Thisfunktional Magazine Issue 04 by Jesus Figueroa

Thisfunktional

Issue 04 April 01, 2014 ISSN 2334-346X

Time to THRIVE The time for equality for the LGBTQ community is now

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bottari/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign

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The concept of equality always floats around in my head as I see the LGBTQ comunity fight for the basic human right of happiness. The image chosen was not because of its softness but rather because of it being a peaceful image. These basic human rights come from a sense of understanding and acceptance. To accept someone there must be tolerance. To tolerate we must accept. As humans we may not always understand but there should always keep able to keep an open mind. Move through life not prohibiting what others do but accepting that each person does things differently. This issue is all about anti-bullying, anti-slut shaming and the rights of all not only the LGBTQ community because we are all human.

Jesus Figueroa Editor-in-Chief of

FLOWER- Anima É Cuore Studios Artist Laura Dickenson’s 2012 Challenge work sketch giving a flower a nice face. (Drawing courtesy of Anima É Cuore)

Thisfunktional

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Table of Contents

Page 3 - Finding Hope Written by Eli Kay Page 5 - 2D^3 project Written by Jesus Figueroa Page 7 - Artis Appreciation: Rafa Esparza Written by Jesus Figueroa Page 9 -The Illusion of Equality Written by Eli Kay Page 11 - Time to THRIVE has arrived Written by Jesus Figueroa Page 15 - Concert Corner Written by Ashley Weinfeld

Page 17 - Mike’s Movie Mayhem Written by Mike ‘The Movie Guy’ Pierce Page 19 - Thisfunktional Reviews Photographs by Jesus Figueroa

Staff Editor-in-Chief Jesus Figueroa Assistant Layout Designer Lindsey Maeda Writers Eli Kay Columnist Mike ‘The Movie Guy’ Pierce Photo-journalist Ashley Weinfeld

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Finding hope: Eli Kay

Writer Looking through a sea of comments and news reports about the economic recession and how that has taken a toll in the social and business environment in Europe. I struggle to find encouraging articles. It seems that the idea in today’s community is “every man for himself,” and we all tend to think that way. But fortunately I found some people that don’t. Global Hope Network International is an organization dedicated to visiting hidden villages where some of the world’s poorest people live and where assistance never reaches. Their mission is to transform those places by providing health care, coach them to develop the area with their resources and bring targeted Disaster Relief in places hit by war or natural disasters. They bring people closer and ry to provide a better future with their efforts. I was invited to volunteer with the organization’s newest division in Greece. Global Hope in collaboration with AMG International use mobile medical centres to drive to isolated villages where old Muslim communities live.

Communities like The Pomaklar, a Greek/Muslim community at the north of Greece, that was isolated during the war and left away from civilization ae able to receive help. The women were forced to cultivate the land in order to eat, while their husbands found work in Albania, Bulgaria or Germany, leaving the women to care for the children. The Saturday I volunteered, we left at 5am in order to meet with the group. The group included a leader, me and a dentist, all volunteers. The leader was driving the mobile medical centre and was in charge of the relationship with the people in the villages. I would help the dentist sterilize her equipment and keep a list of the people who visited for dental check. It was raining heavily all morning but the people still lined up outside the van. The people wanted to meet us and talk to us. It is wonderful to see how simple life makes people nicer and more compassionate. After the experience, I was very happy I saw the another side to Europe. A selfless and compassionate one. I wish the whole world was like that.

Global Ho www.globa

Donation p http://globa

Helping communities, revitalized spirit

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ope Network International: alhopenetwork.org

page: alhopenetwork.org/donate/american-donations

GOOD SPIRIT- Volunteer Eli Kay, right, assists with dental work inside a mobile medical van at a small village in Greece in need of assistance.

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Kicking into Kickstarter 2D^3

From 2D shapes to 3D shapes in glass 2d^3 sets to be an incredible project. Alex Leach caugh my attention after searching for hours for a kickstarter project for my column “Kicking into Kickstarter” on thisfunktional.com. The project closed down after the Kickstarter hack but is set to reopen later on in April. Leach said that the inspiration for this endevour came from early childhood memories. “When I was growing up we just had huge buckets of loose Legos that had been passed down and collected for years,” Leach said. The project goal will be difficult to meet but the hard work and dedication to make these are worth contributing. The insentives are great. “A 3 picture design usually takes about 8-10 hours and works out about 50% of the time. I did a 4 image design one time that took well over 100 hours,” Leach said. The project has already attracted the attention of a few and with some help can be made available to more people to collect. There are premade designs and custom designs will be made avaible once funding is completed. “Yes, I have already had some great ideas requested by a few people and love to commission work,” Leach said. Keep track of the project on kickstrarter once it goes live and follow thisfunktional.com and animaecuorestudios.com for more on the project in the weks to come.

Click here to view video interviews with the cast and crew

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Artist and performer Rafa Esparza Jesus Figueroa

Writer

The work of Rafa Esparza takes contemporary fine art and performance out of the confinement of museums and out into the world. Esparza brings art to communities which are not always priviledged to visiting museums with his live performances ranging from parks to under brifges. As a gay man inspired by both his life pre and post coming out, Esparza derives art from many inspirational places, especially the people who surround his life. The education he has received, going from East Los Angeles College to the University of California Los Angeles, gained him not only an education in art but in Chicano studies. Esparza’s latest showcase at the Vincent Price Art Museum in Monterey Park, California is his first solo museum exhibit which has been accompanied by several live performances outside the museum walls. “Art is just something that I have always done,’ Esparza said. “Choosing for art to be a seminal part of who I am happened here, at ELAC, when I started taking classes (art Classes.” Esparza’s gallery showing at the VPAM Hoy Space runs through April 25. For more information visit vincentpriceartmuseum.org.

Photo by Jesus Figueroa THE ART- Rafa Esparza painted by Shizu Saldamando.

Photo by Jesus Figueroa THE MAN- Rafa Esparza shows support for fellow artist Shizu Saldamando.

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The Illusion of Equality In order to understand the meaning of how deep and horrible racism and sexism is, we have to analyze the basis of it. The definition of racism is the belief that characteristics, abilities and, in extend, opportunities, can be given to people only through the basis of their race (or sex, as far as sexism is concerned). For the sake of the argument, I am going to call all forms of prejudice, racism. The darkest form of racism is the belief that one group, whether that is race, sex, religion or political group, is superior to all the others. It may have appeared through fear and developed as a weapon against anything that has taking us out of our comfort zone, but it has not subsided. In fact, is has increased. Women began their revolution first with acquiring the rights to vote, wear what they want and have a general sexual freedom. Homosexuals, bisexuals, transvestites and transgender have established a somewhat similar revolution with earning rights of marriage for example. But are we really living in an era of great Equality? Has equality really been achieved or is it just an illusion? What concerns me the most is that every time I ask someone a question aboutracism, I get the same “lolly pop” answers, “Of course we believe in equality,” “I am not racist, I love black people,” “I would love to have a gay friend” and so on. The new racism is not being racist and to be honest, I consider this a far

worse case of discrimination than the origins of racism itself. In Europe, people believe they have progressed. Coming from a Christian background I hear about acceptance all the time. But God forbid one of MY children to be gay. Of course they won’t say it to my face. As nobody will say that I cannot chop wood or drive a lorry, because I’m a woman. Nowadays in Europe, we are all happy and accepting to everyone’s faces, we label our coffee shops Gay friendly and we hang out with people with different sexual preferences because that will make us cool. We will smile politely if one of them finds their way into our church and we will be very careful to be politically correct. But that doesn’t solve the problem. “Let them be homophobic behind closed doors,” comedian Eddie Izzard said. We are not hurting anyone as long as we are proper and nice when we are outside and happen to encounter one of them. But that doesn’t solve a problem at all. Masking the problem brings no solutions. I’m not saying that there is not a significant improvement from the people who were sentenced to life in prison or even died proclaiming their sexual preference and insisting it was a part of them, and not a demonic disfiguration like many Christians believe. But it is still far from being eliminated.

One of the major factors that could serve as a means to decrease homophobia is knowledge. It might sound cliché, but after a visit at a seminar in the Protestant church, I realised that most of the religious groups are simply uneducated about the subject. The seminar I am referring to, had a very interesting title, “Myths and Truths about homosexuality in teenage life.” The psychologist who spoke about the issue had no idea what she was talking about. She argued that masturbation and being dressed in pink as a reason for young boys to become attracted to the same sex. The solution I would suggest is to gather all the academic work about humanitarian studies, physiology, sociology, sexual education and other similar subjects and present a seminar or a course to be taught in schools, businesses and any other establishment. I would like to point out the diversity in those beliefs of the Christian community in Europe. Many people think that because we are Christians we are racist, extremists and sometimes violent but we have to remember that there is diversity everywhere. I have a deep belief in God and I never once thought of Him as not acceptant or judgemental. We are all different. You never find any person identical to another. We have different values, preferences, ideas, we think differently, we love differently and we live how we as we please.

TOLERANCE

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MOVING FORWARD- Youth Panel and HMI staff pose for a photo op.

Photo courtesy of Human Rights Campaign

The time is now: Jesus Figueroa

Writer

The LGBTQ community fights for equality throughout the nation by battling for the right for samesex marriages. The Human Rights Organization premiered the first “Time to THRIVE” conference in :Las Vegas, Nevada this past February. Already the conference has gotten attention with Ellen Page taking the stage to come out as a lesbian.

The indie movie star thanked the audience for being the inspiration for the strength to be true to herself and speak up. In Page’s speech she said that she had never lied about being a lesbian but she had never openly admitted to it. The turnout in support of the LGBTQ community and the purpose behind the event gave her the courage she needed to take the stage and speak those words she had not been able to say.

“I am here today because I am gay,” Page said, “and because maybe I can make a difference. To help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless for me, I feel a personal obligation and social responsibility.” The courage to stand on stage and come out to thousands shows the respect she has for the LGBTQ community. “It takes courage for anyone to come out as LGBTQ,” “Time to THRIVE” conference chair

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Time to THRIVE Vincent “Vinnie” Pompei said, “Normally, that means coming out to your friends, family and colleagues. Rarely does that mean telling your truth to the entire world. The bravery that Ellen Page displayed in deciding to come out t a live audience of youth-serving professionals, youth’s themselves and the entire world as social media so easily allows was pure heroism.” The “Time to THRIVE” conference kicked off that is

meant to be an annual conference to promte safety, inclusion and well being for the LGBTQ youth. The HRO looks to help LGBTQ youth with the growing struggles faced in day-to-day life. Issues such as family rejection, bullying and safety weigh heavily on LGBTQ youth. “Time to THRIVE” brings together the LGBTQ youth with youth-serving professionals to better educate and serve those in need.

Some of the profesionals include K-12 educators, mental health providers, pediatritions, religious leaders, recreational athletic coaches and youth development staff. What may seem like regular life events can be some of the most frightening times for LGBTQ youth. “Very few schools are providing professional development on working with LGBTQ youth,” Pompei said, “The lack of cultural

“The bravery that Ellen Page displayed in deciding to come out to a live audience of youth-serving professionals, youth’s themselves and the entire world as social media so easily allows was pure heroism.”

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Vincent “Vinnie” Pompei

Time to Thrive conference chair

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bottari/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign

HELLO- Ellen Page, left, and Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin wave to the attendees of “Time to THRIVE.”

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bottari/AP Images for Human Rights Campaign

WELCOME- Vincent Pompei and Chelsey Clinton at

Human Rights Campaign’s Time to Thrive Conference, on Sunday, February, 16, 2014 in Las Vegas.

competency around this youth population among youth-serving professions unfortunately correlates to the unfortunate disparities around the overall wellbeing of LGBTQ youth.” The LGBTQ youth has been more prone to homelessness, substance abuse and lower future aspirations due to the continued high stress levels due to lack of understanding. The allies who make a difference do not all identify as LGBTQ but rather support the equality of all as human beings with the same rights as anyone else. “The attendees at ‘Time to THRIVE’ were by far an audience of straight allies who are passionate about, overall, well of youth,” Pompei said, “Although there were LGBTQ identified attendees, everyone benefits from learning about the current state of LGBTQ youth and what research, tools and emerging best practices are available to help promote safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ youth in their communities.” The activities and events that “Time to THRIVE” provides are a great start but for a safer more tolerant world that accepts everyone regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation more talks need to happen. The LGBTQ community needs a strong support from everyone. Due to Page’s bravery the talks have started and have begun to become a more accapted topic of discussion among families. “The powerful life changing speech has and will continue to save countless lives,” Pompei said, “I have heard from many people how the video, which has now been seen more than four million times on YouTube, sparked conversations around dinner tables,

classrooms and business offices around the world.” The time is now to get not only the conversation started but to make a difference. Share stories, be heard and fight for equality regardless if the oppression is happening to a group you belong to because ultimately humanity is the group everyone belongs to. Be a positive change in the world. “When we are able to share our personal stories it helps to open up the hearts and minds of everyday people to understand that who we are is not something to fear, to fight or to dislike,” Pompei said, “In fact, telling our stories helps encourage people to speak up when they witness injustice around various social issues that affect a fellow huma being.”

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For resources visit:

hrc.org/resources

For HRC foundation projects and programs visit:

hrc.org/foundation

Photo courtesy of Human Rights Campaign LET’s TALK- Judy Shepard, left, and Ellen Kahn at the “Time to THRIVE” podium.

Photo courtesy of Human Rights Campaign SETTING THE SCENE- Vinnie Pompei, left, Ellen Kahn, Chelsea Clinton and Chad Griffin strike a pose together at a Human Rights Campaign event.

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Concert Corner Ashley Weinfeld

Photo-journalist

ROCK-ON- Ashley Weif-

eld, left, and drummer Sandra Alva from Modern Day Escape the tour with Picture me Broken in 2012.

THE STAR-

Jeffree Star from the Warped Tour 2012

STAR POWER- Ashley Weinfend and Bryan Star at the Fall BryanStars Tour in 2013.

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Mike's Movi

'MOVIE GIRL OF THE MONTH'

Michele Aerin (29)

Because I am a lawyer, I would be Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. I love how she proved that women can be both beautiful and smart, even when the odds are stacked against them. twitter.com/MicheleAerin instagram.com/TXLawyerChick

ATTENTION FEMALE MOVIE FANS! Want to be my ‘MOVIE GIRL OF THE MONTH?’ Just answer the questions below and send 12 or more photos of yourself to mikethemovieguy@gmail. com. Name: Age: City: What’s your favorite action movie? What’s your favorite comedy? What’s your favorite drama? What’s your favorite horror? What’s your favorite sci-fi & fantasy? What’s your favorite chick flick? What was the last movie you saw? What movie are you looking forward to seeing? If you could be a character in ANY movie, who would it be? and why? What’s the perfect movie snack? What the one movie everyone should have in their DVD collection? What movie should have NEVER been made? What’s your Twitter? What’s your Facebook? What’s your Instagram? What’s your Website? Please send 12 or more photos – they can be any type. Just CUT & PASTE the questions and answers – and send everything to mikethemovieguy@gmail. com.

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ie Mayhem "Cesar Chavez" film interviews

Diego Luna

“Cesar Chavez” director Diego Luna chats about his inspiration to make a historical Chicano film.

America Ferrera “Cesar Chavez” lead actress America Ferrera chats about what she learned while portraying Helen Chavez.

"Sabotage" film interview

David Ayer

“Sabotae” director David Ayer chats about wanting to give this film a crude and raw realistic feel.

Check out more videos on

youtube.com/user/iwatchmike

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Thisfunktional Reviews Jesus Figueroa

Writer

“Cesar Chavez” shows a true-tolife struggle magnificently well The film “Cesar Chavez” directed by Diego Luna depicts an honest hard-working man with no super powers, but who changed the world. Cesar, played by Michael Peña, leads the farmworkers in California against the farm owners who exploit them. Peña is magnificent as Cesar. He embodies a character who is strong and non-violent. The eloquence of the way he speaks gives a true feel of being a well educated individual. Beside Cesar his wife Helen Chavez, played by America Ferrera, challenges the role a woman played in society during that period of time. Ferrera is emotionally strong and brings a dignity which Helen needed to have to stand with Cesar and support him through the movement he

fought so hard to create. The Chavez family and struggle that causes Cesar to alienate his family to try and provide a better future. Boogdanovich Senior, played by John Malkovich, comes off as a strong opposition to Cesar. Bogdanovich matches intelligence with Cesar as much as possible. Malkovich is charismatic and confident with a slight caniving nature which makes him both likable and sneaky. The story stays grounded and does a good job of keeping Cesar as a human character which any person can relate to not only Chicanos. “Cesar Chavez” is a must see film. It opened in theaters last Friday and is rated PG-13.

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