Hailey Akau Archives

Hailey Akau, Assistant Multimedia Editor and Magazine Section Editor

Hailey Akau (she/her) is a writing, literature, and publishing major from Honolulu, Hawaii. She focuses mainly on illustrations and graphics for The Beacon but also contributes the occasional opinion as she sees fit. She also enjoys writing personal essays or prose and considers herself an em dash enthusiast.

Latest from Hailey Akau

[Photo] As the Stanley Cup playoffs approach, teams begin to clinch their spots

By Rylie Burns, Layout Editor / April 3, 2024

Illustration Hailey Akau

The poison of polarization: extreme political leaning undermines education

By Hailey Akau, Staff Writer / November 29, 2023

Disagreement is inevitable—especially at college. Discourse on politics, religion, sociology, and other issues inform opposing opinions. The state...

Colonization’s toll on Hawaiʻi: Lahaina’s devastation and the fight for Indigenous resilience

By Hailey Akau / November 8, 2023

On August 8, 2023, my family and I huddled in front of the television watching the local news as wildfires ravaged the historic Lahaina town...

Rising Tides: The oyster industry faces climate change challenges and solutions

By Shannon Garrido, Hailey Akau and Bryan Liu / November 8, 2023

The world is your oyster, until it isn’t. On Sept. 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory about...

[Photo] Crooke’s Cage: The Summer Break UFC Recap

By Aidan Crooke, Staff Writer / October 20, 2023

UFC 293 winner Sean Strickland.

Should we have school spirit?

By Shannon Garrido, Hadera McKay, Sasha Zirin and Hailey Akau / September 20, 2023

After the events of orientation, where eager Emerson freshmen were welcomed by shrill undergrads serenading them in their cars, it's natural for incoming...

It’s time to retire the term AAPI

By Hailey Akau / September 13, 2023

Growing up Asian, Hispanic, and Kānaka Maoli on the island of Oʻahu, I have always been keenly aware of my racial identity and the way it is viewed by...

Your parents don’t hate you, you’re just entitled

By Hailey Akau / April 12, 2023

Ah, yes, the cool rebellious teen trope. The “nobody understands me” loner with undoubted swagger and a “fuck authority” attitude. A figure that...

[Photo] Emerson Poetry Project hosts ‘Box of Doom’

April 12, 2023

First place winner Lucy Ellis.

[Photo] Bruins on Boylston: With five games to go, what are the five causes behind the Bruins’ historically successful season?

By Leo Kagan / April 5, 2023

[Photo] March Madness: Finals recap and future NBA prospects

By Jordan Pagkalinawan / April 5, 2023

UConn captured the NCAA DI Championship against San Diego State

Hugs and Honis for my ʻOhana

By Hailey Akau / April 3, 2023

My first year of college, I realized just how little my Hawaiian identity existed in Boston. I remember a distinct feeling of isolation as I came to terms...

[Photo] ‘You can’t make a Tomlette without breaking some Greggs’: Here’s why “Succession” has me scrambled

By Rumsha Siddiqui, Staff Writer / March 29, 2023

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] Kasteel Well campus ends weekly testing protocol, shift to symptomatic testing only

By Maeve Lawler / March 22, 2023

[Photo] Blake Griffin is the Boston Celtics unsung hero

By Rumsha Siddiqui / March 10, 2023

Illustration Hailey Akau

Honorary degrees are honorary bullshit

By Hailey Akau, Beacon Staff / March 8, 2023

Anyone who has worked toward a degree from a higher-education institution can attest to the blood, sweat, and tears—on top of the hundreds of thousands...

[Photo] ‘Comforting, simple, and delicious’: Dumpling Daughter to be served on campus next month

By Maddie Khaw / January 25, 2023

Starting Feb. 1, Dumpling Daughter will operate from the grill in the Lion's Den.

[Photo] Is it worth jumping ship from Twitter?

By Ryan Forgosh, Staff Writer / December 7, 2022

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] ‘Brutal’ negotiation leads to COLA for staff union

November 30, 2022

[Photo] The original ‘Gossip Girl’ ate up Thanksgiving episodes

By Hadera McKay, Opinion Editor / November 16, 2022

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] HarperCollins strike reminds students of the power of unions

November 16, 2022

Publishing workers pledge to continue their strike until their demands of higher pay and codifying diversity are met.

[Photo] Students applaud Biden marijuana pardons

November 9, 2022

Food fights will not save the planet

By Hailey Akau, Staff Writer / November 2, 2022

Real-life food fights are rare––for good reason. In addition to wasting a perfectly good meal, throwing food in any context creates unnecessary...

[Photo] WNBA All-Star suffers misfortune as Russia’s scapegoat for power

By Mariyam Quaisar / November 2, 2022

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] Local support for migrants at Joint Base Cape Cod continues

By Maeve Lawler / October 19, 2022

[Photo] Resident assistants, on-campus organizations seek community in coming out

October 12, 2022

[Photo] Hurricane Fiona exacerbates Puerto Rico’s electricity crisis

By Vivi Smilgius / October 5, 2022

Hurricane Fiona hit the Caribbean as a category one tropical storm on Sept. 18.

Stop airing out your beef on missed connections and grow up

By Hailey Akau, Beacon Correspondent / September 28, 2022

Since the beginning of my time at Emerson College, I have come to despise the numerous Instagram accounts known among my peers as “missed connections.”...

[Photo] Stop judging Olivia Wilde’s relationship and start judging her morals

By Christina Horacio, Beacon Correspondent / September 21, 2022

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] André should be the heartthrob of ‘Victorious,’ but Nickelodeon and its viewers are racist

By Mariyam Quaisar, Content Managing Editor / September 21, 2022

Illustration by Hailey Akau

[Photo] Linking clothing and queerness might ‘boost visibility,’ but it also encourages stereotypes

By Vivi Smilgius / March 23, 2022

The Berkeley Beacon

The Berkeley Beacon

The Berkeley Beacon

Hailey Akau, Assistant Multimedia Editor and Magazine Section Editor

[Photo] As the Stanley Cup playoffs approach, teams begin to clinch their spots

The poison of polarization: extreme political leaning undermines education

Colonization’s toll on Hawaiʻi: Lahaina’s devastation and the fight for Indigenous resilience

Rising Tides: The oyster industry faces climate change challenges and solutions

[Photo] Crooke’s Cage: The Summer Break UFC Recap

Should we have school spirit?

It’s time to retire the term AAPI

Your parents don’t hate you, you’re just entitled

[Photo] Emerson Poetry Project hosts ‘Box of Doom’

[Photo] Bruins on Boylston: With five games to go, what are the five causes behind the Bruins’ historically successful season?

[Photo] March Madness: Finals recap and future NBA prospects

Hugs and Honis for my ʻOhana

[Photo] ‘You can’t make a Tomlette without breaking some Greggs’: Here’s why “Succession” has me scrambled

[Photo] Kasteel Well campus ends weekly testing protocol, shift to symptomatic testing only

[Photo] Blake Griffin is the Boston Celtics unsung hero

Honorary degrees are honorary bullshit

[Photo] ‘Comforting, simple, and delicious’: Dumpling Daughter to be served on campus next month

[Photo] Is it worth jumping ship from Twitter?

[Photo] ‘Brutal’ negotiation leads to COLA for staff union

[Photo] The original ‘Gossip Girl’ ate up Thanksgiving episodes

[Photo] HarperCollins strike reminds students of the power of unions

[Photo] Students applaud Biden marijuana pardons

Food fights will not save the planet

[Photo] WNBA All-Star suffers misfortune as Russia’s scapegoat for power

[Photo] Local support for migrants at Joint Base Cape Cod continues

[Photo] Resident assistants, on-campus organizations seek community in coming out

[Photo] Hurricane Fiona exacerbates Puerto Rico’s electricity crisis

Stop airing out your beef on missed connections and grow up

[Photo] Stop judging Olivia Wilde’s relationship and start judging her morals

[Photo] André should be the heartthrob of ‘Victorious,’ but Nickelodeon and its viewers are racist

[Photo] Linking clothing and queerness might ‘boost visibility,’ but it also encourages stereotypes

The Berkeley Beacon