My best friend was a soldier. She didn’t wear camo or combat boots, nor was a gun strapped to her shoulder. But her feet spoke more than her eyes. And her smile I always found a tale unworthy of disguise. On Fridays, she would trek miles to mine, before clasping my hand in hers and…
i return to los angeles to continue my studies; to go back to the life i am building for myself in order to heal from hometown trauma, let alone leave the drama behind. orange sparkled clouds upon berry eyes, i stare out and cry for my mother to hold me once more, once more a…
Trigger Warning: Mentions of violence on the Palestine Solidarity Encampment at UCLA. I attended the Palestine Solidarity Encampment with the idea that this is the best I could do for the people of Palestine. To physically show up would be my best shot at being an ally and an activist for the Palestinian struggle. And…
“I would say there are prominent communities that exist in the MSA, and mine isn’t one of them.” We have come a long way in developing and creating safe spaces on campus for our social identities, whether rooted in race, religion, or major. But at what point does creating a safe space for oneself start…
The Golden Age of Islam, which spanned from the 8th to the 14th centuries, remains an amazing source of inspiration and a beacon of incredible advancements across numerous disciplines. This era inspires a deep desire in many Muslims, including myself, to have lived through such a transformative time. In this period, cities like Baghdad, Cordoba,…
In this day and age, we are all no strangers to celebrity culture. From actors to athletes, chances are there is an A-list celebrity that has earned your respect or perhaps inspired you to strive for greatness. I, myself, am not afraid to admit that I have admired LeBron James for nearly 15 years. As…
Editor’s Note: the author of this work has requested that their identity be concealed for the purpose of openly sharing their first-hand accounts of the police’s brutalization of pro-Palestinian protesters. The author does not wish for their accounts to be retroactively traced back to their identity and misconstrued with other activities that did not involve…
An ode to those who stayed. An ode to those who suffered. An ode to those who slept. An ode to those who prayed. An ode to those who stood. To the youth, the students, the alumni, the faculty. To the refugees, the immigrants, the eyewitnesses, and the delegators. To those who resided in peace…
What happened last night was nothing short of a travesty. Last night, a group of pro-Israeli agitators arrived on UCLA campus and violently attacked student protestors demonstrating at the Dickson Court Solidarity Encampment spearheaded by Students for Justice in Palestine. The assailants were seen covering their faces with white masks to conceal their identities as…
College students across the United States have taken a stand against the Palestinian genocide, including here at UCLA. Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed with over two-thirds being women and children. Pro-Palestenian encampments have provided a visible platform and community for dialogue and advocacy to push for conversation and movement towards social justice with the…