Shuci Zhang

Shuci wears a black beret. On the surface, this might seem like just a fashion statement; berets, after all, are often associated with French artists (initially popularized due to the ease with which they could be manufactured) and are an elegant piece of clothing that goes with almost anything. This, combined with her buzzed hair and distinct style, might immediately draw your attention. But what is most unique about Shuci is not her appearance. If you talk to Shuci, you will soon discover: a) Shuci is a leftist revolutionary passionate about dismantling the system of global capitalism (she has started a communist book club, dedicated to reading Marx’s Das Kapital); b) Shuci wears a black beret to pay tribute to Che Guevara and the Black Panther Party; and c) Shuci buzzed her hair as both a statement against restrictive ideas of women’s fashion and a method of charity (Shuci is donating her old hair to children with cancer). But underneath — or, perhaps, alongside — her quick wit and sharp intellect, Shuci is deeply caring. When she’s not out protesting, Shuci likes hitching a ride with hardcore foodie friends, hanging out in the dorms, talking, connecting, and giving her friends a shoulder to cry on. After all, empathy is revolutionary, and this is what truly makes Shuci outstanding. She understands people, from their outer shell all the way down to what makes them human.