GEN-ZiNE Yearbook by GEN-ZiNE

Community

Critical

7 8

12 Letter From Editors Issue 1 Afterword Issue 2 Facetune by Eden Burkow Neither Here Nor There by Arjun Joshi

26 27 29 30

32 You Good Bro by Adriano Saitta I’m Shmacked by Jack Bekos

50 52

56 Save the 100% by Anushka Joshi Second Hand Shopping by Anushka Joshi Eat Like an Enrironmentalist by Deanie Chen

76 80 84

Letter from the Editors Who Are We?

Hwoo Lee Alicia Novoa Kate Aschkenasy Kavita Rai Rachel Zhang Ochuko Ruth Layla Baradaran Chloe Yu Bhav Singh Ourros

Elle Tommy King Josie Bullen Jack Bekos Neal Sivadas Gbenga Komolafe

Tajwar Khandaker Sami Rosenblatt Morgan Grimm Dillon Bernard Anjali Ramanathan Nate Odenkirk

88 Your Silence Aids Violent Opression by Abeer Tijani 108 Is There Still Room For Hope by Michelle Austreich 112 Fuck Your Food Rules by Katie Stone 116

120 Re-Defining Isolation by Emily Faye Green 140 Sleeping With The Patriarchy by Nikki Cohen 142 72 Hours by Sophia Small 144

Abeer Tijani Jeremy Silverman Shira Alcumere Dani Gottstein Adam Casillas Biata Shem-Tov Mara Lorin

Deanie Chen Rhys Osborne Tatiana Vaz Nikol Safronova Maxine Marcus Kennedy Daniel Beyza Baykan Lewis Caldwell Eddie Mandell Zeb Berg John Van Liere Sean Lewow

148 176 196

Changemaker Workbook Afterword

Yearbook Special Edition Spring 2021

Editorial Team

Anushka Joshi Nikki Cohen Eden Burkow Sam Gibbs Blaire Goldberg

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Community Editor Story Editor Social Coordinator

Design Team

Maddy Ledger Nicole Klein Claire Baszucki Chloe Keywell

Creative Director Senior Designer Senior Designer Senior Designer

Reach Us

www.GEN-ZiNE.com @thegenzine thegenzine@gmail.com

Printed with the support of Arts in Action, part of USC Visions and Voices: The Arts and Humanities Initiative

Letter From The To Our Readers, When we began the GEN-ZiNE journey in 2018, we were three eager freshmen sitting in the front row of a USC communication class called “Designing Media for Social Change”. Here, we published our first print zine “Gendered Violence: Disciplining the Body”, taking critical theory and putting it in the context of our everyday social interactions. From the get-go, we have dedicated ourselves to providing social critiques on micro and macro levels, asking our peers to pause, reflect on, and challenge the systems in place to broaden our expectations of humanity. We have released six print zines covering a wide array of topics, created a podcast to continue our conversations, hosted experiential events, and developed campus chapters to keep the GEN-ZiNE spirit alive in academic settings. But the most significant of our accomplishments is the expansive community that we have cultivated both online and off. Over the last three years, we have handed the microphone over to 150 young writers, activists, and artists, fostering an inclusive space that spans from our classmates to international contributors. We have had community members as young as 13 year olds advocating on behalf of social change, and we continue to be inspired and moved by our college peers. We have learned from each other, we have taught each other, and we have navigated tumultuous times together. Welcome to “The Yearbook: Class of GENZiNE”, where we take a look at where we’ve been and where we’re going. As we arrive at the end of our college experience, we’re not only celebrating our accomplishments as a GEN-ZiNE team, but also celebrating those of young boundary breakers disrupting the norms of their respective industries. Throughout this journey, we have developed relationships with countless innovators, changemakers, and creatives who have come from our physical and virtual communities. They have inspired us with their curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, compassion, and dedication to community.

In this issue, we highlight these fresh perspectives and individual journeys. We sat down with 40 of our Gen Z peers to learn more about not just what they do, but why they do it. While their individual accomplishments and attitudes are significant on their own, the greatest impact happens when we work together. We hope that through this special edition, you will get to know these inspiring individuals, but also get to see yourself reflected in their journeys and passions. This issue will take you through some of our favorite archives published in previous zines and on our online platform, our Class of GEN-ZiNE interviews, and our Changemaker Workbook that gives you a chance to reflect on your own values and ambitions. Social change starts with simply listening to the experiences of those around us, and we hope that these stories motivate you to rewrite the future.

Editors Writing this final letter as college students fills us with bittersweet nostalgia, overwhelming love, and perhaps most importantly – hope. We are deeply grateful to know these bright-minded individuals and to be in their company. While college has been a time to grow, challenge, and support each other, there is still so much untapped potential for what we can all create in this world. As we graduate, the chapter we knew is coming to a close, but it’s time to see what happens when we spread our wings. Here’s to new beginnings.

With celebration, Anushka, Nikki, Sam, Eden, Maddy

Jack Bekos

I am Jack Bekos and I am interested in immigration policy. From Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Spanish and Legal Studies

Tia Kemp I am Tia Kemp and I am a creative activist. I’m interested in seeing change all around me. From Chattanooga, Tennessee • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Media, Arts and Practice

Abeer Tijani I am Abeer Tijani and I am a student, a learner, a daughter and sister, and a writer. From Dallas and born in Nigeria • Attending the University of Southern California• Studying Global Health

Deanie Chen I am Deanie Chen and I am a photographer and a first year student at NYU School of Law. From Kansas City • Graduated from the University of Southern California and attending NYU School of Law • Studied Economics and Communication.

Morgan Grimm I am Morgan Grimm and I am interested in disrupting systems. I currently work in communications advocacy. From Seattle • Graduated from the University of Southern California • Studied Communication and Social Entrepreneurship

Elle I am Elle and I am a soul experiencing life. From Los Angeles • Attending New York University • Studying at gallatin

Hwoo Lee I am Hwoo Lee, I am a chef, and I am chasing my dreams. From Los Angeles • Graduated from the University of Southern California • Studied Business

Neal Sivadas I am Neal Sivadas and I am a Gen Z marketer and blogger. From Bellevue, WA • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business of Cinematic Arts

Jeremy Silverman I am Jeremy Silverman and I am interested in the film industry and entertainment. Over quarantine, I wrote a book called “stories I made up about people I don’t know”. From New York City • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Journalism and Film

Beyza Beykan I am Beyza Beyjan and I am running a startup called HandMade Stone (HMS). We make stones that are used for sustainable denim washing. From Istanbul • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Applied and Computational Mathematics with minors in International Relations and Theatre

Josie Bullen I am Josie Bullen and I am a daughter, a friend, a sister, a creative, an advocate, and I am pursuing the entertainment industry. From Fortworth, Texas • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Communication, Media Economics and Entrepreneurship, and Entertainment Industry

Bhav Singh I am Bhav Singh and I work in the beer industry. I own Uptown Beverage, an e-commerce platform for beer, ciders, and seltzers. From Niskayuna, New York • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Computer Science

Nate Odenkirk I am Nate Odenkirk and I love writing satire. From Los Angeles • Attending DePaul University • Studying Political Science

I am Chloe Yu and I am a model based in Los Angeles and New York City. From San Francisco • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business Administration and Marketing

Alicia Novoa I am Alicia Novoa and I work at a youth led organization called Future Coalition. From Florida • Attending Georgetown University • Studying International Political Economy and Business

Kate Aschkenasy I am Kate Ashkenasy and I want to work in sports media, specifically by sharing the stories of players and teams. From Philly • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Journalism and Documentary with an emphasis in Sports Media

Kavita Rai I am Kavita Rai and I am a community organizer and writer. From Ventura County • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Public Policy and Law, and Media and Social Change

Rachel Zhang

From Rochester, Minnesota • Currently on a gap year • Interested in pursuing government or nonprofit management

Gbenga Komolafe I am Gbenga Komolafe and I make art, sculptures, textiles, and logos. Fom a lot of places, but family currently resides in Houston • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business Administration

Biata Shem-Tov

Interviews have been edited for clarity

I am Rachel Zhang and I am working at the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) learning about sustainable agriculture and Hawaiin culture. I was a field organizer for the Minnesota DFL during the 2020 election and a National Delegate for Bernie Sanders.

Who are we?

Chloe Yu

I’m Biata, my pronouns are she/her/hers and I’m an intimate portrait photographer. I take sensual photos of others in order to promote feelings of self-love. From the suburbs of Chicago • Attending the University of Southern California • Studies Economics and Music Industry

Tommy KIng I am Tommy King and I want to restructure commercial agriculture towards a more regenerative approach to help mitigate global climate change. From Rancho Palos Verdes • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Spanish and Business

Who are we? Dani Gottstein I am Dani Gottstein, I want to become a nurse practitioner, and I am a cancer survivor. From Chicago • Attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison • Studying Psychology

Tajwar Khandaker I am Tajwar Khandekar and I am interested in foreign policy. From Glendale, California • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying International Relations and News, Media and Society

Layla Baradaran I am Layla Baradaran and I want to use storytelling as a vehicle for social change. I canvassed in Arizona in October of 2020 with a union campaigning for Joe Biden and Mark Kelly for the 2020 Election. From Los Angeles • Graduated from the University of Southern California • Studied Cinema Media Studies

Adam Casillas

Shira Alcumere

I am Adam Casillas, I am an actor, and I want to start a nonprofit for fine arts in my hometown of Coachella Valley.

I am Shira Alcumere and I am a teacher at Teach For America and am interested in going to law school.

From Coachella Valley • Graduated from the University of Southern California • Studied Business Administration and Social Entrepreneurship

From Laguna Beach • Graduated from the University of Southern California • Studied International Relations, and Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence.

Kennedy Daniel I am Kennedy Daniel and I am a student, I am a photographer, I am a marketing assistant, and I am an African American woman. But I feel like who I am is changing; I’m changing into someone who is aware of her surroundings, but not necessarily letting it define who she is. From Los Angeles • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Communication with an emphasis in Gender Studies and Gendered Marketing

Maxine Marcus I am Maxine Marcus and I am the founder and CEO of The Ambassadors Company (Amabssco), a Gen Z inside strategy and feedback company. We work with brands to help them understand the Gen Z perspective in an authentic way that actually represents the conversations and dialogues that we’re having with each other in the consumer market. From Hillsboro, California • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business Administration

Anjali Ramanathan Mara Lorin I am Mara Lorin and I work for a real estate development company. From Los Angeles • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Communication and Real Estate Development

I am Anjali Ramanathan, I am a law student, I love listening to and playing music, and I like studying languages in my free time. From Palo Alto • Attending Christ Church, Oxford • Studying Law

Sami Rosenblatt I am Sami Rosenblatt and I enjoy doing yoga, learning about spirituality, and making art. From New York City • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Law, History and Culture, and Culture, Media and Entertainment

LEWIS caldwell

Dillon Bernard

I am Lewis Caldwell and I am the brand director of Ourros. I handle various social media initiatives, merchandising, and I was involved in organizing events pre-pandemic.

I am Dillon Bernard and I am interested in using the media and storytelling as a revolutionary tool by amplifying the power of young people and underrepresented folks.

ZEB berg I am Zeb Berg and I work with the producers and songwriters, and do music publishing at Ourros. EDDIE mandell I am Eddie Mandell and I am a co-founder of Ourros. I co-head the creative side of Ourros on the creative studio side.

From New Jersey • Attending The New School • Studying Journalism and Design

Ochuko Ruth I am Ochuko Ruth and I am the founder and CEO of Parachute Media, a media brand that creates content and experiences formed by women and non-binary people of color. From Lagos, Nigeria • Attending Lewis and Clark College • Studying Economics

Rhys Osborne SEAN Lewow I am Sean Lewow and I am a partner and co-founder of Ourros. I lead the charge on the management division of the company.

JOHN van liere I am John Van Liere and I work on the management side at Ourros. I am also leading the burgeoning tech division, in which I am trying to develop tools to help musicians. Ourros Ourros is a management company and creative studio. On the artist side, we have a developing artist roster of about five artists. We also have a publishing division, as well as a writer/producer roster of about eight. We are starting to venture into tech and film with Ourros Films and production with Ourros Productions. On top of that, we just try to build a community that provides as many different resources for artists that we believe in. Based in Los Angeles • Created by music industry students at the University of Southern California

I’m Rhys, and right now I’m running Bedroom 6, which is a speakeasy that specializes in cocktail experiences with absinthe. I started it out of my bedroom when I was a junior in college and it’s been my full time job ever since. From San Diego • Attended the University of Southern California • Attended Iovine and Young Academy

Nikol Safronova I am Nikol Safronova and I am an artist. I work mostly with graphic design, but I want to expand more into 3D and motion graphics. From Novorossiysk, Russia • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business and Real Estate Development

Tatiana vaz I am Tatiana Vaz and I am in the process of starting an upcycled alcohol business where we create spiked seltzer out of surplus bread from local bakeries. From Washington D.C. • Attending the University of Southern California • Studying Business

inspiration

voice accountability inclusivity

Interviews featuring

Hwoo Lee Alicia Novoa Kate Aschkenasy Kavita Rai Rachel Zhang Ochuko Ruth Layla Baradaran Chloe Yu Bhav Singh Ourros At the end of the day, all we have is each other. Look around you - what can we teach each other? What do we have to learn from one another? If we raise our voices to raise each other up, we can create ecosystems of inspiration and accountability. We can converse across boundaries, inspire each other with stories, and create lessons that we carry with us wherever we go. One by one, this is how we unite division and create a more inclusive haven.

...a collective of people that work together.

Bhav Singh

Layla Baradaran

… a space that has no limit or requirement of existing, just a space of people, feelings, or thoughts that are shared in whatever capacity is welcomed. I don’t believe that community is defined by a common experience or existence or thought process; rather, it’s the willingness of people to come together to share something with each other.

Hwoo

...your surroundings, the people you meet, the emotions you have, the taste, the smell and every aspect of the environment you’re literally standing in.

Alicia Novoa

...a space or a group that makes you comfortable and safe. It’s a space where you’re not afraid to learn and grow because you know that the people around you are there to support and uplift you. Community is

guided by respect and caring for others.

EDDIE MANDELL

The people we love.

Community is...

Chloe Yu

...finding a home. There’s so many different types of people that make up a community, but everyone plays their part and all roles are important. Rachel Zhang

...knowing that I’m not alone in this whole process, and that there will always be people there to help you and support you and guide you.

RACHEL ZANG

Kavita Rai

...a space where you can share values, culture, and interests with other individuals. In the age of social media, I think that you’re able to find so many communities that you may not have found otherwise based off of your geographical location.

Kate AsChkenasay

...a place where everyone feels included and feels like their voices are equally heard.

Ochuko Ruth

...people who are brought together by shared values or identities. Regardless of different opinions, we’re brought together by that same desire to find a space that appreciates us.

Our community is... moved here, I had to form a community and connect with people to make a home for myself in America.

my city because all the work I do is there. I think about all the very small but important things that people have done for us without even knowing our full story, but just out of support for our members and the broader movement.

SEAN LEwOW

Rachel Zhang

Hyper creative.

My community is made up of women and non-binary people of color. And fighting for our right to be ourselves and represent ourselves instead of representing our whole monolith or everyone who looks like us.

Alicia Novoa

serving the communities around me. I was really involved with my school in Portland. I don’t have family here in this country at all. I’ve been here entirely the past year because of the pandemic. When I

the youth activist community. I realized that being around other youth activists made me feel really good, so I purposefully dedicated more time to those groups and filtered out other groups that were not as conducive to my growth. I felt like people cared about the same issues as me, and I was able to flourish.

Ochuko Ruth

Bhav Singh

a collection of people that are all striving to do the same thing I am.

Kate Aschkenasay

people who have a passion: people who see something in the world that they want to change and that they care enough about it to actually do something.

Hwoo

made up of friends and found mentors on both Instagram and clubhouse and I’m really just connecting with a lot of creators and chefs.

With my virtual internet community, i’ll go live on TikTok and just answer questions and let my audience express their voices and opinions. SEAN LEWOW

Chloe Yu

My work community, my school community, and my family all help me feel at home. They all make up different aspects of me. Kavita Rai

Justice in the Classroom, and Brown Girl Magazine.

KAVITA RAI KAVITA RAI

Community is there to acknowledge, recognize, and uplift one another. There will always be people in your community that don’t have the same lived experiences as you, but that doesn’t mean you get to negate it or invalidate it.

Kavita Rai

SEAN LELOW

Without it, it’s really challenging to get anything off the ground. In our situation, the most successful artists come from a community that’s trying to uplift them. You need that jumping off point more so than anything else. And you have to believe that it’s going to be the biggest thing in the entire world, and people want to hear it, and they need to hear it. And if you don’t believe that your community supports it, I don’t think any other community will. LEWIS CALDWELL

Even beyond the business of it, everybody obviously wants to belong to something, a fundamental quantum of the human condition is wanting to belong somewhere.

John Van Liere

Community is really what’s allowed all of us to do what we want to do. Everyone has an example of someone else in the group helping them achieve what they want to achieve.

Community is important

RACHEL ZHANG

Ochuko Ruth

Community is the thing that helped us survive evolution, right? We’re able to form bonds with each other, to look over each other’s backs, to procreate. I just feel like community is so natural. In the past, community has been built a lot around religion and ethnicity among other things. But in the world we live in today, people find different ways to form communities, and it can be for good and for evil. But

I do think that human beings fundamentally have that desire to gather and to be with each other, and to talk and connect. And I think one of the reasons why that’s come to the forefront this year is because of the fact that we’re not able to anymore. Bhav Singh

Community is the network effect. If you don’t have a community, you can’t grow anything. How do you advance in technology, in culture, or anything without other people? Layla Baradaran

because... Rachel Zhang

Kate Aschkenasay

Especially with the state of our world right now, the amount of mental health issues that people are experiencing can be alleviated by a sense of community because it makes people feel like they’re wanted and heard.

Chloe Yu

The moment you start feeling alone or feel not listened to, it can be so draining and will take you out so quick. But when you have people to help you make light of a situation and to comfort each other, it makes anything bearable.

A sense of community is essential to self-growth. When times get tough, you need community to lean on.

Community is important because it’s ever evolving. I am a member of the Jewish-Iranian community here in Los Angeles, a community that I’ve rejected for most of my life because of the larger conservative ideology. However, as I’m coming to terms with my identity and my heritage, I am realizing my hunger for being a part of my family’s history. We all need community, and we all yearn for a space to feel accepted and to feel safe.

Alicia Novoa

Isolation over the last year has made people yearn for community. It’s important to have that sense of camaraderie and that connectedness. There are different growing communities within our society right now and they’re just super polarized, so we’re just divided as a whole. Ochuko Ruth

Community is a huge thing back home in Nigeria. I don’t think it’s as huge in America. I’ve lived in four different countries, and I notice how America is very divided; the two parts don’t really make one whole community. Kavita Rai

A lot of people are focused on how we are going to achieve national or global change, but when they do so they overlook their own local community. Or even worse, they will try to go into other communities that they’re not a part of to do this work, which I think can be problematic.

Community in Society Rachel Zhang

Community controls everything: it makes you feel heard, makes you feel appreciated, and it gives you a sense of power and hope.

Layla Baradaran

I really don’t think there is a strong enough presence of community. There’s

a form of accountability, and also this unchallenged baseline of togetherness or love, that comes from showing up and being a part of something that’s bigger than yourself. I don’t see that around me enough. Maybe that’s why students are so hungry in the classroom, because that’s one place that we know we can be a part of as individuals.

Community for Kate Aschkenasay

No significant change can happen from one person. The only way that actual progress occurs is when people collectively work towards a goal together. Community fosters these goals and shared mindsets.

the future

Kavita Rai

Investing in community obviously impacts our future and is better for society as a whole. Community is such a broad topic––it can be the city of LA but we can also talk about cultural identity. But regardless, it’s important to invest in whatever community you are in, because you want to genuinely see those who you share a common interest, a common culture, or even a common geographic location with success and prosper. I recognize that not everyone thinks that, and so not everyone invests in policy, or invests in resources to ensure that everyone has the same experience. It’s important to do your part.

Ochuko Ruth

It can play a huge part in how we develop and how our children develop with forgiveness, tolerance, and honesty. Community can be an amazing thing. It sounds like a really one-world word, right? But it’s just people gathering. And that could be for good or for evil, and it can cause good or evil. It depends so much on the purpose of why we do it.

Alicia Novoa

I’m a strong believer in the fact that teamwork makes the dream work, so we need teams and communities to achieve goals. Communities shape the future because they shape individuals’ futures first and foremost.

LAYLA BARADARAN HWOO LEE

CHLOE YU

Community and impact Kate Aschkenasay

When I was in fourth grade, I started a nonprofit in Philadelphia that still exists to this day. Philadelphia has a terrible school system that is extremely underfunded. At first, we were just donating school supplies to schools in need. Now, the organization operates more like a grant system.

One memory that stands out to me was about a class of boys who were specifically put in a class together because they were at risk of dropping out. Their teacher applied for a grant from our nonprofit to take them to New York to see the play that they were reading in class. The teacher had his students write an email to me, and these boys told me that not only did they enjoy watching the play, but the experience inspired them to stay in school with the intention of buying show seats for others one day.

Kavita Rai

Within Justice in the Classroom, we were able to engage in book club discussions with students, we talked to education leaders in our county to directly discuss what we wanted to get done, we were able to also raise funds for the agricultural workers in our county and be able to make the connection between understanding how farmers lives intersect with student lives. Ochuko Ruth

I go to a liberal arts school that is very theory driven, and I’m not a huge theory person. When I came here, I was more career driven, but there wasn’t a lot of conversation about investment, entrepreneurship, and startups. I was very vocal about that stuff on campus and helping people be educated on career opportunities and finances.

Dispelling the notion Kate Aschkenasay

In terms of my story about sending the school boys to New York, I really felt that definition of grassroots organizing come to life. I was just one person, working with all of these really cool people who had no real reason to be donating suits for the boys and giving us a free bus to New York. But we were all working together to benefit the community. I think large scale change is obviously important, but way harder to achieve on your own. Small

Chloe Yu

I think they’re both definitely very essential and go hand in hand; small scale change happening around you will add up to affect the large scale change.

Alicia Novoa

People don’t realize that mass power is rooted in and begins at the grassroots level. You can’t achieve national change unless there are millions of small local changes. scale change might only impact a couple of individual lives, but changing one person’s life is something that I would forever be happy with. In terms of NBA, it was difficult for the entire league to agree upon a statement during Black Lives Matter. While a lot of people in the NBA wanted to make huge statements, there were too many people involved to actually come to a consensus. But a team can more readily make a statement because they are more of a cohesive community with similar interests. Kavita Rai

The different rhetoric surrounding large scale change turns it into a huge symptom of capitalism itself because you are like essentially saying, “Okay, how much more can I produce?” Even though what you’re producing is inherently for social good. There’s so much more nuance that can happen on a smaller scale. Hwoo

You can’t make effective changes from top down. I’m most successful when I basically just engage in different conversations in smaller groups, talking about what I want to change.

Rachel Zhang

When I started doing grassroots organizing, it was so much more fulfilling because I personally knew about the issues that we needed to address and I could figure out how to specifically target them You can go into the communities that are being affected and you can hear their stories and work with them to create change We need to make massive changes, but I think we have to adjust our mindsets about how we go about it. You need to be able to work with people and establish relationships in order to make these big sweeping changes. Small scale changes lead to large scale changes. But I don’t think large scale changes lead to small scale changes.

I thought, specifically through the film industry and storytelling, that things not only had to be on a large scale, but had to be specifically accessible to a mass audience. Because if we’re only enlightening the college educated elite, are we really making an impact? So I’ve worked with companies whose mission is to make art-house films, but find ways of distributing them to mass audiences through platforms such as Netflix. However, my experience working with grassroots organizing and actually being on the ground and infiltrating a community has shown me that the only way change will occur in its most authentic form is by people who are fighting for it on a smaller scale. Mass scale can often dehumanize the people we’re trying to connect with. We have to be reminded every day why we are fighting and who we are fighting for. While working on the ground organizing, we formed a community. 800 organizers and I formed human connections with the people we were speaking with, and developed those connections over time so that they are not only going to vote in this election, they are going to vote in the next election, and the election after that, and they are going to teach their children to vote and so on. By connecting with people on a human level, you are empowering them to take responsibility for their own fate. And often by targeting a mass scale audience, we think we’re helping or changing more people. But I believe that the significantly more authentic way of creating change within communities is by connecting with individuals.

LAYLA BARADARAN

Ochuko Ruth

Layla Baradaran

happen on a large scale

The idea behind what we do is that anyone can become a storyteller. It is inherently grassroots, people to people. Because of the background that I come from, I always ask, is this going to scale? However, I do believe that there is power in connecting with people on a very personal level, and being able to impact their lives in a very tangible way.

that change has to

To our readers, Welcome to the first issue of GEN-ZiNE, a publication dedicated to addressing issues experienced by Generation Z. Our first issue – the Spring Issue – premieres our quarterly releases. It explores the theme of gendered violence, and moreover the topic of disciplining bodies. Ownership of the body manifests itself in politics and policy, norms of society, and interpersonal relationships. It appears in more ways than meets the eye – it is not just the physical control that one gender has over the other. This issue will explore a term under the umbrella of sexism – gendered violence. We all know that there is an inequality between the opportunities and privileges between the two sexes. We see it in education, politics, athletics, and family life. Gendered violence is the manifestation of sexism. It speaks to the bias and harm (both physical and emotional) that the differences between the sexes cause, in particular towards women. Women often have unfair disadvantages when it comes to making decisions in their lives because for so long they have been sidelined by men. This overall topic is broad, so we further slimmed our scope to the control exerted over physical bodies. Disciplining bodies is how institutions of society have claimed the female body. This exertion of power not only manifests as a physical control but also mental and emotional control. It transcends physical boundaries and finds itsel present in laws and rules that control daily––both spoken and unspoken––in society. It influences our perspectives and thought processes in everyday life, meaning the mundane choices such as how we dress/present ourselves when leaving the house. The call to action is to reclaim our bodies. We will unearth the ways our bodies are owned and take you to the roots of each issue. By shedding light on these truths, we begin to remove the barrier that prevents men and women from being equals. The only person with true ownership over a body is the individual it belongs to. It is this simple reminder which will serve as a mantra to fuel change in society. We are the new wave of activism. We are here to educate and provide our readership (shoutout!) with the understanding and implications of these issues and then give them the language and tools to bring the critique off of the paper and into action. We are here to shine a light on these issues, and you will reflect the change in society.

With love and challenge, Anushka, Eden & Sam

Throwback Article

afterword BY ANUSHKA JOSHI

Throughout this issue, you heard people share their concerns and experiences with hiding their cultures, feeling afraid to share them, or pushing them away for the sake of conformity. Our fears were confirmed by the politics of America, and it conditioned us—at least me— to believe that my culture was to be kept to myself and those who innately understood it. But what I didn’t realize was that people want to learn, share, and understand each other’s cultures. I recently took my best friend to India with my family. Yes, it was a culture shock, but she soaked up every inch of it and embraced it with me. I was not only able to show her my roots, but I was able to share with her a part of me that not many other people have ever seen. Upon our return, our friends were so excited to hear about our trip, and she continued to spread and share a new culture. I feel more proud than ever, and excited to embrace my tradition because I know I’m not alone. I just wish I had known it sooner. It was the affirmation that I never knew I needed, and by opening up my life to her, I was able to reconnect with my Indian roots in a way that I never want to let go of again. In a personal sense, as well as a communal sense, sharing culture creates a more open and tolerant world. We can bond over differences and utilize our distinct backgrounds to learn something new. I encourage you all to share something about your heritage with your friends today. It’s empowering, and teaches us the trust and tolerance we all need to succeed and thrive in a larger community. It’s cool to have culture—never let anyone tell you otherwise.

ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

Throwback Article

by eden burkow

A picture is worth one thousand words, one thousand beauty standards, and better yet– one thousand tune-ups for the price of $2.99. Social Media has gracefully merged into fueling beauty standards. Today, the internet and various social media platforms are available to everyone, and so are the effects of gendered violence. We are constantly looking at different images of people, comparing ourselves – the body shaming aspect that social media perpetuates has become so accessible. Facetune has been conquering the way we “showcase” ourselves on social media since launching into the app store – Spring 2013. Facetune’s presence has created a new wave of gendered violence on social media, making people feel that it is a necessity to edit themselves to fit the beauty standards of today. Women are constantly reminded that their physical attractiveness is one of their most important assets. The use of Facetune allows women to portray themselves however they feel they best need to. Facetunes’ capabilities can be compared similarly to those of Photoshop, except it is much simpler to use, making anyone a professional editor literally at their fingertips. It’s the editing application that can turn any “sub-par” photo into a million bucks. Pores, lines, zits can all be easily airbrushed by a swipe of the finger, teeth transformed into pearling whites, waists nipped and tucked – photos easily edited, enhanced, retouched. Our theme –Disciplining Bodies– is defined as the way the various institutions of society have

claimed the female body. It seems as though the ability to easily alter our bodies and faces has become way too common; it’s hard to recognize real, authentic, pictures from edited pictures on all forms of social media. People have become masters at using Facetune. Because the application has become so tangible, and so easy to use –we ask ourselves: why should we not use it? Editorial shoots have been using photoshop and different editing techniques for years, so why should we not treat ourselves by tweaking our own images too?

This editing, self-altering application, reminds us constantly of our imperfections because we can so easily choose remove them. The way Facetune has become integrated into the way we portray ourselves on social media facilitates beauty standards in the most tangible way. Users may be able to achieve perfection through Facetune, but in reality they can’t hide behind their screens forever.

All my life, I’ve been identified by people as “basically white” or “not super Indian,” because I don’t practice Hinduism or conform to the type-A stereotypes like Apu from “The Simpsons” or Raj Koothrapali from “The Big Bang Theory.” On the flip side, my non-Indian friends have gawked at or joked about my love for Bollywood cinema and Indian food (I will swear by my mom’s biryani). I more or less accepted the jokes as well-intentioned ribbing. But recently, my cousin was ranting about the marginalization of people of color at her university. She addressed how they are a rare presence in Greek life (and more to the point, not expected to be a part of it), and how other friends have claimed “the only Indian thing about you is that you’re brown”. And yet, strangers view her as Indian because her parents work in Silicon Valley. These points finally spurred me to ponder the jokes my own peers had made about me growing up, and I came to a disturbing conclusion: the performances of race and culture are constructs of white people and the West.

By Arjun Joshi

For those who don’t know what that means, “performance” is acting out a culture that you come from, whether you truly identify with that culture or not. For example, as the son of Indian immigrants, speaking Hindi, following the Hindu religion, and participating in Indian cultural activities like Raas Garba and Karnatic singing would all be performing that Indian identity. Because I do not do any of these things, I am not performing my racial identity, and thus I am not perceived as a proper member of the Indian community. I don’t say this because it’s another example of “white people say silly things sometimes.” I say this because it is a problematic and deeply damaging concept to POCs around the world. This concept that the cultural mainstream is white, heteronormative, Christian, and male is a troubling concept because it erases the beauty and uniqueness of other cultures and philosophies. It pits the “assimilated” POCs like me against those who are more “in touch” with their mother-culture, and for what? At the end of the day, people of color are marginalized whether they assimilate or they don’t; while the assimilated can avoid judgment of

Throwback Article

their “foreign” traditions and customs, their skin color will always mark them as outsiders in the white mainstream. Culture may often involve the dynamics of sociopolitical groups and artistic movements, but at the end of the day, a culture exists because individuals buy into it. Why are we defined as “too white” or “too Indian” for these groups? Why does it matter that we choose the traditions that work for us, and more importantly, who earned the right to judge others for their culture? It’s outrageous that POCs and their children are forced to choose between their heritage and acceptance because it’s a false choice. Only we as individuals can choose what we identify as authentically “our” culture. This is something that resonates with me as I am caught between these two worlds as an IndianAmerican from Missouri, the heartland of the United States. I don’t speak the languages of my parents or grandparents, I don’t practice the religion of my caste, and I’m not a participant in dance and music from India like Raas or Classical. But on the other hand, I’m not a Christian, I’m not white, and I was raised in a household that fit the stereotypes of academic discipline and overachieving. These characteristics live side-by-side in my heart, habits, and identity. Growing up, I hated the embarrassment I felt when I explained why I’d brought an Indian snack from home, or when I told my parents that I did in fact want food like pizza and burgers over something more traditionally Indian. Having to explain our preferences in food and music, which are the building blocks of any culture, simultaneously alienates first-generation children like me from peers and parents alike, and leaves us uneasy in either world we inhabit. Whether it’s because we don’t speak the language or follow the religion, we feel ill at ease when attending poojas (prayers), holidays, and birthdays in the culture of our grandparents and nominally more “authentic” peers. By the same token, we are treated to moments of jarring discomfort in our country of residence at birthdays or holiday parties because we question if we were somehow deprived of an important experience in our childhoods. In actuality, we weren’t raised any better or worse than our peers: just differently. This is something that I’ve felt build over the last 20 years of my life, but I finally have the words to describe my frustration. At the end of the day, you have to know an individual by their story and thoughts. Don’t assume our socio-economic status because of our skin color, don’t question our intelligence because of our accent, and most certainly don’t question our politics and social attitudes by the presence of a yarmulke, hijab, or bindi. I am an American, but that does not mean I will ever renounce the Indian roots of my family. I live in both worlds, and that is beautiful.

Curiosity lets us engage with the world around us and widen our perspective of what we think we know. Being a student goes far beyond the classroom; it’s about questioning why systems exist the way they do, and learning from the experiences of others by simply listening. It’s about being a student of the world. Our hunger for knowledge is hard to satiate, and it keeps us looking closer, analyzing intently, learning and growing together, and facilitating change.

facilitating change

learning analyzing listening questioning being curious

Interviews featuring

Elle Tommy King Josie Bullen Jack Bekos Neal SivAdas Gbenga Komolafe 33

Elle

….being thoughtful. It’s looking at things from a different perspective. If there’s anything that I’ve learned from life, it’s that literally nothing is black and white. And everything is complex, and there is no singularity. The universe is one

Curiosity is... ...built on little day to day improvements. Everything in life tells you to focus on the macro moments, but I feel like in the micro moments, curiosity is the way to have constant movement and baby steps forward.

Neal SivAdas

of duality: light and dark, white and black, good and evil. So if you’re seeing things from only one point of view, you’re never going to be able to see things the way they actually are.

NEAL SIVADAS

JOSIE BULLEN

….the desire to learn more or know more. But I think a lot of people think about it in an academic context: I’m curious about history, I’m curious about math. But I think my curiosity is definitely more emotional and social. And I’m really curious about people. What makes people’s minds tick? What keeps people going in their respective fields? Why and how are people making society better? Why are some people more ambitious than others?

Jack bekos

….engaging with new ideas, new beliefs, new people, new places. It’s not only engaging with them, but having the drive to engage with all these new ideas and finding inspiration in the new.

Tommy King

...the willingness to discover things that scare you and that you are doubtful about. So when I say a person is curious, they either doubt the reason or the origin behind something, and they’re willing to act on that doubt or that uncertainty. Whether it’s just learning for the sake of learning, whether it’s getting to the bottom of something, or whether it’s an urge to broaden your intellectual horizons.

Tia Kemp

….the eagerness to uncover and to learn. And learning is a big piece – when you’re curious, you’re not afraid, you’re

not comfortable with what you know, you are seeking more, you’re very interested in meeting new people, and you’re very interested in involving yourself with new things.

Gbenga Komolafe

The first thing I thought about was Curious George––running around questioning what the fuck is going on all the time. In fact, that’s how I feel constantly. And I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s always in my head: like Why is the sky blue?

Questioning everything hurts sometimes, but it’s fun.

Why should people strive to be curious in their lives? 36

Neal SivAdas

This day by day mindset of improving creates more potential for generating great ideas and inventions, and also leads to more people helping each other.

JOSIE BULLEN

I think the word curiosity to me is almost synonymous with growth. And if you stay curious, you’re a

because the world is constantly changing, constantly being curious is going to help you adapt. lifelong student. And

Tommy King

Curiosity drives change, and is necessary for evolution – evolution of mindset, evolution of ideals, evolution into compassion, evolution of humanity towards a better future.

TIA KEMP

Gbenga Komolafe

Jack bekos

Without curiosity, we are so restricted. I was recently talking with a family friend who said, there’s three types of people in this world: people who believe in God, people who believe in nothing, and people who doubt. People

who doubt are often the people who are the happiest, because the only thing that they know is that they know nothing.

Tia Kemp

Curiosity is vital to growth because no matter what you identify as, if you aren’t interested in what’s around you or what’s outside of your normal life, then you’ll just stick to that.

The first thing I thought about was Curious George – running around questioning what the fuck is going on all the time. In fact, that’s how I feel constantly. And I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s always in my head: like Why is the sky blue? Questioning everything hurts sometimes, but it’s fun.

Tommy King

Curiosity has allowed me to listen to new voices, and it’s allowed me to understand that every single human being on this planet is very complex, and that we shouldn’t put people in specific categories. It’s allowed me to be more compassionate. And I think curiosity and compassion are tied to each other. I think being complacent is the

Tia Kemp

I think that being curious has allowed me to collaborate with more interesting people. Being curious allows you to extend your field of reference and your involvement beyond where you’re invited.

How does curiosity opposite of being curious. And complacency breeds a lack of care.

In the field of my eventual work, transitioning to regenerative agriculture on such a massive scale has only been done in places like Australia, and in a few places in South America. And so it takes curiosity in order for us to see the benefits of transitioning to regenerative agriculture. Like I said before, curiosity is a catalyst for progress. Gbenga Komolafe

Looking at the world more closely helps you make better art. 38

Jack bekos

Curiosity keeps me going and keeps me on my toes intellectually. If I’m curious about something, it’s a great conversation starter, and it’s an ability to learn something I didn’t know. And its ability to understand my failures, if I’m willing to be curious about them.

benefit you?

TOMMY KING

Neal SivAdas

Curiosity adds a lot of excitement. There’s almost this vast behemoth of what is possible, and so I think that endless possibility mindset makes me very fulfilled.

Elle

Curiosity benefits me because it helps me maintain a rational perspective. It helps me look at things from a new perspective than the way we are taught to see them.

jack bekos

I don’t think enough people are curious. I think one of the biggest downfalls of America in the past four years is people becoming too comfortable and blindly accepting facts without seeking out their validity, and just accepting the status quo. Being curious is asking questions that might solve problems. Being curious serves an overall intellectual,

societal purpose. When we have curious citizens, we have progress; whether that’s inventions or equations or Nobel Peace prizes. People who are curious are problem solvers. And without it, I fear that society would be one where a singular opinion often outweighs the opinions of many.

MADDY LEDGER

I think people are curious, but we can always be more curious. But I say we’re curious enough because curiosity is a catalyst for change, and we see our world changing every day. We’ve seen it since the conception of our country in this world. And if we didn’t change, we would die out. So I think we are curious enough to change in the most minimal of senses, but I think we can always be more curious. This past year, we’ve seen a lot of people becoming curious in specific situations like racial injustice, systemic flaws within our own government, within our own communities, and within our own mindsets.

Curiosity in

tommy king

GBENGA KOMOLAFE

Neal SivAdas

The role of curiosity is to provide hope. Being curious is building these visions of what could be better, and what could be improved.

To be curious is to have hope that the world can get better.

Society Gbenga Komolafe

Our world makes us not curious because it makes you so scared of everything. And society teaches you to follow the system. It’s indoctrinated in the tiny things that we learn, like how we interact with people, how we subjugate ourselves and respect authoritative bodies. And so that restricts

If you don’t know yourself, then you don’t feel like you have a place to question anything or question the world. You take it as it is and say, well this is your sense of self.

how it’s affecting me, and this is how the world is set up. If the world were a little more curious, we could fix the problems that keep fucking us over. It’s not like an individual problem. It’s structural, systemic ones.

How does curiosity Gbenga Komolafe

JACK BEKOS

The people that I hope will drive our future will be curious and question the systems that are already in place. We must question, who made these rules that we’re all choosing to live by?

Jack bekos

Being curious is asking questions and wondering why things are the way they are. To me, that looks like asking why are there still sidled equities in America? Why can’t we seem to get climate change under control? Why? I think asking questions and being curious will propel our generation into a future that hopefully looks more equal and more hopeful.

drive our future? We’re too safe in a blanket of what’s been given to us in the past. But that’s not working, so I think to get out from under that we must ask questions and be more curious.

Neal SivAdas

It’s very easy to get caught up in the future, but curiosity is all about those micro moments. Overtime, these moments and curiosity are gonna build up.

JOSIE BULLEN

I think in every aspect, curiosity advances progress. And that’s how ultimately we create a better society and also reduce a lot of issues that our society creates. Tommy King

In order to change for the better, to be more efficient and progressive, we need thinkers who are not just thinking of ways to create more efficient systems, but more improved systems for all. All it takes is one person to be especially curious to drive the whole movement.

Tommy King

Individually, I’m curious on a small level about what’s going to happen today, tomorrow, the next day, to me, and to the people I love. I’m curious about learning more about the things I’m passionate

What are you Tia Kemp

I’ve been curious about the connection between my mind, my soul, and my physical body. Also about the connection between our souls with other people’s souls. I genuinely believe in the soul connection, and I think about these little orbs inside of us, just lighting up and really connecting with certain people. And that, to me, is the greatest feeling ever.

curious about? about, and also learning more about the things I’m not passionate about, seeing different perspectives. I’m curious about people. I’m curious about people who are curious, what motivates them and drives them to be curious about whatever they’re curious about.

TIA KEMP

Jack bekos

I’m curious about a lot of things. It’s funny, because when I was a little younger, and I still do this, I often find myself on tangential internet searches that take me down a rabbit hole of one off thing that I found an article or a website. I do love trivia, I love facts. But I’m also curious on a more general level. I’m really curious about what’s going to happen to our country next year, given the pandemic. I’m curious how the vaccines are actually going to work, given the variance. In the face of evil and in the face of what seems to be a lot of despair, I’m really curious about the philosophy that might point us otherwise. I’m curious about existentialists.

Neal SivAdas

I’m really curious about how people make great films. I’m curious about how people view where they stand in life, and what shapes them.

JACK BEKOS

Gbenga Komolafe

I’ve been reading a lot about the creative process and exploring how I can make my work more process-based and less results-based. And that’s how I’ve been getting into more sculptural work that takes more time. I’ve been exploring and figuring out how to make it less about the object and the result of whatever you’re looking at, and more about the process that’s going on in the experience of work. Elle

I’m very interested to see what social pressures are going to be in 10 years because I think that the rate of change is accelerating. It’s a compound acceleration and our social understanding, of what we deem human.

Gbenga Komolafe

Tommy King

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without being curious. I think I was very tunnel visioned for a while, in the sense that I was just kind of going with the flow of what everyone else is doing. And because I was not being curious, I wasn’t challenging myself to learn new things. That led to me falling into a pretty shitty depression and that all spawned out of complacency and accepting everything at face value.

I’m in that haze of figuring out, what is this? And what’s going on? And where am I in life? And what I’m doing? That is curiosity, and that is the constant. I don’t know if it’s gotten me to a point, rather it’s spiraled me on this journey of constant.

How has being curious

I can’t really say how being curious led me to where I am because that would take quite a bit of introspection. Only the universe knows exactly what role curiosity played in all of it.

Neal SivAdas

Having faith has led me to be very curious because I think whatever happens, I’m confident that things are gonna work out the way they are meant to.

Jack bekos

led you to where you are?

GBENGA KOMOLAFE

Elle

I just think that because of my certain life circumstances, I have been forced to see things in a way that a vast minority of people see things because of the way that we’re socialized. And because of that, I just feel less afraid to see things or try to look at things in a new way.

josie bullen

TOMMY KING

Growing up in Texas, the culture was to not speak up about things––just be the good little Christian white girl. In college, I saw other people speak up about things and I got more curious about how they had that confidence. And what was that burning passion inside of them that made them speak out about something, whether it be politics, or any type of injustice? When I was a Song Girl, I was feeling really mistreated. I was curious to know if this had happened to other people. And what did they do about it? And it led me to conduct a lot of research, do a lot of reading, have a lot of conversations with different people, which ultimately allowed me to speak up and say, what’s happening in this room is not okay. And that didn’t stick at the time, unfortunately. But it allowed me to pave a way for conversations in the future.

The Impact of Tommy King

Curiosity helped me make an impact this past summer, during the Black Lives Matter movement. I’ve always been an advocate for equality and equal opportunity for all, but the curiosity to learn more about the movement helped me be a better advocate. In our generation, we have a very unique upbringing in the sense that we have one thousand voices telling us up from down, left from right, what’s right, what’s wrong, through platforms like social media. And so it’s really inspiring to see people who think outside of the box and drive progress. Curiosity drives progress, but it’s the people who drive curiosity that ultimately drive progress. Friends will come and go and you’ll lose certain aspects of yourself that you’ve built. But if you can stick with what drives you forward and what inspires you, I think that’s really courageous.

Neal SivAdas

During my freshman year, there was a security guard who lived in my freshman dorm. He was very beloved by everyone in the dorm, like all 200 people knew him, because he was curious about everyone’s lives. At the end of the year, he throws a pizza party. But he wasn’t necessarily in the best financial place. There were a lot of people who wanted to do something for him because we felt connected to him. We surprised him with notes from 120 people, posters, and other gestures––he has been a great friend of mine ever since. One aspect of curiosity is a willingness to do things that other people didn’t do or wouldn’t do.

Curiosity, a lot of times, leads us to seeing this grey area that has yet to be filled. Gbenga Komolafe

The point of my art is to share it with others. If you make it for yourself, it’s just like talking in your head. But that’s not art because that exchange of ideas has not happened. That’s the whole point of it. I definitely feel a personal impact when I can see people experience my work and see how they question it. I made this set of posters that were like, what do you believe? Why do you believe that? Where did you learn that? Who taught you that? And I hung it in my room above my couch. Every time someone would walk in, they’d ask, “oh, what is that?” And the posters were made in a way that it’s really hard to read what it says. The intention was that you’re supposed to sit there and really struggle. We’re so used to seeing words on billboards that we don’t really read them. We’re just seeing them as a pattern. We don’t embrace the question. So every time someone new would come in, there would be 20 to 25 minutes of them just standing there being like, what does that say? What do you believe? And then they’d actually ask themselves that question.

Curiosity Jack bekos

A good friend of mine runs a nonprofit called Waterdrop Los Angeles. And so I became curious about the homeless population in LA. You hear all these myths and legends about Skid Row and you hear all these facts and figures about people. And I was really curious about the true experience of the homeless population. A lot of my work has revolved around the immigrants that make up a significant population or majority of the surrounding neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles. There’s actually an unfortunate number of immigrants who face homelessness. But as a person living in LA, I was curious to see what people needed, what people were asking for above anything else, and Waterdrop is a really cool way to see that firsthand. Curiosity and change go hand in hand. I want to think the majority of people use curiosity to improve the society around them.

Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health Written by: Adriano Saitta

Edited by: Harley McKee

This typical response often conceals the truth. It reflects a greater desire to avoid burdening others with what we honestly feel. But how can we possibly open up about our mental health and well-being seriously through such a superficial exchange – You good, Bro? Broaching the subject of our mental health or other’s well-being is a real challenge when many men view it as embarrassing, taboo, and a potential threat to defining their masculinity. Fortunately, the topic of mental health has increasingly become more socially acceptable and has gained more public attention. However, within the male community at large, it has yet to make a big impact. And specifically, as a man in a fraternity, often surrounded by what would be referred to as “toxic masculinity,” I’d like to share the unspoken reality of men’s mental health – Be warned, there’s a lot more going on than you might think in those heads we use for smashing cans of beer. College males deal and experience mental health issues. I currently live in what is considered one of the “worst possible” environments for talking about mental health: a fraternity. Men are taught to be strong by repressing our emotions, it’s the precedent we follow. Unfortunately, this only contributes to greater emotional insecurity and a recurring cycle of perpetuated anxiety further down the road. This emotional repression operates at a subconscious level, often surfacing in more casual conversations. A prime example of this is when talking about romantic interests. Many of us college men still cannot figure out an appropriate, effective, and reliable way to communicate with those we are romantically interested in. For example, When speaking about girls it can become an anxietyinducing event, “Well she said this, how should I respond? Do I invite her out for a drink? Ahhhhh, I don’t know what to do.” While there is an element of anxiety formulated in this type of situation, anxiety from past emotional situations, that never received any attention, often slip their way into these vulnerable moments. However, interactions like these often remain at surface level, we do not truly reach the deep-rooted issues we are dealing with every day.

Throwback Article

Here’s the point though, from my experience, I have found that men feel much more comfortable, and find a bit more confidence within themselves, talking about their mental health after a few drinks – a tangible coping mechanism. While this is obviously not ideal, it helps break down masculine ego defenses and provides a much-needed opportunity to share what is actually going on in their lives. Anxiety is incredibly common, it comes in many different forms and finds its way into situations where it doesn’t always feel welcome. Unfortunately, trying to repress anxiety ultimately creates the most vicious cycle: anxiety about having anxiety. Men need to feel more comfortable talking about experiencing mental health problems. The perception that mental health issues makes a man “weak” or “soft” needs to go, seriously. Severe issues such as anxiety and depression often develop from suppressing emotions. It’s time to feel comfortable about speaking up, recognizing that it’s okay to not be 100% okay. We all have hard times in our lives, without an outlet it just compounds the situation and forces people to bottle up their emotions, often exploding when something small pushes them over the edge. True strength comes from processing emotion, learning from our experiences and reaching out to others in need. These vulnerable conversations create incredible bonds between people and open up the door for future support. Repressing emotions is never the way to handle mental health issues.

You are not in this alone.

National Hopeline Network (1-800-SUICIDE)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)

I promise.

National Mental Health Hotline (1-800-553-4539)

ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

The practices you want to instill in future generations are things that you should be practicing today. If you can, try to not be afraid to reach out if you are struggling, people will be much more receptive than you could possibly imagine. Remember that opening up to someone does not mean that you are burdening them. Reaching out for help is the best thing you can do, even though it is often the hardest thing to do. This needs to change, immediately. Having conversations about mental health is extremely important, especially as we face new changes and challenges in our lives each day.

BY JACK BEKOS ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

It’s a Saturday morning. You’ve woken up with a dizzying headache, an aversion to light and sound, and a crippling desire to remain in bed and sleep the pain away. “Are you ok” and “What happened last night” are blowing up your phone, which of course is close to dead. You haven’t changed your clothes from last night. Your dry mouth is begging for water, your body is begging for Advil, your mind is attempting desperately to remember…. Now change Saturday to Thursday. Or Friday. Or Sunday. Does the rest still apply? If so, what is your drinking an excuse for, if anything? Why is alcohol such an essential part of the college social experience? Did you have fun last night if you can’t even remember it? How frequently is alcohol abuse masked as just good ole college fun? Let’s have a conversation about binge drinking. No, not the conversation between you and your parents, or via the automated lessons from AlcoholEdu. Let’s talk more about the physical and mental health effects of alcohol consumption that often go unnoticed until our college experience is over.

Article

y• Alco st r i ho em l h

a l t e

chemi

ol alt er s

ain

o h

te r al

s brain

ch e

m i

a n x i

•

creases anxie t y l in an d

•

t r e

lcohol A

an d s

Before someone encourages you to get “blacked out” tonight, think of how drinking alters your view of your environment. Heavy drinking interferes with the way we think. If we are prone to anxiety and notice something that could be threatening, we’ll hone in on that single thing and ignore the less threatening or neutral information. For example, we might notice a crush talking to someone we’re jealous of instead of focusing on everyone else they’ve interacted with throughout the night.

as es

y • Alcohol inc re

y t e

s se a e

et nx i

A l

y r

•

str y

co h l A

The fact that alcohol is a depressant means that it disrupts the balance of the chemical processes in the brain. The relaxed feeling that comes with having a few drinks is the result of the depressive nature of the drug, especially in the part of the brain we associate with inhibition. (Making mistakes when drunk, anyone?) However, increased alcohol use leaves a more permanent impact on the brain. Instead of pleasurable effects increasing, it is possible that negative emotional effects will take over. If you have ever met someone who gets angry, aggressive, anxious or depressed while drinking, excessive consumption is likely the culprit.

a i

Throwback

l yc c

Alcohol d e •

a is

s cycle • ou Al i c ic o v

ression dep is d t o

su ic id

a n d

lf e s

ep re s s io

n t o su ic id e

l is link e

v ic

d n

f el

coho • Al m r ha

If you drink heavily and regularly, you are more likely to develop symptoms of depression. Repeated alcohol abuse can lead to reduced serotonin levels in the brainthe neurotransmitter that controls mood, cognition, reward, learning and memory. In Britain, people who experience anxiety or depression are more than twice as likely to be heavy or problem drinkers. Drinking heavily can also affect relationships with partners, family members and friends. Ask yourself: do I get poor sleep after I drink? Do I feel tired because of a hangover? Do I have a persistent bad mood? Am I anxious in situations where I would normally be comfortable? If the answer is yes, this could be a sign that persistent alcohol use is affecting your mood.

le •

nk li

id suic to

e a nd s e l f

-har m • A l

co h o l

d ke

arm • A -h lc

cy c

is a viciou s

o c l

e d

on si

Throwback Article

National Mental Health Hotline (1-800-553-4539)

National Hopeline Network (1-800-SUICIDE)

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)

For more information visit : www.samhsa.gov/

ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

The answers do not have to be black and white, but instead a point of reference. The tipping point for alcohol and drug abuse is often blurred, and it is incredibly important to remember the warning signs of such a point before it’s too late. In the end, your body (and mind) will thank you.

Why are things the way they are? Have they always been this way? And do they always have to be this way going forward? Who said so? Critical thinking is the interdisciplinary foundation that allows us to analyze problems and execute solutions. Rejection of face value and challenging the norm broadens our expectations of humanity - it doesn’t have to be this way forever.

Interviews featuring

Tajwar KhandakeR Sami Rosenblatt Morgan Grimm Dillon Bernard Anjali RamanathaN Nate Odenkirk

rejection

face value

critical thought analysis

problem

Tajwar Khandaker

taking something, whether it be an event, person, a thing, a set of circumstances, and actually understanding it from all of the available, or searching for new ways to see it. But for more than one, I think we have a tendency to think of things unilaterally. That’s the way that we are raised to think: you pick something out, you look at it, you make an assumption, and you move on, you look at something someone tells you about it, you absorb that

Critical Thought is...

ANJALI RAMANATHAN

and move on. The harder part,

of course, is dealing with that information once you have it, and putting it through the blender.

And that’s what I think critical thinking is best defined as cutting something up, looking at it every way you can, and actually assessing what that thing is, from all the available viewpoints to you, rather than just the one that suits you, the people around you, or that’s easy for you to see.

Morgan Grimm

the ability to perceive or consider multiple perspectives.

Sami Rosenblatt

thinking that requires some outside knowledge. I really love critical theory. It’s really informed my lens of looking at the world. So let’s say I want to look at a magazine. You can look at the cover image, and you can be like, “Oh, there’s Beyoncé, she looks pretty.” And then you can start to think about an image of a woman and what that means from a critical perspective from the eyes of someone like bell hooks, who actually doesn’t even like Beyoncé, while other people might be like, “Oh, this image is a feminist image inherently because it’s of a woman in a position of power.” Someone else might say, “This image is capitalist because it’s on the cover of a magazine that’s promoting the sale of her new album.” So I just think that thinking critically means showing that there’s more than one side to everything and more than two sides to everything at that.

Nate Odenkirk

creativity. You have to consider enough perspectives to have a creative and well thought-out take on the situation. I think the best satire effectively points out flaws for the viewer to see. And then it’s up to them to make their own decision about how that affects them in their life. We can’t hope to change anyone’s mind, the best thing we can do is heighten people’s awareness of the world around us and hope that somehow it makes a connection and

Anjali Ramanathan

not taking things for granted, not assuming that something’s true on face value without applying some analysis or comparing it to other narratives in order to make sense of it on your own. improves someone’s life. Even if it’s just to laugh and just to take a break from their work or the reality of politics. Dillon Bernard

all about nuance and context. Critical thinking is really about the power of storytelling, and I want to ensure that I’m creating meaningful and intentional content that moves people. Critically thinking about considering, what is really my intention here? What is my intention of creating something to be consumed by others? How do I want people to take action based on what I created?

Tajwar Khandaker

Critical thinking is what allows us to do the things we do, the wonder of humanity,

it’s the special ability that we have that allows us to have coffee and cars and electricity is the fact that we can critically think and that’s what separates us from everything else. And it is a unique ability to be able to string together different thoughts, to put them together in different ways. And to realize that one might have implications on another in a variety of ways. And that’s how we’re able to achieve the best of what we’re able to achieve on a very simple level.

It’s a reminder that there are voices in the world besides our own. And there

are monologues that are important besides the one in our own head. It’s

Nate Odenkirk

That is what makes critical thinking so valuable; it gives us a dose of creativity in a world that is so governed by hard facts.

Dillon Bernard

important to march to the beat of your own drum, respect yourself, respect your personal intuition, but at the same time, you have to learn from the experiences and intuitions of other people. And that’s especially important in terms of recognizing diversity and inclusion.

I think critical thinking is important because this is a unique time where there’s a lot of different things fighting for our attention. And I think through the power of understanding and taking a step back to really think about “the why” is our ability to be human and to connect with others. It really comes down to our shared experiences and our shared humanity.

Sami Rosenblatt

Anjali Ramanathan

Morgan Grimm

Without critical thinking, nothing would change. And we’d be doing things that either take advantage of people or just perpetuate systems of power. There would be no innovation, there would be no advancement. There would just be the status quo, which very rarely is beneficial to many.

It’s important because our lives are increasingly an onslaught of information. Sorting through what information we should internalize and what information we should pass over is more important now than it ever has been. I think it’s also true because we have so much stuff that we’re bombarded with all the time. But it’s also because we are constantly under

pressure to make a statement on literally everything all the time. And I think this has increasingly been happening since May. And in a lot of ways I think it’s good because

The Importance of Critical Thinking

SAMI ROSENBLATT

like when people say that silence is violence, I think a lot of forms of silence can be. But it also means that we’re under pressure to make statements that take stances on so many issues, it’s increasingly improbable that we can do it well on all of them. And so the urge is really strong to just cut corners, and copy-paste what you see––maybe it’s from a person that you trust or that you like, or who has other opinions that you know are verifiably good. But I think that can get us into a lot of bad situations, both on a personal level that we really should be making sure that we agree with every stance we take. And also just on a broader societal level that I think there’s a huge benefit to people knowing what they’re advocating and knowing what’s behind the messages that they’re imparting.

Critical Thinking in Society Tajwar Khandaker

There’s definitely been a shift recently in the last 10 or 15 years, maybe that’s been coming for longer, where there’s a tendency in the public sphere, and I say that intentionally mostly focusing on the media, and social media, and the way that public discourse happens. There’s definitely a lack of critical thinking that goes on there. But there’s just there’s a tendency to sensationalize, which isn’t anything new, of course. The current ecosystem

of public discourse lends itself to people trapping themselves into the echo chambers that feed them the same information that they’d like to receive. And given that context, you don’t need to make content that people are going to question or challenge, you need to give people the content, but they’ll pay money to you to give them more of. And that’s all the circle has

been for a while now. And I think what’s happened with social media is that that system has kind of exploded. And now you have too many voices everywhere. And not that the democratization of discourse is a bad thing. But there’s a lack of quality control of public discussion that is getting in the way of how we as a country, or as an international community, perceive events as shaped on the way that these conversations take place. And the idea is that we assume collectively out of these conversations. With that being said, the discourse being shaped on the internet, on social media on various cable news networks, and radio networks, lends itself to these very closed minded lanes of thinking, where there’s not a lot of critical thinking that happens, where a single perspective is played––it’s not looked at in any other ways. People like to be fed that and it’s a cycle that goes on in perpetuity.

SAMI ROSENBLATT

Morgan Grimm

I see it quite often, but I see a lot more like common sense, status quo thinking and a lack of critical thought. And that leads into this whole argument of fake news, and groupthink. But on a smaller level, I see critical thinking all the time. Even just from like a kid who figures out a new way to go up the stairs. I think that we’re built

for it. But it is a muscle, we have to flex more often. And there are certain situations that hinder or make it more difficult, such as institutionally.

Sami Rosenblatt

I think it’s changing. I was going to say within the university, but with things like Instagram infographics, which I know are made fun of for many reasons, you do see theory entering the mainstream. Maybe this is just me because I’m in the nerd circles of the internet, but I see memes about Judith Butler and Foucault, like, what if we kissed in the panopticon? You can see theory everywhere, the more you become aware, it’s like a paradox, right? The more you know, the more you see it.

Anjali Ramanathan

I used to think, as many people probably do, that the CIA was really scary and that they could do whatever they wanted. The truth is that they’re really bad at their jobs, they mess things up a lot more than you’d expect to the point where it’s scary how bad they are at their jobs. Like you think they’re really cool, and that they go to Russia and do all this cool shit. But they have never had an agent inside Russia that lasted for longer than a year at any point in the Cold War, because they weren’t good at it. Human error is everywhere.

Tajwar Khandaker

Until I arrived in the UK, I was pretty used to people arguing that socialism is this disgusting, scary concept and identical to communism, basically. And it’s so often that you hear the political refrain in the USA, people saying, well, I’m not a socialist, but [insert socialist adjacent policy here]. It’s basically like, socialism by any other name is okay for most center leftists. But actually saying the word “socialism” is forbidden. You come to the UK, and people are like, “if you want to be a true socialist, you need to do xyz.” Anytime I hear somebody say that, I’d be like, are you sure you’re okay telling everyone you’re a socialist? That would be my internal reaction. But obviously, it’s totally fine. They have socialized healthcare. They’re very proud of it, and it works really well. I thought that the only way the world was ever going to work, for whatever reason is that people would have to just champion socialism, but refuse to call it that.

Nate Odenkirk

This is a bit of an esoteric answer. But you’re familiar with those editorials from like the New York Times, The New Yorker, Washington Post; objective news outlets that in their words express a conscience or give an enlightened opinion. Every time one of those outlets endorses a candidate through an editorial, for example, I used to give those a lot of weight because they were made by people who really understood the news. I don’t doubt that they are coming in with good faith, and they are genuinely trying to give an enlightening perspective, but somebody made a really good point to me which was how many people does that actually sway? Does anybody really say, the New York Times made this very convincing editorial, and I just had to change my vote? I don’t think that their virtue signaling here but I do think that there is a level of self righteousness in those in those op-eds. That really comes to light for me when I write on my website for this infrequent column where I write as a very hottie newspaper editorial board that’s very much in love with itself and is making very elementary arguments with a lot of self righteousness behind it.

Dillon Bernard

These last four years I have questioned, does this work we’re doing even matter? Is it getting to the people that we need to in order to address the change? Or are we just talking into the ether and nothing will really come out of what we’re doing? That’s where the burnout happens. But at the end of the day, I know that this work matters.

Sami Rosenblatt

I remember the first time that I ever got exposed to Marxist literature, I was in high school. And my only experience with Marxism or socialism was like, if we had Marxism, then no one would work for anything, because no matter how hard we worked, everyone would get the same. But that’s the argument of capitalism is the only thing that breeds innovation. And I remember at the time being like, yeah, that that sounds right. Looking back, that was not just because I was in high school. That was because of the propaganda of pretty much everything that I had been exposed to up until that point, just through the books that had been assigned to me. Everyone has to read The Great Gatsby and stuff in high school, where money is this big, shiny component of the book. When you study American history, American innovation and pulling yourself up by the bootstraps is the narrative that becomes most clear. You don’t learn so much about like, Native American cultures that practice

A time to question Morgan Grimm

Growing up in a Christian house and going into a Catholic school and then a Christian High School, and then going to USC––my worldview expanded from there, and deconstructing my faith. Why did I believe what I believe? Why do some people teach things the same way? Is that what I believe? How do I want to incorporate this into my life? Like, what do I value of this? What don’t I value? There’s so many different things, I continue to negotiate and consider. I may have believed x for so long but now that’s not something I would consider to be true at all. that I’m, like, even I forget what happened last week, but even last week, I was just like, well, I believed x for so long. And that’s like, not something that I would consider to be true at all. more like collective forms of economy and or economies that don’t involve stockpiling money. The more I’ve been a student of life, and the more I’ve learned about cultures that aren’t neoliberal, or the history of neoliberalism, I’ve just flipped on its head entirely the script that I grew up with about money being the center of the universe. Something that’s extremely important to me is breaking down the conceptions of capitalism and understanding it for the evil that it is.

TAJWAR KHANDAKER

the truth. 65

Sami Rosenblatt

I think the easiest example of this, for me, is practicing vegetarianism. Because when I first became a vegetarian, it was just because I’ve watched Food Inc. and I was grossed out about the quality of meat. But then, when I read the works of Peter Singer, who’s a vegan and vegetarian, philosopher and author, I learned about the idea that if you believe something, you should translate your belief into actions. And, you know, there are always going to be people who say, well, being vegetarian doesn’t really affect the meat market, because the chicken is already dead in the grocery store, whether or not you buy it, so you might as well just buy it. But the truth is that if every single person continues to think that that okay, the dead chicken will always be in the supermarket, but if people actually start to believe that their actions have consequences, and they actually start to say, “No, you know, what, if we believe in the powers of supply and demand under capitalism, as we have them, and the people start to stop wanting that dead chicken in the supermarket, maybe one day won’t show up there.” So that’s also really important, because it shows that you believe in yourself, you believe that your actions have power, and you believe that the power of your actions can change the world. So it’s a really great way to blend a lot of different positive thinking experiences and hope to see change.

How do you turn Tajwar Khandaker

ANJALI RAMANATHAN

Having abstract ideas in your head of how you think the world should be or how things can be done in the world is a start. I really do think that it comes down to the ability to be able to rationalize to look at the world and see it for what it is because once you do that, it becomes a lot easier to realize what you’re place is depending on whatever you want to do. But if you can’t form a clear picture of what’s really happening around you, and the space that you want to be in, you’re not going to be able to do it.

Nate Odenkirk

TAJWAR KHANDAKER

In this polarized world, I can’t pretend to be that influential. But what I can do is I make people aware of their surroundings. And hopefully, when they’re more aware of their surroundings and aware of their own political leanings, it will help them make smarter choices in the future. You can’t change somebody’s opinion, but hopefully you can change their values.

Morgan Grimm

thinking into Dillon Bernard

My consistent question in my work is how do you turn need into action? I think it’s really about being really transparent. You have to identify, what are we asking folks to do? And is it meaningful? It’s really about starting that initial conversation and being intentional around what the call to action is. The gap between where we are and where we need to go is starting the dialogue, and then being concrete about what the action is.

action?

Thinking itself is an act of resistance. So the more that you honestly judge, or use your critical thinking, or even just wonder and consider––all those thinking verbs that will permeate throughout the rest of your action. I think our thoughts drive our actions, whether or not it’s conscious or unconscious. So I thine by considering things for yourself, whether you intend to change your behaviors or not, I think it will. And obviously, the more concrete you hold a certain thought, value, or goal, the larger influence it’ll have over more of your actions.

SAMI ROSENBLATT

Morgan Grimm

Optimistically, it drives change and will make our future better. But I think there’s also ways even our well intended generation will stumble upon new issues that are unique to us, and where we come from. They might mirror some of the things that we’re combating from the previous generation, but in our own version. But I think critical thinking, and the action that ensues from it, will help us make the best of it that we can.

Critical Thinking Anjali Ramanathan

A career in law and a career in politics is basically a career in refusing to take things for granted and refusing to assume that people are telling you the truth. Not necessarily because people are deliberately lying, but because everybody is pushing an agenda of some kind. And so I think a lot of how I see critical thinking influencing my future is constantly being tasked with figuring out what people’s incentive structures are. Both in terms of oil companies want to sell oil in a big way, but also on a smaller level, what drives people to act in certain ways and make certain decisions, and then breaking down their behaviors and their perspectives based on those types of structures. And that sounds super cynical, but I feel like figuring out why things are laid out the way they are, and who has an incentive to keep them that way, is pretty central to the work I see myself doing.

for the Future

Tajwar Khandaker

It is everything in our future, it always has been. The story of humanity is a story of critical thinking and being able to be better than we were the day before, collectively. And critical thinking is the tool that allows us to make something that wasn’t there the day before. And

to survive, going forward as a species on the planet, and to make sure that the world is a somewhat livable place, we need to continue to critically think.

Tajwar Khandaker

I’ve wondered about this a lot. Because on the issue of critical thinking, and how there might be a lack thereof at times in our country, I’ve thought a lot about how it can be taught to people, especially in terms of the education system. I don’t think that it’s adequately addressed as a core tenet of

our education the way that it should be. Because you can throw as much information as you want at the person, but unless they learn to sift through and work with that information, and to really look at it and to get it from every angle that they can, it’s not the same effect. The real part of the

work comes in the latter half of that. I’m not an award winning educator or anything. I don’t know how exactly to teach critical thinking. But I think it definitely starts with telling people that it’s important and that it matters, which I don’t think we do a good enough job of to begin with.

How can you encourage others to Morgan Grimm

Nate Odenkirk

You are most swayed by your own thoughts. The best way to become a critical thinker is to ingest the news, understand what’s going on, and then shut it off. And then do a complete 180 and for a couple minutes after every day, don’t engage with any kind of media. Just be alone with yourself and your thoughts. Maybe go outside, take a walk. And while you’re taking a walk, think about what you just read. And think about what’s different about that. How does that inform who I am in the world?

As I negotiated and deconstructed my faith, I was at USC, in a very faith based Christian community, I was getting people to think more critically or even just like the open to having a conversation, not where I’m trying to convince them of anything. It’s just like, “what do you think?” To encourage people

to become critical thinkers, sometimes I think you just have to be patient and experience your own openness and lack of judgment. And while doing that, expose them to new ideas. And I think that the more exposure we get to things different than what we know, the more that we’re forced to consider, and especially when we’re in an environment that’s nurturing, that fosters exploration and confidence, and in exploring something that might be new.

Sami Rosenblatt

Anjali Ramanathan

I think the thing I’ve discovered is that the truth is very rarely cogent and well stated and easy to digest. It’s really difficult to Tweet with nuance. That type of length doesn’t really lend itself to good discussions of issues, or complexity of any kind. And so I think I would say to be wary of anything that is too short and sweet. Because for every 10 studies you can find saying “xyz,” you can find another 10 saying the exact opposite. Everything in life is cherry picked. And obviously, that’s kind of deterministic and horrible, but doing some of the work to figure out how somebody

become critical thinkers? came up with something so efficient, and why they might be parading it as the truth is something we should probably all be doing.

It’s difficult to ask people to read theory because unfortunately, it’s written in an extremely highfalutin language. And that’s the problem with higher education at large because a lot of critical theories are written at private white institutions, or institutions that have historically been closed off to certain sectors of the population. So I would never say to someone off the bat, “Oh, here, read this piece by Foucault or Judith Butler.” But there are very digestible ways to become accustomed with what the fallout from critical theory is. For example, maybe not everyone can trace the theory of intersectionality back to the law professor of UCLA, Kimberly Crenshaw, but people can definitely encounter the concepts of intersectionality. Just in terms of accessible information on the web, there’s so many good publications out there, even something like GEN-ZiNE and getting to read a piece, and being exposed to that on Instagram, that’s a great place to start. Dillon Bernard

I am somebody who’s really committed to this idea of listening more than they speak. There’s power in observing. As an introverted person, I really don’t speak unless I have something meaningful to say. So I’d say, listening is really where I start critically thinking.

MORGAN GRIMM

How does critical thinking 72

Anjali Ramanathan

It’s super true in the criminal law context that it’s not just that people have agendas, because everyone does, but there’s also a defense and prosecution. And their agendas are directly opposed to each other. And we sort of trust that adjudication will result in the truth coming out. And I think critical thinking is oftentimes realizing that there’s a huge difference between the evidence that the prosecution is looking at and the argument that they present. In fact, I think that is the difference. We look at a body of information, and we decide what we’re going to use for certain purposes. And so always keeping in mind the distinction between all the information accessible, and the information I’m going to choose to use has been very useful, and I think will continue to be useful. Morgan Grimm

There’s an element of critical thinking that comes from availability, and not getting too caught up in the hustle. So when I allow myself the time and space, the effects of my critical thinking in my daily life are evident. I like to think that we have a lot of control in our lives, and what we want to do with our actions and behaviors, because that is comforting. But I also think that oftentimes, that fails to account for just like our human limitations. Like, we can’t be critical thinkers all the time, it’s tiring. I don’t know if we can truly be impactful with every single thing that we do throughout the day, but it’s a process of self actualization to develop the level of critical thinking that I aspire to.

MORGAN GRIMM

ANUSHKA JOSHI

Nate Odenkirk

Dillon Bernard

One piece of it is critical thinking plus creativity. It is up to us to consider, how we can open this up or reach the right audience? I think a lot of my time is spent around thinking, but then there’s the strategy piece and starting a thoughtful dialogue that people actually engage in in a meaningful way.

I am a straight white man who’s been given almost every advantage in the world of satire. That’s not me degrading myself. It’s me, contextualizing myself and everything that I’ve earned, and that I’ve viewed, and all of my opinions are all colored through that lens. They just have to be, because that is the situation that I find myself in. I have to be really, really aware of that. And that’s my job. It’s an easier job than other people. Because I just have to be aware of myself in relation to other people. You shouldn’t feel bad that your circumstances have provided advantages, but you should feel bad if you’ve been given advantages and you haven’t thought about them. If I don’t think about that every day, then my satire suffers and also I become a worse human being for it. If I’m not aware of who I am and in relation to society, how could I ever hope to make effective satire?

influence your work? 73

Anjali Ramanathan

I think it’s made me wary of things that I sort of clock as overly moralistic. Something that I have noticed, especially over the course of about the past year or so, is this increase amongst leftist activists that I really respect in rhetoric that’s sort of like centrism as the devil and is worse or just as bad as Trump, for example. And I think I have always taken issue with that, because I obviously think that centrism is certainly far from our best option. But I think, recognizing the need to do damage control has been something that maybe just from a lawyer’s perspective, is always on my mind. And ANJALI RAMANATHAN

How has critical thinking realizing that sometimes, putting the band aid over the bullet holes is better than just leaving it out in the open. And so I think it’s affected my worldview in the sense that whenever people tell me that the world is black and white, I’m really hesitant to believe them. A good example is I think there’s always a middle ground between idolizing politicians and vilifying them. And I feel like oftentimes, those two things are probably equally bad. Because it is comfortable in a lot of ways to have a worldview that says some things are good, some things are bad, and it lets you pursue the moral high ground. And I think the moral high ground, in general, is something I’m very skeptical of.

Tajwar Khandaker

I would like to think that all the decisions I’ve made about how I would like to see the world or not like to see the world, but rather how I do see the world, or the best possible point that I could have brought myself to by having thought myself to that point with all the information that I’ve been given. I hope I’m sure I’ve made many mistakes, but I’d like to think that that’s interesting.

Morgan Grimm

It’s just made me realize that my worldview is evolving and shifting constantly with the more information I get the different places in life that I am. And the different people that I surround myself with. The first thing that came to mind was give yourself grace. Because sometimes, especially in wanting to live an ethical, impactful, meaningful, like–– with critical thought, it’s just like, “I have to do this. I want to beat this.” Sami Rosenblatt

I think critical thinking has completely changed my worldview. I never look at anything as simple anymore. And it’s a blessing. And it’s a curse, right? Because like, sometimes I want to just be able to be like, Oh, I need a Halloween costume. So I’m going to go and get this plastic costume. But now I can’t do that anymore. Because I automatically think about what are the production conditions of this piece of clothing? Who’s making this? What is the impact on the environment for microplastics that are in this fabric? And then I think about a lot of the consequences of my actions. Sometimes it can be exhausting, but at the same time, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing to become aware of the consequences of our actions, because then I have the power to make a choice that I’m more comfortable with and prouder of and actually breeds innovation. If I can’t get that Halloween costume that’s already made for me, now I have to think of my own costume and how I can make it more creative, sustainably, and ethically. So critical thinking really changes everything.

influenced your worldview? 75

By Anushka Joshi ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

Although every human on Earth will soon feel the effects of climate change, there is a discrepancy between the people who have contributed the most to climate change and the people who reap the largest consequences of climate change. China, the United States, and India emit close to 50% of global emissions each year, and the primary source of emission is 72% energy–– electricity and heat, manufacturing and construction, transportation, and fossil fuel consumption. These are the signs of a developed nation, perhaps the consequence of an overpopulated city. However, the people who are most affected by global warming are impoverished and rely on natural resources to survive. This group is broken down even further, as women make up the majority of the world’s poor. The people who can barely afford electricity are the ones who suffer from climate change the most. Climate change is a controversial conversation for many, and woven into it are narratives of gender inequality which create an even more difficult conversation. Climate change is a force that perpetuates gendered violence and continues to marginalize and oppress women. If women are supported in the ways that they have been begging for, such as through education and ownership of their bodies, perhaps it will save our climate. Although climate change has been examined through a scientific and economic lens, it is beneficial to approach it as a political and social problem too. Humanizing climate change allows for less mainstream solutions, and also exposes the far reach of existing problems like gendered violence and systemic sexism.

Throwback Article

Climate change affects 100% of people, but because of existing gender inequality, men and women experience climate change differently. Women in developing countries are particularly vulnerable to it because these women have fewer rights, less money, and fewer freedoms. In those moments of extreme loss, women are often hit the hardest. Women in developing countries are responsible for gathering and producing fuel, collecting water, and sourcing fuel for heating and cooking. They are dependent on the natural resources surrounding them, and with droughts and floods these tasks become more difficult. Women commonly face higher risks and greater burdens from the impacts of climate change in situations of poverty and due to existing roles, responsibilities and cultural norms. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, “targeted investments in gender equality and women’s empowerment yield returns in environmental conservation, poverty alleviation, social policy and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By tackling climate change with a gender lens, women’s rights are also addressed, tackling rather than exacerbating existing gender inequalities.” Empowering women and combating climate change simultaneously can boil down to three distinct actions: by supporting women professionally, reproductively, and academically, the population will slow and greenhouse gas emissions will lower drastically.

As economies develop in poorer countries, men turn away from farming jobs leaving the women to take on agricultural labor. Wilkinson explains how as women are the primary farmers of the world, they produce 60-80% of food in lower-income countries. The crop is farmed on small plots that the women rarely own themselves. Women in these communities have fewer rights and freedoms than men. Most commonly they have restricted land rights, lack of access to financial resources, training and technology, and limited access to political decision-making spheres often prevent them from playing a full role in tackling climate change and other environmental challenges. Because these women also receive less education than men, they do not have the same farming education and training to yield crops effectively. The solution to the inefficiency in feeding the growing population is to clear more forest ground and utilize more land for farming. However, cutting down trees reduces the oxygen that absorbs greenhouse gases. Rather than clearcutting, the proper solution is to help women farm more efficiently to reap 20-30% higher return on crops. The higher yield on crops is a more productive use of land but also provides the female farmers with money for healthcare, food, education, and financial independence. Supporting female farmers is not just a win for the climate and gender equality, but it could increase the agricultural output in these low-income countries by 2.5 to 4%, and reduce world hunger by 12 to 17% (UNFCC). An investment in women and girls creates a ripple effect felt by entire communities and countries.

Another way to benefit women and the environment is to provide birth control. The fight for ownership over the female body runs deep throughout history, and even in the modern-day 21st Century, women do not have full control to make decisions regarding their bodies. If women were granted birth-control, rapid global population growth would be curbed immensely. By 2050 the population would be at about 9.7 billion, rather than the projected 10.7 billion (Business Green). A high birth rate usually signifies low life expectancy, low living standards, and low social and educational status for women. By slowing the birth rate it would not only tighten up the reigns on population growth, but it would improve the health of a country. Women’s and children’s health, nutrition, and education make up the holy trinity to a healthy community, and by slowing population growth, it would allow for a more even distribution of resources across families.

Throwback Article

Since women have to drop out of school at a young age because their bodies are not properly addressed in society, they miss out on yet another human right––education. Not only would keeping girls in school postpone their reproductive years and slow population growth as aforementioned, but it unlocks an untapped population of brainpower and opportunity. However, education has proved itself as a form of birth control too as explored through the southern Indian state of Kerala’s birth rate relationship to literacy levels. In India, 39% of girls aged 15 to 18 receive no education, but in Kerala, there is a 93% literacy rate among women which is similar to Australia. The high education rate correlates to a low birth rate, as families in Kerala have on average 1.7 children per couple, and the rest of India has 5.5 children per couple. The right to education leads to a bigger purpose and opportunity than just having a family. By supporting young women in the pursuit of education, it unleashes the knowledge and capability of women to contribute productively to society. It creates an opportunity for twice the brainpower to be present at the table, and to create climate change solutions that represent both men and women. The women in these communities that are not receiving a formal education have the knowledge and understanding of how to adapt to their changing climate solutions, yet their voices remain unheard. Women are agents of change in their communities and have the power to influence “agricultural supply chains, community behavior, and household spending” (Business Green). In their communities, women serve as decision-makers, stakeholders, educators, carers, and experts, and their contributions can lead to successful solutions to climate change with the right resources. Two brains are better than one.

The solutions presented to empower women are not specific to only solving climate change. The issues revolving education and control over the female body are long-standing issues, and the solutions presented work to alleviate those issues. The impact that these solutions have greatly benefit not only women and their communities, but the climate at large too. These issues through the lens of climate change are yet another reminder that issues relating to gendered violence are not limited to just women, but have a much larger impact that crosses over into different contexts. Climate change affects us all. It would be a mistake to leave half of the population out of the conversation. At the top, we need advocates for the voiceless women, and on the ground, we must lift women. From practice to policy, women need to be considered every step of the way. If equality of the sexes was not enough to convince people why we should empower women, maybe saving planet Earth will.

By ANUSHKA JOSHI ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

Throwback alone saved 38 million pounds of clothing from the landfill last year. The collective impact of all of the consignment/second-hand stores and businesses around the country are sure to make an impact on the total waste each year. Millennials and gen Z’ers are more socially conscious than the generations that preceded them, and thus are more inclined to shop sustainably. This value-driven economy is changing our consuming experience as a whole. The fashion industry used to be led by top-down influence, coming from fashion designers and runway shows. Today, it is driven by bottom-up forces, meaning influencers and the prominence of social media

The trend of sustainable shopping comes after the fast-fashion takeover of the 2000s. Fast fashion refers to purchasing replica items of trends for lower quality and lower price. This concept was born out of a desire to fill consumer needs immediately, instead of waiting months for a runway style to hit the department stores. Many members of generation Z and millennials grew up in the fast-fashion boom. It provided instant gratification and affordable prices. However, the cheap quality, environmental impact, and the high chances of someone wearing the same clothing were deterring factors. Since 2000, clothing production has doubled and that is no coincidence with the rise of fast fashion. There is a massive turnover of owning clothes due to the constant outpouring of products streaming from the fast fashion industry. Traditional fashion labels used to put out two collections a year, but fast fashion companies like Zara put out 16 collections. The impact that this has on the environment is unparalleled. Up to 85% of textiles go into landfills each year, which is enough to fill the Sydney Harbor. The allure of fast fashion was the ability to get high-end styles at a fraction of the cost. But through consignment stores and companies like TheRealReal, consumers can buy used luxury items at a fraction of the cost. For example, a Louis Vuitton bag that would regularly retail for $1,210 is listed for $625 on TheRealReal. Shoppers can also opt to rent clothing through Rent the Runway. Knowing that the clothing is used and that lower price tags cater to the consumers’ desire to wear clothes once or just a few times––a result of our desire for individuality– people can sell these clothes without feeling guilty about sunk cost or material waste. Each year, 108M tons of non-renewable sources are used to produce clothing, and the textile waste crisis is accelerating, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. One garbage truck’s worth of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second. Goodwill NYNJ

(Forbes). With generation Z having a buying power of more than $500 billion already, companies will have to adjust to their needs. With young shoppers swarming to second-hand shopping, the resale economy has already begun to slow down fast fashion. As consumers become more environmentally conscious, these numbers will grow and large corporations will begin to notice the shift––and will make changes in their own companies to become more sustainable too. Companies follow the money, and thankfully consumers are leading them to more sustainable ways. According to a ThreadUp Fashion Resale Market and Trend Report in 2019, 72% of secondhand shoppers shifted spending away from traditional retailers to

Article

Today, the fashion industry makes up 10% of carbon emissions globally. That number could rise to 25% of the global carbon budget by 2050 if consumer behaviors do not respond. Nowadays, it is as important to appear socially conscious as it is to be fashion-forward. As the stress of climate change increases, 74% of 18-29 yearolds lean towards shopping from sustainably conscious brands, which proves that sustainability is no longer just a perk, but a priority to consumers (ThreadUP). In a generation where consumers value socially conscious shopping as much as being unique, thrifting has found its home. That 70’s disco-esque shirt is not actually from the mall, but it is an original swooped up at the thrift store for $7. After decades of sitting on a dusty shelf, clothes can now be seen curated on a clothing rack. As the classic saying goes: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

buying more used items. The fashion industry adapted to the fast fashion market, and it will confidently accommodate to the new demands–both from consumers and the world at large. Mass-market retailers like Macy’s and JC Penney are adding resale boutiques to their store layouts, further expanding the secondhand apparel market. Mass market/fast-fashion brands like Urban Outfitters have added “vintage” sections and their “one of a kind” pieces are promoted on their Urban Renewal line. There are popular brands that are sustainable from the start like Re/Done, Denim. According to Fortune, the resale market has grown 21 times faster than the retail market in the past three years. As consumers become more environmentally conscious, these numbers will grow and large corporations will begin to notice the shift. Business practices are shifting to become more unique and sustainable. Nearly 9 out of 10 senior retail executives are finding ways to get into the resale business. As per the previously mentioned ThreadUp report, these executives are first motivated by revenue

boosts, then sustainability, and finally customer loyalty. Whether or not their first reason is environmental responsibility, these large companies will make a huge impact. This year, if everyone bought one used item instead of a new item, that would save the amount of CO2 as 500,000 cars being taken off the road for a year, enough energy to light up the Eiffel Tower for 141 years, enough water to fill up 1,140 Bellagio fountains, and the weight of 1M polar bears of trash (ThreadUP). The average secondhand shopper replaced 8 new apparel items with used items in the past year. As the number of secondhand shoppers increases, the carbon savings will grow exponentially. The future of second-hand shopping will disrupt the fashion industry as we know it today. While the fashion industry at large is worth more than $2 trillion, the secondhand market is projected to hit $41 billion by 2022. As of 2018, the second-hand economy was valued at $24 billion and is projected to grow 1.5 times the size of the fast fashion market within the next 10 years. Second-hand shopping has unlocked an

Throwback Article

endless supply chain of buying and reselling clothes and continues to benefit all parties involved through the constant exchange of goods. Thrifting is a tradable asset, which means that there is still value even after the first time it was purchased. We have moved into a sharing economy, and the popularization of second-hand shopping is an extension of that. However, the sustainability of the resale market is not limited to clothing and it is inspiring new shifts. Companies have begun to design new products that are meant to be shared. Airbnb is looking to build homes that are designed to be shared and not owned. IKEA will start renting furniture instead of just selling it, and companies like Rent the Runway and ThreadUP are exclusively producing lines of clothing that are only for renting or reselling. Just as technology and the internet forced companies to rethink their business models, sustainability efforts will do so for the fashion industry at large.

By Deanie Chen ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

SUSTAINABLE EATING. What even is that? In a world where the trendiest and most extreme diets get the most air time, whether it be keto, paleo, vegan, etc., the least extreme choice with the greatest impact on the future often gets overlooked. Beyond motivations for weight loss or ending animal cruelty, people often overlook the destructive ability of what we choose to eat on the planet we call home.

Throwback

The meat industry, following the burning of fossil fuels, is the second biggest contributor to climate change. And yet, why are none of us talking about it? In 1900, two-thirds of our protein came not from animals but from plant foods. By 1985, that statistic was reversed, with more than two-thirds of our protein coming from animals, primarily beef cattle. Currently, Americans eat more than 2.5x the global average of meat and more than 1.5x the daily protein requirement, a degree of excess that has dire consequences that the mainstream media fails to address. In addition to the negative health effects of this overconsumption of meat, red meat in particular, the industry itself entails an inefficient use of water and land, while the animal waste and greenhouse gas emissions pollute waterways and the atmosphere. 33% of our ice-free land is used for farming, 70% of all freshwater is used in agriculture, and the majority of

forest loss comes from agriculture, too. Our current food system is responsible for 60% of biodiversity loss globally. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences found that if citizens in 28 high-income nations, like the United States, followed the dietary recommendations of their governments, greenhouse gases related to the production of the food they eat would fall by 13% to

25%. The amount of land it takes to produce food to feed the same citizens could drop by 17% (LA Times). However, I am not about to suggest that you go vegan, or vegetarian, or to cut out your favorite foods entirely. This is not a fad diet, but a diet that has significant long term effects on the future of this planet and on future generations. Sustainable eating, by dialing back some excess, is both feasible and significant in its effects – for your health and that of the environment. I have outlined a few tips on small changes that make sustainable eating a diet that works for a variety of lifestyles. The boundaries are fluid, making it a diet that can be easily adapted to busy lives and a range of diet restrictions.

Article

If I asked you if you care about the environment right now, most of you would probably say ‘yes’. I would wager that most of you try to recycle, to use reusable water bottles, and to avoid straws when you can. And yes, these are all incredibly valid and important ways to treat our planet better. But our diets and what we choose to put in our bodies, rather than the packaging that holds them, rarely enter the conversation in conjunction with saving the environment. 14.5% of global climate changing gases are due to meat and dairy production - that’s more than all forms of transport combined. From growing crops to processing, transporting, selling, storing, and throwing away food, everything we eat has an impact on the environment and the climate.

TIPS & TRICKS Limit Meat Consumption Try replacing that steak on your plate with a grilled chicken breast or wild-caught fish. Not only are these healthier meat options, but you can actually reduce your environmental footprint by a whopping 44 pounds of CO2 (per pound of meat)! For people in wealthy countries, try limiting red meat consumption (lamb or beef) to one 3-ounce serving per week, or one 6-ounce serving once every two weeks. Pork, poultry, and fish are both less environmentally damaging and better for your health, and can be eaten a little more frequently. Make sure to shop locally for these options when you can, and keep an eye out for Fair trade, Freedom Food, and MSC and ASC (seafood) logos. For seafood lovers, use seafoodwatch.org to see which options are the most sustainable.

Waste Less Food The average household wastes 30% of food it buys Compost your food (tip: put it in the freezer so it doesn’t smell)

Check the Packaging Look out for Fair-trade (protecting farmers and workers in developing countries), Freedom Food (animal welfare), MSC and ASC (seafood), and RSPO (palm oil).

Throwback Article

Low Fat and Sugar It takes 88 gallons to produce just five pounds of sugar. Fertilizer-heavy cultivation often results in chemicals leaching into freshwater rivers and streams. It is virtually impossible to completely avoid sugar, but you can greatly reduce your consumption by avoiding processed food and relying on whole grain. Eating foods like whole grains (which take up as much energy as starchier foods) makes you feel fuller and helps transition to a low protein diet.

Add color to your plate Eat more plants, they should fill of your plate: vegetables, beans, and nuts. Create a filling diet not based on heavy protein, but nutritious plants. Buy fruits and vegetables seasonally to reduce waste. Buying local produce to reduce transportation costs. Swap those meat-based meals for beans or legumes. They’re high in protein and can be thrown into a variety of tasty vegetarian or vegan recipes.

Also, do not be afraid to learn more, to do your own research, and to share what you learned to the people around you. Making an impact is not about drastic measures, but rather about taking individual measures to create a culture in which eating sustainably becomes normal. 2018 marked the record high for meat consumption in the United States, and it would be in all of our interests to discontinue that trend.

empathy

recognition listening compassion listening acceptance empowerment

Empathy is recognizing the gaps in your awareness and listening without an agenda - compassion is acting upon that knowledge. Our experiences are exclusive to us, and thus we must remember to meet each other halfway. Create space to listen and appreciate voices that are not your own. Carry these voices with you, accept without judgement, uplift and empower, and lead with selflessness and integrity.

Interviews featuring

Abeer Tijani Jeremy Silverman Shira Alcumere Dani Gottstein Adam Casillas Biata Shem-Tov Mara Lorin

JEREMY SILVERMAN

Compassion is an understanding that you’re not the biggest person on the planet. At its core, that may not be the dictionary definition, but in my mind, a compassionate person is someone who can put their ego aside for the sake of someone else. Compassion is someone who spends more time looking at other people than looking in the mirror. And that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to focus on yourself, because everyone should focus on themselves. But it’s this idea that like the sum is greater than its parts. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Compassion is just someone who can look around and understand what people are going through and not think that they’re the ones going through it. MARA LORIN

Compassion looks like not expecting other people to deliver in the same way they like you do, and you not expecting yourself to deliver. Setting realistic expectations and being super nice to yourself, and understanding that we all come from very different backgrounds and priorities. Until you’re healed, you’re more likely than not just projecting. I think compassion is acknowledging and leaning into the

Compassion is...

individualized life experience and just taking the time to understand that, instead of making harsh judgments in black and white and right and wrong, it’s like, those are all constructs then. Compassion is getting rid of it and accepting that wherever you’re coming from is valid.

Shira Alcumere

I think compassion and empathy go hand in hand. To truly be a compassionate person, you have to listen and try to understand the other person’s experience before you can feel that desire to share kindness. I think a lot of people view compassion as, oh I love you. I care about you. I hope you’re doing well. But I think a truly compassionate person is somebody who works to understand someone else’s experience before saying those things.

Dani Gottstein

Compassion is about feeling for others and putting yourself in somebody else’s shoes, being able to think about what somebody else is feeling based off of the experiences that they might be having, or just having a lot of patience for somebody for you know, when you’re working with other people. And just trying your best to validate their feelings and connect with them, I think is really important.

Trying to open your eyes as much as you can to how somebody might be feeling and not to sort of fix that or tell them how to get over it, but rather just like, sit alongside them as they’re experiencing it, I think is one of the biggest ways that you can be compassionate. Adam Casillas

Compassion is the willfulness and like eagerness to be selfless. I personally love helping other people. And that’s my form of happiness and that I say that with a very genuine heart. What brings me the most happiness in life is bringing other people happiness. And obviously, I need to do stuff for myself every once in a while everybody does. And I think that people who don’t do stuff for themselves will go crazy if they haven’t already. But I don’t know, I just love seeing a smile on someone’s face after you do something for them. Compassion is finding someone’s love language without asking them and being able to know what makes them happy, just from the way they interact with you. Abeer Tijani

Compassion is really warm. I think it’s really open and inviting. I think it’s like a smile on someone’s face. A smile is the best form of charity that you can give somebody else. I learned that when I was like six or seven years old, and the older that I get the more that makes sense to me. Especially now when I walk around and I see people with masks, I really do miss seeing people smile, and how much that could change someone’s day. I think that that’s like a small and easy form of compassion that means a lot to people. And outside of that, I think that it’s a little more metaphysical. There’s this sense of trying to make somebody’s heart a little softer and approaching things with a soft heart, as opposed to a heart that’s kind of been hardened, or frustrated by a lot of different factors. It’s trying to approach things with tenderness, and as much understanding as possible. It’s really hard because I think it’s a lot easier to find fault in things. But getting upset makes me sick on the inside, I get physical reactions. It’s a lot more fulfilling to be compassionate.

Biata Shem-Tov

Compassion means having care towards others. To look out for others, to feel empathetic and to actively help others.

How does compassion Shira Alcumere

Adam Casillas

The people that I work on set with are in a very stressful environment. These are the people that are on the bottom of the totem pole, and they’re just being yelled at all day. And a lot of times actors have these egos with them, because they get their own dressing room, and they get makeup done every morning. Everybody that’s on the crew is usually afraid to talk to the actors I’ve heard. Because they’re like, “Oh, this guy’s probably another ego.” So what I try to do from the first day is establish myself by introducing myself to every single one of the cast crew members. And say, “I’m super excited to work with you, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help”. They’re just like, what the fuck? They seem confused whenever that happens. I try to treat everybody as a human as opposed to like a robot that does stuff for me when I need them to.

I think it’s a driving motivator for a lot of people in the work that they do. And if it’s not already, then it definitely needs to be. Some of the best paradigm shifts that

we’ve seen as a society, as humans have come from people seeking ways to be more compassionate, and seeking ways to be more thoughtful. On the flip side of that, whatever the antithesis of compassion is, whenever people do things from that place, we’ve seen really horrible things. We’ve seen that over the last four years.

MARA LORIN

Abeer Tijani

Compassion impacts my work with gentrification. It’s compassion for everyone and their lived experience. They deserve access to a green space just as much as I do. They deserve the coffee shop, to go do their work just as much as I do. If you are not compassionate about who gets to occupy spaces, then our city is going to continue to look exactly like what it looks like. There aren’t enough developers who have compassion for the areas that they’re occupying. I think that’s the compassion component of my work is like caring about how my job impacts everyone, and not just my sphere of friends.

With being a teacher, you need to be extremely patient. And in order to be patient, you need to be compassionate. Because if all of your students are joining Zoom calls, 45 minutes late, you have to reteach the last lesson in the last 15 minutes. You have to be compassionate and understand that there’s probably some bigger reason why they were late.

ADMAM CASILLAS

Dani Gottstein

When you are working with patients in any form that are going through or experiencing some sort of medical situation whether it’s something as severe as cancer diagnosis or something more minor regardless, it can be a frightening experience for them and their family members. Sitting alongside them, and validating their fears or worries and just doing my best to make them comfortable is how I help. Biata Shem-Tov

Compassion is the core root of my work. There would be no reason to want others to feel strong and powerful without it.

impact your work? 93

MARA LORIN

If I were someone that wasn’t really compassionate, I would take everything that everyone said or did to me at face value. I think by being compassionate I’m able to have stronger friendships and stronger romantic relationships and familial relationships, because I’m able to see them coming from their position.

Shira Alcumere

Sometimes being compassionate for others leaves you with little left to return to yourself, and sometimes I don’t check on myself as much.

Compassion in Dani Gottstein

I have had a life changing experience that really made me think a lot more about those that are struggling more than you are. It’s easy to sometimes lose sight of that. But I think now, just in terms of my relationships with my friends, or when we have things going on in the world, or in our community - especially with COVID - I am mindful about how my actions impact other people.

Abeer Tijani

I really appreciate it when people are compassionate to me. So I try as much as possible to be compassionate to others. It breeds life into the work that I do. With my writing, I hope people walk away from reading my work feeling a little more human or feeling a little more compassionate.

DANI GOTTSTEIN

BIATA SHEM-TOV

Adam Casillas

I’m always interacting with people, whether it’s on the phone or at the grocery store or at the bank, whatever it may be. At the end of the day, all these people who are working are humans and their work isn’t their life. So just treating everybody like I want to be treated. There’s a huge homeless population in LA right now, and a lot of these people don’t get proper conversations. That’s one of the minor things that we civilians can do to help

Biata Shem-Tov

I think I try to be a compassionate person towards the people in my life. Checking in on my friends, wanting to keep in touch with friends from home, talking to my family often. I think oftentime it may be to a fault, because I want to be so invested in the lives of others and must remember to take time for myself as well.

day-to-day life with the homelessness problem: just have conversations with them. It’s so easy for us to pull out $1 from a wallet or give them the leftover food that we have, but it’s a lot harder for us as people to just go up and say hello.

Biata Shem-Tov

Why is compassion important?

It’s like the butterfly effect, where one thing you do for someone else could lead to someone doing something kind for someone else and it goes on, just exponentially benefiting more and more people. The energy that stems out of compassion can be so widespread.

Abeer Tijani

If we approached the world from a more compassionate point of view, it would be a lot better. Hopefully in our day to day lives, we’re not making people’s lives harder. Because life is already hard.

MARA LORIN

If you start to live in your own world, you become really fucking selfish. If you are not showing compassion in every little thing you do, you start to live in your own world and become out of touch with your friendships and your community and your reality. I think the

importance of compassion is that it serves you just as much as it serves the other person.

Adam Casillas

The compassionate person is someone who’s actually listening and working to resolve problems. Without that compassion, you really never get things done.

How does Shira Alcumere

Compassion plays the most important role in where we are, because at its core, people who have disrespected democracy - who have blatantly said the virus is fake and are not wearing masks in public, and everybody who stormed the Capitol - they are very egocentric. I think that compassion plays the most important role of

MARA LORIN

Adam Casillas

A lot of times you don’t need compassion to accomplish something, but it helps and it makes the process a lot smoother.

compassion

Compassion creates a better lifestyle with more authenticity and more diversity. where we’re going forward, especially with economic relief for small businesses and communities that were affected by COVID. My students are so hyper aware of climate change, of social issues, and of everyone else’s problems. And I guess that comes with an unhealthy amount of anxiety. But I think they actually really care about changing the world. And I think it’s in part because of the horrible things that they’ve seen in 2020.

Abeer Tijani

If we don’t expand compassion for other people, we will all suffer from the consequences, even the most privileged of us. We will lead lives of decreased quality.

Biata Shem-Tov

I think our world has an ugly history, but I think with compassion we can teach future generations and slowly weed out negativity.

impact our future? 97

MARA LORIN

I think we have a lot more pity and a lot more canceling than we do compassion and understanding.

What is the current role of compassion Adam Casillas

There’s some communities that are so close knit that they feel they truly have enough compassion in their lives. And there’s places like LA where I don’t know any of my neighbors’ names. But I think we can learn from some of the smaller, more close knit areas of the world.

Abeer Tijani

I don’t think it’s compassionate to enact policy that is contributing to an already dying Earth, and be apathetic towards it, because you won’t be living on that Earth in the next 10 to 20 years. I think it’s not compassionate to allow hatred and violence to be everyday occurrences. I don’t think that the way that the United States has handled COVID has been compassionate.

Dani Gottstein

In the last couple of years, I’ve learned how important it is to be compassionate. As a public figure and also as a person within your community. If you are able to feel for other people, you’re more likely to make better decisions for the world and community at large. I think if everybody worked to be a little bit more compassionate, we probably would be in a much better position than we are now.

Biata Shem-Tov

Especially with all the unjust hatred we see day to day, we must feel more empathy towards other human beings if we ever want to create long lasting change.

DANI GOTTSTEIN

in society? 99

How can you encourage Abeer Tijani

For compassion to come from a genuine place, you have to be good to yourself. You have to believe that you’re worthy of receiving and giving compassion. Whenever you pour love into yourself, it’s a lot easier to pour love out there to other people.

ABEER TIJANI

JEREMY SILVERMAN

I find that especially going into the entertainment industry, you can either think of things as accomplishment-based, or you can think of things as value-based. And so I think the closest way you can get people to be compassionate is to get them to remember their values.

100

Adam Casillas

Biata Shem-Tov

It doesn’t have to be just personto-person compassion, there’s also compassion with our environment. And that alone can change the whole future.

I encourage compassion in others by encouraging people to feel compassionate towards themselves. If the way we treat others is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves,

Dani Gottstein

When it comes to making responsible decisions, such as with COVID-19, and you’re faced with an opportunity to be compassionate, it is easier to be socially irresponsible. But when you stop and think about who else you might be affecting, that moment of compassion can really slow the spread of this and save somebody from getting COVID or suffering.

compassion in others?

if we treat ourselves well and take care of ourselves, we will inevitably do the same for others. Obviously this is easier said than done, but any start is a good start.

MARA LORIN Shira Alcumere

With my students, I’m very calculated with how I present my lessons. For example, if we’re reading a short story, we’re gonna read a short story that teaches them something bigger about the world and themselves. We’re a very collaborative class and everything that we do is culturally and socially relevant. I try to do very, outside of the box things so that it not only keeps them engaged, but can teach them life lessons on how to be a better version of themselves.

I do think therapy or just having people to talk to about things encourages compassionate thinking. Until you’ve healed yourself, you’re not gonna have space to be compassionate for humanity and society. It starts on a micro scale. If you are compassionate towards someone, they will fucking feel that and maybe they will be compassionate to the next person. And then that person will value it, and then they’ll do it to the next person. And then it’s like a chain reaction.

101

Dani Gottstein

Some people are more compassionate than others, no doubt. And I think sometimes that’s a product of experience. We haven’t had the best role models of compassion to look up to recently. I think it’s hard to learn compassion, but it’s not impossible to learn. And it starts with good role modeling from public figures.

Why is compassion Adam Casillas

You have to know what it’s like to be treated with compassion to be compassionate.

ADAM CASILLAS

102

in society?

JEREMY SILVERMAN

overlooked

So many people live their lives seeking to answer, what can I do? How can I leave my mark? We’re raised in a world where everyone is trying to better themselves. At the end of the day, everyone wants to put food on their table. Everyone wants to make their family happier. I think we as humans can become so focused on ourselves, especially living in the United States where the American Dream is instilled in us from birth. I think once we return to our core values, then compassion may come back to the surface.

Biata Shem-Tov

I think often western society, and more specifically the United States, preaches individualism. This strong core belief often manifests in a lack of compassion for others. The US especially drives individualism in the way that we work, we are motivated by personal rewards and benefits. In other parts of the world, there is definitely a better sense of community and compassion. People live more collectively, for the good of others as a whole, not just themselves. I wish that our society would practice this more. Because independence and autonomy is prioritized, we forget that we live among so many people that are so

Abeer Tijani

I think there’s a lot of people who are more excited about the process of making money or receiving lots of praise or accolades. We prioritize what we believe is important to us.

similar to us, and even if they are not, we are all still living together. I think if we took a second to remember this we would all live to uplift each other instead of hurting and bringing others down.

MARA LORIN

It’s fucking hard and requires

a lot of emotional energy.

MARA LORIN

103

Adam Casillas

I’m a strong proponent of good karma. And I think that good things happen to good people. And in my experience and the times in my life that I’ve been more

How has being compassionate and more loving and more giving, I’ve received more.

compassionate JEREMY SILVERMAN

JEREMY SILVERMAN

104

Being compassionate has literally saved my life. I am such an oversharer in the hopes that someone else will overshare back to me. I think being compassionate helps me so much because I get so wrapped up in my own head. I have to remind myself that other people are going through similar things and remind myself that my problems are not the biggest out there. The more open we can be about the fact that sadness is natural, the more we can bond with others. And that doesn’t mean everyone has to be sad to form a bond. Once you start seeing people past their surface, they start seeing you pass your surface and a real connection can form.

MARA LORIN

However you feel, you get to be so fucking honest with me. I’m not gonna judge you. No one’s getting in trouble. No one is going to be their best self around me if I don’t lead with compassion. When I’m compassionate, I create the type of world that I want to live in, and that is most rewarding to me. If you’re compassionate, you’re allowed to value whatever you actually value. And that’s fucking dope.

Abeer Tijani

To other people, I’ve always been able to give in a compassionate way. To myself, it’s been a recent development that took getting to know myself better. What was born out of that was a new compassionate self. And because of that, it’s helped me to be even better to people, and to be more loving towards people.

benefitted you? Biata Shem-Tov

Shira Alcumere

I think it just makes me feel better and makes me happier when I am. When I feel resentful towards someone or act in a negative way, it often makes me feel worse.

I think because my interests are always aligned with compassion, that I end up experiencing such diverse situations. I worked in Argentina for a summer at a women’s health clinic and it had nothing to do with law, but it was just because I wanted to spend the summer doing something compassionate. I feel like life and friends are better when you are compassionate to others.

Dani Gottstein

Compassion isn’t something I chose, rather it is a product of my experiences. My current sense of compassion was definitely strengthened by my experiences. It made me a better friend and a better person by just being able to connect with anyone. It just made me more patient and a kinder daughter and friend and sister. And even if I can’t directly relate to something that they’re going through, just trying to empathize with what it would feel like.

105

Witness to the JEREMY SILVERMAN Abeer Tijani

The way that my mom chooses to interact with the world has been an inspiring source for me. It’s how she tries to understand other people and how selfless she can be at times.

A lot of times, people promise that they will check up on you but don’t follow up on it. But then there are others who sit down, and ask you questions, and they remember things that you told them months ago, and you remember that there are people who are willing to listen.

Biata Shem-Tov Adam Casillas

My dad owns a funeral business. There was a lack of serving the Hispanic community because the Hispanic community has a very interesting and unique way of mourning their dead ones. So he wanted to start his own to cater mostly towards the Hispanic community. Time and time again, I’ve seen so many people walk out of my dad’s funeral home, feeling relieved with a breath of fresh air, because they found what they needed for their process. I think just that alone my dad has impacted so many families in the Coachella Valley.

106

often frequent Quik-Pix, a film development store that turns your film pictures into digital. The owner of this establishment, Akm Alam, has been serving the USC community for 40 years. Alam recently confided in my friend and I that he has MND, a degenerative disease affecting neurons in the body. Alam has faced many hardships in his life, being forced to relocate due to the construction of the USC

power of compassion Village and losing his son. My friend and I decided to take action and start a fundraiser to help him. We were able to raise over $3,000 and presented it to him on the 40 year anniversary of Quik-Pix being open. He told us that our compassion towards him and the store was beyond helpful. It just made me happy to see how grateful he was.

Shira Alcumere

Most of my job is me talking to a screen, so I’ve learned the most by just listening. The most impactful part of my day is my office hours, which I have every day after school. These students are living a pandemic-- they can’t see their friends, they don’t have someone to listen to them. So even just being present is huge for their social development and self esteem. I’ve set office hours to read with them at night, because kids just want to keep talking. We don’t have a school counselor. But by listening and encouraging these kids to engage in conversations about their feelings and their mental health, I’ve seen huge growth in some of my students. Dani Gottstein

If you aren’t looking to learn, you’re not going to change. You have to be a sponge to literally everything and everyone and being a sponge requires active listening. Abeer Tijani

I’m really grateful whenever people choose to share any part of their life experience with me just because it helps me get a sense of how expansive the world we live in is. And it’s helpful in trying to understand why certain things are the way that they are. I think before you can even try to really fix something, you have to learn a lot about it.

JEREMY SILVERMAN

MARA LORIN

When you don’t listen to others, you lose a piece of humanity.

I think it’s really easy to talk a lot and it’s much harder to listen. But when you do, it gives you an opportunity to get into somebody else’s brain and enables you to sit with them as they experience something. Sometimes it’s okay to just listen, you don’t need to listen and then fix all the time. Some things are not fixable, but just listen and do your best to be supportive.

of listening to others

The importance

107

BY ABEER TIJANI

Originally written on May 31st, 2020 in light of George Floyd’s murder and published in the fifth issue of The ZiNE, “The Election Guidebook: Divided States of America” The last time that I tried to sit down and write something like this, it was about two weeks ago. Ahmaud Arbery’s face was plastered all across my social media accounts, and I was doggedly avoiding the traumatizing video of his death circulating around the internet. The video served as a reminder of the value a seemingly already desensitized country places on a Black body: none. I struggled to grapple with my exasperation and attempted to find words that could somehow build a case as to why a Black life should matter in the eyes of the law and America’s inhabitants. I struggled, and I failed. I was lost as to why, time and time again, America’s Black citizens have been subjected to tirelessly defending their literal humanity, when that supposed humanity should be enough to argue against the lynching, terrorizing, and pure subjugation of Black lives. I struggled, and I failed. Eventually, Ahmaud’s name was compartmentalized by a part of my brain that had begun to serve as a memorial ground for the countless named and unnamed Black bodies that have been martyred recklessly and unabashedly by the brute force of racism that runs this country. Two weeks later, I didn’t forget because it’s hard to forget the faces and names of people who could so easily be you, or a friend, or a family member. But for the sake of my own sanity, I decided to gently tuck away the outrage and disgust that I felt so as to not overwhelm myself more than necessary in the midst of a pandemic. (I read that sentence over and over again; I am defending my life, and the lives of people who look like me, during a time where the pressure to live and protect yourself from a virus weighs heavily on your conscious daily). I, unfortunately, am not rewarded the grand privilege of being able to turn the other cheek. I cannot afford to ignore America’s long, historical animalization of Black bodies simply because I am uncomfortable, or tired of the hashtags I have been seeing since age twelve. I don’t get to ever fully shut off because the color of my skin doesn’t suddenly shut off when I leave my home and face a world that takes me in first as a skin color, and then as a human being. Unlike many of my non– black peers, I do not get to walk through life without antagonizing over the very real consequences of having your race be weaponized in America.

108

Throwback Article

So here I am two weeks later, with the same pit in my stomach, with the same sinking realization that there is a stark difference between the security I long for with my personal safety and prosperity (to be able to run outside, to be heard when speaking, to be respected in the various spaces that I occupy), and that of my non–black friends—the security that they are entitled to, just by way of being anything else but Black in this country. My focus is not to write a eulogy for the countless Black bodies that have been butchered and cast aside by the majority of the American population—whether by bloodshed, or the more widespread and dangerous apathetic attitude living inside of non–black residents–, but to simply address my non–black peers who do not understand the deadliness that silence holds in this country.

This is especially for my peers who feel as though “it is not their place” to speak on race issues in America, or that “feel uncomfortable talking about race” or “can’t believe that race is still an issue in 2020”—the fact that your pain only extends to woeful ignorance, discomfort, or perhaps solidarity in mourning victims, is an astronomical entitlement that you have been awarded. We are all aware that it is never easy to stand behind controversial issues, and that it can feel as though you’re shouting into a void trying to get people to care about what seems to make perfect sense to you. Our generation has begun to champion climate change activism, has pushed for the transformation of feminism against years of patriarchal normality, and was the generation to continue demanding more for LGBTQ relations in America. But when it comes to race relations, particularly the race issues unique to Black people, the silence from our generation becomes almost unbearable. Perhaps this is because the aforementioned issues do not force us to examine the uglier parts of our psyche—the parts that are perpetuating police terrorism or covert white supremacy—the way that the Black Lives Matter movement does? Is the refusal to examine your internalized racism worth being able to inaccurately say that you aren’t at all racist? Because for me and others like me, it does not stop at those feelings of discomfort; it becomes a matter of life or death. A matter of at times feeling as though we are begging for something that should be the most common of the senses: for our lives to be valued the same way as the person standing in front of us for no other reason besides sharing a common bond in humanity.

109

Therefore, as a non–black person living in America— whether permanently or just for four years of university— the onus is on you to step outside of your discomfort and sympathy and reach into your empathy. If you’re “afraid of saying the wrong thing,” say it anyway. There will be someone to correct you. How could you ever begin to learn, and more importantly, to fight against racism permeating throughout society, if you allow your fears to paralyze you in the same spot that we have occupied for the last 8, 60, 400 years? It could start with doing more than reposting something on social media to appease your guilty conscience. Start educating yourself on all the ways in which race perversely propagates inequality throughout our society, and then start having those conversations with the people around you. By not engaging in these issues–whether through conversation or figuring out how you can understand and unsheathe the different levels of racial interactions in this country, the ways in which they have subconsciously been ingrained in you, and why they have been subconsciously ingrained in you—you’re staying in a dangerous area of comfort that will not aid in combating 400 years of oppression (context: it’s only been 56 years since the Civil Rights Act was passed, there have been multiple iterations of it, and we still haven’t gotten it right— there’s years of catch up work to do). If you choose to stay comfortable, that silence will fuel your future: you will be perpetuating this cycle as a healthcare worker unable to understand the ways in which race inequalities affect a

110

Throwback Article

Black person’s health, or a university professor unable to provide the support needed to amplify your Black students’ voices in classrooms, or as a policymaker missing the mark on crafting policy that will actually benefit Black communities in America. I am not here to provide concrete solutions for you or ways to appease your guilty conscience. I am not the spokesperson for the complex Black experience in America. I am simply someone who has a voice and has chosen to use it in some capacity. I cannot force you into a conversation, but I genuinely hope that you one day feel the urge to have these conversations. As college students, our social consciousness and energy for advocacy is probably the highest it will ever be right now. Coupled with the untethering of normal social order that has come with COVID–19, our collective human consciousness should be at an all–time high right now. Yet, we still feel weary. Consider: if Black lives are not protected during the most vulnerable time we are experiencing as a generation, what can we expect in the world that is waiting for us after the pandemic ends?

111

Originally published in the fifth issue of The ZiNE, “The Election Guidebook: Divided States of America” BY MICHELLE AUSTREICH I have been thinking a lot about the concept of hope, and what role it plays in our current political landscape. What does hope even mean? Should that be how we gauge our future prospects? To me, “hoping” seems a rather passive way to achieve a better tomorrow. I do not think that hope should be the catalyst for political action, especially in times when the supply of it is lacking. On the other hand, the beauty of hope is that it has no bounds, and nothing truly limits you from hoping for the best possible outcome in any scenario. While we should not rely on hope to spur change, we can utilize it as a tool in the pursuit and desire for something better. This is why the rhetoric of hope will never truly disappear, because when policy and lawmakers fail us, at least the dream that justice is possible lives on. It is important to remember this when faced with endless headlines that crush us and make us feel like all of this effort is worth nothing.

112

Throwback Article

In an attempt to keep up with the news cycle that seems to update by the second, I have to remind myself that my emotions and fears do not exist as facts, and therefore I should not allow them to control me. It is much easier said than done to manage anxiety about politics, especially when others often tell us to “just turn it off” and “focus on more important things.” The human brain is wired to focus on negative bias, meaning we keep coming back to the news even if we know that it is harmful for us. The media capitalizes on and sensationalizes the pessimism and fear that no one is immune to; thus begins a vicious cycle. I find it impossible to detach myself from political narratives because they impact my life, whether directly or not. If these politics and headlines don’t impact me, they affect someone that I know, and that is more than enough reason to continue fighting day in and day out for a more equal world that is truly inclusive, and does not just make empty claims to be so. There is a clear lack of empathy in politics. The reinforcement and reminder of a “common enemy” keeps parties focused and united in their own twisted way, which is the essence of why politics are so messed up. The worst part is that this is not new. Maybe that is why it is so disappointing and yet unsurprising, and cannot be explained away by one horrible politician or rule; it is the foundation upon which we attempt to coexist. It is strange, these days, when you attempt to have a bipartisan conversation and it quickly dissolves into “You have your facts and I have mine” or “Let’s agree to disagree.” I beg to differ. Human lives are not up for debate. Access to birth control and clean air are not up for debate. The right to exist as who you are should not just be a talking point. The fact that the playing ground in America is uneven and always has been is not an opinion. It is a fact that some just choose to sidestep while they profit off of stepping on the backs of others.

The pandemic especially has exacerbated and capitalized on people’s anxieties and feelings of powerlessness, and this takes center stage when tactics of fear–mongering are applied in order to get people to listen. Spreading exaggerated claims and spinning neatly–wrapped lies has become almost a prerequisite for holding a position of power. The rhetoric that seems insane to you is actually normal to someone looking to blame others for their own misfortunes. Politicians know this and use it to sway people into a certain direction, as we have been witness to a new type of conspiracy theory that exists on a spectrum. These political conspiracies are not just an outlandish claim about aliens circling in space. The individuals that we should look to for guidance are tapping into how people feel and using those emotions to further their political agendas, or to make their talking points leap off of the page and paint a picture of a society in shambles. Feuds between local and state officials are a microcosm of the divide that now defines America as a whole, and adhering to party lines has triumphed over the fact that people’s lives might be more important. We can all agree that as a country, we are quite divided. That’s great, anything else? Where do we go from here? I cannot tell you to be hopeful when we now vote against someone instead of for someone. It is nearly impossible to imagine that a candidate truly worth fighting for can exist, but we have to keep going in order for that day to come. We can agree on one thing for sure: the fact that there is a need to be skeptical of everything. A different sort of realism has emerged that no longer tries to gloss over issues as things that will eventually just resolve themselves, but instead, issues that need our time and attention right now. The new hope is that this moment shifts into a lasting movement, where we hold the people that claim to represent us accountable, and we address the long–standing inequalities that many have denounced as “That’s just how it is.” You cannot expect the world to be a fair and just place by choice, and the people in power need to lead by example and put their money where their mouth is. We also cannot rely on politicians and leaders to exclusively be the change: that is our job now.

113

ILLUSTRATION BY NICOLE KLEIN

114

Throwback Article

It is crucial not to exist in an echo chamber. You cannot just focus your anger and conversations on the people that already agree with you. Sure, you can agree to disagree and sometimes you are forced to. The line has to be drawn when it crosses the boundary of something that is mentally or emotionally hard to handle. It does not take away from your efforts if you need to take a step back. Talking about change and focusing your efforts on trying to convert the people in your life that disagree with you can sadly do more harm than good, especially for you. It is additionally important to zoom out and focus on the macro-perspective, and not spend all of your energy arguing with everyone who disagrees. Thanks to the internet, we can seek solace in those who hold the same opinions as us, and it is easy to find something that will reassure you that things will be okay. The point is, you are not alone in your desire for something better and for change that has been promised for too many decades. You as an individual are more powerful than you realize, and it is time to come to the conclusion that institutions will not save us; we will save each other. Maybe then, it is not hope that I hold but just plain, sturdy optimism. At least I try to force myself to look at the world through rose–colored glasses sometimes, as a reminder that good is still out there. I am oftentimes inspired by the people my age around me, and I respect how outspoken, creative, and unwilling to settle for the status quo they are. My peers push me to think outside of my own bubble, and that is why I think we are not completely doomed.

I get that thinking about the future is discouraging and downright terrifying, but that is why we all have to take things into our own hands and vote. It is definitely not the only thing that we can do, that is for sure, but using your voice to elect individuals that actually represent your interests (not just on the federal level) is a very important step in the right direction. Thinking pragmatically and being aware of what is going on is what gives us the potential to change the structure of politics, which is long overdue. Technology is the new frontier to mobilize for change and we have it on lock. Maybe sometime soon we will have nominees for President that are under the age of forty–five. Maybe we will eliminate the two–party system entirely! The world is our oyster, but change can only happen when we take a conscious step toward awareness and remove ourselves from the safety and convenience of our ignorance. The world may underestimate our impact, but I surely do not.

115

BY KATIE STONE Don’t drink your calories. Don’t eat past 9 p.m. or you’ll gain weight. Cut out fruit to lower your sugar intake. Avoid carbs. Eat low-fat. High intensity exercise burns calories for the next 24 hours. It feels like isolated pieces of unsolicited Internet advice have clouded up my headspace. It’s even hard to distinguish between what some online publication taught me and what my brain is actually thinking for itself. This has been the case since I was in high school, a young girl with a very malleable mind and a stunted sense of self-worth. I used to think of myself as a “chunkier” type of girl. My jean size was the biggest of my friends’. Boys couldn’t help but glance at my busty chest. I was uncomfortable in my body no matter what I was wearing. How could I look like the high schoolers on Disney channel with pinstraight hair and lanky legs? They definitely didn’t have muffin tops, that was for sure. I always felt like people were looking at me, between what I was eating to what I was wearing. I remember one night at dinner, as I was scooping myself a second helping of delicious, buttery tortellini, my mom looked at me with disapproving eyes. “Do you really want another helping?” My cheeks started to heat up with shame, but her comment wasn’t enough to change my behavior. I ate the pasta spitefully, wanting it even more now that I knew it was ‘bad’.

116

What really shoved me into full-blown diet mode was that year’s check-up. I stepped on the scale, shivering in that terribly patterned fabric gown that they force you to wear. “So, it looks like you’re overweight,” my doctor told me when he reviewed my numbers. Overweight?! I was 15 years old at the time and to me, overweight was associated with the obesity epidemic, diabetes, and people in middle America who didn’t leave their couches and could tear through a six-pack of Coca Cola in a single afternoon. No worries, I told myself, this is my wake-up call. From now on, no more second scoops of tortellini. Actually, no tortellini at all. I went on a women’s health deep dive, trying to compile all the diet tips and tricks I could get my hands on. I have always been curious, almost obsessive, about intaking as much information I could. Knowledge was my secret weapon; there were pretty girls, or sporty girls, but I was always the smart girl. I directed this insatiable appetite for learning towards biased magazines with photoshopped women on the covers. An excitement for feeling good and nourishing my body turned into an obsession very quickly. I soon began to use “healthy eating” not as a means of fueling myself properly, but as a way to assert my control over the scary chaos of high school.

Throwback

You don’t notice the pounds as they’re coming off when it’s happening gradually. You do feel your pants loosening up at the hips and internalize the compliments people give you about your visible obliques. All we get is positive reinforcement. Until we don’t. Until we’re an issue, or we stop being fun to be around, or we’re that girl.

ILLUSTRATION BY MADDY LEDGER

It has taken me this long—four whole years—to realize that cool, pretty girls are not what they seem. I now know that everyone has their demons, and nobody is as perfect as they might appear on the outside. When your secret struggle is with eating, you dance around the people who love you and care about you in order to maintain your rigidity and security of healthy, morally acceptable foods. And the thing is, it’s not intentional. Your subconscious knows your behaviors are probably questionable and could receive judgment, so you do your best to eat your spoonfuls of peanut butter in your room without scrutiny from your friends and family. And when your demon is food, you can’t recover in the way that drug addicts and alcoholics can. You can’t just give up food altogether and decide you’re quitting cold turkey. No, you’re not solving an addiction or kicking a bad habit, you’re mending a relationship with an old friend you had a falling out with years ago.

117

Article

The pounds shed rapidly as I restricted myself from entire food groups. This was normal right? Isn’t this what every woman goes through? I truly believed that every woman was destined to a life of dieting and worrying about her self-image—all the women I saw on television, my home, and my life, were doing it. People around me started to notice that my body was shrinking. My relatives started to make encouraging comments at family gatherings. I got complimented from girls at school that I “looked so good now.” I was definitely doing the right thing, I told myself. This is what being a cool, pretty girl was like.

Everyone’s eating disorder, or disordered eating as some may say, is different. Sometimes you can see it from the outside, with clues from bony shoulders and thinning hair. But most of the time you can’t. Eating disorders are mental—the number one most fatal mental disorder actually. With our relationships to food and our bodies causing so much stress and pressure, it’s miraculous that the diet industry is still promoting weight loss and low-cal snacks at every chance it gets. Our society is literally obsessed with telling women that they should be taking up the least amount of space possible and it has tricked us all into thinking that’s correct. If you don’t look like the girl in the lingerie advertisement or the woman who’s selling you plant-based meal alternatives, then you’re probably just wrong and worthless. It’s not like I saw women or girls in the media and thought, wow I need to look like her in order to be successful and happy. I’ve always been independent and smart enough to know that there’s more to people than what meets the eye. But something inside of me, my perfectionist tendencies, wanted to optimize every single little aspect of my life. And the easiest one to tackle was my appearance. I had an epiphany that the way I looked could be completely in my control. The more I tried to look and eat perfectly, though, the more impossible it became. My standards for myself got higher as my sense of self-worth got weaker. I was so stupid to eat that extra handful of cashews. How could I let myself lose control like that again? I know better, I would tell myself. I was like a dog, training myself to be a good girl by not snacking on anything I deemed “bad”. I was a drill sergeant to myself and it pains me to think about how little kindness I ever showed to my own body and mind. If I could give that self a hug, I would. What did I ever do to warrant such pressure and unreachable expectations? So many women allow external factors to dictate our internal senses of worth and confidence, a predicament that truly makes no sense. Our most beautiful features are found within us, so why do we look to others for this validation? It comes down to the narrative that we’re told from an early age. We have to stop letting young girls think that their weight is directly related to their health. Calories

118

Throwback Article

are a unit of energy, so we should be eating an amount that’s going to satisfy us and fuel us to have a productive and fulfilling day. Food is not something to be scared of. And our bodies are our best friends. We have to give more love to our bodies and show appreciation for all of the amazing things we are capable of doing with it. We’re all being inundated with messages about what we should eat or should look like or should this or that. What we all should do is just come back to ourselves. What do we want to eat? When? Life without rules is so liberating, so why do we choose to confine ourselves with them? This is all new to me, so my insightful sermons aren’t exactly coming from a professional point of view. In fact, my knowledge of recovery just comes from my dietician and Jameela Jamil’s Instagram stories. Nobody out there really talks about living in the grey area between institutionalization and a normal relationship to food. It’s hard to conceptualize the millions of women and men who live with fucked up food constitutions in their brains. The people who can’t eat past 8 p.m. or refuse to eat carbs during the day or count their calories and allow for more indulgences on days with harder workouts. Nobody thinks we need to be taken to the hospital, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need some support and love. The hardest part is that love and support needs to come from ourselves first. Eating disorders, disordered eating- whatever you call a less-than-optimal relationship with food and our bodiesis so much more common than you think. We don’t need to be stuck in the silence of our own insecurities when there are people around who can relate. So, let’s talk. You don’t have to feel so alone. I would feel so moved if you reached out. I would love to hear from you, and support you – no matter how minor it is. I am here for you. With love, support, and good health, Katie Stone

National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: (800) 931-2237

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

119

Interviews featuring

Deanie Chen Rhys Osborne Tatiana Vaz Nikol Safronova Maxine Marcus Kennedy Daniel Beyza Baykan Lewis Caldwell Eddie Mandell Zeb Berg John Van Liere Sean Lewow We live in an extremely creative yet fleeting and superficial world. How can we harness our creative power to generate change? How can creative thinking serve a greater purpose? We believe we are entering a time of rebirth - perhaps a time of reinvention rather than invention. We must tap into spaces of art, culture, and innovation to unlock the solutions that will build our future.

120

y vit i t ea r c

h irt eb

ng thinki

power

purpose

121

ge an

Rhys Osborne

Creativity is the unique way that someone synthesizes within the consumption and creation cycle. Everything I experience throughout my day is a consumption of information - sights, smells, sounds,

GRAPHIC BY RHYS OSBORNE

Creativity is... etc, it’s all inspiration. The way that I synthesize all of that inspiration into a new idea is my own personal creativity. When I go to bars and restaurants I’m constantly searching for new ideas, but my own unique ideas come from a combination of different aspects of experiences I’ve had at a ton of different spots. Creativity is the experiencer taking agency of the way they take in the shit that happens to them.

Lewis Caldwell

exploration. And letting yourself explore new horizons and taking a step into the dark to try things that you don’t know much about. Creativity extends into everything, literally everything, we do to a certain capacity.

Deanie Chen

people being able to create something that isn’t already in the world, and being able to reconstruct something that is already there.

Maxine Marcus

anything. Creativity is unique to each person. Creativity is honestly about inspiration and where you feel like you are doing something that produces inspiration.

122

Nikol Safronova

expressing yourself in any form, and bringing your imagination into reality. Zeb Berg

how you take in the world and use that to produce something that other people can perceive or feel.

BEYZA BAYKAN

Kennedy Daniel

Sean Lewow

the ability to challenge yourself. It is the process of looking inward.

waking up in the morning with nothing and then going to bed with something. I think that’s a really, really beautiful

Tatiana Vaz

not being afraid to try new things and go against the norm. It’s also not being afraid of failing a few times.

thing, regardless of whether it’s a song or a video or even a newfound relationship or just an experience. I think creativity manifests itself in a lot of different ways. As long as you go to bed feeling fulfilled.

Eddie Mandell

Beyza BAykan

about communicating an idea to someone else. If you can communicate, that idea can change the perspective of the person on the receiving end.

finding the best ways out of difficult situations. It’s the ability to create opportunities out of problems.

John Van Liere

the space between your deepest emotions and intuitions and ideas, and then the way that you translate that for someone to interact with. Your creativity comes between that emotion and the way that people are perceiving it.

123

Nikol Safronova

When you think about what humans really value and learn from, it is history and things that were left behind by other people. Everything that we have in our lives we owe to someone else’s creativity from the past.

Kennedy Daniel

I‘m stealing this from Maya Angelou. But the most important thing is to be honest, and creativity a lot of times is the only way that people can be honest. It’s about your daily practices of acknowledging what’s important to you what you put your time into.

Creativity is the route to progress. We can never move forward if we’re not thinking of new ways of getting better. And I think that’s often overlooked, because we get stuck in a cycle of what works.

Deanie Chen

Importance of Creativity Beyza BAykan

We live for creativity. There’s this Robin Williams quote that I love ‘We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of Maxine Marcus

Creativity is like happiness in a lot of Creativity is the real life application of the that make you happy. So it’s like how you yourself, and how you’re inspiring yourself

ways. things apply daily.

the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

124

I think those who are creative are often rewarded in society because we live in a society today that applauds people for doing things their own way. And I think our generation specifically is very much about that.

Maxine Marcus

There is a lot of creativity in society and a lot of people who are spurred by it. But I do think a lot of times the creative people need more of a voice in society. There are amazing people out there who are so creative and smart and wanting to change the status quo, and we just need to give them the agency to do so. Nikol Safronova

I have a really bad relationship with social media where I just hate Instagram so much. And I think that’s a common problem that a lot of creatives have. We

feel like we have to constantly create in order to feel worthy and not forgotten. But I don’t think you need to constantly create to not feel forgotten.

The role of creativity is to challenge people to not bullshit everything. We all notice when someone’s not truthful, and that comes through in art.

Deanie Chen

Kennedy Daniel

Creativity in Society

DEANIE CHEN

125

Creativity for the Tatiana Vaz

We’re in a very interesting time right now with COVID and I think a lot of people have become a little bit more environmentally aware. But there are two ways we can go: we can either go back to our normal way of living or we can go in a new direction and enact some positive change. In terms of the environment, that will take working together and thinking outside of the box.

Future Maxine Marcus

The true root of problem solving is coming up with creative solutions. Creative solutions are often the ones that get the job done. You have to think out of the box when our systems aren’t working. People that have that ability to see past what’s outlined in front of them are critical to progress. Deanie Chen

Kennedy Daniel

Creativity is such a big part of progress. It’s how we solve problems. You have to be able to look outside the box and find different ways to solve problems that aren’t already there.

Creativity forces people to be honest.

Beyza BAykan

Some people are scared of robots taking over our world and ruling over us. But I believe that if you don’t have creativity and the ability to adapt, we will become those robots who we are afraid of.

126

KENNEDY DANIEL

127

Maxine Marcus

Definitely both. But in terms of invention, I think of technology. But in terms of our systems and institutions in place today, society is being reinvented right now.

Deanie Chen

Maybe it is reinvention. It almost feels like there isn’t really much more to be invented. But rather, we’re just improving what we already have.

Are we entering a The way that people are thinking and dealing with problems and communicating with each other is all being reinvented because our generation sees things differently.

Kennedy Daniel

We invent things every single day, in our own lives and our own practices. Reinvention is the process of finding out who you are. Like I’m a different

time of invention person than I was two days ago. I feel like I reinvent myself not just by, for example, cutting all my hair off, but in a very truthful way of having more information about myself than I did two days ago. Sean Lewow

I think with every invention you need reinvention.

Lewis Caldwell

I think we’re getting into a place of trying to be inventively reinventive.

128

Beyza BAykan

Reinvention. We are looping back and reflecting on what our elders have done before and we’re trying to make a change, instead of building on the mistakes.

NIKOL SAFRONOVA

or reinvention? John Van Liere

I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive. I think it’s both. Reinvention obviously implies new take, a new invention based on something. And like humans, we’re always recycling sh*t right. So I don’t know. I don’t think they’re mutually exclusive. I think we are going into both.

129

Creativity and

Problem Solving Tatiana Vaz

I often find something that I’m passionate about and then try to incorporate a social issue that you can address with this passion. I would have never thought of using bread that would have gone to waste to make a spiked seltzer. And that idea applies to a lot of other things: I’ve heard of people making pasta out of banana peels.

Kennedy Daniel

Creativity forces me to not take the easiest solution.

TATIANA VAZ

Nikol Safronova

Maxine Marcus

I feel like any problem cannot be solved without creativity. If you repeatedly use the same solutions for problems that are completely different, you’re not going to solve anything.

I think that the ability to have free rein on the things that I’m doing daily, and to have the solutions be of my own and my team’s and our partners creates a space where creativity is always the answer. There’s no blueprint for what we’re doing on a daily basis, so we get the opportunity every day to find creative solutions.

130

Staying Creative & I’m someone who needs to be inspired to feel creative. I try to surround myself with the right people and put my energy into places that make me feel happy or at peace or inspired. Zeb Berg

DEANIE CHEN

Routine is super crucial. It starts with one thing and once you have one piece of structure, just slowly adding more and more until it becomes a fully fledged routine. There’s some solace in knowing exactly what you’re gonna do.

Deanie Chen

Don’t lock yourself into one form of inspiration. As a photographer, I don’t want to only be looking at photographs from other people. I try to find other mediums for inspiration. For example, books can be such a great source of inspiration for me. The more pressure you put on yourself to be creative, the harder it will be in my opinion. I think detaching from social media is a big thing. There’s a lot of pressure to be posting every day, especially if you see your peers doing that all the time. Creating isn’t just Instagram and Twitter.

Resting Creatively

Maxine Marcus

Kennedy Daniel

By surrounding myself with people who are smarter than me in different capacities

131

Deanie Chen

I think different art forms awaken different parts of you. Like when I listen to music, I feel it just washing over me and it just makes me feel emotional. In film, I’ll see beautiful shots and the emotion tied to that and take a screenshot to remember it as something that I want to emulate in my own work. And most recently, I’ve been reading law. And that has been so important for me in recognizing the art of world building. Beyond any other medium, books are able to create such vivid, all encompassing worlds just by putting words on paper.

Kennedy Daniel

I’m inspired by my mom. I heard this phrase when I was younger, and it reminded me so much my mom: my mom was not born, she was forged. There’s no way that that woman was just born. She forged her way through every part of her life. And now she is who she is.

What inspires you? Nikol Safronova

Other creatives inspire me a lot. I think I’m definitely inspired by events that happened in my life, too. I try to pay attention to motifs in my life. For example, I’m in the process of making a hummingbird graphic that was inspired by a time in quarantine when I was walking on campus and I just kept seeing hummingbirds everywhere. During the period of time, I was being really down on myself and not showing myself the love that I needed to. But when I kept seeing those like birds I thought, maybe this is like a sign.

132

Maxine Marcus

I think that first and foremost, my mom and my dad are my two biggest inspirations in the world. They both have just such incredible stories and life paths. I am extremely lucky that I was raised in a household where my parents are such inspirations to me, and it’s just a really humbling thing. I also am inspired by seeing other young people around me doing incredible things.Where there’s opportunity there’s the ability to feel inspired.

ANUSHKA JOSHI

133

Why is creativity important in Beyza BAykan

Generating change takes a lot of courage, and a lot of patience. And you need to be creative in finding solutions to the problems that you come across to create change. Someone who is not creative might give up if they believe they have run out of ideas. Creativity gives you more options to get out of hardship.

Eddie Mandell

If you don’t have creativity in generating change, no one gives a shit. You need to give people a reason to look at what you’re doing.

JOHN VAN LIERE

OURROS

134

Lewis Caldwell Sean Lewow

I think a modem or a catalyst for change is inspiring people. And without creativity, I think it’s really tough to inspire.

Nikol Safronova

We can’t have change without creativity. The current period in time right now is very difficult because there are two generations fighting with each other to some extent, besides the fact that we have huge political divides in our country, as well. Older generations are trying to use the same solutions that might have worked in the past. Or they don’t believe that modern issues are real issues. When people

wonder, why don’t things go back to normal? We have to realize that that’s not what normal is anymore. I think that this is why we need to have more creative solutions to the problems that we face in society and need to find solutions that work for newer generations.

If you’re stuck in the same thing, if you’re not actively pursuing different perspectives, or different ideas or anything like that, it’s just not really possible to change, or to have any real change.

Kennedy Daniel

I feel like we can’t fix a problem or change a society without a collective of people. pushing one another and ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves creates a better society.

John Van Liere

When a society or a person or a group of people is feeling a certain type of way, creativity is oftentimes the way that they convey that to the public and the way that creativity takes those emotions lodged within a collective group of people, and shows the world. You see that in the 60s a lot with the music that was written for social activism, an art that was created with the intent to like, change society. I think that creativity and art are the way that those emotions first get sent out en masse.

generating change? Tatiana Vaz

Maxine Marcus

It’s very easy to get stuck in our ways. If you’re always trying different things and innovating and meeting different people, it helps spark new ideas.

Creativity is the backbone of generating change. There’s a time to be creative, and then there’s a time to execute. But it always starts with being creative, and always starts with seeing a potential for improvement.

135

There’s a lot of innovation going on in the food industry right now regarding food access, and how to solve that problem. So I think once you start experimenting and trying different things, you can come up with the unimaginable.

Maxine Marcus

I’m surrounded by so many creative people that it’s almost overwhelming. So many young people are just so amazing. I think by empowering those that have the solutions, and creating those collaborative spaces where you can really listen to people and innovate. I also think that using creativity as the backbone of collaboration is important. Creativity inspires people, and when people are inspired they can create new and better ways to do things. Innovation gives people something to look forward to. Ultimately, what creates change is people who are open minded, because if you’re not open to change in the first place, then there won’t be change at all. MAXINE MARCUS

136

How can we effectively use creativity for change?

Tatiana Vaz

Sean Lewow

I think you need a mission first, or at least you need the goal of finding something positive to impact, whether or not you have the answer, or not. It could just be an overarching feeling of we want to make people happier, or give people an outlet. It just starts with having a positive mission.

Deanie Chen

Being receptive to new ideas is the most important thing. A lot of what keeps us from moving forward is fear of the unknown. I think what people need to understand is these scary problems that we are now bringing to the forefront and don’t want to deal with were swept under the rug for so long. But it’s very necessary to deal with these issues head on and not be scared of it, because that’s the future we’re building. The people who are the changemakers are going to be the younger generations, and these people have a greater stake in what’s to come because they have their whole life in front of them. I think art beyond anything else can invoke emotion. And emotion is such a strong driving force for change. No words can say what art speaks to. If we look at the power of Kpop, which is like now a worldwide phenomenon, people don’t understand what they’re singing but they are so influenced by the music. It’s really It’s really cool to see how art and music can bring a story to life. Kennedy Daniel

Everyone possesses the ability to be kind to one another.

I think if we showed a little bit more kindness in our everyday practices, it would allow people the mental and emotional space to just try and find themselves and be creative.

Eddie Mandell

Creativity is the medium. You need that nugget of inspiration or meaning behind it first, and then use creativity as the medium to communicate that to people.

Creativity as an agent for change Creativity is rooted in honesty, and people are not nearly honest enough with themselves. I also respect people who aren’t as honest with themselves because it’s hard to be. But I think if we were able to develop a society in which it was a little bit easier for people to be their honest selves, then we would have the creativity that we should have.

137

Sean Lewow

Just looking out for one another. Our industry is very interesting, because I think we

all derive a lot, if not a majority of our self worth, in our creative outputs. Whether it’s from an artistic standpoint, or from a business standpoint, I think it’s constantly comparing one to the next because it’s a lifestyle more so than just a vocation. With that in mind, I don’t think the nature of the industry is going to change and I think that just yields itself from being competitive, but also an industry where people are incredibly passionate about the thing that they’re doing. But with the thought of us all being able to do the thing that we’re expressively passionate about on a day to day basis, I think, any way that we can support one another and just be there for one another, a little bit more than you initially would have is super important. Deanie Chen

I want to see artists get paid. What’s been happening now, and something that I’m so passionate about, is prior to streaming, artists made the majority of their revenue from record sales. And now because streaming, artists don’t make much money from their music streaming. Because of that, artists rely mostly

What change do you want to see in Kennedy Daniel

I think just being curious and being okay with not knowing is essential to creativity. on touring and merch sales; the music that they’re creating isn’t their full source of income. And since the pandemic wiped out that main source of income for so many musicians, and they got so fucked. I think artists deserve to be recognized for how much good they bring to the world.In general, the pandemic has taught us how much we cling to books, music, film, TV shows for sanity. But still, there hasn’t been nearly as much support for the art industries as there has been for other industries, like sports for example.

138

John Van Liere

I think that the most important change we can start to see in the music industry is creators being paid fairly, and in a direct fashion. The longer that we put that change off, and we fail to adapt to new technologies, like the blockchain, that could potentially solve a lot of those issues. Until that happens, as a society, we’re going to continue

undervaluing music and undervaluing art. That kind of change can either come from

the collective will of the people to make a decision that will compensate creators better, implement a new system, at their own detriment, or it’ll come from the government. By leading from the consumer side, you start to pay for music and you start to use a technology that allows that to be done safely and securely and we’re going to enter an age of creators being paid fairly and accurately.

Maxine Marcus

I want to see change in a sense of how we view one another, and how we communicate with each other. I think that there’s a massive misconception in business, that you can just get some data and automatically have all the answers. I think that there’s also this big misunderstanding of Gen Z that

creative industries? Eddie Mandell

Between the visual art community and the music community, I would like to see more communication happening between the two, and more understanding from both sides on how to best work with the other. Because oftentimes, there’s a ton of miscommunication. And it’s not particularly one sides’ fault, between visual artists and people in music. But I’d love for that community to grow tighter, because inevitably, it’s all just kind of amalgamating into one thing, whether we like it or not.

we’re this unit of generation when we’re not: we’re so dynamic, there are so many different perspectives, and so many different types of people within our generation. We are like a million little generations in one. In business, it’s always about targeting your customers and understanding your customers. But there needs to be a new and better way to do that, and that’s obviously why we’re here. It’s about like reprogramming people to think about their customers on a human level, and not just as a revenue-generating unit.

139

BY EMILY FAYE GREEN

As someone who has struggled with mental health for most of her life, I’m well familiar with isolation. For years, I lived preferring to stand on the sidelines of the world, watching as life passed me by in front of my eyes, rather than stepping inside and joining everyone else. It’s taken me years to get to the point where I not only feel okay with, but genuinely desire, to take up space: to meet new people, try new things, foster curiosity, follow through on my commitments, admit to and recover from mistakes I might have made along the way. Due to the pandemic, I find myself isolating once again. Perhaps more than ever before. I came back to my college campus after my senior year spring break only to spend one night in my apartment, throw my college life into a few black trash bags, say goodbye to one of my roommates as we stood 6 feet apart, and spend a few nights in an Airbnb before I could find long term housing.

140

In all honesty, when I close my eyes, the reality I’m currently in reminds me of what it has felt like to relapse. To start from scratch in my recovery, beginning to rebuild my life and see progress, only to decide to call it quits once again. To creep back into the isolated world of my mental illness. To give into my eating disorder, social anxiety and OCD’s promises that the “real world” and everyone else in it is better off without me taking up space. A month ago, I Ioved where I was going in life. Today, I’m not where I thought I was going to be. Not only do I live in a city with lockdown orders, but I live alone. Not only am I nearly 1,000 miles away from my family, but I work in a hospital. And not only that, but my home floor has become the hospital’s inpatient COVID unit. So if there is anyone who is morally or socially obligated to be taking these precautions to an extreme, it’s me. I have to remind myself that just because my world “feels” empty, my life is still very full. Life itself is not on lockdown. I have not relapsed and lost it all.

Throwback

Previously, I was isolating out of fear. Today, I am isolating out of love. When people say they support me isolating in order to “stay safe”, I can’t help but laugh. But my laughter is full of anger. I’m not isolating because “I” want to stay safe. I’m isolating because the world needs me to. In the past week alone, I’ve interacted with well over a dozen individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, touching them with a beard cover over my mouth due to the shortage of medical supplies. At this point in time, it’s less about protecting my own safety and more about protecting my own sanity while ensuring that the people in my life know why I’m doing what I’m doing.

I feel guilty that I’m not glued to my phone 24/7. I’m afraid of being “selfish”. I’m afraid that I’m not being “productive” enough. I’m comparing my isolation experience to others’ Instagram stories of social distancincing as they are surrounded by friends and family. From an outsider perspective, it almost looks like they’re celebrating an extended Christmas.

ILLUSTRATION BY MADDY LEDGER

Article

The “isolation” that I am currently putting myself through is not the same as the maladaptive “escaping from reality” that I did while I was struggling with my mental health. I have to reframe what I am currently going through, not only for my own sanity, but because in reality, the two situations are vastly different.

At the core of it all, I’m secretly just terrified that the world will forget I’m here. Or perhaps more importantly, I’m terrified that the world will just assume that I don’t want to be part of it anymore. Because for once in my life, I’m not isolating to cut the world out. I’m isolating because I love the world more than words could ever explain.

141

BY NIKKI COHEN In elementary school, boys and girls are at the peak of sexual equality; prepubescent bodies are not yet seen as sexual objects, fear of contracting “cooties” prevents intimate relations, and sex is only a mythical creature that children have yet to ponder. But during one strange day in school, this blissful ignorance was stripped from my fifth grade self. After being split up by gender, us girls received little pink booklets labeled “Sexual Education”, and I can only assume that the boys obtained their own version on blue paper. In this dubious discussion, math equations and vocabulary words were substituted for explanations of puberty, but not one ounce of the conversation spoke to sex, contraception, or consent.

Ideals of hegemonic masculinity that shape our patriarchal culture legitimizes male power and privilege. This creates an absolute binary between men and women in the public sphere and also contributes to disparities in the bedroom. Girls are taught that sex is done when the guy finishes, and if that occurs before she herself finishes, she must fake it in order to soften the blow to his fragile ego. Where did this unfair standard of satisfying the man’s needs first and foremost exactly originate?

These double standards in the bedroom stem from misogynistic, and sometimes violent, depictions of sex in pornography and the media. The mainstream porn This aloof curriculum frames sex and sexuality as taboo industry is largely marketed towards their heterosexual, subjects starting early on in childhood. The repressed male audience. Thus, womens’ knowledge of pleasure is rhetoric surrounding sex gives it a heightened sense of limited to the male gaze. Instead of placing emphasis on curiosity, one that sticks with us into adulthood. But clitoral stimulation, the only true scientifically proven “G as a young woman, I have been primed from an early spot” for women, porn and popular media often depict a age to suppress this curiosity. When a woman openly screaming woman that can orgasm from penetration alone. expresses her sexuality, she is chastised as a slut. But if she decides to abstain, she is pitied for being prude. Where men are often praised for being sexual beings, women are condemned.

142

Throwback

Today, this falsity is known as the “myth of the vaginal orgasm”. Famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud perpetuated the idea when he argued that a woman was mentally unstable if she could not achieve an orgasm by penetration. That’s right: if she could not achieve pleasure while satisfying her man, and thus fulfilling her role as a woman, Freud suggested that she seek psychiatric help. These popular falsehoods about female sexuality set women up to be silent, suppressed, and submissive to their dominant counterparts in the bedroom.

Sex positivity has become increasingly accepted since the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. But even in a post- Women’s Liberation Movement America, sexual empowerment is still regulated. Today, sex workers are often depicted as being exploited. When police investigate prostitution as a crime, it insinuates that sex workers are in need of saving, as if the choice to use one’s bodies for economic exchange is indeed the wrong choice. For trans sex workers, in particular, sex work can be an escape from institutionalized discrimination that they may face in traditional workplaces. “Rescuing” sex workers from their own autonomous decisions is not really rescuing at all, but rather a reinforcement of patriarchal morality.

Being sexually liberated does not constitute the amount of sex one has, but rather is rooted in subjectivity over objectivity. Bodily autonomy is the simplest form of democracy; if you lack control over how your body is used or perceived, what do you really have control over in life? If we look back at American history, people on the same political side as pro-life groups today supported the forced sterilization of women-- disproportionately women of color-- throughout the 20th century. While Controlling your sexuality is virtually impossible without pro-life groups today encourage women to have babies, control over your own body. It is not a coincidence sterilization endorsed the opposite. The juxtaposition that sexual liberation coincided with newly litigated between pro-life politics and sterilization laws prove how reproductive freedoms in the 1960s and 1970s. as political agendas change over time, the female body is Following the legalization of birth control in 1965 for consistently controlled. We must break this detrimental married couples, and then for all Americans in 1972, the cycle. Sexuality is an essential part of identity, and sex is infamous 1973 court cases Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolten a way of expressing it. It’s time to stop sleeping with the gave American women the right to have an abortion. patriarchy and to climb into bed with progress, power, and pleasure.

143

Article

When a woman’s identity was rooted in her ability to reproduce, heterosexuality was required to fulfill this cultural expectation, in turn creating and naturalizing homophobia. But finally, the nuclear family structure and institution of marriage would not leverage a woman’s future, or anyone else’s for that matter. The legalization of birth control and abortion allowed women to regulate their own sexual experiences. This sent the powerful message that women were as entitled to exploring their sexuality as men were. When American women won the right to abort, they won the ultimate freedom of choice. Women could finally choose to focus on their education, to pursue successful careers, and to have sex for pleasure; after the 1970s, motherhood was no longer inherently expected.

A Confrontation with Mental Health & America’sHealthcare System BY SOPHIA SMALL

As I sober up from my drunken stupor, a wave of panic washes through my body as I realize I’m being handcuffed to the hospital bed. How did I end up here? Long story, but I’ll try to give you a summary. Starting at a very young age, I knew there was something off. In lower school, I’d revel in envy watching my peers running around energetically, the classrooms echoing with hyperactivity, as I mostly enjoyed arts and crafts, an activity that allowed me to stay safely in my shell of silence and solitude. As I grew older, the differences between my peers and me started to become more and more apparent. I was caught in a permanent state of exhaustion, low energy, and low morale. When I switched to a new school for middle school, this change, mixed with my social anxiety, led to a disastrous beginning. Not only did speaking to people result in a depletion of my energy, but it also terrified the living shit out me for extremely irrational reasons. So, I kept to myself, which when you have a resting bitch face, doesn’t really sit well with others. As we all know, middle schoolers are pesky little monsters, and I experienced constant and relentless bullying which further pushed me towards isolation. Not only was school a shit show, but my home life wasn’t an ideal situation either. Without going into details, let’s just say I had no place where I was able to achieve the happiness I was looking for. This led to my decision to leave the negativity and go to boarding school.

144

Boarding school was a fresh start, the new beginning I craved. I believed that my depression was only there because of the negative environments I was in before and that escaping them would inherently lead to me escaping my depression. Boy, was I wrong. You can’t surpass adversity unless you confront it. So, I went to counseling. The ability to unload my life on someone was relieving but just not enough for me. Everyone experiences different levels and symptoms when depressed, but I’ll try to give you an idea of what mine look like. What I experience in my depression are two different levels. For the sake of this article, let’s call the levels Becky and Sally. Becky is that mosquito that just won’t f*** off. She’s like a permanent gray cloud, with my efforts to escape her and find a ray of sunshine resulting in a constant state of exhaustion. Although she sometimes allows a little sun to shine through, her imminence overshadows this short felt joy.

Throwback Article The psych ward was analogous to a prison. Leaving me there with no explanation of what was to happen, I was led to my room which looked like a cell. Being a small young female, I quickly realized I stood out like a sore thumb. I was the youngest by at least 10 years, and definitely in a different headspace than the others there. Let me remind you, those in psychiatric wards are not only there if they’re a harm to themselves, but also harm to others. The people there lived very different lives from me, most were homeless and picked up from the streets This voice, the one telling me to end my life, has and were clearly battling some severe drug addiction, oftentimes made me hate myself. I am so fortunate. which was very heart-wrenching to watch. I have family and friends that love me, I have a roof over my head, and I go to a top institution. I feel like I’m I was sad, lost, and afraid. I would ask the nurses when such a spoiled brat for feeling this way. This, the fear of I could talk to the doctor, to which they’d respond coldly burdening others, and the fear of being defined by my that they didn’t know and that he comes when he comes, depression, leads me to internalize my feelings as much and then they would turn their backs to me, treating me like I committed some crime. They continuously drugged as possible and hide behind a mask. me, even though I didn’t need it, leaving me numb. I had Anyways, back to the story of how I ended up chained to nobody to talk to, and since they take away all your a hospital bed. Having a Sally-ridden week, I turned to belongings, nothing to do. I stared at a blank wall and felt substances to escape myself, which obviously is a big time stand still, slowly losing my mind. There was also a no-no. Out of character for myself, I went on a week- man, probably in his 50s and with teardrop tattoos on his long bender. Putting a depressant in my body every day face, who would stare at me, follow me, and constantly naturally pushed me to my breaking point. I broke down, ask me for my number so that we could go out on the said suicidal things to those closest to me, and in the outside. The nurses were useless as they’d turn a blind end was taken to a hospital by my roommates so that I eye, leaving me in fear and scared to fall asleep. I had to constantly stop myself from crying or having a panic could talk to someone. And so, we continue… attack, as expressing any sort of unsettling emotions “We have no room for you in the psychiatric ward here,” would be enough for them to keep me there longer. says the UCLA doctor, “We have to transfer you.” In one of the only conversations I had, I spoke to a man They then take me to an ambulance, where the EMT who was homeless. He said, “I’d rather be sleeping on the condescendingly tells me about this one time he felt cold hard streets again than be in this prison.” This stuck sad, read an article about being happy, and felt better, with me. the moral of the story being, “just be happy.” Please, for After many conversations with the doctor, where I would the love of God, never say this to a depressed person. assure him that I wasn’t a harm to myself, to which he’d We then arrive at the hospital, which is in one of LA’s more respond that I could be lying and refuse to allow me to impoverished neighborhoods, as the better psychiatric leave, he finally let me go on the basis that my parents wards were full. Little did I know I was about to enter had flown in and that I had them to turn to. For many feeling monumentally better than I would upon my exit. there, that would never be the case. 72 hours later, I was free… sort of. Sally, on the other hand, is a colossal bitch who even makes Becky look like an angel. Sally stays dormant most of the time, but when she decides to wake up, she unleashes a storm. Sally’s goal is to paralyze me, to break me down mentally and physically until I lose my sense of purpose. She doesn’t let me leave bed, eat, or talk to people, and leaves me with nothing to enjoy, ultimately telling me I should end my life.

145

ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA SMALL AND MADDY LEDGER

146

Throwback Article

Although I was free physically, my mental state was anything but that. The physical isolation and the constant numbness I experienced from them shoving sedatives down my throat led me to experience some trauma. My anxiety skyrocketed, I didn’t know how to talk or interact with people, was constantly on the verge of tears, and had nightmares about my experience there for weeks after leaving. What struck me the most are the conversations I had after with others who had been to psych wards and how their experiences were the polar opposite. The difference, evidently, seemed to always center around where our hospitals were located. I just happened to be put in an underfunded hospital in a poor neighborhood, which I’m actually glad happened as it really opened my eyes. I’ve always known the US is a capitalist-driven society that prioritizes those with power. Power is money, and if you don’t have money, you’re left in the dust. As the suicide rate skyrockets, it’s disgraceful that our health care system is the way it is. Firstly, it’s not news to anyone that the U.S. doesn’t have universal healthcare, which is an issue in itself. Second, mental health treatment is basically considered a luxury, as only 2.4% of the U.S.’s total health care spending goes towards mental health treatment, while over half of our population seeks mental health services. Not only this but insurance plans are inadequate, as insurance companies consistently reimburse behavioral health providers at lower rates. Additionally, 40% of Americans have to wait longer than a week to get mental health treatment, as many are faced with limited options, which in dire situations, could be fatal. The disparities and holes in our mental health care system are obnoxiously evident and real, even though a huge majority of the population believe that mental health is just as important as physical health.

Although there’s sometimes that voice that tells me to end it all, my years of treatment have allowed me to grasp onto the voice that wants to live and sees the beauty in life. I still struggle at times, but I’ve been taught the skills on how to cope with this disease and feel better. Nobody should be at their lowest point in life and then placed in an environment that treats you like a criminal. I don’t know how anyone would leave a place like that and feel any less suicidal. Our country needs to have a long and serious look at the embarrassment that our healthcare system is and fix it. I’m hoping that in writing this article, I can not only bring awareness to this issue but also destigmatize mental health illness. Putting this out there, when it’s something I’ve tried to hide from people at all costs, absolutely terrifies me. I’ve always hid my illness due to my fear of being a burden or being seen in a different light, but I’ve realized that there’s nothing to be ashamed of and that this doesn’t define me, it’s just a part of my story and journey. My hope is that in writing this, it will allow those who are struggling to feel more comfortable speaking out and seeking help. Although my hospitalization wasn’t a great experience, I was then able to seek more intensive types of treatment which allowed me to slowly start to feel alive again.

This is something that needs to change. I’m lucky enough to have a good insurance plan, where I can see the best therapists, go to the best in-patient programs, and receive top-notch treatment, but this is far from the reality that others face. I don’t think I would be alive right now if I didn’t have the help that I’ve received.

147

148

Meet the Class of GEN-ZiNE. These individuals inspire us with their compassion, creativity, curiosity, critical thinking, and community-oriented mindsets. They are friends, advocates, writers, artists, and are redefining what it means to work in their respective industries. On micro and macro levels, these individuals embody what it means to disrupt the narrative.

149

Neal Sivadas First off, there is like a lot of Gen Z research out there. But there’s not a lot of context around it. I’m trying to create context through my monthly newsletter on Gen Z and social media, which is called The Find Gen Z series, as well as my work at JUV consulting, which is a Gen Z marketing agency helping to bring Gen Z voices to the table where decisions are being made. Layla Baradaran I’m hoping to take everything that I’ve learned through my experience in organizing to impact the way that we tell stories. I like to focus on who tells stories and through what lens. I am so excited that storytelling industries are telling stories that haven’t been told yet. However there are still shifts to be made in terms of the people that are making the decisions on who’s writing it, who plays, who’s editing a film, through what lighting are people’s skin colors highlighted, etc. All of these are necessary and pivotal aspects of how we consume storytelling. Dani Gottstein As a cancer patient, I saw firsthand the power of working to help people get better. Nurses and doctors really become your family, or people to lean on through the hard times. For me it’s about being able to pay it forward. And I know that for the rest of my life, I will probably be really a happy person in this career because it’s something that I’m so passionate about. Maxine Marcus I’m ultimately creating a streamlined way to get consumer insights directly from real people and voices, and to have those insights be incredibly actionable and tangible. It’s just finding a way to put youth perspectives in front of brands and institutions in the easiest way possible. Nate Odenkirk Honestly, I didn’t think that I was doing anything out of the ordinary when I first had the idea to come up with a humor website. After years of doing it, I have seen almost nothing else like it. I’m not saying that I came up with the best idea ever, but I just took the path that made the most sense to me. And I’m enjoying it. That’s the best part: working towards something that helps people and is enjoyable to me. Tia Kemp

I’m interested in changing the old era. One

thing, maybe more obvious, is changing representation in this field, both in front of the camera and on the creator side. There are so many people making decisions that go into whether content is streamed or published or where it’s accessible or who it’s advertised to. And I think representation in terms of ethnic background, ability, gender, etc., is increasingly acknowledged. I think I’m helping create change by being myself, in the sense of presenting all sides of myself to whoever I talk to.

150

How we Mara Lorin I’m looking at ways that these new businesses can make connections with older businesses and really immerse themselves in the neighborhood and kind of push back against the developers narrative. Rachel Zhang I’m increasing general youth and youth presence when it making decisions within my

interaction comes to community.

Jeremy Silverman I’m here to be in touch with my human emotions, to be honest, and to share it. Chloe Yu In the past, diversity has been an issue in the fashion industry. I’m happy to be able to contribute to that diversity, and continue to demand it.

Biata Shem-Tov

Hwoo Lee

I want to break the boundary of there being “models” in general to show people that everyone can have beautiful, sexy pictures of themselves. People come in for an hour shoot, I tell them to wear whatever makes them feel the most comfortable and confident, whether that be in their underwear, boxers, their favorite lingerie set or even sweatpants. While editing the pictures postshoot, I do extremely slight lighting adjustments and never photoshop people’s bodies. I use natural light to highlight a person’s best features and never alter a person’s body. After sending people their edited pictures I ask them to reflect on the experience and to send back their thoughts, feelings, during the shoot, after, any hesitations they had before, or why they wanted to do the shoot. I believe that reflecting on the shoot is a part of the experience as well and gives people the space to understand themselves better and to really look within.

I’m not professionally trained, incredibly talented or have a culinary degree or anything. But what I want to preach is that you can set up a very successful and entertaining environment and dinner for your friends and family without having to have gone to culinary school or working in restaurants for years.

Tatiana Vaz

Gbenga Komolafe

There isn’t upcycled alcohol in the U.S. yet. I think it’s a good way to do your part for the environment because you’re not really changing your behavior; you can buy this drink and be making an impact.

On a personal note, I feel like just in conversation, I’ve seen that my personal questioning of myself and

Kavita Rai Advocacy and organizing are disruptive practices in nature. My background in writing and journalism has made me understand the power of different narratives, and further, how listening to different narratives help make policy much more inclusive. Kate AsChkenasy By being a woman in the sports industry. While the presence of women has increased over the years, I am questioned more about my knowledge of sports than my male counterparts.

my identity, and my openness with that, has helped other people do the same. It’s helped foster a

world

where

that

can

are disruptive

happen

for

people.

Elle I feel like disruption happened to me. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to complete this process of transition or even understand it without the help of so many people around me to even understand that this was my reality, because I was so divorced from myself. The framework in which we operate in society and deem what is human and what is less than human just kind of fell on me. And now I feel like a carrier of this thing that is progressing change. I think my life was disrupted by social disruptions. And now I am furthering the disruption. Deanie Chen Before COVID, I was definitely among some of the youngest music photographers. I always seem to be one of the few women and few Asian women in my immediate industry. I don’t think I’m groundbreaking, but I think that by just pursuing this passion of

mine, I hope that other people can see that it’s possible regardless of what you look like, or what the stereotypical photographer looks like.

151

Sami Rosenblatt People think of the law as dead text and just something that’s written on a page, but the law actually shapes our everyday lives. And I think there’s a lot of law that’s pretty exciting. I definitely like to deal with taboos. Personally, I think it’s fun to talk about things like sex and drugs, not because I’m a bad person, but because I think anything

that gets dismissed as taboo normally has a bigger story there. Kennedy Daniel

First of all, by believing in myself. Second of all, because I think a lot of the

time, Black women are seen as being completely independent and completely without weakness. I wear my weaknesses on my sleeve as opposed to being like I’m a strong, independent Black woman, period. I think I’m a strong, independent Black woman who needs help and wants people to help her. So I think I’m disrupting the norm of always being the strong Black woman stereotype, but also being it at the same time.

Josie Bullen Mental health representations are not something that are very common right now in film and television. And in order to stop the cycle of there not being a presence on screen, I started Mental Health Content Collective to bring the information that students and young professionals need to create these types of stories in the media. I’m trying to help our industry promote mental health stories to destigmatize mental illness. I want to make entertaining stories that are meaningful.

Rhys Osborne The post-COVID hospitality industry will be about simplicity at the intersection of operations and marketing. Specialization (and building experiences around that specialty) will be key to surviving and thriving in the post-pandemic landscape. Bedroom 6’s niche is in absinthe – guests come to enjoy a cocktail experience with something that they have likely not had before (but will likely enjoy at least one aspect of by the time they leave).

How we Beyza BAykan People don’t really know what denim washing is, but every single pair of jeans you see in the stores are washed with something called pumice stone to get that great effect on the indigo. And the pumice stone is super harmful to the environment because it melts so fast, so its carbon footprint is super high. The industry that I’m in is focused on cost effectiveness and nothing else. As sustainable fashion gets bigger each day, we market the denim mill pollution to consumers so they can pressure the denim mills to turn to sustainable options.

Alicia Novoa I focus on youth activism, and it draws the attention of the nonprofit industry towards what kids are marching for in the streets, and issues that greatly impact our future. Jack Bekos I’ve been really curious and passionate about finding the intersection between Spanish and law. The obvious answer is how I might be an immigration lawyer or international lawyer. But something I’ve been really curious to break through in is immigration policy. How can I use my language aptitude to advocate for immigrants or individuals who don’t necessarily have as much support as they need, both as an attorney but also in a larger political arena writing legislation? We’ll see, I guess.

Tajwar Khandaker I want to work in the foreign policy sphere. Disruption is a big word that has a lot of weight attached to it. But what I will say is that there’s a lot that I believe could be done to the way that foreign policy is handled in this country. People who come from other places to the United States have really varied stories about what their relationship is to the United States or their ideology of what it was before they came here. My parents are no different. They came from Bangladesh in the 90s as grad students for medicine. They grew up in Bangladesh, a year after the Independence War happened in my country. And it was formed for the first time when the United States actively gave aid to Pakistan to try to help them win the war against Bangladesh. As a kid growing up in the United States

with a family who came from a country like that, I didn’t really have a choice to not think about these things, and the ways that American false foreign policy impacts other people’s lives in other parts of the world.

152

Ourros When we founded the company, the model that we took was a new model, where we have a creative studio and a management division, both separate entities that could exist entirely on their own and function. The function that we take is that we grow all of our business arms together, fully supporting the company. Any client that comes in, not only are their music management services met, but we have many other creative services we can offer to them, like setting up their video, and helping with other creative directions. We are able to provide all the things a client may need, which I guess you don’t see very often. We really do try to place as much importance on cross-pollination as possible, and also on teamwork, community, staff, partners, and friends as much as possible.

Adam Casillas

Dillon Bernard

Ochuko Ruth

The entertainment industry gets the reputation of being brutal and highly critical and not so friendly. A way of breaking that barrier is becoming the best person I could possibly become. It’s tough. I’m just trying to be myself and add love into the equation. I’m just trying to bring a positive light to the acting world, and to Hollywood.

I am really focused on ensuring that underrepresented youth have platforms and the resources and the tools that they need to do their best work. It’s really about ensuring that the stories are inclusive. So I often say that by changing the narrator,

Instead of me being a representative for all Black women, I get to share my perspective of showing up as Ochuko. And so we’re really empowering women and non-binary people of color to represent themselves and their own opinions in a space that really acknowledges them for the individuals they are, and less so as a token.

you change the narrative.

are disruptive Abeer Tijani I think in general, people are starting to recognize Black women as people for the very first time, which is unfortunate. But I think that there’s a keen interest in listening to women who look like me. And because of that, they’re able to bring really unique ideas to the table that I personally believe the world needs in order to move forward and be a better version of itself than it was yesterday.

Bhav Singh I’m modernizing my industry. Tommy King I hope to combine agriculture and policy to enact some tangible change.

Nikol Safronova My whole thing is that I want to, at the end of my life, say that I’ve been able to impact people to some extent with my art. I think that the way I’m disrupting the industry that I’m in is that I don’t like to create things that are seen as creating for Instagram, or rather designing things because it is perceived as “popular”. I want to create art that’s true to myself. Anjali Ramanathan When you grow up somewhere, you view your culture as the default–– and for me that was Silicon Valley. I think a lot of the differences I’m aware of, in terms of my perspective, are framed in the sense that pretty much all my peers are born and raised in the U.K. Being moved from one context to another like that has really shown me how I can find my own balance in terms of the skills I have, and the values that I wasn’t necessarily exposed to that are also useful in their own way.

Morgan Grimm I do think that when you have a set of

values that differs from the people who are leading the industry, it is important to just bring your own thoughts and perspectives. Right now I’m working in communication. So when I write something, it’s informed by my belief system and how I think things should be. And of course, it’s probably edited or filtered through as it goes up the ladder. But right now, my mere presence is my form of disruption.

153

Josie Bullen On a really personal level, when I was going through an eating disorder in college, I wasn’t seeing stories that reflected what I was going through on screen and that was really hard. There’s a couple of films and TV shows that have really helped me understand and make mental illness feel more relatable, and it made me feel like it’s okay to talk about it.

What inspires us?

Ochuko Ruth I grew up in Nigeria, and I always tell people that I think I saw five non-Black people my whole life until I was 16. Being Black wasn’t really a huge part of my conscious identity growing up because everyone around me was Black. When I moved to Portland, Oregon, it became the thing about me, that I was the Black girl. And I was really lost and confused to have my identity go through all the stereotypes that people expected me to be. Apart from being Black, I was also Nigerian and African. There were a ton of stereotypes and misconceptions that came with that and it was really frustrating. I

just wanted to be Ochuko speaking for Ochuko, and less like a Black girl speaking for all Black girls. When I

decided to create Parachute, that was what it was really about: creating a space for people to come as they are. I wake up every day wanting to learn new ways to serve my community and to build that community. Chloe Yu My mom actually got me into the fashion industry. She was always into fashion, so she submitted me to an open call at a San Francisco modeling agency. I got my start when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I loved meeting people on set, portraying different mood boards, and just the whole creative industry in general. Deanie Chen I really like art in general and think it is one of the most powerful things in the world. I always had a draw towards it, but I hadn’t found the medium that worked well for me for a while. Music is also a big passion of mine, so I decided to mesh the two by going into music photography. I also really like fashion. So my passion is just a melding of everything that I love. I think you realize

what your passion is when it just becomes kind of like that obsession. It’s like an itch that you have to scratch. And it just becomes such a part of your life that without that piece of you, you feel incomplete. Gbenga Komolafe Everyone needs a way to be heard and say how they feel. And a lot of people unfortunately don’t have that opportunity or outlet to do so. The structures that form our society make it so hard to find that for yourself. And so that was the struggle that inspired me to make art. I had the privilege of experiencing art as a child. I don’t believe I was born to be an artist, but it was just by chance.

Layla Baradaran I’ve always loved storytelling and consuming stories. I found storytelling as the way that I can most authentically communicate with society, and in learning about history. History isn’t just facts: it’s stories of our human existence. It has really impacted how I view the world and how I want to shape my life. I don’t believe that storytelling should only exist to describe the past––it’s also about how we use the stories that we wish to tell that have not been told yet to create our future.

154

Adam Casillas I’ve always been an entertainer. Dance is my true passion. I don’t formally train in dancing, I’m definitely more of a freestyle dancer, but it’s what brings me the most happiness in comparison to anything in the world. I had a really hard time discovering what I wanted to do with my life in college and in the professional realm. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into medicine, I did investment banking for a couple summers, but I hated it. The best thing about acting is that you’re getting paid to play other people. And if you do it correctly, you’re really embodying these characters as opposed to just thinking of it as a role. I’m too crazy to just be stuck behind a desk for the rest of my life. When I first started acting, I was in middle school. My friend’s mom was an assistant to an agent in Palm Springs and she asked me if I was ever interested in pursuing commercial acting. I never really saw it as a profession, so it was really someone else’s belief in me that made me believe in myself. Kate AsChkenasy I grew up in Philadelphia, which has a crazy sports culture. Living there really made me understand the impact that sports can on individuals as well as the community. I always come back to the idea that people care so much about sports; football Sunday is literally a religious holiday in this country. I also recognized the impact that sports could have on a social justice level. Sports teams have the ability to reach a huge audience… most other industries can not say the same. I love the idea of telling the story of the player and understanding the person behind just the girl or guy you see dribbling down the court. Kavita Rai I’m very much a self-starter who constantly is figuring out what I can be doing to help. In general, I’m very action oriented. Congresswoman Ayana Presley always says that policy can be a love language. And I think that that notion is really integral to understanding how I operate as a change maker. I started recognizing the ways in which policy can incite so much violence. But I think that it also has the ability to do the opposite and be a peacemaker. At my work with Justice in the Classroom, a student run organization and community initiative that mobilizes all stakeholders in the education system to prioritize racial equity, we examine how issues within the community overlap with the education system. Nate Odenkirk There are three people who I really trust in comedy: one worked with the original Monty Python cast back in the 1970s, and I had a chance to speak with him. Then I had an internship at Jimmy Kimmel, and I got to talk to Jimmy and ask him questions for a day. And then of course, my dad. Three really accomplished people in comedy gave me the same advice, which was you have to write every day. I’ve merged my everyday thinking with my writing. I am constantly and inadvertently turning over everything that’s happened to me and in the news in my head, wondering how I can put a new perspective on it that’s valuable and funny at the same time. Dani Gottstein I didn’t know what kind of health care job I wanted to pursue when I came to college. And then my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and went right into treatment. The year that followed was the craziest year of my life. I spent about 100 days in the hospital. I spent a lot of time watching nurses and doctors figure out a way to save my life. The reality of experiencing a life threatening

illness is that you really come to appreciate the work that healthcare workers do. All of my

Tia Kemp I think I’ve always had a very empathetic soul… It came with time, maturity, being on my own, and really just digging into what I actually cared about. In my major in Media, Arts, and Practice, our curriculum is always rooting us back to current events and how we can use our toolset to create things that are going to encourage people to look at these issues in new ways. Now

that I have the tools to create something with a message, it feels like a superpower.

doctors and nurses truly care so much about their patients and their patients’ families. From the very beginning during my first month of treatment, I knew that I wanted to be at the bedside, and really be on the patient-care side of things.

155

Morgan Grimm

Biata Shem-Tov

I was raised in a Christian home, and one thing that was always instilled in me was to whom much is given, much is expected. My dad is in business and my mom was more in sociology, so their intersection influenced me since I was a child.

My roommate has such a beautiful room with natural lighting that I instantly wanted to do shoots there. My good friend had previously asked me to take pictures of her, so I thought that would be the perfect spot. It then spiraled into other friends wanting to do the same. I wanted to showcase my work and it turned into a platform dedicated to sharing people’s stories and tumultuous journeys with self-love, proving that it isn’t a streamlined process, but one with many ups and downs.

Neal SivadaS Most people don’t realize that when Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook, was not an expert in connecting people, but now some people might say he’s an expert in that. So I was like, I’m gonna do the same thing. Not necessarily start a billion dollar company, but kind of take it upon myself to bridge a gap. I started a newsletter on LinkedIn, which has quickly grown in the past year to 11,000 subscribers. And I have had a chance to educate and interact with a lot of amazing people who are engaged and want to really give a platform to our generation, because they really believe in the power of our generation.

Tajwar Khandaker It’s been more of a slow journey. As I mentioned, it’s been a part of my family life to talk about foreign affairs and foreign politics. But I came into USC as a biology major for the first year and a half. It wasn’t till halfway through my sophomore year that I decided that international relations was what I wanted to work in and study. I think it was a culmination of everything that I saw growing up with regards to how America interacts with the world.

Maxine Marcus It was a slow burn. I’ve been at this for a long time now and it’s weird to say that because I’m only 20. But it’s been an extremely long process of just observing my environment, living through these different experiences, and kind of taking each step of company growth day by day. At the end of the day, the reason why I’m passionate about this is because I’ve always really loved people and I love understanding people. Basically, my work is to understand people and turn that understanding into actionable solutions. I also like problem solving. So at the root of it, Ambassco brings those two things to fruition.

Kennedy Daniel I’ve always been extremely creative. Growing up, I was a ballet dancer and I was interested in fine arts. My parents are actors, so I don’t think it’s much of a surprise to anyone that I chose to pursue a creative field. But I think more specifically, I’m inspired by representation. I remember scrolling through Instagram

and looking at movies and realizing that no one looked like me or talked like me or is like me. And so I was like: instead of complaining about it, I’ll just do it. I started doing photography, but had no idea how. I thought that I have enough privilege to do it myself, and I felt ballsy enough to think that I deserved it. It is a privileged idea that everyone has one thing, like I am a dancer, I am a musician, I am an actor. But I think people can change and evolve. Alicia Novoa I wouldn’t even call it a political awakening, because I’ve always been aware of social issues. I think a lot of it has to do with being the child of immigrants. But, my junior year of high school, I decided I wanted to learn about our political system and how we can reshape it. So I volunteered on my local congresswoman’s reelection campaign, and became a fellow for her by helping her engage young voters-- that was the first time that I realized the civic engagement gap. Nobody was really going to high

schools to register brand new voters because nobody had confidence that they would actually go out and vote. After the Parkland high school shooting happened, I became an organizer with March for our Lives Orlando, and

throughout Florida in general. I then applied for a role at Future Coalition in July of 2019, and I have been here ever since.

156

Sami Rosenblatt I have always been a really curious person. I’ve always loved school because it’s a place that allows you to turn your curiosity into projects, and I’m not a competitive person, but I’m motivated by disciplining myself. So the idea of working towards projects or grades or building relationships with people whose minds I respect, whether that’s a boss or a professor, is very motivating to me. And so the way to get the most validation is to pick something that no one else is talking about. What better way to grab people’s attention than discussing topics that are on the fringes of society. I hope that more people start to listen to themselves, because everyone has unique intersections of their interests, their talents, and that is what the world needs. Hwoo Lee I watched this documentary on YouTube from Munchies called Powder, which is the name of the supper club that was run out of USC around the late 2000s. It was run by three guys who were just serving dinner every Thursday night to the USC community. It was run a bit like a professional restaurant. But what inspired me more was not how much experience they had but their age, but more so that there is so much potential. So that’s what inspired me to start Maru.

The work that organizations like Future Coalition have been doing and will continue to do is pushing youth movements forward by offering folks the resources that they need, and just amplifying the stories of what’s already happening. I’m finding stories of youth power across the country. The work I’ve been able to do around pressing movements forward started in my bedroom when I was 13 just by creating websites. I think that dream has landed me already in some interesting spots where I’m ready to work around my goal: using storytelling for social change. Rhys Osborne This was an accident. I did the cocktail experience at first as a joke for my friends, and they were the ones who told me I should make it into something bigger. I was always the kid who was bouncing between passions and never knowing what to do – this showed me a life path where I’d be able to do all of it.

Abeer Tijani The moment that I first started really using my voice outside of just talking about issues in classrooms or with my friends was this past summer during the Black Lives Matter movement. That was a really pivotal time in my life for many different reasons. I felt that the only way that I could possibly contribute to something larger than myself was by writing about it. Writing helps me process my emotions, and it helps a lot of people kind of piece together things that they didn’t even know how to begin to articulate. There’s great power in the written word. Once you put something out

there, you have to just let it exist because the minute that you do, it’s not fully yours anymore and it’s up for everybody else’s interpretations. There is tremendous power in writing something and seeing that somebody has resonated with your words.

Mara Lorin What inspired me, beyond the fact that everyone deserves a roof over their head, and that gentrification leads to uprooting and lots of homelessness, is this notion that I don’t like to go to places that feel wildly inauthentic. What happens to neighborhoods that become heavily gentrified is that they lose their authenticity. If we continue giving an advantage to the whiter, wealthier business to come into neighborhoods, you lose the authenticity that originally drew people to the area in the first place. The search for authentic experiences comes at the expense of entering ethnic neighborhoods and making them our own, and they weren’t ever made to be our own.

What inspires us?

Dillon Bernard

157

Nikol Safronova

What inspires us?

In high school, I was told that being an artist was not gonna be able to make me money, which is fucked up because our education system promotes this mindset about art which is completely false. I kind of lost myself for like five years. I sketched throughout that period of time but I never thought that this was something that I could actually do. And so I came to USC as a business major and still am, but I realized that I just didn’t have any passion for what I was learning. But that just made me realize that I had to find

something that is more true to myself as opposed to something that people tell me is good to do. This got me thinking: what did my childhood self like to do? And for me, that was art. The more I just got involved in just staying true to myself, the more I realized: oh shit, this is what I meant to do.

Rachel Zhang I started my nonprofit, Rochester Community Initiative, last summer following the murder of George Floyd because this happened in Minneapolis, which is an hour away from Rochester. In Rochester, we don’t have the kind of social justice initiatives that you find in bigger cities. In five days, we planned a local BLM protest and ended up breaking the record for our city’s largest protest. Around 2,000 people came out. We have lobbied a lot of senators and did a lot of public forums for city council candidates and school board members. We care a lot about education because our nonprofit is completely youth led and youth founded.

Tatiana Vaz When I was abroad in Maastricht, Netherlands, I came across this girl that started her own company. She would collect bread from bakeries at the end of the day that would normally be thrown out and she created beer out of it. I thought that was a really cool idea, so I reached out to her and we’ve kept in touch ever since. During COVID, I got more invested in learning more about food waste when I found it’s the third largest contributor to world carbon emissions.

Jack Bekos I’ve loved language since as long as I can remember. I really had an aptitude for learning Spanish, and wanted to use Spanish as a tool to understand different cultures. Spanish was always my first major, but I struggled to find something to apply it to post-grad. I found that legal studies, which is heavily reliant on language, meshed well with Spanish.

Anjali Ramanathan I decided that I wanted to go to law school at a strangely young age. Ever since I was little, I’ve always had a strong reaction to feeling like things were unfair, even in a playground kind of context. And as I got older and would read the news and understand more of what type of forces make things unfair, I felt like understanding how the rules that run society get created and enforced. Also, I wanted to understand how we can change these rules. To me, law is such a pivotal force in creating the world and shaping it. There are so many competing interests at once that taking one angle is never going to be the right solution. In order for the law to operate, there needs to be humans behind it who are willing to take all those factors into consideration and try to produce the best decision that produces net benefit.

158

Tommy King I’ve reflected a lot on why agriculture, and it primarily comes down to my upbringing. I was raised going to my family’s farm and seeing the inner workings of it, and how we’ve transitioned from the time when my grandfather ran the property and they unknowingly utilized really harmful techniques to farm the land and cultivate cattle. Now we’ve transitioned to a more regenerative approach, where we’re letting nature take the forward hand and run itself essentially. And we’ve seen the positive impact in the wildlife, in the health of cattle, and in the health of land. I never felt like a normal career path was right for me. So I looked at the four essentials of human survival: food, water, shelter, sex. I decided to focus on food and all the problems within the industry.

Impact &

Connection Rhys Osborne The main focus of Bedroom 6 has always been to create a sense of real connection between our guests. We do this by enforcing a no-phones policy, having our guests put their screens away, and stay present with each other. We wrote some little questions and put them on the tables for guests to “re-fall in love with each other” or find out something about their friends that they might not have known previously. A couple of weeks ago, we had a pair of sisters come through that sat at their table all night rolling through all of the questions. When they reached the last one, they landed on “who in the world knows you the most?” They called me over in tears because they’d realized that their answers were each other, and that it hadn’t been that way before that night. I had a good cry in the kitchen after that – one of the most inspiring moments of the past couple years doing this. If any of our guests walk away with a fraction of what that feeling was for those two girls, we’re doing our job right. Beyza BAykan

Gbenga Komolafe Every time I make something I want. I feel like that’s a corny answer. But artists are constantly faced with making decisions, and it’s not really about the full thing that you’re looking at. It can be as simple as, should I use this pen or not? Should I use this color? Should I use this line or that line? You’re never done with a piece. You could

be working on it forever. You just decide that you’ve come to peace with it. Every time you go through the process, you’re able to find that moment where you just have the ability to convey what you truly mean, and find the ability to be at peace with whatever it is you made. LEWIS CALDWELL One of the first things that comes to mind for me is shooting a video last year for a collaborative track between Sally Boy and Hong Kong Boyfriend, produced by TJ who goes by Jhune, and the track is called “Good at Being Lonely,” which is just an absolute smash. It’s a fantastic song. In many of our opinions, it’s one of, if not the best, video we’ve worked on. When you watch the video it really captures what everyone does so well. I think in many ways, it’s one of the best videos we made altogether, and everybody just was doing their role perfectly, and everything about making that video felt right.

SEAN LEWOW

I feel the impact of my work everyday. My dad is also in the denim business and so he frequently gets calls from people who have heard about the stone. He is always surprised when people hear about it without him telling them––but that is how I know that my efforts in spreading the message are working. So much of my outreach goes to sustainability bloggers who are super against greenwashing. Their support validates that what I am doing is actually going to make a change in the denim industry instead of brands who try to profit off of greenwashing.

I feel like a lot of us feel that impact on a daily basis. There’s a lot of times where you look around, and we’re doing something really, really great as a collective, as a community, and we’ve got 20 different people in our backyard safely shooting a music video. Everyone’s coming together, and we don’t have much money to do it. But everyone hustles and gets it done. We want our artists to succeed and we want our community to be heard. There’s a lot of really pivotal moments when you have a rough day and you’re like, why the fuck do I do this? And you realize why when you

get up the next morning and you’re passionate to do the same thing again and again and again, regardless of how challenging it may be.

to what we do

159

Impact &

Connection Tia Kemp

Kavita Rai

I did a short piece called A Rose in Harlem. It brought up the Black Lives Matter movement, and connected it to my love for music and Teyana Taylor and the whole culture of hip hop, with the patterns that have been happening with police brutality throughout American history. It’s this idea that I’m these things, the hope that

With Justice in the Classroom, I’ve witnessed real impact. And not just with the tangible change, but rather with how many students stepped into their power doing this work.

grows through the concrete, like a flower.

When I examine impact, it isn’t quantitative; you can’t necessarily put a number to measure change. For me, the impact is gathering a group of people around a collective goal.

Alicia Novoa I would say very recently, during the Georgia Senate runoffs. We held an event on the eve of the run-off election called “TikTok and Text Bank”. We thought, what’s something that we can do to get young people to bring in more young voters who otherwise may not have been engaged? And we realized: TikTok. So we had TikTokers tell all of their fans to come and text Georgian voters. And the event blew up: we had TikTok stars, some with over 30 million followers, come into breakout rooms and bring all of their fans. We literally broke our voter texting system. We had bought around 200,000 texts to send and the volunteers finished in the first eight minutes.

Dani Gottstein On a less personal level, and on a more universal level this year, the entire world has seen the commitment and service of those in health care. And I think during this period of time, my experiences have left me feeling very empathetic for all of these patients that are alone in the hospital systems right now. Because you can’t have any family or visitors because of COVID,

it makes me feel slightly better that I know so many nurses and doctors and people walking the halls of these hospitals are doing everything that they can to make these people feel like they are loved and cared for. As a patient who spent a lot of time in the American healthcare system, I was very fortunate to have that type of experience. But I definitely think now more than ever, patients are leaning on healthcare workers for support beyond just medical care.

Jeremy Silverman In terms of writing, someone actually texted me two days ago saying that they bought my book that I put out in August. It was really weird to know that someone is actually thinking about the work that I wrote, because I just wrote it in my room on my bed. I wrote one of my favorite poems in the Uber back from a night out in my notes app. Then a few months ago, one of my friends who bought the book sent me a text about that poem saying that they were sitting there on an emotional page, opened that poem, and they were like, it fit me perfectly. My poem helped her cope with her grief. That was a holy shit moment for me, where my words were actually doing something for people. The fact that other people are taking words that I wrote and are finding value in them is so beyond my comprehension. It’s a feeling that I don’t know if I can ever put it into words, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to. Nikol Safronova

Two years ago while I was tripping, I started drawing. And it felt like the weirdest sensation but one that was so natural, because it felt like my arm wasn’t an attachment of me but was just going the way that it was taught to. When I looked at the drawings that I made, I drew myself and all these things in my life that have so much meaning to me. It was just a really interesting realization where I knew I was on the right path.

160

Jack Bekos There’s one example that I think about all the time, where I was working on a custody case of an immigrant woman while interning at a law firm. The woman was appealing a decision where she was going to lose the rights to her daughter because she was going to be deported. And at that moment, I was really inspired by the work because using her language allowed me to be a better advocate for that person in two ways: both me understanding her native tongue, and also using language in legal briefs was also helpful to her. That was one case where the two intersect in a really clear and obvious way. Ochuko Ruth We highlight different members of our community on Instagram, and I found out that one of the girls lives in my neighborhood. She didn’t know that we were based here and had found us just by chance. Then we found other people who live right here in my neighborhood who were a part of the Parachute community, too. It was really cool for me to see how our community is real for people. It’s actually something that can bring people together physically, not just virtually. Girls and women in my neighborhood are connected to this community that I’ve started. Realizing that was a huge moment for me. Tommy King

Morgan Grimm

In my own curiosity of trying to figure out how I can make a tangible impact, I reached out to a bunch of different people in the industry. I spoke to a guy that runs a company called Mad Agriculture. They’re a really small company based in Boulder, Colorado. They do regenerative farming consulting, and they also run their own regenerative grain business. So I asked them if it’s viable for regenerative agriculture to make headway into the commercial agriculture space. And he told me absolutely, and shifts are already happening. It’s just really cool to find that community and see the impact they’re actually making.

When a client that we’re working with uses my social media strategy, or I see something that I wrote circulating around. But what’s much more influential to me is working with friends, or even just acquaintances, and the conversations and perspective shared that then shape how I or the other person acts afterwards. Maxine Marcus I think that there’s two places where I feel the impact of what I do: reading survey responses and seeing our ambassadors and our network being so open and honest. And then the flip side is when we’re working with brands and we deliver a final report and hear someone say “this is so valuable”. We once gave a presentation at an event for a very large gaming company. It was only their executives, and one of the people that organized it let me know that our insights were being referenced throughout the entire day and that our perspectives were super unique. Adam Casillas There’s one role I auditioned for-- and it’s actually interesting, because this is a role that I didn’t get-- but it was last pilot season when I was just starting off as a professional actor. I was in a casting room to audition for a new TV show on ABC, and it was just me, the casting director, and the director. The audition required me to cry on camera and I just remember being so deep into it, and the casting director and I just had a great chemistry going. She was so sincere in her delivery and I felt like I also was. At the end, we were both crying. I just felt like, that’s what real acting is. That’s how you feel a connection when you are actually getting chemistry from both ends. Not even from just the people on camera, but also the people behind the camera. I walked out of that feeling confident, but I didn’t get the part. And that I think was the best thing that’s ever happened for me. The fact that I didn’t get that role, but I know I did well, made me believe in myself even more. I was like, okay, as long as I’m putting my best foot forward, I don’t really care whether or not I get this, I know that I did the best that I could.

to what we do 161

Impact &

connection Kennedy Daniel

Chloe Yu On shoots, you meet a ton of people. You meet makeup artists, you meet photographers, you meet other models, and they all come from different walks of life. Everyone on set always has so many different backgrounds, and being able to just speak with them and talk with them and build a community makes the job that much more fulfilling.

I have such a strong community and am lucky enough to feel an impact from it almost every day. I have felt the impact of my community in a positive and negative way. Surprisingly, this inspired me to keep going because I was tapped into this group of people who loved it. But then I also tapped into this group that can’t be helped and doesn’t want to be helped. I think I was searching for a sense of unity. I wanted to be challenged by ideas and by thoughts, and I didn’t want to just sit in my room and be upset. All these brown girls got something

to say, so why doesn’t everyone just listen? Kate AsChkenasay

Dillon Bernard I think every time we do a campaign and see how many people are consuming it and then taking action of some kind. Our climate strike was one. At the core of it, it was just coming together to understand the urgency of climate justice. And to see a wide range of folks and allies all come together for what was a youth led mass mobilization, historic mobilization, I was like, wow, this work really does matter. A lot of my work is being behind a computer screen and talking on calls all day. But when you see that online action turned into offline action, there’s something super powerful about being able to just take it in.

I would definitely say the NBA lockouts were one of the biggest moments for me. I think that was just the biggest example of the impact that sports can have on an entire culture. The fact that the NBA players could use their worth and talent as leverage to hold above the owners who are rarely questioned and challenged was something. And all the media that came after that not only covered the events, but also provided resources for fans who cared about the same social issues. Also during COVID in general, the way that the sports industry pivoted and had to get creative with their content was fascinating to me.

Biata Shem-Tov In every shoot, I feel like I really get to know the person. When people get undressed, they allow themselves to be vulnerable and it’s my job to make sure they feel comfortable in that setting. People have really opened up to me during shoots, telling me about how this semester has been really horrible for them, or how they have felt really alone, or insecure about their body. A really powerful shoot was when someone told me that they were doing the shoot to overcome living with the scars they had on their body from a horrible accident. Another really powerful shoot was when someone did it during their “traumaversary” (a year after they were sexually assaulted) to reclaim ownership of their body. In every shoot, I am able to feel the impact and connection to what I do because each person is doing it for their own reason. Mara Lorin I’ve decided to pursue my senior thesis on the role of restaurants in gentrifying neighborhoods. I interjected through the lens of restaurants looking at strategies that they can take to mitigate their adverse impact by understanding where they’re opening up, and paying respect to where they’ve chosen to open their doors. I took the owners of Ggiata, a new deli that opened on the intersection of Melrose and Western, to walk around and see where they will be taking residence. I walked them around the neighborhood and I suggested a neighborhood guide that featured older businesses. What you can do to address gentrification is coming in there and directing our customers to, say, go from Ggiata to a local taqueria stand, and then also going to the local furniture store down the street.

162

Rachel Zhang The co-founder of my nonprofit is also the student government president at our high school. On their applications last year, one of the questions asked “who is your role model and explain why they inspire you?” My co-founder sent me a three minute long voicemail one night and was like “Rachel, you’re not gonna believe this. Someone wrote their essay about you.” So then for like, three minutes she recited this essay that a random girl wrote about me. Anjali Ramanathan

Shira Alcumere Because of the pandemic, Teach for America was very overwhelmed with setting me up in the right position. I was trained as a special education teacher for a large middle school, but they sent me off as a 10th grade English teacher in a small public school in Compton. Every single day, I check my privilege at the door. I’ll have kids type in the chat and be like ‘my social workers here, I have to go’. I have multiple students who are in gangs and their friends had been shot and killed last semester. We had to deal with the deaths of a lot of community members in the fall. I also taught English Language Design, which is a required course for all students whose parents are immigrants, and it really opened my eyes to educational inequity. All of these students are fluent in English, but they’re required to be stuck in this program until they test out of it. And it doesn’t allow them to join electives in the meantime. My students not only have way worse shit going on at home, but they don’t have access to the same resources, or even the same accommodations, that other schools do.

The most tangible impact I’ve felt in recent times is that Foothills Park in Palo Alto opened up to non-residents, which was really exciting. And I think through the entire process of organizing protests and getting people to rally around the issue, I got a very inside understanding about how public opinion does influence legal outcomes. Because I think in a big way, it was that demonstration of public support for the issue that got the ACLU and the NAACP to the city of Palo Alto. It felt like a huge success because I saw how a role that I had taken on, in terms of organizing the protests, was able to influence a legal outcome. But it also felt like a success because I was able to recognize what the power of the law and good lawyers can do. Layla Baradaran When I was organizing, I helped register people to vote that had never voted before. We went through the entire process together, from knocking on their door and registering them on the spot to requesting mail-in ballots. This was a multiple weeks long process, where I became a member of their family and they became a member of mine. To this day, months later, we are still communicating. While watching Biden-Harris sworn in, I was texting a person I helped register to vote. I was a stranger who knocked on their door with a mask and face shield who stood six feet apart while talking about how important this election is. If they had never voted, it was often for just disenfranchisement reasons. There were people that were formerly incarcerated who thought they’d lost their right to vote forever. There were a lot of older immigrants to the United States who had become citizens but didn’t know how to vote. Many people feel voiceless and angered by our current society. But it wasn’t until I had an actual conversation with the

person standing in front of me where I could really hear from them what was important. And I learned how I can be a tool in helping them fight for a more just future. Nate Odenkirk

My entire life, I considered myself from an outside perspective and from other people’s point of view. And then when I finished all my surgeries, it didn’t give me

that kind of desired feeling that I thought it would give me. I thought that would make me a woman. I was just confused. I was like, I’m a woman now, but why don’t I feel like it? And that’s when it hit me: that being trans it’s an internal experience. It’s not an external experience.

to what we do 163

What do you think Alicia Novoa I think that my calling is just to make the world a better place. I don’t want to say that a job is my

calling, because a job is never anyone’s calling. Shira Alcumere I definitely feel drawn to law because as an attorney, it’s your job to not only connect to your client and take their story into your hands, but to also present the truth and justice to others. I think my calling is to repair the injustice in our legal system for those from underrepresented communities. Biata Shem-Tov Helping others feel welcomed, understood, and loved through a creative lens. I want to bring people together.

Jeremy Silverman I think my life’s calling is to make people feel good. I love making people feel good, because there’s no reason you shouldn’t. I hope to help people learn to experience gratitude, because to me, gratitude is like the biggest feeling on the planet. The idea that the sun came up today,

and we can get out of bed is something that no one should take for granted. And so whenever I

leave a room, I want to help someone feel a little bit closer to that. And to feel like they don’t need to stress themselves out to find their purpose––but that just the simple act of existing is enough. I think my calling in life is to love. And not necessarily love in the sense of romance, but like family, friendship, self love; it is at the root of everything. So if I can pull a little bit of darkness out of someone so there’s more room for light, that’s what I want to do with my life.

Kate AsChkenasay My ideal role would be similar to the Head of Social Responsibility at the NBA, and being able to have an active voice in how sports can be used to enhance social movements. I think my life calling would be to use sports to promote social justice through the voice and experience of the athletes. They can reach an audience that no other industry can reach in the same way. Kavita Rai In the midst of a pandemic, I think we’re all considering what our life calling is. I belong in spaces where policymaking is happening and where I’m able to talk about social justice issues. I think my calling definitely calls on skills of thinking analytically, and being able to gather a team to organize whether it be in politics, or whether it just still be in communities. Gbenga Komolafe

My life’s calling is to figure out who I am. And I probably will never know that until the day I die. I feel I feel like everyone’s life calling is to love.

like that’s what motivates everything that I’m doing: constantly exploring and trying to answer that question.

Kennedy Daniel Community and bridging entities. My parents are both very community oriented and very creatively charged. From a young age, I saw those two things being intertwined. To me, they don’t exist separately. My extended family became the theatre company members who came over for rehearsals and Sunday night dinners. I was like five years old and

they would discuss Foucault and Shakespeare, and I was expected to have an opinion.

Adam Casillas

Rachel Zhang

I’ve been thinking about that a lot recently, and I’m still trying to figure that out. It’s definitely something in regards to impacting youth. I’m not entirely sure where or how, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be developmental.

The times we’ve lived through - even just the past year - has made Generation Z so much more educated and empathetic on these issues. I really just want to make sure that we have a bigger presence and say in decisions. I want to

make sure that it’s an intersectional group of youth who are participating and being heard.

164

your life calling is?

Dani Gottstein

It’s hard to make the distinction between passion and profession. Mine falls in the same boat. I’m very passionate about paying it forward, based off of the experiences that I’ve had and the support that I had through the hardest fight of my life. Ultimately, I really just hope, in a variety of ways, I’m able to continue to give back to people that helped me along the way, whether that means in small gestures as friends, or just checking in on people. Morgan Grimm

I used to conflate work with my purpose, and I don’t really think the same way about it anymore. I don’t know if my purpose is anything more than to experience all that life has to offer, and try to leave what I touched better than when I found it. I think that we do have a responsibility with how we live our lives. But it’s almost a little egotistical to say like, my purpose in life is to help other people. I somewhat believe that saying that is almost the issue. Deanie Chen I honestly don’t know. I am not great at looking into the future. And I don’t like to think about it because it stresses me out. But hopefully I’ll be able to make a difference, particularly in the music industry. I want to make a difference and make art more respected, and that people recognize that artists should be compensated fairly for their work. Mara Lorin I genuinely think my life’s calling might be mediating. Right now I’m looking at it as like mediating between restaurants and the neighborhoods, and mediating between developers and the restaurants. But on a more micro scale, I’m mediating between my interpersonal interactions. By forcing transparent conversations you can access so much untapped potential. Bhav Singh My real calling is to have some sort of tech company in robotics. That’s something I did like growing up. I built my first robot when I was 12.

Chloe Yu I’m big on two things: representation in the entertainment industry, and mental health. Layla Baradaran To be a good person that supports other people, cherish the life we’re given, and continue to strive for it to be better. Beyza BAykan

To make a real impact on the sustainable fashion industry, not just to greenwash it. Maxine Marcus My life’s calling is to always be doing something that I’m excited and passionate about. And it’s to always be creating real solutions and doing good.

Rhys Osborne I take cool, old shit and bring it back in new ways to create real connection between humans.

Anjali Ramanathan I think getting rid of some injustice. It’s hard to single out which kind and where. But I think I would feel like I’ve succeeded, let’s say 20 to 30 years from now, if I can look back and say, here’s something that was unfair and had a negative impact on the lives of some people, and I was able to overturn that or chip away at it in some way. I also think now that I’m in a university environment where I’m taught by such amazing people, I’m really recognizing that a lot of how they see the world is that one lifetime is really too short to get much done. And so a lot of it is handing what you know onto other people. So that you know things are in good hands. I don’t know if teaching is my calling, but

I see the first half of it as doing and learning, and the second half is passing on that knowledge.

165

What do you think your life calling is? Abeer Tijani To love. I actually know that answer, because I think about it a lot. It feels really overwhelming at times. And to be honest, it can be really embarrassing at times, too. Especially when it comes to romantic relationships. However, I’m trying to rewire my brain in order to understand that it’s a strength. Being able to empathize in the way that I do is very much a strength and takes a lot of courage to do. And to be able to just love openly and freely and to do it over and over and over again, takes a particular type of person and a particular type of strength. Everything that I do comes from a place of genuine love for people, for people’s stories, for people’s capabilities, for the ways in which they make meaning out of life, and find compassion in places that can otherwise seem compassionless. Everything that I write comes from a place of love or is about love. I think that the ways that I challenge people or institutions or anything else, is always from the intention of trying to love as best as I can, and trying to understand people as best as I can. I honestly think that platonic love is so much more important than romantic love. I think loving our surroundings and loving the people that have made some sort of impact on us is really important. Loving a country so much that you get so

frustrated in the ways in which it refuses to be better comes from a place of deep love and deep care. Dillon Bernard

Just continue to do the work. I’ve always said that I play best behind the scenes. So it’s being intentional around that, and just doing the work. My goal is just to ask, what is the need? Do I have the ability to make one connection and empower somebody else? If I do that a few times, then I am good with my impact. Tommy King In vague terms, it’s to find a positive purpose for not only myself, but for others. Right now, we’re dealing with a massive environmental crisis, and I think the avenue towards which I can achieve positive impact and positive purpose is through agriculture.

166

Nikol Safronova I think my life calling is to give back to the world in the form of art. It has always been about how I can do something that gives back to the community in some way. Or how I can do something that is greater than just me as a person. Josie Bullen Right now, I feel like my calling is to bring issues to the screen to try to create a better reality for people. I feel connected specifically to mental health, but I think in general, there’s a lot that can go into that. Ochuko Ruth Parachute is very centered here in the West, at least right now. And while I love that, I’m not from the West. I’m Nigerian. I’m African. And so I know that my life calling is definitely going to uplift women back home. Tia Kemp My life’s calling is of always keeping creative brain on My creativity is

to be an artist in the sense my creativity, keeping my fire, and keeping it fed. very curious and hungry.

Jack Bekos I think my life’s calling is to always be on my toes, intellectually. I think I get discouraged when I’m not being stimulated or challenged in any way. So I want to make sure that my calling reflects that fact about me and that I’m always being encouraged to think in a way that I hadn’t before.

How we impact Tommy KIng I think you can break that down on micro and on macro levels. Micro levels being everyday things, whether it be stopping to help displaced people on the street, or even simple activities like holding the door open for someone. Just little tiny things we can do to uplift people and support other people. And then on a macro level, environmentally, if we are able to turn the carbon emissions crisis around, and I can play a part in that whether it be through policy change, new agriculture techniques, etc. A better planet, better people, better communities. Ochuko Ruth I’m trying to show people who are not minorities how to interact and appreciate people who identify as minorities from a place of appreciation: appreciating

Bhav Singh

I’m trying to show perspectives and stories from people that are often grouped together. For example, I would love it if one day there’s an article on Parachute by me, a Nigerian woman who lives in America, about a certain topic. And there’s another article by another Nigerian woman who lives in America writing about the same thing with completely different opinions. I would love that moment for people to be like, “Oh, they don’t all think the same. They don’t all act the same. Wow, what a thought”. I think that’d be huge for humanity because we have really been taught to put people in groups and generalize a lot, which is a really easy way for our mind to understand society.

Gbenga Komolafe

individuality and less of coming and interacting with them from a place of being part of a monolith.

Elle By living my authentic self.

I think a lot of businesses in this day and age are solely focused on the profit. If you focus on a business by creating an impact on the community, profit will follow. You don’t necessarily have to lead with profit.

I feel like all I can do to make collective humanity become better is to be better at being myself. And I truly believe that bettering

yourself radiates, and creates a ripple effect into society. Adam Casillas

Just by being a people’s person and actually listening to others. I think that listening to others and actually giving sincere advice, as opposed to just being like a one ear in one ear out, is really beneficial for humanity. I’ve learned recently that I’d rather have a smaller group of sincere, genuine people in my life than a larger group of people who I can’t be completely honest with. When I was in high school, I was so caught up in being the person who knows everybody. I’d always be texting people. And now in hindsight, all the message threads that I had were all superficial and surface level messages. Now I have fewer of those message threads, but they’re all very sincere and cool, and contain deeper conversations. I think that’s how we can restore humanity.

the collective

167

Maxine Marcus

Neal Sivadas As I move into a professional career, I want to help build products that lead us into the future, because things nowadays are very existential.

I think that I’m trying to answer that question every day. And when we’re deciding our roadmap and where we’re going, I wonder, what am I doing here? What value am I providing for the world? Right now, I think creating a space that provides opportunities for young people and answering critical questions for brands that improve our institutions and enterprises, that is so important. But it does go deeper than that. It’s about creating long term solutions that will benefit everyone involved.

Tatiana Vaz With upcycled food, we can solve the problems of food waste, excess food, and the detrimental effects these issues have on the environment by simply making a good drink and not overcharging for it. Kavita Rai I try to really understand what I as a person can do most effectively to help any sort of social issue. Specifically as a student, I have a lot of understanding of how systemic racism affects the education system. Mara Lorin Truly hearing and seeing people and respecting where they come from encourages everyone to unlock their genius and do what speaks to them. Morgan Grimm Taking care of your own community. It goes back to living small and also nurturing your community. I really try to be there for the people around me and live my life honestly in ways that reflect my values, even if they’re inconsequential to others. And also let other people be there for me. It becomes that network effect.

Kennedy Daniel First of all, I think I contribute by just existing. A lot of times people think that you have to be doing something specific in order to contribute something vital. But I think that by just existing and being in the world and smiling at someone, and texting a friend “good morning”, I’m contributing. Second of all, believing in people and making sure that they know that I believe in them.

Nate Odenkirk That is the main question I’ve really struggled with. If you do satire without a new perspective or a new idea that is constructive, and don’t come in with that good faith effort, then you create something that’s either reductive or destructive. And I want to avoid that as much as I can. The way that I like to think of effective satire is that it doesn’t change anyone’s mind, because that’s really hard to do. I’ll leave that to the real actual thinkers in the world and the changemakers in politics. Their job is to change people’s minds. My job is to raise awareness and

make people who are so dead-set in their ways understand that there are other perspectives and that their own opinion is not flawless.

Dillon Bernard For me, it’s all about the humanity behind the headlines. I think what it’s really all about is being able to connect to other folks or to expose other folks to diverse identities and cultures, and ultimately, connect people through the power of storytelling. You’re able to move from the story to taking action, maybe initially online, but then hopefully offline. When I think about content creation, I hope all of my pieces produce or have some hand in that: following the arc from audience to action, and taking you to activists. Tajwar Khandaker I’d like to make sure that the one specific thing that I address in my life in any way is reducing inequality in the world.

168

Hwoo Lee Everything I’ve done is different, or is new to people. I want to provide comfort for someone’s experience in such a new environment. Alicia Novoa I think that our duty as individuals is to ourselves and to make sure we’re taking care of our well being, and then our duty to collective humanity is leaving the world a better place than we found it.

I want to believe that little actions can add up to greater ones.

I don’t know if I believe that every time I make a little action, but I am hopeful that every little thing I do contributes to greater human progress whether that’s writing, volunteering or work. Learning also contributes to human progress. Reading contributes to human progress. I think that being informed does, as well. I think the biggest way that I stay in my lane to contribute to humanity is by being who I am. I got to keep my goals, my values, my virtues always in the back of my head. Otherwise, the path won’t be as clear. Layla Baradaran I believe that learning doesn’t stop when you leave the classroom, and that’s something I continue to carry with me. The reality is that we are constantly learning every single day, and are not only given opportunities, but continue to seek opportunities in which we grow with the people around us. Abeer Tijani What I have to teach others is that we can all be better. And we can always do better, but that can sometimes become twisted into this super toxic productivity culture. But it’s in the sense that we can always try to be

better to one another and try to give each other more benefit of the doubt and try to understand each other a little bit more.

Waking up every single day and trying to choose empathy, understanding, and joy is really tough. Obviously I fail sometimes because I’m human, but just trying to do a little bit more of that every single day is important.

At the core of humanity is art. And I think what makes humans so human is the abilityto appreciate life beyond just the necessities. I think art is an expression that’s so purely human, which is so special. Being a part of that in a small way, and helping people who create things that make the world better is definitely amazing. Biata Shem-Tov

It makes me really upset when I see others around me being hard on themselves and not showing themselves the love that they show others. I mean, it’s really hard to remind yourself of

that, and I do the same. I would like to be a reminder in people’s lives to take the time for themselve, to really do what is best for them, because in the end, if we are better to ourselves it’ll translate into compassion for others. The way we treat others really is a reflection on how we feel about ourselves. Josie Bullen

Nikol Safronova

I hope that I am advocating for the destigmatization of mental illness so that more people will be willing to get treatment and more people will be comfortable talking about it. If more people have the tools to manage their mental health, that creates a happier, more emotionally intelligent, better society where we can all be productive and happy and able to connect.

I just want people to be able to look at my art and feel something for themselves and to be able to connect to it to some extent. Which is why I mentioned that I want to expand my art into 3D because, for example, with motion graphics you can make concert visuals and impact a larger crowd. I just want people to feel happy after seeing my stuff.

the collective

Deanie Chen

How we impact

Jack Bekos

169

Finding peace Abeer Tijani

There’s something that’s connecting every single person that you know on Earth, and relish in that. When you can step outside of your

own personal hurt, despair, and pain, there’s truth to the statement that there’s a power in knowing that you’re not the only person going through something. And more importantly, you could probably find somebody to turn to.

Ochuko Ruth My spirituality is huge. I have faith that I will be okay, that the world will be okay.

Kennedy Daniel I find peace in the madness by manifesting. Your brain is so powerful in terms of what it wants.

Dani Gottstein Something I learned when I was sick that got me through that really hard time was you need to just take things one day at a time. I’ve allowed myself to feel the hard days. It’s so important for all of us to honor how we feel, but reminding yourself that tomorrow is a new day. And you don’t have to feel 100% happy all the time, because that’s not realistic or healthy either. The good thing is, nothing lasts

forever. The bad thing is nothing lasts forever. Maxine Marcus

I try to find peace in the madness by remembering that we’re literally on floating rock in the middle of some massive universe, and we’re a tiny little blip in time. Looking

Morgan Grimm I’m able to ground myself by getting outside of myself.

Jack Bekos I find peace in people.

Chloe Yu You need to look after yourself and treat yourself as you would a friend. You have to be gentle with yourself.

at people who have done the impossible fuels me. Layla Baradaran

I can get very caught up in the “Who am I? Who do I want to be? What does my existence even mean in this world?’’ But then when I’m surrounded by other people that I value and respect, and see that they are also asking themselves the same things, we come together and see that we’re all just surviving. Sami Rosenblatt Meditating on the present moment is really helpful because the mind is quantum, meaning it can go forward

and backwards in time. You can be anxious about the future, you can feel nostalgic for the past. But breathing is mechanical, which means that it’s consistently in the present moment. So anytime that you take the time to just breathe and be present, you can focus on the perfectness of the moment.

170

Alicia Novoa Control what you can control.

& hope

in the madness Bhav Singh

Adam Casillas Definitely through the people that I am close to. I often ask friends or family to just vent. And I think having an open ear, and someone who can give me sincere advice is good. I’m a believer in God, so I think that prayer helps me personally. And realizing that there always is light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark it seems. There’s been so many times in my life where I ask if it’s ever gonna end because I’m so confused right now, or scared, or sad, or whatever it may be. But here we are. So knowing that I’m going to have more of these moments in the future is what keeps me hopeful and keeps me sane. Nate Odenkirk In a very meta way, I’m always rationalizing the irrational, and trying to make sense of what is an extremely frustrating reality that we live in. And the best way that I can answer that is just to tell you that I keep thinking about it, I don’t shut it out of my life. In a very ironic way, that actually helps us with escapism a little bit by understanding the world around me and having a different spin on it, which is how you get unique satire.

Kavita Rai There’s so much collective anxiety that stirs in this type of activist work. I really try to recenter myself by knowing boundaries and trying to take breaks from social media, and take breaks from always ruminating on existential issues.

I’ve certainly seen the bad side of business, as there’s a lot of corruption in the United States and there’s a lot of people that just don’t give a shit about the people that are suffering. But I think I’m

rebounded by my hope that I can help be the change. Neal Sivadas

It’s just knowing that there are people that actually care about what I care about, and there are people who are listening. And I think those little steps keep you going towards a better future ahead. Tommy King Like the Presidential Poet said, “we can be the light”, so why not be the light? Why not be that person? All it takes is one person to change their mind and flip the situation on its back and say, okay, yes, these shitty things have happened but we can learn from them. Anjali Ramanathan I think music has played a really big role in any sense of fleeting serenity. Also, reminding myself that people have been through horrible and ridiculous things before, and they were able to come out the other end. Elle Recently, I’ve just closed my eyes anytime I want to feel peace. I imagined myself without a body and I just exist in my vibration. I release my body, I release my attachment to my body. Gbenga Komolafe There’s six basic emotions that humans feel, but we prioritize happiness or peace, whatever that is. We say that’s the one that we should be feeling 80% of the time, and I just feel like the world would run so differently if we normalized all feelings.

in despair

Jeremy Silverman

Impermanence and the idea that nothing lasts forever. No matter how sad I am today, tomorrow could be a good day, right? Connection is what gives me hope. Just knowing that there are people that genuinely think about you even if they don’t reach out to you is something that helps me.

171

Nikol Safronova The biggest thing for me is to be my own boss and just trying to stay true to what brings me contentment and peace. I just want to create for all industries, where people come to me for my style for whatever they might need.

Rewrite the Future:

Dillon Bernard

172

I think it looks like we’re all aware of our actions and how we show up in the street and in the color space. It’s about doubling Jeremy Silverman An ideal future on a philosophical level is the perfect in between caring and not caring. Understanding that everything is so important and you should never take it for granted. A perfect world would be where people want to know what makes you different, but they don’t really care that you’re different. We can instead

find connection at our core, and anything different about us is a bonus. An ideal future is that perfect balance of understanding that everything is so important, but also that nothing matters. And not nothing matters in a dark way, but in a way of not holding onto things. You’re allowed to let go of things and not feel guilty about it. Alicia Novoa An ideal world would be completely run by clean energy. Racism, poverty, all of these issues that humanity really put upon ourselves would be eliminated, and we would all live justly and happily. Everybody could feel safe and protected, no matter who they are. Kavita Rai An ideal future in my industry is an inclusive place where I’m able to be a whole person and not feel afraid to bring up ideas or start initiatives. As a young person in advocacy work, it can be hard to actually get your ideas heard. Tommy King One that truly puts humanity and the environment above corporate capital.

down on your strengths, and then using the power of community to help with your weaknesses. There’s so much power in just showing up authentically. Tatiana Vaz Upcycled foods will become the norm and we change our perception of what food waste is and its impact on the environment. Ochuko Ruth

In my life, I just want to build. I want to do things that really mean something to people, that bring people together, that challenge people’s thoughts, that give people a space where they can be themselves. My spirituality is a huge part of my life. And so in everything I do, I want to make sure that I’m pleasing God and that I’m close to my spirit and at peace with who I am. In my industry, I hope to see other media brands like Parachute that are challenging the status quo become less of a niche site and more of the norm. I was talking to my friend this morning and she was talking about how she wants to write about health and wellness for Parachute. Something that really sucks is that anytime we try to self diagnose on Google, they only show you symptoms on white skin. People of color are not necessarily the norm. If you want to Google ‘family’, you have to Google a ‘black family’ or ‘brown family’ to get results that reflect you. I want the industry to not make us a

niche, but at the center of their narratives, as well. Sami Rosenblatt The most ideal future for myself would be seeing the impact of my work in a positive way, in terms of how it affects other people. Even if I go to law school and practice law, I would like to eventually become a professor and use the law for good. Anjali Ramanathan I guess one where I’m able to pinpoint meaningful things I’ve done, in the sense that I’ve created some change for the better or that I’ve enriched myself and my perspective in some way.

In my life, the ideal future just looks like me being happy and always surrounding myself with work, people, and family that empower me. At the end of the day, if you’re

not doing something with the right intentions, and if you’re not fueled by something with love, it ultimately gets really old. So my ideal future, it’s

not actually about an end goal. It’s about how I can create a life for myself where I’m always excited about the journey and always excited about the day to day. If you don’t enjoy the path to get there, you’re just left empty at the end. I hope that our generation can be the difference and can start rectifying some of the horrific things that those before us have caused. There’s just so much damage to be undone and I think that humanity has been lost in a lot of ways: how we communicate with each other, how we address issues, how we speak to our friends offline. Hopefully we see a future where people are tapping into their humanity more, and we’re seeking to understand each other and create solutions versus create greater divides and greater polarization. We can’t ever get anything done that way. I really hope to see our generation take the reins and start to put things into motion.

Beyza BAykan Since my purpose is to create transparency between the end customer and the root of where our clothes come from, I want every single person to know what processes that their clothes go through, and which companies choose sustainable tools and sustainable processes. I want customers to be knowledgeable and be aware.

Kennedy Daniel In my life, an ideal future is having a space that feels like me. Whether that be like a physical, creative space that represents who I am, or just being loved by people from my industry.

Gbenga Komolafe I’d have the time to make what I want and to have the time to explore new things. Time is the most valuable thing, but because of capitalism and the world we live in, people don’t make time for themselves. A 40 hour work week leaves so little time to explore anything. You don’t even have time to form real relationships. An ideal

future would be one where everyone has time to be themselves, learn about themselves, learn about the world, and explore.

Neal Sivadas There has been a larger movement with social media over the past 20 years that has really disrupted marketing as a whole. In reality, now, there’s so many different touchpoints between consumers and brands through social media and through other outlets. A lot of brands need to start realizing that you can literally have a relationship with your consumers without spending any money whatsoever. It’s a very powerful thing.

Rachel Zhang I really hope that young people and young, diverse voices are respected. The end goal is that we’re all more educated and more empathetic towards each other. Biata Shem-Tov Where community and compassion is valued, and where people can come and feel like their true best selves.

Abeer Tijani It would be a world where we’re not bothered by the way that other people choose to live their lives. We’re excited

by difference instead of fearful of it. I think it’s a world where we’re eager to embrace what is unknown to us.

A World Reimagined

Maxine Marcus

Layla Baradaran Whatever I thought was possible before, I now imagine that the state of the world as boundless. How can we challenge the occupations and job titles that exist? And what does it mean to change them into what needs to exist for us to be a more better and innovative society? But I think what I really want is something that I don’t yet see. And that’s

really terrifying and exhausting, but also exhilarating because I know I will never stop chasing it.

173

Rewrite the Future:

Deanie Chen

In the world, I want less fear and more hope. I think the generation we’ve grown up in is a scary place with not much reprise anywhere. You look forward in all ways and all aspects, we don’t really get much substantial, foundational hope anywhere, in my opinion. I really want a world where we feel sustained hope in the future, and where we have more equity, more environmental progress, and less political polarization. That’s what an ideal, and more American future looks like to me.

I just honestly want to be happy. It’s very simple, but I just want to be able to create freely and get to work with a bunch of people, and also help people achieve their own goals through my art. I want to be able to support my parents, and that’s why I’m in law school right now. I also hope there is a greater recognition for art and artists in the future, and more equality within the music industry. Morgan Grimm This has really shifted in the last year because, for a while, I wanted to make impactful media and shake up Hollywood and whatever. And now when I think about my ideal future, it’s really less about the job and more about living close to my parents. And eventually I want to have kids, and I’d love for my kids to be around my parents. This is a big shift for me because for a while, I was just so career-oriented. For the industry, I’m really just trying to allow myself to have the space and the amount of experience and opportunity to determine what I want to pursue later on.

Mara Lorin An ideal future in my industry is that there can be multiple narratives within the span of four blocks. As soon as a neighborhood’s hot, everyone wants in. But I just wish that a neighborhood can be hot for more than just one demographic. Instead, there would be super diverse and eclectic experiences and indulgences all within a small radius that are not just confined by one socioeconomic level or demographic. We all could revel in the diversity because we’re all there and all adding to its character.

174

Adam Casillas Right now, there’s a big push for minority representation in film. For me, personally, my Hispanic side is starting to come out and play, but it still ends up in the shadows. So I want to see more of that. I want to be creative my entire life, but I don’t want to be away from my family once I have one. I want a wife, I want a couple kids, I want a comfortable household. Nothing too fluffy. I want to be just really family oriented, because that’s how I was raised. Both my mom and my dad, although they were divorced when I was young, both showed me how important family is. Now more than ever, I’m realizing that hatred doesn’t resolve anything, and that peace is the only thing that can. It’s such a vague statement, and arguably never going to happen. But death and murder and racism and terrorism are not going to accomplish anything. I want for us to love one another, as opposed to relying on hate to resolve things.

Kate AsChkenasy An ideal future in my industry would be every athlete forwarding a cause they care about because athletes have the tools and the resources to do this in such an effective way. I hope that in the future, it

is not controversial to speak up about something you care about.

A World Reimagined

Jack Bekos

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS FOR YOURSELF...

175

ARE YOU A CHANGE MAKER?

176

IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD

177

Some important first questions...

How old are you?

Where are you from?

Where do you go to school?

What do you study?

What industry are you in?

Fun fact about yourself at this moment in time:

Let’s dig a little deeper... Who are you?

Who do you want to be in the world?

How do you plan to get there?

178

What norm do you want to disrupt?

How are you/will you disrupting the norm of your industry?

What inspired you to do this?

What is your passion?

How did you come to realize that this is what your passion is?

What do you think your life calling is?

179

Why do you do what you do?

What piece do you play in making collective humanity become better?

What does an ideal future look like? In your life

In your industry

In the world

How do you find peace in the madness?

How do you find hope in despair?

180

SOME SPACE TO THINK.

181

Define:

Community [kuh-myoo-ni-tee]

Your Community

noun

Why is community important?

What is the current role of community in society?

How do you engage with the community in your life?

How do you stay engaged with all of your different communities?

182

How do you impact your community?

Share a time you felt like you impacted a community.

How does community impact our future?

In society we are conditioned to create on a mass scale. Let's dispel the notion that we have to create a huge impact to change the world.

Change starts with you

(KEEP GOING)

183

What are your thoughts on large scale versus small scale change?

Which is more effective?

How will you practice both?

Some very NEEDED thinking space.

184

Define:

Compassion [kuhm-pash-uhn]

noun verb

Why is compassion important?

What is the current role of compassion in society?

How can you encourage compassion in others?

How has being compassionate benefitted you?

185

How does compassion influence your day to day life?

How does compassion impact your work?

How does compassion impact our future?

Is there enough compassion overlooked in society?

Share a time you saw the power of compassion.

186

Talk about the importance of listening to others.

MORE thinking space.

187

Define:

Curiosity [kyoor-ee-os-i-tee]

noun

What is the current role of curiosity in society?

Do you think people are curious?

Why should people strive to be curious in their lives?

What do you use curiosity for?

188

What are you curious about?

How does curiosity benefit you?

How does curiosity benefit your field of work?

How do you engage with curiosity in your life?

How has being curious led you to where you are?

Share a time when curiosity helped you make an impact.

189

How does curiosity impact change?

How does curiosity drive our future?

space to wonder.

190

Define:

Critical Thinking [krit-i-kuhl thing-king] noun

Why is critical thinking important?

What is the current role of critical thinking society?

How do you turn thinking into action?

How does critical thinking influence your work?

191

Share a time when you questioned something you thought was true.

How has critical thinking influenced your worldview?

How does critical thinking impact our future?

How can you encourage others to become critical thinkers?

CRITICAL thinking space.

192

Define:

Creativity [kree-ey-tiv-i-tee]

noun

Why is creativity important?

What is the current role of creativity society?

What inspires you?

How do you stay creative?

How are you creative on a daily basis?

193

How does creativity help you problem solve?

How do you rest?

Are we entering a time of invention or reinvention?

Is there a lack of creativity in your industry?

What change do you want to see in creative industries?

194

How does creativity act as an agent of change?

Why is creativity important in generating change?

How can we use creativity most effectively for positive change?

How does creativity impact our future?

GET CREATIVE.

195

About GEN-ZiNE GEN-ZiNE is a multimedia platform dedicated to addressing contemporary issues through the eyes of Gen Z. We are a community of writers, thinkers, artists and activists who come together to voice our concerns, perspectives, and cultivate a deeper understanding of contemporary issues and responses to them. We educate our readers on a variety of social issues and provide them with language and tools necessary to take our critiques from text into action. By encouraging deep and critical thought about the systems in place, GEN-ZiNE is a place to educate and inspire action. Founded on the basis of designing media for social change, GEN-ZiNE makes activism accessible for regular young people. Not everyone will dedicate their lives to policy—but we want to encourage young minds to think critically and expand the breadth of table topics for conversation. Our print zines have covered the topics of gendered violence, multiculturalism, health & wellness, sustainability, and politics in the midst of the 2020 election. These issues gave us a chance to dive deeper into these themes, and unlock and listen to the genius of our peers. All of our zines allow us to educate ourselves while we educate others, and our roundtable community discussions serve as a space to continue having these conversations. Though we are proponents of print publication, as it immortalizes the written word in the digital age, we continue adapting in order to make critical thinking and activism digestible and appealing to our young audience. We’ve developed an online community and platform, publishing over 100 articles in the last two years that address issues ranging from racial justice, to sustainability and the environment, to art, culture, and identity. Our podcast quite literally passes the microphone to different voices, giving them a space to amplify their rich perspectives and foster organic discussions. We’ve brought our community to life at in-person roundtable discussions and art gallery experiences. We want to promote this grassroots approach to media on campuses around the country – and the world – by developing campus chapters. Young people are the creators of ideas, not just the consumers. As we end our college experience, we reflect on the rich conversations GEN-ZiNE has started and look forward to the ones that have yet to come. We are inspired by community, curiosity, creativity, compassion, and critical thought. We are here to disrupt narratives and rewrite the future.

WITH LOVE.

GEN-ZiNE

196

ANUSHKA JOSHI, EDEN BURKOW, SAM GIBBS, NIKKI COHEN, MADDY LEDGER

197

JACK PARKER

ANAND JOSHI

KENNEDY DANIEL

CHLOE KEYWELL, ZOE GINSBERG

LEWIS CALDWELL

SAM GIBBS, NIKKI COHEN

NIKKI WALKER, CLAIRE BASZUCKI, TALIA MALCHIN

EDEN BURKOW

ANUSHKA JOSHI, MAXINE MARCUS

SIGNATURE PAGE.