Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, center, attends a service in memorial of Armenian Genocide victims in Yerevan, Armenia, on Saturday (Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via AP)

Your Summit Weekly Briefing

By Alex Tananbaum and Ashwath Vimal

 

Disclaimer: Though the Weekly Briefings are no longer tagged in the Opinions section of Summit News and we try to remain as unbiased as possible, our opinions may show through in this article, especially in the “Actions” section.  

 

1. Summit: Living abroad, relationships and sense of self

In the article “Living Abroad Affects Family Relationships and Sense Of Self”, staff writer Riley DeLusque interviews childhood friends as well as their parents on their experiences as Third Culture Kids, or children who grew up in a country that differs from their parent’s. DeLusque’s family, along with the families of these friends, have lived in several countries over the years, from Ghana to Sweden to South Korea. DeLusque examines the good and bad experiences growing up Third Culture brings through lenses such as new traditions, safety levels and contact with extended family. Though I am not a Third Culture Kid, my family melds traditions and foods between the cultures my parents grew up with, making this article incredibly interesting to me.

 

2. General News: Biden Acknowledges Armenian Genocide 

President Joe Biden officially acknowledged the massacre of the Armenians as a gencoide, making him the first United States president to do so. An excerpt from his statement on this issue summarizing his main point states, “Each year on this day, we remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring.” Biden has recognized this genocide and has carried out his assurances to do just that without fear of straining the U.S.’s relationship with Turkey, unlike his predecessors. 

 

After the failed promises of former President Barack Obama and the blockage of a resolution acknowledging the Armenian killings as a gencoide by former President Donald Trump, Biden lives up to many’s expectations. Furthermore, over a 100 Democrats and Republicans sent a letter to Biden conveying their wishes for the genocide to be recognized as such. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelsoi also fully supports the recent declaration. 

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has responded to Biden’s acknowledgement, and has said that if President Biden wants to damage their relationship, then so be it. He has also stated that he completely disagrees with the Armenian killings being constituted as a genocide. Cavusoglu expressed on Twitter: “We are not going to take lessons about our history from anyone. Political opportunism is the biggest betrayal of peace and justice.”

 

The U.S. ambassador for Turkey, David M. Satterfield was called to the country where similar sentiments were communicated to him. He was told that “…Turkey finds the statement unacceptable, totally rejects and strongly condemns it.” While relations between the U.S. and Turkey will definitely be severely harmed, Biden does not seem to care, most likely wanting to prioritize democratic ideals and recognizing the truth of the Armeninan murder for those affected by it. Biden has also expressed that he does not support the current Turkish leadership and encourages opposition to it. President Biden and President Recept Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkish President) have set a date to meet during June’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s summit, without it being stated whether or not they will discuss the declaration of the Armenian massacres as a gencoide. 

 

3. COVID-19: Americans are missing their second vaccine dose

Recent evidence from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shown that many Americans are missing their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, at 8%. The number could be even more, as not all states have had time to report all of their data yet. However, if someone got their doses at two different vaccination sites, then sometimes that information may not have been recorded properly and it will seem like they missed their second dose. So far 90 million people have received two doses of the vaccine and 140 million have received one, reports the CDC. A spokesperson for the CDC has stated that further research will be started to determine whether the reason for the many skipped second doses are because of vaccine access or vaccine wariness. 

 

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have removed the temporary ban on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine due to reports of it causing blood clotting. So vaccine takers have enough information to make their decision on whether or not to take this specific vaccine, people will be warned of the possible danger. Both the CDC and FDA have stated that the vaccine has their full support and that the benefits outweigh the risks for people 18 years and older. CDC Director Rachel Walenskt has also said that there were only 1.9 blood clot cases per every million people who took the vaccine, making it low risk, with no cases amidst men. Additionally, COVID-19 causes many more cases of blood clots than the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, with 147,000 people for every 1 million hospitalizations due to VOID-19 experiencing them. Furthermore, the presence of a one dose vaccine is very convenient for those who have busy day to day lives.

 

Stay Informed: CNN reports live, bite-sized updates on Coronavirus here.

 

4. Politics: Justice Department to investigate Louisville and Minneapolis Police Departments

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a Justice Department probe into the Louisville Police Department Monday. The move comes a year after emergency room technician Breonna Taylor’s killing by police after a no-knock warrant was issued on the belief that an on again/off again boyfriend had used her apartment as a place to receive drug deliveries. No one has been charged in connection with Ms. Taylor’s death, though former detective Brett Hankison, who was involved in the raid and fired without a clear line of sight into Ms. Taylor’s apartment, has been indicted for wanton endangerment of Ms. Taylor’s neighbors. No signs of drugs were found on the scene. The attorney general stated that the probe would “…determine whether LMPD engages in unconstitutional stops, searches and seizures, as well as whether the department unlawfully executes search warrants on private homes… it will also assess whether LMPD engages in discriminatory conduct on the basis of race, or fails to perform public services that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.” The investigation will include a comprehensive evaluation of the Louisville PD’s policies and training programs. Mr. Garland further stated that the Justice Department will issue a public report of their conclusions “if there’s reasonable cause to believe there is a pattern or practice of constitutional or statutory violations.” It will also work with the police department and city as a whole to correct potentially wrongful practices.

 

A similar investigation began last week in Minneapolis soon after former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of killing George Floyd and Duante Wright was fatally shot by the police. The investigation will run in conjunction with that of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights’, which was started in June 2020. If the Justice Department finds that Minneapolis residents’ rights were routinely violated, they could sue or set a pattern of reforms for the department to take on over several years, known as a consent decree. 

5. Sports: FaZe Clan Sings NFL Quarterback Kyler Murray

One of the most popular esports and gaming organizations, Faze Clan, recently signed NFL quarterback Kyler Murray, who plays for the Arizona Cardinals at 23-years-old. Now dubbed “Faze K1” as his gamertag, Murray is very excited to join the group. “I’ve played video games my whole life,”  Murray said. “To be drafted by FaZe and welcomed into the family is a blessing and an honor…”. CO-founder FaZe Banks shares similar sentiments, saying, “He’s a perfect fit for FaZe as we continue to lead the cultural collision of traditional sports and gaming.” Murray has 63,000 followers on the streaming platform Twitch to prove this, showing his commitment to gaming and plans on investing in the organization in the future. He joins other notable sports stars including NBA player Ben Simmon and 4-star high school recruit Lebron James Jr. 

6. Entertainment: Falcon and Winter Soldier Finale

The much-awaited show “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” aired its finale last Friday on April 23. It premiered on March 19, following Marvel’s first Disney television series, “WandaVision”, which was very well-received. While it seems that “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was not as highly regarded, it still certainly boasts some high ratings, with it earning a 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, Anthony Mackie (Falcon) also earned a MTV Movie and TV Award nominations for “Best Hero”, and he and Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier) were nominated for “Best Duo”. 

 

The “Best Duo” nomination was well deserved, as their chemistry is one of the most outstanding things about the show. Mackie, with his witty charm and Stan with his sarcastic nature clash perfectly, creating moments that make us all laugh. John Walker was another character that was very well played by actor Wyatt Russel. So well-played, in fact, that he has gotten an abundance of hate online, as stated by an article from Screen Rant. When an actor playing an antagonistic character starts getting hate, that’s when they know they have done their job well. 

 

While the main plot of the story is filled with action-packed scenes that include well-choreographed sequences of Falcon flying and many hand-to-hand combat segments, the subplots have real-world meaning. For example, there are many themes of injustice towards African-Americans in the series. One instance is when Falcon and Winter Soldier are arguing on the streets of a neighborhood when the police arrive and racially profile Falcon. Another instance is when Sam finds out about an African-American man named Isaiah Bradley who was injected with the Super Soldier Serum in the 1950s and fought for the United States. He was treated horribly during his time as a soldier and was never made known to the public, leaving Bradley bitter and cynical towards the world. At the end of the series, Falcon, a black man, becomes Captain America, and makes a speech about injustice and discrimination live on television, with Bradley watching with teary eyes. 

 

7. Weather

Atlas (West Seattle): Highs this week will remain similar, though some outliers will pop up here and there. Today-Weds will stay in the 62-63℉, then rise to our first outlier of 72℉ Thurs. Highs will go back down to 60℉ Fri-Sat, then down to 58℉ Sun and back up to 61℉ Mon. Lows, meanwhile, will peak midweek at 46℉ Tues, 49-50℉ Weds-Thurs, 48℉ Fri, back down to 46℉ Sat, down again to 44℉ Sun and back up to 46℉ Mon. This week won’t be particularly sunny, with clouds today-Thurs and partial clouds Fri-Mon. Wear a mask, go outside, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs in the low 60’s, lows in the mid-high 40’s, full and partial clouds. 

 

Olympus (Tacoma): Highs this week will vary much more in the beginning, starting at 62℉ today, 66℉ Weds, peaking at 73℉ Thurs, then remaining in the 60-61℉ range the rest if the week. Lows will remain in the 40’s, with today’s being 41℉, Weds’ 46℉, Thurs up to 48℉, Fri back to 46℉, Sat down again to 44℉, Sun 41℉ and Mon back to 44℉. Additionally, today-Weds will be partially cloudy, Thurs fully cloudy, Fri full of showers and partial clouds again Sat-Mon. Wear a mask, stay dry, and have a good week.  

Summary: Highs in the low 60’s, lows throughout the 40’s, full and partial clouds, showers. 

 

Sierra (Seattle): Highs will peak at the beginning of the week, starting at 62℉ today, rising to 64℉ Weds, then peaking at 71℉ Thurs, down to 58-59℉ Fri-Sat, 57℉ Sun and 60℉ Mon. Lows will range throughout the 40’s with today’s being 44℉, Weds 47℉, Thurs up to 49℉, Fri back down to 47℉, Sat 45℉, Sun 42℉ and Mon back to 45℉. This week will not be a sunny one, starting at fully cloudy today-Thurs and transitioning to partially cloudy Fri-Mon. Wear a mask, stay safe, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs starting in the low 60’s and ranging through the high 50’s, lows throughout the 40’s, full and partial clouds. 

 

Denali (Sunnyvale): This week will be a warm one (I’m jealous!) with today’s high starting at 71℉, jumping up to 81℉, down to 78℉, 73℉ Fri, 70-71℉ Sat-Sun and 76℉ Mon. Lows will mostly stay in the 48-49℉, with the exceptions of 51℉ Fri and 49℉ Sat-Sun. Tues-Weds will be sunny, Thurs-Sat partially cloudy and Sun-Mon fully sunny again. Wear a mask, enjoy that sun, and have a good week. 

Summary:  Highs in the low 70’s, lows in the high 40’s, sun and partial clouds. 

 

Everest and Prep (Redwood City): Highs this week will peak early on, with today at 66℉, Weds 77℉, Thurs 71℉, Fri 68℉, Sat-Sun back to 66℉ and Mon up to 70℉. Lows will mostly remain in the 47-48℉ range, with the exceptions of 50℉ Fri and 49℉ Mon. The majority of the week will be fully sunny, though Thurs-Sat will see partial clouds. Wear a mask, enjoy that sun, and have a good week.

Summary: Highs in the high 60’s, lows in the high 40’s, full sun and partial clouds. 

 

K2 (El Cerrito): Highs this week will range throughout the 70’s, today’s being 74℉, Weds-Sat’s 72-73℉, Sun up to 75℉ and Mon up again to 78℉. Lows will mostly remain around the high 40’s, starting at 48℉ today, 49-50℉ Weds-Thurs, up to 52℉ Fri, down to 50-51℉ Sat-Sun and 52℉ Mon. The majority of the week will be fully sunny, though partial clouds will occur Thurs-Sat. Wear a mask, enjoy that sun, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs in the low-mid 70’s, lows in the high 40’s-low 50’s, full sun and partially clouds. 

 

Tam (Richmond): Highs this week will dip towards the middle, with today’s starting at 70℉, Weds-Sat 67-68℉, Sun 71℉ and Mon 74℉. Lows today-Thurs will stay in the 48-49℉, Fri up to 52℉ and Sat-Mon 50-51℉. The majority of the week will be fully sunny, though Thurs-Sat will be partially cloudy. Wear a mask, soak up that sun, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs in the high 60’s-low 70’s, lows in the high 40’s-low 50’s, sun and partial clouds. 

 

Shasta (Daly City): Highs this week will remain in similar ranges, starting at 59℉ today-Thurs, then 61-62℉ Fri-Sun and up to 63℉ Mon. Lows will be distributed in a similar pattern, with today-Thurs’ at 48-49℉ and 50-51℉ Fri-Mon. Meanwhile, today-Weds will be fully sunny, Thurs-Sat partially cloudy, Sun fully cloudy and Mon fully sunny again. Wear a mask, have fun, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs in the high 50’s-low 60’s, lows in the high 40’s-low 50’s, full sun, full and partial clouds. 

 

Tahoma (San Jose): Highs this week will range throughout the 70’s with today’s starting at 71℉, Weds-Thurs’ 79℉, Fri 75℉, Sat-Sun 72-73℉ and Mon back up to 77℉. Today’s low will be 48℉, then 50℉ Weds-Thurs, 52℉ Fri, then back down to 49℉ Sat-Sun and up to 52℉ Mon. As for sun levels, today will be partially cloudy, Weds sunny, Thurs-Sat partially cloudy, then Sun-Mon fully sunny. Enjoy that sun, wear a mask, and have a good week. 

Summary: Highs throughout the 70’s, lows in the high 40’s-low 50’s, full and partial clouds, full sun. 

 

8. Cooking: Coffee Coffee (coffee coffee) cake

I made this coffee flavored coffee cake last week, and my dad and I absolutely demolished it. I hope you’ll love it as much as we did. Please note that this makes A LOT of cake.

Recipe via Clair Saffitz.

 

Ingredients: 

Coffee Ribbon (a coffee “filling” that runs through the middle of the cake)

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

 

Coffee Crumb Topping

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (5.6oz / 160g)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3.5oz / 100g)

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz / 113g), cut into pieces, at room temperature

 

Cake

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (16 oz / 455g)

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (0.35 oz / 10g)

1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.16 oz / 6g)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup sour cream (6 oz / 170g)

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (4 oz / 113g)

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (6 oz / 170g), at room temperature

1/4 cup neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed (2 oz / 57g)

1 cup granulated sugar (7 oz / 200g)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (5.3 oz / 150g)

4 large eggs (7 oz / 200g(, at room temperature

 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 350℉

 

For the coffee ribbon

1. Mix together all ingredients. Set aside. 

 

For the crumble

1. Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, coffee, cardamom and salt) together.
2. Rub in butter. I use a pinching motion to do this. Continue until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Set aside.

 

For the cake

1. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan (preferably metal) with butter. 
2. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda) together in a large bowl. Set aside. 
3. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (brewed coffee coffee granules, sour cream, vanilla extract).
4. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, oil and sugars on low until smooth, then increase the to medium-high. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often so that everything is thoroughly mixed. 
   • The recipe is in the form of a video, so it shows exactly what this looks like.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, keeping the mixer on medium-high speed. 
6. Turn the mixer back down to low speed. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, let incorporate. Then, add ½ of the wet ingredients. Again, let this incorporate. Add ½ of the remaining dry ingredients, then the rest of the wet ingredients, and finally the last of the dry ingredients, letting incorporate fully after each addition. 

 

To assemble

1. Spread half of the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan.
2. Sprinkle with the coffee ribbon, starting from the corners.
3. Dollop the remaining half of the cake batter on top of the ribbon, then spread the batter out evenly. 
   • Dolloping the batter makes it easier to spread without picking up the ribbon and getting it all mixed together. 
4. Top with the crumble, again starting from the corners so that it is spread evenly.

 

Bake for 40-45 minutes and enjoy!

 

9. Actions: Justice for Ma’Khia Bryant, Help for Ashley Diamond

Editor’s‌ ‌note:‌ ‌The‌ ‌“Actions”‌ ‌section‌ ‌includes‌ ‌petitions‌ ‌to‌ ‌sign,‌ ‌prompts‌ ‌and‌ ‌scripts‌ ‌to‌ ‌write‌ ‌officials‌ ‌with‌ ‌as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌other‌ ‌opportunities‌ ‌to‌ ‌engage‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ ‌local,‌ ‌national‌ ‌and‌ ‌global‌ ‌communities.‌ ‌

 

1. Sign this petition to demand justice for Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old girl shot by Columbus, Ohio police. 
2. Complete the various actions on the “Free Ashley Diamond” website to help Ashley Diamond, a transgender prisoner in Georgia. 

And,‌ ‌as‌ ‌always:‌ ‌

• Watch‌ ‌or‌ ‌listen‌‌ ‌or‌ ‌listen‌ ‌to‌ ‌this‌ ‌playlist.‌ ‌All‌ ‌advertisement‌ ‌revenue‌ ‌goes‌ ‌to‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Lives‌ ‌ Matter.‌ ‌I‌ ‌currently‌ ‌have‌ ‌it‌ ‌on‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌background‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌am‌ ‌writing‌ ‌this‌ ‌brief.‌ ‌Do‌ ‌not‌ ‌skip‌ ‌the‌ ‌ ads,‌ ‌the‌ ‌donations‌ ‌will‌ ‌not‌ ‌go‌ ‌through‌ ‌otherwise.‌ ‌
• Watch‌ ‌or‌ ‌listen‌‌ ‌to‌ ‌this‌ ‌video.‌ ‌All‌ ‌advertisement‌ ‌revenue‌ ‌goes‌ ‌to‌ ‌various‌ ‌aid‌ ‌organizations‌ ‌easing‌ ‌the‌ ‌humanitarian‌ ‌crisis‌ ‌in‌ ‌Yemen.‌ ‌Please‌ ‌note‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌blocked‌ ‌on‌ ‌school‌ ‌Chromebooks‌ ‌due‌ ‌to‌ ‌being‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌“Entertainment”‌ ‌category‌ ‌
  • Learn‌ ‌more‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ ‌crisis‌ ‌at‌ ‌‌www.monareliefye.org/‌.‌ ‌