Welcome to the Journalism 3010 News Blog!
Each story in this blog is an original piece, news reported and written by a student in our class. Take the time to read some of the work produced by your classmates. You’ll get insight into people, trends, issues and tips, or you may just be entertained!
Tiffany is holding her baby, London, at a family member’s birthday party.
By Keyasha Martino
Tiffany Davidson, a 28-year-old college graduate enjoying life while working in the corporate world, was ecstatic yet shocked when she learned that she was pregnant. She and her longtime boyfriend had never discussed having children but were ready for this new journey that life presented them with. As she had gotten farther along, Tiffany made her job aware of her pregnancy as doctor appointments became more frequent.
“At first, I had gotten so many compliments and congratulatory messages from supervisors and coworkers, but it all turned into a very dramatic Lifetime movie,” Tiffany stated.
The atmosphere at work became very tense and the comfort she felt while on her job suddenly disappeared. Supervisors became reluctant to accommodate her in regards to her pregnancy. She even began receiving write-ups for returning late from lunch, due to her scheduling her doctor appointments for lunchtime, since she no longer had time to take off from work. Eventually, she went on maternity leave at home.
Allowed four months for maternity leave, her supervisors harassed her about returning. Tiffany’s concern for her baby caused her to have to make a major decision between her employment and child. A company she had been so loyal to for many years did not care about her, nor her unborn child. Tiffany felt if she conformed to the pressure that her job placed on her and continued to work, she could risk losing her baby. Despite needing her job, Tiffany was not willing to risk her child. Her physicians soon labeled her with a high risk pregnancy as a result of the stress concerning her employer. At that moment, Tiffany chose her child over her employment. She and baby London are doing well.
An article, “Black Women Die from Pregnancy and Childbirth Complications At Alarming Rates”, argued that The United States has been labeled for having the worst rate of maternal deaths within developed countries. Many American women are dying from pregnancy-related complications, but a very high percentage of African-American women are facing mortality when becoming pregnant. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maternity mortality rates to live births ratio between 2011 to 2013 was 43.5 deaths per 100,000 live births for black women. The ratio for white women was 12.7 deaths per 100, 000 live births. For black women that carried their pregnancies to full term, 60 percent were dying within 42 days after delivery. In 2010, Amnesty International rated Georgia as the highest for pregnancy-related deaths than any other state. So, why are America’s black mothers in a such a life-or-death catastrophe? Could this have anything to do with the experience that black woman has had in America over time?
Nina Martin, a journalist who has reported on this issue for ProPublica, expressed great disappointment when discussing the struggles and deaths of black women from causes related to pregnancy or childbirth. Martin stated, “The mortality African-American women face after childbirth or pregnancy is devastating and even more heartbreaking that their stories are remaining untold.” Living locations and conditions, as well as work environments, can increase the dangers for pregnant African American women. Some women live hours away from their physicians, have preexisting conditions that can make their pregnancy high risk, and must work in environments that are not pregnancy-friendly. Martin highlighted some stories of women that prove there is an issue being silenced in America regarding the maternity mortality rate of African American women.
“During my research, I learned the story of Kira Dixon Johnson. She and her husband were successful business owners, always traveling, and were having their second child. Recently moving to Los Angeles they researched the best doctors in their area and were expecting a perfect pregnancy run; that’s not what they got.”
When it came time for the arrival of Kira’s baby, her doctors prepped for a C-section and soon after, Kira began to hemorrhage. Nina explained that the medical team handling her delivery and pregnancy delayed treatment, and Kira died 12 hours after meeting her new baby boy.
Shalon Irving was 36 and an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a place where research concerning issues like maternity mortality was investigated. Though Shalon, like Kira, had many advantages in life, these did not save her from losing her life three weeks after giving birth to her daughter, Soleil. Shalon lost her life from complications due to hypertension.
Despite access to health care and living conditions, Kira and Shalon were women of adequate social status and had access to both great health care and living conditions. The high rate of black women dying due to pregnancy is not a problem that those of the health care industry can escape. Nina said, “They can’t ‘lack of health care’ and ‘they’re in poverty’ their way out of this one. It is an issue that needs attention and needs to change immediately.”
Pregnancy is a journey that is full of excitement as women and their families prepare for bringing life into the world. Risk and stress is not something that should be of concern for women, especially a specific race of women. Though Tiffany was able to choose life over risk and death, some women cannot make such decisions. People in America are seeing how wrong and horrific this issue is. Whether the issue will ever be resolved or improved is to be determined, but black mothers should remain alive after the birth of their children.
Satieria Clowers
November 14, 2018
As a college student, sometimes an individual may find oneself trying to balance many things such as academics, social life, memberships, a job and perhaps an internship all on one plate. Trying to balance all these things causes stress. busy life, they may start to feel overwhelmed and stressed. These feelings could eventually affect a person’s physical and mental health negatively. Being very occupied throughout the day can be tiring and finding time for personal care may not have made its way to the calendar or it’s not on the priority list. Here are some tips on how to deal with stress and to help make college years less stressful.
What is stress?
According to Health Line, stress is a situation that triggers a particular biological response. When you encounter sudden stress, your brain floods your body with chemicals and hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Too much constant stress can have negative effects on your long-term health.
Stress can affect your body, behavior, habits, thoughts and feelings. Mayo Clinic’s common effects of stress on your body include headaches, muscle tensions or
pain, fatigue, chest pain, upset stomach and sleeping problems.
According to the CDC, common reactions to stress can include:
Tips for Dealing with Stress
Getting at least eight hours of sleep is easier said than done, but when you’ve been up studying until midnight for your morning class you could increase your chances of stress, illnesses, depression and obesity. “Students complain about being stressed out about classes all the time. One of the top reasons students are stressed out is because they don’t get a sufficient amount of sleep,” counseling psychologist Andrea Lamar said. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep each night to help your mind and body.
When you’re stressed, physical activities can help reduce stress levels. You could go to the gym on your own, join an intramural sports team or attend group exercise classes to take your mind off of the events you’re stressing about. Exercise helps with lowering risks of diseases, improve brain function, promotes circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain. “I cope with stress by trying to keep up with morning yoga, or either use my stress ball when I become too overwhelmed,” Georgia State University junior Jess Adams said.
Consuming excessive caffeine and unnatural energy boosters may help you stay awake for class or to study but, if your body doesn’t receive the sleep that it needs, more problems will arise. Also, consuming alcohol to alleviate stress is not beneficial.
Whether it’s a friend, family member or spouse, you’ll need someone to lean on especially if you need to vent your frustrations to. When choosing whom to lean on, make sure they can be trusted, not judgmental and that they can give you advice. If you don’t have a trusted person, seek a professional counselor. Some college campuses offer counseling help services for students to use especially for times as this. Don’t be afraid to use your resources especially if it’s included in your tuition.
Be sure not to pile yourself with excessive work, extracurricular and maybe a job. Remember to adjust expectations you have for yourself and not to compare yourself to others. You may have desire to be a member of five organizations while taking 15 credit hours, but sometimes it can be too much and you may have to make sacrifices for your well-being.
Find a way to relax, whether it’s going shopping, dancing or knitting. Do something you enjoy doing to relax your mind and escape reality. “I’ll get my nails and toes done in order to relax me and at least still maintain a pleasant appearance even though I’m tired,” Georgia State University junior Jess Adams said.
Planning out your week by creating a schedule and with a list of times you need to get that specific activity done because it’s impossible to get everything done at once. This will help to break down everything you need to do without feeling overwhelmed.
Distance yourself from unhealthy foods. Consuming greasy, salty and fatty foods such as pizza and ramen can cause more negative effects on your body such as making you feel tired and sluggish. Instead, choose more nutritious foods such as vegetables, greens, water and herbal tea. Perhaps choosing salads over pizza, fresh fruit over ramen and water over soda.
Deep breathing relaxes muscles, promotes mental clarity and reduced tension. Inhale and exhale. Sometimes, college campuses offer mind and body wellness clinics that practice mindfulness and awareness to meditation.
With finals approaching, keep these tips near as they could also help bring some relief and enhance one’s college career.
In recent news the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has cracked down of the vapor industry harshly due to the minor children getting their hands on e-cigarettes.
According to CNN, high school students smoking e-cigarettes jumped nearly 80 percent, thus causing the FDA to push for new regulations for all flavored nicotine products. Though e-cigarettes have not been documented as a smokers aid to stop smoking it has been proven to help.
E-cigarettes are electronic cigarettes better known as “vapes.” Vaping consumers who have smoked cigarettes in the past are known to cause health problems. Vapes allows consumers to stop smoking cigarettes that have addictive chemicals. Vapes come in varies sizes and styles to fit the consumer’s needs.
Vapes made their impact on the world in 2005-2006 and since has evolved. The nicotine liquid comes in various strengthens. The most important is zero nicotine, so that former smokers are no longer addicted to the chemical.
The media backlash with vapes and the flavored nicotine products caused by the excessive usage of minors. Customers have stated vaping helped them stop smoking cigarettes.
“I have been smoking for over 20 years, tried everything out there but nothing helped until I started vaping,” one customer stated.
This customer was desperate to try something after being diagnosed stage one lung cancer.
“Now that I have finished my chemo and beat the cancer, I can not even take the smell of cigarette smoke. It makes me sick.”
Juul is a very popular brand of e-cigarettes. Juul is small, portable, low maintenance but has caused the most backlash in the media. Though consumers report they like the discretion of the Juul, they do agree that they should not be accessible to children.
Corporate sources who do not wish to be identified have stated that they are in full corporation with the FDA plans to accommodate this unfortunate mishap.
Company sources state that here soon consumers will not be allowed to purchase fruit-flavored pods from retail stores, only online. Sources also state that there will be further verification of age (must be 21) to purchase such pod flavors online.
If the FDA does decide to ban all flavored nicotine products, this could result in consumers going back to cigarettes and health problems.
“I vape the fruit-flavored liquid because it does not remind of a cigarette,” a customer stated.
The menthol and tobacco flavor liquid resembled too much of a cigarette and they would be tempted to go back to smoking cigarettes.
One benefits of vaping is that though some of the liquid does contain nicotine, it does not have the toxic chemicals, tobacco and other additive chemicals, like a regular cigarette. These same ingredients have been proven to cause lung cancer, lung problems and even heart disease.
Vaping also allows consumers to get off of nicotine overall with zero nicotine liquids. This allows consumers to cut down on their nicotine strengths while simultaneously fulfilling the illusion of smoking a cigarette. This benefit also helps smoker alleviate nicotine withdrawals and the resulting side effects.
Vaping is also inexpensive. In Georgia, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is $6.39. According to Motley Fool, consumers will spend on average $2,332 in one year on cigarettes.
Vape consumers also report they do not have a lingering cigarette odor in their hair, nails, clothes, home, and car.
“I am a new father. It kills me that if I smoke a cigarette I can not be around my daughter until I shower and change my clothes that is why I stopped smoking cigarettes.”
Now that he is vaping, he does not have to worry about producing secondhand smoke that could harm his daughter.
One customer even stated that after leaving the army and being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, better known as PTSD, he was smoking 3-4 pack of cigarettes in a week, but turned to vaping and it helped soothe him more that a cigarette did.
Though there are plenty of benefits of vaping instead of smoking cigarettes, there are still some problems with of vaping. The downside of vaping is you are still using an addictive chemical nicotine that can still have some health risks, such as heart disease.
Consumers that vape zero nicotine liquid will not have to worry about those health risk. Also, vaping has not been proven to help consumers stop smoking cigarettes.
The most important problem is that is middle and high school children vaping nicotine, thus causing the vaping industry a bad reputation and FDA’s involvement to put restrictions.
The intention of vaping and e-cigarettes was not to look cool doing it in a school setting, or even for minors to start using the addictive chemical. But the ultimate goal is to stop more than 480,000 smoke-causing deaths in the United States, according to the CDC.
The story concludes to vape or not to vape. The answer is very simple. If you have never smoked cigarettes before why start now and vape? Vape was invented and designed for former smokers to stop smoking cigarettes and cut back on nicotine as a whole.
By Jamila Bell
Having a baby is one of the most exciting things for couples. There is so much planning that goes into bringing a child into the word. Parents have to think about baby names, daycare options, first words and other milestones that come with a growing child.
In recent years, gender reveals have become a popular event with expecting parents. This event is a gathering of family and friends, similar to a baby shower minus the gifts. During the party, there is a dramatic unveiling of the gender of the baby with different colors and other socialized gender markers.
Generally, doctors can identify the gender of the fetus between 13 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. Many parents are excited to find out the gender of their child as soon as possible to start planning for baby shower ideas and clothing.
The binary of gender consists of a boy and girl, which is determined by the genitalia of a child at birth or in the womb.
What if there was a third option for gender at birth? Starting January 1, 2019, that option becomes a reality. The New York City Council and Board of Health has voted to include a third gender option on birth certificates. The gender “X” is to break the gender binary and offer more inclusivity.
This decision has caused many discussions throughout social media and other news platforms. There is a lot of confusion behind this decision and many people wonder what the purpose of a third gender is.
Gender is a social construct that operates on a spectrum. Gender has traditionally been seen as an identification of sex, decided by anatomical markers. An article in genderspectrum defines gender as a “complex interrelationship between three dimensions: Body, identity and expression.”
People are socialized to align with the gender they are assigned at birth. From the time parents are told the gender, they begin to groom their child based on social norms and standards.
I got a chance to speak to “Angel” (they do not wish to be identified). Angel is intersex and uses the pronouns they/them. Someone who is intersex has ambiguous genitalia and with that, it can sometimes blur the lines of the gender of a person.
Angel says “When I was born, the doctors notice that my clitoris was enlarged and resembled a penis. They told my parents in order for me to live a normal life I should get a circumcision. Thankfully, my parents opted out of the unnecessary surgery and allowed me to develop naturally.”
Angel presents as female but has internal testes which produce high levels of testosterone. They (Angel) don’t feel as if female pronouns properly depict their identity. “I use they/them pronouns because that’s what fits best. Physically I look more feminine, but I just don’t feel like that’s who I am. I also don’t completely identify with the idea of what a man is, I’m just me. I don’t subscribe to any specific gender role. That’s why I consider myself to be non-binary, or gender non-conforming,” Angel says.
In 2019, New York will have the third gender as a viable option on birth certificates. The legislation will also allow a person to change their gender marker without a doctor’s note or health care affidavit.
The push for inclusivity has been an ongoing struggle with many different communities. In 2015, President Obama granted legislation for the legalization of same-sex marriage. This sparked massive support from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Within that community, people still fight for equality. Gender identity is a complex discussion and can be quite confusing.
“People are assigned gender at birth, but it doesn’t always align with their identity as they grow up. I think adding this third gender will give people a chance to allow their kids to become who they want to be without the pushed on societal standards,” Angels say.
For the trans community, this is a big win. Someone who is transgender identifies with a gender that they were not assigned at birth.
During the transitioning period, some people go through intense legal difficulties. Trans people tend to change their name, pronouns and sometimes genitalia to comfortably fit into their preferred gender category.
Toby Adams, an executive director of Intersex and Genderqueer Recognition Project, did an interview with ABC News. He said, “It’s really damaging legally and psychologically to have your gender identity misidentified, and there are so many places where we have to show our ID.” 
Inclusivity is about intentionally including people who usually marginalized. New York led with the legislation, but others are following. Massachusetts also advocates for adding gender X as an option when applying for a driver’s license. The option became available in November of 2018.
Gender identity is being pushed to the forefront of LGBTQIA+ rights. This legislation has sparked many conversations. It brings visibility to people in this community.
Gender X may just be the beginning. There are more than two genders and the conversation of identity continues to grow.
“Gender,” as we know it, may become a thing of the past, considering it is a social construct. There will always be room for interpretation and adaptation.
By Heather Fillingham
The holiday season, beginning at the end of October, brings excitement, joy, and the opportunity to go all out on the decoration of both our homes and ourselves. To match the festivities of the season, Americans rush to stores and their online shopping accounts to fill their coffers with seasonal necessities.
Halloween is the time of year when the ghouls come out and the glitter goes on! With tons of fun parties, events, and don’t forget trick or treating, the glitter makeup trend is a great way to make a spooky statement.
According to The National Ocean Service, “plastic is the most prevalent type of marine debris found in our ocean and Great Lakes, and defines micro plastics as any plastics that are less than five millimeters in length.”
When searching for that perfect sparkly accent for your next Halloween costume, consider the environment and shop a bit eco-friendlier! Some companies are turning to the use of lentils and eucalyptus tree compounds to create a completely biodegradable alternative to traditional micro plastic glitters. These products are easily sourced online, create the exact same effect, and are rather comparable in regard to price!
Thanksgiving is a warm time associated with bringing family and friends together around a table bursting with the quintessential dishes of the holiday. From turkey, ham, roasted potatoes, casseroles galore, to the plethora of dessert options that are known to grace the table, Thanksgiving is a holiday of giving thanks in the form of digestible abundance.
What many consumers fail to consider as they stock their shopping carts with the items necessary to prepare their feast, is the overwhelming amount of food that is wasted every year in the United States. According to the USDA, it is estimated that “American consumers waste about one-fifth of food that is available to them, equivalent to about $371.00 per person annually. That’s enough money to buy about 21 whole turkeys for each person in the country.”
Consider making small changes to decrease your family’s food waste footprint this Thanksgiving. Avoid making too much food by creating an appropriate meal plan for the number of people at your dinner. Don’t fret if you still have an abundance, leftovers can be frozen and enjoyed for up to one year! If you don’t feel like freezing your food, consider paying it forward to the firefighters serving at your local fire station or giving to those in need.
As the weather gets colder, Thanksgiving gives way to the bright and jolly holiday of Christmas. Christmas trees adorn living rooms, and twinkling lights dress both the trees and the outside of homes and buildings across the country.
A car dealership just north of Atlanta – Photographs by Heather Fillingham
Though an integral part of the festivities in our country, Christmas lights have a detrimental effect on both your health and the health of the environment.
According to the International Dark Sky Association, “in an average year in the U.S. alone, outdoor lighting uses about 120 terawatt-hours of energy. That’s enough energy to meet New York City’s total electricity needs for two years!”
They illuminate front yards with holiday cheer, but Christmas lights tend to have more of a blinding effect on the natural environment. The IDSA additionally states that artificial lights disrupt the world’s ecosystems by radically altering their nighttime environment by turning night into day.
Though those “Christmas with the Kranks” style homes can be a cheerful part of the holiday festivities, consider decreasing the number of lights on the outside of your home, or at the very least, turn them off before you and your family go to bed.
Professor Ellis Adams, a geography professor at Georgia State University, suggests that consumers educate themselves about the products they’re purchasing, and take a moment to consider the overall impact of their consumer habits.
“The key point [there] is about consumption, and the ignorance. I think ignorance is a very important word here that sometimes consumer habits on consumption, it’s not even on their radar in terms of how much these habits actually lend to the environment,” states Ellis.
“Think about what goes into a just a simple product, and all the different facets. So it’s not only the waste that it generates, but what may have gone into the production. How far would it have traveled, a lot of this may be important. For example, what are the implications with greenhouse gas? Greenhouse gas is [produced] through the transportation of the product.”
The holiday season is a time for celebration, and small changes in our consumer behavior can have a huge impact. Lead by example during the holidays by practicing conscious consumerism, and embrace a healthier and more environmentally friendly way of celebrating your favorite holidays!
The Endangered Species
By: DeAndre Bowman II
Just as panthers are an endangered species in the jungles of their natural habitat, they are also an endangered species here in the concrete jungles of downtown Atlanta. Georgia State University is a Division I-A school in downtown Atlanta. At a number of other D-I university the students take pride in all of their sports teams and go to the games in droves to cheer them on, but why not at Georgia State?
In 1913, Georgia State University first opened up as a commuter school. This means that they had no on campus living for the students. The students had to get to the school by either driving, catching the bus or any other form of transportation. Also, at this time the school did not have any sport programs at the school. So, the students only came to the school for class and that is pretty much it. In 1963-64 Georgia State Athletics decided to compete in Division I sports. Then in 1974-75-woman sports were added to the school. That means the school was without sports for 50 years and without women’s sports for 61 years. On top of that the university didn’t get a football program until 2010, meaning that the program is only in its eighth year of existence. The programs are fairly young compared to the other Division 1-A teams across the country who have had their sports programs since the early 1900s.
Georgia State student Blane Cannon gave his opinion on why he thinks students don’t attend athletic games.
“I believe that some students don’t attend some of the games because they don’t think that we are good in sports. Also, because they don’t see us playing some of the other big schools that they see play on TV so they automatically assume that we are just bad. I know it sounds dumb but that is what I think. I also think that they don’t attend games because since we live in downtown Atlanta there is always something that the students think is technically ‘better’ then going to the sports events such as big parties, concerts or even something as simple as the tailgate.”
The rumor of sports teams being bad at Georgia State lingers around the campus like flies around trash. In the first seven years of the football programs has been to not one, but two bowl games, even won one of them. In only seven years that is a huge accomplishment. The men’s basketball team has been to the NCAA tournament numerous of times, even to as deep as the third round. They even have a few conference championships under their belt. Among all sports at Georgia State they have a total of 45 conference championships and 23 NCAA tournament appearances.
The majority athletes on the campus feel a bit disappointed when they are about to play the game and they see very few fans and a lot of empty seats in the stands.
Georgia State football wide receiver Penny Hart said, “I really don’t like that a lot of the students do not come to the games for us or even any other sport. I mean its not like we are a bad school at sports, we are actually pretty competitive and pretty good. It makes home games difficult because sometimes the opposing team would bring more of their own fans to the games then what we would have in the stands. This makes it incredibly hard for us to create this thing called ‘home field advantage.’ I want us to have the type of student section and fan base that makes other schools that have to play us be a little discouraged because they know how loud and intimidating our fans are. Like think about schools like LSU, Alabama or even UGA. None of those schools ever have the problem that we are having. Even when they are having a bad season the students still go cheering to the top of their lungs to cheer on their home team because they know that they need it. I just want to have a full stadium for all of our sports teams.” 
As for majority of the other athletes they feel the same way as their fellow athlete Penny Hart feels. The spread the news about their games to the student body everywhere and campus. What else does it take?
Georgia State student Jayla Cooper gave her opinion on what it would take for them to get more students to the game and she said, “I honestly don’t know what else you guys would have to do. Maybe the athletes can come out and make a statement personally asking the students to come to the game and how important it is for them to be there. Maybe after they do that they would start coming to the games.”
The student body is an endangered species at Georgia State sporting events. Something needs to be done to ensure that they increase to deafening numbers.
Unexpected martyrs
How art majors navigate the tricky field for the benefit of society
By: Narah Landress
“How do you get an art major off your front porch? You pay for the pizza!”
This is a common joke about art majors and merely one of many, despite the fact that art has been a major part of societies worldwide throughout history. While there is no denying its solid position over time, jokes like these get to the heart of the debate surrounding art. This debate looks at the degree of art’s value to society, particularly as academic concentrations in colleges.
Some, like Bill Gates, say its value falls lesser than other fields, particularly STEM. He has spoken about the importance of and pushed investments in STEM and STEM education in the past.
Others, like former competitor Steve Jobs, have said art and art education is not only as important as science and technology, but an integral part of it. Jobs even claimed a typography class he took in college was a major part of the success of the MacBook computer.
Jobs’ success digs right into the heart of all the jokes, ridicule and often quite sound arguments against liberal arts degrees, particularly visual and performing arts degrees.
A study here showed that only 10 percent of those who graduate with an art degree actually go on to work as an artist for a living.
Another article by the Guardian looked at the reality of the average artist, who typically also has a day job in the midst of an the unstable art field, and is loaded down with student debt.
Others argue, though, if an individual is willing to work with the instability and knows the market, they can be successful.
Here we look at what some local artists who are doing just that.
This is Nick Jones, an illustration major at Savannah College of Art and Design’s Atlanta campus.
“The common thing among the people who say that going into my field isn’t financially smart is that they don’t know how lucrative the illustration business can be,” Jones said.
Other local art majors Breckon Chastain and Olivia Cambern agree.
“Anyone who says being a film major or an art major is ‘financially unsound’ knows nothing about the art industry,” says Cambern, who is a double major in film and creative writing at Georgia State University.
Chastain, an intended-graphic design major at the University of Georgia, says, “The market for graphic design jobs is really high. There’s always a need for them.”
They also recognize that the field is still a bit finicky and that hard work will have to make up that difference.
“I got a lot of negative feedback from friends and certain family members. I was told that it was too hard. But honestly, what doesn’t require hard work?” says Jones.
Cambern has been working hard not only in the classroom but outside of it as well.
“As a freshman, I was able to start working as a freelance video editor for clients around Atlanta with a skill I taught myself,” she said. She developed this skill using sites
like YouTube and through old fashioned, earnest practice.
According to artist and professor F. Scott Hess at Laguna College of Art and Design, these are some of the most important factors in turning an art school degree into a successful career.
“Ignore networking and an art career is nearly impossible,” Hess says. Drive, he says, is the most important factor.
“You have got to want it above all else, work like a demon, absorb defeat, be able to live on nothing, expect no praise, suffer like a martyr, and then maybe, with some luck, you will make a career of it.”
Some feel this isn’t enough, though, particularly when considering art as a degree. Bryson Eller, a former photography major at Georgia State University, recently changed his major to media entrepreneurship.
“Costs weigh more than gain in the art major I was in,” says Eller.
Eller wants to one day have his own photography business, but doesn’t necessarily believe a photography major is the best way to get him there.
While many working artists out there did get degrees in their medium, there are many who did not. An art degree may give an upper hand on a resume and connections to people in that particular field, but it can also lead to mountains of debt. This debt can be particularly hard to pay back when going into a field where the pay can be unreliable.
Eller plans to work around this through his new major that studies the business end of his field, as well as work with advertisers when he begins developing his photography business.
Hopefully, these factors will be enough to curb the mounting debt as well as allow him to utilize the benefits and networking of college.
One thing all these artists have in common, though, is a passion for their
mediums and a desire to use them to better the world in ways only art can, including an outlet for personal expression, the challenging of cultural norms and the ability to provide perspective into the reality of others.
“I want to be able to tell stories about intersections between identities and people, about all the in between spaces modern media tends to overlook,” says Cambern.
By: Taye L. Bronner
College is an experience that many remember for the rest of their lives. However, how does the college experience shape a student into adulthood?
Many do not realize what can go into a university experience. Depending on the current sociopolitical climate on a college campus, a student’s views can vary greatly. Students’ interests are a combination of their friends and the times.
So how does campus life at Georgia State in the past compare to the present in terms of sociopolitical climate?
“I was in school from the fall of 1995 until now, actually,” Lynn Spearman said. “Students from all walks of life are here on campus now and that is great. We had diversity when I was a freshman too, but it is nothing like it is today.”
Spearman graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, but went back to school at the University of Arizona to study sociology. Her memories of her college experience were relatable, yet different from what most students experience today.
“I think, politically speaking, that students have voiced way more concerns on social issues and the rights of marginalized people today compared to the activism I saw in school,” Spearman said. “I also believe that we live in a fast-paced era due to technology, of course. [Georgia] State definitely has not changed the lack of diverse faculty to match their vastly diverse student body and that is my only problem that irritates me to this day and I was a freshman over a decade ago.”
Spearman was not far off with the racial division amongst faculty. In 2016, Georgia State University posted an excerptfrom a New York Times Article that briefly discussed the racial bias among faculty positions and low graduation rates that the institution carried. Despite the article being positive in terms of uplifting the institution’s academic success, how has Georgia State changed its racial diversity amongst faculty? How do interactions between students of various backgrounds occur now?
Blair Hudson, a 20-year-old biochemistry major, gave his perspective on campus life at the university.
“In my experience here, I feel like there is still so much confusion around racial identity and respecting cultures,” Hudson said. “It is so much diversity at State, but I think the diversity is only seen through one type of perspective. There definitely needs to be more diverse faculty to really bring inclusivity into the campus without it feeling forced and ingenuine.”
With politics and social issues influencing relationships between students on campus, other factors also come into play.
Music, television and fashion serve as the biggest influences in popular culturefor our society. While television and fashion have their own impact on a college campus, music is a language that everyone connects with no matter where they come from.
So how does musical influence on Georgia State’s campus affect student interaction? Both students from the university had a similar viewpoint on the effects of a particular genre amongst students?
“For my generation we had so much pop[music]. Destiny’s Child, Blaque, Spice Girls, Britney [Spears],” Spearman said. “Really it was a lot of 2000s music, but on campus you could hear all types. They would always play hip-hop tracks at parties and sports events though, and usually everyone always knew the words. I always found that interesting because while we all connected as a student body, I think non-black people of color thought they were cool for knowing about hip-hop music. It gives you an insight that while some things that you’ve always connected with may seem normal, to others it gives some type of edge.”
“Rap is definitely the rock and roll of today and it shows at every college party,” Hudson said.” When you walk in all you hear is [Lil} Uzi, Kanye [West], or an unknown rap artist. It does not matter what type of crowd is at a party or even where it is being held, hip-hop still has a presence there. That is how you know that not only do people connect with it but that it somehow is defining a generation.”
In terms of what makes a college experience one to remember, there are various things that could come to someone’s mind. Outside of academic success, what things do students take away from life on campus?
“For me, I think the most important thing I gained as a student was not prioritizing traditional success,” Spearman said.” I realized that regardless of how many times you study for that test or outline that paper to a ‘T’ that you still will fall short sometimes. You have to live with your shortcomings just as you would your accomplishments.”
For Hudson, the influence to finish his undergraduate career came from prioritizing self-sufficiency.
“Understanding that you can make time to do all the things that you need to do is what got me through,” Hudson said. “Every time I felt myself gaining too much free time, I made sure that I utilized that time by doing something productive. It’s how I made sure all my assignments got done too. College isn’t hard, it is literally about time management.”
The college experience is different for everyone. With graduation season approaching next year, it will be interesting to see what pushes students to their next destination.
Georgia State University is an Atlanta Based college.
By Jacqueline Gomez
PART I: THE CREATOR
What’s your idea of futuristic fashion? For Atlanta-based designer Mairig Fesshaye the future of fashion isn’t just about creating entirely unique garments, but facilitating a “transformative” experience for her buyer. Fesshaye, who describes herself as a “multi-disciplinary artist,” utilizes her sculpture background to create her trademark, texture-driven designs. Her brand, EUKONO, which translates to “infinite possibilities” in her native language, Tigrigna, couldn’t be more fitting. From juxtaposed silhouettes to mind-bending narratives, Fesshaye stays true to her brand, illustrating the endless avenues of fashion. It’s hard to imagine the 27 year old learned to sew only four years ago, after enrolling in Atlanta’s SCAD campus. “My time at SCAD gave me the ability to translate my background in 3-D manipulation into wearable art,” she says.
After its 2017 debut, Fesshaye’s second capsule, CELLULAR, sparked some interest from the European fashion circuit. Suddenly, Fesshaye found herself immersed in Amsterdam’s coveted couture scene, which seemingly overnight would inspire her next four staple installments or capsules.
PART II: THE PROCESS
For Fesshaye, EUKONO is more than just a brand, it’s a constantly evolving embodiment of humankind. The brand’s avant-garde motif, combined with Fesshaye’s textile manipulation, creates artistic, yet wearable garments. Though each of the capsules vary in size and style, SYSTEMS consistently keeps one centralized theme: process. Fesshaye specifically uses human evolution to demonstrate each piece’s effect on the next. Though the intersection of existence and fashion seems incomprehensible to some, EUKONO combines the two to create single-standing garments that also tell a greater story. Take her sophomore capsule, CELLULAR, for instance. The capsule was inspired by the four stages of mitosis: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase— the earliest stages of human development. Fesshaye recognizes the significance of process in both fashion and life, saying, “The process is so crucial to me as a designer, but also as a person. The time I spend conceptualizing an idea also allows me to explore the deepest parts of my mind.”
While systematic process is nothing new to Fesshaye, a creative drought in Amsterdam brought a foreign approach to developing her next capsules.
Fesshaye describes the moment as an epiphany, saying, “I felt that my program in Amsterdam was holding me back. I was constantly thinking of my next move, but I couldn’t fully commit because of my program. Then one night, I decided I was ready to leave and focus on my brand. I called my friend Branden Collins, who’s also an interdisciplinary artist, in the middle of the night from Amsterdam and told him my idea.”
After brainstorming with Collins, a former Adult Swim creative director,the designer booked the next flight out to Los Angeles and began conceptualizing the four latest capsules of her SYSTEMS collection.
Usually, when a designer is assembling an upcoming collection, they create the garments then pair them with the models, but staying true to her innovative streak, Fesshaye did the complete opposite. She says, “Once I landed in L.A., I went straight to Branden’s and we started creating. The story came first, then I started scouting models. It was really important that I chose the models before creating their garments; they’re the muse. Once I assigned each model to their narrative, it took me about a month to construct the garments.”
PART III: THE CAPSULES
EUKONO’s third installment of SYSTEMS includes four capsules, each acting as an effect of the one before. Both Fesshaye and Collins work together to demonstrate the beginning of humanity through a symbolic journey exploring the creation and complexities of the human consciousness. The collection starts with the capsule, CHAOS, followed by VIRILITY, ARCHIVE and its finale, METAMORPHOS.
CHAOS:
CHAOS represents the creation of humankind by using two androgynous entities to represent Adam and Eve. Inspired by the chaos theory, the capsule embodies the order of the universe with disorder acting as its catalyst.
“Before the beginning of time, two deities foreshadow what’s to come. Unwittingly, it’s their curiosity that unleashes the tide of all existence. They don’t know it yet, but they are about to create the next civilization,” the designer explains.
VIRILITY:
A product of CHAOS, VIRILITY tells the story of its offspring discovering its ability to create life. Encapsulated in a beautiful, but isolated world around her, the entity represents Fesshaye’s take on womanhood.
“She holds this amazing power, but isolation sparks a sense of existentialism that a lot of women today feel,” she says, “We’re capable of so much, but our environment creates self-doubt within us.”
ARCHIVE:
The third capsule, ARCHIVE, represents how our memories and experiences as humans affect our personal growth. ARCHIVE fast forwards to the brink of human extinction, the entities are desperately collecting remnants of humanity, all fragments of a history forgotten. Fesshaye examines the importance memories carry into our daily lives, saying, “The whole collection explores what it means to be human. One of our greatest capabilities, and potential downfalls as humans, is our ability to to archive these past experiences and apply them to present day.”
Trapped in a human emporium, the entities break free from their past to reach their full potential.
METAMORPHOS:
Contrary to her collection’s aesthetic, SYSTEMS’ concluding chapter is filled with bright, metallic garments symbolizing a free, elevated entity. As humans, we are fixated on our purpose, place, and experiences in the world; breaking free from our societal expectations is demonstrated through Fesshaye’s spin on metamorphosis. METAMORPHOS is a symbolic take on leaving behind our inhibitions to achieve personal growth.
PART IV: THE FUTURE OF FASHION
It’s no surprise that a collection this intricate has already caught the eye of couture connoisseurs months before its reveal. On top of being selected as a panelist for Miami’s Art Basel, Fesshaye is also in talks with fashion curators around the world. So what’s next for the textural trailblazer?
“I’m planning on moving to L.A. later next year,” she says, “I’ve been in contact with the curator of the Hammer Museum and they want to have an exhibition featuring this latest launch.”
Fesshaye is keeping busy with finalizing this project, but she has high hopes for this upcoming year.
“I’m excited to see the reactions from these capsules,” she says. “I think its storytelling and sustainable components reflect the future of the fashion industry.”