Global

Reparations: A Moral Obligation (Prose)

By Nathalie Amazan

The discourse of the 2020 U.S. Presidential race indicates a significant political moment. Immigration, campaign finance corruption, and adequate responses to climate change are only a few of the incredibly important issues currently debated. The question of reparations however has taken a forefront amidst these other issues because scholars, activists, and organizers have successfully directed the public’s attention towards the ways in which chattel slavery continues to live its legacies in contemporary racist disparities.

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Culture, Lifestyle & Culture, Multimedia, Photos

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)

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Culture, Music

GIRLS: Yung Baby Tate’s Anthem for Every Woman
Image result for yung baby tate girls

By Lucia Solorzano

Yung Baby Tate is an impressive rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Her newest album, GIRLS (released on Feb. 5), celebrates the different angles of her own womanhood and self in an empowering, fun, and expressive way. In her self-produced album, Yung Baby Tate’s sound is unique and bouncy, matching her vibrant and impeccable fashion style. The album features other talented rappers and singers including Bbymutha, Killumanti, Mulatto, Kari Faux, and Baby Rose.

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Pigment, Poems & Creative Writing, Uncategorized

Should I Invite You to My Graduation?

By Steven Turner-Parker

For a second, the car was completely quiet. We were heading back to UMass, swerving on those darkly-lit backroads, when I thought to myself, “wow, this is the first time my dad has ever done anything for me.”

It was a surreal moment that I never thought would happen. But as that realization hit, I found myself shedding a few tears in the front seat, thinking about how my biological father was actually being a dad for once.

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Culture, Global, Opinion

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.

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Poems & Creative Writing

Love is…

Love is when her mood affects your mood, It takes over your body
A feeling of no control,  though none is wanted
Love is the uncontrollable smile that comes across your face when she’s around,
It’s so genuine no way can you can have a frown
Love is being chest to chest, heart to heart 
Matching pound by pound 
Lovely synchronized with each passing moment 
and when the pounding of each others heart is apart, 
it stays consistent
Love is many wonderful things but one thing it is not is a One-Way street
Nor 50/50 more 100% from from both sides
So when Love like this comes along in your life don’t take it lightly because 
Love like that may only come around once in a LifeTime
 -ST

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