Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

“It took me two years to understand that America is not the same as back home, and that there are more conflicts than I could ever imagine.” / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: The Disparity Between Looking and Feeling Like A Person of Color

September 4, 2019

I knew I wanted to go to college in America as early as middle school. In China, I went to an international school, and I spent my junior year of high...

All students should feel they are able to change their major without fear of falling behind or being judged, because during college is the time to develop and change our minds. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Letting instincts shape my education, not my major

October 30, 2018

At 2 a.m. one morning, I broke down and called my mom. Frantic about my decision to change my major, I told her how scared I was because journalism was...

Even though I enjoy my English name, I’ve always felt that it is just an identification code no different than my student ID number. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Abandoning my name for cultural conformity

October 2, 2018

When in a Western country, I always introduce myself as “Eliza.” Very rarely do I tell people my Chinese name, “Xinyan.” I find that most Asian...

Op-ed: Emerson can’t settle for the status quo

Op-ed: Emerson can’t settle for the status quo

September 9, 2018

On the first day of my freshman year, I discovered one of my suitemates was mixed race, just like me. She was one of the few people I’d met who could...