Diversity In-depth

IN-DEPTH

5

Diversity

Diversity (dy-ver-si-tee) Graphics by Bella Radler

People with unique thoughts, idea and perspectives. People whose backgrounds may be different due to factors such as gender, sexual orientation, mental health, socio-economic background, religion, race or culture.

6

IN-DEPTH

STUDENT and staff

ROUNDTABLE Story by Georgia Wimmer, Tristan Newman, Theo Jansen and Sophie Knight

stUDENTS: Why is diversity important?

E: I know what you’re are talking about. Can I please help explain why they do that? Some of them they can’t handle loud noise and they have to have that happen.

Y: Yeah but of the kids that are able to handle loud groups of people and loud noises, I feel like nobody of general education interacts with the special education kids unless they are in a club or they are forced to.

Otherwise they kind of just walk past them.

What does diversity mean to you?

Have you been discriminated against or do you see discrimination in the halls?

T: It helps to generate new ideas.

E: It opens new perspectives.

T: Different perspectives help us advance further than we had before. We can learn a lot from each other.

Y: I think that’s good too, like being able to learn from each other and, like, different backgrounds and just how your lives are different.

Y: I see diversity as not only having one black person in a room of white people or one white person in a room of black people, just like different races and not making anyone feel uncomfortable because they are the only person of that race or religion in the room.

E: It could make some people feel most definitely uncomfortable, however I would mainly say it basically is a bunch of people like talking about certain subjects that relates to their kind of religion and not the other person’s that might make them feel like out.

T: Diversity is togetherness despite differences I guess.

Is Westside diverse and how can it improve if it is not diverse enough?

Y: I honestly don’t think Westside is very diverse, like what I said earlier about being the only person of a race and the rest are all of the same race. In a lot of my classes I am the only black person or the only Muslim person. I just feel alone you know? Nobody really understands.

T: I think diversity is a hard thing to implement. Like it’s hard to make something more diverse, but maybe there is a way to strengthen diversity, embrace the diversity maybe.

Y: And I feel like also at Westside everyone is against each other race wise.

A: Like I feel like there is still like so much hatred, from both sides.

E: Where do you feel that.

A: I mean, there’s just a lot, it’s pretty much everywhere, you can be in the hallway and people will sneer or say something, or you can be in the lunchroom and you’ll hear side conversations of people talking. So it just happens everywhere.

What area of diversity is Westside lacking in?

Y: Race, Religion.

A: Also, kids with like disabilities, special needs, the special ed kids, a lot of them aren’t involved in the classes that we would be in and they are secluded in one room and when they go out and get lunch they are brought out, but they don’t really talk or communicate with other kids.

T: I have seen it in the halls, but I do not face a lot of it myself.

E: I have actually been hearing about a bunch of fights, but that was like last semester, I have not heard about it as much.

Y: I have obviously been discriminated against because, I feel like this is a predominantly white school and some people just can’t get over the fact that there are other races than white.

Do you see Westside making an effort to embrace diversity?

Y: I feel like Westside talks so much about diversity in newspaper, and Westside Wired does so much about it, but our school is not diverse.

T: There is a certain group of people who get it. But there’s other people who aren’t making any effort whatsoever.

A: You hear about it all the time and you hear these people talking about it, but actions speak louder than words, so no matter how much you sit and talk about being diverse, showing that you’re making the effort to be more accepting and trying to understand is really what counts.

What stereotypes do you find from people outside of Westside about diversity at Westside?

Y: I mean everyone says that Westside is a white school.

A: The white rich school is kinda the nickname that Y: I agree that Westside is not completely white obviously there are some different races here, it is predominantly white, but not everyone here is like wealthy and I feel like people just think Westside and everyone there is so rich, but that’s not true.

Do you think there is a mutual respect between students and teachers of different races at Westside?

T: That would depend on the teacher.

T: Senior Trevor Upton E: Freshman Ethan Barber Y: Sophomore Yousra Abdulrazig A: Senior Aya Abdulrazig F: Language instructor Amanda Freitag O: Language instructor Maria Olvera A: Yeah, it would just depend on the teachers. There are some teachers that are very accepting and then there are some teachers that are no matter who the student is they kind of voice their opinion.

Y: They’re just not as accepting.

A: Yeah, there’s just not as accepting as everyone else it kind of just, they don’t necessarily do [it] towards you or say it directly but, you feel it Y: You feel it.

How has diversity played a role in shaping you/your social life?

A: Well for one with me and my friends and I, we kinda have a wide scale of different cultures and different religions, so I feel like it just kind of opens the horizon, I learn so many different things everyday, when we talk, it just widens my knowledge of Christianity and Jewish people’s beliefs and different cultures.

T: Personally I am an atheist. I don’t follow a religion, and I have a lot of friends who are of faith. I feel like through the years I’ve grown to understand why they have faith more. It’s just experience through the years.

It makes more sense to me [now] why people have religion.

How are you diverse?

T: I’m not all that diverse. I’m asexual...that’s something Y: Well I’m African American and I’m Muslim, so I feel like I’m diverse in that way.

A: Same with my sister, I’m African American and Muslim.

E: There’s a bunch of different ways that people could say that you’re diverse, like, different color, different heights, different voice.

What would be a message you would want to tell the other students to make Westside a more accepting place?

Y: Just be aware of what you’re saying and [how] something that you say could be offensive to some people and just be nice to people I guess.

A: Don’t be so quick to judge someone. I feel like for you to truly know someone you have to get to know them for who they are.

E: You can’t judge a book by its cover.

T: I see too much hate. I don’t like all the hate that I see.

Life is too short to hate people.

E: The most important things that would make this school extra successful are the three B’s. Remember?

Be safe, Be respectful, and Be responsible. Everybody’s really struggling on the respectful part.

IN-DEPTH

7

DIVERSITY AT

Westside stAFF: *Option-in enrollment is when students who live outside of the Westside district apply to attend Westside Community Schools.

What does diversity mean to you?

F: “Everybody has an element of diversity in their backgrounds. Yes, we all come from similar families or even geographic locations, but I don’t think there’s just one single person that can say I’m very much similar to everybody else in this school.”

O: “People can be diverse regardless of where they come from. Diversity, to me, would be sharing a slightly different culture and having a few more differences or different experiences.”

What is diversity at Westside like?

F: “I’m always amazed at the stories that students have when they come into the classroom, and you really get to know them because they all share some commonalities. They have so many different experiences and exposures to different things. I think it’s a credit that we have option-in as part of the demographics, as well. You get students from all over the city of Omaha instead of one specific area.”

O: “Just guiding myself by the numbers, I’d have to say that the school is not diverse enough. If diversity is defined by racial diversity, our school is not diverse enough based on that definition and based on those numbers.”

How do you think Westside could improve its diversity?

F: “I think it all depends on the students, their peer groups, influences from family and those sorts of things. I don’t think there’s necessarily a PR campaign we should be running to recruit other students. The diversity of staff is difficult because I think we all share a commonality of valuing education and within that group or within that subculture we’re very much the same as far as nationality and racial backgrounds.

I think, unfortunately, the demographics just in the population itself in Omaha and even in Nebraska have a not as diverse population than areas like in Chicago and in New York, so that can be difficult. As far as making Westside a community that’s inviting I feel that definitely by word of mouth I would love to see people here from all different backgrounds, but not necessarily just based on their race, and it’s important that we recognize that as well, when we just look at the number of students and seeing people as just categories, then we don’t really understand.”

O: “How can we increase diversity in the district itself implies a lot of other implications with the question, because should we be looking to increase diversity, is there such a thing as currently we are recruiting Native Americans only because our task right now is

to increase diversity, I mean you can’t do that. You can’t just say we just want people of these certain backgrounds because right now that’s our deficit. It can’t be done that way. There could be some factors of why the school is not diverse enough, like the way we have the education system setup. You can only attend this school if you live in the district, and if you live out of the district then if you are an applicant. This is not only for Westside. This is the policy for every school in the city. That could be a reason why our diversity is not higher. The school sits in a healthy economical part of the city [...] so that would also be a factor of why we’re not diverse enough. It would have to be those policies that are revisited to change the current situation. If people want to make it different than that concerns deeper policies that would have to be changed.”

How would you handle discrimination? OR How does Westside embrace diversity?

***EX: Caucasian people teasing African Americans what does Westside do to embrace diversity rather than discriminate?

F: “We do have rules and protocols and things to follow based on things like PBIS. I feel like we run up against that on a daily basis. I feel like the number one disadvantage we run up against on a daily basis is the size. I can’t speak for whole staff, but I hope that most staff would be able to stand up for a student regardless of their race to prevent someone being diminished like that. But, in my mind, I think these things need to be taken very seriously. I hope that the staff would be able to be on the same page and teachers on this issue. As far as specific policies. I hope in progress that we are always moving forward and not five steps back. I would like to see things moving better.”

O: “Behavior is learned. Students have to see these happening somewhere. We need to look at where these things are coming from. Most times in high school, students have already made up their mind on what they think. Some people feel more entitled based on social and/or racial status compared to someone else. This comes from home from an early age. We need to come to the reason and say, yes, their skin may be different from yours, but they are still a person just like everyone else. We need to ask other people more about themselves in order to keep moving forward as a school. If I am from Mexico, say “tell me something about Mexico.” Great, now you know something more about Mexico. That means you know more about me. Now I’m not just some Mexican. If I saw discrimination, I would know that it is a very sensitive situation. The student who was making the comments and arguing with that student, that person doesn’t have a great understanding that people are people. Sometimes, you will hear someone yell something in the hall and you turn around and don’t know who it was because it was said amongst many other students. If I can see it, I

can stop them and ask “why did you say that?” When you ask why, it makes a student have to justify themselves. The next step is based off of what they say when you ask why.”

Why is diversity important?

F: “Diversity isn’t just a category. Diversity is something when all of those people are together. The most important part of diversity is when we all get to be together and it combines all these people and makes something beautiful that we can all be apart of. You miss out on so much when you don’t have that diversity, you miss out on different opinions. Definitely, the relationship aspect is one of the biggest parts. Being Mexican or even Korean isn’t all that that person is, but it definitely makes up a part of who they are.”

Olvera: “I think diversity is important because I feel that when you are in a community where there is a lot of one group and not a lot of another, it makes you wonder are you discriminating against that? We think about what our society is made of. It makes us wonder if they are discriminating against a certain group whether it be student or staff members. In that sense, that’s why I think diversity is important. When you only choose one group of a certain kind, you only limit yourself to that mind.

Not all staff here have had to deal with discrimination.

It’s important to compensate for other people’s lack of knowledge. The two reasons for me are it should reflect the society in which we live and it should also add on for growth.”

How do you impact Westside?

F: “If I were to say what I would like my impact to be is that I impact students in a positive way. I want students to be extraordinary, I know that’s super lofty, and I don’t even know what that says about myself, I just want students to walk away knowing they are incredibly unique in who they are. I want students to be lifelong learners.”

O: : “I believe I bring a different perspective when I just walk into the classroom. I don’t wake up in the morning and think what am I going to have to do today so I can impact the classroom. I think just being me and how I grew up lets me impact students everyday.

I think being a native speaker, [of Spanish] I feel by them just talking to a native speaker lets them learn.

I want to be able to pass that second language on to them. I want students to have that passion to be able to speak a second language in another part of their lives. I don’t wake up in the morning and say today I am going to learn Chinese. I don’t have that drive. But for the students who wake up in the morning and want to learn more Spanish, I get my lessons ready and know what I’m doing in the classroom. I feel I really impact them because I get to teach them that second language, just by being me.”

Is there anything you’d like to add?

O: “Get to know other people. The minute you ask for someone’s name, it humanizes them to you. At school, we have great tendencies to not get close to people that don’t look like us. Just ask people questions and it will make a difference.”

8

IN-DEPTH

Women’s March PRo: Protesting empowers women GRACE WO L F E only that, but refusal to support Planned Parenthood

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF CRAZE

The afternoon of Saturday, Jan 21, I awoke much peppier than usual. Right away I opened my phone and checked social media, my feeds filled with photos and videos of the National Women’s March in cities across the country.

With every photograph I grew more excited to participate.

Finally, I could be a part of something bigger than myself. I’ve always felt like an idle watcher of events that I feel strongly about, but with the inauguration of Donald Trump, I felt completely powerless in the face of changing politics. I’m more terrified than ever as a woman in America, and I’m not the only one affected. It’s no secret that Trump has the ability to infringe on many people’s rights, and has already.

When the time came for Omaha’s march, I donned a “My Body My Choice” shirt my friend had crudely made hours prior, and drove downtown. We marched through the streets of the Old Market, old and young moving at the same unified pace. In a crowd of people who were all different from me, I felt safe and welcome. We were all there to support each other, and this idea had been present since the conception of the march.

To gain the attention and funding it needed to be significant, the Women’s March partnered with multiple groups.

Initially, the organizers of the Women’s March listed the pro-life group “New Wave Feminists” as one of their partners. When this was then met with backlash on social media, they were quickly removed but pro-lifers were still allowed to march. Their reasoning was simple: this march was sponsored by Planned Parenthood, and the group did not support the organization. Many people felt that this was hypocritical of the march, as the premise was that everyone was welcome. However, this was not a place for pro-life groups, as they infringe on a woman’s rights to choice. Not

takes away from its true intention of preventing abortions. According to the Planned Parenthood website, only 3 percent of health services are used towards abortions. This means the other 97 percent contributes to reproductive-health services. Thus, the defunding of Planned Parenthood actually increases the amount of abortions, and makes them unsafe.

Our generation has created a new group of prolife women who still consider themselves feminists because although they think abortion should be illegal, they still believe that women deserve equal rights.

With that being said, I think we must be reminded that feminism means more than meeting your own personal agenda and calling it a day. Feminism fights for the rights of everyone, even if it doesn’t directly affect you. As the purpose of the Women’s March was to show solidarity against the oppression of women, that includes the right to choose. This wasn’t the platform for pro-life marchers because their rights aren’t

threatened by Trump’s presidency.

Although the leaders of the march strived to make this inclusive as possible, there were still some limitations. In reference to Trump’s “grab her by the pu**y” comment, many people wore pink hats with cat ears. Not only this, but there were slogans boasting “vagina power” and other sayings that centered around vaginas. While this is a tongue-in-cheek jab at Trump, the hats perpetuate the ever enduring erasure of transgender people in the feminist movement. This problematic ideology assumes all women have vaginas and fails to acknowledge a whole group of people the march should be fighting for.

However, with all of its faults, the National Women’s March ended up becoming the biggest inaugural protest in history, with over 3.3 million participants.

The Women’s March was not only one of America’s largest demonstrations, but also one of the most peaceful. Even with millions of people marching in 500 different cities, not one person was arrested. The influence of the march also contributes to the ever increasing rise of protests, and gives more visibility to anti-Trump ideals.

A common comment I hear about the Women’s March, and protests in general, is that they don’t really matter. Donald Trump is still president, and likely will be for the rest of his term. This is not why we march. America’s foundation is based on protesting and standing up for what we believe in. It’s the right we have as citizens of this country, and our duty to make the future a better place.

Whether this mean attending the pro-life marches or pro-choice protests, keep in mind there’s a time and a place for everything. And this fact is what makes our country great. That’s why, as I marched amidst thousands of voices chanting “This is what democracy looks like”, I felt my heart swell with pride in my country—something I haven’t felt for a long time.

CON: Certain groups were excluded H A NNA H B OW ES other than their own.

PHOTO COORDINATOR

The stated purpose of the march was clearly heard in the vast number of signs that could be seen and interviews that people gave – to stand in solidarity for women’s issues, peace and nationalism. But educate yourself of what the march was really about.

According to The New York Times, the march was protesting the election of President Donald Trump. The idea of women coming together marching and supporting other women is noble.

But in reality the march did little to support women at all. The march included women of every race, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic status, but whenever someone with a prolife poster showed up they were kicked out of the march.

The march that proclaimed to be a demonstration of unity and diversity really was not that inclusive of perspectives

Take the pro-choice issue for instance. To quote The Conservative Review: “Masked by the false narrative that women ought to be able to do what they wish with their own bodies, those that support abortion are blind to the fact that the body growing within a woman’s womb is a completely different body. A life given by God at the moment of conception.

The child has a different DNA, different blood, and circulatory system, making arguments in favor of ‘women’s reproductive rights’ anti-science, not to mention profoundly brutal.”

During the march, there were several prominent people that spoke to the large crowd. Let’s take comments from a very well known entertainer as another example. In an impassioned speech to show her desire for peace, Madonna said, “F*** you…Yes, I’m angry. Yes, I am outraged.

Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House…” This doesn’t help to promote women’s rights or peace. It shows a lack of respect for our

country, and all those in the White House.

I will fully support and participate in a march for women’s rights, peace and nationalism. I think that’s a fantastic idea. I would even participate in a demonstration if I felt like my rights or the rights of others were under assault. According to most recent data, just 49% of Yemeni women were literate, compared to the 82% of men. (The Huffington Post) Everyday in Brazil, ten women lose their lives to domestic violence. In Sudan, women are abducted, raped, and forced to move; it has ruined more than 1 million lives since 2003. (The Star) In North America, women are paid only 77 cents for every dollar that a man is paid. I can get behind the idea of equal opportunity, safety and a better way of life for women and all people. I can agree with freedom of speech and people being able to voice their opinions. If you really want to make a difference, stand up for what you believe and let your actions be based in truth. But having a march based on unity should include women with all diverse beliefs.

“The march that proclaimed to be a demonstration of unity and diversity really was not that inclusive of perspectives other than their own.”

IN-DEPTH

9

SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY Defintions: LGBT — an intialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. It is the

Bisexuality — a sexual orientation characterized by attraction to the same and other gender identities

most frequently used umbrella to descriBe people who are neither cis nor heterosexual

Queer — an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or not cisgender Questioning — describes a person who questions their sexual identity, sexual

Transgender — an umbrella term for when your assigned sex does not match

orientation or gender identity

your gender identity

Cisgender — describes a person whose assigned gender matches their gender

Asexuality — a sexual orientation in which a person does not experience sexual

identity

attraction to any gender

Non-Binary — refers to any gender that is neither male nor female

Gender Fluid — a person whose gender identiy is not fixed

Graphic by Audrey McCann

Senior reflects on life as transgender male We people use what we encounter in the world as mirrors. We wear specific clothing to special events so that it’s mirrored that we care. We look for things in other people that mirror our own personalities. Our identities are all clearly reflected back to us.

For me, and thousands of others, that mirror is broken.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I see two people.

There’s me in all of my glory as I see myself. A male 90’s haircut who wants to be an honorable man, father and husband someday. Then there is me as my mirror reflects.

Staring back at me is a sad girl whose clear attempt at flattening a DDD sized chest is failing, and whose jackets will always be too baggy. Who will never be accepted and ALEX BERGIN validated by others.

I am transgender. Everything that is reflected back to me OPINION EDITOR never mirrors who I am.

Being out of the closet in a public setting, like school (especially school)is sometimes the place where the mirrors exist the most. I mean come on, where in the world is more judgmental than a high school? You have to please students and the perceived notion they have of you, parents ideals and try to keep an uproar at bay. Unfortunately this can mean keeping parents happy is more important than my validation as a person.

I don’t use the boys bathroom here. I can’t. Every day that man with the nice hair and confident attitude has to hide away so that I may go to the bathroom at school. In the locker room, it’s not very normal to have a boy changing with a bunch of girls. To me, it’s what it feels like and that’s what it is.

My entire world is filled with what it is to be transgender. From when I should correct people using my wrong name or wrong pronouns, when I should speak up about gender stereotypes and when I am lashing out, when it’s safe to come out and when it isn’t.

All I’ve ever wanted was my identity, and now I have to hope that someone doesn’t assault or kill me for having just that. In a group of people, you never know who is going to respect you and who isn’t. You never know who can turn aggressive because of that. I constantly live on the edge of wanted to be out no matter what and wanting to be safe. Is a correct mirror reflection worth it if someone will kill me for wanting it?

I live with higher chances of dying and I’m almost guaranteed to be discriminated against. Just hearing my dead name, or the wrong pronoun, feels like whips against my throat. People take to the streets to protest just the basic fact that I exist, let alone when I can and can’t use the bathroom. It hurts just as much as my reflections. It represents who others wanted me to be, but never who I was.

We are mirrored by everything. What people call us. What actions we take. What we wear. Who we talk to and how we talk to them. One day, I just want my mirror to reflect me.

10

IN-DEPTH

Student expresses thoughts on mental illness Hear me now because you may never hear me say this again.

I walk through the hallways of Westside High School like its my kingdom because in a sense it feels that way. I grew up in this school, this community; it’s home. But the school has never seen the real me. (A bit cliché, I know.)

Westside, you’ve never heard the thoughts that keep me up in the middle of the night or seen me too scared, too depressed to get out my bed in the morning. You’ve never seen me cry at midnight alone in my room as I question whether life is worth living.

I’ve walked through your halls with the weight of depression on my shoulders and a fear caused by anxiety in the center of my heart. But Westside, you don’t see this side of me. I’ve

learned to cover it up through wide smiles and loud laughs or just utter silence. It’s when I go home that I think the world might be better without my laughs or smiles.

Oh, don’t cry for me. Wipe that look of pity of your face. Let’s make it clear right now: I’m not asking you to pity me; I’m asking you to understand me.

My brain is sick, but I’m fighting and receiving the help I need. I know that my life is worth living, but it’s the depression and anxiety, which pull me down into my own personal hell. In fact, I’m writing this anonymously so you don’t give me those looks of pity. It is time I learned to save myself.

I’m writing this on behalf of all students with mental illnesses. To thank the people who understand the devastation and the overwhelming guilt

felt by those who don’t do homework because of anxiety or depression. To thank the people who take time to ask how a person is really feeling.

I also want to take time to talk about this important issue. I want to challenge people to talk about their illnesses or mental health issues and defeat the stigma.

And finally, I want to challenge people to understand that some days are harder than others. Understand that my healing process takes time, and most importantly, understand that my mental illness does not define me.

Graphics by Audrey McCann Story by anonymous contributor

*Data from survey organized by The Lance

Distracted Living: sophomore shows how learning disability affects him I have a path for getting to class everyday... almost like a robot.

I walk towards the landing messing with the strings of my hoodie as I swiftly survey my surroundings, seeing groups of people wondering. Who’s that? What are they yelling about? Did someone have a fight? A break up? Did someone buy something? Who knows, I’m not worried JACOB SANDS about that. I look at the GUEST COLUMNIST poster above me, in front of the landing. analyzing every color and bit of grass printed on the poster, and thoughts stem out and from there. I trudge up to AP Physics lab as the thoughts wash away and the first bell rings. That’s only five minutes of my average morning, thoughts stemming out from even the smallest detail to a style of shirt or a certain tone of voice. They stem out and by the time I’m in my seat, it’s gone, the never ending paths, disappear nearly instantaneously as new ones start to appear as I focus in on the task at hand.

This is when I’m able to quell my ADHD with medication I was prescribed. It helps me be able to stop the thought stems from turning into whole ideas and chops them off as soon as I get somewhere else, but by the time I get home my medication has worn off and one look outside has me thinking about the weather, the trees, my dog, my neighbor’s dog. This has also challenged me when writing, including this piece.

I have had this “disorder” all my life and if I’m completely honest I wouldn’t live without it. It all began in fourth grade when the first major “thought stem” popped up. . It started distracting me; things didn’t line up.

Oakdale elementary: fourth grade. It was clear that I was getting what the teacher was saying, but I wasn’t able to focus on my work. I ended up meeting with a counselor on a weekly basis. We met with my long term sub as my teacher had fallen at the beginning of second quarter. A plan was put in place, if I was able to focus and be attentive in class, I would be rewarded, with candy, T.V. etc. I struggled trying my hardest to hone in on what the teacher was teaching, I found it boring at times. The plan started to help, a bit.

Throughout my freshman and sophomore years I’ve tried no other sounds with homework but that made me get less work done. I now take a larger

dose of my medication, daily and a “small pill” as we call it, a smaller dose of a similar medication, which gives the same effect, and some sort of soundtrack or electronic music when working, which funnily enough is what I’m listening to as I write this.

Despite this challenging process, I wouldn’t have my life be any other way.

ADHD has drawn out my character in so many ways. For instance, I’m a great problem solver. I have been able to adapt to situations by using the way my mind works to think around problems and situations in alternate and unique ways. One teacher even called it “projects with a style” in 7th grade for a “building” of a Spanish related structure. Additionally. it has shown me that video games are a gateway to focus. They have been a great hobby for a long while, it’s shown be the potential to be focused and control the thought stems, when playing, I’m dead centered, focused on the screen and my surroundings, but then I leave the screen and the distracted stemming begins, I lose a lot of the focus I had when sitting there, having all sorts of noises being played around me. I have also talked at a million miles an hour, as my parents say, but this habit makes me who I am.

If ADHD wasn’t present in my life, I’d be a be very bland, and, quite possibly, a very short tempered person, seeing as I wouldn’t think of so many different angles.

Without ADHD, I wouldn’t be the same person. It has changed me for the better.

IN-DEPTH

11

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY Senior promotes the benefits of keeping an open mind about religion When I was a baby, I was baptized into the Catholic religion. However, in the years that followed, I was never forced into learning about Catholicism.

I never went to CCD, youth group or church unless a friend invited me. I actually went to a Jewish summer camp for five years in a row. Religion has never been a topic that was heavily influential in my household, and OLIVIA ROBINO it has always been something GUEST COLUMNIST that was up to me to figure out on my own. Christmas and Easter are viewed more as family holidays rather than religious celebrations at my house, and I like it that way.

I respect every religion and do not argue or challenge other people’s beliefs because I think it is a personal

choice, and I have always appreciated the freedom my family gave me to choose my own beliefs. At this point in my life, I consider myself an agnostic atheist because I believe there is no way to truly know what happens after death, or if there is a greater holy being.

While I recognize that I am unsure of these things, I do not believe in a God or an afterlife. This is partly because of my understanding of science and how the world works, and partly because I do not see the credibility in writings from thousands of years ago. To me, I cannot understand the logic in letting writings and thoughts of men from a completely different time period dictate how I live my life now. For example, I question why Dante’s Inferno has been the prominent depiction of Hell since it was written in the early 1300’s. Who decided that he was credible and that his word should be taken over anyone else’s? Thinking objectively, as if you had never heard of hell or heaven or religion at all for that matter, The Inferno would appear to be a crazy piece of fiction. As someone who

was never raised to believe the stories of the Bible or any other religious teachings, I do not see the validity of the writings. I read these stories and wonder what the person was thinking when they wrote them or if they were even sane.

I think this has affected my education in a positive way. Not having a religion to base my beliefs from has helped me become very open minded at school. I also think it made me more curious and interested in science because I wanted to figure out how the world works.

Overall, the impact of my parents letting me figure out religion by myself has been very positive. I feel like this has helped me become my own person, with control over my life. I do not live in fear of hell or sin.

I do not wait for heaven. I try to make my life on Earth as good as I can. I think you can develop morals and understand what it means to be good without a book written thousands of years ago telling you how. I don’t think people are defined by their religion or lack thereof — it’s just another interesting thing about someone.

Graphics by Audrey McCann

Student opens up how how her religion has affected her education The stories of Adam and Eve, Jonah and the Big Fish, Noah’s Ark, the Nativity, etc. are the stories I grew up with as a child. Many people had this experience, though for me it felt different.

Growing up like I did gave me morals and insight that someone other than me might not have. For instance, I have unique views on cursing and adult jokes ELLE GOTTSCH compared to other teenagers.

GUEST COLUMNIST I suppose this is because I was taught at a young age the difference between right and wrong. These guidelines were centered around my religion most of the time. I was homeschooled through kindergarten and was taught religion based curriculum till I was enrolled into Hillside Elementary.

In elementary school my religion was never really a problem since no one at that time spouted Godless beliefs or screamed curses through their sentences like

they were the only adverbs and adjectives available. I made friends and we enjoyed playing at recess without a thought of challenging and judging one another’s beliefs. But of course, as time went by, people changed, and while others gave up on their faith or pushed it aside, I grew more convinced of what I believed in, not exalting myself, but God. Most of my friends stayed my friends as we ventured into middle school, but things began to head downhill from there as their language got more …adult, (you know what I mean), and their crude humor got more grotesque in nature.

Even the classes at school began to challenge my values and beliefs.

I’ve been in the Westside district my whole life and for the most part I have felt accepted and free to express my religious views, but things are quite different now in high school. Classes like the sciences force us to learn and view natural processes devoid of God, and evolution as the only explanation of life as we know it. Everything we learn is from only that perspective. I do what is required of me, but learning something that requires me to remove God from the picture goes against everything I believe in.

Although I want to respect the school’s environment of learning, it does weigh on my conscious that this

isn’t right.

As challenging as the curriculum is to my beliefs, it isn’t the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with. Making loyal and dependable friends has been a bigger challenge. I hate to say it, but some people just cross the line when I’m around, and I know they do it even more because they know of my faith in God. I have learned to deal with the language most everyone uses even though it still offends me, (it was always a losing battle), but the crude, sexist, racist, and anti-Christian jokes are what get to me, not to mention the vulgar, inappropriate stories being told about what others are doing or want to do. The high school environment makes it is a daily struggle to live out my beliefs without feeling the condemnation of those who try to pull me away from God and living out my faith.

Even though I grew up in church, it was one year ago I made a public declaration of my faith in Christ when I was baptized. I have tried to live my life honestly by what I believe to honor Christ and by doing so I have seen more persecution and confrontation by just living it out at school. I know I am not alone, but this lack of representation is unfair. I have seen that the call for tolerance and acceptance doesn’t apply to Christians only against them. How is this right?

12

IN-DEPTH

SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY IN OMAHA AREA SCHOOLS

OMaha public schools 70.0% ralston public schools $1 1,064.35

Westside community schools $10,949.54

STUDENTS ENROLLED IN Free/reduced Lunch PROGRAMS Omaha public schools $10,425.91

papillion-la vista public schools $9,494.76

millard public schools $9,051.75

statistics from the nebraska Department of education*

spending per student *ONLY HIGHSCHOOL DATA INCLUDED

MILLARD Public schools 20.9% Ralston public schools 56.2% westside community schools 35.9% papillion-la vista public schools 23.2%

Graphics by Jim Schueneman and Bella Radler

IN-DEPTH

13

RACIAL DIVERSITY IN OMAHA AREA SCHOOLS White Black asian hispanic other two or more

OMaha public schools 4.6% 1.3%

28.7% 34.4%

25.6%

5.4%

papillion-la vista public schools 3.9% 3.2% 9.9%

Westside community schools 6.0% 6.6%

77.7%

5.3%

76.7%

2.6% 7.6%

other >1%

other >1%

ralston public schools Millard public schools 1.0% 4.2% 1.9%

3.4% 4.6% 28.9%

58.8%

7.5%

80.5%

3.3% 5.2%

other >1%

anonymous westside diversity quotes “...students look at other students as beneath them if their social class is not as high as theirs or if they have different color skin” “I think people make an effort, but a lot of people don’t know when they are being intolerant”

“As a minority, my race’s actions are a depiction of me and that’s not fair”

14

IN-DEPTH

RACIAL & Cultural

DIVERSITY

AStudent ROADimmigrant TO SUCCESS discovers identity in a new country MA RYA M A K RA M OVA still face today, is knowing what my identity is in OPINION EDITOR

In the cafeteria, there hangs a flag of blue, white and green with thin red lines running through. Also on this flag are white stars and a white crescent. The blue represents the sky and the sea, the white represents peace and the green symbolizes the fertile land. I look at this flag and feel bittersweet.

I see images of my family laughing around a table, but also of my family holding each other when we had to leave. This is the flag of Uzbekistan, the place I was born and the place where most of my family continues to live.

My mother and father moved to the United States two months before I moved to Omaha. I was two and a half when I met up with them in America.

They came here seeking better lives, better education and a better home for their children.

I had come to Omaha with my grandmother and aunt, and we lived in apartments near Swanson Elementary with my parents.

One of the greatest challenges I faced, and

relation to what my nationality is. I was born in Uzbekistan and raised to be Uzbek but influence from American culture has bled into my life. Often I ask myself, “Who am I? Am I Uzbek? American?

Neither?”

alien to me there, even though I was raised similar to my cousins and family.

Later on, I realized that I didn’t belong to one or the other, but to both. I never had to choose.

I had challenges, yes, but also accomplishments. At first, in kindergarten, I had small challenges, being in a new environment and not knowing the language as well as the other students. My parents’ support and my love of reading helped me improve and, I was able to get better and better at English, thus earning me a spot on my school’s gifted program.

Without the great teachers I had and without my parents who pushed me to excel I never would’ve got to the point I am now. It was my appreciation of learning that is helping me carve out a better future for the next generation of immigrants.

An immigrant’s tale is a tale of courage, hard work and perseverance for a better life. It is not a straight path, but one filled with curves and bumps and setbacks. The reward is all the sweeter. The next time I’m in the cafeteria I will no longer be looking down. I will be looking at the flags to remind myself that there’s something worth looking up for.

“Whenever I visit Uzbekistan, I feel out of place yet accepted...

Everything feels so alien to me there...”

Whenever I visit Uzbekistan, I feel out of place yet accepted. Just different. Everyone there looks similar to me, but since English is my main language- I can’t communicate with them well. Everything seems so

AN IMMIGRANT’S JOUNRNEY Student overcomes challenges to find success in the United States CI NDY F RA N C E STAFF WRITER

I immigrated to America as a 4-year-old girl. Funny thing is, it wasn’t supposed to be that way, but I’ve learned over time that things happen for a reason.

My mother had just settled down in Maryland after receiving her Ph.D in Molecular Biology in Japan. She had traveled there in order to further her studies and pursue a successful career. Originally, I came to America as a visitor, planning to stay for only a year and then head back to China, since their education was more advanced. That plan quickly went out the window as I developed a love for America.

I knew for sure that I was in a different country the moment I arrived at the airport in Maryland. Everywhere I went, I heard sounds that were foreign to my ears. It was then that I realized I had a lot of learning to do. Since I was still a child when I immigrated to the United States, I was able to pick up the language fairly quickly. However, the first year or so was still an extremely frustrating time of my life, as I only spoke Chinese. When someone talked, I could only guess what they said and try to reply through actions instead of words. There were many occasions when I knew what to say, just not how to say it. This however, made me work harder to learn and improve my English.

I was determined. On my first day in America, I asked my mother to teach me English. I watched as she taped 26 pieces of paper to the wall, each with one letter printed on them. She taught me what each of those letters sounded like and had me learn to say them. After that, we moved on to small words, and then simple sentences, and then some more words and sentences. At school, I learned from listening to others converse. Then, I took what I heard and what I learned at home to try and communicate with my peers. When no one understood, I tried again. When

they finally understood what I said, however small, it was a victory. It was steps like these that I gradually began to learn English. Through my mother’s help and support, my school’s ESL teachers, and my own hard work and dedication, I was able to quickly improve my abilities.

My efforts to learn English gave me the surprise of a lifetime when I earned my spot in Millard’s High Ability Learner (HAL) Program and also Westside’s Excellence in Youth (EY) Program. The numerous hours spent with my English teachers reading books, learning grammar and conversing with my mother had a lasting impact on my success.

At first, I found it very offensive. However, this behavior was so persistent that it soon became insignificant to me. I still find these comments offensive, but the best revenge is to ignore. There’s no fun in mocking someone who doesn’t care, so I learned to take away their fun. I ignored them. Thankfully, I found refuge in China in summer of 2011, when I visited my relatives in my hometown of Shenyang. I was lucky. Since my mother was still in America, I didn’t have to worry about losing my Visa. In the event that I did, I could always apply for a new one because I was worker dependent. Most immigrants, my mother included, couldn’t even think about visiting because doing so might cause them to lose their jobs.

Despite all the challenges I faced, I still love America. In China, the main thing that is valued is education. In America, everything is valued the same, whether it be sports, music or education. In America, I was free to try and do anything. America nurtured my personality, my creativeness, my happiness. I was able to try new things like piano, swimming, martial arts and so much more without disrupting my learning. Living here helped me succeed in not only academics but extracurricular activities as well. I have won multiple awards in city, state and regional piano competitions, as well as being selected to take high-level academic courses. All of this was a result of my hard work and dedication, but it was possible through living in America. The freedom and acceptance America offers is why I love it here so much.

Through hard work and dedication, my mother set the foundation for my success. Through my hard work and dedication, I hope to follow in her footsteps and lay the foundation of success for the many generations to come.

We have had our ups and downs, our victories and defeats, our failures and successes, but things do happen for a reason. My unintended immigration to America has led me to a life that I wouldn’t want to live any other way.

“My unintended immigration to America has led me to a life that I wouldn’t want to live any other way.”

Language, I have found, is what matters most. Language leads to communication, which is the foundation for success. Know it and you’re halfway there.

I moved to Omaha in the middle of November of third grade. For the first year and a half, I faced many setbacks regarding my race. Being the clueless new girl I was, I was often subject to bullying, name-calling and discrimination. It didn’t help that I was Asian, either.

They would shove me, talk to me with a fake Asian accent while pulling the corners of their eyes outwards so they “looked Asian,” and belittle the Chinese language.

IN-DEPTH

15

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT Senior Colton Armstrong is driven by one thing: learning.

Whether he’s studying medicine or his Native American heritage, FEATURE EDITOR Armstrong is always striving to broaden his knowledge. His Native American background inspires him to keep an open mind in many aspects of life. Some of the cultural teachings influence the way he interacts with his environment. “[My Native American heritage] really affects my world view with everything,” Armstrong said. “I have a really broad respect for nature in its entirety.”

He said he aims to live his life as efficiently as possible by limiting waste production and avoiding the use of non-recyclable products—anything to benefit the environment. Armstrong also said he believes he is a more spiritual person due to his culture.

Armstrong inherited these values from his father’s side of the family. They are Cherokee and possibly Hopi. He believes that the positive mindset he possesses impacts the Westside and Omaha community. Socially, Native American culture does not largely affect him because he didn’t grow up around it. “[Native American culture] is a part of my life that I’m always trying to do more research into,” Armstrong said. “It’s something that I feel I should’ve known more about from a younger age, and I feel like I almost miss out on a lot of things because I didn’t have that growing up. So I’m trying to learn more about it and dig deeper into it to help shape my own identity.”

Through his research, Armstrong said he hopes to gain peace Pictured Above: Colton Armstrong with himself, as well as learn if there are any aspects of the cul-

J U LIA S T E I N E R

While many people may not think about the variety of produce, foods and other items there are in America, it was one of the first things junior Anu-Dari Tsogtoo noticed when she moved to the U.S. from Mongolia at age eight.

Originally from Nalaikh, a small district, she moved to Ulaanbaatar, the capital, at age five and moved to Nebraska three years later.

The food isn’t the only difference between Mongolian and American cultures. One of the most noticeable is the language.

Like many other languages, Mongolian uses formal and informal pronouns.

“In Mongolia… when you say ‘you’ we use the word ta which means formal you. You use formal for people you respect and are older than you. Since I’m older, the freshmen would use formal pronunciation,” Tsogtoo said.

This difference in language showcases a highly valued attitude of respect.

“I feel like, just in general, Mongolians are really respectful and they use manners all the time,” Tsogtoo said.

This attitude of respect doesn’t necessarily carry over into American society today, and the lack of respect can be hurtful to others.

“I don’t see many Asian people here, and I do feel out of place at times because, you know, like, everyone looks really different from me, and some people say really racist things because of my physical features,” Tsogtoo said.

MA L I A BAT TA FA RA N O FEATURE EDITOR

Pictured Above: Zita Tchapo

ture that might coincide with his own beliefs and how he wants to live his life. “[My culture] made me more open to interpreting who I am as a person,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong recognizes that his minority status does not make him feel out of place at Westside, but unique. “[My culture has] allowed me to look at a lot of things in a different light from what other people might,” Armstrong said.

The senior said he’s had a positive experience at Westside, although he has had encounters with racist comments. He explained that he either lets them roll off his back or makes jokes of his own. He said that because the joking is often based upon a legitimate issue, he sometimes uses humor to call attention to the problem while brightening the mood around it. Although Armstrong is able to make light of those comments, he said he can’t comprehend why anyone would make them.

“I feel like people should be working together and cooperating; trying to bring everybody up instead of trying to push one specific group down,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong’s heritage keeps him from being narrow-minded.

As a part of a minority group, he feels he shouldn’t be categorizing anyone, and supports the idea of everyone embracing their unique qualities.

“Just find pride in what makes you different,” Armstrong said, “because not everybody’s the same and not everybody has to be the same.”

Situations like this are difficult to deal with and painful.

R E ESE P I K E When asked how she reacts, Tsogtoo said she usually just tells COPY EDITOR her parents. They ask if they need to call the school, but she says no.

To those who make these comments, Tsogtoo said, “Be more open-minded and… be more sensitive toward that topic. [You] shouldn’t just say everything out loud. You should think before you speak.”

Tsogtoo stresses the importance of being open-minded overall. While people think in different ways, it is important to be accepting of others and be open to differences.

Tsogtoo also said she thinks that despite cultural differences, living in Ulaanbaatar was “pretty modern and pretty much like being in America.”

And now, being away from her home country just means she has a new one.

“I’m more influenced by the American culture [than Mongolian],” Tsogtoo said.

Tsogtoo said her culture does not really influence her on a day-to-day basis. While she is just a normal teenager, spending time with friends and preparing for college, (she wants to major in biology and then go on to veterinary school) she thinks there are bonuses to being different.

“I mean, you’re special,” Tsogtoo said. “It’s not good to look like everyone else. It’s better to be different and have your own beliefs.”

Pictured Above: Anu-Dari Tsogtoo

The chilled January air hits freshman Zita Tchapo’s face.

She is still not used to its bite, which is so different from the oppressive West African heat she has spent most of her life in.

Tchapo is originally from Togo, primarily the city of Lomé.

She says she’s not a fan of Nebraska weather.

Tchapo moved to Omaha three years ago. Her father was the first in her family to come to the United States, arriving when she was little. Six years later, he sent for Tchapo, at age 11, and her mother and sister. Though the weather has been pretty shocking, Tchapo said she likes living in the United States for a variety of reasons, including public education.

“School here, we don’t have to pay from kindergarten to high school, but when we go to college we have to pay,” Tchapo said. “In Africa, we pay every single month. It’s like paying for your house every single month. So here, knowing that it’s free, I like to take advantage of everything.”

Living in the United States has also helped Tchapo to consider her future, which she said people rarely considered in Togo. Now she knows that she wants to be either a singer or a doctor. It has also helped her to find her own style; she never thought about that before coming here.

Diversity, Tchapo said, was another thing that Togo lacked. Most of the people living there were African, with very few white people. As a result, Tchapo said when she lived in Togo, people were always excited to meet white people, herself included. Her excitement about this diversity continued even after she came to the United States, where the majority of people are white.

“Being around people who are different from my skin tone makes me really happy for some weird reason,” Tchapo said.

In Togo, people speak Ewé and French so, when Tchapo arrived, she had to learn English. Though this seems like it would be a big change, Tchapo said it wasn’t too difficult for her to learn.

“The first month it was kind of hard for me, but then I got used to it and I think English is actually really easy to learn,” Tchapo said. “It’s not hard at all. You just have to focus, and you’re gonna pick it up probably in a month. That’s what I did. I picked it up really fast.”

Although she no longer lives there, Tchapo has held on to her old self and the many ways that life in Togo influenced her.

“Every time me and my friends hang out, I’m always weird,” Tchapo said. “That’s the difference between us. I have a weird personality. I come from a country where we do a lot of weird things. And I don’t really fit in [at Westside].”

Tchapo said she feels, however, that despite her differences, she has been accepted by other students. The only thing she is ever teased about is her accent, but it is always in a positive way. Even when she first arrived and was struggling to learn English, she said her classmates were eager to help her out and become her friend. She advises other newcomers to try to make a lot of friends, and stay true to themselves, as she did.

“Just be yourself,” Tchapo said. “Be weird. And if someone tries to talk about [you being weird] just say, ‘I wasn’t born here. Let me [be different]!’ Because being who you are reminds you of where you’re from. You don’t want to forget about it. And just because you’re in America doesn’t mean you are going to have to act like one. Act like whoever you want to be.”

16

IN-DEPTH

Q&A

with art instructor Dana Rose

What are your opinions on the lack of diversity at Westside?

Do you think it is important for our school to value diversity both for faculty and students?

“It would be nice to have a greater representation of teachers and students as well, to represent the community in large. But I know there is a shortage, for teachers in minorities, so that’s an issue.”

“I do, absolutely. I think valuing diversity can mean a bunch of different things as far as even having it incorporated in the curriculum and having all different races or denominations represented in how we teach.”

How do you feel about being the only African American teacher at Westside?

How do you think Westside could improve on this?

“I didn’t realize it coming in, but it would be nice to have a little bit more diversity to represent what I see as a student population.”

“I think it’s a problem that there’s a shortage of minority teachers. So maybe there could be some sort of recruitment to encourage students to go into the field of teaching in order to get that of representation.”

Q&A Conducted by Emily Kutler

How do you think that diversity affects students, positively or negatively?

“Positively. Just to represent what you see in our society. Just in Omaha alone, it’d be nice to have the same representation as far as staff and students.”

do you believe Westside is a safe environment for people of all races/ethnicities/ cultures?

do you have friends at westside who are minorities?

22% 19% 93%

4% 3%

59% Yes no I don’t know

Segregation’s Story

How Omaha’s divided neighborhoods came to be SAM C O H E N MANAGING EDITOR

District 66 students are 72.97 percent white, according to data compiled by Westside Community Schools. This is a product of a history of segregation in Omaha.

As stated in title, Kenneth French’s dissertation, “African Americans predominantly reside in North Omaha, Hispanics in South Omaha, and Whites and Asians in the suburbs of western Omaha.”

French is referring to Omaha in modern terms, but their description applies to the past as well. As per the Nebraska State Historical Society, during the mid 1960s many African Americans began losing their jobs as packing plants closed across Omaha. At the same time, banks, real estate and insurance companies refused to serve African Americans anywhere but in North Omaha, effectively trapping them there. This is known as redlining. White popula-

tions shifted to central and western Omaha and many Hispanics moved South.

Near the western edge of Omaha, a new district was formed, District 66.

The white populations of the city began attending the three schools that formed District 66 in the late 1940s as they were closest to them. During this time, racism was institutionalized as the Jim Crow Laws were still in place.

Over time, segregation became less systematic as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted. Even though segregation officially ended, many people still held prejudiced attitudes, and Omaha was not going to reverse the racially divided neighborhoods.

Since Omaha stayed so segregated, the schools and school districts reflected this.

As reported by the Nebraska Department of Education, Omaha North High School is nearly 45 percent African American and South High School is almost 78 percent Hispanic. These numbers reflect the prolonged segregation in Omaha. The large number of white people in District 66 can be attributed to the history of Omaha and its systematic and habitual racism.