Photos by Pepperdine Graphic Media A portrait of Larry Donnell Kimmons hangs in the newly renovated Payson Library for students, faculty and staff to walk by throughout their days at Pepperdine. But for some, that portrait memorializes a painful part of Pepperdine's history. At a rededication ceremony for Kimmons' portrait in September, letters written by George … [Read more...] about From South LA to Malibu, the Effects Still Ripple
Currents
Students Reflect on the Use of Racial Microaggressions on Campus
Photo by Kayla Lee “What are you?” “Where are you really from?” “You don’t act like a normal Black person.” “You don’t look like you speak Spanish.” “I never think of you as a real Asian.” These statements capture a more subtle form of racism. Known as microaggressions, these phrases are everyday verbal snubs or insults that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative … [Read more...] about Students Reflect on the Use of Racial Microaggressions on Campus
Joys and Pains of First-generation College Students
Photos by Kayla Lee “College had always been a thing that I was working toward and college had always been my ultimate goal. It was my resource toward economic mobility and to be someone my parents were not able to be,” said senior Jazmin Guardado, an International Studies major at Pepperdine. She is a first-generation college student. Guardado is from Los Angeles, but … [Read more...] about Joys and Pains of First-generation College Students
From Two Worlds, De Dos Mundos
Photos by Jenna Aguilera English: I am White. My skin is pale most of the year, and I’ve had more than a few remarks on my “Valley Girl accent.” I’ve had friends count how many times I use the word “like,” and I visit Starbucks on the regular. Half of my wardrobe could be considered “basic,” and I grew up in a predominantly White community. By society’s standards, I … [Read more...] about From Two Worlds, De Dos Mundos
From Uniform to University
Photos by Zach Le It is generally assumed that most American high school students will participate in the standard college experience, a concept that often connotes going straight from high school to a four-year university, and afterward entering the working world. However, not everyone takes such a well-worn path. International student veterans have stepped out of their … [Read more...] about From Uniform to University