op-ed
Addressing concerns with the recently published October issue of Reporter
Environmental Issue Editor's Note.
February Editor's Note
December Editor's Note
Regarding Food Waste and what can be done at RIT.
Refugees Helping Refugees “RHR seeks to foster the growth, self-determination, and self-reliance of Rochester’s refugee community by making them agents of their own advancement. It seeks to become a comprehensive community center providing a full range of services to its own community while also welcoming people from all cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds.”
Growing up, I too found myself enchanted by the promise of the ‘American Dream.’ White picket fence, income enough to put food on the table every night and take the family on extravagant vacations every summer. I pictured a job I loved and a spouse that cared about me more than anything. I thought if I worked hard enough, I wouldn’t have to face the same hardships I had growing up, that I could make enough here to be comfortable and that would make me happy.
The other day, I saw someone ask if there was any possible way that RIT's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) would see them again. The student met the “quota” of their psychologist appointments and still needed more help. They were struggling to find someone outside of RIT who could continue to meet with them and assist them as needed.
Injustice is more prevalent than ever.
Growing up sucks, but we did it our entire lives.
With elevated horror, you won't need to jump out of your seat to get spooked by this unique kind of cinema
It’s the end of the academic year, and I’m sitting in my house quarantined with my roommates. It’s the perfect way to cap off a perfect year, right? Yet somehow I can’t help but to be thankful, and not in some “always look on the bright side” kind of way. This is the first time all year I’ve been able to take a break — the first time I haven’t had to drive to campus and back multiple times a day.
The past year has made increasingly clear the levels of impunity enjoyed by law enforcement officials across the country. Only after national outcry do officers ever seem to see significant legal or social repercussions for their actions, and even then the trial period is often lengthy and controversial.
Show me one person who’s had a good semester. I’ll wait. Fall 2020 was always going to be difficult — we all were well aware of that when we jumped into it. But many of us didn’t have much of a choice. We could take the semester off, sure, but would it help? Spring 2021 will be much of the same, learning in a COVID-19 environment. Should students take a full year off from school? Is there any guarantee that the pandemic will significantly subside by fall 2021?
If my past is your ideal of me, I want nothing to do with that paradise.
It is unfortunate that 52 years after the Civil Rights Movement ended, we are still fighting for the civil rights of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Many of you may be aware of the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests and demonstrations across the country following the brutal killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in late May. As this summer unraveled, more names of people of color were added to the already long list of BIPOC killed at the hands of white supremacy: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and Rochester’s very own Daniel Prude. Seeing the little justice they have received speaks to the lack of value placed on the lives of Black people in this country. Each day, Black people are unfortunately treated as though they aren’t as important or as deserving of life as their white peers. The Black Lives Matter Movement, which is the primary organizer of the nationwide protests, is part of a global foundation:
The nation is in flames, quite literally. If there was ever a time to vote, now is it. I won't accept excuses.
Donate now to support wildfire relief on the U.S. West Coast!
Damn, we’ve really been through it. In less than a year the world has experienced one of the largest wildfire outbreaks in recorded history, a serious threat of an American-Iranian war, the impeachment of a U.S. president, a medical disaster on the scale of the 1918 flu pandemic, unemployment spiking to levels reminiscent of the Great Depression and one of the largest civil rights movements in American history. And here we are back in classes, caught in the middle.
When asked about college, I used to force myself to smile and celebrate the idea of moving onto great things as my friends and family expected me to. However, I was actually quite bitter. I did not want to leave behind my comfortable and safe life that I had built in my hometown for the past 18 years. I kept myself so busy that I didn’t have time to let myself acknowledge any emotions or even pursue anything that didn’t lend itself to someone else’s definition of success.
COVID-19 has practically shut down our lives. We can’t go to classes, we can’t get haircuts, we can’t go to the gym. We can barely go to the grocery store. Some people are harshly affected while others remain relatively unscathed. Jobs have been lost; the economy isn't doing well. These are unprecedented times that no one really knows how to handle.
Eating disorders are about more than just weight loss — they take everything from you.
A letter to the RIT Graduating Class of 2020, from RIT's Counseling and Psychological Services
Dear Cliches, I often rely on you to help me get my point across and craft my thoughts in relatable ways. Sometimes, I use you too much. However, while many people think you are overused, I still believe you hold valuable life lessons. For example, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” You remind me to take the challenges life hands me, learn from them and transform them into something sweet.