DV Connect Lit: Breaking Barriers- Voices of Diversity and Inclusion (Issue #001)

BREAKING BARRIERS DV CONNECT LIT

VOICES OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Join the visionary journey of Da Vinci Connect students as they explore diversity and inclusion through the powerful perspectives of writers and artists.

Issue #01 Da Vinci Connect High School

MAY 2023 | ISSUE #001

Dear Readers of DV Connect Lit, I’m Ava DeJesus, President and Editor-In-Chief of DV Connect Lit, which is our high school literary art magazine. I am so proud to introduce our first issue “Breaking Barriers-Voices of Diversity and Inclusion"

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Ava DeJesus Editor-in-Chief

Diversity and Inclusion are two themes that have become increasingly important in today’s society. This is reflected in the submissions we have received for our literary art magazine. From poetry on same-sex love, personal narratives on finding our cultural identity and religion, to multi-cultural collages, our magazine showcases the importance of diversity and inclusion by celebrating and embracing our differences To start with one of our standout submissions is a poem that explores same-sex love. This poem showcases a powerful and emotional insight into a love that is often marginalized in society. By opening up a dialogue such as this our poet is challenging the reader to break down the barriers and see that love in all forms is beautiful.

Another submission that caught our attention is the multicultural art collage that celebrates everyone's differences no matter what gender, sex, or race you are. This piece highlights the harmony of diversity and how different cultures can come together to create something beautiful.

It’s also important to note that not all submissions focused on the positive aspects of diversity. One submission we received was a poem that explores the perspective of Rashad from the novel “ All American Boys" and how it intertwines with the conflict of race and police brutality. This piece serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and the importance of speaking out against any injustice we see.

As well as a personal narrative that explores cultural identity and religion, touching on the challenges of one's heritage with their personal beliefs and values.

Overall the submissions we have received for our literary arts magazine highlight the importance of embracing and celebrating diversity and inclusion. The wonderful work of our contributors remind us that it is our differences that create a unique tapestry that connects us.

Thank you to our amazing contributors, our staff, and readers and welcome to our first issue of DV Connect Lit for May 2023’.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

D I V E R S I T Y A N D I N C L U S I O N POETRY AND ART Virtual Field Trip

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Golden Poem To The Doubtful

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Gray Concrete

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Connected in Harmony Collages

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ESSAYS Multicultural Divide: The Americanization of Fourth Generation Latinos

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Cultural Identity-Personal Essay

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My Body, My Choice

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ABOUT

Virtual Field Trip

DV Connect Lit Team

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Letter from the Editor

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Visit

DVCONNECTLIT LINKTREE to download this current issue to your tablet 01

Art And Poetry Pg.4 Golden Poem to the Doubtful - Ariadna Escamilla

See Also...

Gray Concrete Virtual Field Trip to E.S.M.O.A Connected iN Harmony Collage

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My favorite art exhibit was the girl in a box surrounded by items the Chumash used by Cara Romero. The artist directs

V II R RT TU UA A LL V D T TR R II P P FF II EE LL D TO O EE .. SS .. M M .. O O .. A A T

the viewer’s attention to the art and makes the viewer want to know what the artist is trying to tell us about the story behind the art. The artist used photos and items that the Chumash used to make her art such as the pine cones, bread, and a straw carrier that helps carry food. The art exhibit “Girl in a box” was created using items from the land, of the Chumash tribe.

During my 5th grade year I briefly

By Ava DeJesus

learned about Chumash tribes and I loved being able to continue my learning and hearing more about the

Today I virtually visited the El Segundo

story behind the art and why Cara

Museum Of Art exhibit ” Who Runs the

created the girl in the box. Cara Rocco

World Girls-Matriarchs”. It

created this exhibit because she

was such a fun and unique experience

wanted to create an American girl

to attend the art exhibit showcasing the

Indian doll that was different from the

Indigenous experiences of women. The

other American girl dolls.

art I saw represented the history of “Indigenous women

Other artists at the ESMOA displayed

from various communities.

exhibits that showed their families

Indigenous women have been

history and told their stories which

historically overlooked but are bold

were very inspiring because their

leaders in their communities and

stories made me want to know

beyond”. I saw different types of fashion, metalwork, photography,

more about their culture. I felt that the story along with the Indigenous art is

painting, basketry that were made

one of the most important parts of the

during their time.

The work above was created by the artist, Cara Romero who created a painting of an Indigenous woman in a box. There

exhibit because it helps us understand the importance of their painting, outfits, and woven materials of their time.

were other artists such as Jamie Achoo, who created the bay carter board which was used during this time so babies can rest in and be comfortable. There was also another artist, Leah who took photos of different lands. The nationality of the Indigenous Women were Indian/Chumash and within their culture these women created items made out of grass and wood.

"WHO RUNS THE WORLD-GIRLS" MATRIARCHS EXHIBIT 03

“Golden Poem To The Doubtful” - Ariadna Escamilla How could anybody think it’s wrong?

‘Cause every time I see her, I see me.

Her smile reminds me of the Arizona sunset, Her memory stains my mind when I’m falling asleep.

I wear my love like a necklace, Silver ghost of a borrowed heart.

She made a mosaic of my broken pieces, How could anybody think it’s wrong?

When I'm tired I write letters to the ocean, I remember the lavender flowers on her hair, Dancing in our garden to a French song, I’ve never felt luckier to be myself.

Eventually, I inhaled a sweet scent of curated dreams, But I held on too long, And breathed out all of my fears.

Is it really all my fault?

They said I killed the beauty with a glimpse of desire, But who says I don’t deserve to love until my love runs out?

Or choose freedom over my peace of mind?

Who decides how much is too much?

So to all my doubtful ones: Hold on to your wishes, Swim until you get to breathe, Scream your lover's name at a cliffside, Write poems in golden ink.

"I wear my love like a necklace, Silver ghost of a borrowed heart."

And prepare your heart to become a garden, Beautiful paradise of a lawless land.

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Gavin Wigley

Gray Concrete Concrete As I fell face-first into it.

The overwhelming fear of death shooting through my brain Just as the pain running through my bones.

The concrete.

The sudden stop on the concrete.

The sudden realization that in the eyes of the enforcer they are just enforcing.

Black or white all mix together to make the grey of the concrete.

The same concrete as that day.

The painful, painful concrete.

“It's all over,” they say.

If it’s all over why is my nose still shaped the way it is?

Why do I still have all these scars?

It's because of the concrete.

And the feeling of the concrete will never leave me, And it will never leave so many others.

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Connected In Harmony Collage Series

Anna Schwartz - First Collage For this collage, I gathered several magazines which I used to look for people of different cultures, ethnicities, identities, genders and ages to represent how diverse the world is and show all the different people that live in it. I added ribbons of bright colors to show how even though we may look or feel different from each other, we are connected and are learning to live in harmony with each other.

- Second Collage For this collage I tore out various pages in magazines of different people together. My first collage had cut outs of mostly only 1 person. For this one I wanted to find pictures of different people coming together to show inclusivity and how we are connected by those tears that make the collage sort of blend together instead of being a straight cut.

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Essays Pg.8 Multicultural Divide: The Americanization of Fourth Generation Latinos -Ava Dejesus

Personal Essay, Cultural Identity - Komal Khan

My Body, My Choice - Oscar Castan

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By Ava DeJesus

Multicultural Divide The Americanization of Fourth Generation Latinos

As a fourth-generation latina coming from As I researched my own multicultural divide Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, I am between my Mexican and Puerto Rican part of the Multicultural Divide between the culture, I discovered I've never identified present and the past. According to the with either heritage. I've grown up not article "Hispanic Identity Fades Across knowing much about my culture and what Generations as Immigrant Connections Fall place I belong. Due to this fact, I've been Away," the authors express that although living without any connection to my culture, "more than 18% of Americans identify as leaving me to piece together my own Hispanic or Latino, the nation's secondidentity. Growing up, I felt a lack of largest racial or ethnic group. Two trends connection to others in my Latino are arising – a long-standing high community because I do not belong to one intermarriage rate and a decade of culture. This has left me feeling on multiple declining Latin American immigration – occasions isolated and constantly these are distancing some Americans with questioning my self-identity.

Hispanic ancestry from the life experiences of earlier generations, reducing the Part of my research to connect my selflikelihood they call themselves Hispanic or identity with my culture involved visiting Latino". In an effort to try to connect my the historical site, "Olvera Street," in past ancestry with my present identity, Downtown Los Angeles. In the article, which is seeped in popular culture, I needed "Olvera Street: The Fabrication of L.A.'s to research my family's history and visit Mexican Heritage," it is "considered by some historical sites. In this paper, I will discuss to be the heart of Mexican L.A., Olvera how the intersection between popular Street -- a tourist attraction, Mexican culture and Latino immigrant culture is the curios marketplace, and home to roving multicultural divide that affects the troubadours -- is an alleyway in the examination of one's self-identity, racial 'birthplace of Los Angeles.' Established in ambiguity within the Latino culture, and 1858, it's one of the oldest streets in the mainstream media's effect on negative city." Described as a Mecca and even a narratives of the Americanized Latino. birthplace of Mexican-American culture, I

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found myself drawn there in hopes of finding a connection with my own selfidentity. With its bright festive colors, heart-warming people, and music trickling up and down the street, I felt a bit of nostalgia for the way my grandparents spoke of their upbringing. But was it enough to connect me to my present-day popular culture? Unfortunately, no. I left Olvera Street feeling withdrawn because it was paying homage to my ancestral roots, but where was room for the Americanized Latino? Maybe somewhere in between the vendor shirts of "Selena" and sombreros being sold. Even then, the only reason I recognized "Selena" was due to the recent show on Netflix since she had already passed by the time I was born. Again, I was left feeling as isolated as before.

Continuing my search for self-identity within my culture, I went to my father, who is of Puerto Rican descent, to find a connection to my roots. I had the opportunity to interview my dad, view photos, hear stories from his Titis (which are referred to as aunts for Puerto Ricans), as well as read multiple articles on Puerto Rican culture. I found out that my father did not live in Puerto Rico but was related to his culture by his grandmother's food and memories of family holiday gatherings. While reading articles, I found that there was also racism within their own culture where there was a divide between Puerto Ricans who judged each other based on their skin tone of White, Brown, and Black. After

hearing these stories, it broadened the multicultural divide for me even deeper. If I don't identify with either my Mexican or Puerto Rican culture--then where do I belong?

Living in Los Angeles, I know that identifying with one culture is no longer the social norm in popular culture. In so many ways, I know what I'm feeling is the new normal, and I shouldn't feel alone. This led me to research why identifying as multicultural can often leave one feeling isolated, and it's due to the racial ambiguity of not being recognized as a mixed race. According to the article "What is Racial Ambiguity" it states, "if a person appears to be racially vague, you might think that they are mixed race, also known as multiracial, but not be able to tell which races are included in their background; Racially ambiguous people may move through society in a whole different manner than people of discernible races. There are both privileges and challenges associated with this."

Identifying as racially ambiguous has been challenging for me due to being judged for not having the skin color or physical features of those who identify as either MexicanAmerican or Puerto Rican. To feel the judgment between two Latin cultures on both sides of my family has created a divide and drawn me closer to identifying with the American Culture. Even by being Americanized, I still have conflicting views on my self-identity and how to navigate between my cultures, creating my own multicultural divide.

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I found that the adversity I've faced within my heritage was also an issue in American culture as well. As I began to learn and connect on how people with various cultures get judged based by their own cultures due to their skin, their accent when speaking their native language, what they wear, as well as being an identifiable presence on TV and media. I've learned from various articles that racially ambiguous people have no understanding of their culture and cannot identify with it due to the lack of information about their culture. I reread "What is Racial Ambiguity," which states, "A racially ambiguous person may be perceived differently by different people. Depending on their skin color and other physical features, a racially ambiguous person might be perceived as White by one person but as a person of color (POC) by another." The evidence from the reading shows how being racially ambiguous can lead to inner culture racial discrimination as well as in American culture.

The adversity as an Americanized fourthgeneration Latino has been historically steeped in the stereotypical depiction of Latinos in popular culture as seen in TV and media. In the scholarly article," Stereotypical Depictions of Latino Criminality: U.S. Latinos in the Media during the MAGA Campaign," the author Eduardo Gonzalez examines how "the media plays a fundamental role in fostering and dispersing cultural nationalism across the nation. Nationalist discourses in the U.S. often perpetuate a modern, rational, and individualistic culture, narratives at odds with media representations of Latino identities: Latinos are often depicted as being primitive, highly emotional, uneducated, and tribal." I

found this to be an accurate depiction of how the mainstream media portrays Latinos, especially in the television show "Jane The Virgin."

In the scholarly article, it examined how mainstream media's stereotypes can affect the Americanized Latino. For example, the "six popular media tropes have existed in classic Hollywood cinema and shaped U.S. Latino identity across social and political spheres: the bandit, male buffoon, female clown, Latin lover, dark lady, and the harlot. These are the predominant archetypes that have reproduced Latino imagery across U.S. media for over a century" (Gonzalez, 659).

In the show "Jane The Virgin" it's a cross between a television "novela" and presentday Americanized Latinos. Their stereotypes of Latin lovers and male buffoons are highly exaggerated in the characters of Rafael and Rogelio, playing towards a negative stereotype of Latino culture.

In "Jane The Virgin," the main character's father, Rogelio, plays the prototypical Latino male buffoon due to his over-dramatic nature in expression and for women. As for the Latin lover, he's played by Jane's crush Rafael who is handsome to a fault. Much of his scenes either have him shirtless with glistening abs or smiling with his teeth white as snow, causing women to practically fall to their feet. Rafael acts like a player, and when he

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is in a relationship, he portrays himself as a control freak. By playing the "control freak" during his relationship with Jane, he plays to the archetype that all Latino men are either control freaks or players that are led by their desires. These types of negative media stereotypes affect many Americanized Latinos due to misrepresentation of our culture. This shows negative imagery to the viewer who is watching and creates a false narrative of how Latinos act or are perceived.

As an Americanized Latina, I've not only felt adversity within my culture but also when trying to identify as an American. In the interview, "Young Latinos: Born in the USA carving their own identity," the interviewee stated that "my family growing up wanted me to stick with my Hispanic roots, but also did not want me to show those roots to the world outside. They knew being Hispanic-American isn't necessarily looked (upon) with a smile in this country.

So they were doing that for my safety and protecting me." Evidence from this interview shows that Latinos have a hard time showing their roots and culture in America and being accepted.

This is also the same for Americanized Latinos who seek to gain acceptance in their own Latino culture. For instance, coming from a multicultural background, I have felt judged by both sides of my heritage, and this is a common occurrence for the Americanized Latino. Many people from the articles I've read have, at one time or another, felt judged regarding how they looked and acted in relation to not being "Latino enough."

As I researched more about the difficulties of those who are multi-culturally identifying as racially ambiguous Americanized Latinos, it showed the positive aspects of coming from different cultures as well. According to the article "What is Racial Ambiguity," the author Ariana Resnick states that "racially ambiguous people are thought of as the future of humanity, representative of what all people will look like at some point in the potential future when so much global pairing has occurred that mono-racial people are no longer the norm." (Resnick, 2022) As I struggle to identify with my culture and belief system as an Americanized Latina, it is comforting to know that in the future identifying with one set of cultural norms or race won't define my identity since we'll all be a melting pot of different cultures.

In closing, through my research to try to connect my past ancestry with my present identity that is seeped in popular culture, it is important to identify the fourth generation of Americanized Latinos. The multicultural divide between the intersection between popular culture and Latino immigrant culture is widening as we speak, according to the article "How to Deal with people questioning your race" by Ian Kummato. According to Kummato, ¨As people living in a country that purports to celebrate all people, it's about time we recognize that how we label people limits the possibilities of who we can be¨ (Kummato, 2022). By embracing our multicultural roots, we can understand and learn more from each other, dispel any racial stereotypes and ambiguity,

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and embrace the Americanization of the fourth-generation Latino. The benefits of embracing our cultural diversity, including learning to have an open mind, taking advantage of opportunities, and being more empathetic and tolerant towards others, helps us grow. Let me leave you with the words of the poet, writer, and actress Maya Angelou: "It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity, there is beauty and strength. We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all tapestry threads are equal in value no matter their color; equal in importance no matter their texture".

-Ava D eJesus

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Cultural Identity Personal Essay My name is Komal Khan, and I am a sophomore at Da Vinci Connect High School. I am originally from Pakistan, where people speak the primary language Urdu, in addition to other languages, such as Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, and English. I am a Pakistani-born citizen who has been living in Hawthorne since 2010. I was raised to learn about multiple aspects of my cultural identity and apply my parent’s beliefs to my ethnicity. A large part of my cultural identity is my religion, which is Islam. I am a devout, practicing Muslim, and an active member of the Muslim community here in Hawthorne.

My cultural background is of Pakistani origin. Many Pakistanis are born in Pakistan, like me. I was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 2007. Despite living there for three years, I do not remember much about Pakistan. Our cultural influence is from the Indian traditions and the religion of Islam. Pakistan is located in South Asia, neighboring India and Afghanistan. Various ethnic groups surround my diverse country, including “Punjabis, Sindhis, Baloch, Pashtuns, Kashmiris, Hazaras, Makranis and Baltis” (Gulwani) people with strong cultural relations.

Most people migrated from India to Pakistan, where cultural aspects are from India; like my family's customs and backgrounds. We have several moments to cheer our lives with traditions and rituals.

Since religion is a big part of my cultural identity, I want to talk a little bit about Islam. As Muslims, we worship God like most Christians and Jews do within their religion. Although most people in Pakistan are Muslim, there is a community of Christians and Hindus alike. If you are from Pakistan, religion is most likely a big part of your identity. The people of Pakistan who practice a different religion “are widely [recognized] and respected” (Pakistani Culture) by Muslim authorities. As Muslims, we pray five times a day, including sunrise, sunset, and night prayers.

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The other Islamic prayers are the noon and afternoon prayers. For Muslim men, it is mandatory to go to the mosque for five daily prayers, as exception allows. I go to the mosque every Friday for occasional prayers. I also attend family nights and some special lectures all around the year. There is a sacred month called Ramadan, in which we fast from sunrise to sundown and be considerate about the knowledge of our religion. This month is a great opportunity for us to get enormous amounts of rewards from our Creator. At the end of the month of Ramadan, we celebrate Eid ul Fitr (a special festival), with pleasure and fun. This is a day for us when we are free to enjoy food, music, family, and friends. Two months after Ramadan, we celebrate another festival called Eid ul Adha (a special festival to slaughter an animal), with the association of Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia). We slaughter an animal “to reflect the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for the sake of God.” (Qurbani). Our culture and belief are to respect all members and strengthen our faith with positive attitudes.

Our clothing culture is also different from that of Western countries. It is also influenced by Islamic rituals. Hijab is part of the clothing in Pakistan. We wear hijab in our culture because “it represents modesty, privacy, and morality” (“Why Do Some Women Wear a Hijab?”) towards other people in society. We wear long shirts and pants to cover our bodies. Our traditional clothing shows the way of life and how we represent it in those modern times. There are different types of hats that men in various provinces wear in daily times. The fashion attire “reflects on their way of living and weather conditions” (Migiro, 2019).

They have been influenced by different types of rituals and are considered to be the legacy of an ancient civilization.

Our food influences Indian and Mughal traditions. Pakistani people provide street food to taste the foreign and native people with indigenous meals from other cultures. For example, samosa, spring rolls, vegetable pakoras, and fruit chaat. Our country makes food with spices such as “ground dried turmeric root, red chili pepper or cayenne pepper, fenugreek seeds, and ground dried coriander seeds”

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(Customs and Cuisine of Pakistan) to make curry with either meat or vegetarian ingredients. Pakistan also serves rice and wheat-based products to mix with the consumed curry dish. We drink tea made out of black tea leaves and milk powder. Our republic in Asia provides yogurt drinks and fresh lime juice to carry during the summer. We eat rice with meat dishes called Biryani on special occasions. Both of our special festivals are associated with unique foods. Our country also makes sweet and savory dishes to take home to enjoy. We eat diverse meals that other citizens in America mostly know when they travel to different continents and countries. Mostly, we make Pakistani food at home Overall, my cultural identity is based on my religion and where I came from. We have different traditions in our culture and experience changes that help connect us to our life. I speak English, as well as Urdu to communicate with my grandparents who are old enough to learn English. I enjoy all of my traditions, foods, and festivals. I incorporate all the aspects that my family has passed down into my own cultural identity.

-Komal Khan

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My Body, My Choice

By Oscar Castan On September 1st, 2021, Texas adopted a controversial law that effectively banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Only a few days before the US Supreme court finalized and discussed the law, a large number of organizations and Abortion rights supporters went to the capital of Washington to have their voices heard on the situation.

With a small percentage of male protesters, the majority were made up of the female population. Since, the abortion law ended up affecting women the most, their feeling about the Abortion ban would infringe not just their bodily autonomy but also their rights to make decisions for their bodies.

Throughout each of these groups of powerful women, they all held up signs which said "My Body My Choice." Some people are still asking what that means.

What is My Body, My Choice?

For those wondering what "My Body, My Choice" means, it is a slogan used for bodily autonomy and individual freedom, mainly in the context of reproductive rights.

The Slogan "My Body, My Choice" has been used primarily by people and organizations who are in support of whether or not to have an abortion.

Though the slogan has unclear origins, it has become a powerful rallying battle cry for women's rights activists, and with it, the slogan has been able to help women unite to fight for their own bodies' rights.

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DV CONNECT LIT TEAM

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DV CONNECT LIT TEAM Ava DeJesus

President and Editor-In-Chief Hi, I'm Ava and as President I lead and manage the club, while as Editor-In-Chief I oversee the entire production of the magazine, including content, design, and selection of pieces for DV Connect Lit.

Gavin Wigley Vice President Hi, I'm Gavin Wigley as Vice President my job is to assist our President with their duties and help out in any way I possibly can.

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DV CONNECT LIT TEAM William Bleier Copy Editor

Hello, my name is William. I'm the Copy Editor in charge of making sure the articles do not have any errors, and it conforms with the magazines style guide before they are submitted

Komal Khan

Art Editor

Hello, my name is Komal. As art editor I am in charge of reviewing and selecting artwork for the e-zine.

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DV CONNECT LIT TEAM Anna Schwartz

Layout Designer

Hi, I'm Anna the layout designer for DV Connect Lit e-zine.

I'm mainly going to focus on the design, layout, pictures, pieces and how they fit in the magazine. But I'm here to help if any of the team members need it.

Jared Nicol Club Advisor for DV Connect Lit My role as student advisor for our club is in the name! I'm here to advise our group of students on their projects and interests. I love literature and art, so I am excited to contribute, but this club, like all clubs at our school, is "student-led", so I plan to let my students lead the meetings as much as possible with their own ideas

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t u U o b s A DV Connect Lit's mission is to showcase and celebrate the creative writing and artwork of our fellow high school students. Through our e-zine, we aim to provide a platform for students to express themselves, share their stories, and connect with one another. We strive to curate a diverse and inclusive collection of work that reflects the unique perspectives and experiences of our school community. As a club, we value collaboration, creativity, and a commitment to excellence in all aspects of our work. Our goal is to inspire and empower our fellow students to explore and pursue their artistic passions, both within and beyond the pages of our e-zine.

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