The Press Issue #3 November 2018 by The Press magazine

ISSUE NO. 3

F O R

T H E

M A J O R I T Y - M I N O R I T Y

IN LIVING COLOR Will the next POTUS be a POC?

NOV 2018

MEETYOUR YOUR MEET DREAMOFFICE. OFFICE. DREAM

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BLACK BEAUTY ISSUE 01

Contributors

Penda N’diaye

Ariel Hernandez

Gerson Borrero

Folasade Adeoso

Editor-at-Large

Entertainment Editor

Political Commentator

Creative Entrepreneur

Wagatwe Wanjuki

Dr. Christina Greer

Basil Smikle

Christy DeGallerie

Feminist Activist & Writer

Professor & Political Scientist

Political Strategist

Journalist

Viviane D’Avilla

Sasha Maslov

Photographer & Journalist

Photographer

A Publishing Partner: An Ocean Gold Media, LLC Jasmin Freeman President & Publisher

Antwan Duncan Multi Media Director

Penda N’Diaye Editor at Large

Pauline Shin Designer

Ariel Hernandez Entertainment Editor

William Ruggiero, Chairman Andrew Holt, President Michael Johnson, Executive News Director Jasmin Freeman, EVP Guillaume Federighi, Exec. Creative Director Dylan Forsberg, Exec. Producer Michael Tobman, Counsel

Publisher’s Note

Table of Contents COVER Who is the Next POC? (President of Color) Cory Booker By Basil Smikle

Kamala Harris By Wagatwe Wanjuki

Julian Castro By Gerson Borrero

Deval Patrick By Christina Greer

FEATURES The Day After November 6th By Christy DeGallerie

Jasmin Freeman President and Publisher

Brazil Elections By Vivian Davilla

Poles and Politics By Ariel Hernandez Photos by Sasha Maslov

Africa is Not for Sale By Fola Adeoso

Susan Oludele By Penda N’diaye Photos by Dylan Forsberg

Yellow Brick Road

REGULARS Pro Hoe: By Penda N’diaye

EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL!

Today, more than ever we see the clear power that people of color hold when it comes to competitive elections. To achieve even better results than the 2018 midterm elections, campaigns need to invest in and engage communities of color and the interests that matter most to our constituency. Looking ahead to 2020, which campaign or political party will include our issues and interests in their messaging? Who is communicating directly to us? Beyond the Democrat vs. Republican affiliations, we need clear strategy from our representatives on how they will impact real change. The Press asked four political insiders to look ahead to the 2020 presidential election. Each insider profiled a speculated candidate including: U.S. Senator Cory Booker, former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. All with clear dedication to public service, we know they would all do a better job than our current POTUS. But could 2020 see a Celebrity-in-Chief part two? Are we ready for President LeBron James in the White House championing education reform? I’m here for it.

Why You Pressed? By Ariel Hernandez

#BlackTwitter: Niggerfished By Jasmin Freeman

The Plug: By Penda N’diaye Photos by Sasha Maslov

putting headquarters into cities “giving away hundreds of millions of dollars while neglecting the need for resources to support city services.” THE LATEST TEA IN URBAN POP CULTURE

BY ARIEL HERNANDEZ

congress. Omar, who won in Minnesota, is the first Somali-American congresswoman in the nation. Sis isn’t even in office just yet and she’s already making moves for her people. For over a century, the U.S. House of Representatives banned members from wearing head coverings … but that’s coming to an end. She took to Instagram to say “No one puts a scarf on my head but me. It’s my choice – one protected by the first amendment. This is not the last ban I’m going to work to lift.” Tlaib, who won in Michigan, is the first Palestinian-American woman elected to the house. Now listen, sis is not here for big corporations moving into urban communities, making bank and not helping the communities they’re in. She has already called out Amazon for 6

Ayanna Pressley is the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in congress. While it was a breath of fresh air to see another black woman succeed, sis has been in the hot seat lately because she’s been playing it neutral on whether or not she supports Democratic Conference Leader Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker, who looks like she might have a challenge from at least one colleague. We get it, her vote is important. But can you blame her for wanting to keep her preference on the low? She clearly

doesn’t want any static on either end. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman elected to congress, is a Puerto Rican from the Bronx that played a key factor in the historical outpour of millenials that came out to vote for the midterm election. Ocasio-Cortez was slept on when she announced she was running against Congressman Joe Crowley, one of the most powerful New York politicians, which is why the country was shocked when she beat him during the June primary, making headlines. These women, amongst the many other

Someone find me a chill button because this just ain’t right. How the hell did Stacey Abrams not win the gubernatorial race in Georgia? How? WE WANT A RECOUNT!! Her opponent was accused of voter suppression because he allegedly put 53,000 voter registration applications on hold, 70 percent of them from African Americans. Are you kidding me? Because of Georgia’s Exact Match Law, a law that makes a voter registration application incomplete if the information doesn’t exactly match the records kept by Georgia’s Department of Driver Services or the Social Security Administration. So if your name is J’lynn but you write Jlynn, Will instead of William or by accident enter an extra character or space, your application is placed on a pending status. That’s not all. He also selectively closed polling sites, forcing people in “urban areas” to wait in line for up to 4 hours … and you know black people don’t like waiting. Abrams, who is obviously as heated as we are even if she doesn’t show it, started an organization called Fair Fight Georgia to tackle the obvious voter suppression in her state. “Movements for change are not built overnight and they do not end when the polls close,” she Tweeted. “We must continue the fight for progress because the better, brighter Georgia we seek is always over the hill.” Abrams said she plans to file major federal lawsuits against the state of Georgia for the gross mismanagement of this midterm election, to protect future elections, to demand reform in the election system and to make sure that the voices of all voters are heard. “We are each entitled to our choices,” she said. “As Georgians, we have always been at the forefront of speaking truth to whatever power may lay claim to leadership- if only for the moment.” We’re so proud of her for not just taking their shit and for fighting to make sure voting is fair. WHY YOU PRESSED? ISSUE NO. 3

Illustration by: Pauline Shin

HOW SWAY?

HERstory!

Alexa, play “Who Runs The World” by Beyoncé. Not only did the Democrats take back control of the House, but for the first time in HERstory, 100 women have won the seats in Congress, many of whom were WOMEN OF COLOR. Rashida Tlaib and Ihan Omar, newly besties, became the first MuslimAmerican women to ever be elected to

minority women that made history this midterm election, have not only shattered the glass ceilings but they opened the doors. Are ya’ll ready for the year of the woman?

Like all other strong black women, she is not giving up. During an interview with CNN, she said she plans to run for office at a later date. “I’m not sure for what and I am not exactly certain when. I need to take a nap, but once I do, I’m planning to get back into the ring,” she said. YASSS SIS! Show them that they can’t hold you!

All Votes Matter

Zimmerman is still running free as Treyvon Martin’s memory fades out of white people’s memory. As a matter of fact, the Florida Department of Corrections has the third largest prison system, with 100,000 people behind bars. Because of Florida’s past laws, over 400,000 black people couldn’t vote in Florida due to their past felony convictions. Thanks to the passage of Amendment 4, voting rights for people convicted of felonies have been restored, with the exception of those that were convicted of murder or felony sex offenses. Do you know what kind of difference this is going to make? This won’t just add votes for Democrats, it gives these disenfranchised folks a say in policy that could lead to a real change for Florida. This passing was because of the people. Because rather than sitting down and hoping for change, we got up and let our voices be heard. But there’s so much more to be done. Now we must get the word out to our family, friends and peers that had felonies and make sure that they register to vote. This amendment will not mean anything if our brothers and sisters don’t take initiative to make our votes are counted.

Illustration by: Pauline Shin

Really Fif’?

Let’s all give a round of applause to Florida for voting yes on Amendment 4; giving 1.4 million former felons back their voting rights. In the words of Shaun King, “A HUGE and hard fought victory. One of the most important of our lifetime.” We all know that Florida has a bit of a reputation for being racist/prejudice when it comes to minorities, particularly African Americans. Hell, George THE PRESS

Can someone do us a favor and take 50’s phone away because he’s OD’ing. He has been coming for every one and any one on Instagram. Don’t get me wrong, he’s funny af, but like bruh. Anywho the feud between him and Ja Rule has been taken to a whole other level. For the last two months, he has been trolling the shit out of Ja. The 2003 born beef had died down for a little bit. They even boarded the same flight in 2013 and nothing happened. But earlier this year during an interview for 50 Cent’s “Den of Thieves,” he threw some shade towards Ja Rule, causing Ja Rule to pull the trigger on his Twitter fingers. The thread started off with: “Fun hip hop FACT: @50cent is P***Y …” and ended with “I own your soul @50cent and EVERYONE sees it now… your my b***h!!!” He wasn’t done though. He even posted a video of 50 Cent’s oldest son, Marquise

Jackson, who we all know 50 hates, during a decade old interview praising Ja Rule. The caption read: “Glad I was able to inspire you and your dad…” He wasn’t finished though. After Pusha T released his diss track to Drake, Ja Rule tweeted “Drake, Push ima let ya’ll finish but ‘Loose Change’ was one of the most disrespectful diss records of ALL TIME… With a 2018 net worth of $20 million, 50 Cent came at Ja Rule, whose net worth is $8 million, tweeting “This is what you get for going to anything with this bum involved,” with a photo of Ja Rule’s deserted 2017 Fyre Festival, which caused serious social media buzz when attendees stated they got far less than what they bargained for. Ja Rule had an expected show in Syracuse earlier this year but was cancelled because only 10 tickets were sold. 50 not only came at him for the tickets, but he even purchased all 200 seats to a more recent Ja Rule show so that the stands would be empty. “People think I’m so mean so go see this. $15 bucks wait what I do now LOL,” 50 posted on Instagram. Ja Rule’s final message to 50 was on Election Day. He shared an old photo of 50 Cent posing with Donald Trump, with a long caption about how 50 Cent is always trolling but hasn’t posted anything on Instagram telling his followers to go vote. The caption ended with “let’s STOP supporting pple who don’t support their own you boot licking ring kissing COON…” 50 Cent didn’t directly respond to Ja Rule but rumors have surfaced that 50 Cent is in the process of buying all of Ja Rule’s music and taking over the former rapper’s career. DAMN FIF. YOU really are the troll of New York huh? 7

#BlackTwitter

Odinaka Aduaka: The Voice Behind Twitter’s @Niggerfishing Kila Chenee @HazeyKilla Replying to @niggerfished Everyone wants to be black till it’s time to be black

Jemma @jemappellejemma Replying to @niggerfished Jesy Nelson from Little Mix

@Jazzyvul2 Replying to @iamCaroline_M and @nigggerfished they r exploiting us...real black women can’t even get out on...how is this flattering in any way...they wanna look like a nigga but at the end of the day that fake ass black face can go N they still have privilege

The Press explores the best of #blacktwitter, taking a deeper dive into some of the most trending conversations on social media reflecting urban culture. 8

We’re all very much aware of catfishing and the extent people will go to when it comes to pretending to be someone they’re not. Well apparently, the new trend on #BlackTwitter is “#niggerfishing.” The Press spoke to Odinaka Aduaka, the voice behind the now-deleted twitter account @niggerfished, a page she created to not only call out white women that mock the black women culture, but to start a conversation on cultural appropriation. “Cultural appropriation is when you - as someone that of course isn’t someone of that cultural background - goes to the extent to mock or mimic something you’re not,” said Odinaka, who goes by the name Odi. “A lot of women do it out of ignorance. Some may not intend on being offensive and then there’s others that clearly are being offensive. #BLACKTWITTER ISSUE NO. 3

You see it all the time in the media when they’re mocking black women as this ghetto stereotype and Hispanic women as this very loud and rude stereotype. It’s appropriation, not appreciation because we don’t appreciate how we’re being showcased, especially when that’s not truly the culture.” Odi said there’s more to being black than just a persona. “It’s more than our skin tone, it’s more than our hairstyle, it’s more than our personalities and how we see ourselves,” said Odi. “We walk around every day with our own personal struggles and people are profiting just off of our look, not of the actual culture. People love the black appearance, but no one actually wants to live a black life.” Although Odi created the account, she said the hashtag “niggerfishing” had already existed. “It was already a thing so I created an account using the name and made it an even bigger thing because it’s important that we’re having this conversation,” said Odi. “Being black is not a trend, it’s a lifestyle.” Odi said she chose to use the word “nigger” because of the controversy behind it. She said she knew it would draw more traffic rather than just using the word “black.” “Black fishing could mean anything,” said Odi. Just a couple of days after creating the account and gaining thousands of followers, @niggerfished was suspended, which Odi said she feels partly happened because of how offensive some may feel the username is. “I specifically said in my first post, ‘It’s okay if you don’t find it comfortable, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea when it comes to humor,’” said Odi, referring to the username. “Twitter’s rules are very selective. A week or two ago, I saw an account where someone had made a threat, but yet Twitter is suspending accounts that have reason. We’re exposing people for culturally appropriating but there’s accounts spearing terrorist attacks and that’s acceptable?” Since the account was shut down, Odi has attempted to make new ones. Although they continue to get suspended, she said she will not stop. “I knew this was going to happen,” she said. “I don’t want this to be something that people forget about. As a black woman, I have dominant features like big lips, big hips and a big bust and those features, I’ve had as a kid. I was made fun of and now that it’s a thing, I’m like how long is this going to be a trend?” Odi said she feels that social media has played an instrumental role in creating this “black trend.” The Press asked Odi if Rachel Dolezal, the white woman that made headlines back in 2015 after posing black for a number of years, had anything to do with this cultural appropriation trend. “Yes,” she said. “She’s still profiting off of what she’s done by claiming this trans-black, trans-race word. It’s making other white women think that it’s acceptable to be trans-race but it’s not a thing. It’s ridiculous and offensive, especially to us black people that actually have to deal with real problems based on our race.” Odi said she’s determined to keep the conversation going, whether it be by continuing to create Twitter accounts or by making a YouTube channel solely for white women posing as black women. She said although she is targeting those that are believed to be culturally appropriating, she does not feel that she is bullying them. “My intent is not to bully anyone. I never called the girls ugly or came for their appearance. I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad about themselves. This is just not who they are and I’m exposing the truth. Don’t be shocked that I’m calling you out for what you’re doing. This shouldn’t be taken personal. I don’t know these girls. I’m just exposing them for what they’re portraying themselves as.” “I hope that this becomes a topic we’re still talking about,” said Odi. “I hope the conversation doesn’t end from here.”

THE PRESS

yall fake niggers are going to JAIL!... Only right I add the Niggerfishing queen to this thread @RachelADolezal

@yarelis_denise “Beautiful melanin queens” three me out

Vince Staples @vincestaples Niggerfishing is caucasions posing as black and beautifuls on social media. If we catch you in the streets niggerfishing we will jump you and take your social.

Myles E. Johnson @hausmuva Reading this thread and thinking about every time a white girl has told me “omg lolz in the summertime when I tan I get darker than you! LOLLLZZZ” yall fake niggers are going to jail!!!!! @niggerfished Thread of whtie people posing as black people on social media

The Morning After November 6th Post-election will look progressively different for some but most importantly it will look the same for the majority. The outcome after November 6th can seem bright and promising, politicians and elected officials are ready to show you their fight towards giving you a better city, state, or country. This is all wonderful news, but the most vulnerable and marginalized will see little of the progress from cities states and the country. We canvass, march, knock on doors and demand people to head straight to their local polling stations. We do all of this in efforts to get back in our comfort of everything titled Democrat. Unfortunately, with wins, there is always someone who gets the short stick. With power even progressive power still comes those who will be leftover. When we get our progressive Democrats back in those seats and go back to being in solace and relief, we forget about our privilege, and ignore the millions of marginalized people. All this is made possible because the system and the foundation of white supremacy will remain sturdy after we vote. Sure there will always be progress there will be laws removed new ones put it in, but the change we aspire to grab, the ‘equality for all’ jargon and faux togetherness which is a pushed message from societal performative optics, all of that won’t be tangible for the most vulnerable masses. The morning after November 6th also has us an illusion that all the work is done or that voting is the only work we need to ignite progress for all. Let’s pause for a moment, and allow an open discussion on how we respond with our losses post-election. The blame game is easy. We want answers on who is responsible for not voting in the interest of others. We at times misdirect our sorrow and the unwanted political results at Black non-voters. When someone admits bravely that they will not be participating in an oppressive political structure that doesn’t care about Black lives due to the realities of black people still being murdered by police and their white counterparts, displaced, and deported, many black people choose to make a political stance regarding the lack of progress and change for Black people while under all and any administration. We immediately shame and blame those who share the same views as many of the late great radical leaders we quote ever so often. So at the people who didn’t vote, we then piggybank off the phrase white people enjoy to spew at others when they didn’t get the outcome they 10

yearned for “ You are the reason why [enter any racist candidate of your choice here] is in office. “ This simply is not the case. Black people, I’m here to reassure you, it’s not us. We are not the cause of this never ending black mirror episode called white supremacy. The next day after we marched to the polls, percentages and stats are relayed back to us by gender and race on who did what. And all signs of failure point to whiteness. The morning after always shows us that even if more than half of black people chose the comfort of their home over the more than likely rigged ballots and limited polls in their city, that black men and women would still have high numbers for the candidate and official that is all of the populations best interests. The morning after leaves us disappointed and it is easy to look within and forget about a system that fails black and brown communities daily. Black people are not obligated to fix a country. Our true frustration is those that benefit off of white supremacy whom don’t choose to uproot the system but rather continue to participate in it and use buzzwords like diversity to have us integrate into political power that still leaves so many oppressed. We have to remember that voting will not eliminate all the problems we face as a marginalized community, because we are voting on top of a foundation set up for us to fail. Even with the progression of Black elected officials which are major victories towards progress but it doesn’t mend all the brokenness. We all have to look within our privileges and refrain from using elitist rhetoric around voting because it is wrapped up in blinded privilege. Many won’t see the progress we all voted for at first hand. So we voted right? Now, what happens? What can we do to ensure we are uplifting our communities, focus on leadership and fighting for our local neighborhoods by serving one another and providing a sense of safety and security? We have to engage with more uncomfortable conversations surrounding voting rhetoric. We should be caring for Black people and our marginalized communities all year round, put money into our safe havens, knock on doors the same way we do the days following up to vote, mobilization should be a 365 days a year mission to show up for each other after November 6th. ISSUE NO.3

Marc Merlin/Flickr

BY CHRISTY DEGALLERIE

THE PRESS

Marc Merlin/Flickr

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BLACK BEAUTY ISSUE 01

2020 CANDIDATES

Tuesday, November 3, 2020, will be one of the most anticipated U.S. presidential elections. Presidential hopefuls will spend the holidays with their families deciding whether or not to run for the world’s most powerful political seat. If the midterm elections are any indication, Democrats have a clear opportunity to defeat their embattled opponent Celebrity-inChief Donald Trump. The 116th U.S. Congress will make up the most diverse group of incoming lawmakers ever on Capitol Hill with a record number of women and people of color elected. But Congress as a whole remains disproportionately white and male compared with the U.S. population. Are we seeing a shift where finally, our representatives will resemble the racial, ethnic and gender profiles of our diverse makeup in America? One can only hope. THE PRESS

Barack Obama’s presidency opened new worlds of hope and possibility in millions of people who never imagined that having a black president was possible. In the age of Trumpism, America needs a President who can lead and inspire our nation with poise while humanizing what it means to live as “nonwhite”. The Press asked four political insiders to look ahead to the 2020 presidential election. Each insider profiled a speculated candidate including: Cory Booker, Julian Castro, Kamala Harris and Deval Patrick. All with clear dedication to public service, we know they would all do a better job than our current POTUS. But with plenty of time to jump in the race, we may see the emergence of another celebrity candidate. President LeBron James -- imagine!? 13

2020 CANDIDATES:

Cory Booker

IL L R

I S E

E RIC

BY BASIL SMIKLE

Cory Anthony Booker is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from New Jersey since 2013 and a member of the Democratic Party. The first African-American U.S. Senator from New Jersey, he was previously the 36th Mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013. Before that Booker served on the Newark City Council for the Central Ward from 1998 to 2002. 14

2020 CANDIDATES ISSUE NO. 3

Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 campaigns for president sparked a tidal wave of diverse candidates across the country who sought, and won, elected office at every level of government. In many ways, Barack Obama’s victory in 2008 and the backlash to the Trump presidency could be viewed as the stimuli for the current diverse field of 2018 contenders, including the Democratic nominees for governor in Florida, Georgia and Maryland, who are African American. But a closer look at Sen. Cory Booker’s seemingly quixotic 2002 campaign for mayor of Newark shows that he may have shaped a nascent coalition of Democrats that, once nationalized, ultimately elected Barack Obama and could help him and Democrats retake the White House in 2020. In the 1990s, crestfallen Dems began winning races by relying on a coalition of working-class white males, black and Latino voters, and so-called latte liberals—high-income, mostly white liberals and progressives. Embedded within these constituencies was a group of young professionals, mostly of color, who were highly educated, earning middle-class or higher incomes, and rejected the Party machine in favor of more candidate-specific and issue-driven political mobilization. Obama tapped into this long-neglected group, which proved instrumental in catapulting him through a rigorous primary contest. But two years before Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a young Cory Booker ran against a political dynasty forged in the civil rights and black-power movements of the ’60s and ’70s. Although initially chastised for being disconnected from it, Booker quickly showed that he sincerely represented its promise. A Stanford and Yale Law graduate, Booker was a Rhodes scholar and embodied a new cohort of African American leaders who embraced the egalitarianism of the civil rights movement and deftly espoused its idealism. As mayor, he could negotiate the intricate spaces within the business and philanthropic communities and marry those efforts to local politics in an effort to revitalize Newark. Booker’s national profile was tempered only by insistence that much of the interest in him be channeled toward Newark’s physical, economic and educational future. Strong investment eventually attracted new residents, smart development and an improvement in student achievement. Whether thundering away during Judiciary Committee hearings or crisscrossing the country on behalf of Democrats looking to retake the House and Senate, Booker’s presidential prospects are rising in key early states like Nevada, New Hampshire and Iowa, where his speeches were greeted with multiple standing ovations. There are strong headwinds. One of his potential primary opponents is the avuncular Joe Biden, who some feel has the right mix of temperament and experience to go after Donald Trump. There’s also the possibility that his judiciary colleague, Kamala Harris from California, may get into the race. Recently another former mayor, New York’s Michael Bloomberg, suggested he would throw his hat in as well. But the biggest challenge for anyone looking for the Democratic Party’s nod in 2020 will be to reform and reinvigorate the Obama-led coalition from 2008, which is currently divided over its future course. Cory Booker may be the best candidate to engage in the reunification due to early experiences assembling interracial and intergenerational alliances. He’ll also have to convince working-class voters—who bought in to the promise of stronger economic opportunity under the current president—that he’s a better builder than Trump ever was. We hope they’ll visit Newark to see for themselves.

BIRTHDAY April 27 AGE 49 HOMETOWN Washington, D.C. POLITICAL PARTY Democratic EDUCATION Stanford University (BA, MA) The Queen’s College, Oxford (MA) Yale University (JD)

Basil Smikle Jr. is a Distinguished Lecturer in Politics and Public Policy at the City University of New York’s Murphy Institute, Political Strategist and former Executive Director of the New York State Democratic Party.

THE PRESS

2020 CANDIDATES:

Kamala Harris Amer The ic

BY WAGATWE WANJUKI

gs To A l l O f Us on Bel eam Dr an Kamala Devi Harris is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from California since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the 32nd Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017. 16

2020 CANDIDATES ISSUE NO. 3

I recently had the opportunity to meet one of my senators, Democrat Kamala Harris on a very humid summer day in New Orleans. It was the Netroots Nation conference, touted as the largest gathering of progressive activists in the United States. While the conference began as space to connect like-minded grassroots organizations in a time when having a blog required HTML knowledge, Netroots turned into something much more mainstream. Now instead of the grassroots chasing political leaders; they come to us. And her presence was clear evidence of that. I remember when I first saw her. I was backstage as my colleagues and I waited to interview her on camera. I didn’t know how to feel about her; I reserved making a complete conclusion on her. But I was wary; my introduction to her has been either unadulated liberal praise, right-wing misogynoiristic vitriol (anti-black sexism faced by black women), or—most importantly—statements from sex workers noting her history of hostility to the very vulnerable group. I kept an open mind however, and I was impressed. As she walked in, I was drawn to her charismatic smile, but it was the entire visual that gave me goosebumps. Not only was a powerful Black woman walking towards me, she was surrounded by Black staffers. And there was something about it, her claiming of Oakland and the way she naturally interacted with her staffers made it feel legit. “Yeah, of course I’d hire Black people. I’m from Oakland,” it seemed to say. I didn’t expect to have such an emotional reaction to seeing someone—a Black woman—like me just be in positions that normally are reserved for a few white men. It didn’t feel like tokenizing; it was just the natural consequences of electing more diverse leaders in action. The effortless Blackness of Kamala’s staff is part of what we have to gain by having a Black woman lead. Instead of the symbolic few people of color on the right, there’s the natural benefit that shows a direct correlation between Harris identities and policies. The senator went out to campaign in support of fellow Black woman Stacey Abrams, showing she won’t shy away from showing solidarity with other Black women and wielding her political power for good. America’s maternal death rate is the highest in rich countries and Black women bear the brunt of it. Sen. Harris helped bring this issue to the national stage by introducing the Maternal Care Access and Reducing Emergencies (CARE) Act, explicitly naming its benefits for Black women. Sen. Harris shows there’s a difference between a senator who happens to be black and a woman, and being a Black female senator. Yet as with any politician who’s made it this far up in the ladder of power, Sen. Harris’ record opens the door for many valid criticisms. While Harris could disrupt the system that’s harmed Black communities since its inception, she is still a part of it. Her roots as a prosecutor is an asset for the typical Washington Beltway pundit, but a threat to the increasingly vocal part of the progressive left pushing for intersectional analyses that wholly condemn the prison-industrial complex. While I’m not expecting Sen. Harris to call for prison abolition, she’s supported and spearheaded political causes that have disproportionately hurt people of color. During her time as California attorney general, she led the crusade that led to Backpage’s demise in spite of vocal opposition from sex workers. Ignoring them came at a particular cost to sex workers of color: without a free tool to safely and discreetly screen clients they are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Voting is merely an exercise in harm reduction for many people of color; it’s not a wholehearted stamp of approval, but rather a choice of what circumstances under which you want to fight for change. An election for President is also an election for the people with whom they surround themselves. A Kamala Harris presidency wouldn’t just be groundbreaking for representation and policy. It’d be an invitation to bring much-needed nuance to the domination narratives about the inherently ambivalent relationship between American politics and community of color—even when it’s a Black woman leading.

BIRTHDAY October 20 AGE 54 HOMETOWN Oakland, California POLITICAL PARTY Democratic EDUCATION Howard University (BA) University of California, Hastings (JD)

Wagatwe Wanjuki is a feminist activist, writer, speaker, and digital strategist best known for her work as a national campus anti-violence advocate.

THE PRESS

2020 CANDIDATES:

BY GERSON BORRERO

Julian Castro

Julián Castro is a Democratic politician who served as the 16th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. Castro served as the mayor of his native San Antonio, Texas from 2009 until he joined Obama’s cabinet in 2014. He was also mentioned as a possible 2016 running mate for Hillary Clinton. He has stated that he is “likely” to run in the 2020 presidential election. 18

2020 CANDIDATES ISSUE NO. 3

Julián Castro is not a born again Latino. There’s no struggle with the truth about who he is or of his past. No embellishment of where he comes from. Julián Castro’s raíces run deep and are solidly founded in his belief in this nation, where diversity has always been the greatest American characteristic, offering the opportunity for a better mañana. Julián doesn’t need a crash course on the civil rights movement, like other wannabe presidential nominees for 2020 may. The 44-year old Texan is not a novice to activism or politics. He’s the “big brother” — born one minute ahead — to an identical twin, Joaquín. Their mother, María “Rosie” Castro, raised her boys immersed in what was to her — and still is for many Latino familias and other people of color — a struggle for equality, economic justice, opportunity, dignity and respect. “My mother is probably the biggest reason that my brother and I are in public service. Growing up, she would take us to a lot of rallies and organizational meetings and other things that are very boring for an 8-, 9-, 10-year-old,” Julián has often said. The political meetings of La Raza Unida party and other gatherings which his mother exposed her twins to had their roots in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s. The struggles of the Mexican-American civil rights were similar to those of the Black Power movement. In those days, movements and struggles of people of color were all subjected to establishment brutality from the police and other government agents. Fellow Americans hell bent on repressing and discrediting anyone that was “other”. As his name emerges as a possible aspirant to the nomination of the Democratic Party for President in 2020 the skill of listening, learned at an early age at the “boring” political events his mom dragged him to, will be defining for Julián. It’s an important attribute to consider as Democrats sort through their candidates. Nowadays our national discourse has turned into how vociferously you can make your points. The decibels at which you can amplify your points is the preferred approach for most politicos. Or, in the case of the current occupant of the White House, bombastic in-your-face insults, distortions and outright mentiras. Julián is not about that. If Democrats are looking for the type of nominee who is bocón in standing up to the titular Commander-In-Chief, then as an Independent, I can assure you: Julián Castro is not your best hope. Julián’s political ascendancy to the 2020 presidential national stage is rooted in a path paved of learning, by serving those that have entrusted him with their hopes. Julián was first elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2001. He was 26 years old. He was then elected Mayor in 2009. In 2012 he became the first Latino ever to deliver the keynote address at a Democratic Convention. In 2014, President Barack Obama offered him the post of U.S. Secretary of HUD. The rapid rise is highlighted by achievement. As Mayor of San Antonio, he led a voter referendum to expand pre-K education and then convinced business leaders in the city to raise $30 million from sales tax to fund the program. Julián may not be the fighter the Democratic Party is looking for. His fights are for policy and the people he represents. He’s not a malcriado who will insult his counterparts in a Democratic primary. If he does seek the White House, his path will be through civility and passionate advocacy. In the current climate, that may be a longshot.

BIRTHDAY September 16 AGE 44 HOMETOWN San Antonio, Texas POLITICAL PARTY Democratic EDUCATION Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD)

Gerson Borrero is an award-winning journalist, radio host, and TV political commentator and one of the most knowledgeable political observers of the Latin community.

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2020 CANDIDATES:

Deval Patrick

AR EA S N O IEVE BEL

BY CHRISTINA M. GREER

TO Deval Laurdine Patrick is an American politician, civil rights lawyer, author, and businessman who served as the 71st Governor of Massachusetts, from 2007 to 2015. He was first elected in 2006, succeeding Mitt Romney who chose not to run for reelection. He was reelected in 2010 and is the only African American to date to have served as Governor of Massachusetts. 20

2020 CANDIDATES ISSUE NO. 3

When thinking about Deval Patrick’s possible 2020 presidential run, I am reminded of the famous Chicago saying, “We don’t want nobody nobody sent.” As of now, Patrick is in some ways a man without a country. He has not held political office since 2015; he is currently a managing director at Bain Capital (the investment firm made famous by millionaire Mitt Romney’s association with it); and he has kept a relatively low profile in Democratic politics over the past few years. Most Americans do not know who Deval Patrick is or how he could ever be considered a contender for what promises to be an incredibly crowded 2020 Democratic presidential field. However, to underestimate Patrick would be a mistake.

BIRTHDAY July 31, 1956

Sometimes the guy nobody sent is just the person you need to get the work done.

EDUCATION Harvard University (BA, JD)

AGE 62 HOMETOWN Chicago, Illinois POLITICAL PARTY Democratic

Patrick has been successful in politics, business and public service. Originally from the South Side of Chicago, he has consistently worked his way through some of the most prestigious institutions in our nation: Milton Academy, Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He’s practiced law at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund as well as at white-shoe law firms. He served as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights division of the United States Department of Justice during Pres. Bill Clinton’s tenure, where he worked on issues including racial profiling and police misconduct. And he was the first black American to be elected as governor of Massachusetts in the history of the state, and only the second black American to be elected governor in the history of the nation. Patrick’s accomplishments are clear, but does he have “it”? It seems like the Democrats are in an era of the fetishized charismatic male politicians— the Barack Obama, Beto O’Rourke, Gavin Newsom and Cory Booker-type candidates—to name just a few. Can Deval Patrick excite and inspire voters across the country with a more understated appeal? The lack of buzz for Patrick may have to do with the fact that he doesn’t seem to have had a moment that makes Democratic voters take notice. Yes, he was a relatively successful governor of a state still synonymous with the Kennedy clan. However, he isn’t in a rock band (that I know of ), or shoveling voters’ walkways or giving lofty speeches to crowded auditoriums…yet. Patrick has been successful in his personal fortunes, but does he exude relatability? Another potential Achilles heel for him could be his corporate relationships. In addition to his employment at Bain Capital, Patrick has served as executive vice president and general counsel of Coca-Cola Co. He worked in similar roles for oil company Texaco. Indeed, business and financial experience will be seen as a plus and a necessity for some within the party. But in a moment when the progressive wing demands some sort of grassroots credentials, will Patrick be able to shed the veneer of a corporate insider who is qualified but aloof ? Time will tell. As 2016 has shown us, voters in this country can be fickle. To quote Emily Dickinson, “The Heart wants what it wants—or else it does not care.” Christina Greer is a Political Scientist at the NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research; an Associate Professor of Political Science and American Studies at Fordham University; Author of Black Ethnics; and Host of The Aftermath podcast on ozy.com

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2020 CANDIDATES:

What if...

empower youth, after hearing Journalist Laura Ingraham suggest he “shut-up and dribble,” as opposed to speaking about politics. “For someone or a body or parties to try and divide us ... I couldn’t let that happen. By using my voice and letting the youth know that I care for them and that I’ll be their voice ... that’s what I’m here for.”

The Fresh Prince of the White House

N PRI CE

D.C. OF OPRAH WINFREY

In 2015 during an interview with CBS, Smith said Donald Trump’s actions may “force” him into politics. And just recently while being interviewed alongside comedian Dave Chappelle, Will Smith teased us again with the idea of him running for President in 2020 with Chappelle on the ticket as Vice President. Is it time for the Fresh Prince of the White House? “If people keep saying all the crazy kinds of stuff they’ve been saying on the news lately about walls and Muslims, they’re going to force me into the political arena. I mean, I gotta be the president… What else would I run for?” 2020 CANDIDATES ISSUE NO. 3

Illustration by: Pauline Shin

LeBron James may be the greatest basketball player of all time. But could he be our President? LeBron grew up in the poorest area of Akron, Ohio. His mother, Gloria James, was 16 years old when she had LeBron. LeBron moved 12 times between the ages 5 and 8. He missed almost 100 days of school in the fourth grade because he couldn’t find transportation to get there. LeBron finally found a stable home environment when his mom sent him to live with his basketball coach at age 9. There, he realized he could use basketball to escape his circumstances. He probably didn’t realize that it would make him a legend, three NBA championships and four MVPs. Despite the success on the court, LeBron said the greatest moment of his career was opening the “I Promise School” in his hometown of Akron. James wanted to create the school because he understands from personal experience as an at-risk youth, that schools need to have the resources and community understanding to help the most vulnerable students overcome the odds. The facility is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. because, James says, he wants the kids in school instead of on the street. LeBron James is the living embodiment of the “American Dream” — with just enough luck and help sprinkled in to allow for his brilliance to grow. If he ran for president, he would be a credible voice for education reform and providing just a little bit more help to poor children who just need a little bit of hope. By working with the public school system in the city of Akron, he’s showing it’s worth investing in public education systems, and with proper funding, cities can run socially and academically ambitious schools. During an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, James explained why he felt the need to use his platform to

FRESH

From King to POTUS

Everybody loves Will Smith. An actor, comedian, rapper and philanthropist, Smith is a man of many talents. Will almost broke the internet earlier this year when he joined Instagram. Now with over 25 million followers, he’s entered a new phase in his life, traveling the world providing inspiration through his genuine appreciation of life. While on this journey to find a higher purpose in life, Smith has flirted with the idea of running for political office. Though Smith didn’t identify any specific political issues driving him toward a run for public office, his philanthropic work and business ventures show a clear interest in climate change. In 2015, Will and his son Jayden created Just, an eco-friendly bottled water company aimed at reducing plastic and carbon dioxide emissions globally. The company makes its packaging from almost entirely renewable resources, including “plastic” derived from sugarcane. The company wants to be the most sustainable water bottle company by providing alternatives to the default plastic bottles.

She will always be our First Lady.

Michelle Obama is the complete opposite of President Donald Trump. Her influence spans across the United States. She’s a successful lawyer with degrees from Harvard and Princeton. During her tenure as First Lady, she advanced girls’ rights and was a fierce advocate for health equity and fighting obesity. In 2010, Obama launched the “Let’s Move!” campaign dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years; giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices; providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food; and helping children become more physically active. Michelle Obama has more social media followers than any active politician in the nation, other than Trump. She has the deeply committed core of supporters that a candidate will need to win. She’s an amazing speaker and can already draw a huge crowd wherever she goes. To her benefit, she is as unlike Trump in almost every way possible. And that’s what it’s going to take to win a presidential campaign in 2020. At a speech in July 2016, Michelle coined the motto “when they go low, we go high.” She recently expanded on the mantra to Blavity (a blog for black millenials), “I absolutely still believe that we’ve got to go high–always and without exception,” she said. “It’s the only way we can keep our dignity. Because if we lose our dignity, what do we have left?” We miss you, Michelle.

OWN-ing 2020

safe to say Oprah would win far and away. But it is not. It is a grueling, down in the mud dogfight that few folks have the stomach for, aside from empty suits with no souls who don’t feel most human emotions. Certainly not people with as much to lose as Ms. Winfrey. Playing pretend presidential candidates is a national pastime, and until Donald Trump actually ran and won, it always was a bridge too far to think someone as famous as Oprah Winfrey would run for the highest office in the land. Well times have changed. And we aren’t talking the Obama-type hope and change, we are talking about the seismic shift that has changed U.S. politics in a way the country may never recover from. All that said, what if Oprah decided to give up her creature comforts, put her personal life in the public eye and take the plunge. If the national media or pollsters have any say then her chances depend on the day. Take this NPR piece from earlier this year titled, “Oprah Beats Trump In NPR Poll, But Most Americans Don’t Want Her To Run For President.” Then you have a public policy poll from 2017 written up in Vanity Fair proclaiming “Oprah Should Reconsider Her Presidential Run, New Poll Shows.” Proximity to Oprah is even a thing when it comes to vying to be the leader of the free world, as evidenced in yet another Vanity Fair article titled, “Marianne Williamson, Friend of Oprah, Is Running for President.” But consider it for a second. A black woman born in the south to a teenage mom and an absentee dad, whose rocket ship rise to stardom included so many firsts for a black woman in news, business and everything in between, actually running for President. Having the benefit of hard knock upbringing, picking herself up from her bootstraps to become a billionaire who has played a mix of mom, psychiatrist and therapist to millions of Americans through their teevees for decades is a pretty damn good start for a stump speech. Obama has cheered her, Trump once floated her as a possible Vice President, and she wouldn’t even need the campaign donations. Well, we are positive she would be taking money from left, right and center because folks would be giving it. While openly a Democrat, with her kind of wealth, and some interesting positions and public statements over the years, it would be tough to figure out exactly her positions on most things everyday Americans care about, we are sorry to say it isn’t really worth the exercise, because we put the chances of her running at approximately zero. So while Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. All we have here is most likely a fantasy, and hopefully a reality that doesn’t include DJT for much longer.

YOU GET A PRESIDENT

Everyone knows Oprah. Some people love Oprah. Some people loathe Oprah, but everyone has watched Oprah. If the Democratic primary for President of the United States was based on name recognition alone, it would be pretty THE PRESS

BRAZIL THEIR OWN TRU JAIR BOL 57 percent to 74 percent (Observatory Source PNE). Finally—and this argument is especially interesting despite many liberal economists’ concerns about the party’s rules—Brazil’s international reserves actually increased dramatically throughout this period, from US$37.6 billion to US$370 billion (Brazilian Central Bank).

Words by VIVIANE D’AVILLA Photographs by PEDRO CURI

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The thing I hear most from people who think differently from me and voted for Jair Bolsonaro in the presidential election in Brazil is that the Workers’ Party imploded Brazil. They argue that during the almost 14 years in which it was responsible for the executive branch, the party wrecked the economy, and all social progress previously attained was rolled back. What supposedly was perpetrated in Brazil was a macabre plan of the Workers’ Party to transform the country into a Bolivarian dictatorship with a communist regime, where progressive values being taught at school were in reality an education that “fosters gayness.” Although many say these things, they do not realize that Mr. Bolsonaro is much more akin to an extremist dictator of the likes of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro than the Workers’ Party’s candidate himself, Fernando Haddad. To better understand the criticism directed at the Workers’ Party, I researched different economic indicators that could help me comprehend the country’s economic landscape before and after the party held the executive branch. From

2003-2016, the minimumwage rate grew by 64 percent, far above the inflation rates that spanned this same time period (Ministry of Finance, IBGE). During the same period, the infant mortality rate fell from 21.5 to 14 for every 1,000 born (IBGE). The illiteracy rate in Brazil decreased by 42 percent (Ministry of Education), and the percentage of 16-year-olds with a high school diploma rose from

Given such favorable indicators, how is it possible that an “alt right” candidate comfortably leads the presidential election? In my opinion, journalists and “big media” played an important role in this process. This occurred in the United States with Donald Trump, and now the same thing is happening in Brazil with Mr. Bolsonaro. In the last 15-20 years, the access to information increased dramatically. At some point, we celebrated the capability of reading the

best newspapers in the world on the internet for free. After this trend, access of these papers increased so much that they stopped agreeing to share their content freely online. They tried engaging with Facebook, but once again “big media” got stuck competing with the ideas of cranky old uncles, grandpas, cousins or friends—who surround themselves by an overwhelming amount of fake, and sometimes true, news—that constantly gets shared on social media. In sum, good and responsible news became scarce for the general populace. And that was when the problem began, precisely when WhatsApp stormed into the market with all of its benefits and drawbacks. Meanwhile, information traveled through different platforms. Mr. Bolsonaro became the sweetheart of comedy shows that mocked his abrasive yet comic and goofy style, creating the visibility he needed to become the most popular presidential candidate. In doing so, the shows made it possible for all his neofascist rhetoric to acquire resonance. Worse still, by failing to foresee the unprecedented growth of alt-right movements across the country, these media channels effectively bolstered Mr. Bolsonaro’s candidacy and his extremist ideology even more. He was the right person at the right time, and Brazilian citizens embarked on a generalized feeling of nostalgia, tricking each other into thinking that traditional values and old habits are the most romantic ways of viewing a country in crisis. This came at the cost of fear—fear for the novel transformations of modernity—and this

ISSUE NO.3

ELECTS R VERY RUMP IN LSONARO fear generated panic in a confused, poorly informed and individualist society.

Now we’ve arrived at the crux of the issue: The media channels allied the political and economic crisis in Brazil with the intense media coverage and the uncontrollable sharing of false information on WhatsApp groups and other social media networks where one cannot track down hate. This fake news and the manipulation of information brought about the old sadistic, moralistic, conservative and misogynist speech that was buried away in our country since our last dictator, João Figueiredo. Brazilian democracy shrieks at the sight of so many misinformed people giving repercussion to shallow arguments that have no foundation in reason whatsoever. I hope that we come to realize that what is happening to our country right now has happened before, and that Mr. Bolsonaro is not what he appeared to be during this election, i.e., a more sensible, economically liberal-leaning candidate. Mr. Bolsonaro is a myth within a country where “everything is valid except the Workers’ Party”; in a country plagued by sexism, racism and homophobia;

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in a place where 40 percent of the population has never bought a book, and where only six families control the nation’s big media. Mr. Bolsonaro was elected by promising to cut workers’ rights in a country where the majority of the population is poor; promising to privatize education in a country where more than 80 percent study in public schools; being sexist in a country where 50 percent of the electorate are women; being racist in a country where 53 percent of the population is black; and being homophobic in a country where an estimated 15 percent of the population is LGBT, and which has the highest number of LGBT homicides in the world.

his economic policies clear, without properly explaining his public security policies, giving barely any interviews to the press, threatening minorities, publicly defending historically known torturers of the former Brazilian military regime, bullying opposition,

he used the name of God in vain to propagate hatred and prejudice.

and publicly expressing his desire to abolish any form of activism. He was elected despite having said in the past that he would “close the Supreme Court and Congress” if he was elected, and despite inviting numerous military and exmilitary officials to occupy different positions within the government’s ministries. Moreover, although proclaiming himself a nationalist, Mr. Bolsonaro is all in favor of handing national sovereignty over the Amazon forest and Brazil’s reserves of pre-salt oil to foreign investors. Finally,

be his minister of justice, despite the fact that Lula led early polls ascertaining voting intention in the country. With all of this, how is it we can remove the military from power? Brazil is much closer to Venezuela, North Korea, the Philippines or any other authoritarian government than it ever was during the Workers’ Party’s 14 years as head of the executive branch.

To complete the lack of ethics, a week after being elected, Mr. Bolsonaro invited the judge who arrested former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to

Mr. Bolsonaro is not our savior; he is only bait that will attract a shoal of fish into a deceiving trap.

Mr. Bolsonaro promised to abolish free college education in a country in which most academic knowledge is acquired within the federation’s universities. He was elected without making

Poles And Politics Stripper & Activist Gizelle Marie’s Fight For Sex Workers’ Dignity

“This is going to be a movement that will forever go in time. I’m not going to stop. This is beyond New York; I’m speaking for women all over this country.” Gizelle Marie has spent the last 12 years working as a dancer at strip clubs throughout the nation. Her experience has led her to become the voice of the sex-workers movement in New York. The turning point for Gizelle came a couple of years back, while dancing at a Las Vegas strip club. That is where she learned about the prevalence of pimping. It was a wakeup call. “I talked to the women like I talk to the women here, and it dawned on me that a lot of these women were being trafficked,” said Gizelle. “A woman told me she couldn’t leave until she met her quota, which is cool because the clubs out there are 24 hours so if I had that option, I would hustle the same way. But when I asked her about her quota, she told me, ‘If I don’t meet my quota, my daddy is going to be mad at me.’” Gizelle said it wasn’t just the young women being manipulated and trapped into the pimp game. Older women were falling victim to it as well. And it wasn’t just an issue in Vegas. Gizelle said there’s a pimping system in New York, which is much more upsetting because the strippers and bartenders are being cheated out of their money and forced to do more than they signed up for. “People don’t think there are pimps out here in New York but there are. There’s just a different term for it—they’re called managers,” she said. “These owners and these promoters created what I call a pimp system. It’s where they’re controlling how the women make their money.” Gizelle said the pimp system kicked off in 2017, not too long after New York’s highest court ruled that clubs could no longer skirt a 2001 zoning law through the “60/40 loophole,” which permits adult businesses to remain open as long as no more than 40 percent of their floor space is devoted to adult material. The court decision forced more than half of the city’s clubs to close,

limiting jobs for strippers and forcing them to compete with one another to make ends meet. The legal ruling has changed the face of urban strip clubs and given birth to the city’s pimp system, Gizelle claims. “When I first started dancing, men came to the strip clubs, bought individual drinks and paid the dancers,” said Gizelle. “Now people go to strip clubs in groups. Owners and managers grew focused on selling bottles and incorporating these promoters so you have these groups of people buying bottles instead of individual drinks, forcing bartenders to work harder to sell bottles. This was a major issue because now we have scammers using fake or stolen cards to buy bottles, or you have people spending so much money on bottles that they’re not even paying the dancers. The money got so dry and the competition grew so much that women were resorting to having sex with the promoters just to keep their jobs.” Sometimes, even sleeping with a promoter under duress wouldn’t save a woman’s job, Gizelle said. When Gizelle spoke up about this, she was banned from a number of strip clubs in the city. “Promoters, and even bartenders, started getting mad at me because I was telling this truth. Promoters started telling me if I don’t like it, I could move away and leave. I was like why would you tell me that? Do you know how hard my livelihood is? Imagine telling this to a woman with four kids, trying to get them through school. So because she’s trying to speak up because she doesn’t like the way she’s being treated, she should just move away and start a life someplace else. It’s not that simple,” said Gizelle. “This is the misconception. There’s so much stigma behind dancers that we’re dirty, we’re nasty, but really we’re just working women like everyone else, doing a job to survive.” Gizelle said that on top of the change in the way clubs were run, the limited number of open strip clubs in the city also forced women to compete against one another. “It’s not fair that we’re getting our money cut short because we have to battle against another woman,” said Gi-

Words by: Ariel Hernandez Photos by: Sasha Maslov

POLES & POLITICS ISSUE NO. 3

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zelle. “We shouldn’t be doing that. We should be working together, but the government created this environment where it’s like a patriarchal system. They made it that we go against each other. And it’s not fair because we’re the same but yet they made it a competition and it becomes even more difficult when you have to make money and feel like the next person is going to take it.” An incident in October 2017 took Gizelle’s advocacy in another direction. Strippers from Starlets Gentlemen’s Club, located in Queens, were complaining after more than $100,000 was thrown on the dance floor in one night. Bartenders went home with approximately $20,000 each and the dancers weren’t paid. Gizelle was in Washington, D.C., when it happened. She had just finished dancing at a homecoming party at Howard University when she opened Snapchat and saw the videos of dancers and bartenders tussling for money. “The difference between me and the women on Snapchat is that those women were complaining to their fans as if they’re the only ones going through it,” said Gizelle. “All of the women in the sex-worker industry are being shortchanged and taken advantage of because they think they don’t have rights. These women are living paycheck to paycheck as if they’re working a 9-to-5 job. They can’t manage their money because they’re not making a plethora amount. The people benefiting off of us being there are the club owners and the bartenders. This is a job where we’re being paid to entertain people. Why are we being treated like animals?” While many use social media to stay in touch with the world, Gizelle used her platform to advocate for sex-worker rights, starting the conversation. “It ended up blowing up because people started chiming in and getting defensive because I started speaking up,” said Gizelle. “I’m not going to hold you; there was a point where I got so scared because I wasn’t sure what sorts of reactions I was going to get, so I turtled in until I started hearing positive feedback from women that were glad someone was finally willing to speak up.” Gizelle said her movement became so big and widely recognized because she’s a black woman speaking up in an extremely racist industry. “Race is a big problem in all strip clubs,” she said. “Upscale strip clubs don’t hire black women. For every 100 women in a club, there are only about five to 10 black women, and that’s in all states in this country.” Given that Gizelle is both Puerto Rican and Bahamian, she received some backlash from members of the black community, who felt that as a Hispanic woman, she had no right to speak for black women. “I can’t express this enough: There are black Hispanic women,” she said. “But I found a way to fight against all the bashing I got and this became a thing. There were far more people supporting me as a black woman speaking about the injustices towards women in this industry where you don’t hear it loud enough.” It was because of Gizelle’s loud activism that strippers— like Nuni, a 25-year-old stripper in New York City—have become more open about what really goes down in strip clubs. 28

As an African American woman with non-straight hair, Nuni was only landing stripping gigs at Queens clubs, which have an aggressive environment, demanding managers and patrons who prefer “twerking” to “talking,” she said. Nuni said she hated working there and the pay was not good, but she did it because as a graduate student at the New School in Manhattan, she had to find a way to make full-time money working a part-time job in order to pay for school. After her bad experiences dancing at clubs like Show Palace and Gallagher’s, Nuni said she finally realized that it was her hair that was preventing her from getting a job at strip clubs in Manhattan. She went from braids to straight hair and began to get hired at upscale Manhattan strip clubs, making as much as $1,500 on a good night. Nuni said that rather than see strip clubs close, leaving women out of jobs, she would have preferred to see owners make changes so the clubs could remain open. Closing them down just leaves a lot of the dancers out of work, she said, especially if their bodies or overall appearance doesn’t fit the criteria to dance at strip clubs in Manhattan. “In black strip clubs, you can’t dance if you don’t have body augmentation. But you can’t work in white strip clubs with that, so a lot of girls will have to travel very far for work or be out of a job. And it seems unfortunate to me that a lot of the women who do spend a lot on their body strip because they don’t have another option,” said Nuni. “So for someone that doesn’t have another option, to be out of a job that they changed themselves to get, but can’t get a job in a similar place because of it, is very problematic. Nuni also openly shared with The Press that she’s not only been sexually assaulted a number of times, but was also raped once at a strip club. She said a manager at the club helped arrange the interaction with one of the club’s regular patrons. After the rape, she had to seek counseling. “In the strip club industry, women that were raped are scared to speak up because of the stigma we’re automatically affiliated with,” said Gizelle. “We’re entertainers. We dance for money. Just like any other woman in this world working any other job, we should never be forced to do something we don’t want to do. There are women that have sex for money by choice. But then there are women that don’t. Not all sex workers have sex for money. ‘Sex worker’ is just a blank term for anything or anyone that is in the sex-work industry, whether it be strippers, porn stars or prostitutes. We are still women and we deserve the same rights!” “Women in the strip-club scene that were raped are scared to speak about it,” she added. “How could you believe someone that says they were sexually assaulted when they’re already looked at as a sexual product? We’re still women at the end of the day.” With over 82,000 followers on Instagram, Gizelle has been so vocal that just recently she was asked to speak at a class at John Jay College about her movement. POLES & POLITICS ISSUE NO. 3

THE PRESS

“It was one of those situations where I realized that my voice is really powerful,” she said. “And what a lot of people in this industry fail to realize is that we’re all one in the same. Whether we’re in here or not, we’re still dealing with the same issues so why not try to make the change over all? A lot of sex workers feel like nothing is ever going to change. When I started this whole thing, I started to look outside of just this industry and I started looking at different parts of the sex worker industry, and when I started seeing that there’s laws being changed on us, I was like that’s not good.” Her overall goals are to create services for sex workers, particularly strippers that are undergoing financial struggles because of the bad economic times at strip clubs. She hopes to provide housing options to women left homeless, and ultimately provide a path for strippers out of work to go back to school — potentially with a focus on getting a psychology degree so they could offer mental health services to other sex workers. Gizelle also aspires to one day opening up her own club — and be the first black woman strip club owner in New York City. So far Gizelle has partnered with organizations such as SOARS, a nonprofit that focuses on providing services for the transgender community, and has been vocal at marches such as the Hore Walk in California and the Women’s March in Washington, DC. Gizelle also sees hope for positive change for sex workers following the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Congress. A former bartender, Ocasio-Cortez has openly opposed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act (SESTA) that Trump signed earlier this year in an effort to end sex trafficking online. Ocasio-Cortez went on the record saying, “It is important that we make a clear distinction between sex work and human trafficking.” Gizelle said this could finally mean momentum in women’s rights and could lead to a sex worker movement that ushers in a lasting sex workers movement that educates the public, and eventually leads to legislative change. Earlier this month, more than 100 women were elected to the House of Representatives for the first time, which also gives Gizelle hope. “We don’t only have Cortez, we also have [Ilhan Omar], the Somalian woman that just won the congress seat in Minnesota,” said Gizelle. “Sex work is huge in Africa. It’s survival out there. I’m hoping and praying that there’s women like her that speak up for the injustice of the women that use sex work for survival.” Although Gizelle has faith in the new women in power, she said they can’t do it alone, which is why she plans to work tirelessly getting the word out, whether it be on social media, through word of mouth or at women’s marches to let women know that they need to speak up and let their voices be heard. “People need to realize that it’s not just the politicians that have to do all the work. It’s us, the women, that need to invest in us women,” said Gizelle. “The same way it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to create change.” 30

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THE PRESS

We recently launched our monthly sex column Pro Hoe at an intimate event hosted at Brooklyn’s Sincerely Tommy concept store. Pro Hoe is a sexually liberated column that uses the humorous, honest and candid sexual experiences of Penda N’diaye in an effort to create a space for people of color to share and communicate their sexual desires without societal bias and stigma. Here’s a few of our favorite pictures, quotes and questions from the event.

Special thanks to all of our event partners: Sponsor: PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF NEW YORK CITY; SINCERELY TOMMY CONCEPT STORE; THE OPRAH ROSE SHOW; MAUDE SEX TOYS; DAME PRODUCTS; UNBOUND BABES; REGGIE SCOTT SMITH & ANTWAN DUNCAN

“The Pro Hoe event hosted by The Press Magazine created a safer space in community to speak about sexuality. Local community members led important conversations on sex positivity and destigmatizing pleasure, which was a breath of fresh air for the young professionals of color that attended. By the end of the event, people were hugging and thanking one another for being there! It was a warm and welcoming environment and necessary conversation. Planned Parenthood of New York City is so thankful to have been a part of it!” -Karen Ortiz, Adult Sexuality Coordinator, Planned Parenthood of New York City

PRO HOE ISSUE NO. 3

G R B C

“We’re talking about rock hard dicks” - anonymous

“I appreciate your boldness and openness to engage a room full of brown lives and bodies—I myself am exploring what I want my sex life to actually look like as a cis-hetero black male. I’ve grown up in conservative spaces where sex was taboo, untaught, frowned upon, and demonized. I still sought out my own experiences, but masqueraded in the dark.” - anonymous

Get the Right Birth Control THE PRESS

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Book online at ppnyc.org Or call 212.965.7000 33

Super Soaker BY PENDA N’DIAYE

When I first saw a woman squirt on a porn website, I was convinced that this was some sort of sorcery that only the most minuscule percentage of women could achieve. And for them to practically gush waterfalls on command? I laugh now thinking back to when cumming multiple times in a row was success enough. The bar had been raised, my dice were on the table, and let me tell you, I like to win. At the time I was in a relationship with a man, Mr. R, a former swinger turned monogamist per my personal request, who enjoyed sexual exploration as much as I do. This wasn’t my first time dating a swinger: My boyfriend before him had a weird fascination with wanting to watch me have sex with other men in front of him. At the time I wasn’t emotionally capable of understanding why anyone would want to share their partner in such an intimate way. Needless to say, the relationship didn’t Iast because I could never quiet my not so quiet inner thoughts that screamed, “You are sexually inadequate.” In retrospect, I can understand his unique preferences and perhaps a more secure and confident future version of myself would be down to put on the best show possible for said guests. I am a performer, after all. Mr. R and I did have some sexual encounters with multiple people which proved to be more of a learning experience than anything else. It was only after having a foursome in which the other woman involved kept going down on me that I realized I wasn’t really sexually attracted to women. (Bish, whet?) Yes, a tongue is a tongue, but you can’t trick the mind. A perfect example that proves that we can directly correlate sexual arousal to our psychological states. The second lesson came for my partner Mr. R after a threesome when he realized he needed more attention from me while we were playing

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with other people. And the most important lesson of all came after a failed attempt to meet up with another couple: I’m a selfish muthatrucker. Let’s just say that these previous experiences with multiple partners were well manicured facades that I wore in order to appear free spirited and was masquerading as the “sexy, crazy, cool, chick”, while realistically I was always thinking, “I own that dick.” Perhaps not the best mantra to have in a scenario where you’re literally expected to share all of yourself. I write this to highlight the level of comfort that existed between myself and Mr. R. After we had reached the point of complete and utter unabashed sex, squirting was the next feat on our Pro Hoe list. One night, he bent me over on the bed, one leg lifted, slowly put himself inside of me and soon after I felt a warm sensation trickling down my leg. I didn’t know exactly what happened, and to be honest, there was no clear indication beforehand that my body was at the brink of female ejaculation. Let me be clear, my first squirt wasn’t the exploding, sprinkler, broken sink type of squirt that you necessarily see in porn movies, but no victory is too small. He was elated! It was his first time making a woman squirt and we both felt like we had broken down some forbidden wall (pun intended). My porn aspirations had come true in the privacy of our own bedroom. I have never wished we had made a sex tape so voraciously. I was so wet, I had the largest grin on my face and we had some of the best sex of our relationship to follow. One memorable night, Mr. R had made me squirt and after a long time having sex, I was frankly exhausted. But he insisted that I squirt again. He placed a towel on the end of the bed, made me get on all fours and started fingering me from behind. This was the most liquid I’ve ever seen leave my vagina, lol. You know your “orgasm face”? Imagine that expression on your face for 10 seconds and everything around you being still. The “Black Beatle Challenge” has nothing on my stoic squirting face. Needless to say, we’ll both remember those purple sheets and seeing a huge puddle of womanly goodness despite the towel for a long time to come. After my first “she-jaculation”, it was as if the gates had opened and squirting became a sexual conquest for us to achieve during each session. It was progressively easier for me to squirt and for Mr. R and I to pinpoint the exact areas that needed stimulation. I know some of you want to know precisely how to make it happen and this much I can offer to you: It is definitely reliant on an emotional and physical vulnerability. I’m talking about spreading my legs with the lights on with everything to share and feeling confident in all that is exposed. And said partner is in no way timid to take their time exploring. Can you really expect to let all of those good juices flow while being modest? The most surprising revelation is that we had only just hit the tip of the iceberg. I’ve never been the largest fan of finger banging, but ya’ll, if your partner puts some elbow grease into it (two fingers minimum) after you’re already dripping wet, it won’t disappoint. When their fingers are going in and out, try to focus on relaxing your vagina and the contact being applied to your G-Spot. The G-spot is said to be an erotic zone at the front of the vagina, and this area is intimately connected with the urethra. Often, women mistake the sensation right before squirting for having to go pee. Squirting is not pee, but rather a fluid which contains a natural chemical called prostate-specific antigen. This indicates that the liquid most likely comes from structures called Skene’s glands, which are rather like the female equivalent of the male prostate. They are very tiny structures, located near the opening of the urethra. There is no doubt that pressing on the area of the G-spot would affect the above-mentioned Skene’s glands, which are said by some to be the source of female ejaculation. If your partner is not quite hitting the spot, have them curve their fingers up slightly, similar to the stroke of a curved dick. Don’t we all love a curved dick?? Are the few women who squirt on a regular basis some sort of sexual prodigies who represent the highest form of female sexual euphoria? Have we set the orgasmic threshold to an unachievable high? Have women finally discovered our unparalleled superpower? I truly hope that more women and men can discover how to make their partners squirt, it is indubitably one of the most freeing, spontaneous, unique experiences that my female body has ever unveiled. Speaking of the unmatched sexual power that is a woman’s body, I leave you with a quote from Michael Coel, creator and writer of Chewing Gum: ““Guy: So...what do you do for fun? Me: I really enjoy flirting all night then coming home alone, to my couch, where I masturbate in solitude, turned on by an alternate life in which I’m braver and more entitled to men’s bodies. You?” THE PRESS

POSITION OF THE MONTH: The Lotus

Cuffing season has officially begun. No position can get you closer to your new cuddy buddy than ‘The Lotus’ How to: First, one partner sits on a sturdy surface with legs crossed. Next, looking face to face with the partner that’s sitting, the other partner sits in their lap and wraps their legs around their partner’s waist. Next, you begin to grind and rock in a lateral motion that allows for an amazing penetration.

AFRICA IS NOT FOR SALE WORDS BY FOLASADE ADEOSO PHOTOGRAPHER: KOFI DUA STYLIST: GERRIT DEKU AUTHOR: YONNIE LAUBHOUET-AKADIÉ

This statement evokes reflection and engagement from anyone concerned with the future of Africa as a continent and Africans as a group of people. For as long as our generation can remember, Africa has been a battlefield for wealth and resources between Western nations. The most famous ones, France and the “France-Afrique” system, and Great Britain with the Commonwealth of nations or Commonwealth, a system reuniting their former colonies. France-Afrique, for instance, is a term used to describe the economic and political relationship of France and its former colonies. It is characterized by exploitation and an excessive interference of France in the affairs of its former colonies. For the history, a man named Jacques Foccart, “the man in the shadows”, was given the task of maintaining the dependence of the former colonies towards France. For that, heads of state who were “friends of France” were selected and through war, assassination and electoral fraud, the system was maintained. To the “guardians” of the neo-colonial order, Paris offered a share of the income from the exploitation of the continent’s raw materials and also from development aid. Another key element of France’s exploitation of Africa is the Franc CFA, a currency keeping nations using it in a state of semi-slavery. The currency is exclusively printed in France and directly linked to the euro, meaning that it has a fixed exchange rate with the euro and therefore follows the variations of that currency. To guarantee this fixed rate, the countries of the CFA zone must deposit 50% of their foreign exchange reserves to the French Treasury annually. Think of it as you coming to my house once a month to steal all my furniture, and me still having to give you half of my salary. Although the British are less aggressive than the french, both countries have had the same negative impact on the progress of the continent and the same agenda: Divide and conquer.

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THE PRESS

In a world infused with capitalism and blighted by imperialism, Africa is the most desired piece on the global chessboard.

With around 10,000 firms operating on the continent, China is the “new” player and a threat to the western establishment in Africa. Because of international media outlets, we tend to believe that China is trying to take control the same way European countries and their neo-colonialist system did. However, China is not getting involved in African affairs and Chinese firms are creating more value compared to European companies, especially in terms of infrastructure. The problem in Sino-African relationship lies in the terms in which they deal with African governments and the freedom some of them are given. From all that is seen and shown, can we say that the partnership between Africa and China will really benefit the continent? If not, who is to blame? The question we must ask ourselves is, why aren’t we capable of creating sustainable industries and transform what we have without a blind reliance on outside forces? Why aren’t we capable of building the real “Wakanda”, as some will say? Now, it’s always easy to point fingers and put all the misfortune of Africa on the back of the West or China but there is an AFRICAN saying reminding us that: “If there is no

enemy within, the enemy outside cannot hurt.” Cooperation is good but African leaders need to rethink how they define it and how they can use it for the best interest of their countries and ultimately of the continent. AFRICA IS NOT FOR SALE is a message to Africans. What are we doing about it? Each one of us, at our individual level, regardless of location? We call ourselves modern, go abroad to study, wear suit and ties, crave their food, idealize their societies, lose ourselves in their belief systems, yet, most of us are incapable of thinking and living within an African paradigm. As a group, Africans have to remember that if today Africa is in this situation, it’s because the people allowed it. Of course there was gunpowder, lies and terror involved, but Africa started to fall the minute Africans adopted the lifestyle and beliefs of others, and when they loved it more than their own. Forgetting their original greatness and accepting the lies… As we recall the words of Indira Gandhi, “A nation’s strength ultimately consists in what it can do on its own, and not in what it can borrow from others.” For African nations, Self sufficiency is key. But self sufficiency is not only in terms of economic power. It also involves how strong we are when we stay rooted in what makes us AFRICAN and how proudly we embrace it. Let’s go back to the understanding of our own beliefs systems and our own way of doing things in education, architecture, spirituality, health and wellness, policy making and everything that constitutes the essence of a nation. As a collective force, we must think of how we can promote a sustainable “MADE IN AFRICA” way of thinking and living. We must think of the future, and positive progress. For instance, how do we encourage or create businesses that serve local and global markets? How do we empower ourselves wherever we are? How to reform our colonial education system based upon our cultures? How do we prepare the next generations of leaders and innovators? These are some of the questions we must answer in order to build that Africa.

AFRICA IS NOT FOR SALE is a reminder that no one is going to develop Africa except Africans. Today, we are making history and let’s make sure it’s positive. We have a duty to start building that African dream NOW. And please, don’t fall in the “Africa is cool”, “Africa rising” trap, Africa has always been great, you just didn’t know about it. What a time to be African and as Thomas Sankara said, “we must dare to invent the future.” AFRICA IS NOT FOR SALE. 38

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THE PRESS

The Press spoke with Susy Oludele: Nigerian entrepreneur, celebrity hairstylist, owner of Hair By Susy, and an East New York advocate about her career and anticipated coffee table book, LADY. The book is full of stunning imagery that celebrates women andblackhair. A few clients who have experienced that magic Susy brings to the industry include Beyonce, Solange Knowles, ZoĂŤ Kravitz and Justine Skye.

Words by: The Press Photos by: Dylan Forsberg

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THE PRESS

THE PRESS: DO YOU EVER NAME YOUR WIGS? SUSY OLUDELE: Sometimes. This one is Firefox. That one is Tropical Paradise. This one I made for Instagram. Instagram invited me to speak on a panel with other dope influencers: Dapper Dan, Well Read Black Girl and some others. We spoke about social media and its effect on our respective industries. TP: DO YOU FEEL LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA GAVE YOU THE PLATFORM FOR YOUR CAREER TO EXCEL? SO: Absolutely, growing up in a Nigerian household, we couldn’t really go anywhere except church, haha. There was a lot of time to do nothing. So the internet was an escape for me . It was a great place and a bad place. It’s important to know yourself before you’re engulfed with the constant comparison and competition. I’m a Tumblr kid, I used to always post my photos and something would go viral. Some people would think I was so weird and crazy and others thought what I was posting was so dope. So I just said whatever and kept posting. YouTube was the next social platform that really inspired me. My mom used to do my hair growing up and one day she said that she wouldn’t do it anymore and that I needed to figure it out on my own. That’s when I started braiding on myself, friends and neighbors. I would see certain styles on the internet but I always wanted to take it up a notch. TP: HAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN A PILLAR OF YOUR COMMUNITY? SO: Yeah, I was working and braiding hair in my house

all day and realized I didn’t have a social life. So I started inviting all of my friends over. People would come over and rap battle and I had a room that I rented out to visual artists. I would have friends come and help me braid. So, I created my own little community. That was God’s purpose. TP: IS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE CHANGING THE GAME? SO: Even while I was filming with Uber, people in the neighborhood saw what was going on and were surprised to see Uber in their streets. They felt inspired. They felt like there was hope. At the end of the day, we ask ourselves, “Why are we doing what we do?” Whatever you’re doing, I feel like it’s important to inspire the next person. I have a client who is an NBA sportscaster. When I finished her hair and she walked outside, people were in awe and so shocked to see someone from television in our so-called “forgotten” neighborhood. TP: HOW DID YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH UBER BRING ARTISTS, BUSINESS AND INSPIRATION TO EAST NEW YORK? SO: I think when I did Beyoncé’s hair. Or maybe when I got the call to do Beyoncé’s hair. I remember seeing Solange on television and she was in Brooklyn! I thought to myself, “She’s so dope and she’s in Brooklyn. Why doesn’t she come to my shop!?!” Three months later her team hit me up and I thought it was spam. When I realized it was a real opportunity I was so

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happy. Manifestation mixed with hard work. After I did Beyoncé’s hair for Lemonade, I thought, “Wow, this is it.” But I realized it was only the beginning. There’s still so much stuff I need to do. TP: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE YOUR BOOK, LADY? SO: I always flipped through magazines and hair books and felt like something was missing. The photos weren’t very intimate and never spoke to me on a fashion and hair level. So, I decided to create a book that celebrated women through stories, quotes, hair and fashion. I wanted to show the future of the beauty industry. The book pays homage to people who have put so much hard work into this industry. It’s mostly a visual book with some text. TP: WHAT’S NEXT FOR HAIR BY SUSY? SO: My main plan right now is to build hair-braiding schools. I want to go back to Nigeria. Everything that we’re doing here, I want to carry back to Africa. I want to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Some people don’t have opportunity or access. I’m not sure where or when the first Hair By Susy School will open, but it will happen when it’s meant to happen.

THE PRESS

Ghanaian Artist Serge Attukwei Clottey Pioneers “Afrogallonism” BY THE PRESS

Serge Attukwei Clottey, 360 La (2018) (performance). Photo Nii Odzenma. Courtesy of Gallery 1957, Accra.jpg

Based in Accra, Clottey is most known for working with yellow plastic containers which are a powerful symbol in his native Ghana. Through this material, he explores issues of the environment, consumerism within the African landscape and relations with the Western world. Originally filled with oil and sold to Ghana from the West, his practice involves cutting, melting, and stitching the versatile plastic material, migrating the work back to the West now as an Artwork. He calls this technique “Afrogallonism”. His performance installations are intended to highlight Ghana’s soaring levels of pollution and to draw attention

to social injustice. In the La district of Accra in Ghana, you will find a road carpeted with giant yellow plastic tapestries, that resemble the fictional “yellow brick road” of Wizard of Oz. Clottey described the installation’s motivation to BBC as “a rebellion against the country’s property rights” referencing the fact that many poor communities cannot prove land ownership due to a lack of proper documentation. An inspiration to his community in Ghana, Serge Attukwei Clottey will present a solo booth with Gallery 1957, Accra at this year’s UNTITLED, Miami Beach (5-9 December).

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Gallery 1957 are exhibiting at UNTITLED, Miami Beach with work from Serge Attukwei Clottey, 5-9 December 2018, www.gallery1957.com

Serge Attukwei Clottey, Awaken i (2018). Image courtesy of the artist and Gallery 1957, Accra.jpg

Serge Attukwei Clottey, Nothing else matters (2018). Image courtesy of the artist and Gallery 1957, Accra.jpg

THE PRESS

The Plug Trisha Dodson is a Brooklyn-based stylist currently working as the costume production assistant for the upcoming season of Power on Starz debuting in 2019 and the current season of HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness. BASICS WHO ARE YOU? I am Trisha Dodson. WHAT DO YOU DO? I work in Costume Design, Styling & Social Media marketing/Influencer. WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO? I do what I do because of passion. I am obsessed with wardrobe styling from my personal perspective as it has helped build confidence and fuel creativity. WHERE ARE YOU BASED? I am based in Brooklyn, NY. SECURING THE BAG PROFESSIONALLY, WHAT’S YOUR GOAL? My goal is to continuously evolve. I want others to join my movement as I brand myself with my unique design aesthetic. WHAT DO YOU DO TO KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED AND INTERESTED IN YOUR WORK? To keep myself motivated, I seek inspiration from music, the general public; NYers, friends and family. I draw inspiration from each individuals personal style and tailor it as my own.

WERE YOU EVER REJECTED? IF SO, HOW DID IT AFFECT YOUR CAREER? I’ve experienced many rejections both personal & professional. It taught me the power of patience & forced a stronger work ethic that allows me to grind harder than before. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN? The best piece of advice I’ve been given is to never get comfortable. The moment you start to feel comfortable, is the moment it’s time to ‘level up.’ DOES YOUR WORK AIM TO COMMENT ON CURRENT SOCIAL OR POLITICAL ISSUES? IF YES, HOW? My work automatically aims to comment on both current social and political issues as it comes directly from a black perspective. JUST CURIOUS... WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ’90S JAM? Favorite?! Whew, I have so many! Ok, one favorite is You Gotta Be by Des’ree. This song gives me so many feels.

Photos by: Sasha Maslov

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE BY YOURSELF? When I’m by myself, I self reflect, pray & seek inspiration through music. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED? I would like to be remembered as a source of inspiration, someone who could make you laugh in the toughest situation, someone who loved, smiled and stayed true to herself. 46

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The Plug is a monthly column dedicated to profiling minorities who are up and coming in the world, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music, fashion, politics, entertainment, etc. For submissions for The Plug feature email penda@thepressmag.com