Spring Issue 2019: TIMELESS

SPRING 2019

ISSUE NO. 3

UP 10 YE AR AN N IVERSARY

TIMELESS

IN THIS ISSUE

6–7

8–9

10 – 13

IN T RO D U CT I O N

Q &A W IT H U P FO U N D E RS

THE SEVENTIES

Introducing Timeless

Lauren Kelly & Kelly Phelan Johnston

Photographed by Katie Wickman

14 – 17

18 – 19

20 – 21

LIFE THROUGH A LENS

' 0 9 T O ' 19

W R IT T E N IN IN K

Written by Maddie Clegg

Written by Evie Howard

Written by Claire Podges

22 – 23 R ET RO S P E CT I VE R E CO L L E CT I O N

T H E E IG H T IE S Photographed by Maggie Smerdel

Written by Sophie Thompson

30 – 31 D R I F T I NG T H RO U GH D E CA D E S O F D E N I M Written by Erin Adelman

T H E N I N ET I E S Photographed by Christina Vitellas

FE A S T I NG O N T R A D I T I O N S

Written by Emma Nolan

36 – 37

S O N IC R E M IN IS C E

VO IC E S O F C H A NG E

Written by Rebecca Sowell

Written by Madelyn Hopkins

H IS T O RY D OW N T H E A L L EY Written by Madysen George

52 – 53

50 – 51

T H E D E CA D E A D D IC T IO N

32 – 35

44 – 45

38 – 42

Written by Regan O’Brien

28 – 29

24 – 27

10 B O O KS YO U S H O U L D H AV E R E A D Y E S T E R DAY Written by Mary Kate Groh

46 – 49 NUA NC E S O F NO S TA L G IA Written by Julia Plant

54 – 55 A S T IT C H IN T IM E Written by Adrienne Bechtel

56 – 61

62 – 65

66

T H E T WO T H O U SA N D S

M A RC H ING O N

L A S T WO R D

Photographed by Douglas Chan

Written by Vivian Drury

From the Editors

C OVE R S T Y L E D B Y Brooke Figler P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Lauren Waldrop M O D E L E D B Y Connor Moreton & Christian Wurzelbacher

3 | SPRING 2019

Editor-in-Chief Haley Jena

Publisher Kev O’Hara

Creative Director Kendall Erickson

W R I T E RS Erin Adelman Adrienne Bechtel Maddie Clegg Madelyn Hopkins Evie Howard Madysen George Mary Kate Groh Emma Nolan Regan O’Brien Abigail Padgett

Fashion Director Coquise Frost

Lauren Smith

V I DEO G R A P H E RS

Corinne Brown Alissa Cook

Chris Arihilam Asha Caraballo Erin Connolly Annie David Ashley Hetherington William Hetherington Alex Jimenez Erin Poplin

Rebecca Sowell Sophie Thompson

Julia Wilson EV EN T P L A N N ERS

Junho Moon

B L O G GERS Bridget Bonanni

Copy Editors

Carolyne Croy Daphne DuMaurier

Photography Director

Bella Douglas Vivian Drury

Senior Blog Editor/ Digital Media Strategist Tori Levy

Blog Editor Kaylee Spahr

Social Media Creative Director Brooke Figler

Videography Director Astrid Cabello

Producer Katie Wickman

Marketing Director Casey Doran

Event Directors Alex Jimenez Morgan Minnock

Advisors Annie-Laurie Blair Fred Reeder Jr.

4 | SPRING 2019

Julia Plant Claire Podges

Erin Poplin Ivy Richter Tatum Suter Emma Wiersma

Lizzie Carter

Allie Eames Julia Igel Janet Elizabeth Herman Madelyn Hopkins Abby Malone Emma Naille Sydney Nelson Abigail Padgett Sydney Richardson Cache’ Roberts Jamie Santarella Meg Scott Paige Scott Megan Smith Hannah Straub Maddie Toole P H O T O G R A P H ERS PRINT

Brandon Bouchaya Astrid Cabello Douglas Chan Annie David Allison Jenkins Victoria MacGregor Bel Meals Morgan Minnock Tesia Neujahr Amanda Parmo Avery Saloman Maggie Smerdel Sophie Thompson Christina Vitellas Lauren Waldrop Katie Wickman BLOG & STREET

Sarah Green Olivia Hajjar Sarah Oldford

Adriana Wilcoxon Shelby Anton Bridgett Bonanni Kendall Chabut Emily Comos Naomi Fritz Coley Frommeyer Cora Harter Amy Holbrook Lauren Marchese Rachel Price Gia Tummillo STYLISTS Olivia Bianco Anna Bixby Allie Bruegge Cami Cicero Yuwei Dou Brooke Evans Natalie Gruenwald Erin Haymaker Aaron Jacobs Ben Krautheim Kate Kronstein Hailey Lowe Caitlyn Maskalunas Katie Mcllroy Adzaan Muqtadir Emily Roesch Jaclyn Schutjer Dani Spensiero Sophia Spinell Hannah Warner Matt Zeldin Maddie Zimpfer Alexa Zweig M A K EU P A RT I S T S Madison Beal Katie Friedland Chauntel Gerald Erin Haymaker Janet Herman Tory Noble

Dani Spensiero L AYO U T DES I G N Grace Barrett

Racquel Graffeo Susy Jaramillo Alissa Martin Nelli Ponomareva Sarah Semon Ryan Sierens Lizzy Tatlow Lauren Waldrop Maggie Walkoff Anneliese Zak M A R K ET I NG Sami Adler Lauren Balster Erica Brower Cami Cicero Maddie Clement Emily Coyne Sarah Dayan Stephanie Hamilton Morgan Henry Annie Lougheed Taylor McManus Maggie Miller S O C I A L M EDI A STYLISTS

Olivia Bianco Anna Bixby Emily Coyne Kaitlyn Gomez Riley King Ben Krautheim Abby Malone Seraiah Wells Amanda Zager Maddie Zimpfer PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alyssa Brooks Kate deJesus Naomi Fritz Julia Igel Caroline Plonski Avery Salomon A N A LY S T S

Sofia Bazianos Christina Vitellas DESIGNER

Julia Asphar

Think about everything you’ve accomplished in the last 10 years. Over the course of a decade, everyone is sure to go through countless ups and downs, but we each have certain accomplishments that emerge in the blur of memories. One moment in particular surely stands out for Lauren Kelly and Kelly Phelan Johnston. Ten years ago, the pair had just created Miami University’s first and only fashion and lifestyle publication, UP Magazine. Ever heard of it?

This year marks the tenth anniversary of UP, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this landmark accomplishment through the embodiment of our spring issue, Timeless. UP has served as a beacon of authenticity and inspiration to the Oxford community since 2009, and it doesn’t plan on stopping. And what theme better describes UP’s forward-thinking spirit, never-ending growth and consistent campus prominence than Timeless?

Not only are we at UP celebrating a decade of publishing, but this year, we also had the honor of being applauded for our hard work. Our fall issue, Empower, was named the region’s best student magazine by the Society of Professional Journalists, and is currently in the running for the national title. Our staff is insanely proud of this recognition, and we can’t wait to compete for this award again with future issues.

For many graduating UP staff members (myself included), this is the last issue we have the privilege to create. As I address you as Editor-in-Chief for the final time, I want to say thank you.

Thank you to UP’s co-founders Lauren and Kelly for creating a magazine that has gifted me best friends, personal growth and some of my life’s proudest work. Thank you, readers, for picking up a copy of our magazine and flipping through the pages that our staff works tirelessly to make.

Speaking of, I would like to thank each and every staff member for their passion and dedication to making UP bigger and better than ever before. A special thank you also goes out to UP’s Publisher Kev O’Hara and UP’s Creative Director Kendall Erickson—the magazine would not be what it is without you two, and I am beyond thankful to call you both close friends.

I’m also thrilled to look to the future of UP as Bella Douglas takes over as Editor-in-Chief next year. I know all of you will find her tenacious spirit, keen eye for high-quality work and amazing character more than capable of guiding UP into the next decade.

Finally, I hope you enjoy reading through this issue and uncovering what it means to be timeless— we loved creating it. Here's to the next 10 years of UP!

Much UP love,

Haley Jena Editor-in-Chief

5 | SPRING 2019

celebrating

10 YEARS OF UP

This year marks the tenth anniversary of UP Magazine.

A decade of publication calls for a celebration of the decades. Whether it’s the fringe and florals of the ’70s, the color and character of the ’80s, the spunk and spirit of the ’90s or the modern-mindedness of the 2000s, UP’s Timeless issue seeks to celebrate the styles and stories that helped drive our world (UP included!) into the future. So sit back, relax and take the time to enjoy everything that Timeless has to offer.

6 | SPRING 2019

7 | SPRING 2019

WITH UP MAGAZINE FOUNDERS L a u r e n K e l l y & K e l l y P he l a n J o hns t o n

IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE YOU TWO CREATED UP MAGAZINE FROM SCRATCH. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO IN THE LAST DECADE?

After graduating from Miami, we lived together in Los Angeles, where Lauren started in talent management in the beauty industry and Kelly started in PR working for food and beverage brands. We both worked our way up and are still in the same fields of talent management and PR. In 2014 Kelly married Andrew Johnston, who also went to Miami (Miami Mergers!), and in 2018, they moved to Denver.

Lauren is currently living in L.A.

the literary magazine and Kelly was hoping to do something along the lines of yearbook that she did in high school, and we knew a lifestyle/fashion magazine would be exciting not only to us, but other students as well.

We founded UP in the concept of a fashion and lifestyle magazine. We always wanted it to have different sections including a variety of features like think pieces, food and editorial from unique perspectives, in addition to the fashion spreads.

WHAT

WAS

IT

LIKE

WHEN

YOU

FIRST

BEGAN

OFFICIALLY FORMING THE INS AND OUTS OF UP?

We remain best friends to this day!

WHAT FIRST SPARKED THE IDEA TO CREATE UP? WHY DID YOU THINK IT WAS NECESSARY TO START MIAMI UNIVERSITY’S FIRST FASHION PUBLICATION?

Lauren and I met through our sorority, and one day over lunch we were talking about how we just didn’t see a creative outlet on campus that matched our interests. Lauren was working for

8 | SPRING 2019

CHAOTIC? NERVE-WRACKING? EXCITING?

We had a lot of fun with it! Because of both of our backgrounds (journalism, yearbook and design), we knew exactly what we wanted, and it came together fairly easily from a concept perspective (not so easy actually making it happen!). We also knew right away that we needed a really strong team and that we needed people who were experts in the skills that we lacked, such as a photography editor or a fashion editor.

We designed flyers and put them up all over the sorority dorms to announce an interest meeting for UP that we had scheduled (the flyers were promptly taken down less than 24 hours later).

We were completely shocked, excited and nervous when we had so many interested students show up to the meeting that we barely fit in the room we rented!

manage a team, build relationships, plan ahead and always have a plan B. It was also so rewarding to go through something so challenging and to see it come to life and continue to grow. It gave us more confidence in ourselves and our ability to make something out of nothing through hard work, dedication and a great team.

WAS THERE A LOT OF UNKNOWN TERRITORY YOU RAN INTO WHEN TRYING TO START A NEW STUDENT ORGANIZATION FROM THE GROUND UP?

Getting funding was complicated. Annie Blair really helped us navigate that piece of the puzzle and prepared us for the presentation that we had with the board, which was essential to making the magazine happen.

We also went door to door uptown to the local shops to try to secure advertisers and partnerships with clothing stores to feature their clothes in the magazine. It was tough, but we are thankful to this day to Juniper who immediately came on board and supported us from the start.

UP Magazine gave us our friendship, which has been the most rewarding. We went through so much together, saw each other’s best and worst, supported each other when we had doubts and had fun. We are different in a lot of ways, which worked so well for the magazine because it balanced us. We know each other so well and truly appreciate each other’s talents and point of view, which made the magazine even better. We can be 100 percent honest with each other because of everything we have been through, which is a rare thing to find.

Lauren was a bridesmaid in Kelly’s wedding and they see each other often when Kelly travels to L.A.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE UP MEMORY?

HOW DO YOU THINK THE UNIVERSITY’S AND PUBLIC’S

There are so many! One that really stands out to us, though, is our first editors trip to Cincinnati to check out the thrift stores for inspiration for the fashion team and to source clothing. We all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant, and it was a great bonding experience.

OPINION OF UP HAS CHANGED OVERALL? ARE YOU

We were so lucky that all of our original editors stayed and grew with the magazine. No one knew each other before they joined UP and we became a team. Everyone brought unique talents to the table. We truly trusted each other and got along really well, which was a big part of the success of the magazine.

It meant we didn’t mind long days and late nights.

HAPPY WITH THIS CHANGE?

Honestly, we were just so happy and proud when an issue came out, it was more about the process and the team and our feelings about the end product—that was enough for us.

We didn’t focus too much on the student response. We knew people would read the magazine and we got great feedback, but it was most important to us that we enjoyed putting it together and that the team enjoyed working on it and that we were proud of every issue.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO SEE IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SEE THE MAGAZINE YOU

OF UP?

CREATED STILL FLOURISHING A DECADE LATER?

We hope that it continues to thrive and flourish and evolve with the needs of the time so it continues to be a resource and creative outlet for future Miami students.

We are PROUD. It is amazing to us how much it has flourished.

It went from a passion project to a real magazine with a full team, website, social and events. We are so impressed. It is also really meaningful that the magazine has provided the opportunity for Miami students to have an experience that they can put on their resume to pursue jobs in editorial, fashion, photography and leadership. We know firsthand how much it will benefit them when they graduate.

HOW HAS UP HELPED YOU GROW AS A PERSON? AS A PROFESSIONAL?

We still think about how much the magazine helped set us up for success in the real world—not only from a creativity standpoint, but we also learned leadership skills, how to

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD OR TALK ABOUT?

As former college students we remember how it can seem like you are too busy with homework and social events and everything going on to add anything else to your plate, but we encourage everyone to value the time you have at Miami.

Lauren and I wouldn’t be able to start something like UP in the “real world” due to the demands of adulting and our jobs, families and commitments, and we are so thankful we had a place and the time to dedicate to something we truly believed in. We were able to bring a dream to life.

9 | SPRING 2019

edit / 01

the seventies

10 | SPRING 2019

P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Katie Wickman M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Brooke Evans, Coquise Frost & Hannah Warner M O D E L E D B Y Ramata Adama Dumbuya, Kerry O'Brien & Camille Mason

11 | SPRING 2019

12 | SPRING 2019

13 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Junho Moon Makeup & Styling by Sophia Spinell Modeled by Catherine Lammersen

14 | SPRING 2019

LIFE THROUGH A LENS WRITTEN BY

I used to love looking at old photos.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, my fingers traced the faces of past family stuck in time. The colored edges of the images would crinkle against their clear slots, a shiny film seperating myself from the memory. We had stacks of dusty photo albums, filled with black and white, colored and date-stamped remembrances, and I couldn’t wait until I had pictures of my own to add to the growing collection.

But we haven’t printed a photo in years.

Albums are now swiped through instead of flipped through, abandoning the fragile layer of plastic over the pages for smartphone glass, rendering the warnings by our mothers about fingerprints useless.

In gaining such ease with the growth of modern photography technology, we lose tangibleness. We abandon film canisters full of quintessential imperfections and swap them out with a cell phone’s camera roll for an image that’s more controllable.

Claire Podges

old-school film camera, no matter raw or retouched, opens the possibility of timeless memories.

But how has our society altered this art form?

“The processes involved in photography have really expanded and changed with digital technology growing and becoming a larger part of the medium,” said Jon Yamashiro, a professor of photography at Miami University. “Everyone makes photographs today. The still image is embedded in our lives. From the selfie on Instagram to a framed image in a museum, the photograph speaks to a huge audience.”

Heliography, introduced in 1824, was the first photographic process to produce a visible image. The transformation involved Bitumen of Judea, a naturally occurring asphalt, coated over a photo-engraved plate of glass or metal. The coating hardened depending on its prolonged exposure to light, and once washed with lavender oil, would reveal only the hardened areas in the shape of an image.

We alter the dials in Lightroom and purchase filter presets to try and achieve a photo that date-stamps back to a time when we didn’t need to edit for a created defect in the grain.

The first process took an exposure time of several days.

Fast forwarding through thousands of blurry test shots, photography became available to the mass market with the release of the Kodak Brownie in 1901. However, the true revolution didn’t happen until the commercialization of personal, computer-based digital cameras in the 1990s.

Yet photography, no matter practiced with an iPhone or

The new cameras quickly marginalized traditional

15 | SPRING 2019

photochemical practices, and as their exposure times quickened, so did our obsession with the art form.

“We still teach B&W chemical photography but students now come in without any experience or knowledge of the process or equipment involved,” Yamashiro said. “Students are more aware of images now with digital access to images at their fingertips. It’s all on screens, though, and that’s different than an actual print. Students are also a little more impatient now because of the immediate ability to see what they are doing with digital imagery.”

The manual focus has been long outshadowed by the coveted “portrait mode” with the release of the iPhone 7 Plus, and adjusting aperture seems ancient compared to editing. Yet, even with these advancements, classic photography hasn’t faded out of focus.

Travel photographer Murad Osmann credits love as the reasoning behind the art form’s sustained popularity.

“I think it is better to say that our journey is about love to each other, about love to the culture of the countries that we visit, about people that we meet on our way, about traveling,” Osmann said in an interview with Blouin Artinfo, an international magazine. “Photography is just a way to show it all to our audience through our eyes.”

Osmann and his longtime partner Natalie are widely known for their #followmeto shots—chances are high you’ve seen them on your Instagram Explore page. One of the shots even covered National Geographic’s 2016 April/May issue, with the duo joining the famous ranks of thousands of others classified as travel influencers present on social media.

Travel bloggers, influencers and amateur photographers somewhat rely on the photographic platforms present within social media, and some doubt the authenticity of a photo if simply being taken for a post.

“As we advance, I think it is the responsibility of those advancing to also look back at where an idea originated, as well as the roots of where the inspiration came from,” said UP Magazine photographer Astrid Cabello, reflecting on her own social media page.

Cabello draws her inspiration from the nostalgia that comes with using the same techniques in a darkroom that her grandpa did 50 years ago.

16 | SPRING 2019

“Currently, I have been obsessed with old photos and film, and love trying to create a more classic, vintage look to a modern, contemporary photo,” Cabello said.

And she’s not the only one.

Several editing apps like Huji Cam have exploded in popularity, giving an antiquated, lens flare quality to images that are similar to those our parents took during vacations in the 1980s.

“Huji Cam makes your moments as precious as the feelings of analog film with old memories,” the app boasts, yet such a description on an app solely made for smartphones slightly contradicts the promoted message.

The emergence of this type of editing and digitalization is really an ode to traditional photography, paired with the rise in polaroids and disposable camera popularity.

Polaroid cameras and the likes thereof reintroduce a unique throwback to raw photography: one shot, one take, one physical image. Returning to this physicality brings back a tangible appreciation for photography that we’ve somewhat lost in the digital craze.

Our VSCO feeds are crowded with images of movement and perfected mid-action poses, but what happened to the candids that didn’t need a million re-shoots? Have we lost something in the race to achieve that perfect shot?

“I think it’s less about taking away from the intention and spontaneity of photography and more about taking away from the present moment,” Cabello said.

Photography continues to remain an advanced art form freely practiced by those with all sorts of educational training backgrounds. Whether we know it or not, our endless snaps, pictures of brunch and going-out photoshoots all add to our personal portfolio. It’s up to us to ensure we’re proud to fill photo albums with the memories we capture, whether those memories are picture-perfect, or better yet, not.

“It’s a complicated, beautiful, meaningful, emotional, intellectual and important medium,” Yamashiro said. “How to look at [something] with the eyes of a stranger? How to fall in love with it all over again?”

To Osmann and many others, the answer is simple: through photography.

17 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Christina Vitellas Makeup & Styling by Adzaan Muqtadir Modeled by Gigi Alvarez

‘09

TO

‘19 WRITTEN BY

Maddie Clegg

It’s 9 a.m. Your alarm rings from your Blackberry Curve, playing “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas. You open your Macbook, the newest “mini” model. You scroll through Twitter to find everyone tweeting about Kanye’s major diss towards T-Swift at the VMAs (#ImmaLetYouFinishBUT). You get ready to leave for class, iPod on, earbuds in, cord dangling just below your line of vision. Your friend AIMs you, making sure you’re coming over later to watch the new MTV series, “Jersey Shore.”

You throw your oversized shades on, and on your way to class, you pick up the newest fashion and lifestyle magazine on campus, which was created this very year: UP Magazine.

18 | SPRING 2019

This is the life of a Miami student in 2009.

Lauren Kelly, one of the founders of UP Magazine, and Bridget Clegg are two alumni who attended Miami during this iconic year. Both Kelly and Clegg reminisced on their time here to help UP envision life for a Miami student in 2009.

Fashion Although fashion is known to repeat itself, both Kelly and Clegg commented on how much clothing, particularly for college students, has changed.

“We were much less fashion forward in 2009 than today,” Clegg said. “I blame access to online shopping. I was rocking lots of dolman sleeves and black banded bottom-flowy top dresses to go out.”

Designer brands have become increasingly popular for college students in 2019 due to the influence of social media and the accessibility of online shopping and second-hand shopping apps like TheRealReal, eBay and Poshmark. But in 2009, it was less about designer brands and more about the specific style of clothing. Miami, nicknamed J.Crew U for a reason, was perhaps at its peak preppiness in 2009.

“We were still in an era of Longchamp bags, Vineyard Vines, Vera Bradley totes, Uggs, Patagonia/North Face fleeces and Tory Burch flats,” Clegg said. “Pearls, bump-it hairstyles and tall brown leather riding boots were definitely a thing.”

Kel ly a g reed t hat t he p re p py st yl e d om i nated t h e fashion scene.

“The designers who I remember standing out on campus were Longchamp and Vera Bradley,” she said. “Going out wear was typically a bandage dress and heels, no matter how cold it was.”

Technology and Social Media Technology and social media have transformed the life of college students today. Our cell phones and use of apps give us the ability to share photos and post updates on multiple platforms in a matter of seconds. Although 2009 was at the relative forefront of online communication and social media, it still played an essential role in how Miami students communicated and shared their experiences.

“We texted and called each other to stay connected with people who went to Miami with us,” Kelly said. “We used

Facebook messages and AIM to keep in touch with faraway friends. Facebook was really the only social media at the time.

I posted so many albums, and my friends did, too. They were always with photos taken on real cameras and uploaded with USB cords to computers and then uploaded to Facebook. The whole process took at least an hour, especially if you took the time to caption photos.”

Uptown and Social Life Whether you’re grabbing a bite to eat, finding a last minute outfit, getting your first tattoo, attempting to beat the clock or just going for a stroll on a nice day, Oxford’s uptown strip still serves as one of the most prominent parts of Miami life and culture. Both Kelly and Clegg remember a lot of their college time being spent uptown.

“I was a Kona Bistro girl for ‘fancy’ meals, and Chipotle for King Library late-night sustenance,” Clegg said.

“There was a Chinese food place we loved, Wild Bistro,” Kelly said. “And a Mexican restaurant by the grocery store we went to a lot, El Burrito Loco! Also, obviously, Bagel & Deli, Mac & Joe’s and Bodega.”

The night scene has remained relatively the same, both Kelly and Clegg mentioning the Oxford-famous Brick Street, as well as Skipper’s, Top Deck and Pachinkos. Greek life also took over as a prominent part of the 2009 Miami experience.

Kelly, who was in a sorority, said that Greek life was important on campus and helped students create friendships and become involved in different projects and events in the community.

She also mentioned her sorority as being the reason she met Kelly Phelan Johnston, UP Magazine’s other co-founder.

“I was very close with my big, little and grand-little, and the sorority is how I met Kelly Phelan,” Kelly said. “Who knows— without the sorority, would Kelly and I have ever met and started the magazine?”

Although the outfits might change and the picture quality becomes better, Miami’s ability to shape and transform every student that comes here is unparalleled. As we celebrate UP’s 10 year anniversary, we reflect on the students who have created the brilliant foundation and image that Miami represents. Moving forward, we hope our time at Miami in 2019 is remembered as successful and memorable—minus a few bad hair days and some questionable clothing choices, of course.

19 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Brandon Bouchaya Makeup & Styling by Allie Bruegge Modeled by Heather Hurst & Gabrielle Seni

WRITTEN IN INK

20 | SPRING 2019

WRITTEN BY

Evie Howard

The needle emitting a low hum dips into the black ink. The artist, a walking advertisement, leans over a bare forearm resting on a sterile baby blue napkin. His pen sinks into the untouched skin slowly revealing the chosen image—important to the nervous client in the chair now, and hopefully, forever.

“You may recall Ötzi the Iceman,” said Dr. Jeb Card, a professor of anthropology at Miami University. “He has, I believe, the oldest tattoos in the world, though of course there must be older that haven't [been] preserved.” Ötzi the Iceman is a 5,300-year-old man discovered in 1991 with 61 total tattoos, once created by piercing his skin and rubbing the wounds with charcoal. Ötzi’s tattoos were likely medicinal placebos, marking painful areas and “drawing” relief to them. From the earliest days, tattoos were associated with both pain and folk beliefs.

For hundreds of years, tattoos served as a way to signify one’s clan, beliefs or status in pre-literate societies. Tattoos were a useful part of a group’s culture. After the Renaissance, though, colonialism led to a long drought in tattoo popularity in the western world; groups using tattoos were often those colonized by European interests. Renaissance enlightenment embraced “purity,” and tattoos were thought to be works of primitive “outsiders” or symbols of degeneracy. If tattoos at one point carried such negative roots, what’s made them so popular now?

Ironically, it’s their association with outsider groups that has led to their resurgence. The rebellious 1960s questioned old

Over the last five decades, tattoos transitioned from rebellion to legitimate works of art and a powerful method of

SELF-EXPRESSION.

cultural mores across all genres. Tattoos were no exception.

Getting a tattoo in the 1960s challenged reigning western norms; like rock-and-roll or mini skirts, tattoos were used as counter-cultural emblems. The baby boomers discovered tattoos as a way to announce their difference from their own parents. Over the last five decades, tattoos transitioned from rebellion to legitimate works of art and a powerful method of self-expression.

The children of the baby boomers kept the tattoos, but dropped the rebellion. The taboo against tattoos has diminished greatly. Millennials, especially, seem to be entranced by them. Millennials are now all of adult, working age and have normalized tattoos in professional settings.

Tattoos are now seen as a means to commemorate personal benchmarks. They have lost their “bad reputation” even among some older adults.

Carla Terrell, 53, said she doesn’t necessarily love tattoos, but that there are worse ideas.

“Personally, I think tattoos are pretty stupid. There isn’t really anything that you need to put on your body even if it has some great significance to you,” Carla said. “I don’t think you’re immediately less classy or judge you if you have a small tattoo here or there, I just guess I don’t really understand them.”

Hallie Terrell, Carla’s 21-year-old daughter, has a differing opinion.

“I have one tattoo, but I probably will get another one or maybe a few small ones. My tattoo means a lot to me— ironically it is for my mom, and it’s something that I want with me always,” she said, referring to the depiction of a pink ribbon tattoo representing breast cancer for her mother, a two-time breast cancer survivor. “Some tattoos are tacky, but I don’t really get the argument against a few small ones. If I like them and they mean something to me, what’s the big deal?”

Carla and Hallie reveal the big truth about today’s tattoos— if it's no big deal to your mom, then it’s probably OK with everybody else.

21 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Sophie Thompson Makeup & Styling by Anna Bixby Modeled by Sarah Baumgartner, Zach Curiale, Chase Jackson & Jaylen White

RETROSPECTIVE RECOLLECTION: A L ook B ac k a t M ia m i T h r o u g h t h e D e ca d e s

WRITTEN BY

Sophie Thompson

Fred Reeder can still remember the exact moment he knew Miami University was the right college for him.

“I came here in the spring of ’87, and realized that my sister had a lot of pretty friends,” Reeder admits sheepishly. He had attended the event known as Little Sibs Weekend to visit his older sister, who was attending Miami at the time. “She ordered pizza from Bruno’s, and it was four dollars for a slice of pie. It was so good and so cheap and the girls were so cute that I said, ‘This is the place for me.’ It’s terrible, but that’s the truth.”

Reeder, now 47, graduated from Miami with a degree in English in 1993. Now a professor in the Media, Journalism and Film department at Miami, Reeder has come a long way from his hometown of Huntington, West Virginia.

22 | SPRING 2019

But during his freshman year at Miami, it wasn’t long before he found himself struggling academically. Reeder describes a moment from that year that left a huge impact on him involving a literature professor named Bill Gracie.

“Bill’s the guy my freshman year who just ripped my writing to shreds and made me realize that I was not good at all,” Reeder said. “But he left me with a choice: either just accept my inadequacies or get better. And so I got better.”

Reeder fondly recalls his years at Miami, yet one memory stands out in his mind: supporting the football team in Yager stadium. During his freshman year, the Miami football team had the nation’s longest winless streak, until they beat Bowling Green 3-0 and thousands of Miami students stormed the field in triumph. The students ripped up grass to take home as souvenirs and even tore down the goalpost, sticking it in front of the university president’s house.

Though it might not be reflected today, the Miami football team was a “national powerhouse” back in the 1970s, according to Terence Moore, from Miami’s class of 1978.

Moore, 63, currently works as a national sports journalist and columnist for Forbes, MSNBC and CNN. He is also a visiting journalism professor at Miami.

He recalls a football game in 1974, when Miami played against Kent State and won by scoring a last-minute field goal. At the end of the game, students threw tangerines onto the field (which used to be located near Pearson Hall) to celebrate how the team was heading to the Tangerine Bowl.

“It was such a joyous occasion, it was unbelievable,” Moore said. “The band just played forever. They played the fight song maybe nine times in a row, and tangerines were just flying around the stadium.”

Unlike Reeder and Moore, Elly Bradford, a Miami alumna from the class of 1987, wasn’t into the sports scene, with the exception of being in the ski club. Bradford, 54, majored in business, focusing on supply chain economics.

She now holds the title of senior manager of North American Purchasing Planning for Honda of America Manufacturing and works in Columbus, Ohio.

Bradford, who was invited to give a talk to students in

the Farmer School of Business last year, has noticed how technology has changed throughout the years at Miami.

She and Moore both had to use landline telephones in their dorms to call home since there were no cell phones or laptops to communicate with.

The fashion at the time was also a stark contrast to the trends today. Bradford laughed and described how they all had big hair and wore preppy clothing. Pink and green were popular color choices, and Izod was the on-brand label everyone was clamoring to wear.

Reeder wasn’t impressed by the fashion he saw around campus.

“I got here at a bad time,” he says. “Everybody was shapeless.” He explained how baggy clothing was in style, with short sleeves going down to the elbows.

Moore, who isn’t “much of a style person,” offered a different point of view.

“Well, from an African-American standpoint, I and everyone else had afros, and ironically, those are kinda coming back,” Moore said with a laugh. He described Miami’s history of being a predominantly white college, with only 121 other African-American students at Miami during his time there.

Alison Taylor, 32, from Miami’s class of 2009, also discussed Miami’s lack of diversity.

“Something I don’t love about Miami is that it’s so white,” Taylor said. “I wish that there was a bit more culture at Miami.”

Taylor’s creative writing and English literature major pushed her to work hard and become a better writer, yet that didn’t stop her from having fun. Her favorite memories at Miami include pogo-sticking inside Ogden Hall, racing dorm desk chairs down the hill beside Goggin and throwing hay around her house from a nearby farm for a hoe-down.

To alumni from all over the nation, no matter what decade they come from, Miami remains a timeless place for students to look back on and smile. After all, we quote time and time again, “To think that in such a place, I led such a life,” for a reason, right?

23 | SPRING 2019

24 | SPRING 2019

edit / 02

the eighties P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Maggie Smerdel M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Katie McIlroy, Dani Spensiero & Alexa Zweig M O D E L E D B Y Grace Baldwin, Julianna Spina & Michelle Won

25 | SPRING 2019

26 | SPRING 2019

27 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Victoria MacGregor Makeup & Styling by Erin Haymaker Modeled by Jamie Chahino

ADDI CTI O N WRITTEN BY

28 | SPRING 2019

Emma Nolan

The lights surrounding the bar begin to dim. The disco ball iluminates the dance floor, circulating its shine across the walls.

The music changes from top hits to the classic tunes of Earth, Wind & Fire. Slowly but surely, groups of people begin to enter wearing sequined jumpsuits, platform heels and polyester. The volume amplifies and the room steams up as more students block the doors leading to the outside patio.

I adjust my headscarf on top of my curled hair. My round purple glasses are tucked behind my ears. Is it 2019, or 1979?

It’s 8:30 p.m. on a Friday at Brick Street in Oxford, Ohio. More than 1,000 students are adorned in bell bottoms and floral, dancing the night away at a disco-themed party hosted by three different sororities.

Although every student in the bar was born in the ’90s or slightly thereafter, the vibe in the bar justifies the decade-themed socials that prove timeless to all.

Miami students are able to foster and construct enduring ideas for event themes, cultivating the creative side of the student body. No matter the location or the group of people, themes that involve classic music and throwback outfits prove to be popular with Miami students. From clunky accessories to bold patterns and wild shoe choices, the combination of throwback music and embodying the ego of another decade is enough to make a bar in 2019 feel like another time period.

‘Disco,’ ‘Rock and Roll,’ ‘Woodstock,’ ‘’80s in Aspen’ and ‘Denim’ are all social event themes from different Miami student organizations that have become traditions. Although there are many other parties that don’t necessarily mirror decades in their themes, much of Miami’s student body has noted that socials centered around time periods are the biggest crowd pleasers.

aged kids something new and exciting to look forward to,” Fox said. “Because these parties happen each and every year, it’s a tradition. Since we weren’t there to experience life at the times of these events, it’s exciting for us to attend. … Although our outfits don’t exactly mirror what was worn at the time period of our event, having the creativity to wear something so different from a normal night out makes each event seem much more fun.”

Fred Reeder, a Miami alumnus and current journalism professor, can attest to the lastability of themed events. Entering Miami in the fall of 1989, Reeder rushed Delta Chi in February of his second semester.

Although some of the parties and bars uptown have changed throughout the years, Reeder notes that the same party culture today was present 30 years ago. Similarly to today’s decadethemed parties, Reeder mentioned other events that reflected different eras during his time at Miami.

“We had ‘Knights of the Round Table,’ which was one of our big date parties,” Reeder said. “Eve r yon e dressed up i n renaissance dress.”

Although these events seem different and perhaps a tad more extreme than our socials now, Reeder recognizes that the desire for throwback events may come from the root of the music.

“I try to like today’s music, I really do,” Reeder said. “I’ll go to a sporting event and they will play today’s hip-hop music at timeouts, and nobody is dancing. I’ll go to a college basketball game and even the students aren’t dancing. There’s no excitement. Then they will play Bon Jovi and everyone dances and sings along. It’s like everybody gets it that these former decades have songs that everyone will love.”

According to Fox, as well as other students, Reeder is right.

Tommy Fox, a social chair at Miami, works with his fraternity brothers to organize their annual ‘’80s in Aspen’ themed date party. The guys have made it their duty to keep traditions of this event and brotherhood alive.

Fox notes how easy and exciting it is for members of his organization to dress for decade-inspired date parties.

“Themes such as ‘Aspen’ and ‘Rock and Roll’ give off a vibe that resonates with our generation because it gives college-

“If you looked around at ‘Disco’, hearing ‘Funky Town’ or anything by Queen has everyone moving to every classic,” he said. “Growing up with parents listening to the music at these events serves nostalgia and excitement during the middle of a party.”

From decade to decade, there seems to be a unique thrill in immersing yourself in the past—even if only for one night.

29 | SPRING 2019

drifting decades

denim 30 | SPRING 2019

through of

WRITTEN BY

Erin Adelman

For years, I hated wearing jeans. To me, denim never felt

During this time, denim became a perfect canvas for people to

comfortable or enjoyable. On any given day, yoga pants enticed me

make a piece unique to them by adding decorative elements, from

far more than slipping on a pair of jeans.

painting to embroidery to glitter.

But my opinion of denim changed when I finally tried on a pair

“In the 1970s, there was a huge explosion in designers and jeans,”

of mom jeans last year at American Eagle. High-waisted, loose

Martin-Stuart said.

through the leg and slightly distressed, these jeans were different than any I had worn before. Now, these are my favorite pair of jeans

Companies like Gloria Vanderbilt, Jordache and Guess tightened

and have led me to purchase others with a similar fit.

the fit of denim, branding their designs as sexy and adventurous, targeting young adults.

Though everyone has a different preferred style of denim, we all likely have a favorite pair of jeans somewhere in our closets. Why

Since then, jeans have continued to take on countless looks in

does everyone have denim in some form? What makes it a timeless

response to preceding trends.

essential to any wardrobe? For decades, denim has captivated the fashion scene, evolving from a simple pair of pants to overalls,

Recently, our generation has been intrigued by the denim-on-

skirts, shirts, jackets and more.

denim trend. Especially in the past year, practically everyone has embraced the style, from Kendall Jenner and Reese Witherspoon

Hannah Valdez, a marketing and fashion design student at Miami

to your average college student. If done right, this can be a fun

University, defines denim as a timeless garment because

statement outfit. It’s also a chance to experiment with the different

of its recyclability.

forms of denim you own, such as mixing tops and pants of different washes, colors or textures. (A good go-to is always a distressed,

“Denim is a recycled trend because it’s not just in the form of skinny

oversized denim jacket teamed with light-colored skinny jeans.)

jeans; it’s in all different forms,” Valdez said. “And with denim, you can dress it up or dress it down.”

However, five years ago, the Canadian tuxedo was not trending like it is now. How do notions of what is fashionable and what is not

The first pair of denim pants looked vastly different from the pair

fluctuate, and seemingly so easily?

you wear every day.

According to Valdez, our opinions about fashion vacillate between When Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis created a pair of work pants for

extremes, which explains why something unpopular, such as denim

gold miners in 1873, they unknowingly invented this quintessential

on denim, can explode into a major trend.

American garment that would be worn for centuries. Lisa MartinStuart, adjunct professor of western dress and sewing at Miami,

“When people get tired of one trend, what’s the best way to get

said originally Levi’s jeans were a heavy, baggy canvas material and

away from it? To go the extreme opposite until you find that good

had no belt loops, a cinch waist and were made to accommodate

middle,” Valdez said. “I think to start a new trend, it has to be

several sizes.

completely opposite of what’s trending today. ... I think these days a lot of people who are into fashion are really trying to steer away

Levi’s remained the primary work pant for men until the 1920s and

from being normal because fashion itself is a form of expression.”

1930s when other blue jean manufacturers, such as Lee, also began producing jeans, as well as full overalls and jackets. According to

While what is popular today will soon be replaced with a new

Martin-Stuart, these garments were still exclusively made for men

trend, history has shown that denim, in some form, will always be

and for intensive manual labor.

in style. Our jeans have weathered decades of experimentation and fads, and they continue to be the perfect and timeless canvas for

In the 1940s, teenagers began to embrace jeans, particularly in the

personal style to shine.

western region of the country.

“The idea of the blue jeans becomes [sic] identified with teenage rebellion and delinquency,” Martin-Stuart said. “And that takes u s i n to t h e 1 9 6 0 s wi t h t h e a n t i -wa r s e n t i m e n t s a n d hippie movements.”

Photographed by Olivia Hajjar Makeup & Styling by Olivia Bianco & Adzaan Muqtadir Modeled by Ali Darwish, Brandon LaBrie, Kamila Siu & Nikita Siu

31 | SPRING 2019

Framing Music as a Time Machine

REM I NI SCE

Photographed by Annie David Makeup & Styling by Cami Cicero & Maddie Zimpfer Modeled by Grant Bailey & Anna Skalicki Location Credits to Shake It Records in Cincinnati, OH

WRITTEN BY

Rebecca Sowell

I squint as I focus my gaze on the Mediterranean Sea. She twinkles, welcoming me. She can tell I’m a newcomer by the way I look at her, the way I consider every phantom current and bouquet of foam.

Facing Africa, I close my eyes for a second and relish in this new sea scent. It smells distinctly different from my local ocean back home in Florida, although the Atlantic and the Mediterranean are interconnected. It’s saltier and more concentrated. More ancient. I’m standing at the foot of Western civilization’s beginnings, the convergence of cultures.

My own beginning. This is my first trip to Spain, and I feel oddly emotional to step foot in a new country, nevertheless meet an entirely new ocean. Maneuvering through the sand, I dodge a group of children barrelling toward the sea as I untangle my earbuds. I need to soundtrack this feeling and store it somewhere.

32 | SPRING 2019

33 | SPRING 2019

Elton John’s wistful voice pipes through my phone as I watch the sunbathers flip over, avoiding eye contact with the men selling upcharged water bottles. I shut my eyes again.

They say Spain is pretty, though I’ve never been Well Daniel says it’s the best place that he’s ever seen Oh and he should know, he’s been there enough Lord, I miss Daniel, oh I miss him so much I open my eyes and I’m in my Ohio apartment. Snow is falling steadily outside, but I’m radiating warmth. I’m still listening to “Daniel” by Elton John and I realize I’m smiling at my wall. I turn up the volume and re-enter my time machine.

A song is just an array of organized notes and sounds.

Realistically, it shouldn’t have the power to zoom us back to the past in visceral detail. The concept of it sounds fictional.

And yet, it’s been eight months since I visited Valencia, Spain, and I can still feel every emotion and sensation I had during my Mediterranean encounter, all with a simple press of “play.”

We’ve all felt it, but do any of us really know why music conjures vivid memories? Neurologists and music therapists are enthralled by this question, and they’ve dedicated countless hours of research and studies to find the answer. As it turns out, music is the closest thing to magic that we have.

It starts behind the forehead. The medial prefrontal cortex is the hub of memories, emotion and, of course, music. Our brains are hardwired to link music with long-term memory, resulting in a deep emotional recall. If our memories are sporadic dots floating around in our minds, music is what transforms them into constellations.

Pop music is especially dominant when recollecting memories.

In the “Pop Philosophy” episode of the KCRW podcast, “The Organist,” philosopher Simon Critchley discusses how catchy melodies play a large part in memory and association.

“Memory is kind of like a record collection,” Critchley said.

“Life is punctuated by a series of episodic blips that can be linked to specific music experiences or songs. Pop music is the way the world opens up.”

34 | SPRING 2019

If you go to any public place, you’ll likely hear a pop song playing. The melodies are contagious and persistent, they crawl into our heads and refuse to be forgotten. Regardless of whether we like it or not, pop music is always there. It’s generational—it punctuates each decade like an audible time capsule. My parents are reminded of their childhoods in the ’70s when they hear “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. Meanwhile, I’m brought back to being an angsty eight-year-old whenever I listen to any Kelly Clarkson song.

Psychologists call this nostalgic phenomenon the “reminiscence bump.” When we’re young, everything is new and meaningful, so we’re more likely to register memories during this period than any other stage in life. Pop music is inherently timeless because it bookmarks points in our lives and allows us to revisit them any time, even decades later.

This explains why people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are sometimes able to recall a memory in perfect detail when they listen to a melody associated with a past experience.

Although music therapists say that music is not a cure for memory loss, it’s able to sometimes provide a rare bit of solace for dementia patients and their families.

Music therapy has proven to be helpful in trauma patients as well. The limbic system, or the “emotional brain,” is where we contextualize our feelings and register sensations like sounds, or incidentally, our deepest terrors and traumas. Since sound and trauma both evoke visceral and subliminal reactions, music can act as a pathway to recognizing and uprooting fearbased reflexes. Music can help soothe anyone from babies in newborn intensive care units to war veterans.

“Because the music has a beginning and an end, we are able to move through the process [of healing], to hold the feeling as it happens in the moment,” said music therapist Katie Down in a Pitchfork interview.

The idea of using music to redefine negative memories is incredibly powerful and radical. That’s the beauty of it all— music gives us the power to choose. We can choose to reclaim meanings for ourselves and search for peace. Or we can even choose to return to that tender feeling of meeting the ocean for the first time.

35 | SPRING 2019

Madelyn Hopkins WRITTEN BY

VOICES OF CHANGE 36 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Olivia Hajjar Makeup & Styling by Sophia Spinell Modeled by Claire Haitsch & Isabella Lucarelli

As you walk through campus to your Monday morning class with

“We were constantly rioting and protesting against the law, against

your mind in cruise control, your thoughts are likely revolving

the system,” Morrison said. “We’ve made tremendous progress. It

around things besides your physical surroundings—whether that be

might not always seem like it, but our society has really come a long

your homework due later that night or what happened on “Game of

way. And from firsthand experience, I credit much of it towards

Thrones” last week. Your thoughts in this moment are not usually

student activism and involvement.”

centered around what might have happened on these sidewalks or in these campus buildings in decades past. Even if it sometimes slips

It’s easy, and at times important, to focus on what’s wrong in our

our minds, universities have long been the perfect catch-fire place to

world, what needs to be done and how we can improve; however, a

initiate change. Throughout time, students have proven themselves

lot can be learned from past triumphs and the measures that were

to be passionate and not afraid to stand up for their beliefs, which

taken to achieve these accomplishments.

can in turn establish lasting results. With accessibility to hundreds or thousands of individuals on campus, word spreads fast and

“I’ve been really impressed by students today,” Morrison said. “We’ve

change can happen.

made great progress, yes, but it’s important that we don’t stop there.

There is always room for improvement and seeing how younger

It’s no secret that students have been active with their voices for

people are just as passionate as we were gives me confidence in

decades. From involvement in the Freedom Summer movement (an

the future.”

event closely related to Miami University’s history) to protesting the Vietnam War and beyond, students know how to create and spread

This semester, Miami had the privilege of hosting David Hogg and

change, both past and present.

Alex Wind, two 18-year-old school shooting survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Hogg and Wind

In 1964, Freedom Summer was sparked to encourage black voter

now act as prominent gun control advocates since the event. They

turnout in Mississippi, and to stand against violence. Volunteers

travel the country speaking to others, sharing their experiences and

were harassed by the majority of Mississippi’s white population,

their fight toward stricter gun regulations and proactive measures

including members of the Ku Klux Klan and the police. Miami

regarding mental health.

had a special involvement with this civil rights movement, as 800 volunteers were trained on what is Miami’s present-day campus

These stories evoke feelings of pain and sympathy, but Hogg and

prior to their journey down south. Today, we remember the activists’

Wind turn their tragic experiences into fuel for something bigger—a

crucial efforts through the amphitheater on Western Campus that is

propellor for modern change.

dedicated to the movement, as well as through stories, lectures and panels. There is even a mobile app developed by Miami students in

“I think it’s important to realize the power of being a young person.

2014 that was created to share the story of Freedom Summer and

The power of having your entire life ahead of you at a point in your life

keep the history alive, according to Journal-News.

where you can decide whatever you want to be, where your dreams can be your destiny,” Hogg said. “The greatest obstacle that we face

And this is far from the first time Miami students have proved

as a generation and as individuals in changing the world is believing

themselves to be passionate, proactive activists. Armstrong Student

that we can. I want each and every one of you to love yourself and

Center has been the home of many meaningful movements and

be sure to know that you are a beautiful person, to have courage in

protests. In the spring of 2018, when a white student called a black

yourself and believe that you can change the world, because that’s

student a derogatory, racist term in a group chat and later bragged

the only time that the world actually ever has changed, is when a

about it on Tinder, several students stood up to protest the racial

small, determined group of individuals goes out there and fights for

slurs and derogatory comments through peaceful protest and

what’s idealistic and changes what’s realistic.”

chanting in Armstrong. For over an hour, students joined together to stand up against these wrongdoings. The campus buzzed about

Sharing opinions and starting a movement, whether it’s as big as a

the actions, and the movement illustrates the devotion of students

global initiative like March For Our Lives (made possible in part by

speaking out against injustices. Whether it be through protest,

the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas) or as seemingly simple

nationwide movements or simply adding to a memorial, student

as calling your congressman, has real power to create change. As

activism is about sharing your voice with the community and

Hogg mentioned, no matter your beliefs, don’t forget the power you

advocating for a better world.

hold to peacefully turn what is ideal into what is real.

Jacob Morrison*, an LGBTQ+ activist in the late 1960s, was a

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of this individual

firsthand witness to such efforts during his tenure as a student.

upon request.

37 | SPRING 2019

edit / 03

the nineties

38 | SPRING 2019

P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Christina Vitellas M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Ben Krautheim, Hailey Lowe & Matt Zeldin M O D E L E D B Y Daniela Rodriguez, Ameen Seck & Austin Soika

39 | SPRING 2019

40 | SPRING 2019

41 | SPRING 2019

42 | SPRING 2019

(513) 523-2100 115 W. Spring Street, Oxford, OH 45056 www.lunablusalon.com

FOLLOW UP

@UpFashionMag

@UpFashionMag

@UpFashionMag

UP Magazine

UP Magazine

UP Magazine

upmagazineblog.com upfashionmag@gmail.com

43 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Morgan Minnock Makeup & Styling by Caitlyn Maskalunas Modeled by Kat Holleran & Amy Lane

HISTORY DOWN THE ALLEY WRITTEN BY

44 | SPRING 2019

Madysen George

In Oxford, Ohio, we believe in quality over quantity. Miami University is known for being the quintessential college town—in 2016, Forbes Magazine named Oxford “The Best College Town in the U.S.” This honor, of course, comes as no surprise to anyone who has strolled down our brick street even once.

At times, our beloved uptown seems to be merely an extension of campus, with its picturesque storefronts and hidden gems around every corner. We don’t boast highrise buildings or a brightly-lit strip of restaurant chains and glittering department stores—our charm is subtler than that. It is the unassuming facades that house the most delicious food and iconic sights in Oxford, a town loved by students and full-time residents alike.

“Miami and Oxford have a mutually beneficial relationship,” said Claire Wagner, a Miami spokeswoman, in an article with Journal-News.

From Skipper’s to Bagel & Deli to Kofenya, we’re all familiar with our go-to spots with the snacks and treats you force your out-of-town friends to try because they simply don’t know what they’re missing. We have our staples, and we swear by them. One such staple can’t be found on High Street, however.

If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you might miss it, and if you hit Starbucks, you’ve gone too far. Down the alley sits a windowless box of a building, with the main entrance resembling a door intended for staff only. The modest sign above the door is the only clue that you’re in the right place, and when you enter you’re only slightly reassured by the sight of two sets of stairs—one leading up, the other leading down. But if you take the plunge, you’ll be greeted with seemingly endless wood paneling and arguably the best burgers for miles. And guess what?

It’s been that way for decades.

Mac & Joe’s may not look like much, but what it lacks in curb appeal, it more than makes up for in flavor, atmosphere and nostalgia. As Miami’s oldest-running bar, established in 1946, the tavern prides itself on being a place to meet with friends and family, eat, drink and watch a sports game. But Miami students are not just frequent customers—they’re integral to the staff.

Stephanie Sorich, a Miami junior, has been an employee of the restaurant for about a year. She started working there after some of her sorority sisters told her how positive their experiences were as Mac & Joe’s employees.

“They were definitely right,” Sorich said. Oxford, of course, is more than Miami, but so often students seem to live in their own bubble, even when perusing uptown. Mac & Joe’s doesn’t allow for such accidental separation. “ It isn ’ t l ike Br ick o r Side wh e re it ’ s j ust fil l ed wi th students,” Sorich said. “It’s always a really good mix.”

As a student, Sorich says she really values the sports bar as a patch of common ground for those in school and those who call Oxford home 365 days a year.

“There’s never anyone in Oxford who can’t go to Mac & Joe’s and have a good time,” she said.

Though students come and go every four or five years, Mac & Joe’s is a fixed point in Oxford history—an unaltered place for alumni and Oxford residents to return to no matter how long it’s been or what else has changed.

Whether it’s the Browns fan club that meets in the basement for every game, the charming, good-natured rivalry against Skipper’s for the title of “Best Mac Bite” or any other quirk or tradition you can think of, Mac & Joe’s is the longest-standing restaurant in the best college town in the U.S. for a reason.

“People come back with their kids or their friends years later and they talk to us about how they used to come [here] when they were in school and I always just think to myself, ‘That’s gonna be me!’” Sorich said. “I know [working here] is going to be a huge part of my memories of college. [Mac & Joe’s] really has so much of my heart.”

For a place to take the parents, an excuse to indulge in pub food or for no good reason at all, head down the alley to Mac & Joe’s, plop down on a barstool or slide into a wooden booth and eat alongside Oxford history. Say hi to friends you know, make friends with the ones you don’t and if you aren’t aware already, see for yourself why Mac & Joes “in the alley” has been an Oxford staple for more than 70 years.

45 | SPRING 2019

NUANCES OF

NOSTALGIA WRITTEN BY

46 | SPRING 2019

Julia Plant

I’m sitting on the beach in Sitges, a small coastal town outside of Barcelona, where I’m studying for the semester. The sun shines on my face and I can feel my cheeks slowly turning pink. I dig my bare feet further into the sand. Seagulls glide past and dogs leap by, frantically chasing after the frisbee they’ve just been thrown. It’s quiet where I lie, and I listen as the waves crash over and over again onto the shore.

go back. Yet I’m simultaneously happy, reminiscing on joyful moments that I’ll always carry with me.

The word nostalgia originates from the Greek stems nostos, homecoming, and algos, longing. It was first coined in the late 1600s when a medical student, Johannes Hofer, observed this “homesickness” in Swiss mercenaries who had moved away during the war and who longed for their home in Switzerland. In fact, he believed it to be a disease or a psychological disorder that required medical attention. The concept spread throughout Europe—even Spanish soldiers were sent home during the Thirty Years’ War for exhibiting symptoms of nostalgia.

About 50 feet in front of me, right where the water hits the sand, a family of four is playing what I believe to be monkey-in-the-middle. I watch as the dad tackles his daughter, who’s just stolen the ball. The mom and brother run into the commotion, creating a dog pile of four. I “NO SOONER HAD THE WARM LIQUID can just hear their laughter from where I’m sitting. I’ve b e e n wa t c h i n g t h e m f o r 20 minutes.

MIXED WITH THE CRUMBS TOUCHED MY PALATE THAN A SHUDDER RAN

The meaning of the word “nostalgia” has evolved over time. While it was originally defined as missing one’s native home, it developed into a longing to be a child again and, eventually settled into its modern definition: a general longing for the past and what has been.

THROUGH ME…AN EXQUISITE Today is what I’d consider PLEASURE HAD INVADED MY SENSES… to be my perfect day. I don’t know what more I could AND SUDDENLY THE MEMORY ask for. And while I should REVEALED ITSELF. THE TASTE WAS THAT be feeling nothing but happiness sitting here on the OF THE LITTLE PIECE OF MADELEINE With the change of its beach on this lazy Sunday, WHICH ON SUNDAY MORNINGS…MY meaning over time came I’m hit with an all-tooa change in connotation. familiar sense of nostalgia. I AUNT LÉONIE USED TO GIVE ME…” The publication of Marcel see my own family of four in Proust’s “In Search of Lost these strangers, and I want Time” in 1913 played a major role in this. In the novel, to be young again. I’m reminded of the simplicity of my he wrote about a now infamous “madeleine moment,” in childhood and the days I spent on the beach, playing which he took a bite of a madeleine (a French cookie) games just like this, with my parents and brother. and was immediately overcome by memories of his childhood. He wrote, It’s my semester abroad—something I hope to always remember as one of the best times of my life. I know I “No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs should be living in the moment—soaking up the present. touched my palate than a shudder ran through me…an So why, then, have I found myself grieving another time exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses…And suddenly of my life, one from over 10 years ago? the memory revealed itself. The taste was that of the little piece of madeleine which on Sunday mornings…my Nostalgia. It’s a bittersweet feeling. I’m sad thinking aunt Léonie used to give me…” about my childhood and the reality that I can never

47 | SPRING 2019

People began to appreciate feelings of nostalgia. Rather than being seen as a disease, it was considered a pleasant experience. According to Christina Roylance, a psychology professor at Miami University who specializes in nostalgia, her current research paints nostalgic feelings as a “positive and beneficial emotional experience.”

Marketers have used these pleasant associations to boost sales through the implementation of a strategy known as nostalgia marketing. By reminding consumers of the “good old days” in ad campaigns, companies like Apple, Spotify and Coca-Cola have seen increases in numbers. When Coca-Cola rolls out those vintage print ads and its iconic retro labels that we all know and love, it’s working to evoke nostalgic feelings in its consumers.

Not only have marketers strategically used nostalgia, but politicians have, too. In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump used nostalgia in his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.” While presidential candidates often focus their platforms on a futuristic way of improving the country (Obama’s 2012 slogan was, “Forward”), Trump pulled at the nostalgic strings of his followers, promising he’d take them back to “the good old days.” And the effectiveness of the campaign makes sense. According to Clay Routledge, a psychology professor at North Dakota State University, we more easily forget the negative features of the past. In fact, we have our own “editing process” when it comes to memories. Oftentimes, without realizing, we create the story that we want to tell, even if it’s not completely accurate.

According to Roylance, nostalgia is often induced by sensory experiences: taste, smell, sight, sound. These feelings can easily transport us back to a meaningful past, whether it be the smell of your grandmother’s perfume or the album you listened to on repeat in high school. And, contrary to what was originally thought in the seventeenth century, we

48 | SPRING 2019

don’t have to feel guilty about feeling like this. Although it’s common to feel nostalgic during times of loneliness or grief, nostalgia doesn’t have to just be about living in the past.

“When you are armed with the confidence of the past by reflecting on the people who love you and times when you were happy and joyful, you are better equipped to meet the challenges of the present and the future,” Roylance said.

Routledge agrees. Routledge, a nostalgia expert, recently collaborated with NPR to produce a podcast titled, “Nostalgia Isn't Just A Fixation on The Past – It Can Be About the Future, Too.” Throughout the broadcast, Routledge argues the benefits that come with thinking about the past.

“One of the things that I’ve found very interesting about this research in nostalgia is that you have these very complex emotional experiences often involving great hardship and loss and struggle,” he said. “But also … there seems to be some kind of redemptive nature to them or triumphant nature to them.”

So, while we may experience this feeling of nostalgia during times of difficulty, it can help us to feel optimistic about the future. It can mobilize us.

I watch as the family of four start walking down the beach, away from me. I feel a pang in my heart as I see the brother and sister fade into the distance, hand in hand. I haven’t seen my brother since January. I miss him. I miss playing imaginary games with him and walking hand in hand down the beach with our parents.

But, just like Routledge and Roylance noted, there’s a layer of optimism hiding beneath the grief. Someday, down the road, maybe I’ll have a family of my own, just like this one.

Just like my family. It won’t be the same, but I know that there are more happy memories to be made.

Photographed by Amanda Parmo Styled by Ben Krautheim Modeled by Jake Connelly

49 | SPRING 2019

Photographed by Astrid Cabello Makeup & Styling by Astrid Cabello Modeled by Aleah Sexton

F E AST I N G O N WRITTEN BY

50 | SPRING 2019

Regan O’Brien

When people think about what traditions their families have, they're usually tied back to one thing: food. It might be stating the obvious, but cuisine has brought people together for generations. Whether it be through the passing down of recipes from one family to the next, or even just whipping up a weeknight meal with your parents, food is a common ground that people around the globe can connect through.

Food has always been an integral part of my upbringing and the bonding of my family. Growing up, I was raised by parents immersed in the restaurant and hospitality business.

My grandmother was born and raised in Germany and loved to share the recipes she grew up with. When I moved to college and no longer had the ability to access a variety of foods and a kitchen like I did at home, I missed that aspect of my home life more than anything. I was so used to being able to try out new recipes, being able to go to the grocery store whenever I wanted and making things that I was used to and liked, instead of having to rely on what the dining hall would come up with for that day.

When the holidays came around, I was more excited to be making the food with my parents and grandmother by my side than I was to actually eat it. There’s a homey feeling about simply being in the kitchen with my family that washes a sense of comfort over me.

For some more than others, food is how families connect.

Helen Zhang, a Miami University sophomore who calls Beijing home, explains how meals allow her and her family to share stories and spend time with each other. “[Food] really is a huge part of family and culture back home,” Zhang said. “My mom and dad both have jobs requiring a lot of their attention most of the time. Our meals together are pretty much how we spend time together when we tell each other about the fun and not-so-fun things happening in our lives.”

Upon coming to the U.S., Zhang was more than open to trying new foods, along with experiencing a different culture and sharing it all with her family back home.

“I have been exposed to so many more types of food and I love them all,” she said. “I really am an open-minded person when it comes to food. [I’ve] learned so much about the commonly used ingredients in each cuisine. I always share

those recipes with my mom, the good cook in our home.

She’s usually amazed and willing to try cooking it with me, which is another activity I enjoyed greatly with my family.”

Regardless of whether you’re coming to Miami from across the world or from another state, leaving your family and traditions behind can be difficult, especially if your religion revolves around it, as it does for Miami senior Alyson Yawitz.

“Food-wise, I love having a traditional Shabbat dinner,” Yawitz said. “There isn’t a set meal you are supposed to have, but there is always challah which is braided bread.

There is typically chicken or brisket and vegetables. It is just a classic. It is also nice to have designated time to sit down with family and reflect on your week,” For the Jewish culture, food is an integral part of celebrating holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Both occur in the fall, making it challenging for students to be with their families for these events.

“Holidays away from home are difficult,” said Mushka Greenberg, the event programmer for the Chabad Jewish Student group at Miami. “You may have that certain custom your family always does during Passover or your mom's favorite dish she always bakes during Rosh Hashana. We try to accommodate personal students’ wishes so they can feel right at home when they join us for all the holidays and hopefully ease the separation from home.”

For Yawitz, Passover is her favorite Jewish holiday. Passover involves eliminating foods with flour or a rising agent for one week. “[My] family sits down together and goes through the story of Passover. It used to always be at my grandparents’ house and now it is always at mine,” Yawitz said. ”It was the one time a year when I was really little that the entire family, including all of the cousins, tried to get together which is why I love it so much. Family is a big emphasis in the Jewish faith.”

From one country, one family or one religion to the next, food is a lasting tradition that brings people and families together. It’s rare to come across something that has the power to connect us in a way that very few things can—but that’s food through and through.

51 | SPRING 2019

10 TIMELESS BOOKS YOU SHOULD HAVE READ YESTERDAY WRITTEN BY

Photographed by Tesia Neujahr Makeup & Styling by Cami Cicero Modeled by Caitlin Beak 52 | SPRING 2019

Mary Kate Groh

Books are a magical escape into another world. As our English teachers have long preached, there truly is great value in reading the classics, as they’ve meant a great deal to diverse readers throughout the years. They distinguish themselves as astonishing and boundary-breaking, and that’s why we’re still reading them. In honor of 10 years of UP Magazine, check out these 10 timeless books to add to your reading list stat.

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (1999) Written by Stephen Chbosky, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a coming-of-age epistolary novel that follows Charlie, an introverted freshman navigating through the challenges of his first year of high school. The novel guides us through heavier topics such as drug use, sexuality, mental health and abuse through the lens of its beloved protagonist.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” (1970) Written by Judy Blume, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is a young adult novel about sixth-grader Margaret Simon who struggles with her lack of religious affiliation.

The book explores her quest to find a single religion while confronting the struggles of typical adolescence. In 2010, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” was placed on Time’s list of top 100 fiction books. Time Magazine notes, “Blume turned millions of pre-teens into readers. She did it by asking the right questions—and avoiding pat, easy answers.”

The “Harry Potter” series (1997-2007) Written by J.K. Rowling, the “Harry Potter” series is no doubt one of the most popular book series of our generation. The series follows young wizard Harry Potter and his friends through their adventures at Hogwarts. “Harry Potter” explores numerous genres and themes such as prejudice, corruption and death. According to surveys conducted by Anthony Gierzynski, a political science professor at the University of Vermont, over 1,000 college students in the United States who read the books were significantly different than those who had not. Readers of the series were found to be more tolerant, more opposed to violence and torture, less authoritarian and less cynical— basically, don’t miss these books.

“Watership Down” (1972) Written by Richard Adams, “Watership Down” is an adventure novel set in southern England. The story follows a small group of anthropomorphized rabbits as they try to escape from the destruction of their burrow and seek a place to call their new home.

“The Color Purple” (1982) Written by Alice Walker, “The Color Purple,” is an epistolary novel that focuses on African-American women in the early 1930s. The novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1983, addresses social issues in American culture, such as the societal discriminations held against African Americans.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985) Written by Margaret Atwood, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a dystopian novel set in future New England where a totalitarian state resembling a Christian government has overthrown the United States. The novel explores life in the U.S. being run by fundamentalists, in which women are oppressed and treated as a subservient class. Atwood’s novel was notable for sparking debates on feminism and race.

“The Giver” (1993) Written by Lois Lowry, “The Giver” is a young adult science fiction novel in which society has taken away pain and strife.

The story follows a young boy named Jonas who struggles with all of the new emotions and concepts introduced to him.

Natalie Babbitt of the Washington Post noted, “‘The Giver’ has things to say that cannot be said too often, and I hope there will be many, many young people who will be willing to listen.”

“The Hunger Games” (2008-2010) Written by Suzanne Collins, “The Hunger Games” is a young adult dystopian trilogy that follows Katniss Everdeen and her fight for survival in the compulsory televised battle royale deathmatch. The book draws from Greek mythology and Roman gladiator games, and is a source of inspiration for its readers.

“Gone Girl” (2012) Written by Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl” is a thriller that centers on Nick Dunne and whether he is involved in the disappearance of his wife. The novel has been praised for its brilliant use of plot twists, suspense and unreliable narration. Flynn also noted that she drew inspiration for the novel from aspects of truecrime shows and real-life cases, according to a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“Wonder” (2012) Written by R. J. Palacio, “Wonder” is an uplifting children’s novel that follows Auggie Pullman, a fifth-grader with a medical condition that left his face disfigured. Auggie struggles to fit in at school and find friends who accept him for who he is. The New York Times noted, “It’s Auggie and the rest of the children who are the real heart of ‘Wonder,’ and Palacio captures the voices of girls and boys, fifth graders and teenagers, with equal skill.”

53 | SPRING 2019

a stitch in time WRITTEN BY

Adrienne Bechtel

There are some things that never seem to go away: promo emails from a site you ordered from one time, your parka because it still feels like winter in April, a craving for french fries or a trusty pair of white Converse (because what don’t they go with)? When it comes to things that last, fashion is durable—some pieces find their way back into every trend, every season, every year. Converse, as an example, have been around for over 100 years. Though originally designed for basketball players, they’ve become a staple for an everyday, casual look. Change is an important part of life and an important part of fashion, but there are certain timeless elements of style that live on past the current moment.

Jackie Schutjer sees fashion as a way to capture the world around her. A senior at Miami University and fouryear member of Miami University Fashion and Design (MUF&D), Schutjer is the co-director of modeling for MUF&D’s 13th Annual Fashion Show this spring. She started in the marketing and PR sectors of the organization as a freshman, but has since modeled and worked as a modeling assistant and director. This year, she added student designer to her list.

“I’m inspired by the world around me,” Schutjer said with a smile. “I like to tell a story with my designs because fashion really is about capturing the world.”

Schutjer’s current project focuses on layers that represent time, contrast and change. She utilizes layers in the fabric to represent how our cumulative past experiences layer together to shape who we are today. The design focuses on hope; dark forms accented by bright white trimmings to emphasize the prevalence of hope throughout the human experience. Fashion is more than what we wear. Just as the layers of our experiences shape our personalities, the layers of a dress can hold much more meaning.

Fashion, like time and history, has an uncountable amount of dimensions to it. When designing, Schutjer first analyzes the world around her. An idea for a design can be sparked by a moment in time, the walls of a building or even a split second of a sunset. This “spark” layer is combined with other elements like texture, shape, color and the meaning behind the design.

54 | SPRING 2019

But Schutjer emphasized that designing is not about perfection: “Just go with what your inspiration is telling you. You must adapt and change and be flexible just like in real life.”

So with all the change we experience, what makes a design last? Well, some articles of clothing and designs physically stick around. Certain materials—leather and denim, for sure—last forever. Versatility is another important aspect.

Because of their simplicity, pieces like black dresses and slacks, blouses, leather jackets and mom jeans fit in almost any era. These physically timeless pieces are remembered because they never really went away. Their timelessness derives from the fact that they remain relevant despite the changes happening around them.

But there’s another kind of timelessness. High fashion design is about catching attention and keeping it—having something to talk about when a design is no longer seen on the runway. When it comes to extravagant designs, it can be more about the memory and impact of the design rather than the physical article of clothing.

The Costume Institute is a collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that exhibits over 33,000 designs representing five continents and seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories. Similarly, the Gucci Garden is a museum in Florence, Italy, housing clothing, accessories and other artwork from Gucci over the years.

Collections like these preserve memories of what designers were thinking and feeling, and give us a visual tour that reflects history.

We are not just wearing clothes: we’re preserving them, remembering them, admiring them. Designing is an art form that transcends time. Fashion allows us to capture and preserve moments in time just like a painting or song does.

Whether it’s the memory of a Christian Dior runway dress or the denim jacket you wear five times a week, clothes are more timeless than we realize. Like the layers of Schutjer’s design, outfits represent fragments in time. Clothes are more than what we wear: they represent us and the surrounding world.

Photographed by Avery Salomon Makeup & Styling by Cami Cicero & Natalie Gruenwald Modeled by Seraiah Wells

55 | SPRING 2019

56 | SPRING 2019

edit / 04

the two thousands P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Douglas Chan M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Erin Haymaker & Jackie Schutjer M O D E L E D B Y Leo Jin & Emma Karle

57 | SPRING 2019

58 | SPRING 2019

59 | SPRING 2019

60 | SPRING 2019

61 | SPRING 2019

MARCHING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RIOTS WRITTEN BY

62 | SPRING 2019

Vivian Drury

The humid New York air clung to Jim Duke’s skin. The sun reflected off the bright rainbow-colored banners. He marched down 5th Avenue, the Empire State Building and the hundreds of thousands of people surrounding it basking in the heat and sheer joy of the moment.

It was the year 2016. As Duke gazed around him, he noticed a timid-looking young man a few feet away from him. He walked up to the man and smiled.

“You know, this is my first one of these,” the man said. Duke watched as the man absorbed the environment surrounding him, the immense happiness and freedom washing over him.

“The idea was to commemorate that expression and frustration and to address how those problems were still present,” said Jeffrey Reid, a Pride-attendee and participant for the past 10plus years. “In New York, it is very clear that it is a Pride march to put more of a political and less of a celebratory dimension on it.”

Although gay marriage was not legalized in the United States until 2015, Pride has been an annual event across the country since the Stonewall Riots. The event started in New York 50 years ago and has popped up in almost every major city since.

Pride is also an event that has grown around the globe with over 40 countries participating each year.

“This is the first time that people are experiencing an entire public event that is saying it’s OK to be gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgendered or whatever you are and we’re here for you,” Duke said. “Pride tells people we accept you, we love you and we want you as part of our community. You get to witness and be a part of something that is very monumental and people for the first time feel love and acceptance on a global scale.”

“As badly as it was needed in the ’60s and ’70s and even today, it was needed even more outside of the U.S.,” Reid said. “There was this untapped need to express the desire for people to fight for their rights and Pride really became a vehicle for that.”

Almost 50 years ago, this event, let alone the acceptance of love for all people—regardless of sexual orientation—did not exist as it does today.

“Pride is becoming straighter and that’s a good thing,” Reid said. “From the mid ’90s to now, many more allies have gotten involved. Before this, many straight people were afraid to come to Pride in fear of what their friends or neighbors may think. But since then, there are many more straight ally groups and people who want to march in the parade.”

On June 28, 1969, around 1 a.m., police raided a popular New York-based LGBTQ+ bar called The Stonewall Inn. This bar was an accepting space, welcoming everyone in the community: drag queens, transgendered people, gay people, prostitutes and homeless youth. In a time when riots and distress filled the nation, this community in particular had had enough. The bar attendees decided to fight against the pain and oppression they had faced for so long.

One year later, there was a march in memory of the event, a symbol of the community moving toward the future and in recognition of the strength and defiance exhibited on that day.

Since then, Pride has grown around the world. Yet 2019 is a special year for the New York Pride March, as it is the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Even with today’s chaotic politics, it is clear that Pride is a movement that isn’t going anywhere.

Pride is not only an event around the world throughout one month of the year, but a movement that is cherished by so many every single day.

“When you’re gay, you’re constantly assumed as straight and you have to just deal with it,” Reid said. “There are not that many contexts in the world where you can operate out of a sense of presumed gayness. It is relaxing to walk down the street in a context where nobody is just going to assume you’re straight. Pride feels like people who don’t know me are seeing me as something that is more true to me than what usually happens.”

63 | SPRING 2019

Blake Kissel, the Miami University Vice President of Spectrum, appreciates how Pride helps broaden the small scope of Oxford to Cincinnati and beyond, bringing together all kinds of people for the purpose of celebrating love and acceptance.

“My favorite Pride memory is when the greater Oxford community comes together and has a fun time,” Kissle said. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget how much support there is for the LGBTQIA+ community outside of your bubble of friends and acquaintances.”

Both Miami’s Oxford and Hamilton campuses have Pride organizations. These groups meet every week to plan events, participate in service activities and more.

Oliver Holstein, the President of Miami Hamilton Pride, says Pride gave him fellow role models who acknowledged him and supported him in his identities.

“I like being around everyone,” Holstein said. “They make my day better. I know that’s sappy, but it’s true.”

Pride is a time where hatred and bigotry are set aside and love is the real focus, especially for those who often feel unaccepted and alone. It shoves aside the definition of normalcy that society has crafted, opening up a celebration of allowing people to completely be themselves with nothing to apologize for or be ashamed of.

“We live in a time where there is still a lot of discrimination and bullshit aimed at people who aren’t straight white men,” Reid said. “Pride used to make men

64 | SPRING 2019

feel uncomfortable because it is an environment where being straight is not the norm. It is taking back the feeling of acceptance that straight people feel every day and handing it to those who really need it.”

Reid and Duke are now married, living just outside of New York City in Connecticut with their three cats. To them, their relationship was never strange or unordinary, as it’s composed of just two people who love each other and who want to spend their lives together. Pride is a movement that shows that to the rest of the world.

“Pride is a greater context of people standing up for themselves and being themselves,” Reid said.

“We are including everyone who wants to be included in this movement and to share the need for everyone to feel love and acceptance and pride in who they are,” Duke chimed in.

Pride is defined as “a becoming or dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one's position or character; self-respect; self-esteem,” and this event symbolizes exactly that. June celebrates the bravery and self-respect that those in the LGBTQ+ community show every day by simply being themselves. Pride welcomes everyone, regardless of their background, socioeconomic level, religion, gender and race to commemorate who they are. Most of all, Pride is a movement that is changing how people view love and proves you should fight for what you believe in, no matter how hard people may fight against you.

Photographed by Lauren Waldrop Styled by Brooke Figler Modeled by Connor Moreton & Christian Wurzelbacher

65 | SPRING 2019

LAST WORD F R O M U P ’ S E X E C U T I V E S TA F F

KE V O'H ARA

HALEY J ENA

K ENDALL ER IC KS O N

Publisher

Editor-in-Chief

Creative Director

As I look back on my years with UP and

I was just a freshman when I first heard of UP

It seems like just yesterday I met Haley and Kev

attempt to describe them, I’ve come to realize

Magazine. When I initially spotted UP’s booth

for the first time — an evening spent shadowing

it is nearly impossible to describe something

at Mega Fair and flipped through its glossy

our predecessors on their production night.

that is indescribable. How could I even begin

pages, I didn’t realize that in that moment,

Fast forward a year and we’re sitting in the

to describe—truly, accurately describe—how

I had found a publication that I would call

same studio on our very last production night

much it meant to me when Haley, smiling at

home for the entirety of my college career.

together, energetic from all the late-night

me from across the room, walked over and

I had no idea that the magazine I had just

caffeine and giddy over our final issue. It’s

introduced herself at the fall issue release

discovered would go on to help me grow in an

difficult to find words to describe how much

party our freshman year? How could I even

uncountable amount of ways, both personally

this magazine has impacted my life, but I am

begin to describe the way Haley, Kendall and

and professionally. I wasn’t aware in the

certain that accepting the position of Creative

I dove under the table at Mega Fair and burst

moment that this organization would lead

Director was one of the best decisions I’ve

into laughter, the tabletop shielding us from a

me to irreplaceable friendships that I know

made. Never have I been surrounded by a

torrent of rain? How could I ever capture those

I’ll cherish for my entire life. I didn’t realize

more talented, driven and passionate group of

sounds, those smiles, those memories? The

just how much I would tear up sitting beside

people that I can truly call family. To the entire

truth is, I never could, but I can say this: Thank

Kev and Kendall—a duo I can’t even begin to

organization, thank you for trusting me with

you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you

thank enough for being my UP allies and for

this magazine’s creative vision—you inspire

to anyone and everyone who has supported

being two of my closest friends—on the last

me every single day and your work ethic is

me, UP’s staff and all of our hard work over

production night of our final issue together.

unmatched. To Haley and Kev, thank you for

these past four years. Winnie the Pooh once

In all of its parts, this magazine means the

being the best partners in crime. This past year

said, “How lucky I am to have something that

world to me. It has been the utmost honor

would not have been the same without you

makes saying goodbye so hard.” Just know that

being a part of UP the past four years, and I

and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. Saying

I could never thank each and every one of you

am so excited to be a loyal, lifelong reader

goodbye to UP is certainly bittersweet, but I’m

enough for making this so hard. Much UP love,

of the magazine that gave me a home and an

certain its future is bright. Cheers to the

forever and always.

experience so truly timeless.

next 10 years!

66 | SPRING 2019

67 | SPRING 2019