The Blade Winter 2021 by Tiffany Reynolds

MOVING BEYOND BLACK & WHITE

WINTER 2021

staff Alina Noorani '21 Editor-in-Chief

Carly Breland '21 Butterknife Editor

Dylan Jordan '21 Staff Writer

Yasmin Khan '21 Creative Director

Elizabeth Yu '22 Staff Writer

Alexis Rogers '21 Feature Editor

Jackson Fryburger '21 Staff Writer

Grace Ross '21 Opinions Editor

Sithini Chea '24 Staff Writer

Maya Packer '22 Social Media Editor

Mrs. Tiffany Reynolds Adviser

contents 1 2 3 1

Staff and Contents

A Letter to Our Readers

A Light in Darkness

7 9 11

Students for Social Justice

Why Me?

Detangling Data

19 23

Opening Our Books, Our Eyes

A Symbol Stolen

Hidden Figure: Being A Young Muslim in America

OUR MISSION

To our readers, The year 2020 will take its place in the history books as a year of unprecedented change and uncertainty. A pandemic rocked the world as we know it, bringing isolation and loss in its wake. The Black Lives Matter movement reached record heights as supporters sought to call attention to systemic racism and police brutality. It’s safe to say that this year has tested us all in every which way: what we stand for, what we know, and what we should strive to learn. As journalists, we feel compelled to acknowledge the unfortunate presence of racism in our country. Recently, this issue has been a topic of debate, and as tellers of truth, we would be remiss to ignore the tragic examples of police brutality and fatal mistreatment that were magnified this year. Although we have entered 2021, this issue of The Blade has been in the works since the beginning of the school year, and we are pleased to present this issue as a continuation of the celebrations of Black History Month. Inside these pages, you will find pieces that contain personal reflections on this new wave of activism. Maya Packer looks for a path forward, a way to bridge the divide between black and white in “A Light in Darkness,” a story of hope in which two students from different backgrounds brought together by preconceived notions strive to understand each other’s perspectives. Alexis Rogers spotlights “Students for Social Justice” and the efforts that our peers made to fight racism in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, from attending protests to spearheading awareness through social media. Dylan Jordan gives a personal glimpse into the realities of being a young Black man in America, expressing his frustration and fear of police brutality plaguing our country and asking the question so many wonder, “Why Me?” As journalists, we endeavor to give all sides of the story, and Elizabeth Yu does just that in her piece “Detangling Data.” Statistic by statistic, she examines systemic racism and police brutality by the numbers, in an effort to allow you, the reader, to form your own opinions. As much as we focus on current change, our staff highlights conversations that need to start. Carly Breland sits down with faculty in “Opening Our Books, Our Eyes,” questioning Eurocentric curriculum standards in academics and examining initiatives instated by the Upper School’s Social Studies and English Departments to diversify the curriculum in order to include diverse voices in history and literature. In “History Forgotten May Be History Repeated,” Grace Ross looks at anti-semitism on our campus and examines the two meanings of the “svastika” or ”hakenkreuz” symbol. And in “Hidden Figure,” Alina Noorani takes a bold step out of the shadows, embracing her Muslim faith and sounding the alarm over increasing racism, violence and genocide against Uighur Muslims in China. As we continue to move into the next year, the fight for justice is not over yet. As journalists, we vow to continue the fight for equality, and we implore you to join with us to advance the cause. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Blade. It truly was a labor of love.

A LIGHT IN DARKNESS BY MAYA PACKER '22

“I think that we’re all learning from each other one step at a time, and even though it may not look like it, I think we’ve genuinely come together in some ways.” - Vashti Hobson

Despite growing tensions in our community, Mark Gallups '21 and Vashti Hobson '22 have forged an unlikely friendship through the unrest, setting an example for a generation blinded by hostility. In the wake of this summer’s Black Lives Matter movement and the impending presidential election, Americans have had a lot of room for discourse. Students have gone head-to-head with fellow classmates, debating topics and reaching no conclusions. Students have become divided over their personal beliefs and opinions on profound and complex issues. In this age of social media, it’s easy to find something to argue about. Political views and stances on social issues can often be found directly on someone’s profile, opening the door to debate. These arguments continue to further divide our community. Each side is staunchly in support of their beliefs, and moderation has become less and less common. However, this isn’t only something occurring amongst students. A lack of understanding and agreement can be found among politicians and political parties, with each side migrating to the extremes of their convictions. The chance for agreement and common ground has become limited. In these tumultuous times, is there any chance for reconciliation? Mark Gallups ‘21 and Vashti Hobson ‘22 are a shining light of hope for a united future. The pair’s friendship grew from two people, seemingly on opposite sides, realizing they weren’t so different after all. Over the summer, Hobson created a TikTok dedicated to revealing non-black students who, according to her, had used the n-word before. “This girl popped up on my [TikTok] feed, and she was posting the people who have said the n-word at [her] school,” said Hobson. “So I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to make this TikTok.’” She caught ridicule from other students who saw the post. When one boy confronted her over Snapchat, Hobson replied with a sarcastic comment that he took seriously.

A FRIENDSHIP FORMED THROUGH DIFFERENCES PICTURES BY MAYA PACKER '22 The boy told Gallups what Hobson had said, that he may be put in a Tik Tok claiming he had used the n-word. “I was just giving an example,” said Hobson. “I was like ‘Like Mark Gallups and all those people.’” Hobson continued to say that she didn’t actually know Mark or if he had used the n-word but that she had “just a bit” of an impression that he might be the type of person that would use that word. Hobson addressed Gallups during the interview and apologized for that assumption, to which he smiled and assured her, “it’s cool.” Gallups reached out to Hobson. "I very nicely explained myself, because I’m sure she’d already been getting attacked by many people for her Tik Tok,” said Gallups. “I sent a long paragraph about how I can’t have that stuff getting out if it wasn’t true. The Naval Academy’s very strict on stuff like that.” The Naval Academy is Gallups' dream school, a stepping stone on his goal to become a U.S. Marine. “It was really nice. He was explaining to me how he never [said the n-word], and he wanted to go to the Naval Academy,” said Hobson. The pair say they clicked after the initial message and became fast friends.

"In his message, he said ‘I hope we can be friends.’” said Hobson. “That actually made me happy. When I was reading it, there were tears in my eyes. It did make me happy that someone like Mark could be the bigger person and actually have a conversation and be like ‘let’s talk about it.’” Both Gallups and Hobson have seen a large divide and a lack of empathy between students this summer. "No one can have a conversation about [hard topics],” said Gallups. “It’s always fighting. It’s never open minds. It's always just ‘I'm right, you're wrong’ from both sides. I think that’s what’s going to divide our generation. It just blows my mind that people can't even have a conversation without wanting to kill each other.” “I never really thought that the world was this divided,” said Hobson. “I’m friends with everyone, so I never saw [our school] like that,” said Gallups. “Personally, I was like we’re all [on the same page], but obviously we’re definitely not.” The momentous events from this summer had profound impacts on both of these students changing their perspectives.

“I saw it with my [own] eyes with my dad. I saw it with my brother [and my dad] wanting to stay home and not really go out or [wanting to] be in at a certain time because they didn’t want to get stopped or get hurt,” said Hobson with a sigh. “That really hurts me.” Hobson continued to say that she cried a lot this summer, but more than anything, she was scared. “I literally shut down my social media for six months. I couldn’t see that; it was making me sad.” she said. During a protest, she heard testimonies from protesters who had just been freed from jail after being arrested at previous protests and from people who had lost members of their family to police violence. “That really broke my heart,” said Hobson. “I know how they felt but only on a fear level. They’ve experienced it all the way through to having to make the funeral arrangements and keep protesting [to bring awareness to their loved one's] name. Fear just drowned me and I didn’t want to go outside, I didn’t want to turn on the TV, I didn’t want to go on TikTok, I didn’t want to do anything.” While Hobson struggled with her own fears, Gallups spent his summer

with two boys who had a sincere effect on his life. Chris Moore, a black Tennessee baseball commit for Brooklyn, started living with Gallups over the summer. They spent almost every day with Harry Ford, another Black baseball player. “Obviously me, being a white person, I never knew what [being black in America] was like,” said Gallups. “I didn’t know what it was like until Chris was living here. It opened my eyes to see how he was reacting to all the stuff. It was like wow, it’s not just ‘Oh, that’s happening’ it’s actually something that needs to be changed in America.” Not only did Gallups observe how they reacted and felt about these issues, but he also lived through it by their side. “All three of us would hang out,” said Gallups. “We all talked about it. We had some pretty deep moments about them just describing how it is [to be Black in America]. [I reminded them] I always got their backs. They’re my best friends, and I wouldn’t let anyone do anything [to them] or vice versa.” Both Gallups and Hobson got emotional at this statement as Hobson could be seen wiping tears from her face. “It just really hurts my heart,” said Hobson. As Hobson talked about the fear she felt, Gallups jumped in to say he could also see that fear with his friends. “Driving around with Chris and Harry, even the littlest of things, just passing a police officer while I was driving [caused fear]” said Gallups. “They would always be like ‘Dude, slow down.’ We would always go over [to Kylie Chrislock ’21’s house]. I normally would leave at like 11:30, but they're like, 'Let's get home.’ They didn't

want to have the slightest chance of something happening.” Gallups saw a new world through his friends' eyes. “We’d always go home early, and it was like, wow, I couldn’t imagine being that scared,” said Gallups. “I couldn’t imagine just even driving around my own neighborhood and thinking that your life is on the line.” Sadly, as both Gallups and Hobson felt this summer, this is the reality for Black people all across the country. “It’s so different living with someone,” said Gallups. “My parents would [take] extra precautions because they knew what was going on. Chris became a part of my family. My parents cried when he left, and he became my best friend in such little time. It’s just a bond that we made. We bonded over [the protests and Black Lives Matter] too.” This summer evoked strong feelings from Gallups and Hobson, and the injustices they observed caused them to feel more passionately about not only social issues but politics as well. Hobson, when asked, described her political beliefs as leftleaning. “[I’m] most definitely on the left side of things, far left, yeah,” she said. Gallups is slightly bipartisan, and “more left [socially], and economically more right.” Before this summer, Gallups was not very vocal about political issues, but this summer has changed his view. “On social media, I’m not [outspoken], but definitely with my friends I am,” said Gallups. Contrastingly, Hobson began to use social media as her main way to voice her opinions. “[At first,] many people actually started hating me and unfollowing me,” said Hobson. “Somebody DM'ed me, ‘Thank you for speaking out about this.’ I [decided to] keep posting because I don’t care what people are saying. It needs to be heard.”

In reference to those who oppose Black Lives Matter, Gallups has a message. “[You’re] not even thinking about how other people feel,” said Gallups. “You’re not even going to have the sense to think about it; y’all are just going to fight about stuff? You’re not even giving consideration, like what if it was the opposite? Then, you would be worried to go out and speed past a police officer. [That is] scary for some people.” Hobson has seen conflict between those who oppose BLM and those who support it within her class group chat, but she has found a positive side to things. “The only time you can really get comfortable is by getting uncomfortable and talking about the situation,” said Hobson. “When we started talking about those things, and people started getting comfortable to say what they believed, I think that was a really good job on our part as a community to really start talking about these things.” A message imploring Hobson to see his true character blossomed into this unlikely friendship. Even though they haven’t been hanging out because of COVID-19, and Hobson doing remote learning, the pair talk every day. “[Im most definitely] wish I could see her at school, but when everything is safe, she’ll be the first person I give a hug to when I see her,” said Gallups. The friendship is very unique in its creation but is also very cherished by the two. “I like our friendship,” said Hobson. I don’t think this is a normal friendship. I don’t think anybody’s ever [become friends this way].”

“How we met, I’ve never had a friendship like that,” said Gallups. Now that I’ve grown up and [matured], I never feel the need to bash somebody even if they’re being mean to me.” The pair also think very highly of each other and were excited to be able to describe the other for the interview. "[She’s] very high energy, believes in what she wants and she’s not gonna let anybody else tell her different,” said Gallups. “She has a mission and isn’t going to let anybody stop her from accomplishing that mission, especially getting the word out that things aren’t okay. I think that’s going to help her [in the future], just always speaking out for herself.” Hobson had to take a second to stop smiling before starting to describe Gallups. “I feel like he’s very nice and smart and very driven,” said Hobson. “Never have I ever met someone who told me their goals off the bat, like ‘I want to go to the Naval Academy and just play baseball.’ He has his heart set on a dream, and he’s trying to accomplish that dream and stay on that path.” In a time where the country is divided, this friendship is a perfect example of what can happen when you react with kindness instead of attacking one another. Hobson leaves us with a message of hope. “I think that we’re all learning from [each other] one step at a time, and even though it may not look like it, I think we’ve genuinely come together in some ways.”

STUDENTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE BY LEXI ROGERS '21

BALEIGH BRUSTER '21 AT A PROTEST THIS SUMMER. PHOTO BY BRUSTER

In the midst of the deadly pandemic, students masked up and spoke out about racism. While our nation works to combat COVID-19, we also face another pandemic: racism in America. Millions across the country spoke out through social media, petitions and even protests. The Black Lives Matter movement extended throughout our nation and into the world. Who were the brave leaders who drove the movement forward? Young people. Students. More importantly, our students. In fact, it was Woodward alumni who took the initiative to organize a protest in June. The event took place in the heart of Downtown Atlanta. A large part of the Woodward community was in attendance, and a few students reflected on their reasons for protesting. “It’s easy to post on social media and say you stand for something, but it’s another thing to take actual action,” Baleigh Bruster ‘21 said. She used this opportunity to artistically express herself by making signs in addition to sharing her voice. As an African-American female passionate about racism and brutality, Bruster expresses frustration towards those blind to these issues. “It’s hard for me to grasp the concept that people can be racist and oblivious to what’s going on right now,” Bruster said. “For me, it’s just hard to understand how an individual can believe that having darker skin means your life matters less.” Fellow protester and avid BLM supporter Maddisen Miles ‘22 feels similarly regarding the overwhelming examples of senseless violence against black people. “It makes me furious because absolutely no one should be killed because of the color of their skin,” Miles said. “That makes no sense whatsoever. “It’s really a problem that people fail to realize. There’s a whole bunch of racist people who think there is no white privilege and no racism. They just don’t understand what it feels like to see someone of your color be killed… because of who they are, and that makes me angry.” Miles attended another protest in addition to the one in Atlanta, both times with her family.

ALEX MOSS'21 AT A MARCH. PHOTO COURTESY OF MOSS

“It was actually a really great experience,” Miles said. “I just felt like the whole community was brought together, and to see my family have the same emotions as me shows unity. I really love when we’re all unified.” Bruster was surrounded by friends and peers from school. “I thought it was amazing to see familiar faces and people who have the same goal as me,” Bruster said. “We were all driven to do the same things and help us become a better nation by helping the problem. So, it was super comforting to see that people are with us and they understand what’s going on is super messed up.” While many supporters of Black Lives Matter are, in fact, Black, the movement is inclusive and knows no race, religion, or gender. People of all walks of life watched numerous videos and news stories about the unnecessary deaths of unarmed Black men and decided to use their privilege to take a stand. William Mattingly '21 was one of those people. “I knew right when I saw Derek Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd’s neck that I had to do something,” Mattingly said. “I don’t consider myself outspoken as far as most political issues go,

but I knew I had to do something about this because [Black Lives Matter] is a human rights issue, not a political issue. “I just started by creating a productive conversation among my friends and family members, but then I heard about the protest. I thought that this is the least I can do to help get this rolling across America.” As a white male in this country, Mattingly believes his role in combating racism is slightly different. “I think my part is to listen and support those who are speaking out about racial injustice,” Mattingly said. “This movement would be most powerful if it is organized by and showcases Black leaders and figureheads.” This past summer was a period of growth, understanding and education for Mattingly, in light of the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and others. “I’ve cared about and acknowledged the struggle of Black people in this country before the summer, but the multiple videos and anecdotal stories of racism in America… have really drawn my attention to how serious of an issue this is,” Mattingly said. “I knew there was a problem, but I didn't know the extent of the history before the summer.” Many students expressed their solidarity and support for Black Lives Matter by sharing Instagram stories or posting on Snapchat, but these young leaders assessed their risk and attended large gatherings in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. “Honestly, black people have been killed for years and there’s always tiny movements or rebuttals afterward, but this has been the biggest movement there is,” Bruster said. “I felt like it was really now or never to participate in such a great opportunity, and I didn’t want to miss out on that.” Miles understood her call to action and took precautions during both protests she attended. “I want to clarify that I had a mask on, and so did everyone else,” Miles said. “I felt pretty safe. I doubled up with masks both times,” Bruster, Miles and Mattingly recognize the importance of young people spearheading this urgent matter, but others either choose to ignore it or are simply unaware of the hardships that minorities face in our country. To those people, Miles has a powerful message. “In order for all lives to matter, we have to care about those who are oppressed and those who are struggling, and right now, those are Black people.”

WHY ME? BY DYLAN JORDAN '21

My hands are up, officer, please do not shoot! As a 17-year-old African American male, I try to avoid the police as much as possible. Whenever they are in my vicinity, I become nervous and afraid that they are going to approach me and potentially harm me because I look suspicious and am wearing a hood or because they assume that I have a deadly weapon, which is nothing but my phone or because I match the description of a suspect. My mother has always told me to be extra cautious whenever I encounter the police. “Keep your hands up so that they are visible,” she said. “Be respectful, so the situation does not escalate." The mission of police officers is to protect and serve their communities. Police officers are supposed to be trained professionals who help keep the community safe, not bullies who see brown skin as a threat and cause harm to anyone with my complexion. Stephen Pearson '21, accountant for the Black Student Union, feels like the African American community as a whole is in a tough situation, given what is going on with police brutality. “When I am out and about, and I see [the] police, I have to make sure that I am doing the best that I can to stay safe and always have a watch out,” said Pearson. The brutal acts by police officers have raised concerns in the African American community that those who wear a badge and are called to protect and serve are not abiding by their morals and values. Jarrod Huey '21, financial advisor for the Black Student Union, feels that he may be subjected to unfair treatment by law enforcement as a Black male.

“As a Black male, I feel unprotected and underappreciated,” Huey said. "All policemen are not bad, but the police would not be the first [people] I call in a crisis. I would call someone close to me before I call them. They will not be my first stop like other people [of a different skin color] might say.” This harsh treatment by officers causes heartache, grief, and nervousness for mothers like Mrs. Laquinta Montgomery, tenth grade English teacher, who has children with brown skin. “It is so sobering when I think about my two sons going out every day and being subjugated to certain perceptions and even having mistreatments against them excused, be it subconsciously, or be it willfully unconsciously," said Mrs. Montgomery. “I [also] have a daughter. My fears for her are different than they are for my two sons, but in general, just knowing that they are walking every day into a world where far too many people in institutions and systems feel that they belong in a particular space. That is very confining and just unfair.” Huey believes ethnic groups buy into the African American community's stereotypes, and others perceive us to fit into the stereotypes rather than asking questions and being informed of our culture. “People will look at the TV and see a black person on there and generalize the whole culture,” Huey said. “What I think we need to do is put more positively influenced characters on television because that is where it really starts at a young age. Because when you're a kid, all you are doing is watching TV. If we can change the image of a black man or black person at a young age, then we can influence a whole generation.” Stereotypes influence the behaviors of students and faculty members on campus. Stereotypes lead to microaggressions and racist encounters between students due to the lack of questioning for a better perception. “In the seventh grade, I was called the n-word by a former student,” said Pearson. “[This] hurt because I had never encountered racism before. It hurt me to the core because I viewed Woodward as this perfect place [and] all I knew to do was to run to the principal's office and tell. Still, nothing was done about it, but it was a painful experience.”

Mrs. Montgomery does not dwell on the fact that society discriminates against her solely because she is a female, and an African American female at that. Montgomery envisions dialogue as a chance to illustrate to others that many African Americans face tough times and to help others empathize with the struggle of being an African American woman. She also hopes that others in the African American community can persevere to overcome their adversities. “As an African American woman, I feel empowered by our ability to overcome and soar when I reflect on history, both personal and on a larger national aspect,” said Mrs. Montgomery. “I am fully aware that as an African American woman, there were challenges and misconceptions that I encountered, and that I continue to encounter just because of the intersection of being African American and being a female.” As African American males, we realize that we are not perceived in the same favorable light as our white peers. We encounter security following us in stores because they anticipate that we will steal. We suffer from microaggressions, such as being called the n-word, and others are shot for pulling over for something as simple as a broken tail light. There is a vast disconnect between the African American community and those who wear a badge. With the disconnect between the two communities, it spikes fear and hatred between the two. In order to settle the tension between the races, there needs to change. Change is being open towards other ideas that differ from your own and admitting that there is an issue. Once you acknowledge there is an issue, then you have to detect a solution for the problem. “I think the first step is admitting a need,” Mrs. Montgomery said. “I still have people I know who don't believe there is a discrepancy [and it] doesn't matter how much data you present to them. I also believe in the intentionality of forging friendships with people who don't look like me and who don't live where I live. If I can embrace and see that we have some common thread, I can develop a sense of camaraderie. [Once] we can develop an appreciation of what we each bring to the table, and even grow to admire and enjoy one another, [later on] our kids begin to see that the reality is [that] every single one of us has the potential to be an agent of change, whether we want to admit it or not.”

"I believe in the intentionality of forging friendships with people who don't look like me and who don't live where I live. If I can embrace and see that we have some common thread, I can develop a sense of camaraderie." - Mrs. Laquinta Montgomery

MICAELA STEWART ’20 PROTESTS IN ATLANTA.

Once there is a dialogue about the controversial topic of police brutality, others will empathize with the injustices committed against the African American community, gaining insight into why we say “Black Lives Matter.” Ever since African Americans stepped off the boat, we have been oppressed; and this injustice continues in the 21st century, with police officers harming and killing us because they see our brown skin as a threat. Ultimately, when interacting with cops, I have to conduct myself differently than my white counterparts typically would. However, with more dialogue on campus about issues, such as social justice and race, we as a community can hopefully build empathy and understanding to ensure that all have nothing to fear when facing law enforcement and can come together in unity.

DETANGLING DATA Is there systemic racism in law enforcement? BY ELIZABETH YU '22

6032

26%

60%

PEOPLE KILLED BY POLICE SINCE 2015

OF VICTIMS WERE BLACK; 51% WERE WHITE

BLACK AMERICANS ARE TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE LEGAL INTERVENTION

OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS WHITE

<20%

84.3%

87.7%

93.6%

OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS BLACK

OF OFFICERS USING LETHAL FORCE ARE WHITE

OF REPORTED CASES HAVE EVIDENCE FOR HOSTILITY

OF DEATHS BY POLICE ARE CAUSED BY FIREARMS

14.8%

386

32/100

BLACK AMERICANS ARE 14.8% MORE LIKELY TO BE ARMED

UNARMED INDIVIDUALS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE SINCE 2015

POLICE STOPS WERE BLACK AND 11/100 WERE WHITE IN LA, CA

6032 | WASH POST

84.3% | NCBI

Although the federal government has not provided an official source, several organizations have compiled data, like the Washington Post. With the sudden awareness of racial bias in law enforcement in the last year, students anticipated a sudden jump in numbers; however, the number of people shot and killed by police has been increasing at a constant rate for five years.

Since law enforcement is 60 percent white, it is expected that most incidents using lethal force involved a white officer; however, 84.3 percent is higher than anticipated.

26% | WASH POST According to the U.S. Census in 2019, 76.3 percent of Americans are white and 13.4 percent of Americans are Black; however, since Black Americans represent 26 percent of victims shot by police, the numbers are disproportionate, a sign of systemic racism.

A Close-up of the Sources

2X | NCBI The National Center for Biotechnology Information notes that legal intervention includes injuries caused by law enforcement while making arrests, suppressing disturbances and maintaining order. Law enforcement requires less suspicion to act against a Black American than a white American. There is minimal evidence that indicates that Black Americans are significantly more likely to commit a crime than other racial groups.

87.7% | NCBI Law enforcement officers are equipped with guns and tasers in case their lives are endangered; however, 13.3 percent of people shot and killed by police posed no immediate threat towards law enforcement or civilians.

93.6% | NCBI Because firearms are a lethal force and are available to the police and the public, they are responsible for a majority of deaths caused by police.

14.8% | BJS Many Black Americans are conscious of how law enforcement perceives them. Some remain unarmed to combat stereotypes, such as that a Black person is a threat, and other Black Americans arm themselves because they feel threatened in this country.

60% | BJS

386 | WASH POST

From the Bureau of Justice Statistics: Sixty percent of law enforcement is white; 76.3 percent of America is white. Some demographics of law enforcement are relatively proportional to the American population. However, 80 percent of law enforcement is male despite the fact that an estimated 50 percent of the US is male.

The number of unarmed deaths compared to the number of armed deaths is significantly lower. Being armed cannot only be perceived as being more threatening, but it can also increase an individual’s chance of being shot and killed.

<20% | BJS Black Americans comprise 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, and they are accurately represented in law enforcement. The problem is not representation in law enforcement, but the abundance of racial bias. The issue is that law enforcement has the authority to act on racial bias.

32/100 | STANFORD Several universities and institutions have conducted studies to prove whether or not systemic racism is a reality. In Los Angeles, California, Black Americans comprise 33 percent of the population, so they should not comprise a third of police stops. In this study, Black Americans are represented at a disproportionate rate.

Students Decipher the Data

6032 “I've never seen a total before. The numbers are not surprising, but it’s surprising that I’ve never actually heard that.” – Ava Shutze ‘21 “It’s really depressing to hear that. I wouldn’t say in 2015 or 2017 I knew the numbers were that high.” – Toni Odemuyiwa ‘21 “That number doesn't seem too high or sudden when we think about how many people are in the United States.” – Caleb Welch ‘23

26% “It doesn’t surprise me because I do know that white people make up most of the population, and the percentage of them being victims of police brutality is lower than other ethnicities just because they are the majority in America; however, the minorities are over-represented.” - Kimberly Moore ‘24. “Frankly, the way the news portrays it, you would think there’d be more African American individuals shot, but there’s a significantly larger portion of white individuals.” - Caleb Welch ‘23

“I feel like it’s a really accurate number, based on my personal experience. I feel like being a Black person you have to be looking everywhere you go because of that number. It impacts the way you view life and society so dramatically, and even just interactions that should be normal, like going to the grocery store, become so abnormal.” - Isabella Pollydore’ 22

“I don’t think the issue is solely because of race, and I don’t think it would be a solution to put a bunch of Black people on the police force.” - Isabella Pollydore’ 22 “Everyone has racial biases, so there needs to be a greater emphasis in the police training in removing these biases and recognizing your own biases.” - Andrew Nye’ 21

<20%

60% “If 60 percent of America is white, and 60 percent of cops are white, I don’t view that as an issue. It’s not like 55 percent of America is white, and 90 percent of cops are white because then there’s obviously some underlying issues there.” - Andrew Nye ’ 21

“I’m assuming, but it's not like white officers are involved in more violent or serious crimes, right? So why should the amount of force be so disproportionate compared to everyone else?” - Nahdia Parks’ 22 “Considering how many of them are white, you're obviously more likely to come into an encounter with a white police officer. But I also think that this number is a disproportionate amount. I think that is a direct reflection of systemic racism.” - Colette Sinkfield’ 23

84.3% 13

87.7% "When you choose law enforcement as your job, you should know that people aren't going to automatically agree with you. Some of the police think that people are always going to listen to what they have to say, which is understandable in some aspects, since they are law enforcement. Some of the police think that they're always in the right, and so they always think everybody should just give themselves up, but that's not the truth, instead, they should be more open-minded.” - Sara Lewis’ 23

14.8%

“I think when police officers, especially ones who aren't well trained, see a Black person or a Black man or a Black woman, they automatically see them as a threat, whether they are or not.” - Colette Sinkfield’ 23

“When I’m driving down the road, I don’t know the race of the person in the car next to me; however this statistic shows that it is disproportionate of Black people being pulled over versus white people.” - Andrew Nye’ 21 “A Black person can go over the speed limit, the same as a white person can, but I feel like 32 people over 11 people is a big gap. It’s not the only time that's happened, so it can't be that Black people do more wrong than white people. I don't feel like the numbers should be so lopsided.” - Sara Lewis’ 23

32/100

93.6% “It’s a lot easier to kill somebody with a gun, so that’s automatically going to make that percentage higher, and I’m assuming the first thing the police are going to go for is their gun.” - Andrew Nye’ 21 “I understand why police would have a gun because they're put in dangerous situations, and I appreciate police for doing that. But I just feel like they should be more equipped for dealing with those situations. If they use a gun in the wrong way, they should be disciplined for it.” - Sara Lewis’ 23

386 “I don’t think the percentage of deaths or if people are armed or unarmed is exactly reflective of the greater problem. So many cases go undocumented. I can’t help but sort of discredit that number a little bit. Police brutality is an issue not just of death but also harassment.” - Isabella Pollydore’ 22 “I don't feel like somebody unarmed can threaten you, to the point where you shoot them. What can they do to you when you have a gun, a taser, handcuffs, body armor and training. I don't really understand how somebody unarmed can make you feel so threatened that you need to kill them.” - Sara Lewis’ 23

OPENING OUR BOOKS, OUR EYES BY CARLY BRELAND '21 A look into the curriculum shifts in the name of inclusivity. When it comes to history, it seems like the United States is always the protagonist of the story. Since Lower School dioramas, history has been watered down to spare students the ugly details of our country’s past mistakes. As classes progress through Upper School, the reality checks of our skewed knowledge become clear. However, the somewhat limited curriculum still suggests that European and American history hold a higher importance than that of the rest of the world. Tensions in social justice have spread to all aspects of life, including the content of social studies classes. Mr. Hunter Smith, director of the Social Studies Department, has worked tirelessly to mold the curriculum to better appreciate the other cultures that seemingly get lost in a sea of bullet points and highlights. “We have been going through a process of aligning the curriculum in [kindergarten] through twelve,” said Mr. Smith. “This has been sort of a multi-year process.” Mr. Smith was an influential voice in the curriculum reconstruction, and, while the Upper School curriculum has been slightly reshaped, the lower and middle schools saw the most drastic changes. “We’ve made some pretty substantial changes, particularly in grades four through eight,” Mr. Smith said. “There was a lot of focus in those years on either American history itself or concepts that were largely American and Western, so we’ve really shifted that.” The shift away from Western ideology travels through the Lower School all the way up to the Upper School, particularly altering Modern World History, a class that most students take their freshman or sophomore year. Dr. Bill Nicholson has been teaching at Woodward for twenty years, adding AP United States History to his wheelhouse five years ago. Dr. Nicholson also teaches honors Modern World History.“It’s been my complaint for a long time that [Modern World History] was too Eurocentric,” said Dr. Nicholson.

"With the issues we’ve had on campus with race, we very intentionally shifted our focus this year. "My intention is to purposely focus on the issue of diversity. It’s a way to potentially bring to the surface the complications with these issues and try to educate kids about the complexity of it all.” - Dr. Bill Nicholson, pictured above in his welcoming classroom.

INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM & CLASSROOMS “With the issues we’ve had on campus with race, we very intentionally shifted our focus this year,” Nicholson said. However, this restructuring has been in the works for longer than just the summer, with the concern of inclusivity at the forefront of the changes. “We sort of looked at our curriculum and [thought] about ways that we make it a more inclusive approach to things,” Mr. Smith said. “I would say that isn’t a change that just came this year because of the protests.” After the Black Lives Matter movement gained significant traction this summer, many teachers in the department met to restructure the foundations of Modern World History. Mrs. Jill Bounds teaches Modern World and AP Government and was a contributor to the shift in the course’s point of view. “We decided to start the unit outside of Europe, so what we want to do is give a worldly perspective early on,” said Mrs. Bounds. “We won’t even get to Europe until the third unit.” Mrs. Linda Wyatt is the sole instructor for AP European History, and she also teaches Enriched Prep Modern World. With many students and alumni speaking out about the Eurocentric focus of the Social Studies Department’s agenda, Mrs. Wyatt sees the similarities between world and European history. “There have been a lot of significant overlaps [between the two classes],” Mrs. Wyatt said. “This summer, a group of Woodward teachers got together to redo the curriculum and to look into adding more pre-Columbus information, more [about] the African nations that occur before the Europeans and [also to] expand more on the

Chinese and Japanese empires.” A European focus was not the only concern brought to light. By adopting a European point of view, social studies classes were often taught through the eyes of the colonizers, sympathizing with the conquerors and turning the thousands of native lives lost into a mere footnote. “We are always looking for ways to make history more responsive to more groups and [to make] sure that we’re teaching a very broad-based approach in any course,” Mr. Smith said. The considerable changes to each course’s curriculum come in hopes of educating students from a more neutral stance and facilitating organic conversations in the classroom about current issues. “My intention is to purposely focus on the issue of diversity,” said Dr. Nicholson. “It’s a way to potentially bring to the surface the complications with these issues and try to educate kids about the complexity of it all.” Mrs. Bounds is working to consciously emphasize the importance of point of view. “I think point of view is one of the most important things, and I know that they stress it in the AP curriculum with [primary source] documents,” Mrs. Bounds said. “But I think it’s really important for all classes to stress point of view when teaching history.” Mrs. Wyatt spent some of her summer in a classroom, this time as a student, learning ways to move away from a colonizer point of view. “Over the summer, I took a class [that focused on] changing from a colonizing view to more of a worldview, but I kind of felt like I was already doing that in my class,” said Mrs. Wyatt.

MRS. JILL BOUNDS, PICTURED BELOW, STRIVES FOR A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE IN HER COURSES.

The social studies teachers are not the only teachers hard at work at adjusting the classroom atmosphere and course contents. The English Department has removed some controversial books from the repertoire, and Mrs. Ronda Zents teaches a newly added compassion capstone course, Changing the Narrative: Identity and Diversity Studies in Literature. “The whole idea behind the capstone classes is to teach empathy and understanding of others through different lenses,” said Mrs. Zents. “My class specifically addresses topics in race, gender, religion and socioeconomic status from a social justice and an intersectional perspective. We read stories, essays and poems from diverse voices… with the goal of understanding different experiences and the systems of oppression and privilege at play in our world today.” It seems as though this class could not have come at a more ideal time to fit the social climate of today’s world. However, it has been in the works for much longer than a few summer months. “I hope this helps to communicate how the Upper School is prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion as a part of the curriculum,” Mrs. Zents said. “[Narrative Imagination] was not in response to the current movement and concerns; Dr. Merrill and I have been working on it in collaboration with other teachers and with the support of Dr. Gulley and Ms. Spiller for over two years.” Within the day-to-day English classroom, age-old texts are being replaced by literature that better represents a diverse community. Ms. Jennifer Green focuses on American Literature, which leans on some controversial pieces. “Much of the controversy that has arisen in schools and in Woodward about the English curriculum has to do with American literature and the language of that literature, specifically the use of the n-word,” said Ms. Green. “It may seem like a simple solution - just pull all of the texts that use the n-word from the curriculum, but, if you really think about it, what do we lose when we do that?” Highly debated books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are not the only pieces of controversially-worded literature that students dissect in class. Important texts from African-American authors feature similar language. “Yes, we stop teaching Huck Finn, which tends to be the most controversial of all of the texts, and Of Mice and Men, and some 20th-century Southern writers like Faulkner and O'Connor,” said Ms. Green. “However, if we follow that rule, then we also lose Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, August Wilson, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin and even Martin Luther King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'...We have to be deliberate and thoughtful about our texts, and we must avoid making broad, sweeping rules that have the potential to do more harm than good.” The English department is venturing past the the comfort of classic, well-known literature that voices an undertone of exclusivity or racism.

MRS. RONDA ZENTS, AT RIGHT, IS A VOICE FOR EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

“As of right now, a few of our most controversial texts will not be read this year,” Ms. Green said. “We are striving for inclusion of more diverse voices across all of the English classes. In American literature classes, specifically, that means adding a variety of cultural voices to better represent the diversity of our society.” While it is difficult to completely uproot the curriculum, our teachers have been working hard, adapting courses to fit the current social climate. More discussion-based classes and an expansive worldview that better represent different perspectives are steps in the right direction for an inclusive, accurate curriculum that educates students more than memorization of historical events and classic texts with racial undertones. As best articulated by Ms. Green, there is a delicate balance between healthy, yet awkward conversations, and it is the responsibility of the teachers to design courses that appropriately facilitate natural discussions. “Although conversations about challenging and even uncomfortable topics are important and even transformative in the classroom, we also have to acknowledge that sometimes there can be moments of such discomfort that it can create a barrier rather than a pathway to learning; sometimes intent and impact do not always align,” Ms. Green said.

IS BANNING BOOKS THE ANSWER? “Yes, we stop teaching Huck Finn, which tends to be the most controversial of all of the texts, and Of Mice and Men, and some 20th-century Southern writers like Faulkner and O'Connor,” said Ms. Green. “However, if we follow that rule, then we also lose Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright, August Wilson, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin and even Martin Luther King's Letter from Birmingham Jail. We have to be deliberate and thoughtful about our texts, and we must avoid making broad, sweeping rules that have the potential to do more harm than good.”

MS. JENNY GREEN, QUOTED AT LEFT AND PICTURED BELOW WITH A STACK OF CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS.

STORIES AT STAKE GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN BY JAMES BALDWIN BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME BY TA-NEHISI COATES THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD BY ZORA NEALE HURSTON NATIVE SON BY RICHARD WRIGHT BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON INVISIBLE MAN BY RALPH ELLISON JUST MERCY BY BRYAN STEVENSON THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER SALVAGE THE BONES BY JESMYN WARD

A SYMBOL STOLEN WRITTEN BY GRACE ROSS '21 PHOTO BY JORDAN TOVIN '22

COMMON GROUND: DAFFODIL GARDEN HONORS HOLOCAUST VICTIMS. This past summer, Shein, a fast-fashion company, was discovered to have been selling a swastika-shaped necklace. Outraged, people took to social media to express their disdain for such an anti-semitic business endeavor. In any form or fashion modern-day, the swastika is viewed as a symbol of hate that was propagated throughout Europe during World War II. However, centuries before Hitler’s regime, the swastika represented peace and prosperity for various South and East Asian religions, including Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. “For billions of people [of these religions] today, when they see [the swastika], they don’t think of hate, they think of peace and good luck,” said Vaishnavi Vuyyuru ‘21. According to BBC news, in the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, the swastika means well-being.

“In Sanskrit, the word ‘swastika’ is a combination of ‘su,’ which means good, and ‘asti,’ which means to exist,” said Naman Miglani ‘21. “Essentially, the swastika in [Hinduism] is a symbol of peace and prosperity.” Travelers to Asia were inspired by the symbol’s positive associations, and so they brought it back to the west. By the early 20th century, there was a fad for the swastika as a good luck symbol. The BBC notes that during World War II, German scholars noticed commonalities between 19th century German and Indian texts, reaching the conclusion that there must be a shared ancestry between the two and fantasizing of a future filled with white, Aryan warriors. The Nazis grasped tightly onto the idea of shared descent to adopt and appropriate the swastika as a nationalistic symbol.

In July, following Shein profiting off the symbol, Vuyyuru put her knowledge of the swastika to use by explaining its origin and religious affiliations in an Instagram post. “Though I don’t necessarily agree with Shein making money off of a symbol that could very well be a part of their culture, I disagree with those who see the swastika in a single light,” said Vuyyuru on her Instagram post. “The swastika isn’t always about the hate symbol, it’s about many Asian cultures and religions. Obviously, I’m not discounting the Holocaust or all of the horrible acts that the symbol was associated with, but the reality is that’s not what it always stands for." "It's such a widespread symbol, that there’s no way of totally claiming it back,” said Vuyyuru. “And I don't think that's what people want to do.” Miglani agrees that this would be difficult. “Unfortunately, this symbol was appropriated by Hitler and the Nazis during the Third Reich, utilizing it as a symbol of terror and pure hatred - the complete opposite of its original meaning,” said Miglani. Vuyyuru understands that this is because the swastika now has an undeniably hurtful connotation in America. “When someone sees the swastika, they have every right to be mad,” said Vuyyuru. “I do think that people just have to be aware circumstantially. If you were to go to a majority white population in rural Georgia and see the sign, you have every right to be like, ‘what the heck is going on.’ But if someone were to come to my house and see it or [see it] during Diwali, [they] just have to be aware.” Miglani also understands that the swastika has different and negative interpretations. “I am in no way supporting the use of this symbol in neo-Nazi forms, as the events which the Nazi swastika represent are truly horrid,” said Miglani. “I also want to make it clear that I do not mean to take away from the magnitude of these events either.” Ms. Katie O’Dunne, comparative religions teacher, agrees with Vuyyuru that circumstantial awareness is crucial. “I think conversation in context becomes really important,” Ms. O’Dunne said. “Obviously you can’t have folks that are using it in a negative way and that then say, ‘oh, but I learned in class that it’s this Hindu symbol.’ That’s very problematic, and yes that is anti-semitism. But I think there are also spaces where perhaps Hindu students [and] individuals can see it in a different way and can explore that.” Vuyyuru highlights another common way to stay educated. “The great thing about our generation is that we do have the internet,” said Vuyyuru. “[We] do have Google, and we have social media, and there are all these amazing things people could Google and find out about.” As Vuyyuru mentioned in her Instagram post, many people now associate the swastika with the Holocaust, a mass genocide that took the lives of six million Jewish people. However, what many do not realize is that antisemitism existed far before World War II or the Nazis. “There’s a history really of oppression for the Jewish people from the very beginning, even before it was coined as the ‘Jewish people,’” said Ms. O’Dunne.

NAMAN MIGLANI '21 TAKES PART IN A TRADITIONAL HINDU CEREMONY.

VAISHNAVI VUYYURU ‘21 SEEKS TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENT CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.

EMMA COHEN '22 LED THE PARTNERSHIP IN HONOR OF THE CHILDREN WHO PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST.

“There’s been this consistent notion of Jews being, in some ways, pushed away from their homeland and being blamed for things that have happened in society. When we get to spaces like the Holocaust, we start to think about Jews being blamed for illness [and] economic issues. We start to see Jewish people blamed even for the crucifiction of Christ within Christianty. There’s a whole history where Jews have been used [as] scapegoats.” Mr. Brian Jackson, history teacher and faculty sponsor for Yad B’ Yad, explains how anti-semitism has been present throughout history. “The truth of the matter is, anti-semitism has existed since the beginning of Judaism,” said Mr. Jackson. “The Holocaust wasn’t the only time or geographical space in western Europe for the oppression of Jews. As a historical matter, Jews have been oppressed wherever Jews have existed. The worst instance, of course, was Shoah – the Holocaust – as you had the extermination of over 6 million Jews, 1.5 million being minors or children. It was systematic and well-known throughout the entire world. There was a complacency from the rest of the world to recognize or to attempt to ameliorate or stop the systematic slaughter of 6 million Jews by the Nazis. [Not] only was it bad for the event to happen, in my view, it makes it worse because there were world powers who were able to stop it, and to a certain extent, they were complicit.” As a social studies teacher, Mr. Jackson understands and recognizes the historical meaning behind the swastika. As a Jewish man, he views the symbol as emblematic of a regime. “As a historical matter, there are other religions that have used the swastika as a symbol of peace,” said Jackson. “That argument, I believe, is legitimate. However, the symbol was co-opted by the Nazis during World War II and has since become a symbol of

oppression, death, destruction and anti-semitism.” Mr. Jackson finds it difficult to separate the historical vs. modernday interpretation and use of the swastika. “Post World War II, in my view, it is impossible to separate the swastika from its co-option from the Nazis and have it be seen as anything other than an anti-semitic hate symbol,” said Mr. Jackson. Katie Foodman ‘21, treasurer for Yad B’ Yad, agrees with Mr. Jackson. In addition, she feels that Shein’s selling of the necklace was inappropriate. “I think it is important to understand other cultures and their perspective on the sign,” said Foodman. “I do think [the swastika] was stolen and obviously misused by Hitler’s Germany, so in my opinion, I think it is still wrong to use [or sell] the symbol, but I also think it’s important to understand other people’s perspectives.” As Foodman said, it is important to understand that the symbol does not only represent one facet of history. Leah Nuffer ‘21, head of media and communications for Yad B’ Yad, acknowledges this fact. “I think using the swastika towards Jewish people or as an act of hate is unacceptable,” said Nuffer. “But it is also a part of people’s culture as a positive symbol, and it seems close-minded to not allow that, so it really is contextual in my opinion.” While many view that the Holocaust as a historical event from centuries ago, it has only been 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. “I think when we think about Hitler and oppression of the Jewish people within World War II, I think there is this notion, at least at Woodward, that we know that this happened, we know this was a thing, [and] we know this exists,” said Ms. O’Dunne. “But I think it’s really important to remember that this is something that didn’t happen all that long ago. There are still people who are alive who experienced concentration camps and ghettos. [People] who were oppressed because of their religious tradition, because of their culture, because of their background. And that isn’t something that is [in] such a distant past.”

As Ms. O’Dunne mentioned, anti-semitic behavior does not only exist outside Woodward’s walls. There have been instances of such cruelty in our community. “We’ve even had some issues here at Woodward with people using the swastika in negative ways that were not coming from a Hindu perspective,” said Ms. O’Dunne. The issues are typically related to the use of microaggressions, terms used for brief verbal or behavioral indignities that have negative connotations toward marginalized groups. “It has typically been situations where a student said something to another student based on a negative stereotype,” said Ms. O’Dunne. “Unfortunately, microaggressions that ‘poke fun’ at appearance or mannerisms of particular groups are never funny - even if wellintentioned. Each time we seek to define a group by stereotypes, we end up putting them in an ‘other’ category.” Nuffer believes that Generation Z does not take acts of anti-semitism seriously enough. “I don’t think anti-semitism is taken seriously in our generation at all,” said Nuffer. “We are, rightly so, quick to see other acts of discrimination, but when it comes to the Jews, discrimination isn’t taken as seriously because [we] aren’t systemically disadvantaged in America. However, that doesn’t mean that the hate isn’t still there. Comments about Jews and antisemitic acts or jokes [are common], and everyone seems much too casual about it.” According to Ms. O’Dunne, she has seen positive changes occur at Woodward. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised about the willingness to learn in most of these cases at Woodward,” said Ms. O’Dunne. “Even though students have caused harm to others in these cases, [which] isn’t okay, I’ve definitely seen students experience growth and change their actions for the future.”

The best way to become more educated on Jewish sufferings is to talk and listen to your Jewish peers. Grace Mitchell ‘21 learned a lot about anti-semitism and Judaism over the summer through social media and talking to Jewish friends. “I’ve actually learned a lot from the infographics I’ve seen on Instagram since I don’t really know that many Jewish people outside of those at Woodward,” said Mitchell. “For me, the best way to get educated was asking people who are Jewish their perspectives on certain issues and different ways that you can become an ally or just become more informed.” Just as Mitchell has, everyone should take the initiative to include Jews in their activism. As the last generation to be able to meet living Holocaust survivors and hear them speak, it is crucial we pass their stories on for future generations to learn from. “The sufferings of the Jewish people across time and space should be well-known to everyone,” said Mr. Jackson. Ms. O’Dunne also believes that conversing with and listening to both Jewish and Hindu students on the matter is a way to become more informed. “Conversation and understanding are very, very key because I think there are two incredibly valid perspectives here. I think you have a symbol that definitely means a great deal in a positive sense to a particular religion and population, but there also has to be acknowledgment that there is so much pain for the Jewish people from a history of oppression,” O'Dunne said.

STUDENTS PLANT 250 DAFFODILS, WHICH, IN FULL BLOOM, RESEMBLE THE YELLOW STAR WORN BY JEWS DURING THE HOLOCAUST.

HIDDEN FIGURE: BEING A YOUNG MUSLIM IN AMERICA BY ALINA NOORANI '21 I’ll be honest with you: it took a lot out of me to write this piece. The number of times I would write a few words only to slam the backspace key in frustration started to become countless, at this point, mainly because I did not know how to approach the lack of conversation surrounding Muslim situations around the world at this moment in time. However, as I reflected more closely on my past actions and thoughts, I started to see much of this frustration was rooted within the decisions I made to keep silent throughout these years. I wanted to speak up, but the words did not flow so easily. Why didn’t I think my true thoughts were legitimate enough? Why was I so convinced if I opened my mouth, no one would listen? Even though my parents were immigrants, they still acquired an American education in the South. As a result, they knew the perils of being open about their identity as Ismaili Muslims and felt it was necessary to stay silent about it. My mom told me countless stories about her high school experiences, from her extensive work on the yearbook to her tennis

SENIOR PORTRAIT OF ALINA NOORANI '21

practices to juggling grades and applying to college. She told me how she kept silent about being a Muslim because she would overhear many of her classmates' conversations on race (she attended high school in suburban Texas during the ‘90s). From these experiences, she stressed that in every conversation I had on the basis of my religion, I should either be wellinformed or not speak further. Most importantly, I should pick and choose what I said because I would never really know what the other person would think. I have stuck by Woodward’s side since Kindergarten, attending the North campus

before transitioning to the main campus in 7th grade. When I attended Woodward North, I never felt the need to hide my identity as an Ismaili Muslim. I mean, if I allocated time every Friday and Saturday night, skipping events like Rock n’ Read and the FatherDaughter dance, just to attend prayer services, why would I feel the need to keep silent? I attended religious education classes, volunteered during prayer services, and celebrated big holidays year round; being Muslim could very well be a whole personality trait! My parents felt unfazed by my decision to tell everyone and their mother that I was Muslim, in part because they couldn’t control it, and mostly because they felt Woodward North created this inclusive, diverse environment at the time. Even though my grade harbored a bright class of 45-50 students, I never once personally felt discriminated against as a Muslim. As 7th grade approached with the prospect of sending me to the main campus, I noticed a significant change. No one had ever questioned the legitimacy of my faith until another student discounted my

THE ISMAILI CENTRE TORONTO, ONE OF SIX CENTRES AROUND THE WORLD COMBINING A MUSEUM, A PARK OR OUTSIDE SPECTACLE AND A JAMATKHANA (AN ISMAILI PLACE OF WORSHIP) TO REPRESENT MIND, BODY AND SOUL.

branch of Islam in my 7th-grade social studies class, leaving me and an Ismaili peer of mine to defend ourselves. During my 8th-grade year, the 2016 presidential election unfolded; I remember trembling on my way to school in the days after the election results were called. A few days into former President Trump’s term, a ban was issued on countries with predominantly Muslim populations, sending my parents into a bit of a fright. With the middle school’s mock election results showing that around half of our student body supported a man behind this decision, I entered high school with the preconceived notion that I must keep silent. Throughout high school, I wanted to become more outspoken regarding who I was as an Ismaili Muslim. I wanted to explain to my friends that, no, I can’t hang out Friday night because I need to attend Jamatkhana, the name for my place of worship. What I didn’t want was for one of them to continually call my place of worship a “Jamal” and laugh as if I would join along with the “friendly” banter. Being a freshman among an entirely new group of people, I felt I had little choice other than to laugh along. My voice went missing; I felt it would be too uncomfortable to try and spark these conversations among my peers. So, I called it “Brown church” until I started to notice some air of discomfort when I referred to myself as “brown” and with that, I shut up. As high school progressed further, I started to notice tiny habits I formed just to protect myself from bringing up my religion. I never joined the Muslim Cultural Awareness Club because doing so would draw attention to the fact I was Muslim at school; however, weekends attending Jamatkhana were the only periods of redemption I had to get back on track with who I was. It all felt like I was living this double life, being one person at Jamatkhana and another person at school. I never consulted a teacher about how I felt because I started to believe my opinions stopped being relevant and legitimate. If I was not putting in the effort to change, why should I complain about it, and who would believe me? 24

NOORANI AND HER MOTHER AT HER UNCLE'S WEDDING

"I felt a natural curiosity for hearing different perspectives and ideals, regardless if they lined up with my own views. I was aware that our student body consisted of myriad viewpoints; I wanted to cover them because they simply deserved to be heard." 25

I did not want to spend high school cooped up in some corner, starting to choke on air when my words stopped formulating. With an interest in writing, I wanted to try a new style, Associated Press style to be exact. My sophomore year, I decided to take journalism to explore a possible interest; there, I learned the importance of fact-based writing, bringing me here today, writing this very piece. With writing unbiased articles came the habit of becoming more objective in my thoughts and overall voice, but that was not the only reason journalistic writing seemed to be my forte. I remembered my mother’s mannerisms in how she approached many hot topic issues; she looked at different perspectives to gain a better understanding of an overall issue. Therefore, I felt a natural curiosity for hearing those different perspectives and ideals, regardless if they lined up with my own views. I was aware that our student body consisted of myriad viewpoints. I wanted to cover them because they simply deserved to be heard. What I lost cognizance of was that I did not advocate for my own perspective, so here I am - to do justice to who I want to be in the coming years ahead. When I worked in journalism and writing for The Blade, I thought I finally found a calling. Working in a newsroom soon became a fantasy I wanted to fulfill. However, in approaching the subject of the representation of Muslim-based conflicts in media, I started to repel from the profession in part because the media was neither telling me nor the thousands upon thousands that consulted these sources how dire situations were with the Uighurs. Everything on the subject seemed sparse, as if to give a brief trailer to a three-hour film. Instagram posts that circulated could only be trusted to an extent. For example, one source declared that the death toll of Uighur Muslims surpassed the death toll of the Holocaust. Through consulting and fact-checking, I found the source both factually incorrect and ignorant:

we should not exaggerate periods of persecution to the point we are comparing them to each other. A life lost for means of oppression is a life lost for means of oppression, it's not a contest. This only proved that there were no valid, legitimate media sites to consult to know the full story. If there were, they were not covering enough of the situation. I want to be able to live in a world where my friends will listen to me when I tell them the Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, China are being detained in 85+ camps. Let’s not talk about how so-andso talked bad about you for the millionth time. I want to be able to live in a world where the media I once aspired to be a part of doesn’t leave Instagram posts to do the media’s own job as credible sources that serve the people. I want to be aware of what is happening to my brothers and sisters of faith around the world. Think the people are tired of hearing the conversation? Remind them that they haven’t even started to have it. I want to be able to live in a world where my mom is not scared that declaring I am a Muslim will cause implicit bias by the reviewer in my college and job application processes. If it does, it is not the college I see myself attending or the employer I see myself working for anymore. I want to stop being a hidden figure, because I live in a world where I have the right to speak my own perspective, where I have the right to justify that many of the ideals I have were rooted in me by my religion. Why should I suppress my own views because John Doe over here feels the need to speak his own? Why should I not trust that civil discourse could come out of being an opposing view? If it doesn’t, why should I feel the need to speak with John Doe again? It’s time we start these conversations surrounding Muslims, so the next person like me does not feel compelled to stay silent in the shadows, a hidden figure.

"I want to stop being a hidden figure, because I live in a world where I have the right to speak my own perspective, where I have the right to justify that many of the ideals I have were rooted in me by my religion." NOORANI IN FORMAL SHALWAR KAMEEZ. ARTWORK (BACKGROUND) BY HAMIDA MADHANI.

our promise We commit ourselves to the ideals of social justice, integrity, and truthfulness. Producing honest and informative journalism is of the utmost importance.

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