The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

Gloria Zhu (12) observes Collected Letters by Chinese artist Liu Jianhua. The piece is made of over 1,600 porcelain letters and fragments of Chinese characters.

AP Art History classes visit Asian Art Museum in San Francisco

by Michelle Liu, Winged Post Co-Editor-in-Chief April 11, 2022

More than 30 upper school students from the Advanced Placement (AP) Art History class took a field trip to San Francisco to explore the vast collection of the Asian Art Museum on March 21. Located in...

Colorism is the discrimination of individuals based on skin color, with lighter-skinned individuals receiving preferential treatment compared to people with darker complexions. It often infiltrates beauty standards to emphasize fair skin as a part of the “pure, white and innocent” look. Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, an Irish romantic novelist in the 19th century, said, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but if the core of both typical western and international beauty has been reduced to one skin tone, is it even a matter of personal preference? 

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all: Colorism on dating shows promotes toxic and classicist beauty standards

by Ananya Sriram, Asst. News Editor March 8, 2022

On a sunny day, the wind blows across a beach in Sayulita, Mexico as prospective couples fill a romantic resort. They happily pass the time with each other, while other contestants get to know each other...

As a Chinese-American, I initially admired BTS as a beacon of Asian representation in America. But with “Dynamite,” BTS directly negated these ideas, and I could no longer see them as positive figures for Asian representation.

“Dynamite” disappointment: Rise of English songs by BTS hurts Asian representation in the west

by Emma Gao, Reporter November 10, 2021

Blinding white lights illuminate the backs of the seven still silhouettes on stage, creating an almost halo-like glow. As the crowd chants their names and the first notes start playing, they hop out of...

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” opened in theaters on Sept. 3 and instantly began to break records: first Marvel movie released exclusively in theaters since 2019, highest Labor Day box office opening, first Marvel movie to feature an Asian lead hero. It received 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, bringing it to fifth place out of all 25 Marvel movies according to the Tomatometer, tied with “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Movie review: “Shang-Chi” makes waves as first Asian Marvel superhero movie

by Arely Sun, Aquila Co-Managing Editor September 30, 2021

As a Chinese American accustomed to seeing Asian faces excluded from blockbuster movies, I never thought I would see the quintessential Marvel theme song fade into a shot full of Chinese characters; I...

Celebrated during the month of May, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates AAPI history and their impact on the history and culture of the United States.

Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

by Michelle Liu, Winged Post Co-Editor-in-Chief May 27, 2021

Throughout history, the experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been surrounded with grief, loss and violence. But there have also been moments of joy, resilience and progress...

Mayor Yan Zhao shares her own experiences with racism at the West Valley Stop Asian Hate Rally on March 27. Today, unfortunately, we have to come together to fight for one basic human right: that is we can go to public places without the fear of being attacked or assaulted, she said in her address.

Saratoga mayor speaks out against anti-Asian hate at rally and at upper school club event

by Arely Sun, Winged Post Lifestyle Editor May 10, 2021

A sprawling crowd speckled with bold posters before her at Saratoga City Hall, Saratoga Mayor Yan Zhao stepped up to the podium and began her speech on March 27.  “America is a place with diversity,...

The Atlanta shootings opened a floodgate of fear for Asian Americans around the country and in our school community. We refuse to be reserved about hate crimes against the AAPI community.

Editorial: End the invisibility of anti-Asian American violence

by Editorial Board March 31, 2021

In a survey sent out to members of the Harker Journalism news staff, 100% of the 29 respondees indicated that they agreed with the stance of this editorial. Soon Chung Park. Hyun Jung Grant. Suncha...

American cinema strongly reflects the cultural prejudices of 20th century America. Only with strong participation and representation will Asians move to our rightful place as central contributors to American culture.

Hidden behind a mask: American cinema’s inauthentic portrayal of Asian Americans

by Nicole Tian, Opinion Editor March 26, 2021

Authorities stated that the shooter who killed eight people in Atlanta on Tuesday, six of whom were Asian women, hoped to “eliminate” a “temptation.” The intersection of the victims’ race and...

Over 2,500 protestors gathered at the #StopAsianHate Community Rally at San Jose City Hall on Sunday, Mar. 21, at 1 p.m. to protest the recent violence against Asian Americans across the nation. The rally focused on Asian American discrimination, minority intersectionality, recent injustices against elderly Asian Americans and the history of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) discrimination in the United States.

#StopAsianHate Community Rally ushers in thousands of protesters

by Alysa Suleiman, A&E Editor March 24, 2021

"One beat. One heart.”  Over 2,500 protestors gathered at the #StopAsianHate Community Rally at San Jose City Hall on Sunday, March 21, at 1 p.m. to protest the recent violence against Asian...

More than 1000 protestors gather at San Jose City Hall to protest hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on Sunday March 21. The protest was just one of many happening across the nation after the recent spotlight of Asian-directed attacks.

Pulse of the People: Not a new issue

by Alysa Suleiman and Nicole Tian March 22, 2021

This article has been updated on March 26 to reflect additional resources provided for the upper school community. What does an “Asian American” represent? A computer engineer at a Silicon Valley...

U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaks at a General Assembly during the California Democrats 2019 State Convention on Saturday morning. There have been only two female major party vice presidential nominees in U.S. history; Sen. Kamala Harris (D-C.A.) is the third.

Kamala Harris “has changed the landscape”: Nomination paves way for women of color in politics

by Sarah Mohammed and Varsha Rammohan September 9, 2020

According to the United States Census Bureau, women make up 50.8 percent of the country’s population, Black people make up 13.4 percent and Asian people make up 5.9 percent. In addition to only one...

Nestled in the far corner of Cupertino Main Street Plaza, SomiSomi sells taiyaki, a Japanese fish shaped waffle with a red bean filling. However, SomiSomi blends American and Japanese desserts, offering a wider range of taiyaki fillings, including Nutella, custard or red bean, along with soft serve ice cream. 

Sweet treats to eat: the influence of Asian desserts

by Arely Sun and Emily Tan August 28, 2019

The Bay Area is a hub of immigrants, leading to a fusion of cultures in every aspect of life. One noticeable example of this “melting-pot” is the popularity of Asian desserts among people of all backgrounds....

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