September–October 2023

photo of Elder at a campaign stop
Politics & Law

Family Matters

Hard work. Personal responsibility. Republican presidential candidate Larry Elder ’74 aims to re-parent America the way his dad raised him.
portrait of Andrew Sean Greer in tulle
The Arts

Less Rules. More Fun.

Andrew Sean Greer ’92 blazed a path to the Pulitzer by breaking literary rules with protagonist Arthur Less. Now Less Is Lost—and readers are loving it.
illustrated portrait of Gayl Jones
The Arts

A Seminal Author Breaks Her Silence

Palmares, the long-awaited novel by Gayl Jones ’73 AM, brings readers inside 17th-century Brazil and a colony of Africans who have escaped slavery

Under the Elms

Illustration by Dana Smith of various classic cinematic photos from LGBTQ films.
The Arts

How to Read a Picture

A course applies seminal texts to classic LGBTQ images and films to show how imagery has been used to fight oppression.
Christian rapper Yeabfikir Ayele Alemayehu in Sayles Hall.
Religion & Spirituality

God, Love, and Rap

The message of Yeabfikir Ayele Alemayehu ’25
Image of Raquel Ruiter saluting an officer with flags in the background.
Military

Taking Orders

A recent ROTC grad does—and doesn’t
Image of Parente being crowned Miss Rhode Island in May.
Student Life

Crowning Venture

Miss Rhode Island 2023 on what it means to be a woman in finance
Image of a pink crocheted bird hiding in pink rhododendron flowers
Student Life

Flocking Together

A crochet scavenger hunt takes wing

Obituaries

Image of Eli Wolff and his family.
In Memoriam

A Disability Rights Pioneer

Elias Wolff ’00 devoted his life to making sure people like him could participate in sports, fully and joyfully.

The Classes

Lax team celebrates in 1973
Sports & Recreation

The Team To Beat

From the Archives
Black and white image of Arnold Weinstein sitting in a chair with books in the background in March 1974.
First Person

Human Studies

Professor emeritus Arnold Weinstein reflects on the “vicarious, experiential, and enlarging” field of comparative literature.
Illustration by Klaas Verplancke of two fish driving a sinking car underwater.
Student Life

Bear Tales: The Black Horse Rides

Roommates tackle a spectacular senior project

Current Obsession

photo of Connor Kraska mid-air
First Person

Jumping Rope

Five minutes with Connor Kraska ’23

Beyond the Gates

Image of a child holding up the peace sign and a piece of paper.
Service & Advocacy

College Bound
Illustration by Irene Rinaldi of two graduates speaking to one another when a university building in the background.
Education

The College Problem

Will Bunch ’81 examines the dismal state of higher education
Image of Lindsay Yazzolino upside down in a zero gravity test.
Service & Advocacy

Flight Plan

Advocating for disability inclusion in space
Illustration by Carol E. Underwood of a mammal climbing down a branch.
Science & Tech

Grand Design

Is anatomy destiny?
Image of David Grinspoon wearing a dark hat and glasses looking away from the camera.
Science & Tech

What’s Out There?

David Grinspoon ’82 helps NASA investigate unexplained phenomena
Illustration by Irene Rinaldi of a large hand pressing down a balance beam with a group of immigrants at the other end.
Business & Entrepreneurship

Empowered Investing

Venture capital for Latinx entrepreneurs
Black and white image of Jonah Blumenthal in a rundown building.
The Arts

Covid Memories

A student creates art with medical instruments.
Close-up black and white image of Eirene Tran Donohue
Filmmaking

Reenvisioning Vietnam

A Netflix film on the booming and enchanting country of today

Fresh Ink

Image of book spines by Jaime Green ’04, Tim Blake Nelson ’86, and Brianna Craft ’13.
The Arts

Fresh Ink for September–October 2023

Books by Jaime Green ’04, Tim Blake Nelson ’86, and Brianna Craft ’13.

From the Editor

Image of Van Wickle Gates at Brown University looking towards Providence.
University News

Affirmative Reaction

A letter from the Editor

From the President

An image of Ruth Simmons clasping her hands together.
Service & Advocacy

Complex Truth Telling

A letter from the President

The Big Issue

Illustration by Adam McCauley of a silhouette of a person on the left with their mouth open and hand moving as if speaking and rough ocean waves in the background.
Politics & Law

Strait Talk Across Rough Waters

A student-run program gets young people from China and Taiwan talking.