Author: Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig
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The voices we remember most clearly are often the ones power tried hardest to silence. I recently watched the 2015 Netflix documentary about Nina Simone. Simone was one of the most gifted artists of the twentieth century, but she refused to separate her art from the struggle for justice. She understood that music could comfort…
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There is a popular acronym for Donald Trump’s governing style: TACO—“Trump Always Chickens Out.” The idea is straightforward. Trump makes an enormous threat, markets it as nonnegotiable, watches markets or political institutions react, and eventually retreats. Then everyone declares that Trump has chickened out again. I am increasingly convinced that this explanation misses something important.…
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Every hiring decision places power in someone’s hands. Across nearly every field, organizations are preparing to hire the colleagues and leaders who will shape their future. Job descriptions are being written, search committees are being formed, and interview questions are being developed. In higher education, this cycle becomes especially visible in the late summer and…
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When the Trump administration issued its February 2025 Dear Colleague letter attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, I responded nationally on Democracy Now! I warned that higher education had not faced political interference this serious since McCarthyism and asked whether universities would “surrender or resist.” That Dear Colleague letter went down in flames. Federal…
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Jingle the keys. Make them bright. Make them loud. Keep the public staring at them while documents disappear from view, casualty numbers climb, missiles fly, and powerful people avoid difficult questions about pedophiles. That is increasingly how America works. When accountability becomes uncomfortable, change the subject. Recent jangling keys include pink “Latina Power” clothing, Mayor…
Cloaking Inequity 
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