Feature Writing

In a gray hoodie pulled low over his face and a glass of red wine in front of him, Carl Schwartz, 24, sits at his kitchen table. Mustard chairs squeak under wooden linoleum; a plethora of vinyl records line a small coffee table next to him.

In the background stands a record player between two considerably large speakers. He sips his wine, while nervously joking about hating the sound of his voice played back to him, I assure him it wouldn’t be.

Schwartz is a 24-year-old Brooklyn transplant from Richmond, Virginia. He’ll be celebrating his first year in Sunset Park this December. Schwartz works as a teacher’s assistant at the Bronx Early College Academy through the non-profit organization City Year, his income is a modest $1,000 stipend. “Moving here was a total shot in the dark for me, but everything is kind of working out.”

Schwartz’s’ home state has only elected two democrats since 1960, one of them being Pres. Obama. However, Schwartz somehow emerged as a vocally liberal democrat, “I had a socially conscious but somewhat conservative upbringing.”

Schwartz’ mother comes from a conservative, Episcopalian family. He interacted minimally with them saying they didn’t really have a strong familial connection, “being with them was a completely different experience”.

His father being an overwhelmingly, liberal, Jewish man taught Schwartz about politics and the importance of being an active citizen, “I was included in adult conversations from an early age. We’d talk about sports, news. It was natural to talk politics while we ate, watched television. It was just normal discussion.”

Those discussions were mostly democratic, “They were all rooted in this idea that it’s about more than me, it’s about us. But it’s the best way of how to manage us, and thinking about the collective was always, like the mantra of the discussions.”

While clearing his throat Schwartz pulls down the strings of his gray hoodie. His small bearded face becoming a shadow in the florescent lighting of his kitchen. He sips his glass and stares straight ahead.

“And I, I think that just happened naturally. It’s not like it was ever explained, it’s not like it was group facilitation. Where it’s like this is the point! This is the thesis! Those rules weren’t laid out for family discussion.”, he pauses. “But if I look back, that was definitely the theme. Always.”

Schwartz is a strong American liberal, raised in the Virginia Beach and Richmond, Virginia. After his high school career, he began his work in civic duty. Beginning in non-profit work in his city, “I had to smoke Newport’s just to fit in!”, he laughs remembering his time riding in trucks with older African American men, to enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard.

As a liberal from the South this election is worrying Schwartz. He is confused by his nations choice’s. Secretary Hillary Clinton was his first choice to be president but things became complicated when Senator Bernie Sanders was introduced.

Schwartz began learning more about Clinton and her past policies, “I’m finding out about all these lies that Hillary Clinton has told. How unreliable she is, the terribly racist parts of her, not only just the things that she’s said and the way that she’s lived her life but her husband’s policies. I really found out a lot more in the past year or so about her husband’s policies and how they hurt African Americans, especially African American males.”

This new information led to some deep political soul searching for Schwartz, “As a person who lives by moral conviction as often as I can. A person who is very intentional thoughtful about how I walk through life and the choices that I make and how they affect people. In the primary it just seemed right to me (to vote for Sanders). I can’t sleep at night knowing I did not vote for the best person here.”

Sanders’ was Schwartz’s ideal presidential candidate, he stood up to big business, supported the elimination of student loan debt, wasn’t aligned with any Super Pac’s, and had actually protested in the civil rights movement. Sander’s stood up for ‘the collective’ Schwartz’s family always taught him about.

“It took me all the way up until the week of the primary…I just I didn’t know if it made sense. If he was electable…. I don’t even know if someone that left has ever run before. But him standing completely on his own on stage, stages across America and speaking about people and for the people and doing it on a very low budget. I mean that was moving.”

But Sander’s didn’t win the primary and Schwartz was left with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as his choices, “Both of them are not my America, and I have no respect for a Bernie Sanders supporters who won’t vote for Clinton. There’s just so much at stake, and I don’t know…if you care, if you really care, it’s about making the best choice with your human being, citizen, vote in the United States of America. For the primaries that was definitely Bernie Sanders. So I flipped it was Hillary, then it was Bernie, and obviously I’m back to Hillary, just because it has to be, it has to be.”

HELP WANTED. Ads like these are everywhere, but often do they work? That remains to be seen. But when the market is disrupted, the biggest catalyst that spurs attention, growth, and potential employees is success.

Uber provided this catalyst in 2010 when it rattled the market for taxi service in New York City. Since then, the ride-sharing app has opened the door to other apps like Lyft and Gett.

But Uber did more than shake the market: it altered the conceptions that come along with the market. They replaced clunky yellow cabs with sleek, more modern luxury cars; everything is done via an app to ensure optimal revenue, wait time, and demand.

Suddenly there are more attractive perks with a career in the taxi industry.

Cheick Niambele realized this. He has worked part-time with Uber for nearly a year. The flexible schedule offered is crucial to Niambele, a full-time student at Baruch College.

This story will cover the Uber industry with a narrative revolving around Cheick Niambele as a student and a driver in a growing industry.

Scratch my previous idea, I think I’ve come up with something better. For this final, I’d like to do a feature on illegal immigrants. Being an illegal immigrant in America is obviously challenging. These individuals live their day to day lives in fear, knowing that at any moment they can be sent back to their home countries. In essence, they live life “on the edge.”

Furthermore, I would like to target a specific community in Park Slope, Brooklyn(Sunset Park to be exact). I would like to focus on individuals as well as the small businesses that are owned and run by many of these individuals. I would also like to focus on the demographics of this particular neighborhood. As well as how the many different cultures mesh in a community such as this one.

If certain individuals are interesting than others, I may just focus on just those individuals.

Point to prove: With all this chatter going on about illegal immigrants taking “our” jobs and many other proclamations,  my main focus is to prove that these individuals have a home in America. I will be looking to prove that with so many hardships like language barriers, money and racial issues, that these individuals belong in a place like America

Mishandled and Misguided: Why Crucifying Josh Brown is Not the Answer

Domestic violence. Two words that many individuals fear in our society for a variety of different reasons. Whether it be denial or an individual’s choice to stay quiet, domestic violence is real, especially in today’s world.

Recently, domestic violence allegations have been made against now-former Giants Placekicker Josh Brown.  Brown had been arrested in May 2015 under charges of battery and domestic abuse. However, those charges were dropped immediately and the story went quiet for months.

Brown’s allegations of domestic violence came into the spotlight once again in October of 2016, when the Kings County Sheriff’s office in Washington confirmed that Brown’s allegations of domestic violence were true. The documents have Brown admitting to physically and emotionally abusing his ex-wife Molly Brown on more than twenty different occasions.

Brown had been the kicker of the New York Giants for three and a half seasons. He made many memorable field goals and had become a fan favorite. However, those same fans that cheered him began bashing him in the blink of an eye.

Many around the world were outraged. From ex-football players to news personalities, each had something to say that would only crucify Brown even further.

Baltimore Raven’s wide receiver Steve Smith said it best “If your ex-wife was my daughter, yo ass would be on IR (Injured Reserve).”

Domestic violence is not tolerated in our society. Brown’s actions were disgraceful, distasteful and downright absurd.

However, with much regret I’d have to say that I believe that the best thing the media and everyone else can do, is to leave him alone. He needs time to think about his actions without being under constant watch and scrutiny.

Of course, the argument will be made that since he’s a public figure, we must cover him as he represents himself, the Giants and the NFL. But, from what we’ve seen from previous cases before like Greg Hardy’s, the extra media attention can be detrimental to another athlete, let alone another human beings mental health.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive. However, the constant abuse Brown is taking from fans and media personalities is unsettling.

Brown doesn’t get involved in everyone else’s personal lives so why should we get involved in his? What happened to “privacy?”

It’s been a few since the new reports came out and reporters are still having at it. They can’t seem to let the Giants or Brown breathe.

When someone who isn’t famous commits a crime such as this one, it makes the news for a minute and is never heard from again. So what makes Brown so special?

Again I would like to point out that Brown’s actions were completely unjust, but, he is just like everyone else. Everyone make’s mistakes, they are entitled to them. Brown made his and warrants a second chance.

Famous domestic violence cases in sports include names like O.J. Simpson and Ray Rice are brought up constantly. Simpson was a part of “the chase” and the most covered trial of the 20^th century. Rice beat his wife in an elevator, was backed by his team (the Baltimore Ravens) and then released the minute a new video of the abuse leaked.

On the topic of franchises, the Giants or the Ravens are foul for the way they treat these players. For months they back these players, but as new information is released to the public, they drop these players like a sack of potatoes.

These players get treated like rugs. When it’s old or damaged, you go out and get a new one. .

It shows that the NFL is all about perception and capitol. The minute a player’s value tumbles, they are no longer needed.

The NFL definitely has to step up in light of this situation as Brown’s case has damaged the credibility of the league immensely.

Currently, Brown is currently seeking the help he needs to become a better man, for himself, his kids and the rest of his family. If the media were to continue to throw insults his way, they have the possibility of ruining any progress Brown will make in his attempt to better himself.

“When I heard about this, all I could think about were his kids. The sad part is now they’re going to be the ones who are mocked and bullied at school because of what he did. It’s really sad” said Marilda Silva, 42.

Silva had suffered through many years of during her past marriage. “I stayed because I didn’t want my kids to grow up without a father. I didn’t want them to think that their family was broken. It got to a point where it was so bad. I thought I was going to die. So I left and went to my sister’s house,” said Silva.

Silva does not follow football, but she does believe that his status as a celebrity should have no effect on this situation. “What he did is wrong. Men like him aren’t men, they’re cowards,” said Silva “He’s getting all this attention, like this is what these guys want. Everyone’s going to remember his name, but no one remembers my ex-husbands name, the media is a joke.”

Molly Brown and Ms. Silva are not alone. 1 in 3 woman suffer from domestic abuse yearly, and that number has only been rising. It’s unfortunate, but domestic violence plays a predominant part of the society we live in today.

As for Ms. Brown, we can only hope that she recovers fully from all of the abuse Brown had dealt her. It’s a traumatic situation and just like Mr. Brown, she needs time to be herself.

As for Josh Brown, everyone will continue to bash him. They have every right to as he’s a “hot” name in the sports world. The problem I find is that those people who continue to nag Brown are just as wrong because bullying another bully is not the answer.

Josh Brown’s actions were disgraceful, disgusting, pitiful, the list could go on… However, continuing to destroy this man is not the answer. Instead we must let him live and learn from his mistakes alone, with time we can only hope he makes better of himself, so that his kids don’t have to worry about their dad.

 

 

On Thursday, October 27, New York City experienced one of the first rains of the fall season. The sky of granite chilled all below, including the icy pellets of rain slapping down on the umbrellas of hurried commuters. Among the people avoiding the chilly barrage was the Republican Nominee for President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

The Donald was headed to Caroline’s on Broadway—a comedy venue— to perform a stand up routine. But he wouldn’t be going at it alone. Also set to take the stage that night was Hillary R. Clinton, the Democratic Nominee, and the sitting President, Barak Obama. The political foes—or at least their slightly more absurd doppelgängers—had been brought together by a comedy duo determined to make audiences laugh at an election that hasn’t been particularly funny to some people.

Brendan Fitzgibbons, 33, and Lance Weiss, also 33, have been MCing their stand-up/mulita-media/impressionist show, “Anyone Can Be President, Even Us”, since July. Joined on stage every Thursday night by impressionists and other comics, Fitzgibbons and Weiss give the show an anchor. Focusing heavily on the 2016 election, the duo has been able to draw from the plethora of election related news slogging its way through the cable news stations and social media sites.

On their second to last show before the election, Fitzgibbons and Weiss took to the stage to warm up the rain soaked crowd. “Does anyone not know that this is a political show?” asked Fitzgibbons. Either everyone in the crowd knew or they were too embarrassed to admit they didn’t because no one spoke a word. “Good,” said Fitzgibbons, “That would be awkward,” said Weiss, and the show began.

Fitzgibbons and Weiss have traveled similar paths towards this wacky election. Both men majored in political science in college, Fitzgibbons at the University of Illinois, and Weiss at Georgetown University. And while both were intrigued by comedy, neither had fully pursued it as a career until moving to New York City.

“I did the political thing,” said Weiss, “I worked for the Department of Justice, I worked for ‘Hardball with Chris Mathews’, I worked for J.P. Morgan,” he paused, “It’s not real.” His pessimism is not fueled by some fundamental misunderstanding of the political system. Rather, he has been inside of several appendages of the political machine and has come away with a profound disappointment in what he has seen. Even in the show, his jokes, although somewhat political, remain fairly secular.

Fitzgibbons originally moved from Illinois to New York City for an internship at Rolling Stone magazine. Soon after his move, he went to an open mic to try his hand at comedy. “My first time on stage was at a lesbian bar called Caddyshack,” he said, adding he didn’t know this before he got on stage. “But it went well enough to keep going so I just kept it going from there.” From the early days of his comedic career, Fitzgibbons has always had a few political jokes in his repertoire, particularly about the absurd criticisms President Barak Obama frequently received. Fitzgibbons doesn’t quite share Weiss’s discontent with politics, but he clearly has some frustrations that he releases through his comedy.

To begin the show, Weiss and Fitzgibbons play a game they call “Porn or Trump”. The rules and objective are simple, both comics take turns reading a quote and the audience has to guess whether the quote is attributable to a porn video or to the Republican Nominee for President. “It’s actually the first idea for the show that we had,” said Fitzgibbons. After hearing a few objectively audacious quotes from Trump, “we asked ourselves, where else do they say the craziest shit?” said Weiss. “Porn!” concluded Fitzgibbons through a light chuckle. The game is harder than one might expect. The audience was divided in applause after a few quotes that could’ve gone either way. Said Fitzgibbons, “It’s funny because I thought those were some of the easier ones.”

While sharing the stage, the physical contrast between the two comics is subtle but important and quite possibly speaks towards their political attitudes. Fitzgibbons wears a clean shave, a grey-buttoned shirt, a grey cotton cardigan sweater, and a pair of blue jeans. Throughout the show, he fidgets with the Chicago Cubs hat on his head. Sometimes the hat sits straight ahead, pulled low over his eyes, and at other times, the hat is completely backward and rested on the tip of the back of his head like a yarmulke. From frontwards to backwards, the hat rests, even if for only a moment, in every position in between.

Weiss, in a plaid button shirt, and a pair of dark jeans, wears stubble on his cheeks. The hat on his head remains untouched throughout the night, save for the few times it was removed to scratch an itch. Fitzgibbons’ humor is quicker—his punch lines jab. Weiss’ humor is smooth—his punch lines float. While not entirely yin and yang, Weiss and Fitzgibbons complement one another in a way that lends itself nicely to this campaign.

Although Fitzgibbons and Weiss anchor the show and bring all the acts together, “Anyone Can Be President, Even Us” is focused on impersonations of the three most discussed political leaders today. Dion Flynn impersonates President Obama and shows the audience what a stoned Obama doing stand-up might look like. Camille Theobald impersonates Hillary Clinton and reveals that her race for the presidency is just an elaborate plot to sleep with an intern, all in the name of revenge. Finally, Bob DiBuono impersonates Donald Trump by throwing together a string of sentences and half sentences in what seems like one elongated breath of ignorance.

During Flynn’s impersonation of Obama, the President called out a small woman sitting in the corner. With her face in a stone scowl, the President pleaded with her to smile. Her response was muffled by the audience’s laughter but her tone was loud and clear. She wasn’t interested in smiling and she was even less interested in being the punch line to the President’s joke. She revealed that she was from Finland and then the President left her alone. After Flynn’s set ended, Weiss and Fitzgibbons took the stage and showed some of their favorite memes generated from the election. Theobald came on stage to do her Clinton impersonation and left without interacting with the frowning Finnish woman.

At this point, the ruthless DiBuono, under the guise of Donald Trump, commanded the stage.

There has been a slurry of Trump impersonations over the course of the election but DiBuono’s is something special. His face is just orange enough, his suit is just baggy enough, his red hat masks his eyes just enough, and his stream of conscious routine is just offensive enough. The impersonation is so good that someone who hasn’t seen the real Donald Trump on television every day—like someone from Finland—might confuse DiBuono for the real thing. When speaking about DiBuono, Weiss said, “It’s crazy because he says a lot of things that Trump has really said.”

Halfway through DiBuono’s routine the Finnish woman began to heckle the comic. It may have been the two-drink minimum that sent her over the edge. Or maybe it was her inability to distinguish real from fake. Regardless, her insults were hurled towards the stage and Trump did not back down. After DiBuono’s gaze went towards another audience member, the Finnish woman got up to leave. “Where are you going, Miss?” belched Trump. She unloaded on him, calling him a phony, a fake, and a rude man. She had to be guided out of the venue by one of the doormen.

“That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I think she thought he was really Trump,” said Weiss after the show. Fitzgibbons and Weiss laughed and wondered if some tourists who see the show think that major politicians tour comedy clubs around New York City on their off nights. But after a presidential race where almost everything that happens is dubbed “unprecedented”, the line between comedy and reality is becoming more and more blurred. As November 8th becomes imminent, Fitzgibbons and Weiss have seen their crowds become increasingly more anxious. “I just want people to laugh,” said Weiss. “Laughing is more true than politics.”

Journalism should be considered one of the greatest humanitarian acts possible. Day in and day out, journalists seek truth and provide this knowledge to the greater public. There won’t be a lot of praise for the work – but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen; it’s safe to say this won’t be the most profitable career – that much isn’t likely to change. But that’s not usually what attracts journalists to the profession in the first place.

Like most humanitarians, journalists work beyond their self-interest. They don’t need the limelight – their words are their fame; they found their passion and molded it, spending countless hours perfecting their craft. This is what it takes. Time is the name of the game. And how you use it can and will affect your career as a journalist. Cast aside all notions that four years of undergraduate level work were enough to train you. Aspiring journalists need to enter graduate school for journalism if they wish to set themselves apart and, more importantly, succeed.

The fiery debate over graduate school is constantly stoked, but it’s time to extinguish any opposing notions. Job markets continue to look for the best possible applicant to add to their team. While a bachelor’s degree was once more than sufficient, it is now a requirement; shifts in expectations now view a master’s degree as the norm. While a multitude of colleges offer comprehensive preparation during a student’s undergraduate years, aspiring journalists do themselves a great disservice by assuming that this will be more than enough.

Aside from shifting norms, graduate school provide journalists with the ability to focus solely on aspects of journalism, while undergraduate years have time constraints and other classes to consider. This is when our future journalists will hone their skills, along with a specialization in their field of interest. While they will be expected to manage greater projects and work with multiple deadlines – all in preparation for the real word – students will receive guidance from distinguished professors in a way not applicable on the undergraduate level.

Professor Benjamin Hudson, an adjunct lecturer at Baruch College, has invested quite a bit of time in journalism. With over 25 years of experience, professor Hudson has reported in Arizona, Greece, and Venezuela.

“Most of my experience is as an editor. It’s probably why I teach the copy-editing course here,” said Hudson.

Despite attending graduate school himself, professor Hudson believes graduate school is not a necessity “if you’ve done really well in an undergraduate program that is rigorous.” However, he acknowledges that a greater expectation is required today. If a job listing has ten requirements, fulfilling nine things is “not enough anymore.”

Reporters today are expected to have a hand in multiple aspects of journalism: reporting, copy-editing, social media, multimedia, among others. Familiarity with these skill sets will be integral for a successful career in journalism, especially as the field shifts away from traditional means and digital journalism continues to peak.

Two other major factors must be considered when graduate school is discussed: money and drive. Every financial situation is different, thus raising complications. While the cost of school is expensive and rising, the resources gained outweigh financial burdens. A greater skill set, a wider network of likeminded professionals and mentors, and increased reservoir of education are invaluable for an individual preparing for their future career. While debts can be paid off and money gained, the time spent in graduate school and the subsequent resources gained are beyond anything quantifiable monetarily.

Drive also factors into a decision. The structure of school provides guidance for the developing journalist. The true danger lies in the time off post-graduation once a student is left to fend for themselves. While many students are proactive and involved in taking the next step through means outside of graduate school, there are never guarantees. As time passes, aspiring journalists must stay ahaad in a competitive market. Without a graduate program to assist and guide them, they must shed the shackles of unproductiveness and be willing to tackle a variety of projects to reflect their progress and worth in a growing market. While there is no shortage of praise for effort, aspiring journalists will want to have top notch work under the belt to elevate them to the next level.

Journalism should be seen as a ladder without limits. The steps in between are never far and wide, but you will be stretched a bit further when you skip a step. Graduate school should be seen as one of those steps to the top. You may very well still see success without it, but when the ladder adapts to the world but you don’t adapt to the ladder, what’s your next step?

Separation of church and state has been one of the founding principles of the United States. Religion continues to cross over the fine threshold into government, and it is constitutional so long as all other religions are represented equally. That is, before you think about having a religious monument installed on public property, you better be prepared for Pastafarians, followers to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (yes, you read that correctly), to have a monument of their own.

Last year, Arkansas State Senator Jason Rapert signed into law to install a monument of the Ten Commandments on public ground at Arkansas State Capitol. Rapert said, “The monument shall not be construed to mean that the State of Arkansas favors any particular religion or denomination over others.”

The Satanic Temple, an activist group that supports egalitarianism and separation of church and state, attended a meeting last month to install a Baphomet statue, a symbol of Satanism, beside the Ten Commandments monument.

“It’s not like we’re anti-Christian or anti-religion. We’re just against having the government shove religion down our throats,” says Anthony Owen, a supporter of The Satanic Temple. “I don’t want my son growing up in a world filled with narrow-minded dogmatic views.”

Rapert said on Twitter, “There will never be a statue installed by the Satanic Temple on our Capitol grounds.”

Then, there cannot be a Ten Commandments monument either.

Installing a Ten Commandments monument sets precedent that any religious group is allowed to have their own monument on the ground. If this is not the case, the courts will most likely rule it unconstitutional because there must be equal representation of religion under the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

In 2005, the McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kentucky case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. The ACLU sued three counties in Kentucky about a wall display of religious documents, including the Ten Commandments, at public schools and courts. In a 5-4 majority, the Supreme Court ruled the displays unconstitutional, in part because the documents were in isolation and, thus, promoted religion.

Oklahoma had a similar issue that Arkansas faces presently. It was a single monumental display of the Ten Commandments on public property installed in 2012. The Satanic Temple, again, requested to have the statue of Baphomet installed. After news of this request got around, local Pastafarians demanded a monument of their own to be installed. In 2015, the Ten Commandments monument was removed.

Rapert’s earlier statement on how the monument does not favor any particular religion is not true. The Ten Commandments, a wholly Christian document, opens up with, “I am the Lord, thy God,” and goes onto state, “Thou shalt have no other gods.” These lines alone seem to favor Christianity above all other religions, especially when Rapert, the one who wrote and signed the monument’s bill into law, already denied another religious group of having their place on Capitol grounds.

The Oxford Dictionary defines conservatism as a “commitment to traditional values and idea with opposition to change or innovation.” Therefore, Rapert, a conservative, should consider the history of America’s foundation to substantiate his support for the Ten Commandments monument.

He will find there are no substantial reasons.

Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Thomas Paine believed in “separation of church and state,” which is a phrase coined by Jefferson, an influential framer of the Constitution.

A Christian document on public property undermines the Founding Fathers’ wisdom. “The purpose of separation of church and state is,” said Madison in a letter objecting to the use of government land for churches, “to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.”

When religion crosses over into government, followers can use the incumbent’s power to push social agendas as we have witnessed in recent years with same-sex marriage. Christianity is the most practiced religion, not only in the United States, but around the world. Without the wall between church and state, Christians will have the ability to oppress people who do not follow Christianity because of their sheer numbers. The wall helps prevent oppression of the minority.

Rapert’s monument crumbles the wall.

“Persecution is not an original feature in any religion,” said Paine. “But, it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.”

Religion, in the form of a statue or a motto, does not belong in government.

Politicians pander to voters based on their faith. In the past year, numerous Republican presidential candidates said it was God’s plan for them to run for president when they announced their bid in hopes to connect with the large, Christian voting base. The Ten Commandments is another form of a politician pandering to a Christian voting base for a reelection.

If the wall between church and state is erect, it sends politicians a message that it is not acceptable to use one’s faith as a means of being elected into power. Americans will focus on what we share with one another, not what divides us.

“The monument divides people into [those] who believe in the Ten Commandments and [those] who don’t,” says Owen. “Why not put up a monument of something that brings us together?”

Not everyone who enrolls into college expects to be employed by a Fortune 500 Company after four to six years of study.

Rather, what you may find at many universities is that there are tens of thousands of students who seek to use what they learn in college to launch their own ideas, businesses or even projects too.

In fact, many individuals often point to creative geniuses such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg as evidence to suggest that college is never an actual prerequisite to success.

But this is not what this article is about either.

Instead, my assertion in this writing here today is that college is a great catalyst for anyone who seeks to gain even more success.

Take for instance Ludovic Louisdhon, a recent grad from NYU who has this to say about his own college experiences.

To him, college was very useful since it taught him “knowing where to go when you need it.”

But beyond just that; college offered Louisdhon the leverage that was necessary not just for being a better product manager of his own company, but for becoming more employable for other companies too.

“Leverage is very important,” says Louisdhon “use it to its full extent.”

He also adds that college had offered good insights about how the real world works by the time he had become a part of it.

“A lot of times you are being taught stuff but you [just] don’t know how it is being used in the real world, so then there is no value, but once somebody sees how it is used in the real world, then they can gain [a lot of] value from it.” says Louisdhon.

In addition, college is also an excellent way to cultivate leadership and cooperative skills as well, since many courses at various universities mandate group projects as a requirement of the course.

And getting used to deadlines; either for course projects or for one’s final exams; can train one to organize and structure their own lives with greater efficiency, and even when under pressure.

And don’t forget to use your college experiences as an opportunity to weed out your inadequacies, so that you don’t miss out on your chance to shine because of an excess of incompetence.

For example, if you know you are uncomfortable with speaking in public, take more communication courses.

And for those of you out there who might fear that college won’t offer them much since they are non-conformists, or even non-traditional thinkers, then even for people like yourself there is still no reason to fret!

And this is because for unique or original individuals such as yourself; perhaps it is just better for someone like you to just create your own custom major too.

For example, many colleges such as Baruch University allow their students to create their own individualized degrees, provided that the program is reviewed first by an ad-hoc coordinator such as Wendy Heyman, who has been a coordinator of Arts and Sciences at Baruch for over forty years.

“It is a wonderful program, it’s a first step for students asserting their self’s and finding their own voice and taking charge.” says Heyman.

And when asked if she thinks that an ad-hoc degree is better for a specific kind of college student, her response was “people that are more creative and know what they want and need, this is good for them.” says Heyman.

And if you dare, and aren’t in a rush to graduate, you may wish to look for minors that can expand your repertoire in areas outside of your main concentration, or at the very least cross-relate.

Last but not least; completing a minor or two may boost your gpa too, which is never unimportant if you are thinking of graduate school after completing your bachelors.

And for those who are a part of a non-conformist lifestyle, attending college might even offer you a chance to perceive your society in much of a way which our majority culture might; but without having you to sacrifice entirely on your own values in the process too.

In fact, many studies such as the ones which are featured in the “Handbook of the Economics of Education” series even suggest that college experiences offers many students an improved means of learning.

And as for the ways why this is true then?

It is because college can present students who are even seen as intellectually average a way now to interact with other high ability students from the same college environment.

So for those of you who understand the wisdom behind the statement that “you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Venturing to a new college environment in your case then; can offer you even a greater chance to interact with those who are liked minded or even more intellectually gifted than you yourself are.

And if by this point of reading this article you say to yourself well “aren’t there more entrepreneurs, self-starter types, or innovative thinkers out there that fail than succeed?”

My response to your fears are to not let this stop you from winning anyway.

Life is not often linear, so don’t fear failing a few times, or having to work thru your challenges. Because at the end of the day there are often hidden gains for those who just face failure anyway.

And yet even more importantly, after failing many times, you learn to think stuff thru better; and you may even become more versatile and adaptive as a result of failure too.

And remember this, college is as much as you make of it outside of your campus, as much as it is about the opportunities you seize at your university too.

So don’t feel that you are necessarily missing out dearly by the way if you can’t find the time to network or join groups.

Yet don’t make excuses if you find that you aren’t taking advantage of the many opportunities that your university might offer as well, such as with internships or student clubs.

And know as well that if you maintain enough hobbies, or commitments outside of your own university already; then for students such as yourself, just attending your courses might be more than enough to give you the mental boost that is necessary to enhance many of your non-academic pursuits.

And for those who are brave enough, college offers you a chance of completing a doctorate or master’s degree.

Which might be worth it even if you don’t seek employment from outside bosses too.

For instance, those who go to law school might find that the skills which an attorney would possess would make one a better thinker, debater, innovator, or even a professional consultant.

So you don’t have to convince yourself otherwise that reaching for your master’s demonstrates enough of a merit just of itself; even if it means earning one without wanting to impress new employers too.

Why Media Matters

Luke Cage has made headlines this fall for tackling cultural issues that are facing our country. The Harlem hoodie-clad, bulletproof superhero looks to save his neighborhood from corruption and crime. The Netflix series has also had some critics- about the lack of diversity. Some people found the predominately black cast “unsettling.”

The national reaction to a predominately black cast for a show set in a predominately black neighborhood is indicative of the media landscape of this country. This is shown even more by the deeply divided result of the presidential election as to why media representation matters. Being open to the stories and experiences of everyone in the country is extremely important.

This year we learned the impact of ignoring groups and not acknowledging their stories and experiences. Perhaps more so than ever we understand how volatile this lack of communication between groups can be. Media representation is much more than having a token people of culture in media, but embracing differences and understanding stories different from our own.

Luke Cage’s critics are now feeling what people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQIA community have been feeling for years. Hollywood’s history of whitewashing, appropriating, and twisting culture has marginalized them for decades. There have been more white actors and actresses who have won Oscars in yellow face than Oscars awarded to Asians.

Media representation has made big headlines in 2016. From the #OscarsSoWhite and the many other issues with the Oscars themselves (the seemingly knee-jerk reaction of having Chris Rock host, parading out asian children to be the butt of a joke by the host, lack of any black actor or actress nominations despite the multiple critically acclaimed films they were in, etc.) to the casting of Scarlett Johansen as the main character in the movie adaptation of a popular Japanese manga, the year has been full of criticism.

However, there are signs of positive change. As the media landscape is changing, new media makers like Amazon and Netflix have moved into creating content versus simply distributing it. Popular shows like Orange is the New Black, Luke Cage, The Get Down, and Transparent feature casts filled with diverse casts. Having shows on these platforms allow scripts to push the envelope in terms of issues they can tackle.

Orange is the New Black features a predominately female cast with people of all races, ages, and sexual orientations. The characters, mostly female inmates at fictional Litchfield Prison, tackle issues from crushes and unrequited love to addiction to opiates and assault and rape by guards.  The series is easily one of Netflix’s biggest hits and helped to establish the platform as a serious contender in changing the TV landscape. It’s garnered national attention for its tackling of major issues like the way transgendered people are treated, racism, and corruption in the US prison system. Most notably, this past season ended with a major character with a guard’s knee to her back. Her last words were “I can’t breathe.”

The success of stories being told by Netflix and Amazon haven’t gone unnoticed by major TV networks. As the demographics of their audience change, “big tv” is making strides to address the diversity issue in primetime television. New popular shows like Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat highlight black and and asian families and their experiences living in the States. At its peak, Black-ish amassed 7.2 million viewers compared to 6.2 million viewers for Orange is the New Black. However, even both of these are dwarfed by The Big Bang Theory’s 12 million viewers. The predominantly white cast has a token Indian scientist, played by Kunal Nayyar, a UK native who dons an Indian accent for the role.

Multiple studies on the impact of media on audiences show how large the impact can be. American children spend more time watching television and surfing the web than they do in the classroom according to a study done by the Pediatric Child’s Health Institute. The impact of media on their psychosocial development is linked strongly. Even for adults, the link is strong. Ideals for beauty, gender/ethnic stereotypes, and more impact our expectations in real life. Some studies have even linked media portrayals to the lowered life expectancy of Black men in America.

In media today, East Asians are depicted as passive, nerdy, math wizards who might also be good at martial arts. South Asians almost always have accents (a issue tackled by Aziz Ansari in his Netflix series Master of None). Even worse, black men and women in media more often than not play stereotypes of inner-city thugs. Hispanics are depicted as drug users. Women of color groups are hyper sexualized. The problem runs deep- especially when multiple studies show that these media representations affect our perception of these groups in real life.

The emergence of diversity and issues faced by certain groups in the US has continued to incite debate and split our country. From schools and workplaces to the media that we consume, changing demographics have felt backlash. Culminated in this year’s presidential election, many conservatives have been pushing back against these changes.

Our country is deeply divided in a way we haven’t seen since the North battled the South. As new forms of media continue to challenge the norms, we have to encourage open discussion to why representation matters. 

I would like to write about a profile piece about Garret Buhl Robinson. He is a independent author, who self-published his books. He has a stand with the signage MEET THE AUTHOR” in front of Manhattan Public Library in Bryant Park. He lives in a shelter in Queens. A motel that is subsidize by the New York City Department of Homeless Services. His life was not always a struggle, he was a successful salesman in California, but he had problems with drug use, but he says his mistakes led him to New York so he can pursue his dream of becoming a successful author.