mirabelli v. bonta
senior memory board dhth leprechaun trap
THE SMOKE SIGNAL
into this month’s articles:
Gov. newsom visits fremont library
Applause rippled through the air as Governor Gavin Newsom took the stage at Fremont Main Library, lauding libraries and librarians in the electrifying speech that followed. Newsom’s address came as part of the broader “Stewards of our Stories” event held at the Fremont Main Library on February 27 from 10-1 p.m.. See more on pg. 2
Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. album review
Euphoric, adrenaline-pumping music marks Harry Styles’ return to the music scene with new album Kiss All e Time. Disco, Occasionally. After a four-year leave from the industry, Styles nally appeased his long-awaiting fans with new music on March 6. What really inspired Styles to make new music was the comfort he found on the dance oor. See more on pg. 12
msj boys basketball
e 2026 Boys Basketball season saw MSJ shatter not only school but also district records. Find out how the Warriors dominated MVALs, NCS, and CIF to become Division 4 champions, bringing together the entire MSJ community with their remarkable feat. See more on pg. 15
Local responses to BART’s funding crisis and potential service cuts
By Felicity He, Varun Madhavan, Kelly Shi & Lucas Zhang Sta Writers
Amid the dwindling daily rush of BART morning commutes, community organizers assembled at Warm Springs BART station on March 4 and 7, gathering signatures for a ballot measure that will keep the station open amid BART budget shortfalls. Since the pandemic, BART has experienced a sharp decline in ridership and revenue, relying instead on emergency funding from the state and federal government, ultimately leading to sweeping budget cuts of, at minimum, 65%. e ballot measure, known as the Connect Bay Area Act, would prevent such budget cuts to BART, AC Transit, and other transportation systems. If the measure does not qualify through local petitioning, BART will terminate services at 10 stations as part of its plan to discontinue services within the next year if alternative sources of funding are not identi ed, including the Warm Springs BART station.
BART’s ridership has been struggling since the pandemic, a change that correlates with an increase in people working from home. e number of passengers riding the system’s trains has decreased by 62%, consequently causing BART’s fare revenue to be down.
Before the pandemic, most of BART’s funding came from operating revenue, with 66% of the system’s money coming from fares in 2019. Declining ridership has hit the agency hard; BART is now relying
gency assistance from 2020 that will run out in 2026. Once the system cannot continue relying on these emergency funds, it will face massive budget cuts and reductions in hours and extent of operation. ough ridership has steadily increased in recent years, it is still far from having risen back to pre-pandemic levels. e sustained budget de cit continues to require emergency funding from the local, state, and federal levels to stay a oat — money that has run low after being given en masse during the pandemic.
will not be able to pick up your kids on time,” MSJ parent and 21-year BART commuter Jenny Xiong said.
BART closures will have e ects that ripple out into housing and road tra%c. According to a July 2024 report on the agency’s role in the region, Bay Area drivers would travel a total of 1.2 million more miles on the road without BART’s service, which would increase highway congestion and tra%c delays. As part of the effort to increase ridership, BART has been developing housing units as part of a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) project near the Warm Springs BART Station. “ e area’s TOD master plan has resulted in approximately 4,000 new housing units and additional industrial development proposals in the pipeline … is TOD project will bring additional ridership once it is complete,” Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan said in a letter sent to the BART Board of Directors. Salwan brought up the TOD in an argument to keep the station open, saying that “[BART’s] strategy fails to acknowledge the signi cant bene t the location and public asset brings to the Bay Area economy.”
To address a looming scal crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Connect Bay Area Act, a bill that would fund BART, AC Transit, and other Bay Area public transit systems to prevent drastic service cuts across those systems e ective starting from the 2027 scal year. e bill puts a regional transit funding measure on the 2026 ballot, which is required to rst be quali ed by 200,000 signatures through petitioning.
If passed, the measure would set a sales tax hike in a ected counties, including Alameda, to provide additional transit funding, which would bene t users of BART and other systems by preventing cuts to those services’ operation.
MSJ MUN Earns Top Placements at NHSMUN
By Scarlett Huang & Michael Qin Web Editor & Sta Writer
Students packed the lobby of the New York Hilton Midtown in crisp Western attire suits — some con dently, while others nervously clutched their position papers and suitcases — as excited conversations in languages from more than 70 di erent countries echoed across the room. For the rst time in three years, MSJ Model United Nations (MUN) competed in the National High School Model United Nations (NHSMUN) conference in New York City (NYC) on March 18–21, joining more than 5,000 students at the US’s most prestigious MUN conference. Tasked with representing both historical gures, modern politicians, and sovereign nations alike, com-
petitors at NHSMUN engaged in global con icts and resolution-drafting through ve high-stakes committee sessions.
With guest speakers like Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Former Senator Mitt Romney, NHSMUN’s opening ceremony started the conference with a call to diplomacy. Across the next four days, MSJ MUN’s
“It felt absolutely wonderful. Winning something for yourself is always good, but winning something for a school that you represent is even better.” — Shaurya Verma, 12
14 delegates explored the world of foreign geopolitics, crafting resolutions on global issues like civic access, sustainable development, and environmental protection. Between committee sessions, the group found time to roam the freezing
In February, the BART Board of Directors voted on a “doomsday plan,” outlining a series of budget cuts if the system is unable to secure additional funding. is would happen in a series of three phases that cut service and increase fares to improve BART’s nancial outlook. e rst phase, starting in Jan. 2027, will signi cantly reduce hours of operation across the system. It will end night service trains and close 10 stations, including Warm Springs Station. e second phase is set to take place in July 2027, and in addition to raising fares by 50%, it will close up to ve more stations. Furthermore, BART will lay o up to 1200 police and maintenance sta . If needed, BART will shut down its operations entirely.
Residents who rely on BART expressed disappointment at the cuts. “I really couldn’t imagine [the potential closures] … I’ve only driven to [San Francisco] three times because it’s terrible … the tra%c is just horrifying … you
streets of New York, tasting authentic NYC bagels, gazing at the towering buildings on Wall Street, and traversing across the Brooklyn Bridge.
e nal committee sessions descended into a sprint of delegates moving working papers into passed resolutions. Amid the frenzy, MSJ’s double delegations of Junior Keisha Rajanish and Senior Shaurya Verma, representing Cyprus in the Convention on Migratory Species, and Secretary Junior Cham Yu and Co-President Senior Alice Zhao, representing Saudi Arabia in the UN Human Settlements Programme, achieved the Award of Merit in their respective committees, which is awarded only to the top three delegations in each committee.
Fremont residents’ e orts to petition for and support the Connect Bay Area Act and prevent the system’s doomsday plan from being a necessary action will bene t BART passengers and the city as a whole in the long run, according to Salwan’s letter.
In front of a blue backdrop of the NHSMUN logo, the closing ceremony commenced on thenal day. Amid deafening ovation from the crowd, Zhao and her committee partner Yu stepped onto the stage to give their plenary speech — a short speech given by one representative of a
committee to describe the conference — not just as Saudi Arabia, but MSJ MUN as a whole. “It was a moment where I felt connected to not only our delegation but also our school,” Rajanish said. Ultimately, the collective e orts of the MSJ delegation resulted in the second-highest form of team recognition: the Delegation Award of Excellence. Amid tears “It felt absolutely wonderful,” Verma said. “Winning something for yourself is always good, but winning something for a school that you represent is even better.”
PHOTO BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PADMA BALAJI
PHOTO BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALICE ZHAO
Fremont City Council votes to go forward with charter city plan
By Luna Bichon, Alex Duan & Mansi Mundada Sta Writers
In February, the Fremont City Council voted 5-2 to place a measure on the November ballot for voters to determine whether a charter should be adopted by the city. is would allow Fremont to dictate some of its own governance structures. If a char-
many appointments, leaving little room for the rest of the rest of the City Council to in uence these decisions. at sits in contrast with San Diego, which uses its charter city structure to allow the mayor to directly appoint the police chief. Zhang also men-
LOCAL
On March 3, Fremont o cially appointed former Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell as the new leader of the Fremont Police Department. Mitchell brings decades of law enforcement experience and is expected to focus on community safety and trust between police and residents. City o cials praised his leadership and experience, noting that he has successfully handled complex investigations and modernized policing strategies in his previous roles. In his rst weeks, Mitchell plans to review department policies, enhance transparency, and meet with community organizations to ensure collaboration. is leadership change comes at a time when Fremont continues to balance growth with public safety demands. ▪
ter is approved, Fremont would gain greater control over local regulations, such as setting its own zoning and land-use rules. e proposal, proponents argue, will better support housing construction and business growth.
NATIONAL
President Donald Trump deploys ICE agents to mitigate sta ng shortage at airports
In response to crowded airport security lines, on March 23, President Donald Trump sent Department of Homeland Security agents, including US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, to 14 major US airports to help get passengers through the Transport Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. TSA faced severe stafng shortages due to the partial government shutdown, resulting in up to six-hour wait times in airports like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Democrats have expressed skepticism at deploying ICE ofcers to alleviate the stafng shortage, while supporters expressed hope that wait times will decrease. Trump has said that he could deploy National Guard troops to airports for further assistance if a deal to end the government shutdown is not reached.
Vice Mayor Yajing Zhang, proposed the motion because she received emails from the community and noticed the e ciency of other cities in the Bay Area. She noted that the City Council doesn’t have a say in the hiring of city o cials, such as the police chief, and that the city manager has the sole authority to approve
tioned the opportunity to explore and nd out what works best for Fremont as a reason for considering transitioning to a charter city. “We never really look at stu like this — is there room for improvement, can we execute it better?” Zhang said during a February 17 city council meeting. Fremont currently operates as a general law city, meaning it must follow standard rules and structures set by CA state law.
A charter city operates under its own written charter, which allows it to make laws and govern local matters, such as setting pro-
cedures for how city projects are approved and carried out, while still following state laws. According to the California League of Cities, a municipal government advocacy group, a key advantage of becoming a charter city is that it gives cities authority over municipal a airs. For example, the City of San Jose used this authority to adopt streamlined housing approval processes, allowing certain in ll housing to receive ministerial approval without public hearings or review under the California Environmental Quality Act. Cited problems with the traditional structure of CA cities often center around the lack of city council authority to hire critical city sta , which slows down many city-commissioned projects. However, not all charter cities experience increased e ciency. While other charter cities, like San Jose, are able to streamline construction and other processes through ordinances, some charter cities still struggle with meeting quotas, such as San Francisco. However, Fremont — being a general law city — has already performed relatively well in housing production compared to some major Bay Area cities, approving 1,133 housing units in 2022. On the other hand, major construction projects like Tesla’s upcoming remodeling of its Fremont factory would require extensive coordination between companies and the city. Under a charter, Fremont could potentially establish structures in the city government to approve infrastructure projects
more e ciently by gaining the authority to e ciently sta key management personnel, allowing for projects to be sped up. During the council meeting on February 17, Assistant City Manager Sharena Shackford expressed her concern about the cost of transiting to a charter city. Councilmembers Desrie Campbell and Kathy Kimberlin agreed while adding that the proposed four month timeline is short, which may potentially limit time for comprehensive public engagement. “I voted against the referral only because I thought the timing was not fair to our community [or] to our sta , because we have other things we’re looking at right now,” Kimberlin said. Opponents also argue that being a charter city could make policy adjustments more di cult and costly since charter amendments typically require ballot measures, which often lead to additional funds spent for campaigning.
“It’s not just the City Council deciding. It’s the voters weighing in and deciding: is this the government they want for their city?”
— COUNCILMEMBER KATHY KIMBERLIN
As Fremont moves toward potentially becoming a charter city, the decision ultimately rests with voters in the November election. “It’s not just the City Council deciding. It’s the voters weighing in and deciding: is this the government they want for their city?” Kimberlin said. ▪
Governor Gavin Newsom launches California Love, California Strong initiative at Fremont Main Library
By Vikram Mahajan & Aarav Vashisht Opinion Editor & Sta Writer
Applause rippled through the courtyard as Governor Gavin Newsom took the stage at Fremont Main Library, to deliver a light-heated speech. In his address, Newsom celebrated the role librarians have in education and highlighted the importance of social connection. His speech came as part of the broader California Love, California Strong (CLCS) initiative, a statewide organization that works to address social isolation in CA. Hosted on February 27, the “Celebrat-
ing Libraries and Librarians, the Stewards of our Stories” event gathered the community together to o cially launch First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s CLCS initiative. Hundreds of FUSD students, including 20 from MSJ, participated alongside community members in the CLCS’s rst event. Attendees were welcomed to the event with a wide array of activities scattered across the courtyard. e booths hosted a diverse selection of service activities, ranging from Congolese traditional dancing to ribbon-making projects. Several CA non-pro t organizations also
hosted stands, encouraging participants to join their cause while providing complimentary goods.
After attendees immersed themselves in the resource fair, Siebel Newsom opened the event by recognizing CA’s ongoing loneliness crisis. She expressed that her goal to commemorate libraries as hubs of education and inclusivity for Californians. “I’m proud to launch CLCS so we can build healthier, more connected communities where everyone feels seen, valued, and like they truly belong,” Siebel Newsom said.
Following speeches from Chief Service O cer Josh Fryday and Secretary of CA Health and Services Kim Johnson, the audience erupted in applause as Newsom took the stage to deliver a light-hearted closing speech. Subsequently, Kim A. Snyder and members of e Librarians production team hosted a Q&A panel, in which the
audience explored the lasting impact libraries have made on intellectual freedom. e panel also incorporated a brief screening of e Librarians, a documentary about the role of librarians in protecting free speech that premiered in late January. By bringing the community together to celebrate the impact of the Fremont Main Library in cultivating supportive environments, CLCS aimed to demonstrated its commitment to diversity and tolerance. “I used to always go to the library as a kid to check out books, but now I know the broader importance of libraries in our democracy.” Junior Kaiwei Parks, who attended the event, said. “I am glad the First Partner and the governor are launching this initiative to shine a light on these important gures that go unrecognized within our society.” ▪
Compiled by Amy Han & Lucas Zhang Sta Writers
Veteran police o cer Floyd Mitchell named new Fremont police chief
Former Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell was appointed as the new leader of the Fremont Police Department. .
Ray Chavez / Bay Area News Group
Wikimedia Commons
President Donald Trump deployed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at 14 airports on March 23.
The Fremont City Council voted 5-2 to move forward with transitioning Fremont into a charter city on Feburary 17.
Governor Gavin Newsom delivers a speech outside the Fremont Main Library outlining the new initiative to address social isolation in CA.
Hundreds of attendees congregate near booths at the event.
City of Fremont
April Community EvEnts CAlEndAr
ursday, April 2-Saturday, May 23
Hidden Treasures, Local Talent
Fremont’s Olive Hyde Art Gallery will host Hidden Treasures, Local Talent from April 2 to May 23, showcasing the creativity of local artists. As part of Fremont Creates, an biennial arts celebration held in April, the exhibit features 60 artists displaying works in painting, ceramics, textiles, and mixed media. e gallery, located at 123 Washington Blvd., is open ursday through Sunday, allowing visitors to explore the exhibit at their convenience. An opening reception on April 10 o ers a chance to meet the artists and learn more about their work. is event highlights both emerging and established talent, providing Fremont residents with an opportunity to engage with the city’s vibrant arts community.
April 3,
Compiled by Dhaeshna Booma, Eleanor Chen, Alex Duan, Amy Han, Michael Qin, Fiona Yang & Matthew Zhang Sta Writers
from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Organized by Maitri, a nonpro t organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that helps South Asian families and individuals facing abuse or con ict, the event primarily advocates for fostering a violence-free future by using the works of young artists inspired by love, peace, and compassion, along with poetic and other forms of written expression. e artistic pieces displayed are produced by a wide age range of students, created using diverse media, such as charcoal, colored pencil, oil pastel, and watercolor.
Saturday, April 4-Sunday, April 26
4-26.
Local artists will display and sell their work in an event hosted by the Fremont Art Association at 12-5 p.m. every weekend on April 4-26 (except Sunday, April 5) at a gallery located at 37697 Niles Blvd., Fremont. Established in 1959, the Fremont Art Association is dedicated to supporting community enjoyment of art in Fremont, and hosts regular events such as the April gallery exhibit. is event o ers community members a chance to explore local artwork in a relaxed environment. Although all items displayed at the event will be individually priced and available for purchase, there is no entry fee. e gallery exhibit will spotlight local art and allow attendees to support artists, connecting them with potential buyers in the community.
stAff Column
Trapped in a feed of negativity
By Saesha Prabhakar Sta Writer
It’s late at night, and I’m trying to squeeze in my last bit of TikTok before bed. One video after another ashes through my screen. Someone showing o their out t, a Wingstop mukbang, a “day in the life.” As my daily ritual is almost over, I come across a comment under a clip of an interview with a Love Island star that reads, “she is so unlikable.” Curious, I continue scrolling and see more vile comments on the same video: “ick,” “she’s doing too much.” I rewatch the clip: it seems like an innocuous interview; the star simply answers the questions she’s asked. After this encounter, I keep scrolling through TikTok and checking the comments under each video. Under a “day in the life” video from a marketing employee, someone writes, “get a real job.” Under a clip of someone lip-syncing to an audio, another person comments “what are u doing genuinely.” e comments keep going — terse, blunt, and harsh.
As this negativity slowly consumes me, I realize that even though social media is a part of my daily life, I’ve only gradually come to notice how ubiquitous and normalized hate has become on these platforms. At this point, it almost feels like a routine. Someone posts a harmless video and the comment sections ll with hate. People pick apart the way others talk, look, or dress, or even just their general vibe. Instead of reacting to the content or simply scrolling, people nd one reason or another to pick someone apart. And because it happens so often, everyone just accepts it. e hate isn’t shocking anymore. It’s normal. It’s just a part of being on social media.
People often defend hate as just voicing an opinion, but there is a clear dif-
Editor’s Pick:
Saturday, April 11-Sunday, April 12 & Saturday April 18-Sunday, April 19
Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
more
e Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival will take place April 11-12 and April 18-19, at 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Japantown Peace Plaza, San Francisco. Held annually since 1968, the festival attracts more than 200,000 people each year. As one of the largest celebrations of Japanese culture in the US, the festival will feature live music, cultural performances, and other family-friendly activities. In addition, attendees can experience traditional arts and crafts booths alongside martial arts demonstrations. e Grand Parade will be held on the nal Sunday at 1-3 p.m., showcasing taiko drummers, dancers, and decorative oats.
stAff Column
ference between respectful disagreement and attacking someone with an intent to embarrass them. e Internet blurs that red line, making it easy to forget that there is a real person behind the screen.
I use social media the way most people do: whenever I am bored, need a break, or have a few minutes to spare, I open my phone and scroll through Instagram or TikTok. It’s a way for me to relax and take a break from all my responsibilities. But over time, I’ve started to feel di erent. I often felt worse after spending time scrolling through social media. Seeing all the insults and mockery online ll me with negativity that lingers in my mind throughout the day.
Eventually, all that trapped negativity slowly grew into an overbearing insecurity. When you constantly see people criticizing other’s looks, personalities, or choices, it’s hard not to start wondering what people might say about you. More than that, I noticed that my own thoughts were becoming more negative. I found myself becoming more judgmental towards myself and others. I would think twice before making a joke, debating whether it would be considered “cringey” or unfunny. When interactions on social media began a ecting my day-today life, I realized how easily negativity spread. When you’re surrounded by it long enough, it starts to shape the way you think with you even noticing.
After weeks of being in a state of constant self-doubt and pessimism, I nally decided that the small dopamine hits I get from scrolling are not worth ruining my mental health. I slowly began taking social media out of my daily routine. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through feeds before sleeping, I picked up a
book and journaled my thoughts. Every time my hand instinctively went for my phone, I had to pause and remind myself to put it down. It was a small act that felt surprisingly di &cult, testing my patience and self-discipline.
At rst, the absence of constant stimulation felt strange, almost like a quiet emptiness. However, instead of feeling isolated and detached, I felt a gentle sense of calm settling over me. I nally felt as if I had space to breathe, free from worrying about what someone online might think of me. Over time, I felt a renewed sense of con dence and positivity. My thoughts felt clearer, my energy more steady, and a sense of well-being I hadn’t realized was missing slowly anchored itself back into my daily life.
My own experience in dealing with the toxic environment created on social media helped me realize that the way we interact online actually matters. Every comment, every reaction, and every little message contributes to the thoughts and feelings of others. At its core, the Internet is meant to connect us, not breed cruelty. No one should accept hostility and negativity as the norm in spaces where people come together to communicate and share their lives.
In the midst of all this toxicity and negativity, it’s worth remembering a lesson we were taught as young kids: when we have the choice between spreading hate and spreading kindness, choosing kindness is always the better option. e small decisions we make online can shape someone else’s day and contribute to the culture of kindness or cruelty across social media. Choosing kindness isn’t just better for others; it’s better for ourselves too.
Fremont’s Spring into STEAM event will be held on April 22 at 5-8 p.m. at the Downtown Event Center. e event—aimed at promoting science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM)—is sponsored by the Cargill, a multinational food corporation, and sta ed by various vendors that sell products to attendees. Activities featured include family-friendly scavenger hunts, food trucks, STEAM-themed ra e prizes, and live music. Organizers aim to engage students’ interest in STEAM subjects through hands-on activities and demonstrations. Attendees are encouraged to bring their younger siblings to explore academic subjects, supported by sta from the City of Fremont and FUSD.
Sunday, April 26
Artists’ Pop-Up Market
Fremont Creates will host its Artists’ PopUp Market on April 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Downtown Event Center. Fremont local artists will use the space to showcase and sell their handcrafted work in a vibrant, communal setting. In addition to the market, two adult hands-on workshops will be o ered, while the Makerspace will be open with interactive creative activities for younger audiences. As part of Fremont’s Arts, Culture & Creativity Month, the event will highlight a wide range of artistic styles and mediums from local artists, which help support community art initiatives. ▪
Wikimedia Commons
Fremont Creates, a month-long art celebration, will culminate in an Artists’ Pop-Up Market on April 26.
Spring into STEAM
Wednesday, April 22
PICRYL
The City of Fremont’s Spring into STEAM event will be held on April 22 at 5-8 p.m. Wikimedia Commons
Hidden Treasures, Local Talent will be held on April 2-May 23 at the Olive Hyde Art Gallery.
The Fremont Art Association Gallery Exhibit is held at 37697 Niles Blvd. every weekend on April
Fremont Art Association Gallery Exhibit
On
the Maitri Art and Poetry Display will be held at the Fremont Main Library
The Fremont Main Library is hosting an art and poetry display on April 3.
Wednesday, April 3
Maitri Art and Poetry Display Alameda County Library
Wikimedia Commons
Japantown will receive
than 200,000 visitors in its annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival.
Wikimedia Commons
THE SMOKE SIGN AL
Mission San Jose High School
Est. 1964
Vol. 61, No. 7 April 2, 2026
www.thesmokesignal.org
41717 Palm Ave. Fremont, CA 94539
510-657-3600, ext. 37074
MISSION STATEMENT The Smoke Signal’s mission is to represent the voices of the MSJ community and serve the public by providing accurate, meaningful, and engaging information presented through print and digital media.
SCHOOL POPULATION 1878 students
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Padma Balaji, Alice Zhao
NEWS Jennifer Li, Cham Yu
OPINION Jiazheng Dou, Vikram Mahajan
FEATURE Ariel Duong, Trisha Parikh
CENTERSPREAD Naisha Koppurapu, Ariana Yi
A&E Navya Chitlur, Brittany Lu
SPORTS Michael Qu, Ethan Yan
GRAPHICS Hannah Bi, Emily Zhang
WEB Scarlett Huang, Ekasha Sikka
PUBLICITY/TECH Aaqib Zishan
BUSINESS Gaurasundara Amarnani
CIRCULATION Alex Duan, Abigaile Lei
ADVERTISING Fiona Yang
EVENTS Dhaeshna Booma, Felicity He
WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS
Hamnah Akhtar, Luna Bichon, Jessica Cao, Eleanor Chen, Cecilia Cheng, Kanupriya Goyal, Amber Halvorsen, Amy Han, Kayla Li, Erika Liu, Varun Madhavan, Veer Mahajan, Finnegan McCarthy, Joseph Miao, Mansi Mundada, Saesha Prabhakar, Michael Qin, Kelly Shi, Warren Su, Aarav Vashisht, Megha Vashisht, Prisha Virmani, Leland Yu, Andy Zhang, Lucas Zhang, Matthew Zhang
ADVISER YC Low
The Smoke Signal‘s name originated from traditional forms of long-distance communication and honors cultures around the world, including China, Greece, and Rome.
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Nothing to fear
By Janet Guan Opinion Editor
“Alright. Next.”
As I opened the door to the audition room, my heart pounded, palms suddenly clammy. My hands tightened around the silver ute in their grasp, and I wondered if it was possible to forget how to play an instrument in a split second of nervousness.
e audition lady looked up from her clipboard and smiled. “You may begin.”
I felt my hands shake as I raised my ute to my lips, the two halves balking as they tried to remember the perfect aperture I had practiced weeks before. It’s over, I thought. And just as I expected, my rst note came out too sharp, too airy, and every bit disappointing.
I’ve known fear in countless different forms: sudden brain fog before an academic competition, shadows of doubt before starting an application, all-consuming inertia before cracking down on a long-term goal. But the feeling has been the same, an inexorable tide of internal pushback — halting, debilitating, and the last obstacle in the pursuits I’ve valued the most.
I used to blame my fear on some internal aw of my own. Perhaps I was just prone to nervousness. Perhaps I just wasn’t t for performing, for putting myself in the spotlight. Whatever the case, I treated fear as a part of who I was — un xable and better neglected than resolved. Bit by bit, I let go of the things that required me to confront my fear. I quit ute; I put competition training and applications on hold. I shelved everything away for temporary ignorant bliss. en something last month re-
minded me of the battle I had swept aside. Alongside millions of viewers around the world, I was absolutely dazzled by Alysa Liu’s gold-medal free skate in the 2026 Winter Olympics. What I remember the most is the sheer freedom in her skating. e anticipation of Olympic judges, her teammates, and the world had no e ect on the pure passion that radiated from her every leap and twirl. Her smile alone said it all: she was completely at home.
I can’t say that Liu’s performance rid me of fear altogether because bravery, the truth is, is a gradual battle. For Liu herself, she had initially retired at 16 under the demands of early success. But remarkably, she returned — not for any competition result but the joy of skating itself. “If there was no one on Earth, I would still skate,” Liu said to e Guardian
I can say that her mindset gave me a new perspective on fear: fear isn’t a consequence of who I am, but what I choose to value. I was so used to conning my satisfaction from a pursuit entirely to the end result — a competition score, an audition seating, a program acceptance — and by xating on that uncertainty, I trapped myself in a cycle of disappointment. e best remedy to fear is nding enjoyment in the process itself.
Bravery begins with re ection, recognizing the sparks that ignited a passion and allowing them to consume our fear. e excitement of playing a duet with a friend. e rush of nally solving a problem, after hours of wrestling with its intricacies. Because when we truly love something, there’s really nothing to fear. ▪
The Opinion of the Smoke Signal Editorial Board
Iran: more than a pawn in western politics
As US-Israeli airstrikes rained down on Tehran on February 28, two simultaneous, incompatible reactions surfaced: grief from American onlookers mourning civilian casualties and an abruptly terrifying act from their president, and immense relief from people who had just been freed from decades under a cruel regime. e former cleric and supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
In the hours and days following, a one-sided, black-and-white narrative took hold of civilians on social media and news outlets across America. Accounts and news stories mourning the deaths of children killed in bombing — a grief valid and necessary in its own right — extended the expectation of mourning toward Iranian civilians. e implication was clear, that Iranians should be grieving just as loudly as they were about these civilian deaths, erasing the decades of grief that the people of Iran had already been enduring.
Under Khamenei’s theocratic rule, women faced arrest and physical punishment for improperly wearing the hijab — a reality made globally visible in 2022 when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody after being detained for wearing her headscarf “incorrectly.” e UN documented widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and executions of protestors in the crackdown that followed, with more than 500 people killed and 15,000 arrested in the months after Amini’s
death. By insisting that Iranians mourn alongside Americans without acknowledging the history that preceded the bombing, public discourse reduces an entire population to props in a Westernized emotional narrative. Celebrating the death of an oppressive leader is not correlated with supporting Trump; people can be anti-Khamenei and anti-Trump because politics is not black and white. Relief and grief are not opposite, and a person can mourn civilian death and simultaneously feel the freedom from decades of oppression. To demand that they perform sorrow for a regime that imprisoned them is not empathy, but rather ignorance.
For decades, western media coverage of Iran and the Middle East has revolved around con ict, threat, and instability. A 2019 study published in the international Journal of Communication found that US media coverage of Muslim majority countries skews overwhelmingly negative, with terrorism and political violence accounting for the majority of stories. Similarly, in the same news cycle, social media started fear mongering. Hundreds of accounts ooded X, TikTok, and Instagram with clickbait-esque posts like “List of American cities that will be bombed in the next week” and “What you need to prepare before we’re attacked in 8 days” — stripping Iran’s most threatening o cial statements of context, fueling mass hysteria and perpetuating a narrative of constant con ict in the Middle East, driven
Last weekend, I was watching yet another Bollywood lm on Net ix, yet another with the same formula: the protagonist is rejected by his interest, but seeks her out persistently, and eventually wins her over. Alternatively, the couple breaks up, but after repeated entreaties, and repeated rejections, the hero (not one to lose heart or hope), is able to win her back anyway.
It’s a heartwarming if predictable plotline. It’s a message encapsulated in an episode of e O ce, where Michael tells Jim, in urging him to continue his pursuit of Pam: “Engaged ain’t married. Never, ever, ever give up.”
Never give up — a simple yet uplifting message, one that can be applied to not just relationships, but to college dreams, career aspirations, academics, and countless other life situations. e more complicated question about this simple panacea is if it truly always works — and sometimes, it quite evidently does not.
A few months ago, a friend of mine had a falling out with a friend she dearly cherished. e argument was entirely her own fault, and she tried hard to reconcile, to rekindle the friendship. Yet each overture was to no avail.
Eventually, my friend abandoned her e orts. is utterly de es the conventional wisdom of countless romcoms: unrequited friendship; no happy ending; a protagonist who gave up? e friend told me she still missed that friend even weeks later. But she could no longer let those feelings escape her lips in front of the person they were for. Simply put, she had accepted an unhappy ending for herself.
Never? give up
By Vikram Mahajan Opinion Editor
multiple other friends have had to swallow similarly bitter, if far bigger, pills: rejections from dream schools, or acceptances without the nancial aid necessary to actually attend. Letters of continued interest, appeals on aid decisions, may sometimes see success, but most often will not. And so, while many of my friends have made these e orts, they’ve done so warily. Others still don’t even bother.
Whatever happened to “never give up?” Wasn’t it a lack of dedication from my friend to give up on winning her friend back? Or a lack of perseverence in those friends that accepted college rejections? To the contrary, speaking to these friends, I realized the fortitude it took to accept defeat each day. I realized that “never give up” has its exceptions. For all the positive characteristics we associate with never giving up, we often fail to appreciate the necessity of giving up, of accepting ugly, unhappy truths — for the sake of ourselves and those we care for. We fail to recognize the courage it takes to do so, to give up when you want to keep ghting, to live with what you can’t bear to accept.
Now I’ve realized that real strength comes not from never giving up — but from having the wisdom to know when to, and the restraint to hold yourself back. It comes from accepting that you sometimes can’t paint over the mistakes you’re bound to make in life, from forcing yourself to lay the paintbrush down and accept the portrait of life with all its blemishes and imperfections. Because even if you can’t paint over them, there’s still much more of the portrait left to paint.
by undertones of Islamophobia. Biased reporting encourages political extremism from all angles, as well as erasure of gray areas and proper information presentation. In this case, it pushes Americans to only see Iran as a nuclear threat or a hostage crisis —not a country where brave young adults risked their lives to memorize protest chants, where women burned their hijabs on rooftops, where millions marched in the streets demanding the freedom they were never granted by their government. In this way, public discourse reduces Iran from a nuanced country and population to simpli ed and biased American news headlines. Iran, and other traumatic events, are not pawns in Western political media wars, but rather real, drastic, and nuanced things.
e people of Iran are not a monolith any more than Americans are. eir grief and struggle should not be weaponized and manipulated to push western agendas. eir celebration shouldn’t be considered an homage to the Trump administration, and their grief should not be considered an act against him. ey are the students who were detained for protesting and the parents who bailed them out. ey are the Iranian Americans who celebrated in Westwood and were accused of rejoicing death. ey are civilians who passed away in the bombing. ey are all of these things and more simultaneously, and they deserve the full extent of that complexity. ▪
By Finn McCarthy & Erika Liu Sta Writers
Mirabelli v. Bonta: Do forced outing policies actually keep students safe?
The controversial decision raises questions of privacy and safety within federal transgender legislation
By Amber Halvorsen, Erika Liu, Michael Qin & Warren Su Sta Writers
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s most recent stay on the case Mirabelli v. Bonta — initially led in April 2023 against policies preventing parents from knowing if their child had transitioned gender at school — debate has only intensi ed, demonstrating a growing tug-of-war between student privacy and parent support. Parents, LGBTQ+ activists, and policymakers everywhere are divided on how best to protect their children.
move school policies allowing administrators to withhold information on a student’s gender identity from their parents. The case resurfaced this year following the suicide attempts of two fth- and seventh-grade transgender students in EUSD. Parents brought a class-action lawsuit to the Supreme Court on the grounds of religion described in the First Amendment and the unenumerated right to child-rearing described in the 14th Amendment. On March 2, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mirabelli, now requiring schools to inform parents of their students’ on-campus gender expression when explicitly asked.
schools, which prohibited schools from implementing policies that forced staff to disclose a student’s gender or orientation without their consent, while protecting administrators who decided not to “out” gender non-con forming students.
The Smoke Signal students, two of which have been granted fake names to preserve anonymity, to offer better insight into the implications of Mirabelli v. Bonta. “M” and “Robert” lent their experiences without disclosing their identities out of fear of retribution or harassment.
Mirabelli v. Bonta began with two teachers in the Escondido Union School District (EUSD), who sought to re-
The Court’s decision was an unsigned emergency order that failed to fully explain itself. It effectively blocked a CA law, AB 1955 “Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act” (SAFETY), still active in CA
Mirabelli v. Bonta ultimately advocates for the well-being of students by giving parents the opportunity to guide their children in a way that is necessary for their development.
Outed LGBTQ+ students face a disproportionately greater risk of abuse at home. However, blanket laws like the SAFETY Act fail to effectively root out abuse. If a student faces potential domestic abuse, continuing a secret transition only delays addressing these risks at home. Instead of keeping families and schools separate, at-risk students need coordinated solutions with social services. Mirabelli v. Bonta gives CA lawmakers the opportunity to more thoroughly protect domestic abuse victims while granting parents more avenues to support their children. Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2025 states that “youth- and family-centered care leads to better health outcomes … and greater patient and family satisfaction.” By withholding information, schools effectively blind the very people responsible for the constant support of students vital for their safety.
Social transitioning can boost mental health and self esteem, but only if it is validated by personal support systems. According to a 2019 study from The Trevor Project and the Family Acceptance Project, LGBTQ+ youth had a 40% lower chance of a suicide attempt when their outed sexual orientation or gender was vali dated by at least one adult, compared to those who didn’t feel as accepted. While transparency doesn’t ensure acceptance, the alternative — complete secrecy — guarantees total isolation, which fails to resolve abuse and further exacerbates the mental health struggles of vulnerable students.
“No one’s a bigger champion of children than their parents, and we don’t want to take the role of parents,” — Co-Plaintif Teacher
Lori Ann West
By approaching the topic from both sides, the Signal assessed the rationale behind such a highly con tentious case — as well as how similar legislation is shaping the world of education and gender politics in CA going forward.
Mirabelli v. Bonta is regressive toward the safety of gen der non-conforming individuals. The partial decision utilizes a awed and targeted framework to strip transgender stu dents of their right to privacy, even in situations where it is often necessary.
According to a 2019 study from The Trevor Project and the Family Acceptance Project, LGBTQ+ youth had a 40% lower chance of a suicide attempt when their outed sexual orientation or gender was validated by at least one adult, compared to those who didn’t feel as accepted.
Mirabelli v. Bonta legalizes forced “outing” — in other words, the forced reveal ing of one’s gender identity. Forced outing has been statistically proven to increase rates of depression and suicidal ideation amongst transgender youths. In one 2023 University of Connecticut study, 69% of LGBTQ+ youth reported that being outed to their parents was extremely stressful. Additionally, transgender and nonbinary youths report the highest rates of depression out of all LGBTQ+ de mographics. Students who couldn’t use their preferred name and pronouns were 56% more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior and 29% more likely to experience suicidal ideation, according to Journal of Adolescent Health, demonstrating a signi cant mortal impact.
Students who couldn’t use their preferred name and pronouns were 56% more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior and 29% more likely to experience suicidal ideation, according to the Journal of Adolescent Health, demonstrating a signifcant mortal impact.
Conclusion
Furthermore, though the SAFETY Act allows teachers to respect student privacy, it doesn’t hold them accountable for providing the necessary support. In the 2024-25 school year, the American School Counselor Association found that CA public schools have an average 432:1 student-to-counselor ratio, a clear indication that individualized care for vulnerable students is nearly impossible when staff availability is stretched too thin. Expecting any teacher to provide adequate mental health support without proper licensing or experience while simultaneously teaching classes seriously jeopardizes students’ health. Without parental involvement, there would be even fewer safeguards for vulnerable students — an area the SAFETY Act heavily overlooks. “No one’s a bigger champion of children than their parents, and we don’t want to take the role of parents,” co-plaintiff teacher Lori Ann West said in a CBN interview. By institutionalizing deception, schools are breaking the trust between administrators and families while denying vulnerable students uni ed support. Junior Sunny He, who is transmasculine, offered his personal experience. “It is suffocating to hide yourself out of fear that you will be harmed. Not everyone has parents they can feel safe coming out to. It’s awful that in those cases, they are forced to endure it themselves,” He said.
Mirabelli v. Bonta has created a political rift in education. The political polarization regarding gender transitions has led to both sides of the debate focusing on personal beliefs rather than what helps transgender students.
“It starts little by little. But [policymakers] will eventually try to make our existence illegal. That scares me.” — Sunny He, 11
Mirabelli v. Bonta fails to address these fatal statistics because it is overly optimistic — it forces total transparency while neglecting the harsh social realities of what it actually means to be transgender. Sadly, many transgender children do not enjoy stable home lives. In studies done by The Trevor Project, approximately 35-39% of transgender youths have experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point. Fewer than a third of transgender and nonbinary youths found their home to be gender af rming. One transgender student, “M,” who is only using their rst initial out of safety and privacy concerns, stated that his life has become “signi cantly worse” after coming out, thanks in part to a lack of stability and support in his life. “If my mom found out I was telling people I am a boy, she would kick me out of the house,” he said. “People hate transgender people … [Outing] can be dangerous.” Another transgender student, “Robert,” who is also using a pseudonym out of safety concerns, mentioned that he had experienced issues with older relatives in the past. He also felt a compulsion to hide his identity. “I had to mask all the time … I was quite depressed,” Robert said. When faced with the social vitriol inherent to coming out, keeping one’s identity a secret naturally feels safer and more af rming. The SAFETY Act provided transgender students at least a degree of agency with such a sensitive decision. However, Mirabelli v. Bonta robs transgender students of that personal choice, pushing them into making a decision they may be potentially unprepared for.
The shortfalls of Mirabelli v. Bonta don’t end there. Proponents state that the policy protects freedom of religion under the First Amendment. Yet, this focus on how a child’s on-campus activities con ict with their religious identity does not extend to any other aspect of their lives. Proponents also often cite the right to transparency in child-rearing as implicitly stated in the 14th Amendment. However, there are many extant policies in CA that already ensure privacy to minors regardless. CA Education Code 49602 guarantees that personal information shared by a 12-year-old or older is con dential and cannot be shared to parents, with very limited exceptions for safety. Some policies even prevent parents from knowing if a minor has had a pregnancy or abortion. In such cases, it’s recognized that privacy for minors is not deception, but an ethical duty. It is odd that the decision on Mirabelli v. Bonta only goes so far as to dismantle privacy to the extent that it applies to gender. It’s a double standard — a slippery slope for future transgender legislation. “It starts little by little,” He said, regarding his thoughts on the court case. “But [policymakers] will eventually try to make our existence illegal. That scares me.”
The LGBTQ+ community continues to rally for the right to come out on their own terms. Lawmakers, meanwhile, must leave personal biases behind, keeping the happiness and security of the students they serve forefront. No one should have to ght for the right to exist. “I don’t face immediate danger, but that doesn’t mean the harm isn’t there,” He said. “Just because I am fortunate right now doesn’t mean I can afford to be ignorant.” ▪
The Pakistan-Afghanistan confict: Taliban, terrorism, and total war
By Hamnah Akhtar, Jessica Cao & Veer Mahajan Sta Writers
Villagers along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border lay asleep as military aircraft rumbled overhead, causing explosions that violently lit up the morning sky. Frightened and uncertain, civilians gathered their families and belongings: for them, the war had begun.
On February 26, Pakistan formally declared open war against Afghanistan’s Taliban government after a week of escalating cross-border attacks and airstrikes. Tensions between the two South Asian countries have remained high over the last few years, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban government of harboring and providing safe havens for the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claiming the group used Afghan territory to train fighters and launch deadly attacks. But recently, a fresh wave of attacks and civilian casualties escalated the conflict into open war.
fund the Taliban. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan from 1979-89, the American CIA covertly supported the Mujahideen, anticommunist guerrilla fighters, thereby laying the groundwork for decades of instability.
Over time, these US-backed factions merged into the Taliban; with a growing base, including Pashtuns — another major Afghan ethnic group — the Taliban seized Kandahar in 1994 and established tight control over Kabul by 1996, controlling about 90% of the country by 2001, when the US ousted it. The
TTP’s membership in this network is a direct result of American and Pakistani decisions in the Cold War, with repercussions continuing to shape Afghanistan, neighboring Pakistan, and the US, to which thousands of refugees have fled from crisis-ridden Afghanistan.
Much of the context of the conflict, one that has forced displacements of thousands on both sides, connects to the US’s past actions in the region, including indirect ties to what is today the Taliban. The US’s current embroilment in Iran, part of a pattern of foreign involvement, distracts attention from the right-wing, Islamist terrorist outfit’s heavy influence over Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Afghan roots exist in America, with 60,000 Afghan Americans in Fremont alone, but so do American roots in Afghanistan — indeed, it was the US that helped indirecrly
Although the Taliban were ousted in December 2001, they gradually regrouped, and after years of conflict, they retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 as US forces withdrew after a 20 year military presence. The Taliban have since reimposed strict rule, prompting widespread fear, economic collapse, and displacement. These conditions have driven waves of Afghan migration over the past two decades, many of whom have settled in communities like Fremont, home to the largest concentration of Afghan Americans in the US.
The current phase of the Pakistan-Afghanistan war began with Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan military bases, which Pakistan said were aimed at militant hideouts linked to TTP. These strikes followed a February 16 suicide bombing that killed 11 Pakistani security personnel and one child. Although the fighting is unfolding thousands of miles away, its impact reaches far beyond. As the missile targets shift from military facilities and terrorist strongholds to civilian areas, Fremont’s sizable South Asian community, too, experiences the conflict. Fremont resident Mohammad Akhtar feels empathy for “the Afghan people, especially because they have been suffering from wars for a very long time. Even being a Pakistani … I feel bad about all the difficulties that Afghan people are going through, not only just because of this war, but also all the previous ones.”
Anthropic is clashing with the Pentagon over demands for unrestricted military use of its Claude AI. CEO Dario Amodei refuses to drop safeguards against mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. President Trump has halted federal use of its tools, and the Pentagon has labeled it a “supply chain risk,” threatening contracts. Meanwhile, OpenAI has secured a deal to deploy its models in classi ed defense systems with safeguards, thereby lling the vacuum.
“It’s important that as this technology emerges, these guidelines are being enforced with them. Otherwise, we’ll see something like at the beginning of the Internet where there was a urry of development but not enough regulation ... I think Anthropic’s decision is absolutely noble because it’s very hard to turn down this defense money, because the defense industry — sorry I believe now it is the war industry, thank you Pete Hegseth! — has got big pockets and because of that, for a lot of companies it’s not easy to turn down requests like this o of principle. So the fact that Anthropic sticks to their guidelines even when money and contracts are at risk shows that they really do believe in their goals and it’s not just a consumer talking point … I would trust it more compared to companies that have less backbone — I’m looking at you, OpenAI … In general, a lot of industries don’t necessarily have the same problems that the defense industry has. e defense industry, because they’re so closely aligned with this power to end lives, [has] a higher ethical responsibility and more consideration needs to be put into it ... I would draw the line at mass surveillance on Americans or any type of targeted attacks, or commit any types or have the ability to launch these attacks in the ! rst place.” this is a more realistic and probably more ethical use of AI.”
The consequences of the war are deeply personal and pressing for the more than 6 million US residents of South Asian origin. Civilians continue to largely bear the cost — residents of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border remain haunted by constant airstrikes and attacks. Al- lowing this war to fade quietly into the background of global news ignores the human suffering unfolding and the historical responsibility of the US in causing the conflict.
of non-interventionism. Rather, the US must take an active role in facilitating peace through negotiations and peace talks while offering humanitarian aid to the hundreds of thousands of civilians impacted.
For a country that once supplied weapons to the region and later withdrew after two decades of war, the indifference the US currently chooses to display regarding the terrorism, war, and civilian suffering is no neutral position. The US must not only acknowledge the situation and its responsibility in causing it, but also take action. It must use its diplomatic might and foreign influence, just as it did when its CIA intervention set the stage for the Taliban’s rule, but now to bring peace and normalcy to Afghanistan rather than the bloodshed of terrorism and conflict.
With the Taliban, an American creation, at the crux of the war, the US must not sit idly by under the guise
As the fighting intensifies and normal people bear the brunt of the carnage, the impact extends beyond the border region. Fremont is home to hundreds of thousands of South Asian immigrants and the nation’s largest Afghan American community; they are directly impacted through familial relations and connections to the bleeding land. Standing by and allowing this war to fade into the background is no longer an option; the US must raise awareness, provide aid, and make amends, because if this conflict unfolds in silence, the cost will not be measured in lives lost today, but in the consequences of choices the US helped shape and now hesitates to confront. ▪
“AI, like all humans, [is] awed, since it’s trained o of us. Human direction is more reliable than using AI for most things … In today’s world, I feel like it’s reasonable for people to not want to associate with the government. Defense, in this time and age, seems like it’s an issue because it seems we’re almost about to go into war. Honestly, generative AI, I’ve always disliked it because it takes away jobs and doesn’t give people creative freedom sometimes and [in] some uses. Of course, it’s bene!cial, but in the military, doing something like that, that’s like too much risk for error, even with how much it’s ! ne tuned for anything ... I say AI in creative areas, that’s a no go. I do not want that there. And for industrial things, like things that are most de! nitely easy for an AI to do with very little risk for error and risk [to] humans and issues in where it's working at, that’s ! ne. But like, when people are on the line, when there’s a lot of factors that can be it, then AI shouldn’t do that.”
“Integrating AI into the national security and mili tary can be a double-edged sword and can both help us and back ! re against us. It can help us with surveillance and other tasks, but if AI systems fail, due to our dependency on AI, we will not have a safeguard if something bad happens. I think that the ethical concerns and safety violations are genuine concerns because the use of automated weapons of mass destruction goes against a lot of people’s moral com- pass, and if I were Anthropic’s CEO, I would not want to have AI integrated in such a risky and large-scale endeavor. I think the concerns are genuine and not just a marketing strategy because of the way they are presented as being a risk to the state rather than being made fun of by the public as a marketing strategy ... I think that the use of AI by companies is ethical as long as it does not infringe on our safety and bring about life-threatening concerns for people across the nation.”
“ ere’s a lot of threats with integrating AI and other generative models into national security ... the implication is that we will be under mass surveillance ...In - tegrating generative models will severely impair decision-making, logical thinking, and other processes in the Pentagon and US military decisions. Generative models, in the end, cannot predict humanity, and relying on AI to make decisions causes a lot of trust issues [between the state and the people] ... Overall, I’m supportive of Anthropic’s decision to not get involved with state matters. I believe that it is an approach that should be embraced by more companies, and sadly, it is not, especially with OpenAI and Sam Altman’s current decisions.”
Ethics in AI
March recognizes Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the impact, strength, and infuence of women throughout history
By Eleanor Chen,
Imagine strolling down a clover path when you suddenly discover a mischievous, itty-bitty man who, at frst sight, immediately darts away. You try to go after him, but trip, as he had tied your shoelaces! According to legend, the dwarf is called a leprechaun, and if someone catches him, the leprechaun must reveal their treasure or grant three wishes. Staf writers must design a leprechaun trap using shiny lures and other tricks to capture an elusive leprechaun.
Have you ever gotten rich overnight? Yeah … neither have I, but there’s always a frst for everything! My latest and greatest idea? Catching a tiny guy dressed in green! Tere are just a few minor issues, though: I’m not very crafty, and I’ve never made a trap before. Not for mice, men, and de tiny magical Irish creatures. All I need is a box, some sticks, and maybe something shiny for bait … like a golden strategy devised from YouTube shorts! As long as it gets the job done, I’ll be rolling in gold and the glory of being frst!
My trap succeeded in capturing the Leprechaun! I really wasn’t expecting that win since I was up at 4:00 a.m., taping wrapping paper to an old shoe box I found in my neighbor’s front yard. Don’t even get me started on the random trophies and medals I used for bait. Now all I need to wait for is the actual gold to come in. Despite the positive outcome, I can’t let this win get into my head. I’ll continue aiming for the top of the leaderboard, and hopefully, that leprechaun keeps his ord a trip to New
my family.” — Aryan segregation, even though she could face serious consequences, her decision to not give up her seat was not just a small act, it helped spark the civil rights movement. It also inspired many other to fght for their equality. I admire her because she proved that one person's actions can create real change and can help stand up against injustice.” — Shlok Bhaidas, 11
I do not have a talent for crafts, but I can promise you this: those bearded dwarven men will be caught. own greedy self-interest for leprechaun gold; no, it’s for the greater good. Tose little men, dressed in brilliant green suits, hoard their treasures like the greedy, capitalist pigs they are. I’ve taken inspiration from 1960s Vietnamese warfare traps that will surely be able to capture these dwarfs. From that, I can spread the wealth to ensure a brighter, more prosperous future for us all.
I swear, I nearly had that tricky, little guy. He’s just barely escaped my grasp and next time, he won’t be so lucky. Second place is amazing in my eyes, considering the fact I spent roughly an hour desecrating my sisters’ stickers, rst-place medals for this project. My sisters weren’t too happy with me, but I’m sure when I bring home a struggling, bearded man after I get the nally work, nd a place in their hearts to forgive
As a person who has made plenty of contraptions with interactive mechanisms — such as my physics project with a ping pong ball pendulum — I’m sure making a leprechaun trap can't be much harder. After all, it’s practically a children’s activity! Surely, all I need is a sprinkle of creativity, a handful of coins, and a heart full of hope. With my renowned skills, none of those pesky green creatures will escape from my trap. I’ll defnitely capture both that leprechaun and my f
I don’t mean to brag, but ever since I was small, I have always been praised as being artistic and crafty. My mom knows especially well: she signed me up for weekly art classes when I was only seven, but for some reason, they abruptly stopped when our art class had a gallery walk where our work was displayed. I know, I know, painting deformed unicorns and creating leprechaun traps aren’t exactly the same, but I mean, how hard could it be? Sorry everyone, beating me in this DHTH will be a tough one for you all.
Well top three isn’t bad, even if it’s the last on the podium. I guess no leprechaun wants to enter my trap. Aside from sleepily spending two hours of the night cutting out shapes in the cardboard box and attaching beads, I fought against my nemesis: hot glue, which burnt fngers and dragged everywhere. As a second semester senior, looking back at my rst in the Lunar nitely caught a
I guess my artistic talent maybe didn’t translate too well into my arts and crafts e whole ffteen minutes I spent painting and decorating a bright orange shoe box maybe could have been spent better learning the newest version of Just Dance. But after looking at all the other contestants’ vividly decorated, green-themed traps, I admit I never stood a chance to begin with. To be honest, if I were a leprechaun, I wouldn’t fall for my trap either. Watch out, next DHTH, I’ll be sure to get my revenge.
Kelly Shi, Fiona Yang, & Matthew Zhang Staf Writers
Composed by Alex Duan & Aarav Vashisht Staf Writers
A small pink NeeDoh thought it had found its purpose — and maybe even its permanence — in the hands of a stressed high schooler. But as it’s needed through AP exams, friendship circles, and desk drawers, the NeeDoh slowly realizes it might just be another passing trend in a long line of fads. Tese diary entries follows one squishy object as it grapples with what it really means to be useful even if only for a little while.
One moment I was peacefully encased in plastic, and the next I was lying sideways on a lunch table at Mission San Jose High School, surrounded by a stampede of bright-eyed sophomores waving fve-dollar bills. “I’m gonna get a pink one!” a guy yelled, pointing directly at me with a greed glinting in his eyes. Tankfully, I was instead handed to a girl at
savored my last moments of dignifed existence. She aggressively poked, prodded, and squeezed as my insides expanded, compressed, and expanded again. It was in that moment — watching her mood lift at the expense of my deformity — that I understood my purpose as emotional support.
My life has become … busy. I live in the girl’s pencil pouch, but during the school day, I am passed from hand to hand, desk to desk, class to class. Sometimes I barely have time to recover my shape as one of the girl’s friends grabs me and squeezes again. Tere are translucent cubes everywhere now. At frst, I was proud. Clearly, my kin and I were in high demand. But being popular comes with certain consequences. My once-pristine skin is now coated with sweat, mysterious crumbs, graphite smudges, and something suspiciously sticky that I would rather not identify. Every new hand leaves a little something behind.
I made a very troubling discovery. I thought I was special. Not just any stress toy — the stress toy. After all, everyone wanted a NeeDoh. But then I sat in their hands as the girl and her friends talked about how before NeeDohs, there were pop-its in middle school and slime during COVID-19. Before that, spinners and squishies that ruled entire recesses before disappearing. And the color of my prized exterior? Even pink was also a recent trend. Which leaves one unsettling possibility: one day, these same hands that pass me around so eagerly may simply move on to the next thing. I tell myself they won’t — that I’ve proven my value — but the thought still settles like an afterthought that can’t get squashed.
Today the girl pulled me from the depths of her pencil pouch and stared at me with a look of mild concern. I will admit, my once-vibrant pink complexion had dulled beneath a mosaic of human crust. “Tis thing is disgusting,” she announced. Moments later, I found myself under a stream of water in the bathroom sink. At frst, I was thrilled. She rubbed soap over my surface and I imagined emerging radiant and ready to resume my important duties. But when she picked me up again, my skin clung to her fngers with an unsettling enthusiasm. She frowned. “Why is it sticky now?” I wished I knew. She tried squeezing me a few more times before then opening her desk drawer and placing me inside. Temporarily, surely.
realization that this was me, her loyal companion through weeks of school. Instead she looked at me the way people look at an old sock. “You can keep it.” Te words landed heavier than any squeeze. Keep it. Just like that, my months of service were reduced to the humiliation of being given to her kid brother. But the true devastation came seconds later when the girl pulled out a new fdget toy that hadn’t yet known the indignities of crumbs or desk-drawer exile. She turned it in her hands, playing with it the way she once did with me. Te motion was so familiar it made something inside my gelatinous core twist.
Ten the boy returned after leaving me in the car with the hot summer sun, grabbing me immediately and squeezing. I strained until the pressure became unbearable and bursted with a sticky pop. Tere was a round of screaming — not from me as I maintain professionalism even in death — but from the boy. Te girl leaned over from the front seat, took a look at my clear insides coating her brother’s hands, and sighed. “Told you those things always pop.” Her words were the last thing I heard. All this time, I thought my value came from being special, but now I see that I was only loved because I existed at the right time to help someone with their stress. And honestly? For a small pink blob, that’s still a pretty good run.
rst begins. At frst, it looks like the discipline of counting calories and following strict routines before it spirals into a blur of numbers, paranoia, and self-judgment and crosses the point of no return.
By Jessica Cao & Erika Liu
Writers
Eating disorders, particularly anorexia nervosa, have the highest mortality rate of any other psychiatric disorder, with an estimated is often-silent struggle shared by teenagers across the world is what pushed Juniors Siya Singh and Ashley Kang to start NourishED, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders. What began as an initiative focused on teenage girls soon expanded to include teenagers across
eating disorder recovery clinics. Media events include educational social media posts to interviews with professionals that aim to explain symptoms and help people determine warning signs and fnd recovery resources. Awareness events provide community members with direct education about eating disorders. Singh and Kang have presented at middle schools, set up information tables at farmers markets and other events or high-trafc locations and distributed brochures at tabling events in order to teach the public about eating disorders.
Singh, who was always a light eater, struggled with body image issues in middle school, leading to her knowledge of eating disorders. Similarly, Kang’s sister experienced years of disordered eating, which greatly impacted her family life and relationships. Both recognized the signifcant stigma surrounding eating disorders, especially within the large Asian
Singh said as she was retelling the story. Te mother, however, after learning more about eating disorders, had expressed gratitude toward the impact of Singh and Kang’s eforts. “She was like … I wish there were [organizations] like [NourishED] when I was … a younger parent, because then I could have understood how to help,” Singh said. Looking ahead, NourishED hopes to expand beyond the local community, eventually reaching students across the country and even internationally. Tey hope to add new members to their ofcer team, and are open to interested students reaching out through email to Singh or Kang. For now, they are focused on achieving something smaller, but just as meaningful: helping teenagers in the community realize they do not have to face their struggles alone.
Staf
COURTESY PHOTO BY SQUEEZY INT. GRAPHICS BY FEATURE EDITOR ARIEL DUONG
Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally lights dance
By Amber Halvorsen Sta Writer
Euphoric, adrenaline-pumping music marks Harry Styles’ return to the music scene with new album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally . After a three year leave from the industry, Styles fnally appeased his long awaiting fans with new music on March 6. During his time away, he relocated from London to Rome and Berlin where he spent his time going on runs and visiting local cafes. In this album, Styles focuses on his return to the music industry after discovering himself in Europe. Styles decided to take a step back from his career to ensure he was pursuing it for himself and not for external validation. He expresses this through “Season 2 Weight Loss,” a song off his album about coming back to music for himself and doing what makes him happy. But “Paint By Numbers” is a slower track
that conveys Styles’ self discovery while away from the spotlight. “It’s a lifetime of learning to paint by numbers,” he sings, referring to the period of growth he went through while gone.
What really inspired Styles — along with producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson — to make new music was the comfort he found on the dance foor. In an Apple Music interview with radio DJ Zane Lowe, Styles mentioned a memory he had on the Berlin dance foor where he felt a sense of freedom and safety. “I just kind of had my hands in the air and my eyes closed that I felt these tears streaming down my face,” Styles said. This feeling of comfort is conveyed through his music and production in “Coming Up Roses,” a song about how comfort can be found in temporary relationships and should be cherished. “Carla’s Song,” the last track, closes the album off by using nostalgic imagery of childhood to explore fnding happiness in what he does. Lines like “Till your eyes open on the changing summer light / It’s all waiting there for you” paint a picture of Styles reevaluating his dreams and discovering what truly makes him happy.
Many of the songs off the album explore Styles’ refection on his past. The album opens with the lead single “Aperture,” released on January 22. As of early March, it has accumulated over 125 million streams on Spotify. From his time in One Direction to his experience as a solo artist, Styles has spent a great portion of his life in the music industry. He
refects on this in “Aperture,” as he sings “I’m going on clean / I’ve no more tricks up my sleeve,” telling the audience he is on a journey of improvement and learning from his mistakes. Styles released “Aperture” a day before his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson released his new album. The meaning in his lyrics carries an apology for his past, representing an attempt to grow and fx mistakes he made when he was younger. In a music video for “American Girls,” Styles mirrors a music video from One Direction’s song “Kiss You.” From the setting and prop use to the camera angles, Styles returns to this period of his life to seek closure from refecting on his past.
Even with the emotional themes, from self discovery to personal growth, Styles attempted to convey in Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally , the album falls fat in its lyricism. Many of his lyrics carry a missed opportunity to expand on these issues. Several songs lack a clear direction and fail to illustrate a story, which hurts the album. The repetitive nature of his lyrics in songs get in the way of an understanding between Styles and his listeners. In “Ready, Steady, Go!” he sings “But you call Leon / You call it only in my head / ‘Cause you’ve got enough / While we do too much / But you call Leon / Ah, did you call it only in my head?” Lyrics such as these are diffcult to decipher and are a waste of space in his otherwise meaningful songs. Throughout the album, Styles proves his weakest songs are the ones with lyrics that fail to authentically explore his experiences.
Harry Styles made a bold return to the music industry with themes that hadn’t been introduced in his music before. After years in the public eye, constantly surrounded by media coverage and controversy, it seems Styles has taken advantage of his absence from the industry. In doing so, he has found comfort in self discovery and focusing on what brings him true joy.
Grade: B+
Paramount and Warner Bros merge comes at the cost of artistic direction
In the gleaming o ces of Paramount’s Los Angeles headquarters, executives celebrated their victory over Net ix in a bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, a win that would quietly seal the fate of the artistry of lmmaking and viewing worldwide. However, the success that concluded the months-long battle was far more than just another corporate acquisition. $ is is the latest chapter in the gradual consolidation of the entertainment industry into the hands of a select few billionaire-backed corporations, a trend that threatens to fundamentally alter what stories get told in America and who gets to tell them. $ e consolidation re ects a pattern stretching back decades. Disney acquired Pixar in 2006, Marvel in 2009, Lucas lm in 2012, and both Hulu and 20th Century Fox in 2019. Across the industry, major studios pursue the same playbook, buying existing intellectual property and franchises to eliminate competition. However when corporations prioritize owning the past by acquiring proven hits and beloved characters, they stop investing in the future. A screenplay from an unknown writer or an indie lmmaker faces an uphill battle against a safer new Marvel sequel. $ is is shown in Paramount’s recent trends of prioritizing previously successful franchises such as Star Trek and Top Gun in its upcoming releases, reducing variety within
By Dhaeshna Booma, Cecilia Cheng & Warren Su Sta Writers
cinematic stories overall. With media already taken over by large, corporate-run businesses, small creators require a fair playing eld for the slight chance of success. Nearly 63.5% of lm directors only make one lm in their career, with the percentage of returning directors dropping below 10% in 2017. $ is further narrows the amount of voices that are showcased in theaters, making consolidation even more dangerous. For viewers, this means fewer stories that challenge or represent voices outside the mainstream. In 2025, nine out of the top 10 highest grossing lms were part of a series or based on pre-existing concepts. For emerging artists, it signals that originality has no market value in Hollywood.
Acquisitions also go further by harming theater industries. As streaming services have gotten more popular, studies by the Henry Fund from the streaming service users in America had an average of 3.6 subscriptions each in 2024. Last year, the gross for the domestic box o ce was $8.6 billion, down from roughly $10–11 billion in the 2010s. Since there are already such few options in the streaming market, acquiring HBO Max — which is part of Warner Bros. — would place Paramount Skydance with nearly the same amount of market share as Net ix. $ e lack of options sti es competition, with streaming services continuing to drive up prices against a dying lm industry.
What makes this deal uniquely alarming is the clear political interference behind it.
President Donald Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr both signaled opposition to Net ix’s bid. Rather than blocking it on antitrust grounds, Republicans attacked Net ix’s content as “overwhelmingly woke,” punishing editorial choices and rewarding a competitor aligned with conservative politics. Antitrust laws protect market competition, not political ideology. By allowing political
preference to dictate which media company acquires competitors, future administrations — whether left or right leaning — can veto any company’s editorial choices. $ ese accusations demonstrate the ultimate goal of Trump’s actions: not to break up a potential danger to the industry, but instead to promote their speci c political agenda. $ ese external in uences re ect dangers of consolidation as it shifts media focus towards content that align with political values rather than artistic storytelling. By placing the power of storytelling in the hands of a few powerful individuals, they are able to control the political narrative. Diversity in the entertainment industry is lost, pushing guiding creative decisions away from artistic visions and towards ideological expectations. Consolidation is no longer limiting who owns media; it increases the ability of political powers to shape stories, excluding key voices from creatives and the public alike.
Paramount CEO David Ellison has framed the merger as bene cial for both consumers and creators, promising con -
sumers more choices and creators more opportunities to sell their work. $ e company has committed to producing at least 30 lms annually and pledged that HBO will operate independently, projecting over $6 billion in operational savings through technology integration and streamlining. However, beneath these reassurances lies a harsher reality. $ e deal carries an enormous $79 billion debt load placed on Paramount that will inevitably force brutal cost-cutting. Such conditions make large-scale layo % s inevitable, the loss of both employees and high-level executives reducing the amount of creative voices that go into new projects. $ is situation was already expressed in a previous Paramount merger with Skydance. An anonymous person working with the situation reported to CNBC that their layo % s would eventually amount to more than 2000 employees.
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Bruno Mars plays it safe on long awaited album The Romantic
By Prisha Virmani Staf Writer
Bruno Mars returns with e Romantic, his fourth solo album and rst solo project since 24K Magic nearly a decade ago. In that time, Mars leaned heavily into retro soul with the An Evening With Silk Sonic project (his musical collaboration with Anderson .Paak), and e Romantic continues that direction. is album blends Latin pop rhythms, glossy funk instrumentation, and smooth R&B melodies into a collection that feels polished but carefully contained. After such a long absence, the record never quite suggests a new artistic direction, instead building on the retro pop style Mars has relied on for much of his career without pushing it further.
At its core, e Romantic revolves around devotion, longing, and the dramatic language of love. Mars approaches romance through sweeping declarations and exaggerated loyalty, framing relationships as something to chase and preserve at all costs. roughout the album, he returns to familiar vows of devotion, repeating sentiments of sacri ce and unwavering attachment.
On songs like “Risk It All,” that mindset becomes literal: “I would run through a re / Just to be by your side.” He promises complete emotional surrender in the name of love, and later tracks echo the same dramatic language, reinforcing the album’s xation on romance as a spectacle rather than exploring new emotional ground.
Much of the album’s appeal comes from its production. Mars and his col-
OSCARS 2026 RECAP
laborators assembled dense arrangements built from layered horns, warm guitar lines, and stacked background vocals. e opening track, “Risk It All,” leans into bachata-inspired rhythms, while “Cha Cha Cha” expands that sound with bright brass sections and Latin percussion, and “God Was Showing O ” slows the tempo into classic R&B.
Across these tracks, the production draws from retro in uences, particularly funk and soul, while maintaining the glossy nish of contemporary pop. ese elements create a lush soundscape that carries much of the album’s energy, though the stylistic palette rarely moves beyond the nostalgic in uences Mars has explored throughout much of his career.
But at times, the production’s arrangements become crowded. Several songs stack percussion, horns, and vocal ad-libs so aggressively that the production feels overbuilt, occasionally distracting from the melodies themselves, reecting how little variation exists across the album’s structure. e lead single, “I Just Might,” captures that tendency clearly with a chorus that is instantly memorable, supported by bright brass and an energetic rhythm designed for radio play. e hook is catchy, but the surrounding verses circle familiar romantic
sentiments without expanding them into anything more substantial. Mars’ voice remains the record’s most reliable element. His smooth tone and controlled phrasing continue to anchor the songs, adding warmth and clarity even when the writing feels repetitive. When the instrumentation softens, particularly on “Why You Wanna Fight?,” his delivery introduces a level of vulnerability that brie y deepens the emotional atmosphere, hinting at a more expressive direction that the album only occasionally explores, suggesting possibilities that the record ultimately does not pursue.
e Romantic ultimately feels restrained from an artist returning after such a long gap. Rather than marking a signi cant reinvention, the album settles into a musical formula that Mars has already perfected. e production is re ned, the vocals remain strong, and the melodies are easy to absorb. Yet, the album rarely challenges its own ideas or expands beyond the approach that has carried much of Mars’ career. e result is a record that feels competent and carefully assembled, but rarely memorable.
Grade: B
By Kayla Li Staf Writer
e DVD skipped sometimes. I was four years old, lying on the cold marble oor of my grand mother’s house in Singapore, the stone pressing up through my skin like a kindness against the heat. e air was thick and humid and sticky. I was looking up at the TV, watching Princess Hours on a screen full of static, eating a lemon vanilla popsicle. I just knew I could not look away. I did not understand the language, nor the plot — the arranged marriage, the palace rivalries, the misunderstandings sustained across entire episodes — and yet I felt the atmosphere of it the way you feel a melo- dy before you know the words. ere were colors I had no vocabulary for yet: the gold light pooling in palace hallways, the shimmer of silk and costume, a world so warm and whole that I did not question it, only ab- sorbed it.
“Perhaps Love,” the drama’s sweeping theme song, played at my parents’ wedding before I ever knew it belonged to a dra- ma. It existed for me in two plac- es at once, suspended at the edge of both the screen and my own family’s story. Even now, I nd it di cult to separate the ctional love it carries from the real one I grew up beside.
Princess Hours is a 2006 Korean drama, and the production wears its era openly: the pacing slow in a way contemporary tele- vision rarely permits itself, the styling unmistakably 2006, the cinematography soft and slight- ly luminous. Someone watching it now with any critical sense would likely recognize every beat before it arrives — and still be unable to turn away. What it has, and what I have rarely found as easily since, is the
quality of something unashamed of its own warmth. It commits fully to its emotions, without the irony modern storytelling uses to keep au- diences at a distance. ere is a scene near the end of the drama where the two leads kiss in the middle of a crowded street. It is, objectively, over the top. It is also the moment the whole drama has been building toward — the point where all the slowness and patience nally collapses into an undeniable love. It is completely, embarrassing- ly sincere, and that sincerity, as un- fashionable as it may be, is what has made it last.
Cliches only feel worn when you have heard the song before. I heard this one before I had anything to compare it to, before I had any critical distance to protect me, and it left a shape in me I now recog- nize as love. I know it on a quiet late afternoon during the rst year of the pandemic, the house stilled, my brother and father playing in the backyard, my mother and I on the couch watching Princess Hours together. Being present with some- one inside a piece of media you have both carried — that, too, is a form of love.
Isolation fills Mitski’s New Album
and a rabid fanbase to go with it. As a result, Mitski has often demonstrated discomfort with the music industry, which she has described as overwhelmingly invasive and commodifying. anks to fame, Mitski has described her own name as becoming a “foreign- er” to her. Her newest and most introspective work yet — Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, released under Dead Oceans on February 27 — explores this alienation and desire for privacy through a fresh lens, framed within the narrative of a reclusive woman living inside a decaying house. Surrounded by pets, memories, and her own thoughts, the woman in question rejects societal expectation, seeking anonymity instead. Structured
societal expectations of women — whether it be through stardom or objecti cation — and how these social pressures often follow individuals past their graves. “ at White Cat” is, in the literal sense, about paying a mortgage so a cat can murder birds; metaphorically, that the greatest investments can be freely encroached upon by anyone.
In Mitski’s strongest song on the album, “Where’s My Phone?,” she explores the existential terror of aging and impending, unwanted change. Mitski, portrayed in the song’s music video by a middle-aged spinster, struggles through an intimate sheye lens and crazed timelapse to protect her younger self and reject the old. e woman’s despair demonstrates an evident loss of
es. It adds some necessary friction to an otherwise reserved album. e weirdness of “Where’s My Phone?” is authentic and touching, leaving a lingering despair in listeners. However, despite its impressive thematic weight, the album sounds boring. Granted, it is beautiful. Mitski’s raw, despairing vocals combine with piano-based compositions and 90’s-inspired rock and synths to create a uniquely delicate and emotional sound, distinctly Americana in in uence. However, within this uniform beauty, there is very little leeway for new and interesting musical ideas — making the album quickly grow stale.
Mitski’s past works — such as Bury Me at Makeout Creek — were much more dynamic. Songs like “I Don’t Smoke,” “Townie,” and “Drunk Walk
Home” stood out thanks to their heavier production, which added a needed, audible tension missing Nothing’s About to Happen to By stripping her music of the stress and graininess that made her earlier work so interesting, Mitski trades a more experimental sound at elegance. Her latest album ect sonically the range and diversity of emotions and concepts that are being explored lyrically. However, despite these aws, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me maintains its value as an incredibly insightful work. Mitski’s deceptively quiet songs disguise a hardwon, philosophical weight; one legitimately successful at prodding the listener’s darkest, most depressive thoughts. Nothing’s About to Happen to Me perfectly captures a frozen anticipation. It’s the slow menace of what it’s like to have no agency; to be completely and utterly alone.
Grade: A-
USBANKSTUDIO COM
Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley win Jordan won Best Actor for Sinners, honoring legends like Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington in his speech. Buckley won Best Actress for Hamnet, breaking into giggles before dedicating her award to her eight-month-old daughter — on Mother’s Day in the U.K.
A historic frst for women in cinema Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the frst woman ever to win Best Cinematography. She asked every woman in the room to stand, calling the milestone nearly a century in the making. Alice: “Truth Of Pursuit” by Sarah Kinsley | Ariana: “Sundays” by Emotional Oranges | Ariel: “Resonance” by Home | Brittany: “Get It Together” by 702 | Cham: “Prom” by SZA| Ekasha: “Regent’s Park” by Bruno Major | Emily: “Heavenly Flight” by Federico Dubbini | Ethan: “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson | Hannah: “Jolene” by Dolly Parton | Janet: “arizona” by Luke Chiang & Julles | Jennifer: “No Scrubs” by TLC | Michael: “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles | Naisha: “Rainbow” by Cage e Elephant | Navya: “STORYWRITER” by Supercar | Padma: “ e World We Knew (Over And Over)” by Frank Sinatra | Scarlett: “Boys” by Indigo De Souza | Trisha: “No One Noticed” by e Marías | Vikram: “Raabta” by Arijit Singh | Tr. Low: “Hoppípolla” by Sigur Rós
The seventh tie in Oscars history Best Live-Action Short ended in only the seventh tie in Oscars history, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva both winning. Host Conan O’Brien’s monologue celebrating global flmmaking was a highlight of a nostalgia-flled night.
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New medals, old habits following US Hockey’s Olympic feat
By Kanupriya Goyal & Veer Mahajan Staf Writers
Sport is an institution that has long functioned as a theatre in which gender hierarchies are rehearsed and consistently reaffrmed. This was never made more apparent than when the US men’s hockey team defeated Canada in overtime to win Gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It marked the nation’s frst Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the improbable triumph of the 1980 Miracle on Ice against the favoured Soviets. For forty-six years, the Cold War-era miracle remained an American legend, one that would likely never be surpassed. The victory in Milan, at least momentarily, seemed to do so.
Yet, shortly after, the triumph found itself entangled in a far less celebratory discourse. In the days following the team’s victory, President Donald Trump, whilst speaking about inviting the male champions to the White House, made a demeaning remark that he would “have to bring the women’s team” or “probably be impeached.”
The comment was met with laughter and fippance from the men’s players, a bigoted reaction that quickly went viral. Their triumph was treated as an authentic, celebrated spectacle, while the women’s was pro-forma, no more than obligatory. The casual humour expressed here exposes something far more insidious about the hierarchy embedded within hockey culture and sports itself. The remark functioned as a linguistic refex that relegated the women’s team to the status of an afterthought, refecting the treatment of female athletes for generations.
The prejudice became increasingly apparent as the situation continued to unfold. The men were transported home on a chartered fight, an emblem of prestige beftting honorable national heroes. Trump went as far as to offer to “get Kash [Patel], and … get the military to get [them] over,” claiming their fight would “be sailing through like [the players] did on the ice.”
The women’s champions, by contrast, returned on commercial fights punctuated by layovers and delays. When the women declined the White House invitation, citing tight schedules and logistical diffculties while expressing openness to attending later, many on social media quickly portrayed the decision as petulant or politically motivated. However, these interpretations upheld the trend of conveniently ignoring the misogyny in sports, even though it’s practically built into the system. If symbolism matters in sport, as administrators so frequently insist, then so does the symbolism of how sports players are treated — some like treasure, others like trash.
To pretend this instance exists in isolation would require a remarkable feat of historical amnesia, yet sports commentators and social media users seem determined to try. This can be traced back to when evne the architect of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, articulated his skepticism regarding female athleticism, asserting that the female organism was “unsuited” to the shocks of competitive sport. The ideology is transparent: athletic prowess proves masculine vitality, while women are relegated to being viewed as simple spectatorship or ornamental participation.
The irony is that the women’s teams frequently outperform their male counterparts, though media coverage tends to highlight the latter — researchers at Purdue University revealed that, as recently as 2019, only 5.4% of live television airtime was designated for women’s sports. “We are the best in the world, have three World Cup championships, four Olympic championships, and the men get paid more to just show up than we get paid to win major championships,” US soccer two-time Olympic
gold medalist Hope Solo said in a 2016 equal payment complaint against U.S. soccer. That is perhaps one of the most succinct indictments of gender economics in modern sport. Sport is often deemed the most meritocratic arena in public life. The scoreboard is impartial; the clock does not discriminate. Yet everything surrounding the game, from funding and opportunity to media attention and institutional recognition, operates according to human bias rather than mathematical neutrality. The skating ice may be level, but the world built around it rarely is. ▪
US women’s hockey team celebrates winning the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Hilary Knight playing for Team USA during a game against Canada on October 25, 2017
WINTER SPORTS RECAP
By Leland Yu, Andy Zhang, & Aaqib Zishan Staf Writers
Boys Basketball Girls Basketball
In the most triumphant season in program history, MSJ Boys Basketball had a remarkable 2025-26 season, with a 16-10 overall and 9-5 in league record before catching re in the post-season, riding a nine-game win streak to capture their rst-ever NCS championship and surging through to the CIF NorCal Regional Finals. “I think the team has improved tremen dously from the start of the season,” Captain Senior Joseph Stand eld said. “We looked pretty horrible but it's looked a lot better over the course of the season, and I think we’ve played some of the best basketball ever.”
e team made history as the mont team to win the NCS championship, claiming the rst and only basketball NCS banner, which now hangs in the gym. Fur more, to cap o a historic season, Captain Brandon White was named Winter Athlete son, while Stand eld earned the Mercu lete of the Week. While being a school stellar academics, Boys Basketball’s son has put the school’s sports program “Before [this season], I was considering my dad motivated me [to] change the identity of Mission — to change the team. And I think as a collective, we've all done that,” Stand eld said.
Girls
Soccer
With the addition of seven new freshman players on Girls Soc cer, the team is rebuilding themselves for a steady future. In the 2024-25 season, the team ceded 122 goals, so coaches and players focused on tightening the defense this season while also im proving the o ense. With these changes, the team scored more goals and ceded less goals with 54. Despite fac ing challenges like scheduling con ics, the team pushed through, as Co-Captain Senior Ima Nissler took the freshman players under her wing and helped them develop. “[Ima] had a nice approach of just leading by example, showing up on time, working hard, never complaining, and I think she really carried us through,” said Coach Bob Haigler. Looking forward, the team aims to current talent and move onto the next season with lots of momen tum supplied by their group of freshmen.
“[ e freshmen], as a group, changed the whole tone of the season. ey had a great work ethic and were the leaders of the team, and they were kind of carrying the game and keeping us in it,” Haigler said.
Girls Basketball pushed their way through the NCS Championships this season and surpassed expectations they set for themselves at the start of the season. In earlier years, the team often lost in the rst round of the NCS Championships, but this year, they managed to advance deeper into the tournament.
rst NCS game was really memorable because we were predicted to lose since we were ranked lower than the other team, but then we made it to overtime, and we also beat them by three, and that helped us push to the next round,” Captain Senior Stephanie Yu said. At the start of the season, the team placed signi cant pressure on themselves, especially due to special physical requirements, such as a requirement to run two miles under 18 minutes. However, by persevering through the physical and mental obstacles, including the West Coast Jamboree Tournament, the team found their fuel. Looking forward, Girls Basketball aims to improve their record further while improving their chemistry and skills. Looking forward, Yu hopes that the team will follow her advice and continue to build on this progress while integrating new players into the team.“[Everyone should] work hard, even on season, even if you think that it won’t help you, I nitely will, and just play every game to your best ability,” Yu said.
Boys Soccer
Following the departure of nine crucial seniors, Boys Soccer committed themselves to a season of rebuilding with a new coach and a young team. Because players range from experienced club athletes to those who have taken a break from competitive soccer, the team struggled to nd a common ground at rst. But through practices and di erent starting lineups, they improved both on the eld and in team
Due to numerous injuries throughout the season, Head Coach Ryan Teo plans to assess tness levels before tryouts in order to gain ger understanding of the team’s needs for With a 1-14-1 record, one of the most moments from the season included a against Irvington. Warriors came back lead, securing the win with goals from Caeden MacKenzie and Senior Nathan stood out. I felt like it was our best eryone gave their 100%, and we got the result that we wanted,” Senior Co-Captain Himank Gangwal said.
Wrestling
Boys Wrestling nished the season under new oversight from rst-time head coach Amed Alwan, who navigated a small team to new heights, with the girls program developing alongside them. Faced with numerous injuries and demotivated wrestlers, athletes stayed on track by sharpening their team’s mentality and learn ing from their mistakes in hopes of coming back stronger next season. Despite their struggles, the program improved signi cantly as compared with novice wrestlers such as Sophomore Jadan Lee lling in the gaps of past seniors. Lee played cant role in helping the team compete and bring recognition to the program. “Janden really put us on the map with two victories in JV tournaments,” Alwan said. Alwan plans to utilize the -season to recruit new players to become a healthier, more competitive team the following year. “My goal, generally, is to x our mentality. Because of a lot of [the team does not] struggle with technique. ey struggle with retaining technique during the matches and being nervous during the matches,” Alwan said.
Girls Wrestling faced a turbulent season, beginning with a promising number of athletes before shrinking to just four competitors left. Despite the smaller roster, the program showed improvements from the year before, with Captain Athena Cheng emerging as a standout performer, placing at multiple tournaments to lead the team.
Bursts of pink, yellow, orange, blue, and red powder lled the air as music pulsed through the speakers, creating a colorful and lively scene at 180 Woz Way in San Jose. On March 7, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., the Association of Indo Americans hosted its annual Holi Fest, bringing together the Bay Area community to celebrate the festival and its cultural traditions.
By Amy
Staff Writers
Holi, the Festival of Colors, traces its roots back to ancient Hindu traditions that symbolize the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. This holiday is known for the throwing of colorful gulal powders, dancing, Bollywood music, and traditional foods like gujiya —a sweet fried dumpling stuffed with dried fruits and thickened milk.
By 10:45 a.m., a large crowd had already formed outside the festival entrance, many dressed in white and already holding packets of gulal and water guns as they eagerly waited for the gates to open. Once inside, attendees were greeted with festival grounds lined with an array of tents and vendor booths selling ice cream, chaat, traditional Indian and Pakistani jewelry, water guns, and bubbles. These booths helped showcase the cultural traditions associated with Holi, allowing visitors to navigate South Asian foods and jewelry. “It’s a very good crowd [and] we always love to serve them, so that’s why we are here” jewlery Vendor Rushali Joshi said.
At the center of the festival stood a large stage with a bright banner reading “Holi Fest,” drawing the crowd toward the heart of the celebration. Upbeat music blasted through speakers, and attendees gathered in front of the stage, clutching
packets of gulal in anticipation.
Within moments, the rst handfuls of powder were tossed, prompting colorful plumes that ew into the air before settling into the crowd’s shoulders and hair. With each beat of the music, more color followed. Soon, the air was thick with swirling pigment and the ringing laughter of the crowd. White clothing became streaked with splashes of every shade of the rainbow, as friends, family, and strangers chased each other through the plaza, tossing gulal and spraying water guns for hours under the warm afternoon sun.
“It really takes the image India has as a friendly nation,” Holi Fest Co-Organizer Prasad Mangino said.
“When people are very friendly to all the communities and we open-heartedly welcome all of them to celebrate any event with us, these events really do a good job to promote our cause.”
You can see today, also the lot of non Indians they came in. They see the beauty of the event, so much color and everything . . . these events, they really do a great job, to promote our cause — Co-Organizer Prasad Mangino
For many attendees, the festival served as a way to celebrate tradition and spend time with family and friends. Others attended to immerse themselves in a cultural celebration they had never experienced before, allowing them to learn about new traditions and develop a greater appreciation for the diversity within their community.
For attendees like Mathew, who is a Pakistani-Christian, this Holi celebration provided a rst-time opportunity to participate in a Hindu holiday. “Such celebrations are very important, though they are religious events … they bring harmony and happiness and joy,” he said. ▪
“[The festival has] a very good crowd [and] we always love to serve them, so that's why we are here” —
Vendor Rushali Joshi
Han & Saesha Prabhakar
Unboxing stories behind the blind box craze
By Cecilia Cheng, Finn McCarthy & Andy Zhang
Thanks to social media, blind boxes stuffed with small collectibles have quickly taken over the world. From adorable green, human-like creatures to astronauts lost in space with extensive
Sku panda
“the transcendent travelers”
Through their intricate designs and artistic out Skullpandas represent the darker themes of un certainty in a world of cuteness. First created by Chinese designer Xiong Miao in 2018, Skullpandas captured the hearts of collectors through their pen sive, dreamy expressions, becoming one of Pop Mart's gures were made to transcend limits, ecting a more boundless version of Xiong Miao. Repre sented by their signature astronaut helmets, the Skullpandas are space travelers journeying through planets, freely exploring the endless expanse of space. Each series depicts them in their new roles, capturing a sense of impermanence and uncertain t. Through striking and bold designs, Skull pandas break the bounds of space and blind boxes, becoming an artistic expression of
Hirono “the expressive”
Coupled with intricate details and unique accessories, the scruffy Hirono is recognized for ent attitude. Chinese artist Lang de signed their moody yet cute aesthetic to capture the complexities of the mind and in each series has its own backstory, illus trated through their designs, and has already appeared in nine collections, with more than 50 personas. In the Little Mischief series, Hironos such as
Through features that tell each character's backstory, Hirono cap tures both human emotions and col lectors' hearts. “I also like Hironos, because each design is unique, and it makes you feel like there’s a bigger story behind each design,” an anonymous
“But Hironos, each and every one of them has a different expression, unlike a lot of characters that you nd. A lot of [Hironos] are designed to be mid-motion, like they look like they’re about to do something ... A lot of their facial expressions are usually sad, angry, or some sort of negative emotion ... It’s not just at.” Car ol McCarthy 11
“I think the Skullpanda ones are really pretty, [but] I think they’re a little pricey. They’re around $30, over $30 sometimes. But yeah, I think the Skullpanda [collections are] the cutest ... I think [Skullpandas] have a lot of detail, [as] the eyeballs move. Their out ts are so cute, and all their collections, I feel like there’s just so much detail in [them].” English Teacher
Flora Kang
media posts made by celebrities like Lisa from BLACKPINK, The Mon sters have immersed themselves into
matter what, a smile could lift one’s spirits and guide them toward happiness. The series was rst brought to life as magical beings inhabiting a Nordic fairytale, including Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky, Pato, and most iconically, Labubu. Within the Labubu tribe, the character that stands out the most is Mokoko due to her heart-shaped nose and pastel pink fur. With rough ly a one out of 120 chance to Mokoko in the Finding Mokoko Blind Box Series, she remains the elusive
element. Released in 2015 by Dreams Inc., the humanoid were meant to resemble people’s ev eryday lives, giving them a minimalist feeling many enjoy. Their name is de rived from Japanese phrases that mean
appeal to a wide audience, espe
“While traveling with my family in Japan, I fondly remember how my cousins and I spent the majority of our time bonding over which Smiski we wanted from which collection. My cousin used to make fun of my collection but he himself has more than I have now.”
— Avina Wong, 11
