Dear SPARK Readers, Happy Women’s History Month! Okay, let’s do a little exercise. Close your eyes and picture a “computer scientist.” Who is it that you picture? If the very first image that comes to mind is of, well, a man, alone in an office surrounded by computer bits, you wouldn’t be alone. Research shows…
by Kim Nguyen While many of us are happy to see 2016 end, I feel the coming year will require fierce resistance, solidarity and deep connection. This past election took quite a toll on many of us and I didn’t expect that I would be so emotionally and psychologically affected by the political climate of…
by Allison Cabana There’s plenty of stereotypes about what women and girls can’t do. Messages about girls not being smart enough for science or not being tough enough for sports are everywhere, from TV shows, books and magazines, news and social media in both subtle and very obvious ways. Back in 1992, there was even…
By Jenn Chmielewski It’s that time of year when I start seeing photo after photo on Facebook of people vacationing in awesome (warm) locations. While I am still cold in New York City, I see them lounging on beautiful beaches in bikinis or partying like rock stars in crop tops at Coachella. I will admit,…
By Kimberly Belmonte Every morning when I get off the subway, staring at me are billboard-sized Victoria’s Secret ads featuring models sexily posing in lingerie. These huge ads are just one of the many sexualized images of women that are in my face every single every day! Usually, I roll my eyes at these kinds…
by Allison Cabana Once upon a time, I was a 15-year-old queer brown girl with an eating disorder. I wasn’t the first, and I won’t be the last, but perhaps my experience is a more common one than people think. Let me back up for a second. In my ninth grade health class, we watched…
by Marisa Ragonese Oh, niceness. The basis of so many religions. The fundamental lesson of kindergartens across the US. The peace and good will towards man thing that’s especially popular this time of year. It’s a big hit across the ages and across the board. It could be because I’m a little bit of a…
By Allison Cabana It’s those pink walls that really take me back. Sitting in my childhood bedroom, staring at those walls, I remember exactly how it felt to live here. I was dreaming of getting a date, whispering to my friends on the phone, and stressing out about homework. But what I remember most is…