthusiasm whenever it is threatened. In fact, we dare you. Not now but right now,

Keem O. Muhammad Editor-In-Chief LEGACY Magazine

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O ne roa r. On e a lma mate r. Do you know Islam? A look at LSU students' perspective of the growing religion.

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Do You Know Islam? Words: Bianca Smith and Casey Spinks

slam is a religion that touches the hearts and minds of over two billion people, making it the second largest religion in the world. Not only does it have an extensive following, its roots and history are just as rich as the land it originated from. However, over the last 14 years, this rich history has been overshadowed in western media as violent and hateful, morphing billions of lives into faces into one stereotyped image. One of the biggest pushes in the oppression of Muslims comes from presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump has focused less on foreign policy and the debt crisis, and more on how Mexicans and

Muslims have been “driving America into the ground.” This dramatic display of ignorance and gross parallels of the rise of Neo-Nazism in Europe has taken a toll on many antagonized American Muslims. With so many attacks against Islam and its followers, it should make us wonder if we know anything accurate about Islam at all. Do the overwhelmingly negative feelings many Americans have against the religion resonate with LSU students? While biology junior Brooke Lawrence doesn’t know anyone who is Muslim personally, she believes that their religion is only a fraction of what defines them.

Design: Madeline Rathle

“They are normal people too and their culture and religion is not the only thing about them,” she said. Lawrence continued to say their faith actually makes them better people. “If anything, if they are dedicated to their faith, it can make them better to be around.” Another component contributing to the skewed perception of Islam is ISIS, a terrorist group claiming responsibility for dozens of major attacks which occurred around the globe in the past year. ISIS claims its regime stems from the Quran and its teachings, but there’s more to it than that.

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LSU religious studies adjunct professor Madhuri Yadlapati teaches one of these gen-ed courses -- a survey class that covers the basic issues and histories of the world religions. “Students in most intro classes do not appear to be very familiar with the details of Islam, but this is not terribly different from their familiarity with most other religions,” Yadlapati said.

Endya Howard, health junior, agreed. “ISIS does not represent Islam, the actions of a few do not represent the actions and ideas of others, regardless of common religion shared,” Howard said. The hijab is another common misconception among westerners. Many people believe that it is a symbol of oppression against women. Theatre major Nick Portier doesn’t see the sacred garment that way. “It’s a cultural thing. For the most part, that is a religious belief they hold to themselves,” Portier said. The college setting is a place to provide proper context to these issues about Islam with the help of general education courses.

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While the average student may not know much more than the basics—that Muslims emphasize reverence for Muhammad or typically practice prayer five times per day, for example—this is not much different than their knowledge of Hinduism or Judaism. In her own experience, Yadlapati has not witnessed a terrible bias against Islam. “I have not seen many students vocalize a bias against Islam. They articulate, for example, that of course, not all Muslims are violent or supportive of terrorism,” she said. “I think students do generalize and lack nuance, but also want to correct those misunderstandings,” Yadlapati added. When asked about the violence and history of Islam, Yadlapati made sure to point out that Islamic violence is much more complicated than a superficial judgment. “Islamic history on war and violence is comparable with most other large, politically organized religious communities. Every empire has used violence and justified warfare to achieve political domination,” she said, though she did admit the problems

of violence in Islam today. “Many scholars point to the political and economic factors and not only theological.” Yadlapati suggests Islam is no more (or less) accountable for violence than Christianity, Buddhism, or any of the other major world religions. Islamic law developed an idea of religious freedom and tolerance prior to any modern European civilization. Islamic conversion was focused against Arab polytheism rather than fellow ‘people of the book’—Christians and Jews, and later Hindus. “It would be a mistake to let [ISIS] define the terms of the conversation and accept uncritically the theological-political justification given by terrorists or by Isis, for example, which picks and chooses only those theological elements that seem to support their agenda and ignores others, an interpretive move that runs counter to Islamic tradition,” Yadlapati said. The oppression of Muslims and their beliefs is not new, however, with the misrepresentation becoming more of a presence in the political arena during a crucial time in the United States, we really need to take step back and realize how damaging these stereotypes are. Before falling into the traps of ignorance from others, ask yourself:

Do you know Islam?

Louisiana TurmOil

Words: John Hanley, Hayley Franklin, and Casey Spinks Design: Bri Basco

The oil and gas industry in Louisiana permeates countless areas of the state’s socioeconomic culture. Environmental activists, politicians and even students are confronted with new decisions every day, influenced by this industry in a way unlike that of other states. As the issue of climate change gains more attention, and as governments and companies are beginning to discuss changes in energy resources, the local oil and natural gas industries will likely be faced with some drastic, albeit gradual, changes. Michael Orr, Communications Director at the Louisiana Environmental Action

Network (LEAN), said that their organization is a strong proponent of a shift into clean energy. “Most of the problems we have seen over our 30 years of work are a result of the many hazards associated with the fossil fuel industry, so any effort to develop and expand clean energy opportunities is definitely a good thing from our perspective,” he said. He said that this is a massive undertaking, because of how deeply entrenched nonrenewable resources are in our community. “Unfortunately, we rely on coal, nuclear and gas powered power plants to fuel

our communities,” he said. “In many ways, Louisiana is an oil town. And for decades we’ve bared the burdens of this environmentally and politically.” As far as the political burdens, Orr said reducing the political power of the oil and gas industries is an important factor in reaching environmental goals. “A real and significant switch to renewable sources would change the dynamic of the political discussion mainly because it would lessen the dominance of the oil and gas industry’s voice in our political system,” he said. “The decentralization of power in politics would be mirrored by the

decentralization of power in communities, literally. That is a very good thing.” Orr said Louisiana should learn from its history with oil when moving toward renewable energy. A transfer to a new kind of energy isn’t going to automatically lead to political changes on its own, so Orr said Louisiana government should be ready to redistribute power when transferring to clean energy. “We put too many of our eggs in the oil basket, and when the oil market suffers, our government suffers,” he said. “The lessening of this dependence increases stability, increases security, and it’s a smarter way to build a community and a government.” Petroleum engineer sophomore Devon Keese, like many of her peers, has accepted that being a petroleum engineer means having multiple backup plans. While Keese hopes to work in offshore drilling, specifically in its environmental aspects, she is aware that oil prices may drill a ‘Y’ in her determined path. She’s mapping her options. “If it’s not selling for over fifty dollars a barrel then we’re not going to be making any money, so a lot of us all have backup plans. My backup plan is to get my masters in either education or environmental engineering and go on to teaching or go on to the environmental side of things,” Keese explained. She is also considering returning to college for another engineering degree in a similar field after she earns her bachelor in petroleum engineering. Others, however, are not waiting to finish before switching and are encouraged to do so. “One of my professors told us ‘If you don’t love it, switch,’ and he even encouraged a couple people. I know one of my friends was considering switching and he talked to that professor and he just said ‘switch to

chemical,’” Keese revealed. With future possible lay-offs, it is understandable why professors warn against the major. According to Bloomberg Business, 30,000 petroleum engineers were laid off leading up to January of last year, and Forbes reported that by October 200,000 layoffs occurred worldwide. As Keese observed, layoffs change the way people communicate. “They talk about everything else that’s going on in their lives, like their kids or how their new house is or that they got a new cat or whatever. It’s different. They don’t really talk about work. If they just got laid off you don’t want to bring it up. It’s a sore subject,” Keese said. Yet despite layoff rises, Keese and others haven’t lost faith in oil’s price rise. “The way that a lot of us think is that we, most people I talk to are sophomores, we all think it’s going to start going back up by the time we graduate,” she said. The political implications of the oil industry in Louisiana can only be realized by taking a look at the past. In a way, Louisiana’s history of the past hundred years is one long story of taking advantage of the wealth brought by oil, both for good and ill. The discovery of oil in 1912 coincided with the democratizing of the working poor. These white working class men could vote for the first time, and politicians needed their backing.

providing textbooks and badly needed infrastructure like bridges and hospitals. By the 1970’s taxes on oil reached forty percent of the Louisiana state budget. Such revenue also had its downside, as “this was begging for corruption—cronyism,” he said. Parent mentioned the countless times politicians ‘generously’ contracted these government projects to brother-in-laws and friends, handing them plenty of extra money for the roads and bridges they built or the services they provided. Since the money spent was oil taxes instead of the people’s salary, Louisianians were “very accepting” of the shady dealings. The practice of cronyism, though certainly not restricted to Louisiana, became a mainstay. “And habits are tough to break,” Parent said. Oil now makes up less than ten percent of the state budget, so the revenue previously spent so generously is quickly running out. As divestment from the industry picks up due to combating climate change, and as the supply increases due to both new technologies like fracking and complications from the Arab OPEC countries, an end to this problem does not seem in sight. “The loss of money from oil is the big crisis [of Louisiana] in a nutshell… and it doesn’t seem temporary,” Parent concluded.

Here, oil, which had just started bringing millions of dollars into the desperately poor agricultural state, entered the picture.

When asked how the crisis might be solved, Parent returned to the past cronyism that still taints us...even our future.

As Wayne Parent, a political scientist and professor at LSU and specialist in Louisiana history and politics, explained, politicians like Huey Long taxed the oil companies highly and used the revenue to “spend money on poor people now voting,”

“It’s hard to break habits, we’re trying to break them, but it’s not just spending, it comes down to the way we tax and don’t tax.”

BEYOND THE LIGHTS Words: Bianca Smith

Design: Kristin Hudson

Photo creds: Oneofakind Baton Rouge Fashion Week/Molly Torian Photography

e all have dreams. Outlining our own success stories is a part of human nature, but even though we all have something to accomplish, the similarities end there. While every success story has a beginning and end, the journey is what makes a person’s story significant. Producer Brandon Campbell is one of these stories. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Campbell always wanted to pursue a career in entertainment. In fact, it was when he was in elementary school when he realize that he could be an entertainer while being a family man. “I saw the ‘Jacksons: The American Dream,” he said. “I was in the fifth grade and I didn’t know that much about their family or their story but I knew I wanted to share something with my family. I thought

to myself ‘I want to do something in entertainment and have that experience.’” Campbell will eventually venture off to the University of Iowa where he would start pursuing his dream of being an entertainer by producing live events and back to school parties. After receiving his degree in journalism, he started working with Iowa City Press Citizen as a features and entertainment reporter and a general assignment reporter for The Daily Iowan.

entertainment industry. “It taught me that it’s a business and it’s a blessing that you earn to be in the spot that you’re at because a lot of people want to do this.” However the industry does keep him on his toes. “It’s competitive and there’s always a cutting edge.”

Itching to feel the big city life, Campbell will leave Iowa behind and travel to the Big Apple where he will work as a writer and producer for Fox News and eventually to Los Angeles where he will utilize his talents at E! and Style Network among others.

Campbell is bold and oozing with confidence. The passion in his voice can be heard from a mile away as he discusses his past and current endeavors. It all becomes fuel to figure out what motivates him. What makes this charismatic and ambitious being charging forward? The answer is surprisingly simple.

Campbell confessed that working in broadcast taught him quite a few things about the

“Family, God and wanting to be the best person I can be in everything in life and

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professionally,” he declared. “Now that I’m a father and married, I know that there’s a larger purpose in life. I always knew that, but I know that it’s not just me. I know that if there’s something that makes me happy, it’s going to make others happy.” Campbell takes it a step further when discussing how important his fashion pursuits are to him and his happiness. “Even today, when I’m doing my fashion week and fashion show and I’m greeting people and they are smiling and happy. That’s what I wanted, to make people happy.”

in New York City and Los Angeles is any fashion enthusiast’s dream, but Campbell admits that while Los Angeles has its West Coast charm, the city that never sleeps will always be fashion’s biggest influencer. “New York is such an influence, so whatever happens in New York impacts the fashion industry. So places like Los Angeles try to follow. What makes the scenes different are the people.” Even though Baways away from ence in the Campbell

ton Rouge is a long having an influfashion world, believes in it.

Brandon Campbell is gearing up for Oneofakind Baton Rouge Fashion Week, now in its third year. The event starts on February 25 and will end on the 27th. The spectacle will include events like the “For Kids by Kids” and “BARE” shows at the Louisiana Museum of Art and the highly anticipated “Big Night” that will be held at the Capitol Park Museum.

It’s no secret that Campbell got a taste of the fashion scene from the globe’s hottest locations. Experiencing the fashion scene

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Campbell is living his dream. While he has become a successful family man, he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He sees Oneofakind spreading across the country with the help of his family. He also sees himself as a man who has grown significantly, personally and professionally. He hopes he’s still enjoying the fruits of his labor with the same burning desire that started it all.

“Know why you are doing it. Know why you want to do it. Do it because you love it and you see yourself in it. Never do anything for money or notoriety. Just do it because it makes you happy. Anything you want to do in life, do it go for it. Because that’s the only way you’ll know if there’s something for you. If you want those things you should do it. Don’t wait.”

“He was an inspiration for me. There’s this energy here. The stars aligned for me to branch out and come to Baton Rouge and foster relationships with the people in Baton Rouge like city officials and the Capitol Park Museum and their team. It was no brainer that Baton Rouge was the place to launch my fashion week.”

“The people. It’s the people. Baton Rouge has the best of both since it’s everything that makes the south unique and special where you have that southern charm and the speed of the south and the hospitality and the influence of New Orleans. The Cajun, Creole and French that is blended in with southern charm, hospitality and history.”

“Fashion means to me, something changing and ongoing. You can’t necessarily really box it in. The world is always evolving and so is fashion, it reminds me of evolution.”

But for those of us who are at the start of our journey, Campbell has some wise words.

He confessed that his love of football is what initially drew him to Baton Rouge, specifically, legendary Florida State running back, Warrick Dunn.

Football aside, Campbell expressed that Baton Rouge has a growing art and fashion scene, but he explains what makes Baton Rouge so special is the people and its culture.

tion of fashion and what it means to him.

“I do think has potential. I wouldn’t be doing lieve in it.”

Baton Rouge believe in it. I this if I didn’t be-

Every fashionista has a go-to designer. For Campbell, that someone is Ralph Lauren.

Brandon Campbell’s ambition and drive is something to marvel at. From taking on the country’s biggest cities from behind the scenes in broadcasting to organizing Baton Rouge’s most anticipated fashion event which gives back to the community in more ways than one and with no plans of stopping. But one thing to remember about him is love for family and how important they are to him and his projects. Successful family man can easily be his middle name. With Oneofakind Baton Rouge Fashion Week blazing from the tongues of the city’s elite, Campbell is more than ready to show the industry what keeps him going: making those around him happy.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Ralph Lauren. The simplicity of it and it’s synonymous with quality.” Fashion is something that we all take part in, whether you know about it or not. It’s a symbol for our personalities and mood and becomes more than artform, it becomes a way of life. Campbell has his own defini-

Through The Lens A Posthumous Feature on the Late Jo Scurria Words: Emily Price and Michael Tarver

The modern world is one of opportunity. An overwhelming amount of experiences await those who take risks, but what might we be losing with so many options? Josephine “Jo” Scurria worked as an Administrative Assistant in the LSU Political Science Department for over 43 years. She didn’t travel extensively or make an uproar in her department or do anything modern media would deem newsworthy. But Scurria did record her experiences at LSU in a memoir, documenting the collection of changes that took place in her lifetime. Woven throughout is Scurria’s dedication to loyalty, an antique in the modern world. Alumni professor Cecil Eubanks knew Scurria well, and recalled her personality as one who put great value in the things she cares about which boiled down to three

Design: Kristin Hudson

main categories. What were these three major aspects of her life? —her family, her church and her department. The memoir begins with the recollection of Scurria’s interview with the Department of Political Science.

insanity—whichever came first.” Though change wasn’t always welcome to Scurria, she wound up in the department most notorious for controversy. She recollects a striking shift in the higher-ups’ attitude during the 50s and 60s, as they were becoming bolder in terms of executive action.

“I am sure I must have been nervous since it is my nature to be nervous about anything and Take the “publish or perish” mentality that everything, but I must say that, after all this Scurria notices. If professors didn’t churn time, I do not remember.” out publications to rival their colleagues’, Scurria was hired on the spot in October 1949. After transcribing a letter read by Dr. Harris, Scurria was given the title of Steno Clerk II and took a seat in the Old Law Building. Though Scurria didn’t know at the time, she would occupy this position for the greater part of her life. Scurria reflects on the commitment lasting “until retirement or instant

their tenure could be at stake.

This was the case with Dr. Paul Grosser, who was fired from his position in 1977 after the Department questioned the validity of his publisher. Only after statewide backlash did the Board decide to reinstate him in 1978. Changes in the professional environment around her were constant and obvious, but

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some changes were subtler. Some even happened in Scurria herself.

receiving more money than his secretary, and I tion for a small class one morning and put the carbon in backwards.” refused to take a pay cut.”

In 1973 the Department hired their first female political scientist. Scurria easily contained her enthusiasm, describing the woman’s “straw-looking” hair and “disturbing” lack of stockings. But just a few years later, Scurria catches up with the times.

Despite her good humor, routines inevitably lead to fatigue, and Scurria was not immune.

“[My good friend Dr. Williamson] won’t let me forget my comment some years ago that I did not think pantsuits were proper attire for women and I am now wearing them. There I have conceded.”

It seemed Scurria privately held a good bit of contempt, but it was always in good humor. “She took what she did for us very seriously,” Eubanks explained. “It was her profession.”

“…My ‘sharp tongue’ has come as a result of learning not to let people walk over you.” As the world changed, so did Scurria’s workplace. And, as per usual, she was slow to accept it.

In January of 1986, the Department of Political Science hired its first black secretary. She and Scurria were amiable, even friends, but there was a problem. Despite Scurria’s 39 years of service to the black secretary’s 8 years, Scurria made significantly less than she did.

She writes of losing her sense of accomplishment, and how appreciation from those at LSU began to turn to resentment for her knowledge of university procedures. Then, coworkers began criticizing Scurria for cynicism, which she quickly rejected:

“Sometimes you get the feeling that no one really cares about you personally… but at least for that one night I knew better.”

The 30th anniversary of Scurria’s employment with LSU came with a “surprise” party [Scurria had to approve the chosen date]. Her coworkers and administrators offered her gifts, cocktails flowed, and dinner was marvelous.

“My resentment was not toward her, but with the system…”

Though she’d never admit it, Scurria had a rebellious spirit. Most other buildings had received air conditioning before the Old Law Building did. Imagine a smirk on Scurria’s lips as she reminisced about finally having air conditioning installed:

“Perhaps [the Department of Government] felt cool heads would prevail to prevent further eruptions. Little did they know!”

Though Scurria was usually loyal to a fault, the one other position she seriously considered occupying was in the LSU Athletic Department. Carl Maddox, the Athletic Director at that time, sang a different tune.

“Maddox did not think it advisable that a steno in the Basketball Coach’s office would be

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“Jo didn’t like to change too much,” Eubanks said while a subtle smile.

“Sometimes you get the feeling that no one really cares about you personally…but at least for that one night I knew better.” Eubanks stressed the word profession with a certain air of remembrance and severity, revealing further the character of Jo and how she saw what she did as important and not just a paycheck. She had a quiet love for people watching, and her favorite targets were professors. Scurria described one as “so boring his students would sneak out of the windows during his class. Another wouldn’t let Scurria type his exams, so imagine her delight “when he was hurriedly typing an examina

Dr. Paul Murrill, Chancellor of the University, gave her a marble paperweight, and he taught her the art of throwing the paperweight at those she didn’t get along with. But Scurria “came back down to earth with a thud” in 1981 following the death of her sister.

“Someone said that life goes on, but what was going on for me was not life, it was merely existence from one day to the next… And so the years add up and I am still here.”

Scurria had trouble adjusting to the growing insensitivity of the modern world, for she no longer knew the people on the other side of the telephone.

Scurria’s mother passed away in 1992, and her good friend Dr. Williamson’s health began to deteriorate. His visits grew fewer as it became harder for him to make it to campus.

As technology often takes away from the human experience, it can add to it in equal proportion. Scurria discovered this in the form of a computer, as she documented in all capital letters:

And then, on May 31, 1993, Scurria paid a visit to the retirement office to find her retirement salary would match her working salary, so she knew it was time.

“Would you believe that as much as I felt intimidated by them at first… it makes typing a pleasure.”

“I am cleaning out my desk and… suddenly realizing that a way of life that I have known for over 43 years is coming to an end,” Scurria

“It is a little upsetting to me when a wife calls the department and asks to speak to ‘Dr. so “It is very sad to see things happen to vibrant and so’ instead of the good old days when it and brilliant people you have known for most was ‘Jo, how are you?’” of your life and you realize that time is also racing past you,” Scurria wrote.

Scurria knew her retirement drew nearer when she started calling her bosses by their first names “since they were so disgustingly young.”

wrote.

The last section of her memoir is dedicated to the staff members and students she befriended along the way—

“And now after all these years, if I could skip across the country and visit former faculty, for whom I have great admiration, and who still consider me a friend, I could travel from the east coast to the west coast, and all in between.” LEGACY Magazine

Words: Michael Tarver and Emily Price

LEGACY Magazine

Photo: Brandon Harris

Design: Kristin Hudson

rotesting in the United States, especially in the South, is often viewed as radical, ultra-conservative or part of the ‘damn wliberal’ agenda.

However, the protest was cancelled after the LSU student networking forum TigerDroppings became a breeding ground for hatred directed towards those organizing the event.

America and its people have overcome huge obstacles to grant liberties to citizens that we now take to be common sense— the right to own land, to vote, to marry. Today’s social and political inequalities are more subtle, but some consider these issues to be just as pressing.

“Within hours of posting a Facebook event we were getting death threats” said Peter Jenkins, Baton Rouge Organizing member. “What would have happened if we actually went through with the protest as planned?”

Protesting may not be viewed in the same powerful light as during the Vietnam war or the Civil Rights Movement. In fact, organized rebellions may never seem as urgent as they did in the 60s and 70s. Still, many citizens retain a passion for identifying and suppressing discrimination in all its forms. But in doing this work, today’s protesters often face some of the same hostility and danger as those who came before them. In November of 2015, an activist group called Baton Rouge Organizing planned a protest outside Reggie’s, a watering hole located in the popular, often infamous, string of bars known as Tigerland. The protesters aimed to combat a variety of issues including sexual assault and overt racism in the area. On a broader scale, the protest was focused on the poor business practices of the Tigerland bars.

The people posting on TigerDroppings had even screenshotted pictures from the personal Facebook accounts of those organizing the event and posted the on the forum thread, said Lee Fleming, BR Organizing member. “I was afraid to go to campus,” Fleming said. Joseph Coco, another BR Organizing member, said the protest was intended to simply start a conversation about rape culture in the student, and surrounding, community. But some people “didn’t want to hear it,” Coco said. “When you disrupt the status quo, it angers those who the status quo is protecting,” Fleming said. It blew her mind to see evidence of people defending such destructive ideologies as rape culture and white supremacy, she said. Jenkins said he feels even the LSU administration and the people who are in power are more interested in preserving the University’s status and

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image then they are with bringing out practices that could make the University look bad. This opinion was born after Jenkins and a small group of people reached out to the LSU Women’s Center to organize an event centered around the education of the effects of sexual assault and the center told Jenkins “there was really nothing left to be done” in that area. “If it can be settled quietly they’re going to do it that way. If it can’t be settled quietly they’re going to try to sweep it under the rug and not settle it at all,” Jenkins said. “That is something I think is prevalent throughout the University on many levels.” There was one overlying message that Coco wanted to communicate with this planned protest that didn’t necessarily have to do with just Tigerland, but rather to those affected by sexual assault. “People are out there willing to talk to you and fight for you or help you when your University or friends and family will not,” Coco said. “I want people to see that and hear that.” Coco admitted he hadn’t heard the term ‘sexual assault’ in his life until his third year at LSU. After learning this term, he was able to equate this terminology to several instances he witnessed over the years. Fleming said she saw examples in the TigerDroppings forum of people defending themselves for what they have personally done and not just the abstract ‘fun place to hangout’ idea of Tigerland. They were defending the practices of hate or assault against others because they had done them, she said. Fleming, Jenkins and Coco all agreed that some of the blame has to be place on the owners and operators of the bars in the Tigerland area. Obviously they are not solely responsible but they definitely play their part, they said. Members of Baton Rouge Organizing focus on educating as many people as possible, and Coco said they have hosted small-group, roundtable discussion to facilitate such education. But at this point, organizing protests in certain areas can be a serious threat to the wellbeing of those participating, he said. “I would have liked to reschedule the protest,” Fleming said. “If only I knew everyone’s safety was ensured.”

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GROWING UP

Timol Liggins Jr.

BLACK Words: Cynthea Corfah

Photo & Design: Madeline Rathle

LEGACY Magazine

It's m coLor, it act A lens that p with the abil the world differently.

t a predominately white school, with only 12 percent of its students being black, how much do you know about black lives?

A Virtuous Poullard

Not just what you see in the media, not #BlackLivesMatter, and not just the few black friends you had in high school, but do you actually know what it’s like growing up black? Most non-black people don’t. Being black is like being part of a brotherhood of individuals bound together with similar experiences and lessons. Being black is not something you can change, it’s something you’re born into. It’s more than a color, it acts as a lens. A lens that provides you with the ability to see the world differently. Growing up black I thought my skin was too dark. I wanted my hair to be straight and long like the “other girls.” Throughout elementary school, I hated when my mom braided my hair. I tried to explain to her that if I went to school with braids I would get made fun of and get asked burning questions like, “Why do they look like shoelaces?”, “Is this horse hair?”, and of course, “Is this your REAL hair?” At that age, when the majority of your peers are just then being exposed to new cultures and practices, they don’t know the harm of their words and the effect they can have on young people. They don’t understand that when they’re constantly questioning you, you’re forced to question yourself as well.

McKenzie McClain

LEGACY Magazine

more than a ts as a lens. provides you lity to see

Maja Dupas With the Stacey Dash’s and Raven Symone’s of our time, I hope that little black girls don’t look at blackness as something to be ashamed of. I hope they don’t think that by not referring to themselves as “Black” or “African-American” that they are any better than the rest of their beautiful black sisters. More than anything, I hope they look towards the Zendaya’s and Amandla Stenberg’s of our time to see the beauty that lies within them, waiting for the moment when they embrace their blackness. [...] Many of us have seen or heard of the Clark Doll Experiments in which black youth were presented with a black and white doll and asked a series of questions pertaining to the dolls’ characteristics. After multiple re-makes, the results remained the same. Majority of the tested black children chose the white doll as pretty and nice and the black doll as ugly and bad.

McKenzie McClain

Jared Hullaby

Chase Warner

Ashton B. Clark

These experiments shed light on how much black youth internalize the negative stereotypes they are taught. For many black youth, it wasn’t until they reached their upper-teens and lower- twenties that they realized the stereotypes they had once internalized could be combated. Now, they are ready to reveal what growing up black meant to them. These are black students and these are their words.

LEGACY Magazine

Words: Makenzie Godso and John Hanley

Design: Madeline Simpson

echnology has undoubtedly taken over much of our lives: businesses rely on software to communicate and finish projects, ordering food is done through apps online and on phones, and even cars are starting to develop touch screens, rear view cameras, and voice-activated controls. However, technology is gradually beginning to influence another common aspect of our lives: dating. Tinder has popped up as a free, low-commitment, laid back dating and hook up app, and this new kind of dating has brought with it a lot of new territory. It took a little bit of exploring to discover what some Tinder users think about the new, digital world of dating.

Makenzie Creating a Tinder account was fairly easy, my Facebook account did all of the work for me. I selected a few appealing pictures of myself- alone, with friends, and with my boyfriend. The bio was the hardest because I had to be unique and witty in only a few words.

I swiped right to everyone, mainly so I could have a lot of matches to choose from. I was only selective when it came to what school they went to, swiping right to every guy that goes to LSU.

I sent my matches a message stating my purpose on Tinder, and the responses to that question determined if I kept talking to that match or moved on to the next. Some matches were disbelieving, or rude, but most thought the story was interesting and wanted to participate if they could remain anonymous.

LEGACY Magazine

John Setting Up The Account

Swiping For Matches

Getting A Match

Setting up my Tinder account was quick and painless -- you have to link with your Facebook account to get started, but rest assured, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not like your typical Facebook apps that send your friends notifications every time you make a move. It simply uses your info to find people near you.

I had difficulty matching at first because I had written in my bio that I was looking for interviews. Eventually I began masquerading as a regular user and matches came a lot more quickly. I had to judge people from their pictures and (sometimes non-existent) bios alone, so I did my best to find friendly and talkative people just based on that.

Even after I got my matches, a lot of people were hesitant to interview or didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even respond. However, after several fruitless attempts, I finally found two people willing to talk with me about their experiences, but even these matches requested to remain anonymous.

Q and A 1. Why did you join tinder?

Part of it was because my friend who was already on Tinder wouldn’t leave me alone about it, to be honest. But I eventually ended up joining because I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. I was interested in dating and meeting new people, and I liked the anonymity that Tinder provides--if somethings not working you can just move on.

3. How has it been similar or different to dating in real life or meeting people in general? People aren’t as shy, for sure. Since you’re basically matching with people based on perceived attractiveness, you don’t have that awkward phase wondering if the person is actually interested or not. People also don’t waste time in telling you what they want. Guys, at least, are usually very clear on whether or not they’re just looking for a hookup-which can be really off putting. But a lot of it’s pretty normal; first conversations aren’t that different from conversations you’d have with new people you’ve met anywhere else.

Do you have a “type” when choosing who to swipe right to? I don’t think I do really. Generally I swipe right when I think the person is either attractive, or if there is something interesting in their bio that makes me think that I could have a good conversation with them.

your outlook on meeting people and on building relationships, and how so?

Yeah, I’d say that it’s definitely helped redefine my idea of whats acceptable for the way a relationship, platonic or otherwise, is formed. I think it’s safe to say that most people not on Tinder or another dating app find it to be pretty sketchy or disreputable; I was of the same opinion for a long time. But once I started using it, I think I became less judgmental of other people’s relationships as a whole; I mean, who am I to judge anybody else if I’m meeting people on a hookup app?

“My first match said that, aside from your typical aggressive suitors, she’s had a good experience meeting people on Tinder and has ultimately found it to have somewhat of a positive influence on her life. She said the app has made her a little more open to meeting new people and to accepting other people’s relationships.” 6. Why did you join Tinder? Boredom and an easy boost of my ego. I also joined because I just got out of a long term relationship.

7. You said you joined it to boost your ego, did it work? Do you think it makes people more confident?

Anonymous Messages About

“Attractive appearances and engaging bios are key components for right swipes.”

4. Would you say it’s changed

It totally worked, but it also make you stop caring about what people are saying to you. The general trend is that it makes us girls more confident.

8. Do you think that’s different

from dating in real life? Is it easier to not care what people say on Tinder, and how does that affect the way you build relationships?

Send

Definitely, dating is more like having a partner in crime. You are not in this giant pool of people kind of screaming at you, you know? It sort of does affect my ability to build relationships because people casually say really terrible things to me, and you realize that could anyone, putting a general air of distrust.

Anonymous Messages About What is your main purpose for using Tinder? What would you like to get out of it? I don’t really have a specific purpose, normally I open up with a cheesy pickup line, and then just try to have a conversation afterwards and see where it goes. Sometimes it leads to something more, sometimes it’s just a brief conversation.

“Tinder’s use varies, from people looking for hookups, to others simply ceasing their boredom.”

Send

9. So do you think Tinder is hav-

ing a negative impact on dating and relationship building as a whole? Changing the dynamic and making it easier to insult or harass people without consequences? And consequently, as you said, making it harder to trust people’s true intentions?

I agree with that as a whole, I think it’s a good tool for people in the “hook up culture” that don’t really care about making a real relationship with another person. The concept of respect for humanity is lost here though. I don’t know if guys here, or that’s a statement for guys in general. Either I’m becoming too aware, or this population is just not concerned with anything at all.

“My second match, however, didn’t have such a positive outlook on the app. To her, it’s less of a tool for relationship building and more of a tool for aggressive men to search for a hook up.”

LEGACY Magazine

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stripped soul Words: Bri Basco

Photo & Design: Bri Basco

he human body in its natural condition has always been a fascinating concept, because it exposes a humanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical identity at its most vulnerable state. Each part has been molded over thousands of years with meticulous and exquisite detail. The following images explore bodies of all forms. The shackles of physical appearance fades as one becomes comfortable in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own body, freeing the soul and therefore allowing it to transcend to a truly pure transparency. The distortions of the body can be thought of as symbols of the twisted perspective the world has come to perceive as beauty. After this realization, the viewer would then be allowed to look past those bodily distortions and focus on the true inner beauty of the soul.

People tend to draw interest in body sculptures due to the quizzical nature and odd complexity that arises when viewed from different angles. The faceless images offer the opportunity to focus particularly on the body and the emotions that are consequently evoked from the viewer. Inner beauty is just as intriguing as perceived outward beauty. These images raise awareness of the rising issue within the nation pertaining to body image. It aspires to embellish human form in its prevailing state.

LEGACY Magazine

A Different Spin On Uber Words By: Laeh Alexander

Design By: Madeline Simpson

“slashed rates by half causing drivers to work twice as hard for their money.” The company also deactivated his account based on “low ratings.”

or as little as $10, a customer can take a ride in their own private car from LSU Tiger Stadium to the very heart of the city downtown Baton Rouge. Uber, the American transportation company created by tech savvy individuals, first made its debut July 2014. Roughly 40 cars roamed the streets of the Red City providing customers with a fresh take on public transportation. Uber is the one of the first to incorporate a mobile app that allows its users to pin their location and hit “pick up” with a touch of a finger. Within less than five minutes, that user can expect to be greeted with their own chauffeur. Uber promises its customers low fares, a reduced wait time, and safety. Despite the fact that Uber does not background check its drivers, users are able to see a profile of their driver and his or her ratings. The company promises “end-to-end insurance” and user confidentiality by anonymizing phone numbers. If Uber ensures putting customer satisfaction first, what about

the individuals behind the wheel? What benefits are they subjected to? Uber drivers in Baton Rouge protested lower rates Friday, Feb. 5 in the Wal-Mart Supercenter on College Drive. Drivers went offline from Uber from 5 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6. Former Uber driver Bryce Benzine said that while the company offers low rates to customers, it doesn’t encourage employee satisfaction. “Uber has definitely contributed to the economy as a whole”, Benzine said. “It provides drivers with income while allowing customers to take an alternative to bars, restaurants, and other establishments in cities across the world. That being said, riders definitely prefer uber to public transportation due to the cleanliness and safety of a driver’s vehicle, the cheapness of the rides (without surge pricing of course), and the easiness to request a ride. Uber makes people’s lives better by providing them with a quick and easy way to move around town.” Benzine started driving for Uber mid-July 2015 until mid-December 2015. He reflected on the good and bad experiences with riders. One of the primitive reasons Benzine left the company is because Uber

“I had a 4.57 instead of a 4.6 out of 5 rating,” Benzine said. “As a company who prides itself on drivers, they have a lack of respect for the drivers and very bad communication. I was never told of the deactivation standards, and I could not get around it. The company is a joke to work for, and I would not recommend working for them.” Benzine said the treatment of Uber employees caused him to make the decision to leave the company permanently. However, he wouldn’t mind taking a ride and remaining a customer. “I will never work for Uber based on their poor reputation for helping drivers,” Benzine continued. “However, I want to support people attempting to make a living by driving me around without having to work for a taxi company. Also, I want to be able to get home safely and securely without relying on others or sketchy cab drivers. I care about the drivers wholeheartedly despite my disdain for the company and their treatment. Everyone has to make a living, and the fact these people are working hard is all I need to use Uber.”

LEGACY Magazine

Th e Stree t s Words: John Hanley, Hayley Franklin, and Casey Spinks Photo & Design: Madeline Rathle

LEGACY Magazine

alking or riding through downtown Baton Rouge is almost a guarantee of sighting some kind of wall art, whether it be murals, street art, or graffiti. The large murals may have big events or parties surrounding their creation, but a lot of the street art and graffiti may seem to pop up overnight. However, this doesn’t just happen on its own -- there are artists in Baton Rouge that are willing to take risks to share their passion with the world. Marc Verret, also known as Marc Fresh Art, started in graffiti, but managed to work his way into making art as a living, whether through public art and murals or otherwise. He said his transfer into legal art has changed his perspective on graffiti. “There was definitely an adrenaline rush aspect to it, but I never wanted to just do it to be a badass,” Verret said. “Graffiti purists who stay true to the original form of the art feel that the legalness takes away from its integrity and disrespects the history of past artists. I understand that view, but since I've gone in the street art and muralist direction, I need to keep it clean.”

However, Verret said he still takes influence from graffiti for his current art. “The medium still intrigues me and has stayed with me in one way or another for all these years,” he said. Unlike Verret, ENOK, a self-taught graffiti artist from Lafayette, La., probably falls into the category of “graffiti purist.” He has been graffitiing for almost 10 years, and said he doesn’t look at graffiti as a hobby or even as a job opportunity. “There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it, graffiti is a lifestyle,” he said. The illegal side of graffiti is a lot of what makes it the art form that it is, he said. The unlawfulness is part of the foundation for what makes graffiti a lifestyle instead of a hobby. “[It’s] a lot of criminal activity. You’re stealing, going out racking paint, racking markers, making fake coupons to go to the Home Depot, just so you can return it and get more money back so you can buy other paint on the Internet. A lot of sneaking around, cutting fences, hiding from cameras, running from cops kind of shit,” ENOK said.

LEGACY Magazine

In the fifth grade, New Orleans graffiti artist OKEY (graffiti tag) made a mental connection that changed his artistic expression for the rest of his life. On the daily ride to school OKEY studied graffiti outside the car window, never associating it with actual people until he met an artist’s sibling at school. “It kind of felt like ‘People really do this for real. It’s not just a thing on the wall. These are actual people doing this,’” OKEY said. Years later, OKEY is one of those “actual people” and no longer glances at other artists’ pieces, but creates his own. “I’ll probably do a thousand times more [on

LEGACY Magazine

paper] than I’ll actually paint on walls just because I like coming up with newer styles and working on things, tweaking out ideas,” OKEY said, “It’s like blueprinting.” Respecting the time it takes other artists to create new styles, OKEY avoids painting over other artists’ work unless he is filling open space left in their lettering. Painting over others’ pieces sometimes leads to violence, especially in the crime and drug areas where graffiti often resides due to its illegality. “I definitely know some people who get

their faces kicked in. It’s serious and you have to think about the people that you’re dealing with too.” OKEY said. Although it is mostly a matter of knowing how to interact with other artists, going to least visited places decreases violence risks and police busts. “My favorite place is a freight yard. They get to see more of the country than I ever will and they’re generally chill enough to do some cool things on,” OKEY said, “I feel like when I’m forty, and maybe burnt out by that time, if one of my old freights passes while my wife’s naggin’ or something, I think that’d just make my life.”

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