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CONTENT<br />
14M eet<br />
Ent r epr eneur<br />
Aubr ee D ean<br />
cont r ibut or s<br />
Anitra Scott- Operations Manager/ Stephanie<br />
Majewski~(Marketing)~Shartiera<br />
Wilkerson~(Journalist/Event Coordinator)~Marage<br />
Blakeney (Journalist)~Shannon<br />
Rawley~(Co-Editor)~Desiree Helm~(Writer)~Monica<br />
Jones~(NYC Contributor) Jerry Thompson~(Executive<br />
Assistant)<br />
Cover Art: Ty Statz<br />
Photographer(NYC) JAM Photographey<br />
Photographer: Isil Dohnke Photography<br />
Photographer: Todd Youngblood<br />
Photographer: Laurence Logan (The.TZ.Studio)<br />
Photographer/Video: Emmanuel Toussaint<br />
(Toussaint Studios)<br />
Writers: Tasha McClarrin~(Writer/Contributor)~DaVita<br />
Collins~(Children's Contributor/Writer)~Anitra<br />
Scott~(Writer/Contributor)<br />
Administrative Assistant: Mar<strong>and</strong>a Moore<br />
Creative Director: Kenya Redd (Red Angel Media)<br />
Public Relations: Pac PR<br />
Contributor: BNR Records<br />
Tempestt Harris: CEO<br />
Maresa Scott: COO/Editor Chief<br />
Contents<br />
48Living w it h H IV<br />
f r om m y f at her<br />
12Viral Babies<br />
The M cClur e Tw ins
33<br />
50<br />
28<br />
64
A Note From the Editor s:<br />
Season?s Greet ings!<br />
As w e ent er int o t he holiday season, for our publicat ion's second year in a row<br />
w e celebrat e our fut ure w it h a kids fashion edit ion. Alt hough som e of us m ay<br />
have experienced a challenging year in 2016, our next generat ion exem plifies<br />
t he charact erist ics of inspirat ion <strong>and</strong> det erm inat ion. This m agazine issue is a<br />
rem inder t hat all hope is not lost .<br />
In t his issue, young art ist s, ent repreneurs, act ors <strong>and</strong> m odels afford us w it h an<br />
opport unit y t o dis<strong>cover</strong> t heir personalit ies, inspirat ions, <strong>and</strong> aspirat ions. Also,<br />
w e w ill divulge int o t he int ricacies associat ed w it h t he new generat ion of<br />
celebrit ies such as Willow Sm it h, <strong>Jaden</strong> Sm it h, <strong>and</strong> Brooke Hum m el. We w ill get<br />
a glance int o w hat life m ay look like for our yout h 20 years from t oday.<br />
If t his is your first t im e picking up a Level21 issue, please underst <strong>and</strong> t hat w e<br />
st <strong>and</strong> on our com m it m ent t o posit ivit y! It is our int ent ion <strong>and</strong> vision t o inspire<br />
our readers w it h uplift ing st ories <strong>and</strong> creat ive t hem es t hat w ill keep you<br />
w ant ing m ore! We desire t hat you enjoy t his issue as m uch as w e enjoyed<br />
put t ing it t oget her. Our philosophy <strong>and</strong> expect at ion echoes Sophia Loren?s<br />
sent im ent t hat st at es, ?There is a fount ain of yout h: it is your m ind, your<br />
t alent s, t he creat ivit y you bring t o your life <strong>and</strong> t he lives of people you love.<br />
When you learn t o t ap t his source, you w ill t ruly have defeat ed age?.<br />
We sincerely w ish everyone a prosperous <strong>and</strong> safe holiday season.<br />
Best w ishes,<br />
Tem pest t Harris, CEO<br />
Maresa Scot t , COO/ Edit or & Chief
CAROUSEL & BAZAAR<br />
Carousel & Bazaar debut girls collect ion. Set<br />
design, st yling <strong>and</strong> phot ography ? Curat ed.<br />
Carousel & Bazaar is a nam e you w ill soon be<br />
hearing a lot m ore of . The insanely<br />
sophist icat ed <strong>and</strong> dist inct ive t ailoring, cut s,<br />
accessories <strong>and</strong> use of pop color w ill have<br />
m ot hers of lit t le girls (<strong>and</strong> t hose of lit t le<br />
boys alike) dream ing of out fit t ing delight ful<br />
lit t le girls in t his debut collect ion. The<br />
fashion forw ard collect ion <strong>and</strong> dist inct ive<br />
cam paign im agery (t ruly it s perfect ion) w ill<br />
no doubt quickly garner Carousel & Bazaar a<br />
cult -like follow ing.<br />
Carousel & Bazaar debut girls collection. Set design, styling <strong>and</strong> photography ? Curated by
DanielleMiller<br />
Danielle Miller is a multi-talented 9-year old<br />
who has a passion for writing her own music, dancing<br />
<strong>and</strong> singing. She also likes to play Minecraft, <strong>and</strong> make<br />
YouTube videos. Danielle enjoys drawing, playing<br />
basketball <strong>and</strong> spending time <strong>with</strong> her family. Her<br />
present goals are to make good grades <strong>and</strong> to l<strong>and</strong> a big<br />
model/actress gig. Her goals for the future are to<br />
become a teacher or a singer or even both! Danielle<br />
aims to make an impact in the world by helping others,<br />
while fulfilling her dream to climb Mount Everest<br />
screaming 'I did it' once she reaches the summit!<br />
Photography:Todd Youngblood<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
Photographer: Jami Davis<br />
MUA: Ashli Danielle
Nor th West<br />
r ocks Balmain<br />
as she heads<br />
out for her<br />
baller ina class.
Love Is The<br />
Ult imat e<br />
Bond<br />
M any people use glue as an adhesive agent to mend<br />
broken objects. However, there is not a stronger ?epoxy? to<br />
reconstruct families than love. This is the ultimate bond that<br />
can strengthen any family ties. According to<br />
www.stepfamily.org, ?majority of families have shifted from<br />
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consetetur sadipscing elitr.<br />
the original biologically bonded mother, father <strong>and</strong> child.<br />
We are now a nation in which the majority of families are<br />
divorced. Most go on to remarry or form living together<br />
relationships.? Therefore, many households consist of<br />
blended or modern families that include stepchildren<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or adopted kids to complete their unique living<br />
arrangements. In fact, some couples have adopted children<br />
as an alternative to provide a loving home to orphans or<br />
foster youths. American Adoption revealed that, ?21 percent<br />
of private adoptions are transracial? <strong>and</strong> ?88 percent of<br />
adoptive parents describe themselves as a ?happy? couple,<br />
while 83 percent of non-adoptive parents describe<br />
themselves as a ?happy? couple." I had the pleasure of<br />
speaking <strong>with</strong> two unique blended families to receive their<br />
insights on how they are making their modern families<br />
work.<br />
Steve <strong>and</strong> Kristen Groover are a Caucasian couple who have<br />
been married for 22 years. They have an adopted daughter<br />
from Vietnam named Chloe. She is a precocious nine year<br />
Lorem old who ipsum loves dolor karate sit amet consetetur <strong>and</strong> Star sadipscing Wars. The elitr. Groovers describe<br />
a modern/blended family as ?members coming together<br />
from different <strong>and</strong> non-traditional walks of life to form <strong>and</strong><br />
maintain a parent/child structure <strong>and</strong> relationship.? The<br />
Lorem biggest ipsum trait dolor that sit amet is required consetetur for sadipscing their family elitr. to be successful<br />
is dedication. It is ?the notion that this is your family now<br />
<strong>and</strong> you want what?s best for everyone in your family.?<br />
However, the Groovers have had their share of obstacles.<br />
The Groovers stated, that they had to overcome the<br />
?adoption process <strong>and</strong> cost, questions <strong>and</strong> opinions from<br />
others outside the family, learning <strong>and</strong> performing the<br />
personal grooming needs for a child of a different racial<br />
background.? However, the greatest benefit they have<br />
received is that they ?have a wonderful, fun family <strong>and</strong> an<br />
interesting story to tell of how it all came together.?<br />
Maria <strong>and</strong> Timothy Tullo are both Italian who have been<br />
married for nearly 25 years. They have two adopted<br />
children, Anthony Min Soo <strong>and</strong> Joseph Antonio. Their sons<br />
are aged 17 <strong>and</strong> 13, respectively. Their oldest son is Korean<br />
<strong>and</strong> their youngest son is of African American <strong>and</strong> Eastern<br />
Indian heritage. ?Our definition of a modern/blended family<br />
is a family of multi racial/cultures that co-exist together <strong>and</strong><br />
integrate their beliefs <strong>and</strong> cultures as well as learn about<br />
each culture.? To ensure that their family is successful, the<br />
Tullos realized that they ?must be open minded <strong>and</strong><br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing of each other differences as well as<br />
acceptance of the differences.? Similar to the Groovers, the<br />
Tullos have also encountered their share of challenges.<br />
Some of the obstacles they had to overcome ?are the looks<br />
we receive socially, the questions that strangers may ask, or<br />
at times the judgements received from a few of our family<br />
members.? However, their greatest joy <strong>and</strong> ?benefit is<br />
learning about the different cultures <strong>and</strong> actually<br />
participating in those cultures as a family. Our oldest son is<br />
Korean <strong>and</strong> we enjoyed learning <strong>and</strong> celebrating his first<br />
birthday in the Korean Culture. Our youngest is African<br />
American <strong>and</strong> Eastern Indian, we also celebrated his first<br />
birthday in a multi cultural fashion <strong>and</strong> we enjoy teaching<br />
them both about their/each other's?culture.?<br />
Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, ?You don't choose<br />
your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.?<br />
The Groovers wish to offer the following advice to blended<br />
families, ?There will be hardships large <strong>and</strong> small but make<br />
up your mind that this is the path you?re taking through life<br />
<strong>and</strong> you will find ways to make it work for you <strong>and</strong> everyone<br />
in your blended family.? In addition the Tullos stated,<br />
?always keep an open mind <strong>and</strong> don't be afraid to share<br />
your story. I would tell them that you are unique <strong>and</strong><br />
blessed to be exposed to such diversity <strong>and</strong> to be a true<br />
melting pot of love, culture, knowledge <strong>and</strong> open hearts!!!?<br />
Elmer?s glue cannot fix everything. However, love can<br />
definitely bond unique blended families.<br />
By: Marage Blakeney
By: Marage Blakeney<br />
But ..I Wanna Gr ow t oo!<br />
ami <strong>and</strong> Justin McClure are the<br />
proud parents of three year old<br />
identical twins, Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis. The<br />
mirror image sisters are taking over<br />
the Internet <strong>and</strong> social media<br />
networks. They are viral sensations<br />
whose adorable memes such as, ?I<br />
wanna grow?, have been recognized<br />
by Good Morning America, Inside<br />
Edition, <strong>and</strong> celebrities. As a matter of<br />
fact, multi-platinum hip hop artist<br />
Nas, gave them a shout out on his<br />
Instagram page as did actor <strong>and</strong> R&B<br />
artist Tyrese. Recently, I had the<br />
opportunity to receive some winning<br />
lessons from Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin regarding<br />
their outlook on life <strong>and</strong> their<br />
energetic twins.<br />
Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin met in New York City,<br />
by happenstance. Justin noticed Ami?s<br />
beauty <strong>and</strong> her ?big booty?. However,<br />
Ami was being harassed by another<br />
gentleman because of her physical<br />
attributes. Justin observing the<br />
situation quickly sprung into the<br />
?protective knight in shining amour?.<br />
He quickly whispered to Ami an exit<br />
strategy to escape her harasser. He<br />
instructed Ami to walk together really<br />
fast to a safe distance. This one<br />
heroic <strong>and</strong> ingenious act of kindness<br />
eventually led to Justin marrying his<br />
beautiful maiden on July 12, 2015.<br />
?It is har d to say what<br />
is in their futur e<br />
because our daughter s<br />
ar e only thr ee year s<br />
old?.<br />
In 2013, Ami who is a successful<br />
financial accountant/controller<br />
became very ill. For almost nine<br />
weeks, she would battle bouts of<br />
vomiting. Upon going to her<br />
physician, Justin <strong>and</strong> Ami were<br />
shocked <strong>with</strong> the ultrasound<br />
prognosis. They dis<strong>cover</strong>ed that they<br />
were having not one, but two bundles<br />
of joy. Although Ami was relieved to<br />
have an answer to her mystery<br />
illness, Justin <strong>and</strong> she quickly had to<br />
make adjustments to accommodate<br />
their new family arrangement.<br />
Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin decided to name their<br />
daughters Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis, because<br />
their mother?s name began <strong>with</strong> the<br />
letter ?A?. As a joint effort, Justin<br />
generated their girls middle names.<br />
Their father knew that he wanted to<br />
use the letter ?Z? <strong>and</strong> ?V? for their<br />
middle names. Therefore, Justin<br />
chose the ?Zaina? (which is translated<br />
as beauty <strong>and</strong> grace) for Ava?s<br />
extended name. Alexis?middle name<br />
is ?Valora? which is the Latin term for
ave <strong>and</strong> courageous. As West<br />
Orange, New Jersey residents, the<br />
McClure?s are very well adjusted <strong>and</strong><br />
creative. The active identical twins,<br />
Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis, love to do anything<br />
that involves ?wild ruckus? such as<br />
running <strong>and</strong> riding their bikes. Justin,<br />
who is a photographer, loves<br />
capturing the memories of their<br />
adorable family. Therefore, the<br />
McClure?s?created a personal blog to<br />
secure their precious moments. Very<br />
early in Ava?s <strong>and</strong> Alexis?growth<br />
development, Justin <strong>and</strong> Ami realized<br />
that their children were very<br />
humorous <strong>with</strong> strong opinions.<br />
Therefore, Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin wanted to<br />
share their family's experiences <strong>with</strong><br />
the world through their own YouTube<br />
channel to bring a little bit of joy to<br />
the world. The videos of the twin?s<br />
responses are not rehearsed. Their<br />
parents wanted the girls to dis<strong>cover</strong><br />
the world for themselves <strong>and</strong> develop<br />
their own intellectual answers<br />
through a series of conversational<br />
questions. Their parents desire that<br />
the twins devise their own opinions,<br />
instead of Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin forcing their<br />
own opinions on them .<br />
Although the McClure?s have received<br />
98% of positive reception, they have<br />
not been exempt from various<br />
challenges. Ami <strong>and</strong> Justin are an<br />
interracial couple. Ami was born in<br />
Nigeria <strong>and</strong> Justin is from an Irish<br />
heritage. However, some opponents<br />
feel that Justin <strong>and</strong> Ami are exploiting<br />
their young children. Even some<br />
Internet trolls have tried to negatively<br />
target their family based on their<br />
race. Despite the few haters <strong>and</strong><br />
distractions, the McClure?s have not<br />
been compensated for their viral<br />
success. Their YouTube channel views<br />
have been the only form of monetary<br />
compensations thus far. They focus<br />
on spreading a positive message to<br />
the world because the world is often<br />
filled <strong>with</strong> so much hate. Love <strong>and</strong><br />
happiness conquers all.<br />
Although other people may notice<br />
Justin?s racial difference, Ami does not<br />
really care <strong>and</strong> they do not bring up<br />
the racial topic in their daily<br />
conversation, unless Justin makes<br />
?corny comments or jokes?. Eventually<br />
when Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis become older,<br />
their parents?will have discussions<br />
<strong>with</strong> their girls about their biracial<br />
heritage <strong>and</strong> how critical it is to be<br />
psychologically progressive <strong>and</strong><br />
realize that this world is filled <strong>with</strong><br />
culturally diverse individuals. Ava <strong>and</strong><br />
Alexis are unwittingly unaware of<br />
their viral success. In fact, they are<br />
unaware of their social media<br />
celebrity presence. Oftentimes many<br />
people desire to take pictures <strong>with</strong><br />
the twins on routine excursions.<br />
Therefore, their parents explain to<br />
their daughters that many people<br />
love their Internet pictures <strong>and</strong><br />
consider them as sweet <strong>and</strong><br />
adorable. Even though the twins are<br />
experiencing this publicity, Ami <strong>and</strong><br />
Justin are determined to keep a<br />
normalized life for Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis.<br />
They want to set them up for success<br />
whether the girls do choose to have a<br />
career in show business or not.<br />
Although, the McClure?s cannot<br />
divulge any offers from television or<br />
online channels, they are grateful for<br />
the opportunities. Justin stated that<br />
they are happy for their YouTube<br />
channel because some TV shows<br />
receive fewer viewers than the social<br />
media site. However, they are open to<br />
new offers that afford good content<br />
<strong>and</strong> maintain the value of their family<br />
dynamics. In Justin?s words, ?What will<br />
happen, will happen?. As for now, Ami<br />
stated that, ?It is hard to say what is in<br />
their future because our daughters<br />
are only three years old?. However,<br />
for Justin <strong>and</strong> Ami the ultimate goal is<br />
setting Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis up for success<br />
because they are successful. Ami <strong>and</strong><br />
Justin are focusing on laying a strong<br />
foundation for the twins <strong>and</strong><br />
providing them <strong>with</strong> the choices that<br />
are the most optimal fit for their<br />
daughters. The McClure?s twins are<br />
making a double impact on social<br />
media <strong>and</strong> the world. Ava <strong>and</strong> Alexis<br />
are continuing to allow their own little<br />
light to shine, despite any<br />
distractions. If you want to witness<br />
what happens when wonder twin<br />
powers activate, please subscribe to<br />
the McClure Twins YouTube channel.<br />
They will definitely encourage you to<br />
want to grow, too!
attend the Junior National Conference. I really wanted to go, but knew I<br />
would need to raise money to pay for it. I had made mason jar salads for<br />
my parents before <strong>and</strong> thought it would be a great idea to sell salads to<br />
raise money for the trip. My salads were so good that people asked me to<br />
continue making them after the Fund-raiser was over.<br />
Tell us about your business.<br />
Aubree: We make healthy salads for people to eat on the go. Even though<br />
people are busy, you should still be able to eat healthy.<br />
Do you like having a business?<br />
Aubree: I like it, but sometimes it?s pretty hard. Some days I have to get up<br />
early before school to make salads <strong>and</strong> I don't really like that. But I keep<br />
going because I know it takes hard work to make your dreams come true.<br />
Meet Aubree Dean<br />
By: Desiree Helm<br />
Wise beyond her years, 11-year-old North Carolina native Aubree Dean has<br />
accomplished something most adults have only dreamed of.<br />
Like most girls her age, Aubree is into fashion, pop music <strong>and</strong> reading the<br />
latest teen book. She loves watching her favorite shows on Disney, <strong>and</strong><br />
hanging out <strong>with</strong> her friends on the weekends. To most people, Aubree may<br />
seem like the typical preteen girl. However, behind the smiles <strong>and</strong> ponytails<br />
beats the heart of a true business owner. At only 11 years old, Aubree Dean<br />
is the founder <strong>and</strong> owner of Aubree Salads on The Go.<br />
Level 21 took some time to learn more about Aubree <strong>and</strong> her business. You<br />
could hear the excitement in her voice as Aubree was eager to share her<br />
world <strong>with</strong> our readers.<br />
Not many kids can say they own their own business. What made you want<br />
to start one?<br />
Aubree: Last spring my school was going on a trip to Washington, DC to<br />
It must be hard to be a good student <strong>and</strong> keep up <strong>with</strong> your business. How<br />
do you manage it all?<br />
Aubree: My parents really help me. I tell everyone that you have to have the<br />
right people supporting you. We make over 80 salads a week <strong>and</strong> we have 3<br />
varieties that we sell. We even deliver them on Mondays. That takes a lot. My parents<br />
help me keep up <strong>with</strong> everything. I could not do it <strong>with</strong>out them.<br />
So out of curiosity, what does a girl your age do <strong>with</strong> all the money you earn?<br />
Aubree: 10% of everything we make gets donated to the Alzheimers Association. My<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>mother has Alzheimers <strong>and</strong> I want to help them find a cure. My mom lets me<br />
shop <strong>with</strong> some of it, but most of it goes towards my college fund.<br />
How do you motivate yourself <strong>and</strong> others when things get hard?<br />
Aubree: I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. I tell myself that all the<br />
time. I tell other people that too. I love God <strong>and</strong> he gives us the power to do anything.<br />
And <strong>with</strong> that profound statement, we learned that Aubree is walking in her purpose<br />
<strong>and</strong> set on success. Besides dreaming of one day being an Olympic Gold swim star,<br />
Aubree plans to exp<strong>and</strong> her business so she can help more people have healthy lunch<br />
options. She really wants to make a difference in the lives of others. She is part of the<br />
next generation of entrepreneurs, leading the way for others kids to become<br />
empowered too. You can tell by the glee <strong>and</strong> giggles in her voice that she truly enjoys<br />
being an entrepreneur <strong>and</strong> is happy <strong>with</strong> all that is happening in her life.<br />
For more information about Aubree Dean or to order a salad you can visit her website at<br />
www.aubreesaladsonthego.com
Clara Bow by Ma Belle Mademoiselle, stripe<br />
jacket by La Miniatura, sweatshirt by Eva & Oli,<br />
floral skirt by Wolf, shimmer dress by Rita,<br />
blouse by Pale Cloud, tassel boots by Anais<br />
Model: Laneya Grace
Kennedy Floyd<br />
Kennedy Floyd is an artistic 6 year<br />
old! She enjoys reading, has a singing<br />
talent <strong>and</strong> also is classically trained in<br />
ballet. Kennedy makes sure she is camera<br />
ready! She's quite photogenic <strong>and</strong><br />
absolutely loves being in front on the<br />
camera; whether it's smiling for a picture<br />
or playing a role, she is more than willing<br />
<strong>and</strong> able to complete the job! Kennedy<br />
also gives back to her community. She is a<br />
proud member of the Girl Scouts<br />
Organization <strong>and</strong> has the pleasure of<br />
representing DeAbreu Agency. Kennedy<br />
has future goals of being an actress <strong>and</strong><br />
psychologist!<br />
Photography: Todd Youngblood<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
"Lor em sit<br />
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amet at ver o<br />
eos et."<br />
-Quote Author<br />
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Article Title<br />
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Swimming wit h<br />
t he Shar k s<br />
M<br />
adison Star, 12, <strong>and</strong> Mallory Iyana, 10, are<br />
entrepreneurs who are making a huge splash in the<br />
beauty industry. They are the visionaries <strong>and</strong> creators of<br />
a tween (ages 5-12) body spray <strong>and</strong> lotion product line<br />
entitled, ?Angels <strong>and</strong> Tomboys?. The product line is a<br />
natural h<strong>and</strong>made ?paraben free, patent pending, vegan<br />
friendly formula that contains several great vitamins to<br />
preserve young skin. With their mother?s, Vera,<br />
assistance the girls took a chance to swim <strong>with</strong> the<br />
sharks (thankfully not the ones that live in the ocean).<br />
Madison <strong>and</strong> Mallory took their idea <strong>and</strong> products to<br />
pitch it the investors of Shark Tank. As a fun fact, their<br />
?mom named the company Angels <strong>and</strong> Tomboys as a<br />
reflection of our unique <strong>and</strong> complex personalities <strong>and</strong><br />
interests.The girls love to say "We're just like every girl in<br />
the world because ALL girls are created equally different.<br />
Plus, we can all agree that every Angel has a bit of<br />
Tomboy in her.? Recently, I had the pleasure <strong>with</strong><br />
speaking their mother <strong>and</strong> the miniature entrepreneurs.<br />
Where are you from <strong>and</strong> how did you get st art ed?<br />
We are from Memphis, Tennessee. Our product line was<br />
started because our mother?s perfumes from Victoria<br />
Secret were too grown. We wanted scents <strong>and</strong> lotions<br />
that younger kids could enjoy <strong>and</strong> feel good about<br />
themselves.<br />
How did you com e up w it h t he idea for your product ?<br />
After being bored senseless <strong>with</strong> our body care products,<br />
we had this cool idea to make everyday products that<br />
girls use fun. We came up <strong>with</strong> fun names, characters<br />
<strong>and</strong> unique fragrances for these products <strong>and</strong> pitched<br />
the idea to our mom. She loved it <strong>and</strong> the rest is history<br />
in the making.<br />
What w as your experience like on ?Shark Tank??<br />
It was very exciting <strong>and</strong> hard work. We initially thought<br />
that we were going to l<strong>and</strong> Lori Greiner as our investor<br />
because she is all about girl power. Although she did not<br />
invest in our line, she provided us <strong>with</strong> great feedback<br />
<strong>and</strong> tips to help our business grow. We come to the show<br />
<strong>with</strong> our excitement <strong>and</strong> confidence. We knew we were<br />
coming home <strong>with</strong> a shark, <strong>and</strong> it paid off. Actually, we<br />
l<strong>and</strong>ed two sharks, Mark Cuban <strong>and</strong> Daymond John who<br />
believed in our business.<br />
"Ever y A ng el has a bit of<br />
Tomboy in her "
"As a<br />
par ent, we<br />
must make<br />
huge<br />
sacr ifices<br />
<strong>and</strong><br />
commitments<br />
for our<br />
childr en."<br />
What w as it like t o also be on<br />
" The Real Day t im e"?<br />
They were very nice <strong>and</strong> playful.<br />
Everyone loved the product line. In<br />
fact, Adrienne Bailon (one of the talk<br />
show?s co-hosts) uses our products<br />
everyday.<br />
Are t here any ot her t elevision<br />
appearances in st ore for you?<br />
We will be appearing on the The Ellen<br />
DeGeneres Show <strong>and</strong> Steve Harvey<br />
Show. Also, the cast of ?The Real?<br />
asked that we return for a follow-up<br />
appearance.<br />
Where do you see yourselves in<br />
10 years?<br />
In 10 years, we see ourselves <strong>with</strong> a<br />
global <strong>and</strong> world-wide business <strong>and</strong><br />
operation. We would like to have<br />
entire personal hygiene stores around<br />
the world.<br />
How do your classm at es feel<br />
about your success <strong>and</strong> w hat<br />
advice w ould you give t o ot her<br />
child ent repreneurs?<br />
Our classmates are amazed.<br />
Whenever, we would bring a bottle of<br />
lotion to school it would be gone the<br />
next day. They really love our body<br />
sprays <strong>and</strong> lotions. Our advice to<br />
other young entrepreneurs is to go for<br />
it <strong>and</strong> don?t worry about anything<br />
else. Just do it.<br />
Madison?s <strong>and</strong> Mallory?s biggest<br />
supporter <strong>and</strong> cheerleader is their<br />
mother, Vaira Iyadunni. She<br />
understood the importance of<br />
allowing her children the<br />
opportunity to create, grow, <strong>and</strong><br />
dis<strong>cover</strong> their gifts <strong>and</strong> talents. Vera<br />
has encouraged her girls to make<br />
an impact on the world through<br />
their product line <strong>and</strong> philanthropy.<br />
Each year the girls have a theme<br />
birthday party where shoes,<br />
clothing, <strong>and</strong> other items are<br />
donated to those less fortunate. I<br />
was very interested in speaking<br />
<strong>with</strong> her about cultivating these<br />
young geniuses.<br />
What m ade you feel your girls<br />
w ere able t o st art a product line?<br />
My girls exhibited a great deal of<br />
responsibility. They understood the<br />
commitment. Although it was going to<br />
be a lot of work for me as a parent, I<br />
knew that my girls were dedicated<br />
<strong>and</strong> loyal. They also knew how critical<br />
is it to prioritize because they were<br />
involved in extracurricular activities<br />
prior to creating the product line.<br />
How do you feel w hen you see<br />
t hem follow ing t heir dream s?<br />
I am very proud of them. As a parent,<br />
it is my duty to ensure that Madison<br />
<strong>and</strong> Mallory do not get discouraged.<br />
Timing is everything. As long as we<br />
stay encouraged <strong>and</strong> have faith, it will<br />
all work out for the good.<br />
Are t here any w arnings or advice<br />
for ot her parent s, about t he<br />
indust ry for parent s w it h kids<br />
m aking st rides in t he indust ry?<br />
As a parent, we must make huge<br />
sacrifices <strong>and</strong> commitments for our<br />
children. They must establish a strong<br />
relationship <strong>with</strong> children <strong>and</strong><br />
remember to remain your kids?<br />
mother <strong>and</strong> friend. You must also<br />
keep a personal watch as a coach<br />
<strong>and</strong> mentor to ensure that negative<br />
people, places, <strong>and</strong> things do not<br />
destroy your children?s dreams. I
"We Knew we wer e<br />
coming home <strong>with</strong> a<br />
Shar k, <strong>and</strong> it paid off."<br />
believe that you must stay prayed up <strong>and</strong> be a<br />
?bulldog?to protect your children.<br />
Viara, Madison, <strong>and</strong> Mallory have had their<br />
work cut out for them. Since their<br />
appearance on Shark Tank, they have been<br />
slammed <strong>with</strong> email orders <strong>and</strong> other<br />
publicity engagements. In fact, the Angels<br />
<strong>and</strong> Tomboys limited edition body lotions<br />
<strong>and</strong> sprays were placed in the swag bags for<br />
the American Music Awards (AMAs)<br />
attendees. The following AMA limited<br />
editions fragrances will be available for<br />
purchase on their website: Lemonade,<br />
Purple Rain, <strong>and</strong> Rockin?Blueberry. These<br />
scents are special tributes to Beyonce,<br />
Prince, <strong>and</strong> Elvis. There is also another 2016<br />
holiday fragrance available entitled,?C<strong>and</strong>y<br />
Crush? as a special dedication to their<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>mother. Madison <strong>and</strong> Mallory swam<br />
<strong>with</strong> the sharks <strong>and</strong> returned as more than<br />
conquerors. They are all about the business!<br />
For more details on Angels <strong>and</strong> Tomboys or<br />
to place an order, please visit<br />
www.angels<strong>and</strong>tomboys.com<br />
-Quote Author
each one,t each one<br />
t he boys t o men f oundat ion<br />
By: Anitra Scott<br />
A Step in the Right Dir ection<br />
There are so many negative views<br />
for males, specifically for minority<br />
youth here in the United States.<br />
Each of us must think of a way to<br />
step up, <strong>and</strong> lend a helping h<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> assist our youth. But, what can<br />
one person do to make a difference?<br />
In many cases, one person can make<br />
a world of difference in the mind of<br />
a child in need of guidance.<br />
Christopher Fowler, who founded<br />
the Boys to Men Foundation in 2009<br />
of Charlotte, North Carolina, has<br />
dedicated over two decades of his<br />
time to our youth. I asked what he<br />
had in mind when he formed such a<br />
profound organization. ?I wanted to<br />
create a mentor group that would<br />
make young men more productive.<br />
There are many mentor groups that<br />
have sports like basketball <strong>and</strong><br />
football. I have coached basketball<br />
<strong>and</strong> worked <strong>with</strong> young men as a<br />
coach. But I want to prepare the<br />
young men I work <strong>with</strong> for the<br />
future. I want them to underst<strong>and</strong><br />
the proper ways to maintain once<br />
they start a job <strong>and</strong> even obtain a<br />
job. Playing a sport is not the only<br />
answer for some. Everyone is not as<br />
successful in sports. We provide<br />
mentoring, tutoring, conflict<br />
management along <strong>with</strong> home <strong>and</strong><br />
school visits. We work hard to help<br />
our mentees develop leadership<br />
skills as well as self respect.? The<br />
odds can be against many youth in<br />
communities <strong>with</strong> very little<br />
leadership. It is unfortunate that some<br />
adolescent males reach elementary,<br />
middle <strong>and</strong> most certainly high school<br />
<strong>and</strong> become a ?statistic?. However,<br />
BTM (Boys to Men Foundation) have<br />
partnered <strong>with</strong> the juvenile justice<br />
system to assist boys ages 7-17 beat<br />
the odds <strong>and</strong> become productive<br />
young men. It?s never an easy task to<br />
raise children which is why many refer<br />
to, ?It takes a village?, the proverb that<br />
leverages the cultural context that it<br />
takes an entire community to raise a<br />
child. In this aspect a child has the<br />
best opportunity to become a prolific<br />
adult if the entire community takes an<br />
active role in the rearing of the child.<br />
This quote from the Igbo <strong>and</strong> Yuroba<br />
Nigerian proverb conveys the belief of<br />
many organizations dedicated to<br />
young adults, specifically the Boys to<br />
Men Foundation. But what if ?the<br />
village? turns a deaf ear, or could care<br />
less? What can be done then? Perhaps<br />
this issue contributes to the constant<br />
overcrowding of jails <strong>and</strong> high crimes.<br />
If we see a problem <strong>and</strong> recognize the<br />
one thing that makes a difference,<br />
then perhaps we can stop the trend.<br />
We certainly need to devote more of<br />
our time to our young people which<br />
may help in more ways than one. It?s<br />
ironic as I think back, the need for<br />
mentoring for most males hold true. I<br />
watched my brother as he developed<br />
into manhood. As I recall the crowd<br />
my brother started out <strong>with</strong> in<br />
comparison to the crowd he ended up<br />
<strong>with</strong>, I am thankful. Certainly for the<br />
swim coach <strong>and</strong> Taekwondo coaches<br />
<strong>and</strong> all mentors in his ?circle? provided<br />
a better route for him. This allowed<br />
my brother, to this day, to be a great<br />
husb<strong>and</strong>, father <strong>and</strong> an ?upst<strong>and</strong>ing?<br />
citizen. Our parents taught him well,<br />
yet it took others to remind <strong>and</strong>
einforce. It is definitely important to<br />
have as many positive influences as<br />
possible. A circle of ?positives? <strong>with</strong>out a<br />
doubt warded off the ?negatives?. Thus<br />
far since 2009, the Boys to Men<br />
Foundation has provided assistance to<br />
over 400 young men, <strong>with</strong> hundreds of<br />
volunteer mentors lending a helping<br />
h<strong>and</strong>. Many of the mentees in the<br />
organization have graduated high<br />
school, attended colleges <strong>and</strong> even<br />
provided assistance to other<br />
adolescents who also experienced<br />
negative encounters. This is definitely ?A<br />
step in the right direction?, as noted to<br />
be the signature quote for the Boys to<br />
Men Foundation. I asked Mr. Fowler<br />
what programs the organization<br />
provides for young men? ?We have<br />
many groups in our organization that<br />
help young people such as the ?Young<br />
Men Society?, we work <strong>with</strong> at risk kids<br />
on all grade levels. ?Conversation <strong>with</strong> a<br />
Young Brother?, which engages youth<br />
involved in juvenile justice system.<br />
?Turn Around?, works <strong>with</strong> students<br />
who are consistently suspended <strong>and</strong><br />
?Entrepreneurs?, which provides<br />
students <strong>with</strong> financial <strong>and</strong> business<br />
knowledge. These groups have helped<br />
many of the young men score better<br />
grades, complete community service<br />
hours, <strong>and</strong> contributed to a higher rate<br />
of completion for the programs we<br />
provide?. I was curious to know what is<br />
in the works <strong>with</strong> the community, <strong>and</strong> if<br />
there were businesses who have<br />
partnered <strong>with</strong> the organization to<br />
assist <strong>with</strong> the ?Entrepreneurs? aspect<br />
of the foundation. ?We have recently<br />
completed a partnership <strong>with</strong> Hendrick<br />
Automotive in Charlotte. There are<br />
three dealerships in one at this location:<br />
Audi, Mercedes Benz <strong>and</strong> BMW. Our<br />
mentees have the opportunity to<br />
?shadow? staff <strong>and</strong> work alongside<br />
them in various areas. Our youth<br />
worked 10-30 hours a week this past<br />
summer. They have become skilled<br />
workers. Hendricks Automotive will
offer a range of apprenticeships. There will<br />
be an opportunity for the students to gain<br />
employment once they began the process<br />
to become skilled workers.? I was really<br />
excited to hear such a prestigious company<br />
provided the opportunity to assist the<br />
young men who are mentees of the BTW.<br />
Just knowing the history of, Hendrick<br />
automotive, the nation?s largest privately<br />
held dealership group which originated in<br />
the south, most would agree this is a perfect<br />
start for these young men. This automotive<br />
group is truly appropriate especially when<br />
the Hendrick?s retail profit billions of dollars<br />
in sales alone <strong>with</strong> additional millions in<br />
service <strong>and</strong> maintenance. The automotive<br />
group originates from one young man, Rick<br />
Hendrick, who started his journey in 1976 at<br />
the age of 26 years old. This is truly a<br />
motivating location for apprenticeship for<br />
young men. I spoke <strong>with</strong> one of the<br />
salesmen Jonothon Moody who had the<br />
opportunity to work <strong>with</strong> a mentee. ?It was<br />
great working <strong>with</strong> the young men. They are<br />
intuitive. We instill all positive aspects on<br />
reaching their goals. We discussed college<br />
<strong>and</strong> different avenues. Reminding them to<br />
work hard <strong>and</strong> the need to be professional<br />
<strong>and</strong> having the proper attitude which must<br />
match professional attire, they are great to<br />
work <strong>with</strong>?. Mr. Fowler agreed. ?Yes, the staff<br />
at the dealership was thrilled to work <strong>with</strong><br />
our young men. They were very impressed<br />
<strong>with</strong> our group, so much that they asked us<br />
to continue throughout the school year?.<br />
This is awesome for the mentees. They have<br />
a chance to work at all three dealerships at<br />
Hendrick BMW, Audi <strong>and</strong> Mercedes Benz. So<br />
you know they will play the ?that?s my car?<br />
game. The game some of us played in our<br />
youth as we were passengers in our parents?<br />
cars or sitting on the front porch. Those<br />
were the days. So, give us some insight on<br />
the man behind this great foundation<br />
please. ?Well, I was in need of assistance in<br />
my adolescent years, so I felt the need to<br />
help others. I became educated on the need<br />
to help others, <strong>and</strong> received my Education<br />
Degree from Medgar Evers College where I<br />
started the Black <strong>and</strong> Latino Initiative<br />
Program. I?ve been an elementary school<br />
teacher for the past 24 years. I have<br />
counseled teens at the YMCA, was part of<br />
the Big Brother program for 5 years, in<br />
addition to participating in the PAL program.<br />
I am currently a teacher in Mecklenburg<br />
County here in Charlotte <strong>and</strong> was given the<br />
pleasure of being nominated for the Kelly<br />
<strong>and</strong> Michael Live 2015 Teacher of the Year."<br />
I was the 2015-2016 Highl<strong>and</strong> Renaissance<br />
Our Young Men: If we teach<br />
them well, then per haps,<br />
they can lead the Way!<br />
Teacher of the Year. But, I want to recognize<br />
that our organization has helped so many<br />
young men. We have a mentee of the year,<br />
Seth Buford. The Mayors Mentoring Alliance<br />
<strong>and</strong> United Way in 2016 acknowledged him<br />
<strong>and</strong> our organization for having a mentor of<br />
the year, Jevon Patterson. We were recognized<br />
for Best Mentor Practice, Best Educational<br />
Program, <strong>and</strong> People?s Choice Award?. Well,<br />
there you have it. My thoughts are in the<br />
words of Whitney Houston, ?I believe the<br />
children are our future, teach them well <strong>and</strong><br />
let them lead the way?. Thanks for being a<br />
much needed support for our male youth<br />
Mr. Christopher Fowler, <strong>and</strong> the mentors of<br />
Boys to Men Foundation: Arthur Middleton,<br />
Javar Christian, Fred Phelan, James Brown,<br />
Shawn Carrington, Jevon Patterson, <strong>and</strong><br />
Kenton Waring. For more information,<br />
donations, or to become a mentor please<br />
visit their web site at<br />
www.BoysToMenFoundation.com.
Angelina<br />
&<br />
Elizabeth
Photography: Isil Dohnke<br />
MUA: Sergio Apaez Velasco<br />
Angelina P. Anglero<br />
Angelina P. Anglero is a gutsy 7-year old!<br />
She is skillful at Tae Kwon Do, which<br />
requires a lot of patience <strong>and</strong> discipline to<br />
master. Angelina?s favorite subject is<br />
reading, <strong>and</strong> while she is not concentrating<br />
on her studies, she enjoys dancing. She is<br />
socially aware <strong>and</strong> has already begun giving<br />
back to her community. Angelina would like<br />
a career in a few fields. When she becomes<br />
an adult, she dreams of being an astronaut,<br />
computer programmer <strong>and</strong> architect!<br />
Elizabet h ?Rosie? Anglero<br />
Elizabeth Anglero is a 6-year-old humanitarian who loves animals! She also goes by the<br />
name ?Rosie?. Rosie?s favorite subject is math, <strong>and</strong> she takes pleasure in singing. In her<br />
spare time, she visits the local shelter to help feed the homeless, what a kind deed! Like<br />
her sister, Angelina, Rosie is also a Tae Kwon Do student. Having plenty to be passionate<br />
about, she is quite the fashionista. When she grows up, Rosie aspires to become a<br />
veterinarian.
Paris Johnson<br />
A Rising St ar By: Anitra Scott<br />
Yes, the ?picture? was quite clear in a<br />
dance studio located in the ?Queen City? of<br />
Charlotte, North Carolina. Paris Johnson is<br />
the 11 year old sensation born <strong>and</strong> raised<br />
in a small town of North Carolina. She is<br />
one of the newest young divas entering the<br />
music business, in which she is very busy<br />
paving her way in the industry. Paris<br />
Johnson is certainly a ?force? all on her own.<br />
We caught up <strong>with</strong> Paris <strong>and</strong> a few of her<br />
dancers, Inchantis Stroud, Sienna Duys,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Mylie Stone, practicing for her latest<br />
video. Jeremy McConaughey, the<br />
choreographer, was pleased <strong>with</strong> this team<br />
of young ladies. The song titled, ?Dance<br />
Until You Drop?, is Paris?current project<br />
<strong>with</strong> producer, J. Stylz. The young ladies<br />
were hard at work under the bright lights.<br />
Perfection was an understatement.<br />
Precision was quite evident, as the singing<br />
<strong>and</strong> dance team moved about on the solid<br />
wood floor dressed in their stylish dance<br />
gear. There was nothing short of excellence<br />
as I watched each young lady perform <strong>with</strong><br />
Paris. The execution of the coolest ?hip<br />
hop? moves was in play. There was no<br />
sweat for these ladies as they ?wowed? me.<br />
Practice does make perfect. Dancing is such<br />
a transmittable art so much that others like<br />
me seem to want to join in <strong>and</strong> learn the<br />
steps, the choreography. There is<br />
something about dancing. It is a release of<br />
happiness. I was amazed at the level of<br />
talent Paris has. So, I asked which famous<br />
artists inspired her. ?One of my favorite<br />
artists is Rihanna. I like her because her<br />
voice is so unique. My favorite song is<br />
?Work?. I like her fast ?up-beat isl<strong>and</strong> style?.<br />
I also like the dances <strong>and</strong> moves of<br />
Beyonce?, her choreography is amazing.<br />
The artists I grew to enjoy through my<br />
parents are Mary J. Blige, <strong>and</strong> James Brown.<br />
I like fast music. I actually performed ?Just<br />
Fine? by Mary J. Blige at the Apollo a couple<br />
years ago?. When did your parents dis<strong>cover</strong><br />
your talent, <strong>and</strong> where was your first<br />
performance? ?When I was younger we<br />
were outside decorating around Christmas,<br />
<strong>and</strong> I was singing a song that I made up. My<br />
mom listened to me <strong>and</strong> was surprised at<br />
my voice. She said, ?You can sing? I did not<br />
know you could sing like that?. Then she<br />
called my dad over to listen. After they<br />
started practicing <strong>with</strong> a voice trainer. I<br />
have been singing since I was about three<br />
years old. I am 11 now, so I have been<br />
singing for eight years. I started singing in<br />
church. Then as I enhanced, I started<br />
singing at concerts <strong>and</strong> competitions <strong>and</strong><br />
other places?. Many of us mimic the songs<br />
<strong>and</strong> dances of artists both past <strong>and</strong><br />
present. However, we forget that there is a<br />
lot of sweat <strong>and</strong> tears behind the scenes<br />
we don?t see. Artists in fact experience<br />
quite a bit as they perfect their talent. It is<br />
not always easy for performers. There is a<br />
high volume of travel <strong>and</strong> performances<br />
required to be accepted in the industry. It<br />
can sometimes be quite a task for most<br />
artists. For this reason, I have that much<br />
more respect for these artist no matter the<br />
age. I asked Paris what she would say to<br />
any performer starting in the music<br />
industry. ?I would say never give up even if<br />
it gets hard. The more you try the easier it<br />
will get, over time. I say work hard because<br />
performing as an artist takes a lot of work. I<br />
have been doing this for eight years <strong>and</strong> it<br />
has not always been easy. My dad says<br />
always give 110% because even if you slack<br />
off by 10%, your outcome will be at 100%.<br />
He tells me that everyday?. The maturity<br />
level of these young ladies was astounding.<br />
Paris informed me of her need to keep a<br />
great relationship <strong>with</strong> her dance team <strong>and</strong><br />
how they support each other during<br />
performances. They all certainly have a<br />
great support system <strong>and</strong> know the need to<br />
keep those who support them closest. The<br />
support of family <strong>and</strong> friends is very<br />
important. I asked Paris if she had a best<br />
friend. With no hesitation she stated her<br />
best friend Khaliya, was like the ultimate
"J u J u on<br />
fan, supports her <strong>and</strong> is always eager to<br />
see the next video <strong>and</strong> or photo shoot. The<br />
dance team working <strong>with</strong> Paris is simply<br />
amazing. The feel of happiness filled the<br />
room. I could tell this was nothing short of<br />
fun for each young lady. Talent, aptitude<br />
<strong>and</strong> more flair is inevitable for this group.<br />
These young ladies have participated in<br />
numerous dance competitions, acting,<br />
dancing <strong>and</strong> much more. They have set<br />
high st<strong>and</strong>ards for themselves. Each of<br />
them certainly possesses a high quality of<br />
skill level. I could see why they were chosen<br />
to work <strong>with</strong> Paris. There is so much talent<br />
in this unit. Inchantis Stroud, age 12,<br />
started dancing at age nine. She was<br />
chosen <strong>and</strong> recruited by J. Stylz himself.<br />
She enjoys the dancing choreography of<br />
Michael Jackson <strong>and</strong> Beyonce. Her ultimate<br />
goal is to complete as many live<br />
performances as possible. She is no<br />
stranger to the dance floor. Sienna Duys,<br />
age 11, has been dancing for several years,<br />
since age two. The Carolina Panthers have<br />
been graced <strong>with</strong> her dancing skills. She<br />
says ?Always try your best?. She has<br />
competed in numerous dance<br />
competitions. Mylie Stone, age nine, has<br />
been dancing since age two. She enjoys<br />
t hat b eat !"<br />
A yeee<br />
"<br />
"<br />
You yo daddy<br />
son<br />
performances by Taylor Swift <strong>and</strong> JoJo Siwa,<br />
another young performer. She is scheduled<br />
to participate in quite a few up <strong>and</strong> coming<br />
dance competitions. She is also an actress.<br />
These young ladies are certainly no<br />
strangers to hard work. As they follow the<br />
guidance of Jeremy McConaughey, who has<br />
been a choreographer for over a decade.<br />
Indeed the young ladies have what it takes<br />
to be a successful performer <strong>with</strong> Paris<br />
Johnson. Jeremy, Paris?s choreographer,<br />
stated: ?The dance team actually pushes<br />
me. I learn from them as they set examples<br />
as they are not afraid to be themselves.<br />
They exude a specific amount of talent <strong>and</strong><br />
energy. It?s a collaborative effort <strong>and</strong> a<br />
great learning experience as I work <strong>with</strong><br />
these young performers?. Paris Johnson is<br />
indeed one of the newest, bright stars that<br />
we will see pretty soon. J. Stylz <strong>and</strong> Jeremy<br />
have so much planned for her future. We<br />
are certainly looking forward to the<br />
completion of all up <strong>and</strong> coming projects<br />
scheduled for Paris. We are definitely<br />
applauding you Paris <strong>and</strong> your dance team,<br />
<strong>and</strong> can?t wait to see more of you as you<br />
blossom into stardom!
Mother Daughter<br />
Spotlight<br />
Beyonce' And Blue<br />
Ivy r ocking flor als<br />
in Par is. They had<br />
fun in flir ty Gucci !
Photo: Courtesy of Voque
WILLOW& JADENSMITH<br />
Here to Stay...<br />
t this year's Met Gala Ball in May,<br />
André Leon Talley welcomed Willow<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Jaden</strong> <strong>Smith</strong> to the red carpet<br />
introducing the siblings to the world,<br />
as the "future of fashion". However,<br />
they are known for more than their<br />
fashion sense. Willow <strong>and</strong> <strong>Jaden</strong> have<br />
seemingly fused performance, art,<br />
design, <strong>and</strong> fashion into one masterful<br />
work of ingenuity.<br />
As very innovative <strong>and</strong> creative young<br />
individuals, they have often challenged<br />
social norms <strong>and</strong> perceived<br />
boundaries. Subsequently, Willow <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Jaden</strong> frequently muddle the lines of<br />
gender <strong>and</strong> its associated practices.<br />
ATherefore, their actions <strong>and</strong> decisions<br />
may leave some people perplexed<br />
<strong>and</strong> questioning the state of the<br />
future. According to the duo will the<br />
future make us all -Dare we say it...<br />
"ONE??<br />
This is a legitimate <strong>and</strong> valid question<br />
considering the fact that <strong>Jaden</strong> opted<br />
to wear a dress on several occasions.<br />
This is a direct correlation to the fact<br />
that several Hollywood parents have<br />
decided to allow their children appear<br />
in public in gender neutral clothing.<br />
Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie <strong>and</strong><br />
Brad Pit felt that their kids should<br />
choose their gender. This belief has<br />
prompted many individuals to the<br />
ponder over the question, does
clothing decisions really impact the DNA makeup of a boy or girl.<br />
In fact Lindsey Wixson once said that, ?I dress myself, not to<br />
impress, but for comfort <strong>and</strong> for style?. Therefore, many people<br />
view fashion as ?fluid? <strong>and</strong> an expression of one?s style <strong>and</strong><br />
comfort.<br />
However, some opponents may argue that it?s a form of social<br />
engineering. James Delingpole published an article confirming<br />
this very point. In the his article he stated that, ?No matter how<br />
hard you try to bring your kids up in a gender-neutral way ?<br />
even if you refuse point blank to dress them in stereotypical<br />
blue or pink romper suits ? those XX <strong>and</strong> XY chromosomes will<br />
win out in the end. Give a girl a doll <strong>and</strong> she will cuddle it <strong>and</strong><br />
nurture it. Give a boy a doll <strong>and</strong> he will either torture <strong>and</strong><br />
dismember it or use it as a h<strong>and</strong> grenade. Is this really such a<br />
bad thing? Well, you could argue that if more were done to<br />
check boys?destructive instincts we might have less war <strong>and</strong> if<br />
more were done to discourage girls?child-rearing tendencies we<br />
might have more women in the workplace <strong>and</strong> a narrower<br />
gender pay gap. Or you might find as I do something rather<br />
sinister <strong>and</strong> Brave-New-World-ish in this attempt at social<br />
engineering. What if there is a sound biological reason for the<br />
way men <strong>and</strong> women are programmed to think <strong>and</strong> behave in<br />
different ways? What indeed if the future of our species<br />
depends on it? To a degree I think it does.?<br />
Many new age psychologists will argue that most children do<br />
not know what they want to be <strong>and</strong> that society forces it upon<br />
them <strong>with</strong> its pinks <strong>and</strong> blues. However, <strong>Jaden</strong> <strong>and</strong> his dad did<br />
not see eye to eye on his son's desire to wear a skirt. Will <strong>Smith</strong><br />
stated to BBC Radio regarding his son?s clothing choices, ?OK.<br />
You cannot wear a skirt. He (<strong>Jaden</strong>) said to me, ?Dad, it?s fine. It?s<br />
going to be so hot all the kids will be wearing it.?I said, ?No, the<br />
kids are not going to do it because their parents will have sense<br />
enough to not let them do it.?But he?s confident in who he is <strong>and</strong><br />
who he wants to be.?<br />
Besides <strong>Jaden</strong>'s clear direction on youth fashion, more<br />
importantly, he cares deeply about the environment.<br />
<strong>Jaden</strong> And The Environm ent<br />
<strong>Jaden</strong>?s biggest focus is on the world?s water supply. Many<br />
people may have seen <strong>Jaden</strong> <strong>Smith</strong> photographed several times<br />
this year holding bottles of water up to his ear, for no ?apparent?<br />
reason. However, some people simply just shrugged it off<br />
because they have acknowledged the fact that <strong>Jaden</strong> walks to<br />
the beat of his own drum. <strong>Jaden</strong>?s stated to New York Magazine<br />
that he was a part of a viral marketing campaign for<br />
environmentally friendly water bottle company, ?Just Water?.<br />
<strong>Smith</strong> says, "People in Atlanta rap music videos put money to<br />
their ear. I just put it to my ear because I love rap music, but I
Her Philosophy<br />
According to Willow, beauty doesn?t exist.<br />
Beauty is a contrived notion created by<br />
humans.<br />
wanna put out a different message.?<br />
"Lor em sit<br />
ipsum dolor sit<br />
amet at ver o<br />
eos et."<br />
<strong>Jaden</strong> helped launch the company. His<br />
innovative idea was sparked after a surfing<br />
trip, in which he noticed large amounts of<br />
plastic pollution. Offering an eco-friendly<br />
packaging alternative (sold for a reasonable<br />
99 cents a bottle) Just Water avoids plastic<br />
pollution <strong>and</strong> other harmful bi-products of<br />
petroleum-based plastics (including CO2<br />
emissions). His father, Will <strong>Smith</strong>, is also a<br />
huge supporter, explaining ?primarily we<br />
want to do something that is good for the<br />
world, that starts to move in a direction,<br />
even if it?s just consciousness ? even if it?s<br />
just people start paying attention. I feel<br />
totally connected to water," <strong>Jaden</strong> <strong>Smith</strong><br />
added. "I love water. I feel like it?s one of the<br />
most spiritual <strong>and</strong> interesting elements on<br />
Earth. If you freeze anything on Earth, it will<br />
get smaller, but water exp<strong>and</strong>s when you<br />
freeze it. It?s the only thing that exp<strong>and</strong>s<br />
when you freeze it! It?s literally the only<br />
thing. Even in some trees, water will flow up<br />
the bark of the tree <strong>and</strong> go against gravity.<br />
Water does so many things that are just<br />
unnatural <strong>and</strong> not normal."<br />
<strong>Jaden</strong>?s sister, Willow, is known as one of<br />
today's out of this world fashionistas. She<br />
first burst onto the musical scene as an<br />
artist who enjoyed ?whipping her hair back<br />
<strong>and</strong> forth,?. In addition, she normalized<br />
consciousness to an entire generation of<br />
her followers. She stated to ?Interview<br />
Magazine?that, ?I know so many kids who<br />
literally are, like, Instagram-famous. They<br />
have done nothing but post pictures on<br />
Instagram. And they have followings,?<br />
Willow said. ?And then there?s people, like<br />
me <strong>and</strong> <strong>Jaden</strong>, who want to utilize social<br />
media to elevate the consciousness of<br />
those people who feel like all they want<br />
from social media is to be famous.?<br />
Willow has stated that, ?Life can feel like a<br />
divine collaboration. Imagination can save<br />
you from the harsh realities of the world,<br />
<strong>and</strong> that can help some of the time. But it?s<br />
more productive to create or seek out<br />
experiences that help you accept the duality<br />
of life. I try my hardest to create situations<br />
that make me want to celebrate existence<br />
as a whole, instead of suppression, or<br />
blinding yourself to negativity.<br />
?Fantasy?<strong>and</strong> ?reality?are the same. To break<br />
the barrier <strong>and</strong> walk between the worlds of<br />
the reality that we know <strong>and</strong> the world of<br />
thought <strong>and</strong> imagination, the only thing you<br />
will ever need the capacity to see beyond<br />
the limitations you have placed on yourself.<br />
To move <strong>with</strong> courage beyond the blind<br />
spot. There is no ?how.? You just do it <strong>and</strong><br />
never go backward.?<br />
Although, we may never reach Willow's<br />
evolving level of consciousness, we do love<br />
the direction that fashion has taken her.<br />
The Chanel Campaign<br />
Willow <strong>Smith</strong> is the star in Chanel?s latest<br />
FW16 campaign. Accordingly, as the face of<br />
the label?s new eyewear delivery (the shoot<br />
was manned by icon Karl Lagerfeld) the<br />
campaign showcases Willow in a series of<br />
black <strong>and</strong> white photos, of course donning<br />
Chanel?s FW16 eyewear styles. Following in<br />
the footsteps of Cara Delevingne, (who was<br />
featured in last season?s campaign) the<br />
16-year-old has gracefully embodied the<br />
br<strong>and</strong>'s direction for a new generation. In<br />
fact the Chanel?s house applauded her by<br />
saying, ?a multifaceted artist,<br />
writer-composer-singer -Quote <strong>and</strong> actress, Author Willow<br />
<strong>Smith</strong> is the embodiment of her<br />
generation?s spirit.? Although Willow <strong>Smith</strong><br />
has been wearing Chanel for a number of<br />
years, her relationship became official in<br />
March when, after attending its
Autumn/Winter 2016 (AW16) ready to wear<br />
show; she became one of its ambassadors.<br />
The Fut ure<br />
Via the ?Interview Magazine?, Pharell<br />
Williams, ask them who their biggest<br />
influences were <strong>and</strong> they replied:<br />
WILLOW: My parents. Growing up, all I saw<br />
was my parents trying to be the best people<br />
they could be, <strong>and</strong> people coming to them<br />
for wisdom, coming to them for guidance,<br />
<strong>and</strong> them not putting themselves on a<br />
pedestal, but literally being face-to-face<br />
<strong>with</strong> these people <strong>and</strong> saying, "I'm no better<br />
than you, but the fact that you're coming to<br />
me to reach some sort of enlightenment or<br />
to shine a light on something, that makes<br />
me feel love <strong>and</strong> gratitude for you." They<br />
always give back what people give to them.<br />
And sometimes they keep giving <strong>and</strong> giving<br />
<strong>and</strong> giving. And some people don't feel like<br />
they need to give anything back because it's<br />
like, "Oh, if you're famous, you can just keep<br />
giving, <strong>and</strong> it doesn't matter." It's not just<br />
about money. It's not just about giving<br />
people gifts or whatever. What my parents<br />
have given to me is not anything that has to<br />
do <strong>with</strong> money or success or anything that<br />
society says people should be focusing<br />
on? it's something spiritual that only<br />
certain people can grasp <strong>and</strong> accept. And<br />
that's how I act <strong>and</strong> move in the world<br />
today.<br />
that kids don't cry, like, "Why do I have to<br />
go to school?" Instead, kids are like, "Yeah!<br />
I'm so glad to go to school! I'm a better<br />
person than I was yesterday, <strong>and</strong> I can help<br />
people."<br />
In the meantime, <strong>Jaden</strong> plans to go to<br />
college, <strong>and</strong> told GQ: ?I want to set up office<br />
at MIT just so I can learn <strong>and</strong> bring in new<br />
technologies into the world.?He explained:<br />
?Me <strong>and</strong> Willow are scientists, so everything<br />
for us is a scientific test upon humanity.<br />
And luckily we?re put in a position where we<br />
can affect large groups of human beings at<br />
one time.?And that?s what I really<br />
encourage kids to do, is learn the things<br />
that you want to learn, because then not<br />
only will school become fun, but it will make<br />
your dreams come true.?<strong>Jaden</strong> insisted that<br />
he?s no wild child, but wants to be known as<br />
?one of the craziest?people of all time.<br />
Wonder where these two will be in 10<br />
years? <strong>Jaden</strong> simply replied <strong>with</strong> ?gone,?<br />
while Willow went on to say that she would<br />
be ?in the mountains somewhere in a tent<br />
cooking a squirrel.?Only time will tell. Just<br />
keep watching this dynamic duo. All we can<br />
say is the future of kids fashion according to<br />
<strong>Jaden</strong> <strong>and</strong> Willow should be very<br />
interesting!<br />
Written by: Jona Kirby <strong>and</strong> Jonathan Sawyer<br />
Source: GQ, Interview Magazine, Blazz, highsnobiety.com<br />
JADEN: I 100 percent agree <strong>with</strong> Willow on<br />
that one. My parents are definitely my<br />
biggest role models. And that's where me<br />
<strong>and</strong> Willow both pull all of our inspiration<br />
from to change the world. It all comes from<br />
a concept of affecting the world in a<br />
positive way <strong>and</strong> leaving it better than it<br />
was than when we came. I feel like that<br />
enters into all types of different areas<br />
because there are so many different outlets<br />
that life has to offer for us. That goes into<br />
technology, into music. That goes into<br />
science, into spirituality, into education.<br />
Where me <strong>and</strong> Willow come from, a lot of it<br />
is trying to make society more efficient, so
?A multifaceted artist,<br />
writer-composer-singer<br />
<strong>and</strong> actress, Willow <strong>Smith</strong><br />
is the embodiment of her<br />
generation?s spirit,?<br />
-Chanel
Cel ebr it y Chef<br />
Zac Kar a
Young, driven, <strong>and</strong> innovative<br />
master chef, Zac Kara, is only<br />
beginning his career at the age of<br />
fourteen, <strong>and</strong> is well on his way to<br />
creating a monumental career. As a<br />
teen celebrity chef, Kara has begun<br />
developing his career <strong>and</strong> making<br />
connections <strong>with</strong> some of the food<br />
industry's best <strong>and</strong> most talented<br />
cooks.<br />
His love for cooking began when he<br />
was only 11 years old. ?My mom<br />
started to teach me <strong>and</strong> at first I only<br />
made scrambled eggs,? said Kara,<br />
when asked about the first dish he<br />
learned to make. Although his mom<br />
is one of the main people who<br />
helped him fall in love <strong>with</strong> food, he<br />
lives in a family full of cooks <strong>and</strong><br />
bakers who mold him into a better<br />
chef.<br />
Zac had only been cooking for only a<br />
year <strong>and</strong> a half when he went to an<br />
open call for "MasterChef" <strong>with</strong><br />
hundreds of other kids in Phoenix.<br />
Zac told the Orl<strong>and</strong>o Sentinal in an<br />
article that the show "Master Chef "<br />
truly inspired him stating ?MasterChef<br />
Junior" inspired me, <strong>and</strong> I fell in love<br />
<strong>with</strong> being in the kitchen, I was kind of<br />
nervous to be on TV. My sister <strong>and</strong><br />
mom encouraged me," he added.<br />
Kara watched cooking shows to learn<br />
his craft, he also began taking online<br />
culinary school to master his<br />
techniques.<br />
Zac is a teenager <strong>with</strong> many different<br />
talents. Other than cooking, he has a<br />
passion for playing tennis <strong>and</strong> has been<br />
involved <strong>with</strong> the sport since he was<br />
By: Shannon Rawley<br />
Cooking wit h ZaC Kar a<br />
pur suing goal s whil e gr owing up<br />
four years old. Cooking is a passion<br />
that came along surprisingly <strong>and</strong><br />
evolved into an enjoyable skill.<br />
Although Zac has a newfound love for<br />
cooking, he hopes to pursue a future<br />
career in both playing tennis <strong>and</strong> being<br />
a chef. When asked if he could give any<br />
advice to young people pursuing a<br />
dream, Zac expressed the importance<br />
of diligence <strong>and</strong> consistency. He talked<br />
about how following your dreams is<br />
truly what helps you accomplish them.<br />
If you never take the initiative to pursue<br />
your own goals, how else will you<br />
accomplish them?<br />
As of now, Zac has plans to do much<br />
bigger <strong>and</strong> better things. You can follow<br />
his journey to achieving his dreams<br />
through social media @Zac_Kara. Like<br />
many other people his age, Zac uses<br />
social media as a way to connect <strong>with</strong><br />
his fans <strong>and</strong> share his story of success.<br />
Get ready to see more of Zac Kara in<br />
the future, because he?s just getting<br />
started.
Model:Im yiah Whit e<br />
Designer:Triple St it ch Diva<br />
MUA: Carly Wolert<br />
Phot ography: JAM
M ia Dalt on<br />
Mia Dalton is an ambitious 5-year-old <strong>with</strong> a very bright<br />
future. She is also quite the entertainer! Unlike most people more<br />
than twice her age, Mia can sing <strong>and</strong> dance! She also enjoys<br />
traveling the world. She has her sights set on one of the most<br />
honorable careers one can ever have, while most would never hold<br />
this title. Those who have held this position are a very special<br />
group of people. If you haven't guessed, Mia wants to hold office<br />
as Leader of the Free World, most popularly known as President of<br />
the United States.<br />
Photography: Laurence Logan<br />
The.TZ.Studio<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
M ek h i Z ah ir L eon- P h ar r<br />
Mekhi Zahir Leon-Pharr is an adventurous 9-year-old<br />
who has a variety of interests. His curiosity for life?s offerings<br />
is not limited to one specific field of study. Also, his artistic<br />
side is reflected in his delight for dancing. His favorite subject<br />
is math, which will be quite the advantage since he aspires to<br />
be an architect. He even has a culinary interest that he would<br />
like to express as a world class chef! Mekhi has a backup plan;<br />
in case those careers do not pan out, he would like to become<br />
a model.<br />
Photography: Todd Youngblood<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
K ass<strong>and</strong> r a<br />
M und h enk<br />
Kass<strong>and</strong>ra Mundhenk (who also goes by ?Kassie?) is a<br />
remarkable <strong>and</strong> caring 14-year old, who enjoys walking by<br />
the lake near her home, while, as she quotes, ?picking up<br />
litter to save the planet?. She has changed the perceptions<br />
of many about those who have special needs, as Kassie<br />
lives <strong>with</strong> Down syndrome. She describes herself as ?just<br />
like everyone else, but <strong>with</strong> a dash of magical?. Her favorite<br />
subjects are science <strong>and</strong> reading. In her spare time, Kassie<br />
enjoys riding her pony named Prince, wearing her favorite<br />
mermaid tail so she can spin like a mermaid! When she<br />
grows up, Kassie aspires to be a model <strong>and</strong> actress.
E laina<br />
Br aver man<br />
Elaina Braverman is a<br />
well-accomplished at 13 years old,<br />
<strong>with</strong> an impressive acting resume!<br />
Elaina?s career began when she<br />
started participating in pageants,<br />
then it evolved into acting. She has<br />
starred in a Samsung commercial,<br />
<strong>and</strong> blockbuster hits such as<br />
Orange is the New Black, Blind Spot,<br />
Before Mars, <strong>and</strong> Spiderman!<br />
Elaina?s favorite subject is math.<br />
Also, when she is not on the movie<br />
set, she enjoys modeling, playing<br />
basketball, <strong>and</strong> volunteering at<br />
?Pets 4 Luv? Animal Shelter. When<br />
she grows up, in addition to<br />
modeling <strong>and</strong> acting, Elaina desires<br />
to launch her own pet sitting<br />
business.<br />
JAM PHOTOGRAPHY
" My Dad INJECTED me <strong>with</strong> HIV<br />
over Child Support Payments"<br />
Brryan Jackson<br />
Brryan Jackson?s story began when he was only<br />
11 months old <strong>and</strong> his father, who had worked in the<br />
medical field, insidiously injected him <strong>with</strong><br />
HIV-tainted blood.<br />
By: Annetta K.Daily Mail<br />
Five years later his mother unaware of his father's<br />
heinous actions, doctors diagnosed Bryyan <strong>with</strong><br />
full-blown AIDS.<br />
Jackson arrived at the Missouri Department of<br />
Corrections to tell Bryan Stewart just how<br />
drastically he had changed his son's life. And he<br />
wanted to make sure Stewart, who is serving a life<br />
sentence for the horrific crime, would be denied<br />
parole.<br />
Jackson?s father was fighting over child support<br />
payments <strong>with</strong> his son?s mother, who had left him<br />
earlier that year after he became physically <strong>and</strong><br />
emotionally abusive. Stewart had become a different<br />
person from the man Jackson's mother had fallen in<br />
love <strong>with</strong> when they were both training as medics at<br />
a Missouri military facility. When Jackson's mother<br />
found out she was pregnant in 1991, Stewart was<br />
'really excited'. But everything changed when he<br />
returned from Operation Desert Storm in Saudi<br />
Arabia, Jackson told the BBC. Stewart tried to kill his<br />
son so that he wouldn't have to keep paying child<br />
support, Jackson said. Suddenly Stewart was<br />
claiming that Jackson wasn't his child <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
a DNA test. That's when the abuse began. Jackson's<br />
mother left Stewart, but the brutal fights continued.<br />
Jackson said his father would tell her: 'Your child's<br />
not going to live beyond the age of five'. Contact<br />
between Stewart <strong>and</strong> Jackson's mother ceased, but<br />
when the boy was hospitalized <strong>with</strong> an asthma<br />
attack his father found the perfect opportunity to<br />
strike. Investigators later dis<strong>cover</strong>ed Stewart had<br />
been stealing samples of infected blood from the<br />
laboratory he worked at <strong>and</strong> was storing them at his<br />
home. He had even joked <strong>with</strong> coworkers about<br />
infecting someone <strong>with</strong> one of the viruses, saying<br />
'they'd never even know what hit them'. When<br />
Stewart visited Jackson on the day he was scheduled<br />
to be discharged from the hospital, his mother was<br />
surprised. 'He wasn't a very active father, so<br />
everyone thought it was strange when he showed<br />
up,' Jackson said. Stewart asked Jackson's mother to<br />
grab him a drink from the cafeteria. When he was<br />
finally alone <strong>with</strong> his son, Stewart injected the boy<br />
<strong>with</strong> the infected blood. Jackson, who had just been<br />
nursed back to health, immediately began to<br />
deteriorate. 'My vital signs were all out of whack<br />
because it wasn't just HIV blood he had injected me<br />
<strong>with</strong>, it was incompatible <strong>with</strong> mine,' he said. Jackson<br />
was sent home after his vital signs were restored,<br />
but his health continued to worsen. Believing they<br />
had done everything possible, physicians offered no<br />
hope to my family <strong>and</strong> expected him to die <strong>with</strong>in 5<br />
months after coding twice. Due to complications<br />
from the medication from the disease Bryyan also<br />
lost 70% of his hearing. Miraculously, he defied the<br />
odds <strong>and</strong> lived on to represent a story of courage,<br />
perseverance, forgiveness, <strong>and</strong> faith. Since the age of
13, Brryan used his story to impact lives world-wide<br />
from speaking at Congressional briefings in<br />
Washington D.C. to high schools, colleges, juvenile<br />
centers, <strong>and</strong> youth organizations across the nation.<br />
?I see my vast<br />
experiences as an<br />
avenue to encourage<br />
others at every event?.<br />
Winner of a TeenNick Halo Award, He was also<br />
featured as one of People Magazine's "Heroes<br />
Among Us" <strong>and</strong> ABC World News/Diane Sawyer's<br />
"Person of the Week."<br />
Brryan has since gone on to speak internationally to<br />
Haiti, Ecuador, Engl<strong>and</strong>, Kenya, <strong>and</strong> Canada.<br />
?Facing incredible health <strong>and</strong> social challenges,<br />
my his life has been a continual battle, yet I strive<br />
to be a catalyst for offering relatable, accurate<br />
conversations along <strong>with</strong> humor to educate the<br />
world on HIV <strong>and</strong> mental health, inspire others to<br />
overcome adversity <strong>and</strong> empower them to make a<br />
difference in their lives <strong>and</strong> the lives of others. I<br />
want every audience to realize that no struggle is<br />
too big for hope to conquer <strong>and</strong> forgiveness<br />
changes lives, we just have to shift the<br />
perspective <strong>and</strong> make a choice -Victim? Or<br />
VICTORY!?
Getting to know the effervescent<br />
Brooke Hummel, it's not hard to<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> why this emerging pop star<br />
is causing a buzz in the entertainment<br />
industry. Armed <strong>with</strong> her music <strong>and</strong> her<br />
faith, Brooke is poised to win the battle<br />
against cyber bullying.<br />
Not just another pretty young face, there<br />
is a serious story behind the message<br />
<strong>and</strong> music of 17 year Brooke Hummel.<br />
Her sparkly voice, contagious laughter<br />
<strong>and</strong> positive attitude are a delight to all<br />
she encounters. It was a pleasure to<br />
dis<strong>cover</strong> just why Brooke is poised to<br />
change the way that people think of<br />
young women in the pop industry.<br />
Music has been a staple in Brooke's life<br />
for as long as she can remember. From<br />
an early age, Brooke learned to love<br />
music <strong>and</strong> began singing in her church<br />
choir at age 10. Residing now in Tampa,<br />
Florida, Brooke grew up in a loving home<br />
<strong>with</strong> her parents <strong>and</strong> siblings. It was<br />
there that her parents taught her to love<br />
<strong>and</strong> respect others, be proud of who she<br />
was, <strong>and</strong> to always reach for her dreams.<br />
These were concepts that were ingrained<br />
in everything she did. However, when<br />
she entered high school her freshman<br />
year she encountered an attitude that<br />
was contrary to everything she had ever<br />
been taught.<br />
A SONGSTRESS ON A<br />
MISSION<br />
The once chipper voice that brightened<br />
the interview, now turned somber as<br />
Brooke recalls what life was like for her<br />
during her early teen years.<br />
"Coming into freshman year I was really<br />
nervous. I was in the spotlight because<br />
I did music <strong>and</strong> so I stood out from<br />
everyone around me. I wasn?t like the<br />
other kids at school. My parents had<br />
always taught me that being different<br />
was good. But instead, the other kids<br />
treated me like the red headed step<br />
child because I was different. Nobody<br />
wanted anything to do <strong>with</strong> me"<br />
It was hard to maintain her joy in this<br />
kind of environment. People were<br />
constantly trying to break her down.<br />
By: Desiree Helm<br />
HUMMEL<br />
Cyber bullying became a real issue in<br />
Brooke's life.<br />
" People can really change the way you<br />
think, they try to really emotionally<br />
break you down. They were telling me<br />
things like you're not good, your dreams<br />
won't come true, even to kill myself. It<br />
was hard. I went home <strong>and</strong> had my<br />
cries, <strong>and</strong> turned to my mom. It was a<br />
long re<strong>cover</strong>y road."<br />
From this hard season in her life, a<br />
mission <strong>and</strong> vision was born in Brooke's<br />
heart. While she was struggling <strong>with</strong><br />
being bullied, <strong>and</strong> the depression she<br />
suffered as a result, Brooke had a hard<br />
time finding resources for teens her age.<br />
There wasn't much out there to help her<br />
deal <strong>with</strong> the things she was undergoing.<br />
When she began to get better, she was<br />
led to create a space where teens could<br />
come together <strong>and</strong> share their<br />
experiences to help each other heal. She<br />
also realized that she wanted to use her<br />
gift of song to help others overcome <strong>and</strong><br />
to get people talking about the real<br />
dangers <strong>and</strong> consequences of bullying.<br />
Soon "Stop Block Tell" was born, a site<br />
for teens by teens, along <strong>with</strong> BNR<br />
records to bring awareness to the plight<br />
of cyber bullying. Brooke would go on to<br />
become the face of their anti-cyber<br />
bullying movement.
"I want everyone that is being bullied<br />
to know they are not alone. I want them<br />
to know they are loved, they are strong<br />
<strong>and</strong> that they are worthy of whatever<br />
dream they have. Until I went through<br />
it, I had no idea how bad bullying really<br />
was. I am not happy that I was bullied,<br />
but I know that I can use my experience<br />
to not just help others but hopefully<br />
prevent others from being bullied in the<br />
first place."<br />
Determined not to dwell on the pains of<br />
the past, the enthusiasm in Brooke's<br />
voice returns as the conversation shifts<br />
to her life now <strong>and</strong> her new EP. In<br />
addition to touring, writing <strong>and</strong><br />
"<br />
Gaining over 2 million plays on<br />
Soundcloud in over a month, Brooke's<br />
music is receiving great feedback from<br />
her fans <strong>and</strong> music bloggers around the<br />
country. With over 124k Twitter followers<br />
<strong>and</strong> 13k followers on Instagram, it's hard<br />
for Brooke's talent to go unnoticed. The<br />
new EP is the story of Brooke's life. More<br />
specifically it's lyrics tell the tale of the<br />
summer of youth. All the songs reflect<br />
either something that has happened in<br />
her summer of "16" or things she felt in<br />
that moment. Whether it's an upbeat<br />
dance track or emotional ballad Brooke's<br />
EP has something for everyone; old,<br />
young <strong>and</strong> in between.<br />
With her rising fame, Brooke has<br />
managed to stay grounded by staying<br />
true to her faith <strong>and</strong> being appreciative<br />
for the blessings she has received <strong>with</strong><br />
her music.<br />
My family <strong>and</strong> my team are good for<br />
keeping me in check. I expect them to<br />
hold me accountable, to be the best I<br />
can be every day. Whether good or bad,<br />
whether I am feeling sad or happy I<br />
want to keep things real. I want to<br />
always be real <strong>with</strong> my music. I want<br />
people to always see the real me so<br />
they can relate to my music. I love my<br />
music <strong>and</strong> what I am doing. Recently I<br />
was at a youth event for the ?Stop Block<br />
Tell? campaign. We were visiting a<br />
school when I was asked to perform my<br />
song Cruel. I looked out at my audience<br />
<strong>and</strong> noticed some girls singing along. I<br />
could not believe that they knew the<br />
words to my song. I felt like I was<br />
making an impact. That was when I<br />
realized that this was what I should be<br />
doing <strong>with</strong> the rest of my life. I want<br />
every teen, especially young girls, to<br />
know how valuable they are. I want<br />
them to know that they can fight<br />
insecurity <strong>and</strong> that they don?t have to<br />
believe the things that every other<br />
involved in her church <strong>and</strong> even makes<br />
time to teach yoga on the beach. It is<br />
clear that Brooke has turned a corner.<br />
Her new EP "The Brook Hummel EP" is a<br />
large source of the joy that has returned<br />
to her life. The featured new single<br />
"Cruel" was written by Brooke along <strong>with</strong><br />
writer/producer D-Major to bring<br />
awareness to the emotional problems<br />
many teens face as a result of bullying<br />
<strong>and</strong> people are beginning to take notice.<br />
It's emotional lyrics <strong>and</strong> poignant video<br />
add to the strength of her voice <strong>and</strong> the<br />
message she wants relayed to the world;<br />
that everyone deserves to be loved <strong>and</strong><br />
that no one deserves to be bullied.<br />
I want ever yone t hat is<br />
being bul l ied t o know t hey<br />
ar e not al one.<br />
"<br />
people say about them. I want to use<br />
my music to help others learn to love<br />
themselves.?<br />
Loving the road life, Brooke is always on<br />
the go. She is currently on tour <strong>with</strong> the<br />
?Stop Block Tell? campaign <strong>and</strong> you can<br />
find Brooke either speaking at a youth<br />
event or volunteering in the community.<br />
Still finding time to do what she loves<br />
best, work on her music. She is currently<br />
in the process of recording <strong>cover</strong>s <strong>and</strong><br />
has taken on writing all the songs for her<br />
next album. Wise beyond her years <strong>and</strong><br />
equipped <strong>with</strong> a heart to serve, Brooke is<br />
proving that the next generation of<br />
musicians are determined to make a<br />
positive impact on the world.<br />
For more information on Brooke Hummel<br />
you can follow her on Twitter @BrookeBNR<br />
or on Instagram @BNRBrookeHummel.<br />
Keep up <strong>with</strong> Brooke!<br />
Cruel music video- bit.ly/CruelMV<br />
Cruisin music video- bit.ly/BrookeCruisin
"I want every teen,<br />
especially young girls,<br />
to know how valuable<br />
they are."-Brooke<br />
Hummel
ToussaintStudios@gmail.com Phone: 980- 833- 7863<br />
www.ToussaintStudios.com
Twin sensations Kensyen <strong>and</strong> Kasyen<br />
Reed-Williams are 8-year olds who model for The<br />
Princess Kingdom Clothing (TPK) line, founded by<br />
Shanara White. They enjoy traveling <strong>with</strong> their TPK<br />
sisters for different events, which allows them to<br />
wear pretty tutus <strong>and</strong> fly sneakers. They also enjoy<br />
reading, riding their bikes, playing dolls, <strong>and</strong> playing<br />
Roblox! Their mother makes sure they give back to<br />
community by volunteering at a local nursing home<br />
to visit the elderly. Kensyen <strong>and</strong> Kasyen really want to<br />
be famous <strong>and</strong> make lots of money!!! They plan to<br />
achieve this by having their very own TV sitcom. They<br />
really dream of being guests on the Ellen DeGeneres<br />
show because they are big fans of her show!
&<br />
Kensyen<br />
Kasyen!!<br />
Photography: Laurence<br />
Logan The.TZ.Studio<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens<br />
Designer: The Princess<br />
Kingdom- Shanae White
Photography: Laurence Logan<br />
The.TZ.Studio<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
Maryann Hatfield<br />
Maryann is a high-powered 3 year old, who loves Treasure Troll Dolls. She<br />
attends the prestigious St Francis de Salles School. In her spare time,<br />
Maryann enjoys modeling <strong>and</strong> dancing, <strong>and</strong> gymnastics <strong>and</strong> soccer are her<br />
favorite sports. She won a ?look-a-like? contest on NBC show First Look,<br />
during Oscar Week in January, where she played the role of Ashley Roberts!<br />
That was when her desire to grow up <strong>and</strong> be on television began. Maryann<br />
also aspires to be a model.<br />
JAM PHOTOGRAPHY
St udent Gr eat ness<br />
About<br />
that life!<br />
By: Marage Blakeney<br />
Many young student athletes face<br />
various challenges that their other<br />
classmates may not endure. In addition<br />
to keeping up <strong>with</strong> their academic<br />
classes, they must learn time<br />
management, perseverance,<br />
commitment, <strong>and</strong> dedication at an early<br />
age. In fact a blog listed on<br />
www.psychologytoday.com suggest that<br />
opponents ?believe that sport<br />
participation decreases grades because<br />
young athletes are over burdened <strong>with</strong><br />
practices <strong>and</strong> games. As a result, they<br />
don?t have time to focus on<br />
schoolwork.? However,<br />
www.aspenprojectplay.org reveals that,<br />
"high school athletes are more likely<br />
than non-athletes to attend college <strong>and</strong><br />
get degrees; team captains, MVPs (Most<br />
Valuable Player) achieve in school at<br />
even higher rates (US Dept. of<br />
Education, 2005). The benefits extend<br />
to the workplace. A survey of 400<br />
female corporate executives found 94%<br />
played a sport <strong>and</strong> that 61% say that<br />
has contributed to their career<br />
success." Haywood Hale Brown, once<br />
said that, "Sports do not build character<br />
they reveal it." Recently, I had the<br />
pleasure of meeting four young<br />
individuals whose characters?reveal<br />
that they are beating the odds of being<br />
honor students <strong>and</strong> excelling in sports.<br />
Aamaiya Ijames is nine years old <strong>and</strong> is<br />
a fourth grader at Kannapolis Charter<br />
Academy. She is a cheerleader, member<br />
of the drill team, <strong>and</strong> runs the 400/200<br />
meter dash for the Salisbury Speedsters<br />
(an Amateur Athletic Union 'AAU' track<br />
team). Following her mother's passion<br />
for track competitions, Aamaiya is<br />
determined to beat her opponents <strong>and</strong><br />
get better at the 400 meter dash. In<br />
fact, she has set personal goals to<br />
monitor her progress. She has<br />
completed the 200 meter race in less<br />
than 30 seconds. The A/B honor roll<br />
student is able to maintain her<br />
academic high scores by prioritizing.<br />
She completes her class <strong>and</strong> homework<br />
first <strong>and</strong> then focuses on her sport<br />
practices <strong>and</strong> run in her spare time. By<br />
being a young student-athlete, Aamaiya<br />
has learned to never give up <strong>and</strong> if you<br />
try you can succeed. It is also important<br />
to remember that if you believe in it,<br />
you can do it. Aamaiya receives a lot of<br />
inspiration from Olympian, Allyson<br />
Felix, who is making a name for herself<br />
in the track <strong>and</strong> field sport industry.<br />
Ricky Horton is a 15 year old basketball<br />
shooting guard position <strong>and</strong> a<br />
linebacker football player exualted<br />
athlete at Zebulon B. Vance High<br />
School. Similar to Aamaiya's story, Ricky<br />
is following in his father's footsteps. His<br />
father played basketball, football, <strong>and</strong><br />
baseball in his younger years.<br />
Therefore, sports has been a vital part<br />
of Ricky's social <strong>and</strong> physical<br />
development. He has been playing<br />
football <strong>and</strong> basketball all of his life,<br />
since 5 years old. Ricky had to learn to<br />
overcome the challenge of keeping his
grades up. Fortunately, he has utilize<br />
the assistance of tutors <strong>and</strong> learning<br />
the importance of finishing all of his<br />
school work first before sport practices<br />
<strong>and</strong> games. His dedication has paid off.<br />
Ricky was selected as his school's Junior<br />
Army Team for football <strong>and</strong> named the<br />
basketball MVP for his middle school.<br />
He even received several AAU<br />
basketball championship medals. At a<br />
young age, Ricky has a new<br />
appreciation of professional ethics that<br />
include hard work, commitment, <strong>and</strong> to<br />
remember that he does not have the<br />
luxury of slacking off for frivolous<br />
reasons. Ricky intentionally studies the<br />
techniques of Kevin Durant. Ricky<br />
believes that Durant is very underrated<br />
<strong>and</strong> some people do not see his<br />
ultimate potential. Ricky desires to<br />
attend Duke University <strong>and</strong> major in<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> math.<br />
Zaeontae ?Zay?Robinson is a 15 year old<br />
basketball <strong>and</strong> track star at Myers Park<br />
High School. Zay is a shooting guard on<br />
his basketball team <strong>and</strong> runs the 800<br />
meters race for his track team. His<br />
athletic family lineage that includes his<br />
mother, uncles, <strong>and</strong> cousins have<br />
played various sports such as track/field<br />
<strong>and</strong> basketball. One of Zay?s biggest<br />
challenges is having time to complete<br />
his homework, while maintaining a 3.5<br />
grade point average (GPA), However,<br />
Zay has received two MVP honors in<br />
middle school for track <strong>and</strong> basketball.<br />
Zay also has learned the importance of<br />
creating a realistic schedule that<br />
encompasses study time, homework,<br />
<strong>and</strong> practice. School must come first in<br />
his entire routine. The role of being a<br />
student athlete has taught him the<br />
importance of never giving up <strong>and</strong><br />
always having a positive attitude. Zay<br />
really admires James Harding because<br />
he plays the same position that he does<br />
at school <strong>and</strong> he is a great scorer. Zay<br />
plans on attending Ohio State<br />
University to receive his college degree.<br />
Carson Wynn is a 17 year old<br />
defensive/center back respected soccer<br />
player at York Comprehensive High<br />
School. Carson wanted to play soccer<br />
because he felt like it was a fun sport<br />
<strong>and</strong> his siblings were former student<br />
athletes. As a senior honor student <strong>with</strong><br />
a 3.6 GPA, Carson has had his own<br />
share of personal challenges. He had to<br />
navigate techniques that would afford<br />
him the opportunity to leverage more<br />
soccer playing time on the field <strong>and</strong><br />
balance his time for school <strong>and</strong> sports.<br />
Carson was able to overcome these<br />
obstacles by doing his homework first<br />
<strong>and</strong> going to class early to complete his<br />
school assignments. His team was<br />
awarded the 5th place on the statewide<br />
soccer championship. He was also<br />
selected to play on an academy (similar<br />
to a national collegiate level) team.<br />
Carson attests that sport participation<br />
has helped him to be humble, become<br />
a responsible leader, accountable, <strong>and</strong><br />
helped identify what he did wrong <strong>and</strong><br />
how to fix it. Carson gains valuable<br />
insights <strong>and</strong> position techniques from<br />
Vincent Kompany (Belgium soccer<br />
player for Manchester City). Carson<br />
stated that Kompany is the best soccer<br />
player in the world. Once Carson<br />
graduates this year, he plans to attend<br />
Southeastern University.<br />
All of these exceptional young<br />
student-athletes believe that academics<br />
should come first. Education is<br />
instrumental in their definition of<br />
becoming an overall successful leader<br />
<strong>and</strong> athlete. They have defied the odds<br />
<strong>and</strong> negative/derogatory connotation of<br />
the phase ?dumb jocks?. In fact the<br />
young rising superstars have the<br />
following advice to other youth who<br />
may be considering participating in<br />
sports:<br />
"Keep your grades up <strong>and</strong> keep striving<br />
for your goals in life because dreams do<br />
come true. Believe in yourself <strong>and</strong> know<br />
that you can do it." (Aamaiya)<br />
"Don?t let anyone tell you what you can<br />
or cannot do. Stay positive <strong>and</strong><br />
surround yourself <strong>with</strong> the right<br />
people." (Ricky)<br />
"Always put school first. Without good<br />
grades, you cannot play sports. Create a<br />
schedule to help <strong>with</strong> time<br />
management." (Zay)<br />
"Always trust the process. Never give<br />
up. Trust God <strong>and</strong> yourself in<br />
everything. Be accountable for your<br />
actions <strong>and</strong> your destiny." (Carson)<br />
With the guidance of their families,<br />
communities, teachers, <strong>and</strong> coaches,<br />
many student athletes are very<br />
proficient in dealing <strong>with</strong> the hustle <strong>and</strong><br />
flow of life. They underst<strong>and</strong><br />
responsibility, the importance of team<br />
dynamics, creative thought process <strong>and</strong><br />
accountability. The Child Trends report<br />
entitled ?Participation in School<br />
Athletics? reveal that ?participation in<br />
athletics has a positive association <strong>with</strong><br />
academic achievement. Studies have<br />
shown that high school athletes have<br />
higher grades than non-athletes, lower<br />
absentee levels, a significantly smaller<br />
percentage of discipline referrals, lower<br />
percentages of dropouts, <strong>and</strong> higher<br />
graduation rates.? As Billie Jean King<br />
once stated, ?Champions keep playing<br />
until they get it right?. That is the true<br />
meaning of being about that life <strong>and</strong><br />
become winners both on <strong>and</strong> off the<br />
field!
Th e Tale of 2 K ings..<br />
Zyon Hailey is an act ive 9 year- old w ho enjoys<br />
sport s. His favorit es are foot ball <strong>and</strong> basket ball.<br />
Zyon even has m oves for t he dance floor! Not only<br />
does he dance but he also loves fashion, alw ays<br />
m aking sure he is st ylish w hile off t he court .<br />
When he grow s up he aspires t o be a professional<br />
foot ball player. As a back up plan, he'd like t o join<br />
t he S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons <strong>and</strong> Tact ics), w hich<br />
is an elit e unit in law enforcem ent .<br />
Nasir Hailey is a 3 year-old w ho loves<br />
hanging <strong>and</strong> being around his big brot her<br />
Zyon! Nasir adores his older brot her <strong>and</strong><br />
looks up t o him for inspirat ion. So, it w ould<br />
only be nat ural for him t o also enjoy t he<br />
sam e hobbies Zyon does! So, Nasir also<br />
plays foot ball <strong>and</strong> basket ball, <strong>and</strong> w ant s t o<br />
play professionally w hen he grow s up, or<br />
join law enforcem ent . When he's not<br />
playing eit her sport , he likes show casing<br />
his dance m oves. Nasir 's m ot her describes<br />
him as "energet ic, <strong>and</strong> probably one of t he<br />
sm art est , <strong>and</strong> coolest t oddlers she's ever<br />
know n."
Z yon & N asir<br />
Photography: Todd Youngblood<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
Photography:T odd Youngblood<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
Photography: Laurence Logan<br />
The.TZ.Studio<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens<br />
Phillips<br />
Chase Phillips is an amazing 6<br />
year old who already has a special interest<br />
in the world of Information Technology!! In<br />
his spare time he makes YouTube videos<br />
<strong>and</strong> he conquers his favorite video game<br />
Minecraft. This game can be quite complex<br />
<strong>and</strong> one must utilize his or her<br />
problem-solving skills in order to advance<br />
each level. Chase is also quite tech savvy,<br />
such a feat considering how quickly our<br />
technology evolves! He is already<br />
gravitating towards engineering, which is a<br />
very challenging field. Chase is highly<br />
advanced for his age, having a keen<br />
interest computer coding!
S<br />
iennaDuys<br />
is an earnest 11-year old who has<br />
taken a keen interest in the Arts. She adores<br />
dancing, acting <strong>and</strong> singing! Sienna is<br />
currently a backup dancer for Paris Johnson,<br />
a singer who is also featured in this issue!<br />
Whenever she is not practicing any of her<br />
crafts, she enjoys writing. Her favorite sport<br />
is swimming, which is one of the most<br />
strenuous exercises ever! Sienna has her<br />
sights set to dance professionally or<br />
become an actress when she grows up.
Photography: Isil Dohnke<br />
MUA: Sergio Apaez Velasco
Khy 'lee<br />
A nt hony Romeo<br />
Khy?lee Ant hony Rom eo is a 4-year-old<br />
go-getter! He is thrilled to be attending kindergarten<br />
next year to further his education. Whenever he isn?t<br />
learning, Khy?lee enjoys spending his time outdoors.<br />
His hobbies include playing basketball, football,<br />
walking <strong>and</strong> playing in the park. Khy?lee has a<br />
solution for many of the world?s issues <strong>and</strong> would<br />
like to do whatever he can to solve them. When<br />
Khy?lee grows up, he aspires to be a superhero.
Milan D. Powel<br />
Milan D. Pow ell is a<br />
multi-passionate 6-year-old who balances<br />
a variety of interests! She relishes reading,<br />
acting, <strong>and</strong> modeling! Milan has also<br />
tapped into her athletic side <strong>and</strong> plays<br />
soccer! One of her favorite hobbies is to<br />
collect race cars. Milan aspires to become<br />
a model <strong>and</strong> actress. She also plans to take<br />
her love for animals to a new level by<br />
furthering her education to become a<br />
Veterinarian. IG:@Milan_Drew<br />
Photography :Laurence Logan<br />
The.TZ.Studio<br />
MUA: Monique Stevens
Sebast ian Sant ang elo<br />
Sebastian is very cultured at 8<br />
years old! Advanced Math is his favorite<br />
subject, so much so, that he is rewarded<br />
<strong>with</strong> extra math problems once he<br />
completes his other homework! During<br />
his free time, Sebastian reads graphic<br />
novels, playing <strong>with</strong> Legos, Minecraft <strong>and</strong><br />
hockey, <strong>and</strong> enjoys learning about sharks<br />
<strong>and</strong> spiders. He sings alongside his sister,<br />
Sienna, in the National Children?s Choir<br />
where they also participate in the<br />
Children?s ministries at church. Sebastian<br />
has also performed in Sound of Music<br />
Junior. When he grows up, Sebastian<br />
would like to be an inventor!<br />
JAM PHOTOGRAPHY
Sienna is a graceful 9 year old! She does not have<br />
a favorite subject in school, because she enjoys them<br />
all equally! Not only does she like going to see musical<br />
theater, but she also performs! She is quite talented,<br />
having singing roles in Annie Junior <strong>and</strong> Sound of<br />
Music Junior. Also, Sienna enjoys a variety of sports,<br />
such as swimming, basketball, hockey <strong>and</strong><br />
roller-skating. In her spare time, she plays piano,<br />
guitar, <strong>and</strong> the saxophone. When she grows up, she<br />
aspires to be a Broadway star, performing on stages<br />
across the globe.<br />
dui. Curabitur at augue vitae turpis placerat vehicula<br />
in vitae est. Integer hendrerit sapien finibus finibus<br />
luctus. Aenean at finibus purus, at aliquet mauris.<br />
Sienna Sant ang elo<br />
JAM PHOTOGRAPHY