The Black Lives Matter movement does not exist without black women
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Police brutality in the United States has come to a disturbing rivalry recently with protesters nationwide. Marching, chanting and fighting for the recognition, respect and rights of black people, protesters have been on an unstoppable roll to dismantle the system that so blatantly disregards black people. The Black Lives Matter movement […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: Removal of Confederate statues should not end the Black Lives Matter movement
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, do not be fooled. Do not allow this one victory to halt the progress we are making. The removal of the Robert E. Lee statue is only the beginning of the change we need to see. During a press conference on Thursday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced the Department of […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: He couldn’t breathe
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, “I can’t breathe.” I cannot believe I’m writing this piece right now. The utter disbelief that sits in my heart as I try to rationalize everything is unbearable. Another day, another innocent black man dead on the street. George Floyd. If you haven’t heard his name, you haven’t been tuned […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: Jogging while Black is now a crime
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, I write to you with a heavy heart. I write to you on the heels of yet another injustice against this nation’s black community. I write to you about Ahmaud Arbery. I don’t even know where to begin. His story is one of confusion, yet clarity. Arbery was jogging on […]
Opinion | African nations are not lab rats for the Western world
Gabriel Thomas, Contributing Writer Times have changed drastically over the past month. Usually, when we get sick we schedule a doctor’s appointment immediately or get rushed to the emergency room to receive treatment. Now, we all fear even the idea of the ER. COVID-19 made its grand debut in China late last year. With absolutely […]
VCU administration should be taking Student Power at VCU more seriously
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor There’s no doubt that being a student during this unprecedented time is a struggle beyond belief. Now, being a VCU student feels even more draining than anywhere else. Being one of the biggest art schools in the nation, moving online feels impossible. The drying up of funding for student workers feels […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: COVID-19 does not excuse you from voting
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, the coronavirus has stripped us of any sense of normal we have. The walls of our homes are starting to feel like the metal bars in a cell. We all feel confined and constricted, with no end in sight. However, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed: the importance of voting. […]
Opinion | Celebrities’ easy access to COVID-19 testing is unfair to average Americans
Gabriel Thomas, Contributing Writer Money can buy practically anything these days. Cars. Homes. Clothes. And now, health. Celebrities and wealthy individuals have access to the best doctors and lawyers because of their seemingly endless wealth to pay for it. You know what they say, “Time is money,” and doctors seem to waste no time on […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: VCU should partially refund mandatory fees
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, do you know what goes into your cost of attendance at VCU? For all of us, it’s different. Some of us live on campus, have meal plans, our tuition depends on our credit load, fees vary by school and major. However, one thing for all students is the same: our […]
Tea Time with Tagwa: Still want to go out? Read this, and you’ll have no excuse not to social distance
Tagwa Shammet, Opinions Editor Tea timers, I know you’re all bored beyond belief right now. We all are. I know I am. Because of the ever-growing reach of COVID- 19, we have all been restricted from the outside world. Our daily lives feel like they are on pause. The days trickle on by, with little idea […]