VIOLET SUMMER ZINE ISS. 7 1
© 2019 Violet Summer Zine, All Rights Reserved. Published by: Mel Writes, LLC
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DIGNITY
STYLE 3
Melissa Henderson
Ashley Uzer
Nicole Lockhart
Melissa is the founder of Violet Summer Zine and loves the beach. Any beach, really. She is currently working on digital rights advocacy projects and hopes to participate with more activities around the community and/or for the greater good. When she is not writing, she is at a workout class, streaming series like Greenleaf, watching Youtube how-tos or reading a book. Follow her work on www.violetsummerzine.com
Ashley is a writer, artist, and blogger with a focus on affordable fashion, plantbased food, travel, and lifestyle. She also sometimes get on her soapbox and talk about her soberish lifestyle or her obsession with gratitude journals. Ashley has written for DC Magazine, Galore Media, Bustle, HelloGiggles, VICE, and more. Follow her on Instagram @AshleyGiov
Nicole Lockhart is a writer living in Harlem, NYC. Her first novel, “ nadequate” was self-published in 2014. She is also an accomplished filmmaker, her visual-poem “All My Black Sons” was an official selection of the Harlem International Film Festival. Her work focuses on the giving narrative voice to our greatest wishes and our deepest fears. Her forthcoming title is a memoir, “Mrs. Putnam & Marcy” and will be published Fall 2020.
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Aramide A. Tinubu
Avalon Lustick
Nina Singh
Aramide A. Tinubu is a film critic and entertainment journalist. Her work has been published in EBONY, ESSENCE, Bustle, The Daily Mail, IndieWire and Blavity. She wrote her master’s thesis on Black Girlhood and Parental Loss in Contemporary Black American Cinema. She’s a cinephile, bookworm, blogger and NYU + Columbia University alum. Follow her at @awordwitharamide.
Avalon Lustick is a New York City based freelance writer. After studying journalism at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Lustick went on to be a news and broadcast reporter in New Hampshire. During her years as a superstar news reporter, she covered any topic from crime to politics to lifestyle. In 2019 she made the leap to New York to find her own truth as a writer. When this uptown girl isn’t asking too many questions in the afternoon, and a chocolate dessert at night. avalonlustick.com
Nina’s career began nine years ago in NYC. Though her career began in fashion, upon moving to Los Angeles she moved into the beauty industry where her career propelled. Despite moving up the ladder quickly, Nina found that she was never fulfilled. On a quest to understand her dissatisfaction, she began her healing journey. Nina uncovered many powerful tools that helped her break free from limiting beliefs, release childhood trauma and become a more confident woman.
Collaborators 5
Genny Mack
Lauren Arevalos
Raina Asid
Get Fit with gennymack
Lauren is the founder of Wild Spritz, a wellness company that makes and sells organic products. When she’s not at a rally, fighting for our huma n rights, she’s streaming shows or assisting with Violet Summer’s digital productions. Not to mention, she LOVES dogs. Lauren is currently based in San Antonio, Texas.
Raina Asid is a graphic designer trying to make the world more aesthetically pleasing one image at a time. She is a consistent creator or some pretty dope illustrations. When is she not infront of her computer, she somewhere deep in The Golden Girls universe. To see more of her work, follow her on instagram: @asidchronicles
classes were founded in 2017 by Genail McKinley, a Certified Group Fitness Instructor, based in New York City. When Genail is not training clients and teaching classes, she is working as a full-time Financial Services Consultant/CPA in NYC Get Fit with gennymack classes bring fun and energetic workouts by using bodyweight techniques to build muscle, cardiorespiratory endurance and agility. My dream is to own several fitness studios.
Collaborators 6
Features Schmoney Gifts .....................................................
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Self-Worth ..............................................................
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Feeling Weighted ...................................................
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What Are You Wearing? ........................................
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How She Hacked Into Tech .................................
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All about @TokyoBaby ........................................
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Now Playing: Ash Lauryn ....................................
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Black Art is Not a Trend .......................................
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VSZ’s Holiday Dinner ..........................................
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The Root100 ..........................................................
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Trafficking ..............................................................
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Modern Urban Sensory Experience .....................
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Violet Summer Shop .............................................
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Credits ...................................................................
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Beauty Gifts These are a few of our favorite things...
Violet Summer Insiders
Mileo New York has packaged four favored scents into a holiday gift set for 2019! Housing the world’s first Oud skincare, this limited edition holiday gift set showcases a collection of 4 miniature ELIXIR OUD facial oils. One hundred year old Oud, the rarest botanical on earth, is a powerful inflammatory that regenerates healthy skin. The set is available for $125 at mileonewyork.com.
La Prairie introduces Skin Caviar Eye Lift, the first eye-opening serum for under eye bags, eliminating dark circles, and preserves your eyes all for a cool $480 @laprairie #skincaviar laprairie.com #EyesInFocus Maya Njie is a UK based perfumist whose scents radiate and demand cool. Inspired by her upbringing in Gambia, once you put it on, you’ll be wondering who you were before this scent transformation. Key notes: Citrus, Pineapple, Mediterranean Fig, Iris, Coconut, Ambergris, Sandalwood 50ML $130 online to UK only. Violet Summer insiders: Make an appointment at Muses Experiences in Harlem for an exclusive buying experience.
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schmoney gifts for them.
Shop the collection: @bklynleague
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I have nothing to hide, but everything to protect. Always walk with dignity and grace. @melwritesnyc
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Self-worth
By: Melissa Henderson
It’s not only the end of the year but the beginning of a new decade. This year has been transformative. Storytime! I thought something was wrong with me, so I embarked on my own health journey - Doctor appointments, diets, probiotics, pills, and supplements I took this year. After a few hundred dollars spent on these activities, I stopped going & doing it because there was a disconnect from what, say therapy, was telling me to change/upgrade and what was happening. It wasn’t their fault though, because I neglected to do the work. I wasn’t being fake; I was withholding parts of me I thought you guys wouldn’t want to know about. For example, I’m too sweet, and this is somewhat a weakness I’m learning to balance. Have you ever been in a situation where they tried it? Can’t catch me slipping in 2020, sorry to this man. Someone was calling my phone all crazy and on the third time trying to reach me, I answer, and I wasn’t pleasant. The reason for the call could have been resolved appropriately via email. I’m old school. It’s rude to call someone after 8 pm if you don’t know them like that. The point of the story is that my free time is my time to relax. If I’m Instagramming and not on email or texting, then I’m not on email and texting at that moment. Sorry, not sorry. Some people think they have this authority over what and how you should be responding, and it’s so ridiculous. It’s also not a valid case in an argument. We need more censorship with our personal space. It took a lot not to be afraid to stick up for myself. At those moments, I learned to act fast when people least expect it and keep my guard up. Always have a plan in mind, but still, have plan b for yourself. Experiences on the street taught me to guard what I value. It’s the “how dare you attitude” when people try to tell them who they are. My readers are people who understand that these underwritten codes. Plus, we are all socially aware. If you’ve been reading the zine, you know our tone through the fictionalized characters I’ve written about in the Sanity Addiction series. They are roses still blooming. They take a fall, they learn from it and move on. They are real stories that don’t have fairytale endings but aim to teach lessons to people who live in urban areas. I get inspired everytime I read SA. Which is why, through my career journey, I learned to listen and know when to speak up. I learned to take risks early on as soon as I was of age (that’s 18 years old!!) to make my own decisions. Looking back, I wish I took my time growing up, but coming from where I’m from, you grow up quickly. It wasn’t till later on that my dignity became my DNA.Violet Summer Zine aims to tell our stories for people to feel some type of way about each issue’s theme. This one will definitely have you going to Google. Make sure you click on the links for hidden visual content and other shopping discounts. It is never my intention to oversell, cheapen, or devalue the products and the people who are featured in this zine, as well as in any of the partnerships I’ve cultivated. I definitely have high standards. I believe that doing good by people is more of a value if it’s about leveraging my experiences with vulnerability to put myself in a better situation than yesterday. 11
Feeling Weighted By: Nina Singh
*Disclaimer: I was studying for my Master’s degree finals during this review. Anxiety is the worst. I once described it to a friend—it is that about to fall off a cliff feeling, but constant. Not only is it uncomfortable but it makes simple tasks seem tedious and painful. Worst of all, it can make sleep very difficult. I have had countless nights tossing and turning sometimes brought on by stress but other times there was no trigger. In those moments meditation, CBD, breathing exercises and teas will not do the trick. Because sleep matters to me, as a last resort I’ll pop a Tylenol PM or Xanax. But even after taking those steps I still wake up tired, sometimes groggy. The state of my bed usually reveals whether the sleep was restful or not and most of the time it is a disaster. Like most people, my mood is usually better when I am well-rested. Even though I go to great lengths to sleep, after hours in bed it never feels like enough. I am dragging myself out of bed each morning, wishing I had another 30 minutes or hour. When I do not sleep well my caffeine intake goes up tenfold. I convinced myself it keeps me from getting sluggish but the downside is that caffeine exacerbates my anxiety. In an effort to avoid medicating and over-caffeinating, I started exploring alternatives to help with my anxiety and sleep troubles. Beyond herbs, acupuncture and other holistic options, I found weighted blankets were frequently recommended to those with my list of symptoms. It seemed like an option worth exploring. My top points for evaluating blankets were whether they were high quality and sustainable. That led me to Corala. When unboxing my Corala shipment I was very impressed with the packaging. Having worked in both fashion and beauty I had high standards. And the lined box was an important detail that elevated the overall experience. I was also pleased to have two versatile duvets to choose from and the colors were neutral which worked well with my home’s aesthetic. Additionally, I hadn’t realized the blanket was made using glass beads. This was especially appealing since they offered a more natural option to competitors on the market and touted more even coverage when used. Eager to put the blanket to use right away I threw the blanket over me while I was reading. That day I had consumed my last coffee around 4pm, which was unusually late for me. I was feeling jittery, but the blanket helped me ground and focus. The anxiousness soon passed, and I felt truly relaxed. Unlike other days when I was this caffeinated, I actually felt tired, so the blanket and I spent our first night together. 12
For sleep, I found the Corala blanket gave me a feeling of support and comfort which allowed me to relax. I was able to go to sleep faster, even when feeling anxious or jittery. In the morning I noticed my bed and pillows were more intact than ever before. And I felt better rested than my sleep without the weight. I was more often able to wake up early for a work-out class when using this blanket. Since experiencing this blanket, I have found that my quality of sleep has improved enough that I do not need more than one cup of coffee per day. Similarly, my usage of medication has become less frequent as well. All around, this blanket has transformed my life and helped with my anxiety levels. I couldn’t imagine not having one! Before you go buy one, make sure you determine the right weight for your body. Corala’s blanket is 20 lbs. In my research, it is recommended that the weighted blanket represent 10% of your body weight. Corala was a bit heavier than 10% for me. But I adjusted accordingly, if it got too heavy, I removed the blanket or repositioned it. Secondly, when you are dressing the blanket make sure you have a friend nearby to help. The weight of the blanket can make it difficult for one person to put on the duvet. But once you have it on, you’ll be excited to cuddle up, especially under the winter duvet. Plus, since it’s a queen size blanket, you’ll both fit. Rate this story
**Corala was gifted to us to review.
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The “you have good energy” thing seems to be how guys say “I like your tits” in LAlingo. Those same guys may also ask for your horoscope sign and Google your compatibility seconds after your first date. I always thought the idea of using “what’s your sign?” as a pick-up line was a joke, but I think literally every date I’ve gone on since moving to LA has involved me disclosing my horoscope sign (scorpio, BTW). - You Have Good Energy, Issue 5 @ashleygiov
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What Are You Wearing?? By: Nicole Lockhart
The stories behind her favorite perfume scents and other thoughts about what you smell like. My mother no longer wears perfume. She complains they give her headaches. But perhaps she has just been abused like the millions of other men and women, hounded down in department stores with little regard for personal space and callously spritzed with the latest eau du toilette (Yes, that means toilet water in French). That scent follows us home, lingers around us on our clothes and immortalized in the unshowerable parts of our pores. There is, we begin to believe, a possibility the stench never goes away and will haunt forever. And then, by plot twist, it grows on us. So we go back to the department store to try it on, only to find that it is no longer on sale and we still in fact hate it. In a way, the inability to find a fragrance that we don’t mind being covered in for the day may seem like we have commitment issues. But we are all searching for that whiff of love, knowing it is not easily found at first spray. When she did wear perfume, my mother chose Clinique’s “Happy”. A soft citrus scent that wandered around with her like a sunny day in a country garden. It was the kind of smell my nine year old self associated with the quiet joys of reading a book under her arm, or playing on the carpeted floors of her bathroom while watching her primp as she prepared for a night out with my father. As a good mother does, she let me try it on once or twice. When the mist swirled around me like an angel’s breath I became ankew. The transformation still happens when I smell the now classic perfume, still sold in Macy’s or any remaining department stores. It tethers me to the memories of my happy childhood and to the desire to grow-up and be the kind of woman my mother projected when she wore her signature scent. I used to steal that perfume from her counter and take it to school, spraying myself with its confidence boosting contents in-between classes. By the time I got to highschool I was obsessed with finding the perfect signature scent for myself. I wanted to wear something that projected who I was without even speaking for myself. I wanted a fragrance so attuned to my being that when I would walk by, the heads would turn, and people would know that I was here. In a recent conversation with bespoke perfume creator Sue Phillips, owner of The Scentarium a make-your-own parfumerie located in TriBeCa, I marveled that my sense of smell was the only one of my senses I couldn’t turn off. To stop smelling, I would have to stop breathing. “I spent years,” I explained to Phillips a fragrance verteran with over 35 years in the industry, “following my curiosity for smells.” I was always penning them in my 15
My mother no longer wears perfume. She complains they give her headaches. But perhaps she has just been abused like the millions of other men and women, hounded down in department stores with little regard for personal space and callously spritzed with the latest eau du toilette (Yes, that means toilet water in French). That scent follows us home, lingers around us on our clothes and immortalized in the unshowerable parts of our pores. There is, we begin to believe, a possibility the stench never goes away and will haunt forever. And then, by plot twist, it grows on us. So we go back to the department store to try it on, only to find that it is no longer on sale and we still in fact hate it. In a way, the inability to find a fragrance that we don’t mind being covered in for the day may seem like we have commitment issues. But we are all searching for that whiff of love, knowing it is not easily found at first spray. When she did wear perfume, my mother chose Clinique’s “Happy”. A soft citrus scent that wandered around with her like a sunny day in a country garden. It was the kind of smell my nine year old self associated with the quiet joys of reading a book under her arm, or playing on the carpeted floors of her bathroom while watching her primp as she prepared for a night out with my father. As a good mother does, she let me try it on once or twice. When the mist swirled around me like an angel’s breath I became ankew. The transformation still happens when I smell the now classic perfume, still sold in Macy’s or any remaining department stores. It tethers me to the memories of my happy childhood and to the desire to grow-up and be the kind of woman my mother projected when she wore her signature scent. I used to steal that perfume from her counter and take it to school, spraying myself with its confidence boosting contents in-between classes. By the time I got to highschool I was obsessed with finding the perfect signature scent for myself. I wanted to wear something that projected who I was without even speaking for myself. I wanted a fragrance so attuned to my being that when I would walk by, the heads would turn, and people would know that I was here. In a recent conversation with bespoke perfume creator Sue Phillips, owner of The Scentarium a make-your-own parfumerie located in TriBeCa, I marveled that my sense of smell was the only one of my senses I couldn’t turn off. To stop smelling, I would have to stop breathing. “I spent years,” I explained to Phillips a fragrance verteran with over 35 years in the industry, “following my curiosity for smells.” I was always penning them in my creative writing, buying countless perfume samples from Luckyscent (this was in the 2000s before Sephora gave them out for free), and even traveling abroad to find a signature scent of my own. I would rip the dried samples out of magazine pages and rub it on to my skin so vigorously the ink from the advertisement would tattoo my arms. Scent like an accessory we often forget we have adorned ourselves with until a close someone reminds us how amazing we smell. I snooped in countless bathrooms to discern the choices my neighbors and family members had made around their scent. What I have discovered is that our taste, 16
...a less racy attempt to re-birth my innocence... 17
much like in fashion, evolves as we age. My grandmother’s seemingly enduring love for inky oriental perfumes like “Shalimar” or “Obsession” probably began with a preference for flowers as most young girls do. For myself I first became partial to “Cucumber Melon”, and then “Japanese Cherry Blossom” from Bath and Body Works. My first great find in fragrance came from scouring BaseNotes, a site that lists the many complex notes that make up a single fragrance. I fell in love with “Mare” by Creative Universe, Beth Terry. It was a salty seaside in a bottle that showcased a true perfumers’ creativity. At last, I had found something so unique and so accurately composed that it transported me to my summers at Hilton Head Island, packed in a van with my eight sandy cousins. I never ordered a full bottle of it but I did use every milliliter of the $7 sample. The first fragrance I bought for myself may have been “Very Sexy” from Victoria Secret, but that was only slightly above the Bath & Body Works in terms of concentration. Perfumes are priced according to the ratio of fragrance oil to the fixative (usually alcohol). The higher the concentration of oil, the more finer the quality of perfume, and the more you’ll pay. Among the most highly concentrated is a cologne--which is not actually a gender based distinction as we have been taught by the fragrance industry. “Very Sexy” may have been my sixteen-year-old attempt to circumvent puberty and attract a certain boy on the basketball team, but it worked. A fragrance changes the air of your presentation.I was brave and a little daring when I wore it, the heat causing the scent to rise from my pulsing pituitary glands. It is not unlikely to assume that my first kiss came because I was leaning into my budding young sexuality by dawning the warm sensually experienced-ness of my maturely named perfume. For christmas that year I had been asking for “Daisy” by Marc Jacobs--something my parents were keen to oblige as it was a less racy attempt to re-birth my innocence. The fragrance was proudly bright with hints of soft flowers in spring and I loved the quiet assurance it gave me in a time of deep insecurity. In college I discovered “Philosophy the Fragrance” by Philosophy in a discount bin of Marshall’s. There were two bottles and I wish I had bought the second, but the woman shopping next to me greedily gobbled it up as well. It has since been discontinued, only to be priced unfairly high on eBay. The aroma, to me, possessed an intellectual lightness. It had that sort of uncloudy brain feel with the freedom of a field of leafy greens and brightly colored hyacinth, bursting with lemon and ginger in moments of charged intelection. Barneys, may it rest in retail peace, was the final frontier for fragrance pioneers. Unlike the major store carriers, Barneys New York was the mecca of innovative fragrance design. Often located on the bottom floor of the deceased department store was a world of niche perfumes showcased on brightly lit counters, behind which 18
stood knowledgeable sales people who neither pestered nor sprayed you. I have spent hours dazzling at the bottles of Frederic Malle, Byredo, and Molecule (known for the isomer molecule that smells different on every wearer). I settled on for myself the jasmine heady “Ophelia” by James Heely, a British perfumer I discovered the summer before in Paris. Two years later, I purchased the expensive “Lunanera” by Tizianna Terenzi, a scent I proudly call my signature when asked in elevators by strangers. It is a powdery and spicy scent that somehow has notes of all the things I’ve learned that I love. Fig, for my dog; ylang-ylang, jasmine, myrrh, and madagascar vanilla which reminds me of my travels; and the bulgarian rose, which is a little mature for my usual taste. Somehow the composition speaks to the decades of growth and how, like my taste in fragrance, I will continue to evolve and age beautifully. While I have no problem with wearing something that is popular, I do find that it is hard to be distinct and original when one wears a scent that is so familiar. Chanel No. 5, for instance, owes its wild popularity and to a fluke. The scent was created on accident in 1921 when CoCo Chanel hired perfumer Ernest Beaux to create five samples for her, the fifth one receiving a serendipitous overdose of aldehydes. Furthermore, we may have memories that are attached to certain familiar fragrances. For me everything Le Labo makes reminds me of the wanna-be-cool types that lived in my first New York neighborhood, who strained past trendy and somehow becoming bland and uninspiring again. I guess the same could be asked of all fashion: Why wear what anyone else is wearing? The history of perfume is as unique as it’s many great grandchildren. Originating in the tanneries of Northern Africa, known for the horrible stench of the fine leather goods, the European elite started begging for something to mask the odious stench of the luxurious animal skin and dyes. Perfume was the solution and soon became the sought after addition to a pair of leather gloves, particularly in the courts of Versaille which were known for the opulent parties. The royal court ragers were a spectacle to see but a stink to be in the mosh pit of. And so perfume became the sensation that dissociated personal hygiene, and consequently the poor from the elite. It traveled from the European countries from where most of the fragrant ingredients were sourced with the World War, as American soldiers brought back gifts for their wives. This again made perfume a status symbol that would make your friends jealous. Now it is not uncommon to wear a fragrance. I would say that it does not inspire envy in me so much as the same curiosity it first did when I smelled my mother or rummaged a bathroom cabinet. Scent beckons you close to the wearer, saying more about them than words and sometimes actions do. A new fragrance designer I have discovered is Maya Njie who lives in London, England and creates artisanal fragrances based on her blended Swedish and Gambian heritage. The story she tells through her 19
almost a decade ago. It was Versace’s “Bright Crystal”, something she sprayed at the beauty counter in a department store and honestly did not like at first. But grew on her on the way home, lingering around her like a shimmering glow of berries and pink florals, a jewel as rare and precious as she is. I’m not certain it was her signature scent or that she would continue the search to find herself in fragrant self-expression. But it did, for a moment, envelop her in happiness.
How to find your scent Use Basenotes.com or Frangrantica.com to research the scents that you already own and love. They will describe each note that comprises the fragrance, maybe you will notice a preference for one or more notes. Use that to explore your options virtually and let that lead you to the store for a try on or even order a sample online from a site like Luckyscent. Reach out to Kimberly Waters at Muse Experiences and see if your scent is hiding in her special collection. If you’re not sure what you like I suggest taking a chance on Scentbird.com, to begin the exploration process. For me an important part of the journey was putting my ego aside and asking people what they were wearing on the street. This led me to brands I never knew of, to unique stores and sometimes a few new friends. You may be like Elisabeta, a friend I made while browsing the numerous Fuegiua Fragrances, who layers two different perfumes to create that signature smell. Or if you want to spare no expense, there are places and people who will create something custom for you, like Sue Phillips at the Scentarium. When I first started dabbling in scent creation I would go to The Fragrance Shop NY, which allows you to use your nose to blend something of your own and they keep the recipe card for future creations. Finally, there is no need to have just one scent. Most people, myself included, have landed on several scents that are appropriate and equally as self-expressive on any given day. Let your personal aroma change with your moods, occasion, or fashion. Unless you’re a uniform minimalist, there is room for play and great fun in your choice of personal fragrance. It was an accident that made CoCo Chanel an icon, and even she says, “The best color in the whole word is the one that looks good on you.” I believe the same is true of fragrance. Rate this story
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Each fragrance is meant to speak its own language. Once it hits your skin, the journey begins.
Above: Writer Nicole Lockhart and Kimberly Waters at Muse Experiences. 21
She fell asleep in all her glitter. “I have my grandma’s feet” were her last words, slurred from the drowsiness. A summer sunset… running… veins forming on her tender legs at twenty-fine. A summer breeze… lounging… there’s sand all over the dash. Along the breathless curves of California, Marvin croons, as I gather my thoughts. - Temperature Rising, Issue 4
@sanfordjenkins
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And yet, whether Meghan was obsessed with Princess Diana and her sons or not, no one can fault her for putting on the performance of a lifetime. The fact that she appears genuine, poised, and warm at all times is something that not even the Queen of England herself has been able to master in over seventy years. Meghan’s capacity to be both so approachable and entirely untouchable is masterful. It’s a coat of armor that remains out of reach for most Black women. The audacity of Meghan Markle is that she’s chosen her own box to stand in, and she revels in it. - She Got A Big Ego, Issue 4 @awordwitharamide
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By the end of August 2013, we were officially a couple. But at the time we started dating my life was in shambles even though I was trying so hard to keep it together, I couldn’t find a steady job to save my life and was surviving off of freelance PR gigs I was getting from a lifestyle agency in Tempe, Arizona. I was barely making my rent with my writing money, so I had to play devil’s advocate. -Sanity Addiction Part 1, Issue 2 @melwritesnyc
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How She Hacked Into The Tech Industry By: Avalon Lustick A few hours before Idalin Bebo was scheduled to takeoff to China, she graciously took a call with Violet Summer. Get to know the tech activist from Philly and keep it locked on the site for a possible followup interview. For a portion of the US population who live in low-income communities, access to information isn’t as direct anymore since the birth of the internet. Presently, the most direct access someone can have to all the information and education they could desire comes with a hefty price tag. Information Technology requires attending college or some expensive incubator program. But, what if you can’t afford college? A laptop? What if you can’t even afford a bus ticket to your library? Idalin Bobe’ is the founder and codirector of TechActivist.org, a nonprofit tech company that provides technical training and political education to working class youth and activists. She not only cares about 25
helping people gain access to sophisticated software programs, but helps them build their own technological movements in their own communities. She talks about her journey to Silicon Valley on The Karen Hunter radio show and how she took a risk and bet on herself. It basically only took access to a laptop for Idalin Bobe’ to hack the corporate world. It was throughout this journey that she realized the lack of access to technology and literacy oppressing to her own community. Her bubbly personality matched with her computer skills. Like many of us, it’s not about who you know, it’s about what you know in technology. For Bobe’, when she cracked her own life code, obtaining her masters, founding her own company, something needed to change in the same community she grew up in that is still struggling. The Tools With internet colonization, fake news, mass data extraction, and overreaching surveillance, Bobe’ and her team are training and educating activists and workingclass youth the technical and political skills they need to stand up against the corrupt multi-billion dollar sheriff in town. “We are living in the information age, where literally people are walking around with information more than the encyclopedia in their pockets,” Bobe’ told Violet Summer before her flight to China. “But instead of engaging with educational content that will liberate our minds and our current situation more and more people are being distracted.” Yeah, sounds familiar. The internet has basically been hijacked by Facebook and social media. The internet is not just a tool for memes and youtube videos. It’s a place to earn a comfortable living. A place to gather information to build a billion dollar company. It’s a catalyst for change. The #blacklivesmatter movement was started and organized on this platform. The TechActivist.org website says that technical tools and platforms are constantly oppressing and suppressing the voices of poor communities and communities of color. In fact, the organization says that since 2015, 97 percent of the 2,000 plus activists the team has helped, stated they have wanted to create their own technical tools- though they never had access to computer programming classes or even knowledge of which technology to use. When they achieve these skills, young activists can use them as a fighting chance for social justice on the internet. 26
The team at TechActivist.org understands that you don’t bring a knife to a gunfight on the frontline of the wild worldwide web. Speaking of asking questions and finding the correct answers, TechActivist.org exists as an answer to an important question. The TechActivist Facebook says that in 1972, the Black Panther Party claimed that technology was not neutral ground, it’s wild territory. Therefore, the political organization added “Community Control of Modern Technology” to its 10th point of the 10-Point Program and Platform. This addition was the result of Huey P. Newton’s “Technology Question,” an analysis Newton curated while questioning the morals of technology and the advancement of humanity. His conclusion? Technology is not neutral. Marginalized communities must take a stand and that’s what Bobe’ and her team are doing. Breaking the Internet Bobe’ learned a lot about tech activism in her professional career. The North Philadelphia-native has worked with numerous organizations in the fight against the technology limiting companies on their high horses. These tech activist companies include Hands Up United, India Rise, Black Girls CODE, Qeyno Labs Hackathons, and #YesWeCode. Numerous outlets have also recognized and honored Bobe’ for her work in tech innovation like the New Leaders Council, Silicon Valley Chapter’s 2017 Changemaker in Technology for Good, YWCA’s 2016 Girls Symposium: Women of Influence, and Revolt TV’s The New & Diverse Leaders of Technology 2016. Currently, Bobe’ and her team at TechActivist.org are raising money for their organization. They host events in New York City and California like “Intro to Threat Modeling for Activists + Journalist” (which is offered in both Spanish and English), “Storytelling for Justice - Protect yourself in the Digital Age,” and “Malcolm X - The Media’s the Most Powerful Entity.” In addition to holding educational events, they also have a Tech Warrior Fellowship. The fellowship, “is designed to afford financial support and a community of peers to young activists who have expressed interest and success in learning technical skill sets.” The fellowship will allow 4-5 Tech Warriors to participate in tech training and a social justice internship during their time at TechActivist.org. With the access and literacy of technical tools, the communities these grubby-dull-as-dishwater colonizing companies primarily target are taking a stand for themselves. The individuals that TechActivitst.org teaches can now ask questions and have the tools to determine their own destiny online. They can discover how to protect their private information, start a dialogue surrounding fake news, and hold these companies accountable for their unjustified “Manifest Destiny” (...continued on page 24) 27
All About @Tokyobaby designer ev bessar’s firebird
VSZ: Do you leave your read receipts on or off? @TheTokyobaby: Ha! Off. VSZ: What’s the most recent meme you were sent? @TheTokyobaby: Idk Lemme look. VSZ: CashApp or Venmo? @TheTokyobabyZelle then Venmo then Cashapp. VSZ: Fav song to get dressed too? @TheTokyobaby: India Part 2 by Lil Durk. VSZ: Tic Tok or Triller? @TheTokyobaby: Tik Tok VSZ: Fav online boutique? @TheTokyobaby: @Shopjdore & @Christiansexclub VSZ: Last show you binge-watched? @Tokyobaby: Greenleaf!!
VSZ: Fav Youtube channel? All types of wig tuturials, @beatsbybe (makeup on tutorial ) VSZ: Cats or dogs? @TheTokyobaby: DOGs all the way VSZ:Fav beach? @TheTokyobaby: China Walls in Hawaii. 28
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10 things
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(...from page 21) of the internet. With new information (both factual and rather questionable) entering the world on a 24/7 basis, the truth and humanity can become a bit lost. Marginalized communities are the first to experience the untamed nature of both the real world and the digital one. Bobe’ is helping targeted communities not only become literate online but the person that has a voice and questions the treatment of their community on the internet. Someone who has the tools to stand up for themselves and others in a day in age where individuals’ lives are summarized in an algorithm. Armed with education, literacy, and access to more information than the world has ever seen, rising tech activists can change conversations with dignity. Once upon a time, these communities did not have access to computer skills and tools. As Bobe’ pioneers the way in tech activism, more and more people will have the ability to stand up for themselves, liberate their communities’ minds, and take action toward social justice. The internet is a place where everyone’s voice can be heard. Though not everyone has the opportunity to speak. Bobe’s work is important because she is creating opportunities for not only herself to be heard, but for marginalized communities that have the same right to speak.
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Ash Lauryn Shoutouts to @fplace85, for putting us on game to @AshLauryn of Underground & Black, a House DJ currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia. Originally from Detroit, she takes EDM to another level. As soon as we stepped onto the dance floor with this braided diva spinning records, we couldn’t stop the bop. Whew, chile! *insert exhausted meme.* She uses her opinions and experiences to shape the conversation about the evolving and changing house music scene. www.undergroundandblack.com
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thoughts about critiquing black art By Aramide Tinubu
Black art is embedded in American culture. It’s first frowned upon and then appropriated and claimed by the masses. Since the beginning of time -- Black art, literature, and images have informed what it means to be an American. Yet, antiBlackness has tried to disavow and erase Black art across all mediums. In cinema and television, specifically, following the ‘90s boom of Black images in films like Boyz n the Hood and on TV shows like Moesha, Black images were effectively booted off-screen. When we ushered in 2010, the top movie of the year was The Hurtlocker, and the highest-rated TV show was ABC’s Modern Family. Aside from Tyler Perry Productions, Black faces had virtually disappeared. That changed drastically in 2012 when Kerry Washington stepped into Olivia Pope’s stilettos for Shonda Rhimes’ hit drama, Scandal. The show would mark the first time in nearly 40 years that a Black woman led a network drama. The Washington x Rhimes team effectively shattered the barriers for Black storytelling in cinema and on the TV screen, paving the way for shows like Black-ish and The Watchman and films like Moonlight and Girls Trip. Blackness is back in vogue in Hollywood. With cable, network TV shows, and a plethora of streaming services, Black art on screen is thriving. As we enter into a new decade, new issues have arisen. There is an unspoken secret in the industry that Black film and cultural critics cannot take the work of Black artists to task for fear of undermining the work of our sistas and brothers. Yet, by silencing the analysis and criticisms of Black art —we erase ourselves, our voices, and our differing experiences. This would be a grave disservice to Black artists and their beautiful, painful, magical work. 31
Literally a week later people were still revocovering from Art Basel Miami. Multiple events and activations are jammed into one weekend. We went to 20 events. It’s Lit.
Diplo attended The Art Plug Power House kickoff event with Red Bull at the Museum Garage in the Design District on Thursday, December 5th, 2019. (Photo Credits Page 39) 32
Vsz’s holiday dinner Violet Summer Zine hosted a holiday dinner party in partnership with SEBR NY on a relaxing Thursday evening. Situated in the Meatpacking District, one of Manhattan’s chicest corridors, guests braved the New York cold for an after-work treat. The dinner experience started with cocktails and henna tattoos, followed by a threecourses. VSZ x SEBR made sure to start the holiday giving off right as gift bags were filled with custom branded M&Ms in a cute mason jar, Violet Summer Zine’s signature scent travel candle, matches & party stickers. During the dinner party, editors, influencers and media executives conversed about life, love, and family. By the end of the last course, we were all a bit more connected, full of optimism, and ready to take on the holiday season and 2020 year ahead.
The Root100 This past November, TheRoot.com celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Root100 list. Each year, the editors get together and choose the dopest, most influencial Blacks on the scene and making a difference. And it’s not always about social media followings that land you a coveted spot on the list, for once. Shoutout to the late Nipsey Hussle, Lizzo, Virgil Abloh, and Jackie Aina. These individuals helped define the decade. Several recipients including Nikole Hannah-Jones, editor of NYT’s 1619 Project, accepted their award that night. These are memories that will last forever. #TheRoot100 33
Trafficking
By: Melissa Henderson
Everything we’ve heard about it so far. From the governmental problem to immigration and people doing it to escape poverty. I landed at the Atlanta International Airport at 8 am. During the walk to baggage claim, an announcement was made on the intercom, “Human trafficking is real and a serious offense. In the words of the MTA, If you see something say something. More or less it said something like that. But I’m not going to lie; I was mildly thinking about my escape route should I find myself in a trafficking ring on my way to my grandparent’s house. Not to freak you out, but what would your escape route be? Trafficking as a topic has finally made its way to Instagram. There’s no escaping this meme reposted on several accounts that the meme is now blurry and no telling where it originated. The few that are circulating talk about precautions we all need to take while traveling even in the U.S. “Double-check that the uber door isn’t on child lock and make sure the license plate matches the one on your app.” However, these are just small ways we can protect ourselves from getting kidnapped and/or raped in the digital age because predators are more strategic than they were in the 90s. ( Re: VSZ’s work in revenge porn speaks directly to women’s safety online regarding assholes.) However, double-checking if an uber door is locked is far from the issue. Taxi cabs have always been unsafe. After much scrutiny, Uber released a U.S. Safety Report for 2017-2018, revealing there have been over 6,000 sexual cases documented on the ride-sharing app. In a universe of nearly 4 million Uber trips happening every day in the U.S., which equates to more than 45 rides every second! That’s less than 1% but still. All lives matter. It’s right under our noses, and we don’t know how to stop it. We just deal with it. If you Google “human trafficking bust,” you will read about dozens of recent news stories about so-called “pimps” and their elaborate hostage schemes. But this is a very contentious issue that has layers of nuances that we can’t ignore. According to the National Runaway Safeline, between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away each year in the U.S. These are people under 18 years of age. Amongst the noise on Instagram, we were able to find @missingkid run by The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This page posts about missing children and includes information on when they were seen last in the region. The page also posts updates for the few children that are located. People can comment and inquire. One photo of this 34
young girl named Destyny O’Neill, now 17, instantly caught my eye. The post was uploaded a week ago. Who was this girl missing since Feb. 18, 2018, in Delray Beach? One comment said, “I tried Googling and found nothing even with the spelling of her name.” There was another comment that referenced a page for missing black teens called @_haveyouseenme. The resources seem to be there but, are people using them? Or is it so extensive, we just can’t keep up?? In my previous job, I came across a university briefing that stated over 460,000 youth go missing in the U.S. each year. The U.K. was the second-highest on the report. But the data could be even more staggering because our systems simply lack the infrastructure to track these underage missing children. But ‘missing children” can be a lot of things. They could be affected by sex trafficking. According to the NCMEC, child sex trafficking has been reported in all 50 U.S. States. Plus, there’s a lot of other stats we have to look at when it comes to where these people go missing and why. On the issue of immigration, ICES, poor people’s rights in this country, we have to start addressing trafficking as a governmental crisis with dedicated people, and infrastructure to handle this epidemic. Deporting the parents and keeping the children in U.S. custody is wrong and borderline trafficking. Back in the day, 20 years ago, small towns were vulnerable to a lot of murders and kidnappings because it’s easy to watch what other people are doing. However, tracking someone’s comings and goings is easier than we think in a place like New York City, where you can meet your neighbor for the first time two years after signing your lease. Case and point: the internet reacted in true fashion when a 16-year-old girl from the Bronx was kidnapped, and it was all caught on camera. Amber Alerts notified us iPhone users, with an alarming notification, and there was a search going on in the NYC metro area. Well, until it didn’t. We found out it was fake news. The 16-year-old teen staged her own kidnapping and came running back home less than 12 hours later! Someone from the neighborhood spotted her while crossing the street. In the wise words of J.Cole, “Don’t save her, she don’t wanna be saved.” On the flip side, some cases are mysterious. One time, a nail tech told me her friends were disappearing. She moved to NYC to find work and stay out of trouble. She was intrigued by the Big Apple. “I like it here. It’s big and ain’t a lot of people in your business,” she told me while she shape my acrylic nails. She seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders. It was enough for me to admire her determination to work in the city that never sleeps, even if it was just for a few weeks out of the month. I’m nosy, so I was all up in her business. “So many girls I know go missing,” she told me casually. She was concentrating on perfecting my nail shape. 35
“Their abduction is reported to the police, but nothing happens. They just disappear, and no one comes looking for them.” “Tuh What do you mean? Also, where you from again?” I said in disbelief. “Sis, l I already told you. I’m from Durham.”
“Their abduction is probably reported to the police but nothing happens. They just disappear.” she told me while she started painting fresh gel color on my nails. “Did the parents come looking for your friend?” I kept asking questions that one would ask if someone went missing. I kept hitting a brick wall. She wasn’t tryna spill no real tea!! Finally, I resorted to, “Damn, that’s crazy.” Did you know that 60% of young black girls go missing in the U.S.? Why they go missing is nuanced, but a lot of it has to do with trafficking. As a concept, it has made its way to social media. An issue once reserved for third-world countries and white-collar crimes is now spiraling out of control in the hood. So much so that people think it’s a game. Going back 36
to the nail salon where I found out this girl, Karole Sanchez had staged her kidnapping everyone reacted around me in the same manner. “WTF? This lady I met at this nail salon proudly told me she worked at ACS (Administration for Children Services). She knew all along that this news story was a hoax. “I work with ACS. Teens call us to report their parents all the time.” She did not give me her name, but she said that the overflow of cases she has to work on daily is overwhelming for the small team she works on, and employees who do these jobs get burnt out fast “They don’t last long,” She told me. She says she’s also dealt with cases where teens run away from home and don’t want their parents to come looking for them. However, I do know that some teens come to their senses when they run out of options. I’ve met people like this in my past. Some are remorseful. Ms. Sanchez was probably freaked out. It was like all over social media the same way Jussie Smollett’s saga erupted. The difference is that somebody apart of Sanchez’s heist probably told her to go home, and she came shivering back to the block. She had celebrities tweeting about her - Will she make her official statement on TikTok? Can she leverage this to be successful? What exactly was she running away from? This is the core of the issue. Girls are running to escape from something. To the overall trafficking problem, If we apply data to the situation, can it be fixed? I don’t know. But we need to start documenting trends to figure out how to strategically go about it. It’s going to take everyone getting on the same page. That means our police stations need the most up to date information and technology systems to properly document cases of who’s missing, who’s filing missing reports, etc. I would make a CRM system to document each and then standardize it. That means all these smaller niche organizations have to report into it. They can still function on their own; the information just needs to be centralized. Regarding underage youth in the U.S., children can travel with no identification. Especially under 12-year-old age, you don’t need an id to travel. Including people who can pass for younger ages. One time, I sat near a young black boy traveling by himself, and we were on a 10+ hour flight! He seemed mature, and the flight attendants kept checking on him, but I would be scared to death as a parent wondering if my child had arrived safely. Airlines charge additional fees if parents/guardians need to send their child on a flight unaccompanied. Delta has an “unaccompanied minor program,” and children starting at age five can travel alone. The few times I traveled with children, they were my family, and it was apparent. When you pass through U.S. security guards before boarding, children can be asked various random questions by TSA. For example, they may ask a child, “What’s your name?” “How old are you?” In other instances, I’ve witnessed a U.S. guard at the airport asks, “Who is she to you?” to a child. Meaning, the child is supposed to respond, “That’s my mom.” Or someone related. If not, the wrong answers to these questions could be indicators the child is being trafficked. Other Indicators include but are not limited to according to the NCMEC website:
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- Multiple children are present with an unrelated male or female - The child has no I.D., or another person holds I.D. - Presence of an overly controlling or abusive “boyfriend” or older female - The child does not ask for help or resists offers to get out of the situation (child does not self-identify as a victim). Other reasons children have gone missing or trafficked, is that they come from lowincome families who lack resources to keep their families together. This is unacceptable in the U.S. and first-world countries where our tax dollars and access to everything should keep children safe. But here we are. Another important reason to note is that the federal foster care system can’t keep track of coming-of-age teens who may “graduate” out of the system with no plan to start life. The state doesn’t have the resources to keep them engaged, and these children who have come of age in a broken system are now could fall into homelessness easier, some falling ito trafficking schemes. Surprisingly, Pennsylvania just passed a bill to make college free for students who have been in the foster care system. However, we’ll see if throwing coins to education will actually help people who’ve had their bouts with the foster care system. I’m writing this because I want people to know that trafficking is a real issue and it’s getting worse because regular people are now talking about kidnappings like it’s just light conversation the nightly news is too busy to handle. It’s not our problem unless someone close to us has gone through it, and then we wake up. Ava Duvernay said it best: All change starts with awareness. So even if it’s not you, you can still be in a position to assist. Or you may have the power at work or wherever to ignite that change.
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Modern Urban Sensory Experience Kimberly Waters is what I call a fragrance sync, connecting her customers to her clients which are some of the world’s most innovative and highly-covetable perfume designers. This is far from your typical retail experience. Waters has about 8 to 10 perfumers in her collection which she displays out of a cozy art-filled brownstone in the uptown neighborhood, far from the department store counters and spritzer girls. People who want to feel like they are “getting something special,” will fully embrace the idea that no matter your background you are “deserving of good shit.” If you are open to discovery, Muse Experiences is an appointment only scensory exploration for those looking for fragrances as unique as they are. Affordable and quality assured, Waters has curated a collection from countries like Argentina, Britain, Italy, and Sweden--ranging from the vibrant Virago (by Boadicea the Victorious) to the smoky sweetness of the Cuban Tobacco (Lumira) roll-on. Luxury should be attainable for all people. It is the gift we give ourselves and helps us to continue to aspire for more good things. While her price points range from $25 up to the $300 mark, it is not about how much you spend but how much you resonate with the experience or the product. The home becomes your private sampling parlor, inviting your nose to try each brand’s perfumes one at a time. There is no formula for helping you find the right scent, Waters let’s your vibe do the talking and will ultimately guide you to a few options you’ll be hard pressed to find fault with. As I walked around to each display, there is an overwhelming sense that I am treating myself to something truly special. The afternoon was intimate, thought provoking, and inspiring to be a part of. Shopping for a fragrance doesn’t have to give you a headache (pun intended). With Waters at the helm and innovative designers like Maya Njie currently in her roster, there is room for joy and comfort in the buying experience. Waters desires to bring luxury fragrance to the urban community, which all to often rejects the frivelosities of buying something like perfume or treating themselves a nice experience. But we can no longer disagree with the movements of Self-Care, and should be open to seeing ourselves as deserving. You don’t have to treat yourself to change your mindset. Waters is creating opportunities for niche perfumes and people who appreciate the finer things to come together, to kumbaya, around the notion that we ourselves are worth celebrating. - Nicole Lockhart IG: @muse_experiences 39
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CREDITS Page 10. Holiday Favorites: Photo credit: La Prairie PR Photo credit: Maya Njie website Photo Credit: ELIXIR OUD facial oils, Mileo NY Page. 28: 10 Things w/ @tokyobaby Walter W. Brady @walterwbrady on IG Art Basel Roundup PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Trill PHOTO CAPTION: Caroline Vreeland attends Peach Room x Art Basel pop-up disco party at La Otra on Wednesday, December 4th, 2019. PHOTO CREDIT: Richard Alvarez Photography Cover Photo: Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash
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VIOLET SUMMER ZINE ISS. 4
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