In June of 2017, Mackenzie Derhammer, 18 at the time, attended his first pride event. Old enough to go without his parents saying no, he watched drag queens perform and observed the pageant. From there, the idea of creating his drag queen alter-ego, Sapphire Shade, was born.
The W.J. Beal Botanical Gardens typically use spring and fall for more cleanup around the garden, whereas in the summer the real maintenance begins.
The Spartan Iron Challenge gave members of the MSU community a rare opportunity to train in the Greg and Dawn Williams Football Indoor Facility.
Biology senior and East Lansing resident Madison Enviya said she and her roommates looked out their window and saw the entire street in front of their house had flooded up to the porch steps.
June 14 marked the fourth annual MSU Juneteenth Commemorative Celebration, held in the Breslin Center. This year's theme was "Acknowledging the Journey: Freedom, Resilience, Empowerment, and Liberation."
Teresa Dunn is an MSU art professor and one of the artists whose work is featured in the Broad Museum until July. Her work explores the connections between people, communities and time — a conceptual framework shaped by her own life.
Every once in a while, when studying at the Union or taking a walk through the north side of campus, you may be greeted by a big, friendly golden retriever and his trademark red harness. Raymond and his owner, Mike Harju, have become familiar faces for students at Michigan State University. They walk around ten miles a day and many of these excursions take place on and around campus.
Within the month of Ramadan, many people throughout the world celebrate a time of fasting, abstinence, praying, and self-reflection. During this time, Muslims in East Lansing find companionship and community within the Islamic Center of East Lansing. Islamic Center of East Lansing Trustee Thasin Sardar said that, in addition to fasting from dawn to dusk, "Muslims indulge increased spirituality, sharing meals with one another and increased charitable giving during this month."
The Black student experience at MSU is an experience that does not get highlighted enough. This is a goal The Black Book Initiative wants to express and bring to the stage, signaling that the experience is valid and deserves to be heard equally. The book serves as a step towards promoting Black involvement on campus and Black belonging on campus, a feeling that most Black students at MSU will say they did not feel entering the university. Highlighting Greek life, faith, professional development, Black-owned businesses and many more, The Black Book is an item to signify safe spaces for Black students and students of color on and off campus.
International Transgender Day of Visibility is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary on March 31. Its creation is attributed to founder of Michigan's first transgender organization and MSU alumna Rachel Crandall-Crocker.
When human biology junior Chloe Lohman and her roommates moved into a new apartment during the start of the fall semester, they noticed that people would rummage through the trash cans outside their building regularly. In response, they embarked on organizing a registered student organization that could help provide for the homeless community of East Lansing and Greater Lansing area. By the beginning of the spring semester, they had started Homeless Humanity.
In 1972, East Lansing etched its name in history by becoming the first municipality in the nation to enshrine protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation in hiring practices. However, this milestone was a hard-fought battle, according to MSU associate professor of history Dr. Tim Retzloff.
St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17 every year, is a big deal at Michigan State University, specifically among the student body. But other than the shared colors, why do so many students choose to celebrate the holiday?
Every other Saturday, volunteers from Lansing nonprofit Punks With Lunch can be found in Reutter Park behind tables filled with food, clothing and harm reduction supplies as they prepare to give back and build community.
Off-campus housing can present challenges for students. Amid the whirlwind of packing and moving preparations, essential off-campus living skills are often overlooked.
Local artist Brian Whitfield has made a mark on Lansing with 30 foot murals and bright colors. From giant fruit on the wall of Capital City Market to license plates driven throughout the state, local artist Brian Whitfield has made a lasting mark on the Lansing area. His artistic journey is far from over, he says.
The Lansing community was once home to many cultural icons who found their start within its city limits. Among the most well-known is Stevland Morris, better known as Stevie Wonder.
“Having a professor that looks like you is important because it shows what’s possible and it, at times, can provide a sense of belonging, where you’re not feeling isolated,” Sheri Lewis, an assistant professor in the Department of African American and African Studies, said. “You see there’s someone that looks like you, (and) possibly have (a) similar background as you, it can be motivating and inspiring and provides a sense of hope and belonging.”
Students Demand Action and Sit Down MSU rallied against gun violence at the Lansing Capitol on Feb. 15, exactly a year after their first sit-down protest following the Feb. 13, 2023 MSU shooting.
When local history often gets lost in the textbooks, it’s important to call to mind the icons who walked the same streets we do every day, including Malcolm X, one of the most prominent figures of the civil rights movement. Malcom X grew up in Lansing, Michigan. Arts and humanities professor John Aerni-Flessner focused his curriculum on Malcom X and his time in Lansing within his teaching career at MSU.