PUSHMAG: The Music Issue

PUSHMAG

THE MUSIC ISSUE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MUSIC

DOWNLOADING...

16 24

42

8 18

34

36

72

56 78

IN THE MUSIC ISSUE

66

8

16

18

24

34

36

42

56

66

72

78

82

86

ARTIST- Vivian Shih

INFOGRAPHIC- From The Days Of Dial-Up

MUSIC- Hip-Hop’s Struggle With Women

CANNA FASHION- Kush Kween

POLITICS- Quit Calling Me Orange, The Headlines Say IMPEACH!

TRAVEL- Crossing Borders: The Anatomy of A Strip Search

COVER STORY- This Disruptive Life: The Atomic Living of Kiran Gandhi

FASHION- Polished & Off The Grid

POLITICS- America’s Idols: Pop Culture and Politics

MUSIC- Artists to Watch in 2017

CANNA INTERVIEW- Malina Lopez Has A Cooler Job Than You

STRAIN SPOTLIGHT- This Will Be The Strain Name

CANNA PRODUCTS - Summer Favorites

HOROSCOPES

PUShMAG

THE MUSIC ISSUE

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE

Abigail Ross

Editor-in-Chief

$ @greatoncepoet

Meghan Ridley

Editor-At-Large

$ @miss_ridley

PUSH

Kinsey Litton

Content Editor

$ @kinseymaei

Jazz Williams

Graphic Designer

$ @williams.jazz

PUSHMAG.COM

Khara Krawczyk

Chief Digital Strategist

$ @kharacha

CONTRIBUTORS

Wendy Figueroa

Cover Photo Photographer

$ @wen.figueroa

Zachary Holland

Copy Editor

$ @theusualsuspect_

Ophelia Chong

Creative Consultant

$ @opheliaswims

Elizabeth Dold

Writer

$ @ladykillrbackupplan

Malina Lopez

Product Stylist

$ @malinalopez

Jessie Brady

Photographer

$ @wild_little_moon

Morgan English

Photographer

$ @thiscannabislife

THE

MUSIC

Issue

PUSHMAG.COM

FOLLOW US $ @PUSH.MAG

PUSH Mag and the entire contents of this publication are copy written by 2017 PUSH Media

LLC. All rights are reserved and the information contained herein may not be reproduced in

any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from PUSH Media LLC.

EDITOR’S LETTER

I found myself navigating an unexpected road

trip down the Pacific Coast when this issue of PUSH Mag

went to layout. Spending two weeks in a car revisiting a

lifetime of memories couldn’t help but resonate in audible

form; where solo moments bawling my eyes out to

country songs about growing up were contrasted with

a car full of women turning up to Lil John’s Get Low.

This awkward soundtrack was a potent reminder of the

unique powe sound has to elicite a reaction--even define

an experience--for the listener.

This issue found its voice via those who use

music as their creative outlet. Our cover story on Kiran

Gandhi is the perfect example of feminism and sound

disrupting constructive norms. You’ve probably heard of

Kiran Gandhi even if you don’t think you have. Whether

it was reading 2015’s headlines about the infamous

woman who ran a marathon with no tampon, while listening

to M.I.A., or through her newest musical venture:

Madame Gandhi. She is a female force to be reckoned

with and opens a dialogue for female creatives that is

sure to touch all of our readers.

Our exploration of the explotation of gender

in hip hop is a reminder of how far we still have to go

in this realm. Looking for a display of just how far music

has come? The timeline of music streaming and downloading

is a fine reminder, and the 2017 emerging musical

artists is a must read.

Music has a holistic affect in the sense that it

heals and brings things out of us, but it also inspires us

to create and nurtures our souls. Entire movements are

brought together with sound, but maybe even more importantly,

a person’s heart can shift with the right song

that hits the right emotional chord. And that might be

the spark that creates change.

PUSH Forward,

Abigail Ross

Editor-in-Chief

HOROSCOPE

ARIES

Mercury Retrograde

While this Mercury retrograde kicks off in the earth

sign of Taurus, it will conclude its journey smack-dab

in your ever-fiery sign of Aries. Watch out for multi-faceted

mishaps that threaten to derail your grandest

plans, and take any unexpected delays as an opportunity

to reevaluate the nuts and bolts of whatever

project or scheme you’re working on. Do your absolute

best to avoid any major purchases, rather spending

this almost month-long period researching and

weighing your options. Mercury retrograding is known

for making even the finest item malfunction, so delay

writing that big check if at all possible.

6

HOROSCOPE

TAURUS

Mercury Retrograde

When the planet of communication begins retrograding

it doesn’t go unnoticed—especially when

it kicks off in your fellow sign of Taurus. The familiar

themes of miscommunication and delay will be cropping

up over this almost-month-long period, so extra

care with regards to plans can help to ensure balance

and avoid upheaval. Exercising some vigilance in the

area of technology is must, especially given that this

retrograde starts in your sign; you’ll be more vulnerable

than most to these sorts of snafus. Keep your

phone charged, files backed up and chin up until we

escape this planetary backspin in May.

7

Vivian

Shih

by Kinsey Litton

It seems there are two kinds of people in the world:

those who spend their life figuring out what they want

to do with it and those who knew from a young age.

At 26, Vivian Shih is clearly the latter. Maybe her parents

secured her future as an artist when they blocked off a

section of their wall for her to color on with her crayons

or maybe it was simply in her blood; nevertheless, it is

an occupation that was, in a sense, predestined. Vivian

Shih finds inspiration in her sensitive nature—a quality

she has learned to love about herself and inject into her

work. We sat down to figure out how these works come

to be and just who the woman behind them is.

8

Sketches, Vivian Shih, ink

“I REMEMBER AS A KID

BEING FOUR OR FIVE

YEARS OLD AND WHEN

MY PARENTS WEREN’T

HOME, I WOULD TAKE

MY CRAYONS AND

DRAW ON THE WALL.”

9

Street Elemental, 12 x 17, ink, watercolor

10

PUSH Mag: Tell me about your background in art:

Vivian Shih: Art is something I’ve always done. I remember

as a kid being four or five years old and when

my parents weren’t home, I would take my crayons and

draw on the wall. They would get so mad but I did it

so often that eventually they realized I wasn’t going to

stop, so they put a border around a wall in my living

room so me and my sister could draw on it whenever we

wanted to. I was in and out of art classes for fun throughout

the remainder of my childhood. Then in highschool,

I started to take it a little more seriously and enrolled

in AP Art classes. I quickly realized it was a good place

for me to go to when I was struggling with things—it

was an emotional release and a way for me to express

myself without having to talk to people about it. I decided

to pursue art when I enrolled in ArtCenter College

of Design to study illustration. School really helped me

get out of my comfort zone, which was difficult but necessary

for my artistic growth. I graduated in 2013 and

since then I’ve done all kinds of jobs: pattern design,

wallpaper designs, murals and other illustration work. I

am now freelancing full-time.

P.M: How did you find and develop your personal

artistic style?

V.S: That was actually very challenging for me. For a

couple years I was really trying to figure out what style

suited me the most. I was really focused on technicality

and just wanting to know exactly how to paint and

draw really well. Over time I think it became a little

Jane, watercolor, paint, ink

Catching Water, ink, watercolor paint

more intuitive. But it’s funny because I still sometimes

really feel like I don’t have my own style, yet people

tell me they recognize my work. I think I ended up

choosing ink and watercolor as my medium because

it was really challenging for me, but because of that

I also really wanted to be good at it. I also really love

playing with its transparency.

P.M: How do you decide when a piece is done, and

then how do you let yourself walk away?

V.S: I think that’s something all artists struggle with.

When you’re submerged in a piece of work it is hard to

decide. Sometimes I’ll work on something and I will hate

it the whole time. And sometimes I’ll work on a piece

and really love it the whole time. I think the hardest part

is when I’m working on a piece and I’m struggling. I’ve

been working on it for six hours and I just really hate it

at the moment. Then, I’ll put it away and come back to

it the next day with fresh eyes. It really helps to force

myself to step away from the art and the moment, and

come back to it later.

P.M: Have you ever had a moment where you wished

you picked a 9–5 “normal” job?

V.S: Yes, definitely. It is a struggle. I work from home

too, so sometimes I’ll be home working all day and I’ll

get lonely! Sometimes I just need to socialize. And ultimately,

I would like to have a studio space with other

people so I can do that while I work. But of course

just the idea of having something stable is nice. I have

11

Traffic Jam, 11 x 5, ink, watercolor

Elysian Park, 18 x 24, ink, watercolor

BDD Surgery, ink, watercolor

worked in-house before though and for me it’s just really

not worth it. I end up wishing I was at home working

on my own stuff. So you know, there is a trade-off.

But just being able to choose my own projects really

does give me a certain drive to work towards my goals.

P.M: How have you as a WOC responded to the

recent election?

V.S: The election has definitely influenced me. I remember

the day after the election was so difficult. I

took some time off work to just recover. I spent two

days trying to piece together what happened. Many of

my female friends reached out to me to see how I was

doing and it was just so amazing to see that happen—

women coming together and supporting each other. I

also noticed that I’ve started making a lot more activist

art. Last summer I created a piece for Asian Americans

for Black Lives Matter because I felt very strongly

about the cause. It is nice to have an outlet for those

feelings and be able to create something out of it. It

is interesting to see how art can impact something so

directly. After this election, as an Asian American woman,

I’ve been hearing more about women and minorities

standing up and getting involved. I did a job for

Audible that was composed of only female illustrators,

which was so amazing to be a part of. There’s also a

website called Women Who Draw, which was started

by Julia Rothman and Wendy MacNaughton. It’s pretty

much a directory of women illustrators. It’s so awesome

to see so many women get involved and speak their

minds through their work.

P.M: What do you love about being a woman?

V.S: Oh wow, ok—I don’t think I’ve ever thought about

that before. I’m a very big caretaker, it comes very naturally

to me. And that’s something I take pride in; being

empathetic and understanding about how my friends

are feeling, and being able to take care of them. I also

feel very aware of how I feel and am confident expressing

it. I think women can use their vulnerability as a

source of strength in a really powerful and elegant way.

Unfortunately, a lot of men are encouraged to hide all of

those things. But times are also getting better for them,

which I think is necessary and great.

like she felt this sort of responsibility to do it. M.I.A.

is super passionate about her political message and

doesn’t care if the NFL is suing her or whatever, she just

continues to do her own thing in the most badass way.

Also Frida Kahlo, who I think everyone loves…for good

reason. I actually recently travelled to Mexico City so

I got to see her home, studio and everything. I’m so

inspired by her being able to turn her pain into these

paintings that really tell a story. I’m really drawn to

women who are passionate about something and just

decide to go for it, no matter what. You know, other

women like Jane Goodall who is so passionate about

her cause that she’s committed her life to it. Oh and

definitely Vivienne Westwood, she’s a fashion designer

but also an activist, and she creates these amazing

punk-inspired pieces that also have a political element

to them. I think she’s so inspiring.

P.M: What are your plans for the rest of this year?

V.S: So I just finished a series of environmental pieces,

which was done in January. Then I had a show at Co-Lab

Gallery open two weeks ago with a couple of friends,

Bijou Karman and Juliette Toma. I’m kind of in this transitional

stage where I’ve finished some stuff and am

now figuring out my battle plan. I’ve recently been doing

some sketches to figure out what I want to focus on

next. I’m also in a very transitional place in my life—I feel

like a lot of doors are closing while others are opening.

But I definitely want to focus on women and their relationships

with themselves in comparison to how others

view them; some self-discovery pieces. p

Pollinating Destruction, ink, watercolor

P.M: Who are some people that inspire you?

V.S: I really look to different fields for inspiration. M.I.A

and Nina Simone are two of my favorites—I know

they’re very different. Nina Simone is so amazing—

she was never afraid to speak up, which is especially

amazing considering the time she lived in. It seems

Mexico City, ink

vivianshih.com

vivian@vivianshih.com

Instagram: @viv.shih

Twittter: @viviandraws

“I THINK WOMEN CAN USE

THEIR VULNERABILITY AS

A SOURCE OF STRENGTH

IN A REALLY POWERFUL

AND ELEGANT WAY.”

15

FROM THE DAYS OF

DIAL-UP

by Meghan Ridley

19

99

Napster launches

on the world wide

web and the world

of music is never

the same. Their

peer-to-peer (P2P)

file sharing platform

would grow

to 80 million users

over the next two

years.

20

01

Napster is shut

down after two

years. And the

world is introduced

to the first versions

of iTunes and the

iPod. The first iPod

had a storage

capacity of 1,000

songs.

20

05

Pandora Radio is

launched, which

allows for streaming

by station,

but not individual

song or artist

choice.

DOWNLOADING...

20

00

Those clever

gadgets known

as MP3 players

and burning

CDs are all the

rage. Metallica

also files its

soon-to-be infamous

lawsuit

against Napster.

20

03

The iTunes Music

Store is launched,

and for just 99 cents

you can own just

about any song you

wish.

20

06

iTunes sells its

one billionth

song.

16

download music free!

I’ll always remember the first album I snagged off the

internet. It was the year 2000, and my best friend’s boyfriend

spent eight hours downloading Nelly’s Country

Grammar via the dial-up internet at his parent’s house.

By that evening, we were going down down, baby, your

street blasting music we had not paid for. We didn’t

have a Range Rover, but we now had Napster.

In the almost 18 years since the music industry

received the transformative shakeup better known

as file-sharing—or music stealing, piracy, whatever you

want to call it—the way we access and listen to music

has been revolutionized. May this timeline refresh your

memory to the simpler times of CD-R and CD-RW, and

remind you just how far we’ve come in the music world.

download music free!

20

08

iTunes surpasses

Walmart as the

top music retailer

in the world, while

Spotify becomes

available and quite

popular in Europe.

20

14

Taylor Swift makes

headlines for pulling

her music off

Spotify, citing the

devaluing of music

as the reasoning.

20

17

Kanye West’s The Life

of Pablo becomes the

first streaming-only

album to ever achieve

RIAA Platinum certification.

It has been

streamed over 3 billion

times worldwide.

20

07

The iPhone is

released and soon

the mobile device

would be a dominant

force in how

we listen to and

store our music.

20

11

The much-anticipated

Spotify platform

becomes available in

the United States—

we are now streaming

music we choose by

song, album, artist,

whatever—without

any downloading

required.

20

15

Apple Music and

Tidal are both

launched—streaming

services set

to compete with

Spotify. Both platforms

offer music

not available on

Spotify, creating

an era of exclusivity

around content

and streaming.

17

HIP-HOP’S

STRUGGLE

WITH WOMEN

by Jazz Williams

Hip-hop began in the Bronx, New York in the 1970s

with two DJs: DJ Kool Herc and Kool DJ Dee. Creating

a new genre of music was their alternative to the

violent gang life of the Bronx and the rise of Disco’s popularity

in the 70s. Hip-hop started as a genre defying combination of

electronic, funky sounds with the most important element—the

beat. By 1976 a new hip-hop artist, Afrika Bambaataa, aka The

Godfather of Hip Hop, began using his music to speak to inner

city youth to encourage them to stay away from gang activity.

The goal of his message was to expand the values of hip-hop

culture, which he believed should promote love, unity and fun.

It wasn’t until the mid- to late-80s that the tone of hip-hop began

to drastically change. As hip-hop began to enter mainstream

media, the tone became less about love and more about sales—

motivating artists to get “creative” with selling tactics for their

music. Unfortunately, in today’s day and age, sex sells and the

media capitalizes on this idea. Women are predominantly used

as a selling tool in hip-hop—with derogatory lyrics about women

presented in hypersexualized styles. Unlike the origins of hiphop,

today’s artists have perpetuated the idea that it is acceptable

to treat woman like one-dimensional accessories.

18

“UNLIKE THE ORIGINS OF HIP-HOP, TODAY’S ARTISTS

HAVE PERPETUATED THE IDEA THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO

TREAT WOMEN LIKE ONE-DIMENSIONAL ACCESSORIES.”

Hip-hop’s initial tone was about making sick beats,

wearing cool clothes, and having fun with your friends and

family. RUN DMC’s lyric’s, “This beat is big, it’s kind of large,

and we’re on the mic, we’re in charge,” echoes the heart of hiphop’s

sound. But when the 80s hit, an unexpected element was

introduced into the mix, contributing to hip-hop’s transition

from fun vibes to a way of making a political statement. That

element was crack cocaine. In the 80s, an influx of cocaine was

introduced to the streets, making the price decrease and access

increase. With the abundance of cocaine in rotation, a rise in

crime and violence also began—resulting in quick and drastic

backlashes from law enforcement against the people in their

neighborhoods. During this time, artists used hip-hop to openly

express their feelings on the issues unfolding in their community.

A notable political statement the hip-hop group Public

Enemy made was in their song Fight the Power in 1989. The

song contained controversial lyrics including, “Our freedom

of speech is freedom or death, we got to fight the powers that

be.” The song was a call to action telling the people to unite

to fight for liberties that were rapidly disappearing. The song

echoed their day-to-day reality: that there is no option in regards

to freedom; you either fight for it or you die enslaved. Hip-hop

turned into a political movement, and while Public Enemy kept

a relatively tamed tone to their sound, another popular group,

N.W.A., birthed a new kind of rap labeled gangster rap.

Fuck Tha Police was the most controversial statement

a hip-hop artist could make at the time, dated months

before Fight The Power. Lyrics in the song go, “Fuck tha police

coming straight from the underground. A young n*gga got it

bad cause I’m brown.” N.W.A.’s Ice Cube’s lyrics express the

racial profiling and discrimination minorities faced in the late

80s and early 90s because of the rising crack cocaine epidemic.

Due to increased police presence in predominantly black

neighborhoods, there was also a dramatic increase in arrests

for drug possession—which is also expressed in the lyrics,

“Searchin my car, lookin for the product. Thinkin every n*gga

is sellin narcotics.” In 1988, the year of Straight Outta Compton’s

release, there were nearly 723,000 arrests for drug possession,

almost twice as many as the 400,000 recorded in 1981.

Music has always been used as a form of expression

and a way to spread a message, but as hip-hop increased in

mainstream popularity, the relationship between the genre and

misogyny quickly became another topic of conversation and

controversy. When N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton was released

they battled with the law, performed Fuck Tha Police as

a political statement and created a historical revolution. However,

they simultaneously were rapping songs like A Bitch Iz A

Bitch. The song fired back at the constant criticism for using

the word “bitch” too much to describe women in their music.

While being utilized as a form of individual expression, hip-hop

artists were simultaneously making it acceptable to belittle and

20

21

degrade women in their community. Women were slowly losing

their humanity and becoming over-simplified, one-dimensional

props in hip-hop’s storytelling.

As the 90s rolled in women MCs began to take note of

the change, and used their voices and music to speak out against

it. Queen Latifah’s Who you callin a bitch lyrics from U.N.I.T.Y.

rang loud through speakers in 1994. Queen addressed the slurs

used against women in rap songs as well as the street harassment

and domestic violence they experienced in their daily lives. As

the 90s progressed, the popularity of drugs seemed to fade and

hip-hop evolved a new sound yet again. The 90s welcomed the

idea of female rappers and thus emerged some of the greatest

female rappers of our time. Artists like Queen Latifah, MC Lyte,

Rah Digga, Lil Kim, Eve, Da Brat, Foxy Brown and more all

began taking over hip-hop. One of the biggest female artists of

the 90s was Lauryn Hill. She sang and rapped, and her music

made a notable impact on hip-hop with her album The Miseducation

of Lauryn Hill. She reached both men and women with

her soulful sound and meaningful lyrics about life, relationships

and her struggles as a woman.

When the 2000s hit, hip-hop took a turn yet again.

Easier access to channels like VH1 and MTV took hip-hop

from the underground and into the mainstream. Men dominated

the genre yet again as female representation faded into

the background. Gangster rap from the 80s bled into the new

millennium and hip-hop’s fun, light, loving feel faded, and was

replaced with an angrier and aggressive sound. The biggest and

best selling artist in the millennium was Marshall Mathers, aka

Eminem. After the 1999 release of The Slim Shady LP and its

subsequent Grammy win for best rap album, Eminem became

a hip-hop household name. Both his albums, The Marshall Mathers

LP and The Eminem Show, won Best Rap Album at the

Grammy Awards the following years—making him the first artist

to win the award for three consecutive LP’s. Eminem was the

epitome of mainstream hip-hop. His lyrics were known for being

aggressive and detailed in the many ways he wanted to cause

physical harm to women. His anger towards women left no

room for misinterpretation; his songs included lyrics like, “Slut,

you think I won’t choke no whore til the vocal cords don’t work

no more.” Eminem rapped about killing his mother, killing his

ex, pissing on women, raping women, choking them—and people

sang along. Eminem’s energy towards women mirrored the

state of hip-hop from the 2000s up till the 2010s. Women no

longer got equal representation rapping side-by-side with male

artists, but instead were used as props, punchlines and victims in

hip-hop songs and videos.

One of the hottest songs and music videos in 2000

was Juvenile’s Back That Ass Up collaboration with Lil Wayne

and Mannie Fresh. It was one of his biggest songs until his 2004

hit Slow Motion, as well as the start of Lil Wayne’s career. His

“ WHO YOU

CALLIN A

BITCH?“

-QUEEN LATIFAH

song’s lyrics, “Call me big daddy when you back that ass up, hoe

who is you playin with, back that ass up,” play loud and proud

throughout the chorus with a back beat so catchy, even women

sang along. The music video for Back That Ass Up featured

various women ‘backing that ass up’ in slow motion, being put

on display as props for the men around them to use as they

pleased. Other songs such as Birthday Song by 2 Chains include

the lyrics, “All I want for my birthday is a big booty hoe.” Many

of the most popular songs include similar messages. Big Sean’s I

Don’t Fuck With You includes lyrics referring to women as “little

stupid ass bitch” and “dumbass bitch” repeatedly climb to the

top of the charts and get queued

up in party atmospheres. I Don’t

Fuck With You was the lead single

from Big Sean’s third album,

and one of the top hip-hop songs

of 2014. Between lyrics almost

exclusively about treating women

as sexual conquests and the

recent emersion of the “Video

Vixen,” females in hip-hop have

quickly returned to where they

began: being portrayed as one-dimensional

objects.

Although women are

still portrayed as one-dimensional

objects, there are a few female

hip-hop artists that continue the

fight to change the way women

are perceived. Some of the

greats include Lil Kim, MC Lyte

and Queen Latifah, and others

that got their start in the 90s.

In fact, just last year one of the

hottest singles of the year was

“OOOUUU” by female rapper,

Young M.A. Young M.A, made

hip-hop history with this single,

as it was the first song with

a first-person, non-exploitative

lesbian narrative that was also

an independent single. Her song

reached No. 19 on Billboard’s

Hot 100, No. 5 on the Hot

R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and

No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Rap

Songs in 2016—all without any major label backing. Young

M.A. not only broke records, she also broke the social standard

for female hip-hop artists in 2016. Not only does she not fit the

‘video vixen’ standard image hip-hop has created for women,

but she’s also unapologetic about it. Other female hip-hop artists

that aren’t subject to hip-hop’s new and impossible standard

for women include artists like Kodie Shane, Siya, 070 Shake,

Sa-Roc and Noname (formerly NoName Gypsy)—who all continue

to make waves in hip-hop, albeit slowly but gradually.

“AS A CONSUMER,

YOU HAVE TO

ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IT

IS YOU ARE ACTUALLY

LISTENING TO, PAYING

FOR, AND ULTIMATELY

PERPETUATING.”

On the subject of women in hip-hop, you can’t forget

to mention Nicki Minaj. Minaj has undeniably made record-breaking

contributions to hip-hop culture since signing

to Young Money Entertainment in 2009. From her iconic verse

on Kanye West’s Monster to her Platinum album, Pink Friday:

Roman Reloaded, and her female-empowerment anthem

Lookin Ass, Nicki continues to dominate the hip-hop game,

and has come to represent the pinnacle of success for women

in hip-hop today. But is it because she fits the ‘video vixen’

archetype? What she does for hip-hop culture could be viewed

as a way of embracing her sexual liberation through rapping

about her sexual conquests and

dancing provocatively in her

music videos like Anaconda.

But is it really empowerment?

Or have women been influenced

and programmed by the

media’s singular presentation of

women that they have accepted

it as the norm?

Hip-hop media, music

and artists continue to work

against the idea that women are

equal to men. What started out

as a positive movement for the

community transformed into

a distorted reality, creating an

overwhelmingly negative image

of women in hip-hop. Hip-hop

culture has to confront these

misconceptions head-on. As

long as artists continue to release

music videos objectifying

women and use slurs to describe

them in their songs, and as long

as the community continues to

support these artists, nothing

will change. That’s not to encourage

people to stop listening

to hip-hop music altogether,

but as a consumer you have to

acknowledge what it is you are

actually listening to, paying for

and ultimately perpetuating.

Supporting artists—male or female—that

promote positivity,

not speaking about women in a derogatory context and getting

back to the actual music is the only way to change how hip-hop

culture (and mainstream media) sees women. In a time where

sales are the main focus in the entire music industry, it is essential

to use consumer money to support artists that are changing

the tone. Buy their music, spread their message, and take value

in fighting against misogyny and the objectification of women

to elevate hip-hop in a way it’s never been before. p

Kush

Kween

by Khara Krawczyk

Great things happen when women combine their

creative forces and collaborate. This shoot was

a meeting of the minds with LA-based photographer

Sharlene Durfey, lighting extraordinaire Michelle

Sarrat and model Madame Kush. These three ladies

were a combination that only occurs in dreams, which

explains all too well the images that resulted. Between

the trippy lighting, hazy background, and glimpses of

latex and leather, these images reflect a Los Angeles

aesthetic we all know and love.

24

Photographer: Sharlene Durfey

Model: Madame Kush, Ford Models

Lighting Designer: Michelle Sarrat

Shot at The Wonder Lab

Assistants: James Coronado & Darryl Grant

Leather Harness: Zana Bayne

Fringe Sleeves: Madem Black

Silver Scaled Bodysuit: Madem Black

White Leather Gloves: Dita Von Teese

Harness: Zana Bayne

29

30

Striped Latex Dress: Madem Black

Snakeskin Gloves: Dita Von Teese

HOROSCOPE

GEMINI

Mercury Retrograde

Don’t bother wasting time running from the effects

of Mercury retrograde Gemini, as the communication

planet will surely find you and trip you up—in

the nicest way possible of course. You see, Mercury

isn’t trying to be a pain in your ass, it’s reminding

you to slow down and reassess the areas of your

life that you’ve been neglecting. This may mean

that your car needs a tune-up or you finally make

that dreaded trip to the dentist, but you’ll be feeling

far more ready to take on the world once those

tasks are off your plate. This potent planetary backspin

only lasts for three and a half weeks, so communication

will return to normal soon.

32

HOROSCOPE

CANCER

Mercury Retrograde

It’s Mercury retrograde again Cancer, so aim to set

yourself up for success for this three and a half week

period by striving for clarity at all costs. Yes, this may

mean repeating yourself more than normal and explaining

yourself in a slower fashion than is typically

your style—but it’ll be well worth the diligence to

avoid potential miscommunication. Do your best to

delay any major purchases, especially if it’s something

with many working parts—this planetary backspin

may see your shiny new toy malfunctioning before

you know it. If the purchase can’t be delayed,

make sure to extend the warranty as long as possible.

33

“Quit Calling Me Orange, the

Headlines Say IMPEACH!”

A sordid history lesson of high crimes and misdemeanors

by Meghan Ridley

Presidents behaving badly—and the dirty deeds they’ve done—have a way of becoming infamously iconic.Richard

“Tricky Dick” Nixon pulled the wool over the eyes of a nation concerning his involvement in the Watergate scandal—

ultimately resigning in 1974 before he could be impeached for his involvement in the break-in and wiretapping at the

Democratic National Headquarters.

Bill “Slick Willie” Clinton perjured himself regarding sexual relations with intern Monica Lewinsky, finding himself impeached

by the House of Representatives, but acquitted by the Senate. People still remember the blue dress before the Brady Bill.

Way back in 1868, Andrew Johnson was also impeached by the House for a violation of the Tenure of Office Act related

to his removal of the Secretary of War at the time. Again, the Senate did not convict.

As we grapple with the political realities of 2017, we find a president that puts Tricky Dick, Slick Willie and Johnson

all to shame. He is the big dick with the small hands. His name is Donnie and he appears to be the most inappropriate

and potentially impeachable president the United States has ever seen—making it imperative that we understand how

removing leaders from office actually works.

Impeachment By the numbers

16 federal officials have been impeached by the House of

Representatives.

7 federal officials have been convicted by the

Senate—all of them judges.

2 presidents have been impeached by

the House of Representatives—none of which were convicted

in the Senate.

Impeachment:

How does it work?

In the words of the United States Constitution, “The

President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United

States, shall be removed from the Office on Impeachment

for, the Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes

and Misdemeanors.” But just what does that exactly mean?

These are the facts to keep in mind:

Impeachment and being removed from office are

two very different things—handled separately by the House

of Representatives and the Senate. The process begins in

the House of Representatives with a hearing on the accused

offenses, where the implicated individual is impeached only

through a majority vote. If impeached, the case moves to

the Senate for a trial. Once in the Senate, forw an individual

to be convicted and removed from office for the impeached

offense, a 2/3 vote must be reached by the Senate.

WTF is a High Crime and

Misdemeanor?

Exactly what the Founding Fathers meant when

they incorporated the terminology high crimes and misdemeanors

into the United States Constitution is up for interpretation.

While there is no textbook definition for these

infractions, they carry a weighty burden for those accused

and can undoubtedly be the end of a political career.

Traditionally, high crimes and misdemeanors, are

considered to be professional misconducts and abuses

of power exclusive to the highest-ranking federal officials.

Think beyond the traditional perjury and briberies and into

some next-level shit. This day and age, it isn’t exactly hard

to Imagine the POTUS doing something in the high crimes

and misdemanor range sooner rather than later.

34

ILLUSTRATION BY PLATERESCA

“MY LIP QUIVERS

AS I READ SOME

BULLSHIT ABOUT

UNDERSTANDING

MY RIGHTS, AND

THEY ORDER ME

TO REMOVE MY

CLOTHING ONE

ARTICLE AT A

TIME.”

CROSSING

BORDERS

THE ANATOMY

OF A STRIP SEARCH

by Meghan Ridley

My eyes are locked with the stern gaze of a Canadian

Border Patrol agent as she asks me my

reason for traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia

today. Just moments before, I was anticipating

a quick and painless welcome into Canada, but with a

drug sniffing dog taking a liking to my backpack I’m now

subject to further questioning than the average person

going through customs. I explain that I’m a writer for

a cannabis publication and was planning on spending

the day in the city working on an article regarding their

medical marijuana culture. She doesn’t look impressed,

and asks me several times if I have any drugs with me. I

assure her that I don’t, and welcome their search of my

belongings so I can get on with my day.

37

Another agent appears and they lay the

contents of my backpack out on the counter one by

one and begin thumbing through the notebooks and

magazines, talking to me about drug-related topics

with which I write about. They soon turn their attention

to the iPhone and camera—swabbing the exterior

of each before asking me to unlock both of them

and disappearing into a backroom with my electronics.

I’m told to sit and wait until they’re through, and

do so dumbfounded by the fact that they are now

having their way with the personal data on my electronic

devices. I hadn’t realized that was a “thing” before

now, but remain unworried because I know I’m

not trying to hide anything.

The agents return and explain that they have

questions regarding the interior and exterior of the

camera. Problem number one: approximately 100

photos of cannabis plants and products associated

with the social media of a Seattle dispensary. Problem

number two: traces of cocaine residue on the body of

the camera. The contents of my phone did nothing

to help my case, either. They searched through text

messages and emails, ultimately discovering that I

was there for more specific purposes than I had originally

divulged. Yes, working on a story on the Vancouver

cannabis culture, which also included an interview

with advocate Jodie Emery—a detail I didn’t mention

when they first questioned me.

I do my best to explain the aforementioned. I

inform the agents that the camera isn’t mine, but that

I’m aware of the pictures as I work part-time at the dispensary

that it belongs to. They question me about my

drug use and I admit to having used cocaine in the

past, but assure them that whatever residue on the

body of the camera wasn’t from me. I apologize for not

telling them know who I was meeting with, and continue

to deny having any drugs on me. Which is when

they utter the words:

We have reason to believe that you are smuggling

drugs and will need you to consent to a strip

search to enter Canada today.

Before this moment, I believed that the true

and simple fact that I wasn’t breaking any laws was my

ticket for a safe and sound arrival in Canada. I understood

the strong potential to be flagged due to my occupation

and reason for traveling, but I never imagined

it going this far. I’m still stunned by having the electronics

seized and searched, but am horrified that refusing

the strip search will only make me look guiltier. Taking

comfort in knowing that I’m not smuggling any drugs, I

reluctantly agree to their request.

I follow two female agents into a cold and concrete

cell of sorts. I’m shaking a bit from nervousness

and the temperature, trying not to cry as they tell me

to stand in the middle of the room and read the poster

from the wall aloud. My lip quivers as I read some bullshit

about understanding my rights, and they order me

to remove my clothing one article at a time.

I remove my jacket, shirt and bra—standing

as topless proof that I have no drugs on the

upper half of my body. I’m allowed to put them

back on, then my shoes, socks, pants and underwear

are ordered off. I stand there awkwardly exposed

believing the end of this ordeal is surely

near, when the agent notices the tampon string

dangling from between my legs.

“You have a tampon in?”

“Yes, I’m on my period.”

“You’re going to have to remove it.”

I’m now trying to swallow a sick and nauseous

feeling. The idea that I have drugs of some sort shoved

up my vagina with a tampon serving as my trusted plug

is absurd, but the look on her face shows just how serious

she is. It’s as if she’s already envisioning me pulling

an unusually dry tampon out of myself—followed by a

waterfall of cocaine rocks or something. But what she

doesn’t know is that I’m about to hand her a bloody

tampon to dispose of for me, and she’ll need to give

me one of hers replace it.

I pull the tampon out and she signals me to approach

her to deposit the bloody mess in a rubber glove

she’s holding open. I’m told to turn around and face the

wall with my hands up and legs spread, then squat three

times. I comply, finally proving I’m not a drug smuggler

when nothing comes tumbling out of my vagina. She

hands me a new tampon, and the border agents watch

as I reach between my legs and insert it, then put my

missing clothes back on.

I exit the room feeling both violated and vindicated,

but mostly just want my phone back and to

get into Canada. The agent then tells me she has more

questions, which is when I sit down shaking my head

realizing that somehow this nonsense still isn’t over.

“What other drugs have you done?”

I’m pretty exhausted at this point and almost

laugh, asking her if she is referring to the entirety of my

life. She assures me that’s the question, and I let her

know that whatever cannabis and cocaine they have me

down for can be backed up with some past use of LSD,

MDMA, and mushrooms as well. At this point I don’t

know what it is that they want to know—nor do I have

anything to hide. She scribbles in a small notepad for a

few minutes and then finally leaves me alone.

A new agent appears after 20 minutes or so

and apologizes for the previous few hours’ ordeal. However,

he informs me that my entry into Canada today

will still be denied—due to the fact that in the beginning

of my interrogation, I said that there was a possibility

I would smoke cannabis while in Canada today.

And that he said, is against the law. I may have not been

smuggling any drugs, but admitting that I might break

the law in Canada that afternoon was reason enough

to deny my entrance to their country. They return my

electronics and walk me to the lobby of the station to

buy a bus ticket back to Seattle. My phone is dead and

I’m confident I look like one hell of a criminal—red eyed

and worn out as a well-armed border agent escorts me

through the crowd of travelers awkwardly watching.

Soon enough I’m headed back to Seattle on

a Greyhound bus. But not without a stop with U.S. Customs

and Border Patrol, who are inquisitive as to why I

didn’t make it into Canada today. I tell him it was about

drugs—past use, future use, etc. He gives me a stern

look much like the one the Canadian border patrol

agent gave me when this ordeal began a few hours ago,

and asks me if I learned my lesson.

I lied and told him I did, knowing damn well

they’d mostly just given me a story. p

38

“I COMPLY,

FINALLY

PROVING

I’M NOT

A DRUG

SMUGGLER

WHEN

NOTHING

COMES

TUMBLING

OUT OF MY

VAGINA.”

HOROSCOPE

LEO

Mercury Retrograde

You may be eager to dot some i’s and cross some t’s,

Leo, but Mercury retrograde may have other plans.

It’s best to avoid making contractual agreements

official during this time if at all possible, but if an

emergency demands it, make sure to carefully review

any and all documents. Delays and misunderstandings

regarding responsibilities are also possible,

but can be managed by putting an extra eye

on the details—little things like leaving 15 minutes

earlier than normal for work, or clarifying some of

the finer points on an assignment can make all the

difference when the planet of communication does

its three and a half week backspin.

40

HOROSCOPE

VIRGO

Mercury Retrograde

Okay, Virgo, we know you have almost a fetish for

organization—which is why Mercury’s clever retrograding

and all the scrambling of information that

comes with it can be extra frustrating for you. But

don’t fret, think of this planet of communication’s

backspin as an opportunity to further edit and assess

the projects you currently have in motion. Who

knows? You may just find a game-changing piece of

information that can serve to upgrade your plans.

Also keep an eye out for a long lost item that may

resurface when you least expect, after all, not all the

unexpected happenings of a Mercury retrograde

season are meant to be arduous.

41

THIS

DISRUP

LIFE

The Atomic Living

of Kiran Gandhi

by Abigail Ross

If there is one thing Kiran Gandhi cannot be accused of,

it’s missing out on opportunity. From touring with M.I.A.

while attending Harvard Business School to using an untimely,

pre-marathon period as a way to make a statement

against menstrual stigma, Kiran lives her life at full force. In

her Ted-Talk, she defines her yes-woman attitude with the

term ‘atomic living.’ Her process involves essentially saying yes

to everything because the universe probably has a purpose for

you to be where you are—going as far as to say if your friends

bail out on plans, well, maybe that’s your night to do laundry.

Living in this atomic fashion has allowed Kiran to live the life

she has always wanted—minus the burnout.

PHOTO BY ANNA MARIA LOPEZ

42

TIVE

PHOTO BY SARAH JASMINE MONTGOMERY

Kiran’s unconventional perspective has been with her

for much of this lifetime, where growing up between Boston,

Bombay and New York City laid the groundwork for a professional

life as equally diverse. Attending Georgetown University,

she received a degree in mathematics, political science and women’s

studies. Her next move? Los Angeles for a job with Interscope

Records, where she quickly noticed there were not many

other people working at the label with backgrounds like hers.

Here she combined her mathematics and analytics background

to become the first-ever digital strategist for the record company.

She did notice, however, that many of her colleagues and bosses

had something she did not: an MBA.

2013 brought Kiran’s disruptive synergy to new

heights when she was asked to play drums on an international

tour with M.I.A.—alongside her acceptance to Harvard Business

School. She said yes to both. When asked if she ever felt

like she was going to burn out, she replied, “This is a constant

theme in my life. I very intentionally have chosen to live my

life where every minute, second or hour of the day is filled

with music or feminism.” She went on to describe how she felt

like she was literally living her truth while touring in an all-female

band while on the other hand, attending one of the most

prestigious business schools. Harvard provided her the tools

to understand the capitalist patriarchy and allowed her to see

that business—at its core—is an exchange of value and that is a

good thing. Kiran never felt the burnout because she was doing

exactly what she wanted to be doing one hundred percent of

the time. She expressed, “ For someone working in a way they

don’t want to be working, they tend to use their free time to

do exactly what they love; but if they’re doing that every day,

then what happens? I don’t have a good answer. I’m trying to

figure it out for myself. I didn’t experience burnout because I

was doing exactly what I love.”

Being on tour is practically synonymous with being

hard on ones body and mind. For Kiran, being a full-time

feminist advocate and musician requires her to be constantly

turned on. When asked how she remains balanced and positive

while fighting for women’s rights in such a high energy setting,

she relayed a story of being in Mexico the pervious night, at a

huge festival with headliners including James Blake, Bjork and

M.I.A., that was shut down. A bunch of the groups—herself

included—were roped into playing an after party. As she recounted,

“ So I’m DJing and I started playing one of my own

songs, The Future is Female, and half the audience knew the

song because they had come prepared for the festival…they had

done their research. I was literally living my dream of turning up

and partying to the sounds of gender equality.” She went on to

explain how moments like that allow her to remain positive and

fuel her to keep going; where she is able to watch genders of all

backgrounds celebrating women’s equality and having people of

all genders confess their ability to more accurately articulate how

they feel because of the music.

While Kiran’s resume is undoubtedly dynamic, her

purely feminine act of openly menstruating through her running

of the London Marathon in 2015 may be her most transformative

performance yet. Starting her period just moments

before the race, she realized her options were limited and quickly

decided to take the opportunity to protest period stigma. Her

brave display for all to see resulted in an onslaught of praise and

ridicule. She voiced receiving a handful of creepy phone calls

and having people ask for her address so they could ship her

gifts. But even the positive responses were still enough for her to

send requesters to an address across the street. Kiran reached out

to one of her heroes and former professors, Catharine MacKinnon—who

famously defended Linda “Lovelace” Marchiano in

her case against Deep Throat in 1980—to gain advice on how

45

“Right now we

live in a system

where male

is considered higher

than female. So right

now-even as women-we

internalize

our own misogyny

with thoughts like,

‘Don’t be so girly,’

or, ‘Don’t be so

effeminate,’ but I

actually feel that

accessing my fullest

femininity is so

powerful.”

PHOTOS BY SARAH JASMINE MONTGOMERY

PHOTO BY SARAH JASMINE MONTGOMERY

MADAME GANDHI

PHOTO BY ALICE RABBIT

she should approach the attention she was receiving from the

marathon. MacKinnon told her, “You don’t work for any company,

you don’t have large amounts of money or family at stake,

you just have a big megaphone with the opportunity to change

the world—so use it.” This advice, along with the support of

friends and family, has allowed Kiran to truly embrace the power

of her own voice.

Having gone through the challenge of finding her

own voice, Kiran doesn’t shy away from providing advice to

young feminists who might be afraid of backlash or other consequences

of speaking up. She said two things: “1) Consistency—

the more consistent we are with our thoughts and our voice, the

more people trust it because it’s authentic; and 2) Make sure to

rally those who have your best intentions at heart behind you.

Once you know your intention is pure and you have the support

of those people whose opinions you care about, you really

tend not to worry about random Twitter trolls.” She went on

to say, “The more people get angry, the more you know you’re

hitting a nerve. Some of my heros—Harriett Tubman, Mahatma

Gandhi, Fela Kuti, Gloria Steinem, Catharine MacKinnon,

Oprah Winfrey—they made a lot of people very uncomfortable,

and because they were threatening society’s most problematic

norms.” Kiran voiced being particularly inspired by M.I.A. and

her ability to use her art to continuously push boundaries. She

again recalled the previous night in Mexico, where the set up

crew told her how M.I.A.’s set was entirely inspired by themes of

borders and breaking them down. To be playing a Mexican festival

while tensions are so high between the Mexican-American

border and president 45 is extraordinary.

Kiran believes period stigma is something we are capable

of changing in our lifetime, but that the stigma itself lives

under a more pressing issue for women—being valued for our

looks and women’s ability to be sexually consumed. She said,

“The sexier we are, the more valued we are by society and what’s

bad about that, obviously, is that it’s not by our choice. Men

have the choice to have their value based on their looks or their

contributions to society through their skill sets, whereas women

don’t have that same choice and I think that’s unfair. I think

it limits us.” She went on to explain that societies focusing on

women’s sexuality pose a problem in that it makes us ‘irrelevant’

past a certain age. There is a billion-dollar beauty industry out

there that’s feeding off our insecurities and thriving on our attempts

to ‘preserve youth.’ With that said, Kiran did express the

wonderfulness of sex appeal and feeling wanted by your partner.

She just believes that should come through self-love, not

through societal pressures to look a certain way.

The compartmentalization of femininity by Western

culture is atop Kiran’s list of problems in desperate need of attention.

“Right now we live in a system where male is considered

higher than female. So right now—even as women—we internalize

our own misogyny with thoughts like, ‘Don’t be so girly,’

or, ‘Don’t be so effeminate,’ but I actually feel that accessing my

fullest femininity is so powerful.” She went on to add that she

doesn’t believe we have even felt what the full scope of female

leadership looks like, and that once we are able to love female

energy as much as male energy, all of the constructs go away.

She believes the balance of feminine and masculine energy and

its metamorphosis into a spectrum—as opposed to its current

state as a hierarchy with male on top—is the reason focusing

on female love is so crucial. Focus on creating balance encompasses

all of the issues of fighting the gender binary. As Kiran

explained, “Once we love female just as much as male, then

trans becomes a non-issue. Queer becomes a non-issue. Gender

binary becomes a non-issue.” But to be able to stand up for one

another and focus in on the feminist cause as a whole, one must

first focus on self-love.

50

When asked how do you feel women can support

other women most effectively she stated, “Each of us needs to

be able to stand on their own two feet before we can collaborate

and I’ve learned this the hard way. I think it’s exacerbated with

women because we’re also dealing with a system of oppression

that depends on us not to feel in solidarity with each other in

order for the very system of oppression to thrive and succeed.”

The point is to be the best version of oneself before being able to

work together easily.

So what does a feminist future look like? According

to Kiran Gandhi, modern feminism is celebrating the female

voice. Her mission is to elevate and celebrate all things female,

creating a space and environment without the subliminal messages

and social pressures of how to be—so that people of all

genders can make choices based on their own agency. Her desire

is for people of all backgrounds to make choices for themselves;

and that by doing that for herself, she hopes to inspire

others to do the same. p

PHOTO BY WENDY FIGUEROA

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ILLUSTRATION BY JAZZ WILLIAMS

HOROSCOPE

LIBRA

Mercury Retrograde

Here comes another Mercury retrograde season, that

fine time of year where wires cross like it’s going out

of style. Keeping calm as the litany of snafus attempt

to derail your plans may be easier said than done,

but take it as a hint to adopt a slower pace and go

with the flow. While you can’t control what happens

to you, your reaction is in your hands. Extra care with

emails and other technology-related communications

are most definitely advised, as everything from

the wrong recipient to a misinterpreted tone could

start a fire where you least expect. When all else fails,

smile—and remember that Mercury returns to normal

in three and a half weeks.

54

HOROSCOPE

SCORPIO

Mercury Retrograde

Slow down, Scorpio, or Mercury retrograde just

might force you to. If you’ve been burning the candle

at both ends, use this period to reassess why you’re

working so hard, rather than focusing solely on what

you’re accomplishing. Spending this planetary backspin

bringing clarity to your plans is good way for a

water sign such as yourself to sail through this period

unscathed, not to mention dodge making a decision

you may later regret. Spending your energies “decluttering”

your space is another way to make Mercury

retrograde work in your favor—while no one wants

to reorganize their closet or go through the storage

unit, you never know what you might find.

55

P

o

L

I

S

H

Photography: Morgan English

Hair & Makeup: Lindsey Lyon

Styling: Malina Lopez & Kinsey Litton

Models: Alexis Schempp, Jasmine Flores

Suiting & Hoodie: WILDFANG

Shoes: Paul Green

E

D&

off the grid

57

Blouse: Zara

Blazer: WILDFANG

Gold Earrings: Blunted Objects

T-shirt: Pleasures x By Way Of

Denim Jacket: Levi’s

Striped Shirt: Zara

Jeans: Levi’s

Blazer: WILDFANG

White Button Up: WILDFANG

Rings: Model’s Own

Leather Jackets: Vintage

Opposite Page-

Pants: Uniqlo

Shoes: Converse

Glasses: RayBan

“I’d

rather rely

on Mother

Nature’s

wisdom

than man’s

cleverness.”

- Wendell

Berry

CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN

NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS

SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT

HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD

BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD.




HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE

SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS






















HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE

SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS SHOULD BE SEEN NOT HEARD. CELEBS




AMERICA’S

IDOLS

POP CULTURE AND POLITICS

by Meghan Ridley

WE ADORE

THEM, THROW

MONEY AT

THEM, DEMAND

INTIMATE DE-

TAILS OF THEIR

PERSONAL

LIVES, BUT

AS SOON AS

THEY VOICE AN

OPINION THAT

WE DISAGREE

WITH, WE

FURIOUSLY

DRAW A LINE...

If we had to choose a genre to tell the story of the relationship

between Hollywood and the White House, would we pick coming-of-age?

Torrid love affair? Maybe straight up horror? We know

they will remain entangled, we know that entanglement will continue

to evolve, and we know it will probably be frightening and fascinating

all at the same time.

There is much criticism of the Hollywood elite making political

statements and efforts through the years. It seems unfair and

frightening for an individual to carry so much influence a field in

which they are untrained or uneducated. Many critics also denounce

celebrity opinion altogether due to the division of lifestyle between

celebrity millionaires and the average American. This same critique

can even be found within the Hollywood community. Mark Wahlburg

explained that he didn’t remark upon the 2016 election because

he doesn’t feel celebrities should discuss politics: “A lot of Hollywood

is living in a bubble. They’re pretty out of touch with the common

person, the everyday guy out there providing for their family.”

Artists such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, A Tribe Called

Quest, Meryl Streep, and Robert Deniro have all made public political

statements that have then been met with a barrage of fierce

criticism. Perhaps no group of artists has suffered as much as the

Dixie Chicks back in the early 2000s, when they lost a major part of

their fan base after speaking out against President George W. Bush.

Or when Colin Kaepernick refused to stand during the national

anthem, we saw YouTube videos of his jersey being burned. He was

accused of being unpatriotic, entitled and ungrateful. In reality, he

took a risk—to his career, image and income—to express something

he believed in. He chose to challenge the idea of celebrating the

notion of liberty and justice for all, when he didn’t see those ideals

being upheld. While we can criticize this response from many angles,

at the end of the day, he chose to make himself vulnerable to

that criticism, at personal and professional risk, because of what he

believed in. Ironically, when someone from ‘normal’ life does something

like that, we call it brave.

Most Americans spend more time following pop culture

than politics, (with the exception of the months surrounding our presidential

elections every four years, at which point the two are intertwined

anyway). We tend to trust people we like, and we tend to dislike

politicians. It makes sense then, to be wary of the political sway of the

celebrity voice. It’s been proven that the relationships we form with

celebrities, and even the characters they portray, have no distinction

in our physical brain from the relationships we form in real life. This

means that it can be as difficult to separate from the influence of a

trusted authority figure or peer as it can from the influence of someone

you’ve never met, but with whom you have built a fully formed

non-physical relationship.

Despite that logic, it’s revealing to examine when and

how this criticism takes place. Typically, people will tell celebrities

67

to shut up when they disagree with them, and often forget this

sentiment when someone they adore supports a cause or candidate

they believe in. We elevate certain people to a borderline god-like

status and provide—or rather, force upon them—a lifestyle totally

removed from our own. In other words, they are our elected pop

culture officials. Included in this lifestyle is a role of cultural leadership.

We adore them, throw money at them, demand intimate details

of their personal lives, but as soon as they voice an opinion that

we disagree with, we furiously draw a line in the sand because we

wanted to know everything about them, except for what they think

on that particular topic. We condemn them for having no idea what

real life is like, because they live in the prison made of gold we built

for them. And then we tell them the reason they shouldn’t talk isn’t

just because they don’t know anything, but also because people will

probably listen to them.

There is also a very important distinction between a onenote

comment on twitter and dedication to an actual cause. Is Ashton

Kutcher too pretty for politics? Absolutely. Does that mean that as a

human, and a father, he shouldn’t care about child sex trafficking? Or

that if he does, he shouldn’t use every valuable facet of his personhood

as a tool to fight against it? Including charisma, money, and fame?

And are we truly measuring him by how he’s used what he’s been

given, or are we reducing him to the adorable, witless stoner that he

portrayed in a reality created for our viewing pleasure?

It is also interesting to consider the relationship between

politics and art itself. Art is a means of expressing human experience,

its struggles and its tensions. People use art as a vehicle to

examine and challenge the world around them. This is by nature

political, in a sense. The Beatles and Bob Dylan were famous not

only because people enjoyed their love songs, but also because

they were inspired by their cultural and political messages. Art

is supposed to raise questions. It’s not real if it’s not based in true

expression, and it turns out that people have feelings about war,

and poverty, and subjugation. Trying to pigeonhole any human

into one role is to deny their full humanity. It’s essentially saying,

“You’re multifaceted and influential, so you should stop talking

because someone might listen too hard.”

However, it is within this same culture that we’ve managed

to elect into our highest executive office a man who forged his

way into name recognition via a reality television show. This fails to

align with the demand for separation of media and politics. More

importantly, it fails to align with the demand for credibility. Why

are we so quick to condemn an entertainer for speaking outside of

their area of expertise, yet we willingly accept an individual with no

education or experience in the political field? Sure, Trump has been

successful in business, but so has Taylor Swift.

There is certainly some logic to distinguishing between a

musician making a political comment and someone who makes a

career change from media to politics. But even sound logic can be

narrow. What it fails to recognize is that for both celebrities and

politicians, their brand of power comes from us. We can choose

to elect someone into an office with political authority, or we can

choose to listen to the comments of a celebrity. Whether or not

the two relate to one another remains up to us.

That said, the conversation is larger than personal accountability.

Yes, people are in power because we put them there,

but that’s my personal response to the individuals who criticize the

use of an influential voice. The reality is, we’re talking about a community

of over 300 million people, all of whom are subject to human

nature. One philosophical statement is not enough to change

anything. We need to examine how we got here, and the different

pathways that lay before us.

So, where are we exactly? We’re stuck in a culture that

has trapped itself in media. True journalism is getting choked out

by the forces of Wikipedia, Google, and Buzzfeed. Political knowledge—from

local to global—is being replaced by clickbait, inane

details of the lives of celebrities and whatever it is one can learn

from watching videos of cats running into sliding glass doors. In

fact, maybe there is something to be learned there: THERE IS A

GLASS DOOR, AND WE ARE RUNNING INTO IT. Fortunately

for us, we have the mental capacity, if not the inclination,

to adjust our sight, and prevent embarrassment and injury. The

difficulty is working up the motivation.

We live in a culture of convenience, where it is all too easy

to feel entitled to ease and entertainment as though they are basic

human rights. We also live in a highly egocentric culture, where we’ve

been led to seek high self-esteem over actual achievement. It’s much

easier to craft a self-image of being highly aware than it is to actually

do the research that requires it. Humans used to have to constantly

work in order to survive, usually without luxury and often without

basic necessities. The farmer who wakes up at 4 in the morning to

milk the cow in the middle of winter most likely has a different notion

of what she expects life to hand her on a silver platter, or perhaps

a silver screen. She also knows that the cows don’t give a shit if her

Instagram makes her look like a hard-worker; she has to actually do

the work. She also knows that work isn’t a purely negative thing, and

happiness doesn’t reside in unearned privilege.

There is a reflexive relationship between culture and media.

If we only click on things that are flashing or dramatic, people will only

post things that are flashy or dramatic. The more we gravitate toward

meaningless entertainment or false news, the more we drive the market

for it. The market increases, so does our craving, and we slowly spiral

away from credentialed and potentially boring (oh no!) articles.

This brings up another point: the increasing lack of regard

for expertise. We’re seemingly just as willing to trust, and certainly

to listen to, internet bloggers and comedians as we are those

who are actually educated or experienced in a field. We also seem

to disregard the value of an article written in a format that requires

accountability. Instead of trusting the expert because they’re more

knowledgeable in a certain field, we distrust them because of their

association with the long list of we consider to be corrupt systems.

Yes, there is danger in media conglomerates with their

hands in the pockets of government organizations, but are we to

turn instead to the self-published blogger who is most likely less

informed and more biased? Some of them may be truly well informed,

objective writers, but there is no system of accountability

to distinguish those from the rest. More often than not, their information

comes from a Google search, which, by the way, will have

been customized to filter websites based upon their search history,

essentially reassuring any pre-existing bias. With this in mind, why

are we so ready to assume that these writers are any more informed

than whichever celebrity whose mouth is under our hand? Is this

just a groundless, thoughtless assignment of credibility? Perhaps it

relates to our proclivity to listen not only to the louder voice, but

the more charming one. Communication skills and charisma are

wholly unrelated to knowledge or integrity, yet they are more powerful

when it comes to convincing someone. We know celebrities

are highly charismatic, so we like them, but we don’t trust them. We

don’t trust politicians or journalists because they’re corrupt, so we

turn instead to some angry teenager who worked up the energy to

throw some words into the social media vortex.

Celebrities have a voice, and that voice does not require

any level of wisdom or information. While that can be unnerving,

it’s hardly the issue at hand. Hillary Clinton had far more celebrity

endorsement than Donald Trump, and clearly that was not enough

to turn the tables. The fact of the matter is, entertainment and media

tend to lean liberal, but the siren call doesn’t seem to reach the ears of

the Republicans. On both sides, we appear to be continually preaching

to our own respective choirs. The problem isn’t celebrities talking,

it’s us not knowing how and when to listen.

No matter how you look at it, celebrity endorsements have

been taking place since the 1920s, and will continue to take place as

long as our 1st amendment rights remain intact. We live in a nation

whose ideology is built upon freedom of speech. That freedom preserves

a very important right, and requires us to deal with the fact that

some voices will be louder than others, and they may not be more

informed, or wiser, or more benevolent. Media literacy is crucial to

awareness when our culture is immersed in and driven by media. I’ve

always associated media literacy with being attuned to the subtle manipulations

of advertisers, such as realizing that drinking a Pepsi will

make me fatter, not sexier. However, his doesn’t encompass the level

of preparation required to overcome believing in those we’ve come to

trust without doing our own research.

We can criticize celebrities all we want for exploiting the

power of their voice, but this does nothing for us. It’s natural to

want to empower the subjugated and suppress the powerful, but is

it fair to ask people not to use the very voice and platform we gave

them? Particularly since we can choose to do whatever we want with

their message? Maybe we should take responsibility for filtering our

perceptions and begin critically thinking on our own.

Censorship is not the answer. The answer is creating a community

in which people are encouraged to think for themselves, and

to enter the global conversation with sensitivity and humility. It requires

learning to focus on the issues at hand, and respond to phrases

that don’t ring true to us with honest questions and counterpoints,

rather than personal attacks and defensiveness. At the moment, it

feels as though our nation is entrenched in one massive comment battle,

where nobody takes the time to edit or think about what they’re

actually saying. Everyone is criticizing everyone else for being ignorant

and stupid, but we are all still feeding into the same format of

conversation. It is not graceful, and it definitely is not effective.

We are aware of the cultural pendulum, and it’s interesting

to speculate what the swing back will look like. Maybe people

will unplug and spend more time outside. Maybe we can create a

trend of conscious consumerism as it relates to information, thus

recreating a market for true journalism. The power of the voice

does not belong to anyone group—the goal is a balanced conversation,

one that is educated, humble and earnest, empty of finger

pointing and ego stroking. p

HOROSCOPE

SAGITTARIUS

Mercury Retrograde

When Mercury goes retrograde, communication

of all kinds tend to go haywire, Sagittarius. Be on

guard for misplaced files and rescheduled meetings

to rule the workplace. A few mishaps with technology

are also likely, so be a little extra nice to your

smartphone and computer during this period. But

hey, if you have the time, Mercury’s backspin can actually

be a wonderful time to take a vacation. You’ll

want to double and triple check your itinerary, but

getting away from it all just might be better than

spending your time explaining yourself to your colleagues—just

don’t forget to turn your out of office

message on for your email.

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HOROSCOPE

CAPRICORN

Mercury Retrograde

Miscommunication and delay are in the air once

again for another Mercury retrograde season, mostly

serving to frustrate a clarity loving Capricorn like you.

Projects may take an unexpected detour that leave

you wanting to pull your hair out, but a few deep

breaths and day or two of uninterrupted solo time

can serve as a productive reboot of the self. If shit

does start hitting the fan, do your best to not drown

your sorrows in any retail-minded therapy. Buying big

ticket items such as a computer or a new car should

be avoided as much as possible, they could give you

trouble far beyond this Mercury retrograde.

71

PHOTO BY OD1

artists

to watch

in 2017

by Kinsey Litton

Yodi MAc

Age : 25

How would you describe your sound?

My music is a range of sounds. My work with Wffls is reminiscent

of old east coast vibes like A Tribe Called Quest, other

examples of my work reach a modern commercial sounds

with electric instrumentation and melodies.

What album or song made you want to be an

artist?

I’m not sure if I can pinpoint a song or album that made

me want to be an artist. I’ve been writing songs since

about fourth grade. However when I first started recording

music at 19, the works of A Tribe Called Quest and

Digable Planets really influenced the image of the type of

artist I would like to be.

Where can we find you this summer?

I will be performing all around the northwest. Be on

the look out for shows coming up in Seattle, Tacoma,

Spokane and Portland.

73

Grace

Mitchell

Age: 19


It’s hard to describe my sound because it’s influenced

by so many different things and it is intensely unique

in that way. I like everything, so a little bit of everything

makes it into my music.

What album/song made you want to be a musician?

A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay, Jagged Little

Pill by Alanis Morissette, From the Choir Girl Hotel/

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos, Good News for People

Who Love Bad News by Modest Mouse, and “Gold

Lion” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.


In the studio, on tour, by the pool, up a trail.

74

PHOTO BY WILL NIXON

PHOTO BY ASHA MAURA

sophia eris

Age: 28


Summer in the west with the top down.

What album/song made you want to be a

musician?

Erykah Badu “Baduism,” it was so free and inspiring and her

voice made me want to explore my own.


I will be on tour with Lizzo for the entire month of June!

77

PHOTOS BY MORGAN ENGLISH

MalinaLopez

Has a Cooler Job Than You

by Kinsey Litton

Chef, cannabis enthusiast and entrepreneur are just a

handful of words that can be used to describe Malina

Lopez. She is the kind of woman who walks into

a room and brings the energy with her. She has navigated

the series of obstacles society put up to watch her fail and

emerged weathered with wisdom and humility. She radiates

a confidence that comes from navigating the world with tenacity—taking

no shit—and being open to learning from experiences

that she has no control over. As we sit in the lobby

of my office building and stare out over the gloomy Seattle

skyline, I can see the stories she has collected radiating off

her skin. I quickly become overwhelmed with the number of

questions I want to ask her and then immediately calmed by

her comfortable presence. Upon discovering that she grew

up in Venice Beach, CA in the 70s and 80s, attending punk

rock shows like the Misfits, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black

Flag, it all makes sense. In an environment that encouraged

freedom and self-expression above all, she was able to discover

who she was at a young age. Halfway through our interview

she tells me, “We are here for such a short period of

time and we really don’t know how long we have.” This statement,

coupled with her open and non-judgmental mindset,

have clearly infiltrated every aspect of her life—her parenting,

her career and her relationship with herself.

79

“I didn’t get here by sitting around, I work hard.

I always give 100 percent, because what’s the

worst that can happen? Someone says no?”

After deciding to leave Venice Beach, she moved

to Hawaii where she says she felt more comfortable being

biracial. Despite Venice Beach’s reputation for openness and

freedom of self-expression, she says her Puerto Rican, Venezuelan,

Russian and black heritage seemed to fit in with the

Hawaiian culture more than she had previously experienced

in California. Though she initially intended to only live there

for a year, she ended up meeting her husband and staying

for over ten. After years together and two children, she and

her husband amicably divorced. They have since remained

great friends and amazing co-parents, “We’re divorced now,

those issues are gone. And really, being a good parent is

the most important thing to both of us.” When her husband

and two kids relocated for his job, Malina spent two years

exploring what direction she wanted to take with her career.

She had spent some time working as a chef and food stylist

for Sam’s Club and loved how working with food made her

(and others) feel, “It was really satisfying. I realized I could help

people. I could change their life and really make a difference

not only for individuals, but also globally.”

Following her experience in the food industry,

her introduction into the cannabis world was a sudden and

slightly unexpected one. After becoming frustrated with the

number of obstacles involved in starting her own edibles

business, she adapted her dreams and decided she wanted

to be a cannabis photoshoot stylist, approaching Northwest

Leaf magazine with her ideas. As her “test shoot” she was

tasked with designing and styling their 4th Anniversary Cover…no

pressure. Her concept—cannabis buds arranged in

the number four—has gone on to be one of their most successful

covers to date. She has since Art Directed 16 covers

for the magazine and credits them for her start in the industry

because of the opportunities they have given her. She now

works with dozens of businesses throughout Seattle styling

and art directing photoshoots for products, magazines and

cannabis companies.

Malina is the first to admit her hiccups and mistakes

and quick to point out that everything is a potential

lesson—even perceived failures. But she refuses to be setback

by the things that don’t work out. “I didn’t get here by

sitting around,” she says, “I work hard—I always give 100

percent, because what’s the worst that can happen? Someone

says no?” While growing her brand, she has reached

out to countless companies, forged relationships with some

of the biggest cannabis brands and always remained true to

her mission of being genuine in an industry that is notorious

for it’s smoke and mirrors. “I have empathy for people in this

industry who work really hard and don’t make a lot of money

doing it.” When she curates her photoshoots she always

keeps in mind the struggle behind beginning a new business

in an industry that is in a liminal place. When beginning a

new shoot, she likes to speak with the artisans behind the

products to get an idea of how the item was made, “People

see the finished product and sometimes don’t realize what

actually goes into it. I like to ask them about their creative

process, why they do what they do and what inspires them.

I want to be able to represent their hard work in a way that

they’re proud of.”

80

Despite her years of self-discovery and a successful

self-made career, she still struggles with knowing when to

say no. After recently ending an eight-year relationship, she

reflects on her time with him with poise. Upon learning he

had problems with addiction, she did what any loving partner

would do and tried to help him through it. Only after

multiple betrayals did she come to the conclusion that she

couldn’t, despite her best efforts, love his addiction away.

“You know, you just don’t have control over what other people

do,” she says. We discuss learning how to set boundaries,

and how more often than not, it’s the person setting the

boundaries that has the hardest time, while also shouldering

the burden of being “the bad guy.” She has emerged

from her relationship with a renewed sense of self-love and

learned that no matter how much you care for someone,

your priority must always be to take care of yourself—even if,

as a giving human being, it isn’t instinctual. And though the

relationship is over, she has taken the opportunity to learn

more about addiction and it’s multifaceted effects on those

dealing with it.

As we wrap up our conversation, we giggle over some of

the experiences we have both had navigating the new and

nuanced world of weed. We share our love of cannabis, and

the relationships and opportunities it has created for both of

us. When I ask her what advice she would give to her younger

self, she responds without hesitation, “You have to take

chances and really put yourself in that vulnerable place. Follow

your passions to find happiness. And connect with people

that are likeminded. The rest will follow." p

81

- Strain Spotlight -

Fruit Punch

This sativa dominant hybrid that is a combination of Skunk, Haze,

and Northern Lights genetics. Per it’s name, the strain boasts a

delicious tropical fruity flavor, so if taste is a top priority, this is the

strain for you. Fruit punch is perfect for the creative and social

smoker who prefers an active high that enhances their daily activities.

This particular strain usually contains a 18-25% THC level, and

is known for it’s cerebral, energizing, and motivating high. If you’re

the kind of person who likes to smoke and go on a weekend adventure,

be sure to pick this strain up at your next trip to the store.

by WHOISTHISBY

whoisthisby.com

$ @whoisthisby

82

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PHOTO BY: JESSIE BRADY

HOROSCOPE

AQUARIUS

Mercury Retrograde

It can be all too easy to be forgetful as Mercury

goes retrograde, but don’t let the occasional slip

up get the best of you, Aquarius. Rather, let these

moments serve as reminders to get your life a little

more streamlined. After all, how much time should

you really be wasting searching for your perpetually

lost keys and the cell phone that’s constantly disappearing?

If you find yourself tempted to make a career

change, be diligent in your job hunt, impeccable

with your research and try to not make any sudden

moves—remember, good things come to those who

wait, especially during Mercury retrograde.

84

HOROSCOPE

PISCES

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury retrograde has a notorious reputation for a

reason, but it’s not meant to be all cosmic doom and

gloom, Pisces. Think of this three and a half week

period as an opportunity to rest up and reassess

your trajectory regarding your most important endeavors.

Do your best to avoid making any agreements

or arrangements official, as they’ll likely have

to be revised down the road. Your best bet for surviving

the potential entanglements of this planetary

backspin is to be as clear as possible in all communications,

making your words as concise as possible—

even to the point of redundancy.

85

To Whom It May Concern Chocolates -

@towhomitmaychocolates

Burnwell Co. -

@burnwellco

Fez -

@fezvapor

PHOTO BY MORGAN ENGLISH

PRODUCT STYLING BY MALINA LOPEZ

Summer Favorites

Miwak -

@miwakjunior

Venice Cookie Company

@vccbrands_

Leira -

@leiracannagars

Vanderpop

@vanderpop

Erbanna -

@erbannastyle

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