Letter from the Editor 02.01.2022
I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m bad at keeping up with my friends.
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I’ll let you in on a secret: I’m bad at keeping up with my friends.
What does one do following a life–changing injury, caused by something you’ve been doing your whole life? For some, they might focus on their health and, hopefully, return to what they once loved. For others, they might see an opportunity to dive into something completely new.
When the national anthem plays before its first exhibition game of the season against East Stroudsburg on Oct. 30, instead of standing for the national anthem, most of the Penn men’s basketball team remains still and seated. All but three players sit solemn on the side benches, eyes gazing down. This was not a spontaneous decision, but a planned, deliberate message of activism spearheaded by players. It was also just the beginning—for the rest of the season, critical and approving eyes alike would not only be on the team's game, but on its collective decision to sit in the moments leading up to tipoff.
Content warning: This piece describes examples of digital abuse, sexual violence, relationship violence, and institutional reporting, which can be disturbing and/or triggering for some readers. Please find resources listed at the bottom of the article.
Philadelphia has a trash problem—residents are familiar with the stacks of garbage overflowing from cans; they know all too well the sight of ripped trash bags littering front lawns across the city. The Philadelphia Streets Department, which manages waste collection, is notorious for its sporadic pickup schedule, leaving behind serious consequences for Philadelphians. In addition to negative physical health effects, studies on the mental health impact of living in an area with excessive waste have found that litter corresponds with higher rates of stress and discourages feelings of safety and security. The city has blamed everything from the weather, to staff shortages, to increased trash during the pandemic for their dysfunctional garbage pickup system. But these excuses have left Philadelphians frustrated as the trash continues to pile up in their neighborhoods.
The cult mentality of American football is like no other. Shockwaves rippled through the sports world recently when Philadelphia Eagles player Lane Johnson opened up about his struggles with depression and anxiety—but this is just one instance in a larger trend of mental health struggles faced by professional athletes.
Superhero movies have been around for decades, with the first superhero movie arguably being a 1916 French film called Judex. Judex centers on a dark–cloaked vigilante named Jacques de Tremeuse who possesses no powers and relies on high–tech gadgets. Sound familiar? Yes, twenty–three years before writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane created Batman in May 1939, a Batman–esque hero had already been introduced to the world.
There’s nothing that comes close to the thrill of listening to a transformative song for the first time or discovering that hidden gem on a friend’s playlist. Music has always been a boundless world that simultaneously offers just the right accompaniment to our fondest loves, funniest moments, and saddest nights. Street's always exploring the vast treasure chest of releases that streaming has to offer, and we wanted to share some of our favorite riches.
Does Hollywood's new heartthrob follow in the footsteps of handsome stars like George Clooney, Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Gosling, and Harry Styles? Not exactly. On the surface, the only thing that Pete Davidson has in common with other Hollywood dreamboats is his history of dating other celebrities. However, his latest girlfriend has turned heads everywhere—the soon–to–be–divorced Kim Kardashian.
The quickest connection people make when attempting to validate the art of hip–hop is to compare it to poetry, or more specifically, spoken word. But no genre of Black music needs to be validated, as Black musicians and artists influenced and created the roots of most popular American culture. Either way, when I think of poetry, I think of love songs. Considering a ballad is a form of verse set to music, described as a narrative poem or song, the connection between verse form, love, and music seems clear–cut. Being cautious to not reduce R&B to merely poetry with music behind it, and taking into account the complexities of the genre, there is something to be gained by exploring the lyrics of Summer Walker’s Still Over It for their poetic significance, especially considering her rocky relationship with the music producer London on da Track, and therefore perhaps to the music itself.
When Ejun Hong (C '25) was ten years old, she struggled with an unidentifiable eye disorder that threatened her academic journey. However, as she watched various animated films, she found herself inspired. Animation felt empowering—in it, she saw something that “delivers hope, happiness, and inspiration" not only to her but to others around the globe.
In case you haven’t heard, the conventional New Year’s resolution is dead. Now, it’s all about the rebrand—whether it’s for the new year, the new semester, or even the week. The rebrand can happen whenever.
At 8:15 PM on a Wednesday, I stepped outside of Du Bois College House. It was a little mild for February, but I wore a heavy brown parka nonetheless. I made sure not to zip it up to show my fit: yellow Timbs, gray sweats, royal green sweater, and a matching, velvet du-rag. To top it off, a pair of diamond-studded earrings accentuated my look. I felt like a ‘Bronx n***a,’ and it was sensational amongst the mundane crowd of black Canada Gooses and dirty, Veja sneakers.
Just last year, being in the Hype House—a $5 million content house that once housed social media superstars such as Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae—seemed like a teenager’s wildest dreams. From living with young, attractive, and successful influencers to being given the opportunity to work with up–and–coming social media stars, the allure and clout of the Hype House was simply unquestionable. In fact, Hype House–adjacent influencer Nikita Dragun described it best: the Hype House is “a fraternity filled with people who have millions of followers and dollars at their fingertips with high school drama and like… a ring light.”
Name: Amiel Orbach
After graduating from Penn with a degree in Economics, getting her Masters of Public Administration, and working in corporate America for years, Airea D. Matthews finally began to actualize her deep-seated passion for poetry. Looking back on her life, Matthews knew this love was always within her, from the book of 17th–century poems she used to peruse as a child to the Toni Morrison novels she read in college, all the way to the slam poems she performed at her friend’s café during graduate school. “You nurture your passions, you don’t have to force them,” she says. “The sweet entity that poetry is stayed there, even when I was ignoring it and didn’t know it was a big part of my life.” Now, as the newest Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Matthews strives to spread her love of the art form to the city.
Pathological Truth–Teller: It would've given my therapist a much more honest picture of myself if I had lied to her.
I once told a friend that my life is like a game of pastel Tetris: I hope desperately that I can arrange all the pieces before time runs out. I sandwich internship applications between classes and production nights, reserving whatever time is left for some semblance of a self–care routine.
Big news for David Bowie fans broke at the start of the year. His entire publishing catalog”—including every single album and song, as well as his short–lived Tin Machine project—was sold to Warner Music for more than $250 million. For those who aren’t aware of the buzz around publishing rights, this may prompt some big questions: why sell the rights? Are artists getting a fair share when they do so? Were they even initially willing to sell, or did music executives have to convince them for a payout? The Bowie story simply scratches the surface of an investment market that grows larger and larger by the day—the most important decision now is how that market should be handled.
Name: Nia Robinson
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