The Pearl Post March 2022 by The Pearl Post

Intersectional feminism, addressing offensive behavior on campus See pages 7-9

VOL. 13, ISSUE 3 MARCH 2022

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022 Print Editor-in-Chief Valeria Luquin Online Editor-in-Chief Delilah Brumer

IN THIS ISSUE... 1

Cover Artwork by Gabrielle Lashley

3-5

News Magnet Coordinator moving schools / New

6-7

Opinion Editorial / Making feminism more

Entertainment Editor Jessica Melkonyan

8-9

Special Reports Addressing offensive

Sports Editor Branden Gerson

10-11

Features Book Nook: Women Authors / Club

12-13

Sports Women Athlete Spotlight: Danielle

Managing Editor Gabrielle Lashley Features Editor Nathalie Miranda Opinion Editor Delilah Brumer

Staff Writers/ Photographers Rikka Lei Dimalanta, Emily Flores, Elishava Ibarra, Nickalas Lembo, Alan Ruiz, Emily Short, Jazmine Valerio Contributors Naamah Silcott Adviser Adriana Chavira The Pearl Post is an open forum for student expression as allowed by California Education Codes 48907 and 48950, committed to excellence in reporting, writing and photography. The magazine strives to inform and educate students and faculty on events affecting Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. Thoughts and opinions published in these pages are the work of journalism students and do not represent the position of DPMHS, its administrators or the Los Angeles Unified School District. An unsigned editorial is the opinion of the Editorial Board, which is comprised of the Editor-in-Chief and the editors. Signed opinions in The Pearl Post reflect the views of the authors. A signed cartoon reflects the view of the cartoonist. The Pearl Post welcomes letters to the editor. They should be 250 words or less and may be edited for length. Letters with profanity and obscenity will not be printed. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be published. Letters may be emailed to thepearlpost@gmail.com. The magazine is published bimonthly and is the official campus newsmagazine of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. The magazine is also posted online at http://www.thepearlpost.com.

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LAUSD superintendent / Infographic and Patron ad inclusive

behavior on campus / Infographic with statistics Corner: BSU Club

Gonzalez, Jenica Felicitas / Profile: Justice Harper

Entertainment Listicle: Upcoming sequel and

prequel movies to check out / Artist of the Month: Phoebe Bridgers

Back Cover Photo by Alan Ruiz LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

While this month is being used to celebrate Women’s History, we decided to focus our third issue on topics about and affecting women. In our March issue, we included a feature story spotlighting women authors of different backgrounds and an opinion article proposing a more inclusive approach to feminism. To have the issue’s primary theme be the reader’s first impression, we illustrated the argument made in the opinion article -oppressed voices in feminism - and made it our front cover. We addressed in a special report the recent increase in offensive behavior on our campus and included the response taken by our administration. As a publication, we felt the need to use this magazine issue to publicize the actions we want to see taken by our school district’s new superintendent. We hope our readers appreciate this month’s coverage. - Valeria Luquin

T H E P E A R L P O S T | VA L E R I A L U Q U I N

EMILY FLORES | The Pearl Post On March 15, Magnet Coordinator Leah Pevar discusses her upcoming departure from DPMHS with sophomore Daniel Hernandez during lunchtime in the Grove.

Magnet Coordinator departs from DPMHS after 7 years By Emily Flores and Valeria Luquin @tinyem_11, @13_val_

fter seven years of being part of the tight-knit Pearl community, Magnet Coordinator Leah Pevar is parting ways and advancing her career in education. “I have been planning to make this my final year here and then this opportunity presented itself,” Pevar said. “I taught there. I know the school and it’s a school I really like, so I thought it would be a good fit.” After March 25, Pevar will be transferring to Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences (VAAS). She will be the Targeted Student Population Program Coordinator at VAAS. Before going through the district’s human resources department, Principal Armen Petrossian will open the position to anyone on his staff. “Ms. Pevar is a big part of this school,” Petrossian said. “Even when she leaves, she’s gonna be a big part of our family.”

Throughout her career, Pevar taught English for about 14 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District, including at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS). Four years ago, she replaced former Magnet Coordinator Nicole Bootel. “There’s no other positions to transfer into and by transferring to this school, I’ll be able to move forward with my career,” Pevar said. After becoming deeply immersed in DPMHS over the years, Pevar is going to miss the small yet close campus community. “It’s really nice knowing everyone, even every student on campus,” Pevar said. “I’m hoping you carry on, grow and become bigger again and keep fighting for all of those First Amendment rights.”

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022

Carvalho brings new leadership to LAUSD Flying in from Florida to Los Angeles, Alberto Carvalho is the new superintendent of the nation’s second largest school district. By Delilah Brumer @BrumerDelilah

ow that new district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has gotten settled, science teacher Timothy Hughes hopes that he will foster a cooperative relationship with teachers and value their input. “I’m hoping (he) is friendly to the (teachers) union and friendly to teachers,” Hughes said. “I think that’s a really big factor because working with teachers means working well as a district. If we have to be fighting with high district administration, then nothing is going to be as efficient as it can be.” After leaving his job as superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Carvalho began his job as superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the second largest district in the nation, on Feb. 14. Since then, he has released a 100-day plan, outlining his goals to “learn, assess, communicate and act.” According to the Los Angeles Times, Carvalho’s plans include lifting some COVID-19 safety measures, working to address educational inequities and helping students recover from academic learning gaps. Several Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) students and staff, including junior Yvette Mandujano, would like the district and Carvalho to examine some current policies. “I would like the district to improve dress codes because I see that whether people follow them or not, it’s always more directed towards girls,” Mandujano said. “It’s like, discriminatory. You don’t attack clothing, you attack a person.” Carvalho has received mixed reactions over his response to the district’s COVID-19 protocols. He lifted LAUSD’s outdoor

Los Angeles Unified School District On Feb. 14, Alberto Carvalho began his new job as superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District. Prior to this, Carvalho served as the former superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

mask mandate on Feb. 22 and is currently negotiating with United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) to potentially drop the district’s indoor mask mandate, according to the Los Angeles Times. “I’m okay with the COVID restrictions,” sophomore Daniel Ortiz said. “They’re not that hard when you get used to them. But I’d like better sanitation. It’s just the tables (that) tend to get messy.” Some DPMHS teachers, including Hughes, would like Carvalho to prioritize reducing class sizes and allocating funding toward high-need schools. Hughes and some other teachers also want Carvalho to steer away from the district’s increasing focus on independent charter schools, which are highly controversial. “I’d like to see work done on class sizes, as well as the amount of funding and leeway given to charter schools,” Hughes said. Many DPMHS community members would like Carvalho to remember to listen to their complaints, commendations and recommendations as he continues his role as LAUSD superintendent. “It’s important for him to have a lot of different points of views,” freshman Benjamin Recinos said. “(He should) see why he disagrees. It’s okay to have a different opinion.”

N E W S | VA L E R I A L U Q U I N

ALAN RUIZ | The Pearl Post Over the course of his 30-plus year career, Alberto Carvalho has an extensive background in education. Beginning as a physics, chemistry and calculus teacher, he worked his way up to becoming the superintendent for two large school districts.

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022

RIKKA DIMALANTA| The Pearl Post As the new superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District, Alberto Carvalho has a responsibility to listen to student input. We hope that, as he gets adjusted to his position, Carvalho will respect student press freedom, work with the teachers union and prioritize COVID-19 safety by maintaining district pandemic protocols.

Editorial

Dear Mr. Carvalho: Hear us out

lberto Carvalho, newly appointed superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), has already assembled a 100-Day Plan for schools’ academic and social improvement. Student journalism, COVID-19 safety and connections with students and teachers should unquestionably be a part of this plan and for the entirety of his time in LAUSD. Respecting and encouraging student journalism is crucial to those who strive to professionally report in the future. Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) is dedicated to studying and practicing journalism. For us, respecting student press freedom is essential. In general, students as a whole deserve their diverse voices to be valued. COVID-19 affected academic and social conditions throughout all LAUSD schools during quarantine and continued after students returned to on-campus learning. Health safety is critical right now, which means that we need to continue following guidelines that prevent exposure and spread. This matter cannot be taken lightly and health and the well-being of people should be carefully thought about. A week after Carvalho was officially appointed as superintendent, the mask

mandate was modified, making it optional for students and staff to not wear masks in outdoor settings on campus. As superintendent, he is responsible for not only student and staff safety, but their families too. If students are exposed to COVID-19 from school connections, they are in danger of exposing their families, which is why we need to maintain solid regulations, such as wearing face masks and weekly COVID-19 testing. Communicating with teachers and acknowledging their views is ideal. Teachers are the reason why schools even operate, so their voices are immensely significant. Carvalho must work with United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) without hostility, to truly understand educators and what they have to say. In order to lead a respectful and successful district, Carvalho must care for his community. Carvalho’s plan targets the tasks: learn, assess, communicate and act. In hopes that these goals will be met, Carvalho claims that the district’s academic opportunities will expand. This is his time to show us what our schools deserve and are capable of accomplishing.

OPINION | DELILAH BRUMER

Opinion

Let’s stand together, promote intersectional feminism By Delilah Brumer @BrumerDelilah

his Women’s History Month is a time to embrace modern, intersectional feminism and honor diverse voices, from Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender senate-confirmed federal official, to Amanda Gorman, the nation’s youngest ever inaugural poet. The feminist movement has made significant progress since the often blatant racism ingrained in the early 20th century suffragist movement— but we still have a long way to go. Feminists should uplift, respect and include all women in the fight for gender equality, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexuality, age or class. Despite many feminist leaders’ pushes in recent years for inclusivity in the movement, only 21% of Americans say feminism has helped Black women a lot, according to a Pew Research Center survey. The survey also found that only 15% of Americans believe feminism has helped Hispanic women a lot and only 10% of Americans believe the feminist movement has been equally helpful to poor women as it has to wealthy women. Not only does current feminism benefit privileged women the most, it also often upholds the existing exploitative sytems

of capitalism and patriarchy. Career-oriented hustle culture, whitewashed activism and TikTok girl bosses are not what feminism is or should be. According to an NBC News interview with prominent feminist author Koa Beck, women who follow such philosophies do not “alter the systems that oppress women” but rather use those systems to achieve personal success. In order to improve the feminist movement, we must change how we view feminism alltogether. This means working to bring down systems of oppression, as opposed to trying to thrive within them. Instead of striving for more women CEOs and corporate leaders, we should strive to create a country where every woman can succeed, without hurting working-class and marginalized groups. These goals can be achieved by voting and supporting other women. Voting for candidates who will make women’s issues a priority, from eliminating period poverty to funding domestic violence resources, is critical to the advancement of the feminist cause. We also each need to consciously ensure that we don’t bring others down in attempts to build ourselves up.

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022

GABRIELLE LASHLEY | The Pearl Post School Social Climate Advocate Magaly Ruiz monitors the Reflection Room and speaks with students about various topics during lunch. In a survey of 35 DPMHS students, the most common types of offensive behavior on campus are racist and homophobic comments.

Students discuss bad behavior By Emily Short and Gabrielle Lashley @crying_apollo, @yogabbygabby_l

ormally, you wouldn’t hear the N-word, gay slurs, or transphobic comments in the school hallways, but that’s what sophomore Mar Odums has been hearing as of this school year. “It’s kind of a bummer to be around,” Odums said. “I could easily ignore it, but at a certain point it definitely gets distracting.” At the start of this school year, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School students and staff started to hear derogatory comments and profanity throughout the school day. Many students have complained about this behavior to the faculty, who have said they are trying their best to keep it under control. Even so, some students say that there isn’t enough being done, with some kids still using these harmful words. “I’ve seen a lot of teachers hear those words and kind of like, turn away,” junior Sabrina Robertson said. “I just feel like there’s so much more that teachers could do. Even just handing out flyers or just having a day where they talk about the

history of these words and why they’re so bad.” According to a survey of 35 DPMHS students, the most common types of comments that students hear in school are racial and homophobic related. While 47.1% of students say they have heard this type of language before, 38.2% say they’ve either heard it a few times or haven’t heard it at all. “I’ve heard some people say the N-word a few times,” freshman Andre Arcilla said. “I don’t think it’s meant to be discriminatory, but I think they’re using it so casually like it’s just a word or slang.” With more complaints from students, there has been a small shift in the atmosphere in the school. As students are hearing more of these offensive words, the more they have become uncomfortable around the students who are saying them. There have been some ideas from students about teaching kids on the history of the discriminatory words they use and not to use them. “Any use of slurs and any other discriminatory phrases or

THE PEARL POST| GABRIELLE LASHLEY words can make it uncomfortable for people to just be in school,” senior Gaby Huizar said. “The people who say those types of things don’t really know the history behind the words and how much it can affect somebody.” Principal Armen Petrossian and School Climate Advocate Magaly Ruiz noticed the increase in offensive behavior, so they decided to start the Reflection Room and place anti-discrimination posters in the school’s hallways. Ruiz has said that the Reflection Room is a place for students to self-reflect on their own actions instead of feeling like they are in trouble. Ruiz has also said that because of it, she’s seen many students being more respectful toward one another. “While the kids are here, we talk about what happened,

how problems can be resolved and what they can do to make things better,” Ruiz said. “There were some students that had been here for getting into an altercation and without me even having to say anything, one of them goes up to apologize to the other. The peace was able to be restored just from them being here and spending time together.” Staff hope that with this new addition of the Reflection Room and anti-discrimination posters, students will be able to learn from their mistakes and decrease the use of derogatory language within school. “You walk around, see the posters and (it) discourages others (from saying) those ignorant things,” Odums said. “No one is going to find that funny, so there’s no point in saying them.”

GABRIELLE LASHLEY | The Pearl Post Nearly half of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School students who were surveyed by The Pearl Post said they have heard or seen some form of bullying on campus. In a survey provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District, 85% of students strongly disagree that any form of bullying takes place on campus.

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022

William Morrow| Target “Love in Color” can be bought at Target online and in stores.

Beacon Press| AK Press “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the US” can be bought on Amazon.

Del Rey Books | Target “Gods of Jade and Shadow” can be bought at Target stores and online.

Harper Voyager| Target “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” can be bought at Target.

Penguin Publishing| Amazon “The Hunger” can be bought online on Amazon.

DAW Books | Goodreads “Who Fears Death” can be bought at Target stores and online.

Book Nook

Books written by women to read this Women’s History Month By Nathalie Miranda @nathal0ser

n celebration of Women’s History Month, here is a compilation of books written by women in many different genres from non-fiction to horror to romance. Bolu Babalola’s “Love in Color” is a collection of short love stories from around the world. It contains love stories from history and mythology from West Africa, Greek mythology and the Middle East. Becky Chambers’ “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” follows a motley crew of space travelers and their journey through the galaxy. The book covers

topics such as love, trust, friendships and family all while managing to stay action-packed and chaotic. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States” is a non-fiction piece that shares Native American and United States history through the perspective of Native Americans. Alma Katsu’s “The Hunger” is a modern retelling of the Donner Party. The Donner Party took place in 19th century America where a group of pioneers got stranded in the mountains on a journey to California from the Midwest.

Sylvia Moreno Garcia’s “Gods of Jade and Shadow” follows Casiopea Tun, a young woman with dreams of getting far away from her southern Mexican town. One day, she accidentally meets the Mayan god of death who needs help reclaiming his power. Nnedi Okorafor’s “Who Fears Death” is a supernatural fantasy book based in post-apocalyptic Africa. It takes place in the far future and it follows the main character named Onyesonwu who is forced to face obstacles dealing with nature, tradition, history, her culture and much more.

F E AT U R E S | N AT H A L I E M I R A N D A

Club Corner

BSU helps students learn about Black community By Rikka Dimalanta

unior Naamah Silcott has been involved in Black Student Union (BSU) since freshman year and has gained both cultural knowledge and friends through it. “I’ve met some really, really wonderful people and (for) me personally, (BSU) helps me with my confidence,” Silcott said, who is currently vice president of BSU. “It’s also taught me a lot more about Black culture and African-American culture and history. It’s been very beneficial for me.” BSU offers opportunities for all students to learn about and recognize the positive impact of the Black community on society. It also acts as a place of inclusivity and acceptance for students who want to acknowledge one another and their differences. Senior Tia Jarrett took over the role of club president after former president Cassia Ramelb graduated last year. “I really liked the environment (Cassia) was able to create and what the club brought to the campus,” Jarrett said. “And I wanted to continue that when she graduated.” Jarrett’s goal as the club president is to establish a welcoming environment for new and returning students so that everyone feels included after getting out of quarantine. Some BSU members enjoy the close community of the club and how it gives many opportunities to connect with new people. There are also some who benefitted educationally through their membership in BSU.

RIKKA DIMALANTA | The Pearl Post Black Student Union President Tia Jarret and Vice President Naamah Scott brainstorm things the club can do to help the school during a club meeting on Feb. 15.

“I attend BSU because I think the organization/club is very important and should involve other students,” senior Cameron Frank said. “It’s also made me realize that I should also look up to some people and just because of discrimination or inequality, you can still do great things.” Due to the pandemic, it is difficult for BSU students to do certain desired activities such as collaboration with other schools. However, they have been participating in local group activities such as poster-making and social media engagement to promote the club and spread awareness. This allows members to relax in a comfortable social atmosphere while recognizing the Black community at the same time. “BSU has helped build my leadership skills and my willingness to be more outgoing,” Jarrett said. “I’ve always been involved in clubs and other groups, but being president of a club that was so meaningful to me helped me build those skills even more.”

Go to www.Jostens.com to purchase your 2022 yearbook

THE PEARL POST|MARCH 2022

Harper concludes his high school hoops journey By Alan Ruiz

arsity basketball small forward Justice Harper may have suffered defeat when the Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS) Patriots were eliminated from the playoffs on March 3, but the senior views his basketball career as only beginning. “Honestly, I realized that it’s like second nature,” Harper said. “I realized that I’m actually good to the point that I can really go to the league (National Basketball Association).” First introduced to the sport by his mother, Harper has played basketball since he was four years old. It wasn’t until seventh grade that he decided to train and work out more seriously, a choice that helped him make the BCCHS varsity basketball team in his junior year. Harper attributes much of his success to the person he considers his biggest supporter, his mother. Harper expressed that his mother provided him with a loving eye to keep him in check. “Without my mom in my life, stuff would be different,” Harper said. “A lot of people don’t have that extra ear to tell them what not to do in certain situations.” As a result of Harper’s training and his mother’s advice, he was able to contribute toward his team’s victory in the 2021 CIF City Boys Basketball Championship as a junior. Harper believes it’s his clever passing and court awareness that makes him a unique player. Nick Halic, the boys varsity basketball coach at BCCHS, values not only Harper’s enthusiasm but also his versatility. “Being able to have a guy that you can play in different positions is definitely something that I think was valuable for us, and it’s going to be valuable for him moving forward,” said Halic, in a zoom interview said.

Going into the playoffs this year, the BCCHS Patriots were ranked third in the Los Angeles City Section Division 1 with an overall record of 18-9.Their success led them to return to the CIF State Boys Basketball Championships. To Harper’s disap-

DELILAH BRUMER | The Pearl Post Varsity small forward Justice Harper attempts an athletic finish at the rim in the gym of the Birmingham Community Charter HIgh School Patiriots.

pointment, the Patriots exited in the second round after a 59-50 loss to Edison High School on March 3. However, Harper understands that loss is a facet of basketball and chooses to look forward to the wins ahead. “Dealing with a hard loss is a pretty hard thing to do, especially when it’s your last basketball game in high school,” Harper said. “You’re going to take hard losses and you’re going to take great wins. The ones I took recently are just hard, so it’s going to rub me for a while. Then later, the wins are going to be bigger.” Harper’s dedication to basketball led him to join the Birmingham JV volleyball team in hopes of improving his jumping ability. He views consistent training as necessary for having a successful basketball career. His goal is to play for a four-year university and ultimately join an NBA team. As he works to achieve his goals, Harper cherishes the experiences he’s had in his high school basketball career. “We’re always going to appreciate what he did,” Halic said. “He’s always going to have a home here and I wish him the best in his future.”

To see up to date student-athlete game scores, visit ThePearlPost.com

SPORTS | BRANDEN GERSON

ALAN RUIZ | The Pearl Post Varsity outfielder Danielle Gonzalez fields a pop-fly during practice on March 1.

Provided by Jenica Felicitas Junior Jenica Felicitas practices a spinning heel kick with her longtime instructor.

DPMHS women athletes demonstrate long-term dedication to their sports This month we spotlight two women athletes from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School for the outstanding preformance they’ve achieved in their respective sports: firstdegree blackbelt Jenica Felicitas and varsity outfielder Danielle Gonzalez. By Rikka Dimalanta

By Nickalas Lembo @ima.make.some.ramen

Senior Danielle Gonzalez started playIng softball in seventh grade plays left fielder for the Birmingham Community Charter High School varsity softball team.

Junior Jenica Felicita has been training at Martial Arts and Cross-Fit studio for the past six years and as of December 2021 became an instructor.

Q: What do you enjoy about playing softball? A: I enjoy the freedom it gives me. Honestly, I’m just finishing up my last year so I’m enjoying just playing my senior year out and being able to say final goodbyes to my teammates. Q: Describe your journey from playing on JV as a freshman to now. A: So, on JV I was a benchwarmer. I rode the bench and then I worked my way up. Now, I think it’s my confidence that has guided me to be able to play on varsity. Q: What makes you stand out as a softball player? A: A bunch of pro D1 athletes are 6’1 and over, but I’m very short. I definitely had to work harder just to be able to throw the ball and hit the ball as hard as they can. Q: What are your greatest achievements? What makes it so significant to you? A: My greatest achievement was when I won MVP in Palmdale. It just boosted my confidence.

Q: What do you enjoy about martial arts and what are your favorite aspects? A: I think I enjoy the fact that you don’t have to be a specific type of person to do martial arts. Anyone can do it as long as you have the drive to do it and the motivation. Q: What are some of your inspirations/motivations? A: My instructors, especially my instructor Mr. Brandon. Since day one, he helped me realize what I’m capable of achieving. Q: What challenges have you faced until this point and how have you overcome them? A: I genuinely hated working with others to the point where I kind of suffered alone. It forced me to communicate and get along with others. Q: What are your responsibilities as an instructor? A: I’m responsible for the student’s knowledge and their techniques along with whether or not they’ll be able to pass and move on to the next belt.

THE PEARL POST| MARCH 2022

The Pearl Post | IMDB

“Black Adam” is the first DC movie introducing a new character in over a decade.

The Pearl Post | IMDB

Taika Waititi will be directing the final film starring Christopher Hemsworth as Thor.

The Pearl Post | IMDB

“Lightyear” has much hype surrounding the movie before its release on June 17.

Thrilling sequels, prequels to look forward to this summer time By Nickalas Lembo @ima.make.some.ramen Some of this year’s most anticipated action movies already have fans excited before their releases. Check out these six movies set to release between now and the summer.

Black Adam

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Lightyear

Based on the DC Comics, “Black Adam” is set two premiere on July 29. The movie is the first movie DC has released introducing a new character in almost a decade. It stars Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone. “Black Adam” is set to be PG-13, however with a large amount of violence, the rating may be changed to R.

After the tease at the end of the first movie, “Sonic 2” will hopefully be just as enjoyable as the first for all ages. The second movie wasn’t delayed for visual errors on Sonic. The animated and live-action movie will be introducing the characters Knuckles and Tails to the series, along with the return of Jim Carrey as Dr. Eggman. The movie is set to be released on April 8 and is rated PG like the previous film.

After the sudden announcement of yet another “Toy Story,” “Lightyear” has much hype surrounding the movie before its release on June 17. The trailer has yet to disappoint, following Buzz Lightyear on his space travels in his stand-alone film. Fans both young and old are excited for the release of a big part of many people’s childhoods. The movie is set to be PG, allowing younger fans to enjoy the film.

Dr. Strange in Multiverse of Madness

Nope

Morbius

The long-awaited sequel to the “Dr. Strange” movie, “Multiverse of Madness” is set to premiere on May 6. Much to the pleasure of many fans, the movie is set to be directed by Sam Raimi, who directed “Spiderman” 1-3 and the “Evil Dead” series. Benedict Cumberbatch is once again coming to the big screen, playing many versions of Dr. Strange in the movie.

Set to release on July 7, “Nope” is directed and produced by Jordan Peele. The movie has gained a cult following before its release, especially after his other movies such as “Get Out” and “Us.” The movie is expected to be rated R for language, violence and gore, which will be accompanied by spectacular visuals and amazing practical effects.

The newest installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Morbius” has left fans upset after several delays to the movie’s release date. The final release date is set to be April 1. It follows Jarred Leto as Morbius as he attempts to cure himself and his friend from an unknown disease, giving himself vampiric powers. The movie is rated PG- 13 for light swearing and violence.

E N T E RTA I N M E N T | J E S S I C A M E L K O N YA N

Artist of the Month

Recognizing Phoebe Bridgers in honor of Women’s History Month By Nathalie Miranda @nathal0ser

hoebe Bridgers is an indie female artist who rose quickly to fame and is setting a new narrative for women in the music industry. Bridgers was born and raised in Pasadena, California and was a member of a band called Sloppy Jane before going solo. She debuted in 2017 with a full-length album called “Stranger in the Alps” which gained a lot of recognition. Her second album, “Punisher,” was released in 2020 which garnered a lot of mainstream recognition. The release of this album led to Bridgers getting nominated in four different Grammy categories, one of them being Best New Artist. Bridgers is a very talented singer and songwriter. She makes calm indie-rock music that usually has very sad lyrics and melodies. Since her debut in 2017, she has released many singles and a few short albums but has not released a full album since “Punisher.” The release of “Punisher” was actually not entirely expected from fans. Bridgers released the album earlier than originally planned in response to the rise of police brutality and Black Lives Matter protests over the summer of 2020. Bridgers posted a tweet that shared her reasoning for releasing it early. “I’m not pushing the record until things get back to ‘normal’ because I don’t think they should,” Bridgers said in the Twitter post. “Here it is a little early. Abolish the police. Hope you like it.” The Pearl Post | WikiMedia Commons Bridgers was very open with her acThe release of the album “The Punisher” led to Bridgers getting nominated in four differtivism and what she believed in during the ent Grammy categories, one of them being Best New Artist. summer of 2020. Her Link Tree, which contains links to stream her music, also featured up against what she believes is wrong. The indie artist is gaining links to donate to many organizations such as Movement for more popularity every single day and music lovers should not be Black Lives, The Los Angeles Community Action Network, Downat all hesitant to jump on the Phoebe Bridgers bandwagon. town Women’s Center, The Trevor Project and much more. Bridgers has a very special sound and is not afraid to speak

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

BEHIND THE PHOTO

Alan Ruiz is a first-year staff writer for The Pearl Post. Ruiz, who is a sophomore, hopes to become more involved in the DPMHS community as a staff member. He enjoys both reading and writing and is interested in possibly pursuing a journalism-related career. During his free time, Ruiz loves playing baseball and watching Dodger games with his family. He is also a big fan of the Star Wars and Marvel film franchises.

Varsity softball player Nadia Montiel throws the softball back into the field on March 1. Montiel, who is now a senior, has been playing for the Birmingham Community Charter High School Lady Patriots since her freshman year. In the fall, she will be playing for California Lutheran University. Submit your best photos with a brief description to thepearlpost@ gmail.com for a chance to be featured in the next issue of the The Pearl Post newsmagazine.