The Raven Fall/Winter 2015

QUEEN GODIS INTERVIEW

World Issues

COMICS GAMES ASTROLOGY!

Fall/Winter 2015

Free!

THE

RAVEN

BRONX ACADEMY OF LETTERS SCHOOL NEWSPAPER Personal Essays

LOOK

INSIDE!

REVIEWS, SOCIAL MEDIA and more!

WRITER'S FORUM

INTERVIEW

QUEEN GODIS SPEAKS UP & OUT

By Shania Russell

“My name was given to me during a rites-of-passage ceremony as a child.

This ceremony highlights a re-naming tradition in my family inspired by our African and Indigenous roots. I believe that names have value. In them, we

QUEEN GODIS is an international (Poet, MC & Performance Art Therapist). Her holistic approach to content & development engages inter-generational audiences in dialogue and activism that extend beyond the page and stage.

We were lucky to have her gigantic spirit and

may find traces of our Past, fuel for our

presence move the room at our first Bronx Academy

Future, and most of all, a call to Be

of Letters Writers Forum of the school year. Our own

Present. This concept has a powerful

reporters Shania Russell and Jasherah Nalls were able

impact on my work.” — Queen GodIs

to catch up with her after the show. Read on!

SR: Can you tell us a bit about what the poems you performed today mean to you?

QG: It was a medley so, some of them were songs, some of them were just lyrical exercises - like the very first song that we heard which was a lyrical exercise pulling from some of the rhyme patterns that people in this generation have been using.

“I Am Amazing” which is a remix of Fetty Wap’s Trap Queen ‘cause the idea of trapping a queen doesn’t work with me because my name is Queen and ain’t nobody trappin’ me. And the next one was an introduction, Five, “I Then the next song was

was born in Brooklyn to a father and mother who planted seeds of my sisters and my brothers there were four of us”, and that’s just kinda a little hip hop way to talk about my origins, where I’m from, how many siblings I have. I segway that into a poem called

“Blackfoot” which is a poem

about being pigeon-toed growing up in Brooklyn and sometimes these little imperfections we have become things that people tease us for and stand out in a negative way. But when you step outside of that, you start to see it as a part of your uniqueness and that in those imperfections are a gift that transform your perspective of not only your life, but the world around you. Like if you have a different relationship to whatever you consider to be a flaw then nobody can come in to make you feel like you’re less than or not worthy.

And then we did a song called

“Black Girl”

which is one of my favorites. I freestyled it with Sam and that was the first time he beatboxed and played the piano at the same time - it’s not an easy thing to do!

SR: Writing songs like that, what’s the process? Music first, or the words?

QG: It’s half and half. A lot of time as I write acapella, so there’s no music at all.

I’m an MC so there’s rhythm in the words that I use and in the cadence that I choose.

And then there are times like for the Trap

SR: What would you say is the role

Queen remix, of course that song existed

of attitude in your work?

already, and I already had this song so I just put them together, slowed it up a little bit

QG: Well attitude for me... If you’re a hip

and made it work. So it depends.

hop artist, one thing that doesn’t go well with hip hop artists is lack of confidence.

SR: What would you say all of the best

Inside you might have lack of confidence

pieces of art have in common?

which everyone does on some level but if you perform that way, it’s not really hip

QG: Rhythm. And Heart, like you can feel

hop because hip hop came from courage, it

the passion the person had. And content that

came bravery, it came from being bold, it

feels sincere to me. Like you could be a

came from excitement, so attitude is a part

scifi writer and talk about stuff that may or

of that. Attitude doesn’t have to be

may not exist and use you imagination, and

negative or sassy or put other people

nobody has ever seen what you’re talking

down but it’s an oomf. It’s a feeling that

about but the way that it’s written, the

gives you power to project, to connect with

passion that it’s written with, the language

people, to just feel your grandest so that

that the author uses, if I connect with them,

even if in your real life, your everyday life

it moves me. So, I’m moved by things that

you just feel insignificant or you're hurting,

are all across the board. They don’t all fit in

when you tap into the essence of hip hop

a certain genre, as long as it’s authentic and

which is courage and power and rhythm

has a feeling and a good energy, I’m moved

and flow, you can transform yourself in

by it. And empowerment, I like things that

that moment by riding that energy. So for

feel empowering.

me I feel like attitude is important because

QUEEN GODIS RAPID FIRE!

By Jasherah Nalls What college did you attend?

Vassar College.

Your favorite color?

I like color patterns, like turquoise and maroon. hip hop is the pulse of all of my work, whether I’m rhyming or not, and in order to do hip hop effectively, there’s a kind of rhythm, energy, attitude that I have to have.

SR: Final words of advice to the Bronx Letters students?

QG: Come up with some kind of ritual or practice so that

A poet that you always go back to?

Rumi. because Rumi’s poems are like prayers to me, they’re very reflective.

you don’t get caught up in the madness of the trains, of rush hour - in the madness of these streets, in the madness of race, and class, and all that's tough because these things exist and

The title of the first poem you wrote?

they’re gonna try to trigger you all the time. They’re gonna try to pinch you and rile you up and it’s hard but I think we all can do better about how we carry ourselves.

A rhyme, which are poems too, regardless of how people try to classify them, titled True Ancient Queen.

Your favorite poem?

Ego Tripping - Nikki Giovanni Your favorite quote?

“Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere, they are in each other all around.” - Rumi

Reviews

HELLO AGAIN ADELE: A WELCOME COMEBACK

BY CHRISTIAN LEE RIVERA

Adele, singer and songwriter, has returned with a brand new

“25”. The song’s name is “Hello,” and it is truly a welcome comeback from a very song from her upcoming album

inspirational singer. Adele, now the age of 27, has not released any new songs in the past three years. Now, she is back to please her fans with this new single, an upcoming album, and potential #1 hits. The song is absolutely incredible!

The piano ballad had reached 27 million views in the first 24 hours and beat the Vevo record from Taylor Swift’s

“Bad

Blood” music video, which had 20 million views in 24 hours.

The song currently has more than 330 million views on Youtube in just two weeks. Adele's new music video features special guest Tristan Mack Wilds, from the show

“90210,” and the

video explains a relationship that Adele used to have with her ex-boyfriend, Alex Sturrock.

“Hello” became the first song to reach one million sales in one week! That is truly impressive! You can really her raspy voice and her great tunes in the song. I cannot get this song out of my head!

This song currently has sold more than 1.1 million copies in one week and is set to become number one on the Billboard Top 100 charts. It also broke the Vevo record of 100 million views in five days. I am really impressed by all of the work that she has put in.

As a mother, she is working very hard to give it her all. The waiting for Adele's new song was worth it. Hopefully her new album will win her a few more Grammys.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is a 2014 American science fiction war film directed by Francis Lawrence, with a

THE HUNGER GAMES MOCKINGJAY PART I

screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. It is the first of two films based on Suzanne Collins' novel Mockingjay, the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy, and the third installment in The Hunger Games film series. This film was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik and distributed by Lionsgate.

The story continues from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It follows Katniss Everdeen. Having twice survived the Hunger Games, Katniss finds herself in District 13. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss reluctantly becomes the symbol of a rebellion against the Capitol and fights to save Peeta and a nation inspired by her wisdom and courage.

MATCH THE TEACHER TO THE STRANGE FACT!

By Olivia Glover

After being rescued from the destroyed arena in the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen, along with her fellow companions Beetee and Finnick Odair, are taken to District 13, an independent district isolated from the rest of a city named Panem that has been spearheading the rebellion. Katniss is then reunited with her mother and sister Prim. While recuperating, she is introduced to President Alma Coin, the rebel leader, and is told that her actions in the arena sparked riots and strikes against the Capitol.

She is told this because at the end of the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss supposedly used her Bow and Arrow in the games and shot an arrow at the

1. Ms. Sampson 2. Ms. Camiscoli 3. Ms. Cotton 4. Ms. Morales 5. Mr. Russo 6. Ms. Rexha 7. Mr. Melendez

8. Ms. Overton 9. Ms. Spleen 10. Mr. Farranto 11. Mr. Berns 12. Ms. DeBonis 13. Mr. Robinson 14. Ms. Annunziato

ceiling of the arena, which caused a power shortage and a series of explosions to occur. Katniss was

a. They were in the Peace Corps.

unaware of these tragedies. Katniss is then told that she will become the

“Mockingjay”, a birdlike gold

coin that symbolizes peace and prosperity. Katniss then regroups with her mentors and the people of District 13 to try to uncover a plan to stop the capital

b. They have eaten scorpions, crocodile, crickets, maggots, and cow tongue. c. They speak fluent Pig Latin. Ex: (igpay atinlay)

from destroying District 13.

d. They're a test tube baby and can do Mongolian throat singing.

The film became number 1 around the world.

e. They used to dye their hair navy blue.

During it's opening weekend the film earned a budget of $273.8 million worldwide. It became the fastest opening of earning such a high budget of 2014 and marking The Hunger Games film series as the only franchise to have three films earn over $100 million in a weekend. The film earned over $755 million dollars worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series.

f. They really hate mustard. g. They can make their dog "talk". h. They have a flipphone. i. They have a fear of cockroaches. j. They have 12 tattoos.

This film currently has a 7.3 out of 10 according to IMBb.com. I found the movie to be enjoying, and action packed.

The Hunger Games Mockingjay part 2 was released

k. They used to be a lifeguard. l. Their first job was to jump off a 15 ft waterfall in a restaurant. m.They met three presidents, and is from L.A.

on November 20th 2015. For all of you Hunger Games fans out there, I hope you went to see it!

n. They have eaten guinea pigs in Peru. j - 41 / e - 31 / i - 21 / d - 11 / h - 01 / k - 9 / c - 8 / n - 7 / b - 6 / a - 5 / m - 4 / l - 3 / g - 2 / f - 1 :yeK rewsnA

IS IT THE

APPY ERA?

BY YARELYS ENCARNACION

Myspace, Flickr and Yahoo: these social media sites and apps are forgotten by this generation. People these days have their eyes glued to their phone, and most importantly have their eyes glued to the new social apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. What are they, you may ask?

Facebook is an online social networking service headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook allows users to writes posts and upload their photos and share it with their friends. Since it's launch, Facebook has been so popular it has been gaining over a million users each year! It’s messanger feature has changed the way people communicate with each other.

Instagram is an online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures and videos and share it on various social - networking platforms.

WEIRD SCIENCE FACTS

BY OLIVIA GLOVER

Instagram has taken over the photography industry and now

Plasmids are rings of bacterial DNA that can be transferred from bacteria to bacteria.

people are mostly taking pictures with their smartphones, instead

There are mites on your eyelashes. They are harmless, though.

of a digital camera.

Twitter is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called "tweets".

Similar to Facebook, Twitter allows users to post statuses about how they're feeling, but it has to be under 140 characters. Twitter is also a great way to communicate with celebrities. Who knows?

You might get retweeted by one!

And finally, Snapchat is a video messaging application that allows users to make short videos and share it to their followers. All of

Cow farts are a major contributor to global warming.

Saltoblattella is a species of cockroach that has legs similar to a grasshopper’s and jumps like one too.

Some plant seeds germinate in response to fire.

A cumulus cloud weighs the same as 80 elephants.

Human saliva has a painkiller, opiorphin that is six times more powerful than morphine.

The strongest organism is gonorrhea bacteria. They can pull 100,000 their own weight.

There is enough DNA in your body to go from the sun to Pluto and back 17 times.

these social apps are similar because they allow people to share

The Tanzanian parasitic wasp is smaller that a housefly’s eye.

how they are feeling to the world.

The human brain is 80% water.

Your strongest muscles are your eye muscles.

What do you think? Is it the App-y Era?

It rains sulfuric acid and snows heavy metals on Venus.

Magenta does not exist. There is no wavelength for it.

Lobsters only turn red when they are cooked.

PERSONAL ESSAY

ACCEPTING KENNETH

by Jarlyn Martinez

My cousin Kenneth and I have had a great bond ever since we were young. We would do everything together, he was clearly my favorite out of them all. Me, my mom, and siblings would visit Kenneth and Tia on holidays and I'd honestly have the most fun, it was nothing but positive vibes and I cherished every moment. Something unique about Kenneth was that he wasn't like my other male cousins, you know? They were all so into playing with cars, fighting, and video games. But Kenneth was definitely excluded from that stereotype. He was more feminine, if you ask me. But I didn't say a word. We get along quite well so why would I question anything about him? Besides I was only 8. Who was I to tell anyone anything?

My mom and I always coexisted on things, so when she wanted to check up on her sister and nephew, that meant I wanted to check up on my aunt and cousin. In the elevator I patiently waited (I was never patient) to see Kenneth and Tia, and as the door slide open I turned toward the direction of her apartment door. There Tia was already waiting on us to get inside. She looked really happy to see us with that cute little smile of hers, I gave her a huge hug, wrapping my tiny arms around her body. I smelled the delicious arroz con pollo that she always makes, and that little tummy of mine started growling louder than ever. I went straight in towards where kenneth sat, he was completely focused, eyes glued to the TV. When I looked at the TV, it was Hannah Montana on. Strange. It was really weird because he's a boy. At the time we were like 8 or 9, I thought boys were supposed to be watching Spider Man or something of that kind. But me? I was a fan of that blonde wigged hottie, so I continued watching it. It felt awkward but it was what it was, I didn't say a word.

After staying the night, Tia asked if I wanted to go shopping with her. I LOVE SHOPPING, so of course I said yes. Kenneth tried to include himself, but Tio screamed at him saying, "no you're not going with the ladies, you're staying here playing PS3 with me!" Kenneth whinned. He didn't wanna stay with Tio. Tia defended Kenneth and pulled him out the apartment door with us. When we arrived at the mall I thought that Kenneth would atleast be in the "boys" section, but he wasn't. He was with me trying to chose an outfit for Christmas. He was beyond focused on what we were going to wear, then what he wanted for himself. For a boy, Kenneth did have great taste in clothing, I admit.

On Christmas Eve, my mom and three brothers came to Tia's house again. We opened the door to a huge Christmas tree with lots and lots of presents. We were beyond excited. Tia said she was going to tell us when it was 12 o'clock so we would be able to open our gifts.

"Guys it's 12:00, go ahead!� Filled with excitement we teared our gift wrappers apart, very aggressively, to see what our family members bought. I saw baby dolls, makeup and accessories, and I had the biggest smile, from ear to ear. I thought Kenneth would've had the same facial expression, but he didn't. When I turned to look at him, he wasn't happy, nor sad. I couldn't tell what he was but it was sure not like me, HAPPIER THAN EVER. He told me he didn't like what he got. Tio screamed at him, "BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU GOT." I took a glance, there were a bunch of cars and winter clothes. I was thinking he'd like what I had since he was so into Hannah Montana and shopping. But once again, I didn't say a word.

As we got older, throughout the years we kind of separated. We aren't as close anymore. I still considered him my favorite cousin but we just don't tell each other everything anymore.

I am now 16 years old and that "phase," or at least I thought it was, was about 8 years ago when I was 8, and Kenneth was 7. I'm now 16, and he is 15. Earlier this year in 2015, Kenneth and my younger brother Jesus were talking on Facebook. It was a regular conversation, I suppose. A few minutes later Jesus comes running to me and says, "Kenneth just sent me a picture of him kissing his boyfriend!" I was kind of confused. I asked him to repeat himself and instead he pulled out the photo that was sent to him on Facebook messenger. Indeed, it was a photo of Kenneth and a boy with their lips completely locked. Even though I had a feeling about this years ago, I was still kind of surprised, I was about 80% sure that it was just a phase, I guess it wasn't. I loved the picture, though my brother Jesus saw "gay" written all over the photo. You know what I saw? I saw love and it was beautiful.

Later on the day my mom came to me talking about how Tia told her that Kenneth admitted to being bisexual. My mom told me Tia and Tio were crying in complete shock. I thought everyone was following throughout the years, I guess I was the only one who noticed. These phone calls with my family members about the situation kept going on every night. I know for sure Kenneth was bothered by it, he became very antisocial and I felt empathy for him. Why can't people accept you for who you are?

Especially family.

PERSONAL ESSAY

HIGH SCHOOL TERRORS

by Kimberly Glasgow

"Really! Why are you yelling, dammit?"

but I can’t really control my dreams. If I could I would dream about being on a beach in Saint Tropez getting fed chocolate

I'm yelling because I told you more than once to put your

covered strawberries by Patrick Dempsey. I pick up the damn

shoes in your room! In the heat of the moment, I picked up the

devil and roll it around in my hands, pressing my hands into the

shoes and threw them across the room, knocking a cup of juice

soft, mushy, brown skin. I throw it straight into the garbage can.

off the glass table. I looked at my mother with anger burning

Score! After pushing food down my throat, I brush my teeth

in my hands, fire heating my body, like I was a human torch -

and get into the shower. I lean my head back with my eyes

but hold on! I’m guessing this isn’t making any sense to you,

closed, creating my own fantasy of a wonderful future I want.

so let me help you show you how I got here.

House in the hills, 6 kids, a husband, and a dog. Golden Retriever. I do more thinking in the shower than I cleaning

(Early that Morning)

myself. Well, I do clean myself. Don’t nobody want a stankstank. I put on my clothes and shoes and the other necessities,

Ahh! Back at high school. The place where hell happens. I’m

and then all of a suddenly, I feel some pressure. Oh crap.

finally starting 10th grade, which isn’t really all that exciting.

Literally!

It’s just new teachers and new materials to learn but whateves.

My morning starts off with me listening to music with my left

Ugh! Like Really! I know I’m going to regret this, and leave my

leg propped up on my right one. Everything She Wants. Ooh,

apartment after saying

George Michael, why did you have to do drugs? I press the

rush down the stairs in my building complex. I always use the

home button, finding the the time, alerting me that I was early.

stairs in the morning because it’s faster than waiting for the

Sorta. 6:30. I’m just glad that school now starts at 8:30am. I

elevator. I hold onto the railing to keep me from falling,

get out of bed and do the usual, eventually cooking breakfast,

knowing I shouldn’t touch the railing but the railing is useless.

for myself of course. I grab some OJ when something catches

I lose my footing and trip over my right foot, sending me

my eye. Apples. Ugh, I hate apples, but somehow I ate one in

tumbling down the stairs. As I get up, a burning pain rushes I

my dream last night and... choked on it. I don’t know why

through my knee. I leave out the backdoor and into the cool

“later” to my mother. 8:15. Well, okay. I

air. check the time. 8:20. I still try to make it. I run through the

shoes in your room."

parking lot ignoring the shooting pain in my knee and onto the sidewalk and stop at the corner. The light is red and soon it will

This is becoming petty. Too petty. In the heat of the moment,

turn green. In the rush of adrenaline and non-thinking, I run out

I picked up one of my shoes and threw it across the room,

into a car that was close to hitting me. The crossing

knocking a glass of the table. I look back at my mom with

guard gives me a few choice words and I send my finger as a

anger shaking my body, and terror as well. I feel the fire

present. Well, this morning has been quite the dandy! While I

heating my body like I was the human torch ready for a

meet up with one of my friends, I stop at a halt. A flashback of

mission, but when I looked at my mother’s face, terror

9th grade appears. Just arriving at the school with a heavy

replaces the heat in my body. My mother expressions can melt

bookbag, paining my shoulders and sweat on my forehead,

ice caps. I start to shake inside. To get it over with, I pick up

sliding down my cheeks. I shake out of my little visual and

my shoe that’s by the door, leaving the room and go to my

continue. Let’s fast forward to when I got home.

room and close the door. I just sit on the bed and look at the wall. I really do wonder why I haven’t repainted that wall. It’s

(Later that Day)

the little things that matter. I let out a big huff of air and pick up my bookbag. I liked it when I first got it, now I hate it.

I found myself in the mirror of my bathroom. Doing nothing.

Everybody has it and it sucks butt. I take out the books I need

Just looking at myself. You’re you. Nobody else. You’re

to do homework and start it, but the sleep overcomes me and I

Kimberly. Nobody else. A smile appears. "All things of grace

blackout, forgetting the day’s events.

and beauty such that one holds them to one’s heart have a common provenance in pain.” I really like that quote for some reason. It’s by Cormac McCarthy. I leave the bathroom with some of my confidence in me. Confidence that will soon go away. I KNOW it will go away. There’s always that one person who says something that breaks me down. I continue to be deep in thought until my mother yells.

PERSONAL ESSAY

LEARNING TO SWIM

by Kevin Parades

“KIMBERLY!” Oh great, here she goes.

“Yes, mother?”When I talk sweetly to her, especially when she

Spraying on sunscreen was like the gunshot

is in one of her moods, she gets angry. I love it!

before the start of the race. Putting it on meant

“Pick up your shoes!”I HATE when she does that. Asking me questions without saying please. Say please and I’ll do it. How hard is that?

that you were ready to jump in the pool. I would always be the last person to do this. I was never ready. I have always struggled with swimming, I never cared for or even wanted to learn. I never

“Say please, please." She doesn't really like when I get smart, but I just can’t help it. Getting smart with my mom is like a

would have seen a future in which I would be the one saving a drowning person's life.

drug, but I know my measure.

Then I almost drowned and had to get revived. My lifeguard

“Kimberly, pick up your shoes!" I just ignore her. I don’t

friends invited me to the pool. The lifeguards at the camp

understand parents, man. Just because you're the reason for my

were the most responsible and respectable and everyone

existence doesn’t mean you shouldn’t say please when asking

looked up to them. First they took me to the shallow end then

for something.

the deep. They thought I could handle it but I ended up sinking to the bottom. You know someone's drowning by

“I’ll pick up the shoes. Just wait. Please," I whispered quietly.

looking at the bubbles -- a sudden burst of air comes out of their lungs because they can’t hold it in anymore. My

“KIMBERLY PICK UP YOUR SHOES!!”

lifeguard friend saw this. She jumped in and pulled me out.

This was the moment I knew I had to become a lifeguard.

“Really, like really! Why are you yelling?”

When I first signed up for lifeguard training I was seventeen years old, no swimming experience and one near-drowning

“I’m yelling because I told you MORE than once to put your

experience. Training was something I was not mentally

prepared for and forget getting me to swim well

— that was even more impossible. When I first started swimming I was pretty bad,

my legs were shaking so much that I couldn't control them, it was as if they were trying to tell me to leave the pool. In the water I didn't kick properly, and my arms weren't strong enough. As difficult as it was, I decided I would never give up. I was motivated to prove to people, that nothing is out of my reach. When I set a goal for myself, I know I will achieve it. My trainer, who was also my friend, told me I had two weeks to train and in two weeks you can't learn how to swim and be good enough to pass the lifeguard test.

When I was taking my test everyone was so excited around me, but I was scared out of my mind. After I passed the test, which lasted a week, I cried not because it was over but because I never gave up. I did what I always wanted to do: be an inspiration to other teens who think they’re also not good enough.

Weeks after becoming a lifeguard, I'm on watch at the camp and kids are swimming. All of a sudden a small boy about the age of seven starts walking towards the deep end of the pool. He jumps, and it looks as if everything is in slow motion, his face filled with exhilaration. But he does not know how deep the pool is. I quicky blow the whistle with three loud bursts, everyone looking and all I can see is the boy's eyes. He is still waiting for his small legs to touch the floor, patiently holding his breath until he cannot anymore. I rush and jump into the water, my eyes burning with chlorine. I didn’t put any sunscreen on. I'm not ready. Swimming down with the rescue tube, I see the boy on the floor with his eyes closed as if he is sleeping. I have to be the one to wake him up.

I grab him with both hands and as I swim up and out, he takes a huge breath like an unborn baby. Coughing, he has a hard time breathing and I give him rescue breaths. My feet start shaking as I think that any wrong thing I would have done could have lead to this boy's death. I look at him, and he looks at me smiling, not knowing I'm the one drowning from all of the thoughts in my head.

Astrology

BY SHANIA RUSSELL

The Signs As Genres Aries:​ action, gangster Taurus:​ coming of age, epic Gemini​ : murder mystery, musical Cancer:​ romantic comedy, road-trip Leo: thriller, drama Virgo​ : psychological, mystery Libra:​ comedy, fairy tale Scorpio:​ horror, satire Sagittarius: s ​ lice of life, epic Capricorn: s ​ cience fiction, tragedy Aquarius:​ animation, fantasy Pisces: r ​ omance, family

The Signs As Teachers

Top Three Deadly Sins of the Signs

Aries:​ the one that will rant about anything for an entire period

Aries: w ​rath, envy, pride

Taurus:​ the one that is somehow never wrong

Taurus: g ​ luttony, sloth, greed

Gemini​ : the one that intensely encourages debate and discussion

Gemini​ : pride, lust, greed

Cancer:​ the one that just wants you to apply yourself

Cancer:​ sloth, gluttony, envy

Leo:​ the one that somehow teaches effectively without sticking to the lesson plan

Leo: p ​ ride, lust, wrath

Virgo​ : the

“normal” one with textbooks and well planned powerpoints

Virgo​ : pride, greed, envy

Libra:​ the one that always brings up group work

Libra: l​ ust, greed, gluttony

Scorpio:​ the one who always catches sneaky misbehaving

Scorpio: w ​rath, envy, lust

Sagittarius:​ the one that loves field trips even more than the students

Sagittarius: w ​rath, lust, pride

Capricorn: t​ he one it pains you to admit teaches really well

Capricorn: g ​ reed, pride, wrath

Aquarius:​ the one that goes so far off topic you can’t remember what subject they teach

Aquarius:​ pride, lust, gluttony

Pisces: t​ he one who puts on music in class and smiles when they see students

Pisces:​ sloth, gluttony, envy

International Refugee Crisis: A Teenager’s Point of View

BY CHRISTIAN LEE RIVERa Have you heard about the current situation between Palestine and Israel? If not, then you came to the right place to learn about certain tragedies that have been occurring between these countries in the Middle East, and how a brave teenager takes a stand and speaks her mind.

As most of us may know, Palestine is a geographic region that is

another country. According to Palestine's rules, their allied forces

between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Palestine is

must follow the policy. I find this unfair because a girl who is so

located next to Syria, and Israel, but Israel rules most of it's land.

courageous and brave is speaking her mind and letting her voice

It consists of a lot of mountainous terrain. Currently, Palestine

be heard. She should be able to see her family right away and for

and Israel can't seem to find an agreement on land ownage, and

the time being, they could live in a better place.

their economies are becoming corrupt because of decentralized governments.

According to an article called

“Germany Shuts its Open Door to

Refugees,” written by David Hecht, almost all of Europe is now A 14-year-old Palestinian refugee named Reem Sawhil says that

paralyzed by the refugees on their doorstep, who in Germany

she wishes Israel had never existed. Palestinians have been

alone could number one million by the end of the year.

assassinated and murdered. Reem currently lives in Germany

Chancellor Merkel had noticed the suspended restrictions on

while her Mother and Father live in Palestine. German Chancellor

refugees seeking asylum. But branding the country refugee

named Angela Merkel told her that she couldn’t stop her family's

friendly made some Germans shocked. Even before the Friday

deportation out of Palestine. In an interview with the German

the 13th attack on Paris, many wondered whether the newcomers

weekly newspaper Die Welt, Reem Sahwil said she hoped to

might include members of ISIS’s covert operatives. Hostility to

return to live in her ancestral homeland free of conflict.

her open refugee policy grew, most notably within her own party and last week the Chancellor's interior ministry re-imposed the

Reem says,

“My hope is that one day Israel won’t be there

very restrictions that she had so auspiciously lifted. There were a

anymore, but only Palestine,” she said. Reem, who was born in a

large amount of Palestinian refugees arriving to Germany, such

refugee camp in Lebanon and currently lives in the eastern

as Deem Sawhil, and the population continued to increase, which

German city of Rostock, said she does not consider Germany to

left the Government with a lot of frustration on providing homes

be her home. She wants to go meet her Mother and Father, who

for these people.

are experiencing the conflicts between Palestine and Israel. Reem accepts the fact that she is entitled to having freedom of speech, and the right to make choices, however, she knows that her family is the most important aspect to living a great life.

In a government-initiated discussion called

“Living Well in

Germany,” Reem told Merkel that her family had been informed that they would have to return to a camp in Lebanon so then they can apply for temporary residency permit for Germany. This means that they would have to go to refugee camps and travel to Germany if they are escorted. They would only be able to see their daughter for a short amount of time before being sent to

how palestine becAme israel

MEET THE CHARACTERS OF A NEW COMIC SERIES Coming next issue from Jasherah Nalls!

Play the BAL Crossword!

By Olivia Glover

THE RAVEN

Visit us online for exclusive content: bxlettersraven.wordpress.com

The Raven is The Bronx Academy of Letter’s newspaper, a print and online publication. Throughout the year students meet to report on pressing issues in the world, as well as in the school community, mixing both opinion and journalism. Focusing on social issues, BAL life, media reviews, student surveys, interactive media, photos from school events, interviews with Writers Forum poets, personal essays, and more, The Raven has its pulse on what’s new, current and important in the lives of teens.

NEWSPAPER STAFF

CONTRIBUTORS

WRITER IN RESIDENCE ADVISORS

Brandon Aponte Rontgen Camilo Yarelys Encarnacion Olivia Glover Jasherah Nalls Christian Lee Rivera Shania Russell

Kimberly Glasgow Jarlyn Martinez Kevin Parades

Caits Meissner Sam Sellers LAYOUT BY Caits Meissner