Volume 14 Issue 1
Letter From the Editor Delving into the 2018-2019 school year, we’d like to welcome everyone to campus, whether you’re a returning student or a new one. Our team has been doing some deep reflection, both on ourselves and the world, resulting in an abundance of stories regarding who we are and what we do. Take a look at Justin Wang’s article on bias in the media, or Ali Youel’s on divisive political discourse— increasingly relevant, given the current state of our society. Audrey Hsu explores our national identity in “Who Is America?” while Kaylynn O’Curran considers the blooming diversity in film. In addition to focusing on immediate political and cultural issues, we also sprinkle in some fun and entertainment. Our sports writers make predictions for upcoming seasons, and Izzy Ster debunks pop culture dating stereotypes—much to our dismay. The layout team, spearheaded by Libby Edwards and Amy Cheng, has decided to feature the work of some of CCA’s very own student artists. Tim D’Amore highlights the connectedness and community of our campus on the cover while giving the aesthetic an autumn spin. Lyna Fowler’s art is featured on Emily’s and Izzy’s articles. The rest of the layout represents a mix and match of clean edges and surrealist art, with an emphasis on the season’s colors. With a steadily growing staff and a perpetually inspired outlook, Pulse is excited to start off a new year with you all. It is with great honor that we present Pulse, Volume 14, Issue 1.
Sincerely,
Annie Lu
We’ve Got What It Takes
4-5
Divide and Conquer
6-7
To All the Boys Who’ve Disappointed Me Before...
8-9
Fake News
10-11
Now UC Me, Now You Don’t
12-13
Technicolor: Diversity in Film
14-15
We Are Not For Sale
16-18
Sports Column
20-26
Opinion: Tone Deaf Who is America?
29 30-31
We’ve Got What It Takes
by Amanda Benbow
I’m sure by now you’ve heard the news. “CCA’s number one!” “We’re the best in the state!” As Ravens, we have a lot to be proud of, but what exactly does that mean? How did we get here? For starters, we have an intelligent and multifaceted student body, but there are a few other factors that Niche.com considers before awarding a school’s ranking. The two main ways that Niche collects data are through public data sources—such as the Department of Education—and anonymous surveys from website users. From the public data sources, they gather information to get a general understanding of a school. This is based on statistics like graduation rates, test scores, and enrollment figures. Then, they compile data from surveys administered to students, teachers, and parents on the Niche website, asking users to give a rating out of five on qualities such as academics, sports, and diversity. All of this information is then analyzed and put together to form one overall Niche “grade” for a school on an A to F scale. CCA’s overall Niche grade is, unsurprisingly, an “A+.” We scored an “A+” in the categories of academics, teachers, administration, college prep, and health and safety. Additionally, the clubs and activities section got an “A,” and the categories of food, diversity, and resources and facilities got an “A-.” The only category we scored a “B” in was sports, which, though unfortunate, isn’t too shocking, considering our school’s reputation for having an arts focus. Our athletics program, however, is steadily climbing with recent CIF Championships in multiple sports. All this leaves us with our outstanding grade of an “A+.” Compared to the high school just below us, Henry M. Gunn
High School, it’s no surprise that we’re ranked where we are. Although we were stuck in the number two spot behind them for years, we surpassed them for Niche’s 2019 rankings with higher scores. Their overall grade may be an “A+,” but they have “B’s” in the categories of food, administration, sports, and resources and facilities. To put it simply, Niche thinks we’re the best. This rating has left numerous impacts on our student body, both positive and negative. On the one hand, being the number one public high school in California is quite the achievement and has definitely given students something to unite over. Morale has clearly been up on campus as well. But attending such a prestigious school has its pressures too. The theme of students undergoing tremendous academic stress at Canyon Crest Academy is nothing new, but the added factor of CCA being so highly ranked can make students feel as though they aren’t trying hard enough, or they aren’t doing the school justice. Bridget Knowler, a junior at Canyon Crest, has felt this pressure firsthand. “It boosts our confidence and encourages us to keep working hard, but I also think it stresses us out, because now there’s a lot of pressure to continue being great,” she said. The rating from Niche.com is both a blessing and a curse. As students, we can use this grade to fuel our fire to continue to be the best student body we can be. We must also be wary of the consequences from pushing ourselves too hard. We got to where we are by simply being ourselves, so we have no reason to worry about not being good enough. Just keep doing what you’re doing, Ravens.
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Divide and Conquer
In today’s political climate, it feels like you can’t be friends with a liberal if you are conservative—mere contact between the two seems inconceivable. Why is our political climate like this? When we argue, why do we ignore what others are saying and try to be the loudest? We ignore the fact that people may be justified in having entirely different perspectives on certain subjects, losing the spirit of good discourse in our mad rush to prove our side—and only our side—is correct. Polarization in politics seems unprecedented under the Trump administration, but the divergence between Democrats and Republicans started long before the 2016 election. A Pew Research study illustrates the digression in American politics from 1994 to 2017, highlighting the changing divide between liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans. Over the past 23 years, the parties have shifted further to opposite sides, inevitably causing more disagreements and conflict in Washington. According to the Pew Research Center, 36% of Republicans see the Democratic party “as a threat to the nation’s well being” and 27% of Democrats feel the same toward Republicans. This political split we see today in the United States is partially due to how vocal people are. Pew also states that the majority of Americans do not have “uniformly conservative or liberal views.” Often, people repeat their views and talk over their debaters without absorbing arguments from the opposite side. This has created a divide between political parties because people refuse to listen to what may not fit into their political narrative. Pew reported that since 1994, “There is now an average 36-percentage-point gap between
Republicans and Republican-leaning independents and Democrats and Democratic leaners. In 1994, it was only 15 points.” The partisan gap has grown to be much larger than the differences between the opinions of different races, genders and other groups in today’s society. The difference in party views is alarming, especially to those in the middle. It’s virtually impossible to ignore the divide in America, where people forget how to agree with people with different viewpoints. Many now identify as liberal or conservative, rather than American. Our very own AP Government teacher Ms. Bryant states, “I think what’s more important to focus on is how we can get back to being American again... In the past, what has brought us together was crisis, and nobody wants to go back to crisis for the sake of political unity. But, in times of war, [like post-9/11], our country came together more as Americans. At some level, we need our government officials to remind us that we have more commonalities than we have differences.” Psychology Today writes, “We often speak past each other. [Psychologist Jonathan] Haidt says that we tend to stick to our feelings and are slow to admit that our opponents feel as sincerely as we do. We tend to demonize the other side and form selfrighteous opposing teams.” Because of this, many only watch or read news that corresponds with their political ideology, hence barring out the other side’s take on newsworthy events and creating an echo chamber. Social media is also a factor in dividing audiences. Radical accounts
by Ali Youel showing the extreme sides of both liberals and conservatives flood through many media sites. While some are fake, made to either polarize or vilify a candidate, there are many real political accounts that are created to make fun of an opposing party or to promote one’s own. Through memes and other popular social media tools, many people can sway votes and create misconceptions about policies and candidates without factual sources, especially if they are only seeing the negative about a certain candidate, and the positive about another. Voters must rely on trustworthy news sources to make decisions, and not on a meme of Donald Trump sitting on the toilet tweeting, or Hillary Clinton deleting emails. It can often feel like there is no chance to get over the divide, that there is too much polarization to handle. Ms. Bryant says we must “focus on our commonalities: What do Americans want? We want the American Dream, we want to be economically okay, we want to buy a home, we want to be able to have a job, a working wage.” It’s difficult to progress as a society if liberals and conservatives keep fighting on what they disagree with and never talk about what they all have in common. So sit down with your friend with whom you disagree, and talk it out. We can agree or disagree, but it is up to our generation to fix this wide gap and work together to really make America great again.
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To All the Boys Who’ve D
e Disappointed Me Before...
by Izzy Ster
Boy meets girl. Boy gets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy gets girl back. This is how some of the greatest high school relationships of all time have been forged… in movies. The kind all of us watch as a guilty pleasure after a long day of school, usually while demolishing a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream (preferably Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough). The kind all of us swear don’t make us cry; our eyes are just sweating. The kind that make us angrily grab another handful of popcorn, wishing characters from these movies went to our school. To sweep us off our feet with our favorite Korean yogurt drink or by stopping a football game just for us. Yes, highly unrealistic, as CCA doesn’t have a football team, but what would some of these iconic teen romance movies look like at CCA? Below are some of the greatest high school romance movies, featuring some classics and a couple of new kids on the block, that answer that question for you. 1. Kissing Booth: Going to school with Noah Flynn: “bad boy” and football player extraordinaire, good enough to earn himself a scholarship to Harvard. Plus, he drives a motorcycle. CCA: Since CCA doesn’t have a football team, maybe try looking for your Noah Flynn on the water polo or wrestling team…or computer science club. Harvard, on the other hand, isn’t a stretch, but a CCA student aiming for Harvard is most likely trying to squeeze another AP on his schedule rather than taking you for a spin on his non-existent motorcycle. Furthermore, a CCA student having a “bad boy” rep? One time he waited to turn
his homework in late, meaning running it to the teacher at lunch rather than second period. 2. Love, Simon Cultivating a relationship over email before meeting in real life and getting iced coffee every morning. CCA: Not totally unrealistic. An iced coffee every morning? Just go to Starbucks across the street and make fun of each other’s lattes with almond or coconut or whatever vegan “milk” is popular these days. Talking over the internet rather than in real life? Done. After all, basic human interaction is overrated and an emoji is worth a million words. Go find your Simon! 3. Can’t Buy Me Love Riding off into the sunset on the back of a lawnmower as the title song plays. CCA: Are you kidding? A lawnmower? Do you know the gas mileage on those things? A CCA student wouldn’t be so careless with his choice of vehicle. Instead, hop in the passenger seat of his green Prius while he tells you repeatedly about the benefits of having a hybrid car. Also, he’s probably vegan, which I’m not saying is a deal breaker, but... it’s a deal breaker 4. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Peter Kavinsky. Peter Kavinsky’s Jeep. Peter Kavinsky’s love notes. Peter Kavinsky’s Korean yogurt drink runs. CCA: It is physically impossible for a Peter Kavinsky to attend CCA. He is a myth, a cinematic unicorn. Most students are far too busy with their six APs to worry about maintaining a six-pack. A CCA student going across town to get your favorite food? He’ll most likely complain about going across
the street to Panera and mix up your mac and cheese order for a grilled cheese. Love notes? As long as you don’t mind them written in Javascript or C++. A Jeep? His Prius is eco-friendly! Nonetheless, if you do find a Peter Kavinsky among the 2,500 students at school, let me know. I’m asking for a friend. 5. A Cinderella Story Leaving a football game to chase you down in the stands and having your first kiss as rain pours down on the two of you. CCA: So… no football game, unless you go to the Torrey Pines game down the street. Also, no rain because of our oppressively sunny climate. Maybe settle for a CCA student leaving their community service or science club, of which they’re the president, to woo you. Or go win over the Torrey Pines varsity quarterback and convince him to go to Princeton with you, if his grades permit it. Perhaps we can’t recreate scenes from our favorite movies, unless you’re going for a Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back situation, when Han Solo says “I know” to Princess Leia’s declaration of love. It’s time to give those Prius-loving, shy students from your math class a chance, because maybe they’ll risk being late to their class to walk you to first period. Or they’ll drive you to the Highlands to get Rubio’s. Who needs Peter Kavinsky or a quarterback to give you a varsity jacket when you could get a CCA Debate quarter zip? Go make your own sappy ending, one cheesy enough to make your friends load up on more ice cream. Except if they’re vegan; that’s a deal breaker.
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by Justin Wang The word “bias” has become progressively more distorted as the media continues to polarize around the central issue of this day and age: President Trump. Not only have attacks on and between media companies become bitter to the point of absurdity, they also seem to have diminished the quality of reporting by a significant degree. This falling standard has, however, made for some pretty entertaining tweets:
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What this 140-character tweet doesn’t capture, however, is that ABC, NBC, and CNBC all covered the hamburger emoji story minutes later, while Fox News soon gave their take on Manafort. This tweet, and many more like it, are emblematic of a much deeper problem. As uncovered by a Pew global media study, 78% of people in the US believe that it is “never acceptable” for a news organization to favor one political party over another. Furthermore, a full 52% of people in the US believe the media is doing an inadequate job reporting on both sides of a political issue. Given the seriousness of the accusations toward the media in this day and age, many call for a golden standard of unbiased reporting. But is creating such a golden standard possible? How is media bias even identified in the first place? Before even attempting to answer these questions, we must first consider multiple avenues of research toward the problem of bias quantification. Firstly, Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political science professor, attempted to create a standardized method for calculating the amount of media bias for a specific article. Defining his results as a political quotient, or PQ, Groseclose essentially repackaged
the articles from a specific news outlet as speeches by a politician. Groseclose then asked subjects to rate the political orientation of the politician. His results find that most news organizations lean left in political orientation. Furthermore, his findings also show that most media bias comes in the form of omission of content and negative exaggeration, rather than deliberate alteration of the facts. Other studies, however, point out flaws in Groseclose’s design. They cite problems in both the lack of time compensation and the marketing of both conservative and liberal issues to the general public. This could have caused untrue or skewed data, especially considering recent events and the changes to the general media scene (which created this whole situation in the first place). Other bias-checking sites, like those run by Dave Van Zandt and others, rate each news article on a scale from one to ten based on categories such as biased wording and/or headlines. They attempt to create a suitable baseline from which other articles can be rated and measured. However, these “amateur” news sites are extremely prone to both human bias and error. They also cannot handle large loads of stories due to the bottleneck of
human review, which makes such systems ill-suited to times when large floods of news articles appear. Other authors have attempted to remove this human element from the evaluation process to both speed review times and eliminate bias/ inconsistency. However, this method of evaluation still has its flaws. Firstly, the strictly computerized method of scanning and counting words misses much of the subtlety that journalists often use when referencing either side of the aisle. The computerized scanning can also miss tonal shifts that refer to Democratic or Republican policies in negative contexts, or vice versa. All of the analysis presented has shown that it is becoming increasingly hard both to find unbiased news sources and to evaluate those news sources to ensure they are, in fact, unbiased. Polls reflect this same anxiety. A Knight Foundation/Gallup poll at the beginning of 2018 shows that 58% of Americans state that it is harder to be informed today than before the onslaught of online connectivity. Even more worrying is the fact that 27% of Americans said that they are “very confident” that they can distinguish opinionated commentary from actual fact. Furthermore, less than half (44%) of Americans could name an “unbiased” news source. Of those that could name an unbiased source, Republicans overwhelmingly named Fox News, whereas Democrats had more varied responses. The previous statistic suggests that Americans are more likely to choose news sources that match their dispositions than those that contrast from them. This makes sense; confirmation bias is one of the most powerful motivators of both good and bad events. Analysts have given a name to this phenomenon: an echo chamber. Ken Stern, a former CEO of NPR cites one example of defensive gun use
(DGU) where, while doing research for a story, he found a remarkable security video of a store owner calmly repelling an armed robber from his store (with his own gun) without even putting down his cigar. Stern was amazed that this video, and others like it, had gone largely unreported. He chalks up this lack of reporting not to the intentional suppressing of stories and beliefs, but to the fact that DGU stories like this one don’t line up with the beliefs of the general media populace. And Stern’s point of view isn’t entirely unfounded—liberals outnumber conservatives in the media business five to one.
“Holding the media to a higher standard makes us all better journalists.”
Bias is all around us, due to ever-shifting viewpoints. This rule of thumb also applies to those that provide our information — the journalists and news anchors. Human nature will always, to an extent, separate us into groups. But we all have the responsibility — journalists most of all — to look past our predispositions and see an issue from all angles. Greg Bledsoe, a co-anchor for NBC 7 News Today in San Diego, demonstrates the widespread impacts of how news bias can shape our thoughts and views. The evolution of media bias in this decade has been much less radical than previously thought— newspapers and other media have always supported one candidate over another. In this day and age, the problem is not the deliberate shifting of political or demographic values, but the lack of information when news reports disseminate stories. In the words of Bledsoe, “Newspapers have a long history
of endorsing candidates and taking stances on certain issues, and have been very upfront about it. I think the difference we’re seeing today is not everyone is as forthcoming.” Within the journalism community, Bledsoe believes that journalists need to stay vigilant; he “[tells] any reporter to ask themselves, if they were the subject of their own story, would they feel like they were treated fairly?” However, no matter how hard journalists may work toward unbiased reporting, the world will always criticize news reporting to some degree, as seen in reports on controversial issues like the Kavanaugh hearings and the upcoming midterm elections. Bledsoe acknowledges this and believes that “this country is far more divided over the past couple years, and so people are far more sensitive to bias.” Nevertheless, Bledsoe welcomes criticisms of journalism, saying, “Criticism is helpful if it’s honest. People should have high expectations that the information they’re getting is accurate. Holding the media to a higher standard makes us all better journalists.” On both sides of the screen— whether it be those producing the information, or those consuming it—everybody has room for improvement. Maybe the evolving landscape of journalism is a sign of a need to change the way reporting is conducted. Or, on the other hand, the differences in this landscape stem from increasingly “partisan politics,” as Bledsoe suggests, and the divisiveness of the population is creating the backlash rather than altered journalistic practices. We may never know for sure. But regardless of how or where you get your news, “understanding multiple viewpoints, even if you believe some of them are biased, will always give you a better overall perspective of an issue.” And shouldn’t that be our goal?
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Now UC Me, by Kayla Fung & Noah Gaines
As fall comes around, leaves change into vibrant colors, and the weather begins to cool. Seniors stress about completing their brag packets and sending in their early applications. A majority of seniors on our campus apply to the University of California system, but in recent years, California kids seem to have had a disadvantage in the application process. For a California resident, a 3.0 GPA guarantees you admission to a UC campus, along with being the top 9% of your high school class. The out-of-state resident faces a slightly more difficult requirement of a 3.4 GPA minimum to be guaranteed into a UC campus. The nine UC schools promote a self-image of a cheap, public institution dedicated to the local students of their state, yet they admit a lesser percentage of in-state students when compared to public universities in other states. Let’s take the University of Virginia for example. At UVA, 92% of the kids admitted are from the state of Virginia. This is unfathomable compared to the mere percentage of California kids attending a UC campus, at 32%. There is also a negative trend in the difficulty of the UC campus for in-state students. For instance, UC Berkeley, one of the UC’s most
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prestigious universities, accepts a higher number of out-of-state and international students compared to UC Riverside, which accepts more local freshmen. People can argue that the UC system is still fair and of good value since a slight majority of accepted applicants are still in-state students; yet with the examples provided above, that number should be much higher. To get an inside perspective on the application process to gain admittance to a UC school, we interviewed Hannah Wong, a freshman at UC Santa Cruz. Hannah explained, “I only applied to one out-of state-school; University of Washington, under Computer Science. In my opinion, because I chose a major that is widely impacted [meaning that more people are declaring for that major than can be accepted], both UCs and UW were equally as hard [to get into].” It is troubling to hear that the level of difficulty of getting accepted into a UC and an out-ofstate public institution is more or less equal these days. The UC System was set up with the intention of being a more secure and affordable option for California high school graduates; however, with their increasing popularity, admittance into a UC school is becoming harder and
Now You Don't harder to achieve. This heightened competitiveness has affected students across the board, but it has hit in-state applicants the hardest. According to The Mercury News, the overall UC admittance rate for all campuses sat at about 62% in 2018 and even lower for in-state students at 59% acceptance. This all seems counterintuitive: University of California campuses are accepting out-of-state and international students at a higher rate than in-state students. Whether you are a senior filling out the final touches on your college applications or a freshman just
beginning to think about future dream schools, you might want to keep in mind this trend that is developing within the UCs. At the declining rate in which UC campuses are admitting kids from the Golden State, people in California may have to reconsider whether it is worth it to apply to the UC system. California’s students are essentially stuck between a rock and a hard place in terms of geographical advantage in the college system, and it’s a tendency that is not leaning in favor of Californians.
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TECHNIC DIVERSITY IN FILM
BY KAYLYNN O’CURRAN
14
ICOLOR: Diversity. Representation. What do these words mean? They’ve become buzzwords in Hollywood lately. The movie industry has taken huge strides this year, with films like "Black Panther" and "Crazy Rich Asians" providing much greater representation of minorities on screen than ever before. Movies in the past have been undeniably “white-washed,” with white people playing roles that are not their race or film plots that only portray the white person’s struggle. With actors like Scarlett Johansson receiving constant backlash for playing Asian or transgender roles, and the Academy Awards only giving 23 acting awards to minorities in their 88-year history, the general public is becoming more aware of the lack of representation and how much further America has to go to be truly inclusive. However, for the many minorities who have lived their lives with this lack of representation, this is nothing new. The white, American-run film industry has a common theme of showing predominantly white Americans’ stories. Many minorities are depicted only as “sidekick” characters that are defined by their stereotypical traits, such as the sassy black woman or the nerdy Asian. Seeing only white actors as multidimensional characters and people of color as stereotypical versions of themselves can be harmful to the next generation. Children are very impressionable, and showing them what they should be based solely on their race can be detrimental to their future self image. Kai Nelson of Johnson and Wales University states, “Without regularly seeing positive reflections of themselves on the media, it becomes hard for some black
children to value their self-image.” A child soaks everything in. Marley Aguirre, a senior at CCA, is part of the Latina community and remembers only seeing her culture in Spanish and Mexican films she viewed at her grandma’s house as a child. In American film, however, there was a complete absence, unless it was a stereotypical and unrealistic portrayal. As a child, Aguirre noticed she would try to imitate the faulty Latina representation she saw. When her parents noticed, her father told her, “That isn’t who we are. Don’t try to be something you’re not, based on someone else’s perception of our culture.” This is something she soon learned to be true. Aguirre says, “People create characters based on what they think of me and my culture, not what we actually are.” Growing up, she noticed that her stereotypes would follow her. Some parents would call her a “chola” or wouldn’t let their children play with her. Classmates would ask her about her green card, or tell her to go back to her side of the border. Yet, just like her classmates, she was born in America and is an American citizen. Aguirre recounts this issue by saying, “I know me, my friends know me, and I know I am not much different.” However, with the movies that have come out this past year, there is hope for the future of minorities in film. “Crazy Rich Asians,” based on the trilogy written by Kevin Kwan, employed an entirely Asian cast and represented a beacon of hope for many Asian-Americans. Annie Yan, another senior at CCA, is a first-generation Chinese student who admires the movie. Yan says, “Speaking from a Chinese perspective,
[“Crazy Rich Asians”] had a lot of Chinese [language] and Chinese culture. However I know it wasn’t an advancement for all Asian cultures. There are other Asian groups... that weren’t represented. But for Chinese people, I think it meant a lot.” She believes the producer and writer both being Asian helped them handle the culture as well as they did. As of late, Hollywood seems to have forced diversity in response to public complaints of white-washing; however, these minority characters are usually minor and undeveloped, and the filmmakers who create them often do not understand them. Annie remembers, “Growing up, I thought I had to be really smart or shy. I think when other people put me in a box, I put myself in that box.” Asians often have a predisposed notion that they are defined by their intelligence, and part of this is because of the stereotypes shown in movies. She believes the best way to combat stereotypes is to show minorities as real people, as they are in the real world. Although “Crazy Rich Asians” is only the testimony of one culture, it is a step in the right direction. As a white person, this is something I personally have never faced. I cannot fully understand the struggle and hurt of being misrepresented or not shown on screen at all. The film industry needs to take a step back from white leads and white males and make sure the stories that make up America also make up film.
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by Emily Gao
16
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years old. old. years The age when people receive their first driving privileges. The age when people throw their most extravagant birthday parties. The age when people attend their first high school proms. This age, so often characterized by blithe introductions into youngadulthood, also happens to be the age of average entry into childhood commercial sexual exploitation. In other words: sex trafficking. No, this isn’t the circumstance for some seemingly far-off developing nation. This is the circumstance for San Diego. Our home. A 16-year-old in San Diego drives down to the House of Blues to see their favorite artist in concert. Just down the street, another 16-year-old is being approached by a sex trafficker. Human trafficking is San Diego’s second-largest underground economy, only surpassed by drug trafficking. Its estimated economic impact is $810 million. To put this into perspective, the annual economic impact of the San Diego Padres was $800 million in 2012. To understand the issue at hand, it would be reasonable to first explain what human trafficking is. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has described human trafficking to consist of three constituent elements: the act, the means, and the purpose. The act is what is done. This includes recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons. The means is how the act is being done, including threat, use of force, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving payments
or benefits to a person in control of the victim. The last component is the purpose, or why the act is being done, which includes exploitation in the form of prostitution, sexual exploitation, labor, slavery, or the removal of organs. When people think of human trafficking, minds automatically jump to the image of a boney teenage girl from a third world country being forced into sex work for money and resources. While this is representative of a portion of human trafficking cases, the scope of this issue is much greater.
“It is a vicious cycle–a consumer driven demand fulfilled by exploiting the vulnerable.” The base of human trafficking rests upon demand. This demand can range from the demand for prostitutes to the demand for labor, slaves, servants, and soldiers. Traffickers fulfill this demand by preying on and exploiting the vulnerable. For example, a sex trafficker will see a troubled teenage runaway as an ideal addition to his or her prostitution ring. A labor trafficker will see a struggling father trying to make ends meet for his family as the perfect opportunity for a profit. The trafficker will send this father off to a farm to work in inhumane conditions for meager pay. In all cases of human trafficking, the trafficker profits off of exploiting some aspect of the victim. It is a
vicious cycle–a consumer-driven demand fulfilled by exploiting the vulnerable. The victims of human trafficking are often trapped in their situations. Traffickers skillfully manipulate their victims to be reliant on them in various ways, including getting them addicted to drugs or supporting their families financially. Those who escape risk deportation and prison, and they live in constant fear of reprisals from those who enslaved them. There many misconceptions about human trafficking, one of which is the notion that victims are almost always female. According to Stephanie Gonzalez—the project manager of Project LIFE, an advocacy program that works with the victims and survivors of Trafficking—this is extremely misleading: “Human trafficking affects all genders... We also see a high number of transgender and gender fluid victims too.” Furthermore, many seem to perceive human traffickers as always being male. A key part of trafficking is being able to draw the victim in and gain their trust so they can be easily exploited. Traffickers will often approach their victims with the facade of trying to be helpful and friendly. A study conducted by the UCSD Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies has indicated that “female recruiters and pimps/sex trafficking facilitators are perceived to be a significant and growing feature of the underground sex economy.” It isn’t only the creepy old men looking for recruitment, it’s women and even those being trafficked themselves. Let’s talk about San Diego. With our beautiful climate, amazing
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beaches, and to-die-for Mexican cuisine, we also happen to be the eighth-biggest city for human trafficking in the U.S. We are ahead of areas like New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. San Diego’s statistics are staggering. A study conducted by the Point Loma Nazarene University and the University of San Diego revealed there are upwards of 8,000 of victims each year, and only less than 2,000 of them come into contact with law enforcement. The study also revealed that the existence of gangs propels this high number: 80% of sex trafficking facilitators were involved in gangs of some sort. Gonzalez explains how the military bases in San Diego also contributes: “Many, not all, but many military members will buy sex.” There will always be a demand for laborers and sex workers, and those being trafficked rarely leave. Human trafficking exists in all parts of San Diego—North County, East County, and South Bay. Streets such as El Cajon Boulevard have been nicknamed “Switzerland” to describe its illicit sex work activity. It easy to dismiss such a problem, even in our own city. We tell ourselves that this atrocity only exists in the “ghetto” regions of the county, which is simply not the case. One might wonder how such horrendous circumstances go so unnoticed in a lively city like San Diego. It’s the nature of human trafficking itself that makes this an issue that is so hard to address. Many individuals
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come into contact with trafficking victims without any knowledge of it. There are numerous telling signs of victims of sex trafficking: signs of physical abuse, new tattoos (used by facilitators to mark victims), constant fatigue, sudden drop in grades, claims of a new secretive “boyfriend,” traveling alone with few possessions, inability to identify or address whereabouts, lack of healthcare, and inconsistencies in their story about their situation. All of these signs are circumstantial, making it difficult for even trained professionals to recognize victims. Recognizing facilitators proves an even more daunting task. Gonzalez expresses how “[Facilitators]... are masters of disguise and the art of fitting in.” San Diego has taken steps to address the issue. “Project LIFE is an organization that provides intensive case management to the clients,” says project manager Stephanie Gonzalez. “We are connected to local law enforcement. They send victims of human trafficking to us and we basically hold their hand through the process of regaining their life back. We accompany them to medical and law appointments, provide them transportation, therapy, and aid to get their identification certificates.” Regarding the progress that San Diego is making about the issue, Gonzalez states, “We are seeing progress in the form of education. The community itself has been able to recognize trafficking victims
more and more. We get calls from hospitals and schools about trafficking victims that before would not be able to recognize such victims.” Despite these efforts, the numbers that represent human trafficking remain roughly stagnant. Currently, the majority of the attempts to combat this issue address the victims. Human trafficking is such a deep-rooted issue that addressing the basis of the problem is almost impossible. Some common factors that contribute to almost all types of trafficking include poverty, oppression, lack of human rights, and lack of social and economic opportunities. Tackling the root causes usually include prevention strategies that fall within one of the following categories: reducing the vulnerability of victims, discouraging the demand of the services of trafficked persons, public education, border control, and prevention of the corruption of public officials. These are monumental tasks that call for drastic social, economic, and political change. Human trafficking is a matter that is far from being resolved. Nevertheless, as the cliché goes, change can begin with the individual. Gonzalez asserts that “it starts with awareness. Just talk about it. Talk about it with your neighbors. Talk about it with your family. Talk about it with your friends.” Turning a blind eye is doing more harm than good. If you see something, say something.
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FEATURING: Jordan Goldmann: Lack of Diversity in Sports Derek Li & David Sun: The Superstar Virus Dominic Stearn: October Baseball Caleb Posner: Helmet Rule
Lack of Diversity by Jordan Goldmann
While audiences and spectators often look to sports as a source of entertainment or escape, the sports we watch are not without controversy. One issue that has found its way into the national dialogue is the lack of diversity in sports. Though some may believe that the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in sports has already been solved, the numbers prove otherwise: a 2011 study shows that 93% of players in the NHL classify themselves as white. Some sports fans also see diversity as a non-issue due to its apparent lack of concrete impacts—it doesn’t affect sports performance in the long run, and therefore resources should be spent on other issues like safety and regulation enforcement. However, these arguments fail to consider the bias that comes from a team lacking diversity. Studies have shown that creating a diverse environment, in comparison to a uniform one (in terms of ethnicity and race), in a business setting encourages higher levels of group thinking and teamwork. In the case of sports, it would increase efficiency in management and better team chemistry as a whole. Some parts of the sports community are adopting this attitude and attempting to increase diversity, but efficacy of the practices currently in place are questionable. David Waldstein brings up the issue of the NFL’s Rooney Rule regulation: The Rooney Rule was first adopted in the NFL in 2003 and named after diversity committee chairman Dan Rooney. It mandated teams to interview at least one person of color for head coaching positions, and in 2016, it was updated to require at least one woman be interviewed for executive positions. Thus far, the Rooney Rule hasn’t had overwhelming success in the realm of football—the scope of the rule is limited and penalties are too weak. Within two years of implementation, the percentage of black coaches rose from 9% to 25%, but growth has stalled since 2005. Sure, it does give a massive PR boost and it seems like the NFL is encouraging increased diversity among its team rosters, but often minority candidates are interviewed just to check off a box, and the position goes to a white candidate. Will a rule like this really help diversify
athletics? Maybe improving minorities’ chances of getting hired for lower positions, instead of only targeting top positions, first would help. Only time will tell. On the other hand, the MLB has a relatively high diversity in the ethnicity and the race of its players–almost 40% identify as Latin American. Once again, it seems like the MLB is encouraging diversity across its players. And to an extent, this practice is working: Popular sports sites like MLBdailydish.com approve the current racial and ethnic distribution, saying that most MLB teams are “hiring people who are a match in outlook.” However, although more than 40% of the players on the field are non-white, almost every manager and decision-maker remains white and male. Despite the MLB’s diverse playerbase, those calling the shots behind the scenes still remain stereotypically white—something that could prove fatal to a team given the rapidly changing landscape of racial and ethnic equality. This problem is further compounded by the presence of players and employees that cannot speak English. Increased diversity can provide a safer environment to those that feel uncomfortable in the absence of sufficient communication methods between themselves and their stereotypically white superiors, whereas a lack of the same diversity can turn away prodigious players in other countries who believe that the work environment of MLB teams isn’t empathetic enough for them to feel comfortable. Creating a diverse environment, both in player rosters and management teams, throughout the major sports in North America can result in huge benefits to both the players and management team alike: more efficient communication, higher levels of group thinking and teamwork, and greater acceptance from teams overseas. Biases coming from non-diverse team rosters will often shut down possibly revolutionary ideas and result in stereotypically lackluster teams across the board. In short, diversity in teams is required in order to serve as a medium of translation: to make sure all the players speak the same metaphorical language so that the entire team, as one, can rise into the stands of the Hall of Fame.
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The Superstar Virus Chances are, you’ve heard of the electrifying superstar LeBron James, arguably the best player to grace the sport of basketball. Chances are, you’ve heard of the Golden State Warriors that have dominated the league for the past few years. But beneath that glamorous stage and those magnificent spotlights, relatively unknown players who are striving and improving could be the very names that we will be chanting in the wake of modern superstars. A year ago, Indiana Pacers fans could not have imagined that they would be seeing Victor Oladipo as their contemporary savior. We’ll pinpoint those players that are poised to break out in a similar way, so you can cheer for them long before they bring down the house. MYLES TURNER: Victor Oladipo, the modern Pacers superstar. The Bankers Life Fieldhouse roars with triumph every time he sinks a gamewinning shot. Valiantly fighting to game seven with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers fell in the first round of the playoffs. This
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sudden rise of Victor Oladipo is a phenomenon few expected. In fact, most believed that Myles Turner, Indiana’s long and athletic center, would take the helm of the Pacers. Turner, at a youthful 22 years of age, is an embodiment of the modernday NBA big man: He can sharpshoot from beyond the arc at a respectable 36%; he’s tall, long, and athletic with great interior defensive instincts; he can space the floor while stretching defenders and manipulating the offense. But with the emergence of Oladipo, Turner saw both his attention and performance take a startling hit. The period of adjustment and chaos buried Turner under the shadow of Oladipo, as when he was a complement to the now-OKC star Paul George. But Turner has revealed before that he can adjust to being a dual star alongside his teammates, and after a vigorous offseason in which he’s honed his skills to perfection, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he elevates his game and becomes the sidekick to Oladipo’s Black Panther masquerade.
NIKOLA JOKIC: February 15, 2018. Nikola Jokic hurls the ball in a marvelous move to a wide open teammate. As he records another assist, the announcers reveal the breaking news. “He’s got it. 16, 10, and 10 for Jokic.” On this momentous day, Jokic smashed a 63-year-old record by becoming the quickest player in league history to reach at least ten points, assists, and rebounds. In about 14 minutes and 33 seconds, Jokic displayed the very reason why he is on this list. A third-year center from Serbia, the second-round draft pick’s unique recipe of elite court vision, stellar shot-making, and heightened basketball intelligence has planted him as the main course of a steadily surging Denver Nuggets party. Growing up in war-ridden Serbia under constant danger of NATO bombs, violence, and Coca-Cola addiction, Jokic and his impressive journey to rising stardom has fans dubbing him the next European legend. Perhaps it’s time for us to start considering that claim during next season.
by Derek Li & David Sun
ZACH LAVINE: For the past two seasons, LaVine’s career has been unstable due to the combination of a season-ending ACL injury and a sudden trade to the Chicago Bulls. However, the athletic and explosive shooting guard, drafted 13th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, was envisioned to be a crucial piece of the ambitious rebuilding process initiated by the organization alongside Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. However, the Wolves’ plan did not go as planned; Wiggins and LaVine were both ball-dominant scorers and belowaverage defenders while Towns’ defense is essentially nonexistent. When LaVine suffered his ACL injury in the 2016-17 season, he was averaging a career best 19 points per game on 46% from the field. Although he was having a decent season, the Wolves realized that something needed to change; thus, he was traded to the Bulls for the more experienced and defense-oriented all-star Jimmy Butler. LaVine did not play his first game in the 201718 NBA season until January;
he ended the year playing in 24 games while averaging just under 17 points per game. Yet, he is now one of the centerpieces of the young and experienced Bulls team currently in the middle of a complete rebuild. LaVine is still only 23 years old and already has four years of NBA experience underneath his belt. His uniqueness as an athletic combo guard who can consistently run an offense, get to the basket, create his own shot, or knock down open 3-pointers is something that may prove invaluable to the Bulls organization. Throw in the fact that he constantly grinds in the offseason to polish his game and a bit of luck, and LaVine may soon cement himself as the focal point of the Bulls and an all-star. KEVIN LOVE: The Cleveland Cavaliers are Kevin Love’s team now. But in the aftermath of LeBron James’ heartbreaking departure to Hollywood paradise, the Love we see today seems like a mere shell of the dominant playmaker that had thrived prior in Minnesota. Long buried is
the booming 26-point quotidian powerhouse that produced seamless innovation. Ancient is the offensive juggernaut that unleashed 15 rebounds and 4 assists every night. In its place is a secondary star to the best player in the current NBA; a stellar shooter who shot 41.5% from the 3-point line; a reliable rebounder who snatched 9.3 rebounds every game. And that was all that James needed: a shining complement that held his own. But now that Love is the lone hero in a warweary Cavalier wasteland, it’s clear that playing as a subordinate star had caused him to repress the very skills that facilitated that very stardom. But as the reins, left free, challenge him to take hold and lead the team, the powerhouse slowly begins to churn out plays. The juggernaut begins to awake from a standstill dream. As the constellations align and Love breathes life back into his Minnesota soul, can the 30-year-old break out in a glorious rebirth to take the helm of a sinking vessel filled with a cavalier crew?
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October Baseball by Dominic Stearn
Returning to school marks promise for all baseball fans. Sure, you aren’t going to be watching as many games anymore, but school also means that the postseason is right around the corner. The regular season has been filled with excitement, and I expect the playoffs to be even better. Here is a preview of 2018 MLB playoffs. The American League (AL) has the most favorites to hoist the trophy come late October. It has the five best teams in the MLB record wise, plus the Indians, who are also considered contenders. The Red Sox have consistently been the best team in baseball all year, as showcased by their league-leading record. Their lineup consists of multiple silver sluggers, and two MVP candidates, while their closer, Craig Kimbrel, is as lockdown as they come. Any time the Sox are leading in the ninth, don’t expect the opponent to make a comeback. However, their starting rotation has raised some questions. Can David Price get over his postseason woes? Is Chris Sale going to be healthy? Can Rick Porcello pitch to his potential? If Boston’s starters can pitch well in October, they could roll through the playoffs. The Yankees are an interesting team as well.
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The team has both tremendous bats and arms. However, injuries have held them back. Slugging catcher Gary Sanchez, power threat Aaron Judge, and All-Star pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances have spent time on the disabled list. If those key players can stay healthy, we might see the pinstripes make another postseason run. The reigning World Series champs have been playing fantastic baseball as of late. Their lethal lineup, solid defense, and stellar pitching make them a threat to win the championship again. Their division rival, Oakland Athletics, has also been red hot since the all-star break. While they don’t have that “superstar” player, the Oakland lineup and pitching staff have been consistent all year. Don’t expect that to change come October. The last playoff team from the American League is the Cleveland Indians. After getting bounced early last year, the Indians are going to be hungry heading into postseason. The top of their lineup and starting pitchers are as good as they come. The question is if their other players and bullpen can be a helpful supporting cast. My pick to win the AL: The Houston Astros My sleeper in the AL: The Cleveland Indians The National League (NL) pennant chase has
been a roller coaster all year. Every contender has had stretches of success, and stretches where they play like the Padres. All three divisions and the Wild Card will be decided in the final week. The Dodgers won the NL pennant last season, and are in the hunt to win it again. Their lineup arguably got better(by adding Manny Machado and Brian Dozier), but the pitching staff has regressed significantly(losing reliever Brandon Morrow and a down year from Clayton Kershaw). If the Dodgers pitchers perform in October, they could go all the way again. Also in the NL West are the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks. Both teams made the playoffs last year as wild cards, and both are in position to potentially make it again. Colorado’s offense has them in first place, but the pen is holding them back. Arizona has been consistent all year, but they have thrown away some games recently. Against the Dodgers, Arizona blew two leads in the 8th inning, and then in the ninth inning. A week later, they lost three out of four against Colorado. Both teams are going to need to play well down the stretch to return to October. The NL Central has the two best teams in the league record wise. The Cubs have held the division lead since the all-star break. Since their pitching staff improved, that has helped hold off the Brewers, which is also an all-around solid team. Lead by their elite outfield and bullpen, the Brewers have the potential to go deep in the playoffs. The Atlanta Braves have a young and very exciting team. Superstars Ronald Acuna, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson and Mike Foltynewicz have all established themselves as all-stars. In a division that was expected to be controlled by the Nationals, the Braves have set themselves up to play in October. The Philadelphia Phillies had a fantastic turnaround from last season. They were awful last year, but are in the wild card race this year. However, the pitching staff has been tired recently.
Thus, the Phillies have dropped slightly in the Wild Card standings. They need to step it up in the later weeks in order to make it to October. My pick to win the NL: The Milwaukee Brewers My sleeper in the NL: The Colorado Rockies World Series prediction: Brewers Vs. Astros Astros in 6
Here’s how some Ravens think the World Series will unfold:
Sean Wei (12): Red Sox Vs. Dodgers Red Sox in 7 Ozzie Pearlman (10): Red Sox Vs. Brewers Red Sox in 6 Ethan Swidler (9): Athletics Vs. Cubs Cubs in 4 Nicolas Stearn (11): Indians Vs. Dodgers Indians in 6 Ryan Fuchs (11): Yankees Vs. Dodgers Dodgers in 7
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Helmet Rule Helmet Rule Helmet Rule by Caleb Posner
In the 2017 NFL season, there were 281 recorded concussions—the most reported in a single season in five years. This upward trend of concussions in the NFL has caused major controversy amongst league officials, players, and fans nationwide. To try and combat this, the NFL instituted a rule dubbed “the helmet rule,” which states: “It is a foul if a player lowers his head to initiate and make contact with his helmet against an opponent.” In short, this rule attempts to eliminate concussions and head injuries resulting from dangerous helmet-to-helmet contact. However, what seemed like a step in the right direction for player safety has actually turned into a controversial topic, as players are worried about the way the new rule will affect game play. 49ers star cornerback Richard Sherman said, “There is no ‘make adjustment’ to the way you tackle. Even in a perfect-form tackle the body is led by the head. The rule is idiotic and should be dismissed immediately… [The NFL] will be flag football soon.” Sherman is one of many players expressing their concern for the new rule inhibiting their ability to play to the best of their abilities. Players have been tackling by leading with their helmet for years, and many don’t know how they’ll be able to keep up their play with the new rule. Football is a fast-paced contact sport, and after being trained a certain way for so long, it's very hard to make a conscious decision in the moment to adjust the way you tackle. The other side of the argument is simple. Football is too dangerous of a sport, and the game
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needs to be adjusted to protect its players from brain injuries. Some players agree with this line of thinking. Rams cornerback Aqib Talib said, "They're trying to have guys healthy when they retire, so it's good for the tackler, it's good for the offensive guy." With the discovery of the severe medical repercussions from playing football, specifically Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), the question of whether football is safe has turned into a hot topic of debate. CTE is a degenerative brain disease in which a protein called Tau forms into clumps that slowly spread throughout the brain, killing brain cells. The disease has been brought into the spotlight recently due to the deaths of former NFL superstars like Junior Seau and Ken Stabler, as well as the film “Concussion” starring Will Smith. This increase in public knowledge on the disease has had a huge impact on football participation. High school football participation is down 6.6 percent in the U.S. over the past decade. When asked about whether he believes football is too dangerous of a sport for high schoolers, former La Jolla High football player Ben Davis referenced injury as the reason he quit. Other high school football players around the country are quitting for similar reasons. It is statistics like these that cause the rule change to not only affect the NFL, but impact the game of football at all levels. A change from the top can affect the game from the bottom. The helmet rule might not be the best solution, but the NFL needs to start somewhere in order to make football safer and prevent it from going extinct in the long run.
Opinion: Tone Deaf by Becca Clark
Cultural appropriation: the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture. This term has been both widely used and abused in recent media disputes and conversation. Often, the line between appropriation and appreciation is blurred; is copying a culture an infringement upon rights, or is it the finest form of flattery? While this has been hotly debated on topics ranging from cornrows to prom dresses, my main focus in this article is something you might not have thought about: deaf culture. There are numerous things that hearing people have adapted from deaf communities. Ms. Parker, the ASL teacher at CCA, said, “We learn about a concept in ASL 3 called deaf gain where, if there weren’t deaf people, if there wasn’t sign language, there would be some things in our society that wouldn’t come about.” One such phenomenon is the football huddle, which was adapted from Gallaudet University. Deaf players would use the privacy of the huddle to communicate with sign language without the other team being able to see. These days, football teams across the board use the huddle similarly as a way to strategize privately. Another example is closed-captioning, which originated as an aid for the deaf, but now helps people whether they don’t know English particularly well or the surroundings are too loud. Should the adoptions of these amazing ideas, created by a different culture, be considered appropriation? Many would say no: these ideas or technology should be accessible to everyone.
But if this is true, then why do many people get upset when a white person wears dreadlocks? I understand there are differences between these two situations, but they are both derived from the sharing of ideas, whether it’s hairstyles, technologies, or clothing. The over-exaggerations of contempt from these borrowed ideas is separating our world. Every culture has their own traditions, but those concepts should be open to everyone rather than becoming exclusive. I think the discomfort some people experience have to do with recognition. As Ms. Parker said about the football huddle originating from a deaf university, “ I think it’s great—I just wish there were more awareness out in the hearing community.” Adoption of traits, traditions, and styles from other cultures would seem less offensive in many cases if people simply recognized what they were doing and gave due credit to its origins. If you are going to wear a traditional Chinese ceremonial dress to prom, good for you—just know what you are doing. Being an accuser of appropriation is a hypocrite’s game. Most people have dabbled in something that did not begin with the culture they were born and raised in. When I was ten, I got cornrows despite not being of African descent. I understand that it can be hard to see people who are not part of your culture or religion taking pieces of your background. But wouldn’t widening your culture’s reach in the world be much more satisfying than getting that girl to take out her braids, or preventing hearing people from using closed-captioning?
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W
The psychology of the human brain demands that we break visuals or concepts into categories in order to deal with information overloads. What comes out of this is the concept of stereotyping. When we see a woman wearing a black leather jacket with spikes, sporting dark lipstick and heavy eyeliner, and toting a black messenger bag, the first stereotype that comes to mind is “goth.” When we see a morbidly obese man holding two hot dogs and three burgers in one hand and an AR-15 in another, wearing a red, white, and blue hat that reads: Make America Great Again! do we see an American? America is a country of many people, ethnicities, religions, and beliefs. Considering our current political climate, the struggle for women’s rights, racial equality, etc., our country appears to be more divided than ever. We must ask ourselves: What does it mean to be an American? And to the people of other countries: Do you see us as that stereotypical man? Looking for answers, I asked high school students from the U.K., Canada, Indonesia, and Japan what they thought of America. Does America ultimately fulfill their expectations? Do Americans have a common identity?
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Charlotte Turner, 16, from Wraysbury, England said “No, we didn’t expect Americans to be anything we imagined. When we [her family] came to San Diego, we were amazed! Everyone plays some sport or another or goes to the beach.” When I asked her about her about what she imagined an American would be like, she replies, “We didn’t really know what to expect (of Americans), but perhaps like… loud, brash. We also sort of imagined America as the land of burgers, and haha (no offense) overweight people.” But she also said at least that one of her expectations were fulfilled: “Americans are so friendly! You ask someone for directions in England and it’s like bloody hell, F*** off!” Darren Li, 15, from Vancouver Canada, hesitated before saying, “Many of my classmates imitate American accents and do mini impressions of Donald Trump. ‘Let’s build a wall to keep the Americans out!’” But he amends this by continuing, “Yes, Americans definitely have a common identity. When I think American, I think of liberty, freedom, and outspoken people who aren’t afraid to be shut down. I think that’s really important, especially because I’m moving to Kansas next year.”
Ayaka Taira, 14, is a freshman who lived in Japan and currently attends high school in Indonesia. Taira is in the process of deciding to complete her college education in America. She answered my question with all the excitement of a true American. “America is always different every time I go and everywhere I go. Because it’s so big, it’s hard to fit all of America into one person.” When I questioned her about what differences she liked and disliked about her home countries versus The U.S., she responded seriously, “America is so big, and the transport here is hard without taking a car. In Japan, we take the underground train station, or walk. I lived in Tokyo, so I took the train to school every morning, and walked too, everything is close by there. But I like that the schools are a lot more relaxed here. There are no uniforms, you can change classrooms, and the teachers are more relaxed.”
WHO IS AMERICA? by Audrey Hsu
When Americans think about about their own country, do our views link up with the world’s? CCA kids respond: Annalua Corwin, a CCA alumnus who graduated in 2018, commented that much of the world’s perceptions are somewhat allowed. After all, she laughs, “We look at Japanese people and assume that all of them watch anime, or we think the Russians have polar bears with armor on for pets. Every country has their own stereotypes, and it’s only fair we have our own too, although they might not be true.” But, what do you think the world should know about America? I prod her. “We definitely should be grateful about the fact that America has freedom of press and speech. Not many countries have the freedoms we do. There’s always room for improvement, and movements like #MeToo, or the gun safety movement, that the youth of America get to play a big part in, whereas in some countries [even] adults do not have these same liberties.”
I went on to interview Chrinesha Pereira, 16, a senior at CCA, about what she expected about America when she moved here from England. “I expected a lot more people to be smoking and a lot of people surfing. You also wouldn’t think sports are so heavily emphasized at school, and in Europe we drink before we drive. One main difference between America and England is that people are very open about political views. Here, Americans involve youth in open conversation about everything, whilst in other cultures, children and youth have to be invited to the adult table in order to speak their mind.” When I asked her if she could describe America in three words, she said, “Liberty, justice, and open-mindedness.”
While many Americans may identify with some part of the guntoting, pizza-crazy, overweight man, it is clear to see that America’s values run broader than the confines of our stereotype. Whether America’s image brings to mind a towering statue of Liberty, glamorous Hollywood films, or national anthems, there are definitely solid metaphysical ideals—justice, freedom of speech, open minds and open hearts—that people of other countries perceive, and that almost all Americans can identify with.
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Editor-in-Chief Annie Lu Creative Director Libby Edwards Head of Design Amy Cheng Editorial Director Derek Li Managing Editor Ali Youel Online Editor Josh Golden
Staff Writers Amanda Benbow Elan Berger Brianna Cateriano Becca Clark Kayla Fung Noah Gaines Emily Gao Jordan Goldmann Makayla Gubbay Audrey Hsu Kaylynn O’Curran Caleb Posner Dom Stearn Izzy Ster David Sun Justin Wang
Advisor Christopher Black Special Thanks Tim D’Amore Lyna Fowler Travis Sevilla
The opinions expressed by the writers and the content of the advertisements does not necessarily reflect those of Pulse, Canyon Crest Academy, or the San Dieguito Union High School District.