Body
Healthy Eating Written By Andrea Guerra We have all heard it. It is all over the news. There is an obesity epidemic going on – and everyone is making money because of it. There are gyms all over the place and there are more “diets” out there than one can shake a stick at. So what’s a girl to do? If you are like me, you don’t have the cash to pay for a fancy gym membership or for the latest diet book. But there is a way, a free way, to help you get and stay healthy.
F
ad diets always have some gimmick they guarantee will help you lose weight fast, but the faster you lose the weight the quicker it will come back. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle. You don’t have to do it all at once, but every change that you can make stick will only help.
A
ccording to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its website called MyPyramid a healthy diet is “one that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and is low is saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars”.
thighs(fats and sugars). We don’t have to give up cookies and sodas; we just have to eat fewer of them... So how much of everything can I eat?
Y
eah. We have all heard that before and it means zip. How does knowing this help me lose a few pounds and stay healthier? Here is where I come in and help.
A
healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, proteins and what I like to call the “fun stuff”: the things that stick to your waist and
MyPyramid can customize a plan for you, but I can give you a few tips to help you until you can check it out.
Body
Fruits:
You should eat 2 cups of fruits every day. A “cup” can be 8oz of 100% fruit juice; ½ cup of dried fruit (like raisins, craisins or dried apricots) or a piece of fruit (1 small apple, a banana or a large orange).
Vegetables:
Aim for 2½ cups of vegetables per day. For vegetables, a “cup” amounts to 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables (broccoli, chayote, okra); 8oz of vegetable juice or 2 cups of raw leafy greens (cabbage, mustard greens).
Grains:
6 servings a day are recommended by the USDA. At least half of those should be whole grains. Think whole wheat, bulgur, oatmeal and brown rice. A serving of grains equals 1 slice of bread; ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta or oatmeal; 5 crackers; 1 small pancake; 3 cups of popped 98% fat-free popcorn or 1 small tortilla.
Dairy:
3 cups of dairy, either low fat or fat-free, can be had a day. A “cup” in this case is 8oz of milk or yogurt; 1½ ounces of “real” cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese.
Protein/Beans:
5½ servings of protein/beans should be included in your diet everyday. A serving is 1 ounce of meat, chicken or fish; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon of peanut butter; ½ ounce of nuts or seeds or ¼ cup of beans. So if we follow this guideline, this is what one day of healthy eating would look like:
Breakfast:
-1 cup of oatmeal or cold cereal (2 grains, 1/2 milk) -1 banana (1 fruit) -coffee (1/2 milk) -Mid-Morning 1 yogurt (1 milk)
-handful of nuts (1/2 protein)
Lunch:
-PBJ sandwich (2 grain, 2 protein)
-salad with veggies (1½ vegetable)
Snack:
-coffee (1/2 milk) -5 crackers (1 grain)
Dinner:
-½ cup of rice (1 grain) -3-ounce steak of chicken breast (3 protein) -1 cup of steamed veggies (1 vegetable)
-Fruit Smoothie (1/2 milk, 1 fruit)
Following a healthy diet means you can eat many different things and you don’t have to go hungry. All you have to do is think ahead and try to make the best choices possible. Remember, you are important and you have to take good care of yourself. The views expressed in this article are not endorsed in any way by Lip Gloss Magazine, its staff, publisher or advertisers. It is solely the opinion of its author. All material in this magazine is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction.
Health
HPV By: Andrea Guerra
Cancer. You shudder thinking of it. No one
wants to get it. We have heard of radiation treatments, chemotherapy and surgeries to try to beat it. Many people die from it, a slow death. As a society, we have a big fear of it and are willing to do most anything to not deal with it. What would you do if there were a vaccine that could prevent cancer? Well, there now is. Gardasil is a vaccine that gives immunity against several strains of the
Human papillomavirus (HPV), some of
Illustration by J.T. Beauford
which are known to cause cervical cancer. Great! Sign me up for one, right? Not so fast, there are some things that you should know.
So what is a girl to do? The simplest way to avoid HPV, and the one parents everywhere want you to follow, is to have no sexual contact. I said simplest, not easiest. If you cannot avoid sexual contact, then use barrier protection, like condoms. Also, the less people you have relations with, the less likely you will get it. But that applies to all sexually transmitted diseases.
Cervical cancer only affects women. Sorry boys, but you do not have a cervix. HPV spreads through sexual contact. So while boys can have genital warts and other HPV symptoms, they don’t have to worry about cancer along with warts like the girls. The vaccine is only effective if So what is the final word? Get the shot before becoming sexually active, and you have not been exposed to the strains found in the vaccine. Unfortunately, there isn’t a test yet practice safe sex. If you are like most to find out which ones you may have come across. women, the worst the vaccine can do is So far the vaccine is very effective and it has few make your arm sore for a day or two –and a sore arm is a small price to pay in side effects –like soreness in the area where you order to avoid cervical cancer. got the shot, flu-like symptoms, and low-grade fever. There have been reports of other side effects, Disclaimer : from nausea to paralysis, along with 10 The views expressed in this article are not endorsed in any way confirmed deaths, which the CDC (Center for by Lip Gloss Magazine, its staff, publisher or advertisers. It is solely the opinion of its author. All material in this magazine is Disease Control) says are not linked to the provided for your information only and may not be construed as vaccine. medical advice or instruction.
Sources: www.mayoclinic.com/health/cervical-cancer-vaccine/WO00120, www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/07/cervical.cancer.vaccine/, www.cdc.gov/STD/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm
Health
Accidents happen. So, when your contraceptive method doesn’t live up to your expectations or wasn’t even initiated, you have options. When plan A fails you have
Plan B
.
By: Lucin Garabedian
Plan B was FDA approved for OTC (over the counter) use for emergency contraception in 2006 for anyone over 18. Many people are still not aware that Plan B is readily available behind the counter at pharmacies and that men can purchase it as well. All you need is an ID, which is to validate age only, and around forty-five dollars. I do realize that the price might cause an initial cringe so I want to help put it into perspective.
A cursory Google search yielded the average cost of raising a child to 17 anywhere from $260,000 - 500,000! A large case of diapers can run you $45 and think of how quickly you will go through those. Did that help? Now, that being said the price may just not be affordable to you. There are other options such as calling your local family planning center, which may offer payments on a sliding scale based on your income. Feel free to
Illustration by J.T. Beauford
also call your doctor who can call in a prescription for you. The catch with that being that it may or not be covered by your insurance based on its dual Rx/OTC status. Something I would like to point out as well is that this takes time and the longer you have to wait the less effective the medication. Many people, including health care providers still are confused or have misconceptions on emergency contraception. I want to clarify what emergency contraception is. Emergency contraception does not terminate a pregnancy, it is not an abortifacient. Plan B can prevent pregnancy. It will not end one. Emergency contraception won’t alter an already established pregnancy. If you
Health
Emergency contraception does not terminate a pregnancy, it is not an abortifacient. do happen to be pregnant, it won’t be harmful if you take it unknowingly. All this is important information to have when deciding if Plan B is right for you. Plan B is a progestin only tablet that can be taken up to 120 hours/ 5 days after the event. The packaging will direct you to take one tablet immediately and another 12 hours later. The dosing doesn’t have to be perfectly timed and it doesn’t alter the effectiveness as long as both tablets are taken within 24 hours of each other. The majority of professional organizations advocate taking both tablets as a single dose. It is more convenient and it has been shown to be slightly more effective this way. If Plan B is taken within 72 hours it decreases the risk of pregnancy by 89%. If taken within 24 hours it decreases the risk by 95%. Since Plan B is a progestin only regimen the side effects are less then other prescription only progestin / estrogen combinations. The side effects
are typically self-limiting and resolve within 24 hours. The majority of women can safely use Plan B even if they are unable to use oral contraceptives (the pill) for medical reasons.
Having Plan B available as an OTC option provides women an opportunity that never existed before or was greatly impeded by the healthcare system. Being able to obtain it from you pharmacist is essential to its success and it’s ability to be affective. Pharmacies have extended hours, are open on the weekends and depending on where you live there is generally a 24-hour pharmacy in your area. This is fantastic! Why? Well, the majority of mishaps are going to happen on the weekend. If Plan B was only available by prescription waiting until Monday for your doctor’s office to open allows a lot of valuable time to slip by. Remember Plan B is 95% effective in the first 24 hours, 89% effective in 72 hours. The easy accessibility of pharmacies allows getting the medication in that 24 hours period when it will be the most beneficial. Disclaimer : The views expressed in this article are not endorsed in any way by Lip Gloss Magazine, its staff, publisher or advertisers. It is solely the opinion of its author. All material in this magazine is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction.
Relationships
Think Before You
UNDRESS By Sharell L. Walker
Every person feels pressured in some way at some point in their lives. Pressure is an inevitability. The kind of pressure I’m addressing today is sexual pressure.
Now-a-days, more and more girls are being pressured into doing some sort of sexual act. Many girls are under the impression that if you want to maintain your relationship and keep your guy happy, you have to give in to his sexual advances. While being sexually active IS your choice and it IS up to you to fully realize the consequences, the point I’m stressing is that it is YOUR personal choice. No one, not even your boyfriend has the right to pressure you to do something you’re not ready for.
“...not even your boyfriend has the right to pressure you to do something you’re not ready for”. The question now is what to do when you find yourself in a situation with your boyfriend giving you that sneaky, come-hither look and your stomach starts doing cartwheels (and not in a good way). In my
Illustration by Tyler Jhenne Beauford
Every girl dreams of finding their “perfect” guy and being in a “perfect” relationship. Maintaining what you think is this “perfect” relationship may come at a steep price that you’re not ready to pay.
opinion, the first thing you need to do is pause. Stop whatever you’re doing and just think. A wise man (surprisingly a boy I was dating at the time) once gave me a piece of very good advice about sex; “If you have even the slightest of doubts... if you can think of even one single reason not to - don’t do it”. If there is the tiniest fraction of doubt in your mind whether you’re willing to do whatever your boyfriend is asking you (even if you have already done other things or the same thing with other people), you may not want to do it. We’ve all heard the pregnancy and STD threats. While you should be extremely aware of those, I am speaking to the consequences to your self respect and to your soul. Think about how
you’re going to feel the minute after doing this act. Will you have even the tiniest of regrets? Every person regrets something that they have done in their lives, so there is no point in adding another one to the list. My advice to every girl who finds themselves in a position that I myself was once in is to stop and think. Whatever you do next cannot be undone. The deep, seething guilt you may feel afterwards is not worth it.
Sharell L. Walker currently resides in New York City where she attends St. Johns University, majoring in English. She was born and raised in Brooklyn by her single mother along with her two older sisters.
Spirit
In Times of Change. T
hings are changing. Fast. Our generation is facing perhaps the most rapid changing world there has ever been. On one hand, things seem to be changing for good, and on the other, there is a very bleak outlook. When I am feeling dramatic (which is at least once a day) I see only two scenarios: 1. In 10 years all cars are running on Gatorade, everything is recyclable, there is no war, the polar bears are safe, Obama left the economy in really good shape and I have a phat job and an awesome husband. Or.... 2. In 10 years Alaska looks like a landfill , gas is $20 a gallon, there are no polar bears, we are at war with someone else who “definitely” had weapons of mass destruction, I lost my home to foreclosure, and I have no job and no husband because he got drafted for World War III
1 2 3 4 5
By Erika Flores
Oh… what the hell? It is clear to me that we are at a crucial point in history where we have to do something… but what? What are we supposed to do? As I reflect on it, there is the obvious. That, I already do. I recycle, I turn to green companies for as many goods or services as possible, I donate to animal charities, I am planning to get a hybrid car and I voted for Obama. I am doing my bit for the world, but I think there is a lot more I can do. This whole thing feels really Star Wars-y. Like a battle between the dark and the light that could go either way. So with the help of my lightsaber, I came up with 5 subtle but powerful ways to make more of a difference... aside from the obvious things we know we can do.
STOP COMPLAINING. Complaining and moaning don’t help anyone. Seriously. Going on and on about how expensive gas is, how much the war sucks, or how broke you are does not change any of those things. All it does is add to the negativity in the world, keep you anchored in your victim position and annoy everyone around you. Shut up and do something. Be part of the solution and not the problem. Focus on possibilities and ways to change what you are complaining about. BE KIND TO OTHERS. I may sound like your grandma… but this pays off. If we are nice to each other, smile and let older people have our seat on the train... If we are patient and respectful to each other, wait for our turn and give way, we are generating light and love, instead of adding to the anger, impatience and intolerance that create wars and that add to the nastiness and darkness in the planet. Keep the good vibes flowing.
DO YOUR WORK. How can you be better? What inner change can you work on? If we want the world to be a better place, the change needs to start with us. Don’t expect good things to happen while you sit in the couch text messaging. Learn a new language, take on a fitness challenge, get involved in your community, go back to school, start a spiritual practice. Be the best you can be. FOCUS ON THE OUTCOMES YOU WANT, NOT THE OBSTACLES YOU ARE FACING. Don’t get stuck by focusing on the things that seem “in the way” of the things you want, stay focused on the bigger picture. Yeah. Studying for exams, interviewing for jobs and saving money are not my favorite pastimes either. I’d rather be chilling at the beach, but they are the steps that get me one step closer to the things I really want. So, while you do those things, always hold on to your vision and put the bigger picture in perspective.
BE PRO, NOT AGAINST. We give our energy to whatever we focus on. So when you are against something, you are still giving your energy to that thing you don’t want. For example, I am pro animal rights and their fair treatment – not against animal cruelty; for Obama – not against McCain; pro peace – not against war; pro racial equality – not against racism. It is a very subtle but powerful adjustment. Direct your energy where you want it to go.
So, there you have it. Help create the scenario that you want. Change yourself in the direction you want the world to change. Be the change you want to see in others, in your community, your country and the world. Bust out your lightsaber. It is all up to us!
ROOTS
South Africa:My JouRney Written and Photographed by Chimaen Jackson
I
t all started when I was at the Cheesecake Factory with some friends. “So yeah, Brother Paul spoke on Sunday about some South Africa trip, and he’s inviting the youth to register for it. I think you have to write an essay to get into the program though.” From that moment I was hooked; the vision of me in South Africa was embedded so deeply in my mind that I got airplane sickness every time I thought about joining a tour group of my peers to another country. Then came the nervousness: apparently only 10 young people would be chosen. What if I wasn’t chosen? What if my essay wasn’t good enough? What ifs deluged my mind into action as, 3 days later, I called for information on the essay topics, and completed my essay one day later. The interest meeting sent me reeling. Somehow I was to find sponsorship and acquire five thousand dollars in order to make it on my dream trip. I felt my dreams falling from my dark skies. But six months, many friends, a fundraiser, and a prayer with a smile dangling from it, I found myself at gate D1, nonstop to South Africa…
January 9th was looked upon with such anticipation, that I began journaling my feelings four days prior. I had worked over seven months, approaching companies to gather all the money I needed to go to South Africa and now it was actually happening. WOW! It was so unreal, I felt as if I was floating through time right up until the airplane landed in Cape Town. Or maybe it was before, when I was flying over Africa, or the Atlantic, or maybe even when I was about to clear customs at Dulles International Airport, leaving my family on the other side of the departure gate. Whenever it was, whatever I felt, I knew that when I returned from South Africa, I would not be the same Chimaen Jackson. never felt more at home than when I was leaving home that day. Strange? Not for me. Having been home schooled all my life, and literally at home a good eighty percent of the time, two weeks in another country in another hemisphere on the other side of the Atlantic was more than a riveting experience for me; more than anticipated. As much as I didn’t know what to expect when going to this place, I looked forward to my first taste of independence, true freedom. No parents in another country?
I
This trip was destiny, and I could not wait to embark out on my own, to find what was lying in store up ahead.
“
I realized that one could read and read and read as much as they want about the world... and still never know anything until they see it for themselves.
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y goal for embarking on this “journey to self” was to gain the experience of travel for my future job at National Geographic as a photojournalist, to begin compiling my photographic portfolio for that job, and lastly expose myself to the culture of another people, so that my horizons could be broadened. I never fully comprehended just how journeying to another country truly accomplishes the latter for a person. This trip did that for me.
ROOTS
A
fter my first night in Cape Town, South Africa, I realized that I was an entire hemisphere, seven time zones, and an ocean away from home. I couldn’t run home to daddy or mommy. There was no turning back. I had taken myself to the max. Across the globe, coast to coast, to the southernmost tip of South Africa. I was doing me. After that first night, I realized just how much about myself I didn’t know. After coming to that realization, I then prayed and asked God what He would have me get out of this experience of independence, culture, and self-discovery.
I made the decision that I was going to capture what I felt through the eye of my heart that I could hold in my hand: my camera.
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y undiscovered narrowmindedness stuck out to me while in South Africa, more than one of the many irksome pimples on my face. I realized that one could read and read and read as much as they want about the world (which is what I had done all my life), and still never know anything until they see it for themselves. I wasn’t on the other side of a barrier of the pages of an atlas or television. I was in the real deal. For two whole weeks waking up to the sunrise or rain of South Africa would be my reality. I didn’t understand that dynamic. Different people, different accents, different topography, different food, different economy; different lifestyles. This didn’t click right away. Just by being in another country I realized that being home schooled is not the only shelter. Living in America shelters many unraveled people, and travel outside of its safe borders is one way for her inhabitants to gain invaluable cultural immersion and a different opinion on the world we as people live in.
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ne issue that really stuck out to me as an African-American was that all around me, almost like a way of life, that white people lived in luxury (the way I was accustomed to living at home: basically worry free, and comfortably middle class with life’s little amenities) and black people lived in sordid poverty. Even though apartheid has been abolished for over ten years, I saw that its fingerprints still lay deep on South Africa. Blacks still lived in miles of shacks made of shoddy materials like cardboard and aluminum tin. And the government’s sorry “repairments” were tiny, bungalowlike, rooms-with-roofs-and-doors.
The sight made me want to cry each time it slapped my eyes. Also, black people worked even the smallest of jobs so that they could earn a few pennies for themselves: from pouring juice in a cup for you, to arranging your flatware, to begging in the streets or waiting in them for employment.
That glance alone made me appreciate America as a melting pot.
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he images of people living in conditions that, back home I only saw as reality via Feed the Children infomercials, continually drove home that I was a spoiled girl living in the greatest country on earth. However, from the moment I saw the graphic imagery of the differences in the anthropological topography of the country there in Cape Town, I made the decision that I was going to capture what I felt through the eye of my heart that I could hold in my hand: my camera. Since I was twelve I have dreamed of working for National Geographic, and being there in South Africa was my chance to draw from my self the aptitude it would take to birth the feelings I felt through my viewfinder. Culture shock. Drama. Beauty. Contentment. Plenty. Nature. Poverty. Love. Hidden apartheid.
ROOTS
I
was able to experience all of this, and, spending most of my time behind my peephole, I did my best to capture it. But how can one capture racism that is best seen when felt via empathy for others? How do you catch your soul’s tears as you see those who call you “sister” begging for a bit of their day’s income? How do you detain the perverted joy you feel as you see poor children play in their derelict neighborhoods with dilapidated toys beneath billboards announcing new luxury homes “over the next hill”?
How do you capture the rising intonations in the voices of enthralled children who are thrilled that you are from a country where Oprah lives?
I
t’s hard; nearly impossible, but I gained a new respect for the field of photography through my trip in South Africa. In some ways I gained a new respect for America as a melting pot. I really felt that Americans (especially us post civil rights’ era youth) really do not get how blessed we are to wake up and see different peoples in all classes, walks of life, and all integrated. At the same time, I almost became revolted with America. Here in the USA, we as a people have so much available to us, and we do not put nearly half of it to use. Children here skip school while children there are proud to own a school uniform. Here in the USA I meet up with unkind people who are profusely blessed, but in Soweto, South Africa one can walk up to any door in the rugged streets and ask for water, food, or to use the bathroom, and you are welcomed with a smile. In the USA, children are ungrateful with the wealth that they have, always wanting the latest gadget or hairstyle or clothes, but
there in Johannesburg, I met up with people who were ready to own the shoes on my feet with a smile still on their faces. There is also a difference between the work ethic there and here, as well as the sense of family, which is much stronger there than it is here in divorce-rummaged America. However, aside from my perception of the great differences between South Africa and America as the country’s government reconstructs in this post-apartheid era, there were some highlights of the trip that made it completely fulfilling: South Africa itself was amazing. Cape Town and Johannesburg were polar opposites; the sapphire-crystal clear blue oceans versus the rugged land were great contrasts to experience my first time out of the USA. Truly an amazing experience for me. Note: I did not travel alone; I was with a tour group, lead by 2 former members of the hit show, StepAfrika!. One tour guide had been to the country 13 times! The tour group was made up of 18 women including myself (the 2 leaders were men…surrounded by a lot of Estrogen!).
T
he diverseness of the people, the fact that my tour was not altered by “what they want me to see” allowed me to experience what I think will one day aid me in my dream job at National Geographic. I saw beauty, roughness, laughter, sadness, plenty, etc.
The beauty was in the mountains, the clouds, the crystal clear ocean, the jackass penguins, the blue skies, the people, and the architecture. The roughness and laughter were in Johannesburg on the street markets, and in Soweto towns. The plenty was in the hearts of the rich and poor people who humbly gave to me as a stranger in their home. The lack was in Cape Town, as I rode nearly six miles watching shacks surrounded by trash, dirt roads, and no electricity. The sadness was in my eyes and the eyes of a little friend that I had made when I had to tell her “goodbye” through her mother, because she spoke no English (only Zulu); it was seeing her kick and scream and run into her small home because it was too much for her to bear.
ROOTS
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he coolest part of any “vacation” besides the vacation itself, is almost always where you end up staying. I was blessed with tour guides who proved they were capable of choosing a brilliant hotel location even half a world away. In Cape Town I stayed in the Southern Sun Waterfront Hotel, which overlooked the Indian Ocean, the pier where ships and boats pulled in, Tabletop Mountain, and, the best of all, the waterfront MALL!!! In Johannesburg I stayed in the Stay Easy Hotel, and in Pilanesburg, I stayed in the Sun City Main Hotel, at the Cascades. The Cascades looked over a jungle-ish type of landscape with baboons trying to get into hotel rooms and monkey families dodging enthralled tourists. Then there was Lesedi Cultural Village, which is a compound/reserve that tells the stories of the five dominant tribes of South Africa as it allows guests to experience them individually
for themselves. It’s divided into villages, each with the people’s indigenous domiciles. I’ll give you a clue: I slept in a 21st century hut complete with a claw-foot tub, a jungle head shower, 2 full beds, a TV, and thatched walls and roof!
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ome cool highlights of my trip were the food I ate, and all the “first-timers” that I had. For instance, I saw the Lion King on stage for the first time (my first Broadway show!). I attended the African stage play Umoja and had the pleasure of receiving autographs from cast members and meeting the director. On Boulder Beach at Cape Town, I saw penguins in their natural habitat for the first time. One of the hotels even had monkey families scurrying around and I saw a baboon about 10 feet from me that was almost 3 feet tall. I ate ostrich, lamb, curried goat,
curried chicken, dumplings, and baby octopus. And I also ate at this HUGE restaurant called Moyos, where I had an amazing African experience eating a large variety of African breads, meats, sauces, etc. There was this one food called pap, which is a food that is to be eaten as a utensil (it takes on the taste of the food it is eaten with), but I thought it was mashed potatoes. At one point, (I was at Lesedi Cultural Village in Pretoria) I heaped a bunch onto my plate and began eating it, happy to see a bit of American type food. However, the texture was of really thick grits and paste. Later, while at a guide’s home, I learned that pap was to be eaten with the hands and used to scoop up other foods like curry, etc. What a lesson! When I tried it that way, I found pap to be a really good food, and I immediately added it to my list of South African foods to try and find once I returned to America.
I met a variety of people in Cape Town and Johannesburg. They were not celebrities or anything, (which, to me, was the best, most fulfilling part of the tour) they were just people, and I enjoyed being constantly surrounded by their culture and je ne se qua.
ROOTS
T
he reality of the whisper of apartheid still exists in the country of South Africa. It is obvious, even to the untrained eye, that South Africa is still a racist country, prejudice towards its natives. I noticed the line between those who were rich and those who were poor, those who begged and those who were begged, those who shopped in the malls and those who mopped its floors, etc. I saw that black people there were living in poor excuses for living domiciles: about 6 miles of shacks on the side of the road that resembled a junkyard with several dirt roads between them. I saw children playing with dilapidated toys under large billboards announcing “better living just over the hill”. It was sad to see
that what I saw only on Feed the Children infomercials was a reality for many, many people. It made me grateful
for what I have, and chastise myself for any moment I spent complaining for all I don’t have.
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y journey to South Africa changed my mind about travel, laughter and culture. There were times in which I found myself laughing at even the quaintest things like a view of a mountain or sighting baboons and with their families. I actually spent those 15 days argument and stress free! It also changed my mind about what my photojournalism means to me. And it changed my mind about how travel in itself is education (in a very high form). I now encourage travel to any young person to whom it is available. Whether it costs much money or it is given free, travel is a window to a new person and a new view of people.
It gives one the exposure they need to become global thinkers and expand their horizons. When horizons are expanded, conversations become dimensional and more interesting, thoughts are expounded, dreams are birthed, and limits to goals are freed.
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It is obvious, even to the untrained eye, that South Africa is still a racist country, prejudice towards its natives.
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By Michelle Barkley t seems politically interesting or potentially powerful women are usually controversial. There are all sorts of things being said about the vice presidential contender, Sarah Palin. She hails from an out-of-the-way place and yet makes a big splash on the political scene. A Native American woman who has made headlines in her own country and internationally is Rigoberta Menchú, a Quiche Mayan woman from Guatemala. She was born on January 9, 1959. She is famous for winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 as a leading advocate of Indian rights in Guatemala and throughout the Americas. In 2006 she helped found The Nobel Women’s Initiative with the goal of strengthening support for women’s rights worldwide. In 2007 she ran for president of Guatemala and received 3% of the vote. Guatemala is in Central America, between Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. The landscape includes gorgeous beaches, active volcanoes, jungle and ancient Mayan ruins. The Quiche people have mixed together many of their traditional customs with Christianity. Women often wear colorful loom-woven skirts and loose blouses while men’s ceremonial dress is black wool suit with short jacket and knee-length pants. Spanish is still learned as a second language in many communities. The Quiche community is also famous for it’s open-air markets. As a child Ms. Menchú attended primary school at several Catholic boarding schools, away from her family’s farm. After leaving school she became involved in social reform and was prominent in the women’s rights movement in Guatemala when just a teen. She joined the Committee of the Peasant Union (CUC) in 1979. Unfortunately, that year the Guatemalan Army killed her brother. The following year her father died when at a protest in the Spanish embassy in the capital, Guatemala City. Her mother also died after being arrested, tortured, and raped. After continuing to campaign against human rights violations during the Civil War, Ms. Menchú was forced into hiding in Guatemala and then fled to Mexico in 1981. In 1982 she helped found The United Representation of the Guatemalan
Opposition (RUOG) to continue the campaign.1 While in Paris promoting her cause, Ms. Menchú told her story to Elisabeth Brugos Debray. Ms. Debray turned the transcripts into a book, called in English, I Rigoberta Menchú. The testimonio is a powerful account of her experience fighting for justice. There has been controversy surrounding the story Ms. Menchú told. In 1999 an anthropologist named David Stoll published a book, Rigoberta Menchú and the Story of All Poor Guatemalans. While he confirmed much of Ms. Menchú’s story, he found details about her family and their circumstances had been changed.2 According to conservative, right-wing author David Horowitz, Ms. Menchú told “a classic Marxist myth” 4 in order to promote her liberal political cause. After calls to revoke Ms. Menchú’s Nobel award, Professor Geir Lundestad, the secretary of the Nobel Committee, said her prize “was not based exclusively or primarily on the autobiography.” 2. In 1991 Ms. Menchú took part in preparing the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 1999 she took the Guatemalan government to court in Spain in order to prosecute crimes committed during the civil war. While the first attempt at justice stalled in the courts, on December 23, 2006 Spain called for the extradition of seven former members of Guatemala’s government on charges of genocide and torture including the military rulers Efraín Ríos Montt and Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores. Recently, Ms. Menchú has become involved in the pharmaceutical industry as President of the company Salud para Todos (Health for All) with the goal of providing low cost generic medicines for those in need.2 She also continues to work for reconciliation in Guatemala and for Indian rights through her own foundation, Fundación Rigoberta Menchú Tum (FRMT). Here’s to women who stir things up and keep politics interesting and, hopefully, better balanced. 1.http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1992/ tum-bio.html 2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigoberta_Menchú 3.http://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/texts/irigobertamenchu. html 4.http://www.salon.com/col/horo/1999/01/11horo.html
Sometimes it is the unexpected gifts in life that open your eyes and truly allow you to see... That is exactly what happened to photographer Nicole Jean, age 19. It was a chance Christmas gift, her first camera, that ignited her hidden passion. Since then Nicole Jean has wowed onlookers with her enlightened compositions of color and light. Nicole Jean admits that she may not have always received the most support in her pursuit of photography, but that only helped to further drive her motivation. Nicole Jean is refreshingly optimistic with an external focus that allows her to capture the beauty around her and share that beauty with others.
LG: .How long have you been a photographer? NJ: I’ve been taking photos artistically since the age of 14. LG:How did you come to be interested in photography? NJ: I never thought I’d be into it, I mean, I wasn’t a born photographer. I got chunky camera for Christmas one year and it was too bulky to bring to school. Instead, I started taking photos of the sunset, flowers, things like that. It sparked my love immediately. LG: How would you describe your style of photography? NJ: Style is a hard word..I would say atmospheric, emotional and conceptual, but with a fashion twist.
LG: what inspires your creativity? NJ: I get inspiration all over the place! I love reading, and since books require you to think visually, I get a lot from there. I did a series based on “The Other Boleyn Girl” as well as plenty of shoots dedicated to Shakesphere and others with Biblical references. Another huge thing is music. I live my life to a soundtrack and I like for my photos to do the same. Classical art is also wonderfully inspiring. How can you look at the work of Da vinci, Rubens, Vermeer and Giotto and not be inspired? LG: What message are you trying to convey with your photography? NJ: The message varies from photo to photo. Sometimes I’ll implement something controversial or sensitive. Sometimes the message is just beauty. We do not realize how much beauty passes us by daily. We don’t realize the beauty in ourselves as humans, or how light brings that beauty to life. LG: Do you have a favorite photographic subject? Do you have a least favorite photographic subject? NJ: I’m very sure now that my favorite subject is, of course, people. It’s not to say I don’t enjoy other subjects but there’s something about working with a live, energetic entity that makes the experience so rewarding. Least favorite--probably hard-to-work-with people! LG: What kind of equipment do you use and how important is the role of your equipment? NJ: I work with a Canon Digital Rebel Xti, a Canon 50mm 1.8 and a Tamron 28-80. They’re all very affordable pieces and they have done me wonders. Of course, there is post processing in Photoshop CS3 but if you don’t have a good image in the camera, you don’t have one after retouches either. LG: I understand that you study photography at Ringling College of Art and Design. How has your life changed since starting College? NJ: Ringling’s been great so far. I’m being exposed to SO much more art and so many talented people. I’ve had less time to shoot, but much more inspiration from being in such an energetic atmosphere.
LG: How do you deal with the academic and creative pressures of school? NJ: It does go on overload sometimes. I've started a great workout and yoga plan, so that helps me mentally and physically. It's all about upkeep with your body and mind. Of course, my personal photography projects are wonderful outlets as well. LG: What is the one thing you wish young people your age would understand? NJ: Just one thing? Kidding. I wish that people my age would understand the importance of pursuing your passion. If there's something you love to do, and you do it well, there's a way to make a living. We have one life to live, that's it. LG: Was this your first time voting? What has this election meant to you? NJ: 2008 was my first year. I can honestly say the campaign run by President Obama was one of the most amazing times in my life. I never felt such a connection with strangers before. LG: Other than photography, what other passions/hobbies do you have? NJ: I absolutely love singing and theater. Performing Art was my alternative to Photography but sometimes you're forced to choose between two loves. I know I'll make it a point, though, to enjoy both throughout my life. LG: When you look back on your body of work, what would you like to say you have accomplished with your photography? NJ: I feel I have come pretty far with my understanding of light and color as well as my subjects. I feel I've really learned to connect personally with my models. I understand I've got much more to learn though, and that fact makes me look so much forward to my future with photography.