The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News
The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News
The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News
Melissa Wells

Melissa Wells, Opinion Editor

Melissa Wells is a second-year journalism major and criminal justice minor pursuing a law degree through Northeastern’s 3+3 program. She is the opinions editor at The News, where she’s formerly worked as an opinions columnist. Her work can also be found in past issues of The Avenue magazine.

With Starbucks coffee always in hand, Melissa’s spare time is spent procrastinating studying for the LSAT by religiously reading Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” or binge-watching Bones reruns.

Melissa is active on her Twitter @melissajowells and can be reached at [email protected].

All content by Melissa Wells
The Notre-Dame Cathedral was ravaged by a fire on Monday, but what it represents remains untouched.

Column: Calls to rebuild Notre-Dame set example of global unity

Melissa Wells, news staff
April 17, 2019

At 6:43 p.m. Monday, the historic landmark, monument of faith and heart of Paris that is the Notre-Dame began to burn. The cathedral took nearly 200 years to build after construction began in 1163....

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Column: New Zealand is a lesson America hasn’t learned

Melissa Wells, opinion editor
March 27, 2019
It can take a single day, a day like March 15, for our faith in humanity to be shaken. It can also take a day like March 15 for that faith, in the face of tragedy, to be strengthened by the very humanity that connects us to one another.
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American news media does not reflect the diversity of the nation, and it struggles to reverse the historical erasure of a wide range of voices.

Column: Media diversity left behind in Trump era

Melissa Wells, opinion editor
February 20, 2019
American news media does not reflect the diversity of the nation, and it struggles to reverse the historical erasure of a wide range of voices.
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On March 24, 2018, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington D.C. in support of stricter gun control laws. Rallies were also held in other large cities across the nation, including Boston.

Activists take stock a year after Parkland shooting

Melissa Wells, news staff
February 12, 2019
A year after the devastating Parkland shooting launched a movement led by the survivors, NU activists reflect on how much is still left to accomplish.
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Each Black History Month, we thank our black ancestors for the opportunities they bravely fought for, even as we continue to struggle to strive for more.

Column: Black History Month celebrates American greatness

Melissa Wells, opinion editor
February 7, 2019
Our history is dark, but we have always paved a path for the success of future generations. So, this month, The News will dedicate a column each week to this celebration — a small gesture to a community ingrained in the foundation of this country and essential to that American greatness we all applaud today.
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A small fence separates densely populated Tijuana, Mexico, right, from the United States in the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector. Construction is underway to extend a secondary fence over the top of this hill and eventually to the Pacific Ocean.

Column: U.S. must respect immigrant rights

Melissa Wells, opinion editor
November 29, 2018
History will remember the United States characterized hundreds of human beings as criminals. We are guilty of disregarding human dignity.
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Column: U.S. must confront racist speech in politics

Column: U.S. must confront racist speech in politics

Melissa Wells, columnist
November 15, 2018
America has the opportunity to make things right so as to move forward productively on the key issues that split Americans fundamentally. That opportunity means evaluating our long history of brutality in the name of liberty to change what it means to the diverse portrait of Americans that make up the country today.
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Column: How did we get here?

Column: How did we get here?

Melissa Wells, columnist
November 1, 2018
What gets less attention, in the magnitude of hate, violence and bigotry there is today, is the kindness, love and solidarity that combats it in simple, everyday actions.
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Boston's Black community seeks NU's accountability on gentrification

Boston’s Black community seeks NU’s accountability on gentrification

Melissa Wells, news staff
October 24, 2018
Law students and community members discussed the need for restorative justice for the gentrified community of Roxbury, and Northeastern's role in the process.
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Column: We will not “whiten up”

Column: We will not “whiten up”

Melissa Wells, columnist
October 17, 2018
Systems of racial and social control erected in modern politics and American culture reflect ingrained institutional racism that continues to fester. Minorities in America face the consequences while our white counterparts reap the benefits.
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Column: We need to vote for our lives

Column: We need to vote for our lives

Melissa Wells, columnist
October 3, 2018
Perhaps the real tragedy is not the America we live in, but how we must adapt to incompetent gun control laws as a nation.
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Northeastern's 120th class waits for Convocation to begin. / Photo by Glenn Billman

Column: Empowering lessons of reciprocity

Melissa Wells, columnist
September 19, 2018
The diversity within Northeastern and the greater American community is instrumental in how we acquire the lessons that help us improve.
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Letter to the Editor: We need to talk about The News

Letter to the Editor: We need to talk about The News

Melissa Wells
April 11, 2018
The News continues to be out of touch with the student body as a whole because of its own lack of diversity.
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Graphic by Shannon Reilly

Review: ‘Black Panther’ is black excellence that hooks the world

Melissa Wells, news correspondent
March 6, 2018
"Black Panther," with its mostly black cast, holds the highest rating of any film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
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