Kaleo Journal Issue 006

Issue 006

CREATIVELY EMPOWERING YOUTH

May 2017

Kaleo Journal

boys will be boys media, modernity and masculinity

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Presenting Kaleo Journal Kaleo Journal is a collaborative magazine of many talented young people who are looking to make their impact on the world in a positive and expressive way, using their talents to create something amazing. And they have.

Brought together by a team of young people passionate about bringing social issues to light, Kaleo believes in the power of the youth. Dedicated to giving emerging creative people a platform, our interviews and profiles delve deeper into their talented minds to inspire and excite you.

Released bi-monthly, each edition is centered around a theme that encapsulates issues that deserve discussion such as equality, wellbeing and identity, in entertaining and engaging ways. With a range of articles, reviews, quick reads and our signature regular columns, we aim to express the diverse issues that matter to young people in a refreshingly clear way.

From Me to You Welcome back to Kaleo for another jam-packed issue!

As I type this letter, I am actually sitting in the very spot in my local coffee shop where I first thought of the idea that became Kaleo Journal. I have returned to this special place countless of times throughout the past twelve months, writing articles, contacting artists, and brainstorming ideas. I thank you for sticking with us as the people behind what you see today continue their personal journeys and reflect that growth in each issue, a step forward from the previous. We are blossoming like wildflowers in the spring and have exciting plans in the workings to continue to bring you positivity year round. It's always sunny somewhere in the world. Especially in Australia where the most amazing creative designer and my international best friend, Chloe, resides. Keep an eye out for our birthday issue in July which will introduce incredible ideas and capture what Kaleo means.

In Issue Six, “Boys Will Be Boys�, we explore the ideas of media, modernity, and masculinity. What does it mean to be a boy in this modern age? Our past issues place a strong emphasis of the female empowerment side of feminism, however, we recognize that empowering men is a huge part of the process in the fight for gender equality. Throughout the pages of this issue, you will find insights from boys who describe their love for art, emotion, and equality. We dive into the idea of how our modern world is holding onto the past while designing the future, and how social media platforms are changing the game.

I hope that this issue helps readers to embrace emotionally vulnerability, no matter what gender identity you feel. Our world is shifting each day, let's make sure we are all part of that postitve, cosmic shift.

Kamryn Kobal, Editor and Founder of Kaleo Journal 004

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Teriffic Tunes

Harry Styles Frank Ocean Childish Gambino The Cure Ed Sheeran Post Malone Kendrick Lamar Prince The 1975 Al Green David Bowie Billy Joel BORNS SWMRS Troye Sivan COIN

Sign of the Time Chanel Redbone Boys Don't Cry Drive Feeling Whitney PRIDE. When You Were Mine The Ballad of Me and my Brain Simply Beautiful Dirty Boys Vienna The Emotion Miley BITE Don't Cry, 2020

ABOVE US ONLY ColorS SKY

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What's Inside

004 Editors Letter 005 Playlist

024 The Argument For Crying

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008 Meet The Team

Charitable:

Herman's Hands

026 Photo Essay:

Being A Guy 050 Feature Film:

In A Heartbeat

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Photo Essay:

Introducing:

Fill In The Blanks:

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Diego Medina

David Adams

Issue Six

056 Sunflower Of Your Love

074 Money Ruined The World

084 In The Spotlight:

Niraad Senan

060 Globetrotter: Italy

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Four Letter Words:

View

075 Noteworthy:

Noah Witt

072 My Little Brother

083 Lost In The Music

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Meet:

Isaiah B. 106 Sister Projects

107 Contact ABOVE US ONLY SKY

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Meet The Team

Kamryn Kobal Founder and Editor My favorite pic from my childhood is of me making a mud pie in my yard. My hair is messy, mud is covering my entire body, but my smile is wide from ear to ear.

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Mclane Stringer Photographer Still to this day, my ears are not pierced because when I was 9 I couldn't wear earrings with my motorcycle helmet.

Hannah Lozano Writer One day when I'm in the FBI I'll be sure to represent girl culture as I'm kicking the current social justice system's butt!

Hannah Ofczarzak Playlist Director

Margot Oyuela Photojournalist

Chloe Katopodis Creative Director

My dad used to take me fishing when I was younger at my grandpa's pond with all my cousins.

I felt special being the only girl in the bunch, I got to call the shots.

As a kid, I would splash around in the Miami rain in my giant rain boots while the other girls were scared of getting their hair wet.

As my fringe continues to grow out, and I sleep in too late to attend to my hair, I find myself having to wear brighter lipsticks to avoid looking like Jim Morrison.

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Of Issue Six

Our Incredible Contributors Niraad Senan // Photogapher IG: @niraad_photography niraad.squarespace.com David Adams // Illustrator and Designer IG: @david.adam.s

Alex Colberg Photojournalist I've learned thar family is more important than hlood. My familu is one big melting pot of individuals around the world and it's perfect.

Isaiah B. // Model and Artist IG: @iisaiahb egotisticalgold.tumblr.com Diego Medina James // Teacher and Artist IG: @daydreamboy Herman's Hands // Mental Health Initiative IG @hermanshands hermanshands.com Baker Smith // Photographer IG: @baker_smith Noah Witt // Photographer IG: @noahxwitt IG: @noahwittphoto www.noahwittphoto.com

Alex Markey Music Columnist My childhood consisted of my parents dragging me to the Bob Marley festival starting at 6 months old to running around ACL in diapers and face paint.

Beth David // Animator and Illustrator IG: @bbethdavidd Esteban Bravo // Animator and Story Artist IG @estebravo Karolyn Newton // Writer Hannah Horner // Photographer IG: @hannah__horner Youtube: Ali and Hannah Nefertari Pierre-Louis // Photographer IG: @twigzzzzz Twitter: @nefipierre www.nefertaripierrelouis. weebly.com _________________________ Thank you to all the guys who participated in 'Sunflower of Your Love'.

We also thank everyone who has supported us so far; we appreciate it all!

Chilli Team Mascot Chilli has developed a sixth sense for where food is located. Close the door, put a bowl of food anywhere in that room, open the door, before you blink: he's there. â—?

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Boys Don’t Cry ‘Boys Don't Cry’ is a portrait series depicting the often ignored, soft side of black boys.

In the midst of stereotypical masculinity and edge one should not be oblivious to the fact that boys do cry. Society has forced this necessary masculinity on straight, especially black, boys and men. With them, vulnerability is so discouraged, and it shouldn’t ever be. I put more than just one concept in this photo series. I used flowers, colorful hair clips and nail polish on my models to fight that crazy gender preference on simple items.

I received a lot of negative feedback from people thinking I was just trying to “emasculate the black man”, but that is so far from true.

I was simply highlighting the straight guys out there who balance their masculinity and delicacy, because those boys do exist.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NEFERTARI PIERRE-LOUIS MODELS: JUSTIN FRANCIS, KALEB CHADWRICK, YASHARWAN BLAIN, ROMAINE MCDONALD and REGGIE WILLIAMS

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Everyone cries. Guys, gals, nonbinary pals—all of us. Even if crying isn’t how you express sadness, anger, joy, frustration, or any of your emotions, you sure cried as a baby—you had to for your lungs to start working— it’s a natural part of life, from the moment we’re born. So get over it.

The Argument for Crying Also, let boys cry.

WRITTEN BY KAROLYN NEWTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BAKER SMITH

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But it’s not that easy, is it? We live in a society that encourages repressing our feelings rather than expressing them rawly in a way such as crying. When people cry in public, things get uncomfortable fast, for both the person in distress and those around them who don’t know how to respond. Personally, if I feel a cry coming on, I either try my best to stifle the urge, or I rush to the bathroom and get it done hidden within the privacy of a stall. To be fair, snot is a thing I like to keep private. But imagine exposing the secret that not only can our eyes water, but our noses can, too! It’s interesting to notice how such natural bodily functions can be so socially unacceptable, even in a world where we have tissues.

So why is the release of salty water from our eyes such a big deal?

To this day, just the thought of being seen crying spikes my heart rate; this irrational fear is so ingrained that my body physically responds to the very idea. Because if I cry in front of people, they’ll think I’m not strong enough to “handle it” or “keep it together”—I’m a “crybaby,” or “weak.” Or even worse (enter the gender discussion), they’ll think (or say) she’s on her period. Really?

Humans can only cry past infancy and toddlerhood if they’re female

and their uterine lining is being expelled? How does that make any sense at all?

I wonder if this lack of representation of male tears makes it harder for my friends or family to feel okay about crying, even in private.

Crying is a response to intense emotion or physical pain, independent of the gender you were assigned at birth. We’re all human—everybody poops, everybody cries—and everybody feels.

Why is it “more acceptable” for girls to be seen crying? Boys, from a young age, are told to “man up” or “don’t cry like a girl.” Why does our society encourage alienating boys and men from their feelings? We associate masculinity with strength and being a stoic “marble statue” that won’t cry out in pain or sadness. But we all get angry, sad, frustrated, and scared, regardless of gender.

Our expectations for and ideas about masculinity clash with the rawness and vulnerability that crying evokes on a social level.

As stigmatized as crying in public can be for anybody, as a woman, I’ve seen a lot more representation in movies,

books, and other media and art of women and feminine people crying for various reasons, in public and private. This has enforced the idea that, because I’m a girl, “it’s okay to cry.” At least in private. And in public, as irritating and illogical as the “period” comment is, I could enforce gender stereotypes and use it as an “excuse” if I really wanted to.

As for representation for men or masculine folks?

I can’t name one whose tears I’ve seen.

(Okay, maybe Harry Potter, at some point.) I find this very sad. I wonder if this lack of representation of male tears makes it harder for my male and masculine family members and friends to feel okay about crying, even in private. The representation that’s out there enforces the gendered, sexist idea that “real men” don’t cry. I personally think that it’s unfair, and unkind, that boys are told to “toughen up” or “not be a sissy”—not just because it degrades girls and femininity, but it doesn’t allow men to be sensitive and express their true emotions.

problem—which will boil over at some point and lead to a breakdown where somebody gets hurt—either physically or emotionally. Perhaps this is why it seems more socially acceptable or common for men to be angry and violent (as opposed to gentle, loving, “weak” women). However, I stand by my observation of a society— wide alienation from our feelings by stigmatizing crying for everyone—it’s just that it’s more “acceptable” for women.

I wish everyone felt like they were allowed to cry without a) being told to ignore their feelings and b) disrespecting people who do cry, or are given more “social permission” to cry, such as women. For everyone reading this, I encourage you to feel empowered to cry whenever you need to, and fight the gender binary while you’re at it. Please, no more “man up”!

Hugs are much more effective and respectful of the fact that all humans experience emotions and feel vulnerable sometimes.

I encourage you to get in touch with your feelings rather bury them as society has conditioned

Why does our society encourage alienating boys and men from their feelings?

If we can’t take care of our own emotional well-being, we pose a threat not just to ourselves, but to others. If society encourages detachment and repression of your emotions, you can’t deal with them and fix the underlying

you to. Don’t let things build up inside and boil over, hurting yourself and others; let them out so you can get relief and move on.

To quote Shrek, “better out than in, I always say!” ●

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Being A Guy A letter to the guys out there.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY BAKER SMITH

Hi, my name is Baker Smith. I wanted to share my experience and thoughts about being a guy. I honestly feel like the phrase “being a guy” has a shameful meaning, which it shouldn't. I'm sure you have heard the term “he's such a guy” before.

As I was growing up, from elementary school to high school, I noticed some form of masculinity in boys that portrays a stereotypical douche bag. However, I would like to blame society for how we are raised.

Most boys are raised to be strong, to be the best, to focus on themselves, never letting relationships or emotions bring them down.

These are just the selfish lessons I remember.

I don't want to bring all guys down, it just sickens me to know about every guy who is (dare I say) normal—in the standard eye to the public are arrogant, egotistical pigs who have no respect for themselves, better yet for women and other genders. If you are a guy who is sensitive, artistic, metrosexual, nice, someone who is (dare I say) not normal—in society's eyes, you are considered a freak, gay, weird, abnormal by others. We are shamed for not being like our fathers.

But I believe that this generation of men have the chance to change this stereotype. Being a guy is a wonderful responsibility that we shouldn't take for granted. Don't give into everyone else and downgrade yourself. Be a gentleman and recognize your potential. I'm tired of seeing sexism on a day to day basis.

Be a man and know you are just as equal to the opposite sex. Realizing we have all grown up in a small minded sexist world, this generation of women and men can change everything. We really can, I believe that. Be

the guy to stand up for what is right, fair, and equal. Do not remain silent to let something unjustified happen. I know there are good quality guys who fall under the trend of “being a guy”. I don’t know if I see myself differently because I was raised by my mother growing up. Or maybe my past experiences have changed my process of thinking. But I just want guys to know it is okay to have a feminine side. It is okay to cry and to care about the world around you. It is okay to have feelings. It is okay to love and to actually show it. To show emotional vulnerability, which is something males are told to suppress, including myself. But I strive to be better.

Being emotionally vulnerable is often ignored or hidden but once you can comfortably express yourself is when you know, “you're the man”.

Take care of yourself. It is so important as a guy to remain healthy, to respect your body.

Workout, eat right, and be nice to others.

Don't forget to shower. Set goals- try to do something out of the ordinary. If you don't like reading books, talk to a friend or even a stranger. Ask people for suggestions and recommendations. Accomplish something you haven't even thought of. Open your mind and embrace the love, passion, and art, a soulful desire you may be missing out on. Be the guy your mother wants you to be. Mature from the “typical guy” persona and your friends will follow, trust me. You will end up saving yourself the trouble by knowing who really cares about your true wellbeing. Find yourself.

Be yourself. Let's make the term “being a guy” have a positive one. Be respectful, please.

Believe in equality for all people. And last but not least, love everyone. ●

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Introducing Diego Medina

If you didn't think Instagram captions were for poetry and philosophy, then you obviously haven't been following Diego, who inspires with every post he makes. Pairing his vivid works of art with equally as intricate writings, he shares with us his thoughts on masculinity, Mexican Indigenous culture and mythology.

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Diego Medina Hey Diego, how are you feeling today?

I’m feeling nostalgic today as I write this, but overall good!

Been jammin’ to some Freddy Fender and eating carrots.

Introduce yourself to us.

I am 24 years old. I currently live in Santa Fe, NM and work at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum. I have been living here for a little over a year. I moved here from Phoenix, AZ, where I [taught] as a middle school teacher. I make art as well; I like to think of that as my main passion.

Where did you grow up and how has that environment or culture influenced who you are today?

I was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico and most of my life was spent there. My great uncle actually lives in a house that my great grandpa built before New Mexico was even a state. It is historic. Growing up in Las Cruces has shaped who I am a lot. The population is largely Xicanx and a lot of people here speak Spanish

and English. Like any largely Xicanxarea, you have a culture that is made up of these indigenous practices mixed with Spanish customs so you get a bit of both growing up. Being in a border town it definitely different than a lot of other places in the US. How have you noticed the place change over time?

Las Cruces started as one of those quaint border towns, rich in indigenous heritage but I have noticed more and more that it is becoming gentrified and outsiders are taking over. When it comes to the arts, most of the people trying to take over aren’t Las Cruces natives, yet they appropriate and adopt New Mexican culture as their own, while also pushing out the indigenous population and the families that have been there forever. If you look at any art and culture events going on there, it is mostly white people promoting and supporting other white people whose family history in Las Cruces doesn’t extend beyond one generation.

What does masculinity mean to you?

I think masculinity needs a reality check and it has since the dawn of western imperialism. Masculinity was a difficult thing for me growing up because it always felt unnatural. I didn’t realize it was until I was educated enough to really articulate that to myself. If you’re a

Mexican kid, you are familiar with the whole “machismo” culture, which is this grossly exaggerated ideal of masculinity that comes from colonization.

The Spanish and Europeans who came here were threatened by the femininity that the native people embraced. [Colonists] forced [natives] to cut their hair, deeming them inferior for their bodies and lack of facial hair. These brown boys across the continent were shamed for their femininity and were taught by the Europeans to embrace this toxic masculine persona. Since brown men lacked many of these artifices of masculinity like status, wealth, a damn beard, it forced them to embrace masculinity from a very negative place with characteristics of violence and aggression.

For me, masculinity is a scar.

A scar from colonization.

It reminds me that to the

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Europeans, we were inferior because we were different and it led to the destruction of our culture and identity. Most of the brown men that I know are psychologically displaced, myself included. We are maneuvering these bodies that weren’t made for this society and aren’t easily welcomed in it. I won’t speak on behalf of black men or other minorities, but I will say that oppression works similarly for men in other minority communities.

We’re either emasculated or hypersexualized, seen as aggressive or even effeminate.

For hundreds of years we’ve been suffering from this toxic masculinity and I think it is time we start breaking away from that and reclaiming our colonized femininity. I’ll speak for my people from my culture and say that the masculinity that we feign holds us back.

We will never be the big bellied bearded and balding white men that America wants us to be. What we can be is soft, gentle, loving, brown boys who embrace the cult of the mother, which is why

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Mexicans have held on to La Virgin so much. She is also a scar from colonization, but to us she symbolizes maternal connection and divine femininity that runs through us. It is something we inherently relate to, no matter how macho we act.

Masculinity is a concept that doesn’t apply to my body. It was imposed upon my body, but it doesn’t apply to it. In the traditional Western world, I am not “masculine” but that is also something I don’t strive to be.

How do you think this idea has changed from when you were growing up?

I think, fortunately, more and more people are realizing all of this. A lot of us are still so under-resourced or scared or insecure and masculinity is an easy place to hide, but the more information we share and the more conversation we have, the more these falsities will be exposed.

What do you think the role of social media and the Internet being used to raise awareness and provide education has in shaping our ideas of gender?

It gives people a platform where there wasn’t one before. It is actually the voice of the people, which is why it has become so crucial, helpful, and even lifesaving for oppressed communities. It gives people the opportunity to share their experiences and views to connect with other people who feel and

think similarly. If we don’t learn about gender issues much in school, we can look to social media to be this sort of reservoir of Real Feelings, like a big collective to help and learn from each other.

Social media definitely made me realize who I am a lot and helped me connect with likeminded people.

Could you explain where you work and your involvement with youth?

I work at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum in the education department and I facilitate the art and leadership program for the middle school aged youth in Santa Fe. I run the boys program, specifically.

The museum has separate programs for girls and boys so that we can address personal gender related issues that are best handled separately at that age. At first, I wasn’t sure about the separation because I thought it would reinforce gender roles. After working, I saw how helpful it was to have a program for girls and a program for boys where they could discuss gender related issues with their peers and leaders without being ashamed that the other gender was there listening. We are able to talk to the boys about feminism and why it is important to be conscious of how society works. It is something [the youth] don’t get in school. Having worked as a middle school teacher, I see how this toxic masculinity and misogynistic culture takes

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Diego Medina a hold of young boys and it is more important than ever to shut that down.

Why do you think it’s so important for young boys to have male role models?

Society is inundated with male figures, but few of them are good. Boys are easily influenced by the men around them and if they see mostly misogynistic men, they are going to follow. There is nothing more important within the context of a misogynistic culture to have positive male and female role models for boys because it is how we will finally start to end it. If we can inspire more boys to stand up for women and fight to end oppressive patriarchy then society will be better for everyone, including men.

Very few teachers and parents discuss these things with kids and boys are often neglected, especially because they are allowed to be complicit in sexism.

I was lucky to have an effeminate brown dad who was open about a lot of things, but a lot of other men and boys I know do not have that. They have insecure fathers who hide behind hyper-masculine personas.

When I was a teacher, I taught with a guy who made everything in his classroom mustache themed like half of his class population wasn’t female. I think even moves like that, where there is this subtle sexism, really impact

how boys grow up to see themselves. They grow up to see themselves as superior with a false entitlement that is dangerous to everyone.

Boys need to see that being a feminist doesn’t take away from your ability to be a man.

It actually does the opposite.

Only cowards oppress people.

Feminism is making incredible leaps for girls around the world and the strive for a more just and equal world is really inspiring, but boys can be forgotten in a lot of discussions about gender equality. From your experience, what issues affect boys?

Misogyny, because it is harmful to everyone. Boys are brought up in a misogynistic world that is hard to escape. Boys that are more feminine can feel resentment and hatred towards things involving women. Racism, because gender issues are also often racialized and men of color have to deal with oppression in many forms. Race based hyper-equalization and emasculation are gender issues that stem from racism.

A lot of boys will talk about being told not to cry, but in the overall social landscape, that isn’t an issue. If you are embarrassed for crying then I don’t know just like don’t cry if you want to. But if you want to then cry. It’s not an issue that requires discourse.

It’ll be solved when patriarchy and misogyny in general are eradicated. So the issues that

affect boys are the ones that effect everyone in general. And those are systemic issues that need fixing.

What steps do you think we can take or attitudes to shift to start solving these issues?

Realize that our insecurities are more harmful than helpful and work to make the world more equal and accepting of everyone. If we want the world to be more accepting of us, then we need to be more accepting of us. I’m not all that manly or buff, but I know that my insecurities are rooted in oppressive patriarchy that affects everyone so it starts with dismantling that.

My girlfriend is fine and I love crying in front of her.

We screwed this world up and created our own insecurities we have got to love ourselves so we can love our women and make the world better for them and, subsequently, for us. I’m Mexican and I love my soft, brown body and pretty lips. Even though I don’t look like John Cena, (he’s actually

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Introducing cool, can’t hate) I’ve got spirit and love and I strive to be good to my women and my people. I think boys face problems because of patriarchy and masculinity just like girls do but there are more personal issues that play into the propagation of patriarchy.

For example, if you’re a sissy boy then you get picked on because of patriarchy and expected gender norms but it is still not the same oppression that women face.

These issues are caused by the same thing, but they are not the same experience.

Personal issues are not social issues. Feminism is a social issue while men’s rights are personal issues. Of course, boys are important and need support but focusing on symptoms of masculinity aren’t as important as deconstructing it as a whole.

I have been picked on before for being more feminine but fortunately, I have a family full of dope women that make me feel more comfortable for embracing my feminine side.

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I never wanted to repress my feminine side because I wasn’t manly enough. I just laughed at the boys who chose to waste their time picking on people with feminine qualities because of their insecurities.

People need to stop being mean, especially to women.

Bottom line. Cry if you want to cry, wear women’s clothes if you want to wear women’s clothes, love your body, but don’t make it a thing to advocate for men’s rights.

For the most part, boys don’t have it as hard as the women around them so issues like being told to “man up” are things that should promote us to become feminists that way the equality teaches us to. I hope this makes some sense.

Follow and listen to artists that aren’t just white boys.

Your artistic style is so vivid and evocative. How have you developed it and how do you think it expresses you?

I work from memory. So I think about important cultural symbols that I’ve seen either in my house or my relatives houses or just around and I abstract those into these sort of soft folded shapes. Because I want to make images that depict that displacement, that disconnect from culture (specifically Mexican indigenous culture) and that displacement that we feel because of that. But I don’t want them to be dark and sad.

I love using vibrant colors and stuff because I want them to still be celebratory and full

of pride. I want my viewers, especially the ones who culturally relate to it, to feel that familiarity and disconnect simultaneously. I want to pull the myths out without being explicit.

When you share your works on Instagram, the captions are so detailed and thoughtful. Why is it so important to you to share so much and what effect do you think it has on the viewer looking at the art?

I think it’s important for the process of discovery and for pulling the viewer into these myths. Sometimes I write poems of stories to go along with the images to direct the viewer towards the story or symbol I’m referencing. I think it’s important to know what it’s supposed to be without it looking like what it’s supposed to be. And continuing with the mythology stuff, I don’t want it to just be images. The stories and captions are part of it. I want it be like little narratives. My drawings are these illustrations to these bigger cultural concepts and issued that reveal themselves through myth.

Like with La Malinche. She’s so important. She represents that mestiza consciousness.

Having a lost native identity.

She is sort of a tragic hero and a symbol for the cognitive dissonance we experience as mixed natives ourselves.

Because people in Latin America aren’t considered “Native American” but labels

Diego Medina like Hispanic link us to Europe which we aren’t either.

So we occupy these very unique borders (literally and figuratively) and it’s important to have these symbols to help guide us to who we are and what we are.

From figures like Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh to your friends, what inspires you to do a portrait?

Recognizing the beauty in people helps you to recognize the beauty in yourself, especially the people you’re connected to in a lot of different ways. Like they all inspire me. I started drawing portraits actually as a form of practice. I had nerve damage for a while after breaking my arm and I couldn’t use my right hand for almost a year and when I started drawing again I thought portraits would be a good way to practice hand control and stuff. But it turned into something more than that once in started doing them. It turned into more of a way to tell stories and talk about feelings using portraiture. I love it, it’s fun.

Could you expand on what your more abstract pieces mean? How did you begin to develop that style?

Yeah, those are the ones that are really mythological to me. Like, I think it’s cool that myth goes beyond reality, and when it comes to abstraction and shapes, it brings together cultural history, personal history, and that greater reality, and unifies them. And so these abstractions are taken from

symbols, motifs, or icons, that I’ve seen from either my childhood or my recent past, that I transform into these really reduced, flowy forms to show how images can be remembered and forgotten and the need for them to be reinterpreted and reexperienced in order for them to be solidified. So it’s kind of these hazy memories that represent how myth works for the individual. Because myth is like that, it’s like part of a personal life but also part of a cultural memory. So all these images are taken from important stories or symbols and it’s like you throw 'em some sort of softie fabric over them or something. I've always kind of drawn like that but its definitely evolved over the years. I have this fascination with fantasy and how it can reference reality and I think I always try and accomplish that in a way. I like magic and shape and color. That’s what I want in these.

What do you believe is the power of art in creating a positive change for the future?

I think representation in art equates to representation in society. It opens up new channels in society for people to be heard and respected.

Change starts with artists viewing themselves in a new way or thinking about something critically. Right now it is more important than ever for under-acknowledged people to get their stuff out there so that the world can

move towards becoming more safe and inclusive and equal.

Art gives visible form to things that are not easily expressed.

Art can be mythological, political, personal, psychological. And these are all ways that people can be influenced by ideas. I think art is the most critical because it can connect with people in so many different ways. It is now more than ever more easily accessible, and it invokes a sense of connection in people that is hard to achieve in other ways. And the art you follow and view really applies to who you are as a person. It’s important to surround yourself with culture and things like that so that self-love and decolonization can occur.

What are some final words of wisdom you think we should all keep in mind going into the future?

Stop living for petty stuff.

Don’t believe everything you are taught; question literally everything. Be nice to people.

If every pork-chop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs, you know. ●

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At only 15-years-old, Brendan McDonnell and his family's world changed. Over 9 years on, he is now embarking on a journey to open up dialogue to change toxic ideas of masculinity ingrained in Australian culture.

WARNING: THIS FEATURE DEALS HEAVILY WITH HEAVY TOPICS, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH, DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.

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Herman's Hands Could you introduce yourself and Herman’s Hands to us?

I’m Brendan McDonnell. I’m 25 and I’m a Mental Health Advocate and Muay Thai Trainer from Little Old Adelaide, South Australia. I now call North Bondi, NSW home. I also lived in Malta (just below Italy) for a couple of years between 2013 and 2015.

In 2015, I started a personal blog site, where I’ve share a large part of myself and my life experiences in great detail in hope of spreading mental health awareness. Last year I started my own clothing brand called Herman’s Hands. I didn’t want what I’d shared on my blog to simply fade away into the digital ether. I needed to attach my messages to something tangible, something real.

Herman’s Hands is a Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Clothing Brand. It raises awareness and money for mental health and suicide prevention in Australia. Herman (Damian Joseph McDonnell) was my old man.

Unfortunately, in 2007 he took his own life. I was 15 at the time and I was the first person to find his body in my family’s back shed.

Herman also left behind a suicide letter that was personally addressed to me (I’m the youngest of 3 brothers). In the letter he wrote that he didn’t want to expose me to the “doom and gloom” that had taken over his life - so he ended it. The doom and gloom he was referring to is mental illness. My dad was a tattoo artist and biker for over 20 years. He was a strong and influential man. Despite this, he suffered from depression for a long time.

He was 44 when he died. Herman’s Hands uses clothing as a vehicle for awareness spreading to create dialogue and in turn inspire change. Who was Herman?. That's the question I want to get all of Australia asking.

The tag line is ‘Create Dialogue – Inspire

Change’. What is it about communication and dialogue that you think is so powerful?

I guess dialogue starts the process of solving a problem. Some communication and dialogue is absolute crap though. The thing that I think is powerful is when someone can accept and expose their vulnerabilities. Through my blog and Herman’s Hands, I’ve shared the darkest parts of myself and my dad. I’ve exposed my vulnerabilities for literally anyone to see and criticise if they choose.

Sharing your vulnerabilities not only puts you in a position for others to help you but it also sets example for others to share their own. Unfortunately, in Aussie masculine culture, doing so is pretty much perceived as weakness when it is, in fact, a sign of strength. The perceptions are freakin’ skewed.

I know that there is a movement of people and organizations encouraging self expression but it is a tiny movement in the bigger picture.

Macho Australia is a very real thing.

If I never spoke about my problems with a psychologist I probably never would have started writing and realised that through writing I could begin removing the emotions tied to my dad’s death and overcome the suffering associated with it. AND I wouldn’t be answering these questions. Straight up. I’d still be an angry, confused kid violently swearing at inanimate objects on the daily.

Because I chose to speak with that little English/Indian Psychologist lady in an office in North Adelaide in mid 2012, I’ve become someone completely different person and I know my choices have helped a lot of people.

Since I shared my story on my blog and started HH, literally hundreds of people have reached out to me and had the confidence to share the deepest, darkest parts of themselves and begin overcoming their problems too.

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Charitable What does masculinity mean to you?

I haven’t really thought about it. Masculinity once meant Aussie rules football, dumbbells, swear words, firm handshakes and respect.

Paying the bills and being tough enough to beat up anyone who messes with your family. This is what I was kind of built on.

Not anymore though. When I think of masculinity now I still think of words like strength, provide and protect but my ideas about what it means to be strong and to provide and protect have changed.

The strongest among us are those who can ‘be with’ and express negative emotions healthily. It certainly takes a whole lot more balls to talk about your feelings than it does to hide from them.

How do you think this idea is changing from your parent’s generation to yours?

I don’t think the idea has changed tremendously. It’s softened slightly maybe.

There’s probably less ‘punch-ons’ at the local pubs now than there was in my dad’s day. But like I said, I know that macho Australia is still a very real thing.

The typical Australian male stereotype is very much silent, stoic and macho, who doesn’t express himself much. However, these qualities or cultural attitudes about what a man is supposed to be (boys don’t cry, man up) contributes to high levels of mental illness. How are you working to eradicate these toxic stereotypes and how can people contribute?

I’m working towards eradicating this toxic stereotype from my own life and in doing so, I am setting an example for change. I live by the words I’ve shared on my blog and continue to share more of myself and my dad every day. Herman’s Hands ‘is’ me. I live it. I am a Muay Thai fighter and I workout lots but at the same time I accept that I’m vulnerable, I

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have problems to fix and I talk openly about my feelings and emotions – for anyone and everyone to see, use and even criticise if they choose to.

“If a man like Herman or Brendan can feel that way, maybe I can too.” Leading by example is all I can do. It’s all anyone can do really. But trust me, it works. People can contribute, first of all, by repping Herman’s Hands and simply being open to the conversation that it may or may not create. If they want to go further they can express themselves too. Start by sharing your connection to mental health or why Herman’s Hands connects with you. Expose your vulnerabilities and become an example for change. You can help a brother or sister feel just a little less alone.

What does the clothing imagery represent?

Herman started covering his body with tattoos in the late 1970’s from age 14. One which sat prominently was the cobra snake on his chest.

I think the tatts concreted his spot within the macho male stereotype. As they say, in them days only the ‘hardest’ wore their tattoos with pride. The imagery is directly inspired

by Herman’s tattoos and life as a Tattoo Artist and Hardman. The snake represents the stereotypes that not only stand in the way of removing but contribute to the stigma surrounding mental health in Australia. Those afraid of change fear the snake. We do not. within the macho male stereotype. As they say, in them days only the ‘hardest’ wore their tattoos with pride.

How can we start to destigmatize mental health and suicide?

By breaking down stereotypes, creating dialogue and setting example for change.

People need to know about the suffering that mental illness and suicide creates. The “doom and gloom” that took my father and continues to tear my family apart. We need to do more

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Charitable collectively to spread awareness and cultivate compassion. In other words, we need to talk and/ or write more about the real stuff.

How vital was writing when you were younger and what would your advice be to people going through a similar struggle?

Writing allowed me to take everything that was mixed up in my mind, put it on paper and start sorting it out. It was 100% vital. For me, it was the single most important thing.

Rocking up to my psychologist’s office in 2012 was the single best decision I ever made. I couldn’t actually express much to her. She was the one who urged me to start writing.

The rest is history.

If you are going through a similar struggle and you do decide to start writing, one small piece of advice is do not throw any of your writing away no matter how shit you think it is. Without the ‘shit’ I’d written at the start, I’d never know how far I’ve come.

My main piece of advice though is: If you are struggling - go see a psychologist.

Psychologists understand the mind and are trained to help you overcome the struggle.

You don’t even need to say much, they’ll start the conversation for you! If you speak to a psychologist, you are not weak, you are strong.

Anyone who thinks you are weak or soft or whatever if you see a psychologist is not worth having in your life. If you get the flu, you go to the doctor. If your mind ain’t working properly, you go speak to the psychologist!

Could you explain what Brenny’s is and how fitness has played a role in working through your mental health recovery.

I began practicing Muay Thai (Thaiboxing) not long after my dad died. I was lost. Muay Thai gave me a means to express myself and more than that a sense of belonging. For many years, no one in the gym knew my story but

they knew I belonged there. Through Muay Thai I found self-discipline and confidence— the very same self-discipline and confidence I needed to admit I had problems and begin removing the emotions tied to my dad’s death.

Brenny’s started in the shed where my dad took his own life. I returned to Adelaide at the end of 2015 and decided it was time to crush the last remaining stigma in my life by converting the shed where my dad died into my gym. A positive place for growth where friends and friends of friends would come to learn Muay Thai and drink coffee with me.

Brenny’s is a big part of me. I still teach Muay Thai and drink coffee now here in Bondi and have a big Brenny’s sticker on the side of my van. I teach exactly what I learnt in that warehouse gym in Somerton Park, SA when I was a skinny little 15 year old trying to find his was. And hopefully I pass on the very same values that I gained.

What would be your ultimate goal for Herman’s Hands?

Through Herman’s Hands, my ultimate goal is to do something about the male suicide epidemic in Australia. I want to create real change. I want to change the horrendous statistics. Herman’s Hands will become an organisation that’s purpose is to connect with those who are suffering in silence. People who make up this toxic masculine stereotype – people just like Herman and also me in the past. I am creating dialogue and inspiring change. I hope to continue doing this and see how this thing evolves. All I know is that one day the subtle, creative and indirect service that Herman’s Hands provides will reach people on a much larger scale.

What are some words of wisdom that you continually keep in mind?

Create Dialogue – Inspire Change. ●

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Herman's Hands collectively to spread awareness and cultivate compassion. In other words, we need to talk and/ or write more about the real stuff.

How vital was writing when you were younger and what would your advice be to people going through a similar struggle?

Writing allowed me to take everything that was mixed up in my mind, put it on paper and start sorting it out. It was 100% vital. For me, it was the single most important thing.

Rocking up to my psychologist’s office in 2012 was the single best decision I ever made. I couldn’t actually express much to her. She was the one who urged me to start writing.

The rest is history.

If you are going through a similar struggle and you do decide to start writing, one small piece of advice is do not throw any of your writing away no matter how shit you think it is. Without the ‘shit’ I’d written at the start, I’d never know how far I’ve come.

My main piece of advice though is: If you are struggling - go see a psychologist.

Psychologists understand the mind and are trained to help you overcome the struggle.

You don’t even need to say much, they’ll start the conversation for you! If you speak to a psychologist, you are not weak, you are strong.

Anyone who thinks you are weak or soft or whatever if you see a psychologist is not worth having in your life. If you get the flu, you go to the doctor. If your mind ain’t working properly, you go speak to the psychologist!

Could you explain what Brenny’s is and how fitness has played a role in working through your mental health recovery.

I began practicing Muay Thai (Thaiboxing) not long after my dad died. I was lost. Muay Thai gave me a means to express myself and more than that a sense of belonging. For many years, no one in the gym knew my story but

they knew I belonged there. Through Muay Thai I found self-discipline and confidence— the very same self-discipline and confidence I needed to admit I had problems and begin removing the emotions tied to my dad’s death.

Brenny’s started in the shed where my dad took his own life. I returned to Adelaide at the end of 2015 and decided it was time to crush the last remaining stigma in my life by converting the shed where my dad died into my gym. A positive place for growth where friends and friends of friends would come to learn Muay Thai and drink coffee with me.

Brenny’s is a big part of me. I still teach Muay Thai and drink coffee now here in Bondi and have a big Brenny’s sticker on the side of my van. I teach exactly what I learnt in that warehouse gym in Somerton Park, SA when I was a skinny little 15 year old trying to find his was. And hopefully I pass on the very same values that I gained.

What would be your ultimate goal for Herman’s Hands?

Through Herman’s Hands, my ultimate goal is to do something about the male suicide epidemic in Australia. I want to create real change. I want to change the horrendous statistics. Herman’s Hands will become an organisation that’s purpose is to connect with those who are suffering in silence. People who make up this toxic masculine stereotype – people just like Herman and also me in the past. I am creating dialogue and inspiring change. I hope to continue doing this and see how this thing evolves. All I know is that one day the subtle, creative and indirect service that Herman’s Hands provides will reach people on a much larger scale.

What are some words of wisdom that you continually keep in mind?

Create Dialogue – Inspire Change. ●

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“In A Heartbeat� is an animated short film created by Ringling College of Art and Design students, Beth David and Esteban Bravo, about a middle school boy who is struggling to come to terms with his crush on the most popular boy in school.

Sherwin must chase after his own heart to stop it from revealing his true feelings to Jonathan, and the entire student body.

The film has captured hearts around the globe, who contributed to a Kickstarter fund to support the creation of the sound track. We chat with Beth and Esteban about their inspirations for the film and the importance of LGBT+ representation in animation.

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Hey guys, how is the film going?

Esteban Bravo: It’s going great!

We completed the film a few weeks ago and we’ve been tweaking and polishing minor things since then.

Beth David: There are a lot of small things that we wish we could revisit or change, but that’s just the nature of creating something. Overall, we’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished.

How did you two meet and come to work on this film together?

EB: We met during our freshman year when we were floormates at Ringling. We

were part of the same friend group and became closer as time went on.

BD: We realized we shared a lot of the same experiences and interests, and we have a really similar sense of humor.

Eventually, that led us to consider working together on a film, and we lucked out in being really good friends in addition to being really good teammates.

What were some of your inspirations for creating this?

BD: The idea of someone’s heart popping out of their chest to chase after their crush was something that a friend of ours initially gave

to us, and we took that seed of an idea and turned it into something that was meaningful and personal to us both. We were really excited to have found a concept that we could run with and use to express a positive message about the LGBT+ experience.

EB: Once we had the spark, we knew there was a very specific feel and vision that we wanted the film to have, but it took a lot of digging to get the film exactly how we wanted it to be. We watched a lot of films with similar themes to draw inspiration from, or films with a similar visual aesthetic that we were aiming for. The Peanuts Movie was a big one

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Feature Film as far as the overall charm and feel, and there were a lot of indie films with LGBT+ themes like Hidden Away and The Way He Looks that inspired the development of our characters.

What was your favorite part of the process?

EB: Story. Bouncing around ideas, figuring out moments, coming up with different scenarios for the characters to interact with one another and for the story to progress.

BD: It’s hard to pick out one part of the process that I enjoyed the most. Developing the story was of course challenging, but I loved getting to throw ideas around and brainstorm with Esteban. Most of the things that ended up in the final film were dumb ideas that we’d pitch to each other ironically, that actually ended up being exactly what the story needed. I also loved fleshing out the acting moments and breathing life into the characters while we were animating. I remember feeling like, wow, this is real, they are real, we’re really doing this.

What was the most challenging?

EB: Getting everything done in such a tight time frame was probably the most difficult and stressful aspect of the whole process. It was just Beth and I working on the film, and that’s

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a lot to get done in only a little over a year of production from start to finish. It was hard and kind of intimidating because we wanted to do the film justice, and I felt so small for a project so big. I didn’t let that stop me, and we were able to take it little by little, lots by lots, day by day – and it all worked out in the end.

BD: The technical side of things was also really challenging. Our school has a great set of resources, but CG is often harder to predict and things can go wrong pretty easily if you’re not careful. Even if you are careful, something will still go wrong, and it can be really difficult to troubleshoot those issues. We’re artists first and foremost, so technical problems can be really big obstacles.

Why did you feel it was so important to focus on this topic, especially in the animation medium?

EB: There’s not enough films like that directed towards younger audiences. It’s a film that we’re making for other people, but mainly for ourselves because I know I would have really needed something like this when I was younger.

BD: I’m glad we were able to take advantage of animation as a medium, and the fact

that animation tends to be considered family-oriented by nature. Homosexuality is rarely present in children’s content, and while our film isn’t necessarily geared specifically to kids, it’ll be accessible to them and hopefully relatable for those that are facing similar struggles. But like Esteban said, we made this film for us and because it’s something that we wanted to see.

Animation is often labeled as a category (like drama or action or romance) rather than a technique, and is almost always directed towards children and families, which can be negative at times when it’s not respected. What are your thoughts on this and how do you think the animation industry is evolving, especially smaller studios?

EB: As the years go on, both technology and content are progressing, so smaller studios have better opportunities to create original, inventive entertainment that is also really high quality and well produced.

How can creative industries, such as illustration and animation, make our future a more just and equal place?

Why is it so important for that representation in media?

BD: Visual storytelling is a really powerful tool, and with social media being such a prevalent part of everyone’s

In A Heartbeat life, it’s really easy to share your ideas and artwork and potentially reach thousands, if not millions of people. I think individual people are more capable than ever to share their experiences through art and film, exposing audiences to different ways of life, outlooks, and opinions that they may have never seen before. We use stories to empathize with one another, and I think the more diversity we are exposed to in the entertainment we consume, the more likely we are to accept and understand one another.

You’ve just won the Gold Award from the Best of Ringling show, receiving some sensational remarks. What was that like as two young students?

EB: Really exciting! This film somehow turned into something that was bigger than us, and we were scared that we wouldn’t be able to pull it together and fulfill the vision that we had for the film. It was kind of overwhelming, but in the best way and we were really moved by the kind words and support we received.

What are your aspirations for the film?

EB: I’ll be happy if someday someone comes up to me and says, “thank you for helping me accept who I am.”

BD: I hope it gives someone the affirmation to be who they are and love who they love.

Finally, what are some words

of wisdom that you can share?

BD: Do work that makes you happy.

EB: Do happy that makes you work. ●

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Fill In The Blanks Hey there! My name is David Adams. I express myself through my art and design work. I try to embody minimalism in my works because I believe there is beauty in clarity and simplicity.

My artworks often include portraits because there’s so much to explore in a face, from expression and shape to scale and so on.I am from Adelaide; I like the community feel of it, but I’m not so fond of all the bogans (you know who you are). I wish it had more public transport and less burst water mains. The impression I hope people have of me is that I have my life together but is most likely falling apart.

My favourite work of modern art is done by Connie Lim. Her fashion illustrations contrast colour and heavy blacks with delicate line work to shape beautiful forms. An instrument that I love is the guitar, especially when the fingers run across the strings in Odyssey by Talos. A blog I always like visiting is 99 percent invisible because it offers incredible insight into the overlooked.

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David Adams If I could collaborate with anyone, past or present, it would be Michelle Obama because I need the publicity and everybody knows she has great arms. I would love to bring back house prices from the past, but am excited for mums packed lunches in the future. My plans for the future involve graduating, travelling Scandinavia and hopefully finding a job position that makes me happy.

My first memorable moment of technology that made me feel like I was in the future was playing eyetoy on the playstation.

Technology that I am most excited about is driverless cars because I’m still on my L’s and would love for the world to throw me a bone. When I scroll through social media, I love seeing posts from the ‘Ideas’ Facebook page. Instagram is the social media platform I like best because it lets me see so many creatives doing incredible things.

My favourite meme is the Bunning’s snag, more so because it was my last meal; onion or you can leave. ●

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Sunflower of Your Love We handed out a bunch of sunflowers (the flower of strength and positivity) to our fellow guys and asked them some small questions that aren't typically directed towards men to spread light on a few issues they feel passionate about.

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Cover It

What is something that's difficult to deal with in a group of boys that's not openly spoken about?

Sometimes you have to balance out your friends with your school friends and your church friends which is hard because boys at school sometimes get caught up in different things. But my guy friends at church influence me in a positive way and those are the guys that I can get true advice from.

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Sunflower of Your Love

What is something that is an issue for boys but doesn't get spoken about?

Boys still care about their appearance, like with wanting to look a certain way or feeling like we have to look a certain way.

What is your favorite type of tea? Raspberry!

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What is your favorite romance film? The Notebook.

What do you think is special about your group of guy friends?

When I'm with my group of guy friends from church, it's different than anywhere else because it easier to open up. Typically boys want to contain their thoughts because they're taught they're supposed to be men. â—?

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Globetrotter: Italy A COLUMN BY MARGOT OYUELA

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Italy

Things to do, Places to be VENICE It is inevitable to be a typical tourist in a city like this. From the famous canals to the best gelato in the world, Venice has an unlimited amount of sights to see.

FLORENCE My personal favorite. Florence is honestly full of magic. Between the Ponte Vecchio, Il Duomo and the fresh pasta, you'll never want to leave.

VERONA If you're a Shakespeare lover, this city will feel familiar. The tale of Romeo and Juliet supposedly took place here, which may lead you to visit Juliet's balcony. It's probably just a random balcony that they now make money off, but the idea is cute.

ROME Live your Lizzie McGuire dreams.

You definitely need a couple days to adventure around the ruins and the endless shopping. This is what dreams are made of!

ABANO TERME If you're down for a road trip, I highly recommend the thermal cities in the Colli Euganei. Apart from some of the most interesting backstories, these cities have the natural hot springs that Roman baths were modeled after.

Swimming in warm water even when it's snowing never gets old.

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Globetrotter

Tips and Tricks PRACTICE YOUR ITALIAN If you speak any Latin-based language, this shouldn't be too hard. It's always nice to have a basic understanding of the language spoken in a country you are visiting.

Duolingo is an app that takes you through the basics to help you prepare before your trip, or given how common Italian is, there are stacks of resources available.

NEVER STOP EATING Seriously, Italy has the best food ever. Step out of your comfort zone and try stuff aside from the usual pizza and pasta that tourists love to order. Ask the waiters for their recommendations and share your food to make the most out of it.

STEP OUT OF THE CITY Italy has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. From rolling hills to thriving vineyards, the countryside of Italy in between cities is one my favorite parts.

Culture Northern Italy has an abundance of art, music, food, and history that contribute to the culture. From the great works of Michelangelo to the gondola rowers who still sing to this day, you'll learn something new every day. Almost every populated city has a museum filled with incredible works by some of the world’s greatest artists. Every metro station has a musician playing his choice of tunes to make his daily living.

Italy has some of the richest culture with the deepest roots. Go out and broaden your horizons! â—?

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Four Letter Words A COLUMN BY KAMRYN KOBAL

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Growing up, my summers were typically spent with my family loading up the mini-van with VCR Tapes of Victor Fleming films and snacks before hitting the road for two day long trips.

I always insisted of staying up late with my father as he drove through the night during these endeavors, peering up to the window as we drove through tunnels and backroads.

While reaching the destination of these trips was obviously the main goal, I found that the most exciting part for me was the views that I witnessed along the way.

Driving through the snowy mountains in Virginia and along the coast in Florida as my father’s CDs of U2 played through the car radio are moments that I will always hold dear to me.

However, during these times, my brother had a different way of looking at things. He usually slept throughout the entire car ride, celebrating when we were finally able to get out of the car.

time between their parents' separate houses was foreign to me because still to this day, I watch my parents fall more in love each day.

Seeing people on street corners and under bridges was confusing because there are so many houses and places for people to sleep, I questioned how homelessness was even an option for people.

Although I may not have experienced these extreme situations that alter lives, I have learned to emphasize with those who have experienced them. I have not made one decision to deserve the blessings I have been given in my 18 years of life. I go to a school where I can learn without penalty, I can ask questions and talk freely about my religion. I did not do one deserving thing to be raised in this community but I am so thankful. That being said, I don't think that those who are privileged need to feel guilty for the life that was chosen for them, but I think that as we come from a life full of ample opportunities and resources, we should share those with others who are less fortunate.

Not even in a material sense using money or other items, but simply being more emphatic and trying to change the way we view things to understand other views.

View

Although we were in the same exact position for dozens of hours, my brother and I were fascinated by completely different things in the same window. As I have grown older, I have realized that this is true in my everyday life. While I go to a school with the same people each day, some that I have been in school with since we were children, I have grown to understand that we all look at things with different views. The definition of the word “View” is described “as the ability to see something or to be seen from a particular place.”

Thankfully, I am blessed to grow up in a safe, loving environment that has always been accepting of others and their differences.

I realize that is not the case for everyone. Living in a primarily upper-middle class neighborhood, many people that I am surrounded with each day have a difficult time of shifting their view to see how others might see things. As my passion of traveling has continued to grow, so has my horizon of how I view the world around me. Meeting friends who balance their

Being from Houston, Texas, I found snow that fell on the windshield as we drove through Pennsylvania so beautiful and fascinating.

However, my family that lives in Pennsylvania dread snow days where they have to plow snow out of the driveway just to leave their house.

Because I don't have to deal with months of cold weather, I never fully understood why someone could dislike it. Just like with anything else in life, sometimes people's different views stem from the amount of tolerance or exposure they've had with a topic.

In order to understand each other more as a society to create unity, I think we should try and understand different views and how they shape us as a whole. ●

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A Little Chat I thought that it would be fun to switch things up, and focus on my nine-year-old brother Nati. I asked him about himself and his personality, as well as about modern societal stereotypes that exist about men and women.

His answers were honest and innocent.

WRITTEN BY ALEX COLBERG PHOTOGRAPH BY HANNAH HORNER

Tell me about yourself.

Well, I like sports. I like being kinda active kind-of but sometimes I just want to like sit down and play. I really like sports. That’s kinda a hard question it if you think about it because there are a lot of things about me.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

My humor!

What’s your favorite colors?

Pink and Turquoise What do you look for when making friends?

What they’re interested in.

instead of buying a golden toilet when you could just buy a golden toilet.

What does it mean to be a boy?

Well there’s not really any way you can describe it because a boy could play football but if you think about it a girl can play football too. There’s not much that is different besides gender.

What does it mean to be a man?

Doing stuff for yourself like helping. And just living by yourself but not always by yourself more just living and caring for yourself.

How do you make a friend?

If they are playing outside Ill usually go up and be like hey what are you playing and then they’ll tell me and then Ill be like nice can I play with you and then they’ll say cool.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I think I want to be in the army or be some professional athlete player. I want to be in the army because I think it would be cool and I would be serving our state, so I think that’s cool.

If you could, what would your superpower be?

To make money.

How are girls and boys different?

Only gender. That’s all.

Why to make money?

Because then I could give it to people if I could make money. I was watching this video where this guy had a golden toilet and I thought like, why would you ever need that?

You could’ve used that money to get food

What’s the worst thing about being a boy?

I don’t think there’s any bad thing about it.

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If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be?

Everyone is always equal. ●

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Money Ruined The World WRITTEN BY HANNAH LOZANO

Before governments, before hierarchies, before the ideologies and systems humans know today, exchange was based on collecting and trading.

Currency was not a natural occurrence. Money is a human made symbol of work which became a commodity, a mark of value by which humans exist.

This creation is a social construct, a concept made entirely by humans and for humans. Humans were not created, evolved, or born with money. It was made up.

It was decided at some point that if someone wanted something they had to work and trade something of equal value for it. But as trade grew into an actual monetary exchange it became all about the symbolic value of the dollar. Now people are working unbelievably hard because they have to buy life and they don't get a fraction of those who were thrown into a favorable situation. So although humans were never intended to rely on currency for survival, that is what it is now. At one point humans survived off of hunting, gathering, and trading goods. Money was not a way of life, and humans lived. Because someone had the idea to trade value for commodities, society has sucked some people into starvation and others into supremacy over something symbolic of value that at one point did not exist. Humanity did not need it at one point but now it has taken everything over and countries and ethnic groups are marginalized because their communities have not adapted to this social construct that humans used to survive without; now it has destroyed everything.

People look at "poor countries" and "poor people" with sympathy when that is not what defines the

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culture and ideologies and values surrounding it because they functioned without it before. There is now a set of standards that causes anyone who has anything less to be of less value. Even if a country’s governance does improve and their income rises with it, they are still just assuming the role of a nation that failed because they did not meet the standards of success no matter their culture or history. On earth today a successful country is determined by their military power and freedom in democracy. The latter is a positive development, one that society has successfully created, but many times fails to meet correctly. Our result becomes nations deemed powerless due to lack of economic productivity.

A strong economy is empowering in a world that runs on money. It is one of the strongest identifiers of a country’s success, other than the degree to which its people are free. Thriving businesses provide individuals with dignity, create self-sufficiency, and are mandatory to participate in the global economy.

When countries contribute to this worldwide system, they are able to enhance their resources by acquiring goods that they would not be able to accumulate otherwise. Hundreds of years ago, the onset of the global market economy initiated an increase in trade and globalization. With this, however, came the rise of merchant capitalism, which led to modern capitalism and consumerism. The global trade network helped develop wealth distinguished by the countries by which it is accumulated, and eventually wealth was able to be accumulated by individuals.

Currency became a system not just of trade, but of the joy of spending and earning.

While the global economy has seen successful growth in its time, its roots must be considered in order to continue developing it. Money is not an evolutionary factor, but human greed may be so. Humans are not born with the knowledge of money, nor were we endowed with it by any process except socialization.

If we as humans see an issue with the ideologies or conditions of the economy, we must remember who created it. Humans, money’s honorable creator, are indebted to this powerful system and therefore have the power to change it. Capitalism and poverty are humanity’s creations and our responsibility. When shared equally across the world which we did not create, money is a brilliant system of competition and gain. However, when money is crushing certain regions for the benefit of others, it may as well be ruining the entire world. ●

Noteworthy: Noah Witt With a drivers license comes freedom—freedom Noah used to chase concerts, where he found best friends and learnt life skills in the midst of these golden years of youth.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOAH WITT

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The certain femininity and flair that is portrayed through male musicians has had a significant effect on our society as a whole.

I believe the late David Bowie had one of the most profound influences on the rest of music. David Bowie, Prince, George Michael, and countless other idols who were unabashedly who they wanted to be at all times, set a precedent for many artists for years to come. More modern icons such as Harry Styles, Matty Healy of The 1975, and PWR BTTM, are shedding the theme of stereotypical masculinity to express emotion, art, and equality.

are two that strive to focus on their music and how they can impact the world with simply who they are.

Another aspect of music that has continued to shift is grasping modernity and using it in one's music. A band called LANY not only has band members that discuss love and raw emotion, but they also have held onto our increased use of technology. Using "emojis" on album covers or electronic text messaging bubbles show how LANY is accepting the world's dependence on technology, rather than shunning it as many do. Instead of telling the crowds to put down their cell phones, lead singer of LANY, Paul Jason Klein grabs the cell phones of those in the crowd and records As our society continues to live videos from the stage. shift everyday, widening the Especially in the spotlight, opportunities for anyone to many social influencers discuss achieve any dream, so does how technology and social media the expectations for how one have ruined lives and should act in this position. communication. While I agree Although it is becoming with part of of that statement, more expected for it is people such as LANY people to break out that accept how our of stereotypes and everyday lives have be their true self, changed and there were definitely then applied that people who helped change to their Exploring the men in pave the way. Prince, music to create music who express themselves for example, was not something relatable only an Africa American and lasting. authentically, going beyond icon who fought gender gender norms and racial stereotypes, but I believe that so much he used his music to impact that of life revolves around art, world in a way that still shows today. especially music. Artists such David Bowie set a tone for fashion and as Prince and Bowie created A COLUMN emotional vulnerability in his lyrics, letting a culture outside of what was

BY ALEX listeners know that it is okay to be soft and expected and now, that culture MARKEY to be different. is still being expanded by those modern artist inspired by the Now, singers in our modern world hold classic artists. Instead of shying onto the works of these icons are they away from gender roles, stereotypes, continue to work in the industry. Focusing and traditional expectations, artists and on fashion and honesty while still remaining musicians are breaking out of the mold in a serious artist, Harry Styles and Matty Healy the way they create. â—?

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In The Spotlight: Niraad Senan

Picking up a camera at 15, Niraad has never looked back, constantly pushing himself to make the best of creative blocks or less than ideal situations, which have resulted in some of his strongest and most original pieces yet.

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Niraad Senan Hey Niraad, how are you?

Hey Chloe, I’m great, thanks!

Introduce yourself to us.

I’m 23, born and raised in Singapore. I first got into photography back in 2009 for a school project and fell in love with it! I was drawn in by the euphoric feeling of capturing a unique moment in time as only I experienced it, the ability to tell a story through my perspective and capture these fleeting moments of beauty as I see and feel them.

What was the last thing you photographed?

The last thing I photographed was a lamp in Hong Kong for an ongoing series I’m doing.

What was the first memorable thing you photographed?

It was a shaky shot of some lightning during a storm. It’s terrible but it was the shot that made me realise I don’t mind patiently sitting still for a few hours if it means getting the right shot!

How have you been developing your style since you started at 15? Have your goals for a particular shot or concept, or photography in general, become clearer or do you still feel that you are developing?

When I first picked up photography at 15, it was the desire to capture what I saw in the world that got me hooked but over time, I have developed a desire to create with my photography; to tell stories and convey

ideas through the medium. In that sense, my style is always developing and I’m constantly looking for new ways to learn and improve.

How do you brainstorm ideas for your series?

My favourite lecturer/artist, Chee Yong, gave me a great piece of advice; to always keep my eyes open because inspiration can come in any form. I personally find inspiration from art, movies, conversations or introspection.

Project ideas come to me either as a concept I want to convey or a general artistic execution I think will look great. I write them down and try to expand them to find the right match where I can put the appropriate aesthetic execution together with the concept to make the best overall result with the strongest impact.

You describe 'Chemical Landscapes' [p.084, 086] as more visually driven, working to create the best with a faulty Polaroid camera. The pictures feel like an invitation into a fantasy world, how did you go about creating them?

I bought a second hand SX-70 but it was a little faulty. The rollers that slide each polaroid out after you shoot were a little too tight and they popped the chemical pouches at the bottom of each polaroid and spilled the chemicals over the images. I ended up with 2 entirely “ruined” packs of polaroids but I saw abstract

landscapes within those chemical patterns. I kept them for a couple weeks trying to figure out if I could do anything with them and finally decided to digitally combine them with photographs of my own to bring out the chemical landscape aspects of the patterns in a way that they complement each other; the patterns bringing life to the scenes and the scenes giving context to the patterns.

You also have some sensational landscape photography—from Tokyo to Paris to London to your hometown of Singapore.

What is it about travelling that appeals to you so much and what have those experiences taught you?

The world is so unfathomably large and diverse. Growing up, ideas of what we know to be “normal” are based solely on the place we live.

It is only when we travel that we get to see just how much can be different around the world; from the language we speak, to the cultures, clothes, traditions, architecture, art, food and countless other things. Travelling has been a life-changing experience for me and I just lose myself in my camera when I’m abroad, capturing bits and pieces of these worlds that I’m lucky enough to visit. The one main lesson I’ve learned through travelling is that there is beauty in everything around us, we just have to look for it. In any location and more

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Niraad Senan importantly in any situation, we can find beauty in places and in people. I try to share the wonders I can capture through my lens but I can never fully capture the joy of travel in a photograph. I just hope that I can evoke a desire in people, through my photos, to get out and travel the world to feel it for themselves. Trust me, it’s much more affordable than you think!

'Kaleidoscope' [p.088] is an abstract, experimental series with bold silhouettes, that was born from creative block. How did you turn that frustration into something positive that you could learn from?

In the midst of a creative block, I was struggling to bring any ideas forward to the point of execution and seemed to have burned out taking new shots. After some time had passed and the frustration had simmered down, I was just looking through my old photos one day when I decided to really get into them the way I would look at the artworks of other artists. I love to admire and break down art to try to understand what the artist was thinking and feeling when creating it; trying to get into his/her mind. I looked through my own photos, knowing that for most of them, I had taken them impulsively based on what looked good to me and nothing more. I tried to see if I could dig a little deeper into what made me take those and the common thing that stood out in most

of my shots was the way I framed them. I realised that I tend to gravitate towards geometric patterns and would constantly frame my photos in ways that accentuated lines and patterns. With that realisation I started to play around with my old photos and I found that through this kaleidoscopic execution, I was able to highlight and enhance the geometric aspects of the shots and turn them into a totally new series of images.

This project turned out to be very cathartic and got me right back into the swing of things with new perspective and a better understanding of myself and my style.

12 Nanoseconds' [p.090] has a strong narrative in each shot, becoming a point of discussion about our decisions and consciousness. How did you go about constructing those stories and why did you feel it was important to capture them?

12 Nanoseconds is a series that is very personal to me as each shot depicts a scenario that either I, personally, or someone very close to me has gone through. Though each shot has a specific encounter and story behind it, I feel the meaning behind them and lessons we’ve learned through these experiences are much more important. In life we are taught right from wrong but as we grow we realise just how much control every single one of us has over the decisions we make and very early on in

life we realise that no one is responsible for those actions but ourselves. Therefore the most important person to listen to is ourselves and it is that inner conflict that acts as a voice of reason whenever we are faced with a decision to do something wrong or morally questionable. I wanted to show this inner conflict by having a second version of myself embodying my voice of reason in that split second moment. As a viewer, I hope that the message comes through to be more aware of the weight of our choices and their repercussions.

How do you as a photographer see your role in society, especially in starting conversations and raising awareness of issues?

I feel that as a photographer, I have a very clear visual medium through which I can share my thoughts and ideas and in the world we live in with technology growing and expanding all the time, I have a much greater reach with my art than I could have ever had in the past. I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by some of the most intelligent and creative minds and that has given access to the most wonderfully thought-provoking conversations and interactions that inspire me to create and share what I learn in life with others. I try to make art out of my ideas and lessons I’ve learned to engage strangers to look deeper and find their

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Niraad Senan own meaning in my work. My goal is for my photos to be the starting point of a conversation with the viewer; to plant the idea in their heads and invite them to think about it more and ideally discuss it with their peers. I honestly feel that the photos should take a back seat to the ideas behind but should be striking enough to leave a lasting impression.

combination of still and moving images. Similar to gifs, they run on a loop but instead of a clip from a video, majority of a cinemagraph still with only certain elements in motion. It seems like the most natural progression for photography as it allows us to bring some subtle life to a photo while maintaining its still-frame integrity.

What issues do you feel most passionate about and how do you feel that, as a photographer, you can support them?

I find the depth of human emotions fascinating in how we are able to love and hate so deeply. It is both wonderful and scary and has the potential to do amazing and treacherous things. I feel that photography, being an entirely visual medium, has the draw of being very eye-catching and as it has the advantage of capturing reality. Compared to the equally, if not more, stunning medium of painting, photography by nature has an added element of trust as it is captured, not created. I try to use photography to share my thoughts on certain matters, taking advantage of that trust to break it, when necessary, to greater effect like in 12 Nanoseconds.

With the new introduction of cinemagraphs and motion media taking off, do you envision the future as a more visual place?

Absolutely. I think there is no question that the world is moving towards a much more visual place, with incredible advancements in technology, we are surrounded by screens and devices at all times. With the incredible reach of the internet, it is natural that we gravitate towards more visuals as they are not constrained by language; they are universally understood. Visuals are being used in everything to reach wider audiences in advertising, entertainment, art and even for better communications through infographics on signs in airports and shopping malls.

You’re now interested in working with cinemagraphs; can you tell us what they are and what is so magical about them to you?

Cinemagraphs are a

What advances in technology, are you most excited about?

I’m so glad you mentioned this!

I’m in love with virtual reality.

The growth of the technology has already come so far so quickly. Primarily being used for gaming right now, the potential is limitless. With the access to the internet, it opens

up a whole new platform for possibly creating 3 dimensional web browsers. Imagine walking through an artist’s online portfolio in the form of a physical gallery!

What is your ideal project?

It’s tough to pinpoint one specific project but I’d love to do one based on my family and the very unusual dynamics within it as I feel it will be both relatable and a nice homage to the people who inspire and challenge me.

What would you have told your younger self?

Follow your heart. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, what life throws at us or what we face, we always have to make decisions that we are comfortable living with. Even if they may not be perfectly rational at the time, make the decision your heart truly believes in and you’ll be able to accept whatever outcome you get for better or worse. Also, yes, you will eventually meet that girl of your dreams and she will somehow be even more amazing than you hoped.

What do you want your older self to remember?

People. When I’m old, all I want is to remember the people in my life. I want to surround myself with the people I love and remember the experiences we shared through it. In the end, there’s nothing more to life than love, is there? ●

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Meet Isaiah B. Our cover star for this issue was actually one of the motivations for this theme. Discussing the ideas of happiness, our technologic presence and what it means to be a person, we present to you the magnificent, the otherworldly, the one and only: Isaiah B. INTERVIEWED BY CHLOE KATOPODIS

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Meet Hey Isaiah, how are you feeling today?

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed being a starving artist trying to make it in New York City, but happy to be alive nonetheless.

If you had one sentence to introduce yourself what would that be? A flower isn’t beautiful because how it looks but for how much hard work it took for it to bloom.

What were you like as a child? In what ways is that different now? I was adventurous, I enjoyed climbing trees, going to the beach and playing make-believe about the lives I wanted to live. In a way, I’m still that same kid who climbs the tallest trees just to see if I could do it, but now that tree is life and I’m climbing toward becoming the best version of myself as a person and an artist.

What is it about stardom that captured you from a young age? When I was young, I watched a lot of Disney and Nickelodeon. The lives these kids my same age were having looked amazing, the fashion they wore, the confidence they exuded, and the love they receive for being themselves. I wanted that.

How have you pursued that dream of becoming a star and how do you define that?

I pursued my dream of being a star by progressively becoming the best at what I do and at who I am. In terms of what a star is, someone who has potential to change the world when they acknowledge the light within themselves.

Why did America appeal to you?

Hmmm, The States appealed to me most because of how advertising, television shows and movies made it appear. It seemed like a place where you had the freedom to be who you decided, a place with more opportunities, and it was foreign to me. I loved traveling and exploring as kid, I still get bored of being in one place for what seems like too long.

How are you forming your identity in this new

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space and how has modeling contributed?

I’m following my intuition a lot right now.

Trying to find what feels right and then going with that. I’ve never been much of a planner, more of a jump off a cliff and hope to land in water kind of person. America has given me the courage to take that jump repeatedly whether it be about the clothing I decide to wear or the way I decide to act or talk, being in a foreign place has given me the ability to outgrow my old self, creating myself anew.

Modeling has played such a huge role in the way I view fashion and myself. There’s been times I thought I wasn’t as beautiful and then too pretty, but the thing about fashion and modeling is that it isn’t about what your other counterparts are doing, it’s about you and how you express your individuality. For that, I love them both.

If you had one sentence to capture your look, what would that be? Delicate but Deadly.

Why do you think people are so fascinated by your appearance, especially in some of your more ‘feminine’ shoots? I think people find what I do so interesting because it isn’t what people are comfortable seeing. Throughout history, there have been men who have made it their life’s work to be a balance of male and female and continuously throughout history those men have been ignored or misunderstood. I’m here to change that in any way I can and if that means being myself 100% and putting my soul on blast for people to judge, so be it. This world needs to accept fluidity and the ability to change who you are to become who you want to be. We are shapeshifting creatures made to be how we see fit and I think that starts with making the general public feel uncomfortable.

What does masculinity mean to you? Masculinity to me means

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Meet being able to be strong in who you are without allowing the comments of others to waver your opinion of self. It is the strength behind my creativity, it is the fuel that pushes me when I think I had enough and it is the protective nature I have for people.

Who are your male role models?

Oh goodness, that’s a great question. I would say Eustace Browne, my dad not only because he helped give me life but because he is as soft emotionally as he is strong mentally.

He teaches how to love tenderly and how to stand up for myself and what I believe in. Next I would say Prince, because he has explored his own depths and has thus evolved what it means to be a black male. Whether it be intellectually, fashionably, or musically, Prince has changed the way the world sees a beautiful black man.

How do you think that idea is changing as we progress with social activism and through social media?

I absolutely love and somewhat fear the fact people could say whatever they feel on the internet. It helps the evolution of human rights because real people have a platform to find like-minded individuals and further help spread any movements that need attention.

It is damaging because like anything, there will be people who misuse the internet by making it their personal goal to see people’s voices drowned by hateful comments, articles, photos, videos and any other medium people can use to bash someone else’s fate. It is up to us as the upcoming generation to help heal wounds instead of giving attention to comments that only cut deeper.

If you had one sentence to describe your online presence, what would that be?

Activist for Love of Self.

You tweeted that ‘We’re in the age of the Digital Renaissance’; could you expand more on what this means and the importance?

Well every time Art becomes a popular career

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or past time in history, the greatest ideas happen. Lately, the world seems to be catering to the artist, making the world visually stimulating is now something everyone wants a part in. We’ve taken to the internet, built communities on social networks filled with people of similar passions all found using photos. Photography has become our Art of this renaissance, it owns everything from advertising, to television, to our phones. You can’t go anywhere without seeing a picture or something digitally created. We are now more than ever connected by ideas and thought processes, it is a time of rebirth both creatively and philosophically.

You also mention the role of the Internet in empowering people; they can create an identity—their identity— through a blog.

How have you done this with your platforms?

The internet helped me escape a life I didn’t like living. I, like any other person, didn’t have the easiest upbringing and found an escape online. Most of the friends I’ve made have been online. For example, I found my first boyfriend online. It’s a dangerous place to go searching for yourself, but it is an amazing place to decide what you like and who you want to be.

How are you continually shaping who you are and what do you think you’re striving for?

Every day, I battle myself mentally to not think the same things I thought yesterday, but to continue to better my opinion of myself and the world I live in. I try to find new ways to express myself creatively and fashionably, but also finding new people to help me know humanity and myself more deeply.

Career wise, I know my big picture goal.

Short term, I don’t know where I’m headed or who I’m supposed to be, so right now I’m just trying to create a person I am happy to wake up to every morning.

What are some words of wisdom that is keeping you grounded at the moment?

It doesn’t take a day for a flower to blossom. ●

Isaiah B.

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Submissions Do you know someone who would really suit our style? Let them know of Kaleo OR send us their profile of work (Tumblr, website, Soundcloud, Instagram, etc) and their email address so we can contact them ourselves if we think we’d make a merry match.

Or how about you? Do you have something that you would love to express in Kaleo? Well then let us know! We would absolutely love to include you in our publication! Head to our website for all the guideline details and then email away! kaleojournal.com/submissions submit@kaleojournal.com

In Issue Three, we formed the beginnings of +you with our photo essay to promote unity among girls and the importance of physical wellbeing. We are looking to expand on what we started through an online series and we're looking for features.

If you are an artist, model, express yourself on social media or simply want to have a discussion about self love and positivity in our technologic age, then we would love to know.

For more information to submit, partner and support this venture, email info@kaleojournal.com

Kaleo Vent The emerging online community of publications on platforms like Issuu, Instagram and Tumblr are largely being driven by youth, which is incredible to see how this younger generation is expressing themselves and uniting. But sometimes it can be difficult to find these gems, so we're looking to initate a directory to connect publications, readers and contributors, building a stronger community.

To be involved in this, email publications.connect@gmail.com

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Vent is a project we manage through Tumblr. The blog is a place where people can anonymously send in any thoughts playing through their mind or stressing them out. It is based on the idea that just telling your thoughts or feelings to someone, anyone, can make you feel better because it’s not pent up inside. Our goal is to create a safe space and promote mental wellbeing through communication and expression. The submissions can be anything, serious or minor, ranging from: ‘I accidentally closed the door on my cat’s tail’ to ‘I recently came to terms with my sexuality.' kaleovent.tumblr.com

Let's Connect In the vast abyss of our planet Earth, we can sometimes slip apart. Let’s never let this happen. Let’s Connect.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIRAAD SENAN To send us a hello, share your enjoyment or for serious enquires send us an email at info@kaleojournal.com

Find all things related to our magazine, including contributors profiles and more about us www.kaleojournal.com

To order your very own copy of the magazine or a nifty subscription deal, head to kaleojournal.bigcartel.com

To see all the work behind the closed curtains and the antics that go with it, follow us at instagram/kaleojournal

To read a free copy of this magazine or other editions any where at any time head to issuu.com/kaleojournal

Check out our inspirations, take a glimpse at the things we love and see our Tumblr feature at kaleojournal.tumblr.com In Issue Three we featured poetry by Ashley McNally who has her own site dedicated to giving a platform to writers at www.ampoems.weebly.com

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