the T zine//going-going, back-back..., september '17.

the T zine

going-going, back-back..., september '17

I N THI S I SSUE spill the T 03 listen to this 05 read this 06 out+about 07 watch this 08 dope shit 09 influencer 13 tastemaker 15 think about it 18

spi l l th e T.. . let t er f r om t h e edit or So, I?m not going back to Cali or school, but September always gives me hella back to school feels. It may be because I?m a mom and am dating someone in the education system? Either way, the thought of the new (school) year and fall weather rolling around is enough make me do a happy dance. Being a summer baby has its true perks. Having a birthday at the end of August (8.29) always felt like a good send-off for the school year, too.

Just because I?m not going back to school doesn?t mean I?m not learning. I love the challenge that researching for each publication gives me. It makes me dig deeper than just going with the motions. I observe with more intent when I?m out+about (no pun intended). Learning from the new things I see. Even finding new things in the redundant daily tasks like riding the subway or walking around. Admiring the threads on men and women and the random art on buildings. Trying my best not to fall into a Groundhog Day mentality.

Okay, so let?s say I?m going-going, back-back to basics (Shout out to you if you can name the Biggie song, that I'm biting off). Using the phenomenal summer that I had to have laser focus on my priorities and maintain my commitment to continue to learn. Projecting love and authenticity like it?s one of my jobs. I might even join the digital self-help age and apply to Masterclass. Online classes where you ?learn from the world?s best.? But more on that in a later pub?. Here?s to going back to school or simply going back to basics.

@m st if f alexan dr a f ou n der / edit or -in -ch ief

03

@spir it an igal

@f ash ion in pills

l i sten to th i s.. .

I?m going to cheat a bit for this feature again. Well, it?s not cheating per say, let?s call it progressively-cutting-corners. So, I know I said I love the feel of turning pages, until I discovered Audible. An Amazon company app with a vast selection of audio books. Yes, I reverted to my childhood and enjoy listening to someone read to me. However, I?m not sitting ?Indian-style? next to Snotty Samantha, on a rug in my local library. Oh, but how I wish to be back there.

I discovered Audible through YouTube sponsored videos, because welcome to 2017. Shrugs. I gave it a go with a discount code, and little expectations. It gave me no excuse to get through a book, because of its convenience. Naturally, I gravitated toward the self-help books. What can I say, I?m a creature of habit? I found myself putting my phone on speaker and listening along while I was getting ready for a night out, while washing dishes, or before bed. It was both soothing and inspiring.

Reading Rhonda Byrne?s The Secret was truly life changing for me, so I listened to The Power first. It?s a self-help and spirituality book and the sequel to The Secret. I never get tired of going back and listening to the that and The Secret, too. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero, is refreshingly blunt to listen to. The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz, teaches us how to navigate around the self-limiting lives we lead and rounds out my collection to further transform myself into the person I want to be.

Maybe, Audible has converted me into a digital sheep, maybe it?s made me a bit lazy? Either way, it works for me. I say this while I pre-order Action Bronson?s Fuck That?s Delicious and anxiously await the delivery of a $100 Barnes and Noble book order. Because, fuck do I love books!

05

read th i s.. .

Please, don?t let print magazines die. Ugh. I type this on my monthly digital zine that I fully intend on printing. I still have subscriptions to a few glossies and have them on auto-renewal; they?re that important to me. At this stage in my life I?m a bit choosy about which ones I read, because life, Netflix and YouTube happens. Huge shout out to Vogue for making me love the September issue of all magazines.

It is the largest one of the year and the most exciting one to flip through.

of an industry in peril, GQ has somehow decided to revamp and release its supplement, GQ Style, as a quarterly magazine. Two GQs, when many imprints can?t sell one. Are you following?

Unlucky for me, not many people share my sentiments. More and more mags are going digital or shuttering their business altogether. Lucky, has gone completely digital, while Details closed and moved some staff over to GQ. You wouldn?t think such is the case when visiting book stores or drugstores where there is full shelving dedicated to magazines. Well, if you can find an open book store, that is. But these glossies are closing faster than we can scroll through our digital feeds.

I can?t help but think that a plain, digital replica of a magazine on a tablet doesn?t exactly translate. It has the most reach, but won?t hold any weight if there isn?t some sort of enhancement involved. Like, engaging video content or being linked to fresh music or fashion. So, like any business, print has to continue to evolve with every generation. I?m joining the movement to help sustain life to what I love most, print!

So, magazines aren?t completely dead. After all, it?s still a multi-billion-dollar business. But the business is showing its age and will probably get its life back with the help of digital. They have to look to advertisers, web content, TV networks, and product licensing to stay alive, too.

Furthermore, Conde Nast cut 55 jobs last year, and the media giant combined the ad staff of Self and Glamour. Additionally, print ad revenue hit a 6-year low last year. Yet somehow, in the midst

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out+about.. .

Azu l Roof t op @ Hot el Hu go It goes w it h ou t sayin g t h at I love a good dat e n igh t exper ien ce. So, it pain s m e t o t h in k t h at I h ave t o pu t an est ablish m en t on blast . M y gu y w ait ed pat ien t ly f or m e at Azu l, t h e sw an k y r oof t op bar at t h e equ ally sw an k y Hot el Hu go in Soh o. I h ad n ever h ear d of it an d w as delayed at w or k . Su per excit ed t o see w h at n ew place h e h ad f ou n d f or u s t h is t ie.

Wh en I got t h er e, I r ode t h e elevat or u p t o t h e f ir st level of t h e bi-level r oof t op sit u at ion . Text ed h im an d w as in st r u ct ed t o t ak e t h e st air s u p a f ew f ligh t s.

Th e w alls alon g t h e st air -w ay w er e st r ew n w it h post er s, gr af f it i, an d black an d w h it e gr aph ics. Flu or escen t ligh t s gave it an u n der gr ou n d-edgy vibe. On ce at t h e t op an d ou t in t h e f r esh air , it f elt lik e you w er e t r an spor t ed aw ay f r om NYC. You can see m ost of t h e icon ic bu ildin gs, bu t t h er e is also t h e f ew h ist or ic on es an d con t em por ar y on es t h at st ick ou t am on g t h e bu n ch . Per h aps, it w as t h e sh r u bber y an d t h ick , h u m id clim at e t h at m ade it f eel lik e w e w er e back in Havan a? I cau gh t a glim pse of Fr ida Kah lo?s silh ou et t e spr ay pain t ed on a w all in a sh r in e-lik e posit ion . A pr oject or h u n g above t h e bar an d I w as t old w e w ou ld be w at ch in g Fast Tim es at Ridgem on t High . Ver y f it t in g f or t h e ext r em ely lim it ed diver se cr ow d t h at w e h ad t h e pleasu r e of bein g ar ou n d. Th er e?s alw ays a lou d, Cau casian du de in t h e cr ow d t h at w alk s ar ou n d w it h IPA in h an d, w h en clear ly, h e sh ou ld be h oldin g a Per r ier in st ead. Su e m e?

Bu bbly bu zz an d a bag of st ale popcor n lat er , w e m ade ou r w ay dow n t o ou r Uber . It w as an ef f or t less n igh t , n ot h in g ou t of t h e or din ar y.

Per f ect f or m y gu y an d m e. We w er e m id-con ver sat ion abou t w h at a gr eat n igh t w e h ad w h en a lau gh in g bou n cer m ade h is w ay over t o u s.

He w an t ed t o m ak e su r e m y gu y, I?ll par aph r ase, ?didn?t t ell h is h om ies in h is h ood w h er e h e w as t h at n igh t , becau se t h is place w as a 'best k ept secr et '.? We lau gh ed as w e w er e cau gh t of f gu ar d, bu t I cu t h im of f qu ick ly. Con f u sed at h is h alf -jok in g-pr eju dice com m en t . I said a f ew w or ds an d w as w alk ed in t o t h e elevat or sh ock ed.

Th is bou n cer t h ou gh t it w as appr opr iat e t o t ell an ot h er black m an n ot t o br in g h is (assu m in g) black f r ien ds t o h is ver y u pscale est ablish m en t . An d, yes, I r an t ed on Tw it t er abou t t h is exper ien ce. I h ad t o. I?m st ill qu it e sh ock ed, disgu st ed an d disappoin t ed. M y gu y ?s n on ch alan t at t it u de of bein g accu st om ed t o t h is t r eat m en t is even m or e r eason w h y I w r ot e t h is. I?m pr ou d t o st an d n ext t o som eon e w h o doesn?t r et aliat e t o ign or an ce, bu t I?ll be dam n ed if I don?t st an d u p f or h im .

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w atch th i s.. .

In secu r e Sitcoms based on the lives of their creators are nothing new. There?s TV treasures such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and Girls with cult followings. [Side note: haven?t seen either series] HBO?s Insecure is semi-autobiographically based on Issa Rae and it?s on its way to becoming just that. If it hasn?t done so already? Have you heard of the #LawrenceHive? There is nothing insecure about Insecure.

Issa, took her webseries Awkward Black Girl from HBO and scaled it up to make it hella fresh and still maintains her quirks. Insecure is incredibly confident, current, and funny.

The soundtrack and styling stand-alone as major assets to the series. There?s no crazy twist and turns, which makes it all that relatable. But this relationship comedy has managed to be chalk-full of new angles.

Think: girl dates boy with great potential; boy has a one-time rendezvous with another boy; girl breaks up with boy upon finding this out. That?s just one major storyline that comes and goes as easy as Sunday morning.

All the characters are funny, but flawed. We get dialogue about sexuality, race and culture that most sitcoms seem to struggle getting across. It works because it isn?t forced. Insecure hasn?t been sold as the ?voice of the young, insecure, minority.? Issa has even said that she didn?t want to make the show about ?the struggle of being black,? but rather, about ?regular black people living life.? The latter message transcends clearly with each episode. Rae?s triumph on Insecure is in making a smart, funny show about issues both universal and specific. It?s a brilliant commentary on love and friendship that manages to bring a fresh vision to the table, and that by itself feels quietly revolutionary.

08

dope sh i t.. .

Th e Sou r ce 360/ M or gan's Bar becu e In t h e back of m y m in d, I t h ou gh t t h at w h en I w ou ld pu blish m y w or k , it w ou ld be f ash ion / st yle cen t r ic. I h ave yet t o w r it e on an yt h in g st r ict ly f ash ion r elat ed.

M or e t o com e, y ?all. I say t h at becau se I w as a bit sh ock ed an d h u m bled w h en w e en ded u p w at ch in g u p an d com in g design er s at Th e Sou r ce 360 block par t y. I h ad n o idea w h at t o expect , all I k n ew w as t h at it t ak es cou r age an d t alen t t o pu t a lin e t oget h er lik e t h ese k ids did. Alt h ou gh , I didn?t con n ect w it h an y of t h e design s I can r espect t h e t im e an d ef f or t t h at w as pu t t ow ar d t h ese pr oject s. It does con n ect w it h m e w h en I sit h er e an d h it pu blish ever y m on t h . It ?s vu ln er abilit y cr eat ives can at t est t o.

Th er e is som et h in g so gr ou n din g abou t seein g f r esh t alen t . A Lat in a, Nick i M in aj-ish r apper t ook t h e st age w it h dan cer s in t ow. M y f avor it e aspect w er e ar t ist s cr eat in g live ar t . Especially, t h ose w h o f ocu s on u r ban ar t ist s. Th ey w er e all ver y t alen t ed.

You k n ow , it isn?t an ou t in g if f ood an d dr in k s ar en?t in volved. We t r ied ou t M or gan?s Bar becu e in Flat bu sh . Th ey ?r e adjoin ed w it h an ot h er r est au r an t called Elbow Room . M or gan?s Bar becu e is a t r en dy, Texas-st yle BBQ, cor n er spot .

Ru st ic, com m u n al-st yle picn ic ben ch es an d all. We sat an d con ver sed n ext t o t h e sw eet est f am ily w it h 2 lit t le gir ls. Easily, t h e h igh ligh t of m y day. Th ey ser ve t h e biggest , m ost deliciou s, ch ocolat e ch ip pan cak e I ever t r ied t o eat . Th e Ir ish cof f ee w as spot -on . Or der ed t w o, w ish I cou ld or der on e r igh t n ow. Plot t in g m y n ext t r ip back , asap.

09

.. .

An gel of Har lem

One weekend, we came across Angel of Harlem while on our way to another brunch spot. From the outside, it looked like a hopping place and my guy and I promised we?d come back another time. Angel of Harlem is super bold, lively and mixed with industrial and urban elements. The fare is Caribbean and Latin inspired, giving it a tropical feel. I for one, found my food choice a bit lackluster, but I encourage everyone to try it out for themselves. The margaritas weren?t all that great either, so I switched to my tried and true vodka/soda. Easy fix.

The space was designed by Silvia Zofio of SZPROJECTS. There?s reclaimed wood paneled walls and a center-island bar surrounded by bright stools that?s hard to miss. There is outside seating for those braving the city?s, summer, heat. The neon sign claiming ?Harlem State of Mind? adds a nice touch. On one corner stands the DJ booth, which was my favorite touch. A female DJ spun the night that we were there and that happened to be my favorite part of it all. It was a welcome distraction from our new waitresses mix-ups. We bobbed our heads along to "oldies." If I had a choice to go back I would, solely for drinks and some good tunes.

11

We Rise: Van Jon es CNN analyst, Van Jones is under new management.

He?s inked a deal with Jay Z?s Roc Nation family and will take his activism on the road with his WE RISE tour. WE RISE focuses on our commonalities as opposed to our differences -- exploring how to increase dialogue and engagement on both the local and national levels. The Yale-educated lawyer and host of ?The Messy Truth? has garnered his star power from covering the political circus that was our presidential campaign.

The show is on hiatus because of his upcoming book release and being on tour like an ordinary CNN analyst turned rock star.

I went into Apollo Theatre that evening with zero expectations. I had no idea what I was getting into and everything was peachy after downing a few hours? worth of mimosas at brunch. We took our seats and there was a huge projector announcing ?Van Jones presents the We Rise Tour powered by #LoveArmy.?

You know things got even stranger when Fat Joe and DJ Khaled were the ones presenting Jones. Nothing like that to rile up and

grab the attention of a theatre full of, what I would believe, was mostly New Yorkers. Genius.

Powered by Jones? #LoveArmy?which is a collective of people who have moved past their own frustration to band together in hopes of achieving equality?the nationwide tour will feature entertainers, athletes, community leaders and those on the front lines of resistance.

Reportedly, all the proceeds will go to the Dream Corp initiative.

Guests such as, Cory Booker, Carmen Perez, Bob Bland and Reverend Al Sharpton spoke on hope, healing, humanity, unity and restorative justice.

The entire experience was great, aside from a rowdy, disgruntled attendee who decided she needed to yell about the culture of medical dependency that has been fostered by the US government. Jones, although super understanding, was visibly and audibly annoyed by this woman (so were we) and she was ushered out.

She chose the wrong moment to protest on behalf of something very 12

serious, her message was lost among the positive vibe set by the tour. I give Jones credit for using his platform to continue his activism in an intimate setting. It gave you a chance to connect with him and his guests. Highly recommend you check it out if he?s coming near you.

i nf l uencer.. . @son gof st yle I?m so happy I waited until now to write about Aimee Song. She proclaims herself a fashion and interior design Blogger on the About section of her blog Song of Style. She too, has joined the YouTube community and centers her videos around fashion, design inspiration, DIY and more. I say, I?m happy I waited because as a relatively new follower I?ve seen her growth primarily in her video content. I already know the woman can style herself unlike most with an effortlessness that I always aspire to, but she?s much more than that.

Aimee is candid, vulnerable, smart and doesn?t take herself seriously at all. At least, that?s what?s conveyed via her daily vlogs. Her readiness to help her subscribers and followers with sound advice is refreshing and much appreciated. Also, very surprising. It?s not often that you see these seemingly ?perfect? social influencers jump at the chance to give tips to those on the come-up. Aimee, takes it to the next level, and is seen taking notes when reviewing her comments. She is truly doing this for the people who have brought her the most success.

Can?t forget to add that Aimee is a New York Times Bestselling Author with the publishing of her book: Capture Your Style. The foreword is written by none other than Diane von Furstenberg; could you imagine?! This book is the bible when it comes to ?building the ultimate platform? with your socials.

Primarily, Instagram and how it is more than a place to post pretty pictures.

Aimee, @songofstyle, boasts 4.6 million Instagram followers and rising.

So, she can teach you a thing or two.

I?m a bit beyond being featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, but Aimee was on it and it inspires me. She continues to collaborate with top, luxury brands, while maintaining a humble attitude.

That to me, is the key to success.

Lasting, success. We?ve seen countless, and will continue to see more influencers take over our social media feeds. I don?t know about you, but I can spot the fakes from a mile away. I?m fully aware that for many this is a business, but partnerships with brands have to seem organic.

That is why an icon like Diane von Furstenberg partnered with a power-house like Aimee. Two, stylish, powerful, women, in their own rights, supporting one another. Providing a much-needed perspective of how backing other women can only bring more success for future rising women.

13

tastemak er.. .

Yar a Sh ah idi Yara Shahidi starred in Black-ish, got a spinoff called Grown-ish and is nothing short of Normal-ish. As a 17-year-old high school grad, she is thus far the youngest tastemaker I?ve featured.

Yara?s been on my radar for quite sometime because of features in Seventeen and her mindful posts on social media. Putting to shame my 17-year-old, boy-loving self. I wasn?t a complete boy-crazy girl, but I used my age as an excuse to live in ignorant bliss.

further educate herself and the masses. We must applaud her efforts.

Yara is wise beyond her years. She balances beauty and brains effortlessly. Spends her ?spare? time giving talks on diversity, meeting with UN women, hosting support groups for young women, and uses her social media channels to speak freely about gender and equality issues. And is quick to remind us that the future is (indeed) female. Cause don?t you ever forget it.

Finding out that Yara got accepted to all the colleges she applied to was no surprise. She announced she would attend Harvard in the fall, but then retracted the statement and said she would defer a year. Joining the likes of Malia Obama to explore life and grow.

She?s been hard at work being an activist and an advocate for young women, even launching a mentoring program called Yara?s Club with Ann Tisch. The Iranian-African actress is doing more in her deferred year, than most can do while attending classes.

Yara isn?t of voting age, but can eloquently speak of politics. She states: ?To see post-election the correlation between people feeling justified in their hate and anger and taking that out on people? it was really unfortunate because it is usually a reflection of what they see at home or in their own communities.? This statement reflects her confidence, intelligence and amazing upbringing.

She, unlike other young celebrity counterparts, is using her platform to

15

th i nk about i t.. . lost Imagine applying to what to you, feels like a ?dream job.? Then, going through the interview process.

Hoping for the best. Finally, getting rejected. Ouch, right? You might as well say au revoir to confidence, self-assurance, motivation. The process of putting your ?best-self ? out there and then that version of you couldn?t seal the deal? I know I?m not the only one that feels that pit in their stomach right now.

A few months back I could?ve had a place in a well-known magazine, but I didn?t make the cut. NaĂŻve and overzealous me thought, ?I got this,? because ?I always got this.?

But, reality kicked me off my over confident, high horse very, very quick. Truth was I wasn?t at all prepared and don?t know how to bull-shit my way through interviews. But I was proud at how far I made it for my first chance at a gig that I now made my own with the start of the T zine. I know my worth, and I mean, if you aren?t going to give it to me, I will give it to myself.

this position. What was I going to do to ?fix this?? What did I love doing the most? Literally, going back to basics with myself. I found out that I thrived when channeling my frustration through my creativity. That feeling of angst and discouragement was alleviated through writing. I taught myself how to be self-aware. There is no greater clarity than finding the answers to plaguing thoughts. I encourage you to get uncomfortable with who you are.

Setbacks are temporary and usually whatever you make them out to be. Find yourself, whether it be through love, loss, religion, heartache, or rejection. And remember, if they can?t give it to you, give it to yourself.

I got past the wallowing in pity, and tears upon tears, then survival kicked in. The doubts tried to eat away at me. Everything you said, could have said or did, stays on replay. Getting lost in a black hole of negativity is an easy place to fall into. But taking a step back and reevaluating your position is what pushed me past that dark place.

I had to ask myself why I wanted

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@an issaker m ich e

@m r sr odial

Cheers toa successful summer. I would say it's been good to me, but I realize it only mirroredwhat I'veearned. Reapthebenefitsof your hardwork,thenget right backtoit.

-CourtneyB @ greeneyesgoldsoul

@oscar delar en t a

th eTzi ne

getth eTzi ne

END.