Yoshi Johnson

Sexual misconduct requires more open discussion

Shhh. If you listen closely, you can hear it. At first, mind you, it will sound like nothing: silence, the warm hum of quotidian activity in a bustling, small-campus community. Listen harder, though, …

Swarthmore education is trial by fire

A few weeks ago I discussed the ethos of Swarthmore with an eccentric alum, eager to gain some perspective on my experience as I prepared to graduate. Quite out of the blue, the conversation took a t…

Central and South America begin leaning to the left

Big things are afoot lately in the societies that we “Americans” like to forget are part of America proper, too. In the past few years, Central and South American countries have been experiencing smal…

A view at the top: how America's economic elite can inspire change

I’ve really been feeling the whole ‘Class Awareness Month’ vibe lately. To be fair, I’ll plug moustaches and diabetes awareness since it’s their month, too. After the past few weeks, however, I think …

With admissions, actions speak louder than words

Last June, while pondering my return to Swat after a year of leave, I chanced across a piece featured in the New York Times about Amherst senior Anthony Jack ’07. Among other things, it related his fo…

Elite institutions need to make change, not solicit pennies

At one point during my time here, I was seriously contemplating doing some self-appropriated pro-bono work for the Development Office in the form of a letter to Bill Gates. I wanted to ask him to endo…

Forget me not: some issues don't have a quick fix

Congratulations, concerned citizens! The Jena 6 are now definitively on the national radar. I can just see the Leno monologue now. Well, almost—I’m no Leno, and I don’t think it’s the best comedic mat…

Thinking outside the...

You can have your lens, but you can forget about my box.

Matriculating at a liberal arts college like Swarthmore, we all invariably stumble upon the concept of a “lens” in our time here. Here, you’re …

Making the Obama 'Leap of Faith'

Come April 22nd, I will not be casting a ballot for Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary, as I am a registered independent. Fortunately for me, then, I will not be forced to weigh in with my vote just ye…

Young black academic elite have lost touch with reality

In March, I attended the annual Black Solidarity Conference at Yale. Our contingent of fourteen Swarthmore students, mostly younger than I, eagerly anticipated meeting and picking the brains of other …

Obama comes out as black on national TV

Finally! At long last! How foolish for anyone to have thought that the grand serpent de mer would just go away. After a suspenseful wait, the beast has reared its ugly head. We are finally forced to a…

Swarthmore ideals fail to correct the problems of social justice

Last week, while conducting an otherwise routine triage of my inbox, I happened upon a most unexpected email from Mr. Anthony Jack, the recent Amherst graduate whose New York Times story, you might re…

Al Qaeda might be justified to attack

The headline is the result of a paper I wrote last semester; it’s a moral quandary that unsettles me still. Check it: So, I don’t know if you’ve heard it through the media grapevine of late, but al Qa…