Article Writing Initiative

The Article Writing Initiative aims to showcase youth voices and give our interns an opportunity to speak about topics they are passionate about. Read them here!

Democrats need to take responsibility on COVID response, lead by example

Throughout his campaign, President-elect Joe Biden characterized the Trump administration as the “darkness” and the Democratic Party as the “light” to purge it. If Democratic leaders are to act as the antidote to Trump’s harmful and short-sighted COVID response, they ought to set the best examples possible. That means not only crafting effective policy, but …

Texas Turning Blue: Interview with Congressional Candidate for TX-6 Stephen Daniel

With a changing political atmosphere and shifting demographics, more and more regions across the country are vastly different from decades ago. Both parties have increased focus on certain swing states while also solidifying support in previously purple areas. One such example includes Texas, where Democrats hope to pull off the unthinkable and win over this …

Implicit Bias: Unpacking Hate Crime in Education

Try this social identity exercise:  Think of three words that describe your social identity, or what you feel shaped the way you interact with the world and how society views you.  For me, I believe my social experience is best captured by these words: “a female Asian immigrant.” Now, focus on what you didn’t choose …

Native Americans and the Environmental Injustice Challenge

Environmental justice emphasizes every individual’s equal access and protection from the environment. Many people may not realize, but environmental justice is a fundamental right for an individual. Native Americans, in particular, face significant challenges from the changing climate and related policies. Unfortunately, the issue of indigenous environmental justice is often overlooked within mainstream environmental activism. …

Op-Ed: Police Demilitarization

Local law enforcement obtaining federal military-grade equipment at no cost, without being properly tracked, might sound like a plot line of the newest guerrilla warfare thriller, but this seemingly bizarre situation is actually a frightening reality in today’s world. The Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) program, also known as the 1033 program, allows the Department …

Op-Ed: Why Polarization is the Real Enemy of Racial Justice

Say their names: George Floyd, Jacob Blake, Breonna Taylor, Michael Dean, Eric Reason, Dominique Clayton, and countless others. These names have echoed out across the nation in the past months as black Americans who have died at the hands of police in the past year. After George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was choked to …

Op-Ed: Background Checks

When someone buys a gun from a licensed dealer, they are subject to go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) which will flag anything in the FBI’s database against that person. But not everyone who buys a gun goes through this process. Most states do not require background checks for firearms bought …

Opinion: Avoiding the storm in Robert’s court

This is truly Robert’s court now. In a polarizing era of politics, where the surges of partisanship and divisiveness have swept the executive and legislative branch, the Supreme Court has stayed afloat, buoyed by Chief Justice Robert’s determination to preserve the apoliticism of the judicial, and co-equal, branch of government. Chief Justice Roberts is an …

The Unethical Criminal Justice System

As a young South Asian high school student, there are many issues that compel me to support democratic and progressive candidates and policies. However, when I listened to Bryan Stevenson speak at the Foothill-De Anza College Celebrity Forum, the issue of criminal justice has become an important reason for my support of the Democratic Party.  …

Yes to the Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum

On November 3rd, California residents will vote on different propositions that affect their state. One of these propositions is the Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum. In the regular cash bail system, the accused makes an immediate payment, which is decided by a judge, to the court. When they meet the court’s requirements and …