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The University News

March 28, 2025 Issue 276

By Students, For Students. Since 1921

Ramadan celebrations put community building at the forefront

Public apology to descendants of people enslaved by SLU cancelled after descendants withdraw support Noa Vacek, Staff Writer

From students and faculty to surrounding communities, Ramadan brought a spirit of togetherness and awareness for observants Nejla Hodzic, Design Editor Muslim communities have been bustling with activity throughout the month of Ramadan. On and off Saint Louis University’s campus, some people volunteered at mosques, cooking for worshippers or neatly setting tables for their fast-breaking meals. Others hosted communal events, welcoming Muslims and non-Muslims to share in their celebrations. Many were deep in reflection, trying to improve and grow in faith. Ramadan, which will end around March 30 this year, is the 9th month in the lunar calendar in Islam and is considered the holiest month of the year for Muslims. Throughout this month, 2 billion Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset, engage in spiritual reflection and connect with their communities to achieve the ultimate goal of Ramadan: getting closer to and becoming more conscious of Allah (God). Muslim and non-Muslim SLU students, faculty and surrounding communities were among those who participated in the festivities. During Ramadan, multiple mosques in the St. Louis area prepare daily iftar – the meal to break the fast – open to the community, including the Masjid Bilal Islamic Center. Founded in 1965 as one of the first established mosques in St. Louis. Masjid Bilal sits adjacent to SLU’s campus, only a few feet from DeMattias Hall. Students, especially SLU’s Muslim Student Association (MSA) members, helped prepare iftar at Masjid Bilal alongside community volunteers. From chopping fragrant herbs to filling and sealing homemade samosas, the volunteers pulled off daily Ramadan dinners for approximately 150-200 people a night, everyone playing a key part. Ansam Ayesh, the MSA’s secretary and a senior studying accounting at SLU, said volunteering at Masjid Bilal reminded her of how close people across the

Read more on A2, Ramadan

pinion

(The University News / Noa Vacek)

Areva Martin, who serves as legal counsel for the Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved, speaks at a press conference in front of St. Francis Xavier College Church on March 26, 2025 where a prayer service and public apology for SLU’s role in slavery was set to take place.

A formal apology from Saint Louis University for enslaving people was delayed after Descendants of the St. Louis University Enslaved (DSLUE) pulled their participation hours before the scheduled event on March 26. DSLUE founder and executive director Robin Proudie said they postponed the prayer service in which the public apology was scheduled to take place due to last-minute changes made by the university that did not honor previously agreed-upon details. “We have been willing to engage and talk about everything, but what we will not do is become a photo op so they can go and parade us around and act like we are in alignment with what they are doing,” Proudie said at a press conference on the steps of St. Francis Xavier College Church where the service was set to happen. Proudie was a part of a working group of students, faculty, staff and descendants who met five times to plan the public apology. Before the program, she noticed

Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opinion Opin

Propaganda is here, and it intends to divide

changes to the event schedule and asked for clarification. “We didn’t want to be aligned with certain people who they decided to put on the agenda,” Proudie said. One of these people was the Fr. Tim Kesicki, who was set to lead a prayer of “Reconciliation and Hope,” according to a copy of the event program obtained by The University News. Proudie said that the descendants never got the opportunity to engage with Kesicki or the foundation he chairs, The Descendants of Truth and Reconciliation. The organization, established by Georgetown University to “address and heal the wounds of [slavery],” does not entirely align with the wishes of the descendants. “We explicitly told them that DSLUE is not interested in being affiliated with that foundation,” Proudie said. In an email to the SLU community sent less than two hours before the scheduled event, President Fred

(City Council Philadelphia)

Council member Jamie Gauthier holding up a printed screenshot of President Donald Trump’s X post, “LONG LIVE THE KING.” This was after Gauthier enacted Resolution No. 250125, which condemns President Donald J. Trump for “moving our nation closer to a constitutional crisis by likening himself to, and acting like, a king.”

The recent White House Instagram posts have sent Propaganda is “the spreading of ideas, information me into a state of denial, checking to see if the post is or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an real. Lo and behold, it is – a seemingly AI-generated institution, a cause or a person,” according to the Donald Trump, waxed and oily with a sneer smile Merriam-Webster Dictionary. stretched across his face. Some may argue that one post stating this is not “LONG LIVE THE KING,” the post read. enough to incite political change or label as propaganda. I had to sit with that for a moment – a king. First, I disagree. With the power and influence a president I laughed, thinking Instagram and TikTok are going to has, a singular post like this can incite a wide range of eat this up. Then, a more unsettling feeling sank in: this reactions. is propaganda in real-time. Read more on B3, Propaganda

Read more on A2, DSLUE

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Pop music is good again. Is the flailing economy to thank?

President Trump’s White House posts have gone too far.

Lauren Hutchens, Editor-in-Chief

Pestello said he is saddened by the postponement, but the university remains committed to reconciliation efforts. “In a number of forthright and challenging conversations this week, it became clear that we need to continue the work of building relationships with descendants before we are ready to proceed with a formal event,” Pestello said. Rochelle Smith, vice president for diversity, also said the university will continue that work. “We were saddened, but we respect their decision,” Smith said in a statement to The University News. On Feb. 27, descendants and SLU held a historic candlelight vigil meant to advance the reconciliation process that had stalled for years. In April 2024, SLU’s Student Government Association unanimously passed a 10-point plan,

Kaia Monaco, Opinion Editor

Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest their own. Princess,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” and Disco is often synonymous with the ‘70s, a time Charli XCX’s “BRAT” dominated the charts in 2024, when Diana Ross’s popularity was soaring and the breathing new life into pop music. These influential economy was not. In 1973, the Organization of albums and a new wave of pop artists combined to Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed a accomplish a goal previously thought unachievable: the total oil embargo against any country supporting the revival of “recession pop.” Israeli army at the time, including the United States. “Recession pop” is the buzzword used to describe This caused oil and gas prices to surge, with inflation the music released during and soon after the Great and unemployment following soon after, sending the Recession, which lasted from December 2007 to country into a recession from November 1973 to March June 2009. This music was upbeat, with an electronic 1975. influence and plenty of bass, encouraging listeners to People sought a way to escape this discouraging get up and dance. economic landscape, so they ran from their problems to Artists like Kesha, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, David the disco. The genre is known for its up-tempo blend of Guetta and Pitbull were wildly popular during this time. funk, jazz and soul music. Similar to the recession pop Albums such as Britney Spears’ “Blackout,” Lady Gaga’s of the early 2010s, disco lyrics center around dancing “The Fame Monster” and the Black Eyed Peas’ “THE stress away, often featuring terms like “let loose” or E.N.D.” defined the era. “groove.” This music is so closely intertwined with the Great House music was born from the disco club scene, Recession thanks to its shared theme — not worrying with a stronger electronic influence. It gained popularity about paying bills and, instead, dancing the stress away. in the early ‘80s when the United States was sent into The housing market was crashing, and unemployment another recession due to tight economic policy and an was rising, so, as LMFAO put it in their song “Party oil crisis. Once again, dance music was an escape. Rock Anthem,” people had one goal: “Everybody just This history lesson begs the question: Why do have a good time.” people believe recession pop is back in pop music today? Interestingly, this is not the first time this Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy phenomenon has happened. Dance music has typically has been a constant point of concern. The cost of living gained popularity during economic recessions; in fact, keeps rising, the job and housing markets are nearly two of the genres most influential to recession pop — impossible to break into, and President Donald Trump’s disco and house — came about during recessions of Read more on B1, Recession

The equally satisfying and concerning downfall of Elon Musk The tech billionaire’s unabashed attempts at government control indicate concerning trends in American politics

Aditya Gunturu, Senior Writer

Tesla CEO Elon Musk posted on his X account that controversial ways as the Senior Political Advisor to he would not be donating to either political party in the President of the United States. Having helped the the upcoming November election on March 6, 2024. current president get re-elected via massive donations Now, months later, the statement feels almost comedic, and holding events nationwide, Musk cemented himself having seen how far he’s gone from this statement to as a figurehead in the new Trump administration. physically being inside the White House alongside For those less familiar with the eccentric billionaire President Donald Trump. But understanding how we mogul, Musk is also the majority owner of companies got here is what’s most crucial to seeing the type of far- like Twitter, which he renamed to “X,” and The Boring right Republican he has turned into. Company, an infrastructure organization that spun off Musk is the face and funding behind several SpaceX. Over the past decade, he has ingrained himself famous tech companies, including Tesla and SpaceX, in the popular culture thanks to his frequent posting on but, in 2025, he is making headlines in much more

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