Mirage Issue 10: Metamorphosis

MIRAGE

FALL 2022

METAMORPHOSIS

Sierra Worden Co Editor-In-Cheif

Head of Photography

Emily Kennel Managing Editor

Jessica Riley

BY MIRAGE

Creators

Kaitlyn McClung

Sierra Worden

Jessica Riley

Maggie Stewart

Christina Rufo

Bella Randle

Michael Duong

Samantha Mariano

Suraya Boggs

Emily Benson

Griffith Bihun

Michael Duong Kellsey Savage

Gabrielle Frazier Aidan Cornue

METAMORPHOSIS METAMORPHOSIS

Models

Sierra Worden

Naia Brewer

Suraya Boggs Mallory Sibble Aidan Curnue Farima Sadeqi Mina Rezapour

Maggie Stewart

Meredith Bobersky

Michael Duong Kellsey Savage Brooke Wagner

Samantha Mariano Brogan Dozier

This is our TENTH issue! Metamorphosis is all about the beauty of progression throughout our lives Mirage is constantly growing and changing every semester. You can see the progression of all the talent we have on our team, and I am so excited that I was be to be apart of bringing this magazine to life!

Metamorphosis is truly a love letter to not only Mirage, but our world's history as well. No matter what chapter in your life you are in, there is always beauty behind every page!

Editors' Notes

MIRAGE MAGAZINE

Editors-in-Chief

Welcome to our tenth issue!

I have been apart of this magazine for four years and watching this magazine grow has been a true honor. Metamorphosis is a culmination of all the changing seasons we have be through. Each year the talent of our team grows and refines itself We wanted our tenth issue to reflect this

Metamorphosis is true statement in the changes we have all experienced Change is a beautiful thing It comes when we don't expect it, but it comes for a reason We are all meant to become the best versions of ourselves No matter how you look at it, I hope that you will be able to find solace in your own progression. Whether you are living for your past, present, or future I wish for all to find their best versions of themselves.

I hope you all enjoy!

IsThisLove?

Yes, No? No.

This isn’t what I want, is it? No, this isn’t what I want. He is just going to flaunt, But what if he is not? No

He can see it right? Can’t he see the fright? This is love, Right? Can’t look above. Look at him. Why does it hurt? God, he was such a flirt. Make it stop. Stay awake. His limbs snake Pain. I am his gain. Shame No one will believe your claim.

By:KaitlynMcClung

BIOMIMICRY

BIOMIMICRY

The Rise of the Phoenix

By: Samantha Mariano

The legend of the phoenix has had many iterations over many years in various countries. It means to rise, to fall, to burn, then to rise again. This represents change, transformation, renewal, and letting go of the past. In some Asian cultures, the phoenix also represents good luck. Much like the life, death and renewal of the phoenix, my own academic career has experienced a similar cycle that has been observed entering my final year in college My freshman year was pre pandemic and then cut short with the uncontrolled chaos the pandemic brought in my own life While sophomore year was spent in isolation and in the safety of my own home nest, junior year brought many adjustments and ruffled feathers with it Senior year has been a time of development, growing into wings of confidence I don’t doubt that there may have been a bit of luck in play during my experience as well

To say that I was burned out from high school was a huge understatement to my overall high school experience. With the weight of the world and everyone’s expectations on my shoulders, I was looking for an escape from my routine, strict rules, following gender norms and the pressure of being a high achieving student. On the surface, I really had it all; wearing straightened hair and plaid skirts in dull colors, I balanced 8 school subjects throughout the day and had a plethora of extracurricular activities to make any admissions officer and teacher proud National Honors Society member District level athlete

The actual reality was this; 8 school subjects with college applications was brutal, I was sick of wearing plaid, and my hair was burned to a crisp from straightening it daily I truly was burned out, and my life was “ruffled” in every way possible I wasn’t exactly known to be a nice person either I did everything I could to reach the top Ultimately, I hated myself for that

That July, I knew that I needed to make a change. At this point, I hated everything that made me well, the person everyone knew. As hair dye could not fix my bleached hair and heat damage, I had fourteen inches of my hair cut and donated. The change was almost instant. With proper care, my natural waves came back in my hair. There was no need to straighten it This was me

I entered college as someone with one affirmation for myself I wanted to change myself for good and make a positive change for the people around me Entering college was an opposite world than I was used to The freedom and individuality should have been a welcome change, but instead it was overwhelming People could use cell phones and wear pajama pants in class if they wanted to? I had people who wanted to hang out with me outside of class? As someone who did not have any previous experience like this, everything was very new to me

Dorm life was exciting with endless activities and a social, energetic atmosphere. In the span of a week, I sang a lot of “Country Roads”, ate with friends for 3 meals a day, met more people than I had in my life, bought food past midnight (and ate it!), I high fived a cool guy with sunglasses who ended up being the coach of my university’s football team, played video games with new friends, and experienced the nightlife the town had to offer. I quickly settled into a new dorm with new decorations, a new roommate, and a new friend group where we seemed to be set friends forever It was a fever dream, and a dream shut down too soon The pandemic message was sent, I had to pack my bags and move back home It was abrupt None of us knew that it actually meant goodbye to freshman year until it was too late

If I had to describe sophomore year in one word, I would pick “chaotic” for sure. The COVID fire was uncontrollable and chaotic for everyone involved, and especially for those who were still taking classes at all educational levels. Outside of the online environment, I pushed myself to go on campus for the semester I was moving into my first ever apartment, a nest of my own away from home. However, beyond this was the isolation that I experienced as a part of the fire It was like my room was on fire, I was caught in the middle, and there was no room to escape

To add to the fire, all the good that came out of my first year in college suddenly became bad Many of those people I had become friends with had turned on me or ignored me for good, and I haven’t talked to many of them since then

Coming back to campus in person was exciting for most people, but nerve wracking for me I had not interacted with any of my classmates for about a year and a half The last time I had taken a class in an actual classroom, I was taking a microeconomics class in Oglebay Hall on the downtown campus. Being pushed into my major specific classes put me in a 300 level engineering class located in a building I had never stepped foot in on the Evansdale campus. A part of me felt very, very small in a position where I was supposed to know what I was doing at this point in my college career.

Summer was fun, but an in person semester was a new start for me This meant that I had to prepare myself for interacting with people face to face It was definitely easier said than done Oftentimes, I found myself interacting with friend group that will often view it as “awkward” to introduce a new person (usually me) into a group where friends have o known each other for years This led to constantly repeating a cycle of meeting different people, interactin with them for the little time I had with them, then leavin and not seeing them again for long periods of time I d have the time to build strong bonds with these people where there were random inside jokes, taking tons of photos, and remembering birthdays without needing so media to remind me.

The isolation was intimidating in itself. I find myself continuing to struggle with this issue beyond this point in my life, and I have learned a valuable lesson from being alone in the room on fire; spread kindness, and treat people with gentleness. It doesn’t cost a thing, and people will value it more than one realizes.

By senior year, it is expected that people in their final year of college will be ready to move on from this stage of their lives and move onto their professional careers However, I don’t feel as ready to spread my wings just yet I acknowledge that the COVID “fire”, as I refer to it, has contributed to this feeling immensely I didn’t have much support going for me my parents left town upon the housing boom and sold my childhood home in the process It left me feeling trapped in the college campus since there was no option left for me to pack my bags and go home There was no home to return to anymore

On the upside, growing into my leadership roles on campus has been much easier now that I have lived it for a year Mentoring and tutoring other students along the way has been such a passion of mine as they start their own college journeys. Hearing the stories of students and their ambitions has been exciting, and I hope that their college experience is less chaotic than mine has been.

My life in college has had many ups and downs, and it has certainly been a journey seeing college before, during and after the pandemic and the fire that it brings With this fire, however, comes a renewed sense of what direction I want to lead my life towards; a life where I can be content with the

An In-Depth Breakdown of the Met Gala

By: Maggie Stewart

The Met Gala is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With this being the Metamorphosis issue, I thought this was the perfect topic to discuss. The Met Gala has had a huge metamorphosis over the years and transformed into the super event of the season. An invite is highly sought after, and the expectations are set very high The first Met Gala was held in 1948 to support the Metropolitan Museum of Arts and unveil their new yearly exhibit Since then, it has morphed into a fashion event like no other People get custom gowns and suits, have over the top entrances and accessories, and spend countless hours planning and hundreds of thousands of dollars. It started as a simple, charitable event to support a beloved museum. So, what happened since its early beginnings that turned it into the over-the-top event that it is today?

Diana Vreeland, the ex editor of Vogue magazine began overseeing the event in the 70’s and wanted to elevate the occasion She branded it as a staple of popular culture, and she transitioned it into a sophisticated and lavish event by getting more press coverage and inviting popular figures Then in 2004, things shifted when people started showing up in elaborate costumes. The theme that year was “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century” and a famous model named Amber Valletta wore a punk rock look inspired by Marie Antoinette. She was the first brave soul to dress extravagantly and it became a domino effect the following year and every year after.

The Met Gala has had some amazing themes and looks that set themselves apart over the years. Some iconic themes have been Heavenly Bodies: Heaven and the Catholic Imagination, with a standout look from Rhianna dressed as Pope Francis. The year of Camp: Notes of Fashion had standout looks from Zendaya, who came dressed as Cinderella, and Jared Letto, who carried around a bust of his own head And the year of In America: An Anthology of Fashion, which featured Blake Lively dressed as the Statue of Liberty and Kim Kardashian in Marilyn Monroe’s dress worn for the first time since Marilyn herself wore it herself to sing Happy Birthday to John F. Kennedy. Extravagance and uniqueness are obviously being strived for by all at this event.

Most recently the event has gotten backlash for announcing the theme for 2022 as “Honoring The Work of Karl Lagerfeld ” Most notably, Jameela Jamil (most famous for playing Tahani in the NBC show “The Good Place”) voiced her distaste for the theme announcement and stated she knew voicing this opinion would most likely end her relationship with Vogue Karl Lagerfeld has a history of being fat phobic and said that, “all women bigger than a sample size (0 2) are fat.” He has a history of not letting women over 115 pounds in his shows walk and was very vocal about plus size bodies being ‘disgusting” and “not having a place in fashion.

This event has become an escape for people from their own lives. People throw parties, watch the red carpets, and it becomes a lovely distraction from everyday stress. It’s such a lovely event that encapsulates maximalism and excess It gives people a distraction and something to talk about and read about for weeks and months after Especially during these last few years of uncertainty, it was a bright spot We all know where we were when we first saw Blake Lively let down her dress and show the “patina” like the Statue of Liberty That moment was special to a lot of people and I know brought a smile to my face That’s what this has all been about A little joy in the darkness.

IWasAVictimofAssimilation

By: Suraya Boggs

No matter what race an individual in the US belongs to, their status as an American is, no doubt, the product of immigration. As more groups began to immigrate to America, a new culture was formed that consisted of a fusion of all immigrant groups’ cultures. As the years progressed, however, it became apparent that some cultures usually those that revolved around Christianity and the superiority of white skin dominated the newly created American culture As a result, the US accepted some immigrant groups more readily than others Those who were labeled as outcasts were almost always those that differed in race and phenotypic characteristics These outcasts’ poor relationship with the dominant race’s culture then went on to negatively affect their success in the future but by how much? And how much does outward appearance matter when it comes to assimilation?

Let us look at three immigrant groups: Irish, Japanese, and African Each group is either a part of the dominant race or differs to a certain degree Irish immigrants are members of the white race and have similar features to European immigrants. Japanese immigrants have light skin, but their facial features easily separate them from those of European descent. The last group, African Americans, differ the most regarding their look; they have much darker skin and different facial features than white people. Therefore, the comparison of these three groups will reveal the correlation between looking more similar to white people and successfully assimilating in America.

The Irish Potato Famine was the primary cause for Irish Immigration in the early to mid 1800s Over one million people died and half a million sought better lives and immigrated to America Discrimination contributed heavily to the lack of employment among Irish immigrants; much of this discrimination was fueled by the fear of losing jobs to immigrants desperate to work for less than standard pay In other businesses, Irish were discouraged to apply to jobs and signs that read “No Irish Need Apply” were displayed in windows of small businesses as well as in the contracts of housing agreements Further discrimination came about because of the religion that the Irish associated themselves with Catholicism which motivated many Protestants in America to condemn them and their “blind following” of the Pope. As the years progressed and political attention was drawn more towards the issue of slavery than it was to Irish immigration, persecution of them decreased.

As more Irish immigrated to America, the growing population began to accept Catholicism and make it one of the primary Christian denominations in the country. More Irish immigrants began to gain positions that allowed for political influence over immigration policies. With the focus drawn to African immigrants and slavery, the Irish took advantage of this opportunity to “identify” with the white majority by participating in anti Black riots, not only because they were trying to assimilate, but because African Americans posed competition to them as immigrants themselves

How successful were they?

Considering the lack of distinction between white europeans and white Irish immigrants in various studies about ethnicity, it seems that the Irish have melded successfully into the white majority Furthermore, in modern day and for many decades past, they have had no biases or prejudices held against them, nor do they experience a significant number of hate crimes or discrimination based on their ethnicity The Irish also hold positions of high rank in a wide variety of occupations, including the position of President of the United States today in 2021. They are free to express their culture and celebrate it openly (St. Patricks Day is always a hit) and are fully bonded to dominant culture.

Japanese immigrants sought new farming jobs and opportunities in the United States after the rapid switch from an agriculturally based society to an industrialized one Their innocent motivation to immigrate was only met with hostility after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack The attack was used to justify and ignite racism against everyone of Japanese descent even those born in the US simply because of the fear that they would conspire against America once again Everyone of Japanese descent was denied citizenship and forced into internment camps that were surrounded by barbed wire and constantly patrolled by armed guards Today, they face the fallacy of the “model minority,” which is an idea that has dominated all Asian immigrant groups The idea revolves around the fact that those of Asian descent are thought to be inherently “smarter” or “more hard working” because of their race and consequently gain certain privileges without having to work for it. What it should be called is blatant racism; the idea of the model minority invalidates any racist experiences or instances of discrimination that Asians face by saying that they were born with inherent intelligence or privilege because of their race.

This is undoubtedly false considering that 1) they are not the dominant race and therefore have no influence over their treatment and 2) it has been disproven that the disproportionate amount of success that Asians have is due only to their race. It is true, however, that Asian cultures tend to promote education and hard work for a better life, but it is not guaranteed simply by genetics.

It is evident that this immigrant group has had less success assimilating than Irish immigrants; the most obvious example of this is the new wave of discrimination and prejudice that came with the COVID 19 pandemic Because the virus originated in Wuhan, China and references to the virus as the “China Virus” and “Kung Flu” have been made by very influential people, many Asian Americans have suffered an increase in prejudice against them which is only exacerbated by accounts of discrimination

From the time that the Americas were discovered in the late 1400s to the abolition of slavery in the 1860s, over 12 million African were coerced from their homes in the largest forced migration to date Slaves endured weeks of cramped and unhygienic circumstances while on a boat to their destination, and many died in transport alone. The growing cotton industry in the newly formed US and the invention of the cotton gin only fostered the desire for slaves and ensured that there was a constant influx of them from Africa. Unlike previous immigrant migrations, the journey to the U.S. was not one of hope and opportunity, but of dread and anticipation for the horrible circumstances that lay ahead. Even in the presence of other immigrant groups, African immigrants faced the harshest and most inhumane treatment

Though the humanity of African Americans was reluctantly returned to them after the abolition of slavery, the feeling of inferiority was only emphasized by discriminatory legislation such as Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws Black codes set out to limit the type of employment Black people could hold, the property they could own, their employment autonomy, who they could marry, and even their participation in democracy When Black Codes began to lose their effect, Jim Crow Laws were introduced to try to keep control Eventually, Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which helped to push away these discriminatory laws Though African Americans were indeed working their way out of legal oppression, social oppression still remained along with the question of how African Americans would gain eventual acceptance into the host society.

Like most immigrants, assimilation was the first thing that was attempted, yet their history of brutal discrimination and enslavement would prove to make that difficult. Blatant racism and prejudice have influenced both societal values as well as employment, housing, education, and the criminal justice system. If anything, the “assimilation” that African Americans have achieved thus far has been a facade society has mistaken complacency and silence for “assimilation.” The more that the injustices that Black people in America face are brought to light, the less “assimilated” they seem because the less silent they become Silence is not and never was, assimilation

If it is not evident from the heavily researched comparison of these groups that assimilation is masked discrimination, then let me offer my personal story

My mother is a first generation immigrant from the West Indies After attending WVU, she moved to the small white town of Spencer with my father where she had my brother and I As a reiteration, I was born in West Virginia Growing up as an obviously brown child, I always had an answer prepared for those who asked me where I am from and simply did not believe me when I told them. To them, the color of my skin was enough to deem me an alien, and no other proof was required. Of course, I understood the innocent curiosity of people who had never been exposed to someone of a different race, but I will say it a thousand times: the intrusive assumption that someone is foreign based solely on skin color will always be more offensive than simply being curious about their background. Unfortunately, it was these intrusive assumptions that I was not West Virginian or even American that shaped my early racial identity In fact, I would say that my racial identity was solidified in third grade after a classmate made it clear to me that it should not be possible that I am related to any of my white family simply because I, myself, was not white, and that the concept of mixed race families was “not in his vocabulary ” At eight years old, I now knew that being brown was not an insignificant difference It was a barrier At eight years old, I began filtering every experience I had through a racial lens At eight years old, I realized I was seen as a color before I was seen as a person

I was engaging in the concept of assimilation before I even knew that it existed. Like every other racial minority child, I molded my identity to be convenient to the white majority that surrounded me no matter how much frustration and emotional damage it caused me. My name, for example, took on varying forms depending on who was saying it and the difficulty it caused them.

I am not joking when I say that I have been called and have regrettingly answered to names such as “Sriracha”, “Sacara”, “Sassafras”, “Sierra”, and probably the most shockingly racist “Syria ” When my first name doesn’t deserve the slightest bit of effort though, I am referred to as my last name “Boggs” or even as “the other Boggs” since my twin brother and I had shared the same classroom since birth As anyone with a unique name probably knows, it’s exhausting to hear my name reduced to a series of incoherent mumbles, but more than that, it is hurtful to my identity. I am half Indian and half White. I am not just one or the other, so why is it that my first name, which holds half of my identity, is distorted to fit the other half?

Where the idea of assimilation was more prominent was in religion; I grew up with some influence of Hinduism and some influence of Christianity, but neither were very strong. We celebrated Christmas and engaged in the tradition of putting up a tree and giving out presents, but we also celebrated Diwali every year and did puja (Hindu prayer) every once in a while It was incredibly clear, however, which religion I supposedly “should” be practicing; after 18 years in the Roane County public school system, I have memorized the Lord’s prayer because of how many times I have heard it said at school events None of my family has ever said it, I have never heard it on the television shows I’ve watched, and my friends never said it in front of me At school, where there is an alleged separation of church and state, is where I learned it Furthermore, there was never any school on any Christian holiday, so students got an excused absence, but on the one day a year that Diwali is celebrated, I was forced to get an “educational leave” form to have my teachers sign and give me their permission to celebrate a holiday that is part of my culture. What was even worse was that they had no idea what they were signing it for, so I would have to explain what the holiday was, what it means, what we do, when we do it, why we do it, what we wear, what we eat, etc., to every single teacher that I had (usually up to 8 different ones). Looking back, it was not my eight year old self’s job to educate these adults on the most well known Hindu holiday, and it actually contributed to my feelings of isolation I should not have needed anyone’s permission to engage in my own culture and certainly not from a school system that had etched a Christian prayer into my brain without my permission

I was a victim of assimilation Masked with the idea of “fusing” my culture with the dominant culture, I was forced to cover up my differences to make my existence more convenient Assimilation itself is not even the most pressing issue, it is the fact that it is being used as an excuse to erase immigrants’ cultures and push white American ideals onto them What is most ironic though, is that the “American” ideals of beauty, culture, etc have been taken from immigrant cultures and rebranded Those two piece prom dresses that are seen as “tacky?” Those were rebranded from the traditional Indian Lehenga. The viral “fox eye” makeup? It gives you the eyes that Asian people are killed for having. Large lips, tans, “henna” tattoos, micro blading, astrology, prominent cheekbones, “spirit animals,” kimono dresses, the all seeing eye necklaces the list goes on and on. American cultural ideals are immigrants, but immigrants are not a part of American cultural ideals.

How did I survive? I held onto my culture The only way that immigrants and children of immigrants will survive in this country is if the idea of assimilation is gotten rid of and replaced with the goal of cultural pluralism This way, every culture can live side by side without pressure to conform to a single one While some integration is inevitable between cultures, it takes the pressure off of immigrants to drastically alter themselves and their cultures just to survive within this country If you have immigrant roots, don’t lose your culture Wear those jhumka earrings on a daily basis, take your favorite cultural dish for lunch at school or work, start correcting people when they get your name wrong Keep your culture alive, and above all do not be a victim of assimilation

What’stheBuzzwithVintageHandbags?

By:BellaRandle

Why would you pay full price for a bag that you could get cheaper? The simple answer is you wouldn’t It is our human nature to go for the “best” price Does “best” price mean a previously owned bag? In the past, many high profile customers would turn their nose up at a preowned bag They want a new bag They want the boutique experience regardless of the cost Vintage bags were simply for those who could not afford a new one. However, this stigma is gone. Have the vintage pieces turned into the “it” bags to have? The designer resale market continues to grow, and this $32 billion market is projected to double in the next four years. Making this a sustainable and educated way to buy in the number one fastest growing segment of the fashion industry.

Before this market blew up in the United States, the popularity vastly increased in the European market Resale has been a big trend in Europe dating all the way back to street markets in Paris. Since medieval times you could catch merchants on the streets of Paris selling their goods, but this luxury shift occurred in the late nineteenth century. The oldest luxury brand still on the market today is Hermes, established in 1837 by Thierry Hermès While Hermes was selling their beautiful leather goods in France, customers were taking them to the streets and reselling them.

While street markets like Braderie De Lille in Paris or Portobello in London are still very active today, there is also a large presence of brick and mortar boutiques through Europe that typically carry assorted designer items including but not limited to handbags

It did not take long for America to jump into this same trend of resale. Online platforms for buying and selling everyday goods took popularity among the United States. A large platform being eBay, which came to fruition in 1995. This website gave buyers and sellers an online resource to auction and sell various products This quickly turned into a platform for designer resale Anyone could list their Chanel Double Flap bag for any price, and anyone could buy it Entrepreneurs caught onto this trend and made similar sites to eBay but for designer goods alone like Tradesy However, this became a problem when people were listing fake bags and selling them for “great prices''. Online designer resale customers needed a place to buy pre-owned bags they could trust were authentic. Soon, sites like Fashionphile ( 1999), The Real Real (2011) and Rebag (2014) were created The main difference between these sites versus older sites like Tradesy, is guaranteed authenticity.

Once this popularity ticked up, more and more people took to social media sites like Facebook Marketplace and Instagram to sell their pre owned bags This trend led to brick and mortar designer resale stores across the country, which are still on the rise though less popular than online presences A few examples being Jacob James in Cincinnati, Ohio; Covet in Boston, Massachusetts; and The Luxury Label in Nashville, Tennessee Shops like these are often a less stressful way to buy a preowned bag because you can see and touch the merchandise before you make the purchase.

Obviously the more worn a bag is, the less value it has in the resale market, due to the condition making it less desirable If you do a quick walk through any boutique, like the ones mentioned above, you will see that the merchandisers tend to be particular in the condition of bags they source Most of the bags are in excellent condition and sell for less than the original retail price Why wouldn’t you go for the better deal? No one wants to overpay for their handbags Thus, the reason this market has such a wide range of demographics. Ask any owner of these businesses and they will tell you they have everyone from young girls buying their first designer bag to established affluent customers who just found the Gucci Jackie they have wanted for years.

Many wealthy customers turned to resale when there was a bag they wanted that was no longer available in the designer's current collection line For example, Louis Vuitton annually releases a limited edition pattern of their Neverfull bag. Each year this bag becomes incredibly sought after but sells out almost immediately. The 2019 Neverfull was a part of the Jungle collection. The bag originally retailed for $1750 but sold out worldwide within a week. While difficult, you can still find this bag on the resale market today. Ranging between $2,550 to $3200. Depending on the condition of the piece, buyers will have to pay double the original price Those same wealthy customers who were not quick enough the week the collection launched, had to get their Jungle Neverfulls from the resale market While there are bags like the limited edition Neverfull that resell for a significant amount higher than the original retail value, most bags go for less than their original retail price Certain brands have different resale values and certain collections retain value better than others. The average new Gucci bag goes for $2,000, whereas you could purchase it used for around $1,500.

How did Vintage bags become arguably better than new?

LOOK BOOK

CynthiaRowley DuaLipa

RupertGrint

Zendaya

BillieEilish

OliviaRodrigo

ArianaGrande

Why

By: Emily Benson

Should Impose Term Limits On Supreme Court Justices

Progress and adaptability is undoubtedly pertinent in an ever changing society. The Supreme Court justices, as ruled by the Constitution, “shall hold their Offices during good behavior.” This essentially means that from whenever the justices were placed into the Supreme Court, they are able to hold their positions for as long as they choose to, unless removed only by impeachment Throughout the history of the Supreme Court, only once has a justice been impeached The way that the court is stacked has everything to do with how our rights are handled in the U S This brings many to question, why isn't there a term limit imposed to prevent someone from holding the position as long as they would like? Is it truly ethical to have our rights decided on by people who hold traditional beliefs in an evolving society?

Most of the justices on the court are currently in their mid 50s. With life expectancy having increased over time, this means that term-expectancy has been on the rise as well. The longer a Justice sits in office, the longer they have to become corrupt. With so much sway over decisions that affect the people of the United States, they can easily vote in their own favor or according to their own personal beliefs Political bias and politics in general have a stronger hold on the Supreme Court than most realize

Since the Supreme Court was shaped by politics of the two branches of government, executive and legislative, it's impossible that politics would not have an influence over the outcome of decisions made As much as we hope that political bias and beliefs are kept out of decisions made by the court, there are several ways to interpret the Constitution. While some may look at an issue with discretion, others may get pulled in by their own bias and view the situation in the way of a historical argument, or with originalist intent.

While citizens hope for a Supreme Court nominee who’s impartial, grants us our rights and is qualified, the President and the Senate hope for someone who will keep a policy going through a lifelong term, has similar ideologies, someone who can fit a certain role on the Court and someone who is educated and has experience with the law. While we want someone on the Court who will vote in the direction of the general public, the President and Senate would rather have someone who holds their same ideology close to heart and someone who’s willing to push their policy even after they are out of office. Since they are appointed by Presidential nomination and Senate vote, sometimes these nominations will solely benefit the government instead of the nation

Most recently we’ve seen that personal political ideologies have impacted important human rights like abortion On June 24, The Supreme Court officially overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade decision This decision protected abortion rights under the Constitution In the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start”. Justice Alito among others in the Court are known to vote on issues with conservative and religious views in mind. The separation of church and state sometimes isn’t enough to stop them from voting according to their personal beliefs instead of for the realistically better option for the people.

With our rights left solely in the hands of these current justices, instead of progressing we are regressing. So what’s a possible solution on how to solve the issue of politically biased justices being kept in the court until retirement?

A solution that’s gained some momentum has been the idea of giving justices the option to continue working as fully compensated senior status federal judges, at the end of an imposed term This idea has gained traction due to it being the same pathway most past Supreme Court Justices follow after retirement This idea could provide a simple, viable solution to the problem By granting the justices all of the amenities that come with current retirement from the court, they would still be able to obtain the benefits granted in their previous position, while also leaving room for change in the Supreme Court. This change is pertinent to creating a court that changes with the evolution of society. Modern problems met with modern solutions. This is exactly why we need term limits.

LIFE WITH NO CHOICE:

AN ANALYSIS OF HOW THE RECENT SUPREME COURT DECISION TO OVERTURN ROE V. WADE TOOK AWAY WOMEN’S RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

BY: KAITLYN MCCLUNG

Women’s rights have come a long way since the first wave of Feminism in 1848 With each year and each wave, significant progress had been made as the years continued However, in recent years, it seems that women’s rights have taken multiple steps back. With the overturning of the landmark abortion case, Roe v. Wade, many women, trans men, AFAB non binary people now live in fear themselves and others

A BRIEF HISTO

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HOW DID WE GET TO THIS “NEW NORMAL?”

This “new normal” was brewing for years under the surface However, zone of the tipping points was the 2016 presidential election that elected Donald Trump the 45th President of the United States. During his presidency, Trump appointed three conservative judges Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy

On May 2, 2022, Politico, a political news and media outlet, leaked the Supreme Court draft of the plan to overturn Roe v Wade Justice Alito headed the draft stating, “Roe v Wade was grossly wrong from the start ” This, understandably so, incited protests across the country The Supreme Court Justices are meant to uphold the constitution without bias However, this decision speaks volumes about the people who have been put in these foremost positions of power They have allowed their own bias, values and beliefs to influence their decision that affects an entire nation One would think, if security is significantly increased around the capital overnight, they may not be doing what is best for the nation.

LIVING WITH THE NEW NORMAL

On June 22, 2022, that detrimental decision was made to overturn both landmark cases With this decision, it will leave the limits and repercussions of abortion up to the states. The reactions to the decision were visceral and immediate. The immediate reactions came from the states with trigger laws. This means that as soon as Roe v. Wade was overturned abortions were outright banned in 13 states including: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri and many more. In Arkansas, having an abortion means being sentenced to up to 10 years in prison or a fine up to $100,000 In Kentucky, having an abortion is considered a felony, except in the case of saving a pregnant woman The solidification of these punishments into law for an abortion is a direct violation of a person’s bodily autonomy The truth is, pregnancy has a higher risk of mortality than a safely performed abortion

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

According to the CDC, 754 women died during pregnancy

In 2020, another 850 patients died because of pregnancy related events. The maternal mortality rate is indistinguishably tied to age, race and class.

Women ages 45 and older are nearly 10 times more likely to die from pregnancy compared to those 35 years and younger.

Black women are three times more likely to die in the case of a pregnancy related event than that of white women

It is estimated that Black women will experience a 33% increase in maternal deaths in a post Roe America

The majority of abortion patients in the U S live at or below the poverty line “In the Turnaway study just over half of women in the study were living below the federal poverty line when they requested an abortion, and being denied one led to a fourfold increase in the odds that their household income would fall below the federal poverty line.”

With these statistics in mind, it is important to state that no one is presenting pregnancy as a disease that needs to be cured. A woman’s body undergoes extreme physical and mental changes during those nine months. These physiological changes upon the body are equivalent to running a marathon. How the body reacts to the pain, based on the individual, is unpredictable. Even if a woman’s pregnancy is seemingly without complications, this does not mean that things could not go astray

Abortion politics continuously overshadow other reproductive health issues This has implications across the nation with creating the rhetoric that no reproductive health issue is safe Abortion and reproductive health issues are not only tied culturally, but legally as well Legally, the right to privacy bolsters the legal right to contraception. With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the foundation has been shaken and no one is able to deny that. Abortion opponents are not only against abortion, but access to contraceptives and sexual health education. They celebrated the results of the court case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. The results of this court case meant that corporations were allowed to deny health insurance coverage for contraception based on religious beliefs Because of this, contraceptive and sexual health advocates are continuously fighting to seperate themselves from abortion advocates to maintain “social legitimacy ” This separation has created a complicated, difficult to navigate environment for women across the country The only reason abortion opponents are opponents is because the idea/act of abortion threatens their cisgender, heteronormative religious beliefs, norms and familial structures.

“WE’VE ALLOWED SHAME TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A SAFE HEALTH PROCEDURE AND IT’S MISOGYNISTIC AND IT’S RACIST. WE HAVE TO DISPEL THE MYTHS AND THE STIGMA.” - REP. JACKIE SPEIER

One could ask, “Where do we go from here?” There are many things that individuals can do to help make a statement and change on a local level:

Donate to an abortion fund

Support your local Planned Parenthood

Help independent clinics

Share resources to those who need them

Vote pro choice candidates into office

PROTEST

In the end, pregnancy is not a decision about whether the person does or does not want to be a parent. It is about so much more than that. The ramifications of pregnancy extend far beyond its gestation period. Moreover, the decisions pertaining to pregnancy should be left up to the pregnant person alone. Across the country, women, trans men and AFAB non binary people had their rights stripped away from them in a matter of moments Now is the time to speak up and let those voices be heard

SLIPPINGTHROUGHTHECRACKS:

By: Sierra Worden

Adoption is always a choice for parents who are struggling to start families, but what about the kids who were never given a choice? Adoption and the foster care system are weaponized against women in the fight for pro abortion laws. While these two systems are failing its inhabitants every single day, we are just going to focus on one of these. Foster Care is a temporary system provided by the state government for children who are deemed to no longer be able to live with their families. America’s foster care system has always and will continue to be broken if we do not take action; teenagers age out of the system with a lack of support, the needs of the children are often ignored, and there are too many unknown obstacles for them to navigate

At the age of 18, teenagers age out of the foster care system with little to no support These children are left on their own without ever gaining a permanent family In 2019, 20,455 children aged out of the foster care system (“U S Adoption,” 2020) These kids do not have the financial support in order to succeed in the next steps of their life. They are also not prepared for all the challenges the real world will bring to them. These kids did not choose to be put in this situation; these were just the cards they were dealt. According to Chapin Hall, at the University of Chicago, “70% of all youth in foster care have the desire to attend college, yet nearly 25% of youth aging out did not have a high school diploma or GED and only a mere 6% had finished a two or four year degree after aging out of foster care ” Every child should be able to achieve and reach the goals that they want Democracy in America is what everyone wants, but what is the cost to the children’s lives who have no say as to what the government does with their lives

The government always wants to step in and “help” the citizens until it is time to actually do so. This system is broken. Setting children up to not have the experiences that they need in order to not only survive, but thrive in this word is just cruel. Who is to say they would not have had a better chance at life if instead of removing them from their homes, they would have had a better support system in place to positively benefit the entire family The “protection” of the government isn’t protection if you become more vulnerable than you were before you went into the system

Children in the foster care system are just treated like another case file instead of what they actually are, children. Many social workers are overloaded by their case files. This causes them to not be able to adequately get to know the children that they are serving. There is so much systematic pressure put onto social workers to perform their tasks with speed. Speed should not be a factor in this line of work. These children deserve to have time spent on them, because they are worthy of that. They need someone to look after them when their own pa

A look into what America's foster care system is truly like

There are too many people playing the game There are so many people that you have to go through to get the end result that you need Many children are at risk for not being protected by the people who are supposed to look out for their well being A lot of the time, there are breakdowns in communication between professionals and the agencies for which they work. "You are bound by the rules of the system and they are not the normal rules a parent would have for a child.” said Tracey Feild, Director of the Child Welfare Strategy Group at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This just shows that nothing about this situation is normal. Why does the government feel the need to insert themselves into situations where the government is not needed? What the government needs to do is facilitate the families fostering children, and make sure they are protected They should make the process and lifestyle as simple and nurturing as possible for the children

The other side of the argument will say that the foster care system is a great opportunity to allow families to be able to learn how to be healthy individuals so that they can one day reunite with their family. Does taking a child away from their parents actually encourage their parents to do better? If they would not better themselves for their child when they had them, what makes you think they would do it without them? These questions are something that we all need to think about and analyze when we look at the foster care system

Facts:

1 in 8 American children is abused or neglected by age 18

1 in 17 kids enters foster care

The rate of foster care placement increases to 1 in 9 for Black children and 1 in 7 for Native American children

Upwards of 70% of youth involved in the juvenile justice system have been involved in the child welfare system

50% of foster youth will not graduate from high school on time

48% of girls in foster care become pregnant by age 19

60% of child trafficking victims have histories in foster car

33% of homeless young adults were previously in foster care

Kids in foster care are 4x more likely than other children to attempt suicide

America’s foster care system is broken. The foster care system will not allow the children in it to thrive if teenagers continue to age out of the system with a lack of support, the needs of the children are often ignored, and there are too many unknown obstacles for them to navigate. The government wants these children to be “protected,” but they fight against mothers having a right to choose whether or not they are prepared to have a child If you want to better the life of not only the child, but the mother as well, then you would allow them to make that decision The government wants to have their hands on everything in this “free” world, but we do not need that in this democracy We need a government who wants to protect us, but we need them to do it at a distance We need the right to make our own decisions pertaining to not only our bodies but our lives

ALT-ALTON

Redefining the Male Model

By: Griffith Bihun

In an industry that traditionally considers male models to be fleeting accessories on the arms of their female counterparts, Alton Mason has his eyes set on changing this limited narrative smooth moves, backflips and all.

Although the past year has been filled with shooting top editorials along with billboards for brands such as Etro, Missoni, and Louis Vuitton, the Nebraska born model has continued to be a presence amongst the fashion and entertainment set, easily hopping from Oscar red carpets to walking for the high energy runways of Versace But what do you expect from an uncontested Model of the Year? Certainly, not slowing down

Even though being told he was designed to be a model his entire life, it took a simple comment on Instagram followed by an email to urge him to take a chance and fly to New York for a casting. “I remember getting a comment on my Instagram picture asking “How tall are you? Are you with an agency?” I didn’t really know what to expect but once I saw the email and the confidentiality, I realized it was real ” What he could not have expected was that said casting would lead to him being featured in his very first show: Yeezy by Kanye West at Madison Square Garden

Since his debut, Mason hit the ground running, consistently exploring new variations of male modeling as well as bursting into new areas and industries

Part of Mason’s appeal as a model is that he’s not just a model. The fantasy can follow him off the set or the runway to Instagram, where the lines of a simple selfie and professional modeling work are blurred.

Mason is making the most of this time to make the leap from being limited as a physically gifted runway marvel to something more transcendent. “I reinvent myself all the time,” Alton says, “Modeling is not the only thing that I do. I'm very talented in many other aspects ”

For much of this year, making music has kept the supermodel preoccupied Mason claims to have enough songs for two albums In May, he put out a short film, set in Lagos, that features him alongside local children and a lion cub Well traveled though he may be, the rising star felt something different upon touching down in Lagos, Nigeria, last year

“It was my first time in Africa, and the moment I landed I was stunned. Being an African American, there are so many different perceptions of Africa that are taught to us in school and through the media,” Mason explains. “The moment I landed and drove into the city of Lagos, all of those American perceptions, based on fear, were proven false. I was immediately captivated by nature, the land, the buildings, the water, and the spirit of the country, which made me free to create the song and video in this sacred place I felt home ”

However, this was not his last venture into the world of film Most recently, the star acquired the role of “Little Richard” starring alongside Austin Richard and Tom Hanks in Elvis He found the role electrifying, as did the audience who saw Mason revive him at Elvis’s Cannes Film Festival premiere “The whole place clapped at the end of his scene, making for the first applause in a film that had already been full of performances. It was an experience like no other for Mason, in part because the photographer-flooded red carpet made for an entirely different experience of being photographed.

“I’m not walking to sell clothes, I’m walking because this is my film debut,” he says. “It felt like a new experience—a rebirth.” Mason plans to continue acting, and while he can’t talk about it yet, he already has something else in the works. For now, though, he’s getting back to making his own music—and, of course, to modeling. In f

This year, as the power balance has shifted in the direction of models like Mason, he’s focused on how he can use this newfound agency. When questioned about how he plans to maintain his momentum, keeping his quote-unquote hotness in a world that requires and feeds off that heat, he simply doesn’t want to hear it. “I just want you all to know that that's the last thing on my mind,” he says, “and I think that's such a surface-level way of thinking. I'm deeper than that.” His mind is only on the future: not just the next project, but the next iteration of Mason.

Mason is making the most of this time to make the leap from being limited as a physically gifted runway marvel to something more transcendent.

A Boiling Hot Pot: The Fusion of East and West Fashion Styles

By: Michael Duong

Fashion meant very little to me growing up Like other parents, mine would dress me up to go to school and that would be the end of the story. I didn’t care what they put on me, most of the things we had were found in the discount sections of department stores or at Goodwill Other times, I would just be given hand me downs from my siblings to wear because we did not have enough money to simply go and buy new clothes I would remember the feeling of my sweater sleeves pushing past my hands and the beyond the ankle jeans that I would wear to school No one really cared then, we were just kids Now, sometimes it means everything about what you wear

Growing up, my parents kept nearly everything they had. I remember finding a handful of suitcases under my bed stuffed full of my dad’s clothes. I would wonder why they had kept so much and not donated it or gotten rid of it to save space. The truth was, my parents were hoarders. They liked keeping things because it reminded them that they could have and afford possessions

When my parents immigrated to California, they had nothing except the clothes on their backs They knew little English, and the only jobs available were in landscaping or babysitting In these jobs, there was no such thing as a minimum wage My dad was fortunate enough to get paid $3 an hour for landscaping and yard work Luckily, California was a hub for Asian immigrants and people could have some sense of belonging. People were able to find jobs from Asian Americans who were more settled in the U.S., but the prospect of finding a more payable job was scarce. Americans scrutinized Asians and conducted little business with them because of the innate assumption that they were illiterate and conniving. Those that were able to conduct business with Americans had to fully conform to western society: dressing in western forms of fashion, adhering to western mannerisms, and speaking fluently in English were all required

When I refer to the west, I am referring to countries and societies residing in the northwestern hemisphere and western Europe. Usually these countries are predominantly caucasian, more developed and have a primary focus on a free market economy with a version of democracy Throughout history, the west has been able to influence other regions of the globe by a mixture of imperialism and colonialism For example, in 1887, France made Vietnam a colony of its own and the Vietnamese people were forced to adopt western language and mannerisms Through this interaction, there came a stigma that the west was far superior than their eastern counterparts; they simply had better technology, medicine and infrastructure that allowed them to conquer their neighbors. They created this norm of “white saviorism” as they brought “uncivilized peoples” to the modern age.

Before coming to the United States, my father was somewhat accustomed to western culture. When my father was trying to immigrate to the United States from Vietnam, he was detained in Hong Kong There, he joined a Christian missionary group and was essentially indoctrinated with western religion and a bit of the culture Although they were able to lecture my father on the ideals of the west particularly democracy his English literacy was still subpar Despite this, the missionary group was able to provide some clothes and food to my father during his time at camp During the induction, the missionary group was able to provide a suit for my father and uncle from the proceeds that the group had raised.

My father was able to meet my mother who was also detained for leaving Vietnam during their time in the detainment camps. Having spent a few years there together and having a son (my eldest brother) at the detainment camp, they were able to prove to U.S. Embassy agents that they were good natured people and eligible to immigrate to the United States

Although my parents were fortunate to be able to come to the United States, this is just one story of countless families.

Despite coming to the United States the land of the free they faced constant discrimination and racial profiling. My parents had to establish themselves with western ideals and mannerisms just to appease their caucasian counterparts If they did not do this, there was a great fear of financial instability and the risk of being beaten because they were different This is where the stereotype of “Model Minority” is derived from Many Asian Americans today live a passive dual dynamic lifestyle The common trope was that Asian Americans were efficient and hard workers that did not complain; they did what was asked and they had no issues As an Asian American, we have to be as American as we are without bringing up grievances we feel regarding the racism against our cultures.

There was a reason why my mother would dress me or put clothes out for me as a kid. There was a reason why my father wore trousers, dress shoes, and a dress shirt every day There was a reason why my family came to realize the American Dream after so many years of hardship There was a reason my mom insisted that I go and make friends with whites There was a reason that I had to be proficient in reading and writing; I had to help them with tax documents and things they did not understand There was a reason to ignore the racist chants of “ching chong” that rang in my ears as a kid. There was a reason why even after everything, I did not feel proud about who I was. In order to succeed, my family had to become American citizens in every way possible.

I didn’t realize it until I was much older. In elementary school, I was lucky enough that the kids were still developing some idea of what I was Their prods and jokes about my race were seemingly harmless However, when I got into high school, I knew everyone knew better than to say something racist So when the chimes of fake Chinese hammered my eardrums, I felt ashamed I started to dress more westernlike I made fun of myself to fit in As long as I became likable, they wouldn’t harass me Nonetheless, that didn’t change the fact that I knew I was different from everyone else

When my parents moved to West Virginia in search for a better life, they knew they were forfeiting the diverse culture of California to deal with a new definition of American life. I knew that life for me would be an uphill battle of figuring out who I truly was. Was I the son of immigrants? Was I the funny Asian kid in class? Was I the smart Asian kid everyone went to for help on homework? Was I the Asian kid that brought lunch that smelled funny? Was I the Asian kid who was embarrassed when their overprotective parents came into school? Was I the Asian kid whose parents never showed up to team practice or academic meets because they were so busy?

These questions tormented me on a daily-basis for years. I soon began to despise my existence. Everything about the Asian culture seemed to disgust me. Why couldn’t I just be normal? Couldn’t I not be gawked at everywhere I went? Why was I so different?

It wasn’t until eastern popular culture invaded the United States at a significant level did my interactions with people change The band BTS and other popular Asian pop groups became a widespread conversation amongst my peers There was a turning point of the populace where they became fascinated with Asian culture. People began to question what I brought to lunch. People asked me specifically what race I was instead of assuming that I was Chinese. And even though I enjoyed this mild turn for the better, I felt slight resentment towards it all.

I grew angry because I realized my culture and identity were tools for entertainment in the grand scheme. People did not necessarily care for the intrinsic value that our cultures brought Oftentimes, people cared only for the superficial things we offered; the fashion, music, and food were sought for, but never the significance behind it

It wasn’t until the term cultural appropriation became popular that this whole fascination reeled back It brought to question how we absorbed and celebrated different cultures. Did people wear cultural items for the purpose of celebration or was it to cater to their own agendas? Did people actually care or did they wear it thinking it was cool?

As an Asian American, it always warms my heart when people are actively engaging in learning about my culture. When people truly care and want to learn the language and the proper mannerisms, I think it is beautiful However, if people are ignorant and simply want to look “cool” and make fun of it entirely, it serves as an insult

It is especially hurtful when I spent most of my childhood distancing myself away from my culture because I was scared of not fitting in. It shouldn’t be the case where someone has to wait until it becomes “cool” to feel accepted Even though I realized a little later on that this didn’t matter, it is still something that needed to be addressed

I grew past my resentment of myself when I took a hard look at my parents I looked at their wrinkled hands full of calluses and wondered how many hours it took them to get to this point Even though they had missed chunks of my childhood, I could feel the feeling of regret as I felt my mothers hands. The bony complexion weathered by years of work grazed my cheeks. She had done everything in her power to make my life in America as best it could be. She gave me the opportunity she never had.

My mother was a large part of my inspiration in fashion. She was a woman of class that was defined in the things she wore Everywhere she went, she would always receive a handful of comments on her outfit If anything, she guided me to become more comfortable with my identity and self

During my sophomore year of high school, I began to dress more confidently in western clothing I thought it as an extension of who I was as a person rather than a definite end. I would start by dressing myself up with ties and dress shirts and slowly move to suits. It was not until I accepted more of my Vietnamese identity that I cared more about the eastern values in how I dressed. I began to pay closer attention to streetwear found in Korea and Japan. I would be enthralled by their extraordinariness. I would notice the vintage and oversized blazers Vietnamese people would wear in tandem to being influenced to the west Fashion was a boiling pot of intertwined cultures and styles that helped define people As time goes on, the line between western and eastern styles begins to crumble to a new era of styles Styles that are not defined by one distinction, but by the multitude of variety out there Clothes brought a new definition of life and a way to understand people Clothes give people purpose

Human MHuman Mosaic osaic

By: Kellsey Savage

I believe that people are like mosaics Pieces of unrelated tile that are not created to go together, but when they do they create something beautiful Mosaic tiles are not sourced from the same place, they are all unique and different; some ceramic, some stone, some blue and some pink. What makes a mosaic special is that it takes these unrelated pieces to create a unified image. The tiles are held together, not by design, but by cement, and are very difficult to separate.

Every time I write, I think back to my 5th-grade English teacher’s essay rules. Each sentence has to start with a new word. There needs to be an appropriate amount of prepositional phrases. My sentences need to be complex but never run on Each sentence must be crucial, and if my writing made sense without it, the sentence was cut I learned these rules 9 years ago, and I still use them to this day

Sometimes I think about the impact of others on my own life The rules of my 5th grade English teacher continue to impact my writing. I put dishes away the way my mom does. My favorite video game is my brother’s favorite. I like history because of my dad. Everything I’ve ever learned came from someone else. I am a collection of others; a human mosaic.

I’ve heard once that people are like puzzle pieces. We connect physically and fit together in harmony. However, I don’t necessarily think that portrayal is accurate Puzzle pieces are cardboard, and are very cut and dry When a puzzle is undone, each piece returns to its original state One can look at a singular piece and never know that it was once connected to a much larger picture People are different We are made of flesh and blood, and when we connect it is not as easy to separate Pieces of those we once knew stay with us long after they are gone.

My favorite band was recommended to me by an ex. I like kettle-cooked popcorn because a friend I don’t speak to anymore loved it. Would I like these things if I never liked these people? Who’s to say? Traces of people linger, even when the people do not

Similarly, the people we love are forever cemented to us, and traces of them can be found in everything we do and everything we are.

Sometimes I can’t tell where my loved ones stop and I begin What is truly mine? While this reflection causes some existential dread, it also is oddly comforting How wonderful is it that some of the most minute details of who we are have such an impact! I wonder if I have affected anyone in this way If my life has irreversibly touched someone else's. I wonder if there are people who know a little too much about the Regency Era, who can recite the plot of Pride and Prejudice despite never reading it, simply because I went on a rant once. I wonder if they think about me when they think about this. I hope they do.

I am thankful for the people who have helped create the mosaic of me. I hope I have helped create the mosaic of others as well.

S TH

By: Sierra Worden

HONESTLY, IT'S OKAY TO ADMIT THAT DRAKE PUT YOU ONTO DANCE MUSIC.

By: Griffith Bihun

Honestly, Nevermind is categorized under “dance” on Apple Music, and throughout, Drake commits to crooning over lush, clubby beats, leaning fully into the chilldance pop music he briefly slipped into with his 2017 hit “Passionfruit ” From Afrobeats to grime, in the last few years, Drake has managed to consistently affiliate with rising genres that have crossed over globally For the Canadian superstar to dedicate a whole album to dance music holds weight.

“It’s all good if you don’t get it yet. It’s all good. That’s what we do. We wait for you to catch up.” Drake’s response to his dance album Honestly, Nevermind’s mixed reception could be written off as another Drake ism the superstar slighted by negative Twitter reviews, the great experimenter defending his segue into dance music

If Honestly, Nevermind was a conversation starter, Beyoncé dropping a surprise house-inspired track four days later, followed by an entire dance album, verified what we were already suspecting (and hoping for): house music is on the brink of a pop revival.

The thing is, Drake and Beyoncé’s “house music revival” isn’t concerned solely with house as a sound In a British Vogue interview with Beyoncé, editor in chief Edward Enninful describes her unreleased a lbum's soaring vocals and fierce beats as “transporting” him ‘back to the clubs of his youth’ in the late 1980s and 1990s

Many existing fans of both artists have interpreted this new direction as a move towards the electronic and EDM affected p op music that flooded the radios of the early 2010s, a period when artists like David Guetta and Calvin Harris reigned supreme. But that’s not house and that’s not the kind of dance music Drake and Beyoncé are trying to put you onto.

House is playful, it’s soulful.

Originating in Chicago in the 1980s, largely due to DJ Frankie Knuckles’ experimental sets at enfamous Black gay club The Warehouse, house became a positive and defining soundtrack for Black and queer communities. Hip hop and house are by no means sonic siblings, but they’re rooted in a similar struggle to speak for their people While hip hop’s early rapstars swiftly took the genre into the mainstream, house largely eschewed the charts, choosing instead to thrive on the dancefloors of its chosen communities

There seems to be a sense of escapism at the heart of this musical shift, a need to go back House, perhaps more than any other genre, represents the impulse to get up and dance your worries away Beyoncé’s no holds barred call to “Release ya anger, release ya mind, Release ya job, release the time, Release ya trade, release the stress, Release the love, forget the rest,” is the type of danceable defiance that has long coursed through house music. It’s what made it a refuge for Black, queer, and working class people in the first place. Two years into a global pandemic that almost squashed club culture, took lives, jobs and security, more than ever, house music feels like a fitting anthem.

In My "ERA"

By: Christina Rufo

It's not a phase; it’s an era There’s a new sense of freedom and rebirth following the online Tik Tok trend where people are defining themselves by means of ‘eras’ or new stages of life Similar to the ideas of making yourself the main character or romanticizing your life, the ‘era’ trend has become the latest style of presenting your life on the internet.

Beginning with the flop era, a concept that originated on Twitter to describe an album cycle that didn't meet expectations, using the word "era" as a way to define oneself has further diversified through digital platforms.

What was once used as an expression for artists or significant periods of time, eras have been adopted as personalities on social media Any person or anything has the potential to be an era

By segmenting our lives into eras, we create a storyline that helps us identify ourselves and accept the changes that may be happening. Being out of one era and into another is a marker of growth and empowerment. All of the little changes made on a day to day basis can be presented in a fulfilling matter of extreme self awareness.

If you’re having a bad week, or low on cash, you’re not struggling, it’s just a flop era. If you’re crying over a failed situationship for the 3rd time that month, you’re not bad at love, or emotionally unstable, you’re just in your Lana Del Rey/ Mitski era By segmenting these shifts in our lifestyle or attitudes, there is a sense of comfort that comes with knowing that it is just another era, and as soon as one ends, another will begin

Currently I’m in my gym girlie, self improvement, material girl, villain era I find it easier to stick to a new routine when I claim it as a part of my evolving identity However; if I’m having a bad week, or even a rough couple of days, I adopt a new era of “rest and relaxation” or “hibernation” to help normalize the bad parts of life. An era can be considered an acknowledgement of emotions, sometimes negative, but it also reminds us that the feelings are temporary.

By categorizing my life into smaller moments, I have finally been able to understand myself and enjoy every part of my transformation into who I want to be These eras also identify feelings and are used as a form of self expression while reminding us not to take ourselves too seriously Change is inevitable, and the constant flow from one era to the next reminds us of that

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By: Gabrielle Frazier

The skylines of New York City, the trolleys of San Francisco, the hub of cultures in Washington DC, and the nightlife of Los Angeles. These physical elements fill our minds when imagining the American city, and have remained a prominent part of our psyche for over 120 years From the industrialization of America in the early 1900s, American cities like NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and DC have been integral to the foundation of American culture, due to the designers, planners, and people that reside in them However, ebbing and flowing with social, economic, and political waves of the United States, the American city has evolved time and time again, rising and falling in popularity, etching out priorities of a group Evolving from the early 20th century where a boom in urbanization and immigration led to ghettos, slums, and thus zoning/housing reform, to then the 1950s where the city fell out of relevance due to the uptick in highways, the belief of “New Age American Dream”, and a racist disdain for the Great Migration. Then to the subsequent collapse in the 1980s from rises in crime and economic strain. The city then in the 2010s revived itself, however, on the backs of gentrification, racial displacement, and rent hikes

Today, the American city is sitting at a crossroad of a reinvention A reinvention sparked from the reflection in a pandemic, the looming effects of the climate crisis, and an invigorated group of activists in search of sustainable change The responsibility of this reinvention falls at the feet of not only the people who reside in the cities, but of the urban planners. Urban planning is the “design and regulation of the uses of space that focus on the physical form, economic functions, and social impacts of the urban environment and on the location of different activities within it.” (Britannica 2022). Urban planning involves many different sectors including transportation, land use, infrastructure, and housing and community development.

Each of these sectors overlap one another, making urban planning an intersectional field. Through this intersectional characteristic, urban planners are some of the important figures involved in the reinvention of our cities, especially in the name of sustainability. Now more than ever, those interested in sustainability and fighting our current climate crisis, students and activists are turning to urban planning as a tool to reimagine our cities, fundamentally reconstructing them to best fit what our country needs now Our American cities are now in the age of a sustainable movement and through the operations of modern urban planning the city is undergoing a physical and conceptual transformation

With the sustainability movement being at the forefront of the transformation of the concrete jungle, numerous issues have been brought to light. The movement sheds light on issues that revolve around the politics and the environment of the city. The biggest elephant in the room when discussing the transition towards a more sustainable city is the impact of pollution from vehicles The concentrated CO2 emissions that cars and most notably traffic creates has become an increasingly alarming issue as the population becomes denser Moving away from a car centric society is one of the main goals within the environmental movement and finds itself within the heart of the redesign and reimagining of the American city While a goal to eliminate cars has become controversial, steps have been taken to progress toward less cars on the road. Coming in the form of the prioritization of public transportation and the legislative process of eradicating cars from the road, the transition away from a car centric society is underway however, with around 290 million cars registered in the United States in 2022 (Hedges Company 2022), there is a lot of work to be done.

Many young activists, notably via Tik Tok, have introduced a one solution, the U S Railway System Much like West Virginia University’s own Personal Rapid Transit System (PRT), the U S Railways System would work to connect the major cities in the country together forming a faster railroad system and solution to the lack of public transportation. While many are in support of this idea, it has yet to leave the brainstorming status.

Unlike the railway system, other cities have spent years updating their public transportation infrastructure. In Indianapolis, officials have implemented an expansive Red Line electric bus system that has transformed the city for the better as residents can now easily travel into the downtown area In Los Angeles, 80 million dollars have been invested into stronger infrastructure for public transportation, namely a metro bus system LA has also introduced legislation that will work to ban the sale of new gas vehicles by 2035 which will dramatically decrease the dependence and usage of cars. This reinvention of the way we look at transportation and how we move around urban spaces will not only transform American cities but how we look at the value of space. Diversifying our cities to be more than a place connected to another by a road but an interconnected system of roads, sidewalks, and open, walkable spaces centers people into the core of American cities, not cars

Within the politics of the city, the sustainability movement has acknowledged the issues with

Low income residents are not only more susceptible to homelessness but also poor living conditions that prove to be unsustainable to the point of extreme health concerns, such as higher risks for asthma due to exposure to increasing ozone levels and poorly designs, often neglected building that not only fail to keep its residents safe but also the inhabitants of a city overall.

With rent prices doubling across major cities nationwide, a discussion has begun to whether this practice of gentrification and eliminating affordable housing in favor of wealthier residents is remotely sustainable for modern cities as the definition of sustainability involves the question of accessibility An eradication of lower income residents on the basis of racial displacement or disfavor for rent control will destroy American cities, turning them into an inaccessible inequitable urban space To combat this, tenant’s rights groups and legislators are reaching for a revisiting of many rent control bills in cities like Boston and Miami, activists are investigating the redlining, exploitative financial reconstruction, and tenant harassment that lead to gentrification.

In addition to fighting gentrification and rampant rent hikes, the new reinvention of the modern city is set to make American cities more accessible for all. This accessibility spans across class, race, and physical health or impairment. Activists and new age urban planners alike have taken notice of the recent increase in urban planning designs of the late 80s to 2000s that have negatively targeted unhoused people These designs include benches that prevent rest and relief, the ic bathrooms, and a minimization of a whole The eradication of these with the complete lack of proper to solve the unhoused crisis has n cities to become a hostile those without a home. Some cities have tive living spaces that create solutions omelessness crisis but also prove to be stainable architecture. In Los Angeles, hitects have designed and transformed ers into living spaces for unhoused

These vibrant “tiny house cities” are a representation of what a more sustainable and equitable American city looks like as planners and architects reimagine the rules of who has access to urban space.

The American city has taken numerous forms in its lifespan and now it's ready to shed its skin once more, this time taking on a more sustainable form As cities turn towards a more sustainable future, the definition of sustainability comes into question Environmental change cannot exist without economic equality and accessibility Equality and equity belong in the conversation of sustainability, especially when reinventing the modern city. One of our best physical representations of how intersectional our country is, to transform j l i i bl ibl and equ This rein landscap humanit life and r toxic, or society precious to prote sustaina to best s our cities

Society’s Future Within the Stars

By: Jessica Riley

The Creation of Space Curiosity

For as long as humans have existed, space has been a constant thought of curiosity within our minds. As time progressed, this curiosity continued to build among us as theories spanning from what space was, to how it directly affects society It wasn’t until the 19th century that humans began putting these theories into practice

The discovery of the solar system’s alignment was the first step into space exploration Not only did this discovery solve many questions, it raised more as well Years passed as more discoveries like the first images of stars, understanding the speed of light and studying asteroids became more common. These findings kept occurring until the first space exploration event. The first time humans traveled to the infinite void of space was in 1960. Since that day, more technological advances have been conducted to not only understand how space works, but to see where humans fit in with the mysteries of space

Astronomy Today

It's no secret that astronomy today is extreme from how we studied space in the past. Many brush over news that comes from space expl organizations like NASA or SpaceX. Some of groundbreaking discoveries have happened w past five years. The most recent findings incl Hubble Space Telescope capturing images o that have unlocked the way scientists view sp telescope has also allowed astronomers to ca first ever planetary defense A ‘dart’ or satelli collided with an asteroid to test out the newly defense plan

The idea of traveling and moving to and from planets has become a very common topic. For years the topic of civilian space flight has floated around in scientists’ minds If done correctly, civilians having access to space travel would significantly increase the possibility of expanding civilization This is something that scientists have been attempting for years, and they might be closer than most think The first step to allowing humans access to new environments outside of Earth would come from finding safe ways to travel there.

Civilian Space Flight

This is something that humans are not unfamiliar with On multiple occasions, society has witnessed some type of civilian space flight Throughout recent decades, this has become a common occurrence Most of these flights have come from SpaceX and the most recent flight that was considered to be a ‘civilian’ happened in 2021, where they lived in space for 72 hours. This was the longest civilian flight in history.

Having access to something like space flight is something that seems impossible. However, with new advancements in technology and more information on

Life on Mars

For years, the id irrational and un has been release experiments. Th astronomers and understanding of the red planet, and how it would affect the human body

This is not something that could happen overnight, and the first step to living somewhere new is to explore the area NASA has released its plans to send astronauts to travel and land on Mars in the early 2030s, and SpaceX plans to explore this planet as early as 2024

Companies have already begun developing specific heat protectant suits that would allow humans to walk on Mars, as well as developing propulsion systems for rockets that would be able to survive a roundtrip to Mars without being refilled. The propulsions would continuously thrust the rocket in one direction without using too much fuel. The discovery of water and ice on mars was detrimental to the idea that humans could survive on this planet This idea was further pushed when, as early as 2001, scientists had discovered evidence of ancient microorganisms living on Mars Life on Mars may seem far away, but it is an idea that has been put on the table many times With the potential space missions of traveling to Mars being within the next decade, the information gathered may just allow civilians to truly see what scientists. Completely moving an entire society would take decades, but humans must start somewhere. Of course, many people still don’t fully understand the reasoning behind needing to move planets. Not understanding made sense in the past, as there was no real reason to begin thinking about such a drastic change. However, more issues have begun to arise regarding overpopulation, lack of food resources and climate change.

t the Future Holds

is no definite way to understand the future ce exploration and what this means to y. There is, however, one certain idea.

thing that is discovered in space is directly related to humans as a whole It is related to the idea of adapting and revolutionizing to certain conditions and environments Understanding how exactly the planet we live on is still consistently changing with how the galaxy is changing, and what this actually means Knowing that the possible idea of extraterrestrial life is not completely crazy All of these theories and speculations of space are what drives the natural human urge to understand the things we see when we look up at the night sky.

Space is constantly changing, and society changes with it. In order to understand this change, constant space missions, explorations, developments and more are always being examined The last decade has given society an abundance of information to think about than ever before Closer than most think, humans will be able to understand perplexing discoveries, and one day be able to see them face to face

“The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time . ”

- John F. Kennedy

ЯквдбудуватиУкраїну

By: Aidan Cornue

When I was old enough to understand the world around me, my grandmother sat me down and told me about home. She told me about the beautiful skies and the endless fields that make up our country’s flag. She told me about the small cities she walked through as a child before the second world war She explained to me the hope that Ukrainians have, and how it’s illimitable and forever growing

From what I’ve learned and experienced as a second generation Ukrainian, hope is our guiding dream It’s our green light on the dock It is, as the great Emily Dickinson once wrote, “the thing with feathers that perches the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” Hope is so prevalent in each and every Ukrainian that individuals can see it seeping through our bodies. It’s half of us, and we couldn’t be prouder of that fact.

Another factor of Ukrainian heritage that I simply adore is our pride. When visiting the industry filled city of Donetsk, or walking across the beautiful sands of the General’s beaches in Crimea, or passing through the sunflower fields of Osoivka in Eastern Ukraine, you will find some of the happiest people in the world They all believe in the beauty and pride of Ukraine, and will willingly show you these aspects through any means: old photos, conversation, family memories, classic poetry, and literature.

My grandmother has always been the epitome of my Ukrainian identity. I owe everything I have strived to represent and the values I try to protect to her, and I will forever be grateful for what she has done for me and my heritage. I write this essay for her and her generation, who prevailed through so much suffering and hardship to create and instill the hope, the passion, the beauty, and the pride that make up the Ukrainian identity that I strive to share with others Her generation has set up a precedent for modern Ukrainians to flaunt their heritage and create a better and brighter future for our country This essay is not a look at the past, it is a look at the future, and how we will overcome our greatest obstacle yet

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an unprecedented attack on the eastern front of Ukraine. For the first time since Ukraine declared its independence on August 24, 1991, it has had a ludicrous amount of media coverage and international attention.

This war is not only about the now and here regarding its soldiers, it's about the where and how of the people and where they will go

This war has been brutal, not just for the soldiers, but for the people. Almost 30,000 civilians have either been killed or wounded In addition to the countless innocents being added to the frequent casualty reports, over 13 million Ukrainians have had to flee their homes due to constant military activity Moreover, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal recently stated that over 1,200 schools and 200 hospitals have been destroyed so far during this war The horror of this fact is that hospitals and schools are not supposed to be targeted, it is a war crime, and Putin is clearly breaking this law. What is even scarier is that he doesn't seem to care very much about his legal or illegal actions. He just cares about the outcome being in his favor. With the entire Russian army leering over the border, hope is all we have, that same hope that has been growing since my grandmother shared it with me.

One of the shining stars my people have been looking towards is no other than our president The former comedian and actor starred in a show called Servant of the People where he played an everyday history teacher who simply ranted about the corruption of the Ukrainian government on video Then, he was elected president Enough about the irony of our president who played the president in a dramedy, let’s talk about what he's done for the country.

His regular routine includes sending messages to the people of Ukraine, and allies too, through social media. In these videos, he updates us on the casualties, the political aspects of the war, and many other things. But what stands out the most in his videos is his unwavering pride and dedication You can see it in his eyes, he won’t give up In some of his previous videos, he had been walking outdoors, in Kiev, the capitol, with no protection at all, simply talking to the Ukrainian people while casually walking through bombed streets

Zelenskyy has not only been a good wartime president, but he regularly makes known his opinions in office, with the most serious face imaginable He doesn’t stray away from the fact that Putin is a terrorist, he doesn’t ignore the fact that Ukraine has problems with corruption in higher political offices, and he constantly looks toward the future When I think of Ukraine’s president, I think of the person who will lead the people of Ukraine to their hopeful and bright future

Ukraine faces a huge decision on how to run their country if they prevail from this war: Do they rebuild their country with the same, classical ideals or build the new, Great Ukraine out of the precedent which generations of Ukrainians have built up?

The decision is easy: build a new Ukraine, capable of capturing the past, but acting on the beliefs of the future Having this in place, Ukraine can become a better place than it was before Creating the future of this country is no easy task, but it certainly bodes well with the people Ukraine has already pushed out a rebuild plan, costing a staggering $750 billion USD But if we implement the beliefs and ideals of both our past and our present generation, we can build the future culture of Ukraine

Thinking about my country and what it will turn out to be like in the upcoming months and years makes me think about my grandmother. She always told me about the beauty of Ukraine and what it was like when she was a child, living in Sambir. I can’t help but realize that Sambir has changed since she was a child in the 40’s, and it will keep changing until the war and the rebuilding process is over. The world can so easily move on from the past, and it isn’t a question of if we will remember it, it's a question of how we, as the future generation of Ukraine, grow from it

M I R A G E ' S P i c k s

Brogan's Pick

Hourglasses

Ever since I was little, I have collected hour glasses. I find that watching the sand fall through the hole is extremely calming. Hour glasses are used to measure the passage of time, so this was the perfect “pick” for Mirage’s 10th issue “Metamorphosis.”

Sierra's Pick

Simply Simmons Paint Brushes

I have always liked to express myself artisticly, and these paint brushes have allowed me to do that. I have tried many different brushes, and by far these are the best for me. I love how smooth my paint strokes are when I use these brushes, and I would recommend them to anyone who asks.

Jessica's Pick

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

One thing about me is that I absolutely love the genre of adventure and romance mashed up into one. Another thing is I still adore the classic Disney films from when I was a child. When I was given Girl ent Thorn I immediately fell in love with the description. Taking base of the classic story of Beauty and the beast and mixing it o add a more modern twist with more descriptive details was ething I fell in love with very quickly This book rose to be one y favorite books before I had even finished it and I highly mmend it to anyone who loves romance and adventure with a twist

Kaitlyn's Pick

A Court of Thornes & Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas

I have always had a love for reading. However, I stopped reading in my teen years. This book series help me fall back in love with reading. Sarah J. Maas has created a world where the reader can easily get lost in the pages. It has a beautiful, strong, intelligent female lead. There is action, romance and deception. I highly recommend this series to anyone wanting an escape from reality.