Launch party celebrates Tapestry’s Perspective Z

By Lauren Minore

In a celebration of blended cultures, the launch of a new online opinion-editorial (op-ed) publication brought various students, faculty and staff together on April 11. 

Tapestry is an initiative by the Department of Communication and Journalism designed “to engaged Rider students in unique media learning and teaching opportunities, including filmmaking, journalistically impactful reporting and community educational presentations that foster reflection of the cultural and life experiences of underrepresented populations,” according to its mission statement. 

Furthering that sentiment, Administrative Associate and Tapestry’s advisor Juanita Carroll, said, “Tapestry tells the story of underrepresented populations through journalism and we learn about it, then, we do presentations to the college and community so they can learn about it as well.” 

Tapestry has now released “Perspective Z,” a play-on words of Generation Z (Gen Z), on April 16. Gen Z was the newest generation to be named and was composed of those born between 1995 and 2015.

The publication showcases eight articles written by Gen-Z students, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Jonathan Millen and Carroll. 

In the first article appropriately called, “Openings,” Carroll wrote, ““Perspective Z” will post one publication featuring varied written and filmed commentaries near the end of each semester. There will also be a filmed discussion, about the issues addressed in the most recent Op-Ed pieces, that will be posted soon after the commentaries are posted to the website.” 

Qur’an Hansford, sophomore journalism major and editor-in-chief of “Perspective Z,” wrote “Oh, Black Child,” an article about real accounts and effects of whoopings in African-American households, for the publication. 

When asked what the most rewarding part of working on “Perspective Z,” Hansford reflected on the impact of her fellow Tapestry members. 

“I think learning about other people’s backgrounds because it’s an opinion publication, we get to see how these young people feel and think,” Hansford said. “I think like 18 to 25, that’s a very growing period in a young person’s life, and a lot of Tapestry members are freshman, so it is great to see them articulate real world issues and how it affects them here at Rider.” 

Tatyanna Carman, sophomore journalism major and managing editor of “Perspective Z,” wrote “Anxiety Through Generations” for the publication. 

“My article is about anxiety through the generations, I interviewed eight people about their experience with anxiety, [and I realized] anxiety is not prevent to one generation or another, but now, we talk about it more,” Carman said. “I loved putting this out and creating this piece, it really gave me a chance to put myself on paper, I was definitely more raw than I usually am, because I’m connected with a deeper topic, mental health, which is important.”

Carroll beamed with pride when she talked about the club’s members and their work on the new digital publication. 

“I am floored by how intelligent they are. They are thoughtful, they care about the world, they have concerns,” she said. “They are eloquent.” 

Carroll, in “Openings,” wrote, “It is our hope, that through “Perspective Z,” Tapestry students will positively open the lines of communication that encourage enlightenment, adult debate and new understanding.

Editor’s note: In addition to their roles with Tapestry, Qur’an Hansford and Tatyanna Carman are editors at The Rider News. They were not involved in the editing of this article.