Diversity | The World Around Us

On May 12th, I walked across the stage and graduated! I’m officially on alumni of Syracuse University – what an accomplishment! Unfortunately, I’m going to have to cut the excitement short because the reputation of my school became tarnished last month.

On April 18th, Syracuse University, made the news and it wasn’t for a world changing achievement. It was because of a serious offense that was portrayed in a video. We were featured on CNN, ABC, Syracuse.com, BBC, and many more.

Syracuse University suspends fraternity over video showing racist, sexist behavior

Syracuse Fraternity Suspended for ‘Extremely Racist’ Video

During that week of hurt, confusion, and fear, when you searched “Syracuse University”, the word, “fraternity” immediately popped up. My professors took time out of their busy class schedule to discuss their personal standing and where we should stand as a University as well. In one of my classes, we took the time to discuss what diversity meant. It’s really an easy answer: it simply means variety.

There was a lull in my classes when it was bought up. We didn’t really want to talk about it because we we weren’t even surprised by what had happened because it had happened before especially on smaller scales that didn’t make it to BBC, CNN, and NBC news. Our chancellor offered his condolences and suspended the fraternity, but because this had happened before and because we had to bear witness to these occasions one too many times, we wouldn’t stand for it. We weren’t going to allow this to pass by us too fast and let it happen again.

From that Wednesday onto the next week, protests erupted, flyers were stuck on the student center, and conversations were fiery. To make matters worse, one of the days was admitted students day so students and their parents would be touring our school and seeing the evidence of pain throughout the campus expressed on our faces and the grey skies. If the question, “How is the University dealing with it?”, we were told to respond in extreme formalities, “They have launched a formal investigation to identify individuals involved and to take additional legal and disciplinary actions.” I remembered one of the faculty members saying in a heartbreaking tone, “This is not us! I want the families to know that what that fraternity did isn’t who we are!” Isn’t it heartbreaking when someone breaks your illusion of reality?

One of the most shocking things I saw plastered onto the student center where touring families oftentimes pass through were flyers that read, “Welcome to Syracuse University: Home to Homophobia” It goes on listing several other “-isms”. On the front of the student center, there were several flyers that read, “Do not commit to SU until SU commits to you.” and the quote pulled from the video, “I solemnly swear to always have love hate in my heart.”

The class of 2018 just graduated and are moving onto the world, a bigger and more real place. We’re going to deal with much more injustices and discrimination, but the difference is whether or not we just sit there and critic the wrongdoings or do we start implementing change. It’s a lot easier to say that you’re going to start making changes, but it will only get harder once you get up onto your feet, open your mouth and speak your mind. That’s where change is born and that’s why I write.

Alice

March for Our Lives | #NeverAgain

When I was in high school, all I worried about was what I was going to do in the future. Nowadays, students have to worry about tomorrow. They have to worry about if they’ll see their best friend tomorrow, if the person they knew will be the same tomorrow or if someone could come in tomorrow and change their lives forever.

Since the latest shooting in Florida, there have been too many to count. Too many students have been killed, too many teachers’ lives have been taken away and too many families whose lives have been changed forever. Each moment carving a poignant moment in the country’s lives driving us to indifference and a constant fear reverberating in our hearts. We would send our most sincere prayers and mourn the lost of another and watch the news go by, telling untold stories and reciting facts until we turn to safer alternatives rather than feeling the constant pain.

Why do they deserve to die? What drove the someone to do such an act? How come there are so many? What is currently being done? What’s going to happen next?

As we cycle through Presidents and seasons of law making, the only obvious answer we’ve been hearing besides the cry of our dead children is the lack of response. Should a student put on their résumé, “survived a mass school shooting”? Should they become parents and fear for their children’s lives even after begging those with power to just do something? 

We’re not asking for much. All we want is to ensure the safety of not only our children, but for our country. Having students walk through metal detectors, carry clear backpacks and learn about guns and the history will help, but it won’t solve anything. Families will continue to become broken, lives will be lost and all there seems fit is to just wait and see what tomorrow brings.

As brave and empowered people #MarchforOurLives through the streets of D.C and cities around the country, let’s remember that #NeverAgain will our children fear for their lives at school. #NeverAgain will another mass school shooting need to happen before our eyes are opened again. #NeverAgain will legislators ignore our plea.

Stay strong.

For More Information:

• March for Our Lives Official Website
• Buy Some Merchandise
• Everytown for Gun Safety Merchandise
• What You Need to Know by Thrillist
• 7 Ways to Support March for Our Lives If You Can’t Be on the Ground
• Sign the Petition
• Everything You Need to Know to Get Involved in Your City by Vogue
• What You Should Know About March for Our Lives by CNN

Donation Sites:

• March for Our Lives Donation Page
• GoFundMe Page

Alice

2017 | A World Around Us

Notice: I know it’s a Tuesday, which isn’t the scheduled day for A World Around Us posts, but next Monday is Christmas and this post is a heavy one.

2017 has been a difficult year.

With climate change upon us and ignorant politicians turning their head the other way around, we’re almost forced to hide our most vulnerable side and continue like the world isn’t melting right under our feet. It’s old news right now, but when we see a video of a starving polar bear, our heart aches. It’s not like 100% of the proceeds we donate will go towards helping those in need. With a leader acting on impulse and people’s voices being shut down, we feel as though our power no longer stands anymore.

“What’s for dinner, mom?”

“The faded voices of change.”

With shootings from one state to another and bleeding into countries, we shout and scream while we stare at headlines and while we hold onto our loved ones. These shootings have become too numerous where we’ve run out of adjectives to fully comprehend them. The visiting hours at churches should be extended until we’re guaranteed a sense of safety. In 1949, duck & cover was taught to give a sense of security to the children. As I crouched next to my classmates at 7:14am, my math teacher shushed us and furiously whispered, “What if there was a shooter in our school right now? What would you do?” A thought passed through my mind, “We’re all dead if the shooter breaks through.”

“Mommy! I’m scared!”

“Me too, baby.”

With celebrity singers releasing a song titled, 1-800-273-855, the suicide hotline, to someone at my church seriously thinking about ending their life, we quickly scour our minds for a solution, a way to help and a reason why. Stevie Ryan – YouTuber, Clay Adler – actor, Kim Jong-Hyun – singer. They have grounded us by reminding us of our fading humanity, but they’ve also lifted us up into their work. May they rest in peace as well as the many others who have taken their lives. As for us, let’s create an ongoing dialogue to limit the feeling of oppression especially when it comes from yourself. Let’s create an ongoing dialogue to save those who still have decades to go. And let’s create a healthy dialogue where we’re unafraid to share.

“How are you?”

“Terrible, but can we talk?”

 2017 was terrible, but in about a week, 2018 will be here, hopefully brighter and with lessons learned from 2017.

The Rhetoric of iPhone | The World Around Us

On November 3, 2017, the iPhone X was released and as usual, lines spanning a couple blocks would emerge a couple days before the release date. Armed with tents and sleeping bags, the truly dedicated would sleep on the sidewalks to anticipate the release of the newest iPhone. It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but over the past ten years of Apple product releases, this is the routine that has been built up over these products. There are two types of people sitting in these lines. Those of which claim to be die-hard fans of Apple products and those who hope to make some decent money off of the iPhone. No one in their right mind would be willing to sleep on the sidewalk for a phone unless there is something they can get out of it.

If you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, then you wouldn’t be aware of the the reputation that Apple has been building up. Ever since it released its first iPhone, it changed the entire market of phone. Gone with the flip-phones and in comes the new touch screens. I’ve grown up in the “generation of iPhones” and I was mesmerized by having a necessity be so interactive. Each time Apple released a new phone, I was curious to see what they would do next. First came the multi-tasking abilities and second came the cameras and the new applications that would go with it and then came all the fastest and smoothest software. The phone looked classy, yet clean and it was pretty easy to use. It reeked of power, but looked humble in appearance. And with the expenses, you would have to have a decent amount of money to be able to afford it. This is everything we wanted to be — powerful and respected.

With that being said, everyone had to have an iPhone.

Because if you had an iPhone, especially if it was the latest one, then you would be considered powerful and respected. You would appear to have all of yourself together since you would have to have a decent amount of money to be able to afford it. Everyone wants to be friends with someone who has money because after all, they’re smarter. How else would they have been able to get that job to have all that money? They would’ve had to go to a top school with a relevant degree. And of course, you would’ve needed to be quite intelligent to get in.

In all seriousness, there exists a divide with iPhones and smart phones in general with those who want, those who desperately need it not for its software, but for its worth and those who have it. Why do people need to sleep on the streets just to get their hands on an iPhone and we only look upon them in fascination and admire them for the stamina rather than say, “Shouldn’t you be doing something else?” How come our society has transformed into revolving around what’s temporarily satisfactory rather than fixing the issues that surround us every single day? And what have we lost as a whole that has caused us to find comfort in the most powerful device in our pockets?

I was inspired by Casey Neistat’s video about the iPhone X where he decided to capture the perspective of those spending the nights on the streets, waiting for the iPhone X. He has made several other videos about each iPhone release and I definitely recommend watching them since he does a good job in showing both sides of why people want the iPhone.

iPhone X – FIRST IN NYC TO GET – slept on the streets for 5 days

Black Market Takes Over The iPhone 6 Lines

Thanks for reading and I hope this made you think!

Alice

Dear Familiar Stranger | A World Around Us

To those who have been hurt whether by themselves or by others with sharp stabbing words or with painful blows, hang on. Your soul will heal and your organs may still bleed, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right?

To those who have been lured into a trap of use and misuse, never fear because there is love and genuine care out there. Someone will come along and gently take you in, feeding and nourishing you until you’re all better. Never let that someone go or you’ll be like the trap that broke you.

To those who feel perpetually lost with no light in sight, no opening to look for and nothing to hold on to, just know that liberation is near. Your eyes will soon meet light and this revelation will stun and surprise you, but it will be present.

To those who work until their fingers bleed, shout in the empty streets, but no one listens or cares, there is still time.

Dear familiar stranger, you definitely heard life is hard as if they’re saying suck it up as if they’re saying we’re all suffering out here, there’s no reason for your complaints. Let it out. Sit in the pain. Feel it only so you can conquer it. It only gets worse when you sit in it and let it overtake you because that just means you are lesser than what you have created when in reality, what you have created should compliment you no matter the difficulty.

Do you have any spare change? | A World Around Us

Something has come into my focal point and needs to be addressed. With these stories, I hope that I can bring light to a dire situation in need of people with power to present solutions. Hear me out.

There’s a street on my University that the students look at as the barrier between the university and the city. Students from different backgrounds walk through to get their fix of coffee or Chipotle. Nurses and doctors are able to get a quick meal before needing to head back to work. And then, there are drug addicts and the homeless who sit on the side of the street and ask the busy for change or even a meal.

Option 1:

“M’am? Do you have any spare change?

“I’m sorry. I don’t have any.” 

That was usually how the exchange went. They would saunter back to their original position, standing or sitting and we would walk away to grab lunch, that spare change being used for our personal nourishment. In your mind, an exchange questioning their background using your personal judgement and concluding with their best interest and your own in mind that they would do better without the cash and you have no time for them — the sorry truth and an air full of privledge.

Option 2:

“Ma’am? Could you spare some change?”

“I don’t have any cash on me, but I could get you some coffee.”

“That would be wonderful.”

“How do you take your coffee?”

With your heart full, you head into Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts and buy the coffee exactly how they wanted it, a medium with 4 creams and 6 sugars. It’s only a couple dollars, they stay warm and it doesn’t take too much time out of your schedule — the ideal situation. You return to the streets with the coffee and watch a smile erupt onto their face, a sense of gratitude flooding your body, yet when you leave that street, you wonder about their dinner.

Option 3:

“It’s not raining that hard out! You don’t need an umbrella!” he chuckles and says. I smile and head into CVS for my fix of snacks because I was addicted to sugar. I’m back out on the street again, backpack full with lunch and in my hand, I carry a bag full of gummies. The man approaches me again calling me out on my umbrella and saying, “Hey, sometimes you gotta feel the rain on your face, like this!” he pulls off his hood and faces the rain, a goofy smile illuminating his face. His lively personality causes me to stop and smile and he approaches me and says, “Can I ask you a question?” I nod before he launches the all familiar question, “I was recently released from prison. Do you think you could spare some change for a meal or coffee?” On impulse, I shake my head and say that I don’t have any when I very clearly have money, my bag of snacks rattling in front of me as I quickly walk away. Statistics flood my head as I realize that either way, he must be telling the truth. He’s doing what he can to have a living even if it comes to asking strangers for money. I turned around in hopes that I could catch him wandering around so I could not only redeem myself with my slip-up but show him that he can trust people and that first impressions aren’t everything. The sorry truth is that it does.

—

Regardless of the ethics of whether or not the money would be put to use or if they really are what they claim to be, people are on the streets, hungry and without adequate shelter. On the opposite end, there is a moral battle between what had been implemented within us and what should be done that conflicts with the role we are called to play in society. Are you a true humanitarian? What is your personal motives for helping those who approach you? Would you act differently if you were with your friends or if you had all the time in the world? Is it for your own morale booster or simply because you see someone in need of a meal?

Consider the options. Think fast. Act fast.

Alice

Little Did We Know, More We Can Do | The World Around Us

This is the final installment from my project, but I plan on writing more about current events and my opinions. 

There is little that we knew of what will become of this election and even less now that the unexpected has occurred. With a gaping wound at our side, we know what we should do and that is to patch up the wound and prevent any more red from spilling and leaking without knowing. He may sit up top with his suits dry cleaned to perfection and the words coming out of his mouth never believable, but the masses potentially have a strong force against him. Rather than using our strength in numbers to throw him off, we should reunite ourselves since it is pretty evident that we were never united in the first place. Just as it takes some time for wounds to heal, it will take time for the country to be able to call itself the United States of America.

Shouting Red | The World Around Us

I remember reading a post stating, “If Trump wins I’m going to be openly more of an asshole to ignorant sexist racist homophobic people. No more being polite to these fucking idiots. Fuck.” I frantically shouted a response, “No, please. This is when things will certainly go down. Yes, he’s terrible, but if we are going to not be polite and be assholes, then doesn’t that make us just like him?!” I still had hope not that Hilary can win because that had gone by, but that the country isn’t as bad as it revealed itself to be. Among the 21k responses this post received, I can only hope and will that at least a quarter of the people responded as I did.

In the frantic nature of people, we are quick to panic and quick to shroud ourselves to protect our most vulnerable sides. Everywhere I looked, there were open responses of hatred, cutting sharp and leaving lacerations too deep to naturally heal. When I turned around, there were open responses of love, quickly patching and sealing the cuts, the gentle and encompassing red shrouded the sticky and oozing red, the leak that was always there, but we simply ignored because it was easier.

People bravely opened up their shirts to show the world their wounds that were caused from the other night, but the stood still without swaying and opened up the dialogue to converse with them. Our pain united the states and while it did force ourselves to expose the problems, we are evident that it is here. We can’t avoid it as it stares at us in the face. In one of my classes, we expected to just be jumping into Margaret Fuller, instead my professor opened up and said, “I stayed up late last night watching the election and I’m tired. You are also tired. Before we start class, I want to open up a discussion. If there’s anything you want to talk about, we can talk about it.” We stared back at her, not entirely comfortable with this open dialogue because our wounds were still raw but I appreciated her gesture of openness. On campus, a group of students holding handmade signs with “Send hugs not hate!” and “Love Trumps hate” and “Free hugs!” stood around smiling in the bleakness. When I walked by them, I smiled comfortably and felt myself stand up straighter.

My roommate and I hang onto the hope that because Trump is under so many watchful eyes, he wouldn’t do anything as reckless as he promised. We told each other about the small lights that we witnessed and we gave a small sigh of relief. People were shouting red, but for the right reasons.

Red and Blue | The World Around Us

At first, I didn’t want to watch the election unfold with my excuses being that it would be too crowded in the lecture hall and I had work to do, but it spiraled into not wanting to see the country unfold into the hands of a troubled leader who consistently announced discrimination and separation. I knew that when I filled out my ballot, I knew that I had done the right thing, but when it came to the entirety of the future, the “what if” hung in front of me and it was too loud, too terrifying, too unstable. My best friend urged me to go because something like this happens once every four years. I whispered this to myself and found myself at disbelief that the country is constantly uncertain every four years. It felt like an unhealthy relationships where we consistently break up with our partners or vice versa. Why can’t we have a happy marriage?
I sat with my friends and we watched the election unfold. We continued to laugh, but our laughter turned somber as too many states turned red rather than blue. The numbers made no sense to us and we hung to a small thread of hope, but the thread was snipped near the end of the night when we realized what the future may hold. I left when it was clear that the numbers and colors were shouting his name. Even while I was home and away from the banter of the students, I checked the rising and unchanging numbers. I saw the fear that has been built up in people starting to bubble up, but I simply closed my eyes and waited for the new day to fall upon me.
After the night passed by, I opened my eyes and looked at the headlines with disbelief I never wanted to experience. One family was triumphant, but many other families felt torn. This wasn’t what we expected; yet it became the truth. I sauntered over to Tumblr and saw my feed full of people full of fear, uncertain about their future, uncertain about their lives and uncertain about what to do. We cried out, but it was too late. A couple months ago, we were laughing and impersonating our future president without realizing it. The further I scrolled and read, the more hatred I saw seeping through the letters, bleeding red and hot.

Entrance | The World Around Us

Each week, I’ll be posting a little segment of my opinions of what is happening in the United States. These were written in December 2016 for a class assignment and I felt like I shouldn’t neglect what’s in front of us right now, but to have it be known. This is the first of four installments. 

Entrance

When Kanye West announced that he planned on running for presidency in 2020, we laughed and whispered among ourselves, but loudly enough so that others can hear. We whispered that there was no way this would be probable, but granted how things were going, we wouldn’t mind. He would be doing a better job anyways.

When Donald Trump announced that he was going to run for presidency in 2016, we laughed and whispered, “There’s no way that this will happen.” Little did we know, the imminent future that will affect us all whether we liked it or not. We knew he wouldn’t get very far because the other candidates seemed more probable. Little did we know that this wasn’t the case. His bizarre and radical announcements shocked us, but we weren’t shaken because we had a feeling that he wouldn’t get very far. We turned him into memes, highlighting his old age and wispy hair. We impersonated him because of how much he stood out and how little he appeared to know. As time progressed, we realized how serious he was, but we remained the same. People drifted to sides as candidates began to drop out. From the sidelines, I had a feeling that this was too bizarre to participate in, so I went back to my homework and finished it. My roommate was invested in Bernie Sanders and even after he lost the nomination, she still stood by him. As the year went by, signs and bumper stickers started appearing. Every time a Trump sticker or sign appeared, she would wrinkle her nose and walk away but when there was a Hilary sign, no response would be elicited, but after it was certain that Hilary would be the Democratic nominee and Trump would be the Republican nominee, she would whisper her support.

The two extremes stood opposing each other and while some were for her and some were for him, others would see them as mirror images, causing too much fear and uncertainty for the future of our country.