THE INDIGO COLLECTIVE
THINKING, SPEAKING, LIVING WITH AWARENESS
Editor in Chief Aryana Gathings Mackenzie Downs Editorial Director Devon Jefferson Graphic Design Director Savannah Lee Graphic Designers Gabii Stehli Kaitlin Ungs Photographers Chris J. Andrews Hayley Fisk SarahNicole Makeup Artist Bridget Trama Courtney Mitchell Kenye Hart Writers Alisha Benda Aryana Gathings Andy Zachrich Devon Jefferson Kathleen Knight Merissa Underwood Nathan M. Moore Vanessa Boreland Contributing Artists Jean Colangelo Naomi Swanson Nylo G Taylor Mickesh Models Alex Maltsev Alyson Gorske Edmund Truong Eileen Chase Jamie Leffler Jetta Juriansz Krystal Ivette Muniz Larayia Gaston Megan Rock Natalie Kocab Sharifa Bailey Terrance Barksdale Jr. 3
It has been nine months since the release of our first issue and the world has changed, tenfold. We are living under a new presidency, which has affected the way we connect with those around us. Heightening tensions between minorities and the police force has resulted in disappointment and a lack of resolution for families whose loved ones have fallen victim. As one of the biggest pieces of legislation in the past decade weaves its way through checks and balances, health care for Americans of all ages and backgrounds may be at risk. Laws preventing innocent and upstanding individuals from entering our country have been illegally enacted. Almost a decade of environmental conservation efforts to save our planet have been eradicated, threatening our status as a world leader.
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
While uncertainty and fear may be the pervading emotions in the air, there is a sense of unity in the way these changing times have encouraged people of all demographics to become more vocal about social issues. The silent majority have even been motivated to not only state their vices, but really live them. In our last issue we wrote about “the buzz,” the energies you attract and the vibrations you extend out into the world. And like “the buzz,” the weight of current events in society has emitted a feverish frequency that has awakened the senses of the masses. Now that we are conscious we can change the world as a collective. We have been lucky to collaborate with a wide variety of young, inspiring people contributing their unique part to make a difference in this world during the inception of issue two. A wide variety of people who have all altruistically answered the high pitched alarm to make a change. The idea for the buy-one-give-one structured sock company, Hippy Feet, grew from founder Michael Mader transforming a negative experience into positive energy. Creatively-charged, love prone, dreamer Alisha Benda contradicts the conventional idea of a free spirit as she barrels down a highly conformist career in the Army. Aside from those featured in this issue, our fabulous team of models, makeup artists, photographers, writers, and graphic designers are based in locations across the country helping us to build Indigo Collective from the ground up. As we plunge ahead into the unprecedented future, it is important to remember a network of creatives, forward-thinkers and innovators remains. While we may not be able to read a crystal ball, we can find peace in the fact that we can constantly share thoughts, collaborate, make art, and spread the positivity. Together, we form a collective, and onward, into the unknown we go.
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6-7 UNEARTH YOUR INDIGO
10-15 STYLE REPEAT 16-19 INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM BY NYLO G 20-22 TREND STYLE SCOPES 24-29 WHERE IS THE LINE? BY MERISSA UNDERWOOD 31-33 MUSIC ARTIST’S CORNER 34-35 HIPPY FEET BY VANESSA BORELAND 36 JUST DOING MY JOB BY ANDY ZACHRICH 38-39 A THOUSAND TRUTHFUL WORDS BY KATHLEEN KNIGHT 40-41 CLAUSTROPHOBICALLY CREATIVE BY ALISHA BENDA 42 CUTTING THE NEGATIVITY BY ARYANA GATHINGS
44-49 STYLE DYNAMICS OF FASHION 50-51 CONCRETE JUNGLE: SUSTAINING A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM BY NATHAN M. MOORE 52-53 CASTLE X QUEENS: A NEW PERCEPTION OF ROYALTY BY DEVON JEFFERSON
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ARYANA GATHINGS There is a specific type of individual that sometimes feels out of place in a large group setting. They are the person that feels awful while their friends put others down, the person that takes every in justice on the news personally. They are the sharp minded individual that lies in bed every night thinking to themselves, “I would love to change the world, but I don’t know how.” Often times this individual feels isolated or alone in their opinions. This person holds an immense amount of empathy upon their shoulders that is sometimes interpreted as a sign of weakness. The publication is held in your hands today to tell you that you are not alone, and the empathy you hold in your heart is not a weakness. The Indigo Collective is here to ask the general public one simple question. Why is empathy interpreted as a sign of weakness? The truth is, as a human being, you should care. About others, the earth you walk on, the culture in your city, your contributions to society, and most importantly, the quality of your life. There is an epidemic of selfishness and narcissism spreading, and the “me first” mentality is ravaging our minds. Often times people confuse having a good quality of life with selfishness. However, we believe that putting yourself first isn’t always what is best for you. As Indigos we have empathy for those who have less and we are active members of this society that want to make a difference. We use the power of knowledge and empathy to form our own ideals versus relying on popular opinion to tell us what is right and wrong. Our mantra is thinking, speaking, and living with awareness. Awareness is the goal of The Indigo Collective. By gaining knowledge and broadening your awareness of the issues and people around you, you develop a greater perspective. As we make an effort to understand others, we can build a sense of community and understanding in our lives. Our collective is an all inclusive group where people can be their truest selves while creating art and working toward a greater good, lifting others up. Rather than posing judgement or negativity, finding the perspective to know we cannot control the things that happen outside of us. Life is uncertain and there is always something standing in our way, but how we choose to react to these situations and handle ourselves is what defines us as people. Being Indigo means standing up for what you believe is right, even if you stand alone. As we travel through life, remembering to believe in our abilities, every voice matters, and building a community where we can speak together is the most important thing we can do.
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UNEARTH YOUR INDIGO
Does this message speak to you? Contact us! We would love to connect for events, features, and to simply have a network of people who share our thoughts. info.theindigokids@gmail.com @TheIndigoCollective_ The Indigo Collective @TheIndigoKidsLA
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On Alex (left): Green ‘Proper’ Tee, Vans Orange Country jacket; Proper LBC. On Jamie: Out From Under sheer lace dress; Urban Outfitters. Topshop baby pink ringer tee.
In a society of cyclicality, trends of the past resurface in the present more often than we even notice. Pantsuits of the 1930s reemerged via the powersuit of the 80s, mod miniskirts lost hem length in the aughts, and Kurt Cobainera grunge became chic in the early 2010s. As the world turns, so do the trends. But at what cost? With fast fashion commandeering a multimillion dollar industry and the speed of apparel production careening out of control, the trends of yesteryear reenter our lives in the blink of an eye.
On Edmund: Stussy raglan crew, Acapulco Gold yarn-dyed short, Stussy trucker hat; Proper LBC.
On Jetta: OML London bodre top; Mona A La Moda. Daisy embroidered denim shorts; model’s own.
On Edmund: Asleep Surf Is Dead ball cap, Surf is Dead french terry hoodie; Proper LBC. On Jetta: Silky slip dress; Victoria’s Secret. Oval hoop earrings; Mona A La Moda.
On Jamie: Kimchi Blue beaded halter top; Urban Outfitters. Ayr boot cut jeans. Daisy choker; vintage. Suede boots; model’s own.
(left to right) On Edmund: Asleep Surf Is Dead ball cap, Surf is Dead french terry hoodie, Asics classic jogger; Proper LBC. Leather flip flops; model’s own. On Jetta: Silky slip dress; Victoria’s Secret. Silence + Noise metallic culotte pant; Urban Outfitters. Lace back block heel; model’s own. Oval hoop earrings; Mona A La Moda. On Jamie: Out From Under sheer lace dress; Urban Outfitters. Topshop baby pink ringer tee. On Eileen: Navy/Grey Stripe halter; model’s own. Motel chambray button front skirt; Mona A La Moda. Tattoo choker with unicorn pendant; vintage. On Alex: Green ‘Proper’ Tee, Vans Orange Country jacket, Acapulco Gold camo pant; Proper LBC.
INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM AS TOLD BY NYLO G
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INDIGO PART
FESTIVAL FLORALS
STYLE SCOPES
METALLIC DIP
BUTTERFLY LASHES (left to right) On Sharifa: vintage embroidered georgette and mesh dress; Top Knot. On Jetta: vintage gingham jumper; MAKE Collectives. On Natalie: Dress; model’s own. On Sharifa: ‘Conquer from within’ tee; Allkiind.
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GALAXY FRECKLES
TWO-TONE EYES
On Jetta (top): vintage fuzzy top; Top Knot. On Natalie: vintage floral button front top; Top Knot. Makeup: Courtney Mitchell. Photography: SarahNicole.
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Where MERISSA UNDERWOOD The beauty industry is booming and more profitable now than it has ever been reaching an incredible $265 billion dollar projection for 2017. Your local beauty supply retailer, or my personal favorite, Anastasia Beverly Hills, has any and every tool you’ll need to glam-up. You can be anyone you want to be with the right contour shade. And with how quickly beauty trends spread these days over social media millions of young girls dream to conquer the world in a liquid lipstick the exact color of her Sherri Hill prom gown. However, with the myriad of informative YouTube tutorials ranging on topics from winged liner to how to
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is
give yourself purple sparkly unicorn hair, it’s easy to over do it and become unrecognizable to your mom in your Prom night Instagram pictures. Is a woman in a full face of make up a sign of confidence or natural self-loathing? Does this mean you’re obsessed? In all reality, the answer is no, and here’s why. In March I was crowned Miss San Diego Cities USA. I used the perfect Too Faced contour shade. I had the best Flutter lashes graciously given to me by my make up coach. I have been professionally coached on how to do my hair and makeup for years now. In comparison to 2013 when I competed in my first pageant and didn’t even know how to tease my own hair, I’ve come
a long way. At first, I was absolutely overwhelmed by the seemingly perfect beauty queens I was competing against. But I didn’t I think these women didn’t have natural beauty because they combined three different lip colors to get the perfect smile. Make up is a wonderful thing, however it does not create a beautiful person. The beautiful person is already there, they just choose to splash an electrifying Tom Ford lipstick shade on because they love the way it compliments their eyes. Some feel as though makeup is now taking over, but makeup has been around far longer thanmost realize. In 4000 BCE Egyptian women applied Malachite to their faces to enhance
the their complexion. The traditions of adornment and body modification in relation to identity and personal image are woven into the fabric of human nature. It’s safe to say that to any degree, altering the body for desired is a process of natural selection, more so a natural process but you get the picture. So then why does the question “When is it too much,” need to be continually asked when the conversation of makeup gets tabled? Why do women constantly feel the pressure from society to make themselves look better, within the reasonable standard of norms, because being bare-faced or natural is seen as lazy or unprofessional? Once again, I’m here to tell you it
doesn’t matter because realistically, the world and its expectations can buzz off because it’s all about what makes you happy because this is your life. Many would argue there is a line between using makeup to enhance your natural beauty and painting a face on that is not even yours. The pressure of looking absolutely on point affects women’s self perspective. As contour culture progresses who is to say how the standard of beauty will change. What is important though, is to do what makes you happy. Using makeup to enhance your natural beauty is a tradition that dates back centuries. Concepts of dress and beauty
Line standards truly help shape one’s self-identity. In the end, the morale of the story is this; be comfortable in your own skin, highlighted with whatever shade, because you deserve to like the way that you look.
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ARTIST’S CORNER CODY HAYDUK
CODY HAYDUK INSTA- @DJELCAMINO INDIGO: Can you start by telling me a bit about your background? CODY: In September 2011, I was struck by a car on my motorcycle. After multiple surgeries and trying to fight for keeping my leg, I found out it was going to be amputated. I started a “non-profit” in a way that it was used to help create awareness. We would showcase what can happen, which can be very intense. I wanted to continue doing it, but I felt that my reach could only go so far without me continually reliving what had happened. Through trying to do road awareness, we were featuring artists and photographers.
With Los Angeles oozing talent from every crack in the sidewalk, we needn’t look far to find gems on our own turf. We followed our ears to an inspiring group of artists who are taking the City of Angels and soaring beyond.
AVAILABLE ON ITUNES, SPOTIFY, SOUNDCLOUD, PANDORA @HUGHAUGUSTINEMC INDIGO: What is your musical background, and where is your inspiration drawn from? HUGH: I’m from LA, born and raised. I come from a long line of people that are born and raised in LA, which is pretty rare. Growing up, I was heavily influenced by west coast music. My dad was in the music industry as a security guard and tour manager, so we worked with a lot of influential hip hop and rock bands in the 90’s. I kind of grew up in the mix. The music scene and the influence of Tupac, Dr. Dre, Prince, Michael Jackson and James Brown really shaped me, as a person, and my lifestyle. INDIGO: How do you conceptualize yourself as an artist? HUGH: I think I am still doing that and growing as an artist. I don’t like to box myself in as one type of artist because my music is so personal and changes every day, just like I change every day. INDIGO: How has your music evolved from when you first started recording music? HUGH: The first song I ever recorded was in the 7th grade, which was almost 14 years ago. When I first started recording we were using a 4-track tape player, and now everything is digital. The technology definitely changed how I made music. Before you could record something once or twice, but now you can do as many takes as you want. Music has changed a lot over the years in terms of the process, even from writing on a piece of paper to using my phone.
INDIGO: Will you expand a little bit on the organization? CODY: The idea behind it was to try to bring people together to fund getting riders back walking or [assist] families that needed help with medical costs. We would use art and photography and have it be a fundraising event to help somebody in need at the time. It was a good way for me to reach out into my community. Doing road awareness was great because I was doing something good, but at times it was difficult. I needed to find some closure with it.
INDIGO: How do you find inspiration? HUGH: I would definitely say it is all based off of my experience. Music is an outlet for me to express my emotions and ideas. I was recording music for a long time without releasing it, and as I got older, I got more comfortable with sharing it. It’s amazing to see people connect with your deepest emotions or ideas. It’s hard to convey a perspective when you have an audience of people who don’t necessarily know you on a personal level but are trying to get to know you like that. At the same time, you don’t want to put everything out there because it is so personal.
INDIGO: Where does music play into this? CODY: Music has always been a huge part of my life since childhood. My dad played saxophone, my mom is a percussion player, my grandfather was a horn player. So, I just always wanted to be a musician. When I started DJing, I felt like I could still be involved with the music scene, even though my body was still healing. I had no idea that I would meet so many amazing people through this. My network has just really expanded.
INDIGO: Do you have a favorite song that you like to perform? HUGH: There is a song that I do called ‘Keep It Real’. It is a song that I feel like encompasses my sound well. I like to do crowd participation during that song and it gets really hype. Just that feeling of the crowd on my tours, putting their fists up in the air, because they feel what you are doing is amazing.
INDIGO: What is your DJ style? CODY: I really like to play off of what the people around me are feeling. It’s been a growing process. I have a lot of fun learning about other people’s taste in music and what they like. I really like interacting with people and connecting through the music. INDIGO: So, why vinyl? CODY: I think I like doing things the hard way. I like the tangibility and making the music more of a physics thing. It’s an aesthetic for me, as well. It takes quite a bit of time to find a flow in playing records. It takes more time but it’s worth it. I like putting the extra effort into it, rather than just pressing a button. INDIGO: What is the Indigo message you want to give to the world? CODY: I think complaining about your life and abilities is a waste of your time and energy. No matter where you are in your life or what you go through, just know that you are making progress. Being able to have a mentality that nothing is going to stop you from doing anything is so important.
HUGH AUGUSTINE
INDIGO: What is your ultimate goal with music? HUGH: Ultimately, my goal is to feel like funding is not an object and I can just create without limits. I just want to be able to make my art without restrictions. At first, you kind of have to struggle out there to get people enthused about what you’re doing, and then, eventually, it will catch on to the right people and they will support it.
Photo: Tré @cockytee
INDIGO: What is the Indigo message that you want to get out to the world? HUGH: My overall message would be to do what makes you happy. I was lucky enough to find that in music and sustain a lifestyle in that. If everyone in the world did what made them happy, then money wouldn’t be an object.
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ARTIST’S
JAMIE LEFFLER OF DWNTWN DWNTWNMUSIC.COM SPOTIFY, PANDORA, ITUNES @DWNTWNMUSIC
INDIGO: Let’s just start by talking about your musical background, how you started the band. JAMIE: I have known Robert, the guitar player, since like 2010, and I was always a big fan of the music he wrote in his high school band and I would go see them play at The Roxy. Since we were friends, I asked him if we would write with me. I was in a girl-driven rock band at the time. It wasn’t really my style, but it was a great first experience. But I didn’t think our music dug too deep. I really wanted to start making more music in the style that he was doing which was more indie. We have always loved old country music, like the Carter family, that really focused on the lyrics and the melody and hearing the pain and the honesty behind it. Over the last seven years, we have learned about ourselves and our styles as writers. What we want and how we want to sound has gone more organic and is more guitar-based rather than synth-based.
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INDIGO: You talked about about your inspiration a bit. Can you elaborate on that? JAMIE: What’s interesting for me is that I have a lot of people that I am influenced by. For me I can listen to classic country and then I can listen to bands like Crystal Castles or I can listen to Grimes and find an influence there too. I have always loved Beach House, Arcade Fire, and Modest Mouse, but I think there are a lot of different styles that kind of mesh into one. And then we also incorporate our own thing. INDIGO: What do you want to portray in your music and lyrics and melody? JAMIE: I always strive for honesty and vulnerability. In a weird way, it’s almost easier to be super real than to just make up something that isn’t true to you. It not always easy because there are things that surface that I might not want to talk about in real life, but will allow it in a song. Once it’s in song form, it’s almost like a safety net. This is me being creative and artististic; therefore, I can share my deepest, darkest feelings. I have written some songs about my dad that died when I was 14 of a heroin overdose, and I didn’t really want to talk about that ever. I didn’t want people to think about a deadbeat parent that had an addiction, so I shied away from the topic a lot. But being able to write music about it has really helped me come to terms about that part of my life. It’s like a healing process and sometimes you don’t even realize these feelings until they come up.
INDIGO: What are your favorite songs to perform? JAMIE: We just played The Troubador and a lot of the new songs were really fun for me to play. My favorites to play are ‘Lonely’ and ‘Fourteen’. And ‘Fourteen’ is the song that I wrote about my dad on the album, and I really just feel that connection with my music and those songs especially. INDIGO: How would you say your music has evolved since you and Robert started out? JAMIE: We are both still learning a lot and writing and producing, but back then we would hide behind a lot of layers. He would use a lot of synths and four bass lines. And I was still developing my voice as a singer, so I would have all of these different takes where I was like, “Do I want to sing breathy and quiet or should I sing more powerful?” We would just do it all, and every song would have 17 vocal tracks of all varieties. I think we have learned over time to be more confident with our choices and know how to fine tune it better. Our music is more intentional.
Photos: Anna Demarco
CORNER INDIGO: What are your greatest challenges as a group? JAMIE: There are challenges every day being a musician in LA, especially in a band where there are multiple people with different personalities. We have the same goals, but we also have our lives and the need to be stable. We want to be able to tour a lot more now that we have an album coming out, but it’s an expensive thing to do. There are constant struggles, but I just remind myself that the struggle is a part of the journey. If you don’t love the journey then why are you doing it?
INDIGO: Do you have any experiences or fans that have really made that struggle worth it? JAMIE: I got a message recently from somebody online. Her son was sick in the hospital, and he would listen to our music. They would sit in the hospital and share the earbuds, one for each of them. He ended up passing away and our music reminds her of a beautiful summer she got to spend with him. I was like, weeping as I was reading this because... how much music is in the world? It’s endless.. For someone to find our music is amazing to me. But to have someone listen and have it mean something to them and feel compelled to share that with me makes it all worth it.
INDIGO: What is your Indigo message that you want to send out into the world? JAMIE: Be kind. Everyone be kind to each other, please. It’s so important, keep your sense of humor and be nice to each other. Let’s just make music and be happy.
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VANESSA BORELAND The woman approached the Hippy Feet booth at the Red Bull Crashed Ice event in St. Paul in February 2017. What started as asking for spare change, has turned into a part-time job for her. “Tammy approached me and asked if I had a job honestly,” said Michael Mader, the 24-year-old founder of Hippy Feet. “She had asked a reporter for spare change and he walked her over to me and told her ‘I don’t have any money, but he can maybe find you a job.” Mader and Hippy Feet now work with Tammy on a weekly basis, providing her with enough wages for her to put down a security deposit and first month’s rent on a temporary shelter in St. Paul. Hippy Feet is an organization with the goal of serving the homeless community through donations and employment opportunity. They advocate to the public that homelessness is not always a choice or the result of substance abuse, laziness or looking for handouts. “Some people were just dealt a shitty hand,” Mader said. “Dealt a shitty hand” is what you could be said about the accident that lead to the founding of Hippy Feet. In October 2015 while cruising on his longboard one night, Mader fell off, broke his face in three places and cracked the inside of his skull. He was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and told he wouldn’t be able to finish school.
HIPPY “I was in an awful mental state. Depressed. Anxious,” Mader said. “I felt dumb. I didn’t have my cogitative ability. I seriously sat and stared at my ceiling. I did that for about a month.”
It was during that month Mader came across a statistic put out by the Salvation Army; “Socks are the most requested but least donated article of clothing to homeless shelters.” He made the decision to develop a business that could meet this need. Mader pulls up his pants leg and shows off his socks bearing the green leafed Hippy Feet logo. His friends would make fun of him for his crazy foot fashion, telling him if he “ever wanted to get a job in the real world, stop wearing such weird socks.” “I recognized the opportunity to do some good with my passion for fun, fashionable socks,” Mader said. For each environmentally friendly and locally sourced pair of socks sold, Hippy Feet donates a pair to a homeless shelter. Since their launch in September 2016 they’ve donated 2,100 pairs. Mader is not only passionate about giving back through donation, but giving back through employment opportunity. Tammy was the first individual employed through Hippy Feet’s employment program. “When I met Tammy she was living on the streets,” Mader said. “She now has a roof over her head and a working phone. She can look for other income opportunities while continuing to work with us.”
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Photos: Sam Harper
FEET The Employment program gives people the opportunity to contribute again, not just take a handout, and work towards their goals. Hippy Feet’s employment program works closely with Youth Link and Women’s Advocates in particular, two Minnesota based shelters, to identify individuals who could benefit most from an employment opportunity. They look for people in transition out of homelessness, at risk teens and domestic violence victims. Wages for individuals involved in the employment program are generated through sock and merchandise sales at some of the events Hippy Feet participates in. Hippy Feet has been a part of Red Bull Crashed Ice, Luckypalooza, Soundset, Chicago Pride Fest and many more still to come this summer. Events aren’t the only thing on the horizon for Hippy Feet. Mader revealed a photography project in the works that aims to shed light on the day to day experiences of someone who is homeless. “The idea is to change some of the negative connotations that society has when they come across someone living on the street,” Mader said. “We want to be able to show people that these homeless individuals are human beings too.”
Getting the youth involved is happening across college campuses as well. Hippy Feet’s college representative program is set to kick-off in the fall. The program would act as an internship or ambassador program for students who connect with the Hippy Feet mission to get involved. “They have the ability to make a direct impact on their campus and community,” Mader said. “We want students to be involved for the sake of being involved.” So far the representative program has been introduced at the University of North Dakota, where students were able to donate 104 pairs of socks to Northland Rescue Mission. Mader removes his baseball hat, a Hippy Feet prototype part of their expanding clothing line, revealing his familiar long locks have been cut short. He donated them that week to the Pantene Beautiful Lengths Foundation. His passion to give back is apparent in all aspects of his life. From the initial accident that lead to Hippy Feet’s founding through the excitement of new growth opportunity he keeps a firm hold on what is most important to him. “You see gratitude even just handing out a pair of socks and stopping and having a conversation. A simple hello or smile even has an immediate effect, Mader said. “The most rewarding part of this journey is me being able to say, ‘Hey, I can help you.”
The project will have homeless youth at the YouthLink shelter document their day-to-day lives through the use of disposable cameras. Mader hopes to show the general public the reality of a youth experiencing homelessness.
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ANDY ZACHRICH Sally Yates, the interim Attorney General during Donald Trump’s Presidential administration’s transition, was prepared to jeopardize a 28-year career with the Department of Justice because she believed an order given to her was immoral and unconstitutional. Sally Yates was told to defend President Trump’s “Travel Ban”, an executive order barring travelers into the U.S. from seven majority Muslim countries. Yates refused to do so because she felt that what she was asked to do was “unlawful” and unconstitutional, as it violated rights of religious freedom. This situation inspires an important question. Where is the line between morality and doing your job? While most of us don’t have the power and influence that comes with being Attorney General of the United States, each of us, especially in the face of a controversial presidential administration, have an obligation to reflect and define our own code of morality and then use that code as a reference when deciding how and when to follow an order. The most common consequence of President Trump’s travel ban was detaining people at airports in order to prevent them from entering the country. This may seem as though it is a small inconvenience or precaution, but instances like this can easily escalate. Daily Show’s Trevor Noah made a particularly poignant comment when he argued that democracy erodes slowly, stating, “democracies don’t go away in a flash, you don’t just wake up one morning and tanks are rolling through the streets. It’s a slow burn, with many steps along the way.” I worry that small infringements upon rights could turn into something larger, especially when I read stories about people like Hameed Darweesh. Darweesh risked his life to work for the U.S. military in Iraq and had obtained a
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JUST DOING MY JOB special visa to live in the United States because he and his family could no longer safely live in their country because two of his colleagues in Iraq were murdered by terrorists. He was separated from his wife and three children at the airport and detained for 19 hours after his flight landed because airport employees were following orders laid out by the president’s travel ban. A man who has risked his life to ensure the safety of U.S. soldiers should never be impeded from legally entering this country, even if it was a delay of less than a day. It all comes back to a code of morality and awareness of how a democracy becomes less democratic. All it would have taken that day to allow Darweesh into this country is one person to stand up and say “this isn’t right”, but instead, airport employees chose to follow orders. The outcome of their actions was unfair to Darweesh and completely unacceptable and unlawful. Sally Yates set an example by refusing to allow her superior to sway her views on morality. She disobeyed the most powerful man in the country because she believed an order she had received violated the Constitution and lost her job as a consequence. In contrast, if one does choose to follow an order, consciously knowing that what they are doing is immoral and they have a choice to not follow the order, they can be held responsible for particular crimes in an international court. Trials following the Holocaust involving Adolf Eichmann, a high-ranking officer in the Third Reich who was known as the “architect of the Holocaust”, demonstrates this concept. Eichmann claimed several times during his trial that he was “just following orders,” and, unsurprisingly, this defense failed. Eichmann had organized the murders of millions of people, and he had the choice to refuse to do so. Using the excuse of following orders isn’t good enough; we must all think about the consequences of our actions. At the end of the day, we all take orders from
someone in our lives, whether it be a teacher, a boss, or our government. But not every order that we are given is going to be ethical. We may be asked to infringe on the rights of another person, or asked to take actions that violate the Constitution. It is important to have a code of morality and justice that helps guide our decisions when we are asked to do something that may be wrong. The Bill of Rights and constitutional amendments would be a solid foundation for any code because it includes free speech rights, right to religious freedom, and anti-race and anti-sex discrimination guidelines, but it is the responsibility of each person to define their own concept of morality. There are situations where refusing to obey an order is not feasible, situations where disobeying orders would lead to personal physical harm or poverty, and there is no easy equation that can tell us exactly what to do in those situations. But if you do have the privilege of choosing whether or not to follow an unethical order, I hope that you will consider the consequences of your actions on others and use your privilege of choice. Claiming you were “just following orders” isn’t good enough. It is up to each person to define their own code of morality and then implement it when making decisions in their daily lives in a similar fashion to Yates’. Democracies have eroded in the past. By standing up against an order that we believe to be immoral or unjust, we support the traditional democratic values of our society and ensure that our rights and the rights of others are protected. We need to consider the implications of our choices and our actions if we want to live in a free and fair society.
A THOUSAND TRUTHFUL WORDS
KATHLEEN KNIGHT Considering the fact that I can barely make myself dinner most nights - hello, frozen veggie burger patty and carrot sticks - let alone pick out a person to spend the rest of my life with, the number of engagement photos and wedding albums on my Facebook and Instagram pages are truly mind-boggling. Between relatives, older and younger friends, and even an ex-boyfriend, wedding bells are ringing and love is in the air. But why? What seems strange to me is the way our millennial generation is defined is something that ultimately affects our perceptions of the world so greatly. While I will admit to having a basic-Pinterest wedding board, I think the simple idea of a “social media-perfect” wedding is not the only underlying factor influencing marriage in millennials. The ability to choose the way in which we present ourselves to the rest of society is much different than that of our parents, our grandparents; in the age of instant information and constant connectivity, media is constantly critiqued for pressuring individuals to convince others of their happiness by (often falsely) representing a perfect life. Whether it’s the perfectly staged engagement ring photo or an effortlessly casual, single-life-appreciation post (but with oh-so-much-effort behind it), the images we see do not necessarily say a thousand truthful words. As a college student, I am constantly reminded of the shift in our generations’ view on dating and love. Causal
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sex and the hookup culture stress relations without commitment alongside the heightened ability to feel in control of one’s body. With today’s sexual liberation, millennials feel less of a pressure to marry. But does this mean that we are happy? I think the issue at hand comes down more so to fulfillment rather than strictly happiness. Why do people marry young? With today’s unprecedented change and uncertainty, marriage may seem like a necessary comfort; in an age of informed sexuality, commitment may not hold the weight that it once did. However, these same arguments can apply to the question of why millennials are holding off: living in a culture of freer sexuality with more emphasis on self-fulfillment has lead millennials to delay marriage in favor of pursuing higher education and career goals. Both sexes enjoy the liberty of less pressure to wed and have children due to the heightened acceptance of diversity in family structures, relationships and sexual identity, as well as acceptance of individual fulfillment and accomplishment. For myself particularly, as a millennial woman, I feel the importance that now more so than any other time in human history, women do not feel bound to grow into a role as a homemaker and mother. This is not to say that women’s rights and equality have been by any means fully achieved, but rather that our options have changed. I think that the unprecedented changes in our options have served to influence a significant number of women to delay marriage and ignite a rebellion of thousands of years worth of institutional constructs
dictating marriage. The millennial future is not extremist though; our options are not only between endless hookups through dating apps or a “social media-perfect wedding”. In an era of much uncertainty about the future comes the ability for individuals to choose different paths. Millennials have the ability to create their own ideas of life that are independent of marriage. Sure, we may choose to get married or commit to a lifelong partner, but our relationships do not have to be the only significant part of our lives. Celebrating individualism seems to be a common trend in millennials, but sometimes we are not honest in the way that we do so. Social media, while playing a large role in portraying individual image, does not necessarily equate to a celebration of individualism and sense of self. Too often we find ourselves comparing our lives to those of others. Our goal should be to love ourselves as individuals before starting romantic relationships, having noncommittal sex, or getting married. While neither option is better than the other, those who love themselves before loving another (or not loving another) will find the most happiness and the most success in forging their way through this world. To find fulfillment in our relationships, we must first find true fulfillment in ourselves, which is not dictated by social media, but by the experiences and individual choices that we make, ultimately benefitting not only ourselves, but also the way in which our generation will define the next era.
Founder of Everly, Brenna Lyden, felt that satisfaction with an engagement ring and price shouldn’t have to directly correlate. She set out to produce a line of rings at an affordable price point, further enabling millennials to make their marriage exactly the way they dreamed, whenever that may be. Shop the new collection at everlyshop.com.
Photos: SarahNicole
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Claustrophobically Creative
ALISHA BENDA Imagine. A girl who grew up wanting to be a writer and a painter. A girl who spent hours at the park pretending she was a secret agent trying to save the world. A girl that spent her Friday nights in high school painting, while many of her friends were out partying. She grew up dreaming of being in a thousand worlds other than her own, not because she hated her own, but because she had the power to believe in all of them. A girl who dreamt of protecting people but also wanting to be protected. A girl who was so sensitive to the world around her that she carried others burdens
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and inherited them as her own. She saw and felt the world in millions of colors. She had a free spirit, but there was also some reins to it. She had integrity in her heart and wanted to be loyal and obey something greater than herself. She had an unwavering and innocent faith. She was inspired by passion she saw in others to sacrifice themselves for something better. This its her tumultuous journey to feed the creative child inside her, and the warrior within her. As a free spirit the last place I expected to be was getting yelled at by a drill sergeant at basic training. Yet, somehow I found myself there after I enlisted into the Colorado Army National Guard, August 13, 2013. I had to be tough, in order to mentally survive, and that was far more difficult than the physical stress of basic training. I had to shut down the emotional side of me. So I did. Everything had to be ‘dress right dress,’ which means that everything had to look clean cut and identical. My uniform had to look exactly like my counterparts. My bedding had to look like my neighbors. My weapon had to be spotless. Boots spotless. Bare skin, no make up. Hair up, out of my face, and always in a bun. Nothing could be out of place. The best thing to do was to blend in, to conform. I remember one time my drill sergeant told another female and I that it was “hard to tell us apart from the guys sometimes.” During this time my creative and emotional free spirit was at bay, especially when I showed up to my new unit and introduced myself in front of a crowd strangers, when I had been at a friend’s funeral only 24 hours before. The only way to slip under the radar was to appear and act like the rest. There was no room for error or individuality. I had to conform, which was something I had never done in my life. See, I have always wanted to fit in, but conformity was never for me. My one exception, is the Army. And that’s why sometimes we don’t get along. Sometimes I don’t like the hierarchy. Other times I hate all the rules and regulations. I dislike the stuffy and boring administrative work. In my job, things are clear cut and there’s one right answer for everything. There is no room for discussion about the way things work. There is a manual, you read it, you learn it, and you do it. You grow up in this career learning that you wait for people to tell you what to do. Creativity is the exact opposite. You create your own thing, you make something yours, and then you share it with the world. Sometimes it will fall flat, and other times an idea can grow. In the Army there is really no risk involved when it comes to the business side of things. In the Army everyone is supposed to look the same. The only thing that’s unique on the uniform is your name. That’s the only thing you own. When it comes to everything else. You are owned by the Army. Being on deployment, and everything else military related for that matter, is mundane and minimalistic. The most exotic color you will see is the sunrise
speckled with hues of red, orange, and pink over the dry and dull desert. Everything else is neutral and meant to not attract attention. Being in this kind of environment isn’t creatively stimulating. Therefore I must try to create my own space that will help my mind thrive. I paint, read, attempt photography, write, and daydream. There is an elephant tapestry hung in my room with colors of green, pink, purple, and orange that bleeds across my wall. It is cascaded above my bed and I find peace in that space. Being creative is a state of mind that doesn’t come by being stagnant. Therefore, I must abide to always being stimulated. Creativity is about expanding one’s mind to think beyond what the status quo is. I believe that being surrounded by such a concentration of the status quo has forced me to look beyond what is right in front of me. I have been inspired to dream more, and think with purpose and passion. I am forced to beauty within this creatively deprived environment. The problem is that my yin and yang of resiliency and emotion can get in the way of my creativity because my emotions are heavily involved in the process, that is where my battle currently lies.
I HAVE FOUND THAT BEING IN LOVE IS LIKE CREATING A PAINTING. YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE, LEARNING YOUR LIMITS AND CAPABILITIES. My creativity and love are braided together because emotion and a deep sense of connectivity to my soul is involved. Passion is embedded into everything I do because I invest myself deeply into the things that captivate me. Love is beauty and love is an art form. In my opinion, love is the truest expression of art, because you are constantly orchestrating the fusion of two lives becoming more intertwined as one. There is a lot of heart and soul going into this thing you are creating. I have found that being in love is like creating a painting. You have an idea of what you want it to be, and then you have to practice, learning your limits and capabilities. Then your expectations are either met or not, and you realize that you have to accept the flaws you have in your painting or scrap it. Sometimes you have spend more time on a certain part than other areas of the painting. My situation is no different from billions of others that experience love. Yet, being a creative, I believe I am physically more aware of everything that goes into this piece of work. When the Army gets thrown into the mix, the painting gets more complicated. I believe I have been immensely blessed by having my significant other by my side during this deployment. I have not had
to deal with the pain of being physically separated from my love. There are a few stressors that are different and unique to our situation. Imagine my painting, I am existing freely in my own space, painting the picture of love and then someone walks up to me and tells me there are certain rules. I can’t paint in certain areas and I can only use certain colors. That is how it feels to have a relationship and be in the Army simultaneously. Conformity is trying to wedge itself into my relationship. We cannot work on ourselves personally when we have no alone time to be ourselves. Wherever we go we have to be professional. No sense of affection is allowed. It’s important to not draw attention to ourselves always being around each other. I feel like the love we show for each other in our daily interactions in public are veiled. In some ways it seems that my painting is on hold. Right now our relationship is going through somewhat of a creative block. There are certain parts of our story, the ugly parts of the painting that are foundational and critical but not appealing to look at, that are being highlighted during this deployment. Our situation is unique and every bit non-conforming in its own way. There is a miracle in the act of letting go the fear of judgment of those around us. The mission is important to us, but the mission of ourselves and our well being is more important. Some will scoff to say that I am a poor soldier if I don’t put my country first. But my country won’t receive an outstanding soldier if I am mentally jaded. Therefore, my faith, creativity, and relationships are my first priority. Although I often feel contradicted being in the Army and having such a free thinking mind and soul, I have grown to accept that those differences help mold me more into the person I want to become. The struggle is constant and I must be prepared for battling that everyday. For if I lose my drive for creativity, I will lose my soul. Passion encompasses who I am in every aspect of this beautiful life of mine. I have a swollen heart that beats for something greater than myself and I thrive from it. My situation, the Army, this deployment are all fleeting circumstances. The love that fills my heart for my creativity and my soul mate are unwavering. I am literally and metaphorically in a desert of my life right now and that is okay. People, myself included, rush to get through the bad parts of their lives because it is painful, but the painful parts are where we grow the most. My creative drive and romantic passion will continue to be tested and refined. The painting may even turn into a masterpiece by the end of this. The point is that I am constantly striving for the pure innocence and eccentricities of the girl at the beginning of this story. She is at the core of who I am despite my military upbringing. I am a soldier fighting in the battle of my own war in my mind. This ends with me still in the desert, I am not in the midst of a triumphant victory, but more so in the sandstorm of an involuntary sabbatical. This creative will thrive in the claustrophobia that confines her.
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CUTTING THE NEGATIVITY IndigoCLCTV Volume2 Page 42
ARYANA GATHINGS At some point in the near future you will be judged, for whatever reason. Whether it be because you’re falling flat on your face in a room full of people or because you just said something completely wrong, that feeling of judgement, embarrassment and remorse will always follow. Overall that moment of feeling judged by the people around you will be a negative, cringe worthy moment. Sometimes we forget to forgive ourselves and absorb the negativity that comes with our negative experiences. Forgiving yourself is so important in self growth, as is knowing when and how to move past the negativity. When a person brings negativity into your life with their judgement or opinion we often respond by defending ourselves. Just know that you do not need to apologize for having human moments, and you do not need to justify yourself to anybody. Think for a moment how much more peaceful the world could be if we all learned to stop negativity in its tracks and remain confident and unapologetic even in moments of weakness.
A landslide causes destruction and renewal. Just as the oceanside property disaster in 1929 turned San Pedro’s Sunken City to a haven of street art, transformation creates a chameleonic environment that unveils undiscovered beauty.
On Terrance (above): Adidas knit tee, green chinos, Stranger Waves ball cap; Proper LBC. Chain, brown leather boots; model’s own. On Larayia: Ribbed midi dress; Lacausa. Distressed denim top; BooHoo. Black leggings, suede boots; model’s own.
On Alyson: Georgette Boy Tee; Lacausa. Velvet bralette; Free People. Floral printed gaucho; Zara. Fringe sandal; model’s own.
(left to right) On Larayia: Georgette tie dye dress; Lacausa. Suede boots; model’s own. On Alyson: Gauze jumpsuit; Lacausa. Fringe sandal; model’s own. On Terrance: Billionaire Boys Club short and flannel button up top, ‘Proper’ tee, LBC ball cap; Proper LBC. Photos: Chris J. Andrews
CONCRETE JUNGLES: SUSTAIN
NATHAN MOORE When we think about creating more humane inner-city communities, what comes to mind usually isn’t the food we eat. And yet, according to data from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) rates of diabetes are twice that of their suburban counterparts where fast food restaurants run rampant. Prior studies which have shown a parallel relation between adolescent size and risks for obesity also suggests that youth in these circumstances are more likely to live unhealthy lives as they grow older. The availability of healthy dietary alternatives is often expensive, and when paired with easy access to energy-dense, high caloric foods, low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles become the residence of poor bodies. The number of grocery stores that provide affordable whole food options pale in comparison to the convenience stores at each block. The lesson to take away: urban communities with a high population of the socio-economic disadvantaged trade
overpriced, healthy alternatives for the convenience of specialty stores and corner drug markets that offer cheap options. For one daring South L.A. group, they decided to tackle this issue head on. Tropics, is a project in collaboration with the design studio Commonwealth Projects to provide an affordable juice bar for South L.A. residents. Launched by a group of friends, they hail from the Crenshaw district of Baldwin Hills known as “The Jungle”, not to be confused with Upton Sinclair’s novel of the same name. But the comparisons aren’t without cause, as the once vibrant industrial luster of certain Los Angeles districts has diminished over the years. Immigrants and intensive laborers have reaped the harsh realities of the city life, but the younger generation now has something to say about it. They initiated a Kickstarter campaign for an unveiling summer of 2017. This trend is more than just squeezed juice and vegetables though, as
Art: Taylor Mickesh
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NING A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM
it represents a shift in attitudes toward the overall health risks that are involved in food manufacturing. Farms all over the country participate in cruelty that butchers chicken, cattle, and swine. Poultry and beef products are often labeled by the organic measures to feed them, but neglects the practices used to slaughter millions each year. Over half of the fish consumed by humans do not even come from their natural habitat, but are raised in overcrowded enclosures where filthy water leads to disease. This systematic factory farming of animals has a tumultuous history tied to big game. Creatures like Bison that roamed the great American plains were slaughtered by the thousands to fulfill not only an increased population across native lands, but a culture of easy consumption. This represents the early stages of endangered species which has now risen to untold numbers. While America may have proliferated a culture of big meat eaters, its history is not alone in
an epidemic of near extinction to animals like Indonesian elephants and jaguars. In Europe the destruction of natural habitats for acres of intensive agriculture has also led to sprawling concrete cities. Philip Lymbery, author of Dead Zone: Where the Wild Things Were, held a two-year investigation that proposes human starvation could be mitigated by being less dependent on meat from industrial farms. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said the demand for meat has the potential to double within the next four decades. Our place within Earth’s ecosystem necessitates the protection of its wholeness rather than see to its further destruction. We become susceptible to the natural landscape as long as we remain dependent on it. Because of this, the merit of wild-life conservation and healthy practices like vegan or vegetarian options holds special importance. The choice to transcend destructive practices in favor of constructive ones is ours.
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Photo: SarahNicole
Castle X Queens: A New Perception Of Royalty DEVON JEFFERSON Perception is something that pretty much everyone is equipped with. However we classify it, whether it be as the conscious will power to make a decision or as an external sensory process, perception is extremely important to the human experience. How we perceive problems and more importantly, solutions to those problems, has the potential to change entire generations. So that’s why 23-year-old Activist, CEO and Designer Josh Holm is challenging the perception of who and what royalty looks like with a jab at injustice each piece of exquisite jewelry his brand Castle X Queens creates. “I don’t want a trophy for whatever I do, I just want to make something that helps people and that people can relate with and honestly I’m just excited to create, create and create,” says Josh. The idea behind Castle X Queens, a startup designer jewelry brand advocating social justice for victims of sex trafficking and modern day slavery, is to define a new standard of royalty. Josh infuses this mantra into both his life and the brand because it’s his way of chipping away at the monolithic statue of problems like sex trafficking and slavery. Josh is not a stranger to injustice, captivity, classism and hardship. He was born to a single mother in Korea and lived there until he was six. After his mother’s home and business burned down he was forced into government child protective services and was eventually separated from his mother. He first encountered the harsh realities of the world of captivity as he bounced around from foster home to foster home before he was finally adopted by an American family. Often times Josh says he reflects on memories with his mother earlier in life and relates it to his drive and desire to create a new standard of royalty because of the type of royalty his mother symbolized to him. “In a way my mother was fighting the same fight
victims of slavery fight because like them, she was fighting for normality again and I just hope to be able to give them that normality and recognize that they are capable of anything because they are royalty” says Josh “I’ve always felt like no matter if you have privilege or not, fighting social injustice should come natural to human beings, for me it’s second nature. I feel like I was given a second chance and I want to give the same opportunity to other people,” says Josh. And that’s exactly what he has done, as he has dedicated his life to giving new opportunities to victims of injustice. Josh says his battle to help redefine the way people think of sex trafficking and modern day slavery started when he was a Sophomore at Azusa Pacific College. There he participated in an internship program focusing on community outreach in neighborhoods affected by sex trafficking. He recants going to these neighborhoods to help active sex slaves and sex workers in simple and thoughtful ways such as giving the young women and men hot chocolate and explaining to them the resources available to help them start a new lifestyle. Josh says that it was daunting at first, but it truly opened his horizons and sparked his creative mind to synthesize ways to solve the problem and create a new perception of these victims. “I kind of had to find out for myself what sex trafficking was and ways to fix the problem. I remember Googling it and the results were these really dark and graphic images and I wanted to address this problem in a way that motivates an entire generation to make the change the way they see this injustice,” says Josh. So last year Josh began brainstorming and working with the LA based non-profit organization Project Hope to develop Castle X Queens. With each piece of minimalist jewelry the brand produces and sells, a victim of modern day slavery has their story shared in addition to proceeds donated to their cause to help them rehabilitate. Whether it’s a watch or any product
bought from Castle X Queens, proceeds go to helping victims in a myriad of ways ranging from toiletries and hygiene products all the way to behavioral therapy and rehab. “I wanted to make the product personal so that’s why I named them after people because each product represents someone’s story and when you get it, you get to learn about their journey and it gives you a chance to relate to their story,” says Josh. Josh says that these victims deserve to be able to live a regular life in addition to receiving the respect they deserve and that’s how Castle X Queens got its identity. “We want to identify these victims as a new type of royalty because that’s what they are and because no one would enslave a King or a Queen,” says Josh. Just a few short months ago Josh realized his dreams and released a soft preview launch of Castle X Queens. The first collection is a sleek range of sophisticated watches. The program currently supports between 10-15 victims, helping out with housing them and providing them with counseling and other tools to survive in a new way of life.Though the company is only in the beginning stages, Josh hopes to fully launch within coming months and is even pitching to foreign markets. Josh says his goal is to eventually start a non-profit under the Castle X Queens umbrella dedicated to fighting back against modern day slavery and sex trafficking. Now, after being separated from his mother for more than 17 years, Josh is visiting his mother in Japan and is preparing to make his way back to Los Angeles to put Castle X Queens on the map. As he gears up to truly bring his passion project to life, Josh says he remembers how discouraging it was at the beginning and offered these last words of advice: “I encourage everyone to get involved with this issue. My idea of success isn’t a lot of money, it’s creating an and conveying a message that people will understand.”
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SPECIAL THANKS Allkiind
Brittany Lee
Cara Grant
The Indigo Collective would like to give an extra special thank you to Hassan Deer for helping us make these prints possible. We appreciate your generosity and true Indigo spirit.
Cody Hayduk
Everly
Fine Feathers Kombucha
Guru Printers
Hassan Deer
Jean Colangelo
Lacausa - Silver Lake
MAKE Collectives - Long Beach
Mona a La Moda - Long Beach
Proper LBC - Long Beach
Top Knot Vintage Boutique - Eagle Rock
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info.theindigokids@gmail.com @TheIndigoCollective_ The Indigo Collective @TheIndigoKidsLA