Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Brigita Przybylski ** Warning: Spoilers ahead! ** A woman takes off her glasses, lets down her hair and… BOOM! Magically she’s attractive. Whenever a wardrobe montage or makeover scene comes on screen, I roll my eyes. Not only is the makeover trope in movies dated and offensive, it leads audiences…… Continue reading The Problem With the Makeover Trope
Category: Essay
Beyond Skin Tone
Photo by Tracy Fuentes By Tracy Fuentes “I saw you playing outside, under the sun,” my mom would angrily say when she picked me up after school. I listened as she drove our red minivan home. “I told you to stay in the shade!” She would say this a couple of times a week when…… Continue reading Beyond Skin Tone
In Bloom
Photo by Ahri Vi By Ahri Vi Only recently have I been comfortable enough to call myself a late bloomer. I can confess that I used to be embarrassed to admit that– at the age of 23, I had never been in a relationship, never been asked out, or even had my first kiss. This…… Continue reading In Bloom
Alone Together
Photo by Liz Gordon By Liz Gordon For most of my life, I have sought affection from someone else. Whether it’s romantic or not, I always thought it was something only another person can provide. For some reason, I’ve been convinced I cannot provide enough care for myself in order to feel full and content.…… Continue reading Alone Together
The Talk
Photo by Tracy Fuentes By Ash Fuentes I dream of one day having a place of my own to decorate with every aesthetic that my mid-size heart desires. I’d spend money on as many nonessential homely items as I please. I already have the theme of every room picked out in my head, complete with…… Continue reading The Talk
Ratatouille for One
Photo by Jennifer Prewitt By Jennifer Prewitt I’m not so naive that I think a movie can protect me. My childhood home was burglarized twice before I had even finished middle school, both times while my mom and I were away. Both times by someone we knew. In some twisted way, I suppose this could…… Continue reading Ratatouille for One
Loneliness on the Big Screen
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Brigita Pryzbylski ** Warning: Spoilers ahead! ** We grow up on the promise of happily ever afters, an unrealistic and unattainable idea fed to us through movies with romantic fairytale endings. These stories can make us feel lonely and unhappy when comparing them to our own lives. We all innately crave…… Continue reading Loneliness on the Big Screen
An Ode To Gossip Girl
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Jana Marquez The second the leaves start to change and the air becomes crisp, I know it’s time for my annual Gossip Girl rewatch. A tradition just as special to me as the holidays they celebrate in the show, Gossip Girl has become customary. It’s my comfort show – especially…… Continue reading An Ode To Gossip Girl
winter things
Photo by Kleigh Balugo By Janetsa Keo Winter started to feel like mid-July. It was warm outside for once, in the dark hours of the season. The trees were dead and dry, the leaves were shriveled up and thin on the ground. The sun had been absent for quite some time, leaving only sparse clouds…… Continue reading winter things
Thursday in December, Maybe Six Years Ago (I’m Not Counting)
Photo by Jennifer Prewitt By Jennifer Prewitt On the hill I realized I was grossly underdressed. Wind blown snow giving cold kisses on our cheeks. “You go first,” and I did. We sled for hours, laughing when the thorns swallowed me up, the roses long dead. After, we sat in my car while it warmed…… Continue reading Thursday in December, Maybe Six Years Ago (I’m Not Counting)
Kindergarten 