The High 89

THE HIGH EDITION 89 | JUNE 22, 2020

A BLACK AND

Illustration by Zoé Poinssot

WHITE ISSUE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Khwaish Vohra DEPUTY EDITOR

Tanvi Anand

DEAR ISL...

LOCKDOWN SUMMER DIARIES COOKING

We need to talk

Highlights from High Fever

Recipe for a holiday

2

EDITOR’S LETTER

I

Khwaish Vohra

t has been a tough year so far. From COVID-19 changing the way we live and forcing us to re-evaluate our priorities, to the protests within the United States, sparking a global introspection regarding how we deal with race in our daily lives. Over the past few days, I have been watching/ reading/inhaling the coverage surrounding the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States. All around me I am seeing people stand up for what they believe in by pledging allegiance to a movement that has become too big to ignore. At the same time, I worry that this is simply not enough. Posting a few words of condolence or using a hashtag does not result in actual, measurable change. If it were that easy, all sorts of inequalities and injustices would have been eradicated by now.

this is not how the majority of people at ISL feel. However, because of the culture of ostracism that has been created around people who are ‘snitches’ or ‘too sensitive’, majority of the people choose to remain quiet.

We understand the power we have, as a publication, to direct the narrative within our school. We also understand the responsibility that comes with that power.

Change takes effort, time, and commitment. It is not supposed to be easy or momentary. It is, however, meant to make you question how you lived your life before, what beliefs you have had, and how you plan to live your life now that you no longer have the privilege of being ignorant.

I can already foresee some backlash to this initiative, naming it as an ‘attack on white people’. It is not. It is a chance for everyone within this community to hear a perspective different from their own. It is a chance for you to decide and understand what is right and fair - and to consciously make a change to be different from the generations of people before you.

Over here at The High, during our virtual meetings, we have pondered how we can play a role in fostering a productive discussion about race within our school. We each spoke of our frustrations with the shortcomings of the actions in the past that the school has taken, as well as the infamous group chats and discussions that we have all been a part of at some point in time. A recurring theme was the fact that we felt that often within such discussions, the focus is on a minority within our school, and our world, who choose to perpetuate racially insensitive ideas and language. We recognized that

EDITORS

So, for the first time, we are choosing to highlight the voices of the majority within our school, rather than the minority.

Through this letter-writing campaign, our aim is to allow people, whose voices we don’t normally hear, to express their experiences and sentiments as a student at ISL on this specific issue.

This issue is also meant to be a compilation of the work that The High has been enthusiastically doing while in quarantine. You may recognize some of the articles from our online editions and you will also see some new articles as well.

Either way, I hope you enjoy this issue and as always, I hope that you continue to read, engage, reflect, and challenge us as a publication.

Chloe Uzoukwu Ayana Challagalla Alyssa Wei

Athan Massouras Neha Chakraborty Anja Mervar Sharmila Joy

TABLE OF CONTENTS N-word pass Modern-day racism Racism & ISL Being a POC today Standing up to racism Dear ISL...

Psych and change

03 04 05 06 07 08-09 10

Getting physical Netflix Boredom busters Disney Plus Banana bread Playlist

11 12 13 14 15 16

3

RACISM HAS LEFT THE GROUP CHAT

L

ast Tuesday Mr. Foley sent out an email about the situation that occurred in year 12 which led to the suspension of two students. The year 12s also had an assembly about the issue where they discussed what had happened.

But this led to the year 12s being divided into two, debating on whether suspending both students was the right or wrong decision.

A couple of weeks ago, an ISL student (Student A) said the ‘n word’ in an audio and actual message as well as a racist meme of the year level leader within a year group chat. Multiple people ignored the message until Student B responded with “Don’t think I’ll ever understand what makes you think you have the right to say that”. People started to back up Student B leading to a heavy discussion about why the word was used, and whether it was racist. More offensive and sarcastic remarks were made such as “Attention: if you are caught saying the n-word you WILL be told off by females who believe they are social icons and will make a change in society”. A student questioned, “how just saying a word, even though not directed to anyone can cause offense”. This only sparked the discussion with more people voicing their opinion. When the word continued to be used, the tone of the conversation turned more serious. Student B tried to address the issue with their peers as they believed that the larger issue of racism should be discussed as few knew the negative connotations related to certain words, however, they made no progress. So they went to ISL for support. Racism clearly needs to be addressed more often, as this isn’t the first time racism has been discussed within ISL. Evidence was provided to the school of the racist comments which had been made. Not only that, but it transpired that students had also taken a picture of a staff member without consent, posted racist images, as well as an offensive picture with the ‘n-word’ to social media with offensive comments; thus confirming that this was not an isolated incident.

However, students within the group chat still continued to attack Student B and making comments towards them including such things as: “(Student B) is a bitch for screenshotting this and emailing it to Mr. Kirby. I dare your fake ass to deal with your problems yourself”. People even decided to take it as far as calling their house phone and telling Student B’s parents that they were a “snitch bitch”. This information was given to the school and the school’s leadership discussed the actions they should take regarding this situation. Even though people stand up to racism- they are still targeted, which promotes bystander behaviour within ISL, as people are afraid to speak up. This explores another large issue within our school community as the only way to stop racism is to speak up, which is impossible if students do not feel safe in doing so. This is why being an ally is so important, as it encourages others to do so as well.

Student B themselves felt the need to clarify that “The decision that was taken by the school had nothing to do with me”,

Carlijn van der Weijst leaves messages on read

as students continued to harass them. Student B went on by saying that “The people suspended faced those consequences not because of what I had done, but because of what they had done. I know I did the right thing. If this is what I get for speaking up against racist behavior, then everyone needs to seriously check themselves. It is never ok to treat someone the way I was treated”.

After the school leadership team had multiple discussions about the incident they made a decision about what the response for the students involved should be. The school decided to talk to Student A as well as Student C who decided to make offensive remarks towards Student B. Students A and C had multiple discussions with their parents and the school leadership team about the situation as well as the things they said. Following this, the decision was made to suspend both students.

Multiple students commented when interviewed that the school had a bias towards a few students. A student even said that the situation was “100% biased” against one of the students because of their previous actions. Mr. Foley explained that “The response of the school depends on several complex factors. These include the nature of the incident in question, whether the behaviour is sustained or a one-off, and whether this forms part of a broader pattern for the individuals involved”.

There was a larger debate amongst the year 12s as to why Student C who called Student B “a bitch” in a group chat outside of school was suspended. However, Student C continued to harass Student B through various platforms. ISL explained that this suspension occurred because “ISL has a set of values. These are honesty, respect, self-control, equality, and care. When an incident occurs which goes against these, such as harassment or bullying, the school must respond”.

A reason why this incident is so controversial is because racism within our school has been normalized and has usually been seen as “jokes” between students. This is why one student said that “I thought that the assembly we had last week went as most students might have anticipated, the school obviously has to follow a certain protocol and conduct”. The school has a duty to protect its students from any signs of bullying including discrimination and in this case “People need to be aware that even if their intentions are only ‘joke oriented’ it’s still an issue and puts them in the wrong” (ISL student).

This is just one of many examples of racism within our school, but ever since the year 13 assembly and the current situation within our world, more people are breaking away from simply being a bystander and are actually taking action to stop racism. The school is ready to approach these situations with a zero-tolerance policy. The High is here to help start the conversation which has been necessary for many years. Racism is everywhere, even within our privileged ISL community.

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LEARN, THINK, ACT Ion Martinis does not just want to talk about it

W

hen the editors of The High asked me to write about racism in our school, frankly, I was taken by surprise. I have never witnessed racism and find it inconceivable that any racist behavior would be tolerated in our school. But after following the developments of George Floyd’s killing, speaking with my peers, and reading a lot about the issues of racial bias and racial injustice, I realized that we all still have work to do.

Let’s first take stock of the current situation. Our discussions focus on the US, where racial issues have been most pronounced and the debate most advanced. But the issue of racism concerns the rest of the world, too, especially in light of the polarized debate around immigration.

It is important to understand that modern-day racism is mostly “unconscious”; it’s about inherent bias (from law enforcement to employee selection and assessment to media portrayals) and about unequal access to opportunity (in education, the economy, health care, and housing – often interconnected).

The numbers agree. 70% of black households live in segregated communities, experiencing high crime, high poverty, poor health care, and poor education. The median wealth of black households in the US is ten times lower than that of white households. There are six times more black men in prison than white. Only four Fortune 500 CEOs are black.

While the facts remain staggering, it is also true that there has been a lot of progress. Think of Barack Obama, Robert F. Smith (billionaire investor and philanthropist), or Neil de Grasse Tyson (astrophysicist and author). Seeing black people rise to such prominent roles in society would have been unimaginable even a few decades ago.

On top of that, the recent weeks have seen real action with important symbolism and substance. Donations to causes supporting racial equality by both corporations and individuals are surging. State and local governments are taking actions to reform their police departments. The dictionary Merriam-Webster is revising its definition of racism to reflect that it “can be systemic.” The staff of the journal Science are striking to demand higher participation of black people in scientific research and academia. Sephora pledged 15 percent of its shelf space to black-owned brands – many other highend retailers followed. Companies large and small are setting demanding targets to make their staff and leadership teams more representative of the societies they serve.

As positive action takes momentum, so does the debate intensify. One subject of debate is protest violence – there are differing views on how to counter it, but there is widespread

agreement that violence doesn’t help bring positive change for black people – and that is encouraging. A more complex debate has emerged around how to fully embrace positive change in diversity and opportunity while maintaining objectivity and avoiding a “good vs evil” mindset on all racial matters which undermines meritocracy, the belief in facts, and the pursuit of excellence. Research shows that diverse companies and communities are more successful – this is very encouraging, but rather the start than the end of the road.

In other words, as I wrote earlier, we have work to do. We, the teachers and students of ISL, can do a lot. And at every level.

At the individual level, we should be part of each other’s world. We should understand deeply each and every one of us in the school – and not declare victory until every one of us is free of racial (or otherwise) discrimination.

At the community level, we should be part of the action.

Compared to most other countries, Swiss society appears almost perfect – but it is not entirely. We should identify where racial injustice exists close to us, immerse ourselves into the “hotspots”, and make change happen.

At the global level, we should be part of the debate. Unlike the US, we have the fortune to not be exposed to the implications of racial tension. But our safe distance should not stop us from building knowledge and awareness, both to apply it locally in the present and to be better global citizens in the future.

Let our journey to a more diverse and inclusive world begin.

Here at ISL. Starting with each of us personally.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO GET US STARTED Pair to learn. We assign students in pairs to have conversations about their view of racism at ISL. Each student explains to the class their partner’s point of view. This protects anonymity and provokes empathy.

Structured debates. Students have to argue for one side of a debate. Topics range in complexity, from the justification of violence in protests to the fairness of affirmative action.

Engaging presentations. They are during homeroom and cover the history of people of color, the evolution of their rights, and what the current racial inequities are.

Local action. We find local groups providing assistance to people of color. We offer volunteer work and donate money, food, and clothes.

5

HOLDING A MIRROR UP

O

n June 1st 2020, I posted a series of slides on Instagram with the title: “A Collection of Racist Things I Have Witnessed at my Institution.” In it, I condemned the toxic environment created by the student body, where people who speak up are ostracized by their peers. I also put the racist actions I had seen at this school front and centre, laying it to my peers in (literally) black and white, and I urged my fellow students to, collectively, reflect on the ways in which they themselves have been complicit in perpetuating our school’s racist environment. The response, for the most part, was overwhelmingly positive. The post served as a way for the once silent bystanders to speak up against the rampant racism present in our institution, which is often brushed off as “banter”. It was effective, at least temporarily.

This post revealed a lot about student mentalities regarding racism. There was a hesitation among many of the more privileged people at our institution to accept the fact that in many ways, our student body is racist, and that this racism is hindering the day-to-day lives of many black and students of colour at our school.

Most notably, one boy managed to invalidate our experiences as students of colour. In a lengthy (now deleted) comment, he told a black student that “if you compare the labels of racism in our school, and I am not saying we are void of it, to other schools, it’s completely different. We’re not to the point where it’s an alarming level, no one’s education is being affected by statements around them… Our school scrapes the bottom of the barrel in terms of racism compared to the shit that’s happening worldwide, especially at other schools.

We are just privilaged [sic.] and it’s blinded you to some extent, as students of color in different schools experienced far worse conditions than those at ISL.” Before deconstructing his statement, it is important to look at the power dynamics involved. There seems to be a lack of understanding on his part: as a white student, he cannot tell a black female that the unbridled racism at our institution isn’t hindering her education as he will never know what it is like to be a black female in this world today. While his voice was a singular one, his opinion seemed to resonate with other members of the ISL community.

In the comment, he makes the argument that privilege lessens the blow of racism. In a sense he is correct, as tensions among races are heightened in poorer communities where violence is an incentive. An example of this was the 1991 Mt. Pleasant race riots in Washington, DC where racial tensions among the working-class Latinx and Black communities escalated after a Salvadoran man was killed by a black police officer. (for those interested, this is discussed further in the journal article, Racial And Ethnic Tensions In American

Tanvi Anand gets up and stands up Communities: Poverty, Inequality, And Discrimination - A National Perspective). However, racism still penetrates class barriers. A perfect example of this is the now viral video of the NYC dog-walking lady: after a black birdwatcher politely tells a white woman to keep her dog on a leash in an area where it is mandatory, she threatens to call the cops on him. Like many of our parents, both people involved in the incident were highly educated (the birdwatcher being a Harvard graduate and the lady being a UChicago graduate) with high-paying jobs (an editor vs an investment banker). At the end of the day, a black man walking down the street is still a black man walking down the street, even if he was educated at an Ivy League institution and has a high-paying job.

This student’s statement demonstrates that, as a collective, we have missed the mark on race education as a whole, and in two main areas.

Firstly, our race education has distanced us from the everyday realities of racism. It might be true that we were taught about segregation, the Klu Klux Klan, the death of Emmett Till, and the civil rights movement, but we have never learnt about the systemic racism shackling down many people of colour today. As sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva puts it, “the main problem nowadays is not the folks with the hoods, but the folks dressed in suits.” Additionally, we only learnt about racism in the context of the US for a brief period of time: for around two weeks in Year 10. Race education needs to be discussed continuously and in every subject, in order to gain a broader understanding of the issue. The need is amplified even further when considering that we are a school where many students move countries from year to year and have not had the same educational background.

Secondly, we have not had any form of diversity training as students. Studies have shown that this improves cultural understanding and empathy among students. For an “international school”, it is surprising that we don’t have something as simple as a yearly, student-led session where we are made to deconstruct the ways in which our many individual privileges and implicit biases shape our understanding.

The school administration has understood the need for these two elements to be implemented into the curriculum, which is a sign of progress; however, as students, we also have a responsibility to make our environment a more unbigoted one.

It is upon ourselves to abolish the existing mentality wherein students who speak up are ostracized. As a student body, we need to foster a community of activists as opposed to a community of silent people. To go back to the Instagram comment, even though “racism might be worse at other schools”, that doesn’t mean we don’t have to take action to dismantle racism at our own school first.

6

SHEDDING MY SHAME Khwaish Vohra is brown and proud

R

acist. That’s a powerful word, and depending on who it comes from, it can be accusatory too.

I have personally struggled with the idea of racism my whole life, because what does being racist mean today? How can one suffer from racism when we as a world have made leaps towards becoming more developed?

Racism is no longer socially acceptable in its most blatant forms. Gone are the days of colonialism and worldwide slavery, and really we should give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done, right? Except who is ‘we’? Is ‘we’ our collective humanity, or is it simply the oppressors of the past and today trying to wash their hands clean of guilt and appear to be #woke.

There are a lot of discussions to be had when it comes to race and our world’s relationship with it. But that is not what this article is about, this article is about the experience that every person of color in this world endures today.

Let’s start off by establishing the fact that racism is not a thing of the past. It may not be as blatant as it was, but that does not mean that it is any better. Racism is still a thing.

It is a thing when a man was shot while exercising for no other reason other than the color of his skin.

It is a thing when the president of the ‘free world’ labels a virus as a product of an entire race, rather than the product of an authoritative government.

It is a thing when a New York resident is stopped on the street, called an ‘Asian bitch’, told that the current virus is her fault, and told to go back to a country she hasn’t called home for more than 20 years.

It is a thing when someone mocks your accent and the way you pronounce things.

It is a thing when an 8-year-old child is told by his classmates that his skin is the color of poo.

It was a thing when I was asked point-blank if I smell like curry.

And it is a thing when you feel like the color of your skin makes you vulnerable; you do your very best hide your originality, shed your skin, and really anything it takes to ‘fit in.’

If you think that any of these scenarios are humorous or simply conversational, I ask you to consider what it would be like to be on the receiving end of such comments, not just sporadically, but as part of your daily experience. How would it feel to be constantly reminded that simply the color of your skin invites such treatment from people ranging from strangers to seemingly close friends?

The cruel thing about racism is that it coils itself around your neck and makes you believe the experiences you have had are your fault. It makes you ashamed to have been on the receiving end of the same old and tired racist joke. It starves you of validation from yourself and makes you hungry for acceptance from the ones who inflict the pain.

You carry this shame with you, but you never acknowledge it, because somehow we have been trained to think that the best way to deal with such racist encounters is to shirk them off and pretend like they never happened. After all, we wouldn’t want to cause a scene, I mean can you imagine what people would think?

When you decide to call someone a derogatory term, such as the n-word, the action is momentary for you, but the burden that a person has to carry lasts an entire lifetime. And in fact, it proves that you are not all that evolved compared to the collective humanity that practiced slavery. Actually, you are just better at masking your misplaced contempt than they were.

Racism is so woven into the experience of being a person of color in our world today that at times, it can seem easier to just ignore it and hope it will never be too much of a hassle.

But ignoring it is the worst possible thing you can do because for every second you allow it to just sit there it continues to fester. Racism does not start with your experiences, but it can end when you decide to stand up and break the vicious cycle it imposes.

I am tired of accepting the status quo as it is. There was a point in my life where I was too afraid to call out bigotry when I witnessed it. I was afraid that no one would stand by me, that I would be the girl who cried ‘racist!’ And to be honest, there are moments where I am still afraid because it is scary to be the only person fighting back. When you spend your whole life trying to fit in, it can feel like you are gambling everything when you fight back. You could be throwing away a life spent under the radar, where you are not ostracized for standing up for yourself.

I think when we talk about racism and what it feels like to be at the receiving end of it, there is a lot of hurt involved.

It can be hard for people to open up and admit what they have gone through, but the moment you do, there is an overwhelming sense of empowerment; you allow yourself to finally break past all the stigma and the anger and the sense of hurt and finally take control of your own narrative again.

You can’t control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you react to it, and I am asking you, today to start standing up for yourself. I am asking you to realize that you need not be ashamed of what has happened to you, but that you can use it to let someone else know that they are not alone, that they don’t have to feel like they are gambling everything they have if they decide to stand up for themselves.

Ultimately, I am asking you to realize that the only way we can break the cycle that is racism is if we shine a light on it and refuse to turn it off.

7

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Chloe Uzoukwu draws a line

T

he first time I wrote an article about racism, I was frustrated. Now, I am angry, overwhelmed and quite frankly, concerned.

We have all seen the news, the riots, the black squares and the stories. We have witnessed the disgusting responses of the US President in regards to what is going on in his country. We have said their names. George Floyd. Breonna Taylor.

Tamir Rice. Too many others. All that has been going on in the world is forcing me to speak about the issues within our own school.

We need to ask ourselves if we really live up to the title of an “International” school. The students of the community have been creating an atmosphere for years that is unwelcoming to students of color. Racism at ISL is everywhere, including the cafeteria. A student has said that she feels uncomfortable doing small things such as bringing traditional food to the cafeteria because her fellow white classmates feel the need to comment. This is a shared experience among other students of color, such as myself.

The social hierarchy at ISL has been built and feeds off of racist or offensive behavior (this has also been pointed out by members of staff and students). It has become apparent that in order for someone to reach and remain at the top, particularly for the male members of the community, their humor must be offensive. This automatically creates ridiculous excuses: “I was just kidding”, “it was a joke”, “It’s not like I said it to a (insert race/sexuality/sex here) person”.

Nonetheless, the case that I find the most dangerous and saddening is the fact that by standing up to racist behavior, you are more vulnerable to being ostracized by your peers.

Over the past year, I have personally witnessed three cases of this, and it is disgusting and unacceptable. These students have gotten phone calls to their homes, have been ganged up upon and have had horrible things said about them and even their family. This attitude of shaming, harassing and bullying people who are brave enough to stand up for what is right will stop others from doing the same. Everyone should, as I do myself, find this incredibly concerning.

An infuriating but common statement I have heard numerous times about racism at ISL is: “It’s worse in other places, why are we making such a big deal about it here?”. It sickens me for two reasons. The first is because it carries disregard for people of color in a community that are experiencing discrimination, whether it is physical abuse or microagressions.

The second is because the statement says that racism is tolerable when it’s on a smaller scale. I will not stand for that, and neither should any of you.

Racism is present at ISL. Ask the students of color, the majority will agree. Seeing as past articles, posts or even personal accounts of experiences did not sink in, there are countless students walking through the halls saying the N-word, making childish jokes that “unintentionally” target a particular race and calling students of color horrifying names. It ap-

pears that students at this school only consider racism as racism when they hear news of a black person being lynched or murdered by police (and even then, people still make excuses) The definition of racism is “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race [...]”.

All of the examples above fit this definition. One cannot redefine racism to fit their racist behavior.

Nevertheless, on a more positive note, I am starting to regain hope. ISL’s staff is doing more to combat racism in the community than I have ever seen in my long time at this school, and we can expect to see changes and most importantly, conversation next year. Most of all, I am seeing a change in the student body. More and more people are beginning to stand up and speak out, whether they are people of color or white.

But now, how can we, as a community, create a truly accepting and welcoming environment for everyone? The first thing we need to do is to stop normalizing racist behavior and normalize speaking up against it. Some people are so unaffected by racism, because it has unfortunately become normalized in our society and that needs to end now. Being racist is not okay, under any circumstances. Why is it that people are applauded for being racist, but are cast out for doing the right thing?

Next, we need to have conversations. Not ones where there are clear divides and attacks, but calm, mediated discussions, where people can have their opinions but are open to hearing other opinions as well. However, let me clearly state that there is not excuse for discrimination against any minority. It is wrong.

Finally, we need to educate. It is unfortunate that the curriculum at our school is so Eurocentric, but we can hope to see some change soon. But educate yourself. Understand what you are saying when you say the N-word, watch movies and read books to find out why white privilege is (despite popular belief) real. There are so many resources and it is about time we start using them.

People of color everywhere should not be fighting this battle anymore. It has been 60 years since the Civil Rights Movement, 400+ years since the slave trade, and we are still here in 2020. Anyone who says “we have come so far” might want to rethink.

None of this should sit right with any decent person. We all bleed the same. No one should be treated as though they are lesser than.

I would like to leave you with some questions: why do people fight still for racism? What makes you think it is okay to participate, but also to watch it and allow it to happen to others.

What if the roles were reversed?

8

DEAR ISL,

T

Perrine Bapambe his is a letter from one of your minority students and I would like to raise awareness about the injustice that I’ve lived and I need to be heard.

One day, when I was at school on a normal Tuesday afternoon in chemistry class, a fellow student said something to me that was really shocking. We were preparing for a presentation when they called me a baboon. I was incredibly offended by it because they then started to put pictures of monkeys all over the presentation. I begged them to stop but of course, they didn’t listen. I was truly shocked that he ignored my pleas. I personally felt worthless and sad about how people see me on a daily basis.

A few days later, I started to think about it even more and as a student of color in an all-White school, I started to feel a sort of discomfort because of my difference and it truly affected me because my race is constantly targeted and attacked because of this one factor. The next month, these thoughts were still in my head and I started to feel self-conscious about myself wondering if people actually thought of baboons when they see Black people or if it was just what they saw in me.

People don’t understand how it feels when they make us seem inferior, to be a minority, and to be in a school where people joke about things like this. I felt left out and angry at the same time because people don’t know how these little things affect us, as minorities. I just want people to be more careful with their words and how they express them because I truly felt hurt and upset. A few of my peers heard about this story and immediately tried to make a difference by telling this person that what they were doing was wrong and I truly appreciated it.

But enough is enough. If this isn’t proof that there’s a bit of racism at ISL, then I don’t know what is. How would you feel if someone called you a baboon as a Black individual, please tell me? Ask yourself this question before saying things. How would you feel if the roles were reversed?

Ayana Challagalla

I

know there are people who disagree with what I am going to say, but the level of racism at our school has reached a point where it needs to be called out. I never felt that being a person of color in a majorly white community would make me feel like an outcast. Nobody had ever overtly called me a racial slur, so I didn’t think that racism and cultural insensitivities were an issue at our school, at first.

However, after repeated incidents, I realized that people have seen me as different from a really young age. Maybe not

because of the color of my skin, but because of the “smelly” food I eat, the “weird” amount of hair on my arms and upper lip, and even my parents’ accent. I will never understand why making fun of Indians, in particular, is so funny? My culture is beautiful, but this school has made me feel ashamed to be a part of it. Being in an “international” school, I do not want to hear anyone talking about how bad my food smells, mocking Indian accents, or making fun of “the red dot” Indian people wear on their foreheads. That red dot is called a Bindi and it symbolizes beauty. I am sick and tired of all the curry jokes and the stereotyping that all Indians are the same. And please stop telling me that I’m too sensitive and I need to learn how to take a joke. There is a line between your “dark humor” or “banter” and racism. Learn where it is and do not cross it.

I

Leona Dogra

t’s time we had a talk about racism, more specifically, the impact it has within our school community. Many of you may feel as though this is an over-discussed issue that is forced upon you by this institution. While the right to a personal opinion is certainly valid and justified, when such discussions begin to affect the very lives of minorities it no longer comes down to simply “voicing a thought”. At ISL, we are fortunate enough to be able to learn in an international and diverse community that exposes us to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. However, in the same very way, we are also privileged and sheltered from the realities of the world. Thus, the harsh truth is that a large majority of the student population is bound to face an extreme shock when we finally do leave this community. To put it simply, ISL aims to foster an environment where we can learn and grow from our past mistakes, which has intentionally or not, created a disconnected “bubble” for international, private school students, far removed from reality. The jokes that get passed off as clever dark humor can be the very same “innocent mistake” that gets someone fired a couple years down the road. Or, the blatant ignorance that comes behind the use of a derogatory racial slur, which individuals know very well they have no right to be using. Therefore, all I can truly say is please educate yourselves. Be entitled to your own views, but understand the responsibility and consequences that comes with it.

Read the full versions: bit.ly/DearISL

9

WE NEED TO TALK

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Mark Besson

ike many other institutions, ISL is not perfect. While most students, if not all, would not claim such a thing, it is important to acknowledge that while ISL may be ‘better’ than most places, we cannot ignore the problems and flaws that the school and its members display.

Racism is one such flaw present, one that the school administration has and is attempting to tackle. However, ultimately, those with the most power are us - the students. Social unity and pressure in the fight for moral values and issues play a powerful role in reforming people’s opinions and, by extension, the system and world we live in. We cannot wait for extreme cases of discrimination to take action; but should address the underlying ideologies and behaviours people display that evolve into such extreme cases, enabled by the complacency of those around them.

Implicitly or explicitly, intentionally or unintentionally, acts of racism are apparent in ISL. This can come in the form of ‘jokes’ and ‘banter’ that you might consider ‘funny’ but are still racist and harmful to the targeted ethnicity. (...)

A real example of such racism is a situation that I was exposed to frequently during Middle School. People would fake an Arabic accent or shout “Allah Akbar’’, all the while saying that they were going to blow something up, hijack a plane, or commit a mass shooting. While this may be a ‘joke’ to them, there are many problems with this and it is not funny. (...)

I agree that some of this racism might stem partly from a ‘failure’ of the school and IB curriculum in its lack of diversity; but I personally believe that this is largely to blame on the lack of response and effort by the students.

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Macy Johns

eing an American, politics, stories of unjust experiences and discrimination, as well as the history of my country, has surrounded me my whole life. My family considers themselves ‘die-hard liberals’ which, of course, tends to spark conversations quite often. While I do take pride in my ancestry and the political views I grew up around, I have always chosen to stay out of those conversations.

But as I have recently realized, that isn’t good enough. It is not good enough to not educate myself on what is happening where not only where I’m from, but everywhere in the world. It is not good enough to choose not to ‘talk about politics’ because having the choice is a privilege itself. Instead of covering up my embarrassment of not knowing enough of a topic, I want to know enough. I want to know more than enough, so I am able to form an educated opinion of my own.

Most importantly, I want to be able to stand up for people who experience oppression like I never will. When we are educated, we can articulate what we think and feel and what is right, effectively. We are more likely to admit when we are wrong and recognize when someone else is. I regret not having said anything when I’ve seen discriminatory acts around me. I am sorry for not having said anything. I want to be better. This is me trying to improve and I hope everyone else is trying the same.

Olivia Kenyon

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ecently, the issue of privilege and the lack of awareness of it on behalf of the student body has come to my attention more than ever. People are quick to throw around racist and misogynistic slurs without a second thought. (...)

Racism is not simply “hating another race”, it is so much more complicated than that. There is a long history of White people expressing their feelings of superiority over other races, especially over the Black community. This feeling of superiority was displayed verbally with the use of the N-word when slavery was still legal in America. (...)

I have often heard this word used by non-Black people within the student body. I genuinely think that people do not understand the weight of this word, and the use of it comes from a place of ignorance.

I don’t think anyone at ISL is a blatantly racist, and I don’t think anyone hates people for their skin colour and culture within our community, but there is some work to be done, especially vis-à-vis education about systematic racism and racial slurs. I believe we all have our hearts in the right place, but we need to rectify this issue of ignorance within our community.

Besides, who are we if we don’t stand up for other human beings, as human beings?

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ALL IN YOUR HEAD Alyssa Wei will see you now

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acism has been called “the new virus” and I couldn’t agree more. Often underestimated, it can manifest into something vile before people even realise it. Before the death of George Floyd or Martin Luther King Jr’s speech, or even before Rosa Parks’ arrest, people have always been racist and it is still very much prevalent in today’s society.

It is incredibly important to recognise that certain people still believe that a particular race is superior to another, even today. Some individuals still think that it is okay to use racial slurs that can deeply offend a person of colour. In fact, some believe that it is acceptable to make “jokes” at the expense of someone else’s personal identity. Unfortunately, these situations occur in schools, workplaces, domestic households, the media, and even the government. If this claim seems unreasonable or unbelievable, just know that the US Department of Education reported that a black student is 3 times more likely to receive serious punishment such as expulsion compared to a fellow white peer despite breaking the same rules.

Also, with regard to workplace racism, many cast members of the popular musical TV series Glee have spoken up about actress Lea Michele’s microaggressions towards her colleagues who were of different races (the majority of them being black). Although these examples may seem insignificant, it is the people’s duty to realise that racism isn’t just the murder of an innocent black man. It is the discrimination of another person’s race. In reality, it doesn’t matter how “big” or “small” the issue is - what matters is the fact that race-related prejudice still exists around the world today.

Since a significant amount of people would not consider themselves to be racists, what exactly creates a racist mindset? There are many psychological ways in which racism is manifested from one’s surroundings or inner beliefs. One of the most common causes is the acceptance of racism itself. As presented by an experiment in 1952 conducted by Ralph D. Minard, there is a clear trend where people often follow social norms that have been set by the majority. For example, if you find yourself surrounded by a large group of people who discriminate against a certain race, you will most likely follow their footsteps and echo their beliefs, even if you don’t completely agree with them.

This is directly linked to research which suggests that racism is essentially an accumulation of external influences. Babies are not born to be racist so it makes sense that their eventual beliefs are naturally influenced and shaped by their parents, peers, teachers, bosses, and even the media. For instance, if you grew up being told that broccoli tastes gross, you will most likely accept this idea even if you have never tasted broccoli. Essentially, everything that people believe in and pass on to others originate from initial influences.

That being said, another cause of racism, especially internalised racism, is dissatisfaction with your own race. We have all heard the saying that bullies only bully others because they are unhappy. This can also be applied to racists (a.k.a. bullies) since they constantly need to justify that their race is “superior” to another. People who are overly insecure about something that they have no control over often try to find ways to belittle others so that they reciprocate their insecurities.

In order to break this never ending cycle of negative influences and twisted minds, the culture must change. People have to learn to feel uncomfortable with racism. Acceptance and ignorance is negligence, which leads to mass destruction. Realising the issue at hand is a key step that is much easier said than done. It can be difficult to acknowledge such perverse ideologies such as racism or prejudice in established settings or intimate friend groups.

It is a huge privilege to have the chance to talk about it

Although the line between racism and “jokes” might seem blurry, dig deeper to see the disrespect that is hidden beneath the layer of immature excuses. Confront people who don’t do this. Talk to your parents and peers about your experiences with racism that have either directly or indirectly affected you. It is a huge privilege to have the chance to talk about it instead of experiencing it firsthand. In institutions and workplaces, urge for more education and awareness regarding modern issues that deal with unjust treatment towards certain groups of people.

Teach each and every person that racism is completely unacceptable and that a decent person would never even consider asking for the “N-word pass”. As people who do not need to feel ashamed about the colour of their skin, use your privilege to learn about the effects of racism on people who experience it daily. It is imperative to understand the trauma and violence that certain people of certain races face every single day. Combat racism (and other harmful beliefs that violate basic human rights) in the public eye because people like Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and MLK Jr did not fight for their lives just for us to accept and justify racism in 2020.

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LET’S GET PHYSICAL Neha Chakraborty breaks a sweat

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restful sleep, improve insomnia, reduce stress level, etc. Don’t forget that good quality sleep plays an important role in your immune system.

Everybody knows exercise is good for your physique, physical health, etc. But it can also improve your mental health, reduce stress, put you in a better mood, improve your sleep, boost your immunity, and much more.

Kill some time at home: It may seem irrelevant, but we all have some spare time these days. Doing something beneficial for yourself like exercising is a great way to kill an hour per day. It can also be a good activity with your friends or family and you can challenge yourself and push for better results.

his article is for all of us with excuses to not exercise all year long. Now it’s the time to forget about them as, in this unfortunate time of quarantine, we all have spare time to invest in ourselves.

Boost your immunity system: By exercising on a regular basis, you improve your lungs’ ability to distribute oxygen to your organs and strengthen your heart so it pumps more blood throughout your body. Physical activity also decreases the risk for contracting viruses, especially during COVID-19. Studies confirm that people who exercise regularly are sick less, but also for fewer days.

Reduce stress level: When you exercise, your brain produces endorphins, which work as natural “painkillers”. Endorphins are responsible for feelings of relaxation and lowering body stress hormones such as adrenaline, which we all need at the moment. Morning exercises are great because they improve your mood and increase productivity throughout the day.

Keep fit while in quarantine: In order to keep physically fit during lockdown we have to watch what we eat, skip the junk food, and try to eat a balanced diet. Without any movement throughout the day, we all are going to face many health problems so it’s imperative for you to exercise daily for at least 25-45min.

Improve your sleep: When you exercise regularly you may notice that you don’t just feel better about yourself, but your sleep improves at night too.

According to The World Health Organisation, you can benefit from a more

While the quarantine does not prohibit people from going outside, those who do should still practice social distancing and adhere to CDC and local government guidelines when they head out to exercise. Below are a few great ways to take advantage of the outdoors!

• Dog Walking: Our dogs still need their daily walks, and this is a great opportunity to grab some light exercise for both you and your furry friend.

• Jogging: If you never really got into jogging, now is the time to try! Jogging can be vigorous or relaxing, depending on the speed and distance you prefer. It is a great way to get active and can be extremely rewarding the more into it you get.

• Cycling: People often go cycling in groups but it is just as fun cycling solo. Like running, it can be a very rewarding setting (then beating) personal distance goals.

Things are a bit different for people who prefer to work out indoors. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we don’t have access to a gymso we have to improvise. Fortunately, thanks to the internet, it is now easier than ever to work out at home using resources you can find for free online.

Whether you prefer going along with a YouTube video or following instructions from a Facebook or Instagram influencer, there is something for everyone. Here are a few popular exercises that you can easily do at home, even

with limited space.

• Yoga: There are plenty of online yoga classes, both free and paid. Some YouTube channels even offer complete playlists for beginners so this is a great time to start something new.

If you have never done yoga before it is good to know that there are many variations that differ in intensity. For example, yin yoga is slower and focuses on holding stretches, while vinyasa and ashtanga yoga is more intense.

• Pilates: Pilates is another very popular home exercise with plenty of online resources available. This form of exercise focuses on creating flexibility, balance, and a better posture by strengthening muscles. Again, there are many variations to Pilates and sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between Pilates and general aerobics and fitness exercises.

So, browse around for different online instructors or fitness plans and choose the one that best fits you.

• Steps: Have stairs in the house or apartment building? You don’t need a fitness step to get your steps in. If there are steep steps in a public area where you live, you can make use of them, too. Combining this with your routine jog will make for a great workout!

The Internet is full of fitness videos, apps, and guides, so no excuses!

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NETFLIX AND...

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Olivia Kurali is stuck on her couch

e’re into our fourth week of quarantine, and it doesn’t seem like we’ll be back at school anytime soon. Online school has definitely been keeping us busy, but with the upcoming spring break, we’ll be finding ourselves with plenty of time on our hands.

Most of us have already found a few methods to cope with boredom, and as we can see on Carlijn’s Cure for Boredom article, Netflix takes the top spot on the list. Unfortunately, all of this extra time means we’re speeding through episodes three times as fast, and are bound to end up spending ages mindlessly watching trailers. Fortunately, plenty of people have great recommendations on what to watch. Have a look through this list of shows, and your next binge might just be lurking around the corner. Just click on the title of the show to start your next one.

If you’re a fan of musicals, Glee has original music numbers each episode as well as plenty of addictive stories that deal with a variety of topics such as LGBTQ+ and mental health.

A Hasidic Jewish woman flees to Berlin from her arranged marriage in Brooklyn. It’s only four episodes but insightful and eye-opening.

A great show with 6 seasons worth of comedy while still being diverse and serious at the right times.

Even though we missed international day, you can still improve your home cuisine with this diverse cooking show featuring world class chefs.

A comedy series about a humanoid horse. What more do you need?

You might be more than okay with binging this supernatural coming of age show.

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BOREDOM BUSTERS Carlijn van der Weijst has done 9 out of 10

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magine being stuck at home for 24 hours a day for multiple weeks. Not having to go to school, not having to do groceries with your mother, not having to go on annoying and boring family trips. Ah imagine the fun of it all.

It has been over a week now since our whole lives were flipped upside down and all we were left with was boredom and the overwhelming sense that it was the beginning of the end. The next few weeks will be tough for everyone and what will follow is still unknown. All we can do is hope for the best.

With everything going on life can be a bit crazy and as we aren’t used to the way things are right now you probably tend to get bored quite easily. If you aren’t bored yet let me assure you, chances are within a week or so you’ll be bored out of mind that you may even consider playing some board games with your family. In order to prevent your mind from going crazy here are a few things you can do to cure your boredom.

We put a poll on our Instagram in order to see what most of you were doing during their time in quarantine.

The top 10 things the internet said you should do:

The top 10 things you guys said you did to kill boredom:

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Do yoga

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Netflix

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Write a poem/ journal

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Exercising

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Take a nap

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TikTok

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Listen to music

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Crying

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Write a letter to your future self

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Studying

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Cuddle with your pet (and if you don’t have one make your own pet :))

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Drawing/painting

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Gaming

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Start a blog •

Calling friends

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Rearrange your room •

Reading

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Try learning a new language •

Cooking

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Make a movie

Even though life seems like a movie right now the best thing we can all do is stay inside and focus on not falling asleep during online school. Times like these are crazy and when we’re older we’ll all be able to tell our children about the time where the whole world was scrolling through TikTok for 16 hours a day, and where everyone gained 20 kilos over a 4 week period.

Even though COVID-19 isn’t easy to cure, at least your boredom is.

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FAMILY FUN Chloe Uzoukwu is rediscovering her childhood

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hen I say that Disney Plus is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, I’m not exaggerating. We got it for a yearly subscription the day it launched (March 24) in Switzerland with a deal to get it for slightly cheaper and I am obsessed. If you need more proof of how popular and amazing it is, it has surpassed 50 million subscribers in the five months since its launch. This is a third of Netflix, and Netflix has been up and running for over a decade.

Disney Plus streams almost everything it produces, including all the original Disney movies and Disney Channel shows, Star Wars movies, Pixar movies, National Geographic and Marvel movies, with a few exceptions (I had the heartbreaking revelation that Spider-Man: Homecoming never has been and never will be on Disney Plus).

It is also a cheaper streaming option than Netflix. Disney Plus can, for a subscription of $6.99 (9.90 CHF), allow you ad-free streaming on up to four devices in high definition, whereas to do this on Netflix, you must get a premium subscription, for $15.99 (21.90 CHF).

As a user of both platforms, I have to say that for the moment, I am preferring Disney Plus, particularly because it provides for loads of movie nights for my family and I, considering that we generally have quite a young audience in the house.

For all those who have Disney Plus and have no idea what to watch, or for all those who are considering getting in but need examples of what can be found on it, below is what you’re all actually here for, my personal recommendations for the moment (it has only been two weeks after all). Fair warning, you will not find Star Wars in my recommendations because, and I apologize for all those that I offend with this, I honestly hate the series and physically cannot watch a Star Wars movie ever again.

RECOMMENDATIONS •

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Avengers: Infinity War: I have loved this movie since I saw it in the cinema, and I cannot express how glad I am that Disney Plus has made it available for me to watch whenever I want. This really good family movie will make you laugh at times and will leave you sobbing at the end (“I don’t wanna go Mr Stark” still hits different till this day).

Big Hero 6: This movie is heartbreaking, hilarious and inspiring and is one of the best Disney movies out there.

With its killer soundtrack and lovable characters, this is such a good movie to watch on your own or with your family and you could honestly re-watch it a hundred times more once you’ve seen it once.

Tangled: I re-watched this movie for the second time in two weeks two days ago, and I am still in love with every aspect of it: the characters, the story line and the songs.

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Although the movie can be sad at times, it will not leave you crying at the end, which is a nice change, to be honest. There are also numerous Easter Eggs and details you will notice every time you watch it, something else I love.

The Princess and the Frog: Not only does this movie introduce the best and most independent Disney princess, it is inspiring and extremely entertaining. It will make you laugh with its slightly disgusting jokes and moments and is a really good movie to watch with your family.

The Avengers: I don’t understand why I only watched this movie for the first time last week. I have to admit that there is something different that I adore about the original Avengers, and this movie is honestly amazing.

The connection between this movie and Infinity War also had me in shock for a couple of hours, I won’t lie.

Phineas and Ferb: You’re never too old for this show.

You will always love this show. I’ll just leave it there.

Thor: The Dark World: After Spider-Man obviously, Thor is the best Marvel character and no one can fight me on this. Although all three movies in the franchise are incredibly good and fought for this spot, I have to admit that this second one has to take the lead. It has a good balance of action and comedy, and overall such a good movie.

Lab Rats: I actually love this Disney Channel show, as do my sisters, although no one really knows about it.

It’s funny, really stupid and cringe at times (which adds to the likability) and I love the cast. Disney Channel at its best.

Captain America: Civil War: Maybe it’s because of the introduction of Tom Holland as Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I loved this movie. It’s the second time I’ve seen it and it did get a little bit old but I still love it and the couple probably still watch it a couple of times.

Hercules: I love this movie. It was the first movie I wanted to watch when I got Disney Plus as they took it off Netflix a couple of years ago and it took three days to get to it but I wasn’t disappointed. The way you get attached to these characters is similar to the way you do in every Disney movie, and they make you love and hate the villain at the same time, which I found kind of interesting.

He does give some really good guy advice though.

Honorable mentions: High School Musical, Mulan, The Lion King, Aladdin (Live Action), That’s So Raven, Liv and Maddie, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Doctor Strange, Frozen

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BANANA BREAD Reyna Guven knows what’s cooking

INGREDIENTS: Serving: 1 banana bread ◊

50g butter

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3 ripe bananas

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2 eggs

Cook time: 40 minutes

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150g sugar

Total time: 50 minutes

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180g all-purpose flour

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1 tsp baking soda

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1 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS: 1.

Preheat the oven to 175°C

2.

In a saucepan over low heat melt the butter.

3.

In a bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher

4.

Add the hot butter into the bowl with bananas and mix with a spatula until well combined.

5.

Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix until well combined

6.

Sift the flour and baking soda into the mixture. Mix until combined but do not overmix

7.

Line a baking sheet in a loaf pan and place the mixture in.

8.

Place in the oven and let it bake for 35-45 minutes.

9.

Place a toothpick in the centre, when it comes out relatively clean with very few crumbs it is ready to take out. (it is not underbaked as the banana bread is still hot and will continue to cook when removed from the oven).

10. Allow the banana bread to cool for 10-20 minutes and enjoy.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cuisine: American

TIPS ◊

Remove banana from the fridge 15 minutes prior to mashing as this will allow the bananas to soften. Making it a much easier process of mashing.

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You may add chocolate chips and walnuts to your desire.

This will make the banana bread even more delicious.

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If you do not finish the banana bread on the first day, wrap a paper towel around it and place it in a bread pantry or a room temperature environment. The banana bread will still remain moist and delicious even after 3 days.

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BOPS AND BANGERS Tanvi Anand

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