Rabble Magazine Spring 2018 by rabblemagazine

Histrionic: Uplifting Latino Voices 18 The Future of Nebraska Skateboarding 22 Reporting from Omaha Fashion Week 26

SPRING

2018

1 A FOR-YOUTH-BY-YOUTH CULTURE MAGAZINE, PRODUCED BY RABBLE MILL (501c3)

rabble mag

squad.

Editor-In-Chief Andrew Stellmon

Deputy Editor Kira Taylore

Design Editor Zoie Taylore

Visual Editor Lauren Farris

Staff Writers Olivia McCown Nina Peci Will Roper Antonio Hamersky Eli Sommerich JOIN US Rabble Magazine is a youth-driven print and digital publication which covers skateboarding, music, art and culture in Nebraska and beyond. All stories are written, photographed and designed by our team of high school and college students aspiring to improve their journalism and artistic skills. They aim to show their peers across the state a wide array of possibilities in the creative world, inspiring them to find their passion. It all happens at The Bay — Lincoln’s indoor skatepark, coffee shop, all-ages music venue and art collective — and is a product of Rabble Mill, a new nonprofit organization which creates more skilled, supported and connected communities through education, outreach and storytelling. Interested in helping out? We want to hear from you! Email us at magazine@rabblemill.org

Photographers Andy Morrison Odochi Akwani Sabrina Sommer Noah Buscher Leah Kash-Brown

The Drop:How We Made It...... 6 The Beat:Creative Round-Up .. 7 Sound Check:NE Album Reviews. 9 Your Summer Destination .... 10 March For Our Lives Lincoln .14 Q&A Identity and Photography .16 Histrionic Amplifies Latino Voices.......................18 The Future of North Platte Skateboarding............... 22 FEATURE:Omaha Fashion Week . 26 Pitch Us!................... 30

THE DROP Hey Reader, If there is one thing of which I’m sure, it’s that Nebraska wouldn’t be what it is without a distinct cultural identity. And I don’t only mean its agricultural aspects or what happens on Saturdays in the fall, though those things are undeniably and immeasurably important to the Cornhusker State. The problem is, those are the only things people from the coasts seem to think happen here. What about the creativity, drive, artistic inclination and musicality that exist in the basements, studios and galleries across the state? What about the things we make in the shadow of Memorial Stadium? Art and music are central to community and individuality in ways that economy and sports cannot alone address — if you know where to look for them. That is why I’m glad you picked up this first issue of Rabble Magazine, a brand new print and digital publication from The Bay and Rabble Mill. It’s made by high school students like you, and aims to find and spotlight the best in skateboarding, music, art and culture happening here and around the country. 6 6

In this run alone, we have stories about community-minded musicians, a young skateboarding entrepreneur, boundary-pushing fashionistas and photographers and artists grappling with identity. Basically, this is the magazine I would’ve wanted to read when I was in high school, when I was trying to find my people. I came to this space to say something about how inspirational this entire experience has been, how your peers have been on the grind to get this thing in front of you and how talented and bright and weird and unique they all are. And it’s all true (making this magazine has shed light on a lot for me). But this isn’t about me, and besides, you know this about your generation already.

The best part about the Mag is we’ve only scratched the surface, and that you can help us make it better. So I ask of you three small things: 1) Check out all the great things your peers are doing right. here. in. Nebraska. 2) Share it with your friends, or anyone interested in subcultural goodness, and 3) Look around at your community, find the creative hustlers there and give your support. Or better yet, start something of your own. And if you feel so inclined to tell us about it, or want to know about how to make it happen, send us an email or tag us in an Instagram post. This thing should reflect your interests. We’re here for that. With love, Stellmon

THE BEAT: Nebraska Creatives By Kira Taylore

Photographs by Andy Morrison

Student-Run Community Theater Lincoln High seniors Stacia Ogburn and Mackenzie Davenport have started their own theatre company tailored to accommodate young thespians. Silicon Prairie Theater Company launched in October of 2015 and has produced three exciting shows, all of them communicating thoughtful messages through hilarious — and at times, raunchy — comedy. SPTC is an exclusively all-youth theatre company, with students running everything from direction to sound and lights to acting. Davenport, who is SPTC’s artistic director, says the group aims to provide students with a performing outlet specifically curated by their peers. “All theatrical opportunities put on by adults for youth are sectioned off into tech or acting,” Davenport says. “There isn’t really room for creative application or for students to really be able to express themselves fully through theatre.” Ogburn, says it is the theater company’s goal to not limit the scope of what their team can accomplish. “This way, we’re able to do theatre however we want to by allowing everyone to really go into depth with their side of theatre, whether that be costuming or lights or acting,” Ogburn says. After three years of theater productions, Davenport expects this summer to be the biggest yet. Follow along with Silicon Prairie Theatre Company on their website, siliconprairietheatre.org, and on Facebook and Instagram.

Captivating the ‘Corn Coast’ Capturing ‘Faces of the Bay’ While skateboarding is the common thread for denizens of The Bay’s indoor skatepark, each has found it via their own path, each driven by the desire to improve their skills or connect with the community. The stories are endless. Photographer and skater Shane Adams hopes to tell them through his new Instagram project, Faces of the Bay. Modeled after the ubiquitous Humans of New York series, his ambitious series aims at providing a snapshot of the indoor skatepark and coffeeshop community.

Khaleefa Hakim Muhammad, better known by his stage name “HAKIM”, performs at a fundraiser for Lincoln arts group Latino Lives. The Lincoln-based rap artist, apparel line creator, and barber has swept Nebraska — or as HAKIM puts it, the “Corn Coast” — and beyond with his talent. As owner and founder of Our Society LLC, a hiphop collective dedicated to paving the way for the younger generation, HAKIM and his team want kids to be able to fully express themselves through music. His own exploratory music-making process is never the same. “Sometimes it takes me 30 minutes to a day to a month to make a rough draft of a song, no song is the same,” Hakim says. “Sometimes the melody will come before the beat, and the beat helps bring the words, so it’s a challenge to make so many songs all at once.”

His most recent release,Young Drifter II is about kids trying to find their way in life and how they drift through different passions and paths. HAKIM released a surprise six-track mixtape, Young Drifter “There are 1000s of people who come through the bay every year.” says Adams, Reloaded, leading up to his “Young Drifter II” Show at the Bourbon on April 7th. who has likely seen many of the them himself. “Who is stopping them from You can find HAKIM on Instagram (@eyehakim), documenting all the people that come?” Facebook, and SoundCloud. Adams launched Faces Of The Bay on January 1, 2018, and hopes to post one photo every day through the end of the year. Follow along via Instagram @ facesofthebay365.

Finding Cultural Context Lincoln native and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Fine Arts major Katharen “Kat” Hedges lays out many subtle, yet powerful messages with her artwork. As a conceptual artist, most of her work is motivated by how she’s feeling or thinking. Through painting and printmaking, Hedges conveys her experience as a black woman who has lived in a predominantly white community for most of her life. “I never understood myself in the context of the black community,” Hedges says. “I thought of myself more as an outlier, and so a lot of my work is coming into ownership of myself as a black woman, as a person within a cultural context.” In November, Hedges will curate a First Friday art show at Lincoln’s Tugboat Galleries called “Black on Black,” which features the work of black artists dealing with black content in abstract or explicit ways. Check out more of Kat’s work on her Instagram (@kat.hedges) and kathedges.com.

Upending the Creative Landscape Lincoln High School students Jack Buchanan, Mackenzie Davenport and Sasha Sepahpur have created Upend Productions, a company which provides a platform for artists of any age and creative medium from which to thrive. As young artists themselves, the trio wanted to create a company that would promote undiscovered artists and help them build a fanbase for their work. “We think a lot of the time that there are artists who are passionate about creating but have a hard time finding a good organization to help them put their work out there.” says Davenport, who is an Upend executive director. The company strives to promote work across artistic mediums, from high quality video, theatrical productions and also music and poetry. Through social media and their website, Davenport says they aim to show “whatever us and the artists around us are interested in.” “Basically, whatever us and the artists around us are interested in.” Davenport says. Check out Upend Productions on their website, upendproductions.com, as well as on Instagram, Facebook, and on their Youtube Channel, Upend Productions.

sound check:

By Eli Sommerich

Nebraska Album Reviews No Thanks, The Trial No Thanks, a political punk band from Omaha, released its hard-hitting debut album called The Trial, in January. Throughout, lead singer Brendan Leahy poetically preaches about unrest and dissatisfaction in today’s world. Highlighting the rebellion against fascism in songs like “Flying Columns” and “Walk With Me” and the USA’s involvement in South America with “Harvest” and “Skull Clinic,” No Thanks effectively opens the listener’s mind to unspoken and somewhat forgotten topics. The blend of eerie guitar riffs, fast paced bass and drums and aggressive vocals will pump you up in any setting. Listen: no-thanks.bandcamp.com/ Ecovengeance, Wild Strawberries Lincoln drone artist Ecovengeance released a short album in March called Wild Strawberries. Ecovengeance does a fantastic job of creating a sad, soothing vibe out of incredibly minimal sounds. One standout track, “The Hopeless Dream of Being,” creatively uses the sound of a flushing toilet and a quiet conversation to build a dreary, hypnotic sound. In only four tracks, Ecovengeance put the listener into a calm trance. Listen: https://ecovengeance.bandcamp.com/album/wildstrawberries Little Brazil, Send The Wolves Little Brazil, an indie rock band from Omaha, will release Send the Wolves on June 1, 2018. The production on this album is amazing, giving it an extremely slick and fleshedout sound. “Send the Wolves” is packed with bright, colorful sounds, keeping the listener hooked. This whole album radiates a free spirited and carefree vibe. The musicianship and complexity creates a bold piece of art. Listen: https://littlebrazil.bandcamp.com/

Flip to page 30 for more new release listings

Celebrating Good Living in Greater Nebraska The statewide concert tour, founded by Rabble Mill/Hear Nebraska, proves Nebraska’s cultural viability by highlighting awesome homegrown musical talent. By Andrew Stellmon Fifteen-year-old Auburn, Neb., musician Zach Steele took to the tall stone bandshell stage at Legion Memorial Park last June as the early-evening sunlight filtered through the treetops. Towering above his hometown community, the young winner of the town’s Good Living Tour songwriting contest calmly, boldly performed his spacey, classic-rock-informed compositions alone and in front of his classmates, who convened at a large picnic table near the front of the stage.

a portable stage at each stop. Since that first year, it has traveled to 20 Nebraska towns, staging and supporting more than 100 awesome bands and partnering with communities to create unique new events. The takeaway? There is more to Nebraska arts and culture than meets the eye.

Simply put, the Good Living Tour is the place to be this summer, whether you’re an avowed music and/or skateboarding fan or you’re looking to become one. If you’re not convinced, check out our quick look at how the tour has grown and changed over the years. Then, visit goodlivingtour.com and follow us via social media @rabblemill for more information.

As is summer tradition, the Good Living Tour returns in 2018 with a brand new look. It will again feature some of Nebraska’s most buzzed-about original bands performing The scene was picture-perfect in family-friendly outdoor for a tour that has spent the last concerts, free and open to all three years working to highlight ages. The 2018 tour will travel the state’s top, homegrown to four locations: Imperial, musical talent and inspire the Red Cloud, Norfolk and firstnext generation of Nebraska time GLT community Broken musicians. When it launched Bow. And in a cool (mc)twist, in 2015, the Good Living Tour we’ve adding skateboarding to brought nine original musical the menu via our educational lineups — featuring everything skate-school and engaging from hip-hop and country to technical demonstrations soul and rock ‘n’ roll — to nine played out on our portable Nebraska towns in nine straight mini ramp. (Yes, we are Photo by Nickolai Hammar days over the summer, its crew bringing a ramp on a trailer. constructing and tearing down It’s gonna rule.) 10

2015: Tour Begins

Hear Nebraska, long the documenter of all things music, embarks on its most ambitious endeavor to date — nine concerts, nine towns, nine straight days. The inaugural summer run featured 28 of the state’s top bands and DJs; our massive, 28-story journalism project chronicling key music and arts figures in each community; and our crew and portable stage, set up before each show and torn down and stored for the next night. It culminated in a massive dance party in Grand Island, attended by more than 500 music fans.

2016: Make It Bigger

The Good Living Tour swelled in its second year, hitting 12 communities in three weekends and staging 36 bands and 12 DJs. In addition to reaching more than 2,000 music fans throughout the tour, we also filmed local musicians performing live in places that capture their town’s unique identity. Photo by Lindsey Yoneda

2017: Make It Local Photo by Chris Dinan

2018: Make Your Grass Greener

Make the Good Living Tour your summer destination! Check out the schedule below and visit goodlivingtour.com for more info.

More than any before it, year three belonged to the tour communities. While Hear Nebraska again curated the acts and secured the crew, it did so in partnership with each town, each concert event uniquely reflecting local culture and interests. That included Imperial’s Smokin’ on Broadway barbecue contest; Norfolk’s Fork Fest food truck rally and cruise night; and Hastings’ Sol Fest eclipse extravaganza.

Jostens Renaissance Schools Give Students A Voice By Rabble Staff Photos by LaSalle-Peru Township High School

At LaSalle-Peru Township High School, the innovative program allows its students to determine the terms of their success, from how it’s measured to how they’re rewarded. Here’s how Jostens Renaissance has enriched their high school experience. Jean Ganze, who has overseen LaSalle-Peru Township High School’s Renaissance program for 12 years, was serving as a truancy officer in the mid-00s when the school’s superintendent asked her to got to the program’s annual conference in Minneapolis. While there, Ganze watched groups from across the country present their own studentdevised reward systems and heard teachers from those same schools extol the virtues of the program. The fact that the Renaissance program put students in charge of their own success — from how it is measured to what rewards they receive — not only blew her away, but had her convinced the model would work. “We’ve all gone to high school,” Ganze tells me via phone, surrounded by three of LaSallePeru’s Renaissance students and her assistant, Andrea Henry. “This isn’t our school. It’s for the kids. Students have much better ideas for what works to make them strive than what we can12 come up with as adults.”

Since implementing Jostens’ Renaissance program in 2006, the high school — flanked by Interstates 80 and 39 to the north and east and the Illinois River to the south — has experienced a wave of student success and, perhaps more importantly, enthusiasm. Grade point averages and attendance have steadily increased, students are more involved in other extracurricular activities and the high school has built a positive presence in both communities. The Renaissance program launched more than 25 years ago as a way to respect, recognize, reward and reinforce high school students and the positive results they are capable of achieving. From The Harbor educational video series to the Commitment to Graduate initiative, Jostens provides resources to its program schools to boost students’ chance for success in high school and beyond.

Take it from senior Renaissance students Paige, Matthew and Zoe, who spoke with us via telephone during their final month at LaSalle-Peru High. They talked about Renaissance committees, which meet bi-weekly to plan pep rallies, determine student achievement perks — via “cards” which earn them Jimmy John’s and Culver’s ice cream — and organize fundraisers for everything from the Special Olympics to a “Cavs in Crisis” fund (the Cavalier is the school mascot) for families in need. Not only did the Renaissance program help them develop their social and collaborative skills, it has stressed the importance of this year’s school theme: Build Your Own Legacy.

Matthew, on how the program has shaped his attitude: “When I joined as a freshman it was one of the only cubs I joined. I was shy like most people and sophomore year I started to step up and take initiative. I’m still joining stuff and we have 20 days left (laughs). Renaissance was definitely the game-changer. Without it I don’t know what I’d be doing right now.”

Paige, on serving in committee: “You spend most of your time with this group. People know if you’re in renaissance or not and they can come to you for help or with questions or if they have suggestions. They may not be in the program but they have an idea for a perk or a way to make the environment more positive.”

Zoe, on coming out of her shell:

“My freshman and sophomore year, I was scared to get involved. I watched the rallies and got excited about being present and showing people stepping out of my comfort zone. I joined my junior year and got involved with the rally and I just really enjoyed the aspect of how much team building we use in our productions and everything.”

For more information about the Jostens Renaissance program, or how to bring it to your school, visit jostensrenaissance.com.

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DISPATCH:

Lincoln’s March For Our Lives

By Antonio Hamersky

Photos by Andy Morrison Hundreds of marchers arrived at the front of the Nebraska state capitol building on the overcast afternoon of March 24 after marching for 10 city blocks. Their chanting — phrases like “Stop gun violence!” and “Books not Bullets!” — ceased, leaving just the din of conversation throughout the crowd. Eighteen school desks sat arranged in a horizontal row behind a podium, symbolizing the 14 students and three faculty members killed during the Feb. 14, 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The remaining desk stood in honor of the Great Mills High School student who was killed in Lexington Park, Md., just days before the march. A bouquet of flowers topped each desk, a tribute to those students who could no longer learn. In the wake of tragedy, millions poured into streets across the country as part of the March For Our Lives, honoring the 17 killed by gun violence on Feb 14 and to call for measures to ensure it would never happen again. Since that horrific day, Douglas High School survivors have appeared on national television demanding gun control measures and shouting back at gun lobbyists. In doing so, they have made it very clear that this would not be another school shooting to “add to the books.” Their organization, Never Again MSD, built toward the nationwide march, during which protesters in cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit, Orlando, and Portland urged for specific measures like universal background checks, restoring the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons ban and raising the minimum ownership age from 18 to 21. An estimated 1.2-2 million turned out to march, making it one of the largest protests in American history. The message was hard to ignore — 14 were shed, prayers were given, love tears was felt.

The march was no different in Lincoln, where sheets of grey clouds and temperatures barely above freezing didn’t stop hundreds from showing solidarity. Marchers trickled into the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Student Union around 1 p.m., milling about and chatting while they waited to start. It was a matter of minutes before the inside of the union was packed with people, many eager to express their anger and frustration. The inside of the building teemed with challenging signs saying, “#Never Again”, “Lives over bribes” and “Am I next?” Once the clock struck 2 p.m., Isabel Bousson, 17, who coorganized the Lincoln march with Kieran Wilson, 21, shouted into the megaphone, “Alright, it’s time to march!” People flooded out of the union. After the long wait, everyone was eager to start. People were walking so fast that Bousson had to turn around to tell people to slow down. After everyone slowed their pace, the crowd turned to the Union’s south side. Once the column of marchers swung around the building, our destination, the capital, towered over our route. The cold pushed people to walk quickly. Downtown Lincoln sat relatively still for a Saturday afternoon, until the voices of the marchers broke the silence. American flags fluttered in the wind, reflecting the crowd’s eagerness for imminent change.

The chanting voices of both youth The speakers eventually started and adults ricocheted off the tall after the marches tail end pooled downtown buildings. in front of the capital. Students from various Lincoln high schools About halfway through the ranging from freshmen to seniors march, I stepped out from the stood to the right of the podium. sea of protesters to take a look After the music died down, back. To my surprise, the crowd Bousson spoke again. still stretched back to the union. I gazed upon hundreds of signs, “Senseless gun violence stops declaring peoples emotions. now!” Cheers followed. It was only moments before the march swept me back up It took about two hours for again. Cars honked as the crowd everyone to speak. They all talked stopped at crosswalks, prompting about why they wanted tighter gun bursts of cheers. laws, presenting their opinions involving the issue of gun control We reached the capitol, where to widespread praise. upbeat music emanated from two speakers to the left and right of “It seems like a given, like common a podium located dead center on sense, that when I step in the the capitol steps. Behind that, the hallways I won’t have to fear for my 18 school desks sat, harrowingly. life,” Lincoln High School student It’s odd how a desk can make Jack Buchanan said. you feel sorrow; they were out there, for everyone to look at, for “There should be no hesitation everyone to notice. in the action to save the lives of children.” That day, desks represented lives, and people soaked that thought Another eruption from the crowd in while they stood in silence. forced him to pause.

Wilson closed the event. He told people his story, how he had previously lived hours away from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He went into detail how he reacted when hearing about the shooting, while crying. He then proceeded to tell people that they need to vote, and if they haven’t already they need to register to vote. He thanked everyone who helped with the organization and funding of the event, Kieran exclaimed his gratitude for the crowd’s support. He shivered as he finished his speech, motioning for everyone in the crowd to join him on the steps. A familiar song, Bill Withers “Lean On Me,” began to play. 15

Q&A:Award-Winning

Nebraska Photographer Explores Family and Identity By Leah Kash-Brown

Sarah Al-Hilfy Leon holds a portrait of her younger sister, Fatima, with a divide down the middle of her face — and, symbolically, her identity. The left half portrays her wearing a striking red hijab, indicative of her father’s Muslim heritage; on the other half, there is no hijab, a look intended to portray her mother’s Catholic upbringing. Both parents wanted to raise the children in each religion, which made Al-Hilfy Leon question where she stood herself. That photo, titled “Decisions,” won Al-Hilfy Leon her first Golden Key Award and Silver National Medal, both in photography, last year in the annual Scholastic Awards, which celebrates excellence in art and writing. Students in 7th-12th grades submit entries in 29 categories ranging from photography to comic art to journalism.

In this year’s regional competition, Al-Hilfy Leon submitted six photographs, three of which received Golden Keys: “1-800-7997233,” “What Does America Look Like To You” and “Cold.” The first is name for the actual National Domestic Violence Hotline number, which represents Al-Hilfy Leon’s view of how important the issue of domestic violence is. “What Does America Look Like To You” shows her sister wearing a hijab with the American flag painted on her face. It personifies America in order to show that no two people in America look the same. “Cold,” another photo of her sister, is a film photo that Al-Hilfy Leon used to display her composition and “rule-of-thirds” skills. Al-Hilfy Leon also submitted to the Nebraska Young Artist Exhibition “Look Out,” a portrait that deals with exclusion and repetition of past events. As Al-Hilfy Leon tell about her first memories of photography with photography running in her family to when her dad took photo of her as a young child, Al-Hilfy Leon was bound to try taking photos for herself eventually. “It’s just photography has always been with me,” she says. The young Lincoln photographer sat down with Rabble Magazine to talk about what makes her passionate about photography, how to deal with creativity block and how her body of work has progressed.

Rabble Magazine: Can you tell me about your Golden Key submissions? My first one was “1-800-7997233.” I thought that it was really important for me to really share that and my mom, also, is a victim of domestic abuse. So it is important for me to share

her story. Also, I thought about it, since I took a picture of my sister and my mom it’s going to be like a family history with the things that we have gone through and with the things that I don’t want to go through. That was kind of like, my sister was the younger me and my mom was what I don’t want to happen to me.

RM: Where do you see yourself with your photography, or your life, in 5 years?

My next Golden Key was the one of my sister again. She was wearing a red hijab and her face was painted with the American flag. I called that one “What Does America Look Like To You.” That was important for me, because there [are] so many political issues going on. And it really just comes down to what does an American look like to you. Is it until we have to show our papers, is that when we are American? That’s what my whole family has to go through is proving yourself is to be American.

RM: If a reader is interested in photography, but stucks right now, what would you tell them?

RM: You are really proud of your heritage. Can you explain a little more? Yeah. Well, I am Mexican and Arab but I was born in America. I wanted to be a little white girl with blond hair, blue eyes, because I was made fun of. And no one wanted to be my friend, because I didn’t know English. It took awhile for me to, like, love who I was and my heritage from where my mom is from. And I’ve been to both countries. To see, you know, where they came up from, it makes you realize, like, how proud you are of being that heritage. I’m so happy I am, because I honestly wouldn’t want to change myself at all. (Laughs)

I want to have a bit more freedom to travel, cause that’s what I love to do. Traveling and just keep taking pictures of people. Having more life experiences that I can really portray.

Yeah! I actually experience my own like, I call “writer’s block,” but creativity block. And so, I’ve had it during the winter time and I am like, “I don’t know what to do!” (Laughs) Honestly, keep shooting. Keep taking pictures! Because the first one is never going to be the best one. You have to play around with it. Play around with how you use composition. Should it be black and white? Should it be tilted? Who’s the subject of the photo? Just ask yourself so many questions. How can I make it so people can really understand the work at hand? Because if you just stop and just give up, then it’s on you. Like you could have been something absolutely amazing. But if you make yourself lose hope, then no one can change your mindset except yourself. And if you have a point to prove that you are the best photographer in the world, show them! Read the full story at our website! rabblemagazine. wordpress.com

Thrashing for Community:

Histronic’s Aramara Quintos Tapia and Amplifying Latino Voices By Nina Peci Photos by Odochi Akwani

Aramara Quintos Tapia, 18, had just exited The Bay stage right, pumped with adrenaline, drenched in sweat and breathing like crazy, her blackand-green hair frizzed out. Moments earlier she was going hard with her band, Histrionic, jumping around and singing at the top of her lungs in front of the crowd at the Latino Lives benefit show Feb. 17. From planning and executing that very event — which precedes a larger Latino Lives event this summer — to actually performing in it herself, she had been running around trying to get to the participants grappling for her attention. Still, she managed to also physically throw support behind the other bands performing. “I’m very tired, very tired.” she said before glancing back into the crowd, her energy seemingly boundless. “Gonna go thrash in a second.” Quintos Tapia is the singer and bassist for Histrionic, a local alternative-rock band she formed with drummer Seth Beem and guitarist Caleb Baugous during their Lincoln Academy of Rock session in 2015. The band’s sense of urgency reflects songwriter Quintos Tapia’s wild, contagious

personality. She has always been passionate about music, she says. When Histrionic formed, she knew she found a group willing to be as dedicated as she was. The Lincoln resident had been in a couple of bands before Histrionic, but she never felt other members shared her dedication. Beem and Baugous loved her sound and her badass vibe, they said. Once the group performed together — at a barroom show which her friends were too young to attend — they were hooked. “I’ve always felt like we’re soulmates musically,” Quintos Tapia says. “Once we performed I knew that this is what I’m meant to do.” Since that show in 2015, she’s been channeling her passion and creativity into creating new music, performing and creating a platform for future Latino musicians. Her loud and contagious personality is making waves in the local music community, with her own music and by elevating younger musicians. She wants other bands to experience performing and have the same support she does.

As a music fan, Quintos Tapia had observed the significant Latino population in Lincoln and Omaha, nearly 70,000 people identify as Hispanic or Latino according to Suburban Statistics. This made Quintos Tapia wonder about what she saw as a lack of representation in the music scene. After going to Queerfest, an event that supports and showcases artists in the LGBTQ+ community, last October, she observed Lincoln’s more accepting side. This made her want to create a space where musicians can be inspired by local bands that represent them — specifically, Latinos, women and young people. She also wanted to provide opportunities for bands to grow their creativity and present their music without discrimination. She felt this was important because she lacked local role models when she was entering the music world, simply because talented Latino musicians weren’t being spotlighted. She hopes to change that for some future musicians, but being Latina, female, queer and young, she knew she’d have to work harder than most. That only made her want to do it 19 more.

“I’m just so passionate because I just want to make this community more accepting, because, let’s be honest it’s super cliquey here,” Quintos Tapia says. “There’s a bunch of gentrifying hipsters that think their way is the right way.” With this idea in mind and her passion fueling it, she threw that benefit show for Latino Lives. The benefit showcased nine local bands who supported Quintos Tapia’s plans and who she felt were positive community members and good role models for rising local musicians. Proceeds from that show will help run the larger Latino Lives event this June at Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre. Like its predecessor, it will showcase local bands whose members are minorities, with a focus on Latino artists. Along with amplifying others, Quintos Tapia is using her own band to break stereotypes of garage bands. She’s tired of others saying what they believe the music community should look like. She’s ready to take control and diversify Lincoln’s music scene. She has networked and made connections every chance she’s had. Through that, Histrionic has been able to perform at KZUM, Lincoln Calling, UNL’s Commons, and her benefit show for Latino Lives, which she considers a huge success. Getting to this point wasn’t always easy, though, and it uncovered some harsh realities for Quintos Tapia. 20

“People are always like, ‘Yes, girl power, people of color, you’re doing such a good job,’ but in reality they don’t [care] about things that are benefiting other communities besides their own,” Quintos Tapia says. “I’m trying to integrate more Latino people into the community because we’re great and talented and just as good as everybody else.”

“Even before I got to know Aramara, I thought it was really cool that she had a band, Sandridge says. “But after becoming friends with her I started to see how much work she really puts into [it].” Quintos Tapia a great role model for aspiring artists and musicians, and the one thing they can always count on with her is that she’ll keep it real. “Her genuineness is really refreshing,” Sandridge says. “She is proudly herself and I’m sure it means a lot to people to see an 18-year-old Mexican girl doing her thing and killing it!” Quintos Tapia inspires those around her with her unapologetic attitude and love for music. She’s blazing a path for a new generation of Nebraska musicians more diverse than ever. And whether rocking on stage or mobbing the crowd, she’ll do it with the same spark.

Needless to say, she doesn’t take grief from anyone, continuing to work for what she wants. Most people won’t ever see how much goes into running Histrionic and setting up events like Latino Lives, says Misaki Sandridge, 18. A close friend of Quintos Tapia, Sandridge is inspired by the energy her pal pours into her passions. She admires her ability to balance a college freshmen’s workload while working to better her community and her music.

Find Histrionic on Soundcloud

https://soundcloud.com/search?q=histrionic%20veins

CARAVAN

At 15, Brodie Lienemann Represents The Future of North Platte Skateboarding While the western Nebraska community skate infrastructure crumbles, could the future of the sport lay in the hands of one teenager?

By Will Roper Photos by Noah Buscher

North Platte’s lone skate park rests south of the town’s recreation center parking lot. An empty baseball field splotched with grass and dirt completes the view from the rectangular slab of concrete that houses a few worn-down metal vert ramps, box jumps and short rails. Any other day, and the park would probably be empty. On this particular mid-March afternoon, four local kids make various, interesting uses of the skate park. One rides up and down the ramps on a BMX bike, his friend pulls off some ground tricks on a scooter and, over on the other side of the concrete, a younger kid practices a few backflips from a park bench. The fourth, a freshman at North Platte High School, puts his skateboard on the pavement and does something that has become more and more uncommon in the town of 24,000 – he skates. As if Big Foot had just rolled up, the three other kids move to the side and watch as the 15-year-old maneuvers through an abundance of tricks on the dilapidated skating grounds, utilizing the rusty rails and hollow drops with the precision of someone who’s skated them all his life. In the town made famous by the rails of Bailey Yard and boards 22 of Buffalo Bill’s ranch, Brodie Lienemann is one of the

few people looking to build his own legacy around skating and skate culture. To accomplish that, Lienemann recently became the young owner of his own business – Caravan Skate Shop, the single skate store in the town. “I always knew as a kid I wanted to do something with skating,” Lienemann says. “I was always trying to do something, and Caravan was part of it.” Later that afternoon, Lienemann hangs out in the basement of his mother’s house where he operates the skate shop. The downstairs store presents a unique blend of a typical high schooler’s room and an actual storefront: a Nintendo Wii, a drum kit and a TV playing skate videos juxtaposed with glass display cases housing

merchandise, Caravan Skate Shop artwork on the walls and racks filled with different unique, artistic decks. While some trusted friends are allowed to view the skate boutique’s inner workings, Lienemann says he personally delivers most gear, clothing and merchandise to people around North Platte. Customers range from his fellow skating friends to North Platte High School teachers, who Lienemann says buy jeans and other clothing for themselves and their families. “A lot of people [in North Platte] know about the shop,” Lienemann says. “It’s just that not a lot of people are into it yet.”

Like many skaters, Lienemann began skating in his hometown at a young age. He started out on Walmart boards and other “junk”, honing his skills at North Platte’s rusting skate park. He was a little nervous when he first started skating, as other skaters at the park were much older. As he grew into skating and went to the park more often, he noticed a lot of new skaters would pick up the sport only to quickly drop it a couple weeks later. “Maybe people can’t hold on to a passion for that long,” Lienemann says. “I didn’t really understand it.” While others experimented with and subsequently left skating, Lienemann’s passion grew exponentially. One day, his mother suggested he check out Caravan Skate Shop on fifth street – then owned by longtime skate entrepreneur Brandon Raby. Lienemann says it was the first time he could purchase quality skate equipment in the small town, and he became a regular at the shop soon after. Raby says he immediately saw something different in Lienemann compared to other people that walked through is doors. Apart from any unique talent or taste in skating culture, he said Lienemann had an undeniable enthusiasm and motivation for everything skateboarding.

“Brodie was totally a random little kid; one of the hundred random kids that I’ve seen,” Raby says. “But he actually cared and tried. He’s just a rare person, period.” Raby has been skateboarding in Nebraska since 1990, traveling all over the U.S. and eventually making North Platte his home. Along with founding Caravan Skate Shop in 2011, Raby also founded and still owns the popular downtown Espresso Shop by Caravan, which serves as a hangout spot for people interested in good coffee, food and music. The heart and enthusiasm shown by his skateboarding idols inspired Raby as he fell in love with the sport and the culture. Through his own passion, he has made it a goal to keep these aspects of skating alive – especially in west central Nebraska, where skateboarding and skate culture seem to be holding on by a thin thread. “North Platte doesn’t have shit going on, dude,” Raby says. “There could be, but there’s not too much for people to do other than get bored, drink alcohol, get stupid and make a mistake.” What makes Raby angry, he says, is not necessarily that people aren’t getting as interested in skating as they should be.

Rather, the city and people aren’t providing the opportunities for youth to try many extracurricular hobbies – one of which could be skating. Ted Nesslein, another one of the few dedicated North Platte skaters, says there may only be as few as six people in town who make the sport a primary hobby. People get into skating only to leave the sport weeks or months later. “Once in awhile, more people will start getting into it,” Nesslein says. “Some will hang on for maybe half a year or a year. Then it’ll die off again back to just a handful of skaters.” According to Raby, young people end up turning to drugs and alcohol instead of skating. It’s the plague of North Platte, Raby says, and it destroys people’s focus and passion. To steer people down a more engaging and communal path, Raby and other skaters have tried getting funding from the city and donors for various skating parks and projects. Petitions and organized groups have been attempting for more than a decade to fix and replace the skate park with new concrete, ramps and rails. However, they’ve all been met with little to no support by both the city council and citizens of North Platte. Rumors of a new outdoor skate park or an indoor skate facility have gained traction over the years, only to die down when the funding isn’t available. “There needs to be somebody that really pushes it,” says Raby, who has spearheaded a couple different attempts to build a new skate park. In 2014, Raby and other leaders within North Platte agreed that a new skate park would be an enormous improvement to the community. The Bay in Lincoln, an indoor skate park and coffee shop, inspired this goal, and fundraising from parents and supporters started the path to completing the new park. Ultimately, the park proved to be too expensive with too few donors, and the project fell out of the public’s view. “The momentum always fizzles,” Raby says. “But maybe we can do it now.” About seven years ago, Raby became the owner of a small skate shop in downtown North Platte, and Caravan Skate Shop was born. The goal of the shop, he says, was twofold: to sell quality, artistic skate products and to educate as many people as he could 24 on skating and skate culture. reach

The style and culture of Caravan Skate Shop sets it apart from other bigger companies in the state and country, something that Lienemann says he wants to continue. According to Lienemann, the distinct, gypsy jazz-style of music associated with Caravan along with an attention to more nuanced art and images makes the skate shop special. Caravan Skate Shop aims to make their own trends in skating apart from larger brands. Large skate brands, such as Toy Machine and Baker, inspire many smaller companies across the country in the form of fashion, skate videos and deck design. Some smaller companies, Raby says, tend to copy larger brands too much and fail to create a truly unique style of their own. “I’d never want to sell out with big, lame brands,” Lienemann said. Lienemann began working at Caravan when he was 13, after years spent frequenting the shop with his friend Tyler. In the process, he befriended Raby, who says it was also a great way for Lienemann to begin learning about the business side of the skate shop. In February 2018, Raby passed Caravan Skate Shop on to Lienemann. “There’s only a few rare people who have a clue what’s going on in skateboarding, and Brodie knew,” Raby says. “The culture needs to be brought up properly, as opposed to being distorted or skewed by some bad taste in skateboarding. It had to be the right person, and Brodie was the right person.” With Lienemann now fully in control of Caravan Skate Shop, he says he plans to continue the goals Raby first set out more than seven years ago. The artistic decks, quality merchandise and unique overall culture of Caravan set the business apart, and Lienemann says he will only look to grow on these aspects with his own creative ideas. Although the skate park across from the rec center may be battered, and the community in North Platte may not fully understand skating, the sport and its culture survive through Caravan Skate Shop. The passion and intensity are there, in people like Lienemann, Raby and Nesslein. “I know what I want to do with my life,” Lienemann says. “I want to do something with skateboarding, and whatever I can do to be involved with skateboarding I’m gonna do it.”

The Heartland’s High-End Hub:

ABy Groundbreaking Night at Omaha Fashion Week Olivia McCown Photos by Sabrina Sommer Despite being a Nebraska native with a mildly adept fashion sense, I immediately felt underdressed when arriving at Omaha Fashion Week (OFW). Everything about the atmosphere emanated elegance. With Midwestern socialites dressed to the nines, elevated VIP sections, and even a mini red carpet for your hands after pampering yourself at the nail bar, OFW might be Nebraska’s hottest fashion event of the year. It is an experience similar to stepping into a movie where anything and anyone can be art-- a culture surrounded and inspired by beauty and its beholders. Omaha Fashion Week took place from Feb. 27-March 3, 2018. Last year marked OFW’s 10th anniversary, and it is now ranked the fifth largest fashion event in the nation, showcasing about 65 designers from across the Midwest each year. Models stood like mannequins, lining the entrance to the Omaha Design Center on the event’s closing evening. Billowing curtains, flashing lights and a26 mysterious fog filled the

air, seeming to drown out reality. With a pounding beat filling my ears and pouring down to my feet, I couldn’t help but strut along to the music as I perused the miniboutiques with homemade soaps and tie-dyed clothes from Wearable Art Omaha. Though I knew no one really cared about the random girl with a notebook meandering around the clothing racks, I couldn’t help but feel like my every move was being carefully evaluated by various onlookers. The main room was set with the runway standing proudly in the center, covered in flashing lights both projected onto the stage and from cameras in every corner of the room. Young women filled the surrounding seats, even with an hour before the beginning of the show, anxiously awaiting the countdown timer to the debut of the designs, passing the time by taking countless pictures of themselves. The attendees murmured with excitement, milling about the bars and boutiques, in anticipation for the INNOVATE Featured Designers show to begin.

The event brought people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether they were fashion enthusiasts or coming to support friends, the attendees were all excited to be there. “I have come the past couple years, and I love that it has grown,” Jennifer Davidson, a nurse and fashion enthusiast from Omaha, says. “The fashion, the fun, the shopping, I love it.” OFW is fueled by youthful energy. Young designers, models, and attendees made the event exciting with new ideas that pushed boundaries and bursted bubbles. I was able to talk to model Micayla Eggert, who encourages young Nebraskans to pursue their goals in the fashion industry, and designers Roger Figueroa and Audio Helkuik, who used their platform to shed light on important causes like human trafficking awareness and encouraging expression of gender and sexual identity — each of them emphasizing the role the youth plays in the artistic community. View our full photo gallery from OFW at rabblemagazine. wordpress.com

MODEL FEATURE: Micayla Eggert OFW model Micayla Eggert knew as an 8-year-old that she wanted to model. At the behest of her mother, who saw Eggert’s waning interest in taekwondo (her thenhobby), she visited an agency and, in one swoop, ignited a passion she didn’t realize she had. “My mom was like, ‘you need to do something,’” Eggert says. “So she put me with an agency called Agency 89, and I started taking classes there, and that’s where my love for modeling began.” Eggert is an 18-year-old Omaha resident and a management major at the University of NebraskaOmaha. After getting involved with Develop Model Management when she was 12, she started to participate in Omaha Fashion Week, becoming close friends with other models from Develop. Eggert expressed a goal to branch out and meet new people this year, since many of her friends have since moved away.

“This time, I was trying to spread out my wings a little bit more,” Eggert says. “A lot of us are from Develop, and so we know each other and we’ve worked with each other multiple times, but lately we’ve had a lot of new people come in, and so I don’t really know them, but everyone backstage is usually super cool, really nice, and we all get along really well.” This season, Eggert walked for one of the headlining designers, J. Tracey, wearing her Sushe line. It featured overarching redand-black color palette, sharp, patterned dresses and sweeping cardigans. Exaggerated eye makeup and loud, voluminous hairstyles complemented the line, which set the evening’s bar high. Eggert says she immediately fell in love with every aspect of modeling. She enjoys being in front of everyone and being able to showcase other people’s artwork in the best light possible.

She considered modeling as a profession when she was younger, but is now looking into other career options while still incorporating her experience in the creative community. “I don’t know if I want to take that route anymore,” Eggert says. “I still want to be involved in the entertainment industry in a way, but I don’t know if I want to be a model. I want to own my own business.” As a seasoned model, Eggert has some advice for hopeful models in the Nebraska area. She encourages young models to try out for OFW if they live anywhere in the Omaha or Lincoln area and to network as much as possible. “Even though we’re a small city, we still have a big industry of artists and photographers that want to do stuff,” Eggert says. “So just reach out to people, and I guarantee someone will want to work with you at one point or another.”

DESIGNER FEATURE: Roger Figueroa Fashion designer Roger Figueroa, 23, uses the runway to elevate more than just his latest designs. He sees his career as a way to raise awareness for important issues. In his latest collection, Vol. 5, Figueroa brings awareness to the cruel reality of human trafficking through structural designs, hand-painted prints and colors that tie the whole collection together, creating a bold and powerful statement- bringing light to a social issue that still exists worldwide, even in our communities. His line is bold and edgy, with messages printed on the backs of the outfits saying, “not for sale,” “buy art, not humans,” and “let me go,” giving a haunting beauty to the pieces. Even the models’ hair and makeup were used to make a statement with futuristic details that reference the message behind the collection. Their hair was piled high, textured and wrapped in ropes, while their lips were adorned with white flower petals to represent the Time’s Up movement. He made sure to include male models in order to represent men who support the movement as well. The Time’s Up movement is focused on bringing light to sexual harrasment, specifically in the workplace.

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Figueroa especially took pride in the finale gown. When its model swept the garment across the runway, it left the audience speechless. The sharp, feather-patterned headpiece was inspired by a phoenix, “in order to represent the survivors of human trafficking and their rising from their past to a renewed cycle,” Figueroa says. Figueroa is originally from Mexico, but is currently based out of Kansas City, where he has been designing his label for the past two years. He studied at Johnson County Community College Apparel Design and Technology program in Overland Park, Kan. He saw Omaha Fashion Week as a learning opportunity for him to develop as a designer. “I decided to join OFW because of the level of professionalism behind the event, the exposure and because the judging panel helps you grow and they inspire you to be your best,” Figueroa says. Besides helping himself develop, Figueroa also used the opportunity to get people to start talking about the message. “Be aware of it and help to prevent it,” he says. “There are local organizations helping those causes. Get involved.”

DESIGNER FEATURE: Audio Helkuik Unconcerned about gender norms and societal expectations, designer Audio Helkuik’s designs were a change of pace Saturday evening. In his fearless collection called Stone Spirits, he utilized leather, pearls, lace and chains to emphasize feminine power and freedom of expression. The audience rose to their feet during a finale ensemble that bared all: comprising nothing but thin leather straps and chains, the male model’s bare ass strutting across the runway was the most memorable moment of the night. “My collections tend to stand out here in Omaha,” Helkuik says. “The take-away messages that I hope runway guests glean from my show are that confidence is always more important than clothing size, gender is fluid, queers are HERE and playing with fashion is fun!” Helkuik is a 32-year-old midwest-native, currently based out of Omaha. He has been a designer for ten years now, and since 2010, he has shown six collections at Omaha Fashion Week. He and his partner were planning on moving to Omaha in 2010, so he decided to apply to Omaha Fashion Week before the move.

Art can be a useful tool in creating awareness and change. Helkuik’s designs stay true to his motto: “Live Brave. Dress Brave.” It serves as an inspiration for young designers everywhere to push the boundaries or go outside of the comfort zone in order to portray an important message. “If you choose to push boundaries, know what you’re pushing against and why,” Helkuik says. “Aim your rule breaking at something you believe in instead of just causing controversy for controversy’s sake.” Helkuik’s line aims at completely overturning the ideas of conventional beauty standards and how models “should” look. Knowing everyone’s body is uniquely beautiful, Helkuik showcased his line on a curated set of confident performers and models that highlight this belief. “I’m always aware of the platform I’m given in the fashion industry,” Helkuik says. “I’m allowed to put bodies in a spotlight and deem them as ‘beautiful’ and I never take that opportunity for granted.”

“I had been doing a lot of costuming for theatrical productions, so runway was a nice creative change of pace for me then,” Helkuik says.

Instagram Contest!

We’re stoked about the first issue of Rabble Mag and we want to see it out in the world! Follow @rabblemill and post a photo of the magazine in your element — be it a cozy coffeehouse, your band practice space or somewhere else — with hashtag #rabblemag. We’ll choose one person to send a bundle of Rabble merch. Thanks for pickin’ it up!

Have a story to tell? Pitch us! If you have an idea for a story on an inspiring person, place or thing in your community, we wanna help you develop it! Pitch us the who, what, where, when, and why Email magazine@rabblemill.org We’ll choose one entry and help you tell the story in the next issue!

Album Releases Jan 6: Hakim, Young Drifter II soundcloud.com/eyehakim/sets/ young-drifter-ll Jan 27: No Thanks, The Trial no-thanks.bandcamp.com/album/thetrial Feb 23: Gamma Goat, The Golden Light of Being gammagoat.bandcamp.com/album/ the-golden-light-of-being March 3: Bokr Tov, Bokr Tov bokrtov.bandcamp.com/album/bokrtov March 14: Sam Martin, Slack City samueladammartin.bandcamp.com/ album/slack-city March 30: Threesome Egos, And Then There Were Four threesomeegos.bandcamp.com/ releases

Get! That! Shot! One photograph can tell an entire story. We want yours in the next issue. Here’s how: 1. Take a photo of an art, music or skate-related event or person in your community 2. Write a quick caption that gives us the scoop 3. Email them to magazine@rabblemill.org Your photo could be in the summer issue of Rabble Magazine!

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April 20: Matt Cox, High Places www.mattcoxmusic.net/ May 4: blét, Suddenly Able To See In The Dark blet.bandcamp.com/ May 11: Freakabout, Babezooka freakabout.bandcamp.com/album/ babezooka June 1: Little Brazil, Send The Wolves littlebrazil.bandcamp.com/

32 Photo by Odochi Akwani