Article 1 - The Willow Project
Written By: Kayla Maharani
Edited By: Kathryn Lee
A few weeks ago, the Biden Administration approved the largest oil project in the history of the United States — the Willow Project. Willow is an oil reserve located in Arctic Alaska, an area holding approximately 600 million barrels of oil. The project has been estimated to cost between $8 billion and $10 billion. However, it is estimated to return a revenue of 17 billion dollars to the government. The Biden Administration has approved the use of three oil pads, a reduction from the proposed five — enough to collect about 90% of the oil ConocoPhillips, the Willow Project’s sponsor, aims to obtain.
ConocoPhillips, an energy corporation based in Houston, Texas, proposed the Willow Project and received approval for it on March 13. The company explores and produces hydrocarbons, which can include energy sources like coal or petroleum. ConocoPhillips’ ethical practices have been called into question due to its connection with the Willow Project.
This oil development project is harmful to the environment and can worsen the climate crisis. Research has shown that 60% of oil and gas must remain buried to maintain the global climate at a healthy temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. A large-scale project like the Willow Project will increase climate pollution emissions and destabilize the climate’s temperature. Additionally, the Willow Project is estimated to produce 263 million tons of greenhouse gasses throughout its 30-year life span. This is not only detrimental to the environment and our climate but also to the animals that inhabit the Alaskan wilderness.
Construction is only feasible during the winter months as ice roads are needed to set the foundation of the project’s infrastructure. ConocoPhillips has until the end of April, the conclusion of Alaska’s winter season. If environmental groups are successful in securing an injunction, the project could be delayed by a year. The Biden Administration has claimed that they are incapable of taking action to completely halt the project as the courts would prevent both a drastic reduction or a rejection of the proposal.
If you believe in this cause and would like to participate in the effort to stop the Willow Project, take action by involving yourself in peaceful grassroot campaigns. The Sierra Club’s official campaign is one way to voice your stance and urge for climate crisis solutions.
Article 2 - 2023 Oscars Ceremony
Written By: Kayla Maharani
Edited By: Kathryn Lee
The 2023 Oscars Ceremony had huge wins for the Asian community. Not only did Asian actors receive huge awards and bring pride to their communities, but they also helped young Asians all over the world feel represented and seen within the film industry.
The most exciting win went to "Everything Everywhere All at Once," which was released in March 2022. The movie tells the tale of Evelyn Wang, a Chinese American immigrant who joins forces with versions of herself across different parallel universes, attempting to prevent an evil being from destroying the multiverse. The movie touches on issues like generational trauma within the Asian community. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” won seven awards out of its 11 nominations. Michelle Yeoh was awarded Best Leading Actress and is the first Asian woman to win the award. Ke Huy Quan also won Best Supporting Actor for his role.
This is the first time multiple Asian actors have won Oscars in the same year — a monumental success for the Asian community. The film’s representation of important issues within the Asian community and its heartfelt plot has not only cemented its appeal to audiences but also made the win so much more important to opening doors for the Asian community's involvement in Hollywood.
Additionally, "The Elephant Whisperers," a documentary directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, won Best Documentary Short Subject and tells the story of an indigenous couple caring for an orphaned elephant calf. The documentary focuses on the bond between man and animal and the beauty of the nature surrounding them. Additionally, the song "Naatu Naatu," a soundtrack from the blockbuster movie “RRR,” won an Oscar for Best Original Song, beating songs from stars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga. It made history by being the first Indian film song to win an Oscar, and Indian rappers, composers and fans have celebrated this victory online, claiming that this win will open doors for the music industry in India and raise the visibility of their culture.
Article 3 - Update on the Protests in Iran
Written By: Kathryn Kwon
Edited By: Kathryn Lee
TW: Some of the links in this article have mentions of death and violence.
Since the death of Jina Amini, also known as Mahsa Amini, by the morality police, Iran has been embroiled in anti-government protests, particularly concerning dance. According to Iran’s penal code, women dancing in public, especially with men, is illegal.
Social media influencers and engaged couple Astiyazh Haghighi and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi were arrested after posting an Instagram video of them dancing at night in front of Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) tower. During the legal process, Haghighi and Ahmadi were denied lawyers. The two were sentenced to over 10 years in prison and were banned from using social media and exiting the country for 2 years.
On International Women’s Day, an Instagram video of five teenage girls rejecting the State’s mandatory dress code as they danced to Selena Gomez and Rema’s “Calm Down” went viral. Shortly after, police forces identified each girl and gave them a warning. The girls were held for two days before being forced to make an apology video.
Following this news, Iranian women have posted videos of themselves dancing to “Calm Down” to advocate for the five teens. Both Selena Gomez and Rema have supported these political efforts by posting statements to their respective social media accounts. Gomez took to her Instagram story to call the girls “courageous” for “demanding fundamental changes.” Meanwhile, Rema shared to his Twitter, “To all the beautiful women who are fighting for a better world, I’m inspired by you, I sing for you and I dream with you.”
Recently, London law professor and United Nations (U.N.) Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman reported on Iran’s state-sponsored violence to the U.N. Human Rights Council. Rehman has called for the U.N. to demand “effective accountability of deaths in recent protests.” Iran has denied these allegations.
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