Red and Black, Winter 2021/2022

Op-Ed: Northwood student walkout, p. 4

Fashion: alt/dark academia looks for winter, p. 5

Junji Ito: a Horror Art icon, p. 7

Red and Black

Montgomery County Public Schools

All Together Now!

by Madison Riggs and Andru Orosco News Staff

Since the reopening of schools in September, classes and extracurriculars everywhere have attempted

Northwood High School

919 University Boulevard W.

to regain a sense of normalcy. This rang true for the Drama Club at Northwood, with a reopening of shows allowing students to be back on stage after over a year.

This year’s fall production, “All Together Now!” a global event with over 2,000 organizations involved, was a musical review featuring different songs from multiple wellknown productions. Apart from that, this show was also special for

Silver Spring, MD 20901

other reasons. “All Together Now!” was the first show back in-person and onstage at Northwood since the pandemic began. A variety of actors were involved--some being back on a familiar stage, others experiencing the limelight for their first time, all navigating the difficult circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For many, it was strange returning to the stage for the first

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time in almost two years. “I think it took a little bit of time to get our feet wet, but our main goal for the show was to get kids back on stage and doing what we love to do which we accomplished--I think--beautifully,” says Mr. Harwood, a teacher at Northwood and director of “All Together Now!” The show ran for three days, with two evening performances and one matinee. (continued on page 2)

Scene from Northwood’s All Together Now! (Lifetouch)

LGBTQ+ at Northwood

Looking into an overlooked community

by Samia Abdur-Rahim and Lizzy Alspach Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief Northwood High School, a welcoming community with a strong LGBTQ+ presence, prides itself on making the school a safe and comfortable space for staff and students alike. Students are encouraged to freely express themselves, whether through club participation or academic pathways. New classes such as LGBTQ+ Studies - which will be offered on a yearly rotation cycle

with Women’s Studies - are proof of Northwood’s commitment to serve its diverse populace. But what exactly do Northwood staffmembers do to make queer students feel safe at school?

Dr. Garrick (he/him), Northwood’s principal, emphasizes that Northwood has a “very clear expectation of respect among everyone.”

To enforce respect, he ensures that “ignorance is always answered with education” through numerous modules presented to staff members during various meetings. But what about students?

In almost every Northwood classroom, students can find a gay pride flag. “I’d keep a pride flag up because I’d want students to know [that they’re safe and welcome in my class],” says Ms. Zahner (she/ her), who is teaching the LGBTQ+ Studies class during the second

semester. “I try my hardest to make sure that every student feels included and feels heard [in my class],” she says. Likewise, Mr. Ahearn (he/him), an English teacher and sponsor of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Northwood, says that he values “visuals - having a big pride flag. I hope without saying anything students would be aware [of their safety in the class-

MORE COMICS (p.14)

room].”

While important, representation is not the only entity of identity that is crucial to the LGBTQ+ community. Pronouns, too often open to mockery, are extremely important to ensuring the comfort of transgender students in class. “I work hard to let students know that their names are sacred. . . (continued on page 3)

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(Continued) All Together Now! Not only did “All Together Now!” bring the typical show production chaos and shenanigans, but there was also the uncertain factor of rising Covid-19 cases. “It was the first time I’ve felt somewhat ‘normal’ in the past two years,” says Charlotte Mattison (‘24).

Not to mention, many performers felt the typical stage jitters. “It was very nervous for me because it felt like it was my first time on stage. . . but after a few on stage rehearsals and bonding with the cast, I got my confidence back,” Adrian Mohepath says (‘22).

Alongside the actors, the tech crew also had to adjust to getting back on stage.

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went person-to-person telling them to talk, so he could adjust the volume for each person.

This took about half an hour, maybe more, as long as dancers and actors were on stage waiting for their turn.Since actors arrived late, or were changing in the dressing room or the bathroom, mic checks often ended up taking up half of rehearsal time.

The music staff had the exact same job as I do - they press a button to start. The music begins, the lights are on, the speakers and monitors are working. We started the show with our typical saying: “Go for ‘Be our guest!’”

A new show will hit the stage this spring, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with all sorts of special surprises.

Red and Black Editor-in-Chief Lizzy Alspach (she/her) Managing Editor Samia Abdur-Rahim (she/he/they) Supervising Editors Jeanne Gnahoua (any pronouns) Kai Treadwell (he/they) Bennett Forville (she/her) Madison Riggs (she/her) Andru Orosco (he/him) John McLendon (he/him) Silas Myers (he/him) Mary Awii (she/her) Shyla Rincon (she/her) Michael Marquez (he/him) Sports Editor Megan Leatherwood (she/her)

Behind the Scenes Perspective: Andru Orosco We all worked in the back of the auditorium: AJ and I on lights, Alex on sound, Misty, Zach, Elizabeth on music. There were lots of people backstage. My job was to press a button at the right time, so the green lights change to orange lights and then change to a red silhouette. All done with a push of a button, though it’s obviously more complicated than that.

Mr Sumbrey, our tech supervisor, pre-programmed all the lights before I showed up for rehearsal. My partner AJ and I took notes during rehearsal to learn how to code a few things on the computer, to change the lights of the colors and change the cue time.

Rehearsal began at 5:30pm after school and continued for around two hours. When we arrived, we all had different jobs to do. People who worked backstage have to clean mics, broom the stage, go on comms, and help those who need assistance.

Audio was done by one person, Alex, who has a lot of responsibilities in his hands. He managed a whole soundboard that he learned how to use in freshman year. He has been doing this since then, while his brother also did this during his high school career. Alex had to make sure everything was running smoothly.

First he performed a mic check. Anyone who is singing needed a mic - even the chorus members who sang behind the curtains. Alex

“It was the first time I’ve felt somewhat ‘normal’ in the past two years”

Design Editors John McLendon (he/him) Semira Tekle (she/her) Anderson Solano Ruiz (he/him) Barcomax Ouedraogo (he/him) Andru Orosco (he/him) Comics & Games Editor Jeanne Gnahoua (any pronouns) Fashion Editors Malisha Gunawardena (she/her) Caroline Touhey (she/her) Zainab Coker (she/her) Special Contributors Liya Tadesse (she/her) Isabella Majarowitz (she/her) Enson Cao (he/him)

Above left: students Willa Rothenberg (‘24), Isabella Choong (‘24), and Stephanie Gonzalez (‘25) work behind the scenes.

Bottom right: Connie Watts (‘22) sings a solo.

Faculty Advisor Ryan Acosta-Fox (he/him)

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(Continued) LGBTQ+ at Northwood “. . . So the name they want to be called is the name I want to call them. And their pronouns are their pronouns,” says Ms. Zahner again.

Changing names and pronouns can be proven difficult for teachers that only see students for a year or part of a year, but it is of the utmost importance that teachers accommodate their students to ensure a safe and welcoming learning environment. Mr. Ahearn says he tries “to create an environment of peace and love, and acceptance and use that to. . . protect students.”

However, a lot of times what is practiced by certain staff members is not always performed with the same vigor by others. Building healthy habits, such as asking students for their preferred name and pronouns upon first meeting them, is of the utmost importance to normalize using different pronouns.

And while some staff or students might not understand one’s identity, it’s crucial for them to respect it.

“There’s so much research out there that when students don’t feel that their identity is respected and affirmed, that [it] really does impact their mental health and even their academic performance,” says Izzy Majarowitz (she/her), senior president of the GSA at Northwood.

“Teachers need to know that their lack of acceptance and affirming does have a consequence and they need to learn to do better by their students.”

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A common consensus among queer students at Northwood is that asking for one’s pronouns is key to show respect towards someone’s identity. When talking to someone, a general rule of thumb could be to “ask first,” as freshman Flor Palma (she/he/they) says, “In the beginning [of class] ask for pronouns or ask [if] you have a preferred name.” To assist with this, teachers can also introduce themselves and sign their emails with their own pronouns. More often than not, students follow the examples of their teachers when it comes to introductions and class conduct, so setting a positive example is vital.

Queer students do recognize that pronoun adjustment is difficult for some teachers, however. “I think if it’s like an accidental one time [mistake], someone could talk to [the teachers],” Northwood senior Yonah Gross (he/him) says.

“But if it’s like they’re deliberately [referring to a student by the wrong pronouns], then I think they should be reported.” Refusing or making no effort to refer to students by their correct pronouns is deliberate disrespect.

There also seems to be general misinformation surrounding pronouns and their usage. Queer students have observed other students making fun of pronouns, or saying that they don’t have any. In some cases, students even receive negative reactions from their peers.

“Students have brought complaints of harassment and bullying and

Izzy Majarowitz (she/her), Senior and GSA President

other things forward, so I don’t think it’s going to be truly safe or welcoming until all of those are addressed and students do feel safe,” Majarowitz says. Informative resources are available online for those who are unsure of how to be allies to their queer peers. For those who are unsure of where to look, the GSA normally holds a weekly meeting on Fridays during lunch in A105 with educational presentations on queer identities.

That being said, most staff members do their best to learn how to best help their students. In sol-

idarity with LGBTQ+ students at Northwood, Dr. Garrick states that “it also is a baseline expectation for staff that. . . if you are continuing to use the deadnames of students, misgendering students, that [it] becomes a question of your professionalism.”

Above all else, effort is recognized and appreciated. “It doesn’t mean I’m perfect about it,” Zahner says. “I try my hardest to make sure that every student feels included and feels heard.”

Black and Red Mission Statement While Red & Black is representative of the writing spirit of Northwood, our staff has come up with a way to showcase the creative talent of the student body. Headed by Supervising Editor Jeanne Gnahoua, the Black and Red is a Zine designed to exhibit Gladiators’ artistic abilities.

“Zines” are self-published magazines filled with creative submissions. Anything from poems, sketches, or artistic pieces are appreciated. Submissions can be credited via social media page, name, or even artistic alias.

For an example of the zine, our first edition of the Black and Red is available in the Media Center. You can also ask a Red & Black staff member for a copy.

Email Jeanne Gnahoua at 427635@mcpsmd.net or Mr. Acosta-Fox at ryan.acosta-fox@mcpsmd.net for inquiries or to submit pieces.

Stay bold, stay artistic, and stay inspired Gladiators.

Sincerely, Red & Black staff

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Red and Black

Op-Ed: the Northwood student walkout

by Isabella Majarowitz Special Contributer On a frigid day in January, over 80 Northwood students left their classes and walked to the track as part of a series of “Walkouts for Covid Safety” across high schools (and a couple of middle schools) in MCPS. As one of the organizers of Northwood’s walkout, I can attest to the stress and anxiety our group of organizers felt in the short week that we had to plan and execute our student walkout. When I first agreed to help organize the walkout, I was unaware of the level of planning and logistics involved, but luckily I wasn’t alone in the organizing team. In just under a week,

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a few students and I created an Instagram account for our walkout (@ nhs_studentwalkout), established a walkout route, created and put up flyers around the school, and planned speeches.

But why were we walking out in the first place? It wasn’t just to skip school; we were trying to make a difference in our school system.

When students returned to school after winter break, MCPS was almost immediately pulled into a surge of Covid-19 cases that affected staffing, buses, mental health, and learning across Montgomery County.

For a few weeks, students waited with bated breath for news about whether or not their school would be going virtual for two weeks - or even longer. If you were in-school at Northwood during that time, you’ll probably remember the amount of staff members

who were out sick, and how much less crowded the hallways were.

Personally, I had to do some of my classes in the cafeteria or auditorium, and most students (and staff) would probably attest to the fact that learning was severely limited during this time.

I could also see the effect the surge and health concerns were having on our staff here at Northwood. The return to in-person learning has already been stressful for our teachers, but now many of them had to cover additional classes as we faced a shortage of staff and substitute teachers. As a student I was already feeling anxious, but I can’t imagine the stress and pressure my teachers felt as they worried about balancing their own safety with the learning of their students.

Another huge issue was the lack of bus drivers. I remember the

angry ranting of one of my friends who had to wait outside for over 30 minutes, in the freezing cold, for a bus that would never come. Many students in our community rely on the school bus system to get them to school every single day.

While the bus driver shortage was definitely a complex issue, the response of MCPS was simply to take the Ride-On buses supplied by the county or stay home from school. But what about our elementary school students or students who don’t have easy access to public transportation? Some of the students at our walkout expressed their frustration at this lackluster response by MCPS, testifying the struggles they and their younger siblings experienced when trying to get to school. Students shouldn’t have to miss a day of school, a day of learning, because their bus didn’t come.

NHS students protesting, via Red & Black staff

In my opinion, the most impactful failure of the school system in addressing Covid-19 safety issues was the lack of transparency and accountability. Over the past few years, I’ve gotten involved with a number of student advocacy groups, and many students can speak to one of the biggest challenges when it comes to creating change MCPS: feeling like our voices are heard.

I believe that student voice matters, and that students should be a part of the safety decisions--and all decisions--that impact them. The way that MCPS handles student safety issues has consistently been criticized by some members of our communities for not engaging stakeholders, which in this case is the staff and students in our school buildings every day. Student organizers of the walkout felt that the members of the Board of Education don’t truly know the lived experiences of students and their families. How could

they, when they have continued to meet online or in their offices at Carver Educational Suites?

With all of these issues swirling around our heads, the Northwood walkout organizers and I set about writing up our list of demands, which we then outlined on our Instagram. First and foremost, we called for greater transparency and outreach from MCPS, because there were significant failures in communication about changing safety guidelines - particularly to communities without much internet access. We asserted that all students and families should be able to access the information they need to stay safe while in school. Our other demands included more frequent and diversified testing, actionable solutions to the staff and bus driver shortage, improving and increasing PPE supplies to our classrooms, stronger enforcement of mask mandates in school, more remote/ hybrid learning options, policies to tackle community spread of the

virus, and of course, more meaningful stakeholder engagement.

Suffice to say, the situation we were in during December and January was far from satisfactory or safe. Students and staff listened, disappointed and frustrated, as the Board of Education and MCPS Central Office failed to deliver actionable plans to address Covid safety for our schools.

Much of the policies promoted by MCPS to address Covid-19 safety concerns appeared reactive rather than preventative. MCPS and the Board of Education should have established working groups and committees that centered students of color and students with disabilities, because they’re often the most impacted by Covid-19 and safety concerns.

In order to protect our communities, directly-impacted voices should be at the forefront of the decision-making process. As students participating in our walkout shared, the decision makers in our

school system seem to uplift the voices of some students over others; most often, valuing the testimony of white and affluent students and their families over Black and Brown students and students with disabilities. But many student activists - including myself - can testify to the fact that inequitable decision making in MCPS is not new.

We have since made it through the Covid-19 surge in January. For some of us, even the walkout seems like ages ago. But questions about how MCPS will address student safety concerns still remain.

All I know is that I am proud of my peers who are raising their voice on the issues that impact our education and health, whether through raising awareness on social media, writing to their local policy-makers or taking direct action.

Now, it’s up to MCPS to listen to students for once.

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Winter 2022

Red and Black

by Malisha Gunawardena Fashion Editor

Winter is dark and dreary, but that gives you a perfect chance to dress to match. Shades of black and brown always compliment this season’s atmosphere.

(Photos: Pinterest.)

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Winter 2022

A History on Analog Horror

by John McLendon Design Editor Most modern forms of horror take place in movies or video games. But a new genre of horror has been becoming increasingly popular this year: Analog Horror.

Analog horror is horror told through a video or series of videos with a connected plot line. The videos themselves are found footage that tell the story of the events of the horror series.

In Analog Horror, there is a main antagonist or threat that is the source of the horror. For example, in Local 58, the antagonist is the entity that is continuously telling people to look at the moon.

The antagonists are usually easily identifiable before anything spooky happens.

Then and Now: from Knighthood to the Gladiators

by Kai Treadwell Supervising Editor So you’ve been thinking about transferring from one school to another. Well, you’re in luck because I happen to have been through that entire process - I transferred from Wheaton to Northwood.

If you’re transferring, you’ve gotta know a few things first: why are you transferring? Where are you transferring to? How do you transfer? And most importantly, will you be happy afterwards? You’d want to know these things before

In Analog Horror, the horror is usually done with loud noises, normal things becoming abnormal or abnormal things suddenly becoming normal, accompanied with jumpscares. It relies on active engagement in the video in order to be scary.

If you want to learn more about Analog Horror, here are some popular and free choices that are all on YouTube.

The Walten Files - Soapie vs The World. TW: gore, fear, fear elements, jumpscares, blood, disturbing themes, substance abuse, death, implied starvation, disturbing imagery, loud noises, flashing lights.

Local 58 - Do not look at the moon. TW: aliens, disturbing imagery, fear, suicide, uncanny valley, death, loud noises.

Gemini Home Entertainment Bears have never looked cooler after tentacles sprouted out of them. TW: uncanny valley, kidnapping, descriptions of gore, fear, resemblance you tell someone about transferring - the things that will benefit your well-being. I know when I was thinking about it, I definitely did not consider any of these things as much as I probably should’ve, which led to a longer period of waiting to transfer.

To transfer schools, I had to create a letter of appeal, which is a letter to MCPS explaining my reasons for transferring. There are only a few valid reasons they’d accept: a family move, a sibling already going to that school, or any other unique hardship. I wanted to transfer to Northwood because it’s closer to me than Wheaton, making it my homeschool by default.

I also happened to have more of a social life at Northwood, so at

Me, Kai Treadwell, outside of Northwood (above)

of spiders, paranoia, death, Unreli- their spot in our reality. TW: fear, able Narrator gore, suicide, disturbing imagery, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared - A se- loud noises, jumpscares, suicide, ries of episodes of a kids show gone gaslighting, religious themes dark. TW: blood, gore, cannibalThis House Has People In It. ism, disturbing imagery, hospitals, TW: Disturbing themes, neglect. puppets, derealization, kidnapping, If you want to start with somecults, death thing tame, I would recommend The Mandela Catalogue - The This House Has People In It. AnyMandela Effect is the idea that thing else on this I wouldn’t say is there are alternate versions of us in tame in the way they present their another reality. Alters are pretendhorror.

Scene from “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” (via Pinterest) ing to be people in order to take

Wheaton my mental health suffered.

In my opinion, the letter of appeal is a very easy and straightforward way of transferring. Like many of you may assume, I thought it was a long and strenuous process full of paperwork and was surprised to know I only had to write a letter explaining my situation.

The most significant part of this process was the last few months of sophomore year, walking to my classes for the last time, telling all my friends that I won’t see them next year and exchanging our contact info. One friend in particular was harder to leave than the rest. Her name is Angie, and although we’re still friends today, the fact that we don’t walk the same halls anymore still bothers me a bit.

I’d say she was the main one who kept me at Wheaton as I was. I was a side-character at the Wheaton community, but that was okay with me.

I believe that I made the right choice by coming to Northwood.

Not just because the commute would be easier, but also because it allowed me to see where I’d fit in. I will say, fitting in shouldn’t be your only reason for transferring, but one of them. If I had switched because I wanted to fit in somewhere

then that’s what my mindset would have been throughout the remainder of my time as a highschool student; seeking a clique to be in.

When it comes to moving schools, it really came down to what I wanted. You have to keep in mind that everyone and everything will be different, and you’d have to adjust to that change. What you choose is what you get - this is not a decision easily undone. I definitely had to remember this while transferring, and I strongly advise anyone who is pursuing transferring to consider the same.

Today, I don’t know what I’d do if I hadn’t transferred. Making the move from Wheaton to Northwood was the best executive decision that I’ve made in my highschool life. I also think that it’s generally a good experience to have: to move from one environment to a completely different one broadens your own horizons.

We’ve all seen those movie cliches where a kid moves away to a new school and has the worst time of their life, right? I can safely say that this simply isn’t the case.

Although you might miss your old friends or you just miss your old school, your time in a new school will never be as dramatically bad as movies make it seem.

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Winter 2022

The Beauty of Junji Ito’s Horror

by Silas Myers Features Staff Let me paint a picture for you, you wake up in the middle of the night, the wind howling outside your window, and you can’t fall back asleep. And as you slowly drift off, you hear the quiet sound of something calling your name outside your window.

What do you do in this situation? Better yet, what can you do? It seems like you only have one option, to open the window. And you are greeted with fear, as it floods your mind. Fear is something we all experience. While we experience first hand, fear isn’t a good thing for us. But fear is one of the most important emotions a human can have, because it keeps us safe and alive.

But on top of that, it gives us a thrill like never before, and a lot of people love that thrill.

This thrill, this adrenaline rush, leads us to create our own forms of horror. Forms like movies, books, haunted houses.

But one of the most effective forms of horror is art, when a still image can make us feel fear it fills us full of dread. Just think about

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it, there is no noise, there is movement, there is no escape, we are left alone with our thoughts, and the horror in front of us. I believe one of the most effective forms of horror is a still image, because it gives us time to process what is happening and what we’re looking at.

And so with all that said, let’s

Remina, and many more. But Junji Ito mostly writes short stories, and then puts a collection of them into one book.

He also has recurring characters that appear in a good amount of his stories. These characters include Soichi, a boy who uses voodoo to curse those who do him

Scene from Junji Ito’s “Uzumaki”

take a dive into my favorite horror artist, Junji Ito. Junji Ito is a Japanese horror manga artist and writer. He started writing manga in the late 80s and early nineties. Some of his most famous works are stories such as Uzumaki, Gyo, Hellstar

wrong, his stories are typically more goofy. The fashion model, a famous fashion model is a very tall human eating monster, she has sharp fangs and long fingers.

And Tomie, a very beautiful young woman, who gives men who fall in

We picked Gladiators across school with the coolest, raddest, refreshing outfits.

Gladiators that have inspiration to be best dressed, who always showed up and showed out.

Each issue, new Gladiator students will be chosen. We have two fashion moguls ready for the runway.

Here’s who they are: Inspired by 1990’s fashion and fellow Red & Black staff member, Jeanne Gnahoua, Drew (left) describes his style as colorful, cheap, and patterned. Though they do find the lack of pockets in womens clothing to be a major pet peeve.

Drew wants to see more fun school events, such as poetry slams and dance concerts.

Teagan (right) describes their style as weird, nature-y and unique. They take a lot of inspiration from Alex Lawther, thrifty antique things, and their own friends. Teagan’s biggest pet peeve is pairing socks with sandals.

They want to see more freedom at NHS and more creative opportunities.

love with her the urge to kill her.

Junji Ito capitalizes off of the fear of the unknown, as most of the things that happen in his stories happen without reason.

So what makes his stories so good? Well, on top of the horrific imagery he has a unique way of storytelling. Where instead of following a protagonist, and rooting for them to be safe. He doesn’t write very in depth characters, his characters are more of a window the reader can use to see into the worlds he’s created.

For example, a character would see the monster of the story, they don’t run, they don’t talk, and they don’t fight back. They just watch, almost as the reader would. And with more in depth stories this would fall flat on its face, but with his short stories it works best, especially the ones with few pages. And this formula helps maintain the fear of the unknown.

And so, in the end, Junji Ito has talent. He’s excellent at drawing horrific images, and showing horror. His unique form of storytelling helps him stand out from other horror mangaka. So if you’re in the mood to stay up all night in your bed hoping nothing comes into your room, I recommend Junji Ito. And even if you’re not a big fan, I can promise you will get a good scare.

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Winter 2022

Arts at Northwood If it’s one thing Gladiators know best, it’s art.

Through various mediums - some physical, some tactile - Northwood students know how to show their stuff.

On December 15, dance students performed at their own concert to a full house of spectators.

In 15 dance performances, Gladiators captured the audience with their spirit and musicality.

Not only that, but in Northwood’s versatile art classes, students practice their artistic abilities and foster their own talents.

Here is a small showcase of some Northwood talent.

Photos: Lifetouch

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Darnel Duran

Bethel Sheferaw

Flor Palma

Jesse Nielson

Greg Montilla Vargas

Farheen Mustafa

Adriana Cruz

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Red and Black

Winter 2022

Money Heist: Why it’s worth the watch

by Andru Orosco and Michael Marquez News & Entertainment Staff Netflix holds many shows and movies beloved by many, ranging from hits like Stranger Things, Squid Game, and The Umbrella Academy, providing a plethora of shows to pick and choose from.

One show stands out amongst them all: Money Heist.

Money Heist, also known as La Casa de Papel, is a Netflix Original set in Madrid, Spain, where a man codenamed “the Professor” recruits nine individuals with criminal records to conduct a heist on the Bank of Spain. Each of the team members all choose undercover names referenced to the names of

cities around the world after being recruited. The team consists of Tokyo, Rio, Moscow, Denver, Nairobi, Helsinki, Oslo, Berlin, and the Professor.

While they all have different backgrounds and beliefs, the team all shares the same ideas and efforts to complete the job - they all believe stealing from Spain to gain money and a more valuable reputation is the best choice for their futures.

The Professor spent years on this plan and has thought of every possible problem that could befall the team. He didn’t plan the heist based on vengeance - he wanted justice for his late father, a bank robber.

Now there are a multitude of reasons that I enjoy Money Heist, one of them being phenomenal acting - specifically from Alvaro Morte, who plays the Professor. In

Money Heist team in the Professor’s planning room (via Film Daily)

Heist team in disguise (via Netflix)

every season, the Professor outshines the other cast members with his complexity and expression.

Money Heist has a very grim and bright tone at times, but throughout the seasons, the show is very consistent with it’s characters and the choices they make. The team all talks to each other like siblings with hate and love, making it seem like they’ve known each other for years. In 5 seasons you grow up with the characters and see what these strangers have gone through to become so close. Flashbacks show them having dinner, sharing their dreams and problems with each other like family. Originally, the Professor declared that no one should become close to each other for business reasons, but they all slowly break that rule as they live together, learning and studying the

Professor’s plan. Eventually, the Professor ends up breaking his own rule as they continue the heist.

The plot has you on the edge of your seat, keeping you engaged all the time, with lots of twists that make your jaw drop, action that makes you wonder if the characters will really survive, and touching moments that will leave you with tears. Some episodes will feel very pointless but it all ties together at some point. The look of the show, the makeup and hairstyling, really falls in line with the show’s tone.

The team goes through good and hard times together, which is what we love the most about this show. Overall, we highly recommend this show to people who love an engaging, head turning, heartbreaking, heartwarming story.

Northwood Netflix Playlist

by Megan Leatherwood Sports Editor

Arcane (2021)

Money Heist (2017)

Manifest (2018)

Cobra Kai (2018)

Animated drama series, TV-14 for language & violence Rotten Tomatoes Review: 100%

Mystery thriller series, TV-MA for nudity, violence, & gore Rotten Tomatoes Review: 93%

Drama series, TV-14 for mild nudity, violence & language Rotten Tomatoes review: N/A

Action fiction, TV-14 for language & fight scenes Rotten Tomatoes review: 93%

Atypical (2017)

Outer Banks (2020)

Sex Education (2019)

Young Royals (2021)

Mystery, teen drama series, TVMA for strong language, underaged drug use & behavior w/ minors Rotten Tomatoes review: 78%

British comedy-drama series, TV-MA for nudity, some violence, language, drug use Rotten Tomatoes review: 94%

Madison Riggs (‘25)

Madison Riggs (‘25)

Comedy, drama, TV-14 for language & mild sexual references Rotten Tomatoes review: 87%

Andru Orosco (‘25)

Aidan Lewis (‘25)

Aidan Lewis (‘25)

Caroline Touhey (‘25)

Megan Leatherwood (‘25)

Miles Riggs (‘25)

Swedish teen drama, romance, TV-MA for mild nudity, mild violence, language & drug use Rotten Tomatoes review: N/A

Features

11

Winter 2022

BROCKHAMPTON: a ROADRUNNER Review

by Enson Cao Special Contributer The hip-hop collective Brockhampton are not afraid to express themselves. Their music throughout the years has never been confined to norms: they have always leaned on full expression, clean lyrics, and rambunctious personalities. However, due to unforeseen drama, the group was forced to drop a member and adjust their music accordingly. After the split their next album, Iridescence was called underwhelming by many, but I enjoyed it very much due to its different style as well as vulnerable topics.

Ginger produced arguably the group’s most popular song “Sugar,” keeping the vulnerable topics in their music. On April 6th of last year, the hip-hop collective Brockhampton released their 6th studio album, ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE. Due to leaked tracks as well as the unreleased music, live streamed album technical difficulties made the anticipation for the collective’s next albums high.

A couple weeks prior, “BUZZCUT” was released. This track was very rambunctious and energet-

Red and Black

ic - the first verse of the track and album are rapped by Kevin Abstract. In the song, he delves into life as a gay, black musician as well as his struggles of being a musician during the pandemic. This track also features well known hip-hop artist Danny Brown. He was definitely made for this track. Brown’s distinct vocals as well as rambunctious tone compliment this high energy track.

The ending of this song is melodic and slow with Jobas’ versatile voice and Merlyn Wood’s high delivery adlibs. The following tracks, “CHAIN ON” and “COUNT ON ME”, are mellow relaxing tracks.

JPEGMAFIA and Dom McLennon highlight “CHAIN ON” with their stellar flow and dynamic verses with great production. “COUNT ON ME” is the next track, and following the collective’s boy band influence, this track has a more poppy sound to it with many modified vocals.

The next track, “BANKROLL”, was leaked back when Iridescence was announced and had a verse taken out entirely. The track opens up with an intro by A$AP FERG followed by a hook by A$AP Rocky which highlights the track. Merlyn Wood is especially good on this track as his verses reign heavy and hit hard.

“THE LIGHT” and “THE LIGHT PT. II” are the best songs on the album no doubt. They delve into heavy subjects like Kevin’s

heavy and deep rooted trauma as well as the focus of the album itself; Joba. The whole purpose of the two tracks are for Joba to talk about the tragic suicide of his father. The detail he goes into is horrifying, tragic and devastating to listen to. However, the imagery and his description of his emotions are heartfelt and can be related to by many. Tragic but amazing, “THE LIGHT” and “THE LIGHT PT. II” are arguably some of the best works BROCKHAMPTON has ever put out.

“WINDOWS” is the only track to feature every single artist in the band. The opening verse is by an artist that was signed to Kevin Abstracts label, “Video Store,” named SoGoneSoFlexy. He used this opportunity to put himself out there, and certainly delivered with powerful verses that transition perfectly into the group’s verses. Dom’s verse especially stands out due to his lyricism and flow. Being the song each member of the collective is a part of, I feel like WINDOWS does an incredible job allowing us to get to know each member while having mellow tones and great chemistry from the group.

The next two songs “I’LL TAKE YOU ON” and “OLD NEWS” derive heavily from the collective boyband origins with more poppy sounding themes with nice hooks and sublime production. Charlie Wilson allows the ending of “I’LL TAKE YOU ON” to be its strong

point with his soulful vocals, while Joba’s verse of “OLD NEWS” really stands out as it perfectly describes the fear of losing a relationship when you’re romantically interested in that same person.

My favorite song on the album is the following track. “WHAT’S THE OCCASION” baffled many the first thing you hear is Joba complimented with a guitar progression in the background. This automatically was something we’ve never heard on a Brockhampton track before, besides bearface singles. This coupled with the heavy and haunting lyricism by Joba meant we were in for a masterclass. The opening gifts us with the chorus of the song.

Immediately you could tell the tone shift of the song was drastically different from the past few, matching the somber feelings of “THE LIGHT” much better. Following Jobas’ chorus we are met with a verse from Matt Champion. While it is a solid verse, the song most definitely belongs to Joba. He talks about his mental health struggles and overall personal problems throughout his verse. This is reflected throughout his chorus and unbelievable ending to the song. It feels like the climax of a movie. The guitar and altered vocals are incredible together and make for an incredible listen.

Overall “WHAT’S THE OCCASION” is one of the best BROCKHAMPTON songs and definitely deserves more recognition.

many different genres of music to sample it into a softer kind of music. Songs like “5:32pm” by The Deli, “Sakura Trees” by Saib and “controlla” by Idealism have used soft beats and melodies to set their tones in the music they make. They also compose music using an MIDi editor.

As mentioned before, lo-fi can help many people study with the music being softer. Due to it’s chill and calming mood, lo-fi can help with getting any homework done, from essays and studying for a big test.

Lo-fi could also help people who have anxiety or are stressed. It could bring much comfort to people who need time alone as well, especially if music is one thing that helps comfort them.

Plus, lo-fi can help even teachers when students are doing work or even in their own work time.

I personally think lo-fi is an amazing way to get away from the world for a little bit and just relax. It’s helped many people with sleeping, Including me. So Lo-Fi is an amazing way to get rid of all the stress.

PARTY LIKE IT’S...

2008?

Want a playlist that makes you feel like you’re taking your date, Edward Cullen, to prom? You’re in luck!

Lo-fi: Origins and Perks

by Shyla Rincon Entertainment Staff If you ever went onto Youtube and wanted to search up studying music, the first thing you’d probably see is lo-fi hiphop, or more specifically, the lo-fi hiphop girl, a 24 hour stream that plays lo-fi for studying or relaxing.

The stream premiered back in March 2018, using the Studio Ghibli character Shizuku Tsukishi-

ma from “Whisper of the Heart” (1995), yet due to copyright issues from Studio Ghibli the stream had to been changed to the lo-fi hiphop girl and ever since then, it’s been popular.

Lo-fi hiphop combines hip hop and chill music, which you could use as a way for studying, relaxing, reducing anxiety or even sleeping.

Lo-fi has become one of the known genres for studying. Lo-fi artists like Tommpabeats, Jinsang, Idealism and more have a huge impact with their music.

Lo-fi musicians could also use

Entertainment

12

Red and Black

Winter 2022

Bringing Back the Old: A Review of BDSP

by Lizzy Alspach Editor-in-Chief Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP), the long awaited Sinnoh remakes, were released on November 19. Fans who pre ordered the games were able to receive a “Platinum Outfit” for their avatar, as well as a free Manaphy egg. On top of this, users who have game data of Let’s Go Eevee! or Let’s Go Pikachu! could receive a free Mew, while users who have game data of Pokemon Sword or Pokemon Shield could receive a free Jirachi. Both of these Pokemon are mythical and by association, extremely rare. While these free gifts excited many returning Pokemon fans, players have observed numerous glitches that affected overall gameplay.

For a long time, fans have wanted their companion Pokemon to be able to walk behind their avatar, ever since Pokemon Soul Silver and Pokemon Heartgold premiered the feature. Downloadable content for Pokemon Sword and Shield (SWSH) permitted the first Pokemon in a trainer’s party to walk behind their trainer, but that was only on the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra locations in the game. Therefore, when users

learned that the Pokemon partner walking feature was to be included in BDSP after visiting Amity Square, they were ecstatic. However, the feature was not free from the glitches.

ILCA designed the feature so when a Pokemon got stuck, it went back into its Pokeball and then was released right behind the trainer again. This feature was useful so as to not leave behind one’s beloved Pokemon partner, but because of how much Pokemon got caught behind miscellaneous items in the world (trees, rocks, and even direction signs), they were constantly blasting in and out of their Pokeballs. This hindered the excitement of the feature, but was not the only flaw. When trainers would engage with the Surf feature, or talk to random NPCs, sometimes their Pokemon would have to remain stationary or be left behind. Numerous users have taken clips of these glitches and posted them on Twitter, which has started a thread of glitch sharing.

Users have also observed a glitch in the Grand Underground an open area for trainers to search for rare Pokemon not exclusive to Sinnoh - where sometimes a Pokemon will turn pink, and the game will lag and force a reset.

There’s also a glitch in the Underground where trainers sometimes are walking in the air, and can walk

above all of the non-passable items, but cannot interact with anything.

A reset is required for this glitch as well.

Even simple things, like walking under a bridge, have triggered glitches. One particularly widespread glitch is when a user walks under a bridge, they often get teleported to the bridge level above it. This exact glitch doesn’t require a game reset, but is annoying to players nonetheless.

ILCA has received millions of complaints about their glitchy material, and while these prove problematic to gameplay, the game is overall observed to be enjoyable.

Pokeballs can be decorated with stickers to allow Pokemon to be released with flames, stars, flowers, or even stars and hearts. After beating each gym leader, they give you the sticker combination that they use on their ace teammate.

On the topic of gym leaders, many returning Pokemon fans were concerned that the difficulty of the games would suffer with a remake. As more Pokemon games were developed on newer technology, many players have begun to criticize how apparently simple and easy the Pokemon games have become.

The experience share, a feature not in the original games, does exist and helps train lower level Pokemon as well as strengthen

already powerful teammates. It was a primary object of concern, as players wondered if it would remove the fearsome strength of the gym leaders and Champion, Cynthia. The experience share does help a lot, but the levels curve out evenly once reaching the Elite Four and Champion. The difficulty level is the same, if not higher, than the original games because of the teams of each Elite Four member as well.

All of the Pokemon on their teams are competitively trained, meaning that they have the best stats, natures, moves, and strategies. It’s as if you’re facing extremely intelligent battlers, or real people, rather than just CPUs. Not only that, but the Grand Underground feature was improved as well - now, there are caves with extremely rare Pokemon to catch and use on playthrough teams. It also serves as a place to train your Pokemon, as the wild Pokemon that appear in the Grand Underground caves will be the same if not higher level than your Pokemon team.

While this is the first Pokemon game that GameFreak hasn’t released, ILCA ensured to make an extremely enjoyable experience for players new and old. Now, Pokemon fans must wait until the next Pokemon game is released.

- Pokemon Legends: Arceus, on January 28, 2021.

“What are you listening to?”

by Kai Treadwell and Bennett Forville Supervising Editors

A simple question really, so we took to the hallways in search of opinions.

Aïda Nyabingi (23’) “For A Pessismist, I’m Pretty Optimisitic” - Paramore

Alex Edwards (24’) “Meet Me Halfway” - Black Eyed Peas

Toni Bingnam (25’) “Snowman” - Sia

Entertainment

13

Winter 2022

Pro Wrestling Column

by Megan Leatherwood Sports Editor That’s right! PWC is back for more wrestling news.

Now, the opening line is by a current Monday Night Raw wrestler The Miz. He has recently returned after being on the 2021 ABC show Dancing With the Stars. He returned to Raw on November 29, 2021, to confront Edge, another Raw superstar who returned the same day. They got into a confronthat they will be competing at a Pay-Per-View called Day 1.

Many other matches have been Reigns who is a top Smackdown star - also champion - up against a former champion Brock Lesnar.

They have had many matches in the past and have traded wins, but now I had the amazing opportunity to go to a WWE show on Tuesday, December 28, 2021. I also had the chance to meet two wrestlers Drew Mcintyre and Sheamus.

They were very nice in person and interactive as they both gave is in the air, I couldn’t interact as much as I wanted to but it was still row at the event and I was so close to the ring I could touch it. Many of the wrestlers came over to where I sat during the matches interacting with the crowd.

Red and Black

On Day 1, PPV top star Roman Reigns announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 and couldn’t compete. His opponent, Brock Lesnar, was added to another match for the WWE championship.

This was already a fatal 4-way match but turned into a fatal 5-way match with his addition. He ended up winning the title and many people were disappointed since they felt it was unfair to the titleholder Big E. Even if he went against the champion Roman Reigns, he most likely would’ve won the title.

WWE’s yearly Royal Rumble is coming back on January 29, 2022.

The Royal Rumble is known for their 30-men and women match where two people start in the ring and the goal is to throw the person over the top rope. Then after about 2 minutes, another person enters the ring until all 30 wrestlers have been released.

The match ends when one person is left standing and they get a guaranteed main event match at the biggest event in wrestling, Wrestlemania against any champion they want. The women’s royal rumble

Meet and greet with Drew Mcintyre (right)

en’s champion Asuka.

But the wrestling world is a very male-dominated sport which is why they previously didn’t have a women’s royal rumble. But it’s been said that many women Hall of Famers, soon to be Famers, and up-coming women talent will participate in this match along with the main roster

Shayna Bazler (right) and Xia Li (left) are introduced to the question: what is the “dark” Mitski cautiously breaches? And why are we approaching said “dark” place? Not only that, but listeners are left in a of Mitski’s opening. Is venturing into the unknown abyss truly hazardous? Or is change necessary to move forward in life?

To douse our burning interest,

Mitski photographed by Ebru Yildiz Laurel Hell - Her newest album, Laurel Hell, which was released on February 4, ence You Won’t Forget 2022, only delves further into the topics of identity and heartbreak

by Samia Abdur-Rahim Managing Editor her work.

“Let’s step carefully into the Revered by millions of listendark,” sings Mitski, opening “Valers, Mitski Miyawaki is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter Laurel Hell. Beginning boldly, who is unafraid of vulnerability.

Mitski wraps listeners into the Her discography consists of a myri- swirling abyss of mournful nostalad of ballads that capture the human gia she so describes as the “dark.” condition in a raw and honest light.

Immediately we, the listener,

to listeners: “Once we’re in, I’ll remember my way around.” Yet that only sparks more curiosity. In just a few seconds, Mitski moves listeners with a soul-stunting silence before the oncoming storm - a perfect precursor to the rest of Laurel Hell.

While the ferocity of “Valteners with intense emotions, it’s the themes of absence which are Laurel Hell its glow. Paired with the chilling ambience in the opening song, the album creates precedent for distinct themes of heart-

break, coping, and moving on from adversity.

It’s the concept of absence Laurel Hell emphasizes and thrives on, leaving the listener in a state of overwhelming relatability matched with undeniable interest. To truly understand all of the deep themes she emphasizes in her music, we’d have to ask Mitski herself, but alas - we are only able to wonder. Yet that’s truly the beauty of listening to Mitski - leaving the interprework to the listeners. Doing so introduces a sense of community and an aspect of life that are cherished

by Mitski’s fans. amalgamation of Mitski’s Laurel Hell. To be able to evoke such a malaise of emotions through song and lyric is a feat that Mitski indubitably accomplishes. It’s listen to: Laurel Hell truly is a layered masterpiece of the genuine lamentations of Mitski.

Comics

14

December 2018 Red and Black

Red and Black Winter 2022

Million Dollar Smile

In a Billion Years or So

By Samia Abdur-Rahim

by Samia Abdur-Rahim

Yawning is Contagious

by Samia Abdur-Rahim

Horror v.s. Reality

By Aidan Lewis

Games

15

Red and2022 Black Winter

December 2018 Red and Black

Obligatory Semi-Winter Related Word Search

All the winter related corny goodness (including movie references and festivities). Words are hidden across, down, diagonally, diagonally, and backwards.

BALLDROP DREIDEL GRINCH JACKFROST KARAMU RUDOLPH

CANDLES ELFPRACTICE GREMLINS KACHINA NEWYEAR SNOWANGELS

SANTA FIRSTFRUITS NATIVITYSCENE MENORAH POLAREXPRESS SNOWFLAKE

BLACKCHRISTMAS CHRISTMASQUEEN HERMEYTHEELF WETBANDITS SNOWMEN SOYAL WREATH

A comic by Avi Berzofsky Special Contributer

A look at the hallways shows that Gladiators like to rep the bands that they listen to. While sometimes questioned in the fashion community, band T-shirts are some of the most discreet and comfortable ways to show ones music interest. Here are some Northwood students showing off their favorite artists while being stylish.