The New World (Spring 2021)

THE K NOW Spring 2021

THE U.S. RESPONSE TO COVID-19

YOUTH MEDIA

CIVIL UNREST OR CIVIL PROGRESS?

Issue 18

EXAMINING MY OWN BLACKNESS

SPRING ISSUE

no.18

Editor’s Note

the new world

There are events in people’s lifetimes that reshape society in unimaginable and lasting ways. For Americans, 9/11 and the 2008 economic crisis may come to mind, from changing the way we travel and buy homes, to the level of security and surveillance we’ve become accustomed to.

The novel coronavirus becomes the first link in a chain of events that will make the year 2020 go down in history books.

The virus has changed our relationship with the outside world and each other; Zoom and face masks are our new normal. It’s become an unfamiliar and unsettling new world, and society as we know it - education, healthcare, religion, government, business, the economy and more - has changed forever.

Then came murder hornets and aliens, but more importantly, an uprising after the unjust murders of Black men and women like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police, wildfires that destroyed our own backyards, and in layman’s terms, the government failing to do its job.

But crisis presents opportunity: an opportunity to educate, to make noise, and to make change. Gen-Z are rallying in the streets and the polls, and serving facts on TikTok. The nation is calling to defund the police and to fund communities instead. And the 2020 presidential election saw the highest voter turnout in the last century.

In this publication, the reporters of The kNOw examine how COVID-19 has left a lasting impact on them and their communities, and the actions being taken as we navigate “The New World” through their articles about education, employment, the police, mental health, and their own identities.

P.S. Please remember to wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance.

Johnsen del rosario Program Coordinator

Program Manager & editor: Kody Stoebig | Program Coordinator: Johnsen Del Rosario Cover Art: Ruben Diaz | Translations: Melissa Andrade & Cynthia Delgado The kNOw Youth Media is a program of Youth Leadership Institute (YLI). At YLI, young people realize their power by learning to use their voices to create meaningful change. We work within coalitions and with elected officials to promote policy change that makes our communities more equitable for young people, especially young people of color. To learn more, visit yli.org!

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theknowyouth@gmail.com

@thekNOwfresno

@thekNOwfresno

@thekNOwfresno

TABLE OF CONTENTS MEET THE COHORT!

04

THE KNOW WEIGHS IN: THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

05

EDUCATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE ACCESSIBLE. IT ISN’T.

06

THE U.S. RESPONSE TO COVID-19

07

CIVIL UNREST OR CIVIL PROGRESS?

08

IN THE WAKE OF DESTRUCTION

09

EMPLOYMENT DURING COVID-19

10

THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

11

EXAMINING MY OWN BLACKNESS

12

THE BATTLE BETWEEN POLICE & MENTAL HEALTH

14

THE FUSD STUDENT BILL OF RIGHTS

15

A TEACHER’S VIEW ON VIRTUAL LEARNING

16

CSU TUITION RATES & COVID-19

17

THE GENTRIFICATION OF THRIFT STORES

18

QUARANTINE DAZE

18

GROWING UP GEN-Z

19

THE STRUGGLES OF ONLINE LEARNING

19

THE BENEFITS OF UP CYCLING

20

For more content from the reporters of the know, visit theknowfresno.org or scan the code to the right > theknowfresno.org | 03

meet the cohort!

The kNOw weighs in: the 2020 presidential election Editor’s Note: 2020 has been an eventful year. From the international protests and polarizing election to the catastrophic effects of COVID-19 and the West Coast fires. In response to these events, the call to action has often been framed as being on the “right side of history.” But as we digest the implications of this notion, we’re drawn inward to evaluate what that means for us in the present. Below, the reporters of The kNOw reflect on the results of the election and what comes next.

Education Is Supposed To Be Accessible. It Isn't.

On March 13, 2020, the day the United States officially designated the COVID-19 pandemic as a national emergency, I walked through the halls of my high school for the last time. As a senior during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a lot of things that I missed out on, but the biggest loss I experienced was the support I was entitled to as a student with special educational needs.

different learning format.

According to the Pew Research Center in 2020, 7 million students in the United States have a disability. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) establishes that disabled students have the right to a free and fair public education that accommodates their needs, and it is this act that guarantees 14 percent of public school students, myself included, access to special education services, specialized instruction, classroom accommodations, and more.

In addition, the switch to online learning drastically

As a high school student, I was given a 504 plan, which outlines and provides accommodations in order to ensure academic success and equitable access to education. These accommodations allowed me to enroll in Advanced Placement and honors courses with the confidence that my needs would be met, and the support I received from instructors and staff was vital to my academic success.

Instead of providing an increased amount of support for students trying to learn during a pandemic, my peers and I felt like the educational system cut us loose, providing us with less support and assistance than what we were given pre-pandemic.

Illustration by J. R. Diaz

When education shifted from in-person to online learning, everything changed.

decreased the amount of time we spent interacting with and learning from our teachers, meaning that it was up to us to teach ourselves a substantial portion of the curriculum on top of completing the required coursework. All while learning from home, an environment full of potential distractions, that only exacerbated existing issues.

Success in online learning requires a firm grasp on time management and organizational skills, areas that I struggle with as a student with ADHD and mental health issues.

While my 504 plan was meant to provide the tools and support to lessen these struggles, the great majority of the accommodations I was receiving were only applicable in the context of in-person instruction, and my 504 plan was not revisited or changed despite the transition to a completely

In the process of transferring curriculum and coursework into a format suitable for distance learning, it feels like schools and universities have forgotten that education is supposed to be accessible. The lack of accessibility and accommodations available to students during distance learning is indicative of the fact that equitable access to education was never a priority to educational institutions. Accessibility in education is more than just a list

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of federal requirements that a school is legally obligated to comply with, but a concept that needs to be integrated into every facet of instruction. The fact of the matter is, the only way for education to be truly equitable is for it to be 100 percent accessible.

The last few months of one’s senior year are supposed to be relatively stress free, but for me, those months were characterized by an inescapable sense of drowning. Every test, quiz, and assignment felt like water filling my lungs, weighing me down as I did everything I could to stay afloat.

I helplessly watched as the list of assignments grew longer and my grades continued to fall, and I began to wonder if I would ever be able to climb out of the hole I was in, one that only grew deeper as the days went on.

During this time of immense struggle, I watched the school board of my district vote not to join other school districts from around the state in changing the way grades were administered during distance learning. The school board cited school districts that had changed their grading system to Pass/No Pass or had simply chosen to give students all A’s for the semester, stating that they would not be following suit because they believed students in the district had the ability to rise to the occasion and continue to meet the expectations that they had been held to during pre-pandemic learning.

Watching the school board, an institution that is supposed to prioritize the well being of students above all else, decide that the expectations students were held to would stay the same despite the monumental changes we were all experiencing felt like a slap in the face.

Why was I expected to adapt to the challenges of online learning during a pandemic when my accommodations and support systems were not adapted as well? Why do our schools expect students to maintain the same levels of

productivity and achievement when they are not providing the same quality of education? Why is America’s educational system focused on how students can better adapt to difficult situations and not on how the educational system can better adapt to their needs? And finally, what do we lose by prioritizing compassion in the treatment of students during a time where everyone’s life has been majorly impacted by a global crisis?

In June, I officially graduated high school, passing all of my second semester classes. This fall, almost half a year after

my last day of in-person schooling, I started my freshman year of college. I still face many of the same struggles I encountered with distance learning as a high school senior, as issues concerning accessibility and accommodations for students during this time are institutional and widespread.

organized and motivated of students.

Every student trying to complete their education during this time deserves compassion, leniency, and understanding, and expecting students to perform at the same level as they did before COVID-19 will only cause harm. If we want our educational institutions to best serve the needs of students Trying to manage one’s education in the midst of a during this time, focus needs to shift towards accommodating pandemic is a difficult task even without having to deal with accessibility issues, and the strain of social isolation, learning and supporting the needs of all students and creating a learning environment that is accessible to all. in a potentially turbulent or unsafe home environment and technological barriers can have an impact on even the most

by Zofia Trexler

THE U.S. RESPONSE TO COVID-19 COVID-19, an infectious disease, started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and arrived in the U.S. in January 2020. This virus has infected nearly eight million people in the United States and has claimed at least 214,000 lives over the course of just ten months.

This has left many people with the question, “How could this happen to a place like America?” While there are many answers to this specific question, the one that answers it best is the delayed response to COVID-19 from the U.S. government. When COVID-19 was first acknowledged by the United States, President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the virus and claimed the United States had this “under control.” Little did he know that ten months later, America would still be battling the hardships that COVID-19 has brought.

One of the first actions President Trump took in response to the virus was restricting travel into the United States from China on most, but not all, groups entering. Even though he took this proactive action, the statements coming from the White House continued to downplay the severity of the virus.

Instead of addressing the situation realistically, they failed to consider its serious implications and effects.

While thinking positively in most scenarios is ideal, when it comes to a new virus invading the nation, every possible outcome should be acknowledged and considered so that the

nation can be prepared for the effects it might cause.

In February, President Trump requested funding from Congress for testing, vaccine development, personal protective equipment (PPE), and more. Shortly after, the first account of community spreading of the virus in the United States was confirmed. Instead of immediately requiring that Americans practice social distancing, President Trump, once again, downplayed the virus and claimed that the numbers

Confirmed new cases of COVID-19 (Source: Johns Hopkins)

would decrease soon. By continuously downplaying the virus instead of acknowledging its severity, Trump continued to promote a false narrative to American citizens that COVID-19 is not as serious as medical officials reported it to be.

This led to many Americans underestimating the virus and

gaslighting the people who are taking the safety precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seriously.

In March, President Trump finally encouraged social distancing guidelines given by the CDC. This included schooling at home, avoiding large gatherings that exceeded 10 people, avoiding going to bars, restaurants, and food courts, and lastly avoiding unnecessary travel. This was another proactive action, but the fact that it was implemented three months after the virus was first identified in America proves that the government’s delayed response to the virus is why the U.S. continues to lead the world in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

President Trump’s failure to acknowledge COVID-19 as a possible threat to America and its citizens is what ultimately led the U.S. to where it is today, with one of the highest rates of COVID-19 cases in the world. All the time that President Trump spent denying COVID-19 as a real threat could have been more efficiently used to find solutions to the problem.

We can never get back the lives that we lost due to COVID-19, but by taking precautions such as wearing a mask, consistently washing our hands, and social distancing, we can still save thousands of other lives and further prevent the virus from spreading within our communities.

by Lorena Bernal

theknowfresno.org | 07

Civil Unrest or Civil Progress?

On May 25, 2020, a convenience store employee called the Minneapolis Police Department to report a man for buying a pack of cigarettes with a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. Within seventeen minutes of the first police car arriving on the scene, a man named George Floyd was pinned beneath officer Derek Chauvin’s knee without any sign of life.

For many years, the U.S. has been a melting pot of civil unrest and political tension, and the death of George Floyd was enough to set things off. The nation broke out in protests, peaceful demonstrations, and riots for George Floyd and other victims of police brutality like Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake.

Numerous factors have contributed to the way these events unfolded so violently, including police push back, the conflicts with anti-Black Lives Matter groups, and the overall lack of urgency in official response.

old La Mesa, California protester who was put into a medically-induced coma for over three days after being hit by a beanbag round. Furcron suffered facial fractures and temporarily lost vision in her left eye.

As people across the country ask for peace, there seems to be just as many ready for violence, whether that be with other civilians, or with the people hired to protect us.This violent response has only added to what the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and others like it have been fighting for. When Detroit Police Commander Todd Bettison spoke about what happened in Detroit, he expressed his regret, “My heart was heavy because I didn’t accomplish what I wanted to.”

police support flags.

What happened in Lodi offers a look at the values and beliefs of the two different sides without creating chaos.

It was a rather tame event with a peaceful outcome.

However, that does not provide an example of the less than peaceful events or “riots.” It certainly does not provide enough information on how extreme people are willing to take things.

Both sides have very strong opinions and when they clash, results seem to be catastrophic. That brings us to Kenosha, Wisconsin. On August 25, 2020 a 17-yearold boy in Antioch, Illinois named Kyle Rittenhouse, was heading to Kenosha where civil unrest had broken out just days after the shooting of Jacob Blake.

By the end of the night, two people would be dead.

Video footage of the event gathered

by ABC News shows seven gunshots On Sunday, May 31, 2020 a group ringing out. Moments later, a man in Detroit who were protesting for named Joseph Rosenbaum is shot George Floyd were caught in a and Rittenhouse is seen running standoff with officers from the Detroit away. Rittenhouse was caught on Police Department. When DPD tape running down a street, getting commander Todd Bettison arrived on chased by protesters. After falling the scene, he was met with “a lotta down, he fired four shots injuring angry people,” he mentioned during 26-year-old Gaige Grosskreutz and a press conference. Bettison recalled killing fellow 26-year-old Anthony the protesters asking him to kneel Huber, who were bystanders during with them, and in an attempt to quell the incident. What happened in the disturbance, he complied.

Kenosha, Wisconsin serves as a grim reminder that for many The “Lift Every Voice” mural painted by Fresno artists outside of the offices of youth organization Fresno This, however, was ultimately people, this is life or death. Yes, Barrios Unidos at East Tulare & Rowell Ave. (Photo by Michael Yamamura) ineffective as tear gas, rubber most protests are peaceful, but with In some of these events, it is not just the police that seem tensions so high, things are bound to get out of hand bullets, and flash bang grenades were deployed only to oppose protestors, but counter protestors as well. To moments later, and dozens of protesters were arrested sometimes. form an understanding of these counter protestors, it is when someone allegedly threw something at an officer. It necessary to first examine a relatively tame conflict, such Since the start of these events, the BLM movement has is important to note what happened in Detroit because as the protest on September 5, 2020 in Lodi, California. it was not a unique incident. Similar incidents have been under criticism from many for the actions committed On this day, BLM protesters were near Legion Park calling by some of the people involved. These actions include happened in cities all over the US - Minneapolis, Los to defund the police when a group of counter protesters Angeles, New York, and Portland, Oregon have all been arson, vandalism, looting, and setting fire to police showed up. The two groups had nothing but a line of sites of conflicts similar to the one in Detroit. vehicles. However, according to the US Crisis Monitor, police to separate them. more than 93 percent of all demonstrations since Conflicts such as these have left more people in hospitals Floyd’s death have been non-violent and many of the ABC News coverage of the event showed a back and than what can be covered in one article. However, it is illegal actions have been linked to counter-protestors important to highlight a couple examples of this, like what forth of chanting, with BLM protesters yelling “Black impersonating BLM protestors.

Lives Matter” and the counter protesters yelling “All Lives happened to 22-year-old Megan Matthews. Matthews Matter” in response. The video coverage also gives a went to a Denver protest with milk and bandages to help No matter what scrutiny this movement has faced, it is clear idea of what each side really stood for. The Black potentially injured protestors. Within hours, she was undeniable that it has gotten the people in charge to Lives Matter protesters wore shirts and masks with BLM loaded into an ambulance after being struck in the head listen. Since the protests began, all four officers involved on them, carrying signs with the black power fist and by a sponge-tipped bullet. Matthews’ injuries included in the killing of George Floyd have been charged and chanting statements like “end police brutality now.” a broken nose, fractured facial bones, multiple facial arrested, multiple states have banned police from using lacerations, and vision problems that may never fully heal. The counter protesters, however, wore shirts and hats the chokehold that killed Floyd, multiple cities have begun with USA and the American flag holding Trump 2020 and Another incident happened to Leslie Furcron, a 59-yearredirecting funds from their police departments and into

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their communities, and some school districts have begun removing police from their schools.

The City of Fresno is just one of the many places that has finally started to listen to its citizens. Murals honoring victims of police brutality have begun popping up across the city, including murals of Breonna Taylor and Isiah Murrieta-Golding outside of the offices of Fresno Barrios Unidos on Tulare Street and a mural of Floyd himself on Fulton Street.

City officials are starting to listen as well. For starters, Mayor Lee Brand has proclaimed June 18th Black Lives Matter Day in Fresno, and the City of Fresno has already

established a 37 member commission for police reform.

This commission is composed of residents, community advocates, and experts on public safety and community policing. The commission’s efforts started by surveying Fresno residents on changes they wanted to see enacted.

because of it. Now is the time to continue the push for change and ensure that cities are truly addressing the issues and not just being performative to appease the public.

In the words of Malcom X:

But this is all just a start.

This year has been volatile, the incidents in Kenosha, Lodi, and Detroit are just the tip of the iceberg, but the response to those incidents show that change can happen. With as much opposition as it has faced, the BLM movement has proven that it can get results and many cities, including Fresno, have begun making changes

“If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress. If you pull it all the way out that’s not progress. The progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven’t even begun pulling the knife out, much less healed the wound. They won’t even admit the knife is there.”

by Michael Yamamura

in the wake of destruction I grew up in Tollhouse, California, a small, unincorporated community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Although it has been many years since I moved to the city, I still feel a connection to the foothills, as they are inextricably attached to my childhood.

On September 4, 2020, the Creek Fire sparked near Shaver Lake. Burning almost 400,000 acres, the fire has become the biggest in California history, causing millions of dollars of damage and impacting the lives of many rural communities.

As soon as I heard the news of the fire, I tracked it obsessively, watching the area it consumed grow bigger and bigger. I watched it inch closer to the places that had meant so much to me—the church my family used to go to every Sunday, the library that fostered my love of reading,

Trexler, 8 years old, playing in the snow outside of her home in Tollhouse

and my childhood home, the house on top of the hill that I had watched my dad build from the ground up.

Massive and unprecedented crises like COVID-19 have made it seem like the world is on fire, and, as time progresses, it has been made more and more clear that we will never go back to the way things were. During the course of the pandemic, I’ve turned 18, moved out, and started my first semester of college. Like many members of our generation, I am learning how to be an adult in the midst of a massive upheaval of my life as I once knew it. I look back at my childhood, the safety and comfort of the life I used to live, and see nothing but ash.

The last time we drove away from our old house in Tollhouse, before moving to Fresno, I imagined one day showing my own children around the foothills, taking them to the places that meant so much to me when I was a child.

Trexler (9 years old) and her sister Jenny (5 years old)

But now I will never be able to show them the world that I grew up in. Instead, I can show them how things grow out of ash, how, even in the wake of destruction, life begins to take root once more.

It is difficult to grasp that our lives will never be the same, that the effects of the crisis we are experiencing now will impact us for decades to come. In addition to the task of adjusting to a new way of life, our generation has been saddled with the burden of fixing the world we will one day inherit.

We are living through a time characterized by so much pain and destruction, but, as we grow up and begin to pick up the pieces of our broken world, we will be given the opportunity to build something better.

by Zofia Trexler

The Creek Fire on Sunday, September 6, 2020.

Photo by Ron Holman (Visalia Times Delta)

theknowfresno.org | 09

Employment During Covid-19 The year 2020 has been an extremely challenging year, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the results have been devastating, it can also be credited to exposing the many insufficiencies of the systems and structures that govern our lives. Jobs and career opportunities have been greatly effected, with new openings becoming scarce and pay rates and safety being unsupported for essential workers.

Essential workers are largely youth between the ages of 16 to 24 who are taking up minimum wage jobs as a means to support their immediate families or aid in getting them through college.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in April 2019, the number of unemployed youth continued to decrease from the previous month falling to 1.7 million.

One year later and the differences are striking.

COVID-19 spiked in March, and by April unemployment rates more than doubled from 2.1 million to 5 million.

In the height of the pandemic, businesses began shutting down in response to the severity of the virus, leaving millions of people with career uncertainties. Meanwhile, a percentage of businesses deemed vital to society continued to stay open, swiftly being marketed as “essential” businesses.

America is a capitalist society at the end of the day. Labor and corporate businesses must continue to operate in order for the economy to sustain itself. The question that COVID-19 presents is whether the economy or the health and wellbeing of our people should be prioritized. This very question lingers on the minds of millions of young essential workers and unemployed youth.

While safety and sanitization guidelines are enforced at these open businesses, the staffing support systems have been lackluster and obsolete. Many complaints of Human Resources not handling potential violations of safety guidelines have arisen, which has led to many young employees feeling like they still don’t matter enough, even during a pandemic.

The mental and emotional turmoil of living during a time like this also weighs heavily, and the individual questionings of whether or not it’s worth it to work in 2020 is legitimate and valid. However, the struggling grip of having to sacrifice financial stability for peace of mind puts many in a sticky situation.

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Infographic by Rocky Walker | Data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

For those who lost their jobs during this time, finding opportunities to get back into the workforce are second to none. New job postings have largely diminished, increasing stress during application hunts and creating even more competitive grounds for hiring. Job requirements have also not shifted during this period, which continues to enforce barriers for prospective hires.

Just as the future is uncertain for society as a collective, the same can be said for those of us who are looking for a new job; it might be awhile before we find one.

Unemployment payments have increased in response to the pandemic to help people make ends meet. According to the California Employment Development Department, the state is now participating in the Lost Wages Assistance Program, a program that will provide an additional $300 per week for people who receive at least $100 in weekly benefits should they qualify.

This has created a divisive response amongst the essential and the unemployed. Those who are still working are wondering why they don’t make as much as someone sitting at home. The unemployed are wondering why the essential are complaining, at least they still have a job.

This back and forth blame game is pointless. Neither side is in the wrong, both are just products of a system that has failed to support them. The unemployed were blindsided and now have to make difficult accommodations with benefits that barely support, and the essential are actually just the exploited. The real enemy here is capitalism, and now more than ever we are facing the reality of just how

wrong we’ve been done.

America was not ready for this, and leadership downplayed the severity of COVID-19 the moment infection rates were deemed concerning. Now here we are, struggling to find a steady job, experiencing financial struggle and having to make the crippling decisions surrounding personal health and life against financial support and productivity.

Something has to be done, asks have to be made. Most of all, now is not the time to be divided. We have to come together and exercise our voices. We need more opportunities, there needs to be better accommodation for essential work, hazard pay, hazard raises or bonuses.

We also need to eliminate the idea of “essential workers.”

All jobs are essential and vital to the livelihood of our people and contribute to sustaining the economy. Coining this term has only incited division among people through their career status and professions. Instead, we need to focus on incentives for those who are working.

Hazard pay and bonuses are crucial for those risking their health to support themselves during these unprecedented times. Employees also need an increase in sick time to cushion any chances of infection and recovery time. It is through these benefits employees can start to feel supported - and there is no reason they should feel otherwise. The United States has put in a lot of energy to market workers as important, it’s time to start treating them as such.

by Leo Loera

The Effects of COVID-19 on those Experiencing Homelessness As of Sept. 30, 2020, Fresno County has had a total of 28,791 cases of COVID-19 and 390 deaths. With the numbers growing every day, how have people experiencing homelessness in Fresno been affected by the virus?

Environments conducive to a disease pandemic are those in which sanitation and hygiene, along with distance from others, are not possible. Homeless populations often lack the resources needed to maintain hygiene and staying safe from the virus requires much more than that. In addition to masks, distance from others and frequent sanitation are needed to stay safe.

Many people experiencing homelessness rely on public spaces like libraries and public bathrooms to keep themselves clean and sanitary, but with the mass closure of public spaces as a result of the virus, they are having a more difficult time finding the necessary resources and shelter. Fresno has over 2,000 individuals living on the streets, and many of them remain unsheltered, sleeping in places not intended for human habitation, like on a bench, in a car, in an abandoned building, or on a street.

Mike Rhodes, the author of “Dispatches from the War Zone, Homelessness in Fresno from 20022015,” has worked to protect the human rights of those experiencing homelessness for over 20 years. He was a key organizer in a class-action lawsuit against the City of Fresno in 2006, and the $2.3 million settlement forced the city to end the practice of bulldozing homeless encampments.

Rhodes said that COVID-19 “adds a whole different layer of issues” for those experiencing homelessness. While many of Fresno’s residents can quarantine in their residences, the homes of those experiencing homelessness are out on streets.

Rhodes believes that more money could be spent by the City of Fresno on social services for these homeless individuals, rather than Fresno’s homeless task force, which is carried out by police officers.

These police officers force people living on the streets

to move to places like Poverello House (an organization that helps provide and shelter people experiencing homelessness in Fresno), but most of the time, these individuals ultimately end up moving to another street, or another homeless encampment.

“The success rate of this homeless task force,” which is very little, Rhodes said, “is not worth the money spent, because these are police officers, not social service workers.”

There are other nonprofits and organizations helping those experiencing homelessness in Fresno and many are working even harder amid this pandemic.

at-risk youth. Latasha Marin, the outreach coordinator for Fresno EOC Sanctuary and Support Services, coordinates a team that directly provides people with resources intended to help individuals become more self-sufficient.

Recently, her job has an added risk factor. Because Marin and her team work directly with other people, contact with others is essential. Her job isn’t something that can be done virtually, and while they are taking as many precautions as possible, it is still risky.

“We’re taking serious precaution,” Marin said. “But I think we’re taking a risk anyway, because we don’t really know what [the virus] entails,” which is true, as scientists are learning more about the virus every day.

One of the challenges of working to provide for individuals experiencing homelessness is how vastly different everyone is reacting to the pandemic.

“One day you’ll see [lots of individuals willing to] wear a mask,” Marin said. “Then you’ll see the ones that just won’t. It just depends.” And if a person is unwilling to wear a mask or maintain distance, they have to discontinue the outreach to that individual as a safety precaution for themselves and for others.

Illustration by J. R. Diaz

Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (Fresno EOC), for example, has an outreach program that has many services to help those experiencing homelessness. They connect homeless individuals with housing opportunities, give out hygiene kits (that recently included masks and hand sanitizer), have showers available, as well as providing safe places for homeless youth.

While Fresno EOC is providing masks and hand sanitizer to many individuals, staying safe from the virus is still a rising issue for those experiencing homelessness. Currently, with the coronavirus pandemic at large, Fresno EOC is still figuring out a safe way to continue with their showering service, and though the drop-in youth service isn’t operational, they still have transportation for homeless and

Marin stresses that every individual is different, and the help that they need differs too. Some want transportation and shelter, while some just want a meal. Preference in accepting help and resources varies just as much as the circumstance of every individual experiencing homelessness.

While the pandemic continues to spread and cases in the valley rise, it’s increasingly important to do everything possible to protect yourself and others. Those who can are being urged to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and stay home as much as possible.

But for those experiencing homelessness, staying safe is getting increasingly difficult and there is only so much place like Fresno EOC can do without further support and investment from the city.

by Kiera Kaiser

theknowfresno.org | 11

Examining My Own Blackness My childhood was saturated with the gorgeous Black art that decorated my mother, grandmother, and father’s homes. The daily Gospel music that sprang to life from my mother’s old TV set and the Afrobeats that enchanted me on the way over to my father’s house when he picked me up. I was fed by the egusi soup that my father served me and adorned by the African garments that he bought me.

I was comforted by the Black dolls my mother exclusively bought for me and inspired by the myriad of late 90s/early 2000s Black TV shows and movies she urged me to watch.

As you can see, I had a lot of positive Black influences and encouragement when I was growing up. So, whenever the discussion of “coming to terms” with one’s Blackness came up, I usually counted myself out of the conversation because it wasn’t a journey I identified with.

Or so I thought.

Nomenclature

and “God is with us” in Hebrew. It is also sometimes spelled as Emani. In America, it’s typically used as a girl’s name, recognized as a staple for African-American names, and given different spelling variations like Imonee and Emony. I bring attention to this name because it mirrors the western pronunciation of my own name, which is [i:fɒni:].

For some reason, I never found myself getting along with Imanis very well, especially the first two I met since I would often butt heads with them. Every time I would vent to my

go on in grade school, almost every class of students has someone in their grade that pretty much everyone disliked.

For the purpose of my story, we’ll call this someone in my class “Khalid.”

From 4th to 6th grade, I went to a predominantly white elementary school and I remember most of the popular people and class clowns bickering with and making fun of Khalid all the time. Being the little Black boy that he was, his nose was often the prime target of their harsh words. They criticized its size and shape at nearly every opportunity.

In an effort to fit in with my peers, I hardly thought twice about joining in. As I laughed at every cruel joke that they hurled his way, I quickly began to detest him just as much as my classmates did. Admittedly, this was for absolutely no reason other than to make myself feel better about bullying a kid who had never done anything to me.

My name, Ifeanyi, is a unisex I continued on, thoughtlessly, name most commonly found with my malicious endeavors in Nigeria, where my father is until one of the other from. In Igbo, my name means tormentors said the most “nothing is too difficult for God haunting words to me: “Hey, to handle.” Like many other your nose kind of looks like children with non-Western Khalid’s.” I was disgusted by names, I found it bothersome such a heinous insinuation and to give a mini history lesson to Nwonye in first grade Nwonye in fourth grade dismissed it without question. every substitute teacher, nurse, and coach who read it (and friends or family about how much I disdained the most Now, if you want to be technical, yes, Khalid and I had mispronounced it) for the first time, even after I started recent one, I joked at the idea that their name was so different noses. Relative to his face, his nose and nostrils going by “Ify.” similar yet inferior to mine because I ignorantly believed were bigger than mine and his nose spread flatter on his that it “didn’t mean anything.” This belief reflected how I face than mine. But the fact still remained that we had the Despite the bother, I was obligated to repeat this task same type of nose: undefined nose-bridge, more width because I felt like I had something to prove. I believed that internalized the stigma that African-American names are to be made fun of because they are supposedly classless, than length, plump, and round. I did have Khalid’s nose. if I could tether the uniqueness of my name to a specific culture-less, and made up.

And what did it say about me, knowing that I hated it? culture, country, and foreign language, then everyone would know that it was an “exotic” name and not a After retrieving this and a bevy of other repressed Investigation “ghetto” one. memories from the depths of my subconscious, I realized that this was just the earliest example of my own extended As a young girl and well into my adolescence, I often Looking back on my childhood, this wasn’t something that struggle with my Black identity. compared myself to my female peers to determine if they I could easily admit to myself. But, it became abundantly were prettier than I was. The assessment was usually clear when I considered my reactions to the first three Cognitive Dissonance quantified by the amount of male attention they received Imanis I ever met. versus the amount I received. My amount was generally Imani is originally a male name that means “faith” in Swahili Amongst all the different social hierarchies and cliques that slim to none, so my investigation often ruled in their favor.

12 | spring 2021

Nwonye in her senior year of high school

While I compared myself and “lost” to girls with a variety of different races, ethnicities, and features, the overall trend was that girls with lighter skin and eyes, looser hair, and/ or narrower features were more commonly “winners” and I knew that was not a coincidence.

The strenuous relationship I had with my ostensibly Black features was never as simple as “I hate my nose” or “I wish I didn’t look dirty.” Logically, I knew that nothing was inherently wrong with the features that I had, so I never really hated them per se. But at the same time, I still struggled to love them because how do you find value in something that no one else does?

Imagine if tomorrow everyone in America decided that the American $1 bill meant nothing. You can’t use it in stores, sell it as a collector’s item, load it into an ATM or trade it in for international currency. The bill would then become nothing from an economic and legal standpoint, especially if America was all you ever knew.

Nwonye in her freshman year of college

too much because there was an alternative: “lightening by association.”

In my early years of having crushes and dating boys, I only allowed myself to pursue crushes that were Black and dark skinned. Even though my infatuation with boys who fit this description was genuine, it wasn’t because my attraction was exclusive to these boys. It was because I believed light skin and non-Black boys were “out of my league” since I had found that they preferred to date girls that resembled their phenotype. Even though most of the Black guys I sought after were also privy to “exotic-looking” girls, I knew I had a higher chance with them than anyone else since this Eurocentric dating pool caused us to both rank pretty low on the list of viable partners.

My Fetish

It wasn’t until my late elementary school and middle school years that I finally started to branch out. In fact, the pendulum had nearly swung in the entirely opposite direction and I began to prefer light skin and non-Black boys. I never denied my attraction to some of the boys who more closely resembled me but, admittedly, I often valued my lighter skin crushes more because I viewed them as more of a “prize” than their dark skin counterparts.

Not only did I buy into the whole “light skin pretty boy” stereotype, but I also viewed them as a symbol of status.

According to my prettier-than-thou investigation, I knew that most of the light skin boys also ranked high as “winners” in the school’s attraction pool, which correlated to their high social statuses in the school’s popularity hierarchy. I thought that if I could manage to get a light skin boy on my arm, I would improve my standing in both of these areas as well.

Grappling with the fact that I would never live up to this standard was a tough pill to swallow. But I didn’t dwell on it

Take a moment to think about how we view a lot of conventionally unattractive men who are seen dating

That is exactly how it was for me in predominantly white and Black spaces. So, to me, my acute disdain for my visual Blackness was just a practicality rather than an assimilation to a flawed mindset. When I began to equate “pretty eyes” with blue, gray, and green eyes or “good lighting” with the kind that made me look as yellow as possible, I saw nothing wrong. Rather than being able to recognize that the issue here was not my features but instead the stigma that was created against them, I chose to abide by this standard and respect it as law.

gorgeous women. For many people, their initial reaction is to question why this woman is with him (unless he has significantly more money than her). Over time, we slowly start to see the man as being more attractive or, at the very least, we gain a minute amount of respect for him because he must have the best game in the world to be able to get a partner like that. That’s exactly what my plan was.

Even though I became less committed to this plan as I became more educated and socially conscious, remnants of this mindset have still persisted in me even today. At least now I’m more equipped to discuss how I fetishized lighter skin, how I coped with being victimized by a Eurocentric hierarchy by reinforcing it myself, and how all of that is bad. But the biggest flaw I’ve discovered in my plan is that it relied on me gaining the validation of a “trophy” partner and the general population to override the pervasive insecurities that I had about myself. Here I am, more than a year into my loving and affirming relationship with a light skin man who my younger self would count as a “trophy” partner and I am still struggling to find peace with who I am.

This is not to say that self-love can be prescribed as a cure-all to the anti-Blackness that pervades our everyday lives – because my insecurities do not exist in a vacuum and it’s rather ignorant to suggest that Black people should just “love themselves” out of oppression.

However, I can still acknowledge that my reinforcement of the oppressive systems that were made to contain me is not productive and that by buying into them I’m just making their jobs easier. So, I’ve decided that on my journey to find peace within myself, I’d rather make them work for it.

by Ifeanyi M. Nwonye

theknowfresno.org | 13

The battle between police & mental health Police are here to serve and protect the people of this country, but are the police truly a reliable source when it comes to the more nuanced aspects of people’s behavior?

Especially in regards to mental health?

When people are having a mental health crisis, oftentimes police are called to assist. This may be because the person having a crisis is found wandering the streets, because a teacher does not know how to handle a student in need, or because the person’s loved ones need some backup in a situation.

the country. On Saturday, June 8, 2019, police received a call regarding a suicidal woman in her apartment.

According to ABC 7 News, the officers called for a crisis negotiator before arriving, showing that police are certainly not equipped with the skills to do this themselves. When officers arrived, they reported that she swung an axe and hit the door, then proceeded to chase the officer with a

During these crises, the person in need of help or medical attention may not be in direct control of their actions or emotions. It is the job of those deemed our “protectors” to educate themselves and learn how to de-escalate the so-called situations. In the year 2020, the police should already know and be well-equipped on how to safely care for a person having a mental health crisis. It is their job to protect us, so why aren’t they?

In an article published by ABC News on March 25, 2016, body camera footage was released that showed two officers fatally shooting a man in Fresno County. It was revealed that the man, Freddy Centeno, suffered from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and drug abuse.

Police arrived on the scene after a 911 call was made, stating that a man of Centeno’s description had held a woman at gunpoint. As soon as police arrived, they had their guns drawn and pointed at Centeno. Both officers shouted at him to get on the ground and less than seconds later, shot at him 10 times - seven of which hit Centeno.

On the second command to get on the ground, Centeno reached into his pocket for a black plastic spray nozzle.

Police were under the impression that this was a gun and decided in a split second to shoot. This goes to show that police are in no way capable of de-escalating situations in which they “fear for their lives.” On multiple occasions, it seems as though police are simply “trigger happy” and shoot unnecessarily.

And it’s not just happening in our community, but all across

14 | spring 2021

response. Seeing a gun in general can be quite triggering for someone with a mental health disorder - now imagine how they feel when that gun is being pointed directly at them.

With all of the negative events occuring in our country right now regarding police and the innocent lives being lost, some people get lost in the reasons why these events may happen in the first place. The police system has been around since 1838, and we have not seen a great deal of progress. This can be directly associated with the amount of training that is required for police involving mental health crises across the country. A one week, 40 hour curriculum training is offered to police on how to handle mental health cases. The problem is, these training are not mandatory, and most states only require their officers to attend 8 or less hours.

Some departments do not have the money to train all officers, so they hand select which officers they want to train in mental health.

Illustration by J. R. Diaz

knife. The officer shot her while she was standing 4 feet away from him. She later died in the hospital.

With the woman standing 4 feet away, she was obviously not able to reach the officers with the knife she had in her hand.

If the police received adequate training in mental health crises, they would know how to properly negotiate with the woman and talk her out of the mental health episode she was experiencing without using lethal force.

As someone who is diagnosed with many mental health illnesses, I know how badly an illness can take over one’s body and mind. When someone is experiencing an episode, they usually do not have the best control over their actions, nor are they properly in touch with reality in that moment.

As police barged into that woman’s apartment, it made her crisis worsen and she probably went into a fight-or-flight

As journalist Megan Pauly said in her Atlantic article on police officers and mental health, “Without the appropriate amount of mental health training for police, experts say, rash stigmatization and misinterpretation of the intentions of the mentally ill can cause vital errors and ultimately make the difference between life and death.”

On the other hand, the few police that are trained in this field can not respond to all of the cases that arise, which creates the inevitable cycle of mentally ill people continually being wrongfully harmed.

As aforementioned, not all departments have the money in the budget to train all officers. This is not the officers fault, but the fault of the system that prioritizes everything else over the mental health training that their officers really need.

We need to start by reforming police budgets entirely and redirecting the focus to providing mandatory training for all officers. This will ensure that any officer called to a mental health case will be secure in their training and know how to properly handle the situation.

by Lauren Webb

The fresno unified school district Student Bill of Rights Editor’s Note: For the purposes of this article “Gen Z” will be defined as anyone born during or after 1997.

The mass setbacks instituted by COVID-19. Domestic issues arising as a result of this abominable pandemic.

The implications of the 2020 presidential election. The deterioration of our environment before our eyes.

These are just a few of the issues that have been brought on by this unfortunate year. And in the midst of all of it, we must continue with our scholastic endeavors behind a screen.

“Zoom-school,” now installed as our primary form of education, has precipitated trials and tribulations for students, teachers, parents, and anyone else who has experienced – and must proceed to undergo – the gruesome effects of it. We, the students, are given assignment after assignment. We are instructed to apply knowledge that many of us haven’t even been able to fully grasp. We are confined to our rooms and unable to escape.

It’s as if we are stuck in this endless cycle of confusion about the future. And so we, the youth, have lost all hope and motivation.

But we, the Gen Z youth, are powerful. We have something that generations before us didn’t have: we have a drive to stand up for ourselves and others. It is a trait shared by millions of Gen Z members across the country, and that trait is the reason why civic engagement is at an all time high right now.

Because of the misfortunes that have struck our earth, we have all risen up to address the issues that we have been forced to witness and deal with. You do not have to look far to see the injustices that students are facing at this time.

For Fresno Unified School District (FUSD), learning has been increasingly difficult for students.

We kicked off this program a month ago by organizing a Town Hall for both students and families to voice their opinions on changes they would like to see in the district, specific advantages that students deserve in these unprecedented times of online learning, and other essential issues.

As the third largest school district in California, FUSD has 73,381 students enrolled. It is also one of the most diverse, receiving a 35 out of 40 on the ethnic diversity scale with 13,000 English learner students. It is also a district full of low-income students, with over 64,000 students who qualify for free or reduced price meals.

As many as 150 students showed up to the virtual town hall, and we received beneficial pieces of information about the issues they are facing. It was determined that students and families have been deprived of receiving the resources they need to survive this new educational landscape. While the district has taken some measures to help families, like creating meal sites at some FUSD school campuses, these initiatives are simply not enough.

These marginalized students and their families are the ones being most impacted by remote learning. They are the ones suffering, who are left feeling like their needs are not important to the school district.

And thus, a new organization has stepped in and opened a new chapter in the Central Valley.

GENup is unique among similar community organizations because it is completely student led. There isn’t even an adult advisor on staff. Having a student led team goes hand-in-hand with our philosophy, in which we believe that we, the students, have the power to lead campaigns and organize events to speak for as many people as we can.

Instead, it is led by two co-presidents, myself and Joshua Camarrillo.Together, with our team, we have taken the initiative to construct a Student Bill of Rights for distance learning.

Whether it be addressing the lack of mental health resources, the inability to acquire accommodations for learning disabilities, the overflowing of SROs and law enforcement officials on campuses, the evident schoolto-prison pipeline across the district, the lack of funding for arts and academic programs, or the inability for disenfranchised demographics to thrive due to inequity, students and families do not feel like their best interests are being taken into consideration.

We, the GENup student advocates, call for equity. For empathy. For accountability. We speak for those who are unable to stand up for themselves.

by Kimiya Attar

The GENup Fresno team - Row 1: Harnoor Kaur, Financial & Organizing Director. Roan Gordon, Co-Vice President Suzetti Ueno-Dasilva, Co-Vice President. Row 2: Yosef Aklilu, Outreach Director. Ishan Singh, Social Media Director Row 3: Joshua Camarillo, Co-President. Kimiya Attar, Co-President

theknowfresno.org | 15

a teacher's view on virtual learning When news about having to quarantine broke, the community was immediately concerned. People were worried about how to stay safe, contracting the virus, financial issues, and not seeing friends or family anymore. But one of the main concerns was how to teach young students while in a pandemic.

student and the parents. Yet Miss Z will constantly receive questions from parents about lesson plans when the answer is clearly stated in the messages she sends, so Miss Z’s advice to parents is, “READ. THE. ENTIRE. MESSAGE.”

The new learn-from-home environment was difficult not just for parents and students, but for the teachers as well. Teachers had to rearrange their entire lesson plans and adjust to teaching through a computer. Miss Z, a third grade teacher from Fresno County, was one of the many teachers who was impacted by this change.

Always check if your child has done their homework. “We were all kids at one point, and we all lied cause we didn’t want to do our homework.” But don’t only check their homework, also check how they are doing because virtual learning is a lot for students. Miss Z explained that she understands being a parent is a difficult job, but it would be best to routinely check up on the students. She also advised her students to try their best. “Try to be proactive with your learning, try to be a problem solver,” she said. “It’s okay to ask for help because you are a very powerful person, and if you just put in the effort, you could do anything.”

When quarantine started in March, Miss Z had to make a lot of changes very quickly. She had to clean out her classroom and bring it all home because of safety precautions. “I had to convert my home office into a classroom. I tried to make it as similar to my actual classroom as possible so the students could feel comfortable with seeing me on their devices,” she said.

She spent hours rearranging her lesson plans. She tried her best to make them equipped for virtual learning and hoped it gave the students the best opportunity to learn from home.

While teaching through a screen, Miss Z noticed the hugely varied reactions students were having to virtual learning. She saw that some students needed face-to-face interaction and encouraging words that a classroom environment brings.

While, at the same time, some students didn’t seem to have a problem with the switch. Some students worked well with technology, but Miss Z couldn’t stop thinking about the kids who were struggling, “It just broke my heart to see those students struggling and how I couldn’t help them.”

One of Miss Z’s concerns was that students were not grasping the lectures and learning the concepts they needed for the next school year; that virtual learning was not doing the job and it was not engaging enough for the students.

“I tried to change my lessons and make them interesting,” Miss Z said. “But the truth is, they are at home. Some are in their bed, watching TV in the background.”

There are a lot of issues teachers, students, and parents have to go through when it comes to virtual learning, and Miss Z offered some advice on how to navigate this new space. Miss Z spends hours planning a day and notifying the parents what their kid is learning. She uses a student planner that tells you what is expected of the day. She sends these planners to the

16 | spring 2021

It is also important to remember that, while virtual learning is a new concept for a lot of teachers and students, teachers are still facing a lot of pressure from the district and state - both have high expectations of them. “Now that we’ve had the summer and we’ve come back, I feel like there are a lot of expectations to maintain goals that they had before, but it is just not realistic,” Miss Z said.

Miss Z goes through a weekly meeting with the school board, parents, and teachers. Everyone gives their input on what to do with virtual learning, but no matter what’s decided, someone is not happy.

But her work still continues. For her, a typical school day looks like this: Students log into Zoom at 8 a.m. and Miss Z starts instructing soon after. The students have three blocks of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Synchronous is live learning; during this time, Miss Z shares a lesson with a PowerPoint. Afterward, they switch to asynchronous, which is independent learning. During the asynchronous block, Miss Z gives assignments to the students that are related to the synchronous lesson from earlier. The school day normally ends around noon. During synchronous learning, the students are expected to be on the call the whole block time. During the asynchronous block, the students have an option to leave or stay in the zoom call. Because Miss Z’s students are young, most decide to stay to either talk or ask for help.

Asynchronous learning is the only time students have a chance to socialize with each other. Miss Z’s students like to either communicate with each other using the chat feature or talk on the call. Miss Z expresses her concerns by saying, “I like

when my students can talk to one another, but it’s also kind of terrifying because they are at home. They have access to things that they wouldn’t at school.”

Miss Z explained that she sometimes allows the students to have breakout rooms where they talk and socialize. She noticed there have been times where the students talk about different topics like dogs, Minecraft, and their interests, but that she is “always scared that something is going to be shown or said, that a parent is going to be upset and the blame will be put on me.”

She likened it to recess, when no one can hear exactly what the students are saying. “I try to get them to talk to each other, but I have to do it in a safe manner while still being monitored to give them the opportunity to interact with each other,” she continued.

Even through the concerns and technical issues that Miss Z goes through every day, she appreciates the good moments of the day. She’s happy that she still has a chance to see her students’ faces, to teach them, and see the kids at home in a comfortable environment, which is a different form of connection. Just like in her face-to-face teaching, Miss Z creates a fun environment in their free time. Some of her students enjoy showing their collection, hobbies, and pets and she has scheduled activities like singing competitions, tic-tactoe competitions, and dance parties.

Like many teachers, Miss Z misses being able to teach in the same room with all her students and she is saddened by America’s lack of progress with the pandemic.

“I feel like if people just do their part, things will change,” Miss Z said. “Stay home, don’t go out, wash your hands, take care of yourself. That will help us a lot, but you will see people outside who don’t have a mask or aren’t social distancing.”

“I love my job. I love teaching,” she continued. “And I would like people to do their part so that we can get COVID under control. Then we can get the kids to come back because, out of everybody, kids are missing out on a lot. They are suffering the most. Us adults can make choices whenever we go out, but children don’t have that choice. Students have to follow what their parents say. If we just do our part, we can help our children have a chance to be children.”

by Maria Torres

California State UniversitY tuition RATES & COVID-19 Editor’s note: As of Fall 2020, the California State University (CSU) system has ruled that all university tuitions and fees will remain unchanged regardless of the online transitions caused

by COVID-19. For Fresno State students, that means that they will continue to pay at least $3,321.50 in tuition fees for the Fall 2020 semester to remain full time students. In Spring 2020, they will have to pay at least $3,281.50 in mandatory fees and tuition.

population of higher education institutions. This recession has made it even harder for anyone trying to stay afloat while also receiving a higher education, but it has been especially detrimental to those whose livelihoods depended on their college campuses, which are now deemed inoperable.

Unfortunately, the CSU system has decided against these changes.

They are moving forward with current tuition rates, including campus fees, against the direct wishes of their students.

We are currently living in a world rocked by a virus. This pandemic has caused virtually every aspect of life to be disrupted, with social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders causing businesses and schools to clear out in hopes of keeping students, staff, and their families safe.

Over 200 current CSU students were surveyed and the results overwhelmingly disagreed with the decision of CSUs and local administrations. 221 out of the 232 students surveyed reported that they believed tuition fees, and on-campus fees in particular, should be lowered because of classes moving online.

Because of this shutdown, educational institutions and the economy as a whole are struggling more than they have in decades.

This is especially true for young people just entering the workforce.

These workers, mainly 24 and under, are being most affected by the economic depression because they are the first to be let go or deemed “nonessential” with no work-fromhome alternatives.

Frankly, the numbers speak for themselves. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of April 2020, the unemployment rate for youth aged 18-19 was 34 percent, while the unemployment rate for April 2019 was only 13 percent for the same demographic.

This diminished youth work force was also prevalent in the age group of 20-24 year olds, with that demographic having an unemployment rate of nearly 26 percent in April 2020 compared to the measly 6.5 percent of the same month one year prior.

It is not a coincidence that these same age groups are the ones that make up the majority of the student body

following the same virtual protocols.

So, with the mode of learning changing, many students expected to see a lowering of tuition costs, or at the very least a refund on campus fees that are now inaccessible to students.

The rest of the data can be found in the graphic to the left.

As the self proclaimed, “nation’s largest public university system,” the California State University system has been caught up in litigation since April as over 750,000 students filed a lawsuit against them because of the continued Spring 2020 semester fees.

Survey data collected by Rocky Walker

Most college students have been forced to evacuate their living situations and move back home, with 52 percent of adults under 30 living back at home with their parents as of July 2020.

The California State University system, like most other systems of learning, has adapted to the pandemic by moving all classes online, with the entire 2020-2021 school year slated to remain virtual. There are very limited exceptions to these completely online modes of learning, with most everyone

This, paired with the petitions signed by thousands of students calling for reduced tuitions and fees, has put a spotlight on the California State University system to adjust their prices accordingly.

With the immense pressure on the CSU system to lower their prices, these young people can only hope that the CSU system listens to their students and provides some relief in a time where any unnecessary expense can leave students in a state of financial crisis.

by Rocky Walker

theknowfresno.org | 17

The GENTRIFICATION of THRIFT STORES Over the course of the quarantine, I have had much time on my hands to scroll through the popular app, TikTok. What was on my For You Page (videos tailored to your interests) ranged from: baking, dancing, petitions, and most frequently, clothing hauls.

prices ranging from $50 and up. Not everyone has the budget to spend $50 on a single article of clothing.

The increase in buying from thrift stores is good for the environment and affordable for many, but it comes with a cost.

Before the pandemic, the popularity of thrift stores soared because they are an eco-friendly way of staying on top of clothing trends. More and more people have been seeking out thrift stores for closet makeovers. It’s now trendy to buy second hand and create your own personal styles in an affordable and ethical manner and the one-of-a-kind pieces that you can find are endless.

Many people have been taking advantage of thrift stores.

As I continued scrolling on TikTok, I came across a video of some influencers known for making videos of their thrift finds being exposed. These girls would showcase their clothes and try them on. It was revealed that they would buy clothes and sell them for a higher price than what they bought them for. For example, a once $3 children’s tee had become a $60 “vintage crop tee.”

On TikTok, many have been making content showcasing their purchases and how to find the best items. These creators are buying these clothing pieces and upcycling them, bringing the once worn out clothing to life. Thrifting is an affordable and sustainable way of supporting fashion, so I understand the appeal, especially when sustainable clothing brands such as Reformation or Pact have hefty

The girls would market children’s clothing as vintage garments and sell them for much more on another site called Depop, a website where people can sell items and grow a following. Essentially, they were price gouging on used goods. The problem with this is that many of these people are purchasing from stores in low income areas.

This has led to an increase in prices, making it unavailable to those who can only afford to shop at thrift stores.

An employee at Emerald Thrift Store in Fresno, California said that while this is true, “people coming in and shopping is good for business.”

Thrifting keeps clothes out of landfills and provides jobs for many. It certainly is good for the environment and the surplus of donations keep the stores stocked with clothes.

But it’s ironic how thrifting was once looked down upon, and now people have made it a trend. Thrifting is a necessity for some while a pleasure for others, but keep in mind that you could be taking away someone’s only option for affordable clothing.

by Michelle Gonzalez

Quarantine daze March.

They announced to prepare To quarantine School campus will be closed Work office will be closed Restaurants, cinemas, parks, Anything that contains crowds is closed.

Only the essentials stay open.

I can’t see my friends nor can I go outside.

I have to stay inside.

May. Some people won’t accept masks Say that it’s a scam And other propaganda they yell about.

These are not complex tasks: Wear a mask correctly Six feet apart Follow the arrows Wash your hands Avoid large gatherings.

I heard this will last for 2 weeks.

June.

Black lives matter.

A talk everyone has been having Whether someone is against or for They have been talking.

Protesting.

Donating.

Crying.

Signing.

Sharing.

Hopefully.

April.

Instead of driving to school, I roll out of bed to my computer.

That’s my school now.

My teachers are trying to adjust.

I’m trying to adjust.

It’s different and frustrating.

There is a lot of worry all around For shelter, food, unemployment.

The stimulus checks only helped a little.

But how will it help for a long period?

18 | spring 2021

Black lives were murdered.

Protestors were shot at, maced, beaten, Ran over plus more.

And officers walking freely.

July.

The fight for equality continues.

Protesting is still happening.

People are learning.

Racism, police brutality, and privilege Is a thing.

August.

How am I still doing this?

At some point I thought I became mad.

It’s been so long since I’ve done anything.

I’m drained.

How will I adjust when this is over?

September.

Everyone is trying.

October.

I don’t know when it will be safe again.

All I can do now is social distance myself.

Continue living and adjusting.

November.

Vote.

by Maria Torres

growing up gen-z Editor’s Note: For the purposes of this article “Gen Z” will be defined as anyone born during or after 1997.

We live in a time where political parties are constantly at each other’s necks, police brutality is prevalent, gay rights are a debate, and the world is literally on fire. This is the world Gen Z has grown up in, seeing all this tension through the touch of a screen.

According to the 2018 American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey, Gen Z is reported to have the worst mental health in history. Older generations say it’s because of the pressure of social media and that we’ve never felt real stress or anxiety. However, I believe the real issue behind the stress and anxiety is the environment that we grew up in. As children, we lived in a world of financial crisis, school shootings, the aftermath of 9/11 and how it affected Americans’ views on Muslims, and we have seen the continued abuse of Asian, Latinx, and Black people through social media. It is these injustices that have served as the inspiration for our activism.

On top of that, Gen Z is the most diverse generation we have ever seen. With a fourth of every Gen Z’er being Latinx, we have a lot of young people calling for justice against Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). We constantly see videos and photos of the treatment our own people are experiencing by the law and within detention

centers. Fresno itself is almost 50 percent Latinx, creating even more anger against the poor treatment of our undocumented neighbors and the push for immigration reform and the abolishment of ICE. We are also the gayest generation. We saw the legalization of gay marriage in 2015, boosting our impulse for justice against the prejudice that so many LGBTQ+ people still face, such as the transgender military ban and the still legal conversion therapies that affect so many people to this day. We also see the continued violence against trans people, specifically trans women, simply because of their gender. This continued prejudice and violence sparks rage among people all across the sexuality spectrum, especially in Fresno where 170 Gen Z’ers were surveyed and 99% answered “yes” to the continued support of the legalization of gay marriage.

We are also seeing many Gen Z youth come out in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Almost 90% of Gen Z are in support of BLM according to a Business Insiders poll of 39,000 young Americans, with a large amount of support coming from social media apps like Tik-Tok. Many Gen Z creators on this app have spoken out against police brutality and shown support for its victims.

Hearing the stories of the lives that were taken creates anger and support for the Black Lives Matter movement in

Limon and friends representing Gen-Z

the mission to stop the abuse of Black Americans.

Because of this “revolutionary” attitude that so many Gen Z’ers have displayed, they have also faced significant backlash from older generations. But that hasn’t done anything to stop them. In fact, it’s led to even more political action, from the coining of “Shut up, Boomer” to the Area 51 raid and the Tulsa rally interference, Gen Z can’t be stopped.

Even facing the immense pressure of fixing a world that they did not break, they are confident that they are up to the challenge. Their catch phrase has become “they can’t stop us if we all do it” and with that mindset Gen Z is poised to create true change.

by Ashens Limon

The Struggles of Online Learning From getting disconnected from the Internet to not having enough motivation, I am having a hard time getting used to virtual learning.

When virtual learning first started in March 2020, I thought it wouldn’t last long; I was even excited for it. But as time passed and we were still doing online classes in May, the hopes of going back to school in August started to fade away.

I am a junior now attending Tranquility High School virtually in rural Tranquility, 45 minutes west of Fresno, California.

When the 2020-2021 school year started, a lot of things had changed.

from meeting in person, having these classes online is a different story.

Staying connected for an hour and a half is difficult for two reasons. One, staying connected for that long makes the Chromebook very slow and hot. Two, there are days when my Internet will completely disconnect halfway through a lesson. I figured this was because my little brother was also in school, and multiple computers were connected to the WiFi. We have a really cheap WiFi plan, and because of this, it can’t handle multiple devices connected at the same time.

We were told we had to log into Google Meet meetings every day, and some teachers made it mandatory to have our cameras on. If we didn’t, we’d lose participation points, which would affect our overall grade, or they would mark us as absent for the day.

While I can log on to my phone and watch videos, it takes a long time to get a document loaded during class. Because of this, I started to do the work after class. This caused me to not pay as much attention in class as I would like to and to lose motivation. There have been multiple days when my WiFi didn’t connect at all, and I had to use my mobile hotspot.

It worked for the first few days, but it just wasn’t as fast as having the WiFi connected.

We are now on a block schedule, spending an hour and a half online in just one class and, while it’s not that different

The digital divide is just one problem of virtual learning; trying to learn from home is another. Living in a Hispanic

household, there is a lot of noise; there are many distractions while I’m attending classes online. Not having a separate place to work and relax has also affected me more than I thought it would, which ties back into my lack of motivation.

When attending school in person, I would get home and start working on my assignments. But being at home, there isn’t much separation between schoolwork and housework.

I would put assignments off until the last minute because I’d be doing other things like cleaning the house or babysitting my siblings.

If I’m not doing that, I’d be working in my room where my bed is right in front of me. Instead of doing my work, I’ll either be lying in bed going through my phone or napping.

With the lack of reliable WiFi connection and lack of motivation to do my schoolwork, I’ve come to realize that virtual learning isn’t something that works for me, and I look forward to the day when we are meeting in classrooms again.

by Hazel Ventura

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The Benefits of Upcycling When you think you’re ready to get rid of an old jacket or a worn out pair of jeans, think about all the other possible ways you could repurpose it. Give it a “new life,” make it unique, make it your own.

could’ve ended up in a landfill dump shattered into pieces.

And waste doesn’t just include plastics, glass, and paper - it also includes clothes. Clothing waste has become a

A lot of clean water is used to make a raw material into the fabric we use to create clothing in the first place. Factories take clean water then dump the used toxic water back into the ecosystem, and it finds its way back to the waterways of communities that use the same water for livestock and day to day use.

Upcycling among today’s youth has become a viral trend. Pinterest, Instagram, and even TikTok are some of the platforms where this idea has become hugely popular. Repurposing clothing has evolved into such a huge trend that creators such as Avani Gregg, Niki DeMar, and Behwah have been seen wearing upcycled fashion - from socks, tops, and jackets, to cute cheetah print purses.

There are no limits to upcycling because, in truth, it’s all up to your imagination. Not only can you upcycle fashion but you can even decorate your own home with upcycled materials. You can use a chipped teacup to create a candle holder and a broken guitar to create a plant shelf. Upcycling is a fun way of creating something new out of something used.

Even more than that, upcycling is also a great way to help the environment. Upcycling is recycling, so rather than throwing away a glass bottle or jar, repurpose it instead by turning it into a vase or a storage bottle. Upcycling helps reduce the need for new materials. For example, the glass bottle you just used to create a new vase? That bottle

20 | spring 2021

Fast fashion is a big contributor to the waste that ends up in landfills and they even pollute clean water. When clothing is manufactured, chemicals like fabric dyes and bleach are included in the process.

Luckily, living more consciously doesn’t mean that you have to stop buying clothes or only buy from more expensive clothing companies that don’t use harmful methods. Instead, good alternatives are to thrift shop, buy used clothes from people online, and upcycle some of the old or ripped up pieces you want to get rid of in your closet. bigger issue in today’s world as it affects our environment and water supply. Over the years, clothing industries have doubled in production. This means the amount of clothing that has been thrown away has also doubled. According to the Saturday Evening Post, the average consumer throws away about 81 pounds of clothing every year, and some people are even surprised to hear that roughly 85 percent of clothing from fashion companies ends up in landfills.

Out of all those options, “repurposing” your clothes is the best and cheapest option you have. Not only would you be saving money, but you wouldn’t be supporting or giving money to these fast fashion factories harming our environment. By upcycling clothes, you’d be helping abolish the hurtful ways of fast fashion one repurposed item at a time.

by Dani Osuna