Opinion
“‘When I was growing up, I really wanted queer artists to look up to,’ said singer-songwriter Brittany Ann Tranbaugh. ‘In order to have queer artists to look up to, people need to come out and talk about it in their music and have it online. That’s important to me … But I don’t want to be pigeonholed; I make music for everybody. I want my music to have broad appeal, but I also want my shows to be a safe space for queer people, but open to everybody.’”
Citrus ranchers and local developers were successful in lobbying the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad to select the northern route and complete it in 1887, creating the opportunity to establish the townsite of Claremont.
“The Nation Fund for Independent Journalism held its annual conference for student journalists May 30 in New York City. As one of Claremont’s many aspiring student journalists — and, luckily, a lifelong Brooklynite — I had the pleasure of attending.
The Nation Magazine, first published in 1865 in the United States and founded by abolitionists, promotes independent journalism as an essential tool in cultivating equity and democracy. Over the last half century, the magazine has also empowered the youngest generations of journalists to enter the industry confidently with the establishment of The Nation Fund. The conference featured speakers from a wide range of independent publications, including The Guardian, Jacobin, THE CITY and Teen Vogue. Illustration/courtesy of Liberties EU
“‘Good morning, Irene. This is an awesome kid here: super friendly, super sweet, wonderful artist,’ Sonja Lakin says to a tall, kindly faced sixth grader named Irene Zhu. Irene has known Lakin since she was in kindergarten. When told of her looming retirement, her mouth dropped open, and her eyes grew large. ‘Oh my gosh! No! Wait, no. I had no idea,’ Irene said. ‘She’s very nice. And whenever you need help from her she always helps you. She’s very sweet. And every time she smiles, you want to smile too.’ I can back Irene up on that.”
This year, as in every year since 1865, people of African descent living in Texas and all over the U.S. will commemorate “Juneteenth,” the day, June 19, when the U.S. Army announced the “news” of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas — 2 1/2 years after Lincoln’s declaration on January 1, 1863.
“It also occurs to me that there are no doubt many Claremont residents who have little or no contact with or awareness of the Colleges here. But, even if they don’t think about it or realize it, they no doubt enjoy what the Colleges brought to Claremont. They no doubt enjoy what the Colleges have contributed to Claremont, how the Colleges have influenced Claremont.”
“‘Designing Our Community: HMC Architects in the Pomona Valley,’ up through July 13 at Chaffey Community Museum of Art in Ontario, features the striking architectural photography of the great Julius Shulman and Leland Y. Lee documenting the population explosion of the Pomona Valley from about 1945 into 1960s, and all that came with it.”
With June just around the corner, many high school students are eager to trade their textbooks for tan lines, and to unwind after a year of tests, finals, and all-nighters.
“AmeriCorps NCCC’s 2024 budget was $37.7 million. The federal government spent $6.78 trillion that same year. So, DOGE cut the feet off the youth volunteer branch of a 32-year-old agency that does unquantifiable good for some of the neediest Americans, all to save an amount equal to 0.000556047198% of the federal budget. Nice work, DOGE. Who’s next, Santa?”
Memorial Day is a solemn occasion to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. We attend parades, place flags at gravesites, and take quiet moments of reflection.
“The mission of NAC is to assist newcomers to become independent. Most NAC family breadwinners work in lower-level jobs outside their profession. To upgrade, language skills and retraining are usually necessary. This takes time and lots of it. Financial independence can take several years but it rarely happens on its own. I witnessed this with my own children. NAC assists families wherever possible. We already have several ‘graduates.’ They are so proud!” Illustration/courtesy of cleanpng.com
Taken together, these eco-disasters make a case for the passage of Polluters Pay Climate Fund bills legislators have introduced in the State Assembly and Senate, and the U.S. House and Senate. These bills are all variations on the same theme: make the fossil fuel corporations pay for their carbon emissions. Right now, these bills are gaining traction, advancing through various state committees. Both the Democratic Club of Claremont and the Democrats of Pasadena Foothills endorsed them last month. Photo/by Dan Watson, Santa Clarita Valley Signal
“With the announcement that Salman Rushdie has decided to withdraw as keynote speaker at Claremont McKenna College’s May 17 commencement, we are reminded that the stakes of freedom of expression are not confined to faraway lands or abstract principles, but are present here and now, on our own Southern California campuses.” Photo/by Christoph Kockelmann
“What began as a family vacation to Rome unexpectedly turned into a front row seat to history. From both the air and the ground, I witnessed newly elected Pope Leo XIV address a crowd of more than 100,000 outside the Vatican on May 8.” Courier photo/Peter Weinberger
“Claremont’s Evangeline Lien was recently named a grand prize winner in Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Performing Arts Competition. It’s clear her steadfast discipline has resulted in a confident, astoundingly grounded musician. The fact that she’s a 15-year-old Claremont High School freshman makes it all the more striking.”
“Modest at best, sorta rundown at worst, it’s not fancy, and the views are unremarkable. But the people are great, and so is the food. I’m of course talking about Los Jarritos, the little strip mall Mexican joint at 3191 N. Garey Ave. that so many Claremonters love, which, quite sadly, is closing May 14.” Courier photo/Mick Rhodes