Self-Aware is Free By: Melissa Henderson
It was inevitable to focus this year’s zine on self-care & wellness due to the current hostile political climate driving everyone insane. It seems like everyone is in their feelings and looking to make meaningful connections in efforts to become more grounded with their mind, body, and spirit. There are plenty of wellness and selfcare developments we could have dedicated page space to but what we won’t to do is explain it matter of factly. Like you don’t already know to stop eating Chinese food from the corner store because it probably contains MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). A common side effect is bloating, fatigue, dehydration and weight gain from intaking excessive amounts. Although all facts, it didn’t stop me from ordering four wings with salt, pepper, and ketchup with a small fried rice and egg roll a few times a week as a teenager. Later in my adult life, my Chinese store visits are still like clockwork but once a month and on occasion Buddhakan. Many times this ritualistic cash-only transactions gave me perspective about the type of people who still don’t know how to eat healthily. It was in my local takeout spot that I got into a minor altercation after rejecting this dusty dude from getting my number. Mind you, I was wearing workout clothes and carrying a yoga mat when he decided to compare his skin complexion with mine, as well as insult my toenails and I was wearing sneakers! He said something about how the rapper TI ain’t shit because “girls only like light skinned n*ggas now” and that because he was “dark-skinned” it was becoming harder to pick up women. First of all, I’m a proud black girl! Periodt. And as painfully ignorant as this all sounds, it was even more disgusting to witness it being said to my face. Why was this dusty dude so angry at me for not being nice to him? Of course, this situation wasn’t about me. It was more about his lack of self-awareness, a major personality trait people need to develop and build within themselves because it doesn’t come naturally. And that’s just it. Wellness and self care are trial and error in regard to how they exist in urban cultures. What we won’t do is talk about stuff that’s already been written in mainstream magazines. Issue 5’s stories are meant to contribute to the universal conversation for getting your self care mind right. As always, each feature is genuine and presents a timely response to urban culture IRL. It’s not necessarily about the latest diet that burns fat - apparently, the KETO diet is not good for your vagina smell the same way cigarettes aren’t good for anyone’s bodily hygiene?? Contributor Ashley Uzer’s candid response to “I like your vibe” pickup lines is the exact type of energy we won’t be addressing. Do you really like my vibe, bro? Or are you just caught up? One piece of advice I highly recommend is going digital with self-care. Download a meditation app ( my personal fav is Stop. Breathe. Think). VSZ’s stories about wellness and self-care are literally just a small fraction but aim to inspire readers to dive deeper into whatever their intuition is calling them towards. 10
