Author: Sydney Knotts

     On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of president Donald Trump–fans, militia groups, alleged blue lives matter activists–stormed the Capitol building in a dying attempt to stop Congress, who were in session at the time of this riot, from formally confirming that President-elect Joe Biden’s win. Wielding copious amounts of merchandise of their favorite politician and weapons considered illegal to openly carry in Washington D.C, these marchers pushed back the weak line of defenses separating them from the capitol building. The members of Congress were ushered to secure locations underground, while hundreds of domestic terrorists flooded the building, some going as far to threaten to kill or take hostage those politicians who were not likely to comply with their demand. With eerily bold, beaming smiles, the felons began to deface the building, posing at desks, toting around podiums, and firing shots.

     At least five people were killed during this riot, including police officer Brian D. Sicknick who was physically engaged with the rioters. Seeming to disregard the dozens of blue lives matter being raised proudly before the storming commenced, they delivered such severe injuries to Sicknick that he later died after being rushed to a hospital. Ashli Babbitt, 37, was fatally shot by police; Despite the facts that she knowingly committed treason and felony, which would make her considered her a domestic terrorist, did not listen to authorities when they told her to cease her attempts to breach the last line of defense between the Congress members and people who threatened their lives, and attended a white supremacist rally a few months ago, Babbitt has been deemed a martyr by several far-right social media voices…for the simple reason that she served in the Air Force. Three other marchers died from “medical emergencies” that took place during the storming, one source citing an incident where an older man self-induced a heart-attack by accidentally tasering himself.

     Trump reacted slowly to the incident and initially resisted sending  the National Guard to quell the mob. After several hours, he responded to the attempted coup on social media, where he reiterated false claims of election fraud and infantilized the domestic terrorists by saying phrases like, “Go home. We love you. You’re very special…I know how you feel.” In comparison, on May 29, 2020, when BLM began to protest the death of George Floyd, Trump made the statement, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Though some sympathizers have compared breaking into a government building to the scattered incidents of property destruction during Black Lives Matter protests, what needs to be understood is that a community fighting for their right to exist peacefully is not comparable to an attack on the federal legislature.  Twitter user Bobby Lewis (@/revrrlewis) wrote, “don’t know who needs to hear this but there are several orders of magnitude between ‘smashing a Starbucks window in general mayhem’ and ‘breaking into the U.S. capitol while congress is in session because you believe the ongoing election is fraudulent'” In spite of some denial circulating in conservative online spaces, it is safe to say that if the rioters had been BIPOC, a very different response would have been given from public officials, political commentators, and authorities.

     World leaders have condemned the horrifying riot, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling it “an assault on democracy” and directly blaming Trump for the violent mob. American politicians have also faulted the president; in addition to nearly 200 other lawmakers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Speaker Chuck Schumer called for be removed from office, whether it be by impeachment or the invokement of the 25th Amendment.  Various social media platforms responded to Trump’s poor, untruthful responses to the aftermath by locking his Facebook account and removing posts about the incident and suspending his twitter account entirely. At the time of writing this, sources state that at least 82 people have been arrested for their participation in the riot, a very measly number when compared to the 1400 people arrested for peacefully protesting racial injustice.  The FBI has opened a tip line in an effort to identify the many domestic terrorists who breached the Capitol, most of which have been photographed during the act. Here, https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/washingtondc/news/press-releases/fbi-seeking-information-related-to-violent-activity-at-the-us-capitol-building they offer several methods by which people can identify indivduals involved. 

     The vast majority of Americans are shocked and disgusted by this incident; a panel of voters were interviewed by BBC News, and Simon Peters, 30-year-old democratic voter living in Minnesota, reflects the views of many in his statement: “I’m disgusted but not surprised. I anticipated this would happen and it was a matter of when, not if…This is the president whose people – since the racial justice movement in the summer – said they were for ‘law and order’. So the ‘law and order’ people broke into the Capitol and changed the American flag with the Trump flag. History shows that has not happened in over 200 years, so it tells you how dangerous this man is.”

     In December 2020, beloved musician Harry Styles was photographed for the cover of Vogue wearing a frothy, lace-trimmed dress.

     This sparked both admiration and outrage on social media; many celebrated his rejection of gender norms, but some expressed excessive concern with the piece of fabric that covered the body of someone they do not know. One of his most vocal critics was Candace Owens, a conservative commentator and writer, took to twitter to say, “There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.” In a follow-up tweet, she expanded, “Since I’m trending I’d like to clarify what I meant when I said ‘bring back manly men.’ I meant: Bring back manly men. Terms like toxic masculinity,’ were created by toxic females. Real women don’t do fake feminism. Sorry I’m not sorry.” In response, Harry Styles took to Instagram a few weeks later to caption a photo of himself wearing a baby blue suit and eating a banana: “Bring back manly men.”

     With these statements, Owens perpetuated the common, misinformed, outdated ideology that wearing garments presently associated with women lowers a man’s value to society. Though she takes the opportunity to take a jab at “females” (an…interesting term to refer to women who do not agree with her, to say the least) and diminish the existence of toxic masculinity, it is she who is placing men inside the box of stereotypes and restrictive expression. It seems that many people have been defining Harry Styles’ choice of fashion based on their own preference and attractive towards men without acknowledging that his existence has no relation to that, but hey, what is the internet without people bringing everything back to themselves?

    The only thing that makes a man is his own self. If someone considers himself a man, then he is. Regardless of the way he chooses to present himself. Regardless of the clothes he wears. Regardless of the makeup he may choose to put on. Regardless of his profession. Regardless of his hobbies. Regardless of his stance on social issues. Regardless of his other identities. A man is a man, because he defines himself as such, and nobody, not even other men, has the right to strip him of that title.

     This time last year, I sat in my room, blaring music and staring at the notes app on my phone trying to come up with ideas for my literary portfolio. I had dreamed of coming to Mississippi School of the Arts since I was thirteen; now, applications were open, and everything became much more real. All of the stories I had fantasized about wowing my future teachers with suddenly vanished, leaving me worriedly staring at a blank page. I thought to myself, “What am I even doing? I could never write something good enough to propel me into a fine arts school.”

     Almost twelve months have flown by since I first began my application to MSA, and I could not be happier with where I am. Though it feels surreal, the next class of students are exactly where I was. This blog is advice for the hopefuls working on their applications, specifically literaries, but much of this can be applied to all discipline auditions. 

     First things first: STOP SIKING YOURSELF OUT. The biggest killer of applicants is students convincing themselves their art is not worthy. You are playing yourself! Have confidence in yourself and your abilities, and understand the value of your art. Nobody is looking for perfection from applicants, just potential. Let your creativity and skill shine, and don’t get bogged down in trying to make every little detail the work of gods. It is wonderful to have standards and expectations for yourself, but please, don’t hurt yourself trying to revise, revise, revise every little thing you have to do; you will inevitably experience burnout, and that is the last thing you want. I am begging you, do not cheat yourself out of this opportunity because your inner critic has convinced you that you will not get in. Just give it a shot, or you’ll kick yourself for the rest of your life about it. Don’t wonder what could have been–find out.

     Secondly, do not stress yourself out about the audition, especially the interview portion. I remember anxiously waiting for my name to be called for the interview with the faculty; I got so nervous I forgot what classes I was enrolled in. I promise, you are not going to be interrogated about the great works of your favorite artists, and you are not going to be expected to be anything but yourself. They know you’re nervous, they understand, and they are not going to think any less of you as a student, artist, or person if you stumble over your words, or blank on a question. The questions are just to get a gauge of your study/living habits, conflict resolution skills, and things of that nature to help them decide if MSA is a good fit for you.

     I only auditioned for literary, so I cannot give much insight as to how the on-site auditions for other disciplines are going to go. For literary, we were given a prompt and given a certain amount of time to write about it. Though it may be presented to you in a way that makes you think you have to use a certain style of writing, you are actually not limited. You could write a creative nonfiction piece, a narrative poem, ANYTHING as long as it fits the prompt. This does not make or break your literary application, so if you leave that audition not feeling like it was your best work, do not beat yourself up about it. Try to relax as much as you can, and remember: if you were invited to audition, it means they see something in your work. You. Are. A. Talented. Writer. They would not let you get this far into the process if that was not true.

      If you have any questions, or you’re still feeling worried, reach out to someone at MSA. Our admissions recruiter, Brianna Moore, would love to tell you about our school; you can get in contact with her at admissions@msabrookhaven.org or by calling her office number  601-823-1309! This page will have much of the information you need to apply to MSA, but feel free to explore the rest of the website to get a better understanding of the school:  https://www.msabrookhaven.org/admission/apply-to-msa/ Also, you can always reach out to present students; you can find the majority of us who contribute to the school’s public blogs on social media by searching our names. Please, don’t feel embarrassed about messaging us! Even if we do not know you personally, we are happy to help in any way that we can. Class of 2023: Your applications are due by February 1st, 2021! Remember to have confidence in your work and recognize your value as an artist. Good luck, and I  hope to see you soon!

Trigger Warning: This blog will be discussing topics that might be very upsetting, such as gun violence, death, and transphobia. Specifically, it will be acknowledging trans people who have been victims of fatal, violent assault.

   In 2020, we have seen at least 40 transgender or gender nonconforming people fatally shot or killed by other violent means. These victims are not just statistics. They were real people who deserved dignity, respect, life, and love. This is the last of two blogs that will be used to recognize these beautiful lives that we lost this year.

Shaki Peters, a 32-year-old woman, was killed in Amite City, Louisiana on July 1st. Shaki was grossly misgendered in reports following her death, as many transgender victims of violence are. She was a performance artist and a community organizer and activist. A friend of Shaki’s tells PEOPLE that she had “long-lived” her life as a woman; she was “consistently laughing, consistently joking, the first person to get up and dance.” Nathalie Nia Faulk says, “Shakie would provide moments of joy and laughter that sustained us…Whenever you’re facing the systemic issues we face as black people, that triple identity of being a black, trans woman, it’s easy to just give up or not want to get out of bed, but you never saw Shakie do that…She definitely was an inspiration in how she navigated life.”

Bree Black, a 27-year-old woman, was shot to death in Pompano Beach, Florida on July 3rd. According to reports, Bree’s family is not comfortable speaking to the media due to threats they have received as a result of the investigation going public, but are grateful for the work being done to help find her killer. Activists and protesters set up a vigil to honor her life and demand justice for her death.

Marilyn Cazares, a 22-year-old woman, was found dead in an abandoned building in Brawley, California in July. Her aunt, Mindy Garcia, said she “loved to sing and dance” and “never bothered anyone.” She was known in her community for her colorful clothing and is described as being brave and outspoken. Her cousin reflected on a memory of Marilyn “jamming out to Billie Jean like the badass queen she was” while they were taking a car ride together.

Dior H. Ova/Tiffany Harris, a 32-year-old woman, was stabbed to death in the Bronx, New York on July 26th. According to Facebook, she loved fashion, listing her career as a personal shopper, and posting photos with the luxury brands she loved. She was an avid viewer of television dramas such as Desperate Housewives, Nip/Tuck, and Sex in the City.

Queasha D. Hardy, a 22-year-old woman, was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 27th. Queasha was a hairstylist, and she was extremely loved by her community. Loved ones describe her as loyal, loving, “always smiling,””the life of all parties,” and “truly one of a kind.”

Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears, a 32-year-old woman who also used the name Rocky Rhone, was fatally stabbed in Portland, Oregon while attending a vigil for Tyrell Penney, who had been shot to death. Aja was very close to her family, frequently posting pictures with them and making playful statuses related to the conversations they had. She advocated against racial injustice and police violence.

Lea Rayshon Daye, a 28-year-old woman, died in Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland, Ohio on August 30th. Not much is known about her family, but we can comfortably assume she was loved and cared for by many. Her death was unacceptable and can be attributed to increased risk factors, such as homelessness, racism, sexism, and transphobia.

Kee Sam, a 24-year-old woman,was shot at a hotel on August 12th and trasported to a hospital, where she passed away the next day from her injuries. Friends have been commenting heartfelt messages on her Instagram page including, “this can’t be real,” “I will miss you…you know you in my heart forever,” and “rest in love.”

Aerrion Burnett, a 37-year-old woman, was shot to death in Independence, Missouri on September 19th. Her friend Kelly shared, “…if you wanted to have a good day, you need to smile, Aerrion was the person you wanted by your side.” Her family members have called for justice saying, “Enough is enough. Stop taking our lives. Lives matter. You can’t get them back, and it hurts so many people.”

Mia Green, a 29-year-old woman, was killed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 28th. One friend shared on social media, “Her smile was so perfect and so contagious. She made me laugh.” Another said, “She was such a sweet spirit.” Her loved ones have called her death “heartbreaking” and are demanding justice. 

Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas, a 33-year-old woman, was killed in San German, Puerto Rico on September 30th. She was studying to become a nurse at Ponce Paramedical College.

Felycya Harris, a 33-year-old woman, was killed in Augusta, Georgia in October. She was an interior decorator who ran her own company. She enjoyed lending her eye to improve the surroundings of others and loved to help others feel more comfortable in their own space. A friend remembers her “laugh. The smile–the smiles. The talks. The arguments. The attitudes. Everybody is going to remember who Felycya Harris is.” They say she had a brilliant sense of humor and was full of life.

Brooklyn Deshuna, a 20-year-old woman, killed by a fatal gunshot wound on October 7th in Shreveport, Louisiana. She attended Bossier Parish Community College where she studied cosmetology. One friend said, “She was genuinely a good person.” Another saying, “…you didn’t deserve this…I’m heartbroken.”

Sara Blackwood, a 39-year-old woman, was shot while walking home in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 11th and died not long after being transported to the hospital. She enjoyed playing video games, and she was a fan of the show “My Little Pony,” sharing many images, art, and memes from the show on social media. Her loved ones describe the loss as devastating. 

Angel Unique, a 25-year-old woman, was killed in Memphis, Tennessee on October 25th. She was a licensed cosmetologist and was loved by her community. Friends and family remember her for being “very funny, very nice to everybody she met” and “such a bright person with a positive spirit.”

Skylar Heath, a 20-year-old woman, was killed on November 4th in Miami Florida. Loved ones describe her as a “kind and gentle soul” who “had such a love for family and close friends.” She had a warm personality, a friendly spirit, and the ability to bring those who knew her so much joy.

Yunieski Carey Herrera, a 39-year-old woman who was also known as Yuni Carey, was killed in Miami, Florida on November 17th. She was a well-known model, performer, dancer, and activist. She was loved by the LGBTQ+ community in Miami. A friend says, “…besides strikingly beautiful, she was king and she was good.”

Asia Jynae Foster, a 22-year-old woman, was killed in Houston, Texas on November 20th, which is Trans Day of Remembrance, a day taken to honor those in the community who lost their lives to violence. She was described by her close friends as a “beacon of light in their community.”

Chae’Meshia Simms, a 33-year-old woman who also used the nickname ChaeChae, was killed on November 23rd in Richmond, Virginia. She was especially close with her family and friends. They remembered her on social media as being a good, kind, and caring person.

Kimberly Fial, a 55-year-old woman, was killed on November 22nd in San Jose, California at the homeless shelter she volunteered at. Friends say, she had the ability to draw a laugh out of people around her and was a kind, lovable person with “a twinkle in her eyes.” The shelter manager said, “My heart always felt warm when I saw her when I got into the building.”

These people had friends, families, and partners, and they were valued members of their communities. They had jobs, were enrolled in school, and attended houses of worship. They were human beings. As we mourn those lost in 2020, we must continue to work towards justice and equality for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

Trigger Warning: This blog will be discussing topics that might be very upsetting, such as gun violence, death, and transphobia. Specifically, it will be acknowledging trans people who have been victims of fatal, violent assault.

   In 2020, we have seen at least 40 transgender or gender nonconforming people fatally shot or killed by other violent means. These victims are not just statistics. They were real people who deserved dignity, respect, life, and love. This is one of two blogs that will be used to recognize these beautiful lives that we lost this year.

Dustin Parker, a 25-year-old man, was shot to death while working as a taxi driver in McAlester, Oklahoma. A statement shared by Dustin’s employer on January 1st reads, “Dustin was a steadfast friend, an amazing husband and father and generous to a fault. He loved fiercely, worked tirelessly and took on life with so much hope and enthusiasm that his presence brightened all of our lives.” Dustin was a founding member of the McAlester chapter of a local LGBTQ+ advocacy grown called Oklahomans for Equality.

Alexa Negròn Luciano was a woman fatally shot in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico; she was killed hours after someone called the police to report that Ruiz was using the women’s restroom at a McDonald’s. According to Metro Puerto Rico, she was known as “humble” and “noble” by members of her community.

Yampi Méndez Arocho, a 19-year-old man, was killed in Moca, Puerto Rico on March 5th after allegedly being assaulted five hours earlier. He shared his love for basketball on social media and could often be seen donning apparel from his favorite NBA team, Miami heat. His Facebook bio read, “Humility Prevails.”

Scott Devore, a 51-year-old gender non-conforming person who also identified as Scottlynn Kelly Devore, was killed in March in Augusta, Georgia while presenting as Scottlynn. Many of Devore’s loved ones took to social media to share remembrances. One wrote, “I miss you so much…it still doesn’t seem real to me. You deserved so much better. I love you.” Another saying Scottlynn was “the best friend anyone could have.” 

Monika Diamond, a 34-year-old black woman, was killed in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 18th. Monika spent her adult life creating community and spaces for LGBTQ+ people to come together and celebrate their lives and identities. She was the co-owner and founder of the Ncphyne Promotion Company LLC and the co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System, which is a pagent that honors LGBTQ chosen mothers like herself.

Lexi, a 33-year-old woman, was killed in Harlem, New York on March 28th. A friend of Lexi’s named Lavonia Brooks said, “I really looked up to her because of her tolerance and respect. Lexi had a beautiful heart; she was very gifted.” It has been noted that Lexi loved poetry, makeup, and fashion.

Johanna Metzger was a woman killed in Baltimore, Maryland on April 11th. She was originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and had traveled to Baltimore to seek support from a recovery center.  Her mother told WMAR that Johanna taught herself to play multiple instruments and was a college graduate.

Serena Angelique Velàquez Ramos, a 32-year-old woman, was killed in Puerto Rico on April 21st alongside Layla Pelaez Sànchez while visiting the island on vacation. She was set to return to her home of Queens, New York, at the end of the month. On Facebook, she listed that she graduated from the Universidad del Turabo; she loved her pets, had a passion for exploring her spirituality through tarot readings, and maintained a YouTube channel where she taught her audience about this. She is described as being full of life, a happy person, and a sincere friend. 

Layla Pelaez Sànchez was a 21-year-old woman killed in Puerto Rico on April 21st alongside Serena Angelique Velàquez Ramos. Layla had recently moved to the island and lived in the Tejas neighborhood in Las Piedras. She had hopes, dreams, and was loved deeply by the people in her life.

Penélope Díaz Ramírez, a 32-year-old woman, was killed April 13th at the Bayamon correctional complex in Puerto Rico. She was loved by her family and friends and deserved freedom and happiness in her life.

Nina Pop, a 28-year-old woman, was stabbed to death on May 3rd in Sikeston, Missouri. She worked at a fast food restaurant in the area and was well-known in her community. Her friend told a local TV station, “She was always happy.” Her friends and community are mourning the loss of her life, sharing on Facebook that everyone loved her.

Helle Jae O’Regan, a 20-year-old woman,  was killed in San Antonio, Texas on May 6th while working at a local barbershop. Helle was proud of her trans identity, having posted this on Instagram during Trans Day of Visibility: “I was looking at the pictures I used to take before I transitioned versus now and it made me realize I’m way happier than I used to be. I love myself now. Thank you to everyone who’s ever supported me and to anyone who hasn’t I hope you come around. I’m happy and proud to be myself.” She often spoke out against LGBTQ+  inequality, the need to decriminalize sex work, and the prison industrial complex. She was described as a caring friend who always had a smile on her face.

Tony McDade, a 38-year-old man, was killed in Tallahassee, Florida, on May 27th; the details around his death have been described as “murky” by several sources, but it is suspected that Tony was a victim of police brutality. His loved ones have expressed their mourning online. One said, “You have such a big heart…Just your energy would life my spirits.” Another wrote, “The bond that we all held from the #Feds2TheFree some people will never understand but when you tried you tried. I can only thank god for letting us hear your voice one last time and you saying you love us.”

Dominique “Rem-mie” Fells, a 27-year-old woman, was killed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 9th. Dominique was originally from York and had a very close relationship with her mother, who says, “She lived her truth so loud that you could hear her a mile away.” Dominique had dreams of going back to school to become a fashion designer, and she was also a dancer and artist. A friend wrote online, “Dom was a unique and beautiful soul who I am lucky to have known personally. I am beside myself right now. We need to fight!! We need to do more!!!! We will get justice.”

Riah Milton, a 25-year-old woman, was killed in Liberty Township, Ohio on June 9th. Riah worked as a home health aide and studied at the University of Cincinnati. She was a loving sister and aunt. She was a resilient and optimistic person, having once posted the status: “Never been scared to struggle…Imma get it eventually.”

Jayne Thompson, a 33-year-old woman, was shot to death in Mesa County, Colorado on May 9th. Unfortunately, it took the media over a month to correctly identify Jayne with her real name and pronouns, so she was not immediately recognized as a victim of transphobic violence. Jayne’s friends remembered her as an amazing person who was funny and lively, and one told them, “I hope that people realize she was thoroughly loved and cared for.”

Selena Reyes-Hernandez, a 37-year-old woman, was shot to death in Chicago, Illinois on May 31st upon revealing her identity to her assailant. Attempts to contact her family have been unsuccessful, so details about her life and loved ones are not known by the media. She was a beautiful, powerful person who should still be here today.

Brian “Egypt” Powers, a 43-year-old person, was killed in Akron, Ohio on June 13th. According to reports, Brian identified as transgender, but continued to use he/him pronouns and his birth name, though he also used the name Egypt. As a child, Brian dreamed of becoming a backup dancer for Janet Jackson or Paula Abdul, and as an adult, he turned his passion for cooking into a career. A friend said, “He was spiritual. He knew God loved him. I always told him ‘God made you and he knew what he was doing when he made you…You are who you are supposed to be.'”

Brayla Stone, a 17-year-old girl, was found killed in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 25th. Brayla was a child, just beginning to live her life; a young, black, trans girl who had hopes, dreams, plans, and community. The Center for Artistic Revolution hosted a vigil for Brayla on June 29th and said, “Brayla was someone who always held space for others to be themselves and express their identities.”

Merci Mack, a 22-year-old woman, killed in Dallas, Texas on June 30th. On Facebook, Merci shared that she liked baking cookies at home and relaxing in the jacuzzi; she posted about how excited she was to return to her job at a local restaurant, which had been closed due to COVID-19. Her loved ones described her as a beautiful friend.

These people had friends, families, and partners, and they were valued members of their communities. They had jobs, were enrolled in school, and attended houses of worship. They were human beings. As we mourn those lost in 2020, we must continue to work towards justice and equality for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

     This November, my classmates and I took on the task of writing an entire novella in just one month. National Novel Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo, challenges writers to complete a novel in thirty days. It wrapped up Monday, and despite only reaching 83% of my goal, I’m still proud of myself for taking up the challenge. Today, I wanted to share some excerpts from my novella and give you a little insight into my experience writing them. This won’t be so much about the time constraint I was under while writing this, but more so about the writing itself and why I made certain choices within the work.

     About a quarter mile further stood a modest, rustic house, waiting to welcome them home. The pale, light blue paint on the exterior wooden walls had been chipped away over time, and the same could be said for the dull, white coat that covered the small front porch. Two handmade wooden rocking chairs looked down at them; the cushions occupying them were frayed and the once vibrant colors of the cloth were muted by the heat of the blistering sun. The outline of a large, burgundy barn could be seen peeking out from behind the residence.

     As she often did, the young woman observed the surrounding scenery, taking in the beauty of the lush, green grass and the boldness of the scattered patches of colorful wildflowers. Some were short with a deep, golden color covering the tiny petals, and others were meek, sporting wispy white floral leaves, and several tall, lavender flowers were sparsely scattered across the land.

     I rewrote this description at least half a dozen times. Certain drafts, I felt, were too short, and others were too long. I kept teetering between not providing the reader with enough imagery so they could properly envision the scene, and paying too much attention to detail to the point that the chapter was getting a bit stale. There’s no perfect answer to finding a balance between these two literary evils, but I always recommend that writers take a moment to close their eyes and imagine what the narrator is seeing. If you stay there long enough, you’ll be able to successfully depict the setting, but if you linger too long, you might lose yourself in insignificant details. With this illustration, I chose to write it in a way that would make the reader think of the farm as fondly as the main character does; she sees it as a safe haven, and I wanted to establish that sense of security in the reader as well.

     Like she did nearly two years before, Rose spent a few hours gathering the strength to tell Oliver that if he did not leave the company, she would leave him, except this time, she was painfully sober. He chuckled at first, sending a dismissive wave her way and immediately returning to his work. When none of her sweet laughter filled his ears like he expected it to, he turned to face her, and his stomach dropped at the sight of her placid face and teary eyes. He told her all of the things he usually did when she brought up something he did not want to talk about. First, he asked if the conversation could wait until he was finished whatever he was doing; next, he tried to convince her to push off talking about it until morning; and finally, he would try to embrace her, mentioning something distracting like the errands they needed to do tomorrow. Somehow, he always roped her in, but not this time; she could no longer shove this issue into the deepest corner of her mind and pretend it did not exist. They argued for hours, but Roselyn did not remember what they were saying to each other, only the suffocating lump that formed in her throat and the agonizing ache that enveloped her heart when Oliver began to cry.

     This is an excerpt from a very long reflection that takes up the majority of the first chapter. For context, the protagonist, Rose, used to be in a relationship with another character, Oliver, but she left him after giving him an ultimatum to leave his job, which brought a lot of turmoil and danger into their lives. The novel takes place a few days before her wedding to another man, Thomas, whose home was described in the first excerpt. In this section of writing, I wanted to not only inform the reader of their history but also give them some clues as to what their relationship was like before the split. There is a recurring pattern of manipulative behavior shown by Oliver that Rose previously chose to ignore, and the fact that she is no longer allowing the issue to be dismissed tells the reader a lot about the severity of the situation and how important it is to Rose that he quits his job. As both a reader and a writer, I find that it is more effective to walk the reader through events and allow them to build their own understanding of the dynamic between two characters rather than simply saying, “Character 1 is this type of person, Character 2 is this type of person, and this caused a problem because…”

     This morning, she woke to warm, orange rays of sunlight delicately dancing across her skin; her eyes fluttered open and she tried to absorb the brightness in the room but ultimately succumbed to the comforting shield of her hefty, dull white comforter. She found solace in its weight. It reminded her of the way her mother embraced her as a child when she got in trouble: excessively tight and accepting, despite knowing about her flawed behavior. The comforter understood the lies she told and the confliction she felt, and it spent countless mornings absorbing the guilt-ridden tears that were brazen enough to slip out. It held her in a way she could never allow Thomas…

     I highlighted this moment from Chapter 2 so the reader could get a feel for just how lonely the protagonist really is. She feels ashamed for still having feelings for her former partner, so she is not completely open with her current one, but she also feels guilty for not being the partner she feels Thomas deserves. She is left in a truly isolating position, and in many ways, only has herself to turn to for comfort, which manifests in her connection to an inanimate object, like her comforter. The average person might not compare the weight of their blanket to a mother’s hug, so the analogy gives the reader a bit of insight into her mental state and how much pain she had endured from being in this situation. The way people interact with physical things can be very telling to who they are and what they’re going through emotionally; it is a tool that many writers, including myself at times, forget to utilize. 

     This is all I’ve got for now, but I hope you enjoyed reading a bit about the thought that went into these bits of writing! Catch you next time :’)

     Growing up, you probably heard the story of the first Thanksgiving celebration. The story has slight variations depending on who tells it and where it is told, but these excerpts from a version on http://www.apples4theteacher.com/, a website that provides resources commonly used by elementary school teachers, are representative of the general idea of the story most Americans were told in their youth. I’ll show you a statement made in this short story called “The First Thanksgiving” by Nora Smith, and then, I’ll give a brief description of the actual events that took place. TRIGGER WARNING: A certain part of this blog will discuss the intense subjects of murder and assault; please read with caution and keep this warning in mind as you navigate this post.

Some of the Pilgrim fathers, with brave Captain Myles Standish at their head, went on shore to see if they could find any houses or white people. 

     Calling Myles Standish brave is an interesting choice; I suppose one might consider the military advisor brave, if their definition of bravery is only characterized by one showing sheer undantedness in the wake of brutal attacks on whom that person perceives to be an enemy.  After an indigenous person named Corbitant challenged a treaty established between the pilgrims and a group of other natives, Standish planned an attack on the shelter in which Corbitant was believed to be sleeping. As frightened Pokanokets attempted to escape the terrifying scene, Standish’s men outside fired their muskets.Some friendly Indians had visited the Pilgrims during the winter, and Captain Myles Standish, with several of his men, had returned the visit. In another instance, he and three other men of Plymouth stabbed Pecksout, a Massachusett warrior and leader of a group he found to be threatening, and put three other Massachusett warriors to death for their association.  Standish returned to Plymouth with a man’s head.  A bold man, sure, but brave? I don’t think so.

One of the kind Indians was called Squanto, and he came to stay with the Pilgrims, and showed them how to plant their corn, and their peas and wheat and barley.

     Squanto, who is often referred to as “the friendly Indian,” was also called Tisquantum, but historians concluded that neither is probably his real name. He belonged to the Patuxet tribe, which was a branch of the Wampanoag Confederacy. At some point during his youth, Squanto was sold into slavery in Europe by English explorers who captured him and many other Native Americans. When the Pilgrims arrived, he himself was a prisoner of the Wampanoag, and he served as a translator. He proved himself to be an expert on resources and taught the group of Europeans how to cultivate crops that would help them survive the next winter. However, many say he did not simply assist them out of good-heartedness. He was described as someone who “sought his own ends and played his own game.” He is said to have exploited the influence his fluency in English provided him, often demanding favors and making threats.

Kind as the Indians were, you would have been very much frightened if you had seen them; and the baby Oceanus, who was a year old then, began to cry at first whenever they came near him. They were dressed in deerskins, and some of them had the furry coat of a wild cat hanging on their arms. Their long black hair fell loose on their shoulders, and was trimmed with feathers or fox-tails. They had their faces painted in all kinds of strange ways, some with black stripes as broad as your finger all up and down them. But whatever they wore, it was their very best, and they had put it on for the Thanksgiving party.

     This entire excerpt has a condescending tone that accompanies many white Americans in their retelling of the Thanksgiving story. Phrases like “Kind as the Indians were, you would have been very much afraid if you had seen them…” and “But whatever they wore, it was their very best…”  are gross and belittling, to say the least. The person who wrote this clearly tried to diminish the problematic nature of these statements by describing the Natives positively before or after they were made. The entire point of this version of the story is to perpetuate the idea that the natives were friendly and eager to help the pilgrims, but somehow, like so many before her, the writer uses harmful, incorrect stereotypes about Indigenous people to tell the story. Notice how unnecessary it is to include those details and consider how little they add to the context of the Thanksgiving story. It plants a seed in young children’s brains and grows a predisposition towards Native Americans; they are taught to see this group of people as “frightening.”

     All throughout the text, the word “Indian” is used to identify Native Americans. They have been inaccurately described as Indians since the Pilgrims arrived in America. Christopher Columbus was under the impression that he sailed across the Indian Ocean and therefore referred to the residents of the land as “Indians.” It is profoundly ignorant to use this term to describe Indigenous Americans, and it is extremely harmful to teach children to use it as a way to describe someone with that identity.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myles_Standish

https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-11-17/native-americans-get-chance-tell-their-side-pilgrim-story

https://allthatsinteresting.com/squanto

https://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/native/homepage.htm

     Because of the recent presidential election, the phrase “voter fraud” has been pumped into the national conversation. Wikipedia defines voter fraud as an action that “involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share of rival candidates, or both.” During the course of his recent campaign, Donald Trump has repeatedly said, “The only way we are going to lose is if this election is rigged.” This false statement has effective built a distrust in the electoral process for his supporters, but they are being fed a misinformed narrative. Extensive research has proven that voter fraud is, in fact, extremely rare. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, “Most reported incidents of voting fraud are actually traceable to other sources, such as clerical errors or bad data matching practices.” After meticulously studying voter fraud in elections, the organization found that it only occurred between 0.0003% and 0.0025%. This tells us that the majority of voter fraud allegations are baseless.

     When it comes to voting fraud, several myths exist, all of which can be debunked.

1.) “There have been thousands of instances of voter fraud.”

     The Brennan Center states, “A comprehensive 2014 study published in the Washington Post found 31 credible instances of impersonation fraud from 2000 to 2014, out of more than 1 billion ballots cast. Even this tiny number is likely inflated, as the study’s author counted not just prosecutions or convictions, but any and all credible claims.”

2.) “Voter Impersonation is rampant at the polls.”

     A twelve year study of election data found only 10 incidents of voter impersonation out of 146 million registered voters.

3.) “Undocumented immigrants are voting.”

     The Brennan Center for Justice reports that of the 23.5 million votes casted in districts with high noncitizen populations, only 30 cases of improper voting were reported and referred for further investigation.

4.) “Millions of Americans are voting twice.”

     Researchers analyzed the 2012 election and found that out of the 129,000,000 votes cast, only 0.02% were double votes, most of which were the result of a measurement error.

5.) “Voting by mail leads to increased voter fraud.”

     According to The Heritage Foundation, which is a conservative publication, Oregon, the state to longest conduct universal mail-in voting, has reported only 14 cases of voting fraud related to mail-in voting over the span of 19 years. 15 million votes were casted during this time.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_fraud

brennancenter.org

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/

https://prospect.org/

https://www.nbcnews.com/

https://www.heritage.org/

@/soyouwanttotalkabout on Instagram compiled this information and provided additional commentary on what they believe Donald Trump’s intentions are with making these false claims about voter fraud. The account is a great resource for those looking to educate themselves on American politics, prominent politicians’ values and histories, and the various social issues affecting our country. I definitely recommend checking them out!

     Recently, I produced a second draft of a piece titled “Butterflies on the Delphinium.” It evolved from a 1,000 word flash fiction to a seven page short story, and in the new version, I didn’t even include the conversation the first draft is centered around. Before I moved to MSA, I rarely revised my work; After I finished the first draft of any piece, I typically reread it, decided I hate it, then sent it to the void that is Google Docs’ trash folder. However, since we started workshopping our assignments in class, I’ve had a change of heart. I get really excited whenever I have an opportunity to get feedback on my work, and I take the opinions of my peers and instructor into account instead of stubbornly brushing them off like I would have six months ago. I wanted to compare excerpts that include what I feel is the best descriptive language in the individual piece and let you see for yourself just how beneficial workshops and revision can be.

     Draft One: “She delicately tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear before flattening the backside of her dress and lowering herself into the seat opposite of the waitress. She ran her thumb along the underside of her purse strap and removed it from her shoulder. She hovered it over several different spots on the table and the floor, but chose to leave it resting in her lap. Her fingers involuntarily began to fiddle with the tassel attached to the purse’s zipper as she produced another strained smile.”

     Draft Two: “The glowing midday sun slowly sank, painting the once electric blue sky with strokes of crimson and patches of warm orange. The change in lighting made Gwen realize she had been walking in circles for the past three hours, pacing around an unfamiliar neighborhood; she did not notice the dull ache in her feet until she finally stopped moving. Her manicured nails were chipped as a result of her anxiously picking at them, and dark polish flakes now covered the frontside of her light blue sheath dress. A dreadful wave of embarrassment washed over her, and she began to hurriedly swipe her hand against the cotton material of her dress, trying to brush away the small, thin pieces. As they floated down to the earth, Gwen noticed a sharp sting coming from the underside of her right thumb; she turned it over to reveal the irritated beginnings of a painful blister. She grimaced as she turned her head slightly to examine the underside of the long, leather strap of her white shoulder purse. The inexpensive material had not been damaged, thankfully, and tried to make a mental note to encourage herself to cease the habit, but she knew she was unlikely to find the willpower to do so any time soon.”

     About two weeks ago, Oreo launched a campaign to celebrate LGBTQ+ families; in collaboration with PFLAG National, the first and largest organization for individuals and families who are a part of the community, the company produced pride-themed cookies and announced that they will only be gifting them to those who “perform acts of allyship for the LGBTQ+ community.” On National Coming Out Day, October 11th, Oreo’s brand twitter posted pictures of their cookies with different colored fillings that match the color of certain pride flags, transgender, pansexual, bisexual, and lesbian. Not everyone was pleased with this, initially branding the cookies as a “rainbow capitalism moment” (as stated by PinkNews), but the community’s perception of them shifted once the company specified its intent with the product and clarified that they would not be selling them.

     Unlike many companies, Oreo is honoring LGBTQ+  people, their family, and their histories; the company even released a short film called Proud Parent, that promoted the importance of allyship and creating a more accepting world. “Pride for Profit” is a term used to describe companies using promotional ads and pride-themed products to further the success of their brand during holidays that celebrate LGBTQ+ people. During pride month especially, companies will do the bare minimum to show support for the community by doing insignificant things like changing the logos in their profile pictures on social media to rainbow colors or releasing a line of pride merchandise. This would not be such an issue if these things actually benefited the community and raised awareness for the issues it faces; the majority of brands do not even donate a portion of their sales on pride products to LGBTQ+ charities.

     According to the various sources cited on a Yahoo! Finance article, only 64% of these brands are donating to relevant LGBTQ+ charities, meaning that every 2 in 5 of these companies are not. The website also states that 12% of companies with Pride campaigns in 2019 were rated under 80% by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for their equality policies. HRC says, “The majority fail to provide equal domestic partner medical and soft benefits for LGBT+ people, and show a lack of equal health coverage for individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care.” Companies like H&M only have a Corporate Equality Index Score of 45% despite having produced a collection of pride products.

     Companies that do not even provide their employees who are a part of the community with a safe work environment are being praised for selling pride-related merchandise. It is not enough to support LGBTQ+ people one month of the year; these companies should be expected to constantly work towards making the world a more loving, accepting place. The struggles of people with these identities are not things to be used as fuel for corporate greed; the sacrifices people in the community have made deserve to be acknowledged and the members deserve to be validated and celebrated.