MOSAIC MINDS ISSUE 2: THE CULTURE ISSUE by Mosaic Minds Magazine

THE CULTURE ISSUE

From the Founder’s Desk - Issue 2

People are funny creatures. They have so many languages, dialects, customs, and values but still not enough words to truly describe the essence of someone or something. Instead, we resort to labeling each other, to get as close to it as possible. The New Yorker criticized Merriam-Webster for choosing “culture” as the 2014 Word of the Year. The story goes on to state “the problem is that culture is more than the sum of its parts. If anything, its value as a word depends on the tension between [those parts].” This issue is called the “Culture Issue.” We chose this topic to continue highlighting the hustlers we meet and how they are connecting their passions with their respective communities. As always, each (magazine) issue coincides with a real-world issue. We’re going to observe stories from different angles and travel through very intimate spaces. What do you think? Is culture something you can summarize by a look, a feel, a vibe? Or is it something far more intrinsic, collective? Is it here to stay, or always evolving? How DO you “do it for the culture”? The truth is, there’s more than one answer. And we’re about to find out. One time for the one time, REAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS STORY PAGE NUMBER YOUTH 3-11 DALE ALGO 4-7 STEPHANIE GANCAYCO 8-11

ETHNICITY 12-31

HELLO HELLO WHITE AMERICA 12-13 JULIA ALMONTE 14-18 IFFY KAYSAR 19-21 SAHARIN SULTANA 22-23 NAVEED STONE AHMED 24-27 JOSHUA BONZIE 28-29

COMMUNITY 30-45 JUSTIN YONG 32-33 ISABEL CAJULIS 34-35 STEPHEN TROIANO 36-39 JENNIFER BECHEM 40-42 NOAH BUNYI 43 MARC LOSENARA 44 ASHLEE ESPINAL 45

SHOUT-OUTS 46-47

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YOUTH

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doing a shoot for a small local clothing brand, and they were being featured in Artsy. I met the editor of the magazine there and she told me she was looking for more photographers. It was a huge opportunity, and my first real opportunity, to gain exposure. Ever since, I kept shooting projects for them. Two years ago, I was named Head of Photo Production.

R: How did you get started with photography? D: I started in sophomore year of high school. I worked a summer job during that year and saved up the money to buy myself a DSLR camera. It was a Nikon D40. I initially got it to remember things - I’m a forgetful person. In order for me to remember things, I would take pictures and look back on things like hanging out with friends. R: Did you teach yourself or take classes? D: I taught myself. I didn’t even use the manual that came with my camera. Then I took an Intro to Photography class in high school. R: Was the class filmbased? What’s your opinion of film? D: I didn’t learn film until college. I think film is definitely worth it. It’s one of the staples of photography; one of the only ways we can separate ourselves from other forms of art. It’s not for me,

DALE ALGO because I don’t personally have the patience for it. But film quality is incomparable to other forms. On its own, it is art. R: I agree. I just started doing film and it can get frustrating sometimes. D: I think it’s important to start off with film. It’s the most formal way of figuring out what ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and etc. R: Do you still work for Artsy Mag? D: Yes, I’ve been there for 5 years. R: How did you get started there - was it an internship or just freelance? D: It started as freelance about 4-5 years ago. I was

R: Is there a project you worked on that you found challenging? Where you had to be more resourceful and creative? D: There was an issue a while back where I had to recruit other photographers. I followed a bunch on Instagram, but it became my duty to take everyone’s unique styles and find a way they could all complement each other. They were all creatives and passionate, and I wanted to bring it all together but make sure their work still stood out on its own. R: What would you describe your style as? D: Vibrant. I like to use a lot of light, flash, and various colors. I’m not into posed or thoughtout projects. I prefer on-thego or in-the-moment looks. As long as I take any camera with me, I’m good. It’s better for me to have unplanned and spontaneous photos. R: Yeah, I remember when we did a shoot once for D3, everyone was laughing at your pose ideas. One of them was to look angry but smile at the same time. D: I don’t like to do the same thing everyone else does. I want people to have fun and be more natural in their form. When I photograph, I try to get to know the person and see

where they stand. R: As you know, the theme of this issue is “Culture.” Do you think that there is a large photography culture in New York, or is it more of a hidden/lost art? D: I think photography is a large community in New York. There’s so many opportunities given to you to find something to photograph. We have cameras in our phones in this day and age - there’s always a way to capture what you’re looking at, and there’s so much to look at. I don’t think it’s very difficult to find or very hidden. It’s not a lost art - it’s more poppin’ than ever.

R: Is there a particular photo that has stuck to your memory most? D: I don’t have anything I’ve seen but I can suggest something I’ve taken. There’s a photo from my FOMO project. A girl is running naked into the ocean. Going forth into something unknowing. There’s some type of wanderlust. I took that photo last summer in Long Beach, and we wanted to just see the sunrise before the school semester started. I thought it was wild because I’ve never experienced anything like that. I’ve only seen it on Tumblr but it was different to be in that type of moment. I wasn’t even

prepared. I wore a crewneck sweater, jogging pants, and sneakers. But I knew I had to get this photo because even if we tried to recreate the moment, it would never be the same. R: I really like that photo too. It was crazy when I first saw it! R: Speaking of the FOMO project, how did the gallery show go? D: Oh, it was fun! A buttload of people came through. It was a community show where 6-7 other artists showed their work. But it was all amazing. Especially seeing my work next to

R: How do you interpret “culture”? D: I think of a community or subject that isn’t discovered long after it begins. For example, we only notice how a youth culture develops when it has already happened, sometimes even years after. It changes from generation to generation. But we’re living in a culture now that can’t be well-defined until long after it isn’t ours anymore. Culture is a way of life, that can’t be made. You’re bred into it and born into it. There’s also lots of other elements and variables that make it. Your interactions with other people, where you reside, what you do. R: Do you have any artists that inspire you or that would recommend people follow? D: Ryan McGinley. Tyrone Lebon, the guy photographing the recent Calvin Klein ad campaigns - His shit is crazy good! These are all inspirations to how I create my own work. Documentary portraits with vibrant colors. I’m into it.

theirs, it made me feel great. I spread out the photos how I would in my own bedroom, like snapshots with no chronological, systematic order or explanation. I had about 12 feet to myself to just put up my photos and it was really cool. R: It’s awesome to see that you’ve had so much opportunity to express yourself and your vision. I also see you’re working on graphic design projects a lot more now. A lot of them involve movement or music – is there inspiration behind this or someone teaching you? D: I like to add movement to my images because I felt I can add another dimension to my photos (literally). I watched some YouTube tutorials and taught myself how to create basic animations. I’m inspired heavily by music and how it can create a vibe as much as a photo and video can. So putting all of that together creates a whole different mood.

R: Is there anything you’re working on in the near future? D: I’m experimenting right now. I started doing collages, but I want to find a way to present things visually. I want to have my own solo show someday, trying to continue this whole snapshot of youth culture vibe, but I’m still trying to figure out what exactly I’m trying to photograph. It will involve multiple layers, like the contact sheets I’ve been doing plus the little crappy stick-andpaste Photoshop photos. It’ll all be personal to me, with people I’ve encountered, but it would mean a lot to do it.

Dale Algo is a Queens-based photographer delving into the world of mixed media and design. He’s documented all types of events from celebrity after-parties at SOB’s to NY Fashion Week. His experimental style coupled with a gritty city hustle set him apart as an icon on the rise. Don’t sleep on him. You can follow him on Instagram @daleknows, or check out more of his work at www.dale-algo.com

R: What’s your favorite song off the new Migos album? D: “Get Right Witcha.” All photos provided by Dale Algo. ~~~

by Kristina Bustos

Interviewee: Stephanie Gancayco, founder of Hella Pinay Kristina: When I reached out to you as my subject for a piece on Filipino identities in the diaspora, Alex Tizon’s story was just hitting the web. Tizon’s piece garnered a lot of press and attention here in the U.S. and the Philippines. Our Filipino community was dissected and explored by Filipinos and non-Filipinos with their own reaction pieces to the story. Where are you at mentally on the original story and the reactions? Stephanie: The original story was definitely an emotional read. Beyond the story of Eudocia Tomas Pulido, and not even being able to hear her tell it herself, it brought back a flood of childhood memories — the time I heard my Lola (grandma in English) remark that someone “looked like a maid” and questioning my mom about it later, super confused about domestic workers and yayas in relatives’ or family friends’ homes. I guess I always assumed they were getting paid well and they were treated like part of the family, but when I think about it I really had no idea about their treatment in private or their immigration status or how they ended up in those circumstances. What the story mostly made me think about is how our people are especially susceptible to all kinds of exploitation because of the extreme poverty in the Philippines due to many complex factors — imperialism, for one — that

leads to so many putting themselves into these situations, sexual slavery, prostitution, etc. As far as reactions, if people are having dialogue I think that’s a good thing. This is an issue that we as Pinxys don’t talk about enough outside of organizing circles and reminds me of how so many Pilipinas sacrifice for opportunities to send money back to their loved ones, leave their own families to raise other families, who nurse and care for others’ elders, and live lonely and exhausting lives. Honestly, I really stay out of online debates, which might be a strange thing for someone to say who has a digital platform. I just feel like our current online culture is super reactive, where people lash out emotionally and feel okay with passing judgements about people and things and situations they

might know very little about. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, of course, and I’m in no way condoning what that family did to Eudocia Tomas Pulido whatsoever. I just do feel that people should generally try to be more educated on the issues they pass judgement on or speak about publicly. This is honestly the most I’ve ever seen people of other cultures pay attention to us and our issues, so it’s interesting. I hope that this dialogue continues and leads to action. K: One of the reactions from our Filipino community was who gets to tell our stories. And here you are creating a platform (Hella Pinay) for Filipinas to share their own narratives. What from their personal stories has inspired and/or surprised you?

How have the Filipinas you’ve collaborated with inspired you? S: Getting to work with people who I legit idolize and admire has been more than I could ever have imagined! When I got to work on that 9 Muses series in Manila that was super dope, seeing how the conversations I was having with the women I interviewed were almost the same conversations I have with my sisters here. Even if we’re on different sides of the world, we have a lot of the same concerns when it comes to our community. Seeing the work they’re doing to change people’s perceptions and break out of colonial mentality is really inspiring. It gives me a lot of hope. Every day I feel hella blessed to be able to work with so many amazing Pinays. K: What made you decide to create Hella Pinay? S: I am really passionate about creating spaces for Pinays to be seen and heard, for our diversity and complexity to be represented and to show others that we are also humans, not just stereotypes. When you learn about our long shitty history with the U.S., and then think about the fact that the majority of people here don’t even know anything about us, it makes me super upset and like, fuck. I want us to be part of the conversation as well, not just shoved into a category of “Asian.” Like all other API (Asian Pacific Islander) peoples, our history and culture is unique but very interconnected. The other part of why I finally started HP is that I got cancer last year which was a big wake-up call for me. I’ve always been shy about putting

work out there but after I got sick I really had to re-evaluate my whole life - and it was like, “okay, I’m working in an environment where I’m suppressing myself and can’t be myself because I have to put on my whiteface every day just to stay employed.” If something does happen to me, I don’t want to say that I didn’t at least try to do the work I wanted to do, you know?

“if people are having dialogue, I think that’s a good thing.”

K: I want to talk more about Hella Pinay. The look and vibe of Hella Pinay call upon different representation and identities of Filipinas. It has that holistic, spiritual vibe with pieces on activism, self-healing and sisterhood. Was that your intention? S: Honestly, I started digging deeper into Pilipinx culture from a spiritual angle because Catholicism never ever spoke to me, and I knew there had to be beliefs I would connect to from our pre-Catholic origins. I just wanted to start sharing some things I’ve learned. I really believe in healing of self and community through knowledge and awareness. The site is really just a reflection of that, and wanting to create a friendly space for learning and sharing. There’s so much information out there in the academic world, but not everyone comes from that background, including myself. With Hella Pinay, I’m hoping to bridge that gap a little and make some info more accessible.

K: Your platform also gives Filipinas a space to reclaim, to redefine or to better understand certain Tagalog sayings or words, like one piece was titled “Gigil.” Another word that I’ve seen a lot that has been reclaimed is “bruha” (witch, old hag in English). Many Filipinas have really latched on to the term “bruha.” What does that word mean to you? Do you, yourself, identify as a Bruha? S: It’s funny because my family called me bruha so much growing up that I was just like, “whatever.” I know it’s meant to be negative but I didn’t take it that way. I’ve definitely always been kinda the artsy weirdo in my family and I’m cool with that. My mom was also the black sheep among her siblings and she would take me to see manghuhulas (fortunetellers in English) when I was growing up and was into tarot cards and astrology and all that, so she passed it on to me. I’ve definitely never been trying to fit into any kind of ideal feminine “good girl” mold. I’ve actually been using “bruha” in my Tumblr handle for forevers because I was called it so much growing up I almost took it on as a nickname. I love seeing other Pinxys reclaiming this word too. To me it means reclaiming our magic and power, our connection to the

earth and the universe, taking a word that’s thrown at us an insult and being like, yeah, and what? K: Why do you think it has connected with so many Filipinas here in the diaspora? S: I think that we’re at a point where POC are like, “okay, this assimilation shit we were raised to embrace doesn’t feel right.” We wanna know about where we originally come from, and we don’t wanna keep sitting back and letting ourselves be misrepresented and exploited. We want to reclaim words that have been used to insult us by our colonizers. Before this white patriarchy took over the world, women were respected as culture keepers and spirituality (in the sense of honoring nature, plant medicine, etc.) was important. The Spanish came and brought the word bruha and called us savage for having these views that the white world didn’t understand and declared as heathen or evil. I just think we’re turning back to that, turning away from the oppressors’ worldview. K: This identity is diversifying the Filipina image. Have you received any feedback or backlash from other Filipinos? S: Like I said earlier, I’m all about trying to show the diversity of Pilipinas. We’re not stereotypes. We have all kinds of interests and occupations. We are people and not some orientalized, fetishized stereotype. I really want to be able to have the funding, time, bandwidth to represent more and more voices, but it’s just me right now so, future plans for sure! One thing being out there on social media and putting work out publicly has taught me is that I’m not for

everyone. Some people aren’t going to agree with how I do things and want to see it done another way. I’m actually really shy and super sensitive, and I realize I have to learn to distance myself from the work and develop a thicker skin. I think it’s really rad for all different kinds of Pinxys to be out there representing themselves in a manner that’s authentic to themselves, and I hope to see many, many more platforms. This work is constant and difficult and getting backlash can be super discouraging, but I’m trying to learn to just stay true to my good intentions and keep on keeping on. K: Well words like “bruha” are living in social media and contributing to how communities of color are creating their own representations and identities. We do have a long way to go before our own community has something as big as #blackgirlmagic. S: I can’t wait for that to happen! We’re gonna get there for sure.

K: Are there any other identities and labels of Filipinas in diaspora that we should know of? S: I’ve loved seeing the “Reclaiming #WalangHiya” project which we were both part of. I think that’s definitely been a thing for quite awhile. There was an anthology a few years ago and the phrase has shown up in poetry and writings from some amazing authors. I think there’s also been tons of reclamation of the term “Babaylan” going back many years as well. There’s the Center for Babaylan Studies and all of the wonderful writing they publish. ~~~ Kristina Bustos is New York freelance journalist, covering women of color narratives. She also works in the nonprofit sector serving the older adult community. Check out Kristina’s feature in the “Reclaiming #WalangHiya” project here. You can also see what Stephanie’s up to at www.hellapinay.com Photo courtesy of Kimberly Requesto

HEL LO HEL LO WHITE AMERICA Yeah, we said it. We said it because culture is more than a racial profile. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than our skin color or a generic representation of our genetics. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deeper than how we look, and more powerful than how we sound. Culture is in our blood. We dictate our own futures and our own paths, although recent events may try to say otherwise. You can refuse us aid, recognition, or safety. But you cannot deny who we are if we embrace it ourselves.

HEL LO HEL LO WHITE AMERICA

These are the stories of everyday people setting the precedent for people of color, and people like them. This is a window into their lives as creators, innovators, and history makers. Consider it a love letter. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re calling this next section.... ethniCITY.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;My name is Julia Almonte and I was born and raised in Queens, New York. To be more specific I was raised in Jackson Heights to two non-traditional Dominican parents. They introduced me to arts and cultures outside of our own.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never quite fit in anywhere but at the same time, Jackson Heights made me feel like I was part of a community. One thing I loved about my neighborhood was that it was so culturally diverse and it allowed me to talk to strangers. As I got older, my curiosity of culture grew and the sense of community was non-existent because of my constant moving.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;More recently, I finally landed in Harlem where I took up the love for art again and started photographing more. I made it a habit to introduce myself to people I wanted to photograph, and formed stronger bonds through that.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, my world has gotten larger.â&#x20AC;?

Julia Almonte is a visual artist based in New York City. You can usually find her traveling the world and making friends wherever she goes. Her natural curiosity for new experiences and people to learn from has helped her create a lasting impact in her community.

R: Can you think of a specific experience in which you felt ashamed of your culture? S: There hasn’t been a time where I was necessarily ashamed of my culture, but there have been many times that I’ve been angry at our community. I feel like there is a very toxic environment where people judge each other based on how religious they are, how many boyfriends they’ve had, and that sort of thing. People in this community are very concerned about what others think of them. They want to push this idea of being a perfect mother/ daughter/ wife which doesn’t exist because no one’s perfect! R: How about one where you felt proud of it? S: The proudest I’ve ever been of my heritage has been during the few times I have been able to go to Bangladesh to visit my extended family living there. I feel like I’m really able to connect with my roots when I am there. I love really being able to immerse myself in the culture and learn something new each time I’m there. R: What are your thoughts on being a female minority in America? How do you feel this affects everyday situations (i.e. looking for a job, socially, etc)? S: To this day I haven’t met any other Bengali girl working in the communications/public relations industries. But I actually view that as more of an opportunity.

A lot of Bengali kids are pushed into the sciences by their parents, and I think its important to show that you can be successful in fields outside of that. Sometimes its actually a bit more challenging to be a female in a Bengali community than it is to be one in American society. In Bengali society, there is so much expectation for women in terms of the way they dress, marriage, etc. I personally believe that its important to break away from these molds and empower women. R: As someone in the media industry, what are your thoughts on how your community is portrayed by the media? S: South Asians barely get any representation in the media (and when we are, it’s usually in a super stereotypical way.) But I’m happy to have been noticing more brown talent breaking through into popular culture! There’s Priyanka Chopra, Kumail Najiani, and Hasan Minhaj. I watched Hasan Minhaj’s Homecoming King special on Netflix and I found it very relatable. There was bit that he did about immigrant families keeping secrets which is so accurate! I’m the last one to ever find out about anything in my family.

SAHARIN SUL 22

LTANA 23

R: Andddd, we live! Roll call! N: I’m Naveed. My parents immigrated from Bangladesh so I am fully first-generation Bengali-American. Born and raised in Queens, New York. Woodside - You already know what it is! R: Tell me about your band In Loving Memory and how it all started. It’s gone through a lot of evolution, and a lot of it reflects your own growth. N: I first got into music when I was in middle school. The song “Hey There Delilah” by

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the Plain White T’s was like, “YOOOO.” Like, how could one guy make a guitar sound so beautiful? A lot of my biggest influences at the time were bands like Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, All Time Low, a lot of pop punk or metal bands. ILM was actually my solo project at first, when I was 17 or so. I was basically writing and recording songs on my own and trying to get myself out there through YouTube covers on my own channel. Around summer of 2014, right before I turned 19, the full band got together. Tom, Jon, and Vito were in a band together and they found me through my

YouTube channel. It worked out really well that I was going to school in Long Island and they all lived out there. I was really impressed with the talent they had in their own band, so I figured I’d meet up with them to jam. I remember meeting up with them and we were in Tom’s basement. The first song we jammed randomly was “Misery Business” by Paramore. Honestly, it was like a perfect first date. We just all looked at each other and were like, “Wait. Wow.” We had chemistry as musicians. I kept thinking, these guys can freaking play and I can sing! So it just made sense. It was a no-brainer. We started officially in November 2014. Two and a half years later, here we are.

R: How exactly do you define ILM’s musical style? Is there a way to define it? N: We have songs that are pop-py, radio-style. But we also have songs that are really heavy. Think of pop and metal having a baby. But I encourage everyone to look us up and let us know where we fall on that spectrum. R: Slide into his DM’s! N: Yeah, do it. Social media is all part of our game. I love more than anything that we are still a small band, but there are people way out there that support us like we’re much bigger. And social media is a big part of understanding that connection. R: How has your family received you as a musician? N: This is where I’m gonna go in. R: Oh my gosh. N: Many kids in my demographic, or even firstgeneration Americans in general, will relate to me when I say that our parents did not come to this country for us to mess around. A lot of us grow up at a very early age. We understand we’re not here to play games, because our parents tell us we have to be successful. It comes from a place where they want you to have what they couldn’t have. When I was younger, I thought my parents just wanted me to make a lot of money. But now, I realize that the type of success our parents want for us runs a lot deeper than socioeconomic status. We’re writing the history of our people in this country. I am part of the first-generation of Bengali-Americans. I am representing my culture and ultimately the way I live my life affects my family for years to come. I have that pressure on me from a very young age. That said, education has always been very important in my household. My older sister and I have always been very academically-inclined. We both went to two of the top public high schools in New York City. I just got my Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering at StonyBrook University.

Education is always at the forefront of our minds. To me, because I was always into math and science, being an engineer was always part of the “plan.” But I was always falling in love with music when I was a teenager and I remember thinking, “I want that to be me someday.” I started investing more and more time in music, and I would have arguments with my parents because they’d be like, “okay, homeboy, you’re spending too much time on your guitar - what are you doing?” When I was a teenager, I would often resent my parents because I wanted them to accept and support what I wanted to do. One thing that discouraged me the most was watching interviews with my favorite artists and when they were asked, “how did you get started?” Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, their answers were usually “my dad was in a band, my parents were artists, they took me to a concert when I was 4, I’ve known since I was 5 that this is what I wanted to do with my life.” That made me real scared because do I even have a chance at doing this if I didn’t even have that kind of support at an early age? That’s the thing about kids in a similar demographic as me. None of us are really encouraged by our parents to pursue artistic careers. And I get it. I don’t resent my parents anymore as an adult, I get it. They’re from a completely different culture and they were taught to value different things. Here I am, an American child, the product of two wildly different mindsets. Of course, I never stopped valuing my education but I was always conflicted. I never said I was going to drop out in order to pursue music. I valued my education just as much as they wanted me to.

On a positive note, I’m glad I’m able to balance it all: Building my band, going on tour, playing tours on weekends, getting a degree and landing a fulltime job. The other day, I ran into an old friend from high school and we started catching up. He’s Bengali too and he told me, “Dude, I really respect what you’re doing with your music. It’s awesome that you’re really representing us out here.” That is the biggest thing in the world to me. My hope is to be a voice for those kids. I would love to build my band to a successful point, so that I can be that role model for kids like me. I wanna be the role model who says, “You can do this,” before their parents say “You can’t.” R: That’s real. N: Yeah. I never had that kind of role model to think “if they did it, I can too.” It’s daunting because I don’t have my own mentor but I’m trying to be one for others. R: Do you feel like you have to be your own role model? N: I kind of have to be. A lot of people ask me if

my band takes off, if I’m going to regret going to college. If it does, I definitely won’t regret it. I’m always going to value it. It’ll be weird going up on stage and telling kids to stay in school. I just really believe in the power of education in all forms. And no doubt, I understand that the formal education system isn’t for everybody. But I mean it in the sense that no matter what career path you go to, you have so many resources at your fingertips in this day and age. Even with a Google search. There’s no excuse to not look into what you want to do and how to get there. Finding mentors. Learning from people who found success in your career path and learn how you can achieve similar results.

N: I’m glad I’m finally at a point where I feel confident talking about myself as a musician. No doubt, it’s a huge part of my identity. But I know that I’m the first of my kind, a South Asian American, to really break into the rock/pop/ metal world of music. There were times that I was like “should I call more attention to my race? Or should I just not make my band about that and tell my story through music?” But why shouldn’t I talk about my identity when there’s so many kids out there just like me looking for a role model. If ILM becomes a full-time gig, I would still love to be in a position where I’m going on tours and in between tours, I’m a parttime Master’s student. I feel like I’ve been living this double-life for so long it’s intrinsic to who I am. If I were able to accomplish that, can you imagine? I already kind of did. I was very much a student on the road. We’d be driving state to state and I’d be churning out assignments in the back of our van. I had to surpass my own limits. I’m really happy that I’m in a position now where I can say I’m where I need to be. R: Let’s talk about your EP, Introspective. Tell me

about the process behind it - Is there a theme or did the style and selection of songs just kind of fall into place? N: We have a bunch of musical ideas as a band. I’m the vocalist and I do a good amount of both songwriting and instrumentals. In the past, I usually concentrated on the music first and then wrote lyrics to go with it. But this time around - with my bandmates - our process became one, where I was writing the music and the lyrics concurrently. This was new for me. I noticed the lyrics had phrases like “I think,” “I feel,” “in my head, in my mind.” That’s kind of how Introspective came to be. It’s kind of that early life crisis, where you’re not a kid but you’re getting thrust into the real world and trying to figure things out with the rest of your life. It’s overwhelming and chaotic. These songs were my way to process what I really wanted, what flaws I had as a person, and so on. It’s not a concept EP or in the sense that it has a particular story to follow, but each song is a reflection of different aspects in building character. R: Was there a particular show or moment with a fan that made you realize, “Hey, I’m really doing this?” N: Our show in January of this year, we got to co-headline at Gramercy Theatre. They’re a 600-cap venue and don’t usually showcase local bands. We had been working with a promoter for the past year (who is now our manager) and he put together a show dedicated entirely to showcasing local bands, bands with no record deals or some even with no managers, just a bunch of people coming together to pack out this huge venue. It really made a statement about the integrity and power of the New York City rock/metal scene. Aside from my closest friends being there and

all the support from fans and people I’ve never met, I finally got to see myself as a performer at a venue that I had been going to for years. This was the biggest crowd we had ever played for, but what was even crazier was that this was the first show my parents ever went to. R: WHAT, you got your parents to go? Good shit! N: It was wild. I guess they realized, “Wow, he hasn’t just been messing around. He’s actually serious about this.” It was a good moment for us all.

R: Did you teach yourself music or did you take classes? N: I took some classes at the YMCA for guitar when I first started, but singing I never took lessons. I was very hyper as a real youngin’. But then something happened where the older I got in school, the more I became shy. No one knows how that happened. In middle school going into highschool, I wanted to sing in front of people more. In 8th grade English class, I had to do a presentation on a book we read on World War II. I wanted to do something where I came into class and played guitar and sang something relating to the topic of war. The song I chose was “Someday” by the Plain White T’s. My plan was to perform all of this while a slideshow was behind me. I remember setting up everything and started playing the intro, but when the first verse came on and I started to sing along, I heard a couple kids start laughing. I just stopped singing and kept playing the guitar. I was so embarrassed. It was my first time trying to sing in front of people and I just couldn’t do it. As I got deeper and deeper into songwriting, I had to find that confidence in myself and really ask if it’s something I wanted to do. And it was. Wanting to do music helped me grow confidence in

every other aspect of my life, to socialize more and grow up into who I wanted to be. It’s crazy to see progression and still be young, to only be 21 and already think of where I want to be when I’m 25 and so on.

R: If there was someone you could work with, who would that be? What’s the end goal? N: I would work with Tom Higgenson of the Plain White T’s. Bands like them, even now 10 years year, have had such a big influence on my own style. If we could ever sit down and write a song, I would be like, “damn.” Since we just put out the EP, we put out completely new songs. We had been playing songs from our first EP, Stand My Ground, since 2015 and it’s refreshing to have more of us put out there now. I want to develop our local and regional following. Our big plan is that after our upcoming headliner show at Gramercy Theatre this summer, more doors open up. We’re saving up to buy a van or trailer, upgrade our gear, and do more live shows to take our production to the next level. When people buy our merch, I hope they understand that they are literally putting gas into our vans for our tours. That money is not paying for lovely dinners, it’s purely an investment into our band and our movement. Even the money I make from my day job goes back to supporting my parents. I feel great to have a full-time job and to give back to my family after all the years they’ve supported me. No matter how far I take the band, those values [of family and education] are so intrinsic to me. To all the kids out there who also struggle, I’ve been there and I’m still right there with you.

R: Everyone’s favorite question: Where are you from? J: I identify mostly as a Ghanaian-American as far as ethnicity goes. I’m a gay man from Oklahoma City, but my father was born in Ghana and moved to the US in the late 70s, so I’ve got a strong, strong connection to West Africa. R: Tell me about your work as an artist/writer - how did you get started and why? J: It’s kind of weird now because people will ask me this question a lot and I would always say “Oh I don’t remember,” but taking a more thorough look back I distinctly remember being a kid and doing skits and acting with my friends for school stuff. Whenever I was at home or had a burst of creative energy I would handwrite scripts on composition paper and tell myself it was going to be a huge movie. When I was 9 I wrote this one about how aliens in my neighborhood were trying to use magic to destroy the planet, it was nuts. So I guess I just carried all of that passion into my adult life.

R: The show you wrote a couple months ago - can you give me a brief synopsis and overall thoughts on the outcome? J: It was a one man show I wrote called Strange Case. It’s a minimalist adaptation of Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I’ve been developing the script and sort of what I want the piece to be for about 2 years now. It was written as a meditation on mental illness, within the confines of the story and so I really wanted to create something that was minimal but had these sort of extreme effects, if that makes sense? There are no costumes, no props, only lights and I really want to incorporate music. I don’t know, right now I’m interested in some creepy trap beats or hip hop influence. The script is still in development so I can focus on whatever I want which is super liberating and fun. We had a good time with the workshop reading of that piece. R: Is there a particular experience or challenge you’ve faced that comes to mind most as a gay, black male? J: Here come the tricky questions! I think that growing up where I grew up— Oklahoma—my biggest challenge was just the feeling of being alone a lot. I was also surrounded by people and friends but at the end of the day I craved a sort of companionship that no one around me could really offer. I think within the gay community we have a lot of ground to cover with our inner racism, sexism, misogyny etc…We’ve done so much already, I’m excited to see where we’re headed with a bit of self reflection and accountability. R: What was your coming out experience like? Was it hard to find acceptance in certain communities? J: I thought coming out was going to be a lot more difficult than it was to be honest. I remember being 16 and horrified to go to school because every day it seemed like someone new would come up and ask me about my sexuality. But then when I finally just said “Okay fuck it” and opened myself up, all of my friends were still there, and we all sort of just moved on with our lives. I recognize that this is not everyone’s experience and I am extremely fortunate and privileged in this way so I have a personal responsibility to use that same privilege to lift someone else. R: Who inspires or influences you? J: I really love the playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis…I mean for me as an actor and a writer there’s a ton of influence there. A ton. His style, to the voice he writes in, to the way his dialogue just rolls of the tongue. I really really love that guy. R: Do you have a message for people who may be experiencing similar situations of discrimination, struggle, or growth that you have? J: I guess I would say that life is worth it. Life is worth the struggle, so if you can breathe through the hard times and just trust that there is so much more out there in the world and there are amazing, incredible people waiting for you that you haven’t even met yet…At 25, I still don’t have all the answers and I’m still trying to figure it all out as well. Which is kind of cool and exciting to know that we are all sort of in this shit show together?

JOSHUA BONZIE 29

COMMUNITY

Everyone needs a niche. Some people jump off of cliffs for a living, others play Dungeons and Dragons. Whatever it is you’re doing in your free time, there’s a community behind it that you got you there. Here’s what some of our readers are up to.

C U LT U R E

Italy Travelogue

I took a fifty minute flight from Rome to Naples, and from Naples took an hour and a half cab ride to the small beach town of Maiori which is located along the Amalfi Coast. I stayed at Hotel Maiure, a small bed and breakfast that used to be an Amalfitan Nobleman home.

An early Santâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;A

From the town of Maiori, you can hop on a small ferry to Capri for just a few euros. The ride to Capri from Maiori takes an hour and a half, and stops along each town along the Amalfi Coast. Upon docking at each town, gorgeous panoramic views of each town can be seen.

|| by JUSTIN YONG

y morning view of Castel Angelo from my Airbnb.

One last look.

The beautiful island of Capri, known for its views and lemons.

abcâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of culture by isabel-antonette b. cajulis

amnesia chewed banana leaf/ Broken egg yolk/ childhood remedies forgotten/ in your medical textbooks./ phil-am war/ little Brown brother/ childhood memories forgotten/ in your history textbooks.

baing nanay Wove me together and braided my sides/ from my torn clothing, faded terry cloth ambition, cut into uneven strips, like the/ strips of burnt Skin that puckered under the heat of a hot iron/ the History/ i divest myself/ of the darkened Brown skin that tells some universal tale of Struggle in/ every reality i Claim./ in the Tradition of my Mothers,/ they place me on the floor and i Rest/ a buffer between Dirt and dirty feet./ my Father asks,/ aren’t you Ashamed?/ i dream/ of Dirt and Shame/ my only Inheritance.

crescent golden/ Sun peaks through Stained glass window/ pain always in my chest, here/ where we chant in latin/ a Dead language more alive/ than my mother’s Tongue./ she tells me to bring flowers for/ Mama Mary/ today she is waiting at an empty altar/ picked White carnation from the garden/ nectarine she showed me to sip in my dearest child/ hood moments./ she appears to us/ women born of my great-grandmother’s/ pagan Blood./ lady of manaoag/ approaches me in my hazy Consciousness/ while haliya falls/ bakunawa swallows the/ Moon.

I just left Housto I just left Earth. by Stephen Troiano H-Town: where I can flash a hand signal, pinky and pointer finger up with my middle and ring finger tucked in with my thumb, making that iconic H, at just about anybody and I’ll be met with the same understanding. Houston is proud. Houston is tough. Houston is its own massive world within the world of Texas. The square mileage of Houston is more than double of that of New York City. It builds itself outwards, not upwards. A behemoth often times looked over compared to other major American cities. I tried to experience as much of the city as I could. Touching each bit of it’s unique culture. I ate everything from crawfish, tacos, Whataburger & Frenchy’s Chicken. I drove through all reaches from the outskirts of Cypress in the “outer-loop”, through the music & street art hub of East Downtown (EaDo), through the young neighborhood of Montrose and through the remnants of southern racial segregation with neighborhoods known as the Third Ward (African-American) & Second Ward (Mexican). If there’s one thing that I would say defines Houston, it’s their music. I’m not too knowledgeable or into rap but Houston has set itself aside from the rest of hip-hop. Everything still stems from the invention of chopped & screwed music. Today’s Houston artists such as Maxo Kream & Travis Scott keep the style that DJ Screw, Paul Wall & Big Moe helped establish some 20+ years ago. Same themes carry through their rhymes: lean in your cup,

on. grillz in your mouth, bud in your Swisher, money in your pockets and H-Town above all else. As a photographer, I tried to capture the parts of this city I felt spoke to me the loudest. Obviously, I captured the murals that spell the name of the city, but I was looking for something else. Going through the Third and Second Wards I felt was essential to knowing what this city is really all about. These are neighborhoods that double-decker buses would certainly not drive through. My friend and unofficial tour guide, a Houston native born and bred, wouldn’t even let me out of the car at times while driving through the Third Ward. Every block had something going on either if it was a game of dice, a drug deal or sex solicitation. It’s obvious with this kind of environment that the people from Houston tend to have a similar mindset: “Don’t fuck with Houston.” Clockwise from above: me flashing the H [EaDo]; one out of many abandoned buildings [Third Ward]; prayer candles for sale at a market [Second Ward]; street art [EaDo]; looking up between two buildings at the University of Houston [Third Ward]; Houston’s most iconic mural [Midtown].

JENNIFER BECHEM (Abstract Artist)

Colors - paintings, sunsets, or ribbons on a hat - connect me to my primal human instincts. Language and cultural differences may lead people to focus on our differences rather than our commonalities; but I find that the colors entice our raw emotions and therefore grant us access to others through the shared journey of a moment. I like to connect people to their past, wanderers to their loved ones, to that last laugh they had with their grandfather, even to moments you haven’t had yet. Sure, a photo can capture a moment, but when we view photos of ourselves, we get caught up on what we look like, what we’re wearing, how we’re looking at each other, the guy in the background flashing a peace sign; we lose the feeling of the moment. I strive to capture the feeling of the experience; so that when you look at a piece you relive the sensation of the experience. Sure, everyone has a different experience at a party, some do a keg stand, some stand in the back and quote movies, others gossip in the bathroom or make out on the porch, but everyone has a “party feeling”. Today I examine Culture, culture is a funny word that has as many meanings and connotations as there are examples. We use “culture” to describe differences and traditions, hoping to explain ourselves to one another. In our efforts to describe ourselves we forget who we’re talking about – us – humanity. To that extent I thought it important to talk about a positive and a negative aspect of culture. I hope that my work generates reflection and promotes gratitude for weekly celebration and relaxation with Sunday Funday; likewise I advocate for courage to face the negativity of hate, aggression, and oppression with Lavinia Speaks. ~~~ If Sunday Funday were a short story, it’d read something like this: Sunday Funday Day: Sunday (Duh!) Setting: sunny golden friendship There’s beer and laughter scattered about like pixies in a berry patch. Giggle they might, or punch instead, no one knows; one is endearing and the other a sign of power (or weakness?). Conversation flows like light beer, constant and tasteless. They laugh, smile, encourage, and hug, truth is all around unless Purple talks about love &amp; sex and Orange nods and listens. Lying is a conversational tool Orange rarely wields and sees far too often. But Orange’s standards are lower now, and understands that even good colors lie. Purple lies all night, unrestrained and brilliant as the life of the party; Purple flits and glistens, or at least tries to. Orange lies to encourage Purple and hates doing it, but has learned small lies are a measly price to not have to face Red alone. Red. Red. Red. Red. RED. ... RED! RED! REEEEEEEEEED!!

Fuck, that color scares Orange more than a snake in a pre-school sandbox. Shit! Purple is talking again.... Why does Orange reflect about life while other colors talk? Well? Be honest? ... Orange says, “Colors are insanely predictable unless they’re insane, you only need to listen to 25% of the conversation. But don’t tell anyone I said that. I like my peers to think I’m nicer than most colors.” Orange giggles testily. Now, what is Purple chatting about? ... Love & sex. Holy Crayola. Love & Sex. Is there anything else in the world? ? ? ? Is there? Not to Purple. And sometimes not for Orange. They cheers to this and conclude the festivities. A wink and a smile goes miles but a heart in the right place knows how to wear lace with a frown and play a clown.

~~~ More on Lavinia Speaks: In Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, Lavinia’s rapist has removed Livinia’s tongue and hands so she may not speak against him; if she did speak would we be able to understand? When those in the plights of today speak out, does our culture understand? “Lavinia Speaks” articulates aspects of the darkness of society few dare an utterance.

MAY THE 5TH BE WITH YOU Original Artwork by Noah Bunyi

Noah Bunyi is a senior Visual Development/ Illustration Major attending Academy of Art University in Downtown San Francisco. He loves everything sci-fi and fantasy and has an old ass dog named Heidi.

PHOTOS BY ASHLEE ESPINAL WORDS BY ROXANNE LIM Sofar Sounds is an initiative that organizes musical experiences in intimate spaces. This is a global movement that puts the community back into live music shows and supports independent artists in gaining more widespread exposure. I had the pleasure of attending one in New York with my colleague and mentor, Alexa! Check out some of the fun we had here, or head on over to Ashleeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official gallery.

Shout-outs to... DANICKA CAPULI - Gotta give credits to the coolest intern ever. So much talent in this youngin’. Thank you for putting up with my late night phone calls and attempts to articulate visions. You inspire me, girl!

UNIPRO - for inviting me to cohost your happy hour fundraiser event as a feature artist. Together we are helping raise awareness on both hurricane relief AND the growth of local Filipinx-American artists – I’m honored to be a part of this movement. BEREKET GHEBREMEDHIN - For being my confidante and consultant in times of doubt and comparison. Go Lions!

ALL PARTICIPATING ARTISTS AND WRITERS - Thanks for trusting me with your work and the responsibility of sharing your stories. Stay up to date on our social media! IG: @mosaicminds

~~~

Got another issue you want us to cover? Email submissions/questions to: mosaicmindsmag@gmail.com

Got talent? We have some surprises in store for future issues and are looking for more people to join the team. Slide into our DMs. It’s only going to get better from here.