LH Feature Magazine

FIRST TIME VOTERS PAGE 10

2109 FEATURES 12.18.20

Iowa City High School - The Little Hawk - www.thelittlehawk.com

dear readers, Wow, this feels like a well deserved break. We’d like to congratulate everyone on making it through the first trimester and to winter break! One third of this crazy school year is gone. With new virtual classrooms, teachers from different schools, and small in-person classes, this year definitely has been a change of pace. We are excited to bring this issue to you – we worked hard to get it pulled together before winter break, even though producing the magazine, like most things, has gotten harder during the pandemic.

In the following pages you will find some fashionably dressed Little Hawks, a delicious cranberry lemon bar recipe, and tips for a safe holiday season. This issue’s stories include an article about how different religions celebrate winter holidays, a piece on endometriosis and the struggle for funding of women’s healthcare, and a profile of two eighth graders who started their own neighborhood newspaper. We wish everyone a happy and safe winter break! See you soon,

Aala Basheir&Jesse Hausknecht-Brown 2 The Little Hawk - FEATURES

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contents 04 06 10 12 14 16 18 20

Northside News:

A profile of two South East students starting a newspaper

Fashion Feature: Juniors in denim

First Time Voters:

Youth involvment in the election

Food Feature:

Cranberry lemon layered bars

A Silent Struggle:

Endomitriosis and the challenges of women’s health funding

Derecho Damage: The lasting effects on Iowa farmers

Holiday Special: Staying COVID safe & News

Years resolutions

Not in Season:

Practicing a minority religion during the winter holidays

Northside News

Profile: Tommy June Simmons and Joanna Galluzzo Two eighth graders at South East Junior High started their own online newspaper for their neightborhood, the Northside of Iowa City

By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown

A

fter the coronavirus temporarily put a halt to classes in March, two South East Junior High students felt like something was missing.

Joanna Galluzzo ‘25 and Tommy June Simmons ‘25 wanted to do something to connect their neighborhood when they couldn’t all be together in person.

“We’re all separated and can’t see each other face to face or talk for long amounts of time, so we decided to do [something] to keep the neighborhood connected,” Simmons said. “I do like writing and some of the challenges that go with it. I like to introduce people to new things, like journalism.”

One of the girl’s neighbors had the idea of creating a neighborhood newsletter to foster connection in a time of social isolation.

“For me, it was about connecting the neighborhood and we got a lot of positive feedback on it and that really made me feel special and like I was really help-

ing the neighborhood,” Simmons said.

“Other people wanted to contribute stories so that was a good way to have others bought in, and not just Joanna and I.” The digital newsletter, called Northside News, contains stories, interviews with neighbors, recipes, pet profiles, and games. They also take contributions from others.

“We have guest columns [in] which people around the neighborhood can write about what they’ve seen or just anything,” Simmons. “[We have] featured art, we like to collect the art from the little kids and it’s really fun to see their artwork. Then we have different recipes and pet profiles.”

Galluzzo enjoyed being able to do research on topics that she found interesting.

“I thought it would be fun to do since we were home from school,” Galluzzo said. “I like the projects and ideas that we could put into it and it was fun for me to [do] research.”

The first issue was published on April 6, after the girls started planning the project at the end of March. They have produced 20 weekly issues.

Simmon’s works on a section called “Meet a Neighbor” where she interviews people in the community.

“I really enjoyed seeing how the neighborhood really got brought together and now whenever I see the people that were on ‘Meet a Neighbor’ they always recognize me and are like, ‘Oh hey you interviewed me,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah that was really fun.’ I think that’s a good part of it,” Simmons said.

However, there have been challenges. Both girls described how it could be difficult to gather submissions or ask for content from their peers.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find people to answer things but if we just ask around, people usually respond,” Galluzzo said.

Simmons explained how she considers herself a shy person and therefore was apprehensive about having to reach out to so many people. However, she ended

“For me, it was about connecting the neighborhood and we got a lot of positive feedback on it and that really made me feel special and like I was really helping the neighborhood. Other people wanted to contribute stories so that was a good way to have others bought in” TOMMYSOUTHJUNE SIMMONS EAST STUDENT

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12.18.20

ABOVE: Simmons and Galluzzo when they were kids. They were friends during elementary school as well as middle school.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANNA GALLUZZO

up being grateful for how supportive everyone was.

“We had to reach out to a lot of people like we did for our ‘Meet a Neighbor’ sections for our newsletters,” Simmons said. “Those were really difficult, but we realized that all we had to do was reach out and all the people were really supportive and really wanted to help.”

While Simmons worked on interviewing her neighbors, Galluzzo enjoyed doing a section called “Stay at Home Field Trips.”

“I like to do the “Stay-home Field Trips” and we just take turns doing different things,” Galluzzo said.

The issues vary in length depending on how many submissions they get. “[Getting issues out weekly] was a challenge and some issues would be really small because [less people would] contribute and sometimes we would just have to contribute stuff,” Simmons said. “I still think we managed to pull through those difficulties and our neighbors always helped with that.”

Aftering learning how to create a website using Google Sites in school,

Simmons didn’t have much trouble putting together the Northside News website.

“We learned about [setting up a website] in school for Global Studies and it was pretty easy because our teacher taught us how to do it,” Simmons said.

The girls stopped publishing the weekly newsletter when school started back up, but are considering bringing it back in the future.

“We’re thinking about doing special holiday issues and maybe weekend issues if we have enough time,” Simmons said. “I really think the neighborhood enjoys it so I hope to bring it back.”

“I thought it would be fun to do since we were home from school. I like the projects and ideas that we could put into it and it was fun for me to [do] research.”

JOANNA GALLUZZO SOUTH EAST EIGHTH GRADER

Faden accessorizing with a scarf.

Bright looks to Virgil Abloh Off-White designer for direction when it comes to clothing.

Double-sided denim masks sewed by Sophia Wagner ‘22 pictured.

Bright, Faden, and Johnson all shop at thrift stores and other places around Iowa City. Bright has been able to find some of her favorite pieces from garage sales while Faden has recently been trying to avoid large corporations such as Amazon because of their unethical labor practices.

ALL PHOTOS BY SOHPIA WAGNER

Juniors in Denim Charlie Faden ‘22, Piper Bright ‘22, and Roan Johnson ‘22 showcase their denim pieces in this fashion feature, with the use of color blocking.

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Bright was inspired by online photos to recreate the patch jeans above. She cut up a total of seventeen pairs of jeans and different shirts and patches then used a sewing machine and safety pins to complete the product.

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While Faden doesn’t have a particular fashion icon, he finds inspiration in different outfit styles.

Johnson is most inspired

by Model and Actor Luka Sabbat

By Shoshie Hemley

W

illiam Hinton ‘21 was not going to vote. He decided he would walk to Alexander Elementary on the afternoon of November 3 and register at his polling place. Hinton was one of many young people who participated in the November 2020 election which presented a record-breaking youth voter turnout. “[Voting] was like a nervous and exciting type of feeling. It was exciting because of course it was the first time that I was doing it,” Hinton said. “I realized when I got there that what I put down on that paper could have an effect on the next four years in this country.”

While voting rates historically differ between age groups, older Americans vote at higher rates than younger Americans according to the U.S Census.

However, according to research done by CIRCLE at Tufts, youth turnout was much higher in 2020 than it was in 2016, with a predicted 52-55% of eligible voters between the ages of 18-29 who voted.

“It feels so amazing and empowering because I feel like we made our first step for change and for that to be my first election to ever vote in and have the results that we did is just amazing,” Maya Warren ‘21 said.

For many young people, this election was their first that they voted in.

“It was a little bit different this year because I received the mail-in the ballot but I knew I wanted to turn that in in person just to be safe. It was a very powerful feeling. I went and it was really easy just to go and turn it in,” Warren said. “The process was really quick and easy.”

Of the youth who voted in the 2020 election, approximately 70% voted early or absentee according to Tufts.

“Before this year, I was thinking that I would go into a polling station and actually go and vote in person. But then with COVID, I honestly didn’t want to do that, so it was weird to sit down at my kitchen ta-

ble and vote through the mail,” Hannah Fast ‘21 said.

Not only did young people vote early, but young people also tended to vote blue.

However, according to Tufts’ research, youth voters in Iowa were split, with 49% of youth voters voting for Democrats and 48% voting for Republicans.

“I want my voice to be heard and I am going to vote, no matter who is up for election,” Andre Miller ‘21 said.

In Congressional District

issues that were important to them. Young Republicans cared about the economy and jobs and young Democrats cared about the handling of COVID-19 according to surveying done by Tufts. An issue that was important to Hinton, being a Black American, was the Black Lives Matter movement.

“I feel like there’s a lot of growth that people need to make. I didn’t want to miss out on history because I understood how important that was,” Hin-

FIRST TIME VOTERS Two, Iowa City’s district, votes between parties were just as split.

Republican nominee Marienette Miller-Meeks beat Democratic nominee Rita Hart for the National Iowa House seat by just six votes.

“It’s amazing to know that I could be part of the youth vote for this [election] because I really know that my vote made a difference, even if it’s just one. I was really passionate about this election and I know that I will vote for every single [election],” Fast said. “I’m really happy that I could vote and share my voice.”

Youth voters had various

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ton said.

Fast was at work when the results of the election came out on Saturday, November 7.

“I heard a cheer behind me and I was like, ‘What was that,’ and then someone came through my line and they told me that Biden won,” Fast said. “I was so relieved. I was so happy it made the rest of my day.”

Hinton, was pleased with Kamala Harris being elected as the first person of color to be Vice-President.

“That feeling that you get when you know something good is gonna happen, it was one of

those feelings. You don’t know exactly what it is, but I could see better days,” Hinton said.

A common theme between Hinton, Warren, Fast and Miller is that they all believe that social media helped youth voter turnout this year.

“I really think [turnout] was due to the activism that the other young people have been [doing] on social media and just talking to their friends and making sure everyone went out to vote,” Miller said.

Social media platforms such as instagram have allowed for different graphics, photos, and other information relating to politics to be spread and consumed by young people.

“We can share all the things that are happening around the world and how the decisions of people we like affect the world and people who aren’t always represented. I think it’s so much easier to share our opinions [on social media],” Fast said.

For future elections, Hinton wants other first-time voters to know how easy the process is.

“I feel like a lot of people use all these flowery words to describe how [voting is] done, but it’s really so simple. If people just knew that, I feel like it would be a lot easier,” Hinton said.

Hinton wishes there was more awareness surrounding the voting process. He believes young people need to be helped and educated by adults and teachers in order for them to understand the process.

“I feel like it should be talked about more. I understand teachers are not allowed to speak on [their political opinions], but I do feel like it’s something that should be taught because, when you get out here in the real world, you want to know how to handle and take care of things like this,” Hinton said. “Some people don’t have that person to help guide them.”

Warren believes it’s important for young people to vote to make sure their voices are heard.

“It’s so important that future voters do vote [and] use their voice in standing up for what they believe in,” Warren said.

12.18.20

This year, youth voter turnout increased by 8 percentage points

10%

of first time voters were between 18-24

10 million, over 70%

Here’s how they voted Nationally

In Iowa

58%

49%

voted for Biden

voted for Biden

24%

48%

voted for Trump

voted for Trump

voted before elction day

Electoral map if only people 18-24 voted voted for Biden voted for Trump no data

Statistics from: Tufts University’s CIRCLE INFOGRAPHIC BY EMME PERENCEVICH

cranberrylemon layered bars ingredients for the cranberry layer:

- 1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries

- 3/4 cup granulated sugar

- 2 to 3 large lemons

for the crust:

- Nonstick cooking spray - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour - 1/3 cup granulated sugar - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled

for the lemon layer:

- 1 cup granulated sugar - 1/4 all-purpose flour - 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salf - 3 large eggs - confectioners’ sugar (optional)

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These cranberry lemon layered bars are perfect for any occasion. A smooth sheet of tart lemon sits on top of a layer of sweet cranberries with a bed of crumbly crust. These treats melt in the mouth and stay fresh for days.

Yeild: 2 dozen bars Time: 1 hour, plus chilling Recipe courtesy of The New York Times Photos by Jesse Hausknecht-Brown

12.18.20

directions step one: Start preparing the cranberry layer: Combine the cranberries, sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Zest 2 of the lemons directly into the saucepan; reserve the lemons. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture is jammy, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.

step two:

Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with one large sheet of heavy aluminum foil, making sure there are no gaps or holes, then generously coat with cooking spray.

step three:

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the vanilla into the butter, then pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough comes together in a mass. Press into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown around the edges and dry and golden on top, 17 to 20 minutes.

step four:

While the crust bakes, begin preparing the lemon layer: Squeeze the juice from the 2 reserved zested lemons. You should have 1/2 cup. Squeeze the juice from another lemon, if needed.

step five:

Whisk the sugar, flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and whisk gently just until incorporated. Add the lemon juice and stir gently with the whisk just until smooth.

step six:

Let the crust cool for 5 minutes, then spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the crust. Carefully and slowly pour the lemon mixture on top to create two distinct layers.

step seven:

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours. Using the foil, slide the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 24 squares, wiping your knife between cuts for clean slices. If desired, sift confectioners’ sugar over the tops just before serving.

Endometriosis.

A vantage point into the Silent struggle for women’s health funding.

“Around 4 am I woke up because I thought I had a stomach ache. For about an hour, I rolled around trying to ignore the pain, finally I got up and went to the bathroom for painkillers. As soon as I stood up fully-awake, I realized that I was in a tremendous amount of pain. My abdomen felt on fire.

This wasn’t a stomach ache. When I got to the bathroom, I collapsed to the floor. I was in disbelief. Staring at the ceiling, I was thinking, ‘Man, would rather be dead right now. If there was a gun next to me, I would fire it.’

Eventually, I tried to stand up to get help but as soon as I stood up my ears started ringing loudly and I couldn’t hear anything. My vision went white and blurry and then I passed out. I was 14.”

By Haileigh Steffen

T

he first time Alison Beckett* ‘22 felt the effects of her endometriosis, a painful condition that affects nearly 10% of women worldwide, was during a quiet summer night on her grandparents’ Iowan farm. That night, 14-year-old Beckett blacked out from the pain she endured in her grandma’s bathroom. From there on, Beckett reports her endometriosis has not faltered.

Individuals with endometriosis experience uterine lining growth on the outside, as opposed to the inside, of the uterus which gives way to chronic disabling pain, infertility, fatigue, among other symptoms year-round, especially during menstruation. However, Beckett stresses that the pain is different for everyone affected by this condition. For Beckett, sometimes severe back pain prevents her from even sitting down. At the pain’s peak, it shoots through her legs.

“It’s like the kind of pain that makes you lose your dignity,” Beckett said. “You’d be willing to do a lot of things you weren’t before to get that pain to go away.”

Beckett saw a doctor in January, about two years after her first encounter with endometriosis. After explaining her symptoms, and mentioning her mother’s history with endometriosis, Beckett recalls the doctor refusing to give a formal diagnosis, instead directing her to a list of birth control options. Beckett opted for the pill, a daily hormonal treatment that prevents ovulation and therefore stops the growth of the uterine lining.

Professor Donna A. Santillan, University of Iowa Research Associate and Vice-Chair for Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, focuses on improving women’s health research through biobanking and translational research. Her laboratory work is often focused on expanding her knowledge of diseases that primarily affect women.

“Endometriosis really has a problem of being difficult to diagnose and treat. Too often, it is just considered a painful period,” Santillan said. “This results in women spending a lot of money and time trying to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment that works for them.”

While Beckett was surprised by what happened during her hospital visit, countless women do not receive a formal or timely diagnosis for endometriosis, propelling those women into years of unnecessary pain. Additionally, current treatments for endometriosis are limited, with many being hormonal treatments, such as birth control. Laparoscopy, a method of endometriosis diagnosis, is costly.

As for treatment, some women opt for surgery, a dangerous procedure of removing the endometriosis cysts from outside the uterus. But even a successful surgery does not guarantee a cure for endometriosis. Oftentimes, symptoms will return within a few years.

“It’s the type of pain that makes you lose your dignity. You’d be willing to do a lot of things you weren’t before to get that pain to go away.”

ALISON BECKETT CITY HIGH JUNIOR

“Endometriosis really has a problem of being difficult to diagnose and treat. Too often, it is just considered a painful period. This results in women spending a lot of money and time trying to get an accurate diagnosis and a treatment that works for them.”

DONNA A. SANTILLAN

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

15 The Little Hawk - FEATURES

“Endometriosis often falls with the categorization of chronic pelvic pain,” Santillan said. “Finding causes of chronic pelvic pain is often difficult given the wide differential diagnosis that is associated with chronic pelvic pain.”

Beckett reports that while she believes the pill is an effective way to treat endometriosis as a 16-year-old, she worries that adulthood might prove challenging for someone like herself. In addition to having a lifelong condition, the symptoms associated with endometriosis reportedly worsen with age.

Beckett believes that the current treatment options are akin to “putting a blanket over the problem.” She argues that when women are unable to be on birth control, if they want children for example, then those women must endure more pain.

“I think what’s worse is when a woman wants to have children. Endometriosis can make you infertile while causing lots of other complications,” Beckett said. “My mom had a pretty devastating miscarriage. And she tried for a decade to have kids. They had given up and they were looking into adoption by the time I was conceived.”

The experience Beckett explains is not new to women searching for treatment. However, in addition to the physical, Santillan points out that there remain hidden effects as well.

“Endometriosis has a significant economic impact,” Santillan said. “Besides the costs associated with care including prescriptions, procedures, visits, and hospital stays, there are also economic impacts associated with the loss of productivity and income from missing work. The loss of work can also have negative effects on women’s careers and cost them future income. In addition to the economic burden, there can be a psychological impact such as depression.”

Santillan notes that endometriosis has a large impact on society as it affects about 1 in 10 women in their childbearing years worldwide. Beckett believes that endometriosis as a whole is not well studied nor funded for the proportion of women it affects.

While endometriosis experienced a brief moment of national awareness after numerous celebrities such as Jaime King, Padma Lakshmi, and Lena Dunham, and more have come out about their struggles with the condition, the spotlight quickly faded and federal spending grants remained unscathed.

“The worst part is that no matter how much Tylenol you take, [the pain] still pushes through,” Alison Beckett said. “So then you just have to sit there and live through it. There’s nothing else you can do. You got to think about how tomorrow, this isn’t gonna be happening. You have to hope for the future.” *Would like to remain anonymous

12.18.20

August storm, damage in

December?

The lasting affects the summer storm had on agriculture

By Aala Basheir

W

hile the world circumstances of 2020 are eventful for many, August brought a storm to the midwest. Later categorized as a ‘derecho,’ the storm heavily impacted parts of Iowa. Cities like Cedar Rapids lost power for weeks and roofs were ripped off of houses. While some Iowans were able to recover within days, others weren’t able to return home for weeks, with farmers still recovering to this day.

Obermueller has three farms located in the state within his family. He was out farming with his grandparents and younger siblings when the storm initially hit. They quickly took shelter in the 20,000 pound combine located on their property.

“It lasted about 45 minutes

“Me and my grandpa were working on the combine and my grandma came outside and said ‘there’s a storm coming; they said 90 mile an hour winds in Marshalltown.” I asked if we could finish one last thing, because we were all the way in the combine. My grandpa was deep inside of it . Eventually I listened to my grandma and went outside to look, I had never seen anything like it. I told my grandpa, we need to go, we’ve got to call it, this bad.”

CADE OBERMUELLER CITY HIGH JUNIOR

but 15 minutes through I was thinking Okay, this is really scary. I just knew the barn was gonna go, the shed was just going to take off,” Obermueller said.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, a derecho is catego-

rized as including more than 240 miles of wind damage, with speeds of at least 53 miles per hour. In Iowa, winds reached an estimated speed of 140 miles per hour.

“The whole barn was picked up around 100 feet in the air, [by the wind]. It shot straight up,

and flew right over us. Then we went outside, I’m watching trees fly and impale the house,” Obermueller recalls.

Growing up in the southwest corner of Iowa and Fremont County, Carl Jardon is a retired dairy farmer who now grows soybeans and corn. As the pres-

during 2019, Iowa was ranked In the United StateS

1

1

2

9

IN Corn PRODUCTION

IN pork PRODUCTION

IN SOYBEAN PRODUCTION

IN eggs and poltury PRODUCTION

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12.18.20

ABOVE: Photos of storm damage. PHOTOS COURTOSY OF CADE OBERMUELLER

ident of the Iowa Corn Growers the storm hit, he estimates that Association, his responsibilities over eight million acres of corn include marketing corn in all were damaged as well as more forms. amounts of grain storage that “We have had been damthree partaged. ner organiza- “Our goal is to feed and “Some of it tions we work was totally defuel the world.” with closely,” stroyed, totally Jardon said. broke over, and CARL JARDON IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION “One is the some of it was National Corn just leaning, Growers Assoso they could ciation, the U.S. meat export combine it in one direction. So Federation, and the U.S. grains of course, that took a lot more Council. And our goal is to feed time to be able to go one way,” and fuel the world.”

Jardon explained. “Then you Although Jardon was around had to watch out for junk in a hundred miles from where the field from the buildings that

blew over. I saw one picture of a county sign out in the middle of the field. You had to watch for those things, they could do a lot of damage to a combine in a hurry.”

What followed was weeks worth of transporting grain while people waited on the shipment of machinery. Obermueller recalls driving around Marshalltown after the storm.

He described the scene as unreal.

“You were lucky if you only lost one building or one bin. My dad’s parents were very lucky, we only lost one building, but every other farm I’ve seen, so much machinery took damage,” Ober-

mueller said.

As far as the damage done to the community, in terms of overall crop harvesting, Jardon explained the Iowa Corn Growers Association is still doing their best to market and record the total amount of crops.

“This shows the importance of crop insurance, that’s one thing we’re working on,” Jardon said. “We get involved in politics too and to make sure that we have government programs to support us.”

Embrace the Holidays During the Pandemic

By Rachel Marsh

A

ccording to the CDC, an inside, community wide with people traveling in, events that will last a long time, without social distancing or mask wearing is the worst case scenario when planning events for the upcoming holiday season. Since COVID is hitting another peak, the CDC also recommends not going out unless for absolute necessities. Here is our list of some better alternatives. *The CDC also states those who have tested positive and have not recovered, those who show symptoms, who are awaiting test results, who have had exposure to someone who is positive or who are at increased risk or are around someone at increased risk, should not host or attend events.*

1 | In home family meal with a fancy dress code 2 | Make traditional family foods and drop them off at family/friends houses 3 | Online black friday shopping 4 | Outdoor, distanced holiday meal with local friends/family 5 | Sled with friends/family with masks on 6 | Virtual christmas morning present opening 7 | Go to an local orchard or christmas tree farm with masks and precautions 8 | Virtual christmas cookie tour, show off what you made 9 | Netflix party your favorite holiday movie with friends/family 10 | Play an online game and zoom with friends/family

PHOTO BY HAILEIGH STEFFEN

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10.23.20

New years Resolutions.

Every year the same stereotypical new years resolution ideas come out: start working out, start meditating, read more, but does anyone actually listen to them?

If they do, they may last a week, right?

Here is our list of 10 unique, oddly specific, new year’s resolutions or things to do, because 2020 has been a unique year.

By Rachel Marsh | Paint your nails a new color every week - everyone can use a little color in their lives | Learn ASL - never hurts to be able to communicate with more people | Start regularly burning a candle or using a diffuser bring out your inner zen | Paint your favorite cup with dishwasher safe paint - extra joy when you use it | Dye your hair - since everything is online, you have complete control if you don’t want someone to see it and you only live once

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| Buy a succulent - easy to take care of and cute to keep | Put a trash can in your car and use it - keeps control of clutter | Go through your emails and keep them under control - not seeing 1,098 in a little red bubble will guarantee lower stress levels | Change the way your clothes are organized - new adventure when you forget where your favorite shirt is | Use slippers - keeps your feet warm and increases your fancy level by 100

12.18.20

NOT IN SEASON

This time of year can bring many joys to people, especially those who observe the Christmas holiday.

Though for those who do not celebrate Christmas, the holiday season can create a feeling of isolation

By Aala Basheir and Rebecca Michaeli

and Happy Holidays?

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12.18.20

The authors, Aala Basheir and Rebecca Michaeli, would like to emphasize that the point of this story is to educate others on the misrepresentation of minority religions. Aala is a part of the Muslim community, while Rebecca is a part of the Jewish community, and because of this, most of the story focuses more on their areas of expertise.

Chapter One: A lack of representation of minority religions

A

s the late weeks of December are approaching, many are gearing up for the Holidays. Stores are filled with people, houses covered in lights and decorations.

Many holidays take place around this time, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, and Solstice, adding to the difficulty of distinguishing each tradition celebrated.

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. According to The Guardian, it leads with the most amount of greeting cards sold by 1.6 billion. While many students claim to have participated in school activities related to the holiday as young as kindergarten, they have also noticed a lack of representation of other cultures.

“During Ramadan, I would fast in school and people would constantly ask me why I wasn’t joining in during lunch,” Bothina Abdelrahman ‘22, a member of the Muslim community, explained. “[Although] I would explain to them that it was because I was celebrating Ramadan, people would either look at me strangely because they didn’t understand why I would do that while others would be genuinely interested in my religious beliefs.”

This can often lead to minority religion populations feeling the pressure of educating others in hopes of filling the gaps of information.

“I noticed [the holiday themed activities] growing up. In elementary school, it used to make me feel left out because we would do a lot of Christmas and Halloween activities in class,” Abdelrahman explained. “My family and I don’t celebrate these holidays as Muslims.”

Jeremiah Collins ‘21, a member of the Jewish community, has also noticed the lack of information regarding the Jewish culture such as emphasis on Hanukkah, one of the minor holidays in the religion while Yom Kippur, which holds a lot of religious significance is not as well known within the education system.

“I feel like there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about Judaism, I don’t know if that’s necessarily something that needs to be in schools but knowledge breeds tolerance, and stigma comes from not knowing things,” Collins said.

Although the transition between elementary school and middle school offered a more diverse curriculum by increasing the lessons taught. Some students did not feel accurately represented until high school. Three high schools in the district offer AP World History which goes into detail on the history of many religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judiusm, Christianity and Islam.

“The City High World History teachers did a really awesome job at teaching us about the different cultures and religions which I truly enjoyed,” Abdelrahman.

Dr. Diana Cates, Professor of Religious Ethics at the University of Iowa, focuses on religious ethics and moral psychology. “[The goal] is a culture where everybody’s religion is interesting to everybody else, even if they don’t agree with it. [The best atmosphere] is when religion is interesting and [students] want to talk about it and learn. I think, in public schools I would not sanction any overtly religious events,” Cates said.

Rabbi Esther Hugenholtz is also familiar with minority religions in the education system. Growing up non-Jewish in the Netherlands, but after many years of living a Jewish lifestyle, she officially converted to Judaism in her mid20’s.

Hugenholtz went to Rabbinical school, and was ordained as a Rabbi at 35. Being a Jew from Europe, Hugenholtz is able to compare the two cultural contexts of Jewish life.

“The first thing is a shift in perspective. A lot of public schools think, ‘oh it’s Christmas time, let’s dig into the calendar and see what other religions are doing’, but that’s problematic, looking to match Hanukkah to a Christmas experience.” Hugenholz said. “They should reverse the process and say, ‘okay, we have all these religions that are equal in value to each other, let’s see what their most important festivals are, and learn about them, irrespective of what time of the year it is.’”

Islam celebrates its holidays according the Islamic calander, which is unique because there are no fixed days.

A majority of it relies on moon patterns, a lunar month is shorter than a solar month followed world wide. Ramadan, a month where muslims around the world participate in a month-long fasting period, moves back ten to eleven days each year.

“So much of what we do as religious minorities is reactive. When we are not represented, it just forces us into reactiveness and defensiveness. And if we are represented, it encourages us to be proactive and to embrace our dignity, and our beauty on our own terms,” Hugenholtz said.

Many who are part of a religious minority can often feel isolated during the holiday season when their religion goes unaddressed in schools.

“I’m not really offended by my religion [not being talked about]. I’m more used to it now, but it is kind of isolating. It can be overwhelming, especially when you’re younger, there’s a feeling of being left out,” Margalit Frank ‘24, a member of the Jewish community, said.

Learning about minority religions and cultures in school can help students feel supported, and decrease religious bigotry.

“It’s equally necessary to learn about other minority groups because [it builds] knowledge and understanding,” Collins said. “If you don’t understand something, then you might think it’s weird, you might think it’s scary, but religions, these things are not that crazy.”

first define religion, what it is, and what it organized, its behaviors, and if the religion is means. also part of a culture and ethnicity.

“It’s really helpful, if people are up to it, “Personally, I think the anthropological to start with a discussion of what religion is. and historical approaches [to understanding A lot of people think of religion as some kind a religion] are the best. I would like educaof institution, or organized set of beliefs, but tors to stop setting this up as ‘what do they I also think of it as a way of living in light of believe’, and then comparing the various hile many minority religions and possibilities that you can’t wrap your mind metaphysical dogmas. To an anthropolocultures are not represented in the around,” Cates said. “There’s this ability to gist, ‘beliefs’ are just one of the things current American climate, espe- see that there’s all sorts of ways of being re- we want to learn about,” Frank Sacially during the holiday season, ligious. I think that’s a good way to start to lomon, an anthropologist and a dangerous trend has been climbing. Reli- think about religion, because almost every- retired professor at the Univergion-based hate crimes are rapidly increasing body can identify with that.” sity of Wiscosin-Madison, in the United States.

Cates believes that it is crucial to create a said.

“Antisemitic or Islamophobic things are welcoming and open environment when disAccording to Pew really prominent in classrooms. I’ve heard cussing religious differences, so a productive Research, in the and seen teachers witness them, and not and educational con- United States, know what to do beversation can be had.

Christans cause a majority of “It’s really helpful, if people are up “You have to be r e p r e s e n t teachers aren’t Jewcareful, because if you 7 0 . 6 % ish or Muslim, and to it, to start with a discussion of offend people’s sensi- of the don’t understand why what religion is. There’s this ability bilities, they are not something is offensive to listen to you, to see that there’s all sorts of going or what to do when and they’re just going somebody makes an to withdraw or shut ways of being religious.” offensive joke,” Frank you out. It’s best to said.

DIANA CATES try to welcome PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS ETHICS Recorded accounts everybody of religious hateinto the crimes typically include assault, intimidation, conversation,” Cates said. and vandalism, though smaller microaggresRather than solely edusions occur daily. According to the United cating about a religion’s States Department of Justice, Religion-based beliefs, some find it hate crimes made up 20% of all hate crimes important to uncommitted in 2019. Many times, expressions derstand its comof hate are intentional, though often, micro- ponents; such aggressions are a reflection of unconscious as what it bias or bigotry. For teens, school is a public d o e s , setting where microaggressions are common. h o w “People are constantly getting what we i t ’s characterize as microaggressions; insults and Data from The Pew Research Center ways of leaving you out, or diminishing your culture because you’re different. Individuals’ own religion might bring them joy and peace, and a sense of freedom and possibility. But if you are not among the [religiously] dominant, when you get to school, it might just be a JEREMIAH COLLINS constant irritation or insult,” CITY HIGH SENIOR Cates said.

To better understand how to combat hate speech and crimes based on religion, some find it helpful to

Chapter Two: The increase of antisemitism and Islamophobia in America

W

127

93

2001 2016 Anti-Muslim assults in U.S. reported to the FBI

“Knowledge breeds tolerance, and stigma comes from not knowing things.”

Jews only make up 1.7% of the U.S. population

but 60.2% of religious hate crimes were targeted at Jews in 2019

48%

of Muslim Americans answered yes to the question, “have you personally experienced racial or religious discrimination in the past year?”

Data from Gallup Polls

Data from The ADL 22 The Little Hawk - FEATURES

INFOGRAPHICS BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN

12.18.20

Religious Groups in America Data from The Pew Research Center

0.9% Muslim 1.9% Jewish

3.8% Other

4

reported incidents of Islamophobia in Iowa between 2012 and 2018 were concerning Opposition to Mosques, Muslim Cemeteries & Schools Data from New America

22.8% No Preference 22.8% No Preference

70.6% Christian 70.6% Christian

In the year

2017 1,986 57% there were

reported incidents of anti-Semitism in America, a

population, 22.8% identify as “unaffiliated”, Jews represent Data from The ADL 1.9%, and Muslims, 0.9%.

“Christianity is so woven into the fabric of American society, that it can be a challenge, because people have assumptions about your relationship to Christianity. It tends to be the default for [Americans], they will revert back to Christianity as a way of understanding your Judaism instead of understanding your

increase from the year before

There was a

29%

increase in anti-Semitic incidents from 2016 in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas

Judai s m on its Data from The ADL own terms,” Hugenholtz said.

Because Christianity is the dominant religion in America, some who are part of a religious or cultural minority may feel pressure to conform to dominant cultural conventions.

“My frame of reference for most of my life was Europe, which is also Christian-dominant, but Europe as a whole, is much more secular than America,” Hugenholtz said. “There are disadvantages to being Jewish in Europe, the incidence of antisemitism is much higher than it is in America, but one of the few advantages of being Jewish in Europe, is that you have less of a pressure to be Christian than I feel here.”

There have recently been record high accounts of Islamophobia, dramatically exceeding the previous peak of the post-9/11 Islamophoboc acts in 2001. Religious-based hate speech and crimes occur at City High, just as they do all over the world.

“As a girl who wears a hijab, I have received hate for being a Muslim on numerous occasions. I try my best not to let it get to me, but words can deeply hurt and haunt a person,” Eliza Edwards*, a student at City High said.

Islamophobia and antisemitism, often take shape in the form of microaggressions or what some excuse as “jokes”. According to the Anti Defamation League, 2019 holds the record for the highest level of antisemitic incidents since the organization began keeping records in 1979.

“I’ve experienced intolerance with being Jewish. I think antisemitism flies under the radar because people view Jews as very privileged, [people say] ‘they run the media’, ‘they own the banks’ — antisemitism is still hate. My grandma was a Holocaust survivor, so I don’t like Holocaust jokes,” Collins said.

Something as simple as not including education about minority religions in schools has led to students facing hate based on their religious identity. Oftentimes, incidents of Islamophobia or antisemitism go unreported, because students who experience them don’t know if teachers or administrators will take action.

“I don’t end up reporting [Islamophobic incidents] because [people] don’t always directly say that they hate Muslims like myself, but they imply it. I was scared it would be dismissed and gaslighted, but looking back I wish I had reported them,” a student at City High said.

According to the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), religious equity in schools is often overlooked, except when a religion-based hate incident occurs that catches the public’s eye. The IDRA emphasizes the need for safe and inclusive school climates, and respect for diversity.

“I think that there should be conversation about religion [in public schools]. But there shouldn’t be practice of particular religions, unless you can achieve a culture where everybody’s religion is interesting to everybody else, even if they don’t agree with it,” Cates said. “[Religion] is interesting, and when people want to talk and learn about it, that’s the best atmosphere.”

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