Coronavirus changing my life
Posted on June 11, 2020 by Melisa Lovos in Op-Ed
Melisa Lovos
Crimson Chronicle Reporter
My take on Covid-19
Posted on June 11, 2020 by Julia Rouillard in Op-Ed
Julia Rouillard
Chronicle Reporter
Making Sense of Coronavirus
Posted on June 8, 2020 by Maria Hernandez in Op-Ed
Maria Hernandez
Chronicle Reporter
We really aren’t the “Land of the Free”…
Posted on May 30, 2020 by Guadalupe Dominguez in Op-Ed
Guadalupe Dominguez
Chronicle Reporter
It was 5:06 p.m. when I heard approximately sixteen LAPD vehicles. I already knew where they were headed: the Fairfax District. Not even a minute later I heard the sirens of ambulances and the chuff of the helicopters above. I have lived in Mid-City for seventeen years and in all those years never have I heard the sirens for LAPD vehicles for more than ten minutes,today was different.
May 25th was the day George Floyd, an African American man died under the knee of Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin, for an alleged “bad check”(keyword: alleged). For many black people, African Americans, and people of color this was the last straw. In the past years many can assure you more than a hundred African Americans have been killed unlawfully.
May 29th I scrolled through Twitter like every other day and came across the trending words “Pan Pacific Park”. Clicking on it I saw the poster of the peaceful protest planned out for May 30th at 12 p.m. to bring attention to the unjustified death of Floyd.
May 30th and here we are, all news channels ,english and spanish, are reporting on the protests in Los Angeles. “Violence erupts in Los Angeles amid protests over death of George Floyd”, ABC 7 reports while KTLA reports “Here’s video of the police car burning in the Fairfax district area”. But not a single report shows how the protests began, not a single news channel reports on the thousands who took a seat in the Fairfax district area and had their fists up
while chanting “Black Lives Matter Here”. And that is the problem with today’s world. Our so called leaders,our so called voices in the media only show and see one side of the problem. It may have started to bring justice to the family of George Floyd but today we see that we are once again raising our voices to bring attention to the fact that racism is still a virus among us. These protests are necessary because we may be in 2020 but the laws, views, and our president seem to be stuck in an era of inequality. The system was made to serve those who created it.
Today I am skeptical about the real intentions of the Mayor, who in response to the protests has closed down COVID-19 testing sites and has created a curfew for the city of Los Angeles. Today I lost the remaining respect I have for LAPD officials, you may say you protect us but in reality you are at fault for this chaos. Today I came to the realization that in order to maintain power over us you play the victim. Today I believe that at this point protesting peacefully isn’t enough. Today I realized that in the year 2020 we aren’t as progressive as we say.Today I realized that America isn’t “The land of the free”.
Today I ask the community that is Hollywood High to educate yourselves. We may be teens but we can be the beginning of the end of racism.
I am writing this to say that as a first generation Mexican American I am with my Black/African American peers at school, in my community, in my state, and in my country because Black Lives Matter. And I am hoping you will stand for those who suffer everyday and whose voices aren’t heard. We need to take action because any of our names could be on the posters of protesters.
It’s 7:09 p.m. as I finish writing this and I can still hear the sirens of LAPD vehicles.
If you could not go out to show your support the BLM movement feel free click the following link which includes petitions to sign, other links to donate, resources, and information for protesters:
Many online jobs are available for teens
Posted on May 19, 2020 by Melisa Lovos in Op-Ed
Melisa Lovos
Chronicle Reporter
As we are all staying at home during this pandemic, for our own safety and that of the people around us, we are becoming more and more tired and disappointed with not having much to look forward to for the summer, for the week, or even for the next day.
Summer break is coming in a couple of weeks, meaning we will be free of online classes, free of all the homework assigned to us by all of our teachers, and free of tests. Just as AP Exams are coming to an end, and final projects and exams are also a few weeks from being due, we will all have a bit more time on our hands to do more than homework all day.
There are many opportunities for adolescents, for those graduating high school and even those who still have a year or two left. For example, working from home, now that we are stuck at home, is a great way to earn and save some money, for whatever may happen in the future. Whether you want to help out your parents with the family costs or wish to use the money you earn by saving up for the future- college, or even moving out of your parent’s house, working from home is a great way to do something productive in your free time.
We all had to cancel plans, we lost opportunities, we had to find new ways to spend our time and continue working on school, our futures, our health, and our relationships. But it is important to continue thinking about the future, and a great way to do this is by saving up for the more opportunities that can come your way.
Some jobs available that can be easily found online are, writing articles online, completing online surveys, becoming a call reviewer, becoming an English tutor, working as a Customer Service Representative, creating and selling your own designs online, proofreading other people’s work, becoming a brand ambassador, and if you have a drivers license- becoming a food delivery driver. The best way to start is by creating a personalized resume to show the employers more about you.
One more show to add to your must-watch list
Posted on May 4, 2020 by Guadalupe Dominguez in Entertainment, Op-Ed
Guadalupe Dominguez
Chronicle Reporter
The world may be at a halt but Netflix continues to entertain us with new releases. On Mon. April 27 the Netflix original created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever, premiered worldwide.
Never Have I Ever follows the life of Devi Vishwakumar, played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who is a first-generation Indian American attending high school in Southern California. Though Devi doesn’t have much to worry about when it comes to school, as she is a straight-A student, losing her virginity and climbing the social ladder at school becomes her obsession. While going through with her obsession she also tries to block out her father’s sudden death at her school concert which left her paralyzed from the waist down for weeks.
The show based on Mindy Kaling’s childhood did not disappoint. It was well casted with actors fitting the diverse characters. Never Have I Ever is not only relatable to first-generation Indian Americans but all children of immigrant parents. Like many first generations, there is a period in which we either deny or don’t appreciate our culture. The show also focuses on mental health and attending therapy, a known ‘tabu’ in immigrant culture. After finishing the show it is safe to say that everyone can somehow relate to one character, if it’s not Devi, there is Fabiola Torres who throughout the season struggles to come out to her parents, and Eleanor Wong whose mother left her twice throughout the season to pursue her acting career. From my point of view Never Have I Ever not only follows the life of Devi but also the life of every first-generation child of an immigrant.
If you are looking for a relatable teen drama, Never Have I Ever is definitely your best choice.
A shoutout to the Golden Age
Posted on May 4, 2020 by America Flores-Hernandez in Entertainment, Features, Op-Ed
America Flores-Hernandez
Chronicle Editor and Reporter
In Ryan Murphy’s new Netflix series “Hollywood”, viewers get a glimpse of the glamour and excitement that buzzed in the still growing Hollywood entertainment industry. Taking place post-WWII during the golden age of filmmaking, the story follows Jack Castello, a young army veteran who moves into Los Angeles with his expecting wife, hoping to make ends meet for his future family by participating as an extra in films made by ACE Studios, which is a call out to all the successful studios of the time period.
Alongside the Jack, the series follows the lives of other aspiring actors and filmmakers willing to do almost anything to make their showbiz dreams come true.
The show tackles both sides of the struggles a person would take on to survive and flourish in an industry that was not very accepting as it seemed. Alongside that the writers take into account issues that people in our everyday lives would face: understanding our needs, acceptance of sexuality, the slow validation of mental health, and learning how to believe in yourself when you think it’s you against the world.
From a personal perspective, I think it’s quite the time to be alive knowing that there’s a series that explores how Hollywood could have managed to create a film where even the most hopeless dreams became a reality when the person on the highest pedestal of the hierarchy of film entertainment understood the power of his and her privilege – and used it for something positive and uplifting.
With a diverse cast, stunning and accurate visuals, and as well as a thrilling plot, viewers should consider watching Hollywood as something to watch during this quarantine, given that the series’ plot at times makes us question the what-ifs of human ambition.
This pandemic is affecting us all around the world
Posted on April 30, 2020 by Melisa Lovos in Op-Ed
Melisa Lovos
Chronicle Reporter
People all around the world are suffering from the Coronavirus pandemic. Not only due to the virus itself and the fact that it is causing so many deaths all around the world, but due to the economic situation in the households. This has not only become a struggle for people in third world countries, but everywhere.
Many people, especially those in middle or lower class financially , don’t have the access to necessary sources to continue with virtual classes as expected of them, as many others would. Many don’t have internet access, computers, the space or the time at home to attend every class. At home, many of us are expected to help out with the chores, our siblings, and other activities that take much of our time, making it difficult for us to do the extended amount of work- apart from the classes- daily.
If we are going through a lot, having better conditions than other countries around the world, it is clear that third world countries will have a harder living situation with school, and financial support. Everyday in the news, we see for example people from Latin America putting their best efforts to keep their families from starving, from losing the education opportunities they have worked so hard for, and even from losing their jobs. If it is difficult for us, it is also important to think about those who have lost their homes and are now living in the streets, or have one meal so the whole family gets at least something to eat.
In my opinion, although we have a right to complain and be frustrated with our conditions- as they are more complicated as each day passes, it is important to keep in mind that there are always others who have it worse than us. We have help being offered to us and it is important that we take advantage of this, as not everyone has these opportunities.
The need for leniency
Posted on April 26, 2020 by frida larios in Op-Ed
Frida Larios
Opinion editor
Quarantine and online learning has been going on for awhile now. Due to the virus many of us are at home with our families trying to stay safe and adjusting to online school. Online school is different for every student, but in my experience with it, I’ve noticed that some teachers are assigning more work now than they were while at school. It’s frustrating to me because right now I am more concerned about my family and I’s health than I am school work.
I understand that school must go on, but having three different assignments at a time for one class isn’t ideal. At school, some classes were more slowly paced than they are now online. I currently have more assignments for one of my electives than I do for an AP class, it doesn’t make sense to me. Everyone’s priority should be their health right now and not unnecessary amounts of schoolwork. Not to mention, seniors trying to complete the steps to enroll into college. In just one week, I attended four zoom orientations that lasted over two hours each.
The district made the decision to not give out any failing grades for this semester, a D being the lowest which can help out many students struggling during this time. Most teachers are also being very lenient with their students, but others are just assigning way too much work. We are all adapting to this new way of learning but they should understand that school isn’t everyone’s top priority during this time.
Recognizing the need for a break
Posted on April 10, 2020 by Sidney Gonzalez in Op-Ed
Sidney Gonzalez
News Editor
As spring break comes to a close, some of us might think back to what we had planned to do, but was pushed away to not contribute further to the current pandemic.
I was personally excited since last Christmas because I get sort of claustrophobic when I spend too long in a city environment. My dad was saving his work vacation for spring break, and my brother was not as excited as we were to spend the break at Yosemite National Park.
However, as we know, quarantine kicked in, and all plans for spring break were replaced with staying home. Spring break is typically a time where students take a break from stressful school work and the general chaotic nature of school. This time, unlike winter break or summer break does not have an elongated time period where students have all the time to spare doing work assigned.
Although we are at home, I think it is important that teachers also take into account that this week is still a break. Even if classes are now online, we are still receiving assignments from all teachers and some are giving more work in the same amount of time than they would during normal classes. Not only is classwork an issue, but at home, students with still working parents have siblings to take care of, houses to clean daily, and meals to cook. Anxieties of the pandemic itself and stress caused due to claustrophobia of staying inside.
Personally, I have felt uneasiness in not going outside, since I rely on fresh air and the sun to keep me calm. However, due to the news spreading more fear than information, I have felt my anxiety skyrocket and affect every second of my life. Prior to the pandemic, I was improving the way that my anxiety affects my productivity and general daily life. One of the benefits that I’ve had during this break has been being able to talk more to my friends who live in different time zones and encourage me to keep a calm mentality.
I think that in times like these, it is important for teachers to recognize students’ and students to recognize teachers’ feelings and anxieties and allow some time for each other to relax and understand the burdens that each is facing during these hard times.
