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MPOWER ALLIANCE: SOLVING OVERLOOKED ISSUES
MPOWER ALLIANCE: SOLVING OVERLOOKED ISSUES
By Krish M., Ryan L., and Ariana Y.
“Women’s History Month is an opportunity to highlight and uplift the day-to-day work and accomplishments of all women present and past.” These are the words of Angie Swanson-Kyriaco, Executive Director of MPower Alliance. In March, people from all corners of the world commemorate some of the daring steps taken by women to advance modern society and empower the next generation to change the world. For Women’s History Month, we interviewed MPower Alliance, a nonprofit organization in San Francisco that advocates for women’s rights and supports birth mothers. MPower Alliance was founded by an attorney who noticed a deficiency of resources and support for birth mothers who were unable to support their children and had no choice but to put them up for adoption. That mission still stands today, which is reflected in their mission statement: “Together we can ensure birth mothers/parents have the support they need, the community they seek, and the advocacy they deserve.” Here are some of our greatest takeaways from the interview:
The name MPower Alliance symbolizes the building of a team of supportive birth mothers and parents. MPower Alliance is driven to provide support, care, and nurture a community for struggling birth mothers who simply cannot provide an environment for their children to grow. So, how does the nonprofit create this community and team to support birth mothers?
MPower Alliance regularly holds community events with sociological specialists and guest speakers. However, their most popular event seems to be their retreats. As their website states, “MPower Alliance’s Retreats put the pow-
er of healing directly into your hands.” MPower Alliance gathers a group of around 15-20 birth mothers/parents to go to an all-expenses-paid retreat where they engage in activities to bond, unwind, and heal together. For instance, there are activities designed to help people relax, such as art projects and nature walks. Angie says, “The retreats offer a space where a birth parent can connect with others who understand, and validate, their experiences. They can openly grieve and celebrate their children with a group who will grieve and celebrate with them.”
Throughout its years of operation, the primary challenge MPower Alliance has faced while expanding its organization is trying to spread awareness of the situations of many post-placement women, women who have placed their children under the legal custody of adoptive parents. As Angie puts it, “Since I have been with the organization, there are two challenges that I often encounter: One, an overall lack of awareness about the organization, and two, there are still so many who are unfamiliar with the term ‘birth mother’ or ‘first mother’ and the enormity of what those terms mean.”
In the words of Angie, “[Some birth parents] received the support and encouragement [from us] they needed to search for their child they have not seen since the day their child was born… For many, they are seeking support in navigating the lifelong grief that adoption causes, including trauma, disenfranchised grief, and ambiguous loss.”
Lastly, we asked Angie what she wished more people knew about the problems MPower Alliance addresses. She responded with crucial information that provided further insight into the process of adoption. “There is a long held narrative about adoption in the United States that adoption is beneficial for all who are involved… The problem with that is it doesn’t necessarily look at the complexities and nuances within adoption. It perpetuates very real power imbalances within adoption.” Unfortunately, there are innumerable instances where people don’t receive the support they need, which has a negative long-term impact on adoptees. MPower Alliance provides them with the necessary support and care they deserve.
OHIO TRAIN DISASTER OHIO TRAIN DISASTER
By Ryan Li
On February 3, a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, igniting a fire and setting off fears of an explosion. The train was on its way from Madison, Ill. to Conway, PA. at around 9 P.M., when 38 of its 150 cars derailed in East Palestine, a village of 4,700 residents about 50 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Afterwards, a fire broke out, damaging even more cars. Shortly after the derailment, 1,500 to 2,000 residents were told to evacuate.
The train was carrying over 115,000 gallons of vinyl chloride, a flammable and carcinogenic gas. The spilled chemicals killed a total of almost 3,500 fish in various waterways. To avoid creating an explosion while getting rid of the chemicals, the city decided to let the chemicals flow into a trench and performed controlled burning on the toxins. While seemingly harmless, this burning created smoke that rained dioxins and other poisons on the city of East Palestine. Worst of all, officials allowed residents to return to their homes without even testing the toxin levels in the city.
This whole situation has resulted in high levels of public distrust for the government. As the news spread nationwide, the derailment became a political issue. Many criticized Biden for making a trip to Ukraine instead of East Palestine during the time. Meanwhile, Trump showed up to the city in a perceived attempt to advance his political agenda. Others are questioning the Environmental Protection Agency’s delayed and weak response to the disaster. There has been a severe lack of communication between the EPA and the East Palestinian people throughout this incident. Even now, a month after the derailment, the people of East Palestine don’t have solid information about the risks that they
WOMEN FOR THE W WOMEN FOR THE W
By Alicia Pengand their families face, such as treatment for exposure, risk of subsequent exposure, and options for relocation. Instead of leading the spill investigation, the EPA severed communication with the public and referred the matter to the Ohio EPA. The EPA appears to be focusing more on crisis prevention than actual problem-solving. In a situation like this, the EPA’s best course of action is to immediately conduct authoritative tests, develop a plan to address any dangers, and then convey everything loudly and clearly to the affected communities. Instead, it waited a full month before asking Norfolk Southern to plan and test for dioxins. Norfolk Southern’s investigation is a severe conflict of interest, meaning the results are likely to indicate low toxin amounts–a potentially dangerous and misleading conclusion.
Concerns about the company’s safety procedures were raised on March 4th after a second Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio. Even though there were no harmful chemicals on board, this new derailment is still an ominous indicator that there is something wrong with Norfolk Southern and its trains. We hope that Norfolk Southern will be able to reach a solution–for themselves, for Ohio, and for America.
2023 IWOC WINNER
2023 IWOC WINNER
By Aarna KamathOn March 7, 2023, Dr. Zakira Hekmat was among the 11 recipients of the prestigious Women of Courage Award, an American award presented annually that “recognizes women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity, and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity – often at great personal risk and sacrifice” (US Department of State).
Born in Afghanistan, Hekmat completed high school in secret, defying the strict regulations of her country prohibiting her from doing so. She eluded the oppression of Taliban rule and escaped to Turkey, where she began her passionate pursuit of medicine and worked as a doctor in Kayseri after completing the Faculty of Medicine at Kayseri Erciyes University.
For the past 12 years, Hekmat has been working as an advocate for refugees and migrants. In 2014, she founded the Afghan Refugees Solidarity Association (ARSA), an independent, non-profit association that “serves as the administrative center of the network of Afghan community leaders in various provinces of Turkey” (arsa.org.tr). After renting an office in Kayseri, she founded the ARSA as a shelter for migrants seeking resources and has been aiding many Afghans in their escape from Afghanistan.
Dr. Zakira has developed and overseen numerous projects with the aim of aiding underprivi-
leged individuals and communities. Despite the emotional and financial struggles that are inevitable with such an undertaking, she perseveres to change the lives of countless refugees for the better. Along with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an organization that seeks to assist and protect all refugees, Hekmat has worked to create a network of 370 volunteers across many cities in Turkey.
In 2020, Hekmat received the Peacebuilders of the Year award from the US-based organization HasNa in addition to numerous other activist awards from non-governmental organizations. Hakmat stays by her beliefs despite her hardships, “Courage is the ability to face and overcome challenges and adversity in pursuit of one’s beliefs and values, even when the odds seem insurmountable. Courage for me is not just a momentary act but a continuous journey of pushing against the obstacles and striving to create change in society.”
Happy Women’s History Month BIFU! This month, we commemorate the contributions women have made to society. While most of us honor the women in history who have shaped our current realities, we must also recognize the women who influence our everyday lives. We interviewed several BASIS students and asked them about the most influential women in their lives.
Some individuals named their close friends. Isha S. (11) and Anjali P. (11) have been best friends since pre-kindergarten, and have influenced each other’s hygiene habits. Isha recounts, “Anjali was the one who inspired me to always wash my hands before eating in third grade.” Friends play a huge role in making our decisions, big or small. Diya R. (10) says, “a woman named Alicia inspired me to make careful financial decisions and taught me the importance of saving money!!”
Furthermore, mothers are often one of the closest people to us in our lives. “My mom came to a country that she had no connection to whatsoever. She gave up her culture, language, and family in search of a better life for me. She’s taught me how to be selfless and work towards a bigger goal,” Shreya S. (11) proudly states. Even when it feels like the whole world is against us, mothers are our biggest supporters. Aditya P. (11) comments, “My mom used to work long hours as a doctor in Michigan, but she always made time for me. We’d do homework together, play games, or just hang out and talk. Her love and support meant everything to me growing up. Even now that I’m older, my mom is still a rock for me. Whenever I’m struggling, I know I can turn to her for guidance and comfort. She’s shaped me into the person I am today, and I’m so grateful for everything she’s done for me.” Our moms also teach us about the world and help us grow our own unique worldviews and ideas. Katherine G. (11) tells us “my mother taught me
many life lessons and to value the silver spoon I am born with. She has always been a support for me and made me realize nothing is ever the end of the world and that there are many alternatives to every problem.”
There are many other influential women in our families. Aarav K. (10) states, “I grew up with my elder sister and my mother. I learned most of the things I know today from the two of them. My mom taught me how to organize things around the house and cook. My sister taught me how to bake and used to help me with school.” Aashirya V.M. (11) articulates, “I would say my cousin-sister. She is one of the only sister figures in my life. She has taught me what it means to go against all odds and to be independent. She has inspired me to go out of my comfort zone, love my body more, and look at life more holistically. She has shown me what it means to love, and what it means to be a light in someone’s life.”
We often forget that outside of our homes, we all spend much of our day at school and in the guidance of our teachers. Amanda W. (11) recounts her experiences with her 6th-grade teacher. “When I was in 6th grade, I was new and did not talk in class. My teacher comforted me and gave me space. One time, we had to do a project and I decorated a poster. She noticed and complimented my art. That single reassurance helped me find art as one of my greatest passions.” Just like Amanda’s 6th-grade teacher, it’s many of our teachers that push us to be the best versions of ourselves. Esha B. (11) remarks, “Ms. Ray really pushed my writing and literary thinking out of the box, and she saw potential in everything I did. She pushed me to challenge myself and showed me that there was always a deeper meaning behind things, even if I couldn’t understand it.”
But, along with appreciating the other amazing women in our life, we can also find gratitude in our own self-love. When asked about the most influential woman in her life, Laasya C. (11) confidently asserts “probably myself.”
ASTRONOMY NIGHT ASTRONOMY NIGHT
By Amanda WuIt was a dark, cloudless night at the BIFU campus — just perfect for stargazing.
On Tuesday, March 7th, Tanvi D. (11) hosted BIF’s first-ever Astronomy Night, where students and family members had the chance to take a close-up look at space using telescopes under the guidance of professional astronomers. Tanvi’s deep interest in space was first sparked when she attended multiple star parties and gatherings to observe the night sky. Now, she hopes to share her passion with others.
The sun was setting, and families began to arrive, excited for the night ahead. San Jose
Astronomical Association (SJAA) members welcomed everyone in as they set up 10-inch telescopes and other equipment to observe the magnificent sky. The members then introduced themselves and their diverse backgrounds in astronomy and telescope use. One of the people from SJAA had even spent over a year building his own telescope from scratch, a prospect that intrigued many BIF families. The astronomers were all extremely friendly, passionate, and knowledgeable when guiding students and family members with the use of telescopes and explaining the planets and stars. One of the highlights for many attendees was viewing Jupiter and four of its largest moons, with one attendee saying, “it was actually the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”. Besides Jupiter, students and families also saw the moon, Venus, and multiple nebulae and star clusters. While stargazing, there was tea, hot chocolate, and snacks for people to enjoy.
“I’m proud of the success of Astronomy Night, and I’m grateful to everyone who made it possible: SJAA, families, volunteers, my parents, Ms. Mimi, and Ms. Apra,” Tanvi concludes. “Hopefully everyone learned something new that night, and seeing how engaged everyone was was the greatest reward for all the hard work that went into organizing this event.”
Be on the lookout for BIFU’s Astronomy Night next year!
GET THE EDGE WITH DECA GET THE EDGE WITH DECA
By Vera LinDECA, more formally known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a national, student-run, non-profit organization that provides high-school students with business-related, educational, and leadership development activities. The association’s iconic logo, a quadrangle with arched sides, symbolizes its students’ precision and rarity. Its bold, deep shades of blue illustrate DECA’s motto of realizability and responsibility.
With over 300 chapters and 218,000 students in the United States, DECA brings its members together with their competitive events and projects. DECA events emphasize academic excellence in preparing “emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe” (DECA Inc.). Instead of just taking a cluster exam (a multiple-choice exam), students can select from a variety of options, including online simulations, on-the-spot role-plays, and methodical decision-making.
This year, Shirley F. (11) and Alicia P. (11) started BASIS Independent Fremont’s first DECA chapter. Under the advisory of Mr. Ong and Ms. Abodouma, the BIF team acquired new knowledge and practical skills that enabled them to compete in the January NorCal conference after just four months of preparation. The invaluable experience the team gained helped them take on the 2023 State Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California in March.
Competing against over 2,000 high schoolers from all over California, the DECA team performed extremely well for their first ever
MOVIE NIGHT MOVIE NIGHT
By Heeya DasRated PG-13, Love, Simon was a movie that brought a new sense of representation to the LGBTQ+ community. Released almost 5 years ago, the movie quickly grabbed the attention of viewers worldwide. As the first film from Hollywood to portray a teen gay male protagonist, it brought representation with copious amounts of relatability. Teens everywhere found it simple to relate to the main character–not necessarily because of his sexual orientation but rather because of his awkwardness as a teenager seeking love. The movie was shown in nearly every theater in America in 2018, and on March 3, 2023, it was rebooted at BASIS Independent Fremont Upper School, Room C12.
The room at 5:30 PM was chaotic — everyone hauling tables and chairs above their heads and screaming at one another in a crazed attempt to find tablecloths. But come 6:00, a peaceful open space with tables for adults in the back and a seating area for students in
the front was set up. The side was completely occupied with preparations of food including pizza, candy, and refreshments. Students slowly made their way in, arriving and finding their seat. At 6:15, Shreya Sadhwani (11) and Ms. Apra gave a brief introduction to kick off the event, and soon after, everyone was captivated by the screen. Laughter echoed in the room, and heartfelt moments were plentiful. When time was called for intermission, a loud groan was heard from around the room. During the intermission, students were given little goodies, including a small pamphlet and some stickers/pins. Students also played a game — trying to guess the song names based off of the first three seconds of the track. After a short break, the movie resumed. As we reached the absolute climax of the movie, the event organizers seemed to play a joke on us, and paused the film for yet another game of song association. As Esha Bansiya (11) read off words from a random-word-generator, students tried to think of songs that had the word in it. With expert renditions of Harry Styles’ and One Direction, students demonstrated their musical talent. Shortly after, we finished the movie, and Ms Apra came in to make the last announcement, arguably the most important one, which entailed the following.
The club, formerly known as GSA, was rebranding and emerging as “The Inclusivity Project.” The Project aspires to unite individuals from all backgrounds in order to create a safe space where a variety of topics can be discussed. Their meetings will usually involve open discussion,generally starting with one stimulus question, then expanding to a friendly conversation — or planning amazing events such as the Movie Night! The Inclusivity Project is always open to new members, and they meet on Thursdays at 4:15 to 5:00 PM. As attendance is not required and is accessible to all students, it is advised to simply whenever you can. With the rebrand, they hope to gain more members and bring about a more inclusive environment within the school.
SCDC. Congratulations to all our competitors and winners— the Yellow Jacket community is so proud of each and every member! Our sincere congratulations go out to: Shirley F. (11) and Amanda W. (11) for earning a spot at the International Career Development Conference! Shirley qualified with a second place in the Financial Literacy Project (PMFL), and Amanda fifth in Principles of Business Management and Administration (PBM). They will be competing at Orlando in April. We wish them the best of luck!
Calling all rising freshmen! If you are interested in joining DECA, keep in mind that course selections are rolling around the corner. The DECA team does require that you take Intro to Business next year (20232024) in order to apply. If you have any questions, or if you’d like to keep up with BIF DECA’s latest updates, follow @bifdeca on Instagram, email bifdeca@gmail.com, or talk to any DECA member (you can find us in Rm. 106 on Mondays afterschool)!
Underlying the prestigious competitions and the showcasing of specific fields in business, DECA instills integrity, innovation, and communication into students — essential skills that will help them navigate a head-start in their lives.
AN AGE-OLD TALE: BIEBER AND GOMEZ AN AGE-OLD TALE: BIEBER AND GOMEZ
By Katherine HeFor people active on social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, you have probably seen at least one post commenting on the “Rhode vs. Rare” drama. Although this situation may seem recent, the controversy dates back to 2011.
To start off with the recent events we venture back to the day Selena Gomez posted a video on TikTok highlighting her eyebrows, joking, “I accidentally laminated my brows too much.” Later that day, Kylie Jenner posted a picture on her Instagram story that clearly showed her eyebrows with the caption,“this was an accident?????” To add on, Kylie Jenner subsequently posted a screenshot of her with Hailey Bieber in a FaceTime call, each with their eyebrows being the only subject captured by their cameras. For some context, Hailey Bieber is married to Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez’s ex-boyfriend, whom she had dated for a decade. Kylie Jenner was previously the most followed woman on Instagram. To her surprise, however, Selena Gomez was starting to catch up to her amidst the drama. Because of this coincidence, fans believed that Jenner was purposely “throwing shade”towards Gomez.
Gomez’s fans went toTikTok, calling Bieber and Jenner “mean girls.” In one specific video, Kylie responds to the hate in a rational manner, saying people were “reaching” and “this is silly.” Jenner also said that she had never seen Gomez’s original video. Gomez also commented on the video, saying the drama was unnecessary and that she is “a fan of Kylie.” To the general public watching the drama, it seemed as if the fire had died down a bit, but when Gomez went on TikTok and commented on a video depicting the alleged incident in which Hailey Bieber was rude to Taylor Swift, the flames reignited themselves even more than before. At this point, both sides of the drama had “shaded each other.” In an attempt to avoid controversy, Selena Gomez chose to take a break from social media. The last gusts of wind fanning the flame were
Hailey Bieber’s past tweets from 2011. These tweets were dug up to be used against Bieber in this situation, revealing that Hailey Bieber had been a “Jelena (Justin Bieber + Selena Gomez)” shipper in her teenage years. Hailey’s old tweets show her commenting on the past couple’s matching outfits and pictures, clearly supporting the relationship.
Many people have also provided their own insight on the overall situation, with one BIFU member commenting, “Hailey Beiber used to be a Selener, but now she’s just a hater..”, and “Selena Gomez is levels beyond Hailey Bieber and that’s totally fine, but she (Hailey Bieber) should stay in her own lane and not worry about why Selena is in Justin’s heart, and she should work it out with Justin..and as a husband, Justin should do better.” The commenter also criticizes Justin Bieber’s behavior amidst this controversy, which has been surprisingly quiet considering his ex-girlfriend and wife are at the center of it. Despite TikTok championing the motto of “girls supporting girls”, this situation just further demonstrates how the internet pits women against each other. The whole drama doesn’t hold Justin Bieber accountable for anything and instead focuses on villainizing Hailey Beiber.
At the bottom of this issue, most people can conclude that all parties in this situation did engage in some questionable actions. Still, internet fans of either side are the main cause behind most of the “problems” in the first place since the drama all originated from some TikTok videos that hastily jumped to conclusions.
OSCARS 2023: BREAKTHROUGH OSCARS 2023: BREAKTHROUGH
By Thanisha T.“I think one of the things I realized growing up was that, one of the best things we can do for each other is shelter each other from the chaos of this crazy world we live in,” said an emotional Daniel Kwan, co-director of Everywhere Everything All at Once, in his acceptance speech for Best Picture.
Undeniably, one of the most iconic moments from the 2023 Academy Awards was when Everything Everywhere All at Once won Best Picture. The film received a whopping11 nominations and swept up 7 Oscars, Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
ALWAYS IN TUNE ALWAYS IN TUNE
By Esha, Ada, Shirley, Kevin, Alan“In the morning before school he studies for USABO, after he comes home he studies for USABO, often he gets tired so he takes a break and studies for USABO, and he also participates in school clubs, like the USABO club,” jokes Yifei Long, Samuel’s good friend.
USABO, the USA Biology Olympiad, requires a deep understanding of biology far beyond the high school curriculum. The hours Samuel spent poring over textbooks paid off after he qualified for the semifinals and took the exam last week. Although he may seem like a hardcore “bio enthusiast,” to him, biology entails much more than a simple competition. Inspired by his parents, Samuel plans to be a scientist specializing in immunology.
“Disease remains an unsolved issue. While huge advancements have already been made, we are still so far from total eradication,” he explains. Samuel hopes to play a part in the fight against disease and has started researching cancer biology at ASDRP (Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program). For now, he’ll stick with shocking his friends by listing dozens of different hormones by heart.
Aside from his academic pursuits, Samuel is a true renaissance man. He has spent the last 11 years of his life refining his piano skills to what he calls “treasures of the past.” His favorite — Chopin’s first Ballade in G Minor.
“Playing the Ballade feels like flying,” he expresses. “It seems cliche, but those feelings are what I play for.” Samuel hopes to eventually learn all 27 of Chopin’s Études. So far, Chopin’s Winter Wind Etude has proven to be the most challenging, but Samuel’s passion
Ke Huy Quan won Best Actor in a Supporting Role, followed by his co-star Jamie Lee Curtis winning Best Actress in a Supporting Rolethe first Oscar for both of them, and both from Everything Everywhere All At Once. Curtis has had quite a career, best known for her roles in horror and slasher films over the years (i.e. the Halloween series). While Quan was best known for his work in Indiana Jones and The Goonies, Quan’s winning performance was his first in nearly 20 years, during which he primarily worked as a stunt choreographer and assistant director. Quan marveled about how he went from “spending a year in refugee camps” after fleeing Vietnam to landing on “Hollywood’s biggest stage.” As we can see, Quan’s journey is the true embodiment of the American dream.
Most notably, Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian-American woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress and the first woman of color to win the award in 21 years. In a heartfelt moment, Halle Berry, the very first woman of color to receive the honor in 2002, presented Yeoh’s award. Born in Malaysia, Yeoh traveled to Hong Kong to pursue acting without knowing a word of Mandarin or Cantonese, both of which she speaks fluently in the film Everything Everywhere All At Once. Drawing inspiration from her male coworkers, Yeoh, with no experience in martial arts, took up the challenge of learning and performing it in several of her movies in the beginning of her career, making it her trademark. Towards the end of her acceptance speech, Yeoh left an inspirational message for women all around the world, telling the audience, “Ladies, don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever past your prime.”
Another milestone at this year’s Academy Awards was when “Naatu Naatu,” a song
and dedication leaves no doubt towards its mastery.
Inspiration has played no small part in Samuel’s music career. He was quickly enraptured by online clips of professional trumpet solos, and joined the East Bay Youth Orchestra where he has been playing both piano and trumpet for two years. The hallmark of his experience was the roaring applause he received after performing “Helpless” from Hamilton.
In stark contrast to his calm demeanor, Samuel also surprises people with a shockingly different art — Wushu. Eight years ago, he began studying Wushu to improve his physical and mental well-being while also learning more about his culture. After climbing 20 ranks over the years, he recently earned his black belt and puts it to good use. In his spare time, he teaches younger children and volunteers at community functions. On a whim, Samuel offered to perform at the school’s 2023 Lunar New Year show, shocking his friends with aerials.
The main benefits of Wushu manifest in forming and enhancing a mindset of confidence, discipline, and hard work, which he describes as “indispensable to every aspect of my life.”
This discipline led to him rising quickly through the ranks in Boy Scouts, despite starting later than most. In the summer of sophomore year, he joined the Boy Scouts after some encouragement. Joining Scouts was an “essential” method of expanding his mind — every summer, he attends a camp where he is able to learn and practice various outdoor skills, try new learned techniques with his friends, and experiment with life. The sense of adventure and in love with the scouting path, quickly growing proficient in everything from knot tying to first-aid. He’s set a worthy goal: attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. His passion and dedication allowed him to attain Life Rank in a little more than a year (just one away from his goal).
To express his happiness and gratitude for his peers, Samuel taught himself how to make 3D origami pieces as gifts for special occasions. He has made a Christmas tree, dragon, and model plane for his friends and family. Last year, Samuel and Zheyu created a lifesize 3D origami vase for their term project.
“He’s always looking out for his friends, and often goes out of his way to help us with our work or anything else we might need,” says Yifei. “He’s a very dedicated and hardworking individual, but everybody knows that already.”
NAATU NAATU PERFORMANCE AT THE OSCARS (LOS ANGELES TIMES)
from the Indian movie “RRR,” won the Oscar for Best Original Song, becoming the first song from an Indian or Asian movie to do so. The win bested other major singers, including Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand” - Top Gun: Maverick) and Rihanna (“Lift Me Up” - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). However, many people were disappointed by the live performance of “Naatu Naatu.” Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava sang the hit song, but none of the dancers were confirmed to be of Indian descent.
Let’s switch over to Jimmy Kimmel. When Will Smith slapped Chris Rock last year, it became one of the most iconic and unforgettable moments in Oscars history. This year, the Academy brought back famous talk show host Jimmy Kimmell, who had already hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018. Kimmel openly joked about the slap, saying that “if anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be award -
ed the Oscar for Best Actor and permitted to give a 19-minute-long speech.” A series of more jokes dedicated to the infamous slap followed.
Some of the wins were expected, while others, not so much. Avatar: The Way of the Water, won Best Visual Effects. With its high budget and well-shot underwater scenes, one could argue that this win was well-deserved. In terms of Best Actress, Cate Blanchett certainly seemed a strong contender for her incredible portrayal of Lydia Tár in the film Tár. However, excluding this year, a woman of color has not won Best Actress for over two decades, further emphasizing Yeoh’s historic win. Ruth Carter received the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for a second time, becoming the only Black woman to win two Oscars. The second win came for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironically, her first win came for Black Panther (2018).
Though history was made on March 12th at the Oscars, the awards show had its faults, such as the questionable performance of “Naatu Naatu,” which did not feature a single dancer of Indian or South Asian descent, despite the fact that the movie and music revolved around Indian history and culture. That doesn’t mean it was a total waste. Michelle Yeoh finally received an Academy Award after years of hard work and appearances in major films over the years (like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000), and a Black artist (Carter) has been awarded with two Academy Awards. All awards shows have moments that make you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside, and moments that make you want to chuck your remote at the TV screen. No matter how prestigious it is, the Academy Awards are no exception.
SILICON VALLEY BANK COLLAPSE AND THE ECONOMY’S FUTURE
SILICON VALLEY BANK COLLAPSE AND THE ECONOMY’S FUTURE
By Krish M., Ryan L., and Ariana Y.Recently, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed with “astounding speed” on March 10, 2023. Once known as one of the largest banks in California and the primary bank in the Bay Area, its collapse is now marked as the second-largest US bank failure. The SVB was a commercial bank with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, established in 1983 by former Bank of America managers. Later, they hired businessman Roger V. Smith to serve as the bank’s first CEO and president. Thus began the SVB, a subsidiary of the Silicon Valley Bancshares (also known as the SVB Financial Group).
The SVB established its first location on North First Street in San Jose and went on to become the 16th largest bank in the United States and the largest bank in Silicon Valley in terms of deposits. It was best known for financing and funding small Bay Area startups, but some larger corporations (like Roku, Roblox, and Vox) also had large amounts of cash held in deposits at SVB. Under the guidance of the SVB Financial groupGroup and other subsidiaries of the SVB Financial Group, the bank performed successful operations in 13 different states across the United States.
Banks survive on the investments they make (using their depositors’ cash) in loans to homeowners and companies. In other words, a bank’s survival relies on the trust depositors have in keeping the money and investments they make with their bank. The main cause of the SVB bank failure was depositors suddenly asking for 42 billion dollars back on Thursday, March 9. In order to “stop the bleeding”, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. had no choice but to completely close the Silicon Valley Bank. In the end, federal regulators promised to deliver all of its deposits by Sunday, March 12.
What could have been the reason for such an unexpected act from the depositors?
Many suspect that it was SVB’s attempt to raise around 2.25 billion in new equity, which posed immediate red flags. New equity, in its simplest terms, refers to the cash that is received after the sale of shares of capital stock. Up until now, the bank supports its course of
action with claims that they were trying to “enhance profitability” and “strengthen our (the bank’s) financial position.” When people looked deeper into the situation, they realized the bank revealed their loss of almost 1.8 billion dollars in connection with sales, causing the bank’s stock to drop a stark 60%. On paper, this event is simply the collapse of a major bank. However, further details of the incident reveal an entirely new story.
ECONOMIC TRENDS AND BANK SECURITY
A few months ago, we wrote an article about Big Tech Layoffs, which included a similar section on an economic outlook. (To summarize, we predicted that some of the larger corporations would be able to survive just as they had done in similar hardships, but smaller businesses might not make it through the hard times.) Here, we’d consider a different approach to the future of the economy.
SVB was a unique bank because it focused on catering to smaller startups and companies rather than the general public. The collapse severely took a toll on the financial resources of some of these companies.
In fact, the collapse of the bank affected more than just the customers of SVB— it posed an economic “scare.”
Many banks are worried about their own security and safety due to the rapid collapse of such a large bank. According to an article by CNN, the incident has drawn major points of comparison to other banking incidents back in 2008, just before the Great Recession. Because of this imminent threat regarding banking, it would be reasonable to expect slight economic turmoil. The Federal Reserve may raise interest rates, and other federal regulators will undoubtedly pay closer attention to the business cycle.
Banks may also experience some insecurity short term, which can be reflected in their stocks. In the few days following the collapse, most bank stocks have already fallen. However, in the long run, it is unlikely that a recession or any other major event will occur as a direct result of SVB’s collapse. The SVB banking failure will likely serve as a lesson and a reactionary incident to other banks and the general economy.
AI TOOL OR TERROR TOOL OR TERROR
By Sheil M. and Vincent L.In recent years, there has been an influx of fantasy novels regarding computers and robots invading our planet: Asimov’s I, Robot, A Space Odyssey, and many more. And that’s exactly what they are, fantasy novels and nothing more. AI possesses the potential to revolutionize a number of industries and sectors, including industry and healthcare, thus benefiting humanity far more than harming it. Although there are some downsides, they don’t come into play for an incredibly long time. The belief that AI will become self-aware and “take over the world” is merely restricted to stories and television shows, never to be integrated into real-life scenarios. Artificial intelligence is implemented into everyone’s daily lives: autocorrect on text messages, assistance with navigation, and of course the most well-known for students at our school, ChatGPT. In digital communication, autocorrect protects thousands of people daily from horrible misunderstandings. Autocorrect not only saves conversations but also saves time when messaging. These quick adjustments to character placement or the addition or removal of more characters accumulate over time and may end up saving hours of work. Navigation assistance is of use to many individuals when they are either lost or have poor memory. When exploring new locations, apps such as Google Maps and Apple Maps can suggest touring sites, routes to nearby hotels and restaurants, as well as general information about each site. This AI complies with the user’s request by not only providing basic information but also provides the user with excess information that can be used to find new places to visit.
And of course, everyone’s favorite, ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a recently developed AI that can be used by anyone and everyone to do anything and everything, ranging from providing cooking recipes to fully building websites. Students can use ChatGPT to aid them with their writing, and adults can use OpenAI’s ChatGPT to help them write job applications. Although the purposes of this AI and the scope of its power may frighten some people, there is already software and methods to detect its use. When utilized correctly, students only use ChatGPT when they need assistance with certain sections of their work.Otherwise, the purpose of the assignment would be nullified. Overall, AI is more beneficial than harmful due to the many counter effects to our main worries regarding artificial intelligence. And of course, if people do believe that the AI from our fictional stories will turn into reality, there will always be counters and solutions to them.
