The Lead - USLS

𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 & 𝗦𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗡 𝗝𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘

As publications (Sidlak and The Lead) and digital portfolio (Basta, Comm) from the College of Arts and Sciences, which includes the Psychology program—we believe that the protection of mental health and the freedom of the press are not in conflict; they are interdependent. Holding those in authority accountable while being courteous, grounded in truth-seeking and bold reporting, is our way of protecting the mental health of our college and the wider public who deserve the truth.

While mental health remains a legitimate concern and shapes how things are reported, we must understand that journalists are beacons of information that inform the public of what they ought to know—all guided by values of integrity, authenticity, and veracity. Guided by these values, our primary duty is aligned with the seeking of truth for the community we serve. As journalists and future media practitioners, we hold unwavering respect for an individual’s mental health, but we believe that personal well-being should function as a bridge to support, not a shield against accountability.

Restricting journalists from practicing free press and free speech all because of somebody’s mental well-being is journalism censorship disguised as sympathy. If a publication is forced to soften their blow about reporting an individual’s performance, that is not journalism anymore but a sugarcoated, fabricated act of omitting the facts. Thus, drawing the line between journalism and questioning all for the sake of somebody’s mental comfort is drawing the line between truth and the public.

To restrict journalism, then, is to restrict the public's ability to question and criticize you. It is to sever that bridge. And if somebody truly intends to serve the student body to the fullest, they must welcome the press, not silence it.

After all, journalism should not be placed in the service of compromise over the truth.

#𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: 𝗢𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀

She came to me in a dream...

She speaks to me in prose and rhyme,
She calls me in melodies,
And tells me she's known me my whole life

Text | Fawn
Layout | Arabella Baroy

#𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹: 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲

Flowers also most certainly don't bloom overnight.

Now, imagine the flower as a human being. If one does not pause and tend to themselves, how can they truly flourish, especially if that flower harbors emotions yet to be unpacked?

Text | Jasmine Anne Miranda
Layout | Joaquin Mapa

#𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱: 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗺 𝗸𝗮𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗵𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻

Ang kababaihan subong nagahatag inspirasyon sa masunod nga henerasyon nga mangin maalam, mabakod, kag mapisan.

READ THE FULL LITERARY PIECE BELOW.

Text | Sisa Zirkelbach
Visuals | Joaquin Mapa