It is not a matter of semantics — it is a matter of being recognized as a citizen in the way in which you identify and the way in which you are treated.
Silence and inaction cannot be tolerated neither from a moral perspective nor from an economic one. The only option is to preserve the privacy and speech of LGBTQ+ youth or face the consequences of failing to do so.
The term enslaved laborer is used as a means for reclamation by many Black people in the country, but I believe it is used as a means of erasure at the University.
While many states are continuing to provide free meals for students, this should not be considered a zipcode luxury — people deserve food because they are human beings.
As a society, we need to stop stigmatizing addiction and chronic disease, and start stigmatizing greed.
It’s far too easy to wash over panethnicity in broad strokes, marking it as an unequivocal good that will allow for greater representation.
Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the need for laws to protect those who can become pregnant and those who can menstruate becomes imminently clear.
We, at the very least, are owed assurance that our lives and wellbeing are prioritized here on Grounds.
It is long overdue that private jet users are held accountable by both the government and the public.
To right wrongs and ensure that Charlottesville has a sustainable future, rent control is the best solution.
On-Grounds housing is a safer place to make mistakes and learn to survive without someone watching you 24/7 before you have to make it in the real world.
It is long overdue for the University and national government to recognize and help mitigate instead of contributing to the crushing burden of medical debt.
Still, all of us who drive in Charlottesville can start making immediate changes too.
To label the MEL merely as “Instaworthy” and reduce it to an aesthetic object positioned to garner likes entirely ignores the deep history and meaning behind the memorial.
We are well-versed in the reality that opposition to DEI efforts and "woke" culture — as Ellis refers to it — is today's methodology for upholding structural racism.
Having a tour for students to learn about the hidden history of the University is undoubtedly great progress, but ultimately is just a one hour window into what is the most complex issue facing the country at large.
Simply put, college needs to be more affordable.
The University should work more on collaborating with the likes of Morven Kitchen Garden — an organic garden run on volunteer support in the Charlottesville area.
One person alone may not be able to make a difference, but together, we have the power to start a movement.
Incoming Black students deserve to know that they belong here and that the organizations that exist to support them are valued on Grounds.
