America's Venezuela oil grab helps Putin in Ukraine
The recent United States military operation to seize control of Venezuela’s energy sector and remove Nicolás Maduro has fundamentally restructured the global chessboard, and not in Washington’s favor. By reasserting a 21st-century Monroe Doctrine fueled…
Medicare’s home health program needs a long-term plan
Washington has a lot of work to do on health care. The current battle on Obamacare subsidies is a stark reminder of that fact. While that issue is divisive, there are opportunities to find consensus…
Corporate unicorns aim higher than the bottom line
In finance, a unicorn is defined as a privately held startup valued at over $1 billion, a term coined by investor Aileen Lee to describe its rarity. But I would like to expand that definition so…
My Instagram feed inspires female rage—and understanding
For me, time spent on Instagram isn’t doom-scrolling. It’s education, inspiration, even validation for plot points of my debut novel I plan to publish this year. Posts can also feed my indignation and rage. “Did you know,” I growl, looking up from…
A dollar and MAYBE a dream?
Growing up, my Nana would tell me, “Shoot for the moon…and you’ll always land among the stars.” But what happens…when even the stars aren’t attainable? Throughout my journey in higher education, I have been trained…
The contradictions of the American Revolution
At 250 years, the American Revolution is no longer a story of simple triumph. Watching Ken Burns’ new PBS documentary The American Revolution reminded me that the nation’s founding was a struggle—moral, political, and deeply…
Federal funding for public schools is a fragile promise
When federal dollars disappear from public schools, the damage is never evenly distributed. It concentrates—predictably—on Black, rural, and historically underfunded communities. North Carolina’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over the sudden termination of…
Social media manufactures addiction and conformity in teens
I was a strictly no-social-media kid. My parents were adamantly against technology for much of my life. Without the chance to scroll aimlessly, I grew up almost exclusively on books. At the time, I was…
Green colleges and generative AI: a growing tension
The Princeton Review publishes a “Top 50 Green Colleges” list annually. The list aims to highlight colleges and universities that have “superb sustainability practices, a strong foundation in sustainability education, and a healthy quality of…