Anthro Volume 5 Issue 3

Power en pointe pg. 14

ANTHRO April 2023 Volume 5 Issue 3

Mission Statement 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 of 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 student voices are heard.

From the Editors Dear Readers, The Anthro staff was deeply shaken by the outbreak of mass shootings in California, as were many of our peers. This issue, we attempted to highlight the numerous Palo Altans pushing for change.

Our cover story, “Power en pointe” by Evelyn Zhang and Maya Mukherjee profiles a local high school dancer who is choreographing a dance about gun violence. In the same vein, new staffers Lara Dumanli and Vivian Tang cover the county’s expanding measures on gun control in “County ‘Strike Team’ focuses on guns.”

A few issues ago, we covered the Muwekma tribe’s efforts to be federally recognized. After reflecting on the impact that story had, we realized we’ve drastically undercovered Indigenous rights in the past.

This issue, we made an effort to expand our Indigenous coverage. Ash Mehta and Minirva Villegas covered Indigenous history in “Who’s at the table?” and Maya Mukherjee, Karrie Huang, and Evelyn Zhang followed up on the Muwekma story in “Calling on Congress” and “Gaining visibility for the tribe” Anthro Magazine’s AI policy is on its website and on the page across from this, and we are prepared to adapt as available technology and knowledge about it changes. Natalie Neumann and Vivian Lin also wrote “The artist’s dilemma” about the challenges artists face in the age of AI. Anthro Magazine Volume 5 Issue 3 comes out of a changing and adapting Incubator — we are expanding to revive Via Verde and Veritas, travel and science/technology magazines, respectively.

We have thoroughly enjoyed working on these issues of Anthro, and we are excited to hand over the reins to the next generation of Anthro leadership. As always, enjoy!

— Ash Mehta and Maya Mukherjee

2 April 2023

Staff Editors-in-Chief Ash Mehta Maya Mukherjee Managing Editors Lauren Wong Sandhya Krishnan Design Leads Annelise Balentine Arati Periyannan Section Editors Content: Karrie Huang News: Lucianna Peralta Features: Saanvi Garg Opinions: Kat Farrell Promotion Team Business: Evelyn Zhang Distribution: Minirva Villegas Artists/Photographers Daniel Garepis-Holland Jeremy Dukes Sasha Kapadia Staff Reporters Divij Motwani Faizan Kashmiri Joshua Kao Lara Dumanli Madelyn Castro Natalie Neumann Vivian Lin Vivian Tang

IN THIS ISSUE PUBLICATIONS COMING SOON:

Via Verde is a travel magazine that focuses on discussing both local and international trips taken by the Paly community. After going on hiatus for four years, we are scheduled to produce in May of 2023, so keep an eye out!

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Local activism roundup

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Students react to shootings in California

5 County “Strike focusespublion guns Veritas is a science andTeam” technology cation scheduled startthe production 6 Activism to around world in late May of 2023. We are focused on new innova7 and The mayor’s mission tions breakthroughs that affect the Palo Altoequity’? community.

8 ‘Pretend

Submit your travel photos and stories to: viaverdemagazine1@gmail.com

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Submit story ideas to: Overflowing with danger veritas.paly@gmail.com The real cost of inflation

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Power en pointe

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Publish your work!

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Dear Ms. Cohen...

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The artist’s dilemma

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Who gets a seat at the table?

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Calling on Congress

Do you want to see your featured next issue?

23 work Gaining visibilityin forour the tribe Email us at am35778@pausd.us and mm28479@pausd.us 24 AP with a short bio, why you wantThe to controversial publish with us, and a brief 25 toInwrite Florida: Censorship expands summary of what you want about!

25 website, Ethnic studies mandate Learn more at the Anthro or scan the QR code to the left.

26 The voices that escape 28

Give peace a chance

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Turkey’s faults

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More than meets the eye(brow)

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Incubator spotlight

Your ad could be here!

Letters to the Editors The staff welcomes letters to the editors. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to palyjournalismincbator@gmail.com or to 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

On the Cover

High School Incubator, Paly’s suite of small publications,Gunn runs ads at rates Allie Tachner performs Printing & Distribution ranging from $15 to $550. Small businesses,her large dancecompanies, to “What a Anthro is printed by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Palo Alto Parent Teacher Association mails Anthro to every student’s home. wonderful world” whichto freelance workers, Paly students, anyone with something Publication Policy advocates against gun — contact Anthro, a social activism magazine published by studentsadvertise in Palo Alto High School Incubator class,us! is a violence. Cover: Madelyn Learn more at the Anthro website, or scan Castro the QR code

designated limited open forum for student expression and discussion of issue of concern to its readership.

Anthro is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost.

AI Policy Anthro will not publish any content we know to be generated by AI without disclosure. If we discover any of our staff are using AI undisclosed, we will (1) identify to readers all impacted work; (2) considerfor removal any impacted work; and (3) and consider staff and school disciplinary measures. See our full ethics policy on our website.

to the left.

@anthro.magazine

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Artand

by LARA MADELYN CASTRO Text by VIVIAN TANG SU DUMANLI

Text by JOSHUA KAO and LAUREN WONG

Local activism roundup Bay Area community members organize and lead efforts to support causes they are passionate about.

Animal Rights From June 9 to June 14, students with the Direct Action Everywhere organization in Berkeley will bring together animal rights activists from around the world for this annual event. This organization has already successfully taken steps to introduce legislation against factory farms in order to reduce animal suffering.

More than 500 people will be in pursuit of these efforts as they have done in previous years according to the Liberation Conference’s website.

This Burning World Available until March 26, artist Jeffrey Gibson’s art gallery in San Francisco aimed to highlight the importance of our relationship with the planet. According to the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco’s website, the installations and hundreds of videos he displayed on the walls and floors captured natural evolving environments to give thanks, but also apologize for how humans have treated them.

e than

Bay Clean-Up

On March 25, the Climate Reality Project hosted a clean-up of the San Leandro Bay. The organization continues to work towards practical climate solutions and encouraged participants to preserve the last remaining marshlands with this hands-on experience. Participants met the organizers at Oakport Street in Oakland to clean up plastics and trash and also admire views of the bay.

Trans Support Group On April 6, the San Mateo County Pride Center hosted a peerled support group open to non-cisgender adults to share experiences and build a community. The group is a safe space with available resources like clinical support for those who benefit more from that than socialization activities the center typically offers.

Indigenous Voices Circle

On March 23, led by urban Indigenous women, the Monthly Indigenous Voices Reading and Listening Circle read and discussed recommended readings from the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust website to investigate how efforts by indigenous groups to resist carbon have been successful in slowing down greenhouse gas emissions.

Text and Photos by JOSHUA KAO

Verbatim: Students react to mass shootings in California Two mass shootings have recently occurred close to home — one in Half Moon Bay, and one in Monterey Park, killing and wounding many people. Anthro asked Palo Alto High School students about their initial reactions and thoughts to the streak of shootings in California.

“I think it is really sad, especially the recent shootings and the history of school shootings because there are lots of kids that are just trying to learn and build a future. Unfortunately, they just get that taken away from them.”

“I think it is concerning especially since California has stricter gun laws than other states that we’ve been hearing about. We need to take an approach to get to the root of the problem and have stricter gun laws.”

— GAVIN LIN, freshman

— ALEXIS CHIU, senior

“I think it’s horrible. I think that the government should do more to regulate firearms in the state, and to do more about mental health and relating to gun violence and its consequences because without regulation, bad things like this happen.”

“It is horrible and we should help those people that are mentally unstable and have stricter gun laws.”

— JACK MADWED, sophomore

4 April 2023

County “Strike Team” meets the eyebrow focuses on guns

Photo by ANNELISE BALENTINE

— YARA CHAIB, freshman

as an example of minority representation in media, admits that she’s Hollywood’s ‘acceptable version of a Black girl.’ In the end, all of that new representation still has the aesthetics of white beauty, just without the white he Santa Clarainto County Board ney for Santa Clara County, said. person. And that leaks how we Along with illegally trafficked guns, of Supervisors view ourselves.

You don’t is seeexpanding a scruffy its the proliferation of privately made fire‘gun violence strike team’ folPakistani kid with unibrows; raththe recent mass shoot- arms made in home factories, known as er peoplelowing feel pressured to conform ghost guns, has increased in California, ings in Half Moon Bay and with very specific standards setMonterey by a Gibbons-Shapiro said.

Park, focusing on confiscating guns from white-dominated society.

“It’s not very people with an existWell, if you do see one scruffy Padifficult to do being court order or kistan kid with a unibrow:“We That’dhave just to dramaticalcause you buy a kit, that present potenhappen to bea me.

But I’m the excepwhich has the gun tial threat. ly reduce tion, not the norm. And even though the number of 80% made, and The five-person I’ve always accepted thatfirearms about my- that are in our you’re just putting strike team’s mission self, it still stings to know it. I’ll never together the last is to “take guns from be part of the majority, community.” the known, few parts and you’ve people, who frankJAMES or the familiar. It took me a­ ­— while to GIBBONS-SHAPIRO, now got a functionly, shouldn’t have Santa Being Clara County assistant district embrace that fact about myself. ing assault weapon them,” said Cindy outside the norm used to seem like a attorney that’s illegal to purChavez, member of downside, but i’ve come to love me for chase in California,” the Board of Superme. Not for anything else.

Gibbons-Shapiro said. visors.

The unibrow makes me uniqueThese makeshift guns are nearly TheMy Board is set to approve almost ly me. buddy between eyebrows untraceable, but the strike team plans ahas million dollars for new local positions, become to me a symbol of taking to make ghost guns a priority. Gibbringing the unit to 23 people, on the standard of size beauty in my own acbons-Shaprio said they need to attack cording to Chavez . little way. The unibrow makes me . A this problem from the base and prosecute Although this plan has been voted person not dreading shaving day or the people manufacturing the makeshift on by the Santa Clara County Board, the feigning security, but a person proud guns. enforcement of these actions rely on the of his identity.

“We have to dramatically reduce the SantaThis Clara County’s judge’s approval. is a message to You. To those number of firearms that are in our comTemporary removal orders are easier to with crooked teeth, big noses, bushy get during critical circumstances before a munity, and then we’re coupling that with eyebrows, large stomachs, anything investigative strikes to break up these full hearing can occur. deemed imperfect by society. We dedealers that are providing ghost guns,” After the 2019 Gilroy Garlic shooting serve to love our bodies. You deserve when the gunman legally obtained to love yourself, your features, and but whatillegally you aretransported as a person. his gun to California, politicians We can learn to be a have bit happier been working on a solution to with ourselves. make it harder for these inUNIBROW: Faizan Kashmiri, Paly stances to occur again. sophomore and author this piece, “We’ve seen both of the poses for a photo.

He has had a unirise in privately-made brow all his life and does not shave guns and the rise of ilit as a form of self-expression.

He legally-trafficked guns hopes to reduce the stigma around into our state,” James Gibbons-Shapiro, the with uniunibrows and help those assistant district brows accept them.attor-

Santa Clara County expands measures against gun violence

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Chavez said.

A large aspect of the expansion is that the funding will not be taken out of any other department and only existing laws will be applied. This strike team isn’t implementing anything new, but simply imposing it, according to Gibbons-Shapiro.

“We can’t predict where every incident is going to be and that’s one of the reasons that I’m so focused on using the laws and resources that we have, removing as many guns as quickly as possible and as safely as possible,” Chavez said.

“We are using grants and the $900,000 the county put in to be able to support local agencies with overtime to pay officers to retrieve firearms.”

With the recent shootings in California, Gibbons-Shapiro said that this is exactly the right time for the strike team to expand.

“California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, and they’re only meaningful if we do the things to enforce them,” Gibbons-Shapiro said.

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Text by KARRIE HUANG Art by ARATI PERIYANNAN

Activism Around the World

Democracy, war, retirement, peace: a look at protests globally FRANCE: The raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64 has sparked protests in France that are the largest in recent memory. Though the exact number is in dispute, it is indisputable that over a million have taken to the streets to march, and even opera and dance organizations in Paris have protested in their own way, like performing outside in the bitter winter.

Theater troupes have added their touch by parading props and having actors perform scenes with themes of justice and activism. The president, Emmanuel Macron, has signaled that he will not give concessions to the protesters.

MEXICO: A wave of protests has racked Mexico City as president Obrador has altered electoral laws by cutting funding for certain election offices and lowering penalties for improper campaign finance reporting in order to divert more money towards helping the poor, he claims.

Activists say that the new changes are threatening Mexican democracy and demand that the reforms be overturned. Tens of thousands flowed through city streets wearing white and pink in solidarity with the colors of the National Electoral Institute.

PHILIPPINES: The Philippine government has allowed the U.S. military access to four new bases, firing up activists across the country.

This is to counter the growing presence of China in Taiwan and the South China Sea. A group of protesters clustered around the Manila — the capital of the Philippines — military camp where the deal was made, protesting the potential for the Philippines to become ensnared in the tensions and possible confrontation between China and the U.S. RUSSIA: Though reports of anti-Ukraine war protesting — and most other protests as well — are tightly suppressed by the Russian government, a spate of one-person and silent protests has struck cities across the country. Flowers are being laid at sites with relation to Ukraine to protest the deaths of civilians in an apartment building in Dnipro, Ukraine despite the huge penalties protesting carries in Russia.

SOUTH AFRICA: As South Africa’s economy stumbles and an energy crisis grows, civilians are crowding the streets of Pretoria — the nation’s capital — to attempt to make president Cyril Ramaphosa resign. Helping contribute to the protest is the leftmost, Economic Freedom Fighters, who are a large third party in South Africa. The activism has sparked fears of widespread looting and rioting, which has occurred in recent memory, causing the police to maintain a high level of readiness and businesses nearest the protesting to lock down.

6 April 2023

Text by JOSHUA KAO MADELYN CASTRO Textand

by LARA SU DUMANLI Photo by MADELYN CASTRO Art by LAUREN WONG

in case of an emergency,” said Abdullah Coskun, vice president of Stanford’s Turkish Student Association.

People are still being rescued by humanitarian aids and relief support after 250 hours underneath the rubble, the Turkish government is focusing on detaining “the culprits” – construction companies. Over 100 were detained by a new “Earthnessestabin the sky.” anuary, Investigation” 2023, Mayor Lydia Kou was quake Crimes unit which At night there is an additional harm to took office.

Anthro Magazine spoke lished in response to this disaster, according to Wall with her about her primary activist both wildlife and humans.

Street Journal. lights that are on … actualgoals. these detained building contractors“Nighttime Whether are ly attract a lot of the insects and the birds to One of Mayor Lydia Kou’s primary guilty or not, the responsibility of assuring the pubit,” and leads to issues for local health due interests is the environmental impact lic’s safety should always be the government’s. The to sleep pattern disruption. of Palo Alto.

After making progress elecWorld Health Organization reported that almost 26 Senior social services are provided by trifying homes, commercial buildings, and million people have been personally affected by the installing heat pumps, Kou has shifted to Kou, as she has expressed concern about earthquake and instead of focusing on those, politimany elderly citizens who often don’t eat focus on Palo Alto’s natural landscape. cians are protecting themselves by refusing to right and need “What I have noticed is acknowledge their negligence. downtown. that there tends to be more “This we play, housing This is side linked to a longline is of where corShe has started this focus onresult the tech versus ruption that deepenviin the Turkish governby suplooking at ourruns natural this is where we live, this initiative ment and finally after this porting a non-profronment and how to protectearthquake, change needs to be implemented. government needs our home.” it organization and preserve it,” Kou said. Theis to doHer better.

Notisonly for its own future, hope to solve ­—political LYDIA KOU, Palo Alto mayor funded by the city but also for its people.

There is often guilt linked to provide seniors potential issues before they with leaving your home country, like how my parwith hot, nutritious, become hazardous, referents felt, it weighs heavily especially a affordable dining. encing theand recent floods as a turning point. when disaster strikes. it’s frustrating to dining brings the seniors out of “With the Although floods that happened trying “The house and into a dining room where during this rainstorm it wasinstead be- their support your family potentially by fundraising of beare served meals, where it is enjoycause we are stream butthe they ing there, it’sreally all weclose canto doour from across Atlantic able, and they get to talk to each other also because our bridges are older,” Kou fundraised Ocean.“Of course I feel hopeless, but we’ve andincome said. “We’ve gotso to even look at all those over $100,000 though it’scompoa tiny drop the out of isolation,” Kou said. nents.” it helps,” President of Stanford’s TurkishMs. ocean, Stu-Kou feels as if the elderly community in Palo Alto is often concept of infrastructure as a toolsaid. dent The Association, Baris Baran Gundogdu overlooked forAs sustainability powers Kou’s ideas.

As a Turkish citizen, I am appalled by the lack of and not heard from as much Palo Alto continues new housing projects, measure taken to combat this diaster. I know howas other populations.

“They need a place, they Kou is focusing on how buildings beautiful my country is, to thekeep tenacity we have, and for need a dining room, and efficient for residents. the government to be destroying it is heartbreaking.

“I see more and more of the buildings; I want to make sure they In Turkish we say ‘daha iyisini yap’ which translates they’re mostly glass and steel… and we have have a home downtown,” to “do better” so on behalf of my aunts, uncles, cousto ask ourselves is glass really the best use, Kou said. ins and the rest of Turkey eagerly watching the A news concern for many is it energy conserving or does it let in too hoping that the death toll doesn’t increase, please do citizens which Palo Alto much heat?” Kou said. better.

Alongside energy efficiency, Kou cites is held by Ms. Kou is In accordance the Stanford Turkishattracting Student businesspotential harm to with Palo Alto’s local wildlife Association, please support the Bridge to Turkiye Palo Alto, and scenery and is searching for possible es to relief fund. despite its high solutions.

“Migratory birds they tend to not land values. Ofknow and they fly into the glass and kill tentimes, people have to themselves,” Kou said.

Buildings, which may lead to addition- travel outside al light pollution, draws her attention to of Palo Alto to find recthe loss of Palo Alto’s natural features.

“I went backpacking some years ago reational acand we went out to desolation mountain tivities and and it was so out there that at night there facilities.

S h e was no light so all you see is the stars,” said Kou,“when I go out here at night you also hopes can hardly see the stars because there is so to build a facilmuch light that is taking away the bright- fun

The mayor’s mission

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New mayor Lydia Kou’s goals for Palo Alto

ity in Palo Alto for the youth. Ms. Kou is committed to advocating for the creation of new, fun activity spaces such as bowling alleys, arcades, and skate parks.

“I believe that youth should be youth,“ Kou said. “I think there needs to be some fun in the sir lives if it’s a bowling alley, or arcade, or whatever they think is needed, we really should try to make it happen.”

Ms. Kou is eager to hear the voices of the youth and encourages anyone to reach out to her.

“I think there’s two groups in our community that we don’t hear much from which is the youth and the seniors,” Kou said. “For the youth, please let us know what we need and what you want.”

Ms. Kou takes a personal approach to her work as mayor and sees it as a way to take care of our home here in Palo Alto.

“This is where we play, this is where we live, this is our home,” Kou said. “If someone is feeling down and just wants someone to listen, I’m open for that too.”

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Text by ASH MEHTA and SAANVI GARG

Recent math laning lawsuit to affect Palo Alto students

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year-long Palo Alto math laning lawsuit regarding inequity within the math placement system of the school district reached its conclusion mid-February with the current policy being declared a violation of the Math Placement Act mid-February by the Santa Clara County High Court.

The lawsuit was brought about by four Palo Alto parents: Edith Cohen, Xin Li, Yiyi Zeng, and Marek Alboszta. The petition stated that the Palo Alto Unified School District “de-laning” initiative. The initiative

8 April 2023

‘Pretend Equity’? was started in an effort to improve equity The act was implemented in 2015 and and close achievement gaps. It means that requires school districts to adopt “a fair, the district would work towards getting objective, and transparent mathematics rid of accelerated lanes and aim help ev- placement policy.” ery student achieve high levels.

Judge Carrie Zepeda ruled that “We were acPAUSD was in viotually going to ad- “We were just frustrated lation of the Math vance everybody Placement Act and everyone was to hear, over and over and with its acceleragoing to get to al- over again, students who are tion policies. Curgebra in eighth rently, to advance grade,” DiBrienza working very hard and being into various math said. lanes students pushed back.”

The initiative must take a skip — AVERY WANG, Palo Alto parent test, according to made it unreasonably difficult for Cohen. Paly Parstudents to skip grades in math and creat- ent Avery Wang, one of the main contribed gender-based achievement gaps, which utors to this lawsuit, said that this test violates California’s Math Placement Act. is created with incredibly high standards comparable to math competitions, and does not reflect the actual skill level students need to be at to pass accelerated math.

Wang said that 70% of students who attempt the skip test would be in the top two-thirds of the highest math lane, whereas only 18% pass.

PAUSD will now have to draft a new math laning policy in compliance with state law. However, the gender equity claim was dismissed as it was unsubstanitiaed.

Wang said he started to care about math laning when he saw his friends’ children unable to accelerate lanes.

“We were just frustrated to hear, over and over and over again, students who are working very hard and being pushed back over and over … taking these ridiculous tests [to move up a math lane] and failing even if they were years ahead,” Wang said.

Photos by ASH MEHTA and SAANVI GARG

Paly math teacher Zachary Barnes DiBrienza said. lenged.” said that the math program has tried to Though the claim of gender bias was Wang additionally said the equity asshift their role in the math placement dismissed in the court, the judge ruled pect of it is less concerning as inequity is process. ` that PAUSD’s current laning policies are already a flaw in the current math system.

“Students have a lot of autonomy and illegal. This is because the current place“Our neighboring districts, like Los choice in the class they want to go to, we ment policies are seen as effectively hold- Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga, they all have have shifted our roles (from) placing kids ing students back math pathways into what we feel is the appropriate math from taking more “We were actually going that lead to geclass to recommending the correct math advanced classes. ometry in eighth class.”

Wang said to advance everybody and grade,” Wang said.

Cohen said she didn’t file the lawsuit that the de-laning “They don’t need everyone was gonna get to to help her kids, who wouldn’t be affect- initiative will ulto go to outside ed, but rather, in the interest of the Palo timately decrease algebra in eighth grade.” school … it’s not Alto community as a whole. student achieve— JENNIFER DIBRIENZA, school board pay-to-play.”

“All my opportunities that I have in ment and will fail DiBrienza said president life, my career, everything, is built on my to challenge adshe feels hopeful love and ability in math,” Cohen said. “It’s vanced students. that the lawsuit not reasonable, to me, to hold kids back “Imagine you’re in a math class, and will not increase student achievement if that’s their passion and if that’s where everybody is about the same level, and gaps, and said that the board is overall their strengths are.” then there’s like one kid who is a know-it- feeling confident that they will be able to School board president Jennifer Di- all and kind of ruining it for everybody,” adapt.

Brienza said that controversy over poli- Wang said. “Should they be in that class“[We’ll ask], are most kids finding cies is expected. room?” success?” DiBrienza said. “Is it a similar “There will always be disagreement,” The lawsuit removes emphasis on the distribution of grades and success that we DiBrienza said. “Reasonable people can de-laning initiative and provides students saw before? … That would be, that would disagree about what with chances to be a successful sort of pilot.” is reasonable.” advance math “Staff has always taken the The PAUSD lanes. However, math laning sys- issue of student achieveone of the major tem discriminates ment...very seriously.” concerns with the against female stu— JENNIFER DIBRIENZA, school board new requirements dents, according to brought about by president Wang. The lawsuit the lawsuit is that stated that over the it will decrease eqpast two years boys have outnumbered uity by introducing a “pay-to-play route,” girls in advanced math classes three to Wang said. Students who take outside one. math classes will now be able to “lane“They keep telling kids, it’s most up,” whereas those who can’t afford those likely you’re gonna fail [the Skip test],” classes won’t.

Wang said. “It could be that girls might Barnes stated that the possibility of be more susceptible to psychological in- skipping classes might exacerbate the altimidation.” ready competitive Paly environment.

However, DiBrienza said that she has “It’s part of the Paly culture, we want not found any evidence of gender inequi- to be successful and challenge ourselves ty in math laning. as much as possible, sometimes to the BARNES: Palo Alto High School math teacher Zach“Staff has always taken the issue of detriment of our own mental health and ary Barnes grades math papers. “We have shifted student achievement, student support, grades,” Barnes said. “And I don’t think our roles [from] placing kids into what we feel is the student success, student learning, student that Paly students should want to skip appropriate math class to recommending the correct mental health, all of that very seriously,” things unless they’re [not] being chal- math class,” Barnes said.

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Photos MADELYN CASTRO Text bybyFAIZAN KASHMIRI

Text by MAYA MUKHERJEE and EVELYN ZHANG

Power en pointe Givee peace Local student Recruiters onchoreographs campus are senior dance abouttogun violence antithetical peace

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here is no place that is seen as more off limits for violence than school. It is as much a sacred place as any temple: a crime universally condemned in international law if you put it in harm’s way. So, it’s a bit confusing on why, of all places, military recruiters have unlimited access to them.

It’s safe to say that most Palo Alto High School students have been accustomed to the United States military booths that pop up on the Quad during lunch every other month. Both on Club Day and, sometimes, seemingly out of the blue in front of the library. The booths offer pamphlets, posters, and imposing figures of military authority with them. On a good day, they even bring a pull-up bar.

They arrive, setting up a temporary outpost, and leave as quickly as they arrive. We are so accustomed to their presence in a place meant for education that you might barely even bat an eye at them.

Tracing back the roots of military recruitment, particularly in the US, can take us all the way back to the earliest days of America’s emergence. During the Revolutionary War, children were often pressured to become soldiers.

But in a post9/11 world, military recruitment within schools became a magnitude larger.

The p a s s ing of the No Child L e f t Behind Act in 2002

LEFT: Military recruiters stand at the quad at Palo Alto High School, with informational pamphlets.

RIGHT: A student does a pull-up as part of the recruiters’ booth.

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N LUNA DANCE STUDIO, students passion for her work, she said. awareness. Tachner saidbythat is a Photos ASHdance MEHTA ranging from 11 to 18 sit in chairs in “I mean, it [the shootings] makes me valuable method of activism. a semicircle facing the mirror in ee- angry,” Tach“It’s not only rie silence, a ring of dim red lighting ner said. “And I “It’s important to serve really self-expression, above them.Then, a haunting, distorted think it made me for the dancers version of “What a Wonderful World” by feel like having any topics that my dancers feel themselves and Louis Armstrong is piped in. this idea for the feeling like they’re passionate about and help in doing And I think to myself dance and insomeWhat a wonderful world cluding all these any way to bring that vision to thing,” she said.

A gunshot goes off. people in it was “But it’s to spread allowed for recruiters to have full access to All of what I’ve written isn’t some The students begin moving in uni- the right way to life.” a message.” “secondary school students names, address- groundbreaking revelation here.TACHNER, In the rest Gunn High School — ALLIE son, sliding their chairs in front of them do it.”

Soliman said es, and telephone listings,” according to . of the Western world, direct recruitment as senior dances about topand hiding behind them, sobbing and Soliman has With this newly acquired information, they a practice has been largely abolished. Most cradling each other. had an instruics such as this were able to find a pool of people to recruit. European nations now recruit only from Allie Tachner, a senior at Gunn High mental role in her dance, Tachner said. need to be handled delicately.

According to CBS News, nearly one-third eighteen and above, according to Child SolSchool, rises to stand on her chair, directSoliman said although the dance “With a topic as heavy as this, the of all American soldiers who were mortally diers International. ing the other students to form a barri- concerns a heavy topic, Tachner was the most difficult aspect is making sure that wounded in Iraq, the exact number being The current geopocade, going through right person to take it dancers and families feel comfortable 8,895, were between the ages of 18 to 21, litical environment the motions young with the dance and its message,” Soliman “What I wanted to do to on. many of them likely exposed to joining the hints towards a restudents have been “It’s important to said. army through their own school. newed cold war betaught in school many become an advocate for [to speak out] to serve Tachner said Soliman told her about It isn’t fearmongering or wrong to say tween the US, Chitimes. really any topics that dropping her child off at elementary that some of the peoplechange.” who are exposed na, and Russia. It’s Then, the stumight dancers feel pas- school and seeing other parents dropto US army recruitment will mili- not inconceivable that — join ALLIEthe TACHNER, Gunn High sionate dents form a circle, about and help ping their kids off in tears. This led her tary. And, as the American Journal of Public School there senior will be renewed and collapse together in any way to pray to to consider giving the dance piece a more Health put it, those who join as a result of military conflict, and onto the wood floor. bring like that vision to hopeful feeling, but she eventually rejectpractices “disturbingly similar to predatory many of these stuAn audio begins — a mashup of news an- life,” Soliman said. ed that idea. grooming,” risk being injured during their dents-turned-rechors, repeating variations of the same Tachner, as part of Luna Dance Stu“We didn’t want the ending of it to service. As history has proven, too often fa- cruits from thing: a report to the nation of another dio, has participated in several pieces re- seem sad and to make everybody sad, but tally. across the US school shooting. lated to social activism in the past, cover- what I said to that was: I’m done having Even excluding the possibility of death, may find themThroughout, Tachner is the focal ing topics like mental health and suicide hope — I want change instead,” she said.

45% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had selves in battlepoint, performing her senior piece, an filed claims for permanent disabilities by field situations. emotional and provocative dance about High School senior Allie Tachner hides behind a chair during a practice of her senior 2012 according to the National Veterans Gunn It’s more importgun violence in America.

Thethis dance, set to a distorted version of “What a Wondeful World,” acts out Foundation, and over 15% were diagnosed dance ant piece. to stop Tachner is choreographing it at school shootings. “That’s the goal of the piece — to just convey what it feels with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), scenes now of before these Luna Dance Studio with the help of her according to the U.S. Department of Veter- likechildren make in all of this,” Tachner said. to be a student instructors, Nadeen Soliman and Serena ans Affairs. It’s obvious why recruiters on not just a caRodriguez, and will perform at the stucampus generally don’t plaster this fact all reer decision, dio’s recital on April 29 and 30 at Menover their colorful and meticulously edited but a life or lo-Atherton Performing Arts Center. brochures. death decision Tickets are sold out.

Detractors of course will offer a plethora in the process.

The dance piece, depicting a classof supposed benefits: for example, the offers The peaceroom disrupted by a shooting and stuof educational opportunities that low-in- ful doves are gone. dents creating a barricade, was inspired come students often do not get. With the The integration of by seeing shootings in the news, Tachner average application fee being $45, as stated the military into our said. by an article by U.S. News, this is far out of schools risks under“After the shooting in the elementareach for families living paycheck-to-pay- mining peace and turnry school over the summer, right before check. According to a study by the Brook- ing yet another space into summer hit, I went out of the country for ings Institute, the US Aarmy has become an a permanent recruitment a while and I found myself thinking about exception to wider wage stagnation, with outpost. As a student body, it all the time,” she said. “What I wanted members earning more than their civilian no, as a nation, the rejection to do to become an advocate for change.” counterparts. of this practice should be a To drive her message home, TachIs it not more concerning that we’ve top priority. Keep military ner included other students in her dance, created a pathway to education through the recruiters off of our campus. instead of creating a solo piece, which is militaryarmy, one that targets these aforeAnd maybe then the typical for seniors. mentioned low income students? We rou- doves will come back.

In January, there were back-to-back tinely condemn the Russian and Chinese mass shootings in California, both killing governments for these same types of tactics, several people near the Bay Area. This so why is that we get a pass on this? streak of shootings added to Tachner’s

c a chance

anthromagazine.

Text by EVELYN ZHANG and MINIRVA VILLEGAS Photo by ANNELISE BALENTINE

Real cost of inflation ion A How inflation affects Paly students and small businesses s customers wait in line at CVS at Town and Country, a few grumble or complain about the rising prices and inflation. This isn’t an unfamiliar occurrence for Anna van Riesen, a Palo Alto High School junior and former retail employee at Town and Country.

“When I take off tags and put tags back on, I’ve noticed increasing prices,” van Riesen said. “I’ve also seen prices going up when I’m working check-out.”

The topic of “inflation” has almost become a buzzword. These words are ubiquitous in the news and are associated with everything — gas prices, groceries prices, hygiene product prices, medication prices, and more. Food prices almost doubled nationally during the pandemic, according to Harvard Public Health.

The effects are tangible at Town and Country Village, across the street from Paly, where students say they have seen big increases in food and product prices.

Van Riesen has seen inflation, es- care from CVS — things that I need for my pecially with cough medicine and paper hygiene — it can get too expensive,” Gonproducts, and has experienced custom- zalez said. “I used to be able to go to other ers’ frustration with it over her past few stores for cheaper prices but inflation is months. everywhere.”

“When I’m doing check-out for peoAlready being affected by the “Pink ple, a lot of times, customers say out loud Tax,” female hygiene products have also ‘Oh my God, why is this so expensive’” been affected by the recent inflation. van Riesen said.

The average unit “I understand why price of tampons they’re frustrat- “I used to be able to go to in the U.S. was ed, but it’s just as other stores for cheaper over 10% higher frustrating for me in 2022 compared when they then go prices but inflation is everyto the previous and aggressively year, according to where.” voice their frustraBloomberg.

— KAITLYN GONZALEZ, sophomore tions out to service Paly students workers or retail have been findworkers when we have no control over it.” ing ways to deal with the price hikes of Sophomore Kaitlyn Gonzalez has no- food at Town and Country. One popular ticed inflation in another product catego- approach is taking advantage of the free ry—female hygiene products. lunch at school, which was recently ex“When I’ve tried to get pads or tam- panded to every public school student in pons for my period or haircare and skin- California.

“I started to get school lunch a lot more often if I wasn’t able to bring something from home,” sophomore Vit Do said. “I just steered clear of getting lunch at Town and Country as often because I started noticing that it way too expensive and hard to get lunch below $10.”

Looking at recent inflation trends, it’s unlikely that prices will be reaching pre-pandemic levels any time soon. The Paly and Palo Alto community just have to find ways to respond and adjust their purchasing habits.

“Hearing something about the government shut-down, you might not see your day-to-day life impacted, but gas and food prices are a lot more tangible,” said Van Risen. “People should just keep in mind that the people checking them out are their neighbors, their friends, people as well, and instead of unfairly letting our frustrations out about the economy on a Palo Alto High School senior Eliza Mutz picks up lunch from the sandwich and salad section Traders Joes. retail worker, we should all adjust our daiTrader Joes prices, as with most prices at Town and Country, have increased as inflation has risen. “I think it used to be a lot cheaper,” Mutz said, referring to Trader Joes prices. ly lifestyle and spending.”

12 April 2023

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Text by EVELYN ZHANG and MINIRVA VILLEGAS Photos by ANNELISE BALENTINE

Overflowing with danger Is the city protecting us from future floods?

W

hat can Palo Alto do to protect our city from future flooding?

Wood chips and rocks scattered across the backyard. Yard furniture strewn across the grass. This scene wasn’t unfamiliar to Paly senior Caroline Mostofizadeh whose house was flooded by the weather in January.

The recent storms brought on flooding, power outages, and damage to the properties of many Palo Alto residents.

Organizations like Youth Community Service jumpstarted the volunteer effort by filling and delivering sandbags and distributing materials for relief.

Mostofizadeh spoke to Anthro about her personal experience with the flood.

“Thankfully my mom and I prepared well by going to the Palo Alto Airport where they were providing sandbags and we filled about 120,” Mostofizadeh said. “We placed them along our house with wooden planks as well.”

When news of the impending flood first reached Palo Alto, many began panicking. Mora Oommen, executive director of Youth Community Service, a volunteer organization, quickly took action.

After hearing that the City of Palo Alto was providing sandbag materials at various locations but needed help with transportation and distribution, Oommen set out to recruit volunteers to help fill and transport sand bags.

“I realized that the need was a lot greater and it was a fairly simple process,” Oommen said. “So then the next day we sent a call out through YCS lists.”

What began as a neighborhood effort to get sandbags to the elderly and struggling residents in Oommen’s Midtown neighborhood gained momentum and became a citywide effort. n a bustling street “A known lotfor viof brant graffitiyouth and unique came shops, out the Refugee Eyewe gallery sits quietwhen put the word ly between a baptist church and crowdout that they couldaget sered neighborhood park.for The black vice hours it,”sleek Oommen storefrontsaid. catches eyes, “Theonlookers’ cities’ [Palo Altosome and even stopping to peer inside, some even East Palo Alto] mayors came out.” taking pictures oldthat newspaper clipOommenofsays after a time pings and flamboyant art festival posters. of crisis, it’s important to examine what The and exhibits focus on caused exacerbated thehighlighting problem. umerous global conflicts,the ti“I think in the momentcampaign we all can’t tled; “More Powerful Than Bullets” catchbe pointing fingers — we all just need to esroll theup eye, the get Russia-Ukraine ourregarding sleeves and what needs war, featuring over 10 TheI to be done, done,” Oommenartists. said. “But co-founders, both refugees themselves, think then, we also need to hold people vowed to create a safe space for fellow refaccountable.” ugeesIn to express their this case, thepassion. substandard inSince opening the first exhibit, frastructure of the Newell Bridge and

Voices O that Escape

San Francisco gallery gives voice to refugees

10 26 April 2023

“My Gaza: A City in Photographs,” by co-founder Jehad Al-Saftawi in March 2022, Refugee Eye has gained attention nationwide. Their promise is to deliver a Chaucer Bridge exacerbated the effects new exhibit every six weeks.“Many peoof flood. with the exhibit because it plethe connect “Both are supposed to be shows an inside perspective of renovated truly what and fixed and home,” elevated because there’s it feels to leave Lara Aburamadan, not enough said. clearance for the water to co-founder, go through so that’s why a lot of Aburamadanhas beenthere’s making waves flooding,” Oommen “NewellbyBridge internationally.

She said. was chosen Time has alreadyamong received andphotobeen Magazine 34 funding spotlighted discussed City Council meetings, but journalistsataround the world.

Aburadamn nothing has been done.” and Al-Saftawi have created a safe envir According to the can California Deonment where refugees display their partment of Transportation, Newell artistics abilities.

“All we knewthe is that we Bridge beensomething deemed “functionally wanted has to create related to viobsolete” onwould multiple The sual art that makeoccasions. sure that refu-

planning and approval process has been would mean less risk of flooding and enongoing for the dangering those past 11 years. who live near “In the moment we all can’t It has been the Newell and more than 25 be pointing fingers — we all Pope- Chaucer years since the city since it just need to roll up our sleeves Bridges of Palo Alto startwould increase ed discussing the and get what needs to be done, the amount of reconstruction of water that the the Newell Bridge done.”

San Francisqui— MORA OOMMEN, YCS executive to Creek can and Pope-Chaudirector hold. [hopefully cer Bridge; yet, Palo Alto has Brad from Pubmoved very slowly. Fixing the bridges lic Works Department].

BEFORE DANGER STRIKES. The San Francisquito Creek flows peacefully under the Newell Bridge during good weather. However, its low clearance becomes a problem during floods.

With constant delays and project reprioritization, construction isn’t set to take place until 2024, which is a one-year delay from its previous 2023 completion date. It will take about a year and a half to complete according to the City’s website.

But with climate change creating more erratic weather patterns and events, can we wait that long before another flood flashes through?

anthromagazine.org 11

Text by ASH MEHTA and MAYA LARA SU MUKHERJEE DUMANLI

The controversial AP Dear Ms.

Cohen...

Will Paly take on the new AP African American Studies course?

This course was piloted at 60 high can Americans.” schools this year, and will be broadly Junior Grace Gormley said AP Afriavailable to American high schools in can American Studies would be beneficial the 2024-25 school year, according to the because Paly is lacking in other history College Board. If Palo Alto High School AP offerings. offers the course, cur“The only AP Hisiren Boda sits on the busrent underclassmen may tory class we have is AP “I think history is an US History,” she said. tling Quad at brunch. She have the chance to add talks with a friend, agonizing important “And I think history is this class to their tran- insanely over Paly’s numerous senior scripts. insanely important very morning, teacher for her history elective offerings.English The course se- jor at Notre Dame de Namur thing to unknow to be on an According to the thing to know to be on Lindsay Cohen enters room 218, dergraduate degree. Throughout college, lection deadline is approaching fast, and rankings and demo- top of what’s going on top of what’s going on coffee in new hand. sits Amerat her she worked with imprisoned and recently she’s torn.

If the APShe African graphics website, US in today’s world.” desk,course an “Irish writers” poster released teenagers. She didin an today’s internshipworld.” ican studies had been available, News, 1.3% of Paly stuAs far as Paly on her left, strings cards her, helping children in a juvenile detention Boda said taking thatoffor her behind senior year — SIMA THOMAS, Paly adopting the curricudents are Black, comand opens hera sticker-adorned laptop center write personal statements at Hillwould haveup been no-brainer. librarian lum, Social Sciences Inpared to the 5% average to the “Remember your offers why.” crest Juvenile Hall, after which she menAP phrase: African American studies for California public structional Lead Mary Cohen’s “why” is a piece binder paper, high school students an of opportunity to tored recently incarcerated teenagers and high schools. Senior Wyeth Minami said Sano said the department is prioritizing crumpled from being read over a dozexplore theuprobust contributions and ex- young adults. this class would be beneficial to offer be- adapting to the new California graduaen times, stored carefully in herthroughcar com“I don’t think I did anything impactperiences of African Americans, cause of that. tion requirement of Ethnic Studies. This partment for History. three years. out all of US It touches on fields ful or different,” Cohen said. “I’m sure “Speaking about African American graduation requirement will take effect Thisfrom paperliterature is a heartfelt fromtoa most of them don’t even remember me, she said working with incarcerated youth ranging and note the arts people, this isn’t a very diverse school,” in California starting graduating made her too sad andwith shethe decided to bestudent and at Cohen’s last school, Downtown science geography, according to the but I really remember all of the stories Minami said. “So I think it would be a class ofa 2029-30 (current fifth graders). come teacher instead.

Prep. website. However, the cur- that they told me.”

College Board good opportunity for people to learn a “We’re focused that worked [Ethnic at StudThe first schoolon Cohen was “This had after recently called me a Cohen said she became a much more riculum wasgirl edited Florida banned lot more about the culture and the com- ies] and everything that comes with that Downtown College Preparatory, a charter not-so-lovely name andtowas frustratthe class, according thevery New York empathetic person through these oppormunity and the history surrounding Afri- new requirement so we have not even gived by my classsidebar). and life,” Cohen said. tunities. One memory that she said stuck high school in San Jose. DCP is a predomTimes (check en a thought this new offering,” Sano inantly Latino,tolow-income, first-generaSoon after, the student wrote Cohen out to her was learning about the precarsaid.school, and Cohen said she learned tion a note apologizing and explaining her sit- ious situation people on house arrest or Sano alsoteaching said thethere. department valso much from uation. Cohen said that this note is one of parole are in. ues“It genuine learning over prestige was probably one the of the best the best things she’s ever received from a “They actually have to pay for supof a class. things I could have done for myself,” Costudent. plies for house arrest,” Cohen said. “If “Adding on more APs just because Cohen joined Palo it breaks, or something hen said. “I learned about a culture that I they’re APs is not necessarily something Alto High School’s En- “I’d never worked doesn’t work, or your never learned [about]. I never knew what that’s at the top of our list, when what a quinceañera was.” glish department this WiFi goes down, that’s is atCohen the top of our list is teaching with sutdents outside said that DCP, because these of its year, and her career has on you, you’re going classespopulation, in which all the voices in the smaller felt like a family.

She spanned from teaching the demographic back.” room with all this diversity of skills and said one of her takeaways from DCP was in juvenile detention Cohen said her experience, are what driveand youconnecknow that I always worked the individualized attention centers to low-income and her mentees were the discussions and the richness of our schools.

She hopes with.” roughly the same age — tion between teachers and students. classrooms.”

Cohen said every junior class at DCP to bring this array of — LINDSAY COHEN, English late teens to early 20s. would Sano that although addingthey the go onsaid a “junior trip,” where knowledge, as well as teacher She said she learned would class is notcolleges the department’s first goal privisit together.

The student-teacher conneca lot more from them ority, should be considered at some was to itincrease college matriculation tion, to Paly. than they did from her. point.

However, she grew up in an affluent, “I just remember sitting there and rates, as the application process is more “The fact that this is particularly predominantly white neighborhood. She feeling really confused why I was sup- difficult for first-generation students, acan African American Studies class is said that she aims to push Paly students posed to be mentoring them,” Cohen cording to Cohen. interesting,” she said.trip, “And definitely At the end of the DCP faculty outside of their bubble, something she said. worthwrite at least atstudent first a department diswould each a note. didn’t experience as much growing up.

Though Cohen said she originally cussion.” “[Students] each get a handwritten Cohen started out as a sociology ma- planned to pursue a criminology degree, letter by a teacher saying, ‘Hey, I know

New teacher Lindsay Cohen hopes to push you outside your bubble

M E

16 April 2023

that you are gonna go to college and you’re gonna do great things,’ or ‘I know you’re gonna go into trade school and it’s gonna be awesome,’” Cohen said. “To have that personalization and that connection between teachers and students, I think was probably one of the most meaningful things.”

Cohen said she aims to bring that personal teaching style to Paly. Her class engages in project-based learning, peer learning, and minimal lecture time.

Cohen was nervous to teach at Paly, at first. She said she didn’t know if she’d be the right fit for Paly students.

“I was really scared to teach here because I’d never worked with students outside of the demographic that I always worked with, which was students who otherwise don’t have the opportunities that I think people in Paly do,” Cohen said.

However, she said she quickly realized that Paly students still had struggles that they needed support with, and that she’s enjoyed teaching them a lot.

“They are struggling with mental health issues [and] pressure from their parents, and so it’s just a different array of issues,” Cohen said.

According to sophomore Abby Wolf,

Cohen creates a safe and supportive en- COHEN: Lindsay Cohen teaches her English 10A class. “I wanted to grow as an educator,” Cohen said vironment where differences are encour- when explaining why she moved to Paly. aged, instead of discouraged.

“I really enjoy Ms. Cohen’s class be- as poetry from Poet X to political fiction cause she creates a warm and inclusive from “1984.” environment where everyone can share “I tried to pick books, well, some are their ideas,” Wolf said. of course required, but books that have Cohen said that, growing up, she experiences unlike what we’re living,” Codidn’t have the same hen said. community or the same “I learned about She mentioned celebration of differenchow she wants to broades, specifically regarding a culture I’d never en the perspective of being neurodivergent. learned about ... I her students, to view the She said that, at DCP, she world from a different felt like her differenc- never knew what a view. es were embraced and “[It] goes beyond quinceañera was.” hopes to recreate that at books because you can — LINDSAY COHEN, English Paly. say that, as an English teacher “I was a kid who was teacher, all I’m teaching encompassed in that umyou is through books, brella [neurodiversity], and I never felt but it’s also through our interactions as comfortable with the fact that I didn’t people,” Cohen said. learn like an average student,” Cohen Cohen said she hopes to help her stusaid. “And because I was so ashamed of dents expand their worldview, like her. that, I felt like I couldn’t ask for help.”

“When you grow up in suburbia, in Throughout the school year, Cohen a small neighborhood where everybody intends on teaching a curriculum that looks like you, which is where I grew up, depicts an unfamiliar world to Paly stu- you don’t really realize that there’s things dents. Her current 10A classes are reading beyond your little bubble that you existed a range of genres and experiences such within,” Cohen said.

anthromagazine.org 17

The artist’s dilemma Text by ASH MEHTA and MINIRVA VILLEGAS

a the table?

Who gets a seat at

What AI means for the future of art California recommends

sentation in social studies curriculum. she would be grateful for any opportuniCalifornia followed this trend in ties to collaborate with local Indigenous Text by VIVIAN LIN and NATALIE NEUMANN September with the passage of Assem- groups. bly Bill 1703, which attempts to reframe “My desire is that I am very much he sound of graphite against er.the As way accessibility increases, has been statement theofusage AI Indigenous history AI is taught.

AB aaware, givenprohibiting how much an of advopaper and the swirling of brush- used frequently to generate art art in students’ art portfolios, and various she ex1703more attempts to cate the es ow in water the only sounds pieces. pects colleges to follow suit. do weare unlearn misconcepbring more Intribes are, I know haveAI to past in tions the room as students peoin Startingpeople out in the“We late 1990s, wasmove “I thinkthat the problemthere’s [with] AIadvocais that about Indigenous digenous Tracey Atkinson’s to create computer graphics and [in] art making, you have understand ples? PRIME class immerse used into the conversacy tothere, they time where we’re saying, ‘Oh, themselves in their art projects. Color- even and poetry, according to an how to use the elements principles tion music by encouragwilland embrace AB ful acrylic life studies, and article

by V7 to Labs, annotation plat-forofour art and you have to 1703 understand how Whatpaintings, is the truestill history of colonizaing schools col-an AI and reach we’re waiting Indigeportraits Through online algorithms and an- to make a strong composition,” tion? plastered on the walls showcase form. laborate with local out to Atkinson say, I’m nous pieces, Peoples speak upso and the students’ work. curriculum? alyzing hundreds peo-to said.

“And if you press a button and What is hard sovereignty tribes on their his-of various here,” Conaway But this were same art repli- ple now using artificial not These justis anow feweasily seemingly toryare curriculum. said.you “Allhave it takes comeintelligence to us.’” somebody does that for you, cated with a few clicks on your comput- to generate AI-generated endless questions related to Indigenous Y o l a nart. d a Today, is for one person — YOLANDA CONAWAY, assistant superart threatens to peoples at the forefront of the Decem- Conaway, assisintendent to show up and change the canber 2022 National Council for the Social tant superintensay Hey, I know, vas of the art Studies conference, according to who?

What it means dent of equity and I haveto a connecworld.

Social Science Instructional Lead student affairs for tion.” is to said that U s i nsaid g Mary Sano said she saw more discussions the Palo Alto Unified School District, Atbe thean sameartist time, Conaway about Indigenous Peoples at this confer- she’s excited about this law. widely accesit’s not Indigenous peoples’ responsibility be creative, and alsible history] AI proence than ever before. She, along with “I think it’s [Indigenous to make all the effort. grams under like 10 other Palo Alto High School teachers definitely an area that has slipped “We haveby to definition, move past that time most Midjourney, attending the convention, were eager to the rug,” Conaway said. where we’re saying, Oh, we’re waiting for see this new development. Sano said this AI is not creative Conaway said that sheNightCafe, hopes that our Indigenous Peoples to speak up and reflects a broader increase in both tribes and teachersand DALL-E e m - come to us,” Conaway said.

- Susan La fetra, art teacher PeoIn d i ge n o u s r e p r e - brace the law, and that 2, users can PAUSD would like Indigenous simply type in ples’ input on revising the Ethnic Studies a few key words curriculum, according to Conaway. to produce an Ethnic Studartwork within seconds, even made a piece of art in my mind.” replicating Art student and senior Yuuki Matsuspecific styles da said that while she is fascinated with of professional AI generated art, she is also concerned artists. While this is a about the effect it will have on the jobs of huge step forward in the advance- artists. ment of technology, what it means for “I’m hoping regulations will be put artists remains uncertain. towards making that [AI art] limited beTracey Atkinson, an art teacher at cause I know they have that for music Palo Alto High School says right now,” Matsuda said. “They’re makthat she, along with oth- ing it just like free royalty music, so it’s er art educators, are very not hurting anyone, technically. So I hope concerned about the rise they do that for art. But I feel like if this of AI-generated art. She keeps continuing, AI is definitely going explains that the col- to improve more and more to the point lege board just released where it’s going to definitely start taking

schools collaborate with local tribes in curriculum

T H

“

”

ies will be a California graduation requirement starting with the class of 2030, which has provoked school districts across the state to revise their curriculum. “It’s going to be even more important, as we start to build out our Ethnic Studies curriculum, for us to make sure that the right voices are at the table,” Conaway said.

“That includes all the cultures that are intended to be represented.”

According to the Education Data Partnership, only 0.5% of California’s school teachers are Indigenous, compared to 3.6% of the state’s population.

Sano said that, in the past, it’s been more difficult to form partnerships with Indigenous tribes, and hopes that this bill will help with that.

“The challenges that, as a teacher, I would face in developing curriculum around Indigenous issues … [it’s] just some teacher reaching out to the tribe saying, ‘Hey, can you talk to me?’” Sano said. “Giving it more official weight I think really matters.”

Social Justice Pathway teacher Caitlin Drewes said she’s worried about the strain this bill will put on tribes that may not have the capacity to help schools.

“This could potentially

have implications for the tribes if they’re suddenly getting inundated with school requests,” Drewes said. “It’s like, for each local tribe, are you gonna hire a coordinator who can coordinate speakers or who can manage a curriculum?”

SJP history teacher Eric Bloom said that he sometimes faces resistance when removing curriculum to make space for amplifying unheard voices, including Indigenous voices. He hopes that this bill will diminish some of that criticism.

“It’s nice to have when you get sort of like official sanction to say, we want you to teach this,” Bloom said. “Then you can kind of say, leave me alone — I’m doing what the state wants me to do.”

Bloom believes that though this bill will make it easier for teachers who want to focus on Indigenous issues to do that, he said it won’t impact teachers less willing to do that, as collaboration with tribes is optional.

“If you’re resistant to it, then it’s like, well, I don’t have to, so I’m not going to,” Bloom said. “I think what it

Photo by NICO LANDOLFI

does is that it will open up opportunities for the willing.”

AB 1703 also requires schools to identify achievement gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, and to create plans to rectify these gaps.

Sano said that, though there are only a few Indigenous people at PAUSD, it’s still important to address the systemic factors affecting those students.

“Just because there’s only a handful doesn’t mean that we still shouldn’t be caring,” Sano said.

Conaway said that, if a student cares about equity and about Indigenous history curriculum, they should make their voice heard.

“There is nothing more powerful, in my opinion, than student voice,” Conaway said. “That’s the way to make things move. Students mobilize, they put their social justice hats on, and they are fighting for the cause.”

Text by KARRIE HUANG and MAYA MUKHERJEE

Calling on Congress

F

Students fight for Muwekma in D.C.

our Palo Alto High School students recently returned from a trip to D.C. where they worked with Muwekma Ohlone leaders to fight for the tribe’s federal recognition as a tribe.

The Muwekma were formerly recognized, and then lost their tribal status.

The campaign to be re-recognized has been going on for a few years, and is finally reaching the ears of Congress. The Muwekma traveled to D.C. from March 6 to March 9 to meet with Congress and lobby for the return of their federally recognized status, and the students joined them to support them and learn from them.

The students — juniors Katya Oks, Athya Paramesh, Nico Landolfi, and Ella Bishop — were inspired to travel with the Muwekma by their history unit in the Social Justice Pathway, in which they learned about Kimberly Teehee, the Cherokee delegate to Congress, the ongoing issue of kidnapping and murdering Native American women, and the recognition of the Muwekma.

“I feel like Native American history is so disregarded in history classes, and I always wanted to learn more about the history of Indigenous people, especially in the United States,” Oks said. “And working with these people directly is so great not only because it’s different from just learning about it in class and like actually talking with these people who are affected by these issues feels more personal.”

They began a still ongoing project of writing postcards to advocate for the Muwekma’s recognition, and were offered the opportunity to travel to D.C. by their teacher. According to Oks, they all jumped at the chance.

20 April 2023

Left: Social Justice Pathway students discuss Muwekma federal recognition with representatives on Capitol Hill. Photo

by Ella Bishop

Bishop said the students felt their role in meetings in D.C. were to provide additional support to the Muwekma.

“So I think we were just there to just show that it’s not just adults who are talking about it or like the tribe that’s talking about it,” Bishop said. “It’s schools and students as well.”

As representatives for the whole sixty students of the Social Justice Pathway, their potential influence on politics was ry like over and over again, trying to talk important to emphasize, according to to these legislators and it’s just like, every time it’s still that same kind of impact.”

Bishop.

It also inspired them to continue “We are the next generation of peotheir work for the Muwekma, they said. ple who are going to be voting for you “We were all like plotting out next and we want to see what you do about steps, and talking to them has given us so these issues we care about,” she said.

Bishop emphasized that the Muwek- much momentum and firepower to kind ma’s recognition is especially important of keep this going,” Bishop said. “It’s like because of their prior recognition that it really keeps the wheels turning.”

Going forwas stripped from ward, the students them.

“We’re about to be voting who went on the “It’s important to clarify that they age, we are the next gener- trip want to honor were previously rec- ation of people who are go- and fight for the Muwekma in new ognized by the BIA [Bureau of Indian Af- ing to be voting for you and ways.

For example, fairs], and it’s less of we want to see what you do Oks mentioned a like ‘let’s recognize this tribe!’ and more about these issues we care the idea of placing a plaque for the like undoing the misMuwekma in the about.” take of the past and revamped Tower just reconfirming — ELLA BISHOP, D.C. trip attendee Building, and havtheir original status,” ing a land acknowlshe said. edgment during Bishop said the graduation. trip fueled their passion for helping the “Now that we’re back and regroupMuwekma. ing with our SJP cohort as a whole, there’s “We were already involved in this isjust a lot more of us and we can get in a sue, but meeting those people and worklot more places and get a lot more done,” ing alongside them really helped make Bishop said.

“So we’re pretty optimistic this issue a personal matter for all of us,” Bishop said. “Because you hear their sto- about what we can do with it.”

Right: Social Justice Pathway students stand with members of the Muwekma delegation to discuss Muwekma federal recognition. Photo by Nico Landolfi

Text by EVELYN ZHANG

Gaining visibility for the tribe One year later — what has changed for the Muwekma tribe?

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n May 2022, the Muwekma Ohlone tribe was engaged in an ongoing fight for federal recognition.

Although the tribe has resided in the Bay Area for 12,000 years and still has 600 living members, it still lacks the status of being federally acknowledged as a sovereign state. A year later, although progress with political support has been made, there is still a long way to go.

The tribe has been pushing for the passage of the California Senate Joint Resolution 13, introduced March 2022, which would establish them as a federally recognized tribe.

This status would make the tribe eligible for government funding and protections, which are especially important in times of crisis.

Moreover, the Muwekma would have the inherent right to self-government.

Aside from the ongoing DNA research that proves the Muwekma have been residents of the Bay Area for thousands of years and petitions that the tribe have been using to promote awareness about their fight against the injustice of not being federally recognized, the Muwekma have also made advances in the political sphere.

At the beginning of January, Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh was in D.C. for two weeks and met with both members of the California delegation and the national delegation.

“She gained bipartisan support from people across the country and from Speaker Pelosi and from Congressman Obernolte,” according to Jonathan Michelangelo Lockwood, the tribe’s spokesperson.

Federal recognition has been a drawn-out process. While other tribes have achieved recognition from the

Interior Department, the Department was unwilling to help the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, according to Lockwood.

The lack of federal recognition has had substantial impacts on the tribe.

“Because the tribe didn’t have a federal recognition, they were not able to access the same services that other people were able to during COVID,” Lockwood said. “In terms of moving forward with federal recognition, the tribe will have more economic security and economic freedom to exist.”

The Muwekma Ohlone tribe believes that this fight demonstrates the resilience and perseverance of the tribe as they continue fighting for justice.

“Justice for Muwekma is not just an idea, it’s a mandate,” Lockwood said.

“Members of the Bay Area delegation need to listen to the Bay Area communities and do everything in their power to right the wrongs of the past.”

anthromagazine.org 21

The artist’s dilemma Text by ASH MEHTA and MINIRVA VILLEGAS

Art by POLINA VAN HULSEN

Who gets a seat a

What AI means for the future of art California recommends

sentation in social studies curriculum. she would be grateful for any opportuniCalifornia followed this trend in ties to collaborate with local Indigenous Text by VIVIAN LIN and NATALIE NEUMANN September with the passage of Assem- groups. bly Bill 1703, which attempts to reframe “My desire is that I am very much he sound of graphite against er.the As way accessibility increases, has been statement theofusage AI Indigenous history AI is taught.

AB aaware, givenprohibiting how much an of advopaper and the swirling of brush- used frequently to generate art art in students’ art portfolios, and various she ex1703more attempts to cate the es ow in water the only sounds pieces. pects colleges to follow suit. do weare unlearn misconcepbring more Intribes are, I know haveAI to past in tions the room as students peoin Startingpeople out in the“We late 1990s, wasmove “I thinkthat the problemthere’s [with] AIadvocais that about Indigenous digenous Tracey Atkinson’s to create computer graphics and [in] art making, you have understand ples? PRIME class immerse used into the conversacy tothere, they time where we’re saying, ‘Oh, themselves in their art projects. Color- even and poetry, according to an how to use the elements principles tion music by encouragwilland embrace AB ful acrylic life studies, and article

by V7 to Labs, annotation plat-forofour art and you have to 1703 understand how Whatpaintings, is the truestill history of colonizaing schools col-an AI and reach we’re waiting Indigeportraits Through online algorithms and an- to make a strong composition,” tion? plastered on the walls showcase form. laborate with local out to Atkinson say, I’m nous pieces, Peoples speak upso and the students’ work. curriculum? alyzing hundreds peo-to said.

“And if you press a button and What is hard sovereignty tribes on their his-of various here,” Conaway But this were same art repli- ple now using artificial not These justis anow feweasily seemingly toryare curriculum. said.you “Allhave it takes comeintelligence to us.’” somebody does that for you, cated with a few clicks on your comput- to generate AI-generated endless questions related to Indigenous Y o l a nart. d a Today, is for one person — YOLANDA CONAWAY, assistant superart threatens to peoples at the forefront of the Decem- Conaway, assisintendent to show up and change the canber 2022 National Council for the Social tant superintensay Hey, I know, vas of the art Studies conference, according to who?

What it means dent of equity and I haveto a connecworld.

Social Science Instructional Lead student affairs for tion.” is to said that U s i nsaid g Mary Sano said she saw more discussions the Palo Alto Unified School District, Atbe thean sameartist time, Conaway about Indigenous Peoples at this confer- she’s excited about this law. widely accesit’s not Indigenous peoples’ responsibility be creative, and alsible history] AI proence than ever before. She, along with “I think it’s [Indigenous to make all the effort. grams under like 10 other Palo Alto High School teachers definitely an area that has slipped “We haveby to definition, move past that time most Midjourney, attending the convention, were eager to the rug,” Conaway said. where we’re saying, Oh, we’re waiting for see this new development. Sano said this AI is not creative Conaway said that sheNightCafe, hopes that our Indigenous Peoples to speak up and reflects a broader increase in both tribes and teachersand DALL-E e m - come to us,” Conaway said.

- Susan La fetra, art teacher PeoIn d i ge n o u s r e p r e - brace the law, and that 2, users can PAUSD would like Indigenous simply type in ples’ input on revising the Ethnic Studies a few key words curriculum, according to Conaway. to produce an Ethnic Studartwork within seconds, even made a piece of art in my mind.” replicating Art student and senior Yuuki Matsuspecific styles da said that while she is fascinated with of professional AI generated art, she is also concerned artists. While this is a about the effect it will have on the jobs of huge step forward in the advance- artists. ment of technology, what it means for “I’m hoping regulations will be put artists remains uncertain. towards making that [AI art] limited beTracey Atkinson, an art teacher at cause I know they have that for music Palo Alto High School says right now,” Matsuda said. “They’re makthat she, along with oth- ing it just like free royalty music, so it’s er art educators, are very not hurting anyone, technically. So I hope concerned about the rise they do that for art. But I feel like if this of AI-generated art. She keeps continuing, AI is definitely going explains that the col- to improve more and more to the point lege board just released where it’s going to definitely start taking

schools collaborate with local tribes in curriculum

T H

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away some jobs. Especially since you don’t really need to pay AI that much like normal artists.”

Atkinson said that while AI platforms can be used as a tool, AI lacks the ability to make art that has meaning to it. She also said that companies should use real people to do things like advertising and marketing and not rely on AI art generating platforms to do the heavy lifting.

“I mean, doing art is creating something that people can relate to, that people feel connected to and if you know that a computer did that, is it the same?”

Atkinson said. “Like if you make a piece of art about your grandmother dying and that you just put in ‘grandmother died’ and [the AI platform] makes it for you?

I think companies shouldn’t just depend on it [AI generated art]. It could be a tool, perhaps, but not the answer.”

Susan La Fetra, an Art Spectrum teacher at Palo Alto High School said that AI art cannot replace art made by people because it lacks creativity. “What it means to be an artist is to be creative,” La Fetra said. “And almost by definition, AI is not creative.”

La Fetra also sees AI art generating platforms as a potential tool for artists due to its speed. “[AI] may reduce the amount of time artists need to spend with repetitive, monotonous tasks,” La Fetra said. “And so they can spend more time on creativity.”

Art student and junior Katie Wu has a similar view and said that artists will have to adapt to AI generated art and use it as a tool. “So I think it’s not possible for artists to completely shun away AI because it can be beneficial in some ways, and definitely make the art process faster,” Wu said.

Wu said that AI still lacks the ability to do more advanced tasks, so some artists’ careers will not be impacted as of now.

“There are a lot of ideation jobs, such as visual development, or concept art, and AI can’t come up with ideas from scratch, so artists will still be needed, and also in fields like animation,” Wu said. “AI still doesn’t know how to render movement or how the intricacies of human actions work. So it’ll still take a while for AI to figure that out.”

“In the future, a lot of jobs will unfortunately be done by computers but communication I think we will always need,” Atkinson said. “And a lot of jobs in the creative industry right now are communication, and I don’t think we want to rely on computers to communicate.”

anthromagazine.org 23

Text by ASH MEHTA and MAYA LARA SU MUKHERJEE DUMANLI

The controversial Dear Ms. ersial AP

Censorship expands

Will Paly take on the new AP African American Studies course?

A conversation with librarian Sima Thomas about censorship in Florida

Cohen...

This course was piloted at 60 high can Americans.” schools this year, and will be broadly Junior Grace Gormley said AP Afriavailable to American high schools in can American Studies would be beneficial the 2024-25 school year, according to the because Paly is lacking in other history College Board. If Palo Alto High School AP offerings. offers the course, cur“The only AP Hisiren Boda sits on the busrent underclassmen may tory class we have is AP “I think history is an US History,” she said. tling Quad at brunch. She have the chance to add talks with a friend, agonizing important “And I think history is this class to their tran- insanely over Paly’s numerous senior scripts. insanely important very morning, teacher for her history elective offerings.English The course se- jor at Notre Dame de Namur thing to unknow to be on an According to the thing to know to be on Lindsay Cohen enters room 218, dergraduate degree. Throughout college, lection deadline is approaching fast, and rankings and demo- top of what’s going on top of what’s going on coffee in new hand. sits Amerat her she worked with imprisoned and recently she’s torn.

If the APShe African graphics website, US in today’s world.” desk,course an “Irish writers” poster released teenagers. She didin an today’s internshipworld.” ican studies had been available, News, 1.3% of Paly stuAs far as Paly on her left, strings cards her, helping children in a juvenile detention Boda said taking thatoffor her behind senior year — SIMA THOMAS, Paly adopting the curricudents are Black, comand opens hera sticker-adorned laptop center write personal statements at Hillwould haveup been no-brainer. librarian lum, Social Sciences Inpared to the 5% average to the “Remember your offers why.” crest Juvenile Hall, after which she menAP phrase: African American studies for California public structional Lead Mary Cohen’s “why” is a piece binder paper, high school students an of opportunity to tored recently incarcerated teenagers and high schools. Senior Wyeth Minami said Sano said the department is prioritizing crumpled from being read over a dozexplore theuprobust contributions and ex- young adults. this class would be beneficial to offer be- adapting to the new California graduaen times, stored carefully in herthroughcar com“I don’t think I did anything impactperiences of African Americans, cause of that. tion requirement of Ethnic Studies. This partment for History. three years. out all of US It touches on fields ful or different,” Cohen said. “I’m sure “Speaking about African American graduation requirement will take effect Thisfrom paperliterature is a heartfelt fromtoa most of them don’t even remember me, she said working with incarcerated youth ranging and note the arts people, this isn’t a very diverse school,” in California starting graduating made her too sad andwith shethe decided to bestudent and at Cohen’s last school, Downtown science geography, according to the but I really remember all of the stories Minami said. “So I think it would be a class ofa 2029-30 (current fifth graders). come teacher instead.

Prep. website. However, the cur- that they told me.”

College Board good opportunity for people to learn a “We’re focused that worked [Ethnic at StudThe first schoolon Cohen was “This had after recently called me a Cohen said she became a much more riculum wasgirl edited Florida banned lot more about the culture and the com- ies] and everything that comes with that Downtown College Preparatory, a charter not-so-lovely name andtowas frustratthe class, according thevery New York empathetic person through these oppormunity and the history surrounding Afri- new requirement so we have not even gived by my classsidebar). and life,” Cohen said. tunities. One memory that she said stuck high school in San Jose. DCP is a predomTimes (check en a thought this new offering,” Sano inantly Latino,tolow-income, first-generaSoon after, the student wrote Cohen out to her was learning about the precarsaid.school, and Cohen said she learned tion a note apologizing and explaining her sit- ious situation people on house arrest or Sano alsoteaching said thethere. department valso much from uation. Cohen said that this note is one of parole are in. ues“It genuine learning over prestige was probably one the of the best the best things she’s ever received from a “They actually have to pay for supof a class. things I could have done for myself,” Costudent. plies for house arrest,” Cohen said. “If “Adding on more APs just because Cohen joined Palo it breaks, or something hen said. “I learned about a culture that I they’re APs is not necessarily something Alto High School’s En- “I’d never worked doesn’t work, or your never learned [about]. I never knew what that’s at the top of our list, when what a quinceañera was.” glish department this WiFi goes down, that’s is atCohen the top of our list is teaching with sutdents outside said that DCP, because these of its year, and her career has on you, you’re going classespopulation, in which all the voices in the smaller felt like a family.

She spanned from teaching the demographic back.” room with all this diversity of skills and said one of her takeaways from DCP was in juvenile detention Cohen said her experience, are what driveand youconnecknow that I always worked the individualized attention centers to low-income and her mentees were the discussions and the richness of our schools.

She hopes with.” roughly the same age — tion between teachers and students. classrooms.”

Cohen said every junior class at DCP to bring this array of — LINDSAY COHEN, English late teens to early 20s. would Sano that although addingthey the go onsaid a “junior trip,” where knowledge, as well as teacher She said she learned would class is notcolleges the department’s first goal privisit together.

The student-teacher conneca lot more from them ority, should be considered at some was to itincrease college matriculation tion, to Paly. than they did from her. point.

However, she grew up in an affluent, “I just remember sitting there and rates, as the application process is more “The fact that this is particularly predominantly white neighborhood. She feeling really confused why I was sup- difficult for first-generation students, acan African American Studies class is said that she aims to push Paly students posed to be mentoring them,” Cohen cording to Cohen. interesting,” she said.trip, “And definitely At the end of the DCP faculty outside of their bubble, something she said. worthwrite at least atstudent first a department diswould each a note. didn’t experience as much growing up.

Though Cohen said she originally cussion.” “[Students] each get a handwritten Cohen started out as a sociology ma- planned to pursue a criminology degree, letter by a teacher saying, ‘Hey, I know

New teacher Lindsay Cohen hopes to push you outside your bubble

M E

16 April 2023

Text by LARA DUMANLI and VIVIAN TANG

Text by ASH MEHTA

F

lorida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, banned AP African American Studies from Florida public high schools, according to the New York Times. Soon after, College Board edited the curriculum to exclude certain material. Anthro Magazine talked to librarian Sima Thomas about her thoughts on this.

Have you heard about what’s going on in Florida right now, regarding censorship?

There’s lots of people there who I’m sure are not happy about what’s going on, but they [Florida] seem to have a government right now that has pretty uniformly … decided that it’s bad to be of an identity that’s not of their choosing.

Do you think Paly should offer the class?

It’s a class that should be available to all students. It’s particularly important to non-African American students. It’s just like one of these histories that the more you learn about all the diverse groups that have come through the United States, the more it opens your eyes to, Oh, this is the way the world has worked.

What are your thoughts on the College Board’s revision of the curriculum?

“It’s important for us, as consumers of AP classes, to remember that the College Board is a for-profit institution … they’re in the business of making money … But if this is a product that enough people want, sometimes capitalism comes through for us, right?”

Ethnic Studies mandate State of California makes new class mandatory

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n the midst of the blackout, see themselves in the curriculum Justin Cronin’s Ethnic Studies and talk about what has haproom is the light in the very pened in this country,” Cronin dark hallway of history rooms. said.

The cluttered desks overflowing Cronin said Ethnic Studies with unused mugs and papers, also makes room for students of the original copy of ‘Sniper kills all backgrounds and views.

Kennedy Johnson’ displayed on “You have to respect evthe wall. Cronin sits on a vacant erybody’s different spot in their table on the opposite side of the journey with dealing with race, room cheerfully chatting with a and so I don’t want to press group of his Ethnic Studies stu- people to talk when they’re not dents. ready,” Cronin said.

Taught by Cronin, Ethnic Opinions about the new Studies is one of history electives requirement of the course have offered at Palo Alto High School been split, with some thinking since the of it as a sur1990s. The prise burden.

C a l i f o r n i a “I hope it [the transition] “To be Department will be positive, and that honest, I of Education would rather has made kids would be excited take a difthe course class about having this new ferent mandatoto fill up my ry effective class as a requirement.” studies,” the 2025-26 — MARY SANO, Social Sciences freshman Soschool year.

Instructional Lead phia Zhang The Ethsaid. nic Studies H o w Planning committee, composed ever, others see it as chance of of four teachers from Gunn and exposure and learning and for Paly, plans to make the transition many, their perspective depends as smooth as possible. “I hope it on how much the course relates [transition] will be positive, and to modern issues compared to that kids would be excited about past events. “I think that it’s having this new class as a re- extremely important to learn quirement,” Mary Sano said. about these things, but I feel as The most significant aspect though it might be better if it of the course is being comfort- wasn’t a graduation requirement able with being uncomfortable, and rather was taught in indiCronin said.”If you can’t have vidual classes so it doesn’t affect discourse about [race], then we your graduation,” freshman Ivy can never progress as a society,” Lee said.

Cronin said.

While no further details Being able to talk about rep- have been released on this deresentation and letting students cision, the committee is workhave exposure to it in Ethnic ing hard to prepare for this Studies could be a big step in im- new requirement. “We are the provement at Paly, according to ones starting to come up with Cronin. the possibilities…, and we hope “Research has shown that it that students will be interested,” has helped students of color to Sano said.

anthromagazine.org 25

Text by EVELYN ZHANG and MINIRVA VILLEGAS Photo by ANNELISE BALENTINE

Real cost of inflation A How inflation affects Paly students and small businesses s customers wait in line at CVS at Town and Country, a few grumble or complain about the rising prices and inflation. This isn’t an unfamiliar occurrence for Anna van Riesen, a Palo Alto High School junior and former retail employee at Town and Country.

“When I take off tags and put tags back on, I’ve noticed increasing prices,” van Riesen said. “I’ve also seen prices going up when I’m working check-out.”

The topic of “inflation” has almost become a buzzword. These words are ubiquitous in the news and are associated with everything — gas prices, groceries prices, hygiene product prices, medication prices, and more. Food prices almost doubled nationally during the pandemic, according to Harvard Public Health.

The effects are tangible at Town and Country Village, across the street from Paly, where students say they have seen big increases in food and product prices.

Van Riesen has seen inflation, es- care from CVS — things that I need for my pecially with cough medicine and paper hygiene — it can get too expensive,” Gonproducts, and has experienced custom- zalez said. “I used to be able to go to other ers’ frustration with it over her past few stores for cheaper prices but inflation is months. everywhere.”

“When I’m doing check-out for peoAlready being affected by the “Pink ple, a lot of times, customers say out loud Tax,” female hygiene products have also ‘Oh my God, why is this so expensive’” been affected by the recent inflation. van Riesen said.

The average unit “I understand why price of tampons they’re frustrat- “I used to be able to go to in the U.S. was ed, but it’s just as other stores for cheaper over 10% higher frustrating for me in 2022 compared when they then go prices but inflation is everyto the previous and aggressively year, according to where.” voice their frustraBloomberg.

— KAITLYN GONZALEZ, sophomore tions out to service Paly students workers or retail have been findworkers when we have no control over it.” ing ways to deal with the price hikes of Sophomore Kaitlyn Gonzalez has no- food at Town and Country. One popular ticed inflation in another product catego- approach is taking advantage of the free ry—female hygiene products. lunch at school, which was recently ex“When I’ve tried to get pads or tam- panded to every public school student in pons for my period or haircare and skin- California.

“I started to get school lunch a lot more often if I wasn’t able to bring something from home,” sophomore Vit Do said. “I just steered clear of getting lunch at Town and Country as often because I started noticing that it way too expensive to A getCity lunch $10.” n a bustling street known for vi- and “My hard Gaza: inbelow Photographs,” by Looking at recent inflation brant graffiti and unique shops, co-founder Jehad Al-Saftawi in trends, March unlikely thatEye prices will be attention reaching the Refugee Eye gallery sits quiet- it’s 2022, Refugee has gained levels any time Thea ly between a baptist church and a crowd- pre-pandemic nationwide. Their promise is tosoon. deliver and Paloevery Alto six community just have ed neighborhood park. The sleek black Paly new exhibit weeks.“Many peoways to respond and adjust their storefront catches onlookers’ eyes, some to plefind connect with the exhibit because it habits. even stopping to peer inside, some even purchasing shows an inside perspective of truly what “Hearing the govtaking pictures of old newspaper clip- it feels to leave something home,” Laraabout Aburamadan, ernment shut-down, you might not see pings and flamboyant art festival posters. co-founder, said. day-to-day life impacted, but gas and The exhibits focus on highlighting yourAburamadanhas been making waves prices are aShe lot was morechosen tangible,” said umerous global conflicts,the campaign ti- food internationally.

by Time Risen.among “People just keep in tled; “More Powerful Than Bullets” catch- Van Magazine 34should spotlighted photothat the people them out es the eye, regarding the Russia-Ukraine mind journalists around the checking world. Aburadamn neighbors, friends, war, featuring over 10 artists. The are andtheir Al-Saftawi have their created a safepeople envir as well, and instead of unfairly lettingtheir our co-founders, both refugees themselves, onment where refugees can display frustrations out about the economy on a Palo Alto High School senior Eliza Mutz picks up lunch from the sandwich andasalad Joes. ref- artistics abilities. “All we knew is that we vowed to create safesection spaceTraders for fellow retail worker, we should all adjust ourtodaiTrader Joes prices, as with most prices at Town and Country, havetoincreased inflation has risen. “I think it ugees expressastheir passion. wanted to create something related viused to be a lot cheaper,” Mutz said, referring to Trader Joes prices. lifestyle andwould spending.”

Since opening the first exhibit, ly sual art that make sure that refu-

Voices O that Escape

San Francisco gallery gives voice to refugees

12 26 April 2023

However, the existence of the gallery wasn’t easily established.

Al-Satawi said that it took a lot of planning and hard work since both of them had no prior experience or connections but, in the end, it was worth it. “[It] really resonated with us because it was hard the first years, but this way, we could talk about our homeland,” Al-Satawi said.

According to Al-Satawi, growing up in an intense environment like Gaza pressured him to leave at an early age. “This story isn’t only me though, it’s the story of all kids that grew up in places [where] they couldn’t stay,” Al-Satawi said. Al-Satawi said he was fortunate enough to work with journalists and gain language skills. This helped him be better prepared to leave and start a new life. “People [like me], we try to seek better opportunities and leave war ravaged places like their home country,” Al-Satawi said.

The future of Refugee Art is still uncertain as many of the artists themselves don’t have citizenship papers. The artists are refugees seeking asylum; thus they have the ultimate goal of returning back home, which causes instability. “It’s difficult,” Aburdamn said, “Can’t expect them to stay. Even for me, I’m still applying for my papers.” Being one of the few Bay Area galleries showcasing refugee’s art, the commitment doesn’t go unnoticed gees didn’t feel alone,” Aburamadan said. by Palo Alto High School students. SophBoth friends didn’t know where to omore Vit Do admires the nonprofit orstart helping, but in 2018, Aburama- ganization’s spirited passion for featuring dan started using voices that have been sithe hashtag #Reflenced. “I think their art “[It] helps the victims ugeeEye on Instais inspiring and creative gram. This hashtag of wars and people who by showing the refugees’ was shared across perspective through art friends and families have experienced it unwhich is not commonand from there, an derstand how important ly seen,” Do said. The idea, resulting in “More Powerful Than the current creation it is to be heard.”

Bullets” art exhibit was of the art gallery, ­­— TETIANA YAKUNOVA, prominent in depicting flourished. “It really artist for Refugee Eye the radical change the resonated with us artists experienced since because we wanted Russia invaded their nation, according to to find a way to talk about our homeland their website. and our own experiences,” Al-Satawi said.

Tetiana Yakunova, a Ukrainian artist

featured in this exhibit, said the real power was being able to share the art with other refugees. Especially in such a scary time in her country, feeling understood is vital to many people seeking asylum. “[It] helps the victims of wars and people who have experienced it understand how important it is to be heard,” Yakunova said.

Refugee Eye has created an environment dedicated towards connecting the art to the viewers according to Aburdamn.

More people can relate to the art because it not only gives an inside perspective of refugees but what it feels to leave home in general.

“I think what we are doing here is impactful, and purposeful. Our ultimate goal is to simply help people not feel alone,” Aburdamn said.

AT FIRST GLANCE: Storefront of Refugee Eye Art Gallery in San Francisco’s Mission District. Magazine clippings and art festival fills the front as the refugee art can be seen clearly from the window.

Photo by Jeremy Dukes.

Photo b: JEREMY DUKES Text by LARA SU DUMANLI

anthromagazine.org 27

Text by FAIZAN KASHMIRI

Givee peace a chance c

Recruiters on campus are antithetical to peace

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here is no place that is seen as more off limits for violence than school. It is as much a sacred place as any temple: a crime universally condemned in international law if you put it in harm’s way. So, it’s a bit confusing on why, of all places, military recruiters have unlimited access to them.

It’s safe to say that most Palo Alto High School students have been accustomed to the United States military booths that pop up on the Quad during lunch every other month. Both on Club Day and, sometimes, seemingly out of the blue in front of the library. The booths offer pamphlets, posters, and imposing figures of military authority with them. On a good day, they even bring a pull-up bar.

They arrive, setting up a temporary outpost, and leave as quickly as they arrive. We are so accustomed to their presence in a place meant for education that you might barely even bat an eye at them.

Tracing back the roots of military recruitment, particularly in the US, can take us all the way back to the earliest days of America’s emergence. During the Revolutionary War, children were often pressured to become soldiers.

But in a post9/11 world, military recruitment within schools became a magnitude larger.

The p a s s ing of the No Child L e f t Behind Act in 2002

LEFT: Military recruiters stand at the quad at Palo Alto High School, with informational pamphlets.

RIGHT: A student does a pull-up as part of the recruiters’ booth.

28 April 2023

allowed for recruiters to have full access to “secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings,” according to .

With this newly acquired information, they were able to find a pool of people to recruit.

According to CBS News, nearly one-third of all American soldiers who were mortally wounded in Iraq, the exact number being 8,895, were between the ages of 18 to 21, many of them likely exposed to joining the army through their own school.

It isn’t fearmongering or wrong to say that some of the people who are exposed to US army recruitment will join the military. And, as the American Journal of Public Health put it, those who join as a result of practices “disturbingly similar to predatory grooming,” risk being injured during their service. As history has proven, too often fatally.

Even excluding the possibility of death, 45% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had filed claims for permanent disabilities by 2012 according to the National Veterans Foundation, and over 15% were diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It’s obvious why recruiters on campus generally don’t plaster this fact all over their colorful and meticulously edited brochures.

Detractors of course will offer a plethora of supposed benefits: for example, the offers of educational opportunities that low-income students often do not get. With the average application fee being $45, as stated by an article by U.S. News, this is far out of reach for families living paycheck-to-paycheck. According to a study by the Brookings Institute, the US Aarmy has become an exception to wider wage stagnation, with members earning more than their civilian counterparts.

Is it not more concerning that we’ve created a pathway to education through the militaryarmy, one that targets these aforementioned low income students? We routinely condemn the Russian and Chinese governments for these same types of tactics, so why is that we get a pass on this?

Photos by ASH MEHTA

All of what I’ve written isn’t some groundbreaking revelation here. In the rest of the Western world, direct recruitment as a practice has been largely abolished. Most European nations now recruit only from eighteen and above, according to Child Soldiers International.

The current geopolitical environment hints towards a renewed cold war between the US, China, and Russia. It’s not inconceivable that there will be renewed military conflict, and many of these students-turned-recruits from across the US may find themselves in battlefield situations.

It’s more important to stop this now before these children make not just a career decision, but a life or death decision in the process.

The peaceful doves are gone.

The integration of the military into our schools risks undermining peace and turning yet another space into a permanent recruitment outpost. As a student body, no, as a nation, the rejection of this practice should be a top priority. Keep military recruiters off of our campus.

And maybe then the doves will come back.

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obody ex- their homes, their future uncertain. pects the Despite all the warnings that the infrastrucworst to ture was unstable, the worst did in fact happen, h a p p e n , at 4 a.m. Feb. 6, an earthquake hit the southeast until it actually does: the region of Turkey bordering Syria, affecting matormenting nightmare of jor cities. However, the blame for the damage having your family become shouldn’t be on the earthquake but on the gova statistic and your house ernment. an aftermath photo. The, In 1999, a similar earthquake — a 7.4 magni7.8 magnitude ,earthquake tude— hit Turkey, according to The Guardian. that occurred on Feb. 6 that After the death of over 17,000 people, the govdemolished cities in Turkey ernment of Turkey promised stricter building and Syria. People there didn’t regulations to ensure sturdier infrastructure and expect what would happen introducing an “earthquake tax,” which would next: the Turkish increase the government failed “Everybody knows that the country’s prewhen they needed paredness. money isn’t actually being used Now it most. two Although my family decades latfor a good cause, but what can er, after the wasn’t directly affected by the recent earthquakes, my we do about it? It’s the governdevastating own worry doesn’t go away. My effects of the entire extended family lives in Is- ment.” most recent — ELA AYDIN, Turkish citizen e a r t h qu a ke, tanbul which sits on the North Anatolian fault line. The constant fret of it’s clear that when disaster might strike is like a looming it was all empty promises. In 2017, the Istanbul cloud over all of us. With another 6.4 office of the Union of Architects and Engineers of magnitude earthquake hitTurkey said seven million buildings in the counting the faultline, my try were unsafe, two million of them in Istanbul. friend’s families NPR states the “earthquake tax” was in fact are being evacfunded — over $4.5 billion USD. But the money is uated and nowhere to be found, instead it’s suspected that forced politicians are using it to fuel their own political out of agenda.“Everybody knows that the money isn’t actually being used for a good cause but what can we do about it? It’s the government,” Ela Aydin, a Turkish citizen, said.

Even with all the incompetence from the government, countries around the globe have dedicated their time and resources, deploying relief aid. This is an explicit reflection on how countries such as Greece and Armenia, countries that Turkey has conflicted with over decades, pushed aside political tension to help Turkey. “It’s not about politics, it’s about humanity. I’m sure that Turkey would also be one of the first countries to help them

Turkey earthquake reveals corruption

Turkey’s FaulTs

Equity’?

Photos by ASH Text MEHTA and SAANVI GARG

by LARA SU DUMANLI

in case of an emergency,” said AbdulArt by LAUREN WONG lah Coskun, vice president of Stanford’s Turkish Student Association.

People are still being rescued by humanitarian aids and relief support after 250 hours underneath the rubble, the Turkish government is focusing on detaining “the culprits” – construction companies. Over 100 were detained by a new “Earthquake Crimes Investigation” unit which was established in response to this disaster, according to Wall Street Journal.

Paly math teacher Zachary Barnes DiBrienza said. lenged.” are the claim of gender bias was saidWhether that the these math detained program building has triedcontractors to Though Wang additionally said the equity asguiltytheir or not, of assuringdismissed the pub- in the court, the judge ruled pect of it is less concerning as inequity is shift roletheinresponsibility the math placement lic’s safety The process. ` should always be the government’s. that PAUSD’s current laning policies are already a flaw in the current math system.

World Health have Organization reportedand that almost “Students a lot of autonomy illegal. 26 This is because the current place“Our neighboring districts, like Los millioninpeople have been personally by the choice the class they want to go to,affected we ment policies are seen as effectively hold- Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga, they all have earthquake of focusing those,ing politihave shiftedand our instead roles (from) placingon kids students back math pathways cianswhat are protecting themselves by refusing into we feel is the appropriate math to from taking more “We were actually going that lead to geacknowledge their negligence. class to recommending the correct math advanced classes. ometry in eighth This result is linked to a long- line of cor- Wang class.” said to advance everybody and grade,” Wang said. ruption thatsaid runsshe deep in the governCohen didn’t file Turkish the lawsuit that the de-laning “They don’t need everyone was gonna get to ment and earthquake, change to help herfinally kids, after who this wouldn’t be affectinitiative will ulto go to outside needs be implemented.

The of government ed, buttorather, in the interest the Palo needs timately decrease algebra in eighth grade.” school … it’s not to docommunity better. Notas only for its own political future, Alto a whole. student achieve— JENNIFER DIBRIENZA, school board pay-to-play.” but also people. There is often “All for my its opportunities that I haveguilt in linked ment and will fail DiBrienza said president withmy leaving your home country, life, career, everything, is builtlike onhow my mytoparchallenge adshe feels hopeful ents and felt,ability and itinweighs especially a students. love math,”heavily Cohen said.

“It’s when vanced that the lawsuit disaster strikes. to Although it’s frustrating to not reasonable, me, to hold kids back trying “Imagine you’re in a math class, and will not increase student achievement support your passion family by insteadeverybody of beif that’s their andfundraising if that’s where is about the same level, and gaps, and said that the board is overall ing there, it’s all we can do from across thethen Atlantic their strengths are.” there’s like one kid who is a know-it- feeling confident that they will be able to Ocean.“Of feel hopeless, but we’ve School course board Ipresident Jennifer Di- fundraised all and kind of ruining it for everybody,” adapt. over $100,000 so even though over it’s a politiny drop in the Brienza said that controversy Wang said. “Should they be in that class“[We’ll ask], are most kids finding ocean, it helps,” President of Stanford’s Turkish Stucies is expected. room?” success?” DiBrienza said. “Is it a similar dent“There Association, Baris be Baran Gundogdu said. The lawsuit removes emphasis on the distribution of grades and success that we will always disagreement,” As a Turkish citizen, I am people appalledcan by the lack of initiative and provides students saw before? … That would be, that would DiBrienza said. “Reasonable de-laning measure about takenwhat to combat this diaster. I know how disagree with chances to be a successful sort of pilot.” beautiful my country is,“Staff the tenacity have, and for the is reasonable.” advance math has we always taken the government to be destroying it is heartbreaking.

The PAUSD lanes. However, issue student achieveIn Turkish we say iyisiniofyap’ which translates math laning sys-‘daha one of the major to “do discriminates better” so on behalf of my aunts, uncles, coustem concerns with the ment...very seriously.” ins and the rest stuof Turkey eagerly watching the news against female — JENNIFER DIBRIENZA, school board new requirements hopingaccording that the death dents, to toll doesn’t increase, please do brought about by president better. The lawsuit Wang. the lawsuit is that In accordance with the Stanford Turkish Student stated that over the it will decrease eqAssociation, please the Bridge to Turkiye past two years boyssupport have outnumbered uity by reintroducing a “pay-to-play route,” lief fund. girls in advanced math classes three to Wang said. Students who take outside one. math classes will now be able to “lane“They keep telling kids, it’s most up,” whereas those who can’t afford those likely you’re gonna fail [the Skip test],” classes won’t.

Wang said. “It could be that girls might Barnes stated that the possibility of be more susceptible to psychological in- skipping classes might exacerbate the altimidation.” ready competitive Paly environment.

However, DiBrienza said that she has “It’s part of the Paly culture, we want not found any evidence of gender inequi- to be successful and challenge ourselves ty in math laning. as much as possible, sometimes to the BARNES: Palo Alto High School math teacher Zach“Staff has always taken the issue of detriment of our own mental health and ary Barnes grades math papers. “We have shifted student achievement, student support, grades,” Barnes said. “And I don’t think our roles [from] placing kids into what we feel is the student success, student learning, student that Paly students should want to skip appropriate math class to recommending the correct mental health, all of that very seriously,” things unless they’re [not] being chal- math class,” Barnes said.

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Artand

by LARA MADELYN CASTRO Text by VIVIAN TANG SU DUMANLI

Text by FAIZAN KASHMIRI

County “Strike Team” meets the eyebrow focuses on guns

Photo by ANNELISE BALENTINE

Moree than

What my unibrow means to me

The unibrow will always follow me. I never paid much attention to the eyebrows of others. It was a fact of life. An inanimate part of the body.

On a lazy middle school afternoon surfing the web, I came across “The Stereotype Song” by Your Favorite Martian.

It was tailored for a middle hen I wake up in the school sense of humor. No one is morning, brush my spared, but it’s meant to ridicule teeth, and stare into stereotypes. The one little line that the mirror to check caught my attention? “Let’s come on a concerning pimple, I’m al- together and live in this world like a ways met with the reflection of unibrow on an Indian girl.” a little patch of Emerging hair between my from the depths “Well, if you do see eyebrows. When of my mind, my I shave it, one one scruffy Pakistani unibrow came might find a few alive. It was my kid with a unibrow: pieces of hair in hairy, burly, the sink, trivial that’d just happen to baneful little horcompared to the ror. near Afro-worthy be me. But I’m the exFor a time, hair on the top of my ception, not the norm.” I could ignore head. But to me, my it. Luckily for unibrow remains my me, my unibrow little hirsute beast, having made its hadn’t actually been brought up in home on my face. conversation outside of a passing This, my friends, is the unibrow. statement of fact. There wasn’t any A streak of hair that connects two point in addressing it. separate eyebrows. And it begs the But it didn’t go away. I realized question: How coulda simple strip of that I was almost alone in having it. hair be such a menace?

Sure, Frida Kahlo might have proudBeing Pakily paraded hers, but stani-American certhe closest thing I tainly comes with its “No one likes a had to representation benefits. I have a lot unibrow.” would be Bert from of pride in my culture.

Sesame Street.

Taking away the PakiNobody likes a stani part of my identity would ren- unibrow. der me unrecognizable. However, my Mainstream conceptions of how mom’s side of the family came with one looks at themselves are influone other special trait — being ge- enced by Eurocentric standards of netically disposed to a unibrow. It’s beauty. ‘Ethnic’ features are particunot exactly rare among Pakistanis, larly frowned upon. The unibrow is but it’s particularly prevalent in my caught in that crossfire. extended family. So, just like my unEven with an increase in reprecle and grandfather before me, I won sentation, those ‘ethnic’ features are the genetic lottery. washed away. Zendaya, often lauded

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32 April 2023

as an example of minority representation in media, admits that she’s Hollywood’s ‘acceptable version of a Black girl.’ In the end, all of that new representation still has the aesthetics of white beauty, just without the white he Santa Clarainto County Board ney for Santa Clara County, said. person. And that leaks how we Along with illegally trafficked guns, of Supervisors view ourselves.

You don’t is seeexpanding a scruffy its the proliferation of privately made fire‘gun violence strike team’ folPakistani kid with unibrows; raththe recent mass shoot- arms made in home factories, known as er peoplelowing feel pressured to conform ghost guns, has increased in California, ings in Half Moon Bay and with very specific standards setMonterey by a Gibbons-Shapiro said.

Park, focusing on confiscating guns from white-dominated society.

“It’s not very people with an existWell, if you do see one scruffy Padifficult to do being court order or kistan kid with a unibrow:“We That’dhave just to dramaticalcause you buy a kit, that present potenhappen to bea me.

But I’m the excepwhich has the gun tial threat. ly reduce tion, not the norm. And even though the number of 80% made, and The five-person I’ve always accepted thatfirearms about my- that are in our you’re just putting strike team’s mission self, it still stings to know it. I’ll never together the last is to “take guns from be part of the majority, community.” the known, few parts and you’ve people, who frankJAMES or the familiar. It took me a­ ­— while to GIBBONS-SHAPIRO, now got a functionly, shouldn’t have Santa Being Clara County assistant district embrace that fact about myself. ing assault weapon them,” said Cindy outside the norm used to seem like a attorney that’s illegal to purChavez, member of downside, but i’ve come to love me for chase in California,” the Board of Superme. Not for anything else.

Gibbons-Shapiro said. visors.

The unibrow makes me uniqueThese makeshift guns are nearly TheMy Board is set to approve almost ly me. buddy between eyebrows untraceable, but the strike team plans ahas million dollars for new local positions, become to me a symbol of taking to make ghost guns a priority. Gibbringing the unit to 23 people, on the standard of size beauty in my own acbons-Shaprio said they need to attack cording to Chavez . little way. The unibrow makes me . A this problem from the base and prosecute Although this plan has been voted person not dreading shaving day or the people manufacturing the makeshift on by the Santa Clara County Board, the feigning security, but a person proud guns. enforcement of these actions rely on the of his identity.

“We have to dramatically reduce the SantaThis Clara County’s judge’s approval. is a message to You. To those number of firearms that are in our comTemporary removal orders are easier to with crooked teeth, big noses, bushy get during critical circumstances before a munity, and then we’re coupling that with eyebrows, large stomachs, anything investigative strikes to break up these full hearing can occur. deemed imperfect by society. We dedealers that are providing ghost guns,” After the 2019 Gilroy Garlic shooting serve to love our bodies. You deserve when the gunman legally obtained to love yourself, your features, and but whatillegally you aretransported as a person. his gun to California, politicians We can learn to be a have bit happier been working on a solution to with ourselves. make it harder for these inUNIBROW: Faizan Kashmiri, Paly stances to occur again. sophomore and author this piece, “We’ve seen both of the poses for a photo.

He has had a unirise in privately-made brow all his life and does not shave guns and the rise of ilit as a form of self-expression.

He legally-trafficked guns hopes to reduce the stigma around into our state,” James Gibbons-Shapiro, the with uniunibrows and help those assistant district brows accept them.attor-

Santa Clara County expands measures against gun violence

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Chavez said.

A large aspect of the expansion is that the funding will not be taken out of any other department and only existing laws will be applied. This strike team isn’t implementing anything new, but simply imposing it, according to Gibbons-Shapiro.

“We can’t predict where every incident is going to be and that’s one of the reasons that I’m so focused on using the laws and resources that we have, removing as many guns as quickly as possible and as safely as possible,” Chavez said.

“We are using grants and the $900,000 the county put in to be able to support local agencies with overtime to pay officers to retrieve firearms.”

With the recent shootings in California, Gibbons-Shapiro said that this is exactly the right time for the strike team to expand.

“California has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, and they’re only meaningful if we do the things to enforce them,” Gibbons-Shapiro said.

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INCUBATOR SPOTLIGHT

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alo Alto High School’s Incubator journalism class is currently home to four publications: Anthro Magazine, KPLY, [proof], and Ink. Anthro Magazine has compiled some of the content these publications have produced this quarter to give a taste of what our class has been doing. We encourage you to check each of these publications out!

KPLY is Paly’s online podcasting publication, providing weekly campus updates via Quad Talks and features on campus culture. Tune in to listen to dozens of podcasts covering everything from cultural analysis to current events and student opinions.

Executive Producer: Madelyn Castro

[proof] Editors-in-Chief: Arati Periyannan and Annelise Balentine Cover: Kai Silverberg

INK. Editor-in-Chief: Saanvi Garg Cover: Tyler Wong 34 April 2023

[proof] is Paly’s fine arts and photography magazine, focused on showcasing student artists and the Bay Area’s artistic community through features, artist profiles, photo eessays, and a Paly student gallery section.

Submit your photography or art to: proof.paly@gmail.com Ink is a literary magazine dedicated to student expression. Our central mission is to create a platform for diverse student voices. We believe reading and sharing writing is vital to the writerly experience.

Submit your writing to: literarymagazineink@gmail.com

Listen on Soundcloud, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts: KPLY Paly Radio Follow on Instagram: @KPLYPalyRadio

IN THIS ISSUE PUBLICATIONS COMING SOON:

Via Verde is a travel magazine that focuses on discussing both local and international trips taken by the Paly community. After going on hiatus for four years, we are scheduled to produce in May of 2023, so keep an eye out!

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Local activism roundup

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Students react to shootings in California

5 County “Strike focusespublion guns Veritas is a science andTeam” technology cation scheduled startthe production 6 Activism to around world in late May of 2023. We are focused on new innova7 and The mayor’s mission tions breakthroughs that affect the Palo Altoequity’? community.

8 ‘Pretend

Submit your travel photos and stories to: viaverdemagazine1@gmail.com

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Submit story ideas to: Overflowing with danger veritas.paly@gmail.com The real cost of inflation

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Power en pointe

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Publish your work!

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Dear Ms. Cohen...

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The artist’s dilemma

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Who gets a seat at the table?

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Calling on Congress

Do you want to see your featured next issue?

23 work Gaining visibilityin forour the tribe Email us at am35778@pausd.us and mm28479@pausd.us 24 AP with a short bio, why you wantThe to controversial publish with us, and a brief 25 toInwrite Florida: Censorship expands summary of what you want about!

25 website, Ethnic studies mandate Learn more at the Anthro or scan the QR code to the left.

26 The voices that escape 28

Give peace a chance

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Turkey’s faults

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More than meets the eye(brow)

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Incubator spotlight

Your ad could be here!

Letters to the Editors The staff welcomes letters to the editors. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity. Send all letters to palyjournalismincbator@gmail.com or to 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301.

On the Cover

High School Incubator, Paly’s suite of small publications,Gunn runs ads at rates Allie Tachner performs Printing & Distribution ranging from $15 to $550. Small businesses,her large dancecompanies, to “What a Anthro is printed by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Palo Alto Parent Teacher Association mails Anthro to every student’s home. wonderful world” whichto freelance workers, Paly students, anyone with something Publication Policy advocates against gun — contact Anthro, a social activism magazine published by studentsadvertise in Palo Alto High School Incubator class,us! is a violence. Cover: Madelyn Learn more at the Anthro website, or scan Castro the QR code

designated limited open forum for student expression and discussion of issue of concern to its readership.

Anthro is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost.

AI Policy Anthro will not publish any content we know to be generated by AI without disclosure. If we discover any of our staff are using AI undisclosed, we will (1) identify to readers all impacted work; (2) considerfor removal any impacted work; and (3) and consider staff and school disciplinary measures. See our full ethics policy on our website.

to the left.

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