OCTOBER 2019
Letter from the Editors
With the start of a new school year, fresh beginnings follow. While we are so proud of how far VIM has come over the past nine years, we know there is always room for improvement. VIM Magazine’s reach continues to expand, and when appointed VIM’s Editors-in-chief for the 2019/2020 school year, we knew our mission included building further on the media platform so many love.
individuals striving to make the world a better place. At VIM, one of our many goals is to highlight those students pushing the status quo and reaching higher inside and outside the classroom, while tying fashion, lifestyle, health, beauty and entertainment into the stories we share.
Looking at the month ahead, our staff is diligently working on our digital issues and print magazine. Throughout this year, Online, we will review we are planning to The Metropolitan utilize our digital Museum of Art’s platform more than ‘Camp’ Exhibition in ever before, both New York City, lens online and on social in on why giving media. Further, artists the appropriate refining on our morerecognition they recently instituted bideserve is so semester digital issues important, ask the is a new feat we look question: “We Are forward to sharing with What We Create...Or our audience. Are We?” and so much more. The Spartan Community is We hope these compiled of talented digital issues spark
conversation, stir curiosity and above all: inspire change. We’re proud to introduce The Art Issue, as well as its feature cover star: Arzelia Williams.
Wolfgang Ru th
ilne M e i t t Ma
The Art Issue:
Arzelia Williams Stylists: Molly Harmon & Maria Vitale Photographer: Nicole Ma
Shedding
&
Reciting
By: Molly Harmon Arzelia Williams, senior Social Relations and Policy major at Michigan State University, knows the importance of giving voices to those who have been ignored for too long. Not only is she a recent recipient of Forbes 30 Under 30 Scholar award, she’s a woman dedicated to change. “Issues that I’m most passionate about include working with formerly incarcerated women [and] incarcerated men, women’s education and arts education,” Williams says. Williams is a beacon of light to formerly incarcerated women whom she dedicates her time to aiding which started before she even came to college. She was initially inspired to help these women because of her family. “I’ve actually had family members that were incarcerated,” she shares. Many would like to know who is Williams’ role model that inspires her to constantly achieve life-altering goals. The answer? Her great grandmother. “ I’m named after her. Her name was Marzelia and she wrote poetry also. When I was little she would start me writing poetry at three,” she says in a beautifully nostalgic tone. “So how some people would keep a daily journal during preschool, she would have me write short poems. Then I would share it with her and I had the opportunity to read some of the poems she wrote. She’s always been an inspiration to me.”
share her story, but those with whom she’s sharing her empathy. “When I was leading poetry workshops and in the men’s and women’s facilities, and [there were] men and women in the facility that said they had never written before,” she says. “Getting to hear people put their words to paper inspired me to continue to share my words with people.” Williams carries a humble confidence with her, one that doesn’t boast about her obvious accomplishments, but also doesn’t deny her knowledge of the positive impact she’s had on others’ lives. Even then, the parts she most passionately spoke about were what she learned from others, not her own accolades. She shares, “I was volunteering in a men’s correctional facility. One of the men there read the Quran. He said he didn’t consider himself a poet, and by the end of the workshop he wrote a poem and shared it in front of the entire class.
Williams’ philanthropic goals have also taken her out of the United States and submerged her in different cultures. “I’m a first generation college After years of writing short poems with her great student. I’ve never had grandmother, Williams began doing spoken word in family that have left the high school. “Then when I came to MSU, I got involved country for a vacation, so with a few spoken word groups,” she says. the freshman seminar Spoken word is a form of poetry commonly expressed abroad was definitely a on stage in front of an audience and is characterized by great experience,” she a purposeful tone and powerful performance. One year, continues. “We studied a professor told Williams of a class to help prisoners youth and popular through writing and poetry, she couldn’t pass up the culture in Morocco. Then opportunity. When asked about how spoken word we studied in Granada, allows her to speak her truth, Williams reflects, “I feel Cordoba and Spain. I got like it lends you more freedom than an essay or creative to see how youth who essay. It also constrains you to a time limit when you’re were the same age as me doing slam poetry.” at the time was interacting with education, what This form of writing has not only allowed Williams to entertainment [and] art
looked like.” The experience opened her eyes to the countries’ perspectives of art and loved every minute of it. In a moment of admitting her own learning experiences, she shared how she thought women in Dubai were oppressed because of how media and class narratives shaped her perspective. When she visited Dubai for herself, she explained how she saw empowered women in leadership roles. One day, Williams wants to become a diversity coordinator within media, specifically in the communications aspect of a large corporation. She wants to bring in formerly incarcerated individuals, minorities and underserved populations to corporations in order to give them more opportunities. When asked what keeps her motivated when her dreams can at times feel daunting, she shares that her role as the first-generation college student in her family pushes her,
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I have two little brothers and a little sister, two of which are in college right now. If I can do it, you can do it. Knowing I can be a role model to them and that they look up to me keeps me motivated.
To anyone wanting to make strides as she has, Williams gives a piece of advice to always keep in our back pocket, “Don’t be afraid to try new stuff. I never had someone to ask about the application process. Applying for a study abroad program before I even stepped on MSU’s campus was another big thing! It’s basically taking those
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opportunities, even if you’re afraid, and you never know what doors it will open.” Williams interned with Bags to Butterflies, an organization in Detroit that helps formerly incarcerated women gain employment through making handbags. There are also programs in the Residential College of Arts
& Humanities that take students to correctional facilities and gives them an opportunity to lead a workshop. Through these experiences students can perfect their craft and help others share their story in a new light. Watch Williams’ story unfold and hear a personal, empowering poem about her great grandmother in the exclusive ‘Behind the Cover’ VIM documentary.
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theteam
Editors-in-Chief Mattie Milne & Wolfgang Ruth
Assistant to Editors-in-Chief Eve Voci
Advertising Taylor Anderson & Emma Rafferty Art Kelly Phalen & Lauren Johnson Blog Heather Haely, Evana Caruso, Carly Komar & Meg Lloyd Board of Diversity & Inclusion Shaun Hayes, Cat Dang & Madison Reyes Casting Abigail Rothe, Caroline Semler & Tori Tullio Copy Editing Caroline Johnson & Sophie Schmidt Creative Molly Harmon & Maria Vitale Creative Beauty Dianne Avila & Michaella Andersen Digital Creative Madison Stoy Events Katie Telder & Hallie Tsui Fashion Relations Katty Genson & Alaina Agnello
Film Sara Seryani & Leah Croghan Finance Nina Kirchner, Alyssa Mills & Maisie Kern Graphic Design Mary Beth Flores & Hope Ann Flores Health & Beauty Steffany Kim & Olivia Russell Lifestyle Monique Ross, Abby Jaroszewicz & Karina Lloyd Marketing Alaina Warburton & Courtney Monge Men’s Fashion Dwayne LaGrone & Christian Ostrowski Photography Nicole Ma & Maria Grigg Public Relations Aubrey Haase & Brianna Olszewski Social Media Mady Emerson & Madeline Strintz Women’s Fashion Mackenzie McDonell & Meghan Provenzano
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