Meet three of our new columnists - Aaron Robertson, Marni Morse and Jiyoon Kim. The first in a series of introductions.
Aaron Robertson
My biblical namesake carried a miraculous rod that could transform into a serpent. I’m not that cool. I much prefer good jazz and, when I’m feeling dark and sultry, a Cormac McCarthy novel. I grew up in the suburbs surrounding Detroit, changing homes and schools almost every two years until high school. About three years ago, my mother and I moved into the house that my grandparents had occupied for four decades. It’s a great, white hulk of a home located ten minutes from the heart of the Motor City, where I spent much of my time eating, reading, and ambling along the riverwalk that looks across to Windsor, Ontario. I received my secondary education in Grosse Pointe Woods, an affluent community on the border of the city. It is by virtue of my schooling, among other factors, that I am interested in discussing cultural and racial disparities across geographic boundaries. But not everything is so foreboding. I am also a literature lover, creative writer and film buff. If you happen to see me and mention Paul Thomas Anderson in passing, I will (probably not) give you a dollar. I’ve once been told that I look like Frank Ocean (but I don’t). And I’ve never eaten a Twinkie. If that description doesn’t render a mental image of the most attractive person you’ve ever met, that’s probably a good thing. So, that’s it for me. I should consider making one of those catchy, one-line exits…
Marni Morse
Hey, I'm Marni! I grew up outside of Washington D.C. before our government got stuck in all the shutdown business. I went to an International Baccalaureate program in high school and that has really affected how I view the world as an extremely interconnected place. I've also traveled a lot with my family (to over 25 countries across 5 continents!), which has helped develop my interests in human rights and civil liberties. I think it's extremely important to work towards equality across all aspects of life. But nothing beats being surrounded by the history and politics that makes up the capital- plus not many people can say they've met the current President, Supreme Court Justice, a Senator, and a couple of Congressmen!
Jiyoon Kim
I was born in New York City, but spent only three months there before my family moved to Japan. For the next 18 years I lived in Tokyo, visiting Seoul often and living the Third Culture Kid life until I graduated from The American School in Japan. I'm currently trying to find my niche on campus, though I've already seemed to find a family with the HighSteppers.
I hope to take advantage of my multicultural background in the field of work that I end up in, though what that field will be I don't quite yet know. I believe that every issue can be looked at from a cultural perspective, and I hope I can share that view in my columns.