Opinions – The Independent

Robert Kukla, Arts & Life Editor

June 6, 2019

When I first entered the room E049 during the fall 2018 semester, I had no idea what I was doing. All I knew was that I was looking to gain editing experience for my future...

Invasion of illicit drugs in our education system

Ankush Vyas, Online Editor

May 28, 2019

Ultimately, students taking illicit drugs is a genuine issue in light because it not only impacts the individuals in all aspects of life, the effects swell out destroying families due to emotional and financial burden caused by healthcare expenses. Communities and the public in general are also impacted if students are bringing drugs inside academic institutions. There...

Can we work, pause and thrive for parenthood?

Edwin Gramajo, Opinions Editor

May 28, 2019

Many aspects of American parenthood have changed in only a few decades. However, many, if not most of our systems have not changed. Rather they have become more expensive to access. Rent is rising, college tuition is rising and cost of life is rising. Whereas, pay is not. Many companies are built around the “ideal worker” theory. The “ideal worker” is someone...

A call to action: Support higher education

Edwin Gramajo, Opinions Editor

May 28, 2019

As many of you know NEIU has struggled economically in recent years. Many students, including me, pick NEIU because it is local, affordable and diverse. In order...

In the ashes: We need to preserve our cultural landmarks

April 23, 2019

The world has lost another important treasure. On April 15, a fire tore down a big part of Notre Dame Cathedral, located in Paris, one of the oldest and most famous constructions...

How I learned about sex: Sex Ed Matters

Victoria Hong, Writer

April 23, 2019

One day, in my 9th grade health class, my teacher had us do a condom lab. She split us into groups of four and gave each group a wooden dildo and an unlimited supply of condoms....

Latinas in the Media: Reclaiming Sexual Agency

Amaris E. Rodriguez, Opinions Editor

April 23, 2019

Latinas: we are strong, intellectual, powerful…and trying to reclaim our sexuality in the media. The concept of an over sexualized Latina is very common in the media, despite many women trying to combat the stereotype. We don’t have to do much digging in Hollywood to think of big household names of Latina celebrities that have been sexualized in the media. In...

Girl, Take Control Of Your Birth Control

Amaris E. Rodriguez, Opinions Editor

April 23, 2019

Women are still experiencing the negative social stigma associated with taking charge of their sexual health regarding birth control. The thought might be outdated but...

Disney Gives LGBTQ Kids Hope

Robert Kukla, Arts & Life Editor

April 23, 2019

It was reported that Disney has a television adaptation of “Love, Simon” in the works, a popular young adult movie following the perspective of a gay teenager. This is...

Ride-Share Safety: Why Your Parents Don’t Like Uber

Amaris E. Rodriguez, Opinions Editor

April 16, 2019

This past week a 21-year-old college student Samantha Josephson, from the University of South Carolina, got into the wrong Uber after leaving a bar. She was found dead the...

Betsy DeVos’ actions are insulting to special needs students

Robert Kukla, Arts & Life Editor

April 16, 2019

Last week, it was reported by many news outlets that the Department of Education, led by Secretary Betsy DeVos, proposed a budget that would eliminate millions of dollars...

Representation of bigger bodies in Hollywood is here but is it too late for us?

Nicole F. Anderson, News and Co-Managing Editor

April 16, 2019

Growing up in the 2000s as a thick girl was tough. Low cut jeans, midriffs and tiny two-piece swimsuits were in. Being thick was not. I grew up watching tall, thin, fair skinned white women on TV. There wasn’t any other representation other than the aforementioned. If there was, it wasn’t for teenagers. I recently began re-watching “America’s Next Top Model”...

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