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At the start of the pandemic, teens in isolation grew more aware of the inequalities of the world around them. The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, ignited a lasting push toward social justice. In addition to taking to the streets in protest, more are harnessing online platforms as a means to not only raise awareness, but to effect lasting change.

Students turn to online platforms to engage peers

“Bringing awareness of your world is just a huge effective change in the way young people think and make a change” said freshman Avishawd Yarisaied, who identifies as a self proclaimed poet who is advocating for a change.

Many students have resorted to online activism, rather it be through online petitions for change on campus or being posters scattered throughout campus with messages for change.

A study conducted by the EAB, an education technology organization, found that 55% percent of the students who participate in activism are advocating for racial and societal changes such as Black Lives matter, or Asian American rights.

On campus, many students have used the power of their voice, such as Senior Tayler Boehner who created a petition that garnered nearly 600 votes against the homecoming dance policy that restricted students outside of the district to attend the dance.

“Whether it’s the bell schedule or Homecoming rules, all of our decisions are being made for us,” Boehner said.

The new generation of activists isn’t afraid to use their platforms to highlight injustices.

We highlight a few of many social reformers on campus. — Ziv Galpaz

AVISHAWD YARISAIED

POWER THROUGH POETRY

The night before International Women’s Day this year, freshman Avishawd Yarisaied, inspired by Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, crafted a poem about International Women’s day and sent shared it, ending it with, “I hope this made your day, I hope that you can relate to this, and I hope my voice can inspire you to do the same: speak up.”

And it did. Teachers and students alike came up to her, telling her it was brilliant. The vice principal asked to include it in their monthly newsletter. The poem was sent to The Library of American Poetry, where it will be published in a book titled “Expressions.”

“It really made me feel a sense of purpose to spark so much discussion within my school,” Yarisaied recalls. “That meant everything to me because it allowed people to use their voice confidently, assuringly, and sparking discussion is the first way to spark change.”

Since then, she’s written poems about Muslim Woman’s Day and Black History Month, which she shared on a “healthier social media platform” she inspired with her teacher, creating a way for fellow classmates to share their thoughts and use their voices, as well as learn about the current issues and events.

Her desire to educate and uplift originated from the pain she felt at the lack of representation of her ethnicity.

“When I speak, I don’t think about activism, or being an activist,” she said. “I think about when I was a little girl, and there were books on all these types of cultures but my culture was never in it. When things happened in Iran with COVID, no one talked about it. So I’m going to talk about it.”

In the future, she hopes to advocate for more in-class coverage of current events in order to spread awareness and help everyone feel valued.

“If your school doesn’t talk about (what’s going on) too much, how would you feel comfortable in that environment 100% of the time?” she said. “It’s not just politics, it’s about interpersonal connection.” — Emma Zhang

Activism at Branham

Homecoming petition

In September, senior Taylor Boehner launched a petition denouncing what she called contradictory COVID policies for large events. Her Change.org petition asking to bring significant others from outside the district garnered nearly 600 voices, but did not result in a policy change.

Ethnic Lit posters

Students in English teacher Mike Espinoza’s class put up posters in support of local issues that mattered to do. Some shared messages about masking, others about disproportionate incarceration of people of color. Senior Jeremy Haven’s poster saying that white people should “stop talking and start listening” (see page 3) drew the attention of the community, and hundreds of comments on Nextdoor.

It sparked a conversation like no other on campus.

Bell schedule

Last month, four seniors upset about the new bell schedule took to the quad stage with cardboard signs reading “Why is Lunch Only 30 Minutes?” and “6 classes on Monday ain’t it.”

Their tongue-in-cheek protest, organized by Aid-

en DeMarquez, Alaska

Grant and Ian Hutt, highlighted the general dissatisfaction with the new schedule.

An informal Bear Witness survey of 326 readers found that more than 84% dislike the new bell schedule.

TAYLOR HALL

A NEW GENERATION OF ACTIVISTS

Growing up in a liberal household, senior Taylor Hall found that both her parents and her own morals shaped her political ideology. She stands up for what she believes in, and puts those into actions: from leading Black Lives Matter protests to putting up posters speaking up about sexual assault. Hall calls herself an activist.

“I think activism has positively affected life on campus- it not only has made campus more of a safe and accepting place, but it has also helped educate.” said Hall.

With today’s growing awareness in the age of the internet, Hall believes that this generation of students shares the same political impulse as her.

“A lot of students at our school have a really strong political drive, no matter which side it’s on,” she said. I also think our generation overall has a very strong drive for politics and social issues and is really well educated”.

Taylor Hall’s fight against social issues and injustices is something that she carries with her, from the streets, to campus, to her social media. Even with dissent from others with differing opinions, she continues to carry on speaking up for what she believes in.

— Audrey Nguyen

NICOLE PLATKO

A CONSERVATIVE VOICE ON CAMPUS

Senior Nicole Platko is a prominent face at Branham — outgoing, strong-willed, and outspoken. As an active member of the LGBTQ+ community as well as Branham’s JROTC, her place in the community is a unique one.

Platko identifies with the Republican party, coming into her views through her own research. She calls herself “economically-right, and socially-left” ideas, agreeing with stricter border laws as well as stricter abortion laws, but says keeps herself open to ideas from both sides of the political spectrum. As a California native, she often found herself alone in her political views, especially in the liberal Bay Area, and says she’s lost long-time friends.

Platko has discovered community in ROTC, meeting people who share similar political views as her. She’s received some pushback for wearing a MAGA hat in a support of former President Donald Trump.

“(Responses were) very angry…. I was accused of anything and everything personally: racist, sexist, homophobic. I was fully faced with anger,” she said. She said internet has been a much more friendly place for the conservative.

“You can find more civil groups of people on the internet,” she said,

Platko advocates openly for mutual respect in political discussions- an open mind and a “chill conversation” is what she always tries to encourage. “I try to express my views as respectfully as I can- It’s not just about your own side in a debate and I think people forget that nowadays.” — Ziv Galpaz