Imprint Magazine December 2015

DECEMBER 2015

I M P R I N T

BEYOND THE BRAND

THE RICH “I never want to be remembered as the guy who gave up in life. I always want to be the person who always kept pushing forward, overcame every obstacle, and fulfilled his dreams”

In the mid-summer, June 2013 Richard Shepherd made his first experimental garment within twelve hours Shepherd, produced a two-piece gold and black sequenced swimsuit. By creating a successful swimwear piece, he found his passion in every stich, the 20 year old Bahamian knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. There was no turning back.

Shepherd, took his first step in the fashion world by debuted a luxury swimwear collection “The Rich” on the runway of the Fash|Art in Nassau Bahamas.

Fash|Art, is a competition of emerging designers and visual artist giving them a platform to present an opportunity to groom upcoming careers molding them into the creative success

stories. Underdog in the competition, with another swimsuit Shepherd, ending up winning the Harl Taylors emerging designers award which changed the life of an island boys dream, as the grand prize as his designs showcased at Facet Fashion Week in Los Angeles, California. Naming the brand “The Rich” after himself, as the brand exposes his alter ego, as Richard Shepherd brings to life his inner artist, Richie McCoy. “I always had big dreams, but somehow living on the island dreams seem to drown, the only way to make it in The Bahamas, is to make it out”, he continued, “When I went to L.A. it was life, it was a fairytale.

It opened my eyes to a lot of things I have never seen before. It was an experience of a lifetime.

I tasted my dreams. Watching my collection on an international stage, I felt honored as an

Island boy, never once doubt yourself, regardless of where you are from!”

Growing up in the paradise, of Freeport, Grand Bahama with four siblings, Sheperd suffered from personal struggles being flamboyant in the beautiful Christian nation known as “The Bahamas”. The Bahamas is a very small island, where everyone knows each other, talks about each other, pride is strong, but being gay is foul, it is seen as an embarrassment to family, sometimes even shun upon.

Once Shepherd came out as gay, it got a lot of responses negatively from the older generation, yet accepting from amongst his peers. Now, Shepherd could be himself, love himself for exactly who he is.

Getting emotional, Shepherd expressed his struggles starting a brand, being the first on the island of Grand Bahama to start a swimwear line, open doors for the future generations. For someone with gifted hands, he struggles with self-doubt, never feeling good enough, even comparing his collection to top designers and never thought he had what it took to achieve such level of success, from being an “Island Boy” with a dream, to a fashion designer on an international runway.

“I closed “Facet Fashion Week” swimwear show.

They told me they had save the best for last and that was a shock to me. Because I felt as though my brand was far from the best at that event. But everyone else saw otherwise. I had really big fears when I first started out I think from time to time I still have a little fear here and there . . I feared that I would be a failure and that I would let myself down.

I felt like most days I wasn’t good enough to be a designer but I prayed to God to take that spirit of fear away from me and I’ve grown .Being recognized on an international scale was big for me! 2 month prior to me going to LA for the event I told myself I wasn’t going because I didn’t have any funds but God made a way out of no way for me.

Also I was scared I said that the people there would have been better than me but it was far from that. I learned that we always emerging designers searching for 15 minutes of fame and attention to have someone of Hollywood’s biggest celebrity recognize me, and my collection.”

In The Bahamas, art is barely acknowledged, the small town concepts of successful career is making

“I never want to be remembered as the guy who gave up in life.”

-Richard Shepherd

six figures either in a medical or law field, other than those career choices your leading down a path of not future. Creative careers are not considered an option in the minds of Bahamians. Usually working in a 9-5 in a cubicle not only did Shepherd overcome being gay, he had to motivate himself, and live beyond the Bahamian dream, striving not to be great, not mediocre, and his brand represents himself.

such as; Atlantis, to The Rosewood or SLS or the Grand Hyatt in their designer boutiques. I can also see my brand being global in stores in the U.S., Europe and Dubai. This Spring “The Rich” is going beyond just being strictly swimwear no more but ready to wear line as well.

As, Shepherd reflects on the journey collection of “The Rich” he never been more proud of his ongoing roller-coaster of a journey, from the beginning to where it is now.

“I know that there’s women out there who would love to get their hands on something from “The Rich”. I just want my pieces to make a woman feel like a lady. Confident , that when she’s in one of my pieces she can conquer anything she puts her mind too!”

From an experimental garment, to winning Fash|Art, to the runway of L.A. Facet fashion week, “The Rich” 2016 Spring collection is only a few months away from it’s debut.

Sexy, Sophisticated, Sassy modern women, who love living on the edge are those who wear “The Rich”. Pricing between $200-$300 “The Rich” defines itself through quality materials, hand-made, high end and luxurious. Shepherd, accentuates the lines of a woman, obsessing how clean and simple they make the body look, while accentuating curves, and comfort. Since The Bahamas is the backyard to Shepherd, he desire to sell resort wear, from the luxury hotels in the Bahamas

anything you put your mind to is possible! I never thought that I would have made it pass the state of Florida because before my career started I didn’t travel anywhere else much. But God opened doors for me that I never imagined being done.”

As he sets the standard for the Bahamas non-existent fashion industry, he is on the same level as well known designers such as; Draya Michele’s Mint Swim Collection.

“My advice to anyone pursuing ANYTHING not just fashion. But anything in general is to make sure it’s something that they love doing and that they have a passion that’s out of this world to pursue it. It may be a the long may be long and narrow road but don’t give up. To keep pushing and pressing forth because

“Some days it’s up and away and then other days it’s down to nothing. Since I’ve started my brand a lot of people I haven’t knew reached out to me. I’ve connected with two manufacturers and I’ve also been offered to have my brand carried in a hotel locally here in the Bahamas. My biggest support system would be my family and close friends. They all give me the extra boost that I need day in and out to keep me going. I stay self-driving by just seeking inspiration from other young talented go getters that I see hustling and pursuing their dreams everyday. That right there makes me never want to give up. I never want to be remembered as the guy who gave up in life. But as the person who always kept pushing Ellizabeth Collie

Apple, we have to talk.

For how long will we stay in our dysfunctional relationship? How can I ever break up with you for good?

We met 12 years ago. You were a 13-inch white MacBook, and I, 13 years young and naive. Remember how I cried for hours because you did not have an updated version of MSN Messenger? At that time, I did not know a greater heartbreak than that, but we got through it. After much praise from my father; after all he was, and still is, the tech-savvy one in my family, how could I not give you a chance? And then, I was hooked. From iPod nano to MacBook Pros, and iPhones in between, we have been through it all, but now it is time.

Apple, we are breaking up. I could use the famous line “it’s not you. It’s me.” —but It is you. Lately, you have been nothing but a disappointment. And still, for some reason I can’t seem to shake you. Maybe I’m complacent, after so many years together, I do not know how to live in a technological world without you. But I don’t want this.

You lost your touch and I lost my patience.

The signs were all there. Your dismay was right in my face, but I was blind by your user-friendly system to see. First, your need to be updated every week. Why cant your engineers ever launch a final workable operational system? It is not like the updates are to fix major malfunctions. It’s usually fixing minor bugs that you probably knew all along you had. But I guess, it is part of your charm, like a kid, being annoyingly adorable, reminding me that you are not as great as you like to be.

Secondly, and for some, a conspiracy theory, your “planned obsolescence.” Every time Apple launches a new version of one of its products, it seems the older one starts to slowly die. While this could all be because of a cosmic coincidence, I know better —you want me to spend my money on the better version of you.

Remember my iPhone 5? I sang your praises for years. How sleek you were, how resistant; after all I did drop you on my bathtub more times them I am willing to admit, and you still worked just fine. Until the iPhone 6 came along —the uglier, bigger version of you. And then, it seemed that you thought your job was done. You would stop working out of nowhere, freeze on the most inappropriate moments, and would lose whatever information I would save.

Until the inevitable happened.

Your screen cracked.

I rushed you to a Genius Bar, where they charged me $129 to fix you. And I’m sorry I could not justify paying this much when the newer you is $200. So I kept you broken —if anything, the cracks gave you character, and the small cuts on my fingers from swiping the screen were worth it. A month went by, when while back home, my father decided to fix you. After paying thirty-seven dollars on eBay later, you were as good as new, and we were happy again. Unfortunately, it was only for two weeks. The moment I was back in San Francisco your battery decided it was time to die, expanding so far from the case, it popped out the glass. You gave me no choice but to get a new phone.

I tried. For days, I contemplated getting your rival - the Samsung Edge. But I could not. Every time I would think, “Yes, I’m buying a Samsung,” I was reminded of the fact that every other product I own, comes from you, Apple. And syncing information through different operational systems is a daunting task for someone as technologically inept as me. With no other willing choice, I got an iPhone 6s.

Shortly after the new phone, the hard drive on my Macbook Pro decided it had enough. With two days before classes started, I had to think fast. I had already lost all my projects and files. So with nothing else to lose, I had to get a new Laptop. That probably was my chance to part with you for good. Devices using Microsoft, have lighter and easier options to use in comparison to you. I should have chosen any one them — Dell, Hp, Samsung, even the one from Google.

But No —I just had to chose you.

I blame my choice on the fact that I work with fashion and design, since you are still the default company to use in this artistic field. In reality, I simply could not part ways from you.

For all my talk and complaining, I don’t think now will be the time I leave you. But you have been warned.

Next time you disappoint me, we are REALLY through.

ON STYLE WITH JILL SIEFERT By: Ellizabeth Collie

Jill Siefert love affair with fashion, fabrics and design started as a young child while regularly playing dress up in her mother’s closet.

She has always had an eye for fashion and style.

Over the last 15 years in the fashion industry, Jill is originally from New York and now lives in the bay area. She has held executive fashion styling positions and had also produced hundreds of fashion show events with: Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Esprit, Nordstrom, Conde Nast Publications and The Gap. This broad range of brands has enabled Jill to contribute her expertise in a variety of market segments, retail channels, demographics, and price points.

In addition to her styling business, she has been an advocate of fashion education working as a professor at the Art Institute, City College and Parsons School of Design, where she educates her students to approach life in a creative manner. She is also a member of FGI, Fashion Group International and AICI Association of Image Consultants International.

Jill attended the Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she graduated, with honors, in 1992.

After graduation, Jill spent a year in Europe working at the International Design Exchange, where she forecasted fashion trends for a variety of international retailers.

Jill’s goal is to help clients identity their signature style and help them stand out in today’s market place. Each person is their own brand and each person should shine and have their style defined and reflect who they truly are so they can succeed!

Elizabeth: Where did you grow up?

Jill: Born and bred New Yorker which fools people out here on the West Coast since I’m a blonde and I don’t always wear black every day now since I’ve lived out here in SF for 10 years now. But, I have learned both coast styles.

Elizabeth: Can you tell me about your background?

Jill: Went to Fashion Institute of Technology for my educational foundation. Started out in the garment district in NYC and from there worked for brands at the corporate executive level in marketing for brands such

as Gap, Esprit, Versace and Salvatore Ferragamo. My roles have included styling at the brand level, public relations and special events. My favorite is to work with the Italian luxury brands. I worked a lot overseas in Milan and Florence and love the family element and heritage of the Italian labels. I now love having my own personal styling business now and working one on one with executives and their creating their professional image. I have also been a fashion educator now for over 10 years teaching fashion marketing.

Elizabeth: How did you enter the fashion industry?

Jill: I graduated from FIT and from there never looked back. I started interning in the garment district and my first big job was at a fantastic luxury accessories showroom at Bryant Park where I did the creative marketing from there I went on to work in fashion marketing for brands such as : Esprit, Versace and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Elizabeth: Did you always know you wanted to be in fashion growing up? What did you think you were going to be?

Jill: Yes I always new from a very young age that I wanted to be in the fashion industry. I never had a doubt that I would be involved in the fashion industry. My father taught me about warp and weave at age 5 as he was working in the textile industry.

Elizabeth: At what moment did you fall in love with fashion?

Jill: As early as I can remember going through my mothers closet and spending hours in there going through her clothes.

Elizabeth: What has been your best moment? Do you have any interesting stories / An amazing memory?

Jill: I loved going to Milan and Florence setting up for fashion week every season, this was always an incredible experience, to collaborate with such inspiring people and getting to work through the entire creative process.

Elizabeth: On Style with Jill Siefert, when did you start the podcast, and what inspired it?

Jill: My students inspired me to create my podcast On Style with Jill Siefert. They encouraged me to keep the fashion conversation going.

Elizabeth: What does your podcast mean to you?

Jill: My podcast is very important to me as I think there needs to be more informative and good fashion content out there in the world.

Elizabeth: Having a podcast what was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?

Jill: Learning different interview techniques has been the largest

and most exciting challenge. As each guest you interview with you have a different energy being created and learning how to get the best information from that person is a huge challenge. I want every interview to be exciting and informative!

Elizabeth: Which guest made a lasting impression on Style with Jill Siefert?

Jill: Collen Quen, she is such an incredible designer and very knowledgable about the fashion industry as a whole.

Elizabeth: Alongside your audience I know you have learned a few things from your podcast, what lesson did On Style with Jill Siefert?

Jill:I love learning about people’s creative process and how they go about creating new things.

Elizabeth: What is the future of On Style with Jill Siefert?

Jill: The future of On Style is to go towards video. Many listeners have said they want to see the conversation unfold. So stay tuned!

FROM

TRASHY GIRL TO

Marlen Hernandez

“When your goal is to gain experience, perspective, and knowledge, failing is no longer a possibility. Failure is your invention.”

-Sophia Amoruso There are many rags-to-riches success stories. #GIRLBOSS is another but author Sophia Amoruso didn’t plan it that way.

Amoruso founded Nasty Gal as a vintage fashion eBay store during her downtime, not as a fashion student, but as a lobby guard working at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. The tiring vintage-hunting trips she took to thrift stores paid off since the clothes resold for exceedingly profitable prices on Ebay. Amoruso’s initial venture has since become a prominent fashion company with its own platform; nastygal.com and two brick-and-mortar stores in Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica, California.

with a “tourism and experimentation” perpective; she was willing to accept new places, people, and things but kept to herself because she knew they wouldn’t last long. However, tired of consistently feeling like an outsider, when she was only a sophomore in high school, she convinced her parents that home school suited her best. The homes chool instructor only showed once a month, to hand out assignments and so it opened the opportunity to take on a Subway job down the street. This is when Amoruso’s cycle of taking dead end jobs, ‘something she calls job

Nasty Gal, reached the multi-million dollar business club and Amoruso is considered a “cultural icon” by Forbes with a spot on their “30 under 30” list for 2012.

In #GIRLBOSS, the fashion mogul narrates her fascinating story of how she made it without climbing the traditional career ladder. There were trashy situations, but then there were the nasty situations.

By the time she was 15, due to her family’s financial hardship, Amoruso had moved numerous times throughout Northern California, forcing her to attend ten different schools.

The unstable sense of home trained her to approach life

nastygal.com

“…the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results…”

nastygal.com

promiscuity’ started. She successively worked at Subway, a costume shop, hydroponic plant store, landscaping and at Borders selling the bestseller and entrepreneur favorite “Who Moved My Cheese?”, which she knew nothing about—all while living in San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco and Olympia, Washington.

When she was only 17, Amoruso, with great moxie, hitchhiked from Sacramento to Olympia, Washington. Olympia was the place where Amoruso exercised one of her early teen experimentations that continued well into her adulthood, she attended Marxist study groups and was magnetized by groups of young anarchists and anti-capitalists. These types of delusional friends made it easier for the young rebel to lose interest in school and work, and she was financially cut off by her parents after they noticed her change in priorities. Amoruso opted for a “freegan” lifestyle instead. Her thing was dumpster-diving for food while wearing men’s clothes and not shaving her legs.

As she writes; at the time she justified her and her friends’ petty thievery by saying, “We valued ‘social engineering’ over socializing, preferring to spend our days tricking corporations into thinking we were just your average, paying customers…”.

When she was 20, however, she was caught stealing a variety of merchandise at a bookstore, a “humbling and humiliating and a huge wake-up call,” she recalls. Her life had hit at her ultimate low, “I had always wanted to do something awesome, and instead I was racking up a soap opera’s worth of skanky experiences…I packed up my shit and drove my U-Haul-renting ass back to San Francisco, determined to do something legitimate and brilliant.”

Back in San Francisco, Amoruso was still a lazy employee jumping from unstimulating job to the next. But at 21, she got a hernia and desperately needed to keep a job for at least 90

days for health benefits to kick in. She was hired at the Academy of Art University as a lobby guard, checking in fashion students, and she endured it long enough to get health insurance, took care of the hernia, and then moved back to her parents’ house in Sacramento.

The healing traveler walked away from her art school job not just with health insurance but with; an eBay account where she sold vintage clothing, a MySpace account where she communicated with her customers, and a good sense of who her target customer was and how to market to them directly.

The vintage pieces posted on Ebay auctioned off at prices that allowed her to make a living without having to get another job, or worse having to deal with people— something she hated doing.

This was the beginning for the anti-establishment outsider to turn herself into a successful businesswoman, admired for her financial and as style chops.

What I learned about this curious protagonist, is that it did not matter that she was an outcast, dumpster-diver, dead-end job hopper, and a petty thief, she was always in control of her life and changed it whenever she was dissatisfied. Nobody could ever tell her what to do and she recalls her father’s words of wisdom, “…the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results…” It’s by no surprise that NastyGal, succeeded because of Amoruso’s hard work and on her own terms.

The reinvented freegan reconnected with her passion for photography and shooting her own vintage styling looks and payed her models in hamburgers. Her rebellious and natural edgy style came in handy when she needed to creatively style her shoots and write product descriptions for thumbnail displays on Ebay. This self-motivated online vintage store owner, stood

out amongst the competition and her marketing strategies gave her account free advertisement of the best kind, wordof-mouth. Amoruso’s persistence for building and keeping customer relationships also made her social media savvy—a great tool for the imminent social media era. She nicely packaged her items before shipping them to customers, and thanked them directly via a MySpace account.

Amoruso’s entrepreneurial growth as well as her maturity as a person resonated with me because I am a person who greatly values experience and an exceptional work ethic. I have admiration for this woman, for her determination to learn and improve on what was already working. I did not exactly learn anything new reading Amoruso’s book, but I was certainly reminded, inspired and reaffirmed of the life lessons I had already decided to live by; Play to your strengths, and welcome new experiences, because they may unintentionally lead you to where you are meant to be. There are many professions one can decide to take on, some more financially riskier or more or less socially acceptable than others, but no matter what it is, you should always work hard to be great at what you decide to do.

The author clearly states in the introduction that #Girlboss is not a “get rich quick” book, something that needs to be addressed more in society for the new “I Want What I Want When I Want Where I Want” (IWWIWWIWWIW) generation.

The majority of people who know who Sophia Amoruso is, and don’t think Nastygal is a naughty site, are young fashionistas trying to live up to the glamorous standards of what the fashion world is perceived to be. I’m glad Amoruso strives to teach young men and women values such as saving their money and not “…live like a CEO when you are a sandwich artist.

Amoruso’s sassy, straightforward, and swearing character translates easily into her style of writing, so it is a difficult book to put down. Amoruso undeniably attracts the attention of many fashion enthusiasts and young entrepreneurs.

This part-memoir and part-entrepreneur book is aspired by Amoruso to say at a Google talk in Mountain View this October, she sees as a “gateway drug to the business section of the bookstore for someone who might not be going there yet, because I was that girl. And I think there is a lot to learn in that part of the bookstore.”

The book can be read by all kinds of people walking different paths in life because one way or another, we must all face the reality that we must work hard to get what we want, doing what we like, and it may take time. The girl who used to get her

breakfast bagels from a dumpster, sold entrepreneur best-sellers, and worked at a fashion school, became the most successful person out of its alumni. It is a modern day Cinderella story.

NastyGal, a company born in 2006 has its founder on a book tour promoting the New York Times bestseller #Girlboss.

The multi-million dollar company has grown beyond the founder’s expectations and expertise and she stepped down this year to appoint Sheree Waterson (former Chief Product Officer of Lululemon) as Nastygal’s new CEO. Amoru-

so is a strong believer that “success is about playing to your strengths,” and her strength was talking to and leading “her”—her company’s customer. Serving as the executive chairman, Amoruso has more time to dedicate to other projects such as launching the GIRLBOSS foundation which awards grants to creative women entrepreneurs. The CEO turned writer also writes a career column for Marie Claire, has a podcast in partnership with Slate and a cosmetics line in collaboration with MAC.

“…if you approach everything in your life with a certain degree of intention, you can affect the outcome.”

-Sophia Amoruso

The

Latina Voice From The Mind Of A First-Generation American Isabella Urbina

Racism is one of the hottest topics in the United States this last year alone with elections coming soon. With police brutality videos surfacing left and right or political leaders voicing out their opinions on boarder restrictions, it has been an unavoidable issue. Yet, it raises the question as to whether these problems are resurfacing or they’ve always been in our face. Carla Baltodano, in her home of Miami, Florida on October 25th, has a deeper understanding of racism’s time in the United States for Latinos. Baltodano has an understanding of how growing up in the 1970s in San Francisco, after the civil rights movements and during the Cesar Chavez movements, affected the American dream for the Latino people. I wanted to understand if any form of racism has affected her personal and work life today as a Latina woman.

How did living in the United States with immigrant parents affect your childhood?

I was unaware that my parents were considered immigrated parents until I was maybe 12 years of age. I grew up in San Francisco and went to school with a diverse population. My kindergarten class picture is a true a representation of the city with white Americans, Black Americans, Hispanic, and Asian students. I had the best of both worlds because I grew up listening to Michael Jackson but also Fania All Stars. I knew of Santana the same as I knew of the Bee Gees. I was a die hard Menudo fan but also embraced New Kids on the Block. I really started to hear about immigrant talk when I was in high school due to the many people that were coming to America because of wars in their country of birth. I felt proud to be an American and glad to know another language.

What are some memories you have growing up in San Francisco as a Hispanic child?

I have wonderful memories of living in Bernal Heights and Mission area. I walked to school. I attended Fairmont Elementary and was so happy to be there. I lived down the block from the local meat market, La Morena, that offered Mexican and Latin American products. The corner store was Italian and always had the best sandwiches. There was a delicious bakery next door where my brother would buy me sugar donuts on our walk back from school for only 25 cents. Safeway was there too and I’d love to go with my grandmother. I recall attending church at San Carlos, St. Paul, and St. Kevin. My favorite was going to St. Carlos because after church we’d stop by the McDonald’s on 24th and Mission for a cheeseburger. I’d catch the Muni bus with my mom to get to the Mission Neighborhood Health Center for my checkups and shots. I loved going there because I’d go to the childcare play center as I waited to be seen. We’d travel on Bart to go visit family in Fremont. My dad was president of a city softball league so I grew up attending games, awards ceremonies at the parks such as Crocker park, the park on Army Street, and other parks in San Francisco. I grew up going to the Exploratorium, Fisherman’s Wharf, Presidio, Golden Gate park, and especially loved the museums and Japanese Tea Garden. We’d travel to San Rafael for family outings. My family was big into sports so what better city than San Francisco because I’d attend Candlestick park to see the Giants and 49ers play. One important thing that I’d have to share about my childhood and it still exists today is the lighted Coca Cola sign that is right off the Bay Bridge. I always felt a sense of being home when I saw it. I still do today when I visit San Francisco. I didn’t pay any attention if I was Hispanic or not, I was just a kid who loved living in San Francisco.

What were some differences you saw with American-born families and your own?

I didn’t see the differences until I attended high school but the only difference I really saw was that I attended a primarily Spanish speaking church.

My parents spoke English and had good jobs. They were able to afford things for us that maybe others did not but it was not because of any particular privilege other than hard work and vision.

Being raised in the 1970s and in the peak of the Cesar Chavez workers movements, did you see any of that influence in your household?

I did not see any of that influence in my household. I do recall seeing his image throughout the Mission. I remember hearing about a man that was fasting to bring attention to farm workers. I was too little to really comprehend what that all meant.

Did these images have any affect in your personal and work life?

I would have to say that I didn’t understand what Cesar Chavez represented until I was older.

One thing that stood out to me was when the city of San Francisco renamed Army Street to Cesar Chavez Boulevard/Street. I used Army Street as a point of reference so I had to get used to the new name.

Your first language was English, do you have an idea as to why your parents chose to teach you English above Spanish?

My parents always spoke both languages and taught us both. I would say in part because my mother came to the United States at a young age, attended school and college in San Francisco. The home dynamic that came naturally was to speak to my mom in English and I’d always speak Spanish to my dad. Today, you work at a Spanish-speaking studio, Telemundo.

Do you see any obstacles that your immigrant co-workers face that you don’t?

The good thing is that Telemundo is focused on producing television for the Hispanic person living in America. It’s not focusing on reminiscing about the “country” you left but embracing the country we live in. Telemundo acknowledges that close to 57 million people in America are Hispanic and the experience now embraces children that are first, second, or even third generation Latinos. We speak two languages and love our English language programming as well as our Spanish roots. It is dual in nature but unique. I find that my immigrated co-workers are still assimilating living in the U.S. There are some that do not speak English or their English is limit-ed. Their experience was formed in another country and now they are learning how things are done here. What may have worked in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, or Mexico doesn’t necessarily work here because the audience is different. That is the beauty of diversity so we get best from everyone. We take what they have learned or implemented in their countries and together with people just like me that have Hispanic roots but are Americans at heart can produce creative strategies to reach a more diverse audience.

With previous jobs, have you faced any challenges being a Latina woman?

I have to say that I always found other races always making references to my “Latina woman” look or curves. It seemed like they always linked it to sensuality or sexiness. I feel that we (Latina women) have been categorized in that sense and it takes a bit more effort to overcome that stereotype.

One of the challenges that I encountered has been with other Latinos that have been in the United States for sometime and they deny their roots.

For example, I will never forget seeing a housekeeper coming into the administrative offices where I used to work in San Francisco. The housekeeper was looking to speak to someone. She did not speak English but only Spanish. There was someone on our team (Spanish speaking) out in the lobby when the housekeeper entered but she didn’t help her. I was called out to the lobby to see how I could help. When I came back to my area, I approached the other Latina and asked her why she didn’t help her. Her response was, “I don’t speak Spanish” and to not forget that her last name was European. A couple of minutes later, I heard her on the phone speaking to her mom in Spanish. How quickly we forget that even though as second or third generation Latinos, there was a time where one of our family members did not speak English and needed someone to help. The moral of the story is...we cannot forget our roots.

Shameless Choice

You’ve got your results. Two lines. Congratulations, right?

Not really. For some women, pregnancy is not a joyful moment. Whether you are too young, financially unstable, a victim of rape, or simply do not want children, it’s a basic women’s right to have a safe legal abortion without being shamed by their choices. The United States has strict policies regarding abortion. The lengthy bureaucracy and waiting periods are also accompanied by public humiliation.

“They should not take civil rights away from their citizens based on their beliefs.”

There is a obvious argument to be made about this topic.

The United States which gun control, the lengths the legislative power take to block abortion is laughable. On Nov 27, 2015, a “pro-life” radical shot 12 people in a Planned Parenthood in Colorado, killing three and severely injuring nine. For someone who vehemently believes in life since its conception; taking adult lives seems hypocritical.

But let’s look at a country that views the United States as a young sibling views the prodigal son — Brazil. The economic potency of South America, part of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), it remains a country where the mere mention of the word abortion is viewed as the twisted claws of liberalism and lack of morals.

Brazil calls itself a secular nation. In reality, it is anything but. The Brazilian Congress constitutes of 406 congressmen, 78 of whom have religious ties, including the Speaker of The House. In their sessions they do whatever they can to block any talk about abortion.

In retaliation, an educated youth has risen in the fight against their imposed dogmas.

Joice Portes, 25 year old anthropology doctorate student at the University of Sao Paulo, is part of the group of women fighting to achieve their rights.

“Congressmen can have their religion outside the house.” she says. “But while filling their mandate, they should not take civil rights away from their citizens based on their beliefs.”

On their side is congressman Jean Wylllys, a member of the Socialist Party (PSOL), who started a proposition to legalize abortion in Brazil. His proposition guarantees women the right to voluntary abort a pregnancy up until its 12th week.

“This Law is so Congress won’t walk over dead women’s bodies. Women illegally abort in butcher shops [and] die everyday,” during an interview outside congress.

It is estimated 729,000 to 1 million women gothrough underhanded abortions yearly in Brazil.

Among them is Ana Sara Francisco, who at nineteen went through an illegal abortion. “I owed it to my parents to not have that baby.”

The first person in her family to get an higher education, Francisco comes from the small town of Paulinia in the country side of the State of Sao Paulo. She worked odd jobs and still received help from her parents to afford to stay in school at the State University of Campinas where she studied Social Sciences in hopes to become a public school teacher.

“Both my parents worked two jobs, and I was a waitress at a bar outside the campus.” In 2009, the young woman found herself pregnant and without the means to have a child. Without a safe place to have the procedure, Francisco heard from a “friend of a friend” about a retired nurse that could help her.

“She charged me R$ 800 (equivalent to $400 at the time), which was double the amount I made in a month. I reached out to everyone I know to come up with the money.” she said. “ I wasn’t embarrassed about the procedure, but I was when I had to ask for money,” With the help of her friends she was able to gather the money. After a four-hour trip to the small town of Limeira, Ana Sara found herself in front of the woman that could either help her or unintentionally kill her.

“She asked me to come by myself; I was terrified. I don’t wish that on anyone.” After an hour, Ana Sara left — alive, with extreme cramps.

While Francisco’s story is one with a hopeful ending, it is not the case for most women in Brazil. Unfortunately, the government is unwilling to help women because it was founded in such religious roots. A government established to uphold civic rights, chooses to listen to morality over their people’s needs.

Women live in vulnerability. Partially due to the patriarchal system existing in most countries. Partially because of women’s role in religion. With so much weight upon women’s shoulders, is it fair to add shame and fear?

Giuliana goes

Off Script Not that it discredits me as a fashion student, but I did not seem to ever acquire the slightest interest to watch Fashion Police—the weekly show on the E! Network where the hosts blast hollywood and celebrities’ fashion choices.

My interest and studies in fashion span over a decade so I trust my viewpoint and forsake other people’s opinions about red carpet looks. I regarded Fashion Police with disdain and found the viewer’s adulation perplexing, because the show is essentially about encouraging materialism and publicly shaming, not only people’s clothes, but bodies as well. It was only after meeting and reading her book, Going Off Script, that changed my mind and sparked curiosity to watch the next episode of Fashion Police.

Rancic is one of Fashion Police’s along with Brad Goreski and Melissa Rivers who replaced her late mother, comedienne legend Joan Rivers, as head-host.

The T.V. personality has been working for the E! Network for over 14 years with multiple roles as correspondent, red carpet hostess, Fashion Police co-host, and she recently stepped down as news anchor. Rancic details her experience corresponding for the entertainment industry in her scandalous Going Off Script book. She is also executive producer and stars in her own reality T.V. show with her husband called Giuliana & Bill—which has aired for seven seasons since 2009. The enterprising Italian-American also has a successful clothing line, G by Giuliana for HSN, and a wine collection Xo, G selling at Walmart. The accomplishments Rancic

has achieved genuinely impressed me, especially when I learned that she had earned a master’s degree in journalism from American University in Washington D.C. When I started reading the book, I was right about one thing…Giuliana is shallow and materialistic. She began her autobiography retelling stories about her annoying teenybopper mischief with an ordinary attitude and seemingly proud of her foolish behavior. Rancic’s character as an outlandish bratty teenager clearly reflected her privileged upbringing and overindulging parents. Her temperament and rule-breaking tendencies dragged out well into her college years, when she paid $300 for someone to write a final paper for her. It was cringeworthy to read silly stories about her cat-fights at school, her willingness to stay in abusive relationships, and all the swearing she was able to get away with at such a young age. Not to mention her inability to stop giving rude unsolicited advise to people she felt were inferior. Even at nine years old, she also disgustingly knew the control she had over her parents and to prove it, she made them buy her a pacifier!

ence by the late Senator Ted Kennedy where she asked him, “Senator Kennedy, what do you do for fun?”

The autobiography started to get interesting when she decided to move to Los Angeles and began working for a talent agency. In the times of few cellphones and no helpful apps, using only a map and an ACless vehicle, that she had to find her way through the Bevery Hills and deliver a script to Leonardo DiCaprio.

The stories she told about what happens behind-the-scenes running scripts and later reporting a piece about the ‘80s dressed as Madonna for a late-night gossip show, and then being hired and fired from E! for asking Wilmer Valderrama something off script was fascinating.

Yes, Rancic was fired from E! back in 2011.

inspiring to see how the new managing editor was readily confident about her goals in the industry and finally found a solid place where she forever changed the way entertainment news is reported.

In 2014, the aggressive anchorwoman was named “Fan Favorite” during the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Going Off Script recounts how Rancic’s life literally went off script. The fashionista had landed her dream job reporting for glamorous red carpet events, meeting A-listers, and filmed Fashion Police with the hilarious Joan Rivers. In 2007, she married the love of her life, Apprentice winner Bill Rancic. Things took a sad turn not only when the happily married couple bump into difficulty conceiving a child, but Rancic was diagnosed with breast cancer before she was 40-years-old. It was emotional to read about the excruciating fertility treatments and emotional toll it took on her when she got a double mastectomy. I was shut down along with Rancic when all her on-going blessings decided to come to an end. I can relate to this cancer-survivor, not because I have ever been diagnosed with cancer, but because she kept her faith even stronger and grew from her experience.

“Young Hollywood was about fashion, beauty, hot designers and young socialites who got out of limos drunk with no underwear on...our competitors at Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood [can] have Old Hollywood.”

There was definitely drama in Rancic’s lifestory, especially stemming from an invasive traditional Italian family, but the entertainment derived from it was not for me. I was desperate to stop reading and close the book forever, but that thought came as soon as chapter three. It was impossible for me to give a firm opinion about it without actually reading it in its entirety. I decided to endure the next nine chapters.

The DePandi family migrated to the United States from Naples, Italy when Rancic was only six years old. I never would have imagined her passion to become a news anchor until she expressed her admiration for Barbara Harrison, and that she used to watch her daily during NBC4’s news. After graduating from Barbizon Modeling and Acting School and running and losing the Miss Maryland USA pageant, she was still pushing for her daydreams of becoming an anchorwoman. The amateur journalism student struggled to find a job after graduating, but had a better sense of direction when she remembered what her Dean told her, “I think your style may be better suited for Hollywood than D.C.” This was reinforced after a press confer-

As an aspiring journalist and correspondent myself, I appreciate learning what the journey is like, the struggle, and the lessons learned by the people who have made it in their industry. Giuliana’s stubborness and inclination to always get her way when she went off script during her interview with Wilmer Valderrama, and asked an inappropriate question, is exactly what got her hired back at E! in 2002. The E! network is known to report on anything Hollywood, meaning worthless pop culture news. As Rancic reflects in the book, “Wow, it’s true what they say, any press is good press.”

Assigned as news anchor and managing editor years later, she got into an argument about putting Paris Hilton as the opening lead instead of Harrison Ford. Rancic writes, “Young Hollywood was about fashion, beauty, hot designers and young socialites who got out of limos drunk with no underwear on…our competitors at Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood [can] have Old Hollywood.”

The news segment ratings went up ten percent by the end of the week Rancic took over. Rancic may be reporting useless information, but I think she understood her job very well and knew what kept viewers tuning in every day. It was

Rancic’s, husband Bill, definitely takes the “hero” title in this memoir. Bill is what I wish to find in a husband one day. He was patient, understanding, optimistic, and strong for the both of them. “He would hold me and let me cry when I wanted to cry, and allow me to feel whatever I was feeling, “The strength and wisdom it took to do that was incredible, an essential part of Bill and one of the reasons I fell in love with him…he gave me every ounce of his own emotional energy and unbroken faith,” she adds of his support when she was upset from her condition. Added to her journal was the line: “You need to feel sadness to appreciate being happy.”

The Rancics were fortunately able to conceive a beautiful boy, Duke, via a surrogate. The hard hit of reality was narrated so well that I believe the new mom’s perspective about life impacted her in more ways than one and because of it she has reflected and learned to apply her attention properly to her family.

There was an unstable commute between L.A. and Chicago because Bill is based there and the E! star worked in

sunny southern California. They eventually moved to Chicago permanently. She gave up her news anchor position but Rancic was blessed with an opportunity to continue working for E!, long distance at an office in the Midwestern city.

Working from the Windy City, Rancic’s newfound ambition was to expand her role as a producer, for which I applaud her. Otherwise, I would have been disappointed that with the extreme experiences of being diagnosed with cancer and becoming a mother, she remained the same unimproved person.

“Isn’t there more to life than reporting the ‘breaking news’ that Jennifer Lawrence is single again?” she says. Earlier this year she came under scrutiny for a controversial comment she made about actor and singer, Zendaya, during a Fashion Police segment. The fashion critic second-guessed her weekly appearances on the show because she thought it was maybe too mean, but close friend and Fashion Police co-host Joan Rivers said, “The fashion is secondary…This is comedy.”

Rivers was a hardworking and legendary comedienne that extended her support and encouragement to her E! family. It was nice to read about the supportive relationships the co-hosts had with one another when the cameras were off. I received a different perception of the tv personalities that made them sound so relatable. They are all working hard at what they are good at.

Their jokes on the show may be a bit harsh but the targets shouldn’t take it personal. It is after all just fashion and the purpose of the show is to go for the laugh first. The hosts themselves have been on the show as worst dressed, so there is no partiality. It took an entire book for me to realize how nonsensical it was to take shows like Fashion Police seriously and the people in it after all go through the same problems everybody else does. Now, it’s just another show about fashion on tv of which I wouldn’t mind playing it next time when I flip through the channels.

Finishing Going Off Script was a relief. There were mixed thoughts at the beginning but I became emotional when I learned how hardworking this cancer-survivor from Naples is and as she pulled through some of the hardest moments a woman could possibly go through. The day the E! personality was diagnosed with breast cancer, she still went into work and performed her

duties, that is how strong of a person she is.

When I met the Fashion Police host in San Francisco’s Union Square on September 25th where she hosted a fashion show at Macy’s I asked her what she wanted her readers to walk away with reading her book, “I want them to feel that if I can make it, then they can make it,” she said.

I am glad to have given Giuliana Rancic a chance of getting to know her through her book. The struggles she went through are something I could never imagine going through, but I have hope that whatever obstacles I face in the future, I can get through them triumphantly.

Marlen Hernandez

CRAIG MATTOX O N

T R A C K

T O

R I O

2 0 1 6

Track and Field star, Craig Mattox, uses his athletic abilities to literally take a leap of faith and leave his footprints in the sand, not only empowering himself but touching the lives of future generations.

By: Ellizabeth Collie

The twenty-three year old was born in Winslow, Arizona, but took a life changing opportunity to establish a creative future as a student athlete at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

The young player doesn’t settle for mere athletic success. He sets his standards high by double-majoring in Multimedia Communications and Interior Design, and all while training for the gold in long-jump for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“…I’m not supposed to be here or competing but I am” -Craig Mattox

Despite the odds held against him, Mattox, has remained optimistic and has persevered through difficult moments that could have easily pushed him to terminate his pursuit as a Track and Field Olympian. Since 2011, he has been in and out of the hospital because of a heart murmur he suffered, following the diagnosis of leukemia and lupus. It was a devastating time for him since it caused him to sit out a season. Today the unstoppable force, Mattox, uses his family as his strength and his community, to persist on his journey.

Even giving back to his hometown by donating to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, in Phoenix, Arizona.

From jumping over couches as a child to making qualifying times at track practices, Mattox’ still prepares for the gold; “I first had to throw on tunnel vision to keep my eyes on what I want to do and where I want to be come August 2016. I’m training hard everyday and studying film of former jumpers, current jumpers, and myself.

The weight room has been a foe of mine for a while but this year I’ve become best friends with it which has been a positive add on.”

Reflecting, Mattox continued with words of wisdom from his friend Olympic 400m hurdler as she said, “I see something in you! If I didn’t believe in you I wouldn’t tell you this. I want to see you in Rio for the Olympics! Just promise me you won’t let ANYTHING or ANYONE ruin this opportunity for! You have to stay focused!”

“Leaving my two sick parents back home is what’s driving me to be successful and I want my story to be heard and used to motivate others. My family is my number one reason to why I do what I do. They are my motivation to become successful at not only this event but in my career as well”

BEYOND THE CROWN: ROSETTA CARTWRIGHT Twenty-year old Rosetta Cartwright won the Miss Bahamas World Pageant, holding the title of Miss Bahamas 2014-2015. The Miss World Pageant is a pageant based on “Beauty with a Purpose”, unlike Miss Universe, that focuses’ on beauty, Miss World is judged based on personality, and intelligence.

Throughout the competition Rosetta never lost sight of her roots, growing up with in Long Island, Bahamas which is known for their farming, and fishing, Rosetta shares her Cinderella story as she transformed from a barefoot beach island girl, into a beauty personified. Regardless of not winning the overall Miss World title, Rosetta plans to dominate the Miss Universe pageant in the near future. Paving the path for the future Bahamian queens. Rosetta uses her platform to empower other females, “’Island Girls’, just like her that nothing is impossible, no matter where you are from, or your circumstance, dreams do come true.

What inspired you to enter the Miss Bahamas World pageant?

How did your journey begin?

I was approached; by district directors while I was attending a “Fashions Night Out”, about entering the Miss Bahamas pageant, I really wasn’t interested at first, but when I talked with friends & family about it I realized that I had nothing to lose. After learning more about the Miss World pageant and the fact that is more concerned with a beauty with a purpose than just solely focused on facial beauty it really pushed me to participate in the Miss Bahamas pageant.

What was your platform, and why did you choose it?

My platform was project ABC (ACHIEVE BELIEVE CREATE), it’s concerned with helping students in public schools with tutoring in subjects like Math, English & Science. I choose this platform because ever since I was a little girl education was something that was always dear to me & I truly believe that nothing can stop an educated individual. So it was important that I brought awareness about the importance of education in the Bahamas seeing that the high school drop rate is still high. With my platform I was able to implement an “I will graduate program” which tracked students from grades 7-12 GPA’s in order to assist them in the necessary subjects that they may be failing, so that they would improve their grades and graduate.

Going into the pageant did you have any fears? What was the biggest obstacle during your journey to the crown?

I honestly had no fears. I’m a firm believer in what’s meant to be will be. So if I had not win I would have accepted it and just continued to inspire others in whatever way that I could have. My biggest obstacle was that everything was somehow going wrong. During the float parade my car stopped working (luckily I got another car), my evening gown didn’t fit & I had to get cut out of it & remake it in less than 5 hours, my talent costume literally arrived 15 minutes before I was supposed to go on stage. With all of those things happening I just kept saying to myself “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and I pushed through and came out on top.

Who was your driving force throughout your journey to the crown?

How did they motivate you?

My support system was definitely my family, without them I couldn’t have accomplished none of this. They were with me each step along the way & just knowing that they believed in me really pushed me and kept me going. Anyone who meets my family would agree that their presence alone can motivate you, so just supporting me & being to every event really motivated me.

Is there a quote, motto, anything you stand by? Maybe a role model? What does that mean to you?

The quote I stand by is “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” It’s by Babe Ruth & it just assures me that no matter how afraid I am of doing something, or even if I fail at something it doesn’t mean that I should give up.

On the night of Miss Bahamas World pageant, when you were announced Miss World Bahamas, how did you feel? Can you describe that exact moment?

I was so excited & filled with joy at the same time, I remember looking at my family an seeing how nervous they were and I just whispered to myself “what’s meant to be will be” When I heard my name I really didn’t expect to cry but it was like the emotions were just waiting to pour out. I was so happy that I won but at the same time sad for the girls that didn’t.

Winning Miss Bahamas World, you competed in England and represented the Bahamas on an international stage. What did that mean to you?

Representing my country on an international stage was an honor. I can’t really describe it, it’s like you have to live in the moment to see what it feels like. I was just happy to have had that opportunity it’s something that I would take with me for a lifetime.

Where are you from in the Bahamas, and what was your background like? Five years ago, would you have thought you would have been Miss World Bahamas?

I’m from Long Island in the Bahamas but I grew up in Freeport Grand Bahama, my background was very standard, I had parents that supported & loved me as well as siblings who did the same. I was raised in a very loving and caring home. Definitely would not have thought that I would have been Ms. Bahamas, I had no interest in Pageants at all my only focus was getting a degree and completing my studies but everything happens for a reason.

to have people treat you like royalty as well as young girls wanting to be like you and even the look on some of those young girls’ faces when I placed my crown on their heads was breathtaking.

As you took your final walk, and gave up your crown, what advice would you give to the new Miss World Bahamas 2015?

I just wanted my successor to always be driven and dedicated to being Miss Bahamas. This is an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime & she gets to experience it, so enjoy it & make each day count. No one can take it away from you so you have to do it with grace and humility.

Represent your country to the best of your ability & whenever you need help or advice I’m always here.

As you passed down your crown, you had the room in tears, what was your legacy of being Miss World Bahamas 2015?

Well my legacy was completing my platform & changing those lives that I came in contact with. As well as being a queen that never quit or gave up, & just pushed through no matter the circumstances for everyone that was depending on me and supporting me.

Pageantry has a stigma to its name, would you advise anyone to go in a pageant? What advice would you tell them entering pageant world? would advise young ladies to enter pageants. It definitely refined me more and gave me a boost of confidence as well as courage. I would definitely tell them to be confident, poised, and elegant, speak eloquently & treat others as you would have them treat you.

What did the whole experience teach you? How did it help you grow as a person?

The whole experience thought me how much a “status or position” can change your life. It thought me that there is more to the world than just this small beautiful island that we live in, & it’s important to experience it. It helped me grow into a more confident, outspoken & knowledgeable person.

If I could I would do it all over again & I wouldn’t change anything?

In your reign do you still promote your platform?

Well I’m a fulltime college student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in management with a minor in tourism at the college of the Bahamas so my free time is really limited. However I still assist students whenever I can, & my “I will graduate program” is still active in different schools.

What’s the next step for Rosetta Cartwright?

How was competing in the Miss World pageant? What were your best moments? How was that experience?

Competing in the Miss World pageant was just a wonderful experience overall, my best moment was definitely going to see the Phantom of the Opera & walking on that stage when they called my country’s name as well as meeting and building friendships with so many young women from around the world.

Like mentioned before, I’m focused on completing my studies. I’m currently attending the College of the Bahamas pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in tourism. I hope to transfer next fall so that I can double major in Finance and complete my studies abroad.

Where can we see Rosetta Cartwright, in the next five years?

What were your best moments of being Miss World Bahamas?

Through the year of you being Miss World Bahamas what did that mean to you?

My best moments of being Miss World Bahamas was travelling to New York, meeting so many influential people in the Bahamas & bringing awareness about the importance of education in the Bahamas. Being Miss Bahamas meant everything to me, it was such a great experience

In the next five years I’ll already have all of my Bachelor’s degrees.

Probably pursuing my Master’s degree at that time in London while working at a financial organization & being active with different charities.

Who knows I may have even decided to compete in the Miss Universe pageant?

Beauty Takeover Fabiana Muñoz

At first glance, YouTube is unassuming haven for introverts and cat-lovers. It’s the place where one can kill 2 hours watching a 29-year-old Bostonian rant about avocados or what a guy’s facial hair means. The surprising part is that 29 year old Jenna Marbles also has a following of over 15 million people and makes anywhere between $71k-$1.1 million a year. Upon closer inspection, YouTube is no longer just a home for bored loners; it’s also the future for self-starters and young entrepreneurs.

One of the biggest groups of self-starters can be found in YouTube’s beauty community. So called “beauty gurus” are finding massive popularity from their very humble beginnings. Take for instance Jaclyn Hill. The 25 year old started out making simple videos of her applying eyeshadow in the kitchen of her apartment. She barely had enough money to feed herself and pay rent. Fast forward 3 years and Hill now boasts a following of over 2 million and has partnerships with brands such as BECCA and Makeup Geek Cosmetics.

Jaclyn Hill is just one of the many beauty gurus online that have achieved fame and popularity. Top beauty vloggers take this massive increase in following and turn their dreams into reality. What is most impressive is when these vloggers reach for the stars and start building their own empires.

Michelle Phan was one of the first to make makeup videos on YouTube; she now has her own beauty line and beauty subscription service. Marlena Stell started posted review videos of products a couple of year ago; Stell currently owns one of the fastest growing online cosmetics companies, Makeup Geek Cosmetics.

Companies and advertisers have quickly realized the potential in YouTube’s beauty community.

Thanks to new technology and social media, there has been a massive increase in social media marketing. Companies are now investing more money in advertising their products on YouTube with the help of popular beauty vloggers.

Companies pay vloggers like Jaclyn Hill to feature their products in their videos and social media posts. Oftentimes, these companies will sponsor vloggers and create a contract between them in order to ensure only positive reviews.

This genius example of social media marketing can be both a blessing and a curse. Beauty vloggers get paid handsomely to promote products they stand behind while companies receive a massive increase in sales. But there are some who don’t like this new way of marketing. Many beauty vloggers have received protests and even hate mail over sponsored videos.

Hate mail becomes so common on YouTube that many beauty vloggers have spoken out about the issue or even taken breaks from posting videos.

Thanks to new technology and social media, there has been a massive increase in social media marketing.

“It’s really intimidating to start in the beauty community nowadays. With all the hate that vloggers receive it makes you wonder whether it’s worth it. KathleenLights is one of my closest friends and she has over 1 million subscribers on YouTube.

She is so kind and good and yet she gets hundreds of hate messages a day.” Explains Gaby Trujillo, an up-and-comer in the beauty world.

Trujillo started making makeup videos last year just for fun. This year, her beauty channel found quickly growing popularity and boasts a following of almost 13,000 subscribers. Though she is still considered a small-time beauty guru, she still receives the hate mail that some of the larger vloggers get.

“The thing that gets people really mad is when a company sponsors you to show their products.

I have always been very honest about my brand sponsorships and product reviews. But sometimes if I mention a product that has been sent to me for PR purposes, people get angry.”

Though vloggers receive hundreds of hate mail for accepting PR samples, it seems that this social media marketing strategy is unlikely to end. Brands are quickly realizing the potential behind YouTube marketing and are changing their advertising ways. Gone is the age of glamorous Maybelline TV ads. People now want to buy from someone they trust.

6 Shades of Christmas Ellizabeth Collie

Savannah Jameson

Silent Night

Naughty & Nice

Jingle Bells

Fruitcake

Frost

The Grinch

Mascara Maven Savannah Jameson

Let’s face it: mascara is a product EVERY woman uses. Unfortunately, unless you live in a big city, it is unlikely you have access to a vegan or cruelty-free makeup store.

Luckily there are nationwide stores like Sephora where you can go play with some of these brands. Armed with my list of cruelty-free companies, I headed to Sephora to test out some products.

Thickening Urban Decay- Big Fatty Mascara $20

Here are my top five.

Lengthening Tarte- Lights, Camera, Flashes Statement Mascara $23

Volumizing Buxom- Lash Mascara $19

Long Lasting Too Faced- Better Than Sex Mascara $23

Separating bareMinerals- Flawless Definition Mascara $18

I n d iv i d u a l i t y L o s t The Psychology of Dyeing Hair Isabella Urbina

The smell of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide sting your nostrils, as you take your first step into the fluorescent, beauty salon. The sound of hair dryers drown the cries of complaining children, dyeing with anguish to go home after waiting two hours for their mothers.

Women are glued to their chairs with tin foil wrapped around their strands from chemical-burning root to end, try to focus on their reflections while keeping a dull conversation with their stylist. These women, from all ladders of society, are centered into one corner of the strip mall. As the stylists remove tin foil from the scalps of the suburban housewives, hues of pink, purple, and blue reflect into your eyes and in your peripheral comes a bleach blonde with black roots.

“Hi! Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist squeaks.

The trend has never disappeared.Women have been dying their hair since the ancient times, including the time of Caesar and the Pharaohs in Egypt. From pop culture to everyday school girls, dying hair has been a way of life for many people. The psychology of changing hair color, perhaps, reflects a need for change in personality or simply just for amusement.

“It’s change. It’s fun. Sorta like changing your identity.

Or boredom,” Anais Ruiz explained. The 24 year-old

with long, highlighted, auburn hair has been dying her hair for fourteen years now. Ruiz began with highlights, then accidentally dyed hot pink hair in middle school, to jumping from bleach blonde to black through her teen years, and back to natural highlights again in her adult life.

“Dyeing hair has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Beginning with my great grandmother, then my grandmother, to my mother, then myself and my siblings. To me, its just what us girls do,” she said.

Today, colors like Ruiz’s hot pink have become mundane. Thirteen year-old girls and boys with vanilla-bean frappacinos stroll around the mall on their iPhones, soaking up the next trend from the likes of pop culture figure Kylie Jenner or self-proclaimed fashion bloggers. The trend ceases to stop.

“I feel it’s trending now because the girls who wanted to do it when they were younger but couldn’t, maybe because of parents or school, are able to do it now and make their own decisions. I know a lot of girls who have done that,” Ruiz said with a giggle. “Bright colors are beautiful. They’re artsy. They make you feel alive and young!”

In an interview with TeenVogue, Midge Wilson, PhD, says, “If society is accepting of pink hair right now, it makes us more apt to dye our hair pink, therefore perpetuating the cycle.” These unnatural pigments have become a norm, losing it’s meaning of diversity and rebellion.

Some may argue that dyeing hair is just a form of expression like any other art form. It is reasonable to say this art form is lost when accounting for normalcy and lack of uniqueness. It becomes less about a form of expression, and more about a push towards convergence. In the late 20th century, dying your hair “rainbow” colors or “artsy” colors was considered weird and unheard of, unless you were in a punk band or art school.

The natural red hair was considered for many centuries, to be a dire trait, but today, it holds a different meaning. In the ancient times of Greece, Aristotle was quoted “Those with tawny colored hair are brave; witness the lions. But those with reddish hair are of bad character; witness the foxes.” Red hair became the symbol of wicked and evil, thus becoming a symbol for witches and criminals. Although the color was naturally sported by the likes of European royalty and American founding fathers, the color remained largely unwanted.

However, in the 20th and 21st centuries, it has become a symbol for sex appeal and luxury. Celebrities such as the actress Julia Roberts, pop-singer Rihanna, or more considerable, the cartoon Jessica Rabbit have made the color a basic staple for seduction.

Blond hair believed to have been created by a mutation in our genes thousands of years ago, and became a symbol of power. Accord-

ing to the article, “Psychology of Hair Color,” Caesar had the noble women of Rome bleach their hair constantly with pigeon feces or horse urine. Light hair has been considered to be far more attractive than darker hair over centuries.

Thanks to the discovery of hydrogen peroxide in the 20th century, blond hair was made a symbol for absolute beauty and sex appeal and is readily accessible to the public. The term “bombshell” became associated with bleach-

blonde women thanks to cultural icons such as Bridgette Bardot, Jayne Mansfield, Jean Harlow and Marilyn Monroe (who constantly dyed their hair to fit the status quo).

Alfred Hitchcock cast only blonde women has heroines in his films, thus pushing their popularity further. Probably the biggest trendsetter for bleach blonde hair is Barbie.

She became an icon all over the world for status and beauty with her golden synthetic hair.

“The people like Marilyn Monroe or Hollywood stars I think are super important when it comes to dying hair and attraction. They’ve inspired so many woman all over the world to dye their hair. Every guy I have ever been with love the fact that I’m blonde; it’s automatically sexy because of that,” said Madison Poyo, a natural blonde. “But that’s never stopped me. I’ve dyed my hair black and red before. But being blonde is fun!”

Attraction plays a great role in changing appearances for the “better.” Although, it is argued that attraction is not important at all, one way or another we are fitting ourselves for acceptance. The acceptance to be part of a crowd or fit the role of a sensual vixen for our partners, plays into how we ultimately feel about ourselves. In Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory, we must feel a sense of belonging before we can have a healthy self-esteem and self-acceptance. The American psychologist theorized that it is innate in all human beings and categorized our priorities, with the end result being self-actualization after achieving the first needs. Dying hair is another way in which we climb this ladder to improve ourselves. The dying of hair colors correlates with our need to belong.

In the article, “The Psychology of Hair,” according to a Yale Study led by LaFrance corporation, “‘bad hair’ increased social insecurity and self-criticism and lowered performance self-esteem, hurting subjects’ can-do attitude toward personal accomplishments.” Our hair directly affects how we perceive ourselves and our moods, therefore hurting our ability to function during that “bad-hair” day.

Walking outside the ultra bright lights of the salon, finally escaping the fumes of the burnt hair, I finally understood that the appearance of our hair goes deeper than we ever realized. For thousands of years, hair has affected our status, appeal, self-esteem, and function.

Dying hair affects our personalities whilst used as an expression of art. It’s no longer outlandish and different to match the frosting of a cupcake, mane of a unicorn or the black-heart of your ex. There is no such thing as weird or individuality anymore.

“You would have to continue setting the bar pretty high each time by changing drastically,” Ruiz explained.

After stepping out from under the vitamin-D-sucking lights to the San Francisco city-lights, stood a girl joining the spectrum of others tinting their hair different saturations and tones. The colorful army weaves through the crowds of people in almost complete unison.

White-haired women, black-haired women, straight, curly, short, long, all intermingling with one another with all different looks but bearing these universal qualities. It became present, individuality is forever lost and there is no “unique”. What was once deemed too weird for the public is too boring and normal.

And it dawned on me; maybe people just want to dye their hair.

Why Spend When You Have Everything in Your Pantry?

DIY Organic Beauty Products

The consciousness of being healthy has never been so high. Lately, we worry about about trans-fats, cancerous mutations and genetic modifiers. While being aware of what we ingest should be a priority, we should also mind what we put in our bodies through its biggest organ- the skin. With things easy found in your pantry, here are a few home treatments that can substitute the chemical filled items in your beauty regime.

Coconut Oil

Intermediate

Forget about using for cooking, Coconut oil has a way better functionality —Your Beauty Treatments. With multiple uses from hair to mouth wash. This miracle oil should be a staple at your house, specially in your vanity.

Hair Protector before bleaching:

Beginner

Expert

Leaving in conditioner:

Natural toothpaste:

This leave-in conditioniner is as good as any product you can find in your salon. A dime-size amount of coconut oil, is enough to hydrate your locks and strength your hair. To take a step further pair the oil with a few drops of lavender or any other essence of your liking. Mixed them together before applying to your hair.

If you feel a little more adventurous you can try making your own toothpaste. Some ingredients sound like they are straight from a chemical lab, but fear not, they are all easily found in your local supermarket.

Moisturizer: The simplest way of using coconut oil is to use it as moisturizer. It hydrates and prevents acne. All ailments cured with a small dollop. Just dab a small amount on your hands and warm it up, then just apply to skin.

Lady Gaga swears by this procedure. When mixing bleach powder and developer be sure to add a tablespoon of Coconut Oil. The complex fats of the oil will protect the natural protein in the hair, while hydrating the strands, leaving the hair soft and without the damaged look that follows blonde women everywhere.

5 tablespoons of Calcium Powder 2 table spoons of Baking Soda 3-5 tablespoons of Coconut Oil Essential Oils for flavor (mint, cinnamon, orange‌) 1/2 pint glass jar. simply mix all items in a bowl and put it in the jar. Later keep it refrigerated in your fridge.

Baking Power Another kitchen staple that can be used for other than… well… baking.

Baking powder shampoo Hairstylist always tell their clients to wash their hair less.

The natural oils should travel from your scalp to your roots.

But how can you go more than 3 days without washing and not feel gross? Most shampoos have sulfate — foam agent, that can over time thin your hair and extreme cases cause cancer. But a natural way of washing your hair is using Baking Powder!

A tablespoon mixed with half cup of water is enough for a long hair. Right away you will see a difference. Softer and voluminous, which girl doesn’t like that?

Coffee grounds Cellulite Scrub After your morning couple of joe, save the used grounds for a exfoliant treatment, specially for areas where cellulite haunts you. Caffeine is these horrible dimples worst enemy. If applied religiously this treatment has the power to eradicate women’s worst nightmare.

1 cup of coffee grounds 6 tablespoons of coconut oil 3 tablespoons of sea salt Saran wrapper.

Mix all the items in a bowl. Lather the target area with the mixture, then wrap it with the saran film. Wait for 30 minutes, and rinse it.

Avocado and Eggs What sounds like a good breakfast dish is also a saver for your hair and skin. Both rich in protein and complexed fats these two staple items can turn into hair and face masks.

Simply blend one avocado with two eggs, and apply to the desired area, 30 minutes later you will have a more hydrated skin or softer and stronger hair — or even both, if you make a large enough batch.

Lemon Juice While a refreshing drink on summer also lighten your hair. Just rinse your of half water and half lemon juice. of this fruit paired with sunlight will natural highlights.

days, lemons can hair with a mixture The acid property give you amazing

You Do Care About The Old Folks Talking ‘bout the Old Style Baking

Cliches are a beautiful thing. Universal truths that can resonate to every aspect of our lives. Who never heard of “Fake it until you make it” or “ With age comes wisdom”? Today we merge these two together in a holy creation “Fake it until you age”, for those that are still too young to know better but like to think they lived enough to participate in the grown-up circle. Here is a list of things young’uns now deem cool that their parents tried hard to stay away from.

Thanks to one of the Times most influential icons, Taylor Swift, baking is one of the coolest hobbies a young person can have. What is not to love? Every project ends (if done properly) with delicious smelling foods. Due to the increased interest among young crowds publishing houses are now trying to find more exciting ways to create recipe books. Even online destinations like Buzzfeed have created a section for food and baking on their site.

Grey Hair For years, women would freak out by the notion of having grey hairs, today young women go to extremes to achieve that long lived hue. Tavi Gevison, then fashion blogger now acctress, came to fame thanks to her grey locks. At 13, the actress was one of the early adopters of this trend that has since taken over the fashion beauty world. “It’s funny to pass grandmas on the street and realize we have the same hair,” says Anna Muselmann a studio assistant in Oakland.

According to online publication Slate, the number of young women who’ve requested gray dye jobs has skyrocketed in the past year.

Knitting Circles What once was a grandma exclusive club, is now hip for the kids. Apart from a quick way of making money, online retailer Etsy has thousands of knitting vendors. Knitting circles are now a new way of making new friends. Website Stich’n bitch makes it easier for the knitting enthusiast to find a close group them.

With groups all around the world, snitch’n bitch even does a cruise meeting. Now who would not want to be part of that?

Body Pains Millennials are complainers— so it is no surprise they complain about the pains their young body suffers. From sore muscles due to #Gymlife to the modern Text-neck. It seems that these days if you wanna bond with someone you should share your pains.

Book Clubs A mother’s favorite past time is now for their kids too. Millennials are amongst the group of higher physical readership. They prefer printed books and magazines to online publications. Even author John Green, hosts a club through his YouTube channel Vlogbrothers. And how can they congregate with their other reading buddies if not through a book club?Having someone reading the same book at the same time, holds them accountable to finishing the book. Because who likes spoilers?ww

Vintage Cameras ( Film Photography)

Being a Hypochondriac Health care is too expensive. And the internet is readily available. So what should young people do, If not use WebMd to find out what ails them? Just type your symptoms in the search bar and find out your diagnostic. Seems easy enough. The only problem is that WebMD always gives the worst-case scenarios. Add a young person’s dramatic flare and you get a hypochondriac. Simple symptoms turn into deathly situations.Headache? Brain Tumor. Sore Throat?

Cancer. Stomachache? Crohn‘s disease. Then one wonders why we all think we are dying.

With the increase of technology and image resolution you would think film photography would be dead, unless you are a photographer, but that is not the case. According to Ilford Photo, a analog photo company, “Nearly a third of film photographers are younger than 35 years of age, and “support for traditional film is growing.” Not only young people prefer film, they rather shoot in Black and White — The horror! NPR did a show where they found what interested young people to film was the element of surprise —not knowing how your pictures would turn out until after developing them. In a generation known for its instant gratification, it is a nice change to wait.

2 IMAGINATION O V E R

R E A L I T Y By: Ellizabeth Collie

Twenty-four year old young photographer Alfred Anderson, paves the fashion industry in the Bahamas, one picture at a time. Creating his own path, as the Karl Lagerfeld of the islands, shooting fashion campaigns for Hardour Collection, The Rich, while bringing dream weddings to life, being the first to shoot same-sex weddings, locally and internationally. Using his natural environment of paradise he empathizes colors in his photographs, finding inspiration in the beauty of creation around him. The professional lifestyle and fashion photographer, uses his unique perspective of life, highlighting his imagination over reality. The combination of the human form, a creative mind, fashion, location, and a team allows him to use his camera as a tool of story telling. Showing just how simple life really is and how beauty exists in everything he sees motivates him with each moment to grow as a photographer.

Framing the essence of time all in one moment. Capturing moments otherwise unattainable. As he, records events, preserving history.

What’s your life like in the Bahamas? What’s life like growing up in the Bahamas?

Growing up on the islands it’s an awesome experience, I love the Bahamas as a country it’s beautiful but of course like any other un developed countries there are things we do lack. In regard to me my life an my career is the lack of appreciation for art. Even though it’s kind of cliché we really have beautiful beaches people come all around the world just to see and witness, locally you don’t get the same appreciation on an international level, but I do feel for me growing up in the island it definitely shaped me and molded me as an artist, because of the things I am use to seeing, the Bahamas definitely developed my photography style.

What is your style of photography?

My style of photography is bringing forth and fashion editorial vibe to anything I work on, even its just a wedding, I try not to document it just as a wedding. I try to always try to give it unique perspectives on their imagery something they remember, more than it just being that single moment.

How does the Bahamas influence your style of photography?

It’s all about what you grew up seeing, living in the Bahamas I’m use to seeing blue skies and the oceans, and greenery. In comparison living in New York seeing sky scrappers, and city life, my photographer is colorful and about bringing forth color and lighting.

What is it like being a photographer in the Bahamas?

Being a photographer is the Bahamas is like being a photographer anywhere else., except the economy is definitely different so it responds different in they way you get paid. The beautiful thing about photography, it is a career that allows you to travel, and limitless.

Do you have any involvement in arts in the Bahamas? How do you bring your platform to life?

Without art you can’t really preserve the history of anywhere. Even though I don’t particularly do documentary photography, as an artist I am adding to art history overall. I do have an involvement in art in the Bahamas, just because the more artist we have the more we can grow that creative economy as a whole, and gain and garner the respect that’s necessary. Every year I have been doing a fashion take to Bahamian independence, using striking headshots, accentuating natural Bahamian beauty. And even in that, shooting Bahamian models contributes to arts in the Bahamas showing who we have, what we have and our ability.

“The beautiful thing about photography is that it literally whenever I capture a moment it’s a moment we can never repeat again. My legacy is capturing my own imagination and sharing that with the world. The medium itself allows me to leave a legacy regardless. I want to be remembered for my work, I want people to remember that you can do literally anything, because that’s the beauty life.”

Who has been the most important role in your life, and how do they play a role in your career?

I couldn’t say that there is a particular person in my life that plays any role in my career. It’s just that everyone I come in to contact with they are there for a reason. Good or bad situations I just

learned to take lessons and learn from everyone around me. I can’t really say there is one important particular life, everyone is important. These are the same energies and people who help me to connect move forward in life an as a photographer.

What was your most accomplishing moment?

My most accomplishing moment now was the day I quit my 9-5 and actually believe in my own dreams, that was a big decision.

It allowed me to be free and trust the world, trust the wind.

Did you have any obstacles during your artistic journey?

How did you overcome them?

Not completing my degree from college I was actually a minor setback, changing my major twice, not even thinking about photography. It was a minor set back for a major comeback, it all ended up working out. Just have faith. It showed me a degree is good, and I’m all for them sometimes life happens, sometimes life ways you down you have to use it at a mechanism to prop well forward. It was disappointing, but I made it.

As a young entrepreneur what advice would you give the future generations?

My best advice is don’t be afraid, try it, just trust your universe, allow your gifts to make room for you. Realize there will be days where you might not be where you want to be, but you’re going to get there. You have to make a small investment to even be possible. Trust the journey, take it all in the bad times and the good times, never lose sight of your dreams.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I would like to see my self in the next five years shooting major campaign for international magazines. I see myself somewhere in Paris for photo-shoots, and back to New York for fashion week. Just living my dreams basically, not having to worry about anything, being able to connect with beautiful souls all over the world, models, make-up artist, Karl Lagerfeld, top in the industry.

CHANGING THE FACE OF FASHION Nineteen-year old, Bahamian beauty, Shavon Nottage rips the runway globally in pursuit of a modeling career while conquering chronic skin condition vitiligo.

Ellizabeth Collie

G

rowing up in Freeport, Bahamas, Nottage transitioned trading in her ‘tomboy’ sneakers, into make-up and heels entering and winning the Miss Junior Miss Grand Bahamas pageant.

After fulfilling all her duties as a beauty queen she found herself competing again at the Elite Look Modeling Agency against 160 girls, where she dominated the competition and got signed to Elite Modeling Agency in New York City.

“Coming from a slow pace island life full of greenery, to city lights, subways, doing what I love, I never felt so proud” she said “ I finally saw my dreams right in front of me.

I tasted it, everything I loved to do was within reach.”

Adjusting to her new environment of as island girl living the city life developing a strong portfolio, running to castings and finally with determination got her first call back. From barely able to walk in heels to strutting down the runway, Nottage, was a feature model in the Parachumu fashion show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Being the first Bahamian to walk a runway of such a caliber.

After New York fashion week, her next move was to walk down the catwalk at London Fashion week, but Elite Model Management, had different plans for modeling career, sending her back to the Bahamas because she was two inches too big for model standards.

Back in the Bahamas, while on a quest to lose body weight did a lot of reflecting, having a chronic skin disorder of vitilgo she became a model, weight was not going to stop her from living out her dreams. Vitilgo, is a skin condition characterized by portions of the skin losing its pigment. It occurs when skin pigment cells die or are unable to function, she has been having breakouts on her

legs and face since she was eight years old.

Nottage, following the footsteps Chantelle BrownYoung, also known as Winnie Harlow, who lives in Canada but originates in Jamaica with island roots, who got discovered at the age of nineteen who changed the face of fashion, from suicidal to supermodel. Harlow, verbally abused as a kid, getting called names such as “cow, zebra, and all other despairing slurs,” Despite being rejected as a editorial model after her “Natural Me” YouTube video going viral, Tyra Banks discovered the natural rare beauty on online mobile-sharing app. Instagram and immediately casted Harlow, for America’s Next Top Model season twenty-one. Placing sixth, in the series, the ravishing natural model stole the viewers heart by constantly winning the highest votes by the public.

Spanish clothing brand, Desigual, contracted Harlow as the representative for their brand following her elimination, she is currently the “Desigual girl” having her first debut opening the brands fashion show, at London Fashion Week.

“Desigual stands for being unusual and unique and atypical, so they figured I’d be the perfect person for that. They had a new line that had a lot of dots. And some of my skin patterns are dots. In the campaign video, there’s a part where the dot on a scarf lines up perfectly with a dot I have on my waist, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever.”

Harlow, changing the face of fashion as she uses her chronic skin disorder to conquer the industry, she premiered in Diesels’ untouched spring/summer collection 2015 campaign, also is their brand representative on 47 inch billboards throughout worldwide. The once rejected, Natural Me, YouTuber recently premiered in music videos such

as: Eminem and Sia’s Guts Over Fear video, in which she lip-synchs to the chorus in a platinum Sia wig; has been name-checked in Drake’s Get To Know Yourself; featured in Vogue Italia, Complex, Italian Glamour and Dazed & Confused magazines and flown over to the UK by famed photographer Nick Knight to be the subject of one of his high-profile SHOWstudio project.

“I love myself. And with that opportunities started to fall on my lap. I thank God for them. Try loving yourself” - Winnie Harlow

Number 47 on models.com’s social media models, Harlow takes full advantage promoting her once failed brand “Natural Me”. When asked on TED talk to tackle the question “What is beauty?’ she responded; “When I was young I was picked on for something that today I feel is amazing.

One thing about me connects millions of people around the world. And it’s my skin condition vitiligo” - Winnie Harlow Following the interview, with another viral video speaking out for Vitiligo; “Vitiligo: A Skin Condition, not a Life Changer”, where she shares her story and answers questions about what it’s like to have vitiligo.

Inspired by Harlow, Nottage made it her destiny to empower females of the Bahamas, paving a path for all Bahamans to follow the dreams despite odds against them.

“I have Vitiligo, there is no-way I should be a model.

That’s what I want to be. I am not my circumstance. I have Vitiligo, it doesn’t control me, it does not define me. Always pursue your dreams. Nothing is impossible.”

- Shevon Nottage

They Are Famous Because of You

Filmmaker Will Rebein is fascinated by celebrities and pop culture. The 22-year-old FIT student came to notoriety in the beginning of November for the short-film he made on Kylie Jenner. Where he played her make-up tutorial backwards, voiced over by all the hateful comments people leave her on social media.

On his new documentary, Rebein uses again the family everyone loves to hate as his main subject.

“Famous for Being Famous” is compromised of Paparazzi clips, archive interviews, and inter-titles. The 150 minute film explores what means to be a celebrity in the new millennium.

The movie opens with Oprah (arguably one of the most famous person in the world) interviewing Nicole Richie, only known at the time, for being Lionel Richie’s daughter and Paris Hilton’s Best Friend.

Oprah opens her interview asking Riche “ How do you feel about being famous for being famous?” given the movie its name. The filmmaker then scrutinize the rise of the first celebutante —Paris Hilton.

From her party girl persona to her arrest. Rebein tells the heiress story through the lenses of the media, specially the internet.

Like the tabloids and social media, the filmmaker moves from Hilton to Kim Kardashian. The Kardashians and Jenners might have rose to fame on the tails of the Hilton heiress, but their success its all their own. The movie then devolves into the public’s part in the “celebrity equation”. According to Rebein, people like the Kardashians exists because of the publics need to live vicariously through someone. And how’s better then a young rich person? That way when they fall, the public can also rejoice in their failure.

“Famous for Being Famous” is available for free on the director’s vimeo channel. https://vimeo. com/140014566

A Dog’s Tale

W

e took off from Washington, DC, headed over the North Pole and finally landed 14 hours later in Beijing. After attempting to acclimate to the 12-hour time difference we decided to go explore.

Walking the streets of Beijing outside of Tiananmen Square, we were amazed to see signs of a Communist past intertwined with a rapidly developing new global super power.

The streets were brick and packed with people that gushed like a torrent of bodies. Everyone seemed comfortable, though, and the atmosphere was positive and friendly.

Crime, we were told, was rare.

As we flowed with the river of people in the humid Beijing heat, the clouds broke and rain fell. People on scooters and bikes, in cars and on foot all rushed to their destinations, now drenched in rain. Some people like us embraced the refreshing rain and strolled through it, happy for a reprieve from the scorching Beijing sun.

As water built up and rushed along the bricks, rivers began to form, picking up dust and city debris as nature swept the streets clean. It was around that moment that I noticed many people weren’t wearing shoes, as if we were in some sort of giant Eastern hippie colony. The more puzzling part was the fact that many people were carrying their shoes! Clearly, fashion was more important than hygiene.

As we walked through the streets passing markets and malls, my boyfriend Xavier spotted a guy with particularly nice shoes.

Always looking for an excuse to meet someone new he told the man, “Nice shoes” gesturing and pantomiming slowly.

“Oh, thank you” he remarked nodding his head.

“What’s your name?” Xavier asked.

“My name is Yung Huh” he replied.

After talking for sometime he decided to join us.

As the three of us walked the streets of Beijing, Yung Huh agreed to take us on a tour of the fashion district where bargained some amazing deals for us. As the rain stopped and the summer sun dried off the pavement, we came across an old man with a large brush and a coffee tin filled with a watery black liquid.

Yung Huh spoke to the man quickly in Mandarin. He nodded his head in agreement and handed Yung Huh the brush. He dipped the brush in the can and painted giant beautiful calligraphy on the sidewalk as people gathered. Later he would paint on a beautiful fan with our names and wishes of good luck.

Yung Huh was a valuable translator and wanting to explore even more the next day; we exchanged information and agreed to meet up at the hotel.

The following morning, while eating breakfast, Xavier looked for articles online about places to explore. Wanting to go somewhere off the beaten path he found an article about ghettos where many illegal deals went down, including the sale of animals for food in underground markets in the hidden alleyways of Beijing. In that densely populated city, it’s possible to enter a maze of houses and corridors that open into hidden courtyards in accessible from the street.

These markets often deal in illegal goods including, exotic or endangered animals and even animal parts.

When we met up with Yung Huh, he agreed to show us one of these markets. We were excited, although I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. He said he really enjoyed spending time with us and showing us his city.

Yung Huh told us stories about Beijing and his life. As we walked he told how his twin brother had been tragically killed in a car accident a few years earlier. It was special and we were lucky to get to know someone personally so far from home. Experiences like that make the world seem smaller and help you realize we’re all in this together.

Finally, we came upon a series of alleys that eventually led through houses where women exchanged what sounded like loud hostile phrases with Yung Huh before eagerly ushering us through. This process happened a few times before the alleys revealed a bustling market filled with animals.

The conditions were horrendous and were difficult for us animal lovers to view. There were kittens stuffed inside cages so small they couldn’t turn around or move, and the same for rabbits and other small furry creatures. Bugs of all sorts by the hundreds including spiders and scorpions as well as chickens, ducks, eels, and snakes. They said many of these animals, even the kittens, were for consumption. I found it very difficult to look at the kittens-repulsed at even the thought.

But we still wanted to see more. We asked to see where the dogs were kept. After more shouting in Mandarin with another old woman, Yung Huh ushered us through yet another house. We turned a corner and inside the house were crates upon crates of countless breeds of puppies: mixed breeds, and breeds that resembled Golden retrievers, German Shepherds, Huskies and Poodles, to name a few.

M

any looked sick and emaciated. I was overwhelmed with emotion at the time and pondered how we could rescue all of them.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards that day so I decided to at least save one. Through broken translation, Young Huh explained to us that some of the healthy dogs would become pets but that most of the sickly ones would be eaten because when they are cooked, the viruses are eliminated. One tiny white puppy looked particularly sick and I decided since I could not take all of them I would try to help the one who would surely end up as someone’s dinner.

10 Yuan, equivalent to one dollar, is what the woman asked for the puppy.

We agreed and headed back out into the crowded main alleyway. Filled with adrenaline and a puppy in my arms we walked out of the depths of this Eastern world and headed back to the hotel, in the Western one we knew.

Back at the hotel we, started brainstorming names but were struggling to come up with something. Dog, as we called our nameless new addition, was exhausted from the day’s activities, her most active day to date.

While she slept we went to the hotel restaurant to eat lunch, which felt more like a midnight snack because of our jet lag.

My dad had picked up the New York Times and across the table the headline I saw read “Sotomayor Confirmed

by Senate”. That was it. The perfect name for a dog who had escaped such unfortunate circumstance. A strong powerful woman, the first Hispanic and third female Supreme Court justice. She was someone whose story I had been paying attention to that summer and she seemed a fitting namesake.

After a couple more days in Beijing we headed south to Nanjing. Xavier stuffed Soto into the pouch of his sweatshirt and put a jacket over it. It wasn’t cold at all so sweaty Xavier looked a little suspicious, and I was nervous. But he walked through the metal detector without setting off any mechanical OR mental alarms.

We boarded the train and realized that there were two other people sharing the sleeper car with us. This would not have been an issue but Soto was sick and

quietly coughing. It wasn’t loud but it was loud enough for someone to notice.

This next hurdle was mine to jump. So every time she made a sound I would cough and act like it was I. I definitely got some looks but it was worth it because it worked!

The first thing I did after arriving in Nanjing was to take her to a hospital. They said she was very sick but they didn’t have the resources to help her. The veterinarian’s office was bare bones, with only folding tables and chairs in a big open room. They suggested we stop wasting our time and put the dog down because she was so sick. I couldn’t give up though. We were on our way to Shanghai, a modern city where I hoped we could find a better hospital with the means to nurse her to health. So once again we sneak on the train, this time from Nanjing to Shanghai.

We slipped in and out of the Westin Hotel for a week with Soto, spending everyday at the animal hospital where they said she had Parvo, Coronavirus, and Leptospirosis. We were told she had a 10 percent chance of survival and the best thing to do would be to euthanize her.

I called Friendship Animal Hospital back home in Washington, D.C. They gave us suggestions but not much of it was helpful because most of the drugs they

recommended weren’t carried in China.

I was sad, and left the hotel room to head to the animal hospital in downtown Shanghai. I was feeling defeated as I boarded the elevator, when a man asked about the dog food in my hand. I spilled the story. In an incredible coincidence, it turned out he had been a veterinarian at Friendship three years before. He recommended we call a hospital which was on the outskirts of Shanghai. It was the most serendipitous experience I have ever had.

We left Sotomayor at this vet, where they said she had a chance. Once back in the States I communicated through email with the vet technicians who sent me pictures and videos of her progress, every time mentioning that they have never interacted with such a friendly and happy dog.

A few months later my dad flew to China and picked her up. She spent the 14hour flight under his seat and finished her long tiring journey, finally in my arms again, home in Washington, DC. Disclosure: Sadly, we were pick-pocketed on one of our last nights in Shanghai. The only thing taken was our camera, with all of our pictures from the entire trip.

Savannah Jameson

IMPRINT Editor-in-Chief Marlen Hernandez

Production Manager:

Marcella Rinaldis

Creative Director:

Elizabeth Collie

Photo Director:

Alfred Anderson

Design Editor:

Marlen Hernandez

Political Analyst:

Isabella Urbina

Cultural Editor:

Savannah Jameson

Beauty Edtior:

Fabiana Mu単oz

Beauty Photographer:

Maria Yuncoza

Make-Up Artist:

Marianna McGrath

Beauty Model:

Briahnna Arrieta

Editorial Assistant/Stylist:

Amani Megginson

Director of Fashion Journalism

Paul Wilner

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