2021-Summer: The Community Issue, Human Connection

CELEBRATING CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTITY

@CULTURSMAG

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THE COMMUNITY ISSUE! THE NEED FOR

HUMAN CONNECTION

AND WHY IDENTITY

IS ALL THE RAGE!

THIRD CULTURE ACTOR

JAMES TANG

ON CHANGING AN INDUSTRY Summer 2021 Display until August 31

INDIAN IN AUSTRALIA:

WHY MY BROWN

IS BEAUTIFUL

ACCUPUNCTURE

FOR HEALTH

AN EXPAT'S VIEW OF GLOBAL

LIVING

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WE CELEBRATE CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTITY BECAUSE EVERYONE SHOULD FEEL LIKE THEY MATTER

THE space that feels like home for those who straddle culture, race, identity, nation or location.

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YOUR GLOBAL DIVERSITY RESOURCE

tvon

feels like home

Globally minded, cross-cultural lifestyle content created just for you.

At Culturs, we celebrate in-between identity for the people in two (or more) worlds, because everyone should feel like they matter.

Here’s a sample of the content you’ll find.

CHINESE WISDOM LANGUAGE Chinese Culture Expert Todd Cornell creates Chinese Wisdom Language TV as your introduction to Chinese language and Chinese wisdom. Each month, we will share a new episode including Gems of Chinese Wisdom, a graded Mandarin Chinese lesson text and proven ways to improve your Mandarin pronunciation.

LIGHTHOUSE TV Wellness Host Chelley Canales brings Lighthouse TV as a dose of inspiration to light you up and remind you that no matter what challenges you face, you’re not alone.When one person shares their story, countless others heal. Come join us as we share wisdom and resources from leaders in spirituality and wellness to everyday people with extraordinary experiences and learn how truly connected we all are. There’s no better time than right now to live your best light!

Episodes air biweekly on Wednesdays.

BELLA’S FRONT PORCH Conversations about everything with Dr. Paulette Bethel. Get that feeling of home, like a visit to grandmere’s place — the spot where leisurely talks on the front porch made all the difference. Airs monthly.

GLOBAL INSPIRATION THROUGH CULINARY NUTRITION Culinary Nutritionist Michelle Fox helps you get more health into your busy lifestyle. Each week she will share a new dish inspired by traditional cultures around the world. First stop: your kitchen! Bring your curiosity and your appetite for fun as you prepare to cook along with Michelle. Bon appetit!

Episodes air weekly on Thursdays.

NEGRA, COMO SOY: I’M AFRO-LATINA Explores the intricacies and flavors of the AfroLatin experience throughout the Spanish colonized world. Join Doni Aldine and Rhonda Coleman as they celebrate foods, dance, clothing, language and customs of their own cultures and others from the diaspora.

NEW NORMAL BIG LIFETV New Normal Big LifeTV with Antoinette Toscano is your destination to create the biggest life you can envision. Each month, we will drop another episode covering the three areas of life with the most significant impact on your happiness — health and fitness, relationships and non-traditional careers.

Because 40 percent of your happiness is within your control, and your state of happiness can be improved through intentional activities. Each episode will guide you through the process of discovering what makes you happy, teaching you how to practice happiness activities, and creating a life strategy for sustained, real happiness.

STYLE TALK WITH KOYA Fashion journalist Koya Nyangi hosts this bimonthly Fashion, Culture, Style and Lifestyle channel for the global citizen.We cover topics which include: Style guides and tips, Fashion, Beauty, Culture as well as in-depth conversations with tastemakers from across the globe to bring you a 360-degree overview of fashion and style around the world. Airs every other week.

Follow us on our way to launch: @CultursMag @CultursGuruTCK Clubhouse: @CultursMag XOTV.me: @CultursMag

CONTENTS

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FEATURES ON OUR COVER

22 My BROWN is BEAUTIFUL

Don’t tell her she is pretty for a dark skinned girl. It’s not a badge of shame but rather a glorious masterpiece.

30 Solidarity Through Community Acupuncture

Creating tools to build resilience and self-sufficiency in response to violence, poverty and injustice.

55 Navigating Four

Continents and Four Decades of Travel A Scotland native gives sage advice on expat life.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

18 Anais Nin poster Quotes for inspiration.

58 Found in transition Follow the story of a mother’s evolution during her child’s gender change.

68 Powerful Transgender

Immigrant Film “Lupe” Art for Cultural Change.

62 COVER STORY

70 Third Culture Kid

Introducing hidden diversity to an industry with a third culture actor and filmmaker.

Bet you didn’t know: There’s a word for that.

James Tang

Vocabulary Poster Series

Photographer: Raiffur Rahman Hair and make up: Sophia Luciarafael Stylist: Swarnali Sikder

71 98 Community in Motion: CULTURS Alchemist The Dance of Healing When we connect to the past, we can heal the present. When we do it together, the ripple effects can change the world.

82 Ras Mutabaruka Tells Nuanced African Stories

This Rwandan-Canadian entrepreneur, media maker and community builder is dedicated to changing how the world sees Africa, one Story at a time.

94 Adult TCK Calvin

Awards

The Culturs Alchemist Awards celebrate the best and brightest of our in-between community. We want to uplift and amplify the brightest minds, talents and visions of those often overlooked.

THE MUST LIST IN EVERY ISSUE SUMMER READING EDITION

40 China Blonde

46 Meeting at the Table

48 Beneath the Fig Leaves 54 Life in the Camel Lane

8 Contributors 12

Culturally Fluid Definitions

14 Publisher’s Letter 15 Cultural Connections

Karuniawan Widjaja

30 Health

Just having fun sharing global citizen stories.

62 Transnational Third Culture Kid Filmmakers 77 Life Mastery 88 Technology www.CultursMag.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

ITORO BASSEY comes to us from Nigeria as our Africa Editor. A Third Culture Adult, Bassey is a Nigerian-American award winning writer, playwright, cultural worker, educator and the founder/executive director of Naija Meditate. She has partnered with educational institutions, NGOs and corporations to use the performing arts and writing to inspire dialogue and healing within communities in need of repair. She speaks and writes extensively on healing as it relates to identity, travel and the immigrant experience. In her spare time, Bassey works diligently on leading meditation sessions for those on a healing journey.

ANDREA BAZOIN (pronounced “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 alongside coaching, project assistance and workshops delivered with both expertise and empathy. Her family ties span the globe and include Chile, Argentina, Australia and France. She currently lives in Fort Collins, Colo., U.S.A. with her French husband and culturally fluid son.

CHELLEY CANALES, Domestic TCK, is an entrepreneur based in Denver, Colo., U.S.A. She is the Founder and Spiritual Spark Plug of lighthouse/ haven, a hub created to provide wellness resources for the soul’s human experience. She is a speaker, podcast/on-camera host, blogger, coach, author and performing artist with a firecracker spirit in a form that can hardly contain it. www.chelleycanales.com

DR. RHONDA COLEMAN, DAOM is a first-generation Afro-Honduran-American woman (TCK, CCK) with a passion for healing arts. She was raised in New Orleans, LA where culture was a mosaic of colloquialisms, customs, costuming and cuisine. She is an experienced educator, speaker, performance artist and writer. Currently, she makes her home in Aurora, Colo. When she’s not practicing in her Acupuncture and Holistic Health clinic, Dr. Rhonda enjoys teaching capoeira, traveling, and enjoying great food with her expat husband and domestic TCK children.

TODD CORNELL is a U.S.-born Chinese cultural scholar, linguist and business consultant who spent his formative years in China. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies and is the principal of Cultur668, a consulting service for U.S. companies doing business in China.

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CONTRIBUTORS Third Culture Kid Expert MYRA DUMAPIAS is the Chief Executive Officer of TCKidNOW, which has been featured on the BBC, ABC News, The Telegraph, the U.S. Department of Defense and Education Week and helped thousands discover their TCK identity and find a sense of belonging long before mention of the term on social media.

TCKidNow provides trauma-informed educational outreach about the lifetime impact of a transnational upbringing. While acknowledging the role healing plays in helping TCKs recognize and develop their skills, TCKidNOW fosters connections that help TCKs find a sense of belonging and give back to the world they grew up in. Dumapias holds a Bachelor’s in English and World Literature and a Master’s in Social Work.

REBEKAH HENDERSON is a filmmaker and podcaster and owner of Tan Tigress Productions LLC,. a small production company with a focus on race and identity. Her identity as a mixed-race person greatly influences her current work. The tagline, “What I lack in melanin, I make up in militant” is a nod to her strong Black identity that comes in a very light-skinned package. She hosts the “Off Color” podcast in its various formats and creates films that aim to educate and activate as well as highlight great work community members are doing. She is Co-founder of MTOB (More Than One Box) A Mixed Gathering, which is now an annual event that celebrates multiracial people and their families. She holds a Masters degree in Library and Information Sciences and lives in Denver, Colo., U.S.A. with her husband and son.

Australia-based SWARNALI SIKDER DAS produces content for Culturs because she 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. She is passionate about different cultures, fashion and fighting domestic abuse. As a professional model and actor, she always wanted to work on strong concepts which can reach out to masses and influence people from different parts of the world. She believes it’s time for all of us to make this world a better place to live with love and respect for each other.

DIANA VEGA is a Third Culture Adult. Born in Mexico and passioned about design, they studied architecture and started a small a business after college. Interested in entrepreneurship, Vega moved to Colorado, U.S.A. to earn an MBA at Colorado State University. Now repatriated to Mexico, they are a graphic designer and illustrator for Culturs magazine.

SHANTHI YOGINI, dressed traditionally, is authentic to her roots in more ways than appearance. She founded Yoga-for-Happiness Academy with a vision to “Actualize World Peace and Happiness through Authentic Yoga-Science.” HER STAND IS TWO-FOLD: To stop misappropriation of Ancient-Yoga-Science diluted as Mere-Physical-Practice & Inauthentic-YogaBranding; to reclaim its Authenticity as-a-Science-of-How-to-Live through Revolutionary Modern Movement, namely “Two-Yoga-Minutes to Happiness.” Shanthi, a former software engineer, comes from a lineage of Yoga-Masters. She trains Yoga-Teachers as Yoga-Scientists and YogaLeaders, NOT as mere Yoga-Instructors. Shanthi is an International Yoga-Master, Yoga-Activist, Coach, #1 International Best-Selling Author, Eye-Opening Speaker, Multicultural WorkshopPresenter, Healer, Dancer, Interactive-Storyteller and a highly sought-after TV, podcast and radio show guest. For a free download of Shanthi’s book, visit www.YogaforHappiness.com www.CultursMag.com

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PRAISE FOR THE

WINTER / SPRING ISSUE CELEBR

ATING CROS S-CU

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IDENTI TY @CUL TURSM

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"CULTURS... After a long week working, I finally got a chance to relax and enjoy some cross-cultural goodness with @cultursmag."

— @cimaglow

IC EL

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A RT T H E H E A L S:

DR ESS J I NGL E PROJE CT

IS T EC

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$9.95

April 30,

US

"A really beautiful magazine!"

2021

Win/Sp

$10.95

r 2021

CAN

— @fitfy_life via Instagram

"Vogue missed the mark. :-) This is the Best cover ever!!!"

— Keith W. via LinkedIn

"Great Cover... Kamala Harris, looking forward to reading the article."

— Barbara S. via LinkedIn

"Has any magazine come through the mail as nicely presented as @CultursMag?" — Corey H. via Twitter

"Love it! Just got it at King Soopers."

— Gerri G. via Facebook

"Looks WAY better than the Vogue cover!!"

Connect with Culturs on social:

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magazine at Barnes and Noble. I LOVE it!."

— @loriltharps via Instagram "Oh my goodness! This is certainly a surprise. It is a pleasure to be part of this

@CultursMag

"This last issue of Culturs is fire!!! Freaking loved it."

@CultursGuruTCK

— Andrea B. via message 10

"Just discovered your

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

amazing and talented group of people."

— Paulette B. via Facebook

Summer 2021

"Major shoutout to all the journalists who have been showing so much love to ‘The Lion King.’ Thank you Culturs, TMZ Live, UPROXX, TheGrio, Complex, MediaVillage, Bossip.com, REVOLT TV and so many others who have been shining light on the live production and team #TheLionKingCH" — Myles Grier via Facebook

www.CultursMag.com Volume III, Issue XII

GURU PUBLISHER & FOUNDER Doni Aldine

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR John Liang SENIOR EDITOR Tammy Matthews

"So glad to have come across your page!

Such a unique publication."

— @danielitalacolo via Instagram

"Thank you! That made my day. And thank you for letting me be part of such a wonderful group of people producing such a unique magazine!"

— Donna M. via Facebook

"Just wanted to reach out to you to let you know how transformative it felt to even hear others’ and speak about multiple cultures and identity, thank you for creating this platform."

— @vbam16 via Instagram

COLUMNISTS Andrea Bazoin Rhonda Coleman Todd Cornell Myra Dumapias Shanthi Yogini

COPY EDITOR Shanthi Yogini

"Thank you! I love our community!!"

— Rhonda C. via Facebook

CONTRIBUTORS Itoro Bassey Chelley Canales Swarnali Sikder

CREATIVE ART DIRECTION Diana Vega ILLUSTRATION Diana Vega PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Banks Ryan Bemis Tim Brestowski

Chris Bryan Nick Coppins Olaf Growald Niara Hardin Calvin Karuniawan Widjaja Shosi Mohamed Ras Mutabaruka Raiffur Rahman

Sanaz Riggio Nicole Webb Megan Yarberry WEB DESIGN Internet Growth Systems McMillion Multimedia

SUPPORTERS ADVISORY BOARD Chumba Limo Brooke Martellaro Gregory Moore Donna Musil

Linda Thomas Brooks Antionette Williams

SPECIAL THANKS: Colorado State University Journalism and Media Communication

Connect with Culturs on social: @CultursMag @CultursGuruTCK Clubhouse: @CultursMag XOTV.me: @CultursMag SUBSCRIPTIONS: www.cultursmag.com/subscribe. ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Contact advertise@culturs.org. MEDIA INQUIRIES: Contact press@culturs.org. CULTURSTM magazine, Volume 2, Issue 3. Copyright Culturs Global Multicultural Philanthropic Lifestyle Network. All rights reserved. Published quarterly; Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall,

by Simply Alive, LLC, 1800 Wazee Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO, 80525. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Culturs magazine, 1800 Wazee Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO, 80525. 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.

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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 nationality, travel, 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

Cross-Cultural Kid (CCK) 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 18 years of life. This includes minority individuals living within majority culture.

Adult Cross-Cultural Kid (ACCK)

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:

Third Culture Kids (TCKs) Coined by Sociologist Ruth Useem in the 1950s as a person who has 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.

An adult who grew up as a Cross-Cultural Kid.

Domestic TCK Cultural Fluidity/Cultural Mobility A term coined by Culturs founder Donnyale Ambrosine to characterize hidden diversity created by people who don’t or didn’t grow up in a homo­ genous 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 Illustration by Diana Vega

sense of belonging to any one area.

Missionary Kids Children of missionaries who travel to missions domestically or abroad.

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Children who moved to various regions within the same country while growing up, often having to re-learn 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) 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).

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

Refugees 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.

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 Merriam 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.

Traveler Those who travel expecting differences among intra-international 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.

International Business Kids Children whose parents work with multinational corporations takes them to faraway lands, often in professional fields surrounding oil, construction and pharmaceuticals.

Borderlanders Described by author 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 into 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 multiracial 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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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Welcome to the Community issue!

W

e had a lot of fun curating content from all parts of the

globe (as usual) and highlighting the things that bring us together to create COMMUNITY. I want to take a moment to denounce the anti-Asian hate incidents that are becoming more prevalent across the United States. At Culturs, we amplify voices of the ultramarginalized in our in-between spaces — this often means people of colour around the globe.

You’ll notice we regularly feature all groups and uplift the voices of those who typically aren’t lauded in traditional spaces. With this in mind, we also

hope our community sees all of our in-between counterparts as brothers and sisters worthy of the rights and privileges that should be afforded to everyone. So take a moment to see where you are in the movement — do you denounce hate when you see it?

We encourage you to step out of your comfort zone to ensure all of us live quality lives as humans.

Our connection, our COMMUNITY is what makes the difference. I encourage you to do your part.

One of the exciting announcements along these lines is the launch of Culturs’ 2021 Alchemist Awards!

The Oxford dictionary describes an Alchemist as a person who transforms or creates something through a seemingly magical process, and we think our global in-between community does just that every day. With the launch of these awards, we hope to uplift and amplify the best of our best — giving kudos to their

expertise and celebrating their projects and accomplishments to the world. From Best Entrepreneur, to Most Innovative Global Initiative, Most Prolific Social Justice Activist, Best Cross-Cultural Actor, Best Upand-Coming Company to Best New Product, there’s sure to be a category that suits you.

Nominations start soon! Visit Cultursmag.com/Culturs-Awards to sign up and be the first to apply or nominate a worthy person or business!

We look forward to celebrating you in our pages come spring 2022!

As always, we also look forward to your feedback on this issue (and all of them!)

— connect with us on social and tell us your thoughts!

In global gratitude,

Doni (Dah-knee) Publisher and Founder ulturs — the Global C Multicultural Magazine Culturs.org Cultursmag.com

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CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

By Todd Cornell

COMMUNITY AS COMMON-UNITY

I

n Joe Biden’s inaugural address as the 46th president of the United States, he mentioned several essential aspects of community and diplomacy. One core concept in Biden’s speech was the idea of “unity.”

He said, “With unity we can do great things; important things.” Adding, “we can deliver racial justice.” Recognizing the frivolity of speaking to unity during times of challenge and instability, he continued, “I know speaking of unity can sound to

some like a foolish fantasy.” This phrase reverberated what I wrote in a recent article speaking to exploring “harmony” in order to normalize United States (U.S.)-China relations, where I said, “It may sound trite to some.”

Biden forged on, invoking the power of good over evil, citing, “Our ‘better angels’ have always prevailed.”

When we live in unity, we also experience “community.” And community cannot be attained without unity. In this, I interpret the meaning of community as common-unity. www.CultursMag.com

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CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

When we live in unity, we also experience “community.” And community cannot be attained without unity. In this, I interpret the meaning of community as common-unity.

pondered a different world. A world we live in both at home and abroad and his words apply correspondingly to U.S. diplomatic relations.

In my mind, Biden’s words echoed Zhou Enlai’s plea for unity in a speech the latter gave at a meeting of nations in Indonesia in 1955. Zhou said, “ 求同存异,” suggesting that the participants focus on similarities and put differences aside.

I continued to ponder as Biden proceeded, “History, faith and reason show the way, the way of unity. We can see each other not as adversaries but as neighbors. We can treat each other with dignity and respect.

We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness

But, I question whether the routine concept of community has not also become an invisible force for division? Do we use “community” to create separation between others by referring to “our community” as speaking of those we hang with, those who think like me and have similar values — clearly separating ourselves from those who do not?

As I focused on President Biden’s delivery, as he stood at the podium with the U.S. Capitol rising behind him, I could not help but reflect on how his words resounded our national deficit of diplomacy skills stretching across cultural and ideological borders. I 16

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Zhou Enlai, source China Periodical 1976

and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. Let us listen to one another. Hear one another.

See one another. Show respect to one another. Politics need not be a raging fire destroying everything in its path.”

President Biden made a strong plea to for people to join common-unity and build community. Might we accomplish this by seeking out commonalities that unite, rather than considering differences that divide? But we should first shift our thinking and how we see others. Reflecting on Zhou’s words, when we perceive similarities, we access “community” for unity, not

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

“community” for division.

Can those in the U.S. face the challenge as invited to by the “Leader of the Free World?” That much more, can we achieve the same outcome outside of the country’s borders?

Suppose we hold firm to the spirit of these two leaders’ words and carry them to the world. In that case, we may encounter a point of balance, a “happy medium,” from which to move forward, harmonizing relations with nations and individuals that we otherwise place on the outside.

THE PERFECT BALANCE “Happy medium” is the core ideal of the 《中庸》 “The Doctrine of the Mean.” Its central tenet focuses on how to achieve a happy medium. The character 中, pronounced zhōng and meaning “center,” expresses this concept well. The character contains two components: “口” and ”│.” The square represents the “whole”— the whole of Yin Yang. The vertical line represents the focal point of balance. Looking at the character 中, we also see the Tai Ji, representing the perfect balance between two halves or two expressions of one unit. That could be black/white, good/bad or any two expressions representing one concept-unit divided into two. The “happy medium” and diplomacy lie at the center.

The Tai Ji 太极图

Biden spoke words to respect and cooperation — the foundation for diplomacy. Sans respect, diplomacy is out of reach.

It is a learned skillset that often requires one to fail while struggling to balance — eventually reaching center. Once we arrive, we gain a 360-degree peripheral view of situations and effortlessly recognize the best ways to maintain the balance.

However, when stuck unbalanced, on one side, unopen to see or understand the other side, we would best tap into our “better angels” to adjust and recalibrate. For when misapplied, “community” may divide us. But when applied correctly, “community” serves to unite us.

Nurturing relationships lies at the core of attaining the “happy medium” spoken of in “The Doctrine of the Mean.” One seeks harmonious relations among officials, children, spouse, siblings and friends, nurturing them with the three moral skillsets of wisdom, benevolence and bravery.

No matter from what country, culture, language or period, a similar appeal resounds in the words of Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address at the U.S. Capitol. As he said, “Many centuries ago, Saint Augustine, a saint of my church, wrote that a people was a multitude defined by the common objects of their love.”

Echoing the same message, Zhou Enlai spoke in 1955 using only four characters, “求同存异,” when he called for the foreign delegates to focus on commonalities and put aside differences.

Considering this, can a nation struggling to find balance amongst their own recognize the call for unity that spans across boundaries and borders, connecting peoples and cultures near and far? Cultivating unity and focusing on similarities are remedies that heal the hearts and minds of those who see more differences than similarities.

I ask myself, am I able to take from the words of both Joe Biden and Zhou En Lai to foster change in my life?

(Excerpts of President Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address taken from CNN Politics)

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Illustration by Diana Vega

WE DON’T SEE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE, WE SEE THINGS THE WAY WE ARE. — Anais Nin 18

Winter 2020 | www.CultursMag.com

YOU’RE THE BEST IN YOUR FIELD WHY NOT REVEL IN IT? THE ALCHEMIST

INTRODUCING THE CULTURS

ALCHEMIST* AWARDS The Culturs Awards celebrate the best and brightest of our in-between community. From Third Culture Kids and Military B.R.A.T.s, to immigrants, mixedrace, multi-ethnic and Expats, we want to uplift and amplify the brightest minds, talents and visions of those oft overlooked.

Who do you want to celebrate? Nominate the best of the in-between (including yourself) at CultursMag.com/Culturs-Awards.

*Alchemist: Someone Who Transforms Things for the Better www.CultursMag.com

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African American

Princesses AFFIRMATIONS

I can achieve greatness

I pass through obstacles

with ease

I

always

find

ways

to be

innovative

52 affirmations to repeat each week of the year.

Brainchild of stylist LaChanda Gatson, her dream was to create positive images of black girls.

Coupled with her penchant for positive affirmation, these gorgeous, one-of-a-kind cards were born.

PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR THE GIRL IN YOU! As seen in:

Scan here or visit cultursmag.com/african-american-princess Get yours today! $24.95

ONLINE | IN PRINT | ON MOBILE

We celebrate cross-cultural identity: Because everyone should feel seen.

CELEBRATING CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTITY

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CELEBRATING CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTITY CELEBRATING CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTITY

@CULTURSMAG

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DEFINING

BLACKNESS

EXCLUSIVE

AROUND THE GLOBE

THE MILITARY B.R.A.T. BEHIND

THE JINGLE

WONDER WOMAN 1984

DRESS

DIRECTOR

PROJECT

— WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW IT

PATTY JENKINS Display until Dec. 31, 2020 Fall 2020

FINDING

HAPPINESS Through Yoga Science

2020 TIME

CAPSULE

A Year to Remember

Gift Giving for the

CULTURALLY FLUID

AN OFFICER'S DAUGHTER

RETURNS TO

VIETNAM

DESTINATION:

MERIDA,

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YOU CAN MAKE

Photographer: Raiffur Rahman Hair and make up: Sophia Luciarafael Stylist: Swarnali Sikder

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Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

MY

BROWN IS

BEAUTIFUL AN INDIAN-BORN AUSTRALIAN SHARES HER KEY TO CONFIDENCE

By Swarnali Sikder www.CultursMag.com

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Don’t tell her she is pretty for a dark skinned girl. It’s not a badge of shame but rather a glorious masterpiece created by God Himself.

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B

eing born in India as a proud brown girl, I did come across all my growing years

people talking how unfortunate I am being brown and how I can use different skin products to lighten up my skin colour.

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It’s quite unfortunate that people even today give a lot more priority to “gora chitta” ladki than a gorgeous brown woman. If we do not speak up and raise awareness to this issue, then who will?

I am fortunate to have been born in a family where I have been told everyday that I am 26

beautiful and that played a vital part in building up my confidence every single day and I today (and forever) love my skin and my body.

All we need to break the stereotypes is to raise our daughters and make them feel beautiful and confident because it all starts from HOME.

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I came up with the concept of being brown and beautiful because to me this is real. This is my story and sharing it, influencing all the brown women like me is pure happiness and gratitude.

Today I say with a lot of pride the most beautiful accessory I wear is my glowing Brown Skin.

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HEALTH

By Rhonda Coleman

Megan Yarberry

THE BAREFOOT COLLECTIVE: SOLIDARITY THROUGH COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE

NADA ADS Trainees, Democratic Republic of Congo

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HEALTH

BUILDING TOOLS TO BUILD RESILIENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE, POVERTY AND INJUSTICE

I

The protocol reduces substance cravings, minimizes symptoms of substance withdrawal and decreases stress. A Regional NADA Trainer leads trainings and workshops to certify professionals in NADA so that they can perform Acudetox treatments. I needed a mentor

Ryan Bemis

n this issue’s focus on community, I would like to highlight an organization that really takes the idea of community health to heart. Ryan Bemis is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine who has organized a global collective of professional healers to train communities to use the National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA) protocol. Acudetox.com notes the NADA Protocol as a non-verbal approach to healing that involves gentle placement of up to five small, sterilized disposable acupuncture needles into specific sites on each ear.

With this in mind, the Barefoot Acupuncture Movement is on a mission to empower others through community health education and service.

Acudetox was developed in the 1970s during the height of the heroin epidemic that was devastating Black and Hispanic communities in the United States.

The NADA protocol exists today

because of grass roots organizing by the Black Panther Party and The Young Lords in New York City at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx Neighborhood (see the film “Dope is Death” on vice.com).

Without their contributions, NADA would not be the organization it is today.

Juarez Mexico. Nancy Gonzalez performing Acudetox

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HEALTH

during my process of becoming a Regional Trainer (RT) for the NADA Acudetox Protocol and subsequently met Ryan Bemis online via an email introduction from my friend, Claudia Voyles.

I chatted with Bemis after attending one of the Barefoot Acupuncture Movement (BAM) seminars last summer and expressed my admiration for the level of thoughtfulness, community care and love I witnessed in his approach.

WHY IT’S SPECIAL

Megan Yarberry

The BAM model draws from a long tradition of acupuncturebased humanitarian aid that started with the Barefoot Doctor Movement, originally developed in China and expanded by the World Health Organization in the ‘70s and ‘80s. It builds on the foundation exemplified by

modern day Barefoot programs, including those of Dr. Michael Smith, NADA affiliates in the U.S. and Europe and the Guatemalan Acupuncture and Medical Aid Project. These programs reinforce local autonomy, and Bemis learned a lot from them. By expanding practices they pioneered, BAM innovated a core acupuncture curriculum of basic, simple and safe techniques and created advanced training modules for students to study.

BAM partners with people affected by injustice to rebuild resilience using acupuncture. The organization seeks to create a more socially diverse, global acupuncture workforce by mobilizing disaster response, and engaging in grassroots community

Training Red Cross workers in Tunisia

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development within underserved regions. By partnering with, and offering safe and sustainable models of healthcare, they have found that even the most marginalized and under-resourced communities can use acupuncture to build resilience and selfsufficiency in response to violence, poverty and injustice.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY? I wondered how this group defined community, and what it meant to help connect others who might be considered to be from “other” communities.

Kata Japuncic, a member of the BAM collective, described community as something that is always in the process of becoming. Simultaneously a “doing-word” that is revealed in our actions and attitudes, as well as “the spaces we create around and between each other and how we hold that space.” Another collective member, Megan Yarberry, describes it as any group that comes together for common purpose or because of common circumstance. “While we may not always be able to choose the community we find ourselves in, we can make a conscious effort to go out and find or build something meaningful,” she says. Bemis says community makes him more open to other ways of being. “Community is that which breaks me open and gives me the opportunity to grow, move through, take responsibility,” he adds.

Shosi Mohamed

HEALTH

Megan Yarberry performing Acudetox in an East African men’s prison

Solidarity is at the heart of the Barefoot Acupuncture Movement and the cultivation of community. The solidarity shared with global partners helps deconstruct the inequality so rampant in acupuncture care.

Bemis says conventional acupuncture has been mostly limited globally to wealthy people from a certain class and culture.

BIPOC acupuncture providers are part of a new paradigm of a diverse acupuncture workforce, and that is a step forward for promoting a more just and equitable world. “You can’t send most community workers in a place like Nicaragua to medical school, but our Barefoot School

Nick Coppins

SOLIDARITY THROUGH COMMUNITY

Kata Japunčić delivering NADA protocol as part of AcupunctureforCommunity.org (solidarity with First Nations’ people) - Cadi aka Sydney Australia (Cadi is the Aboriginal name for Sydney)

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Megan Yarberry

HEALTH

NADA ADS training in Ugandan refugee camp

teaches them some effective safety skills that are cost-effective and can help their people cope better with stress,” Bemis says.

When people can manage stress better, community wellness rises.

BAM works to train people from BIPOC communities how to cultivate a space of sovereignty in health, through simple protocols and basic techniques using this ancient therapy called acupuncture. In this way, they have something new that they can use to help build community.

They are connected to something 34

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

larger than just treating one individual. They can become participants in the recovery of their community. Anthropologist Paul Farmer said, “Without solidarity, the noblest of human sentiments will be washed away.”

Bemis agrees saying, “You can have a whole lot of people doing a whole lot of things with a whole lot of good intentions and points and needles, but to create authentic, conscious, healthy community not based on dependency and colonialism — you must have solidarity.”

HEALTH

PARTNERING AROUND THE GLOBE harms embraces practical skillsharing that’s grounded in anti-oppression principles and an ethic of love.” This coalescing of intention and attention creates community.

“By sharing knowledge and experience with others, we hope they will be more resilient and autonomous, better positioned to navigate their own course into the future. And, of course, we also are the better for this experience, gaining new perspectives, knowledge of and appreciation for others. When we weave our lives together, we are more strengthened and interesting than if we remain individual threads,” says Yarberry.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER It’s so refreshing to see a group of people not just helping, but empowering communities to strengthen and maintain independence in their health and wellbeing. To give something that can be passed on is an act of love, to teach communities to fish rather than giving out fish dinners is a demonstration of solidarity.

BAM continues to grow. There are now members of the collective in the U.S., Central America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Ryan Bemis

Internally, the BAM Collective is cultivating a culture of trust, establishing a common language, and sharing in mutual respect among the members of the collective and the communities and organization with whom they engage. In its international efforts, BAM serves as a platform to share ideas, projects, needs, insights and resources. Because a main focus of the group is on acupuncture projects around the world, partnering with local stakeholders and other individuals or groups that serve in the same areas of interest as BAM is critical. Each individual project becomes a sort of center of gravity for those the organization trains and the populations they serve.

Japuncic shares, “Using acupuncture as a resiliencebuilding tool in service of community-led responses to social injustice and structural

NADA ADS training in Juarez, Mexico

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THEMUSTLIST:

SUMMER

Illustration by Diana Vega

READS EDTION

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Courtesy of Nicole Webb

MUST l READ

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F

rom a television news reader in Sydney to a mum in the middle

of China, "China Blonde" is a true story of reinvention, love, humour and creating a place in your new world. Having finally found true love, Nicole Webb would rather be anywhere with her hotelier husband, James, than without him.

In a leap of faith and the quest for something more, a newly pregnant Webb quit her coveted role on television and joined her husband in Hong Kong to start a brand-new life. The trio lived happily on the 43rd floor of a skyscraper apartment block until the mainland city of Xi’an came calling.

Only a short plane ride from Hong Kong, the family of three found themselves plunged into life in a second-tier city, where the great divide between the Communist-led nation of China and its more independent little

Last shift at Sky News Australia

Ava Walkden

Nicole Webb and Ava Walkden

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MUST l READ

Nicole Webb and Ava Walkden

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Nicole Webb and Ava Walkden

Nicole Webb and Ava Walkden

sister was very real. Faced with a foreseeable future where few people spoke English and Webb spoke shaky Chinese, red lanterns paved the way for massive cultural awakening.

Amongst it all, however, was the overwhelming attention that Webb and her now three-year-old blonde mini-me received, which had them wanting to click their heels three times and return to Hong Kong (where foreigners were less conspicuous).

For the Chinese tourists who’d come to see the famed pagoda opposite the Webbs’ hotel (which created a lifestyle bubble for the family), Webb and her daughter, with their fair hair, seemed far more intriguing to curious visitors. To the blonde duo, seeing these tourists (with their phone cameras at-the-ready) felt akin to being chased by paparazzi.

While the family's isolation and trepidation with the unknown felt heart-achingly real, they vowed to immerse themselves into Chinese life.

This is the chronicle of their experiences.

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belonging

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Claim yours now at CultursMag.com/FREE-Issue (Grab one for yourself and tell your cross-cultural friends!)

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Courtesy of Olympia Panagiotopoulos

MUST l READ

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MUST l READ

BENEATH THE FIG LEAVES:

A GREEK-AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRANT TALE OF HOPE, LOSS, AND THE LONGING FOR HOME “I often compared being Greek-Australian to the folktales and fantasies described in my mother’s stories,” writes Author Olympia Panagiotopoulos. A mythical existence where nothing was as it seemed, where battles were fought and things rarely, if ever, turned out as one might hope or expect.

THE JOURNEY HOME

I

n this excerpt from her book “Beneath the Fig Leaves,” Panagiotopoulos paints the picture of an immigrant family’s journey in a new world, and the pull for home that spans generations:

My Greek and Australian lives meet, overlap and sometimes collide. There are similarities between the two. My life is neither more of one or the other, but somewhere in the middle. I am graced with the wisdom of two worlds, blessed with the opportunity to draw on two cultures that offer balance, harmony and insight. I haven’t always felt this way, mind you. I haven’t always had the wisdom.

At nineteen, I walked into the Parthenon Travel office in

Swanston Street, Melbourne. I was there to book my ticket; it was the closest I had come to my dream of going to Greece — I was as good as there. Greece was in my blood. It was no longer the mythological place I’d fantasised about in my childhood, but a land that was alive, that had heard my name spoken by people who wondered about me and who were perhaps — and I prayed this would be true — waiting to meet me. I had been told that grandfather loved me; I was named after his beloved. He was

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MUST l READ

Life in post-war Greece was hard for my parents, Giannoula and Fotios, pictured here in their inmigration photographs. They dreamed of building a new life for their young family. On Aug. 6, 1955, they learned that their application had been approved: Australia awaited them.

50

one hundred and three years old and lived with my uncle Georgios and his family. I needed to see them, to know their stories — to feel the heartbeat of my family.

I was nervous for two reasons: I hadn’t yet saved all the money needed for the fare, and I was certain my parents wouldn’t approve of me travelling alone — indeed of me travelling at all. I was used to this; ventures got started with great enthusiasm, then when permission was refused, abandoned.

As an adult, the concept of believing in myself, valuing my thoughts and ideas was foreign to me.

My parents seldom spoke of going back to Greece or, as I referred to it, “going home.”

Father had been angry when he left in 1955, and life in Australia had afforded them no shortage of reasons as to why they couldn’t go back. Melbourne was their home. Their family was here.

After all, Australia had been good

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

to them. And so they pretended that they had shut that door forever. But inside, way down deep, their roots were still green with life. All it took was a song, a face, a word or the scent of vasilikó, basil. As the years passed, the distance grew further, the longing grew stronger. The fear was running out of time. In January 1981, I went back to the Parthenon Travel office and made a booking. I was going home and I planned to convince Mother and Father to join me.

I arrived in Greece in summer.

I wandered the hot streets of Athens, feeling I had been there before. During my journey there were many unfamiliar faces and paths I hadn’t travelled, but something told me I was home, that I belonged.

I wrote letters to my parents in Melbourne and phoned them constantly, determined to entice them. “Everyone is asking for you,” I pleaded. “And I will be here to meet you!” Another challenge. Another test of courage. Several weeks into my trip, I learned that Mother and Father had booked two tickets to Athens. It was all very last minute. Father made the decision to retire and handed in his notice at work. But before they could travel, there were documents and papers and all sorts of things to organise. Part of me wished I could have been there as they prepared to make the journey.

On that blessed day, a hot August afternoon, I was sitting at the window in the arrival lounge

MUST l READ

at Athens Airport. Front-row seats.

My cousin Georgios, Father’s nephew, sat next to me, lighting up one cigarette after the other.

The Qantas jet carrying Fotios and Giannoula may as well have been carrying God and the Elgin Marbles. My parents were met at the door of the plane by two policemen. In true celebrity style, they were escorted to a waiting car and driven to the entrance of the arrivals gate. For a moment I panicked, wondering if they were being deported. What had gone wrong? Unbeknown to me, my cousin Dimitrios was one of the officers. He hurried them through customs and within moments my parents and I were together on Greek soil for the first time.

Greece welcomed her children with open arms. As we travelled

from Athens to the Peloponnese, the air was alive with excitement and anticipation. I had the feeling that everything surrounding us — the trees, the landscape, the birds and the Mediterranean — all knew that Fotios and Giannoula were coming home after twenty-six years.

But as we neared the village, the mood changed. I sensed their anguish. The road ahead was digging up the past, thoughts and images of 1955. Mother wept for her father and brother, distraught that neither would be there to welcome her. Father was concerned: would anyone remember them? I felt it, too. For a moment I wondered whether it would have been wiser to turn back and leave it all where it had been in the past.

Picking plump, ripe figs from my mother’s garden was the highlight of the summer season.

The most awaited of all her garden produce, these crimson-centred gems encouraged a healthy competition between my mother, the birds and me.

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The bus pulled up in the village square outside Agios Dimitrios on Aug. 6 and, within minutes, just like that day on Aug. 6, 1955, the plateía was buzzing with news about Fotios and Giannoula: the ones who left for Australia had returned. People came from everywhere, threading through the gathering crowd to shake my parents’ hands.

My imagination and my reality had, at last, converged. Here I was, in the stories, the places, the people, the church, the world that I had known only through my parents’ memories. Do they feel the same? I wondered. I knew they did.

This was their dream, too, one they had held in secret for far too long. I watched Mother and Father wipe the tears from their faces. The moment would remain sacred, a bond among the three of us.

My parents were all anyone talked about and we left the square a little overwhelmed.

Behind us stood a trail of people, curious, watching and wondering after us. Moments later we were standing by the gate of my grandfather’s house, the same one my mother had hurried out of on her way to Dorio. I knew she was thinking about them — her father and brother and how it had been that morning long ago. The village had told her that she wouldn’t return — and now she had.

We sat on the veranda where Mother’s sister-in-law served cheese and warm bread, olives picked from my grandmother’s trees, cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden, draped in a veil 52

of oil that looked like gold silk.

My cousin filled the glasses with wine. They hadn’t known we were coming so the meal was something prócheiro, on hand — something quick.

Giannoula reacquainted herself with her childhood home.

The stairs, the ypógeio, cellar, where they kept the wine. The fireplace, the outdoor oven and

My parents worked tirelessly to establish a home for our family in Australia. They found a sense of belonging among Melbourne´s thriving Greek community and maintained their beloved Greek traditions with great pride. In this picture, they are dancing at a “name-day” celebration in 1960 at the home of dear friends Chrysoula and Vasilis.

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

the smells of bread baking, the wooden door she had stepped through or ran out of so many times, the windows and the balcony and the singing and music playing in the square. She imagined the kouféta, sugared almonds, still covering the ground around the mulberry tree in the front yard, her father calling her and her mother brushing her hair for school. Her mother would be leaving for the fields soon and Giannoula needed to be ready.

MUST l READ

Early one morning, Mother and I took a few hours to explore.

She wanted help picking something to wear from the suitcase full of new dresses she had sewn for her travels. Not unlike years ago, Mother wanted to make a good impression. I watched her dress, a dreamy young girl sorting through her fashionable wardrobe. She could hardly wait to meet her friends in the square.

Father was happy to sit in one of the kafeneía in the square shouting krasáki and mezedákia to the friends and family who were left, and to everyone else as well. “Whoever is able to must share and I must help if I can,” he always said. Most days he bought sides of lamb and pork for his choriátides. He couldn’t do it back then, no matter how much he had wanted to. Most nights we would hear the men singing and dancing in the square. God put music and song into His people, I thought. Maybe He knew they would need it.

At times, I sensed that Father felt he owed them — payment for the years he and my mother hadn’t worked the fields or looked after family, payment for having left, for the years they had done it all without him. It was all fitting in — the back then, the after that and the now.

I thought about all the people my father had helped in Australia and the strangers he had brought home. The tireless giving that never seemed enough. The back then and the

Olympia Panagiotopoulos

after that had shaped him.

Whatever reasons and beliefs father still held, I was proud.

These were stoic people whose roots were steadfast. They were guideposts, solid in the earth.

Mother and I set off on our adventure arm in arm, two young girls in search of the past. Would we find a secret to unlock or a mystery to be solved? I hoped so.

I wanted to be a village girl, to feel as though I had always been there. Perhaps, in some way, I always had.

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MUST l READ

MEETING AT THE TABLE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN WRITE ON RACE, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

E

ditors Tina McElroy Ansa and Wanda S. Lloyd created this anthology in the

aftermath of the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many other African Americans, plus the worldwide protests that followed.

According to the book’s Amazon description, Ansa and Lloyd developed this project to bring voices of African-American women together to honestly and transparently share how race and culture have affected them in ways related to their families, their careers and their communities.

Nicole Childers, whose story “Bringing my Whole Self” is featured in the book, brought the project to Culturs’ attention.

Childers is an Executive Producer at American Public Media for “Marketplace Morning Report,” producing six broadcasts daily.

The show reaches more than 10.8 million listeners. She’s no stranger to globally focused content as she conceived and launched a daily global business show co-produced by “Marketplace” and the BBC World Service that is produced live from the BBC Headquarters in London. She also appears regularly as a guest on the BBC show “Business Matters,” which reaches millions of listeners around the globe.

Needless to say, she caught our attention. But when we read her entry in the book, she captured our hearts. The first paragraph of her story says it all: “I have lived a www.CultursMag.com

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Nichole Childers caught our attention. But when we read her entry in this anthology, she captured our hearts.

Meeting at the Table: African-American Women Write on Race, Culture and Community.

54

Nicole Childers

nomadic life, traveling and living within the various communities and identities I embrace: Black, Latinx, woman, queer, bisexual and former foster kid. My membership in these communities is fluid and malleable, each one providing a feeling of home and illuminating the different parts of who I am.”

She continues, “When I am asked how I identify, “Black” is always my first response because it’s unquestionably my favorite part of who I am and the focal point of how I have been received by all the spaces I’ve occupied. I remember a time before I was in foster care, and a time before I identified as bisexual, and then queer. I remember a time before I culturally identified as Latinx.

But, I do not remember a time I wasn’t Black.”

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

She describes growing up with little visual attributes that mirrored her red-haired mother. How she experienced abuse and neglect in her mother’s home and by her mother’s boyfriend, and how she stood up for herself in that situation, which led to being put in foster care. Childers walks us through the perils and joy of embracing and navigating multiple identities, and true acceptance of ourselves. In the end, she describes the feeling of home, and how authenticity and finding one’s voice can set you free.

Available at Amazon.com, $9.99

MUST l READ

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NAVIGATING

FOUR CONTINENTS AND FOUR DECADES

OF TRAVEL

A SCOTLAND NATIVE GIVES SAGE ADVICE ON EXPAT LIFE

A

uthor Doreen Cumberford thought moving to Saudi Arabia would be an easy adjustment for her and her family. After all, she had lived and worked in foreign countries for most of her working life, including a stint in Dubai. She thought that living in Saudi Arabia as the spouse of an Aramco employee and as the mom of a toddler would be no different.

She was wrong.

56

Cumberford explains that there are four stages of culture shock when you first move to a new country: arrival, honeymoon, frustration and adjustment. When expats return home, they should also be prepared for massive personal transformation as well. Her observations regarding the lifestyle and expat mindset pull back the veil of glamour surrounding living overseas. After living in a different culture, the next test is returning home, which can be even more challenging. Expats straddle two worlds and Cumberford clearly provides the tools for living in the “in-between” constantly.

In her new book, “Life in the Camel Lane,” Cumberford writes

Summer 2021 | www.CultursMag.com

Her observations regarding the lifestyle and expat mindset pull back the veil of glamour surrounding living overseas.

MUST l READ

Readers considering expat living will learn the four stages of culture shock: arrival, honeymoon, frustration and adjustment. The final stage of acceptance is followed by the adjustments of returning to their home country.

Courtesy of Doreen Cumberford

Available at Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com and Barnes and Noble, $19.95

There are four stages of culture shock when you first move to a new

Doreen Cumberford

about her experiences and also those of fellow expats in Saudi Arabia. She writes about experiences with the Saudi culture, lifestyle, and its deep traditions of hospitality, generosity and tolerance from an insider’s perspective. She packs entrancing stories of Saudi weddings, the sport of falconry and her own feelings about the Saudi law prohibiting women driving (that has since been relaxed). There are also chapters on the dark experiences of 9/11 in the terrorists’ home country and the “Terror Years” of terror attacks inside Saudi Arabia.

With stories and compelling honesty, Cumberford describes her family’s most challenging journey and many of the lessons they learned together. Written to provide useful insights and inspiration to anyone considering living abroad, “Life in the Camel Lane” shines the light on building a new identity and home while abroad, and the difficulties of the journey home.

The book is a combination of Cumberford’s story as well as the stories of other expats and the lessons they learned living in Saudi Arabia as expat employees or spouses.

country: arrival, honeymoon, frustration and adjustment. When expats return home, they should also be prepared for massive personal transformation as well.

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FOUND IN TRANSITION

By Chelley Canales

LIFE ON THE OUTSIDE

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hen Paria Hassouri, MD’s teenager came out as

transgender in 2017, her first reaction was “no.”

The author of “Found in Transition: A Mother’s Evolution During Her Child’s Gender Change” reveals that fear for what her child might face overpowered the ability to be lovingly present in the moment for this life-changing news.

“When you’ve spent your entire life on the outside, that’s the last thing you want for your child. Being transgender in the U.S. at this time was the ultimate kind of being outside, and I could not help but project my own experiences and fears” onto her, Paria said.

As an Iranian-American immigrant, Paria was often ostracized by her peers. At school, taunting children would call her “dark and dirty” and tell her to “go back to where you came from.”

“I was only one of a handful of brown kids in a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, desperately wanting not to be different…I spent every recess and lunch period in hiding. At night I begged my parents to send me back home, but I didn’t tell them what was happening at school. I’d just say I missed my friends and family.”

In adulthood, Paria would become a pediatrician, marry a loving husband, and decide that she would raise her children in Los Angeles, Calif., one of the

When you’ve spent your entire life on the outside, that’s the last thing you want for your child. Being transgender in the U.S. at this time was the ultimate kind of being outside, and I could not help but project my own experiences and fears

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Sanaz Riggio Paria Hassouri’s family

most diverse cities in the U.S..

A determination came through, one meant to protect her children from the loneliness and exile she experienced, and it paid off in the comfortable life she, her husband, and her three children were living.

A MOTHER’S EVOLUTION “Don’t underestimate your capacity to evolve. What seems like the hardest thing can be an enriching experience,” Paria says.

“Found in Transition” covers a 17-month portion of Paria’s daughter’s transition, a monumental time that proved to

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be transformative as well for this doctor, blogger and running enthusiast. The deep love for and ultimate acceptance of her child’s experience compelled her to look inward and heal lingering wounds from childhood around self-worth and the value of her voice and message.

An advocate and activist emerged, and Paria credits others who were out there before her, willing to share their families’ stories and provide support to others.

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Don’t underestimate your capacity to evolve. What seems like the hardest thing can be an enriching experience.

THE MOTH Although Paria found community in her support group, she didn’t see anyone with stories of children who didn’t present as transgender until their teenage years. That was, until she encountered Cybele Abbett’s presentation of “The Moth.”

“I needed to hear a story like my own…[The] video was the first time that I really heard a story of a parent finding out when their child is a teen that I 100% connected with.”

Feeling understood for the first time, Paria reached out to Cybele.

“This beautiful stranger spent forty-five minutes on the phone with me….talking to me, years after this video was made, was an incredibly generous thing to do -— although I know that I would take the time to talk to any parent going through the same thing.”

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY “When my daughter came out as transgender, I was fortunate enough to have friends and family that were supportive and understanding, but I did not have any relationships with trans individuals or parents of trans children and young adults. Joining a support group of families of transgender kids and young adults is what ultimately lead to me not only accepting my daughter’s trans identity but starting to be optimistic about her future and celebrating her trans identity.

Now, I have a large community of parents of trans kids, along with some trans adults, whom I consider my friends. My life has been truly enriched because of their presence, and I am so grateful that because of my daughter, I am embraced by this community that I would not have otherwise known.”

As I came to my own acceptance and understanding of what was going on with Ava, I went from being the one crying and seeking advice to the one listening and offering advice to other new parents.

THE BOOK AND BEYOND Encouraged by Toni Morrison’s quote, “If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it,” she did just that.

Paria has taken to dropping “Found in Transition” off at Little Free Libraries around the country, advocating for transgender education in the medical field and answering messages from other families who aren’t as far along in the journey as she is, becoming a leader and valuable resource for the transgender community.

Available at Amazon.com $22.35 and on Audible.

Sanaz Riggio

“As I came to my own acceptance and understanding of what was going on with Ava, I went from being the one crying and seeking advice to the one listening and offering advice to other new parents.”

“The Moth” exposure compelled Paria to write her own family’s story so that she could do for others what Cybele did for her.

Paria Hassouri

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Chris Bryan

TRANSNATIONAL THIRD CULTURE KID FILMMAKERS

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TRANSNATIONAL THIRD CULTURE KID FILMMAKERS

By Myra Dumapias

INTRODUCING

HIDDEN DIVERSITY

TO AN INDUSTRY WITH

THIRD CULTURE

ACTOR AND FILMMAKER

JAMES TANG Among some of the challenges with finding transnational filmmakers for this column is how relatively new the genre is itself. Unlike other genres, such as horror, sci-fi or comedy, transnational film and filmmakers are not simply a type of content.

T

ransnational film is the body of work that challenges static national identity, as mentioned by author Chris Berry in article “What is transnational cinema?

Thinking from the Chinese situation” in the journal Transnational Cinemas. It is also the process involving multiple nations are involved in filmmaking. The Transnational Film Column in Culturs recognizes how multiple national cultures can be represented in a filmmaker who does not call only one country home. www.CultursMag.com

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TRANSNATIONAL THIRD CULTURE KID FILMMAKERS

A rare gem in the filmmaking industry is James Tang, an actor and filmmaker who outwardly claims his Third Culture identity in his biography descriptions. Our United States (U.S.)-based readers may already recognize him from roles in television shows “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Brooklyn NineNine.” More may recognize Tang from his appearance in award-wining web series “Black Girl in a Big Dress.” Tang may be perceived as only Asian American in the U.S. However, he is familiar to global citizens who know what it means to be a hidden immigrant in one’s own country.

Tang’s transnational identity is revealed as he shares his story and how he approaches his craft: Myra Dumapias — James, I understand that you identify as a Third Culture actor and filmmaker in some of your bios. Can you tell us about how you came to discover this part of your identity?

James Tang — I was born in the U.S. but grew up mostly in Thailand. My family is mostly Chinese culturally, but I went to an international school with a Western-based education system. I can’t fully remember how I stumbled upon the concept of TCKs; I believe it was in college at some point that I got turned onto [the book] “Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds” itself. That was what gave a label to the experiences I had growing up and being able to relate to other TCKs in university without having understood the exact name for it.

MD — How has it been to identify yourself as Third Culture in the industry?

JT — Most people I come across don’t fully understand what this is, so I usually try to simplify my explanation of my background. The industry tends to be about presenting things in as simplified a package as possible, mainly in TV, though luckily this seems to be changing.

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MD — Is there a difference between how actors and filmmakers understand or approach “Third Culture” as an identity or a genre?

JT — I feel like “Third Culture —ness” can be so rare in larger populations that most people don’t know about us. It definitely isn’t any sort of genre, and I definitely don’t see any sort of descriptions of acting roles that involve TCK identity, unless it’s specifically written by a TCK, which is also very rare.

MD — You have quite a growing list of acting roles.

How does it feel to reflect on these opportunities, knowing all the work and, I’m guessing, your share of rejections that led up to them?

JT — I’m very grateful to be so lucky as to book roles that don’t conform to any sort of Asian male stereotypes. It’s always nice to look back at my prior work to see how far I’ve come, but also to see that there’s so much more to be done. I don’t view rejections as any sort of negative situation; they’re simply situations where I wasn’t the right fit and I just focus on the things I can control and on keeping my eye on the larger goal of bigger and more memorable roles that can help improve representation.

MD — In the role of filmmaking, you have already accomplished some work in writing a screenplay for the 2019 short film “Batfished” by Director Reid Columns. I can easily see “Batfished” both as a pilot for a series that attracts audiences from diverse genres and a stand-alone short. How did you come up with the concept behind it?

JT – “Batfished” was a Frankenstein monster of an old project idea that I combined with my growing awareness of myself and the types of roles I can play as an actor. I started focusing on writing projects with myself as the lead lately to try to kill two birds with one stone, so I basically just put a character that would work really well for myself in an old project and retooled it to fit better.

TRANSNATIONAL THIRD CULTURE KID FILMMAKERS

I feel like “Third Culture-ness” can be so rare in larger populations that most people don’t know about us.

MD — What work of yours, either as an actor or a filmmaker, do you feel reflects who you are the most?

JT — Currently I’d definitely say the short film mentioned above, “Batfished,” as the best reflection of who I am, as it best captures my type of humor and is one of the longer works I have that showcase my acting in a character that really fits my essence.

MD — In one of the blog posts on your site, in your piece “About the Paradox of Acting,” you state, “The project couldn’t be brought to life without you, but you are nothing without the words of the writer.” As both an actor and a screenwriter, how does your experience in acting impact your writing, and vice versa?

JT — As I grew as an actor, I grew as a screenwriter, as I was able to embody the emotional rhythm and beats that a writer tries to inject into the dialogue of a script. As an actor that understands screenwriting, it helps me “get” a script and my role within it relatively quickly, because I would know roughly how my character fits into the story and what purpose he’d serve the story.

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MD — What does identifying as a Third Culture actor and filmmaker really mean to you?

JT — It’s an opportunity for me to bring a look into the experiences we’ve had to the world, to show people that in the end, we’re all human no matter what our cultural backgrounds are, because, as we know best, when our identities are such a huge mishmash of cultures, we tend to judge people for who they are, not what we think they represent.

MD — Among those who came before you, who did you relate to and who inspired you before becoming an actor and filmmaker yourself?

JT — I’m inspired by so many filmmakers and actors, but I definitely have to give credit to all the Asian diaspora actors and filmmakers that have helped carve a path through history for me to follow in Hollywood, Bruce Lee of course being one of the biggest trailblazers.

MD — I understand you use your craft to address racism. Given all that happened in 2020 with the global movement to confront racism and the movement in the U.S. to end excessive force by police officers, how does it impact how you approach future roles you may potentially fit or future filmmaking projects?

JT — There’s definitely been a huge light that’s been shone onto systemic racism and how it is perpetuated, especially in U.S. society. Anti-racism is a journey of growth, and not an on/off switch, so having a better understanding of how to fight it and how to be aware of it is important and something I’ll definitely keep in mind when approaching or creating future projects. Luckily, there are many other people in this industry that are fighting for this same goal, so we can all work together to keep anti-racism going strong in both the workplace and the stories we tell.

MD — What is on the horizon for you that your fans can watch for?

JT — Nothing I can actually talk about directly, unfortunately, but I will always post about these projects once I can on my social media pages, so anyone that’s interested can give me a follow to stay updated!

MD — How do you define home?

JT — Home is more of an idea and a memory for me now. The city I’m most familiar with, Bangkok, is where I feel most at home, yet it changes as I live away from it. I feel most at home with people that I’ve known for a long time but sometimes I meet someone with a similar upbringing or a personality that just meshes with mine and it just feels like home.

MD — What helps you feel a sense of belonging?

JT — Shared experiences help the most, and the deeper they go, the more belonging I feel. I can feel closer to someone I just met that had a similar international student upbringing than someone I’ve known for a few years but who had never really left their home country.

MD — How has being a TCK influenced the interests, dreams and passions currently close to your heart?

JT - Living outside of the US allowed me to see just how wide the reach of their film distribution system was, when I would always see advertisements for local films alongside Hollywood films at the theaters. Being a TCK helped me understand that humans are all essentially the same outside of our superficial differences, and I want to bring that understanding into a larger scope of storytelling.

Discover more of James Tang’s work at his website jamesthetang.com/

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Chris Bryan

TRANSNATIONAL THIRD CULTURE KID FILMMAKERS

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POWERFUL TRANSGENDER IMMIGRANT FILM “LUPE” ART FOR CULTURAL CHANGE.

Photo Courtesy of “Lupe”/HBO

By Rebekah Henderson

Rafael Albarrán (playing a character of the same name) in “Lupe.” Directors André Phillips & Charles Vuolo.

F

ilm festival lineups determine which movies are bought and distributed. As such, festivals and awards are often both a gatekeeper and an indicator of cultural change.

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Movies purchased by mainstream outlets gauge general shifts in ideas. Social change does not happen overnight, but films discovered today are indicative of widening cultural acceptance.

This shows particularly for those who fall outside of outdated traditional cultural norms.

TRANSGENDER IMMIGRANT FOCUS “Lupe” is a film festival darling and dual-language flick that

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premiered on HBO Latino and HBO Max Feb. 26, 2021. The movie beautifully connects the intersecting and contrasting identities of its main character, Rafael. Played by Rafael Albarrán, Rafael is a Cuban immigrant who struggles with their transgender identity. Rafael also is on the hunt for their missing sister in New York City’s underground sex industry.

Community filmmaking often produces art that is representative and impactful. Instant LGBTQ+

film canon, “Lupe” strives for authenticity in its storytelling.

Executive Producer Kerry Michelle O’Brien joined the team for both personal and professional reasons. She longed to see trans characters representing her lived experience.

WALK THE WALK

ART AND PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION O’Brien joined the project in post-production to add another layer of authentic trans voices.

O’Brien also lived the experience of coming out and losing everything. An immigrant herself, she was estranged from her children. But because of press for “Lupe,” she reached out. They have reconnected. Being discriminated against for daring to live as her authentic self combined with the trauma of being estranged from her children was a struggle. However, working on the Transgender Immigrant-focused film and knowing that it will be released in a mainstream venue has helped open the door for reconnection with her children.

Photo Courtesy of “Lupe”/HBO

O’ Brien dislikes the way trans and immigrant characters have been portrayed in films and credits the team for incorporating voices of immigrants, sex workers and transgender individuals. Creating diverse teams that tell these important stories can help foster understanding about marginalized and misrepresented communities.

Trans performer Celia Harrison plays the role of Lana. Lana befriends Rafael while also struggling with her own identity.

Producer Anthony Ambrosino loved how the directors emphatically sought to retain Celia’s voice and perspective.

Also, they(the directors) in wanting to create a truly authentic character, left all of her scenes unscripted.

WHEN ART MIMICS LIFE Also impacted is San Francisco-based Puerto Rican actor Albarrán (who uses they/ them pronouns). Partially due to their role in “Lupe,” a few years ago they explored gender and the art of drag. Upon deep introspection Albarrán had the realization that their gender was not part of the binary. Albarrán ceased acting after completing “Lupe” to focus on their writing.

Another collaboration with O’Brien may be in the future, as she is currently reviewing Albarrán’s screenplay.

AUTHENTICITY REIGNS As more and more artists co-create work that reflects their true selves, the stories we consume will continue to grow more diverse and compelling, too. When the gatekeepers start to look more like the artists waiting outside the gates, it is certain more projects that center those on the margins will premiere.

When the gates are opened wider by streaming platforms like HBO Max, freedom of expression becomes more pronounced. Art that represents the wholeness of self and reflects the value of being a culturally fluid person needs to be elevated beyond the festival circuit.

With this motion, we can look forward to more films like “Lupe,” telling stories that are authentic, moving and transformative.

Find “Lupe” on HBO Latino and HBO Max.

(L to R): Lucerys Medina as Isabel and Pedro Rodriguez as young Rafael in “Lupe.”

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THIRD CULTURE KID

VOCABULARY POSTER SERIES

HIRAETH Hiraeth is a Welsh word for longing or nostalgia, an earnest longing or desire, or a sense of regret. The feeling of longing for a home that no longer exists or never was. A deep and irrational bond felt with a time, era, place or person.

The Cornish and Breton equivalents are “hireth” and “hiraezh.” The word is from a Proto-Celtic *sīraxto-, cognate with Old Irish sírecht.

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COMMUNITY IN MOTION:

THE DANCE OF

HEALING Tim Brestowski

By Chelley Canales

*Trigger warning:

references to racial violence

W

hen we connect to the past, we can heal the present. When we do it together, the ripple effects can change the world.

Daniel Banks, Ph.D. and Adam W. McKinney, M.A. have been doing just that since 2006 as founders of DNAWORKS, a Fort Worth, Texas-based “arts and service organization dedicated to furthering artistic expression and dialogue, focusing on issues of identity, culture, class and heritage.”

FWLT3

A COMPLEX IDENTITY The productions and programs that DNAWORKS takes to 37 states in the United States (U.S.) and 17 countries are not meant to be merely seen but experienced.

Disconnection and trauma are alchemized into belonging and healing, creating a sense of home for many who live outside of society’s traditional boxes.

Banks, a renowned director, choreographer and educator, whose credits include Shakespeare in the Park, National Theatre of Uganda and Singapore Repertory Theatre, considers his own experience a driving force for his creativity.

I find home around people who also don’t neatly line up and check off all the boxes.

— Daniel Banks

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“For most of my life there has been this tension between how my family identifies, what people outside my family have identified me as being and what the actual DNA tells and how to interpret that DNA within a U.S. context of identity locations or identity boxes. I find home around people who also don’t neatly line up and check off all the boxes,” he says.

McKinney, an accomplished dancer, choreographer and activist with performance credits including Alvin Ailey American

Dance Theater and Béjart Ballet Lausanne, shares a similar experience. “My parents met in the early 60s in college. My dad is Black and Native [American] and my mom is a white Ashkenazi Jew and so the way they came together and the time they came together informs my experience of the world. I was raised with ideas of social justice and art was all around me.”

Being asked throughout their careers to choose which identity boxes to place themselves in made

HaMapah, The Map Dance on Film

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it clear that no language or model for multiple identities existed in their line of work. DNAWORKS stepped in to challenge misperceptions and assumptions so that they, and others, would one day not have to explain themselves to those unable to quickly label them.

For McKinney, the work seems destined. “The reason why you thought about that problem is because you are the person who is specifically designed to create a solution to that problem.”

One of the most unique components of a DNAWORKS production is audience integration. “HaMapah/The Map,” a multimedia genealogical dance journey (recently captured for film) traces McKinney’s heritage and concludes with a community story circle. The effect is even more powerful, and the lessons more integrated, than what one would get by simply watching a show and then leaving.

“How do we extend that moment so people can actually encounter one another, connect and fully appreciate how related we all are?,” Banks asked as the experience was conceived. “We imagine a world where we are doing it together and we try to hold and create space for that to happen.”

This audience participation has led to countless personal revelations, from a woman finding out the identity of the

father she never knew, to a Puerto Rican and Chinese college student who felt alone on campus meeting someone who shared his exact same heritage.

“In these story circles you will have someone from one background tell a story, and then someone from what one would think of in U.S. terms as a completely different background stand up and say I had the exact same experience in my family.”

Daniel Banks

A CO-CREATION

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We performed HaMapah/ The Map live in Fort Worth, Texas, and we had A COMMUNITY HEALS

people whose family

The story circle has fostered experiences of generational healing as well, some of which provided a very personal context to this Texas-based organization.

McKinney recounts, “We performed ‘HaMapah/The Map’ live in Fort Worth, Texas, and we had people whose family owned enslaved Africans speaking in conversation with people whose family ran from the KKK.” Without the context of this show, this very conversation might very well have never happened.

owned enslaved Africans speaking in conversation with people whose family ran from the KKK. — Adam W. McKinney

A MEMORIAL The Ku Klux Klan’s history in Fort Worth is inextricably tied with DNAWORKS’ future, one that includes taking the work out of the theater and into the world.

As theaters shuttered due to COVID-19, DNAWORKS took to the streets for “Fort Worth Lynching Tour: Honoring the Memory of Mr. Fred Rouse,” a group bike and car tour to the sites associated with the lynching of Fred Rouse in 1921. An augmented reality app featuring music, poetry and a eulogy by local artists accompanies the piece and will soon be available for download.

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McKinney believes traveling back in time to tell Rouse’s story, one that few are even familiar with, is necessary to move forward in a society where anti-racism work is still so relevant.

“We devised a particular choreography of healing, parading through the same streets that the KKK paraded through, and reversing their route almost as a way to sweep away or cleanse the space.”

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The work was created to “generate community healing through memorial activism,” and it’s only the beginning of DNAWORKS’ commitment to telling this story. Tarrant County Coalition for Peace and Justice, a non-profit that McKinney cofounded and is President of, and that Banks sits on the Advisory Board for, won a sizeable grant from Rainwater Charitable Foundation to purchase the site of the Rouse lynching and transform it into a memorial park. Ground will break in December 2021, the centenary of Rouse’s death.

A TRANSFORMATION Doubling down on community healing and connection, Banks and McKinney have partnered with other like-minded (and diversely represented) organizations in the Fort Worth area, forming a coalition dedicated to transforming 1012 North Main Street, a former KKK auditorium until 1931, into a center for art and community healing.

According to Banks, the project will “return resources to those communities that have suffered from the presence of the Klan and its ongoing impact. It will also address some of the food deserts in the north side of Fort Worth.” The center will feature farmers and artisan markets, low-income housing for artists and entrepreneurs and incubators for micro-businesses.

Olaf Growald Daniel Banks and Adam W. McKinney.

By finding ourselves, we find one another.

— Daniel Banks

This labor of love has received encouraging support from the community and members of city government, and according to Banks, they’ve been in conversation with more than “3,000 [people] in the past 18 months, locally and nationally,” revealing that there is indeed a communal desire for belonging, creation and leaving the world a bit better than it was found.

Connection is in the DNA of Banks and McKinney, and their contributions prove that when we find one another, we can truly find ourselves. “And, vice-versa,” offers Banks. “By finding ourselves, we find one another.”

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belonging

THE FEELING OF

FOR THE COST OF SHIPPING

We’re so confident you’ll love how you feel once becoming part of the Culturs Community, we’re giving away free issues (you handle the shipping).

Claim yours now at CultursMag.com/FREE-Issue (grab one for yourself and tell your cross-cultural friends!)

Claim your free magazine at CultursMag.com/FREE-Issue Limited time offer while quantities last

YOGA-SCIENCE FOR LIFE MASTERY

By Shanthi Yogini

C.O.N.N.E.C.T. TO THE WORLD, HAPPINESS & YOGA-SCIENCE

T

here is an innate desire in humans to connect with everything they come across — whether they are other humans, animals, plants or the socalled non-living, worldly things. Connection is the very nature of the universe. Everything in the universe is interconnected.

Everything in our body is connected. Our bones are connected to the muscles. Our blood vessels form a huge network connecting each part of the body. www.CultursMag.com

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YOGA-SCIENCE FOR LIFE MASTERY

Then there are nerves which establish the brain-body connection, governing the whole body.

The one infinite energy in the universe has become the myriad names and forms. Even physical science has arrived at the same conclusion that the fundamental unit of everything in the universe is the same. It is consciousness connecting us all together.

If only we understand our fundamental connection and oneness with all, then our life can become joyous. What prevents us from experiencing oneness with all is our own mind.

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Our mind is our window to the world. When our mind gets attracted to the outer world, it develops desires which create restlessness in our mind. This in turn gives rise to various emotions such as disappointment, hatred, anger, despair and anxiety.

When our mind is turned inwards, we get more mastery over our emotions and can still the mind at will. Yoga-Science helps us in this inward journey.

The very word “YogaH” as it is called in Samskrtam language (Sanskrit) means “Union” or “Connection.”

So, Yoga-Science is the journey of connection.

YOGA-SCIENCE FOR LIFE MASTERY

C-CALL IN HAPPINESS BY CONNECTING TO YOGA-FOUNDATIONS

Seven aspects of Yoga-Science that form the C.O.N.N.E.C.T. system where the word C.O.N.N.E.C.T. is an acronym.

THE C.O.N.N.E.C.T. SYSTEM C — Call in Happiness by Connecting to Yoga-Foundations

With the widespread misappropriation of YogaScience, its real purpose is lost and has come to be associated with just physical exercises. Even if done correctly as Yoga-postures, it is still only a small part of what forms Yoga-Science.

Understanding the Yoga-foundations connects you to the real purpose of life namely experiencing lasting happiness. That is what all of us are seeking and it seems to be the purpose of everything we do.

So, Connecting to foundational knowledge of YogaScience is vital.

O — Optimize Your Life by Connecting to the Truth of Your Thoughts N — Nurture Harmony in Life by Connecting to Your Attitudes N — Nourish Your Health by Connecting to Your Body E — Enhance Your Life by Connecting to Your Breath C — Calm Your Mind by Connecting to Your Food

O- OPTIMIZE YOUR LIFE BY CONNECTING TO THE TRUTH OF YOUR THOUGHTS Often what we think as true may not be true. It may be just our perspective of events and people.

That is why, Connecting to the truth of your thoughts is important. It motivates you to become aware of the myth and truth behind the words you utter and the feelings you experience.

Understanding that most are just stories you tell yourself helps in optimising your life and calling in your happiness.

T — Transform Your Life by Connecting to your Mind Let us now explore each aspect of the system to understand how it prepares us gradually to see our true connection with all.

N-NURTURE HARMONY IN LIFE BY CONNECTING TO YOUR ATTITUDES Optimized life leads to harmony in life. This is achieved by practicing “Yoga-Values” as explained in Yoga-texts under YamaH (Social Values) and NiyamaH (Personal Values).

The “Yoga-Values” connect you to your attitude in life. Your attitude decides how much joy you experience in life by nurturing harmony within you as well as in the society.

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N-NOURISH YOUR HEALTH BY CONNECTING TO YOUR BODY A mind in harmony means it is free of negative thoughts. The next step is connecting to your body through Yoga-postures. This aspect of Yoga-Science aims at practicing simple Yoga-postures thoroughly with absolute stability and ease.

It is shocking that most people are not in touch with their body. They don’t listen to their body and in turn their body does not listen to them.

The Yoga-postures help you to connect to your mind through your body. In the process, the diseases in the body vanish. Your body starts to cure itself.

E-ENHANCE YOUR LIFE BY CONNECTING TO YOUR BREATH When your body learns to stabilise itself, you become ready for the next step which is the control of life-force or PraaNaayaamaH. PraanaH indicates life-force. It manifests as all the actions of the body, as the nerve currents, and as thought force. It manifests as lung movement which in turn controls the breath. Thus through lung movement, you can control the life-force and everything else that it controls. By having access to the master-controller, your life becomes enhanced.

C-CALM YOUR MIND BY CONNECTING TO YOUR FOOD Food impacts not just our body, but PraanaH, mind, intellect and Aatmaa, the core within. The food we intake affects our entire personality.

Here, “food” not only means the food we eat through our mouth even though it vastly affects the mind. Whatever we hear, see, smell, taste or touch i.e. whatever we intake through our five senses should also be considered as food.

Thus food impacts not only the physical health or body weight, but also your moods, emotions, and attitude to life. This aspect of Yoga-Science is about your food choices so that you can calm your mind by changing what is on your plate.

T-TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE BY CONNECTING TO YOUR MIND Connecting to your mind is the last step of Yoga-Science. All the previous steps are preparatory steps for this stage, called “Mind Mastery.”

Here you learn to live in the present moment and make your thoughts one-pointed.

The restlessness of mind completely diminishes, and your life is transformed to experience unending happiness.

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YOGA-SCIENCE FOR LIFE MASTERY

To conclude, the C.O.N.N.E.C.T. system connects various layers within you so that you may achieve true success and happiness in life. It helps you to connect with all of the universe and experience oneness. Which of the above seven steps appeals to you? What will you connect to next?

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Ras Mutabaruka Ras Mutabaruka

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RAS MUTABARUKA ON TELLING NUANCED AFRICAN STORIES

By Itoro Bassey, Africa Editor

Ras Mutabaruka is a Rwandan-Canadian entrepreneur, media maker and community builder. Mutabaruka has dedicated his work to changing the way the world sees and thinks about Africa.

One story at a time.

R

as Mutabaruka prefers to tell African stories from the sidelines. At Culturs, however, we’re about uncovering voices hidden in plain sight. The extraordinary Rwandan filmmaker, community builder and activist did not miss our radar.

Mutabaruka’s story shows how living in-between cultures can be harnessed for good.

WHO IS RAS MUTABARUKA? Ras Mutabaruka is a RwandanCanadian entrepreneur, media maker, and community-builder.

One story at a time. From a young age, Mutabaruka recognized the diversity within the African experience. When he left Rwanda for Kenya during the genocide, he had to expand how he saw Africa. He notes that his experience as a refugee in the Congo and Tanzania and then later living in Nairobi was the catalyst that made him eager to tell nuanced African stories.

“When I moved to Canada for the first time, I had access to a computer and a TV. It was the first time I knew how other people viewed people like me. I guess I was angry about how Africa was often portrayed in the media.”

“We’d see these images of African children and people impoverished and when I went to university it was all about corruption, poverty and disease. I don’t like to feel defeated, so instead of complaining, I started writing stories about different people and that’s how ‘The African Perspective’ was born.”

SHOWCASING THE AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE “The African Perspective” (TAP) — is a digital and print communication hub bringing diverse African stories to a global audience. TAP TV, which is the company’s film wing, released the widely acclaimed documentary, “Homecoming.”

The eight-episode documentary series follows five young African female

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Ras Mutabaruka in Ghana filming for Homecoming

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entrepreneurs who leave the West to start businesses in their homelands. Mutabaruka references how a conversation at the African Union Diaspora in Khartoum sparked his idea to focus on women and their returnee experiences.

“I was interviewing the lady who runs the directorate. She mentioned how in the Diaspora space young women are a not always present. It’s a space that’s full of old men. It was very intentional to show how young women are returning home, and among young people, women are the ones who are leading the movements I’m aware of.”

“Homecoming” is a great example for how those of us living in-between cultures can embrace our legacies while we create new ones. The film does an excellent job of highlighting how African women integrate into their ancestral culture while maintaining their culturally fluid perspectives.

SHIFTING THE NARRATIVE Mutabaruka speaks about the need for more stories that show the complexities of Afro-Diasporic identity.

“I think we’re one of the biggest communities unrepresented in media. I don’t think our contributions are matched by any other institution or people. We contribute more money than the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. We contribute our skills and knowledge,” Matabaruka says. “I wanted to start a trend of telling African Diaspora stories because there are so many rich experiences.” He also wanted to tap into the hidden community of African returnees leaving the West to challenge the belief that all immigrants are eager to leave their homelands.

He continues, “There’s this narrative that every African wants to jump in a boat and cross over to Europe or America. To some extent there’s truth to that, but there are thousands of people who want to go back to the continent. And this story is always missed. Since I’ve been in Canada I have yet to meet a young African person who doesn’t want to move back to their country.”

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He notes how the past decade has forced many Black immigrants to grapple with the racial injustices they navigate in the West. Acknowledging this reality has led many to identify with a global Black movement where they can find comfort while looking for solutions.

“What happened to George Floyd and Trayvon Martin — you can almost argue that these institutions are not built with us in mind. Some of us decide that instead of dealing with this mental stress and fatigue it’s better to go somewhere where we can find a pathway.”

A NUANCED AFRICAN STORY

On Homecoming set with returnee Chrital Beek

CHARTING A NEW PATHWAY Discussing the multifaceted topic of migration reveals the heartache that can come from a dream deferred. Black immigrants often express their sadness when navigating systemic racism, economic insecurity and culture shock. The pervasiveness of these realities can crowd out the hope people enter into their new countries with. Keeping a positive attitude can be difficult when it feels like no matter your skill and talent, “there’s a metal ceiling.”

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Africans are creating new pathways to find opportunities while advocating for meaningful change from their specific locales.

More poignantly, the idea that success is only attainable in the West is steadily shifting.

The last few years have given us canonical works from the likes of Blitz Bazawule, Chimamanda Adichie, Dennis Ansah, Edwidge Danticat, Jidenna, Mutua Mathenge, Burna Boy, Beyonce and Elsa Majimbo. These artists have brought important conversations about our common threads and differences to the mainstream. Marvels Studios’ “Black Panther” ignited a global discussion about Wakanda while we excavated our shared and complicated histories. When Mutabaruka says, “it’s an exciting time to be an African creative,” it’s because he knows more important dialogues will emerge from this vibrant renaissance.

In 2021, the African story is about presenting narratives of nuance that allows a multiplicity of experiences to take center stage. The filmmaker applauds how the convergence of social media, movement-building and youth culture is showing the world that people of African origins are fundamentally a multicultural people.

“There are all these voices ready to uplift the African story. I think Africa is one of the most diverse places in the world. When you add all these other communities: African-Americans, Colombians, Jamaicans, everyone that has African heritage wants to be a part of this movement,” Mutabaruka says.

LISTENING ACROSS DIFFERENCE Many artists understand that the work of amplifying underrepresented communities is about the long haul. Mutabaruka, true to his self-reflective nature, calls on everyone within the African Diasporic community to continue listening to each other.

“Sit back and learn and embrace others. Hopefully when COVID is done we can travel, meet people and see their experiences. I want to go to Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and to any space where there are people of African descent. I want to amplify our voices together,” he says.

Ras Mutabaruka conducting an Interview

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TECHNOLOGY

By Andrea Bazoin, M.Ed., Founder of everHuman

MODERN LOSS:

Courtesy of Rebecca Soffer

A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Rebecca Soffer in Venezuela

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TECHNOLOGY

G

rief can slap you in the face with shock, jolt you awake with terror or knock you into an emotional coma. It can also bore you to tears, make you pee your pants laughing and even awaken your sexual desires. Just ask Rebecca Soffer, author and co-founder of Modern Loss (modernloss. com), an online and IRL community of people who “share the unspeakably taboo, unbelievably hilarious and unexpectedly beautiful terrain of navigating life after a death.”

Whether through the death of a loved one, the ending of a relationship or even the shattering of your faith in humanity — everyone experiences grief and loss. And for those of us with hearts that stretch across oceans to reach our far-flung “nearest-anddearests,” grief has its own particular flavor.

I met with Soffer via Zoom to ask her about loss and grief in the digital age — particularly for those of us who straddle culture, race, ethnicity, nation or location.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR IN-BETWEEN IDENTITY. I feel very multicultural from my life experiences. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.A., yet my mom made it clear that the world did not end at my street. She was an ESL teacher in San Francisco in the 60s and 70s and taught me Spanish when I was little, which I picked up quickly. We also traveled a lot with my dad, who owned an international ad agency.

Amazonas

In high school, I spent a summer living in Teramo, a tiny town in Abruzzo, Italy with a family who didn’t speak any English, so I picked up a lot of Italian. I had the time of my life, making friends that I still keep in touch with today.

In my junior year of college, I studied at the University of Seville, Spain, where I enrolled directly.

I felt very drawn to the culture of Andalucia, [Spain].

I’m a Jewish girl from Philadelphia. Yet, I feel like I should have been born somewhere on the Iberian Peninsula or in Latin America. With the vivaciousness, the warmth, the importance of family, ritual, tradition, food — there were a lot of parallels between what I experienced there and my own culturally Jewish family upbringing. www.CultursMag.com

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TECHNOLOGY

FINDING A COMMON DENOMINATOR The following year, while finishing my degree at Emory University [Atlanta, Ga., U.S.A.], I got a job at CNN en Español. Later, I became a producer for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The most impactful multicultural experience I’ve had, though, was after college. I moved to Caracas, Venezuela for a year and a half, just before Hugo Chavez was elected president. I got a job at the Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce through AIESEC, an international youth-run non-profit. It was 1998, I was fresh out of college and in the middle of Caracas. It was an overwhelmingly huge city and not the easiest place to live. But living there, I never felt more alive.

It was one of the best and most formative times in my life.

My multicultural experiences cemented for me time and again the idea that you can always find a common denominator with anybody, anywhere in the world. And that’s a comforting thing.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON DENOMINATORS WHEN IT COMES TO LOSS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE COLLECTIVE GRIEF WE ARE FACING TODAY? One of the few good things to come out of this is that all of us know what grief feels like right now. We all know what it’s like to feel completely alone while, at the same time, knowing this is a universal experience. Grief is a lonely thing, but it does feel slightly more manageable when you know the burden is being carried by a larger group of people.

Even for those who haven’t experienced a death loss in the last year, they still had things taken away from them. Their kids couldn’t go to school. They’re single and they can’t date easily anymore. Maybe they had a few more years to have kids and they’re watching that dream go away. We are dealing with the collective loss of dreams, realities, and our ideas of the future.

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My multicultural experiences cemented for me time and again the idea that you can always find a common denominator with anybody, anywhere in the world.

And that’s a comforting thing.

TECHNOLOGY

despite differences in culture, mindsets, political leanings or religious beliefs. Your story is your bridge.

Sharing it gives others permission to do the same, creating a ripple effect.

Grief is humanizing, and sharing it is helpful and hopeful. I believe in the post-traumatic growth that comes when you dare to live richly in the face of deep loss.

WHAT DO YOU OFFER THROUGH MODERN LOSS?

Rebecca Soffer in Venezuela

This pandemic is going to end. However, we’re at the onset of an enormous grief pandemic which I believe we’re going to be dealing with for generations.

My hope is that because we’re going through this together, all of us experiencing loss, this will make us more empathetic as a society.

IS THERE AN UPSIDE TO GRIEF? Grief is one of the most universal experiences. It stems from the loss of a deep connection to something or someone, which is an excruciating thing.

The upside is that you feel like an exposed nerve so frequently that sometimes you have no better coping mechanism than to share your story in a way that is vulnerable and raw — completely unfiltered.

By creating and sharing your own narrative, you build bridges of understanding with other people

My own mom died in a car accident when I was 30 and my dad died of a heart attack when I was 34. I felt incredibly alone with no one to talk to. I was struggling to ride the line between building a rich, fulfilling life and navigating profound loss. The only outlets I had were either laden with platitudes, overly clinical or too religious. I just wanted to hear stories from actual humans with similar life experiences, not just a hand on my shoulder from someone telling me it would be okay because grief takes a year. I wanted examples of post-traumatic growth — of real resilience.

Gabi [Gabrielle Birkner] and I launched Modern Loss in 2013. It’s a community focused on helping people navigate the long arc of loss as it relates to a death. We’re a life project — helping people to live rich, resilient lives with the time they have left, in spite of (and sometimes maybe because of) the hand they’ve been dealt.

Today, Modern Loss is a global movement with readers all over the world. We’re a platform for communal storytelling. I’m a big believer in getting help from people who have letters following their names, but you also need support from people who “get it,” who will listen and meet you where you are.

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TECHNOLOGY

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION HAD ON THE WAY WE GRIEVE A LOSS? Modern Loss was one of the first online peer-topeer grief communities to exist. Despite the problems we’re seeing with social media, having an online community dedicated to post-traumatic growth that is accessible to everyone, regardless of location or socioeconomic status, is very powerful. Many of our readers share stories with us that they don’t feel comfortable sharing with people who are right next to them.

The online world provides low-touch access for people at any hour of the day, from anywhere in the world, to read a piece that resonates with them, pulls them out of their isolation and makes them feel they can do this. They get exposure to perspectives on grief from around the world, which could only happen online.

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TECHNOLOGY

For so many people whose loved ones died in 2020, it was a huge scramble to figure out what a funeral could look like, who could be present and how to use online tools to bring people together virtually. Over the last year, we’ve learned better ways to use some of these digital tools to create more meaningful experiences. I recently attended a YouTube funeral and it was shockingly moving. Of course, all of us would have rather been there in person. But to see people sharing their comments and memories in real-time created an incredible sense of togetherness.

On one hand, I think it’s terrible when you have to say goodbye to someone over an iPad. We’re humans — we need to be together. That said, I do think we’re going to choose to hold on to some of these tools, even after we are able to meet in person.

For people who are unable to travel due to illness, finances, disability, work or even immigration status, utilizing digital tools to include everyone democratizes the experience and allows for more entry points for people to grieve communally.

Courtesy of Modern Loss

WHEN FUNERALS GO DIGITAL

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS BUT CAN’T TRAVEL TO GRIEVE WITH LOVED ONES? Even if you have to attend a memorial online, create a physical ceremony in your home. Do something tactile that can give you a feeling of being there. Create an altar, an act of remembrance or a meaningful ritual. We cover a lot of this on Modern Loss through personal essays and practical resources (financial, therapeutic, legal, how-to, etc.).

To learn more about Modern Loss visit www. modernloss.com, subscribe to their Substack newsletter or pick up a copy of the book Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome., available wherever books are sold.

Rebecca Soffer

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JUST HAVING FUN SHARING

Courtesy of Calvin Karuniawan Widjaja

GLOBAL CITIZEN STORIES

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INTERVIEW WITH ADULT TCK CALVIN KARUNIAWAN WIDJAJA

By Myra Dumapias

A

calm joviality finds home in Calvin Karuniawan

Widjaja’s face as he responds, “It’s fun,” borrowing Richard Branson’s words, on why he hosts his interview series. Named after his initials, Global CKtizens is a livestreamed interview series on Third Culture Kids and multicultural communities of all profiles.

“I like to listen to stories — it’s a way to bond people,” Widjaja states.

For this adult Third Culture Kid (TCK) born in Jakarta, Indonesia, moved to Singapore at age 7, and became immersed in Irish culture through his tertiary education, Widjaja’s Global CKtizens serves as his emotional anchor. He attended international school in Jakarta, grew up with a Korean family member’s cultural influence his first 10 years in Singapore and also grew up alongside a cousin

who was a business TCK. Perhaps most relatable to TCKs is Widjaja’s experience of feeling like a hidden immigrant when he moved back to his passport country of Jakarta and felt more belonging to Singapore.

Widjaja recounts when he started his Global CKtizens podcast, “At the time, if I did not do it, I would not have the emotional anchor that I need.”

He had recently repatriated back to Jakarta and was living in a rural area two-and-a-half hours (five hours round trip) by car

It’s the feeling that your existence is wrong, and you have to feel a certain way.

from the city. The content, for Widjaja, was “out of passion, out of love and that’s how the content came about.”

His interview series is not about money or fame. It is about touching even just one viewer or listener. Inspired by the advice of a friend, Widjaja describes what carries him through producing each episode: “Even if you only get one viewer and your viewer says thank you to you and they get it, you’ve done your job and that is something I carry with me every day.”

As of the time of this writing, Widjaja has created at least 82 Global CKtizens interview episodes since September 2019.

Recalling some experiences that he considers some of the toughest as a TCK, he recalls, “When people around you keep telling you, ‘This is the right way, this is how everybody is.” With these words, Widjaja describes what other marginalized population groups can likely relate to: “It’s the feeling that your existence is wrong, and you have to feel a certain way.” The interviews are a way for me to educate others about the impact of a globally nomadic lifestyle.

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This is not the TCK Despite the challenges of being different, Widjaja hopes more TCKs realize the gift of being a TCK. “There [are] a lot of people who have not yet reached the stage or are still pursuing the stage they realize their global background is actually a gigantic blessing,” Widjaja states. “You can look at [situations] from multiple angles.”

In the summer of 2020, as some in the TCK community began to engage in more discussions about racism and the impact of George Floyd’s death, Widjaja was one of the voices that took a stance, with his article, “Why do we hate? How racism still persists” published on LinkedIn. Discussing bullying responses to a post confronting racism in the private Facebook groups “TCKid: Third Culture Kids” and “Third Culture Kids Everywhere,” Widjaja says that he felt disappointed. He noticed, “Equality is [the racists’] own form of oppression. When they are told [others] are being oppressed, when they are told the way they have been living is wrong.”

In the same Facebook groups, his article received some resistance as well. According to Widjaja, “It was very disappointing. You would have expected that TCKs would be more receptive of global issues, 96

community, not anybody of color; [the racism] is just the person as individuals themselves.

but at the end of the day, TCKs are humans.”

Yet, true to TCK form, he sees different angles simultaneously.

“Some TCKs may not have been lucky enough to grow up in a custom that is a lot more accepting; but I will not be negative about it.” Widjaja points out, “This is not the TCK community, not anybody of color; [the racism] is just the person as individuals themselves.”

Widjaja’s growth as an interviewer since he started in 2019 becomes evident as he discusses what he has changed and his approach to workflow. One such lesson he learns is it is not quantity,

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but quality and consistency that matters. Widjaja gives credit to or quotes a few people who have inspired him in general, including personal friends, Culturs Editor-inChief Doni Aldine, Virgin CEO Richard Branson, Former L.A. Laker Kobe Bryant and TCK Author Ruth Van Reken.

Now, Widjaja has some lessons about what is valuable to impart to those who may be just starting: “The importance of story and importance of context, everyone has different ones. We get to realize differences and similarities.” Widjaja emphasizes, “Stories [are] what bonds people.”

The future vision for his personal goals is to be an international speaker, trainer and coach for multicultural issues.

With a degree in law, Widjaja also plans to be an intercultural mediator. He approaches these goals without specific expectations of what they would look like.

Rather, with anything he will accomplish, his desire is to one day look back and say, “Ok, I accomplished this along the way.” Widjaja explains, “Not everything is set in stone. It’s not always perfect. As long as you learn or earn something out of it, it works.” For now, he is aiming to provide valuable content.

Most valuable of all, as has been observed by peers in the TCK community, is his vulnerability.

The importance of story and importance of context, everyone has different ones. We get to realize differences and similarities.

What makes Widjaja vulnerable is his honesty in the sharing of himself in his content, particularly in regards to family relations, including tensions.

While family tension is a very personal topic, addressing it can be liberating from the silence that has stunted personal growth and family reconciliation. Widjaja offers steps towards reconciliation: “When [family members] can acknowledge what you went through, what has caused these kinds of changes, all kinds of internal paradigms within you, then they can understand.”

According to Widjaja, parents especially can realize “Ok, we

know what you are going through. It’s not that you’re doing something reckless. It’s just that you’re dealing with some kind of turmoil because of this type of lifestyle.” For non-TCK parents who may be less understanding without their own nomadic past, “at least the acknowledgement that this global life is not easy for everyone,” is helpful, he says.

Widjaja encourages the younger generation of TCKs, on their end of family relations, to “find a creative outlet, because it kind of creates a certain testament, hard core evidence, to show your global life has existed.”

Most significantly, Widjaja’s raw honesty helps other TCKs with ethnic and/or family cultures in which confronting inter-generational tension is taboo. By addressing hurtful family misunderstanding as well as discussing little changes towards family reconciliation within his own family, Widjaja has role modeled what is possible for other TCKs. Ultimately, what he appreciates the most about his family. Just as raw as he is when he discusses tension, he is equally — if not more raw — as he highlights the trait of compassion as one of the traits he values about his family. Hopefully, one day, Widjaja can look back and see, this itself (the pathway he has created for family reconciliation over difficult TCK topics) is one of the things he is already accomplishing along the way.

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THE ALCHEMIST

HEART

OF THE WORLD

The Culturs Awards celebrate the best and brightest of our in-between community. From Third Culture Kids and Military B.R.A.T.s, to immigrants, mixed-race, multi-ethnic and Expats, we want to uplift and amplify the brightest minds, talents and visions of those oft overlooked.

Niara Hardin

Whom do you want to celebrate?

Nominate the best of the in-between at CultursMag.com/Culturs-Awards.

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THE ALCHEMIST

AWARDS 2021

From Military B.R.A.T. Deidre Hardin, who designed the CULTURS AWARD: The Alchemist Heart As an artist, the spark of creativity is fickle at best. I tend to start a concept, set it aside, then come back when it calls for my attention. I spent a day playing with ideas meant to express the meaning of the CULTURS award. Keywords like belonging, family, culture, and food were some of the broad concepts to which I considered. By the evening, I had drained my mental toolbox and settled down to listen to an audiobook. The Alchemist, by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, was to be the catalyst that brought my efforts into fruition. My initial hesitation was with using copper to create the piece, my assumption being the award should be an elaborate material. This anxiety was swiftly laid to rest after a few sentences in the book stated,”...There is no need for iron to be the same as copper or copper the same as gold…copper and iron have their own legends to fulfill.” Birthed from this unexpected inspiration came The Alchemist Heart, the title for the copper heart sculpture. The book is a metaphor for life. A

story about a personal journey and how to listen to your heart and follow your dreams.

The secrets of alchemy are said to exist on a small emerald tablet that can’t be expressed in words. The Alchemist can transmute lead into gold and uses a solvent called the elixir of life to cure all ills. The chaotically twisted copper design is an interpretation of a personal journey through travel, decisions and career paths. The top of the heart is left open to represent one’s courage to embark upon their possibilities. Therefore, I placed the faux emerald that symbolized the Philosopher’s Stone as the eye of the fish. The fish symbolized not only food but a biblical proportion in sharing a skill with others. The base, as referenced in the book, can be the elixir of life or the oceans of the world. As a whole, the piece may be interpreted as ocean-crossed global citizens who find home, happiness, and belonging within their hearts.

No heart suffers while pursuing its dreams using lessons learned in discovering its legend. Ultimately, there is no magic panacea to one’s heart’s desire.

Entries open soon!

Join the free newsletter at CultursMag.com to ensure you are the first to know.

Nominate someone at Cultursmag.com/ Culturs-Award

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