Hanif Amanullah is a sophomore at Fordham University Rose Hill who intends to major in International Studies and Journalism with a minor in Music. He is from Austin, Texas and enjoys New York City’s museums, architecture, and vibrant live music scene. He wrote this essay in light of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 with the intention to explore issues of race and violence from a complex and nuanced standpoint.

Kron Balidemaj is a sophomore at the Gabelli School of Business interested in Applied Accounting and Finance. He plans on becoming a Certified Public Accountant and working at one of the big four accounting firms. Kron spends his free time exploring small businesses in search of unique locations to visit.

Lizzie Caminiti is a sophomore in the Gabelli School of Business pursuing a major in Marketing. She is from Westchester, New York, where she enjoys spending time with her friends and family. In her free time, Lizzie enjoys reading, painting, traveling, and listening to music.

Grace Cook is a rising sophomore at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business who plans on majoring in Marketing. Grace is from Manhattan and enjoys spending her time with friends, traveling, watching movies and TV shows, and reading. This essay was inspired by her appreciation of our beautiful planet as well as a passion for social justice.

Liam Enea is a freshman at Fordham College at Rose Hill, studying the intersection between economics and environmental science. Originally from Connecticut, he is an energy data analyst, founder of Brookfield’s municipal Youth Commission, and a Hartford Courant opinion contributor. His affinity for underappreciated public works inspired this essay.

Insiya Gandhi is an incoming sophomore at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, majoring in Political Science. In her free time, Insiya enjoys exploring New York City, watching video essays on pop culture, and strengthening her cooking skills. Her avid consumption of American film and television inspired her to analyze their depictions of Arabs and Muslims and their negative repercussions and to research methods of improvement.

John Koutsonikolis is a sophomore at the Gabelli School of Business Rose Hill campus, where he plans to major in Finance. He is from Palm Beach, Florida and hopes to work in NYC after graduation. He has a keen interest in economic issues, such as monetary policy, which inspired him to further research injustices within the system.

Avery Li is a sophomore at the Gabelli School of Business studying Applied Accounting and Finance. In her free time, she dances and watches choreography videos, a passion she developed during her high school years. Her enthusiasm and dedication to her part-time work inspired the topic of this essay, which centers around a Malaysian coffee shop located in the Lower East Side.

Sebastian Martinez-Canedo is currently a sophomore at the Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center where he is majoring in Global Business with a concentration in Global Finance and Business Economics. When he is not studying, he enjoys writing, listening to vinyl records, playing tennis, and watching soccer. His fascination with politics and current events inspired him to write his essay.

Jacqueline Risch is a sophomore at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. She is pursuing a degree in Marketing with the hopes of eventually advertising for a start-up Latina makeup company. Jacqueline’s inspiration for her essay stems from her deep love of reading and writing. She hopes that readers of her essay will understand the potential fanfiction has as a legitimate form of literature.

Danna Rojas is a rising sophomore at Fordham University, where she wants to pursue Psychology. This piece illustrates her fraught relationship with identity and language as a first-generation Mexican woman. Para todos los que sueñan y luchan para ser libres en espíritu y vida, los amo y escribo por ustedes.

Christopher Santos is a freshman at Fordham College at Rose Hill. A native New Yorker from the small town of Pleasantville, Chris is an avid lover of animals, especially prehistoric ones. As a Biological Sciences major, he intends to one day work with wildlife. In his free time, he plays video games and engages in creative writing. This essay topic resonates with his childhood love of dinosaurs and all things paleontology. (And no, it’s not one huge Among Us reference.)