FEAUTURE
When my family immigrated to Venezuela to escape religious persecution in the 1930s, Venezuela was a thriving country. Rich in oil and gold, its natural resources were abundant, which led to a wealthy nation on the rise. Up until the mid to late 1980s, Venezuela was a great place to live. Yet today, millions are suffering due to political corruption, which has turned the nation into a hub of crime and poverty.
How can one of the most prosperous countries- rich in natural resources, culture and sights- turn into one of the most dangerous countries in the world, over the span of 10 years?
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Long, draping stone cloths and wide soaring wings contrast a long empty hallway; the Winged Nike of Samothrace — a Greek statue — stands alone, stripped from the island of Samothrace thousands of centuries ago. Winged Nike, among other stolen pieces, has been at the forefront of a recent controversy: artwork repatriation. Referring to the return of stolen cultural art to their countries of origin, repatriation is a topic that impacts different cultures around the world. For thousands of years, people have expressed their spirituality and cultural beliefs through the creation of art. In the dawn of imperialism, powerful nations longed to expand their influence and resources, conquering various cultures, as well as their treasured art.
Through imperialism and colonialism — motivated by the spread of various religions and political beliefs — nations across the globe were reshaped. Substantial aspects of cultures were stripped, including art. From European explorers deconstructing the Parthenon in Athens to Adolf Hitler scheming to steal “degenerate” art, the practice of removing art is heavily tied to the entirety of world history.
It was not until the 1950s when the stark truths of colonization and war crimes began to be exposed and a broad desire for restitution emerged. Twenty years after the fact, a collective effort was put in place to repatriate. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization convention created a permanent intergovernmental committee that facilitates the return of stolen art and cultural property. These attempts at repatriation have largely been directed at the British Museum and other popular art institutions because they derive the most profit from keeping stolen art. Artworks like the Benin Bronzes, which were looted from Nigeria by British soldiers in 1897, are spread across several prominent museums and have been called for return.
However, these incidents are not isolated internationally since they occur in the United States as well. During the boom of archaeological science in the 1800s, thousands of unknown indigenous graves were excavated. Ancestral remains and art stolen from these graves majorly reside in museums, which Indigenous Americans took a stand against. In 1990, Congress responded with the passing of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), returning more than 1.7 million grave goods and sacred objects to their original homes.
Some argue this legislation is not enough. Joely Proudfit, director of the California Indian Culture at California State University San Marcos, spoke to the San Diego Union-Tribune regarding the faults of NAGPRA.
“Unfortunately, loopholes have been used for many years to slow down the return of materials or to try to rationalize maintaining those materials by splitting hairs over what is defined as ‘human remains’ and ‘funerary objects.’ NAGPRA is a good start, but it doesn’t go far enough, because all cultural items should be returned to tribal communities. If the tribe wants it back, they should have it back,” Proudfit said.
Jackie Swift, the repatriation manager for the National Museum of the American Indian, claims these artifacts should only reside in their origin country.
“Because of our policy and principle, there should be no [cultural objects] under our stewardship; they should all be returned to their original place. We don’t use the term ‘art’ [when discussing the return of stolen objects] because they were never supposed to be art, they were supposed to be with the native people for their burial sight and afterlife. No one gave consent for them to be taken,” said Swift.
Expressing historical hardships across different cultures, art creates a means to remember and learn from the past. Lauren Bartone, an Advanced Placement Art History (APAH) teacher, notes that it is easy to see art as something of the past.
“It’s easy to forget that everything in a museum got there somehow — it wasn’t born there. Museums were built by countries to protect a certain kind of identity or build a certain kind of history, and that history is always constructed. It doesn’t just happen,” Bartone said. “The role of art in these institutions has a complicated history, and for a long time, we’ve ignored it. In the past 10 years, there have been significant worldwide efforts to rethink colonialism and look at the broader impacts of colonialism on art.”
Many believe that cultural objects belong to those that created them, as they are a crucial part of national identity. Meanwhile, others are against repatriation, arguing that the origin countries do not have adequate facilities to house art pieces. This could be from poverty or armed conflict, which makes it hard to receive repatriated materials. Additionally, they argue that these universal museums enable a variety of art to be seen by large sums of people. With no clear legislation, art enthusiasts and curators are left to argue among themselves.
Senior and APAH student Avery McGovern claims art stripped from its original home would be a “nightmare” to see in museums.
“Taking a walk through the British museum would be a reminder of the violence and oppression that so many cultures had to endure as a result of colonialism. It should be no secret that artwork played a huge part in Europe’s dark history and [in order] for us to start anew, we should be returning all of these artworks,” McGovern said.
The 2021-2022 college application process has finally come to a close, and seniors are now deciding on their next steps. Many of whom will be moving outside of California, where the geography and weather will be different. According to Naviance, 62.35 percent of the Redwood class of 2022 will attend college outside of California. In addition, according to a May 2022 Bark survey, 67 percent of Redwood students have lived in California for the majority of their lives, meaning they’ve mostly experienced the mild winters that California has. But for many, more intense winters await, along with the potential for severe mental health issues.
According to Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as Seasonal Depression, is a type of mental illness that is triggered by the change of seasons, most commonly during the winter months. SAD often comes with symptoms of sadness and lack of energy, along with other symptoms identified in regular depression. With such a large percentage of the graduating class leaving California and moving to states with drastic weather changes, SAD is becoming relevant.
Mayo Clinic claims that cases of SAD are typically found in colder states with gray winters and long absences of sunlight. The cause of SAD tends to be an individual’s biological clock change, as when one is in an environment with less sunlight, their biological clock shifts. This internal clock regulates your mood, sleep and hormones and when the clock shifts, it disrupts one’s daily schedule, making it difficult to adjust to the changes in sunlight which can lead to depression.
2021 Redwood alumna Eloise Reese attends the University of Oregon and has experienced the impact of SAD. Having lived in California for the majority of her youth after moving from Connecticut, Reese admits to taking California’s weather for granted. When applying to college, Reese considered weather as a factor, but did not understand its significance. She also notes that the weather plays a significant role in one’s college experience and while it might not detract from the academic aspects of a school, it is something important to keep in mind.
“I had no idea how much the weather affected me. I’ve always loved [the] rain, but the more time I’ve spent in constantly rainy places, the more I’ve learned how much I appreciate the sun,” Reese said. “I did take [the weather] into account, but I didn’t really mind [it too much] and didn’t think it would cause as much difficulty as it did.”
Kelly Rohan, a professor of psychology at the University of Vermont, researches SAD and further explains its impact on college students. Rohan told the Boston University Radio WBUR-FM in an interview that the change in light is what causes the mood change. Rohan’s research supports Reese’s testimony: When an individual goes from experiencing longer, brighter days to shorter, colder ones, it makes them feel less productive and at times lazy, which can send them into a depressive state.
Individuals in a state of depression may develop bad habits that can sometimes be the cause of entering an even deeper depression. According to Harvard Health research, it has been shown that those in a depression will only continue to worsen as they continue unhealthy eating and exercising habits; rejecting healthy foods such as salads and protein with a glass of water, for endless bags of Doritos and slices of pizza with a Coca Cola to wash it down. In addition, exercise can be very helpful in improving systems of depression. Exercise is proven to release endorphins, which activates senses of happiness in the brain. Those in a depressive state are proven to be less motivated to workout, which leads to the cycle of depression continuing further and further into a deeper hole.
Rohan has witnessed this sort of cycling behavior. She additionally discovered that Rohan there are demographic disparities in who is affected by SAD.
“Women are particularly susceptible — much more so than men. At least two times the number of women as men suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder,” Rohan said.
While the reason behind this finding isn’t well understood by scientists yet, Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones, a women’s health expert at the University of Utah, has a theory. Jones stated that the disparity may be because of estrogen that women are found to experience SAD more frequently.
“Some researchers have suggested that reduced sunlight can affect serotonin levels, a brain hormone that affects mood,” Jones said. “Fluctuating estrogens, which women have and men don’t so much, also affect serotonin. It can upset our circadian rhythms, which can be associated with depression.”
Scientists are beginning to hypothesize solutions. Jones believes that light therapy could be crucial in helping the symptoms of SAD. He claims that women who use phytotherapy, or bright light therapy in the morning, have decreased symptoms by up to 85 percent. The lights work by imitating the warmth and ultraviolet light projected by the sun when the sun is absent. Using these lights allow those in darker places to feel the presence of sun even while it is absent.
For the current seniors who will be attending college outside of California, understanding what SAD is may be helpful in preventing developing the condition. For those experiencing SAD, the use of light therapy can help, but research suggests that maintaining a schedule with healthy eating and working habits can also play a huge part in minimizing the effects of SAD.
The phrase “mental retardation” was a medical term used in the 1900s to describe those who were neurodiverse or physically disabled. The term “retarded” comes from the French and Latin word “retardare,” which means to delay, make slow or hold back. Since the 20th century, the word has expanded past the medical community into everyday life as a synonym for “stupid” or “incapable.” The underlying intent of the word has become increasingly derogatory and has fostered negative stereotypes regarding intellectually or physically disabled persons, deeming them incapable and lesser than the average person. According to a January 2022 Bark survey, 44 percent of Redwood students heard the r-slur used at least a few times a week either in a casual conversation or in a derogatory manner. Given the demeaning nature of the slur, many find statistics such as these to be quite upsetting.
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BREAKING THE SILENCE: PUTTING AN END TO SEXUAL ASSAULT IN MARIN
For decades, Marin County has been considered one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes and redwood trees, the county is seen by many as a perfect bubble, shielded from the real world. However, while Marin may have its luxuries drawing people to live here, the county is not as sheltered from harm as many believe. Sexual assault is a serious issue that is prevalent in the San Francisco suburb.In today's fashion world, gendered clothing and accessories seem to be fluidly fluid. High-couture fashion houses are embracing this, blurring the lines between gender stereotypes. This empowerment from embracing femininity in menswear is not a newfound trend; it is simply more visible now due to the evolving societal climate that allows individuals to express themselves authentically.
For years, hundreds of sexual assault cases have been reported in the county, with 522 cases per 100,000 people in 2011. In comparison, in 2020, the national rate of rapes per 100,000 people was 38.4. In response to these high rates in Marin, many people across the area have taken a stance against sexual assault and are outraged that high school administrators seem to take little action to mitigate the issue.
One Marin activist, 2021 Archie Williams High School graduate Annabel Smith, has spent the past few years bringing awareness to the issue in her community. According to Smith, despite the many sexual assault cases in Marin, there is not always acknowledgment of the subject.
“I think [sexual assault] is being swept under the rug because despite how liberal Marin County is — it is still like every other place in the world: male-dominated,” Smith said.
Smith took a stand on Sept. 22, 2021, when she posted a list of teenagers, including several Redwood students, she claimed to be sexual predators in Marin. Smith then encouraged followers to send in names they claimed to be predators. Although no one on this list has been legally convicted, according to Smith, all accusations are public and she was meticulous about which names were posted. She believed the most efficient way to inform her peers about this pressing issue was by making this post on her Instagram story.
Smith has seen how sexual abuse has destroyed the lives of many of her close friends, sending them into bouts of depression and other mental health issues. This topic reaches an even more personal level to Smith, as she herself is a victim of sexual assault being raped in eighth grade. Since then, she has dedicated her time to addressing sexual assault by partaking in clubs that are aimed to help victims, both in and outside of school. Smith and her friends’ experiences have urged her to spread more awareness about the issue.
One main problem Smith has identified is that many young women experience rape and or sexual assault, not realizing it has happened until months after the fact, something Smith experienced herself. She believes this adds a layer of complexity to dealing with sexual assault because it takes away any sort of timeliness to deal with a case of assault. According to a research review of over 28 studies by The Sage Journals, 60.4 percent of women who experienced sexual assault did not initially recognize their experience as rape, despite their account fitting the exact definition. The reason many victims do not recognize what happened to them may be due to how unsettling and traumatic the situation was. According to the Canada Department of Justice, trauma can affect and impair the processing of memories.
“I was raped, and I didn’t understand what [had] happened until late my sophomore year. I always had this pent-up trauma since eighth grade, and I never knew for the longest time why I was so scared to be touched by someone or to talk to any boys,” Smith said.
Her own experiences motivated her to make these posts, in which she hoped to spread more awareness. Gaining over 8,000 views and more than 250 responses on the post, this goal was accomplished. Her post sparked discussion and drew attention from all around Marin County.
Charlotte Rudolph was among over 100 teenagers in Marin who came forward and named a predator to Smith after viewing her post. Rudolph believes that the secrecy around the issue of sexual assault in Marin is in part due to the immense wealth in the area.
“Money definitely [causes silence],” Rudolph said. “The more money you have, the more power you have. A lot of people are afraid to go to court because their family [might not be] as wealthy as other families in Marin and they know they don’t have the lawyers and they will lose.”
The lack of access to lawyers is only one part of the economic disparities that allow for abuse to go underreported. The financial burden placed on the victims is staggering. According to a 2014 report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 per victim. This estimate included medical costs, lost work productivity among victims and victim property loss or damage.
Smith has her own beliefs as to why this sexual assault in Marin persists, but some students have another theory: the lack of relevant and useful consent education at schools in Marin County.
A junior at Marin Catholic High School, referred to as “Sarah” for anonymity, experienced sexual assault. To help address situations like hers and Smith’s, Sarah says that school presentations need to be modified. To her, they are not effective as they fail to discuss real-life situations, leading students to only hear of exaggerated versions of sexual assault.
“Guys need to hear scenarios that are actually happening. I feel like a lot of the time, [men think] sexual assault is when a girl is kidnapped and her head is banged against the wall, but that’s not the majority of these cases,” Sarah said.
In reality, according to the British Broadcasting Center, more than 90 percent of rape and sexual assault victims knew their attacker before the incident occurred, which Sarah claims is vital information for teens to know. She also mentions the importance of recognizing the threat of sexual assault in a party situation.
Roughly half of the sexual assaults committed on college campuses involve situations in which the perpetrator, the victim or both had consumed alcohol. Additionally, according to the Maryland Collaborative newspaper, victims sexually assaulted after drinking report higher levels of self-blame and often fear that others will not believe them or that they will be blamed for the assault.
“It’s really important for [teen boys] to hear, ‘When you’re at a party and a girl is over-drinking, that’s not your cue to make a move at all,’” Sarah said.
The unsettling number of current Redwood students who were on Smith’s list caused a surge of confusion and discussion amongst the Redwood community. The Wellness Center recognizes the prevalence of sexual assault at school and its lingering effects. They are aiming to improve education and awareness by working with Peer Resource, a student leadership class designated to educate students about mental and sexual health. The Wellness Center also has a new curriculum they present to freshman Social Issues classes called affirmative consent. It explains that unless a partner explicitly says “yes,” you do not have their consent. Wellness coordinator for the Tam Union High School District (TUHSD) Jessica Colvin believes that adding affirmative consent to the curriculum is a positive change.
“For a lot of young people, these are some of their first sexual experiences, and I want them to be safe and neutral. I want everyone to feel like they have a voice and that they’re being asked if they’re comfortable and if this is what they want to be doing, instead of [having partners] making assumptions about what they think someone wants,” Colvin said. “Everyone has the right to decide what another person can do or say [with] their body, and they can change their mind at any time.”
However, there is still a lack of accurate depictions and education about consent within school programs. Senior Molly Pitts, a second-year Peer Resource student, expresses that the services available at Redwood still need improvements.
“I’m confident in saying that everyone has room to grow and learn how to better support each other. I don’t think [sexual assault] is a topic that’s going to be fixed overnight. That’s for sure. Taking little steps is how we’re going to cover ground on this together,” Pitts said.
Pitts claims that despite this conversation being a tough one to have, it is necessary — which was exactly what Smith aimed to do. When she posted the names of accused perpetrators, she wanted to destigmatize the conversation of sexual assault and to allow victims to feel safer about coming forward. Smith hopes to end the overwhelming backlash and questions victims often face including many of the victims who came forward on the Instagram posts. Although victims were kept anonymous, Smith recalled that multiple girls who had contributed to the names of the perpetrators on the post had people swarming them and bartering them with questions, asking, “What really happened?”
Bringing up a victim’s trauma can be incredibly triggering, especially if this trauma is being invalidated. Senior Jenna Benyon has witnessed those close to her experience sexual assault, and since then has educated herself on the issue. She describes the situation Smith references as “mob mentality,” where a victim comes out with an allegation, and many people will bring up the victim’s trauma to test the “truthfulness” of the accusations.
“[The mob mentality] makes girls at Redwood especially afraid to stand up for what’s [right] because so many people allow [this mob] to happen and think it’s normal,” Benyon said.
According to Smith, factors such as “mob mentality” have allowed sexual assault to persist for far too long. Additionally, according to TUHSD superintendent Tara Taupier, under the Trump administration, national changes to Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs, might further discourage victims from coming forward. Those accused of sexual assault must now provide the administration with the name of the accuser and submit to questioning about that person in an investigation.
“A lot of victims don’t want to necessarily go through that kind of process. It feels very invasive to many people. I think the changes could have a chilling effect on people reporting. [Sexual assault] is a really difficult thing to report. That kind of exposure can feel really out of your control during a time when feeling in control is very important,” Taupier said.
A Title IX confidential reporting form affiliated with the TUHSD district is available, but according to Taupier, not everyone might be aware of it. Additionally, under Title IX, reports must be filed within six months of the date of the incident or the date that the victim learned of the incident. Taupier believes six months is too short a time frame.
“I think everyone processes trauma differently, and for some people, it takes them longer to talk to anybody about it or to process it themselves in a way that they feel like they can actually tell us about,” Taupier said.
Although the superintendent has the power to grant extensions, and the administration has never refused to investigate a report, Taupier worries that the official short time frame could still discourage people from coming forward.
To overcome these barriers, the action Benyon and other students encourage is to hold our peers accountable. Students like Pitts and Benyon claim that if the administration is not doing all they can to help victims, students must speak up and seek a solution themselves.
If you or someone you know is or has been a victim of sexual assault, the Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673 and the confidential reporting form is available at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeC4wbU19iadyFYS5__h40V6_lHmIiPi0ZmrEFVtQETsTG5Jw/viewform.