THE NATION’S OLDEST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
ON THE WEB: students.pingry.org/ record
Volume CXLVI, Number IV
May 4th, 2021
Pingry Responds to AAPI Hate Crimes
Pingry Begins Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines ANJOLA OLAWOYE (IV)
Sarah Kloss (V) and a friend at a protest in Bridgewater.
MONICA CHAN (VI) Over the course of the last three months, there has been a string of violent attacks against members of the AAPI (Asian-American and Pacific Islander) community across the nation, bringing about deep pain and grief to not only victims’ families, but also Asian-Americans at large. These crimes are by no means a new topic. However, the successive violent murders and attacks against members of the AAPI community in recent months have caught national attention due to their severity. On March 16th, eight people were killed in a mass shooting across multiple Asian-owned massage parlors in Atlanta, GA. Six of the eight victims were Asian-American. More is being revealed about the victims and their individual stories. Immedietely after the tragedy,
President Biden ordered all flags to be flown at half staff until March 22nd to honor the victims: Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, and Paul Andre Michels. While this shooting is by far the most lethal event in the string of anti-Asian hate crimes that have occurred over the last year, it is not the first. The attacks against Vicha Ratanapakdee, who was killed while walking outside, Ee Lee, who was sexually assaulted then murdered, and Noel Quintana, who was slashed across the face with a knife in the New York City subway, are just a few of many. These attacks and the lack of a coordinated response to prevent further attacks have left many Asian-Americans feeling angered and cheated by a judicial system and government that does not seem to defend them. Police departments
across the country have announced multiple times that many of these attacks will not be investigated as hate crimes. Because of this, Asian community leaders have been organizing multiple rallies in New York City, Oakland, Atlanta, and other cities. At Pingry, there have been multiple forums for Asian and non-Asian students to discuss and process these events, including a forum for Asian parents and caregivers to speak with DEI Director Mr. Olvera and Mr. Levinson. The Asian Student Union has been working very closely with Mr. Olvera and Ms. Lopez to ensure that the Asian-American community at Pingry feels heard, and are working on ways to better include Asian-American students. Jeremy Lin (VI), a co-founder of the Asian Student Union, said, “Whether it is making a heartfelt speech on stage in front of the entire school to holding meetings for
our community to come together and discuss these issues, we are trying to spark that same flame and passion in our underclassmen. In Asian cultures, the concept of going against authority and causing trouble is frowned upon; however, our actions as ASU leaders represent the risks we are willing to take. I hope this inspires students to take risks, go outside of their comfort zones to fight for what they believe in.” At a school-wide meeting addressing the recent rise in violent hate crimes, there were over 300 students and faculty in attendance. Lin adds that it is moving to see how many people we have supporting us, whether they are Asian-Americans themselves or allies. He hopes “to come back and see the same interest in social justice throughout Pingry’s student community after we have graduated.”
Throughout the last couple of months, many American citizens have started receiving the vaccines that protect against the coronavirus. Some of these vaccinations that are developed by companies include: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. As of now, children aged 16 years and older are only eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, while people who are 18 and older are permitted to receive all of these vaccines. With the increasing number of vaccinations being distributed all over America, Pingry has decided to launch the Pingry-Rite Aid Vaccination program, partnering with Rite-Aid to administer vaccines throughout the community. This vaccine clinic began in late March and will continue to run throughout the month of April. The clinic will be offered to anyone that satisfies the requirements for the Moderna vaccine. In addition to this program, Pingry is also offering a 200 shot clinic for Pingry families and the general public. This Moderna vaccine will be administered on April 17 for the first dose and May 15 for the second dose. In order to receive this vaccine, people must provide identification as well as both medical and prescription insurance. Overall, these clinics will provide easier access to COVID-19 vaccines to faculty, staff, parents, and eligible students. On Friday, April 9, Pingry announced via email that they would be expanding their program for students who meet the criteria for the Pfizer vaccine. This announcement was due to Governor Murphy’s new statement allowing any children who are 16 and above to start receiving vaccinations starting on April 19. Eligible students are encouraged to receive this vaccination especially because of the advantages stated by the CDC. For example, vaccinated individuals may resume domestic traveling and they would not be contact traced, unless they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. However, vaccinated people are still required to take precautions such as social distancing and wearing a mask. The goal of these vaccination programs is to vaccinate as many community members as possible. Aside from the potential vaccination requirements for the upcoming school year, these vaccination efforts will at least help the community return to a more “normal” school year next year and ensure people’s health and safety.
Write for us!
SCHOOL NEWS: Pages
INVESTIGATIVE: P. 6-9
COLUMNS, Pg. 10-12
1, 13-14
What is an NFT and
Inside the Minds of
Where is it headed?
Park and Wong Debate Free Speech on Social Media
We’re always looking for new writers. Please reach out if you have any ideas or questions!
Andrew Wong (V) and Caleb Park (IV)
Email:
Lebow Winners Sarah Gu (III)
The Pingry Math
Vared Shmuler (IV)
Team Blooms
Pingry Anywhere: A Branding Moment?
Ava Kotsen (IV)
Kiera Chen (III)
recordsubmissions@pingry.org
Photo Credits (Top to Bottom): Rachada Kloss P’19 P’22, Pingry Web Events, Rhea Kapur (VI), Google Images