S AVA N N A H WA R D Vol. I
Issue 2
Fall 2019
FALL 2019
FLAVIA
THE GRAY SPACE AMONG THE RAINBOWS ELIZABETH TZAGOURNIS
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Among all her accomplishments, Flavia said she is still finding herself and discovering where she exists within the gray space. Though she recognizes bisexual as her newfound identity, she said her identity is always shifting. “We’re constantly trying to redefine what we’re calling ourselves,” Flavia said. “When we’re in the gray space we feel like we’re lost because we don’t know who we are. There’s no label for that.”
This has been a year of growth and new opportunities for Flavia. From coming out as bisexual through a Billboard Pride social media takeover, releasing queerinspired music and winning an international songwriting competition to performing during two of Los Angeles Pride’s official shows — Flavia’s 2019 is one that would make any artist proud.
The gray space is not only restricted to sexuality. Flavia said that she saw this occur within her own music. 8
“My musical identity is the same
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flavia
n a time where some feel defined or confined by labels, art offers a platform for fluidity of self-expression. Whether that fluidity materializes in gender representation, sexuality or the impact we have on our world, artist and musician Flavia has found herself in the gray space.
FALL 2019
where I’m slowly shifting and becoming this feel the difference when I’m playing queer chameleon,” she said. parties,” Flavia said. “There’s just such a kindred connection between us and it really is that sense Flavia explores the idea of shifting of community. They want to support queer identities and sexuality in her own music. Her artists and queer artists want to be supported hit “Expectations” won the prestigious 2019 by queer humans.” “The John Lennon Songwriting Contest” for best pop song and expands on that theme. Flavia plans to continue creating queer art and discovering herself through that “Woke up with a pit in my gut process. She said she finds herself most honest when writing. Staring at you but I don’t feel a thing “Things come out that I didn’t even realize I needed to say or that I was feeling so deep down,” Flavia said.
Am I tainted, broken or what? (Tainted, broken or what?) ‘Cause I cannot call you, ‘My King’
One surprising discovery has been her discovering empowerment and self-love through loving women.
Can’t turn the switch, can you handle it? If I never want to be touched like this
“Discovering my feelings for women gave me so much power within myself,” Flavia said. “it was That everything is as it should be” only when I started liking women that I truly “Society wants to label everything and realized how amazing women are and thus put it into these neat boxes because it’s easier for found my own inner power of how amazing I our brains to compartmentalize,” Flavia said. am as a woman.” “The chorus is very much about expectations In addition to her award-winning single from society and expectations on myself to have “Expectations” she released “Does She Like It everything figured out, which just isn’t how life Rough?” on September 19. Her current project works.” lineup includes a full album, more queer music
Tryna turn the switch, tell myself always
videos, a documentary on what it means to be queer and an album release party that will feature different queer speakers, performers and artists.
The LA Pride stage was one place where Flavia’s music and sexuality could coexist harmoniously. Flavia counts her LA Pride experience as a newly out artist as one of her all-time favorite performances.
“Artists have been given this gift and with this gift comes a certain amount of “For LA Pride I stood on stage and I kind of realized this was my first one and it was so special responsibility to share our feelings with the world,” Flavia said. “My mission in music is to to me,” Flavia said. “I’m still reeling from it.” take what I’m experiencing, to sort of swallow One of the greatest takeaways was the it and spit it back out in a way that can help amount of love and support from her audience another person.” of “epic, queer human beings”. Flavia said she never felt more loved and accepted on any stage.
“People were just so excited. I really
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S A V A N N A H W A R D
Magic, witches, werewolves, and queer youth. Short films, “Hex Your Ex” which debuted during Outfest Los Angeles, and “Meta,” a Trans-narrative short in the works, use elements of the fantastical to tell important queer stories of love, loss, and identity. Writer, artist and creator, Savannah Ward, has helped tell these stories and continues to share rich and entertaining queer content on the big screen. JASMINE LOWE
FALL 2019
Savannah Ward has always been attracted to the idea of telling amazing stories. They knew from a young age that they wanted to follow their parents’ footsteps into the world of entertainment. They are a writer's assistant on a new NBC show called “Council of Dads,” and they are following their dream of telling the stories that they want to tell while involving the LGBTQ community.
many times to this program. You guys have denied me and this to my last chance. Give me this opportunity, and I won't let you guys down.’ I eventually made it into the program. I’m not sure if it was the speech or not, but I earned a spot in the Outset fellowship class of 2019.”
“I totally believe in making your own shit,” Ward explained. “I forget that my voice is important, but everyone's voice truly does matter.
Although their story wasn’t picked up to be made into a film during the program, they were able to show off their skills organizing production and making sure things got done. Ward was in charge of making sure that what was needed for the film fell into place during the allotted less than 12 hours that were given to shoot the piece.
Ward’s intention to work as a fellow in the Outset program was to work alongside other queer creatives, make connections, and “Since I was a little kid one of my first tell queer stories. memories was of me with my parents with a “I just wanted to be able to make some Charlie Brown Christmas playing on the TV,” queer filmmaker connections,” Ward explained. said Ward. “I got down from my father's lap and “One of the first jobs I had, I was at World of I pulled myself over to the TV screen. When Wonder production, working on RuPaul's drag Lucy was screaming at everyone and giving race and the community I felt while working direction, I pointed to her and I said, I want to do with queer people on TV shows was something that. I've just always been in the entertainment that I missed and have missed to this day. I felt industry, living in L.A., with both of my parents the need to find my own queer Rolodex because being producers. I went to school for writing I'm just a person that's comfortable with queer and producing and when I returned to Los people and I wanted to make sure that I could Angeles, I applied to the Outset program.” grow my career and be able to look back at people that I want to work with in the future.”
Photo Credit: Mo McFadden
It took a few tries before Ward was admitted to the program. However, the opportunity to work with the group of young creatives who presented their short films during Outfest Los Angeles almost didn’t happen. “Last year I thought to myself, you know, this is my one opportunity to be in this program because I turned 24 this year and the cut off is 24. I got the interview, which I'd never gotten before,” said Ward. “So, I was like, okay, I'm making progress. When I was in the interview, I made a point to say, ‘Hey guys, I've applied
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“I have been—I've always been—a very bold writer and I did not tone down my rating for the program,” Ward continued. “I think my script was taken out very early because it was too expensive and not shoot-able for the 12hour shoot day that we get. We shoot five films and each film gets 12 hours, which in reality with set up and break down with a nine-hour shoot. And I wrote this sort of like really over the top prom story with like whole prosthetics, werewolf makeup. And I just think the mentors thought through this and how it was not going to work. I actually went on to be a producer on
FALL 2019
POETRY, ANARCHY, AND ZEN:
THE LEGACY OF ELSA GIDLOW AND DRUID HEIGHTS t was a sunny Saturday morning, and the road to Muir Woods was packed with bumper to bumper traffic; tourists wanting to get a glimpse of the majestic coastal redwoods that stand like giants among prehistoric ferns and mossy creek beds. My friend was visiting from out of town, so we thought it would be fun to go see a glimpse of the famous trees. Little did we know what chaos we'd signed up for. As we inched closer to the parking lot entrances, we realized they were all full- overflowing in fact. There were hoards of tourist groups: people with strollers, selfie sticks, fanny packs and screaming children on leashes. We looked at each other in horror. We didn't plan for this. We hate crowds; that's why we like the woods. We begrudgingly head down the road a little further to park elsewhere, feeling hopeless. We end up almost a mile down, pulling into a little flat dirt shoulder just as another car is pulling out, sliding into the coveted spot before anyone else could. We climb out of the car, stretching our legs after feeling trapped in traffic for over an hour. While resigning ourselves to the reality that our day in nature was not going to be what we had planned, I took my dog Butters over to the edge of the brush to relieve himself. I passed underneath some overhanging willow branches, and emerged on the other side to see what the brush had been hiding: a small set of ramshackle steps, each one a small plank worked into the dirt hillside, leading up and over the crest of the hill above. The steps were old and worn, and some were washed out, leaving large pieces of rebar sticking up where they had been
supported before. It looked a little dangerous, but exciting, like all good adventures usually are. I called my friends over to look, and we quickly decided to ditch our plans for Muir Woods and investigate this mysterious wooded staircase. Newly invigorated by our spontaneity, we bounded up the hill, slowing down as it got steeper and steeper. It seemed like it went on forever, and just as we were wondering if this was a staircase to nowhere— we emerged onto a dirt road. In front of us was a structure that looked like a yurt. We meandered over, and saw that it was an intricately designed, perfectly symmetrical circular house. The door had a large carved wooden handle that looked like a carved talon pointed upwards. Surprisingly, the door swung open at the slightest touch. We walked in, and immediately felt a wave of awe. This was a special place. Bookshelves lined the entire interior of the cabin, taking the place of flat walls. A small red wood stove sat on a platform against the wall, with its chimney extended up into the ceiling. In front of us and above was a lofted platform with a bare pink pillow top mattress on it, flanked by two sweeping carved ladders that doubled as additional bookshelves. Above us was spherical dome skylight; the seal had obviously long worn away; there was a perfect ring on the carpet directly underneath it where rain had worked its way through and dripped onto the floor. The shadow of a perfect circle on the floor in the very center of the room illuminated by hazy
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of Claire Wilson
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CLAIRE WILSON
FALL 2019
A couch sits overgrown with moss in a Druid Heights home full of left behind furniture, books, art, and other belongings.
The meditation room window in the Twin Peaks house. This is one piece of Druid Heights that everyone desperately wants to see saved and preserved, as it’s one of the best examples of Roger Somers’ unique handiwork.
Elsa’s meditation hut was constructed by Druid Heights resident Detlef Kotzte and the stained glass windows were made by California glass artist Kim Hicks. Meditation huts were helpful in communal living situations as it gave residents a place to find some privacy and peace, and gave guests a place to crash when they needed it.
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