I can’t believe I’m writing my last letter from the editor. I’ll get to the super sappy stuff at the end of this, so let’s just go through what you can expect from this final issue of PRISM!
Assistant PRISM Editor Tykeem starts the issue off with coverage of Black Dance Repertoire’s outstanding Exposé it put on earlier this month, and we stay with the Binghamton-centered content with my article about local Black- and minority-owned businesses. I wish I could cover every restaurant — and maybe PRISM will do that sometime in the future — but we feature four local restaurants for now. I really wanted to write this piece because I firmly believe in the importance of supporting businesses for us, by us, and I hope some other students will get enjoyment out of having that information.
We move on to a larger spread than we’ve done all semester, featuring students of color who are musicians, artists and creatives at Binghamton University. With everything from paintings and poetry to rap music and a saxophonist, there should be something for everyone to enjoy. This spread is really dear to me since it essentially does exactly what PRISM was created for in that it showcases the talent, determination and beauty of the flourishing BU multicultural community.
Following that spread is a pair of articles centered around Asian women. One of our writers discusses a couple of up-and-coming female South Asian artists, specifically focused on Raveena, and explaining the significance of this trend to the South Asian community. Our other writer focuses on the burgeoning feminist movement in South Korea that has come as a result of a huge sex scandal in the Korean entertainment industry.
Next, we include excerpts from our contributor Kojo’s upcoming exhibition at the Bundy Museum of History and Art. The exhibition, “To Live For The Revolution,” features photographs that center around political organizing on and off campus.
Finally, we end the issue with two articles focused on dating. The first one discusses racist dating preferences and how dating apps like Tinder and Grindr may exacerbate the issue, but also emphasizes that we can change our problematic behaviors. Lastly, our final article just provides a couple of tips for navigating summer flings.
To anyone who’s stuck with PRISM this long, or even to anyone who picked up an issue of PRISM for the first time with this one, I need to say thank you. Throughout the semester, even when I was drowning in class readings I needed to catch up on, papers I needed to write or presentations I needed to memorize, no amount of work stopped me from wanting to create an issue (almost) every month. PRISM has been the greatest outlet for me and provided me with the opportunity to grow and learn far more than I ever expected. To Tykeem, Daquan, Cory and Joel, thank you for helping me put an issue together despite all of the things life has thrown in our way. I know you’ll kill it next year.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Going to this predominantly white institution was a serious struggle for me at times, but PRISM gave me the space to cope. To my readers, don’t let all of the terrible things that happen on and off campus discourage you. Know that you belong here just as much as everyone else, no matter how it may feel sometimes. When things get tough, know that there are people who support you. PRISM was that for me; I hope it can be that for you, too.