News & Features

Scholars explore personal life of Frederick Douglass

By JERRY WU
March 7, 2019

John Muller, author of Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C., and Ida Jones, archivist at Morgan State University, presented new research on Frederick Douglass at the Enoch Pratt Free Library on Thursday, Feb. 28. The research centered around Douglass’ ...

Courtesy of Sabrina Abrams The Youth Climate Strike advocates for policy surrounding climate change.

Hopkins students organize for Youth Climate Strike

By SABRINA ABRAMS | March 7, 2019

As a part of the international movement against climate change, young people around the world have joined the Youth Climate Strike. According to The Guardian, students from over 50 countries will walk out of school on March 15, aiming to draw attention to the global climate crisis.

#JHToo seeks to revoke accused professor’s tenure

By DIVA PAREKH | February 28, 2019

#JHToo, a coalition of student activists organizing against sexual violence at Hopkins, started a letter-writing campaign on Monday to pressure administrators to revoke Anthropology Professor Juan Obarrio’s tenure. In May 2018 Obarrio was accused of sexually assaulting a visiting graduate student. 

#JHToo members organized a protest at the end of this past semester.
COURTESY OF RACHEL JUIENG Wendy Osefo discussed the importance of remembering black history.

Wendy Osefo gives Black History Month Keynote Address

By RACHEL JUIENG | February 28, 2019

Wendy Osefo gave a Black Heritage Celebratory Keynote Address on Wednesday in Charles Commons. Osefo is a Nigerian-American political commentator, television personality and assistant professor at the School of Education. Additionally, she founded The 1954 Equity Project, LLC which is a community-building project that serves underrepresented minority students in higher education. 

Daniel Aldana Cohen argued that the Green New Deal could do more.

Sociologist says Green New Deal should cover housing

By YASMIN YOON | February 28, 2019

Daniel Aldana Cohen, an associate professor of Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, discussed the intersection of climate change and inequality at Red Emma’s on Wednesday. The talk, titled “A Green New Deal, from the Left,” focused on the potential impact of climate change on housing in the U.S.

Prof. examines history of Chesapeake Bay maps

By SABRINA ABRAMS | February 28, 2019

Christian J. Koot, chair of the history department at Towson University, gave a presentation on his newly released book, A Biography of a Map in Motion: Augustine Herrman’s Chesapeake on February 27. He spoke at the George Peabody Library, where August Herrman’s map is on display as part of an exhibition titled “Maryland, from the Willard Hackerman Map Collection.”

SGA talks Univ. police and sexual violence

By RUDY MALCOM | February 28, 2019

Student Government Association (SGA) members signed a letter to the Homewood Academic Council at their weekly meeting on Tuesday. The letter demanded the revocation of Anthropology Professor Juan Obarrio’s tenure following Obarrio being accused of sexually assaulting a visiting graduate student in May. 

JHUMA examines intersection of black and Muslim identities

By ARIELLA SHUA | February 28, 2019

Teaching for Change’s Alison Kysia led a discussion titled “The Story of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf” on Monday. Teaching for Change is a D.C. nonprofit organization promoting social justice initiatives through educational outreach in schools. The event featured a partial screening of By the Dawn’s Early Light: Chris Jackson’s Journey to Islam, followed by an interactive conversation about black and Islamic representation in media. The Johns Hopkins University Muslim Association (JHUMA), the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Department of Islamic Studies co-hosted the event.

Alison Kysia discussed Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf’s refusal to stand during the national anthem.

How do HopkinsLocal investments impact the city?

By JACOB TOOK | February 28, 2019

Johns Hopkins University and Health System wields significant economic power in Baltimore. As of 2014, it holds property in the city worth almost $50 billion, employs tens of thousands of local residents and has paid about $10 million to the city in payments in lieu of taxes since 2010. Yet with 22.1 percent of Baltimore residents living in poverty, many people have scrutinized the disparity between the University’s wealth and the economic hardship experienced in the neighborhoods around many of its campuses.

HopkinsLocal targets hire, buy and build as areas to increase investment.

Writer explores evolution of black intimate life

By IRENE KIM | February 28, 2019

Saidiya Hartman, writer and professor of African-American literature at Columbia University, discussed her novel, Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, at Red Emma’s last Sunday. Hartman has written similar novels addressing the African diaspora, such as Lose Your Mother and Scenes of Subjection. 

Photo Courtesy of Irene Kim
EDA INCEKARA/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Poet Solmaz Sharif discussed her book Look at FAS.

Poet Solmaz Sharif shares her writing at FAS

By JAKE LEFKOVITZ | February 28, 2019

Poet Solmaz Sharif spoke about the roles and responsibilities of modern-day political poets as a part of the Foreign Affairs Symposium (FAS) on Monday, Feb. 25. Sharif, a Turkish-born Iranian-American writer and lecturer at Stanford, read from her book Look. The collection of poems details the repercussions of war and exile. The Alexander Grass Humanities Institute co-sponsored Monday’s event.

Professors analyze how reading has evolved with technology

By JAMES SCHARF | February 28, 2019

The Department of Comparative Thought and Literature hosted its biannual graduate student conference titled “Ways of Reading: Beyond, Beneath, and Beside Theory” on Friday and Saturday. The conference explored various methods of reading literary texts and featured speakers from universities across the country. 

COURTESY OF DEREK MORITZ Students gathered at R. House to celebrate the University’s birthday.

Annual Commemoration Ball moves to R. House

By DEREK MORITZ | February 28, 2019

Student Leadership and Involvement hosted the 143rd annual Commemoration Ball at R. House in Remington on Friday. The event provided students with food and dancing to celebrate the University’s 143rd birthday.

Student Government hosts its first annual Mental Health Summit

By CLAIRE GOUDREAU | February 28, 2019

The Student Government Association (SGA) hosted their first Mental Health Summit on Saturday, featuring keynote speaker Charles Xavier Kilborn. Kilborn is a local motivational speaker, spoken word poet and transgender advocate. He discussed his personal experience with depression and how students in similar situations could work to overcome mental illness.

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SGA removes Executive President from office

By RUDY MALCOM | February 21, 2019

The Student Government Association (SGA) voted to remove Executive President Noh Mebrahtu from office at their weekly meeting on Tuesday. The three-hour-long impeachment hearing was closed to the student body in accordance with SGA’s constitution. 

Over 100 professors oppose private police

By MEAGAN PEOPLES | February 21, 2019

Over 100 University faculty members have signed an open letter in opposition to Senate Bill (SB) 793 and House Bill (HB) 1094, which would allow Hopkins to create its own private police force. As of Feb. 20, 104 faculty had signed the letter.

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Sarah Warren addressed issues in Baltimore County Public Schools. COURTESY OF DRAKE FOREMAN

Guest lecturer discusses Baltimore Public Schools

By DRAKE FOREMAN | February 21, 2019

Sarah Warren, the executive director of the Office of the Whole Child Services and Supports in Baltimore, gave a guest lecture during a class titled Health and Wellbeing in Baltimore: A Public Health Perspective. Warren discussed the importance of taking a holistic approach to improving student outcomes in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS).