**CW: this piece contains mentions of rape** This piece consists of tiny journal entries from March ‘21 till July ‘21. I started to speak publicly about my rape around 2018, fifteen years after the fact. Four years after that, I find myself, for the first time ever, healing from the trauma. I’ve come to terms … Read moreWalking Through The Valley of Shadow of Death by Nancy Azcona
Ben was someone I had known since I was 5 years old — not in a romantic way, but in a “he was in my kindergarten class” way where someone exists passively in your consciousness for as long as you can remember. My best friend and I would play tag on the playground and take … Read moreThe Parable of This Guy Who Gave Me a UTI by Amita Rao
Photography by Joana Meurkens, Interview by Carolina Meurkens In this installation of “Hair Stories”, we interviewed New York native and curly hair dreamboat Ian Deane. Ian (they/he) is a triple threat actor studying Musical Theater at Texas State University. His artistry seeks to highlight stories that speak to social change and challenge audiences. When he’s … Read moreHair Stories: (Ian)
It is uncomfortable.. Damn. It is so f*cking uncomfortable. I’m not even gonna lie to you. I hate it sometimes. Being “in the closet” at home means listening to “harmless” queer jokes (that sometimes are kinda funny) but that I can’t even laugh at. You know how if someone makes fun of your best friend … Read moreA Personal Note on Being Queer in a Black Christian Family by Monyae Kerney
It is known that pain trickles down through generations, that the life we call our own is intertwined with the lives that came before us. The roads that our ancestors walked paved our current paths. I believe that strength trickles down through generations as well. Their prayers and dreams are within me. It is as … Read moreMy Coat of Armor by Mayana Nell Torres
Photo by @annaparade Imagine this, you’re in an escape room and you’ve used all of your options before realizing there’s no way out—that is what it feels like to be in a constant battle with your mind. This pandemic has taken such a toll on my already struggling mental health, and I have decided to … Read moreThe Pandemic, Music, and Mental Health by Lindsay Marcelli
I was taking a walk in Ridgewood capturing pictures of flowers and sending them to one of my close friend. We do this often, our texts are full of things we saw and wanted to share: selfies of us with a terrible sunburn, a snack we enjoyed, a weird-shaped cloud, or a cute new outfit. … Read moreWhy You Should Stop Posting on Social Media and Start Sending Your Selfies Directly to Your Friends by Nico Shears
Interviewed by Kimber Monroe. Photography by Joana Meurkens I’m so excited to be back for Hair Stories. In this column, we speak with a lot of people about their journeys toward acceptance and love when it comes down to hair. It’s not easy to exist in our society if you don’t fit into the Eurocentric … Read moreHair Stories: (Joi Broughton)
“Cancel Culture” habits die hard. Every outraged response, every spiteful comment liked, every video made in response to a cancellation affects our mental health. Cancel Culture is more than holding individuals accountable. It directly interferes with our mental health due to our response. Constantly being saturated with petty commentary towards a cancellation can make us … Read moreCancel Culture & Our Mental Perception by Paola Fernandez
One “funny” cliché about Arab people, which is often used in comedy sketches, is how Arab kids can’t be anything aside from a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. As funny as this cliché might sound, it is actually the tree that hides the forest. This forest is a culture that has been transmitted from … Read moreThe mental health toll of elitism in education and the job market in Arab culture by Tharwa Boulifi