Column

We need to end discrimination through language Language is what makes us human. Language, the driving force behind how we function today, has been the foundation of society for every human culture on Earth. Our language has developed over thousands of years to fit our needs as a species, so calling any language primitive is […]

How character assassinations absolve blame from the actual perpetrators—the police When it comes to victims of police brutality, a frequent narrative is touted: They were no angels. Victims of police brutality receive polarizing news coverage and have their reputations ruined in the courtroom. Their death is not put on trial—their life choices are. As author […]

Transgender youth and gender affirming care are not items on an agenda Next on the agenda: the livelihoods of transgender youth and the state of gender-affirming care—ploys in a culture war that when made into law, reap political benefits at the expense of those most vulnerable. Despite names like Arkansas’ Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) […]

The world’s most controversial app should continue to uphold its legacy If you’re like every other person that’s gone through 2020, you’ve either heard about, downloaded or loathed TikTok. Personally, I’m a TikTok fanatic. I’ll tell myself I want to scroll for five minutes and end up with my cornea inches from the screen for […]

If we’re going to rename things, let’s add some species names to that list too Names have been in the news a lot the past year, whether it’s complaints of cultural appropriation in business names or changing the names of schools named after confederate generals. Everything has gotten its name from somewhere, and things can […]

Take five minutes to think before you share Anyone who has spent five minutes on Instagram has seen clickbaity infographics advertising the “real” truth about social justice issues. Often, whether they’re true or not, these stories will run their course across people’s stories for a few days before disappearing. These posts spread like wildfire, but […]

In times of crisis, American identity for minorities becomes conditional We are born here, we have generations here and we have ties here. However, we are American until we are not. Scapegoating minorities during times of crisis has long been a trend in American history. Government leaders rear hateful, ill-informed rhetoric about minority communities during […]

It’s time for the Biden Administration to protect the American people from “forever chemicals,” forever Teflon. An invention as American as apple pie, it has been used in everything from coating pipes in the Manhattan Project to everyday use in kitchens to coat non-stick pans. Teflon was so popular that in the 1980s that former […]

In parallel with the pope, U.S. must address the impacts of environmental issues on BIPOC communities On Jan. 22, 2021, President Joe Biden became only the second Catholic president in history, with former President John F. Kennedy being the first. While I personally have no qualms with an Irish Catholic president named Joe, a lot […]

The Capitol riots signal the threat of extremism, leaving teenagers especially vulnerable for online recruitment All hope was yet to be lost. During a “Save America” rally on Jan 6., former President Donald Trump rang the last battle cry. Holding on to claims of election fraud and ballot harvesting, Trump’s words gave his supporters the […]

Separating anti-vaccination rhetoric from vaccine hesitancy by rightfully skeptical communities of color As misinformation chipped (and continues to chip) away at the faultline between public trust and science, the Trump administration wasted no time in causing more divisive fractures by promoting uncertainty around the effectiveness of mask-wearing and loose enforcement of stay-at-home orders. Former President […]

Gavin Newsom’s failed environmental commitments need to be addressed with actions, not words From rumors of recall to criticism about his handling of reopening the state, Governor Gavin Newsom has been in the news a lot lately. Although I wouldn’t go as far as endorsing an absolute recall, I would like to highlight Newsom’s many […]