I take great pride in my appearance. I dress in excessive amounts of chains, rings, earrings, and bracelets. These accessories often hold meaning, such as a ring passed down to me belonging to my great-grandmother, as she is the primary inspiration for my fashion.
When I was waiting for my first AP scores, the thought of failing and essentially wasting the money that went into the exam haunted me. While this pushed me to study hard for my exams, it became unhealthy.
Growing up I’ve always been that girl who was in a bubble. Not your original bubble that has a thin sphere of colorful liquid surrounding it. My bubble was gloomy, dark, and dejected. I’ve always wondered why.
Thanks to the EPA, I–as well as so many others–are now able to live a healthier lifestyle than my ancestors. Although many Black people and people of color have rights enacted by the EPA, it is not equally distributed, seeing as our country is still divided racially.
I could not comprehend why my mom disagreed with my desire to seek mental health assistance. She would simply reply by saying, “You don’t need therapy.” She never expressed her truth until I sat her down one day before school to have a vulnerable conversation about my unhealthy mental state.
Calafia is yli’s statewide youth policy journal that amplifies the narratives of young people on topics and issue areas important to them and their communities. This year’s Calafia Fellows are an exceptional bunch. Here are their stories.
Much like many 21st century movements that applaud performative activism (such as 2020’s #BlackoutTuesday movement which only served to silence Black activist voices), proclaiming the need for a DEI-infused curriculum is only the first step of a much larger journey.
The failures of public transportation happen across different communities in California, which means that this issue is systemic. People who rely on public transportation are primarily people of color and low-income people. People who can’t afford Uber or Lyft. People who can’t afford their own car. People who are already underrepresented. This is an environmental and social justice issue.
