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Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White


Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by Samaria Johnson

Parting advice for surviving college

Samaria Johnson November 23, 2014

I’m the lone senior in a room full of freshman in my introductory psychology course. It’s a course I chose solely for its ability to help me finish my Honors College electives requirement but has...

Be brave and critique what you love

Samaria Johnson November 9, 2014

Over the weekend, Nicki Minaj, in conjunction with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Drake, released a lyric video full of Nazi imagery. The parallels aren’t even a stretch; in fact, they are quite blatant....

Say it right: The words we choose to use can have a huge impact

Samaria Johnson October 26, 2014

In one of my Thursday classes last week, a pair of students representing their small group gave a short presentation on the connections between the LGBTQ community, homelessness, food insecurity and mental...

Self-care is vital for every aspect of our mental well-being

Samaria Johnson October 12, 2014

There’s a popular diagram that features a triangle that says, “Pick two out of three,” and the options are sleep, social life and school/work. There’s also a mug for sale on Etsy with the inspirational...

Universities should offer better sex education

Samaria Johnson September 28, 2014

In the past year, the University quietly updated its nondiscrimination policy to include protections for students’ sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. It also brought Haven,...

Michael Brown and Joan Rivers offer glimpses into racial status quo

Samaria Johnson September 14, 2014

Joan Rivers died two Thursdays ago, an event that barely registered as I continued to scroll down my Tumblr dashboard. It was barely mentioned, noted one post that criticized TIME magazine for hailing...

The University must provide support for black students, not just words

Samaria Johnson August 27, 2014

The University of Alabama generally has its students’ best interests at heart. However, while the University generally invests much in order to ensure the social, academic and personal well-being of...

Reproductive justice must be reframed

Samaria Johnson April 14, 2014

Reproductive justice is firmly set in the women’s issues camp, which is understandable but also incomplete. It’s an issue that affects women, yes, but it’s not a women’s issue. When we talk about...

Today’s discourse needs more civility, respect, less vitriol

Samaria Johnson February 12, 2014

There’s been a fair amount of talk lately about the need for more civility in discourse. Last week, for instance, Janet Mock joined Piers Morgan to talk about her experiences as a trans woman. The two-day...

Buffer Zone at anti-abortion protests the least that can be done

Samaria Johnson January 27, 2014

Every Saturday I join a group of volunteers at the West Alabama Women’s Center as a clinic escort. I’m unapologetically pro-choice. Escorting patients from their cars to the clinic’s front door is...

Women find identity in new album ‘Beyoncé’

Samaria Johnson January 13, 2014

It’s been a month since Beyoncé dropped a surprise new album, and yeah, I won’t ever be over it. It was a move of pure spunk and genius, sure, but when Bey released the self-titled visual album, she...

Attitude shift needed to alter our rape culture

Samaria Johnson November 26, 2013

One in four college women will survive rape or an attempt before graduation. One in six women will be raped before reaching adulthood. Women of color are victimized at higher rates than white women; the...

Time for an open conversation about female sexuality

Samaria Johnson November 13, 2013

We have a huge problem when it comes to women having sex. I talk a lot about the need for open and honest communication about sex because I believe that treating sex as if it’s something to fear has...

Discussions needed to change judgmental attitudes toward sex

Samaria Johnson October 29, 2013

Every other Thursday evening, the Alabama Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Justice meets to talk about sex. Called Dirty Thursday, these meetings are part of a discussion series on sexuality to discuss...

Stop shaming others because of your own insecurities

Samaria Johnson October 14, 2013

It’s that time to pick out a costume for free burritos at Chipotle come Halloween. My friends and I will head to the Halloween store on Skyland Boulevard to spend hours freaking each other out and...

How to be an ally: listen, learn and check personal agendas at the door

Samaria Johnson October 1, 2013

Given the discussions surrounding the segregation and subsequent protests on campus, it is important to understand what our roles are as allies to different communities. As both an ally and a member of...