Written by Ally Brodmann In just the last few decades, rising temperatures have worsened extreme weather events, chunks of ice in the Antarctic have broken apart and wildfire seasons are months longer. Climate change is an on-going issue but has become even more prevalent in the last year. The People’s Climate Movement was led by sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg. It is happening right now and people like Thunberg are showing that this generation can make a difference, despite her young age. She led a youth climate strike on Sept. 20, 2019, that included over 150 countries. Each person can lend a helping hand in keeping the environment clean. Assistant…
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Speak Your Silence: Finding the courage to share your story
Written by Sophia Silvester “I was nineteen years old at the time, and I went to a party at my friend’s house,” Cheyenne wrote, anonymously sharing her story on the Speak Your Silence blog. “I knew maybe three people there, and even then, I did not know them very well. I ended up enjoying myself and drank a bit. I needed a little space, so I sat on a couch away from everyone when an older man sat with me. He was immediately physical… I said I was uncomfortable, and he responded with, `Don’t worry about it.’ At that point, I stopped fighting.” Cheyenne’s story is not uncommon. According to…
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Behind the Screens: Media Literacy in Modern Society
Written by Eliza Lee I am in my room jamming out to some tunes and immediately, my phone, watch and computer screens alike, receive a flurry of notifications, all competing for my attention. In the span of a minute I am invaded with a surge of information; Emails, news alerts, social media notifications, texts and Canvas messages litter my home screen. As I glance at each one of these bits of communication, my ears pick up more incoming sounds and more notifications pop on my screen, continuously taking my attention off of my previous task. How do I navigate this endless flurry of distractions? Let’s find out. Our attention is…
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When Food is the Enemy
Written by Addi Freheit The Attack There is nothing unusual about the evening Noelle Axe sits down with her family for dinner. On the menu is a delicious spread of salmon, rice and salad— a meal her family has shared countless times before. And yet, nearly twenty minutes after eating, Axe texts her boyfriend to let him know that she is feeling unwell and cannot FaceTime him as she intended. The burning begins in her stomach but spreads to her jaw and ears. The Benadryl does not ease the pain and in another twenty minutes, Axe’s jaw stiffens and locks up, her entire body breaks into red, angry hives and…
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What’s the Point: A Reflection on Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Written by Eliza Lee Author’s note: I acknowledge the topic of sexual assault is often repeated, cliche or in general incorrect. However, I am not here to talk about my own story of sexual assault. I am aware of the depravity left after encounters of assault and even more aware of how listening to another “survivor” can do nothing for healing. But for those of you reading this who have also been impacted, I pray you know how deeply validated and whole you are and that this is a journey that will never end for you, but you will grow to appreciate yourself because of it. The first time I…
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Visual Listeners: The Importance of Sign Language in the Modern Church
Written by Laney Ribota Cassie has an outgoing and lovable personality, which she expresses through her dancing, drawing, and chatting with people in the grocery store. She loves learning about the Lord, but has one problem. None of the churches in her area provide sign language during the service. This deaf 12 year old solely relies on reading lips and sign language to communicate. God made her this way — special, loving, kind and strong — yet she yearns to listen in church and join in worship with other believers. However, she regularly feels excluded from the body of Christ because American Sign Language is slowly being offered less and…
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Small businesses pursue representation
Written by Rose Borrero “They say the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice, I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots,” – Tupac Shaku Winding down the streets of Inglewood, going past the Skittle-colored houses done in Spanish adobe style, past the corner markets and bodegas with signs stating, “Milk, Eggs, and Liquor,” bopped a festival celebrating Black History Month. It was nestled neatly in a predominantly Afro-Caribbean neighborhood, bragging of African and Jamaican food, niche afro-centric shops, and hair salons. Despite the abrupt windiness and the looming threat of rainfall, an entire block was lined with Black-owned businesses, natural food stands, and musicians and artists…
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Ted Talk: Color blind or color brave?
Written by Jana Eller In this Ted Talk, finance executive Mellody Hobson explores the difference between colorblindness and color bravery and how such bravery can improve businesses, companies, and lives. Using statistics and data revealing the environment of many board rooms across America, she explains how colorblindness ignores a problem, rather than addresses it. For example, despite white men taking up 30 percent of the population, they hold 70 percent of board seats across thousands of companies. “Imagine if you walked into a room and it was of a major corporation… and every single person around the boardroom were black, you would think that were weird. But if I walked you into…
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Prada: Bridging The Gap Between Vintage And Modernity
Written by Sarah Elizabeth Jones PRADA, South Coast Plaza, CA—Curving glass windows and glass columns adorn the Prada storefront. A pale, fluorescent green light glows from within. Mirrors line the edges of tables and shelves: it is a place of reflection, of self-remembrance, for Prada orients itself towards fostering the individuality of its clientele. Being couture, its clientele are generally individuals of the elite, yet as I walked through Prada, looking at the pieces almost as if in a museum, I realized its audience is not its clientele—its audience is every individual with an eye and appreciation for artistry. The storefront is reminiscent of a mod style—retro, yet modern. From…
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Washing Out Hollywood’s Whitewashing
Written by Jubilee Pham With the release of Marvel’s latest blockbuster “Doctor Strange” the term “whitewashing” has appeared in numerous examples of headlines alongside social media posts concerning the film’s casting choices. Tilda Swinton’s acting really isn’t relevant to the race/whitewashing issues of Doctor Strange. Like there aren’t good Asian actors? Sheesh. — Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (@Hello_Tailor) November 6, 2016 doctor strange had so many opportunities to be a superhero movie with asian leads but here we are with eggs benedict and tilda swinton — Trang Dong (@tranganhdong) November 6, 2016 The issue also concerns the live-action adaptation of the manga series and anime “Ghost in the Shell.” Most recently, the…
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“But You’re a Girl”
Written by Rachel Bicha “But you’re a girl.” “We just need some strong boys to help us move this table.” “You’re so thin.” “Have you gained weight?” “You’re so emotional.” “You’re so serious.” “You seem angry. Are you on your period right now?” “Have you found any boys yet at college? Are you dating someone?” “So, tell me about your boyfriend. You are dating someone, right?” “I think boys would be more interested if you weren’t so intimidating.” “Are you sure you’re not gay?” They say words are less weighty than sticks and stones but I beg to differ. Words are weighty. They carry the weight of a dozen ideas.…
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The Intersection of Sacred and State
Written by Heather Pape When it comes to politics, Christians are all extremely staunch, conservative Republicans – right? The world operates under this assumption, but Christian ideas, especially about the role of the church in society, do not fit neatly into just one category. Many would argue that the Christian worldview allows for both Democratic and Republican views. The difference in opinion lies with whom is responsible for certain issues – the church or the government. According to junior political science major Shaefer Bagwell, a self-proclaimed Christian Democrat, the liberal position is justified by the biblical mandate to take care of the poor and downtrodden, the widow and the orphan.…
