collide issue 4

Collide

Issue 4

An art and creative writing collaboration

This issue is dedicated to the memory of Josh Bruce

Table OF of CONTENTS Contents TABLE Introduction .......................................................................................... 1 Morning Meanderings Vol 26: My Twerk is Spiritual ..........2 Words by Yolanda Marie

De Corazón Con Corazón Vive Amor ............................................ 3 Art by Ziania Narvaez

Face - Art by Faith Costa...................................................................... 4 A Love Letter - Words by Hailz ......................................................... 5 real people / gay gnats - Words by Ryli Jane................................. 6

Cracked Open Series - Art by Natasha Zeta ................................. 8

Peace - Words by Mo the Poet........................................................... 10 When You Left - Art by Bonnie McCuen Magwaza.....................11

Tribe of Fools - Art by Jed Williams................................................. 12 The Holy Drinker: A Prose Poem.................................................... 13 Words by Joseph Nicolello

No Cap on Creativity - Art by Keon Akes....................................... 18 Reconstructing the Shell - Words by Sheridan Merrick ........ 19

Dear Younger Me - Words by Jaclyn Isis....................................... 20 Pollinating - Art by Hannah Reilly.................................................. 21

Closets - Words by Susan DiPronio................................................. 23

Crochet is an Art - Art by JeNene Elmandorf............................... 25 Worry - Art by Lindsey Gill................................................................ 26

Remembering Toad - Words by Katie Dempsey......................... 27 Listening in Color - Art by Goods and Bads................................. 32 Untitled - Words by Lydia Host ....................................................... 33

Boiling Point - Words by Jackie Miller.......................................... 34 Prophecy - Art by Marriya Mobley................................................. 35

Rollerblade Theater - Art by Jaime Massey................................. 36

If Wishes Were Horses - Words by Matthew Goldberg ........... 37 blue is the color of blood unspilt.................................................... 38 Words by Ailisha Goodwin-Dancy Something Subalpine - Art by Lauren Fiasconaro.................... 39

Heart in the Bottom of my Coffee Cup..........................................40 Art by Becca Dent Hanagan Temporary Love - Words by Tabo Bo ............................................. 41

My Body is a Landscape - Words by Lindsey Gill....................... 42

Evolution Rebirth III - Art by Yolanda Marie............................... 45 The Anthropology Student - Words by Kellyn Toombs ............ 48 Lilyhead - Art by Kristine Villanueva............................................. 51

Ghosts in the Parlor - Art by Shane Baker.................................... 52 The Glyphs - Words by Jake Symbol ............................................... 53

Acceptance - Words by Marriya Mobley ...................................... 54 Los Patos - Art by Genesis Perez ...................................................... 55

Special thanks to our Patreon subscribers: Stacey Gill Becca Dent Hanagan Karina Smyrnova Kathleen Mulkerin Joseph Nicolello

Join for just $3 per month to get exclusive offers on upcoming events, digital downloads, and more!

INTRODUCTION This zine was the brainchild of a Philly artist who wandered into an open mic one Friday night. As she watched poets, singers, musicians, and comedians take the stage, she noticed they all had something in common: a deeply human way of connecting that resonated with the audience. She wished that as a visual artist she could do the same thing these people did—that somehow, she could record the same fleeting qualities of a live performance in an image people could hold onto forever.

A new issue of the zine will debut quarterly and will be distributed both online and in several Philly-based bookstores. The best way to support us is by following our Instagram and subscribing to our Patreon!

The more people hear about this, the more submissions we can get for upcoming issues. Collide is open to all mediums of creation, and all subject matters. We want to bring artists together in a way that is not overly curated or exclusive.

Every artist is valid.

Every creative person deserves to be seen.

Collide Zine is just that, but with a twist.

It offers a space for artists and writers to collaborate by pairing them together.

Each spread you see in this zine is a set of one writer, one artist. Together the two collaborate to create new work or keep their submission as is.

With Gratitude, Lindsey Gill & Katie Dempsey Editors and Creators

We hope this zine is as fun to read as it is to create. Special thanks to Lightbox Café in Queen Village for the open mics that inspired this project, and Walls for Justice for sponsoring our now fourth edition of this project. Some of the artists in this issue were refreshingly vulnerable, sharing stories of childhood trauma, deep loss, and heartbreak—we want to thank all of them for sharing these uncomfortable experiences in a zine format.

Sam Rodriguez Walls for Justice

WANT TO BE IN OUR NEXT ISSUE? SCAN HERE TO APPLY!

With the debut of Collide 4, we are continuing our initiative with Walls for Justice to host free events, workshops, and open mics for artists and writers to attend and enjoy bonding experiences with Philly’s thriving art and poetry community.

To stay up to date on all our events, sign up for the Walls for Justice newsletter online at www.wallsforjustice.org.

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Worry Art by Lindsey Gill 26

Remembering Toad Words by Katie Dempsey PART 1

things sometimes do, their friendship fell apart.

One morning Frog was sitting on his front porch, sipping tea with his good friend Squirrel.

“What a fine day it is,” said Frog.

“Indeed,” said Squirrel.

Frog took another sip of his tea.

“I say,” said Squirrel, “I believe you have received a letter.”

Frog walked down to the mailbox and retrieved the letter.

“It’s from my old friend, Sparrow,” said Frog

“What is the matter?” asked Squirrel. But Frog was lost in thought.

PART 2 Frog walked to Sparrow’s house and knocked on the door. Sparrow opened the door. She had tears in her eyes.

“Oh dear,” thought Frog.

“I’m so sorry, Frog,” said Sparrow. “But I just heard that Toad has passed away.”

Frog was quite shocked.

“What happened?” asked Frog.

“I’m not sure,” said Sparrow.

“But I believe Toad took his own life a few days ago.”

He opened the letter.

“Dear Frog,” the letter began.

“I hope you are well. I have just received news that something may be the matter with Toad. Please stop by my house today for tea so we can discuss it further.”

Frog was silent. He wasn’t sure how to feel. He and Toad had not spoken in years; was he allowed to feel sad? Was he allowed to feel curious about the details of Toad’s death?

“Oh my,” said Frog. He had not heard news of Toad in quite some time. Many years ago, he and Toad had been close friends. They had even dated for a while. But as 27

He suddenly recalled a lovely day he had spent with Toad at the market many years before:

friend, but they were starting to lose touch.

“That would be lovely,” said Frog.

Frog and Toad were walking past tables adorned with items for sale. There were socks that had been lovingly knitted by hand, piles of colorful buttons, pieces of furniture artfully crafted from twigs, and all manner of baked goods. Toad pointed to a handsome yellow cake.

“I say! A delicious cake!

Should I cut us a slice?”

“That is just a decoration, my friend,” said Frog. “A pretend cake.”

“I know a real cake when I see one. Look, I’ll cut us a slice right now!”

Toad grabbed a nearby fork and jabbed it at the cake, but the fork bounced right off.

“I say, that may not be a real cake after all,” said Toad.

The two friends laughed, and then continued on to a table that advertised lovely straw hats.

PART 3 Frog and Sparrow met Tortoise in the park for a picnic. Frog worried that it would feel strange to spend time with Tortoise again after such a long time, but it was as though no time had passed at all. They spent the afternoon sharing stories about what they had been up to, playing games, and enjoying the finger sandwiches that Sparrow had brought along.

Finally it was time to discuss Toad.

“So do you know what exactly happened with Toad?” asked Frog.

“I know part of the story,” began Tortoise. “Toad and I weren’t as close lately as we had been, but we still spoke every now and then, and sent letters to each other on occasion. Last week he sent me a letter I found quite alarming.”

Back in the present, Sparrow noticed the blank look on Frog’s face.

“I think we should visit with Tortoise after we have tea. She can give you more information than I can.”

Tortoise took out the letter and began to read it aloud for Frog and Sparrow.

Frog had not spoken with Tortoise in several months.

He still considered her a good 28

“My dearest Tortoise,” the letter began.

“Who is that letter about?” asked Frog.

“Of all the regrets I have in my life, none have affected the core of who I am, who I was, more than this one. The sadness, anguish, and tears I’ve brought into the life of this beautiful being can never be taken back. The seconds, hours, minutes, months, and years my selfishness and stubbornness have robbed from him can never be repaid.

“He was involved with Hedgehog shortly before his death, but they were at a rocky place in their relationship,” responded Tortoise.

I have no other words to express this, but I’ve decided to take my own life.

Tortoise continued. “The moment I received this letter, I went to his house and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Then I went home and wrote him several letters asking him if he was OK, and telling him that I was here for him if he needed to talk. The next day I knocked on his door again.

This time the door did open.

But it was Field Mouse who opened the door. He told me that I was too late, that Toad was already gone.”

“I’m glad it’s not about me,” thought Frog. Although why would it be about him?

He hadn’t spoken to Toad in years, and was being ridiculous. So he kept that particular thought to himself.

I am so sorry to my family, friends, and loved ones who believed in me. I’ve betrayed my purpose as an artist and human being, and turned my back on the morals I once stood for. I can never set it right in my life. He will never forgive me, and he shouldn’t if I were him.

I’m a true monster, even if I feel remorse, shame, guilt, the full range of my regret; I’ve crossed the point of no return.

Frog was quiet. He had not written Toad a letter in a very long time. He hadn’t even responded to the last letter Toad had sent him several years before. “Maybe if I had written him a letter, this would not have happened,” he thought. But he kept that

I’m so sorry. I love you. Thank you for giving me moments of light.

Regards, Toad 29

thought to himself as well.

could not watch his good friend waste away like that.

Frog suddenly remembered another day that he had spent with Toad years earlier:

Frog finally felt his eyes well up with tears. Sparrow and Tortoise patted him on the back as the sun set on their picnic. Frog felt a lot of regret for how things had ended with Toad. He wished he could talk to him one last time. He would even have traded his prized collection of toadstools to bring him back. But there was nothing that could be done.

Toad would not get out of bed no matter how much Frog asked him to.

“You don’t understand what it is like to feel as I do,” Toad had said. “I am simply miserable and I refuse to leave my bed.”

“I certainly have felt miserable myself, and did not want to leave my bed either.

But it’s very important to get out of bed,” coaxed Frog gently.

“No,” responded Toad.

“Going out into the sunshine is the only way to feel better,” said Frog. “I know it’s difficult, but you simply must do it.”

“There is a darkness within me that sunshine can not fix,” responded Toad.

“Will you not even try?” asked Frog. “Maybe the sunshine will help more than you think.”

“I will not.” responded Toad.

“Please don’t blame yourself,” said Sparrow gently.

The three friends sat there in silence as the sun set on their picnic. There was an emptiness where Toad should have been. But Frog knew that he had spent a lot of time trying to help Toad, and that it wasn’t fair for him to blame himself. He was angry with Toad, but his love for him was stronger than his anger.

Frog now remembered why their friendship had ended.

He had spent so many days like that, encouraging Toad to get out of bed, and to try to be happy. But he had eventually realized that Toad would not accept his help, and he simply 30

Listening in Color Art by Goods and Bads 32

Untitled Words by Lydia Host I typically listen in colorful squares and parallel lines we’re similar they match four fair and eye-poppingly beautiful cut down to a parachute far from the ground and a train service announcement Tornado Island in a visor ship by ship to sharp music fish twitch cats eat pâté wrapped around her little finger— foreign claimants to present thrones press against the organs of the church. Fish dash— I’m purchasing a pass to another country where everything makes sense like Peru makes sense it would all make sense if it were in Peru.

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Rollerblade Theater Art by Jaime Massey 36

If Wishes Were Horses Words by Matthew Goldberg Don’t you wish you could feel Mom’s hand rubbing your back as you fall asleep? For that one small thing you only sometimes remember—the comfort of your warm, saliva-pruned thumb, getting swooped up onto Dad’s shoulders, cut grass on your cheek in the spring? Back when you could watch the sun sink beneath those full-grown maples on your front lawn, at your first house, the house where you grew up before the divorce?

feel like you won something for once?

Don’t you wish for her? Walking by the river with her, your ungloved hands icy, loose stones crunching underfoot? Or having someone near you, loving you, holding you when you got the news about Dad—the mid-afternoon phone call? Don’t you wish for the house, the decorating, the redecorating, the re-redecorating, the steady passing of years? For the friends, the parties, the deepening of bonds, the sharing of drugs, and experiences near and far?

Don’t you wish you could come home and the house would be neither silent nor loud, eventoned, full of familial love? For that first day of school even if it’s just going from the smaller one to the bigger one where they sell French fries for lunch and you have the illusion of choice?

Back when you could sit in the stands, knees pressed up against someone and hoping this was an intentional pressing, that it will lead somewhere and your daily dreams will become reality, your fears banished, your peers humbled, your greatest ambition achieved?

Don’t you wish for the crawl of the bus through the mountains and the arrival, the vistas, the snow white sheep, the tanned men staring wearily but accepting the dollars of sightseers? Or the warm breeze at night on the marsh as the saltgrass and cattails swayed, hiding the croaks of frogs or toads—a distinction only she knew? Don’t you wish for her? Don’t you?

Don’t you wish you were sinking, sinking into your memories, staying submerged not having to awake into your life? That you could take a deep, full breath, vital and elastic? Don’t you wish, as you lay there, for your family?

You wish for them to do all the things you could and could not do.

You wish everything for them: do everything, be everything. Don’t you wish that whatever comes next is not an end, but a richness like nothing you could have ever guessed?

Don’t you wish you could go back to campus, but not as it is, but as it was, frozen in that time where your future was boundless and opportunity spilled wantonly?

To remember just one thing you studied, just one fact that stayed with you? Don’t you wish you made a more lucrative choice for your future? To be a prodigy, where rising up wasn’t so hard, where shots on goal would lead to scores? Don’t you wish you could 37

blue is the color of blood unspilt Words by Ailisha Goodwin-Dancy America has a blood fetish minorities expendable she caresses them, her long gnawed fingers avoiding her white skin while, surplus, she says, popping her blackheads blood dribbling down her face by the rainfall a massacre Orlando Chi-raq her face hardens.

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Something Subalpine Art by Lauren Fiasconaro 39

My Body is a Landscape Words by Lindsey Gill My body is a landscape Painting Of the trauma from past fingers That undeservedly touched its precious surface I paint on it now Brushstrokes— No wait.

Autocorrect that to "Broken trusts" Yeah Trust issues don’t wash out easily Those stains of blue are just Bruises inflicted by my ego Poorly executed patches of paint Maybe this is what Bob Ross meant when he said “No mistakes, just Happy little accidents“ But in reality Those happy little accidents are Proof that I have been too out of it To even gesso the thread properly.

You see My artist vision of being a masterpiece Always feels limited to A single rusty palette knife Still scraping my every inch Like a dirty fingernails.

Every boxcutter slice, every bone cracking Every bend over backwards to feel alive 42

to make you happy to make other people happy to stop breathing and never actually catch my breath enough to even FEEL the pain in my core the pain of standing up the pain of never feeling alive enough to— To even just…

Look in the mirror.

Too busy staring at my shame Instead of the therapists’ faces Asking Me why.

Why Are you Doing this?

No. Just shut the hell up I’m fine.

Leave me alone Alone is safe Alone is with my skeletons In a dark closet Filled with all the lunches my mom packed but I never ate I don’t have to be here right now do I? I’m only here because somewhere deep down, I still care...

In the smallest way possible I want you to see me-But only just a little.

Because more than a little is Too much for anyone.

But if you saw all of me All the big feelings All of the big experiences The big, FAT emotions you would feel just as overwhelmed as I do.

43

So I hide In these baggy clothes Again like a sad collage of bruises Body aches and hunger pains Keep me numb to palette knives.

They are what I have known for almost a decade Decades of layered paint Now I'm just trying to peel it off and start over My body, like a painting, tells its own story.

A painful ode to overthinking Obsession, grief, trauma.

You could call it a masterpiece of self hate Worked on, on and off again Left at the back of a studio only to be pulled out again by the overly enthusiastic artist.

Does it ever end Is this painting of self worth ever finished?

It will always be evolving Every year is a new set of brushstrokes Every year is a new set of bruises I think I’m only now just starting to make them look More like the flowers in a fucking Bob Ross painting.

44

Evolution Rebirth III Art by Yolanda Marie

45

Acceptance Words by Marriya Mobley Acceptance Being what is accepting what is as it is Not thinking about what you want it to be, or what it was supposed to be, or expectations of a reality you didn't even create.

It is acceptance in being present; in what it is Accepting every part of the situation, the bad, the good, the great, and knowing that's it's ALL placed in its route and its journey to become its highest path and highest self. Acceptance !

Accepting what it is with no declarations. Just acceptance and celebration in the moment of feeling it rave over your soul and your spirit, so much,that you like damn, I got to listen to that shit; ain't that a blip.

I got to sit here and feel everything I wanted to feel and I asked for ...Damn that's some shit !

Acceptance is raving through your spirit ,and soul like water in the sea.

Grass moving freely.

Acceptance is a good ass feeling that I have to accept more of. Being aware, being aware Believing in self, believing in the mental,believing in manifestation, and how its supposed to go it will happen, for it should happen, for you thought of it that way is ACCEPTANCE

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Los Patos Art by Genesis Perez 55

CONTRIBUTORS Shane Baker - THEY/THEM -

Shane Baker is a Philadelphia-based illustrator making silly stories and portraits on commission. They enjoy board games, video games, and adventuring with friends (on the tabletop or irl). Inspired by artists like Luke Pearson and Carey Pietsch, they try to instill a little whimsy and humor into whatever piece they’re working on.

IG: @Shane_Illustrations | shaneillustrations.com

Ziania NarvaezGarcia - SHE/HER -

Faith Costa - SHE/HER -

Faith Costa is a New Jersey-based artist who focuses on painting. Featuring flowers, landscapes, abstracts, animals, and more, Faith’s work aims to brighten your day and make you feel. Her acrylic miniature and full size paintings on canvas are bound to transport you to a magical place. As a lifelong painter and maker, her original artwork comes from the heart. @faithcosta_originalartwork | faithcosta.com etsy.com/shop/faithcostaartwork

Matthew Goldberg

Matt Goldberg is a writer, teacher, and content designer whose fiction has appeared in various literary journals, including The Normal School, Porter House Review, SmokeLong Quarterly, Philadelphia Stories, and many others.

Matt earned his MFA in creative writing from Temple University and lives in Philadelphia with his partner. twitter: @mattmgoldberg backyardwriters.org/matthew-goldberg/

Jaime Massey - SHE/HER -

Jaime is a Philadelphia artist who paints the streets around her.

IG: @ronni.lynne.art

Ziania is a Philly-based, first-generation Mexican American artist from South Texas. Her artwork is a form of selfcare and a means to photograph her emotions or memories.

She draws inspiration from loved ones, the outdoors, and her peers. Having grown up in a house where each space was divided by different colored walls, she likes to give credit for her artwork’s color palette to her Mom and family trips to Mexico.

IG: @z_alwayz

CONTRIBUTORS Hailz

Kellyn Toombs

- THEY/SHE -

- SHE/HER -

Hailz was born, lived some life and is now here. They have always been tied to the arts but have only recently taken up poetry. They believe that unabashedly loving yourself in a society hell bent on making you hate yourself is a form of rebellion. The poem included in this issue is her rebellion. She looks forward to yours.

Kellyn Toombs is a M.A. student at the University of the Arts, where she is earning a degree in museum education. She also works as a gallery guide at the Mütter Museum.

She is grateful to her classmates at UArts and her coworkers at the Mütter for making Philadelphia a wonderful place to live, work, and study.

IG: @daydream.haze

IG: @kellyn.knits

Bonnie McCuen Magwaza - SHE/HER -

Bonnie Magwaza started painting as a sort of visual diary. Most of Bonnie’s subjects are nudes, since for her, it represents a deeper sense of vulnerability. She chose poses that reflected her emotional and mental state at that time. Bonnie seeks to create art that is both beautiful and meaningful. Her preferred medium is oil paint. @ bonniemccuenmagwaza

Lindsey Gill - SHE/HER -

Lindsey Gill is a freelance artist and yoga teacher living in Philadelphia, PA. Her drawings, watercolors, and digital paintings are inspired by her love of nature, storytelling, typography, and mental health. Lindsey enjoys local open mics and aims to connect artists in every way possible though projects like Collide. She writes poetry, paints, and explores the city. She also teaches yoga at a studio in Queen Village, the part of Philadelphia she loves most.

IG: @lindseygillart | lindseygillart.com

Sheridan Merrick - SHE/HER/HERS -

Sheridan Merrick is a writer and theatre artist based in Philadelphia whose work seeks to both reflect our current society, and inspire possibilities for a better one.

She is currently Assistant Directing the Philly Theatre Week reading of Untitled Raccoon Play. Red & Black, the musical she co-conceived with Nick Hatcher, was produced in the 2020 Polyphone Festival of New Musicals. sheridanmerrick.com

CONTRIBUTORS Lydia Host - SHE/HER -

Lydia Host is a transgender writer, poet, and literary translator living in Philadelphia, PA. Her work has appeared in, or is forthcoming from, The Southern Review, Global City Press, Ravens Perch Magazine, and others.

IG: @lydiahost1 | lydiasthost.com

Jed Williams - HE/HIM -

Jed Williams was born in Philadelphia, USA, in 1975 and brought up in Paris, France; he is a French and American dual citizen now based in Philadelphia, USA. He comes from an artistic background: his father was the celebrated poet C.K Williams and his mother is a jeweler. He has his own studio gallery, JWS, has shown extensively in US, and has collectors in US and abroad.

IG: @jedwilliamsstudio | jedwilliams.net

Goods and Bads

Goods and Bads is a one-woman illustration studio based in South Philly. With a style informed by tattoos, comics, existentialism, and absurdism, Goods and Bads makes art focused on anthropomorphic animals and words. Favorite subject matter includes toads, rats, and other under-loved creatures.

Mo the Poet - SHE/HER -

Mo the Poet was born and raised in South Philadelphia.

A self taught poet, she writes about a variety of topics such as queerness, the good, bad and ugly sides of love, activism, and mental health. A stream of consciousness writer with roots in jazz, Mo loves to reach her audience in both meaningful and funny ways; she hopes her words uplift and inspire a sense of love and community.

IG: @mo_thepoet

IG: @goodsandbadsstudio | goodsandbads.com

Joseph Nicolello Joseph Nicolello is a Philadelphian scholar and poet. Nicolello has authored several works of literary fiction, poetry, philosophy, and has two book-length projects in progress: a book on John Milton, Friedrich Nietzsche, Phenomenology, Technology, and Apocalypse, as well as a multi-volume, long-term work on William Blake’s “Milton: A Poem.” Nicolello is open to as much visual/ poetic collaboration as possible with artists based in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. josephnicolello.com | jwdn@upenn.edu

CONTRIBUTORS Susan DiPronio - THEY/THEM -

A published writer of nonfiction, poetry, plays, and essays, their chapbook “It’s So Quiet” was published in April 2023. They are an award winning analog photographer and a recipient of ‘The Art for Change Grant’ & ‘The Transformation Award’ from The Leeway Foundation for conducting memoir workshops for womenidentifying people, the houseless, & cancer warriors. Their films, photographs and plays—shown in Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Toronto, India, Chile—focus on art for social change.

IG: @susandipronio | susandipronio.com

Katie Dempsey - SHE/HER -

Katie Dempsey is a graphic designer and grammar-lover originally from New Jersey. She currently lives in Queen Village, Philadelphia. She believes that the best way to discuss dark and troubling topics is in the form of a children’s story. Her short story published in this zine, “Remembering Toad,” is dedicated to her friend Josh, who took his own life in April of 2023. She would like to take this opportunity to thank her wonderful friends Hannah, Marine, and Hayley for helping her through that dark time.

Genesis Perez - SHE/HER -

Genesis Perez is an acrylic painter.

She started taking it seriously in 2020, specifically during quarantine, when painting became an escape for her. She intends to create art that is intentional, introspectional, and multi-dimensional: all words that best describe who she is. She hopes that when viewers see her art, they will be able to transport themselves (ALL parts of themselves) into a reality that makes them feel alive.

IG: @artsoulbygen artsoulbygen.weebly.com

IG: @katiedempseygraphics katiedempseygraphics.com

Marriya Mobley

Marriya Mobley is an educator, behavior specialist, and expressive healing enthusiast. She runs a non profit called Expressive Illustrations which focuses on advocacy, healing, empowerment and unity, and which produces experiences, workshops, and more to decrease anxiety and stress levels within the community. Mobley believes in the power of healing through expression. She started writing during college when she had mental breakdown, and hasn’t stopped. Follow the movement!

IG: @expressiveillustrations | expressiveillistrations.org

CONTRIBUTORS Jackie Miller - SHE/HER -

Jackie is a singer/songwriter/poet. She is endlessly inspired by the world around her and can frequently be found taking photos when she’s exploring the world. She believes that creative self expression is one of the most healing tools for transformation. She aspires to one day publish her own book of poetry, photography and art.

IG: @sacredsoundsinger

Ailisha Goodwin-Dancy - SHE/HER/THEY -

As a multifaceted artist, she primarily focuses on social issues to incite dialogue; specializing in spoken word, painting, and fabric. Her most recent written work was featured in a recent collab between the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and The Philadelphia Dept. of Behavioral Health in a quest to mitigate the racial trauma on Black individuals and communities, titled “Finding Paradise: A Black Mental Health Anthology.”

IG: @the_paintedup_jawn

Kristine Villanueva - SHE/HER -

Kristine Villanueva is a Philadelphia-based journalist who rediscovered her love for art during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her art combines personal experience with methods of community-based approaches to journalism, such as crowdsourcing, to help capture a corner of the human experience. She remains inspired by nature, her Filipino heritage and her cat, Perceus (a.k.a Percy).

IG: @makeartthendie | kristineish.com

Keon Akes - HE/HIM -

He is a self-taught visual artist. He wants his art work to be an inspiration to any who see it. Each piece shares its own story.

IG: @Keeblerkorporationsstudios

Natasha Zeta - SHE/HER -

Natasha Zeta (b.

1993 in Mumbai, India) is a mixed media painter who creates interactive portraiture with broken mirrors, allowing the viewer to step into another perspective, challenge their preconceptions, and empathize with her subjects. Zeta seeks to amplify narratives from marginalized communities that disproportionately experience mental illness, but whose stories are vastly underrepresented in our conversations about mental health.

IG: @natashazeta natashazeta.com pointofentry.net

CONTRIBUTORS Tabo Bo - HE/HIM -

Ryli Jane - SHE/HER -

Ryli Jane is a trans artist and part time barista based in South Philadelphia. Her primary medium is metal stamped jewelry, but she also dabbles in writing, stained glass, and painting.

She hates cops and loves her friends very much.

IG: SixthHouseEgo twitter: @SixthHouseEgo

Tabo is a Korean refugee who immigrated to America when he was four years old.

His experiences and activities growing up in Utica molded him into the person he is today. He grew up at Thea Bowman, was a Young Scholar, graduated from Proctor in 2018, and graduated from Utica University with a Cybersecurity degree in 2022. He is now 23 and lives in Philadelphia, where he aspires to be more creative and build genuine connections.

IG: @tabizzy_ | @nomadic_voices nomadicvoices.com

Yolanda Marie - SHE/HER -

Yolanda Marie, aka Yani, is a versatile artist who tells stories through photography, painting, and writing, as well as digital and other forms of art. She co-founded House of Fluid Reflections (HFR), an artists’ social impact team. Yolanda also hosts a talk series called Artists Touch through HFR. Yolanda’s love for nature, the planet, and others has led her to seek ways to live intentionally and to encourage others to do the same.

IG: @yanishootsraw | loveyolandamarie.com

Lauren Fiasconaro - SHE/HER -

Lauren is a visual artist who has been working in the medium of photography for over 15 years. She creates cyanotypes on her rooftop in Philadelphia using plant matter and negatives. Her work focuses on alternative and analog photographic processes, and is often driven by concerns with environmental degradation.

IG: @la_fiasco laurenfiasconaro.com

Hannah Reilly - SHE/HER -

Hannah is a writer and illustrator living in South Philadelphia.

She strives to add playfulness and color to everyday objects and interactions—the subject of all her work.

When she’s not writing or drawing, she’s fumbling around in the darkroom at Fleisher or spending time with her two pets and loving partner.

IG: @frecklerface hannahreillydesign.com

CONTRIBUTORS Jaclyn Isis - SHE/HER -

Jaclyn Isis Navarro is a Penn State graduate who expresses herself best through singing, dancing, and poetry. She is the co-CEO of The Wholesome Foundation, a multicultural business dedicated to serving all people with community events and opportunities.

She is currently working towards therapy certification and plans on inspiring others through her works of art. She knows that more support is needed in Philly, so if you rock with her, she rocks with you!

IG: @Jiggy.Jackk | @WholesomeOfficial

JeNene Elmandorf - SHE/HER -

JeNene Elmandorf— or “The Crochet Jawn,” as she prefers to be called—learned the art of crochet at the age of 8. She would practice her craft on & off for the next 23 years, making small items for family, friends, and co-workers.

It wasn’t until the world shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic that she picked those hooks back up and started to create and sell her items. She currently has a small business where she sells ready-made and custom-made items.

IG: @the_crochet_jawn Thecrochetjawnco.etsy.com tiktok.com/@thecrochetjawn

Jake Symbol - HE/HIM -

Jake Symbol is a writer and comedian. He cohosts the Don’t Tell Your Brother queer comedy showcase in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood and is part of the sketch comedy duo Fruit Springsteen alongside Chip Sinton. His Chapbook, ARTPORN (2016), is published by Citizen of the World.

His poems have appeared in TAGVVERK, Adult Magazine, DREGINALD, Epitaph, and elsewhere. He creates ASMR as Jake Symbol ASMR on Youtube.

IG: @jake_symbol Twitter: @jakesymbol YouTube: @jakesymbolASMR TikTok: @jake.symbol

Becca Dent Hanagan - SHE/HER -

Since receiving a BFA from Moore College of Art & Design in 2005, artist Becca Dent Hanagan has worked at the Free Library of Philadelphia, promoting the arts and molding young minds for the LEAP After-School program. Her work can be found at an artist-run retail shop specifically for Philadelphia area artists, as well as at various market events with her brand, Memento Vivere Vignettes. Becca’s work is inspired by her love of the macabre along with religious symbolism and cultural heritages.

IG: @angelpunk1 | facebook.com/viverevignettes | mementoviverevignettes.com

CREATORS Lindsey Gill - SHE/HER -

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lindsey Gill is a freelance artist, muralist, and yoga teacher living in Philadelphia, PA. Her drawings, watercolors, and digital paintings are inspired by her love of nature, storytelling, typography, and mental health. She is a little bit of everything and aspires to travel the world helping others through art and expressive therapy.

When she is not out and about at one of her multiple jobs, Lindsey tries to write poetry, reads, and meditates with her cat Abba.

You can find her work in the storefronts known as Pretty Green Terrariums and Nice Things Handmade, both shops in Philly that support local artists. She also teaches yoga at a studio in Queen Village, the part of Philly she loves most and calls home.

IG: @lindseygillart | lindseycgill@gmail.com

Katie Dempsey - SHE/HER -

ART DIRECTOR Katie Dempsey is a graphic designer from New Jersey who has been living in Philadelphia since November 2020. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 2015, and when that didn’t pan out, she chose to pursue graphic design. Between 2016 and 2018, she took several design courses at Brookdale Community College, and has been working full-time as a

graphic designer since May 2018. Her favorite aspect of graphic design is organizing the various elements on a page to fit together in an aesthetically pleasing way, much like a game of tetris. She also enjoys creating collages (both digital and traditional) and skulking around taking photos of the cute architecture in her neighborhood of Queen Village.

IG: @katiedempseygraphics | katiedempseygraphics.com

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