Logan Pierson

Selected Articles

The Lawrence Times •

Lawrence drag group creates space for a new wave of avant-garde performers

Dorothy and the Dolls, a local group of nine drag performers who often take over The Bottleneck, are holding spaces and performances across the Lawrence drag scene to foster a new generation of avant-garde performers.


According to founding member Lambyyy Boots, the goth Bratz doll drag queen persona of Liam Housworth, the group formed three years ago because they all were frequently booked at venues like Replay Lounge and Jazzhaus. Lambyyy said they saw a banter form between everyone and foun...
The University Daily Kansan •

Fear of detainment, retaliation sweeps Kansas’ Latino communities

An adult, male patient was brought into KU Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit because of an uncontrollable seizure. He desperately needed medication to treat his seizure disorder to operate in daily life.The medication was unaffordable without insurance. He is not eligible for federal health programs and cannot afford private insurance.He mostly spoke Spanish. Mayte Ortega, a neuro intensive care unit nurse at KU Medical Center, said she was one of only three nurses who spoke Spanish in the un...
The Lawrence Times •

KU Powwow brings family, tribal representation and celebration inside the Lied Center

Dancers took the celebration onto the Lied Center stage for the 37th KU Powwow, honoring family, tribal representation and the circle of life. 


Saturday’s event began with the Powwow 101 by Jancita Warrington, who is of Potawatomi, Menominee, and Ho-Chunk descent. The presentation acted as a crash course that touched on every core musical aspect of a powwow.


“The drum is what we consider the heartbeat of the people,” Warrington said.


Concerns of storms pushed the KU powwow indoors, but...
The University Daily Kansan •

KU scientists developing new system to help Kansas farmers with green energy, irrigation

Scientists from the Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas are developing a new system designed to help Kansas farmers generate green energy, save money and collect water for their farms. The proposed system is a solar panel recharge system which will include using solar panels in unused corners of farm fields to generate electricity. The farmers can then save money by using their own generated electricity to power their irrigation equipment and water their crops. Project coordinat...
The University Daily Kansan •

KU Housing threatens contract cancellations, GP residents to begin daily protests

After months of peaceful protests and receiving no response from KU Housing on the removal of gender inclusive housing at the University of Kansas, residents of Grace Pearson Hall received an email from the University that threatened to cut their housing contracts. Now, they are changing up their protesting strategy by beginning daily protests on campus and inviting KU Housing to a town hall in the hopes of opening discourse.
The Statehouse File •

A shortage of prosecutors and public defenders is causing delays in cases, anguish for families

In Anchorage, Alaska, a shortage of city prosecutors led to almost 1,000 criminal cases being dismissed in 2024, some of which involved allegations of child neglect or abuse, drunken driving and assault.In Boston, charges were dropped against more than 120 defendants in July due to the Massachusetts Lavallee Protocol, which requires defendants without a lawyer after seven days in custody to be released and cases for those without a lawyer for 45 days to be dismissed. Several of these were assaul...
The Lawrence Times •

Lawrence bike collective aims to make cycling affordable, teach repair skills

A local bicycle collective called Lawrence Community Cycles is not only a place to buy or earn a repaired bicycle — it’s also a community hub that aims to teach people how to fix their own bikes, and to expand access to cycling.


Lawrence Community Cycles opened its doors at Ecumenical Campus Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., in August. Co-founder Monzie McNevin emphasized that above all, the collective is a place for anyone who wants to build community with other cyclists, regardless of their inco...
The Lawrence Times •

KU student repairs typewriters to preserve history and inspire new art

Jonathan Swanberg spends his weekdays in Lawrence as a KU math major before heading home for the weekends to Leawood, where he runs a typewriter repair business that’s in high demand throughout the Kansas City metro area.


Swanberg, 21, is a junior studying to teach high school math. He also aims to keep typewriters accessible to people for decades to come, and to introduce typewriters into the ever-growing art scenes of Lawrence and Kansas City.He opened his business at the end of 2023, influ...
The University Daily Kansan •

Gaines’ visit to KU sparks protest, conversation about transgender athletes

Riley Gaines, a former All-American swimmer and conservative political commentator and activist, visited the University on Wednesday night, igniting debates on campus about the participation of women who are transgender in college sports and shared about how her own experiences are influencing policy.Gaines, who is known for advocating against having transgender women in sports, holds public presentations across the country for Turning Point USA. She drew a crowd of approximately 250 people insi...