Photos by Ella Jayasekera, Katelyn Hernandez, Sarah Lee, & Sophie YeungPhoto Editor & Staff Photographers
2020: A year in review
Story, Photos, & Illustrations by Tiger Staff 2020 has been an unprecedented year. At this point that phrase is an annoying cliche, but with 12 months that included a global pandemic, a nationwide reckoning over racism, a fierce election cycle, and many local clashes and scandals, there is no other accurate way to describe this […]
Charlotte Dekle on the unifying power of musical theater
Story by Georgia ParsonsFeature Associate Photo by Sophie YeungStaff Photographer SPHS freshman Charlotte Dekle keeps a binder of playbills—some she’s seen countless times, and others she has yet to see. For Dekle, musical theater encompasses every aspect of her life. Her diverse experiences in both the Upstage theater program and SPMS productions has allowed for […]
Horror movies are mirrors for societal fears
Story by Sam GrotensteinOpinion Associate Illustration by Terry SongStaff Illustrator Cold War era horror flick Invasion of The Body Snatchers depicts aliens taking the form of humans, while also stealing their free thought and individualism. The film telegraphs a message nearly identical to the communist propaganda of the time, framing communism as an oppressive ideology […]
‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’ suffers from sequel syndrome
Story by Sam GrotensteinStaff Writer Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator Borat is arguably the most influential film on today’s comedy landscape. Sacha Baron Cohen pioneered the surprisingly ubiquitous genre of comedy that has been foundational for some of the most mainstream hits of the last few years. This is to say that the bar was […]
The unexpected feminism of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’
Story by Katie HohmanStaff writer Illustration by Terry SongStaff illustrator The Queen’s Gambit is an exhilarating new seven-part drama miniseries from Netflix. The show is an adaptation of Walter Tevis’s 1983 fiction novel of the same name and follows orphan Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she attempts to become the world’s greatest chess player. Set […]
Native American Heritage Month: Recognizing the Tongva
Story by Sofia Alva, Quinn Manzo, Adam Kwoh, & Luyang ZhangStaff Writers & Copy Editors Illustrations by Terry SongStaff Illustrator Native American Heritage Month is celebrated throughout November to acknowledge the contributions, culture, and history of Native American people. Tiger interviewed two members of the local San Gabriel Valley Tongva tribe to better understand what […]
TAAGLAA: In search of the perfect taco
Story by Sam GrotensteinStaff Writer Photo by Ella JayasekeraPhoto Editor Los Angeles has, indisputably, the best tacos west of the Mississippi, but my goal was to find the best of them all; the elusive perfect taco. On a brisk Saturday morning, I set off on a journey in search of tacos across the greater Los […]
Hispanic Heritage Month highlights students’ rich cultural identities
Story by Sofia Alva, Quinn Manzo, & Haelee Kim Staff Writers Illustrations by Terry Song Staff Illustrator Hispanic Heritage month, which began on Sept. 15 and ends on Oct. 15, celebrates the achievements and impact Hispanic, or Spanish-speaking, people have had on American culture, society, and government. Tiger interviewed four Hispanic students to understand how they connect […]
TAAGLAA: ‘500 Days of Summer’
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer Downtown Los Angeles is a popular location for many films, particularly romance films, because of its versatility and the subtle nostalgia of its older buildings. In the iconic doomed-romance movie, 500 Days of Summer, which follows the birth and ultimate decay of couple Tom […]
‘Tenet’ is admirably complex but lacks emotional depth
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator Tenet, the new sci-fi thriller from acclaimed auteur Christopher Nolan, is an exciting, if not confusing, journey filled with heart wrenching performances and mind-bending twists. The film focuses on a former CIA agent, simply called “the Protagonist” (John David Washington), who is recruited by an […]
Charlie Kami-Duffin: Finding fun in hard work
Story by Sam GrotensteinStaff Writer Photo by Sophie YeungStaff Photographer Charlie Kami-Duffin is never not doing something. When this SPHS sophomore picked up the phone, she was half way through her precise recipe for microwaved popcorn. “The trick is,” Kami-Duffin said, “to leave it in for a minute and 11 seconds, to get the perfect […]
‘Nice White Parents’ asks all the right questions
Story by Zoe SchlaakStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator 4/5Host: Chana Joffe-WaltGenre: Podcast Nice White Parents confronts the power of white parents in public education and traces the deep roots of their power in one New York school. The five-part podcast series, hosted by Chana Joffe-Walt of This American Life, deftly explores the uncharted […]
In conversation with Anitra Terrell
Story by Amber ChenOpinion Editor Photo by Anitra TerrellContributor South Pasadena’s lack of diversity is inevitably paralleled in the business landscape. Reflektion Design, which operates online versus from a brick and mortar store, is based in South Pasadena and is this city’s only Black owned business. Anitra Terrell founded Reflektion Design in 2013 when she […]
In conversation with Alekzander Grijalva
Story by Quinn ManzoStaff Writer Photo by Oscar WalshStaff Photographer Alekzander Grijalva (SPHS class of 2019) is an extremely accomplished student and member of the South Pasadena community, yet he still finds himself reduced to the harmful stereotypes surrounding his Latinx identity. Grijalva spoke to Tiger, detailing his belief that the spotlight rarely shines on […]
In conversation with Felix Gutierrez
Felix Gutierrez described his experience growing up as a person of color in an undiverse and unwelcoming South Pasadena.