# data[].attributes.headline
A poem by Tara Fatemi Walker, for my mother Fereshteh Fatemi (my inspiration)

# data[].attributes.subject
A poem by Tara Fatemi Walker, for my mother Fereshteh Fatemi (my inspiration)

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.body
I was young

12

no

13

and the world was a bleak place

filled with disease and

dark

and

alone

but when she spoke to me I understood

no

i saw

that within the dark there could be a moment of light

a second of spark

and her smile felt like a mother's hug on a summer day

we have not spoken

not seen each other

since I was much younger than I am now

but still she remains forever

a memory

of home

# data[].attributes.body
Swimmer, yogi, lover of long walks, good books, and food that she didn't have to cook. A wonderful human and the best mom in the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class at DLV Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Words and artwork by students in Amanda's 1st grade class and Shannon's 3rd grade class

# data[].attributes.body
Strong, brave, disciplined. Evolved and evolving still at 86. Steward of the land, minder of the stock market, creative soul who is our biggest cheerleader in life. Thank you for all the love and support Mother.

# data[].attributes.body
Words & Artwork by Ms. Butler's 4th/5th grade class.

# data[].attributes.body
Words & Artwork by Ms. Butler's 4th/5th grade class.

# data[].attributes.body
Words & Artwork by Ms. Butler's 4th/5th grade class.

# data[].attributes.body
Words & Artwork by Ms. Butler's 4th/5th grade class.

# data[].attributes.body
Words & Artwork by Ms. Butler's 4th/5th grade class.

# data[].attributes.body
As the Environmental Literacy Coordinator for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Amity stands out as a guiding light in nurturing environmental stewardship among the youth of our community.

A key part of her work at the Santa Cruz COE is facilitating the Youth for Environmental Action (YEA) Leadership Team. Under Amity's guidance, YEA serves as a platform for young environmental leaders to connect, collaborate, and drive change.

Through her work, Amity is encouraging our community's young minds to identify issues they care about and take action. It's this empowerment that's creating a new generation of environmental stewards, deeply connected to their community and the planet.

Our community, and indeed our Earth, owes a great deal to Amity. Her dedication to nurturing a connection between young people and their environment is creating a ripple effect of positive change. Amity Sandage is more than an educator; she's a catalyst for a greener, more sustainable future, inspiring others to take care of the planet we call home.

# data[].attributes.headline
Generations of Strong Women! -Elizabeth Shaw

# data[].attributes.subject
Generations of Strong Women! -Elizabeth Shaw

# data[].attributes.body
My HERstory relates to the immense fortitude and strength present in the women on the maternal side of my family. My great-grandparents and grandmother were raised on a native American reservation in Poplar, Montana. Their tribe is Assiniboin, part of the Sioux nation, and the reservation is Fort Peck. Life on the reservation was tough for a number of reasons, including poverty and rampant alcoholism, and it left an indelible impression on my grandmother, and through her, to my mom and her sisters. My great-grandparents took their two daughters (one of whom was my grandmother) off to Chicago when they were teenagers, to join the vaudeville circuit as "Indian Dancers". Chicago during that time was also tough, but they persevered through poverty and were able to get by on what they earned performing as "The Indian Family" with their native headdresses and clothing. My grandmother raised my mother (and her two other children) alone, trying to find ways to support the family, barely able to make ends meet at times. My grandmother found ways to keep afloat by singing in nightclubs and sometimes even breaking out the native headdress and clothing to try to attract a wider audience. She also found it necessary to hide her native heritage from the closed-minded neighbors and community members who harbored disdain and prejudice for people of color. She never talked about her reservation or her status on the tribal rolls, and she never quite got over her sense of shame. My mother met and married my Irish father, and as the last of 5 children, I inherited his red hair and fair skin. My mother is on the tribal rolls of her Assiniboin tribe, but you would never know by looking at me. The roots of poverty grow deep, starting with life on the reservation, to Chicago, then to my own family. My mother supported our family as best as she could, and we barely knew we were "poor". I only found out when kids at school bullied me for my thrift store clothes, and working in the cafeteria so I could get free breakfasts. I always had food to eat at home, and clothes to wear, so I really didn't notice. It wasn't until later that I realized we never had health insurance, and I didn't go to a dentist until I was almost 13. And found out I was almost legally blind in one eye only because they did free vision testing at my school. Through it all, my mother was my champion and protector, instilling in me the same strength to survive adversity that has been passed down from mother to daughter through generations. I am one of only 2 females in the entire maternal side of the family to have graduated from college, and I would never have dreamed that possible without my mother encouraging me. Now I'm on the other side, encouraging students and striving to instill in them confidence and tenacity despite challenges they face. My siblings and I inherited my mother's land on the reservation, and we all feel the responsibility of keeping the tribal land protected. I feel honored to be part of this amazing bloodline, and look back on our family as a lasting testament and a big part of my HERstory.

# data[].attributes.headline
Bisan Owda - Palestinian Film Maker/Activist

# data[].attributes.subject
Bisan Owda - Palestinian Film Maker/Activist

# data[].attributes.body
Bisan risks her life daily to bring awareness to the genocide currently taking place in Gaza.

# data[].attributes.body
I remember

a pillar of

a woman

who cast

a shadow

Do you remember me?

Perhaps there was nothing to

remember

I was a child

left in a bar

No

dropped off at a woodhouse

by a father looking for a party

Do I even remember you?

You swayed when you spoke

You said you are

a huntress

No

you won

both competitions

Too big and

strong to just be one

No

You proved

we can be more

I wish I were that strong

My dad had left me at a bar

No

had dropped me

at the woodhouse

A restaurant that only serves

booze

He was going to a party

I treasure the knickknacks

you drunkenly gave me

No

the pen is broken

the pennies are spent

You swayed too much to

remember me anyway

But I remember you

# data[].attributes.body
(for my Nanima, your memory lives on)

To the woman

my mother

said

I still

adore

I wish I knew

you better

To the woman

whose face

is

a cloud

to me

I want to see

your thunder

To the woman

whose name

I

trace on

the stone

I yearn to know

your outline

To the woman

who snagged

on

a tangle

of lives

I will escape

for us both

# data[].attributes.body
Here are some additional photos of Team Toros from over the years.

# data[].attributes.body
The Toros originated as a women’s recreation league soccer team in 2008 and became, and continues to be, a women’s club of sorts that I will attempt to describe in words here.

The team was initially formed by two groups of sisters: the two Durant sisters and three Geisler sisters. At the time, the Durant sisters, Jessie and Kira, were very into dance choreography; so yes, “Toros” does stem from the undoubtedly fabulous 2000 movie “Bring It On”. History has it that attempts were made at a name change that first year of play, but nothing better was brought to the table, which I’m personally glad for. The remainder of the original team came together from cold-calls off the city’s free agent list for the league, and these initial calls to join the team are still remembered fondly by those who formed that first team.

My origin story with the Toros is also something I won’t forget, and maybe those reading this will think the term “life changing” is overly dramatic when used to describe what is on the surface only joining a recreation league soccer team, but it was just that to me. I had been in California for about a year, having moved straight out of college from upstate NY. I fell in love with so much around me, but making new friends proved challenging. I called the city’s parks and recreation to be added to the free agents list and was told my best shot of joining a team was to show up on game day. So, I did, reluctantly, and with lots of nerves. Teams were getting ready to play, and as I lingered between both groups of teams getting ready a member of the red clad team (now one of my best friends) asked if I could play, like at that moment. I rushed home to get my gear, then made it back to play in the second half. I remember how nervous I was playing that game, I wanted so badly to play well enough that they’d let me join permanently (this league was/is no joke, we have so many amazing female athletes in Santa Cruz!). I’m pretty sure I played terribly due to how out of shape I was, but summer is a hard season to get numbers for games, so they let me join and I eventually got in shape enough to continue!

After joining up, I quickly realized how lucky it was that I landed with this squad of women. While on the field, they genuinely enjoyed playing together, most of the time there was a collective happiness on the field and they were fiercely competitive; the seriousness that they took the league made it all the more fun to play. Off the field, they showed up for each other in small and big ways and each was a leader in their own way, rocking at life in their respective careers, at home as partners/wives/moms, and many of them were incredible athletes. Being around this group of women, it was easy to be inspired to be better, and I found my Santa Cruz family (as many other women had found on this team). After sixteen years (!), the Toros continue to inspire, nurture, teach, and LAUGH with those lucky enough to find them. Once a Toro, always a Toro.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mrs. Chih-Teng Foo Chien ( 1888 "DaSheChou",China - 1998 Santa Cruz, CA. U.S.A.)

# data[].attributes.subject
Mrs. Chih-Teng Foo Chien ( 1888 "DaSheChou",China - 1998 Santa Cruz, CA. U.S.A.)

# data[].attributes.body
Survivor of Boxers Rebellion 1890s; Chinese Civil War 1910s-19?? ; Japanese occupation of China 1937-1945; Wars in China 1937-1945; Communist Chinese Revolution 1949-1950s. Lived in British Crowned Colony of Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan before immigrated to Santa Cruz, Calif. U.S.A. Could not run fast due to the bound feet custom in the old China, she was carried out of war torn China on the back of one of her generation/family friends, the late Perter Wong who was buried in Los Angeles, California after immigration to Houston, Texas in the 1980s. Maternal grandmother out lived her son-in-law who took her in to "America" by ten years, the late Dr. M.T. Cheng, D.D.S. in British Hong Kong, Chinese Cookery Aide and China Szechwan Restaurant helper/worker after immigrated to Santa Cruz, Calif. U.S.A. in the 1970s. The Licensed Dentist with the British Colonial Government in Hong Kong, B.C.C. made the first "false teeth"(denture) in the 1950s/1960s British Hong Kong for his mother-in-law, communicate with his Mandarin speaking mother-in-law, in Cantonese and Shanghainese and mandarin Chinese. Father, the late Dr. M.T. Cheng, D.D.S. in Hong Kong , B.C.C. received his dentistry training from the French Jesuits Catholics, staffed at ShangHai's French Concessions' Aurora Modale (University), trashed by the Mao's red guards in the late 1950s and sent those staff who remain behind to guard the University, to North Vietnamese style of re-education camp. Note details mentioned in Father John Clifford's book titled: In the Presence of my Enemies, 1960s University of Santa Clara Press. One way or the other, maternal grandmother she, outlived her son-in-law by ten years. She joined him and other relatives and in-laws in Heaven on Oct. 8th, 1998 at 110(111) years of age. Born in a year of the pig, she appeared on NBC centurions birthday announcement presented by weatherman at the time, Mr. Willard Scott, on Labor Day weekend in the 1990s when she was 104(6) years of age. A 4" by 6" photo taken-submitted by grand-daughter-Juliana Cheng, a photo that was accepted by NBC producer at the time in the 1990s. Will try to upload the 1990 print here if I feel like getting it done. However a professional image of the 1960s grandmother could be found on the back cover of the hard copy of "Chinese Home Cooking" by Julia Cheng. 1972 Kodansha Publication Company, Japan. First Chinese cook book published with photos in color!

# data[].attributes.body
A woman of strong coffee and strong opinions, Eloise Pickard Smith believed art could change and transform people's lives and shortly after arriving in Santa Cruz in 1963 with her historian husband, Page, she started an independent art gallery on the UCSC campus with shows of such talented artists as William Dole and Wayne Thiebaud. She was the first director of the California Arts Council, appointing it’s founding council members (including Ruth Asawa, Peter Coyote and Gary Snyder). She started the Santa Cruz Cultural Council and the Spectra Arts Program, the MAH (originally a gallery upstairs in the downtown public library) and at the time of her death in 1995, she had put top quality instructors of art, poetry, music, bookbinding, ceramics, mural painting, etching, calligraphy, design, fine woodworking, music, writing, and theater in all the men’s and women’s prison in California as part of her Prison Art’s Project. And, as if that was not enough, she was an excellent artist in her own right, working in oils, collage, assemblage, handmade paper, and junk sculpture, to name just some of her mediums. But her real talent was in living a full, inspired life filled with beauty, grace, and humor.

# data[].attributes.body
That's what my best friend Aubrey's faborit animal and I know that how do I know that you may ask well because. her dog died ones and she had a hard time but its okay because I'm always going to be her friend her dog died when she was she/he baby I think but me and her friends aka also my friends will always be there for her.

# data[].attributes.body
Lydia

Lydia is so cool she is funny. Lydia is my friend and she's a good friend.

# data[].attributes.body
Her name is willow stiles she is almost 9 years old she

# data[].attributes.body
Mira a Brenda como compartir tu historia/mensaje en el padlet

# data[].attributes.body
Tania is my best friend and I known her for so long

# data[].attributes.body
she is the vest helper in math that I ever had and she is such a kind person from Tania

# data[].attributes.body
sofia is a amazing friend and I am so

thankful to have memories with her.

she likes looking for bugs around the field with me!

she is from Mexico she has 3 sisters .

we met in first grade now we are in third.

if she wasn't in my class I would be so sad :(

she always brings me so much joy

her favorite animal is a tea cup puppy

and her favorite color is baby pink

she also dose cheer she likes stanger things

she likes reading mistery books

I'm so happy she is my bestie

we made a club named bug club

she is caring to everyone

# data[].attributes.body
she is a funny friend who is very kind to all.

she loves lord of the rings

# data[].attributes.headline
 When I was born into my family one of the biggest blessings I received, is I get to have Christine Vanderbundt as my aunt "Polly." She is the person I think of when I hear the word kindness. She embodies a type of kindness that is felt not seen. It is a feeling of calmness and safety in her presence. It is her never judging listening ear, the small gestures of affection, and the compassionate perspective she brings to the world. I am so grateful to be her niece and have her as a role model! 

# data[].attributes.subject
 When I was born into my family one of the biggest blessings I received, is I get to have Christine Vanderbundt as my aunt "Polly." She is the person I think of when I hear the word kindness. She embodies a type of kindness that is felt not seen. It is a feeling of calmness and safety in her presence. It is her never judging listening ear, the small gestures of affection, and the compassionate perspective she brings to the world. I am so grateful to be her niece and have her as a role model! 

# data[].attributes.body
Jennifer is a very kind person.

i think she is a supportive, wonderful

and a creative girl.

# data[].attributes.body
Grammy Ann is nice and she is a good helper to Mrs.Beck she helps in math.

# data[].attributes.body
kit is a funny and nice person she loves the color purple and blue and she also likes the color green she is a amazing friend to me and her other friends she is very fun to play with she likes playing in the park,and talking, and also playing castle battle she is a good friend she likes her friends and her brother hank and playing with new people she likes drawing and painting and she is one of the people who created Bug club in are school kit is a very into drawing real things in real life she is the bestest friend I could ever had she is one of my best friend she is creative and if I was not her friend I would have no one to talk to or even play with her she likes cats she want's a tea cup puppy she has a cat named smores she is smart she likes reading lots of books she likes reading mystery, love books and others she is a really good friend she does soccer and she does hip hop she also does soft ball she is going to turn nine years old her birthday is April 11 she goes to Del mar school we met in 1 grade she asked me if I wanted to be her friend an I said yes she likes wearing jeans she likes sleepovers she likes dancing she loves Taylor swift and Lord of the rings she LOVES watching stranger things and she likes making funny faces her nick name is kit cat and she likes eating cupcakes she also like eating cheese pizza she likes playing at the park she loves doing cursive she likes wearing flare pants she likes wearing fluffy jackets if I weren't her friend I would be really sad and that's all about kit

Love : Sofia

P.S hello

# data[].attributes.body
Aubrey is my best friend and she's so kind I think I met her in 1st grade and i am so happy that she is my friend she always brings me joy and happiness.

# data[].attributes.body
Mrs.Beck she is the best teacher in the world she likes teaching kids and likes plants she is the best teacher in the world.

# data[].attributes.body
she is a great mom

she is a funny person

she likes our cat smores

she has two kids (me and my brother)

# data[].attributes.body
Grammy Ann is a amazing teacher helper and she helps all of the students in this class and that so kind of her.

# data[].attributes.body
Fablola is my best friend she is cool and she is nice she is a good friend.

# data[].attributes.body
she is very nice and funny

she like's to play with all her friend's

she like's to do art and she very good at it she is 8 year's old and the person that is writeing for the kit is me hi my name is mason i'm a funny guy i help kit every day and that is fine with me i don't know much about kit but she is a nice person and i didn't tell you how old i im so i i'm 9 years old and it wah nice meeting you bye.

# data[].attributes.body
she is very kind

she loves me so very much

she is so creative

and she is so beautiful.

I love my mom so much

I will always love her.

and she will always love me too.

# data[].attributes.body
my grandma is the best she makes me stuff she likes cooking and she like doing more stuff.

# data[].attributes.body
Grammy Ann is the best helper

you can ask for

she is so so so kind to everyone

she has been with me for a very long time

i will always love her:)

# data[].attributes.body
Jennifer is my best friend and I met her in 1st grade and that's when I told her "do you want to be friends" and she said yes I was so happy to have another friend. and that's how me and Jennifer became friends.

# data[].attributes.body
she is a funny and a great person she has lots of kindness in her and she is really good at drawing and painting and she is a good friend to me and her other friends the color that she likes is the color pink

# data[].attributes.body
My sister is so cool she is the best sister in the world.

# data[].attributes.body
coco and kitty are my cats they are so cute when I am sad they make me happy they like playing and like me giving them a head rub and it is so cute.

# data[].attributes.body
she loves cats very much

she is caring to others

she is very smart

she is nice

# data[].attributes.body
she brings me joy. i known her for so long

and i consider her my BFF and she is really kind.

# data[].attributes.body
Lydia is so funny and she sit next to me she is so cool.

# data[].attributes.body
Tania is my friend and shes the best I meet her in first grade that is when we became friends.

# data[].attributes.body
she like's to help us learn

she is a good person

and a chill teacher

# data[].attributes.body
Kayla is the nicest girl I could ever have .Miss beck is a great teacher ! Grammy Ann is a great teacher too!And they all are my friends!

# data[].attributes.body
she is a good sister

she helps me on my homework

she is amazing

# data[].attributes.body
Mrs.Beck is the best teacher. Mrs.Beck loves teaching kids and loves plants. Mrs.Beck is so cool and so pretty. Mrs.Beck is the best teacher in the world.Mrs.Beck is cool she love teaching shes the best

# data[].attributes.body
she's really nice with me

she also buys me food

and i just love her

as my sister

# data[].attributes.body
she is so funny

she is a good friend to everyone

she is amazing

# data[].attributes.body
my mom I love her, and she loves me. she loves cooking and she love plants. she is the best mom in the world. I am so lucky to have her.

# data[].attributes.body
she is very kind

with a big sense of humor

i love her very much.

# data[].attributes.body
she loves coffee

she loves us

she loves Quiet

she is kind

she loves homework

she loves Teaching

she loves Writing

# data[].attributes.body
peewee is my dog but she no longer stays on earth I will always miss her she will always be in my heart :) <3

# data[].attributes.body
Line 1 Coffe is her favorite

Line 2 she loves natrue and she loves books Line 3 and she brings us joy

# data[].attributes.body
she's my best friend here

she also plays with me all the time

she also like catching gecos

# data[].attributes.body
1 She helps us with our work

2 She is one of my teachers

3 she likes books and coffee

# data[].attributes.body
she is really funny

last year she was my teacher

she is really kind

# data[].attributes.body
she loves teaching 3 grade

she loves so much coff'e

she loves so much nature

# data[].attributes.body
she is so funny

and her nickname is panda

she is so wholesome

# data[].attributes.body
loves to read her books

she likes to walk our dog

likes to play with our dog

# data[].attributes.body
Snowflake is a Parakeet

She always eats her food

She is a beauty