Opinion Columns
Isami McCowan | Rioting is a nuanced and deeply misunderstood form of protest
Here are seven explanations of the deeper truths, purposes, and misinformation behind rioting —and why blanket condemnations can blur truth and the pursuit of justice.
Morgan Gilfond | First the virus, now the protests. Black-owned businesses are hurting.
Small business owner Leon Scott founded the Silver Legends jewelry boutique over fifteen years ago. This past week, looters inflicted severe property damage on the store and stole some merchandise.
Surayya Walters | How to be anti-racist
As someone who is tired of the cycle — wrongful death, post about it, protest, repeat — we must remain committed to the fight against injustice, even when it is not convenient.
Pedro Saltos Montenegro | The challenges of studying at Penn in a foreign language
Despite having the perfect answer in my head, I sometimes don’t share it, and if I do, it doesn’t always sound like I meant it to.
Varun Saraswathula | Racial discrimination in the standardized testing system
By giving standardized testing the weight it currently has, we end up heightening the barriers to higher education that many Black students already face.
Jessica Gooding | I don't see the American flag as a representation of freedom
Black Americans do not have the privilege to look at the American flag as a representation of freedom.
Sophia DuRose | Use whatever platform you have to amplify the voices of Black people
If I were to write an opinion article without providing links to articles written by Black authors about the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, I would be failing at my attempt to recognize my white privilege.
Emilia Onuonga | Lynching still exists
Remember the lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd when you vote in the upcoming election.
Senior Column by Manlu Liu | Be kind to student journalists
I wish others would understand the challenges student reporters experience — both emotional and practical. We shoulder the heaviness of listening to, thinking about, and accurately depicting sensitive issues.
Alfredo Praticò | Is an in-person fall even possible?
No matter what Penn announces, it will be a surprise and a far cry from the normal semesters of the past.
Jessica Gooding | Let’s prioritize self-care this summer
Sectioning off a regular portion of time to center yourself is imperative to balancing a healthy outlook in your world.
Senior Column by Tyler Larkworthy | So this is it
What I have found myself missing above all is community. Penn gave me many communities, and I deeply treasured the connection and support I found in them.
Angelina Eimannsberger | Let’s validate each other during isolation
It’s key to keep an open mind and listen carefully, even if it's virtually, to what everyone around you is experiencing.
Jessica Gooding | Send your mail-in ballot before May 26 at 5 p.m.
Registering for a mail-in ballot protects you from unnecessary risk of contracting COVID-19.
Jessica Gooding | Parents at Penn deserve a round of applause
From undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoc’s to professors- everyone that juggled taking care of their family and fulfilling their strong commitment to Penn became a superhero in their own right.
Morgan Gilfond | Mail-in ballots present unprecedented obstacles
Pennsylvania faces a unique set of challenges in developing an adequate mail-in system as the November presidential election rapidly approaches.
Isami McCowan | The notoriously important junior-year summer is getting re-defined
It's important to remind ourselves that there are ways to push ourselves forward, personally and professionally, that don't include the perfect title on our resumes.
Varun Saraswathula | As America reopens, our leaders must listen to science
The onus is on our political leadership to support empirical, evidence-based information to protect the American people.
Sophia DuRose | Toxic masculinity is also dangerously contagious
A masculinity that looks toward countries led by women around the globe who manage to have civil press conferences and provide correct information during this crisis is necessary.