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Caravan I Do Care, Melanie Pangol
Caravan I Do Care, Melanie Pangol
SURGE
A pair of legs that breathe in
Strong feet that has cross endless borders
Hands that have cultivated millions of trees
For you to take away the fruit
Traveling on the path of the wind
Coming without warning
Each day had begun enthusiastically and happily
Even though they hate us because we represent dreams of aspiration
Of being something more than just work labor
Of daring to dream as brown and poor [excerpt]
Crumbling The ''Oreo'' Cookie, Lillian Cadet
Crumbling The ''Oreo'' Cookie, Lillian Cadet
SURGE
They will treat you as if you have come from an outer space planet. They will be amazed by how much you are different from others. People will make jokes about how much of an “oreo” you are. How your chocolate cookie layers are thinner than your cream filling. [excerpt]
The Rush To Fit In, Kate M. Delaney
The Rush To Fit In, Kate M. Delaney
SURGE
A week ago, I had been dead set on not rushing. I had heard the rumors and beliefs of my peers, that Greek life encouraged excessive drinking and partying, that hazing was still incredibly prevalent and demeaning, that Greek life worked only to discriminate and exclude members of the campus who refused to take part, promoted unfair gender roles, and encouraged pageantry and forced conversations between strangers. Still, the call of philanthropy, having a group of sisters, and finding a home on campus appealed to me. In the end, it felt like I was choosing between rushing with my friends …
The Bravest Woman I Know, Alexa Laboy
The Bravest Woman I Know, Alexa Laboy
SURGE
On Friday, April 20, 2018, Gettysburg College students organized a campus-wide walkout to protest all forms of gun violence as part of Gettysburg College’s first annual Peace and Justice Week. Over the next several days, SURGE published the poems and personal testimonies of the student speakers who participated in the event.
Just imagine witnessing your best friend’s boyfriend beating her, beating their children.
What would you do?
My sister is the bravest woman I know. She came in between the blows to her best friend’s face and his fists. My sister is scared of nothing and of no one, which …
I Have Not Lost Someone To Gun Violence, Mattelyn R. Wadley
I Have Not Lost Someone To Gun Violence, Mattelyn R. Wadley
SURGE
On Friday, April 20, 2018, Gettysburg College students organized a campus-wide walkout to protest all forms of gun violence as part of Gettysburg College’s first annual Peace and Justice Week. Over the next several days, SURGE published the poems and personal testimonies of the student speakers who participated in the event.
I have not lost someone to gun violence, but
When I hear the word gun…
I still picture children’s bodies lying lifeless on the floor of a blue-carpeted classroom [excerpt]
Gettysburg Against Gun Violence, Chentese Stewart
Gettysburg Against Gun Violence, Chentese Stewart
SURGE
On April 4th, the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Saheed Vassell, a 34 year old black man, was shot nine times and killed in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY. Plain clothes police officers responded to several calls complaining of a man walking through the streets pointing gun at people. They later found out that Saheed was unarmed, and the object in his hand was merely a showerhead.
Saheed had a history of mental illness, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder years prior. He was well known by longtime residents of the neighborhood who described him …
Hbo, America, And Me., Mai Trinh
Hbo, America, And Me., Mai Trinh
SURGE
Last year, I took a trip to Philadelphia with one of my friends. I had the combined energy level of a first-year college student, an international student studying abroad and a newcomer to America. Visiting a major American city for the first time, I saw the things in real life that I had only experienced by watching HBO back home: the glassy skyscrapers with thousands of tiny people moving inside them; the green “LEAGUE ST” sign above a black and white “ONE WAY” sign; the never-ending crowd of people busily crossing the street; the man leaning against a traffic pole …
Pacifism Against The Alt-Right, Anonymous
Pacifism Against The Alt-Right, Anonymous
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In 1944, Dr. Ancel Keys took 36 volunteers and used them as subjects for what would become known as the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. These men were all conscientious objectors to war who wanted to find a nonviolent way to help those affected by the Nazi regime. One solution was to participate in Dr. Key’s study to evaluate systematic rehabilitation of those who had been starved, such as the victims in Stalingrad—and later in Hitler’s concentration camps—had been. They contributed a great deal to the allied powers, and to those the study was designed to help, while not fighting Nazis …
This Is What It Means To Be A Daca Recipient, E. R. P., M. P.
This Is What It Means To Be A Daca Recipient, E. R. P., M. P.
SURGE
Since 2012, over 800,000 DREAMers, like ourselves, have been given the legal right to work, apply for a driver’s license, and, most importantly, live without the fear of deportation. We complete background checks and pay $495 in fees every two years to maintain our DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status. [excerpt]
This May Mean Doing Things A Bit Differently From Here On Out, Jerome Clarke
This May Mean Doing Things A Bit Differently From Here On Out, Jerome Clarke
SURGE
OccupyPennHall failed.
Embittered by a failed election and its hateful aftermath, students parked themselves in protest. The act precluded and followed an irruption of a faculty meeting. Therein, sitting professors tuned into pleas for student-teacher solidarity. Protesters then took to the campus fulcrum and braced themselves for a sneak-peak of winter. The supposed movement was spur-of-the-moment: a visceral stillness in the wake of an absurd, precarious life. [excerpt]
Bang, Lexus P. Davis
Bang, Lexus P. Davis
SURGE
I am afraid
Your black skin. My skin. Our skin is one skin.
A skin that say Bullseye.
Shoot.
I am innocent.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
I am waiting for someone to notice that we are dead.
[excerpt]
Fearless Friday: Tiffany Lane, Tiffany Lane
Fearless Friday: Tiffany Lane, Tiffany Lane
SURGE
This week, SURGE is highlighting the fearless work of Tiffany Lane, the new director of the Women’s and LGBTQ Resource Center on campus.
Although she is a new addition to the Gettysburg community, Tiffany has been working with issues of systemic injustice for much of her life. Her social justice journey began when she was an undergrad at Michigan State University (MSU), where she began to accept her identity as a queer woman. Tiffany was a student leader and activist at MSU and became so passionate about this work that she decided to make a career out of her activism. …
I Am Me, Vanessa C. Martinez
I Am Me, Vanessa C. Martinez
SURGE
You say my accent is interesting It shows I’m not you I don’t understand your words even though I grew up knowing I am me and you are you I guess what I’m saying is well, what do you mean? When you say that my accent is interesting Are you trying to get to know me or assign me an identity? Is the nopal que tengo en la frente a symbol too ambiguous to fully convince you? When you’re unsure, do my words comfort you? Because they are connected to the deserts and the cacti that are linked to the …
Fearless Friday: Laila Mufty, Laila M. Mufty
Fearless Friday: Laila Mufty, Laila M. Mufty
SURGE
In today’s Fearless Friday, Surge would like to honor the work of Laila Mufty ‘18. Laila is a sophomore from the Bay Area in California and is majoring in Environmental Studies. Currently, she is one of the CPS Program Coordinators with Big Brothers Big Sisters and is the Immersion Project Leader for the New Orleans trip in May focused on the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. In addition to her work with CPS, Laila participates in multiple cultural organizations on campus and has volunteered with El Centro, Painted Turtle Farm and Casa de la Cultura. Laila has also written and …
Fearless Friday: Jeffrey White, Jeffrey M. White
Fearless Friday: Jeffrey White, Jeffrey M. White
SURGE
In today’s edition of Fearless Friday, Surge is thrilled to honor the work of the incomparable Jeffrey White ’17. Jeffrey is a junior from Baltimore, Maryland, who is majoring in Religious Studies and minoring in Music. As an incredibly active member of the campus community, he is involved in leadership roles in many facets of campus life. He works as a Resident Assistant (RA), serves as the Program Organizer for the Office of Intercultural Advancement, the Live Music Chair of the Campus Activities Board (CAB), and devotes time to being a Peer Learning Assistant for Anthropology 103 as well. [ …
On White Guilt., Emma R. Okell
On White Guilt., Emma R. Okell
SURGE
I didn’t always realize what white guilt was, only that it existed. It’s not as cut-and-dry as it seems. It actually took me years to understand it, which is why I was not surprised when at the Town Hall Meeting back in January, one person asked a question about how to be an ally. Specifically, I found myself reflecting on her concerns regarding “white guilt” (44:01 – 45:25). I wanted to respond, but from the audience it felt out of place, and as it is, my response took two months of putting my thoughts together. [excerpt]
Whose Story? His-Story., Meghan E. O'Donnell
Whose Story? His-Story., Meghan E. O'Donnell
SURGE
The essay instructions finally landed in front of me. I passed the extra sheets on and quickly glanced over the page, hoping that the prompt would be inspiring. There were two open-ended options from which to choose: military and social/political aspects of the war. My eyes first fell upon the social option and I pondered using this opportunity to shed light on the experiences of women during the war. I’d done this before – used assignments to explore history’s untold stories – and found it interesting. Then, in a fit of frustration that erupted out of nowhere, I thought to …
Bandidos Mexicano, Diego A. Rocha
Bandidos Mexicano, Diego A. Rocha
SURGE
Twin day sounded like an innocent enough theme for Homecoming spirit week at a high school. It was just people wearing matching clothes, taking some pictures, and laughing a bit.
But that day, six girls walked to class in bright ponchos, giant sombreros, and stick-on mustaches, wielding fake green cards to boot. They were followed by a seventh with “Border Patrol” scrawled in black marker on a sign taped to her back. [excerpt]
Beyond Beyoncé’S Halftime Show, Rebecca S. Duffy
Beyond Beyoncé’S Halftime Show, Rebecca S. Duffy
SURGE
In the weeks following the Super Bowl there has been quite an uproar regarding the halftime show featuring Beyoncé, Coldplay and Bruno Mars. All over Twitter, Facebook, blogs, news outlets, and in political commentary we were faced with the argument, “It’s wrong that Beyoncé used the Super Bowl to advance her own political agenda.” But to all those angry/hurt/confused about Beyoncé and her “right” to interrupt the Super Bowl with commentary on race relations, consider this: Is football, or any form of entertainment for that matter really independent of political, economic and racial issues? Is the NFL immune to the …
Q&A: The N-Word, Anonymous
Q&A: The N-Word, Anonymous
SURGE
Question: What is the best way to approach someone who uses blatantly disrespectful language such as the n word and argues that if it is said in the presence of only white people it is not offensive? [excerpt]
Fearless: Mauricio Novoa, Mauricio E. Novoa
Fearless: Mauricio Novoa, Mauricio E. Novoa
SURGE
This week, we acknowledge Mauricio Novoa ‘14 as a fearless advocate of social justice through his use of the power of words.
Mauricio, an English major with a writing concentration, keeps a personal blog called Greasy Frijoles where he has been posting original poems since January 2012. Aside from being a very talented writer, Mauricio writes in various styles and on a number of topics. Many of his pieces confront racism and classism head on. [excerpt]