Everyone in elementary school thought of middle school as this nuanced version of “High School Musical.” Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case for… Read More
College Essay: Truly Myself
Tag Archives: Voices
College Essay: Connecting with Native Roots
One hundred years ago, what I did last month would have been illegal. A few students from the Native Youth Council and I spent a… Read More
College Essay: Loving My Reflection
I grew up with the idea that lighter skin equated to beauty. Many people in the Somali community push the narrative that in order for… Read More
Can Gen Z, Life and Work Balance?
Despite what we’ve heard about the workforce and climbing the corporate ladder, achieving a “work-life balance” is not a skill most of us learn in… Read More
Their Mission: Telling Untold Stories
St. Thomas professors Kari Zimmerman and Paola Ehrmantraut created Walking Together, a digital research hub studying immigration, migration and displacement in Minnesota. Zimmerman, an associate… Read More
Learning to Love My Hue
Ever since my youngest sister was born, I never thought my skin was the one thing I would hate. In my family of dark skins,… Read More
My Hijab, My Pride
Ding! Ding! Ding! I woke up after hearing my phone buzz. I opened my eyes and picked up my phone to see headlines that surprised… Read More
Podcasts: A New Pastime
During the pandemic we had to adjust to changes and try new things. One of the things I tried was listening to podcasts. Before the… Read More
Carrying My Family’s Legacy
I’ve always wondered how a murderer becomes a murderer. Murder is part of my family’s story. Let’s back up. Mass killings in Ethiopia began in… Read More
The Golden Rule
As I type these words, tears fill my eyes because the past year has been a struggle for me. In fact, it has been the… Read More
Overcoming Online School Challenges
As an eighth-grader I was looking forward to high school. Usually eighth-grade discussions are around what we expect high school to be. But instead, we… Read More
Who Gets to Be in College Readiness Programs?
After a year of distance learning, I returned to Patrick Henry High School this fall as a junior, delighted to be learning in person. Junior… Read More
Sex Ed: A Logical Solution
As debate rages over the constitutionality — and the effectiveness — of Texas’ strict new anti-abortion law, perhaps we’re losing sight of a fundamental reality:… Read More
Growing During Quarantine
For many of us, 2020 has been an unusual year, from good to bad. As my life in 2020 goes, I like that some things… Read More
Asian American Representation Matters
“Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” said Bong Joon-Ho during his acceptance speech… Read More
Isaac’s Blessing Bags
We went to deliver food to homeless people on a dingy street corner in St. Paul. The sounds of sirens and the smell of beer… Read More
