16 February 2024
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Scripps Administration Resists Student Organizations’ Autonomy and Protests
By Ellen Hu ’24, Belen Yudess ’25, and Ella Young ’24
Momoka Schmidt ’25 • The Scripps Voice
Editor-in-Chief, Copy Editor Intern, and Staff Writer
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cripps President Amy MarcusNewhall forwarded a message on Dec. 11, 2023 from Pomona President, Gabrielle Starr, regarding disciplinary action towards students involved in recent protests in solidarity with Palestine. A message expressing Scripps’ support of these efforts was included alongside it. “Scripps is cooperating with Pomona’s investigation,” President Marcus-Newhall wrote in the email. “If Scripps students are identified as violating our code of conduct, which includes the consortium policy on demonstrations, they will be subject to a disciplinary process as outlined in the Scripps Code of Conduct.” Scripps’ decision to publicly join Pomona in the investigation of student protestors came as a surprise to the Scripps student body. None of the other Claremont Colleges are known to have released a statement in support of Pomona’s investigation. “As a student government, [we find Marcus-Newhall’s email] troubling,” Scripps Associated Students (SAS) President Lily Dunkin ’24 said. “What
IN THIS ISSUE Claremont’s After School Specials wins ICCA Quarterfinal
I'm hearing is that Scripps students, faculty, and staff are at risk of punitive action because of their participation in what we believe to be an expression of academic freedom.” These events follow the arrest of a faculty member at Pomona College at a die-in organized by the 5C chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. The arrest of the faculty member, combined with the public statement in support of the faculty member released by the ChicanxLatinx studies department about the arrest, marked the first time that administration and faculty were publicly and officially in opposition regarding student-led activism around the Israel-Palestine conflict. In the wake of the arrest, SAS sent out a statement of solidarity to the Scripps student body on Dec. 2, 2023. “As student leaders, we value the diversity of perspectives and the free exchange of ideas that contribute to the intellectual richness of our community,” the statement read. “Any action that undermines these principles is a matter of great concern for all students at The Clare-
mont Colleges.” Following these events, student protests occurred on Dec. 8, eliciting further response from Pomona administration. Starr responded in a statement sent out to the Pomona student body via email on Dec. 9 regarding two separate incidents. She first addressed the publication of a video in which the name of a visiting high school admissions counselor was not adequately obscured. This allegedly opened the door to the doxxing of the individual. “This action was clearly designed to punish the visitor to our campus for their inquiry, while sending a message to others who would engage in speech that was not in strict conformity with the protestors’ goal,” Starr wrote in the email. “This cyberbullying is reprehensible.” Undercurrents, the 5C student publication that released the videos, responded to these events in a statement on Dec. 12, 2023. “We in no way anticipated that reporting the counselor’s name would lead to harassment,” the statement read. “We condemn the use of our reporting
How to Write a Story with Jessica Bendinger
Eleanor Henderson ’24 Releases Debut Single “Patience”
to personally doxx or harass any individuals … We have re-uploaded our Dec. 9 video story without the counselor’s name and also with protesters’ faces better obscured.” In her statement, Starr also explained how student protests later that same day led to the shutdown of Frary Dining Hall. She also claimed that a student who was attempting to walk through the protestors outside of Frary was “blocked and grabbed in an incident documented on video.” These events led to Pomona’s decision to formally investigate the actions of Pomona student protestors, whom their administration believed violated the code of conduct. According to President MarcusNewhall, any Scripps students participating in the protests violated the Scripps code of conduct as well. “These concerns that were brought by [Starr] to the Pomona student body seem very Pomonacentric in my view [since no] similar event happened at Scripps,” Dunkin said. “I'm not sure I understand why Scripps decided to be the only other school to outwardly sign onto the investigation when there's no call for Scripps or any of the other colleges to do so.” Following the release of President Marcus-Newhall’s statement, SAS received calls from members of the student body regarding fears of being investigated and the implications of Scripps taking action against students in support of Palestine. Although the onset of student concern worried SAS, they were also troubled by a lack of communication from the Scripps administration regarding the release of this statement. “If the student leaders are trusting that we and administrators have the same goal [of ensuring] student safety and wellness, and we all are open and transparent about what we're doing to those ends, then we need a relationship that includes reciprocity,” said Dunkin. “Especially before [admin] releases a statement on [their] end because it affects [SAS] since we are on the receiving end of students.” Continued on page 2 “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Finally Gives Fans the Adaptation They Needed
1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 | scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XXXII | Issue Five
2 • News
Scripps Administration Resists Student Organizations’ Autonomy and Protests
Continued from page 1 Although the above-mentioned discourse is a direct result of student activism in solidarity with the liberation of Palestine, SAS takes issue not with the administration’s avoidance of addressing the geopolitical situation, but rather their response to students who have exercised their right to peaceful protest. “I want to underline that SAS aims to represent all students of different and diverse beliefs,” said Dunkin. “And that our main concern is not with the substantive argument of the protests, but with the actions of the institution against peaceful protestors and the school calling for the identification of Scripps students.” Similar issues have arisen between Scripps’s administration and the Motley. At the end of the fall 2023 semester, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and faculty advisor of the Motley Adriana di Bartolo-Beckman contacted the Motley team, calling for the removal of several posters in support of Palestine. This sparked internal questions about what the space would look like for the spring 2024 semester. “It’s definitely been a balancing act of pushing against admin as much as possible,” a Motley manager who wished to remain anonymous said. “Not only for the current political importance of it, but also just for longevity’s sake – the degradation of the Motley’s political autonomy is not good for the future either. If we
let them bowl over us now, it’ll just keep happening in the future.” Prior to their return to campus, the manager was in communication with di Bartolo-Beckman who presented a series of demands from the administration required to be met before the coffee shop’s semester opening. To begin operation, the Motley needed to get all posted flyers approved by the Office of Student Engagement, put together a form where groups could sign up to reserve the space after hours, and release a statement of inclusivity acknowledging that the previously removed posters may have made people uncomfortable. “We told her we’re not willing to make an Instagram post and make a mockery of ourselves,” the Motley manager said. “We negotiated it down to putting our mission statement somewhere physically in the Motley with the little addendum at the end talking about inclusivity.” Following this discourse, the Motley held its semester opening on Feb. 8. The coffeehouse’s mission statement, including a line about their commitment to inclusivity, was displayed at the counter where customers ordered their drinks. “All of the managers and a large majority of the baristas believe in the organizing potential of the Motley,” the manager said. “It’s been hard because we can’t release a statement of solidarity with Palestine officially as the Motley because admin will not let us open if that happens.”
Regardless, a statement expressing solidarity with Palestine was posted to the Motley Instagram account (@motleycoffee) on Feb. 13. “To not acknowledge the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the apartheid state of Israel, and the violence towards Palestinians globally and here in our community would be to depart from the Motley’s core values – core values upheld by generations of Scripps students,” the statement read. The caption of the post acted as a disclaimer, advising students that the statement was in no way legally affiliated with the business or totality of the staff. “This statement represents the perspectives of some Motley baristas and managers,” the caption said. “It DOES NOT reflect the perspectives of all present Motley employees nor does it intend to speak on behalf of everyone previously employed at the Motley. Furthermore, this statement does not legally represent the Motley Coffeehouse (as a ‘studentrun, college-directed business’), their respective businesses or affiliated businesses.” The Motley aims to continue their tradition as a place of inclusive political freedom and conversation. Yet, they are unsure whether this reality is feasible to maintain moving forward. “As of now it’s still within our hands to decide what events we accept based on applicability to our mission statement or hours that a manager can be there to supervise,”
said the manager. “But, Adriana kept reiterating in the meeting that things could change on a dime. So it seems very up in the air whether or not the Motley’s student autonomy will be as strong as it was before.” The ongoing tensions between the administration and student-run organizations showcase how student leaders and activists cannot take a stance without administrative pushback resulting from a fear of polarizing conversations. “We cannot keep shutting down dialogue every time we feel uncomfortable, and that goes for all issues,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. “It also is true for every opinion surrounding this particular geopolitical moment – if we’re unwilling to engage in dialogue and the university is unwilling to allow us to safely engage in dialogue, what a loss.” This is not the first time that student-led initiatives have taken a stance on divisive movements and contributed to conversations regarding global events. Many are aware of Scripps’ rich history of bold student activism and want this moment to embody this legacy. “Students are inspired by the past – that’s why we have a library with an archive that goes way back,” a student who wished to remain anonymous said. “How will you be remembered for what will be written in the archive of this time in terms of students being able to express how they feel?”
The Importance of Remaining Interested Rather Than Indifferent: A Perspective From 5C Ukrainian Students By Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern or the past two years, Ukranian Fonstrated students at the 5Cs have demresilient leadership in the
face of unthinkable tragedy. After the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces on Feb. 24 2022, members of the Ukrainian community on campus organized forums, vigils, and spaces of solidarity to educate and bring awareness to the war. Beginning Feb. 21, CMC and Scripps will be hosting events to commemorate two years since the full scale invasion of Ukraine. On Feb. 21, Anna Romandash will give a talk entitled Women of Ukraine: Reportages from the War and Beyond at Roberts North. This will be followed by several back-toback events on Feb. 23 starting with an Athenaeum talk entitled Endgame Scenarios for the Russia-Ukraine War, a screening of Freedom on Fire at the Motley, concluding with a Vigil at the Cube to honor the Ukrainian lives that were lost. As the two-year mark since the beginning of the war approaches, Ukrainian students find ways to amplify the voices of Ukrainian activists, scholars, and people to showcase the strength of their country. Events such as student speaker series, Hear From Ukraine, give these students the opportunity to share their stories. The first talk featured Sofia Zaozerska HMC ’27 on Feb. 1. The series is grounded in the transformative impact of storytelling and its ability to humanize a situation. “I feel like the best way to communicate [difficult situations] is through stories,” one of the lead organizers
of the Ukrainian Club, Ivan Dudiak HMC ’26 said. “That’s the main way humans listen to things. We have a lot of people here, and don’t have any shortage of stories.” Dudiak’s emphasis on the importance of parting memories and moments, especially those of hope in Ukraine, rings true for fellow student organizer Marina Shishkina ’25 who returned to the country this past winter. While in attendance at a play, Shishkina and the audience had to evacuate to the bomb shelters. 30 minutes later, the entire theater returned to their seats. “Nothing compares to [that feeling] when you’re sitting in a theater [after] sitting in a bomb shelter and you’re about to watch the most beautiful, culturally artistic play ever,” Shishkina said. “You’re sitting in a room of strangers, but you feel so at home and connected to every person there because you guys just went through that together and everyone’s okay.” This is not Shishkina’s first time interacting with art as a form of communal joy during times of uncertainty. She has successfully curated three exhibits in the past two years: Lovers, Strangers, and Friends (2022); Reprinting Claremont (2023); and her most recent collection, Bringing Ukraine to the West Coast (2023). Bringing Ukraine to the West Coast was a series of pop-up galleries that highlighted a vast array of Ukrainian artists, with many of the pieces centered around the war. Although that exhibit has come to an end, Shishkina expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and how art will continue to inform her perception of activism. “I don’t think I’ve ever learned as
much about myself or my country,” she said. “It felt pretty surreal to be able to look in a room and [know] all of these people are here to learn about Ukraine and the different stories of these artists.” Dudiak, Shishkina, and the entire Ukrainian Club have dedicated their time, stories, and spirits to continuing conversations about the war. Although the content may be difficult, Dudiak asserted the significance of maintaining open communication and a firm presence with the student body. “We’re de facto fighting for much of the Western world’s democracy and stability and we’re the ones whose people are dying on the front lines,” Dudiak said. “There’s a high price we’re paying to motivate people to support us. The only hope for us to win this war is for all of us to be united.” Shishkina echoed Dudiak’s belief that the path to overcoming the hatred and ignorance of the war is through honest dialogue – a truth
she learned was shared by the wider community and future generations during one of her exhibits. “There was this one time in the [Bringing Ukraine to the West Coast] gallery, when a dad who walked in, looked me in the eyes and [asked], ‘how graphic is the show?’” she said. After responding that the content was “pretty graphic,” the man brought his seven and 10-year-old children into the space while explaining everything that was going on in Ukraine. “That moment with the dad and those kids was so inspiring to me to know that there are people out there that care so much and want to share all of this,” Shishkina said. “That is why I do everything that I do, for the children of Ukraine and the new generation that’s growing up.” To continue supporting Ukrainian students on campus, keep a look out for updates regarding future Hear from Ukraine talks and don’t visit the upcoming Ukrainian language table at Oldenburg.
Photo Courtesy of Ivan Dudiak HMC ’26
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
News • 3
A Scripps Success: The Enchanted Forest Party
Photo Courtesy of Ava Koblik ’26
By Anna Odell ’27 Social Media Manager
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urprise! Scripps hosted its first evening party of the school year on Jan. 27 following their successful day par ty from last semester, Tomorrowland. The Enchanted Forest party showcased the ways Scripps has been more involved in campus life activities. “A big recent goal of SAS has been to rejuvenate the party/event scene at Scripps,” Vice President of Student Affairs Melina Durre ’25 said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have as much funding as the other schools, and therefore are usually not able to throw more than one 5C event per semester.” When there was a large portion of the budget remaining after the Tomorrowland event, SAS Events Chair Sarah Paper ’25 took on the task of putting something together. “I wanted to plan another event within the restrictions of SAS’s large-scale events requiring 10-12 weeks in preparation,” she said. “It was merely a matter of approval from administration to use the Balch Auditorium, acquire some extra money, and purchase decorations,”
Durre said. The party was held in Balch Auditorium, which SAS members decorated with multicolored lights and outdoor decorations. Face painting and various snacks were also offered, including cupcakes, Domino’s pizza, and garlic knots. Scripps students were required to fill out a form to RSVP for the party, which wasn’t openly accessible to other 5C students. Students from other campuses who wished to attend had to have a Scripps student register them as a guest, indicated on the form, and only one guest per student was allowed. This was an administrative decision to enforce the capacity of the venue and keep the event as safe as possible. SAS also encouraged people to wear formal attire, although it was not required or enforced. This formal attire was inspired by a separate event by Family (the LGBTQ+ affinity group). Unsurprisingly, the party started slowly but ramped up right before 11 p.m. when more people began arriving. Balch quickly filled with students and many wore dresses or other versions of formalwear. “I thought it was one of Scripps’ best events of the year so far,” Chloe Maher ’27 said. “It was very well
put on, and the decor as well as the lighting was great. I really enjoyed how the event was aimed for Scripps students, and I hope to see more of these events.” Working with the DJs was important for SAS, and the organizers’ involvement was crucial for the music that played. The team quickly got in contact with individual DJs and a DJ company. “I was really proud of my set, I was proud of the music that I chose, and proud of the way I performed,” Isa Bravo PZ ’26, one of the DJs for the party, said. “I also really loved working with SAS; I think I was really pleasantly surprised at their professionality. They really treated us like talent.” SAS hopes to hold more than one of these events per semester moving forward. “Myself and the rest of the SAS events team truly want to provide optimal and consistent event experiences here at Scripps,” Paper said. Paper also hopes that these events open the community’s eyes to even more possibilities of what event life at Scripps could look like. “With the current policy that authorizes SAS as the only group on campus able to host parties of any size and
with our current inability to provide a consistent event scene here, it has created a culture at Scripps where students are afraid to host spontaneous gatherings or feel the need to leave our campus for these opportunities,” Paper said. “I hope the Scripps community, both its students and its administrators, continue to think critically about how our event and student life policies encourage and discourage community congregation and connectivity.”
TSV Editorial Staff 2023-2024 Aanji Sin ’24 Editor-in-Chief Ellen Hu ’24 Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Wend ’24 Editor-in-Chief Ellen Wang ’25 Editor-in-Chief Isabel Suh ’24 Head Design Editor Hannah Fawley ’27 Design Editor Elita Kutateli ’26 Design Editor Nawal Hassan ’27 Design Editor Juliette Des Rosiers ’26 Copy Editor Frances Walton ’26 Copy Editor Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern Ashley Ta ’27 Copy Editor Intern
Photo Courtesy of Ava Koblik ’26
Carah Allen ’26 Webmaster Anna Odell ’27 Social Media Manager
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
4 • Feature
Claremont’s After School Specials Win ICCA Quarterfinal
By Ellen Hu ’24 and Ellen Wang ’25 Editors-in-Chief
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n Feb. 10, Claremont Colleges a cappella group The After School Specials (ASS) won first place at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) West Quarterfinal. ASS and the runner up from University of California, Irvine (UCI), Uniting Voices, will be moving on to the ICCA West Semifinal in Redwood City on March 23. “It did not feel real,” ASS’s Izzy Gustitus ’25 said. “It genuinely felt like someone had taken reality and just flipped it on its head.” In addition to advancing in the competition, ASS’s Gustitus, Monty Ellwanger PO ’24, Ava Thuresson CMC ’26, and Aaron Wu PO ’25 won the outstanding award for choreography. Wu also won Outstanding Arrangement for “I’m Tired.” “I was like, ‘we’re actually being recognized,’” Gustitus said. “I think that was the shock – we had never been [past quarterfinals], not since 2018.” While ASS competed in 2023, they did not move forward in the competition. Midnight Echo, the only other 5C group competing, marked their reentry into the competition since 2017 with an award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion (Immanuel Victor KGI ’25). UCI’s Vermillion Vocalists took home Outstanding Soloist. Winning the vocal percussion award was a “surreal” experience for Victor who began his beatboxing journey two and a half years ago at UC Davis. “We did this for Claremont and we did this for us, but I’ll admit a little part of me was also carrying all the groups and all the people back in Davis with me,” he said. The event was hosted at Pomona College’s Bridges Auditorium. In addition to the 5C representation by ASS and Midnight Echo, competing teams represented UC Los Angeles; UC Santa Barbara; UC Santa Cruz; UCI; California Polytechnic State
Ellen Hu ’24 • The Scripps Voice
Ellen Hu ’24 • The Scripps Voice University-San Luis Obispo; and Mt. San Antonio College. “While we were sitting in the balcony watching, my mouth was open the entire time,” Midnight Echo bass Aidan Tu PZ ’24 said. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe I will be performing alongside these amazing people.’” Audience members expressed similar amazement with the performances as well as an appreciation for all of the work that went into the sets. “It was really cool to see them … their beautiful c h o r e o g ra p h y , t h e i r b e a u t i f u l arrangements, and hearing their amazing voices,” Laguna College of Art and Design student Christine Chu ’24 said. “I could tell that everyone really cared about what set they put on,” ASS mezzo Esther Goldberg ’25 said. “It was really, really fun.” Following an online application submitted in October of 2023, groups were selected to compete in the regional quarterfinal competition. Months of preparation went into the
final sets, both in the arrangements and choreography. “Preparation for something as big as ICCA is always going to be time intensive and intention intensive,” Victor said. “One of the biggest things that I felt going into this was that it wasn’t like we could go on autopilot anymore.” Thorough sessions were a part of many groups’ routines. “We held two 3-hour rehearsals each week, in addition to 1-hour sectionals,” UCLA’s Pitch, Please! soprano Joanna Zhang ’24 said. “We also held two ‘rehearsathons,’ which were essentially whole-day rehearsals that ran from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.” Similarly, ASS met regularly and ramped up their practices up until the competition. “In the last week before the competition we met like six days a week, which was crazy,” Goldberg said. “By the end I personally felt very prepared.” Both ASS and Midnight Echo previously performed at Bridges Auditorium for Southern California A
capella Music Festival (SCAMFest), an annual a cappella showcase hosted in the fall semester by The Claremont Shades. Coming back to the space for ICCA was exciting and comforting for students from the 5C groups. “Having that ability to be flexible with where we are and even go through our routines before the show was really helpful for all of us,” Victor said. While pre-performance routines and support systems felt familiar, performers experienced a different atmosphere than that of SCAMFest. “Even with the same location and the same staff, it was really a completely different experience because you’re surrounded by different competition, different people you’ve never seen before,” Tu said. The feeling of competition felt more like comradery for many. “Everyone was super friendly,” Goldberg said. “We were all very big supporters of each other … I mean, you can kind of feel the spirit of competition only in the sense that we’re all about to perform.” The performances were judged with numerical scores across vocal and visual elements by five local artists with backgrounds in singing, arranging, and education. Gustitus added the judges’ feedback includes advice that can be especially helpful for groups that do not have professional choreographers and staff support. “We get their notes, which is so awesome,” she said. “They get to tell us ‘your blend here was a little off, choreo could have been a little clearer’ … I think we have a lot more trust in ourselves, which is really a new thing for us. We have capability that we can measure.” As ASS moves towards the Semifinals in March, they’re using their win to boost their confidence and gratitude for each other. “The biggest thing now is like, just taking it in and allowing the joy to fill you up,” Gustitus said.
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Five
Crossword • 5
Crossword: Enjoy The GREENery By Kaitlyn Chen ’24 Guest Writer
ACROSS 1. Blue off-shoot of Scripps’ color 5. Weekly day to wear green 8. ___-save, your savior when your computer crashes while cramming that 8-page essay 9. Green order at the Motley 13. Synonym of 1-down? 15. Pickings adjacent to class murals 18. Green lawn 19. British greeting
DOWN 1. A serving during 5-across afternoons 2. Scripps URL ending 3. Bit of a shenanigan 4. Fire zodiac sign to have 6. Servings at 9-down during Saturday brunch 7. Historically women’s college in the Inland Empire 9. Dining hall that used to be a gallery 10. Heart pulsation when you see your PERM request denied 11. Type of detergent 12. Type of outdated messaging system, minus the L 14. To turn rancid from not cleaning out your fridge before winter break 15. Surgical procedure where the natural lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial lens: Abbr. 16. NBC sketch show 17. It may be inflated
Unlearning Sexism…Through a Baby: A Review of “Poor Things” By Georgia French ’27 Staff Writer
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nyone with an appreciation for the whimsical or surreal will immediately be reeled in by the fantastically confusing trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things. The film confronts long standing and universally accepted social norms through the development of Emma Stone’s character, Bella Baxter, the creation of Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). After discovering the body of a pregnant woman who had recently committed suicide, Baxter puts his unconventional medical practices to use by replacing the woman’s brain with that of her unborn baby. The
result of Baxter’s Frankenstein experiment — the mind of a newborn baby navigating the illogical expectations placed upon an adult woman’s body. Since Bella has the mental capacity of a newborn baby, she repeatedly faces reprimand by the other male characters for her “naïve” tendencies. While Bella is undoubtedly ignorant of the world around her, this ignorance ultimately serves to protect her from becoming desensitized to the double standards other women have become accustomed towards. On a surface level, Bella is seen as foolish in the eyes of God and his research assistant, Max (Ramy Youssef). She wants to explore a world she doesn’t know the dangers of, she speaks
bluntly and freely of her newly discovered sexuality, and she continues to expect the best of people who have time and time again revealed their worst. Overall, her “ignorance” which God and Max are quick to point out can be more accurately described as a nonadherence to trivial social expectations, as well as a lack of familiarity with the commonly disappointing actions of men. In comparison to Bella’s envyinducing unfamiliarity with prejudices, the woman who had previously housed Bella’s body, Victoria, had been struck with the unfortunate reality. She did what all too many women have done before her: acclimated to the hysterical and arrogant disposition of
her territorial husband, since it was the model of countless husband-wife dynamics. The husband, Alfie Belssington (Christopher Abbott) tracks Bella down months after his wife’s disappearance. Believing the woman before him is still Victoria, he insists Bella return home. All too quickly, Bella understands why her mother was driven to suicide under Alfie’s ruling hand. Alfie immediately makes her inferior position in their marriage clear, resulting in Bella’s decision to leave. Her logical decision making among the irrational rules men impose on her points to the obvious irony of the “hysterical woman” stereotype. Continued on page 5
16 Februrary 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
6
F E AT
How to Write a Story: Jessica Bendinger Takes Center Stage at Scripps
By Zoe Tomlin ’27 Staff Writer
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n Feb. 8, Scripps Presents welcomed Jessica Bendinger, a screenwriter, director, and producer, to the Balch Auditorium stage for a discussion with Jackie Yedgar, the Assistant Director of Events and Conference Services at Scripps, and Kaavya Narayan CMC ’25. Though her career has spanned far and wide, Bendinger is best known for having written the screenplays for Bring It On and Stick It, as well as writing for the fourth season of Sex and the City. She is also an author and published her first novel, The Seven Rays, in 2009. Throughout the conversation, Bendinger held the audience’s attention with her thoughtful responses peppered with witty observations and a spirited presence. Yedgar began the evening by sharing her insight into Bendinger’s character. “In case you’re wondering what it’s like to be friends with Jessica … it is the equivalent of riding shotgun with a Formula One driver,” she said. This earned a warm laugh and as the night continued with Bendinger’s stories, Yedgar’s statement rang more and more true. Narayan commenced the questioning by asking Bendinger about her movement into the world of storytelling. As an only child of divorced parents, Bendinger noted that she often felt like “a plus one that nobody wanted … bopping around from place to place.” To cope with her uncomfortable circumstances, she learned to “read the context,” ensuring that she was able to find her proper role in each situation. Bendinger was constantly considering people and places and attempting to fully understand the inner workings of others’ minds. Writing, for Bendinger, was merely the next logical step in her system of observation. Storytelling served as a portal into
Zoe Tomlin ’27 • The Scripps Voice
lives distinct from her own – a way to escape, but also to continue her habit of empathy. “Writing felt like the opportunity to be a fly on the wall [in] anybody’s life, rather than just my own,” she said. Furthering her ideas on storytelling, Bendinger spoke about what spurred her to write Bring It On, the story of a high school cheerleader. She recalls being a young girl in the 1970s, seeing cheerleaders for the first time, and being in awe of their ability to “[command] the attention of everybody in the room … I couldn’t imagine a world in which young women commanded the attention of the adults.” Similar moments piqued Bendinger’s interest, leading her to contemplate the people behind the pompoms and cheer routines while wondering how they experienced life. Storytelling allowed her to take those curiosities and dive deeper – creating characters and stories that would “build a bridge between the audience and [a character’s] experience.” And, if there was one thing that
Bendinger could do, it was crafting a powerful bridge – one that encourages genuine empathy, fun, and connection. Bring It On debuted at the top of the box office and remained there for two weeks. Despite the film’s considerable success, Bendinger remembers struggling to get her foot in the door of Hollywood. She pitched her screenplay 28 times over the course of two months, experiencing rejection after rejection. Eventually, Bendinger realized that “she [had been] walking into rooms of men who [did] not understand young women and did not care about young women as audiences.” The stories Bendinger was pitching often did not align with the “lived experiences” of the people with whom she was sharing them so it was up to her to convince them that stories directed toward young women had value. This was easier said than done. Though she recognized the intrinsic worth of her stories, Bendinger realized that the only way to garner sup-
port from the men of Hollywood was to convince them of their monetary value. She found if she could provide statistics proving the demand for media centering cheerleading and gymnastics, among other things, she would be taken more seriously. While this was and is an unfortunate product of the male-dominated reality in which we live, it is also a testimony to Bendinger’s intelligence and determination. She prioritizes telling the stories that she feels need to be told, refusing to default to what may be most palatable to a larger audience or what will sell at the box office. Authenticity is a key component of Bendinger’s storytelling. For her, writing is personal, and in order to create a relatable piece of work, it must remain that way — intimate and vulnerable. As a result, she focuses on experiences that will genuinely speak to certain groups of people – to her, taking the risk of vulnerability is what generates a meaningful story. “When you tell a story for everyone, it ends up being for no one,” Bendinger said.
The Infinite Fringe: Journalism in the Internet Age By Chloe Swickard ’27 Staff Writer
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ow does a journalist balance their own moral compass with the economic necessity of finding a stable occupation in the modern job market? Claremont McKenna College ’11 alum, Tina Nguyen, spoke on her experiences entering the journalism world at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum on Feb. 1. The Infinite Fringe is a term coined by Nguyen herself, which describes the phenomenon of small media groups, often those that tout far-right ideology, reaching viewership levels once achieved only by mainstream
media channels such as CNN and Fox News. “It’s my stab at a unified theory that explains why the past decade of politics has been so absolutely batshit, so disintegrated, so confused,” Nguyen stated. At first glance, this may not appear entirely dangerous. The freedom of the press is a fundamental aspect of freedom of speech, so what’s wrong with having more outlets to represent different perspectives instead of allowing big media to monopolize the networks? However, Nguyen described how fringe media groups can easily dispense unmitigated conspiracy theories and hive-mind ideologies to millions of viewers.
These fringe media networks can be dangerously inflammatory because of the promotion of unreliable facts, the viral nature of algorithms, and how eager right-wing politicians and public figures are to popularize such stories. The effects of the Infinite Fringe flourished under Donald Trump’s presidential administration, where misinformation and conspiracy theories ran amok. Many have criticized Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when he advocated for the use of the chemical hydroxychloroquine as a means of protection against the virus. Instead of citing a reputable source such
as the CDC, the “journal article” that first reported on hydroxychloroquine combating COVID-19 was written by an X (formerly Twitter) user named Adrian Bye who had no credentials, no experience in the medical field, and utilized “a decade of philosophy research” to write the paper. How did this outlandish idea which originated as a post with less than 100 views end up in the sphere of the President of the United States in the first place? Nguyen summed it up: “The hydroxychloroquine mania came from three random internet strangers LARPing [live action role-playing] as amateur epidemiologists on TwitContinued on page 7
16 February 2024 • The Scripps V
TURE
Eleanor Henderson ’24 Releases Debut Single “Patience”
7
By Ella Young ’24 Staff Writer or Eleanor Henderson ’24, the F last week of January was the first week for two new chapters: her final
semester at Scripps and her career as a released musician. On Jan. 26, Henderson’s debut single, “Patience” was made available on all streaming platforms. Described by Henderson as a “pop rock, indie rock-type piano ballad,” the song features Henderson’s clear vocals atop a minimalistic piano accompaniment. The song’s lyrics, featuring the refrain “I can be patient for you,” explore themes of rejection and yearning. “It’s about when you realized you have a crush on a friend … and it’s bad timing, but that’s so important to you that it’s like, ‘I can wait for something amazing,’” Henderson said. Henderson is influenced by a diverse group of songwriters, including Noah Kahan, Maisie Peters, and Hayley Williams of Paramore. Although primarily a singer, she usually writes songs with the aid of a piano or guitar. “When I started, it was scary, because I had never played my own instruments,” Henderson said. “I’d never had to know how to play guitar or piano, and I’d never written a song, but now I love it. I am so excited to get to do the whole picture of the song.” To followers of the 5C music scene, Henderson is known as the lead singer of 5C band Fischli’s Animals, of which she’s been a member since 2021. The group is known across the colleges for their eclectic and energetic pop and rock covers. She credited the band as a key figure in her musical journey. “It was being in a college band that made me realize that I would actually want to do [music] professionally,” Henderson said. “I’ve done music in a lot of capacities before; I studied opera in high school, and I did choir and theater. But being in a band and performing like that was a feeling I’d never gotten from music before.” While Henderson still performs with Fischli’s Animals, the group primarily focuses on playing recreationally in the 5C music scene. Outside of these performances, Henderson’s ambitions of recording and releasing music pushed her to start her solo career. “For a while I was trying to con-
Frances Walton ’26 • The Scripps Voice
vince my band to go pro, and they were like ‘I don’t know.’ So I thought, this is something that I really want, so do I want it enough to do it by myself, which is really scary? And the answer was, yeah, I do,” Henderson said. And so she did! Since beginning her journey as a songwriter in early 2023, Henderson has developed a large collection of original songs. However, even before its release, “Patience” stuck out to her as special.
“When I wrote ‘Patience,’ I was like ‘this is just ready to go,’”Henderson said. “It was a song that I both had enough faith that it was good, and even if it didn’t do well, I loved it enough and it felt special enough to me that I wouldn’t mind if it totally flopped.” Fortunately for Henderson, “Patience” has not “totally flopped.” The song has been showcased by various indie music publications and playlists, and students across the campuses have been streaming
her piece. Henderson credited Scripps as part of this success. “It’s thanks to Scripps, the person it’s made me, and especially the people I’ve met that I’ve been able to see that things like this could happen to someone like me,” she said. To stay up to date on Henderson’s music, follow her on Instagram or TikTok @_eleanorhenderson, and be sure to stream “Patience” by Eleanor Henderson, available now on all streaming services.
Journalism in the Internet Age Continued from page 6 ter. This one conversation, from the quarters of the internet … happened to be retweeted by Elon Musk, that happened to catch Donald Trump’s attention.” She follows up that researchers estimated over 17,000 deaths linked to the hydroxychloroquine conspiracy. Nguyen understands the inner workings of these fringe groups because she has reported for several in the years following her graduation from CMC. The young journalist hopped from The National Review to the Daily Wire to the Daily Caller, and even worked for the infamous Tucker Carlson in 2011. All were fringe right-wing networks that often
Voice • Volume XXXII • Issue Five
tasked Nguyen to “write hit pieces on Democratic candidates.” Her personal ideologies didn’t match up with these networks, and she eventually landed a job at Vanity Fair reporting on politics, focusing on Trump’s administration. She used her experience working at far-right networks to her advantage, as she was able to understand and write about their ideologies on a deeper level. This isn’t the first presentation Nguyen has made at the Athenaeum. The problems she relayed in her Oct. 2018 address about the spread of misinformation under Trump are still happening in the journalism world today. Nguyen had no idea what was to come years later, when the power
of the fringe internet would result in a massive wave of right-wingers leading a riot on the Capitol. Nguyen was present on that apocalyptic Jan. 6th day, and personally witnessed her infinite fringe theory come to fruition. The presentation covered a lot of interesting ground, but also posed as many new questions as new information it introduced. Is there any way to combat the rise of these fringe groups, and what does the future of journalism look like in the modern age of the internet? Nguyen seemed vaguely hopeful, but couldn’t supply any concrete ideas on how to reverse the downward trajectory of journalism. Nguyen discussed a possible
reversal of the infinite fringe and offered, “Perhaps this comes from a restructuring of the journalism industry … maybe it comes from the public having a deeper understanding of the internet’s power to destroy the truth, or holding internet influencers as accountable as they do politicians.” The question of the Infinite Fringe remains unsolved by one single solution, and as politics in the United States grows more and more polarized, the upcoming 2024 election could see a new wave of fringe media groups pushing false information. The current resolution seems to rest on the individual: thinking critically about media and ensuring information sources are verifiable.
8 • Feature
Playwright Gina Young Shares Work and Inspiration By Aviva Vic Maxon ’24 Staff Writer
P
laywright, director, and curator Gina Young gave an intimate talk in Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment (SCORE) to Scripps Family on Feb. 1. Family, Scripps’ Queer affinity group, invited Young, who uses they/she pronouns, to share their work and experience as a Queer artist. Young shared monologues from their plays She Likes to Cut Herself, She Likes to Write, Phone/Sex/Cancer, Femmes: A Tragedy (2014), sSISTERSs (2015), Room Tone (2020), and This is Why I Don’t Come Home (2023). Each monologue covered different themes and topics, all tied together through Queerness. She Likes to Cut Herself, She Likes to Write follows a teen girl through her first lesbian relationship while in Catholic school. Young pulled from her own experiences at Catholic school while navigating what a healthy Queer relationship looks like. The play uses graphic imagery and intense feelings to tell the story. Femmes: A Tragedy (2014) follows a public breakup over the backdrop of modern lesbian culture. The show features all femme presenting actors and unpacks how butch/femme relationships can mirror heteronormativity. sSISTERSs (2015) follows three sisters, who may or may not be witches, as they deal with what it means to be family and the evolution of feminism. Young utilizes cyclical storytelling and repetition to bring the witchy story to life. Room Tone (2020) is a short film that follows one side of a Zoom conversation of ex-partners isolated by the pandemic. The entire story is told through a series of monologues and explores the loneliness of the pandemic. This is Why I Don’t Come Home (2023) is the story of a prodigal daughter who returned home to learn she is not the only Queer person in her family. This work explores changing identity, family dynamics, and the changes 10 years after the legalization of gay marriage. Young’s authentic and thoughtful writing discussed self-harm, love, transphobia, changing identities, and religious trauma in a way that was heartfelt, serious, and digestible. They shared personal topics in a
way that highlighted humanity and the universal search for belonging. Her reading was full of rhythmic verse which created a warm and encouraging environment. After the reading, Young had a Q&A-turned dialogue with attendees. They explained the draw to playwriting over other written work due to a love of dialogue and growing up in church theater spaces. Additionally, Young shared how she enjoys the speed of reading a play. The discussion turned to taking criticism and sharing creative control. They expressed the need for time to process criticism and to hone skills of parsing what is helpful feedback and what is not. Additionally, she expressed the need for inner strength and being able to separate oneself from the work. Young also explained the importance of having complete trust in other artists, such as actors and technical designers, who help bring the story to life on stage. From there, the conversation turned to finding Queer spaces and community after college. Young shared that they found community through going out, queer bars, and the Riot Grrrl scene in New York. In Los Angeles, Young found and fostered community in similar ways. SORORITY was a project founded in 2016 to create the Queer community she wanted. It started as a small performing arts salon and has grown into a massive creative community that produces new live performance works, staged readings, and cabarets by women, trans, nonbinary, and queer artists. “Being able to talk to Gina Young about navigating life after college as a Queer person was a great experience and it was truly inspiring to listen to someone who was able to pursue their passions without sacrificing their identity,” Family president Gabby Boles ’26 said. Following the event, students had the opportunity to stay behind and speak directly with Young, as well as buy merchandise for SORORITY and a book of Queer plays she was selling. “I sort of stumbled upon the event, but was so glad I went!” theater major Aviva Miller ’24 said. “It was a nice reminder that theater can come in many shapes and forms, and
Photo Courtesy of Gina Young
that Queer stories in theater should be emphasized more than they currently are. It made me think about the lack of authentic Queer stories within mainstream theater, and how it’s up to the next generation of theater makers to change that.” Other attendees were inspired by Young’s work, noting the importance of seeing and hearing stories like their own. Young’s authenticity and ability to share real stories from their life and the lives of those
around them instilled hope in her audience. If this Queer creative can make it, find community, and be fully themselves, then so can we. This event and others put on by Family highlight the work and community of Queer people all around us. You can find Gina Young on Instagram @gina.genius and Family on Instagram @scrippsfamily for updates on their future events.
Crossword Answers ACROSS
DOWN
1. TEAL 5. WEDNESDAYS 8. AUTO 9. MATCHA 13. GOSSIP 15. ROSES 18. BOWLING 19. ELLO
1. TEA 2. EDU 3. ANTIC 4. LEO 6. ACAIS 7. SCRIPPS 9. MALOTT 10. THROB 11. HG 12. AO 14. SPOIL 15. RLE
16 Februrary 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
Feature • 9
Set Up and Strike: A Snapshot of Kevin Mullis
Belén Yudess ’25 • The Scripps Voice
By Belén Yudess ’25 Copy Editor Intern
W
hat do Screen on the Green, a classroom tech visit, and a Board of Trustees meeting have in common? Each of these events relies on the quiet and valuable leadership of Kevin Mullis. Mullis, who currently serves as a Media Services Technician, has been an integral part of the Scripps community since Sept. 5, 2017, beginning his career in the Information Technology (IT) office before transitioning to Events, then Marketing and Communication. Now, Mullis spends his days installing new laser projectors and AV switchers, updating and repairing equipment, and troubleshooting. On top of providing an essential service on campus, his passion for the job and compassion toward the student body, faculty, and staff make an undeniable impact. Born and raised in Upland, Mullis has always had a strong connection with The Claremont Colleges and southern California. His mom
worked as a secretary at Pomona College while other members of his family worked in the landscaping business, which included demolition and digging up pools in the Los Angeles area. Mullis stated that this job taught him to appreciate those who work in physical labor, especially his current colleagues. Although Mullis enjoyed this gig, he decided to seek out his original IT job at Scripps after becoming interested in tech during his run as a technician for an advanced production class at Upland High School. “When I found out I got hired [for this job], I was sitting six feet underground in a dug swimming pool,” he said. Mullis’ role has changed over the years as he adapted to the technological and management needs of different situations. This includes ensuring the smooth operation of alumni reunions, Office of Student Engagement (OSE) events, Board of Trustees meetings, everyday class-
room checks, and one of his personal favorites: Camp Scripps. Mullis performs a handful of duties to secure the success of these activities, yet he has a humble mindset regarding his contributions. “We go out and do set-ups and strikes … if everything goes like it’s supposed to, you go unnoticed.” Although Mullis’ knowledge is apparent in every in-person event that “goes off without a hitch,” the extent of his abilities was especially apparent during the pandemic. “When it came to programming and events, it was virtual,” he said. “We dealt with celebrities virtually [such as] Stanley Tucci and Bowen Yang, [hosted] cooking workshops, and virtual capstone which included simultaneous sessions. When you’re running a program virtually it’s easier but it’s not. When it’s virtual, it’s one feed, everyone is staring at the webinar being shared; it was like we were running a live broadcast — that was
a fun time.” Aside from his own responsibilities, Mullis has also played a crucial role in shaping the experiences of the students who work in Media Services. “We get the students trained enough to handle the office clerical work, support faculty, and assist with events,” he said. “[We want] the job to be something [students] can look back on, and it makes me feel great that I helped a student learn a skill that they are using in their career now.” Mullis’ dedication to his student staff did not go unnoticed. “I greatly enjoyed working with Kevin as he was always willing to show me how to do various technological set-ups and troubleshoot audio and video equipment problems,” former Media Services intern Olina Wong ’23 said. Mullis has been a star performer behind the scenes but has also had the opportunity to shine on screen as well. “I got to work with Sandra Bullock directly,” Mullis said in regard to his stunt in the 2018 Netflix original film Bird Box, the final scene of which was filmed in Balch Courtyard. “The college sent out an email asking if any faculty or students wanted to be an extra in the movie. I was the gatekeeper when they got to the School of the Blind. [While we were filming] Sandra Bullock came out and was like, ‘Nice to meet you,’ and I was #starstruck. [I also helped] tie the shoes of the kids that came out [in the movie]. [Although] the gatekeeper was scratched, I am in the background of that following scene … for a split second.” Apart from troubleshooting, Mullis also enjoys eating spaghetti, repairing and selling motorized vehicles, the color green, and caring for his large array of pets, ranging from dogs and cats to lizards and birds. Two of his ongoing goals are to learn Spanish and Italian, as well as master the piano. Along with his outside interests, Mullis also has a fascination with Scripps’ history. “I really appreciate the history at Scripps because not many people know or remember it. [For example, the current location of] SAGE used to be a black box theater because, before the internet, there were a lot of in-person performances.” With his long curly hair — which he has donated twice — and radiant smile, Mullis is a true star at Scripps. He is gracious in his achievements, thoughtful with his words, and has an electric set of humor sure to liven up any space or “sanctuary.” Although Mullis has a plethora of opportunities and accomplishments to choose from, he asserts that his favorite part of his job is the effect it has on student experiences. “The name of the game is the students and the education, [and part of that are the events] which are about making memories,” he said.
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
10 • Opinion
Diabetes Awareness and Access on Campus: We Can Do Better By Machelle Kabir ’26 Staff Writer
D
uring winter break, I was diagnosed with diabetes — a disheartening, yet unshocking prognosis. Feeling lethargic in class, at work, and on a daily basis for the past few months, I thought my symptoms resembled diabetes, but was not able to check because I did not have SHS insurance. Unable to purchase glucose monitors, test strips, or lancets at the Claremont Colleges library, I was forced to wait until I got home for the break to make an appointment with my doctor’s office. While one may suggest I could have picked up the supplies at the local pharmacy in the Village, they do not carry diabetic supplies over the counter, requiring a prescription for such items. Something as simple as a
prescription sounds reasonable, right? Wrong. When a student with a packed schedule can call their doctor’s office for this request, it may be past office hours. Even if a student plans accordingly, they may not be able to receive the prescription over the phone. They may also find that the pharmacy in the Village does not accept their health insurance. What happens then? They could order these medical devices via Uber Eats, Doordash, or other delivery services. Then again, all the supplies combined, regardless of where you order them from, average nearly $60, excluding delivery fees. The diagnosis left me wondering why the prestigious Claremont Colleges do not
provide access to necessary medical supplies for one of the most common health issues in the world. According to the CDC, “about 38 million Americans have diabetes,” totaling 11.6% of the US population. While acknowledging that students from all over the world come to study in Claremont, this statistic means that out of the 8,500 students, 986 of them would be diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes does not discriminate; the seemingly young, healthy students at the Claremont Colleges could be suffering — diagnosed or undiagnosed. I know the Claremont Colleges care for their students’ health and well-being. That is exactly why I transferred to Scripps a year
ago. However, even something extraordinary has room for improvement. That is why I suggest the Huntley Bookstore sell glucose monitors, test strips, and lancets. I am not requesting insulin; I merely request simple devices to assist student health and wellness. If all goes accordingly, I plan to start a CLORG at Scripps this semester to shed light on an ailment that has caused me great inconvenience. Diabetes is a timeconsuming, unfair hardship that plagues countless. However, there is still a way of making it easier to deal with, a process in which both the Scripps and 5C faculty could assist. Ask yourselves, could you help make our fight easier? If my advice is taken, it is possible.
A Chat about Chat GPT: How it’s affecting Academia By Ashley Ta ’27 Copy Editior Intern
I
n a YouTube video discussing the AI revolution, Vox producer and video journalist Cleo Abram said, “Instead of giving a computer a rigid set of rules where if this happens then these are the possible outcomes, you give a computer inputs and outputs and allow it to create the rules themselves, rules that we wouldn’t have come up with, or maybe rules we don’t even understand.” In other words, we have left the world of humangenerated algorithms that the machine follows and have entered the eye-blinking, backflipping world of machine learning. On Mar. 14, 2023, ChatGPT-4, the latest version of the large language model GPT, launched. Besides being able to score 298/400 on the Bar exam (260280 is a passing score), its most notable difference from previous versions is image analysis. It can generate a meal from a picture of the items in your fridge, help visually impaired people navigate, and help Duolingo teach people languages, according to Abram. Writing and Rhetoric professor Kimberly Drake mentioned that there’s even an OpenAI model that can “write things in your own style … so it doesn’t have the telltale robotic tone.” In the years BCE (Before ChatGPT Evolved), a liberal arts education was created to nurture the articulation, critical thinking, and love of learning in its students. But now, years later, we ask the same old questions: will
Audrey Green ‘27 • The Scripps Voice
we still have our own thoughts when we don’t have to? How will ChatGPT impact our liberal arts education? People forget that ChatGPT has a limited source of knowledge, resulting in issues such as faulty text summaries. The model sometimes provides quotes that are not from the original text. This tendency to create plausiblesounding conclusions to please the user is called hallucinations. “In fact, generating content is probably [ChatGPT’s] weakest function,” said Dr. Steve Watson, in a joint interview with fellow University of Cambridge education professor Dr. Vaughan Connolly. “Where it excels is at manipulating structure and form.” Despite ChatGPT’s ability to rephrase writing for concision and style, professors still want students to learn from the process of revising and improving
their writing. One Scripps course syllabus discourages using AI tools for assignments but says to include ChatGPT as a reference if used. Drake’s writing curriculum focuses on de-emphasizes grades in favor of assigning “scaffolded” draft work, detailed feedback, and repeated revision to create a learner-friendly environment. “I want students to be excited about their writing and if they’re not, that’s something I need to work on,” Drake said. Other 5C syllabi from the spring 2024 semester stated that ChatGPT cannot be used for any reason at any time for the course. However, many college students have found non-writing uses for ChatGPT. An anonymous HMC student on the college’s Honor Board for academic dishonesty reported that many students use ChatGPT to debug
their code instead of “spending many hours looking for coding errors,” a chore the average computer science student is eager to hand off to AI. But the HMC student reasoned that you shouldn’t let ChatGPT debug your code if you don’t already know how to do it yourself because you’re losing the process of learning how to do so. Both the HMC student and Drake acknowledge how infrequently liberal arts students at the 5Cs actually use ChatGPT in academically dishonest ways. Regardless, Watson and Connolly see that trying to ban it will become impossible as it progresses rapidly. If anything, it seems more likely that ChatGPT will demand more out of our liberal arts education by fostering learners who will harness their creative skills instead of being replaced.
16 Feburary 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
Column • 11
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Finally Gives Fans the Adaptation They Needed By Aviva Vic Maxon ’24 Staff Writer
read the Percy Jackson and the Iabout Olympians series when I was 12, and I, like many others,
found comfort in the stories and the moral choices that were both clear and contended. The acceptance of learning disabilities and the idea that a kid could change the world made me feel at home at Camp Half-Blood. Beginning with the original five books, the Heroes of Olympus series, Trials of Apollo, and their other stories in the Riordan-verse, Percy, Annabeth, and their friends have had a considerable influence on me growing up and building my values. I wanted to be confident like Percy, thoughtful like Annabeth, courageous like Clarisse, and kind like Grover. The 2010 and 2013 film adaptations of the first two novels, The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters, let readers down by taking away the heart of why the stories are so popular. Straying from the source material, aging up the cast, lackluster special effects, and an unconvincing script all spelled doom for those movies, to the point that many in the fandom ignore their existence entirely. When creating the show, Disney was wise to take the critiques of the 2010 and 2013 movies as a strong indication for what fans, new and old, really wanted from a Percy Jackson show. The show succeeded in many ways, most notably in casting, technical design, and authenticity. Casting was done with intention, finding actors who could truly embody the characters. Additionally, Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri as the main trio, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood respectively, were a testament to the importance of age in this story. Jeffries particularly stood out; her performance was deep and
found the heart of what it means to be a daughter of Athena, even after facing racist backlash online for her casting. By keeping the main cast of campers around 12 years old like the book series, the show reminded audiences to project into what it means to be a child going on dangerous adventures. The trio also have great chemistry and are talented, despite their youth. Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysis also exemplified their successful casting. The actor known for playing unhinged and chaotic characters was the perfect choice for Camp Director ‘Mr. D.’ Mantzoukas brought an air of nonchalance and unpredictability that stayed true both to the character and the mythical deity. The show also excelled in technical design. From utilizing real locations, and combining practical and CGI effects, the
show suspended reality and brought the magic — and mythical — to life. During filming, actor Glynn Turman, portraying Chiron the centaur, rode a horse, which was advantageous during post-production when CGI technology made him half man, half horse. The special effects and fight scenes were also incredibly well done. All of the effects were smooth and believable in a way that enhanced the story and furthered the suspension of disbelief. The audience felt immersed in the demigods’ quest, walking the blurred line between the mythical and mortal worlds. There are moments in the show where the writing is not as strong as the other elements. Some elements of the story were changed from the source material, and fans did not get the time at camp they were expecting. Much of Grover’s character
Kinsey Ho ’27 • The Scripps Voice
was also a point of contention, as he seemed sanitized and was relegated to a plot device rather than the best friend to Percy and Annabeth. The character is meant to bridge the gap between the two strong-willed demigods, but ends up being there mostly just for show. Grover lacks his notable goofiness and confusion. Additionally, the story brought in Kronos much earlier and much broader than in the original text. It seemed like too many characters knew too much too soon. The stakes were changed. Percy knowing that his quest was about more than the master bolt made the stakes, which were already high, higher. From the beginning Percy is seen as this great demigod, instead of him having to work and earn that position. While many of these critics are valid, they also still point to the actual heart of why we love Percy Jackson so much. The show caters to an authenticity that is not often seen on screen. The form of storytelling, the actors, sets, and emotion in the show truly draw in viewers. Though I know the story well, having read the source material many times both as a child and adult, I spent much of the show on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. The performances felt real, the stakes felt real, and the messages resonated. While I might not have a mythical family, or be sent on quests, I could still relate to the family struggles, the search for belonging, and grappling with right from wrong that the characters go through in this season. In keeping to the source material, Percy Jackson and the Olympians brought back a younger wonder, hope, and possibility. If Percy, Annabeth, and Grover can fight these mythical monsters and live, we can fight the realworld monsters.
A Review of “Poor Things” Continued from page 5
Another key aspect to the film is Bella’s relationship with sex work. In a dire financial situation, coupled with dissatisfaction with her relationship with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), Bella stumbles upon a brothel that appears to be the answer to all her problems. The severe shame most women have been taught to associate with sex work holds no value to Bella. In her eyes, it is beautifully simple. As someone who needs money and would like to experience multiple sexual partners, she couldn’t have
thought up a more perfect set-up. This puts the viewer in a fairly unique position, as it is impossible not to understand the rationale behind Bella’s choice. Yet, the initial freedom and fun Bella gains from sex work quickly becomes overshadowed by her growing disconnect to the role playing it requires. Instead of being her whole complex self at all hours of the day, Bella is instead categorized as a sexual or non-sexual being, dependent on whether she is clocked in. This categorization strongly hints at the widely known Madonna-whore complex, where
women are viewed as one of two things; either “good” virgins or hyper sexualized versions of themselves. Luckily, Bella’s strong sense of self and ability to remove herself from unwanted situations leads her to take action when she discovers these discomforts. On another stroke of luck, Bella meets her supportive socialist girlfriend Toinette (Suzy Bemba) working in the brothel. Where past male partners in her life had been possessive or objectifying, it is clear Bella’s girlfriend sees her in her entirety. For the first time in her life, Bella experiences a romantic partner who simulta-
neously supports her medical career goals, while having a sexual aspect to their relationship. Bella no longer needs to compartmentalize herself. The complexity of their relationship is perfectly summed up in her girlfriend’s cheeky closing line about Bella’s intimate knowledge of anatomy. After a somewhat rollercoaster of a film, Poor Things concludes beautifully. Thanks to God’s influence on Bella’s medical skills, her abusive husband is given a goat brain, destined to live out the rest of his days on his hands and knees. While he bleats before them, Bella sips a cocktail.
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five
12 • Column
Hot Horoscopes: Valentine’s Day Edition By Zoey Lofgren ’24 and Belén Yudess ’25 Staff Writer and Copy Editor Intern
Black and White By Rebecca Allen ’25 Staff Writer
Gaze By Ella Young ’24 Staff Writer
Two lovers get up, They move to a bench Closer to the sunset. They have waited years For each other And now the only option Is eternity.
With its sloping cacti and Overripe fruit On the sidewalk.
I walk past the empty parking lot, Through the quiet neighborhood
I want to smoke a thousand cigarettes And have messy cool hair And wake up in a canopy of sheets Somewhere in the hills. Instead I return to the same streets, Searching for new meaning In familiar places.
He watches me, My every step (Forward, backward, side-to-side) His piercing voice of cruelty cries As I take dirty paths;
The mind penetrated and clouded.
How I wish I could make him cry! To coax out the same tears he forces out of me Day by day
But do you know — I don’t, I know — Can I, should I, sympathize? For who am I without his eyes?
He sticks around so I survive (At least that’s what he says)
16 February 2024 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXXIII • Issue Five