Strike Magazine Volume Eight

Vol. 8

CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE CONTENT Articles / Photoshoots / Videography / Merchandise

INSTAGRAM / @STRIKEMAGAZINE WEBSITE / WWW.STRIKEMAGAZINES.COM FACEBOOK / @STRIKEMAGAZINE.COLLECTIVE

STRIKING / ADJECTIVE: ATTRACTING ATTENTION BY REASON OF BEING UNUSUAL, EXTREME, OR PROMINENT.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

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Being EIC of Strike has been the zenith of my college career, I can never thank all of you enough for allowing me the lifechanging privilege of leading this staff.

EDITOR’S LETTER I am a planner, I like to focus on the bigger picture and work towards a defined goal. My driven attitude has allowed me to thrive at Strike Magazine where I am surrounded by like-minded, passionate creatives. I have dreamed of writing this Editor’s Letter since joining the staff my sophomore year and have spent hours upon hours fantasizing what our staff could accomplish. Needless to say, I never imagined I would be in charge during a global pandemic or turbulent political season. Going into this semester was nerve-racking; how am I supposed to lead this staff during this unprecedented time where every day it feels like a new curveball is thrown?

Ultimately, that’s what we hope to portray is this issue. The journey of getting to that metaphorical peak, whether it be getting that trophy or leading the charge for social justice or printing a magazine or just getting through the day and so much more, we hope to capture that climax through the lens of our collegiate creatives.

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”

Being EIC of Strike has been the zenith of my college career, I can never thank all of you enough for allowing me the lifechanging privilege of leading this staff. I am immensely proud of all we have accomplished this semester in spite of the odds. I want to thank every one of our talented staffers for your dedication to this publication and for all of the hard work you have put in this semester. To our Directors, Addie, Alexis, Amy, Audrey, Clara, Gabriela, Helen, Lauren, Lily, Lyra, Nichole, Sara and Tabitha, thank you for putting forth 110% effort and working endlessly with your individual teams to produce stunning content that allows us to stand out as a publication. To our Leadership Board, Emily and Anna, this magazine would not be what it is without both of you, thank you for always listening to my lengthy voice memos and bringing your vision to Strike.

To all of you reading this issue and our digital content, thank you for supporting Strike and I hope you enjoy.

PRODUCTIONS DIRECTOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

leadership From COVID-19 to the BLM movement to climate change, it seems as if life has reached its Climax, striking inspiration for this issue’s theme. As a publication, we strive to stay relevant, acknowledging and adapting to our surroundings. In this volume, we present to you a synthesis of photoshoots and articles that tie into the overarching theme of Climax.

My feature shoot, and the cover photo for this volume, was inspired by Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, as I consider the painting to be the most represented work of art from the Renaissance period. Like a Virgin details the intimate vulnerability of the loss of innocence. Female empowerment through sexuality is explored in our beauty feature, Bearing Fruit. Female Revolution recognizes the intensity of feminist protest while paying homage to the iconic fashion of the 70s. Chasm brings to life the metaphorical peak and discusses struggles that minorities face in this nation. In The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes, we drew inspiration from the psychedelic 60s, visualizing a “trip” experience.

What It Takes to Be Great follows the story of three Olympic-level synchronized swimmers, expressing the intensity of achieving such high goals. In our videography feature, The Divine Self, we explored the balance between nature and self through film. Old Hollywood is inspired by the legendary Audrey Hepburn and Marylin Monroe, representing the height of the film industry through the eyes of two of the most recognizable actresses of all time. Finally, our Sexual Liberation in Pop Culture shoot was inspired by Miley Cyrus and dives into the liberation of artists through their music.

As Creative Director, I feel truly honored to work alongside such incredibly creative minds and am looking forward to another strong semester in the Spring. I can’t thank our dedicated staff members enough for their passion and creativity that they poured into this semester’s issue.

This semester’s task of producing a magazine from start to finish in a pandemic was something this staff took on without thinking twice. Everyone from advertising to events to shoot team to beauty and everything in between showed up, even in such an uncertain, anxious time. From shifting to virtual casting to countless emails, zooms, audio messages, and group texts, we did it!

To the models in this magazine and in digital - thank you! You are at the core of our vision for Strike and we couldn’t do any of this without you.

We knew from the beginning we wanted diverse, strong, empowered models to bring this idea of climax to life, and I believe we did just that.

Savannah and Emily - thank you for being not only hard-working boss ladies but great friends and creative geniuses. Here is the culmination of creativity, resilience, and a whole lot of love by an extra ordinary team. I couldn’t be more proud to be on Strike next to such amazing humans.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 07 13 14 21 29 30 31 41 50 51 55 63 64 65 71 73 81 5

LIKE A VIRGIN 2020: BLOOMING BEHIND THE SCENES BEARING FRUIT FEMALE REVOLUTION A NEW GENERATION OF VOTERS HOW DO YOU VISUALIZE CLIMAX? CHASM JUST BREATHE LONG DISTANCE LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID WHAT IT TAKES TO BE GREAT BIRTH OF VENUS THE DIVINE SELF A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY AS GOOD AS GOLD THE GIRL WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES ALREADY PEAKED OLD HOLLYWOOD SEXUAL LIBERATION IN POP CULTURE

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EDITOR IN CHIEF: Savannah Tindall CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Emily Russell PRODUCTIONS DIRECTOR: Anna Barger

EXTERNAL DIRECTOR: Sara Sanfilippo FINANCE DIRECTOR: Lauren Kacperski

GRAPHIC DIRECTOR: Audrey Estupinan GRAPHICS ASSISTANT: Taylor Moreno

FINANCE ASSISTANT: Fatima Hamad

GRAPHIC TEAM MEMBERS: Emily Boden,Tiffany

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nichole Dere ADVERTISING ASSISTANT: Sarah Morris ADVERTISING TEAM MEMBERS: Alexa Casanueva, MarySylvia Hinnant, Cordelia Seymour, Blakely Willard, Brianna Winders

EVENTS DIRECTOR: Lyra Durr

Breen, Giana Carew, Valerie Esquivel, Abbey Fleming, Gracyn Holloway, Isabel Ionata, Sophia Villiers-Furze

LAYOUT DIRECTOR: Gabriela Llanes LAYOUT TEAM MEMBERS: Lauren Horner,

Gabriela Kaisier, Martha Mendoza, Lily Riopelle

EVENTS TEAM MEMBERS: Ally Hettenbach,

SHOOT TEAMS: Caroline Dejtiar, Mary

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR: Addie Hearn

BEAUTY DIRECTOR: Helen Trawick

Peyton Pattillo, Jacob Richards

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM MEMBERS: Hannah Aldrige, Elise Anderson, Haley Hansen, Cristina Reyes

MERCHANDISE DIRECTOR: Clara Trednick

DeLorenzo, Reese Hafner, Heaven Le, Colby Milchin, Jonathan Santos

BEAUTY TEAM MEMBERS: Cameron Fricke, Cara Longstreth, Rebecca Short, Abby Wright

WRITING DIRECTOR: Tabitha Labrato

MERCHANDISE TEAM MEMEBERS: Alexandra

WRITING EDITORS: Lexi Fernandez, Joey

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR: Lily Fox

WRITERS: Alyson Brinkley, Grace Castilow,

Dabage, Katherine Morgan, Natalie Pearson

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Alejo Rodriguez PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM MEMBERS:

Abigail Blascovich, Carah Gedeon, Karina Lago, Layla Matthews, Michelle Poreh, Samantha Crown

Flanagan

Alyssa Cuevas, Anna DeJonge, Kayla Gallagher, Faith Matson, Rebecca McCandless, Rachel Phillis, Roxy Rico, Ellie Rill, Cali Robins, Annamarie Simoldoni, Tatum Swanson, Melek Turkmen

DIGITAL DIRECTOR: Amy Dantin

VIDEOGRAPHER DIRECTOR: Alexis Poulos

DIGITAL ASSISTANT: Diane Fish

VIDEOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Sara Fuenmayor

DIGITAL TEAM MEMBERS: Nia Alexander, Catalina

VIDEOGRAPHY TEAM MEMBERS: Libby Bekins,

Joann Mauricette, Alexandria Pagan, Colin Reilly, Lexi Delgado

Correa, Alessandra Cruz, Leah Davis, Karina McCarthy, Jade Sievers, Ansely Stevens, Sydney Tindall

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Like a Virgin DIRECTOR MARY DELORENZO PHOTOGRAPHER SAMMY CROWN LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES MODEL ELLEN KILBY

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2020: BLOOMING BEHIND THE SCENES WRITTEN BY ALYSON BRINKLEY

It’s hard to look at 2020 objectively and see what could blossom from such darkness. It would be arduous to say if anything could survive the dust storm of negativity that nearly swallowed the nation whole this year. With that being said, there are a multitude of things that have come to light and begun to bloom behind the scenes.

Cooped up in the house for the duration of the spring and summer months, our skin longed for some Vitamin D. To supplement the days that we were missing at the beach, a lot of us decided to see if we had a green thumb. There was a type of unity in the loneliness we felt over the course of those five months, and many people sought an outlet for nurture and care that they could not have fulfilled in their personal relationships that were put on hold. Since quarantine, the sale of houseplants saw a significant surge.

Compared to 2018, TheLocalGardener estimated that there was a 17.6% increase in sales at garden centers across the country. If venturing outside was frowned upon, it seems a lot of people decided to bring the outside to them.

Additionally, studies show that the house plant serves as more than just an aesthetic appeal. NBC reported that the presence of a house plant can increase productivity by 15% and reduce overall stress levels. Since our homes quickly turned into our workspaces, this served as a huge push for some that were finding motivation sparse.

Another inordinate component of owning a house plant is the way it can trigger the brain’s reward center. Watering and monitoring a plant’s growth causes an influx of dopamine, which is associated with increased motivation, memory, attention, and regulation of body movement. Even in our darkest days, house plants can give us an overall purpose to get out of bed in the morning. It became rewarding to see how ourselves can influence another living thing through our own time and care.

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This newfound relationship with greenery was also accompanied by a huge push for sustainability. With New York implementing a climate change clock that includes a countdown for the years, all the way down to the seconds, left before our damage to this planet is irreversible.

The clock is by two artists, Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, who want the clock to serve as a reminder to take individual responsibility to try and prevent the impending doom of global warming. Generation Z has been taking it upon themselves to change their habits that are less desirable for sustainability. From houseplants, metal straws, thrifting, and oat milk, we are seeing a collective effort to try and reverse the small habits that contribute to Earth’s potential downfall.

In a different sense of fertility, at the University of California in San Francisco, a huge leap was made in the field of women’s fertility. A fertility expert, Marcelle Cedars, stated that the end of infertility was in sight. If researchers can pinpoint the reason for ovarian aging, they may be able to prolong women’s fertility and improve reproductive and general health for women. Recent research also suggests that same-sex couple fertilization is in time’s reach. Researchers are learning how to convert skin and blood cells into stem cells, and these stem cells can then be turned into eggs or sperm. The kinks of these technicalities are still being worked out in the safety of the process, but this advancement is in their peripherals.

2020 has been pretty gloomy for the majority of the world. However, when peeling back a layer of tragedy, there were some pockets of light, growth, and flourishment.

Drastic actions are being taken towards securing a more sustainable planet as well as fertility that invites progress through a variety of solutions.

BEARING fruit DIRECTOR HELEN TRAWICK PHOTOGRAPHER LILY FOX BEAUTY AND MODELS CAMERON FRICKE, REBECCA SHORT, CARA LONGSTRETH, ABBY WRIGHT WRITTEN BY ELLIE RILL LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES

Falling The forbidden fruit: Apples Are red Violets are blue Boys don’t like pink Unless they are Girls Are not supposed to be strong Unless they are held by A man Doesn’t define my existence – I will bloom whether they water me or not Through the body We can touch the soul I remember when He touched my blouse Like it was a page he wanted to turn But once he read to the end He realized Mystery isn’t his favorite genre

Rooting To heal the wound You must first find the root And kiss it all the way up But everyone failed to mention You must first dig And I am so tired I called out to my mother Asking for a shovel She smiled Oh darling, don’t you know?

I’ve laughed for no reason And poured like rain in the middle of April Only to sprout in May To be a woman?

A fertile garden of life In the company of flowers, we know happiness In the company of yourself, you’ll know peace

This is the recipe of life, she whispered As she picked up my wilted petals Think of those seeds you’ve planted In the garden They will enlighten you People too Must wilt Fall Root Rise In order to fully bloom It may not be your season But keep looking, she said There is god in you Can’t you feel her dancing?

Rising Rise Whispered the moon As she kissed away the stars I will see you soon child In my absence Don’t forget To walk lightly on the earth As its other creatures do Be gentle with others But most importantly Be softer on yourself The sun called out Why do you compare Your beauty to another An apple Can’t be an orange

Wrap yourself in me For I am light And where there is light There is growth This is the year of love Cause to love and be loved Is to feel the sun from both sides They say, you are what you eat -But I do not remember eating the sun

Blooming A woman who found herself?

Oh, there’s nothing more dangerous They say a cherry a day Keeps the doctor away But mine was already taken By a man with no face He found my roots Kissed them all the way up But saw my wilted petals And chose a beautiful daisy instead Rather than falling I chose to root I chose to rise I chose to bloom The golden girl bathed in water And the water turned gold -Femme Fatale

FEMALE DIRECTORS COLBY MILCHIN, REESE HAFNER PHOTOGRAPHER CARAH GEDEON BEAUTY HELEN TRAWICK, CAMERON FRICKE WRITTEN BY KAYLA GALLAGHER LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES MODELS FAITH AMERSON, NIA ALEXANDER, SHANNON OREO

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MORE THAN A DANCING QUEEN: THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE 70S AND PRESENT

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The 1970s were a time of revolutionary advances for the fashion industry, but more notably for women’s rights. Using inspiration from the Civil Right Movements success, women became increasingly vocal about their liberties.

Women were given the right to vote in 1920; however, there was a long road ahead in the fight for women’s equality.

Gender equality was the talk of the decade. This rise in feminism was referred to as “second-wave feminism,” the first being the movement for women’s suffrage. Throughout history, women have been inherently categorized as housewives or sex symbols and in the 70s, misogyny seemed to be the only thing people knew and it ignited a fire in women who wanted to fight these stereotypes.

In 1970, a woman by the name of Jane Roe filed a lawsuit, for she was denied the right to an abortion in Texas. The law at the time stated that abortions were only allowed if a doctor ordered it because the woman’s life was threatened. Roe argued that this was a violation of not only her privacy but her first, fourth, fifth, ninth, and fourteenth amendment rights.

She was denied the right to make a decision for her own body.

Her case made it all the way to the Supreme Court, which was composed of nine men. Against all odds, in 1973, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Roe, creating a monumental moment in history: giving women the right to choose. Roe v. Wade was about more than just abortion, for it was a decision that created ripples in the women’s rights movement.

This was a victory for women who had been out on the streets everyday chanting, “I am strong. I am invincible. I am a woman.” These words come from the Helen Reddy song, “I Am Woman” that was coined the unofficial anthem of the Women’s Liberation Movement. These words provided a clear call for the next generation of women to stand up and fight for themselves and they did.

Nearly four decades later, many of these trends are on the rise again. Sure, there are similar fashion trends like bell bottom jeans and suede, but the looming threat of misogyny and sexism was threatening the rights of women once again. This is the unfortunate result of our inability to address the issues that faced our society nearly fifty years ago.

While there were monumental victories such as Roe v.

Wade, there was still a long journey ahead. Women still do not receive equal pay or state supported child care. We are told that we are asking for it; that we should have covered up. It seems as though nothing has changed. The liberation during the seventies was monumental; however, in 2017, women fought the longest of battles.

The phrase “Me Too”, coined by a sexual assault survivor named Tarana Burke, resurfaced nearly three years ago.

Burke is a survivor of sexual assault and thorughout her adult career she met other women who had similar experiences who inspired her to continue in her activism. Women spoke out against sexual violence and shared their survivor stories through the hashtag #MeToo across social media platforms.

Among these survivors were public figures like news anchors, models, actresses, and many others. Women marched hand-in-

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hand against their oppressors, demanding that their voices be heard.

On the same day of the presidential inauguration, the voices of women rang across the nation. Women marched the streets of Washington D.C. and other cities across the nation for the first Women’s March. At this moment, women took back what was rightfully theirs, fighting against our overly misogynistic society, serving as a parallel to the women of the 70s.

On September 18th, 2020, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a pioneer for women’s rights, passed away. She paved the way for the generations of women to come, and, without her, the women of the 1970s would not have stood a chance. Her death left a hole in the hearts of feminists across the nation and an open seat on the Supreme Court.

With the possible ending of the Trump Administration this election season, filling the Supreme Court seat became a top priority of the President. Many of Ginsburg’s colleagues spoke out saying that she would have wanted them to wait until after the election to nominate and approve and new justice; however, within several weeks, the president nominated Amy Coney Barrett, someone who is fundamentally the polar opposite of RBG and poses a threat to reproduction rights, Roe V Wade, government-subsidized health care, and so much more, to fill her seat.

With Amy Coney Barret’s confirmation by the United States Senate in the middle of early voting and only eight days before November 3rd, the call to action is now stronger and louder than ever. This regression has the potential to set back women’s rights for years to come, but that does not mean it is going to happen. Women must continue their fight.

We must push forward, no matter the difficulty of what lies in wait. The women of the 70s marched across the nation to secure our freedom, and they must not be taken away. It is time that we stand tall and use our voice to empower one another as we fight for what is right. Whether it be the right to choose what we do with our bodies or the right to the same paycheck as our male peers, the time is now. Silence enables the oppressor. We are strong.

We are invincible. We are women.

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A NEW GENERATION OF VOTERS WRITTEN BY TATUM SWANSON

I was a few months shy of being eligible to vote in the 2016 presidential election. That night, I watched the votes flood in favor of the wrong side of history felt similar to what I would imagine drowning feels like. Time stood still and all I could do was stare at my television screen, breathing hard for air that had suddenly grown stickily thick.

The four years that followed were tumultuous: school shooting after school shooting, sexual assault case after sexual assault case, hate crime after hate crime, political scheme after political scheme — the list goes on.

Until now.

So far, over ninety million citizens have voted either in person or by mail, and of those who voted, 45.9% are democratic voters and 30.1% are republican voters. Other statistics are showing that this election cycle is expected to see a 63% voter turnout among young Americans ages 18-29 years old. These numbers are comparable to the data recorded during the 2008 presidential election that resulted in the victory of Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

These young people who are voting for the first time have concerns about the road we are headed down.

It includes the brave women and men who stepped forward to say that they, too, have been victims of sexual assault after the conviction of Harvey Weinstein. It includes all of the students who marched for their lives after the gruesome shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The student Dreamers whose applications are continuously threatened and merit deportation after supreme court discussions. All of the enraged mourners who took to the streets yearning for justice and chanting that Black Lives Matter. Every American who lives has changed drastically by COVID-19, whether it be from isolation, endless shifts at a hospital, or an empty chair at the dinner table.

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community whose rights to

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equally recognized marriage have the potential to be revoked. Students leaving their classrooms, signs in hand, to raise proper awareness of the threats of climate change that will be their burden to bear. Indigenous people whose sacred land is being disrespected and built upon. It’s a stand against people who utilize technology as a way to spread misinformation while pointing the finger and shout fake news when facts don’t favor them.

It includes all of us.

These young people who are voting for the first time have the potential to alter the course of this election. Those feelings of hopelessness have been repurposed into tangible actions toward change.

So, we’ve started with education. We’ve taken note of each act of abused power. We’ve spoken out at instances of negligence. We’ve registered to vote. We’ve requested our vote-by-mail ballots and returned them early. We’ve watched the debates on television. We’re encouraging our communities to do the same.

As we’re putting our pens to the ballots for the very first time, everything about the last four years has screamed, urged, and demanded change. This feeling of being part of a cause much greater than ourselves is simultaneously awe-inspiring and overwhelming but in the best possible way. This newfound sense of personal responsibility is foreign, yet we are all willing to rise to the challenge.

By the time you read this, the election has come to a close. As we anxiously await the results, we hope the beginning steps toward positive change have started by the time the pages of this issue are turned. Regardless of the election’s outcome, this generation of voters will never stop pursuing change and advocating for our basic human rights. May this election be our generation’s first step.

HOW DO YOU VISUALIZE CLIMAX? DESIGN CREDITS IN ORDER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AUDREY ESTUPINAN, ISABEL IONATA, EMILY BODEN, ABBEY FLEMING, GRACYN HOLLOWAY, AUDREY ESTUPINAN, SOPHIA VILLIERS, TAYLOR MORENO, VALERIE ESQUIVEL, GIANA CAREW

CHASM DIRECTOR SAVANNAH TINDALL PHOTOGRAPHER LILY FOX BEAUTY ABBY WRIGHT, REBECCA SHORT WRITTEN BY TABITHA LABRATO LAYOUT DESIGN BY LAUREN HORNER MODELS MARIA DE JESUS AND RAVEN HENRY

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“W

e’re definitely close to the climax. I think that we’re building up to it and we are not at the climax yet, but we’re just about to reach it. There have been a lot of efforts propelling the issues that we are seeing come forth. We have really built up a lot of momentum because of all the different events that have happened and they felt like they were happening back to back. Unfortunately, the reality is that they still are happening back to back, but we just don’t know their names; there wasn’t a phone and it wasn’t recorded, but it still happened and it was still a Black life.” -Maria De Jesus As if hatred is a disease that is more dangerous than any infection and too difficult to cleanse from the veins of any patient, it resides within the systems of our very country. Systematic racism is a form of racist practice that is embedded as “normal” within our society and countless organizations. This creates a vicious cycle of discrimination in criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, and education.

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As Black Americans live their lives under these pretenses, they are asked to overcome more obstacles than the average person, simply due to the pigment of their skin.

When asked what it means to be a womxn of Color, Maria De Jesus replied that being a womxn of color means: “I have to get my foot in the door” and that she has to work a lot harder than her compatriots just because of the systems that are in place. Institutional racism serves as a strong force in the United States that has spread profusely through the bloodstreams of Americans and built-up tensions throughout our nation’s history. Passing from one mouth to another, this contagious germ has seeped into the brains of employers, office officials, educators, healthcare providers, and political leaders, poisoning them into viewing other humans of equal capacity with clouded judgement; victims of the disease of hate base their opinions off of preconceived, false notions, crafted long before their time. America is under an attack from the inside-outward, contaminating the souls of those who are the victims of such a foul disease of the mind.

Our generation is currently experiencing civil rights history in real-time, so powerful and climatic that every future textbook will include this colossal moment in our country’s history. The Black Lives Matter movement, first launched in 2013 as a result of the fatal arrest of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, is one of the largest movements in U.S. history, as many accredited news sources have since reported. Earlier this year, the world’s heart broke when a video of 46-year-old George Floyd was killed as a Minnesota cop pressed his knee upon his neck until expiration. Having caused a ripple of change to spread across social media in May, protests began to erupt not only in the heart of Minneapolis but across the globe, as well. After so many years of rising tensions, it had all heightened and led up to this moment in time.

“Racism is rampant, and people don’t know how to accept that that’s a part of the life that we have to live with and learn to deal with,” De Jesus continued.

Recent research conducted by the Crowd Sourcing Consortium revealed that 15 million to 26 million people in the United States have participated in George Floyd-related protests. On June 6th, at least 50,000 people showed up in Philadelphia to protest, 20,000 in Chicago’s Union Park, and 10,000 people on the Golden Gate Bridge. There has been an average of 140 protests per day across the United States since May 26th, 2020. When asked what the Black Lives Matter Movement is truly about, Miles Feacher, a strong advocate for social justice at FSU, shared how this movement is so much more than analytics, though, and means so much more to those involved than simply attending a protest.

“I want people to not see Black Lives Matter as a quote or an organization but as the cries for awareness from mil-

lions of people that are saying enough is enough. Saying my Black life matters is an affirmation and act of resistance to a society that tells me I deserve death without due process,” he continued.

In order to continue to support the cause and express themselves, creatives within the Black community continue to share their artistic abilities and visions with the world, as the models and actors within this shoot have demonstrated, and they are held to a higher standard to use their followings and influences to fight against social injustices.

Raven Henry, a model and actor, shared that it’s important for creatives to use their platforms in order to speak out against and inform others of the injustices that society needs to address. However, many activists also felt as if creatives’ platforms are not the largest matter at hand. For example, Mile Feacher, a creative and activist local to Tallahassee, shared that he “doesn’t think that it’s important for Black creatives to use their platforms more than it’s important for people to listen to Black creatives and uplift their art.”

Emerging out of the hatred and injustice that is practiced within the institutions in which we were created, this generation rose to the occasion and demonstrated a true comradery within races; people became tethered despite the divide.

“Black people, White people, Asian people, the Latinx community: seeing so many people from so many different places being like ‘No, we’re all angry’ was so important because this has all been happening right under our noses and the time had come for people to speak up and choose to support,” explains Maria De Jesus.

However, they were not the only person to feel invigorated by the caring spirits within the community.

Raven Henry also felt that it was really inspiring to see all of the people participating in protests, using art to share stories, and social media to spread information about the movement. “Knowing that there are so many people who are ready to speak out and act against hate makes me feel like there’s still a lot of hope for humanity,” he continued.

In the midst of a global pandemic that has disproportionately impacted people of color, leading to an economic downturn that has also unfairly affected people of color, we are now confronting, once again, the vicious racism and violence that is embedded in American culture. As we, as Americans, continue to find a cure to the infected hearts of those who inflict discriminate against beloved members of our communities and societies, we must reflect on this moment in time as a turning point in our history; we must choose which side of history we want to be on and view this as an attack upon human rights, rather than a simple matter of politics.

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DIRECTORS JONATHAN SANTOS, CAROLINE DEJTIAR PHOTOGRAPHER KARINA LAGO BEAUTY ABBY WRIGHT WRITTEN BY CALI ROBINS LAYOUT DESIGN BY LAUREN HORNER MODEL RAMONE NELSON

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just breathe In all honesty, most of my thinking is done before the sun comes up. My brain whispers for me to wake up, and despite my protests, I find myself peeking open into the darkness. I lay in bed longer than I should; getting up means meeting expectations. Even now, there are expectations. No one expects me to be awake.

Is anyone awake?

I do not bother checking my phone; it will only aid the ache of anxiety in my chest. I should not be awake; no one should. When you do not address the anxiety, you do not know that the things you wake up to are not normal. It is not normal for your body to ache the way mine does; people who do not suffer never have to ponder what is making them so very tired.

Breathe, close my eyes, try to ignore the impending clicks that will soon be the booming of my alarm.

By the time I rise out of bed, I attempt to wash away the exhausted look in my eyes, ignoring the bags that feel heavy beneath them. Purple and blue little crescent-shaped gossips that are happy to tell the world about how I am

repulsed by counting sheep. How can I sleep soundly with all that is going on? So much, so much that my shoulders feel like they have to carry all alone. As if I can fix the issues of the world all on my own.

COVID-19, this virus that everyone and no one is talking about. Everyone said quarantine was the perfect opportunity to work on those long-standing projects that you never got to during the bustle of work. It is supposed to be a reprieve, a moment of clarity in the chaos.

Is it, though?

I cannot look at my projects anymore; guilt gnaws deep inside of me. It settles, worming its way beneath the bed of my fingernails, my toes, my eyes. I feel it everywhere, pushing and making my skin feeling itchy and overly tight.

Breathe, close my eyes, try to ignore the shame from my inability to seize what everyone tells me is a gift.

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Roommates are awake by now. Everything is slightly easier to manage when it is not so silent when it is not only me in a quiet room with my overactive conscience. We are all stuck in this house, praying that the hours pass quickly.

Some days, days like today, even their presence isn’t exactly what I need. That itch under my skin is back; it makes my chest tight. They both work, and soon enough, their faces appear and vanish like ghosts. If ghosts were here in this house, then would at least be an excuse for this anxiety making my chest so tight.

Is this normal?

With everything going on, I can’t help thinking that this is the calm before the storm, like there’s this looming danger on the horizon. It simmers there, threatening to press me down into the dark and the dirt. It is like trying so hard to crest that hill that grows taller and taller. I can’t get to the top. I can’t catch my breath.

Breathe, close my eyes, try to ignore the way that the tide threatens to sweep you under the tow of it.

I told them, well, I told someone. It did not fix me, but there was this moment where the weight was lifted off of my shoulders. Putting my thoughts into words helped.

There is so much to worry about. Everything whirlwinds around me, and it feels as though I am fighting for my life.

They told me that I am not the only one feeling that way.

The silence is momentarily at bay, and they made sure that I knew to reach out whenever I needed it. A reassurance that I am not a burden to those around me.

Breathe, close your eyes, try and remember that you are not alone. Reach out, for so many people are happy to help.

These times are drawing us to the peak of mental health discussions. We’re at a climactic moment in our culture, and our mental health is becoming the forefront of the movement. So many of us have been stuck inside, letting silence eat away at us. COVID-19, the election, and Black Lives Matter seem like issues we all must tackle on our own. Break the cycle you are stuck in, break your routines: a sudden yoga session, or a spontaneous run, turning your speaker up so loud and singing as no one can hear you. The same goes for breaking the negative cycles with the election and BLM: think of the good things, think of the change that we all need to see, write a journal of the way things need to change, and make a way to implement these changes. It can take time and patience, but don’t let the anxiety break you from reaching out to change a life, be it your own or someone else’s life.

No one is weak for seeking help; it is not something to shy away from out of shame. We’re together, and you’re not alone. Take a moment and reach out to friends or family as much as you can. If you can’t, please keep these resources close.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America (240-485-1001) The Suicide Prevention Hotline (800-273-8255) The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (888-333-2377) Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (800826-3632) Treatment and Research Advancements for Borderline Personality Disorder (888-482-7227)

LONG DISTANCE LOVE in the Time of COVID-19 WRITTEN BY REBECCA MCCANDLESS I still remember the last night we spent together before he left. We visited our favorite Pho restaurant, bingewatched our favorite TV show, and shared our same inside jokes for the thousandth time. After three years together, we had reached the level of comfort where we could spend hours doing nothing with each other and still be content.

At the time, we did not know it was going to happen; he was just leaving to visit his parents for the holidays. He would be back in a few weeks, at most. But even then, I had a heavy feeling of uncertainty in my stomach. Something felt wrong. I did not want to let him go.

He was supposed to return the weekend before I left for the start of my school’s spring semester. Clearly, things did not go as we planned. When I received the text, I was eating lunch with some friends. It was hard to swallow past the lump in my throat. I was anxiously awaiting his text to let me know he was coming home. South Carolina is a sixhour drive, and I wanted him back before night fell. When my phone buzzed, I could not open it fast enough.

But, instead of the text saying, “I’m on my way home,” the words “I’m never leaving” glowed back at me.

That was before the virus hit, so it was not necessarily difficult to stay in touch. He visited me on Valentine’s day, making the six-hour drive to spend fewer than forty-eight hours with me. We made plans for him to visit on my birthday, March 28.

“We’ll only have to wait another month. I won’t let us stay apart longer than a month.”

A lot transpired between February 14th and March 28th to prevent that from happening. States closed down their borders, and people were confined within their homes.

March 28th came and went, and there was still no solution.

We still spent time with each other. Silly things like Netflix Party, which allowed us to still binge-watch our favorite show together, and FaceTime calls whenever possible helped to make the gap feel a little bit smaller. Even so, we just craved being in each other’s presence.

Eventually, the frequency of these “virtual dates” gradually declined until they stopped altogether. We got caught up in our own lives; it was nobody’s fault.

When the weather warmed up for summer, escaped re-

ality at a family cabin only two short hours away from where he lives. He managed to clear his schedule for a couple of days.

The night before I was supposed to leave, he sent a text, saying, “I’m afraid that I am not the same person that you fell in love with.”

And just like that, the heavy feeling was back. It sent the cogs in my mind whirring, does that mean his feelings have changed too?

But it all changed when I saw him again. I will never forget what it felt like to run into his arms for the first time in months. To physically touch him, breathe in his scent, run my fingers through that dark, unruly hair. And we were happy for the two days that was had together.

But then it was over again.

“I’m coming home for my birthday. You’ll see me again in less than a month.”

A lot happened in less than a month. If I had known that final kiss would be the last kiss, maybe I would have savored it more.

The world is just too complicated, too sad, to try and maintain a long-distance relationship that hovers at our fingertips, just far enough that we can’t reach it.

We’ve changed in each other’s absence. As much as we wanted it to work out, it seems that right now just is not our time.

Of course, this isn’t to say that long-distance relationships can’t work out. A friend of mine was able to maintain her relationship while she was in New York and he was in Florida. She’d go months without seeing him, and now they have moved in together, and are happy in the life they’ve created.

But they had an end in sight. They knew that she’d be able to move back in a year or so. All relationships are different, that’s just something you have to accept.

And mine needs more.

We still love each other. I still feel that same connection to him that I felt the very first time he said my name.

And he still sends me “I love you” voice memos so I can hear his voice.

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DIRECTOR HEAVEN LE PHOTOGRAPHER ABIGAIL BLASCOVICH BEAUTY CARA LONGSTRETH WRITTEN BY LEXI FERNANDEZ LAYOUT DESIGN BY LAUREN HORNER MODELS HADLEY BOUCHLAS, CLAIRE LALLY, HANNAH SCHREER

What It Takes to Be Great June 3rd, 2020 7:00 A.M. As the familiar sound of my alarm clock sounds throughout the room, I can’t help but feel utterly annoyed.

Ever since I was young, I loathed morning people. I hover my finger over the snooze button, convinced that five extra minutes never hurt anybody. I find myself reminded that this is one of the many defining moments that separates normalcy from greatness. I choose greatness every time. With that, I rise to the occasion and force myself from the comfort, the safety, that is my bed. As I gaze blankly at the four walls of my bedroom, an aged memory disrupts the peacefulness of the silent light glistening through the windows.

Suddenly, I was twelve years old again, facing the wrath that is my synchronized swimming instructor.

“You, young lady, are very ungrateful,” he said. He wasn’t entirely wrong; I did not have the slightest ounce of appreciation for the lessons my mother paid for by the day. I regularly dragged my feet through the entrance to the pool, huffing dramatically as I took my sweet time in putting on my swim cap and goggles on the bench. “You never take the extra step. You never go beyond your comfort zone.”

I shrugged. “You don’t recognize the talent you have, and pretty soon, you’ll amount to nothing short of a failure.” He was a big fan of the word failure, regardless of its impact on my motivation. I can’t help but laugh to myself at the thought of his reaction to my success.

8:00 A.M. After preparing my usual breakfast of bland egg whites, I suited up for yet another never-ending day of training. Today is already difficult. The drive to my training facility felt particularly lonesome, with nothing but a vacant seat beside me. Nevertheless, I entered the building with my head held high, my feet as light as air. My trainer greeted me with a warm smile and a pat on the shoulder. How I felt today did

not matter; it was time to get one step closer to greatness.

Together, we spent five hours stretching, running, and practicing the routine until we reached perfection. In the moments when fatigue crept in, I told myself, “Remember why you’re here. No excuses.”

1:00 P.M. My mood always seems to improve after a land drilling session. I did an exceptional job today, and there’s no denying it. Positive reinforcements. I chose to spice things up for lunch today, putting together a delicious garlic-lemon salmon as opposed to the typical chicken breast. My chicken was usually dry, anyway. I felt a sudden inspiration to deep-clean my kitchen, scrubbing the granite countertops until they shined and aligning every dish perfectly in their assigned cabinets. I know it seems ridiculous, but I felt at ease. My few hours of rest were usually spent mindlessly watching Reality TV as the minutes passed by until it was time to put in the work once again. I indulged in my favorite protein shake before reconnecting with my Mom on Facetime. Her face appeared brighter than usual. It had been nearly two weeks since I had seen her last. We talked about everything from boys to celebrity gossip to our latest hobbies. Not once did we mention work.

3:00 P.M. Rarely did I feel content with my achievements, but today is different. Today, I will be different. Pulling on my skin-tight bathing suit did not take nearly as much effort, for I did so with a smile. Is this what greatness feels like? Who knows. The moment I hit the water, my concerns about normalcy evaporated. I took on the role of an artist, and I told my story by gliding through the water with elegance. It’s poetic, really. Between the lyrical movements, the glittering costumes, the music, synchro-

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nized swimming is just as graceful as it is athletic. As my final moments in the pool approached, I concluded my routine with a beautiful ballet leg. As a tear shed down my cheek, the feeling of freedom overcame me. All my life, I was told to prove myself. Today I did exactly that.

December 21st, 2020 7:30 P.M. My efforts ultimately paid off when I performed in front of the Olympic judges. Anxiously, I waited hand-in-hand with my teammates, my deep purple onepiece glistening beneath the fluorescent lights. My heart pumps faster by the second as I observe the competition, putting on my best game face. This is my defining moment. Will I be average, or will I be great?

I soon realize that the event is over. Nobody outdid our performance, my performance. I catch the familiar sound of the crowd cheering as I rise to accept our award. Tears and camera flashes blur my vision as I let out a sigh of relief. In this moment, I am appreciative.

Above all, I am appreciative of the swimming lessons and my former coach. Yes, the one who called me a failure. He, of all people, taught me that it is okay to fall. It’s whether or not you choose to use your gift to the best of your ability that matters.

Suddenly, I viewed the world in the brightest of colors.

The weight on my shoulders that once threatened to make me stumble was lifted; I felt as light as air. The greatest achievements are often fueled by doubt and determination to be remembered. I reached my climax, which is something that nearly every athlete strives for. We are in complete control of our decisions and how others remember us or don’t. After today, I am someone worth remembering for years to come as a result of my choices.

Today, I chose to be great.

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DIRECTOR EMILY RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHER LILY FOX BEAUTY HELEN TRAWICK, CAMERON FRICKE WRITTEN BY JOEY FLANAGAN LAYOUT DESIGN BY LAUREN HORNER MODEL SHAMS DAUOD

BIRTH of

VENUS

As time passes, the idea of what is considered “beautiful” or the “standard of beauty” has gone back and forth between many diverse looks. From the voluptuous shapes of the Renaissance period to super skinny supermodels of the 2000s, we are finally starting to see a spectrum of shapes and looks be celebrated. Between the progression in fashion, makeup products, and digital technology, the new standard of beauty has become so unnatural to what was idolized years ago. But this past year may be starting to reveal how unhappy we are with our edited selves, and ultimately is redefining what is beautiful.

The Renaissance period flourished with rediscovery and deep passion for the arts, literature, philosophical thought, and overall, social and technological innovation.

By the late 15th century, Europe was delighted by the works of Sandro Botticelli, for the Birth of Venus became his most iconic piece. With the rise in humanistic thought, the idea that a person can live and make choices for the good of themselves without the interference of religious or supernatural thought, art began to express a different perspective not translated in society prior.

The Birth of Venus concentrates on the presence of the goddess of love, being ascended by a shell. Hora, the goddess of spring, awaits to provide a covering, a mantle, to Venus’ bare skin. To her left is the Greek god, Zephyr, and Aura, who both blow ever so lightly to steer the covering away from Venus. This painting is crucial to the perception of women not just because Venus is naked, but because Botticelli chose to depict a mythical female body over a Christian’s. Prior to this painting, we saw most artists depict more modest women of religious morality or even just men. But with the allusion to Venus, Botticelli wanted to show the people how they frequently shame the female anatomy rather than praising it for its natural

beauty. This shame can be symbolized by the covering that Hora is fighting the wind to provide.

Through purposeful, dark outlining of her ivory-toned body, Botticelli draws the viewer’s attention so that it is hard to look away from her natural silhouette. From this, it can be interpreted that Botticelli was being purposeful with the intent to express the “ideal” woman. During this time, we would continue to see women of more natural curves depicted in paintings to represent the women that would live through this period.

Fast forward to 2020 and although we are celebrating women of all different bodies and looks, there is still going to be an ever-evolving change in the ideal silhouette of its time. From waist trainers to the most revealing clothing trends, young women in the past few years have worked to obtain this body type. Just as well, makeup and face tune has become so ingrained in the minds’ of young people to the extent that it is normal to digitally alter your face and body structure.

It is unfortunate to say, but it is possible that COVID-19 is shaping the way women reconsider what is ideal to them: not what the whole world thinks is perfect for them. When we were on lockdown, we stayed home: we weren’t going out and hence we weren’t worried anymore about how others perceived us. We tied our hair up, threw on our matching sweat sets, and kicked back. With nothing to post and nothing to drastically change our natural appearances for, it’s possible that we had this epiphany: it is okay to just be.

Just like how Botticelli painted Venus angelically rising from the water, we rose from the surface of our phones and became reborn again. Stepping away from our phones we became more conscious of taking care of our bodies and skin. We fell back into being comfortable with our natural self and embracing every feature of ourselves.

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DIRECTOR AND BEAUTY ALEXIS POULOS VIDEOGRAPHY TEAM MEMBERS ALEXANDRA DELGADO, COLIN REILLY, JOANN MAURICETTE, SARA FUENMAYOR, LIBBY BERKINS PHOTOGRAPHER ALEXIS POULOS AND ALEJO RODRIGUEZ LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES STYLING VADE BY VERONICA ARROYO MODEL NIA ALEXANDER

The Divine Self THE WORLD MIRRORS YOURSELF BACK TO YOU. IF YOU LOVE NOURISH AND APPRECIATE YOURSELF INTERNALLY THE WORLD WILL REFLECT IT BACK TO YOU. IT’S TIME TO UNLEASH YOUR PASSION FOR YOURSELF. WATCH THE VIDEOGRAPHY SHOOT BY SCANNING THE QR CODE.

A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY AS GOOD AS GOLD WRITTEN BY ROXY RICO AND MELEK TURKMEN

Denise Moné’s jewelry business, Mother Golden, began with an ending. In 2015, encouraged by a growing online community, Moné became interested in makeup and started practicing the art on herself. Soon, her sense of being began to fade, giving way to a growing cynicism.

“I found myself heavily lost in my identity. I had low self-esteem, I projected my anger toward others, I fell into a dark depression,” says Moné. “Eventually, something had to give.”

In December 2019, at the height of an intense period of soul-searching, Moné began crafting and selling her own jewelry with the ideas of community and entrepreneurship as her main focus.

Mother Golden’s explosive growth came as a surprise to Moné. As a newcomer to the entrepreneurial scene, Moné used influencer marketing to spread the word about her business rather than relying on a paid marketing strategy. Currently, Mother Golden has over 27,000 followers on Instagram, proving her internet-savvy approach paid off.

The organic success of her business has been thrilling, but Moné is looking to expand further, as she feels her company has not yet reached its apex. Soon, Mother Golden will dive into releasing new single collection pieces, which Moné hopes will enhance her business.

“I am looking forward to growth,” says Moné. “Growth in quality, value, community, self-confidence, customer-base, strategy, and more.”

For Moné, one of the most rewarding aspects of Mother Golden has been seeing the ability she has to touch people’s lives in ways she had not thought possible. Moné’s favorite message came from a customer who appreciated the genuine care put into Mother Golden’s packaging, given the chaos of our current reality. Moné has seen how much her jewelry can brighten her customers’ lives, allowing women

to feel beautiful outside of their comfort zone.

“I love seeing [my customers] wear and post pictures of their pieces every day. It lets me know they’re really enjoying them!” she says.

As for the current state of Mother Golden, Moné is ambivalent. “I feel like I’m in some sort of limbo period,” Moné says, adding that she wants to alter the way her company has been operating. “It’s a struggle to keep the balance between keeping the classic Mother Golden style and wanting to incorporate new things.”

While she originally wanted her work to focus on women, Moné now wants to have her jewelry function as a bridge of unity between men and women. In an effort to achieve this goal, a men’s collection is in the works at Mother Golden.

Moné’s artistic journey began as a lone venture, one in which she lost herself and her happiness. When her struggles reached their culmination, she used her artistic ability to fuel the fire of a new project. She delved into mindful practices like meditation and deep breathing to ground her sense of self in reality. After a time of great spiritual upheaval, she emerged with a changed perspective on life and art. The focus of her new craft was centered not solely on herself, but on what she could offer to her community.

Mother Golden exemplifies the power of art as a community experience. In the process of building her business, Moné has cultivated her self-worth and allowed others to recognize their own.

“Day by day, I open and deepen more,” she says.

“I’m enjoying the evolution. It’s a lot to touch on, but I’m happy with myself, with life, and [with] the experiences of it all.”

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THE GIRL WITH DIRECTORS CAROLINE DEJTIAR, JONATHAN SANTOS PHOTOGRAPHER LAYLA MATTHEWS BEAUTY REBECCA SHORT, CARA LONGSTRETH WRITTEN BY GRACE CASTILOW LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES MODELS LAURA SOUSA, JOSH EMMANUELLI

H

If you’re intrigued by the complexities of the human mind or, better yet, a college student, it is more than likely that you’ve heard of or taken an interest in psychedelics.

Known as hallucinogens, these substances can be defined as a class of psychoactives that, when taken recreationally or clinically, change and enhance sensory perceptions, mood, energy levels, thought processes and enable spiritual experiences. They range from lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), ecstasy (MDMA or molly), ololiuqui (morning glory seeds), and mescaline (peyote) and are made up of hallucinogenic compounds found within specified chemicals or plants.

For anyone who hasn’t experienced psychedelics, it would be remiss not to explain their effects on the mind, body and soul; specifically according to Verywell Mind, an online resource that provides mental health guidance with contributions from healthcare professionals and industry experts. Though Strike Magazine does not endorse their use as they are still illegal in the United States, the increasing acceptance of psychedelics in the medical field prompts the individual research of our readers.

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More commonly known as LSD, acid is a chemical hallucinogen developed from a kind of mold that grows on rye bread and was widely used in the ‘60s before it was made illegal in 1968. Use of this controlled substance is commonly referred to as an acid trip, an experience marked by visual and sensory distortions, alterations in thought processes, and often an intense sense of euphoria or heightened emotion. A single trip can last anywhere from eight to twelve hours (though this often feels longer) and may even affect one’s broader understanding of themselves, those around them, and the world.

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogen in fungi, can be found in a variety of psychoactive mushrooms.

They are often mixed into food or drink after being dried for consumption due to their unappetizing taste. As their name so aptly suggests, magic mushrooms allow users to see, hear or feel sensations that feel “real”; though their effects are said to be tied to the environment in which they are taken. The “trippy” effects of shrooms are said to be associated with self-discovery and spiritual experiences, altered or unusual perceptions and, dependent on dosage, may last up to six hours.

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MDMA, more commonly referred to as molly or ecstasy, is a synthetic psychedelic prominent within many collegiate communities. Notably popular within rave culture, ecstasy profoundly increases feelings of pleasure, emotional warmth, energy and, like many of the hallucinogens formerly discussed, results in distorted senses of both time and space. Doting a plethora of clever names and typically taken by tablet or powder, ecstasy is produced through alteration to the structure of the amphetamine molecule and influences the body’s production of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin; thus the euphoric feeling. This sensation, also known as “rolling”, may last three to five hours.

Since their stint in psychotherapy in the 1960s, psychedelics have been linked to emotional healing and a heightened state of consciousness with rises in research and use. In simpler terms, there is suggestion that hallucinogens may play a role in effectively expanding the human mind and its infinite capabilities. Though their use in treatment was halted back then largely for political reasons, society’s interest in the role of these synthetic or natural compounds is making a necessary comeback.

Additionally, science has suggested that psychedelics including psilocybin and LSD may have a role in treating mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Because they are not toxic or addictive, their use in treatment has the potential to revolutionize the field and help millions of people suffering from similar psychological conditions. And though Western society has only recently “discovered,” or rediscovered, the innate power of psychedelics, their use in many cultures dates back centuries and has even been theorized as a catalyst of human evolution.

Though their class is very much still settled as schedule 1 – marked for their perceived high abuse potential and lack of therapeutic value – from the perspectives of the government and law, we have made astronomical advancements in our collective understanding of the potential uses and benefits of psychedelics since their polarization in the ‘70s. And, for the sake of this issue, we can surmise that hallucinogens have seemingly reached their societal climax, a mirror of the high felt by those who dabble in psychedelics, as we strive to discover and expand upon their recreational and clinical utilizations today.

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Already Peaked

WRITTEN BY FAITH MATSON GRAPHICS BY LAUREN HORNER LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY CANDACE, a mid-20s athleisure-clad woman, stands at the counter of a generic coffee shop. It’s a local place, but it feels like a wannabe Starbucks. LOUIS, age 19 and heavily tattooed, stands behind the register. Candace tries to shove two small cards into his hand.

LOUIS You can only use one full stamp card per purchase. I can’t give you two free drinks.

CANDACE But what difference does it make if I use them both at once? It’ll work out to be the same amount of free drinks.

LOUIS I don’t make the rules.

Candace gets visibly overworked. She is desperate for coffee.

CANDACE (shouting) Where’s your manager?!

Candace catches herself by surprise. Did she really just ask for a manager? She looks down at her Skechers in dismay, then looks up at the 19-year-old across from her.

CANDACE (whispering) Sorry. I have to go.

Candace exits the not-Starbucks and throws herself into the driver’s seat of her Honda Fit. She buckles her seatbelt but does not turn on the car. Sighing, she stares out the windshield at a red, municipal brick building: her old high school. Her phone starts ringing. She digs it out of her deep, knock-off handbag and answers the call.

CANDACE Hello?

CANDACE’S MOM responds in a thick Long Island accent.

CANDACE’S MOM Hey sweetie, will you be home for dinner tonight?

Candace sighs.

CANDACE’S MOM Don’t you sigh at me, young lady, I was just offering you lasagna and here you are – CANDACE Mom. CANDACE’S MOM - sighing into your phone like I’m asking if you want to read through your brother’s search history CANDACE Mom. CANDACE’S MOM - but all I want is a nice dinner for the family and you just -

CANDACE (yelling) I am twenty-four! I am twenty-four years old.

There’s silence.

CANDACE’S MOM What the hell are you talking about?

CANDACE I just asked for a manager.

More silence.

CANDACE’S MOM Well, I don’t see the big deal, I ask for managers all the time, and – Candace overlaps her mom with a loud, exasperated groan.

CANDACE Ugh, that’s my point! I’m not fifty-five!

CANDACE’S MOM Well. I don’t know why you’re complaining to me. Do you want lasagna or not?

CANDACE How do you know if you’ve peaked?

CANDACE’S MOM Why would you think I’d know that? Are you suggesting that Candace interrupts her mother again.

CANDACE No, no, I’m talking about myself. Right now, I’m sitting in a parking lot across the street from my high school in the same shitty car I lost my virginity in – CANDACE’S MOM Ew, Candace!

CANDACE - and I just yelled at someone the same age as my little brother to speak to a manager.

I’ve peaked.

Still more silence.

CANDACE’S MOM Alright sweetie, when you’re all done with your crisis you can have some lasagna.

Candace’s Mom hangs up the phone. Candace plugs her phone into her car and gently bangs her head against her steering wheel.

A car pulls into the spot next to her. A few seconds pass before she hears a tap on her window.

Squinting, she sees a man in sunglasses and a deep V-neck. She rolls down the window.

V-NECK Candace?

CANDACE Do I know you?

V-NECK It’s Todd. From high school?

Candace grimaces.

CANDACE Todd! It’s been a while!

TODD Yeah! I’m kind of surprised to see you’re still around here. You always seemed like you had your shit together in high school. Like you were going places.

CANDACE Yeah, well, you know what they say. Good ol’ days, and all that.

Todd awkwardly smiles and sways. Candace looks away.

TODD Well hey, would you wanna get a drink later? I know this really cool gastropub where – Candace interrupts Todd by slowly rolling up her window. She shifts her car into reverse and backs out of the parking spot, avoiding eye contact as she pulls out onto the main road. Todd frowns and shuffles inside the not-Starbucks.

At a stoplight, Candace looks in her rearview mirror and sees Todd arguing with Louis. The light turns green. She considers driving home, but she turns onto the highway and starts driving south.

END OF SCENE

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DIRECTORS REESE HAFNER, COLBY MILCHIN PHOTOGRAPHERS LILY FOX, ALEJO RODRIGUEZ BEAUTY CARA LONGSTRETH WRITTEN BY ALYSSA CUEVAS LAYOUT DESIGN BY GABRIELA LLANES MODELS ANNA DEJONGE, GRACYN HOLLOWAY

OLD HOLLYWOOD

O

Old Hollywood arose with the implementation of sound in movies. Movies produced during the 1930s to 1960s were referred to as escapist films: movies made to divert the audience’s attention from current events. Often, escapist films were categorized as comedy or drama and typically concentrated on love. Studios invented the movie star, who led a glamorous life marking the film industry similarly. Often referred to as the peak of the film, the golden age of Hollywood was a time marked by big-name movie stars, blockbuster hits, and glamour. However, the bright lights produced dark shadows and were the breaking point for many actors and actresses.

During the 1930s and 1940s, eight studio companies dominated Hollywood: the “Big Five” studios, Paramount, MGM, RKO, Warner Bros, and Fox, and the “Little Three” studios, Columbia, Universal, and United Artists. These studios produced movies and presented them at theaters they owned nationwide, handling and managing all aspects of the film industry. Hollywood was a monopoly and if you wanted to be a part of it, you had to play by their rules.

Actors signed with one studio and only star in that company’s movies for the following four to seven years.

These long-term contracts ensured that once actors signed to a particular studio, there was no going back. According to Harper’s Bazaar, executives from the studios maintained the final say in casting; actors were unable to refuse a role.

For example, John Gilbert, a silent film star, was cast in a series of bad films that ended his career by one MGM producer who had an aversion to him.

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A formula called the “star system”, was utilized by studios to make the names of Old Hollywood stars wellknown. Under this system, actors were at the mercy of their studios. If stardom was their desire, they had to comply with the production company’s wishes.

Actors were signed by studios and expected to uphold idealized versions of themselves. Typecasting became prominent throughout this era, helping maintain the image of who the studios wanted these stars to be. Marilyn Monroe, one of the most influential actresses of her time, was famously typecast as a dumb blonde, despite her protests for more serious roles. Additionally, many studios would fabricate stories and even go so far as to change the names of actors to make them more marketable. Monroe’s biggest scandal, posing nude for photographs, was covered up by her studio, Fox, with a fake story explaining that she was broke and needed the money at the time of the photoshoot.

Joan Crawford, originally Lucille Fay LeSuer, was forced to change her name to better fit her image. Her name was voted on by the public through a contest hosted by her studio, MGM. Studios went to great lengths to maintain the image of their stars, but once an image was outgrown, actors were dropped. Shirley Temple, a beloved child star, was promptly fired by Fox after she hit puberty at age twelve. According to Timeline News, Judy Garland was forced to have an abortion by her studio because motherhood did not suit her established brand of Young Dorothy. Furthermore, Margarita Carmen Cansino, better known by her Hollywood name of Rita Hayworth, was type casted as the exotic foreigner due to her Hispanic heritage. She was later dropped by Fox because she was not white enough. Only after undergoing multiple procedures to raise her hairline and dying her hair red was she hired by Columbia.

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Additionally, many producers carefully monitored their actors’ diets. Timeline News reported that Judy Garland was fed speed and encouraged to smoke cigarettes to maintain a low weight. Marlene Dietrich was put on a diet of broth, cheese, and toast, to lose weight.

Pressures to maintain a perfect image was not the only stressor that actors endured; Hollywood studios overworked many of their stars. Child labor laws were far more lenient during this time, allowing studios to push young stars to their breaking point. When Shirley Temple would tire and throw tantrums, her studio execs locked her in a windowless room with only a block of ice to sit on. Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney famously worked nearly eighteen hours a day during the height of their careers. Producers gave them both amphetamine uppers to keep them alert and then give them sleeping pills when it was time to rest. After years of being drugged by MGM, they both struggled with addiction, Judy Garland dying at forty-seven from an overdose.

Unfortunately, Garland was not the only victim of old Hollywood to suffer an untimely death. Marilyn Monroe passed away at the young age of thirty-six due to an overdose. Richard Burton died at fifty-eight in a battle with alcoholism. Dorothy Dandridge died at forty-two of an overdose. John Gilbert died at thirty-eight of an alcoholism-induced heart attack. Old Hollywood is often glamorized, and the stars of this era are thought to have lived perfect lives.

The peak of cinema was the tipping point for these actors. They either found a way to escape the evil that they endured or, unfortunately, fell victim to the star system.

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SEXUAL LIBERATION IN POP CULTURE DIRECTORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS LILY FOX, ALEJO RODRIGUEZ BEAUTY HELEN TRAWICK WRITTEN BY ANNAMARIE SIMOLDONI & RACHEL PHILLIS LAYOUT DESIGN BY LAUREN HORNER MODEL GABBY GRODMAN

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“I

just wanna fuck Demi – nut on her tities,” rapper Comethazine fantasizes in his song “Demi,” unknowingly asserting the inherent normalcy of his sexuality that, unfortunately, has not been established for all pop culture figures.

For Comethazine and male artists in general, sexual autonomy is something they have always felt entitled to.

In our society, male sexuality is traditionally validated under a patriarchal structure. As a result, sex is traditionally promoted by pop culture and largely excludes women from this narrative. Therefore, women are portrayed as prizes or objects, rather than active participants with their own needs.

Pop culture has seemingly always been a hostile place for women and the music industry is no exception. This antagonism is ultimately rooted in the sensationality of sex.

It’s a well known rule in marketing that “sex sells”, and this mantra combined with an already patriarchal culture results in the large scale comodification of female sexuality that we see today. Under this mindset women become mere products, advertised as objects to be conquered.

Rap culture has provided a space for men to not only conceptualize their eroticism, but to be applauded for it. In this sense, rap has revolutionized the modern understanding of sexuality. Overtime, this once taboo concept has become accepted, celebrated, and commodified by society thanks to this lens that rap has created. But now, this matter is further complicated with how women have begun to contribute to the genre. This addition further pushes the bounds of sexual liberation as we are now asking society to demonstrate a more nuanced and realistic view of femininity and sensuality in the media.

Women have struggled to carve out a place for themselves within this male-dominated industry. This is most likely because they have been dehumanized and reduced to sexual fantasies within this genre. As a result, only three female rappers, Missy Elliot, Lil Kim, and Nicki Minaj, have received platinum albums. All three of these women have effectively revolutionized the industry with their music by reclaiming a narrative of sexism and degradation and transforming similar lyrics and imagery into a language of empowerment.

This revolution has not gone without opposition.

Somehow when the script is flipped, and women become the ones embracing and advertising their sexuality, the concept becomes less palatable. This discrepancy can be most clearly observed by examining the controversy surrounding Lil Kim’s iconic squat poster that accompanied her 1996 album Hard Core. While objectively more explicit images of women have been the focus of previous rap album covers, Lil Kim’s was incredibly impactful. This poster differed from album covers of the past because rath-

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er than portraying a nameless, sometimes faceless, woman, Lil Kim’s photo allowed her to articulate the principle of female sexual autonomy, through her own reclamation of her sexual identity.

This August, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion released “WAP.” Featuring exotic animals, celebrity cameos, seductive dance moves, and pure wetness; the music video is an ode to female pleasure. The rappers’ glorious depiction of female sexual liberation in this song has been met with a great deal of controversy in the media. While some praised the two rappers for embracing their sexuality through the song and erotic music video, others found the content far too promiscuous and vulgar.

This is not the first time female artists have been criticized for speaking openly about sex and the female body; Rihanna, Janelle Monáe, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and many more have been shamed for this self-expression in the past. Women in the public eye are told that they should be role models to their younger audience, that they should strive to be classy and graceful, and never soil their reputation of being a “lady.” Traditionally, women who have not upheld this stereotype have been painted as immoral, distasteful, and unstable. Now, we see female artists owning their sexuality and using it to their own advantage, despite the potential backlash they may receive. The more they fight back against this stereotype, the less power it holds and the more power they gain. Yet, the battle has not been won.

In the conversation of “WAP,” many critics argue that while the song is seen as empowering by some, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion have only succeeded in degrading themselves and satisfying the male gaze.

The sexual exploitation of the female body runs deep in our culture – so deep that it’s taboo for a woman to embrace her own sexuality without the purpose of pleasing someone else. It is incredibly normalized for men to dictate what women do with their bodies and the situation doesn’t become controversial until women start embracing their sexuality autonomously. Looking at the increasing openness in the discussion of female sexuality in art, music, and film, as well as the rise of OnlyFans and other modern ways of using one’s sexuality for profit, we can see a pattern; women are taking control.

Women like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are setting the stage, for other artists and women in general, to embrace their sexuality and liberate themselves from the constraints of the societal expectations of a woman. This discussion of sexual liberation and femininity is extremely important, especially in the context of our current political climate and the feminist movement. But, it is even more important that the discussion does not end here. Female voices are finally being heard on a scale that is unparalleled in history and it is the responsibility of men in society to, for once, sit back and listen.

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CLIMAX WRITTEN BY SARA SANFILIPPO

The most intense or essential point of something. A word we hear of often, but do not always recognize when it is occurring. This year, we have come face-to-face with several climaxes, both good and bad. With the rise of COVID, political activism, election season, and social media, society reaches new heights and enters unknown territories. As we look towards the uncharted future, we must learn to react, adapt, and overcome. Although it may seem like a period of hardship after hardship, we are at the tipping point towards a brighter future.

STRIKE OUT.

STRIKE MAGAZINE FALL 2020