Summer - Fall 2018

CELEBRATING CROSS-CULTURAL EXCELLENCE

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FALL

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NAVY, BLACK AND COPPER, OH YES!

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Working Remotely: One Year; 12 Amazing Destinations

88

The MUST List

Destination: Kyoto

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Leveraging Technology for Good: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

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Faces of the In-Between: Celebrate the beauty of global diversity

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On the Shoulders of Giants: Summer/Fall 2018 and | www.CultursMag.com One family’s honor legacy inspires social justice

A TCK Military B.R.A.T’S Sage Advice: Share your story

People Are People: Promoting human connection

Destination: Chang Mai

Destination: Columbia

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Fall Fashion

One Family 10 Countries

The Color of Love: A mission to change the world

When History Repeats: U.S. Legacy of Family Separation

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Let the Multicultural

Superhero Reign Begin Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com 5

CONTENTS

TABLE of 6

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

01 AUTO REVIEW 18 - Experience the VW V6 SEL

02 CAREERS 99 - Must Do Remote Year

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ENTERTAINMENT 97 - TV: New Amsterdam on NBC 94 - Web: Seeds and BKPI Sacred Lies on Facebook Watch 86 - International: Jade of Death

04 FASHION 68 - Fall Fashion Forecast 75 - The Capsule for your Fashion Illness

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HEALTH

TRAVEL

COLUMNISTS

24 - Getting Over the Stress of Code Switching

100 - Mexico City , Mexico 102 - Lima, Peru 103 - Cordoba, Argentina 104 - Belgrade, Serbia 105 - Prague, Czech Republic 106 - Kyoto, Japan 107 - Valencia, Spain 108 - Chang Mai, Thailand 109 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 110 - Medellin, Columbia 111 - Bogota, Columbia 112 - Buenos Aires, Argentina

16 - Executive Strategist 22 - Global Storytelling for Global Development 24 - Health 75 - Fashion

06 MUSIC 90 - Must Listen Lady Antebellum Estelle

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RELATIONSHIPS

PEOPLE

60 - Wedding: Rhonda Coleman and Randall Duval

26 - Faces of the In Between 28 - On the Shoulders of Giants 32 - When History Repeats:

U.S. Legacy of Family Separation 34 - One Family, 10 Countries 36 - Three Generations of DiversifiedBeauty 39 - Hidden Diversity : Growing up multicultural may not look like we expect 44 - People are People: Promoting human connection 46 - The Importance of Community: Gifts and challenges in growing up multicultural 48 - Family: The Core of Life 50 - A TCK, Military B.R.A.T.s Sage Advice: Share your story 54 - Love & ‘Ohana: A mission to change how we see the world

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LIFESTYLE 78 - Global. Multicultural.

Superheroes for a New Century 89 - Must Buy: Little Brown Skin Girls 92 - Must Know: SeriesFest 113 - Advice for the Homeful

09 SPORTS 116 - Yoga for Trauma with Sean Corn

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14 IN EVERY ISSUE 9 - Publisher’s Letter 14 - Contributors 20 - Culturally Fluid Definitions 87 - Must List 120 - Behind the Scenes

15 ON THE COVER 26 - Faces of the In Between 28 - When History Repeats: U.S.

Legacy of family separation 64 - How Tech Inspires Culture 68 - Fall Fashion: Navy, black and copper, oh yes!

79 - Let the Multicultural Superhero Reign Begin 88 - The Must List: What to do, read and watch now!

99 - Imagine Working Remotely:

One year, 12 amazing destinations

PHILANTHROPY 64 - Leveraging Technology for Good Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Praise for Launch Issue I just purchased the magazine and love it. In particular, the Seoul wedding story really spoke to me.

Washington D.C.

I was moved to tears when I saw this beautiful publication. This is really needed - thank you.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Just read Diedre’s story.

Beautiful story and unbelievable photographs throughout the magazine.

Littleton, Colorado

I can’t wait until we can buy it on shelves here!

Saudi Arabia

I was blown away, truly blown away.

New York, New York

Can I just say.....I am moved to tears with the content, depth and breadth of this masterpiece magazine. It is PHENOMENAL. Omg....I mean, literal tears of life experience recognitions; for the struggles still so immensely intense in our world; for knowing that there is a GLOBAL connect with all of us. Then seeing the beauty we seek to reflect and display in our individual lives and the fight for change is coming to fruition. This shows it!! The images make me feel like I am there!!

This magazine has a heartbeat when you hold it and read through it. I am so honored, beyond words to be a part of this “movement” with CULTURS. High awards are on the way. Continued Blessings.

Dallas, Texas

The photos are gorgeous!

Paris, France

Well, it’s about time.

Chicago, Illinois

Thank you for showing the beauty of our country.

Nairobi, Kenya

Bring it to the U.K.!

London, England

This magazine is legit!

Fort Collins, Colorado

So much more than I ever imagined.

Houston, Texas

See for yourself what Culturs has to offer!

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I showed it to my daughter, and she was awed.

All she kept saying is “it’s so content rich.”

Fort Collins, Colorado

Subscribe today at subscribe.cultursmag.com

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Publisher’s Letter

may start to sound like a broken record each issue, but — once again — I’m so proud to bring you the exciting, one-of-a-kind content that makes up this magazine we call Culturs. As you know, the missing “e” in our name stands for the hidden diversity of our readers — evidenced in the varied visual, hidden and multiplicity of identity in this and every issue.

As you can see in “Praise for the Spring Issue,” (page 8), this publication brings such joy to so many (myself included) to finally, finally, finally see, read, watch (online at cultursmag.com or on our YouTube channel) and experience the beauty of the in-between. The stories are so rich and the experiences so powerful; it is an honor to be the one to make this vision a reality.

We went a little different direction this time around by going the way of the multicultural superhero. At WonderCon in Anaheim, Calif., USA , I had the pleasure of meeting The Creative Extreme, creators of more than 600 globally diverse superheros and villans, (cover story, page 77). As expected, the conference was a people-watching cosplay feast for the eyes, and for some, the soul.

We had the pleasure of connecting with the multicultural crew from ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I fan-girled at actor Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame, and swooned at the ground-shaking bass in veteran sci-fi movie actor Kevin Greivioux’s voice (Underworld is one of my favorite movie franchises of all time). Myriad multi-talented, global, multicultural in-

betweeners could be found at most every turn.

With the unprecedented success of the Black Panther movie in the Marvel Universe and Crazy Rich Asians, Hollywood has finally taken notice that movies featuring casts of color are viable money-making powerhouses. In the same way that the NBC television network’s “This is Us,” series and ABC’s “Fresh off the Boat” and “Modern Family” truly show the varied, multi-dimensional, un-cookie-cuttered lives many of us live, they also show audiences yearn for content to which they can relate.

SeriesFest (page 90) — touted as the Sundance of television series — shows the trend continues, with diverse, multicultural content featured from around the globe. From web series features to streaming like Facebook Watch, global series presentations and U.S. network television with an exclusive premiere of NBC’s “New Amsterdam” (page 92) there’s some amazing storytelling coming at you this fall ­— no matter where you live.

Along those same lines, we continue to tell the stories of some amazing Third Culture Kids (TCKs), including Military B.R.A.T.s, diplomat kids, Cross-Culture Kids (CCKs), multiethnic and multiracial families this issue (start on page 26). On the Shoulders

of Giants (page 28) begins the amazing tale of a firstgeneration American Japanese family where descendants relay the heroic deeds of their patriarch fighting for the U.S. in World War II while, simultaneously, his future sister-inlaw lived in a U.S. internment camp because of her heritage. Dr. Rhonda Coleman talks about the stress of alternating among two or more languages or language variations during coversation, or code-switching, as it’s something many of our readers experience in everyday life (page 260).

These amazing cultural shifts — ­ and historical perspectives — await as you peruse the pages of this summer issue. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Write us at info@culturs.org or tag us on social media @cultursmag or #cultursmag and show us who you are; let your voice, and your story, be heard.

Be you,

Doni Doni (Dawn-ee)

Publisher and Founder Culturs Global Multicultural Philanthropic Lifestyle Network Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Connect With Us on Social Follow us on social to connect with people like you!

In between culture, race, ethnicity and place – Culturs in-betweeners are some of the brightest and most beutiful people on the planet.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Follow us:

@cultursmag

@cultursguruTCK

#travel giving us all the feels... @nature always has the best of what our globe has to offer.

@bestcitybreaks had our publisher reminiscing of pre-teen years in her old stomping grounds.

Flower photos are always in season @genialegenia.

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This, and many more, amazing shots

@thetravellingfriends.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

@stylepantry — Can we have your closet please?

Reddit co-founder @alexisohanian gets us with his love of family, praise for wife @serenawilliams and business accumen.

@jetsettingchicks On a beach with elephant? Yes, please.

Culturally fluid @therock Dwayne Johnson always brings the action and the love.

@piliqua ‘s foodie shots.

Amazeballs.

@danamhughes love and advocacy for refugees is inspiring.

Move over Steve — @marjorie_harvey has some hilarity of her own along with plenty doses of family.

#travelpr always inspires wanderlust.

Whether showing us her queendom in modeling, sports or business Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com 11 @serenawilliams never disappoints. #slay

SUMMER 2018 Volume I, Issue II Publisher and Founder Doni (Dawn-ee) Western United States Graphic Design David Sunday Nigeria, West Africa Senior Editor Tammy Matthews Western United States Fashion Editor Sonja Motley Western United States Music Editor Tommy McMillion Western United States Authenticity Goddess, Radio Host Robin Alexis West Coast, United States Marketplace Director Jill Goldberg East Coast, United States Vice President of Sales Bob Bordernero West Coast, United States Print Production Kim Blumhardt Western United States International Liaisons Chumba Limo Aisha Jama European Liasion Crystal McDonald United Kingdom Contributors Zoe Jennings Aiden Loughran Samantha Malpiedi Tammy Matthews Angelia McGowan Darlene Perez-Ambrosine Allie Ruckman Antoinette Toscano Alexa Vujaklija 12

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

Columnists Andrea Bazoin, Northern Colorado Dr. Rhonda Coleman, Denver Michele Davenport, New York City Claudia Koerbler, Washington D.C. Angelia McGowan, Denver Sonja Motley, Denver Collateral Design Tineal Puaoi South Pacific Web Design Max Ratkai Western United States Photography Gerald Ambrosine Angelia D. McGowan Xavier Hadley Kirsten Lara Getchell Photography Tommy McMillion AĂąa Monique Richard Silver Makeup Shedrique Olisen Models Ariel Douglas Shayla Montiero Michelle Tohoms Hair Blessed Beauty Set Assistants Rajah Ambrosine Octavius Jones Kameron McMillion Shayla Montiero Yoga Director Terri Mairley Advisory Board Donna Musil Gregory Moore Ruth VanReken Special Thanks To: CTRL Collective, Denver Colorado Dairy Block, Denver Colorado Department of Journalism and Media Communications, Colorado State University, RamProductions Connect with Culturs on social:

@CultursMag

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

www.subscribe.Cultursmag.com Copyright Culturs Global Philanthropic Lifestyle Network. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part without express written consent is strictly prohibited. Simply Alive LLC does not assume responsibility for the advertisements, nor any representation made therein, nor the quality or deliverability of the products themselves. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts, photographs, and other material submitted. Culturs makes every effort to provide accurate information in advertising and editorial content, however, does not make any claim as to the accuracy of information provided by advertisers or editorial contributors and accepts no responsibility or liability for inaccurate information.

PRINTED IN THE USA

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CONTRIBUTORS Andrea Bazoin (say “Bah-Zwah”) is a higher education professional turned entrepreneur. She is the founder of everHuman, LLC (www.everhuman.io), a company that provides tech support that is actually supportive through coaching, project assistance and workshops delivered with both expertise and empathy. Her family ties span across the United States and beyond — including Chile, Argentina, Australia, and France. She currently lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, with her French husband and culturally fluid son.

Dr. Rhonda M. Coleman, DAOM is a multilingual, code-switching, culturally Honduran, woman of Black African descent. She is the founder and director of The Healing Garden, a center for holistic health education grounded in African ancestral healing practice. Coleman is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist and a teacher of the Afro-Brazilian martial-art of Capoeira. She lives in Aurora, Colo., USA with her husband and three children.

Michele Davenport is an executive strategist who designs and facilitates programs in coaching, communication and leadership effectiveness for individuals and organizations committed to optimizing potential and growth. As Principal and Founder of Mosaic Coaching Solutions, Davenport employs the Co-Active model to inspire clients to engage more deeply and intentionally in every aspect life. Her approach includes a proven three-phased process of heightening self-awareness, developing a strategy, and implementing accountability systems to achieve transformative and sustainable change.

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Evan Grant believes it is important for people from all over the world with all different stories to have a medium where their stories can be shared. Grant’s content is relevant to readers because he has experience seeing the world and the different people and cultures all over the world. He is passionate about sports, travel and religion. These are main parts to many different cultures and Grant’s knowledge of these areas can help elucidate many different places, people and cultures.

Claudia Körbler is an international development specialist and host of a YouTube Channel and Facebook Page called Global Storytelling for Global Development. Its goal is to use storytelling as a tool to create and foster social impact globally. The TEDx speaker and Forbes expert contributor talks about measures to eradicate extreme poverty, driving social impact forward and discusses her experience working in international development for the United Nations, Embassy of Austria and becoming an Intrapeneur in organizations like the World Bank Group. Her passion for finding global solutions to emerging problems and creating social impact speaks through her engagements. She is an Austrian-born global citizen and trained Simultaneous Interpreter who speaks five languages including German, English, and Spanish.

Zoe Jennings is a writer who is interested in telling human-interest stories. She grew up in the U.S. and Latvia and has visited 22 countries. She studied history and journalism at the university level, loves journalism and hopes to write fiction

someday. Jennings enjoys the outdoors, music and connecting with people.

Aidan Loughran studied Liberal Arts and Communication Studies at Colorado State University. She has a strong passion for the world and the people that surround her each and every day. Writing for Culturs, she hopes readers relate to everything she writes as she writes with passion for the world, cultures and life in general.

Third-culture kids along with all other individuals of unique ethnicity, race, culture and tradition all have a story to tell — a story that she wants to be a part of.

A Yogi since 2002, Terri Mairley uses certifications in Hot Yoga, Power Yoga and Classical Hatha Yoga to create physical and emotional experiences that help people reconnect. She works with Culturs to meld this with essential oils and writing that help others release stored emotion. Mairley’s classes are creative, playful, heartfelt and non-judgmental, and she brings the same to Culturs Global Yoga events and articles that help readers unleash their highest potential.

A native Chicagoan, Senior Editor Tammy Matthews worked in majormarket print media for nearly 15 years.

Most notably as an editor for the Chicago Sun-Times. Now a doctoral student at the University of Colorado Boulder in the College of Media, Communication and Information, Matthews unites her passions — sport, media, language and gender — in her primary research, which focuses on historical and contemporary representations of transgender athletes in

domestic and international sport media.

Last year, Matthews sailed with and worked for Semester at Sea (SAS).

Military Brat, TCK Sonja Motley brings decades of fashion industry experience to CULTURS — from fashion illustrator, to major department store layout artist, booker and runway trainer for a modeling agency and agent of illustrators and fashion photographers. She’s overseen sales for 14 clothing lines, fine jewelry and diamonds, served as visual merchandiser, fashion show organizer and personal shopper for high-end boutiques and select individual clients. Motley lends her knowledge of the body, clothing, adornments and image to clients spanning the globe. Currently the owner of Clutter Free Closets, Motley shared her expertise with Home and Garden Television (HGTV) and NBC 9News in Denver. To work with Motley, visit www.clutterfreeclosets.net Samantha Malpiedi is especially interested in current issues around the world that affect people and the way they make their livelihoods. Her cultural awareness education began at age fifteen when she traveled to five countries in Europe, Mexico and Kenya and ended by living in Chile at age 21. These experiences developed her love for travel and appreciation for culture. As a duo-language speaker, she thrives in environments where communication spans cultures. Never complacent to stay in one place, her articles will interest anyone that might resonate with a restless nomad, hungry for a taste of travel.

Angelia D. McGowan is a writer who had her first culture shock moving from her native Texas to Colorado, USA, at age 10 and experienced snow, then again when visiting a college friend’s Puerto Rican family in Brooklyn, NYC, USA, and eventually traveling to her first trip out of the U.S. to Haiti for a mission and lastly, on a business trip to South Africa. No matter where the travel, she recalls similarities far outweighed differences among people. Through her consulting service, Canady’s Corner, she is often tucked comfortably behind-the-scenes guiding clients through communications needs, including serving as a ghost writer and editor for memoirs. When not working with clients, you may find her (racing from here to there in the latest model of this or that auto manufacturer) spinning tales for Creative Auto Reviews (CARs).

An Army B.R.A.T. by birth and an Air Force wife by choice, Darlene PerezAmbrosine is a Third Culture Kid with a background as diverse as the Caribbean heritage from which she hales. Being raised primarily in Germany, she oscillated between German and Puerto Rican tradition, culture and language in her early years. As an adult, she credits her nomadic lifestyle for her ability to see past societal boundaries to the heart of the authentic person allowing her to share the untold stories of those around her.

Allie Ruckman is a writer, content creator, artist, marketer and a creative in every sense of the word. She is from Boulder, Colorado, USA and draws inspiration for her work from the casual, outdoor environment that is unique to the western

United States. She is passionate about liberal politics, environmental, social and racial justice, and loves to write in the pursuit of a better, more equal world.

While she is less experienced in global travel or multiculturalism, Ruckman seeks to value, respect and represent all peoples, places and cultures.

Antoinette Lee Toscano is a CrossCulture Kid and Third Culture Adult with family having ancestry from both India and Jamaica. An eleven-year U.S. Army veteran and former IT corporate executive, she now works as a full-time ghostwriter, journalist, author, transformational speaker and blogger at New Normal Big Life Blog. For Culturs, she focuses on stories surrounding evolved relationships and creating your biggest life possible. She can usually be found volunteering for veterans or somewhere in the Colorado mountains hiking or biking a trail, bow hunting and whitewater kayaking.

Alexa Vujaklija Alexa Vujaklija is a 24-year-old Third Culture Kid and freelance writer. She was born in America to American parents, but her father was in the military and eventually became a diplomat so they moved often. She lived in Germany, The Republic of Georgia, Russia and Bulgaria. She also spent every summer of childhood in France. At 18 she moved to Rome, Italy to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.

There she met her Serbian husband and they now live in Belgrade, Serbia.

Vujaklija is passionate about writing and sharing with the world what it means to have grown up around the globe and what it means to be a TCK.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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EXECUTIVE STRATEGIST | Michele Davenport

STRADDLING Cultures, Identities, Roles and More

How about celebrating the straddle as an opening to thrive?

What opportunities for growth are presented by showing up in more than one space?

R

ecently I had a conversation

hadn’t seen in a while. What Effia was

of family travel to her

A few days after returning to work, Effia

with an American client who recounted her experience

ancestral homeland of West Africa. For

this Culturs magazine issue dedicated to families, the story seemed fitting.

“Mommy, can we come back here?

This was so much fun,” her four-year-

old daughter asked when they returned home to northern California, USA.

Three generations of family had spent

a couple of weeks together celebrating

the completion of her parent’s retirement home in Ghana, Africa, which they

envisioned being a place where their children, grandchildren and great

grandchildren would come home to. In

struck by was this notion of straddling.

was confronted with a decision — to

continue to excel in the compliance area of her role as a lawyer for a company in

Silicon Valley (the epicenter of technology and innovation) or pivot to spend more time going deeper into an alternative

role. She checked in with herself and her values to come up with the answer. She

felt she had spent the last couple of years straddling the two roles, which wasn’t

unfamiliar given how much of her life and career had been spent straddling cultures,

roles, identities and more. How and when do you come home to yourself?

some instances this trip included meeting

Effia’s story is not unlike many of our

getting re-acquainted with cousins they

is it impacting you? For many of us we

relatives for the first time and others,

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own. What are you straddling, and how

spend a considerable amount of our lives this way:

Straddling Cultures: In our global

society, folks are often sitting in meetings from opposite ends of the world, and

technology allows us to connect with,

contribute to and learn from other cultures.

This is such a gift.

Straddling Nationalities: All of us

come from somewhere. Our present-

day lives represent a confluence of that

place and the place we call home today.

Our lives become mosaics of all of these elements — our happiness, health and

success is often determined by how we connect pieces to create the whole.

Straddling Identities: Where do the personal and professional personae

intersect? If you’d love to show up as

Want more in-between?

URSMAG.COM WWW.CULT CROS CELEBRATING

S-CULTUR AL

KIN G IMAGINE WOR YEAR, REMOTELY: ONE

EXCELLENCE

G AZINNS! AM 12BAL DESTINATIO

your whole self in any one of your worlds,

GLO

consider exploring your values then get

curious about how to move through the world more aligned with what you value.

Consider This:

We all just want to be connected, in

relationship with others in the most basic

way. If you straddle just to survive, here are three tips to turn you towards the whole you

LET THE

RAL MULTICULTU

RHERO SUPE N BEG IN R EIG

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IN BETWEEN

Display untill

FALL

ION FASH BLACK AND NAVY, YES! COPPER, OH

HOW TECH

INSPIREES CULTUR

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Summer 2018

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rsMag.com

| www.Cultu

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and how you can lean into the straddle:

1.

2.

3.

Tune Into Your Values — consider a peak moment in time, what was happening, who were you with and what made it a peak moment.

Identify Your Crew — who sits on your personal Board of Directors?

Those who can remind you of your north star, driving principles and who want the best for you?

Allow — allow space for whatever

you are struck by. What activates your senses? When this happens, get curious then decide how to handle what emerged.

What does it take for you to assemble all the pieces to create the whole you? What makes your mosaic interesting? How do the pieces fit together?

The answers to these questions will be a gentle way to honor yourself, honor your family and to have a life you love.

For more on honoring your life, visit www.cultursmag.com/straddling-cultures

Subscribe today!

subscribe.CultursMag.com Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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GET YOUR DRIVE ON | Angelia D. McGowan

Speaking of the

2018 Atlas V6 SEL

“That’s a VW SUV?!”

T

hese words echoed in the background almost every time I parked the 2018 Vokswagen Atlas V6 SEL and proceeded to walk away. During this test drive, it appeared that this particular SUV’s very existence was the response to a trivia question that needed to be answered on the spot.

I must admit that when I think of VW, images of sedans, hatchbacks and smaller, rounder vehicles come to mind. I’ve driven multiple VW SUVs within the last six months, including the very roomy Tiguan, so I know they exist. If only in the last couple of decades, VW, like other manufacturers, is bumping up its portfolio to meet the demand for SUVs in the U.S. They also are doing so in a stylish way with this Atlas’ classic clean lines inside and out.

I just so happen to be behind the wheel of the R-Line package with Pure White

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exterior and a Titan Black Leatherette interior full of enough storage spaces for a long road trip to comfortably hold belongings for the seven people that it seats. The R-Line package throws in a sporty attitude with a stainless steel pedal cluster, 20-inch alloy wheels, front and rear bumper and badging.

This three-row, front wheel drive with four-wheel independent suspension is equipped with a 3.6 liter, V6 engine and offers a solid SUV experience with 276 horsepower and 266-lb feet of torque. The towing capacity is up to 5,000 pounds.

While driving on the highway and in the city, I could barely feel the road.

The amenities include a healthy dose of technology and safety features that drivers have come to expect from in-demand SUVs, including forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, rear view camera system, lane departure warning, and park

distance control. The list continues with three-zone climate control, hands-free tailgate, power adjustable side mirror with integrated turn signals and a driver’s seat with 10-way power with lumbar support. Just as important for me was the 12.3 inch digital cockpit to easily view the fuel gauge area and the sixand-a-half-inch display of large icons to navigate its infotainment.

For a lot of people, the game changer may very well be the three truly useable rows.

This Atlas features a 60/40 split-folding second row seat with extremely easy access to the 50-50 split folding third row. Your tall friends and family will be happy to sit on any row. You can create 96.8 cu. ft. of cargo room with both rows down. The huge panoramic roof spans all three rows and opens up the space even more.

This SUV is actually quite large at roughly 16.5 feet. I discovered what this size meant while in downtown Denver looking for street parking to attend a

2018 VW Atlas V6 SEL MSRP $40,890; Combined City/

Highway MPG: 20. Photography

by Angelia D. McGowan

short meeting. I was initially annoyed when I realized that I couldn’t zoom in to any parking spot. Anxiety took over as I realized I should have left more time for this exercise of driving an SUV in a downtown area.

This was going to be a problem.

But steering was so silky that I relaxed into my solo parade, slowly driving around the block two, three maybe four times. With 15 minutes to spare, I pulled up to an empty spot in front of the building for my meeting. Inside at the meeting table I see other people rush in complaining about parking.

I respond by letting them know I also had a problem trying to find a spot to park my VW SUV. They said, “VW SUV? It must be nice to have those kinds of problems.”

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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I

Culturally fluid Definitions

n the 21st century, assessing someone’s background from outward appearance isn’t enough as hidden, rather than visual, diversity means people increasingly bring more to the table than meets the eye. Whether through travel,

nationality, race or ethnicity, many straddle culture in myriad ways.

From Cultural Fluidity, to Third Culture Kid, Expat, Third Culture Adult, Cross-Cultural Kid and more, the language to describe our in-between community is of

utmost importance. Knowing the vocabulary creates understanding and deepens our sense of belonging and connections to others with similar experiences. Here’s a quick overview so you can follow along any of our articles with ease:

Cross-Cultural Kid (CCK)

Third Culture Kids (TCKs)

A term coined by author Ruth Van Reken in 2002, is a person who is living, has lived, or meaningfully interacted with two or more cultural environments for a significant period of time during the first eighteen years of life.

Coined by Sociologist Ruth Useem in the 1950s as a person who spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents’ culture.

The first culture is considered an individual’s passport culture, while the second culture consists of the culture(s) in which the individual has lived. The third culture is a result of the person’s life experience — this is the culture to which they most belong.

The third culture often is where individuals feel community with others of similar experience.

Adult Cross-Cultural Kid (ACCK) An adult Cross-Cultural Kid.

Cultural Fluidity/Cultural Mobility A term coined by Culturs founder Doni (Dawnee) as hidden diversity created by people who don’t or didn’t grow up in a homogenous cultural environment. Culturally Fluid individuals may straddle nationalities, ethnicities, race or culture.

The fluidity created allows understanding between or among their foundational areas of meaningful experience. It also may hinder sense of belonging to any one area.

Adult Third Culture Kid (ATCK) An adult who grew up as a TCK.

Domestic TCK Children who moved to various regions within the same country while growing up, often having to relearn ways of being, especially as regional differences in dress, speech and action, are heightened in formative years when it is important to be accepted.

Third Culture Adult (TCA) Missionary Kids Children of missionaries who travel to missions domestically or abroad.

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Coined in 2002 by Psychotherapist Paulette Bethel to signify individuals who travel extensively and are immersed in, or live in global locations after the age of 18 (after identity has been solidified).

Refugees

Traveler

Internationally nomadic group not characterized by a parent’s occupation. Displaced from their homeland forcibly or by choice, often having fled for varied reasons — violence, politics, religion, environment, etc.

Refugees typically do not return to their origin country.

Those who travel expecting differences among intrainternational or international culture, however, not immersed in these cultures for extended periods of time, or long enough to integrate local cultural norms as their own.

Immigrants People who, for varied reasons, immigrate to a country different than their homeland to stay permanently. Many return to their home countries to visit, though some do not.

Expatriate (Expat) As defined by Mirriam Webster — to leave one’s native country to live elsewhere; which also sometimes means to renounce allegiance to one’s native country.

Military B.R.A.T. Children of military who move with parents to different places within or outside of their home country. They often experience other cultures within the confines of a military installation or compound that possesses traits of the home country.

Non-Military Foreign Service Children traveling with their parents to various countries in non-military government roles, diplomatic corps, civil service, foreign service, etc.

Diplomat Kids Children whose parents are members of the home country’s political framework while living on foreign soil.

International Business Kids Children whose parents work with multi-national corporations takes them to far-away lands. Often in professional fields surrounding oil, construction and pharmaceuticals.

Borderlanders Described by author and speaker Ruth Van Reken in the book “Third Culture Kids,” a borderlander is a citizen of one country that lives close to another.

Often the norms, customs and traits of each country’s culture seeps into the other — creating a cultural experience separate from either original culture, while allowing inhabitants keen knowledge and insight to their own culture, as well as the other.

Multiracial People whose family consists of two or more races to which the individual identifies. With race often come cultural norms, slang language and attitudes that can greatly differ. Many multi-racial children, though not all, have the unique opportunity to learn norms of all the cultures they comprise.

Multiethnic; Multicultural People whose family consists of two or more cultures to which the individual identifies. Even when belonging to the same race, differences in culture may exist between ethnicities, tribes and other cultural contexts.

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GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT | Claudia Koerber

Understanding Culture Through Gratitude: A global citizen expat guide Photography by Richard Silver

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eciding to make your mark on the world in a positive way is a noble cause. I get asked a lot in my work for the United Nations and the World Bank Group how gratitude can transform our planet and help to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Some of the questions include: How can we support the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity?

However, this can be an overwhelming goal: how can you, just one individual person, change others’ lives for the better?

Thinking about that question may make you feel insignificant and impotent, but I’ve got concrete advice on how you can begin to affect others positively. How do your global mindset and gratitude work together? How can you grow them together in a synergetic bundle that will help you as a global citizen to live a culturally diverse and purpose-driven life?

Previously, I spoke about how gratitude can become part of your everyday life. I would like to dive deeper into the topic and go into how global citizens are able to translate gratitude throughout the different multicultural communities they live in.

One of the best ways to find happiness,

Find your bright lines and joy. If you want to try to make others happy, then you’ll need to start with yourself. What makes you happy? What brings you joy?

Thinking about these questions will help you start to figure out how to spread happiness to others. Never spend more than 20 percent of your time in darkness.

When you move to a new country and still need to master the language, it is important to step outside your comfort zone, or so-called darkness, to realize that you need to include cultural activities in

fulfillment, a sense of purpose, and a sense of belonging is to try to help improve the lives of others, thus becoming your own “cultural ecosystem of gratitude.”

your calendar. Make it a priority to set time aside to indulge in the activities that bring happiness. Even if you don’t have the time to go on long off-trail runs every

One answer I always give is to increase the level of gratitude and grateful actions and make it part of your own global and cultural understanding.

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weekend like you used to; perhaps you can manage to connect with a tandem language partner grab a cup of coffee and share a cross-cultural moment to learn more about the uniqueness of their culture and mindset. You may be surprised at how quickly you light up after stepping out of the darkness of your comfort zone.

Influence and inform through story.

One way I have truly learned to be grateful for any global expat experience I have had, was to share stories with others around my experience. There is nothing more rewarding and helpful than sharing tacit and elicit knowledge with community. Use social media as a tool to share experiences about your new culture with your ecosystem.

Construct your unstoppable identity.

It’s hard to help others effectively if your own life is a mess. If you really want to make a positive impact on the world, you’ll be better at it if not distracted by your own problems.

For example, maybe you would like to help another global citizen who is unemployed find meaningful work that

provides a steady income. However, you shouldn’t give up on this goal just because you haven’t (yet!) held down one goodpaying job for a long stretch of time in the new culture you live in. Indeed, after figuring things out, you’ll be in excellent position to help others who are in similar positions. You will also be able to understand their situation and offer solid, proven advice. So, be fully present, even though it might uncomfortable at first.

Perspective will shape you or break you. Be honest about what you truly enjoy about the global life. To be an expat, globetrotter or global citizen has become a trendy and cool thing. Don’t get me wrong, it absolutely is. It is one of the most rewarding experiences in life and forces awareness of strengths. Knowing these strengths, think about whether or not you enjoy doing what you’re good at. To consistently help others, avoid boredom and burn-out. Doing what you are good at can move you from experiencing boredom and can shift your cultural mindset forever.

Look for the little ways to help. Make a resolution to perform good deeds every day. The best way to do this is to look for little

ways to spread joy and/or help others. For example: Hold doors open for people with a welcoming smile. Let someone who is in a hurry move in front of you while waiting at the grocery store. Buy a pack of diapers for the new parents across the street (even if you don’t know them). Sincerely ask those who serve you (waitstaff at restaurants, check-out clerks, gas station attendants, etc.) how they are doing. Even though these are fairly small gestures, they can still have a big impact on others. This could also translate to learning about the traditions and customs of countries and make them part of your own.

Count your blessings. Think about what you appreciate in life, and the many ways to share those good things with others. For example, are you in a fulfilling and purpose-driven career today in the country you live in? If so, then perhaps a good way both express gratitude and help other global millennial tastemakers is to help them focus on finding their purpose-driven expat calling.

The basic idea is to identify the various ways in which you’ve been helped or blessed and find moments to pay it forward.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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HEALTH | Dr. Rhoda Coleman

Getting Over the Stress of Code Switching

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was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA), USA, by an immigrant, single mother. The storyline in “Fresh off the Boat” is very familiar to me. If the USA is a melting pot, New Orleans is the gumbo created in that pot. There are so many cultures, beautifully woven together, in that great city — she is French Creole with Spanish influences, Irish/ African speech patterns and Haitian spiritual undertones.

During my upbringing, NOLA was predominately Black (demographically). I grew up on a block that was Irish Catholic, in a home that was “Honduras once you cross the threshold” — as my mother constantly reminded my me and my siblings.

Navigating customs and etiquette cross culturally was the norm for New Orleanians.

There was a way of speaking with friends outside that was different than how I communicated at school, and absolutely unacceptable inside our home. This made me feel like I didn’t quite fit, like I was an outsider.

Our vocal sounds are created by vibration. Patterns in our vibration, fluctuations, tones, volume, staggering, all communicate a message to those we hope to have verbal engagement. I have had many reminders over the years of the importance of using the “correct” speech patterns for the audience being addressed. Using a low register 24

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“Hey, what’s up” might be too intense or considered intimidating in some circles, while a high pitched “Hey, what’s up” that ends with an upward inflection might sound “corny” in the circles I grew up in. As a young girl/teen, when I visited family in NOLA or when we traveled to visit family in Honduras, my speech naturally adjusted to match theirs.

Later, I joined the military and had to learn to code-switch (change my language to fit the environment) to be understood within the military ranks — ­ I’d actually been doing this since childhood but not with conscious intent. Over the years, I’ve lived in Texas, Arizona, Florida and now Colorado, USA. I’ve traveled throughout the USA, Mexico, Honduras and Brazil. I pick up accents wherever I go. I don’t have a true identity vocally. How I speak and what language/ dialect I use depends on where I am and who I’m with.

If I really think about it, I probably feel most relaxed speaking in “NOLA talk,” as my kids have nicknamed it, but most content with the lilt of the AfroHondurans. I definitely feel a lot of stress speaking in the standard American accent (think news anchor) which I use most often in public speaking, working with my patients and at networking events.

I became physically and mentally tired of talking because I was trying to maintain the speech patterns of my peers.

When I was completing graduate and postgraduate studies, my mouth would become exhausted and I’d find myself mispronouncing words. Not only was I stressed, but I experienced some level of anxiety whenever I knew I’d have to stand up and speak in class or have group discussions.

I read a 2006 article in the International Journal of Bilingualism that showed the stress of being bilingual compounded by having a taxing workload can increase stress. Social support like encouragement from peers or material support such as informative literature can help reduce the impact of stress.

Reading and sharing stories in an international magazine that celebrates multiculturalism, nomadic lifestyles and diversity definitely qualifies as a social support for coping with stress.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Faces of the In-Between

Scotland Rhode Island

France

Wyoming Colorado Madera

New York City Kansas New Atlanta San Orleans Antonio

Chihuahua Guanaguato Ajijic

Jamaica Honduras

Being in-between has its privileges and its challenges.

Culturs is devoted to giving the down-and-dirty of the lives people often envy, from the ones who live those lives. With multiracial, multiethnic and multicultural mixes; globespanning or nation-spanning moves and family legacies rich with the culture of everexpanding heritage: Our in-

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between population truly has lives of which dreams are made and experiences one could think only would come from the big screen. But they’re real.

We’re real and our numbers are growing exponentially in nations all around the world. Soak it in as these ten families share the richness of their lives with us.

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England

Chile

Argentina

Hamburg Frankfurt

Italy

WonJu Seoul

Tunisia

Fukuoka Shanghai Hong Kong

Mauritius Madagascar

Australia South Africa

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On the Shoulders of

Giants

One family’s honor and legacy inspires social justice

By Evan Grant Photography by Tommy McMillion

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Historical family photos adorn Terie Miyamoto’s home (l to r): Father Ted in his U.S. Army uniform; Ted with Miyamoto’s mother, Yoshi; Miyamoto as a toddler with her mother, grandmother and brother at Thanksgiving in Wyoming; Miyamoto’s grandfather, Tomizo. Facing page: A painting of Terie’s grandfather, Tomizo Miyamoto prominently displayed in her living room.

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sense of heritage unites, and family inspires many people to succeed and flourish. With these strong connections, people can do fascinating and valuable things. Terie Miyamoto is one such person whose heritage and life prompted an amazing story.

Miyamoto is an educator and promoter for social justice.

“Social justice is embedded in every aspect of our lives and is broader than what most people think. It generates from the values of the role models who came before us and what they’ve instilled in us,” she imparted.

Some of Miyamoto’s passion and drive for social justice comes from her family history and the passion of her ancestors.

Miyamoto’s grandparents were social justice advocates as well.

As she describes it, “I have been able to do what I did because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”

Miyamoto’s Grandparents Tomizo Miyamoto and his wife Hatsuye were first-generation Japanese immigrants who became successful business owners in Wyoming and Colorado, USA. They collaborated with a black business person and together owned the only bar in Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, that allowed people of color to frequent because of segregation in Wyoming. Famed entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. was stationed at the local Air Force Base at the time, and was a frequent customer.

Miyamoto’s father, Ted Miyamoto, fought for the United States in World War II — in the famous 442nd segregated Japanese-American Army unit. He fought in France and Italy, while family members were incarcerated in United

My inspiration came from my father and grandparents. The values they instilled in me were courage, compassion, hard work and community.

Whenever there was an issue in the Japanese community, people went to my grandparents for guidance and assistance.

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Miyamoto recalled “In junior high, I got my first taste of racism and of the war experience that my dad had. He never spoke of his military service. “In class, my teacher insinuated that my personal heritage was to blame for Pearl Harbor. I was humiliated. My father set up a meeting with school leaders and, with me in attendance, he told of his contribution for the U.S. He stated with emotion and passion that this inappropriate comment and view was racist and uncalled for by an educator.

He stood up for me without giving it a second thought.”

One of the best ways to advocate for others and effectively promote social justice is to do it in a way that incorporates your circle of influence.

Ted Miyamoto’s U.S. Army album and Congressional Medal and other honors now sit in his daughter’s home.

States internment camps, solely because of their Japanese ancestry.

For his outstanding service, Ted was awarded the Bronze Star (typically awarded for or either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone) and the Congressional Gold Medal — one of the United States’ two highest civilian honors. The Congressional Gold Medal is bestowed by the United States Congress to those “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement.”

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Miyamoto worked as the Human Resources Director for wellknown companies like US WEST, Qwest and R.H. Donnelley in Wyoming and Colorado. She was the first human resources recruiter for Wyoming during the time of the Consent Decree and Affirmative Action. Her goal was to place men and women in nontraditional jobs in the phone company. She hired the first woman telephone lineman and placed men in clerical and customer representative positions. She was also responsible for US West’s Diversity Training for managers in a fourteenstate region. Miyamoto was President of US West’s Pacific American Network Resource Group that promoted inclusion and upward mobility for Asian Americans in the company. As the first woman promoted to Director of Labor Relations for that company, she served as the lead labor negotiator for Dex Yellow Pages.

Miyamoto’s passion for social justice and making the world a fair place for all can be traced back to her family roots and how she grew up. Born and raised in Wyoming, USA, she attended the University of Wyoming from 1968-1972 and earned her degree in English and Secondary Education.

Miyamoto has taken the lessons she learned from her parents and grandparents and instilled them into everything she has done. With an impressive corporate career and an impact within her circle of influence, she hopes to inspire and mentor others as her ancestors did during their lifetimes.

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The New Colossus

As seen on a 1903 bronze plaque located in the Statue of Liberty’s museum, New York City, USA

ot like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome;

her mild eyes command.

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she.

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Emma Lazarus Nov. 2, 1883 Infantry Regiment

If this democracy, with her extraordinary Constitution, could imprison people only because of their ethnic background, it could happen again — and it could happen to anyone, black, brown, yellow or white.

U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye Daniel Inouye was president pro tempore of the United States Senate, which made him third in the presidential line of succession, from 2010 until his death in 2012. He was a Medal of Honor recipient and member of the U.S. Army 442nd Reserve Infantry Regiment.

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When History Repeats:

U.S. legacy of family separation

By Antoinette Toscano

Photography by Tommy McMillion

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hildren separated from parents and housed in enclosures intended for animals. No, the era is not 2018 — it was 1942 to 1945.

As history repeats itself, immigrants are being detained in 21st Century USA, just as children were housed in horse stalls during World War II (WWII).

Before the United States entered the second World War, the government of Japan executed an attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, on Dec. 7, 1941. As a result of the attack, 2,403 American military and civilians lost their lives. According to History.com, another 1,000 were injured.

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Attack on Pearl Harbor The U.S. government’s reaction to the attack by Japanese forces was two-fold: First, it entered WWII; second, it interred Japanese-Americans and other people of Japanese descent in isolated camps.

According to The National Archives, “117,000 people of Japanese descent, twothirds of whom were native-born citizens of the United States,” were interred. Tonie Miyamoto’s grandmother found herself in one such camp.

Tomizo “Bill” Miyamoto — the family’s patriarch in the United States, arrived at age fifteen. He left Japan, eventually working on a cattle ranch in Wyoming.

Soon, he would meet his future wife Hatsuye. Hatsuye was in a traveling troop of cultural dancers when she met Bill.

Tonie and several members of their family describe how the actions of two governments impacted this family and other families of Japanese descent in the United States.

Spanish Philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Tonie began, “My grandmother [Yoshiko “Connie” Yoshiro] was born in North Platte, Nebraska.” Her family later moved to Los Angeles where they owned a grocery store.

At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, Connie was attending Compton Junior College. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Yoshiros and other families of Japanese heritage were given two weeks to relocate or be interred in a camp.

Active in his religious community, Connie’s father and thousands of other Japanese, Buddhist clergy and lay members were immediately taken by the U.S. government. Connie would not be reunited with her father for several months — all the while not knowing his location.

The family reported to the Pomona Assembly Center, a loction which had been a horse race track. They were assigned one horse stall for the entire family to live in while the government built permanent internment camps. One such camp in a very remote

area of Wyoming — the Heart Mountain Internment camp — would become the Yoshiro familiy’s home. This particular camp housed 10,000 people of Japanese descent.

the internment camp as the time, “When I was in camp.” For a number of years, the younger generation did not know to what sort of camp they were referring.

Connie, having the forethought to use one of her two allotted pieces of luggage allowed into the camp, carried her Singer sewing machine. She was able to leave the camp by finding work as seamstress in Denver, Colorado where she met her husband Tom.

In a future article, we will take a look at how this period of internment has affected Japanese Americans for several generations — even until today. And, how the children and adult, Mexican immigrants being detained in the 21st Century might experience a similar trauma in the future.

Irony is not lost on the fact that Connie Yoshiro’s cousin, like many other Japanese Americans, had volunteered out of the internment camps to serve in the U.S. military (while others had been drafted).

Meanwhile, his relatives — Also American citizens, were being forced to give up everything and relocate to a prison camp.

Terie Myamoto is Tonie’s aunt. Terie’s mother and siblings refered to their time in

Let us know what you think.

Do you feel there is a similarity between how Japanese-Americans of the 20th Century and the Mexican immigrants of the 21st Century are being treated in a way that is less welcoming than suggested in the poem The New Colossus on the Statue of Liberty?

Tell us on social, using #cultursmag

The Miyamoto family (l to r ): Karen Miyamoto, Dr. Vincent Ho, Tonie Miyamoto, Andrew Ho, Terie Miyamoto, Dr. Shelly Miyamoto, Emiliano Salas, Linda Salas.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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One Family

10 Countries

By Antoinette Tuscano

Photography by Tommy McMillion

Bazoin and her family (l to r): Husband Greg, Andrea, her monther Carmen Engel and (front row): son Antoine.

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ndrea Bazoin’s (BahZwah), extended family is represented by ten countries.

This is not uncommon, considering there are now an estimated 258 million people living in a country other than their country of birth — an increase of 49 percent since 2000 according to figures released

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by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in 2017.

Andrea and her family, are challenged by many questions of background, ethnicity, heritage and language.

Like 258 million other people in the world, they are figuring out the best way to raise a child of the future.

A future where there is increased migration, a larger global workforce, extensive international travel and prolific cross-cultural marriage.

Truly Global Andrea and her older brother were born in corn and cow country in Nebraska — part of the western United States. Her mother had moved to the U.S. from Santiago,

Andrea and her family represent the following ten countries:

Chile | Argentina Italy | Germany

“I was in a position to have to prove that I was Latina enough. It’s important to express that side of myself because of my mom.”

Her desire to put Chile in an important place in her heart was about family.

Tunisia | Australia England | France China | United States

Chile and her father was a Nebraska farmer when they met.

Growing Up Invisible Andrea remembered how having hidden diversity felt to her. “When I was growing up, especially when your diversity is invisible, and you look like the majority culture, what I experienced was feeling like I had to prove my Latina-side.”

She said that she wondered if her son, Antoine would experience not being fully accepted as French, since there is a strong possibility that at some point they might move from America to France.

It’s important to just hold on [to my maternal culture] in a very active way, otherwise it will just fall into the background.

Being In-between Andrea’s husband Greg was born and raised in France. “My wife and my son Antoine are multi-cultural, but all of my family is French and living in France. I was not really exposed to this kind of life and never thought I would have this kind of culture.” So how does this multicultural couple think cultural fluidity

might impact their son Antoine’s life? “He will speak both languages — French and English, that’s a great asset for him. I don’t think there will be any negative impact on him being multicultural,” assured Greg.

Andrea added, “Having lived the experience of being multicultural, we are raising [Antoine] to be globally-minded. “It’s not like [we are raising him to think that] I’m in the best country and every other country is secondary.”

Antoine is a little boy who is just happy and curious about everything around him. But one day, he and 50 million, as quoted by The United Nations Children’s Emergency fund (UNICEF), other children around the world living outside of their country of origin, will have to negotiate the in-between world.

If you and your family are facing these challenges now, we would love to hear your experience, questions, and wisdom. Share your thoughts: Tag us on social #CultursMag

It is Andrea’s hope that Antoine will take comfort in knowing that he can talk with her about these feelings of not belonging as he traverses the world as a Third Culture Kid (TCK).

“We can talk about it together.” She said of Antoine’s possible challenges being inbetween cultures.

Andrea spoke about when she codeswitched (speaking in English and then speaking in Spanish) in order to prove herself to her local, Latin community.

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Three Generations of

Diversified Beauty

By Antoinette Toscano

Photography by Tommy McMillion

JuYoung Thomas in the traditional dress of her homeland, with her daughter Michelle, and granddaughter Chloe.

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rowing up as a young woman who was born and raised near Seoul, South Korea, Ju Young Thomas never dreamed that she would someday be a successful, crosscultured business woman living in the United States.

Ju Young owned two thriving retail clothing stores in Wonju, Korea when a friend introduced her to an American man who worked at the television station as an Engineer in Seoul Love blossomed between the crosscultural couple, they were married, and later little Michelle Thomas was born while they lived in Korea.

Within three years, Ju Young would find herself speaking very little English and living in the Southern United States, then in the Western United States, before she and Michelle would move to Germany where her father’s new military assignment was located. During the three years the family spent in Germany, Ju Young recalled, “The travel [across Europe] was very exciting. I went everywhere.” She visited Germany, Austria, Switzerland and “Almost all Europe,” she shared.

Ju Young was raised in what might feel like a monocultural society in Korea. It would seem that way when one is living

away from the U.S. military installations in Korea and outside of major Korean cities.

She had become the wife of an American man, the mother of a Cross Culture Kid (CCK) and herself was now a Third Culture Adult (TCA).

Michelle was born in Korea and began traveling the world at a young age.

Michelle offered, “People are curious about me when they first meet me.” This may have informed her confident and relaxed outlook on ethnic heritage, race and nationality.

Language, culture and a husband whose work often took him away from the family didn’t deter her. “My mind was always on business,” she said. Ju Young intended to live the American dream. She truly believed that anyone could be successful in the United States with hard work and the right opportunities.

Michelle said after she tells a curious person about the cultures that make her who she is, it becomes not even a concern, or topic of discussion.

Ju Young did in fact go on to live the American dream. As a bright, woman entrepreneur who started three businesses, she operated them for fifteen years before switching careers. Today, Ju Young is still an entrepreneur, but instead of selling clothing, she buys, sells and rents houses. Entrepreneurship is in the family blood as her daughter Michelle is also an entrepreneur and Realtor/Broker.

Michelle’s daughter — Chloe Butcher — had much the same response. “Kids notice that I look different and they think my mom is Filipino.” But after Chloe explains that her mother is half-Korean, ethnicity and nationality do not come up in conversation among her peers.

Stories like that of Ju Young, Michelle, and Chloe provide hope that the world is moving closer toward a post-racial society: one in which race, ethnicity, national origin, and prejudice may no longer be a factor.

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Hidden Diversity: Growing up multicutural may not look like we expect

By Samantha Malpeidi

Photography by Gerald Ambrosine

Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Sydney Shalz’s family is like many of today — it truly is a modern blended family made of hers, his and ours. She and her family also have a cultural twist that makes Shalz and her siblings Cross Culture kids or CCKs — people who traverse culture in their daily lives, whether from immigrant families, minority populations living in a majority environment, racially, ethnically or religiously blended families and more.

Shalz discusses her family, its dynamics and how that affected her life. Her parents have celebrated more than 20 years of marriage.

Her stepfather is from Chihuahua, Mexico, and really puts a twist on the immigration talk that currently is abuzz in the United States. It truly is an American dream story as her parents are successful business people who give back to their community, their state and their country.

Though Shalz’ step-grandmother was a well-respected and successful educator in Mexico, the family followed its patriarch’s dream of making it big in the U.S. “He

literally swam the Rio Grande,” to get to the United States, said Shalz. Her mom and stepfather met in Kansas at Fort Hayes University. They each already had one child, having another together a couple years after their wedding.

Hardworking and determined, Shaz’ family started a new life in Colorado with the family of five living in a two bedroom apartment. All these years later, her family now owns two successful small businesses that work with some of Colorado’s, and the nation’s, largest corporate giants. With her stepfather, Jaime Varela, immigrating from Mexico to Kansas at age eight, he truly embodies the traits of a Third Culture Kid or TCK (someone who lived in different countries during their formative years) — of which, resilience, determination, hard work and love of entrepreneurship are a few. The family’s story really shows some of the benefits of cultural diversity and how it helps fuel innovation and tolerance in today’s complicated world.

Shalz’s mother is Caucasian American, while her stepfather speaks fluent Spanish and English. Her older step-brother (whom she considers her brother — nothing “step” about it) also speaks fluent Spanish. Though Shalz understands Spanish, she doesn’t speak it; and her younger half-brother only speaks English.

“My upbringing was definitely different from all of my friends,” said Shalz, “I grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colo. which is predominantly, if not all, white — we had two Mexicans (including my brother) in my entire high school.” Shalz thinks her upbringing was different because of her stepfather’s influence.

“He immigrated from Mexico and he really supported his family. He learned to drive a truck at six-years-old, seven-yearsold, I think,” she said, adding that her stepfather helped to support his six-person family by age 13. “He has a very strong work ethic and that was instilled onto us.

Nothing was below us, we did everything — yard work, we cleaned the house, we did everything.” Shalz went on to say that she believes her stepfather’s culture has strong family values that also were instilled into the kids.

Even so, thoughts like the ones perpetuated by current United States President Donald Trump, can cause pain. Trump made this statement at the announcement of his bid for the country’s highest office: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

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One can’t help but wonder what feelings such statements evoke in people who are characterized in such a manner.

Though Trump’s rhetoric is hard-hitting and, because of his platform, far-reaching — minor everyday statements may cause just as much harm.

Shaz related a story of her younger brother, the biological son of her mother and stepfather: She shared that the family had a few cars stolen from in front of their home. “Mexicans would drive through our neighborhoods on the weekends to go through the trash or if you left anything out a lot of people left nice furniture out so they would just take it.” She relayed that people often commented that “Mexicans were always stealing stuff, they’re always taking stuff — ­ going through the trash.”

So when one of the family’s cars was

stolen, her young brother came to his own conclusion based on comments he’d overheard: “Mom, it was those Mexicans,” he accused. To which Shalz’ brother was advised her son that he, too, is Mexican.

“He started bawling,” recalled Shalz, “because he thought it meant thief.”

I just think that’s very interesting because our culture kind-of, you know, teaches people to self-hate at such an early age,” she deduced.

“It was much different for me because I grew up in white America essentially,” Shalz said of her culturally blended family.

“But I think it’s allowed me to connect with people on a different level that most of my friends are not able to,” she opined.

She mentioned it also makes her more respectful and thoughtful about how she

treats others. But she feels people in Colorado are much more open-minded and accepting than some other places.

“If I would say to someone ‘I’m multicultural,’ I think most people are kinda taken aback like ‘you are not.’ But I really am, I got to experience a completely different culture — ­ I was raised with it and it’s instilled in my values and I’m proud to say I’m multicultural.”

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The Next Chapter Shalz proudly takes her multicultural upbringing into all aspects of her life. She looks forward to adding Italian heritage to her family with her betrothal to high-school sweetheart Danny Techentien.

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People Are Back row (l to r): Terri’s dad Bob, Middle row: son Julian, Terri Mairley, Front row: Bob’s Great-Grandson, Terri’s Grandson, Adelyus.

People

Promoting human connection

By Antoinette Toscano Photography by Gerald Ambrosine

Terri Mairley, her younger son Julian, grandson Adelyus and her father, Bob are a family who operate as if they are living in a post-racial world.

A world completely free from discrimination, racial preference and prejudice.

From grandfather to grandson, each are aware that they carry within their four-generations, Latin, Scottish, African, Mexican and American cultures. On a daily basis — regardless of religious, race, gender, and nationality challenges in media and politics, they have this beautiful mantra, “People are people.”

As a young man, Bob said he noticed things were not equal among different people. He wanted to change that through one-on-one interaction. With each new person he met from a different culture, he presented himself in a friendly manner, remained open to learning about the other person and to sharing about himself. Then, he waited to see how they would respond to the exchange.

He said, “If you want to impress them, you can’t force it on them, you let nature take its course so to speak. It may not change their entire opinion because of stereotypes, but they may realize that one person [Bob] is not so different from them.”

Bob and his wife never impressed on their children an idea of how they should relate to other people. They grew up in an academic setting within a multiethnic community while Bob was a graduate student.

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In 1969, they even became good friends with a couple whose background is of Hungarian and Caucasian-American heritage. After earning his graduate degtee, Bob worked as a biologist with the environmental protection agency. He was involved in regulatory and scientific efforts, working with many lawyers and engineers. He attempted to dispel some of the prevailing stereotypes of that era.

You will find that you have more in common with people who have very different physical features than you have with people who share your physical features.

Bob’s cultural-fluidity helped shape his daughter’s worldview. “I didn’t give it [creating a multicultural family by marrying outside of my race] any thought as to how to make all of these different cultures work, because I just look at the person, not at their race. As I get older however, I notice that everyone doesn’t think like me.”

Terri didn’t think there would be any problems for her multiracial children.

Now, she is aware of the challenges that people like her family experience in the world. However, she still offers this

beautiful, optimistic point of view that echoes what a future, multicultural world might be like.

“I think we just find so much separation and judgment when really we are all the same. There are so many multicultural people now that I don’t think it will make a difference.”

person’s pedigree, it only mattered to him if they were a good friend or not.

This delightful family, fuels hope that the world has moved a little closer to a time where we will all concern ourselves less with a person’s national origin, race, religion, gender and other separating characteristics and more on human connection in its various forms.

Recently, Terri and her teenage son Julian (a Cross Culture Kid or CCK) traveled to Costa Rica. “It was a culture shock,” Julian said of his first impression of the country. He remarked on the delicious food and the friendly people who were very patient and helpful when he tried to practice his Spanish speaking skills.

Although Julian is of Mexican and AfricanAmerican ancestry, he did not learn to speak Spanish from his Latin relatives.

Rather, he learned Spanish in school.

Bob’s greatgrandson — Adelyus, also a CCK, is a shy first-grader.

He seemed to share his family’s perspective of “People are people” as he was not concerned with a Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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The Importance of Community Gifts and challenges in growing up cross-cultural

By Antoinette Toscano and Elissa Wageck

J

ulie Sanchez and her daughters Marina (who calls herself “Ja-Mexican,” A JamaicanMexican) and Adriana, speak passionately about community.

About how finding a cross-cultural community made all the difference. ”My name is Julie Sanchez and I’m basically what you consider a Chicana, which is a[n] American born, [person of] Mexican descent.” Julie and her family straddle three cultures (Mexican, Jamaican

Photography by Tommy McMillion

and American) with the fluidity of a gentle, winding river. She spoke about being a confident, self-assured teenager in her early days at university and of how she felt that something was missing. It was not until she transferred to a university with more diversity that she seemed to come alive. “I felt like I was a person again,” she said about finding her tribe.

In a Psychology Today article, Marriage and Relationship Therapist, Isadora Alman wrote, “What I mean by finding your tribe is joining a group that allows you to feel

(l to r) Eldest daughter Marina Esperanza Sanchez, cousin Jalen Sanchez, family matriarch Julie Sanchez, youngest daughter Adriana Sanchez.

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one of them... Being one of several people who share your interests, who are glad to welcome you into their circle, who when they say ‘we’ mean you too. It’s a very good feeling.”

Julie’s parents are Mexican-American. Her mother was raised speaking English and Spanish, but in their household her mother spoke only English and her father spoke a Spanish-English slang. Julie’s parents felt life would be easier for her in their community if she assimilated into the local English-speaking culture.

Even so, Julie feels growing up where there was no diversity has been a positive experience, “I think it’s a tool in the toolbox that’s an advantage for me.”

People often call Adriana, Julie’s younger daughter, exotic because of her multiracial appearance, which makes her ”feel weird ­— like an animal,” she shared.

Adriana recognizes and appreciates her unique, cross-cultural appearance but she looks toward the future when having a more mixed world will be so common that being multiracial is no longer a potentially separating factor.

out a different school and by the eighth grade, Marina hit a breaking point. She went home and told her mom that she would take her own life if unable to switch schools to avoid the bullying.

Julie immediately made the change and Marina slowly began to heal. During her high school years, Marina learned a lot about herself and realized it’s okay to be different — it’s more interesting that way.

Since then, she joined a successful cheer team, interned at a hospital and became bilingual in English and Spanish. She

decided to become a pediatric doctor or NICU doctor. Best of all, she is no longer afraid to embrace who she is or where she comes from.

Marina misses the long curls that used to flow all down her backside. However, due to the chemical damage, her hair may take a while to regain health.

Julie worked diligently to raise her children to be proud of their roots, just as she is. It seems all that hard work is starting to pay off.

Marina expressed how transferring into a high-school with more diversity, “Saved my life.” She began in an allwhite school and stuck out like a sore thumb. Her skin was darker and her hair curlier. Peers refused to accept her because she was black. She described her young love experience as a person of color as “destroying.”

“It was back in middle school or elementary school, but I had a crush on this boy and he looked at me and said, ‘I like you but I don’t like black people,’” she relayed.

After running home in tears and asking her mom why she had to marry a black man and not a white man, she began to hate her image. To start changing what she looked like, she got a relaxer to straighten her curls as this was the one part of her physical appearance of which she was the most ashamed. The constant bullying and teasing about her tight curls only made her want to shave them off.

She became extremely depressed and nearly suicidal due to the extensive bullying. She had asked her mom a few times to make a change and try Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

47

Family: The Core of Life

By Aidan Loughran

F

amily can often be the core component of life. For Veronica Setzke, this is the case. Setzke is a Native American, Latina and white woman who was born and raised in Colorado, USA. Uniquely, even with a diverse background, Setzke’s grandparents raised her in a white household but in a Latin neighborhood. Fast forward to her first marriage which was to a black man, where she lived in Georgia in predominately black neighborhoods. Setzke felt as though she

(l to r) Back row: daughter, Bronte Wilson, mom Veronica Setzke, son Geoffrey Wilson. Front row: stepdad Dan Setzke.

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Photography by Gerald Ambrosine

grew and matured in a black environment, once settled as an adult, however, she shares that she does not have an immediate connection to any specific culture. She said, “I live in a pretty white world right now, but it’s often very uncomfortable because I am ultra-sensitive to privilege and all the topics surrounding that. I do not identify as white, it’s just not who I am.”

Growing up, Setzke’s family was quite poor. Her grandparents worked hard to

provide for her, but she still had to work two jobs while going to school. This alone shows the important role her grandparents played throughout her life. Not only was this a challenge, but growing up as multicultural, multiracial girl in a diverse family came with its hardships.

She said, “On both sides, I felt some exclusion. As I got older, I [my skin tone] lightened up and am often seen as Caucasian, which is of course part of my

background.” To relate all of this to the importance of family, Setzke discussed her children.

In just a few words, Setzke demonstrated the importance of family and the love she has for hers. Family support and love may really be the solution to all things.

She said, “As a mom, I had to think about how I could empower my kids to embrace all parts of their heritage. As they grew, I was forced to use the privilege that goes along with it [lighter skin] to advocate for them and for other people of color.”

Setzke has two children – one son and one daughter. She discussed the reasons why they identify differently from each other: “They are very different people.

My son is much more “white” culturally, and my daughter is more connected to her blackness, although both of these are

not set in stone.” She talked about how, as her son has grown, he has started to understand what it means to be a black male in America and how it makes him different from his white friends. She talked about how she never intruded on their lives as they were growing up, in terms of choosing their friends or their paths.

Not only is Setzke inspiring with her story and work ethic, but also with exceptional love for her family.

Diversity, culture, hardships and family have gotten her to where she is today.

She said, “I think the other thing is being open, humble and grateful. While many experiences were really hard, I am grateful that I had them. It really taught me to appreciate the good.”

I have always supported their curiosity and opportunities to explore new things. Ultimately, we are who we are, but if we aren’t given that freedom to be then it creates cookie-cutter people. I have never wanted that for my kids,” she asserted.

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A TCK Military

B.R.A.T.’s Sage Advice: Share Your Story

By Zoe Jennings

C

hristine Manzanares is often mistaken for a Latina woman.

Though when people take the time to ask about her story, she’ll gladly tell it.

Born in a military hospital in Seoul, South Korea, her father was an American Army soldier of German and Austrian descent.

Her mother is from Jeonsong, Gangwon-do, South Korea.

Four months after her birth, Manzanares and her mother traveled to the U.S. to meet up with her father and they have not been back to South Korea since. Until

(l to r) Christine Manzanares’ eldest son, Xavier, grandson Felyx and daughter-in-law Jordan.

Photography by Gerald Ambrosine

she was in eighth grade, Manzanares was a military B.R.A.T. who lived in Maryland, Hawaii and Colorado, USA and in Germany.

“When I was on a military base, I was like all the other military kids,” Manzanares said. “We went to the same school. We lived on the same base, shopped at the same store, played at the same playground — pretty sheltered life for the most part.

The only thing that was different was the rank of our parents, which dictated what side of the base you lived on. There were more kids like me of mixed heritage race, although the mixes were different, not that

it mattered to any of us.”

When her parents moved off the military base and bought a home, Manzanares went to a public school. She became a new student at a junior high school where most of the students had known each other since elementary. She felt different because she was born abroad and had traveled overseas.

Many of her peers at the school had been living in the same house they had since they were born.

“Traveling out of the country, moving multiple times in one year — I was somewhat of an oddity,” she explained.

These differences were further impacted

by her appearance as she looked Latina.

Her maiden name was Christine Jacqueline Westphal, which did not necessary hint at her ethnicity, she shared.

“Most people assumed that I was Latina and had no idea that my physical appearance was a combination of German, Austrian and Korean.

Manzanares is now married to a man of Spanish, Irish, Mexican and Southwest Native American heritage. They met in Eighth grade.

“Having known him and his family for as long as I have, I feel that I have adopted and infused aspects of their culture into my own — the food, holiday traditions, etc.,” she laughed. “In fact I look more Hispanic or Latina than my husband does as he looks very Anglo.”

Manzanares graduated from high school as one of three valedictorians, went to Colorado State University, dropped out for some time, then returned to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Technical Journalism/Public Relations, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership.

Upon first glance, some misidentify her as most would not know her diverse background. For Manzanares, her identity is uniquely rooted in it.

“My individual diversity, and everything that entails, provides for me a unique perspective

that has made me the wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, athlete, colleague, professional, confident individual that I am. I feel blessed to have the genes that I have and have passed on, as well as the experiences and perspectives that are uniquely mine. No one can take those away from me or dismiss them.”

Currently, Manzanares is in her fifth year as an assistant principal at a middle school in the United States. Before this career, she worked at two high schools and taught mathematics at a junior high school. She also worked for a non-profit.

To Manzanares, the most interesting part of her diversity is that she appears to represent a different culture through physical appearance and married name while her true heritage and cultural background remains hidden.

People are shocked when they find out her true background.

“In my work in the middle school arena, this has been invaluable. I believe it makes me relatable to student and parents alike, as well as credible when speaking to or referring to different perspectives that may come to the fore in the myriad of situations I am involved in on a day-today basis.”

“Because of my experiences — both positive and negative — I believe I have developed a deeply held sense of empathy, compassion and understanding of others and their journeys.”

“Because of my experiences, both positive and negative, I believe I have developed a deeply held sense of empathy, compassion and understanding of others and their journeys,” Manzanares said.

Through her cross-cultural and TCK background, Manzanares enjoys travelling. She has visited the Caribbean and Mexico; Vancouver, British

Columbia, Toronto and Ontario, Canada; Australia and more than half of the United States of America.

“I know that my experiences traveling beyond Fort Collins have certainly influenced my view of the world, and it will continue to do so because traveling is a value I hold dear to me,” Manzanares said.

She cherishes her friends who live throughout the United States, as well as internationally. Many are of various ethnic backgrounds including Trinidadian, Native American, South Korean, African-American,

Sudanese, Canadian, Mexican-American and more.

“They have enriched my life in ways that living in the same small town of 1,000 people who have never explored beyond the town’s boundaries could ever do,” she imparted.

Manzanares explained that her children have adopted a “vagabond spirit of sorts,” conveying that her kids teach her more about the world.

“My sons are professional skateboarders and that culture has exposed me to rituals, rites and norms that I never before thought I could understand or appreciate. I am ever thankful to them for pursuing their passions in something considered counter-cultural.”

Now a grandmother, Manzanares hopes to expose her grandson to the world.

“Most of my favorite memories are of periods of time with my own children, and the wide variety of experiences I had with them during our summer vacations when I considered myself the cruise activities director. “As a teacher with small children having about eight weeks of summer to fill, this time was invaluable, and all of my warmest, heartfelt memories are of those times.”

Being miscategorized by her appearance does not stop her from spreading her story. Her advice for globally mobile people: Keep sharing your stories, “It’s through our stories that we as a society will increase our capacity and practice of tolerance, empathy and compassion, especially during a time when these traits are so badly needed. In a sense, I feel that we have a responsibility to share our voices, experiences and points of view with not only one another, but also with others who have not had the opportunity to broaden their worldview. I think the more that we can do this, the likelihood that we’ll be able to overcome some of the greatest challenges of our time increases with every story we share.”

Manzaneres’ eldest son, Xavier married Jordan Sosa (pictured here with her now mother-in-law) just prior to this issue going to print. The wedding reception featured their family’s traditional foods, including Korean dishes like Garbi (Korean barbeque short ribs); Mexican chicken street tacos and green chile.

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Love &

‘Ohana

A mission to change how we see the world — and each other

By Allie Ruckman

T

here are some women in the world who just seem unstoppable. Confident, caring, passionate, vivid, creative and hardworking — these people are one in a million. Rasha Pecoraro is one of them.

Pecoraro is a stunning woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. But just looking at her would give you no indication of the complex cultural and vocational aspects of her life.

She has been featured on NBC’s television show, “The Biggest Loser,” has been a plus-size model since 2003, is an actor, writer, vlogger, mother and the co-owner of DapperD Fashions with her crosscultural wife, Vanna, who is of Argentinian heritage.

Pecoraro is an all around rock star, and has been vlogging about her weight loss journey to a dedicated crowd of YouTube subscribers for many years.

Born in Hawaii, USA, she feels deeply connected to the culture and lifestyle.

“I loved being born and raised in Hawai’i. It’s my culture. My home,”

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she said. “When people look at me they don’t automatically know that I identify as Hawaiian.

I’m blonde hair and blue-eyed, and people assume I have only grown up in a typical American upbringing, but that is not the case.”

Pecoraro’s Mother is Fauna Hodel, a white woman raised in an African-American family, and she incorporated both of these cultures into Pecoraro’s childhood. Pecoraro used to spend half of the week with her mother, and half with her father.

Her father was white, and her stepmom was Japanese; thus, Pecoraro’s upbringing a blend of unique cultural experiences.

Rasha’s sister, Yvette Gentile, was Hodel’s first child and is of blended race. Their mother’s unique upbringing and efforts to overcome adversity have affected both women as they have grown older.

“I am proud of who I am, no matter what culture someone thinks I come from. I am Hawaiian, through and through. Our Mom raised my sister and I to not see color.

We were always raised to treat everyone equally no matter what,” Pecoraro emphatically shared.

The family moved around the Western United States for a few years, following Gentile in her modeling career. In 1997, the sisters moved to Portland, where Pecoraro finished high school and started college. Then they moved to Los Angeles in 1998.

Photobraphy

by Aña Monique

“I literally followed her when she moved because I missed her. I wanted to be close to my sister” Pecoraro said, a testament to the close-knit nature of their family.

Pecoraro now lives just outside Portland with her wife Vanna and daughter Leilani.

Hodel’s recent passing on September 2017 has affected the family on a deep level.

However, both Pecoraro and Gentile have taken to following in their mother’s footsteps. Hodel’s compassion and warmth is what fuels Pecoraro to perpetuate her Mother’s “legacy of LOVE. Every.

Single. Day.” “My family keeps me going.

Having just lost our beautiful mother . . . my world has been shattered, but there are so many beautiful things happening, I know it will get better.”

“Yvette and I are a true legacy of our Mom, and want to perpetuate her love everyday.”

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A

n actress, model, yogi and business woman with a strong spiritual grounding, Yvette Gentile is internationally successful. Paul Mitchel discovered Gentile at her sister’s school carnival and her first modeling test shots were taken when she was only 11 years old.

Soon after, Italian Vogue printed them. From there her career skyrocketed, sending Gentile and her family on a journey across the United States.

“I was born in Reno, Nevada and lived there ’til six, then moved to San Diego, La Jolla ’til nine, then to Honolulu,” said the Domestic Third Culture Kid. Unlike her sister, Gentile is a blend of races: “Black, white, British, Italian: it goes on and on,” she said.“I like to say I’m a melting pot of everything.”

Now settled in San Francisco, with her cross-cultural husband Gino — who hails from Cocullo, Italy — the thirty-year Screen Actors Guild (SAG) cardholder, continues to act, model and manage a high-fashion leather shop called West Coast Leather.

Despite how different the women are in appearance, their racial diversity played no role in their upbringing together in the Hawaiian Islands.

“My mom instilled in us to see character before color growing up,” Gentile said. “Obviously, she dealt with it as soon as she was brought into this world.”

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The beauty in living in so many different places is the experience you can take wherever you go.

I am very grateful for this. I believe I can fit in anywhere.

Photo Credit: Kirsten Lara Getchell Photography

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(l to r) Leilani Pecoraro, Yvette Gentile, Gino Gentile with their furbaby, Peanut Gentile. Front: Rasha Pecoraro, Fauna Hodel, Vanna Pecoraro.

Hodel’s constant exposure to racism while growing up led her to her desire to break the cycle of racial and cultural discrimination. She worked to instill in her daughters a sense of compassion and love that would extend to people of all cultures and races.

She was born in 1951 to a prominent white family in California. Before birth, she was bargained off to a black woman (Jimmie Lee Greenwade) who worked as a restroom attendant in a Nevada casino. In order to ensure that Hodel never found her birth family, her birth mother changed the race of her father on her birth certificate to read “Negro.” Greenwade was expecting the baby to take after her birth father and take 58

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on a darker skin tone. However, when Hodel was born, she was clearly a white baby and very light skinned.

From that moment on, Greenwade doubted that Hodel was truly a mixed-race child.

Hodel, however, grew up under the impression that she was black. During an era of extreme racial tension, she was subject to abnormal amounts of prejudice from both black and white communities.

Hodel faced violence and abuse from her black mother, who wished more than anything that her adopted daughter was darker-skinned. She was also rejected by the white community, as her upbringing in African-American culture made her

seem different from a typical white person.

All of this was complicated further by segregation-era social normalities.

Navigating rules that favored whites when she looked white but identified as black was difficult. To find answers, Hodel eventually sought her birth mother and found more than she ever expected.

Even despite the cultural confusion and lack of a sense of self, Hodel rose through adversity and sought to take her experiences and use them for good.

“She gracefully and miraculously came out, never a victim of circumstances and vowed to tell her story of love and perseverance,” Gentile shared.

“She was kind, compassionate, and loving, always. I think she decided to be the polar opposite of everything she experienced,” Pecoraro said. “We hope to perpetuate love and kindness like our mother every day.”

Hodel’s autobiography, “One Day She’ll Darken” walks readers through the experience of lacking identity in an identity-driven world. Despite her challenging upbringing, she also sought to continue Greenwade’s legacy through the book.

Hodel’s experiences also graced the artistic world when her story was told at the Curfman Art Gallery at Colorado State University (CSU) in an exhibition, entitled “Beyond Color: A Life Journey Using Art to Transcend Culture.” According to gallery director Doug Sink, the exhibition is “a multimedia journey through the maze of a life with unimaginable twists and turns and unbelievable characters, with the goal of delivering a message of love and understanding that transcends race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, time and geography.”

Turner Network Television (TNT) has produced a limited TV series on inspired by Hodel’s life titled “I am The Night.” The six-part series is directed by Patty Jenkins (who, incidentally, is a military B.R.A.T.) and screenwriter Sam Sheridan, as well as stars Chris Pine of “Wonder Woman” and “Star Trek” fame, and India Eisley of “Secret Life of the American Teenager.” The series will premere in January 2019.

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Blending Families, Blending Cultures, Blending Lives

Rhonda Coleman & Randall Duval

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A

fro-Latina Rhonda

moved to the U.S. at age 13 — ­ during the

from Brazilian slaves, Coleman and Duval

Coleman’s mother

height of the fight to end apartheid in his

created a blended family of nine with

hails from La Ceiba

home country, where he was considered

children aged 22 years to seven-years-

(la say-bah) on

colored. Duval’s family ancestry includes

old. He had four children, she had two,

the Atlantic coast of Honduras, Central

members from Mauritius and Madagascar

and together they have one. Coleman and

America. The eldest of three, Coleman

in addition to South Africa. His step-father

Duval’s wedding encompassed their blended

was born in New York City, USA, and at

was a missionary in South Africa, where

family and took place in a tertiary location

age three months, moved to New Orleans,

he met Duval’s mother. “He’s white, so

in order to include as many family members

Louisiana, USA, which is said to have the

their relationship would not have been cool

as possible from their diverse and globe-

highest population of Hondurans outside

during apartheid,” Coleman elucidated.

spanning relatives. Planned completely

of Honduras. Coleman went home to

online, the couple spent a mere $5,000 on the

Honduras each year during childhood. Her

Brought together through Capoeira, a

celebration, yet still was able to achieve an

South African husband, Randall Duval,

fluid martial art and dance form originated

event of a lifetime.

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Continued from page 61

“It was awesome,” Coleman gushed.

The couple’s first dance was a Capoeira game — a nod to the dance-mimicking Brazilian martial art that brought them together. “We are both very involved in it, both very passionate about it, so it was fitting that our first expression in marriage would be us playing Capoeira together,” she explained.

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TECHNOLOGY | Andrea Bazoin

Leveraging Technology for Good A Cross-cultural Perspective

I

n today’s digital age, technology is both an influencer of our lives and a tool for influence.

It unites us in ways that would have been impossible just a few short decades ago. There are those who use it to spread lies and hate, and others who are taking advantage of the ways technology can broaden our perspectives and allow us to share stories of our lives with people across every kind of geographic and social border.

I will mention, as an illustration of the opportunity to effortlessly cross borders through technology, that I met the women featured in this article via Instagram. Through our interviews on Skype, I learned how each of them is taking advantage of life in the digital age to connect, learn, and influence others in unique ways in order to make a positive difference in the world.

TECHNOLOGY AS AN INFLUENCER Hanging on the walls of Brittany Chung’s Los Angeles apartment are a collection of handmade posters — mostly featuring inspiring and challenging messages.

One reads, “Children are dying from preventable deaths.” As a Cross Cultural Kid (CCK) and Founder of The Elevation Society — a nonprofit that focuses on reducing suicide, bullying and depression by uniting humans to collectively solve issues and showing every individual their life is worth fighting for — this poster serves as a major motivator, pushing Chung through the hard times of entrepreneurial life. “I don’t have time to be lazy,” she said,

“[because] I don’t know how many lives we can save through Elevation Society.

I believe I am here for a purpose — that everyone is.”

The motivation to start The Elevation Society came from Chung’s own tragic encounter with suicide two days before college graduation when a dear friend ended her life. After struggling to make meaning of what happened, and researching currently-available suicide prevention programs, Brittany realized that what people really needed was a sense of purpose in themselves and in the world.

“I noticed that when people give back and see the difference that they make, they sometimes realize that their life has purpose and they can see a bigger picture.”

So, in 2016, The Elevation Society was born.

According to The Suicide Prevention Resource Center, studies are still inconclusive, overall, about the impacts of social media on rates of suicide and depression in youth. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the digital space is playing a large, and shifting, role in how young people view themselves and others. Kids as young as seven and eight-years-old are being cyberbullied on social media through platforms like Snapchat, Musical.Ly. and Instagram. Constant exposure to perfectly-curated social media may lead many to compare themselves with others — leading to depression and low self-esteem.

In our conversation, however, Chung pointed out many other positive outcomes of using social media. They include raising awareness of important social causes (for example, the ASL ice bucket challenge), increasing exposure to the struggles and

daily lives of people around the world, and even offering a public platform for people who are not in the news media or in positions of power — thiss allowed them to have a voice on the world stage.

“Now we have a broader perspective.

Before, if you came from a majority culture place, you couldn’t see people who looked like you. Now, you can see so many people with different identities.”

Social media can even play a role in self-reflection, Chung shared. “When you scroll through your life on Facebook or Instagram, you’re able to know yourself a little bit better. You’re really seeing your story and can get more in touch with who you are. Life is full of ups and downs.

Looking at past pictures and conversations can allow you to bring yourself up a little faster because you’re remembering all the positives in your life.”

Through The Elevation Society, Chung takes full advantage of today’s technology to reach out to vulnerable individuals and connect them with meaningful opportunities to contribute to others.

Some of the strategies include an app that links such people with opportunities to volunteer in the community, a robust social media presence filled with inspirational quotes and stories, and online surveys to learn more about the needs of those struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

“Suicide is such a complex issue, so getting as many answers as we can from different people who are experiencing depression or suicide ideation from different ages and different walks of life — we’ll be able to get a better understanding of how we can help people.” Through the app, surveys and

Brittany Chung is Founder of The Elevation Society. She was born in Middletown, Connecticut to a military B.R.A.T. mother from Cape Cod, USA, with roots in Cape Verde Island, Africa and a CCK father born in Osaka, Japan and adopted by Chinese/ Japanese parents. Learn more at theelevationsociety.org

social media platforms, The Elevation Society is able to continually broaden its reach and be a positive voice in the lives of vulnerable individuals, both locally and around the world. When Chung wakes up in the morning and reads the posters on her wall, this message reminds her of her own purpose, “This life is bigger than you.

You have the power to make a difference.

Never take it for granted.”

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TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL FOR INFLUENCE As many people who identify as mixedrace know, the word “local” doesn’t always hold lasting meaning. For Solonia Teodros and Grace Clapham, co-founders of The Change School, one “local” common to both was an international middle school in Singapore — where the two met. Both are daughters of diplomats and, as such, have each spent their lives on the move across the globe. Solonia’s other locals include Boston, New York, Ethiopia, and Taiwan while Clapham’s include Indonesia, Netherlands, Australia, Ecuador, and England.

So, to say Teodros and Clapham have each experienced life at a crossroads is, indeed, an understatement. Change is hard, as we all well know. And finding yourself without a strong sense of a wellworn path can be both exhilarating and daunting. After years of experimenting with career, identity and geography, the two women reconnected back in Singapore. Teodros had left a job in New York City after reaching a point of burn out in her career and Clapham had experienced the untimely passing of her father — both were at a crossroads. It was then that the idea for The Change School came alive.

“Most people either go on a yoga retreat or go get an MBA,” Teodros laughed.

“The vision and the mission behind The Change School at that time was to create something more holistic ... a space and community that would enable and facilitate that journey of figuring out ‘Who am I?’ and ‘How do I define myself?’ ‘What are my strengths?’ ‘What are my abilities?’ ‘How can I find the best path for myself?’”

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Initially, both were interested in fostering their enterprise within the community of Cross Culture Kids/Third Culture Kids (CCKs/TCKs) who shared a similar mindset of openness and cultural intelligence. However, they were surprised by some reactions to their messaging.

“Some people asked, “Do you think CCKs and TCKs are better,” Teodros explained.

That’s not what a global citizen is for us. It’s not defined by how many places you’ve lived or how many languages you speak. It’s about having a sense of connection to a wider global community.

By being able to embrace differences, focus on similarities, and build on diversity, we can create so much more for ourselves.

Clapham continued, “Our bigger vision and our theory of change is that we’re working to develop global citizens with a better understanding of themselves.

The tools are not tailored to CCK/TCK. There’s a need for more self awareness no matter where you are in the world. Perhaps we’ve had more exposure to change. But the tools are more about empowering the individual to get a sense of awareness so they can be better directed to navigate all the tools out there.”

One such tool The Change School is offering is their online course, “How To Confidently Create Your Bold Career Move,” which is geared towards 20-to40-somethings who feel themselves at a crossroads in their life and career. “At this point,” Solonia related, “this is the population that sat on the edge between the dot.com boom and today’s digital revolution.” The question for many is whether to follow their parent’s path of a college degree and climbing a traditional career ladder, or something else — perhaps a career by design. “[It’s] no longer about finding yourself but creating yourself. This requires a different mindset, a different set of tools.”

Such tools, of course, include the use of today’s digital technologies. According to Clapham, “Technology is always there as an enabler and an amplifier.

We’ve amplified our networks across the digital space and connected the dots by using technology. We’re also leveraging technology through the networks we have [locally] in order to build deeper relationships.” At the same time, both women were initially resistant to the idea of creating an online course. “We had been running a lot of offline events and retreats — things that are really immersive that allowed us to create these experiences and really deepen connections so that people would leaveNwith real bonds,” recounted Solonia. “What made us make the shift was an understanding that we wanted to reach more people and make what we’re offering more accessible. It’s been great because it’s allowed us to really engage more people in these courses.”

This has been beneficial to The Change School from both a numbers and a

mission perspective. “If we’re on a call like this [Skype] we’re seeing people dialing in from everywhere. People see that others around the world are struggling with the same fears and feelings of being stuck. It brings that global connection that we always wanted, but in a different way.”

Grace explains, “we’re also able to help others feel more comfortable about being themselves. A lot of the work we do at The Change School, with or without technology, is [based on the idea that] the more clarity a person can get about who they are, the more confidence they have along the way. Education through social platforms is one way we can [do this].”

That “different way” is truly at the heart of everything The Change School is about — both within the organization and through the ways they engage with their community. “We try to help people use technology to their advantage,” Teodros described. “For example, we help people create a career pilot [on LinkedIn] as a way to test drive a new career path. That is the beauty of tech right now. Use it to your advantage to test a future vision.”

Of course, sitting at a crossroads in today’s lightening-speed digital age is quite different than it was in the past.

Clapham elaborated, “The problem right now is that we’re going through a paradigm shift. People are changing and organizations are changing.

We are like tectonic plates that have moved, but we don’t know where we’re going to sit. [At the same time,] that’s the beauty of not knowing where the future is going. We can create the positions we want if we understand who we are, reinvent ourselves, create our own story, and amplify our message through social media and technology. We can create the organizations and positions that people may not have thought about before.”

Ultimately, according to Clapham and Teodros, the mission of The Change School remains the same both online and offline. “By sharing our story,”

Solonia Teodros and Grace Clapham are coFounders of The Change School. Learn more at thechangeschool.com

LOOKING AHEAD For both The Elevation Society and The Change School, success has never been measured in likes or followers, but in positively impacting the lives of individuals through sharing their unique gifts, personal journeys, and authentic selves with others. Technology, as a tool, is certainly providing us all with

ample opportunities to be influenced and impacted by the work of others, and to shine a light on our own stories and pursuits. It’s up to each of us to decide where the crossroads of technology and humanity meet within our own lives, and how we will teach, learn and influence one another across cyberspace and around the world.

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FALL FASHION

FORECAST

By Sonja Motley

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ach fall, anticipation builds. It is that time again of wonder and creation. 2018’s fall fashion forecast is broad and as widespreading as ever.

More and more designers place themselves into the spotlight with their creation contributions to this fall season. So many designers, so many perspectives.

Do not worry about an over-abundance of the usual sweeping array of animal prints and kitchy patterns... you won’t find them this season. No focus on questionable colors and shapes — those choices did not make “best in show.” Choices of rich hues drawn from the global arena are at your fingertips. Patterns of various cultures and interesting architectural geometrics will make their presence known and be very interesting to follow. Rich and deep colors, complex textures and patterns pulled from every culture to create

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looks that help you curate and express “your look” on the fashion scene.

Our featured artist took the forefront with the “patina effect.”

Copper Signature’s accessory contribution to this fall look brings rustic coppers, gingers and warm colored stones; brushed metals that are beautifully layered over the cool dark structures of fall’s richest blues.

Midnight blue, denim blue, indigo, blueberry and on and on.

Another theme of this season is resilient strength in gold global inspiration — you’ll find all of these choices in this fall’s pallet.

We found it interesting to represent the mix of organic lines in copper with the dark rich mysteries of structured black industrial blueprints.

Navy texture and weaves and knits bring your “basic” black to life.

Fall is a collage of deep colors and intricately-textured accessories that make it very easy for you to look individual as well as artistic.

2018 fall has many choices and will not fail to inspire a look that is your most beautiful you.

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Wrapped in a three-piece texture and pattern with a cool knit asymmetrical.

Model Photography: Xavier Hadley Fashion Photography: Tommy McMillion Stylist: Sonja Motley Makeup: Sedrique Olison Hair: Blessed Beauty Fashion: NIC + ZOE, Boston Models (l to r): Michelle Thomas, Ariel Douglas and Shayla Montiero

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The ombre grey to blue two-piece sweater set elongated and slouched with relaxed skinny jeans.

Just a tweak of the belt adds another look.

Navy blue rugged Sherpa vest, ragged edge jeans and midnight blue plush Chenille sweater — a perfect upgrade for the weekend.

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Navy and black static print pinched hip dress with matching jacket.

Add a jacket in soft interlock with top stitch and you’re back in business.

Sweet blue twopiece: soft and flowing — the perfect look for office to evening,

Business as usual with an abstract graphic sweater dress.

Simple jacket over the soft and flow adds a bit of business elegance.

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Jewelry by Copper Signatures

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FASHION | Sonja Motley

The Capsule You Need:

Medicine for Your Closet Illnesses Manage your closet, look good and save the earth

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f you’ve ever stood in front of your closet and wailed, “But I have nothing to wear!” You can relate to the closet illness we’re discussing. Often we’ve collected too many items that don’t match, and are frustrated with our results. Your closet’s a little ill.

The answer is a ”capsule wardobe.”

Capsule wardrobe is a term coined by Susie Faux, the owner of a London boutique called “Wardrobe” in the 1970s.

According to Faux, a capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few essential items of clothing that don’t go out of fashion, such as skirts, trousers and coats, which can then be augmented with seasonal pieces.

Especially today, as we’re becoming more conscious of our spending, the notion of an easy-to-manage wardrobe that makes us look and feel great is on the rise. Not only that, fashion is the second largest polluter after the oil industry.

Landfills are full of fast fashion: poorly-made, cheap, trendy clothing that is worn once and thrown away. The real trend is a return to a few quality pieces which make work, travel, packing and looking amazing a breeze.

Purchasing a few key, perfectly-fitted pieces, which work well together along with “character pieces” to add color and energy transforms your closet. No more morning wails. You’re out the door looking and feeling terrific in minutes.

I’ve been styling for my clients for many years. I’ve seen the pleasure, joy and reduction in stress that a capsule wardrobe can bring. Whether you’re a college student working part time

or a retiree cleaning out those items that no longer give you joy, establishing your go-to basics can eliminate time and frustration every single day.

Here’s your suggested Rx to get started: • Pants (two pairs) — narrow sport crop and full-length trousers • Dress (two) — ­ solid, short or long, and print, short or long • Cardigan or Jacket — short or long • Skirt (for your silhouette) — solid color • Blouses (three) ­— your best color, one print, one dressy white • Shoes (two pairs) — Quality flat, one fashion comfort 1/2 “ heel or above • Boots — either a half bootie or tall boot • Scarves (three) — one large solid and two daywear prints • Jeans — one pair dark • Jean jacket/Denim — optional Not only will this give you space and breathing room in your closet, these simple choices will give you time to play rather than agonizing over what to wear. If you’re not sure what colors work best for you, engage the help of a stylist. Their job is to ensure that what you put on makes you look and feel your best every single day. In addition, they can help you find and purchase perfect pieces that enhance your body style and guarantee compliments.

This fall, let’s live and travel lighter; give your closet and your lifestyle the RX it deserves.

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SUPERHEROES GLOBAL MULTICULTURAL

FOR A NEW CENTURY How a military B.R.A.T. TCK, A CCK and a multiracial Domestic TCK are changing the face of hidden identity

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ust by the nature of who they are, culturally fluid people break barriers.

Christopher Ikpoh, Steffon Thomas and Jojo Santiago-Febo are no exception.

Together, they make up The Creative Extreme (TCE) — an entertainment company specializing in content creation for digital and print comics, television, film, literature, advertising and merchandising.

Formed by Ikpoh and Thomas, they began in 2016 with Project 365 — a massive creative vision to release one new original comic book-style character Every. Single. Day. Each character biography would include a fully-developed origin and backstory, original imagery and unique powers. When all was complete, they finished the year with an integrated, multi-layered universe spanning more than 600 characters. Though they are the visionaries of the universe, the project takes shape with its artist, animator, editor, design and administrative partners. They even work with translators to create fresh, one-of-a-kind multilingual content. All told, TCE talent has worked with industry heavyhitters including Marvel and DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, A&E and more.

The Creative Extreme’s (l-r): Steffon Thomas, Jojo Santiago-Febo and Christopher Ikpoh.

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We wanted more people on screen or at the forefront... representation for [as many] different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds as we could.

Their story, however, truly began when Ikpoh and Thomas played basketball together in undergrad. The towering Ikpoh, with a Nigerian father steeped in the tradition of his homeland, a mother whose English and Irish descendants were some of the first to settle Chicagoland, and a German grandmother at home — attended three different schools in the American midwest including Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. Thomas, born and raised in what he describes as “the melting pot of The Bronx” in New York City, had a little fluidity in his home as well — his parents moved to New York in their teen years from the American South. Currently married to a woman from Ghana, he often jokes “I have no country,” focusing on his desire to truly learn from whence he came.

The budding creators knew they wanted to develop something big, something unique, something that made a difference in the world, so it was a no brainer that their backgrounds stood front and center as the idea took fold.

“We wanted more people on screen or at the forefront of big projects, big films that we could relate to. To also have representation for [as many] different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds that we could,” Ikpoh said.

We decided to go more of the historical route and the culturally-

accurate route.There’s so many stories and so many things that happened since the dawn of time that really allowed us to have a plethora of ideas and events and people to base our characters off of,” he explained.

Creating the depth and breath of characters and showing faces different from the norm intrigued SantiagoFebo, who met the two at a Con event. Standing next to their table, she was intrigued by the imagery. A native Puerto Rican with Taino Indian and Italian roots, Santiago-Febo spent much of her childhood in Germany after her father joined the Army. She spoke German until her return to New Jersey at age 11. “It was one of the most amazing childhoods ever. Like a fairytale,” she marveled. “The winters were beautiful. I got to travel all around Europe. I got to walk around tulips, I saw how cheese was made — the opportunities were awesome — I really, really appreciate it now.”

While Ikpoh and Thomas create the behind-the-scenes machine, SantiagoFebo assists with outreach when the team promotes at shows.

The team’s ambition is to be on the same level as Marvel and DC, and also to work with those companies to assist in adding dimension to their fields-of-play. “We believe we have something the world needs to see — something the world wants, whether we become a huge company that makes movies or not,” Thomas added.

On the following pages, we’ve curated a few of the diverse TCE characters to give you a taste of their universe.

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Sirena Realname:AcindinaMadera Living her whole life in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Acindina came to love her home more than anything. From its people to its rich culture and the land itself, Acindina adored everything about Puerto Rico. Nothing captivated her more, though, than the sea. She eventually discovered this was because she possessed hyper-ability to transform into a mermaid, affording her superpowers including enhanced

Mictlan along with a PhD in Archaeology, all from the prestigious Platinum City University. From there, Lucia grew up in a family of bruja, Dr. Lucia Yañez would go or witches. The knowledge and gifts on to uncover numerous were passed down from one chosen lost civilizations and person to another every generation. artifacts to be featured These gifts included being a psychic at museums across the medium and clairvoyant, as well as world. The grandest of having a powerful spirit enabling her discoveries those the person to use enchantments, cast objects and texts with spells, ingest potions, and wield powerful amulets and spiritual objects. the ability to be used by a bruja – were kept for her Lucia was the next in line, and after private collection. completing understudy with her aunt This would prove to be at the age of 19, Lucia became the family’s new bruja known as Mictlan. beneficial, as she would need many of her powers and She was also incredibly intelligent, resources to help save the world and she eventually graduated with on several occasions. degree in Chemistry and History,

Real name: Dr. Lucia Yañez

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speed, strength, agility, endurance and durability in the water. She was able to see with perfect vision for hundreds of miles underwater, as well as hear sounds from the same distance. She could breathe underwater as well as fill human lungs with oxygen underwater enabling them to remain submerged too.

Furthermore, Acindina had a special pair of vocal chords with which she could cause short term memory loss in people, helping protect her identity. As she mastered these abilities, she became known as Sirena, the protector of Puerto Rico and the ocean surrounding it. This would lead her to playing a key part in the events of the world.

Le Donneur Real name: Jean St. Croix Jean always loved sports growing up in Montreal. He played for every team he could possibly get on.

Unfortunately, he always seemed to be a step behind everyone else. No matter how hard he tried, he just could not get over the hump.

Even against those he knew he was more skilled than, physically he could never measure up and would end up losing or being out-performed. Eventually as he got older, he quit competing and focused on becoming the best physical trainer he could be.

His business began taking off pretty quickly,

as everyone loved working out with him. One day Jean was visited by a client who had a theory: She noticed whenever she worked out on her own, she performed considerably worse. Combined with the knowledge she gained from being in her role as a researcher for the Canadian military studying hyperabilities, the woman surmised Jean was what they called an “imbuer.” He emitted an energy that increased the abilities of those around him. Humans near him became significantly stronger, faster, more agile, durable and had more endurance. Hyper-beings near him would experience increases to their individual hyper-abilities as well. Jean finally understood why he could never compete with his peers in sports, and why he was so successful as a physical trainer, because he was unwittingly making people better versions of themselves the entire time! The woman realized Jean’s greater potential as well though, and asked him to join the military. A power like Jean’s could greatly benefit their troops. He agreed and spent the next few years training to become a skilled soldier where he earned the nickname Le Donneur, which was good, because the world would be facing a threat like never before.

Jamad Musa Real name: Jamad Musa

Jamad was joining an elite Jamad was born and raised in Cairo, force of soldiers who were to undergo a biological Egypt. As a young man, he was transformation by recruited to join a separatist force having their genome under the command of military spliced with alien mastermind and soldier, Ramses DNA from a master “The Pharaoh” Hondo. However, the separatists were disbanded while race Ramses was now working for.

Jamad was away on a mission.

This procedure When he returned to Cairo, he was caused Jamad to gain alone and forced to start over. So, advanced physical he took a job as a bodyguard until traits, as well as the Ramses emerged from hiding and ability to control water came calling once more. This time, and create ice instantly.

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Cybernetica The Sista Clique hero squad

Several years after graduating from college, Crystal, Ja’Nique and Tiffany accidentally drank a hyper-serum during a bachelorette party for one of their sorority sisters. With their new powers, each of four girlfriends (who also gained powers during the same party) joined and formed the Sista Clique hero squad. The Sista Clique are not only fighting for good, they are also fighting for fair representation and acceptance.

RealName:CrystalSpears

At the time of the bachelorette party she was holding an advanced piece of cellular technology developed by the tech-company she worked for. The Hyper-Serum and the technology combined with her physiology and transformed her into a half-human-half-cyborg.

She juggles her crimefighting activities with her responsibilities as a wife and mother of two.

Ember Brook Real Name: Ja’Nique Prescott After the bachelorette party, she quickly developed the ability to wield and project fire from her body.

She juggles her crimefighting activities with her responsibilities as an anchor for a TV Network and taking care of her ailing mother.

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Madam Deadhead Real Name: Tiffany Griffin After accidentally drinking the hyper-serum, her muscles fused with the diesel engine components from the 18-wheeler she drives, and gave her immense hyperstrength. She brings irreverence and humor to the team while continuing to work as a truck-driver delivering loads all over the country.

Rosko She also was able to slow down time in her mind, as well as receive increased From Cinisi, a town on the northwest coast physical attributes. of Sicily, Rosko was born into the notorious All of these things, Kortellini Family. Their legacy: some of the combined with a greatest assassins known to the world. Every lifetime of intense generation, the first born male was trained and physical, combat molded to be the next assassin to represent and weapons the family. However, Rosko’s mother was training, made killed as a retaliation for a hit that her father Rosko one of performed, and he refused to marry another the world’s best woman. Thus, without a son, he chose to train his daughter. Everyday he pushed Rosko beyond assassins and mercenaries by her limits, often causing her to physically and the time she was mentally collapse. However, she always came 19. She fulfilled the back stronger and better the next day. It was most difficult and in her DNA to be a fighter and exercise an unwavering resilience. This led her father to also dangerous jobs by her nickname her Butterfly. He would say it was his father’s employer. Then, after he died, Rosko began responsibility to break her down and force her expanding her clientele into a cocoon so she would emerge a greater base. This brought her to version of herself. This relentless training also Platinum City, where she unlocked the Kortellini family hyper-ability: would meet mega villain Edgar Rosko, like the chosen amongst her ancestors Lockhart and become employed before her, was able to release extreme levels as a member of his elite group, the of adrenaline and endorphins in her system Lockhart Force. enabling crystal clear and magnified vision.

Real name: Rosalinda Kortellini

Jessica Beck people with incredible abilities put millions of people out of work. After all, who needs a construction crew of Dr. Beck is a brilliant sociologist and anthropologist 300 people when you can just hire a crew of 5 hyper-beings to build that who specializes in hypernew apartment building? Dr. Beck human integration and decides that in order to truly test and its effect on society and examine her hypothesis for the future the world as a whole.

After determining that she’ll need to study the past. But not just study, actually travel there. She builds a full hyper-human a team and employs a time-traveling integration may have some generally positive hyper-being to take them back in time.

The situation, however, goes awry and effects on society, she concludes that integration Jessica and her team end up trapped in a deserted alternate world. She goes on to has many more potential lead the survivors in creation of a new downsides. The greatest society while continuing to search for a negative affect is how the way to get back to her native timeline. integration of hyper-powered

Real Name: Jessica Beck

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JOHN PATHKILLER

MEHMOOD ALI

RealName:JohnPathkiller John Pathkiller was born with the ability to telekinetically control a variety of natural elements, including earth and water. As a young man he used these powers to secretly sabotage a plethora of building/ construction projects that threatened to desecrate the sacred lands of his tribe and other indigenous peoples.

Later in life he decided to take on a career as a public servant

Realname:MehmoodAli and won several elections, eventually working his way up to the an opportunity to be the first Native American Presidential candidate of the United States of America.

Mehmood was born during Mawlid, and when his mother gave birth to him, a huge flash of energy occurred. This caused some people to say Mehmood would be a savior.

Others said he was evil. This debate only intensified as Mehmood got older and discovered his hyper-ability of being able to emit energy from his hands that would create desired effects like healing, making fire, cooling things down, or shooting powerful bursts. The

Musashi Real name: Iori Miyamoto As a young boy, Iori and his parents moved from Kyoto, Japan to the New Japan area of Platinum City where his father eventually became a multibillionaire from building a massive financial empire. Iori received the best education and cultural experiences growing up. He and his is father were also descendants of the famed Ashikaga samurai clan, and as such trained in bushido the way of the samurai. Iori grew into an incredibly adept warrior, and mastered his chi energy to enhance strength, speed, agility, endurance, durability and to access a special arsenal of abilities.

This fact, combined with mastery of multiple fighting styles, genius

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intellect, the best technology, and a desire to fulfill his destiny as a hero, Iori came to be known over the years as a super samurai under the alias Musashi.

During the day he ran a global financial empire, and at night he fought crime across Platinum City, engaging in the greatest battles the universe has ever experienced.

constant attention forced Mehmood and his parents to leave their home of Mecca and move to a small farm outside the city. As he grew up away from people, Mehmood continued to hone his abilities until one day when they were needed again.

Prati Bimb Real name: Prati Bimb Prati’s parents always stressed the importance of school and education. They drove this point home with an aggressive fervor, molding Prati into a phenomenal student. However, she did not have much of a social life at all. That was until she met her adventurous friend Aishwarya. The two would end up sneaking out one night to explore a nearby tourist site, and when they did, Prati ended up falling into a hole and splitting her head open on a rock within a

mysterious glowing liquid. After passing out, she woke up to discover she had the ability to read the primary motor cortex of another person, allowing her to mirror their movements in real-time. This did not matter to her parents though, for they forced her back into only focusing on school after her antics almost turned deadly. With Aishwarya sent to Platinum City to live with family as punishment, Prati went back to having no social life. That was until Prati left Mumbai and the two friends were reunited in college at Platinum City University where they went on to finish undergrad and medICAL school together. Before they could begin their careers as doctors though, they would find themselves in a precarious situation that led to Prati becoming a fierce warrior looking to save her best friend.

Teuila Maivia Real name: Teuila Maivia Teuila is a member of the United Nations, representing her home country of Samoa. During a time of chaos and upheaval in the world, the UN faces the decision of whether to help support the expanse of those with hyperabilities into the positions of heroes and leaders against fighting crime and injustice, or to deem all activity of those with hyperabilities as illegal vigilantism.

While many express their sentiments to support the latter, it is the great intellect, insight,

and passion of Teuila that helps steer the UN in the right direction to support the superheroes of the world. It is a monumental moment in history not made by one with hyper-abilities, but by a normal person through her heartfelt life story, overwhelming logic and perfect prose.

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The King Returned Realname:SeraphSolomon When the ancient King David of Israel was on his deathbed, he commanded his son Solomon to master the spiritual realm and all of its powers in order to prevent the end of days, as Satan was prophesied to bring about. Solomon did just that memorizing and mastering every spell, enchantment, and piece of theological and mystical knowledge ever known, including an innumerable amount that weren’t. He also forged the

Major General Delilah Fray the earth, and as mankind evolved, she took human form, assuming In the very beginning of time, the goddess Armonia was created to govern the appearance of a multiracial woman; an the universe. However, in her infinite imagined reflection wisdom, she decided one ruler was not of all human races a balance of power. Thus, she took half of her essence and separated it into three mixed together.

With her advanced stars called the “triplos asteri” and hid physical skills, them across the endless dimensions cosmic powers of space and time. The being to find of regeneration the stars, unlock them, and answer the and travel while in “Inquiry of Cosmic Wisdom” would space and ability to be imbued with Armonia’s essence and shapeshift into different rule by her side for eternity. Until that day, the triplos asteri were to be guarded creatures, she remained a hidden protector of by celestial beings created by Armonia the star within earth until called “everlifes.” Delilah Fray was cataclysmic events spurned the guardian of the star hidden within her into action once more.

Real name: N/A

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immensely powerful, legendary Ring of Solomon, enabling him to control demons, draw on the power of Hell to forge weapons and abilities to fight evil, as well as draw on the power of Heaven to heal, save souls and vanquish wickedness. In addition, he used material from the Shroud of Turin to make a great whip to fight the demonic.

Solomon’s quest also saw him achieve the power of reincarnation, for after his mortal death he was brought back to life inside the bodies of divinely ordained people chosen to eliminate the imminent threats of demons on earth at times throughout history. This took place for millennia, until Seraph Solomon was reincarnated once more to help prevent the apocalyptic demonic event known as the Age of Serpents.

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Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com See our beautiful designs and get your life organized at SOL.CultursMag.com

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The Must List From shows to watch and songs to hear, to artistry, shopping and things to explore, know and do, here’s a specially curated list of things we recommend as MUST experience items for the culturally fluid.

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Must Buy

Little Brownskin Girls

By Aidan Loughran

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n 2014, Lia Nelson-James started Little Brownskin Girls (LBSG) as an outlet for her creative energy and as a way to create one-of-a-kind art and decor for her home. The project allows her to capture the beauty of daily life in unique cultural scenes depicted through scraps of decorative paper she transforms into amazing wall-hangings unique to her culture, her life, and her family. Little did she know at the time that her stress-relieving hobby would take on new meaning. “I use it to unplug from the stressors of the world

and allow my brain to unwind,” she offered. “It has helped me process grief and helps me express special memories and perspectives on Afro-centric culture.” At age five, Nelson-James and her sister were the only black people in school when she moved to Tennessee, USA. They were picked on and spit at daily. Basketball teammates at school would not ride with Nelson-James and her mother in the same car after winning a championship game — solely because of the color of their skin.

While these encounters are still painful for her to this day, she said, “I learned so much more about true compassion, empathy, caring about people and what love meant.” She added, “People need to understand we have different practices and different skin colors. We are all human and if we don’t treat each other as valuable, we are not only missing out, but also giving up on others in the process.”

This realization is where her life took a

turn for the best. She lived with a Japanese family for two years, where she was able to practice and learn about their culture.

She also traveled to London on a whim to explore, escape and meet new people.

Nelson-James emphasized that she would not have traveled to London or lived with this family if it weren’t for her growth from the experiences in Tennessee.

Living with the Japanese family, she found that she was a lot less afraid to try new things, which is what sparked interest in her trip to London. Though she has found the importance of family and the favorite thing about her culture because of her immediate family. Nelson-James’ heritage, and that of her life experiences can be found in the original art she creates for LBSG. Her work is one of the few chosen to adorn 2019 agenda planners for the lifeplanner brand Symphony of Life.

As told by Nelson-James’ life experience, it truly has been a symphony — ­ so her partnership with the brand to feature LBSG original art makes her heart sing.

To see Nelson-James cover art, or purchase agenda planners adorned with her original art, visit SOL.CultursMag.com

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Must Listen

Lady Antebellum

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ady Antebellum is an American country music group comprised of vocalist Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley (vocals, guitar), and musician Dave Haywood. Since its beginnings in 2006, Antebellum has sold 18 million units, collected nine no. one singles on the country music charts, and won seven Grammy awards. The rock-y, pop-y, soulful group’s country mix seems to have found an ecclectic sound that keeps audiences swooning.

After a two year hiatus as a group, they came back strong with newest album Heart Break — the multiplatinum selling band’s sixth release. “We couldn’t go away for almost two years and come back with another version of the same thing,” Scott revealed on their website. “We had to do something fresh and new.” The site goes on to say that the trio had

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a hand in writing 11 of the 13 tracks on Heart Break, more than they’d ever written on any previous album, resulting in their most intimate and heartfelt work to date. “It’s really our story,” says Kelley. “Songs about our spouses and kids — they have a universal feel to them, but there’s a lot of our personal stories here.”

Anyone who’s had the opportunity to hear Scott’s heart-wrenching vocals, experience her voice’s melodic sync with Kelly’s, and feel the group’s electric presence in person can tell you, it’s worth every minute. Observing the group’s excitement at its first ever performance at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Ampitheater made the experience even that much more elevated, so to speak.

Must Listen

Estelle shares the beauty of multiculturalism

Also at Red Rocks on a panel of judges for SeriesFest, we spoke with Grammy Awardwinning Estelle, a singer, songwriter and producer from West London, England. No stranger to cultural fluidity, Estelle’s parents hail from the respective British and French colonies of Senegal and Granada. Wellknown for her hit single “American Boy” which featured Kanye West, she has collaborated with many artists, including John Legend, Will.i.am, Chris Brown, Robin Thicke and De La Soul. Estelle noted that multiculturalism means she has more than one home, “It means I’m well-

traveled and I see the world from a unique perspective,” she shared. “It’s always quite shocking to me the way people relate to you versus how you relate to the world, and it’s almost a concerted effort to not snap at people because they have a perception of you based on their outlook on the world. That to me is like the two halves of it, you don’t have one home, you have many homes, you also have to deal with other people’s perspectives on who they think you are. It’s six in one, half a dozen in the other — it’s all good though.”

She’s looking forward to creating a legacy where people see her creating content musically, on screen or otherwise and making that known, rather than giving it to someone else to create.

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Must Know

SeriesFest

By Darlene Perez-Ambrosine

THE IMPACT OF INCLUSION SeriesFest 2018, this year held a panel discussion on the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) both onscreen and behind-the-scenes in screen entertainment. Audiences and makers alike often are oblivious that this community is missing in film, television and online content. Identified as disabled by way of illness, injury or birth, among other things, sometimes characters are portrayed on television with a hearing or vision impairment — for example — “Switched at Birth,” which centers firmly on a deaf girl and the deaf community.

Many may now see videos popping up in online feeds that include amputees, adults with Down Syndrome or children with Progeria (a rare genetic condition characterized by the appearance of accelerated aging).

Makers from all over the globe like this couple from Britian, attend SeriesFest for a chance to get their works known.

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eralded as “an award-winning television festival dedicated to showcasing the best and boldest in episodic storytelling from around the world,” SeriesFest is a can’t-miss for those looking for stories to which they can relate.

At a time when television entertainment continues to expand, evolve and embrace ever-changing platforms, the need for a diverse range of programming continues to grow. As trailblazers in independent content development, SeriesFest creates a global

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marketplace and community for creators, industry professionals and audiences.

The annual event takes place each summer in Denver, Colorado — the birthplace of cable television. With a musical performance and network premiere at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and six full days of in-competition screenings, panels, network sneak peeks and premieres, SeriesFest provides a platform for compelling and creative content. It also celebrates television history and engages in meaningful dialogue.

The panel was a timely and necessary one that brings the topic of inclusion into the limelight. Panelists included Antoinette Abbamonte, of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and RJ Mitte of “Breaking Bad,” along with others who deftly and adroitly presented some of their industry struggles. Tales of failed auditions, frustrating casting calls and bit parts in B movies, mounted evidence for the argument that PWDs make up less than two percent of on-screen personalities and even fewer writers, producers and the like. Panelists spoke of a fearbased discrimination as creators often believe somehow their content will fail if a PWD is included on the payroll.

Myths surrounding disabilities and the

The beauty of Red Rocks Ampitheatre served as the perfect backdrop for this fall’s series premiere of “Yellowstone,” featuring actor Kevin Costner.

continue the conversation, ensuring the issue of size, weight and standard considerations of beauty join in, in order to create a truly inclusive industry that speaks to all of its audience.

WHY ATTEND Whether looking for your tribe or wanting a sneak peek at some of the greatest international television has to offer, run — don’t walk, to find out more about SeriesFest and plan your outing for 2019.

A year-round operation, we suggest signing up for their newsletter to find out more about what’s coming.

To see our gallery of SeriesFest photos and for more information, visit CultursMag.com/a-must-do

proficiency of PWDs were also a heated topic of conversation.

Surprisingly, panelists also highlighted PWDs making themselves available for casting, citing that by not taking a leap of faith in writing a screenplay or auditioning for a role, community members often deny themselves the chance of inclusion.

With American Sign Language translators on every panel, and increasing focus on inclusion in entertainment, SeriesFest clearly is making strides toward presenting media that represent everyone. We need to

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Must Watch: WebTV

Internet Evolution

By Tammy Matthews

STORYTELLING IS FUNDAMENTAL In an age when the ideal YouTube video is approximately eighty seconds long, you must have a stellar story to keep audience attention.

Internet-driven, short-form storytelling propels engagement.

In certain environs, this storytelling is privileged, especially when people cannot find stories in popular media platforms that reflect themselves.

“Just because the stories haven’t been told doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be shown,” said Mai Ling Matthews, manager of television development at Super Deluxe, a creative engine offering multi-platform audience experiences with the fastest-growing audiences across those platforms.

Matthews said she is passionate and hungry for stories and storytellers to open worlds that bring people together. The content-platform Super Deluxe — which Matthews said creates “a safe space for creative weirdos” — prides itself on new and adaptable ways to construct narratives to tell stories “to the world through the lens we see it.”

The infinite space of today’s digital world empowers creators to feature authentic protagonists like those in “Seeds” as well as in “BKPI.” 94

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SEEDS The web series “Seeds” offers a candid and hilarious look into the lives of young black women as they transition to adults. It features four millennialaged characters: Beth, Danielle, Jade and Maya. These women do not appear as caricatures of themselves, but instead as three-dimensional characters speaking freely on the internal and external conflicts faced as they discover who they are. The narrative touches on intersectionality and the struggles of women whose identities are not neatly defined. “Seeds” is proud to be part of the recent trend in new media to create diversity in the digital world, both on and off-screen. Not only are the show’s lead characters women of color, but the team behind the show is made up of filmmakers of various ethnic, religious, and gender identities. It is a masterful balance between humor and honesty that leaves audiences pondering tough questions one moment and laughing to tears the next. Simply put, this comedy features content that is both relevant and necessary while presenting a view of society from a different perspective.

A good story inspires “respect for each other’s artistry,” said “Seeds” co-creator Deja Harrell. Representing an often-overlooked societal view, “Seeds” is about a team of strong women navigating modern Chicago.

The intersectional, comedic narratives and the true-to-life characters freely address external and internal conflicts while leading change and creating diversity in digital content.

BKPI The multicultural, multiracial action dramedy “BKPI” follows private investigators in Brooklyn who solve crimes for their immigrant neighbors.

The episodic “BKPI” is the imaginary love child of movie Clerks and the television show Veronica Mars. Its straight-on approach to addressing hard topics from sexual harassment to taboo body functions makes the plot line and characters dynamic. After forming an uncertified private investigation firm, three working-class women of color — a Korean American, an African American and an Arab American — fight crime for their immigrant neighbors in Brooklyn. The irreverent investigators epitomize a rainbow of representation.

“When I set out to create ‘BKPI,’ the main goal was to make stories where the most marginalized people are smack in the center of them: the immigrants, the people of color, the working class, the homeless, the folks that are dusty and hidden away. I could not bare to watch another white-washed portrayal of Brooklyn where wealthy millennial hipsters hash out their lives, while working class immigrants witnessing the gentrification are sidelined to store keepers with funny accents,” said creator Hye Yun Park on Yomyomf.com The show was made by a cast and crew of almost 100 percent queer, trans and people of color.

The honesty and humor in both “Seeds” and “BKPI” leave viewers relentlessly pondering and laughing.

SACRED LIES Based on the classic Grimm Brothers tale, “The Handless Maiden” and Stephanie Oakes’ novel The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly, and adapted and updated by writer Raelle Tucker (“True Blood”), “Sacred Lies” is about a handless teen (yes, you read that correctly) who escapes from a cult and finds herself in juvenile detention, suspected of killing her cult leader, or possibly knowing who did.

The epic cast includes Emmy Awardwinning Director/Producer Scott Winant (“ThirtySomething”), Canadian actors Elena Kampouris (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” “American Odessy”) and Kiana Madeira (“The Flash,” “Taken”) and Kevin Carroll (“The Leftovers,” “Lucifer”).

The series attracted actor Kevin Caroll foremost because of the material, the freedom to treat the character as he saw fit and because of his character, who is a forensic psychologist.

“One of the things we’re going to challenge in a global way of thinking is the idea of juvenile detention,” counseled Caroll. “And that is something we that certainly can reconsider when it comes to America.”

With 10 episodes produced, the series began this summer, with Tucker recently tweeting “The first episode of #SacredLies has now been viewed [three] million times! Thank you for your support!

Don’t stop now — the show gets even better and deeper in my humble opinion.”

one-year-old video-on-demand platform for shows on Facebook. Watch consists of a new type of video on Facebook, airing full length shows made up of live or recorded episodes that follow a consistent storyline.

Originally only available in parts of the U.S. on mobile, desktop, and Facebook TV apps; by publication time, Facebook Watch will have launched globally.

GROWING QUICKLY Successful shows like Jada Pinket Smith’s “Red Table Talk,” which has garnered three million followers since debuting in May and “Ball in the Family,” about media personality LaVar Ball’s family, including son and L.A. Lakers point guard Lonzo (with 1.6 million followers) show that Facebook’s investment in the platform may be well-spent. Last Fall, the Wall Street Journal.com article “Facebook Willing to Spend Big in Video Push,” reported that the social-media giant was, “Willing to spend as much as $1 billion to cultivate original shows for its platform.”

Facebook Watch launched in the U.S. in August 2017 with the goal of helping users

Online Exclusive Find out what happened to Minnow Bly and learn more about Facebook Watch at

discover content organized around what their friends and communities are watching. Earlier this summer, the company also launched Watch Party, a way users can view content alongside other users. The feature allows people in the same Facebook group to watch content together and chat in real time.

Though competing with streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube, Facebook Watch has a few tricks up its sleeves. The platform’s two billion users can access video-on-demand through the “Watch” tab on Facebook’s left navigation bar, with recommendations like “Top Videos for You,” and “Watchlist” (a section to save videos and keep up on the latest episodes of their favorite shows.)

Just as with Facebook Live, Watch viewers can see comments and connect with friends and other viewers while watching, or participate in a dedicated Facebook group for shows.

Sacred Lies airs Fridays, 9pm ET/6pm PT, only on Facebook Watch

Below: Cross-cultural cast members from Sacred Lies include Kiana Madeira, Kevin Caroll and Elena Kampouris.

CutlursMag.com/Sacred

She also encourages potential viewers to “join our cult.” The cult of “Sacred Lies” watchers of course.

FACEBOOK WATCH The series airs only on Facebook Watch, a Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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Must Watch: Kids

By Darlene Perez-Ambrosine

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mongst a child-like utopia of dirt paths, hidden forts and towering tree trunks, the new series Craig of the Creek airing on Cartoon Network portrays a refreshing image of African-American life in the fictional town of Herkleston, Maryland. The middle child of a guidance counselor mother and a personal trainer father, Craig Williams sheds the responsibilities of advanced math classes and household chores by escaping to the titular creek, where plans are formed and foiled, life-lessons are learned and snacks can be bartered-for at the Trading Tree.

Creators Matt Burnett and Ben Levin are providing for an audience that has long been overlooked in the young AfricanAmerican male community. And while sitting amongst the many smiling faces of children invited to watch the premiere of

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this new cartoon, I distinctly overheard the voice of a little boy telling his mother “he looks just like me,” before singing along to the theme song announcing the next episode. As a grin spread across my own face, my inner eight year old was completely immersed in the true-to-life experiences offered by each episode and the relatable cast of characters; many of which are equally attractive to adults as they are to youngsters: Jojo Williams, City Council Woman and Craig’s grandmother for example.

The protagonist of the series is a wildly creative and energetic take on your average fourth grader and as he passionately leads his fellow Creek Kids on adventures through the wilderness of their own backyards. Craig of the Creek puts an intelligent, forward thinking, responsible person of color front-and-

center among the myriad less-than-diverse child entertainment flooding the airwaves.

SHOW SYNOPSIS Discover endless adventures with Cartoon Network’s newest show, Craig of the Creek. Join Craig and his best friends, J.P. and Kelsey, as they explore the untamed suburban wilderness known as the Creek, a kid utopia nestled in their own backyards. The precocious Craig leads his pals on imaginative missions to map every corner of this inspired world full of paintball battles, cardboard cities, and resident Creek Kids such as the daredevil 10-Speeds and mysterious Sewer Kids.

Everyday afternoons are transformed into thrilling expeditions and each excursion into the Creek is a chance for Craig and his friends to do something legendary.

View more at CultursMag.com/ground

Must Watch: TV

NBC’s New Amsterdam

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ue the tissues! New Amsterdam is an American medical drama television series set to premiere at 10 pm Eastern, September 25 on the NBC television Network.

New Amsterdam was the original name for New York City, and the series is inspired by Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, New York.

Founded in 1736, Bellevue is the oldest public hospital in the United States. The 25 story, multi-block behemoth houses a fire department, an outpatient care facility and much more, as shown in this fast-paced, all-encompassing drama. The series is based on the book Twelve Patients: Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital — a memoir from Eric Manheimer, who was the Medical Director of Bellevue Hospital from 1997 to 2012.

This show up-ends the traditional medical drama, focusing on a very human and ultrahumanistic Dr. Max Goodwin (played by the Blacklist’s Ryan Eggold) as the institution’s newest medical director. It’s Goodwin’s mission to eliminate hospital bureaucracy and provide exceptional patient care. With a mantra of “How can he help?” at the ready, he works to disrupt status quo. According to show runners, “He will stop at nothing to breathe new life into this understaffed, underfunded and underappreciated hospital — the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers and the president of the United States under one roof — and return it to the glory that put it on the map.”

With producers, writers and directors from notable shows including “Emerald City,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “GLOW,” along with a formidable cast, the network clearly has put some power into this production.

Apparently, NBC has invested in tissue company stock, as it’s placed this heart-tugging emotional rollercoaster of a drama immediately after the equally tear-jerking “This is Us.” Tears aside — audiences will not be disappointed.

Online Exclusive To watch the trailer and for more on this gripping new drama, visit CultursMag.com/Gripping

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Must Watch: International A dark, steamy and

thrilling series JADE OF DEATH is an award-winning supernatural thriller series presented by Screen Australia and Last Frame Productions. It’s been featured around the globe as an official selection for numerous screenings including the International Academy of Web Television, Vancouver Webfest, Seoul Webfest, Rome Web Awards, Melbourne Web Series Festival and many more.

The multicultural, multinational, multiracial cast sets the tone for its eerie carnival backdrop, where the majority of the series takes place.

The pensive Jade, played by celebrated up-and-coming talent Bernadette Van Tiel, has an ability more powerful than even she realizes: She can hear when and how people are going to die. After leaving her hometown to run from her past, she lands work at a seedy freak show carnival as the “FortuneTeller of Death.” Suddenly, scary

people are after her, but not before she falls for her love interest: the ever-loyal Maya.

Creator, writer and director Erin Good relayed, “My aim with Jade of Death was to create a high-end online series with television quality narrative and plot, a rich and epic story world and main characters that I adore. It just so happens that I’m sick of seeing mainly men and straight characters on screen, so I created the characters that I’m missing.”

Good offered that key style references include productions like “True Blood,” “The Place Beyond the Pines” and “American Horror Story.”

She continued, “Thematically, Jade of Death uses genre to explore the issues young women face — specifically the violence that men perpetrate against them.

However, in a similar vein to “True Blood,” while the series is tonally dark, there are also elements of humour and levity that come from some of the

characters and performances. Music that contrasts the scenes with these characters plays a big part in making it humorous.”

The series follows Jade as she fights the man hunting her, struggles to keep those she cares about safe and unlocks the potential of her powers. All the while, she’s trying not to screw up her new relationship with Maya and her old friendship with George. “Jade of Death” has been awarded Best Drama Series, Best Directing and Best Ensemble Cast at the International Academy of Web Television, Best Drama Series at Out Webfest and Best Directing at LA Webfest.

Online Exclusive

For more detail on the production and where to ONLINE EXCLUSI visit view internationally, CultursMag.com/Austrailian-web

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Must Do

Remote year Photography by Richard Silver

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emote Year is an innovative program that curates communities of professionals, entrepreneurs and freelancers from across the globe to spend four or 12 months together working, traveling and exploring cities around the world.

Providing work and travel programs that bring together communities of passionate professionals to trek the globe while working remotely, Remote Year offers a variety of ways to get off the beaten path, explore local communities and enhance career development.

Though members of the “Remote Nation,” (the organization’s nickname for each cohort) hail from every walk of life, its citizens tread some common ground: They strive to expand professional, social and cultural horizons while consistently testing their comfort zones.

It’s not just the program’s community that proves powerful — Remote Year is a

threshold to a larger, global community. The program champions human connection through cultural exchange. Using a network of international staff with intimate knowledge of local areas, they work to deliver transformative experiences.

Since 2015, Remote Year has hosted more than 1,000 remotes, in 18 cities and 16 countries on five continents.

It touts itself as the largest organization to provide such a robust platform for remote professionals.

Photographer Richard Silver was the oldest man to complete Remote Year when he wrapped up his 12-month adventrue in Kyoto, Japan.

At age 55, he traveled to 32 countries — thrice what he contracted with the travel company. With boundless energy, he strayed even further off the beaten path, which ensured the adventure of a lifetime. “Being able to travel with so many diverse, interesting people has

given me a new perspective on what travel means to me. Before RY, I did most of my traveling by myself or with small groups of travelers on tours. Now I look forward to the days when I am able to be surrounded by more people that I do not know. There is a certain comfort factor involved in this kind of travel that I did not have the opportunity to experience before and I enjoyed it immensely,” He mused.

Silver said that the program changed his personal outlook on travel. He not only looks forward to his usual solo travel, but now is open to travel involving large groups of people or other single travelers.

In the following pages, we’ve explored experiences from Silver’s 12 Remote Year scheduled destinations. We’ve tried to show the beauty and diversity of each — definitely an experience for the senses!

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Destination: Mexico City The most densely populated city in North America, Mexico City arguably is one of the most important financial centers in the Americas. Second only to Paris in housing the most museums in the world, it also holds Bosque Chapultepec — a city park twice the size of New York City’s Central Park.

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Destination: Lima, Peru Founded by Spanish Conquistadors in 1535, Lima is home to the oldest known civilization in the Americas. It is the capital and the largest city of Peru and one of the largest in the Americas, with a population of more than 10 million.

It is known for its churches and architecture — especially unique balconies on historic buildings.

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Destination: Cordoba, Argentina

Named after CĂłrdoba Spain, this bustling metropolis is nicknamed “the learned city,â€? no doubt for its high population of students and ever-present university system. It abounds with energy and historic colonial-era architecture, including ubiquitous churches and monasteries.

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Destination: Belgrade, Serbia Belgrade, or “the white city,” is one of the oldest cities in Europe and home to almost two million people. It sits at the junction of two major rivers, possible inspiration for its famous floating clubs that herald the city’s nightlife.

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I bet you didn’t realize Bohemia is an actual place, not just a definition — well, Prague is its storied capital.

With a skyline peppered with spires, the historic Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square is a must-see.

Destination: Prague, Czech Republic

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Destination: Kyoto, Japan

Also known as Kyoto City, the former Imperial capital of Japan (and home to the country’s emperor for more than 1,000 years) is said to have the highest concentration of cultural treasures in Japan. The city also is renown for its cuisine and crafted artifacts.

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Destination: Valencia, Spain Paella, the Spanish dish made of rice, meat and saffron, is said to have originated in Valencia. It also is known for traditional Valencian costume, craftsmanship in ceramics, and the architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences, shown above.

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Destination: Chang Mai, Thailand There is no shortage of things to do in this city — from the abundant temples to the rich culture of its historic capital and plethora of interesting sites. Here, nature abounds with lush greenery, national parks and two of Thailand’s tallest mountains, which are nearby.

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Destination: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia With cloud-touching skyscrapers, historic colonial architecture and natural wonders including the Batu Caves shown here — which house a number of limestone caves and temples as reward for scaling the massive stairs to their entrance. The awe-inspiring deity statue provides inspiration to reach the top.

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Destination: Medellin Columbia Medellin has spent more than two decades shedding its reputation as a dangerous city.

Sometimes called the city of the eternal spring for its temperate climate, it’s a foodie haven, with vast coffee plantations, energetic nightlife, and streets filled with sculpture from global sensation Fernando Botero.

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Destination: Bogota, Columbia Columbia’s capital and largest economic center, Santafé de Bogotá is known for juxtapositions, including the natural beauty of its mountainous backdrop behind the sprawling city. Museums, churches, contrasting architecture and bullfights are among the city’s attractions.

Each August, the Carnaval de Bogotá honors the beauty and diversity of its people, cultures and arts by celebrating the city’s founding.

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Destination: Destination: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Famed for its dance, the Tango, its ecclectic architecture also will capture your attention — and possibly your heart.

Faded influences from Europe, steamy local flavor and the city’s vibrant art scene make it a must-go destination for the most staid among us.

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Advice for the

Homeful

After a mobile 22 years around the globe, one Third Culture Kid finds her meaning of home

By Alexa Vujaklija Photography by @Findingherserenity

P

eople say, “you can’t go home again.” Isn’t that just one of those famous clichés? I disagree. You can and you must return.

I have discovered that while I lack one single home, I — in turn — have many.

Often, in a very first-world way, I felt homeless. Not in the literal or physical way, but psychologically weary of wandering.

Realizing now that while I lack one single home, plentiful are cities that have been my own private world — a manifestation of comfort, and stability, all in a very unstable lifestyle. It is in this way that I recognize my homeful-ness.

After graduating from university, I unknowingly made the best possible

decision and moved back to Moscow. It was this minuscule and thoughtless choice that dictated the journey that would follow in the next few years. While reflecting on the many changes in a row, I concluded something that all of my fellow homeful wanderers should consider — going home.

And I don’t necessarily mean visiting their “passport/birth country,” but to travel, rediscover, stop by as many of your homes as you possibly can — so that you can move on with the rest of your life.

Showin here: GUM-The State Department Store. Moscow, Russia

Go back to the places that were taken from you when you left and reclaim them as your own.n.

If at all possible, I strongly encourage you to do this.

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multiple places at once. For me, I found it important to pick up pieces of myself along the way throughout these cities; but, made this discovery only after traveling to them.

How can we possibly make future plans when our whole self is scattered in fragments?

During that year and a half in Moscow, during various seasons, I was given the chance to visit every single country where I had lived in my then 22 years. This was not planned, nor were any of these trips my original intention.

But I understand now that it was all a part

The View from the Sameba, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Tbilisi, Georgia

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of something much bigger. Rather than believing in coincidence, I acknowledge the blessing in the fact that everything happens for a reason — another cliché, however, this is one of which I won’t grow tired. I always thought I had to choose one: I had to pick one specific identity. But it only took the cathartic familiarity of each place to teach me that it’s okay... We’re allowed to be made up of so much more than just the title of one nation, but rather, each of these homes can represent a small portion, a single

I visited GarmischPartenkirchen, Germany; Tbilisi, Georgia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Rome, Italy and then finally — the unimaginable — I moved to the United States for the first time since fifth grade.

Inside the Kremlin Walls.

Moscow, Russia

The Moscow River at Sunset. The Kremlin on the left. Moscow, Russia

Piazza Cavour. Prati, Rome, Italy

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molecule of our being. One of my colleagues in Moscow always talked in odd parables and proverbs. He was elderly, tall and had a maniacal way of laughing in the oddest moments. He got way too close when he spoke and often swung from topic to topic with no inclination of where his sentences would lead next. He was nostalgic (and I believed) mentally disturbed in a way that left him stuck in a former time,

The Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Sofia, Bulgaria

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longing for what we all recurrently desire.

His slogans were often misworded, with the right intent but not fully formed the way clichés seem to be. One of these jumbled phrases he wrote on a light blue sticky note and stuck to my keyboard one cold September afternoon.

It was an incorrectly formulated phrase from Greek philosophy that means

something like “You can’t cross the same river twice.” I guess because water is constantly changing. A river is always flowing and replacing old water with new water.... You can’t go home again.

But you can. You can find another way to cross that river. Wade? Tip-toe? Splash through? Although the water may appear different — you just might make it across.

The Colors of Fall. Garmisch-Partenkircken, Bavaria, Germany

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Yoga for Trauma with Seane Corn

By Terri Mairley

I

n a decision at the 11th hour, I purchased a ticket to see Seane Corn, a recognized inspirational international Yoga Teacher, Humanitarian and Co-founder of Off the Mat into the World, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging yoga and activism.

I gathered around a stage with more than 200 other yogis in a gymnasium at the Hanuman Yoga Festival in Boulder, Colorado, USA — awaiting her message. With only a few words, her inspiration and wisdom made me realize why I was there.

Austin was already part of the change in the world that I wanted to see — he was a free spirit — loving, kind, carefree and a child of two cultures.

I believe he often struggled with his identity.

Since his death, I struggled to figure out how I would make a difference, and how I could actively help prevent this from happening to other families. However traumatic and unbearable it may seem, I could feel it deep inside of my core that it is part of my journey, a lesson given to me by God, as his mother and as a yoga instructor for 13 years. If I did not use his legacy; his life and the way he died to help others — then shame on me.

This was the reason the universe sent me to Corn’s class that day. The class was about trauma, in whatever form it shows up for you.

She discussed the social climate and destress of the planet we live in. What really resonated with me was how she explained that we all contribute to separation of our ourselves from others for many reasons that we are not aware. We separate ourselves by our culture, race, color; by traditions; upbringing, sexual orientation, gender, age, social status — even ancestral karma created before. She talked about how as yogis we have the responsibility to make a conscious effort to be aware of and to recognize how we contribute to the separation.

“You can’t change what you refuse to see,” she advised.

Having recently lost my 25-year-old son Austin at the hands of a police officer, I am on a quest for change. In my eyes,

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Once we recognize it in ourselves, we will easily and effortlessly come from a place of compassion, love and peace. She expressed how we are better in numbers and need to work together for change for unity (yoga).

“The world needs our active participation.”

Corn’s words, her explanation of how we must participate and take action in the change, to contribute to peace and love the world needs right now or we are complicit.

She said the more uncomfortable things look, the faster you should move towards them. This alone made me realize that I had been staying in my comfort zone, thinking and not doing — I was contributing to separation. I was not upholding in my beliefs and values as I had intended, shame on me.

(l to r) Suzanne Sterling, Hala Khouri and Seane Corn are internationally known for their yoga practice as activism work.

Photo courtesy of offthematintotheworld.org

Yoga gives us the opportunity to move and release emotions. Not just pain, sorrow or grief, but joy, love and compassion. This is exactly what happened for me that day.

Through her words of wisdom and with her guidance through an asana sequence (yoga poses), I was able to release emotions I had stuffed away — feelings that had not come to the surface — things I didn’t want to look at. It was absolutely the best 11th hour decision. I was able to speak with Corn and tell her my story, she

looked shocked and asked me to repeat myself. Then she hugged me and said how sorry she was. I told her that I was struggling to figure out how to make a difference. I said that I had been silent in my quest. She asked me how I thought my grandmother would have reacted, then she asked me if I had gotten mad. I told her I wasn’t sure. Along with some other much needed advice. She said, “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, just use your yoga.”

Then she held my hand and asked me my son’s name. I said Austin, and she asked:

“Austin what?”

Austin Dunsmore.

She repeated his name and looked up, I don’t remember what she said to him or if it was a moment of silence, I’m sure he was listening.

I will never forget what an inspiration she was to me that day, I am forever grateful for you Seane Corn.

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behind the scenes

One of our favorite, and most requested, showcases is the “behind-the-scenes� look at some of our adventures while putting each issue together. As usual, it was tough narrowing down photos of all the fun, exciting, educational, uplifting and sometimes mundane activities it takes to make each issue happen...

Fashion Editor Soni assists in the shoot.

On the car pet..

from l ol ar C n i v e Doni wkithWKatch Faceboo erald PhotographernteGbe llum shoots Lady A

Enjoying the Mairley family

Makeup!

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s

Honorin the Miyamgotos

Mexican BBQ + Culturs = perfection

pherhe a gr o t o Ph y with t Tommhomases T

Photogr er X avier with our fall faapshhion models

fall fashion plan Chillin’ in the green room doing arpet Cheddars on the c interviewsFest at Serie Summer/Fall 2018 | www.CultursMag.com

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