Photo by Milan Loiacono I knew it was a problem when the birds started to sing … as I started to get ready for bed. Most everyone in my life has told me I’ll grow out of it; nocturnality is an element of youth that will fade under the strict regularity of a 9-to-5 job. But I’ve done 9-to-5, and it hasn’t gone away; more than that, I don’t want it to. It’s not a question … [Read more...] about Letter From the Editor
Currents
My Black is Beautiful: Building Black Pride
Photos by Milan Loiacono Editor’s note: The ability to write one’s own story is a luxury. Society often tries to wrestle the pen away, dictating a narrative that is rarely accurate and often damaging. The incredible women pictured throughout this story — Peace Ikeduba, Olivia Robinson and Heavin Hunter-Hernandez — took back the pen to define for themselves who they are and … [Read more...] about My Black is Beautiful: Building Black Pride
Flipping the Script: Challenging Motifs in Literature and Film
From the opening pages of Genesis to the opening scenes of Western movies, media has traditionally associated light with positivity and darkness with negativity. Across literature and film, authors and directors use literal light and darkness to suggest figurative meanings about characters, plots and themes. Villains sneak in shadows, dwell in dungeons and cloak … [Read more...] about Flipping the Script: Challenging Motifs in Literature and Film
Written in the Stars: How Cultures View the Cosmos
Art by Bethany Wilson. People have always been drawn to the sky. “The stars, the peacefulness, the beauty,” Physics Professor Gerard Fasel said. “It makes you marvel, it makes you wonder. That’s what the night sky does for me.” Cultures around the world have developed different interpretations of celestial bodies, crafting intricate myths and stories to explain the … [Read more...] about Written in the Stars: How Cultures View the Cosmos
Seeing the Value in Dark
Cemetery flowers in "Dark Spring" | Photo courtesy of Katherine Parsons Out of the darkness, bright tulips bloom. Others wilt and whither. In "Dark Spring," Digital Art Professor Katherine Parsons' art project, she explores how cemetery flowers reflect both life and death. This VR experience for Coaxial Arts in downtown Los Angeles focuses on the relationship between … [Read more...] about Seeing the Value in Dark