The Spear Magazine - Issue 02

SPEAR MARCH 2O21 - ISSUE 02

m a g a z i n e

REAL LIFE

HEROINES SEE THE AMAZING WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

HEAR THEIR STORIES DISCOVER THE HISTORY BEHIND SOME OF OUR SCHOOL'S MOST INFLUENTIAL FACULTY MEMBERS

Our Team EDITOR IN CHIEF / JOSE E. COPY EDITOR / REGINA R. DESIGNER(S) / EUGENE K., FEDERICO K., TEO B., LAURA C. SOCIAL MEDIA REPS / EUGENE K., TEO B. & ADDIE B. WRITERS FEATURES SECTION-LETTER TO THE EDITOR / BRUNELLA E. & SEUNG MIN B. POP CULTURE / ISABELLA C. & KENNY C. SPORTS / LAURA C. ENTERTAINMENT / MAXINE W. ART / SEUNG MIN B. & LAURA C. WORLD NEWS / PAZ L., EDUARD R., FEDERICO K., TEOHAN B. MAYA NEWS-COMMUNITY EVENTS / FEDERICO K. & EDUARDO R. TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES JAMIE D. REGINA R.

Contact us! thespearmagazine@cm.edu.gt

OUR TEAM

Colegio Maya de Guatemala Km 12.5 Carretera a El Salvador Santa Catarina Pinula

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EDITOR'S NOTE Wow. That’s really the main word that comes to mind right now. As I’m sitting here writing this second introductory letter. I’m truly blown away at the fact that this dream became a reality just a little over a month ago. I’m blown away by the incredible emails we got from you guys. I’m blown away by the great reception of our first issue. I’m blown away by the amount of effort put in by our team that in the end paid off. I was also blown away by how difficult it felt to get up and running for this second issue. You know, starting over after so much time spent on the first one. Well, here we are again, and we’ve got a lot to show you this month. But truly, a huge thank you to all of you who read the first issue, those of you who gave feedback, those of you who participated, and those of you who made this a reality.

After our launch, one of our main tasks was to dig into some feedback regarding our launch. One of the main areas we wanted to work on was in making our articles shorter. Secondary students have got a lot on their plate as is. Why would they want to read four-page articles? This is something we recognized even before our launch but didn’t have time to fix, so after getting some feedback from our community we decided to lean towards including more short articles, rather than a few long articles. We hope that this helps make our magazine more digestible, informative, and entertaining. Afterall, that’s what we want to accomplish.

Speaking of (more like typing of) things that are new this month, we have a new theme! This month our feature article, as well as a number of our other pieces will be highlighting amazing women, both on the international scene and within our own communities in honor of International Women’s Day. We decided on this theme because we believe it's massively important to give credit where credit is due; there are numerous amazing women within our community that deserve way more than simply being highlighted here in The Spear. Again though, in order to include a wider variety of content, as well as more content written by our community, not all of the pieces in this issue directly relate to this theme.

All of that being said, we all hope you enjoy our second issue of The Spear. Please contact us if you have any questions (about us, the magazine, our future, etc.) or if you are interested in joining or having a piece published in next month’s community features section. Truly, don’t be afraid to reach out if you’re interested in being part of our magazine. The more the merrier. Also, contact us even if you would like to offer some constructive criticism—it would be greatly appreciated. As Maya students we have been taught to constantly strive for improvement; after all, this magazine has the purpose of serving the whole Maya community, and hopefully promotes school spirit and community engagement.

Please contact us at: thespearmagazine@cm.edu.gt

EDITOR'S NOTE

JOSE E. EDITOR IN CHIEF

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THE SPEAR

CONTENTS SECTIONS

01 OUR TEAM Meet the group of students and teachers who created The Spear magazine.

02 EDITOR'S NOTE Welcome The Spear Magazine and its Editor in Chief, Jose.

As he initiated the magazine club, he has lead this group of students for the release of Colegio Maya's new magazine.

05 COMMUNITY STORIES

05

WARRIOR WOMEN

LEARN MORE ABOUT COLEGIO MAYA STUDENTS! 09 FEATURES Get the chance to read literature written by the Colegio Maya community!

18 WORLD NEWS Get to know more about our community's opinions.

20 OPINION

09

21

EXPLORE GREAT ARTIST SPOLIGHT LITERATURE WRITTEN Let's celebrate some of the

BY OUR OWN artists in Colegio Maya! Get to know more about their COMMUNITY! From poems, to personal essays, to narratives. Let's celebrate the amazing work Colegio Maya students and teachers have worked on!

CONTENTS PAGE

opinions and appreciate their art!

Get updated with current news stories and world wide events.

21 MAYARTS Meet our monthly Colegio Maya artists!

23 POPCULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT Stay up-to-date with today's trends, learn about new shows, movies, health tips, and more!

29 MAYA GAMES Relax and entertain yourself with personalized Maya puzzles!

SOURCES PAGE:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IcY1n_RZwgs4HQvtMWXS2icN ZbYBbVLFoYutjg19SKo/edit?usp=sharing

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HUMANS OF MAYA

Stories From Students For Students

COMMUNITY

BY JOSE E.

Modeled after the famous Humans of New York project, we at The Spear wanted to offer some insight into the more personal lives of some of the members of our community as well as being able to display their writing. The idea here is to have a collection of memoirs from our students and faculty showing the diversity in our community and to paint a picture of the broader Colegio Maya community. For these interviews no specific question was asked, rather participants followed a pattern similar to that established by the original Humans of New York project where they shared a short memoir relating to something—an event, a person, a characteristic—they believe is important to their identity.

First Interview (Kerry) “In elementary school, I loved soccer and being outdoors, but my physique did not reflect these passions. I remember that peers at school and bullies at church would single me out constantly because of how I looked. I felt excluded —as if I did not belong in a field.

There would be times where I questioned my eating habits, and I would even consider sticking two fingers down my throat to purposefully get rid of the food in my system. However, to my surprise at that time, my family and closest friends never said anything about my appearance; everyday with them felt like another regular day. In hindsight, I could not be any happier. I realized that eventually, through my support circle and love for being active, making myself suffer was not the solution. With ambition and lots of faith, I knew what I had to do to get where I am today. Possibilities are limitless.”

Second Interview (Jose) “My identity. It comes from my family more than anything. I’m the youngest out of four siblings: a little accident. Growing up I looked up to my siblings—basically more than anyone else. My greatest goal, whether I knew it or not, was to become just like them. Impossible—I know—but for as long as I remember that’s what I strived towards. They always joked You’re the brightest one out of all of us. You’ll be the one that provides for us when we’re older. I recognized they were jokes, but coming from some of the most influential people in your life, expectations like that can really screw with you.

It’s left me feeling sort of like a disappointment, like I always fall just short of what's expected, even if that's not the case. Just another thing to stress about.”

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WARRIOR WOMEN PART I

BY LAURA C. AND SEUNG MIN B. This is part one of a three-part series, where we explore the legacies of women who have made a permanent mark on Colegio Maya.

Our story begins in 1958 in a small residential house at the heart of Guatemala City. With eighteen students and two teachers, Colegio Maya was a tightly-knit extended family. As it grew and evolved and flourished, it settled itself in the mountainous city side, stretching its roots deep into the Mayan soil.

The first caps were tossed into the air in 1978 by the pioneering class, dressed proudly in white and blue. As the years went by, different faces, different cultures sang to Colegio Maya, forging a legacy that never runs dry.

These are the Warrior Women.

The architects of the Maya we call home.

They change our world, they point us north, and they inspire us to dare.

THE WOMAN OUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD Ms. Maggie Kayayan, who you probably know as MK, came to Maya in 1985. She worked on the second floor of the elementary building, teaching nine-year-olds for a few years, until she landed in the high school building as an English teacher. Guided by her love for photography and writing, she found herself spearheading her first yearbook with her journalism class, titled “Out to Change the World” (1997). With their bold-colored covers, cozy monochrome interiors, and heart-felt nooks and crannies, the yearbooks her classes produced were like perfectly executed oshibana pieces: immortalized timeframes of the moments they documented. These determined generations of journalists continued capturing and preserving life at Maya through their literary magazine, newsletter, and their timeless yearbooks. Forget Adobe Photoshop or Canva: they manually designed each and every inch of their books, sometimes taking pages back home to print and cut and paste and meticulously curate them together over the weekend. These works of art were then shipped to Texas, where they were scanned and sewn together.

If you get the chance, ask her about them; she’ll tell you all about their “truly incredible” work.

Even after 9/11, when the class felt the world they were out to change was falling apart, they pulled themselves together and produced a magazine issue in honor of the catastrophe in a matter of days.

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Now, like every great team, this one had its defeats. One year, a group of seniors took a handful of pages home to work on.

“So, where are the pages?”, MK asked when they came back to school, only to be met with faces of pure panic and terror.

“We don’t know.”

Half the yearbook: gone. Vanished.

Only to be found neatly stacked and in perfect condition in the cafeteria’s trash can.

True to the theme of her first yearbook issue, MK continues to guide and inspire students today as our college counselor, encouraging us to own our futures and shape the lives we want to live. From the 4th graders she first taught to the faculty she shares earl grey tea with (her favorite), MK is out to change our world.

MARGARET KAYAYAN

THE WOMAN WHO POINTS US NORTH After MK became the college counselor (2003), in came Ms. Tita Haeussler, marking a new era for the Colegio Maya yearbooks. Riding the early 21st Century’s technological wave, Ms.Tita brought new paddles to the yearbook team.

Enter: Photoshop and graphic design! These oars propelled them to none other than the fiftieth-anniversary issue: “The Making of a Classic”. Gold chamfered edges, elegantlystylized calligraphy, padded maroon cover—it really does live up to its name.

Twenty-three years and seventeen yearbooks later, Ms. Tita’s legacy ripples through Colegio Maya. Every day, she surfs the web with elementary students, instilling the values of responsible digital citizens; she steers the school’s online presence through the Colegio Maya website and social media; and she points NJHS students north as they navigate the challenges of leadership and service. In a world of tidal waves, riptides and tropical storms, Ms. Tita has taught us to look for the stars when we feel lost at sea.

TITA HAEUSSLER

COMMUNITY SECTION

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THE WOMAN WHO DARED Growing up is scary.

Growing up is not being tall enough to ride half the rides and being too tall to ride the other half.

Growing up is being told to color inside the lines but wanting to explore the outside anyway; it’s learning to recite “how do you do” and “nice to meet you” when all you want to say is “let’s play”; it’s being plopped into the thick of a maze with five different strings pulling you in every direction.

Growing up is a blur of shapes and colors, and faces and fears, and conquests and heartbreaks and letdowns and triumphs. And during these years, when it feels like the world turns itself upside down and inside out, having an anchor point, a single constant, can make all the difference.

Every single morning—no exceptions—there is a woman on the front steps of Colegio Maya. She passes out high fives and doughnuts and “Gooood morning!”s, and fills the brisk morning air with her infectious zeal. She hugs us and asks us how we’re doing and looks at every one of us like we matter, like we’re worth so much more than we know.

Colegio Maya was changed forever in 1999, when Dr. Sherry Miller became the school’s director and taught us the true meaning of our motto.

Maya was in great shape when Dr. Miller joined the team: with its tidy, well-kept classrooms, and its new tennis courts and gymnasium, the campus glistened in the afternoon sun.

To any visitor, the school would’ve looked like the perfect place to grow up. But Dr. Miller saw beyond Maya’s beautiful figure—she could see what was missing: a soul. So, having just settled into her place in the community, our spunky headmistress rolled up her sleeves, marched into the board facilities meeting room, and marched back out with the approval for the performing arts center that would become the heart of Colegio Maya.

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Our school grounds had undergone a heavy surgery only a year ago—when the sports facilities had been erected—so before cutting into it again with drills and shovels and excavators, Dr. Miller insisted on getting the land’s consent to disturb it once more. So she got a Mayan priest to come consult the ground.

In 2004, the PAFA was officially completed. It stood there, motionlessly alive: its beautiful brick pericardium and gently carpeted chambers softly pumping new warmth through the campus.

Four years later (2008), Maya said goodbye to its leading visionary by naming its vital organ after her. Even after she embarked on new adventures, Dr. Miller visited productions, graduations, and performances held at Maya’s myocardium. Today, Dr. Sherry Miller’s legacy runs through Colegio Maya’s veins in the form of the indispensable spirit she infused within us.

Growing up is scary. But Dr. Miller made Colegio Maya the kind of place where scary can be a wonderful adventure.

DR. SHERRY MILLER

NEXT MONTH: WARRIOR WOMEN PART 2

COMMUNITY SECTION

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FEATURES THE GLASS BOX

PERSONAL ESSAY BY EUGENE K.

I have a secret. A secret I know I can’t tell. A secret that can potentially ruin something so special. But a risk I am willing to take for someone I love. For someone that’s vulnerable. For someone who needs me to be there for them. I know that this secret has to be told, but I also know that it’s not the right time.

The Ghosts and The Wounds As I open my eyes, I wake up from this serene slumber and find myself between these glass walls. I am dumbfounded by the disorderly images that surround me. I can see these different lives, these people’s thoughts, their feelings, and their problems. I can see all of it. Even those I wish I had not.

Through each wall I see a different life, a different world, but somehow, each intertwines with the next. I don’t know who these people are, or where I am or what the hell is going on. I don’t understand why I was put into this box or how I got in here. I keep trying to focus and center myself, but all of this overlapping chatter and the events that try to overtake each other start to suffocate me. “Please help!” I scream. “Please let me out!” I shout, but I know no one can hear me. I can’t even hear myself.

I lay on the ground and close my eyes, trying to fall asleep and wake up knowing that this was all a dream. I try. I can’t. Now what?

I open my eyes and stare at the ceiling. I see this place that seems to be a room, and as I stare closer, in the midst of the darkness, I see a woman. She is beautiful. She seems so innocent and full of life, but so vulnerable. I could feel it. I just knew something was wrong.

I continue to look around and examine her environment. It all seemed to be normal. A bed, a dresser, a closet and some pictures on the walls. Then I realized, the pictures… I see this guy in almost all of them. Who is he? I wonder.

Then all of a sudden, the room disappears and I am no longer in the box. I’m standing in a street in the middle of the night. I look around, but it doesn’t seem to be the present. There are barely any buildings or cars around, but I knew where I was.

As I try to move, I notice that I can’t lift my feet off of the floor. I wrestled against the ground, but they were glued to the pavement. Out of nowhere, I hear music and I see a car approaching. I see some teenagers that seem to be from the 80s or 90s, and… I see the guy from the photos on the wall! I just stare at them as the car passes by, but then BOOM! Despite the red beaming light that stood above, another car races past it and slams into the other. As I witness the collision, I hear this white noise, this uncontrollable hissing and screeching roars that consume my mind. I can’t help but scrunch my eyes and press the sides of my head trying to make this madness go away. Then silence.

Now I’m at a funeral. I see the woman sobbing and mourning the death of the guy I had just seen in the accident. It seemed to be that she was with her parents, who were also grieving next to her. As I assembled the pieces together, I realized: he was her brother. He was only sixteen years old with a life that had so much potential, with a soul that was loved and loved others. A soul that did not deserve to be stolen. I could feel their pain, her pain in particular. I could feel my heart beating as if it was going to burn out of my chest. I could feel the numbness that this overwhelming agony expressed.

FEATURES SECTION

All of a sudden, I was back in the box. There were other stories, other worlds that were living alongside hers, but for some reason, I kept getting dragged by this overpowering force that came out of her.

For a moment, I just stare at her. I admire her grace, but I pity her frailty. As I observe her every move, I notice a wound. A wound she knew was there, but a wound she was eventually able to overcome.

Now I’m no longer in the box. This time, I see the woman in a car driving down a highway with a few of her friends in the back. Until the car in front of them stops. Not suspecting anything, she stops the car and waits for them to move, but then their doors open. A new darkness grew through her surroundings. Fear seized her and something alive stepped out of the vehicle. Panic rushes through her bones as the woman stares into the eyes of these ghosts. With the metal greyer than the darkness that surrounded them, laying right within their palms, ready to fire at any moment. These weren’t quiet ghosts. They approached them yelling, shouting profanities, swinging their rifles from side to side, but they didn’t want to rob them. They didn’t want their car, their money or their watches. They wanted their spirits. They wanted their souls. Their pure, untouched souls.

Her friend, next to her, terrified, yelled, shouting for help, was unaware of her fate. With their rifles on their foreheads, the ghosts landed bodily on their chests, and there they sat.

Breathing, pressing, and sapping them.

As her friend pushed and shoved, the woman just sat there. Just sat there feeling the weight that gradually got heavier, and the energy that slowly stole her soul away. Just sat there staring at nothingness, but feeling the numbness that took over her empty body.

Yes, she seemed numb, but at once, I sensed her pain. I could see it in her eyes. She wasn’t dead yet, but she had lost a part of herself, a part of herself she was never going to be able to take back.

At that moment, as I couldn’t escape that image of the woman’s look that exposed her lost soul, I realized that I was back in the box. She was still in her room, laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Then I noticed a second wound. A wound that wasn’t there before. A monstrous wound that evidently consumed her.

One she tried to conceal, but one that silently ate her alive.

Next to those two wounds, lay others. Small, but deadly. The darkness that I had seen back in the highway, that’s what I saw around her. Coming out of her, destroying her. That darkness formed these ghosts. These shadows. These beasts that haunted her for the rest of her days. She knew of their existence, but was oblivious to their power. Blind to the insects that consumed her mind, her body, her wounds.

Read the rest of her story here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11U7z05ShL b3PhiJgNTyPqSMW2uMzXfDGds-zpAhh0Ug/edit? usp=sharing

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LITERATURE FROM OUR (SPANISH) LITERATURE STUDENTS

BY JOSE E.

Students from the AP Spanish Literature course have been honing their literature analysis skills all throughout this year and have, in turn, also been able to improve their writing abilities. This course focuses on examining the evolution of hispanic society and literature through the analysis of a number of classic, widely known texts and through the investigation of historically relevant authors. However, there are also a number of poems the students have had to analyze and even attempt to mimic. Among these are sonnets, similar to those written by Garcilaso de la Vega and Luís de Góngora, as well as poems like those written by Gustavo Adolfo Becquer. Below are featured examples of each of these styles produced by students in the AP Spanish Literature class.

These students collectively decided to send in their poems to be featured in The Spear (rumor has it for extra credit), so we have compiled them here to allow you, the reader to experience all of the poems simultaneously and be able to compare and contrast the writer’s personal styles and themes.

Enjoy.

Rima I - La vida

Rima I - El tiempo

Mientras que el río esté alimentado y la lluvia bajando, mientras que la grama esté creciendo y el gran sol alumbrando, mientras que la luna luz esté dando y haya estrellas brillando; mientras que la miel al té está endulzando, ¡habrá poesía!

Mientras nuevas civilizaciones crezcan, otras viejas caerán; mientras hay avances tecnológicos, este mundo cambiará; mientras cambien nuestros sistemas previos a los nuevos sistemas; mientras crezca o caiga nuestro mundo, ¡el sol nunca se irá!

Mientras que las guerras están faltando y la armonía viva, mientras que la poderosa justicia invicta se mantenga, mientras que sigan creciendo las redes tejidas por arañas, mientras que el profesor esté ayudando, !habrá poesía!

Mientras se extingan nuestros animales, nuevas especies habrán; mientras se quemen los grandiosos bosques, árboles se plantarán; mientras se sequen los ríos y los mares, lluvia siempre va a haber; mientras no haya vida en el planeta, ¡el sol nunca se irá!

Mientras cambien y crezcan religiones, otras van a morir; mientras las culturas se vayan extendiendo, culturas desaparecerán; mientras los niños y las niñas crezcan, viejos ahora polvo serán; mientras la humanidad desvanece, ¡el sol nunca se irá!

Mientras que los gallos al amanecer cantando continuen, mientras que el criminal siga encerrado y libres los correctos, mientras que la tortuga esté protegida por caparazón firme, mientras que la fuente, agua escupiendo esté, ¡habrá poesía!

- MATHIAS - DAVID

COMMUNITY SECTION

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Un virus “pura lata”

Rima I - El colegio

Mientras tu existencia arruine todo lo que queremos hacer, mientras que no consigamos vacunas en este nuestro país, mientras que los tontos sigan sin usar sus simples mascarilla, ¡tan triste estaré!

No digáis que se acabarán las tareas por falta de temas; podrá no haber maestros; pero siempre ¡habrá tareas!

Mientras sigamos atendiendo a la escuela y leamos Rayuela; mientras sigamos aprendiendo nuevos temas y nos topemos con problemas; mientras existan estudiantes y principiantes, ¡habrá tareas!

Mientras no me dejes salir de casa, al cine con los “broders”, mientras no me dejes ver a mi abuela, pocos años le quedan; mientras no tengamos un “party loco” así, en serio loco, ¡tan triste estaré!

Mientras tengamos proyectos y por no terminarlos, pretextos mientras tengamos que estudiar para los exámenes porvenir mientras tengamos que aplicar a la universidad y en los ensayos demostrar nuestra creatividad ¡habrá tareas!

- RAFAEL

Mientras nos sigan dando clases por zoom, lo mismo todos los días, mientras escuche decir “sigues en mute” cada veinte minutos, mientras aún me duela la cabeza por todo ese “blue light”, ¡tan triste estaré!

- JOSE

Soneto para Guatemala Tu selva escondida del mundo.

Abrazada por tu rica cultura, escondida bajo de una pintura, con tu amor profundo.

Tu lluvia protectora que baña, con alivio descansa tu belleza.

Tu dulzura rodeada de pureza.

Eterna primavera que acompaña, la ceiba que protege colores fuertes.

Rodeada por esas históricas pirámides.

Rodeada por 288 exquisitos en vida y muerte.

Rima I de Estación Mientras que el sol se halle brillando y el clima esté dulce, Mientras los álamos de octubre boten las hojas como nubes, Mientras que la majestuosa cumbre de blanco se abriga, Vendrán las estaciones, ¡y habrá poesía!

- FRANCO

¿Es solamente eso lo que nos une? ¿La bondad que llena los corazones, desde la puesta de la luna hasta la bienvenida del sol?

- MARIANNA

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HISTORIAS CRUZADAS

BY BRUNELLA E.

Mi columna es la cordillera que me levanta en el día y que me condena.

Mi pellejo es hecho de cuero, me cubre contra el frío, me resguarda de la pena.

Mi nariz aguileña viene del cóndor ciego que pelea contra el frío, contra el odio del fuego.

Mis cabellos de oro y de sol, mis pestañas hojas largas de palmera.

En mi cara tú ves trazados dibujos, queridas líneas de una vida plena.

Y mi abdomen fruncido muestra la triste historia de mi apellido, de la divina gloria.

Mi manos de trabajador andante, mis piernas muy fuertes, hechas para el desarrollo, mis dientes de coca machacan, mi saliva que escupe y nunca muestra un simple resollo.

Mis ojos verdes color aceituna vienen de esos que al llevarse mi fortuna destruyeron todo aquello que habitó algún día mi lomo.

En ruinas, todo lo que fue bello;

Mi pies que recorren las miles de leguas en barcos navegantes no en busca de treguas.

Mis labios sellados color carnecí guardando secretos de lo que mordí.

Mi flor de loto resguarda por la virgen de aquellos que vienen de un pueblo remoto.

Los colores de mi pecho, los cabellos largos que se levantan en su lecho, mis curvas sensibles son montañas, manglares, son mis tierras antiguas, ancestrales.

Mis lágrimas, cuando un niño llora, vienen de los ríos que mi gente adora.

Mi flora, mi fauna, mi sierra, mi selva, mi costa divina, riqueza, su alteza.

Y voces de mis abuelos me gritan al oído y a los santos les imploran que los blancos se hayan ido.

Pero sus plegarias fueron ignoradas y asi las culturas fueron cruzadas.

En mi piel viven cicatrices de guerras perdidas, de batallas tristes.

Vive mi historia escrita, letra por letra, que mi boca lee y mi alma recita.

UNTITLED – BY STEFANIA C. Love yourself, Love yourself for your body, Do things for yourself not for anyone else, Smile, be happy, Love yourself for your own happiness, Surround yourself with people like you, love you and your soul, make a change for yourself, not for anyone else.

Be light in the darkness respect yourself, otherwise no one will, Love yourself and very much.

FEATURES SECTION

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A TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING

BY MS. ADRIAN

Distancing from my neighbors, physically, but drawing closer digitally, audibly, and olfactorily.

Closer to Mary-Frances, as we blow up each other’s phones: How are you? Do you need anything?

How is the puppy? My dogs miss our play dates.

Closer to Jacob’s tuba practice (wishing I wasn’t); the scruffle of Canche outside, pulling her owner to my door, snuffling at the edge to say hello to my boys; the swoosh of the brooms and mops sanitizing the halls.

Closer to the cooking all around, and clearly, one of my neighbors is just learning. Burnt heavy acrid smells invade my loft.

Distancing from the long commute, up winding twisting hills, cluttered with churches, chicken buses, and chuchos de calle.

From the shape of my desk, L’ed against a wall, like a corral, uncomfortable to enter, to leave, to stay.

From the smiles of my students, their hugs and laughter, their “Hi, miss” “Goodbye, miss” “Thank you, miss” “Can I go, miss?” “I need help, miss.” “Where’s our cookies, miss?” that make my pineapple room so sweet and tall and proud.

The way I know to teach has grown so distant. The screens throwing obstacles in the way.

Distancing from being just too darn busy.

From calendars full of events, obligations, and burdens.

Drawing closer to myself To moments of mindfulness and presence in the current action: Yoga, breathing in, out, in, out Sitting on my patio, teaching class Washing dishes, ready for the next meal Walking Mooch and Mustache, noticing the flowers, volcanos, and light breeze Cross stitching as the needle moves in and out of the fabric, pulling the thread where it leads To the peace within my own mind, no need to rush to the next thing, to run to the next thing, to drive to the next thing, to fight the next car, to do do do do To knowing I am enough, as is this moment.

Drawing closer to acceptance.

Drawing closer to joy.

Distancing from inner criticisms and too high expectations.

SER – MRS. BERNHARD Ser mujer Ser hija, hermana, prima Ser estudiante, profesional, maestra, empresaria Ser amiga, esposa, ser madre Ser humano Ser energía, sentimiento, pensamiento Ser vida Ser

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UNTITLED ANONYMOUS

Every story has both a beginning and an end, a great writer can make it so that you never saw the end coming in the first place, no matter what the outcome is, you weren't prepared, so that is where I think we will start this story, at the end, because when you learn more about the beginning, you'll question the ending just as much as I did.

I can’t carry my own kids. The End. Well, that's no way to begin a story, is it? I was 16 years old when I heard the words no girl should ever have to hear, you have Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a disease which means you were born without a uterus, and can’t have kids. September 12, 2020, one date I would remember for the rest of my life. I’m not writing this so people take pity on me, no, I don't need anyone's pity, I’m writing it to remember how I felt, in 10 years, when this is a normal part of my life, I want to remember how upset and scared I was, and how I thought my world was crashing down on top of me, because right now, it is. For the rest of my life, that's how it will feel, the sky is falling, and maybe one day, I’ll find an umbrella, and learn how to deal with the sky falling, but maybe not, maybe it'll just be a raw wound forever.

That was 6 months ago, and February 19 was MRKH awareness day. I wanted to write this article because many people don't know what MRKH is. 1 in 5000. That's me, out of 200,000 women in the world to be born without a uterus, I’m one of them. Wow, that's a big number right? So why haven't you heard about the disorder? Probably because it doesn't affect men, and reproduction isn't really talked about, even with as open as our society is today.

Oh, you can't have a kid, you must be so upset, well, for a while I was, then I began to come to terms with it, closing a door just opened a window. So here I am, 6 months after my diagnosis, trying to spread awareness in hopes that one day, I won't be told “wow you're so lucky” but instead, someone will want to have a conversation with me, and want to learn more.

"REMEMBER, WOMAN" – BY ETHAN J.K. Remember, Woman, you were born life giver, miracle creator, magic maker, You were born with the heart of a thousand mothers, open and fearless and sweet.

You were born with the fire of queens and conquerors, warrioress blood you bleed.

You were born with the wisdom of sages and shamans, no wound can you not heal.

You were born the teller of your own tale, before none should you kneel.

You were born with an immeasurable soul reaching out past infinity.

You were born to desire with passion, abandon, and to name your own destiny.

Remember, Woman, remember, you are more than you can see.

Remember, Woman, remember, you are loved endlessly.

Remember Woman, your power and grace, the depth of your deep sea heart.

Never forget you are Woman, divine, as you have been from the start.

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EMERGENCY EXIT

BY LAURA C.

Five months ago, I witnessed the tragic death of an eight millimeter film. I sat beside Dad in the living room, curled up under my favorite blanket, the warm smell of cellulose and the soft clicking of the projector wrapping around me like a hug.

I stared at our makeshift screen, in absolute wonder of the dozens of tiny photos rolling past my eyes each second, bringing Tintin and Snowy to life.

As Tintin scrambled up the mountain to escape from the evil sorcerer, a sizzling black blob materialized on his face and spread across the screen, swallowing him, Snowy, and the entire mountain range in one big gulp. My nose wrinkled and my eyes widened as the stinging smell of burnt plastic and the unmistakable crackle of flames corrupted the cozy atmosphere. Propelled by his instincts, Dad leapt to his feet to put out the fire, while I sat glued to my chair--paralyzed. Dread lit up in my hundreds of photographs unfolded before my eyeschest in a series of black and redmy flashes. and kindled through body. I stared at the screen, where the destruction of A few weeks later, I witnessed the combustion of an entire nation, when the coronavirus hit Guatemala and set the country aflame, like celluloid on fire. All around me, businesses shriveled, thousands of jobs smoldered, and hunger spread like wildfire. The virus spread, scorching everyone in its path, leaving a trail of death and disease. As I watched my homeland fall apart, I felt just as I had that day in my living room: utterly and unbearably impotent.

We were ordered to stow ourselves away from sunrise to sunset, and isolate from the outside. It wasn’t long before I began to feel claustrophobic in my own home and the walls I once saw as protection became my prison. At least it’s just temporary, I thought to myself. At least it’s just for now.

But March blurred into April, which turned into May, which evaporated into June in that terrifying way time blazes past when you’re confined in one place. A quarter of the year came and went and there was still no end in sight.

I yearned to get out of the cage this virus had trapped me in; I wanted out.

But there was no “out”. I felt powerless knowing that I didn’t have the means to pull apart the cage and free myself, and it daunted me. I couldn’t just sit and let the rest of the year escape me. I needed to find my own “out”.

One Saturday morning, opportunity—literally—knocked at my door, when Dad came into my room announcing a family meeting.

“Big news, everybody!” he said after I’d taken a seat next to my mom and sisters, who, judging from their expectant looks, had been sitting there for a while. “I have found a private, closed cinema whose owner will let us go and project movies on the weekends. I was thinking we could go and finally watch some of the stuff I have on film.” He paused, his dark eyes glistening like the lens on a projector. “What do you say?”

Ever since I can remember, Dad would tell me stories of his days as an actor and projectionist, describing the wonderful world of film in such detail, it almost felt like I had been there with him in the booth, watching stories unravel at 24 frames per second.

With every anecdote he told me about the magic of cinema had come a bittersweet pang of longing. I yearned to be a part of this world.

“Okay,” I answered quickly, “but only if you teach me to project.”

“Deal,” he grinned.

After everyone had gone back upstairs, I eagerly followed my dad down to the garage and into our storage room, expecting the dark, dingy, and dizzyingly humid room I remembered it to be, only to find it had undergone a complete makeover.

“You did this?” I asked, as my eyes slowly swept the room, taking in the tidy racks packed with film projectors, cameras, reels, and beautiful vintage machinery. I knew Dad owned a lot of film supplies, but I had no idea there was this much of it.

He proudly nodded, “I have a lot more in Spain, though; you’re looking at about half of my collection.”

“Okay, wow,” I blinked.

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“So, I was thinking we’d start with All Quiet On the Western Front,” he said to me, as he gingerly rummaged through a box of supplies and pulled out a dusty-looking reel.

He unwound a few inches of film and held it up to the light, squinting at the minuscule frames. I peered over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the frozen scene in his hands; a group of men huddled around a table, laughing. I couldn’t help but smile, too.

A week later, I prowled into an empty cinema, cautiously clenching four flat boxes containing thousands of rolled-up pictures that would come together to be the first of the many films I would project. We hoisted up the reels and set in motion the First World War. All around me, guns fired, missiles landed, and mines erupted as soldiers combatted fear, doubt, and starvation. At reel four, tears welled up in my eyes, as Paul reached for the butterfly that could only mean his final exit.

There really is something magical about watching movies on film; it creates a sort of warp, where time pauses and the air feels heavier, more alive. I press that green button and everything—the chaos and the restlessness and the frustration—dissipates. The reels spin into motion and light dances out of the projector, slicing across the darkness with a soft glow. As I sit down, the wall lights up and transforms into a portal: a window to any place or time.

The title takes shape and the movie starts, and I’m no longer in COVID-infested Guatemala: I’m galloping through the Wild West, lassoing down criminals; tracing fingerprints with Sherlock and Watson in Victorian Era London; or swinging through the jungle, hollering my lungs out with Tarzan. The blacks and whites turn to technicolor in my mind as relief and exhilaration bubble up inside of me. There’s this feeling of endlessness rising in my chest, threatening to overflow. My body is still in my chair, but I’m miles away. The reels keep spinning and my heart keeps pounding and the feeling keeps rising and then it’s over.

The credits roll. I hear the tail of the film roll flapping around loosely in the spinning reel. My consciousness floats back to reality, back to my chair, back to Guatemala, 2020, where viruses roam and doors are kept shut. I press the red button and the flapping is silenced.

But something’s different. The feeling is still there, flickering around inside me, like a feisty little flame. I’m no longer trapped or secluded, I'm boundless and unbound.

I’m out.

ESOS BRAZOS TAN FUERTES Y VALIENTES

BY EUGENE K.

Esos brazos, tan fuertes pero delicados que tiene. Tan diligentes y valientes. No solo han pasado por los logros obtenidos por el arduo trabajo, pero también por la agotadora oscuridad de la vida.

Nacida de una familia que producía arroz en Corea del Sur en los viejos tiempos, rica y con autoridad, con cinco hermanas y tres hermanos. En aquella época, los hijos eran valorados, los hijos eran los que comían en la mesa con el padre, los hijos eran los únicos con la autoridad de hablar. Pero no. No en su casa. A pesar de tener tres hermanos, ella era la única que se sentaba con su padre, con sus hermanas y hermanos en el otro cuarto con su madre. Líder de la casa.

Con esos brazos tan generosos y delicados, lo ofrecía todo a su pueblo. Siendo la hija de la familia más afortunada del pueblo, abría todas las entradas a su casa y usaba esos brazos para ofrecer comida a cualquiera que lo necesitaba. Líder de la bondad.

Los hermanos deben proteger a sus hermanas. ¿Verdad? No. Al menos no en este caso. Con los brazos valientes que cargaba, ella era la que los protegía. Si cualquiera molestaba a uno de sus hermanos, todos los del pueblos sabían que ella llegaría. Líder de las calles.

Esos brazos mostraban lo saludable que era, lo dominante que era. No solo las usaba para ganar en las calles, pero también para ganar en la cancha. Dominaba la pelota. Canasta tras canasta. Líder de la cancha.

Esos brazos no solo eran firmes, sólidos, pero también listos. Es muy competidora. No solo en las calles, no solo en la cancha, pero en las clases. Con esos brazos, con esas manos, estudiaba hasta que le saliera sangre de la nariz. Teniendo que asegurarse que ganaría, que sería la más lista. Líder del estudio.

A pesar de toda esta vida de logros, se fue. Lo dejó todo atrás, rechazó su herencia, y decidió empezar de cero. Fue duro salir y vivir una vida a la que no estaba acostumbrada. Los obstáculos que ha tenido que pasar son incontables. Con esos brazos tan fuertes y valientes, tuvo que abrazar a su hijo al que tuvo que decir adiós.

Pero siendo la mujer que es. Con esos brazos tan fuertes y valientes, ha llegado a este momento. Mostrando los logros espectaculares a los que ha podido llegar sola después de haber abandonado su previa vida. Mostrando lo admirable de una mujer que es. Liderando de nuevo.

Sigue siendo lo fuerte y valiente que siempre ha sido.

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IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME

BY MS. BOEHM

I stared at the bus schedule, laminated and taped to the signpost marking the bus stop, but it remained stubbornly inscrutable. I had learned to read Greek letters passably well— well enough to read maps and signs, anyway —but bus schedules in every language are stubbornly inscrutable.

An elderly gentleman who had been on the previous bus with me turned his eyes my way. He did not look like a kindly old grandfather. He looked like the type of actor Hollywood casts to play retired mobsters: tough, with hardened eyes and a stocky build, like he was a boxer once upon a time and knew how to throw a punch, or at least an insult. My heart skipped a beat—was I doing something wrong? was there an unwritten rule about blocking the sidewalk?—and then he smiled and offered help.

I assume he was offering help, since he asked something that sounded like a question and then nodded while I kept repeating, "Pella?" in a hopeful tone. He nodded, then promptly turned his back on me and walked away.

When I hesitated, he stopped, sighed with impatience, and waved at me to follow him.

Wandering the streets of a small town with no idea where I was going was not the only time I found myself wholly dependent on the kindness of Greek strangers. My trip from the foothills of Mount Olympus, in northern Greece, to the more touristfrequented southern regions involved five bus transfers, and at each stop I was carefully passed on to a new shepherd, who dutifully ensured that I got on the right bus and carefully transferred custody of the hapless American a new steward. I just kept mispronouncing the Greek for thank you until I got to Athens.

But on my trip to Pella I was not yet accustomed to the casual and seemingly infinite generosity of my hosts. My elderly guide stopped abruptly in the middle of a non-descript block, in front of a pharmacy and across the street from a bank. We stood in the hot sun just long enough for me to wonder whether, in fact, he had understood my intentions or whether we had just taken a nice constitutional together, when the bus glided to a halt in front of us with a hiss of brakes. Oh ye of of little faith, I muttered to myself.

A quick conversation in Greek ensued, with much nodding of heads and jerking of thumbs in my direction. I paid the fare, or whatever amount of money the driver chose to charge me, and took a seat halfway down the bus. As we chugged out of town, I figured that if I never found the ancient city of Pella, I was at least enjoying a scenic ride through the countryside: pale greens crept along the rolling foothills, sprinkled with the myriad and abundant wildflowers of the Grecian spring.

Jolting me out of my reverie, the bus pulled off onto a dirt road next to an empty parking lot. "Pella, Pella!" all the riders cried, all looking in my direction. I smiled and stood up. The bus driver stopped at an intersection on the highway, caught my attention in the mirror, and started to explain—something, patiently: “ελληνιδα ελληνιδα ελληνιδα.” My eyes widened in panic and my heart started pounding as I tried to remember how to say, “I don’t speak Greek!” But before I could, a young woman halfway between me and the bus driver stood up and started to translate his directions: “ελληνιδα…” “Down this road…” “… ελληνιδα…” “…turn left on the dirt driveway where the fence is…” “…ελληνιδα” “…that's where the museum and the ruins are.”

I disembarked onto the dusty road and started walking, muttering to myself, “Down the road, left on the dirt driveway, can't miss it.” The overwhelming sensation of being watched weighed on the back of my neck. I turned around and saw that the bus hadn't moved. Every single passenger was avidly watching my progress, and, seeing me pause, they all waved and pointed with encouraging smiles. I waved back; satisfied that they had delivered me safely, the bus and its passengers rolled on.

How disappointed they all would have been to find out that, when I finally arrived, the museum was closed.

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WORLD NEWS WOMEN'S ENVIRONMENT SPOTLIGHT

BY TEOHAN B.

Lakshmi Menon Menon, an Indian entrepreneur, has found a sustainable way to deliver Covid Mattresses to her hometown; her company, “Shayya”, converts PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), which can be rewashed and sold for cheap, into beds for patients. An increase in Covid Cases has resulted in limited hospital availability and an ever increasing need for mattresses. Menon’s invention, which has already been featured in prominent news sources such as Bloomberg and the World Economic Forum, has the potential to go world wide and significantly alleviate this issue.

Nzambi Matee Having noticed the excess waste of plastic by Kenyan factories, entrepreneur and material-engineer, Nzambi Matee has devised a clever, sustainable alternative- plastic bricks. Although this idea may initially seem ludicrous as plastic cannot withstand environmental conditions, Matee’s bricks are actually stronger than concrete. Her company Gjenge Makers, won the Young Champion of the Earth 2020 Africa award at the United Nations Environment Program.

Tiila Abbitt The cosmetic industry is known for its unethical abuses of animals and the environment. In turn, Tiila Abbitt, former head of product development at Sephora, decided to quit her job and pursue her start up, Aether Beauty, with the intent to offer 100 % organic, sustainable, and cruelty-free beauty product formulas. In 2020, Āether Beauty was granted a year Eco Beauty Award by Byrdie.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LAWMAKER WANTS TO PASS A LAW BANNING TRANS WOMEN PLAYING IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

BY EDUARD R.

The “Save Women’s Sports Act”: In February, South Carolina representative Ashley Tranham announced her backing up of a bill that would ban transgender women from joining and competeing in Women’s middle and high scool sports teams. She states that “allowing a transgender woman competing on a woman’s team would be absolutely taking opportunities away from women”. This bill is called the “Save Women’s Sports Act'', or H3477. This bill added to the huge debate that is currently happening in the media.

Community director Ivy Hill is one of the main people opposed to the bill, and replied by saying Trantham’s stance is “dehumanizing”.

So, what are both sides of the debate? On representative Tranham’s side, the main argument is that transgender women are biologically still male. This means that any trans woman competing in women’s sports will have a biológical and physical advantages over any competitor due to natural advantages like higher muscle mass and higher average heights.

Rep. Trantham said that fighting for this bill started when the Biden administration signed an executive order in the beginning of 2021, allowing transgender people to be able to compete on any sports team they wanted to. Trantham says that she isn’t doing this from a place of prejudice, saying that she’s been “blessed to work with trans youth at her church”. She says that she’s doing this because allowing this executive order would impact the girls and women in sports teams negatively.

When asked of this she said, “It’s not that I’m not compassionate about what they’re going through. But I would also point out, we have to think about how this is going to impact our girls. I mean they have to be able to have a level playing field and we just know based on the science that when we allow biological males to compete with our girls that we’re taking away that opportunity,”, Trantham is a mother of daughters who played in high school sports that have received athletic scholarships and worries whether future girl athletes will have the same opportunities and chances of success as her children did. She says that this would make that glass ceiling many women have worked so hard to break, move further up and be replaced with titanium. Many people nationwide support her stance, agreeing with her on her statement that girls would be losing even more opportunities if this were to happen.

your muscle mass and all of that,”director Hill commented. She says that trans youth already face a greater risk for suicide, depression, and anxiety. Sports are an outlet for some of them and taking that away would be terrible for them mentally. She even goes on describing this bill as “shameful”, saying that knowing that they are already a vulnerable part of our society and still choosing to further exclude them is terrible. A physician that works in a pediatric intensive care unit comments that she has personally seen the real-world impacts that isolation and depression have on trans youth. “I personally have seen multiple suicide attempts and completions by our trans youth related to the profound pressures that are on them.

They do not need any more discrimination” the physician said.

A study in 2015 concluded that 82% of trans adults had suicidal thoughts; iIt's Hill’s desire and hope to break this cycle. Their privacy is another concern, director Hill mentions. This is due to that fact that this bill would essentially out any trans woman who might not be comfortable with sharing details about their bodies.

On the other hand, the argument director Hill is making is that this is both discriminatory and offensive. Hill continues by saying that lawmakers shouldn’t be making claims like this because these statements should be left for medical professionals to make. She further argues that this is very impactful for the happiness of trans youth. “You’re telling them that they’re not really a woman even though they are. And your body changes when you transition. Those things...they change This issue and debate seems only to be getting more complicated and widespread. How can we come up with a way where everyone benefits?

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OPINION What's Going On, Joe?

BY TEOHAN B.

January 20, 2021- a day which signaled the end of a debatably fascist regime and some-what returned our faith in humanity after an arduous year. Joe Biden’s inauguration marked a significant shift in the United States’ direction in terms of human rights, environmental conservation, and international relations. For one, it has continuously increased the number of administered vaccines by the million every day- a combination of adhering to, and promotion of CDC Covid-19 guidelines has put the US in a position to reach a major breakthrough in its herd immunity. Additionally, Biden has published an Executive Order “protecting the environment and restoring science to tackle the climate crisis,” has signed an “executive action temporarily prohibiting leasing land for fossil fuel drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” has reenacted protections for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, and has rejoined the Paris agreement. All in all, not bad for the administration’s first month; yet, Biden has also taken unexpected actions leaving voters cynical of his ulterior motives.

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Biden dismisses the Uyghur genocide China’s predominantly homogeneous society has left ethnic minorities in the country's outer banks vulnerable to measures attempting to reduce the likely-hood of seperatist movements. In turn, China has taken them to an inhumane extent by forcing Uyghurs into camps with reported labor, rape, abuse, and even vaccine testing. Indeed, satellite evidence of camps and other leaked documents have gone hand in hand with these accounts. Although minimal change has occurred, the entire world- even Trump- has stood up against this persecution. When asked about the ongoing gencoide in a CNN interview, Biden stated that “The central principle of Xi Jinping is that there must be a united, tightening control in China, and he uses his rationale for the things he does based on that. I point out to him, no American president can be sustained as a president if he doesn’t reflect the values of the United States, and so the idea that I’m not going to speak out against what he’s doing in Hong Kong, what he’s doing with the Uyghurs in western mountains of China, and Taiwan, trying to end the One China Policy by making it forceful, I say – and by the he says – he gets it.” He later reiterated the same belief stating that “culturally there are different norms in each country and their leaders are expected to follow”- who knew genocides adhered to Chinese cultural norms.

Although this could be interpreted as a “power move” by Biden to better US-China trade relations, the extent to which human rights are being violated do not outweigh the mere potential economic benefits. Additionally, it could be argued that Joe Biden has preached for the equal treatment of LGBTQ and other minority groups simply to gain voter support. Regardless, a once crystal clear agenda has been significantly hindered by 85 words.

Biden averages 902 deportations per day Earlier this year, Biden promised to halt deportations for his first 100 days in office and has advanced pro-immigrant sentiment. Accordingly, key democaratic figures, such as AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and others, have repeatedly used rhetoric as “concentration camps'' to describe ICE centers. Not only did the Obama administration build these camps and cages, but it is insanely hypocritical how they are now being referred to as “influx centers'' by the Left now that Biden, not Trump, is opening them.

Additionally, having averaged 902 deportations per day since his inauguration, Biden has broken his overarching promise. “The memo is a disappointing step backward from the Biden administration’s earlier commitments to fully break from the harmful deportation policies of both the Trump and Obama presidencies,” says Naureen Shah, an American Civil Liberties Union senior advocacy counsel. Once again, this gives leverage to the claim that Biden has used human rights as a tool to gain voter support.

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MAYARTS

MAYArts Society

ARTISTS OF THE

SARAH N.

MONTH

BY SEUNG MIN B.

This is Sarah’s first year at Colegio Maya, but she has already been an active member of theatre on-campus (or better, onZoom). In addition to playing the role of Gina Marie in the virtual play Bad Auditions on Camera, she was the marketing coordinator as well. As a fellow actor myself, I am always interested in learning more about why people decide to give it their all on-stage, in front of a group of people they largely don’t know: What is your background in performing art?

“At my old school, elementary students are part of an end-ofyear production. In my fifth grade year, I realized I really enjoyed acting and performing on-stage. In sixth grade, I had the opportunity to watch a Broadway production and was completely amazed. While I really wanted to participate in plays in middle school, I was too scared. But when I was in ninth grade, I realized if I wanted to do this, I should start now — so, I just went for it. My background mainly consists of school productions as well as traveling to other schools to compete and participate in festivals.”

Being an actor is no easy task! Who has inspired you or is a role model for you?

“My parents have been a great pillar of support for me. They have always made it clear that they will support and encourage me in whatever I want to pursue. This has really inspired me to continue working even harder.

If I had to pick a role model, I’d say Emma Pfaeflle is someone I look up to. I watched her in Finding Neverland and got her signature on my Playbill! Not only is she a great actor, she works really hard to be an activist.”

Lastly, do you have any advice for new (and potential) artists?

“If you’re interested in performing arts, go for it!

Remember that you’re not trying out for Broadway tomorrow. If there’s a play going on in your community or school theatre, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to audition. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t get the role, and that is a chance for you to work on refining your skills.”

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ELIAS G.

MAYArts Society Of the many things I reminisce about pre-pandemic life is high-school band class. During transition, laughter and murmuring was shadowed by the screams and squeaks the myriad instruments made, with the occasional squeal deafening all our ears. As a trumpet player, I always sat in the back row, closest to the loudest of them all: our percussionists. While we often envision concert-band percussions to include a drum set, a triangle, cowbells, and other rhythmic instruments—which we of course had—we also had a bass guitarist that plucked the beat into our hearts. Elias is a current sophomore and began playing the bass guitar only a year and a half ago, but his fast adaptability and consistent practice made him an integral part of our ensemble: If you could produce music with any musician (living or dead), who would it be?

It would probably have to be Freddie Mercury.

He was incredibly talented, had an insane and vibrant personality, and I would absolutely love it if he would be brought back to life so that I could collaborate with him on a project—that would be a dream.

What sparked your interest and how did you go about pursuing it?

To be entirely honest, I am not sure. I do recall getting bored of playing the trumpet and simultaneously began to realize how much I loved music with guitar in it, so I figured I would really like it.

Basically, I really liked the sound of guitar, and here I am. I almost exclusively taught myself, using online resources and YouTube videos as a guide. From time to time, I would get pointers from more experienced guitarists.

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Do you sing in the shower?

Yes, absolutely. I am not a confident singer, but in the shower, I have full-on concerts.

Although it depends on how I’m feeling, I often sing “The Longest Time” by Billy Joel.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

I would just like to tell everyone that it will be hard at first, but if you put your mind to it and put in the hard work, you will definitely get the payoff. Sometimes, it may be difficult because you just see other people who are super talented, but you can’t let that discourage you! Remember that if you are not willing to go through the work, you won’t move forward.

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POPCULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT 8 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATIONS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT

BY EUGENE K.

1. WOMEN'S GLOBAL EMPOWERMENT FUND This organization strives to support women through economic, social and political programs, allowing them to create opportunities, while also addressing issues such as inequality, and the strengthening of families and communities. Their strategy is to provide women with the necessary tools and resources to be able to build their own opportunities for themselves and their families. They basically want to facilitate the sustainable development and empowerment of these women’s lives. The fund has different types of programs that tackle diverse issues, such as literacy, microfinance, leadership, agriculture, etcetera, and provide multiple donation and volunteering opportunities as well.

2. CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS This organization focuses on the use of law in order to provide fundamental human rights to women across the globe.

They believe that every member is equal in this society, and every woman should be free to decide what to do with their own bodies. Since 1992, they have had attorneys use legal and human rights tools to support women in national courts, United Nations committees, and regional human rights bodies. Moreover, they also try to influence the law outside of the courtroom by documenting abuses, working with policymakers, and teaching about reproductive health and human rights.

You can check out their website at: https://beta.reproductiverights.org/

You can check out their website at: https://wgefund.org/

3. GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN Over the past 30+ years that this organization has been working, they have provided critical funding to grassroots women-led organizations and over time have supported other groups that have the same values and priorities as them.

Currently, they have shifted their focus into supporting gender justice movements and providing them funding depending on their needs. In fact, they have chosen to fund movements, as research shows that “broad-based social movements” are one of the most effective ways to create sustainable, long-term change.

You can check out their website at: https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/

4. GIRL UP Girl Up has developed numerous leadership development programs to inspire a generation of girls to be a force for gender equality and social change. So far, they have impacted 75,000 girls through 4,000 clubs in nearly 125 countries and 50 U.S. States. This is an organization founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, where they have worked globally to create safe schools, increase girls’ education opportunities, provide access to health services, and boost female leadership.

You can check out their website at: https://girlup.org/

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5. CREAMOS FUTUROS Creamos is an organization that helps women working in high-risk jobs get an alternative form of income and enhance their skill set. They also foster emotional support by creating a safe space for women, and own an education program that assists and accommodates students’ daily stressors and responsibilities in Guatemala. They were originally founded as a social entrepreneurship initiative that offers safe and dignified income-generating opportunities for mothers of children within Safe Passage, a Creamos parent NGO, which was founded in 1999 with the aim of helping children break out of the cycle of poverty through education and life skills. Additionally, they have shop services where they sell women-made, hand-made products that will support these womens’ businesses, and a donation option for further support.

You can check out their website at: https://www.creamosfuturos.com/

6. ASOCIACIÓN DE MUJERES DE GUATEMALA (AMG) AMG is a non-governmental, feminist organization in Guatemala inititated

by Guatemalan refugee, displaced and migrant women residing in Spain.

Their main focus is to identify ways to make serious violations of women’s human rights, especially in Guatemala and Latin America, known internationally and assumed as a global responsibility. They work with public and private social entities in favor of the prevention, punishment and eradication of all forms of violence against women. For this reason, one of their main activities is the denunciation and visibility of femicides. They are committed to the social presence of women and their inclusion in cultural, political and economic spaces. Thus, they detect and announce situations of inequality and social injustice that prevent their empowerment and their full right as citizens. Likewise, they promote synergies that drive and encourage viable and sustainable initiatives aimed to contribute to real and effective equality.

You can check out their website at: http://mujeresdeguatemala.org/

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7. TIME’S UP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND This organization has been created in order to support women battling the issue of sexual harassment within the court by providing them with legal assistance. A lot of women are afraid to speak up about these issues and experiences due to the personal and professional consequences that come with it, making them fear speaking out, and instead staying quiet. On top of that, legal help can be costly. Therefore, people are able to seek justice through the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, and look into finding solutions on inequality and injustice in the workplace through Time’s Up Impact Lab. You can check out their website at: https://timesupfoundation.org/

8. WOMEN FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL This organization mostly focuses on regions where inequality is prevalent, and they especially emphasize women survivors of war and conflict. They teach them ways and skills to be able to rebuild their lives, their families, and their communities. “Together, they learn to save, build businesses, understand their rights, improve their health, and change societal rules.” So far, they have mostly been working within 8 countries, including Iraq, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With the help of supporters, they have been able to use the investments to help rebuild their lives from the ground up.

You can check out their website at: https://www.womenforwomen.org/

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WOMEN WORTH WATCHING

GLOW (16+)

Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling: The title says it all, set in the 80’s, this knockout of a show has three seasons and follows the path of a struggling actress turned female wrestler. With an I think we can all admit that over the past year, we’ve watched a incredibly diverse cast, witty dialogue and struggles that many lot of Netflix. From Elite to Tiger King to Gossip Girl, we’ve women face to this day, GLOW has quickly become one of my seen it all, but how many of these shows have had strong female favorite shows. Not to mention it has an incredible soundtrack. leads? Probably none, unfortunately female characters are often portrayed as needing a savior, or second to a man. These characters' voices and behaviors have not been properly depicted GIRLBOSS (16+) and are very far from reality. As a result of having insane This was hands down my favorite quarantine binge, with each amounts of extra time on my hands this summer, I did a bit of of the 13 episodes lasting about thirty minutes, I’m more than research into shows on Netflix with strong female characters as a little bit ashamed to say that I finished the entire show in a the lead. Here are some of the shows that I binged as soon as they day. The show follows the founder of one of my personal favorite brands and the now world famous “Nasty Gal.” Her came out and couldn't wait to share with my friends and family. fight to the top of the surprisingly competitive world of reselling and reworking vintage clothes makes for a good THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT (16+) weekend binge.

One of the many shows that Tik Tok couldn't stop raving about this summer, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, winner of the Golden Globe for “Best Actress in a Mini Series.” This series tackles chess, addiction and competition in a man's world. Based on the novel by Walter Trevis, The Queen's Gambit follows the path of Beth Harmon, a young orphan who discovers both a passion and a talent for the game of chess. As she grows up and hones her chess skills, she is placed on a collision course with two of the highest ranked male chess players, and must fight her way through competitions to prove that she belongs in the male dominated chess world.

BY ADDIE B.

THE CROWN (16+) If you don't subconsciously switch to a British accent after watching this show, you're doing it wrong. The only thing more fascinating than the Queen of England at 94, is the Queen at 24.

This series follows the young Queen’s path to the throne after her father’s death in 1952. Mystery, scandal, romance, political rivalries and adventure await in each episode

SELF MADE (13+) While I haven't had the time to watch Self Made, it's been on my list since it came out in March of 2020. This series follows Sarah Breedlove, known to the world as C.J. Walker on her journey from laundress to the world's first female African American millionaire. Madam Walker made beauty products more accessible for young African American women. In the past, women of color usually made their own products, so having hair products tailored specifically for them was an inspiration about what is possible if you put the effort in.

UNBELIEVABLE (16+)

Yet another title that has sat on my list for ages, while I’m a sucker for a good true crime show, this one is a bit extreme.

Inspired by a true story, this limited series follows several female characters as they work to solve a sexual assault case, previously dismissed by the police force.

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BREAKING BOUNDARIES: LUCILLE BALL

BY ISABELLA C.

Lucille Ball was an American woman best known for playing Lucy in I Love Lucy. Lucille was also known for breaking barriers for women in the entertainment industry. Her most popular genre of television was comedy.

Lucille was born August 6th, 1911 in Jamestown, New York.

GIRL POWER COMIC STRIP by MAXINE I.

Lucille knew that she wanted to be on stage ever since she was 12. She enrolled in so many acting classes that by the age of 14, her mother enrolled her in John Murray Anderson School for the Dramatic Arts, located in New York. She was taught by a couple of famous teachers, and one of her classmates ended up being a future Hollywood superstar, her name was Bette Davis. Lucille showed no interest in school, making her teachers think that she lacked talent.

Ball didn’t believe them so she started working as a model in 1932, but she stopped because she couldn't keep up with the work. In 1933, Lucille moved to California. And for the next few years, she had small roles in a couple of motion picture movies. During this time, Lucille also worked at a theater, to earn some extra cash. While working there, she met a Cuban actor named Desi Arnaz, who she later dated, married, and casted as Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy.

I Love Lucy aired in 1951. Lucille produced the series based around her marriage to Desi Arnaz. The show was instantly a hit! Critics loved the hilarious episodes and seasons. The show ended up winning over 20 awards, five of them being Emmys. Lucilles’s show ended up staying on air for over 6 years, and several spin-offs were created. The show was created by Lucille and Desi’s own production company “Desilu Productions''. Desilu productions not 2only created I Love Lucy, but they also made hit television shows like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Star Trek. Unfortunately, Lucille and Desi got divorced in 1960. When the marriage ended, Desi sold his half of Desilu to Lucille. Making her the first woman to have a large film making company.

Even though Lucy and Desi got a divorce, they stayed as great friends. They were great co-parents to their kids Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Junior.

Lucille kept working at Desilu, she made smaller productions. She retired in 1974, and unfortunately passed away in 1985. Lucille has broken so many boundaries for girls and women, especially in the film industry. She created such an amazing impact all over the world! You can watch I Love Lucy on Hulu (with a subscription), or on CBS online for free!

PABLO HASSEL'S ARREST CAUSES PROTEST

BY PAZ L.

The Catalan rapper, Pablo Hasél, was arrested in the University of Lleida (Lleida), in northeastern Catalonia, Spain. Hasél was arrested because he was accused of terrorism and insulting the Crown of Spain in a song. He is sentenced to spend time in prison. In 2014, he was judged because of a song where he defended and supported various terrorist groups, such as ETA, Terra Lliure and Al Qaeda. He was released as he didn’t have any antecedent and the sentence was less than two years. Later, in 2018, Hasél tweeted about terrorism and insults against the Spanish Crown and was sentenced to nine months of prison. Because of the sentence from 2014, he accumulated two years and nine months and that’s why the police wanted to arrest him.

People were protesting in Barcelona because they are claiming that the arrest is a violation of human rights and goes against freedom of expression.

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CORRIENDO POR MI VIDA

BY LAURA C.

El bebé normal da sus primeros pasos a los nueve meses de edad.

Resulta asombroso verle mover sus piernas lenta y vacilantemente, hasta que aprende a tomar un rumbo concreto. A medida que van creciendo, van acelerando y recorriendo distancias cada vez más largas, hasta que alrededor de los dieciocho meses comienzan a correr.

Yo no fui un bebé normal.

Había empezado a caminar cuando dos cirugías me cortaron el ritmo. Primero fue una invaginación. Tenía nueve meses y aunque yo ya no me acuerde, mis padres me siguen contando de lo traumática que fue la experiencia. Me cuentan de cómo al regresar del hospital, yo—un bebé alegre, rebosando de energía— ya ni sonreía. Ni mucho menos caminaba.

Unos pocos meses después, cuando parecía que por fin me había recuperado de aquella primera operación, ocurrió la segunda tragedia: jugando con el mantel de mesa durante una cena familiar, hice caer una tetera recién salida de la estufa, derramando agua aún en ebullición sobre mi delicado antebrazo izquierdo. Y, ¡otra vez al hospital!

Cuando por fin di mis gloriosos primeros pasitos, ya tenía casi dos años. Iba atrasada; ya todos los hijos de los amigos de mis padres correteaban por los parquecitos infantiles, escapándose cuando veían una oportunidad de fuga.

Crecí odiando el deporte. Especialmente cualquier ejercicio que involucrara correr. No soportaba ni una vuelta alrededor de la pista del colegio; mi cuerpo no aguantaba más de veinte metros antes de reclamarme que dejara de someterme a tal suplicio. Cada vez que el profesor de educación física miraba hacia otro lado, aprovechaba para caminar y recobrar mi aliento. Llegué a detestar tanto el ejercicio físico que me daban ganas de huir (caminando, por supuesto) hacia la enfermería del colegio y buscar refugio con la excusa de un dolor de cabeza durante las clases de atletismo.

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Salto adelante en el tiempo: seis años más tarde, al poco de mudarnos al otro lado del Atlántico, decidí que quería ponerme más en forma y acostumbrarme a hacer deporte. Mi papá, mi perra y yo empezamos a trotar por las mañanas; salíamos antes que el sol y volvíamos cuando los primeros rayos de luz empezaban a bailar por encima nuestro. No voy a mentir: al principio era un infierno. Mi cuerpo entero estallaba en llamas, mis pulmones me suplicaban que parara a los primeros pasos, y me encontraba preguntándome una y otra vez qué tipo de espíritus malévolos me habian persuadido a autoadministrarme semejante tortura. Mis piernas, mis pies, mi garganta, mi cabeza, mi estómago: todo me dolía. Y cada día me levantaba con unas agujetas terribles que parecían castigarme por mis esfuerzos. Pero no me daba por vencida y cada día se iba haciendo un poco más fácil.

Empecé a encontrarle pequeños placeres a mi nueva rutina matutina. Descubrí el compás que creaba mi respiración cuando se sumaba al golpeo rítmico de mis pasos contra el asfalto, aprendí a disfrutar de los olores de las flores nocturnas que crecían por el condominio, de los sonidos de los pájaros que despertaban a mi alrededor, del aire fresco mañanero que acariciaba mi piel y del tiempo que pasaba con mi papá y conmigo misma. Más que nada, aprendí que no existe sensación más satisfactoria que aquella que acompaña el final de una corrida intensa. Poco a poco me fui volviendo adicta a esa sensación.

Cuando entré a sexto grado en el Colegio Maya, me enteré de la existencia del equipo de cross country. Me registré inmediatamente y todavía recuerdo las mariposas que revoloteaban en mi estomago cuando puse pie en el gimnasio del colegio para comenzar mi primer entrenamiento. Nunca había formado parte de un equipo deportivo, y fue una verdadera revelación para mi. Cada martes, jueves y viernes me levantaba de golpe a las cinco de la madrugada, llena de anticipación y ganas de ir a entrenar. Disfrutaba cada momento: las pláticas dormilonas con mis compañeros durante el calentamiento, los chistes de Marvin y de Katia, la espera para conseguir ducha, y los desayunos en la cafetería con mis amigos. No puedo describir con palabras lo importante que se volvió este ritual para mí. Me cargaba las pilas y llenaba de una energía que no sacaba de ninguna otra actividad.

Un año más tarde, viajé para competir por primera vez. El equipo y yo fuimos a El Salvador para participar en el AASCA de campo a través y atletismo. Estando en séptimo grado, era la más joven y la más lenta del equipo. Recuerdo llorar a chorros del agotamiento, la deshidratación, y la emoción de terminar mi primer evento competitivo. Aun así ganamos.

El equipo se convirtió en mi segunda familia. Y correr se convirtió en mi segunda naturaleza. Años más tarde, cuando crucé la meta de la competencia nacional de los tresmil metros en primer lugar, pensé en aquella niña que estaba dispuesta a hacer cualquier cosa con tal de salvarse de correr, y me reí.

Terminó sucediendo justo lo contrario: correr me había salvado. Me había dado mi primera verdadera pasión, algo que podía hacer para desconectar del mundo y conectarme conmigo misma.

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NETFLIX MOVIE REVIEW

BY EUGENE K.

SHUTTER ISLAND (2010) Cast: Leonardo Dicaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams

Synopsis: The mysterious escape of a murderous patient brings the U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his newly met partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), head to the insane asylum in Shutter Island, named Ashecliffe Hospital. A woman appears to have vanished from her room, where they find odd hints and evidence that leads them to their investigation. As the investigation deepens, Teddy is confronted by his deepest, darkest fears as he realizes that his life might be in danger.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Review Recently, I watched the infamous psychological thriller Shutter Island, released in 2010, through a friend recommendation. Before I even started watching it, I knew that this movie was going to play with my mind. I had no idea how, but I knew it was important to pay attention to all details.

The cinematography of the movie shows a very gloomy and dark atmosphere that displays the gothic setting of the prison-like insane asylum the movie takes place in.

The story begins with a focus on the mysterious investigative case on the escapee, Rachel Solano, and portrays the dreary location through the derangedlooking and peculiar patients at the hospital. These small details that make up the entire movie really allow the audience to immerse themselves into the story and feel the mystery, the obscurity, the uncertainty of it all.

Although the initial focus might have been on the case, the narrative covertly shifts its attention to Teddy’s fears and memories through his flashbacks and dreams that are abruptly revealed throughout the film. This undoubtedly generates confusion, as there is no explanation of any of the images portrayed, yet, the unmanageable questions that derive as these perplexing new remembrances are shown are what makes this movie so entertaining.

The most special part about this film is that it really plays with your mind, as every scene, every action, every movement, every thought plays into its purpose: Teddy Daniel’s mind. The most mind boggling aspect about it is that you will never know what is true and what is not, which makes you wonder if anything we are experiencing is truly real.

The outstanding performance by Leonardo DiCaprio and his co-stars, with the breathtaking plot line of this film, really makes it an unforgettable experience. I personally was surprised that I hadn’t heard of this movie before. I think that it is a very underrated feature that everyone should watch at least once in their life; it’s even better if you watch it a second time, as you notice more things you hadn’t before. However, you must know that this is again, a psychological thriller, and the mood of the film might not be for everyone, but I encourage you to open your minds to this genre of pictures, as they might be more enjoyable than they seem.

I would rate this movie a 9/10, as I incredibly enjoyed watching it, and appreciated the literary elements that formed it. The only reason I did not rate it a 10/10 is because I understand that this may not be for all audiences.

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READY FOR SOME FUN?

MAYA GAMES

Answers: 1. Loren 2. Nico 3. Kevin 4. Max 5. Kerry 6. Elias 7. Rafa 8. Addie 9. Lalo 10. Seung Min 11. Daniella 12. Down: Jose 13. Across: Young 14. Maren 15. Maddie 16. Ana