Author: Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig

  • Donald Trump said there would be peace on Day One. That’s what he promised: an end to war in Ukraine. A ceasefire in Gaza. Diplomacy with Iran. Calm in American cities. Trump declared he’d bring strength and unity back to the nation and the world. But now that he’s been reelected and is firmly back…

    “Day One” Was a Lie: The Goal of Conflict, Abroad and at Home
  • What if I told you that the next front in America’s war on student success isn’t a classroom—but a tax form? This week, Bloomberg broke the story: the U.S. Treasury Department is weighing a proposal to strip tax-exempt status from colleges and universities that “favor any racial group” in admissions, scholarships, student services, or even the use…

    They’re Coming for the Colleges: IRS Issues More Threats
  • If you’ve ever wondered how authoritarianism creeps in—how democracy dies not with a bang, but a series of rationalizations and repressive policies—then stop wondering. Watch this or Read this. And understand: it’s happening here. This is why I’ve been writing furiously. This is why I cannot stay silent. Because we’re in the middle of the slow,…

    The Drip of Authoritarianism Becomes a Flood: Democracy at a Crossroads
  • This title will make sense by the end of the article. I promise. I recently faced an ideological struggle—not the kind that makes headlines, but the quiet, deeply personal kind on Zoom that unsettles your spirit. It wasn’t marked by shouting matches or viral soundbites—just the slow, sobering realization that people who meant good were…

    They Want to Use My Ex-Girlfriend’s Awful Cookie Recipe—And Call It Equity
  • Today, I turn 50. And while I could use this milestone to share a baby photo highlight reel or reflect on my personal journey (don’t worry, there will be cake), I want to mark this birthday in a different way. Because I haven’t made it to 50 by staying quiet—and I’m not starting now. Turning…

    A Birthday Manifesto: What I Will—and Won’t—Do at 50

Cloaking Inequity is an online platform for justice and liberty-minded readers. I publish reflections, analysis, and commentary on education, democracy, culture, and politics.

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Email me at jvh@alumni.stanford.edu