P
SPRING 2016
P
ZINE
O
BLACK & GOLD EDITION 1 Mature Content
POP Zine is a quarterly zine that members and friends of The Point’s Women’s group create the content that focuses on the social injustice women of color deal with daily.
2
Young women’s leadership program combines sex education with the Arts, bridging the gap between how information is learned and retained. Workshops include healing circles, LGBTQ sex education workshops, creative writing classes and more! Women identified youth of all cultural backgrounds who wish to empower themselves and their community are encouraged to join.
3
4
Table of Content
6
Meet the Members Photographs
I love Myself
By Women’s Group
14
Free Write
8
By Teresa and Desiree Bee
Frida Kahlo
20
By Connie
Poem
16
Iam...
By Women’s Group
26
How We Identify By Women’s Group 5
22
TERESA
PARIS
ROSSEMARY
GUESSAN
CONNIE
ASHANTI 6
ALEXIS
STARR
SHANICE
STEPHANIE
REMI
MIZ 7
I love myself because I’ve established what I want and need for myself as far as who I am I love myself because I’m very independent and I like to exercise it wherever I am I love myself because I can love myself and everyone around me I love myself because I can be very understanding I love myself because of who my family is and where I come from I love myself because of all the things I was taught I was taught to be a queen and that’s how I treat myself I love myself because of my culture and background I love myself because I am trustworthy
Starr
8
I love myself because of the way my face is shaped and my hair is curled I love myself because I’m beautiful head to toe, in and out I love myself because I love others and because they love me I love myself because I’m smart, I’m a genius I love myself because I make people laugh I love myself because I light up the room I love myself because the hood got love for me I love myself because I make other people love themselves Anonymous 9
I love myself because I’m outgoing I love myself because I’m independent I love myself because I’m loyal I love myself because I’m an artist I love myself because I cause I am me Paris
10
I love myself because I’m tall I love myself because I’m bossy I love myself because he loves me I love myself because I’m honest I love myself because I’m different I love myself because others love me I love myself because I have a vagina I love myself because others don’t I love myself because I’m sassy I love myself because my p*ssy is fat Anonymous
11
I love myself because I am able to overcome whatever I put My mind too. I can find the strength to tolerate certain people. I have found my path to understanding myself and my body. I will protect the ones I love I can forgive I have grown into my own I’m poppin I am finding my happiness I know how to create and maintain my safe space Anonymous 12
I love myself because I’m outspoken I love myself because I’m talented I love myself because I’m a weirdo I love myself because I stare at my fingers and see them differently all the time I love myself because I create universes I love myself because I can’t help it I love myself because I help others I love myself because I can help myself I love myself because I can cry, and know when to cry I love myself because I love to dance I love myself because I’m going to a Rihanna concert I love myself because I have the coolest best friend and she wouldn’t be my best friend if I wasn’t as cool as her. I love myself because I dress weird and I currently hate all of my clothes, which means I’m growing (literally and metaphorically) I love myself because I can look at my flaws and change them I love myself because I know what I want and when I want it I love myself because my energy transcends and touches people and loves people and takes care of people I love myself because the space around me is manifestation of my dream, goals, Imagination and future I love myself because I can take a hell of a selfie
Anonymous 13
e e r F it r W
By Teresa
Three years ago, I met people that turned my life upside down. 4 feet tall, loud and full of energy. I started running an After school program for 2nd to 7th graders. I had no idea how good we were for each other. They soon filled my life with laughter and love, and I gave them freedom. The freedom to be themselves. That is
14
the true way to connect with youth. Let them be who they are. Play the music they like, listen to their never ending stories, dance, run, play with them. Talk to them with respect. Put yourself on their level. I’m not saying it’s easy. They don’t listen, sometimes they are too loud, they bounce off the walls, they fight each other. But once we talk through it and come to an understanding. It’s definitely worth it.
By Desiree Bee
s e t
The first time I ever smoked weed I was on a first date with a boy I had just met the week before. He asked me if I minded if he smoked, and thinking he meant cigarettes, I said sure. He did not pull out a cigarette. Instead he lit a blunt right there in the park, took a hit, and handed it to me, literally whispering “peer pressure.” I was 18 years old, and even though I was born and raised in the Bronx and knew many people who smoked, I had managed to stay away from weed. For many years I associated smoking weed with my acceptance in the boys club. It was something that made me “cool” and that made me “one of the guys.” I enjoyed being that chick and I began seeing myself as “different from regular girls.” After my last relationship ended (a relationship where smoking together was a major bonding activity) I was worried that my relationship with weed would change too. I was worried that it would be something that I associated with him and couldn’t do on my own. But I liked smoking. A lot. At first I started smoking alone as an act of rebellion; as an act of feminism. I
didn’t need men to smoke. I could do it on my own and show them all. As I became more secure in my feminism and activism, my relationship with women also evolved. All of sudden I was surrounded by badass women, especially women of color, who were making their mark on the world. Weed became something that brought me closer to women, and helped me to erase the internal respectability politics I had learned throughout my life around how women are supposed to behave. Riding around the Bronx, talking about our lives and what it means to be brown women in the world, while blasting reggaeton and rolling up blunts felt (and still feels) like an act of resistance. To this day boys are still surprised when I tell them I smoke, and even more surprised when I tell them I smoke with other women. Stoner women are seen as hot commodities by stoner men, deemed “wifey material.” But we don’t do it for them. I do it for the feeling of sisterhood I get when my homegirl passes me the blunt. I do it for the sense of calmness I feel when I realize I’m not being judged, scrutinized, weighed, measured, or deemed valuable by men. I do it for myself, because I deserve self care and autonomy, and for me that comes in the form of smoke at the end of a joint. 15
FRIDA KAHLO
16
By Connie
F
rida Kahlo a young Mexican artist who left behind a handful of murals of herself is still praised today in museums all over the world. Frida who died in 1954 was remembered for her paintings, she was known as the woman who drew herself as “unattractive” as some would say, and when in reality Frida was just always truthful to herself. When she drew herself she included all her flaws which included things like her hair and facial hair. Still, Frida had a very precise look. When young it was not part of Frida Kahlo’s life plan to become the artist she was known for today, however Frida became bored with all the time she spent in bed which made her decided to start painting herself, first she began with still objects. Later, Frida planted a mirror in her room and began to draw herself in different ways. In most of her paintings Frida’s face was always the same however her background was always different. Self Portrait with Cropped Hair At a very young age Frida married an artist name Diego Rivera who in fact was also very famous in Mexico for his
art work, Frida had a crush on Rivera for a very long time although there was a gap in age they still married. Diego, whom was married before twice, also with children lived a very fast life. With all the fame from his art work also came the woman, although Diego was a married man that did not stop him from cheating on Frida many times, once with her own sister. As strong as Frida was dealing with her body issues due to her accident, He was sleeping with her sister is what really broke Frida inside and out. Frida divorced her unfaithful husband, cut all her hair off and dressed up as a man in a suit and tie and then proceeded to paint herself. The reasoning behind this painting was surrealism. This is how Frida wanted to express herself she wanted to feel how her husband felt to try and get a better understanding on why he did the things he did. Rivera and Kahlo got a divorce, however remarried one year later. Thinking about Death Before Frida began her career as an artist she suffered from a very bad bus accident in which led her to be confined in bed for a very long time, due to her poor health and not knowing whether you would live a long time or not headed Frida into a very deep depression. To stop this depression she began to draw and paint. However it did not stop Frida’s thoughts on death and what would happen to herself in 17
the near future. In this very specific The Broken Column, my nurse and I painting “thinking about death” Frida and lastly in the courtyard. All these has an image in the middle of her paintings by Frida were connected to forehead somewhat like a third eye each other in many ways whether it this image of a skull and cross bone was love or it was pain, it was how she meant death. I also see vines behind expressed herself. Frida Kahlo’s had a her self-portrait which is included very hard life. What she did with this in most of her self-images. In most hard life was express her problems countries vines means rebirth and life on to a canvas each painting meant mainly in a lot of Latin countries. This something to her weather it had to painting proves that the reasoning do with her accident, her marriage or behind all of Frida’s artwork was even her feminist ways as well as her because it’s how she expressed her love for woman. Another thing Frida feelings, she was known painted herself for was her “She painted herself how she how she wanted Provocative with small wanted with small images that images that images that challenged give away hints on how she society, give away hints on how she specifically was feeling at the time.” was feeling at men. Back the time. In an in those Article found in TheGarden.com on times things we’re different, woman Frida Kahlo’s life called a life of hope didn’t have much say and things and defiance written by Jay Griffiths or opportunities. Those who knew spoke thoroughly on some of her Frida was a lot more mature then the paintings and the meaning behind girls her age and she carried a very them. They simply said Frida painted rebellious spirit. In her college years for herself and did not care to please she was a member of “las pelonas” others with her artwork. Most of her in college which included a group artwork dealt with her crippling road of young girls who were specifically accident, abortions, love, disloyalty Mexican women who cut their hair to and a lot more. He took the time make statements. to sit down and get up-close and personal with Frida’s photo album which included numerous of her paintings, he included paintings like 18
19
Time in the world to Hold back how I feel I’m letting go of Self hate
Anonymous
20
Letting Go I’m letting go of Half assed lovers, I love me too much To be only half loved, I’m letting go of not Speaking my mind There’s not enough
21
I am honest Loving A beautiful soul A beautiful mind A bright spirit A smart woman I ain’t a whore A stereotype A statistic A deviant A slave I understand we don’t live in a perfect world Not everyone feels the same way i do I am a powerful being I am a force of nature not to be reckoned with I demand equality Good living Freedom Justice Love Respect Honesty No bullshit Good sex
Anonymous 22
I am a woman I ain’t less of A woman for not following society’s gender roles I understand gender equity does not exist I demand respect Anonymous
23
I am strong, I bend but do not break I am driven I am like no other I ain’t going to stop I understand who I am and where I am going I demand freedom, to be carefree To let my hair be wild, my curls untamed Free in my living, free in how I dress Free where I walk Free to be me, exactly how I am
Teresa
24
I am clever and passionate but most of all a contradiction. I am a nomad, always roaming flying reaching New heights I ain’t stupid, man hater, stable, easy, my aunt, Just Latina I understand more than most That my body is my own I demand understanding, healthy platonic relationships, positivity, happiness
Anonymous
25
How We Bisexual Female Mo born Woman Free Bronx Native Mid Atheist Pothead Edu Rican and Dominica College Grad Boss B Tall Pothead Black Bisexual Educate 26
Identify: other Survivor Bronx e spirit Afro Latina ddle Class Chubby ucated Latina Puerto an Female Straight Bronx mami Buddhist Guyanese Female ed Crazy Human 27
W.O.M.E.N.’S Empowerment Group Spring 2016 www.thepoint.org 28