Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
June 23, 2025
June 23, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

arts



We Do film screening shows LGBTQ pride

The JHU Pride and The Arts, Entertainment, Media and Entrepreneurship Affinity Group (AEMA Affinity) presented a showing of the documentary We Do: After Marriage Equality on March 3. The JHU Pride is a group that works to create a community for Hopkins’ LGTBQ alumni and the AEMA Affinity for alumni to connect with one another and discover new resources and information through their former classmates.


Netflix recently released the 2015 indie film Dope on its instant streaming service, blessing millennials with yet another solid teen dramatic comedy. Dope is far from Superbad, even though it’s an awesome movie, yet this is far from a bad thing.

Dope finds passion in its weirdness and nostalgia

The movie was directed by Rick Famuyiwa and tells the story of three Inglewood teenagers who, in their battle against adversity fought from the depths of social exile, get involved with some drugs — not in the after-school special sense, just in the sense that it’s an issue. The cast is headlined by Shameik Moore as Malcolm, a geek with a passion for the ‘90s. He is flanked by Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons as Jib and Diggy, his best friends as well as fellow neon and flattop fetishists. The three are picked on for doing what Malcolm calls “white things,” like skating, studying and having a punk band. They also all have ridiculous amounts of fashion sense: crop tops, denim and primary colors have never looked so good.


 PETER NEILL/CC-BY-2.0
Pop star Kesha’s injunction was recently denied in her ongoing legal battle with her producer, Dr. Luke.

Kesha seeks injunction against former producer

On Feb. 19, musician Kesha Sebert’s attempt to get an injunction against her former producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald was denied. This was the event in Kesha’s ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke as she attempts to sue the producer for alleged sexual assault, amongst other transgressions against her (including emotional distress). The case began with Kesha’s lawsuit in 2014.





Book release focuses on black lives in America

In a night celebrating the power of poetry, Red Emma’s held an event on Feb. 28 celebrating the release of poet Tariq Touré’s new book, a collection of poems and reflections entitled Black Seeds. Touré is a black Muslim essayist, poet, educator and public speaker who is known for his creation of the #NoJusticeNoLeBron movement urging LeBron James to sit out of a game in protest of a grand jury’s decision not to indict Cleveland police officers after the shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014.


Reading Series presents night of poetry reading

Wyatt Prunty and John Irwin headlined an event on Feb. 5 as part of the Writing Seminars department’s Reading Series. The series allows Hopkins students and the general public to indulge in free readings of works of fiction and poetry by the authors themselves.


 RALPH ARVESEN/CC-BY-2.0
 Mark Kozelek, an outspoken folk musician, helms this strong album.

Sun Kil Moon, Jesu combine well

Longtime friends Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu) and Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon) combined their individual takes on sonic texture and songwriting in the coherent and cohesive collaboration record Jesu / Sun Kil Moon.




COURTESY OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS PHOTO GRAPHY FORUM
A member of the forum took pictures of Hopkins students in the snow.

Photography Forum focus on visual storytelling

The Johns Hopkins Photography Forum, known as JHPF, hosted an information session for those interested in joining the student group on Feb. 22. JHPF is a group on campus that aims to tell stories of Hopkins via photography and share a unique perspective of campus life. The group also does features on non-profit organizations off campus.


Author explores the importance of touch

Barnes & Noble hosted David Linden, author and neuroscience professor at the School of Medicine, on Feb. 16. Linden read from and discussed his recent book Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind, published last year.


COURTESY OF KACEY BAE
The Dunbar Baldwin Hughes Theatre Company held a performance of Baltimore classic Hairspray.

Dunbar Hughes performs Hairspray

Performing a selection of songs from the hit musical Hairspray, the Dunbar Baldwin Hughes (DBH) Theatre Company held their Spring Cabaret this past Saturday, Feb. 20 in the SDS Room of Mattin Center. After two months of rehearsal, the theater group sang and danced to the numbers from the classic musical based on the zany John Waters film from 1988.


GAGE SKIDMORE//CC-BY-SA-2.0
Alicia Vikander is seeking an Academy Award in this year’s ceremony.

The News-Letter predicts 2016’s Oscar winners

The results of the Academy Awards rarely produce surprising results for audience members or even the nominees themselves. The Academy, comprised mainly of older white men, tend to play it safe, leaning towards historic biopics and actors who have charmed the public throughout the awards season.


adrigu/CC-BY 2.0
Animal Collective’s 10th studio album was released on Feb. 19.

Animal Collective can’t recreate past

Animal Collective have forged their own mythology in their 17 year stint as a band. The members, known by the monikers Avey Tare, Deakin, Geologist and Panda Bear, all hail from Maryland in some way, shape or form. Their current claim to fame is the ability for each of their albums to sound vastly different from that which came before and this remains true with their tenth album, Painting With, which was released on Feb. 19 by Domino.


Cindy Jiang/photography staff
Multiple a cappella groups performed at Shriver Hall on Feb. 20 in the ICCA Mid-Atlantic Quarter-Finals.

A Cappella groups unite at Mid-Atlantic event

The doors to Shriver Hall opened at 6:15 p.m. on Feb. 20, and by 6:30 p.m., the entire auditorium was packed. Friends and families from all over the Mid-Atlantic trekked to Hopkins for the quarterfinal round of the International Championships of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA), where ten talented groups performed in a real-life version of Pitch Perfect.


ERIC CHEN/CC BY-NC-2.0
The Dirty Books and Longing Looks event took place on Feb. 11.

Library exhibit makes most of “dirty” Valentine

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, the Special Collections department of Sheridan Libraries hosted their annual Dirty Books and Longing Looks event on Feb. 11. The event was first inaugurated in 2011 by Heidi Herr, the librarian for English and Philosophy and has continued to draw in romantics and book enthusiasts since its inception.


John Barth exhibit celebrates life, literature

The Peabody Library is currently hosting an exhibition on parts of John Barth’s personal library. Barth has written novels such as the National Book Award winning Chimera. The author was born and raised on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and maintained ties to the state, especially the Chesapeake Bay, throughout his career.


News-Letter Magazine