Category: Culture

New York City Rapper Pop Smoke Murdered During Home Invasion. How Will Rap Lovers React?

By: Brie Bristol & Elienishka Ramos Torres

On Feb. 19, rap fans worldwide were left in shock upon hearing the unexpected death of 20-year-old NYC rapper Pop Smoke. 

According to TMZ, an early morning emergency call was placed to Smoke’s Los Angeles rental home. Two gunmen broke into the house around 4:30 A.M PST firing multiple shots. 

Continue reading “New York City Rapper Pop Smoke Murdered During Home Invasion. How Will Rap Lovers React?”

Natural Hair Stories-Part Three

by Desire’ Jackson-Crosby and Cynthia Ntinunu

What is hair? Is it just a follicle on the top of one’s head? Or is it a piece of you that evokes certain feelings? The natural hair journey is a unique experience for anyone who goes through it. For some it’s a straightforward journey and for others there’s a lot to unpack.

This project allowed 11 people to relive and share their natural hair journeys-from their struggles to their triumphs. Below are the last three people for the natural hair stories series.

Lora-Kenie Deronville

In her own hands

One might suspect that the hair that grows from someone’s scalp is their responsibility. At a certain age, they’re the ones who are to care for it. For Umass student Lora-Kenie Deronville, her independence in this area was only recent. Until the age of 18, her mother was the one to care for and style Deronville’s hair.(Click the image above to read the full story)

Continue reading “Natural Hair Stories-Part Three”

Natural Hair Stories-Part Two

by Desire’ Jackson-Crosby and Cynthia Ntinunu

What is hair? Is it just a follicle on the top of one’s head? Or is it a piece of you that evokes certain feelings? The natural hair journey is a unique experience for anyone who goes through it. For some it’s a straightforward journey and for others there’s a lot to unpack.

This project allowed 11 people to relive and share their natural hair journeys-from their struggles to their triumphs. Below are the next three people for the natural hair stories series.

Yanni Cabrera

A Forever Phase

For senior Yanni Cabrera, natural hair is more than just a phase. It’s a part of her that has been straightened, cut, and growing alongside her while expanding her understanding of self. She refuses to change it to fit others’ standards of beauty. (Click the image above to read the full story)

Continue reading “Natural Hair Stories-Part Two”

India, Pakistan and ongoing tensions in the modern world

The Valley of Kashmir (Tony Gladvin George/Flickr)

By Isha Mahajan

Over the past 70 years, Kashmir – a snowy mountainous region occupied by military troops on the India-Pakistan border – has been the center of communal violence and displacement, affecting people living in and around this territory adversely. The impact was initially felt by the people living in Kashmir and has grown to affect the religious groups and foreign policies of these countries.

The attacks in Pulwama in February of this year led to the killing of nine, people including four soldiers and a policeman in a gun battle in Indian administered Kashmir. This event enabled Kashmir to dominate the headlines once again and highlighted the decades-old conflict between these neighboring countries.

Continue reading “India, Pakistan and ongoing tensions in the modern world”

Natural Hair Stories-Part One

by Desire’ Jackson-Crosby and Cynthia Ntinunu

What is hair? Is it just a follicle on the top of one’s head? Or is it a piece of you that evokes certain feelings? The natural hair journey is a unique experience for anyone who goes through it. For some it’s a straightforward journey and for others there’s a lot to unpack.

This project allowed 11 people to relive and share their natural hair journeys-from their struggles to their triumphs. Below is four of the 11 for part one of the natural hair stories series.

Uju Onochie

"I’m still on this journey."

Uju Onochie went to a predominantly white school for part of her childhood and she hated it. Being one of the few black kids in class, she remembered seeing the white girls’ hair and she’d play with it. Thoughts of “why can’t my hair be like this?” would circle her head as her fingers brushed through the girls’ hair. (Click the image above to read her full story)

Continue reading “Natural Hair Stories-Part One”