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Articles by Antonio Wu
Stay true to your call to action
When I first joined the Daily Trojan as a staff writer for the opinion section, I had no shortage of self-doubt. To find my bearings, I gravitated toward what felt the most organic to myself and my college experience at the time by writing about the lack of LGBTQIA+ community and inclusivity at USC. My first article, once posted on our Instagram account, garnered far more attention than I expected and incurred countless angry commentators.
Forming an opinion is evolutionary
Before becoming one of the opinion editors at the Daily Trojan, I lacked an understanding of the impact this section holds. But, as I have learned throughout the semester, and if the opinion inbox is any indication, opinions are quite reactionary. They propel our conversations and live in the public consciousness. Opinions are scientific feats, a product of our evolution as humans.
USC needs a disability affinity center in the Student Union
If I had to describe USC’s social scene in one word, it would be “communities.” Not only does the University pride itself on one united Trojan community, but I find it serves as an umbrella for a number of smaller communities. Students find communities around shared interests, experiences and identities. And while I have found a number of communities that speak to me within USC, I have been severely missing one: a disability community.
Multiracial white privilege is real
I am a multiracial person. I am Asian, Latina and white. Like many other multiracial folks, I have experienced a lifelong struggle with feeling like I do not truly belong to any single racial or ethnic group. At the core of my racial experience lies a dissonance between how others perceive me and how I perceive myself. Nobody knows the full breadth of my experience unless I offer an explanation, because I appear racially ambiguous.
Nuclear is the future of renewable energy
In wake of the recent election, news of Donald Trump’s picks for cabinet and senior staff has been trickling in over the past few weeks. Among these picks is Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Energy, Chris Wright. As The New York Times reported, Wright has expressly denied the climate crisis as well as shifting energy goals.
You shouldn't hate yourself into change
I was standing outside of the Annenberg School for Communication with my phone out at 9 p.m. after a late Wednesday class, caught in a sort of limbo deciding whether I should impulsively call my impulsive friend to ask if she wanted to impulsively go to the 901 Bar & Grill for “9-0 Wednesday.” Laughing nervously on the phone, she told me she had a midterm the next day. I too would be shirking a laundry list of duties I was trying not to think about.
Anti-Zionism is not antisemitism
Last week, on Nov. 7, videos of Zionist-Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. soccer fans went viral. In these videos, the fans chanted, “Death to the Arabs”; “Fuck you, Palestine” and “No children are left in Gaza” around the streets of Amsterdam. The Maccabi fans vandalized homes of Palestinian families, burned a Palestinian flag and attacked pro-Palestine protestors and taxi drivers in the city. Later, locals on scooters retaliated by carrying out “hit-and-run” attacks on the Maccabi fans.
Forgive your opps, they aren't worth it
No one saunters around campus having been burned by none or accumulating zero opps (short for “opposition”). People will hurt you — that’s the simple truth, and you can do absolutely nothing about it. What you can do, though, is decide how you deal with the hurt — cliche, I am well aware, but hear me out. Whenever someone hurts me, my go-to strategy is to avoid them at all costs, even if it means I have to take a very dramatic U-turn to avoid eye contact.
All the walls have got to go
As a child, after visiting my relatives in El Paso, Texas, my father would point out the mountains alongside the Rio Grande: on one side, the star marking the city of El Paso, and on the other, a message from Ciudad Juárez to read the Bible. Though the river runs right between them, it is the United States-Mexico border wall that truly separates the two. The wall itself isn’t too daunting looking from the inside, where I’ve mostly seen it from.
Why you should take a gap year before grad school
Are you thinking of applying to graduate school? Pursuing an advanced degree can be helpful toward expanding your knowledge, opening professional doors and diving deeper into research interests, but it is also a commitment that demands apt physical and emotional readiness.
Pursuing democracy goes beyond the ballot box
Election Day is here, and many are riddled with anxiety over the battle between Vice President Harris and former President Trump. As Trump has taken marginal leads in swing states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia, Democrats have started to rally around “fight for democracy” messaging as a last stand to support Harris’ campaign, emphasizing Trump’s fascist nature and the loss of rights his administration would incur.
English shouldn’t be the United States’ official language
In my home state of Illinois, the official language was “American” from 1923 to 1969. To many, this may seem like an absolutely ridiculous official language, and the Illinois government would agree with you — it changed the official language to English in 1969. I, however, think that there could not be a better official language of a state.
USC must redesign sexual violence prevention
Content warning: this article contains references to sexual assault and violence. It practically goes without saying that sexual violence is a problem on college campuses. Across all genders, 18- to 24-year olds are at a higher risk of experiencing sexual violence than any other adult age demographic in the general population.
Dear USC administration, please stop copying the Israeli government
Last semester, students and faculty from approximately 117 universities set up encampments in solidarity with the population of Gaza and as a way to protest Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of the area, as well as each university’s financial complicity in those actions. Their demands were for universities to disclose investment portfolios and divest from companies that profit from war and the military-industrial complex.
Reconciling faith for the still confused
Content warning: This article includes references to suicide and death. There was only one thing scrawled onto the torn notebook page in my hand as I crossed the parking lot of a small San Clemente commercial building, late to my therapy appointment. “Figure out how to work faith back into life.” It was mid-June, and I had recently become suspicious that faith — whether in the context of organized religion or otherwise — might be a kind of cheat code for inner peace.
Gender doesn't need to be 50/50 at universities
In 2023, the Supreme Court ended affirmative action for college admissions, a decision that I and many others continue to deeply question. While the case banned the consideration of race alone as a factor in admissions, many other facets of applicants’ identities can still be taken into account. The landmark case has resulted in one especially interesting side effect: admissions boost for men.
LinkedIn is meant for networking, not romance
When you think about it, Hinge and Tinder are superficial in their approach to connection: see a picture, read a soulless prompt, give a like. On the other hand, LinkedIn is more personal. You see successes and failures and strangers’ aspirations in a way that makes people seem more appealing for a first date. But recently, LinkedIn has gone from a professional networking site to a place where people get personal with their posts in an almost Facebook-like style.
Your major does not make your life
The value of what you learn should not hinge on your ability to monetize it. Education, especially higher education, is a privilege — and forming a well-rounded education goes far beyond learning skills to get you into the career you’ll be working in for 40 years. The USC graduates of today earn degrees in business and computer science more than any other field.
Harris is the right choice, but we deserve better
It feels exhausting to hear about how “unprecedented” the stakes are every election cycle. I am only 20 years old, but it feels as though this is what voters have been told for as long as I’ve had a conscience about politics. While I understand the importance of voting in every election, the stakes of the first presidential election I will ever vote in have me feeling especially anxious.
LA influencer culture is killing the nightclub
Los Angeles is something I have spent a lifetime idealizing. As a romantic to my very core and someone who reads Eve Babitz and Joan Didion with a sort of biblical reverence, L.A. has always been mythic to me — the center of civilization, one of the only places worth living in. I have been proven time and time again that reality will seldom line up with expectations I have in my head.
After a year of genocide, what will it take for USC to divest?
One year of genocide. In the past year, we’ve seen Israel commit massacres with tanks, drones, bulldozers, snipers and 2,000-pound bombs. We’ve seen Israel indiscriminately attack neighborhoods, hospitals, refugee camps, bakeries, libraries, schools, mosques, churches and universities. We’ve watched screaming mothers and fathers, adults and children beheaded, sniped, dismembered and maimed.
Brat summer but I'm in my room reading a book
It wasn’t for a lack of trying that my Friday evening was empty. I took every necessary precaution the night before — a flier to some “bratrager” was screenshotted, friends were texted and I had three boys on Snapchat accounted for as a final line of defense. And yet, there I was, strewn across my couch on a Friday afternoon.
Star Wars dubbed in the Ojibwe and Navajo languages
Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon that has shaped pop culture in the United States and abroad since the first movie came out in 1977. George Lucas’ creation of the franchise brought us iconic characters such as Darth Vader, Yoda, Princess Leia Organa and Chewbacca. The Star Wars universe is home to over 30 different languages — not including the over 50 human languages the movies have now been translated into.
A pickleball pandemonium hits USC
I previously thought pickleball players were old retirees or people too unathletic to play tennis. To everyone’s surprise, this formerly underlooked sport is now growing the fastest among Gen Z. If you don’t get the hype, you’ve never played. Growing up with minimal interest in sports, I’ve been intimidated to pick up anything new. However, pickleball has graciously welcomed me with open arms.
Read self-help books with a grain of salt
Everyone has goals. Maybe it’s to wake up earlier, to not be chronically late, to improve mental health or to relax a little more. Amid hustle culture, I gave into a fad — the idea that one book would change my life or propel a journey of self-growth that I had never experienced before. I did a quick Google search for the best self-help books, and “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones” by James Clear consistently appeared.
Green building should be common practice
Under the record-breaking heat wave that recently passed over Los Angeles, residents came face to face with the implications of climate change and what the future might hold as the crisis increases the likelihood of longer-lasting extreme heat conditions. While many areas of the planet are heating up, other extreme weather patterns also appear throughout the United States and worldwide.
Stan culture must be critically examined
Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence. Per Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a stan is “an extremely or excessively enthusiastic and devoted fan.” While there is nothing inherently wrong with being very passionate about your favorite artist and their music, the level of obsession and unwavering support stans tend to give their favorite artists ultimately stifles creativity and prevents accountability for the artists’ actions.
‘Third places’ should be for all residents
If you ask me, the best thing about being a college student — other than obtaining higher education, of course — is living in a (relatively) walkable neighborhood with all of my close friends nearby and several community centers accessible to me. Long day of classes? Take a breather in a hammock on McCarthy Quad. Want to catch up with the besties? Meet them for a picnic on the Great Lawn at USC Village.
Calling Latines the ‘Hispanic vote’ takes away diversity
Presidential races are the best time for the United States to relegate minorities into statistics that make it easier to analyze the attitudes of people. But the group that seems to stray further away from the Democratic Party, at least as a reliable bloc compared to other minorities, is the Hispanic/Latine vote.
Los Angeles is continuing a legacy of criminalization
Currently, areas such as Skid Row are being proclaimed as the “homeless capital of America,” and Human Rights Watch is issuing reports attacking Gov. Gavin Newsom as well as other local officials for their treatment of unhoused people. One would hope that Los Angeles is taking the right steps to move away from its history of criminalization and toward policy change that fights back against the alienation of communities enduring homelessness.
Every word spoken is a bullet fired for freedom
Dia duit! Peyton Dacy is ainm dom. Or for those who do not speak Gaelige (Irish): Hello! My name is Peyton Dacy. While this is a simple phrase to learn in any language, this is a big first step for someone like myself whose family hasn’t spoken its native tongue for at least 150 years. We lost our native language due to England’s colonization of Ireland over the past 800 years, which almost caused the language to become completely extinct.
Harris’ campaign needs to appeal to young men
Since Donald Trump’s presidency, young men have increasingly shifted toward conservatism, with the share of male voters aged 18 to 29 identifying as Democratic dropping sharply from 51% in 2016 to 39% today. This phenomenon, known as “barstool conservatism,” presents a unique challenge for the Harris campaign as it prepares for the upcoming election.
How LA sustains mass incarceration
Los Angeles County: a progressive landmark, a blue county and home to the largest jail system in the United States. With 17,000 to 20,000 inmates on average, the L.A. County jail system is an example of how even the cities that are hailed for their progressive policy action still contribute to the problem of mass incarceration that causes widespread violence among Black, Indigenous, Latine and working-class communities.
USC decision to deploy police on Gaza war protesters distorts public perception against students
Antonio Wu Special to CalMatters In USC President Carol Folt’s from the Gaza Solidarity Occupation this week, she apparently claimed she only became aware of their campaign when the encampments appeared and refused to acknowledge the violence inflicted on students by the Department of Public Safety and Los Angeles Police Department.
Commentary: A war of perception on campuses
The group’s demands of USC are, in brief: divestment from Israel, cutting off the police presence on campus, ending the university’s displacement of South Central LA residents and denouncing the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. These demands echo those of other student groups occupying campuses across the country. I am not associated with the organizers, but I have attended the encampments in solidarity with the group’s demands.
USC decision to deploy police on Gaza war protesters distorts public perception against students Original
A University of Southern California students says the actions and statements by administrators in recent weeks, including the decision to send police to arrest 93 pro-Palestinian protesters, has wrongly skewed public sentiments against its own students.
Daily Trojan Staff Diversity Report shows decreased representation
Since Fall 2020, the Daily Trojan staff have completed a semesterly internal survey to evaluate the demographics, identities and experiences of the student journalists dedicated to representing the University. The survey results allow us to better recognize how our staff demographics and experiences impact equity and inclusion in our workplace and how they translate into our coverage of the USC student body and surrounding community.
I’m not counting on DEI
I’ll be the first to admit that I love cracking a good joke about diversity, equity and inclusion. Not because I don’t take my job seriously, nor because I don’t think DEI is a worthy endeavor. But rather, because I feel deeply self-conscious that there is truth to every major accusation against DEI: that it is performative, bureaucratic and generally neoliberal propaganda bullshit.
Rescheduling cannabis won’t bring justice
Following the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III, a less restrictive drug classification, the Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting a review of marijuana’s Schedule I status. Based on past precedent, these actions make rescheduling marijuana all but imminent. This sounds like good news, but drug policy is anything but straightforward, and the devil is in the details. Daily headlines, sent straight to your inbox.
Metro must pick heavy rail for Sepulveda
Whether you are a resident of Los Angeles or an out-of-state or international student, you’ve almost certainly become familiar with the car-ridden nature of our city. At the same time, you’ve likely heard our public transportation heavily criticized for its lack of speed, connectivity and safety, if you haven’t experienced it firsthand.
Don’t stop talking about Palestine
Under mounting domestic pressure to secure the return of hostages held by Hamas, Israel agreed to a temporary truce Friday to exchange hostages and prisoners. President Joe Biden has touted this momentary peace as a great achievement, citing his diplomatic efforts and expressing hope that the truce might be extended.
Amid chaos, GOP moves toward fascism
From weaponizing legislative majorities and gubernatorial seats to consolidate state power, to rewriting history in classrooms and public spaces to support white Christian and patriarchal hegemony, to silencing its own members for anything less than the absolute veneration of former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party has lurched eagerly toward fascism over the last decade.
City Council reforms won’t be enough
It has been more than a year since an explosive recording leak exposed three Los Angeles City Council members making racist remarks as they discussed redistricting for the city. The recordings, which were nearly a year old when they leaked in October 2022, featured incredibly hateful language toward multiple racial groups in the city, including disparaging comments about Oaxacan immigrants in Koreatown and mocking the Black child of another white councilman.
Coming out sets an impossible standard
As a queer child of Asian immigrant parents, I find myself uncomfortably at the intersection of the contradictions presented by National Coming Out Day. Unlike many of my peers who are queer people of color, my circumstances prompted me to inform my parents of my queer identity. I emerged from the experience still bound to my family, though not unscarred by an ongoing and evolving process of conflict and reconciliation.
California "Dont Say Gay"
Eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion at universities; erasing Black history in classrooms; and banning reproductive, gender and sexuality instruction are among the compendium of anti-educational laws Florida has aggressively enacted over the past few years.
Today's Paper - Daily Trojan
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The workers' movement is far from over
When I first think about Labor Day, I think about how relieving it is to have a three-day weekend. I think of Labor Day sales, the start of school semesters; this year, I think of Beyoncé’s birthday. But unlike holidays such as Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and even the increasingly condemned Columbus Day, I can’t recall being taught in school why or how we should celebrate Labor Day. The name of this comparatively overlooked holiday is the first clue: It’s Labor Day, not Workers’ Day.
The underrated value of U-Pass
Beginning this semester, USC is providing undergraduate students U-Passes that allow them to ride the Los Angeles Metro and bus lines for free. While the change came with an unpopular $93 transportation fee, the U-Pass will not only help students save significantly on transit, but can also incentivize students to begin riding the system.
Cannabis justice is climate justice
Long a progressive state, California is well ahead of the nation in both setting environmental policies and legalizing marijuana. However, despite its reputation as a cultural and political safe haven for cannabis consumers, California continues to have a serious problem: the unfettered proliferation of big cannabis companies and the industry’s negative impact on rural communities, small businesses and environmental degradation are concerns that fall neatly into the climate justice movement.
Hunger is still a public health emergency
This month, millions of California households on CalFresh will lose an average of $200 a month in government food assistance, even as food prices continue to rise. CalFresh is California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal program that helps more than 40 million low-income Americans buy groceries. While the federal government largely funds CalFresh and other SNAP programs, California oversees CalFresh’s administration and some aspects of eligibility.
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