• Express Yourself

    • Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      “Self Portrait” by Katie McDowell (18), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts  "An Old Man in Military Costume" by Simone Wuttke (18), Dartmouth College (recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate) "This oil on canvas painting is inspired by Rembrandt's 'An Old...

    • The Stages of Grief

      The Stages of Grief

      I have sat with anger ingrained in my ribs night after night. I know the five stages of grief. Why am I so stuck on anger? Denial was the first one. It hit when I stood in front of my fridge all alone in my house with my knees wobbling, staring at the screen on my...

    • Be Well

    • Yoga: Partner Poses

      Yoga: Partner Poses

      Partner Yoga Poses by Laurie Azzano of Lolo’s Youth StudioYaaaas, finally! Hello, summer! Inhale deadlines. Exhale freedom. If you’re like most, summer represents one big sigh of relief. No more early morning alarm clocks, homework, tests, school drama, or crazy,...

    • Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Makes 20-24 brownies (depending on how big you slice them) BAKE TIME: 30 minutesIngredients 6 eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 1 1/2 cups baking cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons...

    • Resources for Your Mental Health

      Resources for Your Mental Health

      If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or any form of mental distress, reach out to someone right away who can be there for you. Professional help is always an option when your psychological well-being is at risk. There is zero shame in...

    • Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA ClinicsClinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or...

    • Have Fun

    • Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Have you ever wondered how you can apply astrology to your everyday life but don’t know where to start? Astrology can be very complex and sometimes overwhelming to interpret, so I have compiled a quick guide to help you consciously incorporate daily practices to...

    • How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      Did you know clothing isn’t biodegradable?That means it doesn’t decompose once it’s dumped in the trash—it just sits in a landfill and creates nasty greenhouse gases in our environment. “We have to think longer and harder about the clothing we wear, where it came...

    • GLITTER!

      GLITTER!

      New Orleanians love their glitter, and, more than ever, we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our lives. Addie Ellis of the local biodegradable glitter company Glitter Nymph shared with us how to make shimmery oil that is good for your skin and nature. Since you...

    • Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea What it’s about: Laure will do anything to prove a Black girl can be a star in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, even make a deal with a primordial power she finds in a pulsating river of blood in the...

    • Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Are you looking for inspiring ways to volunteer in the local community while fulfilling your school’s service hour requirements? We’ve talked to some great organizations in the area that rely on volunteers to help their wonderful programs run. Learn more about each...

    • Expand Your Mind

    • Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Imagine that you just found out you are pregnant. For some young people, this may be exciting news; for others, it is not. Questions swirl: How can I take care of a baby and finish school? How can I afford to be a parent if I don’t finish school? How will my parents...

    • Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz is my “shero” because she ran 300 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of The Speed Project. That’s roughly like running to Houston, Texas, or Seaside, Florida, from New Orleans! Not only did she win the 2023 competition and...

    • When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      Careers in Skilled Trades With the cost of college continuing to rise, skilled trade careers are a great alternative pathway to stable, well-paying work and upward social mobility. Many trade workers provide essential services and help build and maintain important...

  • About Us
  • Read Geaux Girl!

Today someone told me that they hate America. I sat there shocked, not knowing whether I wanted to stand up for the U.S.A. or agree with them. I chose to do neither. Maybe my silence was a disservice to my values or to America herself, but it seemed the only fitting response. At the time, I couldn’t craft an answer that would do the topic justice. I was held back by my disbelief in the possibility of black and white explanations for ideas so complicated. Hating America seems to be a complete rejection of such a huge and complex concept. It can’t be that simple to describe how one feels about something so immense. At least for me, my feelings on all that is America can’t be summed up in three words.

I was always taught that you don’t hate people but their actions. This careful distinction appears necessary in a society where the word hate has been given such a powerful, all-encompassing negative connotation. To hate arguably includes all parts of an existence. Therefore, I’d like to make something clear: I do not hate America. So why couldn’t I say that as I sat there shocked? Why did I consider the possibility of agreeing with them? The conclusion I’ve arrived at is that it has become increasingly easy to find myself overcome with a blinding rage in regard to the United States of America.

I think of this place I call home and the first things that come to mind are far from idyllic. I think of the wage gap between women and men. I think of the silencing of victims of sexual assault. I think of police brutality. I think of persecution and judgment based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. All of these come down to hate. I find it odd that the reason why I consider hating America is all of the hate that runs rampant in her streets. Some believe the answer to this hate is love and education in an attempt to conquer ignorance, and while I am a full supporter of spreading kindness and enlightenment, I’m not oblivious to the fact that these practices are still not enough.

The infuriating reality is that there are thousands of reasons to hate America. I feel the list growing longer every day as more victims of hate are reduced to blue light on the news. While we become saddened and baffled by the monotony of hostility that we see on our TV screens, we can take some comfort in knowing that we’re not alone in our vexation. It’s quite impossible to understand why the horrors of this country exist. The easy route would be to accept these horrors as the identity of America, but our country is so much more.

Our country is a place where its citizens have the right to vote. It’s a place where same-sex marriage is legal, a truth that can’t be said for many countries in the world. It’s a place where freedom of speech is a right that will always be fought for by its inhabitants. It’s a place where people have a chance to climb their way to economic success. But most importantly, it’s a place that will always take steps forward at the end of the day. I recognize that this is a daring statement in our current political climate, but it’s also one that can’t be forgotten.

We still have an incredible amount of work to do, but as I see bureaucratic figures take erroneous steps back, I also witness courageous men and women rise up to challenge them. The inspiring ways in which these individuals forsake hate as the identity of America gives me the strength to do the same.

America is first and foremost my home, so I have to believe that she possesses a brighter future than her past. But how do we reach a tomorrow that is far less familiar with the devastating hatred that the U.S. has always known? I don’t know; I’m almost positive no one does. We can put consequences into place and do our best to lead by example, but no one has the answer for how to cure the deep ills of this country.

The only consolation is that there will always be virtuous people who will not accept hate and who will not accept the perpetrators of it. Through them, the fight lives on yet another day. For the sake of this fight and all of the positive aspects of America, I refuse to condemn my country to the hatred that has been creeping into our daily lives. In fact, I love the United States of America, not for the entirety of what she is, but for the hope of what she can become if we reject the notion of hate.

Riley Price is a native New Orleanian and senior at Lusher Charter School. She is pursuing a Certificate of Artistry in dance and loves writing personal memoirs and critical essays. She hopes to study journalism in the future and use her writing to promote social justice.