Diversity and Inclusion Are Too Important to Be Trivialized
Photo by greatdegree. On August 20, University of Southern California (USC) business professor Greg Patton lectured to his “Communication for Management” class on presenting information effectively. He explained that filler words are culturally specific and based on one’s native language. Patton stated: “like in China, the common word was ‘that, that that that that,’ so […]
A Letter to My Brother
Illustration by Emily Rubin (Business Administration 2022) In 1965, African American author James Baldwin took part in a debate at Cambridge University against William F. Buckley, founder of National Review and staunch opponent of the Civil Rights movement. They discussed whether “the American Dream is at the expense of the American Negro.” I often come […]
Live Art in a Pandemic: The Federal Government’s Responsibility to Theatre
For as long as we have existed, humans have created theatre. There is no universal definition, but the word “theatre” comes from the Greek verb “theasthai,” meaning to behold. It’s a place where an audience comes together to watch a live performance. This storytelling tool has been present in every country and culture throughout history. […]
Returning to Pride’s Intersectional Protest Roots
The Stonewall Riots of June 1969, one of the major turning points leading to the gay liberation and modern LGBTQ+ rights movements, was a multi-night rebellion against the police. Black trans women of color, namely Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, were central figures at Stonewall and in the movement it sparked. In fact, […]
Your Arguments Against TERFs Are Missing the Point
On June 6, amid a global pandemic, J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, took to Twitter to air her grievances about an article concerning menstrual health hygiene in a “post-COVID-19 world.” Rowling’s initial tweet made a point about the lack of the word “women”: Despite immediate backlash, Rowling doubled down on the rhetoric, […]
How a Lack of Diversity in Genetic Research is Holding Us Back
The dawn of genetic testing has allowed scientists to see patients’ entire DNA sequence and identify any changes in that sequence that could cause disease. Genetic testing and sequencing is expected to become commonplace in primary care within the next few years. Genetic screening is also used in oncology and in the context of reproductive […]
Transnational Hip-hop: A Lens into Social Protest
From the heart It’s a start, a work of art To revolutionize make a change nothing’s strange People, people we are the same. Public Enemy, “Fight the Power,” Fear of a Black Planet (1990) When people first heard those lines from the unparalleled baritone of Chuck D., the frontman for the hip-hop group Public Enemy, […]
Why You Should Watch Boring News
Here’s a sampling of recent headlines gleaned from major news websites: Gigantic Cavity in Antarctica Glacier Is a Product of Rapid Melting, Study Says [1] Why the Fed Made a U-Turn: Perceived Risks to Growth Shifted [2] While E.U. tries to bypass U.S. sanctions on Iran, Trump administration amps up pressure [3] Republicans want mortgage […]
Conservatism as Narcissism
In Greek mythology, a hunter, famed for his beauty, was so captivated by his reflection in a pool of water that he literally drowned in his own self-image. The hunter’s name was Narcissus, and from it derives narcissism, the excessive love for one’s self. The story of Narcissus reveals the deadly temptation of excessive self-love, […]
The Problem with Eleanor & Park
I initially began reading Eleanor & Park because it features an Asian-American protagonist who doubles as the main love interest—a rare occurrence in popular contemporary American literature. Upon being published in 2012, the young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell received favorable reviews; it made NPR’s list of Best Books of 2013, won the 2013 Boston […]