Shifter | Volume No. 1 | Issue No. 3

s h i f t e r

VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 3 • APRIL 2021

Volume 1 | Issue 3 | April 2021

by Shifter Magazine — Shifter Media LLC Underlying text, images, and works are contained within works. Author(s) and Contributor(s) media include photography, artwork, and writings, contributors own rights to their work.

Copyright © 2021 Shifter Media LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical means, without permission in writing from the publisher. Exceptions for usage — brief quotations in a book review or other non-commercial methods within copyright law.

Cover Image by Kyle Anderson Issue Design and Production by Victor Martinez-Rivera and Elisa Castillo.

Digital edition — April 2021.

Publisher: Shifter Media LLC. Contact: hello@shiftermag.com

WELCOME WELCOME TO TO THE THE ISSUE ISSUE This issue is all about coming to terms with yourself and where acceptance meets liberation. For our third issue, we decided to center the theme around personal blooming and how — and when — our contributors have experienced it. Being in a pandemic has allowed us to reflect and ponder on our existence, so we wanted to ask our contributors to think deep, think raw and think of words and visuals that provoke while shedding their skin.

This issue is themed In Bloom. We’re fortunate enough to be sharing our bloom with you. Now we ask: what’s yours? What has been your process of liberation? We invite you to think of the answers as you navigate our third issue and bloom along with us.

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C CO ON N TT EE N N TT S S 08

editor's letter

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poem #96

20

frostbite / sunburn

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the caterpillar is a trans icon

by Victor Martinez-Rivera

by Gabi Tabib

by Moadlc

by Vivian Stone

Cover image by Kyle Anderson

how eric orengo blossomed through their self discovery journey

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by Valerie Galarza

MOSELLE AMUIX

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photography

45 45

sex, actually

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by Angeles Morales

by Mia Cousar

by Spence Hall

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o t i r ' s d e letter Hi! Welcome to our third issue, which is themed In Bloom! It’s an overwhelming honor to see Shifter where it is now compared to where it was five months ago. March 2021 marks our ninth month anniversary — and just saying that makes me highly emotional.

I remember highlighting the importance of Shifter Mag in my first Editor’s Letter. I was so happy to finally share it with everyone. I think it’s fair to say I’ve gone full circle — especially with this issue’s theme — because now I want everyone to share their story with us, with Shifter. And be a part of it.

Because it represents You. Me. Us. Them.

This goes out to all my Shifters out there dealing with their personal blooms, trying to figure out their ever-blossoming process, suppressing themselves and delaying their moment of efflorescence. Remember — you know your time and you know yourself. And sooner or later, because there’s no rush, you will bloom.

To the readers — thank you for your endless support and love. Our previous issues have reached over 2k+ reads individually and we are still in awe over here. Thank you for all the comments, the feedback and for always tuning in.

To the contributors — a big thank you from the bottom of my heart. From artist to artist, my heart smiles (yes, it does) so hard knowing you all found this community we’re building and decided to help us grow it. Thank you for sharing your art and trusting us with it.

Thank you for believing in me, the team and in Shifter as a whole.

To my team — y’all already know. I’m so proud of all of you. Every day is an amazing day because of this moment we are building. You all keep impressing and surprising me. Here is to issue three and for all to come!

With much love, gratitude, and respect, I present you all with issue three — In Bloom.

Victor Martinez-Rivera F o u n d e r, C E O & E d it o r -i n - C h ief

Ashley Kramer photographed by Erin Wentley

Skeletons of the past Rattle close by.

In the hallway closet where Forgotten cleaning supplies mold-

Reaching for me.

“Come back,” they hiss to me Through mouths without tongues, Minds without brains.

“You were so pretty and put together. You used to be perfect.”

Skeletons have no eyes that can see the truth.

They see what was With eyes in the past.

They do not live with the scars and pain Of the present.

I am not a skeleton Though at one point I wanted to be.

Now my body prickles with life.

I am teeming.

bibaT ibaG

Fingers creep under the door

6 9 # m eo P

over.

And I live in protest of the skeletons living in the front closet.

And one day they will become dust.

And only I will remain.

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Breakfast

by Moadlc

footsteps resonate on the linoleum my hands hesitate on the skillet sleep reaches for the coffee mug and my hands hover over the sugar you swallow bitter warmth by the table eggs quiver as i slide them on your plate crisp bread's scent lingers around us and i float toward you on it your hands sweep towards the butter and mine find purchase on my lap you hum pleasantly around your toast utter bliss in your coffee-scented mind breakfast, for you, must be like love pure and sensory but how could i know? i don't eat.

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oh! goddamn!

B y A m y Ple n n

i dress like a mom now, put on my big jeans and clip up my hair, and oh, yeah, i’m growing my hair out. i forgot to tell you. there’s a lot of things i forget to tell you, and i know it makes you mad, cause i’m not holding up my end of the bargain, not doing better like i’m supposed to. i try, you know. i swear that i try. it’s not my fault you made the hardest thing to do the only thing on the list. i remember when i made us leave that party early, cause someone walked in who had it out for me and i couldn’t tell you why, but the truth is, i was just ashamed of the part i’d played in it. i’m not perfect, not even good, and i’ve done a lot of bad things i can’t put into words, but you— i’m not ashamed of you, just afraid. there’s a difference.

!

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Frostbite

by Moadlc

what if the devil ran cold? would your touch burn on my frozen skin, or thaw my fingers in your presence? what if hell froze over? would you remain my eternal damnation, or cast my sentence in hitched breaths? what if a phoenix rose from snow? would it bury us in an avalanche, or preserve us in a block of cold? what if fire could cool us? would your passion feel like frostbite, or continue to melt my core?

Sunburn

by Moadlc

what if rain felt hot? would its droplets warm your shoulders, or cool against your thighs? what if heaven was scorching? would we swim in eternal paradise, or hide under an angel’s shade? what if spring flowers erupted like lava? would they encase us in molten rocks, or throw us into a blizzard? what if snow could warm us? would our love feel like a sunburn, or chill us like smooth river stones?

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photographed by Victor Martinez

THE CATE RP IL

By Vivian Stone LA

R into caves that claimed to be cocoons?

The cracks in clear skin recalled the black heads of youth but don’t worry, I’ll be your shell hiding dirt, clean in the rain. The armor is worn but the body is vain… make sure to cover up,

NS ICON TRA

cursing the poor soft hearts led

A IS

Did you fly before your death,

today you’ll climb again.

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Eric Orego photographed by Victor Martinez-Rivera

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How Eric Orengo Blossomed Through Their Self Discovery Journey

by Valerie Galarza

Sitting in their room, wearing a mustardyellow polo shirt with soft intricate designs, Eric Jon Orengo laughed lightly in their chair as I finally joined the Zoom call. We had been trying to figure out how to record the meeting that I originally made for the first 10 minutes of our call. Eventually, they volunteered to make their own Zoom call and record the session.

We continued to laugh as Orengo said that they use Zoom a lot and know how to navigate this new age of technology that many have had to adjust to because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ongoing pandemic is considered to be an overwhelming experience for many individuals, but Orengo saw it as an opportunity for self-discovery and acceptance.

Eric Orengo is a 20-year-old junior at the University of Central Florida majoring in marketing with a minor in digital media.

They are also a local fashion icon that is killing the scene in UCF’s leading fashion organization, Fashion Society.

They joined Fashion Society during their freshman year of college and served as the assistant director. Flash forward two years later — Orengo now serves as the organization’s president as well as a creative director for photoshoots that they help plan out.

Orengo admitted that having two jobs and being the leader of a registered student organization can be stressful at times, but it's what keeps them going. Stress is something that they claim to thrive off of; they consider themself to be a workaholic.

“I often use my work as a form of escapism,” Orengo said as they touched their forehead and reminisced on how a friend helped them come up with the title of Fashion Society’s first-ever magazine issue titled “Escapism.”

Within the issue, they wrote a letter to the readers saying that Fashion Society was an escape for themself and many others. It’s something that they still consider to be an escape till this day, saying that most of their career is an outlet for them as they were never permitted to freely express themself when they were younger.

As they reflected on their upbringing, Orengo admitted that they had a good childhood.

Food was always on the table, they said, and they never grew up poor as they describe their family to be middle-class HispanicAmericans.

Although they didn’t struggle financially, Orengo expressed how their childhood home was not a good environment for them.

“My life would’ve been perfect if I was a straight, cis male or even a straight cis woman. Like if I was just straight and cis, my life would literally be perfect,” they said.

Orengo grew up in a conservativerepublican town in North Florida. They express how they were feminine as a child and always wanted long hair.

They said that a part of them knew that it was “wrong” and would constantly put on a face to hide who they truly were.

Hiding who they are was something they had to do throughout their adolescence. Orengo would keep to themself and mind their own business with the notion that if they didn’t speak, then no one would bully them. As a result, they admitted that they didn’t have a lot of friends growing up.

“There wasn’t a person like me,” Orengo said as they recounted their high school experience. “How I am now did not exist at the time I was there.”

They expressed how “pre-college Eric” was an empty person who didn’t have a personality or sense of fashion. In fact, “pre-college Eric” was a competitive swimmer who happened to be the captain of the boys’ high school swim team.

They cover their mouth in shock as they continue to laugh at the memory of them being on the boys’ swim team.

That was a different era for Orengo as they don’t consider their younger self to be a different person. They express how their 16-year-old self thought very differently compared to their current self.

“I would give myself a whole fucking lecture cause I was so wrong on many levels about myself,” Orengo said about their younger self. They expressed how part of the reason they believed their sexual and gender identity was wrong was because of their parents.

Coming from a Puerto Rican, religious background, Eric expresses how their parents believed that they had a demon in them. They said that their parents would pray for hours and would reprimand them if they wore anything that appeared to be feminine.

They recalled a traumatic experience of when they had a photoshoot with their friends in their hometown and had an allergic reaction to the makeup they had put on during the session.

They attempted to wipe off the makeup, but it still seemed like they were wearing it. As a result, their parents confronted them about the makeup.

Orengo said that using makeup is part of who they are which is something that their parents never understood and still don’t understand.

For Orengo, coming to college was their escape.

“I didn’t go to college to be a professional, I went to college to leave my house,” Eric said.

Upon their arrival at UCF, Eric says that they went a little crazy and quickly dove into the makeup and fashion scene.

Within the fashion scene, they said that they get most of their fashion inspiration from pop music artists such as Rihanna and Prince. But the main source of inspiration comes from music itself.

“I can just hear a song and imagine like the concept,” Orengo said about their creative process.

They expressed how the feeling behind a song inspires them to create a certain look. Whether that feeling is electric or dreamy, Orengo converts those feelings into fashion.

Orengo describes their style as the way they would describe their mind — sporadic. They don’t necessarily plan out their outfits, they simply go with what feels right. If they can’t find a piece that can perfectly complete their look then they would find something else that’ll do the job.

When it comes to the topic of being in bloom, Orengo smiled as they expressed how there are moments where they have bloomed, but they don’t think they’ll ever stop growing. They don’t want to stop growing.

“My gender identity evolved and so I did bloom in that regard and was comfortable with myself, but I came to the realization that I am more than this,”

Orengo said as they recount their journey in life.

“I’m even coming to that realization now that there is more to me that I am still discovering.”

They express how there are multiple points of blooming and they will continue to meet those points as their life is a journey that never really ends.

As words of advice for those who are discovering who they are, Eric Orengo expresses the importance of coming out when it’s safe.

“You have to push to be yourself, but be safe. You also can’t let that hold you back as you can eventually, hopefully, figure out [who you are], be financially stable and be yourself because it's very possible. Growth is always possible.”

MOSELLE AMUIX ANGELES MORALES I hope your flowers bloom.

2020 was the year of painful and beautiful personal growth.

The beginning of this journey started when I was finishing Community college and given the opportunity to present my first fashion design collection MOSELLE AMUIX.

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“Moselle Amuix” stands for love and what it feels like to be caught up in the rapture of such a strong, complex emotion that can consume you. I had the opportunity to experience it firsthand, and it became my inspiration for the collection. Not every love story ends in unionship but it will always leave you with the gift of life, which is experience. The best gift you can give someone is an experience; a memory where they felt happiness for a moment. Maybe you introduced them to a movie which is now their favorite or you helped them heal in ways they couldn’t do alone.

How beautiful is it to know that although you may not ever cross paths again? A memory of you will linger in their mind and stand as a souvenir of a past encounter that will bring a subtle smile. These memories can either bring pain or remind one of the blessing it is to be alive. To be alive is to feel and to feel is to be exposed to the broad spectrum of intricate emotions humans are given.

Throughout the designing process, I encountered obstacles such as simplifying my designs due to limited time and it required me to eventually push my limits as a designer. It took patience, problem solving and being humble. All while surprising myself with the abilities to create out of my comfort zone.

The Moselle Amuix spring/summer collection consists of cherubs, florals, red, pink, Greek mythology and most importantly, passion. With only 12 weeks to create four looks, I gave every ounce of energy into something that’s divine to me.

The story of Eros and Psyche soon became the source of what my collection would entail. Eros is the son of Aphrodite, who is known as the most beautiful goddess. He was sent to earth to kill the most beautiful woman on land, which was Psyche. Orders were sent by Aphrodite's jealous intentions. Eros accidentally targeted himself with an arrow that made him fall in love with Psyche, and their story developed into further complications and conclusions

Eros being a cherub inspired me to laser cut tiny red cherubs out of fabric, which would then be hand embroidered to the garments. Butterflies and flowers were also laser cut out of silk to give the pieces a romantic rococo effect. I played with dimension and size to emulate a flourishing field of flowers. Pearls were added to the center of the flowers for embellishments.

This top was a product of embroidering for a total of 15 hours. Every piece of this collection was part of the narrative. The blouse signified when Psyche and Eros’ love began to blossom at the start of their relationship — hence the flowers overlapping like a garden growing on the mesh blouse.

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Ingrid Torres photographed by Mia Cousar

SEX, ACTUALLY

BY SP

ENCER HALL

You’re in middle school. You’re starting to figure out your body and who you are.

You’re curious to begin the sexual education curriculum in science so you can have some questions answered. You walk in to find out that it’s geared toward heterosexuality and cis-gendered people. Great, right? Wrong.

Sexual education is treated as a touchy topic, almost taboo to talk about, even when the course is meant to talk about sex. Informative sex-ed is hard to find inside the education system. Still, countless resources are intended to elaborate on safer sex health for those that identify as straight and cis-gendered.

However, LGBTQ+ persons are not so lucky; it is pretty challenging to find accessible, yet reliable resources for sexual education.

Sex is not always rose petals trailing to the bedroom or a steamy shower for two.

Sex is not always sunshine and rainbows. Sex is not always easy and inherently natural. Sex is not always heteronormative. Sex is messy. Sex is bodily maintenance. Sex is confusing.

Sex is an entirely different experience for everyone. But that part isn’t talked about at all.

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Inclusive and informative sexual education is something still to be seen in the American education system. Implementing changes in the sex-ed curriculum in schools will not just help in teaching safer sex health, but also in assisting teens in learning at a young age what sexual assault is and what they can do to avoid it to the best of their ability. Inclusive sex-ed allows teens in the LGBTQ+ community to feel more comfortable in their skin and feel liberated in their identity at a young age.

Inclusive safer sex health does not mean surface-level teachings because that is simply not enough. There needs to be education about different forms of contraceptives (i.e., vaginal condoms, caps, etc.) and materials/ingredients that can be harmful (i.e., spermicides in condoms).

There needs to be the inclusion of all genders, inside and out of the binary. There need to be in-depth conversations about detrimental sex positions. There need to be more explicit conversations about genitalia.

And all of that is just the beginning of the list.

Here’s one last call to action for us: transparency. Having a transparent conversation around sex allows people to become more educated and understand that other people have the same experiences. Explicit conversation creates for inclusive action.

a r G den e v y o c Necro m an L

By Vivian Stone

Old friends grab from graves dug in soil and packed too tight for roots to breathe. Choking on bile and smoke they scream “it’s too early for love” and yet it’s much too late for sleep.

In early spring, red eyes weep through exhaustion, flushing pollen out of craters picked and

scarred into once rosy cheeks.

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APRIL

contributors VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 3 • IN BLOOM

Victor Martinez-Rivera

Samantha N. Olson

Victor Martinez-Rivera is a 23-year old Afro-latinx Queer Vegetarian and Scorpio (what a mouthful, huh?). Besides appreciating photography and fashion, Victor is a big advocate for morality, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC rights, and social justice. As Editor-In-Chief of Shifter, Victor hopes to amplify marginalized voices and get a transparent yet loud message across.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Samantha Olson is a 22-year-old Cuban-American journalist and content creator. In 2017, she moved to Orlando to study journalism, creative writing and editing and publishing at the University of Central Florida. When Sam isn't admiring city life and art museums, she's probably live-tweeting awards shows or bathing her cheekbones in highlighter. Her greatest dream is to amplify the voices of those without a platform... and maybe attend the Met Gala while she's at it.

Founder & Editor-in-Chief Orlando, FL | @victorsamuelo

Alina Alvarez

Editor & Writer Orlando, FL | @alinajalvarez Alina Alvarez is a junior at the University of Central Florida pursuing a double-major in psychology and creative writing. Through her writing, she hopes to find her own voice and inspire others to find theirs. She advocates passionately for LGBTQ+ rights, POC rights, the Black Lives Matter movement, and sexual assault awareness. She hopes to one day create a safe space for victims of abuse and intolerance and maybe even publish a book or two.

Deputy Editor Orlando, FL | @astoldbysno

Cat Le

Model Orlando, FL | @catxle Cat Le is a Vietnamese woman based in Orlando, FL who is passionate about advocacy, style, astrology, and cats. When she’s not working, she can be found writing or curled up next to her cat enjoying the next big K-drama.

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Gabi Tabib

Writer Ft. Lauderdale, FL | @gabstresss

Federica Merante

Gabi is a 26-year-old self-taught, say it simply sort of writer. They grew up in South Florida and haven’t left because Florida is an odd place to live and they like it that way. When not plugging away at a computer or scratching out half of what they’ve written in a notebook, Gabi works as an LGBTQ Youth Counselor. They do enjoy it, promise. Gabi lives with their two cats in an apartment owned by a quirky guy from Holland who pronounces the word memes as “me-mes.”

Federica Merante is a graphic designer based in Milan, Italy | @artchicca Milan, Italy. She's done freelance work for Adolescent, Haloscope and — more recently — Shifter Mag. Her work lives through color and creativity, which is why she's a perfect fit for Shifter.

Amy Plenn

Writer Orlando, FL | @moomin.mp3 Amy Plenn is a 21-year-old senior creative writing student at the University of Central Florida. Writing is her greatest passion, next to activism and gushing about her cat. When she isn’t writing, she can be found working on various other artistic projects, listening to Phoebe Bridgers or updating her Letterboxd profile.

Vivian Stone

Writer Orlando, FL | @vee_like_viv Vivian Stone is a trans writer and poet living in Orlando, Florida. She has seen her work published (some of which appeared under her previous name, Andrew Boulos) in the literary magazines LitBreak, Lychee Rind, and Juste Milieu. A full time archivist, she also contributes as a Poetry Selection Editor for Millennial Pulp magazine and is currently wrapping up her last semester of undergraduate study at the University of Central Florida. When not working or writing, Vivian (or Vee for short) enjoys vegan cooking, cuddling with her Miniature Australian Shepherd, and binging anime from the early 2000s.

Graphic Designer

Valerie Galarza Writer Orlando, FL | @valgalarzam

Valerie is a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Central Florida majoring in journalism with a minor in film. She's a first-generation Mexican-American student that enjoys writing, playing the ukulele and educating people on the injustices that many individuals face in today's America.

Michael Anton

Digital Artist Levittown, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico | @michaelantonart Michael Anton is a theatre arts and education double-major student from the University of Puerto Rico. He‘s an artist exploring different techniques within his passion who recently joined the Shifter Magazine team as their official digital artist. From pop-culture to important current causes such as LGBTQ+ and racial injustice, Michael follows Shifter’s approach for such matters.

Moadlc

Angeles Morales

Moadlc is a Puerto Rican writer, artist, and scientist just trying to make a difference with their work. They have been writing since they were 7 years old and published their first short story at the age of 14. In 2017, they helped start The Metric (themetric.org), a youth-led platform that aims to create an inclusive space for atypical stories. The aim of the project is to answer one question: how is the local affected by the global? Today, Moadlc still works as a Content Creator and Opinion Writer for The Metric, which has grown to have over 40 writers across the globe. Moadlc's career as an artist officially took off in March 2020, and since then they have created over 100 pieces of digital and traditional art. Due to the current state of police brutality in the United States, Moadlc has decided to join the Artists for Altruism team (https://bit.ly/2YDWSit) and has been actively working on art commissions in exchange for donations to the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

100% of their commission profits go straight back into the movement. Moadlc's dream is to use their passion for writing and drawing in order to create a long lasting impact on the lives of others.

Angeles Morales is a Central-American born in the U.S. Proud of her Salvadoran roots, she wants to become a well-known fashion Designer that will make her country proud. Angeles has been drawing fashion croquis since the age of 8. She graduated from Miami Fashion Institute with her A.A. and held her first fashion show at the Ice Palace in Miami, debuting her MOSELLE AMUIX collection. She now studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design to finish her bachelor's degree in fashion design. Angeles focuses on eveningwear but is now expanding into swimsuits, resort wear and more. Her dream is to launch her brand and have a fashion house in Miami to help the city grow its fashion scene.

However, she still wants to expand globally and hopefully create among the great brands.

Writer & Illustrator San Juan, Puerto Rico | @moadlc13

Elisa Castillo

Art Director & Graphic Designer Orlando, FL | @elisa_castle Elisa Castillo hails from Boston and is passionate about aesthetics and design. She has a background in advertising, public relations and specializes in graphic design and photography.

Working for a magazine has always been a dream of hers and she's excited to get to work and collaborate with such an inclusive, progressive and exciting magazine like Shifter!

Fashion Designer Miami, FL | @angelesgmora

Angeles has a passion for fashion and fitness.

When she's not working out, she is either sewing, drawing, doing homework or on the shoe section of Zara shopping for the latest heel. Her style would be considered a romantic Italian woman with a simplistic yet flavourful aesthetic. She also loves to listen to Sade, her style and lifestyle muse. Angeles just wants to live her life creating.

There is nothing more that makes sense to her than to create and inspire. She doesn't want to be boxed in and likes to learn new things that will push her to be well-rounded. There is no limit.

Mia Cousar

Fiona Storm Boldt

28-year-old Mia Cousar was born in the cold but thrives in the heat. Growing up in a little town in West Virginia, she would dream of going somewhere else, testing her creativity and finding herself. After all these years she is doing just that, thriving in her creative state and loving every minute of it. She made it to her dream state, with so much love and support from her partner Jesse and pup Mary Jane. Not only is she creating content, but she is also designing the concept and making her own visions come to life. Mia is aiming to help everyone realize how truly beautiful they are!

Fiona is a freelance artist currently based in Orlando. using a multitude of mediums, from paints to pastels to charcoal and pencil, she enjoys creating whimsical visual stories and showcase both the simple beauties and intricacies of life. looking to take a more enlightened approach with art, her goal is to express gratitude for the natural world and the multifaceted beings that live within it through colorful portraits and sketches.

Photographer Orlando, FL | @mias.aiming

Spencer Hall

Writer Orlando, FL | @spence.hall Spencer Hall, a Jacksonville, Florida native, is an aspiring brand and social strategist, all the while dabbling in the world of content writing. In 2018, he started his undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida, where he focused in psychology and strategic communications. He started his journey with Shifter Mag at the beginning of 2021 and has since become their inhouse Social Media Coordinator.

Spencer is a self-proclaimed cheesecake connoisseur, and an avid watcher of The Bold Type, dreaming of being the real-life version of Kat Edison. He is a firm believer in using his platform to advocate for others and ending harmful stigmas.

Illustrator Orlando, FL | @stormboldtart

Bridget Dixon

Photographer Boston, MA | @bitsofbridget Bridget is a 24-year-old living in Boston, MA with plans to travel. She recently graduated from the University of Central Florida where she began discovering a passion for visual arts. She likes to appreciate all forms of beauty in her day-to-day life and uses her work to share that beauty with others.

Erin Wentley

Photographer Orlando, FL | @erinwentleyphotography Erin Wentley is a 21-year-old artist from Orlando, FL. She's been dancing, drawing and writing as long as she can remember and picked up photography in late elementary school. She's taken a multitude of college art courses in a variety of mediums over the years and fell in love even more. On any given day, you can find her brainstorming photoshoot ideas with her best friend, Ashley, or sitting in a dark room, hunched over her next piece.

shifter A MAGAZINE FOR THE PEOPLE

Interested in submitting content for future issues?

Check out our submission guidelines on the 'Submissions' page of our website, www.shiftermag.com!

We're looking for anyone who has a compelling story to share with a fresh and unique voice. Submissions can be written or visual, including essays, short fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry, photography and any 2D art.

Shifter is committed to embracing diversity, inclusion and equality.

We will NOT tolerate or publish work that promotes racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia or any form of prejudice against any group of people.

After Shifter reviews your work, you will be contacted with the corresponding steps.

Please allow up to two weeks for Shifter to reply to your submission.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SENT TO: s.shiftermagazine@gmail.com We look forward to reviewing your work!