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Sarah Gordon

Sarah Gordon came to Bloomington in 2007 to go to graduate school at Indiana University after having spent the previous decade hopping between Canada, England, Japan, and the Pacific Northwest. She finished her Ph.D. in folklore in 2014 and decided to stick around, working for IU and writing freelance. She's been a staff blogger for Indiana Public Media's Earth Eats and has published short fiction in The Ryder. She has a few academic publications out there, too, if you really want to find them.

Posts by this contributor 7 results

Ever since a team from a Black fraternity raced in the inaugural Little 500 in 1951, the race has had few minority participants. A concerted effort in the 2000s seemed to have broken the color barrier, with Team Major Taylor finishing as high as second place, but today the men’s and women’s races are nearly as white as ever. Pictured here is Team Major Taylor cyclist Simeon Commissiong prior to the start of the 2004 race. | Courtesy photo

65 Years of Desegregating Little 5 — at Every Turn

Sarah Gordon

Ever since a team from a Black fraternity raced in the inaugural Little 500 in 1951, the race has had few minority participants. A concerted effort in the 2000s seemed to have broken the color barrier, but today the men’s and women’s races are nearly as white as ever. Sarah Gordon takes an in-depth look at race in the most important race on campus. Click here to read the full story.

April 18, 2017

Many argue that The Chocolate Moose gives Bloomington a sense of place — that "unquantifiable, powerful idea" that a little building can help to make Bloomington feel like Bloomington. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Are Market Forces Ruining B-town’s ‘Sense of Place’?

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

Bloomington’s downtown landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade — influenced more by college students who desire modern amenities than by longtime residents who want to preserve their hometown. Writer Sarah Gordon considers how the conflicting goals of property development and historic preservation affect our “sense of place.” Click here to read the full story.

August 3, 2016

Sponsorship

Mercedes Jones founded Crimson Cupboard to combat food insecurity on the Indiana University campus. The food pantry focuses on student-specific issues, such as the fact that dorm residents don't have easy access to kitchens. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Food Insecurity, Part 3: Complex Issues Put College Students at Risk

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

Concluding her three-part series on food insecurity, writer Sarah Gordon found the obstacles to getting healthful food are different for college students than for others — everything from insecurity within their social groups to disasters in their hometowns or countries. She also found an IU student who is doing something about it. Click here to read the full story.

May 9, 2016

Laura Reagan sits with her twin sons, Korbyn (left) and Jarek, and their dog, Sancho, and cat, Squishy. Reagan has dealt with food insecurity on and off throughout her entire life and has worked very hard to protect her sons from the stress of being food insecure. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Food Insecurity, Part 2: Seniors and Children Are the Most Vulnerable

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

In part 2 of this three-part series, Sarah Gordon looks at two of the larger groups of Americans who are experiencing food insecurity — seniors and children. Not only are they more vulnerable and susceptible to hunger and malnutrition than most of the population, they’re also less able to improve their situations. Click here to read the full story.

April 14, 2016

Stephanie Solomon, the director of education and outreach at Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, says the problem of food insecurity is broader and more systemic than many people realize. Monroe County is tied for the fourth-highest hunger rate in the state. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Food Insecurity, Part 1: Misconceptions Persist About Who Needs Help Getting Food

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

In this three-part series, Sarah Gordon investigates the popular misconceptions about “food insecurity” — the inability to afford nutritious, or even enough, food. Most people considered food insecure are seniors and families with children. Many are our neighbors. Local experts say the problem is more systemic than most people are aware. Click here to read the full story.

March 21, 2016

Sponsorship

Many local bars have staff members responsible for intervening in situations that appear to be dangerous. For example, The Atlas Ballroom says it hires more door staff per square foot than any other bar in town. | Photo by Natasha Komoda

Managers of Local Bars Say Preventing Sexual Assault Is More Art Than Science

Sarah Gordon, Natasha Komoda

While alcohol is called the single most common date-rape drug, at least one study shows that the culprits of unwanted sexual contact in bars are usually sober. In this report by Sarah Gordon, the people who run three bars in Bloomington and the prevention programs coordinator at Middle Way House talk about preventing sexual assault. Click here to read the full story.