The Paw Print

A news publication created by Baruch's College Now high school journalism class

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Media Diversity Attracts Teen Attention

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On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Jainelle Gaillard was flipping through “Paper” magazine pointing out people she recognized from TV. She began to notice a change in the people she saw on TV about four years ago, when she was 12. The characters in the media she consumed were more diverse.

Since 1999, diversity of ethnicity in prime time TV characters has increased 8 percent, according to Children’s Now, an advocacy group.

“My grandmother said there were only white people on TV. Now it’s a lot of black people on TV,” Jainelle said. “It’s giving me a lot more hope on where I can go. Whatever I want to do in life, I could.”

Some teens “probably can’t find someone who they can relate to in real life,” said Samantha Arroyo, 16, from High School of Fashion Industries. “They go to someone on TV or in a magazine and try to find someone as similar to them.”

This relatability has been a priority for some media companies for many years. Since 1968, Equal Opportunity Publications has published magazines that cater to diverse audiences. Some of its current titles include “Careers & the Disabled,” “Minority Engineers,” and “Woman Engineer.”

“We provide role models,” EOP Editor and Publisher Jim Schneider said. “With our magazines it presents more offered profiles individuals can relate to.”

Not all diversity is equal, however. Teen critics on Empowher.com say that some TV shows, like MTV’s “16 & Pregnant,” present teenagers in a negative light.

But still they have a draw for teens because the characters remind them of their peers, even if the circumstances are sensationalized.

Cassandra Carrasquillo, 16, from High School of Fashion Industries, has some advice for TV executives who want to gain a teen following. She says to make it “personal. What we like and what we talk. Relate to what kids care about.”

In most cases, teens don’t have to look to far to find someone to look up to.

 â€œThere are role models for each person. Black and straight, white and gay, purple and bi,” said Jainell. “There is someone out there that has the same things like you do.”

The Script

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I’m a person that absolutely loves music, and I listen to basically every genre out there.

I have many music phases. For a certain period of time I prefer one genre, and then it moves on once I get tired of it. My favorite genres have usually been techno and mainstream music, but recently I have transferred over to “pop rock,” well not necessarily the genre, but one band in specific, The Script.
The first song that that I had heard from The Script was the very popular single, “Breakeven.”
Even though I loved the song when it came out, I didn’t get into the band at that point.
However, a few weeks ago, one of my friends suggested I listen to his favorite song, which is “If You See Kay.” I gave it a listen and thought it was pretty good, but it wasn’t anything special to me. But, it did get me interested enough to look at some of their other songs.
After listening to a few songs, I started to get more and more into them and really like their style. Now, I listen to their songs constantly and have a playlist of their songs on repeat on my IPod. My favorite songs by them are “Faith and Science”, “Nothing”, and “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.” 
I’m not sure how long this “phase” of mine will last,but maybe I really did find a band that I will love forever. 

Thoughts On Norwegian Bombing

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After seeing reporting on the Norwegian bombing, I refuse to believe Fox News is a legitimate news outlet. Before bothering to investigate, Fox News labeled the tragedy as the work of Islamic terrorists, particularly Al-Qaeda. This is a testament to the prevalence of Islamophobia within the Republican party and its propaganda outlets. The idea that Muslims are behind every tragedy in the world is an idea that Fox News is not shy about spreading. 


But the terrorist wasn’t a Muslim or an al-Qaeda sympathizer. He was the farthest from an Arab- Muslim terrorist: a white Nordic Christian with blonde hair and blue eyes. The man,  Anders Behring Breivik, had no previous record of terrorist acts. He was simply a socialist sympathizer.  Breivik killed close to 100 people. The killings were a result of a shooting at a youth camp in Utoya, Norway and a bomb detonation in nearby Oslo. The man,  Anders Behring Breivik, had no previous record of terrorist acts. However, he was a socialist sympathizer.

Ironically, the motive behind the attacks was to make a statement against the supposed “Islamization” of the Scandinavian country. Breivik vehemently opposed Muslim immigration into the nearly ethnically homogeneous Norway. Muslims only make up two percent of the Norwegian population. 

My anger does not lie in Breivik’s anti-Islamist act, but rather in the display of prejudice shown by the media. When the story first broke out, instead of attempting to console the people who lost loved ones, Fox News placed the blame on Islamic fundamentalists instead of attempting to uncover facts and do true reporting. 

NYC Muslims Brace for Blistering Ramadan

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While many of his peers spent the summer vacationing, 18-year-old Brooklynite Mohammed Islam is reading the Quran, the Islamic scripture. In preparation for the upcoming month of fasting, he increased his prayers to six times a day and participated in a voluntary fasting.

“The Prophet used to fast during the month of Shabaan [month preceding Ramadan] and also used to do more worship during this month, said Islam. “In order to prepare I am doing the same.”

Mohammed, like many teens in New York City, has joined a youth group to share Islamic knowledge and seek guidance from the Quran.

Islam is one of nearly 100,000 New York Muslim teens who will observe Ramadan for the month of August. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunup to sundown. This lifestyle requires mental and physical preparation.

Imam Shamsi Ali, 43, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, the chairman of the Al-Hikma Mosque in Astoria and the director of Jamaica Muslim Center in Queens, is a leading mentor to young Muslims across the city.

Alvi Rahman, 17, a pupil of Ali’s, helps the youth at the mosque.

“It’s important to let the public know how to prepare so they use the time to do it and become better Muslims inshallah [God willing],” said Alvi. “If no on tells them, how can they prepare?”

A rising senior at Bronx Science in addition to leading a youth group at the mosque, Alvi is a fan of the website Productiveramadan.com, which gives advice to Muslims on being pro-active for Ramadan. The site, which is only active during Ramadan and the week prior, works like a blog—everyday contributors put up articles, videos and links to help Muslims get the best experience from Ramadan.  

Alvi also said that he is reading Islamic books including “Sahih al-Bukhari,” a collection of quotes of the Prophet Muhammad to know more about Ramadan.

One quote Alvi particularly likes is “whoever does not give up lying and evil actions, Allah will not accept his fasting.”

“I like to tell people to follow these tips,” Rahman said. “But as a group, we let our community brothers [choose] the best way to prepare.”

Similarly, Tuhin Taslim Uddin, 16, a Muslim Ummah of North America youth leader, seeks to help Muslims in his community get ready for Ramadan.

“I’m helping the youth community by bringing them to a small youth gathering on Saturday sand Sundays and informing them of the beauty and the importance of Ramadan,” said Uddin. “Helping the youth set goals for themselves so they can achieve happiness by the end of Ramadan.”

“The hardest part of fasting is the weather and the long hours makes your body weaker physically,” said Uddin, a rising senior. “I’m keeping a healthy diet and working out now to make my body ready for fasting.”

Uddin does keep in mind the importance of Ramadan.

“We take the time to experience hardships little young ones face everyday. We start to give up our everyday luxuries and bring our faiths to the fullest capacity. We strive through this small hardship for one month to come closer with ourselves as a human being, as a Muslim and person in society.”

“My lifestyle becomes more conservative about the time spent, and how it’s spent,” Uddin said. “I start to gradually give up the things that consume my time such as video games and watching my shows whether it is online or on TV.”

Still, for some fasting is difficult to adjust to.

“Sometimes I make presumptions that I am going to work really hard that particular day and its going to filled of long hours of physical activity so I choose not to fast on those certain days,” said Shahed Haque, a 17-year-old Stuyvesant High School student.

“You have to not think of food or water throughout the day, which is very hard to do when your stomach craves it,” said Haque. “The stoppage of movement and activities throughout the day are also hard to adjust to. Time seems to slow down during the fasting period.”

Harassed on the Subway? Say Something!

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New Yorkers are familiar with the “If you see something, say something” slogan in subway stations. However, State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick believes that it shouldn’t only pertain to mysterious packages and unattended bags.

That was the reason she pushed to add onto subway announcements that victims of sexual harassment should approach the police or an MTA employee for help. Now, the announcement also advises witnesses of sexual harassment to report it.

Sexual harassment has always been a problem in the New York City subway system, and lately Metro, the free daily newspaper, has been writing more about it. It even dubbed one predator as the “Puny Perv.” As many as 63 percent of 1,790 people surveyed have been sexually harassed in the subway system, according to a report released in July 2007 by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

“Women have a right to travel without being harassed,” Glick said in a phone interview.

Websites such as ihollaback.org and stopstreetharassment.org allow victims to share their experiences with others.

The ihollaback site has numerous New York City subway stories. One writer, who went by the name Susanna wrote, “My friend and I were riding the 6 train downtown together. As we’re chatting, I feel something brush on my backside… It was really low on my backside and it was warm. I look and the guy behind me has a f——g ERECTION. It was right up against me.” This is only one of many stories posted on both websites that tells people’s experiences, such as being verbally harassed to being physically attacked. Attempts were made to contact Susanna but were unsuccessful.

Alanna Vasquez is a teenager who was sexually harassed on her way to school. During morning rush hour, she was on a crowded 4 train when she felt a man press his erection against her back. She didn’t report the incident. When asked why she didn’t report it to the police, she said, “They wouldn’t care about that.”

Alanna is part of the large group of victims who don’t report incidents like these. Ninety-six percent of the people surveyed have reported they didn’t file a report with the NYPD and/or sought help from an MTA employee after being harassed.

Glick said that it is not only the obligation of a victim of sexual harassment to report it.  According to her, harassers attack until they’re caught and that is why it is important to report incidents. If a person keeps track of a harasser, they can build a case against them and have a pattern for the police to follow, if they witness an assault.

Holly Kearl, the founder of stopstreetharassment.org, advises bystanders to do something. They don’t necessarily have to beat up the harasser, but just saying something like “Cut it out!” or “Don’t harass women!” should be enough.

Another approach is to talk directly to the victim. Kearl suggests to make up a fake name and approach someone who is being harassed and say, “Oh, hey Rachel, it’s been a long time, how are you doing?” because a harasser is most likely to leave the victim alone now that she’s no longer by herself.

But now that the MTA eliminated 121 token-booth clerk positions, it may be harder for women and girls to feel safe because there are less people they can report incidents to.

Other people, like Lia Joo, take the matter into their own hands.

After being flashed by a man on the 7 train a few years ago, Joo who had taken a clear picture of the man on her cell phone, filed a police report.

She said that effort was  “pointless and a waste of time.” She got the attention of Newsday, which wrote a story about the ordeal. 
“Cops won’t do much, unless it’s a big news story,” she said.

NFL Finds Key to Open Lockout to Players and Fans

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“Damn” was the only word Brooklyn Technical High School junior, Nick Dibari, could think of when asked to explain the latest National Football League lockout in one word.

There was a possibility of no refunds for ticket holders and not being able to cheer on Sunday night football. Now that the lockout ended on July 25, fans have a 2011-2012 NFL season waiting for them.

NFL players had been locked out from the league since March because of a disagreement between the players and the owners.

The tension did not quell the admiration Nick, a quarterback at Brooklyn Tech, has for New England Patriots’ Tom Brady.

“Tom Brady holds no equal,” Nick said. “Watching him play gives me the determination to succeed.”

Nick said he wanted to join his school’s football team because of the tradition it holds and wanted to take part of the American football experience. After he completed his first over regulation pass in a game against James Madison High School, which his team won, he wanted to keep bringing wins for Brooklyn Tech Football, inspired by the Patriots record of 14-2 last season.

Prior to the lockout, Suyeta Griffin, Nick’s teammate, said he wanted to work harder in his position as strong safety after watching NFL games because the players gave it their all.

The lockout made “the NFL look bad because the league looks like they are against the players,” said Kathryn Blitz, an intern for MaxPreps a website that follows all of high school sports.

The NFL office was not available for comment.

Teen Players Still Inspired Despite NFL Drama

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“Damn” was the only word Brooklyn Technical High School junior, Nick Dibari, could think of when asked to explain the latest NFL lockout in one word.


There was a possibility of no refunds for ticket holders and not being able to cheer on Sunday night football. Now that the lockout ended on July 25, 2011, fans have a 2011-2012 NFL season waiting for them.


NFL players had been locked out from the league since March because of a disagreement between the NFL Player Association and the owners. By no NFL season, it could have caused NFL employees; players, fans and future players to find other jobs, protest the lockout or even sit around watching highlights from pervious games.

 

For Dibari, it still means getting ready for his junior year of football as quarterback at Brooklyn Tech.


Even though the Jets went further than the Patriots in last year’s playoffs, Dibari, would pick Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots over Mark Sanchez, the quarterback for the New York Jets because Brady is his favorite quarterback.


During the lockout, Dibari looked up to Tom Brady for one main reason.


“Tom Brady holds no equal,” Dibari said. “Watching him play gives me the determination to succeed.”


When the lockout was in session, it caused Dibari not to have new memorable moments from his role model. But, when the first preseason game starts, Dibari says he will be watching every move Brady makes. After all, since Dibari looks up to Brady, he looks up to the Patriots.


“The Patriots offense holds no equal, so it encourages me to practice to achieve what they have achieved,” Dibari said.


Nevertheless, don’t count on that lockout to discourage Dibari from striving to want to achieve his goals.


Dibari said he wanted to join Brooklyn Tech’s football team because of the tradition it holds and wanted to take part of the American football experience. After he completed his first over regulation pass in a game against James Madison high school, which his team won, he wants to keep bringing wins for Brooklyn Tech Football because the Patriots went 14-2 last season. 


Dibari’s teammate, Strong Safety, Suyeta Griffin, a senior, says his worst moment playing was when, “I finally got to start against Jefferson and I let two touchdowns go!”

Griffin made up for it by hitting the “crap” out of the quarterback from the Grand Street high school.


Prior to the lockout, Griffin said he wanted to work harder with his football team after watching NFL games because the players gave it their all. The two football players that stands out to him the most is Strong Safety Troy Polamalu from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis from the San Francisco 49ers.


An intern at MaxPreps, which is a website that follows all of high school sports, Kathryn Blitz said her favorite part about watching the NFL is watching “your team when they do not have a chance of winning, then they come back and surprise you.”


In spite of that lockout, Kathryn Blitz says she is against the lockout because it “makes the NFL look bad because the
league looks like they are against the players.”


“Players are playing the game because they love it,” said Kathryn Blitz. She believes that is the main reason why football players play the game of football.


When asked whether high school players or NFL players were more affected by the lockout, she said the NFL players are the most affected because many of them did not earn salaries like Peyton Manning.


However, it is success that Kathryn believes motivates the high school football players.

Dibari and Griffin say their football team gets motivation from each other. Dibari could possible see the NFL in his future, but Griffin does not want to go into the NFL when he is older. Not because of that lockout though.


The NFL League Office was not available for comment.


Fans were unsure if there was going to be an NFL this season; people should have listen to Griffin from the beginning,


“There will be a season! You don’t just stop the NFL.”

NFL Finds the Key to Open the Lockout for Players and Fans

by

“Damn” was the only word Brooklyn Technical High School junior, Nick Dibari, could think of when asked to explain the latest NFL lockout in one word.

 There was a possibility of no refunds for ticket holders and not being able to cheer on Sunday night football. Now that the lockout ended on July 25, 2011, fans have a 2011-2012 NFL season waiting for them.

 NFL players had been locked out from the league since March because of a disagreement between the NFL Player Association and the owners. By no NFL season, it could have caused NFL employees; players, fans and future players to find other jobs, protest the lockout or even sit around watching highlights from pervious games.

 For Dibari, it still means getting ready for his junior year of football as quarterback at Brooklyn Tech.

 Even though the Jets went further than the Patriots in last year’s playoffs, Dibari, would pick Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots over Mark Sanchez, the quarterback for the New York Jets because Brady is his favorite quarterback.

 During the lockout, Dibari looked up to Tom Brady for one main reason.

 â€œTom Brady holds no equal,” Dibari said. “Watching him play gives me the determination to succeed.”

When the lockout was in session, it caused Dibari not to have new memorable moments from his role model. But, when the first preseason game starts, Dibari says he will be watching every move Brady makes. After all, since Dibari looks up to Brady, he looks up to the Patriots.

 â€œThe Patriots offense holds no equal, so it encourages me to practice to achieve what they have achieved,” Dibari said.

 Nevertheless, don’t count on that lockout to discourage Dibari from striving to want to achieve his goals.

 Dibari said he wanted to join Brooklyn Tech’s football team because of the tradition it holds and wanted to take part of the American football experience. After he completed his first over regulation pass in a game against James Madison high school, which his team won, he wants to keep bringing wins for Brooklyn Tech Football because the Patriots went 14-2 last season. 

 Dibari’s teammate, Strong Safety, Suyeta Griffin, a senior, says his worst moment playing was when, “I finally got to start against Jefferson and I let two touchdowns go!”

 Griffin made up for it by hitting the “crap” out of the quarterback from the Grand Street high school.

 Prior to the lockout, Griffin said he wanted to work harder with his football team after watching NFL games because the players gave it their all. The two football players that stands out to him the most is Strong Safety Troy Polamalu from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Inside Linebacker Patrick Willis from the San Francisco 49ers.

 An intern at MaxPreps, which is a website that follows all of high school sports, Kathryn Blitz said her favorite part about watching the NFL is “your team; when they do not have a chance of winning, then they come back and surprise you.”

 In spite of that lockout, Kathryn Blitz says she is against the lockout because it “makes the NFL look bad because the league looks like they are against the players.”

 â€œPlayers are playing the game because they love it,” said Kathryn Blitz. She believes that is the main reason why football players play the game of football.

 When asked whether high school players or NFL players were more affected by the lockout, she said the NFL players are the most affected because many of them did not earn salaries like Peyton Manning.

 However, it is success that Kathryn believes motivates the high school football players.

 Dibari and Griffin say their football team gets motivation from each other. Dibari could possible see the NFL in his future, but Griffin does not want to go into the NFL when he is older. Not because of that lockout though.

 The NFL League Office was not available for comment.

 Fans were unsure if there was going to be an NFL this season; people should have listen to Griffin from the beginning,

“There will be a season! You don’t just stop the NFL.” 

Young Designers Create New From Old

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When three-year-old Kristen Nunez picked up her first pair of scissors, she had no idea that her creative mind would produce an inspiration to many teens. With only her imagination and a limited budget, she began repurposing her old clothes. By the time she graduated college 17 years later, 60 percent of her wardrobe was handmade or altered.

“I’m all about unique things,” said Nunez, who began repurposing her clothes because she was not satisfied with what she found in stores.

Just like Nunez, many teens want more style and control over their wardrobes. This has driven them to take fashion into their own hands and give new life to their not so new clothes with do it yourself projects.

“Fashion can be accessible and fun for you even if you’re just the girl next door,” said Tamaya Barnes, a 19-year-old fashion blogger who started altering her clothes at the age of 17.

Her main reasons for altering clothes are “price and pride,” but she also wants to inspire others with her blog, thegirlnextdior.tumblr.com. Barnes receives messages from people who read her blog saying that it had encouraged them to do more altering and to not be so wasteful with their money.

“I just want people to realize that you can be creative and create without breaking the break,” she said.

Barnes says that she uses the blog to post her inspirations and projects. “You won’t find high fashion editorials or rants about designers, just simply pictures for everyday inspiration,” she said.

Not all projects turn out successful. A pair of leggings she saw at the store inspired Barnes’ first DIY project. They had tie-dyed clouds on them. When she got home, she tried to achieve the same print by bleaching black leggings. She says that it had ended up looking like a Halloween costume gone wrong.

“That’s the fun with doing things yourself, sometimes you fail and sometimes it turns out amazing,” she said.

Inspiration for repurposing clothes can come from anywhere and anything. Barnes says that she always observes other people’s outfits and styles, and lately has even got ideas just by checking out online stores. “I’ll often browse a high priced website where I would never have the money to shop,” Barnes said.

There are various ways to be innovative in fashion. Barnes for example picked up an ug
ly long dress at a thrift store for three dollars once, and she turned it into her most worn piece. The dress had unusual slits and was completely unwearable, so when she got home, she chopped off the bottom, lowered the neckline and turned it into a shirt.

Nunez’ favorite piece is a studded trench coat which was inspired by one from Burberry. Another favorite project that she does often is taking guys’ t-shirts and reconstructing them to be feminine and form fitting.

Cat Morley is a craft obsessed journalist living in London. While at university studying computer art and filmmaking, she began a blog called Cut Out + Keep.

She built the blog into a community where everyone could make and share step-by-step craft tutorials after readers started sending in pictures of their own projects.

Morley says that she hopes the site encourages people to try new things and gain confidence in crafts they’ve never tried before. “There’s nothing better than receiving a compliment on something you’ve made yourself,” she said in an email interview.

Another website that encouraged teens to repurpose clothes is recycledfrockery.com, which was created by Blaze Zenn. This site however, is focused more on the ecological side of things.
She says that she has seen teens doing DIY projects since the 1970s, when she herself was a teen in school.

While attending an economy class at the University of Michigan, Zenn began to think of ways to use what she already had. This led her to shop mainly at thrift/craft stores and repurpose her clothes, which she still does to this day.

She also says that she hopes this generation of teens will produce new trends because the fashion industry “isn’t going deep enough.”

Zenn considers teens that repurpose their clothes as people that can “walk the walk, not only talking the talk.”

The popularity of altering clothes is growing and this is shown in many fashion magazine such as Teen Vogue which has even put out a DIY section on their website.

“This trend will change the way people go about not only spending their money, but how they go about expressing themselves,” Nunez said.