LGBTQ+ History Month at USC
LGBTQ+ History Month takes place throughout the month of October and has become an integral part of the USC community for more than fifty years. The origins of this celebration date back to 1970, when a group of students and faculty established the Gay Liberation Forum. This initiative aimed to advocate for the rights and recognition of LGBTQ+ individuals. After years of dedicated activism and perseverance, the movement achieved a significant milestone in 1975 when it was officially recognized by the USC Board of Trustees. This acknowledgment marked a pivotal moment in the university’s history, solidifying the importance of LGBTQ+ issues within the campus community.
Easy Road Trips From LA
Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Many USC students are preparing for a long drive or flight home for the break, but if you are planning to stay on campus or live in Southern California, here are some perfect day or overnight trips nearby to get out of the hustle and bustle of Downtown Los Angeles.
Discounts for USC Students on Nearby Theme Parks and Museums
Southern California is home to many different theme parks as well as museums, aquariums, and other fun places to explore. While these can be pricey to experience, fortunately, as USC students, we have the opportunity to obtain online discounts for some of the most popular attractions!
Fall Festivities: Fall & Halloween Bucket List LA
The beautiful fall season has begun! Although the LA temperatures are still nearing 90 degrees, the city offers many fun ways to celebrate the harvest season and Halloween. Here are some of the best LA and USC activities to get in the spirit!
Back-To-School Trojan Fashion
The focus on streetwear began just thirty years ago in New York City and Los Angeles. Given USC’s prime location just blocks from downtown LA, it may seem obvious that the campus is full of people sporting unique styles or staying right on trend. With summer wrapping up and fall right around the corner, seasonal fashion pieces are starting to switch up. Here are some of the most popular fashion trends on the USC campus right now.
The Fresh Prince and I
By: Justin Negash ‘22
It’s 2008, and I’m eating my injera with chickpeas as fast as I can; scarfing down my dinner so that I’m seated and ready for 7:00. I’m ahead of schedule as the medley of infomercials and local plumbing advertisements bombard my television screen. I needed this; after a long day at school, I yearned to enter the world of Bel-Air and its certified ruler: the Fresh Prince. I’m counting the seconds until 7:00 hits as my family finally gets seated on the living room couch (ableit to much less enthusiasm than myself). 7:00 hits, and the fruits of my labor finally get realized. Finally, the Prince has arrived.
Visions and Voices: Free Outgoing
By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Last Thursday (2/16), USC Vision & Voices took students to the East West Players in Little Tokyo to see a production of Free Outgoing. Based on a true incident that occurred in India, the play captures the unraveling lives of Deepa and her family after she is involved in a sex scandal that goes viral online. When it feels like the world is against them, Malini, the mother and head of the household, must make a decision to protect the family’s future.
Women’s March Los Angeles
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Last Saturday, millions of people around the world took to the streets to march for women’s rights, our human rights. The New York Times assembled a photo from each city’s Women’s March, from Nairobi to Lima, Tel Aviv to Sydney (and, of course, dozens of U.S. cities). I get chills each time I scroll through the images of the different demonstrations (and not just when I catch a glimpse of the Antarctica march). What a tremendous display of unity: women make up over half of the world’s population and will not be silenced.
Giving Thanks: Fall 2016 In Review
By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Thanksgiving is a few days away, so let’s take a moment to look back at all the things we can be thankful for this semester.
Films to Watch this Halloween (Made by USC Alums!)
By: Anna Lipscomb ‘19
Looking for scary Halloween movies to binge-watch tonight? Check out these ones made by Trojans!
International Women’s Day
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
This morning at the gym I joined in Buenos Aires, a trainer wished me “Feliz Día de la Mujer” which was the first time I’ve ever been greeted this way, although for me every day is women’s day. As someone who identifies as a woman and as someone who identifies as a feminist, I decided IWD is something I should probably be more knowledgeable about and I’ve compiled this handy guide for you, as well. So whether you’re abroad, like me, or on campus when you read this, if it’s March 8th, it is International Women’s Day and you should be mindful of this, because as far as women’s rights have come, we’re not there yet and by there I mean ~equal~. The quote below from earlier today sums this up very well.
Black History Month Spotlights: Five to Watch
By: Haley Coleman ‘18
Talented. Leaders. The future. These three words best describe five students at the undergraduate and graduate level, are following the footsteps of many prominent alumni within their major fields. In celebration of 40 years of The Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs (CBCSA), we honor five black alumni who have served as great leaders within the community and have paved the way for amazing students coming after them. This is Black History Month parallel.
AIDS Awareness Month: The War on AIDS
By: AnnaLiese Burich ‘17
As college students, we were not alive during the original HIV/AIDS epidemic, so we might have a hard time taking it seriously. I know we are all well-educated, bright young college students who do our homework, so we know the logistics: in the late 80s, a good portion of society—a good amount in the gay community—were wiped out because of the horrible, incurable virus called “human immunodeficiency virus” that caused “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome” that interferes with one’s ability to fight infection. We may have listened to or seen RENT, and we may have read or seen Angels In America (and if you haven’t experienced these two works of art, I highly encourage you to check them out) that deal with the grave emotional stakes behind HIV/AIDS. We may think we understand.
Good Vibes Only
By: Livey Beha ‘18
During the process of choosing a college, I created a long checklist of all the things I was looking for in a school. Unsurprisingly, USC topped the list for its bike-friendliness, 24-hour access to coffee, beautiful libraries, solid infrastructure for alumni and business networking, but most of all indefinable requirement that sat on the bottom of the list: “VIBE”. For a long time, I thought USC was special because there were people here who were similar to me, who approached and interacted with the world in the same way that I did. But in coming here, I realized what makes USC’s “vibe” unique is its diversity. A diverse institution allows for a vast array of varying perspectives to engage in intellectual, sometimes controversial, discussion.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
Today, November 25, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, an international recognition of the violence against women that is not confined to a specific region, country, religion, culture, or societal standing.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
November 20th is International Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender prejudice or hatred. And tragically, there are many victims to remember; according to TDoR’s founder, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, every two weeks, on average, someone is murdered in the United States in an act of anti-transgender violence and internationally, these killings occur almost daily.
Why Father’s Day is Today, Not Super Bowl Sunday
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
Spoiler: Today is Father’s Day. If you have not yet wished your dad a Happy Father’s Day, please do so before continuing to read the rest of this article.
Living Canvases, the story continues
By: Grace Carballo ‘17
As I wrote in a post last week, I had the opportunity to portray the amazing turning points in the life of a woman named Carolyn through the new program called Living Canvases. When I sketched and resketched and eventually painted these moments, my understanding of Carolyn’s life came from a recording of her describing these moments, a photo of her, and a sketch she had outlined herself. But, on Monday, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Carolyn in person, along with two of her amazing neighbors, and her mother, Dorothy.
The Problem With Diverse Emoji Update
By: Mark Love ‘16
Every iPhone owner should know about the newest update that has the nation talking: diverse emojis.
We Know WE CARE. Now what?
By: Kelly Kinas ‘17
On Wednesday April 15th, the Interfraternity Council and Motivate & Empower held a panel and documentary screening on sexual assault on college campuses. The documentary? The Hunting Ground, a documentary about how colleges handle sexual assault on their campuses. The panel? Experts from LAPD, the Center for Women and Men, the Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center, and student activist group RISE. According to this documentary and panel, sexual assault is an epidemic - but what does that mean for us?