High Tide: December 16, 2022

Whether you practice or not, religion permeates our lives, building community or causing divisions. Living in an increasingly diverse generation, teenagers interact with their religion in different ways, facing varying degrees of tolerance.

ILLUSTRATION BY KAITLYN HODAC

ht high tide

Redondo Union High School Redondo Beach, CA

December 16, 2022 Vol. CIII Edition 5

2 NEWS Around Redondo: Diverse holiday traditions

15 SPORTS

5 FEATURES Yara El-Hasan and her family face oppression as tensions rise in Palestine

Girls soccer beats South Torrance in their first win of the season

www.ruhsmedia.com

@ruhsmedia

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news

AROUND REDONDO staff high tide

Over winter break, students celebrate holidays through various traditions

editors-in-chief Katarina (Haven) Beches Ruby Crosthwait Elise Haulund

by Calvin Bonn

Q:

Where do you go over winter break? How does it affect the way you celebrate the holidays?

online manager Zelia Lerch

A

: “My mom is Guatemalan, so every winter break we go to Guatemala. On Christmas, there's La Posada, where the whole town gets involved and reenacts the nativity scene of Jesus Christ and his birth. There's a feast held to celebrate the scene and Christmas time. We usually give out food to all those who are hungry and give out school supplies, clothes and candy to anyone who might need it. We also eat tamales, and my mom makes a lot of hotdogs that she gives out to the public. My favorite part of the celebration is being with my family in Guatemala because I only see them for two weeks each year, so being with them is really special.”

- Marco Foster, 12

news editors Erika Glass Sara Miyake-Singer features editors Mia Dowdell Emilie Takahashi Marley Van Pelt opinion editors Scarlett Mische Romi Riss PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCO FOSTER

Q: A

How does your culture influence your holiday traditions?

: “I used to go to Vietnam every winter and summer, and my cousins and I would decorate my grandma's tree. Because we all lived in the same neighborhood, my family would go to [my grandparents’ house] on Christmas night or Christmas Eve to have a gigantic dinner with everyone. Instead of having an American dinner, we had spring rolls, rice and a potluck style meal with traditional Vietnamese food. My family is very family-oriented so it's a really big thing for us to be together. [We are] Buddhist, but we celebrate Christmas because we were born in the US and wanted an American childhood [in addition to a Vietnamese one.]”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE NGO

Q: A

- Michelle Ngo, 11

: “We celebrate Hanukkah as a family, starting off by putting nine candles [on our menorah.] Then, we light another candle and get a present each night. On the eighth night, we get the biggest present, which is usually something pretty expensive. We celebrate, have a good dinner, and it's really fun.

[Through celebrating Hanukkah,] I feel more connected with my culture and my grandmother who grew up in a very religious Orthodox Jewish household. When she comes over, it's really great to celebrate Hanukkah with her, [eat] her food and hear her pray.”

- Amelia Lewis, 10 PHOTO COURTESY OF AMELIA LEWIS

What holiday traditions does your family have?

: “We always travel to be with my [extended] family for the holidays. My family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve and each year, we roast a pig, stay up late dancing and have a huge party. Then, at exactly midnight, one of the older cousins dresses up as Santa Claus. It’s really cute seeing all of my little cousins’ faces light up as they get their gifts from Santa. Then on New Year’s Eve, each of my family members eats 12 grapes. Each grape represents a month of the year, and with each grape we eat, we make a wish for what we want the next year to bring. The holiday season is really special for my family because we live across the country from everyone, so it’s the one day a year when everyone’s together. It feels like home when I’m with them.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESS ALVEAR

- Jess Alvear, 12

sports editors Ethan Chi Ty Soria copy editors Marin Cantrell Cristina Couch Stavyah Naveen Zoe Rossi writing editors Lauren Greene Ethan Lerner Simra Zargar online editors Cristina Couch Lucy Davis Rena Felde Lauren Greene Ria Lopresto Stavyah Naveen Troy Nevil Kat Otey advisor Kerri Eastham

How does your religion influence your winter break celebrations?

Q: A

entertainment editors Allie D'Amato Sydney Lamich

staff writers Ariya Anvari Ava Anzivino Luca Artiga Hadeel Azzam Danielle Bellamy Calvin Bonn London Carbone Nicholas Carrozza Lauren Choy NyAire Davis Charlene Elam Izzie Escobar Yasmeen Ford Daniella Gross Scarlett Kindt Isabella Kohler

CaraMia Leal Valentina Masoni Andrew McKenna Summer Puterbaugh Amina Raïss Priya Ramcharan Avery Rapoport Aaliyah Roberson Mia Schrift Sam Schwartz Victor Simoes Sadie Simmons Aidan Tseng Claudia Turner Sofia Villanueva Malina Young

photographers Anthony Biedenbender Marin Cantrell Olivia Flanders Jazmine Jimenez Pete Paguyo Sascha Perdue advertising, circulation, & distribution manager Nicholas Tomsio illustrators Esperanza Carolipio Allie D’Amato Lola Diehl Kaitlyn Hodac Bella Langa Scarlett Mische Samarah Nuques

news 3

high tide dec. 16, 2022

KILLED IT!

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Theatre Arts put on "She Kills Monsters" from Dec. 1-4 SWORD GRAPHIC VIA PIXABAY

After killing the dragon, Agnes (Lilly Kruk) holds up its head as a victory prize. PHOTO BY MARIN CANTRELL

by Summer Puterbaugh

O

gres, elves, cheerleading devils and one homicidal fairy came together to tell a story of exploration, grief and identity in Theatre Arts’ latest production, “She Kills Monsters.”

Showcased less than two months after the department’s premier of “Chicago,” actors had just six weeks to prepare for the show, which ran from Dec. 1-4.

According to stage manager senior Clio Philp, the “quickly” put-together show required full effort from the cast, who did not disappoint.

“Everyone worked really hard outside of school,” Philp said. “It was a big commit-

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1. Agnes (Lilly Kruk) fights one of the dragons towards the start of the final fight sequence.

2. The dragon heads are highlighted with a red background to build anticipation for the fight.

PHOTOS BY MARIN CANTRELL

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genre as well as the real world,” Staab said. right now. The show’s messages can hit Practicing for hours after school built home with serious issues that we have up a sense of trust and community within while doing it in a fun way that brings lightthe cast and crew, which helped with their hearted comedy to a piece,” Staab said. performances, according to senior Kate According to Staab, the cast did an exTurner, who played the role of half-demon ceptional job understanding and executing Lilith. sensitive content, a matter that she dis“We all get along really well,” Turner cussed with actors before rehearsals. said. “And I think that’s important, espe“Many students at the school have excially for a show where perienced bullying you’re doing a lot of and the feeling that stage combat. It’s rethey can’t be their true ally important that selves,” Staab said. everyone trusts each “We had to have a lot other and is there to There's a lot of hate in of conversations with lift each other up after the world right now. students who were every scene.” in those [sensitive] Just as many cast The show's messages scenes to establish members have found boundaries and to can hit home to serious safe community within the make sure we commudepartment, Turn- issues that we have nicated before we ran er believes that for the scenes.” while doing it in a fun other students who The “unique” comfeel misunderstood way that brings lightbination of comedy, or underappreciated, adventure, romance hearted comedy to a the show could be a and self-expression source of comfort or piece." set the play apart from relatability; one of the other student producmain themes concerns tions, according to struggles with sexual MELISSA STAAB Staab. The play also DIRECTOR identity. saw a record-breaking “I think [the show audience turnout for has] a super powerful message that’s real- the department, with over 1,000 people ly important to communicate. Seeing that in attendance over the four days of perforthere are people like you is so important, mances. and that representation can be really pow“The previous record was [made] back in erful and inspiring for people who haven’t 2019 with ‘The Crucible’ when the seniors found themselves yet,” Turner said. were all freshmen, so I think it’s pretty cool Staab believed the popularity of that they broke their own record their the game “Dungeons and Drag- s e n i o r year. I think the show was ons” resulting from the rewell-received, a lot of people encent season of “Stranger joyed it and laughed and Things” would make the cried,” Staab said. play more intriguing for Philp believes the audiences. She also felt mixture of different more drawn to it due to themes and genres in the the heartwarming messhow helped to draw in a sage it could deliver to stularger crowd than usual and dents struggling with their own identimade for “fun” rehearsals. ties.

“I think the one thing that’s really “There’s a lot of hate in the world good about this play is that it has something for everyone,” Philp said. “No matter what you’re into, you’re going to like coming.”

ment and people put their blood, sweat and tears into it. They always took things home to work on alongside their schoolwork.”

A major feature of the play was stage combat, with students dedicating their time to learning proper weapon use from professional combat actors. The production required actors to be aware of their body language on stage, according to director Melissa Staab.

“I was looking for students [to play leading roles] who understood their physicality and could move well. I wanted people who were good storytellers with their body language, who could understand the fantasy

Lilith (Kate Turner) poses with an axe after being introduced

by Tilly, Agnes' sister.

PHOTO BY MARIN CANTRELL

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features

by Aidan Tseng

I

DON'T MISS YOUR REPS

n a school with over 3,000 students, it may seem difficult to make your voice heard at school, but the RUHS Student Site Council offers a platform for students to shape their community. The RUHS Student Site Council (SSC) recently announced its three elected representatives for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school year. The representatives include Priya Ramcharan, parliamentarian; Thi Chan; and Roman Miller, co-vice chair. According to the RUHS, the SSC gathers three times per year to go over and modify Redondo’s Single Plan for Student Achievement. The SSC is made up of the principal as well as faculty, students and parents within the school.

For freshmen Priya Ramcharan’s desired career in politics, the SSC is the perfect gateway. “[The SSC] is a bureaucratic environment. So I get to learn about how bodies of people work and have to go over meeting minutes and [the SSC] is focused on change, brainstorming and influencing the world around them,” Ramcharan said.

Overall, Ramcharan aims to make RUHS a more appealing school to attend.

“I want to see test scores go up. It’s not the greatest measure of intelligence but it’s still important. When you’re looking to send your kid to RUHS you look at test scores so you want them to see what it’s like as a kid at school,” Ramcharan said.

Ramcharan encourages others to 1 apply for the SSC. “It’s nice to see behind the scenes work in schools, being in the boardroom and talking to the principals and vice principals. So it was just fun to see how the board works,” Ramcharan said.

Ramcharan has worked with the Beach Cities Youth Advisory Council as well as the League of Women’s voters and has worked with congressman Ted Lieu on his advisory board. But her biggest calling card is women’s rights. She says it all started with the 2016 election which propelled her into doing more work with women. She started volunteering with Planned Parenthood soon after.

“There’s that idea that it’s admin versus students. [Admin] enforces rules and expects us to conform to them, but it should be the school that is working to make sure that the students get good grades and succeed. It should be propelling students forward instead of fighting,” Ramcharan said.

Junior Thi Chan’s role on the SSC is fueled by her passion for suicide prevention.

“In 2020, my friend died by suicide and that led me to want to find ways I could prevent such things from happening again,” Chan said. “I was hoping that I could highlight the importance of suicide prevention programs at our school and make sure that we’re actually addressing these problems.”

According to Chan, the public speaking and leadership skills she learned from her work with the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), helped with her work at the SSC. She believes playing lacrosse helps too; Chan plays defense for the Redondo girls lacrosse team.

“Before lacrosse, I was in individual sports like tennis or swimming. So I didn’t really have a chance to work with other people in a team environment. I think that with being on a team I got to learn how to collaborate better and how to be patient,” Chan said.

It was Chan’s AP US History teacher that first informed her about the SSC, and from there her interest took off.

“I'm interested in the decision making that goes into our school programs and policies. I though that [the SSC] would be a great way to introduce more mental health and suicide prevention programs and education programs into the school. It’s a great way to get more involved with the school issues,” Chan said.

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For Junior Roman Miller, doing good isn’t a choice, it’s a responsibility.

“I think if you don’t impact our community in some way, we’ll be forgotten eventually,” Miller said.

“I wanted to join the SSC because I feel like it is my responsibility for making the school a better place.”

Miller is an active member in his community. He plays defensive end on Redondo’s varsity football team. Off the gridiron, he volunteers for the National Honor Society, homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

“You can see more of the world than what you’d see if you just went around life normally,” Miller said.

“When I volunteered at the homeless shelter, I went to see what it’s like for all these people who can’t afford necessities of life and how we 3 had to provide for them as a whole community.”

Miller sees his role as the bridge between students and adults.

“I think sometimes a student’s wants and needs go unanswered by the adults because they don’t have a proper view. [The adults] are not down on the ground with us.

[The adults] are not in class with us, they are not going through the things we’re going through. I think someone needs to be there to represent [the students] properly,” Miller said.

1. and 2. and 3. PHOTOS BY INGRID SOMMERER

Senior Joey Wang's love of history shapes the way he inspires others

by Scarlett Kindt

D

usting off the history books and delving into ancient time periods, senior Joey Wang’s passion for history has shaped not only how he thinks, but who he is.

Led by curiosity, Wang expanded his range of history knowledge by researching back into Greco-Roman civilization, pre-medieval China and the Persian community.

He finds the Persian language, on stones and tablets, “absolutely fascinating,” and has found that history has taught him to be open minded to all that the world has to offer.

“I am Chinese and actually don’t know very much about Chinese history as I would like, so there’s an identity crisis. But, by losing myself, I gained the world. I’m not bound to just one perspective,” Wang said.

Not only has Wang learned historical facts, but also life lessons that are relevant to him today. Some of these historical figures that have influenced him are Julius Caesar and Ulysses Grant. “[Historical figures have] told me to prevail regardless, no matter what you feel. It will always get better,” Wang said.

“Despite how different [humans in the past and present] are, there's still so much we have in common because they're human

after all.”

“I think history is important and I cerWang shares his passion for history tainly think that the lessons of history are with the many students in History Club, a window into understanding humanity of which Wang is the President. Wang [which] transcends time periods. So [the describes how they learn about a variety club is] a good medium to do that,” Sklaof time periods including ancient history, renko said.

Asian history and African history in the The club caters to a wide range of hisclub. torical interests of each person According to Wang, “History Club is and helps people become the place of knowledge [and] a place for more involved in the subinclusivity where we try to really diversiject. According to Sklarfy to the best of our ability to incorporate enko, the club is an “open the history of all people.” opportunity for students to Nicholas Sklarenko, AP European investigate new areas of hisHistory teacher, is the club’s tory.” He believes that advisor. He supports the stuWang inspires other dents in their passion of hisstudents to be more tory, and wants to keep seeinterested in hising people excited about tory. the subject as well as “He certainsee the club grow ly has a personal even passion for histofurry and you can tell ther. he loves the subby Priya Ramcharan ject. When 2 you see peo-

Senior Joey Wang reads and annotates his non-fiction books. His favorite is "Ghost on the Thone" by James S. Romm, which he recommends to even those who aren't avid history book readers. PHOTO BY INGRID SOMMERER

ple that are passionate about what they’re into, it's inspiring,” Sklarenko said.

Although he knows a future in the profession won’t provide vast income, Wang wants to pursue a doctorate in history.

“It’s [going to be] a lot of essays [and] a lot of papers, but I just love [the universality of history]. We can appreciate how we transcend cultures [and] time and space,” Wang said.

Wang’s initial interest in history was sparked when he was in first grade listening to his dad tell him a story. Since listening to this story, Wang has been passionate about the subject ever since.

“My dad was telling me a bedtime story about World War II. I started there and I got curious and kept learning [by] asking questions,” Wang said.

Starting from an early age, Wang and his family have moved to various location in China, Australia and California due to his dad’s job.

“All this moving around opened my mind to the world. I‘ve seen both the East and the West and how big this world is and how rich the history is. That is partially why I'm so keen on reading the histories of others. The world is so big and I want to learn so much,” Wang said.

features 5

high tide dec. 16, 2022

WAR-TORN 1

Sophomore Yara El-Hasan speaks about visiting her family in Palestine

by Aaliyah Roberson

A

“powerless” reality set in for sophomore Yara El-Hasan as she sat on her home’s roof in Palestine after being told soldiers were coming, seeing tanks getting closer and closer to her location and “willing” them to go away.

Right after school ends for summer break, El-Hasan flies to Jordan to visit her family, then crosses the “hostile” borders of Jordan, Israel and Palestine, at which point guns are pointed at her head, and she is told “not to look the soldiers in the eye [for] fear they are having a bad day and take it as a challenge.”

“I never listen. I always look them in the eyes because it’s really my only means of rebellion. I can pretend that their eyes are the same as mine, and they shouldn’t scare me. So I look the soldier in the eyes.

Apparently he was having a bad day. Nothing happened, but it really showed the power difference. He had the power to end my life,” El-Hasan said.

According to El-Hasan, checkpoints are posted along the way as visitors enter the state of Palestine where soldiers stand in towers, overlooking the lines of cars with guns strapped to their backs, waiting to search the people passing through with their identification.

“Sometimes they kill. But we pray every time that they don’t. It just really shatters my heart. There’s nothing I can do, [and] that’s really depressing,” ElHasan said.

A week ago, when Israeli soldiers killed a distant family member of El-Hasan’s, it was “disturbing,” but she had experienced many instances of death before.

These experiences shaped her views on the “fairness of life.”

“No matter how much I scream, how hard I cry, how many of my family members are murdered in the streets, or how much I beg, I will never be able to change the fairness of the world. That's something I've accepted," El-Hasan said. “I’m getting more and more desensitized to [death] because it happens so often. Hearing about all these tragic events constantly puts a damper on everything.”

El-Hasan has been visiting Palestine since she was 7 months old after unexpectedly moving to America to receive proper health care when her brother fell sick. “[Since my parents] never meant to have an American life, it really makes us want to go there more, despite all of the obvious roadblocks. That was supposed to be their life,” El-Hasan said.

Her family makes a point to try to visit at least every two years, and El-Hasan is accompanied by her mother and siblings. This past summer, however, just ElHasan and her mother went.

“Palestine is where I connect to my culture.

That’s where all of my roots are, where all of my family is. We try to uphold that as much as we can. So it’s important culturally that we go there often,” El-Hasan said.

During her time in Palestine, El-Hasan sees her extended family, including her 20 cousins, and spends time in her family’s land, orchard and home. According to ElHasan, there isn’t much to do there, so she makes the best of it.

“My favorite thing to do is tend to the little farmland we have there. We have acres of trees and plants. I like going there with my aunt. It makes me feel really connected to Palestine, which is something I crave, especially being so far away from it most of the time,” El-Hasan said.

Much of her time is spent on a hill overlooking an Israelian

soldier settlement implemented in the area. She gathers fruit she can find and throws it over the fence, pretending she can hit the settlement.

“I know it will never go that far. It’s not humanly possible for it to go that far. But it makes me feel a little better,” El-Hasan said.

As tensions have risen in Palestine, El-Hasan experiences the conflict in many ways includi n g encountering it per-

"I

ALWAYS LOOK THEM IN THE EYES. IT'S MY ONLY MEANS OF REBELLION."

sonally and second hand.

“Sometimes my nights end with hearing about people’s deaths. I wish that death wasn’t such a big part of my life, but it is. It’s an interesting journey to have to accept and understand that. There needs to still be hope,” El-Hasan said.

These “uncomfortable” realities have followed ElHasan since she was a young girl and will continue to be a big part of her life as a Palestinian.

“I think simply existing in the midst of a war and being told that I shouldn’t exist is a really formative experience that has impacted me in so many different ways. It has shaped my hopes, fears, anxieties and my view on life,” El-Hasan said.

Although El-Hasan has experienced many deaths, she believes that there is beauty within Palestine. Due to the number of Arabs being “sparse” in America compared to Palestine, there is culture that cannot be adequately replicated here.

“It’s so nice to feel connected to your people, especially because you have this one shared experience that brings everyone together. As morbid as it is, it’s a comforting thought because misery likes company,” El-Hasan said.

El-Hasan knows she can’t stop the war but even when she feels like there’s “no hope left,” she believes that she has to be open about her experiences, even if they can make others uncomfortable.

“I might not be able to will the tanks away, but I can speak, and words are very powerful,” El-Hasan said.

“If I don’t talk about it, then who else will?”

The culture shock of going from a “desensitized” life in America to being around war in Palestine has given El-Hasan a new perspective on life.

“I love being surrounded by my culture, but being surrounded by my culture also means being surrounded by guns. And if that’s the price I have to pay to be able to exist, then there’s going to be a lot more guns held up to my face for the rest of my life,” El-Hasan said.

editor's note The High Tide recognizes that conflict in this area of the world is complex and other Redondo families have lived different truths.

Our goal in publishing this piece is to provide El-Hasan space to tell her story as opposed to providing political commentary.

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1. Sophomore Yara El-Hasan holds figs, the fruit she threw over the a wall at her home in Palestine, at an Israelian settlement. 2. El-Hasan stares just as she stared at Israeli soldiers. PHOTOS BY INGRID SOMMERER 3. Sun setting on El-Hasans's family property in Palestine. PHOTO COURTESY OF YARA EL-HASAN

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features 6

high tide dec. 16, 2022

MOTIVATION

FOR THE PHOTO VIA CLIPARTMAX

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n a quiet room with a progression of four simple chords, a musical tune finds its words, which might describe love, sadness, anger or even chicken nuggets. For senior Alyson Young, this is just the beginning of another original song.

Playing piano turned out to be second nature for Young, who grew up surrounded by her uncle, who composes jazz, and her father, who is a songwriter.

“I quit piano lessons in fifth grade, and I actually got better when I quit, which was surprising,” Young said. “I don't know how that worked, but I learned every other instrument [that I know] from Ultimate Guitar Tabs [an online website for guitarists and musicians]. I like to learn everything on my own, and I think that builds my character.”

Although piano is Young's main instrument, she also plays the ukulele and guitar and hopes to learn bass in the near future.

Young aspires to be an independent artist in writing, producing and composing music. When writing originals, Young expresses feelings that she doesn’t always vocalize.

“Sometimes I'll ask a friend for topic suggestions, because I always like to spark fun and new ideas. That’s how I decided to write a song about chicken nuggets,” Young said. “However, most of my inspiration comes when I'm reflecting on myself or things around me. The more meaningful songs come from emotions that myself

MELODY

or other students have experienced.”

Young balances her job as a barista and cashier at Boba Loca Cafe Gourmet with performances at a local coffee shop in Manhattan Beach, Sloopy's Cafe.

“

I usually perform on Fridays or Saturdays for two hours every month, and I sing a bunch of covers and play originals on piano, or whatever I'm feeling. I get paid to sit and sing with a piano and I absolutely love it.”

ALYSON YOUNG SENIOR

“I usually perform on Fridays or Saturdays for two hours every month, and I sing a bunch of covers and play originals on piano, or whatever I'm feeling,” Young said. “I get paid to sit and sing with a piano, and I absolutely love it.”

Senior Alyson Young's work gets featured in a music video, putting her musical talents on display

by Daniella Gross

With the help of her best friend, senior Mia Wildenhain, Young recently resumed a project that she had put on hold due to the pandemic. Young collaborated with a family friend of Wildenhain, Michael Volk, to write a love song and record a music video for it.

“It was a cliche love song called ‘In Color,’ about a girl who sees everything in black and white, but sees one person in color,” Young said. “I ended up writing music for it and sitting down at my friend’s piano, playing chords that came to mind.”

Volk enjoyed Young’s melody, and he offered to pay for studio time. For Young, this 1 “amazing experience” served as an opportunity for her music to be featured. After spending hours recording in the studio, the music video was ready for filming.

“Right before Thanksgiving break, Alyson had to go on a trip, so I subbed in for her in the music video along with [senior] Pete Pagayo. The music video was filmed at the Hermosa pier,” said Wildenhain.

Friends with Young since sixth grade, Wildenhain has “never failed to be impressed” by Young’s talent and passion for

music.

“I am so proud of Alyson, and I love her.

I've seen her do several performances, produce many songs and make her first music video,” Wildenhain said. “I have watched her develop her love and passion for music even further than before we met. She’s really involved in music and has mentioned becoming a music producer in the future.”

Young balances her musical passion with hard work on assignments and extracurriculars in hopes of attending UC Berkeley. She plays for the flag football team, sings in choir and works to maintain good grades.

“I tend to either be at 110% in my life or 0%,” Young said. “Right now I’m at 110%, so it’s definitely difficult, but reminding myself to push through and be grateful for the opportunities I've been given is most important to me.”

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1. Young in her music room composing music.

2. Young in her music room programming the music recorded.

PHOTOS COURTSEY OF ALYSON YOUNG

Sophomore Anh Dao starts to make a career out of singing and songwriting and meets with a record label

by Avery Rapoport

S

inger-songwriter sophomore Anh Dao flew to San Francisco in November to meet with a record label. By doing so, she took the step away from singing to friends and family and towards putting her music out to the world.

“I felt like I was having a heart attack when I met with the people who could make my dreams possible,” Dao said. “I used to think of music as more of a hobby and didn’t think it would go anywhere, but now it’s exciting that this career is a possibility.”

After hearing all her songs, “1166051 Records,” who usually sign with Indian artists, offered to sign with Dao, meaning they would help promote and distribute the music she records for them. As she is a minor, Dao needs her mom’s permission to work with the company. However, her mom wanted Dao to focus on school and declined the offer, saying she will reconsider when Dao graduates high school.

“I was bummed that my mom said no, because I feel I could

PHOTO VIA PNGEGG

do school while being signed,” Dao said. “I would have a better chance of making it [in

“

I felt like I was having a heart attack when I met with the people who could make my dreams possible. I used to think of music as more of a hobby and didn’t think it would go anywhere, but now it’s exciting that this career is a possibility.”

ANH DAO SOPHOMORE the industry] because I would have years of experience and exposure.”

Aside from school, Dao’s top

priority is music and she focuses much of her time on writing new songs.

“Whatever I’m feeling, I put it down on paper, and from there, I make songs out of those emotions,” Dao said.

“I am pretty emotional and to channel that into something I enjoy is truly amazing.”

Although writing the lyrics takes longer, Dao “enjoys it” more than coming up with the instrumentals, since instrumentals lack the emotional factor. Dao typically writes about PHOTO VIA her current life a n d KINDPNG relationships, spending anywhere from hours to weeks constructing each song.

“I showed the label a song about a relationship that ended two months ago,” Dao said. “It focuses on being with someone that doesn’t show you their true self and how hard it was to deal with that.”

Dao’s aunt, a singer-songwriter by the name of “Thuy,” helped her get this record label opportunity. Thuy’s music is based in the Bay Area, and Dao was inspired by her aunt’s R&B style of music, which became one of her favorite genres.

“To see someone that I am close to make it so far in the music indus-

try is inspiring and shows me that anything is possible,” Dao said. “Hopefully my future career is similar to hers. After talking to the label that got her started, I believe that can happen.”

Dao began songwriting when she got a keyboard piano in middle school and upon realizing how much she enjoyed it, she asked for a guitar as well. COVID-19 played a big role in Dao finding her passion for music, since she was stuck at home and found songwriting as a way to cure her boredom.

“Having an endless amount of time to work on my music really helped it come to life,” Dao said.

Dao has shared her song drafts with close friends, including sophomore Kate Jacoby. Jacoby found Dao’s songs to be a “perfect resemblance” of what it is like to be a teenager in high school and enjoys how they “underscore the struggles of young love.”

“Her songs are so heartwarming and endearing, with a bit of melancholy,” Jacoby said. “The romantic aspects of her music really highlight the livelihood of her youth.”

Aside from sharing her music with her friends and family, Dao has yet to sing in front of anyone since she doesn’t feel comfortable in front of large crowds, however she plans on overcoming this and eventually going on tour.

“Making music is such a big stress outlet for me,” Dao said. “Now that I can make a career out of it, I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to see where it all goes.”

high tide dec. 16, 2022

features 7

A

Ligean ar RINCE (Let's dance)

Reeve (left) and Jola (right) hold their certificates for the qualifying round of the Oireachtas North American championships.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REEVE AND JOLA PHELAN

Freshmen Reeve and Jola Phelan have competed in Irish dancing championships since second grade

by Danielle Bellamy

A

s the lights pour in and a rendition be the same throughout can be so differof a traditional Irish song begins, ent for so many different studios and levdancers enter the stage and smile els. That’s what often makes Irish dancing at the panel of judges before them, seconds complicated,” Reeve Phelan said. before they give their all into the number With the discipline and rigor of the art they’ve been practicing for months. form comes an immense amount of presAfter spending time putting on updo sure, according to Debarra students. Ofwigs, slipping on costumes covered in ten the competitiveness can really “get in rhinestones and stretching out their musyour head,” according cles, they take a deep to freshman Hayden breath and gear up McMahon. However, for the intensity of freshman Kyle Smith the competition. For a and Jola Phelan note number of high schoolthat there are ways ers across the South to get in a good headBay, Irish dancing space and manage keeps them occupied your nerves before during the week, on walking on the stage the weekends and even and performing for the during school breaks. judges.

The Debarra Acade“I usually listen to my of Irish Dancing, music to warm up; located in Manhattan it helps me get preBeach, has been open pared to dance a little since 2018, training up bit right before I go to forty kids of all ages on stage. I don’t look in the art of treble jigs, at my competition, I shuffles and breaking face the wall, jump up in hard shoes. a little bit to get warm Freshmen Reeve HAYDEN MCMAHON and then I go right on and Jola Phelan have FRESHMAN and do it,” Jola Phelan been participating in said.

Irish dancing since With high stake competitions, Tara Barthey were in second grade. Reeve notes that ry-Phelan, the studio’s instructor, points there are a lot of complications and “intri- out that it is necessary to teach kids to be cacies” within the art of Irish dancing, and, focused, prepared and motivated during according to Jola, the sport is more difficult their dances. To stay prepared, students to master than what meets the eye. practice four to five days a week and lead“With Irish dancing, the steps are so ing up to their recent regional competition, diverse and everyone struggles with some- Oireachtas, they spent every Sunday at the thing different. A dance that’s supposed to studio from 10 am to 3 pm.

“

We all support each other. If one of us does better than the other in the same competition, we still think of that as a win for the team in general.

In second grade, Reeve and Jola Phelan stand with their mother, Tara Barry-Phelan, and fellow Debarra students. PHOTO COURTESY OF REEVE AND JOLA PHELAN

Despite the sometimes difficult discrepancy between “mom and coach,” according to both Phelan twins, the dancers as well as Barry-Phelan understand the importance of creating an environment with high levels of discipline.

“You want them to have a little bit of fear, because if they don’t have that fear they’re not going to put in the work. My kids have asked if I can go easier on them, but not going easy on them is be “strong how we produce results,” Tara Barry Phel- cel they must and mentally prepared,” according an said.

Since the Phelan family began their to Kyle Smith. However, when students fistudio endeavors, over thirty additional nally showcase the dance they worked and dancers have joined their company who improved on, the feeling is absolutely “inshare the same “love and passion” for Irish credible.”

“I love going on stage after so many dancing that they do. The Debarra dancers report that each and every member of their months of hard work and feeling good company has assisted in creating a “com- about my dances. That’s what makes me happy. When I get on there and I know I munity” within the studio.

“We’ve all been [dancing] together for a did well that’s the best part for me,” Reeve long time, and we’re also very good friends Phelan said.

The Debarra students say that putting with everyone there so it's just a big family.

We all support each other and if one of us their all into learning the steps can imdoes better than the other in the same com- prove their abilities, allowing them to excel petition, we still think of that as a win for in Irish dancing. According to Smith, observing himself getting better is the most the team in general,” McMahon said.

Barry-Phelan opened the academy four “rewarding” aspect of the process.

“When you see your hard work actually years ago after having had an immense history with the dancing form herself. Af- pay off in class, like your stamina getting ter moving to the United States from Ire- better or your jump getting higher or your flexibility improving, land with the infamous it’s awesome,” Smith Riverdance dance said. group’s North AmerDancers must earn a Despite the “stress ican tour at eighteen, and rigor” that can Barry-Phelan has used 1st place prize in their come with competing her passion to create dance category prior to in Irish dancing, Dea studio that emphabarra dancers, as well sizes “discipline” and entering Oireachtas. as their teacher, recog“focus” in Irish dancnize that the ability to ing. Coupled with her INFORMATION FROM perform on stage, couwork in television and 2022 OIREACHTAS pled with the friendfilm industries, choreography for schools across the country and ships they create along the way, make the even her classes given to professional foot- sport valuable and keep the dancers pasball players, Tara Barry-Phelan has made sionate. For Debarra dancers, Irish dancing is rooted in not only “valuable Irish Irish dancing her “entire life.”

“The skills I was taught growing up car- tradition,” according to Tara Barry-Phelan, ried through into the way I teach today. The but “friendship and valuable bonds.”

“The community is the best part of it. strict discipline my teachers had with their warmups, how to take care of your body, You compete with these people and all of a how you know which muscles to stretch for sudden they create a line of 30 world chamcertain movements. All of these elements pions and you look around and realize you have become staples of my school,” Tara have to learn to get along with them. I went from being scared to death of these dancers Barry-Phelan said.

The students agree that Irish dancing to becoming best friends with them,” Baris not a sport for the weak and to truly ex- ry-Phelan said.

8 high tide dec. 16, 2022

in-fo

Ethnicity and religion: related but not mutually exclusive

by Elise Haulund

D

Volumes of

uring Ramadan, a holy month observed “During the meetings, it's less about Greek Orby Muslims, junior Ranya Ghazal has thodoxy and more about how we can preserve it. only broken her daily fast by herself once.

There's not a lot of people that maintain traditions Ghazal, who is Palestinian but has extended family as the Greek culture does, so it’s harder to preserve in Jordan, describes breaking each day of Ramathe culture as it was from so many years ago,” Richdan’s fast with her family as “basically a Thanksgivmond said. “Most of the things we do with GOYA are ing dinner.” meant to help connect people from the community Encyclopedia Britannica describes religion as together, so we know who we are and who each otha system of beliefs and worship, and ethnicity as a er are, so we can work together to both maintain and group’s identification based on shared cultural expegrow our community.” riences and history. The two don’t always go togethJunior Micky Arbarello has also found communier, but for many, religion and ethnicity intertwine in ty through her religion, Judaism, which she started forming community and individual identity. practicing more seriously as a means to stay conBy the religion of Islam, Muslims are supposed nected to her family “legacy” after moving from Itato pray at five specific times each day. When Ghazal ly to Connecticut at age 13. When Arbarello’s family visits her family in Jordan, she finds it easier to stay moved to Redondo Beach this year, they ended up connected to her identity as both a Palestinian and with an Israeli family that is “more educated” about Muslim because she “experience[s] how people live Judaism as their neighbors, which “brought the rewith their religion every day,” rather than delaying ligion to life” for Arbarello, despite their different her prayer during school due to not having a space ethnicities. to pray.

“It took me a while to find “It’s easy to be Americanized my people. I always comand fit in with the culture here plained when I was a little I'm kind of envious of other kid about how much I hated instead of keeping your culture that came from a different but at the end of the people and how they can moving, place,” Ghazal said. “America day I really didn't, because as is really diverse, which is really live in a place with people long as you find the people good, but it's hard to find people that love you and you care of the same ethnicity and with my experiences. You don’t about, you’re good. Not only see a lot of [Muslims] outwardreligion. I know a few peo- did my [Jewish school] help ly expressing their religion.” me learn, but it also helped ple at school who are eiGhazal “didn’t really focus” me form new friendships and on religion until she started ther Palestinian or Muslim, connect with people,” ArSaturday school at 11 years old, barello said. but I don't know a lot. It has when she became more investFor Arbarello, being Jewed in learning her heritage and ish and being Italian “don’t been hard, but I've also culture through asking peoreally” connect. gotten used to it because ple at her mosque. When the “I was kind of clueless COVID-19 pandemic caused when I was in Italy about my I've never had that before."

Ghazal’s twice-weekly attenreligion. The only way that dance at the mosque to drop to I stayed connected or knew once every two months, she felt about the religion in the first RANYA GHAZAL “a drift between the connection place was because my mothJUNIOR to [her] heritage and ethnicity er and father tried to keep me at the same time.” connected,” Arbarello said.

“I'm kind of envious of other people and how they “I was surrounded by my family and family friends can live in a place with people of the same ethnicity who were Jewish, but not my school friends or and religion. I know a few people at school who are broader community.” either Palestinian or Muslim, but I don't know a lot.

Though her dad’s side of the family isn’t Jewish, It has been hard, but I’ve also gotten used to it beArbarello’s family celebrates together as they did in cause I've never had that before,” Ghazal said.

Italy. The family partakes in the Shabbat every FriAccording to the Population Reference Bureau, day, lighting the candles at sundown and singing a over 90 percent of Palestinians are Muslim. For prayer.

Ghazal, staying connected to her cultural identity “All of the celebrations help me stay connecthas been difficult, but community activities working ed with my culture and heritage,” Arbarello said. in tandem with religious activities like daily prayer “Knowing your religion opens your eyes. It's another connect Ghazal with “something greater than [herway of being you, and it’s something unique about self].” you that you should know.”

“One daily practice is that usually, you’ll say a “Sadly,” according to Arbarello, young people phrase before you do something that keeps whatmight be “embarrassed” to learn more about their ever you're doing positive. For example, you say religion because of how others may react. For junior ‘Bismillah’ before you drive so you stay safe while Espy Carolipio, who “inherited” Catholicism from driving,” Ghazal said. her Filipino family, the opposite is true: her deGhazal speaks Arabic “well enough to commucreased attendance at church due to a busy schednicate with family,” but reads the Quran with an ule causes her to fear judgment from her extended English translation. Similarly, senior Konstantifamily. no Richmond, who devotes 14 hours weekly to his “I’m more religious than my immediate family, Greek Orthodox church and understands Greek, but then my distant family is more religious than but “can’t respond [to others] as well.” On Pascha, I am. So I'm in the middle. I'm not not religious, the Orthodox Easter celebration, Richmond attends but I'm not religious religious,” Carolipio said. church from 7 a.m. until past midnight, singing, lis“I've grown to accept that even though I don't go to tening to sermons and praying, all in Greek. church every week, I'm still religious. I’ve accepted “I can't imagine any other way to spend Easter. that this is how I choose to worship God, and I'm not Being able to celebrate as a community and knowany less [for it], but there will always be that divide.” ing there's other people all the way across the world According to the Pew Research Center, 81 perthat are doing the same makes me happy to feel cent of Filipinos are Catholic. For Carolipio, Catholconnected to everyone that is Greek,” Richmond icism is paramount to Filipino culture. said. “When I go to Greece, I use what I've learned “If I wasn’t raised Catholic, then I’d be even more throughout the years at [my] church.”

Whitewashed and Americanized than I already am.

As president of the Greek Orthodox Youth AssoI'm not fully disconnected, but if you compare me ciation (GOYA) club at his church, Richmond orgato one of my relatives who lives in the Philippines, nizes service opportunities such as making cards for yeah, I don't feel Filipino. I feel like if I were to talk veterans, as well as fun, non-religious activities like to my relatives, I wouldn't connect with them,” Carbowling for members of the church. olipio said.

“

Every Christmas season, Carolipio and her family deck the house with Catholic and Filipino decorations, such as the nativity set (depicting the birth of Jesus) and a parol (a lantern shaped like a star displayed by Filipinos during the Christmas season). However, Carolipio feels like a “bad Catholic” for not attending church on the actual day.

“But the other half of me says, ‘No, you're still Catholic.’ I know that my values are based off of how I was raised with religion, to be kind and put other people first,” Carolipio said. “That roots from religion, and that's how my mom taught me to do God’s duties and make Him p r o u d .

They really do go hand in hand.

I'm Filipino, so I learned more about religion than if I was another culture.”

ocus

dec. 16, 2022 high tide 9

Religion

“

Someone came up to me, hailed Hitler, and walked away.”

It’s lunch on a Wednesday. Junior Jacob Dorfman is sitting in the student union with his friends, smiling at something his girlfriend said, when another student approaches him. The exchange is over in a moment, but Jacob’s smile is gone.

This isn’t Dorfman’s first in-

ILLUSTRATION BY ESPY CAROLIPIO

The issue of religious intolerance and discrimination on campus

by Lucy Davis

teraction with antisemitism on campus. Last year, calls “positive campus culture.”

Dorfman’s rabbi, who had previously heard rumors “If I see it, I address it—it's almost like the trash about swastikas graffitied on campus, asked Dorfissue, right? If I see a piece of garbage, I don't walk man to see if it was true. over it. I just pick it up. Do I have a sore back every “I went in to go look for him, and I saw [the symsingle day from picking up trash? I do. But it's somebols] drawn on the bathroom wall. We ended up thing that needs to be addressed, so I address it,” having a big discussion about it [in Jewish CulturBridi said. “It's worth the effort because not only am al Club], because that's obviously not okay by any I picking up trash, I'm modeling [positive behavior]. means,” Dorfman said.

When students treat each other with respect and Over the past few months, “casual intolthey treat each other with understanding no matter erance” on campus has risen as influencer who they are, that culture is established.”

Kanye West garnered international Students, Bridi explained, are the leaders of this attention for his antisemitic removement. marks.

“If students address poor behavior with their “With the whole Kanye peers, like, ‘Hey, I don't like when you call me that thing going on, people name,’ or ‘That's not cool,’ or whatever it is, and are restating [his comwalk away, that snuffs out the problem immediately. ments], and it's really But the minute someone doesn't address it up front, messed up. He's making it continues to happen,” Bridi said. “So if you see it much worse because something, say something.” people listen to what he But it isn’t always so simple. Anonymous sophohas to say. It’s all over more Olivia, whose name has been changed to prethe news, and people are serve anonymity, practices Islam and often encounusing that as [grounds to] ters Islamophobia in passing. joke around, but it's really “I hear the word ‘terrorist’ used very loosely. I've serious stuff,” Dorfman said. heard people say that Islam is oppressive to womDorfman is president en, it's a dumb religion or that all Muslims are terof the campus’s Jewish rorists and they're dangerous. I hear a lot of [those Cultural Club, which comments] just living my life. People feel free to say was founded to eduit because they don't think that I am Muslim. They cate students about don't think that I would be affected by it—but I am,” Jewish religion and said Olivia. culture in hopes of By personal choice, Olivia doesn’t wear a hijab, promoting religious so “most people just assume that [she is] Christian” tolerance.

Every because there is no visible evidence of Muslim cusMonday in room toms.

803, a rabbi from “It's a weird feeling. I do feel disconnected from Chabad of the Beach my religion, but it is a pretty big part of my life. It's Cities (a local synawhat I believe. And when I hear so many people gogue) comes to talk attacking [Islam] and making assumptions, it just to members of the feels like the whole world is just attacking me. And club, and—as kids that feels really unfair; it makes me sad,” Olivia said. walk out the door— In a predominantly white, Christian school, Oleveryone gets free ivia noticed a “big power dynamic” that complicates pizza. her willingness to advocate against Islamophobia.

“Even if [attend“I don't feel like I am powerful enough to change ees] are only there their mindsets. If you hear something and you say for the pizsomething, za, to some there's always extent they that fear: ‘What's I hear the word 'terrorist' have to pay going to hapattention or pen to me? Are used very loosely.

I've listen to what they going to be heard people say that the rabbi has mad?’ I don't to say, what comfortable Islam is oppressive to wom- feel I have to say, raising my voice or the video en, it's a dumb religion or to that injustice that we're I could so that all Muslims are terror- when playing,” easily be crushed Dorfman by a white man,” ists and are dangerous." said. “I think Olivia said. “In [society] puts a small religious OLIVIA [color-based minority it can ANONYMOUS SOPHOMORE racism] on a be hard to [raise higher platmy voice].” form than they put In an effort to empower Muslim voices, Olivia antisemitism, but wants to start a Muslim-Arab culture club. antisemitism is still “I think a lot of the comments directed towards very prominent in Muslims are simply caused by a lack of education and outside of school. and a lack of information about the religion. And I We’re trying to shine don't blame people; there isn't much correct infora light on that and mation floating around. The most that I can do as a make sure students Muslim in school with so few of us I think that I can know that it's still step up my role, use the power that I do have and there; it’s hurtful to a educate people and reforming the dynamic,” Oliva lot of people.” said.

According to PrinThough RUHS will “never be perfect,” Bridi said cipal Anthony Bridi, that he is “proud” to represent so many different reRUHS’s zero-tolerligions on campus. ance policy for reli“We're an institution of learning and an institugious hate and distion where teenagers are learning how to be better crimination are both people. There are going to be issues that we need to formal, via official address when it comes to this topic. There will alreports, and informal, ways be work to do, ways we can be better. Those are by fostering what he things I’m going to continue to fight for,” Bridi said.

“

opinion Here's the Kicker

by Zelia Lerch

T

oday, it seems like the only thing people can talk about is who’s advancing to the next stage, Ronaldo vs. Messi, and even Neymar’s best haircut. Whether you’ve willingly (or unwillingly) watched a qualifier during class or tapped through Instagram story endorsements, the 2022 World Cup, a quadrennial international soccer tournament, feels impossible to avoid.

But as the World Cup final approaches this Sunday, it's important to understand the context behind the competition this year. Rumors of corruption and protest have swirled around practically every game so far, which begs the question: Is it ethical to watch the World Cup right now?

The debacle regarding this year’s tournament began in December of 2010, when the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) surprised the international sporting community by announcing that the 2022 World Cup would be hosted in Qatar. What amenities did this tiny desert country have over the economic capabilities and resources of larger countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States? What appeal did Qatar have, considering it lacked the infrastructure and space for stadiums, transportation and hotels, much less the capacity to control the travelers that flock to the World Cup games?

Qatar was cleared of a two year investigation after representatives were accused of a 3 million pound bribe to those deciding on where the 2022 World Cup would be held. However, the report stated that there were “certain indications of potentially problematic conduct of specific individuals."

Sports Washing, the practice of using sports as a coverup for corruption or wrongdoing, is common in these competitions. Just this year at the Beijing Winter Olympics, the Chinese government and Olympics officials came under criticism for the lack of regard to Hong Kong controversies and the horrific treatment of Uyghur Muslims. Qatar, in this case, is no stranger to similar human rights violations, including those against the LGBTQ+ community and its migrant workforce. It is estimated that in 2021, 50

10 It is important to educate yourself on the contreversies behind the World Cup before watching it, especially this year

foreign laborers died, over 500 were seriously injured and another 37,600 suffered mild to moderate injuries building Qatar soccer stadiums, as reported by the Guardian. As of Tuesday, Dec. 13, two journalists have died “suddenly” covering the games: Khalid al-Misslam and Grant Wahl, although their deaths are still under investigation.

Some teams intended to protest the human rights violations in the country by wearing rainbow armbands during games, but were denied by FIFA, who threatened sports sanctions as punishment for any protest defying Qatari laws. The German national team made a weak statement by posting a photo on Instagram with their hands over their mouths and the caption, “Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice.” In spite of this, the team continued playing in the tournament.

To me, protesting means risking something—if you’re going to commit to condemning the actions of Qatar, then use your influence on an international stage to do so. A halfhearted attempt followed by a continuation of the norm upsets the, albeit honorable, message the German team was trying to get across. The Iranian national team, on the other hand, actually took a risk by refusing to sing their national anthem as a stand against their own government and their role in the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed in custody after being arrested for “inappropriate attire.”

The World Cup is an international platform—an opportunity to broadcast a message to the world about the injustice that you want to see resolved. The Catch-22 is that no matter how much these teams and managers may care about the moral issues of the host country, they cannot resist the prestige that comes with worldwide recognition, which is clear, as no qualifying countries made any effort to boycott. If the “traditional” soccer countries—Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, England, etc., had collaborated and planned to boycott this year’s games, FIFA and Qatar would have been forced to make real changes.

Fans have expressed their opinions and taken action.

Many have quietly tried, with varying degrees of success, to wear rainbow clothing to games. One Italian man broke into the field before the Portugal vs. Uruguay match wearing a shirt with “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN” written on the back and “SAVE UKRAINE” on the front, flying the rainbow flag between his outstretched hands in his sprint before detainment. Japanese fans cleaned the stadium of trash after the game against Germany. These risks

In the case of Kanye West, separating the art from the artist is not the way to go

by Troy Nevil

I

n some cases, you can separate the art from the artist. But this isn’t one of them.

To be brutally honest, I’ve never been the biggest Ye (Kanye West) fan. Maybe it's because rap music isn’t my thing, or maybe it's because of his egotistic personality.

And while I cannot deny that he has created some of the best rap music to date, it's time to put it away. For good.

In just the past two months, Ye has made some of the most disturbing comments and posts that I have ever seen from a mainstream celebrity in recent years. His antics started at the 2022 Paris Fashion Week where he was seen wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt. While I myself do not support or understand the “White Lives Matter” movement, simply because I do not believe white people have been racially discriminated against since the beginning of time, I can accept the fact that this is a form of free speech, and that Ye had every right to do this. But that doesn’t make it unproblematic.

Just weeks later, Ye went back to his playground, also known as Twitter, and tweeted away as he typically does. But this time, he tweeted something unimaginable—something so vile and disgusting that it's difficult to understand why. He tweeted, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.” It didn’t stop there. Just one week ago, on Dec. 2, Ye tweeted a swastika on his Twitter page—one followed by millions of his fans, many being teenagers that are easily influenced by his actions. And if you thought his previous tweets may have Photo via Creative Commons been a joke or a fluke, this

swastika sure says otherwise.

I don’t care if he’s still recovering from his divorce with Kim Kardashian. I don’t care if his music is the best you’ve ever heard. I don’t care if he’s going through a tough time.

I care about the fact that he is exposing millions of people to antisemitism, racism and misogyny, just to name a few.

And what’s worse is that people are giving him a platform to explain himself because they know it will attract views and attention.

The Holocaust was a genocide that led to the death of over six million Jews. It was by far the darkest time in history, one that most of us—if not all of us—have learned from. However, we’ve seen a growth of antisemitism in recent months; according to Spectrum News, “the number of hate incidents in [Los Angeles] is on pace to surpass last year’s record high.” And for someone with such a large following to perpetuate such behavior should be a genuine concern for all of us, beyond only our Jewish peers.

In many ways, celebrities and name-brands have done a decent job condemning Ye’s actions, cutting ties with him and making the public aware of his toxic behavior. However, the issue lies with those who continue to give him a platform that he no longer deserves, simply for the media attention and internet clicks.

I would even argue that those listening to his music are somewhat of a problem, as the money goes towards him and his agendas. And the more money he has, the more likely he is to continue these horrific acts of antisemitism.

and kindnesses alike show the beauty of the tournament in its innate humanity—the unification of people beyond nationality or borders.

But despite the courage of individuals during the World Cup so far, there still remains the fundamentally immoral backbone. What’s especially ridiculous to me is the guise that the current FIFA administration presents, in order to tone down the seriousness of the decisions that have been made in the past 15 years. Previous members of the FIFA board have already been charged with crimes of corruption and bribery, and the current president only feels half as tone deaf as Blatter.

“The only thing I’m asking you. Engage. Help. Don’t divide, try to unite. The world is divided enough. We are organizing a FIFA World Cup, we’re not organizing a war.

We organize a FIFA World Cup where people who have many problems in his or her life try to come and enjoy,” current FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the opening press conference.

I agree, Infantino. You didn’t organize a war. But you did push the blame of political division onto World Cup fans when the entire problem wouldn’t exist in the first place if FIFA had fairly chosen a bid. It’s ridiculous and foolhardy to assume that people will suddenly be okay with the Qatari government just because they’re hosting the tournament, especially after the means in which they won the bid. FIFA's actions did unite people, just against the legitimacy and reputability of your organization.

As viewers and fans, I don’t blame you if you want to support your favorite team or players. In the long run, one person tuning in or out doesn’t make a difference, or convince the Qatari government to “allow” their citizens to be gay, or bring back the lives of the workers lost to construction. What’s non-negotiable is that you understand and stand behind the risks that others have taken to protect their beliefs, their families and their identities, and stay educated on the causes behind each defiance. The tournament is an international competition, but what’s the point if we aren’t coming together as an international community, at least for a few weeks?

Photo via iStock images

letters to the

editor

The High Tide encourages greater input of perspectives from both students and staff. If you have an opinion about one of the articles, letters can be sent to the editor at hightideonline@gmail.com We reserve the right to edit for content, grammar and space constraints. Letters must be signed and are not guaranteed to be printed. Please keep letters to a maximum of 250 words. Longer guest opinions are also accepted.

voice column The High Tide aims to share the voices of a wider swath of the RUHS student population, beyond just our staff members.

If you have a story to share, a unique outlook on something, or a personal opinion, fill out the form linked at the QR code.

Although Ye has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, that does not excuse his actions; he is well-aware of his influence, and he should have stayed off of Twitter and his social media platforms to avoid harming others. In order to prevent future outbursts like this, I urge him to seek the help he needs and reflect on his actions, and I urge the rest of you to hold him accountable.

In the meantime, stream Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti or any less problematic rapper out there. It’s difficult to accept change, but sometimes we have to let go of the things we no longer recognize. And Ye is no longer the person he used to be.

opinion 11

high tide dec. 16, 2022

Voice Column:

Taking a stance against anti-semitism by an anonymous student

A

German ambassador advised my grandfather to leave Lithuania in 1945, saving my family from the catastrophic fate of Nazi concentration camps. I grew up as a reformed Jew, taking pride in my culture and being extremely vocal about my heritage and religion.

My childhood friends were mainly of Jewish descent. Whether they were Persian-Jews or Israelis, we all shared one thing in common: a love for who we are and where we came from.

Upon moving to Redondo in my pre-teen years, I faced open prejudice that left me shocked. I’ve had multiple experiences with anti-semitism, whether in person, social media or even on campus.

Once, I was sitting with a group of older boys who had no knowledge of my religious background.

They began to mimic Nazi salute, their hands outstretched as they said, “Heil Hitler.” This enactment left me uncomfortable and apprehensive. I told them that I was Jewish in hopes that they just made an ill choice for a “joke.”

To my disbelief, they laughed and made jokes about gas chambers. It escalated to texts: “This is the deal we made, all of us, if ur a girl n ur a Jew but ur hot we won’t say nun abt the Jew part yk.”

I have scrolled through social media and witnessed many of my peers post pictures of Swastikas,

“

Although the openly ignorant behavior may come from a minority of individuals, it is the majority that is tolerating it; it feels like no one cares."

ANONYMOUS STUDENT

numbers on their arms and blatant stereotypical memes about Jewish culture. Disturbed, I express my concern, but the response is always, “You know they were just joking right?”

Anti-semitism is so normalized now that people have no shame in openly posting anti-semitic symbols and comments. I’ve even noticed Swastikas etched into different parts of our campus and students joking around casually.

Although the openly ignorant behavior may come from a minority of individuals, it is the majority that is tolerating it; it feels like no one cares. Anti-Semitism exists and thrives in American culture, and it takes active effort to dispel rumors and defend Jewish people. Action is required from more than just Jews; allies and friends of our community must take a stance.

ADAM and STEVE

Sometimes, it actually is

W

hen people find out I’m Christian, they’re shocked. The most common remark I’ve heard is “You don’t seem like that” with a flabbergasted, sometimes judgemental tone.

I don’t blame them.

In this society, false truths spread faster than wildfires. Navigating opinions interspersed with facts in the complex, nuanced world of religion is not only challenging but at times impossible. There are so many misconceptions about religions, whether it be about Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, or one of the 4,000 other recognized religions in our world.

I t doesn’t

IMAGE VIA FREEPIX

The false stereotypes of Christians being homophobic and judgemental harms both the Christian and queer communities

by Katarina (Haven) Beches

matter that the Bible reaffirms, time and time again, the value of diversity and acceptance of love when stereotypes swarm.

It doesn’t matter that Romans 8:38 professes that “Nothing can separate us from the love of God” if one decrepit minister screams that he hates gays and it’s nationally televised.

The sad truth is that Christianity has been reduced to minority-fueled stereotypes, giving those who believe and identify as Christians a bad reputation.

I can acknowledge that there are certain groups of Christians that have rightfully earned the damaging, harmful stereotypes that have dominated its reputation. I’m not proud of them.

LGBTQ+ condemn Organizations groups, reinforce racist, harmful beliefs and more—all behind the facade of being “supported” by the Bible, and thus God. Groups led by ministers, hiding behind “traditional moral values” preach love in one sermon and work to combat the “homosexual agenda” in another. Such is the case for the American Family Association, formed by Methodist minister Donald E. Wildmon, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLA).

American Vision, spearheaded by the “doctrine of ‘Christain Reconstruction’” whose goal is “restorning America’s Biblical foundation,” even “backs the death penalty for practicing homosexuals” (SPLA).

The hypocrisy of these groups is that while they cite biblical works as a justification for their claims, in actuality, they are

going against the very core of Christianity.

Christianity is not the minority’s warped interpretation of it. Rather, it is believing in Jesus Christ, believing that he died for our sins on Earth and because of that, we have a direct connection to him. At the risk of oversimplification, it’s treating others with the kindness, forgiveness, and care he demonstrates in Scripture.

In the Bible, Galatians 3:28 states: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

It pains me that such a beautiful religion that brings millions joy, solace and connection has been reduced to homophobia, racism, and hurtful stereotypes.

I’m Christian, but I’m bisexual. I’m Christian, yet I believe in woman’s autonomy, gay marriage, and the value of diversity. I can stand for equality and still be Christian.

It’s easy to call a group racist. It’s easy to call a group homophobic. Yet, the easy way is not always the right way.

Even so, religion doesn’t have to be the core part of one’s identity. Like all dynamic individuals, we are multifaceted and religion is just one of the many puzzle pieces that shape our identity, character, and sense of self. The next time a person confides their religion to you, I challenge you to abandon your preconceived conceptions.

Don’t judge. Don’t turn your nose down.

Rather, have an open mind. Who knows?

You might be surprised at what you think.

Judgemental and toxic religous communities alienate younger generations and can cause resentment towards their religion by Hadeel Azzam

J

udgy Judgy aunts, weird uncles and mean ten-year-olds are the first thing that comes to mind when I think of my neighborhood mosque. They are also number one on my long list of reasons why I haven’t been to the mosque in years.

Many places of worship have long since been forgotten to their initial purpose and have reclaimed a new one, one where God is definitely not in the picture.

While God can forgive, many of his believers do not forget. The smallest mistake, mishap, or even some type of uniqueness can alter one’s image in the eyes of others at their place of worship. The Puritans did it best, but alas, the time of dunking people in rivers has instead been replaced with sideways glances and whispers.

With this judgment comes intense homophobia. There are much older girls who refer to the girl who dresses in baggy clothes and has short hair as “lesbian” or use homophobic slurs against her.

Homosexuality is not explicitly forbidden in the Quran. Many interpret the story of Prophet Lut (peace be upon him), as one that prohibits gay sex, but that is not the case here. The TDLR (too long didn’t read) is that many travelers that visited the city of Sodom were often victims of robbers, rape and murder. The rape in question was men against other men. The story condemns rape more than homosexuality, and while there are restrictions on different forms of sexual acts, none of them explicitly say between two men or two women. But people will still turn this story around to fit their own beliefs, using their religion to justify their bigotry.

Other than bigotry, many of these people are just mean. They will find an excuse to use one’s faults to make themselves feel better and more secure in their faith. Starting off young, there are ten-year-olds who tell others that “they are not good Muslims” because they do not visit the mosque as of-

ten or because they did not attend an Islamic school. Saying these things only discourages others from going to the mosque and may be hurting their own faith. These kids had to learn from somewhere, and I blame their upbringing.

I was not exaggerating when I said judgy aunts were on the top of my list; they even made the list of reasons where I do not attend regular gatherings other than Islamic ones. What makes them worse is that their judgments spread like wildfire. “Did you see what Suhaila’s daughter is wearing? She looks like a man.” “What a mess. It’s deen to dress like a girl.” The Quran states that clothing should be modest, for both men and women, and there is no other restriction. But people keep twisting the word of God to fit their own. If anything, my jeans that are three sizes too big are more in Allah’s (SWT) image than their daughter’s super skinny hollister jeans. But I do not fit their own image and that is what makes it wrong. What sets an extra judgmental eye on me and what I do is my gender.

Many of these parents know of the very non-Islamic things that their sons are doing but decide to turn a blind eye. Girls are meant to be innocent and pure but the boys are allowed to run wild. One wrong move or rumor and these girls' lives can be ruined.

Honor killings are a very real thing. The UN estimates that 5,000 girls and women are murdered each year in honor killings.

Those are the ones that are that reported.

Many of these crimes go unreported and these killers run free.

While the consequences are not as drastic in America, they can still be damaging to young girls. Their “innocence” is valued more than their personality or beliefs. There are thirty to forty-yearold men who look for wives that are around 18 or 19-years-old because they have “less world experience” and “are more pure.” Their way of thinking is predatory

and plain disgusting. Teaching these young girls to put the opinions of these much older men above their own makes them vulnerable to their manipulations.

The manipulations do not start with the man, it is usually his mother. “He’s an engineer, he has his own house, he's a very successful habiti,” That's expected, Khalto, he is 38. Of course I’ve never said that to anyone’s face, but I stick to the basic well known excuse of “I still need to finish school,” but even that won’t get you too far. People will respect a man’s ambition but shoot down a woman’s. Some women will limit their ambitions for fear of making their husbands insecure. The Quran talks of the importance of equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity or gender.

People choose to forget all about this and replace it with their own misogynistic ideals.

People have intertwined their cultural and personal beliefs with their religion to justify their own wrongdoings. They refuse to believe that their religion goes against their bigotry and twists it to fit their beliefs.

IMAGE VIA FREEPIX

entertainment Anything but a weak-day Ortega showcases her talent in Netflix's new drama "Wednesday"

by Lauren Choy

I

n a winter white-themed dance, Wednesday Addams catches everyone’s attention as she is in all black, amidst a crowd of countless students dressed in white. She’s unique and nothing like the average girl, which is exactly how the new Netflix show “Wednesday” stands out from other teenage television works.

Known for his terrific gothic fantasy works, director Tim Burton’s new take on Wednesday Addams in the remake show called “Wednesday,” brings a wave of nostalgia along with a new teenage version of Wednesday (Jenna Ortega). Two generations of Wednesdays, Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega, perfectly represent the overwhelming amount of talent in the show, which makes it memorable. I was stunned, to say the least.

The show follows the main conflict of humans continuously being attacked by an unknown creature with which Wednesday unknowingly gets wrapped up. With psychological visions fueling her investigation, Wednesday seems to be stopped at every lead she obtains and faces reality when people undermine teenage intellect, as no one will listen to her leads. Audience members are able to connect this with their own lives, which naturally makes them more drawn to Wednesday. The additional twists are what moved the conflict from an average detective case to a unique conflict that perfectly fits into the setting and characters. The investigation tied all aspects of Wednesday’s life together which served as

the underlying glue to the show. Burton did an excellent job of diverting viewers' attention away from the actual antagonist, which in the end left viewers’ jaws dropped.

The opening scene begins with all heads turning as Wednesday walks down the high school hall to find her brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), tied up in a locker. Once she touches Pugsley, her head is thrown back as she sees visions of the bullies that tied him up. She proceeds to release piranhas into the boys’ swimming

pool for revenge. As classical music accompanied by bloody screams fills the viewer's ears, Wednesday reveals her first hint of a smile.

Due to this incident, she is sent to

12 Nevermore, the school of outcasts and her mother’s alma mater. This beginning encapsulates Wednesday’s rock-hard heart and allows the viewers to glimpse her personality.

Wednesday develops immensely from this sadistic, unemotional girl as represented in Wednesday and her roommate, Enid Sinclair’s (Emma Myers) relationship. As representations of light and dark, the two start on a rocky path with a physical tape line dividing their shared room. However, as they face challenges, they put aside their differences and find an unlikely friendship. Ortega’s duality from cold-hearted to at times vulnerable emulates Wednesday’s journey to accepting and expressing emotions. Ortega portrays Wednesday’s gradual vulnerability with Enid by finally embracing in a hug. Her portrayal allowed viewers to realistically see Wednesday’s emotional growth throughout the show.

Ortega’s commitment to Wednesday keeps viewers hooked until the very end.

Because the whole show revolved around W e d n e s - day, the pressure was on for Ortega to perform well. And oh, did she pull through. Ortega’s neatly placed hair, eyebrows, eyes and body positions embodied the character of Wednesday flawlessly, expertly immersing viewers in her every move.

N o t once

PHOTO VIA NETFLIX TUNDUM

did s h e break out of character.

Burton directed Ortega to do the classic “Kubrick spooky stare” where she glares through her eyebrows, fit-

ting her emotionless character to a tee. In fact, Ortega only blinks a handful of times in the show and saves her blinks for when she is emotionally challenged. The seemingly small detail was the detail that pulled me in even further. I found myself actively counting her blinks while watching, and this made me more invested in the show because I was attentively searching for her rare vulnerable moments.

Surprisingly, not only is the show a dark fantasy, but also a romance story with Wednesday involved in a love triangle between an outcast, Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), and a normie, Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan). Viewers also see a rivalry between the Nevermore “queen,” Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday), and Wednesday.

Ultimately, after countless disagreements and fights, the two manage to put their egos aside to become friends, which is a huge step for Wednesday. As she navigates between her love life and rivalries, Wednesday’s relationships that develop fully add to the depth of the show. Instead of just seeing her action side or her emotionless side, viewers see every aspect of Wednesday’s life. This all-rounded knowledge helps the viewer feel emotionally attached to Wednesday and root for her.

Even though she has incredibly unique characteristics, in the end, Wednesday is still human. From the start, Wednesday has longed for a supportive mother that doesn’t undervalue her capabilities. Similarly to no one listening to her detective leads, teenagers watching are able to relate to her struggle with underestimation. As Wednesday and her mother, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) go through bonding experiences, they realize that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Because of their growing alikeness, this connection brings the two together in a tear-jerking relationship that previously seemed impossible.

Devoting eight hours to this show will be something you won't regret. The number of subplots doesn’t override the main conflict, but instead, supports it even more. The intentional camera angles, fitting set designs, excellent casting choices and unexpected twists at the end boosted the show even more, and fully exceeded my expectations.

These films will get you in the spirit this holiday season

by Marley Van Pelt

A

s the season changes, the cool air sweeps in, fireplaces turn on, decorative lights show up on the roof and music travels throughout the house. Even better, it’s the time when people can come together to celebrate on the couch to relax and watch films, new and old, that make the eggnog and hot cocoa taste even better.

This year, a newly released Christmas movie, “Spirited,” features two prominent comedians, Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. “Spirited” follows the duo traveling in an adventure much like the classic Dickens story, “A Christmas Carol,” but as a musical. Ferrell has had experience with past holiday movies, known for his performance in the popular Christmas movie “Elf.” And he did not disappoint with his role as the Ghost of Christmas present and his co-star Reynolds, whose role mirrored Ebenezer Scrooge, and both gave this movie a comedic spin.

Each actor performed numerous songs weaving in hilarious lyrics and playful choreography which had myself replaying scenes just to laugh again. The moments in this movie, both sarcastic and endearing, were a great reflection of these skillful actors’s ability to take what would’ve been another cringy musical scene, into an excit-

ing dance number filled with humor. This movie, as funny and exuberant as it was, also had an underlying sentimental message of unity. “Spirited” took the spirit that comes from Christmas to encourage the importance of having joy in your life and spreading it to others.

Similarly, in the animated Hanukkah movie “Eight Crazy Nights,” viewers see a similar message of happiness as “Spirited”—but not until the end. There are times when a movie starts out slow and your expectations drop, but then you give it time, and you fall in love; this happened to me when I watched this film.

This movie also features another famous comedian, Adam Sandler, and if you are a big fan of his, as I am, it’ll help you to stay long enough to love this movie since you’ll understand his comedy. If not, then it may be a struggle since his humor often comes in the form of some inappropriate language and irreverent jokes. However, the sentiment of this movie has sweet undertones and leaves you with a lighthearted impression, as all holiday movies should.

The initial reason for Davey’s reluctance for the holidays is the fact that his parents passed away during Hanukkah. It took committing misdemeanors for him to eventually reconnect back to the sport he

loved, reminding him of the love his parents had for him.

Made over two decades ago, this movie still had good animations and relatable characters that had you interested to watch more. I enjoyed the character development throughout this movie and though it may sound cliche, this movie represents the love in people, regardless of their situation. It took a criminal with a disregard for anyone but himself and gave him a story that revealed his true admiration for the holidays.

“The Black Candle,” a documentary narrated by Maya Angelou, takes this message of community celebration to heart while telling the history of Kwanzaa.

This film gave a historical account of Kwanzaa, starting from it's origination in California, helping me to have an in-depth understanding of this holiday. Kwanzaa centers around seven guiding principles, known in Swahili as Nguni Saba. A Kinara, candle-holder, holds candles representing these principles: three red candles symbolizing the ancient struggle endured, three green candles for hope and one black candle to represent the community’s unity.

Angelou also guides viewers through the principles of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa

(cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

Different stories of Kwanzaa celebrations around the world were featured and Angelou defines Kwanzaa as “a time to honor [the] heritage” and celebrate the best of “what it means to be who we are.”

Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration for African-Americans to identify with their African roots. Angelou explains how Kwanzaa serves as a way for people to celebrate their accomplishments and identity as well as to connect with their African descent, regardless of the country in which they live.

Watching this documentary provided much-needed insight for a holiday that is underrepresented in American popular media. Even though it wasn’t a movie with fictional characters, it kept me just as entertained as any other holiday film. It took storytelling to a different perspective by showcasing real-life stories and it built a history for the holiday.

In the end, holidays are a celebration of various beliefs, cultures, and events in which people can share joy and spend time with those in their families and communities. Watching movies can be a great looking glass to seeing independent holidays still linked through celebrations, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or culture.

2 PHOTO VIA CLIPART LIBRARY

entertainment 13

high tide dec. 16, 2022

Religious Book Reviews "Elatsoe" and "Becoming Eve" are insightful reads

by Ariya Anvari

S

PHOTO FROM GOODREADS

PHOTO FROM AMAZON

earching for a book that accurately represents a religion and is still fantasy is practically impossible.

In most cases with fantasy stories the religious aspect is a footnote, and when it comes to that of religious books the majority are monotone biographies or some weird romance where a hallmark movie lady has to decide between her religion and some supposedly hot guy. Between all the boring and messed-up stories, “Elatsoe” truly was a godsend. The story itself was written by Darcie Little Badger, a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas.

While there are fantasy aspects, the story touches upon the traditions and religious practices in a positive and accurate way, by delving into the importance of nature as well as the stories of far-gone relatives being passed down generations. The novel tells a wonderful story about a Tribe that is not often well-represented in the media.

The short novel is not only a quick read that’s perfect for fans of fiction, but it also manages to represent the traditions and religion of the Lipan Apache Tribe without falling into any stereotypes.

The story focuses on “Elatsoe,” Ellie, Bride, a 17-year-old girl who is part of the Lipan Apache Tribe. Ellie attempts to uncover the recent and mysterious death of a family member in a magical world unlike ours. Despite the fun and lighthearted tone the book begins with, darker parts are present as well. The story focuses on dealing with the loss of a loved one and the traditions of those in the Lipan Apache Tribe when someone does pass.

In regards to the characters themselves, they are just as incredible as their relationships to one another are. The characters are all unique and realistic. First, there is the loveable Kirby, Ellie’s lifelong

"Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead" misses the mark

by Stavyah Naveen

T

PHOTO FROM SIMON & SCHUSTER

his book was just as dramatic and hyperbolic as its title.

“Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead," written by Emily Austin, follows the life of a 27-year-old woman named Gilda who suffers from severe anxiety and an onset of depression as well as a morbid preoccupation with the notion of death. To top it all off, Gilda identifies as a lesbian and holds a job as a receptionist in a Catholic Church that is completely clueless about her sexual orientation.

The novel predominantly speaks to Gilda’s severe anxiety, and how the unfortunate predicaments that she often finds herself in only worsen her condition. Written in the first-person point of view, readers are given an in-depth look into Gilda’s internal thoughts and feelings, most of which have to do with the larger universe and the purpose of life. However, when Gilda stumbled upon a job at a nearby Catholic church that was unaware of her sexual orientation and, not to mention, immensely homophobic, she questions why a belief system that is theoretically created to help people feel safe “takes away one of the few things that make [her] feel like [her] life is worth living at all.” Love.

Initially, the significance of this plotstruck me as formidable, yet enticing.

However, I couldn’t help but wonder whether the “homophobia of the Church”

companion and pet ghost-dog. Secondly, there is Jay, an oddly optimistic cheerleader who has been Ellie's best friend since childhood. Then there's the woman, the myth, the legend herself, Ellie Bride, the determined and somewhat nerdy protagonist, who makes the story feel like home with her relatability and witty nature.

Beyond the characters, in terms of fantasy, “Elatsoe” has almost everything. From

“

The use of both a magical world and a mysterious murder mystery plot makes the story incredibly enticing and one that you can't put down."

an adorable ghost-dog to cursed men/vampires to elf-descendant cheerleaders this story brings the fantasy aspect home. By bringing several well-known folktales and myths to life, Badger makes this story thrilling and memorable. Being immersed in a world where fantasy is the norm (and being told “don’t go near the cannibal caves” is practically the same as “don’t take candy from strangers”) creates a beautiful escape from reality. From floating whales to willo-wisps, there is truly a sense of magic that creates this escape. Additionally, the use of both a magical world and a mysterious murder mystery plot makes the story incredibly enticing and one you can’t put down even if fantasy isn’t entirely your thing.

Beyond “Elatsoe,” another amazing was really all that it was made out to be in the novel. Some of the outrageous, and frankly, rude gestures that Gilda witnesses from her fellow employees include church flyers being put out for parents to “SAVE [THEIR] CHILDREN FROM HOMOSEXUALITY”. And while this was certainly a common occurrence in the church towards members of the LGBTQ+ community in the past, it is worth acknowl-

“

I was still hoping for the author to acknowledge diversity among dioceses, and how not all Catholic churches are hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community."

edging that this novel takes place during a time of smartphones and Twitter, implying same-sex marriages were either prevalent or even legalized by this time.

In questioning the reliability of this novel, in its regard to how Catholic communities actually treat members of the LGBTQ+ community, I learned that about three-quarters of the U.S. Catholics actually believe that society should be accepting of homosexuality, according to a global survey performed by the Pew Research Center in 2019. A statement made by the Vatican also proclaims that “men and women with ho-

story that delves into religion but still has a plot aside from bashing or praising it would be, “Becoming Eve.” Although it certainly differs from the fantasy nature of “Elatsoe,” due to the fact it is a biography and focuses more heavily on coming to terms with a religious background, it still incorporates that meaningful and readable nature one looks for in a religious book.

Abby Stein focuses on her own journey as a trans woman who grew up in a Hasidic Jewish Community and was seen as a future Ultra-Orthadox Rabbi by all her peers. It explains her journey in a family where no one really understood what it means to be transgender. Though the story does focus on the trauma and pain of growing up in that situation, she doesn’t blame or diss her religion or family. She notes the truth of what happened to her rather than assigning blame.

At first my expectation was to hate this book as I’ve never been one for biographies, but the story is genuine and an important one to hear as it spreads awareness of those in the trans community and isn’t a monotonous biography filled with hate but rather the experiences of a transgender woman who didn’t even know about the existence of the LGBTQ+ community.

Additionally, she grew up with the pressure of being the only possible future Rabbi to carry her parents' lineage, and her parents both came from rabbinic dynasties (making them the equivalent of Hasidic royalty.)

Not only is the story meaningful to those of the trans community but it also acknowledges that one can be religious and true to themselves even if it seems impossible or unheard of.

Though they do have major differences, ultimately both “Elatsoe” and “Becoming Eve” tell important stories of religion that are unforgettable. mosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity [...]

Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” This statement from the Pope was heavily contradicted by the actions of the Church employees in this novel, who portrayed the general Catholic population in a negative light, as immensely discriminatory and hostile towards members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Additionally, according to The Human Rights Campaign, many Catholic lay organizations, such as Catholics for Marriage Equality, played a key role in the United States during the 2012 elections and have increasingly voiced their support for same-sex marriages. In consistently portraying the Catholic church as inhibiting and restrictive, the novel is insulting towards the majority of United States Catholics who do support homosexuality, and thus misinforms its readers.

Although there are still dioceses and parishes of Catholic communities that are less accepting of same-sex relationships and marriages, I was still hoping for the author to acknowledge diversity among dioceses, and how not all Catholic churches are hostile towards the LGBTQ+ community. After portraying one church that was disrespectful towards the LGBTQ+ community, I was hoping to read about another church that featured an opposite perspective. I yearned for the story to be a more wholesome representation of the Catholic community, rather than a lazy and stereotypical jab at what is really just a minority of the catholic community.

All in all, in spite of the novel addressing other pressing matters including a realistic perspective on anxiety and depression, it missed the mark when it came to an accurate and wholesome representation of the Catholic religion.

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sports

Setting Future Goals Boys soccer loses to West Torrance 0-3, yet to win this season

by Summer Puterbaugh

F

ollowing a loss to Roosevelt and a tie to North Torrance, boys varsity soccer fell short to West Torrance in a 0-3 away game on Friday, Dec. 9.

Despite the “slow” preseason, the team believes they can bounce back in their upcoming tournament over winter break, according to sophomore goalkeeper Kieran Davidson.

“I feel we’ve outplayed the teams that we went against, but we just slacked off in the end. If we can consistently keep our energy up against tough competition, we’ll be fine when it comes to the actual season," Davidson said.

According to Davidson, the team “eased off” too much and lacked the energy that West possessed, making it harder to compete with them.

“Starting out, our attitude coming into the game was poor," Davidson said. "We didn’t want it as much as we did during other games, and I feel like it was reflected in our game because we made a lot of mistakes.”

One of the team’s biggest challenges is their team chemistry, according to senior center-back Ryan Wood, a consequence of the members’ conflicting schedules.

“We have a lot of talented players, but a lot of players play for different clubs and we haven’t had the chance to get to know each other well [on the field],” Wood said.

Davidson notes that the team is skilled at passing the ball to each other and playing offensively but occasionally struggles to stay consistent when scoring goals.

“I believe that one of our weaknesses is our lackluster playing when we’re in the box and trying to finish because we can’t seem to score a lot. Sometimes we slack off on defense, too, but I think we just need to play together more often to raise consistency,” Davidson said.

Although the team’s strategy could be

“improved,” according to Davidson, the team was still able to learn from their mistakes and use them to make improvements to their strategy throughout the game. The team strengthened their defense in response to West’s strong offense in the second half to prevent West from scoring.

“We didn’t score, but we started to gain a little more confidence,” Davidson said.

The game against West taught the boys a lesson about the importance of attitude when playing, according to Davidson, which is essentially the foundation of the game.

“If you don’t come in ready to play, you won’t play well. We just need to get in the right mindset before we start and that will help us improve throughout the season,” Davidson said.

Junior center-back Jeremy Beauchamp claims that while the team is still “ironing out the kinks,” they remain close and spirited, feeling ready to come back this season.

“We all know each other really well. We’re friends on top of being on the same team, which I think is going to help with our communication. A lot of people are just playing positions that they don’t normally play, so it’s been an interesting start,” Beauchamp said.

According to Wood, the team has high hopes for the rest of the season and seeks to follow in the footsteps of last year’s team, who won the CIF Division 2 Southern Section championships.

“I think there’s a bit of nervousness because we have such big shoes to fill,” Wood said. “But once the whistle blows, everyone starts to think ‘Alright, I know what I’m doing. I know how to play soccer.’ And then the nerves disappear.”

1

Bay League: 1/3 vs. Palos Verdes 1/6 @ Culver City 1/10 @ Santa Monica 1/13 vs. Peninsula 1/17 @ Mira Costa PHOTOS FROM GAME ON DEC.6 VS LEUZINGER. 1.

Senior Kyan Panis heads the ball againt Leuzinger. 2. Senior Peyton Bobbitt steals the ball and passes it to senior Tyler Busse. PHOTOS BY MARIN CANTRELL.

2

Girls water polo loses to Long Beach Poly 6-12, looks forward to Bay League

by Malina Young

T

he varsity girls water polo team talent, and determination to succeed and traveled to Long Beach Poly High play well in a game. Sometimes you just get school (LB Poly) on Dec. 12 for in your head and that prevents the way you their second non-conference game of the play from the way you want to play.” season. Coming off the Villa Park Classic With only three returning varsity playtournament the weekend before, Redondo ers in the starting rotation, Pinto says that was looking for commua win. Howevnication er, despite their is crucial determination, as they LB Poly proved learn the to be a tough opstrengths ponent, and Reand weakdondo, unfortunesses of nately, lost 6-12. one anWith LB o t h e r .

Poly’s fast dePlaying in fense and strong an indoor counterattack, pool escaRedondo had to lated the prepare themamount selves for inof noise, tense competitesting tion. LB Poly put the team’s a lead on early ability to in the game 8-1 communiThe girls water polo team before a game. PHOTO COURTESY OF in the first half. cate during SOFIA PINTO Senior and Capdire times. tain Sofia Pinto believes LB Poly was “beat“It showed us maybe we over-rely on our able,” however, as a young team, there are coaches a little bit too much, and we need external aspects outside the game that the to be able to absorb what they’re teaching team still needs to develop. us in practice, so we don’t panic when it is “Every girl on the team knows way more really loud,” Pinto said. than they think they do. I think sometimes However, during the third quarter, Rethe girls tend to psych themselves out a dondo quickly adapted, scoring five goals, bit,” Pinto said. “Every girl has the skill, and catching up to LB Poly 6-9. Senior and

utility player Mia Calvo’s offensive capabil- that she could shoot that ball,” Pinto said. ities were highlighted as she led the team However, by the fourth quarter, LB Poly with three goals in the game. She believes continued to score three more goals. Pinto that communication led to their success in believes there was a shift in their mentality the third quarter, which opened up more during the fourth quarter, and although the opportunities to score. effort was prominent, “We worked our it would’ve been hard drives and we kept to come back. moving constantly. The “I think there was girls [LB Poly] ended a mental switch from up losing track of us, The mistakes we made where in the third which allowed us to we would look or the things we wished quarter score,” Calvo said. “We up a be like, ‘Look communicated with all we did better do not how close we are. We the defenders where we do this,’ to ‘I’m define us as players. It's can wanted them to be and tired. Look how far whether they should how we push ourselves away we are. They just be helping us out with scored on us again,’” our girl or when they during practice and use Pinto said. should be pressed on those things that we’re Pinto hopes to use their girl.” this loss as motivation Maintaining the mad at ourselves for for their following momentum, freshman during the game." home game on Dec. 14 Remi Errett scored a against La Serna High goal in the third quarSchool. She believes ter. Errett drew an ex- SOFIA PINTO that losses like these clusion on an LB Poly SENIOR are necessary to learn player, kicking her out, and motivate them and leaving the team during practice. with a 6-on-5 offensive opportunity. There, “The mistakes we made or the things Errett shot the ball directly into the high we wished we did better do not define us corner, scoring for her team. as players," Pinto said. "What defines us “I was really proud of her because she is is how we push ourselves during practice a freshman. When I played freshman year and use those things that we’re mad at I wasn’t on varsity and lacked that confi- ourselves for during the game, to help us dence. I know she really believed in herself, during practice."

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sports 15

high tide dec. 16, 2022

Girls varsity soccer defeats South 5-3

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One Hoop Away

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1 1. Sophmore post Oliva DiNisco jumps for the rebound after Lynwood attempts a two-point layup PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG 2. Junior guard Elyse Cho Shoots three-pointer in third quarter after being pressuered by Lynwood point guard PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG 3. Bench cheers on team while Redondo takes the lead in the second half. PHOTO BY CATHERINE WONG

Girls varsity basketball loses to Lynwood high by a narrow three points ending the game with Redondo

by Andrew McKenna

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ooking to bounce back from a rocky start to their season, girls varsity basketball took to the court for their sixth game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 13. They faced Lynwood High School, who had also struggled as of late, losing three of their last four games. Still, Lynwood is a Division 1 program, so Redondo knew they had their work cut out for them, but they also felt motivated to capitalize on the opportunity to win.

“Coming into the game, we knew we wanted to make a statement tonight,” senior shooting guard Kyra Arakawa said.

“We’ve been playing a lot of high-level Division 1 teams even though we are a Division 2 team, so we wanted to prove that we can play well against strong competition.”

Redondo came out aggressive early, forcing a Lynwood turnover in the opening possession of the game. They were able to convert the turnover into points, as a transition layup gave Redondo the first points of the game. Before they knew it, Redondo was up 15-7 3 after five minutes of play.

“At this point in the season we’ve already lost a lot of games, so we knew that we had something to prove,” senior guard Brillana Boyd said. “We came in with a refuse-tolose mindset, and that helped us come out strong in the beginning of the game.”

Unfortunately for the team, this success would prove to be only temporary. Lynwood adjusted to Redondo’s aggression, and were able to counteract it with a suffocating full-court press. Redondo struggled to break the press early on, and before they knew it, their lead had shrunk down to just three points by the end of the quarter.

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“We need to work on our reactions to pressure and double-teams,” Boyd said.

“Instead of moving the ball and passing out of the traps they set, we tried dribbling out of them, and we lost a few turnovers because of it.”

Over the next two quarters, the team struggled to keep pace with Lynwood.

Getting outscored 31-17 in that time span, all of the aggression and physicality that Redondo started the game with had seemingly disappeared.

A full-court press 2turned into a standard halfcourt defense, and Lynwood took advantage.

“I think we shied away from the press be2 cause we had a big lead.

We got so caught up in the score at the time that we relaxed our pressure, and that allowed them to come back,” Arakawa said.

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3

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You have to accept that the game isn’t over. Even though it’s tough, you need to have a short-term memory and focus on creating energy for your team to get back into the game,” BRILLANA BOYD

1SENIOR

“We didn’t come out strong in the second half, so they quickly became the aggressors, and we weren’t able to respond.”

With time scarce, Redondo needed to find an answer to the score issue and they needed to find it quick. Then, suddenly, something clicked for the team. With just a few minutes left in the game, Redondo made a late comeback push to erase a double-digit deficit and pull within one point of tying the game up. Although there was only just over 20 seconds left in the game, Redondo finally were in a position to win.

“You have to accept that the game isn’t over. Even though it’s tough, you need to have a short-term memory and focus on creating energy for your team to get back into the game,” Boyd said. “People look at our record and don’t take us seriously because of it, especially because our best player was out. Feeling like we had something to prove definitely was our main motivation to come back and do all we could to win.”

After a quick foul and two converted Lynwood free throws, Redondo now found themselves in a three-point hole with just a handful of seconds left. They quickly pushed the ball up the court and found an open shooter in the corner with the chance to tie the game, but the shot didn’t fall. With a final score of 51-48, Redondo fell to a 1-6 record on the season.

“I think that holding onto the feeling that we all had when we lost that close of a game is important,” Boyd said. “Nobody likes to lose; especially when you fight as hard as we did to give ourselves a chance to win, but you just need to hold on to that momentum and focus on doing better next game.”

by Aidan Tseng

fter losing a game Redondo “never expected to lose” against North Torrance High School the week prior, girls varsity soccer looked to get back on track this week against South Torrance High School. The defending CIF Division Two champions took the field on Wednesday, Dec. 7, scoring five goals in their first win of the season, beating South Torrance High 5-2.

“It was rough starting off [the season] with a loss. So much of our team couldn’t play that game because they had a club showcase. I think we were all kind of shocked and we didn’t expect [to lose].

I think everybody just realized they need to put in a little bit more focus into high school soccer,” sophomore wing player Haidi Schoenberger said.

The girls played an aggressive style of ball, shooting twenty-one shots and scoring five times. Once the clock hit zero, Redondo had officially gained their first victory of the season with a final score of 5-2. “In high school, soccer keepers have tendencies to just hit the ball rather than fully catch it. The most important thing is to crash the box and get in when people take shots,” Schoenberger said. “[South] has a pretty good goalie so we were concerned about that. There were a couple of shots that were super close and the keeper made some pretty amazing saves.”

Redondo scored the opening goal in the third minute off a pass from senior Keira Wagner to junior Ally Minestrella making it 1-0. They then conceded a goal in the 14th minute, tying the game at 1-1. They regained the lead with goals in the 29th and 33rd minute by sophomores Vailana Tu’ua and Shannon Davidson, respectively taking a 3-1 advantage into halftime. Redondo swarmed to the ball on defense and only allowed three shots, keeping the ball away from South’s strikers. “[South] dropped back so we had to adjust to that and instead of forcing things, draw pressure and play through them and keep attacking because they were just dropping off,” senior center back and co-captain Elisa Forino said.

The girls kept possession for most of the second half and found the back of the net in the 66th minute on a tap-in via Minestrella for her second goal. Redondo concded their second goal in the 68th minute as South’s center forward got one of their only good looks of the night making it 4-2.

“We were concerned about the center forward. [South] had a good center forward so for us to concede two goals was a pretty big investment,” Schoenberger said.

They scored their fifth and final goal in the game's closing minute as Minestrella chipped it over to Tu’ua, who flicked the ball over the goalkeeper’s outstretched arms to make it 5-2.

“We had team talk on Tuesday before practice just emphasizing communication and talking to one another,” Schoenberger said. “Since there are so many newcomers this year, I think everybody felt a little separated from one another. So we really just wanted to go into the game all working together and feeling comfortable with one another.”

According to Forino, the Sea Hawks know they can go far, but still need to improve.

“We want to take every game seriously and create a really positive and supportive team environment. No matter if you’re playing 90 or five [minutes] starting, not starting, everybody supports each other, being positive and giving 100%. We know we have the abilities and we know we can go as far as we want.”

dec. 16, 2022 high tide

16 in-focus

The religion decision More than past generations, teenagers exercise autonomy over their religion, facing the choice to embrace or reject the religion of their family

by Emilie Takahashi

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n a room of 200 people, sophomore Chloe Caywood was alone. Her Christian church was not accepting of her polysexual identity, and although she had heard that ideology before, she had to ask herself, “What’s going to happen to me? What are other people going to think of me?”

Even recently at her great-grandfather's funeral, the service presented that “homosexuality is a sin” and that “the sexually deviant are going to Hell.”

“It didn't get to me that much because I'm used to it,” Caywood said. “It reminded me that these people, who are so close to me, are going to be affected if they ever find out.”

Caywood knew that the service was going to be “a very Christian funeral” from the start, but never wavered on attending.

“We went over to my great-grandpa's house all the time. He was one of my best friends in the entire world,” Caywood said. “He'd give me $1 every time I left the house. I thought I was so rich.”

Even with their bond, Caywood knew that if she ever came out to her great-grandfather, it “wouldn't have gone well.”

“I'm not mad at them for it. This is how they grew up,” Caywood said. “I know I'm not going to change their mind, so I don’t mention it to them and just go on with how they view me.”

Attending Bible school and frequenting church, Caywood found it “clear” what she “should,” and for a while, did, believe. Caywood considered staying religious to please her family, but now considers herself an atheist, describing it as a “freedom.”

“There were definitely a lot of thoughts going through my head, like, ‘Should I stick to religion?

Should I stick to what I know?’” Caywood said.

“Eventually, when I was secure with my sexuality, I realized religion wasn't important to me, and truly, I didn't believe in those things.”

Senior Tivana Flickstein also grew up with a belief in God in a Jewish household. During her childhood of long dresses and sleeves, Flickstein was “always curious” and could not grasp the idea of an “unknown omnipotent power.” She recalls changing the “He” of God to “She” in the prayers in her head at Hebrew school.

When Flickstein started to question her belief, she turned to online forums for guidance, posting, “I don’t believe in God, but I still feel Jewish, how does this work?” The answer was that however she practiced her Judaism, it made it Judaism for her.

“Religion tells me one thing, but science tells me another, and science has more proof,” Flickstein said. “I want to believe in God. It would make religion so much easier to believe my prayers were going to God, but I don't.”

Flickstein still practices Judaism because she “feels a strong connection” to being Jewish as her ethnicity. Flickstein describes herself as “culturally religious” and considers her temple a second home.

“It's a part of me. If someone asks me ‘What’s something about yourself?’ I say, 'I'm Jewish,’” Flickstein said. “If there is a God, then I've prayed.

If there isn't, then I've spent a few hours in a temple forming a family,” Flickstein said.

The path toward self-discovery was especially non-linear for freshman Audrey Cox, who moved away from her Episcopalian church and is now agnostic. Her “Christian girl phase,” jokingly nicknamed by Cox and her friends, is what she describes as one year in sixth grade of wanting to attend church every Sunday.

“I wanted to believe, but I just didn't and I don't know why. It didn't click with me,” Cox said. “I wanted to have something to bond with on my dad's side of the family. I wanted to have this thing to share.”

Although Cox grew up with influences from her father, she “always felt like an outsider” and never “part of the real thing.” She saw how going to church made her father “extremely happy,” but for Cox, church started feeling “very black and white” at age 10 when she first learned about sinning.

“I was scared to death that if I did anything wrong, I was going to be a sinner, and I wouldn't be allowed in the church,” Cox said.

Hearing that God had a plan for her was “overwhelming.” After being diagnosed with obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) in 2021, Cox found both her OCD and her religion “controlling.”

“When I believed, or wanted to believe, [God’s plan] was something I could fall back on. But for the good things that happened in my life or the gray area, it was controlling,” Cox said.

Unlike Cox, who felt controlled by religion, sophomore Chetan Chatterji found his way to Hinduism, which he practices “just in case.” “[I practice Hinduism] not to impress anyone or make my parents proud, but so that if it does have a positive impact, I’m doing it with just 15 minutes out of my day,” Chatterji said. “I have anger issues, and when I meditate, they don’t affect me as much. It calms me down.”

For those 15 minutes a day, Chatterji meditates. Meditating has been part of Chatterji’s morning routine for the past four years, but he started praying and actually practicing Hinduism a year ago.

Raised by an Indian father and White mother, Chatterji finds that people are often surprised that he's Indian and practices Hinduism. After he wakes up, gets out of bed and showers, he meditates and prays to the Hindu Gods Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman and Shiva, sometimes lighting incense.

Although he was exposed to Hinduism through his father, Chatterji practices on his

own a n d w a s n ’ t “forced” to. When Chatterji was on the wrestling team, his father encouraged him to pray to certain gods. When he did, he described getting “really lucky” at his next match.

“It’s helped my dad and so many others, and he seems to get through life easier this way,” Chatterji said. “Better safe than sorry.

There's no harm in doing it. I’m doing it on the off chance that it has a positive effect.”

According to Caywood, the “fine line between religion and family” can get jumbled.

Over time, she learned to separate the two.

“I thought, ‘Maybe I can make them happy by staying religious.’ Maybe I could get the best of both worlds,” Caywood said. “It turned into more of a self journey. Originally I started out thinking, ‘What’s my family going to think of this? How can I make them happy?’ And then I realized it's about me, not them.”

Religious demographics in Redondo Beach

47 percent

ILLUSTRATION BY ESPY CAROLIPIO

11.8% Protestant

0.7% Muslim

36.1% Catholic

0.9% Buddhist

2.2% other Christian

0.2% Hindu

1.1% Jewish

47% no religion

DATA VIA DWELLICS