Issue 1 Volume 1 1
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Contents Letter From The Editorpg...5 Fans
Across The Universe: A Review...pg 8
Artists
Rafiele Williams.....pg 14 Antaya Dorsey.....pg 16 Alex Figueroa..... pg 18 Cholly Cunningham..... pg 20 Darius Emerson..... pg 22 Frank Clemon Valrie III..... pg 24
Nerds
Katie Cochran..... pg 28 Atlanta Tech Village..... pg
Shippers
Independents Ikaneisha Jenkins..... pg 54 Alexzandria Ali..... pg 56 Markie Darling..... pg 58
Performers Ty'hiela Gray.....pg 62 Kayla Ibarra ..... pg 64 Adelle Drahos..... pg 66
Olicity..... pg 34
Heroes
Special Thanks: Christina Brown Kera Wright
Griselle "Grizzy" Rodriguez..... pg 42 Reyna Lumpkin..... pg 46 FANSHIP Magazine-Copyright L.D. Scott 2018v 4All images used are either owned by FANSHIP Magazine/L.D. Scott, have been used with expressed permission of the copyright holders, or fall under the category of "fair use" for the purposes of review or commentary..
Letter From the Editor Following your dreams is a hard thing to do. It is an aspiration that is ingrained into us when we are young. First you have to have a dream, then decide what exactly that dream entails, figure out what has to happen in order to make that dream a reality, actually start taking those steps, learn everything you have to learn to go about it, do the work, figure out how to get the work out there, and then twist your hair in frustration and anticipation once it’s finally done. This is all especially true if it is something that has the vulnerability of being critiqued by other people.
snuff out your happiness from the world. And they will be all too happy to watch the light leave your eyes as they do it. But if you reach hard enough, if you dream hard enough, work hard enough, believe hard enough and never truly give up on yourself and what you believe in, you can beat them all. Now, that is not to say that there will not be time when you absolutely lack the strength to muster up the courage to even roll out of bed in the morning. Those days will happen and happen often. But if there are any words about courage that I believe in more than any other, they are the words of Ambrose Redmoon: “Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear�. XOXO LD
Nevertheless, you must still seek out that dream. No matter what. There will be obstacles. There will be consequences. There will be people, both those close to you and complete strangers who will do their absolute best to strangle the light out of you. But you mustn't let them. Nor must you let the unfortunate circumstances of life destroy your passion and desire to live your best life. The obstacles and blockades will do their best to 5
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Across The Universe:A Review By: L.D. Scott
“Is there anybody going to listen to my story all about the girl who came to stay?”
ie but watching it again brought me right back to the feelings and memories I had when I first
saw it. With its diversely talented and eclectic cast, Across The Universe takes the viewers on a
In honor of the recent limited re-release of Julie Taymor’s ultimate Beatles tribute motion picture, Across The Universe, a review was definitely deemed in order. The 2007 film was written by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, and Julie Taymor, who also directed the musical arthouse motion picture. It has been quite a while since I’ve seen this mov8
Across The Universe is property of Sony Entertainment/Revolution Studios/Gross Entertainment/TeamTodd/Sound Film
Jude (Jim Sturgess) creative journey filled with both the complexities of realism and the eternal nature of the unkempt mind. Love, heartbreak, the end of adolescence, friendship, loyalty, the casualties of wartime, self-discovery, and most importantly music, create the plot of this trippy musical. The film explores this group of six in
Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood)
a way that shows how life evvents can bring people together and slowly pull them apart. Across The Universe is set in the chaotic turmoil of the sixties, during the Vietnam War and the height of the Civil Rights Movement. The story centers around six protagonists, Jude, Lucy, Max, Prudence, Jo-Jo, and Sadie. Each of whom
have their own flawed but heartstring-tugging points of view. The film opens with a present-time Jude (Jim Sturgess) on the shores of a grey beach in Liverpool. He begins to sing “Girl� as he leads into the story that led to the pain in his heart. A series of cuts and superimpositions atop the
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Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard) As Jude travels to Princeton University to find his father, he runs into Max (Joe Anderson). Max, a rebellious and free-spirited scoundrel, is also Lucy’s older brother. Jude and Max build a tight bond behind an enthused performance of “With As the film flashes back Next we are introduced to a Little Help From My to the past to tell the Prudence (T.V. Carpio), a Friends”. tale, we meet Jude (Jim cheerleader who expressSturgess) as he readies himself to leave Liverpool es her lovesick feelings by As the film continues, Sadie (Dana Fuchs), a way of “I Want to Hold for the shores of America. He leaves in search of Your Hand”. The camera rockstar with rooms for rent, makes an appearhis biological father, who builds tension until it is unknowingly impregnat- revealed that Prudence is ance. She soon becomes the landlady for our proed Jude’s mother when in fact singing about her tagonists. She also serves he was stationed there love for a fellow female as another target of cheerleader. Prudence’s during a previous war. one-sided affection from unrequited feelings lead her to hitchhike away and Prudence. Lucy (Evan Rachel eventually join the other Wood) is introduced as Later, Jo-Jo (Martin main characters. the beautiful girl-nextLuther McCoy) is introdoor with the voice of an image of ocean waves accompany “Helter Skelter” as performed by Dana Fuchs. Through these cuts, we get a brief glimpse into the chaos of the story climax yet to come.
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angel. We meet her as she prepares to say goodbye to her boyfriend before he leaves for army boot camp. Her ill-fated beau’s death is what eventually brings her to New York to join the merry band of misfits.
duced as a soulful guitar player. He makes the move to New York after his younger brother is killed during a riot on the streets of Detroit. Jo-Jo rocks a guitar audition for Sadie as Joe Cocker makes a special cameo appearance and performs “Come Together”. The song fits perfectly as it plays when five of the six ensemble members officially come together with Lucy joining them shortly thereafter. Through a series of wonderfully composed songs and innovative choreography, the journey of the ensemble shows the ups and downs of their lives. The story eventually pulls the comrades apart as smoothly as it brought
them together through interpersonal crucibles. After the climax, the ensemble is then pulled back together as they reunite to “All You Need Is Love” Even though it made its debut over ten years ago, Across The Universe still serves as a breath of fresh air. With visual delights and dance numbers that are seldom seen in the new era of repetitive reboots, the film is an avant-garde musical classic.
Jo-Jo (Martin Luther McCoy
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Rafiele A. Williams Rafiele A. Williams is a visual artist and the mother of five girls. She has been creating art for nearly a year and she describes it as her “outlet, passion, and peace�. Williams has been able to open doors and have meaningful moments because she believes in herself. Though 14
she once thought of her world as a dark and colorless place, it is now filled with color. Williams believes that having the opportunity to look back on how far she has come is the best feeling ever. Williams has had the opportunity to travel and meet amazing people and has expanded her network in doing so. She knows that art is her calling and she enjoys is thoroughly. Williams’ ultimate dream is to have a piece of art on
Fun facts: William’s favorite flavor is lime, she is a foodie, and she loves getting pedicures.
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Dorsey started painting as an outlet to get her Antaya Dorsey is a visumind off of the negative al artist and painting is things that have hapher passion. She enjoys pened in her life. Painting painting cartoons and ab- has helped her find peace stract art. She likes to use and happiness. This has vivid colors and bright inspired her to want to techniques to make her help others find a similar ideas come to life. joy in art. 16
A N T D A O Y R A S E Y
Though Dorsey has been painting since she was young, she began to focus on it professionally in May of 2017. She has a strong goal to incorporate her art as a healing method into her counseling practice. Dorsey also wants to open an art studio for all creatives to work on their craft.
Fun Facts: Dorsey loves travelling to the beach, her all-time favorite show is Prison Break, and she plans on moving to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after she graduates from school.
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Alex Figueroa Experiencing hardships at the time, he began expressAlex Figueroa is a full time ing himself with graffiti in artist of free, raw, and ab2009. It allowed him to exstract expressionism. He considers his art to be visual press himself in ways nothrepresentations of his inner ing else could. thoughts, insecurities, and emotions. He began his love Because of the pull of life’s circumstances, Figueroa of art at a very young age. 18
abandoned his art for a time. It was during a long drive home from a courthouse in Virginia, that he was reunited with his artistic muse. As Figueroa drove past the view of a beautiful sun setting in the clouds, he felt the flames of his gift reignite. From that
day, he picked up his paintbrush and has been consistent with his artwork ever since. Along the way, Figueroa has realized how simply expressing himself could be influential to others. He learned that being true and honest with himself could take him further along in life and he hopes to inspire others to feel the same. Figueroa’s future consists of growing as an artist, doing more for his community, building his brand and platform, and living his best life. Fun Facts: Figueroa's favorite movie is Ratatouille, he loves to read, and his favorite food is pizza.
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Cholly Cunningham Cholly Cunningham is a Buffalo, New York native. She is an alumni of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, MI, where she
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focused on Video Production and Photography. She finished production on her senior thesis film titled "Unconditional" in May 2011.
In 2013, Cunningham established her visual art freelance company "Unicorn Borne Productions". Her company specializes in Video Production, Photography, and Illustration.
Cunningham's own art is inspired by her walk of life and how she interprets the world. She expresses her shining personality across various mediums. By embracing rather than erasing life’s imperfections, Cunningham forms a relatable connection with a wide and variable audience. She has been a creative individual her entire life and she plans to keep creating, learning, and growing.
Fun facts: Art consumes Cunningham’s whole life, she considers herself to be the real-life version of Jane Lane from MTV’s hit animated series, Daria, and she never does anything in life without making sure that it is truly what she wants to do.
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D A R I U S His favorite channel was When Darius Emerson was cartoon Network. Coincidentally, Emerson’s aunt, a kid, he always knew that he wanted to be an artist. He Helen, once worked there. spent much of his childhood His aunt would take him on drawing cartoons and writ- tours of the building and he ing stories to go along with would see first-hand how some of his favorite carthem. 22
E M E R S O N toons were made. This was Emerson’s foundation and inspiration for becoming an artist. Emerson also uses his art to displace negative stereotypes that are often placed on African Americans. His
Fun facts: Emerson loves movies and basketball, and his favorite artist is Kehinde Wiley.
art is heavily influenced by socialist movements, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as popular culture. Emerson currently attends the University of West Georgia where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. His plans are to attend grad school to study animation. Emerson plans to get an animation job at Cartoon Network when he graduates.
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Frank Clemon Valrie III Murphy’s character in Coming to America. Frank Clemon Valrie III often goes by his artist name Though Valrie now mostly expresses his art in the form of Prince Hakeem. The name is an homage to Veg- of tattoos on human skin, he eta from the popular anime, started out with paper and Dragon Ball Z and to Eddie pen, as most artists do. He started tattooing profession24
ally three years ago. Valrie trained under an artist named Quick, who invested his time and knowledge of technique with Valrie. He saw Quick as a mentor and is grateful for
Fun facts: Even though he is 6’4”, Valrie is afraid of heights, he loves to eat cheese on almost everything, and his favorite color is purple.
everything he learned from him. Valrie’s way of repaying Quick for his guidance is by always doing his best work in order to showcase his quality of training. Valrie wants to travel the world and do tattoos. He even has aspirations to tattoo in Antarctica. 25
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Katie Cochran In September 2016, Katie Cochran formed Atlanta Digital Marketing Group, more colloquially known as ATLDMG. ATLDMG specializes in digital marketing for tech-oriented companies. They offer graphic design, content creation, digital 28
advertising, and so much more. Cochran hails from the mountains of North Carolina. She moved to Atlanta in 2012 after a dinner with her brother and sister-in-law. Cochran realized she had little desire to return to her home in NC. She had always loved visiting Atlanta. So, when her sister-in-law made the coy suggestion that she
make the move permanent, Cochran decided that a change of scenery was in order. Though Cochran graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Anthropology, she only briefly pursued that career. She also ventured down the paths of the actor, the director, the dancer, the fly fisherwoman,
the jewelry maker, the retail sales manager, and the event planner before she found her love for digital marketing.
into a family of entrepreneurs, she has first-hand knowledge of how companies can struggle with building their brand as they go about making their busiWhen she founded ATnesses the very best they can LDMG, Cochran had just be. That is why ATLDMG resigned from a Marketing concentrates on the marManager position and she keting aspect of startup tech had no clue what she want- companies. This way the ed to do next. The company budding business owners she worked for was located can put their energy into in Atlanta Tech Village, the the actual work while she same space where her own concentrates on helping office currently resides. As them get their names out Cochran left the building there. Cochran’s own words immediately after parting express her passion for tech ways, she was stopped by a startup companies, “I know fellow Villager. It was this how important their story Villager who would become is and I want to help them the catalyst Cochran needed express their value while to start ATLDMG by way of they focus on running their giving her a newfound sense business”. of purpose. Today, Cochran looks to the Because Cochran was born future with hopes of ex-
panding her list of clientele and growing her company as she helps other successful entrepreneurs do the same. Apart from her busy career, Cochran enjoys spending time with her husband, Andrew, whom she met in a 101 Dalmatians-style meet-cute. They care for two dog-children, Coal and Zoey.
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Atlanta Tech Village By: LD Scott
In the heart of Buckhead in Atlanta, GA there is a place where entrepreneur-minded individuals go to commune with their fellow techies. It is a building where the smell of Octane coffee greets you as you open the door to the brightly decorated lobby. That place is Atlanta Tech Village, a hub for tech start-ups that prides itself on their culture of community.
Atlanta Tech Village was founded in 2012 by David Cummings. Using the money he gained from selling Pardot, his marketing automation firm, Cummings started what would soon become the largest tech workspace community in the South-Eastern United States. ATV is home to more than 300 companies and over 1,000 members. There are six floors, eighteen conference rooms, five kitchens, a soundproof event space, a gorgeous rooftop, an AV room, and a game room with PS4, XBOX One, and Nintendo 64 consoles set up for member use. There is also a Microsoft playroom where members can take advantage of ATV’s partnership with Microsoft by using VR tech and a 3D printer. There are phone booths throughout the building that can be used to take personal calls. And more interestingly, there are nap rooms where the tired tech professionals can rest their eyes before their next stroke of genius occurs. Outside of the beautifully designed building there is a large sign that displays the names of the companies who utilize the most desk spaces in the Village. The board gets switched out every three months to make room for the next set of companies who will have their names displayed with pride. Once a company reaches the maximum occupancy for a single company in the building, that company then “graduates” to new office space outside of ATV.
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In the lobby, there is a wall of “graduates” is displayed that features the names of companies that grew out of ATV and were able to expand and fly with their own wings. This list currently includes BitPay, Insightpool, Yik Yak, Clockwise MD, SalesLoft, IO Education, Calendly, TrustStamp, Terminus, and Mobile Labs. One of the purposes of ATV was to create a workspace for startups where they could have the flexibility of expanding or relocating their office(s) as their company grows. Because of this, the memberships at the village are all on a monthto-month basis. In addition to the lease flexibility, the offices themselves can be modified to better fit a company’s needs. The glass walls can be relocated and adjusted to expand, compress, or rearrange the space as needed. On Fridays at 11:00 AM EST, there are tours available to those who have an interest in the village. There is a general tour and a member tour. Both tours inform prospective clients about the Village and the office environment. Sergio Ravelo, the Village’s resident jack-of-all trades, leads one of the tours. Ravelo is always willing to provide anyone with assistance and does so with a bright and friendly smile. “The value is connection and networking,” says Ravelo when asked about the community of ATV. This rings true to the core values of Atlanta Tech Village: Pay-It-Forward, Be Nice, Work Hard, Play Hard, and Dream Big. These core values are so important to the village that they are a required philosophy of all
tenants who occupy the building. As they look toward the future, Atlanta Tech Village plans to meet their goal of creating 10,000 tech jobs in their first ten years. They are well on their way to completing that goal as they have already created close to 4,000 jobs in their first few years. With its community of hard-working entrepreneurs, friendly atmosphere, and relaxation outlets, it’s very easy to understand why ATV is the fourth largest tech space in the US and growing. 31
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"Olicity" Oliver & Felicity By: LDScott
Quite possibly the ship to end all ships, Olicity has been a source of angst, frustration and utter “awwwwww” for the past six years. Olicity is a ship that comes from The CW and DC Comic’s Arrow. Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) have taken fans of the ship on a journey over the past six years. The show follows the story of Oliver Queen, a former billionaire playboy. He spent the better part of five years stranded on the deadly island of Lian Yu. After fighting his way back to civilization, he returned to his home in Starling City (later renamed to Star City) to right his father’s wrongs as the vigilante first known as “The Hood”. He would later go on to have many 34
Submitted By: @Abrar_J97 (Twitter)
Submitted By: @OlicityDreams (Twitter) 35
other names before becoming “The Green Arrow”. During his mission to save his city, Oliver enlisted the help of John Diggle (David Ramsey) and Felicity Smoak. Oliver, John, and Felicity grew to be what fans of the show have affectionately named “OTA” or “Original Team Arrow”. John Diggle, often referred to as just Diggle, was a military vet. He was hired by Oliver’s mother as a bodyguard. After Oliver slipped past him numerous times, Diggle became suspicious of Oliver’s activities. Eventually Oliver revealed himself to Diggle as The Hood, Starling City’s resident vigilante. Diggle joins Oliver on his mission and the two soon become as close as brothers. Diggle has been deemed by fans as the number one shipper of Olicity. In episode three of season one entitled “Lone Gunman”, Felicity made her first appearance. At the time, Felicity worked in the IT department of Queen Consolidated, the company Oliver’s father left to him. Oliver sought out her assistance with retrieving information off of a bullet-ridden laptop. With her quirky babbling and upbeat demeanor, Felicity brought the first bits of comedic acting and dialogue to the show. In that very first interaction, the seeds of Olicity were planted. For the next few seasons, the couple faced their share of trials and tribulations, breakups and makeups, and tension you could cut with a knife. 36
Submitted By: @jeaniechristo(Twitter)
"That's what makes this love deeper than other kinds of love"
"There was no choice to make
"You are not alone and I believe in you"
"You are my always"
o e"
Felicity Smoak was only set to appear in one episode of Arrow. However, due to popular demand thanks to Rickards completely adorkable portrayal of the character, Felicity became a series regular. The undeniable chemistry Rickards and Amell shared onscreen was almost tangible.
Submitted By: @minny_28 (Twitter)
Oliver and Felicity finally tied the knot during the four-part Super Legends of Flarrow crossover event in fall of 2017. With the couple finally wed after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Olicity shippers rejoiced. Their “one true pairing” A.K.A. “OTP” were finally united in holy matrimony under the officiation of their number one supporter, John Diggle. Since then, the couple has been separated by the ugliness of retribution. At the end of season six, Oliver was sent to prison after being outed as The Green Arrow. Season seven will show Oliver as he does his best to fend for himself and stay alive while contained with 37 Submitted By: @msdoublebb (Twitter)
Submitted By: @Shani_art(Twitter)
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the criminals he put away. Meanwhile, Felicity will continue to start her tech company, Helix Dynamics and look after Oliver’s son, William, whom she adores. Though we have yet to see everything that lies in wait for the couple’s future, shippers can look toward the future with hope. Especially with the knowledge that both Stephen Amell and Emily Bett Rickards have referred to Olicity as “soulmates”. Arrow will return for its seventh season this fall on October 24, 2018 on The CW. Long live the Queens.
Submitted By: @SuperArrowGirl (Twitter)
Submitted By: @MagsAdventures (Twitter) 39
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"Frizzy Grizzy" By: LD Scott
This was very difficult for me to start writing. I can only tell Griselle’s story from my point-of-view. I met Griselle “Grizzy” Rodriguez on October 14, 2017. On that day, I was assisting my friend, Jackie, with selling her art in the Atlanta area known as Little Five Points or “L5P”. I was introduced to Griselle by a new friend, Chino, with whom I had discussed my writing aspirations. He suggested that I speak with Griselle because she and her fiancé, Sidney, had recently started a magazine. When I met Griselle, she hugged me warmly, as though we were old acquaintances. She approached me with a very pleasant demeanor and a bright smile. We spoke briefly and shared a few laughs but she was on her way to a meeting so we couldn’t chat for very long. Grizzy told me about ArTL Magazine and she gave me her card. I emailed her on the following Monday. Though I called myself a writer, I was more familiar with writing fiction. I had never 42
had any journalistic training or experience. So, when she emailed me back and asked me to interview Jocelyn Gragg, owner of Jardí Chocolates, and write an article on her, I was nervous. Nevertheless, I met with Jocelyn and the interview went off without a hitch. The very same day, I began writing the article. A few days later, after rewriting and editing it to what I thought sounded well-enough to be published, I sent it to Griselle. She responded by telling me that the article was “amazeballs”. That’s how and who she was. There was no pretentiousness about her. She didn’t feel the need to sound professionally impersonable. It wasn’t her personality. She was, at her core, a sweet young woman who had a passion for writing and art. After that issue was published in November, I met with Griselle later that month. We met with a group of people who were involved in what would be the next issue. At that time, I was officially her editorial assistant. Everyone tossed around information and ideas. The atmosphere was great and she was just as friendly and full of laughter as she had ever been to everyone.
In December, that issue was published. At the beginning of January 2018, we next began to work on the music issue which was set to be published in March. After she posted a call to action post on the magazine’s Instagram page, she asked me to look at some of the music that people had submitted and write a short piece on each artist and summarize their style of music. Once I had written everything, I sent her a message on Instagram on January 18th. I didn’t have a working phone at the time so email and Instagram were where we had most of our
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correspondence. I told her that I had sent her an email with the requested info and I waited for her to get back to me. A few days passed and I found it odd that she hadn’t responded to me, it was very unlike her. Usually when I sent her a message or an email, she would respond right away. I sent her a few more messages but never received any back. After a few days more, it was then the beginning of February. I tried to contact everyone I had kept in touch with from that meeting at L5P to see if they had heard from her. No one had heard anything from her. A couple more days went by and I decided to message some people who had commented on her Instagram posts. I finally got a message from someone close to her who told me the awful news. Griselle had committed suicide on January 22nd, four days after I had last spoken to her. I couldn’t believe it. I was in shock. I got a few more bits of information about what had happened but no one really knew the full story. I felt grief. And guilt. How could I have not known that this bright and vibrant person was suffering? I felt like I could have and 44
should have done more to reach out to her and help her. I had no idea that she was even going through anything that serious. I had never thought that she was anything other than the intelligent, sweet, strong, and beautiful person I had come to know her as. And yet it had happened. I’ve had other encounters with suicide in my life. But Griselle was the first person I’ve ever known to have gone through with it. And it cut deeply. After that, I didn’t know what to do next. I didn’t know how to really handle or process what had happened so I sort of just shut
down. It took two months before I realized what I wanted and had to do. I decided to start FANSHIP Magazine. I wanted to keep the ball rolling from ArTL magazine but in my own way. So, I decided to feature art and artists but also everything else I have a passion for. That included people who had stories that could inspire other people and make a difference. I call them “Heroes”. It is in this section where Griselle takes her rightful place. This article was admittedly the one I put off until the last minute. I knew how hard it would be for me to reopen those wounds but I also knew that it was a story that had to be told.
Too often, suicide takes people away from us. And often we never know what people are going through until it does. Sometimes not even afterwards. I think most people put up theoretical brick walls and try to hide every emotion they feel except for happiness. This gives way for those nasty feelings to eat us from the inside. That is no way to live. If you’re reading this article right now, what I want you to take away from it is this: it’s okay to let people in when you’re not okay. And even though someone may seem like they’re okay on the inside, that doesn’t mean that they are. Check on your strong friends, they may waver. Check on your friends who are always seemingly happy, their happiness may be faltering. It’s never too late until it’s over. Until then, there is always hope. If you feel lost and hopeless, do that one thing that feels the scariest: reach out. You never know how similar your story may be to someone else’s and that very vulnerable connection could save both your lives.
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My Friend, Reyna By: LD Scott
I was shocked with the unbelievable truth.
“Everytime I come in the breakroom, you’re in the breakroom”. Those were the words, always followed by laughter, that began my friendship with Reyna Lumpkin, a true hero and friend.
I met Reyna as a co-worker at a call center that shall remain nameless. For a time span of about three weeks, Reyna and I serendipitously found ourselves in the breakroom at the same time for every single break and lunch. We’d never even spoken before that. She and I would laugh at the coincidence of it and as time went on, we grew to know one another. Her mother, Ms. Elaine, worked for the company as well. Some time after our three weeks of coincidental meet up sessions, I noticed that I hadn’t seen Reyna for a while. Upon seeing Ms. Elaine on one of Reyna’s absent days, I asked where she had been. This was when 46
Ms. Elaine informed me that Reyna was battling kidney and heart failure and had been admitted to the hospital. I was in complete disbelief. There was no way that the sweet and cheerful woman I had so very recently become friends with could possibly be dealing with life-threatening illnesses. But that was where Reyna’s true strength lied: despite her condition, she never let it slow her down and she always made the most of it. Reyna had no idea that she had any sort of condition until Mother’s Day in 2014. On that day, Reyna initially thought she was having a panic attack. She went into a nearby grocery store for a drink when she began to feel faint. An employee working there had called the ambulance after she began swaying on her feet while in the store. When the ambulance arrived, they gave her the option of staying where she was or going to the hospital. Thankfully, Reyna said she had a strong feeling that she should go to the hospital to get checked out.
When Reyna arrived at the hospital, a nurse took her blood pressure and was so shocked by the high number that the nurse thought the machine was broken. The same nurse left and retrieved a new blood pressure machine. When Reyna’s blood pressure once again showed up as a high number, 290/170 to be exact, Reyna was rushed to the emergency room. Reyna was diagnosed with kidney failure and congruent heart failure. Reyna’s heart, which was already oversized, had become damaged because of her malfunctioning kidneys. Her
condition was the result of her having only been born with one fully developed kidney. Now, with proper care and treatment, many people can survive with only one kidney. The issue was that Reyna had been unaware of the fact that her kidney never developed until she was diagnosed. The only kidney that was functioning had been doing twice the work all her life without any medical assistance. Naturally, as anyone in her shoes would do, Reyna fell to 47
condition. She has had bleeding in her brain that caused her to have blurry vision and temporary loss of motor skills. She had to endure physical therapy for months but thankfully recovered and is fully mobile. Reyna’s gallbladder was removed from her body because it became toxic to her body.
pieces when she heard the news. She was hysterical, so much so that the hospital chaplain was called in to console her. Once her family members and friends found out about the seriousness of Reyna’s illnesses, they too were utterly distraught. Reyna also suffers from fluctuating blood pressure, which can be either too high or far too low, anemia, extreme weight loss, fluid retention that causes her skin to burst open on her feet, and a chronic stomach pain that doctors have been unable to fully diagnose. Reyna has had many other issues with her health. She has had two mild strokes that were also caused by her 48
In the past four years, since her diagnosis, Reyna has taken a combination of more than fifteen different medications. She now currently takes seven. She takes Hydralazine, Amlodipine, and Labetalol all to treat her fluctuating blood pressure. Reyna takes Torsemide for the fluid retention cause by her heart failure, Vitamin D to give her remaining kidney a little bit of help, and Atorvastatin for her high cholesterol. She also takes Renvela to lower the levels of phosphorus in her blood. Some of these medications have had side effects such as memory loss, sweating of her legs, and constant muscle spasms in her hands which
cause them to shake. Reyna has to have dialysis performed for three hours a day on three days each week. dialysis is a medical procedure where the blood is removed from the body, cleaned and filtered, and then returned back into the body. dialysis performs the duties that the kidneys can no longer handle. Even though she goes to the hospital to receive great care for her conditions, sometimes additional harm occurs. Reyna has had multiple veins blown by doctors, nurses, and ambulance technicians as they were trying to draw blood from her. Once, she did not eat for seven days straight due to a diet restriction she had to endure for a procedure she had to have. Two catheters that were inserted into her body caused the entire right side of her body, including her face, to swell. There was even one hospital visit where Reyna was wrongfully discharged from a hospital, while disoriented due to the morphine she had been given, at 3 AM.
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Over the past four years, Reyna has been in and out of the hospital approximately 125 times. This has led to a staggering medical bill of over $850,000, which is not covered by her insurance. Shortly after I departed the call center, Reyna also left to pursue a better job. Unfortunately, due to her constant absences from being in the hospital, she was let go from that position and was left unemployed. Reyna has since found another steady job at another call center in Alpharetta, Georgia. Because of her brief unemployment, Reyna’s car was repossessed and she was left with no other choice but to ride MARTA, the local Atlanta transit system, to and from work. It takes Reyna an average of two hours and thirty minutes to get from her home in Stone Mountain to her job in Alpharetta when she rides MARTA. Including her ride home, Reyna spends a total of five hours a day just commuting to and from work. On days when she has dialysis, Reyna uses a rideshare service to go from dialysis to work. Most of the time, she can barely make it to the car because dialysis leaves her feeling nauseous to the point where she often vomits. Even though she feels ill, she still goes to work and performs to the very best of her abilities. Reyna has her motivations to keep going, however. On February 15, 2017, she married her husband, Tyrone. They live together with her Shih-Tzu, Lola. Reyna 50
is very close with her mother, Ms. Elaine, and her younger twin siblings, Stephanie and Stephon. Reyna also assists in caring for her elderly grandmother, Faye. Neither Reyna’s condition nor her hardships are what truly make her a hero. What defines her heroics is her ability to push past the darkness of the realities to get to the happiness buried underneath. She has not allowed her troubles to stop her from living her life to the best of her ability and she has never stopped loving or smiling. It would be so easy to just give up and let life roll over her but she continues to choose to fight back. Reyna’s journey has been long and rough but it’s not over. Reyna’s remaining kidney is currently functioning at 6%. She is still on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. On August 18, 2018, Reyna plans on celebrating her 40th birthday surrounded by her loved ones.
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Ikaneisha Jenkins
separate herself from that position as well. Ikaneisha Jenkins is a 31 year old wife, mother, and entrepreneur. In 2016, Jenkins was terminated from her 45k salary job one week after her honeymoon. After three months of unemployment, she was able to get hired at another company. Unfortunately, due to harsh discrimination, she felt that it was best to 54
In April of 2017, two months after leaving her previous place of employment, Jenkins home burned down. Because of the stresses of losing both her home and her source of income, Jenkins sank into a deep depression. Her father served as her motivation. He encouraged her and helped her to rebuild
the strength she needed to build her business. Later that year, on July 2, 2017, Jenkins started her online clothing boutique for women, Jenks Fashionique. Her company hails its merchandise as “Fashion for the confident woman who lives her life defined by her passions!� As Jenkins herself grows, she hopes to teach others how to start their own businesses and to become a motivational speaker. She is also currently writing a series of self-help e-books.
Fun facts: Jenkins does not like chocolate. She is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. And she has watched every single season of Law & Order SVU at least three times.
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Alexzandria Ali Alexzandria Ali is nothing less than a motivated and formidable businesswoman. She manages four talented creatives: two music artists, a photographer, and an author. Ali has been a manager for over two years and is still
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getting her feet wet in the industry. She makes it a priority to soak up every ounce of knowledge that she can along the way. Ali also recently started her own company which will sell eyelash extensions. She plans on expanding the company and selling more than lashes in the future.
She spends her time constantly working, the way a true boss does. Ali is motivated by her belief that life is far greater than what school, society, and parental figures teach. She has never allowed herself to be placed in a stereotypical box and never will. Ali believes that there are no limits to what she can do if she gets up to go and get it.
Fun Facts: Ali is Afro-Caribbean and Arabian, her favorite genre of music is reggae, and she is the older sister to five siblings.
Ali constantly pushes forward with no fear in her heart and no doubt in her mind. She plans to continue to create, build, and thrive in the music and entertainment industry.
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Markie Darling Marquista “Markie� Darling, FPC hails from Miami, FL and has resided in Atlanta, Ga since fall of 2000. As a hurricane disaster and two-time cancer survivor, Darling has had her share of obstacles to hurdle. In 2015 Darling was diagnosed with breast cancer. During her recovery period she decided to focus on something positive instead of focusing on her current situation. Darling's celebration of life inspired her to start her own business. 58
Darling has over twenty years of cooking experience. Her skills obtained by the teachings of her parents and her aunts, all of whom have a passion for cooking. She also credits some of her skills to the Food Network. Darling is a very active member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She proudly assists the order with the help they give to organizations such has Bags of Hope, Red Cross, United Way, and many more.
In her downtime, Darling enjoys spending time with her Godchildren and grilling for her friends and family. Darling’s plans for the future are to grow her business do that she can own her own food truck, have her products placed in grocery and retail stores. In the long run, her ultimate goals are to expand her food trucks to operate across multiple states, to own her own restaurant, and her own consulting firm. She seeks to become a Fun facts: Darling’s closupset when one of them millionaire so that she can est loved ones say that she break. She is also a very senlive comfortably and retire makes more sacrifices than sitive soul. her sister. most people will ever know. Her fingernails are very long and are real. She gets very
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Ty'hiela Gray the age of five. This was when she began her love of performing.
Ty’hiela Gray is a singer, actress, mother, and gemstone connoisseur describes herself as a powerful lightworker with an old soul who is sensitive to energies. Her Since moving to Atlanta, music is a mix of R&B and Gray has she has maintained Trap. her musical passion and melodic objectives. She has Throughout her childhood, been a part of numerous Gray’s father performed as music and film projects, part of a Jackie Wilson trib- including Marvel’s Black ute act while her mother Panther. served as his road manager. Gray used to sing and dance Gray currently works on her for her parents in their hoown podcast called “Heltel room with her sister at awoke” where she and her 62
co-hosts share their opinions on life, the state of the world’s affairs, and hip hop music. “Helawoke” recently hosted their first vision board party. She also sells gemstones and enjoys educating people about their properties. She finds solace and a steady ground in her six year old son, Julian, and in her gem-
stones. Gray’s in-depth connection to gemstones began during a time when she was deeply troubled by her anxiety. Gray’s plans for the future include finishing her second mixtape, “No Hook-ups, No Handouts: Volume 2”, produced by Kris Cold Blooded, which is set to release on August 21, 2018. She also has plans of opening a storefront to sell her gemstones.
Fun Facts: Gray is very in tune with the cosmos . She loves the color yellow because it brings out the light. She also loves hot sauce.
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Kayla Ibarra years, from Florida to Toronto, from Arkansas to Singapore and many more places. Kayla Ibarra is an American and Canadian She ended up attending the University of actress who discovered the craft when she Nevada, Las Vegas to study Theater and was 16. She knew she wanted to be an ac- Film. She also attended the New York Contress when she first saw 'A Little Princess', servatory for Dramatic Arts. Later, Ibarra a fantasy film by Alfonso Cuarรณn. The film moved to Los Angeles to study Film Acting inspired Ibarra to use her own imagination further. to bring others into a different world and While in Los Angeles, she learned from open minds and hearts along the way. some of the best in the business, including Margie Haber, Ivana Chubbuck, Anthony Ibarra moved a lot during her formative 64
Meindl, Joseph Pearlman, and Carolyne Barry to name a few. Ibarra has appeared in “The Unwritten Rules”, “Muffin Top”, and Robert Benedetti's production of
“The Cradle Will Rock”.
ing with more artists as time goes by. Her future goals are Ibarra is now living in Atlan- to continue flying along the ta, GA to explore the thriving winds of life and accepting film community there, and what is meant to be, encourlooks forward to collaborat- aging herself and others to have open minds and hearts and allow themselves to be vulnerable, and to appreciate the beauty in the world. Fun Facts: Ibarra is an outdoor enthusiast, a nutritious food geek, and describes herself as a “travelling gypsy”
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Adelle Drahos Adelle Drahos credits the beginning of her career to her first play, “The Paper Bag Bandit”. She portrayed the protagonist’s air-head-
ed love interest who had a thing for watering dead sunflowers. Drahos moved on to learn the triumphs and rejections
of the acting world through summer camp, middle school and high school. It was when she was a junior in high school that she knew she wanted to act for the rest of her life. After college, she moved to Atlanta and joined an improv company for four years. During that time, Drahos signed with an agency that was less-than stellar. After separating from that agency, she found far better representation with Houghton Talent, her current agency. Drahos expresses a deep love for the film industry and for creating, writing, and storytelling. She continuously finds herself blown away by by the amount of collaborative talent it requires to bring a film from conception to completion.
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She loves immersing herself into different worlds and costumes. Drahos finds excitement in the fact that her job is to connect to people on one of the purest levels. Her dream is to play a character that helms a pirate ship. Drahos would also like to portray a horse-riding army general with a sword in hand as she leads an army into battle.
Fun Facts: Drahos has an Etsy named Della-Be Designs. She recently completed a 50-mile solo hike on the A.T. She hopes to own a house that reflects the interior of Neuschwanstein, a cas-
tle in Schwangau, Germany, but she would prefer modern plumbing and HVAC.
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