The Good Life Magazine Fall 2023

The Good Life Fall 2023

Letter from the Editor We’re back! Welcome to our long awaited Fall 2023 issue of The Good Life Magazine. As always, this issue highlights the beauty of our Syracuse community while bringing attention to the realities of the world and our lives as college students. I am especially excited–and admittedly overwhelmed–to be sharing my first issue as Editor-inChief. This issue is so important to me, in part because as I write this, I am imagining my graduated TGL magazine role-models reading this letter.

I am so grateful for the talented–and extremely patient–group of students that worked with me as I learned to run this show for my first time.

Combining the moodiness of autumn with the vibrant passion of our staff, I present to you, The Good Life Fall 2023.

What you’re about to read is truly an accumulation of the work of a very special team combined with an Editor driven by love for this magazine.

I hope that for you, it encompasses the familiar appreciation for our campus on a hill, as it does for me.

Until we speak again in the Spring,

Emily Bruck Editor-In-Chief

Profile

Art & Photo

Lifestyle

Kesem Magic is Transforming Lives in Syracuse 3

By Various Contributors

Art and Photo 9

The Relationship Between Social Media and College Students 15

By Sophie Chaitovitz

A Glimpse of Light 5

By Daisy Polowetzky

The Voices of Survivors 7

By Mikayla Melo

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By Britney Kirwan

Face Unrecognized: The Bias of AI 17

By Ella Welsh

Queer Students on Straight Campuses 19

By Katie Phillips

Emily Bruck Editor-In-Chief Leila Frankina Editor-at-Large

Maddie Crooke Creative Director

Section Editors Lifestyle Ava Lombardi Profile Julia Pryor Environment Isabelle Sareen Feature Chloe Langerman Fashion Lindsey Lu Lookbook Emma Canning Tory Baer Londyn Grieve Kacie Morris Social Media Katie Binkowski Kate LaFountain Cover Design Emma Lenz Advisor Harriet Brown

Emma Lenz Graphics Director

Writers Sofia Abdullina Cecilia Catalini Sophie Chaitovitz Michela Flood Britney Kirwan Claire McBride Mikayla Melo Samantha Olander Katie Phillips Daisy Polowetzy Ella Welsh Designers Caitlyn Begosa Bailey Cox Bea Kress Peyton McGarry Ally Piero Maisy Wood Art Team Lillian Eig Amanda Elgarresta Maya Kleinberg

The writing contained within The Good Life expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The opinions expressed herein are not those of the editorial board, Syracuse University, the Office of Student Activities, the Student Association, and the Student Body. The Good Life reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. The Good Life magazine is published twice during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents are copyright by their respective creators.

No content may be reproduced without the written consent of The Good Life editorial board.

Fashion

Feature

Environment

What is Dark Academia? 20

By Michela Flood

Changing the Tide: First-Generation College Students 33

Battling Climate Change Ourselves 37

Does the I in Fashion Stand For Inclusivity? 31

Creating an Impact Across CNY 34

By Cecilia Catalini

By Sofia Abdullina

By Michela Flood

By Claire McBride

A Shift in College Admissions 35

By Samantha Olander

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Illustration by Emma Lenz

The Good Life

Profile

Kesem Magic is Transforming Lives in Syracuse

How building community, resilience, and memories has shaped the story of Camp Kesem.

By Sophie Chaitovitz

E

very year, 713 individuals are diagnosed with cancer in the city of Syracuse alone, according to the New York State Department of Health.

By extension, this means that the lives of 713 families are flipped upside down by a diagnosis that poses steep medical bills and drastic mental health implications for those supporting their loved one.

This is where Camp Kesem, the only national non-profit organization that supports this unique demographic, steps up to the plate. They execute their support for children through and beyond a parent’s cancer diagnosis by providing a free week of summer camp and community to last a lifetime.

The chapter of Camp Kesem at Syracuse University (CKSU), has supported campers like Grace “Branchie” Branshaw since 2016.

Branchie, 11 at the time, and her two siblings started attending Kesem in its inaugural year after their mom was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. Over the years, she’s witnessed CKSU grow from supporting 11 campers to over 50. She vows that Kesem has lived up to its Hebrew name of “magic”—kesem—every step of the way. She spoke of her connections with “OG counselors” and how although many have graduated and stopped working

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at CKSU, their impact lives on.

“Getting to share that magic and fun with new people each year,” Branchie said, “that is what Kesem truly is about.”

During the summer, Kesem offers children an escape from the struggles and stressors of their daily lives, while providing them with a supportive community of peers who can empathize with their circumstances. An expression often used among counselors, campers, and staff is ‘Kesem self, best self’ and through the tradition of camp names, they channel that mantra into reality.

“Allowing children to be innocent and to live out the childhood that cancer steals away from them.”

Campers are able to take charge of what feels uncontrollable in their lives by choosing their own camp names. During their naming ceremonies, fellow Kesemers suggest comical name options.

Ally “Swaezye” Fabrizi, a junior counselor,

has been involved with CKSU since she her first semester. She emphasizes the importance of Kesem nicknames.

“A lot of people from Kesem who I’ve known for years only learned my government name recently,” Swaezye said.

This illustrates the importance of these bynames to all who participate. From Messy Games, a coveted Kesem custom where campers split off into teams and attempt to splatter eachother with various condiments, to Cabin Chats, where campers end the night in a series of ice-breaker questions, camp traditions build community bonding.

Branchie reflects on her years spent staying up late in the cabin, paddle boarding on the lake, and getting absolutely enveloped in whipped cream.

“I have a lot of little moments that always stick with me, that always will,” Branchie said.

Counselor Becca Evans, known as “Wizard,” provides insights into the distinctive culture within Kesem’s counselor community. As a student coordinator (COORD board), she says that Kesem allowed her to quickly establish a sense of belonging within the

“It almost feels like being a kid again at college– it’s just so much fun,” said Wizard.

She emphasizes that in addition to her camp and COORD board responsibilities, she frequently connects with her Kesem friends, all of whom share her unwavering passion for the organization.

“It’s just amazing to see everyone working toward something we all care so much about,” Wizard said, “and that shared commitment made us a lot closer.”

One of the most meaningful elements of the Kesem experience is Empowerment, where everyone shares “Why they Kesem.”

During this ceremony, a piece of string is passed around, creating a web that connects everyone in the room.

Swaeyze can be found on SU’s campus with

this string tied around her wrist, reminding her that she Kesems for “allowing children to be innocent and to live out the childhood that cancer steals away from them.” Swaeyze shared that Kesem has helped to heal the kid within herself.

“It’s really a community that never ends.”

“We get to relive parts of our childhood that maybe were taken away from us because of harder issues or just cancer in general,” Swaeyze said.

Leading up to the summer, anticipation takes over the minds of campers and counselors of CKSU. Kesem’s services, including its week long summer camp, are entirely free for all children with parents facing cancer. It is up

to the student coordinators to fundraise to support as many children as possible. In their fundraising, consisting of friends and family days, and the making of the “magic gala,” CKSU reunites their campers and counselors during the year.

“Whether it’s friends and family we’ll be like, ‘Yo, who’s coming, who’s coming’ or if someone’s parent is going through treatment, we all reach out to each other,” Branchie said, “so it’s really a community that never ends.”

Just like the Empowerment string remains tied around Swaezye’s wrist, the impact of the Kesem community lives on by entwining around the hearts of everyone touched by its magic. The essence of Camp Kesem is far more than a week of summer camp; it can be observed as the thread of hope that resides within campers, their families, and counselors long after their individual time with the organization is over.

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Illustration by Caitlyn Begosa

club, even though she initially knew no one.

A Glimpse of

Light

A non-profit is changing the scope of artists’ achievements in the Syracuse area.

By Daisy Polowetzky

L

ight streams through Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery, welcoming visitors to view the latest exhibitions of visual art on display. Walking through the lively halls of the photography non-profit, Light Work, viewers are moved by their community of creativity and collaboration. On a weekday afternoon, photographers can be found working in Light Work’s Community Access Lab, scanning and printing work with stateof-the-art equipment, or developing film in the darkroom. Light Work is nestled on Waverly Avenue behind Watson Hall, and is a vibrant hub for visual artists, students, and Syracuse residents alike. Here, the Syracuse visual arts community is quietly, but steadily growing.

Photographers Phil Block and Tom Bryan founded Light Work in 1973 as an organization aimed at supporting emerging visual artists from under-represented backgrounds, according to Light Work’s website. It is located in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center at Syracuse University, and grew immensely throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1970s, they established their Artist-in-Residence Program and released the first issue of the

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Contact Sheet, Light Work’s subscriptionbased print publication. It features work from various photographers.

In 1979, a collection of Light Work artist photography began, and by the 1980s, it had greatly expanded and received numerous accolades, including the 1989 New York State Governor’s Award for Excellence.

Light Work is now at the center of Syracuse’s visual arts community. Daniel Boardman is Light Work’s Director, and an instructor in the Film and Media Arts Department at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). “[Light] [Work’s] really made Syracuse an important city in the art photo world because so many artists have come through and photographed the community here, and made new work in our studio,” Boardman explained.

He describes his role, Light Work Director, as “doing a lot of everything.”

“I oversee what happens but I also jump in to help at any point along the way,” Boardman

said, “so it keeps it pretty fun.”

Syracuse University students, regardless of photography or visual arts skills, are welcome to walk in and take advantage of Light Work’s facilities. Boardman emphasizes that it is for everyone. In the studio and gallery, students have the opportunity to learn directly from visiting artists and are able to have one-on-one interactions with the artists.

Lili Moreno, a junior art photography major at VPA, participates in work-study at Light Work where she can connect with artists.

For Moreno, getting to talk to artists has been her favorite part of work-study.

“I’ve talked to a few of the artists,” Moreno said. “Getting their thought process is really interesting and will usually inspire my own work, and my own thought process,” Moreno said.

One unique aspect of Light Work is their Artist-in-Residence Program. The program aims to support under-represented and minority visual artists from around the world. It accepts 12 artists per year

Illustration by Peyton McGarry

and offers acceptees a stipend, housing accommodation, and access to staff and photography resources. They also get the chance to have work featured in an issue of Contact Sheet: The Light Work Annual, as well as an essay highlighting them on the Lightwork webpage’s artists’ page. Former Artists-in-Residence have had successful careers. 2018 Artist-in-Residence Khalik Allah had his first major piece of work displayed at MoMA and Lincoln Center, and Abu Dhabi born Farah Al Qasimi, who was a 2021 Art-in-Resident saw her work featured in the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Tate Modern.

Visual artist, Nando Alvarez-Perez, was an Artist-in-Resident in 2022. His photography focuses on sculptural collages and architecture related work. AlvarezPerez is also a founder of a non-profit called The Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art, and teaches at Alfred University. He became familiar with Light Work at a young

age from his father’s subscription to Contact Sheet.

During the program, Alvarez-Perez spent long hours in Light Work’s lighting studio shooting new work. Since he teaches full time and runs the nonprofit, he felt like his own art wasn’t prioritized. Lightwork gave him time to focus on it. For Alvarez-Perez, Light Work’s Artist-in-Residency program stands out from all the others.

“It’s an incredible rarity, especially in the photography world,” Alvarez-Perez said, “When people describe artist residency, they say ‘wow, that sounds so great,’ and [Light Work] actually… nails it.”

From being artist-run, to providing housing for artists, Light Work’s resources make the program special. Due to this, Light Work receives about 700 applications annually from well deserving visual artists vying for one of a limited Artist-in-Residency spots.

The exceptional competition makes it difficult for staff to choose who to accept.

In the end, Boardman says that diversity among artists is paramount.

“We mean diversity in how they identify themselves, their race, their gender, but also their approach to photography,” Boardman said, “we want the widest approaches in terms of how they’re making their artwork.”

Despite the many challenges of being a visual arts non-profit, Light Work has much to be proud of. Boardman put it best when reflecting on the biggest payoffs from the Artist-in-Residency program.

“In our 50th year, just looking back on how many important and influential artists came to Syracuse to make things and left us a print for our archive,” Boardman said, “they weren’t sure what they were doing just yet, but they got here. They got to come here… and truly sort of play and figure things out…I just think that’s amazing.”

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The Voices of

Survivors

How a student-run organization is creating an outlet to talk about sexual assault at SU

By Mikayla Melo

A

small group of students and faculty join arms to light candles in honor of sexual assault survivors, with the Hall of Languages glowing red behind them. With an overwhelming sense of safety and empowerment, survivors speak about their own experiences of sexual assault in college, as attendees applaud them for their vulnerability and bravery.

In September, Be with Survivors held a vigil with an audience of approximately 20 to raise awareness of the Red-Zone, a period of time on college campuses when sexual assaults spike. Survivors spoke openly, and discussed measures to prevent campus assaults.

Current president Jessica Rosen reminisced about her own experience speaking at the organization’s very first vigil.

“This is a very full circle moment,” Rosen said,“now I’m leading it.”

Formerly named Stand With Survivors, Be With Survivors SU was founded in the fall of 2021 by SU student Carla Guariglia following a sexual assault on campus. A protest later in the semester inspired several students to join, including Rosen.

“I saw there was a protest going on from

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friends, and I immediately am like, ‘I have to jump in, I have to do this,’” Rosen said.

Working to heal from her own experience with sexual assault, Rosen searched for a safe and supportive community on campus and a way to help others. She knew that action was needed, and wanted to be a part of the change on campus. Witnessing the determination of the individuals at the protest motivated Rosen to get involved.

Rosen discussed the initial mindset of Be With Survivors, explaining that it began with a very anti-Greek life message, leading to backlash from administration and even other students. In an attempt to bridge the gap, Be With Survivors joined the Chancellor’s Task Force on Sexual and Relationship Violence.

According to their website, the Task Force helps to find common ground and bolster trust between administration and students as they work together to prevent sexual violence on campus.

The organization is currently working to involve SUNY-ESF and other upstate universities in their mission. Rosen emphasized the importance of making sure that survivors outside of SU have knowledge and access to resources, support, and a

Illustration by Emma Lenz

welcoming community.

“As a survivor myself, it’s important to have that information out there of ‘hey, you’re not alone,’” Rosen said, “and if someone needs a safe space to talk to, we’re great people.”

Be With Survivors also recently launched “Release the Rage 2.0”, an anonymous reporting platform for students to write about their own experience with sexual violence. The platform’s main goal is to provide a cathartic outlet that can be healing for survivors, without fear of repercussions or exposure.

Having a safe resource for survivors to write about whatever they are going through can be very beneficial. It can be a very relieving experience for survivors to just put their anger into words and get it off their chest without worrying about consequences.

“Release the Rage 2.0’’ provides a new coping option in which the individual can maintain anonymity and ultimately choose what they want to disclose and how they want to move

forward. This can relieve the anxiety of reporting an incident officially. An outlet like this allows survivors to take the power back and have control over their future.

Kayla Turner is a senior at SU and has been a member of Be With Survivors for 3 years, and comments on the organization’s ability to create a safe space for vulnerability, and

“As a survivor myself, it’s important

to

have

that

information out there of ‘hey, you’re not alone... and if someone needs a safe space to talk to, we’re great people.”

“We’re able to just be vulnerable with each other and hold space for survivors on campus to feel like they have a voice,” Turner said.

The organization, now with around 17 members consisting mainly of upperclassmen, meets about twice a month. With several of the members graduating this spring, the organization is working to determine what kind of message they want to leave. Rosen hopes to strengthen the relationship between the Chancellor’s Task Force and students on campus, raise awareness about resources, and develop more structured reporting for fraternity-related assaults. Turner cherishes her years with Be With Survivors, and is proud of the work they have done and will continue to do.

“The legacy that I hope to leave is just making this campus a little safer for everyone, and specifically making this campus a better healing space for survivors,” Turner said.

using anger as a resource. The organization’s meetings are some of Turner’s favorite memories with Be With Survivors.

Fall 2023 The Good Life | 8

Art & Photo

Photo provided by Kaycie Romano

Photo provided by Ashlyn Garcia

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Photo provided by Bella Andrade

Photo provided by Maddie Crooke

Photo provided by Kaycie Romano

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By Anya Augustine

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By Anya Augustine

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By Anya Augustine

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By Bella Andrade

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Lifestyle

The Relationship Between Social Media and College Students A relationship you cannot seem to escape.

By Britney Kirwan

H

ow old were you when your parents first allowed you to be on social media? If you’re a college student in 2023, my guess is that you’ve had it from a pretty young age. By that I mean middle school and for some, even before that.

It’s hard to think that there was a time for us when we weren’t concerned about checking our phones every five minutes to see what people were up to or, if someone left us on “read.” None of us could have fathomed the way social media would affect all of our lives—especially as college students— when we first made our Instagram accounts at 12-years-old. It’s even harder to fathom what it could be like down the road. We’ve been glued to our phones during our most pivotal years of development, and it’s safe to say it has caused drawbacks that generations before us didn’t have to experience.

I’ve had social media since I was in 5th grade.

I am 22 years old now, so that means it has been a part of my life for over a decade now. I had Snapchat before it came out with stories, I was posting on Instagram with a Valencia filter, and I was never not on Vine. As a kid, it seemed to be so fun to connect with

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friends online, but now I definitely suffer the consequences. The consequences I’m referring to are more mental health related, although not to say social media can’t affect other aspects of someone’s health.

Psychotherapist Rachel Holzberg, LMSW from Manhattan Wellness, acknowledges the correlation between usage of social media and mental health. She says that studies have discovered a correlation between social media and mental health conditions. Increased usage of social media can also be linked to body image concerns and disordered eating.

“We have to have a better understanding if the use of social media is getting in the way of studying, engaging with friends and/ or distracting from other interests,” said Holzberg.

“In the age of social media, people are prone to comparison which is directly correlated to low self-esteem so it’s essential to be mindful and check in with one’s health,” Holzberg said.

“In the age of social media, people are prone to comparison which is directly correlated to low self-esteem so it’s essential to be mindful and check in with one’s health.”

Sometimes college can feel like nothing but comparison. From comparing grades, to internships, to social life, social media only increases the pressure. Social media also is not something we can simply just quit as it has become a fueling part of not only our generation, but of our society. So, how do we find a healthy balance?

This has definitely been a personal struggle for me. It is not so much screen time that I have had issues with, it is moreso the intent of why I am using social media. This was not an easy thing for me to figure out for myself, so I forced myself to go on a personal cleanse to find more introspection on my

Illustration by Peyton McGarry

relationship with social media.

My goal was 30 days, and did I reach that goal? Absolutely not! I managed about a week before I began scrolling through TikTok again.

From my experience, I had the most trouble staying away from TikTok and Instagram, and the least amount of trouble with SnapChat-which I fully don’t use. I realized how easy it was to escape reality when using TikTok and how easy it was to find validation when using Instagram, which is where I personally have the most issues when it comes to social media.

I am certainly not a doctor or any kind of psycho-therapist, but I do have to say that I think there are benefits of either a social media cleanse or taking the time to figure out your own relationship with it. I say this because with the world we live in now, some of us may have to use these platforms in our full-time jobs when we graduate. It’s beneficial to have the tools and resources to use if it ever becomes too overwhelming.

Rhea Srivastava, Former Digital Marketing Coordinator for ASM Global, speaks

further on how to manage social media in our careers.

“If you’re doing a professional job for a company, I think understanding that a social media platform is not who you are and that it is just a job.”

Srivistava was a full-time college student when running the social media accounts for ASM Global. Because of this I asked her more about how her job with social media affected her in college.

“I definitely think it got to a point after running an account for so long I was less worried about it, but starting off I definitely let the social media posts or social media performance affect my personal, professional performance,” Srivastava said.

It certainly is not an overnight fix, but small changes with our mindset can certainly help, especially if this is something you are struggling with. Choosing to use social media as a way to foster connections with other people and for what we deem to be positive influences is key to a healthy relationship with social media in college.

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Face Unrecognized: The Bias of AI

Artificial Intelligence is a growing technology machine, but what if it is inherently biased?

By Ella Welsh

Interacting with artificial intelligence often feels like dealing with pure, scientific information. When asked a question, AI produces a detailed and seemingly accurate response. What many fail to realize is that AI is a tool that learns from the data inputted into it. Therefore, it has a machine learning bias.

Machine learning bias, as defined by the TechTarget Network, is a “phenomenon that occurs when an algorithm produces results that are systemically prejudiced due to erroneous assumptions in the machine learning process.”

In other words, artificial intelligence learns “correct” answers based on pre-existing data. But what if this pre-existing data contains incorrect information? This means that depending on the objectivity, size, and quality of training data, AI tools can produce inaccurate predictions.

In 2015, Amazon found a serious problem with its machine-learning tool, which had been in the works for over a year. The hope for Amazon AI technology was that it could sort through resumes in an efficient way and would present only the top five candidates to the hiring manager. If properly used, this would save recruitment teams hours of combing through potential candidates’ profiles.

However, Amazon faced major issues when they found its AI tools were discriminating based on gender. The training data for this

tool consisted of the profiles of the past ten years of Amazon employees. Most of the employees were men; therefore, because the AI was attempting to replicate the current workplace environment, it rejected women applicants. Any application that mentioned being a woman–for example, “on the women’s chess team,” or a graduate of an all-women’s college– was penalized.

Karen Hao is a writer and speaker about the impact of artificial intelligence on society.

She acknowledges the bias against groups in the hiring process, relating it to technology.

“You end up with a situation where the AI technologies are almost always biased towards the most discriminated against groups.”

“Bias against women or people of color in hiring is just a manifestation of a much bigger problem, a fundamental problem with the technology,” Hao said.

unfortunate reality of using it. According to Hao, they cannot be fixed. Because the world around us is biased, our information is biased, and evidently this makes our AI tools biased.

“People think that you can add AI to a situation and the problem will be solved, but it doesn’t, the problem is still there, it’s just automated now,” Hao said.

The best solution to the problem of AI bias is to educate people. Users of artificial intelligence need to understand that this is not a purely scientific tool. It is made by people, and problems are intrinsically going to exist. Hao urges more education.

“As long as education keeps happening, then people who have the expertise to solve a particular problem, whether that be social or political, will hopefully be put in power to try and figure out how to actually fix it,” Hao said.

AI can seem daunting and unstoppable, but if the correct efforts are made, it can become a useful tool that will aid society.

“I don’t think that we should take the mentality of thinking that anything is ever too late because it never is. You can always change the direction,” Hao said.

Landlords also use AI to screen potential tenants. The training data uses information on current tenants in the area and prior eviction notices to produce an ideal candidate. A study done by Rebecca Burns for Jacobin Magazine showed that because of inaccurate data, candidates, especially those of color, faced either unfair costs or outright rejection for housing.

“Unfortunately because of who is generally developing the technology, who is using the technology and who the technology is used on within society,” Hao said, “you end up with a situation where the AI technologies are almost always biased towards the most discriminated against groups.”

Interacting with artificial intelligence in today’s world seems almost unavoidable, making the inherent biases of AI an

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Illustration by Ally Pierro

C

hatGPT is the newfound knower of all things, supposedly. Needing a laugh? Plug it in ChatGPT and it will conjure up seven different jokes with exclamation points for comedic emphasis.

Having confusion with homework? This artificial intelligence tool can give an explanation on any subject you type into the search bar. And this is only a minor example of the capabilities AI can do today.

ChatGPT is well-known in the academic community for its easy usage and quick response time, but as a whole, knowledge about AI capabilities is still limited and issues are just starting to be revealed.

Illustration by Bea Kress

Queer Students On Straight Campuses “Safe spaces” are not always what they’re meant to be.

By Katie Phillips

J

ust make sure everyone knows: “this classroom is a safe space.” But what does “Safe Space” mean? Phrases such as these can be seen and heard throughout several spaces such as classrooms, businesses, and college dorms. I have learned that Safe Spaces are meant to designate places where queer students can better vocalize their livelihoods without fear of prejudice from other people within the space. I’ve seen them used to designate spaces for complete intolerance of racism, sexism, and homophobia. But who dictates what’s safe?

As a gay, genderqueer, female-bodied individual, I have found that my relationship with these signs has morphed over time. I learned what they meant in high school. At first, I believed them to be a productive signal for the queer community. However, as I have grown, I’ve found them to be meaningless and performative. Now, I don’t even identify with the phrasing of “Safe Space.”

illustration of queer individuals as exhibits in a zoo.

“The term safe space is performative and tends to mystify,” Klaver said.

To get a better understanding of how the student body perceives “safe spaces”, I conducted a survey with Syracuse University students of varying genders and sexualities.

All of the students understood what a safe space was supposed to be, describing it as a “judgment-free zone,” but several students admitted to struggling to connect with environments and peoples because of their sexuality.

“Social accountability is the only way to change people, and as much as safe spaces would like to establish that, as soon as you exit them, the veil is lifted,” a student in the survey explained.

Even if a teacher or manager says an environment is a safe space, it doesn’t mean that coworkers or classmates will acknowledge the claim.

In a class discussion, when the “Right of the Safe Space” is invoked by a straight professor, I feel a target on my back. There is an expectation of me to tell a room of strangers about my queer lifestyle, and I become subject to straight students’ curiosity.

First-Year Seminar student teacher Sinead Feeny O’Connor says that enforcing a safe space involves many etiquette decisions. A safe space is meant to be a place of discussion where revealing biases and asking questions can help students navigate harder subjects like homophobia and racism.

Coran Klaver, an English and Women and Gender Studies professor at Syracuse University describes how the term creates an

“There is a level of understanding that must occur when enforcing a safe space,” O’Connor said.

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Professors look at this problem differently, some unaware of the power dynamics that underlies the queer student life on university campuses.

“It’s hard to be a queer student on a straight campus, like Syracuse University, because the campus is heavily influenced by Greek life, which emphasizes gender norms and performance,” said Klaver.

Many professors and students are able to signal to each other that they are a part of the LGBTQ+ community through other means. This helps students find adults that they can trust without having to search for “Safe Space” signs within classrooms.

Queer English professor Kaitlyn Naccarato from San Juan Hills High School, emphasizes the importance of “safe space” labels in the classroom environment.

“There is data to show that it is important to label your classroom as [a safe space], but for me personally, I signal in other ways,” Naccarato said.

Signaling is when a person uses symbols and phrases to help people understand things about them without saying. This is a way queer students create micro-communities.

Naccarato acknowledges that with the change in the political climate across America, standardized safe spaces have grown dangerous. She is constantly worried about the safety of her classroom when she isn’t the one teaching.

Simply labeling somewhere as a “safe space” will not intrinsically make it such. There must be an alteration in how we demonstrate queer solidarity between students across school campuses and communities.

Changing the ways in which we demonstrate space safety to students will help us eliminate the ‘ignorance bubble’ and create a better way of finding solutions to problems.

It’s time that Queer students have confidence in their environments. It’s time that they are able to exist as freely as their heterosexual counterparts. This all starts with the changing of language and the acknowledgment of the varying biases universities collect from the student body.

Fashion

What is Dark Academia Fashion?

The TikTok emergence of Dark Academia, a gothic tone with a modern twist.

By Michela Flood

W

e saw it as we aged with the Gossip Girl series, and when we reread the Harry Potter series literally a million times. It reminds us of romance novels, dark autumn, and European libraries. A mysterious, darkened collection of clothes and accessories that we all wanted to duplicate on ourselves. There seemed to be no phrase for it, and we struggled to find it as we scoured online stores. This is the embodiment of Dark Academia: an accumulation of dark-toned charisma that social media, and society as a result, has turned into a style.

Dark Academia fashion values dark color palettes and simplicity. It inspired our autumn wardrobe dreams as it dominated our TikTok pages, showing people styling themselves in turtleneck sweaters, pleated skirts, and trousers. These same videos added accessories like watches, vintage jewelry pieces, and even laptop cases. To us, this style is seemingly new, but it features an aesthetic that dates back to the 1930s, according to Refinery29.

As fashion trends do, it ultimately made a

comeback decades later. But it needed to come back with an edge. It had to come back stronger.

This style romanticizes an air of mystery and moodiness, creating confidence for the wearer. Confidence in fashion is a relative ideal for the 20th century, where individuals embrace body positivity and all body types.

One of the most significant aspects of the Dark Academia aesthetic is its loud emergence on social media. It has caused a tidal wave, particularly on TikTok. As a generation greatly impacted by social media, we have been susceptible to its power.

Zara Clott, a fashion design student at Syracuse University, would agree that fashion trends often emerge from platforms like Instagram and TikTok. “One person wears an outfit, someone sees and finds it cute, then they wear it and with fashion and trends it’s essentially this domino effect that continues,” Clott said, “companies catch on and start producing pieces like such, and then it becomes a style

Fall 2023 The Good Life | 20

Photo by Maddie Crooke

Model: Meagan Wittenberg

Photo by Maddie Crooke

evolution or movement.”

Clott explains how these styles take bits and pieces from the past, and add modern components, creating a traditional yet futuristic style. “[Dark Academia] takes fashion from years ago and brings it to current styles and combines it,” Clott said, “I feel like everyone is bringing back this style, especially through wearing darker colors.”

“One thing I am not afraid of is an all-black outfit” The fashionista specifies that while the dark “vibe” of this movement is not her personal style, she loves to style many of the single pieces of clothing. Clott enjoys the 19thcentury vintage look of Dark Academia and says it reminds her of the show Gilmore Girls, but elevated.

“One thing I am not afraid of is an all-black outfit,” Clott said, “I feel like this used to

be seen as gothic, and now it’s so chic and normalized. I love that look.”

Like the comeback in Y2K styles and pastel color palettes, Clott recognizes that the growth in popularity of styles is heavily tied to the entertainment and media industries as a whole.

“Things grow in popularity simply from viewership, when people see others wearing things, in shows or movies, they are interested, influenced, and inspired,” Clott said.

Clott says it’s not that hard to achieve the Dark Academia look because it’s largely made up of closet staples. This includes long plaid skirts, mini textured skirts, cropped tops with trouser pants, and any neutral dark-toned colors. Shopping for such items can also be a sustainable practice since many previously loved staples can be found at thrift or vintage stores.

Clott has noticed a resurgence of pieces from the past in many fall fashion styles but with a twist. And this is exactly what Dark Academia is.

“Fashion and Dark Academia is this constant pull of bits and pieces of the past and making them fit the current, more modern era with a twist, something more tied to this generation,” Clott said.

“Fashion and Dark Academia is this constant pull of bits and pieces of the past and making them fit into the current, more modern era with a twist” Dark Academia is more than just a style; it’s an essence within realms of gothic libraries–as Vogue describes it–bookworms, and mystery. There is no doubt that Dark Academia styles will continue to change and re-emerge in the fashion world, and we’ve seen much of this re-emergence on social media already.

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Model: Allan Zheng

Photos by Maddie Crooke

Photos by Maddie Crooke

Photos by Maddie Crooke

Model: Londyn Grieve

Photos by Maddie Crooke

Does the I in Fashion Stand for Inclusivity?

Fashion is a powerful communicator on both ends of the spectrum. But is our society communicating positive ideas about how we look?

By Cecilia Catalini

F

ashion is a way to communicate who we are and our different personalities, but what if its lens doesn’t quite capture all of us? Is fashion’s rumored inclusivity excluding our most essential parts of ourselves? From runway to storefront, the fashion industry has faced immense criticism for lacking adequate demonstration of people of all sizes, races, and sexualities. While some progress has been made, the fashion sphere is still in need of expanding their modeling and sizing to be more inclusive.

So, first, I ask the question: Why do people care about what they wear?

Fashion is a form of expression, and what you wear is a way to embody who you are. But fashion is more than its outward projection; it fuels what people feel on the inside. In a 2012 study from Northwestern University, the psychology of what people wear and its impact on how they perform was tested.

Two groups of people were asked scientific

31 | The Good Life Fall 2023

questions, one wearing lab coats and one without. Like how glasses supposedly make us “smarter” and “raise our IQ”, the group wearing the lab coats had a higher accuracy rating than the group that did not. This introduces “enclothed cognition,” which is the concept that clothing has a symbolic attachment to how people feel and perform in their lives. Wearing clothes that make us feel more confident helps us fit into society and feel comfortable embracing our identities.

This can be applied to modern society.

With the strong influence of fashion trends in social media and today’s entertainment, young people want their clothes to conform to what is popular and trending. Fashion brands are thrown in the spotlight to execute modernly “fashionable” options.

The most controversial fashion brand that still remains popular despite its criticism for not having all inclusive models and deceptive “one size fits all” sizing is Brandy Melville.

Illustration by Bea Kress

Sofie Nguyen, a fashion design student at Syracuse University, acknowledges the reality that one size doesn’t fit all.

“Catered to growing teenage girls, people who do not fit in their clothing should not feel 1. excluded, and 2. not within the brand’s standards,” Nguyen said. “It blows my mind that Brandy Melville still continues to execute this, especially when other brands have acted upon creating a more inclusive environment.”

Social media impacts a large portion of the fashion industry. As we know, social media maintains ample influence on its viewers.

In a survey done by the Florida House Experience, a healthcare institution and mental health clinic, 87% of women compare their bodies to the images that they see on social media. This is an issue many young women face, but to counter it, there are many social media fashion influencers helping to diversify the scene.

Many influencers promote body positivity for their viewers, but one in particular, Bunny Bispo, combines the “GRWM” fashion aesthetic and advice to advocate feeling comfortable in our own skin. Her outfit inspiration ranges from the “coquette” girl aesthetic to 90s style, and also reviews

brands for size 12-14 girls.

Influencer Caren Azzopardi focuses on content for girls with larger busts, and suggests a variety of brands that offer many sizes for corsets. She collaborates with the Australian brand, Dypsnea, which is a sustainable and size friendly brand that designs hand-beaded and colorful party pieces.

“Wearing clothes that make us feel more confident helps us fit into society and feel comfortable embracing our identities.”

Other influencers, like Rachel Spencer, encourage her viewers to embrace the art of thrifting. She offers advice and videos of her styling different pieces of clothing she finds at thrift stores. One of her recent collaborations is with Talize, a thrift store that carries all different types of brands and all different sizes.

Along with influencers that help the social media fashion scene become more inclusive,

there are brands that have included more sizing, diverse and body positive models, and clothing for all people. During last year’s Paris Fashion Week, The New York Times named the brand, Ester Manas, the “most size-inclusive brand” in the designer fashion category. While the brand is expensive, it showcases inclusivity on a higher fashion platform.

Inclusivity means embracing models of all body types, and appreciating their beauty.

In swimwear, it’s uncommon to showcase all body types. But a brand whose mission is empowering women with self-love and inclusivity is Alpine Butterfly Swimwear. The brand’s mantra of being “stronger together” shines through in its inclusive sizing, ranging from 0 or 2 to 36 or 38 in US sizing. From colorful and shiny one pieces to simple and cute cover-ups, the brand offers a variety of styles of swimwear and showcases a diverse group of models showcasing their clothing.

While we are seeing more inclusivity in fashion, there is still more work to be done.

These problems are not fixable in a day; however, acknowledging the problem and working to combat it is essential to spark change. By utilizing more sustainable and inclusive marketing, the industry is making strides toward inclusivity.

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Feature Illustration by Ally Pierro

E

very fall, millions of newly graduated high school students move into their freshman dorm, their new home. This anticipating and exciting chapter of their lives can be filled with anxiety, and unfamiliarity.

These feelings of uncertainty are especially prominent in students who are turning the tide in their family: first-generation college students.

According to Brown University, a firstgeneration college student is “a student whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree.” Some first generation students find themselves experiencing difficulties, such as a lack of emotional and financial support, and lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the college application process. However, over the years, universities have implemented programs that aid first-generation students’ adjustment to college life.

University of Maine student, Heather Loretta, always dreamed of attending college. However, she experienced a lack of emotional support from her parents, who did not pursue higher education.

“My parents both thought that college was kind of a waste of money and a waste of time,” Loretta said.

Loretta felt discouraged at times, but still insisted on going and financially supporting herself. She was motivated to accomplish her dream even though nobody else in her family had. Now, she cannot imagine a world in which she hadn’t taken the risk.

SU student Jaime Luna is also a firstgeneration college student. Unlike Loretta, Luna emphasizes the encouragement and support through the process by his family.

Nonetheless, actually attending SU held a set of challenges for Luna at first.

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“Coming to Syracuse, I felt like there was a lot of pressure on me to do great,” Luna said.

“Just knowing that I was the first person in my family to be attending a college, and a college with a prestige and name that Syracuse has, I had a lot of pressure.”

Some universities have programs that act as guides for first-generation students who struggle with the adjustment process. Luna says that two programs at SU, the Student Support Services (SSS) and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), have helped him adjust to the campus.

Through these programs, he found a network of other first-generation college students.

These programs act as guides to help firstgeneration students become acclimated to a college environment.

“If it wasn’t for SSS, I feel like I would have had a little bit of a harder time finding students around Syracuse University who were first-generation,” Luna said, “but I do think that there’s a lot of things that firstgeneration students have been doing to get their voices out and try to build a community on campus.”

Amy Friers, a current academic counselor at Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, reflects about her experience as a first-generation college student, as well as a first-generation American. Prior to her role as an academic counselor at Falk, Friers was a counselor for HEOP and SSS. She worked primarily with first-generation, low-income students. Friers attended the College of St. Rose, where she was studying education with a specialization in music.

At first, Friers felt a sense of imposter syndrome at school. She found difficulty in balancing her college life, and her family didn’t understand her struggles. However,

Friers found support and guidance from the university’s staff, who helped her graduate early from St. Rose by a semester.

“I found ways to kind of navigate,” Friers said, “it was because of those wonderful mentors and advisors that I had. I still talk to those people today. ” There are other faculty members at SU who were first-generation college students, and now reflect on how their experiences differ from those at today’s college campuses.

SU adjunct professor and alumna Jacquelyn “Jackie” Sorci shares her personal experiences being a first-generation college student, and how that has impacted her career as an educator.

“I see students that have more confidence than I had,” said Sorci. “If I see somebody who is feeling a little less confident... and feels like they aren’t finding their place, I try to make sure that they feel confident, so they’re not feeling lost.”

Loretta, Luna, Sorci and Friers all agree that finding support systems in both high school and college is essential to the adjustment process, whether that be in the form of guidance counselors, programs like SSS and HEOP, or through other first-generation college students. It is with all these resources that first-generation college students are changing the tide of education in their families.

“What’s crazy to me is that there are students that are having the same experiences today,” Friers said. “Yes the world has changed dramatically, but some of those things are exactly the same. So being able to offer that advice and just get to know the students oneon-one is just so rewarding.”

Rescue Mission is supporting the Syracuse Community in ways you wouldn’t expect.

By Claire McBride

I

nside you can hear the chatter of shoppers and employees talking about the clothes, furniture, and knick-knacks that are spread across the rooms. The space is filled with hundreds of shirts, pants, and people.

Located in Marshall Square Mall, 3fifteen is a thrift store that many Syracuse students know and love. Workers and volunteers come together within the walls of 3fifteen to sort, organize, and sell over 250,000 donated clothes and items per year. This is just one of many stores that Rescue Mission operates in Central New York to raise money to support people in need throughout the area.

Rescue Mission’s sole purpose is to help people in need. The nonprofit organization has been changing the lives of Syracuse residents since 1887. With support from employees and thousands of volunteers, Rescue Mission has been providing housing, food, and safety measures for anyone who comes through its doors. With programs across Central New York in Auburn, Binghamton, and Syracuse, 3fifteen and the other Rescue Mission thrift stores have made great strides across a nine-county area in CNY. Rescue Mission began with a young man whose goal was to help the workers of the Erie Canal in the Syracuse region. Inspired by the moving story of the Jerry Rescue – a group of abolitionists who broke an escaped slave out of prison and helped him get to Canada – this small establishment was soon named the Rescue Mission.

While Rescue Mission largely relies on

volunteer help for programs, there are still a handful of full-time dedicated employees making the mission possible. Tori Perez Shires is the Chief Development Officer of Rescue Mission. A Syracuse University alumna, Perez Shires began her work with the organization just under six years ago.

She emphasizes the significant growth of the organization since it began, and the operation’s hard at work to provide resources for those in need. Perez Shires spends her days planning events, running public relations, and fundraising to support the various programs for the organization.

The efforts of Rescue Mission range from simply one hot meal to helping someone rent a stable living space. Perez Shires was drawn to the Rescue Mission and its impact when she attended one of the annual Hope Awards, where users of the Rescue Mission are celebrated for their accomplishments.

Perez Shires described the Hope Awards as exemplifying what Rescue Mission is all about.

Perez Shires emphasizes the many different programs that the Rescue Mission has to offer, all benefiting the people of Syracuse.

Namely, its daily hot meal services, where volunteers and trainees collaborate to provide hot meals three times a day every day of the year.

Rescue Mission has many different housing options and operations throughout CNY. Located near downtown Syracuse, their Kiesewetter Emergency Shelter is the largest in Onondaga County, helping hundreds of homeless people get shelter and supplies every day. The organization also provides

resources for affordable housing in Rescue Mission-owned and operated complexes.

A significant portion of Rescue Mission’s total operating budget comes solely from their “Thrifty Shopper” stores. The items sold at these thrift stores are all donated and sold, with an average of $4.00 per item, which transfers back into their support programs.

“Everything is all local, all the donations are from local people, we sell to local people, we employ local people, and most importantly, the money goes into helping local people,” said Perez Shires.

Rescue Mission’s thrift stores are also making a positive impact on the environment. Perez Shires explained Rescue Mission is a large recycler in Onondaga County, with over 7.5 million pounds of goods recycled. The stores have kept 14.4 million pounds of items out of landfills by providing a donation outlet for used clothing and objects.

Perez Shires encourages students to take part in their community. Both monetary donations and volunteering at any of the various locations make a significant impact.

Donations are welcomed at any of the stores, or at the 3fifteen store. This is just one step in getting involved with Rescue Mission, but makes a large impact in helping the city of Syracuse.

Here at SU, we, as students, tend to live in a bubble, with many unaware of the struggles in Syracuse just a few minutes away. With hopes of giving back to the city we call home, Rescue Mission is a great place to start. Showing support for members of the community can make a life-changing impact.

Fall 2023 The Good Life | 34

Illustration by Caitlyn Begosa

IMPACT CREATING AN ACROSS CNY

How a SCOTUS decision is changing minority students’ college admissions processes.

By Samantha Olander

T

he college admissions process is a daunting time for many students, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, or extracurriculars.

But now, the process has changed drastically.

Every year, students all around the United States are expected to curate their entire identity into a computerized application. This comes, of course, with the understanding that acceptance into a dream college or university seemingly depends on their selected checkboxes, and 750 words.

In the wake of the recent Supreme Court ruling to ban affirmative action in college admissions, higher education institutions across the country will now have to shift their college admissions practices to safeguard diversity while still adhering to the ruling.

In a 6-3 ruling, the June 29 2023 Supreme Court decision effectively ended raceconscious admissions practices in higher education following a joint decision that deemed the admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill unconstitutional.

“Many universities have for too long done

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just the opposite… they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the decision.

The ruling marks a significant setback for colleges that have relied on affirmative action for over 40 years to boost racial diversity and ensure equal opportunities given the systemic racial inequities that minorities face.

Previous state-level affirmative action bans have shown that race-neutral admissions policies are ineffective at improving racial equity in higher education, according to the Brookings Institution.

Sean Drake, an assistant professor of sociology at Syracuse University and author of Academic Apartheid: Race and the Criminalization of Failure in an American Suburb, believes that affirmative action is essential in ensuring fairness in college admissions.

“Affirmative action was designed to level the playing field and give underrepresented populations an opportunity to show their talent, to show what they can do and to

pursue their dreams,” Drake said.

The affirmative action ban is expected to exacerbate the systemic barriers that minorities already face such as race-based exclusion, underfunded schools, housing discrimination and income inequality.

Tyrone Howard, a professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles and the author of Why Race & Culture Matters in Schools, said that although he is disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision, he is not surprised. He believes the initial impact of the ruling will lead to a substantial reduction in the amount of students accepted into selective colleges from certain backgrounds, namely African American, Latinx, Southeast Asian and Native American students.

“What the court essentially tried to tell us was that race no longer matters and so I think it kind of gives us another reminder that there’s a lot of work if you are someone like myself, an advocate of racial justice in the country,” Howard said.

Many experts believe that the affirmative action ban is poised to have far-reaching

Amy Lutz, an SU professor and senior research associate in the Center for Policy Research, said her research has indicated that the affirmative action policy previously in place was working to increase the graduation rates of Black and Latino students, calling the ruling a “travesty” for minority groups across the country.

Drake, who openly opposes the ban of affirmative action, says that the SCOTUS decision has set the country back to a preCivil Rights Act of 1964 era when the higher education climate was prejudiced towards minority groups.

“Affirmative action is a civil rights policy that’s tailored to a society in which conscious and unconscious racial bias continues to proliferate, it’s tailored to a society in which racism often takes on a subtle colorblind quality,” Drake said.

Experts across the country have agreed that the SCOTUS ruling will force colleges and

universities to shift their college admissions practices to maintain diversity through various avenues that don’t involve affirmative action.

“It’s important to remember that racial inequality will persist and widen without specific social policy designed to address it,” Drake said.

Howard said that colleges and universities are going to have to be much more creative in their diversity strategies and initiatives if they want to ensure that a diverse background of students continue to apply, enroll and graduate. He maintained that outreach and recruitment to areas with underrepresented populations will be imperative to this goal.

“Just because this ruling has come down, doesn’t mean you can’t talk about race,” Howard said, “I think universities are going

to have to be much more forward-facing to let students know what is required for them to be competitive applicants.”

In the face of the affirmative action ban, universities across the country plan to promote diversity in other ways including additional diversity-oriented application questions, targeted outreach and increased resources for minority applicants.

Lutz, although she acknowledges that there are other avenues to increasing diversity, believes that they are not as effective as affirmative action. She referenced SAToptional universities, making more money available for financial aid and targeted recruiting as important but not foolproof in maintaining a diverse student body.

Drake believes that it is crucial to recognize the racial disparities that minority groups face and will continue to face, especially in the wake of the “anti-diversity” Supreme Court ruling.

“It’s important to remember that racial inequality will persist and widen without specific social policy designed to address it,” Drake said.

Fall 2023 The Good Life | 36

Illustration by Bailey Cox

consequences on the racial landscape of college admissions in the United States, with many historically marginalized groups disproportionately likely to encounter increased barriers when seeking admission.

Environment

Battling Climate Change Ourselves How veganism provides benefits to the planet and to our own bodies.

By Michela Flood

N

owadays, many of us are in a rampant search for a way to alter the grass we walk on, the wildlife around us, and the world we call home before it slips away.

But how can we battle climate change headon? Turns out, there are ways to do this ourselves, simply in changing our eating habits for the sake of the environment, and for many, the sake of our personal eating preferences. We call this sustainable eating decision Veganism, a lifestyle that allows us to know what we are putting into our body.

In a time where the future climate forecasts of the planet are unknown, leaning on eating principles that would support and benefit the earth are valuable.

So what does it mean to be a vegan? It refers to those who fuel their bodies through plantbased eating, with options that the earth has provided for us. Rather than traditional diets, we consider veganism a lifestyle. It has been practiced for centuries, and was officially coined in the 1940s, according to Time Magazine. The growth and popularity of veganism is increasing curiosity for people considering a change in their food consumption. Statistics from multiple health

37 | The Good Life Fall 2023

platforms are showing that animal-free food may be better, not just for individual consumers, but for the planet as a whole.

Stefanie Wright, a junior at Syracuse University, explains how veganism, which she has practiced for 5 years now, has bettered her life from an emotional, physical, and environmental standpoint.

“Mainly, I vastly prefer to not eat animal products for the humanitarian and environmental implications”

devastated by the harsh animal treatment and living conditions. She decided that she wanted to implement change in her personal consumption.

In terms of her vegan diet, Wright favors a non-harsh approach and emphasizes the importance of balance. She explains that she is not strict with veganism, she simply allows it to fit into her life, without restrictions.

“I think cutting out one animal group from your diet at a time, like by starting with no eggs or no dairy or no meat, and then building up to none at all is best,” Wright said.

“Mainly, I vastly prefer to not eat animal products for the humanitarian and environmental implications,” Wright said. “I believe that even the most humane treatments of animals that are raised to become products are cruel and unjust.”

Wright emphasizes the benefits that veganism provides for the environment. She is satisfied knowing that her carbon footprint is significantly lower than non-vegans and that her food consumption is much better for the Earth. Her eating practices reinforce the idea that anyone can switch to a vegan lifestyle by taking actionable and tangible steps in the direction of reducing their personal carbon footprints.

After a visit to a dairy farm in her sophomore year of high school, Wright was appalled and

“There’s definitely a benefit because I am supporting foods that produce much less

Illustration by Maisy Wood

CO2,” said Wright. “My personal carbon footprint is highly reduced by being vegan, and hopefully I can encourage others to do so.”

Veganism allows for the Earth to heal, from past damage and environmental destruction With climate change causing vast problems, switching to consuming strictly Earth-grown products is beneficial not only for people’s physical well-being but for the Earth as well.

Animal agriculture, which raises animals for the sole purpose of human consumption, is immensely damaging to the Earth. And this is shown by statistics.

According to The Guardian, animal agriculture can be linked to causing nearly 18% greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, reducing our consumption of animal products is a very impactful way to decrease emissions. The studies referenced suggest that vegan diets reduce both water pollution and land use by 75%, compared to diets including at least 100g of meat.

Cultures around the world embrace this plant-based lifestyle, valuing how humans connect and treat the Earth in relation to what is put into the body. Religions,

including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism have been tied to this way of consuming food under the Ahimsa principle, according to Greenpeace. “Ahimsa,” as defined by Britannica, is the ethical principle of not causing harm to other living things.” It values peace and principles of non-violence to all living things, by not killing or involving any animals for food consumption.

“My personal carbon footprint is highly reduced by being vegan, and hopefully I can encourage others to do so.”

A vegan lifestyle embraces this principle, with an Earth-to-human connection. Although several cultures have held value in this way of eating for ages, for many others the ideals and principles that emerge with a vegan diet may be foreign and incomprehensible.

nutritional needs, veganism seems to be a safe lifestyle, according to Tufts Medical Center.

Naturally, because all of the food sources are from the Earth, the vegan diet is inclined to have benefits. The “What the Health” documentary explores the fundamentals of the food industry and the narratives of people who have seen personal change as a result of the vegan diet. People have reported feeling more energized, and fuller for longer.

Additional benefits reported include reduced risk of heart disease, weight loss, and lower chance of some types of Cancer.

With more people learning the logistics and benefits of switching to a vegan diet, it is likely that there will be an increase in veganism in the next few years. By providing several physical benefits as well as honoring animal life, veganism supports longevity for both humans and animals.

Veganism and its sustainable and environmentally friendly impact on the planet makes it an instrument of change.

Contribution to the fight against climate change can be made just one meal at a time.

As long as individuals are meeting proper

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