In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, two universities dominate the cultural and academic landscape: Louisiana State University and Southern University and A&M College. Both are deeply rooted in Louisiana’s vibrant traditions, music, food, and community, but they represent very different experiences. LSU, a PWI with vast resources, and SU, a proud HBCU, each bring something powerful to the table.
While institutional support flows between them, student-level unity tells a different story. Some LSU students seem to expect SU events to cater to their tastes, rather than engaging with the culture SU is celebrating. It’s a dynamic that exposes the tension between shared space and cultural respect.
Lately, LSU students have been loud online about Southern’s decision to keep Homecoming events SU-only. The reason? Safety. Plain and simple. But instead of respecting that boundary, some LSU folks took it as a personal slight, like SU was gatekeeping the party. But here’s the thing: Homecoming at Southern isn’t just an event. It’s a cultural reset. It’s where we celebrate our legacy, our people, and our space. It’s not about excluding anyone; it’s about protecting what’s ours. And when outside voices start demanding access without understanding the why, it feels less like unity and more like entitlement.
How are y’all pulling up to Southern’s Homecoming just to complain? Let’s be real, this year wasn’t our usual 100%, and yeah, the rain threw things off. But the forecast wasn’t a secret. We all knew it was coming. So why show up just to critique what SU students were still trying to make special? Even with the weather, we showed up, showed love, and kept the energy alive. That’s what Homecoming is about.
And yet, despite all the complaints, LSU students still showed up. Not just to spectate, but to tailgate, grab plates off the grill, and soak up the vibe they claim to critique. It’s ironic. Southern gets labeled the “ghetto school” of Baton Rouge, called dangerous, messy, even mocked with slurs. But when it’s convenient, suddenly our campus becomes the place to be. If SU is so beneath you, why are you here trying to force an HBCU experience into your college story? Why celebrate with us when it benefits your social life or your stomach, then turn around and degrade us the moment our water goes out, or we have to evacuate for issues beyond our control? You can’t consume the culture and disrespect the community. That’s not unity, that’s exploitation.
At the end of the day, unity isn’t just about showing up, it’s about showing respect. Southern and LSU both carry weight in Baton Rouge, and there’s room for both to thrive without one overshadowing the other. But that starts with recognizing each other’s spaces, cultures, and boundaries. If we’re going to talk about community, let’s mean it. Let’s move past performative support and into something real, where showing up comes with understanding, and where shared respect is the baseline, not the exception.
