A look into WKCR’s archives and towards 89.9 FM’s anti-carceral potential.  By Cecilia Zuniga Illustration by Em Bennett Tip-toed on a jail cell toilet, Jose Hernandez Velasquez stood feet above the ground in search of 89.9 FM’s signal. His hands, grasping a battery-powered radio, reached towards the window. Two minutes before 9 p.m., he struck the perfect angle, and WKCR’s broadcast began to play. Velasquez didn’t dare to move. For an hour, he remained outstretched in the sa

What it means to be Christian during the resurgence of the religious right.  By Althea Downing-Sherer Illustration by Em Bennet When people discover that my dad is a pastor, I feel compelled to assure them that I’m not that  kind of Christian: “But don’t worry, he’s, like, a really woke  pastor.” With a pride flag fluttering high above our church’s entrance to prevent local dissenters from stealing it and with church members prepping donations of school supplies, my church do

How post 9/11 immigration policy made way for today’s surveilling of international student s.  By Sayuri Govender  Illustration by Em Bennet Detentions of students for political dissent, the GOP’s encroachment into our classrooms, and an increase in ICE checkpoints around the city have created a fog of fear and suppression within and around our shut gates. The past few semesters at Columbia have been marked by pervasive government intervention that has censored and attacked o

Making sense of Manhattan-Project mythology. By Jack Bradner Illustration by Em Bennet Three yellow triangles imprinted on a black circle universally indicate nuclear radiation. On a haphazard walk across 114th Street, I doubled back to take a second and then a third look at the “FALLOUT SHELTER” designation some five stories beneath my room in Carman Hall. I had two initial, instinctive reactions. I was reminded of America’s nuclear history and at the same time recalled Fall

Phantoms of gender By Tierney Smink Illustration by Em Bennet Now, it’s a given. As you walk into the classroom, you shut the door behind you.  This seems obvious, keeping the door shut to facilitate learning or mitigate distractions. But for the first few weeks of Spanish this year, the class was a door-open, welcoming place in the hallway. Before we knew it was haunted.  It’s a haunting both physical and metaphorical. I walk into the classroom casually, almost forgetting th

As foretold by The Blue & White . By Hannah Lui Illustration by Em Bennet Aries: This autumn you may realize you’ve outgrown people or behaviors from your past. These changes may feel uncertain, but you will come into your own and settle into new routines. Watch the sunset from Riverside Park sometime this month. When it gets dark out, find a leaf on the grass and literally turn it over.  Taurus: Get that money up! The stars say it’s a prosperous season ahead. Let good things