“What, like it’s hard?”: The Systemic Barriers to Law School Applications
Upon fictional character Elle Woods’s acceptance to Harvard law, she asks “What, like it’s hard?” Although the girl-boss icon from the 2001 film Legally Blonde is an inspiration for many, the law school application process is far from easy and laden with financial barriers. The admissions process makes it incredibly difficult for low-income students—who are […]
Invisible Man and the Twenty-First Century Black Bildungsroman
Last summer, as I processed the news of the murder of George Floyd, I felt like I could keep it together. I was eighteen; the past decade saw numerous police killings that drew national attention. I had no illusions about any of this. Yet something felt different. It might have been the sheer barbarity, the […]
The “Public” Elite
Mainstream media elitism has become the industry norm, perpetuating a system of cosmopolitan journalism that fails to achieve true diversity.
A Positive from 2020: The Overdue Modernization of American Theatre
What comes to mind when you think of going to the theatre? It might be dazzling lights, a show-stopping dance break, or the plush velvet seats of a Broadway house. Maybe it’s a more intimate setting, with a smaller space and cast. Regardless, you probably do not imagine yourself sitting alone on your couch, watching […]
Black Panther and the Erosion of Our Collective Imagination
In the weeks since I watched Black Panther, the film that, to many, reflects the magnitude of recent gains made in advancing Black representation in U.S. popular culture, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about loss in the African diaspora. About what has been gone, stolen, for centuries—to different degrees and in different ways […]
Whitewashed Feminism: The Imaginary Gender Vacuum
Feminism, defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men,” is becoming a mainstream movement. You may have heard a similar definition spoken by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie over an instrumental interlude in a hugely popular Beyoncé song. Critics and proponents of feminism […]
Janelle Monáe: Revolution Through Music
I recall casually browsing Tumblr one day and coming upon a picture of an extremely pretty black woman, button-nosed and petite, with the most fabulously coiffed pompadour afro, rocking a sharp tux and sharper cheekbones. My interest was instantly piqued, but I never really listened to her music until someone uploaded an Mp3 track from […]
Discrimination Against Minorities in Pakistan: a Look at the UDHR
December 10th, 1948 was a momentous day for human rights. The still-young United Nations (UN) unanimously, with eight abstentions, passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a 30-article guideline that promotes “universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction of race, sex, language, or […]
Voto Latino: A Profile of Latino Voters in the United States
Pandering is a time honored tradition in American politics, and the national party conventions this year are proof. The cast of speakers at the Republican National Convention were familiar: Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, and Rand Paul among others; even more impressive was the lineup of Hispanic names alongside, including Governor Susana Martinez, Governor Luis Fortuño […]
One Against All: Media Culture and Public Perception
“[Qaddafi’s death] confirms Obama’s moves regarding foreign policy; he may have a tough time with domestic, but most of his decisions internationally have been spot on—from killing Bin Laden to now the complete fall of Libya without [America] getting entangled.”[i] Media culture within the United States has become emboldened with the support of viewers and […]