UNFILTERED by UNSUBSCRIBE MAGAZINE

Gypsea Lust 46

Kelly Maker 26

Casa Guatemala 18 Issue 4 1

Fernweh; (N.) Wanderlust, A Desire to Travel, A longing for far-off places Cover story: Lauren Bullen @Gypsea_Lust pg. 46

table of contents 12

The 'Wonder of Asia'

08 Editor's Letter

18 Casa Guatemala

34 EV Hooks

26 Kelly Maker: The Stone Fox

36 Salam Neighbor

44 Stripped Down

56 Arc Apparel

Gypsea Lust

Un/Cuffed: The Nick Yarris Story

70 Emte Boutique

66 Pop!

76 Smart Cities

80 12 Months of Summer

94 A Letter to Mindfulness

88 How You Glow

Dear Daughters, Always honor yourself. In doing so, you honor your people, your ancestors, your descendants, and your time on earth. Live with dignity, grace, integrity and nobility. And Love yourself. This world wants to take things from you as a woman. Most of all it wants to take your self-Love. Once it has that, it has you. Stay free. You belong to you. You are a sovereign soul. Live in Love with yourself.

Jaiya John

letter

editor’s

‘Unfiltered’, seems to be an anomaly in today’s world. Technology, social media, and the selfie obsessed society we live in seems to pride perfection over sincerity, illusion over reality, and filtered moments over unfiltered ones. When did we begin to value others’ perceptions of us and our lives, more than the experience we have in living our own life ourselves? When did the perfect filter on a selfie supercede the beauty of the story showcased in the wrinkles and freckles of our face? When did it become more important to connect with millions of people on social media than to connect with our fellow neighbours? Why do we choose to portray a version of ourselves - a public self - so foreign to our private self, when revealing our real selves is the only way we can live a genuine, truly happy and connected life?

The moment that life became a game of perception and not reality, we lost the two most beautiful aspects of humanity: vulnerability, and love. These two gifts go hand in hand, because without being honest, real, raw and vulnerable, a true, unabashed love cannot exist. When we deny others the opportunity to know who we are behind the many masks we wear as our public self, we deny others the opportunity to extend and connect with us in an exemplary depth of love. The human experience is a raw one. It’s exhilarating, it’s challenging, it’s painful and it’s meant to be lived in community. It’s meant to be shared. When we disguise ourselves perpetually, we are not sharing our beauty and light with our community and we are denying others’ the gift of ourselves. We are denying ourselves the reception of love and sincere connections with others. This magazine issue explores the many aspects and perspectives of ‘unfiltered’. However, to me, ‘unfiltered’ is synonymous with ‘gift’. Unfiltered moments are gifts, unfiltered relationships are gifts, unfiltered glimpses into others’ souls are gifts. We inherently know this; that is why we can’t stop the tears from flowing when children extend vulnerability and love without condition; this is why we connect with films and stories of characters rising

to triumph and combatting their obstacles. We are able to champion the characters whose lives we witness, because their vulnerabilities, their insecurities, their challenges are fully exposed. We don’t judge them, we don’t criticize them; rather, we cheer for them. We root for the underdog because we recognize ourselves in the underdog to some extent. We feel connected to them. We are all vulnerable, we are all insecure, we are all confronted with challenges. But we all seem afraid to expose these aspects of ourselves . This is where the gift of connection and the gift of love gets stolen from us. Is it a matter of self worth? Is it a matter of self acceptance? Is it a matter of relinquishing the need for third party validation? Is it a matter of societal pressure and persuasion? Is it a matter of competition? Is it a matter of comparison and a desire to showcase ourselves in a better light compared to others? Is it an extension of the technological changes we are living in? This issue explores some of these angles and asks you to ponder how you are filtered and how you can embrace a more unfiltered self. You are a gift, your life is a gift and your vulnerabilities are a gift - not only to yourself but to all those around you. Embrace them. Share them. Be proud of them. Love yourself through them, and by virtue allow others to love you- not despite them, but because of them. If hiding behind filters is a form of competing with others, even subconsciously, opt to deviate from that and embrace the precious gift of sharing your true self. Furthermore, this month is when another gift to humanity is celebrated - the gift of women. Although recognizing women should occur everyday, International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8th is when the world pauses for a moment to thank the heroines of this earth for their unique place amongst us. This year, March 8th, however also provided me personally with an extra special gift - the birth of my daughter Isla Rae. I am writing this letter with her curled against my chest, exactly one week after her birth, and words cannot express the gratitude in my heart at the gift of her little life. It saddens me that in so many parts

of this world women are still treated as second class citizens; daughters are still not welcomed as happily as sons; little girls are denied the same opportunities and rights as little boys; and women are fighting uphill battles to have their voices heard, their bodies respected, and their experiences represented. As Isla’s proud mother, we are dedicating this issue to combatting gender based violence and gender inequality. This issue honours the light that all little girls and women represent in our world; may their lights continue to shine despite their challenges; may their voices continue to rise despite those who persistently work to shut them up; may their hearts continue to flourish in love and compassion, both for one another and humanity at large. Women are the heartbeat of this world and it is a privilege to have a daughter; it is a privilege to be a sister, to be a mother, and to revel in the gift of womanhood this month and always. My hope is that as women we embrace our unfiltered versions of ourselves; that society is not allowed to squash our self esteem, to silence our strength, or to turn us against one another. It’s time we all started to value our unfiltered selves and moments more, embracing life and the many aspects of our life experiences rather than focusing on the illusion and perception we wish for others to see. Competition and pride are not serving us. This is not living. This is not loving. This is not truly embracing the full magnitude of the human experience. As you began your journey through this issue, I’ll leave you with an excerpt from one of my favourite quotes by Rudy Francisco, “… the human heart beats approximately 4,000 times per hour and each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words ‘you’re alive’ so act like it.” Remember that you are a gift. Your life is a gift. Worts and all. So, go live. Fall in love. With yourself, and with others. And above all, shine, baby shine. //

without filters

‘unfiltered’: the gift of embracing a life

Photo by Erica O’Genski from “Pure & Sweet Photography”

the team Robyn G o o di ng Wo o l s t on / Brend o n Wo o l s t o n /

e d i t o r

c r e a t i v e

bow ie m o k

c r e a t i v e

Davi d S h i h

m e d i a

i n

c h i e f

p r o d u c e r

d i r e c t o r

s t r a t e g y

Jessica Smith, Storm Smith, Sarah Stewart, Lauren Bullen, Jack Morris, Heather Graham, Megan Ewing, Peter McDermott, Farrah Todosichuk, Darby Andersson, Emma Stevenson, Nick Yarris, Jessie De Lowe, Tara Sowlaty, Kelly Maker, Lukas Bennett, Nishal Kumar, Chris Temple, Mohab Khattab, Sarah Scali, Devan Valenti, Adam Gil / Photographers + Writers Thank you to everyone featured in this issue, keep unsubscribing and living the life you were destined for… remember, you don’t need permission to colour outside the lines.

   Copyright Unsubscribe Magazine Ltd., 2017. All rights reserved. All material is completely copyright and reproduction without consent from the Publisher is prohibited. Every possible measure has been taken to ensure the accuracy of content and ownership of photography, some of which has been provided by the Features and has been published with their permission. Unsubscribe Magazine will not be held liable or responsible for any inaccuracies or omissions which may have occurred. We will, however, gladly acknowledge any errors in subsequent issues to account for and rectify any honest mistakes. // Address: PO Box 95, Port Vila, Vanuatu

The “ Wonder of Asia

”

Words + Images: Sarah Scali

Wherever you are right now, whatever you’re doing, stop and take a moment away from your everyday stresses to imagine yourself totally relaxed and at ease. Envision bright sunshine, turquoise waters, swaying palm trees, and long stretches of soft, white, nearly deserted sand. Imagine the sound of nothing but the birds in the sky and the waves as they gently lapse the shore. Picture in the same place, vibrant colors everywhere you look. A technicoloured paradise of lush trees, flavor-filled food and kind, welcoming people. Visualize a scenic train ride that takes you from here, through lush green hills dotted with tea plantations, past ancient temples, to small, culture filled towns. To tropical, lowland rain forests and national parks that are home to exotic wildlife from land to sea; elusive leopards, herds of elephants, enormous whales, schools of dolphins, tropical fish, and hundreds of species of colorful birds. Envision a place of unfiltered, unprecedented beauty. This dream-like place you’ve imagined is not imaginary at all, this place is Sri Lanka. Nestled in the Indian Ocean, surrounded by bountiful waves and exotic beauty, Sri Lanka is a tropical and incredibly diverse island with an abundance to offer. If pristine beaches, splendid terrains, rising waves, misty mountains, majestic elephants, tasty tea, fantastic food and friendly faces could be summed up in a country, this would be that country. Sri Lanka is home to many religions, ethnicities and languages that have contributed to its diverse character and cultural make up. It has also been influenced by the British, Dutch, Portuguese and neighboring India. This blending of character can best be seen through the many World Heritage sites and ancient cities. From remarkable architectural gems like Kandy, to the natural beauty of Sigiriya, to southern, Portuguese influenced towns like Galle, to the sacred Golden Temples of Dambulla, a pilgrimage 12

site dating back 22 centuries; anyone with a historical inclination will find Sri Lanka fascinating. It’s also a foodie paradise, a true culinary delight offering an array of spicy foods, exotic local fruits and a variety of sweetmeats found nowhere else in the world. From the traditional breakfast of hoppers, sambol and dahl to the fresh seafood and flavorful curries; when you explore Sri Lanka, your taste buds are the ones on a real journey.

Envision a place of unfiltered, unprecedented beauty. This dream-like place you’ve imagined is not imaginary at all, this place is Sri Lanka. Credited to its small size, everything is also within a short distance, making it easy to get around and see a lot within a limited amount of time. Not to mention that transportation within the country is cheap, convenient and a scenic adventure in itself. From the blue coastal belt to the green mountains, train tracks snake through lush tropical forests one hour and by contrast perfectly untouched beaches the next. Rail travel is indisputably one of the best ways to experience the varied landscapes of the country. In spite of all this, Sri Lanka still harbors an undiscovered feel, which can be credited in part to the absence of industrial hotels and franchised shops that pop up as a result of hoards of foreign tourists.

“ if you can be anything, be kind. ”

The country has also faced tremendous amount of hardship in recent history marred by a twenty-six year long civil war that ended decisively but controversially in a military victory in 2009. Extensive devastation from the 2004 Tsunami can also be attributed to setbacks that temporarily took Sri Lanka off the tourist map. On the mend now however, it has the undoubted potential to explode with tourism as more and more people discover all it has to offer. So, we’ve glossed over nature, history, food and landscape, all reasons why Sri Lanka is bursting with wonder. However, I believe the real reason Sri Lanka has affectionately come to be known as the “Wonder of Asia”, is because of its people. This next statement might come as a shock since I am from a country with a reputation for having the friendliest people in the world, but Canadians have nothing on Sri Lankans in the kindness and hospitality department. Sri Lankan’s are hands down the most incredibly kind and welcoming people I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering. While this may sound terribly cliché, for all the amazing sites I saw, mountains I climbed, beaches I laid on, temples I visited and food I ate here, nothing encapsulated me more than the genuine kindness of strangers. Sure, I’ve traveled to a number of countries and it’s well known among travelers that some cultures really are just friendlier and more outgoing to strangers than others, but Sri Lanka stood out in a way I’ve never experienced in my years of globetrotting.

As a female traveler, although I want to be open to every experience and each person I meet, the reality is wherever I go, I also know that I have to be cautious and listen to my intuition to ensure I’m not putting myself in potentially dangerous situations in foreign places. Having spent three years living and traveling in Asia, I’ve gotten used to Tuk Tuk and taxi drivers who follow “the foreigner” around trying to coerce them into a ride at ten times the local price. I’ve gotten used to locals more frequently approaching me near tourist sites. As a result of my lived experiences, unfortunately, my initial thought is usually that when I’m being approached by a local in a foreign country near a tourist attraction, it’s someone trying to sell me something or ask for money in one way or another. In Sri Lanka however, this was not my While this may sound terribly cliché, for all the experience at all. Tuk Tuk drivers wanted to help me get to where amazing sites I saw, mountains I climbed, beaches I needed to go safely and at a fair rate. Locals approached instead out of curiosity, often asking where I laid on, temples I visited and food I ate here, I was from and how I was enjoying their country, with no ulterior nothing encapsulated me more than the genuine motive. No hassle, no sales pitch, no scam, just genuine curiosity and kindness of strangers. people happy to engage with a traveler before wishing me well on my way.

I relished these simple encounters which helped me to best understand this remarkable country and the people in it. From arrival to departure, I felt at home everywhere I went because of the people I interacted with. Whether that was from five minute conversations with restaurant or hotel staff, smiling passer-byers on the street, waving children or deep conversations on long car rides with my driver, Sura (who was the nicest, most genuine person I’ve ever met). I always got the sense that Sri Lankans want you, the foreigner, to experience all the wonderful things that their country has to offer. Some of the fondest memories I’ll hold of this trip were the long windy drives with Sura from town to town that were broken up by pit stops and detours to road side stalls to try everything from curried cashews to king coconuts and exotic fruits native to Sri Lanka. Conversations often started with “have you ever had/do they have…in your country” and ended with “let’s stop here so you can try…and let me know what you think.” Without agenda, Sura wanted to ensure that we tried everything uniquely Sri Lankan in order to get the full experience and that we, “the strangers”, would feel at home. Saying a temporary goodbye to Sura in the parking lot of a crowded train station was not a goodbye at all, as he insisted on waiting an hour at the platform for the train to arrive to ensure a safe departure, smiling and waving as the train pulled away, like any family member would. At one point in our travels, I fell ill and without even missing a beat, Sura went out of his way to buy me the traditional medicine he gives his own children when they’re not feeling well so I would not miss out on any part of my trip.

he insisted on waiting an hour at the platform for the train to arrive to ensure a safe departure, smiling and waving as the train pulled away, like any family member would.

These overwhelming yet simple gestures of kindness sum up the warm, caring nature of Sri Lankan people who truly embody the idea that “if you can be anything, be kind.” In a world that each day seems to be shrouded further in darkness, where it has become harder and harder to read the news or log onto social media without feeling psychologically destroyed; it has become more glaringly obvious than ever before that the world could use more kindness. When we are experiencing the world through a lens of kindness, we are naturally more likely to see the good in others. Sri Lanka helped me to better understand that in an interdependent world, we can’t experience anything alone or without the kindness of strangers. When we practice kindness we change for the better, and so does the world around us. And the world could sure use a lot more kindness and Sri Lankan hospitality. //

CASA GUATEMALA

Words: UN Mag interview with Heather Graham, Executive Director Casa Guatemala / Support Casa Guatemala Children (Canada)

Casa Guatemala has been caring for the most vulnerable children in Guatemala for the last 40 years. Our main focus has always been providing for orphaned, malnourished, abused and poverty stricken children and our role has grown and evolved with the needs of the culture and society we serve. During the Civil War our focus was on caring for the orphaned and abandoned children that were brought to us as wards of the state. We received children who were starving and near death and others who had lost their parents or even their whole village. Our main goal at that time was to bring these children to health and get them away from the trauma they had suffered so they could grow up in a safe environment. This was the vision that created the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Village in Rio Dulce. Since 1987 we have operated our home for the children - school, clinic and farm at our isolated riverside location that is only accessible by water. We were able to take the children out of the city and bring them to our jungle paradise. As the country changed, so did Casa Guatemala. When we came to Rio Dulce we were able to offer our services to the local indigenous children from the surrounding villages as well as the children in our legal care. We continued to work with adoptions and medical missions while also providing education, nutrition and health care to the Mayan communities who had no access otherwise. In 2007 adoption laws in Guatemala changed and international adoptions were discontinued. This brought about a major change in our focus as we stopped receiving orphaned children from the state and focused on raising the children in our care who would no longer have the chance to be adopted out. As these children grew older and became adults, we were able to serve more and more of the isolated Mayan Communities who lacked access to education and had high levels of malnutrition and low literacy rates. Currently, we are no longer considered an orphanage. We are more like a free boarding school. All of the children in our care come from families who are unable to provide for them. We are now serving families from 30 different Qâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;eqchi Mayan communities to ensure that their children receive a proper education, healthy meals and medical care. We feel that providing these services to the families most in need of them, we are working preventatively to lessen the number of children who are orphaned and abandoned. By providing the foundations of education, nutrition and healthcare we are bringing long term, high impact chances to those who rely on us so that one day, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need our services at all.

Photos: Peter McDermott

Photos: Farrah Todosichuk

What are the profiles of the children you work with? Where do they come from? What are their needs? The children that we work with are 87% Mayan Q’eqchi indigenous while the minority 13% are ladino children. We have a pretty even split between boys and girls, and of the 215 children we have currently in our care, 115 live with us on site and the other 100 travel to and from the children’s village daily. Some of the kids walk from the adjacent village and others come by boat. The families who rely on our services are some of the poorest in the country. Many families rely only on subsistence farming and fishing. The parents rarely have more than a primary school education if any, and many of the mothers only speak the Mayan Q’eqchi language as they were never given the chance to go to school. Most of the villages are in the department of Izabal but we are also receiving some children from the department of Alta Verapaz. Many of the children who live onsite have to walk for 4 to 8 hours to get to their villages which means they often don’t go home unless there is a holiday long weekend or scheduled week off. The majority of the kids come with only the clothes on their backs and generally only speak Q’eqchi when they arrive. Most of them have never had electricity, indoor plumbing or even running water. As much as they come from very basic beginnings, they are for the most part, very happy children who excel in their environment once they have gotten used to their new surroundings. One of the things we hear the most is that people can’t believe how loving and happy the kids are. They thrive here and are quickly speaking Spanish as well as their native tongue and before we know it, are learning English too. We create a large family dynamic with the help of our staff and volunteers who help to inspire and drive them to dream big and never give up on their goals. Their needs are basic and universal. We are talking about kids who have always lived on the bottom level of Maslow’s pyramid. A few clothes, a treasured teddy bear and a pair of flip flops make up their worldly possessions and they are completely content. We provide them with the basics so that they can focus on learning and growing. What is your volunteer base? How heavily do you depend on volunteers? We have two volunteer programs: a long term and a short term. We depend more on our long-term volunteers who work directly with the children on a day to day basis as house supervisors and as teachers. Our volunteers are support for our local staff which consists of the teachers, cooks, maintenance staff and house supervisors.

Most volunteers will work in the houses taking care of the kids during the hours they are not in school. This means getting them up in the morning, helping with their chores and getting ready for school. The volunteers also supervise the kids during lunch time and then again after school and on the weekends. They get to create activities and games for the kids during their free time, help them with their homework and making sure everyone is getting along and behaving. Thankfully our staff is always there to help the volunteers with this! Volunteers who are able to stay for the whole school year are able to teach our English Class or work in our Library and we also have volunteers who are doctors and nurses who work in our clinic.

Our volunteers bring the outside world to our little jungle paradise. They expose the kids to many different cultures, professions and ideals. They come from Europe and North America mostly but we also have some Australians, New Zealanders and even a few people from China have volunteered with us. We ask that all volunteers speak basic Spanish and stay for at least 3 months. They also have to be at least 22 years old so that there is a level of maturity, and appropriate age difference between the volunteers and the older kids. It is not easy to live in the jungle and our environment is very basic. We have a volunteer house where there is no electricity or hot water, though we now have a small solar panel that provides some light in the night. We usually have between 8 and 20 volunteers at any time but having at least 16 is best to cover all of the groups of kids and shifts. Everyone works for 3 weeks and then has a week off to travel and rest. It is really an unforgettable experience where people make friends for life. Our short-term program is more like voluntourism. I think that Voluntourism gets a bad reputation because there are a lot of bad examples out there who really are focused more on the funds than the good that people can do. That said, small organizations like Casa Guatemala really

I know we are not changing the whole world but for the people who we do help, we are changing their whole world, and to me that is what it is all about. benefit from the extra funding that short term volunteer experiences provide. Not everyone has three months off to volunteer long term and I think it is really great that there are people who want to do something good for others on vacation! When you come to somewhere like Guatemala, you are mesmerized by the beauty but you can’t miss the dire poverty. It is there in your face everywhere you go so it makes sense to me that people want to help somehow even if they are not really sure how. So, for us to be able to offer a short-term program, where people can stay at our hotel, eat in our restaurant and spend the day helping in our school is mutually beneficial. We keep our programs very different so that there is a clear difference for the kids as to who are the longterm volunteers who live onsite and those who are only there for a week or two since they come and go each day and don’t have as much one on one time with the kids. We try to make it so that they feel like they are being helpful by having them help the English teacher or Librarian, and if they would like we also give them the option to help in the kitchen or on the farm. We have many groups come that do great things! They not only pay for their stay, they also raise funds to work on a project while they are here so we are able to build, paint, fix or plant something! We always have things that need to be fixed up and it really helps to have groups to buy plants for the garden and it is something really fulfilling for them since they are able to see the finished product of their efforts. I can’t speak for all organizations, but I think that it’s possible to have a really good voluntourism program that allows people to do good and feel good while on vacation. What is the meaning of your work on a personal level? I came to Casa Guatemala as a volunteer in 2001 and only planned to be here for 3 months. I ended up staying for 3 years and it made me realize that this was what I wanted to do with my life. It is incredibly fulfilling to see the impact we are making on the lives of the kids we care for. When I came, we were still operating as an orphanage so many of the kids that were little when I first arrived are now all grown up. We are still a very close family and this will always be their home. The emotional connection that I have with these kids is really what keeps me here. I think I would have a hard time moving 22

back to Canada and trying to find a job that gives me this much personal satisfaction. I really like that we can help so many people and that our efforts have a long-term impact in their lives. To me, education is really the key to solving so many of the world’s biggest problems. By giving these kids the skills they need to be successful they break free from poverty. Girls who are in school don’t get married at 14. They don’t start having babies at 15. They don’t have 8 kids who they can barely afford to feed. Girls who are in school stay in school until they are at least 18 or 20. They don’t get married until they graduate and usually to someone they met at school who also graduated. They know that they only want to have 2 or 3 kids so that they can afford to feed them and send them to school too. And just like that, you have changed an entire culture and cycle of poverty and suffering for those people. I feel very blessed that I am able to be a part of that. We are just a small organization and I know we are not changing the whole world but for the people who we do help, we are changing their whole world, and to me that is what it is all about. It’s easy to become overwhelmed with despair if you look at all the problems of the world so for me, doing this has allowed me to focus on the positive change, and being a part of that is what truly brings me happiness.

Our theme of this issue is ‘unfiltered’, what does that evoke for you? We talk about poop a lot. And skin infections. It’s pretty unfiltered and quickly becomes the norm around here. Between the volunteers and the kids, there is pretty much always someone with diarrhea or a weird skin issue. So we need to be constantly asking: How’s your poop? What’s its consistency? How many days has it been that way? How’s that fungal rash? Have you started antibiotics yet? These are our everyday dinner table kind of discussions! Our world is definitely not for the faint of heart. It may sound gross and to some uncomfortable, but it’s something you really have to be careful of and you can’t hide away suffering in silence! We often deal with cases of lice, scabies, or parasites that the kids bring from home and sometimes that means that the volunteers will also get them. And so that is what we talk about a lot!

Can you share any personal inspiring stories from your experience as part of Casa Guatemala? I think I am inspired everyday here by the people and how hard they work to see their children have the chance to go to school. But also, I am inspired by our kids who have grown up to become such amazing adults. There are many of them and they all have different stories and paths but one who stands out to me is Elmer who is now in his last year of law school and who works in our office handling all of the legal paperwork. He is amazing and my right hand in everything that we do. He grew up with Casa Guatemala but has a family who couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to put him through school so he has been with us since he was a toddler. He has always been one of the kids who saw the value in working hard and making the best of what was offered to him. He is a great example to the other kids as well who really look up to him. Elmer is also on our board of directors so even though he may move on to a job where he can work as a lawyer when he graduates, he will always be part of our organization and part of our family. It has been so amazing to watch him and the others grow up into well adjusted, responsible adults. Another example is Axel who is also now on our board of directors. He and his brother grew up with us at Casa Guatemala and he was able to get a scholarship to study medicine in Cuba. Now he is a doctor in Guatemala City and is incredibly smart! We are very proud of him and all that he has achieved. They are not all doctors and lawyers but for me, as long as they can become loving parents who are able to care for their children and create their own families I am incredibly proud of them. How can others get involved and support the organization? On our website, we have options to volunteer, sponsor a child, make a donation or start a fundraiser. These are really the best way for people to help and depending on what your level of commitment is, there is something for everyone! So, if you have been reading this and think, hey, where do I sign up, then you should send us your application and come and volunteer! There are some of the best and cheapest language schools in the world in Guatemala so there are lots of places to go and learn Spanish before you arrive at Casa Guatemala. Many of our volunteers have gone for a month of classes in Antigua or Lake Atitlan and then come to work with us in Rio Dulce and have been very successful with their Spanish. We really want to promote our sponsorship program since it was just started last year with profiles of all the kids posted to our site. It would be incredible if we could get sponsors for all of them! It is a great motivation for the kids to know that there is someone out there in the world who believes in them. It also really helps us with our funding. We use the money from the sponsorship program to pay for the education program which is our biggest expense since we

employ 20 teachers including the house supervisors. Having a steady stream of funding for the school would really help us cover our monthly costs. Sponsorships are $50 a month but we have our website set up so donors can choose to give a one time donation or a monthly donation of their choice; therefore, even if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to give $50 a month, you can still make an impact. We have found that Crowdfunding is a great way to convert our supporters into fundraisers! We hooked up with Crowdrise so that people can create their own fundraising campaigns on our behalf. We are supported by our affiliate charities, Friends of Guatemalan Children in the USA and Support Casa Guatemala Children in Canada and both charities are set up on our site to receive fundraisers. Where does the majority of your funding come from? We are supported by our affiliate charities Friends of Guatemalan Children in the USA and Support Casa Guatemala Children in Canada which helps a lot since our supporters are able to make tax deductible donations from both countries. Since we are also a registered charity here in Guatemala, we receive tax deductible donations from Guatemalan donors and companies as well. Our major corporate sponsor is a local oil and gas company called Perenco and they supply us with the majority of our dry goods every year. They have also contributed with the donation of a new generator, a computer class and lots of building materials. We also receive an annual grant from the company Mapfre from Spain. We have a lot of major donors who support us in the US and Canada who have been helping us for many years. One of our most generous supporter is Lennox McNeely from Canada who rebuilt the majority of our building for us when we were hit by an earthquake in 1999. Since then he has been our guardian angel, not only making major contributions every year but also helping us to secure new donors by speaking on our behalf to his friends and family. In addition to our donors, we also generate our own funds thanks to our social enterprise, Hotel Backpackers. Since 1995 we have run our hotel and restaurant in the nearby town of Rio Dulce. The hotel provides a constant source of income for Casa Guatemala while also providing meaningful job training for the older children.

Photos: Farrah Todosichuk (Page 20), Peter McDermott (Page 21)

We still have many of our older kids, who are now adults working at the hotel and we try to hire young people from the local communities so that they can get experience in the tourism industry. The hotel provides an average of 20% of our funding so it is really a big help. We run our volunteer vacation program at the hotel so that our short-term volunteers are doubling their impact when they sign up to volunteer with us. The payment they make goes 100% to Casa Guatemala instead of having to pay for their food and lodging elsewhere.

I just keep going and somehow it keeps working out! I would like have enough money even to cover six months at a time so I could focus more on strategic planning for the future. Eventually I would like to expand our services to include middle school since we currently can only offer from pre-kinder through 6th grade. It is very hard for the families to send their kids on to higher education because there is no access to schools in most of the villages. Many of the children who finish primary school with us

Can you speak about running a non profit as a business, and the business model that you have found to work best? Casa Guatemala has always been very entrepreneurial. Our founder Angie Galdamez always had the goal to become self-sustainable with the businesses we run. We have our hotel and restaurant as well as a shop and we have a farm where we raise animals and grow fruits and vegetables. In the past, our farm was very big and we had 10,000 chickens and 200 pigs but we were not able to keep up with the big supermarkets when they made it to our town so we have scaled down a lot. Now we mostly raise animals for the kids to eat. But we bring in products from the city to our shop and it is very popular with the locals and expats of the community. We are always looking for ways that we can improve the income of our businesses so that we have a regular income to cover the costs of our projects while providing job training to the youth from the communities we serve. When running a non-profit, you absolutely have to treat it like a business. You need to be able to explain to your donors what their return on investment is and show them the impact of their dollars. I decided to get a degree in Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary Alberta and it was a great decision. The majority of the classes were business classes which really helped us in understanding how to run an organization the most efficiently and effectively possible. The head of our program was Naheed Nenshi, who is now the Mayor of Calgary so we were very lucky to gain his insight and instruction. I think that my time at Mount Royal really prepared me for my current role and has helped me to run our businesses and our organization. What are the long term hopes for the organization? We would love to see the organization have a steady stream of funds so that we are not always struggling just to get by. We were hit very hard by the recession and have been struggling to get back on our financial feet ever since. We have some regular donors and grants we receive, but for the most part it is always very hard to cover all of our costs. Personally, I feel like I am always playing catch up and never have time to be proactive because I am always stuck trying to make sure we have enough to get by on a month by month basis. It can be pretty stressful but

are able to go to high school thanks to scholarships we are able to attain for them but not everyone. Our goal is to make sure all of the kids who graduate have the opportunity to continue their studies and finish high school. What would you say to anyone interested in volunteering at Casa Guatemala? What should they expect / be prepared for / expect to contribute etc? I would say that they have to have an open mind and a great big heart. It is hard work in an extreme environment with limited resources. We do our best with what we have available and we need volunteers who can set aside their preconceptions and be ready to learn. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to meet people from all over the world as well as all of the local people who work with us. It is an amazing experience and the love that you get from the kids will stay with you for the rest of your life! You need to have a lot of patience though and be ready for extreme heat, rain, spiders, scorpions, monkeys and mosquitoes! There are a lot of challenges but the rewards outweigh them. In the end, I think that the volunteers really get out what they put in and the more active and involved you are the greater your experience will be. Our volunteers work hard and often exceed their 8 hours a day. They contribute to have special parties for the kids and take them on trips and often to buy special foods they

All volunteers make a onetime donation of $300 to join our team but after that they are welcome to stay as long as they like and return whenever they want. We don’t want to charge more because we want our program to be accessible and inclusive. We are a secular organization and are happy to receive volunteers from all backgrounds and religions. All volunteers must provide a police record check and cover their own travel and insurance costs. What would the organization’s ‘un-’ word be?

Photos: Megan Ewing

The first ‘un’ word that comes to my mind would be ‘uncertain’ because we have always had to struggle so much just to stay afloat. For years, we operated in crisis mode where the only way we communicated with our donors was with a cry for help. We are always uncertain as to where we will get our funding from and if it will be enough to keep us going. Thankfully we are also unrelenting! And even though there has been so much uncertainty we have always persevered and continued on believing that we could make it work and we have! So, I am going to say that our word is unrelenting! We have been around now for 40 years and have made it through a civil war, a major earthquake, a ban on international adoptions and a global financial crisis. We have helped thousands of children in that time and we will continue to reach out to support the children who are most vulnerable and who need our help. // 25

Kelly The

Maker:

Stone

Fox

Words: UN Mag interview with Kelly Maker Imagery: Kelly Maker 26

Kelly Maker, visual artist and photographer out of Melbourne, Australia talks to us about what it means to be unfiltered as an artist … On her art … It’s very collage based. I call them edits as it’s mainly taking existing images and adding or taking away elements to create something new. An assemblage of different pieces, whether moving or still or even overlaying my own illustrations and line work. On women as her muse … There’s no denying that women stand in a league of their own within art and have for centuries been the source of inspiration and muse for many artists. I’m really no different in this observation and can appreciate a wellcomposed image and see the potential in it for further creativity. I’ve never had that kind of inspiration when looking at an image of a man. On the format of her art … Like most women, I’ve always been fascinated and influenced by the editorial style images that dominate the media. And moving into the social media age, it’s more prominent than ever. It’s just always inspired me and I’ve always wanted to be a part of it in any way I can. I’m lucky that through the collages I create, it’s allowed me to meet and work with a lot of these people and see beyond the image, thus feeling an even greater connection to the subject I’m editing. Around a year ago I started doing a lot of 35mm photography. One of my first jobs shooting for a vintage clothing brand really inspired me to dive into editing images myself. At this point I was printing the images and hand drawing on them different psychedelic shapes and lots of bright colors. I got a really great response and I think that drove me to explore further different ways of image manipulation. I also love books and am an avid collector of old, worn down novels of any kind. You’ll notice a lot of my pages I use are also in French, another obsession of mine and a language I’ve been learning since I was six years old. So I guess it all just fell in place and here we are.

On art evoking a sense of freedom and rebellion … 99% of the time my shoots will be extremely sporadic and frenzied. It almost forces the model to just go with it, let go and have fun, which results in the entire day being one big play around with no pressures and no worries! I also love shooting on warm sunny days and that definitely makes both myself and all those helping out feel really free and chilled out. I’ve always hated the frenzy about my approach and wish I could be more organized with a whole team to help me... but at the end of the day I guess what I’m doing is working, so no point fixing something that isn’t broken! On ‘unfiltered’ creativity … An artist’s biggest asset is being able to let go and let their whole unfiltered selves flow into the work they do. If you’re creating something authentic, whether it be a photograph, a painting, or a collage, if you love it and are passionate about it, a viewer will be able to see this and feel this in your work. The most successful people and the happiest are generally those who don’t let societal constraints dictate their lives and don’t feel guilt about that either. As women, we are the most affected by these things. What to wear how to act and how to feel. It’s being able to consciously decide for yourself what you want to be, and if people try to bring you down because they disagree, being able to ignore that and move forward.

On a dream subject … I have about 50 dream subjects but my main one right now is Phoebe Tonkin. I used to watch her on “H2o: Just add water” and what kid doesn’t want to be a mermaid?! Then I saw her in the matteau swim campaign and she emanates this female freedom and strength that I would just love to capture. Even just meeting her would be a dream. On creative ruts… I find myself in creative ruts more often than I would like to admit! A lot of my work is very repetitive and it definitely frustrates me when I feel myself creating the same thing countless times. When this happens though I’ll usually take a day to try and think of something new to do. I might organise a shoot or just talk to other creatives to get a vibe going. Collaboration is the best for when I feel stuck! There are so many people out there with so many different ideas and even just being in the same room as them and bouncing ideas off each other really makes me feel empowered and excited to create new stuff! ‘Un-’ word … I had to think on this a bit but I kept coming back to ‘unflinching’. Essentially, I am determined to achieve my goals. // Follow on instagram @kellymaker

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Unfilteredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; means having the courage to find your voice and saying what you want to say 33

Tesla’s Simple Solution:

EV HOOKS Nishal Kumar is an entrepreneur and Geophysicist from Vancouver, Canada. UN Mag sat down with him to find out more about his company, EV Hooks - a simple solution for Tesla vehicles.

What is EV Hooks all about? This may come as a surprise to you, but Tesla vehicles do not have anywhere to hang your coat or drying cleaning! EV Hooks is a simple, elegant solution for hanging clothes or dry cleaning in the Tesla Model S and Model X. “EV” stands for electric vehicle and “Hooks” stands for coat hooks. Where are your clients based? I have customers all over the world, from Canada and the US, to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and even all the way down in Australia. My customers include high profile individuals such as C-suite executives of fortune 500 companies and even a Prime Minister. What inspired the concept? While working for Tesla, I noticed a few simple interior features that were missing when compared to other luxury cars. Coat hooks were a big one, and seeing as how many of the owners were professionals, they needed somewhere to hang their suit jacket or a load of dry cleaning. I noticed this opportunity and got started designing my first prototype.

A story of entrepreneurship and ingenuity

How has the road of entrepreneurship looked for you? From a young age, I always liked to play around with various toys, mostly taking them apart and then building them back up to see how they were made! A couple years ago, I started my first company with some friends while finishing up my degree, and quickly learned what my shortcomings were as an entrepreneur and a leader. I took time to read more, network and develop a more creative approach to entrepreneurship, which led me to be able to hone in on my inventive personality and start solving problems in a more effective way. I feel this is just the beginning and I am still learning more on a daily basis than I could have ever imagined. What have been the biggest challenges and happiest surprises about building a business? One key challenge is that with many ideas, and constant brainstorming it’s sometime difficult to determine which idea to pursue and build into a reality. I think it’s always important to assess what you can do by yourself and what you need help doing. Knowing what you don’t know is a critical part about building any business. One of the happiest surprises is how good it feels when someone give you positive feedback about your product. Knowing that people value something you created definitely gives you a warm feeling inside. Did you look for external investment? This venture was initially on the scale where I could fund prototypes and production with the money I made from my 9-5 job, so no external investment was needed. I think it’s project specific, but for future larger projects I would definitely look for external investment from someone that can bring experience to the table.

Where is your production based? I like to keep things local for quality control purposes, so I produce everything in Vancouver. Supporting local/small businesses is something that is important to me. How do you manage juggling all your ventures? I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to keep a routine. Routines make it easier to make sure things get done efficiently. However, I think occasionally breaking routine is important, as it helps promote creativity and new ideas! What advice would you have for a budding entrepreneur? I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for any entrepreneur to set goals, but more importantly be able to enjoy and focus on the journey of building a venture. Things donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen overnight and usually you experience many highs and lows, so being level headed is critical. I would also recommend adding time to your routine for reading books. Bill Gates and Elon Musk have great reading lists that can be found online, and that would be a great place to start. //

For more information and to shop online, visit https://www.evhooks.com

UN Interview with Editor in Chief Robyn Woolston, Chris Temple (Director/Producer) and Mohab Khattab (Producer)

Salam Neighbor a story of home, identity and the Syrian refugee crisis

‘Salam Neighbor’ is an award-winning film aimed at creating connections between the world and Syrian refugees. The film allows the audience to immerse themselves into the life of a Syrian refugee through the journey of directors/producers Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci (you may recognize them from their other film, ‘Living on One Dollar’). Honoured to be the first filmmakers ever allowed to be registered and given a tent inside of a refugee camp, the film documents life of Syrian refugees and showcases the humanity and dignity necessary to create a home amongst neighbors, new and old.

Home. Most of us have always had one; we’ve always known where we will be spending our evenings, where we can invest our memories, and where we can feel safe. A house is not a home. A country is not a home. A piece of land is not a home. Home is family. Home is friendship. Home is security. Home is tradition. Home is a person. Home is a sense of belonging. Home is an anchor. Home is love. Currently, there are more than eleven million Syrians displaced from their homes. Almost five million have sought refuge in countries neighboring to Syria, while many others remain displaced within their native country. The Syrian crisis is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time and the struggle to survive is pronounced among those who have lost everything they have. But you already knew all of that. You’ve read the headlines in local papers, you’ve watched debates on international news stations and you’ve most likely had heated conversation amongst those in your inner circle regarding this crisis. Chances are, you’ve been exposed to a variety of perspectives, you’ve thought long and hard about where you stand, and you’ve decided what - if anything - you will do to contribute to, or alleviate, the burden of Syrian refugees. Solutions to the crisis are polarizing, tainted with projections of “self” and “other”, and a deep rooted fear. Amongst the heated conversations it’s easy

to forget that people just like you and I are caught between their past and future. By being the first ever film makers granted permission by the United Nations to be registered and given a tent inside the camp, the documentary ‘Salam Neighbor’ allows the viewer to be transported to a land and narrative beyond our wildest imaginations. This is not a political piece. It’s about Americans who immersed themselves into the life of a Syrian refugee by spending time inside the Za’atari refugee camp to experience firsthand the front lines of this crisis. It’s also a story and it’s a mirror where you can authentically observe the lives of others and your own reflection as neighbors on this planet. Zach and Chris along with their team provide an insight into the journey of Syrian refugees and enable the world to witness what political debates, media broadcasts, and other channels of information can’t possibly illustrate: the personal stories of those whose lives are on the line. The refugees stories’ highlight more than statistics ever can. Their story is one of loss, trauma, hope, creativity, entrepreneurship, identity, fortitude and homelessness. This film humanizes the refugee crisis. The visionaries behind ‘Salam Neighbor’ shared their own story with us so that we could share it with you. We ask that you read this interview with an open mind and open heart, aware that no matter what your political beliefs may be, we are all neighbors.

What do you think of when you hear the word

their content. As content creators ourselves,

‘refugee’?

it is really difficult to get someone to sit down and watch over an hour documentary on

Chris: Even before going, what we thought

Syrian refugees. That’s why a lot of the media

about a refugee … and the only lens we had in

we see has been spun in a sensationalized

which to understand a refugee, were images

way versus delving deeper into a shared

depicted in the news around war, violence,

humanity of what many Syrian refugees are

shouting protesters etc. When we first

going through… either in the camps, in Syria

arrived in the camp our fear reflected that,

or in rebuilding their lives in their new host

we felt the fear, but as soon as the neighbors

countries. I think a lot of this starts within

started pouring out to help us set up our

ourselves, being more willing to watch and

tent and provide us with tea all that fear

engage with more thoughtful content. Then

and perspective of refugees disappeared. It

I do think some of the media itself, especially

became simply about us all just being people.

longer form journalism does do a great job

At the end of the thirty days alongside our

covering this - we just need to read it.

neighbors, our definition of refugee is simply people who are just like you and me.

Mohab: I think one of the problems is the actual issues we see in the media. We don’t

You mention the role of the media, what

really see facts being reflected as much as

is the social responsibility of major media

emotions and opinion. When you see whats

sources in preventing the spread of false

going on at the ground level and you don’t

representation and feeding xenophobia?

see that being reflected in the media, then

What is your take on responsible journalism

you want to hold the media accountable.

in mainstream media today?

One of the interesting elements, is that about 90% of refugees have access to a smart phone

Chris: We have to recognize a little bit

and so they are seeing the discussion about

of our own ability in pushing media to

them and in the film you can see it when they

sensationalize, pushing media to be more

ask Chris and Zach “do you see us as blood

violent and entertaining, because their

thirsty? Do you see us the way the media

business is finding ways to get people to watch

portrays us?”… that was heartbreaking for me

eighteen months to two years, and there’s

to see and you can see Chris reacting to that

extensive background checks by the FBI,

comment in the film.

the counter-terrorism extremist unit and homeland security before anyone is even

Chris: Yes, that was our real value and our role

able to get an interview through that refugee

in the film - being there to have conversations,

program. It’s a very well vetted system. Can

to listen, to break through what the media had

it ensure that nobody of any violent threat

limited access to tell. Luckily we had a month

comes in through it? No, nothing is ever one

in the camp, whereas other media access

hundred per cent. But then you can look

was granted two days a week for three hours

historically at refugees in the U.S and even

a day and so they didn’t get the opportunity

globally, refugees are less likely to commit

to really build that element of trust and have

crimes than the native population. That’s

those long, personal conversations with

been proven over and over again in the

the refugees. What you see on screen is also

numbers. Secondly, no Syrian refugee has

what happened behind the screen - Arabs

ever committed a violent crime in the United

and Americans coming together to create

States. What is so beautiful about America is

something and share it with the world as we

that we can provide refuge to those who are

worked.

fleeing war and violence, and our values of welcoming others and having them become

What do you say to those who are fearful of

part of us is what actually makes us stronger.

Syrian refugees? Especially as an American,

The diversity of thought and culture can only

perhaps you can speak about Americans

add to our country.

who are actively protectionist and fighting against the influx of refugees?

Mohab: The reasoning behind the backlash against Syrian refugees is not supported by

Chris: I would start with the facts. First of

the numbers. It seems more of a political

all, I would walk them through the refugee

reasoning than any logical or reasonable

settlement process which is the most

concern.

stringent, embedded visa process to get into the United States. It takes on average

What role do you see the Islamic faith

camp at night. There’s a lot of vulnerability

playing in the political discussion around

issues there. Outside the camp, we met

Syrian refugees?

a single mother and as a single mom she was seeing a lot of other Syrian women in

Chris: In the lives of refugees, and as

the area who were struggling to pay their

something we have seen across many

rent and make a living, struggling to feed

tragedies worldwide- especially in times of

their children in the urban areas, and as

real trauma and hardship, people tend to

a result there was a lot of sad sex schemes

gravitate towards their faith. So you do have

and trades happening that were putting

a religiously inclined population amongst

women in horrible situations. To put a

Syrian refugees, but that does not mean

roof over their children heads they were

every refugee is a fundamentalist. There

having to make an impossible decision. We

is a lot of discussion in the West around

have partnered with organizations that are

the fear of the Islamification of Europe for

doing incredible work around the support

example which plays into the fear around

and protection of women in this region, to

Syrian refugees.

ensure the protection is front and centre for a lot of these women.

Mohab: In one sense people gravitate back to religion when confronted with a life crisis,

You emphasize the need to support the

but for others it causes people to question

dignity of refugees as a way to peace; can

the norms of both their religion and culture.

you expand on that? What would you

I think you see that in the film quite well,

advise global leaders on solutions to this

especially with [the one couple] where the

global crisis?

gentleman is discussing how women were marginalized in society back in Syria, and

Mohab: The first thing we have to think

all of a sudden he’s questioning what he

about is that these are people who chose

had embraced for so long which was that

peace over war, and there’s a certain amount

women aren’t equal and cant work. We saw

of respect that I think we owe people who

an element where the crisis actually shakes

make those decisions. Once people are

people out of their religions and cultural

in these situations in refugee camps, we

norms into more realistic thoughts. I think

need to think about how best to make a

that’s one of the best parts of the film for

horrible situation better. One of the things

me- opportunity out of crisis.

we saw in the camp, was the refugees lack of choice in the camp; a part of that starts

I really loved that moment myself… seeing

getting back to education and the right

him have that “aha” moment in respecting

to have education and the right to work.

the equality of women. Women are often

What we are beginning to see from the time

the biggest victims of war and I would like

Chris and Zach were in the camp to now

if you could speak to whether the women

is a lot of movement in those directions.

talked about gender based violence or the

Working with ‘Global Citizen’ and about

role of gender in the refugee camps? What

sixty other charities, we’ve put together a

did you witness with regards to equality?

fund called ‘Education Cannot Wait’. We’ve been working with groups who have been

Chris: I think the protection issues that

able to get government commitments of

face women in these camps and urban

ninety million dollars to fund educational

areas around these camps are very, very

opportunities for refugees, kids who are

real. Especially in the camps, until recently,

displaced, and kids who haven’t even left

many women and families were living in

home. We see on the employment side,

tents, so just for the first example you can’t

opportunities where the EU has worked

lock the tent and you’re walking around the

with Jordan so that Jordan can provide work

Middle Eastern region, the majority of

visas for refugees in exchange for economic

Syrian refugees would prefer to stay there?

aid as well as economic opportunities like free trade agreements. What we would

Chris: I mean, first of all there is no one

like to see, is that countries like Jordan

Syrian refugee in a particular time period.

can get trade incentives by creating free

Some families left Syria five years ago, and

trade zones on the edge of the camp where

may have never been to a refugee camp.

you can employ both locals and refugees

Some left six months ago and are living in

making it a win win situation.

the refugee camp, so there’s a lot of diversity amidst this displaced population. The

Chris: On average, refugees are displaced

primary answer we saw to the question we

for seventeen years. This number is so

posed “what do you want?” was that people

critical when you think about a response

wanted to go back to Syria. Not a single

to the crisis. The war in Syria is showing

person did not say their primary goal was

no signs of ending right now, and so you

to go back home, to see their community

have to ask yourself how do you allow a

again, to play in their own back yard.

population to rebuild and restart their lives

Second, I think immigration really depends

if they might be displaced for seventeen

- if there is opportunity and dignity in

years? Is sitting in a refugee camp without

Jordan, many people would be happy to

right to education, without the right to

stay amongst a more familiar language,

work enough? Or can we really be doing

a more familiar culture as it’s less of a

more? I think this is where dignity comes

shock to their families and their children

in - how do you provide somebody the

compared to being resettled in Canada or

opportunity to help themselves, and not be

the United States. At this point however,

reliant on international aid? We were seeing

families are looking at ANY opportunity

that across the board when meeting with

they can get to rebuild their lives, so if that

families in the camp - people were wanting

means uprooting their whole family to start

to work, they were wanting to have purpose

a new life and learn a new language they’ve

in their lives, and I think this is important

never spoken before - they will take it. And

for all of us to remember as we work towards

I think many of us would do the same if we

creative responses to this crisis.

were put in their situation. There’s a whole new set of challenges the day families

Did you get a sense that refugees’ main

arrive in their host country, including the

hope was to come to Europe or North

repayment of loans and the lack of support

America? Or did you get a sense that if

or community.

there was increased opportunities in the

Raouf, the young boy in the film, brought

now and the United Nations doesn’t even

me to tears and I know Chris you had

know how it operates. Their resilience in

a hard moment there as well. How do

the face of hardship is hard to read about or

you leave when you’ve made such a deep

anticipate, it’s something you have to live

connection, and how can we help kids like

and experience firsthand.

Raouf from afar? What would be the most impactful step for Chris: Yeah, I mean in many ways leaving

anyone looking to create this conversation

was the hardest part of the experience.

and getting people to understand the full

I mean, we knew we got to go home but

complexity and personal aspect of this

Raouf and others are there for an average

crisis?

seventeen

years.

What’s

made

manageable for us, is two things: one we

Chris: Our website has a “Get Involved”

have had the film to channel our energy and

page that speaks to that; you can donate/

frustration into, and so we’ve been working

volunteer;

on editing this film and working on getting

curriculum guide made with Acumen and

it out to as many communities and people

it’s basically about a 35 page discussion

as possible to raise awareness and money

guide with materials and resources. We

for programs in the camp and resettlement

encourage

of families in the film. Our purpose makes it

individuals to delve in deeper - its available

easier to leave. Two, I don’t think we could

for free. Third, we encourage people to

do it without our ability to communicate

spread the word, circling back to my first

with the community; we are all friends

question you asked me about the media’s

on WhatsApp and Facebook and we can

role in covering this, and how each of us

send messages back and forth. I send film

play a role in making sure good content

screenings to Raouf from the hundreds of

gets watched. Human content needs to get

events we’ve done across the States so we

shared [so] that many people around the

can show them they are not alone in this

world will get to meet the incredible people

and they are not being forgotten. With

we did and see their resilience. Everyone’s

google translate, things can go a long way

voice is so powerful- without you it won’t

in communicating.

get seen.

My last question is what, if anything, did

Mohab: The humanizing of refugees is

you underestimate the most about your

what this entire film is about. The problem

experience?

is, it’s hard to get a handle on the sheer

have

teachers,

new

refugee

companies

and

immensity of this crisis, and so we end up Chris: I think, the first thing that comes

simplifying it to statistics. Statistics by their

to mind is really just underestimating

nature dehumanize. It’s pieces about the

the incredible entrepreneurial instinct of

individual; but learning about the refugees’

Syrians. And so many Syrian Americans

stories and the ability to humanize so that

we’ve spoken to about this since coming

people get past the statistics, get past the

back have reiterated the same thing- being

ethnocentric lenses, and the other blocks

entrepreneurial and being a trader is in the

to understanding the true nature of this

fabric of Syrian society. You can see that

humanitarian crisis. //

in the Za’atari camp where the “Champs Elysses” as they’ve named it, had over

————

three thousand businesses and millions of dollars were being traded every day; there’s

For more information visit

even a pizza delivery system in the camp

http://livingonone.org

Stripped Down: The Aloha Life There’s something indelibly vulnerable and authentic about living the island life. For starters, at least one part of (almost) every day is spent in a bikini. You find yourself permanently in little to no clothing. Any attempt at makeup is melted off your face before noon. The sea and salt water turn your hair into straw. There’s no bulky sweater to hide the bloated bulge from your decadent lunch and you curse yourself for forgetting to schedule that wax appointment. The bright, natural lighting does not hide the wrinkles, the freckles, or the dimples we call cellulite. Your first time meeting someone new you’re either sun burnt, half naked or a walking ad for frizzy hair products. There is literally no mask. You can’t hide. You are stripped down.

This is your real self. Your undone self. Your natural self. Your vulnerable self. 44

Words: Robyn Woolston

Your most beautiful self. You are forced to accept who you are without all the things society says you need: the push up bra, the foundation, the hair straightener. You start to realize nobody has the “perfect” body, flawless skin or perfectly shiny hair. You start to realize you don’t need to pretend to either. You learn that this is what it is to be human: to love and accept others for who they are and to reveal who you are to them without inhibition. It’s scary at first. Then it’s necessary. It’s the only way to connect with the people on the island. It’s the only way you can feel truly connected to your self. There are no distractions. No shopping malls, thus no advertising that screams your inadequacies at you. You spend your days on the beach rather than on the couch and you feel healthy and strong rather than idol and mundane. You start thinking less about your next wardrobe and more about your next adventure; less about your thighs touching and more about your muscles getting strong enough to allow you to play in the ocean for longer. You haven’t worn your watch in weeks because your day is organized by the motions of the sun and appointments are scheduled around the surf rather than traffic hour. The sun may highlight your so -called imperfections, but it also adds a cheerful sparkle to your eye. You find yourself waking up with a smile for no apparent reason. As you slowly start to let go of the notion of outward perfection, you begin to yearn for an inner revolution.

As you connect with the Earth in a newfound way, you connect with your deeper self.

Unfolding before your eyes like the layers of an onion, you’re face to face with the very core of who you are; as if that’s not intimidating enough, you’re forced to share that version of yourself with the new community around you. This community is a breath of fresh air - they push your comfort zones, they test your limits, they work together. They teach you that in this community, you only reap what you sow. You realize, that this is true for yourself too. You experience the rejuvenation of sowing kindness and love into your imperfect body. The freedom of letting go of the critical thoughts that spewed hatred at your reflection before. You prefer to sow seeds of playfulness, compassion and peace into your soul and thus it begins to pour into your external life. As your inner beauty blossoms, your outer beauty radiates. It’s not the sun kissed skin. It’s the radiating beauty of a naked, truly free soul. You relinquish the mask and by doing so you relinquish the need for external validation.

You. Are. Free. 45

ypsea lust

Words_ UN Mag interview with Lauren Bullen Imagery_ Lauren Bullen and Jack Morris

Lauren Bullen is the maverick behind ‘Gypsea Lust’ on instagram. Originally from a small coastal town on the east coast of Australia - Lennox - she is a self taught wanderlusting sensation who now boasts more than one million followers. Based out of Bali, Indonesia with her boyfriend Jack (@Doyoutravel) and her identical twin sister Ellie (@Elsas_wholesomelife) Lauren caught up with us and chatted about how she has been able to build an Instagram empire in just a few years. Taking the phrase “do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” to a whole new level, Lauren’s unsubscribed lifestyle proves that sometimes following your passion is all you need to illuminate your path ahead.

How did you get started on instagram?

internationally

with

tourism

boards

such as Fiji, and trips to Europe and I had Instagram from the beginning,

Asia with Student Flights.

but it wasn’t until almost three years ago that I started to want to create

When did you realize that you could

my account to be a travel lifestyle

build a brand and do what you love

theme. Focusing on beautiful images

through instagram as a platform?

that weren’t taken on an iphone, but instead on a professional camera, it’s

It was probably around the time that

then that I started to teach myself

I got my first gig with TNQ tourism;

how to photograph and edit powerful

even

imagery. At this time I started seeking

the opportunity to meet established

inspiration from other accounts and

influencers/ photographers that were

knew how I wanted my images to look.

making

After around 6 months I began to grow

couldn’t believe it and I think this

a following, maybe only 2000 without

is what really motivated me, knowing

really trying or knowing what it took

that I could get paid to do what I

to gain any followers, and over the

spent so much of my time on anyways

next two years I really progressed and

and something that I truly loved and

began to gain work. Initially, this

enjoyed every aspect of. Initially it

was with the local tourism board in

wasn’t enough work to just quit my

Tropical

job,

North

Queensland

and

then

though

living

was

via

unpaid,

Instagram.

had

but I figured I was only saving 47

work

money

trips

and

travels anyway, so even if the money wasn’t great if it was enough to get me by and give me these experiences which was a win-win. Then, the jobs started becoming so frequent that I had to quit my 9-5 with no idea how it would go or whether it would be financially

sustainable.

There

were

times when I had no work coming in and thought I’d probably have to get some sort of casual work on the side, but this quickly changed once I met jack and we started travelling together. I chose not to think and worry too much about what would be, and instead enjoyed

every

moment.

Now

has

become a successful business, and I guess one thing I have learnt is that by not thinking into it too much and just enjoying what you love to do, good things will happen. Keep it real and this will resonate. How many countries have you travelled to so far? I have visited 43 countries so far. Where is your favourite? It’s hard to just pick one favourite country, but one’s that come to the top of my mind always include Samoa, Greece, Turkey and Indonesia.

_ I chose not to think and worry too much about what would be, and instead enjoyed every moment _

the

you see someone in a place or scene,

reactions from your followers to your

as it gives you the chance to imagine

images? How does the filter, angle,

yourself there. I also find if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a

scenery etc gain more/less likes? Are

beautiful scene this works best for

you ever surprised by the amount of

us- people seem to engage more when

likes you receive for one image as

our image represents summer, tropical

opposed to another?

vibes, which is what we prefer anyway!

What

have

you

noticed

about

terms

filters,

donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

use

our

use

I find that when we are in the image,

Instagram

it always does better. I think this

edits on lightroom, so our edits are

own

is because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more relatable when

usually rather consistent.

How many hours a week approx. do you

Other

main a

duties shoot

include and

the

going

time

spend working on your instagram page?

planning

out

Content planning, trip planning, photo

an adventure to capture some content

editing, photo shoots etc...

to keep our accounts full of fresh and fun content. If we are on a job

It’s hard to pinpoint how many hours

for that week, then we are working

per week, because some of it is for

around

pure

really

a week that we are in Bali, we try

calculate these hours. However, I do

to take more time to relax and have

spend a lot of hours on my emails…

some normality which would involving

they take up a lot of my time- all

going to the gym, laying by the pool,

the back and forth, for only the few

heading to the beach for a walk and

that amount to something worthwhile!

cooking a meal.

enjoyment

and

don’t

the

clock;

however,

it’s

How do you decide where in the world you’re going to travel to next? Well

depends

job

I try not to let that kind of stuff worry me too much. It can be draining

destination as part of a job/campaign,

and disappointing when you’ve put so

but if it’s of our choice and we are

much into creating an image, and then

just

usually

everyone goes and tries to copy that

have an idea of destinations we are

exact image; but, I guess it’s great

wanting

discuss

to see you’ve inspired people so much,

between us. It usually comes down to

and at the end of the day that is what

where is a good time of year to visit,

we are aiming to do! It only really

and a quick google search answers that

becomes an issue when it’s affecting

question. A lot of the time it’s super

your business, if other big bloggers/

last minute - we won’t even do much

instagrammers

research, and might be en route to

and

that part of the world only to find

But that’s the same in any creative

it’s the wrong time to visit so have

industry, all part of the game! Just

have to keep creating new ideas and

wanting to

quickly

explore

visit

think

it’s

which

for

and working on your brand.

we may be invited to a

or not ...

amounts of time and energy to stylizing

we we

alternative

location to explore! As

one

the

copy

making

your

profit

creativity from

that.

looking ahead! muses

Your partner Jack and you have been

on instagram, how do you handle copy-

working together for quite some time

cats? We’ve noticed there are a few

now, how has that changed the way you

accounts replicating your style and

work and travel?

imagery;

are

this

first

must

travel

difficult

stomach when you’ve invested infinite

Jack and I met a year ago in Fiji and

basically haven’t left each other’s

taking some pictures in the morning,

side

sitting in a nice healthy café for

since.

Working,

living,

and

spending every breathing moment with

breakfast

your

on pictures, then in afternoon both

partner

can

difficult

for

and

heading

sitting down to do some emailing and

we have the odd moments, but I think

then posting.. Our plans never really

that’s

clashed,

was

actually

surprised when we first were together

gym,

edits

so well for us. Don’t get me wrong, normal.

the

some

many, but honestly we find it works

only

beginning

would

while

support

later

and

help

each other with any of our work.

how well we worked together; it all happened so quickly and there wasn’t

there

anything

you

would

much time for thought as we were so

differently now with your instagram

busy

brand looking back on your beginnings?

were doing together. Before I met Jack

travelling

and

loving

what

What can we expect from you moving

I was living at home in Australia and

forward?

would just travel for fun or for a job when need be, but once we met and were

No, I don’t believe there is anything

both doing the same thing and got along

so well we just instantly made plans

happy with how it’s all happened and

to travel constantly to many of the

wouldn’t change a thing. I feel so

worlds locations. Within a blink of an

grateful that I am able to do what

eye it had been six months of constant

I love and inspire people to do the

travels, and it just worked so well that

same.

would

have

done

differently,

I’m

initially it wasn’t really any work only couple of hotel collaborations

Moving forward, we have a lot of ideas

- we were just travelling for pure

spinning. For now, the plan is to keep

enjoyment, capturing moments and it

living in Bali and visiting different

really took off. Not long after our

locations at least once-twice a month.

wanderlusting

Also,

getting

together,

business

opportunities

began and

want

focus

well-balanced

life,

living keeping

the brands were always interesting in

healthy, motivated and happy! We’ve

working with both of us collectively.

both

This worked so well, because when we

charitable trip, bringing awareness to

were going on a work trip it was never

some unspoken world issues and other

a worry regarding who would help take

ways to use our following to make some

pictures, who would accompany you etc.

positive change. What that looks like

discussed

doing

some

sort

we don’t know yet, so if there are

I think when you both have the same

any ideas others are passionate about

interests relationships flow nicely.

in this topic we’d love to hear about

A day for us might be heading out and

them!

_ Of course we always show the most polished version, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t post anything that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a real scenario

_ 53

Our

theme

for

“unfiltered”positives

this

issue

discussing

and

technological

the

our

negatives and

both

filtered

world.

When are you the most unfiltered? What do

you

say

others

who

see

your

images and think your life is perfect? How does social media impact your life outside

the

business

aspect

instagram? I am usually unfiltered most of the time. When it comes to social media, I also like to keep it real and be myself - my account is basically as my images portray. Of course we always show the most polished version, but I don’t post anything that isn’t a real scenario. A lot of the time it’s a real moment and we might realise hey this would make a nice image and that’s how things unfold. Of course, our lives aren’t

perfect.

have

real

life

issues that people don’t see: missing flights, getting unwell, relationship breakdowns, losing

jobs

technology etc.

There’s

failing, obviously

moments where we feel stressed out, inundated with work, not happy with the content we’ve produced and we’re under pressure from a client to do the best job we can. Sometimes we feel criticism from our following (we have a standard we feel we need to uphold), exhausted and just feel like curling into bed for the day and ignoring our business... Running any business has its ups and downs, that’s all part of it!

such

positive

ways;

get the opportunity to meet so many likeminded

overnight for anyone; and most importantly stay true and authentic to yourself express who you are, not who you think people want you to be

Instagram impacts my life outside of business

_ It doesn’t happen

people from

all over the

world that I wouldn’t have met any other

keep it versatile enough to attract

way. It’s taught me so many valuable

a range of markets; have fun - this

skills I’ll have forever including:

is so important, you have to enjoy

photography,

marketing,

production,

because

you

will

putting

styling, business, accounting, travel

endless hours of unpaid time before

agent, blogging, web development etc.

you can be successful... it doesn’t

happen overnight for anyone; and most

any of these skills if it wasn’t for

importantly stay true and authentic

Instagram.

to yourself - express who you are, not

never

would

have

learnt

many

who you think people want you to be. What advice do you have for anyone looking

build

their

brand

If you had to choose an un-word,

instagram?

what would yours be?

My best advice would be to have some

‘Un-afraid’. Never be afraid to turn

form of uniqueness - that’s a way to

down an opportunity, you never know

get noticed; stick to a theme, but

where it will lead.

C L R A RE A P P A YOUR MARKETPLACE FOR RESPONSIBLE FASHION WORDS: UN MAG INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDER SARAH STEWART

“Inspired by travel, yoga teachings, and facts about the state of the world, Founder, Sarah Stewart has made it her mission to inspire confidence and positive change. Sarah’s fondest memories are steeped in interactions with people across the globe. ‘My favourite conversations while traveling were always the ones I had with the residents; the owners of the hostels, the people at those front desks, the woman teaching the cooking class’. It’s interactions like these that remind us to think globally. The name ARC Apparel was inspired by Joan of Arc. She was a warrior in a time of adversity. She was passionate and stood up for what she believed in. We believe that women today are warriors, trying to do it all. When they are confident and support the connection between themselves, the planet and others, they can do anything”. -- arcapparel.ca

M E E T A R C A P P R E L’ S F O U N D E R , S A R A H … I am someone who believes in the good in people. I believe it’s important to educate yourself on the state of the world and then take action in whatever way your life allows you to. Whether it’s making more sustainable choices, volunteering, donating, or shopping locally, it all counts. In my case, I have dedicated the past six years to gaining experience and knowledge about business, operations and merchandising so that I could take my skills and build a company that can make a positive impact on the world. I completed a program in Business Operations Management and then went on to work as a financial planner for the Merchandising department at Shoeme.ca. Last June, I left that day job to make my vision into a reality and start ARC Apparel. I unsubscribed, took the risk, and couldn’t be happier that I jumped. ALL ABOUT ARC … ARC Apparel is an online marketplace for responsible fashion. Our mission is to inspire confidence and positive change by helping women feel great about what’s in their closet. We want to enliven the connection between people, the planet, and themselves. The way in which we are doing this is by offering a curated marketplace of brands that are making waves in the fashion industry. We are committed to only sourcing clothing from brands that manufacture ethically, and that are making a difference by either decreasing their environmental footprint or giving back in some way. We think it’s extremely important for consumers to educate themselves on what they are buying; where is it manufactured, what fabrics is it made of, what practices does the company employ, etc. We aim to provide as much information as possible to our customers and to provide as many educational resources as we can so that our customers can learn the truth of what’s going on behind the scenes of the fashion industry. Check out the “Collective Impact” page on our site to learn more.

A BRAND MUST HAVE ETHICAL STANDARDS, MEANING WORKERS ARE TREATED FAIRLY AND PAID

LIGHT BULB MOMENT …

A FAIR WAGE, AND THEN I’M

About six years ago, I was volunteering for Vancouver Eco Fashion Week and I learned that the average person throws away 68 pounds of clothes a year. That is a lot of clothes! While I was volunteering with them I started to learn more and more about the industry and the impact that Fast Fashion was having on the planet. As a nation, we consume about 80 billion items of clothing every year! What do you think happens to all of that “stuff”? The production pollutes the planet, the nature of competitive pricing puts the workers safety and health at risk, and the discarded non-biodegradable fabrics like polyester fill up landfills. I was not okay with this status quo. If we don’t start taking care of the planet and the people on it, what will be left for future generations?

USUALLY LOOKING FOR A BRAND TO

HAVE INITIATIVES

I wanted to change my shopping habits and become more mindful of what I was buying but I found it so challenging to find any information from brands. At that time, not many brands wanted to share where they manufactured, what practices they used, and whether they were paying their workers a fair wage. There was eco-fashion, but it came with a hint of granola. I then realized that there was a need to bring together fashion and transparency.

IN THE REALM OF

SUSTAINABILITY OR GIVING BACK.

Once the idea was there, I knew I had to go back to school and gain more experience to be able to successfully launch this vision. So that’s exactly what I did. SURPRISES ON THE ROAD TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP … I think what surprised me most when I first left my job and started to get the ball rolling was how gracious and willing other people were to share their experience and learning. Almost everyone I reached out to with questions or requests for advice was willing to part with some of their valuable time and really for nothing in return. Now that I’m realizing how precious time really is, I appreciate these people so much more. ON VETTING BRANDS … I usually start with the question “where do you manufacture?”. If the answer is China, or India, or Bangladesh, or somewhere else overseas, I then ask “do you have a code of conduct or any initiatives at your factory?”, this is usually where a brand either drops off my radar or steps up. A brand must have ethical standards, meaning workers are treated fairly and paid a fair wage, and then I’m usually looking for a brand to have initiatives in the realm of sustainability or giving back.

ON PERSONAL WARDROBE CHOICES … Of course I wear the brands we represent! I love the brands that we carry and the clothes that they make. While I want to buy one of everything we sell, I am trying to consume less. A big part of the problem with the industry is that it has trained us to buy cheap, buy often, and discard after a few uses. This doesn’t do our planet any good. In fact, by just extending the life of something in your closet by one year, you are reducing emissions by 24%. I am trying to be as mindful as possible about what I’m purchasing and supporting and I can’t justify shopping anywhere else now, unless it’s thrift. T H E FA S H I O N I N D U ST R Y ’ S R E S P O N S I B I L I TY T O E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y… The Fashion Industry is the second most polluting industry behind oil. That was shocking to me. I think that there are three main factors that contribute to this impact. The first is the rate at which we consume clothing – as I mentioned earlier we as a nation consume 80 billion garments every year, that’s up 400% from 20 years ago. The more we consume, the more the factories will churn out to meet our demand - this means more pollution and more waste. The second factor is fabric used; polyester is used in 60% of our garments and emissions of C02 in the production of polyester are three times higher than those of a natural fiber like cotton. Lastly, the processes and standards of the facilities that manufacture the garments have an enormous impact. Factories overseas often don’t have environmental standards so they are able to do things like pump their waste into rivers. Approximately 41% of our clothes are made in China. While I think it’s very important for people to learn, I also like to reiterate that I’m not an expert either. I’m constantly learning. I never want to make people feel bad about their purchasing habits, I only want to inspire them to be mindful when they shop.

THE FASHION INDUSTRY IS THE SECOND MOST POLLUTING INDUSTRY BEHIND OIL. 59

TO THE CYNICS WHO BELIEVE LOWEST PRICED C LOT H I N G W I L L A LWAY S W I N … I definitely believe that the more people learn, they more likely they are to support ethical brands. It’s easy to forget that an actual person sewed the piece of clothing you are wearing but when you make the connection, you can’t forget it. I also think that a lot of us trick ourselves into thinking we are saving money when we are constantly on the hunt for a good deal. Those cheap clothes don’t last and we end up buying twice as many, so if we buy quality, timeless pieces from the start, we are likely spending less in the long run. GETTING THROUGH THE ENTREPRENEURIALISM …

TOUGH

DAYS

The commitment to this vision keeps me motivated to push through on the tough days. I remind myself every time I come up against a road-block (every-day) that I signed up for this. I committed to this journey and it is my dream. I have to remind myself of that all the time. LOOKING AHEAD … We want to create that dream brand. We would love to develop an in house label down the line. I think that is where we can make a larger impact in every decision that is made. Where we would manufacture, what fabrics we would use and what practices we would employ. We are also working towards a future of conscious consumers. We are on a mission to create positive change and to educate. We want to keep pushing the boundaries and keep challenging people to forget the status quo. // # D R E S S R E S P O N S I B LY Follow Arc Apparel: Instagram @arcapparelca Facebook @arcapparel

IT’S EASY TO FORGET THAT AN ACTUAL PERSON SEWED THE PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU ARE WEARING BUT WHEN YOU MAKE THE CONNECTION, YOU CAN’T FORGET IT.

you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t airbrush personality

UN CU FF E

the

Nick

Words: UN Mag interview with Nick Yarris 62

Yarris

story

Exoneration after more than twenty years on death row, Nick Yarris speaks to endurance, forgiveness and life after prison. Freedom has many forms and his interview begs the question: how many of us are choosing to be free?

Date Night: Netflix & Chill edition, or so we thought. Instead of the habitual low-octane rom-com, my wife and I serendipitously opt for a provoking documentary from the streaming red giant. Almost by random selection, we find ourselves engrossed and emotionally invested in a gutsy autobiography that has since changed my whole perspective of life. Yes, that is a tall claim, but it’s safe to say I have never been affected by another person’s story as much as this one. I don’t even care to lose a man card for admitting I finished the movie with an emotional stiff throat and leaky eyeballs. That good, and that impactful. It’s titled The Fear of 13, directed by David Sington, produced by Dogwoof Films. A brief synopsis of the acclaimed film will tell

you the basics; A man sits on death row for almost 21 years in the U.S. while going through all types of adversity to vindicate himself and prove his innocence. What the summary doesn’t tell you is that it is a profound example of what the human spirit is capable of when good will, self-discovery, and unyielding endurance persevere over evil. You’re probably thinking - “I’ve seen this type of thing before” - I’m here to tell you, not likely. Enter Nick Yarris, the star and narrator of our story. My first thought is that David Sington negotiated a smooth talking relative of Ed Harris to play the role of Nick, only later realizing this compelling orator is, indeed, the real life protagonist.

In the first five minutes, Nick knocks me flat on the cerebral canvas. He describes his contemplation of time while we he was in solitary confinement as a dichotomy; “ [The passing of time] was best and the worst part, it can be a blistering fast thing, blink and 10 years are gone, you look at your wristwatch and instead of time, you see a calendar, and the next week can be agony, it can take the sun forever to go down.” This soliloquy segues into his description of getting off the bus on the first day of his 105 year + death sentence. Meeting the prison’s Warden, the first words spoken to him were “Dead men don’t talk in my prison”, and with a small cheeky gesture of opening his mouth receives a smack that he will never forget.

That’s what the is:

torment

sitting there

and

lament in protracted the

things you

person really an Speaking of time, let’s rewind. Before becoming a convicted criminal, Nick Yarris was an unfortunate product of a misspent youth. With only a basic education and no job skills, Nick and his buddies, in their adolescence, took to small crime - stealing cars and going for joy rides. For a guy with no positive structure in his life, this sadly led to drug addiction. These vices continued unabated until one day he ran a stop light, in front of a Police officer. That day forever changed the course of his life. What started as a routine stop and ticketing, quickly transpired into a physical altercation with the presiding officer. With no solid defence strategy or evidence, Nick found himself behind bars, and that’s where the plot thickens… A newspaper lands in front of him in prison. The 1981 headline story: abduction and murder of 32 year old Linda May Craig. As time passes, local authorities have no leads and justice stagnates. Nick, facing several years of incarceration for his altercation with the cop, thinks to himself: “If I can give them enough information on the case, I can get my sentence reduced, get out of here early and abscond.” Being geographically close to the crime scene, Nick manifests a completely fictitious story assigning guilt on an old acquaintance, James Brisboise, whom had rumoured to have OD’d and his body furtively disposed of. Perfect Plan? It was, until the cops did some investigating only to find Mr. Brisboise alive and well. Guess who became the only material suspect in the Linda Craig case? You guessed it: our storyteller, Nick Yarris. They pinned the whole thing on him. How would you react with such a bad hand dealt to you? The part that really hits you in the feels is how Nick endures what happens next. First of all he takes stock of his situation. He accepts his predicament and approaches it with positivity and altruistic 64

did

you

prison have

all

time

wrong.

suffers

evil

person

camaraderie. Then his real education begins - self taught. In his first 3 years, Nick read 1000 books. Using the “rule of 10” to learn new vocabulary (practising one new word in 10 different sentences), he became a walking dictionary.

“

True Storytelling is the telling of Life. With every new book I found something wonderful about life. I found myself and I finally became comfortable with myself and who I was in life.

”

This was his legacy while awaiting execution until science eventually caught up with the times. DNA technology was exonerating convicts all over the U.S. and Nick had a new plan… I’d love to tell you all my favourite parts of the movie, spoilers and all, but that’s not fair to you. It’s not fair to Nick, and the filmmakers, because I won’t do it the justice it deserves.

good

prison, is

home.

If movies aren’t your thing or you haven’t jumped on the Netflix bandwagon, you can pick up the paper copy of his story under the same title “The Fear of 13”, by Random House Publishers. I couldn’t resist to reach out and tell Nick how his story touched me and made me think about how I endure my own (lesser, much lesser) hardships, and ask him his thoughts on captivity as a social construct. I found Nick alive and well, living in England with his new family and willing to have a chat with his biggest fan: Nick, What have you been up to since leaving prison? Nick Yarris: Things are amazing. I’m currently living in Ilchester, England, in a former prison town. According to history, it was conquered by the Roman Empire, and they imprisoned the locals here for ages. I’m in prison of old that has been forgotten in time, but I love the idea that we were all prisoners here at some point. Your story was the ultimate endurance story. Why do you tell it? Nick: It’s really important to share my memory with as much gusto as I can - and isn’t that endurance, having the will to keep telling your story? Let me tell you another story. Last year I drove 700 miles - on my own expense, to speak at a school and talk to students who didn’t have enough money to buy my book. Afterwards, the kids came up and expressed their emotion the only way they could: a physical representation by hugging me. My story really resonated with them. One of the girls at the school told me that I was the inspiration for turning her life around, and now she’s a straight A student. That rewards me so much and makes it all worth it.

What did prison do to change you? Nick: One of the things that people forget is that when you go to prison, your life hits a wall, four walls to be more accurate. Every day there are no new sensory actions of adventure or change, it is the same each and every day, so you are left to deal with all of your yesterday’s. That’s what the torment of prison is: sitting there and you have to lament in protracted time all of the things you did wrong. A good person really suffers in prison, an evil person is home. I was in prison so long, that I felt as if I paid extra, twice over for everything I had done wrong, and that helped me hold my head up when I was released. What gave you the courage to endure the hardship you went through in prison? Nick: During the Iraq war, when I was in prison, I saw a propaganda video about Saddam Hussein - particularly one about his grandchildren, and how loving and tender he was towards them. He wanted good for them, and wanted to protect them and lavish upon them good. There was this goodness in a man that was the personification of evil in our eyes. That’s what gave me hope, I saw that goodness was going to win. Also, it’s an amazing place to be when you can finally master all of your woes - that’s endurance. In the movie, you say the hardest part of prison were those years in silence. What makes silence so hard to bear?

stopped having negative thoughts. There is a study out that shows that humans can rework pathways in the brain towards positivity, by using hormones released during the brain’s reward factor biology. Think of the lab rat who get rewarded with a food pellet by touching the red button - to me, being kind to others is my red button. What’s the problem with society where general goodness towards each other is lost? Nick: There is a disconnect in modern society where technology has us pitted against one another, for example, using memes to degrade and demean people who think and act different to how we do. [This is] a low moral low point in human history. It’s our real human contact with each other that keeps the good alive. The internet is taking people away from human interaction and contact. Some days we need to switch this stuff off and go be connected again.

being angry”. He was in a prison of his own making. “Thank you for the movie”. A year later he has made a full turn around. Prisons are a construct that limits a body by its definition. We use social tools, like memes to degrade each other at the expense of humanity. We become captives of our own mind when we direct negativity towards others. Nick leaves me with a quote by Pablo Picasso:

“

The meaning of your life is find your gift: The purpose of your life is to give it away.

”

Are people outside of prison really free?

He follows up with:

Nick: Let me tell you about an United States soldier who was an Afghan veteran depressed so much that he isolated himself in a tent miles from civilization and had not been in touch with humans for two years. He had an iPhone and watched my movie. He wrote me a message and said “I’m tired of

“The nicest things about me are the nicest things about me…and I’m not giving them up for anyone. We’re on a short time, so let’s just be kind. I don’t really care about yesterday, I really care about today. Tomorrow doesn’t exist.” //

Nick: I endured years in silence. No one is going to know you are a nice person until you open your mouth. From the voice of silence comes good. I can only be a good person if you give me your time and let me speak to you. It’s that simple. How many people have this affliction; people know they are a good person, don’t want to try for the possibility of rejection or the fear of them not being deserving? They are cheating themselves. When I go out everyday I make a real effort to be genuinely nice to others, and my brain has been rewarded for this. Being kind to the lady working in the gas station, complementing a man on his pair of shoes, rewards myself by not cheating anyone else by refusing to be good and kind through silence. My mother taught me to be kind person and I took it to heart as a mantra. I used it as a building block to be positive to myself and others. My brain got so hooked on that I

being prisoner like you were, I’m tired of

pop WORDS: LUKAS BENNETT

The power outage which gripped the city was both unexpected, and yet, expected. The city was boiling. People were angry. People took to the streets. An unexpected consequence of people taking to the streets in such numbers was a surge of cellular energy and just like that: they had created their own EMP, otherwise known as a total electronic meltdown. For 12 hours now, the city had been shrouded in darkness, cellular or otherwise. Sitting in her dark living room she could’ve sworn that she charged her phone. “Ugh” she moaned aloud to herself; “I could’ve sworn I charged my phone.” Now she thought to herself: I don’t have a phone. I don’t have TV. I have nothing. More imminently terrifying for her than the protests and who was being protested was the looming terror of a phone battery that slowly rotted in front of her. From 75%, slowly to 60%, to 35%, to 15%, 6%, 5%, 4%. Each anxiety ridden percentage-drop made her cherish her phone all the more. As the phone reached 2% she switched the camera to selfie-mode for one final look at herself. Not bad, she thought: I’ll just adjust the lighting, darken the skin, remove those bags, get rid of that spot, whiten the teeth, lighten the eyes, slim the cheeks, tidy the hair up, and pinch the lips. Perfect. With that the phone went to sleep and so did she. Bleary eyed, she woke up the next morning. She felt naked. Of course she was naked, but she felt different. When she realized that everything was still in its right place, she reached over and tapped the screen of her phone. The realization of being phoneless struck her, like hunger in the gut. Right. No phone. No TV. She sat up in bed and noticed a silence in her home that she hadn’t felt in quite some time. Something was wrong. She could only hear the pulse that thrummed in her ears. The sound of her own pulse was unsettling, so she pinched her nose and popped her ears like her grandma taught her. “Ahhh” she exclaimed satisfactorily to herself. All of a sudden she missed her grandma. She stared at the ceiling for a few moments until a thought dawned on her: Where’s that picture? She flopped lazily over to the opposite side of the bed and opened her side table. She brushed aside razors, mala beads, foreign currency, bobby pins, several cell-phone chargers – oh the cruel irony – and her blank journal until she found the picture from her high-school graduation. “Hi grandma,” she said as the old photo stared back at her. There she was, all 91 years of her. Sitting proudly as the matriarch of the family. Wrinkled as shar-pei skin, with a thick set of eyebrows, she sat proudly and in absolute radiant elegance. I should say hi more often. With that, she snuck a quick kiss onto the picture and then trudged over to the bathroom. Crossing the kitchen, she looked at her coffee pot which hadn’t brewed: “Ugh, this is literally the worst day ever.” The sound of her own voice was immediately swallowed up by the silent vacuum of her energy-less apartment. The pulsations in her ear canal returned and she again popped her ears as she walked into the bathroom. Her bathroom was the brightest room in the apartment because of the skylight overhead. It was a bright beautiful day outside, but she didn’t care. With her phone dead, the power out and the only light coming in from the skylight above her, she nearly screamed when she caught her reflection in the vanity. She hit the floor in a flash. The truth was she hadn’t looked at herself in natural light for some time. Picking herself up off the floor of her bathroom, she gulped and stood up to face the reflection. It was foreign. Her pulse quickened and again the damned silence surrounded her, so the pulse was louder than ever. She popped her ears again and this time caught her own reflection. Oh my lord, I’m

13 years again. Grandma, what do you think? She had to cry. Everything was just a little too much. She was crying hysterically. When the tears stopped and her eyes cleared, she began to notice contours in her face that she hadn’t noticed before. These lines, which apparently appeared overnight, ran perpendicularly to her eyelids and nearly connected with the creases of cheeks when she smiled. As she traced the line from her eyes to her lips she reminisced of the times when she used to trace the wrinkles on her grandmother’s forehead. The finger gently moved from the lines of her face to her eye brows. Usually manicured every 12 to 24 hours, she could already feel the creeping shadow of her genetics. She grabbed the tweezers and attempted to pluck the first few rogue hairs which had sprouted, but the downward casted skylight rays only cast further shadow and made precision an impossibility. Those eyebrows which had been tweezed, plucked, shaved and edited were growing back. She laughed as she traced two small caterpillars that were slowly emerging from their slumber. She licked her index fingers and smoothed her eyebrows. Again: she felt like a little girl, with her grandmother taming her rampant brow foliage. This time her tears were tears of laughter and she erupted at the sight of herself. With her mouth gaping she noticed that her teeth weren’t actually straight and pearly white. They could, in fact, use a scrubbing. She grabbed the paste and manually brushed her teeth with a powerless oscillating toothbrush. Again, peals of laughter. After a while she became aware of the fact that she was unaware of the silence in the room. This of course made her aware of the silence once again and quickly the pulse pounded in her ears. A quick pop and she was back to reassessing herself. She looked in the mirror. Pouted. Laughed. Gave herself doe-eyes. Laughed. Rouged her cheeks with the help of a firm slap. Bit her lip to plump her lips. Bit her lip in anguish because that actually hurt. Laughed some more. To an outsider it would have appeared completely ridiculous. To her horror there was a knock on the door. She went white as a sheet. Who could that be? Unannounced? Don’t they know I’m going through a fucking crisis here? Another knock on the door. “Just a minute!!!” she screamed. She opened the door and the young superintendent, decked in work scrubs, was at the door. He smiled, nearly blushing at the fact the she answered the door looking so disheveled. Well, maybe not disheveled, but definitely different than her usual made-up self. “Just thought I’d let you know that the power will be back on in a few minutes. Power surge is fixed. Should be good to go.” “Oh, thank god,” she exclaimed. There was a pause between them; she looked at her phone instinctively, then laughed. “This thing isn’t even on.” “I know,” he said. “Like I said, give it a few minutes and it should be back on.” “Thanks,” she chuckled. Pensively, he smiled at her another moment. They locked eyes. “So, a few minutes right?” she asked. “Oh yes,” he replied, snapping out of it. “A few minutes.”

She gently closed the door and was desperate to pop her ears. She wouldn’t dare do it in front of the superintendent however. She took a huge gulp of breath, plugged her nose with her two fingers and blew as hard as she could. “Ahh,” she shuddered. She walked towards her TV and quickly tested it to see if it was on. It wasn’t. Then she dragged her finger across the screen. Whoa, that’s dusty. She grabbed a cloth and began to wipe the screen down. The wipe-down left some fingerprints, so she got the glass cleaner out and polished the screen up. With the screen glistening, she caught her reflection. This time she neither screamed nor fainted. She just stared at herself. The black of the screen, mixed with the shadowy nature of her living room caused the most unusual reflection. Her breath caught in her throat. It had been so long that she looked at herself untouched, that she had forgotten who she actually looked like. She was definitely related to that old shar-pei in the photo that was buried in her bedside table. As the shock filled her, she popped her ears one last time to alleviate the internal noise. With the satisfying pop, followed sheer terror she thought something was wrong. There was a louder pop. Did I blow an eardrum? She snapped her fingers at her ears. It wasn’t her eardrums. The power had returned. The fridge hummed. The microwave flashed 12:00am. The TV had that red light that it usually does. She stared at the dead phone in her hand. She ran her fingers over the screen and traced the lines of the phone to where the USB port intersected with the case. It almost felt like a smile. She put her phone on the counter and went outside, with nothing to do and little to worry about. //

EMMA STEVENSON AN

N A I L A R AUST

ON I H S A F E S U O H POWER

Words: UN Mag interview with owner of Emte Boutique, Emma Stevenson

EMTE

turning

traditional

retail

placement on its head to bring on-trend accessories

from

afterthought

front and centre. Located in Burleigh Heads and Byron Bay, Australia EMTE is a brand with beachside boutiques that are a shrine for chic embellishments, quality leather goods and signature pieces that promise

complete

any

outfit.

The

team at UN Mag had the opportunity to interview

owner

Emma

Stevenson

about

what it takes to be a powerhouse in business and fashion.

How long have you been building your brand and what have you learnt so far? I have been building EMTE as a brand for 2 years; before that we ran the business as a shared area and worked under a different banner. I have learnt that consistency is key and to not listen to only what I want,

but mostly what my

customers want! Where did you see the most growth for your brand? I’m a storefront girl - I love locals and I love visual merchandising. Having said that, social media has 100%

What stirred the desire to venture into the world of fashion and accessories as a start up? Eight years ago, “START UP” wasn’t a word. I just went into business for myself because I realized that I was a good saleswoman and the fashion industry was familiar to me. I was earning $500 a week working full time buying/managing and merchandising for someone else. More often than not, I would have people tell me to do it on my own, that the ceiling in retail was too low for me and I could do so much more. I have staff now that get paid double what I was being paid and I think perhaps if I was in their shoes eight years ago I might not have taken the steps to have my own store because I would have been comfortable. However, $500 a week wasn’t getting me anywhere, I couldn’t even pay my own rent!!

taken over the industry! What business acumen has been critical to help establish your business as a powerhouse in Queensland, Australia? The most important business decisions you will ever make are the staff you hire to be the face of your brand. My girls portray Emte to our customers and to the world while I stay at home working on the boring parts of the business like bills and buying etc. Looking back, are there any areas you could have taken short cuts and were there any other areas where you wished you had invested more time and resources? I think I have basically done everything I could well. This year I’m spending a whole lot of time and money on marketing and building my online store. I suppose that’s what I wish I had of invested more money and time in years ago - marketing is everything.

What are your top five favourite personal brands and why? Samantha Wills - I remember when my old boss stocked it and I saw it for the first time! The size the colours

Where do you hope to see EMTE Boutique

everything about it drew me in!!

in the next 5 years? I hope we are an Australian icon. I also hope our online

Camilla

What

trip!!

Who

would

reaches

all

the

goals

are

have thought silk kaftans would be a

setting for it and I hope we have opened

thing... for her to design those amazing

a few more brick and mortar stores in

pieces... the colours, the vibrancy and

places where people want fashion but

the ability to create that EXPERIENCE is

it’s

just so amazing.

right now.

The Horse - the owners are the most

What

does

‘unfiltered’

beautiful couple in the world; they have

I’m

pretty

unfiltered

done something in an industry that no

sometimes feel like it’s a bad thing,

one could have imagined.

for example some other brands would have

Status Anxiety - The quiet dark horse,

had their PR team read over every answer

literally just constantly turning over

and tweek it for purposes unbeknown to

stock, making new designs and moving

me. I say how I feel and always maybe go

forward

a little too deep into things. But, my

humbling to know they are one of the

business is my life - I am EMTE. I think

most rock solid foundations of a brand

anyone who owns a successful business

in Australia. They deserve so much more

can relate to that. ‘Unfiltered’ is raw

recognition for their brand!

honest truth.

slowly

and

quietly.

It’s

Spell - Ok I’m not going to lie - I wish we stocked them. I’m obsessed with the way the fabric feels on your skin, the colours and floral prints and how they spend so so much time building an experience. For example, the other day they built a whole room for a Valentine’s day girl dinner - they recognize and engage in social media in a way that is very unique. They aren’t selling you anything but the dream!!!

store

not

necessarily

there

mean in

for

them

you?

general.

To shop online visit www.emteboutique.com To visit in person:

WHERE TO SHOP

Burleigh Heads Boutique :: 3 James Street, Burleigh Heads, Queensland 4220 Byron Bay Boutique :: 25 Lawson Street, Byron Bay, NSW

No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

Smart Cities WHAT THEY ARE & WHY THEY HOLD THE KEY TO A SUSTAINABLE WORLD Words: Devan Valenti

Experts predict the world’s urban population will double by 2050 – which means we’re adding the equivalent of seven New York Cities to the planet every single year. As our planet becomes increasingly urban, our cities will need to get smarter to handle the influx of people in an efficient and sustainable manner. To deal with urbanisation of such an unprecedented scale, we will need to find innovative ways to manage complexity, increase efficiency, reduce expenses, and improve the overall quality of life for inhabitants. One way achieve this will be through the development of ‘smart cities’. Building smart cities is fundamentally about improving the quality of life for people by leveraging technology to improve the efficiency of services and meet residents’ growing needs. In a smart city, information technology is the principal infrastructure and the basis for providing essential services to residents. Technology allows officials to interact directly with city inhabitants and the city’s infrastructure and to inform them what is happening in the city, how the city is evolving, and how to enable a better quality of life. Through the use of real-time systems and sensors, data can be collected from citizens and objects and then processed in real-time. The information and knowledge gathered are keys to tackling inefficiencies within a city. Think of how the installation of wireless networks or fibre optics in your suburb has improved your quality of life - it has gifted you access to unprecedented amounts of information from the Internet. Or how Google Maps saves you time and time again by redirecting your route to avoid heavy congestion. Leveraging technologies like these is the essence of a smart city and represent great leaps in the transition to one. Current and emerging technologies are poised to reshape our urban environments there is no denying this. Using power sensors, wireless networks, and web and mobilebased applications, smart cities are already becoming a reality. On paper the idea of a connected city is a hard one to grasp: how can a seemingly disparate set of roads and buildings be ‘intelligent’ or connected in other words, ’talk’ to one another? But increasingly that’s exactly what they are becoming, from bus stops to billboards to parking bays, networked technology allows us access to unprecedented amounts of information, all of which can be examined to improve the performance of cities. And we will need this essential information if we are to create sustainable cities in a world where the city is the most desired commodity of all. Cities hold the key to sustainability in an uncertain world.

city developments avoid past mistakes by adapting to new methods and technologies that provide solutions to today’s challenges. Cities of the future need to begin their journey of becoming smart, presenting themselves with the best chance of dealing with uncertainty the future will bring. This can be achieved by an openminded approach that is bold enough to implement technologies that are sometimes unconventional, and look to technological investments that will prove valuable and beneficial in the future. Cities matter a great deal because they represent our greatest hope for long-term survival, not only for humans but for all living things. They offer us the best opportunity to dramatically reduce carbon pollution and provide shelter to the world’s rapidly growing population, whilst managing the encroachment of the natural environment and its fragile ecosystems. Simply having half of the world’s population living in cities provides us with a huge opportunity to bring about the change needed. Cities have remarkable potential to facilitate and amplify human creativity, communication and innovation. It is within a diverse and dynamic urban framework that the greatest human innovations and breakthroughs have occurred. It was within the creative hub of the Renaissance city of Florence where the ideas and masterpieces of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo came to life. It was within the densely populated city of London that saw the discovery and invention of some of the finest systems and machines that steered Europe (and the rest of the world) through the Industrial Revolution. And today, it is within the technologically savvy cities of Silicon Valley, such as San Francisco and Palo Alto, where cutting-edge companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Tesla thrive. Smart cities create the conducive environments for groundbreaking innovations and companies to thrive. The main ingredient to the ingenuity and innovation of successful cities comes down to unifying one element: people. By fostering a close connection between a diverse and talented community of people of different ages, cultures and experiences, cities become incubators and facilitators for the exchange of information and resources. It is only through the collective intelligence of a diverse range of engineers, designers, economists, ecologists, policymakers and the general public, that today’s challenges can be overcome and sustainable solutions can be found. Technology is the means to bridge this gap, and not only connects people to the city, but crucially also connects people to one another. //

THE POWER OF CITIES It is important that both new and existing

Let surp 78

life prise you 79

twelve months of summer

Words: UN team interview with Jessica and Storm Smith Imagery: Jessica and Storm Smith

Meet the duo behind the growing blog and instagram page, “Twelve Months of Summer”. Storm is a South African activist and local changemaker, born and raised in the Mother City, Cape Town. He spread his wings after school and went overseas to work and save up. His travels have led him to the U.S. and all parts of Europe. However, for the last couple of years he worked in Moscow while studying International Relations and Diplomacy. His wife used to live 10.000 km away, but after some years of a distance relationship they finally shortened the distance to 0 by moving to Cape Town, South Africa together! In his spare time he enjoys playing football, golf, guitar (or any instrument really) as well as cooking new vegetarian & healthy meals. His dream is to continue traveling the world, do his bit for humanity, build a career and do it all of it with his wife by his side. Jessica is a Cape Town based ecotrendwatcher, blogger and Master’s candidate in International Relations, who holds a B.Sc. degree in Economics & Computer Science. Her roots are both Dutch & German! The last few years were spent traveling back and forth between Moscow, Munich, Berlin and Cape Town where she now calls home. When she doesn’t have her head in the books, she is always somewhere snapping away. Jess is an ambitious young scholar, who loves all things creative, spending most of her spare time in the outdoors with her camera. Jess enjoys cooking healthy & eco-friendly meals as well as exercising. As a jack-of-all-trades, she is easily enthused, eager to learn and aspires greatness in everything she does. To her, however, family as well as being able to travel are the greatest & most humbling gifts.

On meeting their “person”

It was fate – a case of mistaken identity that brought us together and turned our world upside down. Four years on and we are not only partners but best friends. It was a struggle in the beginning seeing as we were both students, as well as living on different continents, but we’ve managed to make our relationship work somehow. We spent the first two years juggling between Russia and Germany, finally getting married and “settling” in South Africa for some much needed stability in order to catch a breath before my next adventure here in Asia. We both love studying, eating, traveling, documenting, while still finding time to help out those in need. To help combat the continuous environmental struggles we face on a day to day basis we’ve started our journey towards veganism and a zero-waste lifestyle. As we felt the urge to share all our adventures, we’ve decided to found our blog together.

The idea behind “12 Months of Summer”

Storm: Having a long-distance relationship that spreads across both hemispheres, we enjoy the idea of being able to always dodge the cold winter months. I guess it’s a metaphor for our life: with all the complications that follow our chosen lifestyle you need to focus on the positives – the bright side, the sunny side of life. Thus, we want to opt for a mind-set that can be compared with the state of perpetual summer.

Favourite subjects to cover on the blog

Storm: Exploring new places. May it be in another country or our home base. It is important to never cease exploring and also look into the beauty of overlooked, simple and unobtrusive places. Finding the beauty in ordinary places keeps us grounded. The second best subject would be food. We are both insatiable and the food on offer these days is definitely worth sharing. However, some would argue that it’s insignificant and merely “hipster culture” whereby certain individuals can’t begin a meal without taking a picture first. While I agree that this type of behaviour can be a little misconstrued, I believe that people are increasingly becoming mindful with regards to what they eat and out in their body and thus increasingly engage in the process of food production – where it comes from and the journey from the ground to the plate. We are more conscious than we have ever been, which transforms the ill-conceived “food sharing” into “food caring”!

“Unfiltered” mea Responsibility of bloggers to share authentically

Jess: Social media has become more and more distorted and is often far from what we really experience in reality. It displays, as its name implies, only an “instant” impression. Often bloggers who have a big reach could use this power to convey important messages. Instead they choose to show an almost corrupted side of their life, which consist of materialism and superficiality, pressuring young and vulnerable people to enforce insecurities and discontent. Quickly the feeling emerges that one’s own life is inferior to that of all of these pretty and seemingly successful bloggers. Here it is important to remind people that beautiful pictures, outfits and expensive objects conceal the often far more difficult reality. If likes is all you care for, than it is simply a mere matter of pursuing narcissism like everyone else. Of course, social approval is something great, but if we really care for the Instagram community including its most vulnerable members, a different approach is much needed, namely one of compassion: One that shows that life is complex and cannot be captured by one picture; that happiness is everything but a perfect picture feed. Ultimately, if you truly know the power of your account you can even use it to promote much more significant issues, may it be politics, environmental issues or even beauty ideals itself. It is much easier to just be an unsustainable fashion blogger because your ‘like’ is nothing but a click away, but isn’t it much more rewarding to do something meaningful? Again, with meaningful, I don’t mean promoting an item that has been sent to you by an agency, but promoting something that you truly care for and that needs awareness. This is especially difficult because many readers cannot differentiate between sponsored content and your personal subjective and honest opinion anymore. At the end of the day we know that many of our readers and followers don’t simply close their Instagram after looking at an outfit post but also critically reflect on the things that really matter and trust that we promote them based on our values and not on the money to be made. This can only be obtained through authenticity, which is the real struggle on social media. It has become a rare commodity worth fighting for. To conclude, it might be the more difficult path and less ‘perfect’, but it is one that will allow you to build and nurture meaningful connections on social media.

‘Unplugging’ and living outside the virtual world with such a heavily focused online brand

Jess: It is hard to opt for enjoying moments without capturing them or seeing the potential content in them. We both love capturing pictures and are always equipped with phones, cams or an action camera. We make our way to certain spots because we know that a certain *frame* or *snap* will await us there. Once there, we often realise that it is much more important to seize the moment and leave it as it is without snapping away. Luckily we both know how important it is to live offline. So leaving this equipment behind every once in awhile to enjoy an intimate day is very important for our sanity and the sake of our relationship. I know that a lot of very successful bloggers struggle with this, often ending up suffering from a “social media burnout”. Thus, it is important to remind yourself that the best moments and experiences often happen when you are offline. Moreover studying on the side is time consuming and doesn’t allow the interruption of social media. Then, it serves as a reward when I can work on my pictures after a long day of studying. To conclude, a healthy balance has always been key to a healthy life. As much as we need social media, we also need the outdoors, our studies/work, family time and so on, with the areas sporadically overlapping… 82

ans … Jess: In a world of social media and Instagram, where every picture and every selfie is concealed with a filter, it is important to go back to the roots. We need to learn how to practice self-love again. Only then, we can truly be happy in our own skin. The #nomakeup movement on social media has shown the need for breaking free from stereotypes and beauty ideals. Many people, may it be through beauty ideals or societal expectations, are forced into concealing their true colours and so called ‘flaws’. Being unfiltered to us, means being able to be yourself without any limitations and alterations. Moreover, life apart as a couple is difficult and as such we want to encourage other people in their distance efforts and let them know, that their struggle is shared. When the positive aspects of your life are shared as much as the negative aspects, that is when you remain unfiltered.

The absurd social media aspect of comparison and competition

Jess: The key to being happy on social media is the simple realization that it is and never will be a competition. Competing with such a vast community, there will always be a better photographer, a more wealthy person, or a better equipped blogger. Competition is good and we can learn from it. However, comparison can only be healthy when we accept and embrace the person we are and have become due to our own path. If you cannot embrace your own struggle and your own achievements and thus are unable to practice true self-love, comparison will just push you down the nasty road of envy and self-doubt. Moreover we are all individuals, with flaws and insecurities that are not displayed on social media. Thus, when looking at a beautiful picture of someone else we need to keep in mind that we don’t know their story and what it took them to get there and vice versa. All we can do is embrace our differences and use admiration as an incentive to reflect on our own potential and dreams. No person can be like the other but we can admire their work and promise ourselves to better ourselves. Thus I want to show the community that I appreciate their praise and equally admire their work. Beauty is ultimately in the eye of the beholder and you can’t please everyone. However, the only person you really need to please is yourself.

Instagram as a tool for creating a more filtered reality of our lives

Jess: Instagram definitely has created a more filtered reality of the experience of life! “Celebritism” has become a real disease with every blogger with a certain amount of followership immediately being labelled as a celebrity. Everyone can have their “shiny great moment” on social media. Everyone can have their “hypes” and “fans”. However, the higher the highs, the lower the lows and those without the means to keep up with this madness will get hurt or left behind. Moreover, this followership in most cases remains an online followership, reminding us of the necessity to foster real connections offline. Especially for younger people, who grew up with Instagram from an early age, this must be very hard. We personally don’t know how long this filtered reality can last until people will want to find a new thrill, but as long as it does we want to participate to share the love and remind people that they shouldn’t take themselves too seriously online. Therefore, we support the work of bodyconscious bloggers to bring the “unfiltered real life” into the world of Instagram.

Instagram as a tool to positively impact a brand and expand community

Jess: Instagram ultimately helps us in forging connections, may that be through business connections or gaining new friends. This has served as a learning curve for the both of us, in that it shapes our awareness in what we want to achieve with this blog and who we want to attract. Social media can be quite tricky and as such exchanging our thoughts with like-minded people helps us realize what we can improve on what our readership would like to see. Some areas are harder than others, because readers visit you on different mediums for diverging intentions. Finding out how to please the community and at the same time remain authentic in what we want to do and share, as well as creating intriguing and interesting content will remain the biggest challenge. We would like to expand the blog as well as stick to a goal on how much content we post in one month. Unfortunately, life often comes in our way and as such we need to work on our reliability when it comes to the blog. Until one can ultimately live from their blog/online presence, the path to success remains incredibly time consuming. 83

The best place in the world is…

Storm: There is a reason why Cape Town is so popular: it has everything to offer, and more. You could be having breakfast at The Old Biscuit Mill, relaxing on the sandy beaches in Clifton by lunch, and enjoying a romantic film in Kirstenbosch Gardens as the sun disappears over Table Mountain; all in one day. The people are friendly and the weather isn’t so bad either. I don’t spend much time in the ocean though; I think the Mediterranean Sea, preferably Italy or the Greek islands, caters more for the adventurous swimmer. Thus, Cape Town remains our top destination, closely followed by the beautiful upper lands of Bavaria. However, there is always a unique element that I admire about every destination. As such I cannot really label any destination as the most favourite one. Instead, I choose to indulge in whatever culture and environment I am exposed to. As soon as I visit a new place, this place automatically becomes my most favourite one. After all we live according to the Latin phrase “ ubi bene ibi patria” – Home is where it’s good.

On the world’s politics and using one’s voice to effect change

Storm: Everyone is involved in politics one way or another. However, not many people actually understand how they are governed, or how their lifestyles and daily routines dictate government policies. It is only when major events occur that people unite against threats or gather to support a good cause. 2016 presented us with many challenges (American Election “scandal”, the EU migration crisis, Zika, terrorism) and triumphs (Paris Agreement and various environmental policies, Global health breakthroughs, the rescue of the Boko Haram hostages) which ensured that everyone – people of all races, religions, nationalities, sexual orientations and philosophies – was constantly engaged in some sort of socio-political agenda. We, the population, elect political leaders and thus have the responsibility to hold them accountable for their actions. Alone we might not achieve much, but together we can make a substantial difference. Thus individual voices count because they strengthen the collective effort.

On being foodies and exploring the world’s best restaurants

Storm: It’s a difficult question to answer which restaurant is our favourite. I can’t remember how many times we’ve said: This was the best meal I have ever had! Jess comes from Europe, so she grew up with such a diverse range of cuisines right at her doorstep. This European tradition coupled with “African flair” has created a wonderful fusion of culture and taste. As vegetarians (aspiring vegans) we no longer view food the same as we did when we met. However, as hard as it is to admit, there are many restaurants out there that blew us away with their selection of classic meaty dishes. I’m sure I can speak for both of us when I say that we are happy to see so many vegan restaurants popping up all over town. Every dish is tasty, ethically-produced, as well as good and wholesome.

Having said that, this is our top 5 However, this list is subject to change: 1 Yemek Kulübü, Istanbul 2 Foodbarn & Deli, Cape Town 3 Kloster Reutberg, Bavaria 4 Zinzi Restaurant, Plettenburg Bay 5 White Rabbit, Moscow 84

Un-word

Storm – uncomplicated: there’s no time to beat around the bush. Jessica – unabated: the strength to push through, especially when life is hard.

Tips for other couples contemplating starting a venture together Storm: Watch the couples on Amazing Race and see how they work together…. It really tests your resilience as a couple as you are put to the test in more ways than you might think. You are always searching for new content, which adds on more pressure to your relationship and usual daily activities. This means exploring new trendy cafes or fun activities, photoshoots in charming locations, as well as all the editing that goes along with it. The most important thing is to be a team: to a have a common goal, respect and love one another, and enjoy what you do while you’re doing it. Oh, don’t forget to do some thorough research on new equipment and editing techniques. It really helps to follow other bloggers and see how they achieve success. Try www.12monthssummer.com for inspiration! Good luck ya’ll … //

Follow Storm and Jessica: Instagram @twelvemonthsofsummer_com Blog @12monthsofsummer.com Twitter @twelvemonthsofs 85

I used to extinguish under the weight of living, but one day, I reached into my chest, dusted off my courage, and asked myself, “where’s your fire?” d. antoinette foy

NEFELIBATA (n.) Lit. "cloud walker"; one who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams or one who does not obey the conventions of society, literature, or art. Origin: Spanish and Portugese

how

Words: UN Mag interview with Jessie De Lowe and Tara Sowlaty

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;How You Glowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a lifestyle source for health-driven individuals seeking inspiration, nourishment, tips, tricks, and solutions on how to get the GLOW. Primarily based in LA, but really a global resource, readers are given access to our favorite health trends, inspiring individuals, restaurants, travel guides, fitness classes, beauty products and overall inventive nourishment. But most importantly, readers are empowered to live delicious lives that make them light up from within!

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glow

Jessie_ Glow means to radiate at your highest frequency. It means to embody your authentic self; your thoughts, feelings and actions are in alignment and the external world that you create matches the vibration of what’s going on inside of you, and vice versa. It means to come from a place of compassion for oneself and for others; to nurture your soul with what makes you feel truly happy. It means to treat your body like the sanctuary that it is, which means letting yourself indulge in pleasure every day in a balanced, healthy way.

What does “GLOW” mean to each of you?

Tara_ To me, GLOW really means vibrancy, happiness and radiance. It’s a natural and intuitive approach to living where I gravitate to the things that make me feel most vibrant. It’s about eating the foods that make me happy, from my morning smoothie bowls to the best and most indulgent cookies around. It’s about moving and dancing and listening to music on a consistent basis. It’s about traveling to new places and really digging deep into different cultures. It’s about having thriving and ever-evolving friendships and relationships with my loved ones. It’s about working on myself to be the best version of me that I can possibly be. It’s about taking time to be by myself, meditating, living through my personal rituals that make me feel cleansed and energized. Tapping into all of these facets of life on a consistent basis are what healthy living is really all about for me. And most importantly, it’s sharing my resources and knowledge with others to help them along their own paths.

raw

In a society so focused on the external, what motivated you to curate something that inspires radiance and health from within? Tara_ We both have extensive backgrounds in the health world; I am a natural foods chef and holistic nutritionist, and Jessie is a certified yoga instructor and art therapist; yet we really relish in finding the balance between what a healthy and delicious and vibrant life looks like. We initially wanted to open up a wellness destination for people to come flourish at, but we decided to take it online and reach so many more people. How You Glow is so far beyond what is on the surface, it is a radiating energy that really emanates from within. Happiness, self-care, confidence, and fulfillment are just as important as working out, green juice, and using clean products. It’s the pursuit of vibrancy from the inside out that embodies the glow that we want to share with our community.

What does “unfiltered” mean to you? Jessie_ Unfiltered means raw, organic and unapologetic. Instead of stripping away what one might perceive as imperfections, unfiltered implies a respect and celebration of the natural form and composition.

Jessie_ The first step would be to pay attention to what gives you energy and what depletes you. Start logging down in a journal the activities, workouts, foods, people, places, tv shows, music, etc that either adds to your frequency or takes away from it. The goal is to try to eliminate low frequency people/places/things and add more positive frequency into your life.

organic Tara_ My grandmother is truly glowy; she has incredible skin, she is the kindest soul, an animal and plant whisperer, an amazing chef, and deeply spiritual. She takes self-care very seriously, has tons of incredible natural Persian remedies; she’s glowy and she doesn’t even know it. She’s amazing.

Who are your ultimate GLOW muses? Why? 90

If one of our readers is currently struggling to find their GLOW, what do you suggest as the first step?

unapolog

Tara_ There are a few things that really elevate my mood and that brighten up any day: Lavender essential oils, nature, crystals, candles, palo santo, good music (we make monthly playlists #GLOWtunes on Spotify), dancing, massages, art/drawing/water colors, a good sweat, hanging with friends, and of course chocolate!

Fast ways to GLOW_ Drink hot water in lemon after every meal Carry essential oils in your bag for an instant pick-me-up or chill-pill

All of us have good and bad days; on the hard days, what are each of your go -to’s to glow?

Keep your eye cream in the fridge for a refreshing and de-puffing effect Vintners Daughter is the best facial oil on earth Coconut oil for make up remover and your skin. Coco La Vie is the best Leave your comfort zone at least once every day Try to inspire and brighten the lives of those around you by being your authentic, best self

What is your favourite aspect of your brand? I love that our brand is limitless. Why? Jessie_ The topics and themes that we explore vary widely and nothing is off the table for us. I have always been a very curious person with a wide array of interests; ‘How You Glow’ is the perfect avenue in which to experience so many different aspects of what life has to offer, learning from extremely different people who all have such incredible knowledge. And of course, the mobility is also really amazing. To be able to travel to different cities and countries through ‘How You Glow’ all while spreading goodness and sharing what we learn with our audience is really a dream come true.

Jessie_ There are so many dream projects that we can envision!! A ‘How You Glow’ product line; A ‘How You Glow’ community where we give our members unique access to tons of glowy events; and continuous prosperous brand partnerships, travels, and of course working with all the people we admire.

What would your dream project look like?

Jessie_ Undressed. I am pregnant and none of my clothes are fitting quite right at the moment …

What would your “un-” word be?

getic

What is your favourite mantra /quote? Tara_ “Learn the rules like a pro and break them like an artist.” Jessie_ “The most creative act you will ever undertake is the act of creating yourself.” //

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almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. including you

anne lamott 92

With brave w ings she flies Photo by Adam Gil

A letter to Mindfulness

If innovation was the ocean, I grew up on the wave of the digital revolution; specifically, on the white crest peak before the vast realization of the social platform wave broke and came tumbling rapidly to shore to stay until further notice. Or rather, grow roots in the pillars of our social acceptance, self-esteem and photographing skills.

Words and Images: Darby Andersson 94

We know that social media is addicting. We physically experience a rush of dopamine which actually creates a “high” with each “like” from other people on a photo, status or new follower. It’s influential, it’s powerful, and it can be dangerous. Of course, there are positives of social media: it’s a free marketing tool for businesses, it’s a platform for positive social changes and spreading awareness of important societal issues that need to be addressed, it’s an opportunity to showcase works and aesthetics that may lead to a job offer, it’s an artist’s easily accessible portfolio. But behind each carefully curated page of aesthetically pleasing squares, there lies an obsession. We are obsessed with creating an image of us that may or may not be real. You can choose which parts of your life to post and share with people. You can edit everything to make it seem more exciting. You can make colours brighter. You can crop a frame of a seemingly luxurious reality. You can filter your life to perfection. It’s like when you’re having company over and Mum cleans every single corner of the house until it’s pristine and sparkling even though it’s a mess most of the time.

I grew up in the nineties and entered into the social media scene during my early teen years after a decade of playing outdoors until dusk, entrepreneurial endeavours into overpriced lemonade or Kool-Aid stands, and fervent exploration of my neighbourhood. I got my first cell phone at age twelve. It was a Nokia slide phone that had the type of keypad that you had to press the number “7” four times if you wanted to spell a word with an “S” when typing out a text. I had a ninth grade teacher who was fascinated with the exponential advance in technology. He always used to tell us that we were growing up in a fascinating time and that technology was rapidly changing. I never understood what he actually meant by it because we were living it. We were living the change. Internet was still relatively new, but it wasn’t relative to me because I had lived my whole life with it. Facebook was new to him, but it was second nature to me. We were the generation that was bridging the cusp between the previously unknown and the sheer mass of what was to come. We were the guinea pigs. Fast forward to 2017. We wake up and check our texts, Instagram’s, Twitter’s, Facebook’s, and Snapchats before we get out of bed. It’s the first thing we see in the morning and oftentimes the last thing we see before going to bed. It has infiltrated our lives to the point where we don’t even remember what we used to do with our free time before it existed. It has become a pre-meal ritual to take a picture of food and post it before digging in. We feel the need to snapchat and geotag everywhere we go. “Likes” equate to compliments, “unfollows” equate to burned bridges. You can simply cut someone out of your life by unfollowing them with a tap of a button. 95

However, the shiny new toy of social media is losing its luster. Its meteoric rise has awoken a new type of social media star in its wake: the average joe. Contrary to all the picture perfect fitness pages with toned stomachs, perfectly flawless makeup and skin tutorial pages, exists the modern day realist. For example, I’ve seen fitness pages that show two side-by-side pictures. The first: a welllit, back-arching, flexed, sideways pose with strategically placed clothing producing a manipulative image that looks good in the camera lens. The second: a relaxed, candid account of what the person’s body looks like any other time other than the split second the picture was taken. The two pictures were taken seconds apart. The captions often read along the lines of “don’t believe everything you see on social media.” Oftentimes we worship or wish to live someone else’s lifestyle. But we can admire and appreciate their talents and what they have as long as we appreciate the different path taken to be where we are now. We can use their journey as positive motivation for change, but ultimately fill the outline with our own story.

In a way, social media has opened the door to a free course on behind-the-scenes marketing strategies. We are inundated with ads that make us want to buy things we don’t need, to try the latest styles, trends and fashions, to make us believe we are less than what we are. The realists show us that everything actually isn’t as it seems. The new marketing strategy is to be raw, realistic and unfiltered. Instead of showing the polished finished product, it’s about the process and journey. It’s about the embarrassments and mishaps. There’s nothing wrong with putting your best foot forward and showing your lifestyle, travels and opportunities in the best light or with your favourite filter. But be transparent, humble and aware. Post that picture because you like how it fits into your life, not for the likes. If people assimilate with you, then they’ll come by you naturally. People will appreciate and respect the finished product more that way. There is strength in genuineness.

I decided to do an experiment. I deleted my Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter apps on my phone for a week (not the accounts, just the apps). I found that I was spending at least a quarter of the day checking Snapchat stories or mindlessly browsing Instagram, spending too much valuable time in my life following someone else’s. I challenged myself to a week of absence from the apps, instead of becoming absent from the environment around me by immersing myself in a digital environment. Social media can be a totally fantastic tool, a great time-killer and a fun and creative communication platform when it doesn’t replace your physical presence. I also found that I started to read again, and finally cleaned the spice cabinet I’d been meaning to get to for a few months. I challenge you to a social-media free week. Come down from the sun-soaked canopy of the social media jungle and bask in the cool, shaded understory. Unplug your life for a while. You’ll be surprised what you find. //

Likes equate to compliments, unfollows equate to burned bridges. You can simply cut someone out of your life

by unfollowing them with a tap of a button. 96

Meraki (n.) The soul, creativity or love put into something; the essence of yourself that is put into your work. Prounounciation: mA-'rak-E Origin: Greek

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- Issue 4 - 2017 -

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