Rachel Erwin

Northeastern University journalism and theatre student, former intern at GBH's Open Studio with Jared Bowen, editor-in-chief for The Huntington News

PAAL + CARE •

Reproductive Reckoning

He said he had spoken to the costuming team about working around her pregnancy. Since one of the characters Davis was playing was meant to be a virgin, he claimed the costuming team said it would be impossible. She later found out this was a lie when the costume designer called her to discuss how they would be changing the clothes to accommodate the baby bump. Because he could not legally fire her, the director asked Davis to willingly step down. Davis was heart-broken. This was a dream job, and
The Huntington News •

DEVELOPING STORY: Northeastern grad student struck and killed by police cruiser in Seattle

Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Northeastern University graduate student, was killed when a city police cruiser struck her as she crossed the street in Seattle, just a few blocks from the university’s campus, according to officials. Kandula was allegedly struck by a Seattle Police Department cruiser on Monday, Jan. 23 around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street. The officer was following a “priority one” call about a man who was noted to have been experiencing a
The Huntington News •

Q&A: President Aoun discusses global student experience, new Miami campus

President Joseph E. Aoun speaks at Convocation Sept. 6 in Matthews Arena. In an interview with The News, Aoun said what attracts him to the Northeastern community is how engaged and innovative it is. Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun spoke with The News in a conversation Dec. 14 about the university’s global expansion and experiential learning programs, after the announcement of the new Miami campus. Below is a transcript of the full conversation. This transcript has been edited for lengt
The Huntington News •

Boston women of color are becoming key players in the small business industry, looking to expand

Boston is home to an ever-growing network of small businesses, whose consumership often picks up during the holiday season. Three women of color, Imani McFarlane, Zeena Brown and Angela Hofmann, lead a variety of small businesses in the city. In a world often dominated by white men, they are making waves with their craftsmanship, passion and dedication. In the past few years, Boston has taken strides to promote and give space to Black and Brown-owned businesses. The Mayor’s Office of Economic

How NPR used voicemails to explore national grief 20 years after 9/11 – storybench

Every year, the anniversary of 9/11 comes around again, and news organizations are left wondering how to cover it in a way that has not been done before. Twenty years after the attacks, NPR found an innovative method of telling a story of national grief and exploring what that grief is like for those left behind. In NPR’s video, “They lost loved ones in 9/11. We invited them to leave a voicemail in their memory,” six people who lost a close friend or family member during 9/11 had the opportunit
The Huntington News •

Students rally for abortion access, trans rights on YDSA’s Day of Action

Student organizations, including NEU Speakout, were present at the Oct. 6 rally for reproductive rights and trans rights. The rally on Northeastern’s campus was part of the national YDSA’s Day of Student Action for Reproductive Justice. Northeastern students led a rally for reproductive justice and trans rights last week in the wake of continued conversations about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The event, led by Northeastern’s Young Democratic Socialists of America, or YDSA, in partnership w
The Huntington News •

Students react to Holmes Hall detonation, evaluate campus safety

Northeastern students’ lives have mostly returned to normal following an on-campus package detonation, but some are still questioning what exactly happened and why the administration has seemingly moved on. At around 7:18 p.m. Sept. 13, a pelican case in Northeastern’s virtual reality lab located in Holmes Hall depressurized, causing minor injuries to Jason Duhaime, the virtual reality program’s new technology manager, according to The Boston Globe. The university evacuated students in the buil
The Huntington News •

‘Welcome to Northeastern’: President’s Convocation kicks off fall semester

School is officially back in session for Northeastern University, and incoming students were welcomed to campus by a whole host of administration, students and faculty at the 2022 President’s Convocation Sept. 6. The ceremony highlighted the diverse community that Northeastern prides itself on, bringing together nine global campuses and welcoming more than 1,300 incoming and transfer students. While the Boston ceremony was held at 11 a.m. in Matthews Arena, a live-streamed version aired across
The Huntington News •

Jane Lynch comes to Boston for two-night only Christmas show

Jane Lynch, former “Glee” star and two-time Emmy award winner, is coming to Boston this holiday season in her two-night performance, “A Swingin’ Little Christmas.” Joined by “The Office” star Kate Flannery, musician Tim Davis and the Tony Querrero Quintet, Lynch will appear at the City Winery to sing some Christmas tunes from her 2016 album. Audience members can expect to hear familiar holiday songs arranged in a late 1950s to early 1960s swing style along with comedic banter throughout. “We l
The Huntington News •

Students advocate for better mental health support, UHCS responds

After about a year and a half of pandemic living, it’s no surprise that mental health issues are on the rise, especially on college campuses. Some students at Northeastern believe the school is not taking these problems seriously. Jackie Williams, a third-year biology major, decided it is time to take action. A few months ago, she created a petition to urge Northeastern to address understaffing and underfunding issues in University Health and Counseling Services, or UHCS, WeCare and the Disabil
The Huntington News •

Q&A: President Aoun discusses returning to Northeastern, diversity issues

Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun spoke with The News in an hour-long, in-person conversation Wednesday about returning to in-person activities amid rising cases of the Delta variant and progress regarding his goals for diversity, equity and inclusion. Below is a transcript of the full conversation. This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. The Huntington News: As we head into this new school year, what do you think worked best with Northeastern’s approach to COVID-19, and w
Artistry Magazine •

Rent's 25th Anniversary

Why is still relevant 25 years later Growing up, my dad always played the same three musicals in the car. I would hop in, buckle my seatbelt, and wait for the first notes of either Chicago, Wicked, or RENT. Now I know what you’re thinking. RENT is not exactly a kid-friendly creation. But for five-year-old Rachel, that didn’t matter. I was too young to understand the suggestive lyrics, but I would tell everyone I saw that there were 525,600 minutes in a year. Now, I have the words “no day but to
The Avenue Magazine. •

195essential: How One College Student Uses T-shirts to Make a Difference —

When the pandemic hit, Lena Harris decided it was time to take action. Harris, a rising junior economics student at Barnard College, established her own T-shirt business, 195essential, in order to support essential workers and people who had lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Harris had abruptly moved home to Boston from New York when lockdown began. Her sadness about missing college quickly transitioned into sorrow for those whose entire lives were uprooted or taken by the pandemic. “I talked t
The Avenue Magazine. •

Mei Chen Makes Art Accessible, One Hand at a Time — The Avenue Magazine.

Mei Chen refers to herself as the “bifecta”: bisexual, bilingual, and bipolar. This Northeastern graduate-turned-artist spends her days crafting little clay hands, which customers can buy to display or wear as jewelry. However, starting her own art business was not always her plan. If you had asked Chen a few years ago, she would not have considered herself an artist. “I actually didn't take art classes growing up,” Chen said. “I still don't know how to paint and draw, which is kind of funny, bu
The Avenue Magazine. •

Brown and Coconut: Sisters embrace simplicity in their skincare brand —

For sisters Letisha Izuchi and Zeena Brown, effective skincare means going back to the basics. Growing up, the pair struggled with several severe bouts of acne. Their mother, a nurse, instilled in them the value of non-toxic skincare products, and they refused doctors’ recommendations to take acne medications. Frustrated by persistent skin troubles, they vowed to live a healthier lifestyle, which they began by starting a lifestyle blog in 2013. “We started this blog to document our journey to
The Avenue Magazine. •

Renee Felicity Reyes Breaks Barriers in the Beauty Pageant World —

Renee Felicity Reyes, now Miss Stamford USA, is proving that you don’t need hair to be beautiful. This beauty pageant winner is using her platform as a way to spread awareness about alopecia and to change today’s beauty standards for the better. Reyes was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but she currently lives in Stamford, Connecticut. Inspired by her mother’s past as a beauty pageant contestant, Reyes entered Miss Teen Connecticut 2015, where she was a semi-finalist. Then, in 2018, she started to no
The Avenue Magazine. •

Tafari Wraps: How this mother-daughter duo uses head wrapping to heal —

Head wrapping has existed for centuries, yet most North Americans don’t understand the cultural significance of the practice. Imani McFarlane and Delmeshia Haynes, the mother-daughter duo behind Tafari Wraps, are changing that one headwrap at a time. Tafari Wraps, a Boston-based brand, sells colorful headwraps and accessories inspired by a fusion of African and Jamaican culture. The headwraps are healing, both spiritually and physically, and are made using Ankara and other luxurious fabrics fro
The Huntington News •

Green during COVID-19: How to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day safely

For the second year in a row, it looks as though COVID-19 is throwing a wrench in St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Though we cannot celebrate at massive parades and parties, there are still ways to make March 17 festive this year. Here are some ideas to get you started! Hungry for something special? Try your hand at making Irish soda bread, a bread made from baking soda rather than yeast. Fill it with whatever you want, but some common choices are raisins, seeds, currants or dried apricots. Here’
The Huntington News •

Review: ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ paves the way for Southeast Asian representation in the Disney canon

As an evil force threatens the kingdom of Kumandra, it is up to warrior Raya to leave her Heart Lands home and track down the legendary last dragon to help stop the villainous Druun. © 2020 Disney. All Rights Reserved. Warning: Mild spoilers for “Raya and the Last Dragon” ahead Producing a movie almost entirely during a pandemic is no easy feat, but leave it to the mouse to make it happen. Disney’s latest release, “Raya and the Last Dragon,” plunges us into a visually stunning fantasy world an
The Avenue Magazine. •

Five Boston Tattoo Shops to Check Out Right Now —

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably been mapping out the tattoos you want to get for years. You saved up, did your research, and picked your designs. Then, COVID-19 hit and you had to rethink your plans. Every tattoo shop shuttered its doors for a few months until they could reopen on June 22, during the second part of Phase Two of reopening in Massachusetts. While you might have been dying to get that new tattoo, the pandemic foiled your plans. Luckily, there are some tattoo shops in
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