SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • FEBRUARY 12, 2020 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 17
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Golden Eagles search for next conference title
Makayla Puckett | Printz
MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR
our hundred ninety-one strikeouts, 396 runs batted in, 67 homeruns, 40 wins, one conference title; looking at the numbers, the Southern Miss baseball team had a successful season in 2019. After ending their season in Baton Rouge at their fourth consecutive regional tournament, the Golden Eagles are back and ready for a fifth. “We’ve been working very hard since the end of August on this journey to where we are today,” head coach Scott Berry said. “I know we’re coming off of our fourth straight Regional last year and another 40-win season and another conference title. We know the expectations that are in place, but I feel like that’s the tradition that’s been built.”
Returning nine pitchers, Berry is confident in the depth his staff provides. In addition to familiar names, such as Gabe Shephard and Walker Powell, freshmen pitchers Isaiah Rhodes, Ben Ethridge, Matthew Adams, Chandler Best and Blake Wehunt could see playing time. “I feel like it’s probably the most depth that we’ve had in a staff,” Berry said. “It’s not a vanilla staff, and no one looks the same. We have some different options, and I have been very pleased with the progress of our staff.” As far as the starting spots on the mound, there is still competition for those roles. Other spots up for grabs include first base, right field, center field and catcher replacing Hunter Slater, Matt Wallner, Fred Franklin, Cole Donaldson and Bryant Bowen. The new catching duo include Arkansas transfer Andrew Stanley and Gordon State College transfer Brain Davis. Candidates at first base include Will McGillis and Austen Izzio. While both are capable, it
depends on who is on the mound. “[McGillis] was a solid defender last year, I think he only had three errors going into the Ole Miss game last year deep in the year,” Berry said. “He is my most improved player in the fall. Offensively, he and Coach Creel really blended well together in redefining his offensive skills. I saw a young man who developed his swing and who’s plane stayed a lot flatter.” Fisher Norris is in the running for right field as well as Brant Blaylock. Hunter LeBlanc saw some playing time last season in center field; however, that is also a position where Gabe Montenegro is comfortable. “I would love to play center,” Montenegro said. “It’s more comfortable to play center because every ball that is sent is coming straight. My whole life I have played center field, so it wasn’t until I came here that I played left.” If Montenegro is moved to center, that allows Charlie Fisher to join the starting lineup at left field. That would give the Golden Eagles the
power at the plate they are still searching for. “In the outfield, you have several guys trying to battle for spots,” assistant coach Travis Creel said. “Charlie Fisher, he had 11 at bats last year, has real power. He’s a left handed hitter, a big powerful guy that can hit the ball a long way.” Creel is still searching for this season’s key hitters. Montenegro led the Golden Eagles in 2019 with a .324 batting average followed by Bowen, Wallner and Slater putting senior Matthew Guidry in fourth with a .297 average. “[Hitting] has always been collective, the unit working as one,” Guidry said. “Some guys might heat up at the right time and when those big-name guys aren’t doing so well. It falls on them to keep it afloat until those guys get out of slump. Baseball is a very, very big game of failure. We got to be in this thing bought on together.” The Golden Eagles will open their season at 4 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Pete Taylor Park against Murray State.
SPORTS FEBRUARY 12, 2020 MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor
Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu
Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu
Feature/Lifestyle Editor Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu
Dozier becomes first Golden Eagle, World Series Champion MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR
Sports Editor
Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu
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Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu Kathleen Hetherington kathleen.hetherington@usm.edu Alexandria Moore alexandria.casey@usm.edu Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu
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n the fall of 2006, Brain Dozier packed his bags to leave his home in Fulton to further his academic and athletic career at the University of Southern Mississippi. Thirteen years later, Dozier became a World Series champion with the Washington Nationals. “He is very open with everybody and is grounded on where he came from,” Southern Miss head coach Scott Berry said. “Obviously [I have seen growth] with the maturity of the game. He handles himself in a much more professional manner with that. His ability to be that good teammate continues to be there, and the presence in the clubhouse in those organizations that he’s been with doesn’t go unnoticed.” Dozier made his major league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2012 where he stayed until 2018. “When he was with the Twins he literally was the face of the program,” Berry said. “Not only with how he played on the field but his interaction with the community and the fan base. The former Golden Eagle has earned accolades such as a Gold Glove Award in 2017 and a spot on the American League All-Star team in 2015. From there he spent a season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before moving on
to the Washington Nationals in 2019. Over his seven season career, Dozier has a .245 batting average with 192 home runs and 561 runs batted in. Starting the 2019 season with a 19-31 record, the Nationals were picked to have less than a 1% chance of making it to the World Series. By the conclusion of the regular season, their 93-69 record earned the team a spot in the National League Wild Card game in which they defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3. After sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL pennant, the Nationals secured their spot in the 2019 World Series. A series tie forced a game seven leading to the Nationals traveling to Minute Maid Park in Houston in hopes of one final win. “We are the oldest team in baseball by about two years and that’s huge,” Dozier said. “In today’s age everyone wants to go a little bit younger but I think if we weren’t a team full of veterans we would not have been able to turn the corner.” At the top of the ninth inning, Adam Eaton loaded the bases with a single allowing the Nationals to score two runs. In the bottom of nine, Michael Brantley struck out at the plate for the final out of the World Series. With a final score of 6-2, the Nationals clinched their first series title and Dozier became the first Golden Eagle to become a champion. “It was pretty cool [to be the first],” Dozier said. “I played with many guys
who never even had the chance to make it to the playoffs much less a world series, so I don’t take it for granted by any means. I still have a few years left in me I think and hopefully another one, but I’m enjoying this one right now.” Dozier was also a member of the 2009 Southern Miss Baseball team who made it to the College World Series in Omaha. Despite an injury earlier that season Dozier spent his senior year supporting his teammates, which he said taught him how to persevere and help others. “He was the ultimate teammate,” director of baseball operations Collin Cargill said. “When he went down with that injury we all kind of panicked. Us worrying about his leadership we shouldn’t have. He still was that same leader each and every day.” During his time at Southern Miss, Dozier was named to the All-Conference USA second team, All-Oxford regional team, All-Tuscaloosa regional team, Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team and the Conference USA All-Freshman team. “When I first signed here, I didn’t go home to my hometown until Thanksgiving and my mom always jokes around that she lost her baby because I wanted to stay here,” Dozier said. “I’ve been here [Hattiesburg] ever since college. Everything about Southern Miss, it’s a family, and I love it.”
Former Golden Eagles play in Minor League Photos by Makayla Puckett
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
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JC Keys
Matt Wallner
Cole Donaldson
Finishing his collegiate career with the Golden Eagles, JC Keys inked with the Cincinnati Reds organization in the 23rd round of the 2019 draft. Keys was assigned to the rookie level Greenville Reds. While in Greenville, Keys had a 3.77 ERA and allowed 12 hits, seven runs and six errors.
Matt Wallner was drafted as in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft as the 39th pick to the Minnesota Twins. Wallner spent his first season with the Twins organization playing for the Elizabethton Twins. After just two months, Wallner was moved up to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, where he finished out the 2019 season. Wallner had a .205 batting average with just two home runs and six RBIs.
Former catcher Cole Donaldson signed a free agent minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins. Donaldson was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Twins but was placed on an injury list in August. A month later, Donaldson was reactivated and moved to the Elizabethton Twins.
SPORTS
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Lady Eagles host Black and Gold invitational bottom of the seventh, Saint Louis had all bases loaded. They then scored two runs off of a fielding error, tying the game at 4-4. Kayla Swiderski then hit a walk-off RBI single to end the game at 5-4, handing Southern Miss its first loss of the season.
CHARLIE LUTTRELL PRINTZ REPORTER
Game 1 The Southern Miss softball team started its 2020 season Friday night with an 8-0 win in six innings against Mississippi Valley State. Southern Miss leapt ahead in the first inning with two hits and two runs. In her first collegiate game, Freshman catcher Hannah Borden hit a double far right, sending Karley Nichols home for the team’s first run of the year. Borden then ran home on a ball hit center field from Amber Pack. “Honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect, but after the first, I felt pretty good and it kinda just went from there,” Borden said. In her debut, Borden had three hits and one RBI. Her highlight play came in the fourth, when she sent a ball flying far over the deck for the team’s first home run of the year. For the game, Sophomore pitcher Kaylan Ladner allowed only three hits. In the third, she prevented any scores from Mississippi Valley State’s two runners on base. At the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Madison Rayner slammed a triple far down the right of the field and ran home on a throwing error. In the sixth, Rayner hit her second triple of the game and shortly after, Nichols hit a double. Rayner walked home and ended the game at 8-0 on the mercy rule to cap an impressive team performance. “We knew what we were capable of, but now we’ve seen it, so I think that will definitely spark something for the rest of the weekend” Borden said. Game 2 On Saturday afternoon, Southern Miss won its first matchup of the weekend against the Saint Louis Billikens 9-1. Again, Southern Miss started early, scoring three runs in the first. Borden hit a double to send Destini Brown home for the first run of the game. Amber Pack then slammed a ball over the left deck for her first home run of the year to move the score up to 3-0.
Bethany Morris | Printz
“I was down in the count, so I was trying to battle back. I got a pitch I could hit, so I just drilled it over the fence,” Pack said. In the second, Southern Miss scored five runs on four hits. Nichols and Brown both walked to first, which each scored Kaley Fruge and Rayner. Next, Nichols ran home off of a wild pitch. After two RBI singles from Borden and Alyssa Davis, the Golden Eagles ended the inning up 8-0 with three runners still left on base. “As a softball player, you always dream about playing your first college game, so it was really surreal. It was so much fun,” freshman Savanna Wood said. In the Billikens’ previous game, the team scored nine runs. Wood only allowed them one run and logged eight strikeouts through the game. In the fifth, Rayner notched her third triple of the weekend. This led to Lacey Sumerlin’s RBI double, which scored Brown to end the game. Game 3 For the third game of the weekend, Southern Miss lost their second game against the Saint Louis Billikens 5-4.
Destini Brown slides into base.
Unlike their previous games this weekend, Southern Miss was held scoreless through the first two innings. In the first, the Golden Eagles had the bases loaded, but the Billikens prevented any runs on a double play. In the second, Billikens’ pitcher Chloe Wendling retired Southern Miss in order. In the third, Rayner hit her fourth triple of the weekend but was unable to make it past home. Later, Pack walked to first with bases loaded, sending Nichols home for the first run of the game. The Billikens prevented any more runs and ended the third with three runners still left on base. At bat, the Billikens also had their bases loaded and scored a run off of an RBI walk to even the score at 1-1. Ladner and the Golden Eagles’ defense prevented any more scores. In the top of the fiftth, Davis hit an RBI triple, scoring Pack. Davis would later advance home on a passed ball. For the first hit of her collegiate softball career, Vasquez hit an RBI double to raise the score to 4-1. Southern Miss was unable to score for the remainder of the game. In the sixth, Saint Louis’ Kelsey Etling sent a ball flying over the deck for a home run. Down by two in the
Game 4 For the fourth and final game of the weekend, Southern Miss defeated Mississippi Valley State 13-1. The Golden Eagles finished their home tournament with a record of 3-1. “I’m extremely happy with what happened and with the team in general. We got a really tight knit group of ladies, so it makes it really fun to coach,” head coach Brian Levin said. Through the tournament, the team scored 34 runs. Only one game lasted a full seven innings; the others ended on the mercy rule. “We’ve been hitting really good. I think we’re not up to our potential yet and that we can hit a lot better than we did this weekend,” Rayner said. Sumerlin scored on an error for the first run of the game. In the second, Breana Blankenship scored on a passed ball to increase the score to 2-0. In the four games this tournament, Southern Miss outscored their opponents 18-0 through the first two innings. In the third, Amber Pack hit an RBI double, which scored Sumerlin for her second run of the day. Caroline Casey then scored on a wild pitch. The bottom of the third saw Mississippi Valley State’s only run of the day, which was a home run hit by Deshonte Smith. After two runs from Rayner and Vasquez in the fourth, the Golden Eagles had a busy fifth inning. The team finished the frame with seven runs and five hits, highlighted by Jamie Powell’s RBI double that scored three runs. This was Powell’s first time at bat this season. Senior Bailie Springfield entered the circle for the first time of the season and pitched through four innings. She logged two strikeouts and allowed one run. Freshman Breley Boykin pitched for the first time of her collegiate career in the fifth inning. She ended the game with her first career strikeout in the bottom of the fifth. The Lady Eagles will host Southern University Feb. 12.
Pete Taylor Park debuts new field MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR
ince its construction in 1984, 1,143 games have been played at Pete Taylor Park. Over the past 36 years, the facility has undergone multiple improvements, including a new outfield wall in 2016 and a performance center in 2015. In March of 2019, the Golden Eagle baseball team was in Ruston, Louisiana, for the first conference series of the season when Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett, Ph.D., called head coach Scott Berry about the addition of an artificial playing surface. Without hesitation, Berry’s answer was yes. “It was imperative for us to make that move toward synthetic grass,” Berry said. “I researched it quite a bit, and everybody that I visited with that has synthetic grass 100% said it was a no brainer and that it would change your life.” The primary goal of installing an artificial field was to reduce the need to cancel or postpone games or practices. “What continued to happen is we were losing so much time with rain or weather delays, and all of that has an impact on the amount of time student athletes are at practice or at a game and out of the classroom and away from their studies,” Bennett said. “It also has an impact on our fans who are coming to the ballgame.” It is recommended that infield playing field surfaces be renovated every five years and outfield surfaces every 10-15 years. The last time the park received a new infield and outfield was in 2013 and 1993, respectively. “The sod was really starting to show the effects of the weather that we have in South Mississippi,” Bennett said. “When I took all of that into consideration I said
Illustration by Derrick “DJ” Reed | Printz
to [Berry] that we have to make a change. I sort of initiated the ‘what are we going to do’ but the ultimate decision was what he thought was best for our program.” Berry knew a turf field would be beneficial for the team and be an aid in the development of the program. Players and staff are now able to use the facility on their own time as well as reduce the amount of time needed to set up or take down for practice. “Being able to have that comfort that you’ll be out in the field the next day Is very exciting,” senior shortstop Matthew Guidry said. “I love getting out here without having to worry about making sure the field is set up and making sure
that we get all of our jobs done. We can just kind of get out of here, put the screen and go.” The total cost of the field was $1.3 million. Funds came from both the university and private donors. “With the ripping out of the existing field, then the base of it, which was pretty unstable dirt and clay so we had to dig in some areas, hauling everything away, putting a new base of drainage and rock down, then the actual purchase of the turf and the installation put us around 1.2 or 1.3 million,” senior associate AD for development Brian Morrison said. After researching various companies Berry came to the conclusion that Field
Turf would be the best company to install the surface. Sports Contractors Unlimited, LLC, out of Hattiesburg, Miss., was responsible for the initial groundwork before the turf was installed. “We brought in several different companies. Field Turf is the one that seemed to know what they were doing with baseball fields and we got a lot of good recommendations on them,” Morrison said. “They had some technology called ‘cool play’ that the infield they use keeps the field cooler than some traditional things.” The project started on Oct. 28 and was completed on Jan. 22 in time for the 2020 season.
NEWS FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Hattiesburg celebrates soul food, black history MORGAN USRY
PRINTZ REPORTER he City of Hattiesburg held its annual Celebration of Soul Food on Feb. 4 at the Hattiesburg Train Depot as part of Black History Month. The community potluck event was free to the public and attendees were encouraged to bring traditional soul food dishes, such as collard greens, fried catfish and fruit cobblers. Mayor Toby Barker spoke of the importance of the event and the meaning behind it. “One of the big reasons we do these sort of celebrations during Black History Month is so that the next generation can learn those stories and who came before them and whose shoulders they stand on. This is always a fun night of culinary traditions and community,” Barker said. Councilwoman Deborah Delgado said the Celebration of Soul Food began several years ago after the city held it as part of its events for Black History Month and received several requests to have it again. “Every year I would find a different theme and that particular year we thought about celebrating the food and the culture of the African American community in the South,” Delgado said. “And that’s generally thought to be soul food, food that African American families have been cooking since slavery.” Delgado said that food and rituals surrounding food are an important part of culture and history. “In life and in communities, there so are so many things centered around food. And in the African American community, there is a certain kind of food that we seem to enjoy. And those foods are things that we’ve grown accustomed to,” Delgado said.
Members of the city council help guests fix plates.
Brian Winters | Printz
Attendee Larran Pickett said she has always wanted to participate in the potluck and was finally able to this year. She brought several different dishes, including curry coconut red beans and rice. “It’s also my mom’s birthday, so we’ve just been hanging out and meeting new people. I really love the music here and just getting to meet people I’ve seen around town but never had the chance to speak to.”
Pickett said she thinks events like this are important to keep history alive for current and future generations. “Some people don’t know how to cook, and our parents and grandparents used to cook a lot more than we do now. That was a way to kind of pass along history through food, so I think doing that is a good way to keep traditions alive,” Pickett said. Food at the event was served with the
help of several volunteers, including the Mayor’s Youth Council. Sky Brewtoen, a member of the Youth Council, enjoyed volunteering at the event. “It was great seeing so many people come together to enjoy food, and the king cake I had was good too,” Brewtoen said. For more information about Black History Month events in Hattiesburg, visit www.hattiesburgms.com/events.
ASC, comedian partner against HIV EARL STOUDEMIRE PRINTZ REPORTER
taff at the AIDS Services Coalition of Hattiesburg said there is no excuse to not get tested. On Feb. 5, the ASC worked in the R.C. Cook Union to administer free tests. Those who took the test received a ticket to attend Rita Brent’s comedy show at Southern Miss on Feb. 7, which is National Black HIV Awareness Day. Outreach manager for ASC, Natasha Thomas orchestrated the entire event in collaboration with the Moff itt Health Center, Off ice of Multicultural Programs and Services and other groups. Thomas said the ASC’s main job is to stop stigmatization and to provide HIV awareness to decrease HIV rates in Mississippi. “African-Americans make up 13% of the U.S. population. In 2018 we accounted for 42% of the new cases which was 37,000,” Thomas said. When asked why AfricanAmerican males make up a high number of HIV and AIDS cases, Thomas discussed how polarizing expressing sexuality can still be. “The main thing is the stigma. There is a lot of people who are uncomfortable with their gender identity. Some people can’t say they’re gay or bisexual so they’re living a double life. That’s why those numbers are increasing the way they are. I think that if the people had a
Charlie Luttrell | Printz
more open mind and gay males felt comfortable, I believe that the HIV rates would decrease,” Thomas said. Kourtney Harris, a senior psychology major, says sex education is not the best in Louisiana either. Harris lived in Lafayette before coming to school at Southern Miss. “Sex education was taught to me in seventh grade. It didn’t really seem to have an effect on us as a class as people were still not
really being safe. Sex in the black community is different for males and females. Women are taught to save themselves, but men are taught to be men and be masculine when it comes to sex,” Harris said. Thomas said the discussion of sex education in public schools doesn’t help the statistics. With the stateapproved plan for an abstinenceplus curriculum, younger audiences are at risk of contracting the disease.
“They’re not taught at all. That’s the problem. That’s why Mississippi is No.1 in teen pregnancy and gonorrhea and No.3 in chlamydia and syphilis. I think if we were able to get into the school system, that would play a major role in teen pregnancy, STDs and HIV rates,” she said. Common symptoms people can experience can be f lu-like such as fevers, sore throats and fatigue, but for others there can be no symptoms until it develops into AIDS, which is why Thomas advises everyone to be tested at least once a year. Brent said it is her duty to perform a show for the cause and raise awareness. “Just telling jokes is not enough for me. I want to be impactful and contribute to the betterment of society,” she said. “I’m black. I’m not removed from the situation since I’m not affected.” Additional services ASC provides are housing for men and women who live with HIV and AIDS, with additional for women leaving domestic relationships, a food pantry and a program called “Safety Delivered” which will send condoms to your home via mail anonymously in the state of Mississippi. Testing is always free at ASC, which is located on 103 Broad St. The organization can be contacted at 601-329-2425 for additional information, volunteering and seminar requests.
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FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Joshua Generation invites the unchurched, unashamed JOHN HOLLINS
PRINTZ REPORTER ooking at the exterior of Joshua Generation, you might walk away with the impression it is just another average strip-mall church. Founded and pastored by Brandiilyne Magnum-Dear, known as “BB” to her friends, Joshua Generation is a nondenominational church that hosts one of the largest LGBT communities in Hattiesburg. It was founded after Magnum-Dear was removed from her ministry position at her former church after publicly coming out. “Our story ended up on ‘L-Word Mississippi’ on Showtime. When the documentary aired we had started this LGBT support called The Dandelion, and after the documentary aired, everybody wanted a church. So, we started a church,” Magnum-Dear said. The press from the 2014 documentary brought a huge influx of members. Not too long after opening its doors, the church became one of the plaintiff cases in Mississippi Center’s for Justice lawsuit against HB 1523, the controversial anti-LGBT law which gave employers the power to discriminate against employees on the grounds of religious rights. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ultimately refused to hear the case. Despite this, Joshua Generation has overall faced little issues at its location in Oak Grove, with the exception of a few angry phone calls and threats letting them know they will burn in hell. Magnum-Dear said she refuses to adhere to the norms of the traditional church. “We’re probably more interfaith. We have so many people from so many walks of life, and we just want everyone to feel welcomed. We started calling our church the ‘unchurch’ because we’re
unconditional, unbiased and unashamed.” Some of the daily challenges she faces as a pastor is helping people unravel all the inner turmoil they face. For many people in the LGBT community, they faced an upbringing of feeling they need to hide their true selves, learning to put up a façade just to make it through daily life and numerous life dampening challenges that lead to dealing with issues they feel unequipped to handle. Magnum-Dear said she’s in the process of writing a book titled “Recovering Christian: Twelve Steps to Healing from Spiritual Abuse” because of condemning, religious dogma. Her journey with faith continues to expand. When she is not at the church, she is giving tarot card readings at her store the Red Jasper, which greets customers with the sound of calm, enchanting music and an abundance of pleasing aromas. It is a shop filled with eastern philosophy and religious iconography, healing stones and an assortment of herbs and objects which could be used for different rituals and spells. “The church was about two and a half years old when I started opening up to some of this. I realized that God was much bigger than a book and dogma. We grossly minimize God by trying to squeeze God into one box, and I think it’s very arrogant to believe we’re the only ones right about God. I’m very open to the greatness of God and how big God is.” She occasionally implements these teachings into her sermons at the church, tying in the occasional line of Buddha and Dao teachings. She even includes some more secular aspects to worship like playing “Love is My Illusion” by Ziggy Marley during the service. The church continues to encourage the community in the congregation by hosting events like a potluck every first Sunday of the month. Joshua Generation also helps with organizing other LGBTfriendly events around Hattiesburg like the drag shows. These events are organized by the members
John Hollins | Printz
of the church’s board, which is headed by MagnumDear’s wife Susan. “It’s just like another family. It’s the family you want to have,” Madison Watts, a recent new member of the board, said. She is also a member of the worship team, along with her partner and Southern Miss graduate Whitney McHugh. Whitney came into the church after feeling displaced with their former churches and their general resistance among churches to promote proLGBT messages. They were encouraged by Susan to
join the worship team. “Susan was always really accepting and welcoming and like ‘come on, come try it!’ So I just kept coming back. I love the people, and I love BB’s messages. She brings a whole new outlook, and whole new perspective to the scriptures,” McHugh said. Magnum-Dear and her team are hoping to reach as many people as possible with a message that they too can be included. “God loves you, and that doctrine is not true. Just give me a call, and we’ll have a long talk,” she said.
Senior combats dark times with poetry KAYLYN JONES
PRINTZ REPORTER araja Gibbs is a senior elementary education major with an emphasis in English. She is a rising poet with a desire to be a new voice raising awareness of societal issues and mental illness. Her path to becoming a poet began in high school, when she, like many teenagers, sought refuge in a journal. However, it took encouragement from an English professor during her freshman year of college to convince her to try pursuing writing. Her passion for writing grew when she joined the organization C.H.A.O.S. C.H.A.O.S. is an artistic hip-hop collective consisting of poets, singers, rappers, dancers and other expressive art. Members come together to support one another and build their creative skills. Gibbs said the organization helped her grow as a writer. In her writing, Gibbs expresses anger and difficulty in society for African Americans in her work. “I like to describe my writing as having a sense of awareness,” Gibbs said. “I like to write pieces about current events that
have angered me. For example, I have a piece about Eric Garner and giving him a voice of what it must have felt like in his final moments. I have one about gun violence that tells the story of at least four different individuals that lost their lives.” She also expresses her experiences in dealing with depression and offers a positive to her audience as they read work. Her poem “Referral for Preservation” is an example of her writing that deals with depression. She wrote the piece after she suffered from PTSD and depression after surviving a car accident. “I wanted to tell people that yes, I am a performer. And yes, I may be considered a strong woman to you; however, I do go through my own trials and tribulations,” Gibbs said. “When you go back and forth between depression and hope, and they are conf licting with each other, hope always wins in the end.” Senior criminal justice major, Damika Balam, said she supports Gibbs and her writing. They have been friends since their freshman year of college and said they treat each other like sisters. “Sometimes her writing can be very deep, but it’s not a bad thing. It gets you thinking. What she says on the surface so much is deeper once you start
Marissa Haas & Lillie Busch | Printz
thinking about it,” Balam said. Gibbs described her writing process as weird. She does things like play classical music and dance in her room for three hours until she gets one line of a poem. Gibbs said she does not read poetry and acknowledged that that is rare for a poet. She said ambiguous poetry doesn’t interest her as she would rather not speculate about the meaning of poems. Her muse is emotion.
“Anger is surface level emotion, but an emotion that is felt the most. I like to say myself that I am an angry poet to be a happier person.” Gibbs said writing is not only her hobby but also her life. In the future, Gibbs sees herself in a bigger city and pursuing a writing career. With hopes of having her poetry published, she said she wants her work to inspire others to overcome any obstacles and find community.
LIFESTYLE FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Students talk breakups and moving on MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER
or many, Valentine’s Day can inspire memories of joy with their loved ones. For others, the holiday only reminds them of the heartbreak they’ve experienced in past relationships. Many have found that Valentine’s Day is only a reminder of relationships left behind and the memories they would rather forget. Through cheating, toxic communication or simply drifting apart, breakups are common when it comes to dating in college. Some relationships have been known to just drift apart. Mallorie Pittman, a sophomore communications major, said that after two years of dating, her ex broke things off. Pittman saw him with another girl just two weeks later. “It altered how easily I trust people,” Pittman said. “It taught me that I never know someone’s true intentions and that I have to start looking out for myself more.” After the relationship, Pittman adopted a new attitude towards love and a new realization about herself. While she did go through a painful experience, Pittman said she believes everything happens for a reason. “I wouldn’t change anything about my experience,” Pittman said. “ I’m in love with the girl I am now, and I have that breakup to thank for it.” Dylan Jeck, a freshman nursing major, reflected on his past relationship. He said he realized that accepting himself would allow him to have new experiences with
other people. Jeck said his ex-girlfriend was manipulative and tried to change who he was as a person. In order to move on from the relationship, Jeck decided to step out of the dating world and spend some time focusing on himself. “I stayed away from relationships for a few months and spent some time with close friends,” Jeck said. “That’s when I realized that I shouldn’t be degraded for who I am.” While others have gone through similar situations, Mallorie Seal, a junior environmental biology major, dealt with a drastic breakup in 2019. “My ex was very jealous and controlling. He would degrade me and call me names,” Seal said. “In a heated argument, he put his hands on me, and from that point, I stayed walking on eggshells.” Seal eventually left the toxic relationship with the help of her friends. She credits their original concerns to be the voice of her breakup. With future relationships, Seal hopes to find a partner that supports her and loves her through her insecurities; however, she is cautious when it comes to entering new relationships. Her breakup inspired new insight that allowed her to heal personally, rather than searching for someone to accomplish that for her. “This experience taught me to be strong in who I am before getting into a relationship and to trust my gut,” Seal said. “I still love love and am working on becoming a more optimistic person when it comes to relationships.” Many breakups are not only between two parties. Tyler Shoemake, a sophomore business major, discovered that after breaking
Brian Winters | Printz
it off with his ex, she had moved on to his best friend. “It made me realize that my friendships with other guys were more important than my relationships with girls,” Shoemake said. Shoemake found that his relationship had been toxic, and that pursuing a friendship with an ex is not always the best thing to do. While his ex-girlfriend did move on to his best friend, Shoemake respected her decision and
strived to keep his composure around both of them in social situations. While broken hearts still beat on a holiday so focused on love, many of those experiencing breakups are open-minded about finding the right person to connect with. “Love with the right person is something that can come very easily,” Jeck said. “It’s caring about someone endlessly through everything.”
Thrifted Gold: Thrifting with love BETHANY MORRIS
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR he pressures of gift-giving and making Valentine’s Day so special for our loved ones can be overwhelming. Since gift-giving is my love language and one of my favorite activities, I want to guide you through simple but meaningful ways to thrift with love. There is no need to spend big bucks to show your love; you can easily DIY crafts or thrift the perfect gift that fits that special someone. A little tip I’ll share is to begin thinking of unique things that make up that person. For example, what is their favorite music style or favorite color? Do you know their favorite candy? You should really dig into why they’re so special to you. For example, is your loved one a huge Mamas and Papas fan who happens to love Hershey chocolate with almonds and their favorite color is blue? First, browse your local record store or antique shop, and I’m sure you’ll find some Mamas and Papas vinyl. Pick up a Hersey with almonds and some blue ribbon from Walgreens on your way to class. Tie the almond chocolate bar to the vinyl record, and you have the perfect gift! Sounds sweet right? Maybe I’m old-fashioned but adding a handwritten card to any Valentine’s gift would really seal the deal. Maybe your loved one is an avid traveler, loves flowers and their favorite drink is Coca-Cola. Embark to your favorite antique store and search for old maps. Bonus points if you find a map of a place they’ve been or is on their bucket list! Afterward, visit a florist or local nurse for some simple flowers. Pick up a glass bottle of Coke to top off the gift, because we all know that glass Coke tastes better than canned. I highly encourage you to not only browse your local thrift and antique stores for gifts this Valentine’s Day, but also look to local artists and artisans in your community. Maybe there’s a
Bethany Morris | Printz
pottery studio near you, and your loved one loves coffee every morning before their hectic day. A handcrafted coffee mug would be a perfect gift to bring peace to their morning. If your loved one is an art enthusiast, find local talent with unique watercolor prints that are sure to catch the eye of your favorite person. Gift-giving is so versatile and unique depending on both the giver and receiver. My suggestions
are just a small glimpse at the many processes behind giving a gift! Personally, I’m inclined to give more heartfelt gifts than generic boxed chocolate or the gigantic plush animals from Walmart. The fact that you’re really noticing and highlighting what makes the recipient of your gift unique—that speaks volumes more than making a last-minute stop by the drugstore to pick a gift. By mixing thrifted, DIY and local artists’
gifts, your love will shine beyond a simple box of chocolates. Before you rush to your local Walmart and buy that last-minute gift on your way to class, take a second to think of how unique your recipient is to you. Everyone deserves some love this Valentine’s Day, and by supporting local thrift stores and artisans, you’re giving back and spreading love to your community and smalltown America.
ENTERTAINMENT FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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‘Birds of Prey’ delivers a colorful, demented movie WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER
C Comics has been on a roll. With “Joker” grabbing awards and raking in the money at the box office, it’s funny to think that only a few years ago, people were bemoaning the company’s output of comic book movies. Films like “Batman v. Superman” and “Suicide Squad” may have made a ton of dough, but they were lifeless cash cows intent on trying to ride off Marvel’s success. However, the company has made the right call by creating more focused, stand-alone affairs, which is working out for them. The trend continues with “Birds of Prey.” When the Joker breaks up with his mischievous but anarchic love Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, she’s left in a state of uncertainty. This changes when she finds herself entangled in the crimes of mob boss Roman Sionis, played by Ewan McGregor. Sionis seeks a valuable diamond he can use to greatly expand his criminal empire.
Although a sequel to the dreadful “Suicide Squad,” “Birds of Prey” doesn’t suffer from an identity crisis like its predecessor. From the get-go, it’s clear that this is an over-the-top, stylish affair featuring a protagonist with a love for
mayhem and egg-bacon sandwiches. Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn is shades of the similarly zany Deadpool, but it doesn’t reach a point where her character becomes obnoxious. Harley Quinn is not working alone, as she is saddled up with various allies over the course of the adventure. Some, like Huntress played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, don’t get as much focus
Illustration by Marissa Haas | Printz
compared to Black Canary, played by Jurnee Smollett Bell. However, they all serve their purpose of moving the story along. For all of the crazy action, humor and punk attitude “Birds of Prey” displays, the plot encompassing it relies on familiar tropes like a McGuffin everyone and their mother is gunning for. The story is not the film’s greatest strength. Instead, it’s the characters. The centerpiece is Harley Quinn herself. She’s at first filled with sorrow and remorse since her longtime lover, a crazed maniac like her, broke it off, but then events happen which give her a renewed sense of determination. Matching Harley Quinn’s bubbly insanity is Roman Sionis. McGregor, fresh off “Doctor Sleep,” chews the scenery in a delightful way as the mob boss who’s more obsessed with his looks than any normal human being. Plus, he serves as a good foil to the clown princess. “Birds of Prey” serves its purpose as a fun, film-going experience. It forgoes the drab and dreary look of “Suicide Squad” in favor of colorful anarchy, and it pays off. The film continues DC’s redemption run for the better, and one can only hope the company can keep this streak going.
Yot Club docks at Nick’s Ice House EARL STOUDEMIRE PRINTZ REPORTER
ith over one million streams, rising local artist Yot Club performed at Nick’s Ice House Feb. 8. His performance was a perfect fit for Nick’s Ice House, bringing in a large crowd to enjoy the bar with charm, personality and enjoyment for all those in attendance. This event was produced by Six Oh One Entertainment group in the School of Communication under the leadership of two junior media entertainment art majors, Anna Richardson and Lanie Leach, with advisement from Jon Pluskota, Ph.D. Six Oh One Entertainment has already held events such as an open mic night previously held in Cook Library’s Starbucks every Monday and the creation of Dead Week Beats. “It was November and there was less than a month of class and we came up with the idea of Dead Week Beats,” Leach said. “We had a show during dead week, so we had two weeks to plan the event, find enough artists, find a way to pay them, promote it, make posters, but we pulled it off. Afterward, Dr. Pluskota wanted us to keep it going by suggesting we do a smaller show.” The artist performing under the name Yot Club is Ryan Kaiser, a senior media entertainment arts major at Southern Miss. “I wanted to play guitar at 8. I wasn’t that good at playing sports, so that turned out to come really easy for me,” Kaiser said. “Then my family had a piano in our house, so I was able to teach myself piano just from what I knew from guitar then it just spread from there, being 12 playing guitar, drums, piano and started songwriting.”
With the name Yot Club coming from an inside joke of a close friend who didn’t know how to spell yacht, Kaiser has chosen to stick by the name. He said that many of his listeners define his music as lo-fi rock or bedroom pop, but he said that his music can’t be labeled with his current creative process. “I was never aiming to have the music sound a certain type of way, I just have a low amount of gear, like I’m not working with a studio, so it sounds the way it does,” Kaiser said. Kaiser already has three EPs released from last year and is planning to have physical copies sold soon with upcoming performances at SXSW in Austin, Texas, and Pomona College outside Los Angeles. There was no cover to attend this event and all proceeds went to Kaiser and Six Oh One Entertainment to help create future projects, like building a panel of Buku representatives. The panel would be for students interested in the entertainment industry. Another future project would be moving the Open Mic Nights previously held at Cook’s Library Starbucks to Glorybound Co. Six Oh One Entertainment plans to continue updating their social media for future, local entertainment events.
Earl Stoudemire | Printz
Rising artist Yot Club, with 1.2 million streams, performed at Nick’s Ice House Feb. 8
OPINION
FEBRUARY 12, 2020
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Coronavirus scare promotes xenophobia WILLIAM LOWERY PHOTO EDITOR
hina is currently in the middle of an epidemic. The coronavirus has infected 32,000 in China’s country alone and led to over 600 deaths. It’s gotten to the point where the World Health Organization confirmed the virus is a global emergency. Unfortunately, the epidemic has resurrected an age-old disease: xenophobia. NBC News published a report on how the social media personality Michelle Phan was harassed on Twitter due to her Chinese background. Once again, social media’s ease of accessibility makes it a cesspool for pointless bigotry. This isn’t the first time the world was scared of a deadly virus spreading. Six years ago, America was afraid of Ebola working its way over from Africa, and history repeats itself with the coronavirus, which has been reported to have infected 14 Americans aboard a quarantined cruise ship as of Feb. 9. The coronavirus is a big problem. Refusing to help the Chinese and slandering them doesn’t do them any favors. There are millions of Chinese who have family living in the infected areas of their home country, and the last thing they need to deal with is people giving them odd looks and spreading falsehoods. In light of the epidemic, President Trump put out a travel ban barring any foreign nationals who traveled to China to return to the U.S. Such a ban is considered inappropriate by the World Health Organization since it hinders the progress
llustration by Alexandria Moore | Printz
of sending help. The sooner China receives help, the sooner the threat dissipates. Medical research has come a long way since ancient times. If medieval society had access to the equipment we have now, chances are the Bubonic plague wouldn’t have stricken Europe and Asia for so long. Technology has advanced, but clearly
xenophobia hasn’t. Nonwestern countries have dealt with racism and prejudice for too long, and to see its presence is still upsetting. Despite my concerns, I do believe things will begin to turn around for China. When the SARS epidemic happened in November 2002, it was contained and neutralized by July 2003, so it is a strong possibility the
same will happen with the coronavirus. Still, refusing to show compassion or support for someone whose race is dealing with a disease is disrespectful and doesn’t do ours any favors. We act as if we have moved past the racially insensitive caricatures of the 19th and 20th centuries, but social media shows how capable we are of keeping old and archaic ideas alive.
Valentine’s Day encourages wasteful consumerism MORGAN USRY
PRINTZ REPORTER alentine’s Day is an overrated and wasteful holiday that puts unnecessary pressure on impressing your romantic partner and emphasis on material gifts. Like almost every other holiday celebrated in the United States, Valentine’s Day has been taken over by commercialization and consumerism. It is just another excuse to buy unnecessary things in the name of love. Every year around January, store aisles are stocked with red and pink items like candy, cards and preassembled gift packages. There are many problems with mass-produced gifts like these. For example, the giant stuffed teddy bears that are a common sight in many stores usually cost at least $50. Gifts like these are often unappreciated since they don’t require much thought in picking them out. Even if someone wanted one as a gift for Valentine’s Day, most people aren’t going to keep a 4-foot tall stuffed bear for more than a few years before it ends up in the trash. So not only are
typical gifts often unwanted, but they are also a waste of money and harmful to the environment. Just think of all of the thousands of products that are produced for this holiday, and especially how long people are going to keep them. Maybe if they are sentimental they will cherish them for life, but that isn’t the case for most. Relationships end. Fresh roses die. People move, and then there are thousands of stuffed animals and cheap heart-shaped jewelry littering the world’s landfills. Another downside of the excessive consumerism that is promoted around the holiday is the immense pressure it puts on people to get their partners extravagant gifts and create a perfect Valentine’s Day experience for them. Some people like buying and receiving gifts, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is people feeling like they have to spend large amounts of money on getting their significant other a perfect gift. Social media only exacerbates this problem and makes it a competition with people posting about their extravagant Valentine’s Day presents or surprises. This pressure to have the perfect day and gift can just cause unneeded stress and take the fun out of celebrating a
Illustration by Derrick “DJ” Reed | Printz
relationship. People aren’t evil or wrong if they enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. The issue is the needless consumerism and materialism that is pushed by corporations around the holiday and people being pressured to take part in it. That being said, there are some ways you can take part in the holiday in a more relaxed and sustainable way. Instead of buying the stereotypical
Valentine’s gifts, such as a stuffed bear, get your partner something they will truly like. This doesn’t have to be the most perfect gift ever or an expensive one, just something that demonstrates you put some thought into a gift that won’t be thrown into a landfill any time soon. Better yet, take the time to create a handmade gift or card. No matter how simple it is, everyone appreciates gifts that had love and time put into them.