Category: media posts

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Technological convergence is daunting; something that many are unable to understand with the exacerbating gap separating the wealthy from those in poverty. And I’m not the only one struggling with the digital divide. The divide is vast like a black hole, swallowing up knowledge faster than it flies in.

Let’s acknowledge some facts regarding obstacles to equity.

Seventy-three percent of students find that lack of support from their educators remains a significant barrier to their success in online courses. This statistic indicates a crucial gap in the education system. It’s challenging to pinpoint a single strategy that can effectively adapt to public education, especially in this political climate.

However, one strategy can come into play more than others. That approach is rooted in servant leadership, which sits at the intersection of transformational and authentic leadership. 

Servant leadership is my favorite leadership style. Servant leadership is a powerful, emerging strategy in education that ensures that all students, particularly those from underserved communities, are supported to thrive. Unlike traditional top-down leadership models (transactional), servant leadership flips the script completely by focusing on empowering others, listening to their needs, and prioritizing their well-being.

It can be a game-changer for students facing barriers like the digital divide. And the digital divide is only going to become bigger as technological convergence evolves.

What Is Servant Leadership?
Servant leadership, a philosophy coined by Robert K. Greenleaf, emphasizes that leaders should prioritize serving those they lead (Greenleaf, 1970). Rather than focusing on personal power or recognition, a servant leader’s primary goal is to support others in their growth, development, and success. 

Greenleaf found that a servant leader has a social responsibility to be concerned about the marginalized and those less privileged. If inequalities and social injustices exist, a servant leader tries to remove them (Graham, 1991). 

A leader uses less institutional power and control while shifting authority to those being led in becoming a servant leader. Servant leadership values a community of care (CoC) because it provides a face-to-face opportunity for individuals to experience interdependence, respect, trust, and growth (Greenleaf, 1970)

This leadership style creates an environment where everyone can succeed by embracing principles of empathy, active listening, and shared responsibility. According to Northouse’s book on Leadership Theories (2021), “conceptualizing refers to the capacity that gives leaders the ability to browse through a multitude of problems without any creative downfalls on them or the team” (p. 261).

Adopting the servant leadership mindset can significantly improve student outcomes, particularly for those facing technology-related challenges. It’s well-documented that hyper-urban and rural areas often remain disconnected due to systemic discrimination, which limits access to essential resources (Cabral, 2018). 

Wang et al. found that exploring cultural elements happens when confronting and surpassing them through social and technological influence (Wang et al., 2014). Wang also found that political issues contribute to cultural norms (Wang et al., 2014). 

For example, as pointed out, a system of expectations surrounding societal organizational culture provides a standard of behavior for employees, providing a reason for leadership Behavior; thus, a relationship between “authenticity, morality, and organizational cultures aligns accordingly” (Schein, 1985)

Scholars like Greene and Murphy (2021) argue that many of these technological barriers stem from unstable or inadequate access. However, some researchers, including Kersch and Lesley (2019), suggest that these gaps in education could be mitigated through curricular changes designed to support students navigating these challenges better.

The Connection Between Servant Leadership and the Digital Divide:
There are many ramifications of the digital divide beyond access to technology. Support systems are needed to help students succeed in a digital world. Students from low-income backgrounds, particularly Hispanic and first-generation students, are often left behind because they don’t have the resources or guidance to navigate online learning environments successfully.

A servant leader in education doesn’t just stand at the front of the class or set policies from a distance; they listen to students’ concerns, offer guidance, and create spaces for growth. 

Assuring all students have access to the tools they need to succeed and listening to their voices when challenges arise is one of the most salient parts of the process. Servant leaders can close the gap between technology and students by providing support and encouragement.

How Servant Leadership Transforms the Learning Experience:

  1. Empathy Over Authority: Servant leaders approach education with empathy, understanding that each student has different obstacles to overcome. When students lack reliable internet or digital skills, empathy can translate into providing tangible solutions, whether it’s offering free access to tech resources or setting up one-on-one tech support sessions.
  2. Listening to Student Needs: Listening is a core aspect of servant leadership. Leaders in education must listen to the voices of students to understand their experiences with the digital divide. Servant leaders act on what they hear, making sure that students feel supported, whether it’s survey data or direct feedback.
  3. Creating a Community of Care: Servant leadership creates an environment that is safe and inclusive. Education starts with building a CoC where students feel valued and connected to their peers and to the technology that enables their success. This can be especially salient for Hispanic students attending Hispanic-Serving Institutions, where there may be a heightened sense of belonging when technology challenges are met with collaborative solutions.

Practical Steps for Implementing Servant Leadership in Education:

  • Provide Personalized Tech Support: Offering tutoring or assistance in navigating digital platforms ensures that students can fully engage with their courses, especially those without prior experience.
  • Collaborate with Students: Work with students to co-create solutions that address their digital struggles, from organizing community-driven tech drives to connecting them with local tech support services.
  • Mentorship and Advocacy: Serve as a mentor and advocate, not just for academic success, but for students’ digital fluency and access to technology. Ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed by advocating for policies that support digital equity.

As a result, the digital divide isn’t an insurmountable mountain. An increasingly digital world can be made more successful by educators and institutions adopting servant leadership principles. 

Similarly, empirical studies have shown that when educators matched servant leadership with followers who desired it, this type of leadership had a positive impact on performance and organizational citizenship behavior (Meuser et al., 2011; Otero-Neira et al., 2016; Ozyilmaz & Cicek, 2015). 

In doing so, we can create a future where technology serves as a tool for inclusion and opportunity, rather than a barrier to achievement. It’s not about how hard it is to climb the mountain; it’s about the run back down. The digital divide is something we have to learn to live with, and awareness in education equals awareness in the workplace. Vital progress of pedagogy starts in the praxis.

References

Carbajal, Jose (2018). “Patriarchal Culture’s Influence on Women’s Leadership Ascendancy,” The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 1. Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/jfec/vol2/iss1/1

Graham, J. W. (1991). Servant leadership in organizations: Inspirational and moral.

Leadership Quarterly, 2, 105-119.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. Westfield, IN: Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.

Hu, J., & Liden, R. C. (2011). Antecedents of team potency and effectiveness:

Examining goal and process clarity and servant leadership, Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 851-862.

Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th Edition). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://reader2.yuzu.com/books/9781071834473

Schein, E. H. (1985). Organizational culture and leadership, by Edgar H. Schein. san … – JSTOR. JSTOR. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/258322

Schein, E. H. (2004, July 8). Organizational culture and leadership. Google Books. Retrieved February 25, 2023, from https://books.google.com/books/about/Organizational_Culture_and_Leadership.html?id=THQa4txcMl4CWang, V. X., Russo, M. R., & Fay, K. M. (2014). Collective transformation of three generations of Chinese adult learners in K–20 education. In Adult and continuing education (pp. 824–838). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5780-9.ch107

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The U.S. economy added just 33,000 jobs in July 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s a drastic drop from June’s revised total of 194,000 jobs. For context, economists expected around 175,000 new jobs. We fell significantly short.

July’s report signals a broader slowdown in job growth. While one month doesn’t define a trend, many professionals are understandably anxious. When growth slows, layoffs often follow. Freelancers feel the squeeze. Recent grads face fewer opportunities. Hiring freezes kick in.

So what can we do in times like these?

Servant Leadership Is More Important Than Ever

In tough economic times, good leadership matters more. But not the traditional top-down kind. Now is the time for servant leadership.

Servant leaders put people first. They provide support, empathy, and stability. They coach, uplift, and guide without ego. They ask, How can I help?

And they recognize that hope is a strategic advantage.

If you’re in a position of leadership right now, consider how you can create clarity and calm for your team, your peers, or even your online community. Compassion-driven leadership is needed in this very moment.

Learn Instead of Just Earn: Why Literacy Is the Key

When jobs are scarce, learning becomes survival. But we’re not just talking about college degrees. In today’s world, we need multiple forms of literacy:

  • Digital literacy — How systems work, how content flows, how to use platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed
  • Media literacy — Understanding how information is framed and shared online
  • Platform literacy — How to navigate job boards, remote hiring, and gig platforms

The goal? Know how everything works. Learn how the systems move so you can move through them, and around them if necessary.

If You’re Out of Work: What to Focus On

1. Keep updating your portfolio. Even if you’re not currently employed, you can keep working on projects, freelance tasks, writing samples, or mock case studies. Employers want to see momentum and proof that you’re still growing. Consider a writing challenge for your blog (like what I’m doing right now) or create a collection of social media posts that drive engagement for a marketing or SEO role.

2. Stay open to freelance or contract work. Many employers are cutting full-time roles but still need help. Contract gigs can fill in financial gaps and keep your skills sharp. Yes, freelancing means buying your own health insurance. But it also means flexibility and survival. Right now, survival matters.

3. Don’t underestimate your effort. You’re not alone. Many talented people are in the same position. For example, one job I applied to a couple of weeks ago had 954 job applicants. Another one had over 1600. The U.S. has over 330 million people, and only 33,000 new jobs were added. That’s not on me or you.

4. Keep working on that small business. Staying busy is best, and while staying busy does not always mean being profitable, it does mean that there is a way to contribute to your community. And in turn, the community will support you. For those who sell goods, consider farmers’ markets. Get chronically online. Open that Etsy or Shopify. Interact with others online and watch how organic engagement draws people in.

5. Have empathy for yourself. It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to feel stuck or stagnant. Sometimes, you find yourself meditating, but you might wonder why you’re being still when you need to be working. It’s okay. Just don’t confuse stillness with failure, because we aren’t failures. We are surviving. And if you’re trying, you’re doing more than enough.

If You Have a Job: Hold It Carefully, But Strategically

If you’re currently employed, be mindful of how you contribute. Help others where you can. Be someone who uplifts. But also: keep your options open. Update your resume, refresh your skills, and quietly prepare for what’s to come, which will probably include further drastic economic instability.

Sources:

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Written in 2024 and updated in 2025

In The New Social Theory Reader by Steven Seidman and Jeffrey C. Alexander, one of the most pivotal figures explored is Jürgen Habermas—a philosopher and sociologist whose theories on law and democracy continue to shape contemporary discourse. His work, featured in Chapter One, unpacks the complex relationship between democratic governance and the legal system, offering a powerful framework for understanding how modern societies function (and do not).

At the heart of Habermas’s philosophy is the concept of communicative action—the idea that rational discourse and mutual understanding are essential for democracy to thrive. In his view, democracy is only as strong as the public’s ability to engage in meaningful, reasoned dialogue. The law, then, becomes more than a set of rules—it transforms into a reflection of collective will and a safeguard for justice and equality.

As Habermas puts it:

“What makes communicative reason possible is the linguistic medium through which interactions are woven together, and forms of life are structured.”

The Public Sphere and Deliberative Democracy

A key component of Habermas’s theory is the concept of the public sphere—a space where individuals gather as equals to discuss shared concerns. This concept is central to how he defines democracy: a system where deliberative democracy can flourish, diverse viewpoints can be expressed, and consensus can be reached through open and inclusive discussion.

In this setting, the law serves as a codification of the collective dialogue that takes place within the public sphere. It formalizes shared norms into structures that govern social behavior, ensuring that society reflects the values that its people have negotiated.

However, Habermas’s optimism is tempered by realism—especially given the historical context of post–World War II Europe. As he observed:

“Just when it could emerge as the sole heir of the moral practical self-understanding of modernity, it lacks the energy to drive ahead with the task of imposing social and ecological restraints on capitalism at the breathtaking level of global society”
(Seidman, 2008, p. 35).

Critique of Modernity: Technology, Power, and the Lifeworld

Habermas is sharply critical of how money, power, and technology distort public discourse. In his view, these forces create deep divides and diminish the public’s ability to engage in authentic communication. He warns of what he calls the “colonization of the lifeworld”—when bureaucratic systems and instrumental logic invade everyday human interaction, stripping individuals of autonomy and meaning.

He is particularly wary of how technological advancement can reinforce social inequality. Access to information, platforms for discourse, and the ability to participate meaningfully in democratic processes are increasingly tied to power and privilege.

“The systemic integration attained through money and power must retain its dependence upon socially integrative processes of civic self-determination in accordance with the Constitutional understanding of the legal community.”
(Seidman, 2008, p. 42).

Why Habermas Still Matters

Habermas’s work continues to influence a wide array of disciplines, including legal theory, political science, and media studies. His ideas have sparked critical conversations about deliberative democracy, legal pluralism, and the role of civil society in democratic engagement.

For researchers and practitioners alike, Habermas offers more than theory—he offers a roadmap for reform. Policymakers, educators, and activists can draw from his work to promote transparency, accountability, and inclusive civic participation. His framework enables us to assess whether our institutions genuinely serve democratic values—or merely simulate them.

Final Thoughts

Habermas reminds us that democracy isn’t just about laws. It’s about voices. It’s about creating spaces where people can speak, be heard, and reach a mutual understanding. As we continue to confront digital influence, economic inequality, and political division, his vision of the public sphere and communicative rationality becomes more urgent than ever.

In an age where algorithms often replace dialogue, Habermas calls us back to conversation.

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Written in 2025

It’s been a while since I’ve done a free write.

So, here I am. Just sitting with my thoughts. Feeling okay. Not great, not awful. Just okay.

Lately, I’ve found myself ruminating. About everything and nothing at the same time. The paradox of politics has been especially loud in my head. We live in a moment where standing for something should matter more than ever, and yet we’re watching people fall for anything.

The divide between left and right feels enormous, but maybe we’re looking in the wrong direction. Perhaps it’s not about the dichotomy between what’s left or right. There has to be something else.

I look over at the book I’ve been reading, Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire. Suddenly, the thought bubble is taken over by the little speck of light you see when you’re floating to the bottom of the sea. Small, but bright.

Maybe we should be looking up and down.

Because let’s be honest: we’re not on the up and up.

The Weight We Carry

Photo by Ahsanjaya on Pexels.com

Many millennials—often burdened by debt, high rent, and economic instability—are living in multigenerational households. As of 2021, approximately 18% of millennials (ages 27–42) were living with their parents or other older relatives (Pew Research Center).

Millennials have lived through wars, pandemics, and now the normalization of fascist rhetoric in American public life. From 9/11 to Iraq and Afghanistan, to COVID-19, to the destabilizing effects of misinformation and mass surveillance, we’ve been through it. And now Gen Z is dealing with it too. And so will Gen Alpha, which is a shame.

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Coming together still feels like a dream. But dreams don’t happen unless we make moves. And the community needs to hit the ground running. We’re all going to have to pick up the slack.

Time does not stop for anyone.

Idiocracy, In Real Time

Photo Courtesy of The Guardian

I finally watched Idiocracy the other day. It’s satire. But barely. It’s a little scary how books and movies help us make sense of our present day.

In the U.S., most adults read at a 7th to 8th-grade level, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Post-pandemic studies have shown a decline in literacy, particularly among young people.

This is why my son has a “banned books” shelf, for all stages of his life. I am afraid that this type of information might slip through his tiny hands if I don’t provide it. So I will. I will teach him. The most radical thing I can do, as a parent, is teach my son what the schools will not.

Knowledge is the last vestige of reality. We’re watching it slip through our phone screens. Anti-intellectualism, algorithm-driven thinking, and an overreliance on AI-generated content have reshaped how we think, what we value, and how we interact. Like Baudrillard predicted, we’ve become a nation of simulations.

We’re watching the downfall of the United States in real time.

And it’s not some abstract future. It’s now.

This is literally something that no amount of therapy, medication, or Love Island could fix, due to economic instability like this. Our stock market is inflated, and the tariffs we will and already are paying will not help.

And then there’s still half of America that doesn’t realize that. Still.

What We Need: Community, Care, and Clarity

However, there is hope.

Creator: Jae Hong | Credit: AP

Copyright: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

In California, we’ve seen mutual aid in action—from organizing during ICE operations to recovering from catastrophic wildfires. In July 2024, reports of targeted ICE activity in Los Angeles renewed the urgency around community defense, and the response was swift: neighbors supported one another. Legal aid groups mobilized. Volunteers stepped in.

We’re more than just voters. We’re protectors of the community. There may be a drastic digital divide that the wealthy abhorrently take advantage of — and people are starting to see it.

This isn’t just about left or right.

It’s about transcending fascism. About resisting late-stage capitalism. About caring for one another in a system that’s tried everything to convince us that care is a weakness. It’s about a community of care.

It’s about grassroots organizing, building community resilience, and mitigating misinformation. It’s about refusing to back down even when things feel impossible.

The population is waking up and putting their foot down. Enough is enough.

There’s still time to enact a call to action.

There’s still time to make a change.

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Written in 2024 and expanded in 2025

The rise of compulsory coding in education is more than a tech trend; it’s a philosophical shift. Rooted in yes-case/no-case theory, this evolving mandate reveals deeper questions about who decides what knowledge matters, and how that knowledge shapes society.

At the heart of this analysis are two key theorists: Jean Baudrillard and Michel Foucault, whose frameworks challenge how we define “truth” in a hyper-digital age. The “yes case” reflects State-sanctioned knowledge: structured, standardized, and enforced through educational policy. The “no case,” by contrast, represents self-selected, personally valued knowledge: the kind that escapes mainstream narratives.

This study asks a fundamental question: Are we becoming more like machines, or are machines becoming more like us?

Coding as a Philosophical Shift

Kissinger (2018) explored how the rise of artificial intelligence and compulsory coding in schools introduced new “habits of mind” into public discourse. This isn’t just about tech skills, it’s about technology taking on a dominant cultural role, shaping how we think, communicate, and learn.

Baudrillard and Foucault wrote their theories long before the full impact of digital competency and AI became visible. Yet, their work, particularly Baudrillard’s ideas on digital abstraction and hyperreality, helps explain what’s happening now.

Coding for all is framed not only as a digital literacy movement but as a “transfer effect” from the digital abstractions Baudrillard warned about back in 1993 and 1995. Computational thinking, ethical dilemmas, and unintended social consequences all converge to shape a world where technology isn’t just a tool; it becomes a worldview.

Digital Shadows and Hyperreality

One striking comparison from the study is Baudrillard’s “digital Plato’s Cave.” In this metaphor, reality is no longer perceived directly, but through Digital Shadows. He asks, “Why speak, when we can communicate?” A line that underscores how interfaces and platforms mediate our human experience.

The study also connects to David Harvey’s ideas on postmodernity, pointing to a major shift in culture, politics, and economics since the 1970s. As Harvey explains, communication has become more fragmented and complex, shaped by meta-languages, meta-theories, and shifting narratives. These trends are especially visible in how different industries, including education and media, engage with coding, AI, and tech policy.

A Personal Connection

My dissertation research focuses on technology access at Hispanic-Serving Institutions, particularly for students from marginalized communities. It’s a topic informed not just by theory but by lived experience, including my time as a journalist and opinion writer.

Today, the media landscape is saturated with content; a lot of it AI-generated, rarely reviewed by humans. This shift changes not only how we communicate, but what we communicate. Trust in sources has eroded. The American perspective on global issues is often misaligned with how the rest of the world sees us. And in many cases, digital “truths” have replaced real-world understanding.

Final Thoughts

As Elon Musk warned in his own discussions about AI, digital trickery is no longer science fiction. It’s already here. I know, me quoting Elon Musk is out there, but the quote fits. Musk’s concerns mirror Baudrillard’s fears that media and machines increasingly mediate reality until the real and the artificial are indistinguishable.

As schools incorporate coding into their curricula and AI continues to evolve, we must ask: Are we equipping students with tools for empowerment, or are we embedding them even deeper into a system of abstraction?

It’s a deeply philosophical issue. It gets bigger the more the digital divide grows.

References Cited

Baudrillard, J. (1995). Simulacra and simulation. In Body, in theory: Histories of cultural materialism. University of Michigan Press.

Foucault, M. (1972). The archaeology of knowledge and the discourse on language. Translated by Alan Sheridan Smith. New York: Pantheon Books.

Foucault, M. (1981). The order of discourse. In R. Young (Ed.), Untying the text: A post-structuralist reader (pp. 48–78). Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Harvey, D. (2008). The Condition of Postmodernity. In S. Sideman & J. Alexander, The New Social Theory Reader (pp. 235–242). New York: Routledge.

Keenihan, S. (2017). Revealed today, Elon Musk’s new space vision took us from Earth to Mars, and back home again. In the conversation, Retrieved from: http://theconversation.com/revealed-today-elon-musks-new-space-vision-took-us-from-earth-to-mars-and-back-home-again-84837.

Kissinger, H. (2018). How the Enlightenment ends. Retrieved from: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/henry-kissinger-ai-could-mean-the-end-of-human-history/559124/

Matousek, M. (2018). Elon Musk is launching his Tesla Roadster into space to prove a point — But it’s also a brilliant marketing move. Retrieved from: https://sports.yahoo.com/elon-musk-launching-tesla-roadster-172511191.html

Schroeder, J. (2018). Toward a discursive marketplace of ideas: Reimaging the marketplace metaphor in the era of social media, fake news, and artificial intelligence. First Amendment Studies, 51(1–2), 38–60.

Rogers, C. (2018). Falcon Heavy launch leaves inspiration in its wake. Retrieved from: https://medium.com/@rogerstigers/falcon-heavy-launch-leaves-inspiration-in-its-wake-d186a1bdb8e7

Tamatea, L. (2019). Compulsory coding in education: liberal-humanism, Baudrillard and the ‘problem’ of abstraction. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, pp. 1–29.

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Print Capitalism, National Consciousness, and the Problem with Imagined Unity

Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism explores how nationalism itself is not an organic development, but a socially constructed phenomenon—an “imagined community” built through shared language, culture, and crucially, the rise of print capitalism.

It’s a fascinating idea: that nations are not bound by physical borders but rather by the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Citizens build a sense of belonging through newspapers, novels, and other printed materials, one that gives people the illusion of unity with others they would never meet in person. Anderson argues that this shared sense of identity, while powerful, is imagined. And like many imagined ideas, it can be wielded for both cohesion and control.

From Anderson’s perspective, the press plays a key role in this construction. Journalism becomes not just a source of information, but a vehicle for reinforcing nationalism. At its best, the media is supposed to serve as a societal watchdog. However, under capitalism, and particularly when a handful of billionaires control the press, those ideals are often replaced by narratives that serve power, not the people.

In the same way state-run media has shaped public perception in countries like North Korea, Vietnam, or China (as Anderson notes on pages 282–283), Western media, though less overtly controlled, often operates in similar ways. Ownership, agenda, and ideology filter what gets published, and who gets heard. The result? A narrative that normalizes colonization, glorifies the past, and renders oppression and exploitation invisible to the mainstream.

And even though much of the media we consume today is digital rather than printed, the impact remains. Words are still “printed” on screens, and they still construct a national identity; one that often leans heavily into conservative values, especially in the U.S., where Christianity and nationalism frequently go hand in hand.

Now, to be clear: having pride in your country isn’t inherently problematic. However, when a selective history and curated information shape national pride, things become murky. For example, in certain rural or conservative parts of the U.S., public school curricula are shaped by school boards that may actively omit or distort historical realities, glossing over colonization, slavery, and the actual mechanics of war. Omission doesn’t just limit education; it undermines the national consciousness that Anderson described. Without honest reflection, the “imagined community” becomes more myth than memory.

Capitalism and the Narrative of Truth

Ideologies such as Marxism and socialism were founded on principles of equity and solidarity. However, when capitalism becomes the dominant force behind the circulation of information—especially when profit and power are involved—those ideals can be easily co-opted. Greed alters the public narrative, and we see this play out in real time through today’s media coverage.

A Case Study in Media Framing

Take, for example, the ongoing starvation of Palestinian infants and children. A leaked internal memo from The New York Times in 2024 reportedly instructed journalists not to refer to Palestine as an “occupied territory” or to use terms like “genocide” in their reporting. Regardless of where one stands politically, it’s clear that such editorial decisions shape public perception. When specific terms are off-limits, it becomes harder for readers to access the full scope of the issue, and easier for a particular narrative to dominate the conversation. In this case, media objectivity is compromised in favor of language that supports nationalist or colonialist perspectives.

It’s not just about one conflict and its framing. It’s about how newsrooms, under the pressure of corporate and political interests, contribute to constructing national identity in ways that may exclude or silence others. They become complicit. When journalism becomes selective in its truth-telling, it undermines its purpose and reinforces a worldview that favors power over people.

The Tech-Nationalism Feedback Loop

Nationalism, as Anderson reminds us, is a modern invention. It evolves alongside technology, and as our means of communication become faster and more centralized, so too does the spread of nationalist ideology. We see this not just in the U.S., but in places like China, where digital firewalls and media censorship shape the public’s perception of national identity. There, access to platforms like Facebook or Instagram is restricted not only for security, but also to protect a specific narrative.

Secular Allegiance and the Flattening of Identity

Anderson also notes how nationalism can take on secular forms, replacing religious or ethnic affiliations with allegiance to the nation-state. In theory, this could be a unifying force; something that helps people move beyond divisions and find common ground. In practice, though, it often flattens identity, pushing marginalized communities to conform to dominant norms or risk exclusion.

Conclusion: Who Gets Left Out?

This tension between imagined unity and lived reality is perhaps the most pressing issue with nationalism today. When media and technology become tools of influence rather than inquiry, they no longer create bridges between people. They create barriers.

Anderson’s work doesn’t just help explain the origins of nationalism; it offers a lens for questioning the stories we’re told and the systems that tell them. It invites us to ask the following question: Who benefits from these imagined communities? Who gets left out of the story?

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Written in 2017

In 2003, Ian Urbina, a graduate student at the University of Chicago, abandoned his doctoral dissertation after completing a small journalism internship with an investigative reporter, which gave him a taste of reporting.

That taste landed him a job at one of the largest news media outlets in the US, a handful of awards, and a few investigative pieces that were turned into feature films.

That’s where his love of journalism has culminated over the past 14 years. 

A Fulbright scholar who worked and lived in Havana for three years, he was enrolled in a dual degree program with majors in cultural anthropology and history. He received a degree in history from Georgetown University in 1995. 

Urbina wasn’t expecting to find himself with the platform he has as a writer. Things just happened that way. He says his life gets weirder the deeper you go.

“I’m kind of an oddball, and so my day-to-day is pretty different than the norm,” he said.

Urbina’s typical day as an investigative journalist consists of long hours. Currently on book leave, he sDCs his days at home near The New York Times’ Washington, D.C., Bureau. 

He wakes up at the crack of dawn, around 4 in the morning, because that’s when he feels he works better. He has one main editor he works with in DC.

Urbina has his own office conveniently in the backyard. 

“I am a bit distractible, and do much better in kind of a deprivation chamber,” he said.

Urbina credits luck for his position at the Times. Little by little, he worked his way up the totem pole through freelancing. A stint with Think Tank is the moment that changed Urbina’s life, thrusting him into a mainstream career as a journalist. He learned everything there is to know about journalism “on the fly” at the DC Bureau metro desk, because he was clueless.

“I knew how to string together a sentence and make it occasionally somewhat polished, but I didn’t really know newspaper writing and all that entails,” he said.

After a year and a half at the metro desk, Urbina moved on to bureau chief. He managed an area from Kentucky to Ohio, noting that it was a challenging job because it was not a local paper — this was a paper on a national scale.

One day, Urbina asked his editor if he could take a break from the news rat race and spend a year researching documents for an article.

His editor said Go for it.

Urbina’s most recent piece, “Outlaw Ocean,” was not only his longest stint at three years, but it was also a dangerous and stressful assignment. It’s currently being turned into a book and a movie project. 

His editor was not a fan of the series, which also added to the list of obstacles surrounding the completion of his research.

Investigating overseas requires taking several precautions, including ensuring that you have a reliable translator. Without one, a journalist is entirely out of luck. No matter how good a writer you are, without a translator, nothing will be done properly, Urbina says.

Violence was a common occurrence while reporting in other countries.

The things he saw included murder on camera, sex trafficking, slavery, and arms trafficking.

Urbina says that spacing out trips, along with knowing who you hire, helps with the investigative process abroad.

“The difficulty (with reporting overseas) is the reporting itself,” he said.”You’re chasing really bleak stuff.”

His findings on fracking in 2011, in a series called “Drilling Down,” helped show the US how dangerous the government’s want for natural gas really was. Before Democrats were against the practice, fracking was seen as a gold mine, while few questioned whether it was detrimental to the government. Urbina, however, questioned it.

“That series was tough, it was aggressive, and we got really strong pushback from the (oil) industry,” he said.

Urbina felt that the documents surrounding the fracking piece were some of the craziest things he had read as an investigative journalist.

“So like, everyone knew there was radioactivity in the waste coming out of these wells,” he said. “But no one knew how much radioactivity.”

The fracking, which caused drastic leaks that seeped into sewage treatment plants, was utterly unknown to the nation until it was investigated.

 It took hours of poring over documents and piecing together each part of the puzzle little by little, but in the end, it worked out for him. That’s one of the key things to being a journalist–sifting through documents.

“If you can name the monster, you can beat the monster, and that’s true with document hunting,” he said.

Urbina had a team compile an extensive archive of the documents found, still accessible on the Times today. There have been no corrections made to the database, which contains approximately 500 pages of documents.

“Drilling Down” took at least four months to report, Urbina says. As far as requesting documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Urbina typically expects a response within at least a year. 

A beat, data, documents, and spreadsheets are the tools for any journalist’s future. It’s also essential to consider distribution afterward. A reporter’s job is to break news, not follow it. 

What is key to investigative reporting is finding a new way to tell old stories, or new stories. 

That’s the space that Urbina lives in.

“You’re not done when you finish the story,” he said. “Don’t just put it in your paper.”

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By Ashlyn N. Ramirez

“Justice is possible without a knowledge of God’s Law.” — Alasdair MacIntyre
“Struggles for recognition occur in a world of exacerbated material inequality.” — Nancy Fraser

We like to think justice is simple. Fair. Earned. But what if the systems we rely on to define justice were never built for everyone in the first place?

In my studies, I found myself pulled between two powerful voices: Alasdair MacIntyre and Nancy Fraser. They don’t write textbooks. They write blueprints for understanding who gets to decide what’s fair—and who’s left out.

MacIntyre speaks in traditions. He says justice is shaped by culture, by religion, by inherited values. Justice, for him, isn’t universal—it’s rooted in communities shaped by Puritanism, Catholicism, and Judaism. If those are the traditions you’re part of, maybe his logic feels familiar. But for others, it can feel exclusive. It left me wondering: if your history isn’t part of those narratives, do you still get to belong?

Fraser, on the other hand, meets us in the present. She writes about what we can see: food insecurity, health gaps, systemic racism, and gender-based violence. Her lens is urgent, intersectional, and sharp. She says it’s not enough to redistribute wealth—you must also recognize identity. You can’t discuss equality without addressing visibility.

When Tradition Doesn’t See You

MacIntyre’s work made me pause. He believes we inherit rationality through community. That truth is shaped by tradition. The liberal media and secular politics have lost sight of deeper values. He’s not entirely wrong.

However, I don’t come from the traditions he centers on. And I don’t believe justice should be reserved only for people who follow a specific moral lineage. Justice, to me, can’t be something you earn through inheritance. It has to be something we build—together.

Irene Chu calls MacIntyre’s logic deeply institutional. He’s focused on structure. On moral blueprints. But I kept asking myself: what about people who are navigating systems that were never made with them in mind?

Seeing Ourselves in the Struggle

Fraser is different. She calls out material inequality—not just in paycheck size, but in access to healthcare, housing, and even clean air. Her work hit home. As someone who has lived through environmental racism and felt the physical cost of inequality, her ideas weren’t just theory. They were familiar.

Fraser argues for two kinds of justice: redistribution (who gets what) and recognition (who gets seen). She says you can’t have one without the other. Pride parades, she notes, aren’t just celebrations—they’re statements. Visibility is political.

She also doesn’t let systems off the hook. Fraser is critical of neoliberalism, identity tokenism, and top-down reform. She’s grounded in feminist theory and understands that structural change requires cultural and symbolic transformation too.

Where They Meet—and Where They Don’t

Both MacIntyre and Fraser believe justice isn’t working. But their solutions come from different places. One looks to the past; the other looks to systems and structures that still dominate the present.

They both criticize liberalism’s failures. Both challenge how Enlightenment ideals left out too many people. But only one of them, in my opinion, shows a path forward that includes all of us.

MacIntyre invites us to consider what we inherit. Fraser challenges us to change what we’ve normalized.

Why It Matters to Me

As a doctoral student researching the digital divide, I witness these frameworks being played out every day. Some students never had access to laptops or high-speed internet. That’s not just a tech issue—it’s a justice issue. Fraser’s lens helps me see that clearly.

But I also understand how culture shapes belief. That’s MacIntyre’s territory. Why some still resist digital learning. Why access isn’t just about money, but mindset.

Ultimately, both theorists provide tools. Fraser equips me to fight for equity. MacIntyre reminds me that beliefs are inherited—and that means they can be challenged.

Justice Isn’t Neutral. It’s Personal.

I’ve spent years trying to understand why justice seems so distant for some and so readily assumed for others. This journey through MacIntyre and Fraser didn’t provide me with a single perfect answer. But it gave me a better question:

Whose justice? Which rationality?

I think we’re all still trying to figure that out.

Ashlyn N. Ramirez is a doctoral candidate, writer, and researcher who explores media, identity, and access in the digital age.

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Written in 2023

“Go back to where you came from.” That was the top phrase I heard the entire time I’ve been a resident of the California Bible Belt.

There’s nothing original about growing up in the Inland Empire. It’s the suburbs—yet somehow still considered rural in parts. It’s a place where underrepresented populations are growing in number, but so are Trump flags and right-wing extremism.

In 2020, Riverside County—where I reside—declared racism a public health crisis. But racism has always been here. It’s in the air, in the politics, and sometimes literally in the air—I developed severe asthma from poor air quality, a byproduct of environmental racism. I once lived next to a house raided by the FBI for extremist activity. My local representative, Ken Calvert, welcomed Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene to attend a church service in my community—during a tour with indicted rapist Congressman Matt Gaetz.

It’s the kind of place where, in 2014, “patriots” blocked a road with linked arms to stop a bus of Central American immigrants, convinced they were defending land that was never theirs to begin with. This community sits on stolen land—look up the Temecula Indian Massacre.

And I live here.

Assimilation Is Not Safety

Being multigenerational doesn’t shield me from anything. I still live with my parents after my divorce. I still face systemic oppression—in healthcare, in schools, and in the workplace. I’ve spent half my life trying to break into a profession that doesn’t want me there. Not here. Not where my presence is questioned at every turn.

At 28, I took a DNA test and discovered I’m Indigenous. But I don’t know what tribe I came from. That’s erasure. That’s trauma. That’s assimilation. And no amount of “blending in” will save us.

Journalism Was Never Just a Job

I built a journalism career piece by piece. Assistant Opinion Editor at Cal State Fullerton’s Daily Titan. Reporter. Editor. Columnist. I investigated homelessness in Orange County and covered political unrest. In 2017, I helped cover a CSUF lecturer’s altercation with the campus Republican club and the protests that followed. That work resurfaced recently—because the threats haven’t gone away.

I’ve written for luxury magazines, indie rock blogs, and newspapers across Southern California. I helped de-platform a right-wing extremist on The Intercept. My team placed third in the California College Media Awards and was a finalist for the LA Press Club. I was proud. But even with those wins, self-doubt lingered—because race and class constantly press back.

I have two degrees, including a Master of Science in Communications and Journalism Innovation, and I’m earning a doctorate in Education. But even now, I know what it means to be overlooked.

Beyond DEI

Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become marketing buzzwords. DEI can be a trap—another way to tokenize BIPOC voices instead of truly listening.

I used to think my passion was journalism. But what I’ve come to realize is that my real passion is learning. It’s education. It’s digital literacy. It’s helping others navigate a world built to exclude them. I’m currently a full-time doctoral student researching the intersection of media, digital access, and educational equity.

Innovation starts with the words we write—in the classroom, on the internet, and in print. That’s how we build new pathways.

Rewriting My Own History

I write poetry now—mostly dark. It’s how I process. I look at the media landscape and feel haunted. I watch journalism become clickbait. I watch misinformation flood the platforms. I watch the rise of new precedents in media law that mirror the darkest parts of our history.

But I also see possibility.

Without writers, there is no record. Without journalists, there is no truth in print. I lost my culture through assimilation, but I refuse to stay disconnected from my heart.

Through research, education, and writing, I’ve traced pieces of my family tree. I’ve rebuilt what was erased. I’ve claimed space. And I’ve done it all while living with invisible illness, chronic pain, and neurodivergence.

Why I Keep Going

Why do I keep writing? Why am I still fighting for space in rooms that were never designed for me?

Because breaking generational cycles matters. Because education matters. Because there are students—readers—leaders—like me, still searching for a story that feels like home.

I’m not just chasing a degree. I’m chasing the freedom to write the truth, to teach it, and to make sure someone else doesn’t have to grow up wondering where they really come from.

In the end, we all become the exact same specks of atmospheric dust. But while I’m here, I’m going to make it count.

Written by Ashlyn Ramirez – Writer, Researcher, Educator

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Exploring the Impact of Technology Access on the Educational Success of Disabled Latino Students in Community Colleges

May 10, 2024

ABSTRACT

Southern California’s Hispanic and Latino population is among the most highly enrolled in college institutions, partially due to their involvement in Hispanic-serving duties (Tagami & Reagan, 2022). However, graduating, especially when a disability is involved, is not often discussed (Tagami & Reagan, 2022). This conference proposal addresses the exceptional progress in educational disparity experienced by disabled Latino students in community colleges, with a primary focus on the profound impact of digital media. Incorporating theoretical insights from critical scholars such as Jean Baudrillard, Laurence Tamatea, Michel Foucault, Tom Shakespeare, and David Harvey, this research examines the delicate balance of access to technology, disability, ethnicity, and academic outcomes within the framework of community colleges in the contemporary postmodern era. The disabled community benefits from online educational communities through videos, language, and discussion (Narciso Jr., 2023). This study aims to explore how disabled Latino students navigate the digitally mediated educational environment, drawing on Baudrillard’s analysis of hyperreality and Harvey’s examination of globalization. Simulated environments and global reciprocity influence this era, which remains characterized by images. Understanding the benefits of this demographic in utilizing and accessing technology is crucial.

The research question of this study concerns how digital media in the classroom positively impacts the educational success of Latino students with disabilities in community colleges. Some ways include flexible classwork, online educational digital media, and finding community through discussion boards and online classes (Narciso Jr., 2023). This pivotal research question on the ubiquity of digital media seeks to explore the intersectionality of technology access, disability, ethnicity, and higher education outcomes within the context of community colleges. As researchers delve further into artificial intelligence, it is more crucial than ever to investigate the ongoing impact of technology on educational success. The research question aims to explore how access to technology can facilitate remarkable educational success for disabled Latino students, particularly in the postmodern era characterized by hyperreality, simulations, and the proliferation of digital media. By examining the impact of digital media on an online community of education, one can see the benefits for community college students. The frameworks of Jean Baudrillard’s hyperreality and David Harvey’s globalization provide a comprehensive understanding of the implications of these phenomena on the educational experiences of disabled Latino students.

There are strategies and interventions that community colleges can implement to bridge the digital divide and significantly enhance the educational success of Latino students with disabilities within the context of postmodern social, economic, and technological dynamics. If effectively implemented, these strategies can offer a brighter future for these students and improve their educational outcomes. This study will employ a qualitative methodology, focusing on small cluster groups to interview students about how online coursework has changed their perception of schooling since the advent of online education. The study could include an end-of-year survey, in addition to interviews, to understand how the online course benefited the students. Other methods include mixed methods, utilizing an instrument to understand the GPA of students who enroll in online classes, primarily using digital media to teach their students.

The digital divide uniquely manifests among disabled Latino students in community colleges. They harbor specific upsides in accessing and utilizing technology for educational purposes. Jean Baudrillard’s theories of simulacra and simulations apply to the digital experiences of disabled Latino students, influencing their engagement with academic content and digital media. Hyperreality and hyperrealism refer to Baudrillard’s concept of living in a technological simulation, unlike nature (Baudrillard, 1994). With so much hyperreality and hyperrealism existing in our modern world, it is clear that there is a crisis of representation where traditional forms of knowledge, authority, and truth remain in question, and that crisis manifests itself according to Harvey in various domains, such as art, literature, and politics (2008). However, through the crisis, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. An analysis of interviews will reveal the conditions of postmodernity, as described by David Harvey (2008), that influence the educational experiences and opportunities available to disabled Latino students in community colleges, particularly in terms of globalization, consumerism, and cultural fragmentation. Community colleges bypass the problems of postmodernity and utilize them to their advantage, pushing forward certificate completion and two-year degree programs at the student’s pace (Tagami & Reagan, 2022; Narciso Jr., 2023).

There are two theoretical concepts that Baudrillard and Foucault have based on social truths, representing state-sanctioned knowledge and individually, self-selected valued knowledge (Foucault, 1972, 1981; Baudrillard, 1994). Some studies raise one fundamental question, such as Tamatea’s compulsory coding and education (2019). The question to consider in this study is whether we are becoming more like machines or machines are becoming more like humans. With the rise of artificial intelligence and technological advances in education and the media, Baudrillard wrote that the vast influence of digital competency was tangible (1994). However, the study aims to challenge the downsides Baudrillard felt were probable in his analysis of simulacra. Tamatea’s ‘yes theory’ points towards technological success in early schooling through coding, a way of simulation by machine (2019). Community college success remains significant to specific theories that consider this framework. The research question and its subsequent sub-genres aim to make a unique contribution to the broader discourse on educational equity, access to technology, and social justice. By drawing insights from Baudrillard and Harvey, we aim to comprehend the complexities of contemporary digital media proliferation, particularly in the form of online communities, highlighting the urgency of the issue and the necessity for ongoing action. Furthermore, it aims to highlight the strategies and interventions employed by these institutions to continue bridging the digital divide and promoting educational equity.

Introduction

This research paper aims to shed light on the composite directions at play, contributing to the discourse on inclusive education, informing policy and practice to foster digital inclusivity, and gathering data on educational outcomes for disabled Latino students in community colleges. There is an intricate web of individual and environmental factors in the lives of disabled people, along with marginalized groups. When one adds more of a marginalized community to that fact, it becomes so much more of a topic to discuss, and social models for disabilities are often separate (Shakespeare, 2010). Minorities’ issues cannot undergo naivety, however. It creates a slightly different topic because it is a universal experience shared by all humanity. The world as it is currently known is defined by what Jean Baudrillard calls “Simulacra and Simulation.” While Baudrillard considered hyperrealism a detriment to society and globalization, there are strengths in digital educational communities (1994). The way education looks today is shaped by technology, moving beyond technological convergence and addressing the digital divide. Unfortunately, marginalized communities will be the most affected by this digital divide and will likely find the most success in technological use as a result. Simulacra is especially important in combating the digital divide and promoting educational success among community college students. Understanding how the digital community helps students is one of the main questions to ask during a qualitative study.

Literature Review

The proposed qualitative study challenges the concepts of meaning and truth, making it clear that individuals must possess the literacy necessary to see through traditional notions of meaning and truth. In a world dominated by simulacra, meaning becomes arbitrary, and truth becomes relative. However, communities can come together to determine what is accurate, truthful, and not. David Harvey’s “Condition of Postmodernity” focuses on cultural fragmentation and how traditional structures and identities are stabilized (2008). Cultural fragmentation refers to the combination of multiple cultures rather than maintaining many separate versions, which often occurs in digital communities. Various aspects of society are reflected through culture, economics, and politics, indicating instability and fluidity behind identities and their meanings, which is further exacerbated by the proliferation of media, consumer culture, and globalization. Hispanic and Latino students in many counties across California make up most enrolled students completing their academic careers (Tagami & Regan, 2022). However, many do that part-time through a community college (Johnson, 2016). When researchers add the disabled community, it becomes apparent that this is even harder to achieve, especially when disabled people are not a community that defines itself through culture, gender, or race. Theoretically, individuals in college or community college may have a different viewpoint and success rates due to the use of hyperrealism and its impact on the conditions of postmodernity’s cultural fragmentation and globalization. In Baudrillard’s “Simulacra and Simulation,” it is clear that there are four orders of simulation, defined by hyperreality. The death of the real and simulacra serves as a control mechanism, contributing to the critique of postmodern society (1994). 

Theoretical Framework and Methodology

According to Tom Shakespeare, people with disabilities come from an oppressed viewpoint. A social model is proof of that, and it is logically impossible for a qualitative researcher to find disabled people who are not facing oppression, meaning that all marginalized communities have the disabled community within them, meaning that they are within and without accommodations universally because all disabilities are different (Shakespeare, 2010). Therefore, while a college can cater to the Hispanic community, they are not going to necessarily cater to the disabled community, creating a world that has a lack of free space. Only “barrier-free enclaves are possible,” which community college creates through the ease of digital courses. Researchers indicate that most accommodations occur at the community college level (Narciso Jr., 2023). This universal experience of humanity is shaped by the role of globalization in postmodernity. As Harvey argues, capitalism and its endless expansion and accumulation drive spatial and temporal restructuring processes that underpin the postmodern condition (2008). The restructuring process is evident through the expansion of the World Wide Web and the ability to connect with others who are not physically nearby. When one ties this in with Baudrillard’s concepts and framework behind hyperreality, it becomes clear that the significance of urbanization and the built environment helps individuals understand postmodernity and how there are focal points for the concentration of capital, culture, and power (Harvey, 2008; Baudrillard, 1995). How we view those things through digital media is significant for qualitative discussion. Capital culture and power find themselves through the digital connection of others and the sharing of capital experiences.

Conclusion

Therefore, the emergence and development of AI have accelerated the Age of Reason through the digital community. With the rise of online courses, educational digital media, including video content, online meetings, and discussions, are beneficial for student success at the community college level. As the work is decades old, being able to relate simulacra (simulation) to digital abstraction was an unintended beneficial consequence for individuals and society (Baudrillard, 1994). Digitalization’s existential status unknowingly brought educational ubiquity to the table. Ultimately, hyperrealism influences what people see and know, as well as how nature is perceived versus what the media wants us to see. However, it also creates an even digital playing field, where students can be part of a community while living their personal lives outside of school. Students should be able to distinguish between what it means to be digitally literate and what it does not. Baudrillard relates to David Harvey’s study of the “Condition of Postmodernity” because Harvey states there has been a change in cultural and political-economic practices since 1972 (Harvey, 2008; Baudrillard, 1994).

Furthermore, there are differences in communication, as well as the complexity and nuances of the industries of interest and the cultures. Consider a digital Plato‘s Cave, where reality is discernible through a digital shadow; therefore, Baudrillard notes, “Why speak when we can communicate” (1995). Their place in the simulacra brought them in contact with modernist theories and narratives. The success of community college students remains enhanced through communication technology.  

References

Baudrillard, J. (1994). Simulacra and Simulation. Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Press.

Baudrillard, J. (1995). Simulacra and simulation. In Body, in theory: Histories of cultural materialism. University of Michigan Press.

Foucault, M. (1972). The archaeology of knowledge and the discourse on language. Translated by Alan Sheridan Smith. New York: Pantheon Books.

Foucault, M. (1981). The order of discourse. In R. Young (Ed.), Untying the text: A post-structuralist reader (pp. 48–78). Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Harvey, D. (2008). The Condition of Postmodernity. In S. Sidema, & J. Alexander, The New Social Theory Reader (pp. 235–242). New York: Routledge.

Johnson, J. (2018, February 26). Accessibility and the California Community Colleges Online Education Initiative – Lessons learned. Accessing Higher Ground. https://accessinghigherground.org/accessibility-and-the-california-community-colleges-online-education-initiative-lessons-learned/ 

​​Narciso, F. E. (2023, May). Is online course-taking helping or hindering students with disabilities in U.S. community colleges? https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2320&context=etd 

Shakespeare, T. (2010). “The Social Model of Disability.” The Disability Studies Reader. Ed. Lennard J. Davis. New York: Routledge. 266–73. Print. (Pre-print copy.)

Tagami, M., & Reagan, M. (2022, November 17). Are California’s Hispanic-serving institutions living up to their name? CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2022/11/hispanic-serving-institutions-california/ Tamatea, L. (2019). Compulsory coding in education: liberal-humanism, Baudrillard and the ‘problem’ of abstraction. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, pp. 1–29.