We are excited to bring you the Spring 2023 issue of EP, a collection of some of the strongest essays composed during the Spring 2023 semester for Texts & Contexts classes here at Fordham. In this issue, we have a collection of essays that explore identity, the pressures and conflicts faced by individuals from different communities, and the societal expectations and circumstances that shape one’s decisions and experiences. In the essay “Mixed-Race Identity in the 1920s and 2020s: Why Passing Still Strikes a Chord,” Kassidy De Nobrega examines the internal conflicts and societal pressures experienced by those of mixed-race identity in a racially divided society. Jane Warren’s essay “Suffering” and the Artist’s Identity: A Dichotomy of Key Inspiration and Detrimental Internalization” discusses the romanticization of suffering among artists and the detrimental effects that romanticization has on both one’s sense of personal identity and mental health. Layla Barber’s video essay “The Value and Loss of Community,” meanwhile, explores the complex decisions marginalized individuals face when leaving their communities for better opportunities and the impact those decisions have on personal identity and social connections. Each of these excellent essays highlight the tension between personal identity and societal expectations as well as the difficult choices individuals must make in the face of this tension.
Essays
Mixed-Race Identity in the 1920s and 2020s: Why Passing Still Strikes a Chord by Kassidy De Nobrega
“Suffering” and the Artist’s Identity: A Dichotomy of Key Inspiration and Detrimental Internalization by Jane Warren
The Value and Loss of Community by Layla Barber
Editorial Staff
CO-EDITORS
Nicholas Clark
Stephen Fragano
Lina Jiang
EDITORIAL BOARD
Melissa Bean
Elizabeth Bolger
Corinna Cape
M. Gaby Hurtarte Leon
Rhianna Marks-Watton
Jason Ray
FACULTY ADVISOR
Vlasta Vranjes
Questions or comments? Please contact us at epjournal@fordham.edu
