Volume 51, Issue 1, September 23, 2020

VOLUME 51 ISSUE 1 // SEPTEMBER 2020

Activism 23

Uncovering the journey and motivations of teacher, student and alumni activists in the MVHS community

21840 McClellan Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014 elestoque.org mv.el.estoque@gmail.com Editors-in-Chief: Ayah Ali-Ahmad, Oishee Misra Managing Editors: Justine Ha, Andie Liu, Robert Liu, Brian Xu News Editors: Devin Gupta, Rachel Jiang, Jefferson Le, Tina Low Opinion Editors: Tyler Cho, Shreshta Ranganathan Feature Editors: Michelle Chen, Anushka De, Iman Malik, Tanish Mendki Entertainment Editors: Ishaani Dayal, Vivian Jiang, Claire Wen, Annie Zhang Sports Editors: Jayanti Jha, Collin Qian, Anjali Singh, Lance Tong Graphics Editor: Iman Malik Design Editor: Tyler Cho Business Editor: Vivian Jiang Website Editor: Devin Gupta Staff Writers: Ritu Atreyas, Diya Bahl, Sophia Chen, Melody Cui, Krish Dev, Mikaylah Du, Suraj Gangaram, Gavin Hung, Anna Jerolimov, Minjae Kang, Nishat Kazi, Justin Kim, Sophia Ma, Arjan Madan, Shivani Madhan, Gauri Manoj, Kripa Mayureshwar, Abdullah Memon, Amber Milesi, Riya Ravuri, Anika Sharma, Jannah Sheriff, Aditya Shukla, Neysa Singh, Leanna Sun, Irene Tang, Prisha Tiwari, Shivani Verma, Mira Wagner, Matthew Yoshimoto, Sean Yagi, Nika Zamani Adviser: Julia Satterthwaite Mission Statement: El Estoque will accurately inform our community through well-researched, unbiased and indepth accounts of the student body and staff, news and developments and taboo topics prevalent in and near MVHS. Investigating various voices and credible perspectives, we hope to foster active discussion, effect positive change and spread awareness of timely, relevant content. As a trustworthy and reliable source of information, we strive to be accountable, adaptable and ready to correct and address our mistakes. Constantly striving for improvement, we will uphold integrity and ethics to be respectful and empathetic to our sources and our readers. We will exercise our press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment and California Ed Code 48907 while maintaining a community passionate about our work and journalism as a whole.

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS The new normal. Alone together. Unprecedented circumstances.

2020 has been a year like no other — so much so that the phrases above have transformed into overused cliches.

Everything feels different. We see our classmates and teachers through screens, wake up to ominous orange skies and even read our own content, the El Estoque online magazine, by flipping the pages with keyboards rather than with our hands.

And yet, as we head into the second month of the Fall 2020 school year, our community has been active, albeit behind screens. There’s been a rise, especially among younger generations, of activism and unlearning prejudices. Months in isolation have not halted fights for justice; rather, they’ve amplified them. Individuals and organizations within the MVHS and FUHSD communities are striving to make progress pertaining to issues such as racial injustice. Beyond that, many are advocates on social media — educating, as well as offering avenues of action, such as signing petitions, calling and emailing representatives, donating and voting.

Some MVHS students have immersed themselves into causes, partnering with organizations such as the Young American Policy Advocates, Bay Area Uncovered, Ad Lucem and Diversify Our Narrative. Some alumni have returned, bringing back new knowledge and visions to better our community and working with initiatives such as Asians 4 Black Lives and Just Beginnings Collaborative, an organization looking to help end childhood sexual abuse. Some teachers have mirrored these efforts as well, including members of the FUHSD Advocates for Change group who have taken steps to fuel change, starting within their classrooms by including more diverse, empowering authors and works.

Despite facing challenges that seem insurmountable, our community members are demonstrating resilience, and actively working to make our world a better place.

The new normal — we’re adapting.

Alone together — we have each others’ backs.

Unprecedented circumstances — we’re making the best of it.

COVER ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

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EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

PHOTO | JUSTINE HA

Oishee Misra

Ayah Ali-Ahmad

TABLE OF CONTENTS EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

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City Council Candidates

BY DEVIN GUPTA AND NIKA ZAMANI

Meet Joseph Fruen, Kitty Moore, Steven Scharf and Hung Wei

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It’s time to vote local

BY ROBERT LIU

Local advocacy can be more impactful than participating in the national election conversation

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Budding Musicians

BY CLAIRE WEN

Students share about learning new musical instruments during quarantine

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Recreational sports during quarantine

BY BRIAN XU

MVHS Students and staff safely stay active despite COVID-19 restrictions

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Activism

BY DIYA BAHL, ANUSHKA DE, MIKAYLAH DU, JUSTINE HA, SHIVANI MADHAN, IMAN MALIK AND MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

Uncovering the journey and motivations of teacher, student and alumni activists in the MVHS community

PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON | USED WITH PERMISSION

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s November 3 draws near, residents of Cupertino have adorned their lawns with signs supporting preferred candidates City Council, the County Board of Education, Congress, and the President and Vice President. While the FUHSD School Board candidates up for reelection — Jeff Moe and Roy Rocklin — are running

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unopposed, a new wave of voters is excited to cast ballots in the more hotly contested categories, as well as make their voices heard on the 12 California propositions on the ballot this year. This package explores local politics so our community of voters can be informed as they complete their absentee ballots.

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CUPERTINO CITY COUNCIL MEET JOSEPH FRUEN, KITTY MOORE, STEVEN SCHARF AND HUNG WEI

BY DEVIN GUPTA AND NIKA ZAMANI

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n Nov. 3, Cupertino residents will vote in the municipal general election for their City Council members. Among the many prevalent issues this year, candidates will debate two main issues: regional housing and public transportation.

Every eight years, the California state legislature assigns each city a minimum amount of required housing, called the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). In the 2012 to 2019 cycle, Cupertino developed just 19 of the 1,400 units that they were allocated. The 2020 City Council members will be responsible for planning the next eight years of regional housing.

One issue under public scrutiny is the Vallco property development. For the past 6 years, the Cupertino has been in negociation with Sand Hill properties, the owners of Vallco, with few results.

Last year, state legislature passed SB 35, a state bill that fastracks housing with a 50% affordable allocation, and Sand Hill announced a new plan that satisfies the requirements. City council will now be responsible for working with Sand Hill properties, or renegociating a better deal. *Candidates preference.

order

doesn’t

indicate

In the 2018 city council election, less than 20% of residents voted. This year, with additional obstacles caused by shelter-in-place orders, candidates will not be door-knocking or conducting meet and greets, placing a larger emphasis on monetary campaigning, such as mail flyers. The results of this election host future consequences for development initiatives, open-transportation and school programs.

SCAN FOR MORE COVERAGE

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Joseph Fruen Candidate Joseph Fruen is a thirdgeneration Cupertino resident, and attended Miller Middle School and Lynbrook High School. Fruen has grown to love Cupertino and places immense emphasis on the city’s education system.

For the future of Cupertino education, Fruen strives to make Cupertino housing more affordable. He places the utmost priority in constructing more apartments and condos to lower living costs and bring younger families into the city. According to Fruen, this will result in both cheaper properties and a better environment. “[Condensed] communities are a lot more walkable [and] bikeable,” Fruen said. “You don’t have to get into a car … and frankly, I think that’s a more livable city than what we’ve got right now.”

Additionally, Fruen says he encourages diversity in the City Council stating that if he won, he would vote to eliminate candidates with prior allegiance to political special interest groups.

“I genuinely think that if we’re going to appoint people, [it should be of] merit or what they bring to that position that is unique or reflective of Cupertino, and not necessarily just that they are people who agree with you,” Fruen said.

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Kitty Moore Catherine (Kitty) Moore became an active community member since her children began attending kindergarten in the CUSD district. As the Chair of the Planning Commission and Environmental Review Committee, Moore’s primary campaign focuses include housing, transportation, budgeting, and environmental protection.

Moore worries about a cement plant in Cupertino, Lehigh Cement, and it’s upcoming reclamation plant that calls for an additional 600 truck trips per day on Cupertino’s Foothill expressway.

“The City should look into what they’re planning and make sure that the residents are protected,” Moore said.

Moore proposes implementing an underground subway line to combat increasing traffic, which allows residents to use public transportation and decreases carbon emissions. She also hopes to encourage electric vehicles, increase the number of charging stations and pressure buildings in Cupertino to do their part to reduce carbon emissions.

“I suggested that we... encourage white painted roofs, green roofs with vegetation or [roofs with] solar [panels],” Moore said.

“I think [it] would be particularly beneficial [and] increase energy efficiency.”

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Steven Scharf Originally a hardware engineer, mayor Steven Scharf grew interested in politics upon joining a political group, Cupertino Against Rezoning Excess (CARE), which advocated for affordable housing and school funding. In 2016 Scharf ran for City Council, won and was later selected for mayor.

For his 2020 campaign, Scharf is focusing on new affordable housing, intercity transportation initiatives and funding for local schools. Naming the RHNA as the platform from which he would create meaningful change, Scharf plans to restart conversations with past developments, such as the Sand Hill Properties in the Vallco development.

“We’ve had conversations with [the Vallco developers],” Scharf said. “We know that [the current plan] is not their first choice … [so] the city is still open to negotiating with them on a different project.”

According to Scharf, new housing requires new transportation and additional school funding to support it. He would like to institute an on-demand transit system, similar to the Via partnering with neighboring cities, as well as furthering the current bike lanes on McClellan and Stevens Creek.

Scharf also plans to build smaller and cheaper housing catered to growing families to get more school funding.

Hung Wei FUHSD Board Member Hung Wei moved to Cupertino in 1990 where she became involved in, and held positions in, the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), the FUHSD Board of Trustees and various volunteer groups.

In 2018, Wei ran for city council losing by less than 300 votes. Similar to 2018, her major campaign priorities are improving housing and transportation, protecting the environment and bettering school programs.

“I’m hoping that I can be the partnershipbuilding person in the council,” Wei said. “I believe I have the chemistry to make things happen.”

Wei also plans to work with the Valley Transit Authority (VTA), local employers and neighboring cities to institute clean energy transportation, such as bike paths and public buses.

“Housing and traffic need to come together,” Wei said. “I’ve already talked to [the city councils of] Mountain View, Sunnyvale and San Jose, and they all agree. We need to get together as a region to build transit.”

Wei promises new programs and benefits for local school districts as well, such as career training modules and new study spaces at the Cupertino Library.

Charlene Lee Lee did not respond to interview requests. If you would like to learn more, her website is http://charlenelee. org/home/.

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RUNNING UNOPPOSED FUHSD School Board members assess new goals after no new candidates entered the race

BY KRIPA MAYURESHWAR AND RACHEL JIANG

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UHSD Board of Trustees President Jeff Moe was “geared up” for the 2020 School Board of Trustees election, and decided to run for re-election to serve his third term as a member.

As part of his strategy, he updated his website, which now contains long lists of endorsements, goals and achievements, which he humorously recommends to those who “really don’t have enough reading to do.”

However, the news reaches him that there will be no new candidates running for the school board this November.

The terms of Moe and FUHSD Board of Trustees member Roy Rocklin are expiring on Nov. 3. As no new candidates decided to run for the board, the two current m e m b e r s will be the only ones on the ballot, therefore getting reelected for their

next term. Also running for re-election, Rocklin recognized that having no new members running for the board results in both individuals remaining on the FUHSD Board next year.

“It is a lot of work to [campaign],” Moe said. “Eighty percent of me was happy that I didn’t have to do all that work and twenty percent of me was disappointed because I missed the opportunity to talk to people about [my] campaign.”

Moe had planned to focus on educational excellence and equity. He originally scheduled luncheons, events where individuals have lunch with him to learn about his goals. Additionally, Moe wanted to spread awareness about his campaign to other community members.

“I was going to ... contact all my friends and connections, or people I know, and [ask] them if we could put up lawn signs and send out mailers and flyers,” Moe said. “I was [also] planning to do precinct walking: we walk from house to house, and put fliers on ... the porch.”

Although there are no new candidates, Student Representative of the FUHSD Board and FHS Senior Juan Pedraza Arellano says he is confident in the board

members’ commitment to improving district policies. “[Sometimes] you just go to school and think … there’s not a lot of thought that goes behind what people do behindthe-scenes to be able to make school a safe environment for us,” Arellano said.

“I even learned about how they actually have to work with arborists, [who] ... are experts on trees, to be able to trim trees correctly so that other branches [don’t] fall down on you in the middle of lunch.”

As both Rocklin and Moe are confirmed to be back on the board next year, they are anticipating moving forward. Rocklin states that the key focus right now is to execute remote learning procedures and follow state and county health guidelines as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

In addition to remote learning procedures, in light of recent support for a reassessment of voices represented across subjects — which was influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement — Rocklin and Moe state that the board is modifying the current curriculum by approving more diverse content. They are updating the books students read in English courses, for example, including reading

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have never a

*According to a surve

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“American Born Chinese” in Honors health and safety guidelines, Rocklin American Literature, hearing Penelope’s and Moe, along with the rest of the experience in “The Penelopiad” in board members, have also hosted board Mythology and looking into replacing “To meetings via Zoom Webinar, rather than in Kill a Mockingbird” person, in order in Literature and to continue Writing with a text discussing and that examines the developing systemic racism plans for the present in America. near future.

Rocklin adds Due to topics that the board is such as remote looking into more l ea r n i n g , options such as social justice IT’S ALWAYS USEFUL TO adding an ethnic issues and BECOME MORE EDUCATED studies elective or considerations ABOUT HOW DEMOCRACY general course into for reopening WORKS AND BOARD the curriculum. schools, there “ We are has been MEETINGS ARE A FORM OF investigating the an increase DEMOCRACY.” practices that we in student have and especially and alumni FUHSD BOARD MEMBER participation in what goes on in History and English ROY ROCKLIN board meetings. classes,” Rocklin H o w e v e r, said. “ We’re also according investigating our to Moe and discipline policies in regards to expulsions, Rocklin, students are generally not often suspensions and interventions.” involved in these types of meetings.

In addition to addressing educational Pedraza plans to encourage more equity issues, Moe would like to continue students to participate in them. maintaining academic standards among Additionally, Rocklin, Moe and Pedraza students in FUHSD. He hopes the believe that it is still important to pay curriculum under remote learning can attention to what the board members are uphold the standards set for every other working on because it provides students year in the past. Adapting to the COVID-19 a platform to voice their opinions and

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initiate change for certain issues, policies and events.

“It’s always useful to become more educated about how democracy works and board meetings are a form of democracy,” Rocklin said. “They’re a legal requirement. [They are] how the public maintains control over the school system through the election of the Board of Trustees. Any time spent by a member of the public becoming more educated on how [the school] system works is useful time.”

ILLUSTRATION | KRIPA MAYURESHWAR

of students

er attended a school board meeting

survey of 405 MVHS students

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YOUNG VOTERS How youth view involvement within national and local politics

BY AYAH ALI-AHMAD AND RIYA RAVURI

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ith the 2020 presidential the White House, which is really not an Senior Nelson Mu disagrees, saying elections approaching in exciting prospect.” no matter how large the voters’ pool is November, a new surge of

Part of why he might not vote nationally and whether or not you live progressive young adults are predicted to is due to his belief that it won’t hold in a swing state, people should use their participate in a possibly record-breaking weight in such a big pool of voters, and vote in any election. He says that voting voter turnout, according to The Atlantic. that California is already likely to vote is a civic duty and a privilege, mentioning Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s campaigns Democrat. Though Lee is not enthusiastic that some states and counties face both have a large number of swing voters, about the presidential election prospects, voter suppression. He fears that if more reflecting the belief of many voters’ that he is passionate about participating in people hold the mentality that their vote both candidates are “two of the same local elections. He believes that his one doesn’t matter, it might harm democracy. evil.”

Therefore, vote matters more “Imagine if every time a person in young voters who in smaller-scale polls the U.S. voted, [they] thought, ‘my vote had been supporting and that it is the best doesn’t matter because I’m just one of Bernie Sanders way to make a direct 400 million,’” Mu said. “There’d be no are either opting change within one’s democracy, nobody voting … You need out of voting in the community. to vote, even if you don’t think it matters, presidential election “Seeing yourself because frankly, they do matter. And it or voting for Biden as one vote in might not seem that way, it might not YOU CAN’T JUST SIGN without supporting however many seem like your vote has an impact and A PETITION AND GO, his campaign fully. millions of people just might be a drop in the ocean. But it’s ‘ALRIGHT, MY WORK Although she in the United will be casting her States can get very HERE IS DONE.’ vote in this year’s disheartening, and presidential election, you feel like your SENIOR alumni Ellianna vote doesn’t matter, NELSON MU Damozonio ‘20 which to a certain does not strongly extent is true,” Lee support either major said. “But when you candidate.

She look at stuff on a explains that while both options have local level, you can actually see yourself Studen their setbacks, ultimately, she will be as an agent of change, and you can voting for Biden. understand how you can do something to would vote “I don’t support everything about his benefit your community.” platform, but [Biden] is definitely more DONALD TRU in line with my beliefs on issues that I think matter than the other candidate,” MIKE PENCE Damozonio said. “I just have a lot of issues with how [Biden] has shown to enact policy and his general platform.”

Likewise, alumni Nathan Lee ‘20 is not pleased with either candidate. If it were up to him, Bernie Sanders would still be in the running. Neither remaining major Students candidate is an appealing option to Lee, who is considering opting out from voting would vote in the presidential election, but he says that he will still vote on his ballot for JOE BIDEN | statewide related propositions.

“I was super excited about Bernie,” Lee KAMALA HARRIS said. “Now, looking at the two remaining candidates, I am not happy at all. I just *According to a survey of 403 MVHS students feel like no matter what’s going to happe we’re going to have a racist rapist in

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Who would MVHS students vote for?

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this idea of civic engagement that really matters.”

However, Mu understands why people may decide not to vote in the presidential election. He proposes using the opportunity to vote third party. Any third party candidate who gets 5 percent of the national vote can get federal election funding, which Nelson says helps them hold a presence.

“You might not vote because you might not think that [your vote] matter[s],” Mu said. “I can see where you’re coming from, and I can actually agree, even if you didn’t vote … [But], for those of you who are saying ‘I don’t like our current twoparty system,’ then vote for a third party to give them the funding they need.”

To help people see the importance of voting and other political issues, Damozonio says social media is a good source to educate others on policy shifts and specific changes being enacted. She says that using her voice on social media and holding discussions with friends or family can spur change on a local level.

“If there’s other ways that I want to

look [to] get involved in local issues or wide politics are more important than things like that, I know that I can put congressional issues, even if more people in the effort to change what’s around vote on the national level. me or more directly in my community,” “When you get involved with politics, Damozonio said. “Once I get past my it’s usually 99 percent because you want initial research stages, I’m definitely going to be part of the national movement,” Mu to get a lot more involved in trying … to said. “Of course, we want to solve these share more about issues at a national what I’ve learned level. But you got to and what I think remember, you live in a it’s important for city. Who’s going to take people to know.” the trash? Who’s going Mu disagrees to run the schools, with the use of right? Who’s going to social media and do all these different the labeling of things that you take for I KNOW THAT I’M posting online as granted on a day to day PRIVILEGED ENOUGH advocacy, stating basis? That’s the city, it is only used to TO HAVE ANY SORT that’s the county, that’s bring awareness whatever else at the OF SAY. EVEN IF IT IS to national issues local level.”

JUST ONE VOTE. that are already Lee has been able being discussed to keep up with the ‘ 20 ALUMNI widely, rather elections by taking a ELLA DAMOZONIO than local politics. summer class at De To Mu, countyAnza about political wide and cityscience with a focus on current events and politics in America. He also helped people pre-register to vote, as well as spent 12 hours phone banking for Proposition 15. By phone banking, he was able to talk to people in the community who might be affected by it or have a unique perspective.

Students “I got to have some really good conversations with people, especially would vote third when you’re calling people in your neighborhood,” Lee said. “I spoke to party or a write-in somebody whose kids are going to go to Monta Vista in the next few years, and just candidate having good conversations about their view on what’s going on ... Just getting those different perspectives from people who live here was really important to me.”

Mu says real advocacy is constant work, especially on the local level. As the President of the Politics Club, coPresident of the Youth Conservative Forum and a member of Young American Policy Advocates, Mu has experience in local politics and says for those willing to go beyond reading up information on bills and put in the effort to do more in their county, they should.

“As long as you’re voting, as long as you’re reading information on bills, as long as you’re actually putting in the legwork, that’s acceptable,” Mu said. “The ILLUSTRATION | KRIPA MAYURESHWAR problem I think with performative politics

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dents

ote

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74 Students would not vote

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is and performative activism is when people say something like they post a shit ton of stuff on Instagram, you can’t just sign a petition go alright my work here is done and still act as if you are hyper-involved in activism. People really should get involved more intimately with politics.”

Damozonio agrees with Mu, believing that seeing one’s vote being casted is

a privilege. She says that she will vote because she wants to stay involved in all elections.

“It’s important to make your opinion heard ... I know that I’m privileged enough to have any sort of say. Even if it is just one vote, I definitely want to use that,” Damonzonio said. “We do have some extent of control over the society that we live in. I want to take as much

time [as] I can to really inform myself ...

It definitely is work that I’m happy to do, but it is more work than I would have ever initially expected.”

How do students stay informed about US politics?

News publications/articles

28%

Social media

26%

Learning from parents

22%

Learning from teachers

12%

Broadcasts

9%

Other

2%

6%

13%

*According to a survey of 407 MVHS students

of students

of students are

consider themselves informed on local politics

pre-registered to vote

*According to a survey of 406 MVHS students

*According to a survey of 411 MVHS students

ILLUSTRATION | AYAH ALI-AHMAD

Voter turnout by age 66.1%

35.6%

30-44 48.8%

59.5%

18-29

45-64 65+

*According to United States Census Bureau

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CALIFORNIA PROPOSITIONS Learn more about the 12 state propositions

BY DEVIN GUPTA AND RACHEL JIANG

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long with the presidential election, state representative election, and local measure approval, on Nov. 3, voters will enact a wide variety of state propositions ranging from taxing to housing to healthcare. Key propositions this year include the acceptance of affirmative action, new voting groups and the replacement of cash bail, of the 12 total propositions.

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B ONDS

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V OT ING

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P OLICE

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L A B OR

Issues $5.5 billion in bonds for state stem cell research institute and changes governance laws

Restores the right to vote to people convicted of felonies who are on parole

Makes stricter policing laws related to criminal sentencing charges, prison release, and DNA collection

Requires physician on-site at dialysis clinics and consent from the state for a clinic to close

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A F F IR M. A C T ION

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TA X E S

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V OT ING

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TA X E S

L A B OR

Expands local governments’ power to use rent control for housing first occupied 15 years before

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Considers app-based drivers to be independent contractors and enacts several labor protections related to appbased companies

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T R IA L S

Requires commercial and industrial properties to be taxed based on market value and dedicates revenue

Allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the next general election to vote in primaries and special elections

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HOUS ING

D ATA

Limits business’s rights to user data, and removes penalization time limits

Repeals Proposition 209 (1996): state cannot grant preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment

Alters inheritance tax laws and allocates addition income to wildfire agencies and counties

Replaces cash bail with risk assessments for suspects awaiting trial

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DANGERS OF ECHO CHAMBERS Critiquing the formation of political bubbles on social media platforms and beyond

BY SHRESHTA RANGANATHAN AND JANNAH SHERIFF

PHOTO | FIRSTNAME LASTNAME

ILLUSTRATION | SHRESHTA RANGANATHAN

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he outcome of the 2016 election — Donald Trump’s victory — and the consequent four years exposed the deeply sown polarization within the United States. For some, the outcome was unexpected, and to an extent due to problematic features of social media, including unreliable and inaccurate polls, as well as the phenomena that’s called the echo chamber.

According to the organization GCF Global, “an echo chamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own.” Formed due to our tendency to seek out agreeable content, echo chambers are reinforced

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by platforms that feed into this concept with their personalized algorithms. Our stances on various topics — abortion, the defunding of the police, gun control — often have nothing to do with our true opinions, but rather our lack of confidence in challenging ideas and our conformity to social and political norms.

Rush Limbaugh, a conservative political commentator and radio personality articulates this when he says “the world is a struggle only between the good and the evil,” on behalf of the Fox News Team, which villainizes those with opposing viewpoints.

Echo chambers are prominent on social media platforms, where feeds are

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customized to suit users’ comfort zones.

Though some may expect that the variety of people on these platforms will result in diverse interactions between contrasting viewpoints, the opposite often takes place; this is caused by the social media algorithms placing us in groups, and our tendency to mirror the views of the media we consume.

One of the strongest echo chambers is found within Twitter, because most of the content comes from a small portion of the user base. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, “about 80 percent of Tweets are sent by just 10 percent of users.”

Twitter’s large echo chambers are

OPINION formed largely due to its personalized user algorithm. Twitter’s algorithm, like almost every other social media, curates content that aligns with people’s political or social views based on the types of tweets they like and retweet. Though this makes the social media platform maintain an active user base, it drowns out voices, often failing to display content that users may disagree with.

However, echo chambers can occasionally be a useful phenomena. It can provide a sense of community for those who are impacted by shared issues. For example, according to a paper from Santa Clara University, “Social media has been a tool to expand the LGBT community around the world.” The ongoing LGBTQ+ ILLUSTRATION | SHRESHTA RANGANATHAN social media movements for equal rights bring a sense of unity and solidarity for those who face extreme prejudice and contributing to the aforementioned As a member of Generation Z, one of unjust treatment. the most active generations on social polarization.

Additionally, they can help instigate This has also manifested within the media, we must start using our platforms positive changes, such as legislation in MVHS community, in the rise of social wisely. Researching opposing content Congress. The New York Times highlights media activism among high school doesn’t mean that you need to change a specific students.

And when your political views and values, but rather instance in which students receive and accept that other opinions are valid as large amounts share information from well. With the 2020 presidential candidate of people inaccurate Instagram around the corner, we can’t bury ourselves participated in threads or TikToks, within echo chambers — it’s time we a social media they inadvertently also explore outside the algorithm and get campaign to help contribute to an echo a grasp of where we are as a country. So THE WORLD IS A raise money for the next time you’re looking through your chamber.

STRUGGLE ONLY the American Civil Spreading knowledge social media apps, remember to venture Liberties Union to and opinions is important out of your echo chambers and look at the BETWEEN THE GOOD assist refugees and everyone should world through different, critical lenses.

AND THE EVIL. impacted by media, we must start using our be allowed to do so and Trump’s travel engage in meaningful platforms wisely. Researching opposing COMMENTATOR discourse. However, when content doesn’t mean that you need to ban in 2017.

However, RUSH LIMBAUGH individuals are part of echo change your political views and values, despite WWits chambers, they rarely view but rather accept that other opinions are occasional opposing content, and valid as well. With the 2020 presidential positive impacts, their immediate instinct candidate around the corner, we can’t it is ultimately hard to support the is to shut down those who disagree. By bury ourselves within echo chambers inherent idea of echo chambers and their normalizing counterproductive hatred for — it’s time we explore outside the neglect for multiple perspectives. groups seen as outsiders or opposition, algorithm and get a grasp of where we A detriment of echo chambers is the echo chambers cause unnecessary are as a country. So the next time you’re consequent labelling of individuals. polarization. looking through your social media apps, However, a single political label is a Echo chambers shouldn’t be remember to venture out of your echo misinterpretation — individuals have eliminated altogether. Yet social media chambers and look at the world through complex personalities and can engage in users need to learn to go out of their way different, critical lenses. critical thinking — and by being sucked and leave the bubble every now and then into an echo chamber, individual thought to become more open-minded critical is thrown out. For instance, people that thinkers. Even if you don’t agree with have views in the middle of the spectrum the ideas presented, remaining ignorant get their voices drowned out or are forced to opposing views can be incredibly to pick a side on either extreme, further dangerous.

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OPINION | SEPTEMBER 2020

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SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVISM Comparing active versus passive forms of activism on social media platforms

BY SOPHIA MA AND OISHEE MISRA

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ILLUSTR

ATION C R

EDIT | S OPHIA

MA

ummer 2020, here in the MVHS community and beyond, was like no other. Not only was a worsening global pandemic a key player, but so was the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement across our community, the nation and even the world. And this movement seemed to influence the expansion of another one, particularly among teenagers — one that’s often coined “social media activism”.

Over the summer, former President Barack Obama said that “watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful,” commending our generation’s response to BLM and our desire to create real change.

And this activism is evident on social media platforms, where posts span from political or informational infographics to ones that promote petitions for change to underreported media coverage.

Yet this phenomenon has two sides: it demonstrates both hopeful activity as well as disappointing passivity.

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Active Activism

sharing posts and their own opinions With the increase in people’s social on their social media accounts about media use and social justice awareness the current events, including hashtags in recent months due to shelter-in-place like #BlackLivesMatter, #Beirut and orders and the death of George Floyd, #COVID-19. This is a relatively easy way using platforms to share information to start conversation, amplify unheard about important voices and expand issues has upon impactful b e c o m e movements. commonplace. A People are driven simple click can to interact with share articles posts that they can and posts packed quickly understand with details and digest. Rather YET THIS PHENOMEMON about people, than spending a events and other lot of time looking HAS TWO SIDES: IT avenues of action through news DEMONSTRATES BOTH to the public. The articles, glancing HOPEFUL ACTIVITY AS ability to instantly over a couple of WELL AS DISAPPOINTING redirect followers trending hashtags PASSIVITY. to a post allows and the top posts of for a far more the week can give rapid spread of people a general idea information as of current events. opposed to traditional avenues.

Lengthy articles about serious matters The fundamental workings of social are difficult to get through, especially media allows considering younger audiences that flood anybody to open social media; hence, these hashtags and up the app and posts can be good starting points for see material awareness. With the use of infographics, s p e c i f i c a l l y information that would have been curated for skipped over can be transformed into them, whether visually appealing and concise posts. it is through As a result, social media acts as a tool the Instagram for influential figures to easily spread For You or their messages and reach their own Explore pages. audience. By posting on their accounts As people click directly, influencers allow fans to learn through stories, more about their stance and take e y e - c a t c h i n g note of their messages. For example, material gets singer Ariana Grande posted on her more views. social media platforms about COVID-19 And with these safety, providing links to donate to views, likes and nonprofit organizations. And through her comments, a collaboration with Justin Bieber on the post gains more single “Stuck with U,” the net proceeds p o p u l a r i t y , funded grants and scholarships for the spreading its first responders’ children. Grande aided content across the efforts by using her platforms to the platform. spread awareness and raise money for a For example, cause that she supported. s t u d e n t s To take it a step further, reposts make have been a bigger impact when people actually

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

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follow up in a substantial way. Attending the promoted events, actually signing the petitions and taking time out of your day to educate yourself are some of the ways these social media posts can go beyond just a thought or a mindless share.

Social media can be an incentive for change, and through social media activism, many are using it as such, by using their power to inspire and act towards a better, more just future.

Passive Activism

Social media activism, without the right intent, can quickly spiral into an arena for performance and guilterasure rather than meaningful action.

Sometimes, it is well-meaning people who blindly trust Instagram infographics that spew misinformation. Other times, it is people who need to check activism off their to-do list, as if complex social problems can be solved by a mere repost.

And often, it is a little bit of both.

Today, for those privileged enough to have access to media, staying informed is relatively easy. Therefore, staying updated has become, frankly, a choice. There’s free publications and email newsletters like theSkimm or The New York Times’ The Morning, and simply turning on notifications on the Apple News iPhone app will curate and notify you about articles from multiple professional publications. And perhaps the easiest of all — checking social media.

It is easy to follow news publications and receive accurate information, but it’s also easy to stumble across a random text post on your For You page and immediately repost it with little to no regard for its factuality. For instance, research reported in the journal Psychological Science “[finds] that people tend to share false information about COVID-19 on social media because they simply fail to think about accuracy when making decisions about what to share with others.” Apparently, seeming “woke” is more important than facts (and don’t forget, you receive bonus points if the post reaffirms your preconceived views on a topic or issue).

Despite the potential of social media to be a platform for discourse and debate, it often transforms into an echo chamber. Occasionally, there are debates and discussions in the comments sections, but rarely are they meaningful and educational. More often than not, a

trend opens up the floodgates for a post, and everyone passively reaffirms each other’s beliefs without doing anything of substance. And if someone disagrees, then the phenomenon of cancel culture makes sure that they are cancelled. But instead of cancelling the problem, it exacerbates it — rather than education and change, social justice movements on social media often seem more about what’s trending and who to cancel next.

Furthermore, social media activism frequently seems as though it’s not actually activism, but rather slacktivism.

When social justice movements become trends, ILLUSTRATION CREDIT | SOPHIA MA people jump on the bandwagon to avoid feeling guilty.

Yet a repost is not real activism.

For instance, the #BlackoutTuesday hashtag that of the voting-eligible population voted in became a trend over the summer the 2016 presidential election did more harm *According to the United States Election Project than good; it was initially a day where Black artists and performers Change would pause on producing or performing After Obama expressed hope due to the content to honor Black lives, as well as activism of our generation, he also said “if post a black box. Despite the helpful we can channel our justifiable anger into intent, slacktivists unknowingly joined in peaceful, sustained and effective action, and in accordance, began posting black then this moment can be a real turning boxes. And ultimately, the day became point.” one of guilt-erasure, spamming the Let’s make our social media activism a Instagram algorithm with black squares real turning point — by not just reposting that covered up relevant posts. Reposts and coming together in solidarity, but can be useful, but only if it’s supplemented by also learning, educating and taking by concrete action — reading, having meaningful action. difficult conversations and perhaps most importantly, voting (if you can).

And sometimes, people shame or judge others for not posting. Yet not posting does not equate to complicity, and by making this harmful equivalence, people who may be taking concrete action behind the scenes are unnecessarily attacked. People seem to forget that you don’t need to broadcast your activism on social media to be an activist.

When social media activism turns into a guilt-erasing, trend-following and individual-cancelling contest, it becomes time to evaluate to what extent it really is activism.

58.1%

OPINION | SEPTEMBER 2020

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PHOTO BY CODY GLENN | USED WITH PERMISSION

IT’S TIME TO VOTE LOCAL

Local advocacy can be more impactful than participating in the national election conversation

D

espite the fact that there over half offer. In fact, these publications are often a million elected officials in the limited to reporting within the confines of U.S. today, only 537 of them — just their community due to circulation and over 0.1% — are federal employees. The distribution reasons. Online and cable majority are found on the local and state news outlets, however, thrive on the level — in courts, school boards, city relevance and sensationalism of national councils and more — yet only a few, like the politics. This pattern creates a positive president, are feedback constantly loop of in the public increasing eye.

Local attention elections do OPINION OF THE EL ESTOQUE on national not enjoy the politics — EDITORIAL BOARD same media particularly coverage as presidential their national counterparts. This affects elections — which, when coupled with voter turnout; in 2018, only 27% of the tropes of populism, socialism and eligible Americans nationwide voted in Trump that are continually ingrained into the average municipal election. popular imagination by the media, leaves One cause for our disproportionately local systems largely ignored. national interest is the evolution of However, national elections are the news media. According to the not the panacea for actually effecting Pew Research Center, over 70% of change. There’s no denying that they’re respondents in 1990 consumed local T.V. important: voting is as much a civic duty and newspapers, but by 2014, that figure on the national level as it is locally, and fell below 50%. In the same time period, who we elect as president can set cultural the fraction of respondents consuming precedents for nationwide issues like online news increased by more than climate change and racial equality. As threefold. University of Pennsylvania citizens, we share a responsibility to vote professor Daniel Hopkins asserts that as for who we believe will best serve the Americans favor national media — cable interests of all Americans — not just our news, social media and the internet — own communities. over local media, their investment in local But in the realm of policies, county, elections decreases. Local publications city and state level elections are more also die out, leaving large news deserts likely to create noticeable changes in our with little to no media coverage. daily lives. Local governments administer Local voter turnout is directly our schools, our infrastructure and correlated with adequate media the laws we abide by; they control our coverage, which small-scale publications police departments, our public transit

STAFF EDITORIAL

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EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

and affordable housing options. For this the potential for immediate change. reason, citizens often have greater agency Even if the presidential candidate or in effecting change when voting locally.

Congressperson we hope for does not get Sometimes, our local and state elected, our voices can still find meaning laws can take precedence over federal through local participation and action. laws. Proposition 16, for example, is a The upcoming election is an new ballot proposition that repeals an opportunity for us to take the initiative to existing Californian law that prohibits educate ourselves on who our candidates discrimination on the basis of race, sex, are and what policies they hope to color, ethnicity and national origin. It’s enact. Cupertino residents will have the probably best known to MVHS students opportunity to vote for ballot measures, through viral City Council posts about its candidates and supposed impact FUHSD board on UC admission m e m b e r s . rates. Yet there Their votes will lies a multitude of impact how nuances beneath distance learning, that. The law t ra n s p o r tat i o n does not simply and housing concern college prices — issues a d m i s s i o n s , following the FUHSD board or relevant to but any and all Cupertino City Council elections many Cupertino g o v e r n m e n t *According to a survey of 408 MVHS students residents — are treatment towards resolved.

For any specific group. It was put in place to our advocacy to find meaning, we must combat unfair discrimination. educate ourselves to the fullest extent on Contrary to popular belief, Proposition these policies beyond the reductionist 16 will not institute racial quotas — views we may hear from others. those were ruled unconstitutional in So go out and learn about your local 1978 by the U.S. Supreme Court. But system — explore this issue’s News it can improve equal opportunity and package on elections; reach out to your encourage social mobility by calling into city and state candidates and ask them question the potential racism lurking in questions or share your concerns. Read many institutions. In the general election their policies and think deeply about this November, Californians must decide how they may affect your community whether or not the loss of that law is before jumping to conclusions. And worth the potential policies that may when the need for change arises, don’t be permitted as a result. There is always forget that voting locally, within our own more nuance in complicated issues than communities, can be more impactful and what may appear at first; therefore, we tangible than we may believe. should not blindly parrot what we find on social media or even what large news organizations tell us.

The lifeblood of democracy is that individuals educate themselves and form their own opinions rather than mindlessly following what others tell them to believe. That’s especially true on the local level, where policies have

13% of students are

PHOTO BY ANHTHU VU LE | USED WITH PERMISSION

OPINION | SEPTEMBER 2020

19

K-POP’S CULTURAL APPROPR Students and alumni weigh in on problematic racial representation within the Korean music industry

BY TYLER CHO AND IRENE TANG

E

verything about the shot screams deity in a music video was only one of color: the tall throne rimmed many instances of cultural appropriation with blue velvet and gold, the in the Korean music industry, yet another voluminous white dress, the blue drapes example in a long history of such actions. with yellow tassels hanging from the red The recent increase in attention that walls, illuminated by orange lanterns. these incidents have garnered could be in Everything in the scene is meant to part due to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) captivate the movement, viewers, drawing according to MV their eyes to singer, alumnus and rapper and dancer Allkpop reporter Lalisa Manoban Hannah Lee. performing in the Although the popular Korean girl BLM movement’s group Blackpink’s main struggle is music video for centered around “How You Like experienced their culture being systemic racism That.” But in the appropriated first-hand and police bottom of the frame *According to a survey of 408 MVHS students brutality, Lee lies an unexpected believes that prop, barely noticeable and contrastingly the issues highlighted by the movement dull — a dark gray statue of the Hindu have encouraged people to take a stance god, Lord Ganesha — a placement that against racial discrimination among enraged many fans. different cultures, as well as places like This controversial use of a sacred the Korean music industry.

39%

of students have

ILLUSTRATION | TYLER CHO, SHRESHTA RANGANATHAN

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EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

“I think the Black Lives Matter movement has definitely given people a lot more voice and a lot more courage to say, ‘Hey, whether you’re doing this with bad intentions or not, this is disrespectful to our culture, and I want you to recognize this and take responsibility for it,’” Lee said. “I think that idea of calling people out has become something more prominent and become something that more people are willing to do now. And I guess a lot more people are also just seeing the importance of making sure that different cultures aren’t disrespected.”

But towing the line between showing respect for other cultures via emulation versus culturally appropriating can be a difficult distinction to make, according to junior Kevin Kim. Ultimately, Kim believes that the latter arises when people of the emulated culture take offense to the traditions or symbols being used.

“How I define [cultural appropriation] is usually when it’s mostly distasteful use of something that’s very specifically tied to a different culture, especially when you’re mis-utilizing a different culture’s customs in a very distasteful manner that offends the community directly,” Kim said. “Then it definitely makes more sense to call it cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation doesn’t necessarily need [an] intent behind it, because it could occur due to the person being mis-educated or being misinformed.”

However, senior Reva Lalwani believes that deciding whether a specific action offends an entire community is often hard to distinguish, because even people of similar backgrounds can have different views on whether something is offensive. For example, Lalwani

PRIATION ISSUE did not draw offense to Blackpink’s use of Ganesha in their music video, instead expressing a small sense of pride that her culture was gaining exposure. But the widespread backlash of the inclusion of the statue ultimately forced Blackpink’s management to edit and re-upload the video without it.

Furthermore, Lalwani says that the prevalence of “antis,” or people who go out of their way to attack artists they don’t like, could cause issues with discerning what is valid criticism as opposed to biased attacks. She believes the strict expectations of conduct for Korean celebrities makes it difficult at times for artists to see the necessity for education and growth.

“I feel like there are definitely people who are just out to get the idol and jump on anything they say and turn it into a negative light,” Lalwani said. “When your fans or people whose opinion you truly care about are giving you feedback, saying, ‘This is cultural misappropriation, this is not right, you’re insulting this culture,’ that’s when you’ve crossed the line. So when people who you don’t care about are out to get you, I don’t

think idols should worry too much about that.”

In addition, both Kim and Lalwani recognize that merging cultures can be, and is frequently, pulled off in a more positive form in the Korean music industry.

Lalwani views popular boy group BTS’s song “IDOL” as a successful example that took inspiration from the South African music style of gqom, blending traditional South Korean instruments with gqom’s trap and electronic themes.

“On the positive side, I think the blending of cultures can be a really beautiful thing as well,” Lalwani said. “I think the way [K-pop artists] are able to get away with it and spin it in a positive light is actually combining it with their own culture, and changing it to fit their own music taste … If you’re able to, in a positive light, display another culture and tie it into your own, that’s an amazing thing.”

As Korean-Americans themselves, both Lee and Kim acknowledge that a big factor in the prevalence of cultural

appropriation within the Korean industry could be due to the lack of diversity within South Korea. This lack of diversity, which often results in discrimination against foreigners, could signal a potential problem with the country’s general culture rather than just its entertainment industry. In order to change the trend of appropriation within the industry, they believe that more action need to be taken on a grander scale, and not just within Korea, as many Korean idols have international fanbases.

“A lot of people have prejudices against people from different cultures, and I think this idea of learning about other cultures and learning what’s respectful and what’s not isn’t something that’s just applicable to artists at this point in time,” Lee said. “And so I think the biggest change necessary really is education and willingness to learn, because if people aren’t willing to learn and educate themselves like they’re just gonna keep on making these mistakes that hurt other people.”

ILLUSTRATION | TYLER CHO, SHRESHTA RANGANATHAN

OPINION | SEPTEMBER 2020

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H

HOW DO YOU RESPOND

w he n you w it nes s cultural appr opr iation?

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Nine of El Estoque’s survey respondents fill out the “other” option

I don’t care. It’s a stupid concept. Mimicry, even when done with ignorance, should be taken with flattery.”

“LOL NO SUCH THING AS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION YOU LIBERALS.” “I judge the intention. If it was to celebrate the culture, then I respect that. If it was to be popular and trendy, then I ask them not to next time. If it was a religious symbol such as a bindi, then I explain and leave it up to their discretion.”

“I don’t give a f---.”

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“

I think non-Chinese women wearing qi pao at a wedding with a Chinese groom is fine.

I think wearing qi pao to a dance if you’re not Chinese is fine. I don’t find something like that disrespectful, qi pao is really pretty. However, that doesn’t dismiss the concerns of people from other cultures, or even other Chinese people who find people wearing qi pao offensive. The opinions of those people are valid too.

Sometimes I think appropriation is a positive thing. I like music, and always love it when artists incorporate all sorts of music from all around the world and all different cultures into their music.

Sometimes appropriation can’t help but feel like a slap to the face. (i.e. the Kardashians, a group of rich white women, appropriating black culture. [I personally don’t have much against the Kardashians, and it might not even be my place to be offended by appropriation of black culture as a non-black person]. Ariana Grande also constantly appropriates from black culture, be it in her style, her music, even the color of her skin. All the things black women in America are mocked for wearing, white women are praised for. For them, it’s an aesthetic).”

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

“I have no clue what that means.”

“I feel conflicted, but if this is a situation where I can correct them, I will.”

“I believe that cultural appropriation not only is OK, but should be encouraged as it connects cultures and people. Being offended at cultural appropriation drives people apart instead of uniting them, making it so that their background matters more than their community right now.”

‘‘

I really don’t care; if anything, I’m happy when someone does something from my culture.”

PHOTO BY BROOKE ANDERSON | USED WITH PERMISSION

ACTIVISM Uncovering the journeys and motivations of teacher, student and alumni activists in the MVHS community

R E H C A E

T D N I H BE M S I V I T AC

Examining the motivations of FUHSD Advocates for Change

BY IMAN MALIK AND MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

S

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he was in third grade when her social studies teacher told the class about how great it was that the missionaries had come to California to help civilize all the “savages.” Her teacher said that without the missions, these “savages” would not have been able to adopt a superior white culture.

She came home that day in tears.

With her hair, leather ties and braids, she was the image of her Native American heritage. People made fun of her for it — calling her Pocahontas, Sacagawea and echoing her teacher’s description of “savage.” The insults were relentless, and they only stopped after fifth grade when she finally moved schools.

The first time she heard her teacher refer to Native Americans as “savages,” she was ashamed. Her face was bright red, and she was sweating and shaking.

She knew her family wasn’t savage. She knew they did great things and were great people who were generous, kind, loving and family-oriented. She saw these traits in American culture too. So she thought, doesn’t that make us the same? Why are you saying that we’re savage? When her teacher assigned the class a project to make a replica of a mission out of clay, she asked her mom for help. Her mom was immediately incensed, but she had been too young to understand why.

For Homestead High School English teacher Shawnee Rivera, it took a lot of therapy and help from her parents to undo this childhood trauma. Nevertheless, Rivera believes her experiences of being

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

a minority in her classrooms acted as a catalyst for her activism efforts.

“I was always in the position of the oppressed person,” Rivera said. “I didn’t get why people judge people based on race, religion or gender. But rather than make me shrink and be wary, the bullying made me a fighter. So I got loud in class.

By the time I got to middle school, if a teacher started talking about how Indians were savages, I immediately was like, ‘no we’re not.’ If a teacher did something that was racist or sexist or offensive, I dropped the class.”

As a teacher, Rivera strives to promote inclusivity in her classroom. She is a member of FUHSD Advocates for Change — a group of staff members in the district whose goals are to raise awareness about issues surrounding bias and racism that exist in the community, along with advocating for change.

“I’m pretty passionate about equity, lifting up people who are oppressed and ending oppression in education,” Rivera said. “[I want to] completely shift the institution to lift up all students so that it doesn’t privilege a couple groups, but [instead] privileges everybody.”

MVHS English teacher Kate Evard, also a member of the Advocates for Change group, echoes Rivera’s perspective, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the systemic racism in the district and everywhere else in throughout the country. “[Racism has] been a part of who we are forever, and acknowledging it and working towards anti-racism is something we all need to do,” Evard said. “We can talk about how to be anti-racist and to look at things through an anti-racist lens and to have frank, painful and uncomfortable

PHOTO BY BENJAMIN HACKER | USED WITH PERMISSION

Fremont High School math teacher Bob Capriles attends a Black Lives Matter protest on El Camino during summer of 2020.

discussions about how we all react to people who aren’t our race. White people aren’t the only people who are racist, every race is racist towards other races.

There might be some exceptions out there, but not in our school, not in our community.”

Along with Evard, Fremont High School math and engineering teacher Bob Capriles notices the subtle racism and prejudice that many students within the Fremont Union High School District are forced to endure. He specifies that there have been many incidents where students — specifically students of color — have appeared noticeably upset due to discriminatory and racist comments made by their peers.

“These are subtle under the breath things that if [I’m] not paying close attention, I could overlook,” Capriles said.

“Frankly, that’s one of the main reasons I’ve gotten involved with the [Advocates for Change] group because I’m worried

‘‘

that there may be things that I’m missing in my own classroom that I don’t even know about. The last thing I want to do is be a passive supporter of these bias[ed] and racist things that may be happening between students. I need to become more conscientious of what I’m saying and doing in my own classroom.”

Capriles says another one of his motivations to join Advocates for Change is an experience he had after George Floyd’s murder. After hearing about this incident, Capriles’ 21-year-old son made a comment in passing about attending a protest. During the summer, they attended a Black Lives Matter protest at the three lane intersection on El Camino. He remembers walking on the streets instead of the sidewalk and being surrounded by so many people that cars couldn’t pass. Capriles and his son brought a cooler of water for the two of them to share.

“The thing that was most interesting for me was before we left, my son said to me, ‘Dad, if [the police start] shooting, we’re leaving the cooler,’” Capriles said.

“And I hadn’t even really considered that that might be a possibility. But the police actually protected the protesters, they didn’t engage. My son was so amazed that the police didn’t harm us. [The protest]

WHITE PEOPLE AREN’T THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE RACIST. EVERY RACE IS RACIST TOWARDS OTHER RACES. THERE MIGHT BE SOME EXCEPTIONS OUT THERE, BUT NOT IN OUR SCHOOL, NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY. ENGLISH TEACHER KATE EVARD

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

FEATURES | SEPTEMBER 2020

25

gave me a little bit more courage to want to get involved with [Advocates for Change] because I see too often students who are discouraged.”

Coming from the math and engineering department, Capriles often does not see many opportunities to discuss race in his classroom. In contrast, English teacher Evard believes that it is often the responsibility of the literature department to hold the whole district accountable regarding diverse curriculum. However, she feels that every teacher, administrator and employee has Before the school year, what percentage of your teachers held conversations about race, implicit bias, cultural appropriation, stereotyping, model minority myth, etc.? *According to a survey of 409 MVHS students

4.6%

1.5% 10.8%

a responsibility to promote inclusion at MVHS and across the district.

Capriles agrees that activism is necessary at school, but recognizes that oftentimes teachers may feel apprehensive to take action. He shares that they may be experts in the field they teach, but feel uncomfortable addressing racism and bias. According to Capriles, in order to make progress, staff members must be OK with being uncomfortable, noting that one of the biggest challenges of the Advocates for Change group is to spread their message to those who can make a concrete change.

“There are a number of people at FHS who are actually really scared of the repercussions of getting involved because they’ve experienced racial bias and racism directed towards them in the past,” Capriles said. “They’re worried that their livelihood as teachers is at risk if they speak up. One of the reasons that I chose to speak up [is because] I am a white male. I was raised with white

Which approaches would you like to see implemented in FUHSD? Check all that apply. *According to a survey of 366 MVHS students 58.9% of teachers

24.2%

This school year, what percentage of your teachers have held conversations about race, implicit bias, cultural appropriation, stereotyping, model minority myth, etc. so far? *According to a survey of 407 MVHS students

6.4% 16.2%

29.0% of teachers

20.4% 28.0%

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privilege. I feel it’s important for me to speak for my colleagues who feel like their voices or their livelihood would be squelched if they were to speak up.”

Rivera too has witnessed teachers’ reluctance to participate in activism in their classrooms. In her experience, this lack of participation is mainly due to the large amount of work that it requires. She hopes to encourage her colleagues to do more for their students regarding equality and inclusivity.

“I want to help teachers understand that they’re in this profession not just to teach Chemistry, Calculus or Literature, [but also] to create a better world, a better democracy and a thinking society,” Rivera said. “Either you accept that you’re an activist or you stay with your blinders on. And I’ll never stop bothering them. I’ll never stop pushing teachers to be better versions of themselves.”

The group has taken several steps to pursue their mission, including meeting with FUHSD Superintendent Polly Bove

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

Include students on the school’s Equity Task Force

Examine data about suspension and expulsion rates broken down by racial demographics

Increase the coverage of BIPOC individuals in History classes

Create a safe space for students to report and discuss instances of racism

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TEACHING IS ACTIVISM. YOU SHOULD BE AN ACTIVIST TO BE A TEACHER AND VICE VERSA.

HHS ENGL ISH TE AC HE R SHAWNE E RIV ER A

ILLUSTRATION l ANUSHKA DE

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE EVARD l USED WITH PERMISSION

English teacher Kate Evard attends the 2020 Womens’ March in San Jose with MVHS alumnae Sayalee Mylavarapu, ‘20, senior Kaitlyn Kyutoku and alumnae Naomi Desai, ‘20.

and working closely with her to change each school’s curriculum — pushing for even more novels written by people of color and inclusive of all perspectives.

Meetings with employees at the district level who plan teacher professional development have taken place as well.

Rivera describes the collaboration between Advocates for Change and the district as a “think tank” focused on how the staff can best serve the students.

Rivera remembers a time in 2010 when advocacy at FUHSD was much more difficult than it is now. Back then, she and three other HHS teachers examined data surrounding race and noticed that there were higher amounts of students of a certain race and special education students being suspended, disciplined and expelled. She and her colleagues confronted the HHS principal about it and found that he was already trying to fix the problem, but was receiving pushback.

Additionally, at this time, teachers were not taking part in anti-bias training.

According to Rivera, this meant racial biases were frequently “seeping out” into teaching. She noticed that her students of color would get disciplined harshly, and students who were white or Asian would not get punished for the same behaviors.

Rivera marks this as a moment when she realized things were not truly fair.

Back in third grade, Rivera got a glimpse of this unfair treatment through her social studies teacher’s biased comments made about her Native

American culture. When assigned the mission project, Rivera waited a few days before asking her mom why she was so mad about this assignment to recreate a mission.

“She said, ‘You would not make a Jewish student recreate a concentration camp in tiny form to make it look cute,” Rivera said. “There’s no reason a Native American child should recreate a mission, because the missions were just as damaging to our culture.’ Those experiences in elementary school [made me] outspoken and loud. I was not a ‘good student.’ And that translates almost perfectly when I see kids in my class.

Having that connection with my kids has saved me because what saved me [were] my teachers who saw me, who cared about me, who made me feel special. It helped to canonize in me that desire to do the same thing for my students.”

Rivera emphasizes the significance of being a teacher and being an activist.

“Teaching is activism,” Rivera said.

“You should be an activist to be a teacher and vice versa. If we are going to start seeing true equality, we have to get people to empathize with other groups.

Race was created to divide people, so my responsibility is to affect change and create change as often as I can. My responsibility is to get my colleagues on board and to help them with their own anti-biased and anti-racist work [and] to stand up for my students while also teaching them how to be anti-racist.”

FEATURES | SEPTEMBER 2020

27

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Forming THEIR FUTURE Student activists explain the motivation behind their efforts

BY ANUSHKA DE AND MIKAYLAH DU

Their Journey

28

Senior Nelson Mu walked to a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest on Saturday, June 6 not with a poster, but rather a camera in his hand. He wasn’t there to protest — he’d gone to collect a couple of interviews from the protesters and record footage of the mobilization of protesters.

Mu says he planned to use the footage to support some of the legislation on police reform he was working on with Young American Policy Advocates, an organization dedicated to empowering students to improve policies by getting them involved in research and advocacy.

Mu and the protesters arrived at the local police station and stood EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

outside, waiting for officers to come out and address the crowd. Mu was eager to get an interview from a police officer to fully round out his footage and gather the perspectives of individuals from all sides of police reform.

But the police never came out.

“I remember I was thinking, ‘This the Bay Area police,’” Mu said. “‘There’s no way they’re not going to open up the doors and have a couple people come out and talk to us and try to make some kind of peace.’ But there was nobody there.”

Instead, barricades surrounded the evacuated police station and a helicopter rotated

overhead, monitoring the protesters. One sole officer peeked through the blinds of the window, reminding Mu of the Onceler in “The Lorax.”

“That was the moment when I realized I can’t just be on the sidelines,” Mu said. “I can’t just be a bystander, someone who’s pushing for change on the sidelines, and being uninvolved. I need to become an activist, I need to become someone who’s taking real action. Because if I’m not, these people never come out and talk to us, right? These people will never come out and say anything to me if I’m not looking to talk to them first.”

Mu’s attendance at the protest, however, was not his first involvement in police reform. A couple days after George Floyd’s death, one of Mu’s contacts from YAPA, an economics and public policy major from UCLA, sent him a document titled “The George Floyd Act.” Spurred by an overwhelming sense of urgency, Mu and his friend got to work on the legislation, which aims to solve some of the issues with police brutality that have persisted. Mu recalls working on that document with his friend for five hours that first night, unable to rest until he felt he had been able to put something substantial down on paper.

Senior Elene Pilpani also began her journey into activism after witnessing the George Floyd protests spread across the country. Pilpani was hardly a stranger to the information that was overtaking the media — she’d gained exposure to much of the racial tensions across the U.S. through a Tumblr account she started in seventh grade — but seeing her social media feed flooded with information about racial issues in the U.S. pushed her to start talking to officials and expand to social media beyond activism.

Pilpani and her friend, fellow senior Arjan Madan, created email templates for students to send to the San Jose and Santa Clara mayor’s offices. The templates included details on how to make getting arrested a safer experience by reforming police policies as well as implement clean de-escalation policies and bans on specific chokeholds. Pilpani vividly remembers the night she and Madan published the templates, nervous that nobody would respond. The next morning, she checked the number of shares and people who clicked on the link for the templates. She and Madan, who had expected barely 10 responses, were amazed by the 150

‘‘

however, is what people who had pushed her to join clicked on the DON. template — a Budaraju and number that fellow members of seems small DON senior Nitya to Pilpani in IT’S UP TO EACH OF US Yerraguntla and hindsight, but TO FIND A DIFFERENT junior Riya Ranjan astounded her at WAY TO GET INVOLVED have had many the time.

BECAUSE THERE’S A conversations with Pilpani also PLACE THAT EACH district leaders and works with Bay administrators, as Area Uncovered, PERSON CAN HELP. IT’S well as students an organization JUST A MATTER OF at each of the that takes student FINDING THAT PLACE. FUHSD sites to testimonies from SENI OR JANYA increase the antihigh schools racism education in the Bay BUDARA JU throughout the Area to bring ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE district.

Over attention to the the summer, they discrimination that developed a “Tier many are unaware List,” a list of antiof in these schools. racist resources for Another part of her teachers, ranging efforts to diversify the from starting the high school experience discussion on antiis working with Ad Lucem, racism to implementing an organization that has new novels in the started a petition to push for curriculum. more inclusive AP classes.

Budaraju says she has Pilpani joined Ad Lucem after had an overwhelmingly noticing how the only AP history positive experience working courses currently offered by with people throughout the College Board are U.S. the community to institute History, European History change. She is constantly and World History. Pilpani inspired by how many feels that schools should people want to be a part of offer classes that cover the the change and work that history of other parts of the fellow activists are doing at world, like Latin History or the local and national level.

Asian History, rather than “It is great to know that grouping Europeans into we are not alone in this one category and the rest movement and we have the of the world into another. support of not only a national Senior Janya Budaraju’s organization, but multiple primary focus is also in teachers in multiple schools education – after Floyd’s are already working on this [as death she started working well],” Budaraju said. “I’ve learned with an organization called that the movement has a lot of Diversify Our Narrative to support, but it’s up to each of us to diversify the voices in English find a different way to get involved and history curriculum at because there’s a place that each MVHS and across FUHSD. person can help. It’s just a matter of Budaraju credits much of her awareness about racial finding that place.” injustices and her willingness to have open and difficult FINDING THEIR VOICE conversations to her Honors Budaraju stresses the importance American Literature class. of getting educated on racial issues The momentum from the and taking the time to research George Floyd protests,

beyond the information offered on social media. Pilpani echoes her sentiment, emphasizing the importance of treating BLM as something greater than a social media trend, especially after BLM posts fade from social media feeds.

“I think you should actively be signing petitions [and] you should be educating yourself at the very least, because sharing an Instagram post saying ‘The Black Lives Matter movement hasn’t died’ isn’t going to contribute anything,” Pilpani said. “If you truly believe [BLM] hasn’t died, then you need to actively be working toward something that will keep it up.”

Budaraju recognizes that expressing opinions at the expense of possible humiliation can be intimidating. Growing up, she struggled with finding her voice because of anxiety and general shyness, and therefore she understands how having a voice is a privilege, one she has tried to help others recognize through her role as the president of MV Debate Club.

Through her activism, she has made an effort to use the resources and platform she has available to her to speak up for the people who aren’t able to do so.

Mu understands that activism and speaking up comes with its fair share of challenges – for him, it can often feel futile because instituting change takes so long.

In moments where Mu feels dejected, he pushes himself to change his mindset and remember that change is made in small steps, and that speaking up at any level is always better than remaining silent.

“You might not be the most integral part of the movement, you might not be the one that tips the scales in favor of whatever you’re advocating for,” Mu said.

“But consider this: What if everybody in the movement had the mindset that they didn’t matter? What if everybody thought that, ‘Surely this is not my fight. Someone else could do what I do, and they’d be just as successful.’ If everyone thought like that nothing would get done. Nobody would be part of any movement.”

FEATURES | SEPTEMBER 2020

29

The effects of social media activism Exploring the impacts of activism through platforms like Instagram

BY DIYA BAHL AND SHIVANI MADHAN

I

nitially, Junior Gabi Morali did not register the gravity of George Floyd’s murder when she heard about it on the news.

Although his murder struck fear in her and she recognized it was a tragic event, she was not actively involved in the advocacy aspect — that is, until the protests started.

With millions of people participating in hundreds of Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in every state across the country, the surge of advocacy and activism on social media also began to erupt.

Morali began to see her peers posting petitions and infographics and spreading awareness about police brutality.

Despite initially questioning if posting on her Instagram story would be considered performative, she eventually started using it as an activist platform.

“Because of the virus, I decided to try to make some sort of change online and extend my knowledge into things such as signing petitions.” Morali said. “Reading about the history of systemic racism in the U.S. triggered something in me that

G LIN E E T SF M I ABOU S I D IV TE ACT SIONA G] AN ER IN PAS ETH G OTH M [SO RMIN IT. N O INF PLE O ALI R O O E P

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ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

30

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

I OR

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continually made me so mad that our country has let it happen for nearly 400 years, so I knew that I had to share this knowledge with other people, even if some of them knew about it before.”

Sophomore Annika Lee had a more personal connection with her inspiration to begin advocating on social media: her older brother.

Seeing her brother encourage others to make a change by signing petitions and donating, Lee wanted to make a similar same impact.

Lee believes that one of the benefits of activism on social media platforms is that people are signing many helpful petitions that highlight solutions to important issues and discovering smaller, grassroots organizations to donate to.

Similarly to Morali, junior Siddhartha Mishra believes that posting Instagram stories can shed light on issues. He also points out that because of social media activism, more people are hearing about important issues, encouraging them to protest.

Despite acknowledging many positive effects of social media advocacy, Mishra believes there are several negative aspects.

“A lot of the stuff you’ll see will be political, and a lot of

Instagram accounts are skewed to one viewpoint, one view of the world, one ideology,” Mishra said. “When you keep promoting that [ideology], you basically try to force this view on other people. So don’t believe everything on face value; it is still a social media site and not many people are putting thought into what they’re spreading.”

Morali agrees that most people reshare posts mindlessly and don’t take the time to fact- check their information, leading to the spread of fake news. For example, she saw a post about Autism Awareness Month posted in June, though this takes place in April. Doubting the reliability of the post, Morali looked it up and informed her followers that it wasn’t accurate and encouraged them to not repost it.

Even though advocating on social media can appear to be as easy as clicking a button, being open about one’s political views can lead to complications.

According to Lee, it takes courage to speak up against societal issues, and social media activists can often face backlash.

She recounts a specific instance when someone responded negatively to a repost from @pinkmantaray on Instagram that she had shared on her story. The commenter had responded that Schuyler Bailar, like all other transgender athletes, should not be able to compete in the gender they identify with.

This was one of Lee’s first experiences dealing with a disrespectful comment regarding something she cared about, and she decided to respond to the situation by blocking the account.

“I just blocked her because it’s not worth my time to argue with her,” Lee said. “Because just dealing with that hate is awful — it puts you in a terrible headspace and just removing yourself from the situation is honestly the best thing you can do.”

While Morali has experienced similar comments and responses, she has a different way to approach the situation.

“Sometimes when I criticize the government or President Trump, other people try to refute that and send me

articles and try to say those are just allegations and ask me how I know if they’re real,” Morali said. “I like to look at other people’s perspectives because it’s disrespectful to have someone talk to you and to ignore their opinion when they have to listen to yours. I think it’s very important to listen to what other people have to say.”

Though a number of people choose social media activism as a way to express their beliefs and opinions, many decide it is not something they want to pursue.

According to Morali, from the 200 people who view her story daily, only about 20 of them actually advocate online.

“I think [people who don’t post] are either afraid of getting backlash, which is mainly just rooted from fear or maybe they just don’t care enough to repost it,” Morali said. “They don’t exactly recognize their privilege — when they see a lot of people reposting about global issues and they don’t do anything about it, that is ignoring your privilege.”

Like Morali, Lee believes that posting about social issues on your story is a great way to show your involvement. She mentions that posting is not necessarily

Never Sometimes Often Always

7%

39%

27%

27%

How often do you click on a shared or reshared informative post on someone’s Instahram story?

100%

75%

something you need to do to be involved in activism. However, she also believes that people who are doing nothing to support an important cause are not recognizing their privilege.

*According to a survey of 404 MVHS students

How often do you actually engage with the post (read the whole caption, read the comments, look at the linked sources, fact check, repost it on your story, etc.)? *According to a survey of 392 MVHS students

50%

40% 28%

22%

25%

10% 0%

Never

Sometimes

Often

Always

FEATURES | SEPTEMBER 2020

31

32

people, he doesn’t think it will cause significant social change. He mentions how activism has been happening for so long, yet no monumental results have been seen, and for real change to occur, Mishra states that it must happen through our legislation.

Mishra says that an alternative to activism on social media would be to discuss your opinions with people, including your parents, grandparents and friends. He stresses the importance of having information we see online reach those who don’t often access social media.

“I think your

Morali also has other ideas on how wer can further activism, specifically through the creation of active participation in clubs or organizations. In fact, she hopes to start a club in her senior year that focuses on Jewish culture to explain her perspective of the Israeli- Palestine conflict.

“I guess what made me so passionate about [advocating] was wanting to make a change in the future to things like end systemic racism, anti-Semitism and other topics I’m passionate about,” Morali said. “I really hope that one day I’ll have the power to do that.”

POSTING I GENUINELY DON’T THINK HING OR NOT POSTING SAYS ANYT U POST, ABOUT WHO YOU ARE. IF YO ON; IF YOU YOU’RE NOT A BETTER PERS WORSE DON’T POST, YOU’RE NOT A A WAY OF PERSON. [POSTING] IS JUST EXPRESSING YOURSELF.

JUNI OR SI DDHA RT HA MI SH

responsibility is A) to educate people around you and B) to call your legislators, and I know it’s been overdone, but it actually has an impact,” Mishra said.

“You can see that since we’ve had a lot more legislation in the House of Representatives even on state level. I think that’s the way it was intended to happen, because the political body was designed where you tell your representative and the representatives vote for you.”

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

A DE | ANUSHKA DE ATION | ANUSHK ILLUSTRILLUSTRATION

Mishra believes a downside of posting on stories is when activists guilt people who choose not to post, and he believes that is where it becomes a “slippery slope.”

“You shouldn’t be trying to guilt people or force them into doing specific things for specific political agendas or specific ideologies that they may not believe in,” Mishra said. “You have to respect other people and say ‘I’ve given you the information, now it’s your responsibility to do something.’ That’s why I think a lot of people on Instagram and social media believe that it’s their responsibility to make sure that everyone is doing this, but it’s not. It’s not your responsibility to make other people do anything.”

On the Tuesday after Floyd’s death, the BLM movement on the rise, a hashtag on Instagram, #blackouttuesday went viral. This hashtag was an initiative started by those in the entertainment industry who wouldn’t be performing or releasing content in order to honor black lives. To participate, an individual would post a black screen on their Instagram account along with “#BlackoutTuesday” in their caption. While the hashtag was started with good intentions, Morali says she thought it was a prime example of performative activism, since most people were uninformed of the real message behind it.

“My opinion is when people who are very performative are doing things like [posting a black square], it gives other people on social media a false image of who they are,” Morali said. “I know some people that are performative, but behind social media, they still make sexist or racist jokes, and that is just not good.”

Similarly, Mishra points out that people who post just to boost their own morale are not doing anything to actually help and that social activism is not something that should be done to appear like a better person. “[Performative activists] almost want to be morally superior to everyone else, so they post all of these things to say, ‘Oh, I’m so much better than all of you guys because I post these things and I help people’ when really, they don’t care,” Mishra said. “That’s not their main incentive for doing such things, and it’s just selfish at the end of the day.”

While Mishra believes that advocating on social media is vital for spreading important information and educating

RA

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CLAUDIA LEUNG

On Sept. 11, 2001, MVHS alumnae Claudia Chemistry class as a sophomore thinking it would be an ordinary day at school — until their teacher abruptly stopped the class to announce that the Twin Towers in New York City had fallen. A sense of confusion had initially struck Leung. Without really knowing the severity of the incident at time, they witnessed what they said was the horrifying and eerie footage of the Twin Towers collapsing.

Leung notes this moment of realization to be the beginning of their journey with activism. As a freshman in high school, Leung notes how the current president at the time, George W. Bush, had shaped a lot of their generation’s mindset when it came to national political and social issues like 9/11. While Bush passed the Patriot Act, enforced anti-immigration rhetoric and targeted the Muslim community during his presidency, Leung explains how they had still felt “protected” in the Bay Area from all of the chaos present in America at the time.

“Growing up in Cupertino, there’s a little bit of that isolationism — I felt protected,” Leung said. “But I also noticed that there were changes, especially in regard to 9/11. I had friends in high school who were Muslim or who were South Asian and were perceived to be possibly Muslim or Arab. Just seeing the way that [their] lives It wasn’t until they reached college when in architecture and switching to a media studies major and American studies minor at Macalester College, Leung had become politicized academically. They got involved with many on-campus organizations that gave them opportunities to do a variety of activism work that touched on environmental issues, racial and gender inequality and social justice. [in college] that I don’t think I would do today because I know myself as an activist a lot better, “ Leung said. “But that’s part

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of the experience of when you’re growing up and coming into your understanding what it means to be an activist — you try

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by something that doesn’t work because [activism is] an iterative process.”

types of activism, they want young high schoolers to not be afraid to get involved with issues they are passionate about.

“Don’t be scared if [the work you’re doing] is hard or it’s not perfect or exactly what you think it should be because that’s went through lots of iterations of being ... before I came to the place where now I feel like I have a political home. [Feeling content with the activism work you do] doesn’t happen right away and that’s OK — that’s a part of the process.”

TARUN GALAGALI

When MVHS alumni Tarun Galagali, ‘09, was thinking of running for school board in the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) in early 2019, he had posted a status update on his Facebook account with a question: If you could redo your and reforms he wanted to implement in

Facebook account, Galagali was able to reconnect with high school friend and MVHS alumni Varun Pai , ‘10.

The two ended up meeting up to discuss plans for how alumni can connect with current students to help them with their mental well connecting with a few other alumni from various South Bay high schools, Galagali established Pass The Torch a few of months into 2019.

“Every person we bring on [to the Pass The Torch team] was trained to help high school students develop greater clarity around their future planning,” Galagali said. “[We

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how

to

31% OF STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS AN ACTIVIST

*According to a survey of 396 MVHS students

manage their internal weather as they go through high school and ups and downs of life ... We teach [students] basically how to tell their life story, how to manage their emotional states, how to they care about for their future to plan

*

hard] for us to understand conceptually or accept emotionally.”

As a newly recruited Grants Manager for Just Beginnings Collaborative, an organization that helps raise funds to end childhood sexual violence and abuse, Leung has many hopes for this new role.

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other people of Asian descent that felt politically aligned around so many issues ... has meant a lot for me. It also felt like we could work together and struggle

FUHSD if had won, Galagali immediately thought of various mental health resources students should be able to access.

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“A political home [like Asians 4 Black Lives] has been what I was looking for,”

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organizations in Saint Paul, Minnesota — including working for the AmeriCorps and a science museum to give young people of color and women the opportunity to explore STEM careers. In 2011, Leung decided to move back to the Bay Area to work for the Center for Asian American Media and Asians 4 Black Lives, which gave them more opportunities to work

the right careers.”

As he had helped U.S. representative Ro Khanna’s political campaign in 2014, Galagali believes that his main advocacy work has to do with pushing Bay Area students to get involved.

“My activism [work is] largely centered around engaging and mobilizing young people to care about politics,” Galagali said. “I think students, particularly in the Bay Area, are incredibly capable — they’re super passionate, capable, wise and determined.”

While Galagali now focuses on mental health advocacy for Bay Area students, he hopes to expand Pass The Torch broadly enough so that every student can have alumni mentorship and receive help. In the meantime, he hopes that students control their emotions and their own life.

By doing so, he believes that everyone “I think the prerequisite to being

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In August of 2014, Shieh ended up securing a job as an Government and Economics teacher in LAUSD and later as an Ethnic studies teacher in the same school district in August of 2016. She notes the ironic nature of “falling into” a career of ethnic studies and the impact it has had on not only her life, but also her students.

“I don’t think I had ever told students to become activists — I was just telling them that ‘These are our identities,’’ Shieh said.

individuals], students started to create clubs on their own [around advocacy work]. It was really cool to know that not only did I make an impact, but there were steps being made towards systemic ?+<#@"0<%&<)0#+#+,&2(()A#+0<()&B0<"%)#+%&C"%#"&<%02"%):&"%)&D<"+#2&C<=A#%:&2$0::&#+&<"%& change within the school campuses [I was E(:&?+,%$%:&F+#-#%A&C2"(($&G#:<)#2<&HE?FCGI>&& teaching at].”

— it really determines so much of our lives.

As a current anti-hate training [So,] it was mind blowing to think like, coordinator for Asian Americans Advancing yourself, weirdly enough — it’s accepting ‘Oh, you meet with constituents, people Justice, Sheih has been doing civic reality and [once you do], then you [have actually get paid to do this [and] it’s a full engagement work involving racial equity the ability to] change it,” Galagali said. time gig.’” in Chicago, Illinois. Shieh encourages In college, Shieh was heavily involved younger students interested in doing the it. Then, the reactions will come in a more with organizations relating to politics, sagely way and you start to realize what including The College Democrats and The “You will be tested and you will be you [truly] need to do [to prevent certain Institute of Politics.

While tried,” Shieh said. “If you’re just kind of issues or concerns].”

Shieh had a passion going along and moving with the tide, for politics, she was CATHERINE SHIEH to study as a college major, When applying to college during high in tackling public what is driving you to do school, MVHS alumnae Catherine Shieh, policy issues regarding that and what will help you ‘10, says she was plagued with a common education.

Shieh keep going when like sh*t dilemma — she had no clue what she ended up following a wanted to study. She then devised a career path with Teach that I have needed to let For America, a nongo of what it means to be selecting the University of Southern a[n] MVHS Asian-American.

California (USC) and printing out the list that helps recruit of all majors available at the school, she willing to give up [once you do started going down the list and marked college students for leave MVHS, whether that’d be] income, relationships, home or her. She ultimately applied as a political realm of education to help students living in low-income reputation.” science major and was accepted. neighborhoods.

The decision to attend USC helped kickstart Shieh’s career as a member in the California state legislature, an Ethic School District (LAUSD) and an antihate training coordinator. However, her passions for civil engagement and social justice emerged long before college.

“When I was working at Vision New America [in high school] , there became this whole idea [of] ‘Oh, people actually about the careers that many of our parents have [in the Bay Area] who may be immigrants, many of us come here with [one set vision of potential careers]

‘‘

I FEEL PRIVILEDGED TO KNOW THAT I [HAD] LIV[ED] IN A STATE IN WHICH THERE IS A POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT ALLOWED ME TO HAVE DONE WHAT I DID ... IT WAS THE COOLEST EXPEREINCE [BEING AN ETHNIC STUDIES TEACHER]. !"#$%&!#'()**+,$"!#*+()!#&'+$"'(-&$'&

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BUDDING MUSICIANS Students share about learning new musical instruments during quarantine

BY CLAIRE WEN

T

he B chord.

“That thing is evil,” junior Jacob Vrabel said.

Vrabel, who began learning guitar during the summer due to the lack of outdoor activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic, finds the B chord especially difficult: it’s a bar chord that requires holding down all the strings with an index finger and it’s hard to reach the hand position on different strings with the other fingers. Despite the difficulties with the B chord, Vrabel has always enjoyed music that includes guitars, especially classical rock, and appreciates that he could learn a new skill that he didn’t have time for before.

Vrabel believed his prior music experience — piano lessons in elementary school and baritone and trumpet classes in middle school band — aided him in learning guitar, as he already knew the sound of a properly played note and how to keep the rhythm.

“The rhythm keeping was the most helpful part, since guitars are so different from most other instruments,” Vrabel said. “You have to play chords instead of notes. But being able to know when I had to play something was definitely helpful going into it.”

Similarly, junior Avi Das learned piano in third grade, but stopped as he

‘‘

lost motivation and became busier with not knowing that you’re doing something school. However, during quarantine, he wrong and picking up bad habits. Sevin listened to piano covers of songs from his grew up in a very musical family, where favorite shows and her father woke her wanted to give it a and her siblings on try again.

Sunday mornings “I definitely with organ music or appreciate [music] recordings of music more now and I feel and quizzed them like the way I came on composers. As to realizing that was a result, she has by becoming more played a number I DEFINITELY mature,” Das said. of instruments APPRECIATE [MUSIC] “I understand the including the piano, MORE NOW AND I FEEL beauty of the music clarinet, oboe LIKE THE WAY I CAME that’s created.” and French horn.

TO REALIZING THAT Das used online She’s also selfresources to relearn learned a number of WAS BY BECOMING the basics, but instruments like the MORE MATURE. I now he primarily trumpet, saxophone UNDERSTAND THE teaches himself. He and flute, drawing BEAUTY OF THE MUSIC practices the old from musical THAT’S CREATED. piano materials he similarities to other has or new sheet instruments.

JUNIOR AVI DAS music he prints “I would from the internet. encourage a self However, he also learner to check in finds that learning during quarantine can with someone who knows how to play,” be frustrating, as it’s difficult to reach out Sevin said. “For example, on flute, I play to a professor or music teacher for help. with the wrong fingerings because I play According to interim instrumental with oboe fingerings. And some of the music teacher Fleurette Sevin, the biggest notes are a little out of tune because drawback of self-learning an instrument is I’m not playing with completely correct

ADVICE FOR LEARNING A NEW INSTRUMENT “The hardest part is just repetition and perseverance... when you mess up, it gets really, really frustrating sometimes... but at the end it pays off really well.”

JUNIOR AVI DAS

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“Find something that you think is fun. Don’t choose an instrument because everyone else is playing it. Just find one that suits you and learn how to do it.”

JUNIOR JACOB VRABEL

“This is a great time for one-on-one music education to go out and find a private teacher, and they can listen to you, give you really good individual feedback.”

MUSIC TEACHER FLEURETTE SEVIN

ARTS & ENT

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB VRABEL | USED WITH PERMISSION

Junior Jacob Vrabel began learning to play the guitar over the summer with help from his parents, as his dad has played guitar for 15 years, and his mom has played since she was young.

fingerings. And I have to remind myself, ‘Oh yeah, flute players, they leave that finger down.’”

Vrabel has had help from his parents in getting started with guitar, as they have both played the instrument for a while now — his dad for about 15 years, and his mom since she was young. However, he appreciates not having formal lessons, as he feels that learning the instrument on his own has made the experience more enjoyable for him.

“Mostly because you have a little bit more control over what you’re doing,” Vrabel said. “When you have to learn it from a lesson, [the teachers] tell you what to play and how to play it. Having restrictions on what music you’re playing always seemed kind of contradictory to me.”

Vrabel has learned “Better Man” by Pearl Jam, “Southern Cross” by Crosby, Stills & Nash and “Darkness on the Edge of Town” by Bruce Springsteen, with the latter being his favorite to play. These are songs that his parents listened to as he was growing up, leading him to enjoy older music.

Das has learned pieces from Beethoven as well as songs from anime — wanting to play “Watashi no Uso,” a song from “Your Lie in April,” especially motivated him to learn piano. However, his favorite song to play is from “Secret Base,” an anime that he said was extremely sad but he loved the soundtrack. “[My favorite part of learning piano is] definitely being able to play all the songs I really enjoy listening to, from all the different types of genres,” Das said.

“I guess the best part is to play for other people, and then you all appreciate the music together.”

Sevin also highlights one of the benefits of music to be the social element, as she considers playing music with her family a chance to connect with them.

She says another benefit is that it can function as an emotional release: horns can play high, brassy notes, and she can use it to express her emotions as a way of screaming through the instrument.

“If you’re at all interested in music or picking up an instrument, I would encourage people to get started,” Sevin said. “If you’re a senior, and you think, ‘Oh, it’s too late,’ you’re not. Or even after you graduate from high school, it’s not …

It’s never too late to start an instrument.” l ARTS & ENT | SEPTEMBER 2020

37

PUPPIES OF QUARANTINE MVHS students share their experiences with new pets

BY ANDIE LIU

I

n early July, senior Vibha Iyengar adopted a rescue dog, who is now almost four months old. While her family was initially considering naming the dog Iroh after the “Avatar the Last Airbender” character, his personality and distinctive face marking shifted their focus to another character in the same TV series, Zuko.

“His fur looks like a golden fire in the sun,” Iyengar said. “He started warming up to us after 24 hours and chomping [on] everything, but he’s a sweetheart.”

A cco rd i n g to Iyengar, Zuko has a duality in being both shy and fearless and “thinks he’s bigger than he actually is,” which she credits to his previous experiences.

“He’s also overcome a lot of obstacles at a young age: he was in the streets for a while before his mom and siblings were r e s c u e d ,” Iyengar said.

“After that he bounced between shelters for about five weeks.”

Iyengar says she has been trying to convince her parents for 16 years to get a dog. According to her, they would

PHOTO | WESLEY DAY

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Senior Sawyer Day got his cavapoo from a breeder in Ohio. Buddy is the second dog his family has had.

probably never have agreed without the pandemic quarantine.

“Literally every single occasion that you can ask for a dog, like my birthday or Christmas … I’m like, ‘Can I please have a dog?’” Iyengar said. “It finally happened because I could convince my parents that we’d be home more often with quarantine and since we do know quarantine’s extended, at least for … the first semester, I can pay more attention to him.”

The extended quarantine allowed junior Marvin Wu and his dad to make their home more pet-friendly. They used their free time to take out all the carpeting in their four bedrooms to prepare for their first dog, Mochi. Later, in mid July, a twomonth-old white maltipoo joined their family. According to Wu, their “classic Asian family dog” plays with his grandma while he and his sister are in class and their parents are working from home.

“I think [quarantine is] definitely kind of spoiling her, because if we didn’t have quarantine or COVID didn’t happen, we wouldn’t be spending so much time at home with her and just playing with her whenever we have some time free between classes or between meetings,” Wu said.

Although Iyengar’s parents also agreed to getting a pet due to the increased time spent at home, she cautions against rushing to get a pet during an uncertain era. Through her experience working at a vet clinic and talking to other pet owners, she’s heard that many owners regret not giving their pets as much attention as they are able to during quarantine.

While she recommends getting a pet, she emphasizes the importance of having enough time to take care of them.

Senior Sawyer Day got his sevenmonth-old cavapoo, a half Cavalier Cocker Spaniel and half poodle, in February. Compared to the 200-pound English Mastiff he had a year and a half ago, his new puppy Buddy is “a lot more work” due to his high energy levels — Day and his family are always doing some activity with him.

“This entire time we’ve had Buddy, we’ve never left him alone,” Day said. “He

actually has separation anxiety … When having Zuko in her room during Zoom quarantine ends, we’d probably just give classes, especially during awkwardly him to our neighbors if we ever leave the silent breakout rooms. house, because I’m pretty sure he’s gotten “[Zuko has] definitely made [my so used to us that if we were to leave him quarantine experience] a lot better,” alone for a few hours, he would have a Iyengar said. “He’s basically become my heart attack.” world so I try to base my activities and life According to Day, he experienced around him now … He loves to climb the difficulty socializing Buddy while stairs, because he’s just learned that. So training him in quarantine. Eventually he’ll come up the stairs and try to sit in my Buddy was able to socialize with Day’s lap and look at everybody. The last time I sister’s 120-pound Newfoundland, Appa, didn’t watch him for a couple minutes he coincidentally also named after an ATLA bit through my computer charger.” character like W h i l e Iyengar’s dog.

Mochi is too “ W h e n small for Wu’s [Buddy] first family to feel saw [Appa] co m fo r ta b l e … [he] peed walking her, [himself ] Wu says Mochi because he got has made his so scared,” Day quarantine said. “But [my experience got a new pet(s) over quarantine sister] stayed a more lively. few weeks, and *According to a survey of 428 MVHS students However, after the first since Mochi week, [Buddy] was annoying [Appa].” cries after waking up, their family has to Day’s family spends a lot of time with wake up a lot earlier, anywhere from 4 Buddy, taking him on three walks a day. a.m. to 6 a.m., according to Wu. Similarly, after Zuko got his shots, Iyengar “Having Mochi definitely is a [much] started spending more time outside by happier experience,” Wu said. “Whenever running with him. However, in terms of I see her I just admire how cute she is, or puppy socialization, she is still wary of how insane it is that we actually got a pet strangers she meets and doesn’t allow so fast. [She] has definitely boosted our them to pet Zuko. At home, Iyengar enjoys family morale.”

6%

of MVHS households

Mochi is junior Marvin Wu’s family’s first pet. Wu and his family play with her in their backyard.

PHOTO | VIBHA IYENGAR

PHOTO | ANNABELLE WU

Senior Vibha Iyengar named her puppy Zuko since his facial markings reminded her of the firebender in the “Avatar the Last Airbender” series.

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39

STRAWBERRIES À LA MODE Taking a closer look at the popularity of the strawberry dress and its effects

BY SHIVANI VERMA

P

ale, blush pink fabric. Delicately puffed sleeves and soft frills. A long skirt made up of layers of airy tulle. And most eye-catching of all — glittering ruby strawberries looking almost delectable enough to eat. It seems to come straight out of the most whimsical daydreams.

Known as the strawberry dress, this $490 midi-length dress was created by fashion designer Lirika Matoshi. It has been worn by multiple celebrities, including singer mxmtoon, model Tess Holliday and internet personality Marzia Kjellberg.

With their broad reach on platforms such as Instagram, influencers have the power to spread trends through social media.

However, junior and Fashion Club CoPresident Nabeeha Ahsan, who first saw the dress in an Instagram post, believes that the strawberry dress caught on primarily because of its flattering design.

“I do think that influencers did play a role in it, but another thing is that … everyone who I’ve seen wearing it has looked really nice in the dress,” Ahsan said. “I think it works on everyone, and I know the price is high, but high prices are usually something you see in high-end clothing.”

Although the dress was released in 2019, it has only started blowing up on the internet this past summer. Senior Catherine Vo, who drew fan art of singer mxmtoon in the strawberry dress, believes that the sudden popularity of the dress during the COVID-19 pandemic comes from the rise of the cottagecore aesthetic, which she describes as “fairytale-esque.”

According to the New York Times, cottagecore is “where tropes of rural selfsufficiency converge with dainty décor to create [a] … pastoral existence.”

“I think [the dress is] mostly [a trend] right now because everyone really wants to go outside,” Vo said. “That sounds so

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stupid. But it’s just kind of, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish I was in a field in a pretty dress on a picnic, but I can’t, because I’m inside due to corona.’”

Across the internet, the strawberry dress has spread far and wide, spurring the creation of photo edits, fan art, memes and TikTok videos.

It’s an outfit in the video game Animal Crossing and has inspired mxmtoon to write a song of the same name. Art teacher Brian Chow believes that trends with a scope like this start with the right attention.

“I don’t think it really takes much, to be honest,” Chow said. “You could start a trend right now and see if it hits.

And I think that’s the key part. If it hits, if you are able to use your followership or the right people get eyes on it, and all of a sudden you get a shout out … you can get more hits on your social media, then it just takes care of itself at that point. It’s actually scary in a lot of ways.”

Similar to cheap imitations of high-end brands, one result that has emerged from the dress’s explosive popularity is knockoff versions, which can be found on websites such as AliExpress, Etsy and YesStyle. While that isn’t an uncommon occurrence for brands such as Gucci or Louis Vuitton, the strawberry dress is manifesting itself in more unique ways: DIY versions.

“I’ve seen people [on TikTok] making it from scratch, or buying materials or making something very similar but keeping it for themselves and not selling it, so they don’t profit off of stealing other designers’ work, which I think is really cool,” Vo said. “And someone else made a similar thing … but instead of PHOTO | LIRIKA MATOSHI strawberries, it was golden stars, GRAPHIC | SHIVANI VERMA and the dress was navy blue. So I think people can take their own creative liberty with seeing the dress how they want.”

E

Ahsan, however, believes that the situation is slightly more complex, even if the homemade dresses are not being sold for profit.

“I think this is very dependent on what the original artist thinks,” Ahsan said.

“I think that a lot of times if you were to see a piece of art online, for example, I know that it would be pretty divided as to whether you could just print it out to keep for yourself or not.”

Chow views the situation as a “slippery slope,” but recognizes that there are two sides to it — while the actions can lessen business for Matoshi, there are some benefits to having people sew their own versions of the strawberry dress.

“To make a dress is actually kind of hard,” Chow said. “A lot of people could do it, but a whole lot of people can’t do it well … And I think maybe on the other side of that is if people are making it themselves, then they kind of appreciate it. ‘I did this but it took a lot of work. And yes, it is actually worth it to buy that thing for that price, because it has this quality in these features to it.’ And then now you’re seeing the value in the product.”

Despite the strawberry dress’s current

reputation and effects, Ahsan thinks that Chow said. “And I’m not talking about its popularity won’t last long. She believes fads. There’s some things that just don’t that new trends will consistently crop up seem to go out of style, at least within and replace old ones. a lifetime. But I think a lot of things still “The dress itself, I don’t think it’s become relevant. I mean, you could just gonna be something that sticks around use the word ‘retro’ and all of a sudden, forever,” Ahsan said. “Obviously, no shade anything that’s old is relevant.” to the designer.

Ahsan finds It happens with that just as the everything. But cottagecore I think in a few aesthetic has years, people are a “traditional gonna be like, aspect” that has ‘Oh, why were we been modernized, so obsessed with fashion often that?’ ‘It’s so ugly’ follows a pattern or something like have heard about the strawberry of the revival of that.” old trends with dress Chow believes, a new twist. She though, that *According to a survey of 409 MVHS students believes that some types of although the art have the power to stay important strawberry dress may eventually fade and survive the cycle of trends, as long away in time, other things will emerge to as there’s interest in them. While others replace it and catch the public’s attention. may dissipate into pop culture, it’s also “I don’t think that you saw as much of possible that they’ll come back again the trend recycling back in the day,” Ahsan with time. said. “But I definitely am not upset about “I think if an artwork becomes it. I think that fashion is a flexible thing. irrelevant, it will become relevant again,” Trends will come and go. And before you know it, the trends from the 90s and the 2000s will be back again. And maybe even Senior Catherine Vo posted fan art of mxmtoon in the strawberry dress on @cadphy, her the 2010s, even though I really don’t want Instagram account. to see [the] galaxy [trend] again.”

34% of students

GRAPHIC BY CATHERINE VO | USED WITH PERMISSION

ARTS & ENT | SEPTEMBER 2020

41

HOBBIES AT HOME Students take up coding, photography and magic during quarantine

BY MELODY CUI Coding Apps

Sophomore Rohin Inani decided to test his limits by learning a new coding language, Dart, over summer break.

While he was already familiar with Java and Python, he wanted to use Dart to start coding his own apps.

Due to his inexperience with the language, Inani had to play around with the code first. He spent one and a half months practicing by coding a World Clock app, displaying the times around the world. Since it was only for practice, he decided not to release it publicly.

“It took me a very long time, because I had to learn a language from scratch,” Inani said. “I also had to learn the mentality of ‘How [should you] do it so you have the most performance out of your app?’”

After much trial and error, Inani released his first app on August 8. It’s a simplistic app for Impromptu, the Speech event he is currently in. Impromptu requires the contestant to come up with an arugment about a topic with no preparation beforehand. Inani’s app simulates that by providing an array of topics the user can talk about as a timer ticks down.

“I decided to make the app because I saw an opening and a space that people weren’t really occupying,” Inani said.

“Also, I felt like I needed, more than anything, a quick way to practice.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ROHIN INANI | USED WITH PERMISSION

Sophomore Rohin Inani designed the layout of his app, Impromptu Generator.

Senior Neo Nishino’s photo is of a tree taken from reflection of a car hood.

Inani’s impromptu app only took him three weeks to code, giving him the feeling of being on a “roll” after his success with the World Clock app.

His impromptu generator has gotten some attention since its release, having been downloaded over 50 times.

“I feel pretty accomplished because I feel that I completed a project that I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” Inani said. “I feel like I’ve given back to my community and something that they actually know me for.”

ILLUSTRATION | MELODY CUI

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PHOTO BY NEO NISHINO | USED WITH PERMISSION

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

*According to a survey of 425 MVHS students

Taking Photos

A cerulean flower swaying in the distance caught senior Neo Nishino’s eye.

He walked over and bent down, focusing his camera lens on the petals. Snap. “[Since I was] a young kid, I’ve been into photography,” Nishino said. “During quarantine, there wasn’t really much to do and I thought if I could take a few pictures on my phone, that’d be cool.”

Nishino started taking photos in July.

With no formal classes and only the help of a few YouTube videos, he was able to take a step into the photography community.

But the videos mostly covered close-up shots, so he still needed to learn how to take photos of scenery and other subjects.

“At first, it’s pretty hard because ... the camera that I have on my iPhone is really

trashy,” Nishino said. “Then, on top of hold personal significance. He bought that, lighting was a really big issue too.” one from a kickstarter called Theory 11 to After taking a few photos and observing help support the creator and one from the his results, he was able to determine that United States Playing Card Company. photos had the best lighting at dusk or He enjoys fiddling with card magic over dawn. During these times, he would go any other type, and his favorite trick is outside to snap a few photos. making a card disappear in the deck and “There is a mountain that I see in the reappear in his mouth. His least favorite is distance and I love taking photos of that,” still a work-in-progress.

Nishino said. “Other than that, it’s just “I shake my hand and the card close up photos of leaves or flowers.” disappears because it goes to the back After starting his hobby, Nishino of my hand,” Xiao said. “It’s really decided to share his photos with others, hard for me to do it because I have creating a photography account on a [naturally large] gap between my Instagram called @neo_se_photos. pinky and my ring finger.”

During the summer, he actively posted Xiao uses regular playing two to three photos a day. Now with cards for these misdirection school and college applications, he only tricks, but out of his 20, he has plans on posting four to five times a week. a few cheat decks. His favorite His favorite picture he has taken so far is one is a deck with an intricate a photo of a tree in the reflection of a car. blue backing that allows “I think it’s just a fluke, but it looks him to identify the exact really good,” Nishino said. “It makes the characteristics of the card. sky look so surreal, and the tree looks just “It has a really nice design,” amazing.”

Xiao said. “But secretly, Nishino says photography has [looking] at the back of the card, given him a new I can know that perspective, allowing [the card] is black, him to see ordinary a spade and it’s the items from a variety of ace of spades.” new angles.

So far, Xiao has “Personally learned around I’ve been able to 40 card tricks, appreciate the small encountering a lot of THE FACT THAT YOU things more,” Nishino challenges. His motto CAN FIND BEAUTY said. “And the fact for facing them: IN EVERYTHING IS that you can find “Try, try, try again. beauty in everything Swearing helps.

WHAT MAKES ME is what makes me Swearing helps a lot.”

APPRECIATE TAKING appreciate taking Practicing for PHOTOS OF THINGS. photos of things.” up to four hours SENIOR each day, Xiao NEO NISHINO believes Practicing Magic he made While scrolling the most through his YouTube page, junior Edward Xiao saw Shin Lim, an of his quarantine. He plans on Asian magician who was on America’s Got continuing this hobby, and, to his Talent in 2020 for his mind blowing tricks. surprise, even found someone Lim caught Xiao’s attention, and Xiao who shared his interest.

“My math teacher, [Alan Wong], credits him for sparking his infatuation likes magic,” Xiao said. “He made us with magic.

“He was really, really good,” Xiao said. do a Google survey where he asked us “[My favorite trick is when] he turned the what hobbies we had, and I wrote magic deck of cards into a block of plastic … for one of them, and he was like, ‘Wow, then he smashed it with his hands and that’s so cool, I want to do it too.’” made it flatten.”

After he made up his mind, Xiao bought 20 decks of cards, a ring and a book on how to master sleight-of-hand card tricks. Xiao says each one of his decks

‘‘

PHOTO BY EDWARD XIAO | USED WITH PERMISSION

PHOTO BY EDWARD XIAO | USED WITH PERMISSION

ARTS & ENT | SEPTEMBER 2020

43

TIKTOK TRENDS

Students share the latest trends on the popular social media app

BY GAURI MANOJ

I

n October of 2019, senior Winter Bloom posted a video lip-syncing to the song “Last Christmas” by Wham! on TikTok. A few days later, she was shocked to see that her video had gained over 500,000 views and was one of the top few videos using the song. Students at school would come up to Bloom and point out that they saw her video on their own “For You” pages. Bloom says that trends and videos like this are what make TikTok stand out from other social media platforms.

“Especially with us being in quarantine, we’re bored and we need social interaction, stuff that’s refreshing,” Bloom said. “You can’t always look at Instagram all the time. Instagram is just still photos and sometimes you get videos in there, but TikTok is more current.”

Junior Sophia Chen has been an avid user of TikTok since October of 2019 and has been posting videos for her friends to see. Chen explains that the various types of content are what makes TikToks easy to watch for hours.

“I think it caters to all sorts of different interests,” Chen said. “People like to refer to the videos they see as skincare TikTok, or politics TikTok, fashion TikTok, European TikTok. There’s just so many different kinds of videos that virtually anyone can get addicted to.”

One of the most popular types of PHOTO | WINTER BLOOM videos on TikTok are dance videos, where a user will create a dance that others can Senior Winter Bloom poses for a TikTok and adds text to make her content more learn and post a video of themselves relatable. performing it. Recently, a trending audio to dance to is “WAP” by Cardi B, with 1.8 Bloom said. “Male artists kind of create A majority of TikTok videos include a million videos on the same sort of song or dialogue in the background that TikTok. Because music, the same sort people can lip-sync or dance to. Users of the sexual of sexual message. can click on sounds to view the song title, implications of But when a woman artist name and how many videos have the song and or women do it, it’s a been created using the sound. dance, the trend little bit risky so I like “My favorite thing about TikTok is has faced some how TikTok is taking definitely the sounds and audios because controversy. that song and making there’s lots of funny sounds,” Chen said.

“I think the it popular.”

“I really like the cool remixes that people song itself has a Along with sharing make to different songs and stuff because regularly use TikTok whole bunch of *According to a survey of 429 MVHS students dances, TikTok is a they’re very catchy. I even made a Spotify backlash, which platform for creators playlist called TikTok just for the songs I I find interesting to share their own found on there.” considering it’s from two female artists,” audio and music with their followers.

Additionally, Bloom mentions that

31% of students

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EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

TikTok can be an excellent way for small of videos about social injustice, Tik Tok “You’ve seen all the BLM trends on TikTok, artists to get their music out to a broader has become one of the biggest platforms but then there’s also people on the audience.

By for social media opposite side,” Shanware said. “On every creating a fun activism. one of the BLM videos, there’ll always be dance or trend Bloom feels people saying Trump 2020, Blue Lives that virtually that spreading Matter, things like that.” anyone can information With DataReportal recording over 800 participate in, about current million active users, Bloom says TikTok songs can go events, petitions will continue to grow in popularity, viral quickly. and protests can especially as election season approaches.

“If your be beneficial for “The overall reach and the diversity audio does well young adults of the people that you can interact with monthly active users in on TikTok, it’s who are reaching or the people that can interact with you really, really or are of voting is really interesting,” Bloom said. “It also August 2020 beneficial for age.

However, allows for a sort of escapism in a way. *According to CNBC the artists,” Shanware also Whether it be positive or negative, it’s just Bloom said. “Like Conan Gray with [his acknowledges that she doesn’t always always a different experience every time song] ‘Heather’ — he got really popular find all of the content personally relevant you open up the app.” with that [song]. I’ve been following and there can be disagreements. him for a decent amount of time and

seeing his hard work pay off is really nice.

Overall, watching artists that I have seen on the app or beyond the app, gaining popularity through TikTok has really been interesting, because they deserve it.”

Another popular type of content on the app is humorous videos. Users can add text and filters to their videos to make different jokes and deliver their punchline. For sophomore Krupa Shanware, the humor on TikTok is her favorite aspect.

“Right now during quarantine, I guess my life’s pretty boring,” Shanware said. “I think that really applies for everyone else too. They’re seeing things on the app that they find super funny and that kind of draws [them] in.”

With the current COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, users have begun discussing politics and speaking out about pressing topics on the app as well. The hashtag #BLM has accumulated over 15.1 billion views on TikTok. “The popularity of politics being discussed on TikTok has overall destigmatized the entire conversation of politics,” Bloom said. “Having a sort of outlet to talk about or try to discuss what you feel, outside of your immediate circle is pretty interesting. You get multiple opinions and you get to talk about the stuff you wouldn’t normally talk about.”

TikToks about current events and politics have surfaced on a variety of PHOTO | KRUPA SHANWARE media platforms — some of them have even been aired on news stations such Sophomore Krupa Shanware posts a TikTok with her friend before they went on as Fox News, NBC and CNN. With millions vacation together for Labor Day weekend.

100 million

ARTS & ENT | SEPTEMBER 2020

45

TOP HITS

What people watched and listened to this summer in quarantine

BY VIVIAN JIANG

Movie of the Summer

TV Shows

YA Sequel ‘ The Kissing Booth 2’

The highly-anticipated sequel to “The Kissing Booth” released on July 24, 2020 on Netflix, instantly becoming a hit with teen audiences.

Audiences enjoyed its lighthearted premise and it gained the title of the teen romcom of the summer. It was the topstreamed film in its opening weekend and one of the most popular movies ever on the streaming platform.

Summer Tunes Retro Throwback ‘Dynamite’ - BTS

“Dynamite” is South Korean boyband BTS’ latest release and their first song fully recorded in English. Although released towards the end of summer, the retro disco-pop song has elements of funk and soul and brings a positive and upbeat energy that captures the fun of summer. “Dynamite” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making BTS the first all-South Korean act to top the chart.

Sweet and Fresh ‘ Watermelon Sugar’ Harry Styles

“Watermelon Sugar” is the second track in the album Fine Line by English singer Harry Styles. The light and catchy tune has a breezy melody and sweet, fruity lyrics that perfectly match the carefreeness of summer. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated August 15, giving Styles’ his first number-one single.

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Blast from the Past ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’

Netflix added “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” a beloved 2000s show, on May 15, attracting both old and new viewers to its fanbase. Although “ATLA” is considered a children’s show, the story’s complex storyline and well-developed characters appeals to audiences of all ages.

Netflix announced that the show has become the most-watched television show on the platform since its debut.

Teen Summer ‘Outer Banks’

“Outer Banks” is an American action-adventure mystery teen tv series that quickly gained popularity after premiering on Netflix on April 15, 2020. Three weeks after its debut, the summerset series was the most popular item on Netflix.

TikTok Trending

DaBaby and Roddy Rich’s “Rockstar” ruled Billboard’s Songs of the Summer chart for 13 out of 15 weeks, greatly due to its dominance on the social media platform TikTok, where more than 7.8 million videos have been made with the song.

“Tap In” is the lead single from American rapper Saweetie’s upcoming debut studio album. It peaked at 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has become a hit song on Tiktok, where it has been used in more than 6.9 million videos.

AT HOME WORKOUTS

Students and staff share what motivates them to exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic

BY PRISHA TIWARI

A

s the quarantine stretches into its seventh month, many students and faculty continue to stay active despite restrictions. Junior Miyabi Kadowaki decided to establish goals, such as getting more muscle and toned legs for her body, and implementing workouts into her daily schedule.

“I started working out to stay in shape and I feel like at this point, [working out] [is], ingrained into my life,” Kadowaki said. “If I don’t go out on a run or if I don’t do a workout, my body craves it.”

Similarly, Varsity Boys Volleyball member and senior Joshua Ho says he was able to commit to working out by receiving support from his teammates PHOTO | ARUSHI TYAGI and by setting goals to improve his strength and speed by the next season. Junior Arushi Tyagi holds a plank position during her daily workout in her house.

After the school closures in March, Ho and Like Ho, Spanish teacher and his team were required to participate in show that I really want to work out,” Tyagi virtual conditioning meetings where the said. “I [saw] [that] a lot of people who Department Lead Molly Guadiamos was team worked through different sets of constantly went to practice were doing able to use exercising and working out exercises. To establish workout routines, a lot better or are getting better and that in the evenings to spend more time with her daughters and focus on her family.

Ho practiced a combination of these was my motivation.”

Ho believes that establishing a physical Guadiamos and her family explored volleyball conditioning exercises, along with online workouts from YouTube, such activity into his day wasn’t just to lose many different physical activities, such as as following the fitness Youtuber Chloe weight or to gain strength, but it was also biking and running.

“It has been great to be able to work out Ting but Ho felt they weren’t helpful in very beneficial in terms of his own mental and emotional health, such as stress relief with my daughters,” Guadiamos said. “It allowing him to achieve his goal. makes it a lot more fun than just working However, Ting’s 30 day shred and and relaxation.

“At the end of the school year when we out by yourself; we take turns creating ab workouts proved helpful for Varsity Badminton player and junior Arushi Tyagi went into quarantine, working out [made] workouts and it’s good to have a buddy me happier,” who also helps keep you accountable.” as it helped her Ho said. “It Tyagi thinks at the start of establishing transition from was sad to a workout routine that it may be difficult a “laid back life” be stuck to motivate yourself to keep going, but to a structured inside all day she says staying consistent is worth it in workout regimen. and working the end.

Tyagi started atout gave me “Find what motivates you so that you home workouts an outlet to continue it and you don’t stop halfway because her relieve some through,” Tyagi said. “Set smaller goals, parents thought stress. [When] smaller milestones, rather than a big Badminton was get at least 30 minutes of exercise we were in goal so that you feel accomplished every taking time four or more days each week actual school, time that you reach a small milestone. No away from her *According to a survey of 420 MVHS students my whole day matter what, you would have made some academics. With quarantine adding many free hours to her was super busy with a ton of classes and progress and however small it is — at days, Tyagi’s parent’s decided that the volleyball — [school] felt very stressful. least it is something.” only way she could continue practicing But after quarantine started, it was really Badminton was to workout every day to easy for me to [workout] every day since I had the time to do that and it was really show her commitment.

“I had to come up with some kind of nice to have the time to spend [and focus] ultimatum [for my parents] that would on myself.”

53% of students get at

SPORTS | SEPTEMBER 2020

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PHOTO | CLAIRE SCHIE

RECREATIONAL SPORTS Junior Claire Schie practices equestrian vaulting at Garrod Farms for an upcoming competition.

MVHS students and staff safely stay active despite COVID-19 restrictions

BY BRIAN XU

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hile MVHS sports teams have been unable to practice in their usual capacity during the COVID-19 school closures, with the fall sports season postponed, many teachers and students have been pursuing sports and exercising on their own. Read below to learn how three individuals have continued to exercise despite the shelterin-place orders.

Yoga English teacher Vennessa Nava was introduced to yoga as a toddler. When her grandmother practiced yoga poses in the living room, Nava would always be hanging nearby.

“She’d be like, ‘Can you do this, can you do this?’” Nava said. “And then we’d do an informal little practice. Kids are so flexible, it’s enviable.”

Nava stopped practicing yoga as a child, but her interest returned in college after a friend signed her up for a yoga class. Nava is currently a member of a yoga studio in Los Gatos with over 90 courses offered weekly.

One of Nava’s favorite yoga teachers is the official yoga instructor of the San Francisco 49ers, who has created a program revolving around functional

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yoga, which is based on practical, “Western society and appropriations real-world movements. As an ethical of yoga strip away all of those spiritual practice, the studio also works with the underpinnings — those are actually what Seva Foundation and invests in many yoga is, not just ‘I’m going to exercise and programs including teaching yoga to sweat.’” cancer patients and to those who have Nava decided to host her own yoga experienced trauma. sessions for a group of around six MVHS “The studio as a whole seems to teachers each week. Over the summer, embody the principles of yoga, not just these lessons were held at Jollyman as an exercise, but as Park. However, with a spiritual practice,” the onset of recent Nava said. “That’s wildfires, Nava what drew me to stay switched back to with this particular hosting the yoga studio.” class over Zoom.

Nava shares that One principle many principles Nava has recently of yoga can be adopted is slowing IT HAS BEEN SUCH A transferred off the mat down to feel every GIFT. I WOULD HAVE and into daily lives moment of her GONE CRAZY JUST as well. Traditional yoga practice. She BEING COOPED UP. yoga practice encourages a similar includes yamas, mindset in those CHEMISTRY moral disciplines, looking to try yoga.

TEACHER and niyamas, self“A lot of times, disciplines, which especially in a KAVITA GUPTA dictate practice. culture like the Bay “Yoga practice Area, people look encompasses all of these disciplines so to who’s around them and then they that someone is living an ethical life and want to compete,” Nava said. “And that’s is living in a principled way,” Nava said. getting caught up in ego. You’ve stopped

EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

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Vaulting Each year, junior Claire Schie works with her team to put together an equestrian vaulting performance consisting of three categories of moves performed on horseback: compulsories, individual freestyle and team freestyle.

Hiking During the shelter-in-place order, Each day, chemistry teacher Kavita Schie has been forced to practice vaulting Gupta meets her fitness goals by either individually with her coach and has traveling to trailheads to hike or walking recently transitioned to practicing in 10,000 steps if she is unable to hike. Since groups of two and three. she started hiking around 10 years ago, Schie began equestrian vaulting Gupta has loved to spend time on the trail in 2015 and had spent much of her alone without technology or distractions. life around horses and had practiced “I never used to hike before that and I horseback riding before being introduced thought hiking was for people who were to vaulting by a friend. Each week, Schie very fit or who knew everything,” Gupta practices vaulting three times a week at said. “Then, a couple Garrod Farms. Out of of my friends and I, we the multiple moves just started walking she has performed, and then we said ‘Oh, one of her favorites this looks like a good is the stand, which place to go.’ And I involves standing would just go with my stationary on a horse. friends and family and Schie begins that’s how, little by preparing in August A LOT OF TIMES, little, I just loved the each year for Spring PEOPLE ... WANT TO outdoors.” competitions.

For COMPETE. YOU’VE One of Gupta’s months, she works STOPPED PRACTICING favorite hikes has with teammates to YOGA WHEN YOU GET been at the Toyon practice and develop Trail in Portola Valley. routines.

Schie CAUGHT UP IN THOSE Along the trail, a swing notes that the team KINDS OF MINDSETS. has been installed shares many comical overlooking a massive moments when ENGLISH drop with a view someone falls in a TEACHER of mountains and funny way or when VENNESSA NAVA redwoods.

Gupta’s a horse steps on love for nature someone’s foot. has made hiking During the important for her during the shelter-in- shelter-in-place period, practices have place period. become more individual for Schie and “It has been such a gift,” Gupta said. “I her teammates. Since disinfecting has would have gone crazy just being cooped also become more important, equipment up. In hiking, you can still observe social such as tacks are cleaned after each use. distance, and you’re outdoors in an open Regardless of the changes she has had space so the risk of infection is less.” to make to adapt to COVID-19, Schie is Gupta recommends that everyone try grateful to continue vaulting and training out hiking, but to start small — don’t get with her team. too ambitious in the beginning. She also “I think vaulting is definitely a very suggests that hikers wear proper shoes unique sport,” Schie said. “Not a lot of and always bring water. Most importantly, people are part of it. A lot of people think she shares the importance of preserving I’m a pole vaulter, so I have to specify it’s the trails and their beauty. gymnastics on horseback. I really like “You do not remove things and you do how unique it is.” not trash [them],” Gupta said. “Just be a good neighbor to the surroundings ... so these [trails] can last ... us for a long time.” practicing yoga when you get caught up in those kinds of mindsets. Really, [yoga] is a way to turn inward and to learn to listen and feel your own body’s individual constitution and individual sensations on any given day.”

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TIPS TO GET STARTED

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YOGA

Breath practices are meditative and they can really help students when they’re struggling with stress and anxiety. Having a few pranayama or breathing practices that you can go to [is] incredibly helpful.

ENGLISH TEACHER VENNESSA NAVA

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HIKING

Everyone should hike, but start very small. Gauge your physical strength. Wear proper shoes. Always carry a water bottle with you — You don’t know when you will need it. Be a good neighbor to the surroundings and to the nature.

CHEMISTRY TEACHER KAVITA GUPTA

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VAULTING

Garrod’s farm is where I [vault]. they have this [event] called Open Vault where [on] the first Sunday of every month, you can come and try out vaulting just once and see if you like it. I think that’s a really good way to get into [vaulting].

JUNIOR CLAIRE SCHIE SPORTS | SEPTEMBER 2020

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ATHLETIC CONDITIONING Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on team conditioning

BY ANIKA SHARMA AND ANJALI SINGH

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ue to COVID-19, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department placed restrictions on FUHSD athletics and activities. MVHS sports teams were allowed to practice over the summer but only if they followed certain guidelines such as going through pre-workout screening, having workout “cohorts” of 12 or fewer people, wearing masks when near each other and maintaining social distancing. From July 13 to 31, the Football, Girls Basketball and Cross Country teams held practices multiple days a week while following these guidelines, until the continuation of these activities was suspended.

Junior and Varsity Cross Country runner Ellie Hsu explains that the team had two practices a day, one at 7 a.m. and one at 6 p.m., in which runners could follow certain workouts socially distanced, that their coach published on the team’s website. Hsu explains that due to the social distancing guidelines, runners have to do their workouts and go on their runs individually instead of with teammates, limiting connection among both returning members and new freshmen runners. Hsu notes that this causes the freshmen runners to miss out on some of the social aspects of being on the Cross Country team.

“Mentally, it’s a little bit less encouraging not to run with your team and to run alone, [having] to push yourself instead of being around all your friends,” Hsu said. “It’s really a lot harder to talk to each other. That’s hindered a section of the freshmen the most. The rest of us know each other pretty well — we can text each other. But we don’t know [the freshmen] — we can’t interact with [them] as much and talk to them.”

Varsity Football Head Coach Ceazar Agront highlights that for the football team, the summer practices looked very different compared to previous years, due to the team not being able to lift weights and use other equipment.

According to Agront, the team focused on plyometric exercises — where muscles exert force in quick, short intervals — running and other hands-off approaches

50 EL ESTOQUE | SEPTEMBER 2020

PHOTO BY CEAZAR AGRONT | USED WITH PERMISSION

The football team practices social distancing during its conditioning exercises on the field.

to football. While Agront says that his that these lighter practices have also players initially felt down about not being brought in newer members who are more able to play contact football and conduct willing to commit to the team. other normal exercises, he notes that as “It actually surprised me that this year, these conditioning practices continued, I’m seeing a lot of new faces [working they became more motivated to put in with the team] than I have seen in the the work. past year,” Deshpande said. “I feel with “They were really excited, back in football, it’s really easy to get intimidated March prior to [the restrictions], and so … and some [new members] can leave not [having] a little taste or any kind of [or] slack [off]. But this year, I feel since [regular] practice was [workouts are] hard for them,” Agront easier, people are said. “But once they saw more determined my workout plan and to stay connected. how I was integrating There’s a lot of the new system that I new freshmen and was running, they all there’s even [some] got motivated. They [upperclassmen] surprised me because who [have] decided they seem more hungry to play. It’s actually THEY SURPRISED ME than I’ve ever had a worked to our BECAUSE THEY SEEM team before. I think [team’s] benefit in MORE HUNGRY THAN that they went from that sense.”

I’VE EVER HAD A TEAM more of [a] carefree Similar to the BEFORE. [and] having fun type football team, the of setting to, it’s all Girls Basketball FOOTBALL COACH business when they’re team focused on here, because they socially distanced CEAZAR AGRONT want to make the most s t a t i o n a r y with the time they got.” exercises, mile runs Senior and Varsity Football player and various drills on footwork. Senior Shreyas Deshpande agrees, believing and Varsity player Eshani Patel notes that

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even with these distancing guidelines, being able to see her teammates from far away was enough to make the workouts feel effective.

“It was really helpful to get out there,” Patel said. “[I feel that] when you’re with your team you’re a lot more motivated and there are other people pushing you.

[For example], even though we can’t physically give each other high fives, we’re still encouraging each other.”

Though Patel feels that members of the Girls Basketball team were fully committed during conditioning, Hsu feels differently. She explains that the Cross Country team has had trouble with motivation and perserverance due to the postponement of their fall season to winter, which was announced on July 20 by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

According to Hsu, this led some runners to question what their practice is leading up towards if the pandemic continues and their winter season gets postponed as well. However, Hsu adds that since the school closures in March, the team has invited multiple Zoom guest speakers in an attempt to maintain engagement. Ranging from motivational speakers to pro runners and athletes, they have helped cultivate the team’s perseverance and keep up morale. Hsu says that her favorite speaker was long distance American runner Desiree Linden because of her professional background.

Hsu expresses that these COVID-19 restrictions and online workouts have put into perspective how much teams like Cross Country rely on camaraderie and bonding among teammates, rather than just being able to practice events alone.

“The best part of being on Cross Country is the people, talking to everyone and the bond you form over running,” Hsu said. “You’re definitely disconnected from everyone [online] — it’s a lot different than just seeing each other every single day and [talking] about the smallest things…

For the most part, a part of me was always very focused on my own goals as a runner and I was a little bit self centered on my own improvement. But now I realize that a lot of Cross Country is the team and it’s not just running.”

After the suspension of practice on July 31 due to increases in COVID-19 cases in the county, teams halted conditioning — Football and Girls Basketball were advised to continue working out on their

own, and Cross Country ran individually and conducted workouts over Zoom.

However, on Aug. 31, Athletic Director Nick Bonacorsi issued a statement on Instagram that athletic teams can conduct small cohort conditioning starting Sept. 14. Despite teams like Girls Basketball and Football being limited to non-contact workouts, Deshpande says that this conditioning time has allowed teams to focus more on other aspects of playing their sport. “[These restrictions] really do open up our mind as to how much more we can put into football, because it’s giving us that extra time to start learning how to play football off the field,” Deshpande said. “At the end of the day, it’s not all just physical work … [we can] focus on technique or football IQ, watching plays, memorizing things and learning the ins and outs of football rather than practicing.”

Moving forward, as athletic teams plan to start or resume their restricted conditioning, Agront hopes that the football team will be able to start using their helmets and shoulder pads. Due to these restricted conditionings causing emotional disconnect between players and often a lack of motivation for athletes, Agront urges all athletes to continue to persevere and communicate with each other, values he aims to instill in his own Football team.

“Try to find solace in the fact that it’s only momentary,” Agront said. “The more patient you are, the more focused you are on the things that you can control, will help that time pass.

[One] thing I have my PHOTO | CEAZAR ARGONT football players focus on is if you have a problem or you’re feeling a certain type of way, don’t hold that in, talk to your teammates — because I’m sure someone else is feeling that too — so you can band together and get through it together.”

SAMPLE EXERCISES PER TEAM GIRLS BASKETBALL

PHOTO BY NICK BONACORSI |USED WITH PERMISSION

Defensive slides backwards and forwards on each side followed by a sprint

FOOTBALL

PHOTO BY CEAZAR AGRONT | USED WITH PERMISSION

Stationary stretches followed by 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups alternating every 25

CROSS COUNTRY

PHOTO BY NICK BONACORSI |USED WITH PERMISSION

Drills such as high knees and laps around the track SPORTS | SEPTEMBER 2020

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ESPORTS BOOM The pandemic pushes students to esports during quarantine

BY COLLIN QIAN

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enior Kunaal Venugopal has been a long time fan of Overwatch, a first-person shooter team-based game created by Blizzard Entertainment that involves traditional features of video games like control points and escorting payloads. But when his idol, Jay “sinatraa” Won, made the switch from Overwatch to Riot Games’ new and extremely hyped game, Valorant,he was in shock. According to Liquipedia, sinatraa “is the only player in the world to win an Overwatch League championship title, be the Regular Season MVP, win a Overwatch World Cup title and be the World Cup MVP all in one season.” Valorant is a fiveversus-five tactical first-person shooter in which the objective of the game is to either attack bombsites, plant bombs and detonate them or defend the bomb sites from the attacking side.

“It was like Michael Jordan moving to baseball,” Venugopal said. “I was nervous for him because of how different the games were. He was risking a lot and I was

PHOTO | ROIT GAMES

unsure if he would find success.”

Venugopal claims that his junior year was quite stressful, which is why he wasn’t as engaged with the Overwatch and esports scene as he once was.

However, Ve n u go pa l ’s new interest in esports aligned

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perfectly with shelter-in-place orders after up for a “League of Legends Bootcamp,” sinatraa signed to Sentinels’ professional hosted by UC Irvine’s competitive League Valorant team in April, just a few weeks of Legends team in July. after FUHSD school closures in March.

“They had a one-week-long camp “sinatraa retired from Overwatch online on Discord,” Zhai said. “It was to switch to this game, and I was like, actually extremely fun. I was nervous ‘Damn, this game must be really good,’” at first because I was the lowest ranked Venugopal said. “So I started following player but I put in a lot of effort and [over that game, and teams were forming — a time] performed pretty well. Everyone lot of players who I know from a bunch was very friendly and the coaches and of different games started wanting to be counselors really mentored me a lot. part of a team so Valorant coming out at I learned most of what I know about this time really shifted my focus towards League [of Legends] from that camp.” esports.”

Senior Monica Wang had a similar Senior Henry Zhai shares a similar experience with esports during remote experience learning. She with League found herself of Legends, a having much multiplayer more free time online battle to spend on arena game video games in which two and while she teams face had also been off and try a casual League to complete of Legends o b j e c t i v e s spent 1 or more hours each day player, Wang before the other became much playing video games since March team.

After more interested q u a r a n t i n e *According to a survey of 442 MVHS students in the began, Zhai friendships she found himself spending a lot of his free made rather than the competitiveness of time playing video games. the game that Zhai enjoyed.

“I would spend a good amount of “I had the chance to bond with new time invested in [League of Legends],” people who are also [MVHS] graduated Zhai said. “As quarantine got longer students,” Wang said. “It was really nice to and longer, I would play more and more just connect with them and get to know because obviously I can’t go outside. It’s who they are. I really value these times I the only thing to do.” spent with my friends online, because I Zhai had originally started playing know that these relationships don’t last League of Legends because his classmates forever so that made me treasure my time encouraged him to. While he originally with them.” didn’t take the game very seriously, once he learned about the ranked scene during quarantine, he started enjoying it more and paying attention to the details.

As Zhai spent more time playing League of Legends, he found himself ranking higher in the ladders, experiencing the higher level of gameplay as a result.

After hitting the platinum rank (the top 10% of all players), Zhai browsed the competitive scene, where up and coming professionals play. He ended up signing

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of students