Aysha Qamar

Apparently being racist and not knowing it is a common theme in many places, especially Texas. A Texas legislator and bill sponsor found out he was racist while explaining why specific language was used in a bill. The video of his reaction has since gone viral, prompting people to ponder whether he understood the history of the language he used.

The language in question was the phrase “preserve the purity of the ballot box.

As Republican officials nationwide look to punish protesters who disagree with them, not everyone is letting the GOPs’ attempt to stifle protest slide. While officials in multiple states have passed bills that grant immunity to drivers whose vehicles strike and injure protesters in public streets, some judges are still forging ahead with prosecutions.

Josh Duggar, former reality TV star from TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” has been indicted on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography, USA Today reported. Dugger was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Arkansas and charged on two counts pertaining to child pornography.

A college student in Kansas who once made headlines for threatening local police officials who “got in his way” has now been appointed as part of Wichita State University’s student government. But his threatening to shoot police officials is not the only problematic thing giving him attention. The student—identified as Sam McCrory—chose to wear a “white lives matter” face mask to his first student government event Thursday.

This year went by fast. It feels as though it just began, but we’re already in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. I’m definitely happy but still in denial—this year, I wasn’t ready. For Muslims around the world, today marks the first fast of Ramadan 2021, meaning that beginning last night, for the next 30 days I—alongside millions of Muslims—will be refraining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.

Despite the current surge in cases amongst youth, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), predicts that all schools nationwide will be fully in person and no longer remote by September 2021. “We should anticipate, come September 2021, that schools should be full-fledged in person and all of our children back in the classroom,” Walensky told ABC News in an interview Wednesday.

As Americans get vaccinated in record numbers nationwide, people are taking to social media to share that they have been vaccinated. To date, over 100 million Americans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. While some are posting selfies or pictures of themselves getting the shot, others are posting their vaccination cards after getting one or both doses. Social media users are calling this the new “flex” or way to show off.

A man suspected of brutally assaulting an Asian woman in New York City was arrested Wednesday, according to police officials. The arrest follows national outrage over footage released of the attack, which occurred in broad daylight on Monday.

The woman, who was severely beaten, was hospitalized with serious injuries after a man attacked her and stomped on her face multiple times while shouting anti-Asian statements, Daily Kos reported.

Amid the never-ending sad news that has taken over the news cycle comes an uplifting story. The San Francisco grandma who went viral for beating her attacker vowed to donate more than $900,000 toward combatting anti-Asian hate. Following her attack on March 17, Xio Zhen Xie’s family started a GoFundMe campaign in order to help her pay for her medical bills. While the goal was to raise $50,000, by Tuesday the campaign raised more than $919,000.

One of my first memories of experiencing racism firsthand is from my childhood. I remember sitting in a middle school class with a substitute going down a list of names to take attendance. As she read through the list of names she paused and said she wasn’t even going to bother reading this name because it wasn’t in English. I immediately knew it was me. “The letters Q and A do not go together in English,” I was told.

Crimes against Asian Americans are at an all-time high, as every day another incident is reported in which an Asian American is the target of identity-based hate. An analysis found that while crimes in the United States’ 16 largest cities decreased overall by 7% in 2020, those targeting Asian Americans rose by nearly 150%.

Incidents all over the U.S. have been reported and recorded on social media, especially in California.

Despite the increasing awareness, hate crimes directed against Asian Americans have continued to rise amid the pandemic. Asian Americans have not only been physically assaulted and verbally abused, but businesses they own have been vandalized and destroyed by racist ill-informed individuals who blame them for the virus.

In a recent incident, a Texas ramen restaurant was covered in xenophobic graffiti after the owner spoke out against Texas Gov.

An entire girls basketball team decided to kneel during the national anthem of the Oklahoma 6A state basketball tournament Thursday night.

Social media continues to shed light on issues of police brutality. In the last year, multiple videos taken by bystanders have spread on social media platforms depicting incidents in which police officials have abused their power. As a result, investigations into the actions of various police departments have been conducted. In the most recent case of a bystander capturing police brutality, a video went viral on social media for depicting an officer aiming his firearm at a child.

Social media continues to shed light on issues of police brutality. In the last year, multiple videos taken by bystanders have spread on social media platforms depicting incidents in which police officials have abused their power. As a result, investigations into the actions of various police departments have been conducted. In the most recent case of a bystander capturing police brutality, a video went viral on social media for depicting an officer aiming his firearm at a child.

Not one but three professors from the University of South Alabama have been placed on leave after photos of them dressed in racially insensitive Halloween costumes surfaced. According to the Associated Press, the photos are from a 2014 on-campus party, in which one professor identified as Bob Wood dressed as a Confederate soldier while the other two identified as Alex Sharland and Teresa Weldy posed with whips and nooses.

Despite calls for reform and better accountability, police violence continues nationwide. One police department in New York specifically has consistently been questioned for its officer’s use of excessive force. In the most recent incident caught on camera, Rochester police officials pepper-sprayed a woman while she held the hand of her 3-year-old, The New York Times reported.

While the incident occurred on Feb. 22, the video detailing it was released Friday.

Despite calls for reform and better accountability, police violence continues nationwide. One police department in New York specifically has consistently been questioned for its officer’s use of excessive force. In the most recent incident caught on camera, Rochester police officials pepper-sprayed a woman while she held the hand of her 3-year-old, The New York Times reported.

While the incident occurred on Feb. 22, the video detailing it was released Friday.

It’s no surprise that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cares more about the rich than the economically vulnerable. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis has not only downplayed the virus, but prioritized the health and safety of those he can profit from.

As Americans nationwide obtain COVID-19 vaccinations, tourists continue to travel across the country, despite the risk the novel coronavirus still carries. While travel regulations are in place for safety and are being enforced by both airports and airlines, some travelers refuse to abide by them and are looking for loopholes.

Two tourists from Louisiana were arrested on Feb. 12 for allegedly trying to bribe an airport screener at Daniel K.

Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis continues his inability to properly address the COVID-19 pandemic with his unveiling of a “pop-up” vaccine clinic. Since the start of the pandemic, DeSantis has followed Donald Trump’s actions in downplaying the virus and its severity. He refused to not only issue a statewide mask mandate but to close beaches and businesses despite a rise in cases.

New Jersey residents and others gathered early Wednesday morning on rooftops, at nearby venues, and in garage parking lots to watch the end of the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, marking the end of Donald Trump’s imprint on the city. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, some even watched from One Atlantic, a wedding venue on top of a pier.

As the year continues, Republican officials just keep stooping lower and lower. Using the time meant to be “devoted to county issues,” local Republican officials in Florida attempted to shame and mock a journalist by creating a resolution in her name. The journalist, identified as Isadora Rangel, wrote opinion columns for Florida Today, often criticizing Brevard County officials.

As Americans finally receive their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, conspiracy theories and other false information still continues. Since the start of the pandemic, some organizations have been pushing the spread of misinformation calling the novel coronavirus a hoax, this trend continues with organizations questioning the vaccine and the effects it will have on humans.

In another first for Muslim Americans nationwide, the Harvard Law Review, a prestigious law school journal, has named a Muslim as president for the first time in its 134-year history. According to Reuters, Hassaan Shahawy, an Egyptian American from Los Angeles, will join others who held the noteworthy position—including former president Barack Obama, who was the first Black president for both the review journal and the nation.

Shortly after Joe Biden was sworn into office as president of the United States, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider submitted his resignation letter. In his letter, he noted that his position would be given to “one of the finest federal prosecutors I’ve ever known,” Saima Mohsin. “As the first woman, immigrant, Muslim United States Attorney in American history, her service is truly historic,” he continued.

A video of a fitness instructor and dancer has gone viral for a reason you wouldn’t expect. While filming a workout routine in front of Myanmar’s parliament, Khing Hnin Wai has gone viral globally for capturing the beginning of the country’s military coup. What’s even more interesting is that she apparently didn’t even know what was unfolding behind her.

Each year on Feb. 1, millions of Muslim women across the world share not only pictures of themselves in the hijab, but why they choose to wear it. The hijab, a headscarf worn by women who practice Islam, is often seen in the Western world as a symbol of oppression. In order to combat this narrative and highlight the resilience and strength behind the hijab, World Hijab Day was created in 2013 to foster religious tolerance.

After retail investors decided to play the game Wall Street has played for years, some online brokerage apps tried to take matters into their own hands. The popular stock trading app Robinhood blocked users from buying or trading stocks that became popular on social media platforms like Reddit after these stocks saw significant rises in the market.

Despite some of the beautiful landscapes and great outdoors West Virginia is known for, the state wasn’t home to a national park until last year. Last December, Congress passed a bill that declared the opening of America’s 63rd national park in West Virginia. The move redesignated West Virginia’s New River Gorge from a national river to a federally protected tourist destination: New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.