Bianca Brooks

(Photo Credit: Michael Fleshman)

Reframing The Trayvon Martin Reaction

I followed the Trayvon Martin case from day one. I read countless articles, social commentary, and notes on the trial. When the case finally came to a close I was deeply shocked– but not by the verdict.

After watching the Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson trials, I had already guessed Zimmerman would be found not guilty, because the evidence was not “beyond a reasonable doubt.” I was not surprised by the outcome of the case, but rather the reaction it drew from the public.

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Rethinking Fast Fashion After Bangladesh

On a tour of Dhaka, I visited a factory that was making clothes for some of my favorite brands. I saw hundreds of workers crowded around sewing machines and work-tables. The sound of whooshing looms and the chemical smell of dye filled the air. But it was watching a young girl, who was maybe 10, sewing a pair of jeans that made me feel really sick. My host sister later told me that many of these workers, mostly women and children, were living on less than 2 dollars a day.

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(Photo Credit: Benjamin Chun)

Cheating In The Digital Age

My parents always tell me that when it comes to school, I have it a lot easier than they did. When they entered college in the 80s, the encyclopedia was still the go-to source for academic information, and your only tools in the classroom were a notebook, pen, and an open mind. This, to me, is unimaginable. Today’s educational technology makes it a lot easier to learn, and a lot easier to cut corners.

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