Category Archives: observed

Scenes observed by Yvonne

The Intelligentsia: Scattered Reflections on Chekhov’s Three Sisters

I saw the most amazing play yesterday. I left the theater, feeling chilled, with prickles erupting across my skin. Of course, this being Berkeley, two elder women, white with gray hair, exited ahead of me, talking loudly: “Well, there were so many problems…with the wardrobe. I mean, really! First, Irina’s dress wasn’t pressed.” “No, really?” [...]

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Reading Harry Potter Critically

Here’s my review of Harry Potter that I promised Channing for RaceWire’s round-up of the new movie… Across cultures, fairy tales and myths are used to teach children the normative values of a society. Stories follow a similar template: the main character is a child that listeners can identify with. There are fantastical creatures, some [...]

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Black Kids on Bikes

Once a month, a movement courses through the streets of Los Angeles. Moving together, in solidarity, Black cyclists are spurred forward by the revolutions of their wheels. Each individual coming together to join the flood that takes over the streets. Their momentum stirs the air, setting in motion a gale that blows clear across the [...]

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  • About

    Yvonne Yen Liu is a nerd for the racial justice movement. She lives in Oakland, California. You can write to her at yvonnegrapher at gmail dot com.

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