Irene Ruiz smiles for a photo in the shop she works at on Olvera Street, where she sells Mexican-imported items like pottery and leather goods. Photos by Megan Williams Colorful flags wave and the smell of Los Angeles’ most famous taquitos float through the air as Mariachi music plays and vendors call out in Spanish from their booths. This is Olvera Street — a little slice of … [Read more...] about How One Delicious Salad Can Create Global Citizens
Currents
Diana Martinez Emphasizes Global Interconnectedness
Photo by Megan Williams The question “Where are you from?” seems fairly straightforward for most people. It’s usually answered with the name of a city, a state or a country, with little thought or worry for how to reply. For Communication Professor Diana Martinez, however, answering that question is not so easy. She immigrated to the United States from Ecuador as a child, and … [Read more...] about Diana Martinez Emphasizes Global Interconnectedness
Vietnamese Refugees’ View on the American Dream
Kat Le’s grandparents, Tram Le and Nam Le, pose with her father, Kiem Le, in Hong Kong in 1982. Le said her paternal grandparents brought her father to the U.S. for educational opportunities and to grow his faith. Photos courtesy of Kat Le Great Books Professor Tuan Hoang was one of over 120,000 Vietnamese refugees who fled Communist Vietnam in the aftermath of the Vietnam … [Read more...] about Vietnamese Refugees’ View on the American Dream
The Power Behind A Name
Junior Chun Tung Jackie Chan said he also goes by his Chinese name: 陳鎮東 (Chen Zhen Dong). Chan said his first name, Zhen Dong, means “to conquer the east." Photos by Megan Williams For junior Psychology major Anitiz Muonagolu, his name connects him to his Igbo, Nigerian heritage — but it also points to the hope he will one day reconnect with his African roots. Muonagolu is … [Read more...] about The Power Behind A Name
“Is it Worth It?”: Examining the United States’ Complicated Past with War and State-Building
Photos by Megan Williams Suddenly, everyone was talking about it. Google Search trends spiked to all-time highs: “Afghanistan,” “Taliban,” “Kabul.” A general understanding swept the nation that something had gone terribly awry in Afghanistan, where the United States military had served since the initial invasion to fight terrorism in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 … [Read more...] about “Is it Worth It?”: Examining the United States’ Complicated Past with War and State-Building