Volume 51, Issue 3, December 16, 2020

19

YES, SHE CAN

Investigating feminism through different lenses within 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, Leanna Sun, Krish Dev 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, 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, 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 In this issue’s El Estoque survey that goes out to all MVHS students, we asked, ‘Do you believe men and women should be treated equally?’ Out of 152 respondents, 99% voted yes.

The following question asked, ‘Do you self-identify as a feminist?’ 72% said yes.

This schism seems, on the one hand, laughable. And on the other hand, disappointing. Why is there a disconnect between the notion of gender equality and the movement that advocates for it?

Being a woman in the MVHS and Cupertino community is a unique experience. It is commonplace for women to be ambitious, to dream big and to actively strive for successful careers of their choice. And in conjunction, it is also commonplace for women to reject the traditional, patriarchal trajectory of getting married and having children and instead prioritize what they want.

But misogyny is hardly a stranger. In our community, it manifests in different, perhaps unconventional ways. In this issue of El Estoque, our Features package highlights misogyny and patriarchal constructs, as well as strides in the feminist movement. From the historic nature of the Vice President-elect being a woman of color — resonating deeply with much of the South Asian-American community at MVHS — to the large gender gap in AP Physics C classrooms, we write about both progress and its lack thereof. We investigate other social constructs, such as the presence of a toxic definition of masculinity that many boys feel pressured to adhere to, and the stigmatization and misinformation shrouding birth control and other methods of contraceptives.

It is through highlighting these stories that we can start to dismantle the oppressive constructs of our society. And by continually being aware of these harmful social norms and actively working to break them, we can make real change for future generations — for instance, many of our cultures enforce these stereotypes, with mothers often being the sole participant in kitchens. Change starts small — demanding for equality can start within our homes.

Because equality shouldn’t be radical. It should just be, well, the norm.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION | TYLER CHO

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO | JUSTINE HA

Oishee Misra

Ayah Ali-Ahmad

TABLE OF CONTENTS EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020 PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIA YEN | USED WITH PERMISSION

19

YES, SHE CAN.

BY ANUSHKA DE, IMAN MALIK, GAURI MANOJ, OISHEE MISRA, IRENE TANG, PRISHA TIWARI AND NIKA ZAMANI

Investigating feminism through different lenses within the MVHS community

8

Asking for help

BY MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

Exploring the effectiveness of the Wellness Check-In form

12

2020 Year in Review

BY RACHEL JIANG AND SHIVANI VERMA

Reflecting on the events of 2020

32

Unique traditions

BY VIVIAN JIANG AND CLAIRE WEN

Exploring the different ways that MVHS students celebrate winter holidays

34

Socially distanced sports

BY ANJALI SINGH

The Cross Country, Water Polo and Color Guard teams adjust their practices due to COVID-19 EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

03

CLOSING OFF THE SEMESTER Exploring the change from Finals Week to Closing Week

BY DEVIN GUPTA

T

eaching during a pandemic is difficult. Teachers not only lack robust feedback from the visual cues they would get in a physical classroom, they also can’t practically assign traditional assignments or formal assessments. These

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

differences are why FUHSD decided to implement Closing Week, a replacement of traditional Finals Week.

For Closing Week, teachers have been encouraged by FUHSD administration to arrange low-risk final exams or projects — testing that doesn’t negatively impact students’ final grades — as a way of reducing stress for students and staff in a difficult online learning e n v i ro n m e n t .

According to C l a u s n i t z e r, the rebranding of the formerly known Finals Week provides an opportunity for teachers to administer their assessments differently.

“You could give a final exam, yes,” Clausnitzer said.

“But what else could you do? You could give a unit exam rather than a comprehensive final exam. If you gave a final exam, it

could be a no-harm final exam. You could have some sort of culminating activity. It could just be a normal class.”

While the administration hopes that teachers reshape their final exams to better accommodate for the challenges of distance learning, California Education Code 49066 designates teachers as the sole decision makers for their students’ grades and assignments in all cases except when teachers are charged with fraud, mistakes, bad faith or incompetence.

Yet for the past few years, U.S. History teacher Bonnie Belshe has noticed that teachers have already been talking about how to make final exams no-harm. But the uniqueness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the push from administration have expedited the process, bringing conversations about alternative final assessments like no-harm testing to the center of teacher discussions.

Before distance learning, Belshe used to host a cumulative set of AP exam style short answer questions on the Friday before finals week, in addition to a twohour cumulative multiple choice test and document-based short essay (DBQ) on the day of finals. This year, Belshe is considering opting for only a take-home DBQ, a test students can work on in their own time, with the possibility of another memory-based short essay during the 90-minute closing period.

“The big difference between online and in-person [learning is that] we just can’t do the same amount of things online,” Belshe said. “So I’m trying to be very reflective of

NEWS

ILLUSTRATION | TANISH MENDKI

that and match that understanding with of this system, in addition to having a respect to the understanding that finals are “far less stressful” learning experience, always stressful. Then adding a pandemic, is that internet issues or unideal testing we’ve moved environments won’t into the purple negatively impact a tier, people student’s grade.

I know are On the other hand, concerned she is worried by the about their lack of consistency family … and with teachers around so [I’m] just their types of finals trying to make for Closing Week. sure that I can Varying degrees of have practices compliance to the that [match] recommendations Bonnie Belshe those concerns among teachers have and mak[e] AP US History Teacher created uncertainty sure that both in expectations for the emotional students, even among needs and students who are academic needs are being met.” taking the same courses.

Throughout the semester, junior Atmaja “There are some teachers, I’ve heard Patil noticed teachers giving many low- among sophomores, that have threatened risk tests. For Patil, one of the advantages to violate the no-harm policy, but haven’t

“we just can’t do the same amount of things online.

I’m trying to be reflective of that.”

announced what their final will be, so no one knows for sure,” Patil said. “If teachers leave that lingering threat, it’s another source of stress and that’s frustrating.”

As Closing Week approaches, teachers will begin to release class plans and grading policies for final assessments that try to accommodate students during distance learning. In the meantime, Clausnitzer wants to ensure that while teachers use accommodating testing methods, students don’t abuse the privilege they are being given and continue to work hard.

“I would hope teachers react [by] trying to think about the unique circumstances that we’re in … and providing students an opportunity [to have alternative finals],” Clausnitzer said. “For our students, if a teacher is doing something different, providing an opportunity, then yes, I want folks to enjoy that opportunity, but it also means put[ting] in a good faith effort … into doing the best that you can.”

NEWS | DECEMBER 2020

05

WASC GOALS

MVHS works to implement goals and feedback following WASC accreditation visit

BY ROBERT LIU

I

n early November, officials from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) audited MVHS online classes in lieu of their in-person visit that was canceled last March due to COVID-19.

The visitors provided feedback on MVHS’s self-report, culminating the school’s latest six-year-long WASC accreditation cycle, which ensures that MVHS diplomas are valid.

Math teacher Sushma Bana, who led MVHS’s WASC team, characterizes the accreditation process as a “self-study” that the school must undertake. Bana says that a key challenge in a process that was so extensive and thorough was ensuring that the perspectives of all stakeholders were considered. To that end, the WASC team divided itself into five focus groups: school organization, curriculum, instruction, assessments and school culture. Each group sought diverse viewpoints as they considered MVHS’s strengths and weaknesses, distilling their findings into four central goals presented in the final WASC report. “[The process] has to involve all stakeholders — students, teachers, administration, classified staff [and] parents,” Bana said. “The whole community has to come together and identify what are the needs of the school, what are the big areas that our school is doing well on, what are some of our future needs and what we should do as a school community to address those needs.”

That mission of ensuring that all voices are heard was also echoed within the final report itself. For example, Goal 4 is about setting up feedback streams to increase communication among students, parents, staff and school administrators.

And Goal 1 focuses partially on ensuring that all students receive support to learn at their highest level, especially students who, according to Bana, “fall through the cracks,” unnoticed amid MVHS’s high test score and academic averages.

Following the virtual visit, WASC

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

1 2 3 4 5

Student success Create intervention systems to ensure that all students learn at their highest level and no student is left behind

Coherence among sections Increase collaboration among coursealike teachers to create consistency across sections of the same course

Social and emotional learning Create task force to find educational frameworks and develop curriculum around topics like stress and racism

Feedback and communication Increase communication through surveys, Coffees with Counselors, Messages from the Principal, and more

College-prep course rigor Adjust rigor and curriculum of collegeprep courses to match state standards; likely to be combined with Goal 2

visiting team members shared their feedback on MVHS’s goals in a group dialogue. According to English teacher Hannah Gould, the visitors praised MVHS for its strong academics and how the school maintained this in spite of distance learning’s limitations.

“One of the visiting committee members [who] has a Ph.D. in online education said that what we’re doing for remote learning is basically comparable to a real, accredited online academy,” Gould said. “Actual pandemic remote emergency learning isn’t really supposed

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to be at that high standard, but we’re just inaccessible because of their rigor. But doing it.” the difficulty is also double-sided because Visiting team member Mike Casper, rigor is a systemic feature of MVHS. an assistant principal of San Marin High “If we push that back to the teachers, School in Novato, that, ‘Hey, you have adds that one of to teach courses the most valuable at a lower level,’ positives he took then there may be from the virtual visit confusion because was the manner in at [MVHS], we have which various MVHS this history of not THERE’S NO administrators teaching to the BETTER FORM OF and faculty cared state standards,” PROFESSIONAL for students Bana said. “I can DEVELOPMENT FOR through day-tosay for myself that I AN EDUCATOR THAN day interactions. know what the state BEING ON A VISITING Because of this, he standards are but I COMMITTEE. says that the visit don’t look at them was also a valuable every day to see WASC VISITOR opportunity for him what I’m supposed MIKE CASPER as an administrator. to teach.” “[There is] a very Gould agrees, caring group of adults at [MVHS],” Casper believing that among the WASC said. “Being on a WASC visiting team, I’ve goals, reducing rigor will be the most been on both sides of it. And there’s no complicated to put into practice. better form of professional development “Because [of] the legal protections for an educator than being on a visiting that teachers have over the content and committee.” grading practices of their classrooms, Gould is proud that the school’s recent it’s one of those things that can’t just be efforts in advancing social emotional an executive order, like ‘Everyone needs education was recognized. to reduce the rigor by 15%,’” Gould “[Social-emotional care is] something said. “It’s going to be a long process of that we’ve been really berating ourselves conversations and resistance and work about four years now and being like, ‘Oh, in groups and slow, gradual development we don’t care enough; we need to get over time.” better at this,’” Gould said. “So the fact MVHS has already started to implement that they noticed that as a positive was certain facets of its WASC goals. This year, validating. Obviously, we have a lot more MVHS began working towards Goal 3 by work to do, but it felt really good that [our forming a Social-Emotional Learning Task efforts] were apparent.”

Force and rolling out Advisory lessons The WASC team also offered critical that emphasize topics like combatting feedback, especially concerning stress and negativity. In the coming years, inclusivity and accessibility. For example, the staff and its various task forces will the visiting team suggested adding an continue to explore avenues to implement additional fifth goal for MVHS teachers to their goals to make improvements. reduce the rigor of college-prep courses, “WASC … never stops — it’s an infinite such as lowering grading standards report that’s always growing, always and removing additional skills and evolving, and you’re never like finished,” assessments that go beyond California’s Casper said. “Think about just the last educational standards.

10 years — how schools have gone more Bana says that this will mend the student-interest-based. Even if you potential holes that are created when take COVID-19 away, a lot of things are certain students sign up for what are different than they were just the last time supposedly MVHS’s least rigorous WASC came to MVHS.” courses but still find those courses to be

What is MVHS doing?

Goal 2

“You’re making yourself vulnerable — [another teacher] is critiquing your work. But I look at it the other way, that if someone has given me a suggestion, I thank them because no one gives a suggestion to a stranger — they care about me … so I am really thankful for my colleagues.”

MATH TEACHER SUSHMA BANA

Goal 3

“[This year,] we’re exploring frameworks and programs that we could use as a school ... We’re also already implementing some lessons on social-emotional learning coming from our guidance counselors.”

PRINCIPAL BEN CLAUSNITZER

Goal 4

“One thing I’m working on is the PERT survey — it’s a mechanism for anonymous teacher evaluation ... [In our district,] we have no upward level evaluation; we have only downward level evaluation which is not a good communication strategy.”

ENGLISH TEACHER HANNAH GOULD NEWS | DECEMBER 2020

07

ASKING FOR HELP Exploring the effectiveness of the Wellness Check-in Form

BY MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

N

ear the beginning of emergency remote learning in spring of 2020, FUHSD implemented the Wellness Check-in Form, available in both English and Spanish, in hopes of providing another mental health resource for students. As of Nov. 6, 23 of those requests were made by MVHS students, however, school-based therapist Richard Prinz states that a few of those were from students who thought the form was mandatory.

Prinz explains that after a student submits the form, the request reaches Nancy Sullivan, the Director of Educational & Special Services for FUHSD. Upon receiving the request, Sullivan directs it to the student’s school, where each student is paired with a school-based therapist or school psychologist.

Senior Alice Zhou, who is the Vice President of the Bring Change to Mind club at MVHS, states that she has only briefly heard of the Wellness Check-in Form in occasional Never

77%

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emails sent out by the school’s staff. these requests and direct emails to him “I find that forms like these [that] are the same way, noting that he tries to reply just sent out without much context and right away to both. Compared to the 23 without a lot of personal requests from discussion [are] not going the Wellness to be that effective,” Zhou Check-in form, said. “I feel that [for] Prinz estimates people who are actually that he gets struggling through things, approximately the hardest part about it is four or five opening up, and this form requests by is just forcing them into email per day.

WHATEVER WE CAN like, ‘Put your name here, “ N o t DO TO GET THE and we’ll have someone everybody WORD OUT THAT IT’S contact you.’ But what they knows about need is gentle support and school-based OK TO STRUGGLE, pushing from the people therapists, or IT’S OK TO BE SAD [IS around them to have them that they can IMPORTANT] open up and have them go to guidance be willing to speak about counselors SCHOOL THERAPIST their problems.” for social RICHARD PRINZ In addition to viewing emotional the Wellness Check-in coaching, so Form as ineffective, Zhou I think the says she is not fully aware of the form’s Wellness Check-in Form was a way to get actual purpose. Prinz emphasizes that that message out there and make that the form is not for medical or mental service available to everybody,” Prinz health emergencies. Instead, it is simply said. “I think whatever we can do to get another method the word out that it’s OK to struggle, it’s to contact OK to be sad, it’s OK to be anxious [is counselors and important for students].” professional Sophomore Divya Venkataraman, help on top of one of the student facilitators on the simply writing Mental Health Committee of the Student few times a year an email. He Equity Task Force, believes that the form also shares that is effective. However, she feels that the he treats both form lacks publicity, stating that many students do not know that the form exists.

Likewise, Zhou believes that the school does not place enough emphasis on the fact that these resources are there for students. She believes that the school Monthly could do more to encourage students to utilize these resources, yet she also shares that the school should provide other resources beyond just the school-based counselors, therapists and psychologists.

“I feel like students aren’t so keen on taking advantage of what the school is providing,” Weekly Zhou said. “There’s a bunch of

21% A

How often do you reach out to school staff for mental health concerns?

*According to a survey of 149 MVHS students

ILLUSTRATION | MATTHEW YOSHIMOTO

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

2%

1%

phone numbers you can dial, such as getting the help they need.

13% 1 institutions nearby that you can go see She shares that students may if you’re not comfortable opening up be apprehensive to reach out to school people or you want to go see because of a feeling of shame [other] professionals [outside of MVHS]. about their mental illnesses.

30% 2 Because the atmosphere at MVHS in According to her, society general is to study hard, this competitive has taught individuals that atmosphere pushes the fact that we have feelings such as sadness and 34% 3 these resources for students even further inattentiveness are not things to a backseat.” that high school students Venkataraman echoes Zhou’s should be experiencing.

19% 4 statement that MVHS students largely She also feels that put too much of their time and energy identifying the symptoms of into productivity, which causes students mental health concerns is in to disregard their mental health. She itself a difficult task to do since 4% 5 states, however, that when they choose many individuals are unaware to dismiss their social emotional state, it of specific symptoms for the How has your mental and emotional state creates a negative impact on every aspect different illnesses. She explains of their life. that unlike the symptoms of, for been this semester from 1-5, 1 being poor “Mental health in itself is such a big instance, strep throat or a cold, and 5 being great? thing, [and] it plays such a big role in mental health symptoms are *According to a survey of 151 MVHS students our lives than we let on,” Venkataraman “a little bit more unclear.” Prinz said. “The closest shares these beliefs, “A lot of people don’t have experience analogy I can stating that many with counseling, [but] people could think of is if you students feel as though sort of see it more as if they’re getting a remove a large they should be able to tutor,” Prinz said. “Instead of for math, chunk of your work out their mental it’s for social emotional things, or instead brain, then you’re health issues alone. of learning how to run the hurdles in obviously not “Some students told track, you’re getting a coach to help you going to be the me the other day [that] navigate changes in your life. That’s kind same person. their parents said, ‘It’s all of what counseling can be like, where you THE COMPETITIVE Kind of similar in your head, so it’s not get a different perspective, and you can ATMOSPHERE PUSHES to that is if you a problem,’” Prinz said. entertain a different perspective.” disregard your “It’s a very materialistic THE FACT THAT Zhou echoes Prinz, saying that many mental health by point of view — ‘If you individuals are afraid of being vulnerable WE HAVE THESE removing it from can’t see it, then it’s not with others and sharing their experiences.

RESOURCES FURTHER your body, then a problem.’ When people She hopes that students with this mindset TO THE BACKSEAT you’re going to hear about [counseling], are aware of and are utilizing these be a different there are people who mental health resources, whether that SENIOR person, you’re still feel afraid to venture includes the Wellness Check-in Form or ALICE ZHOU not going to be into that realm.” directly contacting teachers, counselors able to focus as For the people who or school-based therapists. clearly, you’re are hesitant to reach “I think that a lot of people fear, ‘If I going to be sad all the time and it’s going out, Prinz explains that he understands reach out, what good is it going to do?’” to definitely have large impacts on your the accompanying thought process, Zhou said. “‘How can other people help social and academic life.” sharing that this unwillingness to ask for me? Will they even support me? Will they However, Venkataraman explains help largely stems from society’s lack of understand? They might not be able to that the stigma which surrounds asking discussion around mental health, which empathize [with] what I’m what they’re for help prevents many students from would further establish a stigma. going through because they haven’t been through it themselves.’ But there are a lot of resources out there and people who 855-278-4204 24-hour Suicide and Crisis Line (Santa Clara County) are willing to listen to you, and I think that’s really important to emphasize. Your 408-850-6125 Bill Wilson Youth Hotline (24-hour Suicide & Crisis Line) parents, your family, your friends — you might not think that they will care that National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24-hour) 800-273-8255 much, but they care for you and they’re willing to listen. So finding that support 650-493-7273 Rape Crisis Hot Line (24-hour) and the people near you and not being 866-488-7386 Trevor Lifeline LGBTQ+ Crisis Support afraid to verbalize your emotions is really, really important.”

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NEWS | DECEMBER 2020

09

LET’S DENOUNCE KAM K

Advocating to use more meaningful rhetoric as opposed to inflammatory phrases such as “Kill All Men” ill all men. Some say it’s speak. Throwing around a phrase that KAM is a microcosm of a larger issue, empowering. Some say it’s funny. feels careless is, in a way, freeing. It’s the issue with failing to realize just how Some say it’s perhaps the newest empowering. Because when the universal much rhetoric matters. It matters when branch of feminism: teenage-girl edition. language some boys Yet isn’t it just — to put it simply — for women d e c l a re absurd? has been that their Kill all men, more commonly referred oppression, latest math to as KAM, has recently started to it is powerful test raped OPINION OF THE EL ESTOQUE them, as if populate social media platforms such to introduce as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. a new minimizing EDITORIAL BOARD The trend is supposed to resemble dark u n i v e r s a l rape to humor, its most common usage being language, even if it’s crude, even if it a challenging math problem is okay. teenage girls aiming it at a particular seems pointless and bizarre.

And conversely, it also matters when group of people, generally misogynistic But that’s the problem though, isn’t it? some girls say KAM out of frustration teenage boys who make derogatory That language can be universal, and that or irritation, as if a phrase as radical as comments or actions toward women. rhetoric matters. And when rhetoric fails wanting to kill all men will do anything And while dark humor is meant to be just to align with a cause’s goals, it fails. We even remotely productive. that, humor, the inflammatory nature of don’t want to kill all men — we want to kill We need to place more thought behind this phrase upends its purpose, veering misogyny. And by failing to adequately our rhetoric and make it more meaningful towards a tendency to conflate misandry express doing so, the misogyny persists.

— we need to denounce KAM. and feminism.

And it’s not just KAM. The labels that Because believe it or not, there are It is obvious that KAM does not actually we’ve assigned to other problems do the better ways to smash the patriarchy. advocate for violence, nor does it refer same. When we say toxic masculinity, to every single male. What it actually the rhetoric implies that masculinity is advocates for is for inherently toxic, teenage girls to be taken once again proving seriously, to be given the counterproductive. respect they deserve.

Toxic masculinity And yet, rhetoric has really means that implications. Not only is society’s warped it off putting for men and definition of does nothing to alleviate masculinity is IF WE WANT the burden of misogyny, toxic, and that men TO SMASH THE but it seems altogether should be given the PATRIARCHY, WE meaningless.

Radical freedom to adhere rhetoric has potential to to whatever form of HAVE TO DO BETTER be meaningful — it has masculinity they feel THAN TOSSING proved meaningful in the most comfortable AROUND KAM ON past, often serving as a with. When people SOCIAL MEDIA AND catalyst for movements misinterpret this DURING CASUAL that demand equality meaning and are and freedom — but directed away from CONVERSATIONS. when the rhetoric has conversations about a vague purpose and toxic masculinity, a convoluted goal, it the people who loses meaning. If we want to smash the perhaps needed to hear the message patriarchy, we have to do better than the most don’t listen. Shouldn’t we call it tossing around KAM on social media and mindful masculinity? during casual conversations.

And sometimes we do better than Some may argue that KAM being KAM. When we chant “trans women are inflammatory and its flippant use is real women,” we say what we really mean, precisely what makes it powerful — because trans women are real women, women are taught to bite their tongues, and the feminism that denies this is not to stay quiet, to think twice before they truly feminism.

ILLUSTRATION | MIKAYLAH DU

STAFF EDITORIAL

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

2020 IN

six words

OPINION

Six word memoirs that describe the past year

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Headaches, but sibling amusement at least.

ANONYMOUS ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

All FaceTime but no face time.

It’s been a rough, weird time SENIOR DANIEL KAO

JUNIOR SIDDHARTHA MISHRA

Untaken opportunities disguised in crazy times.

ANONYMOUS

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Joggers, T-shirts, and the occasional hoodie.

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Found someone who makes me happy.

SOPHOMORE XENIA JENSSEN

Anxious kid opens up about herself.

JUNIOR ARTHUR CHAN

Death of an empire. Happy Thanksgiving.

ANONYMOUS

ANONYMOUS

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Just a rockin’ readin’ knittin’ kitten.

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

Ran out of eyedrops this week.

SENIOR VARSHA GOWATHAMAN

ANONYMOUS OPINION | DECEMBER 2020

11

FAKE IT ‘TIL IT BREAKS Confronting my toxic postivity this past semester

BY SHIVANI VERMA

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

T

he audience won’t know if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

This is one of the most memorable things my dance teacher ever said. Of course, if you freeze onstage, somebody is bound to notice. But that isn’t what she meant when she made this statement to my tap-dancing class. If there’s one takeaway from tap-dancing, it’s that you need to sound right. Since tap-dancing is based completely on the sounds that come from your feet, if you don’t have the technique down … BS it.

As long as you sound like everyone else, the audience will stay oblivious.

I took this lesson to heart. I couldn’t do a toe-up or a six-count pullback, but that didn’t matter — I just had to seem like I could. Even in other aspects of my life, whether it was an impromptu presentation in class or an embarrassing social situation, whenever I didn’t know what I was doing, I just tried to pretend I did. If you can fake it well enough, for a few moments, you can convince even yourself that you’ve got it all figured out.

It's when those moments turn into months that the trouble really starts.

Here’s a fact: junior year is hard.

I know it. You know it. Your neighbor’s dog knows it. It’s pretty much a universally accepted truth.

And yet, I keep wondering, is it supposed to be this hard?

I’m not even taking seven classes like last year! I'm supposed to have more time and energy. And yet, I have math homework that takes hours more than my course selection sheet promised.

Deadlines loom over my head.

Spanish has become less of a language and more of the sound that adults make in the Peanuts show. It started to feel normal to get three hours of sleep.

Every weekend, I vowed to catch up, to get ahead — only to struggle to finish work in time on Sunday night.

How did this happen? Could I be doing junior year wrong?

I felt hopeless, trapped in a hole I dug for myself. If I hadn’t procrastinated, if I had studied more, if I had figured out my schedule earlier on … My mind spiraled in a circle of blame, and the only person it led to was me.

I hate myself for getting into this mess, handle things or had let it go all too far. I I thought. didn’t want to feel like I had caused all my Everything screeched to a halt. problems myself, and then hate myself Here’s another fact: I don’t hate things. for doing that. I didn’t want any of it, but It’s always seemed so cold to hate instead of screaming and kicking against anything, like your emotions are freezing the weight of life, I just pasted a smile on into something permanent, forever my face. It was the easier way out. unthawed. It's always felt like deciding But it wasn’t the better one. things would never change for the better.

Sitting there on my bed in my silent But the idea bedroom, I gnawed at me for realized that this days. whole time, I’d I don’t hate been carrying myself, I thought. my positivity I don’t. like a badge of I scrambled to honor, a way of IN THE MIRROR find a solution. parading around When things that I was an are hard, we’re SHIVANI VERMA optimist in spite supposed to of it all. But by count our blessings, right? Well, that doing that, I had been invalidating my was perfect, because I'm a pro at being own feelings. My life was actually kinda positive! When those around me longed sh-tty. And that was … OK. to go back to how things used to be, I I guess the real question is, what did I wrapped myself up in the thought that do after that?

I had friends who cared about me. “It’s To be completely honest … I’m still hard, but there are still good moments working on that part. I wish I magically too, which means that everything is fine. knew how to make things easier and feel At least COVID-19 made school easier this better, but I don’t. Does anyone, really? year!” I’d say.

Life goes on, and we do, too. Bad days It’s supposed to be hard, I assured will always come along with the good. On myself. Everyone knows that junior year is bad days, thinking life sucks won’t make the hardest year of high school. me a pessimist or a complainer, just like But on one particularly overwhelming how on good days, looking forward to the evening, I burrowed under future won’t make me ignorant or naive. my bed covers, and in the All we can do is our best, as much as we semi-darkness, finally, I can, and trust that it’ll be enough. could no longer maintain So I’ll submit to the struggle. I’ll cry the facade. enough to put Alice in Wonderland to “I hate myself.” shame, and then listen to my favorite Instantly, I felt an songs with my friends with the volume all inexplicable lightness. But the way up. I’ll ask my guidance counselor I couldn’t understand it. for help and advice. I’ll request those All alone underneath extensions. I’ll turn things in late once in a my blankets, whispering while — because junior year is hard. that I hated myself — that But what I won’t do is pretend it’s all definitely wasn't a good fine. I know now that doing that is another thing. So why did my shoulders feel free weight on top of everything life piles onto of a weight I hadn’t realized was there? us, and it’ll only make things worse.

The truth is, I hadn’t realized that I Living during COVID-19 is hard. High had taken my dance teacher’s lesson and school overall is hard. Actually, life is just applied it to something different. I had hard. By admitting that, we aren’t being spent months — not minutes — forcing weak or cynical. And taking the time to positivity, and the only one sitting in the accept our feelings, while difficult, is so audience was me. Now, I felt liberated worth it. So I’ll save the ‘fake it till you from the lies I had been repeating under make it’ mindset for any toe-ups in my a guise of optimism. dance performances, the awkward saves Because I didn’t want to feel like I was during conversations, or when I haven’t affected by the pandemic, by school, been paying attention in class. The rest of by my home life or feel that I couldn’t life is much better without it.

I felt liberated from the lies I had been repeating under the guise of optimism.

OPINION | DECEMBER 2020

13

2020

year

in review

BY SHIVANI VERMA AND RACHEL JIANG

January On Jan. 3, Iran’s military commander, General Quasem Soleimani, was assassinated by a U.S. drone strike from Iraq. Soleimani’s death led to Iran pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal — a commitment that limited the country’s uranium enrichment stockpile and nuclear missile development — and promising retaliation against the U.S. Meanwhile, memes about a potential WWIII circulated on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.

february On Feb. 9, at the 92nd Oscars, Korean film “Parasite” made history as the first foreign-language film to win the Best Picture Award. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, “Parasite” is a thriller and dark comedy, one that uses satire to critique class disparity and discrimination.

Along with Best Picture, the film also won awards for Directing, International Feature Film and Writing (Original Screenplay).

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

On Jan. 26, NBA MVP and the Lakers’ shooting guard Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Ginanna Bryant unexpectedly died due their helicopter colliding into the Calabasas hillside. Seven other victims also lost their lives during this incident. Soon after, social media was flooded by approximately 100 million supportive posts and comments commemorating Bryant while over 25,000 articles were written about him.

March On March 19, California enforced a statewide shelterin-place order due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Businesses went into lockdown, and the nation saw an increase in unemployment rates. On March 13, FUHSD sent students home and on March 23, a remote learning system was implemented. A recordbreaking stock market crash also occurred, as major markets such as the S&P500 and Dow Jones suddenly dropped due to the pandemic.

May On May 25, the Black Lives Matter movement erupted after George Floyd was killed by policemen in Minneapolis, Minnesota. People showed their support for Black people by calling for the end of systemic racism, attending protests and circulating #BlackLivesMatter throughout the internet. It may be the largest movement in the history of the U.S — polls propose that between 15 to 26 million people attended protests.

august On Aug. 4, a warehouse at the Port of Beirut, Lebanon exploded and killed over 200 people, devastating the surrounding one-mile area and creating a crater 460 feet wide. Inside the warehouse were torn bags of decaying ammonium nitrate, 15 tons of fireworks and containers of oil, kerosene and hydrochloric acid. It is speculated that an accidental fire may have triggered the deadly explosion.

OPINION | DECEMBER 2020

15

september Wildfires raged across Northern and Central California, marking the state’s largest wildfires in recorded history. The fires were exacerbated by a record-breaking August heatwave and strong winds, and caused over 90,000 people to evacuate their homes, killed over 30 people and ravaged millions of acres of land. Dozens of fires were caused by 14,000 strikes of dry lightning.

On September 18, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away after battling metastatic pancreatic cancer. Nicknamed “Notorious RBG,” she was the second woman to be a Supreme Court Justice and was considered to be a pioneer of women’s rights. To fill Ginsburg’s seat as Justice, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was nominated and sworn in October, creating a conservative majority in the Supreme Court.

november Nov. 3 marked the beginning of the suspenseful U.S. elections. Democratic candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden declared victory, with 306 electoral votes, against the current Republican President Donald Trump, with 232 electoral votes, as of November 24. Senator Kamala Harris will become the new Vice President, making her the first woman and Asian and Black American to do so.

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

H ‘‘ HOW DO YOU DEFINE

toxic mascu culinity?

Eight of El Estoque’s survey respondents explain their definitions Ei

Hiding emotions, being physically muscular and never getting detered by anything or anyone.”

“People who are insecure about their own identity so they project onto others and chose to bring others down to make themselves feel better. Or people so caught up in societal or personal standards of masculinity that they push themselves to become a ‘hyper masculine’ figure and want everyone else to be put into labels and roles that suit societal or their personal beliefs.”

“

When those who identify as male must behave in a ‘masculine’ manner, whether it be the way they dress, the way they act or even going so far as to define their sexuality. Toxic masculinity believes that feminine actions, behaviors and gender expression are ‘wrong.’ This can be seen when boys are called ‘girly’ or told to stop ‘acting like a girl’ if they show any signs of weakness, as well as in telling boys to ‘man up.’

Not only is this detrimental to men’s mental health, as emotional suppression is, but it perpetrates the stereotype that women are less than men in some way.”

“A way of labeling masculinity as harmful because it doesn’t agree with feminist ideals.”

“When guys are only considered masculine if they are misogynistic, macho, homophobic and violent.”

“Rather than labeling masculinity itself as inherently toxic, the term describes a subset of hegemonic standards for masculinity that represses the natural emotions of young boys and men (denying them the ability to be openly vulnerable) and lends their way to aggressive/dominant behavior in order to prove one’s manliness. These unyielding expectations for men damage them as they are unable to be openly expressive, and it also hurt other people when it manifests itself in outward aggression.”

“I believe that it is something that exists to the same extent as toxic femininity. I don’t think that either exist — it’s just that some people act like jerks and some don’t.

Putting femininity or masculinity after the word toxic implies that that itself can be toxic, which I don’t believe it can.”

‘‘

When society classifies specific clothes or mannerisms with a specific gender and thinks that cross dressing or being more feminine is bad, that’s extremely toxic. This involves people that hate on someone because they don’t fit their ideal image of a man. But if a woman can wear a suit, a man can wear a dress, or makeup or get their nails done. Instead of hating someone for who they are, society should try to understand that if these things make a person happy, we should respect that.”

EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

17

P PLEASE EXPLAIN

‘‘

why or why not you identify as a feminist.

Five of El Estoque’s survey respondents explain why and five explain why not

I feel that there is not such a massive inequality between men and women in America that feminism is the path to go. I feel that egalitarianism would be better as opposed to feminism, as it doesn’t such focus on just women’s issues; it focuses on everybody’s issues.”

“I believe that all human rights should be equal. I don’t gear towards a certain gender.”

“I feel like the feminist movement right now has conflated itself with a lot of ideas and people that I myself do not support, but I do support the original core ideas that all men and women should be treated equally and that there have to be improvements to the current institutions to promote fairness and equity for all genders.”

18

“

There isn’t a solid definition for feminism.

While feminism has solid roots, its definition over time has been clouded due to culture. Some people define it as a monarchy where women are above other genders, some define it as a monarchy where men are beneath every other gender, some define it as offering pity or extra support towards women due to the struggles they’ve faced for being their gender, some define it as making women equal to men while disregarding other genders, some define it as blatantly labeling all men as harassers or erasing them from the world and some define it as equality for all genders. Because I don’t agree with any of the aspects except for the last one, I cannot selfidentify as a feminist.

“Feminist ideals strive for equality by dragging men down, not by carrying women up.”

EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

“Because women a re e q u a l to men.”

“People should be treated equally; feminism is about equality.

It’s not saying females > males.

It is saying females = males.”

“Feminism is about equality, which means men and women should be treated equally, and everyone should believe that.

Some people may not support feminism due to the false assumption that feminism means women are better than men, but feminism also stands for men’s issues as well as women’s issues, and people can’t accept that men are still more privileged than women because we live in a system built by men, for men.”

“Women deserve equal rights and treatment period.

The fact that being a feminist is considered controversial is sickening. Who knew fighting for basic decency made you an extremist who ‘hates’ men?”

‘‘

There are many issues with the way people in society are treated or perceived; to be feminist means simply that you want things to be better for everyone and that includes elevating issues to people’s attention and advocating for improvement.”

YES, SHE CAN.

GLASS EVERYWHERE Examining the impact Kamala Harris’s election has on women of color

BY IMAN MALIK AND NIKA ZAMANI

F

reshman Mihret Tesfaye had just win the vice presidency and the effects of woken up on Saturday, November her election are felt by women of color like 7 and was about to eat breakfast — Tesfaye, Adusumilli and Sreekrishnan. a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal Tesfaye says that there are not many — when her parents came downstairs, politicians who look like her. Since Harris the happiness on their faces obvious. shares the background and experiences They told Tesfaye that Joe Biden and of multiple groups, Tesfaye believes that Kamala Harris had won the presidential Harris’s election gives hope to many election. Tesfaye says this moment was throughout the nation. “awesome.”

“She relates to so It was almost many different people: midnight on Friday, African Americans, November 6, but junior Indians, women [and] Siri Adusumilli was still immigrants,” Tesfaye awake working on her said. “I know in biology lab with the TV America, [people say] AS A SOUTH ASIAN on in the background. you can be whatever She became less you want but Harris WOMAN IN POLITICS, worried as the minutes being so educated THERE AREN’T MANY passed; Biden was and becoming ROLE MODELS, BUT getting closer to 270 vice president is electoral votes and she reassurance of that.”

WE’RE AN EMERGING felt that the election Sreekrishnan echoes AND POWERFUL VOICE. would eventually end Tesfaye’s sentiment, with a blue victory. She MVHS ALUMNA TARA emphasizing the believes that because importance of SREEKRISHNAN, ‘11 Harris is a woman, her gender and ethnic election is a “huge step representation in in the right direction.” politics. She believes that role models MVHS alumna, Tara Sreekrishnan, ‘11, like Harris reinforce the confidence and currently the Chief of Staff for County capabilities of the younger generation of Supervisor Dave Cortese, was at work women. Whether it be women running for when her phone blew up with texts about office, volunteering or getting involved in the election results. She remembers public service, Sreekrishnan believes “the feeling excitement — Donald Trump was more role models, the better.” no longer going to be president and not “I know as a South Asian woman in only a woman of color, but a South Asian [politics], there aren’t that many role woman was the vice president-elect. models, but I think we’re an emerging Sreekrishnan was also proud — Harris’s voice and a powerful voice in politics election evoked a similar feeling she had now,” Sreekrishnan said. “By having four years ago, when Sreekrishnan was more diverse backgrounds at the table, working as a delegate for Hillary Clinton, the more equitable the policies will be, America’s first female presidential whether that’s having representation for nominee. Kamala Harris broke the glass women, along with men, [or] different ceiling as the first woman in the U.S. to age representation.”

‘‘

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO BY RAYDENE HANSEN | USED WITHOUT PERMISSION

Adusumilli’s parents are also excited because of their shared experiences. by the Indian representation Harris In the vice presidential debate against embodies. Adusumilli says that because Harris, the GOP vice presidential her parents are immigrants, most of the candidate Mike Pence claimed that people they interact with are immigrants systemic racism in the U.S. does not exist. as well. Seeing Harris in a position of Pence said that claiming law enforcement power is “crazy to them” — Harris comes has an implicit bias against minorities is from a similar background as Adusumilli’s a “great insult.” Tesfaye believes that parents, but her election was something Pence’s remark cements the importance that her family never of representation in expected to see. Even politics for women and further than just people of color.

Indian representation, “If Pence doesn’t Adusumilli believes that take the time to Harris being a woman educate himself, he has a significant impact would have no way to on what the future looks know how racist the IT’S REALLY GOOD like for the nation.

U.S. is,” Tesfaye said.

TO KNOW THAT WE “We’ve seen at this “Even though I’m only HAVE SOMEBODY IN point females run for 14, I’ve experienced president, but [there [racial prejudice] so OFFICE WHO WILL has] never been a female many times, even if FIGHT FOR US.” vice president before,” it wasn’t on purpose.

Adusumilli said. “This People automatically FRESHMAN moment is the first one in MIHRET TESFAYE make assumptions or a long time that is a step talk bad just because in the right direction. of my color or because The fact that women couldn’t even vote I’m a woman. People get surprised in the last century is crazy — so much has when I’m in a higher math class changed. [Harris] stands for how much or when my dad picks me up the world is changing in a positive way from school. And just knowing too.” that Harris has gone through Sreekrishnan believes that as a these struggles that a bunch woman, she is more aware of systematic of people in America have inequalities and oppressive societal gone through means she will forces. For her, it is inevitable that policies actually acknowledge them created by women are more equitable instead of being dismissive and better serve the entire community. and ignorant. It’s really “As women and women of color, we good to know that we have come across [microaggressions] every somebody in office that will day in our professional and personal fight for us.” life,” Sreekrishnan said. “I can’t tell you Sreekrishnan also how many meetings I’ve been in where values open mindedness I’ve said something and then it was just in politics and credits brushed off the table and ignored, but growing up in the then if an older white gentleman says Bay Area for the same thing, people will listen and helping her say ‘Hey that’s a great idea,’ and then understand the in my head I think ‘I just said that a few i m p o r t a n c e moments ago.’” of equitable However, Harris earning such a high legislation. political position reminds Sreekrishnan “ W e why she chose to work in the field of are in an politics. The success of other women i n c r e d i b l y in her field excites Sreekrishnan — it d i v e r s e motivates her to keep working hard community, and she also knows that it will inspire and I’m so thousands of other young women to get grateful to involved. Like Sreekrishnan, Tesfaye is have come grateful to have Harris as a vice president from this

‘‘

PHOTO COURTESY OF TARA SREEKRISHNAN | USED WITH PERMISSION

community because it’s made me value diversity,” Sreekrishnan said. “Not only does growing up and living in a diverse community make you more open minded, it reminds you to [not] think about just your own little circle, but to think about the larger community as a whole and the U.S. [as a whole] and the world as a whole.

It really pushes you to think about how your actions affect others. I’m incredibly grateful to have gone to MVHS.” Both Sreekrishnan and Adisumulli note the importance of being exposed to and led by a diverse group of people.

Having individuals of different gender identities, races and sexualities leading the country is crucial in order to run a successful country. “[Right now, there is one] narrowminded perspective speaking for 330 million people with different stories and different backgrounds,” Adisumilli said. “We see the same people from the same background and it’s hard for them to represent everyone in the U.S. because we’re not one person from one background. We’re a bunch of different perspectives and having those different perspectives is needed in government because people can’t [always] see outside of their world. I think that’s really important in a political figure.”

FEATURES | DECEMBER 2020

21

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIA YEN | USED WITH PERMISSION

NOT PLAN B

Dismantling misconceptions surrounding birth control and other contraceptives

BY ANUSHKA DE AND OISHEE MISRA

A

lot of parents think that if you let your kid use birth control they’re gonna go out and have wild, crazy sex,” Sophia Yen, the founder of Pandia Health, said. “But the point is, they can have wild, crazy sex without the birth control. They can have wild, crazy sex with condoms. And who’s to say that they will have wild, crazy sex if they’re using birth control not for birth control, but for acne, for bad evil periods or for endometriosis?”

Yen, who attended Homestead High School and graduated from MIT, UCSF Medical School and UC Berkeley with a Master of Medical Science and Public Health (MPH) in Maternal Child Health, founded Pandia Health in 2016, a company dedicated to improving the quality of life for women by delivering birth control to their doorstep. Yen started this initiative after realizing that one of the major reasons that women opt out of using birth control pills is because they don’t have convenient access to it.

After running advertisements for free birth control delivery on Google Ads and Facebook, Yen noticed that over 60% of respondents did not yet have a prescription. Yen was then prompted to add a telemedicine component, allowing Pandia to prescribe and provide birth

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

control pills with the use of a prerequisite name has been changed to provide survey approved by the American College anonymity, faced a stigma and misconceptions around contraceptives of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Along with Pandia Health, Yen founded the first time she had sex with her an initiative called #PeriodsOptional boyfriend. Aly and her boyfriend used that focuses on using birth control as an a condom, but Aly decided to use Plan B anyway to ensure avenue to prevent an additional level of periods. Yen explains precaution against an that periods are the unwanted pregnancy. leading cause that Although she has women under 25 miss considered using birth school or work and control pills, Aly feels that that each period risks I DON’T WANT her parents would not cancer to an extent, be receptive to the idea. due to uterine lining MY DAUGHTERS Especially right now in growth, and anemia, RANDOMLY HIT BY the midst of the COVID-19 due to monthly blood BLOOD ONE WEEK pandemic, appointments less. #PeriodsOptional aims to destigmatize OUT OF FOUR BECAUSE are generally virtual and a parent has to be birth control pills NOBODY TOLD present in the room when and show people US IT CAN BE ANY the doctor is speaking that it can be used as to a minor — therefore, more than merely a DIFFERENT. she feels she has no contraceptive. convenient, private way “I want my SOPHIA YEN to access birth control daughters to go out and crush all the men in the world or at pills, echoing Yen’s prior sentiment.

“I feel like every time someone says the very least be their equal,” Yen said. “I don’t want my daughters randomly hit ‘I had sex’ [in the MVHS community], by blood one week out of four because people automatically [assume] they’re a slut, but I don’t think that’s necessarily nobody told us it can be any different.”

Similarly, MVHS student Aly, whose the case,” Aly said. “Also [when you use]

‘‘

Plan B, everyone just assumes that you weren’t being careful, but that’s the whole point — you take it just to make sure and be extra careful. And birth control isn’t just used for sex, [but] if anyone ever hears that you’re on birth control, they automatically assume you’re sleeping around with people.”

Aly explains that getting access to Plan B was not too challenging, since it’s available without prescriptions at drug stores like CVS, and she used cash to ensure confidentiality. However, she did find it slightly embarrassing to walk up to the register with one in hand. The two most common brands, One-Step and Aftera, both range from $40-50, and due to their expense and potential for shoplifting, they are stored in glass cases that the cashier has to unlock.

Similarly, the stigma around birth control and contraceptives in general has been one of the biggest challenges faced

by Yen. Her method of destigmatizing it has been to more accurately refer to it as a type of hormone treatment rather than just a contraceptive and to advocate for others to do so as well.

MVHS Biology teacher Lora Lerner attests to this stigma as well, explaining that it often emerges when freshmen are taught sex education in Biology. During this unit, students receive information about the major types of contraceptives, and teachers also address themes of consent and sexuality. Lerner explains that for sexually active students, this information is pertinent. Therefore, the freshman Biology teachers try to not only provide the basics, but also explain where students can potentially find more information.

“I would say [stigma] comes from a few p l a c e s ,”

Lerner said. “Some parents are just scared more just to be like, ‘Hey it’s OK: you can — they’re scared thinking of their kids stand there and look at these products.’” growing up, having sexuality and having Lerner emphasizes that their sex sex. So sometimes there’s this sense education unit does not delve into the of ‘they’re too young to learn that, my technical, biological aspects of how 14-year-old shouldn’t be learning about contraceptives work, but rather focuses contraceptives because they shouldn’t on how to get information and access. be having sex.’ Well that may be true, but Recently, teachers have focused on of course that doesn’t stop everybody. explaining that condoms are not as For some people it’s a more direct effective as the long-acting methods of cultural thing. birth control, For example, such as IUDs or people will say taking the birth ‘we believe control pill. very strongly Last school that you only year, freshman have sex when Biology classes you’re married also covered and that we’ll a cce s s i n g talk to our own believe that there is stigma birth control children about surrounding contraceptive use in the middle *According to a survey of 162 students that.’” of a pandemic.

H o w e v e r, Although Aly Lerner adds that very few students was able to drive to CVS and buy Plan B end up opting out of sex education relatively easily, Lerner mentions that each year, citing that in her experience, this is not always the case. Last spring, approximately three to four students she counseled some students who did out of the entire freshman class opt out not drive and were minors, but wanted every year. Although many parents in the to get contraceptives that needed to be community are relatively conservative administered by a doctor, such as IUDs, about beliefs around sex and marriage, which need to be inserted into the body. most remain comfortable with This obstacle of having to go to a comprehensive sex education. clinic or pharmacy is not always limited “Interestingly, one of the few things to in-person contraceptives — Yen that parents do sometimes struggle cites that many insurance companies with is the contraceptive only cover the pill if it is picked up on a scavenger hunt,” Lerner said. predetermined fill date, which can fall “Sometimes parents, even anywhere from once a week to once if they’re OK with their every three months. This barrier, Yen kid being in sex ed, that explains, is precisely the reason Pandia particular assignment has a telemedicine component — many kind of throws women don’t take birth control pills not them. They don’t because they don’t want to, but because really like the idea of the inconvenience. of their kid going Lerner emphasizes that this is why to the pharmacy companies like Pandia are essential, and looking at adding that in recent years, access to [contraceptives]. birth control pills has expanded; it’s Frankly, it’s not like important to her that people are aware of they’re learning these developments. anything at the “I think MVHS is pretty strong because pharmacy that’s we’ve been [teaching sex education] for really that a long time and we have a strong culture critical. supporting it,” Lerner said. “We’re not just I t ’ s doing it because we have to and I think we’ve put in a lot of work into having a good curriculum that we feel is helpful to people and will create an environment where people are comfortable.”

57%

of MVHS students

FEATURES | DECEMBER 2020 PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIA YEN | USED WITH PERMISSION

23

THE PHYSICS GENDER GAP Exploring the effects of the imbalanced gender ratio in AP Physics C

BY GAURI MANOJ

F

ormer MVHS Physics and Chemistry teacher Emily Fitzgerald had always wanted to be a chemist. But during the summer of 2014, after studying chemistry at an organic synthesis lab at Rutgers University, she realized that the isolating environment of a laboratory was not a good match for her sociable personality. Instead, she decided to pursue a career in teaching for a more fulfilling future, entering a chemistry and physics education program at Rutgers Graduate School of Education and there, discovered her passion for teaching physical sciences.

However, Fitzgerald feels that her career as a woman in a STEM field was not met without challenges. Throughout her time working in the lab, she remembers often being the only female in the room and once being told that she was only given the opportunity because the principal investigator of the lab liked the way she looked. Being relatively new to the STEM field, Fitzgerald found herself questioning w h e t h e r statements like these were true and if she actually had the merit to be given academic opportunities.

“It is easier to be a part of something if you see representation of yourself in that group, and there really is not a

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

representation of females in physics a lot,” like too, so having that representation is Fitzgerald said. “I also think that there’s so important.” this idea that a lot of teachers perpetuate, Over the past 25 years of teaching AP that physics is sort of for an elite few, and Physics C, physics teacher Jim Birdsong that physics is only for a certain type of says the ratio of boys to girls in AP Physics person. And that C has remained certain type of relatively stagnant, person is coded with an average of language for male five girls in each and often white.” of his classes per After receiving year.

Birdsong her master’s attributes the small degree in Physical number of girls Sciences Education in his AP Physics and getting hired C classes to the as a physics teacher are currently taking or planning to non-collaborative at MVHS in 2016, take AP Physics C and antisocial Fitzgerald was *According to a survey of 105 female MVHS students environment the assigned to only male students chemistry classes create. Based on during her first year as a teacher. Currently what he has heard from students, girls are teaching physics and chemistry at often ignored by their male counterparts Passaic Preparatory Academy in in class when asking questions or New Jersey, she again was originally working on assignments. Due to the assigned to only chemistry classes switch to remote learning this school despite also having the credentials to year, Birdsong struggles with supervising teach physics. For Fitzgerald, these student’s actions in the Zoom breakout experiences were frustrating — rooms and has attempted to increase she watched her bosses give communication and collaboration so that her male co-workers the students can receive help more easily. positions that she was “I’m keeping groups together a little equally qualified for. bit longer, because [a student] said that “For female women need a little bit longer to develop teachers, it’s like credibility,” Birdsong said. “[The girls] think you have to keep the guys start off the year thinking that proving yourself, they are useless basically, and that the and keep proving girls wouldn’t be able to help them or that that your physics they didn’t have anything to offer. But if is correct,” Fitzgerald you give them enough time, a few weeks said. “I think people in, then they start to see that ‘Yes, she have a lot of implicit knows her stuff, I can work with her. I can biases about who they see get something out of communication.’” as a physics teacher. And in two AP Physics C student and senior separate instances, I’ve had to Janya Budaraju believes the disparity in advocate for myself that I am numbers between boys and girls in AP what a physics teacher looks Physics C deter more girls from enrolling

16.2% of female students

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY FITZGERALD | USED WITH PERMISSION

in the course. Budaraju shares that being “Looking beyond just fixes you can the only woman on her screen during make in Physics C, my hope is that we breakout rooms can be very isolating — think about, from an earlier age, the ideas sometimes, she says her questions are that we’re giving our children, the ideas ignored by her male classmates. Echoing that people take with them throughout Fitzgerald’s sentiment, Budaraju also feels their whole lives,” Budaraju said. “Also, I a need to prove her talent in physics, think it is important that even though sometimes adding a level of pressure to men might not be the target of a lot of the way she performs in the class. sexism, there’s a lot of unlearning and “Something that I struggled with was thinking about your own implicit biases that I can’t always that men need to do do better than [the before it’s possible to boys],” Budaraju make a difference.” said. “I’m not taking B i r d s o n g physics because appreciates the I’m a prodigy suggestions he at physics;, I’m receives from his THERE’S A LOT OF taking it because female students, and I think physics is Budaraju feels that UNLEARNING AND cool, but I face having a teacher THINKING ABOUT YOUR struggles in it just who is receptive OWN IMPLICIT BIASES THAT like I face struggles to feedback is very in any class. So helpful in creating MEN NEED TO BEFORE not expecting a better classroom IT’S POSSIBLE TO MAKE A yourself to be a environment for DIFFERENCE. representation of women.

Although all women, and trying his best to SENIOR not expecting that encourage kindness JANYA BUDARAJU you’ll always do and generosity in his super well on tests AP Physics C classes, is an important Birdsong finds it expectation that needs to happen before difficult to ensure that the students entering the class.” are collaborating while simultaneously Throughout her life as a woman heavily teaching the curriculum sufficiently. An involved in STEM fields, Budaraju thinks idea that Birdsong believes will benefit one common stereotype about women the girls interested in physics is having a in STEM is that they are not suited for a female teacher who can empathize with rigorous curriculum or prefer to pursue the students better than him. a career in the humanities. Budaraju “I think that a young woman in AP believes these false perceptions are a Physics 1 [planning to take AP Physics C product of the implicit biases harbored next year], who’s really good at physics from a young age, as well as the lack of would feel a bit safer knowing that a female representation in science and woman was in charge,” Birdsong said. history textbooks. “[They] probably rightly think that I’m

‘‘

just clueless about everything, and to a large extent I am. I feel very powerless to change it, and I’m working on it. But I think a woman would have instant credibility [for female students] and plus, it’s just a good message, a good model. There ‘s incredible female science teachers we have, and very good physics teachers, so why not also in this class?”

Through surveys and discussing improvements with former female students, Budaraju and her friends, along with Birdsong, are trying to investigate why fewer girls enroll in the course.

Because of online learning, improving breakout room etiquette and increasing engagement on Zoom are also things they are working on to ensure that girls are being listened to by their peers.

Birdsong hopes to recruit more girls to enroll in his AP Physics C classes next year as course selection season draws near, but first wants to ensure that he has built a strong support system for girls to rely on if they have any issues. This year especially, he is encouraging his students to be more communicative and help each other, as the gender issue has only become more evident to him in the past couple months.

“This whole last six months or so about equity in general and the anti-racism stuff, I realized I have just for too long been going through life with blinders,” Birdsong said. “I’m a physics teacher and I don’t teach social-emotional learning.

I don’t teach boys and girls. I teach physics students. And that’s completely ridiculous. I should have woken up long before I did, it should not have taken the last six months to wake me up. I feel very, very bad about that, and I’m just hoping that I can do better.”

23:9 23:4 21:7 is the ratio of boys to girls in Period 1 AP Physics C

is the ratio of boys to girls in Period 2 AP Physics C

is the ratio of boys to girls in Period 3 AP Physics C

FEATURES | DECEMBER 2020

25

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S

enior Kai Xiao remembers going through really hard things, you’re encountering toxic masculinity just supposed to suck it up and bottle it up. for the first time at the young age [This can be] a subconscious message that of six. Wailing in the backseat on his way a lot of parents send their children because home, he remembers the frustrated look they don’t want to appear vulnerable in on his father’s face, who stopped the car front of [them], which leads the children on the side of the road to say, “Kai, you to not want to appear vulnerable as well.” are already six at this point. You’re not Similarly, freshman Neil Mhamunaar supposed to cry anymore. It’s time for you believes that toxic masculinity is to become a man now.” subconsciously reinforced throughout When reflecting on this generations. He states moment, Xiao often finds that because patriarchal himself comparing his norms are deeply six-year-old self to the sixrooted in a culture’s year-olds he sees today history, parents and wonders why his tend to reinforce father tried to instill this THE IDEA OF TOXIC stereotypes on stereotype at such a young MASCULINITY IS their children age. According to Xiao, w i t h o u t PROBABLY A REMNANT toxic masculinity is the necessarily being OF HAVING TO GROW concept that a man should aware of their harmful harbor his emotions UP AND MATURE. impact. He notes that and avoid vulnerability SENIOR societal standards by presenting a tough KAI XIAO of masculinity exterior. Xiao believes i n f l u e n ce his father may have been behavior and influenced by his culture — growing up in fashion, clothing and ideal body an Asian household, the expectation that types. When Mhamunaar first tried Xiao would one day lead his household was to change his style, he received instilled in him early on. backlash from fellow students who “This expectation of our boys to continuously called him trans for become men is definitely one thing the doing so. older culture [had] to experience [earlier],” “I would [initally] always Xiao said. “[In] my ancestry, by the time wear graphic tees and random [my grandparents] were 14 [or] 15, I think sweatpants to school but as [they] had [their] first kid. [The idea of I finally started embodying toxic masculinity] is probably a remnant of my style — I started having to grow up and mature faster. As a wearing sweaters and child, I don’t think I ever [saw] my dad cry colored shirts and skirts, and it can definitely send messages that things that are more more you’re not supposed to cry, even if you’re on the androgynous feminine

‘‘

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side,” Mhamunaar said. “[Many people enforce the idea] that all guys should have abs [and] muscles, should be wearing sweatpants and hoodies and if they are [wearing] bright-colored [clothing] that [means they’re] gay. I’ve learned to grow out of it because in elementary school, I just did what everyone else was doing. But then in middle school, I started to realize that it’s obviously not OK.” Mhamaunaar points out another example of the famous popstar Harry Styles who received hate for wearing traditionally feminine clothing on the front page of Vogue. Many, such as conservative author and political activist Candace Owens, posted on Twitter to “bring back manly men.” Styles responded to the backlash by saying it was his way of having fun and

experimenting with different clothing styles.

Mhamaunaar believes that this stereotype is influenced by social media too. In his own

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experiences, he has encountered group that relationship, and expect them to take chats on social media that men use to care of a woman that itself is reinforcing distribute women’s nude photos, peer toxic masculinity and gender roles, but pressuring others to contribute images to it is hard thing to change someone’s the chat as well; in order to avoid being thoughts about [it] because it might just excluded, men often comply. be someone’s subconscious preference.”

Both Mhamaunaar and Xiao claim Haris Hosseini, 2019 Harker alumna that toxic masculinity at MVHS is often and third place national winner of the ignored or seen as insignificant. Within NSDA speech competition for his speech their own friend groups, many laugh off about toxic masculinity, adds on to the instances of peer idea of how he pressure to abide has seen both by masculine men and women standards. reinforcing the Mhamaunaar same “outdated believes that ideas” regarding many ignore any masculinity.

He toxic standards seen or felt the pressure to be points out that about masculinity it is often taken more masculine surrounding them casually on *out of a survey of 41 male students by never taking school campuses, comments made to citing how often he heart. overhears many using “gay” as an insult.

Xiao claims that this ignorance could As a current college student at Columbia also stem from the double standard of University, he has also encountered the how women often encourage toxic ideas ignorance of rape culture. as well. Through many of his own Hosseini also argues that one conversations with his female can’t be a feminist while friends, Xiao finds evidence of reinforcing the mindset of these standards, such as when toxic masculinity. He explains his friends claim to avoid dating that like oil and water, it is emotional men. impossible for the two to mix, “[My friends often say] how they due to how these two things don’t want to date emotional clash. guys because there’s too “I don’t think that feminism much work or [it’s] too is compatible with stressful,” Xiao toxic masculinity said. “I feel like because toxic that’s another masculinity thing that is built on perpetuates outdated [ t o x i c notions of masculinity]. manhood that When you have are tied to the this idea of subser vience machismo of women,” men, and Hosseini said. that [they] “Another thing need to be is that one is a the man in new movement,

61%

of MVHS males have

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the feminist movement, [whereas] toxic masculinity is a problem. I think that one is [more of] an obstacle to the other.”

Like Xiao’s encounter with his father, Hosseini recalls a moment during his grandmother’s funeral when he was 14 years old. His uncle responded to Hosseini’s crying by telling him that this was not what he was supposed to do.

With this, Hosseini points out the importance of getting rid of this stereotypical toxic environment by encouraging everyone to take action when being faced with or overhearing anyone reinforcing these ideas.

“I think it’s important to combat [toxic masculinity] because it is at the root of a lot of our problems,” Hosseini said. “It is also important to combat it because this is what is hurting men. [There have been] a lot of conversations about who this hurts, women, children, but also this hurts men, it makes them unhappy. Men are unhappy.”

Hosseini expresses that oftentimes the best way of informing others about overcoming toxic masculinity would be through personal connections.

“I think every person has a young boy in their lives, whether it’s a brother or cousin, or friend whoever it is, it’s really important that [they] feel that they are allowed to express [feelings] in a healthy way and that you are there to listen if they need someone to talk to,” Hosseini said. “In my own life I make sure that I catch misogyny in the most benign ways to make sure they understand that [what they said is] not okay because if you allow them to think that it’s okay to be derogatory toward girls or women or disrespectful, that’s the lesson that is learned. We all do it, we all uphold these really antiquated exhausting suffocating standards for men. It’s got to stop.”

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NOT SO SMALL TALK Finding meaning in five minute conversations as a cashier

BY ANUSHKA DE

S

onder, according to the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, is “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.”

The extent of this realization has only truly impacted me when I take off in an airplane at night, watching the brightly lit windows of each home blur into glowing yellow dots. As those dots get swallowed by an inky black night, I am reminded that behind each of those dots are the stories of hundreds of people.

But I have never experienced sonder elsewhere — until I found myself desperately trying to make small talk behind a cash register.

I stand in front of a masked stranger, a masked stranger myself, as I ring up their purchase.

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

28

EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

“How is your day going?” I ask, but only if they have a lot of groceries. I need to ask my masked stranger if they would like a bag for 10 cents, and I don’t want to interrupt them.

I know I don’t need to worry.

“I’m alright,” they’ll say, and maybe they will ask me about my day. “I’m good. Did you want a bag for 10 cents?” I’ll ask, and then the heavy silence following their answer will be interrupted by the rustle of a paper bag as I open it, then the chime of the register as it signals the processed transaction.

“Have a good one!” I’ll say to their retreating back, my words lost to the sound of the doors sliding open and the wind blowing in the parking lot.

Small talk has never been my forté.

I see my manager ask all the right questions — “I’ve never tried that ice cream flavor; is it good?” “Isn’t the air quality just terrible today?”

— to all the right customers. I marvel at his ability to extract the story of a gruesome road trip to North Carolina or a close escape from a house fire out of a complete stranger. And yet, each time a customer places their basket on the counter, I can’t seem to get past, “How are you doing today?”

I often cannot help but feel like getting past that first question is futile — what do I gain from standing behind that counter, scrambling to read a random stranger and find a topic they might deem worthy of a five minute conversation?

Sometimes, I don’t even try — after all, once my two minutes of being their cashier are over, I will never see them again. The silence is so much easier.

Occasionally, however, my masked stranger will do all my talking for me. I remember a mom explaining her plans to turn her home into a haunted house

for her baby boy to make up for a year without trick-or-treating, her excitement so palpable it spilled out of her words and covered the plastic pumpkins in an extra coat of glitter.

Another time, three bracesfaced middle schoolers, two boys and a girl, told me all about their day — from early morning vanilla frappuccinos to a late afternoon snack of Chester’s Fries — telling me it was their first time out without their parents. And another time, a young man asked me if I knew Anoushka Shankar, a famous sitar player, after reading my name tag — I did, in fact, know of her: she is the daughter of my father’s favorite sitar player and my namesake. It is these refreshing conversations, amid the hundreds of dry ones, that remind me of the value in getting past that first question.

That small talk is the one chapter in the stories of those masked strangers that I have the opportunity to discover.

Sometimes, I can picture myself hurtling down the runway of my life, gathering speed as I go, trying so hard to lift off the ground. As my engines get more powerful, the sound around me is amplified until it is a deafening roar that drowns out everything around me. I am blissfully alone, ready at any moment to soar into the clouds, to explore new frontiers in a world where the sky’s the limit. It is only when I look out the window that I realize that in my haste to start flying, I had forgotten to watch the city turn into a constellation of tiny golden lights, of stories that glow like stars until they get swallowed by an inky black night.

In only 16 years of life, I have already love that feeling of insignificance, the known people and lost them — best understanding that there are so many friends have become strangers, distant people in this world that I will never relatives know, never meet, have been never even see. forgotten, Those conversations classmates are my glowing have been yellow dots, the ReTALES: erased from same ones I see as NOT SO SMALL memory.

I the plane takes off.

TALK have seen so Those conversations many people truly allow me to from the ANUSHKA DE experience sonder. window of my So there I stand, existence, so a masked stranger, many stories that I didn’t get the chance speaking to another masked to know or stories I knew once, but have stranger.

Two masked long since dissolved into nothingness. I strangers in the middle of a suppose I try hard to read these random pandemic, making conversation strangers to remind myself that I refuse with a person whose name they to get so caught up in my own life, that do not know, whose face they will I see those around me not recognize if they were to ever as secondary characters, meet again, a flash in each other’s unwilling to extract their lives that will be forgotten in stories and realize that minutes. I search for that five their lives are as vivid and minute conversation following complex as my own. that first question because in I chase that feeling of spite of how fleeting small talk taking off on a plane and is, those stories are meaningful watching that constellation because they are a part of ourselves of yellow lights because we choose to share with a stranger, it reminds me of my a connection we choose to make insignificance. It shows with someone we know nothing me that nothing really about. They are conversations matters so that anything that I can choose to attach can matter. I can choose to meaning to the lull of put meaning in my relationships, in my a seven hour shift, in the otherwise grades, in my future and in small talk — impersonal interaction behind a mask. and in a stranger’s choice to tell me about When I finally take that moment to their day or their hopes, dreams and look out the window, when those yellow passions. I love that every person dots turn into squares and then people has a story because I — when the masked stranger

becomes the mom who wanted to buy Halloween decorations for her baby boy or the the man who took the time to read my name tag and see my name exactly as only my parents do, that is when I am reminded of the power of small talk. I am reminded that small talk has the power to become more than a silence filler, the power to create a fleeting moment in time when strangers can exchange their stories. It has the power to create the kind of connection between someone random that I should cherish because those are the connections that deepen my understanding of my place of this world, that show me how in spite of my insignificance, I have the power to impact other people.

As a human race, we are so involved in ourselves, in our own struggles and ambitions and so compelled to think of ourselves as the center of the universe, that we often forget the significance of sonder.

Understanding your place in the world is valuable because it is important to think of how our actions impact others, how each person’s life is a myriad of interactions and unforeseen consequences that we will never truly understand because of our utter insignificance.

Small talk is the one tool we can use to transform the insignificance of being one yellow dot in a world with billions into an interconnected world, into a glowing light in the night that is more than a random stranger you will never see again.

Small talk makes us into stories.

ILLUSTRATION | ANUSHKA DE

FEATURES | DECEMBER 2020

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REMEMBERING AVANEESH Celebrating the life of former MVHS sophomore Avaneesh Athuluri

BY OISHEE MISRA

G

rowing up, he was always the smallest kid in his classes. Not just physically smaller, but also by age — born on Sept. 22, 2005, Avaneesh Athuluri just made it into kindergarten before the end-of-September cutoff date.

And yet, according to his father Murali Athuluri, being small wasn’t the first thing most people noticed about Avaneesh.

They first noticed his “big, wide smile.”

“For everything, he would smile,” Murali said. “In fact, it is so contagious even if he’s sad he’ll smile. Even we, as soon as we see his smile, whatever and however sad or mad we are, it kind of takes away everything.”

Avaneesh was a MVHS sophomore, part of the Class of 2023, and passed away on Oct. 14, 2020.

Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Avaneesh lived in Hampton, New Hampshire, a small town on the Atlantic Coast, for the first 14 years of his life before moving to the Bay Area in September of 2019. He was part of a family of five: his father, Murali Athuluri; his mother, Jayashree Athuluri; his sister, Aditi Athuluri, currently a seventh grader attending Kennedy Middle School; and their dog, Ranger. Avaneesh was a secondgeneration Indian-American, and both Murali and Jayashree were born and grew up in South India. Murali calls their family “a mixed bag of South Indian culture.”

As a child, Avaneesh was extremely outgoing and curious, always looking to explore and travel with his family, or alone, even visiting India by himself at the age of eight. In Hampton, the Athuluris were the sole Indian family for miles — the only ones in Avaneesh’s school district. Yet, they emphasized embracing not only local American culture, but also Indian culture, and ultimately finding the best of both worlds. They retained and passed down customs by celebrating festivals and engaging in cultural dances and music, even starting an impromptu, unofficial Indian association in Hampton that Avaneesh was heavily involved in.

And he loved music; Murali recalls that while hosting parties, Avaneesh was the kids’ DJ and Murali would be the

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO BY MURALI ATHULURI | USED WITH PERMISSION

Taken in May of 2020, this is Avaneesh Athuluri at the age of 14.

adults’ DJ. Murali says that there wasn’t a single thing in the household that Avaneesh wasn’t a part of — he would help with dishwashing, cooking, yard work and laundry, including his sister’s. He would comb and braid Aditi’s hair, and although they didn’t frequently show it to their parents, they were close. They would bond and play together especially when they were alone and had the house to themselves; despite their age gap and different friend circles, Aditi looked up to him, and Avaneesh never hesitated to help her.

Due to living on the East Coast, Murali says Avaneesh and Aditi both learned how to ski and ice skate. Unlike in the Bay Area, these activities were common; as toddlers, they learned to walk and almost simultaneously to ski, often playing in the snow in their backyard. Avaneesh loved

skiing and skating, and after moving to California, he was excited about eventually learning how to surf.

Prior to moving, the Athuluris considered many places around the U.S. including Texas, North Carolina, Virginia and Massachusetts, but eventually settled on California because of Avaneesh — he had friends in the Bay Area that he had met through participating in summer programs, and the allure of the Apple headquarters in Cupertino was inline with his avid interest in technology.

Avaneesh and Jayashree moved in September of 2019, and Murali and Aditi followed in December. The family moved due to a variety of reasons, including a longing for a larger Indian-American community and diversity in general, as well as the realization that Murali and Jayashree would soon be empty nesters after their children went off to college,

and they had a desire to be closer to future regarding his friends and family in the Bay Area. daughter Aditi, Murali Avaneesh, according to Murali, had an wishes that there were unusually good sense of direction. He some way for parents knew where the closest Starbucks was, to better know their where MVHS was, which highway to take children and their to visit his cousins in Fremont — all within childrens’ friends. He the span of a couple weeks after moving points out that society to Cupertino. emphasizes giving After Avaneesh and Jayashree arrived teenagers their privacy in Cupertino a week after the 2019- and space, creating a 20 school year started, Murali recalls disconnect — which Avaneesh being excited, saying “I already increases when lost a week of school, I want to be with teenagers are first or everybody and I want to meet my new s e c o n d - g e n e r a t i o n friends.” Murali could tell Avaneesh immigrants. Yet, it’s genuinely enjoyed his classes and was important to him enthusiastic about learning. Not only that, that the school, or but he recalls that Avaneesh loved going our communities and to Starbucks with his friends after school; society in general, work Avaneesh would conjure up a long bill of to bridge this divide drinks and, when asked if he planned to and create a coalition drink them all, Avaneesh would respond in which parents by explaining that no, he had just decided remove judgement and to treat all of his friends. embrace teenagers: “His favorite part about MVHS was not just their own this whole concept of high school, the children, but everyone diversity and the ability that they give around them. students to explore themselves,” Murali “In the times we said. “I know he enjoyed the school, just are in right now where coming to school he enjoyed, going to stresses are so high PHOTO BY MURALI ATHULURI | USED WITH PERMISSION Starbucks during breaks, and that whole and people have lost Avaneesh Athuluri in September of 2020 concept of a classroom, he loved coming physical contact, where to the classroom. He really hated COVID every relationship is just virtual but not to a young man, and that he had grown — he didn’t want to do online — he’s physical, I don’t think the phase we are in four inches, now surpassing Murali — like, ‘I want to go to school and be with right now is sustainable,” Murali said. “And Avaneesh would put his arms around him my friends.’ And at the same time, he looking from a long term perspective, and joke about being taller than him and was also paranoid and was like, ‘They it’s going to be very difficult for people therefore not needing to listen to his dad should not open the to cope with their anymore. school because it’s not own feelings, and Murali remembers Avaneesh as being safe,’ and so he was I’ve always believed a typical teenager and always seeking conflicted by both of in having physical independence. He remembers him being those.” r e l a t i o n s h i p s . involved and interested in politics, in Murali observes that And I used to tell the Black Lives Matter movement and it seemed as though [Avaneesh] a lot, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. And he Avaneesh wanted to be ‘Bring your friends. remembers Avaneesh as being kind.

FOR EVERYTHING, HE a part of every single Let’s go play — let’s “[Avaneesh] wanted to become a WOULD SMILE ... IT club on campus, and have some fun in doctor,” Murali said. “But over the last was a member of Monta the backyard.’” few weeks, he was like, ‘I think I should WAS SO CONTAGIOUS Vista Speech, had The Athuluri become a lawyer, because my goal is to EVEN IF HE WAS SAD recently joined Model family didn’t get help as many people as possible, and if I HE’LL SMILE. UN and was a part of to fully experience am a doctor, I can only help one person FATHER MURALI the student anti-racism watching Avaneesh at a time. But if I’m a lawyer and I run for task force — and Murali grow up, and his the House of Representatives, then I can ATHULURI keeps discovering teenage years, become an educator and politician and more connections that according to Murali, help more people than just one person Avaneesh forged throughout his time at felt fleeting. Murali recalls looking back at a time.’ That’s the type of mentality he MVHS, as people continue to reach out on pictures of Avaneesh taken in the last had.” with condolences to their family. four months. Murali realized that his face In retrospect, as well as looking to the seemed to have transformed from a child

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31

A TWIST ON TRADITION Sharing the different ways that MVHS students celebrate holidays

BY VIVIAN JIANG AND CLAIRE WEN Senior Ashwin Desai

B

ingo! It’s an annual tradition to play the game at the neighborhood Diwali party, where every family pitches in $10 and gets a Bingo card. There are a few winners each time, but senior Ashwin Desai’s family has won so many times that the neighbors jokingly say, “OK, of course they’re going to win this year.”

Diwali is the festival of light celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs to recognize the joy in life and the world while protecting from evil by scaring away the darkness.

The holiday features gatherings with friends and family, partaking in feasts, assembling lights and setting off sparklers and fireworks.

According to Desai, the act of celebrating Diwali with family is an important aspect, but since Desai’s extended family does not live in the U.S., his immediate family chooses to celebrate with friends instead. This year’s party was entirely canceled due to COVID-19.

“We cater a lot of food and everyone doesn’t eat until lunchtime, where they just eat a lot of food

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHWIN DESAI

Young Ashwin Desai posing with henna on his hand at a Diwali celebration.

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

and it’s a lot of different varieties Senior Daniel Kao of food,” Desai said. “So [it’s] really As holiday music plays in the fun to just chow down and have fun kitchen, senior Daniel Kao tenderizes with your friends.” and seasons meat for Thanksgiving Celebrations from previous years dinner — his sisters don’t particularly involved many neighbors, including enjoy touching raw meat, so the those who were not job falls to him. ethnically Indian.

Starting from “Diwali, for my when Kao’s sister family and families was in middle in my neighborhood, school taking the we really just want cooking elective, to celebrate with Kao and his two as many people older sisters have as we can and cooked holiday IF THERE’S bring as much joy meals for the ANYBODY IN OUR and happiness and family.

Although NEIGHBORHOOD have a good time,” they enjoy WHO’S EVEN A Desai said.

“If cooking, they’re there’s anybody in usually busy and LITTLE INTERESTED our neighborhood don’t often get to IN [CELEBRATING] who’s even a cook for the whole DIWALI, ... WE JUST little interested in family, so this is a [INVITE] THEM OVER. [celebrating] Diwali, special occasion. ... we just [invite] In the past, the SENIOR them over. They Kao siblings have ASHWIN DESAI [don’t] have to be made traditional Indian at all.”

Western food When Desai like turkey, and moved to the Cupertino area they’ve also explored Asian foods in 2009, he began joining in the like hotpot. For the past two years, neighborhood celebrations — there they wanted to try something new: were already non-Indians who making gumbo — a Cajun dish — attended the festivities. As Desai last year and paella — a Spanish entered middle school, he began dish — this year. inviting his own friends to the party “This time, we just felt like paella as well, regardless of their ethnicity. was the way to go because it’s a Due to COVID-19, Desai’s family very festive food,” Kao said. “It’s limited their celebrations this year a big plate, everybody comes and by celebrating later than the actual takes a little bit, type of thing.” date of Diwali as they waited for his For the past few years, the dishes brother to return home. have been Kao’s idea. He likes “This year, since all the stuff looking for bold flavors, inspired that’s going around in the world, by the cooking videos he watches no one in my family feels like they during his free time. really want to celebrate,” Desai said.

“Sometimes it’s easier to follow “It feels like, ‘OK, we can just set recipes if you’re watching a video up lights and have a mini dinner, [when] trying to make something but that’s about it.’ It’s not usually like pasta,” Kao said. “There’s plenty as grand as we’d normally have it of YouTube videos out there, like to be.”

Bon Appetit does great ones [and] so does Epicurious.”

‘‘

Kao also enjoys experimenting with different cuisines, especially Asian food, as he tries to incorporate more dashi, a Japanese soup stock, and gochujang, a Korean red chili paste. YouTube also serves as inspiration with trying new dishes, which has proven to be a struggle due to the ambiguity around online Asian recipes.

“For Asian food, it’s different because Asian recipes tend to not really exist, it’s more like you’re just following what your heart tells you to do,” Kao said. “So for those, [there’s] a lot of cooking shows on YouTube where people are just showing you how to do it, and sometimes they have measurements, sometimes they don’t. It just gives you an idea of how to make the dish.”

As Kao learned to cook, he and his sisters have tackled more extravagant dishes. In sixth grade, they made a mint-themed Thanksgiving feast, where all the foods had mint, including pasta, chowder and salad. As they’re usually making four to five dishes, preparing the food usually takes about five hours. Kao enjoys the time with his siblings, joking around and listening to music with them, as well as cooking in general.

“I’ve always liked cooking,” Kao said. “It’s just something that’s therapeutic in a way, like you don’t have to think too much about it — just do it. So [it] just gets you into the holiday mood.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIAN MONTEJANOCASTO

Sophomore Marian Montejano-Castro and her family posing for a group picture at Lake Tahoe during winter break.

ARTS & ENT

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL KAO

Senior Daniel Kao and his family taking a selfie at the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day.

Sophomore Marian MontejanoCastro

For most, Christmas season begins, at its earliest, in November, and families open gifts on Christmas morning. For sophomore Marian Montejano-Castro’s family, however, the traditional holiday season looks a little different.

Castro’s family starts celebrating Christmas in September, from listening to Christmas music to decorating the household. Among one of the Christmas decorations is the parol, which is a traditional Filipino ornamental lantern. “[The parol is] a guide for the three kings to give Jesus presents,” Castro said. “And we put those in front of our houses, near our doorway, to indicate that Jesus should receive his presents from the three kings. They are lanterns, so they light up each night.”

Castro’s family also partakes in a popular Filipino Christmas tradition called Simbang Gabi, meaning “Mass at Night,” which consists of a novena — nine straight days of Mass — starting on Dec. 16.

“You go to church at nighttime, usually midnight,” Castro said. “And then after Mass, there would be some food out for the people and

you would eat with your friends and your family. [On] Dec. 16, you would make a wish, and then if you attend all nine [days of the Simbang Gabi], you would get a Christmas wish guaranteed [on Christmas Eve].”

After the last midnight mass of Simbang Gabi, Castro’s family would then have a nighttime dinner called Noche Buena. While similar to a traditional Christmas dinner, the Noche Buena menu consists of many traditional Filipino foods, such as noodles and rice cakes.

Castro also emphasizes the importance of family gathering during the holiday season, as Christmas is the only celebration when she gets to see everyone at the table. In the past, her extended family would usually fly out from Texas to Lake Tahoe to celebrate together — a location they decided on because they wanted a Christmas with snow.

This year, Castro’s extended family isn’t flying out to join them because of the pandemic, but they are still trying to make the holiday season as normal as possible by continuing to practice certain traditions, such as starting Christmas celebrations during September and video calling family members.

ARTS & ENT | DECEMBER 2020

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SOCIALLY DISTANT SPORTS The Cross Country, Water Polo and Color Guard teams adjust their practices due to COVID-19

BY ANJALI SINGH This school year, the COVID-19 pandemic limited MVHS sports teams and athletes to unconventional practices, from the Cross Country team forming small cohorts for girls and boys to the water polo team hosting in-person conditioning without contact.

Although the season was supposed to begin on Dec. 14, the recent rapid increase in COVID-19 cases has led the California Interscholastic Federation to push this date back at least until Jan. 4.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION

The male runners on the Cross Country Team maintain social distancing and wear masks during their drills at Stevens Canyon near the reservoir. The team often runs there for “maintenance” days to get extra mileage.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION

After completing its runs, the Cross Country team does core workouts called “Becca’s Ab Blasters,” led by Coach Rebecca Schwan.

PHOTO BY ELENA KHAN Due to a chemical imbalance in the MVHS pool, the Boys Water Polo team practiced at Homestead HS. under the guidance of first-year Boys Water Polo head coach George Montgomery, who they first met during summer conditioning.

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EL ESTOQUE | DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION

At Linda Vista Park, the male runners on the Cross Country team drill before hill repetitions, sprinting up-hill six to ten times (left). The female runners run up the Fremont Older Trail. The team uses the trail to complete different runs, like “Seven Springs” and “Horse and Garrods” (right).

SPORTS

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION The male runners on the Cross Country team finish their drills in the rain, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Flatow often gives runners inspirational speeches about running in bad weather, emphasizing the concept of grit, popularized by Flatow’s acquaintance and professor Angela Duckworth.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVELYN LAI | USED WITH PERMISSION

The Color Guard team poses with matching masks after an in-person rehearsal. According to senior and captain Evelyn Lai, the coaches sent players at-home video tutorials to follow over the summer.

After the school year started, the team met in-person following district guidelines. “Initially, I was super nervous going to [in-person rehearsals],” Lai said. “But the coaches made sure everyone ha[d] to wear masks and stay[ed] six feet apart ... knowing that we had to be outdoors all the time helped me ease into the transition.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIRK FLATOW | USED WITH PERMISSION Sophomore Sydney Stevens, freshman Margaux Francoeur and freshman Megan Nieh pose during their run at Garrod’s Farm. The Cross Country team runs on this trail often because of its shade, elevated views and variety of animals, including rabbits, deers, squirrels and horses.

PHOTO BY ELENA KHAN

The Boys Water Polo team swim 25, 50 and 100 yards in their own lanes during practice to maintain social distancing. Montgomery chose to get his players into shape through conditioning before having them individually practice with balls without sharing.

SPORTS | DECEMBER 2020

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