Identity

  • Coming Out as Trans and Finding a Role Model in Myself

    June 15, 2017 /

    Above: Just like the beautiful sunset amidst a storm, Alice’s story is about finding beauty in the life you’re living no matter what. Photo by Alice Herrera.  By Alice Herrera I had sweaty palms and shaky hands as I walked into the room. Read More

    acceptance  family  gay  lgbt  life  merced  role models  spotlight  trans woman  transgender  
  • Merced Schools Are Punishing Students Who Don’t Fit Gender Norms

    April 22, 2017 /

    Unfortunately, there are many situations in schools throughout the country where students are discriminated against because of what they wear, who they love, and who they are. These students are bullied and they are humiliated, resulting in both physical and emotional scars that will haunt them for a long while. It’s very upsetting to see schools turn away from the kind of progress made in recent years when it comes to things like LGBTQ+ rights and gender stereotypes. More and more, students are again becoming afraid, keeping their identities and their views in the shadows.

    LGBT issues  LGBT Students  Muerced Union High School district  school  spotlight  students  
  • Corrupted Adolescence

    April 3, 2017 /

    The kids of this new neighborhood only cared about his street credibility: where he was from and what drugs he took. Teachers only cared about his prior education and how his grades were above average. This boy will refuse to make friends and keep to himself, focusing strictly on education. Until mom's too busy working to notice his 3.0 grade point average or achievements. The boy then realizes he has no achievements, or friends. His grades don't bring that release of dopamine anymore. His teenage mind is his worst enemy.

    growing up in Merced  merced  Merced youth  spotlight  youth  youth disengagement  youth investment  
  • Women’s Studies and the Future of America

    March 14, 2017 /

    Did you know that during the American Revolution a sixteen-year-old named Sybil Ludington rode twice as far as Paul Revere in stormy weather to deliver the message that the British troops were on their way? Ludington has received little to no recognition in history classes while Paul Revere is a household name.

    education  feminism  school  spotlight  women's rights  Women's studies  
  • Reversing the Stigma Around Continuation Schools

    March 13, 2017 /

    Students at Yosemite do the same work as students at non-continuation schools like Golden Valley or Merced High. The only major difference I noticed was Yosemite students don’t receive homework. I think this might be for the better - and a study by Concordia University showed that homework does not help students effectively in just about any way.

    continuation school  education  school  spotlight  students  Yosemite High School  youth  
  • Amid Fears of Trump, Undocumented Students at UC Merced Find Courage to Speak Out

    December 1, 2016 /

    “I think a lot of people don’t really know what DACA is. People think [Trump] can’t really do anything about it, but they don’t really understand the difference between an executive order and the law,” she said. “He can literally just take that piece of paper and throw it in the trash and that will be it. It won’t mean anything anymore.” Fear of a Trump presidency is in fact prompting many to shy away from applying for the program or from renewing their paperwork out of fear their information will be used by the government to initiate deportation proceedings against them.

    DACA  immigration  Politics  spotlight  uc merced  undocumented  Undocumented students