Page 5 – The Waltonian

On March 16, the novel, Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda, premiered as an adapted movie entitled Love, Simon. The film followed the coming out story of a gay teenage boy named Simon Spier. In the movie, Simon is played by Nick Robinson, the star from the 2017 young adult novel adapted film, Everything, Everything. Along with Robinson, the filmed starred Josh Duhamel as Simon’s father, Jennifer Garner as Simon’s mother, Katherine Langford as Leah, Keiynan Lonsdale as Bram, and Miles Heizer as Cal.

Love, Simon is about Simon dealing with his classmate, Martin, knowing his sexuality through the acquisition of personal emails and using it to blackmail him. This drama leads the central plot, but there are mesmerizing moments of pure love and LGBT+ acceptance. From Simon trying to dress more “gay” for people to accept him, to his friends jamming to The 1975 in the car and drinking iced coffees, this movie managed to touch my heart as well as make me laugh at least once every scene.

One scene that I enjoyed, but could have done without is the act of Simon changing his physical appearance after coming out to his family as gay. Although this was funny, it forced the notion that your gender expression somehow matches your orientation. Simon was gay all of his life and yet only changed his clothing once others knew. I think this showed a more broad problem within the LGBT+ community. Some assume that a feminine man must be gay and a tomboy woman must be a lesbian. This notion negates the fact that one’s gender, sexual orientation and gender expression are separated from each other. In addition, by reading the book before seeing the movie, I entered the theatre knowing what the conclusion of the plot would be. However, there were some key plot points that were left out of the film, but it did not steer me away from loving the movie. I felt like Nick Robinson did a great job in portraying the Simon I fell in love with in the novel. Some of the minor characters did not meet the expectations that I made for them in the novel, but by making the minor characters even more minor, the film’s audience was able to focus on Simon’s journey.

The film expressed the challenges of a teenager being true to themselves while going through the trivial times of high school. Although the film centered around Simon and his fear of others knowing his sexuality and not being accepted by his loved ones, it also expressed society’s genuine need for “abnormal” people. Each character represents a community that is often looked over in modern schools. There are African American characters who embraced natural hair for the film. There are sports players that are also scholarly and humble. There are female characters throughout the movie that are treated with respect and admiration. The film managed to tackle the heartache of coming out in a world that views heterosexuality as ideal.

Love, Simon is a film that needs to be shared. With the success of the Oscar award winning film, Call me by Your Name, movies are becoming much more LGBT+ friendly. However, there still needs to be more representation. I loved Love, Simon as much as the theatre audience I sat around, but there is something about the trope of a LGBT+ character being a white gay male who is accepted by his family. Although this is a narrative that needs to be voiced, it is not the sole story of the LGBT+ community.

Throughout Eastern, there are many students and faculty who represent the university’s new initiative, ‘courage to.’ Among them is senior Jessie Nichols. Nichols is an Exercise Science major, a Psychology minor, and has been a Student Chaplain for the past three years. Despite how busy Nichols is being in his final year of college, his main priority is knowing that the people he cares most about will be safe.

“I want to leave [Eastern] knowing that the LGBT+ community is going to be okay,” Nichols said.

As a freshman at Eastern, Nichols started to come out of his comfort zone and became heavily involved with campus clubs and attended campus events. He participated in many sports and, being assigned female at birth, some were taken by surprise at his masculine characteristics. As a freshman, Nichols did not know he was transgender (someone who does not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth) nor had he heard the word. Although he was raised to love others, his family seldom discussed LGBT+ issues. However, the summer before his sophomore year, Nichols worked at a Christian camp that allowed him to express himself while still gaining the support and friendship with fellow staff members he had just met.

The following year, Nichols came out publicly as a lesbian (a female attracted to other females). Nichols was approached by many who saw his coming out astonishing.

“[They said] but you’re a chaplain!” Nichols joked as he reflected on when some of his residents approached him. For many of them, this was their first interaction with an LGBT+ Christian leader. In addition to this, several Eastern students confided in Nichols by coming out to him. Nichols became the first for many to be openly LGBT+. Nichols believes that Eastern does not have enough of a LGBT+ support system for students.

Nichols recalls his time of identifying as a lesbian as “a part of my journey.”

Starting his junior year, Nicholas began reflecting on how he never really felt comfortable in his own body. Apart from not liking the stereotypical “girl toys” and expressing little interest in “girl clothes,” Nichols knew that there was always something different about him. For him, something did not feel right, and before puberty, Nichols was able to mask the feelings. However, being a junior in college, he was not as capable of masking his feminine qualities, and for awhile, Nichols suppressed the feelings of gender dysphoria.

During his spring semester of junior year, Jessie started experimenting with members of Refuge and some of his friends using “he” and “him” pronouns. At that point, Nichols felt as though there was a weight lifted off of his shoulders. He felt that he was validated as a man but also a human. Throughout the year, Nichols seemed to have a fantastic day when he could ‘pass’ as male. He loved the idea that people who did not know him assumed that his gender matched how he felt. Even though he started to feel more comfortable being classified as male by his trusted friends, he knew that he could not be his true and authentic self all of the time without coming out fully to the community of Eastern as a whole.

“I hated having my friends not being able to use proper pronouns,” Nichols said.

Nichols posed in front of Walton’s ‘courage to’ wings for a social media post. This coming out signified Nichols’ journey, a journey of courage. Nichols’ experience with the LGBT+ community has always been an act of courage.

“Taking a step in faith… God will give me people who are affirming,” Nichols said. God gave Nichols the people of Refuge, his friends, and amazing faculty.

One of Nichols’ most important initiatives is to motivate students and faculty to be more welcoming of different people, or outsiders even, as Jesus taught. Nichols believes that LGBT+ students and teachers have a right to be at Eastern, and that Eastern should be a safe place for them. Nichols showed his support for this initiative during last year’s Solidarity Week, run by Refuge, Eastern’s Gay-Straight Alliance Group, and the Political Activism Club. This week consisted of showing support for LGBT+ people and showing Christian love to everyone through panel discussions, meetings with administration, and an event for Eastern students, faculty, and alum to talk about their experiences with LGBT+ people.

“LGBT+ Christians are their own special community… most of the LGBT+ people I have met are so welcoming… that is the most Christ-like thing,” Nichols said. Nichols continued discussing that LGBT+ people of Eastern know what it is like to be on the outside. They know what impact oppression has, as they are often ostracized by Christian communities, and that is what Nichols would like to see diminish as he graduates.

As a senior, Nichols has shown his appreciation for Eastern and his intention to leave the institution better than it was before he came.

As his journey at Eastern is reaching an end, Nichols still wants to advocate for the LGBT+ people he will be leaving behind. He wants transgender people to feel comfortable in their dorm rooms. He wants transgender people to be able to live on the hall they feel most comfortable and safe in, limited from possible triggers. Nichols hopes that the university puts people over institution. Nichols also hopes that people are willing to listen to others who may be different from them.

“Everyone has a story. Have the courage to not judge them by their cover,” Nichols said.

On Feb. 14, an armed teenager entered the halls of the Parkland, Florida high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and opened fire– killing 17 teachers and students. This shooting not only sparked the advocacy of school safety, but it also fueled a gun control debate with the use of social media. Survivors of the shooting, and parents of the slain, have been involved in public outcries pleading with government officials, including senator Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump to protect children in schools at all costs. This cost, to the victims, includes severing ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA).

I want to be clear, one can be pro-gun and pro-gun reform at the same time. Even though I would never want to own a gun for personal reasons, I do believe that people should be able to carry if they want to for protection or for employment. That being said, there needs to be a conversation between the American people and its government so that gun related tragedies are at a bare minimum. In our society today, many government officials are tied up with the NRA in a sense that they support candidates with campaigning, and continue their support through their time in office. This, in turn, typically sways their opinion to adhere to the NRA’s ideals.

However, after the attack on the Florida high school, many politicians have went against the NRA’s beliefs to better ensure safety in schools. Trump has been seen backing the idea of arming some teachers in schools and having more armed guards in all schools. In addition to this, Trump has backed the banning of purchasing bump stocks (a tool that allows semi- automatic weapons to simulate the shooting range of a fully automatic weapon). With Trump, Florida senator, Rubio, has publically been seen to back the raising of purchasing assault rifles from age 18 to 21 and strengthening background checks.

Even with the conversations that have been happening between Republicans, the victims of the Parkland shooting and anti- NRA politicians have been in favor of a complete rifle ban. Emma Gonzalez, senior at Stoneman Douglas, said at a rally, “He would not have harmed that many students with a knife.” She was speaking about the gunman who murdered her school’s students and faculty. She also talked about the issue of mental health. She understands that there is a mental health issue, but that the politicians cannot hide behind that to excuse the issue of gun violence. Many victims are in support of extensive gun control to keep the kids in schools safe.

There has been a plan for a National Walkout March 14, a month after the Parkland massacre. At 10 a.m. for 17 minutes, students across the nation are planning to stand outside in silence to remember the lives lost. In relation to this, there is a national,”March for our Lives” event that has been supported by many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey and Jimmy Kimmel. These events are called to be inclusive and bring awareness to the need for gun reform while also honoring the lives lost. Another gun related walkout is organized for April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre.

Maybe the Assault Rifle Ban will not limit the number of violent deaths in America, but it can limit the number of mass shootings that have plagued our nation. I think we owe it to the school students, teachers, concert goers, church members, and everyone else who were gunned down where they expected safety. One of these tragedies eliminated is a step in the right direction.

Sources: CNN, Fox, LA Times, New York Magazine

Throughout the Superbowl, many fans looked forward to the commercials that are notorious for their attempt in broadening its audiences’ view. Some are filled with confusing actor portrayals, as we saw in Tide’s commercials, but some are made to specifically open our eyes to the hardships of someone we as Americans look up to. In a 60 second commercial for the Winter Olympics, NBC Sports dramatized the all too real experiences of skiing legend Lindsey Vonn. Vonn is not a stranger to many injuries in order to continue pursuing her dreams of being an Olympic skier.

Vonn started her career as a young child skiing in her home state of Minnesota. This early introduction into the winter sport fueled her passion that continued when she first started competing in the World Cup– a prestigious competition before the once every four years Winter Olympics. So far, Vonn, a 33- year- old superstar, has won a total of 81 World Cup events. This makes her just a little shy of the record held by Ingemar Stenmark with 86 World Cup event wins. Vonn then first appeared in the Winter Olympics in 2002, and she has been in attendance at each one since.

However, no matter what Vonn has accomplished, she had the possibility to do so much more. On various occasions, Vonn was forced to not compete as much as she wanted due to many physical injuries. In the 2007 World Cup, Vonn suffered from an ACL tear which led to the early finish to her season. Fortunately, she won nine silver medals in this season before her injury. This ACL tear affected Vonn’s success in the 2013 World Cup in which she completely tore her right ACL. In the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand, Vonn fractured an ankle preseason, and during the season, she experienced a knee fracture that forced her to end a season that she was picked to do well in. Also, In the World Cup on Nov. 10, 2016, Vonn’s career was put on a hold with a fractured humerus in her right arm. This injury took place on a training course in Colorado. In the most recent World Cup, Vonn skipped a day of racing after jarring her back during a Super G Dec. 9.

Vonn is not a stranger to trials and tribulations when it comes to sport injuries. She has been able to come back each season with more and more grit in order to continue pursuing this passion for skiing. Amid injuries, Vonn has even won multiple Olympic titles on top of her World Cup titles. In 2002, Vonn received sixth place in the downhill slope. Also, and perhaps more notably, in 2010, she won gold for downhill and bronze for Super G, meaning a course with multiple fast turns.

Although the public mainstream media became aware of Vonn’s injuries due to her starring in an uplifting Winter Olympics’ promotional commercial, her fire and determination has always been apparent in her colleagues and competition. Her sheer excellence in the downhill race has propelled her to try and allow the Federation Internationale de Ski, the highest governing program of international winter sports, to allow her to compete in the downhill men’s race. Vonn’s talents, in her opinion, should be challenged by people with higher scores than her, which includes her male counterparts. This next challenge would shatter the stereotypes of female sportsmanship.

Nonetheless, Vonn has proven time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with, making her one of the greatest athletes of our time.

Sources: The New York Post, NBC Sports, Team USA.

As a sophomore at Eastern, I have had the privilege of taking many courses that have broadened my knowledge of the world around me. The course I can confidently say has had the most impact on me is Post-Colonial Women’s Novels. This course, which counted as my global diversity class, was one of my first introductions to literature outside of western countries.

In this particular class, not only were the books based in previously colonized countries, they were also all written by women, hence the name of the course. In high school, I was seldom given literature from non-western countries to dissect, let alone authored by women. The first book of this course, Nervous Conditions, opened my eyes to the disadvantage women and young girls face in a male dominated non-western country. What propelled me into the novel was the first line which reads, “I was not sorry when my brother died.” Tambu, the main character and protagonist, fought to go to school after her brother gotten the flu and died. In her community in Rhodesia, modern day Zimbabwe, the oldest boy is most likely the one chosen to go to school. Because of the patriarchal society and the lack of funds in Tambu’s immediate family, she is only given a chance at education after the death of her older brother. However, even then, she is met with a lot of adversity when she receives an education.

Another book we tackled together later in the course was Tracks. This challenged my perception of postcolonialism in a sense that it was about a group that is still colonized today– the Native Americans. Unlike many colonized nations, the western powers have left the people they colonized and retreated back to their original territory. However, the United States is home to many ethnicities that do not come from the lineage of Native Americans but of people who originally colonized them. The novel focused on a tribe whose land was slowly being taken over by the White neighbors. The author, Louise Erdrich, focuses on the issues Native American were facing in the 80s with the rise of technology and the “need” for industrialization, even if it took over a reservation. In class, we related this novel to the treatment of Native Americans in the United States today. This not only challenged my perception of postcolonialism, but it raised the ethical question of whether Native Americans are still colonized. Throughout this particular novel, my peers were drawn into the narrative that colonialism is still present in the United States today.

This course inspired me to continue studying women’s literature along with postcolonial literature. Last summer, I traveled to Maine for a course in gender studies with a group from Eastern.This course then propelled me to take Global Fiction this semester. Global Fiction, related mostly to Post-Colonial Women’s Novels, includes the analyzation of literature from non-western countries. However, unlike my previous courses, this class also includes the male voice of non-western worlds. With the incorporation of courses like the ones I have taken, I am able to broaden my worldview by interacting with the voices of non-western authors. However, do not get me wrong, I do love a good Shakespeare play about English rule or a stellar Hemingway book based on life in Europe. Nevertheless, there is something refreshing about having the privilege of reading a writer’s work about their life in a country that is very different than my own. The material is almost infectious; I am drawn by sheer curiosity and the immense talent of under-appreciated non-western writers.

My mom would always say, “Who is going to win the Super Bowl?”

“Anyone but the Cowboys,” I would quickly respond.

This was a common exchange between Eagles’ fans and that of the Cowboys. I grew up thinking that the Eagles were the team to beat. However, I knew little about football when I was a young kid– I thought that whoever my family thought was talented, was, in fact, talented. Before I knew the gist of the popular American game, I thought that the Philadelphia team had won dozens of championships. It sounds childish, but the first time that this fairytale story of the Eagles being the greatest team in the NFL was when I was in sixth or seventh grade. A Cowboys fan from school told me that the Eagles had never won a Super Bowl which proved that they were actually the worst. This conversation took a sharp and bad turn. My belief that my team was the best team was false. I still cheered for the Eagles after that, but I did not believe that they were the greatest thing to exist in the NFL. However, that changed during the 2013 season in which Nick Foles, a second string Quarterback took over the role of first string when Michael Vick hurt his hamstring which, in turn, caused him not to be able to play a majority of that season. During that monumental season, I believe that my hope was restored in the Eagles, and I think that the hope was restored for their entire fan base. With Foles as first string, the Eagles went on to win many games, including one against the Cowboys late in 2013.

After that season, my mom and I took a trip to a locally owned sports shop. We bought and framed pictures of our beloved Nick Foles. These pictures remained on the wall in our hallway. I thought of it as a good luck charm, and that if the Eagles were to have another bad stretch, my family could look to those pictures as a sign of hope. I am not too sure it worked, but let us just thank them for their magical power in welcoming the Eagles to a Super Bowl this year.

The last time the Eagles made it the the Super Bowl was in 2005 against the, you guessed it, New England Patriots. This year, our beloved team went against the well established team. The Patriots have won an astonishing five Super Bowls, all with Tom Brady, the popular and talented Quarterback, as their leading player. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia fans, this game ended with a Patriots win.

Although the last time they met in the biggest game of the NFL ended in a loss for the Eagles, the spirit of that game is another thing I think pushed them to win this year. Although this is their first ever Super Bowl win, I think that there are many more to come. We will forever be fans of the Eagles. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Through the years, I have been morally challenged by the notion of whether college athletes should be getting paid for their work on the field. I was first presented with this question when I was a marching band saxophone player who spent a lot of time with my high school’s football team. Most of them were continuing the sport in their college years and wanted to receive compensation on top of scholarships for their work. I initially could not fathom the thought of football players being paid, in college, in ways other than scholarships.

However, I eventually began to understand the other side of the argument in a conversation I had with a friend from back home. She thought that athletes, especially football players, should be getting paid. At her school, she was paid to write articles for the school newspaper. She did not find her compensation any different from that of a football player. I then thought of the fact that many colleges sell merchandise with athletes’ names on it without giving them money for the sale. I considered a scenario in which an author were to write a book in college and their university published it but kept all the profits. It would have the author’s name on it, not that of the university. This furthered my interest in the heated debate.

In reference to college athletes being compensated for their sport, there are many benefits to this happening. For one, athletes who come from lower income neighborhoods would be able to support their family back home while they are at school. College students in general, but especially athletes, are pressed for time, and having a job on top school work is sometimes not possible. Having extra money would let athletes focus on their sport and classwork while being able to help their family as much as they can. Also, college athletes should be compensated for the merchandise popular collegiate teams put out. The market for jerseys, hats, and personalized sports gear is immense. This market is funded by the school and put back into the school when some of the profit could be going to the players themselves.

However, there are many downsides to student athletes being paid, and I do see that. The oldest excuse in the book for college athletes not getting paid is that their main focus should be school, not athletics. This point, although valid, is also assuming that athletes are in college solely for their sport and do not care about their education. This is false, and even when many athletes continue to the national, professional teams, they still value their education. Another con for college athletes being paid would have to be the idea of them being compensated on top of athletic scholarships. Many D1 athletes are given athletic scholarships to play for a certain school. This seems as though the university would be putting more value on sports than students who came in with impeccable grades. However, a downside I could realistically see is the spreading of compensation. Where will the money go? How will it be split? It would be easy to say that it would be split evenly, but in theory, first string players versus third string players do not gross the same sales in merchandise. Thus, there would be a challenge to make paying college athletes fair.

Although there are many pros and cons to this decision, I believe that an education does come first and that getting a full ride to a top university should be enough, but I still think about the example I gave my friend from back home. If I became an author in college, and my book grossed a million dollars in sales, I would like to see more a profit than just $100,000 in scholarships.

Source: Huffington Post

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In light of a successful year for many great artists in 2017, many have made it their goal to continue surprising fans with new releases of songs and albums in the new year. Of these is a remix on Bruno Mars’ “Finesse.” The remix was performed by Mars himself with rap newcomer, Cardi B. The duo landed the number one trending spot on YouTube for multiple days as well as appearing in Billboard’s Hot 100 top ten. The remix took Mars’ original song of the same name from his album, 24K Magic, and added style and flare on top of the track. The track itself gave a 1990s vibe, but once fans avidly watched the music video, they saw that Mars has planned just that– for “Finesse” to be the ultimate throwback in outfit themes and track originality.

Even though it gave all fans the 1990s vibe, “Finesse” was especially inspired by 1990s show, In Living Color. This show, aired on Fox, gave a platform for many rising comedians, including Jamie Foxx, Marlon Wayans, and Jim Carrey. The show was monumental for its time, because it was the first to feature a line- up of mostly African Americans. Its controversy did not stop there. The Superbowl of 1992 was counterprogrammed by an anti-football episode of In Living Color which led the National Football League to hire popular artists to play during the halftime shows to ensure higher audience ratings. This monumental show shook the normal customs of America at that time, which is what Mars and Cardi B were alluding to throughout their music video. They challenge society’s norms by featuring an entire Black cast on top of having a female featurette in Cardi B.

Mars has become a household name over the years with the success of many of his singles and albums. He even topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart seven times with the inclusion of “Grenade,” “Locked out of Heaven,” and the “Uptown Funk!” collaboration with Mark Ronson. He also has had another 14 singles appear on the Billboard’s Hot 100 chart in the top ten.

Apart from Mars, Cardi B has quickly made a name for herself in the entertainment industry with the fast rise of her popular single, “Bodak Yellow.” Before her shot at stardom, Cardi B was known for her appearance in Love & Hip- Hop: New York. She was considered the breakout star of the show, continuing to star in it for the sixth and seventh seasons. It was after she left in 2016 that she decided to pursue music full time. It turned out to work in her favor. Later the next year, Cardi B went to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart– the first female rapper to do so in almost two decades. She then went on to be featured in songs with Nicki Minaj and now, Bruno Mars.

Due to their separate successes, the “Finesse” remix stars are nominated multiple times for this year’s Grammy awards. Mars is nominated for Album of the Year with “24K Magic,” Song of the Year with “That’s What I Like,” and Best R&B Performance with “That’s What I Like.” Cardi B earned nominations for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Bodak Yellow.” The Grammys will take place Jan. 28.

Sources: Billboard, IMBd

Waking up at 7 a.m., driving to a train station, and taking two trains into Philadelphia — this is just one day of preparation for the 2018 Women’s March. Many Eastern students from Students Advocating for Gender Equality (SAGE), Political Activism Club (PAC), and many other sects of campus came together Jan. 20 to empower women in the historic city of Philadelphia.

Last year, Philadelphia became the first city to follow Washington D.C.’s trend of hosting the now annual Women’s March. The Women’s March was put in place to be a unified front in the face of oppression of all women. The march was in full swing last year, a day after the inauguration of Donald Trump. However, this year the march had something to prove: persistence in the resistance.

“I went to the Women’s March this year because last year it was about a direct response because of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, and not coming this year could be interpreted as complacency. This year is a reminder, these issues haven’t been solved… I really love the environment of the Women’s March… various issues [are] represented, and even kids attend. I really like that their slogan was ‘resist, persist and we rise,’” SAGE president Alysia Green said.

The Philadelphia venue for the march was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On top of having a wide range of speakers, they showed value in accommodations. They had an interpreter for those deaf or hard of hearing, and they had extra seating in front of the stage for those who have trouble walking or standing. Taking into account the diversity of the marchers was extremely important to ensure that all women felt cared for and wanted.

Emily Cooper Morse, a founder of the Women’s March in Philadelphia, found herself holding back her emotions as she talked about the impact society may have on her daughter if nothing changes. She talked about how the average person can change the world.

“I am an ordinary person, and President Obama said to make a change, we need ordinary people,” Morse said.

At the end of the event and at the end of the day, it was not about politics. It was not about Democrat or Republican. It was about equality; it was about every woman and girl knowing that they have a place in this world — a place that they choose for themselves apart from what society expects. It was about the love of women and the world they can change.

Almost a year after the shocking election of Donald Trump as the United States President, Democrats, and especially minority Democrats, made it their mission to lead their states, making 2017 the biggest landslide for groundbreaking elections of state legislators. Among the winners, a few notable ones are Danica Roem, Wilmot Collins, Michelle De La Isla, and Ravi Bhalla.

In Virginia, Danica Roem, a transgender woman and a former reporter won against Republican incumbent, Bob Marshall. Roem made headlines early on in her race to legislation due to her gender identity. Marshall, Roem’s main opponent, played a key role in the passing of Virginia’s bathroom bill, putting it into law that each person had to use a restroom that aligned with their anatomical sex. However, even though Roem identifi es as transgender, she did not let this stop her. She plans on making her community more open about LGBT+ issues and concerns, and she is making a historical leap in becoming the fi rst openly trans person in state legislation. While in offi ce, Roem plans on tackling traffi c congestion, medicaid expansion, and pay increases for teachers.

Also, in Montana, Liberian refugee, Wilmot Collins made waves by being a face for refugees in a country tainted with inexcusable blame and hatred. In Montana, Collins faithfully fi red back against his residents, educating the community that refugees are not terrorists and that they are fully human people. Collins took the mayor seat of Helena from a 16 year incumbent, making him the second known Black person to take on this role.

Further, in Topeka, Kansas, single mother of three, Michelle De La Isla became the mayor. Being born in New York City and raised in Puerto Rico, De La Isla transformed each of her struggles into an advantage. Having much experiences in hardships, De La Isla plans on bringing light to the rural downtown niches and counsel the other minorities in her community.

In addition, in Hoboken, New Jersey, Ravi Bhalla became the state’s first Sikh mayor. This is groundbreaking for New Jersey and the rest of the country, for Bhalla is just one of a limited number of Sikh mayors of the United States. Though he was a favorite candidate from the start, Bhalla still faced criticism from some of Hoboken’s residents. As a Sikh, Bhalla wears a turban to respect his faith, and some residents took offense to that. Bhalla responded to the criticism by believing that his city was capable of rising against hatred and fear of difference. The people backing him believes that his win is a direct backlash to the ideology of the Trump administration and his campaign before election.

With each of these candidates came a big surprise to their residents. Many are still in shock over the election of Trump just last year. However, even though that conservative ideology won on a federal level, the small victories on the state level are essential to keep in mind. It is vital for diversity to be seen throughout every democracy, for we are not all rich white men, or in other words, the average politician. These outstanding people with progressive ideas are setting the stage for our future and our children’s’ future– a future filled with equality through diversity and seeing the normalcy of a minority in federal and local offices.

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