Sunlight Magazine (Issue 2) by Sunlight Magazine

Sunlight Magazine

issue two

FEATURING

Queen of Jeans

Inside cover art by Anthony Sennett

July 2018 A month into summer and you can still smell the flowers like they’re fresh. It’s been a long 6 months since our first issue. During the days we’ve been apart, the Sunlight Magazine team has been working vigorously to step up their game in issue two. Here, you’ll find all exclusive content created only for your bright eyes. Unlike our first issue, none of this content has been seen before on the website or anywhere else, which is why I’m extra ecstatic to share it with you. Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart, to everyone who supported issue one and who continue to support us with this issue. You’re making dreams come true. I hope you’re staying happy and healthy. Go visit the beach and take along issue two for some light reading. Go have a picnic and soak in some sunlight. Sophie Minello Founder / Editor in Chief

Meet the Team

Sophie Minello

Cayla Coomer

Jade Pike

Anthony Sennett

Vinnie Holt

Gabby Cabacab

Shiying Lu

Kayla Thornton

Founder / editor in chief / graphic designer / many other things

Writer

Photographer

Writer / photographer

Photographer / writer

Photographer

Writer

Photographer

Sam Schraub Photographer

Sophie Kannberg Photographer

Averi Campbell Graphic designer

Merenda Graixinha Photographer

About Sunlight Sunlight Magazine is a mainly Cleveland based publication aiming to feature artists whose passion radiates through their work. We want to give a creative platform to both the artists we feature as well as those on the Sunlight team.

We release physical issues twice a year to keep the art of print alive. Thank you for your support.

Website: www.sunlightmag.com Instagram: sunlightmagazine Twitter: sunlightmag Facebook: Sunlight Magazine Youtube: Sunlight Magazine Spotify: sunlightmagazine Email: sunlightmag@gmail.com Logo by Vinnie Holt, photo by Cayla Coomer

Letter from the editor

Meet the team

Information about Sunlight Magazine

Table of contents

Missio

Wallows

Littleboybigheadonbike

Weathers

Verdugo by Richard Edwards

Renditions by Idiophyle

MGMT

X Ambassadors

Laurelive

Queen of Jeans

SXSW

On the road with Rich People

Spirit of the Bear

Cherry Pools

Half Waif

Courtship

Xiola Jenson

Michael K

Importance of Fair Trade

A Blade Runner Retrospective

A life in film

Portraits gallery

Art gallery

Gender

Lyrical landscapes

Why diet culture has it all wrong

Kiwi Cucumber Mint Popsicles

Summer Skin Playlist

Local Listens

t a b l e o f c o n t e n t s

Photo by Sophie Minello 5

Missio By Jade Pike

On the night of May 24th, fans wrapped around the building of the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. They all gathered here for Awolnation’s headline tour, supporting their latest album, Here Come the Runts. However, many of these fans did not know what was in store for them. A band by the name of Missio joined the lineup on the first half of this tour. The duo consists of Matthew Brue and David Butler, who formed this project in the year of 2016. Stemming from Austin, Texas, the two have been creating music that is nearly impossible to find elsewhere. Their sound is accumulated of electronic beats with an alt-rock feel, which creates a vibe like no other. Some of their music even touches base on the struggles of dealing with mental illness, making it easy for the audience to relate. The connection the band creates with their fans through their music is incredible and often rare to find these days. Opening the set with a brand new track called “Temple Priest”, the band brought the crowd to life. With a bright red wash over the stage, a dark and mysterious vibe was formed. They duo dressed in all white, along with their guest drummer who wore a bandana to cover his face. The energy these three put into their performance was unbelievable. Matthew bounced around the stage and leaned into the crowd, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. He had the entire building on their feet, waving their hands in the air to the beat of the songs. After the three finished the song “KDV”, Matthew went on to discuss a bit about his journey through depression and addiction. He spoke about the impact that music has had on his life, helping him cope with his struggles. He explained that he only hoped his music could help someone else dealing with a similar issue. His words were unforgettable and touching to all who listened, no matter what they may have dealt with before. The set had its lows and highs, from mellow songs like “Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea” to “Everybody Gets High”, which could hype up the entire crowd. They closed with their most popular song, “Middle Fingers”, which ironically seemed to unite everyone in the room. Everywhere you looked, you were bound to find a middle finger raised in the air. This band definitely set the mood for the remainder of the night and greatly boosted the energy in the room. Missio was the perfect support artist for this tour, and they couldn’t have put on a better performance.

Middle East Downstairs

Wallows By Sam Schraub

Cambridge, MA

Littleboybigheadonbike Photos & Piece by Sophie Minello

Ohio decided to spit out snowflakes throughout the morning, but as I walked through Tremont to meet with William Orchard, the wind blew in just the right way so that the clouds parted, allowing a blue sky and soft sun to shine down upon the earth. William Orchard makes up the whimsical and magical project that is Littleboybigheadonbike. This quirky name, though long and difficult to read quickly, is one that will stick in your mind. The name comes from a phrase Will’s friend Matt once said. “I was just riding my bike towards him one day and it [littleboybigheadonbike] just came out of his mouth, it echoed through the street” Orchard says. This name stuck when he began releasing music through this project at age 16, but this wasn’t the first time he had dipped his toes into the music scene. “My mom made me take guitar lessons when I was young because I wasn’t good at any sports.” He says, letting out a laugh. “I actually hated it for two years and then I found out that music was actually cool.” Along with guitar lessons, he’d been playing shows in his hometown of Providence, RI since he was 14 years old. Though Orchard technically has 100 releases, his ‘official’ sophomore album, Big Blue Butterflies, was released late June. This was accompanied with the first single, BBB. Personally, I’ve had the song on repeat since it was released. It’s soft beat brings a strange wave of calmness and it’s easy to get lost in its melodic harmonies and crafty instrument arrangement. Similarly to all his past releases, this song provokes an unexplainable, warm emotion. Additional to BBB, Orchard released 4 other singles in promotion of his second LP. This album goes hand in hand with Orchard’s first ‘official’ album entitled God Damn Wonderland. Similar to his debut, Big Blue Butterflies is a concept album, but Orchard wants to keep these concepts up for interpretation. “One album, very simply put, is about falling asleep and the second album is about waking up” he states. Both of these albums were recorded at Ashlawn Farms in Lyme, Connecticut, and though the farm is a comfortable place for Orchard, he stepped out of his comfort zone with this release. After recording most of the album on his own, he scrapped it to re-record it with The Brazen Youth’s Charlie Dahlke, who produced both albums. Not only did he step out of his comfort zone in terms of open collaboration, but he also spent a significantly longer time on this release than any prior ones. “Three months is a pretty normal length to be recording an album, but to me that felt really long, not in a bad way.”

The stories that he weaves into his music cover a wide array of topics; topics which often stem from sociopolitical events. “A lot of things I write about are about being very surprised about the world and what you see on the news. I think that most people in their natural form are very just, good.” He says. “The way that a child is seems very natural and normal to me, and the way that the world is is often times not like that at all. How do those two things interact? How does something unnatural affect the way that people really are?” Not only does Littleboybigheadonbike’s musical creations contain mesmerizing melodies, but they also contain substance and importance and things that will get you thinking. In a recent release, a song entitled Why Can’t the Earth Grow? mutters lines such as “It’s not the first time children died for somebody’s right to hold a rifle.” This piece obviously has ties to recent political events, but his soft melodies would never be in your face about the issues. His whimsical songwriting skills break the fall of lines like these and let them sink in softly. Though not all his songs include political undertone, they do all contain his signature whimsical and otherworldly vibes. This sound had always belonged to him, but he was able to grow into it over the years. It’s become part of Littleboybigheadonbike. It’s only fitting that the milestone of his second album would also be his 100th release. “It was intentional and I hope that doesn’t diminish the authenticity of that to people. It was going to be around 100 but I was like, why would I make this 98 or 102?” Orchard says. Though all songs that Orchard writes are special to him, Big Blue Butterflies was a story that needed more production and more promotion to be shared with the wider world. “Some songs tie themselves to other songs naturally because they were written at the same time or because they stem off of each other. I’d say when songs tie themselves together into some kind of story, that’s when they become more important.” Orchard tells. “For Big Blue Butterflies, a lot of these songs were connected. Once they tie themselves together and become a bigger story and a big concept, that’s when I feel like they need something more.”

“I think the world is just really whimsical and weird if you look at it in the right way.” “I think the world is just really whimsical and weird if you look at it in the right way... I’m drinking this tea right now that’s made out of lemon and ginger. That’s so weird to me. It’s this thing that grows from a tree in this root… If you twist that in the right way it seems bizarre and exciting” Orchard says. He has such a refreshing way of viewing the world, and the whimsical sound that his music carries reflects that perfectly. Subsequent to the release of Big Blue Butterflies, Orchard plans to take a step back and alter his music making process. “I’m ready to take more time to do things and to... maybe not put more thought into things, but to put a different thought into how I do things. I think my next record will come out not very soon after Big Blue Butterflies, just because I feel like I’ve already done that, and if I tell myself to keep doing that, it’ll just become very forced.” Orchard believes in things happening naturally, like the flow of river water or the growth of Spring flowers. Though his first album may have been about falling asleep, his music is very much awake. It brings color to the eyes and lets gravity hold one firmly to the earth. It’s like drifting to sleep and drifting right into a dream, the kind of dream you don’t want to wake up from.

Weathers

Photos by Sophie Minello

From Babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All Right in Brooklyn, NY 12

Verdugo by Richard Edwards By Sophie Minello

evident how Edwards’ intrigue in cinema reflects throughout his work. Within “Gene”, Edwards’ tactical, in-character songwriting skills are brought to attention, a technique that was so beloved in old Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s songs.

Following the 2017 release of Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset, Richard Edwards is back with his new album Verdugo. LCCSS marked the first return for the Indiana musician since the forced cancellation of a nearly sold out tour with his former band, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, due to an often fatal stomach illness in 2014. The downwards spiral began, and as Edwards struggled with his health, his marriage soon followed. These events congregated to create what is now Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset, a release described by Edwards as “an album that sound[s] like Malibu lost in the fog”. Verdugo is the sister album to LCCSS, both recorded in 2016 and produced by Rob Schnapf. However, while Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset touches upon tragedy, Verdugo paints the story of Edwards picking himself back up. Verdugo was named after a Los Angeles bar that Richard Edwards visited in the course of his healing process; it’s an album that seeks for a brighter future. The heartbreak of the former album only lingers as Edwards dusts himself off and shakes himself awake from his longlasting bad dream. It showcases songs connecting to his past struggles, but also awakens several songs that Edwards had put on the back burner: songs where he illustrates cinematic-like stories escorted by dancing melodies and words. The album begins with “Gene,” a tune regarding an old time actress by the name of Gene Tierney having a bad day. It’s

The storytelling that is seen in “Gene” is later featured in the unnerving “A Woman Who Can’t Say No.” Edwards has stated, “This one has something to do with the corruptive nature of anonymity on an adolescent and undeveloped primal what have you.” Though Edwards doesn’t believe in sharing much regarding the inspiration behind his music, this particular song demonstrates his awareness of the sickening and cruel world we inhabit. It’s easy to get wrapped up in this darkness, but Edwards has figured out how to push past hard times.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in this darkness, but Edwards has figured out how to push past hard times. This push is shown in the explosive “Minefield.” Released in March, the album’s debut single came with a lyric video featuring the legendary Charlie Chaplin’s 1918 film Shoulders Arms. The verses are mainly sung in a soft and fragile falsetto before rushing into a chorus that showcases a powerful Edwards. It’s a renowned presentation of the capability that Edwards’ voice holds. Besides the lively “Howlin’ Heart,” Verdugo’s B-side takes a step back towards warmer sounds. Exposing the heart wrenching ballads of “Olive Oyl” and “Something Wicked,” Verdugo slows things down. These tracks are organic, stripped back, and simple. Though a questionable inclusion, the playful “Tornado Dreams” is sure to lighten the mood before the album launches into the lyrically heavy track that is “Strange”.

“Strange” was a song that originally intended for Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset. The song, as Edwards says, “...is the moment something in a relationship veers into unprotected waters and you know there’s no steering it back. That’s the moment when hearts break. Much more so than the actual moment of implosion. That protracted period of love dissolve is one of life’s great unfixable pains.” It’s evident that this song is deeply personal for him, as it holds much of the heartbreak that Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset embellished.

“...that protracted period of love dissolve is one of life’s great unfixable pains.” Verdugo ends with “the ghost of Lemon,” as Edwards puts it, hovering over. The experiences that were woven into his first solo album are going to follow him around for quite some time. The final song, “Pornographic Teens,” doesn’t feel so much as a closing song to an album but as a closing song to a movie, just as the credits start to roll. It was previously seen on Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset, so the lyrics were nothing new. The arrangement, however, shifts an originally energetic song into a haunting and ghostlike ballad; like an old, abandoned house. He sings, “Well, kid, some of us get lucky and some of us straight down, twirl in the wind, love me like I’m someone strange.” In essence, rambling on about this album is easy. Whether the songs stick on to you as soon as you hear then, or if they take a little time to grow, Verdugo is a hit. Richard Edwards presents himself as an artist unlike any other and backs his already impressive music catalogue with yet another intricate release. Despite the constant hardships, Edwards, as always, triumphs.

Renditions by Idiophyle By Sophie Minello

things take you over, keep your head up, and keep moving.” This uplifting song was released earlier this year in an alternative version. Rendition’s version sounds more like floating than flying. Replacing guitar with a keyboard, the two songs hold different atmospheres while putting forward the same message. When you’re feeling down or alone, you’re not the only one.

Idiophyle’s new EP, Renditions, touches upon the unanticipated changes life hurles at us and the way we deal with them. The EP’s title reflects how throughout our lives, we just become different renditions of ourselves. It illustrates the inevitable growth we all goes through in response to life’s constant obstacles. Chad Pruett, the brains behind this solo project, doesn’t hold anything back in his music. He brings you eye to eye with him and lets you truly understand the way he thinks. This EP in particular glances into Pruett’s past year, specifically the struggles that he’s overcome. Experiencing an overwhelming amount of loss, he was faced with the crossroad of two choices: to abandon the current version of himself in the darkness or to learn to grow and move forward. Pruett chose the latter option, and emerged with his head held high. He even decided to pour all he’d experienced and learned into his music. The first song, “Renditions,” reflects all his past selves and how they join together to create who he is now. The soft and almost uplifting sounds of the song contrast the darker lyrics, “And all that’s left are renditions of me now / it’s just a memory fading away from me.” The story continues with the second track “Dreamers”, where Pruett picks his head up and begins to dust himself off. He tells Sunlight Magazine: “Sometimes we go through situations that are out of our control, but ultimately we control the outcome of our lives. Don’t let the bad

“Don’t let the bad things take you over, keep your head up, and keep moving.” “Bad Things” seems like a sidestory to the novel that Pruett is taking listeners through, but it might just be my favorite track from this release. The song is about sleep paralysis, and if you’re unfamiliar with the term, be thankful for that. Sleep paralysis is fairly self explanatory, as it involves one’s mind being awake during sleep yet the body is unable to move; however, in addition to the anxiety that comes from being paralyzed, these episodes often come with hallucinations and the presence of some kind of evil. During these trying times in Pruett’s life, a disturbance in his sleeping pattern prompted him to experience sleep paralysis. Somehow, he turns terror and fear into beauty through his soft melodies and calming arrangements.

He closes the EP with “Now,” which he says sums up this collection of songs. Continuously repeating “All we need is time,” this line stands as a reassurance to the audience. These struggles are temporary. “Life will provide us all with some heavy things that make us fall down. I believe that it is up to us, to learn and grow from the hardships and get back up. Time will heal, and if there was anything I could take away from these hardships, it would be that everything will work itself out in time.” With this release, you step into the very personal headspace of Idiophyle. And though the lyrics follow Pruett’s experience, everyone can fit their stories into these songs. Renditions creates a safe space for listeners where they can relate and understand what Chad Pruett is singing about through their own context. Everyone has past renditions of themselves, the important part is that these renditions are constantly improving. Idiophyle says that no matter what you’re going through, you can grow.

“I believe that it is up to us, to learn and grow from the hardships and get back up.”

Next, comes “Sun.” With this song, Pruett was dealing with the loss of loved ones. The lyrics capture his feelings during this period, making the song feel incredibly powerful despite the quietness of it. Idiophyle tells us: “Sun was my way of accepting the losses that I had. We know that the sun will rise everyday until the end of time. And just like the sun that follows us wherever we are in the world, we will always have those people that we loved living [as] a part of us wherever we are in the world.” Time continues to move despite the weight of the day. The song is a reminder to hold on to hope, since it’s just a sunrise away.

MGMT

By Sam Schraub

From the Orpheum in Boston, MA

MGMT

X Ambassadors

From Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY Photos by Shiying Lu

Laurelive Festival

Little Novelty, Ohio wasn’t known for much until the local private school Laurel Novelty, Ohio introduced Laurelive Music By Sophie Minello Festival to the town three years ago. Since then, radio artists such as Andy Grammar, Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness, and Young the Giant have graced the stages. This year big names such as Foster the People and Cold War Kids attracted a multitude of people to this small town gathering. If you live in the area, it’s inevitable to run into a friend. If you’ve come from far away, it’s inevitable that you’ll make a new friend. Along with the music, local vendors and food trucks lined the paths and outskirts of the festival. It’s a place for the whole family; holding live music, great food, and lots of balloon animals. Being my thrid year attending the festival, it’s been exciting to see how much growth Laurelive has endured (it’s also been fun to be able to get barricade at every stage). I’m in full anticipation of what kind of growth will take place in 2019.

Highlights:

Noah Gundersen Going into the festival I had high expectations for Noah’s set, and somehow he managed to exceed those expectations with only his guitar and a violin. Accompanied by his sister Abby, his set consisted of stripped back songs sang in a deep voice dripping with emotion. He continously poked fun at his discography of sad songs, stating that festivals usually brought him in to pump everyone up for the rest of the day (or, more realistically, to tear at everyone’s heart strings). The dynamic quality of his music and voice left me completely stunned. I remember he came through Cleveland on a promotional tour for his latest album, White Noise, and I skipped out on it thinking his Laurelive performance would suffice; but, the second he walked off the stage I began to look forward to the next time I’d be able to see him. If you like hearing pure emotion through music, Noah Gundersen is not an artist to miss.

The Aces Fans waited at the Medworks Stage at Laurelive nearly two hours before the Aces took the stage. Despite minor technical difficulties before the show, the Utah 4-piece gave it their all. Pointing out the wonders of the greenery and trees drapping over the paths at the venue, they made the place feel like a wonderland. Having their set on June 11, a day of a national Pride march, fans brought the Pride to the Aces. Waving tiny rainbow flags and giving lead singer Cristal a Pride banner to sport as a scarf during “Bad Love,” the set felt like a wholehearted celebration. The Aces’ stage presence felt like clear skies and a warm sun, and since the rain threatened to fall throughout the weekend, clear skies were all we needed.

Flor

There are shows where you need to sit back and really digest the music being played to you, then there are the shows where you need to belt the lyrics as loud as you can and dance like no one’s watching. Flor’s shows fall under the latter category. The energy throughout their Laurelive set felt like fresh air to compliment the leafy background of trees. Flor’s mega fans crowded the front row, breaking out in dancing fits and yelling out jokes with the band. It was evident that Flor wasn’t playing a show for fans, but rather, they were playing for friends. Along with hits such as “Warm Blood” and “Overbehind,” the band surprised the crowd with covers of Coldplay and Post Malone. It’s always fun to watch people do what they love, and by the smiles worn by Flor’s members, it was evident that they belonged on that stage.

Queen of Jeans

Photos & Interview by Sophie Minello

Queen of Jeans is a Philadelphia 4-piece who have serious groove and seriously good harmonies. It consists of Miriam Devora (sing, guitar), Mattie Glass (guitar, backing vocals), Nina Scotto (bass, backups), and Patrick Wall (drums). Their easygoing energy has the ability to fill a room, captivating listeners almost instantly. We were lucky enough to talk to them about their dreamy music, their recent tours, their experience as a female fronted band, and lots more.

people are like “Oh, this is pretty cool” and that’s Your debut album Dig Yourself came out in always fun to feel like you’re winning over a March. Since then have you seen any significant crowd of people that didn’t come here to see you. changes in your band in terms of recognition / Miri: It’s nice to catch people by surprise. I press / fanbase? think unfortunately some people still have the Nina: A few people have come out to our tours mentality that women don’t know how to play specifically to see us which we weren’t expecting. instruments or that they’re not good musicians. Mattie: Yeah, that’s new for us. Somebody It’s nice to show them otherwise. yesterday said that he drove like an hour and a Mattie: Especially since we’re often on tours half just to see us which was really sweet. where we’re the only women, so many of these Nina: And we’re just the opening band! people somehow haven’t been exposed to women Mattie: We’re used to, “Oh, we playing music. It’s nice to step never heard of you guys before “I think unfortunately into that space and show them tonight” so it’s cool for there to be a couple of people that some people still have the we can. specifically came to see us. mentality that women

don’t know how to play instruments or that they’re not good musicians. It’s nice to show them otherwise.”

You’ve been touring a lot since this release. How has it been to see peoples reactions to the new music, especially since many audience members haven’t heard of your band prior to the show? Mattie: I think it’s been really freeing for us because we’ve had this album written for a while before it came out. [On earlier tours] we had to play stuff from the EP even though we were more into the new stuff. I think it’s been really nice to be able to open up and play more of the new songs. Nina: There’s usually at some point during the set (since usually during the opening band people aren’t paying attention) that you can tell some

Within the past year you’ve played with bands of the punk genre (Balance and Composure, Pianos Become Teeth, etc). Since you’re not exactly ‘punk’ why do you think you’ve been such a good fit to open for these bands? Mattie: Are you saying we’re not punk? Everyone: *Laughs* Mattie: I think people are making more of an effort to make an eclectic build nowadays. That’s part of what we were talking about earlier, of fitting into that space. I think a lot of people who are into that music, [our music is] new for them and it’s cool when they come up to us and say “I normally would never have listened to your genre but I enjoyed it.” We’re up against a lot, but surprisingly it’s gone really well. 21

Nina: As far as why they ask us, I don’t know. Miri: I think somehow it works. We don’t understand it ourselves. I think you can kind of draw some connection somewhere in there, but we are different so we do stand out. I think it works to our advantage. With the extensive touring you’ve been doing, I know things can get exhausting. How to you find a balance between seeing this as work vs. just having fun? Nina: It’s definitely work. I feel like a lot of people who aren’t musicians think we’re just going on vacation, but no. We’re not sleeping very much, we’re moving heavy things around. Miri: You’re kind of in and out of a city so you don’t get to explore unless you carve out the time. But when you do find little moments when you can explore it’s cool. Today, we went to the Christmas Story Museum, we were there for 10 minutes but it’s still fun. Nina: We got here super early and [Mahalls] wasn’t open yet so we thought “Let’s go find something.” Every now and then we’ll have time to do stuff like that that makes it fun. Miri: It’s just a lot of spontaneous stuff that makes it exciting and fresh. With being spontaneous, what’s the most interesting place you’ve stumbled upon? Nina: We took a tour of Sun Studio in Memphis. Miri: That was the best. Mattie: That’s were Elvis-Nina: -- Johnny Cash -Mattie: -- they all got their start there. On the last tour we drove up the coast and saw the Redwoods and we stayed in this city that was like if Gilmore Girls was a beachtown with seals. It was so cute and so fun, that was probably my favorite part of the tour. And the other bands came and we all drank beers in the parking lot while the sun was setting. Miri: That was called Crescent City. 22

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like, especially where we are now, anytime we can make a real connection with somebody or reach out in a way that is meaningful to them and also to us, is specialâ&#x20AC;?

I know in this day and age social media is really important to ‘grow your brand.’ You as a band seem to just have fun with it and not take it to seriously. I was wondering your take was on social media’s impact or importance to your band? Miri: From a songwriter’s perspective, I don’t really take myself seriously when I write the songs so I think that sort of stretches across to our social media approach. The music is like that too, where we’re just honest. Nina: I think it also reflects our personalities a little bit. We’re not the type of people who curate every photo in a way that makes our lives look better than what it is. Mattie: We try not to take it seriously. We never really thought about building a brand, we just think of something stupid and post it. It’s been a really positive way to reach people who, before we started touring, had heard of us just because of something stupid we tweeted. We’ve met bands through [social media], and a lot of different people. So far it’s been very positive, but there’s also another side to it where people can be very cold or mean without really thinking about it. Thankfully so far we haven’t really encountered that. I know after talking to some of our friends, especially women, that they don’t even read the comments sections on things that are posted about them because people are just mean. Nina: It’s a way for people to feel like they know you. Thankfully most of the time people comment things it’s in a friendly way and I feel like it makes them feel like they’re friends with us. Mattie: They are friends with us. Nina: I think that’s an interesting thing. Growing up without social media, I never had that kind of access to the bands that I liked. Never in a million years would you think you could comment something and that they would see it. Patrick: Showing my age, but I remember when Myspace had bands on it and I was like, “wait, but is this actually the band?” Mattie: Yeah, like, “Is the band running this?” Patrick: It’s very cool to have a direct line and I get really annoyed when artists (I guess when you reach a certain level it’s inevitable), but when you follow them on twitter because you want to see what they’re thinking and you may as well be following Walmart. It’s just “Our next show is this,” or “Buy our shirts.” I feel like, especially where we are now, anytime we can make a real connection with somebody or reach out in a way that is meaningful to them and also to us, is special. Nina: We have had people reach out to us directly and say really sweet things which makes my day.

You guys have really great chemistry as a band. When did you realize you would work good together musically? Nina: We’re all dating, that’s why. Patrick: That’d be a quadruple. Mattie: Nina and I were in a different band together. Nina: We were roommates. We met on craigslist specifically to find people to jam with. Mattie: We were both forced to be the songwriters, but we didn’t necessarily feel very comfortable writing songs, we weren’t very prolific with it. Nina: I write a single song a year. Mattie: Then I met Miri, she was in another band but was looking to do a solo project so it made sense to bring in Nina. We actually met on the internet too. A year or so later we met Patrick through craigslist because we were having a really hard time finding a drummer. So we all met over the internet surprisingly. Nina: Over a span of 5 years. (To Miri) You were looking to do just a recording project and it just kinda worked. Miri: Yeah, pretty much. Of course I wanted to play the songs, but I wasn’t expecting that we would get this sort of attention so it feels really rewarding. It’s reaffirming. You guys have touched upon this a little bit already, but can you tell me more about being a female fronted band in the music industry right now? Mattie: I think that it’s a changing landscape, which is nice. I think about some of the musicians that I respect like Sadie from Speedy Ortiz or the singer of Wye Oak. There are a lot of other artist like that who have been doing this longer and we still deal with a lot of misogyny, but I think what they’ve dealt with was probably 100x that and I respect the hell out of them. It really depends on where we are. We’ve had sound guys ask us if we know what a monitor is, we’ve had bouncers ask if we’re there to sell merch and make only us get our hands stamped while all the guys on tour don’t have to get their hands stamped. Stuff like that. Thankfully those experienced have been few and far between but you can see it, even sometimes in what people say to us when they come up to us after we play. Some guys will say, “You’re pretty good for a -- you guys are pretty good” or “You guys are actually pretty good” and you can read in between the lines of what they’re saying. Nina: I think it’s important to note that all of the bands that we’ve played with -- the male members of bands -- have been nothing but kind and supportive and open armed and genuine. I’ve had no bad experience with any of the guys that we’ve played with. Mattie: That’s true, and I think people have been making more of an effort to include non-men on their tours and on their shows and I think it’s important that people keep doing it because it doesn’t happen enough. It’s happening more than it used to but we still have a way to go. Nina: (To Patrick) I’d like to hear a man’s opinion. Patrick: (long pause) … I am not in any way qualified to talk about this. Nina: That’s the right answer. Patrick: This was a trap? Miri: Interview end.

SXSW A photo documentary by Kayla Thornton

South by South West music festival in Texas

Stella Donnelly

The Evening Attraction

Omni

Palm

Frosty Palms Omni

On the road with:

Rich People By Merenda Graixinha

Tours of any length are exhausting both physically and mentally, and it doesn’t take long before you’re asking yourself “what day is it?”. It’s hours spent driving day and night, discovering the weird names of local gas stations, learning how to nap comfortably in a van, meeting new people, and most importantly sharing lots of laughs around good company. The guys of Rich People are some of the hardest working people I have come to meet (and not to mention, the biggest goofballs). I’ve seen them perform the same five/six songs in nine states and 16 locations, yet I catch them exerting an immense amount of energy every single time as if it’s the first show. I consider myself lucky to have had my first couple of touring experiences with this particular group because I was allowed a lot of creative freedom in my work, and most importantly, I constantly felt respected. Being a female photographer in this industry can often feel diminishing, but my experience proved that it can be different. In fact, having been the ONLY female a majority of the time, no one made me feel anything other than equal. My only hope for this is to shed some light on my personal experience and hopefully motivate more female creatives out there to shed some light on the positive moments that can come with being a touring photographer.

It’s been such a blast to follow these dudes around and get to know them outside of Rich People. I’m thankful that they’re not sick of me sticking my camera in their faces just yet, and that they constantly just treat me like “one of the guys”. Big things are coming for this band, and you don’t want to miss it.

By Sophie Minello

spirit of the bear Local Listen

Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local music scene has always been strong. In my little nook in Cleveland we have the legendary venues of the House of Blues, Nautica Pavilion, Quicken Loans Arena, and more. Countless big name artists have left crowds speechless at shows in these venues. But if you dig a little deeper youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see the smaller, homier venues such as the Grog Shop, Beachland Tavern, CODA, and more. There are the venues where you might find bands such as Spirit of the Bear playing.

In their fourth year as a band, they prepared to play at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood, OH. They know what they’re doing. In the beginning, they started off by playing local bars and spaces in their hometown of Youngstown, and have eventually worked their way up to bigger venues in bigger cities. “Once you establish yourselves in a small town, such as Youngstown, people will see that you can play to crowds and you’ll be more welcomed in bigger cities,” singer and guitarist James Harker states. By this, he means that in a small town such as theirs, word gets around quick. If you play enough shows (especially if you’re as good as Spirit of the Bear) everyone will know your name. Now, later on in their career, they live in scattered locations across Ohio. This leads to difficulties in finding time for practice (though you’d never know, their strong chemistry is unmistakable), however they find the positives in living seperate. “In Ohio, we can pretty much have a great show in any city. In Columbus, Ethan and I live there full time now. We know plenty of people there so if we play a show we can get a bunch of people out there and then have places to stay” says James. The band themselves aren’t the only people who travel for their shows, but their fans often come from far away too. Spirit of the Bear have acquired some mega fans who try their hardest to make it out to every show possible. In fact, they have a fan who went to 4/10 shows of a small tour, which is pretty impressive for a local band. They find it hard to comprehend why someone would so intensely support them while they’re still a relatively small band. Something uplifting about local bands is that they’re almost always playing a show close enough to you. I’d say, being a dedicated fan for a local band is the best it gets. If the band is not seeing one of their mega fans in the crowd, there are always people who are at their shows because they care about music. Though seeing small bands perform live is often considered background noise for conversation, keyboardist Danny states, “[With] people out in Ohio, there’s always someone there who’s really about the music.” The Ohio music scene gives Spirit of the Bear all the tools they need: a passionate audience, venues that feel like a second home, and the promise of future growth.

Cherry Pools By Jade Pike

By Sophie Minello Mahalls is Lakewood, Ohio’s popular bowling alley that doubles as a fun venue space. The location just went under renivation; now showcasing pastel colors and creative designs to make the place feel like a whole new world. Half Waif fit perfectly into the space during their show on June 19th. Singer Nandi Rose Plunkett’s smooth vocals created a soft atmosphere for the small, but passionate crowd to float upon. Having just released their new album Lavender, the band played the entirety of this junior release. Each song held the same emotion that was showcased in the recorded versions, opening Nandi’s mind to the crowd and letting the outside world melt away for a moment. Electronic music was never a genre that I was drawn to; however, Half Waif ’s music and live performance was enough for me to give it a chance. Nandi’s meaningful lyrics and depth of sounds pulls at the heartstrings and leaves you wanting more. Each show ends in anticipation for the next, so I suggest you try to catch Half Waif ’s live show any chance you get.

Half Waif

courtship. By Gabby Cabacab

Baby’s All Right is a little gem in Brooklyn, New York that can be found on Broadway at Bedford Ave. What is seen from the outside as a little restaurant (that offers an incredible bottomless brunch), on the inside is also a small music venue. With a capacity of 280, this intimate spot is where we find courtship., a duo from Los Angeles, California who is definitely set out to make sure that everyone is having a great time. Coming back to New York City for the fourth time to the venue where they played their first show, Micah Gordon (keyboard, vocals) and Eli Hirsch (guitar, vocals) love to reaffirm how it’s their favorite city in the world, and boy did they show it. This was my first time seeing the two-some live, and I had very high expectations based off of their music alone. Needless to say, I was more than excited.

Opening the set with their second single, “Love For Everyone”, courtship. brought a vibe that you would only expect from a band hailing from Los Angeles. When you close your eyes listening to this song, you imagine yourself driving along the Pacific Coast at sunset with the top down and the music blasting ever so subtly, and then even louder by the end of the song. You know you’re in for a good show when everyone starts dancing during the first song, and boy did they know exactly what they were doing. Coming in next with “Perfect People”, the second song off of their debut album, Denial in Paradise, courtship. has you wondering why we idolize certain figures constantly. How some of us, literally, “give anything just to be perfect people”. Are they really perfect when we only see a certain side of them? Is the idealized version of their lives something we dream of? The two-some, while producing music that makes you dance and have a good time, also has you thinking about their message when you sit down and really listen to the lyrics.

Now that the crowd was all warmed up, courtship. performed the funky hit, “Nice Guy”. This may be one of my favorite songs off of their debut album because it’s one where you have to have a double take in regards to what the guys are trying to say. Coming from the perspective of a man who constantly tries to be the “nice guy” to get the girl, he genuinely doesn’t understand why it’s not working. Is it the fact that being a nice guy is that difficult or is it because he actually isn’t a genuine nice guy? I don’t know if I’m reading too into this song, but in this current environment, it is very reflective on the “nice guy” trope. Even if that’s not what they are trying to portray in the song, I still applaud them immensely. “Warm Waters”, “Sail Away”, “Sunroof ” were up next respectively. More than halfway through the show, I was amazed at how well Eli and Micah command the stage despite how small it may have been. There were times where I believed that they were truly in sync, or that they were just singing to each other. The chemistry the two have on stage is contagious, spreading throughout the whole venue.

courtship. then performed the opening song off their debut, “The Kind of Woman”, and then the fun and catchy jam “Tell Me Tell Me”, finally ending with their first single, “Stop For Nothing”. As I was skimming through the crowd, I feel that by the very end of the set, they were reflective of courtship. On one hand, I was witnessing two good friends who genuinely loved making music together having an incredible time on stage. On the other hand, I felt the dynamic of this friendship in a crowd full of people who were singing, dancing, and having a good time all through music. That is not something I normally notice when I watch a concert. But in such a small venue with two incredible personalities and talents on stage doing what they truly love, it’s almost impossible to miss. If you ever see courtship. live, let me leave you with this. When you can feel the fun and passion for music in the crowd alongside seeing that on Eli and Micah’s faces, you definitely know that they’re doing what they do best. 42

Happy Eyes and Happy Ears Art by Averi Campbell

Xiola Jensen Xiola Jensen is an artist from Pittsburgh, PA. Her work holds a whimsical nature, bringing the mind into adventures through new places. Her striking choice of color and use of linework set her apart from any other illustrator. The muted tones bring a feeling of comfort and the swaying lines mimick the feeling of movement. With the reocurring images of greenery and houses, she’s established defining themes for her art. Below you can read about her thought process behind her work.

Most of my work emphasizes feminine energy and power within, which I convey through an intricate use of line and pattern. Because I am a woman, I often draw inspiration from other women that I admire. In the past, femininity has been seen as inferior, but through my drawings I aim to express it’s importance by harnessing that energy and showing that it is something to be embraced, which was the idea behind my first illustration (“Feminine Energy”). While femininity is inherently embedded in my work, I also explore other themes like love, heartbreak, friendship and introspection. The idea of self-discovery has been very prominent in my work recently as I am starting to understand my own abilities and get an idea what I want out of life. Illustrations like “Reflect” and “Introspection” are manifestations of this newfound comprehension! Lastly, I often connect my love for art and music by illustrating song lyrics that deeply resonate with me. One day, I was listening to my “probably crying” playlist when a Dirty Projectors song came on and when I heard the lyrics, I immediately had a vision that became “Soul Bond.” The song is about lost but still deeply significant love and the lyrics say “there is a place that we both know, we built it together.” To me, the song acknowledges that even though that place might not be visited anymore, it is still holds an important presence.

Introduction by Sophie Minello, Process and art by Xiola Jensen

“Feminine Energy”

“Introspection”

“Soul Bond”

“Reflect” 45

Dorian Gray by Michael K Have you ever heard those stories of famous songwriters who wrote their biggest hit in, like, two seconds? I certainly have, and I think it made me very insecure about my songwriting process because of it. Needless to say, my first single, Dorian Gray, was not written that quickly. It started during my freshman year of college at University of Southern California, a couple months before the end of the year. I always write by sitting at a piano and messing around until I find something that piques my interest. I created the chord progression now featured in the intro of the song, and I was enamored with it. Although I sat there for hours, I couldn’t figure out how to sing a melody over it that was any good. I knew there was something special there, but I couldn’t figure out how to use the chords. I ultimately wrote 2 different songs over those chords that just were not right. It felt awkward. Frustrated, I felt I had worked the song to death, and I needed to retire it. By fall of 2017, my sophomore year, I came back to the song, still fixated. I ended up writing the final version in November for a songwriting class I was taking. Ultimately, I ended up showing it to a guy I met in my class, Eli Koskoff, expecting nothing to come out of it. I’ve tried to collaborate with many writers and producers in the past, and nothing has really felt right to me. Luckily, it just worked between us, and he produced a solid demo version that same day. I am excited to say my next single (which will be out in about a month) is also produced by Eli. Lyrically, this song came together after I found my old copy of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray last fall. At the time, I was still struggling to process a terrible breakup from the year before, and in my anger, I started to realize connections between the character in the story and my former love. In the novel, a painter becomes enamored with character, Dorian Gray, for his youthfulness, beauty and purity, and he makes Dorian his muse. After painting a portrait of his muse, the picture becomes cursed. Each time Dorian sinned, the painting would become uglier- reflecting the state of Dorian’s soul, but Dorian’s own face would show no change. Dorian Gray became a terrible sinner, living without limits, in the coming years. He ruined his relationships, caused a suicide, took copious amounts of drugs, etc. but he never aged a day. While the story has many important takeaways, I have always been interested in the theme of appearance v. reality. While outwardly Dorian was perfect, on the inside he was hedonistic, selfish and rotten. My song centers on that idea: appearance v. reality. While someone you love could appear to be perfect on the outside, who they really are could be unrecognizable, much like Dorian’s portrait. This song is about the experience of loving someone and believing in who they are with your whole heart, but realizing too late that you were played the fool. It’s also about the pain, disillusionment, and self-doubt that accompany that realization. I hope that this song connects to anyone who’s ever felt deceived by someone they loved. Thank you for listening to me, and I can’t wait to show you more soon. 46

By Kristin Robinson

Lifestyle Articles 47

Importance Importance ofof Fair Fair Trade Trade What is fair trade? You may have seen the labels while shopping around. To say it simply, fair trade is the empowerment of small farmers and workers, and it’s on its way to change international trade. Often, workers are given unfair conditions and inadequate wages for their work. Fair trade works against that, and promises to give back to the workers and their communities. With every purchase you make, you’re casting a vote. If you believe in equality for workers in developing nations, be fair trade conscious with your shopping. Visit www.fairtradecertified.org for more information.

Where to find fair trade: - Whole Foods - Trader Joe’s - Target Brands to buy: - Food: Ben and Jerry’s, Endangered Species Chocolate, Lily’s Sweets, Alter eco, Wholesome sweeteners - Drink: Kirkland coffee, Honest tea, Equal Exchange - Clothing: Glo organics, Patagonia, Everlane, REI By Jolby & Friends

By Sophie Minello

A Blade Runner Reptrospective By Anthony Sennett

50 years ago, Philip K. Dick released his novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. It left an impression on pop culture and art that has lasted far past his death. With two films inspire by it, how do all three work together? The original Blade Runner and the novel follow very similar grid lines. Both feature a main character setting out to ‘retire,’ or kill, all-too-human androids named Nexus 6. However, both have distinct and different strengths. In the book, the pivotal motivation behind Deckard and everyone else in this post apocalyptic society is their desire to have rare, living, breathing animals. It opens the floor to questioning what is truly of value and importance. In the movie, however, this is much less prominent. It was a daring choice to leave such a huge part of the novel out, but the film still turned out to be the stronger of the two. The most notable and praised characteristic of Blade Runner is its unbelievable atmosphere. The ethereal sound design and wondrous visuals help form the dirty, soulless Los Angeles these people inhabit. When a story relies so much on its setting, it inherently works better cinematically. Most of the changes Ridley made to the film were commendable, one of which consists of swapping an Android’s opera job to an exotic dancing career in a grimy space. Another interesting swap was leaving out Deckard’s marriage in the film, even though both versions introduce us to him in a rocky and dispassionate position. In the final act of the film, a huge important shift was the addition of a profound and necessary speech by Roy Batty, helping Deckard and the audience truly understand the androids. Electric Sheep leaves us on a much less showstopping note, having Deckard open his eyes to lack of empathy and humanity in

the world, then close them by going to sleep. The film shows how human the androids are, while the book shows how meaningless and robotic the humans are. The third and latest installment in this universe is Blade Runner 2049. Just like the first film and this one’s director Denis Villeneuve, 2049 is severely underappreciated. As Los Angeles descends further into this soulless world, the story continues to grow and be just as impactful. The 1982 film and book both discuss the differences and similarities between humans and androids, and this film goes further by centering around the first child of both life forms. The continuity is fantastic, with a new storyline tying into that of the first film. Richard Deckard’s character is as interesting as ever, developing upon the mysterious relationship he had with Rachel, an android from the first film. K, played by Ryan Gosling, offers the emotional dilemmas the book showcased, dwelling upon whether he is a human or an android. In the end, 2049 has a sentiment that progresses past the original two. Throughout the film, it shows acceptance and rebellion against those who refuse to allow this acceptance to occur. The difference between the androids and the humans still exists, but the protection and importance of this crossbred child signifies a breaking of these barriers. Overall, the world of Blade Runner offers three wonderful adventures to immerse oneself in. Each complement and enhance one another. While there are many sci-fi films and books to read, these are special in their compelling insight on humanity and their ability to let the tough protagonist be not-so-indestructible.

A Life in Film 50

By Cayla Coomer

A Life in Film

portraits gallery By Shiying Lu

P R I M A C Y art gallery By Anthony Sennett

Gender By Vinnie Holt

Being a trans male, gender has always been a large part of my life. The exploration of it, the possible definitions of it, and wherever I felt I fell in line with it. Gender is not black and white, or male and female. It is complex. It includes identity and expression, and goes way beyond biological sex assigned at birth. Being very active in my queer youth community, I have always found myself gravitated to and surrounded myself with people that have the same mindset on gender as a spectrum as I do. In reality, this shared and cherished way of thinking is not all that popular. Below is an interview with three individuals, Lexi, Ollie, and Syeem. My goal with this is to highlight and push forward a multi-layered perspective of gender. Tell me your name, age, and pronouns. L: Lexi, 17, they/them. O: My name is Ollie, I’m 16, and I use she/they pronouns. S: Syeem Sanders, 18, He/They. When you hear the word “gender”, what is the first thing you think of? L: When I hear the word “gender”, I picture the key people in my life on a large spectrum, and I visualize everyone falling into male, female, in between, or off the spectrum entirely. O: Self-determined. S: The word blender for some reason. In the simplest terms possible, what gender (or lack thereof) do you identify as? L: I identify as nonbinary. O: I describe my gender identity using any or all of the following terms: non-binary, trans, agender, and genderqueer. S: I identify as a male. What does your gender identity mean to you? L: To me, being nonbinary means that I am not only free from the societal restrictions of subscribing to “male” or “female” roles, but I am free internally as well. I find so much comfort in knowing that I never need to put myself in a box.

O: I find strength and peace in my identity. Through my gender exploration, I became individual. Discovering my fluidity was freedom, I had no choice but to listen to myself and only myself. S: What gender identity means to me is that people are able to express themselves comfortably in the gender they want to be known and seen as. How do you express your gender identity? L: Although gender identity and expression are sometimes contradicting, I feel that mine coincide in a very stereotypical fashion. I choose to dress androgynously, wear my hair short, and switch between wearing makeup or not. Some days I am very feminine, and I am comfortable accentuating my body’s curves, and other times I prefer to present as masculinely as I can. I find that the fluidity in my style helps me feel valid. O: My appearance over the past months has been confined to a stereotypically feminine look. I wish to be more fluid with my appearance, but my circumstances don’t allow that at the moment. S: Honestly, just by living my day to day.

How does your gender play a part with any of your other identities? L:My gender plays a part in what labels I use to describe my sexual orientation. I tend to stray away from specifics and use umbrella terms to describe myself such as “gay” and “queer.” I feel as if because I am so accustomed to describing my gender identity as very vague and fluid, I tend to let my sexuality follow suit. O: My gender flows, as does my sexuality. As for my identity as a human being, my gender is a huge part of my artistic self and my creative mind. Much of my art is based off of my queer experience.

What are your thoughts on the belief that two contrasting gender roles are needed to raise a child? L: I do not agree with the belief that two contrasting gender roles are needed to raise a child. There are many situations where children do not have a “cookie-cutter” family, and the idea that the lack of this rigid template makes a family weak, wrong, or distasteful is ignorant. What a family may look like to the outside is trivial. It is the love and care they provide their child that truly matters. O: I do not think that two opposing “genders” are needed to properly raise a child. There are many things a child needs, but a stereotypically masculine person and a stereotypically feminine person raising them is not one. Queer parents of any kind are not any less capable of giving the support and education a child needs. Having a non cis-het father will not sacrifice their masculinity or their ability to play sports, having a non cis-het mother will not stop them from playing dress up.The only expectations we should have of parents is that they are open minding to learning and that they are unconditionally loving. Nothing else. S: Honestly, with my child I’ll raise them how they are, and tell ‘em that gender norms aren’t something you have to conform to, express yourself in the way You want to, not other people telling you what you are. I’ll be completely fine if they prefer to change anything about themselves.

Lexi

Ollie Syeem

Photos by Sophie Kannberg

Health:

Why Diet Culture Has It All Wrong The dictionary defines the word Health as “the state of being free from illness or injury”. Our current culture, on the other hand, defines health through dieting, working out, and living healthy lifestyles - otherwise known as “Diet Culture”. However, it doesn’t really go into how we feel, just how we look and how we live. I think it’s time to rethink our position on health and stop falling for diet culture’s sneaky ways of convincing us otherwise. Contrary to popular belief, diets don’t work for the long haul. Research shows that weight loss from strict dieting and exercise is regained over time. In a sense, diets are designed to fail in order for you to inevitably move onto a new one. Not only is it unrealistic, but it promotes disordered eating. By looking at food as numbers, or even labeling them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, our relationship with food is damaged, pushing us to fear it, which should never be the case. Food should be looked at as not only fuel, but as a source of togetherness. Food brings people of many cultures and communities together. Food also helps us understand not only others, but ourselves. Healthy eating is very subjective and there is never a right way to do it. What’s healthy for you is what your body wants or needs at the time. If you are feeling hungry, don’t try to ignore it, honor what your body is telling you and eat. If you’re craving something specific, don’t try to replace it with something that you know less satisfying. If you restrict something for so long, your body will cave in and cause you to binge, which is more unhealthy than that donut you may be afraid to eat. If you feel full but you see you have food remaining on your plate, stop and save it for later. When our bodies are trying to tell us something, always try to listen because our bodies are smarter than we think. Eat when your body says yes and what you’re feeling for at that time, not because it seems healthy.

With exercise, it’s a very similar deal. Exercising with a negative mindset will do nothing but make us dread it. Doing specific workouts because you feel like you should in order to look a specific way not only fuels body dysmorphia, but instills an unhealthy relationship with movement. Movement, like eating, comes naturally to us. Why do a workout that we dread? Because Instagram told us to? If you love to walk, then do so. If you love to lift weights, then go for it! Never force yourself to exercise because you don’t like how you look because, I promise you, it won’t last very long. Exercise because it feels good, not because of what you look like. It’s hard to unlearn so many things that we’ve been exposed to in regards to fitness, nutrition, and health. Trust me, I’ve dedicated my life to it. If I want you to take anything from this article, it’s this: Health is not one size fits all. So many factors go into one’s health, from genetics to lifestyle, it would unrealistic to believe that the fitness guru on Instagram is a picture perfect example. My piece of advice to you all is this: Health starts with self-reflection, understanding, and forgiveness. Reflect on how you live your life, are you doing things that make you happy? Are you eating foods that your body tolerates, craves, and is satisfied from? Are you doing things that make your body feel good? Understand why you’re moving a certain way or eating a certain food. Do you do it because it’s something you enjoy or because you feel like you have to? Forgive yourself when you do something that may be unhealthy because no one is perfect. In the end, no one knows you better than you know yourself. If it feels right for your body, mentally and physically, then that my friends is health.

By: Gabby Cabacab, DTR

Kiwi Cucumber Mint Popsicles By Gabby Cabacab, DTR

Green fruits don’t get enough credit, in my humble opinion. The color is correlated to “health”, being further correlated to “bland” or “boring”. So, I decided to whip up an all green popsicle just to prove naysayers wrong! Using only 4 ingredients, these popsicles are sure to be a hit at any summer gathering. So, kick back, relax, and enjoy this delicious and mouth puckering treat! Kiwi Cucumber Mint Popsicles Makes 6 popsicles Ingredients: 4 Kiwis ½ of a Large Cucumber 6 Fresh Mint Leaves 2 tbsp of Maple Syrup ½ cup Water Equipment: Popsicle molds Blender Instructions: 1: Peel and roughly chop the kiwis and cucumbers 2: Add chopped kiwis, cucumbers, mint leaves, maple syrup and water into blender 3: Blend until smooth 4: Pour mixture into popsicle molds 5: Freeze for about 6 hours or overnight then enjoy! Fun Nutrition Facts: - The kiwi contains 2x the amount of Vitamin C than oranges. Vitamin C is is essential for the growth and repair of tissue all over the body, an anti-oxident that helps fight free radicals in the body, and also helps with supporting a healthy immune system. - The kiwi contains a high amount of fiber, important to not only keep you regular, but it aids in digestion, maintains blood sugar, helps keep you full longer, and aids in lowering cholesterol. On average, Americans do not get enough fiber in their diets. The daily dietary recommendation for fiber is 25g for women and 38g for men! 62