Posts Tagged as "spotlight"

Freeing Myself

September 13, 2016 /

Being able to stand in front of a large group of people and share my story has forever changed me. I would have never imagined that I would be able to find the courage in myself to speak up.

Open Carry Laws are Harmful in School Settings

September 6, 2016 /

If you allow students to carry firearms onto a college campus you are setting people up for harm. The college environment is filled with stress, alcohol, and peer pressure, and if you add easy access to firearms it becomes a ticking time bomb ready to explode. There is also the possibility of would-be vigilantes thinking they can stop crime with a gun. This could lead to needless deaths and incidents of cops shooting the wrong person in the crime.

Second Chances are the key to stopping Mass Incarceration.

July 30, 2016 /

My uncle was incarcerated at the age of 14 and he has never come back home. A crime landed him in the prison system right after he was released from Y.A. This is the reality of so many young people, and we are not doing enough to change this.

We’Ced Weighs in: #BlackLivesMatter & Police Brutality

July 21, 2016 /

The Black Lives Matter movement is important because it is giving a voice to people who have been oppressed, marginalized, and silenced for too long. Enough is enough. It’s time for the ‘Blue Wall of Silence’ to be torn down. This wall is what enables police brutality

Becoming a Womyn: My Experience at Sisterhood Rising

July 19, 2016 /

At camp, I wasn’t just given a definition of “woman” to absorb. I learned that being a “womyn” (as opposed to a wo-MAN) is about how I define myself, not how society defines me. Being a womyn is about taking charge of your own life.

Dear Mom, I Need You

June 30, 2016 /

I believe no child should grow up feeling unwanted, unsupported,or rejected by a parent. I do not want any person to go through what I have endured in my lifetime. I’ve known my entire life that I am different, and I've accepted it, but knowing my mom does not has really hurt me.

Undocumented America: What Lies Ahead

June 29, 2016 /

Unresponsive at first, the full impact of the decision settled in and I was devastated. I sat down and watched Univision -- they were interviewing all of the disappointed parents and Dreamers. Seeing their heartbroken faces and frustrations hit me hard. It was another blow for immigration activists. One of many received over the years.

Embracing My Voting Power

June 29, 2016 /

I was never fond of politics or the government, because I was under the impression that my vote didn’t matter. My grandfather used to tell me conspiracy theories about how every election was rigged. I refused to be part of a corrupt system.

What It’s Like to Grow Up Queer and Purepecha

June 29, 2016 /

The Purepecha are an indigenous group from the Mexican state of Michoacan. Ardent Roman Catholics, they are known for their artwork, including ceramics and woodwork. There are about 2000 Purepecha living in the Coachella Valley, mostly in Duros and Chicanitas, two trailer camps on the Torres Martinez reservation. Many work in the surrounding fields and speak little to no Spanish or English.

Remembering the Silent Ones

June 24, 2016 /

I think the biggest challenge that I see for helping prevent domestic violence is how oblivious people could be to it. It’s hard to talk to my friends about it because I feel they don’t really understand the severity of this issue. They know about my aunt and how she died, so I think they understand my sensitivity to this issue, but they do not understand the long-lasting impact it has on the families of victims.