BLOOM autumn 2016
A COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
Page 04 community warrior Daryl Files
Note From the Editor My family is committed to lingering at meals. For my entire life I have assumed that dinner should be served around 7:30 or 8 (at the earliest) and no one will get up until at least 10. My family of 6, with 4 of us being over 6 feet tall, nestled around our 5x3 foot table under soft white lights in the kitchen, elbows bumping, feet battling under the table for premier space, inevitably directly under the chair of the person across from you, reminders of don’t reach and the “may I?” vs. “can I?” debate, serving dishes being passed, silverware clattering, and once in awhile a failed attempt at a new dish that we still bring
up at least once a month - (read: creamy - corn - and - tuna - casserole) stretching into the evening until someone realizes that their behind has gone numb with pain and we look at the clock realizing we have been sitting their for multiple hours. This table is where I found my voice. In a house where personal space was hard to come by, it was at this table, this crowded table where you were inevitably bumping into someone else, was where I learned how to make my own space within the world.
It’s where I learned to speak up, and share my mind. Where I learned the art of debate, the poetry of story-telling, and my love for it. It is also where I learned what has served me more than anything in my life, the art of listening. It is where I fell in love with stories and their power to transform us. It is where I learned that my own sense of the world, my own sense of myself, was enhanced when it bumped up against someone else’s. Being a part of Circles of Change is being at a table like that.
-Gillian
BLOOM© is a quarterly publication of Circles of Change Gillian McGann - editor | Casey Rose Frank - copy editor & feature writer | Carrie Luteran - design & art direction Steven J. Pallone - photography & digital imaging | Haley Quinn - design & contributing writer Abby Case - contributing writer | Joleene Moody - contributing writer | Rachel Liz - contributing writer
02 | y(our) mission
cover photo by Steven J. Pallone taken at LeMoyne College
embrace autumn 2016 - Issue 2
Page 05 books we love
Page 06 - 07 embrace
Page 08 Q: what do you embrace about yourself?
Page 09 recipe: pumpkin muffins
Page 10 embrace the blush
Page 11 measuring health from the inside first
contents | 03
COMMUNITY WARRIOR
Daryl Files
by abby case photo by steven j. pallone Daryl Files is the Volunteer and Donor Coordinator for Interfaith Works CNY and a Warrior for Change. AC: I think it so very important that we encourage women and girls to speak up and be heard, to move beyond the fear. So how did you move beyond it? DF: I was raised in fear of being less than, and as a Baby Boomer adult; I refuse to spend my time in fear, although guilt does get in the way at times. I talk to myself and also answer myself to get through these moments of feeling defeated and helpless. Always remember we are each on a journey and each and every one of us is going on their each individual journey. We are never clones of others, we are each a wonderful precious gift. AC: What advice do you have for women in situations of isolation due to their fear? DF: Join something. Ask yourself: what do I love to do? Get off of social media and meet others, face to face, building relationships and friendships. Put your small toes in it at first. You may find you like it or you may find that you need to look a little more. As women we also must be intuitive to see the pain and fear in other women. Reach out to someone you may not know and share a few positive words. Each of us just wants to be noticed. AC: When and where are you most inspired? DF: I get inspired by being around others who want to make a difference. Every time I hear an idea, I want to figure out a way to invite others to somehow collaborate. I love being in a group, and remember a group starts with just 2. Start with an idea and then listen and see where others will take it. It is not about me, it is about WE. AC: What do you embrace most about yourself? DF: My heart, my tears, my making a difference one human being at a time. I am Woman hear ME ROAR. For Abby’s full interview with Daryl visit our blog at www.circlesofchange.org/blog
Books We Love words and photo by casey rose frank
If you liked “Big Girl: How I Gave Up Dieting and Got a saying, “Sincerity is an easy target, but I don’t want to excise sincerity from my life — that’s a lonely way to live.” Life” by Kelsey Miller, try (Trigger Warnings: West responds to life experiences of Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West being body shamed, threatened on the internet, and her stance Sometimes before we can create change for ourselves we need a trailblazer to help blast open a path for us. With well-honed comedic wit, West has been dedicated to shedding a light on the uncomfortable truths associated with being a large female in a world that would prefer we be small in both voice and stature. In regard to female beauty standards in the media, West says, “…they tell you that if you hate yourself hard enough, you can grab just a tail feather or two of perfection.” And while much of what makes West’s work so joyously
“Only small peoplethe inside-small kinddon’t like you to be big.” relatable is the humor she applies to situations that are otherwise not very funny, West is also self-aware enough to respect growth and learning experiences when they appear,
on rape culture.)
If you liked “Dumplin’” by Julie Murphy, try Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven The world of YA books has become incredibly diverse over the years, thankfully growing to include positive female role models that have nothing to do with fighting a post apocalyptic dictatorship, and everything to do with fighting the limits and expectations of size and beauty. “Holding Up the Universe” is told through the perspective of two characters: Libby who is redefining her life, exploring what being comfortable in her life and in her body means in the wake of trauma, and Jack, a popular high school student who is secretly dealing with a severe case of face blindness. Niven does an incredible job of showing through both characters that compassion goes a long way in dealing with the fear that often leads to a person’s cruelty. Libby’s journey to not only self-acceptance, but self-celebration is one that will make you want to stand up and cheer.
books we love | 05
EMBRACE the documentary
The United States premiere of Embrace was on September 19th, and the film was screened to a near sellout audience in Syracuse, NY. A panel discussion followed. BLOOM asked three people for their review and impression of the film.
photos by steven j. pallone Sometime last year I saw the Kickstarter campaign for this movie. I watched the trailer and thought, “I want to embrace my body as is. How did she do it?” I donated to the campaign and was lit up like a Christmas tree when the movie came out. It floored me. I sat in the theater with my husband and 13-year-old daughter flabbergasted at the number of women just like me that didn’t love themselves. All this time I thought I was alone. I’m not. And frankly, that’s what saddens me the most. Taryn took the time to stop women on the street to ask them what they thought of their bodies. Not a one said, “I love it. It’s perfect.” Instead they answered with words like, “Lumpy. Fat. Gross.” With statistics to back the truth of how women really feel about their bodies, I learned that while so many of us hate the skin we are in, more and more women are on the road to embracing who they are instead of criticizing who they are. I want to love who I am and how I look. I want to wake up every day confident. This movie made me believe that I
can indeed, do this. Our world needs this message. This spot on, heartfelt film made me realize that I’m ready to stop beating myself up. I’m pretty sure anyone reading this is ready, too. Joleene Moody is a former television reporter and anchor turned freelance writer, blogger, and speaker. www.takeyourvoiceback.com When I was studying magazine journalism in college, I was told that my goal was to get to NYC. I entertained the idea, but was hesitant. A lot of the women I was in school with seemed obsessed with fashion. I could understand their drive to get to the city, a fashion capital of the world. But for me, the push behind being a journalist was the words and the stories, not the style. Embrace made me think about why I hadn’t jumped on the thin-and-fashionobsessed media bandwagon. And then Taryn’s words to her daughter at the end of the film gave my heartstrings a yank, and my why was obvious: my parents. The movie mentioned parents praising their daughters for being pretty. To me, this is strange, because people have so much more control over choices
and actions than looks. I was encouraged to do well in school, and to be a good and happy person. Never once was I applauded for my hair color or dress choice. Walking out of the theater, I was reminded of a phrase a Facebook friend posted a few months ago. Embrace reiterated the powerful thought: “It’s not what your body is, it’s what your body does.” So do well. Do good. Walk through the world with your body as an instrument, not just an object. Lorna Oppedisano is Editor of Syracuse Woman Magazine. www.syracusewomanmag.com I live in the land of women. I work with mostly women and as a photographer, the vast majority of my subjects are women. Many of my good friends are women. And like my girlfriend, a women’s studies grad who has educated me extensively on society’s ceaseless objectification of her gender, I am a feminist. Hence, I have an understanding of the unending struggle that women face with body image and their often unhealthy relationships with scales, mirrors and photographs. The latter in particular has been eye-opening in my endeavor as a photographer. On more than one occasion, I’ve produced what I thought to be lovely portrait images only to have them met with lukewarm reception by the subject. Their singular focus on specific body parts or features that they perceived with incontrovertible negativity was the common theme with these occurrences. Despite this firsthand experience and my awareness of the issue of body image, it is still somewhat shocking and disturbing to see it laid bare in all its forms. Embrace, the documentary, does just this, at times literally and painfully so. It is necessarily unflinching in its dialogue and visuals, taking the viewer on a journey they won’t soon forget. To witness women around the world share the same sentiment of utter
dissatisfaction with their bodies and to see and hear the stories of incredible individual struggle is quite powerful. For all of its austerity and strife however, I found Embrace above all to be a story of hope and the possibility of change. Within the cultural and geographical distance between the women featured here, there lies a commonality of spirit and capacity to rise above their circumstances. The choice to embrace what is different and intrinsically what is the same amongst them, is ultimately a unifying call to arms for all of us. This is not just a woman’s issue, it is a human issue, and together we can change the body image conversation. Steven J. Pallone is a freelance photographer and videographer. www.stevenjpallone.com
embrace | 07
Q:
08 | Q
e c a r b m e u o y o d t a Wh ? f l e s r u o y about
In every issue we ask members of our community a question. compiled by haley quinn at Cafe at 407
Pumpkin Muffins
recipe by carole brzozowski photo by steven j. pallone INGREDIENTS 1 cup canned pumpkin puree* 1/2 cup veg oil 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp clove 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour optional add ins: 1 cup chocolate chips or 1 cup cinnamon chips or 1/2 cup each walnuts and raisins
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
MODIFICATIONS Vegan: Use the equivalent of 2 eggs of your favorite egg replacer.
Place pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and sugar in medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Do not over work the batter. Stir in desired add-ins.
Gluten Free: Substitute 1 1/2 cups of your favorite GF baking mix (not simply GF flour) for the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum. I am partial to King Arthur Baking Mix for these particular muffins.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Muffins will last for days if kept in a covered airtight container. * Make sure you are using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling that has added sugar and spices.
This is a versatile recipe that makes a great, moist muffin. It can also be dressed up with a simple cream cheese frosting for a delicious cupcake. Carole the baker is partial to the walnut and raisin version, while the CafĂŠ 407 customers are completely devoted to the chocolate chip version.
recipe | 09
Embrace the Blush words and photos by rachel liz My approach to photography has always been to answer one question- What is the deeper meaning behind what I’m creating? I decided to approach boudoir photography the same way. I call my boudoir sessions “Blush Sessions” instead of boudoir because I want to make portraits that make you feel as if you received an amazing compliment- just enough to make you Blush. My main goal is to make women feel beautiful, radiant, and comfortable in their own skin. I want them to see themselves in a light they’ve never seen before, to see themselves the way that I, and everyone else sees them. We are undoubtedly our own worst critics. We tend to see the negative first, and then we stay there, we get lost in the selfloathing and it robs us of so much time, energy, and love. In most instances women decide to have boudoir photos taken as a gift for a partner- and it is a great gift to your partner, but it is also a great gift to yourself. Every woman deserves to have images that make her feel beautiful and valuable, and I am more than grateful to be able to offer this. I have photographed women who are 60, who have scars, who have insecurities, those who have lost and gained and lost again, and every single time I am AMAZED at their beauty and strength in front of the camera. Here are some of my favorite quotes from past clients: “I look like my mother- and I thought my mother was so beautiful.” “Is that ME?!” “I’ve always felt like the ‘cute’ girl but this is the first time I feel that I am sexy.” “I want to show them to everyone!” “This photoshoot was truly life-changing.” About a year ago I decided I had to practice what I preach and approached one of my favorite local photographers about doing a boudoir session of my own. Like everyone else I have insecurities. But when I left the session I felt like a total badass. I had DONE IT. Getting to see the images was just the icing on top. I felt empowered. The added bonus was that they made my husband cry. So here’s the deal, girl to girl: Find comfort in being vulnerable and trust someone to capture you in your best light. Embrace the Blush! Rachel Liz is a lifestyle portrait and wedding photographer based out of Upstate NY. www.rachellizphotography.com
10 | embrace the blush
Measuring Health from the Inside First by carolyn hodges chaffee photo by steven j. pallone Carolyn, MS, RDN, CEDRD, the owner and director of Upstate New York Eating Disorder Service, and Annika Kahm, MS, an eating disorder therapist and nutritionist in private practice in Stamford, Conn., have co-authored a book that is set to transform the world of eating disorder treatment. “Measuring Health From The Inside: Nutrition, Metabolism and Body Composition” explains the importance of using two simple measurement techniques – Metabolic Testing and Body Composition Analysis – in helping to assess and treat eating disorder patients. Body Composition Analysis, done by electrical impedance, is a measurement of the body’s lean mass, fat mass, hydration status, and phase angle (which helps assess how healthy an individual
is at the cellular level). The results also help determine the long-term impact malnutrition has had on the body. Metabolic Testing, or indirect calorimetry, is an actual measurement of the body’s resting energy expenditure. The results are used to accurately assess the current nutritional status of the patient. The test results show how the body adapts to being underfed. Metabolic Testing determines how many calories a body is burning at rest with no activity. It also shows if the body is breaking down excessive protein stores. For many patients, and family members of patients, these tests have provided a more illuminating experience with one reader sharing, “I’ve read a lot about eating disorders and what
happens to the body, but this is the first time I’ve really understood why.” One of the biggest changes that the co-authors hope to achieve with their book is a better understanding that weight is not the sole indicator of health. “Everyone always uses weight as a parameter for their health, so if they are a normal body weight, they think they are healthy when they could be very unhealthy on the inside,” she said. “Someone who is overweight could be very healthy inside and just carry extra weight according to standards. The tests help people better understand that every person needs to be evaluated to see if how they are taking care of themselves is adequate for their body.”
GET INVOLVED Find Resources: opheliasplace.org Become a Warrior: circlesofchange.org
measuring health | 11
WE
ARE
COMMITTED
TO
CHANGING THE CONVERSATION AND THE CULTURE AROUND HEALTH, BEAUTY, AND BODY IMAGE
CIRCLES OF CHANGE IS A MOVEMENT TOGETHER WE CAN SHIFT THE CULTURE FROM ONE THAT SHAMES OUR BODIES
TO ONE THAT CELEBRATES
THE BEAUTY AND PURPOSE OF OUR INDIVIDUALITY
RECL AIM
H E A L T H REDEFINE THE NARROW DEFINITIONS OF BEAUTY RESTORE OUR LOVE FOR OUR BODIES
CHANGE
THE
CONVERSATION
CHANGE THE CULTURE