The
CHARGER ACCOUNT
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 942 SAN JOSE, CA
San Jose Unified School District Leland High School 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120
Vol. S No. 5
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Leland High School · 6677 Camden Avenue, San Jose, CA 95120
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SJUSD begins overhauling grading policies Ashley Lee
Community News & Feature School Page Editor
To refine the current grading system that often focuses on deadlines and numbers, next year, San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) is planning to implement a new “Grading for Equity” policy that emphasizes students’ learning and growth mindset. Under this system that is yet to be finalized, the lowest grade a teacher can give is 50 percent, students who score lower than 70 percent on exams will be allowed to re-assess, extra credit policies will be reshaped and departments will standardize their grading guidelines. According to Principal Peter Park, after distance learning began during the pandemic, it became apparent that equity and academic performance were major issues. The lack of internet connection for some students inhibited their learning and raised questions about fairness. The increasing number of students receiving Ds and Fs prompted the district to propose an
improved grading system that would better represent and more fairly assess students’ learning. This system is also intended to provide a greater number of educational opportunities for students. Park explains that it is easier for students to raise their grades from 50 percent than from zero percent, and he adds that having more re-assessments presents students with a second chance to properly demonstrate their knowledge. The new policy will also modify another aspect of grades: extra credit. The new system aims to restrict extra credit assignments to only work that aligns with the curriculum. Mark Cahn, Science Department, explains that teachers may not be able to provide extra credit for activities such as donating canned food since such tasks do not correspond to their learning. In addition, to further ensure fairness, teachers in the same department will
enforce the same grading standards, so the weight of different categories will be uniform across the department. In order to successfully implement and prepare for the new grading system, teachers are completing a four-unit grading and equity training: two units will be completed before June, and the remaining units will be covered during summer break. According to Chris Barros, Social Science Department, the training is split into independent professional development classes and district-wide meetings, where teachers and administrators discuss ways to improve their grading methods. Although this system has not been administered on a district-wide level, some teachers such as Elizabeth Taylor, English Department, have already integrated some elements of the new grading policy. Instead of giving students zeroes on missing assignments, Taylor gives half credit, and students are allowed
to earn more points if they submit the work later on. While both Fs, Taylor decided to implement this system because receiving half credit makes recovering from mistakes easier for students. “This modified grading system is more forgiving and accounts for students’ responsibilities: some students need to work, have complex family dynamics or take care of their younger siblings. Students might also be facing problems like mental health issues or illnesses, so I began this new grading policy to be more mindful of my students’ personal lives and make learning as equitable as possible,” Taylor said. By revising her class grading systems, Taylor has noticed that her students are less stressed, better equipped to succeed and more confident about their learning. Likewise, the district hopes to obtain similar results by pursuing a modified grading system that promotes equity and focuses on students’ development.
Requiring diverse voices K-12, students urge district Ridge Coffey, Pavana Upadhyaya and Nancy Zheng reading literature written by people of their own ethnicities. Since they were the first two representatives from SJUSD, they became district leads and encouraged other SJUSD high school students to join them, with a total of ten active organizers to date. “I hope that our proposal impacts students positively, and students of color can see themselves in the books they read at school from a young age. We should not be this far into high school with such little representation in the literature we read in class,” Kamble said. Starting in November 2020, Kamble and Raimondi have had numerous meetings with the SJUSD Board President, Brian Wheatley, who helps them revise the DON SJUSD resolution. In addition, to amass direct support from teachers, DON SJUSD meets with the English departments of SJUSD middle and high schools regarding their resolution. “We want to let teachers know that they have the power to choose BIPOC books that they think are important, rather than just following our book list,” Raimondi said. Many teachers have expressed support for the DON resolution, and some have already changed their books to include more authors of color into their courses. Continued on School News, Page 2
JULIA NAKANISHI PHOTO
Entertainment Editor, Staff Writer and Investigative Report Editor
Since the summer of 2020, Juniors Hundreds of DON chapters Shalvi Kamble and Mia Raimondi have representing K-12th grade school districts co-led the San Jose Unified School District nationwide—including over 200 in (SJUSD) chapter of Diversify Our Narrative California—have popped up, all of which (DON)—a national organization advocating are utilizing DON’s resolution template for racial diversity in English classes. DON as a starting point to pass the mandate in SJUSD has been working on passing a their own districts. In the coming weeks, district-wide resolution that will require DON SJUSD plans to continue meeting all SJUSD English classes to incorporate with Patrick Bernhardt, President of the texts that illuminate Black, Indigenous or San José Teachers Association (SJTA), as other people of color (BIPOC) experiences well as the SJTA Representative Council. in their curricula. These educators help them revise the Last June, the resurgence of the Black DON SJUSD resolution to focus on local Lives Matter (BLM) movement prompted matters rather than general national Stanford University sophomores Jasmine issues, craft an implementation plan and Nguyen and Kaitlyn Zhou to found garner support from teachers. DON. To promote racial sensitivity in After learning about DON schools, the DON resolution urges for through social media, Kamble “a minimum of at least one book" and Raimondi decided to sign in every English/Literature and up as DON organizers to Comprehension class be by a person create DON SJUSD because of color AND about a person/people they wanted to take action of color’s experience(s),” as stated on in promoting racially their website. DON continues diverse literature in to update their recommended their own English reading list, classes. Reflecting which consists of on their educational pieces of BIPOC journey thus far, literature such as both Kamble and “The Hate U Give” Raimondi noticed by Angie Thomas and that they had “Ceremony” by Leslie few classroom DIANA YOUSEFNEJAD PHOTO Marmon Silko. experiences of
Left: Junior Mia Raimondi reads “Children of Blood and Bone” by Nigerian-American novelist Tomi Adeyemi. Right: Junior Shalvi Kamble reaches for a book in the depository.
Oral accounts bring new dimension to history on page 4
1 NEWS
4 OPINIONS
6 ENT. & LIFESTYLE
Interior design’s influence on headspace on page 8
Students find their target EVELYN LIU ART in archery on page 15
8 VIEWPOINT 10 IR 12 FEATURES 15 SPORTS 16 LAST WORD
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April 28, 2021
NEWS Requiring diverse voices K-12, students urge district cont. Ridge Coffey, Pavana Upadhyaya and Nancy Zheng
Entertainment Editor, Staff Writer and Investigative Report Editor
Continued from Front Page For instance, Robin Jankowski, English Department, has incorporated texts which exhibit authentic accounts of BIPOC experiences, such as “Black Boy” by Richard Wright and “There, There” by Tommy Orange, in her Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition classes. Despite receiving nearly unanimous support for the DON resolution from SJTA, English teachers and the school’s board members, getting district leaders to pass the resolution has remained a challenge. According to Kamble and Raimondi, Wheatley—a strong advocate for the DON resolution—is willing to place it on the agenda of an SJUSD board meeting, but notes that district officials may have some concerns. In 2020, California Assembly Bill 1460—which mandates at least one high
Bertina Fan and Michelle Qiao
school course in ethnic studies starting with the class of 2024—was passed. SJUSD Superintendent Nancy Albarrán is hesitant to pass the DON resolution due to the potential overlap between the resolution and the newly revised ethnic studies curriculum. To address these uncertainties, the DON SJUSD team is currently working
“By working towards a diverse curriculum within the school district, DON is combating racism with education.” on showing how their resolution differs from the ethnic studies requirement and how they will ensure that it is not an
empty promise. While the ethnic studies mandate introduces critical race theory in a historical context, DON’s resolution focuses on introducing literary texts that accurately showcase BIPOC experiences. Collaborating with SJTA and SJUSD English teachers, DON SJUSD has also been developing implementation plans that they intend to propose to district board members, such as making books written by BIPOC authors available for English classes as soon as possible. “Ever since I began working with DON SJUSD, I feel a lot more connected to the community, invested in my own learning and making sure that other students have rewarding experiences with their curriculum,” Raimondi said. DON SJUSD plans to continue posting political education content on Instagram and spreading the DON petition to
gain more support for their anti-racism advocacy. The group also hopes to use
“Ever since I began working with DON SJUSD, I feel a lot more connected to the community and invested in my own learning. their social media account to promote fundraisers that will financially assist the implementation of their resolution later on. Although the group’s current focus is to diversify the district’s English class curricula, DON SJUSD is open to pushing for similar initiatives that promote diversity within other school subjects in the future.
Welcoming students back on campus
After an unpredictable year of digital instruction where students and staff members across the district faced both frustrations and triumphs, San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD) announced on Feb. 26 that some students would return to inperson learning on April 21. According to Principal Peter Park, the school participates in concurrent live instruction rather than hybrid learning. In hybrid learning, students would be split into cohorts that attend in-person school either at different times of the day or different days of the week to avoid all cohorts coming on campus at the same time. When a cohort is not on campus, its students attend instruction asynchronously. The concurrent live instruction model that SJUSD follows is only used by 10 percent of schools in California. It allows both in-person and distance learning students to receive the same number of instructional minutes at the same time. The bell schedule remains the same for all students, with the longer break in between classes allowing at-home students to take a break from their screens and in-person students to wipe down their desks and take appropriate safety measures. During advisory, students are able to choose which teacher’s classroom
they want to go to. Currently, 298 students are attending campus, but that number may decrease later on if families change their preferences on sending students to campus. “I looked forward to seeing campus again the
Many students like Chandra have found online learning to be unsuitable with their learning styles. Simple tasks such as staying focused and taking notes have become challenges, hindering students’ learning process while distractions
most. I made like social media, the decision to video games and go back because texting friends virtual learning decreased productivity. made me incredibly In fact, the Northwest unproductive, and Evaluation Association, attending class in person a nonprofit Portland-based JUNAN KE PHOTO would help me focus more. I testing organization, reported was also excited to meet my teachers for scores showing significantly lower scores the first time and to feel more connected in in both mathematics and reading as a my classes,” Senior Nikhil Chandra said. result of distance learning.
Staff Writers
Over the past year, teachers have also faced many unique challenges. Since distance learning made it difficult to build personal connections, many were excited to meet their students in person for the first time. For several weeks before students returned, teachers worked on preparing their classrooms and planning out how to effectively teach some students in-person and some online. Julie Montgomery, Math Department, measured out and positioned desks to ensure social distancing. She also used school-provided sanitation supplies, such as hand sanitizer and wet wipes, to help keep surfaces sterile. To help in-person students easily take notes from the projector, Montgomery rearranged her cable setup. She also created a charging station for students to keep their devices charged throughout the day. By offering the option of returning to in-person learning, SJUSD gave students the chance to meet friends and teachers, and helped seniors spend their last year of high school on campus. In addition, students who struggled during distance learning can now easily gain direct support from staff members. Regardless of whether students chose to continue distance learning or return to campus, the school continues to work on improving students’ learning conditions.
Clockwise from the the left: Seniors Justin Wong and Christopher Lo greet each other on the first day of school. Seniors Nikhil Chandra and Ben Thompson eat lunch together next to the senior wall. Jamie Cohen, David Hilger, Steve Seandel and Brian Marchetti, Social Studies Department, talk to each other during break. Junior Gabriel Gaxiola and Senior Chance Desai eat lunch in classroom J-4.
Nora Thomas
A reflection on “Know My Name” Student Submission
Content Warning: The following contains mentions of sexual assault. As someone who vowed to broaden the book genres she would read this year, reading a memoir was new territory. “Know My Name” details the painful journey of Chanel Miller who was sexually assaulted by Stanford student Brock Turner and was found half naked in front of a dumpster. Despite Turner being convicted of three felony charges, he was sentenced to only six months in jail due to leniency because of his alcohol consumption at the time and his star swimming profile. When I set out to read this book, I knew it would deal with heavy and important content, but I was truly astounded by how much of an incredible writer Miller is. I was moved to tears at some points and angered when reading about the injustice she encountered in the courts because
everyone was making her out to be the victim by scrutinizing every aspect of what she did that night, such as what she drank and what she wore. More importantly, she dives deep into the severe mental health repercussions she and her family had to go through. She noted significant behavioral changes within herself such as sudden anger and hostility, which affected those around her as well like a domino effect. When someone is the star swimmer at an elite school like Stanford, being the perpetrator in a sexual assault case is simply seen as a minor block in the pathway towards a successful career. In the many online articles that detailed the case, a lot of people left comments that were sympathetic towards Turner’s “misfortune.” However, when the victim is an unconscious girl who was left in front of a dumpster half naked who also had a
little too much to drink earlier, they are seen as nothing beyond that. A victim was all she was in the face of the court and somehow, the fact that it happened to her was all her fault. The media often forgets that the rapist is not the only one who has a future. The victim is a person, an individual with their own ambitions and dreams which were all suddenly halted one day. Chanel showed how she had to put a stop to her life goals on her journey to achieve justice. An important part of why Turner’s sentence was so lenient was because the judge and his family were concerned about his future as a swimmer. It was repeated multiple times that he was an excellent student and he was going to have such a bright future but this one incident ruined it for him. This memoir reminds us that our future is not laid out for us like everyone thought it
was for Brock, but rather it is “constructed day by day through the choices you make,” as stated by Miller. An easy 5/5 rating, and it is recommended for everyone. A difficult, but important topic.
QUYNH NGUYEN PHOTO
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Quotebox: What are your thoughts on the new homeless programs? IVAN ZHU ART
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New initiatives provide tax credits and tiny houses to the homeless Raymond Dai Staff Writer
As the California homeless crisis continues to grow amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state has recently implemented several initiatives to aid homeless individuals. Two such programs include providing tax credits for employees who hire homeless workers and assisting nonprofit organizations to build small home villages in Los Angeles. On Feb. 12, 2020, State Senator María Elena Durazo introduced Senate Bills 1333 and 424 to propose the creation of a tax credit that would encourage qualified employers to provide access to employment and careers for homeless individuals. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. “...I fear that building small home villages is only a temporary solution. It does not work to solve the core reasons [of] homelessness...”
Poll: Do you support the homeless programs?
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93% YES
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Solis claims that expanding employment opportunities for the homeless would help lift them out of poverty by providing financial opportunities. The senator also wants to ensure long-term stability for homeless populations and hopes her legislation will enable them to find selfsustaining opportunities. State Senator Susan Rubio also voiced her support for the bill as a joint author. Under Senate Bill 1333, employers with 500 employees or less that pay family-supporting wages or pay above the prevailing wage will qualify to receive a tax credit. Specifically, the tax credit will start at $2,500 for each homeless employee that works 500 hours during the year and up to $10,000 for 2,000 hours worked. However, the total tax credit would be capped at $30,000 per taxable year. Workers would
qualify for this system if they lacked develop greater access to mental health prediction mirrors a statewide trend: with housing for 60 days after being hired or and substance abuse assistance. the homeless population in California were receiving homeless support services. According to US News, such efforts amounting to over 150,000 people, In addition to the tax credit, nonprofit have been commended by many homeless Governor Gavin Newsom stated in a organizations in Santa Clara County Mar. 9 State of the State address that he directly built small home villages as planned to commit $2 billion to creating “Supporting the homeless is important a response to the homeless crisis. For more homeless shelters and addressing example, Casitas de Esperanza, a group mental health and substance abuse. to get them back on their feet, and of 25 100-square-foot homes, intends to “Supporting the homeless is important these [measures] are efficient ways to provide shelter for an average of 120 days to get them back on their feet, and these contribute to that effort.” as residents transition to more permanent are efficient ways to contribute to that housing in the future. effort. Another crucial step in this process “I support these initiatives because is knowing when to step back as a provider they give homeless people the opportunity activists. Furthermore, residents of similar and let them stand by themselves again,” to earn money and to support themselves, tiny home villages in Los Angeles greatly Sophomore Brodey Palmaffy said. rather than having to rely on government appreciate the services that enhanced California is not the first state to assistance. Though I support the efforts their quality of life. implement these programs. According in combating homelessness, I fear that According to San Jose Spotlight, the to the Arizona Republic, other states like building small home villages is only a Santa Clara County and San Jose officials Arizona have set aside federal funds to temporary solution. It does not work to project that the homeless population purchase homeless shelters. Therefore, solve the core reasons that homelessness could increase by an estimated many people hope that more cities and is rising and may only prove to become an 20,000 in the next states will begin providing services issue in the future, with lack of space or five years. This to the unhoused and that the people never leaving these homes.” Junior initiatives will help curb Theodorus Ruiz said. rising homelessness. Casitas de Esperanza is primarily organized by Amigos de Guadalupe, which will deal with daily operations and manage the properties, and Project WeHope, which will provide upkeep for sanitation facilities. The structures themselves were built by previously homeless workers. The tiny houses are only one step in the county’s five year plan to combat homelessness. With a total of 1.4 million dollars in funding, Santa Clara County intends to double 100 people p olled the amount of temporary shelters and house 20,000 people by 2025. It also plans to team up with corporations to create job and Compiled by Keirah Chen and Raymond Dai training opportunities, as well as Staff Writers
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APRIL 28, 2021
OPINIONS
Revolutionizing history through oral tradiitons Serena Atkinson and Manasa Sriraj Staff Writers
The Charger Account Leland High School 6677 Camden Ave. Principal Peter Park San Jose Unified School District San Jose, CA 95120-2142 (408) 535-6290 thechargeraccount.com EDITORS IN CHIEF Kelly Cui, Minji Kim, Sophia Lu ART AND PHOTO DIRECTORS Nicole Kim, Ivan Zhu, Quynh Nguyen NEWS EDITORS Jonathan Yue, Ashley Lee OPINIONS EDITOR Hannah Moon FEATURE EDITORS Ashley Lee, Nam Nguyen VIEWPOINT AND LAST WORD EDITORS Aileen Xie, Evelyn Liu ENTERTAINMENT AND LIFESTYLE EDITORS Ridge Coffey, Cindy Zhao INVESTIGATIVE REPORT EDITOR Nancy Zheng SPORTS EDITOR Matt Wang AD MANAGER Nancy Zheng SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE MANAGERS Cindy Zhao, Ivan Zhu ADVISOR Stacy Dawson COMMUNITY CIRCULATION Parent Club and Leland Bridge STAFF WRITERS Dhruv Anish Serena Atkinson Keirah Chen Raymond Dai Bertina Fan Natalie Gao Janice Lee Reagan Liu
Miranda Lu Breanna Lu Michelle Qiao Norah Shen Manasa Sriraj Pavana Upadhyaya Lawrence Ye
ARTISTS Quincy Han Beomhee Kim
With just a few clicks of the keyboard, information like the box office statistics of hit movies and comprehensive accounts of each battle of the American Revolution are readily at internet users’ fingertips, thanks to the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. However, the histories and cultures of members of certain regional ethnic groups have not necessarily received as extensive coverage. Dabba kali is a traditional game from the Indian state of Kerala that is played by almost 40 million people. Its English Wikipedia article is less than two hundred words long, despite the game’s strong presence in Indian culture, simply because so little knowledge of it has been formally transcribed. On the other hand, the Malayalam version (the local language of Kerala) of the article is much more detailed, which according to the Economic Times is most likely because the local version of Wikipedia accepts oral history as citations, while the English edition does not. Oral history is a field of study where researchers gather information by interviewing people who have experienced an event firsthand. Though transferring information in this manner has been done since before written language was developed, nowadays numerous databases exist that help researchers better catalog and find oral sources. Despite some drawbacks that come with less formal sources such as oral history, it provides vital information about both past and present events. As stated by Columbia University, online content about the histories and culture of ethnic groups living in rural or
The Charger Account Editorial Staff
Our mission in the community is to inform, educate,
The ideas and opinions expressed in our articles represent over half of The Charger Account staff but do not represent the views and beliefs of any particular staff member. The Charger Account invites submissions of signed letters of opinion. We reserve the right to edit submissions and pieces will be published at the discretion of the editorial staff. Readers can notify The Charger Account to any errors in print by emailing us at lelandchargeraccount@gmail.com. We will acknowledge our mistakes in our next issue. For advertising information and pricing, please check out our website at thechargeraccount.com/advertisewith-us. The Charger Account is distributed to the Leland community free of cost. The Charger Account April 28 | Vol. S. No. 5
JESSICA LIN ART
The history behind anti-Asian hate
PHOTOGRAPHERS Junan Ke Jonathan Morris Rex Li Julia Nakanishi Wendy Lee Diana YousefAudrey Lui Nejad
community and beyond.
While oral history is a solid starting point for historical research, it cannot be relied on as the sole information source. However, opinion does not need to interfere with accuracy. Although primary sources are usually interspersed with the speaker or writer’s viewpoint, the core experience remains factual—partiality could be eliminated by removing skewed details and fact-checking with other testimonies. Even as this evidence is analyzed to form secondary sources, historians’ own prejudices and interpretations may impede objectivity and spread distorted information. With oral history initiatives, however, the risk of spreading misinformation can be reduced, as there is less room for misinterpretation. Ultimately, oral history adds a unique viewpoint to enhance already established accounts, and though they may have bias, they still have value. From an interviewee’s perspective, researchers can understand how an event affected both history and ordinary people, and better analyze the roles of people directly involved in an event. Baylor University gives an example of this with war: asking someone what they specifically did in a war can help reveal how people directly involved in sending the troops affected ordinary people’s lives. With careful consideration of the facts from oral history accounts, many concerns over accuracy can be avoided. Such downsides to WikiAfrica and similar projects are outweighed by their promise to shed light on the unique identities of underrepresented communities and stimulate more respect and appreciation for cultural diversity.
From mistreatment to model minority
Rachel Kim Jessica Lin
and investigate the events occurring within Leland’s
underdeveloped regions is especially limited, since these groups generally have less internet access than people in urban areas. According to Wikipedia, the majority of Wikipedia’s editors (known as Wikipedians) are young, higher-class Caucasian males. As a result, Wikipedia’s content becomes systematically biased towards topics revolving around this demographic’s culture and life. “Oral history can help erase harmful stereotypes about certain peoples, like the notion that Native Americans are primitive and barbaric although they have rich traditions, innovations and unique lifestyles. Many Native American tribes do not have written languages, so past historians did not have much evidence to disprove this belief. However, with oral history, accurate descriptions of Native American heritage can be released to the public,” Freshman Sandhya Ram said. Wikipedia is making some efforts to combat its bias, with one initiative being WikiAfrica, a movement that encourages users to create and add to online content about Africa. According to Wikipedia, the project aims to spread cultural information that is lesser-known outside of Africa, as well as train future Wikipedia editors to be more culturally sensitive. Many of the people trained are African youth and students so that they can not only continue the project’s goals but also gain a greater appreciation for their culture. Allowing oral histories on its articles would greatly advance Wikipedia and WikiAfrica due to the rich oral traditions that many African communities have. “Because education about native African culture is limited, people outside of Africa do not have enough context to form accurate ideas about this topic, leading to the creation of stigmatic generalizations. Oral history projects would allow WikiAfrica’s contributors to uncover the truth about the history and experiences of lesser-known African communities, helping debunk these judgmental myths,” Junior Anokhi Shah said.
In the wake of increasingly publicized hate crimes against minorities, national attention has been drawn to anti-Asian attacks that have escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. While a study from the California State University, San Bernardino found that there was a 150 percent increase in these attacks in 2020 alone, racism and exclusion are nothing new for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The scapegoating of Asians in America pervades American history. For instance, when the bubonic plague hit the U.S. at the turn of the 20th century, the first victim of Honolulu’s 1899 outbreak, You Chang, was a resident of the city’s Chinatown. As a result, the community was placed under strict lockdown and its people—predominantly Chinese and Japanese—were publicly stripped naked to be disinfected and quarantined in
camps whereas white plague victims were placed into hotels. Two weeks after Chang’s death, Hawaii’s Board of Health set afflicted parts of Chinatown ablaze, but the fire grew out of control and burned 38 acres, leaving 8,000 of its inhabitants homeless. Those displaced were marched into detention camps, escorted by white residents armed to ensure obedience. Public perception of Asians began to shift in the 1950s as Chinatown leaders started to promote the idea of perfect Asian families out of self-preservation. Americans and the government latched on, giving rise to the model minority myth, which falsely attributes Asians’ socioeconomic success to effort alone and uses it to invalidate the systemic injustice protested by other groups. Politicians and the press weaponized this idea against civil rights movements of the time: by attributing Asian prosperity to supposed family values and education, they could effectively decry calls for economic and social justice by Black people and other marginalized groups. At the same time, efforts by Asian activists went largely overlooked and Asians were perceived as submissive and obedient. Yet the model minority myth is not only completely fallacious, but toxic.
Economist Nathaniel Hilger of Brown University found that, between 1940 and 1980, Asian workers went from earning the income level of Black workers to that of their white counterparts —all at the same level of education. Therefore, Hilger attributes this jump to decreased racial animus against Asians specifically in the workplace, rather than emphasis on education. While some Asians may have experienced more opportunities, others remain ignored: in 2018, Pew Research Center identified Asians as the racial group with the highest level of income inequality in the U.S., with the gap having widened 27 percent from 1970 to 2016. These stereotypes have long delayed social reform for Asians and for other groups, glossing over larger, systemic issues with overgeneralizations. Lowerincome Asians continue to be especially vulnerable to violence, as exhibited by the tragic Atlanta shooting. With the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the murder of Vincent Chin during the decline of America’s automobile industry and the wave of hate against Muslims and South Asians after the September 11 attacks, history has time and time again proven just how fatal and volatile anti-Asian bias is.
5
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
OPINIONS
Collegeboard continues testing amid the pandemic
Migrations
Dhruv Anish and Norah Shen Over the past year, California’s academics have seen numerous changes, from most schools shutting down in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) subject tests being removed. However, the College Board has ensured that at least one thing remains constant: students taking their Advanced Placement (AP) exams in May and June. The College Board has made several changes to the SATs in light of the pandemic. In early January, the organization announced that they would be ending SAT Subject Tests, multiple-choice tests in specific subject areas, and the optional SAT Essay, a 50-minute process where students would analyze a piece of writing. On the other hand, College Board has decided to continue full AP and SAT testing despite the pandemic. This is partially because of the revenue Collegeboard makes with AP examinations—around half a billion dollars per year—as well as student demand. In May of last year, when the situation regarding distance learning was still undecided, a College Board survey showed that 91 percent of the 18,000 AP students polled wanted to take the examinations whether or not they have been shortened.
EVELYN LIU ART
Cindy Zhao
The one element of flexibility being offered for AP testing is three different windows for students to take their exams at school in-person or digitally at home. Since tests are being conducted digitally, the College Board has also implemented extra security features, including plagiarism detection and post-administration analysis. All tests will start at the same time, students will only be able to view one question at a time, they will be unable to return to previous questions and there will be no questions directly answerable with internet searches, notes or textbooks. “Some of the challenges of testing online in an awkward environment are especially prevalent when doing computer-adapted AP tests, which become a burden on the students. The biggest hardship with the AP exams right now is taking these tests after a year of online courses behind a computer,” Sophomore Alexander Lee said. Despite the fact that students may be disadvantaged in distance learning, continuing the AP and SAT exams during COVID-19 was still the appropriate choice. However, the College Board’s approach is far from a perfect solution—students whose schools are not well-adapted to distance learning, especially those in mostly lower socioeconomic status neighborhoods, will likely suffer more in both preparing and taking the tests. Furthermore, the vast majority of the APs will continue to cover the exact same scope of content as inperson curricula, despite reduced resources and increased strain on teachers. Students and educators alike have experienced an extremely tumultuous school year—full of isolation, Zoom fatigue and emotional struggles—and are neither physically nor mentally equipped to handle the entirety of the AP workload. “Continuing AP tests may not be good for the mental health of students in the pandemic, but without AP tests, it is also a
lot harder for students to show their skills and competitiveness for the college admissions,” Junior Aroshi Grosh said.
Staff Writers
Aileen Xie Viewpoint Editor
Anti-cheating measures are necessary to maintain the integrity of these tests, but the efficacy of the College Board’s choices are mixed and at times dubious. On the plus side, focusing on more open-ended prompts can promote greater critical thinking in students, which is especially suitable for the advanced subjects the AP tests cover. However, these benefits can be impeded by students’ inability to return to previously answered questions; this requirement places undue stress on students and prevents them from performing at full capacity, along with invalidating the test taking strategies most examinees rely on. The College Board cannot expect students to thoroughly respond to analysis-based questions while simultaneously pressuring them for time. While entirely cancelling the tests would only leave students at a disadvantage, the College Board’s stipulations are flawed. Students should have the opportunity to accurately represent their understanding of course material and demonstrate their academic competence; yet, even as the College Board facilitates this, its anti-cheating policies and unwillingness to adapt the test’s content hinders test takers.
State legislation pays off for bail reform Lifestyle Editor
In a landmark March 25 decision, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously that courts must consider the ability of a defendant to pay cash bail before imposing the condition on them for pretrial release. The ruling marks the most recent triumph for those revisiting California’s “tough on crime” criminal justice policies from the 1970s, which, according to the Vera Institute of Justice, has increased California’s incarcerated population by 180 percent. In the U.S., when someone is arrested, they are temporarily detained in a jail facility for the safety of the public until their trial. The duration of their stay, which should rest on whether they pose a threat to the local community, is often dependent on their ability or inability to make bail—the conditional release of a defendant on collateral payment subject to forfeiture if the defendant later fails to show up in court. Technicalities aside, bail meant that those who could afford it have bought their way out of jail. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, nearly half a million people in the U.S. are currently detained pretrial, the majority being unable to afford bail. 66 percent of women unable to pay bail have children under the age of 18, and 43 percent of America’s pretrial population is Black—evidence of bail’s association with economic and racial disparities in the justice system. “Bail should be banned, since it defeats the purpose of a proper trial and penalty given. Being able to pay to get out of jail gears the justice system towards the wealthy, which are mostly white people,” Sophomore Elena Giaconne said. Earlier this year, Illinois passed legislation to abolish cash bail payments to release
people awaiting their trial from jail, making it the first state to take on monumental bail reform. The Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act is part of a sweeping package of criminal justice measures that constitutes Illinois House Bill 3653, sponsored by Black lawmakers who were galvanized by the summer protests over policing and racial and social justice. Bail bonds are not simply unjustifiably high, but they also vary widely. According to the Guardian, bond amounts for the petty offense of public drunkenness ranged from 75 to ten thousand dollars across 56 California counties. Arrestees who cannot afford bail are forced to sit in jail for weeks on end and often lose their job, housing and even custody of their children as they wait for their cases to be heard. They are functionally serving a sentence before they are even convicted, which constitutes unlawful imprisonment. While some argue that releasing these people from detention could pose a risk to the public, research from the National Center for State Courts shows that three out of four criminal cases in state trial courts are of misdemeanors. Even if proven, the charges would only result in either petty fines or less than a year in jail. In the case of the Illinois House Bill 3653, research regarding successful bond and pretrial release reform
in one of Illinois’ counties demonstrates that eliminating cash bail does not threaten the public’s safety. Within bail reform, past advocates have either sought policy changes to the bail system or attacked bail as unconstitutional. However, previous reforms have been unsuccessful— in New York and Alaska, bills were watered down during the political process, while in California, voters chose to keep cash bail over passing Proposition 25, which would have replaced the money bail system with a new computerized system based on public risk. Illinois officials, on the other hand, expect the no cash bail policy to be fully implemented by January 2023, which offers enough time to solve any IVA challenges NZ HU that may ART possibly arise during the transition. “Ending cash bail is the first step to creating a more equitable criminal justice system and an important step in ensuring the reevaluation of the pretrial process. Other states should model off of Illinois’ provisions to reform their cash bail,” Freshman Juhi Khetawat said. Cash bail has undoubtedly conditioned freedom on money. With a state court decision that struck down huge parts of the cash bail system in California and a statewide effort to eliminate money bail in Illinois, there is still hope for the future, and half a million legally innocent people are waiting.
Humanity has grown accustomed to settling down, leaving nomadism in the past and instead choosing to nestle in homes. As we plant our roots in the soil, we familiarize ourselves with the people and environment surrounding us, building relationships with both. But this lifestyle has not been embraced by everyone—especially not Franny Stone, the narrator of Charlotte McConaghy’s 2019 novel “Migrations.” An emotionally detached, selfproclaimed ornithologist, Franny follows what could be the last remaining colony of arctic terns as they embark on their final migration to Antarctica to find shelter from the plight of climate change. Joining a motley crew of fishers in Greenland, they offer her a spot on their boat, Saghani, if she promises to help lead them to a long-sought fishing jackpot with her tracking technology. Unable to shoulder the trauma of her past, Franny directs her own migration to a different destination: death. As the boat sails further south, Franny’s dark history begins to unravel and, paired with the dangers at sea, threatens the safety and trust of the crew, forcing Franny to ask herself what she is truly running from. Set in the near future, “Migrations” voyages into a solemn yet highly possible rendering of our natural world: one where wildlife has died out due to climate change. Such a world devoid of life reflects Franny’s own story, which has suffered from familial abandonment, imprisonment and estrangement from her ecologist husband, Niall. Convinced that she can unload the cargo of her burdened history if she leaves the people and places that harbor such memories, Franny becomes a wanderer. The Saghani team—headed by Ennis Malone—skeptically accepts Franny on board, believing her pursuit of the Arctic birds to be professionally driven. However, her true intentions and identity are gradually revealed with each passing day, intensified by night terrors, unsent letters to her beloved husband and an obsession with tracing the birds at any cost. McConaghy weaves Franny’s past into her present through a nonlinear narration, written in snippets of her backstory, from first meeting Niall to accidentally committing horrible crimes. As the novel progresses, the birds’ flightpath—and Franny’s sanity— grow more convoluted. The unreliable narration style serves to disorient the reader and simultaneously reveal Franny’s inability to recognize that her narcissistic self-pity has devastating effects on others. Shaped by her unfortunate childhood, Franny views new people as malicious. In turn, she chooses to remain ignorant of others’ feelings. As her own greatest self-advocate, she is also the greatest threat to each of her commitments. In this way, McConaghy subtly connects Franny’s disregard of the potential good in people to humanity’s disregard for the health of our planet; deep down, we are all selfserving. When we “migrate” away from self-responsibility, we also migrate towards self-destruction. “Migrations” insists that humans are still animals: subject to the ruthless forces of nature and the unpredictable consequences of impulsive choices.
Migrations
(5/5) worth the read
+ Deeply moving + Complex Plot - Melodrama
APRIL 28, 2020
6
ENTERTAINMENT The College Admissions Scandal Review
Dhruv Anish
The appeal and value of non-fungible tokens
Janice Lee, Nam Nguyen and Larry Ye
Staff Writers and Feature World Editor
Staff Writer
Released on March 17, “Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” is a documentary from director Chris Smith that covers the 2019 college admissions controversy involving 50 parents who paid off admissions officers, test proctors and sports coaches to open a side door for their children into prestigious universities. The film uncovers Singer’s webs of deceit and explains how he was able to get the children of wealthy families into prestigious colleges under the guise of being heavily-recruited athletes and hiring a testing aide in order to alter their test scores. “Operation Varsity Blues” presents the events in a linear fashion, starting with the origins of Rick Singer and explaining how his continued success led him to develop this service of creating “side doors” for affluent students to get into their dream colleges. The film also conveys the information in an interesting manner by reenacting phone conversations the Federal Bureau of Investigation intercepted between some parents and Singer, imbuing the movie with a feeling of being a hybrid between a documentary and a narrative film. While having actors cast as real people in a documentary served the risk of being jarring to the viewer, Smith was able to intercut the reenactments with the information of the events in a way that helped the audience further understand the appeal of Singer and sense the desperation of the parents. College professors, athletic directors, former clients and acquaintances of Singer were all interviewed in order for the filmmakers to paint a full picture of the scandal while also reflecting on the admissions process as a whole. The film does a good job of remaining fast-paced throughout and poses some intriguing questions about the lengths parents would go to make sure their child was able to attend a prestigious university and how the prestige of a university is valued over the actual academic experience. However, an issue that I do have with the film is that it fails to truly cover any new ground about the scandal as a whole. It was captivating to see the intricacies in Singer’s operation and how the scandal was eventually brought to light, but the film did little other than provide the audience with the basic facts about the controversy that are present in news reports about the event. To conclude, Operation Varsity Blues is an engaging and entertaining documentary that is worth watching if you are interested in learning more about the college admissions scandal and the catalysts that propelled an event like this to occur.
College Admissions Scandal (3/5) worth a watch
+ Intriguing subject matter + Creative reanacts of conversations - Could have provided more insight
“Everydays — The First 5000 Days,” by artist Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple, is a collaged image file of 5,000 digital art pieces Winkelmann has posted since 2007. Selling for over $60 million at a Christie’s auction house, the piece became the most expensive non-fungible token (NFT) ever to be sold at auction. The digital piece of art is one of many NFTs emerging onto the growing market. NFTs are distinct goods that do not have interchangeable value. Like a social media handle or a unique trading card, it is oneof-a-kind, and thus cannot be replaced. However, to make a piece “non-fungible,” creators “mint” their digital asset through blockchain technology, which codifies the NFT and establishes several safeguards, including a verifiable record of price, ownership and prevention from forgery. Most NFTs operate on the Ethereum blockchain, which requires buyers to have existing cryptocurrency accounts for various transactions. NFTs have attracted Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, musician and artist Grimes and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Dorsey sold his first tweet for $2.9
million in a charity RT IN A L auction supporting A SIC GiveDirectly’s Africa JES Response fund and Grimes sold pieces in her Wa r N y m p h digital art collection for $5.8 million on NFT platform Nifty Gateway. The NBA’s new platform, NBA Top Shot, is currently in its beta phase and allows users to buy and open packs or participate in auctions to collect Moments, which are clips of memorable basketball plays ranging in rarity and monetary value. “Non-fungible tokens are a good way for creators to store their works because it would prevent others from stealing their work by validating them through secure blockchains and present a sense of permanence to their creations,” Junior William Qiao said. Despite its popularity, concern over the energy inefficiency of NFT transactions has been a concern to some artists and critics. Transactions made on the Ethereum blockchain are tremendously inefficient, with every single transaction using more power than a day’s worth of power from the
typical American household. Thus, NFTs not only waste an enormous amount of resources and cause pollution, but also cause inefficient energy allocation. Additionally, various critics are skeptical about the longevity of NFT hype, viewing it as similar to the cryptocurrency boom of 2017, which then crashed soon after. “I do not see the point of NFTs if their transactions are especially harmful to the environment. If people were really interested in helping small businesses, there are physical alternatives like Etsy that offer platforms for emerging creators to sell art without the physical toll of extensive carbon pollution,” Senior Amy Li said. However, others believe NFTs are here to stay. In an interview with CNBC, Matt Hall, co-founder of Larva Labs, a crypto-art company, said that with the increasing importance of our online lives and personas, NFTs will formalize digital ownership and become an integral part of the digital world. Donnie Dinch, CEO of Bitski, a digital store for buying and selling NFTs, told Vox in an interview that the NFT market will expand in the future. He believes that non-fungible tokens will make a broader impact on our lives and that people will increasingly want to express themselves in the digital world using these unique tokens. NFTs have been branded as both accessible and available to anyone who wishes to create or exchange things in various decentralized online marketplaces. Donnie Dinch, CEO of Bitski, a digital store for buying and selling NFTs, told Vox that non-fungible tokens will likely make a broader impact on our lives, and allow artists to increasingly express themselves.
Drag queens take the stage on TV Keirah Chen, Natalie Gao and Michelle Qiao
Staff Writers Referencing entertainment in which people during the 1980s. “Pose” also However, “RuPauls Drag Race” has faced performers challenge gender stereotypes individually features characters, enabling controversy for its treatment of non-white and wear clothing conventionally worn audiences to develop deeper interpersonal contestants. Various contestants of color by the opposite sex, drag has existed understanding towards the LGBTQ+ spoke about their experiences receiving since the 19th century. Since then, the community. One character, Damon, was hate mail from fans and called for more term “drag” has often been linked to the disowned by his family for his sexual inclusive change. Furthermore, members LGBTQ+ community. More recently, drag identity, which was widely praised by of the LGBTQ+ community pointed out has expanded and evolved, gaining more audience for providing a real and raw take the lack of representation on the show. attention with the release of shows like on LGBTQ+ discrimination. At first the only contestants were gay “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Pose.” RuPaul’s Drag Race also received cisgender men. This changed in 2019 Released in 2009, “RuPaul’s Drag positive reviews from critics for its when “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” premiered Race” is a reality competition show breakdown of gender stereotypes. The and featured transgender, heterosexual that mainly features gay cisgender men LGBTQ+ community has praised the and nonbinary contestants. competing to become America’s next drag show for reinforcing the idea that being The show “Pose” takes a different superstar. Contestants dress in glamorous feminine or acting feminine does not approach to drag. It is largely inspired dresses and put on performances that make you ‘less of a man’. Additionally, by drag balls present during the 20thinclude lip syncing, dancing and imitating the community views “RuPaul’s Drag Century Harlem Renaissance, where various female celebrities. Focusing on Race,” as an educational turning point Black LGBTQ+ individuals would a more concentrated audience, “Pose” because it fights homophobia and sexism participate in drag together. “Pose” places features Black and Latino members of while also educating viewers on things a large emphasis on the role of houses in the LGBTQ+ community thriving in drag like HIV/AIDS and conversion therapy. the LGBTQ+ community, depicting not ball culture, an underground LGBTQ+ just drag queens and balls as a form of subculture in which people compete visual entertainment but also the norms for trophies by dancing, lip syncing or and history of drag culture. modeling at balls. “Pose’s” synopsis also “‘Pose’ and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ have extends beyond the general premise played a significant role in queer and of drag, going in depth about the drag culture. I think that popularizing discrimination characters face due to drag could encourage younger people their sexuality and race. to be more open-minded. Shows like Viewers appreciate shows like ‘RuPaul’ss Drag Race’ accurately “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Pose” for represent drag culture as well as the representation they bring. Many shows the talent and uniqueness of praised “Pose”’s realistic take on life drag queens and culture,” Freshman for non-white, non-heterosexual Karl Xing said.
QUINCY HAN ART
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
The unconventional duos in cross-industry collaborations
7
LIFESTYLE Willow Glen Creamery
Miranda Lu and Matt Wang
A fast-food company and a makeup brand might seem like an unlikely duo, but in a recent collaboration Tex-Mex style restaurant Chipotle teamed up with cosmetics label e.l.f. to launch a new makeup line that includes a 12-piece eyeshadow palette featuring matte and shimmer pigments in the shades of guacamole, brown rice, pinto beans and fajitas, bright “hot salsa” lip gloss, an avocado-shaped sponge set and more. “It is certainly a strange concept, but brands such as Colourpop have Disney and Sailor Moon inspired makeup lines, so I am not too surprised that brands have turned to food for inspiration. I would consider buying it, depending on the colors included in the makeup palettes,” Senior Laurel Wu said. The collection from e.l.f. includes four affordable, Chipotle-inspired makeup products, a free order of guacamole and chips with every purchase of the palette, plus a vegan “Eyes. Chips. Face.” bowl inspired by e.l.f.’s commitment to offering vegan options and maintaining crueltyfree sourcing. Reviewed by beauty Youtuber James Charles, the limited edition caught the attention of many teens, selling out in just 11 minutes on the Chipotle Goods website. In a bilateral statement, Tressie Lieberman, the Vice President of Digital Marketing at Chipotle, and Kory Marchisotto, the Chief Marketing Officer at e.l.f. Cosmetics, emphasized their desire to make genuine connections with Generation Z and celebrate shared environmentally-conscious values through the event. Such teamwork between companies across different industries is not uncommon. Music streaming service Spotify has partnered with global candy chain M&M’s to create 28 different M&M message packs, each with a unique message and complementary
NICOLE KIM ART
Spotify playlist that matches the theme. Meanwhile, multinational technology corporation Microsoft has launched a “Music x Technology” platform, developed in collaboration with creative music agency Listen. With the goal of using Kinect technology to enhance live concerts, their most recent collaboration with singer Washed Out, also known as Ernest Greene, featured motionsensing cameras and projections of psychedelic graphics to capture Greene’s impressionist view of the world. According to Strive, many record companies are shifting focus to brand partnerships, which offers the artist new marketing platforms. Music labels especially are privileged with a unique opportunity to establish business partnerships with gaming companies: in-game spending. According to a 2021 MIDiA Research report, game aficionados are three times more likely to spend more than six hours per week streaming music, compared to non-gamers. Global in-game spending has accounted for 70 percent of global games revenue in 2020, and is expected to increase. Compounded “‘We believe that no one company can deliver the full breadth of technology solutions that customers need at the pace the market requires,’ Robbins said.”
together, these statistics demonstrate the potential benefits of music partnerships with the gaming world. Some experts even claim the future of the music industry relies on artists to be global entrepreneurs– although modern technology has made access to music production and consumption easier, it has also made it harder for the increasing number of musicians to get noticed. Recently, on April 19, McDonald’s Twitter announced the “BTS Meal”—a partnership with the South Korean pop group BTS featuring the seven members’ favorite orders—the latest of the McDonald’s Famous Orders program. Critics see the new “BTS Meal” as an empirically-proven marketing tactic, shown by the wild success of the Travis Scott Burger, which became so popular last fall it led to a shortage of ingredients at McDonald’s locations. The collaboration is not new for BTS either—they are the face of global brands like Samsung and Baskin-Robbins. Part of BTS’s colossal success comes from their huge online presence and massive fanbase, making the partnership a unique growth opporunity for McDonald’s. Despite being a fast-food franchise, McDonald’s is also the world’s largest toy producer, supporting numerous entertainment brands in mutual partnerships as reported by Business Insider. Collaborations with McDonald’s can garner substantial publicity, as McDonald’s will promote the partnership in a fullyintegrated marketing
Staff Writer and Sports Editor
Hannah Moon Opinions Editor
campaign that includes TV advertising, a large online presence, and in-restaurant merchandising at over 14,000 chain locations. “The BTS Meal is a smart marketing strategy, as BTS has a huge international fandom eager to consume anything related to the boy band. Additionally, as a past Happy Meal lover, I can say that McDonald’s has been extremely strategic with their contemporary collaborations, especially with their Happy Meal toys,” Junior Nathan Kim said. While the majority of inter-industry alliances have been successful and received positive feedback, a small number have received backlash, including the Supreme x Oreo and Supreme x Postit Note partnerships. Haydn Hickson, a writer for media company Goat, described the former as a “101 In Consumerism Gone Mad,” and commented on how many of the streetwear brand’s collaborations simply involved placing the Supreme logo on an existing product, rather than designing something new and original. “Products like Supreme’s partnerships are a clear reflection of the prevalence of consumerism and materialism in American culture—they are excessive, unnecessary and lack creativity,” Sophomore Lily Macdonald said. Meanwhile, businesses have discovered that cross-industry cooperation increases efficiency for finding solutions. According to the Harvard Business Review, ecosystem innovation, a new process of problem-solving where organizations join forces early in the creative process to quickly generate and commercialize new ideas, was first introduced by Californiabased technology company Cisco. It manifested in the form of the Berlin Living Lab, which involved meetings between Cisco and several other large companies in different industries—aerospace company Airbus, express mail service DHL and manufacturing business Caterpillar— with the companies working together to commercialize new concepts and solve the issues of their respective sectors. Cisco’s CEO, Chuck Robbins, explains that collaboration is necessary for all industries. Despite the controversy over certain cross-industry projects, they offer opportunities to connect different industries as well as new marketing strategies. In an era where idea-sharing occurs at unprecedented rates, companies looking to increase their customer base and brand perception, along with those attempting to create a new hit product or to resolve a common problem, have been able to generate fresh ideas and solutions through cross-industry collaboration. As the world moves forward and encounters new challenges, a makeup company teaming up with a burrito-bowl restaurant might not seem so far-fetched after all.
Nested in downtown Willow Glen, Willow Glen Creamery offers a classic and affordable selection of ice cream and frozen yogurt, with prices ranging from four to seven dollars. Unlike other ice cream parlors, however, the dessert shop offers the popular pineapple Dole whip, which was created by Dole Food Company in 1984 and has become synonymous with Disney where it is famously served. Since then, it has practically gained a cult following from Disneyland-goers. Excited to try the pineapple soft serve, I approached the shop with great anticipation. As I entered the shop, I noticed an immediate fragrance of syrup and waffles. The shop was not very big; it held just enough space for a few machines, freezers, and a narrow pathway for customers to stroll around. Its freezers held a limited selection of ice cream, all labelled as handmade. Next to the freezer were trays of candy and waffles organized by color, which was very aesthetically pleasing. Their vibrantly decorated menu board depicted the flavors of the day for the Dole whips: strawberry, raspberry and
“With the perfect blend of citrus and pineapple juice, I felt like I was on a vacation on a tropical island.”
pineapple. I asked for the pineapple dole whip, along with an original frozen yogurt and a lemon sorbet. On a bench next to a nice water fountain and some pretty flowers, I finally tried the Dole whip, which immediately melted in my mouth and had a unique tangy flavor. With the perfect blend of citrus and pineapple juice, I felt like I was on a vacation on a tropical island— something I am sure many of us need. I then sampled the classic frozen yogurt which was also a popular dessert from the shop. The yogurt had the perfect amount of creaminess and the smooth texture of the yogurt was simply magnificent. To balance out the distinct milky flavor, I took a bite of the lemon sorbet. To my disappointment however, there was not much of a lemon flavor present, but rather an excessively sugary attempt at emphasizing tanginess. Willow Glen’s creamery offers a variety of desserts ranging from banana floats, to fruity sorbets. For the upcoming summer and for anyone who loves ice cream but is lactose intolerant, the dairy-free Dole whip dessert is perfect for you!
Willow Glen Creamery (5/5) hitting the sweet spot
+ wide variety of ice cream + low calorie desserts + dairy free options
10
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Sustainability Quotebox: Have you become more environmentally-conscious or sustainable since the start of shelter-in-place?
Compiled by Miranda Lu and Manasa Sriraj, Staff Writers
Yes 69%
APRIL 28, 2021
No 31%
100 students polled
NICOLE KIM ART
Eco-friendly habits: Fighting climate change from home
Natalie Gao and Breanna Lu
Staff Writer
Since its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has had both beneficial and harmful effects on the environment. According to Consumer News and Business Channel, global greenhouse gas emissions dropped by seven percent since 2019 due to shelter-in-place orders. On the other hand, the environment is suffering from growing plastic waste from bags, containers, hairnets, masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment that are often improperly disposed. To reduce the negative environmental effects the pandemic has caused, many are taking steps to be sustainable at home. “I started making reusable masks this year after learning about how disposable ones often harm wildlife that can get caught in its plastic material. I make masks with my sewing machine and sell them for three dollars to my friends and family. My masks are also lined with a washable polypropylene filter that makes them more effective,” Freshman Juhi Khetawat said. Unlike cloth masks, reusable and sustainable bags can actually pose dangers to retail workers by potentially helping spread COVID-19. As a result, in
ca
oni of M sy rte
Cou
April 2020, Calif. Gov. Newsom signed an Executive order that allowed workers to redistribute single-use plastic bags in order to stay safe, which led to increased plastic pollution. Moreover, the overall usage of plastic bags has risen since the start of the pandemic due to them being more sanitary, cheap and accessible than reusable bags. USA Today adds that plastic containers and cutlery have also become more prevalent because of increased demand for food delivery. Before the pandemic, it was easier to fight increasing plastic consumption, as recycling centers could safely dispose of the plastic. However, several of these centers have had to shut down due to concerns of COVID-19 spreading among workers through contact with waste. Stuck at home with limited ways to maintain sustainability, the Los Angeles Times says that people can reuse bags and containers, buy food in bulk to avoid excess plastic bags and invest in reusable household items. The University of California, Los Angeles, continues that when ordering takeout, people can be environmentallyfriendly by avoiding plastic utensils and supporting restaurants that use compostable packaging. Aside from reusing plastics, a form of sustainability that has become more convenient in the past year is composting at home, which involves recycling organic materials and letting them decompose in compost bins that typically consist of manure, grass, leaves, egg shells and other food scraps. Even before the pandemic, Senior Monica Trinh’s family composted on a regular basis. “My family started composting almost two years ago to help with gardening. More importantly, I wanted to have a more sustainable h
Trin
Senior Monica Trinh puts orange peels into her family’s compost bin.
lifestyle, and since composting is an easy way of helping reduce greenhouse gases, I compost all of my food scraps at home. The only thing my family does not put in our compost bin is meat and dairy because they can attract rodents and create foul odor,” Senior Monica Trinh said.
“Stuck at home with limited ways to maintain sustainability, the Los Angeles Times says that people can reuse bags and containers, buy food in bulk...and invest in reusable household items.”
Likewise, Senior Julianna Sosnowski’s family composts all types of food scraps, including fruits, vegetables and bread, in her backyard. For her garden, she also uses compost as fertilizer because it is more eco-friendly compared to nitrogen-filled animal waste fertilizers. Sosnowski explains that her family has always prioritized sustainability, so composting plays a big part in their efforts to reduce waste in landfills. Additionally, environmental issues during the pandemic have resulted in an enlarged interest in sustainable technology. Forbes finds that job-postings on Indeed relating to solar or wind power increased by 69 percent from April to October 2020. Apart from jobs, solar energy has also become more popular for homeowners. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the pandemic initially hurt solar energy companies because the lockdown made it impossible to conduct door-to-door marketing or install solar panels. However, this caused companies to invest more in online advertising, increasing solar energy use in the long run. Now, due to shelterin-place, more money is being spent on home improvements, which are a key factor to the installment of solar energy systems, states PR Newswire. Growing electricity bills during quarantine have further encouraged the installation of solar panels, which saves money. Furthermore,
the New York Times reports that during the pandemic, investors funded green energy projects such as a plant that generates hydrogen—a potential clean fuel source—from water, contributing to a rise in renewable energy usage. “When we moved into our house, it already had solar panels so we continued to use them. Solar panels supply all the energy we need, and we sell extra energy back to power companies. As an optimal alternative to fossil fuels, utilizing solar energy helps to combat climate change,” Sosnowski said. Despite not having composting bins or solar panels, many have also found ways to be sustainable with what is available. Aside from biking as often as they can, Freshman Lia Yereslove and her family cut the plastic straps off of their disposable masks before throwing them away in order to reduce the amount of plastic waste that animals can choke on and become entangled in. This year, COVID-19 proved the direct connection between human actions and climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions dropped substantially due to quarantine. Thus, a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group found that 40 percent of people intend to be more sustainable due to the light the pandemic has shed on environmental issues. After shelter-in-place orders lift completely, CO2 emissions will likely re-surge with increased activity, and scientists predict that summer temperatures will continue rising due to global warming. To help prevent the effects of climate change from worsening, the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests that people invest in renewable energy, buy energy-efficient appliances and drive less. Yereslove and Sosnowski say their current sustainability efforts will not change after the pandemic; Yereslove will continue biking for transportation, and Sosnowski plans to compost, drive electric cars and eat more vegan foods in the future. Sophomore Kimaya Sajipal hopes that she can continue her own sustainable efforts by thrifting clothes or even furniture. Taking note of this troubling trend of environmental issues, many, including students at the school, are taking steps to be environmentally friendly while at home—reducing plastic consumption, composting and incorporating sustainable technology in their lives.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
11
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: Fashion Dressed to express: The reasoning behind student fashion choices
Dhruv Anish, Bertina Fan and Miranda Lu
HU
AR T
Staff Writers
IVA NZ
Poll: When it comes to your everyday fashion, what do you prioritize?
their interests and values, financial circumstances may affect the apparel choices of others. Not only is thrifting optimal for the environment, but it can also be inexpensive—thrifting serves as the main way low-income households buy clothing in the Bay Area, as stated by the Stanford Daily. According to LendingTree, Americans spend roughly $134 every month on clothing items—a price that many high school students and families are unable to afford. Thus, some have to resort to buying cheaper clothing or keeping a smaller wardrobe. “Fashion choices can highlight socioeconomic disparities because many people adhere to the concept of conspicuous consumption to flaunt their wealth through material goods. Lower income individuals often have more pressing needs than following the latest fashion trends,” Junior Aidan Cain said. Aside from financial concerns, the COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced students’ fashion choices. The Washington Post states that individuals have been leaning towards more casual styles that emphasize comfort. In shelter-inplace, people do not have to physically present themselves at their workplace or school, which often leads to a decreased inclination to look professional. “Since the start of the pandemic, I have been a lot less concerned about what I wear on a day-to-day basis. I spend most of my time at home, so I tend to wear more comfortable clothing like pajamas,” Senior Bobak Pourrahimi said. Student fashion choices are often emblematic of their personalities, placing value on aspects like personal interests, aesthetics, comfort, affordability or sustainability. As the fashion industry evolves and inspirations stem from new trends, students at the school continue to develop unique styles in the years to come.
Comfort: 61% Cost or Cause: 15% Trendiness: 13% Other: 11% 109 students polled Courtesy of Julia Choi
Courtesy of Victor Man
WENDY LEE PHOTO
Compiled by Dhruv Anish, Bertina Fan and Michelle Qiao Staff Writers
From left to right: Junior Katie Wilson displays a typical soft girl aesthetic look with jewelry, a pleated skirt and frilled socks. Mirroring the “small shirt straight pants” trend, Junior Julia Choi dresses in a black and white outfit inspired by the Korean pop girl group Itzy. Junior Victor Man sports a streetwear-styled outfit, featuring a T-shirt from his clothing line, Unspoken.
With the diverse student body at Leggings that garnered over four million the school, many fashion views. It prompted many styles are expressed that people to purchase the foster individuality leggings, which sold “[F]ashion styles allow and creative out just a week after individuals to nonverbally self-expression, Schlenker posted the display their culture, ranging from video. Celebrities sportswear to and social media lifestyle and personality vintage clothing. influencers like to the world.” Mindless Mag—a Schlenker have large magazine exploring audiences, allowing them to the relationship between inspire others with the brands and fashion and social issues—described outfits they wear. how fashion styles allow individuals to However, following widespread nonverbally display their culture, lifestyle trends and styles can also be the and personality to the world. result of submitting Modern-day fashion styles are to peer pressure. inspired by various factors, including The Conversation personal interests and beliefs. Dressing described how in a unique manner can lead to an some teenagers increased sense of individuality as associate having a people are able to create an identity for good, trendy fashion themselves through clothing. Therefore, sense with achieving peer many students at the school can be seen approval, causing them to have wearing apparel referencing their favorite lower self-esteem and conform travel destinations, fandoms, quotes, to popular fashion trends rather musicians, athletes or organizations to than developing their own display their specific interests. unique style. “I am mainly inspired by Korean and Despite the diversity in student Japanese cultures, including the outfits of fashion styles now, they did not used to Korean pop idols and anime characters. My be so distinctive. In the 1950s and 60s, style shows my love for pastel colors and schools often enforced strict dress codes reflects my calm and gentle personality,” that required girls to wear skirts below Junior Shannyn Cabi said. the knee and forbade them from wearing Clothing and fashion have also long pants. Most girls wore plaid or felt skirts been used to spread awareness surrounding paired with cardigans and blouses while sociopolitical issues. According to Teen many boys wore black leather jackets and Vogue, women’s liberation activists blue jeans, similar to what was worn in the dumped stockings, lipstick, girdles and Broadway musical “Grease.” From then on, other items during the Miss America traditional fashion barriers were broken Protest of 1968, challenging misogynistic down with the brightly colored clothes views of women and beauty. Last year, and patterned bell-bottoms of the 1970s, Black Lives Matter demonstrators wore bold power suits and preppy polo shirts of shirts, jackets, face masks and other the 1980s, baggy pants, platform shoes and garments printed with slogans protesting flannels of the 1990s and low-rise jeans racial injustice and police brutality. and halter tops of the 2000s. In today’s technology-filled world, According to Singaporean newspaper a specific piece, brand or aesthetic can Today, one of the most popular clothing easily attract the attention of millions styles amongst students is currently of teenagers through social media. The streetwear, which originates from Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin- California’s skateboarding culture in Madison’s student newspaper, reported the early 1980s. Streetwear incorporates that TikTok user Hannah Schlenker comfortable and trendy shirts that feature posted a video about American large logos or graphics as well as baggy Eagle’s Aerie High Waisted Crossover pants and limited-edition sneakers. Junior
Victor Man buys and resells streetwear on Grailed, a secure second-hand buying platform that consists of a community of streetwear enthusiasts. As climate awareness increases, many individuals take environmental and ethical concerns into consideration when purchasing clothing. Like Man, numerous students are immersed in the resale market—approximately 46 percent of teenagers from upper-income households are purchasing second hand, according to a 2020 survey conducted by investment banking company Piper Sandler. Websites such as Depop, Poshmark and ThredUp— online marketplaces where students can sell and buy used clothes for affordable prices—have become popular amongst teenagers. Additionally, thrifting is a sustainable practice that allows consumers to buy used items for substantially lower prices. As reported by Forbes Magazine, it also helps businesses market their products to a larger array of consumers— thrifters in general—while reducing their environmental impact. The more existing products are worn and resold, the fewer materials are used to create new clothes. “I shop on Depop and go thrifting often, so almost all of my clothes are second-hand. These practices are much better for the environment compared to buying from fast fashion brands, and I enjoy wearing vintage clothes,” Sophomore Bethany Daniel said. The importance of sustainability is one of the founding principles behind Leif Apparel, an environmentallyfriendly clothing brand founded by Junior Julia Choi and other high school students. “Contrary to the synthetic fiber often used by fast-fashion retailers, Leif Apparel is made with a customized sustainable cotton and bamboo fiber blend called ‘Bamboo Plus.’ Our brand aims to help protect the environment and reduce the waste produced by the fashion industry,” Choi said. While some students are able to choose clothing that represents
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APRIL 28, 2021 APRIL 29, 2015
FEATURE: WORLD
The consequences of facial recognition
High inflation forces Nigerians to look for alternatives Michelle Qiao and Larry Ye Staff Writers
Jonathan Yue School News Editor
Imagine waking up to messages informing you that you have been incorrectly identified as a suspect of a terrorist attack in your home country half a globe away. This is what then-Brown University student Amara Majeed experienced following the bombing attacks in Sri Lanka in April of 2019. The cause of this misidentification? Facial recognition. Facial recognition, the technology that can match a human face to those in a given database, is not just for opening smartphones; recent breakthroughs have increased its usage in various fields. However, the application of facial recognition technology, particularly in law enforcement, is concerning. The obvious criticism is that the technology is still not mature. A study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology testing 189 different facial recognition algorithms found that Asian and African American people are up to 100 times more likely to be misidentified than Caucasians. A possible explanation is that, within the data sets that are used to train the algorithm, not all demographics are equally represented. Even if the technology is perfected, facial recognition may raise ethical and philosophical questions about the nature of privacy. With facial recognition, anonymity will no longer be a possibility. A powerful government with a large database can track all of its citizens without their knowledge. In the U.S., a tool that exhibits bias can exacerbate the existing racial prejudice in law enforcement. During last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, the New York Police Department utilized facial recognition to identify and raid the house of activist Derrick Ingram, who allegedly shouted into a police officer’s ear with a bullhorn. The Baltimore Police Department deployed facial recognition to arrest protestors in the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray, leading activists to urge protestors not to post images or videos of demonstrations online. There is currently no federal regulation over the use of facial recognition in the U.S. In 2020, Amazon and Microsoft announced that they will no longer sell their technology. Many local governments, including the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, have banned the use of facial recognition by public officials. In the European Union, legislators unveiled a proposal that would ban “unacceptable” uses of artificial intelligence, including facial recognition by law enforcement. The balance between safety and privacy is always a delicate one. Perhaps facial recognition, just like many previous advancements, will inevitably alter society and we will have to learn to live with it. However, before we can harness the power of facial recognition with well-placed limitations, letting loose the industry to their self-imposed regulations threatens the public’s civil liberties.
Resulting from a crash in oil prices, Nigeria’s inflation rate has risen substantially due to significant reductions in the country’s gross domestic product. According to Reuters, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate since 2016 has been in double digits and worsened during the pandemic. The inflation rate in January 2021 rose to 16.47 percent, causing food prices to rise and weakening Nigeria’s currency, the naira. Nigeria’s high inflation rate and weak currency prevent its residents from obtaining small business or project loans. Additionally, most Nigerian financiers require very high credit scores or property from a choice location to use as collateral from borrowers for a loan, as stated by BTCManager. For those that are approved to get a loan, the high-interest rates are near impossible for the borrower to pay and inflation makes it difficult for borrowers to use the funds for their intentions. Thus, many Nigerians are seeking alternative methods of borrowing and storing money for their needs. One solution to combat highinterest rates and inaccessibility to loans comes from informal African savings arrangements, best known as susus. Each member of a susu group, typically made up of around 12 friends, colleagues or neighbors, contributes a fixed amount of their earnings to the group fund each month. Then, the total sum of their collective savings is given to one member of the group on a rotational basis. With pooled cash, members can finance their monetary necessities without having to pay interest or be approved for a loan. A
study published in Innovations for Poverty Action in 2017 found that susu groups helped increase the amount and longevity of businesses in African communities while also increasing monthly business profits. However, susus were not successful in ameliorating food security and total household income in these regions. “Susu groups are a great way for people to fund projects compared to getting a loan, as there is no need to pay interest and since everything is prepaid, members of the group would not have to stress about paying the money back,” Junior Sean Yang said.
NICOLE KIM ART
Another solution that some Nigerians are turning to is storing their money in Stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency. However, unlike other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which are quite volatile, Stablecoins seek to combat inflation by offering price stability and are often backed by other currencies or commodities such as the U.S. dollar and gold. Xend Finance, a decentralized finance platform based in Nigeria, hopes to make investing in Stablecoins more accessible to Nigerians. This way, Nigerians can ensure that their
savings are not subject to high inflation rates and keep the value of their money. “Cryptocurrency is a good way to combat inflation, especially Stablecoins, which hold value better than the naira. I would also advise Nigerians to invest a small amount of money into Bitcoin, which is volatile but has greater potential for growth. Many institutions, banks and even companies are investing in Bitcoin, so I feel that it now has credibility to back it as well,” Sophomore Michael Que said. However, platforms like Xend Finance face hurdles in Nigeria due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) crackdown on accounts that trade cryptocurrencies. According to Decrypt, on Feb. 5, the bank announced that they would close all accounts that bought, sold or traded cryptocurrencies. Facing backlash from the Nigerian population, the CBN later clarified that it would not ban individuals from trading cryptocurrencies, but banks would not be allowed to work with cryptocurrency companies. Despite uncertainty in cryptocurrency regulations, Nigeria’s cryptocurrency sector is thriving as Nigerians seek methods to combat rising inflation rates and bypass bank restrictions. As stated by BBC, Nigeria ranked third place in 2020 for top cryptocurrency trading volumes after the U.S. and Russia, making over $400 million of transactions. As the rising inflation rate shows no signs of slowing down, and the economy continues to suffer from the pandemic, Nigerians have no choice but to look for alternatives. Susus and cryptocurrencies are some of the solutions that they have devised but without support from the government, Nigerians may need to search for even more new ideas.
Burqa ban: national security or Islamaphobia? Norah Shen and Manasa Sriraj Staff Writers
IVAN Z HU
ART
On March 12, the prime minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, signed into the law the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), outlawing burqas: a veiled, outer garment covering the entire face and body with a mesh screen over the eyes. Burqas are worn by women in some Islamic sects, such as followers of the conservative fundamentalist Salafi movement. As justification for his decision, Rajapaska claimed that the coverings promoted religious extremism, thus posing a direct threat to national security. This is not the first time the government has banned burqas. After several bombings linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) killed over 260 people on Easter Sunday in 2019, burqas were temporarily outlawed, despite lack of evidence confirming that the bombers wore veils. UN experts and other world leaders have sharply criticized the ban. Ahmed Shaheed, a United Nations freedom of religion rapporteur, noted that the restrictions fail to comply with international regulations guaranteeing religious freedom. Other activists for women’s rights have also
condemned the law, claiming the ban as an Islamophobic move to target the Muslim religious minority in Sri Lanka. “The ban comes from a belief that Muslim traditions and beliefs are ‘wrong’ and need to be ‘corrected’ in order for Muslims to assimilate into the rest of the country. Regardless of the reasoning the government may give against ‘religious extremism,’ it is Islamophobic and morally reprehensible,” Senior Samantha Chiotellis said. The PTA not only prohibits burqas, but also enables the government to detain anyone accused of instigating violence or creating tensions between certain ethnic or religious groups for up to two years. Critics argue that the law is overly vague, allowing the government to detain virtually anyone for making any remarks about race or religion that officials disagree with, limiting free speech. Some opponents believe that the legislation is part of a discriminatory agenda to segregate the country by its religious demographics. Specifically, of Sri Lanka’s 22 million populace, nine percent are Muslims, with the majority—75 percent—of the people being SinhaleseBuddhists, reports Associated Press. In the eyes of Sri Lanka’s citizens, especially those from Muslim backgrounds, recent actions only serve as an attempt
to appease the Buddhist majority and systematically discriminate against the Islamic minority. Consequently, Sri Lanka is not the only nation that has banned burqas recently. On March 7, Switzerland controversially passed a law banning all full-face coverings worn by Muslim women in public, including burqas and niqabs (a veil similar to burqas but without the eye mesh covering), on the basis of religious extremism with a slim margin of 51.2 percent of the vote. Denmark also has a burqa ban and has fined women for wearing face coverings. In 2018, when a woman refused to take off her niqab after being asked, she was fined 1,000 Danish kroner, or $155. "The ban on burqas in Sri Lanka and other countries infringes on the religious freedoms of the Muslim population, reflecting these governments’ belief in the false stereotype that all Muslims are extremists. It is disturbing that countries like France—that are considered progressive—are violating their citizens’ liberties,” Freshman Vishal Makaram said. The PTA bill has not yet been passed, but it is expected to receive approval from the cabinet of ministers and parliament. Despite protests from Muslim women and human rights groups, this wave of Islamophobia— disguised as a concern for national security— continues to threaten the livelihoods of Muslims all over the world.
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
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FEATURE: WORLD
Milk Tea Alliance unites pro-democracy activists
Raymond Dai, Reagan Liu and Pavana Upadhyaya
As Myanmar faces a military coup, pro-democracy activists in the country have been gaining support and solidarity from the Milk Tea Alliance, an informal group of activists from Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan named after a drink those countries have in common. On Feb. 1, the military seized control of Myanmar’s government after almost a decade of democratic elections over unproven claims of voter fraud. Prominent politicians, such as Nobel Prize winner and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, have been jailed and security forces have responded to protests with brutality. As of April 24, the United Nations (UN) stated that 550 people have been killed due to the takeover. In response to the
QUINCY HAN ART
Staff Writers
coup and other anti-democratic events throughout the region, protesters across Asia are supporting each other through a broad coalition of pro-democracy activists, called the Milk Tea Alliance. The hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance was first used in April 2020 as a symbol of resistance by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong against Chinese nationalists on social media platforms such as Twitter. Since then, the hashtag has been used to raise attention about political events across Asia, such as Uyghur abuses in China, to advocate for self-government throughout the continent. While each country has its own struggles, efforts for government reform unites the activists across borders. Protestors resisting the coup in Myanmar can see the similarities between their cause and, for example, Thai activists’ fight against an absolute monarchy. Likewise, both Hong Kong and Taiwan face similar pressures against self-rule from Chinese influences. Thus, the hashtag is now being used to organize protests in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia to support Myanmar in solidarity. Activists at these demonstrations held up a three finger salute, a dissent gesture from the popular Hunger Games franchise, which has been coopted as a resistance symbol by the Milk Tea Alliance. Unfortunately, pushback against the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar has been fierce. Myanmar’s military, which ruled the country from 1962 until 2011, initially cracked down on protest by jailing opposition politicians and notable activists. However, unlike past uprisings, the digital influence of the Milk Tea Alliance has made military
pushback difficult. With supporters worldwide, suppressing the collective within Myanmar would entail hundreds of thousands of search warrants and arrests for physical protestors as well as online instigators that may exist outside of
“However, unlike past uprisings, the digital influence of the Milk Tea Alliance has made military pushback difficult.” Myanmar’s borders. Information sharing and promoting protests could spread through social media, thus making The Milk Tea Alliance popular among many youth Burmese. “Using social media for resistance is very useful as it helps activists reach more people globally. In addition, social media makes organizing protests easier as people can reach an audience far beyond traditional means,” Freshman Aparna Bhattacharrya said. Despite popular support among people internationally, the coalition faces resistance from surrounding governments. Nearby countries’ leaders, such as the Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, believe that the coup is not an international issue, but an internal matter that should not be meddled with, while China, which has avoided intervening in past conflicts in Myanmar, states that it hopes for both sides to resolve differences. In the face of common adversity, activists in Asia have joined forces, united by one goal: support democracy. The Milk Tea Alliance has used the power of social media to promote multiple causes in different countries, creating a uniquely powerful group of young activists fighting for their respective countries.
Delay in Olympics financially burdens the sports world Breanna Lu and Larry Ye Staff Writers
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, uncertainty has continually surrounded the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics has not only impacted the actual date—which was changed to July 2021—but has also financially harmed athletes, especially those playing niche sports. “Although many athletes have been affected by the postponement of the Olympics, I fully support the decision, because the safety of the people competing should come before anything else. I have also been trying to get my Olympic Trial cuts in swimming, so the delay has given me more time to train and obtain my cuts,” Junior Courtney Seljeseth said. Participation in the Olympics often represents a significant opportunity for athletes to earn paychecks. Hence, athletes whose only prize money comes from the Olympics struggled financially and occupationally to continue their training during COVID-19. With the postponement, there have also been fewer sponsorship opportunities as the economic downturn induced by the pandemic forced more and more corporations to cut spending. In the past, television ratings from the Olympics would incentivize companies to endorse athletes. However, with fewer competitions, businesses are finding it hard to justify sponsoring athletes. According to CNBC, some athletes have taken years off of college to train for their events and are now facing tough decisions about whether they should go back to school or continue
their training. Others have tried to find jobs to support themselves but discovered it challenging to work and train concurrently. Even before the pandemic, athletes from niche sports have struggled to support themselves, relying on prize money, sponsorships and GoFundMe campaigns to cover living expenses, training costs and travel fees. In a survey by Global Athlete, an advocacy group for athletes, of almost 500 elite athletes from 48 different countries conducted before the advent of COVID-19, 58 percent of respondents characterized themselves as financially unstable. Monica Aksamit, a saber fencer representing the U.S., raises funds through a variety of different venues to continue competing in her sport, including modeling, refereeing tournaments and hosting GoFundMe campaigns. Aksamit, who earned a bronze medal for the U.S. in the 2016 Olympics
and is training for the 2020 Olympics, told CNBC that the postponement has been a huge struggle for her, considering all the obligations she balances.
Top U.S. athletes are eligible for stipends from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), their governing body, but the money is not nearly enough to cover the athletes’ needs. As stated by USA Today, Gwen Berry, an elite American track and field athlete who specializes in the hammer throw, said that she receives a stipend from USA Track & Field but feels that it is
JESSICA LIN ART not enough to make a living. Two-time Olympic gold medalist rower Meghan Musnicki told USA Today she receives less than $2,000 per month, and explained that lower-level athletes receive even lower amounts. Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Weightlifting told CNBC that his organization’s stipends ranged from $750 to $4,000 per month, while the maximum track and field stipends were $12,000 per
year or $1,000 monthly. By comparison, a full-time minimum-federal-wage worker would earn $15,080 annually or $1,257 per month, as calculated by UC Davis’s Center for Poverty & Inequality Research. In addition, the criteria for the stipend system this year is still unknown, as it usually relies on rankings in international events, which were canceled because of the pandemic. “It has been a difficult time for many people, and I can really sympathize with the athletes who have had amazing opportunities snatched away Compiled by from them. While Hannah it wouldMoon have been great to haveStaff the Writer 2020 Tokyo Olympics when it was originally planned, it was a necessary decision by the IOC to have it postponed rather than risking people’s lives. The pandemic was just too dangerous for athletes to compete safely,” Senior Leena Gulvady said. Beyond the competitors, the postponement will cost Japan $2 to $6 billion due to continuous amounts of spending to maintain Olympic infrastructure, writes USA Today. Following the decision to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics, Olympic athletes and organizations have struggled financially. If such a large-scale delay were to happen again, there may be a further push for increased government assistance for Olympians.
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APRIL 28, 2021
FEATURE: SCHOOL “‘WandaVision’ breaks the female hero stereotype”
Students and staff bake to savor the moment
Breanna Lu and Norah Shen
Staff Writers
Gulvady and alumna Sonia Savur (Class only bakes as a fun hobby, her skills have of ‘20) bake to raise donations. Cutaran impacted other aspects of her life. became interested in the culinary field “Through my years of baking, I learned when she was 11 years old due to shows to become more organized. Anyone who like “Masterchef.” In the past, she made had me as a teacher knows that I am banana bread to sell at a fundraiser very regimented. This also applies to my for a science camp she attended. Like personal life—I like things to have order Cutaran, Gulvady and Savur also hosted and be in a specific way,” Cohen said. many fundraisers and bake sales. For Unlike the others, Jeff Lutze, Math instance, Gulvady started a bake sale last Department, exclusively makes pies, summer for Direct Relief, a nonprofit specifically blackberry and raspberry pie, that fights against poverty, Color of due to his love for this dessert. However, Change, an advocacy group for African despite having more time during the Americans and created birthday cakes pandemic, Lutze has baked less because he Freshman for Cake4Kids, a foster child program. has fewer people to share his pies with—he Gilina Furthermore, Savur, along with her enjoys making pies with his daughter, but V o o n fellow alumni, ran three bake sales is unable to visit due to the pandemic. b e a t s during the summer of 2020. They For the students and staff, baking is not b u t t e r donated all of their profits to just a way to eat tasty treats: this activity with a hand organizations including The has taught them several valuable traits mixer to make National Association for the like patience, dedication and organization. cake batter. Advancement of Colored People, Therefore, they plan on continuing this the Arts Business Collaborative and hobby to utilize their creativity and skills Duong began this the NavajoStrong organization for and experience unforgettable memories CO N hobby when she was URTESY OF GILINA VOO Native Americans. with their families. seven years old. Though her “My favorite memory of baking is mom first taught Duong how to bake, she my 12th birthday party, which was now learns from online posts and videos Cupcake Wars themed, by professionals. Duong’s signature recipe based on the baking consists of chocolate cupcakes and French show. My friends macarons. These desserts are gifted to her and I decorated three family and friends for holidays. Recently, cupcakes. My team her baking videos have been uploaded crushed up oreos to put onto the school’s Instagram account. into the buttercream Additionally, Freshman Lauren frosting, while other Clarke began following recipes when she teams tried to use the was three years old and would bake after bonus ingredient, bacon, daycare with her grandmother—one of to earn extra points. “I like baking because it is satisfying to have a nice final product or dessert to enjoy, her biggest inspirations. Now, she watches Though my team did not and it does not have to be perfect because you YouTube videos to gain new skills, but she end up winning, it was are going to eat it anyways. I like baking desserts still gets advice from her grandmother. one of the most enjoyable such as cookies and pastries. For me, baking is Clarke explains that she enjoys hands- experiences I have had,” less involved and demanding than cooking and is also less messy.” on activities like baking because they Gulvady said. —Sophomore Christina Xu allow her to tune out all distractions. She In addition to students, typically bakes during the weekends or many teachers like Jamie “Baking is fun because I like trying to during advisory if she has no work to do. Cohen, Social Science make different goods and challenging myself to Freshman Sahana Gopalan bakes for Department, also enjoy see if I can follow complicated recipes. I also like to bake goods for my family so that we can enjoy a different motive: to create new memories. baking as a hobby. Cohen it together. Recently, I have been starting to learn Gopalan initially learned from her father, learned from her mother how to bake sourdough bread.” and during quarantine, she began making and sister when she was —Sophomore Benjamin Sosnowski desserts more often because she had young. At the start of more spare time after her extracurriculars the pandemic, Cohen “I enjoy making food for my friends and family, went online. Gopalan enjoys this activity baked once every week, so I like baking. Additionally, it tastes good, and it is because of the experience: she loves but now bakes once always rewarding to successfully bake something. I used to bake around a few times a month and for creating recipes and eating the finished a month with her special occasions, but I have been really busy lately, so goods with family. Thus, she advises new daughter. Initially, I only do it once a month or less now.” bakers to not focus on the end result, but Cohen read recipe —Junior Selina Lu rather the experience of baking goods. books and followed Similarly, Freshman Gilina Voon experts on social media Compiled by Reagan Liu, Staff Writer loves to make memories by baking. Starting platforms such as Reddit from a young age, she helped her mom and and Pinterest to enhance her relatives create pastries for special events. skills and techniques. Even Now, she enjoys baking with her father as though Cohen it is a chance for them to spend time together. While Voon is unable to bake as much as she used to, she finds time to share recipes on the school’s Instagram in hopes that students will be inspired to begin a new hobby too. After learning the fundamentals from her parents, ed ents poll Voon now follows 100 stud YouTube videos to continue practicing and improving her baking skills. Through experience, she learned to pay attention to small details in order to prevent mistakes. While there are some students who bake as a hobby, others like Senior Chloe BEOMHEE KIM ART Cutaran and Leena Professional bakers often create tasty pastries, from blueberry coffee cakes to French macarons. However, these treats are not only made by experts, but also teenagers, such as Sophomore Kylie Duong.
“We have entered this new age, where more ‘ordinary’ female superheroes are taking the spotlight.” Elizabeth Olsen, is fantastic, and I am able to connect with her,” Hall said. Hall notes that the characters of Black Widow and Scarlet Witch seem to be from different generations of Marvel superheroes. Black Widow’s image is more representative of the stereotypical female superhero, who dresses in tight leather jumpsuits and has consistently appeared in films as a side character. Due to limited screen time, her full backstory was never fully introduced. Meanwhile, Wanda is seen in more comfortable clothing, and Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful Avengers, able to destroy an infinity stone. “We have entered this new age, where more ‘ordinary’ female superheroes are taking the spotlight. I would rather my daughter want to be Wanda over Black Widow,” Hall said. In “WandaVision,” Wanda’s magic transformed her town into one modeled after the sitcoms she grew up loving. Each episode takes on a different theme in Wanda’s self-made bubble: the first few episodes feature iconic laugh tracks from the 1950s. “Previous Marvel TV shows never felt weighty enough. I appreciate that WandaVision has a storyline that I can foresee being significant in the MCU later on,” Hall said. Whether it was the charm of Wanda’s character, the charisma of Elizabeth Olsen or the strength of the storyline, one thing is clear: Marvel succeeded in creating something unique to garner audience buy-in for TV Marvel.
Quotebox: Why do you bake?
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When Tracy Hall, Math Department, turns on her TV, it is usually playing children’s shows. Hall has two very young children—a oneyear-old and a three-year-old. It is not until they go to bed that she gets to enjoy her favorite Netflix shows with her husband. Recently, they have been staying up on Friday nights to watch the new Marvel television miniseries “WandaVision,” which started airing in January 2021. “WandaVision” takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), in the world after “Avengers: Endgame.” The show’s main conflict is how Marvel Comic’s superhero Scarlet Witch, or Wanda, deals with the death of her lover, Vision, who was killed off in “Avengers: Infinity War.” The Vision in “WandaVision” is created by Wanda’s magic, as she attempts to process her grief. Thus, despite its name, the show is more focused on Wanda, which Hall appreciates. “Due to the pandemic, we never got the Black Widow movie. I was craving a Marvel-based creation with a strong female lead. The actress,
and Larry Ye, Staff Writ
Lifestyle Editor
Compiled by Reagan Liu
Cindy Zhao
71% YES
29% NO
THE CHARGER ACCOUNT
Team chemistry: Differences between JV and Varsity
15
SPORTS
Keirah Chen and Raymond Dai
Varsity player Siddhant Thadani ‘21, wide receiver.
In contrast to JV, athletes competing for varsity are already familiar with their teammates and the sport they play. Saloni Bagri ‘21 and Simran Bagri ‘21, both on Varsity Girls Basketball, regularly attend travel tournaments in places such as Monterey, San Diego and other locations away from home. They explain that team bonds are much tighter on varsity teams than JV ones, so varsity players are able to engage in team-building activities that JV teammates do not. Harrison Model ‘23, a member of the JV Football team, explains that a main difference between JV and varsity is the gap in maturity. “Since we have less experience, our game knowledge is not as refined as players on the varsity team. However, gaining insights from coaches and older athletes helps us better understand how to run a successful team and establish a winning culture,” Model said. In 2019, Model received little playing time, so he invested significant efforts over the off-season to improve his game. Since, coaches noticed his improvement and made Model a starter on the team. JV and varsity players alike train to refine
“A key difference between varsity and JV competitions is the pace and level of intensity.”
JONATHAN MORRIS PHOTO
Miranda Lu and Pavana Upadhyaya
Staff Writers
“Gaining insights from coaches and older athletes helps us better understand how to run a successful team and establish a winning culture.” their skills, but they do so for different goals: while junior varsity athletes aim to acquire starting spots and make the varsity team, varsity athletes aim to make the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs and attract attention from college recruiters. Siddhant Thadani ‘21, a wide receiver recruit for the Colorado School of Mines and member of the Varsity Football Team
“The team is very well connected, and members push each other to improve.” explains that a main difference between varsity and JV competitions is the pace and level of intensity. To accommodate the increase in difficulty of competition, the varsity team has more coaches. In contrast to football and the majority of other sports at the school, the cross country team is not split into varsity and junior varsity divisions. Rather than separating runners by skill levels, the entire team trains and competes together.
JV player Harrison Model ‘23, offensive and defensive starter.
Courtesy of Harrison Model
As spring sports seasons resume after their sudden suspension in March 2020, not only is frequent practice necessary to win games, but it also builds camaraderie between older and younger teammates. Especially for junior varsity (JV) athletes, developing teamwork is key: most JV participants are new to their sport and also unfamiliar with one another. A member of the school’s Junior Varsity Baseball team, Tygan Coffey ‘24 enjoys bonding with teammates over food, video games and other social activities. Other teams, like JV Girls Lacrosse, also participate in exchanges like Secret Sisters. Three years ago, while competing for her team, Maddie Wing ‘21 recalls randomly choosing a number out of a bag, getting assigned to one of her teammates and then shopping for care packages before each game. By exchanging gifts while participating in Secret Sisters, Wing and her teammates were able to develop closer relationships and better understand each other.
Brian Jackson ‘23, a member of the team, notes that the team is very well connected, and everyone pushes each other to improve. However, since members run individually, rather than as a team during meets, the runners also have to compete against one another. “During races, athletes are not only trying to defeat other teams but they are also competing against their own teammates. Although it is a team sport, each runner is trying to get first place,” Jackson said. At the end of the day, however, Jackson believes there is a balance between fun and competition, explaining that everyone knows what they need to do well and how to socialize as friends with one another. With three different divisions of organization among the school’s sports teams, each athlete is driven by different motivations and has different goals, but everyone enjoys becoming friends with teammates and seeing their teams succeed.
The school’s archers hit their mark Staff Writers
From the moment he shot his first arrow, Joseph Jung ‘21 was hooked. Despite archery being a lesser known sport, Jung decided to continue with the activity, training with the Joy Lee Archery Academy (JLAA) since the seventh grade. Besides practicing independently, Jung also works with Josh Smith, a former member of the USA Archery Team. At the start of most lessons and practice sessions, Jung starts by warming up with arm exercises and then practices shooting at different distances ranging anywhere from 30 to 70 meters. He also times his shooting, giving himself two minutes to shoot an entire set of arrows, then retrieving them and repeating the process. After a few hours, he finishes practice with a quick cooldown and reviews his results. “In archery, the most important thing is having good form, so I constantly reflect on each shot and listen to my coach’s advice. Examining shots and maintaining focus are key to improving any archer’s form. Ensuring that each shot is taken with the exact same motion increases precision,” Jung said. Using the skills he learns from his coaches, Jung competes in archery competitions like the Grapestakes tournament in Sacramento, California and the prestigious Vegas Shoot—the largest indoor archery contest in the world. During most competitions, Jung is required to shoot sixty arrows in twenty sets of three,
with two minutes to shoot each set. After shooting, he approaches the targets and scores his arrows, occasionally calling a judge for help if the score is tentative. Scores are updated in real time, and Joseph Jung ‘21 the leaderboard draws his bow and takes aim.
JUNAN KE PHOTO
automatically displays his standing amongst other competitors. Jung explained that as soon as a competitor’s scores are finalized, they are reviewed statewide and
nationwide. The archery league that Jung competes in is divided into five Divisions: Bowman, Cub, Cadet, Junior and Senior. Jung shoots in the Junior Division with similarly-aged archers. Dongwoo Kwak ‘24 also competes in archery. Kwak started learning archery after an introduction to the sport by a church friend. Now, he takes weekly lessons at HYP Archery Club with coach Hye Youn Park, a current USA Archery Team member and 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Finalist. Kwak competes in the Young Adult Male Division, and he enjoys participating in tournaments to develop his skill and meet other archers. Since the pandemic began, both Kwak and Jung have been taking several precautions to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. During coachings and competitions, they maintain social distancing, sanitize regularly and wear
“In archery, the most important thing is having good form, so I constantly reflect on each shot.” masks when not shooting. In addition to in-person competitions, both have virtually attended various at-home tournaments, like the Vegas Shoot. In
mid-April, Kwak participated in the online portion of the tournament. He and other competitors from around the wrold
“Kwak is mainly interested in having fun and honing his skill. He hopes to pursue archery as a lifelong hobby.” received an email with scoring directions and a printable copy of their official scorecard. They were given a month-long period to complete three 30-arrow Vegas rounds and were instructed to shoot each round with two or three other participants. After completing the rounds, Kwak and other archers were required to submit their scores electronically, a photo of their target from each round, scorecards and the names and target numbers of everyone in their scoring group. Although contestants have a chance to win large cash prizes and scholarships, Kwak is mainly interested in having fun and honing his skill, and he hopes to pursue archery as a lifelong hobby whilst still entering in more competitions in the future. Meanwhile, Jung is interested in continuing the sport during college, perhaps joining a club or even the school team to continue refining his shooting technique. No matter whether archery will become more than a just pastime for the two athletes, both plan on enjoying the sport well into the future.
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Aesthetics, Redefined Modern Youth Culture
Atkinson and M
iranda Lu
Staff Writers
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While the word “aesthetics” originally referred “I resonate the most with “M to studies relating to Cottagecore cottagecore. bu y beauty and the arts, has a lot to do with plants, so bu t w aest Generation Z (Gen Z), re t f ith he it has influenced my lifestyle by pl late ash th tic i referring to those born me to go out more and e encouraging a i s d on c g be id from the mid-1990s to look at nature. I really enjoy looking -Ju cau pa item wi olor reen ni se tte s se, gr d the mid-2010s, now uses at cottagecore artwork and I like or I h rn are it ee ark ca n. it to refer to fashion and Yo av s, cottagecore because it is an aesthetic a t ng e lea hin n b It d cad visuals that have shared styles that is away from busy city life. Oo alw the gs e e oe em and themes. Aesthetics—like i ays r a lik xpe s n ia, Although it is a romanticization of ha nd e tr ns ot r wh the popular cottagecore which agricultural life, it is incredibly i e d a f fou enc ve, ally ich focuses on the theme of vintage, aesthetically pleasing.” e h i n as ta c sp in s l cin in oa ec fl ik rural life and early 20th century -Sophomore Nora Thomas e at p ts, ial uen da fashion—are especially prevalent io en o ly c rk n w s. I xfor sin e m aca among Gen Z because of the avenues ith l d ce y d they provide for self-expression. an ike sh aca life em o s tiq th es de ty ia One of the main reasons why ue is , t m le, s.” ae we iaaesthetic categories are so appealing sth e to Gen Z specifically is the identity and et d, ic individualism that is attached to many of these subgroups. According to The Atlantic, aesthetics help adolescents present a version of what they would like to be to the world, as well as find and create communities with people who have similar interests and beliefs. Not only do aesthetics inspire different styles and cultures, but they also help to form safe spaces for the younger generation. “I find it very interesting how the different aesthetics can allow people to express their different types of themes. I feel that many of the Gen Z people are especially attracted to this type of culture because it gives them a chance to stand out and try out these unique styles,” Freshman Mykayla Liu said. Additionally, some aesthetics function as a form of nostalgia: similar to how many fashion trends from the 1980s and 1990s are popular again, many trending aesthetics focus on iconography from the past. Examples include webcore, which is based on designs of websites from the 1990s and 2000s, such as those found on website host Geocities, and scenecore, which is a revival of the scene subculture based around metal and pop punk music from the mid-2000s. Aesthetics can also be a way for Gen Z to differentiate themselves from previous generations. According to the newsletter Sunroom, many popular Gen Z aesthetics actively oppose millennial aesthetics. While millennial aesthetics featured pastel colors, rounded shapes and sparse, minimal designs, Gen Z aesthetics often feature intentionally clashing colors and photos edited to look off-kilter or unflattering. Sunroom reports that Gen Z’s approach can be viewed as more authentic than that of millennials due to their purposeful imperfections, whereas the latter may appear overly manufactured. This maximalism is exemplified by cluttercore, which embraces keeping and displaying all of one’s possessions in a pleasing way, rather than striving to have a streamlined living space. Many different types of aesthetics have drastically increased in popularity in recent years, particularly the aforementioned cottagecore. The Atlantic ascribes this shift to realworld events: cottagecore can be a natural antidote to the primarily online lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Forbes claims that cottagecore ties into young consumers’ propensity to shop sustainably, since many clothes and accessories fitting with the cottagecore aesthetic can be found at thrift and secondhand stores. Taylor Swift’s album “Folklore,” which featured themes of rural and traditional living in its songs as well as cover art, was reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to have helped bring the cottagecore aesthetic to the forefront. Notably, the pandemic has also affected the popularity of certain aesthetics. According to The Atlantic, plaguecore, which features fashion inspired by medieval and Renaissance-era plague doctors, offers both an escape from the pandemic and a way to cope with it in a humorous way. Similarly, blogger Shaniya Bethel told The Atlantic that she believes the pandemic made dark academia, a subculture centered around classic literature, architecture and the arts, more popular: since places like schools, gyms and shopping malls were closed, many people turned to activities that could be done at home, like writing and reading, Although it has always been popular to define oneself according to common interests and themes, aesthetics are especially important for Gen Z. Not only do they allow young people to meet others with shared beliefs, they also provide an avenue for them to express who they would like to be. BEOMHEE KIM ART