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Author: Michael Alden

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Opinion Opinion Columns

OPINION: Running from the pandemic, or against it?

February 21, 2021February 22, 2021 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: Mass communications graduate student Michael Alden and his father ran the Skyway Bridge Run two days after the United States’ first COVID-19 case. Courtesy of Michael Alden As

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Campus News News

Former regional vice chancellor of external affairs receives official congressional record for her service to USF St. Petersburg

February 14, 2021February 15, 2021 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: Helen Levine (right) described Rep. Charlie Crist as both a teacher and a leader to her as a communications specialist. Courtesy of Michael Alden By Michael Alden Helen

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News Off-Campus News

Publix boycotted over heiress’s funding of events leading up to the Capitol riot

February 7, 2021February 8, 2021 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: The company condemned the violence at the Capitol but declined to comment on Fancelli’s actions in the statement. It claimed the actions that day aren’t reflective of the

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Campus News News

Preserving African American history through burial ground research

January 31, 2021February 1, 2021 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: The African American Burial Grounds and Remembering Project is one of 23 research projects selected for funding by a recently launched anti-racism research initiative at the university. Courtesy

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News Politics

Students react to turmoil at the Capitol ahead of inauguration

January 17, 2021January 18, 2021 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: Rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building in an effort to halt the electoral vote count in Congress and overturn the presidential election results. Courtesy of Diliff on Wikimedia

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News Politics

Florida voters pass four constitutional amendments

November 15, 2020November 16, 2020 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: Floridians voted for six amendments during the 2020 election. Aya Diab | The Crow’s Nest By Michael Alden Florida voters passed four of the six amendments to the state

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Music and Entertainment Opinion TV Review

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is a battle of wits you won’t want to miss

November 8, 2020November 9, 2020 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: Anya Taylor-Joy plays Elizabeth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. The show premiered in 2020. A second season has not been confirmed yet. Courtesy of Netflix By

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Feature Sports USF Sports

USF’s Esports program provides outlet for socialization during a turbulent semester

October 25, 2020October 28, 2020 Michael Alden

Pictured Above: USF plays against the University of Waterloo in a Rocket League match during the Collegiate Rocket League Fall 2020 tournament.  Courtesy of Antonio Gonzalez By Michael Alden While

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Recent Posts

  • Annual USFSP night walk aims to improve campus safety 
  • USFSP alumna’s anthology explores Florida’s history through fiction 
  • The Tampa Bay Journalism Project takes local news to the next level 
  • Álex Palou powers past field for dominant win in 2026 St. Petersburg Grand Prix 
  • Local driver Nikita Johnson wins Indy NXT St. Petersburg Grand Prix  

usfcrowsnest

Social media and protests are some of the main way Social media and protests are some of the main ways that people get involved in activism today. 

However, not everyone does this with selfless intention. 

Performative activism is when one involves themself with a social movement in a way that benefits them but not the movement they claim to support. 

“When it’s performative, it can come off a lot more like self-serving, or it can come off a lot more like you’re just here for the flashiness, but there’s no real work happening after,” said Harrison Lundy, the public policy director for Voices of Florida and a volunteer for 5051 Florida.  

It’s like putting on a mask, Elise Prophete, junior political science and sustainability major and Governor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s student government, told The Crow’s Nest. 

When engaging in performative activism “we’re not allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and be at risk for the things we care about,” Prophete said. “We’re not allowing ourselves to truly care about them.” 
Performative activism has the effect of boosting one’s own social credit while devaluing a social movement.

✍️Story by Julia Birdsall
The poet laureate usually holds their position for The poet laureate usually holds their position for the mayor’s term and Johnson-Greene will join a distinguished body of poets who previously held the role, including Peter Meinke, Helen Wallace, and more recently, Gloria Muñoz.  

His reaction was one of surprise and astonishment.  

“I think I began to babble something like Courage the Cowardly dog,” Johnson-Green told The Crow’s Nest.  

Johnson-Green’s experience with poetry began about eight years ago, but he still considers himself new to it. He stayed away from the art form for a long time because of the sad connotations it carried.  

This changed when he attended a poetry open mic at Studio@620, a local visual and performing arts venue in downtown St. Petersburg.  

“The walls were a passionate red, the seating was cool and raised up like a theatre, and the poets were everyday people; the oldest around sixty-three and the youngest was about seven,” said Johnson-Green.  

✍️Story by Julia Ferrara
February was a month full of fun festivities. Here February was a month full of fun festivities. Here’s a look back at all the great events that happened on and off campus.

📲 Click the link in our bio to view all the photos.
The Nascar Craftsman Truck Series came to the stre The Nascar Craftsman Truck Series came to the streets of St. Petersburg for the first time this weekend and the on-track action did not disappoint. 

Layne Riggs started the race 28th after rain cancelled the practice and qualifying sessions that were scheduled for Friday afternoon. At the end of the first 20-lap stage, he already gained 21 positions and was 7th at the beginning of the second 20-lap stage. At the end, he was first. 

However, it was a three-way battle between Riggs, Ty Majeski, and Ben Rhodes in the closing laps of the race. Riggs wasn’t sure that he’d have enough fuel to even finish the race, let alone defend against Ty Majeski who finished in second. 

Riggs held on and captured his first win of the season. The Nascar Craftsman Trucks Series picks up again on March 20 for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 in Darlington. 

📸 Photos by Makenna Wozniak and Irena Mesa | The Crow’s Nest.

#usf #usfsp #grandprix #nascar
Dom and Irena stopped by the GP Party in the park Dom and Irena stopped by the GP Party in the park and asked some questions to the drivers! 

#gpstpete #usfsp #usf  #indycar
Day 1 of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix brought pra Day 1 of the St. Petersburg Grand Prix brought practice and qualifying sessions to the downtown street course.

The Crow’s Nest will be covering the event all weekend. More coming soon.

#usfsp #usf #grandprix #gpstpete
Hearing Depeche Mode’s “Black Celebration” i Hearing Depeche Mode’s “Black Celebration” in a crowded room was something pre-graphics arts sophomore Kea Shindel never thought she would experience.  

She was raised on goth and industrial music and partakes in the style. 

“It was crazy hearing that with a room full of people that were all liking the same thing,” Schindle said. “Which I’ve never experienced before.” 

It’s an experience that many students from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg can recall — walking into The Castle for the first time and feeling like they belong.  

The Crow’s Nest decided to take students’ word for it.  

✍️ Story by Julia Birdsall
Basketball has been a recreational activity for Un Basketball has been a recreational activity for University of South Florida students at the St. Petersburg campus since 2006. Twenty years later, the courts are more often hosting pickleball.   

Over a hundred USF St. Petersburg students have played the recent phenomenon since the Pickleball Club began in 2024

Club meetings have provided students four extra hours a week to play, while basketball still shares the regular time of 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday with pickleball.   

A few students organized this semester to help USF St. Petersburg basketball reach overtime. Senior business analytics and information systems major and club president, Gabriel Lopez and his friends have considered creating the St. Petersburg Basketball Club since last April. 

We knew that USF [St. Petersburg] needed a basketball club, we wanted the courts a little later, and we want to start building a consistent community with basketball,” Lopez said. 

The club gives basketball its own four additional hours, scheduling meetings every Friday and Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.

✍️Story by Dominic Feo
Giving RHO the landlord special! If you are a stu Giving RHO the landlord special!

If you are a student and interested in submitting your art or poetry to be featured in a print issue of The Crow's Nest, please reach out to us!

🎨 Comic by Kaila McEwan

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