Elena Novak

Nonprofits Need to Practice What They Preach

I’ve been galvanized over the past year by the rise in unionizing campaigns across the country, up 58% in the first nine months of 2022 alone. And that doesn’t only include companies like Amazon or Starbucks—the Nonprofit Professional Employees…

Reflections on Faith and MLK

Yesterday morning, I attended a church service for work where the pastor talked about how so few people feel a need to attend church, even as devoted followers of a particular faith tradition. I reflected a lot during that sermon on why the church…

Failure is an Option

“Wait, let me take your picture!” I’ve been living in St. Petersburg, Florida for four days. Monday morning, I started my first full-time job: community organizing. I’m staying with a family friend, a woman my parents have been close to for many…

Compromise and revolution are not mutually exclusive

Earlier this month on his HBO show Real Time, Bill Maher gave us a false dilemma: Root for a recession, or lose your democracy. The idea here is that if the economy tanks, then Trump will get booted out of office and leftists (like myself) can wag…

When Quitting is Good for the Writer

I scrambled to find a writing job almost the second I came home to live with my parents. I intend to be home for several months, organizing my life and keeping money in my wallet until I move overseas next year. There’s a stigma that settles around…

Raleigh photographer collects portraits for exhibit on stereotypes

As a Mexican-American and a gay man, Raleigh photographer Jose Chavira knows what it’s like to be stereotyped. “I grew up in rural North Carolina, and it’s not the most liberal place to grow up,” he said. “I’ve had my fair share of bigotry thrown at…

Entrepreneur supplies biodiesel to NC school buses

Starting this fall, some school buses in Durham, Johnston and Pitt counties will run on a unique fuel source: used cooking oil. The three school systems are among the first to sign on to an alternative energy program called Biodiesel 4 Schools, which…

8 Questions to Stop Asking Bisexual People

We like to think we’ve come a long way. We like to think that, when it comes to LGBTQIA+ rights, we’ve made leaps and bounds toward equal rights and social acceptance. And we have. But there are still subsets of the queer community that are being…

Justin Lookadoo: R U For Real?

Everyone should be looking at Justin Lookadoo, because he’s about to bring back misogyny to the youth. Justin, a Christian ‘motivational’ speaker, wants you to ask yourself the most important question of your life: “Are you dateable?” And if that’s…

7 Websites and Apps to Aid Your Job Search

The wonderful world of the internet offers a plethora of options for the job-seeking person sitting frantic at the kitchen table sipping coffee in pajamas. Most of the many websites even offer smartphone apps to make your job search more portable.…

11 Entrepreneurs Who Didn't Drop Out of College

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test preparation for over 90 standardized tests including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. To learn more about Kaplan’s Test Prep offerings, click here. We love to hear stories of individuals who…

The 10 Most Liberal College Campuses in America

Last week we took a look at the most conservative college campuses in America. Well, College Prowler also has a ranking of the most liberal schools in America, ranging from most to least. What makes these schools liberal? According to the site, it…

The 10 Most Conservative College Campuses in America

College Prowler has a ranking of the most conservative schools in America, ranging from most to least. What makes these schools conservative? According to the site, it means “political activity leans more toward the right.” But what other information…

The 7 Most Lucrative Master's Degrees to Have

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test preparation for over 90 standardized tests including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. To learn more about Kaplan’s Test Prep offerings, click here. With the cost to attend graduate school…

16 World Leaders with Master's Degrees

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test preparation for over 90 standardized tests including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. To learn more about Kaplan’s Test Prep offerings, click here. According to a study performed by Timothy J.…

16 Things That Colleges are Doing to Help the Environment

In this era of sustainability, many conversations revolve around “going green.” Cities, states, even entire countries are bringing the green conversation to the table, all in hopes of accomplishing the global goal of preserving the Earth’s natural…

An Absence of Estrogen in Politics: Why Aren't Women Running for Office?

There’s something missing from our political offices, and the answer is in the hormones. We need more estrogen. Despite having successful female examples at the national level such as Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, and Nancy Pelosi, the number of…

Cory Monteith: More than an Addict

Now we can talk about it. Now that we know for sure that Cory Monteith’s death was related to substance abuse, we’re ready to have a conversation about it without fear of making assumptions. So let’s talk. Let’s talk about addiction, which isn’t…

3 Ways Technology Is Making Us Impersonal

Technology is progress. It is the essence of evolutionary superiority, a proof of the vast intellectual prowess of the human mind. It is convenient, exciting, promising – but it is an exchange. We press forward at the expense of the “old ways,” which…

Changing the Political Atmosphere

When I was in high school, I wanted to go into politics. The fast-paced environment, the constant challenge, the promise of a better tomorrow, the false sense of importance, the manipulation, the lying and conniving… okay, I digress. You can see I…