Communicator: Volume 45 Edition 5 by The Communicator

THE COMMUNICATOR MAGAZINE. VOL. 45 EDITION 5, APRIL 2019

Thousands of Climate Strikes took place around the world on

About the Cover PHOTO BY ATTICUS DEWEY INSIDE COVER PHOTO BY SACHA VERLON

On March 15 at 11:11 a.m., hundreds walked out of school and gathered at the Diag in downtown Ann Arbor to rally for climate change. People of all ages came to the Climate Strike to listen to a range of speakers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from local politicians to middle school students â&#x20AC;&#x201D; speak about what change everyone can take to help protect our environment. Similar rallies took place in cities across the United States and in over one hundred countries. Paige Duff and Ruby Taylor, pictured on the inside cover, both helped plan the Climate Strike in Ann Arbor. Duff and Taylor are both Community High School juniors and care greatly about the environment; Duff gave a passionate speech at the

TABLE OF CONTENTS 10

CHSMockTrialAdvances FromRegionalTournament

At regionals, Community Highâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top mock trial team, the A-Team, was in the top two, which advanced them to the state competition.

BehindtheAmerican Smile

Oleg Lougheed, a Community alumnus, gave himself up for adoption at the age of nine. Here is how he went from a Russian orphan to an Ann Arbor resident.

He/Him/His

Former Community High student, Coyne Gatto, reveals the struggles and triumphs of growing up and coming out as a gay trans male.

36 26

ThePowerofSayingYes

The company Yes Theory challenges people to do things outside of their comfort zone. Yes Theoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s co-founders open up about the challenges that come with following a dream.

Boys Will Be Boys

A journalist discusses the issue of objectification of women and her personal fears of sexual harassment.

KeepPublicLandsOutof State Hands

One writer speaks out against lobbyists and policy makers that are attempting to transfer public lands from federal to state control, opening them up for resource extradition.

April 2019

Letter from the Editors On March 14, 2018, students around the country — including from Community — walked out of class in solidarity with victims of the Parkland shooting that occurred one month prior. On March 15, 2019, students again walked out of class in a worldwide “climate strike” — to increase knowledge about the climate change issues we are facing. Clearly, “making noise” is becoming more popular and more necessary among young people. While high schoolers can’t directly impact policy, they can raise awareness through marches, walkouts and rallies. Another way we can be active in our communities is through journalism. We are fortunate here at The Communicator to have the freedom to write about any issues, granted we do so respectfully and with integrity — this requires using resources around our community to investigate fully feature and news stories, or using personal experiences to develop personal narratives and opinion pieces. In this edition, Zoe Buhalis interviewed an epidemiologist at the Washtenaw County Health Department for her story on cocaine use in Washtenaw County; Roxie Richner recounts her work with gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed to show how young people can and should be involved in politics; and Elena Bernier investigated a story from Community teacher Robbie Stapleton to demonstrate the importance of keeping public lands public. Our administrators are very supportive of our reporting. They help us in whatever ways they can and ensure we understand ethical journalism. For that, Dean Marci Tuzinsky and Assistant Dean Rebecca Westrate will be awarded with Administrators of the Year at this year’s spring Michigan Interscholastic Press Association awards ceremony. We’re very thankful that our administrators trust us to do our work. Engagement in any form is essential. You don’t have to write laws to fight for what you believe; sharing your opinions in a coherent, kind way is a great place to start. Passion leads to a fuller life. And your passion doesn’t always have to be the most talked-about issue: it just has to be something you care enough about to make some noise. We use journalism to promote our activism. How will you?

ABIGAIL GAIES

AVA MILLMAN

WM. HENRY SCHIRMER

CAMRYN TIRICO

The Communicator Magazine

Paige Duff Gina Liu Mira Simonton-Chao

BUSINESS MANAGERS Camille Konrad Ruby Taylor

MENTORS Lacey Cooper Sophia Rosewarne

MANAGING EDITOR

STAFF

Isabel Espinosa

Sophia Berry Miel Bogart Josh Boland Zoe Buhalis Benjamin Cooper Leah Dame Brenan Dionne Ethan Gibb-Randall Daniel Gutenberg Hope Hesseltine Benjamin Kessler J Kincaid-Beal Sarah Levin Chava Makman Levinson Sophia Nunez Mori Ono Nano Peroff Sophia Scarnecchia Andrea Schnell Zachary Schueler Elizabeth Shaieb Elijah Shore Lily Sickman-Garner Joseph Simon Meghana Tummala Morraina Tuzinsky Tai Tworek Nina van der Velde

SECTION EDITORS Evan Ash Elena Bernier Hannah Bernstein Jordan De Padova Atticus Dewey Dan Gutenberg Camille Konrad Zoe Lubetkin Joshua Martins-Caufield Mazey Perry Roxie Richner Andie Tappenden Geneve Thomas-Palmer Sacha Verlon Emma Winegarden Bella Yerkes

DESIGN EDITORS Ella Edelstein Isaac McKenna

VISUALS EDITORS Ebba Gurney iO Soucy

COPY EDITORS Madie Gracey Loey Jones-Perpich Charles Solomon

ADVISER Tracy Anderson

FollowUsonSocialMedia! @ communicatorchs @ communicatorchs @ communicatorchs Mission Statement: The Communicator is a student-

Your Editors,

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Mazey Perry

WEB EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Dear Readers,

PRINT EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Abigail Gaies Ava Millman Wm. Henry Schirmer Camryn Tirico

run publication and an open forum established in 1974 and created by students at Community High School. The staff of The Communicator seeks to recognize individuals, events and ideas that are relevant to the community. The Communicator journalists are committed to working in a manner that is professional, unbiased, and thorough in order to effectively serve our readers. We strive to report accurately and will correct any significant error. If you believe such an error has been made, please contact us. Letters of any length should be submitted via e-mail or mail. They become the sole property of The Communicator and can be edited for length, clarity, or accuracy. Letters cannot be returned and will be published at The Communicator’s discretion. The Communicator also reserves the right to reject advertising due to space limitations or decision of the Editorial Board that content of the advertisement conflicts with the mission of the publication. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the journalism staff and not of Community High School or the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

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Ray Detter Local History Award FEATURE

Round six: Ecology Club returns to the Biostation

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April 2019

A Passion

for Engineering

Community High School’s 5708 Zebrotics team competes in their first competition of the season. BY MORI ONO

From the stands, Christia West, the lead mentor of Community High School’s 5708 Zebrotics team, watched as the team’s robot raised its lift. This was one of their first qualification matches at the Lakeview Regional Competition in Battle Creek, Mich. on March 8. Shooting a ball into the cargo ship, the team was off to a quick start. That was when the robot’s lift came crashing, causing the entire 124-pound mass of aluminum and steel to lurch wildly. “[The lift] came crashing down very violently, with so much force that it actually pulled a component that was really securely seated out of metal,” West said. The crash scattered parts and unplugged the radio, cutting the robot from the driver: an agonizing two minutes for the team. The lift was out of commission for the rest of the day, a huge hit to the team’s capability. Zebrotics had to figure out what the robot could still do, and apply any fixes possible in the hour before the next match.

The pit on the morning of competition. Here, the pit crew makes repairs and modifications to the robot between matches. Like Zebrotics, many teams decorate their pits with banners, lights and a frame. 6

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“Usually you test things before you go to competition and break them there,” West said. “But you know, [breaking components is] part of the way robotics competitions are. The robot is going to break, and you’re going to have to fix it.” The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international high school robotics competition. The 2019 competition has a spacebased theme. Throughout each two-and-a-half minute long match, the two sides — each with three robots — must score as many points as possible. This is done by securing the game pieces (either disc-shaped hatches or ball-shaped cargo) onto a cargo ship at the middle of the playing field, or rocket ships on the side with hard-to-reach upper levels. At the end of the game, the robots return to the end of the playing field to protect themselves from a “sandstorm.” Even more points are awarded for reaching a podium-like structure. The night before competition, the Zebrotics

The team tests their robot between matches. “Just a lot of moments where we were sitting there and we were just like, ‘why?’” Capuano said. “It just didn’t want to work.”

team scrambled to set up the pit. With only six weeks to design and build their robot, losing multiple work days to school cancellations left the team less prepared than usual for the competition. Like many of their competitors, Zebrotics was rushing non-stop to finish work on the robot systems, leaving no time for the drivers to practice. “The drivers are the ones actually operating the robot in the competition and the more practice they have, the more successful we are in competition,” West said. As the field crew brought their robot onto the field, they had little idea of what would happen next. “[My thoughts] can kind of be summed up with: ‘We’ll see how this goes,’” Ned Capuano, a senior and the team captain, said. Throughout the first few matches, the team faced a slew of issues: the motor controllers weren’t plugged in, the pulleys would not work and all of it culminated with the lift crashing.

Even as the team struggled, they kept up the spirit with their team number and the mascot head. “The team was so supportive of each other and that made my weekend,” West said.

After the lift broke, the team listed out what the robot could do. The hatch manipulator was still functional. Not only that, they could still play defense by preventing the opposing side from delivering the game pieces. Through this, Zebrotics helped their side secure victory in multiple matches. The last qualification matches came the next day, on March 9. By their final qualification round, the team had fixed the lift. “Space explorers!” the announcer said. “Between the lines, and three, two, one, go!” Zebrotics’ robot emerged onto the field, headed straight for the rocket. The hatch manipulator pivoted into position and the robot lined up to attach the hatch. As the robot pulled away, the hatch remained perfectly in place on the rocket. Returning to the end of the field, the robot retrieved a cargo ball and pushed towards the rocket ship. Fighting off a defensive push from an opponent robot, the drivers lined up for a shot into the rocket ship, missing. Undeterred, the drivers chased after another cargo ball and sent another ball into the cargo ship. A cheer went up from the stands. As the 30-second warning came from the speakers, Zebrotics secured yet another ball, and it firmly entered the cargo ship. With only seven seconds left in the match, the robot turned left and sped towards the end of the field, reaching it just as the buzzer went off. The team was not selected for the playoff matches. Nonetheless, many team members felt the last round was nothing short of success. “If we had been playing like that all throughout the competition, we would’ve been in finals,” West said. During the awards ceremony, teams are recognized not only for winning the competition but for categories such as safety, entrepreneurship and engineering inspiration. One-by-one, awards were given to other teams. Finally, the Judges’ Award was presented. This award is selected by the competition judges for a unique category they choose. “The passion they show for the FIRST Robotics program are exhilarating,” the announcer said. “When brainstorming new ideas, their philosophy is, ‘it doesn’t matter if it’s possible.’ The passion for engineering award goes to 5708 Zebrotics.” “When we were talking to the judges in the pits, we were talking through the [design] process that we chose to go through and how at the beginning of the season, anybody in any subteam could present an idea,” Capuano said. “Even if the idea was almost impossible, we’d still listen through with it.” West believes the judges also recognized something else: the design and assembly of the robot was led by students, not mentors. “I remember a robot from another competition where they had these amazing wheels and sure enough, one of the mentors worked for the GM Tank Division and they made those wheels,” West said. “The spirit of the competition is that high school students make the robot. Even though they were guided [by mentors], the final decisions [for Zebrotics] were by the students. I think that’s why our team is so full of spirit.” C

TOP: The robot lift rises to successfully aim the cargo ball into the cargo ship. CENTER: The field crew accompanies their robot back to the pit. BOTTOM: Giuliano Fonte-Basso, the engineering lead, and Ned Capuano, the team captain, pose with the Judges’ Award.

April 2019

Get LOW KEY

BY ZOE LUBETKIN AND MIRA SIMONTON-CHAO

The Communicator Magazine

A haze of red consumed the entire stage. It hovered over the strings of a guitar and refracted off of the performer’s upturned glasses. Perched on a stool in a bright red ensemble of blazer, slacks, and blouse, Hazel Byers’s voice floated through the room like a soft dream. Gathered in front of the stage, teenagers sat haphazardly across the floor: some perched on bean bags, others simply crosslegged on the cement ground. In the corner, listeners strung bead bracelets as they lightly sway to the music. This, in its rawest essence, is Get Lowkey. On the evening of the event, the experience started like this: one entered the B-Side, bought or showed their ticket, and got the obligatory smudged dolphin stamp on the back of the hand. Once through the doors, the small stage and all of its instruments and equipment was in full view, framed by fairy lights and the occasional poster or large canvas. Throughout the evening, the stage saw a rotating cast of artists and poets. Some played for 30 minutes; some sang just one song. The first act on the stage, a little past 7:00 p.m., was poetry, and the event hesitantly swung into gear after that. Music and art culminated with The Left Lanes, a local band lead in part by Community juniors Isaac McKenna and Max Mellor. They played a mainly acoustic set, a change from their normal surf-garage-indie influences. This lower energy was reflected in other sets, including Grant Griswold, a Community senior and guitarist/singer who went on before the Left Lanes, and Sophie Lete-Straka and Alausi Martinez, a duo whose only song was a cover of “Anyone Else But You” by The Moldy Peaches. While the atmosphere of the evening had a calm, al-

most cozy appearance, behind the scenes, facilitators and curators of the event rushed around to keep things in order. For Byers, her time on stage came as a relief — a long-awaited break to an otherwise hectic evening. Byers is a co-facilitator of the annual music festival LIVE on Washington (LOW): an event created by teenagers for teenagers. Run through the Neutral Zone, a youth-driven teen center located in downtown Ann Arbor, LOW strives to showcase up and coming musicians in and around Ann Arbor, focusing primarily on high schoolers. As a high school senior, Byers has been working with LOW since January of 2017 and co-facilitator, alongside fellow high school senior Claire Middleton, since the beginning of this school year. As facilitators, Byers and Middleton act as the leaders of a large team of curators, working with them, from September to June, to plan out an outdoor music festival that will dominate the block of Washington St. outside of the Neutral Zone from sunrise to sunset. Every year, typically on the first Saturday of June, high schoolers and Ann Arbor locals alike flock to the street to enjoy a day full of music along with other more miscellaneous activities like a bounce house and even a petting zoo. But all of these plans — from the designs of the posters that are plastered across seemingly every flat surface in Ann Arbor to the enormous stage dominating the middle of Washington St. — begin as dreams. “The whole first month, we’re just dreaming big,” Middleton said. That first month is full of big ideas and few limits. But as the weeks and months progress, the committee’s goals begin to shift. There is no more time to dream. On average, the festival costs upwards of fifty thousand dollars to put together, money that must be raised almost entirely by the Neutral Zone and the LOW committee. And this is where events like Get Lowkey come in. LOW is an event curated by high schoolers, but, in some ways, it is also funded by them. At five dollars a ticket, Get Lowkey acts not only as a fundraiser but also an introduction to the LOW experience and culture — to the “something bigger,” as Middle-

ton tells people, that is Live on Washington, or “LOW.” Where Get Lowkey is a relaxed evening of local music and fun laidback activities, its predecessor, Get Low — essentially a large dance party held in the B-Side event space that was open to all Washtenaw district high school students — is anything but. “We always had some issues with people not being sober in the space, consent with dancing and stuff like that,” Middleton said. “A lot of people would come to Get Low and they would think that that’s what the Neutral Zone is, and that’s not at all what Neutral Zone is. So we wanted to do something that more resembled what Neutral Zone stands for.” Get Lowkey, on the other hand, neatly accomplished what it set out to do: through music and art, interact with the teen community – ultimately, an event which symbolizes what the Neutral Zone stands for. Between acoustic sets and beads scattered on a folding table, it came together nicely, despite all of the moving parts. Later in the spring, these will be magnified with LOW: some of the same bands, the music, the little details some don’t notice and that other events don’t consider. The smaller sibling of LOW, Get Lowkey, was a precursor of what’s to come. “Live on Washington is a… beautiful day, but hectic,” Byers explained. “And same with this event.” Over the last few months and even weeks, the event has transformed. It has grown and changed as both the facilitators and curators put time and energy into creating, as many members call it, a sort of city-wide kick-off to summer. Despite the stress, it’s worth it to put on, and always worth it to attend. This year LOW takes place on June 8, and even if you missed Get Lowkey, the LOW curators want to see you there. C

line up

April 2019

StudentsDemandActionforaCleanerFuture A new generation of environmentalists is rising up. These future policy-makers are not satisfied with today’s global leaders and are ready to fight for their cause. BY SACHA VERLON // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ATTICUS DEWEY

At 11:11 a.m., students walk out of their classrooms against their administrations, heading for the heart of Ann Arbor. A crowd of over a hundred people starts to form in the center of the Diag; it starts to drizzle and the paper banners that scream to take notice of climate change become heavy with water droplets. Despite the poor weather, the crowd is charged. The speakers in front of the audience stand on the steps leading to the Hatcher Graduate Library, demanding a greener future for generations to come. In over one hundred countries, thousands of climate strikes took place around the world on Friday, March 15. Dubbed the ‘Global Climate Strike For Future’, the call to strike was started by Swedish political activist Greta Thunberg, who requested that students protest in front of their city’s town hall every Friday. The protests’ intent is to send a message to those in powerful positions, including government figures and those with prominent social and fiscal influence, that action must be taken immediately towards a more environmentally friendly future. The strike in Ann Arbor featured many prominent figures, including past Michigan gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed and State Democratic Representative Yousef Rabhi. The majority of those in the audience were students, coming from high schools and colleges across Washtenaw County. Paige Duff, one of the speakers and a junior at Community High School, explained what people can do to help change the course of 10

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the future. “While doing what you can makes an undeniable difference, the majority of this responsibility is not on the common people,” Duff said. “Our government is failing us. That means voting, rallying and making ourselves unignorable. That means calling and writing representatives. That means using our privilege and our platforms to start discussions with those in office and those running for office. That means being brave.” Speakers called for the initiation of the Green New Deal, a set of legal maxims that would move towards a more environmentally stable economic structure. They discussed the many facets in which the government’s apathy towards climate change affects society, from afflicting adverse health effects disproportionately to minorities to relying too much on fossil fuels, a quickly depleting energy source. After the rally, a march through the streets of Ann Arbor was initiated to the University of Michigan Fleming Administration building in order to chant demands outside of the University of Michigan president Mark S. Schlissel’s office. Organizers of the rally have called to make changes on a global and local scale, including re-entering the Paris Agreement, ending government fossil fuel subsidies and holding institutions accountable for their carbon footprint. C

“While doing what you can makes an undeniable difference, the majority

of this responsibility is not on the common people,” Duff said. “Our

government is failing us.

That means voting, rallying and

making ourselves unignorable.

That means calling and writing representatives. That means using our privilege and our platforms to start discussions with those in office, and those running for office.

That means being brave.”

TOP: Many protestors made signs for the protest; some student organizations made copies of their own signs and handed them out. BOTTOM: On the steps of the Hatcher Graduate Library, leaders of the protest shouted out chants which where echoed by the crowd.

April 2019

CommunityHighMockTrialAdvancesFrom WashtenawRegionalTournament The CHS Mock Trial A-Team places in the top two at regionals to advance to the state competition. BY CHARLES SOLOMON, MORI ONO AND BEN COOPER // PHOTOS COURTESY OF JONATHAN THOMAS-PALMER

On Saturday, Feb. 23, three Community High School Mock Trial teams competed in the Washtenaw Regional Competition at the Washtenaw County Courthouse. After three rounds and over six hours of intense competition, the tournament results were finally announced: Community’s A-Team would advance to the statewide competition along with Huron High School. “In previous years, I kind of had my finger on the pulse of what’s going on with each team, and there were some things in [this] competition that I hadn’t seen before,” said Chloe Root, the teacher coach. “It’s like a loss of some control or some sense of what’s going on. Luckily, we have a lot of good coaches who are volunteers and so they help a lot with that, but it is harder as the teacher coach to feel like I have a sense of everything that’s happening.” This was the first year that Community High School had a C-team. While having a third team allowed for better preparation, it also created an added challenge for the coaches. Though Community’s B and C Teams did not advance, most team members left the competition content with how the trials played out. “I think our whole team did a good job with it,” said Hollis Riggs, C-Team member. “I was proud of what we did, and I think it all led up to that point and it was a full end for me.” At the beginning of each season, each Mock Trial team is given a fictional case, which alternates between civil and criminal cases each season. This season, the case was a civil case about performance-enhancing drug abuse. A high school sprinter at Spartan Academy named Jordan Simon allegedly used the performance-enhancing drug EPO until a fatal heart attack that caused his death. The case focuses on whether Jordan Simon’s coach, Terry Swift, and Spartan Academy are liable for negligence by failing to protect him from using performance-enhancing drugs. Using the provided witness statements and exhibits, Mock Trial teams spend several months crafting an elaborate play. Lawyers, in conjunction with their witnesses, try to build their side of the case, while the opposing team seeks to promote their own side and undermine the other. Mock Trial combines elements of writing and speaking with improvisation — witnesses must respond to a series of unexpected questions from the opposing team, and lawyers have to work around surprise objections and answers. Teams are scored not only on their understanding of the case and arguments but also on how professional they appear and act. At the beginning of the tournament, the teams randomly drew a

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Community A-Team witness Max Steiger is sworn in as the expert witness Lynn Roper. Expert witnesses differ from regular Mock Trial witnesses because they are allowed to speculate, or make educated guesses.

number, which determined how the teams would be paired against each other. C-Team’s defense was pitted against the A-Team’s plaintiff in the second round. “The fact that we got put against our own A-Team, that was pretty jarring,” Riggs said. “It was kind of an advantage because we knew what they were going to ask on cross but that was definitely very unexpected.” With a total of 15 teams competing, this year’s regional was particularly competitive. The top four teams — those advancing to states and the runner-ups — won all three of their trials. The Community A-Team’s advancement to states was based solely on points: they won with a greater margin of points than the others. “Even though [competition] is the scariest part of Mock Trial it’s the most fun part,” said Max Steiger, A-Team member. “It never goes the way you think it’s going to go, and that’s what is so exciting about it.” C

Community A-Team Lawyer Jordan De Padova cross-examines C-Team witness Evan Ash. On cross exam, lawyers try and undermine the credibility and opinions of the opposing witnesses.

Members of the Community High teams mingle after a trial. Though A-Team was the only team that advanced to the state competition, most members of the other teams were satisfied with their performance.

April 2019

CommunityStudentsShareTheirVoice Writers from VOICE read at Literati to a full room. BY CHAVA MAKMAN-LEVINSON AND EBBA GURNEY // PHOTOGRAPHY BY EBBA GURNEY

On March 5, friends, family and members of the community gathered at Literati Bookstore to hear students read their creative writing and showcase their artwork in Community High School’s new literary publication, “VOICE.” Readers included Grace Bates, iO Soucy, Nicole Tooley, J Kincaid-Beal, Zoe Lubetkin, Gina Liu and Andie Tappenden. Co-advisers Tracy Anderson, Sarah Wiest and Judith DeWoskin, as well as poetry club advisers Ellen Stone and Robert Morgan attended the event. Anderson, DeWoskin and Stone spoke on the importance of creative writing and the effect it has on Community students. Anderson and DeWoskin founded the publication with hopes of creating an outlet for writing that would showcase the raw talent at Community. “It was an experiment — a wonderful, wonderful experiment,” Anderson said. “VOICE” encompasses the belief that writing is open to all. “Poetry at Community is unique, beloved, and available to anyone. ‘VOICE’ continues that tradition,” Stone said. “It is powerful and

“I’ve realized you can be emotional and that doesn’t mean you’re not strong.” 14

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it is throughout the school — anybody that wants to see it, can. VOICE is a huge example of students putting their voices out there, which I think is one of the most important things you can do as a high schooler.” Having work published for others to read was especially eye-opening for CHS writers. Senior iO Soucy was familiar with the process of publication production as she had been on staff for the Communicator, but she hadn’t had raw emotion published prior to “VOICE.” “It was freaking wild,” she said. “I never thought I’d be able to do that and it was super, super cool. The fact that people I didn’t know would read it and kind of feel what I feel was crazy.” For senior Andie Tappenden, the Voice reading at Literati was a chance to grow as a poet and reflect on her work. “If I’m uncomfortable reading a certain part it’s like, ‘Why is that? Is it because I’m vulnerable in that part? Is it because I think it’s not well written?’ It’s interesting to have to analyze your poems from that perspective,” Tappenden said. “[Reading in front of peo-

ple] has been a big transformation for me in the past couple years. I used to always be this super sporty person and I would never show emotion or want to cry in front of people. I was always trying to prove how strong and nonchalant I was because that’s how I was raised. Now I’ve realized you can be emotional and that doesn’t mean you’re not strong.” This event was also a way for the advisers to discuss the value of the wonderful English department at CHS. Not only did the audience get to hear a sample of students’ strongest work, but they were also shown the effect that the department as a whole has on those involved. “I hope you can all see why we can’t give this job up, and why we love it so much,” DeWoskin said, addressing the audience. “Our English department is so beautiful that we just love each other, and so you kids keep taking our classes, keep teaching us and keep writing poetry because we really love your words and your voices.” C

COMMUNITY’S FIRST PROMOTIONAL VIDEO, AND ONE STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE DIRECTING, PRODUCING, AND EDITING IT ALL. BY ANDIE TAPPENDEN AND LACEY COOPER

The film begins with a question: “What does the typical Community student look like?”, which Community High School (CHS) guidance counselor Brian Williams describes as “an impossible question.” The following three minutes include footage and dialogue of the day-to-day life of a CHS student: a Black Student Union meeting at lunch; a Community Ensemble Theatre performance of “Fiddler on the Roof;” and athletes, like gymnast Abigail Gaies and diver Henry Schirmer, at their after-school practices, to highlight the athleticism of CHS students despite Community having no extracurricular sports. Each scene is carefully chosen and meticulously placed, although the video flows together in a way that seems natural. The amount of work and creativity that went into the first CHS promotional video is obvious, and much of it is all thanks to one person: senior Emma Hoffman. Dean Marci Tuzinsky had reached out to Hoffman the previous year about creating a CHS feature that would serve as a preview for incoming students. However, the project never got off the ground. This year, forum council organized to make it possible, and Hoffman took the lead as both director and producer. Julia Ammer, Forum Council President, and Matt Johnson, Forum Council Advisor, each listed what they wanted to get out of the video. Groups were formed to delegate work, and the project was quickly

underway. Hoffman knew she wanted the video to have a variety of voices and interests in order to appeal to a wide array of students. Forum council wrote out a broad script before they started to serve as a map for what general direction they wanted to go in, but they really didn’t know what it was going to look like. “A lot of the process when I make videos is I have an idea of what it’s going to come out as, but it never comes out exactly like that,” Hoffman said. Hoffman ended up using a long interview with counselors Brian Williams and Amy McLoughlin as the backbone of the video, using it for transitions, an introduction and a conclusion. Hoffman also included interviews with CHS students from different clubs and activities. She had envisioned the video to be much more student-driven, but, with the footage she got, “it couldn’t be like that.” The final product ended up being very different from the original, broader vision. “It was so drastically different from the script,” Hoffman said. “I was surprised, but in a good way.” Hoffman found the hardest part of the project was trying to organize her thoughts and verbalize to other people what she wanted to accomplish. She struggled with getting everyone on the same level, and often felt as if she had to act like she “had everything put together,” when she really didn’t.

The roles Hoffman took on during the project were brand new to her. As a director and producer, she had to hone her leadership and communication skills, as well as find the confidence to take charge. Hoffman is going to school to study film, and this project was a great learning experience to take to college with her. “I feel like I kind of underestimated myself,” Hoffman said. “I was capable of doing more. I was capable of holding a bigger role like directing or producing or even camera work.” Hoffman also found herself surprised and impressed by the videography and artistic vision demonstrated by her peers. “I was impressed with myself but I was also impressed with the people around me,” Hoffman said. There will always be aspects of the film that Hoffman wants to fix, like static in the background of an interview or transitions that could be cleaner. But overall, she is relieved and excited to be finished. She appreciates the support she received from teachers and Forum Council members — an entire community of people who “wanted to see [her] succeed.” “Knowing that people see the work that I put into it and value it,” Hoffman said. “It’s good to feel recognition.” C

April 2019

KembaSmithPradia:HerJourney,HerImpact BY MEGHANA TUMMALA

On March 19, 2019, adults and students trickled into Pioneer High School’s Little Theater. Huron Choir Ensemble filed onto the stage in matching t-shirts and sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by J. Rosamond Johnson followed by a reading “Who Said It Was Simple” by Audre Lorde read by some Skyline High School students. They set the stage for Kemba Smith Pradia, a national motivational speaker, author and criminal justice advocate. Pradia kicked off the event with a brief video, which led into her lecture. From the very beginning, she held the room’s attention as she told her compelling story. However, she hoped to see more young people in the audience. “I believe whoever was supposed to be in the building was in the building,” Pradia said. “No matter how small or big.” As Pradia does these events and lectures across the country, she wants to make an impact on young minds, through sharing her journey — from her imprisonment for crack cocaine possession to her criminal justice advocacy. And she feels that she does. “The events, in general, make me feel like a discussion has been initiated that things have been sparked in young people’s minds in wanting to be a part of change,” Pradia said. “It always brings my heart joy to see young people critically thinking about some of these [criminal justice] issues and the need for change.” But before this advocacy Pradia’s life was dramatically different. Pradia grew up in Richmond, Virginia as an only child. After graduating from high school, she attended Hampton University, a historically black university, only to go through a series of unfortunate events. While at Hampton, Pradia was involved in a relationship with a major drug dealer for around 3.5 years. He abused her mentally and physically, but she kept on thinking, “Maybe I can change him.” At the time, she couldn’t recognize these red flags. This relationship eventually led to her 24.5-year federal prison sentence for crack cocaine possession. She was a first-time offender, and she was pregnant. She realized the wrongs she committed but felt her acts didn’t warrant that sentence. During her imprisonment, she was cuffed in a hospital with security that restricted her parents from entering her room; this is where Pradia gave birth. It took the convincing of a hospital worker to allow her parents to be beside her. And once she gave birth, she was never given a chance to hold her baby boy. Instead, he was given to her parents who raised him while she continued her prison sentence. Pradia would dream of getting out of prison sooner. She felt that what happened to her shouldn’t happen to anyone else, so she began sharing her story and fighting for what she believed in while she was behind bars. During this process, there was a time when she was fearful of being judged for sharing her story. But that didn’t stop her. She promised to herself to continue being a voice for all those that she left behind in prison. “I left behind many Kemba Smith’s in prison,” Pradia said during the lecture. LEFT: Kemba Smith Pradia shares her journey at Pioneer High School’s Little Theater. She travels the country giving these speeches in hopes of sparking young minds to make a difference. RIGHT: The audience, consisting of mostly minority women, listens to Pradia’s captivating story. 16

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She noticed that her past mistakes were mostly because of her lack of self-love. Throughout the lecture, she mentioned how she would have never chosen that abusive relationship; she felt that as a person she could have been stronger; if only she chose to love herself first. “I had to learn through experience and over time I began to love myself the way that I needed to,” Pradia said. In December 2000, Pradia’s sentence was commuted to time served, reducing the sentence to the amount of time spent in prison awaiting the trial, by President Bill Clinton after serving 6.5 years. Later, Pradia graduated from Virginia Union University with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has been a member of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission for the past three years and uses her voice to advocate for various criminal justice issues by sharing her story throughout the country. Community High School senior, Leah Fleming, attended the event on a whim and did not regret going. When Pradia mentioned that she stayed in that abusive relationship because she wanted to change him, Fleming noticed how all the women in the audience resonated with that feeling. “You want to be the person to open up his world and all, but you matter more than he does,” Fleming said. By putting a face to these criminal justice issues, Pradia hopes people would care more and become more involved in these issues. “I want them [the audience] to walk away with knowing that we each have a responsibility,” Pradia said. “That responsibility is to be conscious. Conscious of what’s going on within our criminal justice system and seeing where, as individuals, we can each make a difference and make a change.” And it seems that Pradia achieved this goal in Ann Arbor because Fleming walked away knowing that she could be more involved in

these issues and an active member in her community by going to events like Pradia’s. “You don’t have to be an activist to be involved,” Fleming said. During the event, Fleming noticed that there weren’t many men at the event, and she believes that is an issue. A majority of the audience was black women; there were a handful of white women; and then there was everyone else. She feels that lectures like Pradia’s need to be attended by more men. “Step one, learn,” Fleming said. “Learn what’s happening, what’s going on. And then you can try to move onto step two, which is actually doing something about it.” It was in Cindy Haidu-Banks’ and Janelle Johnson’s social justice class, when the way Fleming saw things changed forever. Flipping through the pages of the “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander, Fleming noticed a veil being ripped away. She began understanding all the horrible things that have been happening in the prison-industrial complex. “They’re human beings, some of which have made bad mistakes and all, but they deserve a second chance,” Fleming said. “They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and I think that’s something we should be working more towards.” Fleming was disturbed to hear the political aspects of mass incarceration, especially, pregnant women in prison who are forced to give birth in shackles only to have their child taken away from them. “That’s inhuman,” Fleming said. The impact that Pradia’s past experiences have had on her is visible the moment you meet her. The strength and resilience she exudes are undeniable. Moreover, through those experiences, she realized how strong and resilient women are — black women especially — and decided to educate herself on the systems that are in place in America.

“I wanted to continue carrying the torch of our legacy and fighting for change,” Pradia said. However, revisiting her past was difficult, and so to make the process of writing “Poster Child: The Kemba Smith Story” more tolerable Pradia used a ghostwriter, a hired writer who isn’t credited. Pradia values the power of the pen, and she encourages student writers and journalists to use their ability to write people’s stories. “I’m not proud of the choices, but I am proud of knowing what kind of impact that story [Poster Child] could have on other people,” Pradia said.

“I left behind many Kemba Smith’s in prison.” Currently, Pradia has been empowering women to join STEM fields as well as opening up a home for women to help them transition into society after coming out of prison. Along with these projects, she still has plans to share her story with young people to hopefully spark a change. As a current member of Virginia American Civil Liberties Union, she will soon be their state advocacy campaigns director. “It’s my hope to make some change revolved around the criminal justice and equity within the state of Virginia and garner the additional skills that can help me navigate the political scene,” Pradia said. If Pradia could travel back in time and tell one thing to her past 19-year-old self, when she started Hampton University, it would be to focus on self-love. “‘Don’t focus on what you see now,’” Pradia said. “‘Love yourself and love your goals enough to stay focused on your future and where you want to go in life. And don’t let anything distract you from that.’” C

April 2019

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What are you? Being multiracial in a monoracial world.

BY LEAH DAME

Throughout her younger childhood, junior Ruhi Khanna visited temple, a Hindu house of worship, with her mom and two older siblings. On the first day of Navratri — a nine night long Hindu festival — Khanna and her family attended temple dressed in traditional Indian clothing and danced with dandiya drumsticks with other Hindus. During Holi, the festival of colors, participants toss pigmented powders at each other. By the end of the celebration, everyone stands coated in a vibrant rainbow, resembling the blooming spring flowers. But when people ask Khanna what her race is, she responds, “I am white.” Khanna (who is mixed-race, with an Indian father and white mother) does not outwardly express her Indian identity. Memories of holidays at temple, Khanna says, seem to be the only thing still holding Khanna and her Indian culture together. As one of her biggest current struggles, identity plays a major role in Khanna’s search of self. She believes true self discovery begins in your teenage years. High school is “when you learn who you are and who you want to be,” Khanna said. “It’s just [about] learning to love yourself and love who you are, and immersing yourself into the culture you want to be apart of.”

In the past, people never believed her when she would tell them that she was Indian because she is white passing. It’s troublesome for Khanna to have to go into depth about how she identifies and why her appearance does not match up to society’s phenotypic standards on race. “It feels like I lose a little bit of being part of that culture, when people question how I identify,” Khanna said. She finds it easier to say she’s white because she does not want others to overthink about her identity. About three times a year Khanna flies to visit her dad in D.C. He was born in Delhi, but came to the U.S. for college. Along the way he met his ex wife — Khanna’s mom. Because Khanna does not see her dad that often, it makes it harder for her to connect to her Indian culture. When she and her dad go out to eat, people assume they aren’t related and ask if they want separate bills. Moments like this make Khanna feel that she’s not supposed to be his daughter because she’s mixed and does not look like him. When she visits, her dad shows her how to cook dal and paneer tikka masala and teaches her Hindi phrases. Khanna admits that she’s not the best cook, but she appreciates the time she gets to spend with him, learning about her Indian culture. She does not talk to her dad about identity, but knows he would tell her to be proud of her culture and to immerse herself into it. One day Khanna hopes to take the time to learn Hindi and to celebrate Hinduism, so she can better connect to her relatives. Khanna has a love-hate relationship with her name; Ruhi, meaning ‘soul and spirit’ in Hindi. It allows her to get closer to her culture, but a lot of people don’t know how to pronounce it or they are too afraid to pronounce it. She treasures its meaning and one day hopes to live up to the beauty of her name: soul and spirit. C

“It’s hard to love something that you find hard to identify with.” April 2019

Behind the American Smile The story of Oleg Lougheed’s journey from Russian orphan to Community High School alumnus. BY GINA LIU // PHOTOS COURTESY OF OLEG LOUGHEEED

In the family room of his two-story orphanage in the town of Chebarkul, Russia, 12-year-old Oleg Lougheed watched his future adoptive mother scribble down a few of his potential American middle names as they sat together on the couch. It wasn’t until the fifth or sixth name on the list until he recognized one: Michael.

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lthough Lougheed had never seen a basketball in his life, he was inspired to take up this name because of Michael Jordan: a symbol of identity for him. It provided a sense of familiarity to Lougheed, and it became one of the few American words he knew when he was officially adopted in a courthouse in 2005: I do accept my name as Oleg Michael Lougheed. Three years prior, Lougheed gave himself up for adoption at age nine. For the first nine years of his life, Lougheed found himself being tossed between wherever his mother’s boyfriends were staying and where his sister lived, who was 18 years older than him. His father disappeared early in his life: Lougheed had heard rumors of his father being killed or in jail because he killed someone, though none were confirmed. His sister became his legal guardian when his mother stopped pursuing her nursing career and turned to drinking. At around 20 years old, she became the parental figure to her toddler-aged brother and was told by their mother that Lougheed was now her responsibility: This child is for you. Lougheed had multiple memories of fights between his mother and his sister. After witnessing such events and being juggled around, Lougheed decided he needed to change the trajectory of his life by giving himself up for adoption. “I wanted to bring my family back together one more time,” Lougheed said. “But I couldn’t.” In turn, he had to give up his sister’s right to be his guardian, who he speculates had immense guilt giving him up. He remembers his sister standing behind him as they approached city hall. There, the woman in charge of placements in the orphanage described the vast benefits of their orphanage: His own toys, food, shelter and everything Lougheed wanted to hear was detailed in this woman’s description. While Lougheed felt saddened by giving up his parents’ rights, he felt that the orphanage had the tools he needed to escape his current reality. So he agreed to waive his sister’s rights and turned around to face her yet again. She was covered in tears. The day he was introduced into the orphanage, he and his sister held a bag of his clothes. Walking through the front doors, they were greeted by a caregiver and eventually the director of the orphanage. The two of them were given a brief summary of what the orphanage was like and when his sister was allowed to visit. He gave his sister a final hug, as she wasn’t allowed to go upstairs to where he was staying. Once upstairs with the caregiver, he was paired up with an older orphan, who subsequently gave him a tour of the orphanage, which was split up into three “families.” “Family one” operated in the left wing of the second-floor; “family two” lived in the right wing of the second-floor; lastly, “family three” was responsible for the area from the doors over from the office of the director. There was an emphasis on independence for the orphans, because once they aged out of the orphanage, they were immediately thrown into society with no aid. Cleaning their assigned rooms, serving meals to their fellow orphans and hand-washing dishes were done daily to put emphasis on chores. They would rotate rooms to clean and jobs to fulfill, weekly, on top of their schoolwork. In the weeks that followed, it was made clear that the threat of physical and verbal abuse was a common discipline for the orphans. Depending on the caregiver, any time an orphan had poor schoolwork, forgot to do a chore or failed to do their job, a child would be

made an example to the “family.” The caregiver would sometimes order older orphans to beat “trouble-makers” as they were standing in the middle of the room. The older orphan ended his tour with choice advice for Lougheed. If you say anything, you’ll be punished. Lougheed ended up running away in his first week there, jumping the fence of the orphanage and running to see his mother. He explained to her the abusive conditions of the orphanage and begged her to take him back. He remembers her saying something along the lines of “I’ll try.” Despite his mother’s words, he knew that this orphanage was most likely his living situation indefinitely. When he returned to the orphanage, he was beat in front of the other orphans for the first time. His mother ended up visiting the orphanage just twice in the three years he was there: once sober, giving him a bag with orange juice and chocolate, and once so drunk that the workers would not let her in as she pounded on the doors to the building. Even when his sister would visit him, whether it be once a week or once a month, he was fearful of the workers and caregivers overhearing him exposing the true conditions of the orphanage. The sole visitation spot was located directly across the director’s office as well as the break room where most workers hung out. In fear of punishment, Lougheed had to tell his sister that everything was fine. While the orphanage provided food, water and shelter, it was a stark difference from the place described to him by the administrator. “It was a tough pill to swallow to know you picked something that

“ I do accept my

name as Oleg Michael Lougheed. ” you had to live with,” Lougheed said. It would be three years until Lougheed and eleven other Russian orphans would head to America for a “tryout” period for adoption. Performing folk singing, a music requirement that Lougheed took interest in at the orphanage, they flew to Ann Arbor in exchange with the Hands Across the Water adoption agency in Michigan. Lougheed first met his adoptive family at a performance in an Ann Arbor church. While folk singing was a chance for Lougheed to express a lot of feelings and trauma, pleasing the audience was still an integral part of it. There was so much emphasis and preparation on every single performance, and Lougheed speculates that the orphanage received more funding and recognition if they placed well in competitions. He felt that in order to not be punished, he had to excel. When he returned back to Russia from America, part of him was insecure of his performance. He wasn’t sure if his folk singing translated into art for the American audience. The other part of him was reassured by his adoptive parents, who had kept contact with him since he left America. The orphanage dynamic immediately changed when workers at the orphanage found out he would get adopted. He was put on pedestal. Abuse decreased. And positive remarks were constantly given out: Look at that beautiful American smile. However, there was a snag in paperwork, which caused a delay in the court date for Lougheed get adopted. Uncertainty built up in him

April 2019

and things at the orphanage appeared to go back to normal. Positive remarks began to subside; if Lougheed forgot to do chores or got in a fight with the family, then he was in trouble like before. Luckily, his adoptive family still had the intent of adopting him, and the entire family flew to Russia on the new court date. Standing on the steps of the orphanage, preparing to leave Russia, he found himself seeing his adoptive family, consisting of a mother, father and brother on the left; his sister, his cousin and one of his sister’s friends were on the right. He was saying goodbye to not only his past three years of life in the orphanage, but the birth family that he had known for the first nine years of his life. Once he reached America, he found new struggles when it came to interfacing with others. Enrolled at Ann Arbor Open middle school, he felt embarrassed as he was placed amongst five year olds to learn English and catch up in his education. His first two years of communication with his parents consisted of pointing at words in a paper dictionary. And when those words failed to express his frustration or anger, he found himself spilling his emotions onto his parents, who could not fully understand his broken English and the difficult experiences he was going through: not only as an adoptee, but as an adolescent. Calling his sister and his aunt in the first year in America resulted in expensive phone bills. Once, as he hung out with his friend from Ann Arbor Open, he nonchalantly called his aunt for about an hour before hanging up. His father later came up to his room and suggested that they find a new form of communication, like Skype or Facetime. Lougheed misunderstood this as the phone bills being too high, so he could not call his relatives in Russia again. He would not call again for seven years. It was not until he began being a pupil of Rick Hall, his sixth grade teacher at Ann Arbor Open, where he truly began feeling seen by

“ I wanted to bring my

family back together one more time. But I couldn’t. ” others than his family. Hall was one of the first people to stay with Lougheed before, during and after class to teach him math, science, English and computer skills — always staying the extra hour. Catching up was difficult, but eventually Lougheed found himself proficient in English. He found an interest in reconnecting with his past through the Community Resource program at Community High School, which allowed him to begin taking Russian classes at the University of Michigan. He stopped having to use that paper dictionary to talk to his parents. He made friends. Around the high school, he began seeing fellow adoptees, who were adopted around the same age he was adopted, with some of them having a lot of difficulties because of such factors as the language barrier. He found himself asking why he was able to overcome the abuse and neglect he faced in Russia, and the language barrier and uncertainty he faced in Ann Arbor. “Why was I put through the same exact test but able to overcome some aspects of that?” Lougheed asked himself. After graduating from Kent State University with a degree in Russian Translation and a business minor, Lougheed found himself in Newark, Delaware at an accelerated business program, along with a

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mentor that encouraged him to explore his interests. Lougheed then came to the conclusion that his own purpose in life was to share his story. He sat down and wrote his story in chronological order, finishing it with an imperative for readers to share their own stories. He titled the blog post “Overcoming Odds.” Over the next couple days, he began getting email inquiries, stories of other adoptees and began asking himself yet again, “why me?” He realized that the people wanted to be heard, validate their experience and look for a sense of community. A two-page blog post became a platform for them to share experiences, as well as a place for foster parents or adoptive parents to understand the different perspectives of foster and adopted youth. Yet people submitting a story wasn’t enough to connect with their past. He felt there had to be something else in addition for stories to be told and voices to be heard. Lougheed took inspiration from his blog post and started his own podcast and organization called “Overcoming Odds” in 2017, its main theme revolving around telling the stories of foster and adopted youth. Lougheed has created opportunities for these groups to tell their stories by holding conferences throughout the country with speakers on foster care and adoption, talking about different aspects of a current theme. Their first conference, called “Hear Me Now,” was held in Austin, Tex., and hoped to share the formerly unheard stories of foster youth and adoptees, as well as provide universal tools for success. Coming back to Ann Arbor for a conference was important to Lougheed, and establishing the theme of the event in Ann Arbor as ‘Seeing is Believing’ was essentially paying it back to the family that welcomed him, the educators that spent their extra hours teaching him and the peers that supported him throughout his journey; these were the people that saw him at his weakest moments. Planning the event in Ann Arbor has not been easy: sometimes he feels that organizations need an extra push to understand the importance of telling their stories. “We all have a story to tell,” Lougheed said. “We have a responsibility to live that story. Live the story that suits yourself. The end goal is to show journey of a single story, and [to show] how we can change people’s lives if they decide to listen.” ********************** During his sophomore year in college, Lougheed was able to find his birth sister’s friend through an adoptee-recommended messaging app called Classmates. Sending her a message, his sister’s friend then sent him his sister’s profile. In a three hour Skype call, Lougheed saw his sister for the first time in ten years. She cried for the majority of the call, saying that all she wanted was to see his face again. She had thought that he intentionally never called back ten years ago. In the call, she reminded him of a memory that he had long forgotten about, particularly, the last words he said to her before departing Russia. I am going to become a Russian translator and save you. Although these particular words had exited his memory long before he arrived in America, he felt that, subconsciously, he had fulfilled this goal, more than ten years after his adoption. C

Fentanyl-LacedCocaineDeathsRise Cocaine-related overdose deaths have doubled in Washtenaw County, due to the introduction of fentanyl. BY ZOE BUHALIS

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid — 50–100 times more potent than heroin — that can easily cause a high. Many dealers have started cutting opioids and cocaine with fentanyl; it is cheap, accessible and — if it does not kill the person consuming it — addictive. The amount of fentanyl that can cause an overdose in a grown man is roughly the size of a grain of sand. “It can be dangerous just to breathe in a room where there’s fentanyl,” said Robbie Stapleton, health and physical education teacher at Community High School. “It has a very, very powerful negative effect on your central nervous system.” According to the Washtenaw County Health Department, opioid overdose-related deaths have drastically increased in Washtenaw County in the past year. Between January and August of 2018, 55 citizens in Washtenaw County died due to opioid overdoses. Almost all of these overdoses involved fentanyl. “I started noticing in 2018 in our opioid-related overdose deaths there seemed to be a lot of cocaine involved,” Adreanne Waller, epidemiologist at the Washtenaw County Health Department, said. “It ended up that by the end of 2018 about half of our opioid overdoses involved cocaine. In almost all of the poisoning deaths that involved opioids [and] cocaine, the opiate involved was fentanyl.” Waller posits that overdose victims could be unaware they have taken fentanyl. Identifying whether a drug has been laced with fentanyl poses a challenge, according to Stapleton. “Taking street drugs is so risky anyway,” Stapleton said. “You could be sold a gram of cocaine, and a microgram of it is cocaine and the rest of it’s filler. It could be laced with something really, really dangerous.” Brian Dalton*, a former CHS student who used cocaine occasionally between Oct. 2017 and Jan. 2018, agrees that street drugs pose a risk. “Ultimately it comes down to the fact that [cocaine] is not a safe thing to consume,” Dalton said. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, signs of fentanyl use can include seizures, headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness, euphoria and drowsiness. Use can lead to the depression of the respiratory system, ultimately lowering the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain. According to Waller, fentanyl is thought to mostly be manufactured in China and comes into the United States through Canada, Mexico and most often the U.S. Mail. On the supply side of fentanyl, law enforcement is working on stopping it from coming in through mail and stopping people from making their own — something that is done in labs similar to methamphetamine labs. On the demand side, they are attempting to expand treatment: residential treatment, talk therapy and medication-assisted treatment. “It’s a very difficult issue,” Waller said. “It’s worse than a needle in a haystack, because you really need only a very small volume to have a huge effect.” Treating an overdose, Waller says, involves administering naloxone — a drug that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose — via injection or nasal spray. Naloxone binds to the opioid receptors and reverses an

opioid’s effects. The naloxone nasal spray Narcan can easily be administered by family members, caregivers and first responders. But cases of fentanyl overdose, Waller says, can prove more challenging, as fentanyl is very powerful. “With fentanyl it’s much more difficult,” she explains. “Naloxone is not quite as effective; you made need more than one dose. Fentanyl is very, very lethal, much more lethal than cocaine at very small volumes — a grain of sand.” C

Opioid Deaths in Washtenaw County Each body represents ten opioid related overdose deaths in Washtenaw County. Red bodies represent deaths that involved cocaine.

April 2019

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HE/HIM/HIS

A former Community High student’s story of growing up and coming out as a gay, trans male. BY WM. HENRY SCHIRMER // PHOTOS COURTESY OF COYNE GATTO

Coyne Gatto, a freshman at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, removed his compression vest for the first time in a week; what he saw was his chest bruised and stitched. As he stated, it was “gross.” However, this is the opposite of what Gatto felt. “It was awesome,” Gatto said. “This is exactly what I wanted.” This was a week after Gatto had received top surgery, a process in which breast tissue is removed to produce a masculine appearance of the chest. “The top surgery was kind of a mess,” Gatto said. “There were some complications with stitches, so it’s a little wonky looking. I am perfectly happy with it though, because it is what I wanted.” As Gatto described it, “I finally have this off my chest.” Gatto felt supported by his doctor. “He was probably the best person I could have gone to,” Gatto said. “He was so excited and passionate about doing this work and making sure that everything went as well as it could.” Gatto, a former Community High School (CHS) student, identifies as a transgender gay man. “The gay part is a little confusing, because I’m not entirely sure on that,” Gatto said. Sexuality is a spectrum, and as he expressed there is the occasional chance that he feels an attraction to females, but his main interest is in males. “Back in elementary school, I didn’t really identify with girls,” Gatto said. “I’d rather hang out with the boys and be more like them.” Gatto enjoyed doing activities that would be considered stereotypically for boys. “From there I didn’t really have the terminology to describe what was happening,” Gatto said. “I didn’t have the words to tell people that I didn’t feel like a girl.” Up until middle school, it was something that Gatto didn’t mention to others. In middle school, Gatto first came out to a couple of friends who were also questioning gender identity and sexuality. “We talked about it occasionally,” Gatto said. “We worked together and supported each other through this process.” It wasn’t until right before sophomore year of high school that Gatto came out to his parents. “I [came out] over text,” Gatto said. “[It] was probably not the best choice. My parents did not like that.” Gatto described himself as a very nervous person, especially when he was young. “I could not handle confrontation in person, I had to work up to it. My first thought was I will do it over text,” Gatto said. “We can talk about it later.” “There was some crying,” Gatto said. “I told them I want to go by this name, which was Coyne, and I want to use they/them pronouns.” At this time Coyne was unsure if he was a guy or non-binary. “They were confused and unsure at first,” Gatto said. “But they got right into it and became very supportive after a month or two. It was just a new experience for them.” After a short adjustment period Gatto’s parents

became accustomed to correcting themselves and using his preferred pronouns. It was around this same time that Gatto came out to his teachers and classmates. “I emailed all of my teachers and said, this is the name I want to go by and these are the pronouns I want to use,” Gatto said. His teachers were all very supportive in this process. Brandon Jackson, a former CHS social studies teacher, got in the habit of calling Gatto ‘dude’ instead of his name. “It was hard for him to figure out at first, as I was only dressing differently and cut my hair,” Gatto said. “So, he just had a nickname for me to make it work.” “When I finally [told my parents] I wanted to use he/him pronouns, it was like another coming out,” Gatto said. “‘I want to get surgery, I want to go on TE.’” TE is an abbreviation for Testosterone Enanthate, a steroid medication that is used in hormone therapy for transgender men, distributed via a shot. Gatto started taking TE Sept. 2, 2016, after about a year of therapy. These therapy sessions were done at the University of Michigan Health Center. In these sessions Gatto talked to an endocrinologist about every side effect of taking testosterone, what will happen and make sure this is an experience he truly wanted. “At first I was unsure,” Gatto said. “But, as I went through therapy, it was actually helpful to me to figure out what I wanted out of this experience, and if it was something I was really sure about. And I was.” Gatto received his prescription the summer before his junior year of high school. This began Gatto’s journey of transforming his outward appearance to match his gender identity. Now, as a freshman at the University of Michigan (UM), Gatto continues to meet with an endocrinologist, a physician who specializes in hormones. “He has been amazing,” Gatto said. “He recommends me to all the trans-friendly doctors in the UM health system.” This helped Gatto get medical attention without the worry of being misgendered. “When I had to see a dermatologist, she personally apologized for the medications misgendering me,” Gatto said. In addition, Gatto’s medical record states that he is a trans man, which has led medical professionals to go out of their way to call him ‘sir.’ “I have had a very good experience [as a member of the LGBT community] compared to some other people that I’ve met,” Gatto said. “I have a very accepting support network.” His support comes from both his family and friends, both from straight cisgender people as well as other members of the LGBT community. “Think about the future as something that does exist and is a concrete thing instead of something that is sort of intangible and not going to happen,” Gatto said. “It will happen. You really just have to know yourself and know that you will become yourself, the best version of yourself. It just takes time.” C

April 2019

TheTimesareChanging This spring’s jump back to daylight saving time may be the last switch in certain areas of the country. BY CHAVA MAKMAN-LEVINSON

On Monday, March 11, the sun was shining brightly overhead. It was 7:00 p.m. and still light outside, reminding people how wonderful the beginning of spring feels. Having sunlight at this time of day can help people in many ways. Legislative changes are in consideration to allow us to enjoy these extended days throughout the entire year, not just from March to September. On Sunday, March 10, at 2:00 a.m., U.S. clocks sprung forward to 3:00 a.m., switching from standard time back to daylight saving time (DST). But many Americans want this switch to be the last. They are ready for the system to change — to dispose of the national policy of switching back and forth from standard time to DST, and to keep the clocks on DST year round. This system began in America over 60 years ago through the Uniform Time Act of 1966, and has been controversial ever since. Lifestyles and work patterns of Americans have changed greatly since this law was implement-

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ed. Now, political leaders are making a serious move to make DST permanent in hopes of solving problems that arise from disrupting our bodies’ internal clocks. State legislatures from coast to coast are considering proposals that would keep the clocks permanently on DST, ending the confusion and problems that come along with hours being shifted. California state assembly member Kansen Chu, a democrat from the San Jose area, introduced Assembly Bill 7 in December, which proposes keeping California on DST year-round. He believes this will help public health and safety. If the bill passes with bipartisan support and two-thirds approval, California — one of 31 states that are addressing the discontents of the time changes — will join Florida, where a similar bill was passed to implement DST year-round. Florida’s bill now awaits permission from the federal government. Lawmakers are considering multiple issues when making these influential de-

cisions. Losing one hour of afternoon daylight after setting the clocks back to standard time can be detrimental to mental health, particularly increasing the effects of bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The fall-back — the switch back to standard time in September — is also associated with a spike in diagnoses of depression. In a fact sheet about his policy proposal, Chu included research showing an increase of medical emergencies, traffic accidents and household electricity consumption each year when clocks spring forward. He also discussed how yearround DST could benefit students with its later sunsets, providing extra time to participate in outdoor after-school activities. For the states in which bills are being considered, this change in our country’s time system may be in the near future. C

AftertheCommunityLottery So you’re in... Now what? BY LILY SICKMAN-GARNER AND LACEY COOPER

ucy Cassell-Kelley had just gotten home from gymnastics when she opened the Community High School (CHS) lottery results. Earlier that evening, she had been chatting about the lottery with a close friend — a current freshman at CHS who is on her gymnastics team. Eager to know if Cassell-Kelley would be accepted, the fellow gymnast asked that Cassell-Kelley text her the results when they came out. When Cassell-Kelley got home and realized that the list had been posted, she frantically scanned it, searching for her number. “I kept thinking, ‘I’m not going to get in,’” Cassell-Kelley said. “And then I got in. I texted [my teammate], and we just screamed for a while.” The CHS lottery can be an exciting but stressful experience for prospective students. With less than a 40 percent chance of being selected, the stakes are high: Close friends and even siblings are regularly split, making the decision of where to go that much more difficult. “I have a twin brother,” Arista Luong, another soon-to-be CHS freshman said. While her number had been selected by the lottery,

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her brother’s had not. “We thought it would be a really great place for him to find new friends and fit into a social group, and we really wanted that for him. But it didn’t work out I guess.” Difficult situations and disappointments such as this amplify the stress of an already anxiety-ridden experience. The window between the lottery and the deadline to commit to CHS is relatively small — spanning only a few weeks. For some, deciding whether or not to commit to the school can feel even more trying than waiting for the lottery results in the first place. CHS was first brought to Luong’s attention two or three years ago. From the start, the idea of a school with a focus on individualism had sparked her interest. “One of my friends’ older sisters was applying,” Luong said. “I just liked the idea of it being an untraditional kind of high school experience. So it’s not a cookie cutter, all-American stereotype. You could be an individual at Community.” Luong said that she still wanted to go to Community, despite the fact that neither her twin brother nor her best friend will be attending. “[Community] really gives you just a lot of options to find out who you want to be, and what kind of things you want to pursue later in life, which I found really appealing,” she said. Luong still had hesitations, stemming from Community’s lack of AC or AP classes. She was concerned about being accepted to college, but ultimately decided that she was capable of having a well-rounded application

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without these credentials — or, if she felt they were truly necessary, that split enrollment was still an option. “I’ve never really heard a bad thing about Community, everyone just seems to love it for their own reasons,” Luong said. “And I just found that to be really great.” Prospective student Nadya Matish, on the other hand, didn’t fully acknowledge CHS as an option for high school until after she found out that she had gotten in. Even when applying, she was not expecting much to come out of it. “I knew that I might regret it if I didn’t apply,” Matish said. “So just to make sure, I applied.” When Matish saw her number listed as one of those qualifying for enrollment, she was taken completely by surprise. “I got excited [that] this could be an actual option,” Matish said. “And then I [thought], ‘Oh no, I have to choose.’” Although she has already committed to CHS, Matish said that she still experiences some anxiety around her choice. Many of her longtime friends from middle school were not selected by the lottery, and she was hesitant to separate herself from them, nervous to take an opportunity they had not been presented with. Despite these concerns, she eventually decided that this would be her choice and her choice alone. As a trumpet player, she was immediately pulled in by the jazz band. She was also intrigued by the block scheduling, open campus and the colorful creativity of the murals on the walls. “It was just some irrational thought, what if I make the wrong decision?” Matish said. “But, you know, I think I made the right decision.” C

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ThePowerofSayingYes Two founders of the company Yes Theory discuss the rise and falls of starting their business and the obstacles they hurdled through to achieve their dreams. BY ATTICUS DEWEY // PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATT DAJER

The rain pattered on the coffee house windows as Matt Dajer tapped his foot, impatient with his marketing class partner’s lateness. If it hadn’t been raining as hard as it was, he would have left ages ago; however before he packed up his stuff, he decided to send one final text to his partner in hopes of getting an explanation to his tardiness. After sending his fifth text, his partner finally responded asking Dajer what was up. Fed up, Dajer sent a short text reminding his partner of their meeting; five minutes later, Thomas Brag came sprinting through the coffee house doors with rain dripping off his hair, apologizing profusely while trying to justify his absence. Two years later, the pair would co-found a company based upon how they met: discomfort. Their brand, Yes Theory, promotes the idea that saying yes to new ideas will allow a person to live life to the fullest. They believe that the best things in life come from putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, and to get to the point where you are living life to the fullest, you must be willing to challenge yourself into saying yes to more things. In an attempt to spread this message of seeking discomfort, the pair creates documentaries showcasing people around the world who’ve taken risks and are consequently living lives they are happier with. “We didn’t have the greatest first impression because I really hate it when people are late to things,” Dajer said. “But then Thomas told me this story of how he snuck into a Flume the DJ concert, and then from there getting to into the VIP section where he befriended Flume and his manager and how now whenever Flume’s in town, Thomas will go and hang out with him. When I heard this, I thought it was the craziest and coolest story I’d ever heard and I thought, ‘That dude is hilarious, and I need to do everything in my power to connect with him.’” After the duo had familiarized themselves with each other, they moved onto what they would be doing for their project. The marketing class had asked them to create something that would promote local businesses, and so the two of them decided to promote Dajer’s clothing business called Heart City Apparel. However, as they brainstormed how they wanted to promote Heart City Apparel, they realized their primary goal was changing to be something that would make people smile rather than advertise the clothing. “We decided that we were going to wear Heart City Apparel and go to different locations in Montreal where we would just dance,” Brag said. “Every person that we met on the street our goal was to make them smile, and we found that making a fool of ourselves was the easiest way to do this. It led us to realize that making people smile was what brought us the biggest sense of accomplishment and we wanted to bring that with us when we progressed to our next project.” After graduation, the two didn’t see each other for another two years, however, when Brag ran into Dajer as he was leaving his job at a local bar, a spark of wanting to reconnect passed between the two. As they began to spend more time with each other, they stumbled across a television show called “The Buried Life,” which followed a group of guys that filmed themselves going through their bucket list. As Brag went to bed that night, Brag laid awake, taken aback by the show as it deeply resonated with what he wanted to do. In the morning when he approached Dajer with the list of ideas he had generated throughout the night, he watched as Dajer became just as excited and the duo decided to begin with a month-long project called Project 30. Because the project was designed to make the pair get out of their comfort zones, doing things they never had done before was vital to the operation. Since they were renting an apartment and paying for all the materials using the money Dajer obtained from his job as a bartender, the budget of the project had so be as cheap as possible; so throughout the month they would get their ears pierced by friends, eat foods very few people try and gave stand-up comedy routines. “Around halfway through we were sitting at a park in Montreal and we realized that we had run out of ideas,” Dajer said. “But that night we got another idea and so that took us to the next

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“There were so many times in that month alone that we didn’t know if we were going to be able to live off of this brand we had made.”

In celebration of their one year anniversary of opening their company Yes Theory, members Matt Dajer, Bobby Derin, Ammar Kendil, and Tomas Brag go into the streets of Los Angeles to complete a variety of fun activities that represent each of their personalities. April 2019

SEEKDISCOMFORT

day, then the next night we got a different idea so on and so forth. Then when we got to day 19 we snuck into the hotel where the Chelsea football team was staying and we managed to get their two best players to sign onto our fake soccer team. That night, we sent the video to all these Chelsea football team bloggers and by the end of the next day, the video had over 100,000 views on it. That really put an end to the fear that our ideas would run out and it made us feel as if there’s an endless pit of ideas just waiting to be grabbed.” When the month finished, the pair realized that their passion was following the concept behind Project 30 as a career. When they announced that they would be attempting to follow through with this to their families, they were met with skepticism and doubtful presences. They managed to convince their parents to allow them one more month to find success in the work they were pursuing before they completely pulled the plug. While they made some content showcasing ways to break out of your comfort zone, they didn’t see the growth they had been seeing throughout Project 30. On day 29, they released a video on the social media platform, Reddit, as a recap of everything they had done in Project 30 and how it affected them. While the post was growing in popularity on the website, what set it over the edge and gave them motivation was the reactions of people when they answered the skepticism behind their motives. Using the support gained off their video on Reddit, the two were able to go to their families with proof that there was potential to be made. “There were so many times in that month alone that we didn’t know if we were going to be able to live off of this brand we had made,” Brag said. “My parents and I have a great relationship, but there was a 30 day period where I couldn’t talk to my parents because they were so worried that I was burning all my bridges for nothing. Whenever we would talk they would question how they raised me; not because they’re bad parents but because I was worrying them to that point. I remember the most vivid experience of that month was when I was coming home from working at a clothing distributor and I went into a corner store to buy a pack of gum and my debit card bounced back saying I had insufficient funds. When our video got onto the front page of Reddit we were sitting in our apartment hugging each other and crying because we had so much riding on the success of this company.”

As more people began to follow their lead in seeking discomfort after posting their Reddit video, they decided to change the name of their brand to Yes Theory, where they would continue to develop creative ways of making people motivated to expand their comfort zones. After being reached out to by several social media companies, the group was able to begin making more high budget films which snowballed into letting them do more documentaries. Eventually their success led to them making a film with Will Smith where they would bungee jump out of a helicopter with the actor. Over the course of the past three years, the Yes Theory brand has built a base of people who live their message of seeking discomfort. From hosting barbeques with strangers they met on the streets to biking from the Netherlands to India, millions of people that look for these new experiences attribute the courage they gained to Yes Theory. Every day, people who’ve met through this brand meet with each other, learn from the advice Yes Theory provides and spread the message of expanding your comfort zone not through speech but through the actions they do in the world. “In 2018, I was living in New Zealand, and there you can apply to go into medical school after your first year. I liked helping people, looking after them, caring for them and whatnot, but my grades weren’t great and I didn’t end up getting in,” said Yes Theory member Alexander Majstorovíc. “I fell into a deep depression but after a few weeks, I found the Yes Theory Youtube channel. They described how routine was dangerous, and that you should always be looking to get out of your comfort zone. So I decided to ignore that I didn’t get into medical school and help people anyways. On weekends I ran into town doing bandages, cleaning up vomit, things along that nature and during the week I ran a club at my university that sought to help others. Yes Theory helped me realize that you have to lead your own life, take control of its actions because things won’t just be given to you.” C

Constantly wanting to push the boundaries of what is considered normal, the Yes Theory brand works to incorporate people they have never met before into their activities. They hope their work can represent the William Butler Yeats quote, “Strangers are just friends I haven’t met yet.” 30

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Book Work BY ELIJAH SHORE

Through writing a book, Community English teacher Matt Johnson has become a better teacher.

efore the sun has risen from the earth, before driving to school and teaching English students the best way to use commas, Matt Johnson sits at his desk, writing his soon to be published book. He works early in the morning so that his writing can happen in harmony before the rest of his life. His first published book, “Finding Success the First Year: A Survivor’s Guide for New Teachers” was published a few years after Johnson began teaching in 2010. “I came to this conclusion that the problem [with teaching] was that I had worries about things like what happens if a parent comes to me and they’re upset,” Johnson said. “If you’ve been a teacher for a long time, like I have now, you’ve been through that a lot of times. You already have a good index of things in your head of things that you can do… it was a book for new teachers from the perspective of new teachers.” As a teacher, Johnson knows all too well the struggles his students have with writing. Many high schoolers, he explains, think they are naturally bad writers, but Johnson doesn’t think writing is that simple. “One of the misconceptions that people often have with writers is that you just sat down and wrote the thing,” Johnson said. “[People think that] it’s just a gene you’re born with or you’re not, like your hair color.” To Johnson, writing is like woodworking:

he often writes six to seven times more words than he needs and than whittles his work down to a high quality product. When Johnson got his first book published, he thought the hard part was over; he thought that even if his book didn’t make the New York Times Book Review, at least it would be easily accessible to new teachers plowing through their first year. What Johnson didn’t know was that the academic publisher for his first book had a business model that didn’t support this image. The publisher cranked out hundreds of books per year, putting minimal effort into design and selling only a couple books at $40 for paperbacks and $100 for hardcovers. Even though his book got high reviews, the cost made purchasing the book unrealistic for many new teachers still paying their student loans.

“When you write something the worst case scenario is you understand it better.” Johnson’s experience with his second publisher was the polar opposite. “The books are super reasonably priced,” Johnson said. “They only do eight to ten every six months. But they’re beautiful books. And

they really put a ton of editorial resources into it. My proposal went out to I think 10 people who are major authors and superintendents of schools.” Johnson thinks that this second publisher will be better able to put a spotlight on his writing and make his second book more accessible than his first. He hopes that his second book can be affordable for new teachers. Finding success as a new writer is hard to define. Most writers will never become financially wealthy, and some might never even get published. “I think whenever you’re writing it’s a success, because you think more about the book’s [subject matter],” Johnson said. “You can write it and they might just say, ‘you know what, it’s not the right time and it’s not the right book,’ and you just put in a thousand hours, and nothing’s going to be going out the door.” Johnson’s first book never became a bestseller, but he doesn’t necessarily think that every book needs a large audience. “[Publishing the book] was a great experience,” Johnson said. “I think the one beautiful thing that comes out of being a writer is that the entire time you’re writing, you’re thinking about it. So when you write something, the worst case scenario is you just understand it better and know more about it, even if no one reads it.” C April 2019

The Cost of Care BY SOPHIA BERRY AND TAI TWOREK // PHOTOGRAPHY BY TAI TWOREK

The Communicator Magazine

Former CHS student and Ann Arbor native is facing the side effects of cancer, outside of the hospital.

hirty seconds after Matthew Dickerson woke up from his colonoscopy, the doctor told him he had stage three rectal cancer. It was July 2018, and Dickerson expected his colonoscopy to be quick and easy. But when he woke up and saw his wife’s eyes filled with tears, it was a slap to the face. He did not anticipate being diagnosed with rectal cancer; no one in his family before him had colon or rectal cancer, and he hadn’t shown any of the usual symptoms. Dickerson’s unexpected diagnosis has been costly, taking a toll on his body and his wallet. Currently, he is in remission and onto his final session of a 12-week chemotherapy treatment. His expenses, however, are not over. Patients with rectal cancer have a 50 percent chance of recurrence after their initial removal surgery. Dickerson doesn’t believe that he is actually cured, and a recurrence of his cancer would be expensive. His oncologist told Dickerson that there was a chance of going through a half treatment of chemotherapy. But when the doctors removed 30 of his lymph nodes that were all negative, Dickerson had to undergo a full session of therapy. Surgery in the rectum can be difficult, so chemotherapy targets the tumor and shrinks it. Prior to his diagnosis, Dickerson was a mechanic at the University of Michigan hospital and enjoyed the hands-on work he did. He has now been off of work for seven months since his last day in August 2018. While working, he was used to always being on his feet since he was younger and had a habit of waking up early every morning. Now, he spends most of his time at home. Returning to work is his ultimate goal, but Dickerson’s body has deteriorated from the chemotherapy. He has developed neuropathy, a painful tingling sensation in his hands and feet. He has become lethargic more often and has to sit down for 30 minutes after he physically exerts himself. Simple tasks that used to be easy for him have now become challenging, and he is restricted to a 10-pound maximum weight limit. Being put out of work has taken its toll on Dickerson and his family. His once steady source of income has been restricted to long-term disability from the University of Michigan. At first, he was receiving full pay for 400 hours on long-term disability. Then, for the next 600 hours, he was receiving two-thirds of his pay. For the rest of the year, Dickerson is now receiving half pay. “I’m very lucky,” Dickerson said. “I’ve got insurance, I’ve got my family, I’ve got my wife backing me up who’s been there with everything, through thick and thin. She stayed up at the hospital and slept every night with me up there. She’s been through it all, too.” His job as a mechanic at the University of Michigan has provided him with insurance, and his plan has covered everything except for the copayments. These payments, however, are the hardest part. His fol-

low-up visits at the hospital drain his wallet; the copays that the hospital asks for are costly with Dickerson’s frequent visits. Each time he goes, he has to pay anywhere from $20 to $30, which can surpass $100 a month when he’s going to the doctors often. The money he spends at his follow-up visits could be used for more important things, like meals to feed him and his family. “Expenses [are] the hardest part,” Dickerson said. “You’re making it before this, but now they take half your pay away and then they give you more expenses. You’re supposed to still feed your family and it doesn’t work. I don’t know how people can do this that don’t have the backup that I do right now.” Along with the immense support Dickerson has received from his wife, his two adult daughters have become the backbones in his household — they help pay for what Dickerson and his wife are unable to and complete the shopping and household chores that are left unattended. To help combat some of his expenses, Dickerson and his family had to refinance their house. Now, however, he is faced with a 30-year mortgage on top of additional expenses from his family’s cottage in northern Michigan that he inherited. This cottage has been in his family since 1860, and trying to maintain the property has been stressful for Dickerson. His children are in love with the house, but taking care of two properties and his medical expenses has been a challenge. The cherished cottage was where Dickerson was hoping of retiring when he turned 65. Now, Dickerson’s retirement has been pushed back two years due to his rectal cancer putting him out of work. If he is able to go back to work, he plans to retire in at least 10 years. He is not ready to retire yet because once he does he will only receive around 65 percent of his salary — a steady income that will barely pay Dickerson’s bills. He has been working hard to save his money for retirement and has a 401k plan through the University of Michigan. Dr. Daria Borrousch, a social worker at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, has helped Dickerson set up a social security application. He also looks forward to receiving Medicare when he turns 65, and the program will relieve 80 percent of his expenses. “[Cancer] is a progressive thing,” Dickerson said. “You just keep falling down the hill a little further and further until you end up at the bottom and then you have nothing left. You can’t climb back up the hill because you’re too weak, you’re too wobbly and you’re too sick.” Dickerson’s family has been an unconditional outlet of support since his unexpected diagnosis. C

“When people find out you have cancer they tend to shy away from you almost like they’re going to catch something.”

April 2019

Activism Is Not a Resumé Builder

With youth becoming more active in politics and online, some use activism for social credibility instead of doing it because they care, and it is not okay.

In the day and age where everything we do is posted and publicized online, it can be easy to paint the “picture-perfect” version of yourself. While this can be considered an insincere thing to do, it is understandable. A line is crossed, however, when people associate themselves with groups and ideas solely to bolster their image. Especially when it comes to activism. Caring about a cause or wanting to make a change should not just be a resumé builder. With the general trend shifting towards younger populations engaging in debates concerning gun control, climate change, government officials and equal rights, to name a few, the amount of youth activists has sharply risen; with a platform like social media — which is open to all people — leveling the playing field between adult voices and teen voices, teenagers are now in a better position than ever before to make noticeable change. However, when teens abuse the opportunity they have been given and use it for their own social benefit, they undermine the real work that youth activists have done, making teen voices less credible. The ways people show their activism vary. Casually caring about an issue, which inherently is not a bad thing, and attempting to be considered a devoted activist for a cause one does very little for are sometimes 34

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STAFF EDITORIAL hard to distinguish between, but the difference is that one is morally wrong. Slacktivism, or the art of promoting a social cause or issue to give off an illusion, was first coined in 1995 by a Christian group who used it when speaking positively about teens who affected the world on a small, personal scale. However, the principle of the word was flipped on its head in 2009: the same time Facebook became increasingly popular. With the click of a button or a swipe of a finger, posts, articles and images can be favorited, retweeted, reposted, liked or forwarded. The ease at which people can create a socially-conscious persona online makes it difficult to differentiate between people posting because they care and posting because they want others to think they care. This is where the issue arises. When people use activism or political issues to increase their social standing — whether on social media or in resumés — it invalidates the work actual activists do everyday. Being an activist ‘for the sake of being able to call yourself one’ is called performance activism. And it needs to stop. Performance activism is the act of engaging in activism to gain praise and accolades, not for the rightful sake of those marginalized. Considering how easy it is to garner praise online, performance activism is on the rise. In addition, people use their activism to help enhance their college applications or resumés. This is arguably worse. People do real, meaningful work in creating social change, and to take credit for work that you have not done makes you a fraud. Performance activism is often done by people who do not care about bringing change, but instead care about the gratification of being seen as a good person or someone who is progressive and involved. Performance activism is all talk and no action. Today, it is less and less action and more and more posting, tweeting or hashtagging. Social media can give power to movements and act as an invaluable tool; it’s just not where one’s activism should end. In any attempt to eliminate this trend, the issue of what is real and what is fake arises. It’s hard to say what is and what is not activism performance. Many people will share political posts and memes on their social platforms and won’t ever engage in conversations about the posts they share in real life. Though this may come across as a fake front, for some, social media is their largest platform, and the only way they feel comfortable expressing their views. Because there is no surefire way to monitor people’s media accounts, applications or resumes to conclude that they align with what is in their heart, we must make it known that performance activism is not activism, and it should not be tolerated. It is a disgrace to those who actually make meaningful change. C

‘Boys Will Be Boys’

Women are not toys for men to play with. Women are not prizes to be won. Women are humans, just as men are. BY MAZEY PERRY

As a 17-year-old girl who grew up in Ann Arbor, on a college campus, I have been taught about the dangers of walking alone at night. I have been taught that if I ever feel unsafe I should call my mom to come get me. I have been taught that men are dangerous. I know that this is not true of all men. Honestly, not many at all, but the chance that the one following me downtown could harm or violate me is seeming increasingly likely. In 2006, Tarana Burke started the #MeToo movement, and in 2017 Alyssa Milano reignited the #MeToo movement after coming forward with her story of assault against Harvey Weinstein. From there, the reports started flooding in. It began to seem like every man with any type of fame had committed a crime against a woman or multiple women. If all of them had done it and gotten away with it for

“I can’t let my guard down for fear of what would happen if I did.”

so many years, I began to wonder how many men who aren’t famous have committed these acts of violation. Harvey Weinstein, Morgan Freeman, Brett Kavanaugh, Bill Cosby, Chris Brown, Neil deGrasse Tyson, R. Kelly, Charlie Rose, James Franco, Matt Lauer and Donald Trump. These 11 men have all been accused of sexual misconduct. All of them are famous. The president of the United States has been accused of sexual misconduct, yet is still leading our country. How am I not supposed to fear men? Even if they are all innocent until proven guilty, the accusations have left an impact. The mindset of “Oh I know them” or “They’re my friend” doesn’t bring me comfort anymore. All of the men on that list had female friends and colleagues. That didn’t stop them from committing these acts.

I find myself battling the fear of being violated much more often than I should. I also don’t want to put myself in a position where I or any of my friends could be violated. I feel helpless, trapped in a revolving door of thought. And then there’s the guilt. I don’t want to think of any of my male friends as predators or people who would even think of touching a woman without consent. At the same time, I can’t let my guard down for fear of what would happen if I did. The friends of the men listed above may not have thought of them as predators, but those friends were wrong. I will not stand for being wrong. If being wrong leads to being violated or having a friend violated, being wrong is the worst thing I could be. The hardest part of all of this is how we go on. How, as women, are we supposed to trust the men in our lives? Hearing fathers of sons say that “boys will be boys” is a pathetic excuse for the behavior that many men have displayed towards women. If that’s all the consequence that is given, how are we supposed to grow? There is no excuse for sexual misconduct. Drugs, alcohol and relationship status are not excuses. What needs to be looked at is the way that men are raised in this country. The notion that “boys will be boys” does not teach men to respect women. Women are not property. Women are not toys for men to play with. Women are not prizes to be won. Women are humans, just as men are. We can tell boys to respect women. That is a good start. But from the beginning of life, we need to teach men that women are equal and that there is no excuse for any behavior not showing that. I hope that if I ever have a daughter, she is raised in a time where I won’t even have to talk to her about the dangers of walking in the dark or that she needs to call me if she feels unsafe. I hope there will be nothing for her to fear. I hope that we can raise men to treat women with respect. I hope that women continue to stand together and support each other. I hope that rape, sexual assault and sexual misconduct become things of the past. C April 2019

WhyPolitics? I really do care. Do you? BY ROXIE RICHNER

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Opinion

hen I was just six years old, I remember sitting on the carpet in front of the TV as the 2008 presidential election results came in. I remember arguing with my dad about McCain vs. Obama, partially because I liked to argue — my stubbornness a gift from my father — and partially because I felt the urgency of the situation, even with the little knowledge and life experience I had. I saw the importance of electing our first black president and I knew that it was worth talking to my loved ones about. From that point on, my childhood was filled with New York Times articles, nightly commentary from NBC’s Brian Williams and Lester Holt, and tough conversations with my conservative family members. Years later, in fall 2017, I met Gretchen Whitmer, then a candidate running for governor of Michigan, at an event for politically-active women across Michigan. I asked Whitmer how I, at 15, could make an impact in the political world. Her only suggestion? Run for political office… When I got older. I felt unheard and unvalued. I felt like I had the capacity to do the work despite my age. It piqued my interest in the race; I wanted to be able to support a candidate who would embrace help from young people like me. I started extensively researching candidates and their stances on issues. That’s how I discovered Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed, a progressive 33-year-old Muslim doctor opposing Whitmer in the gubernatorial election, was a political newcomer. His views mirrored mine on almost every issue: he didn’t take a dime of corporate money, supported a statewide single-payer healthcare system, and had a comprehensive plan to address the Flint water crisis. I applied for his campaign’s internship program immediately. When I started interning for the Abdul for Michigan campaign, I was one of only three high schoolers. I grew close to the college interns through canvassing, weekly meetings, and voter registration drives. Being the youngest person in the room was intimidating. But the staff valued my voice, something that I had never quite experienced before — I had grown up feeling powerless, my voice and opinions continuously dismissed by my elders. The campaign and this new family I had found became everything to me. I started working on the Help Desk team, answering emails and messages that came into the campaign: everything from policy questions to hateful, Islamophobic comments. I learned how to find common ground among people with ideologies completely different from my own. As I committed more time, I was offered a promotion to lead the Volunteer Orientation Team, whose members were almost exclusively older than I. From there I worked with the Distributed Organizing team, which involved volunteer oversight, recruitment, data entry, and liaising between staff and volunteers. I worked out of the Detroit campaign headquarters alongside the entire staff and El-Sayed, himself. Each of these positions taught me not just about politics, but also about utilizing my greatest strengths. As the campaign progressed, I convinced many of my classmates to get involved; by Election Day, we had over 100 high school intern Where we began the campaign with a small volunteer network, we entered the primary with a network of volunteers that lived all across

the state and even the nation, from all walks of life. Where El-Sayed started a newcomer, he ended with endorsements from progressive leaders across the country, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Nina Turner, Linda Sarsour, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And where once we were polling in the single digits, we secured more than 300,000 votes in the primary. Although those 300,000 votes weren’t enough for a win, I was — and am — incredibly proud of what we accomplished. The campaign staff, interns, and volunteers continue to be influential people in my life — I have this incredible network of supportive, successful, inspiring people, who recognize the value of my work, send me job opportunities, and embrace me for all I am, not in spite of my age, but because of it. I now am able to see my youth as an asset instead of a roadblock. After my work with the Abdul For Michigan campaign, I’ve gone on to do communications and volunteer management work for organizations and campaigns around the country. A lot of people don’t really understand why this work is so important to me at a young age. I grew up with a lot of privilege living in Ann Arbor, Michigan in a two-parent household. I had access to the resources needed to explore and discover my interests. I never had to worry about where my next meal was coming from. I dealt with mental illness, family conflict, and loss of loved ones, but I was born in the absence of systematic barriers blocking my way. I have the privilege of having the option to care or not. Many people don’t have that option. My passion for politics is deeply intertwined with my love of people. That’s what drives me. While politics and policy affect everyone’s lives in various ways to varying extents, I believe there is something fundamentally wrong with being complacent to the state of our world when people’s lives are on the line. When discriminatory pieces of legislation are passed, when complacency becomes the norm in the political world, when people working multiple jobs can’t afford healthcare, when unarmed black men are continuously shot down by the people supposed to protect us, when asylum seekers are treated not as humans but as aliens — lives are on the line. As Nina Turner says, “Everything we love is on the line.” So it’s up to us if we’re going to continue being complacent or if we’re going to fight for the rights and lives of our friends, our families, our neighbors. Being a 16 year old who is passionate about politics is incredibly frustrating at times. I have often struggled to find opportunities to channel my passion into meaningful work and I have faced constant pushback because of my age. People constantly undervalue my experience and what I bring to the table. But I am done being told to wait. Young people’s voices matter. I cannot emphasize that enough. So reach out, organize, join organizations, apply for internships, research, learn, and let your voice be heard. And most importantly — don’t let one rejection or one loss slow you down. This is our world too, and we deserve a say in what that world looks like. C

LEFT: Roxie Richner, political editor at The Communicator, taking part in the 2019 Women’s March in Washington, DC. Richner is currently serving as the National Chapter Coordinator for Women’s March Youth Empower.

April 2019

Living for Someone Else BY iO SOUCY

A baby’s cry echoes throughout

the room. Tumultuous tears fall from the eyes of the nurses, the parents and the newborn child. Seven years later, the echoes continue to ring in Moe El-Hussieny’s head as if they were yesterday. He smiles, as the memory is of the birth of his son. Before having his son, El-Hussieny was an altruistic man. He worried about things that, compared to what he currently goes through on a daily basis, seem obsolete now. Becoming a father has altered his ideals and morals from a shrouded perspective to one of which revolves his life around his top priority: his child. “Basically, he is my soul purpose to be alive,” El-Hussieny said about his son. “All of my thoughts are about his well-being and, when I’m gone, hoping that he is healthy and happy. Every decision I make now has something to do with him and his future.” As there isn’t one book that tells you how to raise a child, El-Hussieny has had to adapt to this life-altering change. At the start of this journey, he was working five days a week at Community High School as a math teacher, while simultaneously fathering a newborn. El-Hussieny was, at one point, going to work with next to no sleep for longer than anticipated. “I remember when he was born — and I say this truthfully — he didn’t sleep for three years,” El-Hussieny said. “You don’t really have a choice in the matter so you make it work. You just find energy you 38

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Since starting a family, life for Moe El-hussieny has taken on a different meaning.

didn’t know you had, and you just learn that everything works out. It grows you and you grow as a person. You do the best you can every day.” As his son Yaseen has gotten older, El-Hussieny claims that parenting has gotten a little bit easier. Being able to have conversations with Yaseen and having the ability to see him grow into his own personality has been interesting to watch from El-Hussieny’s point of view. “You just watch [your children] become big and have their own personalities and their own attitudes and you wonder where that comes from,” El-Hussieny said. “You see a little bit of yourself in the midst of that and you get some of it but some of it is completely odd.” While teaching and parenting have their individual challenges, El-Hussieny is working through both responsibilities with a Zingerman’s coffee in his right hand and his winter hat in the other. There are many territories yet to be discovered. Whether they’re related to Yaseen’s keen sense of fashion or his overflowing creativity, El-Hussieny is ready to witness the growth of his son. “I kind of look back and wonder what life was like before,” El-Hussieny said. “What was I thinking about or what was I concerned about? I can’t even remember, so it seems so trivial. Life has taken on a different meaning, and I’m living for someone else.” C

Sticking With Art Teen entrepreneur, Amber Hing, starts a sticker business. BY RUBY TAYLOR // ART BY AMBER HING

Amber Hing draws things she thinks are beautiful, but more importantly, things she thinks are interesting. She used to see her art everyday, on her doodles, stick-and-poke tattoo covered arms and pieces at home, but as of recently, her drawings have also graced laptops, water bottles and other people’s shoes all around Community High and other Ann Arbor schools. Since early February, 2019, Hing has been printing her art onto sticker paper, hand-cutting each piece out and selling them to her peers. Hing has loved drawing for as long as she can remember. She often whips out her phone and photographs things that catch her eye, and later creates her own rendition of them either by hand or on Procreate, her favorite illustration app. Recently, she has been especially interested in drawing plants, and is constantly working to improve her skills. Much of her work combines vines and leaves with a traditionally feminine face, giving it a “mother nature” feeling. She describes art as her “special thing,” and hopes to continue to do it throughout her life. Hing never considered selling her art in sticker form, but when a friend saw her work one day and suggested it, she was inspired. Small, generally black and white — though she’s been working with lavender recently — and minimalistic, Hing’s best-selling stickers are very versatile. They come in packs holding a range of four to eight stickers, and each sheet is five dollars. All of her stickers and packs have names and themes: “faced” sports four faces bearing different expressions but all conveying a grounded calmness; “jungle luv” holds two women, a broken heart and a pair

of lips, all either enveloped in vines or with flowers growing out of them; “do what you love” consists of two crossing sprigs of lavender, two separate branches, an emblem that reads the title of the pack and more. She also gives buyers the option to pick and choose custom combinations. For Hing, seeing that her peers are genuinely interested in her work is both validating and exciting. “It’s really cool to see that other people are enjoying something that I made,” Hing said. A key element in the creation of Hing’s brand was social media. On Feb. 19, 2019, she made her first post on her professional instagram account, @ambiier, and since then she has gained more than one hundred followers. Hing hopes to expand her brand from making solely stickers to adding embroidered hoodies, printed t-shirts, and maybe even shoes. One winter afternoon, Hing was bored and decided to sharpie her dirty Nike Air Force Ones. She covered them in tiny yinyangs, faces, hands, plants, planets, and other doodles. After that, Hing embroidered faces similar to those on her stickers onto a friends Vans. She finds it nerve-wracking to do shoes, because of the permanence and inability to erase, but thinks that also makes the work all the more exciting. Though Hing is unsure of the future of her brand, she has found the process incredibly rewarding as it has given her more incentive to do what she loves, as well as more confidence in her work and its value. C

April 2019

WhyW eNee dtoKe Outo fState epOu Hand rPubli s cLand s Legislators and lobbyist groups are pushing to transfer public land managed by the federal government into state land that could be used for resource extradition. BY ELENA BERNIER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMMA WINEGARDEN

Community High School teacher Robbie Stapleton and her husband were walking on a highline trail in Glacier National Park, Mont., when a grizzly bear and her cub came tumbling down the path, heading toward them. This was not the most ideal place to meet this duo: to one side of the trail was a huge glacier wall, and to the other was a sheer drop-off. “Get off the trail, get off the trail!” they yelled, hoping to scare her off, knowing that they shouldn’t get anywhere near her cub. But the grizzly bear wasn’t fazed. Having no choice, they started to scale down the sheer mountainside, holding onto roots to keep from tumbling down. After the bears passed, they scrambled back up onto the trail and headed the other way in awe of what had just happened. Years later, Stapleton still regards Glacier National Park as the most memorable national park that she has ever visited. Ten years ago, Stapleton and her husband decided that they would visit all 61 national parks in the U.S.. So far they have visited 33 and are having a blast. “It’s just been so fun,” Stapleton said. “I’m not a collector, but this is my version of collecting. It gets us to places we would never go, just really out of the way places. Plus it’s really fun to have something to look forward to.” Stapleton is one of the 600 million people to visit public lands each year. “Public lands” is a term that covers all land owned by the people and managed by the people, meaning owned by the American public and managed

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by the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. This includes lands such as national parks and monuments, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, recreation areas, wild and scenic rivers, lake shores and seashores, and trail systems. “There is something otherworldly — mystical and mysterious and spiritual, if you will — about these [places] because it really puts you in your place,” Stapleton said. “And it’s just so gorgeous, and if not gorgeous, weird. It’s just very humbling and really cool.” Unfortunately, there has been a land-takeover agenda pushed by legislators and advocacy group to move public lands, mostly in the West, into states hands. Unlike the Federal Government, state governments are not under any obligation to preserve or keep these lands public. Once in state hands, these huge areas of protected land could be sold to private oil, mining or logging companies without the public’s consent. The loss of these lands would be detrimental: Not only do public lands protect wildlife habitats, the environment and biodiversity, but they are also valuable recreational areas to enjoy in the outdoors. It’s important to take a closer look at the groups and individuals pushing this land-takeover agenda: oil and gas money financing lobbyists and politicians. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is one of these lobbyist groups. As a membership organization for state conservative legislators, they have drafted bills with land-takeover aspects that numerous

legislators have introduced. And guess who funds ALEC: Exxonmobil, and the mining and energy billionaire Koch brothers. In addition, the Koch brothers also fund the American Lands Councils, an organization that is known for firing up rural support for land-takeover bills, and an organization called American for Prosperity that supports land-takeover bills as well. Lobbyists and legislators in support of this agenda hide behind claims that by turning public land into state property they will increase the quality of life of their residents and the well-being of their state, but in reality it’s all about the profit. Not to mention the claims made by land-takeover supporters have no real bearing. Although it’s quite obvious that turning over public land to states would result in massive pieces being sold, the claim that it would improve their state’s well-being is deeply flawed. Even if they didn’t sell the land to private companies and kept the land open to the public, states would not have the funding for upkeep. The cost of firefighting in wildfire-prone areas out West would overwhelm most state budgets right off the bat. According to studies conducted by Headwaters Economics, rural counties in the West that have public land have a healthier economy than those that don’t. These counties experience faster growth in employment, population, personal income and per-capita income. It is not an exaggeration to say that public lands are very lucrative, because they- are. Tourism of public lands brings in $6.8 billion per year in Utah, which results in more than 124,000 jobs and $890 million in state and local tax revenues. Not to mention the $646 billion in consumer spending that comes from outdoor recreation nationwide. In addition, thousands of species of animals and plants rely on protected public lands to live. For example, the 96 million acres that make up the

National Wildlife Refuge System is home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species, and more than 200 species of fishes. Selling off these protected lands to the highest bidder would cause mass habitat destruction that could endanger the U.S.’s already lessening biodiversity. It should also be mentioned that all of this public land was stolen from the Native Americans. The government has to do better to make more reparations to the Native communities that have deep-rooted ties to the land. While the answer to this dilemma may not be the clearest, one thing is for sure: selling this land for resource extradition would be even more disrespectful. Preserving for generations to come is a step in the right direction. “The bottom line is we took this land from the native people, and a lot of native people have a real problem with the national park system, which I totally get,” Stapleton said. “Since there’s nothing I can really do about that except acknowledge it, I feel like maybe the best thing I can do to honor that is to appreciate that land.” The reasons for keeping our public lands public go on and on. The enrichment of life that these lands offer people is extremely valuable, in addition to the economic and environmental benefits. Going forward, we have to keep land-takeover supporters out of office. Keeping up to date on bills being introduced to state and federal legislators is also important, and attending or even organizing public demonstrations against land-takeover bills can greatly influence what will happen to our public lands. Lastly, go visit some public land near you, who knows what you may find. “It’s been wonderful, I highly recommend it,” Stapleton said. C

April 2019

India Thomas brandishes a polka-dotted spork while relaxing in Courtney’s room. Though Thomas has a vivid and eye-catching spork, she has not managed to get anyone out. “Right now I’m just letting them eliminate themselves,” she said. “When there’s a couple people left, then maybe I’ll spork people.” Thomas was sporked on April 4 in Ecology.

“It’s not really hard. At school, even when I don’t have my spork, people just choose not to spork me. I like that; I don’t know why they choose not to spork me.” - INDIA THOMAS

Editor’s Note: Since the interview, Thomas has been sporked.

INDIA

The Spork Lookbook BY LOEY JONES-PERPICH AND CHAVA MAKMAN LEVINSON

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FASHION

AVIVA

MIGUEL

LEFT: Miguel Clement holds his red duct tape-clad spork close as he sits on the third floor ledge. When the spork began splitting down the middle, Clement wrapped it in duct tape to hold it together. “The tally marks represent the ten people that I’ve gotten,” Clement said. CENTER: Shannon Thomas displays her newly-decorated abstract spork. Though her original idea was to paint it black and wrap it in duct tape, Thomas soon found other inspiration. “I saw a picture on Instagram that was of a painting that was all splattered like this,” she said.

“I decided to take a paintbrush and blobs of paint and swirl it around. It’s original. I finally sporked someone, and I’m looking forward to sporking more soon.” - SHANNON THOMAS

SHANNON

EMMA

LEFT: Aviva Satz-Kojis poses with her spork in the southwest stairwell. Satz-Kojis painted her spork with glitter nail polish. “I spent a very long time placing each star exactly where I wanted it to go,” she said. ABOVE: Emma Hoffman shows off her “How to Train Your Dragon” themed spork during passing time. “My spork’s decor was inspired by Toothless the dragon, as well as my pet cat,” Hoffman said. “So it looks like both of them!” April 2019

SPRING

IS BREAKING

THROUGH

PHOTOS AND WRITING BY MIRA SIMONTON-CHAO

From the sneakers on our feet to the jewelry around our necks, our style speaks words â&#x20AC;&#x201D; sometimes without us even knowing it.

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FASHION

LEFT: Lete-Straka wears a button-down cardigan over a grey tank top showing with some simple pearl-drop earrings from her mother. BOTTOM: Posing in a pair of high-waisted pants with a cropped grey long sleeve, Lete-Straka shows off one of her favorite pairs of socks: striped with orange and pink.

SOPHIA LETE-STRAKA “I think a lot more about color than the actual article of clothing or style of clothing. A lot of times my outfits will have similar color schemes but way different aesthetics. I’m much more drawn to colors than I am to specific cuts. I really just like certain colors a lot. And the colors that I like make me happy. [Style] really is a form of self-expression. It’s very reflective of my mood. I like to plan my outfits a lot, so having a plan for my outfit or putting more effort into my clothing kind of motivates me. If I wore sweatshirts and sweatpants every single day, I would feel tired, and I would feel slouchy. I think fashion is another way to make something personal — another way to express yourself or to make yourself stand out. I don’t think that my personal sense of style is very unique. I gain a lot of inspiration from people around me. A lot of my jewelry I just find in my mom’s jewelry drawer — she has this drawer that is just endlessly filled with my grandmother’s old jewelry. So that’s kind of special, wearing my grandmother’s old stuff. I also like rings, and I wear a lot of them because I like to fidget with things, so it’s like my own fidget spinner. I just think it’s fun. I think [my friends and I] all have our own twist on a similar style, so I copy them a lot. I like to window shop a lot. I’ll go to Urban Outfitters or just somewhere really trendy and see an outfit in there that I could easily find at a thrift store in my mom’s closet. Wow, everything I wear is my mom’s. Target has such good clothes. I don’t know what happened to Target. They really popped off and they have really cute clothes now.”

April 2019

LibertyStreetCoffeeReview BY LEAH DAME AND NINA VAN DER VELDE

Liberty Street is in the heart of downtown Ann Arbor. Beginning in front of the State Theater and stretching so far west that it turns into Liberty Road, this street is a hot spot for a wide selection of shops, restaurants and — of course — coffee. Three different coffee shops all claim they are the best coffee shop on Liberty Street. But who actually deserves the title?

RoosRoast

5 THE COFFEE: Lobster Butter Love PRICE: $2.75 TASTE: This black coffee, taking after its name, has a very but-

tery flavor that’s not too harsh. It’s perfectly smoky, carrying the blend straight from the mug to your mouth. If this cup of coffee had a personality, it would definitely be Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl. A perfect escape from the harsh Michigan winter, RoosRoast, with its golden walls and charming interior, is a cocoon of coziness. Decorated with a miniature Pac-Man table and warm lighting, the shop feels comfortably retro. Whether you want a high-quality coffee on the go or a cup to hold between the palms of your hands, RoosRoast is a true Ann Arborite’s dream.

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REVIEW

MORE: With quick service, friendly baristas and an extensive

menu that includes plenty of food, this warm and welcoming coffee shop makes for a perfect brunch spot.

ArgusFarmStop

The warmth of the sun shining through the greenhouse walls and the smell of fresh produce will wipe away the cold and dreary weather as soon as you enter this two-in-one market and coffee shop. Full of handmade art and a healthy amount of clutter, Argus Farm Stop feels like home. The walls advertise support for local farms and food. The market, while small, manages to fit in a wealth of locally grown and produced items without feeling cramped. The greenhouse is undoubtedly the best part of it all: a seating area with a rustic-industrial feel that’s fully flooded with natural light. This is a family friendly place with something for everyone.

THE COFFEE: Hyperion PRICE: $2.50 TASTE: Lighter roast and not much of an af-

tertaste. It’s pretty acidic and has a fruity, tangy flavor, which fits right in with the farm vibe.

MORE: Argus doesn’t make their own cof-

fee; they sell brands like Hyperion and, funny enough, RoosRoast. Not much variety, but since the coffee shop is not exactly their top priority, we can overlook the sparse menu. The service, however, was a bit slow for just a single black coffee.

April 2019

lab

Straight off of a college student’s Pinterest board, Lab looks like it dropped out of New York City and straight into Southeast Michigan. Nearly everything about this place can be described in one word: trendy. Though it’s not much to look at from the street, the space inside is light and open. In some ways, it feels like the industrial minimalist look is trying too hard; it’s as if a millennial opened up a coffee shop with furniture from their grandma’s attic. But the atmosphere is nice, and the modern feel makes this a perfect place to go with a friend.

THE COFFEE: Lavender Honey Latte PRICE: $3.75 TASTE: Far from a plain black coffee, this drink is quint-

essentially Lab. The name doesn’t lie: the lavender actually comes through, perfectly sweet and subtle. The coffee is so mild it almost tastes like tea.

MORE: The service was fairly quick, especially consid-

ering the elaborate drink we ordered. The menu has very few ‘typical’ coffee drinks, but a long list of specialized lattes (Beetroot, Honey & Cinnamon and Turmeric Agave, to name a few). These selections may not satisfy the caffeine-craver, but they will definitely hit your sweet tooth. For a place that is mostly about the aesthetic, Lab has some decent coffee, too.

Final Thoughts...

SO WHAT IS THE BEST COFFEE ON LIBERTY STREET? Every coffee shop has something different to offer. The delicious warmth of RoosRoast, the rustic originality of Argus and the sweet, trendy menu at Lab make choosing a favorite hard. However, one place stood out from all the rest, and we can officially say: ROOSROAST IS THE BEST COFFEE ON LIBERTY STREET.

The coffee itself is unmatched, and the hipster vibe makes the space feel cozy, friendly and classically Ann Arbor. If you find yourself on Liberty Street and in need of some Lobster Butter Love, RoosRoast is the perfect place to go. C

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REVIEW

Books

The Name of the Wind AUTHOR Patrick Rothfuss MAIN CHARACTER

Kvothe

REVIEW BY Charles Solomon

At first glance, “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss is just another one of many similar fantasy novel with a familiar setting in some middle-ages type world and a main character with magical capabilities. But while “The Name of the Wind” does include these common fantasy benchmarks, it is also so much more, with a vivid and beautifully depicted world and a compelling main character. “The Name of the Wind,” the first book in the Kingkiller Chronicle Trilogy, tells the story of Kvothe. It begins in the present, with scribe Chronicler arriving at an out of the way roadside inn, only to figure out that his host, the simple innkeeper ‘Kote,’ is really none other than the famous Kvothe the Arcane (called Kingkiller by some). Chronicler persuades the initially reluctant Kvothe to tell Kvothe’s life story, which Kvothe promises to accomplish over the course of the next three days. Kvothe begins his story by telling us about his childhood as a part of the Edema Ruh, a

nomadic people of traveling troupers and performers. There he learned acting, music and learns the foundations of magic, or ‘sympathy,’ as it is called. He then tells us about his run-in with the mythical Chandrian — an event that orphans him and changes his life. The tale continues with Kvothe telling us of his time spent on the streets of the city of Tarbean, alone and penniless. Eventually, he manages to claw his way out of the gutter, and makes his way to the famous university — a school for would-be sympathists. Interspersed with Kvothe’s tale are moments where the book shifts back to the present, with Kvothe taking breaks for meals and to serve the inn’s infrequent customers. During these breaks, we slowly get a better picture of Kvothe’s current condition. We are left with the question of what happened to Kvothe — how this legend in his own lifetime rose so high, and how he fell so low. Something terrible must have befallen him, for him to be so done with life while only in his twenties. Something must have happened when he killed that king, but what? I really enjoyed this novel. I appreciated the idea of the novel being Kvothe’s story being told by Kvothe himself, as it introduced the idea of Kvothe as an unreliable narrator perhaps embellishing his own story. I also loved how engrossing Kvothe’s story was, despite us knowing the ultimate outcome of his adventures from the get-go. My main problem with this story was it’s length. Sometimes, I felt some of Kvothe’s story seemed to relate unnecessary details that really had nothing to do with the broader story, and just made the book stretch on almost too long. That being said, however, those small little stories and incidents did add color to Kvothe’s character and the setting even if they didn’t directly tie in with the main plot line. “The Name of the Wind” should appeal to many readers. Personally, it would be my top recommendation to any fantasy fan, and I believe any person who enjoys that genre would appreciate this novel. Mystery fans also might enjoy it, as there are strong elements of mystique as the reader has to try and puzzle how the Kvothe in the story became the Kvothe of the present. Even if you don’t think you enjoy those genres, you should try this book. As a Quill Award Winner and one of the Publishers’ Weekly Best Books of the Year, “The Name of the Wind” is an amazing and epic story. C

WHAT TO READ NEXT For more books featuring similar themes and ideas, look at these titles. If you enjoyed “The Name of the Wind,” you might enjoy these books also!

MISTBORN BRANDON SANDERSON Street urchin Vin discovers magical powers when she joins a thief crew. THE GOLDEN COMPASS PHILIP PULLMAN Lyra Belacqua tries to bring the magical alethiometer to her father.

THE FIFTH SEASON N.K. JEMISIN Enstranged family members struggle to make their way in a broken world.

AMERICAN GODS NEIL GAIMAN Ex-con Shadow discovers the existence of the Old Gods as they gear up for battle against the New Gods.

THE WAY OF KINGS BRANDON SANDERSON Heroes traverse a fantastical world almost destroyed by the Desolation and filled with ancient magic.

April 2019

crave BOASTFUL TOASTS FOR ANY OCCASION. BY MAZEY PERRY

VERY BERRY TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread Almond Butter 1 handful Raspberries 1 handful Blueberries 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice Sprinkle of Cucumber Rind Shavings Honey Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Pour handfuls of each berry into a small bowl and mix with lemon juice and cucumber shavings until the fruit is covered. Spread almond butter on toast and pour fruit mixture on top. Drizzle honey.

NUTELLA AND BANANA TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread Nutella ½ Banana Honey Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Cut bananas into slices. Spread Nutella on toast and place banana on top. Drizzle honey over the top.

AVOCADO TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread 1 half avocado Pinch of salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Scoop half an avocado into a small bowl. Combine with the salt and garlic powder, and mix until desired consistency. Spread avocado over freshly toasted bread and enjoy.

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Constant

PB AND STRAWBERRY TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread Peanut Butter Strawberry Jam 1 Handful Fresh Strawberries 1 Blueberry Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Cut fresh strawberries into slices. Spread peanut butter and strawberry jam on toast and lay the fresh strawberries on top.

PEAR AND GRANOLA TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread Almond Butter 1 Pear Granola 1 Tablespoon Honey Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Cut pear into thin slices. Spread almond butter on toast and lay the pear on top. Sprinkle a handful of granola on top of pears and drizzle honey over the top.

BLUEBERRY AND PECAN TOAST INGREDIENTS: Whole Wheat Bread Blueberry Jam Crushed Pecans Put bread in the toaster for desired amount of time. Spread and thick layer of blueberry jam on the toast and then sprinkle the crushed pecans on top.

April 2019

MOST FINANCIAL COMPANIES FOCUS ON YOUR INCOME. WE FOCUS ON YOUR OUTCOME. Jeffrey Cohen, MBA, CLU®, CFP® Wealth Management Advisor (734) 323-7421 jeffrey-cohen.com

is proud to support

community high and all

RAINBOW ZEBRAS! New location at

221 W. Liberty St., Downtown Ann Arbor

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Teen Membership at the YMCA ANN ARBOR YMCA Teens aged 12–19 can join the Y for $17 per month and access all the Y has to offer. Get in shape with pick-up basketball, teen yoga, studio cycling, strength and conditioning, free weights and two indoor pools and an indoor track.

The Y is open 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends, so, no matter what your schedule, there’s time to hang out at the Y.

Not into sports? Our Youth in Government program provides opportunities to get involved with governmental processes (including a three-day trip to Lansing!) and Youth Volunteer Corps gets you involved with service in your community during the school year and all summer long.

For more information, go to www.annarborymca.org, call 734.996.9622 or stop by after school.

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April 2019

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OUR DONORS

Thank you for making our magazine and website possible. STUDENT SPONSORS Ariella and Sergey Shikanov Judi Hoffman Henry Holcomb Gene Senn Corry Berkooz Miguel Clement Anne Heise Zack Schueler Kathy Scarnecchia Matthew Toschley Kelly Stupple Christine Kelley Leo Kupperman James Eddy Carlos Fiori Calvin Shaw Arlo Durgy Wolf Family FRIEND SPONSORS Ken Hornack Carolyn Herrmann Izzie Lenhardt Steve and Jennifer Bentley Troy and Stephanie Ramser Laura Fader Melissa Blair Alison Miller Rachel Kuiper Bethany Veilleux Linda Stingl Debbie Whelan Jennifer and Hershel Moss Danielle Mihalko Lisa Markman Nathan Morris Laurence Margolis Cynthia Gabriel Sue Ann Savas Christina DeGeorge and Cassandra Zrull Robert and Nancy Vrooman

SILVER DONORS Todd Plotner Judi Goblet Zoe Espinosa Jones-Perpich Family Russ and Linda Hill Hannibal Family Brian Eidelman Linda Sattler Nancy Nelson Valerie Mates Mary Jones Carrie Letke Karen Andrews Tina and Kevin Budzinski Bogart Family Benjamin Roush John Umbriac Terry Caldwell Ruth Moscow-Cohen Maria Esposito Sharron and Ray Gibaratz Jacob Silva Dawn Yerkes Stephen O’Rielly Molly Bazzani Grace Jensen Karen Clark GOLD DONORS Capuano and Skiver Family Emma Hoffman Seltzer and Shore Family Debbie and Roger Espinosa Wenyu Bai Coleen Schmader Alice Collins-Thompson Aniko Bahr Terrance and Carol Groening Dave and Lisa Kohn Akria and Akiko Ono Thomas-Palmer Family

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CHICAGO, IL — The Communicator meets at the Hyatt lobby in Chicago at the National High School Journalist Conference on Oct. 31–Nov. 3, hosted by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) and the Journalism Education Association (JEA). They attended several breakout sessions to grow as journalists and photographers. The Communicator left Chicago with two awards: First Place Best in Show for both our magazine and our website.

April 2019

THE

Schoolboy Q (feat. Vince Staples) Ride Out BY ISAAC MCKENNA, JORDAN DE PADOVA BRENAN DIONNE AND ELLA EDELSTEIN

Houndmouth

Circa Waves

Arlie

Houndmouth’s Sedona is a lasting masterpiece. It moves from the whistling of wind and a quiet guitar into a driving verse, where loud and shouted vocals add to a warm instrumental backdrop. The song takes its time, utilizing a slow tempo and long verses to build into a full song. Then, just as the listener might have begun to get bored, “Sedona” explodes into a rock anthem, with roaring guitars and aggressive vocals that feel beautifully tied to the rest of the song. With a halftime outro, the slow and slightly dissonant fade at the end feels fitting.

Upbeat rockers Circa Waves have a new release, and it is definitely a more defined sound. “Movies” features their classic crunchy-yet-clean guitar sound, and with an upbeat feel and nostalgic lyrics, it’s a perfect song to listen to as the days grow warmer. It is also a good single to introduce you to their latest album.

“Water Damage” is simultaneously aggressive and wavey, overwhelming and contained. It tells a story of a devastated phone owner who has jumped into a pool, forgetting that their phone was in their pocket. The loud choruses and quiet verses provide dynamic changes that keep the song daneable, and Arlie’s satire keeps it fun.

Sedona

Schoolboy Q and Vince Staples team up on a speaker-rattling anthem. “Ride Out” doubles as an ode to the L.A. — the rappers’ hometown — and as a ransom note signed in blood; the energy the duo brings to the track is gritty and aggressive. It opens with an unsettling laugh that cuts to an equally disorienting bassline. The beat continues to build; it’s loud, percussion-heavy and intimidating. On a hot day, no matter where you are, this song can make you feel like you’re on Rodeo Dr. It is confident, almost cocky, and Schoolboy Q and Vince Staples’ unapologetic and reckless lyrics make you want to drive slow with the windows down.

The Communicator Magazine

Constant

Movies

Water Damage

Corrlinks and Jpay Kodak Black

This surprisingly refined track of off Kodak Black’s “Painting Pictures.” Kodak sounds calm and calculated, losing his trademark whine for a deeper, more slurred delivery. His novel flow meshes well with the spacey instrumental that seems to envelop his lyrics. Diverging further from his past work, the instrumental is minimally percussive and Kodak’s lyrics are comparatively down-to-earth, pertaining to his time in and out of the Broward County Jail.

6LACK Switch

6LACK’s smooth vocals effortlessly float over a washed out and uptempo beat. He sounds detached and distant; He’s sick of people switching up on him, in fact, he’d like to switch places with his loved ones as well as his doubters so they can, even if only for a moment, know how he feels. 6lack’s mild selfishness and desperate yearning for some empathy is soberingly jaded but at the same time oddly refreshing.

Andy Shauf To You

Perhaps the most vulnerable song on his album “The Party” – a recollection of events from one single night – Andy Shauf’s “To You,” is a clumsy confession of love: platonic, romantic or something uncomfortably in-between. This confession is ultimately unsuccessful and ends as awkwardly as it began. By the end of the song, Shauf, with his unmistakable vowel rounding and timidness, tries to take back everything he has spilled: “Oh, I don’t know what I mean / It sounded wrong and I’m just tired / Not being weird / I just mean that you’re a good friend/ It’s hard to explain/ Just forget I said anything.”

Better Oblivion Community Center Dylan Thomas

Off of Phoebe Bridgers’ and Colin Oberst’s first collaborative album, “Dylan Thomas” is a testament to the skill of each artist and their power together. The dynamic between the two musicians’ voices is strong, with beautiful harmonies. “Dylan Thomas” is a song to satisfy pure indie rock craving.

bit.ly/playlistapril2019

April 2019

1000 Words BY iO SOUCY

Naming it “Spooky house,” or “The Miller house,” Emma Zielinski could tell that the abandoned house had been there for years. Walking by the house with her sister, she had never thought of exploring the inside content. She had walked the perimeters of the front yard, backyard and the land surrounding the property countless times, yet was intimidated by the rundown mess of the building, feeling the coldness coming from inside. On a stiff afternoon with Thea Rowe, Zielinski put the fear aside and entered the house for the first time. “It was very cold,” Zielinski said. “It smells like old books. You get this weird tingly feeling on the back of your neck because there is so much that was left behind. There were still books on the shelves and stuffed animals in the bedrooms, and it felt like there was something still there.” The lighting coming from the doorway was coming in on Rowe’s face in a way that Zielinski couldn’t look away. Focusing on the entryway and her subject, she captured a moment in which displays the abandonment as well as the once comforting emotions of the house. “Everything that had been left behind is what makes a home,” Zielinski said. “I loved the way the light came in through the broken windows and the oldness of the building.” Zielinski has been taking photos over the duration of her high school career, mainly sticking to film photography; being introduced to film photography her freshman year introduced her to a whole new plane of photography skills. As mainstream photography has integrated to mainly digital, she believes that there is something intimate with the process that goes into creating a film print. “I fell in love [with film photography] immediately,” Zielinski said. “There is something so beautifully old about film and the work that goes into it. Whenever I take pictures, I feel close to them because of all the work that went into making it come out right. It’s like a dance that I do with the photos. You’re so involved in them and it makes them more yours and makes you more theirs.” Recently accepted into The Neutral Zone art show, Potential, for the third year in a row, Zielinski is appreciative of the opportunity of being able to show her work again. Potential is an art show curated through The Neutral Zone that is open to all high schoolers in Washtenaw County. Being a part of a judged art show gives young artists to “feel special in their artwork,” as this is not a common opportunity for artistic youth. “When you’re involved in a big show, you are reminded that there are so many other kids that create the same way you do,” Zielinski said. “I feel that it’s full of cool opportunities to meet other artists and to feel like your work is incredibly special.”

The Communicator Magazine

April 2019

GETAWAY B E R L I N 3 60

The Communicator Magazine

Constant

BY ISABEL ESPINOSA PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZOE ESPINOSA

2 1. MEMORIAL TO THE MURDERED JEWS OF EUROPE

3. THE BERLIN WALL

This memorial spans nearly 4.7 acres on one city block. Designed by New York architect Peter Eisenman, the memorial is comprised of 2711 concrete slabs of varying heights aligned in rows at an angle to the roads. The memorial was designed to pay respects to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Beneath the memorial, in an underground “place of information,” sits the names to approximately three million Holocaust victims.

Now broken into sections around the world, what remains of the Berlin Wall is very powerful. Due to deterioration of the wall over time, visitors to the wall can now see the interior structure of the wall, and understand how the construction project could be completed in a short time.

2. POSTDAM

Potsdam is a small city of the edge of Berlin that is still accessible by the Berlin transit system. This city is full to the brim with large palaces and houses that are too beautiful to fully capture on camera. One of these palaces was the summer palace of Frederick the Great, and seen in the picture is just a small section of the ballroom covered from floor to ceiling in seashells. Another picture is a Roman inspire farmhouse. The last is a cozy river. One day just isn’t enough to experience the magic of the small city with rich history.

4. VICTORY COLUMN

The Victory Column was erected to celebrate the victory of Prussia in the Franco-German war. It is one of the more popular attractions of Berlin, located in the heart of the Tiergarten. From the top of the observation deck visitors can witness a 360° view of the whole city. 5. THE WALL MUSEUM

The image that inspired this statue is of young East Berlin soldier, Conrad Schumann, jumping over barbed wire, where the wall would soon be erected into West Berlin. It stands at the entrance to a touring company that takes visitors into the remaining bunkers and tunnels that exist below Berlin today.

5 April 2019

OurTurn:OnTakingAction BY MAZEY PERRY

“I think climate is an issue that’s all-encompassing. All of the social justice issues that matter to me… climate change affects all of them. If you think about what communities are being impacted [by climate change] that nobody wants to talk about, it’s marginalized communities and poor communities. It’s communities that aren’t given the spotlight, and that aspect of it is so important. It’s not something in the future that we are waiting for. This is right now. We need to be working on it right now. I ended up speaking at the Washtenaw County Climate Strike, and it was crazy. I have never spoken in front of that many people before or had that sort of organizational role in anything. It was super scary, but an extremely positive experience. My heart was so full at the end of it.”

- Paige Duff

“I am part of B-Side at the Neutral Zone, which is a booking committee. The reason I got involved was just to play shows, but now it’s starting to grow into something that’s a little different for me. It’s becoming something where I see a lot of apathy in teenagers. They listen to a lot of music, but a lot of it is top 50 just because it’s so accessible and easy to stream. People only go to see huge national touring acts and so smaller artists are losing value. I see all my friends perform amazing music and art and I just think that deserves to be valued. I just want people to value going to see someone that they don’t know play, or perform, or read. The idea that someone has to be on billboards and signed to a huge record label or whatever to be good is ridiculous. So I try to book acts that aren’t as well known and are interesting, and have people come out to shows. I guess I’m just trying to expand teenagers’ involvement in live music and art of all kinds.”

- Isaac Mckenna

“I have been interested in politics my whole life. My extended family is very conservative and I consider myself a democratic socialist, so obviously we are very different. It has always been a topic of conversation and I have always disagreed with a lot of what my family members have said, and that has led me to research issues and learn more. I started interning for Abdul El-Sayed for his campaign for governor and then I was able to get promoted to different positions in the campaign. Right now I am the national coordinator for Women’s March Youth Empower. We have about 200 chapters around the country and my job is to be the point person. I do leadership training with people who run chapters and communicate with them to see what Women’s March can do to help them.”

- Roxie Richner

The Communicator Magazine

Constant

LAST

THING Ben Chambers

CHS SENIOR REFLECTS ON THE LAST THINGS HE EXPERIENCED. When was the last time you got frustrated about something? Definitely today. I get frustrated about things all the time. I mean sometimes I just think about the current state of the world and then become incredibly frustrated for long periods of time. But I got good at distracting myself.

When was the last time you stood up for something you cared about? I’m really bad about that. I care about lots of things, but I’m very bad about actually doing things about it because I discourage myself very easily. I have been to a few gun control rallies. I speak out actively when people are saying total bullsh*t. I tend to shut it down.

What was the last book you read? The Great Gatsby.

What’s the last thing you felt really passionate about?

I’ve done a few things that had to do with protesting the Line 5 Pipeline that they are going to be putting to through the Mackinaw Straight. And that got shot down two weeks ago. The attorney general was just like, “Yep this is unconstitutional.”

When was the last time you read the news? Long long time ago, but I listen to the news on the radio every day. That’s how I tend to stay informed.

When was the last time you got in trouble? A few years ago when I got a B in jazz.

When was the last time your opinion differed with someone else’s?

Again, definitely today. I have very strong opinions that tend to differ from other people’s a lot of times, and if it does I tend to let them know about it. That is one of the things I’m good at.

ART BY CY VEILLEUX