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Critical. Subversive. Irrepressible.

AWOL

Critical. Subversive. Irrepressible.

AWOL

Critical. Subversive. Irrepressible.

AWOL

Culture

“Bat Boy” production adapts scenes due to its content

“Bat Boy” production adapts scenes due to its content

Kate Kessler, Staff Editor February 24, 2023

A new American University Theatre Program musical debuted on Feb. 16. However, “Bat Boy” comes with a content warning.   “Bat Boy” is about a half-bat/half-boy named Edgar who tries...

Campus in Bloom: a photo essay

Campus in Bloom: a photo essay

Matheus Kogi Fugita Abrahão, Photographer December 29, 2022

Despite their small size, flowers are big subjects of study when it comes to photography. They present a variety of shapes, colors, textures and forms, but at the same time they are always overlooked...

American’s new aesthetic: National Geographic Society's gift to campus

American’s new aesthetic: National Geographic Society’s gift to campus

Construction underway for artist Elyn Zimmerman’s newly renamed sculpture.
Daniel Rosato, Staff Writer December 29, 2022

American University community members will soon see a large rock sculpture along their daily campus walk. Sudama, formerly known as Marabar, will sit in front of the Kogod School of Business, across from...

“A platform for vulnerability”: A conversation with the creators of Lumxn

The founders of this women-of-color focused magazine, recently featured by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, on the process behind its creation and how they center authenticity in their publication.
Luci Rascher, Podcaster December 1, 2020

Lumxn features the experiences of womxn of color in a raw light. The goal is to highlight people in different parts of their healing journeys through spotlighting their creative projects or telling their...

The “rise up.” photo exhibit brought the Black Lives Matter protests below ground

The “rise up.” photo exhibit brought the Black Lives Matter protests below ground

Dupont Underground's in-person and online exhibit captured the vitality and tumult of Washington's 2020 Black Lives protests in photographs.
Kayla Benjamin, Copy Editor November 1, 2020

Underneath Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle lies 15,000 square feet of underground space occupied by Dupont Underground, a nonprofit community arts organization. The front desk’s quiet music and the...

Ziyi Yuan

Boundary Breakers: Asian American Women in the film industry

Ziyi Yuan July 23, 2020
The commercial film market doesn’t provide many chances for female directors. The documentary market is more diverse than commercial films, said Jayaswal, but there is still room for improvement.
AWOL Issue 27: The Quarantine Issue

AWOL Issue 27: The Quarantine Issue

AWOL April 25, 2020

Dear reader, AWOL is pleased to bring you our 27th issue and the spring 2020 edition of our magazine. Given the global pandemic, we are publishing this semester's issue in digital format. All of our...

Mardi Gras at the Wharf 2020

Mardi Gras at the Wharf 2020

What happens when you take the celebration outside of New Orleans?
Ava Kowalski March 6, 2020

An elderly man with a voluminous golden wig and a splatter-painted green and purple suit stands on a bench. He cheers as swarms of people of every shape, size, color and age pass by him, trying to catch...

Clarissa Cheung ( far left) and other members of AASU advocacy committee introduce the “Self Care as Rebellion” event. This event took place Feb.4 on American University’s campus.

American University professor talks “pleasure activism” in campus event

Grace Vitaglione, Podcast Director February 25, 2020

American University’s Asian American Student Union debuted its advocacy committee with the “Self Care as Rebellion” event Feb. 4, where professor Sybil Williams lectured on the importance of self-care...

The mobile website for Seeking Arrangements, showing "sugar daddies" on the front page.

Advocate: Being a college “sugar baby” not so sweet

Chloe K. Li, Editor February 11, 2020

Laura Ramirez walked into a room full of other young women at a New York City conference in April 2015. College-aged women were all sharing tips about how to make more money and better connections. Unlike...

Sustainability: The New Fashion Trend

Sustainability: The New Fashion Trend

How fashion industry members in D.C. are working to create sustainable clothing.
Ziyi Yuan January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL.   Joelle Firzli, a trilingual fashion researcher and writer, is the CEO and curator of the sustainable fashion retailing brand...

Mental Borders: Mental Health Challenges in the Latinx Immigrant Community

Mental Borders: Mental Health Challenges in the Latinx Immigrant Community

Immigration status plays a large role in mental health, but barriers often prevent needed treatment.
Savanna Strott January 15, 2020

This story first appeared in the Fall 2019 print edition of AWOL. Tatiana Murillo came to the U.S. from Nicaragua at 11 years old with hopes of better opportunities and a chance to “be somebody”...

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