By: Dishi Gahlowt February 11, 2019April 7, 2019 CULTURE, OPINIONcolorism, featured, India, racism1 Comment

Growing Up Dark-Skinned in a Country Obsessed With Fairness

I was in eleventh grade when confession pages were the rage across schools and universities — not only in India, but across the world. Taking advantage of the anonymity the world wide web offers, they were sometimes a platform for people to profess their love, crack harmless jokes, or reveal juicy secrets; but more often…

By: Samia Majid December 27, 2018February 12, 2019 POETRY & PROSE, THE ARTSfeaturedLeave a Comment

Resplendent Glory

Hoist that flag up higher, stretching your pride as high up as the sky. A flag of a country repressed under a fist of colonial servitude. A boot stamping on the face of a native — forever. A bloodstained shade of red, dripping in blood, toil and a legacy of agitation. Restored glory, unsung bravery muffled…

By: Beena Lad December 21, 2018February 12, 2019 HEALTH & WELLNESS, LIFE, MENTAL HEALTHfeatured1 Comment

Breaking The Silence

When I first saw you experience anxiety and depression, you could not name it. Maybe you thought if you didn’t talk about it, it wouldn’t be real. Maybe you thought you had to be strong for us, to pretend that things were okay, that you weren’t hurting inside. You never had to say it out…

ABOUT

WHO ARE WE? Reclamation Magazine is a digital publication committed to amplifying the voices of the marginalized. We attempt to give the communities and the people whose perspectives have been cast off in the mainstream a platform to express themselves — to showcase their vulnerability, to stand tall in the face of adversity, and to…

Ramadan: A Special Place in My Heart

By: Hanna Ahmed May 17, 2019

CULTURE, RELIGIONmuslim, ramadanLeave a Comment

Nothing tastes as incredible as the first bite of a date when breaking your fast. It’s a time when relief fills the body, the vexing hunger fades away, and the mind is at ease. Ramadan: a time when the body is weary, but the soul feels vibrant. Ramadan is the holy month in Islam when…

The Law of Attraction: Yay or Nay?

By: Maryam May 11, 2019

EMPOWERMENT, LIFElaw of attractionLeave a Comment

At the beginning of the year, while my family was emptying out cupboards, I came across a collection of my old school work that my mother had kept. Among these was a worksheet where we had been instructed to write what we wanted for our future. We must have been in grade 4. I was…

A Travel Through Reality

By: Jahnavi Patel April 25, 2019April 25, 2019

CULTURE, LIFEchild marriages, India, support the girl child1 Comment

A glimpse into the fate of many female children in India… #SupportTheGirlChild Blame is an escape. If we gave it a chance, the cunning emotion could turn our lives into a haven. Though what destiny gave us is what we receive. Why keep thirsty for something you will never earn? My heart keeps on yearning…

The Borders Between Roop and Satya: ‘Kalank’ Review

By: Jahnavi Patel April 25, 2019April 25, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT, THE ARTSaditya roy kapur, alia bhatt, bollywood, India, kalank, kalank review, madhuri dixit, roop and zafar, sanjay dutt, satya and roop, sonakshi sinha, varun dhawanLeave a Comment

“When someone else’s destruction seems like your victory, then there is no soul more broken than yours in this world.” –Kalank (2019) Kalank is a film that takes place in 1945 India during the pre-colonial era, and it is a film solely successful due to the web of words that the writers, Hussain Dalal and…

Unlimited Identities

By: Livanya Gramoney April 25, 2019April 25, 2019

EMPOWERMENT, LIFEfitting in, identityLeave a Comment

Everyone has many facets to their personality — no one can be labeled or understood as just having one side to them. A high school teacher may present themselves as a poised and educated person; however, when they are on a night out with their friends they might drink a bit too much beer, let…

Tick Tock

By: Kulsoom Mohammad April 24, 2019April 24, 2019

HEALTH & WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, POETRY & PROSE, THE ARTSautism awareness month, autism spectrum, sensory sensitivity disorderLeave a Comment

A short story revolving around sensory sensitivity for Autism Awareness Month: The ticking of the clock is too loud. I look around the classroom. Does no one notice it? Their heads are bent, sleeping on the desk. Some pay attention to the teacher that is drawing scribbles on the board. Do they not notice the…

The Monologue of a Young Indian Man Struggling with Mental Health — Part 1: Let’s Get Anxious!

By: Mohammed Arai April 23, 2019

HEALTH & WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTHanxiety, OCD, The Monologue of a Young Indian Man Struggling with Mental HealthLeave a Comment

Read the prologue here. As I walked back to the grandstand after winning the first round of our traditional Saturday afternoon game of squash against Moe, I could sense its return and presence not so far away. At this point, I should make it clear that I have been diagnosed with OCD and anxiety, and…

The Inevitability of Poverty

By: Ron Rocky Coloma April 22, 2019April 22, 2019

OPINION, WORLD ISSUESeconomy, poverty1 Comment

Poverty has always been perceived as a major worldwide problem. Since early civilization, the slaves of Roman masters were commanded to fulfill their respective duties. Currently, in California, the poverty rate is at 20.4 percent. Under any circumstances, the concept of poverty will never diminish. Trends throughout history have proved that there were numerous solutions…

The Bollywood Effect: Women in Indian Cinema

By: Jahnavi Patel April 12, 2019April 12, 2019

CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, FEMINISMbollywood, FEMINISM, indian filmsLeave a Comment

From Saira Banu to Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood, the Indian film fraternity, has been a part of Indian society for more than 106 years. In recent years, however, Bollywood has become an integral division of Indian society. It has become a source that has a large impact on the thoughts, dreams, and goals of the Indian…