EXTERNaL team ISSUE 05 STaFF

EXTERNaL DIReCTOR

Riley Keuroglian

MaRKETING DIRECTOR

Mary Margaret Perry aSSISTaNTS

Emily Cassidy

Anne Cox Stuart

Brandon Hopkins

Madeline Kornitsky

Paige Robinson

Meghan Sullivan

PR DIRECTOR

Valentina Soto aSSISTaNTS

Katelyn Bailey

Mia Bonfiglio

Maya Dubos

Olivia Fallon

Natalie Gillis

Hailey Kwak

Kennedy Moran

Ellie Romweber

Natalie Smith

Maddy Taylor merch DIRECTOR

Sophia Boyer aSSISTaNT

Vanessa Gissel

FINaNCE DIRECTOR

Kylie Bensalah aSSISTaNTs

Alyssa Aghabeg

Savannah Sommer

Katie Witcher

Before even beginning the creation of our fifth issue, I knew immediately what this theme needed to be and what it needed to encompass. This past year has been full of change, growth, and learning to allow myself to feel, love, hurt, and heal. More than ever, I have learned to let go of what is out of my control, to trust the universe, and to revel in the good and bad, knowing that it is all temporary and that I will come out of everything a stronger, wiser woman. I became my own Oracle: a seeker of my future, an infallible guide for myself.

Oracle honors the divine within each of us, the yin and the yang, the acceptance of all energies, the ebbs and flows of life. We do not wait for the universe’s signals— we choose our own destinies and allow nature to run its course, trusting in the changing of seasons and turning of tides. We are free within ourselves, our desires, and our dreams. We are our own fortune tellers; every answer we need is within us.

I wanted the incredible people on Strike that I’ve grown to love like family to experience the serenity and freedom of being themselves and following their inner callings. After sitting down with my Creative Director, Sunny Hakemy, and her CD Assistant, Maddy Taylor, to discuss refinement of Oracle, we settled on three overarching concepts that encompass the divine feminine, the harmonious in-between, and the sensual masculine: Siren, Ether, and Caldera. These concepts are for everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, beliefs, or appearance. We wanted to break away from the binary that has been set by societal standards— that all women must be soft and gentle, that all men must be dominant forces, and that you must choose one box to bind yourself into. We all come from the same ether of the Earth: full of mystique, multifaceted, ever-shifting, always moving forward, always in bloom.

I am so proud of the work we’ve created for Issue 05, and it has truly been magical to watch a spark of an idea evolve from one word to an entire collection of art in the form of this magazine. I’m eternally grateful for the people that Strike has given me. You inspire me every day and make me want to become a better person, artist, and EIC. With this, I want to say a final thank you to my assistant, Sydney Burton, for offering support, encouragement, and immense help every step of the way. This issue wouldn’t be the same without you. Thank you to everyone who made Oracle come to life and to everyone who makes Strike what it is. Being part of this organization is an experience that can’t be put into words, and my life is better because of it. Until next time,

Strike Out, Nastasia Rozenberg Editor-in-Chief