Legends of SCAN

Written and illustrated by Julie Tran

We asked members of the SCAD Atlanta Student Media team to pick a figure that represents them best, culturally or personally. Here are the answers.

Julie Tran — Editor-in-Chief, Vietnam

Ho Ly Tinh: Vietnamese mythical nine-tailed fox, from the Chinese jiuweihu. A shapeshifter, it can turn into a beautiful woman to lure and feed on men. Killed by the dragon lord Lac Long Quan, its grave is now Hanoi’s West Lake.

Daniella Almona — Creative Director, Nigeria

Ala: Igbo goddess of the earth, fertility, creativity and productivity of the land. Ruler of the underworld and the ground itself, she holds the deceased in her womb. She is also the guardian of women and children.

Chenyu Yang — Art Director, China

Pixiu: Chinese mythical creatures with a dragon’s head, a lion’s body, wings, antlers and a role as protector. In feng shui practices, they often come in pairs. The female wards of evil and the male hunts for silver and gold.

Anokhi Dodhia — Managing Editor and PR Director

Athena: Greek warrior goddess of wisdom, handicraft and the strategic aspect of warfare, born from Zeus’s forehead. She is identified by her breastplate, Aegis, depicting Medusa’s head, her helmet and spear.

Benjamin Greennagel — Copy Editor, U.S.

Apollo: Greek god of the sun, truth, prophecy, music, dance, poetry, archery and healing. He is often identified with a lyre, bow and arrows and is seen as the most beautiful and most Greek of all gods.

Elijah Johnson — Arts and Entertainment Editor, U.S.

A supernatural black cat that protects Coraline and ultimately rescues her from the sinister Other Mother. He is characterized as sarcastic and mysterious, standing out as he does not have a double in the other world.

Iman Gadalla — Multimedia Editor, Egypt

Bastet: Egyptian goddess of protection, the home, domesticity, cats, fertility and childbirth. She started as a lioness goddess but was later depicted as a cat after the domestication of cats around 1500 B.C.

John Warner — Photo Editor, U.S.

Chiron: Greek mythical creature, a Centaur born of the Titan Cronos, known for his wisdom, knowledge of medicine and role as teacher of great Greek heroes. Immortalized as the constellation Centaurus.

Rachael Ramchand — News Editor, Trinidad and Tobago

Artemis: Greek goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, childbirth, chastity and the Moon. She is a protector of women and children, twin sister of the god Apollo, She is often identified with bow and arrows or a deer.

Rai Mukherjee — Style Editor, India

Radha: Hindu goddess of love, compassion and devotion, an avatar of Lakshmi — goddess of wealth, power and beauty. She can be interpreted as the eternal wife, lover or female counterpart of the god Krishna.