To Be Or Not To Be
Different
Acknowledgments: I’d like to thank my family, friends, and Fresno High staff for providing the time, support, and resources to help complete this magazine.
Note on the Cover Art: “Vivid Anomaly” is a famous drip styled painting by world renowned Jackson Pollock (1912-1956). This work highlights the intricate complexity and inherent beauty of the communities that are discussed, created by an artist who truly had an unique outlook on life.
1
Inquiry Question
Editor’s Letter
To Be A Minority
4
13 27
2
To Be A Girl
To Be A Social Class
40
The
Answer
Why treat someone negatively for being different?
Dear Reader, Humans are a fascinating species. Similar to the way zoologists study animals, sociologists study humans. Sociology originated from a French philosopher named Auguste Comte in the 1800s who wanted to understand societal problems through science. Hence, sociology is the study of society and human behavior. What is a society? A group of people who share a location and a territory. Sociology looks for patterns in these societies, figuring out why people do what they do from a sociological perspective- meaning, that our everyday human behavior is put under a microscope to analyze, or look at as if for the first time, in order to better understand it. As per usual with science, all experiments start with a question. Here’s mine: Why treat someone negatively for being different? The
experiment: inquiring into society’s historical and current relationship with it’s underrepresented communities, specifically, minorities, gender equality, and societal classes in order to answer that question. I hope to analyze the relationships built inside these communities of whom I’m all apart of. As a working class, AfricanAmerican, girl I relate to each subject on a personal level and would
like to better understand why these groups, which offer so much promise, are constantly discriminated against and or oppressed. This magazine will not be riddled with celebrities or gossip, but snapshots into my reality. This is a compendium of the problems I see and hear about everyday. From this, I hope to answer my
question and present to you, dear reader, with real, relatable stories of how these hardships are worth overcoming since it makes us the better person in the end. It allows others the natural right to be different.
Talia Rodriques
To Be A Minority
Image by Julian Wasser, Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
It is a heated debate of whether race is a social
things. The only problem being that Noah is
construct or not. What is a social construct? On
both black and white, which was therefore an
www.oxforddictionaries.com the definition is, “A illegal and dangerous combination. In his novconcept or perception of something based on the
el, he discusses the environment of the inter-
collective views developed and maintained within linked communities where he grew up, writa society or social group.” Racial issues has ing, “Language brings with it an identity and a played a pivotal role in history for a millennia, primarily centered in Western Europe and the United States. Caucasians versus Native Americans, Caucasians versus African-Americans, Caucasians versus Japanese, versus Chinese, versus Mexicans -notice any patterns? Throughout the decades the
culture, or at least the perception of it. A shared language says ‘We’re the same.’ A language barrier says ‘We’re different.’...Racism teaches us that we are different because of the color of our skin, But because racism is stupid,
color of one’s skin has determined what type of
it is easily tricked. If you’re racist and meet
job you may have or who you could marry. It’s
someone who doesn’t look like you, the fact
been the source of wars, protests, and stereotypes. that he can’t speak like you reinforces your
racist preconceptions: He’s different, less inTrevor Noah: Born a Crime is an insightful au- telligent.” tobiography on comedian Trevor Noah’s upbringing in Africa during apartheid1. Apartheid Race is what tells you that when someone looks was a set of laws enforced around 1950-1994. and speaks differently, those differences are bad. These laws prohibited any type of relationship So is race just a social construct? It can be arbetween whites and non-whites, among other gued that races oppresses people, thereby — 1. Apartheid-http://www.history.com/topics/apartheid
Image By: Jayla Bishop
In this photo, two students of different racial backgrounds are placed together to show the positivity which stems from diverse communities– a source of tension that still remains today.
ruining relationships, but it can also be said
protect herself from the large, vicious,
to bring a sense of culture to take pride in and crowds of segregationists. (Michals, 2015)2 I a means of connecting with others.
remembered how much I loved the beautifully drawn picture book The Story of
Separate Is Not Equal When I was younger, race was a foreign concept. Then I grew up, and learned about
Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks. I was told all about their incredible acts of bravery and wit as they overcame adversity and refused to submit to unjust laws or racist acts.
Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. I was curious as to why the group of people drawn outside the school building wore faces of anger towards such a small, harmless, child. Now I realize that those mobs of angry parents weren’t mad at Bridges per sé, but targeting their anger at a girl who represented a bigoted fear: change. Those people wanted their ways of segregation to re-
[Race] can also be said to bring a sense of culture to take pride
Ruby Bridges’ story particularly interested my younger self.
in and a means of connecting with others.
pi, the oldest of her four other siblings. Both of her parents obtained low profile jobs to make ends meet. She was six years old when she made history as being the first AfricanAmerican student to integrate an all white elementary school. Bridges had to be walked to school everyday by federal marshals to — 2. Ruby Bridges’ Information- . www.womenshistory.org/ education-resources/biographies/ruby-bridges https://www.biography.com/people/ruby-bridges-475426
Bridges didn’t care for the racist status
quo. The Bridges’ family believed in fairness and equality. Ruby was proudly
Bridges was born September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississip-
main the same, yet
and unapologetically different. But it would take some time for these stories to tie in with my reality. As the years went by, I began to notice how little friends I had outside of the Latino demographic. Thus leading me to realize how little there were to begin with. This meant that I was in a community where, more often than not, I was the sole diversifying factor in my sports teams, classrooms, or friend groups.
Image By: Jayla Bishop
This picture highlights the relationship between a collection of minorities.
The Power of Equality– It Starts Here
plore such a unique culture from an intimate
viewpoint. Neither am I ashamed of my own ethnic heritage, although I could live without the stereotypes. To be proud of one’s own differences, it is necessary to also accept others. Not only does that help build the relationships we’re surrounded by, but it ultimately enriches our own identity.
To Be or Not To Be Different does NOT own Crayola nor is sponsored by it.
This shouldn’t have been so surprising, be-
I felt- and admittedly still do- personally vindicated when I received good grades or
cause according to the Public Policy Institute praise from my superiors. It was as if I was of California, “Latinos are the largest ethnic
proving how bogus those preconceived
in the San Joaquin Valley…” at 46% of our notions of Black people were. I will have to population. Most of the time I didn’t think keep proving those stereotypes wrong toabout it, but the fact couldn’t help but be-
day, tomorrow, and the day after. And I ac-
come glaringly obvious at times when my
cept that. It may not be leading gigantic ral-
friends conversed solely in Spanish, or
lies or risking my life in protests, but like
when I felt that they couldn’t understand my leaders before myself, I will continue to culture. How do we become so racially fight in my own unique way, also proudly, conscious from such a young age? However and unapologetically different. it comes to be, a seemingly meaningless factor in this day and age does place strain
upon relationships between families and friends, as experienced when I was left with a feeling of solitude in my social groups. This doesn’t make me resentful of my friends for non-intentionally invoking said feelings and thoughts upon occasion- in fact, I’m grateful for the opportunity to ex-
In the Media Today, America contains just as much controversy with it’s minorities-African Americans in particular– as it did in past decades, A popular social justice movement is the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign which takes a stand against the violent police brutality targeted towards African Americans, as seen across the nation today. The movement originated from the acquittal of George Zimmerman’s fatal shooting of 17-year -old Trayvon Martin. It was a highly publicized trial in 2013, the case being a neighborhood watch member who trailed and later shot the young African American male on the grounds of being suspicious and potentially violent, sparking an outrage on social media.
Image By: Renee Jones Schneider , Star Tribune
Similar shootings is found in the death toll of 12 year old Tamir Rice, 37 year old Alton Sterling, and 50 year old Walter Scott. Some find the protests uncalled for, rebuttals being “All Lives Matter” or, the police inspired “Blue Lives Matter.”
What Warriors Say... Interviewing… Joyce Vang, Freshman, 14 Christopher Gutierrez, Sophomore, 15 Anonymous Leslie Lopez-Alvarez, Senior, 17
What do you believe is the stereotype for your ethnicity? “Smart and no eyes.” -Joyce “I’d say that the stereotype for my ethnicity is that we all like tacos, wear sombreros, and play maracas. I have heard that Mexicans are referred to as lazy, but I don’t know where that cliché came from since we are always working.” -Christopher “I don’t want to say anything inappropriate or oblivious since my stereotypes don’t tend to affect myself…Probably that we can’t dance, cook, aren’t self-aware…” -Anonymous “Honestly, I’m mostly mistaken for being White, even though I’m Mexican. They just assume that we’re all brown.” -Leslie
Do you feel that you fit in with that stereotype? Why? “No, because I don’t pride myself on being smart-there’s more to me.”-Joyce “Well, I do enjoy tacos, there’s that. I don’t wear ponchos and sombreros all day. I wouldn’t refer to myself as lazy either.”-Christopher “There was a post I was reading about different types of [stereotypical Caucasians,] like the ‘white cop.’ I think I fall more into the category of ‘white liberal’ -wanting equal rights but not understanding on the same level as minorities.” -Anonymous “No, I do not fit in with that stereotype. I don’t really celebrate the traditions.” -Leslie
Wa r r i o r s a re reflective towards how society views the color of their skin. But, here at Fresno High at least, we all bleed purple and gold. Image By: Aurora Jackel
Before others receive a first impression of you, do you-in your own opinion– think that you’re being judged off of that stereotype? Why? “’She’s going to be extremely polite,’ - so people try to take advantage of me, which I don’t like. “-Joyce “I don’t know, it depends. Sometimes I do feel like I’m being judged by my braces or glass-
es rather than my ethnicity. I’ve never really experienced any hateful comments about my ethnicity- probably because most of the people throughout my school years were of the same [race.]”-Christopher “To a limited extent, people tend to view me as more put together than I really am. My boyfriend, a man of color, was intimidated [because of stereotypes].”-Anonymous “No, [it all goes back to] the same thing.”-Leslie
To Be A Girl
Do you believe that every child has the right
once said in an interview to TIME magazine on
to an education?
the topic, “I love men, and I think the thought of ‘raise women to power, take men from
That everyone deserves to feel safe as they
power’ is never going to work...My biggest
walk down streets, across campuses, or in
thing is really sisterhood more than femi-
their work spaces?
nism.”1 The objective of feminism is not to usurp power away from men- the idea is to
That anyone can be anything they want if they work hard enough?
share it. How does being a feminist equal to being opposed to men at all? A feminist can be
your parents or siblings. Your friends or teachers. There is no secret society of women
That we each deserve to be fairly compensated meeting to discuss how awful men are. for said hard work? Feminism is, quite simply put, the act of fighting for your basic human rights. If you said ‘yes’ to all of those questions, then you are a feminist.
The OG Feminists History often repeats itself. This is why stu-
Feminism noun/fem●i●nism
dents take history classes-to learn about past
1. The theory of the political, economic, and social equali-
mistakes in the hopes of avoiding repetitions.
ty of the sexes
This is also why women’s rights issues isn’t -Merriam Webster Feminism
new.
The advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equal-
The evolution of feminism is a long one, so
ity of the sexes -Google
let’s take a brief look at its’ origins.
Feminist Someone who believes the radical notion that women are people -Urban Dictionary
The women’s suffrage movement began in 1848 as the ladies of America fought for their right to vote. Women were upset with not be-
The ‘f-word’. Femi-nazis. Feminists don’t de-
ing treated as seriously as men, reasoning that
serve the reputation of eccentric and cynical
the solution was being able to vote the same
females. Feminism is just another word for gender equality. Actress Shailene Woodley
— 1. http://time.com/3222543/wage-pay-gap-myth-feminism/
Image From: pixshark.com
with backlash, as many men believed that
PETTY BETTY’S
their female counterparts were too fragile for the world of politics. An organization was
Post-Civil War, African-Americans fought for women’s suffrage. The ‘National Association the right to vote, and when suffragists OPPOSED to Women’s Suffrage’2 published pushed for their cause, abolitionists refused to unite forces for fear that they would jeopa pamphlet giving reasons why women ardize their campaign by promoting the far shouldn’t vote such as: “You do not need a ballot to clean out your sink spout” and “...it less popular idea of letting a White woman vote as well as a Negro man. Anthony and is unwise to risk the good we already have Stanton retaliated by standing with Confederfor the evil which may occur.” And of ates who were Anti-15th Amendment. course, they were proven wrong. created whose sole purpose was opposing
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony were two prominent people in the women’s suffrage movement- another two prime examples of leaders who were unafraid to be differ-
ent.
ton married abolitionist Henry Stanton in 1840 and the two went on to have eight children. In 1848, Stanton and another women’s rights crusader, Lucretia Mott, officially started the suf-
Stanton was born on November 12th, 1815 in Johnstown, New York to a family of eleven kids- only six survived infancy and the last surviving son passed away in his twenties. Her father was a lawyer who initially introduced her to all the
frage movement with the first women’s rights convention at Seneca Falls, totaling 300 attendees!4 Anthony was born on February 15th, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts to a family of eight. She grew up in a very “politically active”
prohibitive laws
Quaker family-the Anthony's’ were a part of
women encoun-
both the abolitionist and temperance move-
tered, sparking
ment. Her father owned a cotton factory but
her interest in
refused to use slave labor or even buy cotton
activism.3 After finishing her
from the Emma Willard School in 1832. Stan-
Image By: Library of Congress
studies at Johnstown Academy, she graduated — 2. National Association OPPOSED to Women’s Suffrage-http:// www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/11/vote-no-on-womenssuffrage-bizarre-reasons-for-not-letting-women-vote/264639/
from slave owners, leading to the business — 3. Elizabeth Cady Stanton Biography Information-http:// www.historynet.com/elizabeth-cady-stanton 4. See Above-http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/elizabethcady-stanton
failing repeatedly. After she wasn’t allowed to Her growing support of preventative pregnancy, speak at an abolitionist convention simply be- equal wages, and the right to divorce began to cause she was female, Anthony knew that
conflict with Anthony’s religious views- her
women would never be taken seriously if they
main focus was securing the vote. In fact, she
couldn’t vote. She spent the rest
was once fined for illegally voting! Anthony is
of her life dedicated to obtaining the vote for
claimed to have said during her trial, “The only
women’s rights and was the first woman to ev- chance women have for justice in this country is to violate the law, as I have done and as I shall er be placed on American currency when put continue to do.”6 She never did pay that fine.
on the one dollar coin in 1979.5
Eventually the duo went their separate ways, but
Rewinding the timeline back several decades, we see Stanton and Anthony at the beginning of a glorious part-
thanks in huge part to their work, the nineteenth amendment granting women the vote was ratified in 1920– exactly 100 years after Susan B.
nership, joining
Stanton again took an
forces for their
active role in the
cause. Together,
suffrage movement,
they founded the
quickly adopting what
National Woman
was then ‘radical’
Suffrage Associa-
notions on other aspects
tion and wrote a publication titled
of women’s rights.
Anthony was born.
She is Malala Another excellent example of a feminist is Malala Yousafzai. There is a famous saying that goes, ‘Children should be
The Revolution which advocated for women’s
seen and not heard’- a saying that is completely
rights.
ignored by Yousafzai who’s been fighting for girl’s educational rights since the tender age of
Stanton wrote many of the speeches Anthony
eleven.
gave across the country while the former stayed at home, tending to her every growing
Yousafzai was ten years old when the Taliban, a
family. After her children grew up, Stanton
terrorist group, took over her region of north-
again took an active role in the suffrage move- western Pakistan. By 2008, many unfair laws ment, quickly adopting what was then ‘radical’ were placed on the people of Pakistan, such as notions on other aspects of women’s rights.
the prohibition of listening to music or watching
-
—
5. Susan B. Anthony Biography Information- https:// www.biography.com/people/susan-b-anthony-194905
6. Susan B. Anthony Alleged Quote-http://ecssba.rutgers.edu/
television.
Correspondent (BBC) about a life in a war
The Taliban placed even more oppressive rules zone, writing under the pseudonym ‘Gul Makai.’ She became more outspoken about over women. Ladies were told to wear conservative veils called a ‘burqa’ which co-
girl’s rights to an education as the years pro-
vers the entire body, with a fabric grille placed gressed, giving interviews even after her nom de guerre was exposed. Soon, all of the older over the eyes to see out of. They weren’t allowed to go outside without a male family
female students were banned from attending
member in attendance or even laugh out loud
school, but Malala continued to go in secret
in public. Girls were also told not to go to
while advocating for girl’s educational rights.
school, meaning that obtaining an education
She began to earn popularity for her work,
became a dangerous risk. In the first year of
unfortunately, this made her a target for the
the Taliban rule alone, around two hundred
Taliban. In 2012, Malala Yousafzai was shot
schools were bombed.
point blank on a school bus. She spent the fol-
This didn’t deter Malala nor her father who was the principal of the school where she studied. Even though simply walking to school was dangerous and her classmates were dropping out left and right, Yousafzai remained adamant about receiving her education. In 2009, she wrote diary entries to the British Broadcasting
Image By: Thomas Mukoya / Reuters
Images: Thomas/Reuters
lowing months recuperating from the critical bullet wound that landed perilously close to her brain. As soon as her health was restored, Malala began to study in Birmingham, Eng-
land, her current residence. Throughout all of the war, tragedy, setbacks, and fear, Malala’s activism persevered for the sake of her beliefs.
Image By: Celeb Bistro In her autobiography I
Am Malala she wrote, “...when people say they support me, they are really saying they support girls’ education. So yes, the Taliban shot me. But they can only shoot my body. They cannot shoot
my dreams, they cannot kill my beliefs, and they cannot stop my campaign to see every girl and every boy in school.” All children deserve an education so that when
they grow up, their future has an unlimited
the wage gap between genders. “The reality
store of options, and its’ brave voices like
is,” Watson said, “that if we do nothing, it will
Malala’s that speak for these children around
take 75 years, or for me to be nearly one hun-
the world.
dred before women can expect to be paid the
Unequal Pay is Not Okay
same as men. For the same work.”7 She isn’t
On September 12th, 2014, actress, activist, and the only one to have noticed this ongoing dilemma. Yet how come with all the talk surUN Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson spoke at an United Nations event on the con-
rounding the subject, progress remains at a
troversial subject of feminism. With eloquence stalemate? and grace, Watson took to the podium, her voice sounding out to all corners of the world. Perhaps there would be room for further advancement in this field of activism, if The former Harry Potter star addressed many
everyone could realize that it is indeed a
of the problems women endure, challenging
serious issue.
both men and women to unite together and
—
solve them. One of those issues discussed was
7. Emma Watson United Nations Speech-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjW9PZBRfk
Image By: Aurora Jackel
Makeup is one of the common staples of the every day girl’s life. In our society, it can shape how young minds perceive themselves and others.
According to nationalpartnership.org,
also in high school, and learned he made more
“Nationally, the median annual pay for a wom- than me when we compared paychecks one an who holds a full time job is $40,742 while
day. Neither of us had any idea we were being
the median annual pay for a man who holds a
paid differently for the exact same job. I com-
full-time, year round job is $51,212.” The data plained to the boss, one of the owners of the shows an over $10,000 difference! To break it
restaurant. At first he tried to justify by saying
down, roughly every 80 cents paid to a woman that the boy was a grade older than me. Finally is a dollar given to her male colleague, leaving he admitted that he just thought boys should be households who have females as the breadwin- paid more. End of story. I was infuriated.”9
ners at a financial disadvantage- single
This injustice happens to celebrities as well.
mothers, especially.10 Photo By Carlos Alvarez, Getty Images
Yet, not even all women can agree that there is dire need for improvement. TIME magazine writer Christina Hoff published an article titled, ‘6 Feminist Myths That Will Not Die’ rebutting the evidence mentioned previously.
“[The wage gap] does not take into account for differences in occupations, positions, education…” Even if that hypothetically alters per-
According to Academy Award winning actress,
centages slightly, there are still too many in-
Jennifer Lawrence, who wrote an
stances where women were proven to have
matter, “When the Sony hack happened [I] found
been cheated in their paychecks due to their
out how much less I was being paid than [my
sex.
male co-workers]...”10 She went on to discuss
essay on the
in- how, as a female in the entertainment industry, terviewed on their unfairly slashed salary sto- she felt compelled to not negotiate for a bigger In 2014, every day working women were
ries by The Guardian. A Los Angeles resident
salary to avoid being labelled as, “difficult” or
recalled her wage gap awakening, saying, “I
“spoiled” as assertive women are so commonly
was a cashier at an Italian restaurant in high school in the early 90s. I worked with a boy,
penned for being. —
—
9. Jennifer Lawrence’s Essay-http://www.lennyletter.com/work/ a147/jennifer-lawrence-why-do-i-make-less-than-my-malecostars/
8. Wage Gap Information- http://www.nationalpartnership.org/ research-library/workplace-fairness/fair-pay/americas-women-and-
10. Wage Gap Stories-http://www.theguardian.com/money/usmoney-blog/2014/aug/13/women-equal-pay-gender-gap-stories-
In the Media HeForShe has skyrocketed the popularity of the feminist movement. Created in 2014, this organization helps promote gender equality in classrooms, workplaces, and campuses globally. It is spearheaded by powerful world leaders and celebrities such as the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and the aforementioned Emma Watson.
HeForShe takes action by encouraging leaders to solve issues affecting women everywhere, whether this be something as large as changing unfair laws to the seemingly minor task of discouraging insensitive language and gender roles. For example, in Malawi, Africa, President Arthur Peter Mutharika has made steps towards ending child marriage in his country, annulling over 300 marriages, thus allowing those children to continue their education. It is efforts like these that can help monumentally change society for the better.1 — 1. HeforShe Information-http:// www.heforshe.org/en/take-action/education
Feminine ≠ Weak Personally, I feel that gender inequality is a serious issue that is overlooked since many consider the human race to be in a ‘postfeminism’ era where women have everything they could possibly want or need. While women are able to vote, own houses, divorce, and other amazing opportunities, so many
other important factors are overlooked. A woman’s image is constantly sexualized across media with thin, air brushed models or picture perfect actresses. These unrealistic standards of beauty lead young girls to long lasting insecurity, eating disorders, bullying, and more.
speech to the United Nations she said, “‘How
can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation? Men, gender equality is your issue too.’” Guys are expected to maintain a constant aura of ‘manliness’. Muscles, flashy cars, suit and tie job, or a ‘playboy’ status. Emotion, whether it’s physical, mental health issues, or even just a serious conversation about the dreaded ‘feelings’ is seen as feminine– commonly associated with ‘weak’.
“‘How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation? Men, gender equality is your issue too.’” -Emma Watson
Not to mention, women are commonly demeaned with terms and phrases such as ‘damsel in distress’ or ‘play like a girl’. We’re held to a contradictory
social guidelines-insecurity is to be pitied yet confidence is deemed conceited. Women also have to work twice as hard to prove their merit in ‘male-dominated’ areas such as sports, science, politics, etc. Gender equality issues, as many fail to realize, also goes both ways. In Emma Watson’s
If we could break past those inane gender divisions
and social standards, we will be able to redeem an integral piece of
our freedom-freedom to be who we are without fear of judgement. Freedom as boys, girls, whomever, to be different.
Image By: Talia Rodriques
In a world where girls are pressured to behave in ‘socially acceptable’ ways in order to obtain the attentions of men, this student shows a different point of view.
What Warriors Say... Interviewing… Priscilla Martinez, Freshman, 14 Angelica Ramos, Sophomore, 15 Vidal Lozano, Junior, 16 Kevin Ponce, Senior, 17
What does the word feminist mean to you? Are you one? “I think it means like…I don’t really know how I’d explain. I don’t think I’d be one since you don’t need to believe the [haters and sexists.]”-Priscilla “The word feminist, to me, means someone who not only stands up for women’s rights, but all
genders. A man could be a feminist, meaning that not only would he like rights for
women and
supports that, but to men as well. Equal rights for all, basically.”-Angelica
“I am not a feminist because I don’t feel that it should really be that big of a deal, well, to
an extent. [For example,] strength-wise, guys are naturally strong physically, [so] I wouldn’t fight a girl.”-Vidal “[What] a feminist means to me is someone who believes that men and women are and can become equal both politically and socially. I would not consider myself a feminist, but I do believe that men and women should be equal. [I wouldn’t consider myself a feminist because] I am not one of those people who speaks their mind out to others in public so that they can be made aware of the situation. I would want to change [that] but am unaware
how, and my current timing doesn’t allow me to.” -Kevin
Image By: Aurora Jackel
Do you believe that women are still viewed as ‘less than’ when compared to men? “No…”- Priscilla “Oh yes, of course. Sadly, I feel that women are still looked at as inferior to men in many, many, ways. Workforce, just going off the wage gap that exists after all this time. We’re not paid equal. They [men,] are still believe[d] to put in more effort, in a sense, than a woman does-it’s sad.”- Angelica “No, times are different. Girls contribute just as much as guys.”-Vidal “I do believe that they [women] are viewed as ‘less than’ to a certain extent. As they do get paid less, they are not seen as valuable, but I do believe that will change in the future. Hopefully.”- Kevin
Which gender role annoys you the most?
Many Warriors are impassioned on the controversial subject of gender equality, which can provide more socially-aware peers.
“I think the one that bothers me the most is that,
‘boys don’t cry’-they have feelings, but aren’t allowed to show them in the same way that girls are.” - Priscilla “I’d have to say the one that annoys me most is, ‘boys don’t cry.’ Anyone can cry, for any reason. They say it’s ‘woman-like’. All of history has been: “You have to do this or that to be a man,”-we’re all
idiots from the past with mistakes made, and that is a mistake that is still living today-stereotypes on gender.”- Angelica “‘He’s acting gay.’ Just because somebody is more sensitive to something it doesn’t mean that they should be judged.”- Vidal “That women ‘have to stay at home’”- Kevin
To Be A Status
When the pilgrims, colonists, and other
The common theme is that the key to a fulfilling
immigrants came to America they all had one
life is happiness and independence. Somewhere
common goal- a hope for a better life.
along the line though, the common goal has changed among our communities.
This hope, or dream, didn’t start when these voyagers boarded their boats. In fact, the American
Destitute
Dream has been slowly cultivated over the ages
In 2015, 43.1 million Americans were living in
to this day.
poverty.
In 349 B.C Aristotle used the Greek word
Over 17 million were unemployed.
‘eudaimonia’ -happiness- to describe living well.1
And over 40 million people had trouble getting enough food throughout the year.4
English professor John Locke wrote “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”, a work heavily influenced by his Greek predecessors. In this essay, he said, “The necessity of pursuing happiness [is] the foundation of liberty.”2
That one kid you have in all of your classes may not know where their next meal is coming from, or even where they’re going to be sleeping that night. Young men and women are struggling to figure out how to afford college without sinking
Said words were modified by Thomas Jefferson
into an endless hole of student loans and debt.
and then integrated into one of the most famous
Older men and women have to figure out how to
lines in the Declaration of Independence: “We
go home to their families and explain that they
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
got laid off their jobs- and what that means for
are created equal, that they are endowed by their their future. If money makes the world go Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that ‘round, how do people without it keep living?
among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”3 —
1. Information on Aristotle and ‘Eudaimonia’https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia 2. John Locke “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding”http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/johnlocke/ 3. Information on Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independencehttp://www.thepursuitofhappiness.com/pursuit-of-happiness/
Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, compiled a five tier model of every human’s needs in his essay, “A Theory of Human Motivation”. The bottom levels or ‘deficit needs’ (food, warmth, shelter, safety) must be met first before — 4. American Poverty Statisticshttps://talkpoverty.org/basics/#povertyrate
Image By: Talia Rodriques “Keep Your Coins, I Want Change” Inspired By Tumblr User: ‘Ma Petit Cheri,’ Slogan Originated From: Meek Banksy
Taking a twist on the infamous signs of the homeless, this student asks for change among our social order.
before moving on to growth needs (self-
education; the right to adequate medical care and
fulfillment, achievement). Maslow writes in the
the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good
paper, “If all the needs are unsatisfied, and the
health.” The New Deal founded such programs
organism is then dominated by the physiologi-
like Social Security, insurance for the unem-
cal [deficit] needs, all other needs may become
ployed, and a guarantee of minimum wage for
simply non-existent or pushed into the back-
all job holders. Roosevelt's resourceful ventures
ground.”5 Granted, that could only happen in ex- rescued many Americans and continues to protreme cases, nevertheless, it summarizes the
vide assistance for today’s low-income families.
point of the model: one must secure their deficit needs such as a home or food on the table before Another example is former President Barack reaching any means of self-actualization like
Obama’s Affordable Care Act or ‘Obama Care.’
earning a degree or fulfilling a life passion,
Signed into law in 2010, the Affordable Care
leaving lower classes with
Act aims to create more inexpensive and acces-
limited options.
sible health coverage to those without. The plan restricts companies from denying care and offers
Not to say that there haven’t been steps made to benefits like equal fees regardless of gender and aid these poverty dilemmas.
guaranteed coverage for the sick or poor. Many Republicans wish to repeal this ‘costly’ and ‘job
Franklin D. Roosevelt placed many security
killing’ act. Yet due to Obama Care, health de-
measures to ensure the welfare of all American
partment jobs has risen by nine percent. All at-
citizens amidst the aftermath of the Great De-
tempts of deconstructing the Affordable Care
pression with a collection of restorative pro-
Act has failed so far. However, if it were to suc-
grams called the New Deal(s). One such initia-
ceed, an estimated 22 million people would lose
tive was the Economic Bill of Rights. The Eco-
their health insurance.8
nomic Bill of Rights “redistributed wealth”7 among Americans. The bill granted, “...the right Moving past the deficit needs on Maslow’s chart,
of every family to a decent home; the right to an the higher tiers focuses on personal growth and a developing sense of achievement. Today we live — 5. Abraham Maslow and Hierarchy of Needshttps://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html/https:// www.evernote.com/shard/s453/res/e248ea15-93b2-4b8e-bac5d943a95280e0
in a “credential society,” meaning that any hope of
6. New Deal(s) Acthttp://www.history.com/topics/new-deal
almost imperative towards a stable career, leading
7. Economic Bill of Rightshttps://fee.org/articles/how-fdrs-economic-bill-of-rightschanged-american-politics/
advancement relies less on merit, but more on degrees and titles. Thus, post secondary education is to an increasingly competitive and costly — 8. Affordable Care Acthttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-24370967
To Be or Not To Be Different does NOT own Nike nor is sponsored by the brand.
Quit the Hierarchy
JUST Do it.
admissions process. Tuition, room, board, text-
as a society, need to come together to brainstorm
books, and out of state fees can be ridiculously
solutions instead of needlessly spreading judge-
expensive each year, costing anywhere between
ment. This is the first step on the path to making
11-70,000 dollars. To many families, these fees
a difference.
seem insurmountable. The amount of grant cov-
Suburbia
erage varies across the states and not everyone
After World War II ended in 1945, soldiers re-
can obtain a scholarship. Financial aid is helpful, turned to America in droves. Less than a year but most students rely on a combination of aid later, 3.4 million babies were born as veterans and student loans to cover the cost of enrollment. quickly began to settle down and start families.10
But with these growing households came the That isn’t to say college is a scam or a waste of
growing need for houses. Many newlyweds were
time and money. Many people view those four
crammed into apartments with relatives or Quon-
or more years as a chance to mature, advance
set huts. So as Americans had mass produced their career, or help reach self-actualization. The war materials not even a point of the matter is, what may seem like a simdecade before, mil ple choice for some can be
lions of homes were
a nearly impossible one
quickly built. Develop-
for others. The price tag
Is it right for
that comes with your de-
education to come
gree can lead those with lower incomes to forego
at such a hefty
college altogether and
price?
er William Levitt in the company Levitt and Sons built “the largest private housing project in American history.”
jump straight into the
The huge housing
workforce. Whichever
tracts resided in New
path you take, it should be chosen by you, not your wallet. Is it right for education to come at
such a hefty price? It is estimated that 15-20 percent of U.S citizens are classified as poor with another 30 to 40 percent in the working class.9 Perhaps it’s naive to think that the right financial plan can cure America of poverty. But all of us, — 9. Social Classes-https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/ sociology/social-and-global-stratification/types-of-social-classesof-people
York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania called “Levittown’s”. Housing was made affordable due to Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, or the G.I Bill, which offered low interest mortgages among other benefits to veterans.11 And so with the 1950s came the rise — 10. Baby Boomers Information- http://www.history.com/topics/babyboomers 11. G.I Bill Informationhttp://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/gi-bill
Image By: Talia Rodriques
This picture represents students of different social backgrounds.
of suburbia.12
the middle class isn’t as prevalent today as it
used to be. In 1995, the median net worth of upThe American Dream turned into early age mar- per class families was barely 3.6 times greater riage with a white picket fence. Pop culture imi- than middle class ones, but now the numbers tated this, with shows like The Brady Bunch.
have more than tripled. As of 2017, the median
This was a popular American sitcom featuring
net worth of middle class families were $96,500
an ever happy husband and wife, six children,
compared to the $639,400 median of the upper
14 live-in maid, and their dog, Tiger in the Los An- class.
geles suburbs. The Brady’s were the ‘perfect’
family, and although the show was set in a dif-
Despite a lack of financial or cultural growth, the
ferent time period, it is a great example of the
middle class continues to be the prime example
50’s household goal.
of American living, as a class of citizens chasing the American Dream.
Eventually, the suburbia hype began to die out as the ‘hippie movement’ and social reforms began The Affluent to take place. Hippies, or ‘flower children’ obIf you were to scroll through almost any celebrijected the “oppressive” mainstream culture of
ties social media accounts or listen to the lyrics
the previous generation. They led carefree life-
of popular music, you’d see that America’s up-
styles-casual dress, long hair, and advocated for
per crust society has an almost otherworldly
peace amidst the Vietnam war. These flower
view of living. People watch the
luxurious
children rebelled against the conformity suburbs lives filled with gaudy houses, flashy cars, and stood for. In the generation before them many designer clothes. The new American Dream. women were pressured during that time to leave the workforce after many labored in various jobs to aid the war effort. Instead, women of the 50s were encouraged to become housewives- one of the many conventions hippies chose to differentiate from.13
In many ways, society’s hierarchy of social classes reminds me of The Hunger Games by Su-
zanne Collins. The setting is post war North America, with twelve districts (think a dozen large villages) who work to serve the Capitol, the shiny city of the rich. Year round, the Capitol
At around forty percent of our U.S population, — 12. Growth of Suburbia-https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/apus-history/period-8/apush-postwar-era/a/the-growth-of-suburbia 13. Peace Movementhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/hippie
has outrageous parties, always wearing bold, intricate hairstyles and outfits. — 14. Social Classes Median Incomehttps://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/12/inequalitybetween-americas-rich-and-americas-poor-at-30-yearhigh/383866/
In the Media 14.5% of Americans live in poverty. In just one country alone, millions are struggling to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. It is easy to ignore the silent cries for help as families starve across the nation, yet it is organizations like Feeding America which refuse to do so. Feeding America is a nationwide nonprofit which created 60,000 food pantries and hundreds of food banks. Founded in 1979, it has provided for millions who suffer from food insecurity.
Image By: Wikipedia
Projects like Feeding America help restore broken communities who feel cut off from accessing the materials needed, said materials that are wasted or thrown away by those in a more privileged position. Hopefully, with the continuing of innovative philanthropic measures such as this, the barrier be— 1. http://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/ tween social classes may begin to close.1
The Capitol residents are so caught up in
cially constructed hierarchy.
their own fun, they’re oblivious to the pain and suffering the other districts endure. They The kid who comes from a family with stable are separated from the starvation, strenuous
income might never understand why their
manual labor, and beatings-in the Capitol, it’s classmate always wears the same deterioratnormal to vomit meals in order to make room ing pair of tennis shoes, unless he takes a step for more
to actually bridge the gap between them and
food. Plastic surgery is common place too,
learn about said classmate’s single mother
with a range of choices varying from a lip in- who works long hours at a dead end job to jection to gem implants in one’s skin. The
make ends meet. Vice versa, a Capitol citi-
real fun however, is the annual Hunger
zen may not understand why people from the
Games, in which a boy and girl from each
Districts fear their most exciting entertainment, unless they actu-
district meet in an arena, fighting to the
“A long habit of not
death until one survi-
thinking a thing
vor remains. It is the
wrong, gives it a
utmost entertainment
superficial
to those who reside safely in the Capitol.
appearance of being right…”
the flawed system. Is it that the Capitol citizens are intentionally mindless to the oppressed District residents or just find it dif-
This all may sound terribly extreme, but in many ways that dys-
ally open their minds to
ficult to understand those who do not fit in
topia is just a dramatized version of our reali- with one’s built perception of ty. Switch districts one through twelve with
normal? As Thomas Paine wrote in Common
the lower classes of our society and the Capi- Sense, “A long habit of not thinking a thing tol with the higher.
wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right…”
This isn’t to say that the Capitol citizens-or the affluent members of society- are cruel,
A common theme in The Hunger Games is
thoughtless villains. The purpose of this anal- accepting one’s differences. Throughout the ogy is to represent the huge rift between life- course of the series Katniss works on being styles and therefore relationships in this so-
what everyone else wants her to be, since that
is the safest option. As in the real world, we
ty into a ‘haves versus have nots’ situation,
need to realize that differences shouldn’t be
where those without the adequate resources
judged or criticized but embraced. Because in feel cut off from the joys in life or the opporthe end, when Katniss allowed herself to be
tunity to succeed. Instead, we must remember
different, to be herself and pursue her own
the American Dream as it was truly intended.
Dream, she realized that it wasn’t so bad af-
Historian James Truslow Adams officially
ter all.
coined the phrase in his 1931 novel The Epic of America, writing, “The American Dream is
The analogy may still seem exaggerated, but that dream of a land in which life should be given an introspective look at our society, it
better and richer and fuller with everyone
connects with the relationship set up between with opportunity for each according to ability the upper class and it’s ‘inferiors’. As seen
or achievement...It is not a dream of motor
with the Robin Hood method of ‘steal from
cars and high wages merely, but a dream of
the rich, give to the poor’ or by the destitute
social order in which each man and woman
sneering at the seemingly superfluous and
shall be able to attain the fullest stature of
‘cultured’ lifestyle richer communities appear which they are innately capable, and be rec-
to have. They do this knowing that it may
ognized by others for what they are...”15
never be obtainable to those who feel stuck in the lower section of a hierarchy we can’t
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Adams.
seem to ever be rid of.
Pursuit of Happiness Is it safe to say that America’s priorities have changed since the country was born? Instead of focusing on learning how to live our lives well Americans are following our ‘pursuit of happiness’ by trying to live the most lavish lifestyles possible. Popularity, beauty, and money is what sells. Wanting the finer things in life isn’t a problem, but such materialistic pleasures aren’t enough to build a fulfilling lifestyle is it? We can’t split socie-
— 15. The Epic of America by James Truslow Adams, Quotehttps://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1180986-the-epic-ofamerica
What Warriors Say... Interviewing… Mireya Garza, Freshman, 14 Daelyn Turner, Sophomore, 14 Simone Guevara, Junior, 16 Alyssa Vargas, Senior, 17
Which ‘social class’ would you categorize yourself in? “I’m in between… I’m not poor nor rich—working class.”- Mireya “Working poor- my family is comfortable.” -Daelyn “Middle.”- Simone “I would categorize myself in the working poor class because of [the] limitations that happen in my life every day.”-Alyssa
Do you believe that your said class limits you in any way? “Yes and no. For certain things, like having a better education…it all really depends though on whether you try to learn the material they’re teaching you. Maybe it would look nicer, but everywhere around the world is teaching the same thing.”- Mireya “Yes, because [for example,] I would need to save over an extended period before being able to buy something like, an iPhone, versus the rich who have the opportunity to buy anything, anytime. Education-wise as well…” -Daelyn “No, [the school and teachers] have the same materials for everyone. They don’t discriminate. What you need but can’t get is provided. [Off campus, though,] definitely.”Simone “I feel that it limits me with resources in my family. Like, some students have nice computers at home to do their work and I don’t. I’d have to come to school way earlier to print something, versus easily doing it at home. “- Alyssa
How has your social class affected your relationships with others? “Probably because I’m in a [higher] working class people try to take advantage of me as in spending your money. You have to choose your friends wisely.”Mireya “I feel like I’m looked at differently. The higher classes look at us like we don’t mean as much as they do.”- Daelyn “It categorizes myself on how I am perceived, how they’ll talk to me and look at me.”-Simone “For example, if my friends were to hang out and they would all have money to buy food or something, and like, I wouldn’t, leaving me feeling left out.”- Alyssa
In our label-conscious society, it’s not too hard to keep tabs on how people view and envy status. Through enriching discussions with fellow Warriors, better outlooks and resolve to improve upon these matters can be achieved.
...Because people refuse to understand what it takes to be different.
2017-2018, To Be or Not To Be Different by Talia Rodriques