Queen Eagle Issue 1

EUSSI SIHT NI

The Eagle has re-birthed. Having gone through the process of renewal and change, Emme has emerged with the fire of a dragon, the courage of a lion, the strength of a bear and the grace of a bird of paradise.

01 MARCH 31, 2020

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF

Queen Eagle

CONTENTS

1 QUEEN EAGLE Who is the Queen Eagle?Â

5-6 TESTIMONIALS Friends are with you to the end. The real ones make the journey bearable with laughter.

7-8 GET TO KNOW ME To know me, is to love me...

Queen Eagle

Words by Emme KrisTi Photos by Shadae

Born a child of the zodiac and dubbed themself ‘child of the star’ at a young age, Emme is undoubtedly a stellar creation exuding cosmic energies of love, passion, and loyalty.

On the evening of March 31st, 1989 one lucky woman, Ivorine Gordon gave birth to her third and final child and heartbeat. A boy whom was grown to be loved by all who he meets. Yes, I was born male, but I always presented differently and had to fight to gain acceptance in many spaces where I had the interest to exist. My attempt to mask my very vibrant personality paid off very well as I always seem to make it to the top of anything that I decide to be a part of…no pun intended.

At 31 years, I am finally at a place where I can boldly claim spaces as my authentic self whether or not anyone believes I deserve them. This is why I came up with the concept of ‘Queen Eagle’.

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#BeingMeSince'89

Queen Eagle

Words by Emme KrisTi Photos by Shadae

Even though Queen Eagle is, on the one hand, paying homage to my high school where I was molded into the greatness I am today, it was also influenced by my sister’s proclamation of ‘Fortis Queen’ almost a year ago; breaking down the barriers of masculinity and femininity by challenging the old and new boys of Kingston College to either accept or come to terms that men are men despite how they may present.

While I’ve never had the need to challenge that frame of thought attending Charlemont High, something tells me that because of the openness of how I’ve lived my life, I have been excluded from certain spaces and conversations for which I would have been more qualified than those who were chosen above me.

So, 'Queen Eagle' is the embodiment of all the greatness that resulted from the years of hard work that I had to endure just to survive as myself, and all that I represent being one of the best, soaring above all the turmoil and pettiness beneath me.

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#BeingMeSince'89

INTRODUCING THE QUEEN EAGLE Emme KrisTi

As I close a chapter of 31 years on my life and begin to write the next three decades, I am looking forward to greater achievements.

#BeingMeSince'89

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Your Jamaican nonbinary STEM queen of the water-foodhuman nexus. Heir Apparent of the Haus of Yemoja. Whether I’m your poison or cure depends on the dose. A real 876 goodie whose only goal in life is to be great and unaffected.

#BeingMeSince'89

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Queen TESTIMONIALS Eagle “Emme, you are like fine wine. It sounds like a cliché but it is true. As you "aged" you have found your essence, your true flavour. A good liqueur has the benefit of time so that when it is opened and shared it is spectacular. Not everyone will like it...but true connoisseurs can certainly appreciate it! Happy growth day...may your essence enrich the full human that you are!” - SJW

My stand out word for you is Genuine. You have been very reliable and supportive of all I do. I can always count on you to turn up whenever I need you. You are a lifetime friend big love for you Emme KrisTi” – CG

“I believe that there are several types of friends for different timelines and reasons. You’ve played several roles in the short amount of time I’ve known you. However, I think the biggest role you’ve played (in my life) is that of an inspiration/confidence builder upper (I made up a word, I know lol) in many ways. The way that you live your life is inspiring. You’re unapologetically you and that’s something to admire. You’ve placed a lot of confidence in my ability which has helped me grow in both work-related and personal areas. You’ve shared some parts of your life with me that I know you might not have been comfortable sharing with other persons so I know I must be doing something right as a person . You’re probably one of few people that I’m super super comfortable with. So, although you give me one bag a attitude, ignore my texts and don’t like hugs, lol, I still feel comfortable being me around you lol which says a lot about you as a person lol. I appreciate you lots and have nothing but pure love for you. Have a wonderful birthday ❤” – JW

“Since I met you, I knew from day one seh we jus aguh get along quite alright. U never pretended to be someone you weren't in the middle of a fake environment. For that, you earned my respect and trust. I have been blessed with the opportunity to watch you grow, evolve into self-acceptance, self-love (because we both know that journey was rough). Your happiness matters and I am glad you are happy being true to you. Keep on being you boo. Love you.” – SF

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Queen Eagle TESTIMONIALS “Each day brings new experiences but not outstanding people. Once in a while, we meet someone who embodies the fortitude and zeal for living life their way devoid of the opinions of others. You are that embodiment and the world and those in it are better for having met and hopefully learned a lesson or two from you about staying true to your own and always letting your results tell the story. As you chart into a new frontier in your life, I wish that you achieve all that you desire and I know you will continue living by your own rules and making the world respect you for your merit and not because you faked your way. All the best to you on this new turning point. Happy Birthday� – DT

Thank you for always being a source of inspiration, joy, and solitude to me. You have easily and seamlessly become a cherished and loved member of our family and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you for simply being you. #flawsome.� ��Colette

“My dear friend Emme, a true friend one that always had my back even when I was just an acquaintance‌I told someone this just this week. Even when I was wrong, he would say she is wrong enough but please try to understand from her perspective. Someone I can run to with all my slackness cause he ain't judgmental and is a great listener. I hope you have a wonderful birthday my fellow March paaree. Love you đ&#x;˜˜â€? – PH

“You're so sweet and loving and a goal chaser. Love how you just be yourself and really don't care what anyone thinks. For that I'm happy to be a part of your life.� SL (Candy)

I will never forget how we met. Me attack you online caz a weh me read innah u blog.

Lol. But you had an open heart then and you just roll up to the next JFLAG event and said hi. I didn’t know then, but it turns out you were the neighbour and sister I didn’t know I needed. A crab night, a round robin gone wrong and some movies later, we were sharing our deepest secrets together, teaching each other new things and fighting each other endlessly on MK10. That Mileena vs Kitana all-nighter was legendary. I am so glad you came into my life when you did and organically play the role that you do. I love that I got a front row seat to your evolution Emme and that you trusted the Evil Queen with your confidence and Friendship. Yemoja Sisters to the End. - � Glen

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GET TO KNOW 1. Who is KrisTi?

Queen Eagle

Well here I am. I am KrisTi and KrisTi is me. I’m a gendernonconforming queer scientist who advocates for equality. I am boldness personified and the definition of authentic. I am the result when determination meets strategy and execution. Growing up I used to struggle with who I am, I used to be so interested in what others had to say about that I never gave time to getting know myself even though I was right there existing alongside the perception the world had of me. Growing up, as with any other black Jamaican male growing up in Jamaica, I was forced into a box that didn't fit me and one that I didn't like. While I can't say for sure that this has had any significant negative effect on the person I grew up to be, it definitely left a void inside me that I have been trying to fill for time immemorial.Now that I’ve accepted all of me for what it is; the good, the bad and the ugly I can continue to weave all of that in a nice big ball of fabulosity. I am me and that’s the world needs to know. My hashtag #BeingMeSince’89 says it all.

2. Has food chemistry and "water science" always been your passion?

Science was always my passion. Then I grew into chemistry at high school. As I began to learn more about the world, I started to lean towards food chemistry because I thought everyone should have access to safe food, I believe wholeheartedly that food shouldn’t be something to kill us. I kind of just fell into water science and realized that I have a real penchant for it so I found ways to marry it to my other interests like social justice, statistics, equality, and food safety.

"I am boldness personified and the definition of authentic.

I am the result when determination meets strategy and execution."

3. What's the difference in teaching at the secondary and tertiary level and what are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

Two a dem annoying to be honest. But the one thing I will never appreciate about teaching at a secondary school is the myriad of restrictions from how you are expected to dress, to how you are expected to walk and talk. It paints teachers as being unrelatable and further widens the gap between teacher and student. However, the advantage is the opportunity to mold students in the kinds of people you want for the future of society. That’s not so easy with tertiary students who would have already been molded. For the most part, though the restrictions aren’t that many teaching at the tertiary level, navigating the different personalities without any real framework for real-time punitive actions can create a real challenging teaching environment.

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GET TO KNOW 4. What's one area in your field that you think is underresearched and why?

Human Dimensions of the Environment is a severely underresearch field in Jamaica. It may due to many factors including interests and the general direction of the economy, research in the region as much as it may be due to a lack of funding. Science-based research is already underfunded and to establish the value of this kind of environmental sociology research is going to be a steep uphill task.

5. As an openly queer person, what was the journey to selfdiscovery like in the context of Jamaica?

It started as a rough one. Growing I was teased for just about everything. How I walk, how I talk, my general mannerisms, the fact that I would ‘wine mi waist’…everything! I couldn’t catch a break. The teasing kind of toned down towards the end of high school then picked up again when I got to UWI. Gladly, though I was never physically assaulted for being queer. While I was feminine, I was able to conceal it in certain spaces like dancehall events. There was even a time growing up when the majority of my friends were males though I never really could relate to them. The later part of the journey, maybe within the last 5 years or so was more about me learning about queer identities, gender, and sexuality and understand me a bit more.

Queen Eagle "It is possible to create our own safe spaces, even in STEM as a hypermasculine field, we just have to be strategic in how we navigate the different spaces."

6. As someone who identifies as gender non-conforming, do you think STEM is a safe-space?

STEM is not a safe place, especially being feminine presenting. This is not saying that one can’t find their niche as I have. It’s just about allowing people to know you beyond your perceived identity. I find that being closed and not wanting people to know too much about your life keeps them at a distance and that exacerbates the already fragile interactions that we have in these spaces. It is possible to create our own safe spaces, even in STEM as a hypermasculine field, we just have to be strategic in how we navigate the different spaces.

#BeingMeSince'89

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GET TO KNOW

Queen Eagle

7. Are fashion and styling a big part of how you actualize your identity? What aesthetic are you going for?

A big and Definitive YES! It’s always something I’ve known for even when I wasn’t deliberate about it. I think I have a very particular style that says, “while I know I’m not an I’m not trying to be better than anyone, you'll need to step your pussy up to get in with me.� I honestly don’t know think I am going for a particular aesthetic, I just know that where I am now on my journey, no matter the event, when I step in a room, I’m breaking some necks and keeping some alive to pay me compliments.

8. What is your support system like?

They are phenomenal. I owe these few people all the props for who I am today. When I was at my lowest, I met my now sister, Fortis Queen, Mother of the Haus of Yemoja and she showed me that I was much more than what I was going through at the time. And, she reminded me that the world needed to experience what I was offering. Glen introduced to a loving, quirky (though dem dysfunctional dem loyal) bunch that I have come to call family‌my nieces, the children of the Haus of Yemoja and I have a renewed sense of purpose knowing that I have these younger persons looking to me for guidance and encouragement.

"I just know that where I am now on my journey, no matter the event, when I step in a room, I’m breaking some necks and keeping some alive to pay me compliments."

My sister, my best friend, my brother are all stellar people in supporting me by affirming who I am not putting boundaries on how I can express my identity. I could go on and on about this, but I have a page limit đ&#x;˜Šâ€Śmy support system is the strongest it has ever been.

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#BeingMeSince'89 Special thanks to: Outfits by Denzel Nelson (@876_mojito_official) Hair by Anika Walsh (@illusionator) Make-up by Paris Lewinsky (@i_am_paris_lewinsky) Creative Direction by Kyymberly Savage (@kyym_savage) and Emani (@emaniemanithestylist) Newsletter by Mx Williams (@theartistmx) Photography by Shadae (@tas_wirl) Queen Eagle Logo Design by Trevmedia (@trevmedia)