TALLAHASSEE
TABLE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
NICOLE JAROSCAK
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR
JULIA CLIFFORD
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MARCELA NIEVES
Owen Hill*
Mia Risolia*
Ariel Lyden
Sophia Beil
Jade Lichtenstein
Shannon Kern
Carmin Bliss
Peyton Dominguez
Natasha Tanner
Yinelys Esquivel
Daniella Giron
Azahara Buces
Ryan Ciampitti
Anna Harris
Mia Jiminez
DIGITAL
JORDAN MCAVIN
Kristen Barnwell*
Sophia Kelbert*
Kira Cardillo
Christine Ricardo
Barbara Veiga de Roovere
Jaydaliz Ruiz Cruz
Aiden Smale
Mallory Lumpkin
Julia Shirazyan
Olivia Hill
Beth Tingley
Hadassah Dias Durante
Isabella Saavedra
Emily McComb
Lauren Lee
Bailey Carson
Victoria Scriven
Alexa Felipe
Harper Thurston
WRITING
DANI HERNANDEZ
Daniela Mendoza*
Salette Cambra*
Isabelle Kim*
Elizabeth D’Amico*
Kavya Akkiraju
Annaliese Long
Sarah Weber
Alexia Cretoiu
Samantha Goldberg
Ava Arenado
Parker Snaith
Camila Alvarez
Melany Rodriguez
Ava Binkowski
Abby Marshall
Priscilla Rodriguez
Langston Worthy
Leanne Milikan
Maddie Steidley
Erica Huang
GRAHICS
RAFAEL LISBOA
Gianna Graziano*
Laiba Mubarak
Ryan Hanek
Micaela Socha
Elizabeth D’Amico
Ava Elpedes
LAYOUT
ANGIE GALLETTI
Emma Wooley*
Micaela Socha
Ryan Hanek
Alana Anderson
Anabelle White
Ishaa Khosla
SOCIAL MEDIA
KELCY COLFIELD
Isabel Fauteux*
Danielle Weston
Olivia Walters
Richa Singh
Miles King
Andrea Medina
Lea Khawaja
PHOTO
TANNER HIRTEN
Joey Harbour*
Riley de Arcos
Myles Roberts
Emma Zlotnick
Jackson Tessmer
Hannah Tranle
Giulia Abreu
Carina Herrera
VIDEO
ELLA DENNY
Jackson Tessmer*
Tanner Hirten
Carina Herrera
Elli Aristegui
Cindy Lam
Leandro Rutigliano
Pepe Zuloaga
Abby Bryan
Katelyn Wexler
Chris Lopez
SALES
RYLEE GREENSTEIN
Rachel Burke*
Roxanna Kaye
Hayley Pollard
Allison Currey
Adrian Cardero
Brantley Gay
Megan Santayana
Morgan Panebianco
EVENTS
NATALIA GOMEZ
Carolina Castro*
Angelina Lezcano*
Alexandra Alvarez
Lauren Gonzalez
Natalie Quintana
Micaela Borja-Miranda
Arianna Abril
Annie Bowers
Amanda Maceiras
Victoria Relova
Keira Hirst
Renata Garcia
Ankhet-Nu Whyte
Gina Lee
Maya Coan
RUNWAY
CELINE JOHNSON
Allison Beltrani*
Skylar Edisis*
Luna Abella
Alexa Swecker
Eva Carbonara
Jana Hur
Alessandra Battistini
Cassidy Tarr
Madison St. John
Stella Dauval
BEAUTY
AMANDA OLIVA
MARLENA TRUDNAK
Onyinye Grace
Gabriella Torres-Mora
Ella Elaine
Payton Muscato
Vanessa Vega
Lily Schweiss
Daniella Chantra
Jazmin Ashley
MARKETING
SOPHIA POLLARD
Julia Ambrose*
Ava Berry
Makenzie Seibel
Aila Seaman
Kyela Zinati
Alexis Brewis
Shayne King
Jade Chancis
Emily Woo
Andrea Medina
Carolina Pinto
Maria Carrillo
Ava Gartland
FINANCE
ANAGRACE BENNETT
Elisa Chong*
Sydney Giraldo
Matthew Snyder
Michael Snyder
BRAND AMBASSADOR
BROOKE BOCCUZZI
Ella Coble*
Elizabeth Gutierrez
Ava Elpedes
Eva Olkin
Ava Aldrich
Genesis Harris
Payton Muscato
Jaydaliz Ruiz Cruz
Mae Naidu
DIRECTOR / Director’s Assitant*
STYLING
ISABELA JAHNES
Katherine Davis*
Daniella Acosta*
Camille Marshall
Elsie Warwick
Ben Worman
Sienna Paras
Elle Orchard
Jennifer Mai
Sophie Riveira
Sasha Viouchkov
Valerie Zuluaga
Olivia Velazquez
Jermaine Edwards
MERCHANDISE
MIA BLACKMAN
Melissa Aguiar*
Sydney DeCarlo
Kya Akins
Hannah Bode
Lailee Hollander
PRODUCTIONS
NINA VALDES
Tara Calambakkam*
Karsten Edwards
Isabella Gonzalez
Camila Ciampi
Amari Clark
Ivana Major
Corrine McGetrick
DIGITAL JORDAN MCAVIN
Working alongside passionate, ambitious individuals has been an experience like no other, and the very reason I fell in love with Strike. I’m grateful to lead a team that pushes the boundaries of human imagination and allows my creative visions to flourish. To my assistants, Kristen and Sophia, and my incredible team: thank you for your talent, spirit, and unwavering dedication <3 Jordan
WRITING DANIELA HERNANDEZ
I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity and to work with such an amazing team! They’ve really shined in their pieces and I’m so proud of all the work that’s been done. Thank you to my editors and everyone on Strike for being so inspiring, dedicated, and supportive! I have so much love and respect for everyone involved. Strike out! <3
GRAPHICS RAFAEL LISBOA
It’s been an amazing experience to work alongside dedicated, passionate, and extremely talented individuals. Thank you to my astounding team for delivering the most captivating and unique graphics, and for always pushing their creative boundaries. And finally, thank you to Strike for the amazing opportunity, I’m beyond grateful for the experience!
LAYOUT ANGIE GALLETTI
I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity serve as layout director this semester. Thank you for trusting me and believing in what I could bring to this role. Strike has allowed me to discover new confidence in my creativity and pushed me to think bigger with every spread. I’m so grateful to my team for their dedication and the heart they put into this issue!
SALES RYLEE GREENSTEIN
Reflecting on an incredible semester with the sales team. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved together and grateful for everyone’s drive, creativity, and collaboration. Here’s to another semester of big ideas and even bigger wins!
VIDEO ELLA DENNY
It’s been an amazing experience to work alongside dedicated, passionate, and extremely talented individuals. Thank you to my astounding team for delivering the most captivating and unique graphics, and for always pushing their creative boundaries. And finally, thank you to Strike for the amazing opportunity, I’m beyond grateful for the experience!
PHOTO TANNER HIRTEN
Strike has been an instrumental part of my college journey. Since I joined my sophomore year it has provided not only a creative outlet, but a home for like minded individuals. A place where we could all push what we were capable of and make some greater than ourselves. This organization has given me more confidence and ability than I ever thought it could, and I am so honored to lead the photo team this fall. This team has grown so much in just a few short months, I am so impressed by the output from this group. They have pushed themselves and produced work that everyone can be very proud of. Photo is the core visual of the magazine and I’m happy to say that this team has captured the essence of Strike this fall.
EVENTS NATALIA GOMEZ
My last semester has truly been unforgettable because of the dedication and creativity everyone has brought to our events. Serving as the director of events has been a privilege, and I’m truly grateful for everything we’ve built together. Strike has brought me some of my best friends and I cannot even put into words what this journey has meant to me!
RUNWAY CELINE JOHNSON
Serving as Runway Director for the FW ‘25 season has been an incredible highlight of my college experience. I learned firsthand what it takes to be a leader and I could not have asked for a more talented and dedicated group to lead. Our runway show, Midnight Mirage, was a visual representation of the hard work and creative visions poured out by every member of the team. I absolutely could not have put on such a successful show without you girls and I will never forget this wonderful opportunity!
BEAUTY AMANDA OLIVA
Every issue reminds me how much joy there is in collaborating with my beauty team and everyone apart of Strike. There’s nothing better than creating something together and watching everyone’s ideas come to life. Thank you to my amazing team for your energy and talent, and to Marlena for being the best co-director I could ask for. And to all of Strike, thank you for giving us a space where collaboration feels effortless and inspiring.
BEAUTY MARLENA TRUNDAK
I am so fortunate to be able to work alongside such talented people. Seeing our visions come together is so special. I give all the thanks to my lovely team and to my wonderful co-director, I could not have done it without you.
DIRECTORS NOTES
PRODUCTIONS NINA VALDES
This year with Strike has been such a rewarding experience, and I’m so grateful to have worked alongside such an inspiring and hardworking team. Bringing creative visions to life with my amazing team reminded me why I love what we do. The collaboration, creativity, and dedication within this team has made this year truly unforgettable, thank you all for making Strike feel like home!
MARKETING SOPHIA POLLARD
What an amazing team I have had the opportunity to work with this year! I am so extremely thankful for everything that you guys have done for me and for Strike as a whole. Your dedication to our work has brought so many successful events to life. I not only had a team, but a family of 12 of the brightest and most amazing people this year!
FINANCE ANAGRACE BENNETT
Thank you to the Finance Team and Strike for the FW 25 season!
STYLING ISABELA JAHNES
For this being my first semester as director, I am extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to work alongside so many talented individuals, including my team. I want to thank every single one of them for creating and styling amazing pieces for this semesters magazine and being so helpful and hardworking.
MERCHANDISE MIA BLACKMAN
I’m so grateful to have been able to start this year with such amazing people. Working with Strike has been so rewarding and I’ve gotten to learn so many new things. I want to thank my entire team for being so understanding, hardworking, and kind throughout this whole process. Nothing would get done with your constant support, brilliant ideas, and creative minds. Thank you so much for this amazing experience!”
BRAND BROOKE BOCCUZZI
I want to give a huge thank you to my beautiful BA team members, my assistant, and of course Strike Magazine as a whole. Being a part of this team has impacted me in more ways that I can even count. I love each and every one of you!
CD ASSISTANT MIA RISOLIA
I am beyond words for how much this issue means to me. From planning to production, I am reminded of how lucky I am to create beside people who are endlessly talented. Thank you all for inspiring me every single day!
CD ASSISTANT OWEN HILL
I am so grateful to be a part of this team and be able to collaborate on something so special. Strike means so much to me and I’m not sure where I’d be without it. Thank you to everyone that made this issue possible!
SOCIAL MEDIA KELCY COLFIELD
I am beyond blessed to work alongside so many talented creatives. Thank you to my beautiful team and assistant for hours of fashion research and content creation, I couldn’t do it without you! I’m so lucky to have found a second family in Strike, and I have so much love and admiration for everyone involved <3
LETTER
FROM THE
Editor
When I first joined STRIKE Magazine my sophomore year, becoming editor-in-chief felt like a dream that lived somewhere far and out of reach. I came into this organization surrounded by incredibly talented, creative people, just hoping to find a community that shared the same passions I did. I never imagined that one day I’d be the one leading something so big, meaningful, and deeply loved. Stepping into this role has been a fullcircle moment, one that still feels surreal.
When I moved to Tallahassee four years ago, I had no idea what my purpose was. Fashion was always something I loved, but I never saw it as a real career path, just a hobby I held close. In my freshman year, like many first-generation students, I felt lost. I grew up being taught to be independent, to build a life for myself, and to make something of my name. But I didn’t know what that something would be until I found STRIKE. Discovering this magazine was the moment my professional and personal growth truly began.
From the start, I gave this organization everything I had. Whether it was running errands for hours or staying up late piecing together shoots, I was determined to prove, to myself more than anyone, that I belonged here. I hoped that if I poured all of myself into this work, it would eventually lead me somewhere. And now, two years later, it has.
As exciting as it looks, this position is far from easy. When I was chosen, my first feelings were fear and discomfort. Why me? What made me the one most qualified to uphold this reputation? But even with the nerves and pressure, I felt incredibly lucky to lead such a passionate group of creatives. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that interest alone isn’t enough. A magazine like STRIKE can only reach this level: editorial, elevated, and ambitious, because of the passion that fuels every decision, every sacrifice, every late night. I wake up each day motivated by the joy this work brings me and the privilege of creating something meaningful with people I admire.
Those emotions are what inspired this issue’s theme, Liminal. Liminality invites us to meet at the edge of ourselves, to explore the transitional spaces where identity shifts, memories resurface, and truth becomes clearer. It’s an introspective dissection of who we’ve been, who we are, and who we’re becoming. This theme feels especially personal for us. As my first issue as editor-inchief, it reflects the exact chapter of my life I’m in; one full of learning and self-discovery.
To everyone who made this possible, thank you. This process is long, intense, and deeply collaborative, and we couldn’t have done it without each person involved.
Thank you to Mia Risolia and Owen Hill, our creative director assistants, who have stuck by us this entire semester. Your dedication and creativity are deeply appreciated. To our models, shoot team, and full staff, your talent brought our vision to life, and we could not have done this without each one of you.
Lastly, thank you to the two people who I could not have done this without, Marcela Nieves and Julia Clifford–You have been my rocks throughout this entire process. I feel so lucky to be able to work alongside such creative, talented individuals like yourselves. Our passion for this runs equally as deep for all three of us, and it only allows us to connect and create such beautiful things, just like this issue.
What began as confusion and uncertainty has transformed into purpose. STRIKE has given me a home, a community, and an outlet I wouldn’t trade for anything. I can’t wait to continue this journey next semester.
Strike Out,
Nicole Jaroscak, Editor-in-Chief
I learned about Strike on a random night the summer before entering my freshman year of college. On that night, I met a recent university graduate and asked her for college related advice. She mentioned that I should look into this student-run magazine that originated in Tallahassee. When I got home that night, I did and decided that I would apply and see where it would take me. Little did I know how big of an impact that small interaction would have on my life. I am forever grateful for that night.
I am incredibly honored to have been selected as this year’s Creative Director by our past executives Isabel Choi, Ella Brignoni, and Lauren Vives. A special thank you to you three for your mentorship and for trusting me with this role. You all paved the path for this magazine to be what it is, and will always inspire me to strive for greatness.
Thank you to our immensely talented directors and staff. Every single person on our team has contributed to this magazine in their own, respective way. Your energies and commitment to the magazine don’t go unnoticed and our community would not be the same without everyone of you.
Additionally, thank you to friends and family for your unwavering love, support, and understanding. Especially for bearing with me even in my most radio silent times.
Thank you to Owen Hill and Mia Risolia, my Creative Director assistants. From bonding over our similar music tastes to brainstorming ways to get the most intricate shots, you guys were by my side to see it all through and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Lastly, a special thank you to Nicole Jaroscak and Julia Clifford, our Editor-In-Chief and External Affairs Director. I never imagined I would meet people as equally dedicated to creating until I met you both. We each have our own unique set of skills that truly makes us a great team. At the beginning of the semester, I would have moments where I felt myself close to spiraling over the anxieties that naturally come with stepping into a new role. My racing thoughts always lost speed at the thought of working alongside you both. I am so proud of us and how far we’ve come. I cannot imagine leading this magazine with anyone else and am incredibly grateful for our friendships.
Creating “Liminal” has undoubtedly been one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had, both on a creative and personal level. Fashion and psychology have always been deeply intertwined for me, so the creation of this issue has been immensely cathartic.
To tell the truth, this issue is about me. But it is only as much about me as it is about you. I have poured myself onto these pages in the hopes that you will see yourself reflected back.
LETTER FROM THE
DirectorCreative
Marcela Nieves, Creative Director
Strike Out,
You hear people speak about things so powerful that the words to describe them transcend the language we know. Individuals whose impact seeps into each crevice and crack in one’s brain. Interstices that alter the outcome previously planned for your life.
Strike became that thing for me.
People spoke of Strike like it was something bigger than themselves. A community so powerful, so passionate, that it was too intimidating to touch. When I first joined, I watched as my peers poured their entire identity into conceptualizing this magazine – endless hours of collaboration and unwavering confidence despite every curtailment stunned me. Those people, and this community, gave me a place to grow into the creative and leader I am today, and for that I will forever be grateful.
Stepping into this newly created position, I knew that this season would be one of starting from scratch. It is an understatement to say I felt as though I had big shoes to fill, despite them being the first of its kind. I had goals to make Strike even more impactful, even more accepting, while feeling an undeniable pull to honor the legacy woven into this role. That was the moment the theme first took shape for me. I felt both eagerness and uncertainty rise in unison. Pride that pushed me forward, and an intimidation that reminded me of the weight of the moment.
Liminal is a dissection of those moments and how they define us. Whether it is growth, stagnance, or regression, the one constant is the lack of. There is an everlasting aspect of duality that stands unwaveringly in life. This issue represents that. Because ultimately, beauty never stands alone, and yet there is an undeniable significance to each and every one of those moments.
Thank you to my partners Nicole and Marcela, whose passion throughout this entire process has been truly infectious. This position has been the definition of a learning curve for me, and I am so thankful to have such supportive, driven people surrounding me.
To every single person, staff member, director, assistant, model, or outside eye who has helped make this issue all it is, thank you. I am incapable of describing the gratitude I feel for your dedication to the process. You helped our idea come to life, and in no world would it have been possible without you.
As you take the time to explore each page of this issue, I hope you recognize the subjective feelings, both good and bad, that arise through each carefully crafted image. I hope the stories allow you to relate the meanings to your own life, standing without judgement and simply observing the significance of each.
Liminal has helped me appreciate the layers of life and their coexistence, and ultimately, I hope it can do the same for you.
Strike Out,
Julia Clifford, External Affairs Director
LETTER FROM THE
Ead
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Mia Rosilia, Owen Hill SHOOT STAFF Ariel Lyden, Ryan Ciampitti, Peyton Dominguez PRODUCTIONS Camila Ciampi, Nina Valdes STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Daniella Acosta, Elle Orchard, Elsie Warwick, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Sienna Paras, Jermaine Edwards Jr.
The Prison Of Perception
WRITER Abby Marshall EDITORS Dani Hernandez, Isabelle Kim
The eyes bore into me. Every part of my body is scrutinized, picked apart under the harsh light of passersby. I imagine their thoughts, and I see their hatred for me crawling up the glass, rapping at the window, begging to be let in. I clutch my body close, folding in on myself, struggling to move away from them.
The entirety of myself is split open to a world of viewing. Their gazes cut into me, like knives trying to carve out my insides. I was ripped open, torn to shreds. Who am I in their eyes? Who am I at all?
Perception is a prison. There is no way to escape this unsettling feeling, no way to break away from the constant scrutiny. No matter what we do, judgment of ourselves always seeps through the cracks, creeping under and infiltrating our minds—the rot of insecurity clings to our being. Confidence is an illusion, crafted by years of hungry stares that leach away at one’s identity.
BEAUTY Amanda Oliva, Daniella Chantra NAILS Jazmin
SEAMSTRESS Isabela Jahnes, Sienna Paras
Ashley TALENT Camila Lam, Stephanie Altamirano, Donovan Vandyck, Richa Singh, Joshua Martineau
VIDEOGRAPHERS Tanner Hirten, Katelyn Wexler, Pepe Zuloaga, Elli Aristegui LAYOUT Micaela Socha, Angie Galletti
PHOTOGRAPHERS Jackson Tessmer, Hannah Tranle
You can never be truly free from the cage of caring. It stays with you forever, from being watched around a birthday cake, when speaking in class, to shopping in a supermarket. Is there ever peace from this constant parade of self? Can we ever truly find solace in our own bodies, in our own souls? From deep within the restraints, we question it all, itching to be freed.
That faint line of blissful ignorance is lost to me. There is no ending in sight. Perception is your captor, chasing you down a corridor when you start to find a way to freedom. It drags you back in, no matter how much you kick and scream. No amount of complaining will ever erase the feeling. I beg for the warm embrace of solitude and withdrawal.
I remember stepping into the ocean of bodies, their currents flowing all around me. The swarm of people ravaged over my body, bearing me for all to see. Mouths agape, pointing, laughing, judging me with their daggers for eyes. No matter how much effort I put in, painting my face, smoothing down my hair, can I ever be enough? Nothing will change the rot of my inside, my thoughts oozing out onto the ground. I am forever on display for their premonitions, for their hatred and their loathing. Without credence, I am hopeless. Will I ever be perceived as I want to be?
Deep Cuts
WRITER Samantha Goldberg EDITOR Dani Hernandez
My teenage years have been spent looking through a very particular pair of heavily tinted black sunglasses. All this time, they failed to break, although they were very cheap. I’m not quite sure where I got them, but each time I wear them, they allow me to personify my gonetoo-soon idols; those who dominate the rock movement.
On discovering the genre, my depressive symptoms have begun to transition into a romanticized version of death. It’s as if my soul was being intimately exposed to the world for all to see, like being stripped naked in front of a large stadium of five hundred people. But rather than the crowd exposure injecting me with fear, the fans worshipped my exposed physique. They praised the worst parts of me: like the cuts on my skin and the dried blood beneath my fingernails. They love every bit– they even seemed to encourage my desolate demise. But I, too, have begun to enjoy the admiration and objectification of my pain. It is as if being understood by those in such esteemed positions as rock stars meant my poor state of mind was healthy and even valiantly cool; as if the quick descent of the mind was a club to be joined. Regardless of the external, negative associations that this club holds, I want nothing more than to be a part of it all. I dress the part, smoke the part, and have transformed into a dedicated cult follower of the group. Those on the outside don’t understand what we understand, or they haven’t yet been victims of the truth. It isn’t hard to gather why many have failed to resonate with the cause. The club is only open to those who perform with their entire body and soul, those who sell out stadiums and close down roads: those who are different, those who wear the same cheap tinted sunglasses that I do.
One after another, members have started to fade from the daily mundane; those who dare to disappear are idolized for their contribution to the movement, and I’ve seemed to become envious of their leave. The transportational sense of nakedness I was so accustomed to enjoying has become no longer enchanting but cowardly; I feel as if I need to suffer more to live up to their death. The emptiness inside my chest that was once a sign of indisputable affliction now tastes as sweet as blood.
The hole that I’m digging is getting deeper and deeper by the hour, and although few are around to help me shovel, the center is getting closer and closer. I enjoy the darkness that I have created; I have made myself quite comfortable down here, built a bed and a home, and I know I will stay a while. If the only way out is through, I’ll take my chances. I don’t feel the need to expose my corneas to the unfiltered sun ever again.
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Julia Clifford, Marcela Nieves SHOOT ASSISTANTS Owen Hill, Mia Rosilia SHOOT STAFF Ariel Lyden, Ryan Ciampitti, Peyton Dominguez
STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Daniella Acosta, Elle Orchard, Elsie Warwick, Sienna Paras, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Valerie Zuluaga, Jermaine Edwards Jr. BEAUTY Gabriella Torres-Mora, Ella Elaine TALENT Praneeth Reddy Damireddi, Ryan Ciampitti, Martina Schmied, Cole Dunlap PHOTOGRAHERS Myles Roberts, Owen Hill VIDEOGRAPHERS Jackson Tessmer, Leandro Rutigliano, Katelyn Wexler, Pepe Zuloaga Layout Ryan Hanak, Angie Galletti
S U B L A T I O N
My Black Thumb
WRITERS Isabelle Kim, Kavya Akkiraju EDITORS
Daniela Mendoza, Dani Hernandez
She wakes up to the scent of flowers, picks up her pale bucket, and basks in the sunlight as she begins to nurture each plant with water as clear as day. Her eyes drink in the luscious greenery webbing her vision, and effervescent flora peppering each corner of her beloved garden. The morning hums with a soft, familiar rhythm, the kind that folds itself gently around her like a warm quilt. She sighs, all is as it should be. Like the snapping of dry bone, the air shifts, and every semblance of peace shatters. Something black in her periphery draws her attention, and to her horror, her precious rosebuds wilt before her eyes. The pristine pink is now parched and marred by black bruises. Horrified, she immediately plucks the bud from its root and tosses it out of sight, determined to be rid of this imposing darkness. Her head snaps left towards another wilted plant, a succulent which was once the brightest, most jubilant green, now cracking with gray. With a shrill cry, she rips it out of the ground, dirt and dust fly from her brute force as her eyes dart maniacally to another wilting plant. Just as she tears away a newly rotted plant, another arises, then another, and another still, unfurling faster than she can react.. Dread erupts in her mind, traveling to every nerve and synapse, overwhelming her body with pure vexation. Curses and anger spill from her lips. She stares down at the corroding soil in defiance, daring the world to strike again. Reality takes a venomous stab at her chest, this is an infestation. Her breath advances in sharp bursts, each inhale more frayed than the last. Her garden, which once hummed with a quiet joy, now writhes beneath her trembling hands. Mud adorns her knees, her eyes wide like saucers through which sickness slowly impales like ink on paper. The flowers leer at her, once cultivated and grown with warmth, their petals curl inward at her sight. Even sunlight seems to cower, retreating behind a shroud of fog that creeps across the sky. Shadows creep beneath trembling petals as the garden exhales a hollow sigh, its wilted breath entwining with her innermost chaos, whispering truths she refuses to name yet cannot escape. Her heart pounds as she runs to the shed with a spade in hand. Her one weapon against the unseen plague. She digs, desperately, hearing the metal clang against the roots of the trees she birthed, picking away at the rot at bay. The scent of decay hangs heavier than the sweetness of what once was. Her hands shake as she looks around, the truth inflamed like a bruise buzzing against her skin. The garden isn’t sick, but she is. The rot is her unrest; her thoughts are the malaise beneath the surface. She drops the spade as the air stills, and the silence feels heavier than the earth she’s torn apart beneath her. Somewhere beneath it all, something breathes back.
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Mia Rosilia, Owen Hill SHOOT STAFF Sophia Beil, Natasha Tanner, Azhara Buces, Mia Jimenez, Yinelys Esquivel PRODUCTIONS Corinne McGetrick, Karsten Edwards
THE SCENT OF DECAY HANGS HEAVIER
THAN THE SWEETNESS OF WHAT ONCE WAS. ”
STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Camille Marshall, Jennifer Mai, Daniella Acosta, Elle Orchard, Elsie Warwick, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Valerie Zuluaga, Jermaine Edwards Jr. SEAMSTRESS Katherine Davis
BEAUTY Marlena Trudnak NAILS
Jazmin Ashley TALENT Riley Mitchell
PHOTOGRAPHERS Tanner Hirten, Emma Zlotnick VIDEOGRAPHERS Carina Herrera, Pepe Zuloaga, Chris Lopez, Katelyn Wexler
LAYOUT Alana Anderson, Angie Galletti
Armor Isn’t Identity
WRITER Parker Snaith EDITOR Dani Hernandez
At a point, the things we do to protect ourselves start to blur, becoming a part of our image. We start with a little distance until it morphs into independence. We start with a little silence until it becomes the only way to protect ourselves. The lines between defense and identity fade until they’re almost indistinguishable. We call it growing up, but it’s just learning to survive. You start to build small walls around yourself, not. Not out of bitterness, but out of self-defense. You learn what to say, what to hide, how to mask your true emotions. Your soft, silky feathers grow into rigid spikes. The world rewards control and strength, so we practice them it until it becomes second nature. Until you can’t tell if you’re tough or just numb. Then there’s a moment—the moment. The quiet realization that the version of you built to survive isn’t truly you. It’s a strange kind of beauty, to be able to build armor to protect tenderness. Every defense mechanism beganstarted as consideration for yourself, for the parts of you that still want to feel safe. But protection can only take you so far. Eventually, you go from living to purely surviving. living turns
Beneath your the unbending exterior, there’s still a kid who wants to be chosen, a teenager who loved too loudly, the vulnerable person who thought softness was supposed to be a strength. You’re unrecognizable because of from the way the world has molded you. You’ve been configured into something tougher and reticent. It’s a strange kind of beauty, to be able to build armor to protect tenderness. Every defense mechanism began started as consideration for yourself, for the parts of you that still want to feel safe. But protection can only take you so far. Eventually, you go from living to purely surviving. living turns into purely survival. You realize that It strikes you that the real beauty isn’t in how well you guard yourself, but in allowing yourself to feel, to be soft, to be open. The things you once hid are what set you apart from the cold, unfeeling world.
EDITOR-IN CHIEFT Nicole Joroscak EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
Julia Clifford CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marcela Nieves CREATIVE DIRECTOR ASSISTANTS Mia Rosilia, Owen Hill BEAUTY Amanda Oliva, Daniella
Chantra NAILS Jazmin Ashley TALENT Anjolie Leonard, Ava Arenado
PHOTOGRAPHER Joey Harbour VIDEOGRAPHERS Jackson Tessmer, Ella Denny LAYOUT Annabelle White, Angie Galletti
CARL
T A K E O
V E R
Arrival In The Hollow
WRITERS Camila Alvarez, Sarah Weber EDITORS Daniela Mendoza, Dani Hernandez
I don’t know where I am.
This place reminds me of nowhere else. It looks like a world stripped down to the barest of things, quiet in a way that almost erases me. The only sound is the soft crunch beneath my feet, grains shifting just enough to remind me I’m still here, still moving through something, still existing inside all this stillness. Dreams of wrestling waves and fruitful terrain stretch like memories from far before now. The only thing that feels alive is the heat pressing against my skin, wrapping around me like a pulse without a body. Beyond that, everything is still. The sun sits high on its skyline, rays shining over my calloused palms and sand-swept clothes.
I forgive and embrace what brought me here. The people who drifted away, the decisions that reshaped me, and the truths I ran from until they cornered me in this quiet. The silence radiates, becoming its own landscape. With nothing left to listen to, all I hear is myself. My thoughts, my doubts, the voice I’ve spent years drowning in noise. Out here, there’s no distraction, no echo, no audience. Just the unfiltered hum of my mind, rising until I can’t avoid it anymore. Where are your people? Etched in the agony of my defeat, I relent my consciousness to the emptiness of dry air and heavy haze.
It starts with the small things: the unfinished sentences I never say out loud. The questions I’ve ignored. The fears I’ve named and unnamed.
Maybe that’s why I’m here.
Then it digs deeper. The version of me I pretend to be. The one I’m afraid I truly am. The parts I’ve hidden, abandoned. My rationale pummels and rages against the recognition. I grasp onto the concrete, rashly attempting reason. Everything within the uncertainty blends, and I am secure only in the regularity of change itself. Every thought becomes louder, clearer, impossible to outrun.
In this emptiness, clarity settles over me in a way I can’t ignore, the kind that only comes when there’s nothing left to distort the truth. I’m forced to see what’s left. It carries a sense of arrival, showing me the small, undeniable truths I’ve been overlooking. My soul speaks in the defining moment. I am in the confessional booth, raging against the silence. When this vulnerability overwhelms me, I storm out and find that my rage sources no blame. Nobody’s love will save me from what is revealed in complete solitude. I am both to blame and to thank. The world may feel hollow, but inside, something is shifting… reshaping. What once felt like losing direction becomes a great return. What once felt like ruin becomes recognition.
What began as exile becomes arrival. Alone, I take over.
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Julia Clifford, Marrcela Nieves SHOOT ASSISTANTS Mia Rosilia, Owen Hill SHOOT STAFF Sophia Beil, Natasha Tanner, Azahara Buces, Mia Jimenez, Yinelys Esquivel
STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak,Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Camille Marshall, Jennifer Mai, Daniella Acosta, Elle Orchard, Elsie Warwick, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Valerie Zuluaga, Jermaine Edwards Jr. SEAMSTRESS Bela Jahnes, Valerie Zuluaga, Camille Marshall, Jennifer Mai
BEAUTY Lily Schweiss TALENT Madison Grant, Reed Joseph, Christine Ricardo PHOTOGRAPHERS Owen Hill, Joey Harbour, Tanner Hirten, Hannah Tranle VIDEOGRAPHERS Abby Bryan, Leandro Rutigliano, Pepe Zuloaga LAYOUT Emma Wooley, Angie Galletti
SHOOT DIRECTORS
BEAUTY
TALENT
PHOTOGRAPHER Guilia Abreu
LAYOUT Ishaa Khosla
Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford
Nicole Jaroscak
Claire West, Eva Weeden
FW25 STRIKE TLH RUNWAY
MIDNIGHT MIRAGE
RUNWAY DIRECTOR Celine Johnson
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Allison Beltrani, Skylar Edisis
STYLISTS Luna Abella, Allison Beltrani, Cassidy Tarr, Alexa Swecker
LIMINAL
Washed Clean
WRITER/EDITOR Dani Hernandez
Time is elastic here; It ebbs and flows like the ocean of my mind–thoughts passing like schools of fish off to different reefs. My rhythmic breathing matches the slow thumping of my heart. I am relaxed, knowing that all I have done has brought me to this place. My inhibitions all wave from a distance. They’ve let their safeguards and obstacles for me go, releasing me to pursue a pure existence. For the first time, I am unshakable, basking in clarity. Thoughts and judgments try to touch me, but they fly by, unable to land and seep themselves into my psyche.
My eyes are sewn shut, refusing to flutter open despite their initial desire to do so. As I’m seated on this altar of rumination, I am awakened. I imagined this feeling, yearned for it, convinced myself it would never come. Nothing is as gratifying as the way it feels to be floating in this moment; Finally, I’ve reached the summit; I’ve scaled the mountain, and wind greets me kindly, whispering congratulations as I am overwhelmed with tranquility. The ability to neutrally observe is a gift I will never take for granted again.
As I float, I am in my body, yet I am above it. I am the surround sound of the world coming in and out of focus with no place to land. I let the echoes and the interruptions go. My impenetrable thoughts fade in and out like traffic that beeps and beeps, like the slow breeze of clothing hanging outside to dry. My breathing keeps me present in this trance-like space, and the stars are twinkling sincerely as I mentally travel in my blank, dreamy state.
Here I sit, with no one but me. I observe my unfiltered, undiluted form and smile with ease because no tricks of the mind can clutch me. Here it’s safe. Acceptance of my duality has led me towards mental liberation; gates once closed and fences once built are no longer in my way. I can entirely be me. Peace and stillness have infused themselves into my veins, like a solvent for my soul–the antidote I’ve been waiting for. It is like being before the vastness of a meadow, the trickle of a river, the wonders of the world. But it is also in simplicity, in the beauty found when we tap into an unbiased nature and evenhandedness, allowing you to be where you are.
For once, I am existing with no pervading thoughts. No gloomridden commentators have pull as long as I’m able to see them, and let them pass through, causing them to disappear. Thoughts crave permanence and power. They will not find that here with me, because I know better now. I have been washed clean.
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Julia Clifford, Marcela Nieves SHOOT ASSISTANTS
Mia Rosilia, Owen Hill BEAUTY Daniella Giron
NAILS Jazmin Ashley SEAMSTRESS Elle Orchard TALENT Wisdom Aaliyah, Chasann Sania PHOTOGRAPHERS Tanner Hirten, Myles Roberts VIDEOGRAPHERS Ella Denny, Jackson Tessmer DESIGNER Dainty Berreto LAYOUT Angie Galletti
OSMOSIS
Shoot Directors Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford Shoot Assistants Mia Risolia Shoot Staff Jade Lichtenstein, Anna Conway, Carmin Bliss, Daniella Giron, Shannon Kern
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Mia Rosilia SHOOT STAFF Jade Lichtenstein, Anna Conway, Carmin Bliss, Daniella Giron, Shannon Kern
The Stream Of Consciousness
WRITERS Priscilla Rodriguez, Melany Rodriguez EDITOR Dani Hernandez
They say water holds memory, so I hold my breath.
The resurfacing potency of all that’s come and gone seeps in until I can no longer see myself clearly. I have to wonder how much longer this incessant cycle of exit and entry can go on until there is nothing left to be poured. But who would I be, apart from this stream of inflows I’ve had to let in or let go? If only it could all be erased, purifying the remnants until I’m new. I’ve closed off the channels, yet I’m still waiting to be clean.
I wished for stillness and instead found stagnation. Even then, there is a hesitation to concede to the current. This turbulence always threatened me, but here I decide I’d rather make amends with the motion.
Perhaps it couldn’t be in washing away all the discomfort that I would truly feel clear. Perhaps it may simply be a matter of removing the blockage and allowing the flow. To let the gentleness of that acceptance become movement, not just from the outside in, but from the inside out. The versions that have come and gone were all taught something, bringing me closer and closer to that truest self.
This haziness within my soul seeks balance; parts of my life that move forward also move back. Somewhere between remembering and forgetting, I began to feel a quiet pull toward stability.
There is something sacred about this space.
The version of ourselves that remains stagnant amid what once was and what could be of our lives. This moment in time where memory softens into clarity, where fear turns into motivation, where I learn that transformation doesn’t arrive like a crashing sound of thunder; it seeps in unnoticed, slowly re-tuning us for what belongs.
Water carries everything it touches yet remains itself. Maybe I’ve always been doing the same, by filtering, diffusing, dissolving the boundaries that once kept me defined. There’s beauty in this change, in realizing that control isn’t restriction but direction.
I can choose my own flow. I can open my own gates.
As I look inward, it’s less about remodeling and more about release. I let the versions of myself move through me and cross the threshold between then and now, blending and flowing like merging currents. Balance becomes an ongoing, easy rhythm and not simply a fixed goal.
Somewhere in that clarity, I find the me that isn’t a product of relentless circumstance. The me that is a product of choice. The me that doesn’t need to be still to be whole. The me that can stand in the current and feel, finally, at peace with the motion.
To become is not to abandon what came before. It is reinterpreting ourselves. To let ourselves move through and transform, until the water runs clear again.
PRODUCTIONS Nina Valdes, Ivana Major, Amari Clark, Isabella Gonzalez STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Camille Marshall, Jennifer Mai, Elsie Warwick, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Daniella Acosta, Jermaine Edwards Jr. SEAMSTRESS Isabela Jahnes
BEAUTY Vanessa Vega, Gabriella Torres-Mora NAILS Jazmin Ashley TALENT Cecelia Gutman PHOTOGRAPHERS Emma Zlotnick, Myles Roberts, Jackson Tessmer, Riley de Arcos
VIDEOGRAPHERS Elli Aristegui, Cindy Lam, Carina Herrera, Pepe Zuloaga LAYOUT Ishaa Khosla, Angie Galletti
What brought you to start painting?
Whenever I’m asked why I started creating art or where my interest comes from, it’s always really hard for me to answer because it’s just kind of always been a part of me. I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember, since I was a little kid, and it’s just kind of grown alongside me. So painting just came naturally.
What aspects of your art make it distinctively yours?
I think my love for collage and fashion because I’ve always been really into doing collages from fashion magazines, like physical ones… I love to incorporate it in my actual art. My backgrounds are very collage inspired and even my figures, I like to do like a mix of abstract and realism… I just kind of do like a mix of both and that’s how I stylize them. I feel like it’s very distinctly me.
Why do you paint?
I paint because it’s who I am. I feel like I can’t not paint; it’s just a part of me. When people meet me, they know me as Carmin who does art. Without painting, I feel like I’m not myself, so I just have to do it.
INTERVIEW WITH CARMIN BLISS
Does your art help you understand yourself better?
Yes, especially throughout the process of painting. My pieces are very personal and pull from my own life. For example, my self-portrait series has taught me a lot about myself by expressing things I wouldn’t say out loud but can through art.
What is your interpretation of the theme ‘liminal’?
Liminal to me is a personal, in-between space. I often daydream and spend hours in my head, which feels like a different world that maybe no one else can reach. This space is where I get many of my ideas and it represents my own personal transition.
How do you explore the theme of liminal in your paintings?
I created a series exploring my transition. The first painting shows how my inner voice shapes my self-perception and how I get stuck in negative thought cycles, feeling trapped in a liminal world. The second painting explores a version of myself that only exists in daydreams—a more confident, free version I wish to embody. The final painting is about finding balance and accepting all versions of myself in this uncertain, evolving liminal space.
“Creating is who I am, and I can’t create anything that isn’t authentically me. Everything I put out comes from my soul.”
Do you feel the ‘better version’ of yourself is attainable?
I think it’s something I am at times and can reach, but I’m not fully there yet. I limit myself due to confidence and fear, while that version of me is fearless and confident. It ebbs and flows, and I sometimes see it as a separate entity, though it’s really just me.
What is something you wish more people knew about you?
I wish more people knew that I’m actually very shy in real life. People often expect me to be outgoing and confident because of my art, but I express myself best through my art, not words. It takes me a while to open up, and I worry people might be disappointed if they see my introverted side
AN INTERVIEW WITH CARMIN BLISS
What do you want people to take away from your art?
I want people to think and find meaning in my art. My paintings are personal and meant to provoke thought. I want viewers to interpret them in their own way and relate them to their own lives, whether the reaction is positive or negative, as long as it means something to them.
How actualized do you feel as a creative?
Very actualized. Creating is who I am, and I can’t create anything that isn’t authentically me. Everything I put out comes from my soul, especially my recent self-portrait work, which feels like me poured out on a canvas.
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Julia Clifford, Marrcela Nieves PHOTOGRAPHERS
Tanner Hirten WRITER Marcela Nieves LAYOUT Ryan Hanek, Angie Galletti
SHOOT DIRECTORS Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford SHOOT ASSISTANTS Mia
Rosilia SHOOT STAFF Jade Lichtenstein, Anna Conway, Carmin Bliss, Daniella Giron, Shannon Kern PRODUCTIONS Ivana Major, Tara Calambakkam, Amari Clark
A Dance Of Dualities
WRITER Alexia Cretoiu EDITORS Daniela Mendoza, Dani Hernandez
In the space just below perception, where one breathes but does not yet see, a threshold exists. It is the quiet pause between what was and what is becoming, where identity does not yet speak but moves softly, almost imperceptibly. Transformation here is subtle: petals unfurl in darkness, fungi cast a faint glow beneath the soil. The self is less a fixed form than an ecosystem: rooted, regenerating, shifting through cycles of emergence and retreat.
To exist in this threshold is to witness the interplay of opposites. Light and shadow, growth and decay, joy and grief, all moving in a silent, symbiotic rhythm. The yin of darkness feeds the yang of light, and the yang of ambition softens into the yin of surrender. Every bloom holds a touch of rot, and every shadow guards a spark. The smallest filament of fungus mirrors this balance, quietly breaking down the old to feed new life, tracing invisible networks beneath the surface. Each fragment of identity, loss, memory, and desire is composted into fertile ground, reminding us that decay and growth are inseparable. Too much yin stagnates the spirit; too much yang scotches it. The threshold teaches that these forces are not enemies but partners, each holding a seed of the other, each necessary for the other’s existence.
Even in our darkest moments, a spark of possibility endures, and even at our brightest, a quiet shadow still follows. Life and death, pain and joy, stillness and motion flow into each other, neither seeking to dominate, each shaping the contours of the other. Balance is not a static equation of halves but a practice, knowing when to yield, when to rise, when to let the shadow deepen so the light can burn brighter. Each step across this threshold becomes a meditation on duality: recognizing that sorrow enriches understanding, that elation teaches humility, that beginnings emerge from endings.
The threshold is a quiet ecosystem of selfhood. Each encounter, a bloom, a spore, a hidden filament, is both a lesson and a mirror. She walks among them, tracing their delicate interconnections. Slowly, she discovers that the self is porous, symbiotic, alive in flux. Fungi glow with a fluorescent light, illuminating pathways that were previously unseen. Transformation does not follow a straight line. It moves in circles, spiraling through darkness and light, surrender and assertion, loss and gain. At times, the journey pauses, lingering in a shadow before lifting again into clarity.
Crossing this threshold means recognizing the impermanence of self and understanding that every part of one’s identity has the potential to contribute to wholeness. Here, peace is found not in completion but in the reverence of becoming: in learning to flow with yin and yang, to cultivate light in shadow and shadow in light, to recognize that every ending is the germ of a beginning, every loss the soil of growth. In the limen, transformation is not conquest but communion, a luminous balance of opposites, where the self is rooted, connected, and endlessly alive.
STYLING TEAM Nicole Jaroscak, Marcela Nieves, Julia Clifford, Bela Jahnes, Elsie Warwick, Katherine Davis, Sasha Viouchkov, Sienna Paras, Daniella Acosta SEAMSTRESS Elsie Warwick, Valerie Zuloaga
BEAUTY Nicole Jaroscak, Julia Clifford NAILS Jazmin Ashley TALENT Makenna Mithcell, Bailey Furman
PHOTOGRAPHERS Riley de Arcos, Hannah Tranle, Jackson Tessmer
VIDEOGRAPHERS Cindy Lam, Chris Lopez, Pepe Zuloaga LAYOUT Micaela Socha, Angie Galletti
A Parting Gift
WRITER/EDITOR MN
I don’t think I’ll ever stop questioning it all. I find the concrete consequences of the abstract fascinating. Though to tell the truth, I’ve found much of my questioning to be in vain. In search for answers, I’ve been met with contradictions. We take their shape on opposite sides somewhere.
We’ve been here for as long as I can remember. I didn’t know why that was. Your proximity threatened me. I believed this space was meant to be abandoned. I pulled away but you continued to cast a shadow on my every thought. The further I strayed, the stronger your presence. Everything around me could have changed and yet you remained, unyieldingly waiting for the right moment to pull me back in.
It’s clear to me now that you and I are bound by this space for a reason. I only exist for you, as you do for me. We didn’t ask for this but I know now this is necessary. New questions take the place of the old:
How can I look you in the eye, see through you, see with you?
We stand in silence for some time. At last, you open your mouth to speak but my voice rings in my ears. It’s distorted; a slightly higher frequency, less aged. As I listen, a sense of ease washes over me. The weight of your pull lessens as the light dims and all goes dark.
You and I are bound by this space so I will do everything I can to protect it.
I hope you will too.
liminal
Liminal is an invitation to meet at the cusp of consciousness. It depicts a transitional space that allows us to expand on personal truths and the implications that adorn them. Through this introspection, we revisit defining moments and expose the tacit duality that exists within them. An invasive yet necessary dissection of memory and identity, liminal seeks to challenge the perceptions we’ve long held about the creation of ourselves and the world that embraces us.
ISSUE 18
ECLIPSED TAKEOVER LIMINAL LIMEN
VIDEOS
