Moda Madison: March 2022 Issue

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Gabrielle Gronewold

DEPUTY EDITOR

Arella Warren

ART DIRECTOR

Annika Ide

ARTS CURATOR

Emma Gray

PHOTOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR

Audrey O’Neill

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sam Starks

FASHION DIRECTOR

Corbin Woessner

FASHION EDITOR

Manon Bushong

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Mason Braasch

CULTURE EDITOR

Rachel Hale

ARTS EDITOR

Kora Quinn

ON THE COVER

Ashley-Grace Dureke photographed by Seth DeGier, Assistant Photography Director

ACTING FASHION EDITOR & DIRECTOR

Jane Houseal

ACTING LIFESTYLE EDITOR

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Rachel Van Hefty

PR AND OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Emily Fleming

ONLINE EDITOR

Jessica Katz

NEW MEMBERS DIRECTOR

Maya Greenberg

PROGRAMMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR

Madeleine Olson

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CO-DIRECTORS

Abbey Perkins Sonakshi Garr

MAKEUP DIRECTOR

Riley August

VIDEOGRAPHY DIRECTOR

Madelyn Vilker

WEBSITE MANAGER

Kara Conrad

MODA IS PRODUCED WITH SUPPORT FROM THE WISCONSIN UNION AND WISCONSIN UNION DIRECTORATE PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE.

WRITERS

Laine Bottemiller • Abby Cattapan • Noa Chamberlin

•Tessa Devine • Emily Fleming

• Robyn Geroge • Gabrielle Gronewold • Jane Houseal • Nina Johnson • Jessica Katz

• Lily Miihelich • Lila Price • Kora Quinn • Alison Stecker

• Cate Tarr • Arella Warren • Zack Zens

ART

Riley August • Alyssa Cohen

• Mac Gale • Emma Gray

• Filip Jawdosiuk • Alexa Kantor • Shea Murphy

• Rosie Quinlan• Quinn Ruzicka • Riya Shah • Jessica Tenenbaum • Arella Warren

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jami Balicki • Claudia Chan

• Abby Cima • Seth DeGier

•Hannah Huber • Molly Jacobs • Anna Janke • Luc Marchessault

MODELS

Tessa Devine • Ashley-Grace Dureke • Dia Ferrara • min

dy j navarro • Forrest Orion

• Phoebe Smolan • Noah

White

EDITORIAL DIRECTION

Hannah Bruder • Ella Cunz

• Lindsee Kaufman • Cole Lewis

Graphic by Rosie Quinlan, Contributing Graphic Artist

MODA | 2 TEAM Abby Cattapan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CULTURE

08

Insurrection

The weight of a country falling to conspiracy

23

The Forgotten Black Women Behind the 19th Amendment

How five suffragettes subverted norms to raise awareness for the cause

24

The Disability Rights Movement: An Ongoing Trajectory

The Disability Rights Movement is a crucial part of progressive and intersectional activism

28

Breaking Boundaries for Green Business

Two senior undergraduate students' environmental contributions to Madison

39

An Interview With Edna Dawit

Madison activist talks experience, intention and aftercare

06

Banned Books: A Not-So-Distant Orwellian Future

The banning of books in schools

14

Breaking Norms and Bending Genres

Up-and-coming artists who have subverted our musical expectations

26

Benjyehuda: Fueling the Counterculture

A restaurant absent of rules and regulations

42 What Finance-Bros Won’t Tell You About NFTs

Misogyny and women’s position in the NFT marketplace

46 Guerrilla Girls

How anonymous activists provoke the art world

47 Who We Love to Hate and Hate to Love

Dissecting villains in film

LIFESTYLE

27

The Advantages of Risk Taking

How pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can lead to success and self-expression

44

I Am My Worst Enemy

How to take power away from negative thinking

FASHION

10

Powerful Protest Fashion

30 Stolen Soles

The dark side of sneaker culture you’re privileged not to know about

32 Unisex Street Style March Trend Report

40

Breaking Through the Binary Exploring genderless fashion

FEATURED

2022 How protest fashion promotes change

17 Warped 34 Fluidity

Dear Readers,

For the past three years, Moda has cel ebrated Women’s Month by centering our conversations around gender, the patriarchy and, well, women. When we sat down to choose this year’s March issue theme, we wanted to continue this tradition, but in a more expansive way that was both gender-inclusive and disruptive. Enter: Subversive!

To subvert means to undermine the power and authority of an established system. It is to disrupt and destabilize. It is to take note of the world around you and to challenge it. It is through subversive acts that we are able to evolve, innovate and ultimately im prove what is unjust.

Take Arella Warren’s piece “Guerril la Girls,” a comprehensive look at the gender inequities in the art world and the ways in which anonymous activ ists, the Guerrilla Girls, rose above and rebelled against art’s traditional struc ture. These activists saw that the ma jority of art featuring women in major mainstream institutions featured fe male nude bodies, created by white male artists. To defy this, the group began featuring nude women in their

TOown campaigns—this time sporting the tagline, “Do women have to be na ked to get into the Met. Museum?” If it weren’t for people like the Guerrilla Girls who see a problem and turn it on its head, we would never be moved to change the rigid ways we do things.

This is why Nina Johnson’s article “Banned Books: A Not-So-Distant Or wellian Future” is so important. John son pinpoints the upward trend in American schools and institutions ban ning books on the basis that they dis cuss social injustices, like racial equal ity and LGBTQIA+ rights. Johnson’s conversation is of inherent value and raises awareness to challenge the very structures that discriminate against these topics in the first place. Kora Quinn’s “What Finance-Bros Won’t Tell You About NFT’s” continues this ef fort by tackling Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and shedding light on the cur rent gender disparities in the crypto currency and blockchain industry. This is an industry that on its own confronts current financial structures and should be made accessible to all.

Challenging structures and subverting from the norm can also be incredibly personal. The Fashion Editorial Spread,

Fluidity, showcases model and writer Dia Ferrara’s personal experience with fashion and identity. Through poetry and writing, Ferrara brings style off the page not just as an aesthetic, but as a personal journey, an introspec tive reflection and even a testament against society.

March 2020’s Nasty disrupted the pa triarchy with a pop; March 2021’s Fa tale took a critical look at the female struggle through alluring aesthetics and March 2022’s Subversive challeng es the very structure of gender itself with unapologetic freshness. I am al ways proud of Moda’s March issue and I’m honored to continue the tradition of holding these important and covet ed conversations.

Warmly,

GABRIELLE GRONEWOLD EDITOR IN CHIEF

Banned

THE BANNING OF BOOKS IN SCHOOLS

Written by Nina Johnson, Arts Editorial Assistant Graphic by Shea Murphy, Contributing Graphic Artist

Althoughmass censorship and burning books seem like a faroff past or distant Orwellian future, the truth is a bit more complicated. Authorship and literary critique are concepts we’re familiar with and ultimately expect; every published work has an author and someone with something to say about it. Yet “authorship” is actually a relatively new phenomenon, as names only began to get widely and publicly attached to literature during the 18th century, revolutionizing a history of censorship.1

Western society values individualism without much question. It’s part of why we either revere or despise authors: we attach the art to the individual. This development was central to the birth of the author and how it shifted the novel’s history. All at once, a name was attached to an idea, and a finger could be pointed at work deemed transgres sive. As individuals rose to claim works as their own, a public fear grew along side it of the messages authors were trying to convey.2 Thus began a long history of works being concealed and banned—most notably so, in schools.3

For Americans, our means of pro duction are private, meaning that the government is pretty hands-off with what and how things get published.4 Creative freedom thrives under this notion. The First Amendment explicit ly protects citizens from any outright banning of books, but this protection only goes so far: private—and some public—institutions have the power to shape their curriculum and libraries as they see fit.

Book banning is a very slippery slope rooted in white supremacy. Recently, there has been an increase in calls to ban young adult books by Black au thors amid the debate that they pro mote “critical race theory,” a concept

¹ Gérard Genette, “Paratexts: thresholds of inter pretation,” Cambridge, 1997.

² Ibid.

³ Madeline Will, “Calls to Ban Books by Black Authors Are Increasing amid Critical Race Theory Debates,” Education Week, Oct. 19, 2021.

⁴ Sean Ross, “Is the United States a Market Econ omy or a Mixed Economy?” Investopedia, Dec. 7, 2021.

that examines racism’s existence in our legal system.5 Within these are beloved novels like “The Hate U Give,” “Brown Girl Dreaming,” “All American Boys” and “Something Happened in Our Town,” which are among the top 10 most chal lenged books of the past year.6

Overt bannings stigmatize the stories written by people of color in Amer ica and attempts to silence them are damaging. The American Library As sociation notes that it’s still seeing a rising number of challenges to books that discuss racism and Black Ameri can history.7 The push for more diverse books has been on the rise for years— by educators, parents and students alike—and recent calls to ban books combat the crucial work that’s been done in elevating these voices.

LGBTQIA+ representation in novels is also frequently challenged. “George” by Alex Gino, rated 2019’s most chal lenged book, is a highly acclaimed chil dren’s novel about a transgender girl. A person’s love for reading often stems from identifying with a character, and the practice of banning books strips people of the opportunity to under stand themselves in a deeper way, ul timately limiting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people’s access to literature.

Banning books rightly has a negative connotation, as censoring the perspec tives and messages of others is not an equitable endeavor. However, striking the balance between banning or not banning is incredibly complex, espe cially at the crossroads of graphic sub ject matter and young audiences. Jay Asher’s 2007 novel “Thirteen Reasons Why” is now considered a “banned and challenged” book—and, as many agree, for good reason.8 Words written on a page could leave just as indelible a mark as a visual depiction, yet only movies and TV are accompanied by ratings and age restrictions. Labeling novels with similar maturity guide lines may be confining for an author

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Admin, “Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists,” Advocacy, Legislation & Issues, April 5, 2021.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Ibid.

but could act as a tool of guidance for readers without falling down the slip pery slope of censorship.

The unknown has proved to be one of the most challenging aspects of banned books—it’s difficult to know what’s still being banned. An estimat ed 82 to 97% of all books that are re quested to be removed from schools or libraries remain unreported and re ceive no media attention.

The best way for previously banned books to be recovered and restored is within classrooms, curriculums and li braries themselves. The Madison, Wis consin area, for example, is combatting silenced voices in literature in numerous ways. The English department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison prides itself on constantly updating assigned course readings by adding works that were banned, such as books by Toni Morrison, Margaret Atwood, Harper Lee, Kurt Vonnegut and F. Scott Fitz gerald—books still challenged around the country, yet explored daily in the university’s classrooms.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Cen ter on the Madison campus is another incredible resource for the education and accessibility of inclusive books for children and teens. These works value diversity and intellectual freedom. The Center boasts a collection of thou sands of books that uplift the voices that are silenced by being banned.

Reading is the foundation of the child hood of so many. Having access at a young age to stories that are honest and equitable is essential to growing into loving, thoughtful adults. Start by visiting your local feminist bookstore, like a Room of One’s Own in Madison WI, talking to your favorite English pro fessor or finding the Goodreads of the cool girl in your discussion. As we grow up and out of the academic sphere, it becomes our job to learn the truth of what we’re reading and not reading and to pass along that knowledge.

⁹ Admin, “Banned & Challenged Classics,” Advo cacy, Legislation & Issues, April 23, 2021.

10 “Courses,” English Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, accessed Feb. 2022.

INSURRECTION INSURRECTION

A DEMOCRACY DECAYING

Written by Laine Bottemiller, Culture Editorial Assistant Graphic by Quinn Ruzicka, Staff Graphic Artist

“W

e’re gathered together in the heart of our nation’s capital for one very, very basic and simple reason: To save our democracy”1 is what former President Donald Trump told his audience at a rally near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021.

Less than an hour after this promise, rioters relocated from the rally to the Capitol, storming barricades, smash ing doors and windows and hunting down government officials.2 Ameri ca watched a day that marked a new era—the disfigurement of democracy.

The Undermining of Institutions

Trump rejected the result of the 2020 election by claiming it was a “stolen” election,3 prolonging the concession of the presidency and refusing to attend Biden’s inauguration. Following, Trump backed multiple lawsuits intended to undo the electoral majority that se cured Biden’s victory over his own. One of these was filed by Texas Attor ney General Ken Paxton against swing states Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.4

¹ AP News, “Transcript of Trump’s speech at rally before US Capitol riot,” Jan. 14, 2021.

² “Capitol riots timeline: What happened on 6 Jan one year ago?” BBC, Jan. 6, 2022.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Nomaan Merchant, Alanna Durkin & Mark Sher man, “Supreme Court rejects Republican attack on Biden victory,” AP News, Dec. 11, 2020.

Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of the Texas case, these lawsuits un dermine democracy in two ways. First, this lawsuit attempted to subvert the public’s will, overturning millions of votes and sabotaging the results of the election. Second, the claims inject fraud into the once unwavering elec toral institution.

Patrick Gannon, a spokesman for the North Carolina State Board of Elec tions, explains “If we want to continue to provide safe, secure and accessible elections, constantly running down ab surd conspiracy theories is not sustain able; for many election workers, this has become a full-time job.”5

Similarly, the insurrection, prompted by Trump’s claims to “stop the steal”6 of the election, interrupted Congress’s certification of the presidential elec tion, again impeding the electorate’s decision. A threat to the validity of a vote is an infringement on democracy.

The Rise of Pernicious Polarization7

The insurrection also signals polariza

⁵ Emma Brown, “Inside the nonstop pressure campaign by Trump allies to get election officials to revisit the 2020 vote,” The Washington Post, Dec. 22, 2021.

⁶ AP News, “Transcript of Trump’s speech at rally before US Capitol riot,” Jan. 14, 2021.

⁷ Jennifer McCoy & Murat Somer, “Toward a The ory of Pernicious Polarization and How It Harms Democracies: Comparative Evidence and Pos sible Remedies,” The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 681(1), 234–71, Jan. 2019.

tion, a threat to democracy that is de cades in the making. According to Pew Research Center, today, the average Republican is more conservative than 94% of Democrats, and the average Democrat is more liberal than 92% of Republicans—in other words, people on polarizing sides have alarmingly more to disagree on than they do to agree on.8

Jennifer McCoy and Murat Somer, ex perts on political science and democ ratization, define pernicious polariza tion as when societies are divided into “us versus them” groups “based on a single dimension of difference that overshadows all others.”9

In their research, the two use pro and anti-Trump claims as an example of one of these divisions.10 In this regard, Trump’s denial of the election enforc es the division between the “strong,” “smart”11 people who believe Trump won the election (us) and the “hope less,” “weak”12 fraud deniers (them). McCoy and Somer warn the United States’ pernicious polarization could lead to aggressive clashing between the two groups, delegitimizing each other and the political system.13 Civil

⁸ “Political Polarization in the American Public,” Pew Research Center, June 12, 2014.

⁹ Ibid.

10 Ibid.

11 AP News, “Transcript of Trump’s speech at rally before US Capitol riot,” Jan. 14, 2021.

12 Ibid.

13 Jennifer McCoy & Murat Somer, “Toward a The ory of Pernicious Polarization and How It Harms

war expert Barbara Walter warns that extreme political division can lead to a collapse toward all-out civil war.14

The Future of American Democracy Today, the possibility of civil war—or future violence—may be more fea sible than we’d expect. Following Trump’s claims of a “stolen” election, Texas Republican Party chairman Allen West told reporters, “Perhaps law-abiding states should bond to gether and form a Union of states that will abide by the Constitution.”15

On Jan. 6, President Biden noted that several of the insurgents paraded the Confederate flag, something which Democracies: Comparative Evidence and Pos sible Remedies,” The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 681(1), 234–71, Jan. 2019.

14 Zack Beauchamp, “A year after the January 6 insurrection, how does America’s crisis end?” Vox, Jan. 3, 2022.

15 Nomaan Merchant, Alanna Durkin & Mark Sher man, “Supreme Court rejects Republican attack on Biden victory,” AP News, Dec. 11, 2020.

didn’t even occur during the Civil War.16 Additionally, in a survey conducted by Washington Post in December 2021, 34% of polled participants thought “violent action against the govern ment” was justified, an 11% increase from October 2015.17 The insurrection proves that a leaders’ rhetoric has a large influence on mobilizing polarized groups—even to the point of violence.

Rhetoric plays an important role in any democratic society. In fact, freedom of speech and press to express opinions and affect the masses is often con sidered the lifeblood of democracy, in which all citizens are allowed to partic ipate in and contribute to the narrative. Due to this value, governmental insti tutions are strictly prohibited from re stricting speech based on its content.

16 Katie Rogers, “Biden’s Speech on the Jan. 6 Riot, Annotated,” The New York Times, Jan. 6, 2022.

17 “Dec. 17-19, 2021, Washington Post-University of Maryland poll,” The Washington Post, accessed Feb. 2022.

Still, the Constitution notes some lim itations to this freedom, including that one shall not “incite imminent lawless action” or disseminate other types of unlawful information.18 But what hap pens when the line between expressing one’s frustration and invoking baseless claims about the state of reality begins to blur in the eyes of society? What happens when our democracy may be threatened by lackluster practices sur rounding the very thing that upholds it?

As Donald Trump closed his speech on Jan. 6, minutes before the Capitol in surrection, he inspired the crowd, stat ing “The best is yet to come.”19 How desperately I hope he spoke the truth. How fearful I am of the alternative. ■

18 “What Does Free Speech Mean?” U.S. Courts, accessed Feb. 2022.

19 AP News, “Transcript of Trump’s speech at rally before US Capitol riot,” Jan. 14, 2021.

Protest fashion

HOW PROTEST FASHION PROMOTES CHANGE

Written by Zack Zens, Fashion Staff Writer

Photographed by Luc Marchessault, Staff Photogra pher, and Claudia Chan, Con tributing Photographer

Modeled by Phoebe Smolan and Noah White

Makeup by Riley August, Makeup Director

Protest fashion

Foras long as history has been recorded, humans have sought strength and protest through clothing, jewelry and other canons of fashion iconography. Fashion’s ties to the movements of humankind are so linked that their two forms are essentially indistinguishable from one another. Ultimately, protest fashion’s development and rise are starkly tied to the cultural, social, political and intellectual movements of its respective time.

The act of protesting is constantly evolving as the world’s tolerance for issues evolves and runs thin. From ra cial injustice to equal pay, protest fash ion has always been at the forefront of movements for equality and change. Two branches have formed in protest of fashion’s evolution—namely, the practical and theoretical.

Fashion has always been practical ly implemented, serving primarily as symbology for larger political, social or cultural movements. The practical nature of protest fashion is achieved through its iconography, whether it’s clothing, accessories or otherwise, these elements become a character ized symbol of larger political, social or cultural movements.

The color white has been a tenant of practical protest fashion for centuries, rising most in prominence throughout the Women’s Suffrage Movement.1 The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, a foundational moment in the movement for women’s suffrage, saw many mem bers wearing all white almost 60 years before wearing white clothes was nor mal and women’s suffrage gained na tional prominence.2

Just 50 years after women’s suffrage, the Civil Rights Movement began gaining traction, and with it, practical protest fashion in the form of formal dressing became a powerful symbol of Black resistance.3 The phrase “dressed to the nines” was coined because Black protesters would dress up in their best

¹ Irina Grechko, “From All-White To Sunday Best: The Meaning Behind A Century of Protest Uni forms,” Refinery 29, Sept. 1, 2020.

² Ibid.

³ Scarlett Newman, “A Brief History of Protest Fashion,” Teen Vogue, Nov. 27th, 2020.

clothes for sit-ins at “all-whites” facil ities. This form of protest exemplifies the sheer cacophony of inequality present within the United States, then and now.4

Modern movements have continued in the tradition of practical protest fash ion as a tool for communicating hu manity and the need for change. The modern women’s equality movements have adopted a protest fashion, too. Notably, a pink knitted hat featured at the 2017 Women’s March, colloquial ly dubbed the “Pussyhat,” which was meant to represent a reclamation of pink and the strength of femininity.

It’s important to note that modes of fashion protest can also be critiqued within movements themselves. After the 2017 Women’s March, many raised the concern that “not all pussy’s are pink” and that the “Pussyhat” empha sized sex and biology potentially mak ing transgender folks feel discluded from the movement. The creators of the pink hat have since come forward to share the meaning of the hat was never intended to be harshly correlat ed with race or gender identity.5 None theless, this serves as an important example of the discourse and collab oration that happens in political move ments through fashion.

Protest fashion has also been at the center of several movements for racial progress and representation. Orga nizations such as Black Lives Matter have adopted protest fashion in the form of black clothing featuring bold white text. These pieces often com municate pressing issues in the fight for Black rights and equality, like the resounding phrase “Say Her Name” in light of the killing of Breonna Taylor by a police raid.6

On the other branch of protest fash ion—the theoretical, defined by de signers’ use of their collections as a catalyst for change and issue-aware

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Julie Compton, “Pink ‘Pussyhat’ Creator Ad dresses Criticism Over Name,” NBC, February 7, 2017.

⁶ Kyra Mcconnell, “Protest as Fashion, Fashion as Protest,” CR Fashion Book, June 4, 2020.

ness, remains a relatively modern phe nomenon. Some designers, like Demna Gvasalia, founder of Vetements and creative director of Balenciaga, use protest fashion as an ethos for design and creation.

Vetements’ Fall/Winter 2021 collec tion prominently featured clothing be smeared in blue paint in reference to the Hong Kong protests for civil rights and freedom of expression.7 While this collection garnered some pushback, with critics calling the collection deriv ative and a cash-grab, its ultimate goal of raising awareness for the crisis pres ent in Hong Kong could be achieved through positive and negative media coverage alike.

Many have drawn attention to the dis parity between fashion as protest and the meta criticism it offers. Judith Thur man, a tenured journalist at The New Yorker, permits an ire towards AOC’s Aurora James 2021 Met Gala gown, which scrawled the message “Tax the rich” on the dress’s train.8 AOC sought to bring awareness to the vast financial disparity present in the United States through a space that best exemplified inequality manifest. Thurman, like oth ers, notes that the dress’s haute cou ture heritage, accompanied by the 30,000 dollars apiece Met Gala ticket, falls painfully short in both its efficacy and self-awareness.9

As long as humans have the desire to create and need for progress exists, protest fashion will continue to de fine movements for centuries to come. The present age is rife with looming problems from anthropogenic climate change and poverty, to racial injustice and discrimination; nevertheless, hu manity’s inexhaustible curiosity and limitless potential can surely rise to the task of tackling these issues outright. In the end, protest fashion, much like humans, will evolve to meet whatever obstacles lie ahead.

■

⁷ Casey Hall, “Vetements Courts Controversy With Fashion Inspired by Hong Kong Protests,” Business of Fashion, Jan. 27, 2020.

⁸ Judith Thurman, “What Counts As Protest Fash ion?” The New Yorker, Sept. 17, 2021.

⁹ Ibid.

BREAKING NORMS AND BENDING GENRES

UP-AND-COMING ARTISTS WHO HAVE SUBVERTED MUSICAL EXPECTATIONS

Written by Jessica Katz, Online Editor

Graphic by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Graphic Artist

Music

has the power to uplift us, inspire us and challenge us because the value it holds is different for every artist and every listener. Due to this, each of these unique sounds deserves to be highlighted while on the paths to stardom. With their authenticity, vulnerability and creativity, the following artists have broken the mold of the music industry.

REMI WOLF

Remi Francis Wolf is a singer-song writer and ex-American Idol contestant from Palo Alto, Calif.1 In 2020, Wolf hit the lottery when her song “Photo ID” became a viral hit on TikTok, which was later boosted with a remix featuring her close friend and fellow musician Dominic Fike.

There is something special about Wolf. She constantly throws herself into out lets of creative expression, and she has most definitely pushed the boundar ies of music. Ashley Evers, Marketing Coordinator at Island Records, de scribes Wolf’s music as funky, eccen tric and divergent. “It’s very out there, but tastefully out there,” Evers said. A hybrid of elated funk and soulful pop, Wolf incorporates distorted guitars, sharp vocals and whimsical beats into her sound.2

Wolf also uses music as an outlet of self-acknowledgement to spill her guts about everything—including her struggles with addiction and anxiety. “She’s never been afraid to stay in her own lane and take true ownership of what she creates,” said Evers, “I really think that every piece of content and every social asset has always been true to her.” Somehow, she translates difficult emotions into chaotic sounds, and that’s what is pushing her to su perstar status.3

DUCKWRTH

Duckwrth, born Jared Lee, is a sing er, rapper and graphic designer from ¹ LaTesha Harris, “Remi Wolf on her debut album ‘Juno,’ and what’s left in pop music’s rulebook,” NPR, 2021.

² Ibid.

³ Ibid.

South Central Los Angeles, Calif.4 In spired by hip-hop, punk and rock, Duckwrth has blossomed to create his own high-energy colorful sound and sense of lyrical vulnerability.

In his childhood, Duckwrth tried to navigate between two worlds: his mother’s Pentecostal household and his neighborhood outside.5 While he found interest in the music coming from his city, his mother tried to keep him away in fear of him joining a gang, which she unfoundedly associated with the genre he was interested in. His sheltered upbringing led him to spend lots of time alone drawing, writing and eventually writing music.

In his 2019 EP “The Falling Man”—spe cifically, in the song “Soprano”—Duck wrth unpacked his upbringing. Duck wrth explained in an interview with Ailsa Chang, a journalist for NPR, that “It reveals how music was secular but I still was curious about the music I wasn’t supposed to listen to.”6

As an artist, Duckwrth’s aims to incor porate religion into art and show men that it’s okay to be emotional. With time, his mother has warmed up to the idea of his rap career, as she has begun to understand how he’s help ing to spread ideas on his own terms. “This is my form of missionary work,” Duckwrth said, “It’s me revealing, like, the realities right now. And it’s also being able to speak to people, but with their language.”7

YEULE

yeule is the creation of Nat Ćmiel, a non-binary, London-based, Singapor ean painter, musician, performance artist and cyborg entity.8 Growing up, Ćmiel found comfort in niche online communities, and their digital immer sion led to an interest in augmented reality, a dystopian aesthetic and dig ital intimacy.

⁴ Adizah Eghan, “Five Things to Know About DUCKWRTH,” KQED, 2015.

⁵ Ailsa Chang & Christina Cala, “Duckwrth Treats Hip-Hop As His Missionary Work,” NPR, 2019.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Stefanie Bannister & Nat Ćmiel, “YEULE – Bay onet Records,” Bayonet Records, accessed Feb. 2022.

The name “yeule” is derived from the Final Fantasy character Yeul, and is an extension of Ćmiel’s identity. Ac cording to their record label, Bayonet Records, “They have access to multi ple avatars, the freedom to change or contort at will, and a mutable, chame leon-like multiplicity.”9

As a musician with a classical back ground, Ćmiel began releasing their experiments with electronic music— piano compositions and classical/ electronic mixes—on platforms such as Tumblr and SoundCloud.10 Through their lyrical poetry and the blurred lines between digital and corporeal realms, Ćmiel’s work reflects their immer sive exploration of identity-building. They’ve created a channel to ponder the ideas of self-presentation, gender and digital identities.

VON

Von is a Brooklyn-based music pro ducer, performer and events produc er.11 She grew up in a strict Catholic home with little to no sex education; in one of her TikToks, she mentions she was even scared to carry a tam pon. Despite her musical foundation as a classical pianist, Von’s path took a sharp turn when she began performing and producing in her college years at New York University.

Von pairs pulsating baselines and glittery synth riffs with fierce vocals that, in her words, “define sexual con fidence as what you always wished your misogynistic aunt read it as: powerful.” Von is powerful; she’s a ba dass and she has taken musical cre ativity to the next level.12

Von is the first artist who works with her orgasms to build sounds; more spe cifically, she uses her vibrator to make beats for her songs. First, she uses the Lioness App to record her muscle con tractions as she masturbates with her vibrator. Once her session is over, she ⁹ Ibid.

10 Erica Russell, “Cyber-pop artist yeule is bridg ing the void between digital and IRL,” Dazed, 2019.

11 Cath Spino, “Chatting with event producter / dirty pop start Von on regligion, vibrators, and creating a sustainable, sex positive society.” Copy, accessed Feb. 2022.

12 Ibid.

goes into the app to select a certain wave pattern, exploring sounds, keys and other parameters until she’s satis fied (no pun intended).13

Von’s creative process is rooted in her vagina, the center of creation. Her in spiration is the Virgin Mary, with whom she feels an unexplainable connection. “It was brilliant if you think about it [through the lens of] the patriarchal agenda: it’s like how do we hold wom en to a standard they will never be able to reach?” Von explained. “You strip sexuality from motherhood and tell women their neverending role is to be maternal. Intercourse and the maternal can never interact with one another, which is funny because one informs the other. To be the perfect woman is to be childbearing and virginal . . . which is not real.”14

With attention surrounding her sin gle, “Tiny Boy,” where she reclaims her power over a recent ex-lover, it is clear Von is ferociously rising to star dom. More than that, she is the voice of a meaningful, inclusive change in the music industry, event spaces and in so ciety as a whole. Her work is incredibly crucial for the sexual empowerment of generations to come.

BARKAA

Barkaa, born Chloe Quayle, is a proud Malyangapa and Barkindji musician from Sydney.15 In an interview with The Guardian, Barkaa described herself as, “unapologetically truthful and unapol ogetically Blak.”

Her music is an outlet to reflect on the darkness of her past. She raps about police brutality after being incarcer ated three times and losing her uncle to police violence. She also raps about her anger and rebellion, something she finds a “funny feeling” to navigate through, especially as a woman.16

13 Von (@vonmusic), “#greenscreenvideo #DIY withBlock #DuetDoWet,” TikTok, Feb. 3, 2022.

14 Ibid.

15 Janine Israel, “‘Unapologetically truthful and unapologetically Blak’: Australia bows down to Barkaa,” The Guardian, 2021.

16 Ibid.

"I don’t want to ever get stuck in one genre, I don’t want to be limited to just one thing, because I just have too many ideas to be stuck in one place. I want to be able to express all of it."

With thrilling rhythms and razor-sharp vocals, Barkaa tears down oppressive narratives while honoring Indigenous futures. In her words,” I just want to represent my sisters because we’ve been so underrepresented, especially in hip-hop . . . If somebody who can come from ice addiction, jail, moth erhood and poverty [can do it, then they] can do it too.”17

STILL WOOZY

Still Woozy, born Sven Eric Gamsky, is a singer-songwriter from Oakland, Ca lif.18 He started releasing bedroom pop music in 2017 but has since opened up about his desire to be genre-less. In an interview with Valley Magazine, Gamsky shared, “I don’t want to ever get stuck in one genre, I don’t want to be limited to just one thing, because I 17 Ibid.

18 Maia Egan, “Still Woozy: An Up and Coming Genre-Bending Singer-Songwriter,” Valley Maga zine, 2020.

just have too many ideas to be stuck in one place. I want to be able to express all of it.”

Continuing the theme of authentici ty, Gamsky self-produces many of his songs. To him, the fun of making beats, essentially creating something out of nothing, is what keeps him going. Be cause of this, music is his safe space, a “buffer” between him and his emotions.19

The first thing listeners notice when stumbling upon Still Woozy’s Spo tify is his cover art, featuring color ful, abstract and somewhat haunting creatures, all created by his fiancé, Ami Cooks. “She just inspires me,” said Gamsky. “She puts art into ev ery little thing she does.” Cooks’ art is most definitely a representation of Gamsky’s originality and creativity as a growing artist.20 ■

19 Ibid. 20 Ibid.

WARPed

Directed by Sam Starks, Creative Director

Assisted by Hannah Bruder, Creative Assistant Director, Lindsee Kaufman, and Cole Lewis, Creative Staff Members

Photographed by Seth DeGier, Assistant Photography Director, and Abby Cima, Staff Photographer Filmed by Madelyn Vilker, Videography Director Makeup by Nicole Escobia, Makeup Staff Member Modeled by Ashley-Grace Dureke and mindy j navarro

THE FORGOTTEN BLACK WOMEN BEHIND THE 19TH AMENDMENT

HOW FIVE SUFFRAGETTES SUBVERTED NORMS TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE CAUSE

Written by Lila Price, Contributing Writer

Whenthe 19th Amendment was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920, suffragettes around America celebrated a pivotal moment in the multigenerational fight to vote. But while the amendment declared that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex,” it said nothing about race. Despite the vital work Black women contributed to the suffragette movement, their legacies are often overlooked in history books. Here are five of the Black suffragettes who played a vital role in the fearless fight for women’s rights.

Sojourner Truth: Truth gave her pas sionate “Ain’t I a Woman” speech at the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Truth’s speech called attention to the ways she and her fe male counterparts were not treated equally despite performing the same actions as men, like working in the fields as a slave.1

Mary Ann Shadd Cary: Cary joined the fight as the first Black woman in America to publish a newspaper when she founded The Provincial Freeman in 1883. Within the suffragist movement, Cary used her legal knowledge to tes tify before the House Judiciary Com mittee about why Black women should have the right to vote.2

Mary Church Terrell: The National American Women Suffrage Associa

¹ Rachel Chang, “Sojourner Truth’s ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ Speech May Not Have Contained That Famous Phrase,” Biography, Aug. 17, 2020.

² Megan Bailey, “Between Two Worlds: Black Women and the Fight for Voting Rights,” Nation al Parks Service, Oct. 9, 2020.

THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES TO VOTE SHALL NOT BE DENIED

OR ABRIDGED BY THE UNITED STATES

OR BY ANY STATE ON ACCOUNT OF SEX

tion in 1913 banned Black women from participating in their parades and pro tests, claiming that they did not want their fight for the right to vote to be clouded by the issue of racism. Black women were forced to forge their own path and subvert from the rest of America’s agenda, leading to Terrell’s creation of the National Association of Colored Women, where Black women could discuss and fight against issues in a space that didn’t exclude them based on race.

Jarena Lee: Lee was likely the first Black female preacher in the nation. Lee fought to expand the role of wom en within the church by holding prayer meetings in her house and eventually began traveling throughout the na tion as a representative of the Afri can Methodist Episcopal Church. A major breakthrough moment for Lee and Black female preachers was when Lee spontaneously preached in Bethel without retribution.3

³ Jeronia Mcclish et al., “African Methodist Epis copal (A.M.E.) Church,” Social Welfare History

Ida B. Wells: Wells created and owned The Memphis Free Speech and Head light and Free Speech newspapers. Despite passing away in 1931, Wells set up the groundwork for success by cre ating the Alpha Suffrage Club in Chica go in 1913, which organized women to elect candidates who would fight for the Black community.4

Today, Black feminist authors Angela Davis and Toni Morrison are read by millions and Black women are cele brated in exhibits like Brooklyn Muse um’s “We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women 1965-1985.” But 100 years later, the fight against voter rights suppression reminds us more than ever to honor the crucial role Black suffragettes have played since the start of the movement.

■

Project, Aug. 12, 2020.

⁴ Lakshmi Gandhi, “5 Black Suffragists Who Fought for the 19th Amendment-and Much More,” History, Aug. 4, 2020.

THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT: AN ONGOING TRAJECTORY

THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS A CRUCIAL PART OF PROGRESSIVE AND INTERSECTIONAL ACTIVISM

Written by Alison Stecker, Online Editorial Assistant Illustrated by Emma Gray, Arts Curator

Whetherit be people of color, the queer community or women, history has seen marginalized populations’ continual fight for equality and acceptance within society. Though viewed as an afterthought by some civil rights activists, understanding the Disability Rights Movement is crucial for progressive and intersectional activism. The movement’s call for justice pushes back against the political, social and cultural forces of oppression that construct disability.

Our general understanding of disabili ty tends to align with the characteris tics of an impairment, or the “state of being diminished, weakened or dam aged, especially mentally or physical ly.”1 Many assume the same terms de fine a disability, in reality, this notion is often influenced by social conditions and attitudes.2 An impairment only be comes a disability when society won’t accommodate, accept, include or val ue a part of someone that doesn’t fit within social norms.3

During the 1800s, people with dis abilities were perceived as pitiful in dividuals unfit to live in society and contribute to everyday life. They were objectified and ridiculed, forced to en ¹ “Impairment Definition & Meaning,” Dictionary, accessed Feb. 2022.

² Susan Wendell, “The Social Construction of Disability,” The Rejected Body, April 15, 2015.

³ Ibid.

ter mental institutions and used for entertainment purposes in circuses.4 Treatment toward people with dis abilities didn’t begin to shift until the early 1900s when new technological advancements could contribute to the self-sufficiency of disabled individuals post WWI.

By the 1950s, summer camps and rehabilitation centers were estab lished to create a sense of communi ty amongst disabled populations.5 In 1953, Camp Jened opened to facili tate the growth of friendship among generations of disabled people who would go on to become some of the most significant activists of the Dis ability Rights Movement.6

Although these initial advancements contributed to the growing spirit of independence for people with disabil ities, disabled individuals were still de nied access to public transportation, bathrooms, stores and even proper ed ucation for decades.7 As the civil rights movement gained more attention, people with disabilities saw an oppor tunity to use the momentum around activism to demand equal treatment and equal access to all buildings.

⁴ “A Brief History of the Disability Rights Move ment,” ADL, accessed Feb. 2022.

⁵ Julia Carmel, “‘Nothing about Us without Us’: 16 Moments in the Fight for Disability Rights,” The New York Times, July 22, 2020.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ “A Brief History of the Disability Rights Move ment,” ADL, accessed Feb. 2022.

The passing of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 allowed people with disabili ties to be legally protected for the first time in history. Still, Section 504, which prohibits discrimination against dis abled people and guarantees disabled children access to an education, was not properly enforced for several more years. In 1977, disability activists host ed the 504 Sit-in—it was the longest sit-in at a federal building ever record ed, meant to demand full implementa tion of the act.8

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was finally passed in 1990 to guarantee equal employment opportu nities and access to accommodations for people with disabilities.9 Although the passing of legislative demands may ensure equal access and treat ment for people with disabilities, there are still harmful beliefs about disability that persist today.

Currently, the Wisconsin government allows employers to pay less than mini mum wage to disabled individuals with a certain certificate from the Wiscon sin Department of Workforce Develop ment.10 Moreover, the FDA banned the use of electric shock devices on people

⁸

Judy Heumann, “Judy Heumann: ‘Crip Camp’ didn’t win Oscar, but it’s still a win for people with disabilities,” USA Today, April 23, 2021.

⁹ “A Brief History of the Disability Rights Move ment,” ADL, accessed Feb. 2022.

10 “Wisconsin Minimum Wage Laws – 2022,” Em ployment Law Handbook, accessed Feb. 2022.

with mental disabilities in 2020, but it was recently overturned by the federal court in 2021.11

The U.S. Department of Transporta tion also announced a revision to its Air Carrier Access Act to no longer consider emotional support animals as service dogs.12 Emotional support an imals can ease anxiety, depression or other conditions that are considered mental or intellectual disabilities, dis criminating against a large portion of the disabled community.13

There is still a widespread belief that people with disabilities are less than. The “Better Dead Than Disabled” trope supports the idea that having a dis ability diminishes one’s quality of life because they are unable to carry out “normal” everyday tasks. Further, since people with disabilities are portrayed as in pain or suffering, medical profes sionals may believe assisted suicide or other forms of euthanasia are the best “solutions” to their disability. Assisted suicide is still legal in 11 jurisdictions in the United States.14

Not Dead Yet is a grassroots disability rights group that opposes the legaliza tion of assisted suicide and euthanasia, and resists ableist notions that put dis abled lives beneath the societal norm.15 People can support this organization by donating to the Center for Disability Rights. Amplifying disabled voices and educating oneself about disability are other ways to support the movement and overall activism.

The Disability Rights Movement is an ongoing trajectory. The devaluing and discrimination against disabled people based on the firm belief that tempo rarily abled-bodies are superior are still present throughout society. The only way change will come about is if we, as a society, shift our understanding of disability and societal norms to rec ognize that disabled people enrich our world and make it stronger. ■

11 Adiel Kaplan, “Appeals Court Axes FDA Ban of Electric Shock on the Disabled,” NBCNews, July 9, 2021.

12 “U.S. Department of Transportation Announc es Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals,” U.S. Department of Transportation, accessed Feb. 2022.

13 Stephanie Gibeault, “Everything You Need to Know about Emotional Support Animals,” Ameri can Kennel Club, Feb. 24, 2021.

14 “Assisted Suicide in the United States.” Wikipe dia, Jan. 22, 2022.

15 “Not Dead Yet,” Not Dead Yet, accessed Feb. 2022.

Benjyehuda: Fueling Counterculture

A RESTAURANT ABSENT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS

Written by Noa Chamberlin, Arts Staff Writer

Photo provided by Benjyehuda

Tocreate art is to create something out of nothing, to take an idea and transform it into something unique. In 2009, when my parents, Benji and Stacey Rosen, created Benjyehuda— their falafel and shawarma shop—they wanted to fabricate a form of artistic expression. The idea was to incorporate urban Mediterranean street food with a personal flair of raw creativity and a bit of disobedience, thus establishing their own counterculture.

When I first came across the term “counterculture,” I thought it was the perfect synonym for their way of life; straying away from social expectations and mainstream society, especially a corporate one. To them, the society that they were determined to avoid was one that values income over qual ity, choosing businesses over people and establishing strict rules that pre vent individuality.

When discussing the integrity of the brand, my step-dad, Benji, stated that he wanted the restaurant to have a “raw feel” where people can “be them selves and won’t have to abide by any rules.” He pictured the average per son on their lunch break in search of a place to eat, envisioning them in an environment where they could feel en tertained and free to be themselves without any restrictions. He wanted it to be a place for people to take a break from their tiny cubicle office in the big city of Chicago.

My family has never been too big on rules. Going against the grain and norms of society is a core value that is reflected in Benjyehuda. On their web site, they claim “We’re not really into rules, so we opened a place that didn’t have any. Take a look around and you’ll pick up on what we mean. Our name is impossible to pronounce and even harder to spell. We play our music loud and watch bawdy movies while we work. We refuse to value profits more than quality. We do what matters to us. We don’t do the rest.”1

That’s why, when you enter into a Ben jyehuda, you are immediately sub merged in an environment meant to subvert. The walls are adorned with images: some of their employees— one dressed in drag, another covered in tattoos—accompanied by quotes and edgy phrases from counterculture icons such as Anthony Bourdain and Kendrick Lamar. Two flat-screen TVs are mounted on the walls, one with cult-classic movies such as “The Big Lebowski” or “Trading Places,” and the second with a rock concert from The Red Hot Chili Peppers or Deaf Lep pard, blasting for the customers to jam out to while waiting in line to order food. Definitely a chaotic and exciting dining experience.

But to my parents, Benjyehuda is not just a restaurant, it is a “piece of art that has attitude,” venturing away from

¹ Benji and Stacey Rosen, “Benjyehuda,” Benjye huda, accessed Feb. 2022.

any sort of standard. One of the main priorities when coming up with the core values for Benjyehuda was to be anti-corporate, prioritizing quality over profits and focusing on the individual. “Make it how you want it” is a message that is sent to customers when they walk in the door, along with “be your self, there are no rules here.”

None of what they created—a unique environment with an absurd, swaggy style and risky embellishments—would have amounted to what it is now had it not been for breaking some rules and engaging with a counterculture mental ity. My parents avoid buying into social etiquette and instead turn the volume up, play risky movies and hang profane signs across the walls. Innovation is im possible unless you create something that has never been done before. And to do that, you need to break the sta tus quo—the so-called rules that others have laid out for you, risking the ordi nary to become extraordinary.2

When you enter a Benjyehuda, you become a part of its culture. Its web site reads that when you go to order, you join a way of life and obtain an attitude that is at variance from the social norms; “Step up to the count er. You can have whatever you want. What’ll it be?”3 ■

² Vartika Kashyap, “Why Breaking the Rules is so Important,” Art + Marketing, Nov. 21, 2016. ³ Ibid.

THE ADVANTAGES OF RISK-TAKING

HOW PUSHING YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE CAN LEAD TO SUCCESS AND SELF-EXPRESSION

Written by Abby Cattapan, Lifestyle Editorial Assistant Illustrated by Riley August, Makeup Director and Staff Graphics Artist

Riskis scary. It requires defying the status quo and rebelling against your instincts. It also takes courage. When you take a risk, you jump out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. While risk is frightening, the benefits of it often outweigh the terror. This is what 20-year-old, UW-Madison student Lindsey Hollar discovered when launching her own fashion business, Million Volts.

From a young age, Hollar had an inter est in fashion. She explains how she’d grown up watching YouTube videos of clothing hauls which taught her how to properly style them. From here, she came to believe that fashion is a way of self-expression, saying “how you feel about yourself shows through what you wear.” This passion for fashion is what motivated Hollar to create her clothing company in the first place.

Hollar started her business during a period when we all had time to spare: the 2020 quarantine. As an undergrad uate student who’d just lost half of her freshman year, Hollar decided now was the time to start the business she’d long been dreaming of.

“I just jumped in. It was sort of a ‘the time is now’ kinda thing,” she said.

Starting your own business comes with a lot of uncertainties. It requires an investment of both time and mon ey, without the promise of a return. There’s no guarantee that people will buy what you’re selling, and starting a business when you’re young with few resources and money poses a substan tial risk.1

When Hollar started her business, all these things were on her mind. Un derstandably, she was also worried about what people would think. Would they take her business seriously? How would they perceive it?

“As much as people like to stress ac ceptance, they still judge what you do,” Hollar said.

Public acceptance and approval are definitely concerns, but for Hollar, these factors actually brought her more clarity. When Hollar first started her business, she was worried about what other people would think. Now that she has successfully accomplished what she set out to do, she has realized that what others think of her is no lon ger important to her.

“The people that support you are the ones who matter,” says Hollar. “And

¹ Frase Sherman, “Risks of Starting a New Busi ness,” Chron, accessed March 2022.

the others you shouldn’t stick around. If something makes you happy, you shouldn’t give space for caring about what others think.”

Hollar’s company has been a success in many ways. Not only is she shipping her clothes across the country, but it has also brought her more confidence. Seeing people appreciate her talent has made Hollar more comfortable in her skin.

“It gave me an outlet to express myself and show the world who I really am,” she says.

Hollar’s biggest piece of advice for taking risks is simple: just do it. The dream life you aspire for won’t just ap pear one day. You have to decide to chase it.

So, in the words of Lindsay Hollar, just do it. Jump in and take a risk. If you win, you’ll be happy—and if you lose, you’ll be wiser for it.

*Million Volts will be holding a trunk show in the trophy room of the James March 30 through April 1, 2-6 p.m. Check out Million Volts on Instagram @shopmillionvolts for more details! ■

BREAKING BOUNDARIES FOR GREEN BUSINESS

TWO SENIOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS' ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MADISON

Written by Lily Mihelich, Contributing Writer Graphic by Alyssa Cohen, Contrubuting Graphic Artist

Haveyou ever had to break boundaries for specific changes in your educational field? University of WisconsinMadison seniors Cora Klemme and Emma Graves have. As the copresidents of ERBN, the Ethical and Responsible Business Network, they are working with the Wisconsin School of Business to inform students about opportunities in sustainability-focused careers, formulate case studies and host educational speakers.

ERBNites, the term Klemme and Graves use to refer to members of the organization, come from academ ic backgrounds ranging from interna tional business to agriculture. Each semester students apply to be a part of ERBN’s consulting partnerships, in which they aid four small businesses looking to analyze their sustainability performances. ERBNites have worked for companies including The Green Fund, Fair Trade Coffee House, Bloom Bake Shop, Young Blood Beer Compa ny and American Family Insurance.

In light of climate change the sustain ability job market is growing, part of ERBN’s mission is to bring in speakers that enlighten students about environ

mental career paths. Previous speak ers include Elisa Zhang, a sustainability analyst at Guayaki; Ian Aley, the green fund coordinator at the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability; Leah Thomas from Patagonia; Ken Saiki from Saiki designs; and Jessica Veits from Clean Fuel Partners.

Recently, Moda Magazine sat down with ERBN to talk about its goals and how the sustainability field is changing.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Moda Magazine: What are ERBN’s core values?

Cora Klemme: ERBN’s core values are centered around promoting the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. We believe that businesses and companies should focus on social and environ mental concerns as much as they do on profits. We also believe in equitable access to opportunities and incorpo rate D&I [diversity and inclusion] initia tives into everything we do.

Emma Graves: ERBN exists to instill the knowledge, skills and commitment necessary to being ethical, responsible

and environmentally sustainable busi ness leaders.

MM: Why is your student organization an important addition to Madison’s business organizations and campus?

CK: I think that ERBN teaches its mem bers a lot about the immense crossover between the business and sustainabil ity fields. Much of the information we learn from speakers and consulting cli ents is not taught in the classroom—no matter the major.

EG: ERBN is a great student org for the Madison community because our con sulting partnerships allow small busi nesses who don’t have the resources to hire large, expensive consulting firms to develop sustainability strategies.

MM: What are your goals this semester with ERBN and its student members?

CK: My goals are to have successful consulting projects and to generate meaningful results that make real im pacts in the business world. I also hope to create a friendly and welcoming en vironment for our members to foster growth.

EG: My goals for ERBN this semester are to establish community and edu cate members. I don’t want anyone to feel alone and depressed because the effects of climate change can be dis heartening. I considered dropping my sustainability certificate and ERBN be cause it was too depressing for me to handle. However, after finding a group of friends who were experiencing sim ilar feelings of frustration and pain, it became easier to discuss problems and strategize solutions.

MM: Do you think sustainability should be promoted more within educational business programs? How?

CK: I 100% believe that sustainability needs to be promoted within business courses in the Wisconsin School of Business. Business institutions produce some of the most influential people in the world. With that level of authority and impact, it is absolutely essential that they have an understanding of how their actions impact the environment.

EG: Schools do not offer enough sus tainability business-based classes to meet the demand from students who want the education. Sustainability af fects every industry within business. Without the integration between sus tainability and business in the business

programs offered, I believe students will be underprepared when entering the workforce.

MM: Are you ever frightened by the lack of sustainability regulations in place for large-scale organizations?

CK: Being an Environmental Science student, I am constantly surrounded by frightening statistics regarding neg ative environmental impacts produced by influential corporations. It is com mon to become overwhelmed by these statistics. I believe it is important for environmental groups such as ERBN to establish a network of people pas sionate about fighting climate change.

EG: Yes. Currently, there are little to no regulations or frameworks for busi nesses to follow when reporting their ESG strategies and measures. This is concerning. Public companies must get their financial statements audit ed each year to assure the public that their reports are true.

MM: What is your hope for businesses in the future?

CK: My hope is that businesses are more transparent about their envi ronmental and social impacts. Once these effects are accounted for, it is

easier to move forward toward re ducing wastes and emissions and to work towards a greener future. I am also passionate about “our dollar, our vote,” and urge consumers to view their purchases as investments.

EG: I hope businesses realize that to mitigate climate change, there must be a change in our consumption. If we focus solely on purchasing “sustain able” products, the problem will not be solved. Capitalism succeeds from ma terialistic behaviors. I hope business es adopt the triple bottom line, value their employees and succeed without high production and consumption.

Klemme and Graves urge students to examine their own consumer con sciousness and get involved with other sustainability-oriented organizations on campus.

ERBN meets Tuesdays in Grainger Hall room 3070. Other notable stu dent organizations oriented in busi ness and sustainability include Seba and Enactus. ■

Written by Robyn George, Fashion Team Member

Graphic by Mac Gale, Staff Graphic Artist

Inthe eighth grade, my family made the difficult decision to transfer me from my school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to one in a neighboring wealthy, white suburb. Starting at my new school was like entering an entirely new world. Here I could walk to school all alone. Here each student was given their very own laptop. It was unlike anything I had ever known and I loathed it. As I walked through the crowded hallways of this new school with my eyes glued to the ground, I was forced to notice one of the many cultural differences between my hometown and this new environment: sneaker culture. My heart ached as I witnessed the abused Air Force 1s pace shiny polished floors. Creased, neglected, worn and tormented, I questioned just how people could treat their sneakers with so little respect.

Since my formative years, I’ve wit nessed sneaker culture come to the forefront of streetwear and designer fashion. According to StockX, an online marketplace for streetwear and sneak ers, the company eclipsed 6.5 million lifetime users in the first half of 2021, with buyers outside of the US grow ing by over 100%.1 They also reported a more than 200% increase in distinct designer collaborations with street wear brands. This trend is hard to ig nore. It’s impossible to go anywhere on campus without being faced by hun dreds of pairs of Air Force 1s, Jordan Mid Lows or New Balance 327s. As the rise in demand for these sneakers has grown, the legacy of Black culture has

¹ “Big Facts: Collaboration Nation, Designer Edi tion,” StockX Snapshot, Aug. 2021.

NOT TO KNOW

been left behind. Casual sneaker-wear ers are not interested in learning the dark and shocking origin of sneaker culture that allows them to rock color ful, basketball shoes with their thrifted outfit today.

In Black culture, there is a dual sig nificance to sneakers. On one hand, they’re a sign of status, wealth and prosperity. Growing up as a Black child in a low-income neighborhood can feel like the world is working against you. If by chance you overcome the influence of gang culture, the school-to-prison pipeline and the food deserts, society still tells you that there are only two ways “out the hood”: basketball or rap music. In the 1980s, a young Black man from Brooklyn, New York became a token of this success. Michael Jordan created his name from dominating the basketball industry. He took his suc cess further than basketball when he began designing the footwear that thousands of other young Black chil dren and teens would claim in hopes of following in his footsteps.

Jordans weren’t just a shoe, but proof to Black children that they could suc ceed in this pathway to overcome the generational poverty and social class es of their families. The Air Jordan and other sneakers from Adidas and Ree bok soon found a place in hip-hop. Now, not only are the Black deacons in athletics wearing sneakers, but those in the music industry are as well. Sneak ers are a status symbol—the first im pression you make when you walk into a room without having to say a word.

It’s why Black people pair Jordans with a three-piece suit at weddings, graduations and other formals. Like any other item, you might invest in, to purchase a pair of sneakers is to treat them with respect. Don’t wear them out on a rainy day; they’ll get stained.

Don’t wear them on the court; they’ll get creased. Don’t wear them walking to school; they’ll get stolen.

That’s the other hand: In low-income neighborhoods, anything of value comes with the likely chance that it will be taken away and never seen again— sneakers, opportunity, lifelong friends.

If you’ve ever driven through one of these neighborhoods (you know, the ones where you double lock your car doors as you drive through), you may have seen a pair of sneakers hanging over a basketball hoop or a telephone line. This isn’t a prank, but a landmark of gang and drug trafficking activity in the area.2 This phenomenon has been around since the beginning of sneaker culture. The May 1990 Sports Illustrat ed cover says it best: “Your Sneakers or Your Life.” Historically, to purchase a pair of sneakers was to chance to be randomly jumped, held up or followed home. Sneakers were expensive and if you had the extra money to get a pair, you had the money a gang or some one else needed more, and so they took them.

As recently as 2015, about 1,200 peo ple a year died over sneakers, with a majority being Air Jordans.3 Notably,

² Meribah Knight, “Shoes on a Wire: Untangling an Urban Myth,” WBEZ Chicago, Aug. 5, 2015.

³ Shenequa Golding, “GQ Finds That 1,200 People

a young man named Joshua Woods was followed home, shot and killed after purchasing a pair of Bread 11s. His mother then created an organiza tion called “Life Over Fashion” to fight against sneaker violence. So, no, to the Black community, a sneaker is not just a shoe. It’s a liability, a safety haz ard and a reason you might not return home, even today.

I don’t mean to discourage partici pation in sneaker culture but hope to educate a new generation of sneak erheads on the community’s dark his tory. The reality is, the recent surge in streetwear, couture collaborations and sneaker sales has really helped the community by supporting Black busi nesses and regulating sneaker wear. It is a beautiful feeling to witness people from all different walks of life bonding over something as inclusive and signif icant as the sneaker.

That being said, it is important to up lift and appreciate the communities that established this culture and to be mindful of your privilege to wear sneakers without the fear of robbery or even death. As you take elements of culture from the Black community, it’s always a good idea to give back by educating yourself or even donating to people such as Joshua Woods’ moth er, who work tirelessly to keep sneaker culture safe. Next time you reach for a new pair of sneakers, think about what they mean to you, and try your best to keep them from creasing. ■

Die A Year Over Sneakers,” Vibe, Nov. 17, 2015.

Stolen Soles

Unisex Street Style

Unisex Street Style

MONTHLY TREND REPORT

Written by Emily Fleming, PR & Outreach Director

Street style first gained major popularity in the ‘90s and has continued to revel in pop culture since. Black culture, skater culture and sportswear have all played a major role in inspiring and building out the style, which includes sneakers, baggy hoodies, graphic tees, bucket hats and more. As the story goes, designer labels started taking from the streets and including elements of street style in their collections as well—creating a fashion space dominat ed and infiltrated by the aesthetic. Here are my top picks for unisex pieces to start or grow your street style collec tion.

1HOODIE

Jeff Koons x UNIQLO, $10

Inspired by the contemporary art of Jeff Koons, this navy hoodie is a cool and simple piece to throw over any out fit. Pair with baggy blue jeans to keep it casual, leather pants to dress it up or black trousers and a blazer thrown over for a business casual ensemble. You can also find similar hoodies at brands like Daily Paper, Essentials and North Face.

Graphic Tee

Mac Miller, $30

3Sport Sunglasses

REI, $27

Sports sunglasses are currently booming as the new, must-try eyewear trend of 2022. We’ve seen dads accidentally set mass trends before—from baggy jeans to the iconic “dad sneak er,” which has become go-to footwear for many young adults. Now the iconic dad sport sunglasses are becoming the year’s hottest eyewear trend. High-end designers like Balenciaga are taking inspi ration from the rectangular silhouette, as are pop ular retailers like Urban Outfitters. Try the OG pair from REI, an authentic and affordable way to dip a toe into this fun trend.

Mesh Top

Sulvam, $415 Mesh tops are perfect for layering, whether it’s over an undershirt or beneath a jacket. You could also forego the layering altogether, wearing a standalone mesh top to show some skin. Try out this top from Sulvam, or head to ASOS to browse through many options with different cuts, sleeves and patterns. Chopova Lowena offers a multi-colored men’s mesh top with beautiful designs of sculp tures on the front and sleeves. Oversized and flowing, or tight and fit, mesh can be a subtly sexy addition to any look.

A graphic tee is essential for any wardrobe because it is the easiest way to get comfortable and look stylish whilst putting little to no effort in. Try pairing one with jeans or shorts, layered with a hoodie or jack et on top. Check out the official Mac Miller store, which offers a variety of screen-printed t-shirts sure to wow. Other brands such as Palm Angels, Gx1000 and HUF offer tees that blend street style with skater culture through fashion in a cool new way.

Sneakers

Nike Blazer Mid ‘77, $83

Disregard any prior notions of men’s vs. women’s sneakers. All that matters is your size: you can look to either category for your perfect pair of kicks. As an avid men’s sneaker purchaser myself, I focus more on the style of the pair I want than anything else. Brands often display different offerings when it comes to gender in footwear, and men’s collec tions tend to get more street-style rich designs. Try checking out GOAT or Flight Club for deals on the best sneakers on the market right now.

Sweatpants

Renowned LA, $98

A solid pair of sweatpants are a wardrobe necessity, and there are certainly ways to wear them without looking like you’re in your pajamas. This blue and white pat terned pair from Renowned LA, paired with a white hoodie and leather jacket layered on top, will make you look put together while also providing comfort. Heron Preston and Shadow Hill are other brands to look to when search ing for your new go-to sweatpant.

Button Up

Renowned LA, $100

Classic white button-ups are a staple for any wardrobe, men’s or women’s, but adding in a fun alternative can be a great way to spice up your look. Opt for this boxy silhouette with a bright green and blue design for a flattering, uni sex fit. You can also try wearing it unbuttoned with a black or white tank top underneath and a pair of blue or green sneakers to tie the look together.

Trucker hat

Daily Paper, $66

These hats are a trend that is here to stay—but no shade to the beloved baseball cap, there is room for you here too. Daily Paper

Clothing is a fashion & lifestyle brand that draws inspiration from African culture, adding a contemporary twist and working to uplift and support the community through their designs and passion for change. Their trucker hats feature large text and can be paired with just about anything.

Varsity Bomber Jacket

Axel Arigato, $375

Varsity jackets are not only reserved for high school athletes—people have been sporting them as a cool layering piece for a while now. Axel Arigato offers versions with green or blue letter ing. Throw it over your shoulder, atop a white tee and blue jeans for a classic collegiate look, or get creative with your styling. Risk-taking is the key to mastering this aesthetic. ■

FLUIDITY

Unraveling my Identity

Allowing the freedom of fluidity into my life has left me feeling like a knot, unraveling. At first, it felt impossible for me to know where to start picking apart the years of disorientation that defined my identity.

When I was young, I was defined by others as a “tomboy.” All I wore were athletic shorts and tees. The boys didn’t let me play with them because I was a girl, although I grew up play ing with the boys in my neighborhood and I was better at sports than half of them. The only girls the boys wanted to be friendly to were the ones who dressed like, well, girls. One day, I went home and decided I would go back to school as a girl. I found the only pink shirt I had and begged my parents to buy me skinny jeans. As soon as I let the world define me as a girl, I felt like I couldn’t go back. From then on I had to watch girls closely in order to un derstand how they worked. I shaved my legs because girls shaved their legs. I learned how to put my hair in a perfect pony instead of letting it hang, as my mom would say, in a “rat's nest.” It took me years of trying and failing to

prove myself as a girl. Years of hiding my messy room, of holding my tongue when a boy said something rude to me, of being quiet and obedient be cause apparently, that's how girls were “supposed” to be. I had too much of what boys were supposed to have, and not enough of what girls were. It was all so much, feeling like I had to prove myself as something that I wasn’t. The knot inside grew tighter and tighter the longer I had to try and show girls and women that I belonged. Women were neat, clean, elegant ... at least that’s what I thought, what I saw.

I only began unraveling the knot a couple of years ago. When I realized that I can be everything that I am, I can be me and be a woman. I can feel the “boy” inside me who wants to run around, get dirty, wear baggy clothes and boxers, and I want to let him live. That doesn’t change at all that I am a woman. I like to show off my curves, wear makeup, and accessorize. Most of all, I like to bring these identities to gether as one.

Through it all, clothes have been by my side and fashion has been there to lift me up. I very much have my own sense of style, something that is mine, that I

created. My clothes let me explore the infinite possibilities within my identi ty, because, the truth is, I don’t know where I stand. One day I am some thing, and I am sure of it. The next day, I am entirely something else. It’s a part of my dynamic human experience. Clothes are the best way for me to flow from one part of myself to another, sometimes multiple times in one day. How I feel is how I dress, how I dress is who I want to be.

At the end of the day, I hope for this issue to inspire everyone to open up to fluidity in gender expression. I know there are women and girls out there like me. I know there are boys and men out there like me too. I know there are a hell of a lot of people inbetween and outside the terms we coined for gen der in America. Together, we have to work on untying these knots society has embedded within us. It still feels like it will take a lifetime to unravel my own. Nonetheless, the knot feels looser than it's ever been, closer to freedom from itself than ever before. So long as we keep unraveling …

Enjoy!

Dia Ferrara

Directed by Jane Houseal, Fashion Editorial Assistant, Gabrielle Gronewold, Editor in Chief, Emily Fleming, PR & Outreach Director and Ella Cunz, Fashion Staff Member

Photographed by Hannah Huber, Staff Photographer, and Jami Balicki, Staff Photographer Filmed by Madelyn Vilker, Videography Director, and Elizabeth Kallies, Staff Videographer Makeup by Riley August, Makeup Director Modeled and written by Dia Ferrara

Strangers

Why is it when I am not confined within the walls of my own home, or should I say my own head, when I feel the most free?

Or does it make perfect sense; one can only truly see once they have fled home, once they have left the confines of the mind or otherwise the nest.

That is when our eyes will be or have been opened to the world of the strangers, one so seemingly foreign yet possibly closer to the heart than the family may be, with their preconceived emotions about who we are, how we act, what we may or may not be inside the confines of their own homes.

Let me be freed from the minds of those who think they know my home, let the strangers see me for who I am however that may be, for they may see what my home has blinded from me.

My heart the cobra

My heart sheds layers like a newborn snake's skin. Cracking and breaking and being reborn with rapid, forced, painful growth occurring beneath.

By now, my heart has grown into a cobra. Do not mess with my heart, for she will strike with the strength of the thousands of skins she has shed.

An Interview with Edna Dawit

MADISON ACTIVIST TALKS EXPERIENCE, INTENTION AND AFTERCARE

Written by Gabrielle Gronewold, Editor in Chief Graphic by Annika Ide, Art Director

TW: Discussion of rape, trauma and trauma response

If you or someone you know please call the RCC at 608-251-7273.

Edna

Dawit (she/her) is a recent graduate of the psychology department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As CoPresident of UW-Madison’s Global Health Alliance and an emerging graduate student Dawit is passionate about social justice, mental health and victim advocation.

Dawit additionally serves as a helpline volunteer at the Rape Crisis Center (RCC) here in Madison. The RCC offers support to survivors for all forms of sexual violence—one of their services is a 24-hour helpline, which is where Dawit comes in.

As a helpline volunteer, Dawit wears an important hat, one which may be troubling to both wear and take off. Speaking with her shed light on the touchpoints an activist crosses in their pursuit of support, change and achieve personal self-care.

*This interview has been edited and lightly condensed.

MM: Why did you choose to get involved with the RCC?

ED: I am interested in working with people who have gone through trau ma and adversity. So this position is a great opportunity to get experience in the field and also help those process what they are going through.

MM: What does a typical shift at the RCC look like?

ED: Once I settle in the room, I let the On Call Advocate, aka OCA (kind of like a supervisor), know that I arrived. The OCA is there to support you whenever

you need help on a call or would like to process any difficult calls you had during your shift. I then review some notes from previous shifts and wait for the phone to ring.

Callers definitely vary, but I was sur prised at how many older people call. Most of the older people who call need assistance in processing an assault that happened a while back.

MM: What are you allowed/not allowed to talk about on a call?

ED: We normally shy away from talking about ourselves. The helpline is a space that is for the caller and we try to re spect that boundary! Other than that, I try to let the caller lead the conversa tion and let them share what they feel most comfortable.

MM: What approaches do you take to serve callers?

ED: Active listening and validation are extremely important. Many of the callers want to feel heard and I do so by providing minimal encouragement (like an mhhm, yes). I then try to val idate their emotion because callers may feel a variety of feelings (angry, sad, disgusted). Their emotions are justified. Lastly, I try to touch on selfcare towards the end. The hope is that after the call they can do something for themselves to destress.

MM: How do you personally prepare for a call shift?

ED: One way is by reading the notes of previous volunteers. We talk about dif ferent strategies to use with different callers. Some callers really just want

you to listen, while others want to con verse more. It is important that we lean on each other’s notes to provide the best care for them. I also try to refresh myself on tips and strategies to use.

MM: What has been the most impact ful thing you have experienced in this role?

ED: Hearing positive feedback from our callers makes me smile! One call er had told me that they had not felt understood in a while and they finally felt that while talking to me. It almost made me cry! It was very sweet to hear how a phone call can impact others’ healing journey in such a positive way.

MM: What does your aftercare routine look like?

ED: After my overnight shift, I spend the next day catching up on sleep and spoiling myself. I do a hair treatment, face mask and enjoy the day to myself. I think aftercare is super important for this position and I take it very serious ly. I will always do some sort of selfcare after my shift. The RCC also sends weekly emails on various self-care ac tivities which I enjoy reading.

MM: What would you say to someone interested in working for the RCC?

ED: I think its a great opportunity! It is a pretty heavy position so please be sure that you do have the mental capacity to listen and provide support for others going through a very trau matic experience (and it is okay if you don’t—it is a tough job!) You are able to sign up for the training session on line at thercc.com.

Breaking through the Binary

EXPLORING GENDERLESS FASHION

Written by Jane Houseal, Fashion Editorial Assistant Photographed by Molly Jacobs, Staff Photographer Modeled by Forrest Orion

Thefashion industry has always been involved with gender identity, whether positively or negatively. Clothing is often used to enforce traditional ideas surrounding gender and assign people one way of being.1 Despite this, individuals can also affirm and express gender identities that stray from the binary through their style.

Designers and retailers alike have rec ognized the opportunities for fashion to expand. We’ve already seen gen der-neutral clothing, often comprised of shapeless garments in neutral colors, meant to be worn by males or females. However, this gender-neutral clothing is typically created to fit within the bina ry—it’s not made for people who don’t define themselves as either gender.2

There has been extensive praise for men in dresses and women in suits,

¹ Júlia Vilaça, “Genderless Fashion Has Been Rewriting the Binary Concept of Clothing,” Fash innovation, June 7, 2021.

² “Non Binary Outfits - Understanding Non-Bina ry Fashion,” Taimi, Feb. 11, 2022.

which are powerful statements to an extent, but often fail to capture the potential of clothing to be truly gen derless. When an individual wears something that does not fit their gen der, they can help redefine clothing stereotypes. It can be empowering for people with structured gender identi ties to engage in less gendered dress, but fashion should be a tool to express a more fluid gender identity as well. The mere act of a cisgender person wearing untraditional clothing doesn’t properly showcase the various forms gender can take, beyond those who identify within the binary.

Many figures within the fashion in dustry are expanding the relation ship between style and gender. Harris Reed is one influential designer who is known for playing with gender fluidity. Their recent collection, “Sixty Years A Queen,” focuses on dynamic looks that “challenge the confines of gender and identity within each piece.”3 The col lection features exaggerated silhou ettes, a sculptural piece that is half a female chest and half a male chest and various looks that play with volume and proportion to the extreme.

More and more boundary-breaking young designers are entering the fash ion scene as well. Ella Bouchet, a Finn ish fashion designer and Central St. Martins graduate, designs garments for those left out of a fashion indus try that typically caters towards a cis gender, heteronormative consumer. Bouchet says they plan to “provoke change through gender, queerness, sexuality, style and beauty.” Their work consists of sharply tailored pieces and provoking leather silhouettes.

Another designer, Arturo Obegero, is surpassing the bounds of fashion in a slightly different way. Obegero uses their position as a designer to help deconstruct the ideas around gender and fashion. They focus on cutting and draping to create a variety of gender less tailored pieces.4

3 Naomi Pike, “Sixty Years A Queen,” Harris Tweed, 2022.

⁴ Alex Kessler & Eni Subair, “Meet 5 Young Designers Working Outside the Gender Binary,”

Both well-established and fresh fash ion figures are working to compen sate for areas where the industry still lacks. Obegero’s expertise in tailoring is so valuable, as tailoring is one realm in particular that has a lot of room for improvement. Fashion has always been a gendered concept. Even as en couraging genderless trends and run ways shows begin to emerge, it is vital that we push for reform that starts at the root.

The strongest fashion, whether on an artistic runway show or your favorite vintage garment, starts with solid con struction. Unfortunately, most sewing patterns and tailoring norms are gen dered, which make it difficult to create genderless clothing.5 Even if people are dressing outside the binary, cloth ing is still being designed within it.

UW-Madison student, stylist and mod el Forrest Orion was the one who first brought these specific shortcomings of fashion to my attention. In an inter view with Orion, they explained the importance of fashion in their life as a genderqueer person.

“Fashion has become an outlet to affirm my identity. It has definitely changed the way I look at clothing. I don’t look at clothes in a gendered lens, but rather how can I create something that’s interesting to look at while maintaining an air of mystery and androgyny.”

Orion’s use of fashion to affirm their gender identity goes to show the po tential of fashion to positively impact people’s self-exploration rather than harm it. However, problems in the fash ion industry are present everywhere. Orion described their struggles with tailoring and clothing fit, specifically through the example of pants.

“I like to bring focus away from my hips, but many women’s cut pants tend to hug the hips to create more of an hourglass figure. Men’s pants, on the Vogue, March 23, 2021.

⁵ Emilia Bergoglio, “Degendering Fashion: Does Clothing Have to be Gendered?” Seamwork, accessed Feb. 2022.

other hand, are great for how boxy and straight cut they are but tend to be lower rise which still tends to ac centuate the hips”.

Morgan Montoya, a friend of Orion’s, is a tailor working to create garments that alleviate problems such as pants not fitting the ideal way. Montoya is somewhat new to tailoring, but their dedication and talent are clear. When I sat down with Montonya to chat about their experience, they revealed the amount of research they had done to learn how to pattern make and adjust patterns for a better fit.

When I asked Montoya what inspired them to start their sewist journey, I was surprised by how universal their answer was. “Why do I feel frumpy all the time?” was the question Monon tya wanted to answer. People deserve clothes that fit and make them feel good, and what clothes accomplish that is different for everyone.

The painful, yet the well-known feeling of hating how your clothes fit is often a more intense challenge for gender non-conforming individuals. As Mon toya explained, LGBTQ+ individuals may spend more time thinking about their appearance because they want to feel more like themselves in a soci ety that tells them they have to behave and appear one specific way.

The interconnectedness between fash ion and gender means something dif ferent to everyone. Genderless cloth ing does not solely exist for cisgender individuals to experiment with atypical style choices. True genderless fashion should allow for any person to interpret clothing how they prefer and exist with no preexisting intentions regarding gender expression. Between altering how garments are tailored, celebrating innovative designers and prioritizing nonbinary experiences, there is a rev olutionary future ahead when it comes to gender and fashion.

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Written by Kora Quinn, Arts Editor Graphic by Riya Shah, Contributing Graphic Artist

on-fungible tokens, or NFTs, have exploded in popularity over the last year. And, if you’re anything like me, it took three articles, two YouTube videos and one finance-bro to finally understand what they are and why it already feels like a gendered conversation—or a marketplace catered to men.

Once you get past all the lofty jargon, they’re really not as complicated as they seem. NFTs are “cryptographic to kens,” or digital works of art. They can be completely original or represent re al-world objects, such as studio art. Or, most commonly, they take the form of digital creations that already exist on the internet—like the Nyan Cat, celebri ty tweets or video clips of NBA games.1

According to Jazmin Goodwin, a writer for CNN Business, “NFTs transform dig ital works of art and other collectibles into one-of-a-kind, verifiable assets that are easy to trade on the blockchain.”2

But if the digital art that is typically used in NFTs already exists elsewhere, whether in the real world or online, how can it be a one-of-a-kind? This is where NFTs get tricky, and where the “non-fungible” aspect comes in.

Something that is “fungible” is inter changeable, like trading a one-dol lar bill for a different one-dollar bill: they’re valued exactly the same. Alter natively, something that is “non-fungi ble” can’t be replaced with something else because it is completely unique. This applies to NFTs in that they have unique identifying codes, or digital signatures, with built-in authentication that makes it impossible for them to be exchanged for something else.3 Even if people can view that artwork online for free, only the owner of the NFT will have the bragging rights to it.

¹ Robyn Conti & John Schmidt, “What Is An NFT? Non-Fungible Tokens Explained,” Forbes, Feb. 15, 2022.

² Jazmin Goodwin, “What is an NFT? Non-fun gible tokens explained,” CNN Business, Nov. 10, 2021.

³ Robyn Conti & John Schmidt, “What Is An NFT? Non-Fungible Tokens Explained,” Forbes, Feb. 15, 2022.

It’s like owning the “Mona Lisa.” Anyone else can take a photo of the painting, or download an image of it from Goo gle for free, but they will never own the “Mona Lisa.” In the same way, purchas ing an NFT allows buyers to own the original, digital creation or representa tion of a piece of art which overpowers the value of any screenshot.

Once you have a basic understanding of NFTs, you can finally begin to see all the good, the bad and the ugly that surrounds them—like how they can sell for millions of dollars, or that they’re actually very harmful to the environ ment or that it’s a marketplace riddled with misogyny, where women only make up 16% of NFT artists globally.4

This misogyny was evident after the launch of the Misfit University avatar project. This comprises a collection of 10,000 NFTs in which one’s purchased avatar acts as acceptance into “Misfit U,” granting the owner access to exclu sive university clubs, discord channels and “Misfit-only perks.”5

Lauren Crossland-Marr, an anthro pologist and postdoctoral research er at Dalhousie University, wrote for Anthropology News that, “Although randomization creates interesting art, it can also create problematic com binations . . . those who bought the [Misfit University] NFT avatars discov ered that there were several avatars of women that had their mouths duct taped. The worst offenders also had black eyes or were crying. Such overt misogynistic imagery is common even in this space that prides itself on be ing accessible to everyone.”6

Crossland-Marr goes on to describe the various other cases of racist, ho mophobic and misogynistic imagery found in the same collection of imag es, as well as the general treatment of female artists by male collectors with in the community. That is, some men put up a facade that they are interest ed in women’s art to lure them onto

⁴ Anders Petterson & James Cocksey, “NFT Art Market Report,” ArtTactic, Nov. 2021.

⁵ “Home,” Misfit University, 2021.

⁶ Lauren Crossland-Marr, “Gender in the New NFT Economy,” Anthropology News, Dec. 6, 2021.

video calls, where they instead ask for sexual favors.7

“At the opposite end of this spec trum of problematic portrayals, offen sive language, and sexual advances,” wrote Crossland-Marr, “are two proj ects led by female artists: World of Women and The Fame Ladies Squad.”

The World of Women website boasts that they are taking action to diversify NFT spaces, as well as “educate and onboard the next generation of cre ators and builders, and create equal opportunities for everyone.”8

Both of these NFT projects donate a portion of their earnings to women’s empowerment initiatives and nonprofit organizations that serve victims of do mestic abuse. Still, according to Cross land-Marr, “What these projects show is that women in this space are consid ered authentic only in their status as women . . . These two extremes [the misogyny of men-created NFT spaces and the surface-level empowerment of women-created NFT spaces] symbol ize women’s own position within this

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ “World of Women,” World of Women.

emerging market as one defined by their gender. This new art market con tinues gendered ideologies of women as either sexual objects or overtly fem ininized participants.”

The future of the NFT market is un predictable because it’s still so new. What we do know is that they’re not sustainable in their current condition, whether that be because of the culture of inequity and exclusion, or because they’re actually not sustainable—NFT’s “cryptocurrency cousin” Bitcoin gener ates 38 million tons of CO2 per year, and NFTs aren’t far off.9 But there are already initiatives to combat all these drawbacks as creators and collectors alike strive to make the NFT market place accessible and ethical for all. And for creators, it seems to be for good reason; with the built-in royalties and convenience that comes with the digi tal medium, NFTs allow artists a better chance at turning their work into a vi able career path, all from the comforts of their home.

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⁹ Ben Korn, “What’s the Environmental Impact of NFTs? We Found Out,” Brightly, Dec. 3, 2021.

Once you have a basic understanding of NFTs, you can finally begin to see all the good, the bad and the ugly that surrounds them— like how they can sell for millions of dollars or that they’re actually very harmful to the environment.

I AM MY WORST ENEMY

HOW TO TAKE POWER AWAY FROM NEGATIVE THINKING

Written and modeled by Tessa Devine, Lifestyle Staff Writer Photographed and illustrated by Anna Janke, Staff Photographer

AsI’ve gotten older, my glass has become half empty. As a kid, I was doe-eyed with big hopes and dreams; I pursued theater and loved making videos on my iPhone. As I grew up, I was met with comparison, failure and rejection that discouraged me from these hobbies— negativity became a regular part of my life. Now, I find myself thinking about opportunities I was too afraid to pursue—things I gave up because I failed the first time.

Negativity and fear, beyond making us feel miserable, can hold us back. Neg ative thoughts can harm our physical health and potentially cause chronic stress, which disrupts the body’s hor mone balance, exhausts brain chem icals associated with happiness and weaken the immune system.1

It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of toxic thoughts. Negative thinking of ten becomes a sort of habit—and hab its, especially deep-rooted ones, can be difficult to break. However, when it comes to harmful thought patterns, this habit is worth uprooting.

So, how can you tackle it? While posi tivity isn’t a linear process, these simple strategies have allowed me to break away from the harmful inclination for negative thinking in my daily life.

Identify (and challenge) negative thought patterns

A good starting point is to identify the problem. The more we start to pay at ¹ Archelle Georgiou, “How Do Thoughts and Emotions Affect Health?” Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing, accessed Feb. 2022.

tention to our thoughts and self-talk, the more we recognize patterns.2 Neg ative thought patterns can take many forms, and recognizing the different types and patterns can be beneficial in stopping them.

• Personalizing - Taking things per sonally when they’re not meant to be or placing the blame on ourselves when something bad happens, even if it was out of our control.

• Filtering - Choosing to focus on the “bad” parts of something and ignoring the “good” parts.

• Catastrophizing - Anticipating the worst without considering the pos sibility or more likely outcomes.

• Labeling - The tendency to over generalize. We may label ourselves as “bad at math” or “a jealous friend” in our heads … even if the label is un fair. It will start to affect how we feel about ourselves or our abilities.3

Once we’ve identified some of our patterns, we can start to move to wards a more neutral and logical way of thinking.

Live in the moment

It’s easy to get stuck on negative thoughts. If you start to feel over whelmed by thoughts and aren’t ready to process and challenge them, try some grounding techniques.

² Arlin Cuncic, “Negative Thoughts: How to Stop Them,” Verywell Mind, Oct. 26, 2021.

³ “Identifying Negative Automatic Thought Pat terns,” Harvard University, accessed Feb. 2022.

• The 54321 Senses Technique - Ask yourself these questions: What are five things you see? Four things you can touch? Three things you can hear? Two things you can smell? One thing you can taste? Take your time as you walk through these, be descriptive as you focus on small details of your environment.

• 5-7-8 Breathing - Breathe in for five seconds, hold it for seven seconds, and release your breath for eight seconds. Any breathing technique works great at calming your body.

Surround yourself with positive people My dad always used to say, “show me your three closest friends and I’ll tell you what person you’ll become.” Friends have a bigger impact on us than we might like to admit. Uncon sciously, our brains pick up on cues from people around us, and this influ ences our behaviors.4 If we surround ourselves with people who vocalize a lot of negative self-talk or complain constantly, we might begin to fall into those habits as well. On the other hand, if we spend time around happy and positive people, their attitude will affect us positively.

If you notice your friends have some toxic habits, that doesn’t mean you have to cut them out immediately, but consider having a conversation about this with them or setting clear bound aries for yourself.

⁴ William Park, “How your friends change your habits - for better and worse,” BBC, Feb. 17, 2022.

Sometimes, the biggest thing holding us back is ourselves. Negative thought patterns can be destructive and keep us from reaching our fullest poten tial. The best way to combat this toxic cycle is to realize that we control our thoughts—not the other way around. It’s not a flaw to be pessimistic, many of us naturally are, but any small changes you can make in your life to move towards neutrality—or better yet positivity—will improve your overall quality of life.1

After reflecting on my negative thought patterns, I’ve realized how much it’s controlled me, and I want to break free from that. In the end I think I might audition for a play this spring after all.

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⁵ Lena Firestone, “Thinking Positively: Why You Need to Wire Your Brain to Think Positive,” Psy chAlive, accessed Feb. 2022.

GUERRILLA GIRLS

HOW ANONYMOUS ACTIVISTS PROVOKE THE ART WORLD

Writing and graphic by Arella Warren, Deputy Editor

Imagineyou take a day trip to your local museum or cross the country to visit an esteemed gallery, only to find that less than one-tenth of all of the work on display was created by someone like you. For hundreds of agitated artists across the American and European art scene of the 1980s, this was the case. When the Museum of Modern Art first opened in 1984, only 13 women and 8 artists of color were featured in a gallery of 169.1

London and NYC of the ‘80s are known for the cultural shifts happening at the time, and for good reason. With the emergence of new politics and so cial ideals, people were pushing for a change. And no one challenged main stream ideology as passionately as the guerrilla artists and activists who de fined the underground scene.

Guerrilla art refers to the grassroots street art movement that took hold in the late ‘80s.2 While the artistic con tent may comprise a variety of sub jects, the movement is shaped by sev eral ideals, including anonymity, public and political revolution, performance, provocation and experimentation. Guerrilla art includes traditional street art graffiti, but can also take the form of public installations—often in unau thorized locations3—video projections, ¹ Guerrilla Girls, “Guerrilla Girls: The Art of Behav ing Badly,” San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2020.

² Casey Botticello, “What is Guerrilla Art?” Medi um, June 15, 2019.

³ Ibid.

sidewalk chalk, flyers, zines, slogans, book inserts and any other media or messaging that can be seamlessly and subversively distributed to the public.

One of the biggest pioneers of the movement are the Guerrilla Girls. Self-defined as an anonymous group of artist activists, the Guerrilla Girls “undermine the idea of a mainstream narrative by revealing the understory, the subtext, the overlooked, and the downright unfair.”4 The band formed with the intention of publicly blasting museums and contemporary art for its exclusion of women and minority cre ators and continues to make waves in our understanding of the art scene to this day.5

Perhaps you’ve seen the Guerrilla Girls’ iconic design for the NY Public Art fund, showcasing a nude, female body wearing a gorilla mask across a large yellow banner, reading, “Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum?”6 When the campaign first launched in 1989, less than 5% of art ists in the Met were female, while 85% of the nudes featured women; when they reviewed the statistics in 2012, the number of female artists fell to 4% with a striking 76% of female nudes.7

⁴ “Reinventing the ‘F’ Word: Feminism,” Guerrilla Girls, accessed Feb. 2022.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ “Do Women Still Have to be Naked to Get Into the Met. Museum?” Guerrilla Girls, accessed Feb. 2022.

⁷ Ibid.

Whether you’re shocked by the num bers or not, the fact is that for centu ries, respectable art institutions have been entirely homogeneous. This has left us with a monoculture of Western white men setting the standard—not only for what we perceive as “good,” but also for what we accept as default. The issue with accepting this mono culture as status quo is that it makes us complacent, more narrow-minded and less likely to take risks, even at our own benefit.8

Yet, surprise and risk-taking lie at the heart of activist work, and the same goes for great art as well. In the words of one Guerrilla Girl: “The only thing you can do to a system that oppresses you is make fun of it, and we did that by being provocative.”9

It may seem bleak arguing against the masses, but guerrilla art is an undeni able force proving that provocation grabs attention. It shows us that we must never stop advocating to diver sify our perspectives and change a system that works against us or else we risk writing ourselves out of history and losing who we are.

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⁸ Kendra Cherry, “How the Status Quo Bias Af fects Decisions,” Verywell Mind, Feb. 9, 2022.

⁹ Tate, “Guerrilla Girls, ‘You Have to Question What You See’ (interview),” Smarthistory, April 16, 2021.

WHO WE LOVE TO HATE AND HATE TO LOVE

DISSECTING VILLAINS IN FILM

Written by Cate Tarr, Arts Staff Writer Illustrated by Filip Jawdosiuk, Contributing Graphic Artist

Thegood, the bad and the evil—each divided into its own respective category, containing qualities as distinguishable as black and white. But what if I told you that evil can, at times, inform the good? That evil can wear the sheepskin of benevolence or even come from the same foundations of what we perceive as ever virtuous and true?

In film, characters are often placed into boxes that inform the viewer not only how to think of and define them, but also how to imagine their past and predict their future. Recalling my first encounters with villains as a child, I re member trembling at the sight of Ma leficent and her deadly desires while conversely batting my eyes in awe of Aurora, the Sleeping Beauty.

But it is not Maleficent’s bitter de sires that scare the audience, it’s the fact that she seems to know no lim its. She’s a malevolent character who is not aware of her cruel status; rather, she is highly conscious of it and may even take pride in it. In knowing their own immorality, villains are terrifying because they are able to twist the nar rative to justify their malicious actions.1

Often coinciding with political conver sations of the time, many villains also actively contribute to harmful and un founded stereotypes. One example of this issue can be seen in the first “Iron Man.” The film contains misleading ste reotypes, such as the portrayal of an Afghan terrorist group called the Ten Rings, which actively reinforced an ti-Arab sentiments in height of the war on terror.2 In the same vein, it is not un common in both animated children’s movies and films aimed at adults to encounter more people of color play ing villains, or villains with a “foreign” accent, further reinforcing ideologies of nationalism and mindsets in which ¹ Lewis, “6 Ways to Write Truly Terrifying Villains,” 2020.

² Aidan Bryant, “Iran Man: A Case Study in Orien talism and Hegemony,” 2011.

anything outside of one’s own experi ence is deemed wrong.

As the aftermath of WWII unraveled in America, for example, the media gave the public a surge of German villains; similarly, during the Cold War came an unusual onset of Russian adversaries.3 These trends are deeply harmful, as the media actively shapes our percep tions of the world and the individuals that live in it, even if we do not realize when a point of view is being formed.

Lord, Darth Vader is beloved and even honored by fans.

“Star Wars” creators achieved this likeability by telling his story—one that explains to the audience how this seemingly harmless boy came to be the fearsome Darth Vader. Revealing to viewers that this precarious person ality once took form as both a gallant Jedi Knight and an innocent young child, the audience can begin to under stand not only what makes a character who they are, but can also even relate to the decisions that a character made to arrive there.4

Along those lines, when Todd Phillips and Scott Silver wrote “The Joker” in 2019, they were able to garner support and affection for a murderous charac ter. They did so, mainly, by showcasing how he came to be the villain we all recognize from the “Batman” comics, shows and movies. In illuminating the disgusting treatment and complete apathy that society threw at Arthur Fleck due to his disorder and odd hab its, Phillips and Scott move audiences to empathize with the Joker, despite his inhumane actions as he descends into madness.5

Despite this, many villains are talked about fondly and are even considered relatable. In underscoring the phe nomenon of a backstory and provid ing realistic reasons for how a person can turn evil, screenwriters are able to make villains human again by subvert ing outdated tropes in which charac ters are evil for the sake of evil.

Take Darth Vader: Adorned across the faces of children as young as one, the mask of Darth Vader can be seen on neighborhood streets each Halloween. Despite his reputation as a cruel Sith

³ Team Zavvi, “The 5 Ultimate Movie Villain Ste reotypes,” Zavvi, 2016.

Villains are important because they ex emplify how humans are never perfect and contain unseemly qualities and motivations, even in cinema. By rec ognizing a time when even the scari est villain once had good intentions, the audience can begin to understand where good and evil intertwine and intersect, especially in real life. Seeing this crossover can help point to ways in which we as individuals might be misinterpreting an opposing individual in our own lives—causing us to reflect not only on our own human nature but also the ways in which we perceive the actions of others.

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⁴ Mathew Jackson, “The Entire Darth Vader Story finally explained” Loper, 2019.

⁵ Alex Abad-Santos, “The fight over Joker and the new movie’s ‘dangerous’ message, explained ” Vox, 2019.