The Walking Dead: Is it Just About the Zombies? by Eduardo Hernandez

On October 31st, 2010 America’s number one show premiered. The Walking Dead is one of the most intense, gory, nail-biting series ever aired. It's not all about zombies and Rick’s breathtaking survival skills, however. Over the seasons, Rick’s group becomes closer and they act as if they are a family regarding all of their diversities.

The Walking Dead is about a zombie outbreak that is happening all over the world. There are two evils in this world: zombies and humans. Rick’s group bonds together to fight both evils to survive, because they only have each other.

To summarize the plot, in season 3, Rick’s group finds a few prisoners named Axel, Oscar, Andrew, Tomas, and Big Tiny. Rick kills Tomas after Tomas attempts to kill his group, and Andrew flees after the event happens. He later comes back to try and kill them as revenge but is shot by Oscar. Rick then accepts Axel and Oscar because he saw potential greatness in them, completely disregarding their past convictions. Rick's actions show the strong family bond that develops in the group. Carol is also a prime example of family. Rick forgives Carol in season 4 when she kills two people because they're sick and will infect others. Rick sends her away for her own safety, though, because he cares for her and doesn't want her to be killed because of her crime.

The Walking Dead exploits diversity in many different ways. Rick’s group is brimming with different ethnic groups, ranging from African-Americans to Asians. They’re all family and accept each other. They always have each other's back regardless of their nationality because family is not about the appearance of a person, but about their personality and morality. For example, you can have a brother that doesn't treat you like family even though he is blood, but you can have a best friend that will always treat you as family.

I would recommend watching this television show because The Walking Dead has a meaning behind the foul zombies; it's about how when you're stuck in a world of evil, the people who will be by your side no matter what is your family.

Morgan: “So, you out here because Carol is your friend?”

Rick: “I’m out here ‘cause she's my family.”

-Season 6, Episode 15


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Beyonce Formation: Celebration of Black Culture by Kaylee Pulvirenti

Beyoncé’s new single, "Formation," shows her 
pride of her African- American culture. This song is particularly meant for a black audience, but I feel that it also gives a white audience a glimpse of the anger and agony of some parts of the black lifestyle.

The set of the "Formation" music video features Beyoncé in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. This particular setting shows the misery of this city after the flooding of neighborhoods, schools, and other parts of the community. Beyoncé’s song lyrics also show her confidence in black women qualities and her cultural roots. “I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros, I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.” Her performers were wearing afros to represent this theme. Regardless of this, Beyoncé also mentions “yellow-bone it.” I believe that this is referring to her mixed qualities as well. This is important because she can relate to both her white and black fans. 

The day after "Formation" was released, Beyonce expressed her pride further by performing the song during the Super Bowl Sunday Halftime Show. Beyoncé’s back up dancers gave a prideful salute by using their fists to support the 50th anniversary of the Black Panthers (a socialist organization). Beyoncé states, “I dream it, I work hard, I grind ‘til I own it.” She serves as a inspiring African- American, and even female, activist. These lyrics fill the purpose of showing success of the black population as a whole. This is also shown through her “black Bill Gates” comment.  Being the artist she is, Beyoncé is basically Queen B. Her talent and glowing personality make viewers want to continue watching her progress. Although she may seem like just a pop singer to some viewers, she actually plays a large role sharing her views on today’s events. She is also an influential political icon. Formation is a prime example of her political views. 

Though people may not agree with her messages, they're her form of art. Some individuals even decided to boycott her after her Super Bowl performance, saying that her performance was inappropriate and infuriating. However, this video and her performances are still her own form of art. Her messages are intended to be positive and reflect her feelings and emotions. "Formation" has a very strong message about the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the issues Africans -Americans face, despite the negative reflections on it. Beyoncé's "Formation" video opened my eyes to the problems in our society, and I would definitely recommend others experience the same feeling.

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Instagram's Yoga Girl by Madison Buckles

Scrolling through Instagram you'll find countless accounts: food, fashion, beauty, sports, and many more. Yet none of these accounts are quite as unique as Rachel Brathen’s account @yoga_girl. At first glance you'd think that Yoga Girl lives in a perfect world. She does yoga on the beautiful beaches of Aruba, has a loving husband, an adorable dog named Ringo (@ringo_thegringo), and an equally cute goat named Penny (@penny_thegoat). On top of all of that she travels around the world doing what she loves! However, this unique account gives more than a dose of daily serenity; it allows followers to accept and embrace the realities and curveballs that the world throws at us.

I've been following Rachel for years and it feels that with every post we all get to know her a little more. Opening up her heart to all followers, Rachel writes about the good and the bad in life. From sharing her engagement and wedding experiences with us, to talking about the death of her best friend, yoga girl allows her followers to go along with her in the ups and downs of life. These deeply personal posts have definitely helped me and many others accept that sometimes some situations aren't okay, and that is okay!

Rachel uses her fan base of 1.9 million followers to spread the word for good causes. One campaign that she advertises is @109world, which she actually co-founded. The organization conducts mission trips to countries like Latvia, Colombia, Nicaragua, and more. The organization has 7 passions that they support: education, animals, water, environment, children, food security, and women. While many Instagram-famous people take their followers for granted, Rachel makes the most out of it by supporting helpful organizations.

Yoga Girl’s posts also highlight the great moments in life! Her feed is filled with intricate yoga poses and videos that are all about breathing in and letting the emotion and stress out. We live in a busy world where people never seem to stop and take a break. Rachel’s soothing videos and inspirational captions make you pause and take a breath. Through her account I've realized that sometimes we all need to unplug and reflect on the little things in life.

On first impression, Rachel’s account @yoga_girl might seem to be exclusively for aspiring yogis. However, everyone can learn something from her account. Her feed is filled with raw emotion and positive messages that anybody can be touched by. Whether you're visiting the account to look for a new yoga pose or simply just need to de-stress, Rachel’s account is the perfect place to gain a bit of peace and wisdom. Namaste!

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Body Positivity by Brooke Matthews

When you think about your favorite actors, actresses, singers, models, etc., how many plus-sized men and women come to mind? Chances are you can only think of a couple, or if you are like most people, probably none. The way plus-sized people, women especially, are portrayed in media is not the same as thinner-figured individuals are portrayed. Because of the way bigger women are shown in the media, women have begun to believe the term “plus-sized” or “fat” is bad. Thanks to the body positivity movement, however, we are showing women of all shapes and sizes that it is okay to love your body regardless of your size.

The film industry rarely casts full-figured women in lead roles, and if they do, she serves as comedic relief; take, for example, Fat Amy. Other times she is hidden amongst the crowd. We also see them portrayed as the “ugly duckling” who usually overcomes obstacles caused because of her weight, and gets the man in the end, like in the movies Hairspray and Just Wright. Rarely is there a movie where a plus-sized woman’s weight isn’t the source of her lack of confidence, depression, or undesirability. Why can’t we cast more big women in leading roles? Are we shaping a negative belief in our society?

It is no doubt that the media sculpts the way we think about everyday life. Not only do movies outline the way adult women think, but it changes the way young girls see themselves. If a young girl is watching her favorite movies or TV shows and all of her favorite characters are tall and thin, the girl will begin to wonder why her body does not look that way. The fix is as simple as casting plus-sized girls to stop insecurity at a young age.

As an attempt to help this cause, women all over the world have started the body positivity movement. This movement acts to encourage girls to love their bodies no matter what color, how big,  how rough or scarred, or how different. The body positivity movement has brought women of all backgrounds and cultures together to grow and work as a team rather than against each other. Famous women have spoken on the topic, such as Demi Lovato, Mary Lambert, Rihanna, and Rebel Wilson, all saying that this movement has helped them cope with being a larger woman in media and is helping their sisters get the recognition they deserve.

Although body positivity isn’t supported by all, it has helped thousands of young women accept their bodies. As the movement continues to grow, the way plus-sized men and women are viewed will hopefully change. No longer will “fat” or “plus-sized” be an insult, and no longer will only “skinny” people take the leads in the media. The future of film should heavily rely on the reflection of reality. Plus-sized women embody the hues of womanhood and should be appreciated.

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