I've got to admit that I chuckled to myself as I checked the word count for my article on meme culture. I wrote almost 1500 words on the origins and evolution of images brewed in the bowels of the internet. For all I know the trend could be over tomorrow, replaced by something more cryptic and unseemingly humorous. This got me thinking about the evolution of images and presentation of identity. We’re done with our second issue of G&B now and I feel as though we’ve really begun to find our identity.
Identity seemed to be a recurring theme in this issue. Read the profiles on Theo Santos and Shannon Rike Henry on pages 8 and 9. Theo came to USC, and in the process of finding himself, also helped found the Trans Student Alliance, an organization that was much needed on campus. Shannon Rike Henry teaches self-defense classes for women, a practice that helped her find her way after a traumatic experience.
Our web editor Katherine Finney takes a closer at southern identities in her piece Southern Withdrawal on page 21. It’s a look into the stereotypes and characteristics of southern culture. In our cover story, House of Cards, on page 17, articles editor Julia Hogan takes on the topic of trigger warnings and why they matter in the classroom, especially after the University of Chicago’s decision to avoid them.
Even Columbia’s culinary identity comes under scrutiny as we take a tour around the city for the best noodles. Read Haley Sprankle’s breakdown of how each contender stacked up on page 12. And identity is an important aspect of Erika Ryan’s piece on Ricardo Tafolla, aka Fez The Immigrant, who’s making his mark on the local music scene.
As 2016 comes to an end and we bring in the new year, I’m anxious to see how the identity of Columbia and USC changes and how we can reflect it in these pages.
