SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • FEBRUARY 19, 2020 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 18
THE ADDYS AWARDS PG 3
ONE DIRECTION NIGHT PG 6
OPINION: TRUMP BUDGET PG 7
Hiram Revels anniversary highlights lack of black senators
Alyssa Bass | Printz
Mike Espy endorsed Brandon Rue for House District 102 Feb. 22, 2019.
ALYSSA BASS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
n Feb.11, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History celebrated the 150th anniversary of Hiram Revels becoming the f irst African American to serve in the U.S. Senate in Jackson at the Old Capitol Building, the very place he was elected to represent Mississippi. Before the event, director of public relations for MDAH Michael Morris said he didn’t get to learn much about Revel’s story until he went to graduate school at Jackson State University. “I got a better grasp of what an amazing feat that was, the bravery that it took to run for off ice during that time period and what it really means to be f irst,” Morris said. “My hope is that there’s going to be a lot of kids at the program Tuesday night
that are going to get a chance to learn more about the amazing feats that Hiram Revels and so many other black off icials faced during that era.” Mississippi has not elected an African American senator since Reconstruction when Blance Bruce served from 1875 to 1881. Democrat Mike Espy failed at breaking the tradition in 2018, but he’s trying again. Espy will compete against Tobey Bartee and Jensen Bohren in the Democratic primary election March 10. Race has been a talking point of Espy’s campaign since his f irst run against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in 2018 when he criticized her comments about public hangings. His latest campaign video acknowledges the contributions of his grandfather who founded the f irst hospital for African Americans
in Mississippi. Espy failed to unseat Hyde-Smith in 2018 by 65,950 votes, making him the closest Democrat to winning a Senate seat since 1982. Senior communications major Brandon Rue said Espy is one of his mentors. Rue worked on Espy’s 2018 campaign as a student engagement director, and Espy endorsed Rue’s campaign to become representative of House District 102. He said Espy’s second run for senate seems more promising. “We saw that toward the end of the [2018] campaign a lot more people started paying attention, but it was kind of a little too late because they started getting more money in. To their point, it was too late to spend all of the money that was received,” Rue said. “This time around, I think people are going to be paying more attention from the beginning, which
is going to help him tremendously because he’s got a whole year to campaign.” Espy told Mississippi Today reporter Bobby Harrison in November he wants to connect more with millennials this time. Rue said Espy connects with older voters because they are familiar with his political history and that most campaigns fail to reach millennials because of low voter turnout. In the 2018 midterm election, 26.7% of Mississippi voters ages 1824 voted, and 36.5% of people ages 25-34 voted, according to data by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Continued on PG. 2
NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 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
Sports Editor
Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu
Multimedia Editor
Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu
Webmaster
Omer Arshad omer.arshad@usm.edu
Photo Editor
Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu
Design Editor
Emily Brinkman emily.brinkman@usm.edu
Graphic Designers
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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Continued from PG. 1 Rue said Espy could appeal to younger voters by using millennials in campaigning efforts and reminding them that he was the first African American from Mississippi to serve in Congress since Reconstruction and the first African American to be the United States secretary of agriculture. “A lot of people when they hear his history are impressed by it,” Rue said. “History type things resonate with millennials, and honestly black millennials. I think we really galvanize around things that make history, and I think he has to push that.” To date, only 10 African Americans have served in the U.S. Senate. Currently, the only African American senators are Sen. Kamala Harris from California and Sen. Cory Booker from New Jersey, who endorsed Espy in 2018 at Southern Miss. Espy isn’t the only black candidate running for senate. Like Espy, Bartee is campaigning a second time after failing to win in 2018. In the 2018 special general election, Bartee received 1.5% of the votes. Bartee has worked for the Department of Homeland Security, State Department and U.S. Navy. 2018 was the first time he ran for public office. Rue said Bartee has good ideas but lacks the name recognition and resources to take on Espy. Rue said Bartee should have run for the 4th Congressional District
seat instead because there are currently no Democratic candidates running, and Espy “will win the Democratic nomination [of the Senate election] fairly easy.” Challenging both Democratic candidates is Bohren, who is also running for a second time. Bohren ran for Senate in June 2018 in hopes of getting a chance to unseat Sen. Roger Wicker. He received 3.2% of the votes in the Democratic primary. Bohren is a Delta State University graduate with a degree in biology who has worked mostly in retail with one semester of teaching experience in a public school. He describes himself as a true progressive and supports politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders. “The old strategy of convincing Republicans to cross over, especially in Mississippi, is flawed,” Bohren said. “It takes a bad candidate to make people think about splitting from their party. Cindy Hyde-Smith is one of those candidates, granted. However, the Democratic Party of Mississippi ignores—and in person, many of them will belittle younger voters— a massive potential voting block: those under 40. Running on issues like Medicare for All, cannabis legalization and Campaign Finance Reform appeals to younger voters who understand how important each of those issues is to our current society.” When Espy announced his second
run for Senate, Bohren said he asked his two politically active, millennial African American friends about people who believe it’s time for an African American from Mississippi to be elected into the Senate once again. “One said, ‘Don’t worry about it. If you feel you should run, then run.’ The other said, ‘Don’t you dare drop out,’” he said. “Their faith in me to stay true to the issues I believe in was very encouraging. I feel running is a moral imperative. We must change the system that has put us where we are today, with a duopoly of power and the voices of the regular folk holding little to no impact upon what laws are passed or rejected by our representatives.” Bohren said his honesty makes him an admirable candidate. “I tell the voters what my beliefs are in plain, non-coded language,” Bohren said. “I had to ask Espy in person in 2018 if he supported full cannabis legalization. Nope, and Medicare for All. Nope. He speaks politician very well, and if you didn’t notice the codewords ‘access to healthcare’ you’d have thought he was close to the same wavelength as Bernie. Politics has become about the cult of personality, not about issues. If I had a million to spend on advertisements, I’d win in a landslide.” For more information about where to vote March 10, visit www.sos. ms.gov/PollingPlace.
Printz Advisor
chuck.cook@usm.edu
Letter to the Editor 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.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
We all know that college is expensive, that costs are out of control, and student debt is at an all time high as f inancial aid is drying up, but the administration of the University of Southern Mississippi seems to want to add even more to the f inancial burden of attending university. As a graduate student who is mostly ineligible for student aid other than loans, I rely, as do many others, on my own resources to pay my tuition. Each semester, I, and many others get a bill, which, I, and I presume many others pay online with a credit card. What is galling to me is that our administration seems to think that adding on a credit card processing fee to my already substantial bill is perfectly f ine. While I understand that I can pay my bill with a check, and not pay a fee, let’s be realistic. In today’s modern economy, not only do most people not even have
paper checks, many do not have the ability to shell out $3,500 in tuition at the drop of a hat. Students, and everyone in the world simply uses a card. Why are we punished-continually by these credit card fees? Why can’t USM, who I presume processes thousands of dollars in credit card payments per week, be like most other businesses and take the fee on themselves? Why does our business off ice think it is perfectly acceptable to tack on a, for me, an $85 fee to my tuition transactions, putting me, and every other student who pays their bills with a credit card even further in debt? If USM is going to allow a student to use a card to pay their bills, it is the university’s responsibility to handle the credit card fee-not the student. If this is unacceptable, then provide a more technology driven low-cost way for us to pay tuition. There are numerous options: Paypal,
Venmo, wire transfers. The list is endless. USM prides itself on having students who are technologically literate, yet our administration is stuck in the past, driven by money and giving our credit card fees not to the university but a third party payment processor. If you want to charge me a credit card fee and have the money go back into the university, that is f ine with me. Farming your f inancial responsibility out to a third party payment processor company that is making thousands of dollars on the backs of hard working students is not! Do the right thing USM! End the practice of charging students a fee when they want to pay YOU hard earned money! Ara Gallo Graduate Student-School of Library and Information Sciences
NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2020
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Spectrum Center teaches queer black history, trans 101 KAYLYN JONES
PRINTZ REPORTER he Spectrum Center hosted Queer Black History and Trans 101 to educate not only on queer black historical figures, but also correct terminology regarding transgender individuals Feb. 4. Since 2014, the Spectrum Center is the only physical LBGTQ community center in the state of Mississippi. The center produces LGBTQ centric events like drag shows, learning programs and parades. They also host monthly support groups for women, non-gender conforming individuals and allies. The center also helps provide resources for people seeking medical and mental attention, businesses supporting LGBTQ and employment. “I can’t tell you the amount of people who come into our events and are very happy that it exists. The center is one of the only places where they can feel at home in their identity, find people who are similar and understand them and will not question who they are,” Mickie Stratos said. Stratos, treasurer of the Spectrum Center, hosted the event and gave a thorough definitions of transgender terminology and mentions of queer black historical figures, like famous activist, Angela Davis, and writer, Langston Hughes. The turnout was small with three guests attending. “The experience was really good and informative. There was a lot of black individuals I did not know were in the queer and gay community. It was very interesting to have a reminder of black history and a refresher of Trans and Queer History 101,” Jasmine Baxter said. Baxter is the organizer of Planned Parenthood in Hattiesburg. The Spectrum Center and Planned Parenthood are coalition partners.
Kaylyn Jones | Printz
“It is important because of the culture we are in right now. It’s 2020, and we’re in a new decade. It’s time to be inclusive of everyone. In order to do so, you need to learn about the people around you,” Baxter said. Bezal Jupiter, a sophomore broadcast journalism major, was part of the small group of attendees. “I enjoy the concept of creating a political space where we can talk about these things without someone expressing bigotry.” Jupiter said the experience was enlightening
because it taught how to navigate through experiences with transgendered individuals and the importance of being a good ally. “If you’re gay, straight or anywhere on the spectrum, come over to the center. If you’re part of the LBGTQ community, then this is a safe space for you,” Jupiter said. Christian Koerber, Hattiesburg local writer and cartoonist, said the program was enjoyable and that it was amazing to listen to stories that matter. He stressed the importance of using individual resources
and skills, like art and comics, to show support. “I may not be an activist, but being an artist is a good start,” Koerber said. He urged people to step out of their comfort zone and explore other points of view where beauty can be found. “Never let anyone strip away, who you really are. Just be you and be free,” Koerber said. For more information for dates and times of future Spectrum Center programs, follow the center on Facebook.
Graphic design students break record at Addy Awards MORGAN USRY
PRINTZ REPORTER t the local level Addy Awards Feb. 8 at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, Southern Miss students broke a new school record by winning
60 awards. The American Advertising Awards, also known as the Addy Awards, is the largest design competition in the nation. Cassidy Birchfield, a senior graphic design major, won Best in Show for her design of a trade journal. She also won two other awards. Birchfield said she was shocked to win the Best in Show award. “They sent us an email saying we’d won something, but didn’t tell you what, so it was exciting to see what I was winning. I definitely didn’t expect the Best in Show for sure,” Birchfield said. She said that winning Best in Show and her other awards has made her feel more confident in her future as a graphic designer. “Since starting senior capstone, it’s been very stressful, and it’s easy to doubt yourself during capstone. But this has really helped me gain confidence in my abilities,” Birchfield said. Senior graphic design student Darian McGehee won seven awards, one of them being Judge’s Choice. She won for her design of a lookbook for a restaurant. The project was created for a graphic
Photo courtesy of Darian McGehee
design class where McGehee was assigned to pick a country and create the branding for a restaurant based on the country. She chose Brazil and spent
Darian McGehee and Cassidy Birchfield pose with their Addy Awards
the semester creating the design for her restaurant Saboroso. “We had to create a logo, menu and fully brand it. We also had to create a
lookbook that would be sent to investors to have them see the brand and the restaurant. It was a handbound book. I had to print and wirebound it myself,” McGehee said. McGehee credits one of her graphic design professors with helping her succeed on her project. “I wouldn’t have done it the way I did if it weren’t for the professor who assigned it, Jacob Cotton. He really made me push out of my comfort zone to do something like that,” McGehee said. Jacob Cotton, an assistant professor of design, oversees student submissions to the Addy Awards. Cotton said because the Addy Awards are so large, it makes it hard to stand out and move to the next level of competition. “The fact that we are sending as many as we are to the district level is unheard of. And for us, it’s also a substantial amount of growth. My first year here four years ago, we had six awards, and now we have 60,” Cotton said. Southern Miss students have broken their record for the amount of Addy’s won for the past three years, and Cotton said he thinks they have the potential to do so again next year. “Sooner or later we’re going to hit a cap just because we only have so many students and so many projects that can be entered, but I don’t think we’ve hit that cap yet. I think we can do better,” Cotton said. Students who placed gold or higher in the competition will now go onto the regional Addy Awards and possibly to the national level.
FEATURES FEBRUARY 19, 2020
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Delgado speaks on bettering the community MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER
ouncilwoman Deborah Delgado has been sitting on the Hattiesburg City Council since she was elected in 2001. The councilwoman is passionate about raising minimum wage, criminal justice reform and strengthening the Hattiesburg community. Delgado is passionate about the community becoming aware of its history and the struggles Hattiesburg has faced in the past. Her most prominent cause has been to redevelop Ward 2. Delgado has addressed the issues with Ward 2 with the community, including flooding and the high poverty rate due to the aftereffects of Katrina. “The area has suffered from lack of investment, primarily because it was seen as a burden rather than an asset due to the flooding,” Delgado said. Delgado has also developed ideas for an innovation club to promote entrepreneurship in the Hattiesburg area. She feels passionate about raising the minimum wage to allow employees to have a livable income. Delgado’s goal as councilwoman is to provide a better quality of life for those throughout the community as well as supply mentor programs for individuals lacking guidance in their households. “Absence of opportunity and preparation needs to change,” Delgado said. “Young people need training and to be prepared for more jobs.” Delgado firmly believes in becoming educated about how the Hattiesburg community began. Delgado advises the Hattiesburg community to read about the past hardships many have faced in the Deep South, specifically the history of African Americans within Hattiesburg. “We started behind everybody else and there were laws placed to prevent us from advancing as people,” Delgado said. “I think that our challenge in this community is that we don’t know our history and we need to acknowledge things that have happened and understand as a community the pride of black people.” Glenda Funchess, a lawyer and long-time follower of Delgado’s career, said that Delgado has the community’s best interests in mind. Funchess believed that Delgado has benefitted the Hattiesburg community greatly since first becoming a councilwoman. She agreed that Delgado has
Courtesy photo from hattiesburgms.com
handled Ward 2 wonderfully and has dealt with certain challenges along the way in a graceful manner. Funchess also appreciated Delgado’s efforts in being an activist for the African American community. “Councilwoman Delgado being a child of the Civil Rights Movement and having participated in the 1964 Freedom Summer Project at the age of 12 is a living testament of one of the purposes of Freedom School, which was to ensure that young people knew their civic
responsibilities and take an active role therein,” Funchess said. Throughout the 19 years during her tenure, Delgado has improved the Hattiesburg area greatly, specifically Mobile Street, according to Funchess. While Delgado has handled it well, Funchess does believe that it is unfair to the councilwoman to supervise so many areas at once. “Councilwoman Delgado has the burden of serving about 5 areas that are unique and diverse in their
community makeup and have absolutely nothing in common,” Funchess said. “That is certainly a very difficult task, but she has definitely handled it very well. “ Funchess looks forward to Delgado’s plan to rebuild the fire station on Arledge Avenue as well as her objective to restore Timberton Park. In addition to these, Funchess looks forward to seeing Delgado play a prominent role in bettering the Hattiesburg community through conversation and action. “I hope she will continue to be an advocate for her constituents that she represents in Ward 2,” Funchess said. “She is not afraid to stand alone on any issue if she truly believes that it is not in the best interest of her constituents.” While Delgado has impacted many throughout the community, she has many supporters who are touched by her passionate insight on the importance of the community and historical context of living in Hattiesburg as a minority. Audrey Arguello, a junior psychology major, has followed Delgado upon recently moving to the Hattiesburg community. While staying updated on local politicians, Arguello feels that Delgado has her best interests at heart, especially as a minority. “The impact Delgado is making on the community is astounding, especially for minority women like myself,” Arguello said. “I loved her interview with Signature magazine, it urged me to stay updated on her political career.” Arguello said she feels close to Delgado’s causes, specifically her passion for criminal justice reform. Arguello said she believes that upon higher education and better mentor programs, Delgado is allowing parents to be present within their households, thus preventing the increase of foster children. “By bettering the life of our children, she’s making way for a better future,” Arguello said. “She’s making strides to help those in poverty and to better our community as well.” While Delgado has made strides towards more disputed or controversial issues, not everyone has agreed with her opinions or decisions. Her stance on many issues has caused both positive and negative reactions, but Delgado continues to remain optimistic. “You don’t always make everybody happy,” Delgado said. “I’ve had positive responses, but there’s always some negatives that occur with causes I cannot support personally. At the end of the day, you have to be honest with yourself and make a decision based on what you think is best.”
Give & Take Kitchen brings awareness to food insecurity ASHLYN LEVINS PRINTZ REPORTER
fter the passing of her father six years ago, Kelsey Steffens decided she wanted to give back to her community. As the executive director of Give & Take Kitchen, Steffens and her team work tirelessly to provide food to those struggling with hunger in the community. “A lot of these kids are so young and have had to develop coping strategies that they should not have to deal with at that age. They have learned not to trust that food would always be there,” Steffens said. Steffens came up with the idea for the Give & Take Kitchen years ago after volunteering with her mother to cater a breakfast with United Way. After seeing the reactions of those attending, she wanted to fight food insecurity. The Give & Take Kitchen first opened its doors in March of 2019 to operate as a food and nutrition resource for the community. Research from Feeding America indicates one in five children suffers from hunger. “When we started serving, there were so many people that didn’t think the food was for them. Like they weren’t worth the effort, and that broke my heart,” Steffens said. “I don’t want anyone to feel they aren’t worth the effort of a good meal.” After her father passed, Steffens was inspired by the stories of the generous and kind acts her father did for others without recognition. “Because of his work, and leaving us taken care of, I felt I needed to give something back,” Steffens said. “God had given me these gifts, not to be hoarded but to be shared. The name Give & Take comes from being in a community where you can give what you can and take what you need.” It was a challenge to get the Give & Take Kitchen up and running. The main obstacle Steffens faced was convincing people that food
insecurity and hunger are prominent issues in the community. When she became a mother, Steffens saw the reality neighborhood children face when it comes to food insecurity. “It breaks my heart, and we don’t want to realize that there is that level of food insecurity in our communities, but there absolutely is,” Steffens said. As a staff of four, the Give & Take Kitchen relies on the service of passionate volunteers to help provide for those in need in the neighborhoods and communities around us. Raigan Stokes is the communications director for the nonprofit and has worked with Steffens since May 2019. Part of her job is to coordinate marketing, public relations and also manage volunteers. Her passion for nonprofits started when she was a child. “Since I was young, I would get upset about big issues like kids being hungry,” Stokes said. “I think that what we are doing here is a good start to knocking out other problems. If kids don’t have to worry about food, it can help with mental issues and focus on school.” About twice a week, members of the Southern Miss TRIAD AmeriCorps Program volunteer at the Give & Take Kitchen. Their passion and willingness to serve those in need has resonated and inspired the staff at the non-profit. “We got a letter from them saying how much they love being here because we don’t treat them any differently because of their disability. I didn’t anticipate how much it means to give people in the community a way to give back to others,” Stokes said. The effect the Give & Take Kitchen has had on the surrounding communities continues to grow with every meal given, but it has not been without its struggles. Steffens had to learn to delegate and learn from her failures. “Because this is my baby, I had a hard time letting any part of it go to someone else. But I
Ashlyn Levins | The Printz
realized none of this can be done alone,” Steffens said. “I have learned to trust other people will feel as passionate as I do, and they will put their heart into it.” Bert Kilgore is the kitchen manager for the Give & Take Kitchen and sees over the volunteers who come through. With 15 years of experience in the nonprofit industry and 15 more years in the restaurant industry, Kilgore wanted to continue serving through the Give & Take Kitchen. “I have always had a passion for the homeless, and bringing them to soup kitchens and helping them. Working here has really been a God thing,”
Bert Kilgore, George Lamuth, Kelsey Steffens, and Raigan Stokes pose in the Give & Take Kitchen.
Kilgore said. Steffens hopes to expand Give & Take Kitchen to include cooking classes, a broader nutrition program and to be able to deliver food on the weekends and holidays. “If we let these kids grow up sick and uneducated about nutrition, we will have sick and uneducated adults leading our future,” Steffens said. For those interested in volunteering or interested in more information about the Give & Take Kitchen, send an email to info@ giveandtakekitchen.org or visit their website at giveandtakekitchen.org.
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D&D offers community distraction from stress BRIAN WINTERS PHOTO EDITOR
hen the topic of Dungeons & Dragons comes up, the first thing that people think about is a group of stereotypical nerds in a basement. Among college students, however, Dungeons & Dragons has become an outlet for creativity and a stress reliever. Dungeons & Dragons was created in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and it became the first fantasy roleplaying game. The core of Dungeons & Dragons is storytelling and allows players to tell a story while playing it out. Elizabeth Knowles, a senior forensic science major, has been playing Dungeons & Dragons on and off again for five years. Knowles said Dungeons & Dragons is a good outlet to get away from the troubles of the world. “Dungeons & Dragons should be a short break from reality to better deal with life’s real dragons,” Knowles said. “If you know the difference between D&D and reality and have a role in reality, you are not a loser.” Greg Spanier is the owner of maCnarB Gaming in Gautier. maCnarB hosts Dungeons & Dragons sessions every Wednesday and Saturday. Spanier said he does not notice a stigma behind Dungeons & Dragons. “I have players from every clique and profession that play,” Stanier said. “Kids [today] grow up on games, so they are more open than they were in the 1980s.” maCnarB has been putting on Dungeons & Dragons nights since the opening of the store in 2011. Stanier said he noticed friendships being formed over games of Dungeons & Dragons in
Brian Winters | Printz
his store. “I normally get a new group of four or five and run that group until they hit level five,” Stanier said. “The group then gets together and takes turns running games on their own.” He said there are usually six groups that play on various nights that started because of him. Stanier said Dungeons & Dragons can help people with social skills. “Introverts can come and play in a safe place with all types of people they normally would not talk to,” Stanier said. “I have seen it many times and I have to say, the majority of
Dungeon & Dragon players are great, honest people.” Bentley Sills, a junior elementary education major, has been playing Dungeons & Dragons for a year and a half. Sills decided to play Dungeons & Dragons with the people she worked with and loved the game. “I have made new friends from Dungeons & Dragons, and they are my closest friends now,” Sills said. “We hang out almost every day, and we text all the time.” Sills said Dungeons & Dragons is a good source for artistic expression. She said the
game has helped her become more creative, and it has been some of the most fun she has had. “Most people do not realize what all goes into Dungeons & Dragons. All they see is a bunch of nerds dressing up and playing a made-up game,” Sills said. “It is so much more than that. It allows you to express yourself in ways you could not before.” For those looking to add a bit of Dungeons & Dragons into their daily lives, visit Hattiesburg staple Top Tier Board Games for weekly RPG events.
Students talk unconventional families KARA LOWE
PRINTZ REPORTER hat a traditional American family looks like is a married man and woman with two and a half kids. Maybe the traditional family has a white picket fence as well. However, this is not always the case. Three college students opened up about how different their lives are due to their families not being so traditional. Single mothers are one of the most underpaid and overworked people. Emerald Bradshaw, a practical nursing student at Jones College, said that her mother always made sure she had what she needed. Bradshaw never went a day without feeling unconditional love from her mother. Even though her father was absent, Bradshaw knew that she could depend on her grandfather to be that male inf luence in her life. “My grandpa took on the role of my dad, and we were best friends. We did everything together and he taught me how a dad should be. He never let me feel low or bad and he was always lifting me up,” Bradshaw said. One of the biggest struggles Bradshaw faced was feeling as if something was wrong with her as a person because she received no love from her father. However, Bradshaw could not think about this for long without her mother and grandfather
stepping in and reminding her how amazing she is. Skyler Pittman, a Southern Miss graduate, also has a family dynamic that many people have judged. Pittman’s parents divorced when she was four years old and they both moved on to be with people of their same-sex. Pittman’s mother had custody of her; as a result, Pittman says she grew up with a very independent mindset and that men are not necessary to provide for you. Pittman’s mother taught her how to manage her life for herself and be a strong woman. Pittman also has an extremely close relationship with her father. She said his partner acts like a stepdad and treats her as if she were his blood. Pittman said there were many positive aspects to the way she was raised, and that the only downside she ever saw was from the hate people looking from the outside would give her and her family. “The only downside was how hateful people can be towards my family and me. My mother took us to Pride and people were literally screaming at us horrible slurs and telling us we were disgusting.” Pittman said. Southern Miss junior business major Kristen Gross grew up with loving parents who were not her blood. However, she said they treat her as if she is. Unlike a lot of adopted children,
Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
Gross knew she was adopted from the very beginning. She was adopted at birth from Keesler Airforce Base in Biloxi. It was a closed adoption, so not even Gross’s new parents met her biological mother. As Gross grew up with loving parents, she knew that her biological mother made the right decision for both of them. Her biological mother was 15 years old at the time and could not give her the life she deserved.
However, Gross would become frustrated and want answers without a response. She f inally learned to accept the fact that she may never get those answers. “My story has made me into a more forgiving and understanding person. I like to see the good in people, and I think the fact that my biological mother did this out of love really pushes me to be thankful and forgiving,” Gross said.
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Fans enjoy One Direction night at Brewsky’s MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER
n Feb. 13, Brewsky’s hosted a One Direction night where fans could go and enjoy past hits from the famous pop band. Locals gathered at the club and reminisced on the band’s successes while a DJ played songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “One Thing.” One Direction nights have been happening in different cities throughout the United States, so the staff at Brewsky’s decided to host its own event specifically for Hattiesburg. Jess Mitchell, a manager at Brewsky’s, described events with specific themes to have a positive response and a large crowd throughout the night. “I think people look forward to these events because it’s something different to do,” Mitchell said. “The purpose is to make people happy.” The DJ for the event was Logan Conerly, otherwise known as “Your Mom’s Favorite DJ.” The bartenders also had One Directionthemed drinks. Mitchell said that the next time, they will plan on having trivia and prizes. The event was among the most popular gigs put on by Brewsky’s, proven by the ticket sales as well as the large social media presence. “We got a great response,” Mitchell said. “We actually sold more tickets online than we did for Riff Raff.” Many fans did admit that going to the event with a certain expectation in mind did throw them off. Junior criminal justice major Bethany Moyle said the night had its high points, but
left her disappointed in some aspects. “I didn’t like how the DJ played so many other songs besides One Direction,” Moyle said. “The whole point of a One Direction night is to play One Direction.” Moyle said the event was just as crowded as she thought it would be. Fans were lined outside of the door and stood in the parking lot, waiting to enter the club. Although the DJ did play One Direction songs, Moyle said the event was more of a tribute to the 2000s as a whole. Bailey Shelton, a master’s student studying communications, collaborated with Mitchell in order to put on the event. “I figured trying to get Brewsky’s to do a One Direction-themed night would not only relive some nostalgic times but also get a good crowd on a Thursday,” Shelton said. Because the event took place on what is known as Galentine’s Day, many women were there in groups to celebrate as friends and make more memories while reminiscing on their tween obsessions. Junior marketing major Victoria Hotard said that while the DJ did play other artists, it was more enjoyable for those who were never true fans of One Direction. “I like One Direction, but I’m not a huge fan,” Hotard said. “It was better because they played more than just One Direction.” Brewsky’s staff plans on branching out and creating more themed nights for others to enjoy. Shelton said she believes the event was great for marketing and an opportunity for Brewsky’s to branch out to a different crowd. “I think it was a fun stress-reliever for a lot of people,” Shelton said. “Events like this will benefit Brewskys in the future.”
Brian Winters | Printz
Meghan Fuller | Printz
Your Mom’s Favorite DJ plays One Direction songs at Brewsky’s.
Justin Bieber offers little change on ‘Changes’ JACK MCCALLUM
ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR Illustration by Kathleen Hetherington | Printz
fter a messy and desperate rollout, Justin Bieber has released his latest album “Changes.” Packed with forgettable, identical, mellow trap-pop, “Changes” repeatedly exposes Bieber’s inability to connect to his audience. “Changes” is meant to refer to the overall life changes Bieber has been making and made since his last album, 2015’s “Purpose.” These changes range from his decision to attend church to marry Hailey Baldwin, whose last name is now Bieber. In the title track, Bieber says he is going through so many changes, but maybe he should have waited for those changes to come to fruition. Despite not having released an album since 2015, Bieber is showing little to no growth on “Changes”. Every song still lyrically revolves around some nameless, faceless girl set in front of mellow, non-offensive, trap-pop production. Bieber loves to talk about change, but he struggles to show what those changes are. Sure, nothing sounds like his breakout hit “Baby,” but almost everything sounds reminiscent of his 2015 hit “Sorry,” or the lead single off “Changes,” “Yummy.” Bieber is not making an effort to try out new sounds or lyrical themes. Instead, he is playing it safe because he has lost his ability to connect
with his audience. Bieber is watching his audience age and change. His album shows that he obviously wishes he was changing too, but he is stuck playing the same style of music for new crops of faceless young girls. The unasked-for release of “Yummy” should have been the tell-tale sign that “Changes” was going to be, well, not great. The thing with Bieber, though, is that he totally has the ability to make good music. “Purpose” was a good pop album and all the singles were great, which is why the lead single off “Changes” sounding like that should have said it all. Not only does “Yummy” sound unfortunate, but the song’s existence is embarrassing. Bieber’s desperate, tireless promotion of “Yummy” is already one of the most embarrassing moments from 2020. Despite his attempts at begging on social media, the grating, yet catchy track missed the top spot, something that can be considered a surprise for the star who had three consecutive charttoppers on his last album. To talk about “Changes” as a body of work would be to pretend that there are standout tracks. Sadly, not hyperbolically, every song on “Changes” blends together into one, big forgettable 51 minutes of Bieber. “Available” sounds like “Yummy,” “All Around Me” sounds like “Second Emotion” and so on.
The features on “Changes” are not great, not bad, just phoned in. Post Malone and Clever sound a bit out of place and unneeded on “Forever”; Kehlani’s verse is wasted on “Get Me” and Lil Dicky’s verse on “Running Over” is expectedly corny. Travis Scott’s verse on “Second Emotion” is actually one of the album’s highlights, though. “Changes” is as if Bieber went into the studio, liked one song he recorded and then demanded that every other song sound the exact same. Bieber has talent and
potential, which makes this album such a disappointment. Bieber has always favored commercial success over critical respect, but even his previous albums had solid collections of fresh, good songs. Bieber wants people to think he has changed but this album does not show any sort of change. If Bieber wants to move past being a teen sensation, he needs to bring his life changes into the sound of his music. Those faceless girls grew up, now if only Bieber would too.
OPINION FEBRUARY 19, 2020
WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Selfie filters highlight the worst of social media MORGAN USRY
PRINTZ REPORTER t’s no secret that social media can be harmful to mental health and self-esteem. Posts usually show the best parts of people’s lives and aren’t a true ref lection of life, but it can be easy to forget that. The popularity of selfie filters and photo editing apps only exacerbates this problem. Ever since Snapchat introduced their selfie filters in 2015, they’ve become a social media staple, and Instagram has jumped on the trend. Most of these filters smooth the texture and tone of skin and give the appearance of wearing makeup, like rosy cheeks or longer eyelashes. Some filters can even alter face shape and the shape of facial features, such as thinning noses. Even filters that are meant to be more fun or silly still include these beautifying features. While these filters may sound innocent enough, they can have negative effects and deeply damage people’s self-esteem. People see what they look like with these filters and grow accustomed to seeing their filtered faces in photos. This can lead to selfie dysmorphia. This has even led some people to get plastic surgery to have their faces look how they do on social media. In 2017, 55% of plastic surgeons had patients
request surgery to improve their appearance in selfies. Another large aspect of this issue is photo editing apps like Facetune, which are popular on Instagram. Basically a simple version of Photoshop, Facetune users can alter everything from their skin texture to their body shape. Apps like this are even worse than selfie filters since the alterations can often be undetectable. Erasing a blemish every now and then may not be that harmful, but extremely digitally altering photos can create an unrealistic self-image and negatively affect people who see these photos. Some people aren’t even able to post photos that haven’t been changed in some way. While regular people using these apps can cause damage to themselves and the people who follow them, the most harm is done through celebrities and inf luencers. These people might have millions of followers who see their edited photos and are affected by them. It can be easy to see someone famous online who
is seemingly perfect and begin compare yourself to
t o
them. This is especially true for younger and more impressionable followers who have a low level of confidence. Facetune and similar apps used in photos are so prevalent on Instagram that it has almost become the norm. It sets unrealistic beauty expectations on social media, especially since no one actually looks like these edited images. To combat this, celebrities should disclose if their photos are edited. Even though the images are still online and visible, followers can at least be aware that they are not real and compare themselves less. These filters and apps can be fun and harmless, but people should seriously consider how they might be affecting their self-image and mental health, especially if you have a hard time taking selfies without using a filter or posting any photos of yourself that aren’t altered. Even if your using filters might not be affecting you personally, it still might inf luence others online. And in a small way, it’s still contributing to the normalization of impossible physical standards. Social media should be fun and not something that makes people feel bad about themselves every time they use it. We should embrace our real selves, f laws included. Illustration by Lillie Busch | Printz
Trump budget hits college students hard DIPIN SUBEDI
PRINTZ REPORTER resident Donald Trump has proposed a new budget for 2020 where he plans to spend $4.89 trillion. The plan, however, is not benevolent towards the college students and the insurmountable debt they tend to carry during their lifetime. Despite the presidential election approaching, and a few rival presidential candidates advocating for the need to make college education free and championing debt forgiveness, Trump has paid no heed to such necessities. His budget will slash billions of dollars from student loans without any signs of new initiatives to ameliorate the student debt crisis that alone accounts for more than a trillion dollars. First of all, this budget plans to eliminate the widely popular initiative known as the loan forgiveness program. Students who joined public service jobs could remain debt-free if they made on-time payment for ten years while in service. If this budget is passed, a lot of students who aspire to become teachers, firefighters or any other public servant would no longer remain under such protection. Although this plan would not impact the people who currently hold a public service job who have high debt, this would exacerbate the financial woes of the upcoming generation and will dissuade them from holding a public service job. Alongside undergraduates, this budget has a huge impact on the students in graduate school who are borrowing even more. This plan introduces caps on borrowing where students cannot
borrow more than a certain amount. Undergraduates can annually borrow $26,500, whereas the graduate students can only borrow $50,000 annually and $100,000 during their lifetime. Graduate students who study highly sophisticated fields of science such as medicine with sky-high tuition fees are disadvantaged by this program. The Trump administration boasts about the efficacy of these caps in borrowing by limiting the amount of debt incurred by a student against their capability of repayment. The administration, however, fails to recognize the benefits of investing money to produce highly educated citizens in the long run. Similarly, this budget puts forward educational policies that are malevolent to students from low-income families and first-generation college students. More than half of the budget for federal work-study programs will be cut if this budget is passed. This program provided low-income students with parttime employment and allowed them to earn money to pay for their education. Trump’s budget will slash supplemental educational opportunity grants that helped parents with yearly incomes less than $30,000 to support their children’s financial needs. On the other hand, there is the Pell Grant, a similar supplemental grant which provides a somewhat higher financial need for lower-income students and was inherited from the Obama administration. Amidst all these plans to continue Pell Grants, these grants are being debilitated by the new policies that the budget encompasses. Similar to the policy of the past three years, this award is not indexed to inf lation and will stay the same amount no matter how much the tuition fee increases. As a result, this award will only cover a smaller amount
of financial need for students in the upcoming years. Currently, with the possibility of recession surfacing, more people will be likely to attend university in these financial fiascos. With such feeble plans and policies, though, we can only
Illustration by Kathleen Hetherington | Printz
imagine more students getting stuck. There is still a beacon of hope left since a majority of congressmen are not content with Trump’s budget. It would be a terrible mistake if the budget is passed, sending the student debt crisis into a tailspin.
SPORTS
FEBRUARY 19, 2020
WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM
Baseball finds rhythm despite injuries MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR
Photos by Bethany Morris | Printz
or 256 days, loyal Southern Miss fans have waited for the baseball drought to end. On Feb. 14-16, the Golden Eagles swept Murray State for their home opener. “It’s kind of laid back right now. We are having a real good time. I don’t know if fans can see it, but we are always cutting up and enjoying being together,” senior captain Matthew Guidry said. “It’s easy [to keep people motivated] when you have guys like this in the dugout. Everybody is enjoying watching each other succeed.” After six scoreless innings on Friday, Charlie Fischer, Reed Trimble and Gabe Montenegro were walked, filling the bases for Fisher Norris. Norris reached first on a walk, allowing Hunter LeBlanc to score for Fischer. Guidry did the same, which allowed Trimble to score. Following a pitching change by Murray State, Will McGillis singled to the right field, bringing
Montenegro and Norris home. Danny Lynch followed with another single to the right, which allowed Guidry to score. Lynch then stole second, and Brant Blaylock stole home for the last run of the game. Southern Miss shutout the Racers with Gabe Shepard allowing just one hit in his 6.2 innings on the mound. Ryan Och registered the win after pitching the final 2.1 innings. Following the 6-0 win, McGillis injured his hamstring, which took him out of the starting lineup for the second game. “I didn’t want to push it [with McGillis]. He’s probably 50% running, and he was fine hitting. Actually, if I had to use him as a walkoff at the plate without him having to run to first base, I was going to,” head coach Scott Berry said. “It’s too long of a year and not enough people.” Leading off for Southern Miss on Saturday, junior left fielder Montenegro was walked after his hand was hit by a pitch. Guidry was also walked allowing Montenegro to steal second base. Blaylock sent Montenegro home and Guidry to third after advancing to first on an error.
Brant Blaylock.
Hunter Stanley.
Danny Lynch.
Hunter LeBlanc.
Montenegro attempted to play through the pain in his hand by taking the field in the top of the second. However, Hunter LeBlanc pinch hit for Montenegro who appeared in the dugout in a black sweatshirt in the bottom of the inning. With no official diagnosis after game two, Montenegro was taken for x-rays. Berry said he hoped to have him back on the field soon. “We were hoping that he would get the feeling back. He just didn’t have any strength there,” Berry said. “[Montenegro] said, ‘Let me go out and try to work through it.’ I was concerned because it was his glove side. We put him out there, but when he came in it was still pretty painful.” In the bottom of the sixth, Blaylock scored after Trimble flew out to center field. Fischer hit a single to the left and allowed Guidry to score from second in the bottom of the eighth. Walker Powell spent seven innings on the mound allowing six hits but no runs. Hunter Stanley finished the job allowing two hits, two runs and two errors in his two innings. “I felt good. Physically, my body felt good. My arm felt good. It was just good to get that
Fisher Norris.
Reed Trimble.
Golden Eagles celebrate end of game.
first one out of the way,” Powell said. “We don’t really think about [the lineup] as pitchers. We just think about going out there and throwing up zeros.” On Sunday, Montenegro was back in the lineup and Chandler Best made his first career start on the mound. Best allowed two runs in the top of the first. In the bottom of the second, Dustin Dickerson reached first on an error allowing Charlie Fischer to score. Next, Montenegro singled to the right to send Andrew Stanley home. In the top of the third, Murray State scored one run. Matt Adams replaced Best on the mound. Blaylock made it home after Lynch also reached second on an error in the bottom of the inning. A double by Fischer brought Lynch home. After Sean Tweedy came in to replace Adams, Murray State scored three times in the top of the sixth. The Golden Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. A double by Norris in the bottom of the eighth sent Guidry home for a final run for the game. Southern Miss will host the University of New Orleans on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m.