The Legacy of Language
January 2, 2018
Filed under Culture
Art by Katia Rasch The Latinx identity is just as complex as Latinxs are themselves. There is no exact culture that defines them. There are 26 countries in Latin America, each with its own dialect, music, national sport, and with many other unique features. It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact La...
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
January 2, 2018
Filed under Culture
Art by Xian Eley The names of Sarah and Jamie have been changed to ensure confidentiality in this article. It's a typical Friday night at American University, and all of South Campus is getting ready for another night of regrets. A freshman from Baltimore, who will be referred to as Sarah, is give...
Unshackling BDSM Myths
January 2, 2018
Filed under Culture
Art by Claire Osborn By day Evie Lupine (due to the sensitivity of this topic, Evie has asked to be identified by her public persona not her legal name) is a career woman in a field filled with men. By night she produces videos for her YouTube channel dedicated to people interested in BDSM. Her ...
Lessons Learned at Boston’s Hempfest
Michael Karlis, Writer
October 5, 2017
Filed under Blog, Culture, Slider Feature
“Bong rips are $20, dabs are $10, and edibles are $10,” said a disheveled looking man with a long, white beard as the Grateful Dead plays on vinyl in the background. This was Hempfest. This year marked the 28th annual Boston Freedom Rally, affectionately called "hempfest" by some, on Bos...
Not Your Average Girls
March 30, 2017
Filed under Blog, Campus Life, Culture, Slider Feature
Mawal Sidi and Meriam Salem are changing the way Muslim women are portrayed in media with one weapon—a camera. Through the creation of a web-series called Not Your Average, Sidi and Salem highlight the successes and experiences of local Muslim-American women to reframe how the media portrays them. ...
Professor Profile: Ericka Menchen-Trevino on Redefining Tech with Informed Consent
January 30, 2017
Filed under Culture
Ericka Menchen-Trevino is an assistant professor in the School of Communication at American University. Her research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of political communication and digital media studies, with a focus on methodology. Before coming to work at AU, Ericka was an assistant ...
Disclaimer: An Accurate Story About Fake News
January 30, 2017
Originally published in Spring 2017, Issue 21. On Dec. 4, 2016, Edgar Welch, 28, walked into Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in D.C. and fired three shots in the restaurant. He believed Hillary Clinton was operating a hidden, child sex-trafficking ring in the restaurant. He has since plead guilty on Ma...
From Culture to Commodity: White Theft in Fashion
January 25, 2017
Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner walked the Marc Jacobs runway during New York Fashion Week, sporting metallic jackets, colorful prints and rainbow dreadlocks. Arms wrapped around each other, smiling, cameras clicked: We had a new face of cultural appropriation. It’s not just celebrities and high f...
Race in the Kitchen: The Devaluation of Ethnic Food
January 25, 2017
D.C. is becoming the city for foodies. With over 2,000 restaurants, according to the National Restaurant Association, it comes as no surprise that Bon Appétit named the city the 2016 ‘Restaurant City of the Year.’ D.C. surpassed last year's winner, San Francisco, and ahead of the infamously ...
Too Little, Too Light: Media Representation of Latinas
January 4, 2017
Filed under Culture
Originally published in Spring 2017, Issue 21. Illustrations by Maria Carrasco Infographics by Casey Chiapetta In 2015, Popsugar ran a post titled, “Kylie Jenner is Basically a Mix of All Your Favorite Latina Celebrities.” It said her style reflected stereotypical Latina fashions, like winged eye l...
A Real Game Changer: The Gamble on Social Impact Games
January 4, 2017
Filed under Culture
After returning home, your house is empty. Your family is gone. You move from room to room, piecing together what happened while you were away. This is the premise of Gone Home, a social impact mystery game that explores topics like LGBTQ+ representation and domestic abuse. Players of both popular...
Female Bodybuilders Raise the Bar: GIRL POWER
May 9, 2015
Filed under Culture, The District
This is not what she signed up for, the spotlight brightly shining down, glistening off her bikini, as she struts flirtatiously. She is playing up a persona that judges appreciate, a game of pageantry in the name of health and fitness. Lauren Hinkel, 22, is a bodybuilder. She is a junior at ...