Journey Magazine: The Afro-Digital Issue

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY’S CAMPUS MAGAZINE

black to the future

Alien astronauts

A PROFILE ON THE ART COLLECTIVE

THE

augmented reality

AFRo digital ISSUE

JOURNEY · wINter 2017 · FREE

2

editor’

To those that fear the unknown and unexpected, the future can seem daunting, but what is there to be intimidated by really?

When I think about the future, a line from a Sun Ra poem comes to mind, “The light of the future casts the shadows of tomorrow.” We exist here and now because of the resilience, in wisdom and ingenuity of our ancestors and elders. We are the result of a vision of freedom, and as 2017 comes to a close I find myself obsessively thinking about my vision for the new year (I’m sure a lot of the recent fall graduates can relate.) I ask myself, what do I want to see in the future?

What do you want to see in the future?

Whatever your vision is, know that the Journey will be nothing less than transformational.

Till 2018,

Angelique Cherie Fullwood Editor-In-Chief

letter

A couple things happen when attempting to answer this question. First, it forces one to re-imagine reality, like one where corporations aren’t trying to take away Net Neutrality or crowdfunding sites aren’t the primary sources of health care and tuition. It also allows us to have a sense of agency. We can be intentional about the changes we make within ourselves to manifest the changes we want to see in the future. Last but certainly not least, answering this question requires us to release all inhibitions and create. Boundless creativity is perhaps the most important tool we all have to build our own destiny.

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CONTENT

2017

Black To Future 8

Space Invasion 20

10 Apps That Will Make 10

Cyberbullying in College 26

Your Life Easier

A Journey to Afro-Futurism 28

Augmented Reality 12

Power of YouTube 32

Alien Astronauts 14

Playlist 34

Copyright 2017 by Florida A &M University. All rights reserved. This issue of Journey magazine was produced by the student organization Journey with essential support from the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication.

Journey is funded through the student activity and services fees as allocated by the Student Senate of Florida A&M University. For more information on Journey of the Magazine Program, contact the Division of the Journalism at 850-559-3379, 510 Orr Drive, Room 3078, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL 32307.

TIME LAPSE THE JOURNEY STAFF

On THE COVERR Featuredd Joanne Cherisma, Jeniva St. Phar Photo Credit Angelique Fullwood, Alphonso Robinson Designed byy Malkia Peterson. Meishara Jaghai Printerr Gandy Printers Advisorr Francine Huff contributorss

Briana Davis, Angelique Fullwood, Yayri Hazel, Amanda Jean-Mary, Cierra Richardson, Jazzimin Riles, Bria Sanford, Carly Watson

photographerss Chantal Gainaus, Angelique Fullwood. Ricki “Rich” Moore, Alphoso Robinson

modelss Joanne Cherisma, Shalenda Gelin, Jodi Henningham, Kayla Keith, Victoria Lewis, Diamond Rollins, Jeniva Smith, Hateea Williams

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Angelique Fullwood Editor-in-Chief

Karlyn Sykes Managing Editor

Briana Hicks Copy Desk Chief

Maiya Grace Copy Desk Editor

Malkia Peterson Co-Art Director

La'Kayra Larramore Co-Art Director

Meishara Jaghai Assistant Art Director

Dajah Dorn Co-Art Director

Anjelicia Bruton Online Editor

Daria Laycock Online Editor

Yayri Hazel Photo Editor

Alphonso Robinson Photo Editor

Ricardo Brown Multimedia Director

Chambria Gordon Multimedia Associate

Nathan Vinson Multimedia Associate

Shaya Chamorro Fashion Director

Kerry Hartley

Assistant Fashion Director

Kathryn Lewis

Assistant Fashion Director

Shaqueria Howard Communications Director

Brielle Crooms PR Associate

Nyasha Baly PR Associate

Alexia Clark Social Media Editor

Nallah Brown

Digital Communication Director

Jazzmin Riles PR Associate

The Timeline of Afro-Futurism in Pop Culture

When you mix black culture with technology and mysticism you get a movement that cannot be bound by space and time.

Afro-futurism as a genre has been a staple in music, film, and entertainment for decades. From Octavia Butler to Future these game changing moments in time prove that Afro-futurism is indeed a method of self-liberation.

1975- George Clinton and

one of the most prolific feminist writers of all time,

the Par liament Funkadelic

publishes Kindred.

releases The Mothership

Kindred is a s c i e n c e f i c t i o n n ove l

1967 - Jimmi Hendrix

that imagines

that mixes the slave

and The Jimmi Hendrix

“extr a-ter r estrial

nar r ative with time

Experience released

b r o t h e r s ” g r o ov i n

tr avel and

their debut album.

through space.

t e c h n o l o g y.

<

<

19 74

<

criticall y acclaimed

<

Connection, the trail blazing funk album

19 66

19 78

1966 - Actress and

1974 - Sun Ra, a jazz

1975- George

1978- The Wiz, the

singer Nichelle Nichols

musician and poet,

Clinton and the

reimagining and

stars as Lieutenant

accompanied by his

Par liament

moder nized ver sion

Uhura, the chief

“A r k e s t r a ” r e l e a s e s t h e

Funkadelic releases

of The Wizard of

communications

cult-clasic “Space is T he

The Mothership

Oz is released.

officer under Captain

Place.” Sun Ra, star ring

Connection, the

K i r k i n S t a r Tr e k ,

a s h i m s e l f, u s e s m u s i c

trail blazing funk

making her the first

to transpor t African

album that imagines

black women featured in

Americans to live on

“extr a-ter r estrial

a major television series

another planet free from

b r o t h e r s ” g r o ov i n

not por traying a ser vant

t h e r a c i s m a n d p ove r t y

through space.

of ear th.

King T’Challa aka Black Pa n t h e r m a ke s h i s d eb u t in Mar vel Comic’s Fa n t a s t i c Fo u r # 5 2 becoming the fir st black superhero in an American comic book.

8

1 9 7 6 - O c t a v i a B u t l e r,

2010- Lil Wayne

1980s- Jamaican

releases his eighth

b o r n s i n g e r,

studio album “I am

actress, and

not a Human Being

fir st black comic

iconic figure in the

b o o k m ov i e t o h i t

2010- Janelle Monae

fashion and ar t

the big screen.

releases her debut

industr y known for

Wesley Snipes

album, The

her bold, daring and

por trays a

ArchAndroid. T he 18

androgynous looks.

half-vampire,

track album tells the

D o n a l d G l ove r

“I can't run out of

half-human hybrid

stor y of an android

r e l e a s e s A wa ke n M y

dif ferent ideas. I am

with advanced

w ho tr avels to the

L ove

dif ferent. W hen can

technology in this

past to free the

I run out of me?”

a c t i o n p a cke d

android community

― Gr ace Jones

s c i - f i t h r i l l e r.

from a fascist regime.

20 05

<

19 97

<

Jones rises as an

<

1998- Blade is the

<

super model Grace

Solange perfor ms on

20 20 17 18 Satur day Night Live.

1997- Supa Dupa Fly

2005- Afropunk Music

2016- The social

is released by Missy

Festival begins in

justice organization,

release Black

Elliot. Missy’s

B r o o k l y n , N e w Yo r k

B l a c k Yo u t h P r o j e c t

Panther based on the

collaboration with

as a celebration for

100 announces their

Marvel comic starring

Timbaland created

the black punk

agenda to Build

Chadwick Bosmen as

the futuristic

counter-culture and

B l a c k F u t u r e s . B Y P ’s

T’Challa. The movie

Marvel studios to

sounds that defined

developed into an

Agenda to Build

will give audiences

a new era of music

annual gathering of

Black Future is a set

an inside look at

production. Her

diverse alternative

of economic policy

Wa k a n d a , t h e

iconic music videos

black artists,

that envisions a just

fictional African

directed by Hype

creators, fashion

society that values

nation rich in

Williams brings

trendsetters, and

the lives and

a d v a n c e t e c h n o l o g y.

Afrofuturism to a

activists. Afropunk

well-being of all

new generation.

Fest has sense grown

Black people,

A Wrinkle in Time

in popularity and

including women,

d i r e c t e d b y Av a

expanded to cities

q u e e r, a n d

Duverney to be

like Atlanta,

transgender folks,

released. The film is

Johannesburg,

the incarcerated and

based on the science

London, and Paris.

formerly incarcerate.

>

fantasy novel written

by Madeleine L'Engle i n 1 9 6 2 . D u v e r n e y ’s version stars young black actress as the main protagonist and a diverse cast.

8 YAYRI HAZEL HAZEL YAYRI 10

LARRAMORE LARRAMORE

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I

magine scrolling through your wardrobe at your fingertips. Digitally piecing together your outfits from the comfort of your iPad or mobile device. Swiping left and right to find the perfect party dress or a simple going to class outfit at the touch of a screen.

In a world where real and virtual harmoniously co-exist, the road can sometimes get shaky.

New technological advances will do even more to keep you on edge. Augmented reality is the overlapping of virtual world within the natural world.

Once a familiar fad among gamers, AR is becoming popular in medicine, businesses, and our daily lives. Most mobile devices already use augmented reality in ways that are often overlooked. Snapchat locations, stickers, and dancing emoji[s] are a thrill to our entertainment but are all examples of augmented reality. Seeing something that is there, but is not really there.

AR will soon change our daily lives. Stores like Ikea have already started introducing apps that will revolutionize the buying experience. With the “Ikea Place” app consumers can tap through the catalogue of over 2,000 products, hold up their phone and use the camera to place the digital furniture in the room. Customers no longer have to stress whether a piece is the right fit, the answers are literally at their fingertips.

Thomas Jackson software developer for Covalent Reality, a digital marketing agency, discussed the potential projects for augmented reality in the education system. This could be a step into kicking traditional textbooks to the curb and strengthening interactive learning within the classroom..

“For education it could be huge, it would be pretty simple, you could put a QR code and just pass them out to the kids at the table, and have them with their phones to look at the QR code, the teacher would then begin to explain and incorporate the lesson as they are interacting with the actual object,”said Jackson Jackson stated “phones are a great way to do it, it’s a new and engaging way of bringing the textbook to life, to capture kids attention and add interactivity to the lesson plan” Implementing technology in learning environments is essential in the advancement of programming and developing young people reinforce what they are being taught and apply it to classwork, projects and jobs in the future.

He is excited for the company’s first application “were still not done with it, it can take a good amount of time but we’ve got developers working on it and it’ll really prove what we can do as developers” Dr. Heather Burch uses a machine that gives her a 360 view of her patient’s mouth, allowing her to thoroughly examine their teeth to make braces according to their needs. This technology makes it easier to ensure her patients are getting exactly what they need. “ The 3-D 360° feature is essential on my behalf, because of it I can really study and examine my patient’s teeth, which allows me to know what kind of braces will be best for them, how long they will need to keep them on, to make sure they have the best possible outcome after they get them taken off and ultimately they are satisfied with their smile” Dr. Burch stated.

Companies are using virtual reality to merge the digital world into the physical world.; designing cars, sell homes, x-ray technology Apple is planning for an augmented reality headset in 2019. Apple chief executive officer, Tim Cook, is excited to see how augmented reality will cultivate the future of technology.

Cook stated, “We’re already seeing things that will transform the way you work, play, connect and learn. We believe AR is going to change the way we use technology forever”.

American Vogue is also teaming up with apple to create an exclusive augmented reality powered feature available on the newly release iPhone X on December 1. Vogue used Apple’s ARKit technology to produce ‘The Vogue effect” message extension uses the front-facing camera Face ID to create a multi-dimensional filter akin to those on Snapchat and Instagram. iPhone X users need to download Vogue’s app in order to access the filters, but they can be applied directly via message once installed.

If you thought life couldn’t get any more real, hold tight. Augmented reality is changing how we see the world around us. The latest tech fad is already projected to bring in millions and maybe even billions to corporate industries. Don’t sleep on augmented reality, or you might miss your chance to live your wildest dreams. AR is rapidly moving to the forefront of technology and it will be in popping out of your phone screen before you know it.

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Written by: Amanda Jean-Mary

Designed by: Malkia Peterson

ALIENASTRONAUTS ASTRONAUTS

REVOLUTIONARY. INDEPENDENT. ALIEN ASTRONAUTS.

H

istorically, revolutions have caused inspiration and transformation when society has reached a turning point towards fundamental change. But

can a revolution be limited to a political narrative? Alien Astronauts doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think so. This artistic collective intends to steer independent thought towards an enlightened and broader state-of-mind for the fine arts, outside of the restricting social constructs of the mainstream. But besides providing a free open forum for art, waffles, and quality

?

beer during Homecoming, what is an Alien Astronaut

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Where does Alien Astronauts come from?

What inspired you guys to create that name?

Kyle: It’s a play on words. Kind of an oxymoron and kind of not. An alien is a foreigner, right? So, if I am from Earth and I land on Jupiter, all the inhabitants on Jupiter are going to label me an alien. But from the perspective of the Earthlings, they’re all going to label me an astronaut. So, it’s just a play on that duality, one thing the same. And also [when] you think about being an astronaut, you [have] to be the smartest, physically fit. You’re going to a whole other world with two other people most of the time. So you have to be the best of the best to be an astronaut.

Tia: For Kyle, this is his brain-child, so in my mind, an alien astronaut, or I think that people who are in this collective, are going to different spaces that we may or may not be welcome in, but we’re going into these spaces with a mission. A mission to spread art and… we’re guerilla artists. We pop up, we do shows, and we go from different terrains, different planets. It doesn’t matter where we’re going. We’re going to come with the same mission and we’re going to infiltrate the space.

Within your fans and your audiences, have you seen changes through your work?

James: I think being one of the few collectives to have such a high physical presence, from the quality of work and the reach we can touch, through other ventures we’re doing. I think people are being more expressive.

I think there’s more emphasis in the quality of how people post things on digital. Sometimes people think that they can just oversaturate digital with any type of content and I think we’ve shown that through quality content we can really engage with our followers and I think a lot of people are following suit.

and has different skills. Pre is a curator. And I can keep going down the line but if everybody has an art form, we can come together as a community and get the stuff done whether we have funding or whether we don’t have funding. To just do what you want to do and make that shit happen. You just have to make it happen.

Kyle: I think also that a lot of people work 9-5 at a job they hate, dread getting up in the morning. They hate Monday and all this other shit. And we’re spreading the message art over industry, just living the example [of loving your job]. All of us are entrepreneurs in one way, shape, or form. And we’re surviving off of our skills and talents. You don’t have to go work for somebody and hate your life or be stressed out with whatever bullshit. There is an alternative and we want to push that message, that there are other ways and this is how you can do it. This is how you can do it while being Black and you can be successful and you can still do art. Create what you want to create. Have all of that.

So, I think these ideas of these limited paradigms that a lot of people have adopted, I think we’re trying to shift and open and raise the awareness of what’s out there, what’s possible for people. Especially people that look like us.

Pre: It’s really important, to me, for people to understand that this idea of this starving artist, it doesn’t have to be like that. I don’t know why people think it has to be like that. Everything around you is something that somebody designed or created. The important thing for me is supporting creative thought and supporting them in any way.

Whether it’s financially or whatever the case may be. Just helping share an idea. But that’s the biggest thing for me.

It’s just like look, our jobs are important. Tia’s an architect. They’re very, very important. That’s related to art.

Everything around you in this visual world is designed by some type of artist. Computers, face masks. If somebody designed it so it could look good, then it took work. And that’s arts and fine arts at its best.

What are some of the traditional thoughts and societal norms that you guys want to reform through Alien Astronauts?

In this current political climate, what message are you trying to spread?

Tia: I think that one, art should be accessible to all people. People think that art belongs in museums and you have to pay a lot of money to go in here. Art should be accessible to everybody. That’s why Waffles and Brews is free. And again, it’s art over industry. So it’s still an industry and you can make money from it, but we’re offering it for free because this is a labor of love. Also, showing people that we can come together as a team.

Not everyone in the collective is an “artist,” but they have their own forms of art. Like James, he’s great at marketing and funding. He does a lot of different things

Alvin: There’s a bevy of projects that we are constantly working on. Just as artists, we all have works in progress that we continue to work on. As it relates to this political climate, I wouldn’t say, and maybe I’m not speaking for everybody, that there hasn’t been immediate conversation about ways to speak that our following can be inspired by. But I think it comes from…for all of us and different ways we take on activism that in some way go against, politically, what is happening right now in the country. I think that there are a lot of people that, we’re all in agreement, that were anti-establishment to what

happening as far as leadership in the country. So, it doesn’t look like a specific campaign but within our own artistry, our own perspective, there is activism that can be seen in some of the work that we do. Prime example would be, if we want to get very specific about things, there’s been a push in how Trump is playing reverser to a lot of what the Obama administration has been interested in doing, attempted to or achieved while he was in office. In the way of our action that belies activism, we’ve put on an event in collaboration with “iGrow Tallahassee” that was in promotion of sustainability as it related to the environment and what we could teach people as it related to living holistically and sustainably.

What it looked like to grow your own food or connect with nature in a way that could inspire you to care more about climate change. Activism in the way of travelling to different countries that aren’t looked at as allies of this nation and this current administration. We travelled to Cuba to find the real story about what communism looks like, what Black people look like and exist like in other spaces around the world. And shooting and communing with those people to learn about their stories, to bring that back to our community of folks to tell them what’s really real. Those are two examples of, in not a direct way, say, “Hey, look folk. So, we know all of what’s happening here. Here is this specific thing to get your head wrapped around a way out of it or a solution to it.”

Kyle: I agree with Alvin. To our specific works, there’s a lot of self-empowerment even through the old luminary quotes.

They’re very motivational. [They are] helping people to realize that they own a lot of power within themselves. Like Alvin says, The Flourish event [iGrow Tallahassee project] about sustainability, I know Kip has a working relationship with iGrow. Growing and helping the youth out there specifically, Alvin has a beautiful photography piece talking about the state of Black men being gunned down. We are very present in the current climate more so in building what we want to see as opposed to tearing down what already is. We don’t want to invest too much time in attacking what is. We’re more so focused on the future and currently building what we want to see or want to be.

Tia: For example, Pre, she did chromotherapy. Chromotherapy is under research but it’s a different type of therapy that uses colors for people with different symptoms, with different ailments. And that’s why we are looking at alternative ways of looking for self-care. I just curated a porch party for the Black Growers Conference. It’s all these farmers coming together, talking about the issues that are happening. So, we’re all doing kind of our own thing and bringing them in where we see fit. But we’re all activists in our own right. We’re shedding light on what we want, not what we don’t want to see.

What kind of projects are you looking forward to doing in the future? Anything to do with afrofuturism?

James: I don’t want to talk about it but someone else talk about it. It’s funny that you ask that.

projects coming up next year. A lot of international travel. But we definitely have an event that we’re putting together. Don’t want to put too much out there really but we have something we want to so that will embody that, that will allow people to trust themselves and trust their true art and true culture.

It’s very apparent though that afrofuturism is a big part of our people’s everyday being. Now with festivals and music festivals and major art festivals giving people a platform to actually express themselves in that manner, we definitely understand that and definitely are looking to build our own platform towards that coming up.

Are you guys looking to expand Alien Astronauts internationally?

James: We’ve done it. I know Alvin represented us in London, we’ve done projects with the world’s only paraplegic motocross racer. We’ve paired up with teams from Jamaica, with Cuba. The message no matter what language or what culture it comes from, they’re all the same. Art over industry.

What got you into pyrography?

Kip: I guess tattoos. I’m a tattoo artist and one of my clients, she brought the art form to my awareness. She’s actually a visual artist herself so she showed it to me. The first piece I did was a ram, which is my Gregorian calendar zodiac [sign], which is Aries. So then, I started to really fall in love with the patience, with the lessons I learned in pyrography.

How long does it take to make a piece?

If I were going straight at it, it would take about eight hours for maybe a 5-by-7 piece. And then for larger pieces, it depends on what I have going on at the time, [but] they take up to a month to [complete].

What’s the largest piece that you’ve made?

With wood burning, it was 11-by-14.

How do you see art as functional?

Tia: I went to school for architecture. So in school, the main [concept] with function was form or function or form follows function. Everything is designed, from the chair you’re sitting in to the table that you’re eating on to the house that you’re staying in. And whether it’s well designed or whether it was designed by an artist is very subjective. Everything is designed to a certain purpose and I think that art is no different, or should be no different. So I like functional things.

I’m in architecture. I like chairs, I like designed spaces. But I also think that for everything there is a purpose. If we go back to Pre and what I mentioned earlier [with] chromotherapy.

Certain colors make you feel a certain way. Certain people have an affinity for certain types of colors so everything has a function, everything has an effect. But it’s about having the intention behind it. Make that clear.

(talking over each other) High level, high level, high level. We do have some major

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How do hope to hold exhibits in the future?

Prenisha: Funny you ask that. (laughs) I have a project I’m working on right now. The idea is to a way to be…as creative as possible. Because I am an independent curator, it’s finding out how you can push the envelope. How conceptual can you be? It’s a challenge but it’s worthwhile because it gives me the flexibility to do what I want. Because one thing that’s really frustrating about working for an institution, there are a lot of rules. I appreciate them but it can be limiting. And you have to deal with a lot of people not really understanding ideas [or] supporting them because they aren’t traditional.

It’s a frustrating thing but it just makes me trust myself more because I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, if I’m making people not like what I’m doing, if that makes sense.

I remember someone told me, ‘if you’re going to be an artist, then you can’t be a curator. You have to pick one.” And I was like, what? What do you mean? “You’re just not going to have time to do both.” And I was like YOU don’t have time to do both. I do. It’s just redefining a role. Every curator is unique to the space they are at. If you ask the curator what they do at the Smithsonian, it’ll be different than what they do at The Studio Museum in Harlem. And then the bigger the institution, the more specific the jobs get. The smaller, the more you’re doing a bit of everything. Because I’m just kind of winging it, I can do a little bit of everything.

What have you done in the past that you are really proud to have done?

Chromotherapy is probably like the most important thing I’ve done. Even though that was a year ago, I would like to continue to develop that idea. Because [the concept] is really just a baby in my mind and I feel like I can go so much further than it was. An artist can’t exist without a curator. A curator can’t exist without an artist. They have to work together.

Does your photographic memory have any limitations?

Alvin: It’s kind of morphed over the years. We all have it. It’s a [process] where it was snapshots that I was taking in my head and being able to recall a time, a place, a conversation, based on a snapshot that I took from those instances. So, I wouldn’t say it’s limited in any way but it’s morphed over the years.

How do you feel like it has helped you with your photography work?

It sparked the basic curiosity as far as wanting to tinker with [photography] as a tool. In the curiosity, there was something that I could learn, a tool that actually mimics a part of what my mind [can do]. As far as how it has aided me over the years, I don’t know. I think that what’s interesting is I feel like my photographic memory is not as good as it used to be. And the invention of the camera has aided in allowing my memory to stay around. But it has kind of enhanced the way that I’ve observed things. Even when I don’t have a camera, it [makes me] a lot more visually aware of things and seeing specific details because I have a trained eye to look a little deeper.

Are you able to retain the snapshots that you take with your mind? Is it short-term?

I think in everybody’s conscious those things are embedded. It’s just a matter of when you tap into it, what activates it. Of late, it’s been conversations or physical images, looking back, I’ve been building, in my office, a wall that archives years of my life.

Something just inspired to do that. But just from the physical, tangible images brings about a type of recollection so that [my memory] isn’t so fleeting. It’s kind of the catalyst that taps into my conscious to remember certain things.

How did you get into promoting?

James: My freshmen year, I came in with the DC Metro Club, and I ended being freshmen class…I can’t really remember.

All in all, I ended up being on the Charity and Sponsorship committee. And from that, back in the day when Mint Lounge first opened, I was a part of that. Started Soiree Thursdays, killed that for two years. When Coliseum first opened, Friday night gigs, did that for a year. Game day parties with Sam’s, I was a part of that. We did ten cities this year. Sin City ended up in FAMU Homecoming. So I’ve always been in a situation where I always have my hands in night life. It’s just been a matter of me really enjoying people and being around people.

I feel like my “artistic talent” is the narrative piece. How can we frame the work the we do? What can we give off? It’s just more to the storytelling around the event like pre- and postcommunication, that’s like my big thing. That [has] allowed me to recently handle MillerCoors’ multicultural marketing in New York. I handled Hypnotics’ multicultural marketing in New York.

And I just recently became the Multi-Cultural Specialist for Beam Suntory for multicultural marketing in New York. I’ve just always been able to [promote] what I believe people like us, what we want to see and what we want to be exposed to and how we want to be exposed to it and create triggers that require responses. I enjoy studying that process. And that’s what kept me in the party thing, the party world. It could always be applied to different things but that’s how I got involved and that’s how I have translated it to what I am doing now.

What does being a card shark mean?

I’m down to take a chance. I think what makes a special card shark, someone’s success in that, is that I could be going through the worst scenario in my life and in my conversation you would never know. I think that’s very important. If you can control your emotions, in my case, you can control your outcome when it comes to dealing with people or certain situations. I think people allow their emotions to talk themselves out of a situation or make a situation a lot worse. At the end of the day, no matter how you feel about something, if it’s going to happen, it’s happening. Emotions don’t ever change anything. So, I say I’m a card shark in a sense that I’m all about, taking a chance, winning every hand, and doing what it takes to win. You won’t beat me about my emotions. You’ll beat me through luck or counting. And I don’t mind that but a card shark will always get up and get right back in the game. And that’s something that I value myself on.

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PHOTOGRAPHER: RICKI MOORE DESIGNED BY: LAKAYRA LARRAMORE & RICKI MOORE

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OF CYBERBULLYING VICTIMS ATTEMPT SUICIDE

Words by: Cierra Richardsonon Designed by: Briana Davis & Meishara Jaghai

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Words by Jazzmin Riles | Design by Meishara Jaghai

The Power of YouTube YouTube is quickly becoming the future of television. It allows you to spread the message you are trying to convey in a matter of seconds. Although the social media site is only seventeen years-old, the site has contributed to the evolution of technology in society. YouTube is an online time capsule.

Whether it’s an old song lyric that you may have forgotten or need help learning a specific subject for a class, it is on YouTube.

Content creators have the ability to persuade a consumer to buy an item that he or she is using. They are also being sent items to advertise on their channel. Within the past couple of years, creators have been able to make a career out of posting videos on the popular social site. Young adults around the world are becoming millionaires from posting vlogs about their day to day lives, how- to tutorials and pranks. They are able to become well-known within a matter of months. There is power in being a content creator because it influences people; since everything is social media driven it’s imperative for companies.

Kaela Moore (known as Okay Kaela) is a content creator with over 13,000 subscribers on YouTube. She also happens to be a freshman at Florida A&M University studying broadcast journalism. She credits YouTube with allowing her to be more creative and exposing her to new brands and also working with these brands. “I try not make it change who I am while helping others through tutorials” said by Moore.

Moore also believes that a consumer will be more comfortable buying products after viewing great reviews and seeing products that actually work on someone who specializes their content around trying products.

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Kaela Moore FAMU Rattler Content Creator 13,000 + Subscribers on YouTube

“I try not make it change who I am while helping others through tutorials”

Ramsey Bates FAMU Rattler Content Creator 13,000 + Subscribers on YouTube

“I noticed an increase in subscribers when I started to post on a more frequent bases.”

Ramsey Bates, another Rattler with over 1,000 subscribers, has received more recognition since starting her channel. She has also been afforded opportunities, like being an ambassador for The Lip Bar. Bates credits these new opportunities to the growth of her channel from attending Florida A&M University and documenting her experiences on the campus.

Both content creators agreed that building a successful platform does not happen overnight. There is time that goes into filming and also editing. Equipment that is used in well put together videos is also expensive. Moore’s advice to aspiring YouTubers is to be consistent. “I noticed an increase in subscribers when I started to post on a more frequent bases.” Said Moore.

She also believes the key to having a successful channel is to treat it like a full time job. The more effort put into it, the better feedback you will receive and opportunities.

YouTube is constantly evolving and allowing for content creators to expand their creative and turning a hobby into a career. The content creator has the most buying influence in the 21st century. When looking to find out about a new product, most will look on YouTube to see if there’s a review on the product. YouTube has also expanded by making exclusive documentaries and reality shows. The power that YouTube has as a social site will continue to grow as more technology advances is created.

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Melanin Secrett

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