SISU m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e
issue 6
|
making waves
SISU Pronounced see’-soo. A Finnish term embodying the spirit of grit, guts, and perseverance. Sisu represents a human being’s ability to face any adventure riddled with hardship, hopelessness, and impossibility, yet they still choose to stay the course. It’s not a temporary state of courage, it’s a way of life. SISU MAGAZINE A collection of uninterrupted stories, brilliant photographs, and stunning art that evokes the indomitable human spirit that exists in all of us. An exploration into the experiences and perspectives about the outdoors, told by our contributing writers, photographers, and artists who represent a bold, insightful collective voice.
f r o n t a n d b ac k cov e r a r t w o r k b y L a u r e n B e ll o O k e r m a n
“It may take co nviction and ze al to brave all waters and we ather at surf bre aks around the world, but it ta kes a whole oth er kind of guts to wade into th e strong undert ow of gender expectations, sys temic sexism an d racism…”
CONTENTS
wad in g in to th e un de rtow
6 wading into the undertow Sexism in Surfing by Meghan O’Dea
10 The pitch
Inclusive Outdoor Clothing
with alder apparel
12 ask jenny
Like a Snowflake in the Sun by
Page 6
5 4 take a ride on the wild side Plus-Size Surfing with Kanoa Greene 56 An excerpt from antarctica becomes her An Expedition for Global Leadership by Melissa Haeffner, PhD
Jenny Bruso
14 an indoor girl on the outdoors Ride the Wave by Melanie Briggs 16 leading with empathy Katie Boué and the Collective Voice by India Alfonso
58
polar plunge
60
protecting our oceans
62
34
Mobile Homemaking
baja bound
Tips, Tricks and Tacos by Jennifer Gurecki with Rachel Friedman Elberts
LA ATRACCIÓN DE LA PATAGONIA / THE PULL OF PATAGONIA Passion for Place by Carolina Iberra and Emily Hopcian
40
Line and wave
Art by Lauren Bello Okerman
poetry in motion Turquoise & Brown by Olivia VanDamme
66
Heal Thyself Tips for Self-Touch by Samantha Romanowski
68
DIY
Make Your Own Zine with Seawitches by Margaret
Seelie
72
marketplace
74
eat, drink, + be merry
Shop It Paleo Nachos
by Vanessa Barajas
50 the risk of full potential The Razor’ s Edge of Risk by Cassidy Randall
How Not To travel to hawai’i Like A Basic Bitch Where Race and Travel Intersect by Kiona
64
28
Eco and
Ocean Friendly by Erica Zazo
20 low-waste living on the road Van Life with Naomi and Dustin Grevemberg 26 What’s in our van
Take a Dip by Tiffini Eugene
76
that’s what he said
Sisu Does Satire
by Andrew Pridgen
the ses to n o p e s al re and th m r , o e l n p eo are to t, its p r getting in nxiety e a n d a l n p na ake ur side ressio g to o ment. Con ould, I’d m n i n “Dep e p c overn a hap y. If I traum wn of our g en’t alread o ar do brus break apy if you nny e j er ask talk th e do it.” 12 n Page o y r e ev 1
sisu
magazine
STAFF follow @sisumagazine #gritandguts
SUBSCRIBE
EDITOR IN CHIEF Jennifer Gurecki CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lauren Bello Okerman COPY EDITOR Lacey England associate editor Charlotte Harris
Never miss an issue. Subscribe at SisuMagazine.com
CONTACT For general inquiries, write to hello@sisumagazine.com
SUBMISSIONS If you’d like to contribute, email us at submissions@sisumagazine.com
SPONSORS To enquire about advertising or sponsorships, get in touch at sponsor@sisumagazine.com
STOCKISTS If you’d like to stock Sisu Magazine, write to stockme@sisumagazine.com
letters to the editor
CONTRIBUTORS India Alfonso Vanessa Barajas Melanie Briggs Jenny Bruso Rachel Friedman Elberts Tiffini Eugene Melissa Haeffner, PhD Emily Hopcian Carolina Ibarra Kiona Meghan O’Dea Andrew Pridgen Cassidy Randall Samantha Romanowski Margaret Seelie Olivia VanDamme Erica Zazo
photography & art
Send your letters to editor@sisumagazine.com and snail mail or gifts to 3983 S. McCarran Blvd. #481 Reno, Nevada 89502
Timothy Dhalleine Latasha Dunston Lauren Bello Okerman
©2020 Sisu Magazine, All rights reserved. Printed on 100% recycled paper. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the editor, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
2
“Media, not just surf media, plays a huge role in promoting gender equality and making sure women’s voices are heard just as loudly and as clearly as men’s and that requires representation on a regular basis.” Ashtyn Douglas-Rosa Managing Editor at SURFER Magazine
3
sisu
magazine
Wading Into the Undertow How women descending into some of the coldest, wildest water on the planet are overcoming systemic sexism and racism Meghan O’Dea | @live.true.stories
“T
hose who brave all waters and weathers have a conviction and zeal most blank-eyed citizens of Leechfield lack.”
Mary Karr made that observation in her memoir Cherry, in which she describes an early 1970s adolescence spent huddled up on the Texas Gulf Coast near her hometown of Leechfield watching surfer boys hit the waves. Back then, it was standard for women to be observant beach bunnies, keeping an eye on the archetypal surfer boy (always a boy) who “paddles out, digging hard before an oncoming swell because he has to match its speed to drop in—catch it, have it pick him up like a hitchhiker.” But Karr’s credo applies just as well to the stormy atmosphere currently gripping professional surfing. Some of the toughest fights in the sport haven’t taken place between surfers and the pummeling waves they ride or even the reefs they occasionally crash into. Instead, they’ve taken place behind the scenes as activists and athletes alike have pressed for women to have an equal opportunity to present their skill––and get paid fairly for it. That ongoing battle has taken plenty of conviction and zeal, especially in the hyper-macho world of big wave competitions. While recreational surfing has never been more diverse, thanks to a population boom in Western coastal cities with proximity to curls, in the top echelons of professional surfing there’s plenty of the casual, even benevolent sexism that’s clung to the sport since Gidget was on the air. 6
That’s especially true at Big Wave events like the now-canceled Mavericks, once run by now-bankrupt Cartel Management. While these events have always had a fairly spotty presence on the calendar of the World Surf League—the international governing body that oversees much of professional surfing—the demise of Mavericks was as much a matter of politics as weather, finances, and logistical hurdles. “It’s really kind of sad that the men around here have essentially blocked the competition from happening,” Sabrina Brennan from the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing (CEWS), said of what happened to Mavericks. “If they feel like they’re not in control over it, and it doesn’t happen the way they want it to happen, then they’re going to prevent anybody else from having a competition if they possibly can.” That might be surprising, given the recent headlines celebrating the arrival of pay parity for professional surfers. In September of 2018, the World Surf League announced that male and female surf athletes would be awarded equal prize money at events under the WSL umbrella starting in 2019. The WSL described the move, which they may or may not have been planning for some time, as “simply the right thing to do.” At first blush, the ensuing press gave everyone something to feel good about. Sophie Goldschmidt, who was about a year into her tenure as the first female CEO of the WSL, got to usher in a new, long-overdue era of equality in surfing. As a result, the WSL got a fresh girl-power boost ahead of the upcoming Tokyo
Olympics, when surfing will debut at the Games for the first time. And many headlines pronounced a victory for women like Bianca Valenti and Keala Kennelly, surfers who had agitated for equal pay and equal opportunities to surf in big-wave competitions like Mavericks. The truth was, inevitably, more complicated. Women have been riding the steep, multi-story break at Mavericks since 1999, the same year a contest called “Men Who Ride Mountains” put this beach at Half Moon Bay on the map. Sarah Gerhardt was the first person without a Y chromosome to take on the wave and was even included as an alternate a few years later on the exclusive, invite-only, single-sex line-up. The gesture was more of a pat on the head than a professional opportunity though. Well over a decade after Gerhardt’s historic drop-in, women still weren’t being invited to compete at Mavericks, though women surfers were performing well at other events at Nelscott Reef, Ocean Beach, and Puerto Escondido. Big wave surfer Bianca Valenti attempted to approach the organizers of “Men Who Ride Mountains,” which had by then been renamed “Titans of Mavericks.” But Cartel Management made it clear that women titans need not apply.
Women surfers and their allies pointed out that those claims were something of a self-fulfilling prophecy guaranteed by male organizers’ refusal to get out of the way. For years, men have typically been given first dibs on the best waves and prime conditions at surf competitions, while women’s heats have had to wait for the next best tides and times of the day. That creates circumstances that seem to prove women simply can’t perform as well on a board and the belief that women’s surfing isn’t as interesting to audiences tuning in from the shore, on TV, or checking out surf videos on YouTube. Not only that, surfing has never been as profitable for competitors of either sex as for, say, pro football players or even pro tennis players. While purses for male surfers look gigantic next to the ones women were competing for up until a year ago, most athletes in the sport also rely on other revenue streams like sponsorships to make a living. But it’s harder for women to get sponsorships than their male counterparts—and when they do, there’s a much-discussed gap in how they’re portrayed.
Yet again, women’s athletic proficiencies are sidelined, not because of their lack of talent,
Jeff Clark, the man who pioneered Mavericks long before it became the pinnacle of surfing it is today, played a big role in not only blocking Valenti’s requests to get a women’s heat at Mavericks but giving her the kind of cold shoulder even a Pacific-grade wetsuit can’t protect against.
but because it’s not part of a prescribed, deeply ingrained narrative.
Over the years, Clark has cited all sorts of reasons to keep women out of the Mavericks competition. Most of his arguments have been familiar to women at beaches all over the world since the 1950s––the claim that women can’t surf safely, that they lack the physical characteristics and judgment needed to assess waves and ride them to completion, that they’re a danger to male surfers and rescue teams, and that they’re simply not as good.
E
ven today, male surfers are likely to be photographed in a way highlighting their athletic prowess and the extremities of the sport, while women surfers are reduced to rippling lines and angles around which swimsuits and rashguards are temptingly wrapped near the sand. Yet again, women’s athletic proficiencies are sidelined, not because of their lack of talent, but because it’s not part of a prescribed, deeply ingrained narrative. That lack of representation keeps more women from seeing themselves as potential surfers and potential pro athletes, even before they have to face the kind of obstacles Gerhardt and Valenti have just to make a living in the sport at which they excel. 7
sisu
magazine
THE PITCH
alder Apparel
alder’s modern take on outdoor recreation apparel for women and inclusive sizing will make anyone An interview with: want to take a hike Mikayla Wujec and Naomi Blackman
of alder apparel | @alderapparel
What inspired you to start alder? Mikayla: The idea of alder first came to me when I was traveling abroad as a National Geographic Explorer doing marine conservation research. I met countless other female colleagues and travelers that shared my frustrations with existing options for outdoor clothing. It seemed like we were forced to choose between hyper-performance driven options that were not necessarily flattering or comfortable or comfortable options that lacked functional elements. I mean, sometimes we don’t want to wear leggings. When I returned to Canada, I brought the idea up with alder co-founder Naomi Blackman. As a hiker herself and with a strong background in marketing and public relations for top fashion brands like Hudson’s Bay Company, WINNERS, Topshop and Joe Fresh, we decided that together, we could solve this problem and launched alder. Why did you turn to crowdfunding to launch your first product line? Naomi: We turned to crowdfunding as both a source of capital to fund our first production run and to market test our brand and products. As a brand new startup, access to capital can be tricky and inventory is expensive, so without platforms like Kickstarter and 10
Indiegogo, we wouldn’t have the funds to be able to start our first production run! What makes your apparel special? Mikayla: We know we’re biased, but we think alder is special for a number of reasons. First of all, our products are designed based on listening to our customers and potential customers. Prior to launching our first pair of pants, we surveyed over 600 women to ask them what challenges they have with outdoor apparel and what they were looking for in outdoor gear. We infuse that insight with our own vision to develop products that are well-made and designed to fit into our customers’ wardrobes. While you can’t homogenize all women’s bodies into one fit, we do our best to design for as many body types as possible. Our design process includes fitting and testing by many women across all of our sizes from XS to 4X to check our design against multiple body shapes and sizes. What’s been the hardest part about launching alder? Naomi: It’s been a wonderful experience so far (knock on wood)! The hardest part has probably been our own impatience. We have ambitions and plans for alder
that take time and capital that we don’t necessarily have readily available as we bootstrap the company. Everything takes longer than we anticipate as well! And what’s been the most exciting? Naomi: The tangible things have been the most exciting for us. Prior to launching our crowdfunding campaign, we received a small order of our product in a variety of sizes so that we could have women test and photograph our product in use. The day that order arrived and we could touch and feel our finished product was amazing. Then seeing all different types of women using and loving our pants has been truly exhilarating. We cannot wait to receive our full production order and have even more women wearing our product in the wild! What can we expect to see next? Mikayla: We’re working on a few new products for release in 2020. We can share our first two, a t-shirt and a pair of outdoor shorts. These pieces are created for both outdoor adventures and everyday wear, meaning they have technical elements like sweat-wicking, anti-odor, and four-way stretch but are also crafted with flattering design elements so you feel free when getting outside to #RECreate and have fun. You’ll have to stay tuned for even more new products! This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
11
sisu
16
magazine
Leading With Empathy How one woman is creating a new platform to raise the collective voices for outdoor good India Alfonso | @indiaalfonso How do you get dozens of people actively marching in a climate strike past the security guards at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver? If you’re Katie Boué, the founder of the Outdoor Advocacy Project, you ask nicely and you compromise. While this isn’t an approach that everyone agrees with, nor would it work for everyone, Boué has found success with her own style that reflects her values. She doesn’t agree with cancel culture, and despite her tens of thousands of Instagram followers, she recognizes that social media isn’t the end all be all of change-making. “We’ve forgotten how to think, to be thoughtful,” she said. “I want people to activate their critical thinking skills, to be smarter about our tactics and tools.” She began cultivating these beliefs when she worked at the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). It was through OIA that she learned about the administrative side of public lands, and while she loved posting to the ‘gram, she knew it wasn’t what she was meant to be doing. Boué was serving the corporate side of
Photos courtesy of Katie Boué
the industry but her passions were with the communities, people, and wild places themselves. During this time she also noticed a need within the outdoor community—a need for unification. Boué wholeheartedly believes that consumers are able to enact change, so when she left OIA, she set out to create something that would speak directly to individuals, rather than corporations and government officials. She wanted to build a one-stop-shop for everything advocacy-related, with a focus on climate change, so that people had the resources they needed to become champions for the outdoors. “We have all these things we want to see changed in the industry and in our community, and we can make it happen without waiting on companies to step up. We are the voters, we have the power, and we should have a lot of voice,” she said. Her calling has manifested itself as the Outdoor Advocacy Project. The OAP is a place where people can learn about the solutions to environmental issues; it’s a digital community where outdoor advocacy isn’t reserved for policymakers, but rather lies in the hands of the
17
sisu
magazine
La atracción de la Patagonia Como el amor y la pasión por un lugar nos llevan a regresar Carolina Ibarra + Emily Hopcian
@pancito_cn_palta
@emilyhopcian
The Pull of Patagonia How Love & Passion for Place Compel Us to Return Photography by:
TIMOTHY Dhalleine | @timothydhalleine
U
O
Aunque Carolina y yo apenas nos conocimos ayer, nuestra amistad crece de manera rápida y natural. Para ambas, esta es nuestra tercera vez en Torres del Paine. No se puede negar el atractivo de este parque y el sur de la Patagonia en su conjunto, y nos une este amor que compartimos por esos lugares.
While Carolina and I only just met yesterday, our friendship comes quickly and naturally. For each of us, this marks our third time in Torres del Paine. There’s no denying the pull of this park and southern Patagonia as a whole, and we bond over a shared love of both.
n martes de marzo por la noche, bajo un manto de estrellas que se elevan desde el oscuro contorno de las montañas a mi alrededor, camino desde el baño en el Campamento Dickson en el Parque Nacional Torres del Paine de Chile hasta mi carpa. Carolina, una periodista y fotógrafa de Santiago de Chile, camina a mi lado.
En esta noche patagónica inusualmente tranquila y pacífica, hablamos de la magia de esta región, hablamos de nuestras aventuras anteriores en Torres del Paine, y lo más sorprendente para mí, cómo el sur de la Patagonia nos sigue llamando para que volvamos. Perdidas entre la conversación y la belleza natural que nos rodea, nos detuvimos en el sendero cerca de nuestras carpas. Antes de despedirnos, Carolina compartió un dicho que no voy a olvidar: “El que come calafate, siempre vuelve.” La verdad de estas palabras me llegan de inmediato a lo más profundo. Mi mente evoca los momentos vividos en el sur de la Patagonia, los cuales me han llevado a este momento y a la conexión con Carolina. 34
n a Tuesday night in March, under a quilt of stars that rise from the dark outline of the mountains all around me, I walk from the bathroom at Campamento Dickson in Chile’s Parque Nacional Torres del Paine to my tent. Carolina, a journalist and photographer from Santiago, Chile, treads alongside me.
On this unusually calm and peaceful Patagonian night, we talk about the magic of this region, our previous adventures within Torres del Paine, and most strikingly for me, how southern Patagonia continues to call us back. Lost in conversation and the natural beauty that surrounds us, we pause on the footpath near our tents. Before we say goodnight, Carolina shares a saying I won’t soon forget: “El que come calafate siempre vuelve por más.” In English, the saying goes, “One who eats a calafate [a purple berry native to southern Patagonia and found in Torres del Paine] always returns for more.” The truth of these words washes over and within me immediately. My mind plays back my moments
Cuando nos despedimos y emprendemos el camino de vuelta a nuestras carpas, Carolina también se pierde en el sendero de sus pensamientos patagónicos.
in southern Patagonia, which have led to this moment and connection with Carolina. As we say goodnight and venture off to our tents, Carolina too is lost in her own trail of Patagonian thoughts.
Carolina: Cierro mi carpa y me meto en mi saco de dormir. Después de una conversación con Emily, pienso en lo que más me gusta de viajar. Para mí es sencillo: Las conexiones, las hermosas conexiones con los lugares que visito, su cultura y las personas que conozco en el camino.
Carolina: I zip up my tent and climb into my sleeping bag. Following a conversation with Emily, I think about what I like most about traveling. For me, it’s simple: the connections. The beautiful connections with the places I visit, their cultures, and the people I get to know along the way.
En esta tercera visita relativamente imprevista e improvisada a Torres del Paine—esta vez como voluntaria con Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, una organización sin fines de lucro que trabaja para garantizar un futuro sostenible para el parque y sus comunidades circundantes—las conexiones son importantes y bellas, y siempre están presentes.
On this relatively unplanned and spur-of-the-moment third visit to Torres del Paine—this time as a volunteer with the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund, a nonprofit organization working to ensure a sustainable future for the park and its surrounding communities— the connections are rich, as they always are here.
Sea con lluvia o con sol, no se puede negar que Torres del Paine contiene un poco de magia y antes de dormir pienso en la leyenda del calafate. Aunque la historia tiene varios orígenes, la versión más contada es sobre una joven llamada Calafate, hija de un jefe tribal Aonikenk. Calafate era hermosa con un tono dorado en sus ojos. Su padre estaba orgulloso de ella y también era su protector. Un día mientras caminaba, Calafate se encontró con un joven Selk’nam, una tribu rival de los Aonikenk. Calafate y el joven se enamoraron. Sabiendo que sus tribus nunca les permitirían su unión, idearon un plan para escapar juntos. El padre de Calafate se enteró del plan de amor de la joven pareja. Él no podía entender el amor de su hija por un Selk’nam y concluyó que un espíritu maligno la había poseído. El jefe consultó a un chamán
This story was made possible by Karukinka, the Chilean slow fashion brand whose handcrafted & beautiful apparel is featured in the photographs on the following pages. Learn more about this unique outdoor brand at Karukinka.com.
Rain or shine, there’s no denying Torres del Paine contains a bit of magic, and before falling asleep, I think of the legend of the calafate berry. Though the tale has several origins, the most commonly told version is about a young woman named Calafate, the daughter of an Aonikenk chief. Calafate was beautiful, with a golden hue to her eyes. Her father was proud of her and also protective of her. On a walk one day, Calafate encountered a young Selk’nam, a rival tribe of the Aonikenk. Calafate and the young man fell in love. Knowing their tribes would never allow their union, they devised a plan to run away together. Calafate’s father caught wind of the young couple’s plan. He couldn’t understand his daughter’s love for a Selk’nam and decided an evil spirit must have possessed her. The chief consulted a shaman to prevent Calafate from running away, and the shaman turned
35
sisu
magazine
para evitar la fuga de Calafate, y el chamán convirtió a la joven en un arbusto con flores amarillas del color de sus ojos dorados y espinosa para que solo pudiera ser vista pero nunca tocada. El joven Selk’nam buscó Calafate, y finalmente encontró el arbusto en el que ella había sido convertida. Con el corazón roto, pereció. El chamán, lamentando el destino de los jóvenes amantes, convirtió las flores amarillas en bayas moradas para representar el corazón del joven Selk’nam, lo que permitió que ambos permanecieran juntos. Así que la leyenda dice que cualquiera que coma calafate, a manos de la pasión y el amor de Calafate y el joven Selk’nam, quedará hechizado por los jóvenes amantes y se verá obligado a volver. Emily: Mi primer viaje al sur de la Patagonia, en diciembre de 2017, me tomó por sorpresa de la mejor manera. Después de seis meses en Bariloche, Argentina, mi base de hogar, viajé con una amiga al sur, a Puerto Natales y Torres del Paine, en Chile, y luego a El Calafate y El Chaltén, en Argentina. Emprendí el viaje sin expectativas, pero terminé con una visión clara, un corazón pleno y un fuerte deseo de regresar al sur de la Patagonia. Casualmente, o tal vez no, es la primera vez que recuerdo haber comido un calafate. No sé si fue por el calafate, la gente con la que estaba, los paisajes que atravesamos, las aventuras y conversaciones que compartimos, mi reflexión personal o todas las anteriores, pero la región dejó una marca indeleble en mi alma y en mi corazón. Sin duda, sabía que volvería. Lo único que no sabía era cuándo. Carolina: Visité Torres del Paine por primera vez en 2015 con una amiga. No disponíamos de mucho tiempo, caminamos hasta la base de Las Torres, exploramos Lago Grey y disfrutamos de las vistas de Los Cuernos. Me maravillé con los majestuosos paisajes y sentí un fuerte impulso de regresar y pasar más tiempo en el parque. Familiarizada con el dicho sobre el calafate, que el o la que come un calafate siempre volverá a la Patagonia por más, comí algunos calafates durante ese viaje y regresé a Torres del Paine el año 2017. Esta vez viajé con tres amigas. Juntas, celebramos la Navidad y recibimos el 2018 mientras hacíamos senderismo en el circuito Macizo Paine, más comúnmente conocido como el circuito “O.” Cada día explorábamos una nueva parte del camino, veíamos nuevos paisajes y teníamos nuevas historias que contar. Una vez más me conecté profundamente con los espacios naturales y las personas que me rodeaban, 36
the young woman into a bush, with yellow flowers the shade of her golden eyes and spiky thorns so that she could only be looked at but never touched. The young Selk’nam searched for Calafate, eventually encountering the bush she’d been turned into. Heartbroken, he perished. The shaman, regretting what had become of the young lovers, turned the yellow flowers into purple berries to represent the Selk’nam’s heart—thus allowing the two to stay together. So the legend goes that anyone who eats a calafate berry, at the hands of the passion and love of Calafate and the young Selk’nam, will come under the spell of the young lovers and be compelled to return. Emily: My first trip to southern Patagonia in December 2017 caught me off guard in the best ways. With six months in Bariloche, Argentina, my current home base, under my belt, I traveled south to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine in Chile and then El Calafate and El Chaltén in Argentina with a friend. I went into the trip with no expectations and came out with clear eyes, a full heart, and a strong desire to return to southern Patagonia. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, it’s the first time I recall eating a calafate berry. Be it the berry, the people I was with, the landscapes we traversed, the adventures and conversations we shared, my own personal reflection, or all of the above, the region left an indelible mark on my heart and soul. I knew without a doubt I would return; I just didn’t know how soon. Carolina: I first visited Torres del Paine in 2015 with a friend. Short on time, we hiked to the base of Las Torres, explored Lago Grey, and took in views of Los Cuernos. I marveled at the majestic landscapes and felt a strong pull to return and spend more time in the park. Familiar with the saying about the calafate, that she (or he)
who eats a calafate will always return to Patagonia for more, I ate some calafates during that trip—and returned to Torres del Paine in 2017. This time, I traveled with three friends. Together, we celebrated Christmas and rang in 2018 while hiking the Macizo Paine Circuit, more commonly known as the “O.” Every day, we explored a new section of trail, took in new landscapes and wrote new stories. I once again connected deeply with the natural spaces and people around me and said, “I want to return. But this time, I want to return and leave a legacy in this place.” y dije: “Quiero regresar. Pero esta vez, quiero regresar y dejar un legado en este lugar.” Emily: Después de mi primer viaje el sur de la Patagonia seguía bajo mi piel, gracias a la aventura que había tenido, los poderosos paisajes y el clima intenso de Torres del Paine, que me hicieron sentir fuerte, real y viva; y las profundas conexiones que había creado con las personas con las que estuve. Poco más de dos meses después, regresé a Torres del Paine con Legacy Fund. Durante una semana me uní a la organización y a un grupo de voluntarios en un proyecto de senderos entre dos de los campamentos del parque. Una vez más me maravillé con los paisajes constantes pero siempre cambiantes de la Patagonia. Disfruté de la oportunidad de conectarme con gente nueva y no podía creer que estuviese acá por segunda vez para conocer el parque de una manera muy diferente. Esta vez encontré energía al aprender y contribuir con el presente y el futuro del parque de una manera más significativa. Aprendí que durante todo el verano los senderos icónicos de Torres del Paine pueden recibir más de 15.000 pases por mes. Ese uso intenso combinado con el clima implacable y duro del parque, además de los recursos humanos y financieros desproporcionados, acelera el deterioro de los senderos y sus consecuentes efectos negativos en la experiencia recreativa, así como en la flora y fauna adyacentes. En conversaciones con empleados y voluntarios de Legacy Fund, aprendí cómo Legacy Fund está colaborando con CONAF, el encargado de administrar los bosques y parques nacionales de Chile, y cómo colabora con otros para garantizar un futuro más sostenible para Torres del Paine a través de la reforestación, restauración de senderos, iniciativas con las comunidades circundantes del parque, y más. Carolina: No importa cuántas veces vengan a conocer el lugar, siempre hay algo nuevo por descubrir. Veo
Emily: Following my first trip south—at the hands of the adventure I’d had; the way Torres del Paine’s mighty landscapes and intense weather made me feel raw, real and alive; and the deep connections I’d formed with the people I was with—Patagonia was under my skin. A little more than two months later, I was back in Torres del Paine with the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund. For a week, I joined the organization and a group of volunteers on a trail project between two of the park’s campgrounds. I once again marveled at Patagonia’s constant-yetever-changing landscapes, savored the opportunity to connect with new people, and couldn’t believe I was here a second time coming to know the park in a far different way. This time, I found energy in learning about and contributing to the park’s present and future in a more meaningful way. I learned that throughout the summer, Torres del Paine’s iconic trails can receive more than 15,000 passes per month. That intense use combined with the park’s relentless, harsh weather and disproportionate human and financial resources accelerates trail deterioration and its consequent negative effects on the recreational experience and adjacent flora and fauna. In conversations with Legacy Fund employees and volunteers, I learned how the Legacy Fund is collaborating with CONAF, Chile’s national forest and parks administrator, and others to ensure a more sustainable future for Torres del Paine through reforestation, trail restoration, initiatives with the park’s surrounding communities, and more. Carolina: No matter how many times you come to know a place, there’s always something new to discover. I see clouds with different shapes, birds I have not yet seen, mountains that are now covered in snow, and glaciers that are retreating. Between seasons and years, the details change, always revealing something new. 37
line and
Watercolor studies by LAUREN BELLO OKERMAN |
@folklaurstudio
sisu
magazine
take a ride on
the wild side @kanoagreene Creator of Plus-Size Retreats | @plussizeretreats An interview with: kanoa greene |
Photos by: Carlos Palacios
for 124 West
Kanoa Greene is a fitness junkie, surfer, and soonto-be snowboarder who is turning her passion for adventure into Plus-Size Retreats for women who are wild at heart. We sat down with her to find out how she’s creating safe spaces for women of size. Tell us about you—what is your calling? My calling is absolutely to encourage women to believe that they can do anything, just as I found out about myself when starting my fitness journey. For me, I always felt like I was an adventurous person inside, but I was always the fat kid at school and in my family. I always held myself back because you think “Am I too heavy?” or “Am I going to fit in things?” But I was very spontaneous and wild heart. At 315 pounds I discovered this strength in my body that allowed me to do the things that I wanted to do. I want to encourage other women to find strength in their bodies and know that we can do anything. This is what propels me and gives me the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and inspire girls and women that they can live their wildest dreams.
54
What was the impetus behind starting Plus-Size Surf Retreats? It was completely by mistake. What had happened is I had this incredible opportunity to model for the launch of an exclusive surfwear line from 124 West, a brand making more inclusive sizes before it became a thing. I hadn’t surfed, and I had shared my story of wanting to surf and building my fitness to be able to do it. They brought me on board to be a model and sent me to Costa Rica where I took surf lessons. I shared that experience, and women of different shapes and sizes saw me surfing. I started getting a lot of questions about where they could surf too. I looked online for inclusive retreats and couldn’t find anything. I texted a friend and asked her if she thought I could start my own, she said yes, and so the next day I did it! In June 2021, we will hold our first surf camp for all sizes. It’s open to all sizes but as a plus-size person and someone who doesn’t look like your average surfer, I know we need a space that will support women who have questions like “Am I going to be too heavy for the board?” or “Will the instructor be able to help me navigate my body?” We have you covered—the board, the instructor, the clothing, everything.
Why do you think surfing has been so slow to evolve in the areas of equal pay and representation? We all know that female surfers get paid less and are featured less in the media. Sometimes you get caught in the “it’s always been done that way” and that adversity to change can be an issue. They’ve been sold in this cycle of the men’s club, and while the shift has been slow, the conversations are happening and change is starting to snowball. What sort of sustained action is needed in order to change the landscape of surfing? It’s exactly what you’re doing and what we’re doing—having the conversations and exposing it to the larger world. I took the leap of faith after not having seen another body out there that looked like me. It’s us constantly talking about it and sharing the stories and being honest and open about it. Then we can encourage and inspire others to do what they’ve been thinking about doing but have never seen someone like themselves do it. They get a little bit of permission. Being a fat girl isn’t always sunshine and unicorns. If we’re brave enough to be vulnerable, to talk about it, and to share it, there is an unlimited amount of opportunity to change the industry.
“I took the leap of faith after not having seen another body out there that looked like me.”
What has surprised you the most since sharing your story on Instagram and starting Plus-Size Retreats? What’s been surprising is the overwhelming amount of support from the surf community as a whole. For so many years there wasn’t any representation and they weren’t making clothes for me and you don’t know what to expect when you take that first leap into the unknown. I can honestly say there has not been one negative thing spoken, only absolutely support with people standing behind me and taking the responsibility to help push the needle. They are taking the steps with me to make change happen. Two many women have been wanting to do this for so long and they weren’t allowed to, and now they see people who have their back. It’s been the most amazing thing about this journey. What does the future hold for you and how can people support you in making your vision a reality? Never in a billion years did I imagine that I would be at a place where I’m launching a surf retreat. That seems out of body. But that’s allowed me to dream even bigger. I have an idea of expanding that into other outdoor adventures—maybe snowboarding or skiing or scuba diving—so that all of these other opportunities for women to adventure in a safe space exist. People can support me by learning more about my trips at @plussizeretreats and checking out my fitness app @kanoafitness that comes out this spring. There aren’t a lot of fitness apps for women of size that show you that you can be strong and athletic in a body that doesn’t have a six-pack. I’m changing that.
55
sisu
magazine
Protecting O u r Oce an s
5 eco-friendly brands focused on ocean conservation and sustainability It’s probably no secret to you that plastic pollution, carbon emissions, and toxic chemicals threaten the health of our oceans every day. You’re also likely aware that a healthier ocean means a healthier global climate. While we could pummel you with shocking and depressing stats (like the fact that eight million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, which is the equivalent of emptying a garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute), we’d rather share a roundup of brands committed to reducing their waste, producing eco-friendly products, and giving their money, time, and energy to ocean conservation efforts.
ERICA ZAZO | @onecurioustrvlr
wanted to produce less wasteful and more sustainable apparel with her eco-conscious brand. Amelia uses eco-friendly material for her active apparel line. Mana Threads clothing is made of biodegradable nylon that’s super soft, super durable, and breaks down within just five years of hitting the landfill. Mana Threads also partners with 1% for the Planet to give back a portion of company revenues to nonprofits supporting ocean conservation.
That way, you can make a conscious effort to buy from and support brands that prioritize protecting our oceans and global waterways. Or as some like to say, you can put your money where your mouth is.
MANDA MandaNaturals.com 14,000 tons of sunscreen, and the environment-harming chemicals inside (like oxybenzone and octinoxate), pollute the ocean annually. The environmental cost: warmer water, degraded marine ecosystem health, and ultimately, coral reef deaths. Mana Threads ManaThreads.com Every piece of clothing, from production to shipping to the end of its usable life, impacts the environment. Ten percent of the Earth’s carbon emissions come from clothes manufacturing and it can take anywhere from 20 to 200 years for a piece of non-biodegradable clothing to decompose in a landfill. To combat this stat, Amelia Leme launched Mana Threads to make a few positive changes in the athletic apparel market. First, she wanted to weave her Brazilian roots into Mana Threads’ patterns, offering louder, more colorful prints that make a bold statement. Second, she wanted to design a legging that performed well beyond the gym that could withstand any outdoor adventure. Third, and arguably most important, she 60
MANDA, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional sunscreens, has found a way to make safer skin products for humans and the environment. MANDA removes harmful chemicals from their cremes and instead uses natural ingredients (like organic coconut and almond oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax) that still protect your skin. MANDA sunscreen and cremes are also petroleum-free (aka give off fewer carbon emissions in production), fully organic, and food-grade quality. MANDA packages their sun creme and paw paw salve in tubes made from plant-based bioplastics produced from sugar cane, opts for eco-friendly containers made of bamboo for its sun paste, and ships all products in 100% recyclable packaging. It’s important to note MANDA products don’t completely rub into your skin. Instead, the salves and sun
Sensi Graves Bikinis SensiGravesBikinis.com Professional kiteboarder Sensi Graves has made it her mission to build a better bikini, both for the environment and the people who wear them. When she launched Sensi Graves Bikinis, she was conflicted because she wasn’t sure if she wanted to put another swimsuit on the market. She went for it because she knew she could make a more eco-friendly bikini that also performed better than any other suit out there.
cremes sit on top of your skin to protect you from UV rays. That’s helpful because toxins and chemicals don’t seep into your body and there’s also no guessing whether you’re protected or not from the sun’s rays.
Frustrated with bikinis constantly falling off while training and competing, Sensi not only wanted to make a suit that could withstand her sport but one that also checked a number of environmentally-friendly boxes. Her bikinis come in recycled packaging, use compostable poly bags and hygienic liners, and incorporate recycled fabrics to make the finished product. The brand is also a 1% for the Planet member and donates 1% of company sales to environmental causes that benefit ocean conservation. Sensi pays for carbon offsets equivalent to the amount of carbon emissions required to make each swimsuit. Sensi Graves Bikinis is committed to women’s empowerment. Sensi firmly believes that the more people feel confident in their bodies and get in the water, the more in tune they’ll be with nature and the more dedicated they’ll be to protecting the places we play.
Sealand Gear SealandGear.com Sealand Gear focuses on upcycling materials to protect Mother Nature and uplift its community through innovative design and creativity. The brand turns discarded vinyl advertising billboards, truck toppers, and yacht sails into handcrafted bags, backpacks, and duffles, all handsewn by local community members. To date, Sealand Gear has intercepted roughly 80,000 pounds (40 tons) of material that would’ve otherwise landed in the landfill. Sandwiched between the foothills of the mountains and the shoreline of the ocean, the Cape Town, South Africa-based company combines its love for ocean conservation with its focus on functional, high-quality, and beautifully-designed gear. Sealand’s co-founders also serve on the board of directors for The Beach Co-op, a research group that conducts rigorous quantitative and qualitative studies to better understand stats around beach and marine litter. Organizations and businesses across the world look to The Beach Co-op’s data to stay informed and motivated to push national campaigns forward, including beach cleanups and recycling projects.
United by Blue UnitedByBlue.com For every product United by Blue sells, they remove one pound of trash from the Earth’s oceans and waterways. Over the last ten years, United by Blue has removed 2.2 million pounds of trash from the water—most commonly plastic straws, utensils, bottles, caps, and single-use packaging. Inspired by offsetting the amount of single-use plastics thrown into waterways, United by Blue launched its EveryDay Reusables collection— drink, meal, and utensil kits that include stainless steel reusables wrapped in recycled ripstop bags. United by Blue has organized more than 250 beach cleanups around the US. One of the most notable included a record-breaking cleanup at Bartram’s Garden in Philadelphia along Schuylkill River where 313 volunteers removed 9,529 pounds of trash in just one day. 61
sisu
magazine
heal thyself Tips for self-touch
SAMANTHA ROMANOWSKI | @smilingsamantha Want to know why self-care is a term that I no longer use? Because taking care of yourself isn’t about treating yourself to a pedicure or spa treatment where someone else does something to or for you. Self-care is actually healthcare. It’s about creating a habit that helps you feel better, which can mean feeling less pain, sleeping better, or managing your stress so you don’t wear yourself out. There are plenty of ways that you already take care of yourself: eating vegetables, drinking water, having fun, spending time with loved ones, or maybe you foam roll or journal. As a bodyworker, I believe that touch is essential to our well-being and health. As a Chinese Medicine practitioner, I’ve learned that there are specific energetic points on the body that, when activated, can help us feel better. Enter Acupressure! Acupressure is a form of massage that you can perform on yourself by applying pressure to certain parts of the body. This pressure encourages the energy, or Qi, to flow harmoniously through our energetic channels, restoring the body to its natural balanced state. It’s super easy and you can do it as many times throughout the day as you’d like. Here’s how it works: 1. Apply gentle pressure to the point for a few seconds, then increase to moderate pressure for about a minute. Then release. 2. Take slow, deep breaths as you activate the point and focus your intention on what you’re trying to alleviate. Full disclosure: Some of these points might feel painful when you first press them, or you might get a zing, or you might not feel much sensation at all. These are all normal experiences!
66
Here’s a list of points that you can do daily: LI4, aka Adjoining Valley: located on the back of the hand at the highest point of the muscle when the index and thumb are brought together. This point can be used for headaches, toothaches, hand pain, jaw pain, constipation, and hangovers. (Pregnant people should not use this point.) CV17, aka Central Altar: located in the center of the chest in between the nipples, you’ll feel a slight depression. This point influences and builds the Qi of the body. It’s also used for relaxation and encouraging emotional healing and balance. ST36, aka Foot Three Miles: located four finger widths down from the base of the kneecap just to the outside of the shinbone. This point has many uses! Try it for gastrointestinal challenges like diarrhea, bloating, gas, constipation, nausea, or vomiting. It’s also helpful for knee and leg pain. The reason I love this point is that it boosts the immune system. If you were only going to do one point daily, start with this one. KI1, aka Bubbling Spring: located on the bottom of the foot, 1/3 of the distance between the base of your toes and heel, in between the second and third bones of your foot. This point builds and nourishes your energy and can be used to alleviate anxiety and worry. It reduces agitation and is grounding. LIV3, aka Great Rushing: located on the top of the foot in between the first and second foot bones. This calming point is used for headaches, irritability, PMS, depression, anxiety, and anger. It helps regulate menstruation and reduces swelling and pain in the eyes.
Samantha studied Amma Therapy at The Wellspring School for Healing Arts. She shares her practice of Chinese Medicine, Amma Therapy, and holistic nutritional consulting to those seeking alternative and complementary healthcare. You can learn more about her work at UnionHolisticHealthOc.com
let’s get to the point ...
L14
Illustration by:
Latasha dunston | @jitterbug_art
CV17
KI1
ST36
Disclaimer: Acupressure is not meant to replace any kind of medical care or treatment. It is meant to be complementary to the healthcare you already receive.
LIV3
67
sisu
D
Y I
magazine
Make Your Own Zine with
Seawitches
A DIY project by:
Margaret Seelie | @seawitches.zine | @margaretseelie Have you ever wanted to make something in the world that doesn’t exist yet? Are you inspired by something already out there and want to make it different, better, or unique? Or maybe you just like to write, doodle, or sketch and it would be cool to see your work bound into a book? If you said yes to any of these questions, then a zine might be the perfect project for you. One of the best things about zines is that they are totally free and open; there are no rules, investors, or people telling you what to do, which means they’re a great place to be honest and have fun. We started Seawitches in 2017 because we were bored with what the mainstream surf media was offering and we wanted to hear stories from diverse perspectives. In the last three years, we’ve learned a lot and attempted things that did and did not work. But we keep trying, and in December 2019 our fourth issue came out and we really love it. With each issue, our process gets better and more concise. We believe the key to a great zine is to have fun!
pC: @_bethorourke
We want to share what we’ve learned in this do-it-yourself (DIY) guide to making your own zine.
68
materials
PC: James Thom
for a 5.5 x 8.5-inch zine: 11 x 8.5-inch sheets of paper (letter size), stapler with staples. Optional materials: paints, markers, pens, a typewriter, magazines, scissors, glue, copy machine, bone folder, etc.
process Pick Your Passion The word “zine” is short for fanzine, which means your zine should be about something you’re passionate about. We love water, so Seawitches is a zine for water people. Within the water theme, we publish fun artwork, talk about menstruation, mental health, environmental issues, and so much more. When choosing your theme, it’s important to pick something specific but not too specific. So, what do you want your zine to be about?
Consider Your Content When you’re thinking about what you want to go inside your zine, the two main topics to consider are who and what medium. The first question to consider is, whose creations or ideas do you want in your zine? Do you want to collaborate with other artists and writers, or would you rather go solo and create a zine of your own stuff? Next, what do you want to put in your zine? More specifically, do you want your zine to be full of photos, drawings, sketches, stories, poems, etc.? Or a mix of different mediums? At Seawitches, we take submissions from artists, activists, and writers from all over the world. We publish all kinds of content from articles and interviews to paintings and poems.
Make Covers ( optional) This step is listed as optional because you can add it to the design step if you wish to print the covers the same way you print the interior of the zine. The Seawitches cover design process is super fun but requires a lot of time and effort. A quick overview of our cover making process: 1. Create a dye from plant matter. In this photo, you can see covers dyed with ink from avocado pits (pink), eucalyptus bark (grey), indigo (blue), and oxalis flowers (yellow). (We’ll be sharing our secret recipe for making avocado pit ink in another issue of Sisu Magazine, so stay tuned!) 2. Hand-dye sheets of recycled, non-synthetic paper 3. Letterpress print the cover art 4. Foil stamp Seawitches Your covers can be digitally printed, collage, handdrawn, or anything you like!
These covers are dyed with inks made from indigo plants, oxalis flowers, eucalyptus bark, and avocado pits. Each cover is designed by a different Artist in Residence.
sisu
magazine
thaT's what he said
Honest Job Descriptions for C-Suite Bros ANDREW PRIDGEN | @andrewjpridgen
VP Marketing RakerLily
Qualifications & Experience:
RakerLily is making subletting your apartment by the • hour to people looking to not pay hotel prices and making weekday trysts and discrete don’t-ask-don’ttell encounters as easy as one, two, #do-me! #yesbro To do it we’ve assembled an amazing team and a group of top-tier investors. We’re searching for short (under 5’9” without your lifts), white, Birch Box/Dollar Shave Club/Warby Parker-subscribing, political animals in their late -30s/early -40s who appear to be excited about the work but really want to wall themselves off with the help of an extraordinary team of sycophants and sociopaths that they will build and curate!
•
Ideally, we need someone who is really good at the growth-stage of a company, meaning, we need to get a SHIT TON of money from foreign investors before they catch on to what we’re about (nothing!). This product isn’t going to work and even if it does, it’s a lawsuit city, so it’s probably better financially if it doesn’t.
•
Pretend you have experience in product marketing, brand marketing, content marketing, communications, PR strategy, which basically means you can find freelancers online that you won’t have to pay shit to. Also, that network of freelancers (see: Upwork and Fiverr) should be used to threaten salaried workers: “Look at what this person from Belarus did for this campaign, and it took them 18 minutes and cost us 13 rubles.”
Responsibilities: •
Be physically present but absent in all other manners of being.
•
Stare at your phone at every meeting, but do it in a way where it looks like you’re actually building a case of intel against someone via their social media.
•
Create a fear-based culture, interrupting work frequently with impromptu closed-door meetings with subordinates, especially while they’re on deadline. (Hint: You MUST be able to deliver the lines, “Can I see you for a minute?” and “Close the door” convincingly and often.)
•
Stalk female subordinates on dating sites using Tinder and Bumble burner accounts.
•
Let women, and POC especially, know you’re stalking them by telling them something back about what they’ve recently posted during 1:1s.
•
Make everyone so scared of you they set their accounts to private.
Minimum 10+ years experience running a multichannel consumer marketing organization as a VP of Marketing or CMO. Note: If you’re lying about this experience on your resume or LinkedIn (you are) please do enough research to make sure the schools you said you went to and companies you said you worked for aren’t ones any of the existing executive team or recruiting department went to. Actually, scratch that, it doesn’t matter, we never check anyway.
Perks: We’re going to give you ridiculous budgets, and we don’t really care what you do with them as long as you can show up in your best jeans/blazer combo and doublespeak your way through a PowerPoint while being mildly tweaked from the night before at the client conference. All we ask is you keep a datingshow-ready neck shave and limit your conversations about your Allbirds and Tesla on order to 13 hours/ week. After you’re done presenting, make sure your last slide says, “Now who’s ready to go blow it out at Nobu!”
fuckin lo ve
76
sush
and coke
#lifegoals Brand Marketing GURU at ALBAtroz.io
•
Be a dick the ENTIRE week, then invite everyone to 3 p.m. beers on Friday. Don’t make it mandatory but say something like, “I think it would really be good of you to show a little face at happy hour today.”
•
Make sure ALL off sites are microbreweries. We need someone who can sit outside under a heat lamp with their Maui Jims on telling everyone about the beer they’re drinking as if they’re reading it right from the chalkboard menu.
•
Have a different Patagonia fleece for each one of your #workmoods.
•
Enjoy planning vacations to places where white people tread often (Belize, Bali, Cancun, Nepal, Thailand, Cairo) and talk about it every chance you get in the lead up spitting everything you’ve been googling like you’ve already been there.
•
When another company, preferably a competitor, comes out with an ad spewing this and that about corporate feminism, or diversity, or inclusion— something that really amounts to tokenism and virtue signaling—shove it in front of your team’s faces by drawing a target on the whiteboard and then saying something like, “THIS is where we need to go.” (And draw big pen circles around it for emphasis.) Then draw a dramatic line to the opposite side of the board and say, “THIS is where we are now.” Then go sit down and say nothing the rest of the meeting.
Who is Albatroz? At Albatroz, we believe in using business as a force for good and we believe every material is reusable to the point of exhaustion. We’re a global apparel brand with roots in Australia and our headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Since 2018, we’ve been on a mission to prove that sustainability doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice comfort, style, or design. Our commitment to creating better neckerchiefs in a better way is fueled by a belief that the garment industry needs to focus less on frivolity and more on thoughtfulness. As a certified B Corp, we’re dedicated to making the most sustainable products we can using materials found discarded in public spaces by the people you step over and ignore while wearing our products (7-11 cups, syringes, old space blankets). Where do we need help? We have all the trimmings of a juggernaut brand—but now we need a GURU to head our Global Marketing Department to bring the message to the masses. We need a creative marketer, a master gaslighter, and a bold, customer-centric Svengali to convince everyone in the place he always knows what he’s talking about, even if (especially if) it means yelling over subordinates.
•
Responsibilities: •
•
•
•
What are we looking for?
Lead the strategy and oversee the execution of breakthrough integrated marketing programs that build brand awareness, by simply telling your subordinates over and over and over in as many ways as you can think of that “this shit just isn’t good • enough, it’s not on-brand.” But then keep moving where exactly the brand goalposts are. all
footb
Borrow (or steal) or make up metrics to report to directors and above. This is easy because they’re just thinking about lunch anyway.
Discard team members’ ideas to the point of making them consistently miss a deadline. You don’t want to put them on any kind of performance review because that’s a pain in the ass, but make them feel uneasy and like they’re about a week from being marched out (because they are). Come in on Mondays spitting platitudes like, “Hey guys, let’s not let great stand in the way of getting good done.”
• •
•
12+ years of brand management experience in the outdoor, fashion, lifestyle, or culture space or maybe seven months as an assistant manager at a Chili’s. It really doesn’t matter. Any asshole can do this job. Preferably you have a goatee or are still rocking a flavor saver as a power move. The ability to come across to the CEO as highly strategic, creatively minded, and results-oriented, which means watch some shitty TEDx talks and spit some new age garbage like, “The universe provides, all you have to do is TELL IT what you want.” Have a nice backswing and a confident credit card signature. golf!!! Show exceptional leadership and collaboration skills, and the ability to use things like 360 reviews to really fucking nail people who dress funny or microwave fish in the kitchen.
Show the ability to extract insights from multiple data sources, which means you better have someone on deck in India to spit out some numbers the night before the all-hands. Oh, bar graphs preferred.