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Painful past, painful present pg. 15

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ANTHRO

November 2023 Volume 6 Issue 2

Mission Statement The goal of Anthro Magazine, Palo Alto High School’s social activism publication, is to create a platform and forum for students to express their opinions and voices. Activism is bringing issues into the spotlight to spread awareness and create change in society. On this platform, we will promote 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.

On the cover On the cover of Anthro 6.2, we showcase photos from two different protests: an Israel protest in front of the Palo Alto City Hall and a Palestinian protest in San Francisco, both on Nov. 4. Newspaper clippings in the background of the cover are collected from the Paly Journalism Archive, compiled from The Campanile and Verde Magazine, and range from the 1970s to the 2010s. Student journalism coverage of this conflict goes far back, even at Palo Alto High School. Wanting to highlight the longevity of this conflict and the recurrent pain that has persisted throughout time in the Israeli and Palestinian communities, we have dedicated a section of Anthro to revisit this issue. Starting on page 15, we offer news, features and opinion focusing on the impact this ongoing conflict has had on our world while continuing to display headlines from past Paly journalists. Protests have always persisted — the loss and grief has continuously brought individuals together to protest for more peaceful negotiations. This year is not any different. Many continue to protest the loss of life as a result of a brutal war. We encourage you to do your own research about this topic and view the headlines at https://palyjournalismarchive.pausd. org/.

Staff Editors-in-Chief Evelyn Zhang Lucianna Peralta Managing Editor Saanvi Garg Perspectives Editor Kat Farrell Design Managing Editor Amani Fossati-Moiane Business Manager Lara Su Dumanli Staff Writers Anika Nair Carissa Tsui Christopher Choi Celina Lee Faizan Kashmiri Maxwell Zhang Vivian Lin Photo/Art Director Vivian Tang Artists Salem Coyle Spencer Wu-Chin Sasha Kapadia Photographers Arjun Jindal Joshua Watterson Adviser Paul Kandell —————————— Connect @anthro_magazine issuu.com/anthro.magazine anthromagazine.paly@gmail.com

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IN THIS ISSUE From the Editors Dear Readers, For our second edition of the year, we welcome you back! This November, many Paly students were shaken by the Israel-Gaza War, especially those with personal connections to the conflict. Our cover represents a story collection about this strife, including a news story “Parents spearhead a peace dialogue,” which covers a event in our local community hosted by the Parent’s Circle Families Forum. This section also includes an opinion, “When fame falters,” expanding on the misinformation propagated by celebrities and influencers on social media concerning complex political and social issues. Finally, we want our package to showcase the multiple events where local community members have come together to discuss and console. Through giving a window into vigils and protests, Anthro hopes to give readers a glimpse of the advocacy occurring in the community. This issue our stories spearhead inclusion and diversity of experiences from the community to large-scale political institutions. Our editorial, “Creating new processes to strengthen all voices” gives insight into the diversification of roles in our school administration and pushing for an emphasis on all voices as the future of the political field continues to change. The scope of activism does not end at the limits of Palo Alto or the borders of the United States. Anthro takes on an international lens as we explore issues in Korea through “Conscription or citizenship,” our collection of stories about the Israel-Gaza war, and our recurrent “Advocacy around the world.” If you’re here to catch up on recent passed laws that affect Paly students, you’ve come to the right place. We continue to highlight California’s legislative activity, mentioning recent bills mandating an ethnic studies class in public high schools and penalizing book bans. We once again bring back our editorial cartoon section, penned by Spencer Wu-Chin. This issue’s cartoons include a commentary about Cristiano Ronaldo’s colossal soccer contract and another critique of the College Board. This edition ends strong with a culmination of opinions, ranging from “I am not your stereotype” to “Terror on the mind,” once again highlighting student voices in the Paly community. Enjoy Anthro Volume 6.2! — Evelyn Zhang and Lucianna Peralta, editors-in-chief

2 November 2023

Creating new processes to strengthen all voices

Incubator Spotlight

Training against overdoses in county

East Palo Alto water woes continue

Motivation for science and health

Verbatim: Banning book bans

New mental health resource

Cartoons: Ratatoskr

Junior raises $700 for disaster relief

Who’s in? Who’s out? Inclusion in history

Four questions with Rishi Kumar

Painful past, painful present

Parents spearhead a peace dialogue

When fame falters

Accept conscription or reject citizenship

I am not your stereotype

Terror on the mind

Local activism roundup

Advocacy around the world 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 anthromagazine.paly@gmail.com or to 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Printing & Distribution Anthro is printed by Folger Graphics in Hayward, California. The Palo Alto Parent Teacher Association mails Anthro to every student’s home. Past issues are available at anthromagazine.org. Publication Policy Anthro, a social activism magazine published by students in Palo Alto High School Incubator class, is a 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. Please visit anthromagazine.org to view our AI policy and ethics policy.

EDITORIAL

Creating new processes

We need to reshape how power is established in our community

s there have been increasing political sphere, the need to maintain this efforts through state laws en- trend in the coming years will be crucial couraging the exploration and for the future of our government. But representation of all identities how can we engage with more diverse in classrooms, Palo Alto High School stu- politicians and leaders in our communidents have been empowered to pursue ty? All education system need to equally their dreams, regardless of their race, emphasize sucess for all students and progender, or sexual orientation. However, vide resources. the issue of representation in the highest Since 1979 to 2023, there have been offices of our nation fails 18 Black women who to show that everyone have ever held statewide has a right to represen- “You can’t use the elected executive office. tation. Even today in the Calisame old processLaphonza Butler fornia State Legislature, has recently stepped es that have been straight white males into the role of U.S. up 41% of all legbarriers for certain make senator after Diane islators while they only Feistein’s passing. She people and expect account for about 18% of counts as the third Black the state’s population. woman to have served a different result.” This is a problem — in the Senate, after Carin the United States, we — DON AUSTIN, PAUSD cherish our right to repol Mosely Braun and Superintendent resentative democracy. Kamala Harris. There have been great strides Emphasis on represenfor representation of tative. the African American community with However, women and people of color Obama’s election as the first president have historically been discouraged from of color and Harris’s inauguration as vice participating in politics through the impresident in 2020. plementation of systemic and societal With these new developments in our barriers. We can look to Palo Alto High

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School for a more localized perspective: there have been strides with diversity in administration in the PAUSD district. Brent Kline, our principal, and Don Austin, our superintendent, have made hiring diversity a priority during their tenure. In the PAUSD District, 70% of those in the highest level positions are women, which includes administration, board and cabinet members. In the cabinet, 68% are women — half of them being of nonwhite ethnicity — in which 26 of 38 cabinet members were hired by Don Austin. There have been efforts to create a more representative and inclusive political sphere. Butler’s work as president of EMILY’s list, is evidence enough that making sure to empower the voices of women in politics is beneficial to all. EMILY’s list works to train and build campaigns for Democratic female candidates. Through main values such as anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion, this organization bases practices on intersectional feminism to reach a morally just and equitable society. These values and diversity is important as research conducted by the Brennan Center of Justice has shown that diversity

to strengthen all voices to engage with all perspectives to further challenge injustices proves beneficial to lawmakers as it conveys legitimacy of the legislature. According to Kenneth Lowande, a professor of political science at the University of Michigan, women, racial minorities and veterans serving in legislatures are more likely to legislate for their respective groups, meaning that a representative lawmaking body does lead to representative legislation. Therefore, the outcomes may lead to increased public trust in these institutions. As demonstrated, the implementation of diversity would further push our government to challenge the injustices unheard of by the male populace. Palo Alto High School Principal Brent Kline says that students better relate to administrators when they share a commonality in identity. “When you’re looking at bringing diversity of people into different kinds of roles, it’s to ensure that they bring their story, but [that] they’re able to share their story with our students,” Kline said. Palo Alto Unified School District Superintendent, Don Austin explains why the hiring process in the district has been changed to an internalized process rather than an interview which values their work ethic and products done on the job. He

recounted a situation where an employee we’re talking about hiring here [PAUSD], was not hired due to the system in place we want to blend … look at our team, now and motivated him to make a change. it’s represented by multiple countries in “One thing that was clear to me is backgrounds, languages, experiences.” that if we were going to actually make According to Austin, PAUSD works progress in this area [diversity in higher hard to ensure that all voices are enforced positions] we needed due to the impact on to change the process students. that was holding can- “[It’s] important to “There’s a lot of didates back,” Austin effort to silence peosaid. “Our diversi- bring that perspective, ple that don’t have ty has gone way up and that experience your same opinion,” … you can’t use the Austin said. “When same old processes and that background to you can’t find other that have been barri- our students.” people that have your ers for certain people own opinion, then and expect a different you’re silenced.” — BRENT KLINE, Palo Alto High result. It just doesn’t Diversity is a School Principal hallmark of Amerhappen. You have to change the game.” ican society, and Austin says that the benefits of lacking that element in our government having diversity in the district leads to officials is an injustice. Representation wave of different thinking, countering and public trust is imperative in our day like-mindedness. By amplifying differ- and age as we Paly students navigate our ent perspectives and viewpoints, groups young adulthood in a much more politithat were once marginalized feel secure cally polarized society. Just as PAUSD has enough to speak out. amplified diversity to reflect their student “You got a diversity of thought,” population, so too must the federal govAustin said. “You want people that have ernment adopt this practice. different experiences and paths. When Art by VIVIAN TANG

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Incubator Spotlight

alo Alto High School’s Incubator journalism class is currently home to seven publications: Anthro Magazine, [proof], Ink, Via Verde, Veritas, KPLY and The Paly Voice. Anthro Magazine has compiled some of the content these publications have previously produced to give a taste of what our class has been doing. We encourage you to check out these publications and if you’re a rising journalism student with big ideas, suggest your own! [proof] is Paly’s photography and fine arts magazine, focused on showcasing student artists and the Bay Area’s artistic community through features, artist profiles, photo essays, and Paly student gallery section. Editor-in-Chief: Kat Farrell

Editor-in-Chief: Sarina Grewal

Submit your photography and art to: proof.paly@gmail.com

Submit your writing to : literarymagazineink@gmail.com

Via Verde is a travel magazine focused on discussing both local and international trips taken by the Paly community. Featuring photo essays and travel stories, Via promotes the celebration of different cultures within Paly.

Veritas is Paly’s science and technology publication. The publication is dedicated towards spotlighting students in STEM, and providing the latest news on technological advancements in Silicnon Valley.

Editor-in-Chief: Lara Su Dumanli Submit your travel photos and stories to: viaverdemagazine@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chiefs: Vivian Tang and Divij Motwani

KPLY is Paly’s online podcasting publication, providing campus updates via Quad Talks and features on campus culture. KPLY covers everything from cultural analysis to current events and student opinions. Executive Garg

Producer:

Saanvi

Listen on Soundcloud, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts: KPLY Paly Radio

6 November 2023

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 story ideas to: veritas.paly@gmail.com The Paly Voice is a breaking news, online only publication that covers everything from school events to reviews on local restaurants and student profiles. The Paly Voice also features a podcast called Tone which covers current events and sports. Editor-in-Chiefs: Anna Feng, Maxwell Zhang, Sophia Yang

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NEWS

Training against overdoses at city level Library hosts Narcan training amid rising opioid crisis

anta Clara County hosted a successful naloxone training on Nov. 9 in Rinconada Library to educate and ensure prevention measures for community members in light of increasing opioid overdoses. The Santa Clara Opioid Overdose Prevention (SCOOP) campaign hosted an hour-long training session covering

how to administer Narcan — brand name In the past five years, Santa Clara for naloxone — and provided a space for county has had 639 overdose deaths in participant practice. Naloxone is a med- which 415 involved fentanyl. icine that attaches itself to opioid recepSimitian says that the goals of tors and rapidly blocks the effects of an SCOOP and the simple and straightforopioid overdose. ward training have an impact which can Joe Simitian, Santa Clara County save lives. supervisor and chair of the Health and “The first goal is prevention by virtue Hospitals Committee, engages with the of education but the second goal is that if distribution of Narcan and prepares com- there’s a moment of crisis, someone has munities to react to the crisis at large. Narcan close at hand and knows how to “We are dealing with a drug whose administer it in the moment … and potenimpact is deadly — it can, in many in- tially save a life,” Simitian said. stances, be reversed if people have NarSimitian says that all in attendance can available and know how to administer received a free Narcan kit. it,” Simitian told Anthro. “We know from “This is one of those times where the numbers that sooner or the risk is great, and later, most of us are going the consequences can to know someone who has “We are dealing be fatal,” Simitian said. been part of this very trag- with a drug whose “Keep an eye out for a ic story.” situation where someSenate Bill 234 ad- impact is deadly.” one may be at risk and dresses the rise in opibe prepared if that crisis oid-related deaths by mak- — JOE SIMITIAN, Santa moment arrives.” ing opioid antagonists Clara County Supervisor Register for future such as naloxone available Narcan Training Workin schools and venues acshops at the Palo Alto cessed by high-risk age groups. This is Library website under events. why SCOOP plans to expand knowledge Text by LUCIANNA PERALTA on how to administer Narcan says Simitian.

Text by FAIZAN KASHMIRI

Art by ANNELISE BALENTINE

East Palo Alto water woes continue

year after footage surfaced of out to Nuestra Casa after the organibrown water emerging from zation started investigating reports of faucets in East Palo Alto, res- unclean water in East Palo Alto in 2021. idents reMagallon shares the main concerned and experiences of local uncertain about the “Some people were residents. current water quality. “Some peosaying that there’s According to a ple were saying that recent survey by Nues- brown water coming there’s brown water tra Casa, a Bay Area out of their faucet at coming out of their non-profit dedicated faucet at certain times to water justice, 75% certain times of the of the year,” Magallon of EPA residents buy told Anthro. “Their year.” and drink bottled wahair feels like it’s fallter instead of using ing out after they the tap. Others have —BELINDA MAGALLON, Nuestra shower, or their skin Casa advocate feels super dry.” to use water filters to use the water from Forty one point their homes. eight percent of surAdvocate Belinda Magallon of Nues- veyed residents reported that their water tra Casa says that local residents reached quality was “bad,” as opposed to only 12%

8 November 2023

of residents expressing that it was “good.” Magallon says that the issues are causing financial burdens among tenants in the city. “Changing your filter all the time can be very costly,” Magallon said. “It’s an extra cost and a burden on our community members.”

NEWS Art by SALEM COYLE

Text by LUCIANNA PERALTA

Motivation for science and health

he Brain Tumor 5K run and walk event by American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) was hosted Nov. 4 in San Francisco’s Lake Merced. This event has occurred annually since 2006 to fundraise for support services and research to combat brain tumors. Stanley Currier, a brain tumor survivor and volunteer member of the ABTA Committee, gives an overview of his efforts. “I am involved in raising awareness about the event and trying to recruit people to come participate in the event,” Currier told Anthro. This year, ABTA has raised up to thirty-four thousand dollars in the Bay Area alone and are trying to reach their goal of $76,000. Money raised at this event will be funneled towards patient and caregiver-focused programs and strengthen the

ABTA’s mission through increased re“In terms of research, they [ABTA] search on their website. try hard to support investigators at varCurrier describes how the ABTA uses ious stages of their career, from novel funds from events. research and different “It [ABTA] works to backgrounds,” Lupo provide funds both to re- “I’ve always been said. “From biology search organizations and inspired by what and treatment to findhospitals as well as aspiring new drug discovery ing medical professionals they [ABTA] do and treatment, clinical outwho work across a broad imaging, and the effort that they comes, range of brain tumors then also have a really because there’s many put forth.” strong caregiver supdifferent types of brain port program.” tumors,” Currier said. Online, you can do“They try to advance re- — JANINE LUPO, member of nate at abta.org to help ABTA Host Committee a team reach their goal search across many different kinds of them, which or donate to a specific will ultimately affect a large population. patient. It’s a very noble cause.” University of California, San Franciso’s Team Leader Janine Lupo says how the organization helps further scientific research for brain tumors.

Text and photos by VIVIAN LIN

Verbatim: Banning book bans

On Sept. 25, California Governor Newsom approved Assembly Bill 1078, which would prohibit schools and libraries from banning or censoring books, instructional materials, or curriculum. The bill aims to promote an inclusive and diverse curriculum. Anthro Magazine interviewed several Paly students and staff to share their opinions on the bill. “One of my big values is to have books that are mirrors for everyone [so] everyone can find a story that kind of reflects them, and nonfiction that also explores all sorts of different understandings of history and identity and social movements.”

“Taking steps to ban censorship is super important, but those steps also need to go hand in hand with making sure we’re ... funding schools that are historically underfunded … there’s just a lot more work that needs to be done.”

— SIMA THOMAS, librarian

— ANNA VAN RIESEN, senior

“It’s kind of sad that certain books are being censored, especially in a school setting where people need to be uncomfortable with what they read, to some degree. And it’s always an educational opportunity when that degree of uncomfortableness is present.”

“It’s important that students get exposed to sensitive topics, but a lot of parents maybe don’t want them to be exposed to. But if they’re not exposed to these topics like race or gender [until] later in life, they might be uneducated.”

— MARCUS LING, junior

— JULIA CURTIS, freshman

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Text by VIVIAN LIN

Art by JESSICA BAE

New mental health resource

tudents at Palo Alto High School this school year have access to a new virtual mental health service that claims to “reinvent mental health for the new generation.” TBH (To Be Honest), the organization behind this motto, is spearheading efforts to tackle student mental health. Dawn Yoshinaga, director of mental health and wellness, said that the decision to employ TBH stemmed from the rise in mental health issues among students. She said that the district’s counselors attended a TBH info session last school year and worked with the organization to tailor their service to meet the needs of PAUSD students. “We recognize that students need diverse options for mental health care,” Yoshinaga said. “TBH’s innovative approach and comprehensive online mental health services made them a great choice. With TBH, we can offer mental health support outside of school hours, including weekends and school breaks.” According to Drew Englander, head of student and partner success of TBH, he hopes to give all PAUSD students easy access to mental health support. “We hope, throughout the course of this year and years to come, that we can help students build

their mental health toolkit and feel supported through a one stop app, easily accessible via your student ID portal,” Englander said. Although Paly already has a Wellness Center with therapists that students can talk to, TBH offers a wider variety of services like virtual one-on-one therapy sessions with licensed therapists, group support, and a library of resources — such as anonymized pre-recorded therapy sessions — designed specifically for students at no cost. “Studies show the effectiveness of both oneon-one coaching and group support, which help lower barriers to care and support those students who may not need the higher level care and structure that comes with therapy,” Englander said. A Paly student whose name has been withheld to protect her identity said she appreciates the district offering this new resource, and she plans to use it in the future. “Especially since I’ve dealt with a lot of mental health problems, it can be really expensive,” the student said. “And I know it took me months to find [help] outside of school, so having something so close and so accessible is great.”

Cartoons: Ratatoskr

Art by SPENCER WU-CHIN

Oh, College Board, never change.

Ronaldo (already wealthy beyond imagination) decides to sell his soul.

The Republican Party reveals the candidate of the week!

Photo courtesy of CATE GRANEY

Text by VIVIAN LIN

Junior raises $700 for disaster relief

Social Justice Pathway student organizes fundraiser for Maui fires

onate to the Maui fires!” junior Lucy Kristofferson yells through a megaphone, as groups of students sporting green Palo Alto High School merch stroll by. Some stop to rummage through their backpacks for spare change. As the afternoon goes on, the plastic jugs on the table, labeled with each grade level, gradually fill with dollar bills and coins. At the end of the day, Kristofferson pours the money out of the jugs, and counts up the total. In just one week, she has raised over $700. When Kristofferson saw news of the fires blazing through Maui on Aug. 8, she was empowered to take action. “[I was] back in my Social Justice Pathway (SJP) class and I figured, they [SJP] always want us to do more outreach and I feel like that’s what SJP is for,” Kristofferson said. “So if I’m going to have that resource of a community that can organize something, might as well do something.” Taking initiative, Kristofferson organized a fundraiser to support those impacted by the Maui fires during Spirit Week. After proposing the idea to her SJP teachers, she rallied up support of her cohort. “The amount of fires [in Maui] definitely had a large social justice impact just because it was a big disaster happening to an area that has been historically oppressed by the United States government,” Kristofferson said. In coordination with Spirit Week, Kristofferson thought it would be a good idea to have each grade level compete against each other to see who would raise the most money. “Since Paly has such a competitive Spirit Week, doing a fundraiser during Spirit Week would help drive donations,” Kristofferson said. “I learned about the concept of a ‘penny drive’ from a Tik Tok video and in the video it was a competition between grades so I thought it would be something that could work well at Paly.” Kristofferson plans to donate all the money to the Maui Strong Fund, part of the Hawaii Community Foundation, an organization focusing on disaster relief and long term recovery for people affected by the Maui fires. According to Kristofferson, many people were not aware of the fundraiser because of the late notice, so students did not have any cash handy. However, once word spread, Kristofferson said more people started

donating later in the week. “I think we should have gotten the word out about it more ahead of time because we did a little Instagram post on Friday, but I don’t think a lot of people knew about it … we’re trying to collect donations and everyone’s like, ‘What’s going on,’” Kristofferson said. Overall, Kristofferson said the fundraiser was a positive learning experience, despite her struggles to get donations at first. “I’ve never done something that involves fundraising or handling money or trying to encourage donation before, and it was a good experience,” Kristofferson said. “I learned a lot about organizational stuff and logistics and managing a group of people.” SJP junior Juliana Sandoval, who volunteered for the fundraising committee, said that it was a good experience working alongside her fellow classmates to make a positive impact on the community. “I was able to connect with my peers in SJP, but also other Paly students who wanted to help as well,” Sandoval said. “It felt really good to share the moment with other Paly students, especially since we knew we were helping a cause.” SJP English teacher Keith Tocci, who helped Kristofferson with some logistics of the fundraiser, said that he was excited to see one of his students want to make a positive impact on a pressing issue. “It felt really inspiring to see a student taking initiative in a way to address a timely, real world issue that also involved leveraging the SJP community in a way that would let us do something [in the] real world,” Tocci said. Kristofferson hopes to continue doing fundraisers for different causes in the future. “Ideally, I wanted it [a fundraiser] to be something that SJP does every year during spirit week,” Kristofferson said. “I don’t know if that’s gonna happen, but I’m definitely going to try to make it happen for a different cause.”

Junior Lucy Kristofferson holds a sign urging students to donate to the Maui Wildfire Fund. “I’ve never done something that involves fundraising or handling money or trying to encourage donation before, and it was a good experience,” Kristofferson said. “I learned a lot about organizational stuff and logistics and managing a group of people.”

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Text by EVELYN ZHANG

Who’s in? Who’s out? Inclusion in history MENA Club fights for representation in the upcoming Ethnic Studies class for 2025

errorist.” The last place you the statewide level concerning the incluwould expect to hear this accu- sion of Palestinian and Israeli narratives sation would be in an elemen- in the class. This categorization thereby tary school classroom. But it excludes the MENA group’s history from wasn’t a scenario unfamiliar to senior and being covered in the ethnic studies course Iranian-American Ariana Ebrahimi. outside of the Arab-American unit that “Many people assume extremely out- some believe wrongly conflate all Middle dated things about Easterners as “Musmy country,” Ebra- “We hope to get other lims’’ or “Arabs.” himi said. “I got The Palo Alto called a terrorist in students who aren’t of Unified School Diselementary school MENA descent to questrict has begun disa lot because of the cussing and planfood I would bring tion some misconcepning the curriculum to school and cy- tions that they may aland implementation berbullied online of this course, sepabecause of posting ready have about MENA rate from the existin support of my ing ethnic studies culture.” people.” elective available — NIKKI HEYDARPOUR, co-president to upperclassmen. Ebrahimi’s faof MENA Club ther faced a lot of racism when he immigrated to the United States from Iran The state law gives in 1997, including discrimination during school districts work and a dragged-out immigration pro- flexibility with cess. content and In 2021, California became the first teaching style state to require students to take an ethnic to determine studies course to better educate students how the about the histories and cultures of mi- course will nority communities. Under this new law, be implehigh schools must offer an ethnic studies mented. course by the 2025-26 school year, and “In the mandate it as a graduation requirement design of this by the 2029-30 school year. course at this However, the MENA (Middle East- point, the plan is ern North African) Club has been that there will be a petitioning for MENA history to lot of student be included in the Paly curriculum, despite the MENA population still categorized as “white” in data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. This issue has also been an ongoing conversation on

12 November 2023

Art by VIVIAN TANG choice designed into each unit,” said Mary Sano, a Paly teacher on the Ethnic Studies Committee. “For example, if a student feels like they really want to explore on their own, there will be opportunities for that.” Nikki Heydarpour, a co-president of the MENA Club at Palo Alto High School, explains what the MENA Club is advocating for. “We want to try to deconstruct misconceptions about the MENA region and to shed a positive light on our culture and history,” Heydarpour said. “By incorporating that into the ethnic studies program, which is already currently being reconstructed and redeveloped, we hope to get other students who aren’t of MENA descent to question some misconceptions that they may already have about MENA culture.” The MENA Club has been working on this issue since March and has already attended a school board meeting to advocate for the inclusion of MENA history. “We’ve been working on it throughout the summer, and into the school year as well, because it [our AP Seminar project] just inspired us and really made us realize how much of a difference we want to make and how important adding representation is,” Mariam Tayebi, club co-president, said. Although the MENA population has a “white label” in the U.S. Census, Heydarpour explains why PAUSD should include MENA history in the ethnic studies requirement. “In 2030, Biden made proposals to consider the MENA group as a minority,” Heydarpour said. “Given that we are probably going to be considered

Co-presidents Mariam Tayebi, Ariana Ebrahimi, and Nikki Heydarpour run a Middle Eastern North African (MENA) club meeting hosted in room 808 every Thursday.

a minority group, they’re going to have to include us as of 2030, so might as well start now.” The state law advises that this course requirement should develop a curriculum that “best addresses local student needs” by considering the relative sizes of local ethnic groups, a suggestion that PAUSD is taking into account when designing the course. “We’re looking at our community, and what makes up our community more — not that we’re not going to look at the bigger picture — of course we will — but the focus is really meant to be very locally focused,” Sano said. “So who are we actually in our community, and what makes up the diversity and the different race and ethnicity and cultures of our own community.” Some critics of the ethnic studies requirement claim that there isn’t enough space in the semester-long course to include a comprehensive unit on each ethnic group. However, Heydarpour disagrees. “I think that it’s unfair to say that a whole entire group which encompasses 22 different, diverse nations should be exempt from a program merely because there isn’t enough space,” Heydarpour said. “If there isn’t enough space, they should make more space.”

Tayebi clarifies that this inclusion of about the politics and what’s going on, MENA history would focus on the expe- and especially in a very negative light.” riences of Americans of MENA descent, Sano says what the main objective of not foreigners. the ethnic studies requirement is for the “It’s really important to reiterate the school district. fact that this is focus“Our hope is ing on American indi- “In the design of this that it would make viduals and has nothit more a part of the ing to do with foreign course at this point, systems, of Paly and politics,” Tayebi said. the plan is that there of Gunn, of being “It’s mainly just about more intentional and the contributions of will be a lot of student being more sensitive Americans and not choice designed into and being more toljust World History.” erant and being more American media each unit.” celebratory of each often focuses on the — MARY SANO, Paly teacher on other and being able foreign governments Ethnic Studies Committee to converse togethof MENA countries, er and being able to portraying them in a listen to each other,” negative light, with less coverage about Sano said. the MENA population in the United Heydarpour explains that the MENA States. For instance, Hoda Osman, pres- club’s main fight is to challenge the comident of the New York-based Arab and mon misconceptions of MENA individuMiddle Eastern Journalists Association, als. claims that American media coverage “I think that just initiating the repof Middle Eastern victims dehumanizes resentation of us is really important,” them. Heydarpour has experienced this Heydarpour said. “Getting individuals bias throughout her daily life. to question their misconceptions is real“For me, as an Iranian-American, my ly important because a lot of people just nationality is distilled to politics,” Heydar- adopt them without even trying to think pour said. “There’s never talk about my about it.” culture or history whenever I hear othPhoto by JOSHUA WATTERSON er people talking about Iran, it’s always

anthromagazine.org 13

Text and Photo by EVELYN ZHANG Rishi Kumar, a congressional candidate for district CA-16, speaking to community leaders at the Hindu American Foundation Gala.

Four questions with Rishi Kumar

ishi Kumar, a Democrat, is running for election to the U.S. House as a representative of California’s 16th Congressional District. His race in 2022 marked the best performance by a challenger in the past three decades, and he will be running again in the 2024 election. He is a former tech executive and has served on the Saratoga City Council, as well as on the Executive Board and Delegate to the California Democratic Party.

How has your experience on the Saratoga City Council helped become the candidate that you are today? “I found my calling as an activist, but as a council member, I challenged the system and status quo, unafraid to be the dissenting vote on burning issues that went against the people, and focused my energy on the tough community challenges.” You have sworn to never take PAC (Political Action Committee) money — how do you hope to do that? “The influence of large corporations and lobbyists has, unfortunately, overshadowed the voices of everyday Americans in our political discourse. Elected leaders should prioritize the well-being of their constituents over significant financial contributions. I’m committed to working towards overturning the Citizens

14 November 2023

United decision and ensuring that American governance truly serves the American people. While serving on the city council, I’ve consistently turned down money from land developers. This decision allows me to address community challenges without any external biases. ” Why do you believe term limits should be implemented? “We need energetic, visionary leaders and that is why I asked Senator Feinstein to make way for fresh blood back in 2020. Our California State Legislature provides reasonable term limits in both houses that allow for a representative to gain experience over time but not become stagnant. We should do the same in the United States Congress. Term limits will stop corruption by ensuring political

turnover. It will bring new energy and new leadership to Washington interested and invested to get things done.” What is your stance on the Israeli-Gaza war? “Firstly, I have a clear anti-war policy — it is time to build a world that will help nationals thrive via education and economy. I support peaceful and direct negotiations based on aspirations for national sovereignty. I recognize and accept Israel’s right to exist and Jews’ inalienable right to live in peace. I support Israel’s military superiority in the Middle East to counter the threats of totalitarian regimes. I support efforts for Palestinian leaders to build sovereignty. Israel must recognize the national aspirations of the Palestinian people.”

Photo by AMANI FOSSATI-MOIANE

Painful past, painful present Diana Gibson, convener for Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice, speaking at a vigil held at the King Plaza on Nov. 11. The event called for peace in the Middle East.

This section includes an array of student- written news, features and opinions that have ties to the Israel-Gaza war. Throughout this package, all historic news headlines are from past coverage of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and are taken from the Paly Journalism Archive.

Text and photo by CARISSA TSUI and MAXWELL ZHANG

Parents spearhead a peace to choose peace over violence. After death], I met people from the Parents The PCFF brings came their speeches, the forum was opened to Circle, [and] I went to one of their conferquestions, followed by attend- ences,” Alsheikh said. “That was the first together mothers audience ees comforting each other. time I was shown Israelis who really love The event was organized by the Par- their loved ones. For the first time when and fathers from ents Circle – Families Forum (PCFF), an I heard them, I felt that … even if we had organization of over 600 Israeli and Pal- different circumstances, we [are] still huboth sides of the estinian families who man and nothing could have lost family membe worse than losing a child or a family memIsrael-Gaza War to bers in conflicts in Gaza “Be on the side of and Israel. peace and be on the ber.”According said that to foster peace. afterAlsheikh her six-month- side of humanity.” Damelin, when soldiers

rief, hatred, hope and forgiveness — that was the story two mothers communicated at a community gathering on Oct. 24 at the Etz Chayim congregation. This event, Shared Grief and Shared Hope: Bereaved Israelis and Palestinians for Peace, focused on promoting forgiveness over revenge in response to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Two mothers — one Israeli, Robi Damelin, and one Palestinian, Layla Alsheikh — shared their personal stories of loss and reconciliation. Both had lost a child to the conflict in the Middle East and discussed how they

old son died in 2002 came to her for the first — RABBI AMY EILBERG time and told her her from inhaling tear gas released by Israeli solson had been killed, diers who also stopped them from taking she asked them not to kill in the name of him to the hospital, she was very bitter. her son. “I was filled with hatred, anger “I wanted to do something to preagainst everyone, but especially against vent Palestinians and Israel, particularly the Israelis,” Al-Sheikh said. “I decided mothers from experiencing this pain [of not to have any relationship with any Is- losing your child] because it’s as if someraeli.” body takes a knife and slices a piece of According to Alsheikh, joining the your heart out and it never goes away,” PCFF allowed her to meet other people Damelin said. who had gone through similar experiencDamelin said that there was no point es to her and it reshaped her perspective. in revenge or retribution. “After 16 years [from my son’s “What are we doing?” Damelin said.

dialogue “Are we going to continue to kill each other until there’s nobody left? Or are we going to actually begin to find another way?” According to Rabbi Amy Eilberg, one of the speakers at the gathering, many individuals in the United States are polarized, favoring one side in the war rather than promoting peace between the factions. However, she believes that people should instead support efforts to foster peace between both sides. “We’re very stuck in our different sides in our different silos and our different theories and our different ways of thinking,” Eilberg said. “These people from The Parents Circle say, don’t be on the Israeli side and don’t be on the Palestinian side. Be on the side of peace and be on the side of humanity.” Right: A compilation of headline clippings from the Palo Alto High School Journalism Archive. These headlines range from stories published in the 1970s to the 2010s. These headlines do not represent the viewpoints of Anthro staff, but are used as insight into the longstanding conflict and its representation in Paly media Far left: Robi Damelin, one of the mothers who spoke at the Parent Circle Families Forum, speaks with an organizer and participant at the end of the meeting. “I wanted to do something to prevent Palestinians and Israel, particularly mothers from experiencing this pain,” Damelin said. Left: Participants coming from all backgrounds seek to comfort those who spoke at the Parent Circle Families Forum meeting and discussed the current conflict with other community members.

OPINION

When fame falters

How misinformed celebrities’ media posts harm impressionable audiences Text by ANIKA NAIR

Political and social unrest has swept across the globe as military conflicts, political alliances and new cases of COVID-19 flood the news. We do not have a shortage of reliable news outlets sending anchors to cover breaking news and complex conflicts. For instance, Andrew E. Kramer being sent to Sumy, Ukraine by The New York Times to cover the uncertain stalemate between Russia. Or, CNN anchor Sara Sidner in Israel explaining how the Iron Dome protects the city amidst military conflict with Hamas. Despite this, celebrities and influencers play a major role for the younger generation on social media as they continuously post opinions and thoughts about political and social issues. According to Pew Research Center, adults under 30 are 40% as likely to trust information from social media sites as they are to trust information from national news outlets. In this new age of technology, people are gaining knowledge of events from

Oct. 1973 The Campanile

This story covered the answers to the question: “Who shot the first bullet” from three different perspectives. A main point made by all three individuals was the right to land, a core issue in the conflict.

A rally, titled “Bring Them Home Now!” held in front of Palo Alto City Hall on Nov. 4 to call for their safe return of hostages in the Israeli-Gaza War. Photo: Evelyn Zhang

social media, which can be damaging if news is exaggerated or completely fabricated. Because certain celebrities or influencers hold zero responsibility to post true or reliable information, much of the information they feed their followers has the possibility of being fabricated. A study in 2021 by researchers at the Reuters Institute in March, found that 20% of misinformation about the coronavirus was spread by celebrity influencers and 69% of viewers shared or interacted with these posts. According to the Journal of Global Health, Nicki Minaj, a famous and influential rapper, with 228 million followers on Instagram tweeted about the harmful effects of COVID-19 vaccines by sharing a fabricated story about a family member experiencing side effects after taking the vaccine. Her words were only proven false after authorities posted a statement backing up the vaccine with no evidence of Minaj’s claims. But that didn’t stop the 26,000 retweets or 150,000 likes that flur-

Nov. 1986 The Campanile

“Children of War” describes youth who are forced to grapple with the poor conditions of the war. A student from Israel recounts his experience enlisting in the army.

ried after her statement. Spreading misinformation is highly alarming when dealing with topics as dangerous as a deadly virus, putting public health and safety at risk. This phenomenon has found its way again — misinformation runs rampant in the midst of a tense Israel-Gaza war, espeically as many celebrities have personal connections to the region. For instance, according to the Washington Post, many celebrities reposted a 2013 photo of dead Syrian children that was falsely described in a post as being recently killed Palestinians. Celebrities have immense power through their media platforms, but when they choose to spread information without checking for its validity, it often ends up spreading division and hate. As teenagers scroll through Instagram or Twitter and stumble across celebrity’s posts about their opinion on a world conflict, the possibility of teens believing the information is high.

A survey done in 2022 by CNN with the non-profit organization Common Sense Media found that 39%of teens said they prefer to get their news from social media. Instead of taking time to read news outlets or research events and form their own opinions, the media has attitude-shaping power over teens. Through celebrities posting their views and biases against world conflicts, teens fall victim to the mindset that celebrities push. “Even if celebrities aren’t doing anything to help the conflict, when they post about world issues people feel more inclined to look into and respond to them,” junior Sanjana Adatrao said. And while I agree that bringing awareness to injustices committed around the world is helpful, celebrities who have built a parasocial relationship with their followers have a lot of influence over people’s opinions, and when they feed these people a constant stream of their thoughts they have the power to

Oct. 2001 Verde

A review of the documentary film “Promises,” in which the overlaying message is for there to be peace between the two warring nations.

tweak and change the opinions of their followers. Many students don’t have the time or the desire to read articles or watch channels from credible news sources. So instead of forming their own opinions with the facts in front of them, their perception or views of the conflict can be easily influenced by celebrities’ opinions and thoughts. This has the potential to cause harm and create specifically strong impressions on young audiences, who, when exposed to these conflicts learn to accept and follow celebrities’ views instead of their own and one they might have kept had they not been influenced. If celebrities posted unbiased information to educate their followers on certain topics leading to a bigger and more just impact. Then, as teenagers are fed this information, they would be motivated to dig deeper and form their own opinions.

Oct. 2010 Verde

A student opinion that remarked on the dual sided identify of loving their Israeli culture and the betrayal that comes with war.

A group of Stanford students hold a sit-in protest on campus advocating for a ceasefire and for the university to condemn Israel’s siege of Gaza. Photo: Arjun Jindal

OPINION

Accept conscription

non-combat deaths reported since Korean-American student with dual citiChoosing between 74,674 1948. No living person deserves abuse on zenship has to confront on the daily. level – and least of all the group of That’s because the mandate doesn’t military enlistment, this people who are subjected to mandatory just apply to residents of South Korea – who are most often out of high it applies to anyone with a South Korean prison or losing service, school or just barely legal adults. citizenship, including those with residenStill, many South Korean citizens cy in the United States. People living an South Korean would probably agree that the mandatory ocean away from South Korea are still service requirement is valuable – in fact, forced into spending three years in military training for a councitizenship forever according to a 2021 Gal-

lup poll, 42% of South try they don’t even live For these groups, or in, regardless of their ince 1948, South Korean law has Koreans thought that it circumstances. mandated all able-bodied male should remain as-is, due anyone else unwillto the northern threat A common solucitizens between 18 and 35 to serve ing to serve, South and perceived societal tion to avoid service is in the military for 18 to 24 months. benefit from service. renouncing citizenship Enacted in the years where a North KoKorea has a solution – but this solution is rean attack was a persistent threat, the But what about when far from being ideal. policy was made out of fear for national people who have reli- — sending them to For one, South Korea security. But even as decades have passed gious reservations, like prison. pacifist groups who have makes this choice irresince the mandate’s establishment, conbeliefs actively against versible after the deciscription has remained just as uncomproviolence? For these groups, or anyone sion is made – according to Article 9 of mising as it was in the 1940s – and becomelse unwilling to serve, South Korea has a South Korea’s Nationality Act, someone ing a topic of controversy in the process. who loses or renounces their citizenship That’s because the world has solution — sending them to prison. These people perform alternative to avoid conscription cannot regain nachanged, and South Korea is far from being the vulnerable country it was back services within prison for three years, tionality, meaning that achieving permawhen conscription was introduced. The even eating and sleeping there. This is nent residency and receiving any kind of longer than any other Korean governmental aid is impossible. country is maintaining alternative civilian serAnother problem then arises for peoa defensive alliance with vice in the world, and ple living in the US temporarily. Although the United States and According to Article twice as long as the old we all have our grievances with the Colhas military reserves far 9 of South Korea’s alternative which was lege Board, the Korean education system larger than their northjust prison (often 18 is somehow even more unforgiving – the Nationality Act, ern neighbors. months) and a criminal university that students are admitted into Coupled with the someone who lost charge. People are tak- is based purely on the results of a single North Korean threat en from their everyday test, administered once a year on a nabecoming primarily or renounced their lives for years, detained tional scale, with no retakes, redos, or nuclear, reducing the for their beliefs against make-ups. If you’re sick on test day, or effectiveness of a stand- citizenship to avoid violence and fighting. have a family emergency, South Korea ing army, some are be- conscription cannot To most people tells you to try again next year and repeat ing questioning whethregain nationality. living in the US, globthe grade. er the requirement is al problems like these As a result, many students come to truly necessary. seem mostly irrelevant the United States for their education Furthermore, the South Korean military is notorious for rampant abuse and – and here at Palo Alto High School, sur- before returning back to the mainland – its extremely toxic environment. Cases rounded by the Silicon Valley bubble, it’s however, it doesn’t take long before they of abuse are reported almost regularly, even easier to ignore the issues that aren’t run into the conscription dilemma. The and mental health resources are held to directly in front of us. However, the South South Korean government mandates that a minimal standard, the consequences Korean conscription dilemma isn’t a dis- out-of-country residents with multiple of which are clear. A 2023 investigation tant issue – it’s one that an estimated two citizenships at age 20 must choose one found that as many as 13,000 self-inflicted million people of Korean descent living or the other before turning 22, with the deaths were directly linked to South Kore- in the United States must face. And even same penalty of irreversibility. This leaves Korean-Americans stuck an military service, adding to the total of in the Paly bubble, it’s a reality that every

20 November 2023

or reject citizenship Text by CHRISTOPHER CHOI and CARISSA TSUI

in a hard situation when it comes to service – they can either choose to give up foundational years of their life to a system they’re barely involved in, or give up their South Korean citizenship. And although renouncing citizenship isn’t a big deal for everyone, the fact is that the United States isn’t always a place of permanent residence for Korean migrants – and the result is disastrous. For Paly students facing this dilemma, or for any other Korean dual citizen across the United States, the choice ultimately becomes one between their nationality and their freedom — and one that has to be made imminently, or the choice is made for them. The rigidity is the key issue, and if addressed could make the issue significantly less extreme. There are much more effective ways

Art by CARISSA TSUI

to implement alternative civilian services ish their education, and alleviate the sigthat prison – and many countries do. In nificant pressure that young people face Austria, the government offers Zivildienst in their foundational years. South Korean as an alternative to its mandatory con- military conscription is deeply traumatic scription which is nine for many who undermonths compared to the go it in some cases regular military service’s The choice ultimately deadly, and is losing six, and participants among its becomes one between popularity help out in every sector people. from nursing homes to their nationality and Considering the rescue. Rather than putpersistent threat of ting objectors into pris- their freedom their northern neighon to work, South Korea bors, it’s a tough ask would benefit greatly from allowing them for South Korea to eliminate mandatoto work in hospitals and the like instead. ry conscription – but at the very least, Allowing a longer term to make the South Korea should improve alternatives citizenship decision for out-of-country and add further flexibility to service so residents could address the issue with out- that the burden of this choice isn’t on of-country dual citizens as well – would the shoulders of people who have hardly allow these people time to choose or fin- started paying taxes.

anthromagazine.org 21

OPINION

I am not your E

Overcoming hardship due to misleading

veryone has a name that States as a baby, while my dad bounced means something. Maybe around Pakistan and Saudi Arabia until you’re named after a great he was 18. They met through a mutual soul, maybe a namesake connection, and the rest is history. In as personal as a grandparent or as 2007, I was born in Chicago. distinct as a famous poet. Maybe When I was still small and had the your name has a literal translation ability to be picked up, he grabbed me by in some other language. These are the waist and lifted me up. He’d always say all very respectable naming con- a prayer when he did this: the Basmala. ventions, really. But it never fails He’d repeat the same Arabic phrase over to amuse me to have to explain why and over again; Bismillahir Rahmanir Ramy middle name is Butt. heem, or “in the name of God, Most GraYou heard it here folks: cious, Most Merciful.” Faizan Butt Kashmiri is my full, Though I grew up in a setting where honest, name. Faizan translates Muslim cultural elements were acceptfrom the Arabic ed and celebrated, word for charity, nothing about me a Muslim name. You can’t avoid politics outwardly presentButt and Kashmiri when everyone has ed itself as explicitly are ethnic names, ‘Muslim.’ descending from collectively decided you Individual racKashmiris who ism — at least, any are an issue that needs noticeable incidents had migrated to Punjab. But peo- a solution. — was non-existent. ple don’t usually Until 2016. make fun of my midThe presidendle name. They give me new nicknames: tial election then was surprisingly in the Apu, Osama, or any other purposefully back of my mind. Everyone said Hillary racialized name. Clinton would win, we’d have our first feIt was clear from my name alone that male president, and this Donald Trump my experience in the United States, guy was just some rich person trying to from birth to today, was cer- do a stunt. So, election night came, mom tainly going to be an tucked me and my brother into bed, and unorthodox one. the night ended with that expectation. My parThat didn’t happen. The following ents both morning was dead quiet. Everyone was in come from a state of shock. And, almost overnight, vastly dif- my religion became a political issue. f e r e n t Worse yet, people were increasingly conb a c k - vinced that Muslims in this country were grounds. a secretive fifth column, here to destroy W h i l e Western civilization. Trump declared that both of he wanted an immediate halt of all Must h e m lim immigration to the United States. w e r e Now, my parents didn’t particularly born in push me in any direction or force faith P a k i - upon me. I borrowed an English version stan, my of the Quran to read it by myself. At the mother same time, I bought an annotated Bible, m o v e d which I studied in tandem to see the simto the ilarities and differences between the two. United And when my mom tried to sign me up

22 November 2023

stereotype cultural representations

for the Islamic Sunday school, she pulled I call myself me out after a month, realizing how mis- Pakistani now to erable I looked in the class. This was one prove a point. To of my first real struggles grappling be- the people who tween my Muslim identity and my Amer- would otherwise ican identity. hold negative views It remains to this day that I’m not of Pakistanis, me a very religious Muslim, nor is Muslim calling myself one an identifying factor for me. I’m Faizan breaks through the Kashmiri. dichotomy of terrorism So it was shocking going to school and violence. the next day and being told by a boy that It forces them to reckTrump would deport me … somewhere. on with their views, even if unHe didn’t specify where; probably Agra- consciously. bah; but it didn’t matter. The point was My experience isn’t a special still the same: Life, at least for a while, one, at least in this regard. Across the nawouldn’t quite be the same. tion, almost every Muslim teen has a story The following four years dragged on to tell about racism, Islamophobia, or any with similar experiences, sporadic, but other hateful experience. Non-Muslims always memorable. Nobody ever beat me get pulled into this: Sikhs, commonly misup, nor was I taken for Muslims ever targeted in due to the turban some heinous Every Muslim teen has a they wear, face dishate crime. But story to tell about racism, crimination out of people would the crime of associalways make Islamophobia, or any other ation. comments But it is an expehateful experience. about me from rience worth highthere on out. lighting, especially The community of Piedmont, a right now. small, formerly all-White city at the westAccording to the Council of Amerern edge of of Oakland, was a breeding ican Islamic Relations, 55% of Muslim ground for this type of passive racism. A students feel unsafe at school due to their school assembly proudly would declare religion. 32% did not feel comfortable that they took the No Place for Hate sharing their faith publicly. Alarmingly, pledge. Yet… one in four students have reported that A week after that assembly, another adults have made islamophobic comkid would ask me my opinion on the Islam- ments at their own school. ic State. Another person “congratulated” As we face an uphill battle with hate, me on 9/11. You can’t avoid politics when the poison that it is, it’s more important everyone has collectively decided you are than ever to reaffirm that Muslims are not an issue that needs a solution, whether it a monolith. be deportation or self-segregation. There is no singular “Muslim experiThere’s a reason I generally referred ence.” In the face of discrimination, it is to myself as Indian up until recently: less urgent to reject hatred and sectarianism negative connotations. Images of the Taj in our community. Mahal, elephants, big Bollywood wedWe have the chance to close the open dings. veins that risk tearing apart our commuPakistan, though? The images you nities. see of Pakistan are the same images you Standing together against all viosee on the news after a report of a recent lence and hate is what will make us stronbombing. ger. Together.

47.1%

55% Of Muslim students feel unsafe at school due to their religion.

32% Did not feel comfortable sharing their Muslim identity.

1 in 4 Students have reported that adults made islamophobic comments within the last year.

Text by FAIZAN KASHMIRI Art by SALEM COYLE

anthromagazine.org 23

Text by LARA SU DUMANLI

Art by SALEM COYLE

TERROR ON THE

MIND The doom of calorie-counting apps and its infliction on adolescents

hate my phone. Or rather I just hate the toxic culture that the apps on my phones try to encourage. The unattainable beauty standards coupled with calorie counting shown through my phone represents all that’s wrong about humanity — the constant need for “perfection,” or whatever that entails. Now, in 2023, technology’s mind-numbing social media apps have plagued our most important resource: our minds. Getting my first iPhone used to be a cherished memory, opening the freshly packaged box, taking out my brand new phone, and staring at it in wonder. Now, when I think back to the memory of my brand new iPhone, all I want to do is warn myself. I remember downloading the standard social media apps, Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube. I like to call these apps the trifecta of hell as they create a soul-sucking feeling among their subscribers that can only be described as standing in the fiery pits of hell. Instagram, an app on its perilous throne made of puppy tears, knows its young audience and allows influencers to promote unhealthy eating habits and body images with their lucrative advertising and deeply flawed algorithm. The unrealistic images of body types that society deems attractive on this platform put the young viewership in a position of vulnerability, one where they feel the need to monitor their own weight. This is where the hypnotizing calorie-counting apps come into play. By forcing the narrative that there is something wrong with how you look, these apps create a solution: strict weight counting and feeding into the naivity of users’ self-esteem issues. These large calorie-counting corporations benefit from this twisted ideology. The relationships between the apps and their demographic can be explained in a simple idea: small fish in a tank of sharks. The sharks, the companies, preying on the little fish, the kids, as the fishes swim around, seemingly unaware of the danger that lurks in the shadows. Dietician Annie Rubin says that children’s presence on social media, a place where companies will support an unhealthy lifestyle, can be extremely damaging to their development. “A lot of times, [these] companies are funded to promote their products or

OPINION apps, and generally not focus on the nuWhat follows suit from this trition part,” Rubin said. “I think social soul-crushing mentality is the encouragemedia can really easily harm a children’s ment of body discrimination and the demental health in general.” velopment of eating disorders. Rubin mentions that these apps can According to the National Center for not only have an impact on the child’s Health Research, mental health experts current health, but this message can believe that fitness apps, such as calorie remain as a long term influence counting ones, can exacerbate symptoms “A lot of childhood eating habits, of eating disorders because tracking calespecially if you are surrounded by peo- ories can often increase rigid, inflexible ple who use a lot of calorie restrictions in thinking towards health and exercise. their daily lives, hurts their body image,” Eating disorders come in many difRubin said. “I think that [childhood eat- ferent forms, but the end result is always ing habits] affects kids more than people the same: the destruction of the mind and realize, and that carries into their adult- body. Harvard’s School of Health reports hood. It never really leaves them.” that 10,200 deaths each year are a direct Even though these sayings are harm- result of an eating disorder. To put this ful, with the rise of social media apps, it’s number into perspective, that’s one death becoming increasingly easy for children every 52 minutes. The beginning of eatand teens, whose prefrontal cortex isn’t ing disorders stems from what these apps fully developed, preach — that to be exposed the constant to this sort of I am no exception to the pat- obsession with harmful behav- tern of damsels in distress. calorie intake is ior.. Manipulatbeneficial, slowing their vulnerly deteriorating ability and exploiting their new-found you from the inside-out. In the end, the curiosity in technology is what makes blood of all these victims are on the hands adolescents more susceptible to fall for of these companies. weight-loss lies. Although there are cases of death, In a Wall Street Journal report detail- eating disorders also result in debilitating an 18-month deep dive into teen men- ing symptoms like overeating or skipping tal health, Instagram admits that its most meals which can lead to a decline in both harmful feature is the Explore Page. This mental and physical health. Despite this, section of the app pushes algorithm-se- the ghost of these symptoms still haunt lected content based on information the victims, long after they’ve recovprovided which is formatted in a way that ered. promotes social comparison and negative I am no exception to the pattern of body image. damsels in distress. I am just like the milWhile the primary concept behind lions that have had this experience, and tracking your weight may seem reason- I will not be the last. I fell for the same able, it doesn’t reflect the true outcome. tricks, the same lies, the same mindset Calorie counting promotes the idea that but I am not just another number. user’s must “earn” the right to eat, implyMy story is the same yet astronoming that eating food is a privilege rather ically different. There will always be victhan a necessity. By supporting diet cul- tims of this horrible scam, victims whose ture and toxic mentality, these apps vali- entire livelihood gets destroyed, victims date feelings of shame or embarrassment who don’t survive. for, in their terms, overeating. When Instagram asked me why I MyFitnessPal, a calorie-counting app wanted to block an ad promoting calthat is currently hot on the market over- orie counting, it asks if the account emphasizes calorie needs because it over- had scammed me, and I said yes. They estimates how many calories the average scammed me of my childhood and the person burns from activity according to childhood of millions. I wish I could have the National Library of Medicine article. warned my past innocent self, but I can’t. As a result, users begin to underestimate Instead, I warn you — I warn you not to protein needs, thus leading to a danger- get sucked into the trifecta of hell and I ous outcome of misunderstanding proper warn you to stay away from the misery of calorie intake. calorie counting apps.

anthromagazine.org 25

Art by SASHA KAPADIA

Text by LARA SU DUMANLI

Local Activism Roundup Activism behind the scenes Stanford Palestine Sit-in

R SILENT PROTEST. On the White Plaza, Stanford students stage a sit-in protest in solidarity to Palestine, in hopes of a ceasefire. Photo: Arjun Jindal

eaching its two-week mark on Nov. 3, the sit-in hosted by Stanford students calls for the university to condemn Israel’s siege of Gaza. Located at the White Plaza in the heart of Stanford’s campus, the sit-in consists of protestors calling for more support to Palestinian students on campus and a condemnation of Israel's siege. This protest, originally with only 14 students, has now amassed a large following, reaching a high of 100 students participating throughout the day. Drawing inspiration from a Stanford alumni protest against South Africa apartheid that lasted 52 days in 1998, the students plan to stage a sit-in until their demands are met. “What we are witnessing is not a war, it is a genocide,” Hana Sphaia, a Stanford protest said. “As Stanford students, we are in a position of incredible privilege. It is up to us to use that privilege to make the voices of Palestinian people heard,”

Online Taser Activism Forum

n online forum was held on Nov. 1 over zoom talking about the usage of tasers within the community, hosted by the San José Peace and Justice Center. In connection with the Coalition for Justice and Accountability, this activist forum is a space for informative conversations about the dangers of the use of tasers on the streets and in jail. Featuring real voices and experiences, this forum aims to encourage participants to speak out about this issue in the next Board of Supervisor meeting to oppose the sheriff’s request for tasers. “The goal of the forum was to educate the community and organize people to speak out at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting,” said Charlotte Casey, a representative of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability.

Save the Bay: Queer Native Plant Nursery

ave the Bay, a local nonprofit organization, presented a Queer Native Plant Nursery Event on Oct. 25, striving to educate, restore and advocate for the restoration of nature and preserves in the Bay. This event was a safe space for those who identify as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community to seed, transplant plants and take care of the environment together. This event encouraged a safer space for the community to explore Save the Bay’s mission by focusing on creating an opportunity to connect with the diverse array of plants and people that make the Bay Area incredibly special. “I wanted to create a space where people could feel welcomed and celebrated in all aspects of their identity while learning about native plants, something many community members are enthusiastic to engage in,” said Millie Calzada, nursery manager at Save the Bay.

26 November 2023

Text by CELINA LEE

Art by SALEM COYLE

Advocacy around the world Missing soldiers, fishmonger’s livelihood, voting disputes, and a lack of government transparency has riled up protesters worldwide

undreds of women gathered on Oct. 27 to demand government transparency regarding the 26,000 Ukrainian soldiers who are missing due to the Russia-Ukraine war at Independence Square in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Mothers, wives, sisters and daughters of the thousands of missing Ukrainian soldiers called for answers from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The New York Times reported that the Ukrainian government is prohibiting the release of information regarding the soldiers to “avoid sharing such information with Russia but also to prevent any lowering of morale at home.” According to ABC News, families are growing increasingly worried as brigades are going missing and the government remains tightlipped. Demonstrators are urging the government to alert families on the status of their loved ones.

rotests sparked in several Mozambique cities after municipal election results were released on Oct. 11. According to Reuters, the ruling FRELIMO party — that has won every election since 1994 — is denying fraud in their victory of 64 out of 65 municipalities. The losing party RENAMO is denouncing the election results and calling for supporters to mobilize and seek legal action against the opposing party. The protests resulted in two casualties, and protesters have reportedly been seen “burning tyres [tires] and throwing stones,” according to the Center for Public Integrity. RENAMO was established in 1976 as an insurgent group opposing FRELIMO. According to AP News, The RENAMO party has won majority in the country’s most populous regions and are reporting “widespread ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and falsification of results.”

xpressing their concerns about the development of the Long Son Container Port Project, local fishermen gathered on the morning of Oct. 23 at Hai Ha Beach, a northern province of Thanh Hoa, Vietnam. This $30 million port project will extend 820-feet off the shores of the beach and restrict access to local waters. Vietnamese news outlet, Vietnam.vn, reports that there are over 400 households who rely on the beach for its fishing accessibility and thus claim that this project will harm their livelihood and careers. Hundreds of residents expressed their concerns and are advocating for compensation and resettlement plans. In response to their protests, police were seen “beating several demonstrators with batons and arresting about a dozen of them,” according to Radio Free Asia. Filming played a role in these events and local residents who protested at the dock and on city streets were prohibited from filming. The police reportedly jammed their mobile phone signals.

xtracting lithium from Indigenous terriroties has long been a point of contention in Argentina. Protests continue to spark throughout the Jujuy province following a partial reform of the provincial Constitution by the Constituent Convention of Jujuy in June, which exploits Indigenous people’s territories and allows mining companies to extract lithium from the land. Indigenous people in Jujuy are expressing their frustrations in the government for passing the reform without prior consent or consultation of the Indigenous population. The reforms encroach on the Indigenous people’s land and their rights of expression. The North American Congress on Latin American reports that the reforms criminalize protests and increase the power of the government. Amnesty International, a human rights and social justice organization, discusses the repression that protesters are facing from the provincial police. With over 107 victims and witnesses to the atrocities, the police have “created a hostile environment that inhibits the people of Jujuy from exercising their right to peaceful protest.”

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