URBANE
Sophisticate
MAY 2012
WOMEN'S ISSUE
Interview with
ANA TERESA FERNANDEZ
Stephanie Johnson's
THE WAR ON WOMEN
Vivian Onano : PASSIONATE ABOUT CHANGE
Issue No. 004
WOMEN
A LeTTer From THe EdiTor
I
t is of my greatest pleasure to present to you this month’s issue of Urbane Sophisticate, and it is of my privilege to write amongst pages shared by some truly inspiring young women. This issue – our Women’s issue – showcases talent and brains that decades prior was thought to be possessed solely by our gender counterparts. These pages are the voice of women across the globe, and I dare say, the voice of our generation: shredding the veil covering overlooked political issues and advancing the current technology of the world we know today. As a woman in the prime of my youth, I feel it is of my obligation to not just inspire other women, but to continually inspire myself. I have never seen gender as a restriction; contrarily, I feel empowered and motivated to crush and bury the stereotypes that were undeservingly bestowed upon women for generations across the ages. I am not the only one: it is obvious that the women of this millennium are an unstoppable unit. As always, Urbane Sophisticate represents youth and power in one. The words on these pages are written by those ambitious and by those that will stop at nothing to fuel the growth of our world. With that, I would like to welcome you to the May 2012 Women’s Issue.
Lyndsay Hall
UrBane SoPHisTiCaTe EdiTOr-In-ChieF
Luis A. Navia FaShiOn EdiTOr
JusTin Bridges Executive Vice President
JoHn Floyd managing ediTOr
Lyndsay Hall
DirecTOr OF Design Erin McLear
URBANE SOPHISTICATE
CONTENT War on Women ViVian onano Feminism nina Vir sexy Period ana Teresa Fernandez [CoVer] Camille ausTin: Hakkassan mixologisT Women in THe WorkForCe THe seCond Boardroom maTerialism and PerFeCTion sTudying aBroad
Special ThankS alySSa giannirakiS ana TereSa Fernandez emily helm Julie Sygiel kayla cruz nina vir STephanie JOhnSOn Sydney carver TaylOr gOnzalez vivian OnanO
By: Stephanie Johnson I realize every well-dressed, ambitious young sophisticate
cal commentary, Limbaugh occupies the awkward stage
cannot follow the War on Women as closely as I do. You are fabulously busy with exams, deadlines, appointments, and
the sarcastic intellectualism of Colbert. We are a genera-
shoes to buy: I get it. You were probably more absorbed
tion that can accept truth bending—as long as it makes us
by March Madness and the iPad 3 release than the fallout from Sandra Fluke’s testimony before Congress.
the “sex tapes” of a private citizen or asking who bought
What the media has dubbed the War on Women is not
not humorous: it’s just creepy.)
exactly new: women have been struggling to secure basic rights for centuries. Yet the recent backlash against gender
So, we missed Limbaugh, and we aren’t glued to our
equality is particularly disturbing. Even in the mudsling-
couches, watching Congressional testimony on CSPAN.
ing climate of an election cycle, the ferocity of attacks on
Sifting through the proposed legislation of faceless elected
women stands out. Beyond the tone of the discussion, we are faced with an almost bewildering ignorance—Rush
In case you missed it, here is a rundown of the most ridicu-
Limbaugh, for instance, was under the impression women
lous anti-woman legislation of 2012:
had to pop a birth control pill each time they had sex. 1.In Arizona, the State Senate approved a bill (HB2036) that In March, Limbaugh launched a personal crusade against Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke, calling her
sex.
a “slut” and “prostitute.” Her crime? Arguing oral contraceptives should be covered by insurance plans. For the
(induced labor) of stillborn fetuses should be prohibited
record, in a 2008 report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 82 percent of women admitted to using oral contra-
3. In the US Senate, Senator Roy Blunt proposed an amend-
ceptives. Not to be outdone by political pundits, legislators
ment to a highway funding bill that would allow employ-
around the country introduced regressive legislation and
ers to choose which medication their employees could
international community, puzzled, wondered why the United States had stumbled back into 1950.
Whether we pay attention or not, these retrograde politicians are in the business of governing our lives and
And thus the War on Women became national news.
shaping the way future generations view women’s rights.
How many self-respecting urbanites tune into AM talk
quite the message to send to young girls.
radio? I would venture to say not very many. It is safe to say most of us missed the vitriolic attacks of Limbaugh—
We grew up in the era of the Spice Girls and girl power. We
a fossilized shock-jock from a bygone era, enjoying none
watched Mia Hamm argue with Michael Jordan over who
of Jon Stewart’s witty charm. In the evolution of politi-
was the better athlete, and it is these early memories that
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shape our perspectives. We admired Mia Hamm for being
rights we all take for granted. As a journalist, Steinem
an athlete—not because she had a successful husband, was
attempted to schedule an interview at a hotel—she was
a domestic goddess, or designed a great dress.
asked to leave for being unescorted by a man. When the anti-woman brigade of Limbaugh and Morris discuss “rad-
Personally, I am a fan of great dresses—and the beauty of
ical” feminism, they are referring to women like Steinem.
hood for myself. We’re a generation of choices—we can opt
Georgia and Indiana harken back to days of yore—days in
out of taking oral contraceptives, we can opt out of parent-
which women were unable to attend college, work profes-
hood, we can even opt out of choosing a career at 18. We
sional jobs, serve as justices on the Supreme Court, or say “no” to their husbands’ sexual advances. (No, seriously
are allowed unprecedented leeway in choosing where we
- the idea of marital rape is newfangled to ultra-conservatives.)
rigidly controlled by biological imperatives, or the values of our parents.
As we try to understand the vocalized minority opposed to women’s rights, it is important to keep their out-of-touch rhetoric in context. Most of the legislators perpetuating the
out of touch with the generations that preceded them?
War on Women are male, over 40 years old, and they have
Baby boomers grew up in a different World—women were limited to traditional household roles, civil rights and racial equality were new ideas, and men framed the public discourse. Naturally, members of this generation view public policy a bit differently than we do.
Perhaps the best way to deal with the attacks on women is mobilize as a generation, a generation devoted to equality
Bob Morris, an Indiana State Representative, protested the
and choice. We do not need to attack the previous genera-
Girl Scouts for “radicalizing” young girls into homosexual-
tion for its failings as much as we need to stand together,
ity and supporting Planned Parenthood. In my hazy mem-
support each other, and let it be known that as the youth of
ories of the Girl Scouts, I remember sewing patches onto a
this country: we take birth control pills, we are not staging
brown jacket. I do not recall ever being indoctrinated into
a “moral decline,” and education is not brainwashing us—
homosexuality, and I was not handed any brochures about
sorry, Santorum.
Planned Parenthood. In the World of Bob Morris, organizing young girls and empowering them to be independent is radical enough—but to terrify his base, he needed to
steer clear of Limbaugh.
sensationalize his story with threats of “homosexuality” and abortion.
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Vivian Onano: Passionate About Change
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Vivian Onano is a young Kenyan on a Zawadi Africa Scholarship to Carthage College in Wisconsin. She is currently a sophomore with a major in Pre-med and a minor in Computer Science. Vivian is also passionate about Girl Child empowerment through education and health care for women and children in developing countries. Having been raised in rural Kenya and been faced a lot of obstacles growing up, she thinks there is need to address these issues. Vivian and her two younger brothers were raised by their mother who is a small business woman in Kisumu, Kenya. Vivian has always had the passion to help ever since she was young. While at Starehe Girls’ Centre she had the opportunity to exploit her talents and also received many opportunities to serve the society. After clearing High School she decided that she wanted to impact the lives of those in her community through the knowledge that she had gained. She volunteered with Mama Maria Clinic
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HIV/AIDS outreaches in the community. During this period she was able to reach out to 5,000 people in the community and created awareness on the need to be tested and know their HIV status. She also assisted the clinic to access test kits from the Supply Chain Management in Kenya. Vivian has also volunteered with Flying Kites Children Home, Kenyatta National Hospital and Children of Kibera Foundation. Through the Global Give Back Circle, Vivian has had a mentor since she was in high school. Her mentor has played a great role in her development and passion to help the community. Vivian’s mentor has always supported and helped her look for opportunities to impact the community as well as provided her a home and a family in the United States Vivian has been a speaker at both the Clinton Global Initiative and Clinton Global Initiative University conference meetings. Vivian was also among the young women who were invited to the White House last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women Day with First Lady Michele Obama. During her spring break this year she was fortunate to meet President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush. Vivian has always admired the former President’s spirit for volunteerism and wanted to meet him. On the 4th of May she will be a speaker on a panel “Training and Education to Facilitate Access to Job Market” at the UN headquarters organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Vivian is currently co-president of Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman Honors Society) and President of Chapel Choir at Carthage College. Recently she was inducted into “Beta Beta Beta” which is a Biology
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Honor’s Society and was also elected as the Senator for her junior class next school year. Vivian aspires to be a Pediatrician and humanitarian so that she can be able to impact many more lives in the developing countries. Her main goal is to build sustainable health care systems in Africa and Asia. This summer she is going back to her country Kenya to work with Zana Africa an organization that equips Kenyan girls and women to become the next generation of leaders in their communities by creating simple solutions to address root causes of gender inequality. She will program and she will be reaching out to young adolescent girls to teach them on Reproductive Health amongst other duties. Vivian is very humbled by the opportunities in her life and her source of inspiration and the stories from the young people who are struggling to make it in life despite the obstacles they are facing. Her favorite quote is, “The to others.” Former President George H. W. Bush.
The definition of a life well lived must involve service to others.
Women’s Issue
THIS IS WHAT A FEM By: Taylor Cruz I have heard, countless times, that the feminist movement no longer belongs in 2012; that disempowerment, the wage gap and violence against women are no longer happening or disconcerting in the United States. But these things are not just happening among the revolutions in the Middle East, or in the depths of the African continent- it is a daily struggle for all women of the world.
During a recent English conversation table, I was told that if women dressed properly then men would be able to keep from becoming sexually aggressive. No matter where you are or where you are from, victim blaming is not okay. What we need is to begin advocating complete bodily autonomy for allwomen, men and children- who are players in the
Rewind to fall of 2007; I walked into my gender and religion class not knowing that my professor
Who is a feminist, you ask? Do you believe in gender
that, I had always believed it to be a dirty “f” word. However, because of my desire to end the injustices occurring to women, I joined the F-Word, the “radical” feminist group on Florida State University’s campus. They are an inspirational group of women,
campus where rapes had been reported. In his
female feminists who threw out their razor and make out with ladies? Sure. Are there female feminists who they do both? Without a doubt. Feminists, male and female alike, do things because they believe they are right. Working for the Women News Network (WNN) opened my eyes to even larger-scale injustices and atrocities against women. With the WNN, I
down the project. He claimed it “created bad press” around our campus, as if rape was not something impacting his students. My senior year in college, a girl was raped in the library. This is not okay. There have been documented cases of rape where the victim has been at fault because her skinny jeans would have been “too tight” to take off without her assistance. I once had a friend ask me if she looked too “slutty” – to me, a word that makes absolutely no sense- because she was catcalled while walking on the sidewalk. Rwanda has begun a campaign to throw a red card at violence against women, yet victim blaming is an active occurrence.
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Challenge your peers. Make a difference. Educate yourself. Trust Women. Allow women to make choices. Call out sexism when you see it. Call yourself a feminist.
MINIST LOOKS LIKE. was able to travel to New York where I attended
gathered from all over the globe to join at the UN to discuss this year’s theme: “the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges.” I have met some incredible women including Nobel Laureates Shirin Ebadi & Leymah Gbowee, former
for sword.” Hail the G-ddess that a womyn’s own body part does not have to parallel the male body.
showing they are “weak” or “lame”. Why can it not strong? In cahoots with women like Inga Muscio and
Feldt, UN Women’s Director Michelle Bachelet, and
Worldwide, women have been closing the gender gap, but we still have some incredible work to
of women worldwide. Meeting these activists encouraged me that at a grassroots level, things can be changed. Individuals have a voice and their voice can make a difference in society.
organizations that keep women at the forefront.
States of America was written establishing “life,
access we have to information. I have been asked why I, who despises labels, call myself a feminist. My only answer—“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” (Anne Frank)
women have progressed with the establishment of Amendment 19, because it gave women the right to vote - and only to vote. What about intersectionality, where ideas like homophobia, sexism, racism, classism, and other forms of bigotry work as conglomerate-like systems of oppression? The issue begins with those who place themselves under the feminist umbrella. I am not a fan of labels. I subscribe
yourself. Trust women. Allow women to make
the genders—and not just the social constructs of “female” and “male.” I could get into the nitty gritty and discuss the male dominated language, such as [his]tory versus [her]
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Nina
Nina Vir, named one of the Top Ten Teens “Taking The Style World By Storm,” is the Founder and CEO of California’s hottest new fashion startup, wear based on the weather and your location. When Nina is not working on Daily Dress Me, she writes and Indian culture, and speaks out against human some part about all of this? Nina is 17 years old and,
High School.
your style? I grew up in Los Angeles. The sunny southern Cali-
various immigrant communities and cultures, and
Although I have lived in Los Angeles my whole life,
Vir
South Asian heritage. In my frequent trips to Nepal and India, I have become immersed in my ancestral culture. I am most intrigued by designers who incorporate traditional crafts such as: beading, sequins, mirrors, and embroidery. That being said, growing up “a child of the internet,” I follow trends and fashions from all over the world.
would you go? India during the Mughal Empire, because of the or-
Taking the Style World by Storm Women’s Issue
“Fashion has always attracted the artist in me.”
My camera. Why fashion? Fashion has always attracted the artist in me. One’s sense of style is a creative endeavor that plays an important role in expressing one’s personality and attitude. Fashion is an art form. However, unlike a painting or sculpture, fashion can literally be carried around on you. Your wardrobe is a work in progress, and always evolving. You can mix your pieces together, almost like in painting, to create new colors, textures and expressions.
to impose a “fashion agenda” on anyone. Rather, we try to suggest timeless looks that enhance anyone’s appearance. The inspiration for the site came from trying to answer the two biggest questions I have in the morning; “What’s the weather like?” and “What should I wear today?” One day I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we where Daily Dress Me was born. In the morning rush, the site makes getting ready a fun and easy one-step process.
class and style, but more importantly, a great humanitarian. Tell me about Daily Dress Me. What inspired you start to it? Daily Dress Me is an online site that operates like your own personal stylist. When you visit the site, you are given suggestions for weather appropriate,
What is next for you? As Daily Dress Me has grown, popular retailers are contacting me to put their latest collections on the site. Viewers will soon be able to buy these latest Daily Dress Me will be monetized – but not for direct -
the world, be it Los Angeles, Tokyo, or Paris, which makes it so great for travelling. I recently added a men’s section to the site, so now both girls and guys across the globe can use Daily Dress Me to dress stylish. Daily Dress Me isn’t about being “trendy,” but rather
ing. In the coming months, I am developing a mobile application so people will be able to access Daily Dress Me from their phones. This will allow people to get style tips for any weather they encounter while they are away from home.
own taste and class. In other words, we’re not trying
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In my travels to India and Nepal, I was deeply moved by the stark contrasts between the spectacular natural beauty of the Himalayas and heartbreaking human poverty surrounding them. I’ve seen with my own eyes the conditions of extreme poverty in Nepalese villages that force many families to literally sell their daughters into bondage. I believe that no girl should ever be for sale. We live in a global community, so if a young girl across the world is sold by her helpless parents or kidnapped to be sold in to prostitution, I feel it is my responsibility “over there” – it is a scourge that affects us all. Who is your hero? Anuradha Koirala, an activist combating human traf-
preneur? The advice I would give to an aspiring entrepreneur is to follow their heart. Everybody has something they deeply love. In order to be successful you have do something you care about and know very well. For example, with my passion for style, I have broken the mold and made a mark in the world of fashion and creativity. If you truly love something, it will be easy to read, talk and write about. Fueled by your passion, you business ambitions. I guarantee you’ll enjoy everything you do along your entrepreneurial journey. What is your motto?
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By: Lyndsay Hall
When Liz, a young woman, spoke at the White House, she donned a pair of Sexy Period underwear to assure nothing would go wrong in terms of her “time of the month.” This innovative technology, created by founders Julie Sygiel, 24, and Eunice Png, 24, is the brainchild of an entrepreneurship class the two took together at Brown University, and has since revolutionized the way women worldwide look at their monthly period. Letters of praises have been delivered from around the globe, acknowledging the underwear’s design, comfort, and most of all, its ability to take the stress of having a period off the shoulders of all its owners. One buyer of Sexy Period has been quoted with saying: “God should have created Sexy Period when he created women.” By the end of their junior year and upon the completion of their project, Sygiel realized they might have stumbled upon a product idea that would be realistic enough to solve the monthly worries straining the minds of women everywhere. After conducting much research and following two years of exhausting development, the ultimate in period underwear was launched. The design is a fashionfriendly take on comfort and practicality, consisting of two fabric layers designed to be absorbent, and a third layer purposed to resist leaking. “It took two
Since the launch, Sexy Period has been recognized by numerous publications throughout the United mailbox. It is these letters that mark the product’s success for the company founders. “I think it is a success every time we get an e-mail from a customer praising us. Women are busy and successful; they’re doing great things and they don’t want to worry about their period,” Sygiel said. “You have to go-gogo and do what you need to do, so to know someone is speaking at the White House and is wearing our underwear because she depends on us is a real honor.”
applauds the Kate Spade brand for their use of color and their ability to merge all things bright and happy with professionalism and class - two capabilities she, too, includes within her own brand. However, “businesswomen” and “entrepreneur” are two titles Sygiel had not anticipated to be so graciously bestowed upon her. As a chemical engineering class for elective purposes. Growing up, she aspired
claiming manufacturing to be their greatest obstacle. “We worked hand-in-hand with fabric companies and had to nearly start over again and again. It was a lot of gathering people together and motivating people to help us through it.”
of working in marketing for pharmaceuticals, and eventually landed in cooking sciences, with a focus on making recipes with butter. It was not until her for her. Now her eye is on the goal of progressing this company. “I am a big believer in luck,” she describes herself. “I would love to see this company grow, and we are looking at how to reach women around the
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DON’T BE INTIMIDATED AND DON’T SELL YOURSELF SHORT. Urbane Sophisticate
globe. I was a girl scout for 12 years, so my personal motto is to make the world a better place. I feel like we are doing that because we are empowering women.” Sygiel’s energetic and positive attitude also in her voice, as she explains, with bubbling enthusiasm, her ambitions for Sexy Period. “I am excited to promote this product. It is just an exciting thing to know I am changing the day of women everywhere.” A struggle during the process of manufacturing, according to Sygiels experience, is learning to relate to others, accepting their different life experiences, and showing them “you mean business.” The trouble, Sygiel says, was in being taken seriously. “They see someone incredibly young and has never
run a business, and they don’t automatically assume I’ll buy from them or work with them. You have to really paint a picture: tell them, ‘we are here, we are here to stay, we are going to be big, and we want you to be a part of it.’” This kind of power is what Sygiel
upon her. “Go out there,” Sygiel pleads. “Find what you want to do and can help you. Don’t be afraid. Even people on top of their game will still occasionally be there to help you out, so don’t be intimidated and don’t sell yourself short.”
possess; in essence, it is the power of truly believing are huge issues. It is something you can hide, but it is an ongoing struggle to value yourself and value your opinions and assert yourself in the work place.” Among her mentors, Sygiel admires Diane von Fergenstein for her ability to reinvent herself in the fashion industry and establish such a remarkable brand. From her, Sygiel has learned to be persistent and to not listen to the people wishing failure
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An interview with
Ana Teresa Fernandez
In terms of artists or otherwise, who has been an inspiration to you?
What has been your favorite piece of social sculptures?
My mother has been a pivotal inspiration in my life. A lot of the strength from my paintings is channeling her, as is the activism in my work. She is a photographer that has been documenting the border and its inhabitants between Tijuana/ San Diego for over 10 years. Her photographs are heart wrenching and beautiful. The work of Rebecca Horn, Michelangelo, [and] Marina Abramovic has been instrumental in how my mind and imagination were cracked open.
You are asking me to pick which is my favorite son or daughter! I do think that Ecdisis, a project speaking about the orphans of femicides in Juarez, Mexico, was possibly one of the hardest and most impacting. We had to make casts and molds of little girls in order to make the statues/sculptures. Getting so close and wrapping their bodies, creating cocoons was really magical. How have you found people reacting to the social sculpture aspect of your art?
This is perhaps a vague question, but where social sculptures? (May describe individual pieces) For Carry On, I had seen that bag in all my travels: Mexico, Haiti, South Africa, Europe. It was the international symbol for migrant en route. Here in South Florida, that bag is used for heavy lifting, whether its elder Asian ladies carrying two of those bags on both ends of a stick across their back picking up recycling materials, or Mexican women using them to carry their dirty clothes to public laundromats. There is strength in a sector For my sculptures in general, I am very inspired by vernacular architecture or urban ingenuity; it’s more about the public. My paintings are more personal narratives, familiar gender challenges and inequalities [such as] education, labor, and sexuality.
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They seem more interactive. People were eager to jump and play in Carry On, or loved sitting next to the girls in Ecdisis.I saw people attempting to stroke the girls, even though they are covered in glass shards. It was quite moving.It’s nice to watch people playing with Flock as they walked through the metal detector at the Mexican Consulate. The paintings seem to be more psychological engaging and less physical. What emotions do you try to stir up with your art? I attempt to stir more questions, challenge viewers, inquiring about their perspectives or preconceived thoughts. It’s amazing to watch how uncomfortable people get once you change the context of how they are used to view something. I love the quote, “a broom isn’t dirty when it’s
For me, it’s about challenging our stagnancy and complacency on thoughts and transcending the given.
“No one gives you instructions or a job list. You have to ha
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ave blind faith and be super passionate about what you do.�
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place it on a pillow.”For me it’s about challenging our stagnancy and complacency on thoughts, and transcending the given.
project. Untitled set us up, and brought love into my life.
What is your favorite piece of yours, or the piece that is really meaningful to you at the moment?
You have been acknowledged time and time again. Which one of these awards meant the most to you? What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment to date?
Again, it’s hard to pick your favorite kid out of the bunch. Each presented its own challenges and growth for me. But, thanks to Untitled I met my partner. He had seen my painting as one of hundreds of images sent to him in making a civic project on air-drying. At an event for a progressive congresswoman, this same painting was exhibited. A man walked up to me at the event and said he had seen that painting as a small jpeg and had loved it, setting it aside, almost using it. He was excited to see it real life scale. I, in turn, playfully gave him grief for not having selected it for his
There are awards that bring you into people’s attention and are helpful in your career. But there are certain experiences that I feel truly carve you into a different person. Working in Haiti, Mexico and South Africa have been truly some of the greatest moments in my life. Now recently working on a public project downtown of San Francisco at Intersection for the Arts with Johanna Grawunder, one of the contemporary artists I tremendously admire has been “please-pinch-me” type of rewarding.
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You have worked as at art professor throughout California for years now. What do you enjoy about that? Learning.
perspectives allowing all this to feed my work. I hope they continue to grow and morph into different mediums. That’s always really fun for me, learning or inventing a medium. The present is pretty exciting; that is what I focus on the most.
How do you see your art and art in general transforming in the future?
What do you still wish to accomplish?
My work is very meditative, challenging and labor intensive. People have this notion of artists smoking cigarettes and drinking wine in their studio. It’s such a myth. No one gives you instructions or a job list. You have to have blind faith and be super passionate about what you do.
Oh, many things! I would like to do more public works, exhibit at biennials. I would love to push the boundary as to where I exhibit and can be published. There are many male-dominated spaces or magazines that I would love to be in conversation. But most importantly I would like to keep thriving with my work, health, and love.
few moments of sublime bliss. I have a list of ideas that tend to brew and change over time. Travel, taking in sounds, smells, and
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CAMILLE AUSTIN:
HAKKASAN MIXOLOGIST by: lyndsay hall
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Showcasing her staple hairstyle that left others in the room asking, “How do you think she did that?�
and Austin was entertaining the idea of an Aperol
perhaps targeting the entire roaring city), ranked a cocktail and then use a different gin in another
not only possesses an intriguing personal style, hospitality ladder and a mild change of scenery from her hometown of Cancun, Austin now sits
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progression,� according to Austin, after the shattering Hurricane Wilma made her presence
Attending hospitality school in Cancun certainly
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Gen-Y Women in the Workforce By: Kayla Cruz
I should have known that being a young woman in the workforce was not going to be easy. There undermine our ability to take our careers seriously. Most of us attend college for four years in hopes of
going to have a hard time being taken seriously at work with legs like that.� I assure you he said that. discover when we enter the workforce often does
infrastructures and make it nearly impossible for young women to attain the acknowledgement that career lesson: my legs are an issue.
today face a tremendous challenge in being taken seriously as professionals. Not only do we have to deal with negative stereotypes regarding our young
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the case. I entered a male dominated workforce incapable of possessing intellect. The understanding that I was a young and smart woman did not exist. Nearly nothing I learned in college prepared me for what I encountered as a young woman in the
more than that and I will spend my entire career making sure that I am known for my intellect and the failed to respect me as an intellectual and that upset
be acknowledged for my talents and the knowledge that I possessed.
of the fact that they are capable of doing serious clerical duties. They yearn for challenging work
This longing to be respected in our careers that
frustrated because no one seems to respect her work. Then comes along a male superior who assures her that he does see her value. He then takes a development is given high priority. She is given until said superior is calling her at 3 a.m. demanding her resignation because she failed to report to his apartment that evening. To add to this is the sad reality that a young woman is seldom able to take credit for her success. As she
unfathomable that a young woman may succeed
men in the workforce. Add to that factor a young
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and want to be seen as equal teammates by their colleagues. It appears that young women have it the
THE SECOND B
BOARD ROOM By: Sydney Carver
I may not be ready to take a puff of a cigar and tell dirty jokes, but I certainly appreciate the age-old game. When I think of golf, I think of the many summers spent at the country club learning the skills to get instructors, and friends, my golf game has improved
job, I have come to understand what my parents told women enter the workforce and start exceptional and sophisticated businesses, there are an increasing intelligent women are learning the sport of golf so
Rewind back to my high school years and you would have never guessed that I knew what a pitching
gymnastics moves instead of something that my I could not understand the value of my parents’ wise words because I was captivated in my own world of
many summers I spent practicing my swing, I am thankful that I have the skills to be competitive on
While cheerleading is one of my best high school memories, I can assure you that my excellent toe touches and loud voice will not score me any points golf course and doing business with clients in a social
In reality, I will never be a “Callie” and have the Now, I have begun to think of my sister Callie who she has the ability to outscore most of her gentlemen
would never give up the moments I spent on Fridays nights under the lights and all of the memories I hold back fondly on my weekly golf lessons and have
ability because she has a talent and a passion that
only accept an invitation to a golf outing but am also see a business gathering on the course, do not be
Currently, I am about to receive my undergraduate degree and have countless thoughts about what creating and maintaining a successful lifestyle blog, and actively searching for the perfect “real world”
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not be ready to take a puff of a cigar and tell dirty
Women’s Issue
Living in a World of Materialism and Perfection By: Emily Helm
As a rather laid back North Carolina girl, I have always had a sense of simplicity and uniqueness. I was fortunate to be raised by parents who taught me great life lessons and were never quick to judge. They always allowed me to express myself in the many ways I felt necessary. However, I was in for a rude awakening when we moved to a big city full of the unfamiliar. I was thrown into a world where material items and so-called perfection was prominent.
school. I arrived to a beautiful historic school with the parking lot lined with brand new cars and people in them that I wanted to be just like. They seemed to have it all... and I wanted it, too. I had always been in the know of the latest trends I needed to step up my game. I began buying up designer labels like it was my job. I was shopping at
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all of the “cool� places, where without fail, I would run into plenty of schoolmates. My wardrobe was Kate Spade, and Lilly Pulitzer, to name a few. I felt I quickly realized that having it all didn’t mean anything. I still did not get along with those people and I came to the realization that they were not whom I wanted to surround myself with. This became even more apparent when I moved from the big city to a very small town in a deserted area for college. In an area with no real shopping or anything of materialistic value you are forced to
for nearly four years has proven to me time and time again that it does not matter what you do (or do not) have... those things cannot get you everywhere in life; in fact, they can only get you so far.
From my experiences I question almost everyday why we strive to have so many material things and seek perfection? What is it about our society that has led us to believe that we need these things? In my opinion, the media has conformed us into a culture of consumers.
that we see as “normal” in every type of media available. Enter the world of models, celebrities, and even that fashion blogger who seems to have it all going for her. To women, these people represent perfection… something so unattainable, that it is no wonder we all want it so bad.
Commercials, television shows, advertisements in magazines, the Internet, social media, and blogs place such an emphasis on having material items and seeking perfection. Women in today’s society have such unrealistic standards and expectations of themselves, their clothing, and their body. Women are constantly striving for something that is so glamorously unachievable. Women today want the photoshopped body that is a tall, slim, tan-legged
It is quite simple to imagine a life of perfection, yet is so far beyond reach for every single woman. We are all made with different frames, skills, personalities,
we don’t just want to keep up with the Jones’ - we want to be the Jones’. We want to have it all: the clothes, the cars, the bodies, and the entire lifestyle
different, and most importantly be ourselves. If there is one thing I have learned so far in life it is that there is no such thing as perfection because imperfection will always be there, but if you learn to work with what you have then you are going to be that much closer to having it all.
Women’s Issue
STUDYING
ABROAD By: Alyssa Giannirakis
I have always considered myself to be an independent young woman.
students from my school, some of whom I did not know before I left for London. I spend a good amount of time with them, but I have also met other American and international students who have turned out to be lifelong friends.
As a kid, I never cried at sleepover parties or complained about spending the weekend with my grandparents. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but I also love new experiences. As a freshman in college I missed my family, but was excited about the amazing things the next four years would have in store. It came as no surprise that when the possibility arose, I decided to study abroad. But if
A major part about studying abroad is being thrown into a culture that is completely different from life in the United States. The key to a great experience abroad is adapting and living within it. Saying “cheers,” drinking Strongbow, and shopping at Top
I thought I was an independent person before, I was sorely mistaken.
after only about two weeks of living there.
it was what Londoners do, and what I started to do
As living in London became easier, so did traveling Being a young woman in a new city is no easy task. My family’s warning to “never go anywhere alone” could not be truer. Although I felt ready to take on the world as I set off to live in London for the semester, I needed to be cautious. Safety is an issue in any big city, and London was is no different. I learned to navigate the tube and bus systems with some of the other students on the trip, so when I needed to go somewhere on my own, I felt capable to do so. After spending close to three months in the city, it is starting to feel like home, and I am more comfortable with my surroundings. However, I still go out at night with at least one friend.
excursion out of London was to Dublin in February, and I traveled with four other girls. For most of us, boarding passes and get to the airport without the help of our parents. Everything went smoothly, but if something had gone wrong, I was happy to have my
on my own. Sitting in the airport at 5:00 a.m. and the trip, but I was more than comfortable doing it in might not have been able to do so this time last year.
Meeting new people is a major perk of studying abroad. I am studying with a group of over twenty
The key to a great experience abroad is adapting and living within it.
three months has opened my eyes to how fortunate I am to be studying abroad. I think about my mother and grandmothers and how strong and independent they are. I know they passed those traits on to me, but I do not think I realized how much living on my own in a foreign city brings out the independent person that I truly am.
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