Unraveled
–M aresa S mith
CON T E N T S
S om eti me s we ne e d to feel more & think le s s . – Maresa Smith
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–M aresa S mith
NOTE FROM THE EDITORS Unraveled is a magazine devoted to self-expression and unraveling elements of the human condition. We seek to explore actual human lives and depict them genuinely and with integrity, Inviting our readers to explore with us. We are all are storytellers with personal narratives that […] our identity. Unraveled doesn’t fear taboos, stigmas, or stereotypes. Our goal is to explore and expose true narratives of all humans honestly. We invite readers back to humanity, without judgement or disdain. Our goal is to give people a way to learn about others and grow a relationship with other humans. Furthermore, we hope to grow readers’ understanding of individuals that make up our society.
influenced you. What you do have in common with the people you read about. These stories, narratives, and essays serve as a snapshot of a human. The images, photos, and art encapsulate stories. Thank you and please enjoy the first edition of Unraveled.
Hopefully, we can inspire readers to open up discussions about each other. As you read, we hope you consider where people come from and what influences they had in their lives. Consider your life, your personal biases, and what has
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MASTHEAD Natalie Langham McKinley Michalowski Erica Schomer Ryan Wheeler
Executive Director Editor in Chief Graphic Designer Content Creator
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–M aresa S mith
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MOOD O U TFI TS: FI V E STY LE S
E V E RY U ND E R G R A D N E E D S
36 STRIPPED DOWN , THE
b y Erica Schomer
by Mckinley Michalowski
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H OW DO YO U AVO I D G I V I NG
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M Y G RAN DM A L OV ES M E?
UP A L TOG E TH E R ?
by Natalie Langham
by Natalie Langham
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A L IE N S G ATH E R P I NK
G L IT T E R -P E N S A ND CA R D STOCK
F OR T H E I M P E ND I N G GR E E N LIV ES
MAT T ER R A LLY
b y Ryan Wheeler
SOFTN ESS IN EV ERYON E
42 ASSIM IL ATIN G WITH H ON OR
by Erica Schomer
PR OF IL E S
E SSAY S
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B E L OV E D AU S TI N A R TI SA N
5 0 T EXAS MONTHLY’S “H AN N A
by Natalie Langham
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CA L I T I TM AS
by Mckinley Michalowski
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T H E C YC LE O F R E S I LI E NC E
by Erica Schomer
AN D AN DREW”
by Ryan Wheeler
5 2 A “TOAST STORY” REV IEW
by Natalie Langham
5 9 H OW THE SU RV IVAL IST M OV EM EN T OSCIL L ATES B ETWEEN RADICAL OPTIM IS M AN D PESSIM ISM
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by Erica Schomer
– dmc
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aeroSTAR and THE GREAT ORION NEBULA “Photography is important to me because you can use it to explore the unknown. For example, you can see things not naturally perceived by the eye. Whether I’m observing deep sky objects which I’ve learned about while studying astronomy, or just trying to make my minivan look cool, a camera’s ability to capture light for an indefinite amount of time allows me to see things in a new way. Images aren’t the only way I use photography to explore the unknown. The process of driving to a new destination during a cold night and taking in the unheard sounds of nocturnal wildlife allows me to think about life, the universe, and everything.” -dmc
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M OOD O U T FIT S : FIV E S TYLES EVERY UNDERG RAD NEEDS by Erica Schomer
Identity is the direct reflection of our hearts and minds. It’s the very essence of being. We take pieces from our lives–our experiences, our family, our friends, our culture, our spirituality–we create ourselves. Identity within fashion is how individuals express who they are and who they hope to become. Because we are always in the state of becoming, we often construct and reconstruct our identities. When I was around seven or eight, my favorite place to adventure was the nearby arcade. I saved up all my tickets to buy a mood ring that younger me thought could me understand my feelings. Even from a young age, I felt overwhelmed by my sensitivity, and as a kid trying to fit in, I wanted to fit in with all identities. ? As I grew up, I found out that my emotions, determined by what happened that day, what music I had listened to, what dreams I had, directly affect my style. During my undergrad, I had chance to recreate my style. I began thinking, why prescribe to one aesthetic or one style when I can wear multiple? Why don’t we have mood outfits? So I hold my emotions on my sleeve, and I have peeled back my layers so others can peer into my being. Below is a list of my staple mood outfits. PURE CONFIDENCE I often want my style to reflect my confident attitude. I’m conscious of what I wear, so I wear my favorite pieces: converse shoes, skinny jeans, and a bold statement crop top. My eyeshadow is dark, and the eyeliner-gods have blessed me with a perfect cat eye. This, I feel, is my authentic identity. It’s not a mask I hide behind but my essence.
ATHLEISURE Whether I’m at the gym, practicing yoga, or simply strolling around campus, I try to fit exercise into my weekly schedule. Busy days ask for flexible style, so I find my most comfortable clothes. Every undergrad needs a trusty pair of leggings, and I like to find ones with subtle patterns for versatility. I’ll wear a free shirt I got on campus or a soft tank top. My go-to shoes are Birkenstocks because they’re easy to slip on and comfort my footbed. MENTAL HEALTH DAY Some days I feel anxious, and I let the quietness instruct me. From an unanswered text to a job interview to an unsettling comment, my anxiety seeps through my skin, and I disguise it with fabric. I wear neutral colors to blend in and layer my pieces like armor. I feel the safest wearing sweatpants and a hugging sweatshirt. STUDY DATE You know the feeling. After an exhausting night of studying and too much takeout Chinese food, I often feel bloated and languid. With soft style, I tend to gravitate towards subtle colors, and I wear cotton–knitted and woven. Most importantly, I pick comfortable clothes that look like my life is put together. Below, I’m wearing a well-tailored sweater that keeps me warm without looking like a blanket. I pair it with neutral shorts and my trusty slip-on birkenstocks for maximum comfortability.
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A NIGHT OUT For a lively night with good friends and good food, I seek to stand out. I wear a menagerie of patterns, dresses, and accessories like long necklaces and bold earrings. I accessorize the most with this style, particularly with jewelry from small boutiques or Kendra Scott. I paint my nails in a sparkly gold and feel comfortable enough to go sans-eyeliner or add lipstick. College should be a place for people to explore their style free from expectations. Personally, my campus is unique because I can freely express myself with a variety of styles and still feel a part of the community. Identity is not stagnant. It’s a process and a journey. My aesthetic is constantly shifting and exploring new ways to express what I feel, and hopefully, I can find myself in the process.
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H OW DO YO U AVO ID G IVING UP A LTOG ETHER? by Natalie Langham
You’re back in High School walking around the halls and complaining to your best friend about how much you hate your life. There is no way you can make an A in cranky old Mrs. Urchin’s class and your crush will never love you. Most of us can probably relate to this memory to some degree, but how many of us ever took these problems to a school counselor? You probably remember your school counselor as some old lady being useless in a smelly office, or perhaps you thought of them as a bizarre school priest, who you would visit to confess your teenagerly sins to. Now we are all grown up and the challenges in life seem even more intense! Do you have your old High School counselor’s phone number? I doubt it. But next time you pass up the opportunity to take advantage of support, stop and consider that excellent advice might come from the most unlikely of places. I asked a High School counselor how to best support one’s self and one’s peers through discouraging times, and her advice was surprisingly inspiring and useful: 1) Loan a discouraged person your confidence and actively listen to their skepticism. Reinforce your perspective of their capability. Say you are at the gym with your recently-divorced best friend. She is complaining because she ate three tubs of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream last night and cried herself to sleep. She is worried she will be unable to complete the workout her sexy trainer has created for her. Just look her in those dull, discouraged eyes and cheerfully proclaim, “I am 100 percent certain you can do it.” When she whines and says she can’t, say, “I would bet my house on it.” If you don’t own a house, just figure something out. You can do it! If she laughs or groans, you are one step closer to snuffing out that pesky discouragement.
2) Challenge the stories in their head by holding up less harsh versions of reality. Funny and playful hypothetical questions are a great way to challenge negative beliefs. Say you just burnt you caserole for the fourth time and your dinner party is in two hours. Are you going to just give up? Hell no! Ask yourself if finding a quick solution that will knock your guest’s socks right off is more impossible that spontaneously combusting. You’ll realize that it’s possible to save the day, and that you have no real excuse to give up and go watch netflix while your guests starve and wallow in the mire. 3) Play pretend. Prompt a discouraged person to pretend that there is a solution to their problem, or that they may be able to succeed at something. Say your friend is whining because she hates her commute. You can relate, but you say, “I’m sure you can think of a way to have fun.” She exclaims that she has already exhausted every possibility, including creating a snapchat vlog (something one should never attempt while driving). Prompt her to pretend she hasn’t thought of everything. “What ridiculous ideas can you come up with in this universe where you haven’t thought of everything?” She will most likely come up with something obvious like listening to a book on tape. You will commend her on her excellent idea, but inside you will be judging her for her daftness. Congratulations you have obliterated her discouragement! 4) Create a fairytale land for yourself where someone can do something you feel like you can’t do. Say you are trying to learn how to do your taxes
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properly. I don’t really have to elaborate on why this seems impossible. If you think this uphill battle will end in certain death, think again! Try telling yourself, “Somewhere in a land far, far away, there is a person who is killin’ it with their taxes. They wake up on tax day feeling totally giddy that they are about to crush it. Accountants from far and near gaze in awe of this person.” Imagine that this person is really nerdy and ridiculous and laugh maniacally at the thought. Congratulations, if you repeat this step several times, it will most likely motivate you to keep trying, even though every year you manage to f*$k up royally. If these tips cause you to laugh or stomp around in anger, you are on the right track. If they don’t, you are probably a bot. Just kidding! But for real, go find your old High School counselor, bring them some cookies, and ask them to guide you through the impossible obstacle course that is life. You might not regret it.
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A L I E N S G AT HE R P I N K GLITTER- PENS A ND CARDSTOC K F OR TH E I MP E N D I N G G R E E N L I V ES M ATTER RA LLY by Ryan Wheeler
Shortly after the Trevon Martin Case in 2012, the Black Lives Matter movement took hold in America as the new civil rights movement fighting against police brutality targeting people of color. Defenders of cops and other law enforcement agents took up figurative strong arms creating the movement Blue Lives Matter. Now, other spin offs such All Lives Matter, Animal Lives Matter, and Amoeba Lives Matter had quickly gained popularity. Green Lives Matter is the newest iteration of the fight against prejudice. Aliens have taken up ink weapons and Blaster Hat (reminiscent of pussy hats) to fight unwarranted claims of universe-terrorism and earthling brutality against aliens. We, here at the Borowitz report, have boots on the ground at the alien’s levitating protest to learn more about the movement. A young alien, age 10303, reacted with excited nervousness toward our reporter. He held a sign that stated, “Cyber-immigrants don’t deserve Cyberbulling.” When asked about his experiences, he claimed that earthling youth hacked his Facebook page and changed his profile picture that of, “really gross pea soup.” Comments on the page read, “Go back to Marfa!” The little alien was dismayed by his classmates’ lack of acceptance, and no longer wanted to attend Earth school. Another alien, age 30421, angrily told a reporter that she had experienced workplace harassment and identified herself as a target of alien fetishism. She reported that she had received, “slutty Princess Leia costumes,” on her desk at work and that she is often cat-called when she is out with her friends. She stated, “They blame me!” Earthling friends tell her not to show off so many legs. Another male alien, age 45091, described how he was arrested and falsely accused of resisting arrest. He was levitating down the sidewalk when he
heard a commotion. As he turned around he saw cops barreling toward him yelling. “They were screaming, ‘Hey you! Green bean! Stop!,’ I put all four arms up but they tackled me anyway and forced me to the ground. I tried to explain to them that I wasn’t sure what was wrong, but they clapped cuffs on anyway,” he stated. He described the cops as gruff and unforgiving, claiming, “they never told me why they arrested me. It almost seemed like they were bored and didn’t have anything better to do. Who needs cops anyway.” We turned our attention from the streets to the White House. When we asked the president to comment on the latest terrestrial rights movement, he waved his hand about emphatically, yelling, “We’ll build a dome! We’ll build a dome around the entire country!” We inquired about the extra-terrestrials who have already taken root in America, but the president simply walked away yelling, “you want make America human again? We’ll build a dome! Put it on a t-shirt Mike!” Borowitz report was tipped off that later this week, a newest add for SpaceJuice Cola will be aired. It features an attractive human model and her attempt to subdue brutality towards all beings with a can of SpaceJuice and expensive, booty-popping jeans. It is sure to be a success and have a lasting, significant effect promoting galaxy-wide peace.
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B OOK R E V IE W : W I L D S WANS: THREE DAUG HTERS O F CH I NA BY JU N G C HA N G by McKinley Michalowski
Despite it’s 1991 publication date, Jung Chang’s Wild Swans has managed to remain relevant and captivating. She tells the story of an evolving country, war-torn and impoverished, resilient and thriving, confused and bewildered, and how the women in her family fared through China’s tumultuous history.
Communism. From an early age, Chang doubted Mao and the ludicrous nation-wide projects he forced, such as the Hundred Flowers Campaign. When Chang transitions into her autobiography, readers watch her abandon her doubts and willingly join the Red Guards. She witnesses countless abuses of the Party. Her father became a target for the Cultural Revolution; her parents her labeled capitalist roaders, like many others who had loyally served the Party for decades. Chang and her entire family were sent to labor camps in the Chinese countryside.
Chang begins the book with the life of her grandmother Yu-Fang, who experienced unimaginable hardship coming of age in Empirical China. Her mother, Chang’s great-grandmother, bound her feet beginning at the ripe age of two years old. She dropped heavy stones on her arches to break them; both mother and daughter wept at the tragic tradition, knowing that without flat, tiny feet, Yu-Fang would never marry. While she didn’t marry for years, YuFang did find herself sold as a concubine of the tyrant General Xue Zhi-heng, who left her alone for years at a time.
When Chang returned home, she went to university. Shortly after, Mao dies and the country is in mourning. Yet Chang is relieved and exhilarated. Beautifully written and intriguing from cover to cover, Chang tells the story of her family without sparing any details. She exposes hard truths about her parents, her grandparents, and herself. For many, denial of Mao’s abuses brings solace. Chang openly admits her painful experiences and her blind allegiance despite all the red flags. She shows the strengths and the weaknesses of the women in her family, without condemnation or glorification. Through countless tragedy and hardship, Chang and her family did the best they could to survive.
The first triumph of the book occurs when Yu-Fang, with her baby daughter, escapes the General’s palace, and flees to her parents’ home. Yu-Fang goes on to marry an older man, Dr. Xia, who truly loves her and raises her daughter, Chang’s mother, Bao Qin, as his own. Bao Qin’s story is the story of Communist China. She joins the Revolution at its grass-roots stage, a period of time that is largely left unmentioned in most popular literature. The Communists began with a humble desire to help the Chinese people and rebuild a broken nation. Qin began secretly working for the Communist Party at the age of fifteen and rose through the ranks, where she met Chang’s father. The two raised Chang within the confines of 15
–A nonymous
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Equinox Autumn comes over my bones – stick y molasses. Joi nts cr ack, cr unchy leaves as I wr ithe, undulate, bu r r ow dee per into myself. God’s br eath is cool ag ainst my neck. Goddess smiles war mly, Her sweet lips like apples heavy in my palms. I pu t Her in my pockets and watch Sun set, my hear tbeat slowing to a quiet dr ip of blood ag ainst cave walls. – Aaren Wenier
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BE L OV E D AU S T IN A R T I SA N by Natalie Langham
When you think of the fashion industry, you probably imagine a luxurious art world, or perhaps trends that expire faster than you can say mass production. Important people design clothes and jewelry, and those designs are passed through countless hands and processes until they end up in a Marshalls, and you can’t even remember when oversized pearls were in style. That’s not a piece of the fashion industry you feel a personal connection with. Cue Maemae Stiles, of msquared Jewelry. She is carrying a massive vendor’s tent on her back and wheeling two suitcases full of merchandise through a parking lot at 10 A.M. on a Saturday. You’ve traded your trip to Marshall’s with a merry outing to the farmers market. This down-to-earth setting is home to the booming, artisanal scene of Austin, Texas—a scene that Maemae has worked hard to be a part of for more than ten years. When you walk into Maemae’s tent, it is impossible to ignore the creativity and hard work that goes into everything she creates. Her attitude is infectious, as curious customers are met with enthusiasm and endless information about the materials used in her beautiful beaded arrangements. Despite the 95-degree weather and the humble nature of her business, loyal customers make a point to stop by every weekend to say hi to their friend Maemae and buy beautiful gifts for loved ones. The success and overall intimate vibe of “m squared Jewelry” did not appear out of thin air. It was a long process with a set of values, which guided Maemae to create this beloved contribution to the local art scene in Austin. Maemae is not shy about expressing gratitude for her community or discussing the lessons she learned in her line of work. “When I first started selling jewelry at shows, I was so amateur. I would see the
other vendors and they have beautiful and elaborate displays. I walked up to one of them and asked, ‘Where did you get that display?’ and I’ll never forget—they just looked at me in a matter of fact way and said ‘Well I just made it.’ ‘I just made it,’ really stuck with me. I feel like I have always been doing things that way, and it really describes the idea behind this kind of work. It’s a very ‘do it yourself ’ thing.” Maemae often refers to her efforts as a “one woman show,” which is nothing new; it is the way she was raised. After her family immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan, they owned a motel. “I would do a little bit of everything. I was the maid, the front desk person, the gardener—you know, whatever had to be done, I just did it,” Maemae says. “That’s similar to how I figured out how to sell jewelry. When I was young, my mother and I would make necklaces out of shells. She would take me to the flea market, and we would just sell them.” This is a recurring part of Maemae’s life: family, business, and doing things yourself. In fact, Maemae started her business because it allowed her to take better care of her family. “I never went to art school. I went to school for engineering,” she says, ”and I started ‘m squared Jewelry’ when my parents got sick and I had my son.” Maemae stresses that her husband and son are very important aspects of her life. Upon entering Maemae’s modern home in Rolling Wood, it’s obvious that creativity is central to family life. “My husband and I are very into midcentury modern furniture. Brett (Maemae’s husband) has his own design company. “He made this great iconic logo for my business. He is very talented. I’m lucky,” she says. Maemae’s son frequently helps her assemble her tent and sell her jewelry at local events and artisan shows, continuing a family tradition. Despite all of this talent and support, Maemae’s business model remains unambitious.
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Maemae has very little intention of expanding “msquared Jewelry.” She does not even offer an online store. You can find her booth at the farmer’s market, the convention center, and other artisan shows in the central Texas area. She has always employed a few stay-at-home moms and some neighborhood kids here and there. If you approach her employees at the farmer’s market, you will hear them gush about her hospitable nature and rattle off reasons why they are thankful for the work and her company. You can often find Maemae hunkered down in her chaotic studio, snacking with her assistants, listening to music, and sharing life stories. Despite this obvious level of personal investment, it is surprising to see Maemae’s level of detachment to the business itself. “One day,” she says, “I will be happy to just sell the business. I can’t do this forever. Someone else might be willing to just buy me out. My favorite part, the part I like the best, is all the designs and my ideas. I just like making the stuff, you know.”
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CA L I T I TM AS by McKinley Michalowski
Where are you right now?
What are your favorite subjects to shoot?
Currently as I type this I am in Yangon, Myanmar. However next time we realistically can talk again because of the time difference I will be out at sea headed for India.
This has changed and will continue to change loads. I love taking pictures of people, especially my friends. But I also road trip and camp a lot and have loved shooting outdoor and nature photography more and more. When I’m shooting film there’s nothing better than street photography. And regarding my semester abroad right now I’m focusing a lot on the people or locals I see here as well as the minimalist buildings and the background details in these environments they live in which has become a big favorite for me at the moment. What I’m attracted to most though is the eccentric or moody characters I see and meet as well as the places I go where a story is so clearly evident that I need to shoot it. I think that’s what draws me to video as well.
Can you send me some shots you’re taken so far on your trip? Yeah, absolutely. [PHOTOS] What is your photography story? First camera? What made you fall in love with taking photographs?
Tell me about the tampon money sign.
I started young and can’t remember exact time but I was around 7 or 8 I think and I had one of those Polaroid iZone instant cameras. I worked my way through multiple cameras over the years until I eventually got an actual dslr and then got really into film cameras as well. I know hardly anything about the technical side but what I love about photography is the creative process. It’s such a general platform where you can document your space or create with it and there are so many possibilities. It’s so satisfying shooting, editing and feeling good about a photograph. I’m also a very nostalgic person and got obsessed with documenting that as well as hoping to create that feeling in pictures as well and shooting so much as I grew up I just got obsessed with documenting everything until finally I started creating with it. Specifically though I think it was a picture my sister took of me once when I was in grade school that inspired me and opened me up to this crazy new concept of being able to decide what’s going to be in the photo and having that control.
I was in a sculpture class at PSU and we were supposed to make a sculpture out of only one material of our choosing. I realized over time working on the sculptures that I was often drawn towards unique or enlarged creations of material objects or even political statements. In fact I learned through video, sculpture and photography that my work was becoming more and more political in one sense or another, which intrigued me considering I didn’t think of myself as such. So basically I was in my bathroom and realized I hadn’t taken my trash out for awhile and saw it was filled to the brim with tampons. I was looking at the S for super and thinking about how much money I spend on them. Later that night I started drawing and it was all about feminity and the “vulgarness” questionably associated with menstrual bleeding. One of the sketches was a trashcan filled to the top with tampons and I changed the S on the wrappers to money signs. Then I realized I had the opportunity 23
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actually make something with this idea so I bought several boxes at the dollar tree the next day and glued them into a money sign made out of tampons. It was meant for the obvious reason of Super being replaced by the money sign considering the predicament us ladies are in for having to buy feminine products. It was also an exploration for me because I spent money on these tampons to make into a money sign to start the conversation of having to purchase them in the first place and yet I was wasting them for a sculpture. It was my most satisfying sculpture in that class and I keep it hanging in my bathroom. This project was actually my inspiration for my “girls just want to be comfortable” video and photo shoot as well. Tell me about this shoot. The title is a play on Cyndi Lauper, yes? Is this shoot representative of your view of women in society – very natural and shameless – or is it a response to masculinized-female archetypes in society? Pretty much, yeah it was. Instead of “Girls just want to have fun” I switched it to “Girls just want to be comfortable.” My best friend Amelia and got in the habit of unzipping or unbuttoning our typical highwaisted mom jeans all the time and it just became a funny to thing to call out when we undone our pants from being too full or just uncomfortable. This combined with the tampon money sign and just overall drama of college and guys and sexuality and self confidence and more it just came together that I have friends that feel similarly and would be willing to expose themselves this way so we shot a video and did a photo shoot in this theme. There was two requirements; no bra and be comfortable showing your belly and your body in a new way. It’s really just about how girls are in the comfort of isolation and around other girls and how it’s difficult to be comfortable with even yourself and other girls who would understand. And how funny that is in comparison to how much more uncomfortable it would be to do that around certain men and in our society. And essentially all the taboos about women and what they’re not supposed to say or do and how that’s bullshit and we just wanna do what we want and be who we wanna be with no questions asked. I’m
tired of people wanting me to censor myself. How do you feel you’ve evolved over the years in your artistry? As someone who has been following you for a few years now, I’ve noticed your composition and subject matter change and evolve. Do you feel like you’ve come into your own over the past few years? Well now I definitely know at least a little about photography and I’m no longer trying to just get the picture but rather make something interesting with what I see. I was shooting mostly just my friends for a long time in stylized shoots but moving around so much and seeing so many other parts of the country really inspired me to try new mediums and subject matters. Film came back in my life and that definitely effects how I shoot as well as learning that a good picture doesn’t have to be of the obvious beautiful thing but rather looking for the more interesting subjects around it and finding new ways to portray it. Any who yes I think how I shoot now is my own personal style and I’m making better art but there are still so many things I need to try out. There’s still so much to learn and quite frankly I’m not very good at photography. I just shoot what I would want to see pictures of and try my best to get that across. How do you feel like the political climate of the US right now has affected your work, if at all? What are your concerns for the future? How do you feel like your work responds to the conflicts of the world? As of right now that flow I had going in such a liberal community of Portland has come to a halt because I’m traveling but for a while there I subconsciously took over my environment and definitely let it influence my work. All I could think about was trump and feminism and documenting loads of film during the protests downtown and making videos about the materialism and ignorance of the United States. Politically speaking, I’m concerned for everyone. I try really hard when shooting something sensitive to make it out of compassion and not make it exploitative, such as the protests or the third world countries I’m
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now. It was never a major theme for me but now that it is I want to run with it and continue exploring what I work with in such stressful times. Especially right now, there are so many stories to be told about those being first hand affected by the presidency as well as other controversial topics and I’m looking forward to attempting those projects when I get back with a new perspective. Is being overseas right now giving you a new perspective on the States? How are people responding to American conflict overseas? This presidency doesn’t just affect the United States the same way feminism doesn’t just effect white women. Being overseas has definitely altered my perspective and made a more global issue of the cluster fuck of things going on everywhere in the world. If anything the people I’ve met traveling typically have compassion for me being an American during this time but it’s quite embarrassing. No better time than now to pretend I’m a Canadian. I don’t get much out of the people I’ve met, whether it’s a Vietnamese local or a drunk Australian traveler it pretty much goes “Trump” and I say “Fuck life am I right” and we laugh and then I cry a little on the inside. It’s quite weird being away during the most chaotic and destructive beginning months of any presidency. I think that’s more evident than anything else in these countries and for some reason I think they know this too. But I also think they have their own shit to deal with as well as, depending on their resources, they’re more aware of all the other issues in the world and not just the States the way a lot of Americans are so its just another thing to talk about for them but not the only thing. Personally I’ve learned that people all over the world truly are the same. Obviously there are cultural differences but I think we often romanticize the global world as something unknown and so far out of reach. Or that it’s going to change our world by seeing the world. Which is true but it also isn’t. I’ve realized that the most taking pictures of people in each country. They’re just pictures of people and not particularly special in anyway. I often think about going home and
taking pictures of people in the states and how weird that’s gonna feel now. But also the living conditions are rough especially in Asia. But again, they’re not necessarily bad for them; they’re just bad in comparison. The people though seem to be so much more open and have been so willing to share their stories and their world with me and other travelers. I don’t know how to concisely describe this honestly but just that people are people no matter where you are and its all a matter of perspective. At the end of the day we’re seriously not that different. Something that personally stuck out was the oppression of women in each country. Especially India. And the racism in Burma against the Rohingya muslims. The seriousness and discipline of young monks. The constant threat from food and water sources in Vietnam because of Agent Orange and the American War. So many things we take for granted. I met a man in India who wanted to leave India and couldn’t decide if he should move to America or England but was already feeling defeated because he’s so sure Trump wont let him in the country. That’s just one of the many people that probably are in the same situation. As far as the presidency goes, that is definitely the most evident factor on the boat and in the countries and just thinking about all the limitations we face, the states are about to face and how many more limitations the people of these countries experience. We have it so easy. And now seeing how much Trump is fucking everything up already it really puts it in perspective. When you look to the future, what are your projections? Are you hopeful or pessimistic for where we’re headed? I’m hopeful. I think so far everything’s gone downhill but it truly has brought people together and that’s more important than anything. I’m very antigovernment so Donald Trump being president is actually terrifying. And it doesn’t even affect me as much as it affects so many other groups of people. Right now I have about the worst perspective because I haven’t been home during his whole presidency thus far. I’m not good with words about this shit but still I think it’s going to be mayhem or it seems like mayhem right now. I’m still hopeful that something
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separate ourselves so much. Obviously. The more he denies climate change, the more I hope we get back to our sustainable roots and get our asses back in nature. And the more he denies refugees, the more I hope we “the people” accept them, join them and help them. I hope anyone and everyone in LGBQTIA community doesn’t feel threatened and realizes their worth at this time. Then there is women and contraception and abortion and so on. The list goes on and on. And I just want to be part of it and do my part. It’s the people’s country, not just some racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, billionaire asshole.
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T H E C YCL E O F R E S I L I E NC E by Erica Schomer
If Suzi Sosa resembled any animal or insect, she claims she would be a cockroach. “Cockroaches keep living. They’re resilient: just when you think they’re dead, they rise back again.” When Whole Foods terminated a million dollar deal that would have covered her company’s employee payroll, Sosa had to prove her resiliency. With an undergraduate University of Texas degree in Russian Studies from the and a Harvard master’s degree in Public Administration in International Development, Sosa began her first job at the U.S. Department if Commerce on September 10, 2001. With just a day’s experience, Sosa had to navigate 9/11 and it’s aftermath as a government employee. “There were dozens of budget cuts,” she remarked,
“and it was incredibly difficult to get anything done.” She sought to make the largest impact, but kept wondering if she could achieve that through her government job. One day, Sosa ran into a former classmate named Roy Sosa. He mentioned that he started his own business, Netspend, a start-up provider of prepaid debit cards. NetSpend offered no overdraft fees and eventually transformed into a non-bank spending and savings account. Over lunch, Roy explained that Netspend was a socially conscious business that allowed lowincome customers to have a stable bank account. Roy had seemingly changed her life forever. After only eight months in her government job, Sosa accepted a position at Netspend. Two weeks after their meeting,
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As NetSpend grew, she was “blown away by the ability to innovate, to solve problems and to do it so quickly,” Sosa recalls. “There was this immediate contrast between the job I had, where I couldn’t make anything happen.” With Roy and Netspend, Sosa would stumble upon her true passion, social entrepreneurship.
Inspired by Sosa’s mission, many of her employees left secure positions at the University of Texas to work at VERB, Inc. With an adequate employee base and audience demand, she landed million-dollar deal with Dell, who reconsidered Sosa’s proposal under her new company. Sosa also partnered with LIVESTRONG, Nike, Seton Hospitals, and other companies to fund VERB Inc.’s competition.
Sosa believes that social entrepreneurship, the practice in which businesses uphold financial integrity and social responsibility, is America’s future. Beyond capitalism, communism, and socialism, she claims, “we’re at the beginning of the next ism.”
After partnering with a plethora of large-scale companies, those companies began to increase their expectations. Although VERB, Inc. had an active audience, there were not enough participants to sustain donor desires. Sosa then faced a new challenge: What happens when your company can no longer withstand growth? How do you let go of your idea and serve the world what it needs?
Social entrepreneurship, Sosa describes, is a way for consumers to give back to disadvantaged communities. Austin, TX offers a multitude of socially conscious businesses, such as Dominican Joe’s coffee shop, which donates its proceeds to fund education, training and micro-financing programs for women and farmers in Central America. Southside Flying Pizza also donates a percentage of it’s online sales to The Texas School of the Deaf.
Optimistically, Sosa’s energetic attitude never faltered. Instead, she transformed her company. At its current stage, VERB, Inc. offers a mentoring program that matches young social entrepreneurs with corporate employees. The six-week program contains guided questions such as, “what is your personal mission statement?” As more companies hopped on board, others withdrew significant funds for various reasons. In 2014, Whole Foods terminated their multi-million dollar donation–funds due to budget cuts. “That would have paid for our employee payroll. I was scrambling to find millions of dollars, or else I would pay my employees out-of-pocket,” she recalls.
Sosa’s career led her to teach as the Associate Director for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas. In 2010, she was instructed to renew Dell’s financial support for the Dell Social Innovation Challenge. Her first challenge was to book a $2 million deal with Dell that would fund the social entrepreneurship program. When she walked into the meeting with nervous energy, she would have never guessed that Dell would back over $5 million. Ecstatic with her efforts, she also would have never guessed that her program would fail two years later. Unfortunately, Dell later welcomed a new CEO who privatized the company, thus defunding the program.
With numerous late nights and copious brainstorming with her team, Sosa landed deals with companies like LIVESTRONG in order to pay her employees and sustain her business. “I’m always prepared for the low points,” she reflects, “but I know that, just like a tiny cockroach thought to be dead, I will stand back up again.” Determined to success, she sought help from her co-workers.
Sosa’s motto is, “don’t quit until you have exhausted all your resources.” She examined the university program’s strengths and weaknesses. Although she admired the program’s efforts to make the world a better place, she set out for new horizons and started her own company. In 2013, VERB, Inc. began as a global social enterprise that empowers early stage entrepreneurs through a social entrepreneurship competition.
Coupled with her resiliency, she believes a good leader is vulnerable, transparent, and trustworthy. She looks for employees who put team before self and are congruent with the company’s values as well as their personal values. In her experience, the strongest teams work together to solve problems. Her business model is that every employee is paid equally, even the 29
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more willing to work together and find a solution.” As arduous and time-consuming as making her vision reality, Sosa asserts that her work is fulfilling. She urges people to realize that “society has conditioned fear and worry in us to feel safe. I urge you to ask yourself, “How would I live my life if I knew everything was going to be okay?”
SOSA’S TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS Make friends. “When you’re in the business world, you should invest in relationships before you need them. People are far more receptive if they have a prior relationship with you.” Reflect often. “I recommend working on being self-aware. Particularly pay attention to your weaknesses and find others who can fill in your gaps.” Keep going. “Stay resilient. Don’t be afraid of big changes, like recreating your company. Don’t quit until there are no more pieces on the chess board.”
SOSA’S RESOURCES FOR ENTREPRENEURS
The Hero Within by Carol S. Pearson “Everyone should find a hero story – something that radiates from you.”
The Buddha Walks into a Bar by Lodro Rinzler
“This book is great if you’re interested in meditation and calming the mind. It really teaches you to make a positive impact on even the smallest aspects of your life.”
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“ I n h i gh s chool , I wa s tol d tha t c er ta i n g ir ls didn’t want to bef r iend me because I wa s ‘b o s s y’. I resented th a t f or a l ong ti me. I ’ ve s i nce lear ned that the kind of bossy I am g ets th in g s d o n e, wh i l e s ti l l r es p ects the au tonomy, opi nions, and ideas of other s. No one should tel l f em a les, esp eci a l l y g i r l s, tha t bei ng bos s y i s i nher ently wr ong. T her e’s a dif f er ence between b ein g b o s s y a n d b ei ng a d ick . A nd u s u al l y, i f you have a dick, no one has a pr oblem if you ar e a little b o s s y.” –A non y m ou s
–R ay S on
–R ay S on
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M a ny wi ll acce p t thing s the way they are . Bu t
some of us s atis fie d. – Roy Son
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–R oy S on
S T RI P P ED DOW N , T HE SO FTNESS IN EVERYO NE by Mckinley Michalowski
Brynn Michaels wakes up at 8 am with her cat, Charles. Over a cup of coffee and a cigarette, she checks her email and her widely followed Instagram account (@promqueef). “It’s nice to have most of the day to myself,” she says. “I still wake up early even though I don’t head to the club until 6. I am constantly putting out more content for my cam website. I really never stop working.” Once she graduated high school, Brynn declined all college offers – most of which were extremely generous as she graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “I just didn’t know yet… and still don’t know exactly what
I want to do. My plan was to study psychology and women’s studies. It made more sense to make the money I would have spent on school and sort of study the same thing through work experience. I’m still figuring it out. Meanwhile, I’m also becoming an entrepreneur.” While she started out stripping, Brynn’s brand has evolved into an empire. @promqueef has garnered 5,000 followers since its birth only a year ago. “Instagram is a teaser really,” she smiles and pulls her jet-black hair back into a low pony-tail. “It gets people interested, you know? They see my photos and are either into it or they’re not. But the ones that identify with what I’m doing are willing to pay for it.”
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“Our entire lives we’re meant to feel ashamed for certain fantasies or fetishes. Sex work is liberating for so many people, whether they are sex workers or customers.”
And what exactly is she doing? “It’s a safe place that I’m offering.” Through video “cam work” and stripping, Brynn gives people a space free of judgment. “Our entire lives we’re meant to feel ashamed for certain fantasies or fetishes. Sex work is liberating for so many people, whether they are sex workers or customers. I’ve spoken to men in strip clubs who tell me they’ve begged their wives to give them the kind of attention they get in the club. It’s so strange. I mean obviously these men didn’t marry strippers. Most of them married homemakers or women in other fields. It’s not to say that the marriage is unhappy, but having an outlet for certain missing elements of a relationship can be a great thing.”
but it’s like any other job. You’re kind of like a naked therapist.” She says she spends a lot of her time in the club talking to men about their lives, even their childhoods. “Some of them have a lot of baggage and are more comfortable with women who are in a vulnerable position themselves. They feel like they don’t have anything to lose by disclosing painful memories and hardships with a stripper. I’ve been shocked by how much some men have told me.” But as to how it affects her romantic relationships, she says, “I feel as though the men who are intimidated aren’t worth my time. Those who understand and find what I do wonderful still have an issue with it. They feel like they’re ‘sharing me’ or something, which is just not the case. No client could ever turn into an actual romantic interest. There’s a line. There’s a transaction. The client gets emotional support, someone who listens, and someone who entertains them. They get to let lose and be someone they can’t always be. When they leave, they go back to their lives. When I leave the club, I go back to my life. It’s like any office job; your personal life is still very separate. I go home and want real companionship. I want to show up for someone because I care, not because I’m getting paid. It’s just difficult for some people to understand, I guess.”
When pushed further about the effects of sex work, Brynn elaborated. “There’s definitely a false stigma and stereotype portrayed by the media. Sex work helps a lot of people, men and women, and is not as scary or wild as the scene is often painted. It can be a very safe, empowering space.” Clocking in at 6 pm, Brynn gets dressed in the locker room alongside her coworkers. “Sure, some of these women come from hard lives and are struggling through certain things, but they experience validation every night on the floor.” As someone who struggled for a long time with body image and depression, Brynn experienced a noticeable flourish of self-esteem once she began working. “While you have to deal with rejection, there’s always someone to tell you they want to spend time with you or they want to see you dance. It seems so silly and middle school, but it’s the most simple form of validation, especially when you come from a place of insecurity.”
People who haven’t been exposed to sex work firsthand really can’t understand it. “There’s a sense of loneliness and isolation,” Brynn says of her cam clients, specifically. “As if they’re afraid to leave their homes. They have to watch real women through a screen because they feel too ashamed to touch them or even engage with them.” Many men and women in the United States (and across the world) struggle with their sexual fantasies. It’s engrained in us from an early age that certain things, even masturbation, are wrong or sinful. “The Internet has really allowed a subpopulation of people to feel understood. Like they aren’t so strange for wanting certain things, because obviously other people want those things too. It’s created a community of people who have felt or
The statistics of stripper mortality startle even the not-so-faint-at-heart. The lifestyle is notoriously dangerous for women and threatens more than just physical safety. “There are definitely areas of my life that are affected by the work I do,” Brynn acknowledges in reference to her personal life. “Some guys are threatened by the work or find it off-putting, 37
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do feel rejected for their desires. Suddenly, they have someone who will listen and actively participate in their fantasy, albeit through a screen, but it’s better than the alternative, which is life without fulfillment.” “Cam girls,” as they’re commonly called, live-stream themselves for paying audience members. Sometimes it’s a private session, sometimes there’s a group of people watching. They can’t speak to the cam girl and s/he can’t see them. S/he simply turns the camera on and does whatever s/he wants. The viewer may only comment what they’d like to see the cam girl do. “While the videos are always sexual, often they’re very intimate,” Brynn protests. “It’s nothing like being an animal in a cage, with people watching and you’re feeling objectified. You can always boot someone off if they’re being rude or too pushy. Or you can just ignore the comments and do your own thing. Either way, they’re paying to watch. I once had a guy pay to watch me eat a hamburger. Fully clothed. No make up.” She laughs and lights a cigarette. “We live in a day and age where people just want what they can’t have. They know they’ll probably have to pay for it. But rather than risk something real, like their job or their family, they prefer to pay someone for the discretion and fun. The degree of separation is wonderful. You never play a real role in these people’s lives.”
her a lot of money regularly. All the while, we were developing a real relationship. It was hard even for me, someone who gets it, to understand that it wasn’t about me. He wasn’t cheating on me. I just couldn’t meet all of his needs and that should be fine. It still bothered me for sure. Everyone wants to be enough for their person, but again, it’s unrealistic. You have to define for yourself and your partner what makes you feel comfortable. Self-satisfaction and pleasure are essential. So how can you, as a loving partner, be supportive of someone else’s needs without compromising yourself ? If it doesn’t align, you’re in the wrong relationship.” “Being a sex worker has taught me a lot about what it means, not to be a woman in society, but to be a businessperson.” Brynn says it’s “knowing there will be sacrifices in your personal life. I’m a hardworking woman. I put my work first because I do it for myself. I make my own money and it takes a lot out of me. I see areas of my life suffer for it, definitely. I’m fortunate to be very close with my family, who is wildly accepting and supportive. I’m still young and want to make a difference in the world. This is all training for something bigger. You can learn a lot in this industry. It shows you how tough you are, but it also shows you the softness in everyone.”
In a larger context though, how does this affect society at large? We already know that relationship norms are changing rapidly. From the spike in dating websites to apps to hyper fluidity, is this a new age for dating? Or is it the death of monogamy? “I think monogamy will always flourish. We need it to survive. Humans crave a singular, security person to call their own and build a life with.” But this doesn’t align with modern trends in romance. “We’re just more aware now. No one person can fill every need you could have. The ideal situation is that you marry your best friend, someone you’re happy to spend every day with. But they still can’t be everything for you. You might have needs you get met elsewhere, and that should be perfectly okay.” In her own relationships, challenges of being enough for another person have come up for Brynn. “I was dating this guy who was supporting a cam girl, paying UNRAVELED
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–A nonymous
MY GR A N D M A L OV E S M E? by Natalie Langham
She walks with her fingers clenched into fists and a sharp, stiff crook at her elbows. She has short white hair and always wears a black leather baseball cap in public. She never sports a cheery smile. Her face says, “I know what the fuck I am doing.” That’s Gail, my grandmother, who has an opinion about what everyone is doing with themselves. Once, we were driving to a farm, and she spent the quality time ranting to me about how the wife of one of the dairy farmers cried at a board meeting and how she really should suck it up and stop attention-seeking. Once, I stopped her in a doorway to give her a hug and she briskly asked, “What was that for?” with a scowl. I
have a confession. As a kid, I sometimes wished I had a stereotypical, cushy grandma. Honestly, I used to be frightened of my grandmother. She is a stern woman with an abnormal amount of agency. If I went with her on errands, people would constantly assume she was an authority. They’d stop and ask her for directions, or assume she was a guide or employee of some kind. I often dreaded visiting my grandparents as a kid. I’d spend many hours hiding in the bathroom and painting my nails in an attempt to escape their judgmental gaze. I’d walk around their house feeling
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“I started making a point to engage with my grandmother about her interests, hopes, and regrets. I realized my fearing her was in my control.”
like a terrible human being for no reason. Just being around them was nerve-wracking. I’d overhear them giving my mom shit for how she coddled me and how we were too close and how I’d never learn to be independent. Yes, my grandmother made me feel generally terrible about myself, but luckily there is more to this story.
frequently volunteered. We were having an especially non-intimidating interaction, and I was telling her about my nice boyfriend at the time. Previously, I would have never mentioned my vulnerable feelings with such confidence around her, but I was making a point to turn over a new leaf. Surprisingly, she did not respond harshly with discouraging and judgmental practical advice. She was quiet, so I asked, “When did you fall in love with B-pa (the nickname of the man she remarried)?” She didn’t answer my question, but what she said was much more telling. She explained that she wished she could’ve made decisions more like my generation. I knew she was implying that she felt she lacked the freedom to follow her heart. That’s the moment I really began to cherish my grandmother. She bickers constantly with my grandfather. They sit around judging everyone. They are not lovey-dovey grandparents. They are elderly people, who have seen some shit and have done their best to survive. My grandmother chose to marry a man that supported her financially. She managed to get her Ph.D., fight in the feminist movement, raise three children, survive a slew of tragedies, and still rise to the occasion of accepting my invitation to be closer to her.
When I was 16, I happened to come across a CD that contained the audio communications between my grandfather, who was in Vietnam during the war, and my grandmother, who was in her mid-20s at the time. I was shocked to hear her voice; it was sweet. She sounded like a sweet, generally caring. I was completely shocked. It might be relevant to mention that my grandfather died during the war and that my grandmother remarried a businessman from New York not too long after. I wondered if the death of her first husband had anything to do with the apparent shift in her personality, or if her sweetness on the recording was just a symptom of the times and her position as a military wife. When I was 18, I learned that my grandmother’s mother had had severe alcoholism and had committed suicide. “How is this the first I am hearing of this?” I wondered. Apparently, my grandmother would have to drive her drunk mother around before she had even obtained her license. She frequently had to take care of her two younger sisters. And she had to deal with the grief of her mother’s tragic suicide. And she had to deal the death of her husband while finding a way to take care of her three children as a single parent. I began to develop a new point of view about my grandmother. Somewhere inside her rough exterior there was probably a sweet human being that really wanted to be seen. I started making a point to engage with my grandmother about her interests, hopes, and regrets. I realized my fearing her was in my control.
She never knitted my clothes, baked me cookies, let me sit on her lap, or read me stories. She doesn’t like having to talk on the phone for more than 10 minutes. She is a fantastic photographer and spends most of her time volunteering. When I ask her to give me a hug, she always looks confused, but I’m really glad that I have her and that she has me. And for some reason, now I can tell she loves me.
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AS S I M I L AT IN G W IT H HO NO R by Erica Schomer
Explosions of bombs and gunfire echo in the distance. My grandmother carries her younger sister on her back through a thicket of trees. They were walking home from the market when a flurry of dark smoke clouded the sky. The ominous air brought news that the war had began on Japanese soil. At the brink of World War II, Hideiko Yoshizaki was born in a small village in Kyushu, Japan in 1939. Not only did her father die as a result of the war, but she also did not have the resources to go to school because she lived in a rural area with her aunt and uncle. They couldn’t afford to send her to school, so they didn’t see school as a priority; her lack of education limited her to speaking a very elementary
Japanese. Yoshizaki also had a harder time learning English because once she got around to learning, she had not been to school in over fifteen years. Her streak of bad luck ended when she met her husband, Bill Berkey. He was an Air Force Radio Host in Japan. She met my grandfather through a Lieutenant’s wife and immediately fell in love with his charm and charisma. She married him in America. Berkey did not realize how fortunate she was to marry a wealthy, respectable officer until she arrived on U.S. soil. People in any situation—whether at a Gala or at the grocery store—saluted Berkey with respect. She was showered in gifts and lovely dresses; anything that she desired was hers.
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“She had only heard of how heavenly America was. She wondered curiously what color the grass was going to be. To her sur prise, the grass was deep green, unlike the unfertile dirt from her village.” Briefly after arriving in Hawaii, she felt that America was more like Japan than she originally thought. She had only heard of how heavenly America was. She wondered curiously what color the grass was going to be. To her surprise, the grass was deep green, unlike the unfertile dirt from her village.
sought to end gender discrimination in the workplace through lobbying and protesting. The Executive Order 11375 expanded the affirmative action policy of 1965 to cover gender discrimination. Although my grandmother had these opportunities, she was not required to work because of my grandfather’s wealth. She had little interest in working because she exerted her energy on conforming to the American culture. She was fascinated by the opulence America held, such as how women did not have to work in fields under the hot sun.
From Hawaii, she flew to San Francisco, the luscious dream-world, populated with Asian Americans of every decent. After San Francisco, she flew to her final destination: Shreveport, Louisiana, where the demographic was very different. The population was mostly white. To her disappointment, there were few Asian Americans. In Louisiana, she lived on the Air Force military base. Her living arrangements were considered normal, like any other white-picket house. She lived in a neighborhood with many other housewives and military officers, and she learned how to decorate and please her husband through the advice of the other housewives.
Japanese culture had taught Yoshizaki the traditional gender hierarchy: the husband has control over the wife and the children. Although the 1960’s were a progressive period for women, the feminist movement was too new for my grandmother to assimilate. She was focused on integrating into the model American woman. During the 1960’s, one of the expectations of women was to be submissive and complacent. My grandfather did most of the talking because my grandmother only spoke when directly spoken to.
As a Japanese woman in America during the 1960’s, my grandmother had many expectations placed upon her. Unfortunately, she didn’t fit the mold. She was expected to produce children, but she had many miscarriages. She was also expected to stay at home, make the house look presentable, clean, and cook; however, she did not know how to cook because her mother had died at an early age. My grandmother was sent to home economics because she only knew how to cook canned foods and rice. She was told a “normal” 1960’s housewife was expected to treat cooking like an art. Although she didn’t know how to cook a masterpiece, she still made lunch for my grandfather to take to work, and she had dinner ready for my grandfather every day.
My grandmother considered herself the “delicate sex.” She was also perceived as weak, so she did not do strenuous jobs, like heavy lifting. Regardless of being perceived as inferior to men, she felt freer in America than she ever had before. Japanese culture had many strict restrictions and rules, such as bowing to your superiors. Japanese women tended to be more socially passive, while American women were expected to outgoing, especially during parties. My grandmother often threw parties to show off her newfound skills in cooking. She took the opportunity to become President of the Military Base Sewing Club. My grandmother enjoyed that in America you could outwardly show affection, while in Japan, public displays of affection were culturally prohibited.
Before the 1960’s, the only jobs available to women were positions as teachers, waitresses, and nurses. Through the work of the National Organization for Women (NOW), my grandmother had the opportunity to have a larger variety of jobs with fair wages. NOW
When she came to America, she was too old to enter the school system. Although she didn’t complete her education, she was still expected to 43
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learn English. My grandfather brought a tutor that not only taught my grandmother English, but also taught her the “American way.” She was taught how to smile, how to style her hair, and how to dress. My grandmother submersed herself in American culture. She subscribed to women’s magazines and educated herself on American manners and customs. She began losing her ability to speak Japanese because she was fixated on learning English. Although my grandmother’s social class had limitations, she was also presented with many opportunities. Berkey had inherited a large fortune, and as a result, my grandmother was pampered and spoiled. As an upper class minority, she was considered “arm candy.” She was deemed “beautifully exotic” and “mysterious.” She was privileged enough to assimilate to American culture by being able to hire a tutor, as well as purchase the clothes, makeup, and hair products. Although World War II had presented many limitations for Japanese Americans, the war positively influenced my grandmother because of my grandfather’s social class: he was a wealthy, respectable officer. My grandmother refused the women’s rights movement. She was complacent and submissive to America’s patriarchal society. She took pleasure in being perceived as “delicate” because she felt it was an easier life. She took the opportunity to come to America to escape rural Japan. After marrying my grandfather, she had the chance to create any identity she desired. She had the money to dress the way she wanted, to cook the way she wanted, and to speak the way she wanted. She shed the modest, quiet skin of a Japanese woman, and emerged as a confident, charismatic Japanese American woman.
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–A nonymous
–M eredith
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Summer Hangs with Ellyn by the Pool “This is one of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken. This represents what I envision when I think of poolside loungin’ and what I want my life’s emotional read-out to look like forever.” -Meredith
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Dry Branch “I have a random number of plants, leaves, and flowers that I have come across and marveled at. I love the way they dry out as they decay. This is one of those plants. I find something very compelling in this branch, and it has somehow made it through many moves and car rides without crumbling into dust.� -Meredith
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–M eredith
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TEXAS MONTHLY’S “ HA NNAH & A NDREW” by Ryan Wheeler
Throughout history, readers tend to regard true crime dramas as less literary, connecting it more to entertainment literature. However, this notion shifted with Truman Capote’s non-fiction work, In Cold Blood. Capote used elements of true crime genre to compose a story that challenged the reader to consider morality, mental illness, and evil. In Cold Blood used literary devices and techniques such as descriptive and figurative language, plot devices, and poetic diction. Capotes narrative choices altered the reputation of true crime dramas and set the bar high. “Hannah and Andrew” is based off a true story about a foster child and his adoptive family, the Overton’s. Unfortunately, Andrew died at four years old due to salt poisoning. His mother, Hannah, was convicted of capital murder and sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Pamala Colloff investigated and covered the bizarre story of “Hannah and Andrew” for Texas Monthly with conventions consistent with true crime drama to help the reader engage empathetically with both the accused party and the jurors. CONVENTIONS OF TRUE CRIME GENRE The true crime genre emerged when stories about Jack the Ripper were published in London newspapers. Readers coveted the suspense and mystery shrouding the murderer, and the justice for the victims that concluded the story. Throughout the extensive lifespan and evolution of true crime, conventions for a genre crystalized. Extensive characterization and world-building situates the reader in the mind of the characters and helps the reader predict the characters’ motivations and actions. Thorough character descriptions allow the reader to engage in role switching, which satisfies a desire to escape the real world. The tone of true crime novels also aids role switching. The story is often either told with from the first-person perspective or from the perspective of
a removed author. If the goal of the reader is to see inside the minds of the other characters, then a matter of fact tone providing only the facts of the crime is exhilarating. The reader effectively becomes the sleuth. Non-linear narratives are often used to help the reader pull elements of the crime together and evoke suspense. This typically occurs when the crime, or part of it, occurs and the reader is thrown in to a back story that may illuminate some reason for the event to occur. Throughout true crime stories, major themes are often interwoven into the plot. Common themes are justice or truth, and others are added in to create interest. “Hannah and Andrew” is written in the style of a true crime drama to entice the reader into the characters’ lives and allow them to empathize with the characters. The story has a clear narrative arch, heavy character development, and strong themes. Other elements of “Hannah and Andrew” that place the story in the true crime genre are tone, nonlinear narrative, character sketches, and themes. NARRATIVE ELEMENTS OF “HANNAH AND ANDREW” Character Development The exposition of the story focuses on developing the characters with a wide lens, focusing on the interactions of characters. Andrew is introduced first. He was child born to teen parents addicted to drugs and unable to provide for their little family. CPS removed the child from his parents care and placed him the foster system after his second birthday. Readers are then exposed to the Overton family. They were a Christian family with 4 children. Hannah was nurse and volunteered for an orphanage. The experiences she had with the children and her faith
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family, guided by faith, that a little boy like Andrew needed.
he saw Hannah with a bloodied face. He constantly picked at mosquito bites causing a staph infection, threw larger temper tantrums, and increased food hoarding—even eating mattress foam and wall paint. Andrew even resorted to defecating on the floor and smearing feces around the house when his adoptive parents refused to give him more food. Regardless of his growing coping struggle, the Overton’s persevered, sought answers in faith and prayer, and refused to give up on Andrew.
Andrew, now about 4 years old, had a speech impediment that caused his stutter. His Sunday school teacher described him as a, “troubled kid,” who often stole food out trash and hoarded it and had wild tantrums. The Overton’s felt up to the task of raising Andrew, claiming that he only needed, “’lots of love and attention.” Within the first few months of the adoption, Andrew was adjusting well and bonding with the family. He even called Hannah “mommy” and Larry, “daddy.” They bought Andrew Spiderman themed sheets and pajamas. He was part of the family up until the moment he died. The exposition sets up a “perfect family” scenario.
Non-Linear Narrative Colloff used a non-linear narrative to conform to the true crime genre because it emphasizes the bizarre nature of the scenario. The story is introduced with an overview of Andrew’s hard start in life, the Overton family, and how these characters were the perfect fit for one another. Hannah was fulfilled in her mission to adopt and care for a child that was in desperate need for love and attention. Andrew was removed from the foster care system and placed in a home full of godly, loving, patient people who wanted to see him improve. The story shifts dramatically and describes the moment when Andrew became sick before he died. This shift builds suspense leaving the reader wondering what chain of events could occur to lead to this event. The reader is then granted a look into Hannah’s early life. This is when the read effectively becomes the sleuth. Instead of telling the reader a story by picking up where the reader left off, they are sent back to the beginning to string the events together themselves.
The next section of the story takes in-depth look at Hannah Overton. As the main suspect of the crime, reads must scrutinize every detail of Hannah’s life before the crime to see if anything could have led to the strange event of Andrews death. Unfortunately, she comes up clean. Raised in corpus Christi She was the daughter of a preacher and homemaker who enjoyed spending time with other churchgoing families. At the age of seven, he father was arrested for the murder of young girl. Shortly after this tragic occurred, Hannah’s mother took her and her young brother away to live on the grounds of a mission in Lindale, Texas. There, she grew up caring for missionaries’ children. She graduated college and became an elementary school teacher, but she spent most her time caring for unwanted children of prostitutes in a Reynosa. Everyone described her as unfailing patient, caring, and affectionate. It was not surprising, nor unfitting, for her to take on raising Andrew.
Tone The tone of the story is the emotional screen through which we take in the narrative information. Although Colloff wrote the story, she is absent from it. Taking the position of a removed author allows the read to switch into the role of investigator. Regardless Colloff writes the story with the matter-of-fact tone of a report. Only the facts are necessary when solving a crime. This approach allows the reader to form their own opinions about character’s emotions and actions. The reporting tone also shows a reverence
Andrew was transitioning nicely into the Overton Family. He was feeling loved and gaining confidence. He was developmentally immature. Furthermore, his food hoarding behaviors worsened. The Overton’s noted the behavior but considered it unremarkable given Andrew’s previous experiences with neglectful parents and instability in foster homes. His behavior dramatically declined after a minor car accident when
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Giving readers the power to form their own judgement with the facts of the crime is a far more humane and respectful tone then dramatizing their story. Themes The two most prominent themes in “Hannah and Andrew” are family and justice. Andrew was taken out of the inadequate family he had and placed in foster care, only to be granted a family that was sure to give love and patience. The Overton’s exemplified the “happy family” archetype. They even fit in the idea of a Godly, Southern family. Furthermore, the relationship between “Hannah and Andrew” also embodies the “mother and son” archetype. They even evoke a biblical version of Jesus and Mother Mary. Justice is always evident in any true crime drama, however, the form of justice often shifts depending on the story. In “Hannah and Andrew,” justice exists in two forms: true justice for the victim and justice for the accused. The prosecution pushed for justice to be served to Andrew by putting his negligent mother behind bars. The media and even the jury agreed until the very end. After struggling to convict and sentence Hannah, one juror stated that justice had not been done that day. STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION The structure of “Hannah and Andrew” allows the reader to be seeped in the investigation details and charged with the role of the jury. The story presents the reader with the background story, the crime, the defense’s evidence, and prosecution’s evidence, and are left to deliberate the outcome of the crime. The Case The prosecution had effectively frames Hannah Overton as an exhausted, frustrated mother who was capable of force feeding her child to death. When a child is dead it is easy to place blame. Certain witness testimony was brutal and damning, such as an urgent care nurse reporting that Hannah was smiling
while administering CPR and her behaviors were not consistent with that of a panic-stricken mother. Much of this evidence could have been corrupted by a years-worth of negative media coverage, but it was, no less, committed to the jury’s ears. Other witnesses testified that evidence was present suggesting that Hannah could have abused Andrew. However, this evidence was not concrete. Marks on the child could have been cigarettes burns or mosquito bites that had been scratched. More inconclusive evidence was presented and more unanswerable questions lingered in the prosecution’s testimony. The defense team countered the prosecution’s allegations of intentional poisoning by way of purposefully delayed medical treatment and discussed a possibility of undiagnosed pica or diabetes. However, they could not defend the sheer amount of sodium in his body and why it was there. The Accused After Hannah was arrested for the murder of Andrew, it was as if the jury already gave the guilty verdict. Media scooped the story and blasted Hannah, construing her a child murderer and abusive parent. Hannah’s newborn daughter was taken into protective custody and Hannah was only allowed the right to nurse her child under stringent conditions. Hannah had lost one child and was separated from four others. Regardless of the media attention, those who new Hannah supported her and refuted the backlash, defending her as mother. Readers are exposed to the external media presentation, but are also privy to Hannah’s backstory. They are given the choice to side with either Hannah and her neighbors, or the media’s portrayal of Hannah. Furthermore, readers are also presented with the testimony given at the trial. While the prosecution portrays Hannah as a negligent mother capable of murder, the defense portrays Hannah as a mother who acted out of shock. Once again, the reader can sift through the evidence and their knowledge of Hannah to uncover their own opinion of Hannah. Readers are also charged with determining if Hannah was treated justly while innocent until proven guilty at trial. When the readers are given information about Hannah, they can choose
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the knowledge aside as evidence in the case they build within their minds.
readers a taste of the injustice plaguing the Overton family.
The Jury The jury is charged with the task of deciding the verdict. At some point of the trial, the evidence seemed so damning that they turned away from Hannah or looked away. They were exposed to media, evidence, witness testimony, and pictures of Andrew’s bruised post-mortem body. But towards the end of the trial, they seemed more unsure. The jury deliberated for nearly 11 hours. Although she was found guilty of capital murder, the jury felt that she was only convicted under the unclear wording of the charge and that justice had not been served that day. The reader may find themselves in the same position. While Hannah was clearly not a cold-blooded child murder, the line between allowing Andrew to die by not providing adequate medical treatment and accidently letting him die because it was unclear that he was in danger is very thin. Given as much information as the jurors, the reader can make their own decision about which verdict is just. CONCLUSION Pamala Colloff wrote the story of “Hannah and Andrew” in the style of a true crime drama to hold the reader in suspense, empathize with the characters, and—ultimately—let the readers feel the injustice done to Hannah in our justice system. True crime genres grip the reader in suspense and tension, allowing them to fill the shoes of all the characters, understand their motivations, and eventually resolving the crime by placing guilt on the right party and releasing the tension. Colloff uses the elements of crime drama to give readers the facts of the crime, but there is no release in tension. There was no justice served to make up for the tragedy that occurred. The story is not finished, and the crime is not resolved. Furthermore, considerable damage is still inflicted on the Overton family as 4 children are raised by their father. The Overton children spend 24 hours a year with their mother separated by glass inside a prison visitors block. This lack of tension release gives the
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FEATURE ANALYSIS OF “TOAST” by Natalie Langham
“A Toast Story,” written by John Gravois for Pacific Standard, aims to uncover the origin story of a viral cultural phenomenon and identify what that means about the basic human needs it fulfills. The story, published in 2014, takes place in the Bay Area of California at the height of a technology boom. This setting plays a major role in creating an occasion for which a story on the trend of over-pried artisanal toast is relevant and thought provoking. More specifically, the story mentions social media’s impact on human connection as being a relevant aspect of context for the emergence of the toast trend, which seems to fulfill the need for nostalgia and in-person social connection. The piece weaves together 4 story lines in an engaging way. There are photos of specific characters and settings Gravois encounters scattered throughout. The three main elements that contribute to this story’s success are: its stylistic choices, its structure, and its treatment of the main characters. Ultimately, these elements help Gravois achieve an engaging and wellorganized presentation of multiple story lines, which come together to form a cohesive in-depth depiction of what could have otherwise been a shallow report on a boring and irrelevant subject: toast. The style choices of this piece are key in making it unique and engaging. This is a cinematic literary non-fiction piece that borrows from the mystery, biography, and cultural essay genres. As such, it employs techniques like vivid imagery and suspense building, which are useful in slowing the reader down and immersing them in the author’s perspective during anecdotal moments. An example of this vivid imagery is when Gravois describes his main character as “animated and lucid — h er blue eyes bright above a pair of strikingly ruddy cheeks.” This intimate and almost voyeuristic moment gives Gravois’s audience
the feeling of experiencing the world through his eyes. In another one of these moments, Gravois takes an imaginative approach to describing a barista preparing toast when he says, “he had the solemn intensity of a Ping-Pong player who keeps his game very close to the table.” The level of detail Gravois includes here gives the anecdote a lot of gravity. Vivid descriptions of scenery are also included. Gravois compares people sitting on logs to “lions draped over tree limbs in the Serengeti,” for example. These details are essential to developing pace and depth in the story. The second successful stylistic technique Gravois includes is the building of suspense during specific parts of the story. He includes paragraph transitions like, “But what I found was more surprising and sublime than I could have possibly imagined,” and “I assumed I had found the cradle of the toast phenomenon. I was wrong.” These statements provide little hooks that make the piece mysterious and keep readers on edge, wanting to know what will happen next. They also serve to frame the story as an investigative mystery. Even the plot elements Gravois emphasizes are the especially mysterious pieces. For example, he presents the creator of the toast trend as an especially intriguing character and urges his audience to be more curious about her past than necessary. The second major component of this piece that makes it successful is the way it is organized and structured. The author manages to follow 4 storylines providing a lot of exposition, anecdotes, quotes, personal reflection, and cohesion along the way. The first storyline is Gravois’s personal journey of trying to discover the origin of the toast trend and understand why it goes viral. The second storyline is the toast trend itself, in terms of where, how, and why it manifests. The third storyline is about the history
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of Giulette Carrelli, the woman who creates the toast trend. And the fourth and smallest storyline is that of Glen, the character who helps Carrelli overcome her biggest conflict in life, her mental illness. When it comes to choosing which aspects of “The Toast Story” to include, it appears that Gravois does not settle for anything less than absolutely everything.
get to know and feel invested in. This brings me to the final strength of “The Toast Story” I want to highlight, which is Gravois’s choice of creating a plot heavy with the experience of the characters he makes salient. He could have decided that Carrelli’s personal struggle with mental illness was a less important conflict than the fact that the toast trend was getting criticism from various sources in the Bay Area. Gravois could have determined that his personal experience with the toast trend was less consequential. He could have determined that the life history of Glen, Carrelli’s life-changing mentor, was of little consequence to the toast trend story. However, Gravois choses a character-centered approach to explain the toast phenomenon. This choice results in the reader developing a personal emotional connection with the story and makes the story relatable on a deeper human level.
The story unfolds in a chronological order and according to Gravois’s perspective. Exposition and anecdotes are inserted along the way to enrich the piece and provide necessary background information. It appears that each piece of information included serves to build on the central thesis of the story: the toast trend is successful because it is a vehicle for obtaining the basic human need of social connection and support. The thesis is also directly related to the conflict in the story arch, which Gravois identifies as Carrelli’s mental illness. Gravois then frames the toast trend as a symptom of Carrelli’s quest to resolve this conflict. In this way, Gravois establishes a cohesive relationship between all of the storylines.
The main way Gravois demonstrates his commitment to a character-focused approach is by taking the time to develop the character Glen, who plays a peripheral role at best. Glen is the man who inspires Carrelli to develop the coping mechanisms that allow her to put down roots, despite her challenges with mental health. Gravois could have chosen the easy route of narrowing his focus onto Carrelli but instead he develops Glen by saying, “Glen—whose full name was Gunther Neustadt, and who had escaped Germany as a young Jewish boy with his twin sister during World War II — l ived to see Trouble open.” This intimate detail gives the reader a lot of context about a minor character, which serves to reinforce the story’s central theme of community and connection. Simultaneously, details like this tug at reader’s heartstrings and keep them rooting for the toast trend in an emotionally invested way.
The piece begins with an anecdote about the first time that the toast trend comes to the attention of Gravois. It ends with an anecdote where Gravois realizes that he has personally benefitted from the toast trend on a deep level and begins to understand why it has gone viral. The ending is successful because it provides the reader with the same emotional satisfaction that Gravois obtains by the end of his quest to uncover the mystery of artisanal toast. In addition to the chronological order of the story and the way its storylines are woven into the central mission of understanding why the trend goes viral, Gravois organizes the different kinds of elements of his story so that they evenly rotate through the story. This allows the reader to keep track of what is going on and gives the reader enough content variety to stay engaged. Anecdotes, suspense, general exposition, pull quotes, images, author reflection, characters, time frames, and settings cycle through rapidly so that even readers with short attention spans feel like they are on an epic journey. This journey would not be complete without well-developed characters for the reader to
The author’s treatment of himself as a central character is also a crucial part of the tone in this piece. The story begins and ends with anecdotes set in his perspective, which gives the narrative a campfire-story tone. The audience is able to view Gravois as a friendly bard, who shares a piece of himself with them. This intimacy is reinforced by his
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The author’s treatment of himself as a central character is also a crucial part of the tone in this piece. The story begins and ends with anecdotes set in his perspective, which gives the narrative a campfire-story tone. The audience is able to view Gravois as a friendly bard, who shares a piece of himself with them. This intimacy is reinforced by his periodical return to personal reflection throughout the piece when he says things like, “But my bet is that artisanal toast is going national,” or “a variation on the cinnamon toast that everyone’s mom, including mine, seemed to make when I was a kid in the 1980s. It is, for that nostalgic association, the first toast in San Francisco that really made sense to me.” Here we get exposition of the narrator and some incite into his personal feelings and opinions. Details like this keep readers delighted with listening, as they feel invested in Gravois succeeding with his mission.
Works Cited Gravois, John. “A Toast Story.” Pacific Standard. Pacific Standard, 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 22 Feb. 2017. <https://psmag.com/a-toast-storydf3b8e99d07f#.3ao12xou9>.
Overall, this feature story is a shining example of just how in-depth a shallow subject matter can be taken if the correct structural and stylistic choices are made. It also does a wonderful job of fitting into Pacific Standard’s curation strategies as it encourages readers to progressively change their personal behavior and be more socially close in a world where technology drives us apart. I applaud Gravois on his ability to organize a very complicated narrative with a striking amount of components into an engaging and comprehensible piece with a clear message. He does this seamlessly, without settling and omitting any enriching details. The level of respect Gravois manages to hold for the shallowest of subject matters and most peripheral of characters demonstrates his commitment to making the reader’s experience thorough, enjoyable, and connected.
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HOW THE SURVIVALIST MOVEMENT OSCILL ATES BETWEEN RADICAL OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM by Erica Schomer
Written by Evan Osnos, a staff writer and journalist for The New Yorker, “Survival of the Richest” reports on the rising trend of the ultra-wealthy’s preparation for disaster. Osnos uses the terms ‘survivalists’ and ‘preppers’ (37) to describe these affluent individuals. The nine-page article was written on January 30, 2017, the same month that Donald Trump was officially elected President of the United States. During a shift in political power in a two-party system, some people may panic, and some people may rejoice. Considering the political climate surrounding Trump’s election, the article rests in an appropriate time. Osnos’ capitalizes on this, as readers are more likely to react towards the idea of survivalism, or at least the possibility of escape. Similar to the political climate, Osnos’ reporting unravels how the survivalist movement oscillates between those who are radically optimistic and radically pessimistic.
Furthermore, the author researched New Zealand’s reaction to this potential mass migration and found the headline “TRUMP APOCALYPSE.” The author also researched prior mentions of American survivalism, dating historical references from the Puritan settlers (42) to the Cold War (41) to the Reagan Era (43). Osnos’ voice is curious about survivalism’s mechanisms and how it reflects society. He asks rhetorical questions such as, “Why do our dystopian urges emerge at certain moments and not others,” Osnos attempt to instill curiosity in the reader. He investigates and seeks to provide as many perspectives as possible, including both advocates and critics. Within the same vein, he includes the emotional, moral, and logical perspective from each interviewee. This strengthens the piece’s credibility and trustworthiness; a concept that many Americans currently fear the media or government may have lost. The article’s main purpose is to inform others about a trend that is affecting successful, intelligent, wealthy people. This trend illustrates that the ultrawealthy are increasingly seeking escape, derived from their fear of losing everything in one swoop yet inspired with optimism in surviving. The piece was designed to strike certain values that survivalists and audience members may optimistically share: values of protection, family, and security. It also strikes pessimistic emotions that the two may share: fear, anxiety, and insecurity.
The New Yorker’s demographics include those who are middle to upper class, highly informed, and well educated. This audience expects The New Yorker writers to heavily research their topic and report sophisticated information. The article, featuring primarily text, but one large cover photo spread, and one small photo, is heavily researched as Osnos interviews several elite survivalists. He provides insights from both proponents and opponents; however, he focuses heavily on pro-prepper dialogue because he is informing people about the survivalist realm. To enhance the piece, he immersed himself into survivalist territory to research in person. He allowed his audience to glimpse at what it’s like to stay overnight in the New Zealand luxury apartments. The author includes a plethora of facts to inform the reader. For example, he includes the statistic that within the first week of Trump’s election, “13,401 Americans registered with New Zealand’s immigrant authorities,” which seventeen times the normal rate and is the first step towards seeking residency.
Concerning the architecture of the article, the first rhetorical clue is the article’s title, “Survival of the Richest.” Osnos plays upon Darwin’s “survival of the fittest,” which refers to the evolutionary theory that preserves individuals with favorable traits over unfavorable traits. The title itself evokes tension between the ultra wealthy and the poor; in this case, the poor includes those anyone who cannot afford 59
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missile silo with a metal blast door. If taken out of context, the photo might appear to be a man from the military guarding a war zone. However, the title affects the photo, painting it as maximum security for the privileged. Both the title and cover photo make a radical statement that the wealthy will survive an unknown impending doom. On one hand, they feel secure with an armed guard. On the other hand, they feel insecure about the word crumbling in one way or another. Osnos delves deeper into his reporting and interviews his subjects in person. The article’s opener begins with an explanation of why Reddit’s C.E.O. Steve Huffman received laser eye surgery. The reader may wonder how these two concepts are related, and Osnos quickly gives the reader their answer once they are hooked: Huffman is preparing for a disaster of sorts. By the third paragraph, Osnos begins the nutgraf and explains survivalism, its stereotypes, and its new home with the wealthy elite in Silicon Valley and New York. Within the nutgraf ’s imagery, Osnos portrays the stereotypical survivalist to be “the woodsman in the tinfoil hat, the hysteric with the hoard of beans, the religious doomsayer” (36). This is the description of delusional pessimists. However, the prescribed survivalists in his article do not fit this description. In fact, they are wealthy, intelligent, successful individuals like Huffman or Marvin Liao, Yahoo’s former executive. Osnos meshes his narrative and dialogue of the elites with detailed descriptions. His strength in “Survival of the Richest” lies in his diction, which balances optimistic and pessimistic words. He compares two online prepper discussions: “A Mom’s Guide to Preparing for Civil Unrest” is deemed “folksy,” and “How to Eat a Pine Tree to Survive” is deemed “grim” (39). He refers to the earliest Puritan settlers expecting both “apocalypse and paradise” (42). During the middle of the piece, a scene which is also feature as the cover photo, he mentions the luxury apartments’ “metal blast doors” that were guarded by an “a guard, dressed in camouflage, [who held] a semiautomatic rifle” (41). Near the end of the piece, he contrasts these adjectives with softer, relaxing words such as “”stretch of beach that extended to the horizon,” “lush forests”, and the “cerulean blue
sky “(45). These words are reminiscent of a resort vacation rather than an escape. The balance of both bleak and bright imagery allows the reader to soak in the dual reality that many wealthy survivalists live in. Osnos’ second strength lies in his imagery, particularly of the luxury apartments. He describes one complex that had a “pet park,” a movie theatre, and a library, to name a few. He includes a photo of the mission silo, which featured two well-upholstered chairs, four photo frames, and an L.E.D. window of the prairie (41). An eager and privileged resident asked for a video of Central Park with all seasons in the window’s display (43). The residents are optimistic and confident in their ability to survive whichever disaster or world event they are escaping from, and that their lifestyle will be comfortable, secure, and sustainable. Simultaneously, they seem to view the future in a pessimistic light, especially if they believe they will not have access to windows or sleep in “a wellfurnished submarine” (43). He introduces the owner’s security assurance that guards would surely “return fire” and possibly need to use a “sniper post” (41) if danger arose. At a luxury condo site, Osnos notes that it features a “bare-walled room with a toilet” for those who need an “adult time-out” (43). Even within their community, it seems the pessimism and paranoia is seeping inside. Osnos’ “Survival of the Richest” reflects the tension between optimism and pessimism in the survivalism world. As a writer making rhetorical choices, he understands his targeted audience, he strikes curiosity within his readers through rhetorical questions, he carefully considers the architecture of the article, and he focuses on diction and imagery. He closes the piece with a flare of optimism because for the first time in months he wasn’t “thinking about Trump. Or much of everything.” His final remarks gave the article closure and left readers on a positive note. Works Cited Osnos, Evan. “Survival of the Richest.” New Yorker 30 Jan. 2017: 36-45. Print. <http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/01/30/
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“ I h a d a n e p ip hany the re a bout h ow we ge t olde r a nd some day, not only w i ll our b odie s go away, bu t i n en ough time , eve n our graves will dis ap p e ar.” – Glenda Flanagan Jones
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E ven Ce me tarie s Die
Stones, weathered, chipped, g ray-black with ag e, appear to the unobser vant as ordinar y rocks, squarish, sitting at random inter vals in the tall yellow-g reen g rass of late summer. Fragile, fading -they bear no or nate etchings, Time and nature effacing human effor ts to record, document; while Time also draws shades across the back windows of aging minds, veiling memories. As the stones are quieted, eventually unremembered, the g raves themselves pass away, multiplying death. Even cemeteries die. As I stoop to discover each inscription, I find wor n names, dates-annotations about some father, mother, child, and I know I am squinting into fragments, mere syllables of dimming histories. “infant daughter” bor n and died on a same day; the widow “Grooms” and her beloved “William,” par ted 27 years by their respective deaths. I wonder at the neglect of this place, asking, where are the caretakers, the mour ners, the children of these individuals, only to discover them buried beside. I feel the cumulative load of the stones weighting me, drawing me to this mor tal moment. I feel my inadequacy, my limited time, even h ere, among tall g rasses that obscure what humans dread – not so much death, but wor n words on a stone destined for dust-the completeness of Time’s erasure.
– Glenda Flanagan Jones
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