Latino voter turnout lags in latest election
within class,” she said.
In a primary election with dismal turnout in Santa Clara County, in which only about a third of eligible voters cast a ballot, even a smaller portion of Latino voters made their voices heard.
Only 27% of registered Latinos in the county voted in the June 7 primary election, marking the lowest turnout among any ethnic or racial group in the region, according to the Pew Research Center.
Fabiola Ramirez, a 22-year-old Latina resident of San Jose, didn’t vote in the election.“I chose not to vote because I wasn’t too aware or informed of the policies that were being advocated,” Ramirez said.
She has voted in the past when she was enrolled at San Jose State University, where teachers and students often discussed the issues and the need to vote.
“I was in college when I did vote so I think it was more talked about
One Latino activist in East San Jose was saddened and disappointed about the low Latino turnout in the primary election, though not shocked.
“It’s very concerning to hear about the low voter turnout,” said Jeremy Barousse of Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment, a non-profit social services group in East San Jose.
“It’s a very working-class community. People work two, three jobs,” Barrousse said of Latinos overall. “When you’re working, you’re not able to participate, or have the time to educate yourself about what’s on the ballot.”
Among all registered voters, turnout in the county was 33.4%, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, a showing that alarmed some political experts.
Latino activists would like to see more voters like Diego Martinez, who prioritizes voting.
Born and raised in San Jose, he voted in the June primary. Martinez
STEVEN ARREOLA MUÑOZ— STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
is a San Jose State graduate who studied political science. He has voted in every election since registering five years ago, and he even ran for a seat on a local school board.
“I chose to vote because I’m lucky enough to know a lot of people on the ballot,” Martinez said. “I’m very lucky to be involved in the community and just know what’s going on,” he said.
Martinez, who pays close attention to local politics, said there should be more publicity targeted at Latinos about elected officials in San Jose.
That would be done “by having some sort of educational way of doing it, maybe in a commercial or a commercial between novelas or soccer games,” Martinez said.
If Martinez represents hope for higher Latino voter turnout, Lorena Ortiz represents the next generation of Latino voters.
A 16-year-old Hispanic student at Santa Clara High School, Ortiz has registered to vote, even though
Continued on Page 10
As drought drags on, farmers struggle
By Theodore Nguyen Mosaic staff writer
If you were to visit Anderson Reservoir in Morgan Hill, there would be nothing but a dried-up gorge, with bleached stones to show old water levels.
While the empty lake is attributed to its dam’s 10-year restoration program, future water levels post-construction may remain dangerously low due to the drought. This could be the future of many nearby water sources.
With this year’s drought looming over the western and southwestern United States, lower water output from local, state and federal reservoirs has put the agricultural industry and farmers at risk. California’s major reservoirs, Lakes Shasta and Oroville, are currently under 50% capacity, which has reduced harvests.
“This year we produced less than expected,” said Daniel Vazquez of Ripon’s Villanueva Farms, which primarily grows cherries, apricots and figs. “Water rights were kind of hard.”
According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, California ranks as the largest producer of livestock and produce. In comparison, other states such as Iowa primarily produce crops such as corn, grain, and soybeans. California’s diversity results in large differences in water usage per crop, ranking the state first in total water use compared with other states.
Gabriel Diaz of South San Jose works with local farms across the state to buy and sell fruits and vegetables to the rest of the country.
“Having a drought is a huge problem for us and for the farmers there, because there’s no fruit and we’re affecting markets around the world. California is a top producer of food, so drought is a serious business,” Diaz said.
Diaz said he believes that farming practices must shift to smarter waterconserving methods.
“One of the biggest problems for water is when you break up the soil structure,” Diaz added.
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Kids send Ukraine heartfelt messages
7-year-old inspired by mom’s generous
By Alli Wang Mosaic staff writer
When 7-year old Zane Zeidler saw the news of the war in Ukraine, he was troubled and wanted to find ways to help.
The war had been going on for more than 100 days, and Zane was stressed by the crisis at hand because he knew a classmate whose grandmother was in Ukraine, according to his mother, Dr. Kamakshi Zeidler.
“War is something very difficult to explain to a 7-year-old,” Zeidler said. “But I know there are children that are affected and that isn’t fair. It’s important for him to have an understanding of what his friend is going through.”
donation rallies his classmates to help
Around the same time, Zeidler, who heads the plastic surgery company Aesthetx in Campbell, got a request from her nurse to send care packages to Ukraine.
“I have a nurse who’s from Ukraine who worked with Hearts for Ukraine who asked if she could donate her paycheck to buy medical supplies through Aesthetx,” Zeidler said. “And I told her we can definitely do more than that.”
The company donated all of its warehouse stockpile of medical supplies, about $20,000 worth, to the San Jose-based grassroots organization Hearts for Ukraine. The donation consisted of IV fluids, airway supplies and other sterile medical components.
Jeremy Barousse, an activist with Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment in San Jose, says the need to work multiple jobs can make it harder for Latinos to stay engaged politically.
By Scarlett Lopez-Rodriguez Mosaic staff writer
Mia Felix-Ennis is a rising senior at Downtown College Prep with a strong interest in film and political science. She picks up her passion for politics from her time as president in her leadership class, where she scrutinizes and writes news stories about Stop AAPI Hate, Black Lives Matter, street vendors, and minorities who fought for their rights during the pandemic. In the future, she wants to study political science along with film at University of Southern California or UC Berkeley. Mia hopes to learn more about different points of view and how to communicate effectively through Mosaic.
Lauren Linh Bui
—
Steven Arreola Muñoz is a passionate photographer for Overfelt High School in San Jose and looks for a shot at every angle. His photos have been recognized both by the school administration and his peers. An incoming junior, he is an athlete at heart and on Overfelt’s cross-country and track and field teams. He trains in taekwondo and has earned a black belt, and he practices with a bo staff. Steven wants to study medicine, specifically ophthalmology or psychology, at either San Jose State or Stanford University. At Mosaic, he hopes to further his photo skills — Theodore Nguyen
Alli Wang is a rising senior at Branham High School. She joined her school’s journalism program last year to pursue her love of writing because she excelled in English at school. Alli loves all things STEM. She is an avid member of her school’s robotics club and is one of its only female and POC members. In her free time, she listens to and makes music to relax, and she’s a big fan of indie, vintage and K-pop girl groups. Curious, creative and opinionated, Alli hopes to study data journalism in college, to combine her love of numbers and writing.
— Abby Cordobes
Jennifer Garcia Cabrera, a rising junior at Eastside College Preparatory School, loves her English classes and plans to take AP English Literature & Composition next school year. Jennifer is an avid reader, often completing romance or contemporary novels within a day. She also enjoys running in her free time, having participated in track and field at her school. Through Mosaic, Jennifer hopes to explore journalism through a broader setting, already possessing writing and reporting experience at Eastside’s high school newspaper. She aspires to explore issues that impact minority communities in San Jose and amplify their voices.
— Khadeejah Khan
Meet Mosaic’s summer 2022 student journalists
Abby Cordobes is an incoming senior at Silver Creek High School who aspires to use journalism to uplift art communities on her campus. Outside of journalism, she is involved in theater, cooking and K-pop, just some of the creative activities that fuel her passion for humanities. Beyond school activities, she works as an aide at the Evergreen Library and imagines herself working at a small bookstore in the future. As her school newspaper’s upcoming editorin-chief, she hopes to continue her interests in media while boosting the platform of the newspaper.
—Alli Wang
Eryn Gandotra, a senior at Santa Clara High School, is exhilarated to participate in the 2022 Mosaic program. Although she does not have much experience with journalism, Eryn enjoys talking to people and hopes to connect with others through her reporting. From a young age, Eryn has been strongly drawn to architecture, a passion she hopes to pursue in the future. This year, she will serve as a publicist for her school’s Key Club, a volunteering organization. Eryn is also a travel enthusiast, scrapbooking lover and a proud AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program student.
—Hope Saena
Saira Ahmed, a rising junior at Homestead High School, was born in the Bay Area and raised throughout Santa Clara County. Her love for photography began when she discovered the true beauty of the world through her camera lens. She is not only goal-driven but passionate about learning the stories of others. Saira hopes to pursue a career in photojournalism, and she is co-president of her school’s photography club. Her goal is to follow her love for photography and literature and someday work for National Geographic.
— Scarlett Lopez-Rodriguez
Hope Saena, a senior attending Homestead High School, finds pure joy in journalism, as it allows her to surround herself with different people and experiences. She is looking forward to her third year in her school’s journalism program, as she will serve as the production manager for her school’s newspaper. When Hope is not working in journalism, you can probably find her surfing or listening to music — two of the many activities that provide her an escape from reality. Hope is excited for this new adventure with Mosaic and can’t wait to see what may come out of it.
— Eryn Gandotra
auren Linh Bui is a graduate of Oak Grove High School in San Jose. She is a bright student whose balance in life shows her great effort to meet all of her goals. Her plans after high school are to start her college career at De Anza College with the hope of transferring to the University of Southern California or New York University. When she was 16, Linh moved to the United States from Vietnam during the pandemic with her family of four. From there she was able to immerse herself into her passion for podcasting, government, and journalism while having a strong drive to create connections with peers and friends.
— Mia Felix-Ennis
Jay Nguyen, a rising senior at Yerba Buena High School, is a non-binary K-pop and K-drama fan. They also are an anime enthusiast who enjoys collecting manga, thanks to the influence of their older brother. They greatly admire their older brother since he is someone they could always lean on for support. Inspired by a K-drama about a protagonist employed at a book publication company, Jay found their calling as an editor in their journalism class. They hope to pursue a major in English as they are an avid reader who finds satisfaction in editing.
— Jasmine Sessoms
Khadeejah Khan is a rising junior at Santa Clara High School and co-editor-in-chief of her school newspaper. She is also vice president of her school’s community service club and co-officer of the Muslim Student Association. Outside school, she’s a member of the Santa Clara Youth Commission and of KQED’s Youth Advisory Board. She’s most proud of being in a segment of KQED’s radio show “Forum” about zerowaste living and environmental racism, her strongest passion. She enjoys painting, reading historical fiction and collecting plants. At Mosaic, she will focus on immigrant communities.
— Jennifer Garcia Cabrera
Dacia Cobian, an incoming senior at Downtown College Prep Alum Rock High School, has always loved telling stories through photography. The eldest of three siblings, she began with taking photos of her family. She also enjoys nature photography, which she uses to highlight the importance of animal welfare. Dacia hopes to continue taking photos at the University of Southern California’s film school. She wants to have her own production studio and company where she can provide young people with opportunities and access to film education. Dacia enjoys skating with her brother and writing mystery stories and screenplays.
— Angela Choi
T heodore Nguyen is an incoming sophomore at Santa Clara High School. He was born in Hawaii and resides in San Jose. Theodore is an extremely passionate journalist who is interested in politics and hopes to attend Stanford University to pursue medicine or law. He is enjoying high school life and is part of his school’s journalism class. Theodore plays different instruments including the ukulele and the violin and recently participated in the San Jose Youth Symphony. He enjoys playing video games, hiking, and listening to jazz.
— Steven Arreola Muñoz
A ngela Choi is an incoming junior at Branham High School. She’s passionate about social justice and hopes that she will be able to make a change in her community through journalism. Her first experience was writing for her school’s newspaper during her sophomore year. Angela plans on using lessons from Mosaic to better investigate local social justice issues for her school’s paper. Outside school, Angela has participated in debate since sixth grade. Angela likes spending time with friends at her local boba shop and taking care of her cat, Nacho.
— Dacia Cobian
S carlett LopezRodriguez, a rising junior at Cristo Rey High School, strongly identifies with her Mexican heritage. Scarlett is interested in debate, environmental issues and writing. She won first place in novice policy speaking in a Bay Area high school championship tournament and will be co-captain of her school debate team. Scarlett uses creative writing to reflect on her experiences and keep herself present. In her journalistic writing, she hopes to shine a light on issues such as gun violence and the adverse effects of immigration policies.
— Saira Ahmed
Jasmine Sessoms, an incoming Silver Creek High School sophomore, has been interested in writing since she won a writing contest in fourth grade. Since then, she has explored other hobbies such as playing games, making art and practicing martial arts. Jasmine’s passions compelled her to join Silver Creek’s journalism class, where she gained a deeper appreciation for newswriting. Even though she enjoys English, Jasmine wants to major in psychology and work as a therapist. She said therapy encourages her to become a better person, and she wants to have the same positive influence on others.
— Jay Nguyen
L
The annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students offers aspiring reporters, bloggers, photographers & videographers a two-week intensive course in journalism. Students report and photograph under the guidance of professional journalists.
(Standing from left): editorial assistant Ariana Noble, Alli Wang, Scarlett Lopez-Rodriguez, Lauren Linh Bui, Jennifer Garcia Cabrera, Khadeejah Khan, Abby Cordobes, Saira Ahmed, Hope Saena, Jasmine Sessoms, Dacia Cobian, Mia Felix-Ennis, editorial assistant Lauren Kim; (sitting from left): Theodore Nguyen, Angela Choi, Eryn Gandotra, Jay Nguyen, Steven Arreola Muñoz. — PHOTOS: DON FERIA AND JOSIE LEPE
Nirvana Soul building community through coffee
Popular downtown San Jose cafe started by sisters in 2020
By Mia Felix-Ennis Mosaic staff writer
Sarah
Leduff, a teacher and master’s degree student, remembers the long lines when the coffee shop Nirvana Soul opened in September 2020. She heard about it on Instagram and had a feeling the cafe would be a big hit. It also gave her a safe spot to work on her master’s project. When Nirvana Soul came into her life she was able to have an environment to give her exactly what she needed.
“It really gave me a place where I was really comfortable to go and sit down to work,” Leduff said. “It gave me a space of comfort while I was working on something that was so challenging.”
That customer experience was the goal of founders and sisters Jeronica Macey and Be’Anka Ashaolu.
Ashaolu said Nirvana Soul had lived in their imagination for 11 years before it finally came to life. “I always wanted to open up a coffee shop and was looking for something that would help bring people together and make people feel good,” Ashaolu said. “And
nirvana is a word that’s based off of that, meaning one closest to God. We wanted people to feel good when they came in, and right away it felt right. And we stuck to the name.”
Just months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the sisters announced the cafe’s opening with a post on Instagram (@nirvanasoulcoffee), and the downtown community started preparing for the grand opening. The community flooded the comment section of their post with encouragement and tagged their friends to spread the word.
It has been a popular place since it opened. A bright colored sign with the wording “Nirvana Soul” welcomes the customers into the ultimate hangout spot at 315 S. First St., in San Jose
The vibrant pink ceiling creates an iconic staple for visitors, and the walls are lined with photography and artwork by artists of color. Their drink menu is filled with an abundance of choices, ranging from a classic latte to “The Golden Child,” which consists of chai, espresso, turmeric mix and milk. The food menu includes multiple kinds of savory or sweet waffles, fresh pastries and sweet potato pie.
Nirvana Soul’s social media use had made an impact, drawing 16,000 Instagram followers and creating connections for the downtown community. Its website, nirvanasoulcoffee.com, tells the story of the cafe and has an attitude of its own with its mission, “Using the power of coffee and tea to bring people together.”
The Nirvana Soul party is getting
bigger thanks to the addition of a location in Cupertino.
On Instagram, Nirvana Soul also promotes artists whose work is on the walls. Artist Ricardo Gonzalez Kurszewski, who goes by @chavoctavo on Instagram, painted a mural for the Cupertino location titled “SisTres,” which is his third collaboration with them.
A recent post promotes “Further Than the Lens,” an LGBTQ photo exhibit that is up in the San Jose cafe for two weeks in June as part of Pride month in collaboration with @sj.shooters on Instagram. It was Nirvana Soul’s social media that helped draw in Lanier Green, who said she had an excellent experience on her first visit to Nirvana Soul on June 16. She also was encouraged by supporting a Black-owned business and said she thinks Nirvana Soul has opened more doors for other Black-owned businesses.
“I think having a minorityowned business in downtown San Jose is a very good thing and is a cultural experience for all people to have,” she said.
Interest in racial justice fluctuates
By Angela Choi Mosaic staff writer
Alexis Macnab was listening to a news report on the Buffalo school shooting last month when a question from the interviewer caught her attention: What should people do, seeing as nothing is changing?
Her answer was to get more involved — she called it a “numbers game.” Macnab, an activist who supports people of color by volunteering at Sacred Heart Community Service, draws parallels to the Black Lives Matter movement.
“The more people they have, the more power they have,” she said. “But if you want to change society, stopping at the border of your experience is not going to do it.”
To celebrate Juneteenth, Macnab and other activists reflected on the 2020 surge in public interest in racial justice and how it looks today.
Milan Balinton, executive director of the San Jose-based African American Community
Service Agency, said George Floyd’s public murder shed light on many of the African American community’s efforts for racial and social justice.
Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read to enslaved people in Texas. It became a federal holiday last year. It reminds business owner Janae Harris of the “start of freedom” in America, and African American culture and history. “It’s one of the things that I think needs to be celebrated the most in our history,” Macnab said. Diane Fonkwo, the outgoing
president of Branham High School’s Black Student Union, has seen a surge in interest and then a dropoff in activism on campus. She says her club initially had five to eight members. During 2020, membership grew a lot, but the club now has 16 or 17 members.
“It’s never easy to organize events. If we don’t have a lot of people showing up then all the resources that we had brought kind of go to waste. It’s not even as important to like others as it is to yourself,” Fonkwo said. “It makes me feel like I’ve done something wrong.”
Macnab looks at the membership spike differently. She co-hosted a three-day pop-up gallery in Mountain View, from June 1719, celebrating Juneteenth and showcasing art relating to racial justice and LGBTQ+ pride. Macnab didn’t celebrate Juneteenth until 2020, when protests pushed her to become more involved. “It was such a powerful time. So what the uprisings did was push me to do the extra work of finding the right organization, the right spaces to be in, to give as much as I wanted to give. I think that’s the biggest change,” Macnab said.
Like Fonkwo, Macnab also saw a change in community interest. Membership spiked during the summer of 2020, when meeting attendance rose from seven to 150. However, local meetings now draw 14 to 20 people, Macnab said.
“So (14 to 20 people) feels sad if you remember the 150. However, another way to look at it is that it’s doubled.” She remains encouraged. “Sometimes it’s the atrocities that get people shaken enough to realize it’s up to me to change the world.”
ANGELA CHOI — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Gospel singer Kierra Sheard, left, performs with her group at San Jose’s Juneteenth in the Streets on June 18.
Customer Lanier Green, who ordered a chai latte and a waffle during her June 16 visit, says Nirvana Soul has opened doors for other Black-owned businesses.
BELOW, DACIA COBAIN — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHS
A barista at Nirvana Soul takes orders from customers on June 16 in San Jose. The downtown cafe opened in 2020.
STEVENARREOLAMUÑOZ—STAFFPHOTOGRAPHER
High gas prices hurt Bay Area farmers market vendors
To cover the cost of gas, many vendors forced to raise prices
Daisy Ortiz, a Watsonville farmer, spends lots of time at farmers markets in the Bay Area, where she sells strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
She visits about eight markets a week, driving up to two hours to get from one to the other. With high gas prices, she is now paying close to $800 a week to fuel up her vehicles.
“This morning I pumped $100,” said Ortiz as she served customers at the Saratoga Farmers Market on a recent Saturday.
This year, California surpassed its average price from a year ago by 50% for a gallon of regular. It is now about $6.40 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association’s gas price survey. San Jose has also surpassed its average price by 50% since last year, with a gallon of regular now costing about $6.50.
Ortiz is not the only vendor at local farmers markets who is struggling with increasing gas prices. Transportation
is critical to these vendors, as they do not have the luxury of working at home. Transporting products and produce usually require trucks needing more gas.
Michelle Corrales, who sells sunflowers and potted plants, is also having a tough time. “I’ve had to increase my prices to just make it,” said Corrales, the owner of Michelle’s Creations, who was selling at the Downtown San Jose Farmers Market on a recent Wednesday. But Corrales hopes to continue running her business despite recent difficulties.
“My parents started this market over 15 years ago so I’ve been just trying to hang on because it’s a big part of my family,” Corrales said.
“But it has been a really big struggle.”
Like Corrales, Ortiz has been forced to increase her produce prices due to rising gas prices. Her strawberries, which used to be $4 per basket, have increased by 25% since 2020. “We have to eat so I have to be out here. I can’t quit,” Ortiz said.
Jaime Medina of Medina Berry Farms in Watsonville faces the same situation. “If gas prices go up, berry prices go up. Everything goes up in order for me to keep coming
to the farmers markets,” said Medina.
Many are now looking to Gov. Gavin Newsom for help. In March, Newsom released a proposal to give California residents $400 rebates for each registered vehicle owned, for up to two cars. No deal has been reached yet with the state legislature. Ortiz thinks the rebate would be helpful to her and her coworkers. “It should go to everyone since we’re all spending money on gas,” Ortiz said.
Community hub gets ready to launch
CreaTV San Jose hopes to boosts arts groups, nonprofits through collaboration
Open San Jose, an 18,000-squarefoot community hub in the heart of downtown San Jose, is under construction and expected to open later this summer.
This center at 38 S. Second St. will be a place where nonprofit organizations, local artists and San Joseans can collaborate to bring changes to their community. There will be a sliding scale to book space, providing opportunities for groups with smaller budgets.
“Those who come and use the space that can afford it help offset the costs for those that can’t afford it,” said Chad Johnston, CEO of CreaTV San Jose, which is leading the project.
CreaTV San Jose is a nonprofit organization that broadcasts several public-access television channels and provides technological equity to residents of San Jose.
Open San Jose will include permanent offices for seven nonprofits, plus five rooms for public use with access to computers, cameras and microphones. The site will include two art galleries, and a 12,000 square-foot basement with space for editing and equipment storage. All the spaces are flexible and designed to be accessible with equity in mind for virtual or inperson events, Johnston said.
CreaTV San Jose’s anchor partners in the project are San Jose Spotlight, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, LEAD Filipino, Chopsticks Alley Art, Northern California Public Media and Works/ San Jose.
“The idea is to help small and
mid-sized nonprofits that can’t afford space, to have access to not only office space, but also space to do their programming, classes and events,” Johnston said. He emphasized that Open San Jose will help these nonprofits by giving them immediate access to technology they wouldn’t have available in a traditional office space.
Several of the nonprofit partners said they expect being part of Open San Jose will increase their brand awareness in the community.
Josh Barousse, co-founder and executive director of San Jose Spotlight, said this is a unique opportunity for the digital news organization.
“We’ve been working remotely for the last few years and having a physical place for all of us to come together really helps us communicate more effectively. And also for a lot of our sources, our contacts in the community, it would be nice to have them come to our office,” he said.
For Trami Cron, founder and executive director of Chopsticks Alley Art, having a centralized space downtown is essential. Open San Jose will give her more capacity to create exhibitions, conduct art classes and host cultural events.
Joe Miller, president of the board of directors of Works/San José, said the increased visibility will help people discover more about art in their community.
“How Open San Jose helps us is that, besides the physical capacity, they are going to attract more donors, people who help us grow, and the grants will eventually translate to giving out more to the community,” he said.
Johnston also envisions potential collaboration among nonprofits.
“This is a new mutual way to make social changes,” he said.
Miller agreed. “Partnership will create a happy coincidence.”
The project was originally expected to open in April, but Johnston said the timeline shifted because of the pandemic and a shortage of construction workers to renovate the former grocery store space, which was most recently the home of TechShop. Now, it’s set to open to the public in August.
CreaTV has received $5.5 million over four years for construction and technology that will be put into Open San Jose from two donors, the Davidson Family Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Chris Thompson, Silicon Valley program director for the Knight Foundation, said the foundation wants to invest
building more informed and engaged communities in San Jose. “I often think of our role as being one of a catalyst to accelerate innovation and transformation,” Thompson said.
Cron, from Chopsticks Alley Art, said Open San Jose will be easy to access, especially for San Jose State University students. “And it’s also cool. It will be a modern building and it’s going to have all the tech built in it, so I believe it is an appealing space for young people,” she said.
in the vision of
By Lauren Linh Bui Mosaic staff writer
Vendor Daniel Lalo completes a transaction with a customer at the Downtown San Jose Farmers Market on June 15. Graph at right shows the one-year increase in gas prices.
Open San Jose will be a community hub for those who need modern equipment and technology; (right) Open San Jose, under construction at 38 S. Second St., will eventually offer space to nonprofit organizations and arts groups.
By Eryn Gandotra Mosaic staff writer
SAIRA AHMED — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ANGELA CHOI — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
MUSIC & SOUL
Make Music San Jose, a collection of concerts throughout the city, drew music lovers and musicians on Tuesday. Clockwise from top left: Children play washboards and listen to Andre Thierry and CJ Philips at the Children’s Discovery Museum; Philips gives Binx Hannagan a high five at the museum; members of the Santa Clara Valley Fiddlers’ Association play during a concert; artist Containher takes a break from her performance downtown; Andrew Thierry plays the accordion; and Soul Taylor, a School of Rock vocalist, performs outside of the Hammer Theater.
ABOVE AND RIGHT: ANGELA CHOI — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
SAIRA AHMED — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
DACIA COBIAN — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
STEVEN ARREOLA MUÑOZ — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
LGBTQ+ community center evolves over four decades
By Abby Cordobes Mosaic staff writer
In four decades, life for the LGBTQ+ community has changed a lot. The Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center, nearing its 40th anniversary, has seen firsthand an evolution in how LGBTQ+ people are treated and perceived.
The Billy DeFrank center works to serve as a safe place for the queer community and activist groups at large. In 1981, several LGBTQ+ groups scattered throughout the Bay Area were searching for one central location, and so the center was born.
Named for Billy DeFrank, a drag queen who died a year earlier, the center strives to live by his example, by loving and accepting everyone.
Gabrielle Antolovich, board president of the San Jose center, says the LGBTQ+ community has expanded a lot in 40 years, with the recognition of many more sexualities and identities.
“Because of the young people that come here, now we have all these different pronouns and descriptions of different gender identities that I actually have been able to name my identity as gender queer,” they said.
Antolovich says that younger generations have
changed the community and what it means to be queer. “Government agencies now have alternate genders that you can fill out, including your driver’s license and medical records.” That has had a giant impact, they said.
The Billy DeFrank center has hosted pro bono days to assist people needing a legal name change, reaching out to transgender and non-binary people, Antolovich said. The center also has partnered with organizations such as the Women’s March and March
for Our Lives against gun violence.
The center hosts discussion groups for different identities or sexualities and invites people to get to know people within their own groups. But they also encourage intermingling with wholecenter activities.
“You know, we’re Asian, we’re Latino, we’re African
American, we’re indigenous people, we’re immigrants, we’re undocumented. We speak every language. We are of every gender orientation. And so we need to work with other people in our own community,” Antolovich said. They added that at the center they support the idea of everyone being family, often referring to each other
as their siblings. The center is celebrating its 40th year in October with a blacktie Halloween gala. “What I want people to feel is that their whole self becomes more integrated, and when you have a center like ours that can happen because we are not bombarded by the outside expectations,” Antolovich said.
Working toward similar goals, Silicon Valley Pride runs the pride parade and festival, the largest festival of its kind in the South Bay.
CEO Nicole Altamirano, said the focus has expanded beyond just cisgender white gay men, and the group added a “Hey Girl” subcommittee to promote inclusivity for the queer community.
Silicon Valley Pride, which will hold this year’s pride festival on Aug. 27-28 in downtown San Jose, also brought on a chief diversity officer to promote inclusivity in the community and to support LGBTQ+ groups of various races and ethnicities.
“We are only as free as our most marginalized community members. We aren’t just gay, we are a part of all minority groups,” Altamirano said. “Everyone that is an ‘ally’ and likes to wear rainbow colors during June should stand up and fight for rights all throughout the year.”
Bay Area Pacific Islanders raise profile
By Hope Saena Mosaic staff writer
In 1982, San Francisco resident Neo Veavea noticed one thing while attending numerous pride parades: There was a lack of Pacific Islanders. For Veavea, finding Pacific Islander representation within the LGBTQ community had been a struggle, so he and others decided to create a community organization dedicated to uplift LGBTQ Pacific Islanders, he said.
“We had no role models, no positive reinforcements, and at that time, we didn’t have a community that was with us,” said Veavea, who co–founded the United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance. During their first parade, “we cried while marching because we felt it was something very powerful since we weren’t being recognized.”
Veavea isn’t alone among Pacific Islanders searching for representation within the LGBTQ community.
San Jose resident Leaupepetele Lepale Leaupepe also found himself searching for a sense of community after moving from American Samoa, a U.S. territory in the South Pacific that is roughly 5,000 miles from San Jose. Samoa, to the northwest, is a separate independent nation.
According to the 2020 United States Census Bureau, about 16,535 Samoan Americans live in California. Leaupepe identifies as fa’afafine, a third gender in Samoan culture. After moving to California from American Samoa, he changed his attire because he felt uncomfortable, he said.
“Back in American Samoa, I was
dressed like a ‘woman.’ But when I came here, I changed because I didn’t feel comfortable or safe,” Leaupepe said. “Although now I feel safe because of the rights here, there’s always fear in the back of my mind.”
Fa’afafines are widely known in the Samoan community. They have existed within Samoan society for hundreds of years, serving in significant roles such as educators and caretakers.
Veavea, who
transgender,” Veavea said. “We’re somewhat two-spirited and that makes us unique in our own way.”
“Two-spirit” is an indigenous North American term used to describe Native people who are of the third gender.
Growing up in American Samoa, Leaupepe said being a fa’afafine felt natural and that he often felt encouraged to be himself because fa’afafines are embraced there.
“The feeling was natural to me and I didn’t fight it,” Leaupepe said. “Because of this, I took on the fa’afafine role, which is the role of the woman in the family. I was responsible for taking care of my
In contrast to Leaupepe, South San Francisco resident DannyBoy Naha-Ve’evalu, who identifies as gay, said that his upbringing felt “policed.” Because of this, he felt he could not embrace himself fully, he said.
“I am now confident and comfortable to say that I identify as a queer, gay, cisgender, Pacific Islander
man. However, It hasn’t always been that way,” Naha-Ve’evalu said.
Growing up, Naha-Ve’evalu was pressured to fulfill the gender role set in place for him. “I was policed into behaving a certain way and it definitely came from the impact in which Christianity had in our culture.”
Naha-Ve’evalu’s journey to discovering his identity initially started in school and in community spaces he was active in, he said.
“Having exposure and access to queer-structured workshops or spaces provided me much knowledge on the queer identity and queer history,” Naha-Ve’evalu said. “That exposure formed and shaped how I exist in the world today.”
Naha-Ve’evalu also said he believes his identity as a Samoan American and as a member of the LGBTQ community intersect with each other.
“I think being queer is indigenous to our people,” Naha-Ve’evalu said. “The LGBTQ movement can somewhat relate to my identity as a Pacific Islander because of my experiences here in the diaspora.”
To better support LGBTQ members in the Pacific Islander community, Naha-Ve’evalu and Veavea both said it is essential that safe spaces are more widely accessible to better support everyone who needs them.
“There is a need for space for our folks where they can feel safe to explore that part of themselves,” Naha-Ve’evalu said.
“Those spaces are necessary to ensure people that they are not alone and that they are worth much more than just their queer identity.”
Neo Veavea, left, performs a traditional “thank you” Samoan dance dressed in the tuiga, a -ceremonial headdress from Samoa, in 2018; Samoa is in the South Pacific, about 5,000 miles from San Jose.
The Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center in San Jose offers a range of community services, from free books to assistance for people needing a legal name change. The center is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
SAIRA AHMED — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The costs of COLLEGE LIVING
Many college students are struggling to find an affordable place to live in San Jose, including Samuel Rojas, an incoming freshman at San Jose City College. He is pursuing an electrician career but before he worries about studying, he has to worry about finding a place to live. “It is difficult to find a place to live in San Jose that is both affordable, and that gives you enough privacy to make you feel comfortable,” Rojas said. Rojas has realized that there is no way for him to live alone. “The only way for me to afford a living is to live with a roommate so that we can split the rent,” he said. Rojas said he works at Tesla full time during the summer to cover school expenses and rent, but he knows that he probably has to move to part-time work once the next school year starts.
Teenagers harassed while playing online games
Benjamin Tonthat, a rising senior at San Jose’s Evergreen High School and an avid player of firstperson shooter games, was playing Valorant recently, and wasn’t doing well in his competitive match.
As a result, his teammates targeted him with aggressive comments. Though he muted them, he continued to feel bothered by the hurtful remarks while playing, which affected his delivery in the game.
“I reported them after the game, but I don’t think it did much,” Tonthat said.
Tonthat, like many teens, loves to play online multiplayer games. And like many, he has been harassed while playing.
In 2021, three in five teen gamers, or nearly 14 million teens, reported experiencing harassment or being targeted by hate in online multiplayer games, according to a survey released in September by the Anti-Defamation League.
They were sometimes harassed because of their gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
The games Valorant and Call of Duty drew the most complaints in the ADL survey, with League of Legends and Rocket League drawing the least complaints.
Nearly all teens said they have had some positive gaming experiences, but at the same time 60% said they had also been harassed.
To avoid being targeted, teens are resorting to managing who they play with, or even changing how they play, which can affect them competitively. Some even quit, or avoid certain games.
After being humiliated or bullied, some teens retreat from friends and family, or start to treat others worse. Others report doing poorly in school. Few had contacted a helpline.
Because she’s female, Vivian Tieu, a teen
gamer from Alhambra in Southern California, has been relentlessly told by other gamers to quit and stick with typical known “feminine” games, like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.
If she wasn’t doing well, her teammates would berate her. And if she was doing well, they would berate her.
Experiences like this have led Tieu to often not talk in voice chat while playing. However, as communication is an essential in team games, this can put her at a disadvantage as a player.
Vish Kapu, a rising senior at San Jose’s Yerba Buena High School, plays various online games, like Valorant, Rainbow Six Siege and Apex Legends.
When he hears children spewing slurs in voice chat, he intervenes to let them know the consequences of offensive speech.
Like Tieu, Vicky Nguyen, a teen online gamer from Garden Grove who plays on Minecraft and other platforms, uses voice chat cautiously while playing, so that she can avoid being put down because she’s female.
Harassment in online gaming can be particularly harmful to women and girls, according to Rabindra Ratan, a professor at Michigan State University and an expert on toxicity in gaming. Besides affecting their psychological status, toxicity decreases their motivation to pursue technical fields, Ratan wrote in MSU Today.
To combat the toxic culture, major gaming companies have banned players and published their names, and imposed restrictions on players who show abusive behavior.
In January, Riot Games imposed more than 40,000 bans and 400,000 chat regulations on Valorant players. But the company has acknowledged that the bans and regulations haven’t necessarily reduced Valorant’s toxic culture.
By Jasmine Sessoms Mosaic staff writer
JASMINE SESSOMS — MOSAIC
Sahra Heng plays Valorant, a first-person shooter video game in her bedroom in San Jose. Penalties for offensive behavior are proving to be ineffective as gamers find methods around them.
Story and photos by Steven Arreola Muñoz Mosaic
Samuel Rojas, an incoming student at San Jose City College, looks at a prospective apartment in San Jose on June 16. Rojas is worried about being able to balance affordability and privacy as a student.
San Jose Made provides space for small businesses
San Jose Made was founded in 2011 with a mission to provide opportunities for small businesses and creators to showcase their work. One of its newest events is Sidewalk Shops, which has been hosted every Saturday at Moment in San Pedro
Square, starting in May and running through October.
The idea emerged when the San Jose Made team noticed the lack of pedestrian traffic in the area last year. Workers were no longer coming to the office, and no events were being held, said Kevin Biggers, San Jose Made’s chief strategist.
“We decided (making Sidewalk
James Mertke is a mechanical engineer, but the 21-year-old San Jose resident has explored his creativity through his painting, which he started off by giving away as holiday gifts to friends and family. Participating in a 100-day painting challenge started the habit of creating art every day, Mertke said. He put many of these paintings up for sale, and sales got more consistent over time. “I remember I tried displaying too much stuff on my table all at once. It was really crowded so I had to be more selective about what I chose to display,” Mertke said. “But it was really good. I connected with a lot of people and they got to see my artwork, which is nice.” For more information, visit @painting_with_james on Instagram.
Shops) would be a really good opportunity for us not only to help out the storefronts but have high visibility pop-up opportunities,” Biggers said.
Every Saturday, a different group of small business owners showcases their work; the schedule is posted at www.sanjosemade.com. Here’s a look at those who were at the downtown San Jose pop-up on June 18:
Srinija Godavarthi takes vintage pieces, polishes and cleans them and turns them into beautiful earrings for her brand, Bead to the Beat. “I’m a huge sustainability freak,” said Godavarthi, 24, of San Jose. “There’s so much stuff in the world and it’s almost like we don’t use it. My goal is to make unloved things lovable again.”Because she is South Asian, Godavarthi’s earrings are mainly inspired by the South Asian colors and fashion she never got to wear. “I wanted to make a collection of really bright colors, mostly because as a kid, I didn’t get to wear a lot of bright colors,” Godavarthi said. Visit www.etsy.com/shop/BeadToTheBeat or @beadtothebeat on Instagram for more details.
Petra Neiger of San Jose has been struggling with her skin her entire life, including having eczema and beating skin cancer twice. Western medicine did not help her as much as she had hoped it would, and doctors could not pinpoint the problems. This encouraged her to go back to school and study Ayurveda, a medicinal system with Indian subcontinental roots. Neiger started her brand, Red Pantz, which sells a variety of skin care products and tea to help people with problems Western medicine alone could not fix.“Skin care and tea work together as a system because a person’s whole body is connected,” Neiger said. “Skin care is what you put on the outside, and teas are helping things from the inside.” For more information on her products, visit www.my247. store or @redpantzcompany on Instagram.
Witha background in interior design, Cole Balinski strives to create products she wishes existed: trendy and colorful bags, mugs and other products. Balinski said she incorporates positive messaging in all products for her brand Coley Made. “The inspiration behind the brand is throwing kindness around like confetti,” Balinski said. “A lot of the messaging on my work is inspired by kindness or mental health awareness.”
Balinski said she is grateful for San Jose Made because it allows artists like her who can’t afford retail space to be accessible to the public at a pop-up space. Find out more at www.coleymade.com or @coley. made on Instagram
Erin Larmore started her high school career hoping to join robotics, but after feeling unwelcome, she turned to environmental science. Concerned about flaws in the global recycling system, Larmore wanted to create her own products using recycled plastic. In 2020, she started Kaonti Creations, a brand with handmade and sustainably produced trinkets and jewelry.“It’s definitely different from robotics, but I’ve created a space for myself because I didn’t see one,” Larmore said. “It has allowed me to expand and think about what I really want from life.”Larmore said she likes to infuse her queerness in her work through vibrant colors and recurring characters like frogs and fairies. For more on Kaonti Creations products, visit www.tinyurl.com/kaonticreations or @kaonti.creations on Instagram.
NoonArts & Lectures recovers slowly
Pianist Sharon Su played an afternoon concert June 17 at the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library in San Jose.
The performance was part of the NoonArts & Lectures series, which has brought performing arts to the community since 2013. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it normally presented about 27 free events a year, but Executive Director Thomas Ingalz has been cautious about putting on shows because of concerns about spreading the virus.
The audience has tended to be older, Ingalz said. “And these are people that might be vulnerable to COVID-19 or diseases and they’re more reluctant to engage in the audience,” he said.
Not only have audience numbers been decreasing but other venues where Ingalz organized events before the pandemic have been unwilling to open.
The June 17 performance, the program’s 161th presentation, had only six people in the audience. It also was only the second live performance since the pandemic for Su, who lives in the Los Angeles area.
“It feels like a homecoming to be back here,” Su said, referring to it as her third performance with NoonArts & Lectures.
To deepen the listening experience, she gives historical and musical insights about each piece and composer to explain the importance of both in her performances. For this show, “Familiar Sounds,” she talked about two female composers that influenced the Romantic era, Maria Szymanowska and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel.
Szymanowska was a Polish composer and pianist who performed in the early 19th century, and Su said many people think her music inspired Frederic Chopin. Hensel, a German composer, worked with her brother, Felix Mendelssohn, but didn’t always get her name published in the music.
NoonArts & Lectures’ next presentation will be “Americana,” featuring mezzo-soprano Solmaaz Adeli and pianist Julie Poklewski at the First Unitarian Church sanctuary in San Jose on Sept. 2 at 12:10 p.m.
By Jennifer Garcia Cabrera Mosaic staff writer
Story and photos by Saira Ahmed Mosaic
By Jennifer Garcia Cabrera Mosaic staff writer
ANGELA CHOI— STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Skateboarders find home at SJ’s Circle-A
Bob Schmelzer’s shop has been a center of skate culture in the city since 1997
By Dacia Cobian Mosaic staff writer
Circle-A Skateboards and Coffee occupies a wavy building with glass walls and doors along South Third Street in downtown San Jose.
Brightly colored shoes and skate decks adorn the walls and racks of baggy jeans, and skate brands like Anti-Hero, Real and Krooked shirts are on display. The white ceiling, beams and furniture along with the natural light create an open and airy space in the coffee shop, as a wide range of music bumps through the speakers.
Loyal customers stop by to just say “hey” or grab a cup of joe, and some are compelled to stay around and skate on the concrete strip outside.
Since owner Bob Schmelzer opened Circle-A in 1997, it has become a staple in San Jose’s skateboarding community. Schmelzer became a professional skateboarder in 1984 and toured the United States three times from the late 1980s to the early ’90s.
Martin Cadena, a Circle-A customer for seven years, views Circle-A as the only “legit local” skate shop in the city. “There’s a few other ones but they’re not about the culture,” he said.
Another longtime customer, Andres Gonzalez, agrees and says he enjoys talking to Schmelzer . “Whenever I come in, I talk to him about skate history,” he said. “He’s just, like, been in the community for so long it’s cool to see he’s still here.”
UKRAINE: Kids add messages to packages
from Page 1
The organization has sent more than 15 tons of supplies to Ukrainian hospitals, shelters, schools, orphanages, nursing homes, refugee support centers, and the territorial defense forces of Ukraine. “We’re halfway around the world,” Zeidler said. “But there are people here in our community that are deeply and personally affected. And there are things that we can do to actually have a touch across the world, and the medical supplies are important in saving lives.”
Inspired by his mother’s generosity, Zane Zeidler was determined to get his classmates to help, too. Zane made a school announcement in May, asking his classmates to make a drawing and bring them to his classroom. He collected more than 50 drawings.
On June 18, Zane and his friends helped package the supplies in the warehouse with their notes for Hearts for Ukraine to send to the war-torn country. Hearts for Ukraine
spokesperson Leon Kogan said that along with the heartfelt messages, Zeidler’s donation of medical supplies would help many Ukrainian doctors and health care workers.
“When they are performing treatment and using the supplies, at least they can actually save lives,” Kogan said. Elvira Dayel-Kogan, Kogan’s wife, said Hearts for
Ukraine helped a mother send her son’s drawing to her husband, a Ukrainian soldier on the frontlines. When she heard of Zane’s initiative, she felt it was heartwarming for them to send the letters to children in Ukraine.
“I saw a whole packet of drawings, collages and writings,” Dayel-Kogan said. “It’s interesting that it’s not just our kids that do this, but actually, the Ukrainian kids in Ukraine. For soldiers, it’s so heartwarming to receive letters — it’s the meaning of why they fight.“
By the end of the event, Zeidler hoped her son and his peers “understand the power of a note” and saw the event as a way to show children ways they can make a difference, even if it’s something small.
“As a mom, I’m very happy that I could instill values in my son that I uphold in my own life.” Zeidler said.
SAIRA AHMED — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Hearts for Ukraine spokesperson Leon Kogan puts a flower on a Zane Zeidler’s shirt at the Hearts for Ukraine warehouse in San Jose on June 18. Hearts for Ukraine is an organization that gathers supplies to assist the Ukrainian people.
From top: Devin Clarin, an employee at Circle-A Skateboards, makes a latte for a co-worker on June 16; Martin Cadena practices tricks outside the shop on South Third Street in San Jose; and Joel Montoya adjusts a skateboard in the shop, adding steering devices and wheels to it.
DACIA COBIAN — MOSAIC STAFF PHOTOGRAPHS
Western use of henna tattoos feels like cultural appropriation to some
By Khadeejah Khan
Growing up in this country, Foram Mehta was bullied when she got henna designs, or mehndi, painted on her hands at IndianAmerican community celebrations.
“Henna was not a thing people understood, so people found it weird, especially kids,” said Mehta, a content creator who grew up in Texas and until recently lived in San Francisco. “A handful of years later, celebrities are wearing mehndi.”
The Bay Area, Mehta’s second home, is home to a vibrant South Asian community. Since 2010, the population of people of Indian descent in San Francisco has doubled, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. As the South Asian community grows, elements of its culture like mehndi and yoga have become trendy, resulting in debates over what showing respect for a culture looks like, versus just taking advantage of it.
For Foram Mehta, some outside South Asian culture are profiting from its art forms without respecting the years of history these traditions are rooted in — a practice some call cultural appropriation. She believes that the Bay Area’s prosperity has enabled the rise of such appropriation here.
“The Bay Area is full of wealth and people who are interested in alternative lifestyles,” she said. “So in this area, there are people
who have the ability to change their lifestyles, which enables more cultural appropriation.”
Santa Clara-based mehndi artist Mansi Mehta, however, appreciates the increased interest in mehndi and aspires to bring light to her culture through her work. She has been practicing mehndi for 18 years, starting in India during fifth grade. “A lot of American clients might not know henna’s history, but I appreciate that they are respectful of the art,” Mansi Mehta said. “As long as we remain respectful and understand certain boundaries, that is the key.”
Mohana Narayan, the director of a San Jose studio for bharatanatyam, or Indian classical dance, also believes that mehndi should be open to all people.
“Why would we think somebody else’s usage would be taking over our culture?” Narayan said. “I tend to be more on the open side.”
Foram Mehta sees cultural appropriation of South Asian culture as going beyond mehndi, into yoga. According to Statista, a market research firm, the yoga industry made $11.6 billion in the United States in 2020.
“Almost every yoga
DROUGHT: Farmers worried
Continued from Page 1
“When you break that structure apart, all that water goes out to the atmosphere,” Diaz said. “When it does rain, it’s not going to really infiltrate as deep because there’s not much structure anymore, where it could easily go in those cracks and everything. Then, when the sun comes up, and it’s blaring hot in Fresno, all that water’s going to go back up to the atmosphere.”
As regions across the state attempt to restrict their residents’ water usage, water rates have gone up in part to act as a deterrent
against unnecessary consumption. Some counties and federal agencies have cut off direct flow to farms to retain enough for its residents.
Although potential water cutoffs and shortages worry farmers, some remain optimistic.
“I think it’s going to improve over the years and then go down, like the drought climate might get bad but bounce back and get better,” Vazquez said.
As the drought drags on, farmers will continue to put their faith both in Mother Nature and in their local water agencies.
“It all depends on community and
government help for small farmers. Every year is different, and as a farmer, you go with the weather and you need water for sure. As water rates stay good, we’ll be able to keep doing it,” said James Medina, a vendor and worker for Medina Berry Farms in Watsonville.
Others believe that the efforts of the water districts are helping. “I think they’re doing the best they can. I think it’s a slow process to try to change all this stuff around,” Diaz said. “We have to be just all of us smarter about our water practices, and then advocating for better soil practices.”
what we know. It is important for us to have community and keep our culture alive.”
Through mehndi, Mansi Mehta has found a way to embrace the sense of togetherness that has been valued in her culture for centuries.
“Henna has been in South Asian culture for centuries,” Mansi Mehta said. “Togetherness has been there in our culture since the beginning, so that is why we are so connected to henna.”
Narayan switched from a career in technology to teaching Indian classical dance, in part “to allow for our own culture to thrive through art,” she said.
teacher says namaste without knowledge of what it means and that is because they learned from yoga institutes founded by people who appropriated the practice,” Foram Mehta said. “If you are going to become a yoga teacher, you need to learn it properly.”
Regardless of their views on cultural appropriation, all three women agree on one thing: It’s important to not detach from one’s culture but rather to develop a stronger connection with it.
“Our culture is for us,” Foram Mehta said. “It is important for us to live our lives and continue practicing
Rising Santa Clara High School junior Anika Dontu is a bharatanatyam dancer who grew up in the Bay Area. She believes her upbringing with dance in the area allowed her to become more aware of her identity along with that of others.
“I have lived in the Bay for all my life, so I am lucky to be in such a diverse area,” Dontu said. “It made me more aware of who I am and proud while more knowledgeable about all different cultures in the world.”
Foram Mehta urges the South Asian community and beyond to take a closer look at what differentiates cultural appreciation and appropriation.
“When people approach cultures with humility, you are on track to appreciate cultures instead of appropriate them,” Foram Mehta said.
VOTING: Turnout low
Continued from Page 1
they can’t actually cast a ballot for two years.
Ortiz said that not many Latino students are interested in voting because they’re in households that don’t often talk about politics.
“Sometimes when immigrants get here, it’s just like, we’re here to work,” they said. “We’re here to get money and that’s why we’re supposed to come here,” they said.
“Hispanic families aren’t really interested in that, not because they don’t care but because that’s not something they really pay attention to.”
Barousse said one of the main reasons why many Latino residents don’t vote is because as a workingclass community, Latino residents don’t often have the time to focus on what’s going on in their community.
More Latino residents, however, would be more likely to vote if they saw more representation in candidates who have experienced similar struggles to theirs, Barousse said.
“When people see candidates who look like them, speak the same language, share the same culture, same values as them, it would help,” Barousse said. “It does particularly add to voter turnout.”
Ramirez also hopes to see more political rallies and more campaigning in Latino communities by the candidates who run in future elections.
“Our community wasn’t aware that it was happening, or even who was running,” she said of the most recent election.
This fall, Barousse and his team from Amigos de Guadalupe will partner with non-partisan organizations such as the League of Women Voters to help guide Latino residents during elections.
“We hope to do some candidate forums to help inform the community about the candidates running and who best aligns with their values,” Barousse said.
“We can’t tell people who to vote for, but we certainly can give people voter education to help them make informed decisions.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF MANSI MEHTA
Mehndi, a traditional form of body art and temporary decoration, is usually reserved for special occasions in the Indian culture. The centuries-old practice is being modernized to appeal to current tastes.
STEVEN ARREOLA MUÑOZ — STAFF
A duck stands inside the dried lake at Santa Clara Central Park in San Jose, California on Thursday, June 16 2022.
capacity in
Santa Clara Valley.
Mosaic staff writer
School shootings evoke daunting risks and responsibilities for teachers
Haedtler voiced frustration as both a parent and teacher about how school shootings are a uniquely American issue.
shooting, in which she would try and fail to fit all of her students into a small closet in her class to keep them safe.
With school shootings dominating more headlines, teachers and school staff are struggling as they think more and more about this potential threat.
Everytown For Gun Safety has been keeping track of shootings on school grounds in the United States since 2013, and has reported 944 incidents since then. Of those, 96 took place this year. When mass shootings jeopardize students’ lives, the public expects teachers to do whatever they can to protect students.
“It is disconcerting to think that you’re responsible for the lives … not just the education, but the lives of those kids,” said Laurie Weckesser, a recently retired English and journalism teacher at Silver Creek High School.
No teacher enters the classroom looking to be a bodyguard. “Teachers don’t go into teaching to be in dangerous situations,” said Carrielynn Haedtler, a retired English teacher at Santa Clara High School. “A policeman goes into being a policeman knowing they are going to be in danger. That is not the nature of being an educator, nor should it be.”
During the shooting last month at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, police officers spent an hour waiting before engaging with the shooter, an option that staff at the school did not have.
“It’s pretty unacceptable that this is part of being an American raising kids, that you have to be afraid to send your kids to school,” she said. Maureen McClintock, principal at Cadwallader Elementary School in San Jose, said she has had to manage the emotions of the students and staff at her school while preparing them for this new threat.
Before becoming a principal, McClintock worked as an elementary school teacher for 15 years. She said she became a teacher to make the classroom a happy place, but that students today feel more anxious than anything.
“We did not hold one (a lockdown drill) after the Texas shooting because it would be too traumatic,” she said.
Lockdown drills were first widely implemented in schools after a shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999. California law has since required schools to hold two lockdown drills every year to familiarize students and faculty with the protocol.
“It’s very sad that it is commonplace, like a fire drill, that we have to have a drill for a shooter, but it’s part of where we live and the times we’re going through,” McClintock said.
Weckesser became a teacher in 1993, six years before Columbine, and she remembers recurring nightmares she had after that
Haedtler also was teaching when Columbine happened. She said teachers might have been in denial about what it meant for them.
“Even after the lockdowns, I’m not sure that we really processed or talked about it,” she said. “If we really all believed that there was going to be a shooting tomorrow, could we really get up and go to work the next day?”
A debate that often surfaces after school shootings involves the idea of arming teachers. The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence has found that a majority of teachers, teens, and parents are strongly against having guns in the classroom.
Weckesser said that upon looking back on her 27 years working with high school students, she said she would not feel safe adding a gun to what can already be a chaotic environment.
“If they would have said that I have to get trained on a gun in order to keep my job, I would have quit,” she said.
If such a requirement were introduced, McClintock said, it could drive countless teachers out of the profession.
“I have teachers who are excellent teachers, but if you put that burden of handling a gun, McClintock said, “I think you’re going to lose a teachers. If you lose teachers to that, I think it turns into security guards who can’t teach well.”
GARDEN: S an Jose park still awaits restoration after 2017 flood
Continued from Page 12
“It’s a garden that should be a jewel in the South Bay,” Sakamoto said. “It’s a reminder to us that we can continue to work at creating and maintaining something that is meaningful from the past to the present to the future.”
The garden was designed to have three lively ponds, containing vibrant koi dancing underwater and ducks paddling on the surface.
Isaac Oommen and Daniel Li –who are both 16 and from Sunnyvale – visited the garden in May, hoping to have a picnic in the scenic park they saw on Google.
“But when we got there, we immediately saw the dried-out pond,” Oommen said. “It was sad.”
The Coyote Creek flood in February 2017 damaged the garden, including two of the ponds, according to San Jose Parks Foundation. They are now bone dry with cracks on the surface; the only water is in small, shallow and scattered puddles.
“I was disappointed because I was expecting a nicer garden,” Li said. “When I saw (the ponds) it kind of ruined the park for me. I was expecting to have a good time and see the fish in the pond.”
Li said he would not want to go
Japanese Friendship Garden had to be moved to another pond after their original home was damaged in a 2017 flood.
back to the garden unless the ponds were filled back up, but he might have to wait a while.
Chris Von Rueden, a facilities supervisor with the city of San Jose’s department of parks, recreation and neighborhood services, said restoration has been delayed severely because the water pumps were damaged. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declined to pay the city to repair or install new pumps, Von Rueden said.
“Then the pandemic delayed things further. The plans are all done but we’re still waiting for a contractor to take on the project,”
Von Rueden said.
The garden also contains a Japanese tea house, which was closed due to flood damage and has since been repaired. Though many people still visit the park, especially on weekends, the number of large events held at the garden has declined, Von Rueden said. Since the flood, the garden has not advertised any major events.
One pond in the garden is filled with water, so many changes were made to accommodate the fish. That pond was never supposed to be a home for fish, Von Rueden said.
“Our fish are in the smaller pond as a temporary solution,” Von
Rueden said. “The canopies provide shade, and the nets are around the aquatic plants so the fish don’t eat them.”
Some fish were placed in tanks after the flood. Despite the rearrangement and transition, the fish are mostly still alive and healthy, Von Rueden said. The original koi in the garden came from Hiroshima, Japan. The cultural importance of koi can be seen in Japanese legends, but that is often overlooked, Sakamoto said.
“The story is that the koi can swim upstream, and if it reaches the top of the mountain, it will turn into a dragon. (That shows the) strength, perseverance and beauty of koi,” Sakamoto said. “People were not told so they didn’t know, didn’t understand or sometimes they didn’t care.”
The connection between humans and nature is another highlight of the garden. Silicon Valley used to be completely agricultural, and people have lost touch with that, Sakamoto said. “When there was a closer relationship between humans and nature, people knew that if you didn’t care for the plants, they could die,” Sakamoto said. “So the garden is a reminder of all of those things, the interrelationships between people and nature.”
SAIRA AHMED — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Koi at San Jose’s
By Jay Nguyen Mosaic staff writer
ANGELA CHOI — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
In response to the prevalence of guns and years of school shootings, some have called for teachers to be armed. However, many teachers, students and parents oppose the idea.
Challenging times for
Japanese Garden
By Saira Ahmed Mosaic staff writer
The Japanese Friendship Garden in San Jose’s Kelley Park is a representation of the sister-city relationship between San Jose and Okayama, Japan. It was built in the 1960s and was modeled after the Korakuen Garden in Okayama. Kathy Sakamoto, president of the San Jose-Okayama Sister Cities organization, said the Korakuen Garden is known as one of Japan’s top three most beautiful gardens. It has a significant cultural heritage in Japan, so Sakamoto said the San Jose garden is a meaningful place. Continued on Page 11
