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Dropping Traditions
This year, we didn’t have a Christmas tree. We had a pineapple that sat on top of our mini fridge with a necklace of lights and a pair of sunglasses. This year, I did not wake up at my parents’ house on Christmas day. It’s somewhat bittersweet, celebrating the first holiday season after moving in with my boyfriend. I absolutely love living with him and creating new memories, but it still feels weird to be separated from the family I spent the first twenty years of my life with. Even while away at college, I came home to them over school breaks. It doesn’t help the situation that I work…
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How to find facts in a world of fake news
Most people who spread misinformation are not intentionally malicious...readers and observers of current events must be vigilant. Before you believe something, make sure that it is worthy of your trust.
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Mightier than the sword: A young woman writes her destiny
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing McKenzie Swenson...In her answers below, she discusses what it took to pursue her passion and change the course of her life.
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Les Miserables at the Orpheum
Few theatre fanatics are unfamiliar with the stage production based on Victor Hugo's classic novel.
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Religion and Racism
The Bible can be misinterpreted based on both the culture and time period in which parts of it were written.
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Is it ethical to celebrate Thanksgiving?
While it's easy to write off as an innocent, non-religious holiday focused on wholesome values such as family togetherness and gratitude, the holiday's dark past is seldom acknowledged.
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What is Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a holiday to celebrate deceased loved ones with traditions that vary in different loactions.
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How to avoid costumes with cultural appropriation this Halloween
Offensive Halloween costumes seem to be an issue every year. This ranges from vile depictions of beat-up celebrities which reference domestic violence to hurtful portrayals of disabilities which make a mockery of the people experiencing these things. In particular, costumes with cultural appropriation has been a hot topic in recent years. Most people seem to have a very vague understanding that it has something to do with stealing traditions or relics from another culture. This article does an amazing job of explaining this fiery issue in-depth, but essentially cultural appropriation is when someone from the dominant culture uses cultural elements from a minority culture in a problematic way. This includes…
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Breastfeeding in Public
The fact that feeding an infant can be controversial is ridiculous. Women deserve to be able to feed their children in clean, non-judgmental environments.
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El Paso Trip Part Two: The Justice System
Travel journal, Day 1: As I write this, I’m sitting on the plane headed from North Dakota to Texas. We had a long delay due to snow, so it’s been a somewhat stressful afternoon. It probably won’t compare to the difficulty of the upcoming week. I’m trying to emotionally prepare myself for what I’ll see. Moving to another country is always a struggle linguistically, culturally, and socially. I experienced some of these burdens when I lived in Chile last fall. However, I had the benefit of knowing I would return home in a few months, and I had a safe place to live set out for me and a visa…