The roads are deserted—an unusual sight at this time of the year. Only a few take to the streets as if it were any other day, running an errand to a nearby store as early as 6 am. With half their faces covered in face masks, none of them can take a single, full breath…
Author: Kay Estepa
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Beyond the curtains: Art on stage
Theaters have long created a home for art and artists alike. Within its halls, art and culture come alive, reflective not only of the celebration of human life but also of the passion and creativity of the artists themselves. They have created a safe space where passion for the arts thrive, nurtured and honored by…
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On queer film censorship
Onscreen, scenes often depict fragments of stories of people from all walks of life, sometimes providing a preview of realities normally unseen. Cinema serves as a platform through which people can express themselves and tell their stories—by capturing the essence of human life and narrating it in ways not only meant to entertain but also…
Twinkling strings of lights framing window sills, malls packed with shoppers scurrying to buy last-minute presents, and children singing carols with makeshift instruments—the sight of these are all good signs that the Christmas season is fast approaching. However, perhaps one of the most obvious ways to know when the holidays have arrived, at least in the…
Taunted by cliffhangers, the suspense built by a scene cut too early tends to leave people seeking an immediate continuation to soothe their curiosity. The serialization of stories has allowed people to become invested in the unfolding of a story arc, often finding themselves on tenterhooks for what’s to come, their impatience and intrigue sometimes…
Day in and day out, mental health professionals are continuously reminded of why they entered their chosen professions. Working in an environment that constantly subjects them to the reality of what people with mental disorders truly experience—be it through the anecdotes they share or through immersions in institutions—continues to open their eyes to the current…
Pencils down, highlighter caps on, papers pushed and piled to the side—the day ends with fingers colored in streaks of neon and decorated with paper cuts. It has been a day spent sitting, discussing, and dissecting journal articles and peer reviews with their colleagues and mentors. They have a ton of deadlines to catch up…
As children, we panicked whenever we’d realize that the color we needed was missing from the box of crayons we held so near and dear to our hearts. If we envisioned the outline of a sun to be filled in with bright and cheerful yellow, then it just had to be yellow. No other color…
On stage, she sits and plays away from the frontlines. The crowds cheer and sing while she stays lost in her sound, harmonizing with the music of her band. What matters most to her isn’t the fame, the fans, the persona expected of her, nor the judgment of others—it’s her passion for the craft that…
As the clock strikes nine at night, an audience fills up an arena. People crowd every side of the platform, wanting to be as close to the action as possible. Up on that platform, an artist builds up his confidence and rehearses the lines he crafted for the battle ahead. A member of the FlipTop…