Writing Submissions
Various Authors
April 23, 2018
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by student submissions do not necessarily reflect the opinions or viewpoints of The Garfield Messenger. To the boy who thinks that I’m a scaredy cat Poem by Isabel Yueh, ‘021 So, you think that I’m not brave enough? That when that man, a complete stranger m...
Writing Submissions
Various Authors
March 27, 2018
Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed by student submissions do not necessarily reflect the opinions or viewpoints of The Garfield Messenger. African (American) Poem by Milena S. Haile, ‘019 Please check one box White Asian American Hispanic/Latino Pacific Islander Black/African American I...
Writing Submissions
Various Authors
March 8, 2018
An Interview with Mr. Acox By Zuberi Wilson, BSU Treasurer How long have you been teaching at Garfield? “A very long time. Let’s just say that I did have your father as a student” What has been your experience as an African American affected by the Harlem Renaissance? “The legacy of the...
Open Letters
Various Authors
March 8, 2018
Dear Garfield, My name is Khabirah Weddington, I am seventeen, and I am currently a junior at Garfield. I’m originally from Kansas City, Missouri but moved to the Central District at a young age. I grew up in a very strong community of leaders who taught me to stand up for the things that are important...
Black Excellence
Denaijah Kennedy-Smith
March 8, 2018
Although the 400-year span of slavery ended in the late 1800s, African Americans have still faced systems of oppression in their everyday lives by institutionalized racism. Ruby Bridges was a young girl in 1960 when she became the first black child to attend an all-white school. Nearly 60 years later,...
Oprah, Please Don’t Run
Lily Laesch
January 29, 2018
At the Golden Globes ceremony on January 7th, Oprah Winfrey did what she’s done for decades: deliver inspiring, thoughtful, and powerful words. Her speech, which followed her acceptance of the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement, touched on topics including sexual assault, gender inequality,...
An Intersectional Insight
Hailey Gray
January 29, 2018
Last week, the United States celebrated the first birthday of the nationwide gathering of pink pussy hats, cogent and commanding cries, and powerful protests signs. On January 21st, 2017, between 3.3 and 5.2 million people gathered at the Women’s March in protest after Donald Trump’s inauguration....
Who Told You to Go That Hard?
Abby Cooper-Drake
October 23, 2017
The bleacher banisters are bracing themselves against the pulsing crowd of students. Faces are painted, paw print tattoos adhered, and purple beads adorn every neck. The senior section begins frantically waving their hands in the air, screaming “Eighteen! Eighteen!” Like dominoes, the underclassmen...
A Dangerous Portrayal
Lily Laesch
May 22, 2017
When Selena Gomez’s passion project 13 Reasons Why hit Netflix at the end of March, it was an immediate and resounding success. Based on the best-selling novel by Jay Asher, the thirteen episode series is now regarded as the most popular Netflix show of all time. The plot revolves around Hannah Baker,...
APPartheid
April 7, 2017
“Last year I remember we were learning about world religions so we watched a bunch of videos about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and everyone that was interviewed as a historian or academic was white and a male, and when I brought it up to [the teacher] , he just ignored me.” -Jaya...
A Citizen’s Duty
Charlotte Gong
March 14, 2017
In our current political climate, it’s easy to feel like the country is turning upside down and that the gap between Americans is wider than ever. In response to many of the actions of the current administration, people are taking to the streets. The day after Inauguration Day, more than four million...