Portland State is a special place. As a good friend of mine recently said, many of the students here were the weirdest kid in town wherever they grew up, and…
Will Hurricane Maria call attention to the neglect of Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico, often ignored by the United States except as a tourist destination, is making news for the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The majority of the archipelago is without…
US responsible for American child migrant crisis
Since the 1980s, growing violence in Central American countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador has compelled growing numbers of refugees to migrate through Mexico into the United States….
An open letter (challenge) to the PSU community
Dear esteemed colleagues, faculty, and fellow students of the Portland State community; The new academic year is upon us, and with it as always the tenuous opportunity for fantastic successes…
How to make friends with a professor
Pick a class to pay attention in. Obviously you’re supposed to pay attention in all your classes, and you totally should. But let’s be honest: You’re definitely not going to…
You can’t remake memories
As a current trend, Disney has been remaking its classic cartoons into live action movies. Starting with Tim Burton’s 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland, Disney marches forward with the recent…
The Eagle Creek wake-up call
I woke up to the fire’s Level One Evacuations only ten miles away and so much smoke that I could barely breathe properly inside my house. Somewhat alarmed, my mom…
DREAMers deserve to stay
We are a country of immigrants. The Statue of Liberty, a prolific symbol of our nation says that we welcome “your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” We say, “Send…
Summary of Burgerville Workers Union summer efforts
Mid-July, a crowd of one hundred union members and their allies carried large red flags, megaphones, and red signs emblazoned with “Industrial Workers of the World” and “SEIU” as they…
No, not that BBW—it’s Banned Book Week
The American Library Association’s annual Banned Books Week runs Sept. 24–30. Established in 1982, the week aims to raise awareness of book censorship and gain public support. BBW this year…
Debunking the myth of useless degrees
The summer before I started university, I ran into some family acquaintances at the grocery store. Naturally, they asked what I planned to study. I study history with a minor…