New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

All content by Afnan Abbassi
An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen To This: Cola Morgan on the trials and tribulations of dating in the city

Listen to this week’s most notable singles from Zack Keim, Foo Fighters and more.

To close out the semester, this week’s edition of Listen To This features singles from veteran artists like Foo Fighters, to up-and-coming acts like Cola Morgan. Read on for...

An illustration of a Black woman in a green shirt and a white woman in a yellow shirt listening to music through wired headphones. The cord of the headphones spells out “Listen to This.”

Listen To This: The Jonas Brothers drop ‘Waffle House’

Listen to this week’s most notable singles from The Paper Kites, Arthur Russell and more.

From the talk-singing of Cheekface to the subdued vocals of Albert Hammond Jr., this past week saw a slew of exciting new singles to usher in the exquisite warm weather. Whether...

An older woman sits next to a young boy on a bench and offers him food with her arm around his shoulder. A soccer ball rests beside them on the ground. The background is dark blue.

‘Offside’ comic divulges a personal reflection on Qatar’s dangerous labor conditions

Insider’s “Offside” comic exposes the realities behind preparing for the Qatar World Cup.
Afnan Abbassi, Staff Writer April 12, 2023

Digital comic “Offside” is not only a story about soccer, but a personal narrative about the sport in the context of the widespread labor and human rights violations reported...

An illustration of a silver and black laptop shows a scene of three people with black hair dressed in loose outfits, posing for a photo.

Off the Radar: ‘Casablanca Beats’ explores the complex intersection of hip hop and politics 

This Moroccan film doesn’t shy away from contentious discussions, examined with hip hop. “Casablanca Beats” is currently available on Kanopy.
Afnan Abbassi, Staff Writer April 7, 2023

One of Franco Moroccan film and television director Nabil Ayouch’s most recent films, “Casablanca Beats,” returns hip hop to its roots, highlighting the genre’s capacity...

An exhibit with several miniature mushrooms with ladders carrying miniature human beings. This is in a display case with a green base.

Review: ‘Small is Beautiful’ exhibit shows the intricacy of miniature art

The much-publicized miniature art exhibit has found its way to New York City. It is currently on view in NoHo.
Afnan Abbassi, Staff Writer March 22, 2023

“Small is Beautiful, Miniature Art” initially started as a Europe-exclusive exhibit only on view in London and Paris. But now, with Instagram and Pinterest attracting a mainstream...

A singer wearing a white blazer in the middle of a parlor with black-and-white triangular tiles. There is a group of performers and a big band behind them.

Postmodern Jukebox: A musical time machine revives the jazz era

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox offers a riveting exploration into the history of the music world.
Afnan Abbassi, Staff Writer February 13, 2023

Postmodern Jukebox is a band that takes popular songs and alters their style to match different vintage genres. Founded by jazz pianist Scott Bradlee, the band intends to reinvent...

A large crowd of protestors at Washington Square Park holding up signs and Iranian flags. Some of the signs read “WOMAN LIFE FREEDOM,” “FREE IRAN,” and “IRAN 2022 REVOLUTION NO ISLAMIC! TO REPUBLIC!”

Opinion: Islam didn’t start the Iranian protests

While there has been widespread support for Iranian women’s rights, the media has misinterpreted the true intentions of these protests.
Afnan Abbassi, Contributing Writer November 21, 2022

Following the murder of Mahsa Amini, protests rapidly spread across the globe from Washington Square Park to London. The attention that Iranian women have received in the media...

Two boys play with a soccer ball. On the left is a boy wearing a blue jersey and jeans on a bicycle. He is looking at the other boy, who is wearing a gray T-shirt and pants while reaching for the ball with his head.

Middle East Archive uses photography to break dehumanizing depictions

Middle East Archive offers candid portraits of Middle Eastern life and culture. 
Afnan Abbassi, Contributing Writer November 9, 2022

Middle East Archive is an online record of photographs depicting everyday life in the Middle East. None of the images in the archive are staged; no one is forced to wear a turban...

Four large pieces of art on display in an exhibition venue lit up with red light. A large white art installation on display in an exhibition venue with purple walls and white ceiling.

Review: Artistic power in Kapwani Kiwanga’s ‘Off-Grid’ and Doreen Lynette Garner’s ‘REVOLTED’

The New Museum exhibits, “Off-Grid” and “REVOLTED,” employ unconventional approaches to exposing the abuse of higher authority.
Afnan Abbassi, Contributing Writer October 17, 2022

Two of the New Museum’s most recent exhibits, Kapwani Kiwanga’s “Off-Grid” and Doreen Lynette Garner’s “REVOLTED,” are beautifully intriguing, raw representations...

The entrance of N.Y.U’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, with glass windows, and plants on the street outside.

Opinion: NYU doesn’t need to offer a Lana Del Rey course

Lana Del Rey’s influence on music and culture doesn’t necessarily make her worthy of a course at NYU.
Afnan Abbassi, Contributing Writer October 14, 2022

NYU just announced a new course covering the life and work of Lana Del Rey, and I couldn’t be more confused. Lana Del Rey is a great artist; her music has been in my “On Repeat”...