Back to school pg. 8
Volume 3 Issue 2
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ANTHRO April 2021 Volume 3 Issue 2
Mission Statement
Staff
The ultimate goal of Anthro Magazine, Paly’s social activism publication, is to create a platform and forum for students to express their opinions and voices. Social activism is bringing issues into the spotlight to spread awareness and create change in society. On this platform, we will promote unity, diversity, and respect. As a publication, we aim to be inclusive but do not tolerate hate speech or the targeting of individuals. We hope to highlight issues that we see in our community, create a safe place to discuss these issues, and to make sure that student voices are heard.
From the Editors It’s difficult to summarize the difficulties brought by over a year of pandemic conditions. Despite the complications that have come with online school, and the known struggles of a pandemic we are all facing, conditions seem to be improving. As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues and Santa Clara County entering the Red Tier, Palo Alto Unified School District upper grade levels have been allowed to reopen. In this issue, Anthro explores what the return to school looks like on Palo Alto High School campus in a photo essay, starting on page eight. Despite improving conditions, the pandemic still continues and your own well-being should always be a priority. In “De-stressing during a pandemic,” Corie Jiang and Karlene Salas explore ways to maintain your mental health during this time. In a photo essay by Anya Lassila, Karrie Huang, and William Rumelhart, we see what students’ first day back on campus in nearly a year. Anna Hickey and Jonan Pho explore Paly students’ feelings about some of their favorite local businesses closing due to the pandemic and its economic aftermath, in “A Farewell to Palo Alto Businesses” on page 14. For juniors starting the college application process, and seniors who are making their decisions as May 1 approaches, Salas and Lassila have created a guide (on page 18) to the best college for activists — after all, we are still an activism magaine. We hope you enjoy our fifth edition of Anthro Magazine. Be safe and happy reading!
– Josephine Andersen and Juliana Griswold
On the Cover Photo Director Anya Lassila captures Paly students’ return to school. Take a look at our back to school photo essay, “In the Red Tier,” on page 8. Cover by Michaela Seah.
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Editors-in-Chief Josephine Andersen Juliana Griswold Managing Editor Jacquelyn Lai Digital Managing Editor Gwyneth Wong Features Editor Karlene Salas Design Editor Corie Jiang Photo Director Anya Lassila Business Manager Tyler Wang Social Media Manager Michaela Seah Staff Writers Anna Hickey Karrie Huang Erin Kim Owen Longstreth Ash Mehta Olga Muys Arati Periyannan Jonan Pho Ava Ramsdale Abhinav Ranganathan William Rumelhart Adviser Paul Kandell Connect with us @anthro.magazine @anthro_magazine issuu.com/anthro.magazine anthromagazine.org
In this issue IN THE RED TIER pg. 8
pg. 8 FOOTHILLS: A CASE STUDY IN EQUITY pg. 30
CONTENTS 4 Incubator Spotlight
18 Best Colleges for Student Activists
6 Title IX, Paly culture must change
21 On pointe... online
7 Biden’s first 100 days
22 Takedown Terrors
8 In the Red tier
23 Keeping sane with social media
12 De-stressing during the pandemic
24 Opening my eyes
14 A Farewell to Palo Alto Businesses
26 Cops: villains, heroes, both?
16 A Greener Solution
28 Foothills: a case study in equity
COVID-19 Photo Precautions In all photo shoots, Photo Director Anya Lassila and other staff writers wore a mask and adhered to all social distancing guidelines.
A FAREWELL TO PALO ALTO BUSINESSES pg. 14
ON POINTE ... ONLINE pg. 21
Letters to the Editors The staff welcomes letters to the editors that reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obsenity. Send all letters to anthromagazine.paly@gmail.com or to 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301. Printing & Distribution Anthro is printed by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Anthro staff will distribute copies around the Palo Alto High School campus. All Anthro work is available at anthromagazine.org. Publication Policy Anthro, a social activism magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School magazine incubator class, is a designated limited open forum for student expression and discussion of issue of concern to its readership. Anthro has distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. Advertising The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with Anthro, please email us at anthromagazine.paly@gmail.com or through our adviser at 650-329-3837 for more information.
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Design by OLGA MUYS and JACQUELYN LAI
INCUBATOR SPOTLIGHT P
alo Alto High School’s Incubator Journalism class currently holds three publications: Anthro Magazine , KPLY and Ink. Anthro Magazine complied short descriptions of the work that KPLY and Ink. have published this year, to give a taste of what our class has been doing. We encourage you to check these publications out from their respective links.
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY KPLY Paly Radio
KPLY
LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD KPLY Paly Radio
Community: The Nonbinary Experience by Ash Mehta and Arati Periyannan Ash and Mehta take a deep dive into being nonbinary at Paly, discussing aspects such as social acceptance, mental health, and the role of the school system in mitigating transphobia through the experiences of nonbinary student interviewees. This podcast is intended for anyone looking to better understand nonbinary people and their experiences.
Subculture: Witchcraft by Olga Muys and Michaela Seah
Through the Subculture series, hosts Olga and Michaela dive deep into the deeper histories, meanings, complexities and issues within internet niches and aesthetics. In the third episode of the series, they turn their focus to the recent rise in witchcraft’s popularity online, and the good and the bad that comes with it.
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“My family accepts who I am, but they don’t understand that my pronouns change... it’s sad, but it’s kind of the truth—you have to get used to it or it’s going to hurt every single time.” Art: Arati Periyannan
“The rise of witchcraft, and the fact that more women are able to feel empowered or connected to their cultures through it is certainly a positive, but it comes with its own complications and controversies.” Art: Michaela Seah
ABC Radio: Genshin Impact by Michaela Seah and Jonan Pho
ABC Radio, or Asian Based Content, is a discussion podcast about Asian media, lead by two Asian American teenagers as they dicuss their opinions and relationships with their traditions and cultures. In the third episode, hosts Jonan and Michaela examine the cultural aspectes of the popular video game, Genshin Impact.
“In other games there might be Christmas or Halloween events, and something very distinct about Genshin [Impact] is that it has Lunar New Year events.” Art: Michaela Seah
Step Left: Guns ’n’ Leftism by Michaela Seah
Host Michaela Seah sits down with various leftists to dicuss current events and leftwing politics. In this episode, she has an interview with members of the Socialist Rifle Association to talk about guns, leftism, and the SRA.
“We are not as comfortable being out as people who are armed because that sets a target on us. We’re here. We’re just struggling to build a community around who we are.” Art: Michaela Seah
Debatable: Biden’s First 30 Days by Olga Muys
Debatable is a debate podcast centered around showcasing discussions between students on topics ranging from politics to culture. In the second episode, host Olga Muys sits down with two students, one a moderate Democrat and one a leftist, to discuss their opinions on President Biden’s first thirty days in office.
“I wasn’t expecting a lot, and somehow [Biden] still managed to disappoint me.”
Art: Palina Kuzmina
INK.
Editors: Erin Kim and William Rumelhart The central mission of Ink. is to create a space for emerging student writers at Paly to share their work with others. We believe reading others’ writing and sharing writing with others is vital to the writerly experience. Ink. seeks to provide inspiration and opportunity for both readers and writers.
SECOND EDITION OUT NOW Email literarymagazineink@gmail.com for information and to ask about submitting content.
Art: Palina Kuzmina
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Biden’s first 100 days
Text/photo by KARRIE HUANG and OWEN LONGSTRETH
Students, teachers share their opinions on the Biden Administration President Joe Biden entered office Jan. 20 and immediately reversed many of former president Trump’s executive orders with orders of his own. Rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, suspending the Keystone XL pipeline, and passing a national mask mandate on federal properties are just a few among the many executive orders signed on his very first day in office. “I think there’s a lot of foreign policy no-brainers. Number one is re-entering the World Health Organization, Paris Climate Accord. There’s a lot of not complicated issues that Trump caused some damage in.” — Rein Vaska, senior
“A big thing for me personally is climate change because it is one of the issues that really can’t wait and with every year that goes by there’s irreversible damage. So, I think Biden is really committed to joining the Paris Climate Change Accord.” — Madison Abbassi, junior
“COVID-19 should be Biden’s biggest concern right now, but number two is to block climate change from progressing before it’s too late. If the world implodes, anything else is rendered moot.” — Minnah Awadallah, sophomore
“First thing that comes to my mind is the response to COVID-19, making sure that there’s some unified plan to get vaccines into people’s arms. There needs to be a unified plan to coordinate best practices between states.” — Daniel Nguyen, Math teacher
“Right now there’s the situation with the pandemic and the economic crisis. I think that should be priority number one but not the exclusive priority ... There’s obviously a lot of long-term reform that needs to happen for this country.” — Kabir Bhatia, junior “Firstly, the virus 100%. The vaccine rollout, in my opinion, is completely disorganized. And in my house, there are people in various risk categories so I think the public health and safety around the virus is a number one job.” — Lucy Filppu, English teacher
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Text/design by OWEN LONGSTRETH Photos by ANYA LASSILA, KARRIE HUANG, and WILLIAM RUMELHART
In the Red Tier: Campus opens to students
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Almost a year since schools closed, students returned to in-person instruction
fter months of planning, multiple difficult board meetings, and many changes to county health rules, Paly opened its doors to students on March 9. Campus is open to students Tuesday through Friday, with students split up into two cohorts based on their last names. Masks and social distancing are required and with a large portion of students till in remote learning, classes still happen over Zoom. Anthro photographers took pictures of this important first week back. ZOOM IN THE ROOM: As the name suggests, students at school still spend much of their time on Zoom. The desks are each equipped with a plastic divider and spaced out to ensure proper social distancing. Photo: Karrie Huang. OPPOSITE PAGE: Connor Lassila (sophomore) walks to his next class outside the science building while wearing a mask. Paly requires all students to wear a mask while on campus. Photo: Anya Lassila.
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RIGHT: Students need to check in at one of many tents at all entrances to the campus. This ensures that everyone has completed the daily health screener. Photo: Anya Lassila. ABOVE: Seniors Neha Joshi, Veronica Brinkley, and Joey Edmonds, dressed in their characteristic camouflage relax at a picnic table during their 4th period prep while masked up, as per school rules. Photo: Anya Lassila. UPPER RIGHT: Staff members help students find their classes for the first time. Because of distanced learning, all students back on campus have to readjust to navigating the Paly campus. Photo: Anya Lassila. FAR RIGHT: A group of students walk around campus at lunch. To ensure students stay distanced at all times, arrows keep the flow of people moving in one direction while yellow footprints on the ground indicate places to stand that are six feet apart. Photo: William Rumelhart.
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De-stressing E during the pandemic What can students do when they’re worried about current events?
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die Gollub remembers the moment she watched the scene at the Capitol unfold.The sight of hundreds of maskless rioters waving the American flag chanting “USA! USA!” while desecrating the center of the American government was enough to shake her deeply. “All the stress started piling up and started keeping me from doing well in school, and that’s when I started really thinking about what it could do,” Palo Alto High School senior Edie Gollub said. Her case is not unique. 2020 was a year of conflict, and 2021 shows no sign of discontinuing that trend. With the Black Lives Matter movement and Capitol riots, not to mention the Presidential election taking place in an ongoing pandemic that has plagued the world for over a year now, the conflict brewing across the country seems to have increased the tension for everyone, including Paly students and faculty. For Whitney Aquino, Palo Alto High School Wellness Outreach Worker, the events at the Capitol were particularly stressful. “The day of the Capitol riots ... it was so hard to focus and pay attention,”
Text/design by CORIE JIANG and KARLENE SALAS
Aquino said. “I can only imagine for students too, it’s been really difficult to try to stay focused on school.” Luckily, Aquino is quite familiar with methods and resources for those who find themselves overwhelmed. Students can talk with counselors and therapists or spend time in the virtual Paly Wellness Center by setting up an appointment or dropping in during lunch or Advisory on Fridays. According to Wellness Center staff, finding new hobbies and keeping in touch with friends and family are a few methods that can help channel stress. According to Aquino, disconnecting herself from the world proved to be a valid method of releasing stress and is effective for many people, in whichever form it takes. Her preferred form of stress relief just happens to mean going outside and being active. “With all these things happening, it’s been really helpful for me to call my friends, go for a walk and get outside,” Aquino said. “I feel like I get the fresh air, I get some movement and it makes me feel good as well.” Regular exercise is an activity that has been made both harder and easier by the pandemic. Although most sports
clubs and competitions have been closed or cancelled, more casual forms of exercise like taking a walk or going for a jog in the mornings have become more popular in their stead. Another way of effectively disconnecting was taught to Gollub, who still values the lessons she learned about wellness, one of them being that learning to relax is an important aspect of stress relief.
“The day of the Capitol riots ... it was so hard to focus and pay attention. I can only imagine for students too, it’s been really difficult to try to stay focused on school.” — Whitney Aquino, Paly Wellness Outreach Worker “It’s okay to give yourself a break,” Gollub said. “A big thing with wellness is if you need to, you can just sit there for a few minutes and not do anything. … It gives you time to think through things.” According to the Wellbeing Thesis, an online resource for postgraduate
research students, multiple studies have shown that taking breaks from work or school can have both long and short term benefits. This includes increasing energy levels and productivity in your daily life, and “restoring mental and physical functional systems to their baseline.” But for those who like more social forms of destressing, spending time with family and friends also qualify as a good method of disconnecting, especially with solid in person support systems. For senior Andrew Pham, discussing events with his friends and family as they happen helps him process information more effectively. “Talking about things and just being open about it is more healthy than not talking about it,” Pham said. “If you ignore something and don’t address it then it can’t be fixed.” All the methods mentioned above have different ways of working out, and the effectiveness of a method is mostly dependent on the personality of the person. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference. “Do things that make you happy,” Gollub said. “In a time like this when the world is so stressful and scary, you’ve really just got to give yourself that break.”
Graphics made with Canva
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A Farewell To Palo Alto Businesses
Text/design By ANNA HICKEY and JONAN PHO
Students reflect on businesses closed due to Covid
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he COVID-19 pandemic has hit businesses hard and those in Palo Alto are no exception. Anthro wanted to give students a chance to reminisce and say a farewell to all the local spots that we lost this year. These business closings are far from isolated, with over 110,000 restaurants, some that had been serving their communities for generations, having closed during the pandemic across the country, according to a January article in Fortune magazine. Since high school has been operating virtually, Palo Alto High School students are no longer flocking to nearby businesses, such as those in Town and Country or on University Avenue. Across Palo Alto, stores and restaurants were forced to close, temporarily or permanently, due to a loss of business. Here are just a few of the businesses that Paly students cherished.
Mayfield Bakery and Cafe Opened in 2009, Mayfield Bakery & Cafe was a favorite among students for its iced coffee and delicious baked goods, and is one of the many spots that have shut its doors. It was practically a Paly staple, visited often during the brunch and lunch periods every day. Senior Charlotte Versavel was one of many students who frequented Mayfield. “I used to go to Mayfield after school to get tea, and sometimes would get lunch there,” she said. “It’s sad that it closed, and future Paly students won’t get to experience the quick, great food from the Bakery.” VACANT SEATING. Mayfield Bakery & Cafe, once bustling with student activity, now sits empty after closing. Photo: Karlene Salas.
Create It Ceramic and Glass Studio Create It was a popular spot for children’s birthday parties, group events and rainy day activities since the studio’s opening in 2006. The studio allowed people to do glass fusion, print their hands (or paws) in clay and paint pieces of pottery such as plates, mugs or fun animal figurines. “I went there a couple of times in elementary school to make coasters with my family,” said junior Nicholas Mo. Although the Town and Country location is currently closed, Create It’s studio in Burlingame is offering activity kits. FOR LEASE. Create It has been forced to close its Palo Alto location. Senior Jean Mouloudj says, “We could help work on a sign that shows which businesses are struggling the most.” Photo: Karlene Salas.
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The Fish Market The Fish Market has long been a Palo Alto staple, opening on El Camino Real near Stanford in 1976. While other branches of the restaurant have been able to stay open during the pandemic, the Palo Alto restaurant has been forced to temporarily close. In an interview with Palo Alto Online, president of the Fish Market Restaurants Dwight Colton said, “We’ve all lost sleep and have tried to map out any other option other than coming to this point.” While the restaurant has gone into hibernation for now, Colton plans to reopen it sometime in the future. GONE FISHING. A sign covers the front doors of the closed Fish Market. “I was pretty disappointed that the Fish Market closed,” says senior Charlotte Versavel. Photo: Anna Hickey.
Chantal Guillon Serving hand-made macarons, Chantal Guillon has been around since 2008, opening its first location in San Francisco. The Palo Alto branch of Chantal Guillon on University Avenue opened in 2012. Located near Cream, a store that specializes in ice cream sandwiches, the area was a great place to get desserts. “I kept coming back because not only were the macarons delicious, but also the staff workers there were so welcoming,” senior Dunya Mostaghimi said. While the store had previously closed for a few months due to Covid-19, it has since reopened for takeout, according to its website. CREATIVE COOKIES. Serving macarons, Chantal Guillon previously closed its downtown location but has recently reopened for takeout. Photo: Michael Santullo.
Babka by Ayelet Although relatively new to the community, having opened in 2018, Bakba by Ayelet was quickly becoming a beloved spot. The shop was known for being the first babka-only bakery in the country and for its delicious and inventive takes on the dessert. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, owner Ayelet Nuchi said, “It was hard because I put in a lot of money into all the remodeling.” There are hopes to soon reopen the bakery in Los Altos, however she no longer seems to be taking online orders as her website has been disconnected. REBUILT. Antoine’s Cookie Shop now occupies the space where Babka by Ayelet was. Photo: Anna Hickey.
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Text/design by ABHINAV RANGANATHAN and TYLER WANG
Art by ARATI PERIYANNAN
A Greener Solution P Environmental issues and the proposed plans for the future
lanet Earth is dying. Yet humans have continued to ignore this problem, choosing to instead treat our planet like a wastebasket. Finally, though, it seems that our world leaders are taking initiative to help secure our future. The OnePlanet Summit, held on Jan. 12, was a meeting of world leaders representing over 50 nations. This summit was put in place to address the gravity of climate change and to create a plan against it. By implementing this plan, we will be pushing the already crowded human population into a smaller area as the plan proposes we treat 30% of our world as natural parks. “The human population is ever growing so if it’s going to displace people or interfere with food production, that is not going to be very popular,” Palo Alto High School AP Environmental Science teacher Nicole Loomis said. “You also just need to educate people on the value of conservation.” The true problem with global warming lies in inaction at the legislative level. Each town, city or county might have its own recycling program or waste-free initiatives. While these programs shed light on some waste management issues, the blame for our rising temperatures lies with our government’s unwillingness to fight the fossil fuel industry.
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“Our goal is making sure that we as we know, is caused by reckless burning have adequate natural resources and pre- of fossil fuels and general environmental serve our lands, both for tourism, and also neglect. for the well being of our species,” Paly According to the climate and clean junior Jimmy Miller said. “We need to air coalition, Beijing, the city with some regulate more companies that are acting of the worst air pollution in the world, globally to take resources out of ours.” has reduced its fine particulate pollution Another key factor in the mitigation by 35% in the past 20 years alone, finally of global warming is our waste manage- meeting the national standards. ment. While we While it may may think we are “The human population is have seemed like a “going green,” in ever growing so if it’s going to stretch at the time, truth we are just by practicing enshifting the waste displace people or interfere vironmental conover to another with food production, that is sciousness at both part of the world the individual and where waste is not going to be very popular.” citywide levels, dumped on beachBeijing was able to es and streets. — Nicole Loomis, APES teacher not only save the “The current environment but system of waste management has been save lives. unsustainable for a long time already,” sePollution is not just a danger to us nior and leader of the Environmental Jus- in the future. In fact, it poses a very real tice Club Emile Difede said. “As it stands threat to many people around today’s now, recycling is shipped away… In the world. “People who live in regions that are US, it [recycling] just becomes another socially and economically disadvantaged country’s trash. This is a form of environ- are disproportionately affected by the mental injustice.” dangers of waste and pollution,” Difede Our strategy to keep one side of the said, highlighting the poor design of our world clean is to degrade the other. We waste-management system. cannot allow this to happen. Just like evThere are many possible solutions to erything else, our bad habits catch up to this problem but they all require the need us. for manpower and cooperation. “ComAccording to the State of Global Air, munity service is essential,” Difede said. air pollution was the fifth leading risk fac- “ We must all do our part to protect our tor for mortality worldwide. Air pollution, planet.”
WRITE WITH US
If you are a Paly student interested in social activism or are looking for an outlet to express your opinions on current events, guest write for Anthro Magazine. Please reach out to anthromagazine.paly@gmail.com with your ideas.
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Statistics source: US News
Text/design by KARLENE SALAS and ANYA LASSILA
Best Colleges for Student Activists
Colleges are centers of education and passion, so it’s no surprise that many of them are involved with local or even national social activism. For juniors who are starting to think about which colleges they want to apply to and for seniors deciding where they want to go, social activism may be an aspect to consider that is somewhat difficult to research. To aid in this process, Anthro staff writers compiled a list of colleges that have opportunities and environments conducive to student activists.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California • public • acceptance rate 17%
UC Berkeley has a long history of activism; a prominent example includes its involvement in the free speech movement in the 60s, which is often lauded by student guides on campus tours, according to a Daily Californian article. Its involvement in activism hasn’t faded over time, as shown by the recent protests to block people like Milo Yiannopoulus from speaking on campus. In the pandemic, Berkeley students keep up their activism virtually. For the recent presidential elections, students rallied with a web-based petition, demanding a day off from class so students had time to vote in-person. Second-year student Abhi Vinchure spoke highly of Berkeley’s activism environment in a college magazine article: “You can’t really go a day without seeing activism or demonstrations. But Berkeley doesn’t force it on you. If you’re politically uninvolved and just wanna do C.S. and graduate, you can.”
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia • private • acceptance rate 43%
As the US’s oldest black women’s liberal arts college, Spelman continues to honor its roots by encouraging critical thought on social events, requiring students to complete classes on the African diaspora, and having programs to support minority students. Spelman’s Social Justice Fellows program, for example, selects a group of female students to “change the world through social justice advocacy,” according to their website. These students receive semester stipends, internship placements, and special co-curricular experiences and mentoring. They also receive social justice advocacy training and policy implementation experiences. This emphasis on social activism is reflected by the efforts of Spellman’s graduates. One especially interesting example of this is the podcast senior Kayla Smith hosts, called “The Blue Record,” where she highlights and discusses issues that affect black college students and alumni from Spelman.
Grap hics b y: Arati Periya nnan
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Pitzer College
Claremont, California • private • acceptance rate 14%
Pitzer was founded in the 60’s at the height of the environmentalist movement to emphasized the effects of social and environmental policies in an interdisciplinary environment. It has continued this progressive mindset, keeping up with modern social movements. Pitzer regularly invites activists tospeak, such as transgender activist Janet Mock and Patrisse Cullors, co-creator of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The college also hosts a yearly Arts and Activism panel to highlight social and political issues. One student told the Fiske Guide to Colleges in 2017, “This small school has changed with the times but continues its emphasis on progressive thought, social responsibility, and open social attitude.”
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut • private • acceptance rate 16%
Wesleyan’s campus is a hub of student activism. The university has many clubs advocating for a diverse range of social causes like the “Adolescent Sexual Health Awareness,” “Challah for Hunger,” “Journalism of Underrepresented Students,” “Wesleyan Students for Disability Right,” and “Cardinal Cares,” which is an organization that helps spread awareness about eating disorders. This active, collaborative environment and Wesleyan’s emphasis on diversity provides many opportunities for students to get involved in current events and social movements. Wesleyan students have consistently protested against police brutality. According to a Middletown Press article, around 300 people gathered at the university’s student center to protest officers using excessive force when breaking up a gathering in 2008. “I think Wesleyan can pride itself on admitting students from all types of socioeconomic, geographic, and national backgrounds as well as diverse identities,” said a Wesleyan student in Fiske Guides to Colleges 2017. “Students are vocal about hot social and political issues, ranging from single-sex Greek life to divestment from fossil fules to the Black Lives Matter protests.”
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts • private • acceptance rate 30% In terms of its academic offerings, Brandeis has a social justice and social policy program that students can take as a minor and can begin at any time. The program “does not seek to promote a particular ideological agenda, but rather to spark creative thinking about complex social problems” and “challenges students to articulate their own value commitments in a spirit of constructive debate” according to their school website. Students can build on their activism outside of the classroom as well; Brandeis has multiple student clubs with varied focuses that center around social and political activism such as the campus groups “Brandeis United Against Inequities in Diseases,” “Jewish Feminist Association of Brandeis,” and “STAND: Refugee Advocacy and Mass Strocity Prevention.” Brandeis’ policies reflect this emphasis on activism and progressive thought. It is known for its religious acceptance, and the university is the first US university to ban caste-based discrimination, which took effect in December 2019.
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington • public • acceptance rate 52%
In 1943, UW student Gordon Hirabayashi sued the federal government on the grounds that curfews placed on Japanese Americans were unconstitutional in a case known as Hirabayashi v. United States. Though the court ruled against Hirabayashi, this act set the mood for activism for the university. UW puts an emphasis on local community involvement with its School of Social Work and encourages students to think beyond the local community and stand up for their views on national issues by offering a diverse, conscientious environment. UW athlete Havana McElvaine shared how influential this quality was on her life in a 2017 UW article. During the height of athletes protesting against police brutality, her coach encouraged her to stand up for herself and others. “She enabled me to be in solidarity with a movement I cared about, and that was really powerful for me,” McElvaine said.
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As our campus reopens, remember to abide by COVID-19 safety regulations. The light at the end of the tunnel is visible. Stay six-feet apart and wear your mask (or two)! Thank you.
Scan for safety regulations from CDC.gov
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Text by AVA RAMSDALE
Photo by DAVID TROUCE
On pointe ... online
How one dancer’s life was changed by COVID-19
S
lipping on a pair of pink tights and a leotard, Natalia Trouce opens her computer and checks her email for the Zoom link to class. Signing in, she looks at her classmates through the computer screen and prepares herself for another day of online dance. COVID-19 has caused us all to dramatically change our daily routine, but for performing artists, that has become increasingly harder. Trouce, a sophomore at Palo Alto High School, is one of many performing artists who has experienced this struggle. A dancer at the Bayer Ballet Academy for 11 years, Trouce specializes in ballet, character and contemporary dance. Like many dancers, her classes were held virtually until recently when Bayer Ballet created an outdoor studio to adapt to COVID-19 guidelines. However, with the coronavirus case numbers still high, Trouce opted to stay online. Although she’s still able to dance for about 15 hours per week, dancing via Zoom is harder compared to dancing in a studio. As a result, Trouce is forced to find alternate activities to help stay in shape.“It’s nice to go out and walk around the neighborhood,” Trouce said. Trouce said that the most disappointing part about the pandemic is that she doesn’t have as much space at home to dance as she would if she were in the studio. “I can’t go to the studio, and that has a few consequences, mainly I can’t move,” she said. “Dance is a lot about moving around, and with the current situation, I can’t really do that that much.” She’s also had trouble staying motivated. “Somedays in the studio, you were super focused and then other days you were just going through the motions”, Trouce said. “Every day feels that way now.”
Paly sophomore Natalia Trouce continues to dance from home through online dance classes. “I haven’t been in the studios in nine months,” Trouce said. “I haven’t been able to improve as much as I would like to.”
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Takedown Terrors A preemptive look at my journalistic regrets
Text by JONAN PHO
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t’s crunch time, an article is due and it’s time to get started with it. I type it out, word after word, paragraph after paragraph. I pull quotes from interviews, weaving them in between. It’s a sort of hyperfocus, one that brings me through pages and pages of written work. By the time I’m done, that’s when it hits me. I’ve just written who-knows-what for a deadline at the last minute. I didn’t give myself time to think about anything else while writing it, much less the time to revise multiple drafts. So far, I’m pretty proud of the stories that I’ve done in my journalism career. But, there may come a time when I worry more about how people perceive what I’ve written. And I’m not alone in thinking this, especially in recent years as technology has become more prevalent. “I haven’t had this until the last two years, but I’ve had past students who actually wrote for the Campanile request that their own stories be taken down,” said Rodney Satterthwaite, a Palo Alto High
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Photo by CORIE JIANG
School journalism advisor. en that Anthro is relatively new, there isn’t Would future me still be proud currently a policy about past staff takeenough of my writings now to show them downs, which does not ease my anxiety to the world in the fuover this at all. ture? There’s no way In other countries, to know, but I can look “I’ve had past students there’s the idea of the at what other former who actually wrote for right to be forgotten. student journalists are According to the Genthe Campanile request eral Data Protection doing now. “They’re trying to that their own stories Regulation, the right to clean up their profile be forgotten is recogbe taken down.” and they’re going for nized in the European job interviews and I Union, where people think oftentimes people — Rodney Satterthwaite, Paly are allowed to remove journalism advisor negative want to clean up their references digital footprint,” said from the internet as a Brian Wilson, another Paly journalism part of their own privacy, as long as the advisor. data in question isn’t critical for public So then, if I were to regret anything info, archiving purposes, or intrude on the I could’ve written and want to clean up freedom of expression of others. in the future what exactly would it However, in the US, this right doesn’t take to get it removed? exist. According to the First Amendment According to the Stu- Encyclopedia, the Internet instead exists dent Press Law Center, it to catalogue everything that has been comes down to a couple of published and is protected under the First things. In an SPLC guide Amendment as a part of free expression. regarding takedown re- As long as what’s written isn’t libelous, it quests, the copyright of can’t be taken down. a piece belongs to the auAt the end of the day, I don’t think thor unless it was created my fear that I might regret something will while they were hired. ever go away. But the same goes for every As a high school other action. What we do now can cause student jour- any number of changes to our futures. nalist, I am The key thing that journalism students, not being myself included, need to realize is that, paid, so yeah, what we’ve said before might not techni- be what we agree with in the future. This cally the story itself has gone through a couple of copyright drastic topic changes, and, during my belongs to time sourcing, I was given a bit of advice me. that I feel like everyone could use. But “I think we have to give more credithere’s also bility to this idea that people’s beliefs can the policy of change over time and that’s okay,” Satterthe publica- thwaite said. “But I think expressing opintion, and how ions now, you learn new information, and strict they that’s how you become a more intelligent are about ar- human being.” chiving. GivI think I’ll roll with that for now.
Keeping sane with social media Loneliness and the use of social Text by CORIE JIANG and ASH MEHTA
Design by CORIE JIANG
media by minority groups
T
he pandemic has brought upon an age of isolation for many. The amount of adults experiencing anxiety or depression has almost quadrupled since 2019, according to the KFF, largely due to the loneliness caused by quarantine. However, this solitude isn’t new for queer teens — 80% of trans/nonbinary youth report not being accepted by many people in their community, according to the Trevor Project. Psychology Today states that, “Isolation—whether it be from friends, community, teachers, or the outside world generally—is bad for mental health and safety under the best of circumstances, and especially dangerous for young people already in trouble.” As such, many people have resorted to online communities. Social media provides a place for LGBTQ+ people to learn and connect with peers who share their experiences. There’s a strong need for connection and a place to share experiences among people who face discrimination. “If they’re feeling marginalized, or stigmatized, it’s somewhere to go to find communities that won’t harass them the same way,” said Monica Mehta, CEO of The Normalizers, a nonprofit that raises awareness and creates safe spaces for queer people and people with mental health issues. There’s a strong intersectionality between being LGBTQ+ and struggling with mental health, and both groups benefit strongly from online communities. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, queer adults and teenagers are twice as likely (and about four times as likely for trans people) to experience
mental health issues or persistent feelings of hopelessness than their heterosexual peers. Social media provides connection. An article from Healthline, an organization of doctors and experts in mental and physical health, states that cognitive distortions, a common symptom of mental illness, are what causes those teens and adults to view themselves as “me against the world.” This feeling can worsen mental health issues and compel people to drive away those that could help, which is made more difficult to prevent with the isolating factor of quarantine. However, having a tangible list of online friends can aid that feeling. “I feel like at any point I can just look at this list of people who care about me, and that’s a really nice feeling,” Dumas said. That connection with others who are struggling can mean the world to many people. “Social media can help us be connected with people who are also experiencing something similar,” Whitney Aquino, Paly’s Wellness Outreach Worker, said. “It can be validating and normalizing to read someone’s commentary and someone’s captions, or see their video and [feel seen].” There’s a stigma around social media as something that can only cause harm. But it can be so beneficial to anyone who feels isolated in the real world, for any reason. “It’s one way that we can engage in the world and social support is just a really important pillar in our mental health and well being,” Aquino said.
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Opening my eyes After Capitol protests: insights on my journey with antisemitism
hate crimes over Hanukkah is indicative ing social movements happening right of this increase. But the general national now. Yet when it comes to my own expeopinion still seems to believe that antisem- riences with prejudice, I can’t seem to do itism is dwindling, or, worse, has ceased to anything. exist, ending with the Holocaust. It’s just Sometimes, when I’m with other not treated as an issue that needs address- Jews, I can rant about the prevalence of ing, which is exactly what has allowed it to antisemitism and share my anger and get to this proportion. fears. But most of the time, I buy into the While important civil rights move- lie that our country tells itself. “Antisemments in the last couple itism isn’t that bad,” I of years have finally think. “It’s not nearly as started to change from As a Jew and a jourbad as what other peosocial conversations to nalist, it is my duty to ple face. Why should political movements, I complain? No one’s research, discuss, and antisemitism has been talking about it, it must was angry when I first heard report on social and left behind. It’s a cynot be important. about the protests at the Capital. I cle—as anti-Jewish “I should just get couldn’t believe what was happenpolitical issues related sentiment isn’t thought over it.” ing. But when I turned on the TV to to the Jewish commuof as a serious issue, litOne thing frewatch the live footage, it felt like my heart tle action is taken on it quently questioned is stopped. I actually felt ice in my veins, as nity. I can’t let myself outside the Jewish comwhy insignia and terms cliché as it sounds. As soon as I saw the avoid this anymore. from decades and even t-shirts bearing “6M wasn’t enough,” I munity. This results in the problem being furcenturies ago are still knew immediately what they meant, even ther neglected and rarely discussed. hurtful to the Jewish community. This is if they hadn’t been coupled with swastikas Hating Jews seems almost universal, because of generational trauma: the pain and shirts reading “Camp Auschwitz.” in that people of all social and political accumulated over generations of hardI turned off the TV and took a nap. backgrounds across the world can be ship that is passed down to descendants. My grandma called me later to talk about it. I changed the topic as soon as I could. antisemitic. Racism has become associ- Generational trauma is especially promiIt’s hard for me to think about an- ated with certain places and groups with nent in Judaism; as it is an ethno-religion deep-rooted histories of passed down and sustained through gentisemitism, especially oppression. Antisemi- erations, this strong connection to our anwhen I’m thinking But most of the time, tism has no such asso- cestors is a big part of Jewish culture and about it in relation to ciations, instead being religion. I buy into the lie that me. It’s far too easy to found across all cultures This sense of connection to our anseparate myself from our country tells itself. and countries. This unicestors, and by extension, our ancestors’ all of it, think of it as “Antisemitism isn’t that versality has the effect pain, stems from a major principle in Jua “not here, not me” of making it seem invisdaism: we are our ancestors. All of our thing, and even easier bad,” I think. “It’s not ible while making it so ancestors’ struggles going back to before to ignore news about nearly as bad as what much harder to fight. the Torah are treated as our own. Over it. It simply isn’t given This persisting inPassover, we don’t say “our ancestors esother people face. I as much national atternational negligence caped from Egypt,” we say “we escaped tention. I often don’t should just get over it. is not only dangerous from Egypt.” These events hold over, and hear about Jewish isbut nearly inescapable. we remember and honor them during our sues unless I actively One of the things I struggled with the holidays. seek out information from Jewish commost in writing this article was having to Similarly, we don’t say “our ancestors munities. convince myself over and over again that lived through the Holocaust,” we say “we But it’s hard to ignore that things are this is a worthy topic and I’m not simply lived through the Holocaust.” That is why getting worse. Antisemitic incidents in the making it all up. I consider myself an acwhen I see antisemitic insignia relating to U.S. hit a four-decade high in 2019, activist; I’ve tried to stay up-to-date and enthe Holocaust like swastikas or “6M was cording to the Anti-Defamation League’s gaged with all the incredible, life-changnever enough,” it sends the loud-andinternal tracking. The spree of violent
I
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Text by ANYA LASSILA Art by ARATI PERIYANNAN
clear message of “I want you dead.” It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with this. As bad as it sounds, I’ve barely engaged with Jewish issues since my article last year, “The Disloyalty Charge,” and even then I wrote it disconnected from myself. I block out antisemitism, my mantra of “not here, not me” keeping me safe and sheltered. I don’t know what it is about the Capital protests. Maybe it’s because antisemitism is finally in the national spotlight and being treated with importance, maybe it’s because it’s the first antisemitic news in a long time I just couldn’t ignore. But witnessing the antisemitism at the Capital riots changed something for me. I realized how I’ve purposefully disconnected myself from this part of my heritage, and how essential it is for me to undo that. Over the pandemic, I’ve been growing spiritually and trying to get back in touch with Judaism, reconnecting with Jewish culture and community. But I can’t make any progress on my religious journey until I reconcile myself with this part of it. Being Jewish is a part of who I am, which makes the pain of my ancestors a part of who I am, and I take on the responsibility of carrying those memories and fighting for a better future. As a Jew and a journalist, it is my duty to research, discuss, and report on social and political issues related to the Jewish community whenever I can. I can’t let myself avoid this anymore. I hope the blatant prejudice displayed at the Capitol protests will awaken more to the reality of antisemitism. I hope this event will change the national narrative on antisemitism and bring some attention to it. I hope I’m strong enough to keep caring and keep finding the willpower and conviction to fight. I hope others will fight with me. Maybe generations from now, my descendants will be able to look back on this time and say “we fought for recognition, and we won.”
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Cops: villains, Text/art by ARATI PERIYANNAN
It is possible to support the police while still making sure to hold them accountable for their actions?
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t’s in the news. That’s where we see them. Police. Kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. Raiding Breonna Taylor’s apartment. Quick to attack during a Black Lives Matter protest but standing by during the Capitol Hill riots. These are all stories we know too well. Same stories, different names. The common antagonist: police. Tear-gassing crowds of peaceful protests. Taking innocent lives. Putting them behind bars. Ignoring the consequences. Then repeating the process, over and over again, till it became a well-known pattern. Defund the Police. The phrase that started appearing everywhere. Written on cardboard signs in thick black sharpies, shouted in large crowds through megaphones, known by all. One common misconception about the phrase is that it means abolishing or dismantling the police. What it proposes to do is redirect funds towards other parts of the government. In an article published by Rolling Stone, Tessa Stuart said those who support the
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defunding of police argue it will take Rights Watch mentions that the cool of away the money from purchases of tanks, supporters is a community of equals recars, weapons and riot equipment. Then gardless of race, class or gender. While the funding can go to social services that this seems like a good plan, they would be work to improve mental health, addiction, doing is taking away jobs from those who and homelessness. have devoted their What defunding the There are around lives to protecting the police will actually do is community and have take away money from 800,000 law enforcedone no wrong. Takcommunity projects and ment officers in the ing away law enforceorganizations. For exment can be a dangerample, in a message sent United States and ous path. out by the National Po- over 22,000 have lost While we see lice Support Fund, they these events in the said the money would be their lives on duty. media constantly, the directed away from propolice involved in grams that target taking criminals off the them that spark public uproar is a small streets. It would also mean more budget percentage of police forces. While there cuts in general, as well as less resources are members of the police force who have and less ability to give adequate training. abused their power and taken the lives of Many say that ‘defunding the police’ many innocent people, they do not make is the next step towards a complete dis- up the entirety of the police force. Dismantling of the police. But why are sup- mantling or defunding the police would porters of defunding trying to dismantle take away authority from those individuthe police? als too. In an article addressing defunding There are around 800,000 law enthe police, Human forcement officers in the United States and over 22,000 have lost their lives on duty (nleomf.org). Thousands devote their lives to creating a safer community, and they are willing to risk their lives to do so. For example, Police Officer Brian Sicknick died during the riots in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. But he’s a cop, so he couldn’t have been a good person, right? He was described as a lovely and humble soul by a friend in the United States Capitol Police. He, along with many other officers who have lost their lives, were honest and loyal throughout their time on police forces. Dismantling the police may solve some problems we face with select officers but it will also invalidate the devotion of the
heroes, both?
hundreds of thousands of officers who have risked their lives for this country and its people. Supporting police doesn’t mean that we can’t still hold them accountable. If anything, it is essential that we hold them accountable. If we are going to support the police, we cannot hesitate to hold them accountable for their actions. In early June of last year, the American Civil Liberties Union brought up the idea of reimagining the police rather than taking away their funding. In early June of last year, Anthony D. Romero, ACLU executive director sent out a message regarding this. He acknowledged the ACLU’s past efforts to change policies, improved training, and instating better procedures. These areas are being constantly changed in the hope that one of those changes would fix everything. But the hard truth is that reworking trainings and policies aren’t addressing the core problem. The core problem is the lack of accountability, Officers need to be held accountable for their actions and there has to be a set precedent for how cases, like George Floyd’s, are handled. The system cannot side with officers and dismiss the cases without thorough investigation. For many
cases, including George Floyds, it took a and was a part of three police shootings public outcry and protests to fight against -- one of which resulted in a death. If the system that historiaction had been taken cally favors officers. to remove Chauvin afSince we, the Every time we let the ter the complaints and people, are not willing police get away with shootings, the death of to hold them accountGeorge Floyd might able for their actions morally wrong actions, have been avoided. It then who will? Again, we are giving them was the dismissing of the killing of George prior problems and Floyd is a good ex- more power. reports that eventually ample of this. Derled to the death of an ek Chauvin, 19-year Minneapolis innocent man. Police Department veteran, was To a similar extent, we need to do charged with third-degree murder more for officers who have worked hard and manslaughter The remaining and with integrity to ensure that their three officers involved have been communities are safe. We need to conremoved from the force. This tinue to honor those officers rather than is an exception to what we nordismissing or lessening their devotion mally see in similar cases. Many because they are a cop. times, the law will side with law We need to show them that they enforcement. will have our support as long as they In the case of Chaudo what is in the best interest of the vin, there had been people they serve. Every time we multiple incidents let the police get away with prior to the killmorally wrong actions, we ing of George are giving them more Floyd. An artipower. Defunding the cle published police is not a longby Mercury term or effective soluNews stated tion, but showing he had 18 our support while complaints consistently holding on his them accountable record for the actions is.
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Foothills: S a case study in equity Was opening the park the right choice — and what’s next? Text/photo by KARRIE HUANG
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pot herds of black-tailed deer, flocks of waterfowl and rabbits burrowing through the forest in the miles of trails that stretch around Foothills Park, a nature preserve purchased exclusively by Palo Alto in the 1960s. This is what the park looked like on Nov. 24. A month later, the animals had seemingly vanished as the park opened to all. On Sept. 15, 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit demanding Palo Alto rescind the residents-only policy of the park. In response, the City Council decided Nov. 2 to accede. The lawsuit that argued a violation of the First Amendment right to protest (inside the park) and the fundamental right to travel since non-residents cannot pass through, was dropped. A question of racism? However, public discussion rather centered around claims that the residents-only rule at Foothills was racist because the park was exclusive in a time when redlining — where certain races were not allowed to live inside Palo Alto — led to a population of only 1.6% Black inside the city, which is still true today. Still, census data indicates that most neighboring cities also do not have a significant Black population and are wealthy. And, some are skeptical of these claims of discrimination. “It had nothing to do with race,” Allan Marson, a longtime Palo Alto resident and corporate lawyer, said.
“It’s the zeitgeist, the spirit of the hike up to the Fragrant Hills in Bei- in the hands of voters. However, it time. jing, there are some beautiful areas failed to garner enough signatures. Equity, but in taxes — but it’s all beaten down because In January, the City Council Still, some argue public parks there are so many people,” Marson moved to charge a $6 fee and tempoin general should be open-access. said. “It’s not their fault, but if you rarily reduce the visitation cap from Foothills was the only one banning turn all those people loose, it’s the 750 to 400 to curb crowds amid renon-residents in California. reality.” ports of overcrowding, environmen“When you think of a park, it Marson said he has observed a tal damage, and dangerous traffic doesn’t matter what damaged environ- conditions. city you live in or what ment at Foothills reOn Jan. 25, a federal judge placed “I’m uncomfortable cently. city the park is in, you an injunction on the city, a part of can go,” said Dan- living in a commu“I saw this guy the settlement the city reached with iel Nguyen, Palo Alto nity that covets climbing up the side the plaintiffs of the lawsuit. Palo High School teacher of the mountain,” Alto is now prohibited from changand San Jose resident. resources.” Marson said. “It tears ing access to Foothills on the basis — Lucy Filppu, teacher up the vegetation, and of residency, permanently. The inOnly Palo Altans pay property taxes with the rains causes junction also requires Palo Alto to that support Foothills Park, some erosion. It’s a good way to destroy terminate its original plan to place point out. Yet, all parks in the city a park.” park access on the ballot in 2022. are maintained with resident taxes Still, according to city data, Foot“The injunction doesn’t make and only Foothills is restricted. hills has actually been underuti- sense,” Marson said. “For example, “It’s a different situation [than lized. For the past 20 years, visita- out of state tuition: the in-staters most parks],” Marson countered. tion — prior to the opening — has are paying for it in their taxes and “It’s a unique wilderness park near hovered at about 40% of its peak in it’s only fair that out-of-staters a major metropolitan area with lots the 1970s. should pay some exof wildlife - deer, turkeys. Those are Also, there is the “If you turn all those tra. I think the same all gone now. I’m not worried about option to use meaprinciple applies people loose, it’s the all the wildlife vanishing out of Rin- sures less absolute here — I’m paying conada Park.” than an outright ban. reality.” something, you’re — Allan Marson, resident paying something.” Lucy Filppu, Palo Alto resident The alternative and Palo Alto High School English Marson instead supIn February, the teacher, was happy to pay for every- ports is fees for non-residents. Parks and Recreation Committee one’s access. “Anyone who wants to pay is go- proposed a plan to charge $50 and “If it’s coming out of my local ing to take care of it and it shows $65 for residents and non-residents taxes, I don’t care,” she said. “I wel- interest beyond hey, let’s just go be- respectively for an annual pass. Discome everyone. I’m uncomfortable cause it’s free,” he said. counts of up to 50% would be availliving in a community that covets The aftermath able to seniors, military, disabled resources.” As the park opened, a group of and low-income individuals. It also The case for the environment Palo Alto residents began a refer- advised raising the cap on visitors Concerns about the fragile Foot- endum to overturn the Council’s to 650. hills ecosystem have circulated choice to open the park. Their sucThe name of the land has among many. cess would require the Council to ei- changed, too. Call it Foothills Na“It’s a limited resource. If you ther repeal the law or place the issue ture Preserve.
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