Monarch: May 2018

Inside:

Farewell Seniors FOCUS, 10-11 Serving the Archbishop Mitty Community

Volume 27 Number 4

May 2018

One World Cup: Unifying Us All

By SooMin Cho, Malavika Ramarao, Kayla Riggs, and Marko Ristic News Editors “In our religion classes,” Mr. Tim Wesmiller, Director of Campus Ministry, stated, “we learn that we are all made in the image and likeness of God, and that anything that separates us––whether or not it is class, race, or religion––is an obstacle that we as human beings built between us, not what God desired of us. We live in a country that is right now starting to feel more and more polarized, so it is our job as people who are living out our belief to actually do something about it and not just talk the talk.”

Genesis 1:26, a passage which speaks of how humanity is modeled in God’s image, has been woven throughout almost every aspect of AMHS. And for good reason. As Mr. Wesmiller suggests, over the past two years, our world and our nation has seemed as divided as ever, with policies concerning immigration and refugees often being at the forefront.

This national divide, in part, led Mitty to hold the One World Cup last year and again this Spring, a friendly soccer match in which refugees and Bay Area students mix together in teams to play. Holding hand-made posters and cheering on their fellow brothers and sisters, those who attended the April 28 match held at Father Jack Russi Field brought solidarity to life during the event, showing how, despite our differences, we are one.

An Idea Is Born According to Mr. Wesmiller, the idea for the match came about by happenstance.

“In January of 2016, students in Campus Ministry asked Catholic Charities how they could be in solidarity with the refugee community while hostility and rhetoric in Washington towards refugees grew louder. John Rinaldo, now the former Catholic Charities Director of Parish and School Partnership, said that he would love for our students to create welcome letters and that he would place them in the welcome packs refugee foster youth get when they first arrive in the Bay Area. When I went to drop off the over 100 letters, John and I discussed other ways we could continue to work together. He said, ‘I’ve always had this crazy idea of a soccer match.’ I agreed. From there, we scrambled to put together the first One World Cup. As soon as we finished with our first event, we knew this was something we wanted to share with more people, so it felt important to invite all the Catholic school’s to participate this year.”

And so four other Catholic schools–Bellarmine, St. Francis, Notre Dame, and Presentation–participated in this year’s event. The inclusion is symbolic of the profound sense of unity that One World Cup seeks to provide. Students at rival schools are putting aside their historic rivalries and instead recognizing that during the game, “we are not Bellarmine; we are not Presentation; we are not Notre Dame; we are not St. Francis; we are not Mitty. We are just together.”

On the Inside

Players take the field in Mitty’s second-annual “One World” soccer match.

The communal atmosphere was evident as soon as the event began when players held hands as they walked onto the pitch to the sounds of K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag.” The day ended with a lunch where players were able to have typical teenage conversations with each other, regardless of their background.

The match was undoubtedly a success, not only due to the turnout from the community and the hard work by all those involved, but also because of the support and the message communicated to the refugees.

Watching the game, Kelsey, a worker at Catholic Charities found that “soccer is truly a unifying experience because it is played all around the world and is not associated with one particular language or people.” The One World Cup was “a chance to bring everyone together and show we are part of one community no matter where we or our parents came from.”

Mitty students have gotten this message of solidarity as well. Junior Audrey VanValkenburg explains, “Mitty does a really nice job of taking global issues and making them tangible in our community. We understand that we are not going to solve all our country’s problems with refugees through this event, but we are able to support and encourage them.”

Finding a Home In an attempt to bring the refugee and AMHS communities together, several refugees shared their truly unbelievable stories with us. (We have changed all refugee names below in order to respect privacy and protect their identities.)

Kat arrived in the US when she was 16 and started working when she was 18. Her girlfriend Jennifer was pregnant, and Kat worked as a housekeeper where she

News....................................1-3 Opinions.............................4-6 Arts & Entertainment.........7-9

would leave at around 7 a.m. and be back home at 2 a.m. so that she could support her family. Now, five years later, Kat and Jennifer are simply friends, united by Zoey, their 2 year old, but Kat is able to move on and pursue her dreams of becoming a pastry chef. Kat describes how being in the soccer game is not about winning, but rather “about being together and part of the same team. It is not about your race or country, but about being a family.”

Noah and Elijah were only 6 years old when they were forced to flee their home in Myanmar by boat to Malaysia, and they have only been in the United States for a year, but they have already displayed their determination to find success within this new country. Not only have they learned English as a second language––which is the language they both gave moving speeches in prior to the match––but they are also both hoping to pursue careers in the U.S., as Noah aspires to be an engineer while Elijah has dreams of becoming a doctor and helping others someday in his native Myanmar.

Part of the mission of Archbishop Mitty is to provide respect and support for refugees such as Kat, Noah, and Elijah—to help them in any way that we can, to speak up and have our voices heard. According to Mr. Wesmiller, one way that students can do this is by volunteering at Catholic Charities, where they can teach refugees computer skills, English, and other life skills. Those wanting to get involved can also join MAP and MAPx, two school-wide organizations that focus on prominent justice issues, one of which is immigration.

The One World Cup was just another part of our being a community that believes and is willing to work towards a common goal: making our world one world, free from all of the division that currently divides it.

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Page 2

May 2018 • News

MAP Leading Way in Response to Parkland

By Nathan Chou Staff Writer President of the Mitty Advocacy Project, senior Katie Peterson says that one of the most incredible and powerful things about the current movement against gun violence is that the youth of America is driving it. They bring passion and energy to an issue that they see as a public health crisis, one they are determined to change. MAP in kind has acted to become a part of this movement.

MAP traveled to the Catholic Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN) in Sacramento in February, where it was able to meet with representatives and ask them to support potential changes in legislation. During these meetings, MAP students promoted increased funding into gun violence research to identify the risk factors that precede a school shooting, believing identification of these factors can potentially lead to more effective gun legislation.

Additionally, MAP empowered students to get involved through encouraging them to attend the March For Our Lives. Increased political involvement of the student body was also seen through MAP helping to register and preregister over 300 students to vote.

MAP leaders believe that in communities that overwhelmingly support the kind of change they are pushing for it is essential that advocates stay open and listen to opposing viewpoints with the same tolerance and open-mindedness that they hope to receive. This must be taken into account, MAP leaders believe, because if they are fighting for more gun safety legislation, it is important that they are not hypocritical by silencing those who might believe otherwise.

Bringing everyone to the table and discussing the most feasible approach, they argue, is the most productive way

to achieve this. The leaders of MAP hope that the issue of gun violence can be elevated beyond the hotly charged political debate of guns or no guns, and instead blossom into a more progressive safety conversation about how to best prevent future mass shootings in our country. MAP leaders are confident that there is ample common ground that can and will be covered––but they do hope for more restricted and controlled access to extremely dangerous weapons.

Though many actions have already been taken in the fight for gun control, there is still a long distance to travel.

Mr. Bill Kroenung, a Religious Studies teacher who has been active in the school’s response to the shooting in Parkland, says that one of the biggest roadblocks in having a continued push for change is the issue of attention. “There are so many issues that compete for our attention. The challenge is to keep this issue at the forefront,” he explains.

Still, at the end of the day, Peterson asserts that little can stand in the way of an empowered group of students: “If you look at history and the protests against issues such as those against the Vietnam war, it’s been the young people moving and making change. Now is the time to persist and get involved.”

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY Brings Down the House

By Lauren Vu Meanwhile, Olive’s bodyguard Cheech, played by senior Erik Federwisch, rewrites Staff Writer David’s entire script. Amidst all this, couples cheat, break up, and come back together There is a different kind of buzz on the opening night of any play. Playgoers ranging for the grand finale. The audience ate every bit of it up. from students to seniors are able to escape reality and instead enter the shining world of The actors stole the show with their stunning ability music and theater waiting behind the grand red curtain. to get into character and their terrific singing. Madelyn They take their seats, arms filled with bouquets of flowers Davis was perfect as Olive Neal, being as obnoxious and to congratulate the stars on a performance well-done, eaoutrageous as the character demands. So was Charlie gerly whispering among themselves until the lights dim.

Ibsen as glutton and comic relief Warner Purcell, who At this year’s Spring Musical those playgoers overeats, only to fantasize about consuming his next were greeted by a voice from the speakers reverberatmeal. Sophomore Quinn Hasenkamp especially stood ing throughout the auditorium: “Hey, you!,” it called, a out in her role as Ellen, David’s carefree girlfriend. Her forewarning to the ode to New York that is Bullets Over performance of the power ballad “I’ve Found a New Broadway.

Baby” showed off her wide range, hitting every note The curtain opened on a bar illuminated by an and eliciting the wildest round of applause of the night. oversized neon sign reading, “Valenti’s Club.” Wealthy The most memorable moment of the night, howmen and women were draped across countertops and ever, was David (Bloome) and Helen’s (senior Amelia chairs while jazz music played and flappers danced, a Whitney) bittersweet performance of “There’s a Broken scene reminiscent of the right out of the ’20s. The entire Heart for Every Light on Broadway,” a dose of reality to play maintained that feel, whether it was grand gold all artists everywhere. Helen Sinclair, played by Whitney Senior Jack Bloome starred in this year’s Spring Musical. staircases or lavish hotel rooms, tap dance numbers or as a red-headed bombshell graced with an iron gut, stomsynchronized flappers. ached lighter fluid and paint remover and summed up the entire play, including the struggle Bullets Over Broadway tells the story of director David Shayne, brought to stirring that even optimists must admit to: “Broadway can be cruel to those who dare to dream.” life by senior Jack Bloome, who finally has a chance of making it big in showbiz, thanks Mitty’s students have the uncanny ability to make all they do pulse with life. For to mob boss Nick Valenti, played by debonair sophomore Trent Lawson. But there is a audience members, leaving Kinkade Theater was like leaving New York itself. Mitty has catch: his talentless airhead of a girlfriend must get a major role in the production. The never failed to immerse its audience in the environment of their choosing, and the actors characters are caricatures and thus predictable, but that’s part of the fun. As his play never cease to please. Whether it be singing, dancing, or acting, the students’ innate talent moves along, David gets pushed around by his cast for the entire show. alone should be incentive enough to attend their next production.

Exodus

By Jenna Mollerus Staff Writer Bringing their passion and life to school events, Mitty’s liturgical rock band, Exodus, is a superb group of student artists.

Representing the ideals of Archbishop Mitty, Exodus presents an opportunity for musicians with different skills and backgrounds to work together to showcase their talents.

Formed in 1988, this group of talented musicians and singers performs at a myriad of events, including the Black and Gold Gala, Christmas in the Park, and schoolwide assemblies and liturgies.

During this past year, the group has also performed in front of various Catholic grade schools across the diocese, including St. Joseph, St. Andrew, Queen of Apostles, St. Frances Cabrini, St. Clare, and St. Lucy.

Throughout these events, the two main vocalists of Exodus, senior Mariah Stanelle and junior Ande Burns, were given the opportunity to highlight their voices alongside senior guitarists Maxwell Slade and Ritwik Krishnan, sophomore bassist Simon Liu, senior drummer Daniel Marella, and sopho-

more pianist Noah Robles. Ultimately, this group of individuals incorporates their talents and various visions for the band to deliver their message of community and of living and being in the image and likeness of God through their music.

Not only is the Exodus liturgical band an opportunity for selected students to showcase their musical talents, but it is also a highly rewarding experience, as members have the ability to build long-lasting friendships and perform inspiring music to the Mitty community.

Noah Robles shares that his time on Exodus has been “an extremely eye-opening experience… We work together to provide and showcase something greater than ourselves.”

group szn

By Helena Getayalew Staff Writer When you play a sport, you feel a sense of belonging in the Athletic Department; when you act and showcase your talent for performance, you are an intrinsic part of the Performing Arts Department. But what if you produce music, take pictures, make videos, or have a vision to create? Well, that’s what Group is for: the creative department at Archbishop Mitty.

Group is a collaborative multimedia platform for aspiring creatives. As club leader junior Chris Emond says, “It’s an environment where people of different talents, experiences, and interests come together to create, learn, and focus on how to get their passion into the professional world.”

Members collectively engage in a wide variety of art forms, including music production, photography, videography, visual arts, and more. Students come together in a productive environment with like-minded students, collaborating on ideas for projects and honing in on their talents.

The vision for the club is to eventually have multiple sections, including its own clothing logo, member perfor-

mances, and an overall professional brand associated with this collective.

There’s a lot of talent associated with Group, and by getting these people together, something greater can be achieved. When asked why he created this club, Emond explains that he was struggling to figure out what direction he wanted to go in creatively. In order to do so, he would expand the Music Production Club to create a network of people from many different clubs that could potentially work together. One example is co-founder Lizzie Fox, whose videography is an integral part of almost every project Group works on.

There is indeed an abundance of untapped potential here at Mitty, and people who have innate talent or an idea that they want to contribute should reach out to Group. Clubs like this are crucial for students to be able to learn and grow creatively in unique ways.

Other clubs provide opportunities for students to learn more about their interests, but this unique setting allows students to come together with their own talents to work on a variety of art forms.

Email christopheremond19@mittymonarch.com if interested in joining.

News • May 2018

Page 3

Summer Programs: Something for Everyone

By Kelly Ly Staff Writer Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” With the school year quickly coming to an end and summer right around the corner, what better way to start this investment than through Mitty’s summer programs.

These programs foster growth in rising 1st through 12th-grade students, preparing some for the upcoming school year while providing enrichment for others.

According to Ms. Anne Rodriguez, the Summer Program Administrative Assistant, “The purpose of the program is to continue Mitty’s mission to develop community, to promote service, and to prepare students for responsibility of leadership by providing the community with opportunities for individual growth and exploration of their potential to better understand the

world around them. We are developing the whole child with the support of the Mitty community,” The summer athletic camp program is comprised of camps that teach many headliner sports—basketball, volleyball, and baseball being a few—under the guidance of Mitty’s varsity head coaches. By getting to know these coaches early, athletes can become better acquainted with the sports programs they plan to participate in while fostering relationships that will last them throughout their Mitty careers.

In addition to these athletic camps, there are three non-academic enrichment camps specifically for Mitty students. These include Faith in Action and Advanced Science Research for our newest Monarchs in the Class of 2022, and Sports Medicine and Athletic Training open to all current Mitty students. Each of these camps is designed

with different goals in mind.

Faith in Action offers students the opportunity to meet classmates and complete their Christian Service hours by volunteering at agencies such as HOPE and Sacred Heart Community Services. Advanced Science Research offers students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Mitty’s Science facility and begin exploring research areas in preparation for SYNOPSYS and COSMOS science programs.

Sports Medicine and Athletic Training, an entirely new camp headed by AMHS Medical Trainer, Mr. Scott Zimmerman, is a one-week camp that begins on July 16 and runs in the morning from 9-11 a.m. daily. In addition to receiving athletic medical training, students will become certified in both CPR and First Aid. Students who complete the camp training are then eligible to apply for and become a certified student Athletic

Trainer in the Athletic Department. Fostering many medical skills, this camp can even serve as a learning experience for those interested in pursuing sports medicine in college and beyond.

Mitty will also be hosting the annual summer musical this year. The performance will be Disney’s world renowned Little Mermaid, Jr., headed by Archbishop Mitty’s Director of Performing Arts, Mr. Doug Santana and the other members of the Performing Arts faculty. The opening performance will be on Friday, June 29 at 11 a.m.

Archbishop Mitty’s summer programs are a doorway to opportunity. Whether you want to be well-prepared for the upcoming school year or pursue your personal interests, the Monarch tradition continues even during the dog days of summer.

More information for those interested can be found at mitty.com/summer-program.

The Final Countdown: Getting Ready for Finals

By Aashish Achanta Staff Writer During the looming season of finals and AP testing, any student will find the library packed, yet still in pin-drop silence. After worrying about their grades for the entire semester, students place an undue amount of pressure on themselves to perform well on final exams.

In order to escape their stress, many students like to unwind by Snapchatting or Instagramming prior to going to sleep.

But this decision might only cause them more harm in the long run because modern smartphones emit a type of light known as blue light, which the human brain associates with being outside and awake. This type of stimulus keeps the brain from resting, thus creating a recipe for a sleepless night. In order to lessen these conditions, there are various options to reduce phone time such as turning your phone off or leaving it in another room, which helps reduce attention on your device. If you absolutely must use your phone, you should enable the night mode option. The night mode turns off the blue light coming from the screen to be more gentle on your eyes and allows you to sleep easier.

Students can also practice good time management and study habits. Research suggests one way to do this is by practicing the 50/10 rule. This concept states that maximum productivity is achieved when a person works hard for 50 minutes and then takes a 10 minute break— this cycle continuing until all the work is finished.

Naman Dandia, a sophomore on the Student Wellness Committee, does something similar: “The way I best manage my time is to never overwork myself. I always find a balance, and I incorporate breaks between my working schedule to continue to make sure my time is equally divided across my various assignments.”

By increasing your efficiency and time management skills, you are more likely to remember the information and receive a better grade on a test.

Another key factor in success is eating properly.

Although it may be neglected, eating healthy the day before and the morning of the test can be extremely beneficial to the test taker.

A nutritious breakfast can give you the necessary energy to ensure that you do not lose focus over the course of the test, for it is easier to stay on task with a balanced breakfast rather than an empty stomach.

Arriving at the Last Dock: The Senior Cruise

By Claire Kim and Irene Park Staff Writers Waves crashing, the gentle breeze blowing through the salty air, the city lights glowing in the night––everyone is relieved, yet sad, that their four years at Mitty have come to an end. For the class of 2018, their vivid memories of this night will last a lifetime. What felt like such a long journey in high school has finally ended as they look forward to the next chapter of their life: college.

With high spirits, seniors are able to experience one of their last trips as Mitty students with their friends and classmates: the senior cruise.

On May 18, the last day of classes, these graduates will travel on a bus to Alameda, where they will board for an overnight adventure filled with music, dancing, and relaxing views of the city.

The seniors appear eager to embark on this anticipated trip; John Lahey, ASB president, explains that, to him, this event is “going to be the moment where you know you finally made it, you’re done. It’s like your final celebration. It’s really the ‘We made it’ for senior year. Yeah, I’m excited.”

On the cruise, seniors are able to socialize with their peers as well as reminisce about their high school

memories all while looking at breathtaking views of the tranquil bay. The seniors will sail throughout the entire night, first passing under the elegant Bay Bridge and ending with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Although the twinkling city lights are, in fact, endearing, the lively party occurring within the cruise is just as welcoming.

After delicious latenight dinner, students are reinvigorated by the exhilarating music that boosts their energy for the activities ahead. Not much can be said, however, due to an element of surprise. It is a tradition to conceal the cruise experience until one becomes a senior. Despite this, a few things are certain: laughter will fill the air, and most, if not all, will have a good time.

Before they “dock off” at college, the seniors will get the opportunity to enjoy this special moment with their friends. Mr. Greg Walker, Director of Student Activities, describes it as “putting a bow, if you will, on their time here at Mitty.”

Asked to voice his final advice to the Class of 2018 before going on the cruise, Lahey stated, “You’ve earned it. No matter where you are, no matter what you’ve been through, no matter where you’re going off to college, you have earned it, so have fun.

Volume 27 Number 4 Advisors Mr. Mick VanValkenburg & Mr. Craig Whitt

News Soo Min Cho, Kayla Riggs, Malavika Ramarao, & Marko Ristic

Opinion Supna Kapoor, Trisha Karani, Tiina Otala, & Danning Yu

Arts & Entertainment Madeline Aguirre, Alora Cisneroz, Anna Krause, Emily Ordonez, & Alexis Rambac

Focus Stephanie Jue, Prerita Pandya, & Brenna Schumacher

Justice Awareness Surabhi Bhupathi, Amelia Kinsella, Nichole Lim, & Jennifer Prince

Sports Giuliano Orsi & Matthew Scott

Art & Comics Keili Fitzgerald, Ella Garfunkel, Jiwoo Song, & Nichole Wong

Photo

Sofia del Cano, Grace Chung, Bansi Patel, & Kela Sowell

Archbishop Mitty High School 5000 Mitty Way, San Jose, CA 95129

OPINIONS

Opposing Viewpoints: Who has it Better?

Frosh: Smooth Transition

Seniors: Feeling at Home

By Gwendolyn Patwardhan Staff Writer We can all remember our first few weeks at Mitty as freshmen. Many of us were anxious or excited due to the new environment, community, and schedule. From an outsider’s perspective, freshman year might seem quite taxing; however, it is almost nothing in comparison to senior year.

As one goes into their first year of high school they are confronted by many firsts.

Some of these could be social, but most are academic. Freshman have to get used to a new schedule and a drastically different curriculum. While this might seem quite difficult, teachers and administrators are usually very forgiving. They know how tough it is to remember the odd twists and turns of the block schedule and of new courses. The stress of missing the first few minutes of class because of a schedule misunderstanding or the panic of work accumulating is greatly minimized by teachers being understanding of these mistakes.

This is pretty much gone by senior year. Yes, teachers understand that seniors have it busier than ever with homework, extra-curriculars, and college applications piling up, but seniors have had three years to get used to the standards of high school. It leads to high expectations that are sometimes hard to meet, especially with the daunting number of college and career decisions looming over them.

Seniors need to know what colleges they are applying to, what their goals are, and what they need to do to succeed in those two areas. They are expected to be mature and responsible, especially as some are already legally considered adults.

It only gets more difficult as college acceptances arrive during second semester and the notorious “senioritis” hits. The fact that their future seems secure because of acceptances makes some seniors less willing to put as much effort into classes.

But this sense of security is false, as scholarships or even acceptances might be revoked due to falling grades.

In comparison, freshmen are just getting started with high school and these expectations are years away.

In fact, for some schools like the UCs, freshman grades are not even considered when calculating one’s GPA. Socially, seniors may seem to have the upper hand.

Their interests, personalities, and social skills are almost fully developed while freshmen are new to the social scene of high school and only have a slight idea of who they are. However, the blank slate freshmen hold allows one to become whoever they want to be as they are still unknown to most of the other students. Seniors, however, have built up a reputation over four years and any impressions they’ve have may be hard to change, or they might not have enough time to change them.

So, yes, freshmen are at an advantage both socially and academically, comforted by teachers and other students. They are welcomed into the community and are given role models to look up to. In fact, seniors themselves are especially involved with events like Freshmen Orientation and Freshman Welcome Night that first expose us to the community.

Seniors are the faces of the school’s community and that requires great responsibility.

The freshman life does not compare to the struggles and stresses of senior year, Though both grades still have their perks.

For freshman, it is the possession of a blank slate—which they can color with whatever they wish.

By Supna Kapoor Opinions Editor There’s no denying the excitement that accompanies the hope of a freshman just commencing her high school career. With freshman year comes delusions of grandeur and immense potential that are soon sobered with the realities of upperclassman-ship. Despite the allure of this youthful naivete, being a senior and having had four years to develop into a more emotionally and physically mature person is much more rewarding.

First and foremost, by senior year you have a sense of identity. You may not know exactly who you are or what you want to do with your life, but you are aware of what makes you happy, what doesn’t, and what kind of people you enjoy associating with.

So naturally, with identity comes having real friends. The friends a person has freshman year are very different from the friends he or she has senior year. As a freshman, the people you choose to hangout with often are determined by who you believe to be the coolest, who knows the most boys (or girls), or who you randomly choose to sit with during offs because you got bored of watching Minecraft videos alone in silent study. By senior year the people you choose to spend your time with are—rather than a large and uncertain disarray—a close-knit community of people you truly enjoy and respect.

Equally important, being a senior means knowing the school. This isn’t just limited to knowing your way around the campus or having a designated place to sit during lunch, but it also means having a firm understanding of the policies and people within it. In particular, this means recognizing you don’t need a four inch binder for every class and that some of your textbooks can be found online if you look hard enough.

In addition, knowing the school means knowing the teachers. As a senior, you have finally been around long enough and heard enough folklore to inform you of which teachers can be “easily persuaded,” especially if you can charm them with witty and mature banter. And, you can revel in the fact that because you are an adult (or nearly there), you are capable of having interesting and grown-up conversations with your teachers.

Being a senior also means having an arsenal of time management skills. None but our beloved fourth-years are as adept at completing homework the morning of or during passing periods. And because you did your homework in a tenth of the time you would have done it freshman year, it’s safe to assume you didn’t study as much as you intended for that upcoming quiz. Not to worry!

By senior year you’ve had plenty of practice learning how to accept bad grades.

Now for a few honorable mentions: as a senior you have more freedom to take classes that interest you, have your driver’s license so you don’t have to confine your going out to a walkable radius of two miles, and, most importantly, you may even win Monarch Madness. For all these reasons and many more, being a senior outweighs the uncertainty of freshman year.

This is not to say that being a freshman is a miserable time. Every year of high school has something good in store, and though in many ways it can get worse at times, trust me freshmen, it will always get better in the end.

Breaking News: Tragedy Only Matters if We Can Relate

By Marisa Anya Navar Staff Writer Harvard professor Paul Farmer once said, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” As much as we as a society like to tell ourselves that we care for all people equally, it is simply not true.

We are more sensitive to tragedies that occur in places similar to our own.

Each time there’s a major terror attack in a western city such as Madrid, New York, London, or Paris, it captures the attention and concern of Americans and Europeans in a way that similar atrocities elsewhere simply don’t. We get incensed by the atrocities and are prone to post on social media with hashtags declaring our outrage and showing solidarity to the victims. Candlelight vigils are held in major cities and international monuments are lit up.

However, violence in countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria garner far less impassioned responses.

In November of 2015, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks took place in Paris that killed 130 people. In the 24 hours following the attack, more than 70 million people took to Instagram to share support and prayers. #PrayforParis and #JeSuisParis were the most popular hashtags trending on Twitter. Monuments across the globe from the Empire State Building to the London Eye to the Tokyo Tower were lit up in red, white, and blue. Facebook even activated safety check, a feature

typically reserved for natural disasters, and enabled users to incorporate the French flag in the background of their profile pictures.

On the other hand, in the week before the Paris attacks, Islamic State militants murdered 116 civilians in Iraq and Syria, as well as killing an additional 41 civilians in a bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. In stark contrast to the Paris attacks, there was no outpouring of outrage and support on social media, no monuments were lit up, and Facebook did not enable safety check. Articles on Beirut were a little more than 2% of the size of coverage of Paris, and Google searches for “Beirut” did not reach even 1% of the maximum volume for “Paris.”

Perhaps the reason for this skewed media coverage can be chalked up to geography. Events that happen to ethnically different people in countries we have little connection to are not as impactful to us. A study in the Journal of Neuroscience concluded that “People will be more empathetic towards the suffering of someone from their own race or ethnic group.” A common response to this empathy gap is to blame the media for not reporting on it extensively enough. However, the burden should not solely be on the media, as their reports reflect what best captures society’s attention and interest.

In order to bridge this empathy gap, we need to stop with selective outrage and feel compassion for the millions of innocents across the globe regardless of our differences.

Opinions • May 2018

Page 5

Science Made too Simple: Sixteen Limited Boxes

By Sydney Hwang Staff Writer If you’ve been on Tumblr, Twitter, or any social media platform, you’ve probably encountered a user with a description box that looks something like this: their age, their hobbies, and their Myers-Briggs personality type. In fact, you’ve probably taken this 93-question test yourself and been sorted into one of the sixteen personality types everyone seemingly falls into. Over two million people take this test every year and are defined by its four simple binaries: introvert/ extrovert, intuitive/sensory, feeling/thinking and judging/ perceiving. By filling out this test, Myers-Briggs can determine which one of the 16 categories of personality fits you best—information which “helps” you determine how to best approach your career as well as familial and romantic relationships.

However, the test is flawed. When reading your results, people are often struck at how “scarily accurate” this test defines them. To some extent, this may be true, yet this may also be a result of trust in the Myers-Briggs examination; it is much easier to allow this test to influence what you believe about yourself if it seems reliable. In addition, personalities are much more complex than four simple binaries. To state that someone is completely an introvert and possesses no qualities of an extrovert is an oversimplification of the true spectrum of behavioral types.

The Myers-Briggs evaluation was based on untested theories developed by Carl Jung in the 1940s which are now thoroughly dis-

regarded by the professional psychology community due to their inaccuracy. More recent tests have concluded that this exam is ineffective at predicting the success of people in careers and relationships. Moreover, the co-creators Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers had absolutely no background in psychology. Since the Myers-Briggs test has little credibility and cannot predict success, why do so many companies utilize it? Over 80 of the Fortune 100 companies employ the exam in team-building and interviews, and even our own counseling department uses the test as a reference to help us determine our best-suited careers.

This in spite of the fact that the results of the exam are unreliable. If an individual retakes it at least five weeks after the original testing, there’s a 50% chance his or her results will be different. Dr. Adam Grant, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, took the test and learned he was an INTJ. However, after retaking the exam several months later, he found that he was now an ESFP—the exact opposite. Furthermore, I took this test and experienced a similar phenomenon: a shift from an ESFJ into an INFP. Neither my personality nor Grant’s had altered drastically as Myers-Briggs was suggesting.

There’s a reason why human personality is a worthy field of study: because we are so complex. An individual’s temperament is incredibly difficult to accurately define and examine, especially when you only have eight words. Though it may be fun to take and share with your friends, the Myers-Briggs test isn’t a true representation of who you are, and shouldn’t be utilized as a way of discovering your ever sought-after identity.

Twitter: A Platform for All

Don’t Appropriate, Appreciate

By Lucas Sant’Anna Staff Writer In recent years, Twitter has taken center stage as a vital platform through which politicians communicate with their constituents by making announcements, sharing policy proposals, and even issuing official statements. One of the most famous—and certainly the most controversial—public Twitter accounts is that of our President, @realDonaldTrump.

There are numerous reasons why President Trump is drawn to Twitter as a primary means of communication. Twitter has become the most direct way to communicate with the public, and, unlike radio or TV, it has the added benefit of acting as an interactive forum, allowing anyone to like, comment on, or retweet anything the President says. Although Twitter is a useful resource, many feel that Trump’s behavior on Twitter is unpresidential, as he has insulted news organizations, spread misinformation, retweeted racist videos, and even threatened world leaders. But the biggest issue with Trump’s twitter account is that he blocks his critics.

While at first this may seem like a trivial issue, blocking people from the President’s twitter account is an infringement on the First Amendment. Because Twitter functions similarly to a public forum, laws applying to public forums should also apply to public Twitter accounts. The First Amendment protects every person’s right to voice his or her opinion in a forum; therefore, when Trump blocks critics from his Twitter account, he denies them of their constitutional right to engage in a public debate on Twitter.

Proponents of Trump’s right to block critics claim that blocking certain users is necessary in order to prevent people from engaging in uncivil behavior. Moreover, some argue that Trump has the same rights as the rest of us to block people from his personal Twitter account. However, Trump’s Twitter account is not a personal one—it is a service for the public, so it should be treated like one. The official Twitter account for the President, @ POTUS, simply retweets nearly everything he says, and the federal government has even recognized @realDonaldTrump as public, beginning to archive Tweets in the National Archive, just as they did with @POTUS during the Obama Administration.

The comments and reactions to Trump’s Tweets can never fully reflect the views of the public because anyone who is excessively critical will be blocked. These people can no longer participate in the public discussion in the comments section of his Tweet.

This issue has been taken to court (Knight Institute v. Trump), and how the courts decide to deal with this will set a precedent for just how much the First Amendment can be applied to social media.

As more and more aspects of our lives become integrated online, it is vitally important that we continue to consider what this means for our constitutional rights.

If Trump is going to use Twitter as a public platform, he must accept that this will come hand-in-hand with harsh criticism and public debate—and it is not his place to deny anyone that right.

By Helena Getayalew Staff Writer What’s the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation? Cultural appropriation is the act of taking or using aspects of a culture that is not your own without showing that you understand or respect the culture, whereas cultural appreciation is utilizing elements of a culture while still honoring the source they came from. These definitions are too often muddled in the media today as people fail to draw the line between what is appropriation and what is appreciation.

Interacting with foreign cultures is instrumental to the progression of society as individuals can learn and grow by connecting with different people and ideas, but the manner in which we interact with these cultures is the critical factor as to whether this connection is productive or destructive.

Disney’s 2016 film Moana accurately depicted Polynesian culture because the creators did extensive research on islands including Fiji and Tahiti in order to respect and honor these distinct cultures. However, when girls decided that they wanted to dress up as Moana for Halloween, there was an outcry. Dressing up as a Disney character in a celebratory way isn’t offensive—it’s been a tradition for decades. People want to dress up as other figures because they appreciate and value them for what they represent, not because they’re trying to parody them or be distasteful and disrespectful.

But that can’t be said for everything. Blackface is a phenomenon that involves people painting their faces, and sometimes bodies, black in order to imitate being an AfricanAmerican. That is cultural appropriation. Just this past month, a fraternity at Cal Poly SLO was suspended for when some members of its charter dressed as gang members with “brothers” in blackface. The sentiment behind this practice is that it’s somehow funny, thus implying that there’s somehow something funny about being black. And that, by contrast, is extremely offensive.

Ultimately, people need to start calling things as they are. Arguing that a tasteful princess costume is appropriation while saying that blackface is funny are both just plainly wrong. The point of cultural diffusion is to learn and experience unique lifestyles.

So while there are some that will disrespect other cultures, recognize that the vast majority of people are merely attempting to educate and immerse themselves appreciatively.

Respect is the foundation for productive connections, and it can only be achieved if people are both more sensitive towards one another and understanding of each other’s intentions.

Page 6

May 2018 • Opinions

Fighting a Good Fight

By Chaelee Park Staff Writer At least 105,000 children in the U.S. are being sexually exploited, 70% of which have, at some point, been trafficked online. Passed in the Senate with a vote of 97-2 on March 21, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, or SESTA, is a critical step in shutting down the forefronts of the modernday slave trade. SESTA targets all websites that facilitate and promote sex trafficking, giving victims and prosecutors an explicit route to pursuing legal action against websites hosting advertisements for prostitution.

The sex trafficking industry’s move from the streets to the Internet, a much more accessible medium, has led to the proliferation of sex slavery on an intercontinental scale. This massive boom in online sex trafficking has resulted from a lack of liability placed on internet services, enabling the illegal sex trafficking industry to hide in plain sight.

Many of the internet’s largest sites, most notably Google and Facebook, were quick to speak out in opposition of the new bill, arguing that it threatens the bedrock principles of a free and open internet with serious economic and legal implications beyond its proposed scope. Despite these core principles, the ideal of a free internet must not be prioritized

when an unregulated internet ultimately promotes illegal behavior, including the sex trafficking of children.

A U.S. Senate investigation on Backpage.com, the second largest personal ad listing service on the Internet, revealed that more than 50 minors had been nonconsensually trafficked on the site within just two years. The sexual exploitation of children has become far too prevalent online due to a complete lack of regulation regarding the content of website users’ posts. SESTA is an essential step towards constraining the rampant sex trafficking industry, allowing for a necessary regulation of online forums.

Well before SESTA, Craigslist shut down its adult ads section and as a result of SESTA, the government recently seized and shut down Backpage, causing a significant plunge in the online sex trafficking industry. The passage of SESTA is a rational effort to deal with a dire and devastating global problem by facilitating an end to the sex trafficking industry once and for all.

An Essay on Handshakes

By Marko Ristic News Editor Many view the Handshake as a mere greeting, but it is far more diverse and nuanced than commonly thought as it mirrors cultural values and promotes societal interactions in subtle, yet instrumental ways.

All across the world, a variety of handshakes are used, dependent upon where one may be. In many Mediterranean countries a typical greeting is a hug followed by two air kisses, showing familiarity and compassion.

In other countries, such as Japan, a quick bow may be more common, reflecting the regard both parties have for one another. Serving as a window into the cultures from which they originate, handshakes are also used as an impetus for societal interaction, as long as they are performed correctly.

When a handshake is performed correctly, a general tone of respect is created, leading to an increased—and more efficient—sharing of thoughts and ideas between the communicating parties.

Without a handshake to establish the beginning of the societal interaction, the entirety of the discussion can fall apart, lacking the stable base of the greeting to build upon. By using a handshake correctly and appropriately, one can not only show that he respects the person whose hand he is shaking, but also gains respect from that person for completing the gesture correctly.

Furthermore, at the end of a conversation, when an agreement has been made or a deal has been struck, a handshake is a crucial way of acknowledging that both parties have consented to what has been decided.

Thus it serves as both a greeting and farewell, crisply starting and ending social interactions.

Ultimately, despite the lack of attention they receive, handshakes are a critical component that influence exactly how we perceive one another.

As the foundation for respect in a conversation, handshakes are more important than people think, and knowing their value is imperative if one hopes to be proficient at interacting and communicating with others effectively.

Marking Out Boundaries

By Danning Yu Opinions Editor Whether we’re using Facebook, Snapchat, or Google, companies are constantly gathering our online data into a profile. While these services may be free and connect us together, there is certainly a cost to using them: our privacy. Technology companies have an obligation to give us more control over the use of our data while increasing our understanding of the distribution of that data. Facebook’s recent data breach by Cambridge Analytica is the most apparent example of data mismanagement. In the past, Facebook has mistakenly given third party apps access to personal data and experienced glitches that exposed hidden contact information. Even the dramatic outcomes of negative publicity and stiff fines have not persuaded Facebook to modify its practice of collecting data for advertising in order to keep the service free.

However, the site needs to improve users’ control over what data is shared. Going to the “Settings” tab on Facebook reveals that options to safeguard data by opting out of personalized ad preferences or restricting information from third parties are spread out across multiple categories such as “Privacy,” “Ads,” and “Apps and Websites.” Thus, Facebook can mine the data of millions simply because it is hard to find the “off” button.

Having one dashboard in which the user can easily monitor how his or her data is being shared would give users clearer privacy options, empowering them to be able to decide how they want their data to be utilized. Furthermore, stringent laws regarding user data and privacy could steer this issue in the right direction. During Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance in Congress, there were few ideas presented as to what those laws would be even though the general consensus was in support of data privacy. The rapid pace of technological advancement has outstripped lawmakers’ abilities to keep up with changes, but lawmakers have an obligation to both update their knowledge and our laws. Legislators and companies should look to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from the European Union (EU), which establishes requirements that user agreements must be easily understandable and users must be able to monitor and delete their data.

The next time you use Facebook or another service, check what you can do to retain your privacy. Privacy requires effort from all sides: yourself, the government, and companies.

Confined by Conspiracy

By Ishaan Nandwani Staff Writer One of the world’s deadliest school shootings occurred at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Following this tragic event, student survivors of gun violence mobilized across the nation to lobby for change, advocating for stricter gun laws. Although many Americans sympathized with these students and were encouraged to protest alongside them, some rightwing media outlets and social media accounts asserted that some of the student survivors were merely paid “crisis actors” in what was one of the latest right-wing conspiracy theories.

Conspiracy theories have become increasingly common in the 21st century, with prominent examples including postulations that 9/11 was a “controlled demolition” and accusations that former President Obama was born outside of the United States.

Dr. Daniel Jolley of Staffordshire University defines a conspiracy theory as “an attempt to explain a cause of events, usually caused by a powerful ‘other’ acting in their own interests, as opposed to an everyday explanation.” However, Jolley’s definition only tells part of the story—individuals often concoct conspiracy theories out of ignorance and fear as well.

In the case of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas, supporters of the conspiracy theory believe that leading advocates Emma Gonzales and David Hogg were not, in fact, students at Stoneman Douglas High School at all; rather, they were placed in the school by extreme leftists and NRA opponents to foster a national movement against guns.

Of course, fueling such a belief detracts from the goal of these student protests to voice legitimate discontent with the state of current gun legislation.

Therein lies the harm of conspiracy theories: the serious nature of historical events is undermined as their validity is questioned.

Ultimately, in order to prevent the dangerous impact of conspiracy theories, we must debunk them. Too often, belief in conspiracy theories is propagated by a lack of awareness.

Our society must be more steadfast and thorough in promoting the truth among our citizens. Only then will history truly be honored and change be effected.

Arts & Entertainment The Cautious Throws Caution to the Wind

The Cautious, a local (alt) band whose founding members, Ritwik Krishnan (Class of ’18) and Max Slade (Class of ’18), are soon-to-begraduating seniors, is releasing its third and possibly final album late May. I spent some time with Krishnan and Slade discussing the new album, their creative process, and how they feel the style and direction of The Cautious has changed and will continue to change.

A&E: Do you feel like your sound is going to be a lot different than on your last album?

KRISHNAN: Well, I feel like this is not really one sound.

“San Diego,” that’s the one we finished, is classic Cautious, but then there’s other ones that are going to be different.

Also, we’re going to try to—I don’t know if this is gonna become a reality—but we are going to try to do stuff with synths and other instruments.

SLADE: Since Ritwik has gotten into production more, it’s allowed us to branch out. What Grasp was good for is that we had a lot of catchier songs on there like “Pages” and “Mislead”­—those are the songs people know at shows, and the second EP was more diverse instrumentally. It was a little more linear with how the songs formed, so I think with this one we’re trying to marry the two with kind of a longer release so it’s very singable, but also people that are into music can really find the Easter eggs.

A&E: What are you excited about with this album and the way the band is going?

KRISHNAN: I’m excited about trying out new things and going a little bit away from just guitars, drums, and bass, trying to experiment with different things. And I also think that depending on the college situation, if we don’t end up staying together, it might give us more freedom to do whatever we want. I mean sometimes right now we might write something but say, “Oh people won’t like this and they’ll stop liking us.” But if this is our last release, then we really don’t have to worry about anything; we can just

do exactly what we want to do.

SLADE: Yeah, and I also think we know what we want a lot more. Since we’re going back to the same studio that we did for Less Than You Bargained For, we know how to communicate with the producer better, so it’s more of a collaborative experience.

KRISHNAN: Especially with me getting into production, it’s easier for me to say what I want.

A&E: Is there anything you want people to know as the album is coming out?

SLADE: I would say I guess we appreciate it most if you can listen to it with your undivided attention just because we feel like even on funnier songs with more whimsical sounds, there’s still depth to what we’re writing—the lyrics and things like that.

KRISHNAN: This is what I assume happened with Less Than You Bargained For: people would hear the first song, get turned off by the sound of it, and then not listen to the rest of it. However, with this one, a lot of songs will be really different, so you might find something you like that’s not the first song. Just give the entire thing a chance.

A&E: What is your creative process like?

SLADE: To break it down there’s probably three ways we come up with songs. Either Ritwik will have an idea and create a pretty structured demo to send to all of us, or we’ll create something in rehearsal, or I’ll have a pretty bare-boned idea with an interesting melody or some weird chords and then we’ll bring that fully to the band. For all of them, that’s where Cameron (Bellarmine ’18, drums) shines the most because he kind of forms the songs the most when Ritwik and I have the initial ideas and then Trey (Bellarmine ’18, bass) adds everything on top.

By Anna Krause A&E Editor

KRISHNAN: When we write songs, we’ve probably had twenty songs that we’ve written that we don’t end up using at all.

A&E: How do you find the inspiration for your lyrics?

SLADE: Our content is very personal. For me as a person I’m not super outward about exactly what I’m feeling, like I’ll say what’s happening, but I’m not good at emoting it. So that the music is where it comes out. [laughter] It’s pretty raw.

KRISHNAN: Yeah, the only two songs that I’ve written lyrics to are direct personal experiences.

A&E: What motivates you to keep writing and playing music?

SLADE: I think our biggest goal is to make music that people can have memories tied to—if that makes sense.

Especially for high schoolers because that’s what we are and that’s what we know people kind of want.

A&E: What genre would you consider the Cautious?

SLADE: Rock music is dying fast. Fender and Gibson, the two biggest guitar brands in the world, they’re both either in debt or in trouble. I think Lil Uzi Vert, Post Malone and all these artists, they’re the rockstars of this time. Trap is the new disco in my opinion. We wanna bridge that gap as much as possible, be the band that transcends that road bump that alternative and rock are facing right now.

KRISHNAN: People still listen to rock music but it’s not changing anymore so it’s not gonna be exciting anymore. And, let’s say that we became a decently big rock band, we would be fine, but it would be cool to try and push the genre into something new.

SLADE: We would hit the ceiling really early if we got famous for being a rock band. I want to push the envelope, because I think that’s where there’s no one. And as Ritwik gets more into that kind of production we’ll be able to push more into that.

SO YOU WANNA MAKE IT IN SHOWBIz? Millions of admirers, millions of dollars, a house in the hills, the red carpet…

Hollywood sounds pretty ideal, huh? Well yeah, it’s can certainly be fun if you’ve actually made it. But these days it looks like everyone—and their mothers—want to move to LA and land a lead roll, become a director, or just create content. Unfortunately, it’s rare to move to LA, get these kind of job opportunities, and just coast from there.

On the bright side, there are many jobs in the entertainment industry. Although they might not be the ones that win you an Oscar, you can still be doing what you love at a job you previously didn’t even know existed.

So how does one make it in the entertainment industry?

Senior Vice President of People and Organization at Sony Pictures, Edie Givens, works with her leadership team on hiring and employment relations for Sony. After working in Human Resources for over 30 years, Givens knows what companies look for and what it takes to get a job at major companies like Sony, so I looked to her for some tips..

It comes down to a few key things. First and foremost, a successful career in the entertainment industry is impossible without raw talent. A passion for what you want to do, whether it be acting, singing, music or movie production, photography, or videography, and a true skill in that field, is a critical to having any chance in the industry.

Another key component is to make use of who you know and the connections that you have. LA and the entertainment industry are based to a degree on social networking and who you know, so if you know the right person,

By Olivia Yankovich Staff Writer

you can frequently get amazing opportunities. In entertainment, this means reaching out to those old family friends, aunts and uncles, and even former teachers that may have some form of connection in the business.

This also means going out and being social and meeting the right people. You can only find so many people on LinkedIn, and although keeping that profile up to date is important, going to parties, dinners, and more will allow you to meet people that could really propel your career along with like-minded individuals who you can learn from.

Not all industries have such a connected network like the entertainment industry.

Resumes are also an extremely crucial part of landing a job in entertainment. Givens even mentions that a recruiter looks at a resume for about 30 seconds, looking mainly at education, activities, past experience, and uniqueness. Just a love for acting and involvement in school plays won’t get you that huge movie roll, but past jobs, volunteering, and a notable education will really show that you mean business.

As high school students, we can feel taxed and intimidated entering a world that is as huge and connected as the entertainment industry with fierce competition and a bevy of starving artists trying to make it. But if you are able to swallow your pride, put in the hard work, go out and network, risk the many possible failures, and do all of that with integrity and passion, you will be likely find your niche in the larger community of the entertainment industry.

Arts & Entertainment • May 2018

Page 8

Logged Out

By Sarah Chong Staff Writer Today, we are surrounded by technology. With big tech companies just outside our homes, we are constantly face to face with science and innovation.

This focus on technology has led some to feel that we are abandoning traditional values and practices in the arts. But brilliant individuals and leaders are helping people realize that rather than abandoning tradition, we might actually be upgrading it to a whole new level. Today, we are embracing a new kind of art: digital art.

Digital art uses computer technology and digital enhancements. With the help of advanced technology, people are able to produce pieces never seen before.

One such person who has impacted the Digital Art Movement is the father of video art himself: Nam June Paik.

Born in South Korea, Paik had a passion for using art to humanize technology. By arranging several television screens in various geometric formats and shapes displaying moving pictures, Paik brought video art to life.

Paik’s works shared many strong messages that addressed the digital world today. One of his most famous works is the Electronic Superhighway. This piece is a towering bank of over 300 TV screens shaped into the overall formation of the map of the United States outlined in neon lights that simultaneously shows multiple video clips displaying the many different aspects of America. Within each state, the screens show video clips of that state. For example, Iowa, the state where each presidential election

By Emily Ordoñez Staff Writer

cycle begins, plays news footage of various candidates, and Kansas includes the Wizard of Oz. The neon lights that border each state suggests unity via electronic communication. Paik included clips that even addressed problems, like racial discrimination, in hopes of waking up viewers.

Nam June Paik creates art with high speed film and bright popping colors. And now, we can see Paik’s amazing influence in the art world. The Nam June Paik Collection in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art explores his amazing works.

Yes, technology is a major part of our lives. But technology is not taking over our lives: it is just becoming a part of us. By thinking outside the box, we can incorporate the advanced technology we are blessed with today and maintain the beauty of conventional art.

As Paik himself says, “Skin has become inadequate in interfacing with reality. Technology has become the body’s new membrane of existence.”

Jesus and I finally have something in common. For 40 lenten days, he entered the desert and this year, I entered my own desert: a land rid of social media.

I’m not devoutly religious, which explains the confused cries of “Why, Emily?!” that I got from my friends.

Well, I explained to them that 1. social media is kinda dumb anyways (we all know comparing ourselves to peers is unhealthy) and 2. cutting off distractions would bring my grades up (which is crucial during junior year).

Aside from fulfilling the requirements of a “lenten promise,” giving up social media has also had added lifestyle benefits.

It turns out, going without my favorite apps was relatively easy. The side effects included reaching for my phone less, more contentment with my own life, and my grades actually skyrocketing. At one point, I considered deleting my profiles altogether; Facebook’s privacy scandal and Snapchat’s ridicule of Rihanna’s domestic abuse didn’t help their cases. However, I still missed feeling connected to people—whom I barely saw in real life—through group chats and the comedy of my friends’ daily streaks.

After Lent, my return to social media was a mixed bag. I saw everything I was tagged in from Monarch Madness to the Disneyland trip that the performing arts department went on, but I also saw all the fun that I wasn’t a part of. I was finally able to post, but I was dissatisfied with the number of likes. Probably most glaringly of all, I beamed back into the digital universe at the start of spring break when everyone was posting about the outrageously exotic fun they were having, branding my daily achievements as insignificant.

In the end, I proved to myself that social media is just as toxic and addictive and necessary as we know it is, and no matter how hard we try to fight it, the luxury of easy communication is almost impossible to abandon.

Overplayed & Overused?

“If music be the food of love, play on!” Sure, Shakespeare. As a musician, I completely agree. But not when I’ve heard the Chainsmokers talk about some Rover that they own about—oh, I don’t know—two thousand times.

I’ve always had an issue with radio stations playing the same songs over and over again. Yes, they’re catchy; they’re also fun to sing and dance along to with friends.

But now and again I’ve thought: Do some of these songs actually deserve the air time they get? If hit songs get so much attention, shouldn’t there be something special about them?

I decided to unleash the music geek within me .

If you pull apart a song to its basic skeleton, you’ll find a certain pattern of notes it follows throughout its duration. These are called chord progressions.

From Billboard’s Hot 100 Year-End songs of 2017, I’ve taken examples of our—or rather, the radio’s—“favorite” songs and put down their chord progressions in number patterns, for simplicity’s sake. Each number corresponds to a particular chord.

“Despacito” Luis Fonsi & Justin Bieber: 6-4-1-5 “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” Taylor Swift & Zayn Malik: 4-1-5-6 “It Ain’t Me” Kygo & Selena Gomez: 6-1-4-5 “Something Just Like This” The Chainsmokers & Coldplay: 5-4-5-6 “Praying” Kesha: 6-5-1-4

This list could go for pages on end.

There’s obviously a trend here. At the core of several hit songs is a certain set of chords that just work together. Does this mean these songs are unoriginal?

By Alexis Rambac A&E Editor

At first glance, I was tempted to say yes, definitely. But then I took a step back.

Take a look at a set of random songs that use the same chords as the previously mentioned songs: 1, 4, 5, and 6.

“Let It Be” The Beatles 1970 “Don’t Stop Believin’” Journey 1981 “Forever Young” Alphaville 1984 “With or Without You” U2 1987 “No One” Alicia Keys 2007

This, too, could go for pages on end.

So I pose the question again: does that mean these hit songs are unoriginal?

Perhaps we turn away from certain songs simply because they’re overplayed, not because of the music itself. Granted, many of us have the luxury of personalizing our music experience through streaming services, so we might care less what’s on the radio.

But it seems that these chords always work together to form a memorable song, and decade after decade of music, people have recognized and taken advantage of that, building upon their chord foundation with nuanced lyrics, extensive harmonies, and a contagious melody—whether or not the song ends up on the radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, or some other music platform.

I guess that’s another facet behind the beauty of music: there’s a multitude of ways to compose a song using a relatively similar structure that still touches listeners across the globe in a meaningful, artistic way.

I’d call that creativity at its finest. Wouldn’t you?

Holland: Korea’s First Openly-Gay Singer

By Jennifer Park Staff Writer Like many countries, South Korea has an issue with addressing LGBT+ rights and homophobia within its society.

With the help of Korean public figures showing their support for the LGBT+ community, these topics have been brought into the light in more recent years.

But there is much more progress to be made before those in the LGBT+ community can achieve equality.

The recent debut of one South Korean singer may provide a push in the right direction for Korea’s society for LGBT+ awareness and social movement.

This year the South Korean singer Holland debuted his

single, “Neverland.” He is the first singer in South Korea to be an openly gay celebrity. Despite being an independent artist with no agency and no promotions, his music video for “Neverland” reached 1 million views in the first 24 hours, gaining the attention of Billboard.

This debut song is dedicated to LGBT+ youth who may feel alone in their struggle with their identity.

Undoubtedly, his wish to offer comfort and understanding shines through the song’s lyrics “The words I’ve heard until now / The words that repeated even when I didn’t want to hear them / I think I can stop listen-

ing to them now” In middle school, Holland experienced bullying after he came out to his close friends and they publicly outed him. Because of his own struggles with his sexual orientation in his youth, he strives to become a public figure and pave the way for all to talk openly about LGBT+ rights.

Through both his lyrics and his actions, he encourages people to overcome the prejudices against the Korean LGBT+ community and to feel proud of who they are.

Holland aspires to provide a platform available for everyone to comfortably discuss matters within the LGBT+ community, and he hopes that in light of his debut, Korean society—and the world—will continue to become more aware of LGBT+ rights.

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May 2018 • Arts & Entertainment

monarch critics

Black Panther

After months of unsuppressed excitement, Black Panther hit the big screens everywhere. Whether viewers are avid readers of the original Marvel Comics, curious of its hype, or influenced by peer pressure, this film’s acclaim was revealed in its phenomenal box office gross of a whopping $700 million and counting.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther chronicles the story of protagonist T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman. After the tragic death of his reigning father, T’Challa embarks on a journey to the fictional African nation of Wakanda in order to assume its vacant throne, but his aspirations are marred by the appearance of Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan, who challenges him for the throne.

Black Panther is not only an iconic film that highlights self-reliance and is packed with cultural strength, but it is the first in the Marvel series to be headlined by a black su-

By Charlotte Park Staff Writer

perhero. The film is the epicenter of minority representation, as it is completely dominated by black actors and actresses—something that the black audience has been waiting for.

Black Panther ultimately helps pave the way for further minority representation in Hollywood. In addition, while numerous Afrocentric movies have primarily touched upon issues such as poverty, crime, and racial intolerance, Black Panther celebrates black culture as innovative, unified, and self-assured, as portrayed in T’Challa and the developed nation of Wakanda.

The frenzied release of Black Panther is a trailblazer in the film industry, and undoubtedly serves as a milestone for the black community.

Ryan Coogler and the cast do an impeccable job at cultivating representation, all while chronicling the brave tale of T’Challa and the powers of the Black Panther in this superhero epic.

Jessica Jones

In season two of Jessica Jones the enigmatic Marvel anti-hero that the show is named for battles both real life monsters—as well as her inner demons. Recovering from defeating mind-controlling villain Kilgrave, who has dominated her entire life both mentally and physically, Jessica Jones grittily comes to terms with what her power means and the dark, buried past that she’s tried so hard to overcome.

Always a violently stoic glare away from punching a wall, Jessica shies away from ever being completely exposed and vulnerable. She’s notorious for her rude retorts and being the very opposite of what you’d expect in a vigilante: a stone cold exterior, never allowing anyone behind her walls.

However, the incredible personal growth that she experiences in this season is amplified by unflinchingly hard decisions and her struggles with PTSD and depression. Jones’ vices are coping methods for what she’s been through—alcohol to numb the pain, being a private eye to seek out other people’s problems as a reminder of the dark

By Helen Deng Staff Writer

side of humanity. It’s truly inspiring how day after day, she makes the most of what she has to help others despite the hardships she courageously faces.

Trish Walker, Jessica’s adopted sister and best friend, who also happens to be a huge TV personality, is not without her own issues, no matter how perky and blonde she appears.

Her own character arc throughout the series primarily centers on her struggle with feelings of powerlessness leftover from a tumultuous childhood, even despite her wide outreach and luxuries. She wants to make a real difference in the world, which drives her motives and actions throughout the season.

The nuanced, powerdriven strong female characters really hold up in this show, with fantastic performances from all the actors portraying their characters with true heart and soul. While season one may have had a more obvious villain–– think sadistic mind-controller–– season two’s struggle is all about overcoming personal rage and finding new and innovative ways to grow.

In a Nutshell

By Joanna Jain Staff Writer Good news for fans of the award-winning FX original series Atlanta: Season 2 is finally here. Atlanta: Robbin’ Season continues to follow Earnest “Earn” Marks and his cousin Alfred Miles, a.k.a. “Paper Boi,” as they navigate Atlanta’s music scene.

In this second season of Donald Glover’s hit show, Earn, played by Glover himself, and Paper Boi learn the ups and downs of newfound success as they struggle to find their place in a world flooded with family problems, homelessness, and discrimination.

Many of the characters’ challenges and insecurities are reflective of Glover’s own experiences as an artist–– you’ve probably heard of his alter ego, Childish Gambino––resulting in an honest, unexpectedly personal insight.

Atlanta’s latest season brilliantly tackles issues of race, poverty and fame. Glover’s subtle social commentary coupled with bizarre, surreal experiences keep each episode captivating and painfully relevant. The show is compelling without feeling forced, with stark shifts between serious social justice topics and witty, absurd humor that leave viewers alternating between laughter and unease.

Season 2 of Atlanta was released amid high expectations and has not failed to deliver; like many fans, I can’t wait to see where it goes.

So if you’re looking for a dramatic comedy that delves far below surface level, this might just be the show for you.

You can catch Atlanta: Robbin’ Season on FX Thursdays at 10.

By Rose Gatlin Staff Writer When I went to see Love, Simon in theaters, I was taken aback by the diversity of the crowd. There were the expected teenagers and middle schoolers, but I also saw a surprising amount of older people. I think this demonstrates case in point exactly what this movie is—a coming of age story that focuses on an LGBT+ teen that is accessible and lovable to all, regardless of age or generational gaps.

The film itself follows senior Simon Spier at a high school in an idyllic community in Atlanta. Simon tells the audience right away that he is “perfectly normal,” with the exception of one thing—he’s gay, and no one knows. Even though it seems like Simon lives with accepting friends and family, he still fears the unknown of coming out.

But he isn’t given the chance. Simon is forcibly outed to his community after emails with another anonymous gay teen at his school are leaked.

Love, Simon shows that even if everything goes wrong and you don’t get to pick the moment to come out, in the end, everything can still end up okay. And that is an extremely powerful and necessary message that young LGBT+ kids need to see.

It is important to recognize how extremely lucky Simon is, and how his experience is not necessarily the usual situation, but rather a point of hope for kids who cannot have the same in their own lives. The LGBT+ genre has in the past been characterized by movies that don’t appeal to younger kids, but Love, Simon will be able to provide a point of reference and comfort for a generation coming to terms with themselves.

By Nikolina Kesovija Staff Writer After touring the world for his acclaimed previous album Wanted on Voyage, George Ezra returns with a stunning blend of bubbly indie and folksy pop in Staying at Tamara’s. Listeners will love the versatility of the album, with its contemplative lyrics and ethereal keys in “A Beautiful Dream” and the upbeat summer guitar acoustics of “Shotgun.” Ezra does a masterful job with this heartfelt compilation inspired by recent travels through the English countryside and Barcelona as he struggled with anxiety.

Long-time fans will appreciate the organic vocals of “Get Away” and “All My Love,” and those looking for a fresh twist on indie pop will enjoy the beachy tamborine undertones and mellow guitar of “Paradise” and “Sugarcoat.”

Ezra sticks to his singer-songwriter roots with a poetic lyricism throughout the album, but he brings about a lively take on his original genre with upbeat tempos and indie-pop tunes. Ezra’s ability to adapt his background to the influence of another genre could intrigue listeners who may not have been previously drawn to folk genres.

Listeners can’t help but feel lighter after hearing this easy-going album.

Ultimately, the album imparts a positive message amidst the change and confusion that Ezra faced preceding the album, which is beautifully captured in the lyrics of the album’s first track: “Hey, pretty shining people / We all ride together.”

! s r o i n e S , e g a y o V n o B farewell

Dear Seniors,

Graduation parties, threetiered cakes, farewell wis hes (and the end of a Monar ch’s four years at Mitty) is a bittersweet celebration of all the memories and friend s, failures and achievements. Al though a new class will fill the senior’s bleachers in the Fien Gym next year, the legacy that each Monarch leaves on campus remains. Wh ether playing a sport, writing an article for the newspa per, or even making it to the Ol ympics, each student at Mitty makes this campus a mo re special, endearing, and welcoming place for others . Mitty thus becomes mo re than a school: it’s a family of people that works hard to uplift one another and make eac h other proud. So to our bel oved seniors, we send you off with this reminder: greatn ess is sitting right next to you.

Yusra Arub

music maker

iddle of und the m ro a ic s u nm sted was ing my ow ally got me intere k a m n a g I be beats with rigin roducing r. What o p a e le y p o re e o p ssed them s of sophom ube video s on it, and they pre ecided T u o Y g so I d utton watchin too cool, unch of b d b e a k h o ls. At it lo w a pad beat. It ne tutoria li e n th o h te g a u re ing c ro in order to lf how to do that th but it was the one th e s , y it ould to teach m mplete garbage at ch better at, so I c o u c s friends so m first, I wa ted to get It was my n . a y w jo I n e t a d me to m to I knew th nd inspire hout rs for the a e d th e o h s h u it p t. Wit share it w ople at Mitty that nate abou io s s es e a p p t r s e s mo t express and oth thing tha thing I wa e e e m th th o t s a m d r o n e fou ut fr do bett not have to stand o t e ld e m u g o s e w w m o I them, and all helped n s a o h rs e o p h e a w u as everyone ely contin who I am ost definit t to thank n m a l w il I w .

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Embracing LIFE

he ics at t h polit t i he t w e g b to vin ly evol litics appears making t n a t s n co po fficials orld is e. To many, ment o pt of democn The w r g e n v a o h g c ce ents, ent and f most the con heart o n of governm important is gh school stud the i o o s g h ti abstrac what makes it ne, including idea underlyin tie a o t e y u K r r t B e o . n c v s e e a law that h is resid t c p i c y h a f h w e itty. w , h n s t racy— nce legislatio r MAP. That’ g her time at M ore o in r u p t, u d to p can infl ocacy Projec the club like the perfec public to v lf d e s A r Mitty ated he use it seemed o much, like ever s n dedic a n Peterso ned MAP bec as taught me I would have h t iosity i w r o u “I joi … n c ple hIk more c m i i n s h r a a w e s , l paso ta ng tunity t and networki hat started ou veloped into a gst e g W mon ld d speakin ide of MAP.” ical fie h her limits. A t i l t, o p s t g vemen done ou ever-changin grow and pus s invol u ] p P A m e o a t h M c t atie lf: “ for K e s s about d r e e i e t i h w n r o ich I t all ortu cove her dis al science, wh sion tha of other opp p l e h c ad unity to r politi a myri a comm y passion fo d n proud u o f she she is “ her t lize m ege.” a a e th r s e te h m l helped udying in col year, Katie sta ved.” Throug ial t t e i s s oc h a s n c p n o a i e s n d th pla P ha olve g on A v n n ti i M es c e k e r r fl o Re f wo nm he issu scope o ents have bee ocusing on t ration, e g r a l f of the P stud immig efore, ing hip, MA justice, ever b l a t n organiz h e leaders rojects than m m o n r o F r i . wit p ion env cking, safety legislat A to meeting enreform fi f a r t an n ot AC of hum ustice, and gu supporting D ated MAP’s p j v n i l t g a l i n u a i c p crim ge. e has g cam or chan to, Kati -writin a letter s in Sacramen greater call f or oa legislat p it respond t l e h tial to

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er radi n for h , she w o n k s is best aduate Mitty, After she gr inclusive t a e r e . d s n rh campu en a ming a t senio curren ality around itty’s welco ave never se nt a , o b M h on ni rre rs, but tes, “I my cu ly pers ne Ma Caroli ty and friend s and teache Caroline sta es. Many of am doing avors, ositivi s itty do r friend how I ating p not only he on her ende yone, yet M ays ask me w your day i r s o w g s e l i h n v a i e t m s w c t r l kno wil efle bou mbe lty me cares a here. R want to r Mitty atmosp ity that truly nd other facu They really .” r of ou g our . g a e n d n b u s i o r y o m m e a e h m s m c co are tea rvin ve m ood evious uts me in a g to what you been an acti while also se ampus a nd pr s s C n p a e n m t s h i s a y i line lwa r lly l time on te and it a d they actua r years, Caro and badmint inistry. Her g up fo n i n g i S u n f l M “ a o f . o “ , s s g r y e s. I e pu going hout h ous wa line mention es o Cam both th Throug aking part in er devotion t life in numer o ar mak ool,” C inistry that gh h ity, t own h u n r c s o u e r h m h h t d g com acte pus M nity of hi ly imp ommu of Cam isions on the Mitty c has profound my best dec enes’ aspect impact er on f sc ry g o t e n s i i e h t t n n s i o d a l ad M as hin king a as a le orps w ience the ‘be able.” by ma gh her role ngs, Agape, t Life C r e t r e e i p s g r x e to e eni at d unfo e hrou wanted experience channeled th rayers and t ing on Awak lans all of th y o p p t y g t l t i g r e a n t i h te the M has defini unity t e morn hat “af She cing th line recalls t rt of a comm i o v y made h a pa roug ve trul will Caro h a e . t t h b l a s o e r o r t o a t t sch e re nted hool ye mily. I t A ga p at I wa high sc y second fa ractices.” r e h a recen st, I knew th school.” t u m p e s are s nton at ougho and Qu nd liturgies e has met thr , “My friend olf or badmi d will alway n s a g n a d i t s l d t y a retrea people Caro table. She a at Mitt es and n class ur short years i rget The o y with f a n d u r class ter nc e very er fo e o e i i h r n n e m . e i l e p s s o h x t e t en cho n af ng o-b he r e ot seei accomplishm acy on the s e the soon-t ould last eve t of n d r a leav be h any g leg hat c omen ants to e has m ships t r lastin very m Carolin bered for he s, Caroline w o build friend ool. Enjoy e t em ch ate be rem re she gradu never too late ear of high s o y f s r i e B e senio rds: “It nal wo u only get on think!” fi e s e h t o you hool. Y r than high sc l go by faste il it—it w

Farewell!

Fire n o t . Vu ar e H A stett and Lauren O : e n i l An s Caro By Katie Staff Writer

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Acceptance, K indness, and Laughter

By Malavika R amarao Staff Writer Looking back on my three ye community, bu ars at Mitty, I t I would never have always fo be where I am und happiness remains that no today without and support in matter what gr this senior clas this ade or class yo on your life thro s.

T he u ar truth of the mat e a part of, the se ugh their leader ter niors have mad ship and kindne e a dramatic im ss, but have we pact ever given them Acceptance: Fres the credit? hman year on th e track and field alls her. Durin g team warm te am, I met Jasm ups and cool do ine Ho, a.k.a. Ja ncouraged me wns, she introd to audition beca zz as everyone uced me to Sp use she unders hanks to her, I eech and Debat tood how my am now a prou e, and personality wou d member of M out the world ld allow me to SD, and this te around me, mys fit in. am ha s el allowed me to f, and my pers ve taken the in understand mor onal views and itiative to steer e co us nv toward the activ ndred spirit, an ictions. Many d they want to of the seniors ities we cheris help us find ou h today becaus r way. e they recogniz ea Kindness: For m any, including myself, AP Ph tually and mathe ysics is an asto matically. Thank undingly difficu fully, I have ha m the very first lt course— d the great fortun ­ both conunit, I would co e of sitting behi nstantly ask hi d—no matter ho nd Ammar Syed m fo w irritating I w r he lp , an d . he would alway as. He is probab our interesting s be receptive ly one of the on conversations and ly reasons I have about problem we realize it, th survived the cl s have led to m e support of th ass, y love of physic e senior class ha use they know s today. Wheth s encouraged ev they can alway er or er s find help if th yone to strive for their dream ey need it. s aughter: If any of you have m et Clare Necas, yo nly does she go u know what a above and beyo force of inspirat nd in her acad siastic. Every tim ion she can be. emics, but she e I walk into m is also constantly at h class, Clare w opics that mak cheerful and e us both burst ill greet me, an d we will start into laughter. It oon disappear discussing ranis hard to acce with the gradua pt that these ch tion of the seni s have played in erished momen ors, but it isn’t our lives, and ho ts hard to grasp th w much we will e in tegral role thes miss them afte e rwards. an say with fu ll certainty that not only these o I am today. U three seniors, bu nfortunately, m t many more, ha any of these ro tinue to steer us ve shaped me le models will no in the right dire t always be pres ction; we must ciate all they ha ent to guide us internalize all of ve done to mak their lessons an e us the inspirat d remember ion for the next generation.

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Justice Opinions

By Sophia Kaltsas and Khanh Tran Staff Writers This past February, seventeen lives were lost to a gun at Stoneman Douglas High School. Since then, a national debate over military-style assault weapons has forced politicians to hear America’s outraged youth and consider reform. But what about this tragedy separates it from the countless other school shootings?

Unlike other attacks in recent years, the shock of this tragedy was not simply limited to its surrounding community; instead this tragedy had a far-reaching impact made possible by immediate student activism.

Survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas recognized that the attention paid a school shooting typically fades after funerals and trials have passed, so they refused to be similarly silenced by the same disregard.

Student activists like Emma Gonzalez, for example, wasted no time in speaking out to found “Never Again MSD,” which has since had a reverberating impact on both the Florida legislature and schools across the nation.

While polls show that a majority Americans believe that gun reform is necessary in light of recent tragedies,

the National Rifle Association (NRA) poses a formidable obstacle to efforts for greater arms regulation.

In addition to providing “security [and] nostalgia for an era of unchallenged privilege” for the everyday citizen, the NRA’s large contributions to political campaigns ensure that a majority of Washington legislators will continue to rule in the organization’s favor.

In the recent 2016 election, the NRA poured an estimated $490 million into candidates’ campaigns, including more than $30 million into Donald Trump’s alone.

Though this fact would make it seem as if gun reform were impossible, Marjory Stoneman Douglas students—with support from schools across the nation—have been working to change this. With studentorganized protests, like the national school walkout and the most recent “March for Our Lives,” Douglas students have been keeping the momentum and dialogue for substantive gun reform legislation alive.

And the tide is indeed shifting: According to a national survey taken after the shooting, 88% of Americans now support universal background checks, 75% support a ban on high-capacity magazines, and 68%

support a ban on assault-style weapons. Even Donald Trump initially shocked senators and representatives by wanting to revive a bill mandating a universal background check for gun buyers.

With the public majority and political backing from Washington, the survivors of one of the nation’s deadliest school shootings have done the impossible: through the unimaginable grief of losing beloved friends, teachers, and coaches, #NeverAgain has kept the memory of Stoneman Douglas alive and found an impetus for what is hopefully a new era in gun reform.

A poem by the late Alex Schachter, a victim of the shooting, aptly describes the spirit of these changing times: Life is like a rollercoaster . . .

It may be hard to breathe at times But you have to push yourself and keep going . . .

It may be too much for you at times The twists, the turns, the upside downs But you get back up . . .

You don’t know when, or how But you will know that it will be time to get off And start anew

Ethiopia’s Hidden Corruption

By Meraf Sergoalem and Lauren Vu murdering the Amhara people by refusing to provide medical care to the desperate and Staff Writers diseased, especially those suffering from illnesses such as malaria. In 2010, the PopulaBehind Ethiopia’s shining shield of democracy hides its most vulnerable, historic tion Census Commission Agency discovered that 2.5 million Amharas were missing from weakness: corruption. Under the monarchy, the Oromo, Amhara, and Southern people the 2007/2008 census. However, the same agency had stated that the Amhara population have been relentlessly oppressed, even killed, with those left behind forced to renounce increased by 2.3% during that period—an obviously government-orchestrated coverup. their cultures. In recent years, a new wave of protests demanding human rights and equal Injustice continues even now. On February 17, Defense Minister Siraj Fegessa called treatment have erupted across the nation. the first nationwide state of emergency in twenty-five years “to deal with anti-peace eleThe Oromos and Amharas are the two ments that have allied with foreign forces largest coalition parties of Ethiopia, followed and are jeopardizing the peace and secuby the diverse Southern People, all hailing from rity of the country.” To prevent further Ethiopia’s south. Despite this, the smallest protests from occurring, the government population, the Tigray, has maintained control banned all social media in the capital and over the government by utilizing Tigrayan pupparts of Oromia to restrict communication pets for over a quarter of a century. and block the flow of information.

After the Tigrayans seized control, they But this year has also seen chalproposed plans that marginalized the Oromos lenges to the status quo. Although an and Amharas, fueling an intense two-year estimated 400 people were killed and period of protests. In 2015 and 2016, hunthousands more arrested in the 2015 and dreds were killed when protesting the “Master 2016 protests, more than 6,000 opposition Plan,” which aimed to expand Addis Ababa, prisoners have been released since JanuEthiopia’s capital. Through stealing farmland ary in an attempt to pacify the Oromos and abusing human rights, the Tigray gained and Amharas. Moreover, in a televised “significant land at the expense of other ethnic address in February, Hailemariam Degroups,” wrote Ahmed Salim, vice president of salegn unexpectedly resigned from his the Teneo global advisory. The tension, greatposition as Prime Minister with the hopes est between the Oromo and Tigray, culminated of quelling the protests gripping the East in chaos at the Irreecha festival on October 2, African country.

2016, when a subversive leapt on stage and To replace him, Demeke Mekonnen A protest outside the UN in New York City regarding the brutal ethnic violence chanted, “Down, down with Wayane,” a moni(Amhara) and Shiferaw Shigute (Southker for the oppressive Tigrayans. This defiant act shattered the already fragile wall of ern) were both nominated with intentions of making them Tigrays’ puppets, but in an decorum between festival goers and security forces, who were then given the “okay” to upset, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, an Oromo, was unexpectedly elected the new Prime Minister shoot tear gas and bullets into the crowd. Although the Oromo Congress and Tigrayans with the Tigrayans’ support. Dr. Abiy is a former Lieutenant Colonel and an expert in Front disagree on the death toll, opposition groups believe that nearly 700 were killed Ethiopia’s housing and technology, making him capable of setting Ethiopia’s delicate compared to the government’s claim of only 55. infrastructure and volatile justice system back on track. If Dr. Abiy stays patient and The Irreecha massacre was but one of the many times the Tigray exerted their power devoted to reconstructing Ethiopia from the ground up, he will hopefully reignite the over the two ethnic groups. Even now, the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front is slowly hope that Ethiopia can thwart corruption, quell violence, and maintain human rights.

Justice Awareness • May 2018

Sessions Interrupted

By Arushi Lahiri and Joanne Park Staff Writers As Americans, we often joke about our love for filing lawsuits—”justice” must be served after all! But what happens when the U.S. Attorney General sues an entire state? That is exactly what is currently happening in our own state of California.

Page 13

In early March, Attorney General Jeff Sessions filed a lawsuit deeming three laws passed by the California legislature unconstitutional for limiting the authority of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. To the average American, this may be seen as merely another political game, but that’s far from the truth. This time, the purpose of the lawsuit is not to just generate media attention.

Rather it is to take down “sanctuary cities,” which inhibit federal jurisdictions from enforcing immigration laws.

The present situation traces back to last August, when California Attorney General Xavier Becerra sued Sessions for setting new conditions on law enforcement grants that required officers to more rigidly enforce immigration law.

But the tables have turned since then, with Sessions attacking three critical state laws: SB54, AB103, and AB450.

First, SB54, or the “sanctuary” law, prohibits state and local institutions, such as school police or security departments, from investigating or arresting people for immigration purposes. Second, AB103, or the “detention review law,” requires Becerra to inspect immigrant detainment facilities. And finally, AB450, or the “workplace-raid law,” prohibits employers from cooperating with ICE agents in workplace raids.

This conflict between state and federal rights is far from new; this is not the first time California has prioritized its protection of immigrants over the wishes of the federal government. In fact, San Francisco has done so since the

Greece: Life in Limbo

By Akhilesh Balasingam and Natasha Lal Staff Writers Greece is currently facing a massive influx in the number of fleeing migrants entering the inland areas of the country, adding to the already insufficient living conditions in refugee camps. These refugees are primarily of Syrian origin, running from the devastating civil war—rife with gruesome instances of violence, rape, and torture—in search of better lives for their families.

Authorities estimate arrivals are now at their highest level since the summer, and more continue to arrive in rickety boats, trains, and even on foot. Despite an EU pledge to relocate the 160,000 asylum seekers in Greece and Italy to other European countries, only 29,000 have been moved to Germany and the United Kingdom. More refugees continue to flood the streets of Greece, oftentimes tricked into immigrating illegally.

In fact, police have recently announced that thirty-seven refugees—including nineteen children—from Iraq, Syria, Eritrea, and Afghanistan, were dumped onto a highway by smugglers on Greece’s northern frontier. Many people are comparing this exodus out of violence-infested nations to that of the year 2015, which saw an estimated one million refugees enter Greece alone.

Currently, there are more than 200 refugees entering Greece every day, many of them minors without adult guardians. They are being forced to fend for themselves, trying to figure out ways to make enough money to survive while sleeping on the streets. While

mid-20th century, and most intensely during Ronald Reagan’s administration. Similar to the current administration, Reagan refused to recognize fleeing immigrants as deserving of free aid and refuge. However, California, in all its diversity, has continued to strengthen its pro-immigration policies which most inhabitants of this blue state consider critical to protecting human rights.

As the lawsuit’s publicity has grown, those in support and opposition to these bills have fired provocative and incendiary rhetoric each other’s way, with Sessions condemning these policies as “unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional,” and Governor Jerry Brown accusing Sessions of “initiating a reign of terror.”

However, little progress has been made by either side, and this battle has proven to be more political than legislative. With Sessions representing the many immigration hardliners found in red states, the fight between him and the outspokenly progressive Brown has proven to be the culmination of years of bureaucratic struggles, and experts even draw connections to the intense 2010 battle between the Obama Administration and the Arizona legislature seeking to crack down on illegal immigration.

While the roles may have reversed, this case is equally significant because it is testing the limits of states’ rights concerning immigration policies. While both sides continue to contort laws toward their political objectives, one thing is clear: we need a solution to the immigration issue, and fast.

Greece’s plight is recognized by politicians in the UK Parliament, no aid has been lent to Greece which is struggling with an already exacerbated housing system. Alf Dubs of the UK Labor Party writes that many of these unaccompanied minors were seen to be “in utter despair, their lives on hold, waiting desperately for news.”

Despite a verbal commitment made by Dubs, thousands of Syrian children are left without basic human necessities, an increasingly frightening situation for humanitarian organizations.

Lesbos, along with several other islands in the Aegean Sea, is directly impacted by the shortage of supplies. On the island, over 13,000 women and children remain stranded without access to provisions. These refugees are left without sufficient shelter in makeshift housing and tents.

These disturbing conditions are further aggravated by Greece’s economic instability.

The country’s large-scale, near-bankrupt state has pushed desperate refugees to request critical financial assistance. But amidst the nation’s economic collapse, concern for this burgeoning migrant population has, it seems, been shunted and forgotten.

Additionally, in an attempt to quickly “bottleneck” refugee migration, the EU has recently negotiated a deal with troubled Turkey for heightened security near its borders with Greece and Syria, a project estimated to cost an estimated two billion euros. This attempt to quickly resolve and bandage the refugee situation is incredibly disheartening, as people fleeing their dangerous homelands in favor of a more stable environment are trapped into staying.

Tragically, as this crisis drags on, it becomes increasingly overshadowed by newer conflicts, and the troubles of these marginalized peoples are consequently disregarded.

As this issue is neglected further, hope for the refugees is running out.

From Cradle to Prison

By Alyssa Jain and Anika Nguyen Staff Writers The criminal justice system in America is under constant scrutiny, leaving many to speculate if justice is actually carried out in certain circumstances. One particular aspect of this system that tends to be overlooked is the shockingly prevalent injustice within the juvenile criminal courts and prisons.

The first juvenile court was established in Cook County, Illinois, in 1899. At the time, lawmakers recognized the differences between adolescents and adults, believing youth to be more capable of change. This belief was largely discarded in the late 1980s and 90s, when juvenile crime spiked. With this increase in crime rates, lawmakers and leaders began to adopt a “tough on crime” attitude. The result was the adoption of several new laws directed at juvenile offenders.

Today, incarcerated youth are entitled to receiving an education in prison, but most lack access to proper schooling. Many fail to meet basic academic standards, and formerly incarcerated youth whose futures are stained with a criminal record face significant obstacles when trying to receive a higher education or get a job.

The consequences of this broken system? Incarcerated youth are set up for failure and led into a vicious cycle of crime rather than rehabilitation.

In addition to the discrimination that formerly incarcerated youth must face, the juvenile criminal justice system also suffers from racial dispari-

ties in youth confinement. Juvenile minorities are treated worse than their white counterparts, a trend that has been carried down from decades of institutionalized racism. According to studies conducted by Washington State University, youth of color have a higher chance of receiving juvenile life without parole than whites.

Black and Hispanic juvenile defendants are also more likely to be tried as adults. This means that the judicial system is biased against juvenile minorities, many of whom receive harsher sentences for lesser crimes.

Worse, this racial discrimination is not limited to the courthouse; in fact, part of the rationale for law enforcement stopping a juvenile in the first place relies on one’s race and ethnicity. Racial profiling makes minority youth an even bigger target. With the widespread perpetuation of racism in the criminal justice system, it’s no surprise that black and Hispanic youth are disproportionately more likely to be arrested and imprisoned.

Clearly, the juvenile crime system is flawed. A system designed to promote justice often does exactly the opposite. Some states are considering measures to reduce discrimination in the juvenile criminal justice system—such as giving police officers cultural empathy training and recruiting more diverse officers and officials—but this broken system is far from fixed.

The time to act is now, and judges and police officers alike need to realize that the repeated cycle of incarceration and recidivism that many young people are forced into needs to stop.

SPORTS

Baseball: Swinging for the Fences

Junior Andrew McCann on the hill against Bellarmine

By Giuliano Orsi Sports Writer Over the past few seasons, Mitty Baseball has struggled to regain its status as one of the top programs in WCAL. This year, it seems as though that glory is being reclaimed. Currently, the Monarchs sit with a 18-5 record, including a 8-4 mark in league play. They’re ranked 12th in the state, and 44th in the country.

Head Coach Brian Yocke has settled in nicely after taking over the reigns starting in 2015. Although it’s been a patient ride to the top, they’re finally back and ready to prove themselves. The team recently came off an eleven game winning streak, scoring an average of six runs per game, while only letting their opponents average one.

As a unit, the Monarchs are hitting over .300 and have taken more walks than strikeouts. Much of the offensive success is thanks to efforts of players such as sophomore shortstop Nick Yorke, who at press time was leading the team in hits and doubles, and was tied for most RBIs. The only other player on the team with as many runs batted in was his older brother, junior first baseman Joe Yorke. The team’s offense has allowed them to pound opponents from both sides of the batter’s box. Junior Jonah Advincula has added to the Yorkes’ strong play with some phenomenal offense of his own.

The team’s pitching and defense are right there to support the strong offensive attack.

They’ve shut out teams on five separate occasions, and have given up just one run in six other instances. Senior Josh Seward has been

shining on the mound all season long, and had racked up a team-high seven wins as we went to press. Seward’s stats were among the top pitchers in the area, which included his 38 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched, along with a dominant 0.68 ERA. Seward appeared in eight games, losing just one, which was a 1-0 nail biter defeat to Valley Christian in mid March.

When batters face Seward, they were hitting a feeble .168.

Junior Andrew McCann was providing some brilliance of his own on the mound. In 26 innings pitched, he had posted an ERA of 1.35, a strong performance from a pitcher who will certainly be key to the Monarch’s future success.

The future looks bright all around for your Monarchs. Freshman Tommy Splaine has played outstanding at catcher, having allowed no stolen bases in his first 13 games played.

Although the team has been near unstoppable recently, the game of baseball can still be very unpredictable. Case in point, an 11 game win streak was snapped with a second loss to Valley Christian, followed by a loss to Serra two games later. However, it is times like these that reveal the team’s mettle.

“I’ve never been on a team full of guys who love the game as much as this year’s team does” says Joe Yorke. “There may be teams that have more talent than we do, but there isn’t a single team with more heart. The heart and passion we play with makes up for talent any day of the week.”

The coming weeks will be an ultimate test of the team’s spirit. They haven’t won a league title since 2014, and they’re more ready than ever to recapture that glory.

College Commits Tatum Rausch Lacrosse, Lewis Amanda Rice Water Polo, Villanova Maya Shaw Track, USF

Tatum Rausch, Maya Shaw, and Amanda Rice

Softball Continues Dominance

By Rishi Nair Sports Writer Women’s softball is off and running once again, and is looking strong in WCAL play.

The team was at 14-6 overall and 3-2 in league, the team was 3rd in the WCAL at press time and moving in the right direction, in part due to senior leadership.

The class of 2018 has been integral to the success this team has experienced thus far and have led the team to be within striking distance of first place in an extremely competitive league. Seniors Alyssa Valdez, Marissa Ramos, Amanda Rice, Hannah DeGuzman, and Mariah Dewey have contributed not only on the field, but in the locker room as well. The leadership provided by this group of talented seniors

has served as a catalyst for the growth of the younger players on the team.

Junior Savannah Smith states, “Having five seniors in all different positions on the field gives us many different perspectives on the game and helps us all to eventually achieve our goal of winning league and CCS.” Junior Hannah Edwards and sophomore Diamond Holland lead the team in batting average at .553 and .538 respectively.

As pitchers Smith and Edwards lead the team in strikeouts, with 46 and 45 on the year respectively.

Edwards also leads the league in games won (minimum of 6 games played) at 5-1.

The team is right now enjoying the fruits of its labor and is poised to have yet another big season.

Sports • May 2018

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Men’s Lacrosse: A Bright Future

By Matthew Scott Sports Editor It has been a year of change for Men’s Lacrosse. New head coach Mike Faby has brought much needed structure and order to a team that has traditionally been competitive, but never strong enough to defeat nationallyranked teams Bellarmine and Saint Ignatius.

Coach Faby has instituted a pairs offense, spacing the field and giving the team’s top talent room to create.

Taking advantage of the new system, Junior Kieran Ruf has been solid in his attacking role, while Utah commit Sean MaJunior Sean Mahoney looks to pass. honey has provided stellar plays on both sides of the field. Meanwhile, young talent in freshman Ian Collier and Connor Gambelin, and sophomore Larkin Koker shows that the team has a bright future ahead.

However, this bright future has been put on hold, for the time being. Injuries to the team’s top talent has prevented the them from playing at the level they are capable of.

Despite this season’s setbacks, coach Faby remains optimistic: “We are in the process of building a program focused on maximizing our personal potential by working hard and having fun. Daily competitive drills build resilience, toughness and grit as we work to shake the losing culture that has surrounded the program in the past. With a great group of kids and a special sophomore class, I am very excited for the future of Mitty’s Lacrosse Program.”

Junior Niko Veroulis prepares his shot

Men’s Golf: On Target

By Thomas Butler Sports Writer Men’s Golf is having another successful year. The Monarchs have been performing consistently and powerfully throughout the course of the season.

Among their numerous accolades, the team placed 1st in the Central Catholic Tournament and 8th in the Champions Invitational, a tournament for only the 50 highest ranked high school teams. Additionally, Daniel Kim ’18 posted an impressive 4th place out of 250 golfers at the tournament, which took place at the Terra Lago Golf Club.

Kim, a senior, has again proven himself to be one of the strongest golfers on the team; he leads the league in individual scoring as well. Three other seniors on the team have also had impressive seasons: Brian Salkheld, Andrew Wong, and Kevin Marinshaw. The team celebrated their seniors’ accomplishments and contributions to the team’s success during its senior day, on which Mitty defeated Serra at Cinnabar Hills 188-193. Junior Brian Ma shot three under par as the medalist for the match up. This was a solid follow-up to his recent three under par scorecard at the Los Gatos Country Club.

Kim leads the league in scoring. Joining him on the leaderboards are Brian Ma and junior Aashish Achanta, who place among the top five individual scorers in the league.

Golf is led by long-time coach John Mosunic. Over the course of his 25 years, Mosunic has led the team to seven league wins. Last season he led the team to its first state championship.

State is still weeks away, but the boys are already preparing to defend their title.

A Coach, Mentor, & Friend

By Elizabeth Moore Class of ’18 At the start of this semester, Mr. Tyler Nii, Mitty’s Women’s Tennis Coach, lost his life in a tragic accident.

We reported on this at the time, but senior Elizabeth Moore wanted to offer this personal remembrance of her beloved coach.

In January, I had just gotten a job teaching tennis at a local club and my first instinct was to text Tyler Nii, my tennis coach at Mitty. Days went on and no response came until I received an email. Tyler had passed away.

I was shocked. No one saw this coming—he was young and athletic—and that is what made it hurt the most. When I came to Mitty, Tyler had been the JV coach but spent a lot of time with the varsity team and often stood in silence.

The next three years, with Tyler as my coach, I saw him blossom. The once shy, timid guy had become a confident coach who always knew what to say to keep our spirits up, even if it was silly. By the end of my last season with Tyler, I knew him as a coach, but also as a friend.

Tyler cared greatly for everyone on the team—when someone struggled with homework he offered to help, when others put us down, he stood up for us.

When I had first heard the news, I grieved for a very long time, but now I am also grateful for all the memories and moments I was able to have with Tyler. He still inspires me to be a more patient, hard-working person that can flow and adapt to any situation I am faced with.

Swimmers Making Waves

By Matthew Scott Sports Editor It’s spring again, and that means your Monarch swimmers are back in the pool. Coach Tom Miller has put together two squads with talent to spare.

On the women’s side, Princeton commit Cathy Teng has led the way in both the 100 and 200 freestyle races.

An All-American, this May she will try to improve on her second place finish in the 200 free at last year’s state finals.

The women are currently 4-1, second in WCAL, and looking to win a 4th WCAL championship in five years.

Meanwhile, on the men’s side of the pool, sophomore Jassen Yep has swam outstandingly in the breaststroke after his freshman season was cut short by a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile butterfly specialist Ethan Fusilero is looking to make up time lost after he broke his wrist in March. Yep and Fusilero will make up half the spots on the team’s 200 Medley Relay team that will compete at the CCS finals this

year. It is an odd group, as senior Charles Baguely has had to replace Fusilero at fly while senior Daniel Marella has taken over at backstroke, his weakest stroke. The team is rounded out by senior Kevin Kuehn, who will bring home the relay at freestyle.

The seniors have willingly taken on leadership roles, inspired by the seniors before them. Says Marella, “Junior year was the first year I was captain, and I quickly learned that underclassmen are like sponges: they are willing to learn and absorb information that comes from the upperclassman. Senior year has taught me a ton, and I hope I have taught the underclassman a lot too. Whether it be technical aspects of the sport, mental aspects, or anything about high school. Swimming has taught me how to lead.”

Both teams will be tested in the coming weeks. For the men, a chance at individual glory is at hand, while for the women, an opportunity for team titles has once again presented itself.

Page 16

May 2018 • Arts and Comics

The Art Page

Jim Falcone and Sebastian Garate

Idalina Jorda

Arts and Comics • May 2018

Page 17

Jiyeon Han

Hannah Cheng

Cailey Larmore

Paige Baldwinson

Please scan the QR code or copy the link to see work by Hannah Chang, Paola Moreno, Braeden Camarota, and Gillian Ortega Jiwoo Song

https://goo.gl/WPCe11

Page 18

Featured PhotographeR:

Kristie Park 1. How did you start photography?

I started photography when I got my iPhone. I wasn’t allowed to have games or social media, so I found myself using the camera app. pretty often to entertain myself. That fostered my interest in photography, and I started to pay closer attention to the images.

2. Are there any photographers that inspire you?

I like to pull inspiration from Ansel Adams and Patagonia magazine; both showcase nature in its raw beauty, serving as a nice contrast from some of the more saturated and posed pictures I see a lot on instagram.

3. What gear do you use?

Regarding photographic gear, I just like to stick to my iPhone 6s, using editing apps such as VSCO cam and Snapseed to give my pictures some added interest.

4. What is your image-taking process?

I like to take pictures that can capture and represent what I see with my own eyes, so the actual photographic process just involves trying to find a stable surface to snap a clean photo. Editing-wise, I usually increase the contrast and sharpness of the photo so that the details are more prominent. I also like to add a slight vignette so that the overall photo isn’t too overwhelmingly bright or stark, and adjust the temperature to complement the mood of the photo.

5. Define your photographic style in three words.

Clean, natural, raw.

6. Where is your favorite destination for photography?

I enjoy taking pictures of architecture, so my favorite location is Seoul, South Korea. I think it’s beautiful how the city reflects an interesting blend of tradition and modernity.

7. Do you have any advice for other photographers?

My advice is that when you take a photo, try to focus on the subject so that you don’t include too much background or other distracting aspects; trying to cram as much detail as you can into one photo will ultimately just create confusion. Keep in mind the mood you are trying to establish when taking and editing the photo, so that you have a vision to guide you. I also like to remind myself that editing is simply for enhancing rather than changing the picture, as to prevent myself from going overkill on aspects such as saturation or contrast.

May 2018 • Photography

Photography • May 2018

The

Page 19

Art of Architecture

By Abigail Mathew and Bansi Patel Staff Writer and Editor

We’re surrounded by lots of beautiful buildings. However, it can be hard to capture the magnificence of a building in a photo. In this section, we’ll show you how to make your photos stand out and showcase the grandeur of the building you’re photographing. Read on to discover the best settings, equipment, and places for architecture photography.

Photograph a unique building from a unique angle.

Photo by Bansi Patel

Patterns in the sky mimic the patterns of the building. Photo by Bansi Patel

Equipment: A wide angle lens for your camera is a must for architecture photography as it allows you to capture the entire building in your photograph. Here are two great wide angle lenses for your DSLR. You can find both on Amazon: Canon’s EF 20mm f/2.8 USM lens and Nikon’s 14mm f/2.8D ED AF Nikkor.

If you don’t have a DSLR, a good substitute is to buy a wide angle lens for your phone. The AMIR Camera Lens Kit (available on Amazon), includes a wide angle lens, fisheye lens, and a 10x macro lens. This kit is compatible with most iPhones and Android phones (except for the ones with dual cameras).

Camera Settings: First and foremost, use the main dial on your camera to turn it on to manual mode, which is typically the letter ‘M’. Then set the aperture from 10 to 16, which will give you a narrow depth of field essential for architecture photography. Finally, adjust the exposure by changing the shutter speed. By adjusting the shutter speed, you will make the image either brighter or darker. A longer shutter speed (which makes the picture brighter) should be used to compensate for the narrow aperture. Use a tripod to prevent a blurry photo due to the longer shutter speed.

Composition: A very important artistic aspect of architecture photography is composition. Some basic compositional rules for architecture photography are symmetry, leading lines, and framing elements.

Symmetry achieves harmony in the photo by preventing one part of the image from heavily outweighing another part. Luckily, architectural structures, such as bridges and buildings, are built to be symmetric. Therefore, all you have to do to take a perfectly symmetrical picture is stand in the middle of the structure, so that both sides of the picture are mirror reflections of each other.

Using leading lines helps lead the viewer’s eye to the focal point of the image.

Lines should focus the viewer’s attention towards the main subject of the photo.

Leading lines can be anything: spiraling staircases, lines on a building’s facade, or parallel lines on a corridor.

A framing element refers to anything in the image that frames something else in the picture. A framing element helps direct the viewer’s focus to the subject. For example, windows, doors, and arches make exceptional framing elements because they all channel the eyesight of the audience to the main subject.

Two buildings reflect off each other in Seattle. Photo by Bansi Patel The picture to the left was taken in Seattle and highlights the different styles of architectures.

Photo by Bansi Patel

The picture to the right was taken in San Francisco and shows a disparity between traditional and modern architecture Photo by Bansi Patel

Striking Architecture in San Francisco

Editing: Most of what makes architecture photos stand out is achieved in post-production. While architecture photos look great in color, editing your photos in black and white eliminates colorful distractions and emphasizes the patterns of the building you’re photographing. If you’d like to leave your photo in color, increase the contrast and rotate the picture so the lines are perfectly straight. Or, if you’d like to try a different concept, rotate the picture so the building is at an angle. You can edit your photos on your phone using apps like Lightroom (free on the App Store) and Snapseed (free on Apple and Android phones). Both apps are straightforward to use, and offer sophisticated tools which will help elevate your photos.

Architecture photography is a great area for amateur photographers to get started. It is the most convenient form of photography as there are buildings anywhere you go. Next time you visit San Francisco, look up and admire the towering skyscrapers, and find a unique way to capture their splendor.

DIY BOKEH Grace Chung Filter byPhotography

YOU WILL NEED: Editor Construction Paper Pencil Scissors DSLR Wide-Aperture Lens (of at least f/3.5)

1. Use scissors to cut up a small square of construction paper. The square needs to be big enough to completely cover the front of the lens.

2. Fold the paper in half and draw exactly half of any symmetrical shape, such as a heart or a star.

3. With the paper still folded, use your scissors to cut along the lines you have drawn.

This will create a hole in the desired shape.

Your bokeh filter is now complete!

4. Finally, take your camera and adjust the lens’s aperture to its widest option. Then place the filter directly on top of your lens as you shoot. The bokeh, which is usually circular, will now match the shape you have cut in your filter.

Photography • May 2018

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MoMA Museum of Mitty Art

Bridge to the Clouds Alexa Richman

Dualism Rachel Roggenkemper

Yellowstone: A Sequence Mia Taxin

West Coast Darren Scorsur

Three Houses Vedya Konda