Month: December 2016

By now, everyone in New York, the United States, the world and the universe know that Donald J. Trump will be the 45^th President of America come January 20^th.

Trump becoming the President-elect has received many mixed reactions, from those that love and support him and those who oppose and berate him. Whether you like him or not, one thing is certain… he will be the next President of the United States.

“Trump no va se nada en este pais” (Trump will amount to nothing in this country) said Jaime Soto, 38. “I don’t understand how he won the election, I just don’t.”

Soto is a hard working construction worker that camps out at the local home depot at five in the morning trying to find work so that he can provide for his family.

“I don’t have one of those nice jobs where I work in an office and make a lot of money, but, I am proud of what I do.”

Soto migrated to the United States from Mexico in 2002, hoping he could land a good job and send money back to his family in Mexico. “This isn’t what I thought it would be, but I can’t complain.”

Trump becoming the next president of the United States has Soto worried. “I am not an American Citizen. I don’t have the benefits they do. I don’t want to leave this country. I don’t want to be kicked out. What about my kids? They need a father!”

Soto like many other Mexican immigrants are facing an uncertain future with Trump taking office. The uncertainty at times according to Soto can be overbearing.“I know what I will do tomorrow, but what about the next day and the day after that… I just don’t know anymore.”

With Trump taking office in less than two months, his name remains polarizing throughout all parts of the United States.

In Sunset Park, many of the reactions are no different.  Sunset Park has a very vast immigrant community. Almost 75% of the population in Sunset Park have come from a different ethnic background.

Whether they are Hispanic, Latino, Asian, etc. each provide diversity to a community that embraces it heavily.

Trumps election victory hasn’t resonated well with many in this community as it should. Trump is a man who at one point called all Mexicans “rapists and criminals.”

Those within the community say Trumps animosity towards Mexicans leaves them feeling unpleasant. “When he first announced he was running, I knew it would be trouble, I just never thought he’d make it this far,” said Leon.

“I never imagined this country being run by an imbecile,” said Ricardo Islas.

Islas works at a local deli in Park Slope, where he deals with produce and the art of sandwich making.

“I don’t love my job… I love the people that come in everyday”

Islas along with his wife and daughter immigrated to the United States in 2014 in hopes of seeking better pay and financial security.

“In Mexico, we would work and work hard. I only had money to pay the bills and nothing else… Mexico is my home, but I couldn’t live there anymore. America was always a place I wanted to go and one day I told my wife that I couldn’t take it anymore and that we need to go.”

Islas enjoys life in America, but surely misses his family in Mexico. “In Mexico, family is very important. No matter what happen they are always there. It’s hard not having them around.

That being said, Islas is worried about the future he and his family have in this country. “If I knew Trump would be president, I don’t know if I would have come. Maybe… but I would not have been happy.”

Islas along with his family are hoping for the best at this point. “We can’t do anything now. We have no money to go back to Mexico. So we’re just going to sit here and wait.”

Many individuals in the community share the same views as Islas. Over the span of a few weeks, Trump has changed many people’s futures from uncertain to unknown. He has changed the way Americans, eat, sleep and breathe all in the span of a year and a half.

Trumps campaign began way back in June of 2015, where Trump amidst all of his new supporters promised to “Make America Great Again.” With that the Trump train set off, with hopes of landing the presidency in November of 2016.

With each passing day came tons of media scrutiny, questionable decisions and hypocrisy and yet, Trump remained a man unfazed.

Most of the media had built Trump’s campaign up as a joke, nothing Americans should take seriously, but yet here he was winning almost every republican primary around America. Trump, the unconventional nominee, made a statement.

By May 3^rd 2016, Trump had locked up the presidential nomination, a whole two and a half months before the Republican convention, which was supposed to determine the nominee.

From there, Trump campaigned across America until the November 8^th election. Going in, Trump was supposed to lose handily to Hilary Clinton, instead she was the one who lost handily to Mr. Trump.

The result was a complete and utter shock to many around the nation. Protests and riots started almost immediately. These individuals would not accept living in a “white America.”

Sunset Park resident Rosa Leon, 44 has this to say “I’m scared for myself and my children… It feels like the world is ending.”

Leon has lived in parts of Sunset Park for almost 15 years and is very frustrated with the outcome of the election.

“I came to America twenty years ago to make a better life, looking back I should have just stayed home. How this man was given this power by the American people? I don’t understand and I will never forgive them.”

Leon came to America in 1995, with her two brothers. They had family that had immigrated here in the early 90’s and new this was a great opportunity to do something special.

“You know in Mexico, you hear all about how the United States is this and the United States is that, well I wanted to be part of that United States and that is what I did.”

Leon’s first job was at a nail salon. “I knew I couldn’t choose what I wanted to do, so I took the first thing that opened up.”

From there she went on to get married and had two kids, Ramona and Jacqueline.   Now twelve and ten respectively, the girls attend P.S. 124. “I’m so proud of my girls. They are smart and beautiful, I love them so much.”

Leon now wonders what the future holds, “I know they’re American citizens but I’m not, thinking I might be separated from them… I don’t think I can do that.”

Leon’s life may be uplifted right before her very own eyes, all because of Donald Trump. “If I could, I would spit in his face and tell him how much Mexicans hate him. He is horrible and deserves nothing, nothing at all.”

Leon’s feelings of frustration can certainly be sympathized with as she is not alone. Eric Tapia, owner of Pablito’s on 5^th Avenue in Sunset Park expressed his displeasure for Trump as well.

“I remember coming to this country with a few dollars to my name, that was hard. But I had hope, hope that something better will come from all of this for me and mi familia. Now Trump takes that hope away.”

Tapia came to America in 1998 from Mexico, with hopes of starting his own business. “I never thought I’d enter the restaurant business and I also never thought I would make it to the Estados Unidos, but here I am”

Tapia like many other citizens, struggled in Mexico. “My family was dirt poor. If you didn’t like the food, you still had to eat it. if you had a hole in your sock, mi abuela would stich it up,” said Tapia. “If we were lucky we would get two meals a day. Being a poor skinny boy was not fun.”

Tapia worked in construction for his first few years in America, while living with two of his brothers and their families. They lived in Sunset Park, where in 2013 one of the local coffee joints closed down. Tapia knew this was the perfect time to start a business.

“The space was big enough and with the rest of my brothers, we could afford to take on the place, we just needed an Idea. My brother Frederico thought we should bring the Mexican Culture here and we couldn’t agree more.

Opened for two years, Tapias restaurant has thrived, especially within the Mexican community. “I love coming here. The food is great and everyone is just like you. It feels like home,” said Islas.

Tapia takes much pride from his work. He is happy he has made it this far and only hopes to expand. “For me, I am not satisfied with this place. I want to expand, I want to hire more people, I want to do everything I can to be even more successful.”

However, with Trump as the President to be, Tapia believes much of his progress can be stalled. “This idiot believes that all Mexicans are bad people, well let me tell you something Donald Trump, tu es basura, no es nada para mi y mi familia.”

“How can you be the President of the greatest country of the world and be against culture. We make America what it is and when he realizes that, then I can respect him as a man,” said Tapia.

Islas, Leon, Soto and Tapia are prime examples of people that live in Sunset Park and are against Donald Trump. Now can you imagine what the whole country has to say about Trump… the rants would be endless.

As for Sunset Park, it will continue to grow, not only as a city, but socially and physically as well. It is one of the most diverse cities in Brooklyn.

In regards to the election, it may have come and gone, but it’s still one of the most talked about topics in America and it’s been a month since it took place. .. Even Romney didn’t demand a recount!

Nonetheless, Donald Trump will assume office in less than two months and Love him or hate him America, meet Donald J. Trump the 45^th President of the United States.

 

Fashion Illustration: a golden key to open imagination

      “You don’t have what it takes: your drawings are off, you cannot get the proportions, you are not a good draftsman. Maybe you should think about textile design,” Bil’s art teacher told him after two months of his first semester at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). “You don’t understand,” Bil exclaimed, “I saved my money for this. It’s my passion and my life, I want this.”

Bil Donovan has been a prominent New York-based fashion illustrator for the past 30 years. In the days when fashion photography swiped the fashion world, he achieved what many could only dream of. He was commissioned to do fashion illustration, instead of photography, by Dior, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Givenchy, Vanity Fair, Yves Saint Lauren and many others.

Return of Fashion Illustration

A depiction of fashion illustration started in sixteen century according to Cally Blackman’s book “100 Years of Fashion Illustration”. It evolved because of people’s amazement with costumes. It found its true market in 1900’s when Paul Poiret, a French fashion hauteur couture designer, began hiring fashion illustrators to draw his designs. In addition, during the golden years of fashion illustration – post the Great Depression through 1970’s – fashion publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar created a platform for pioneers and innovators of abstract fashion illustration.

Late 1970’s, however, fashion photography completely replaced illustration. Exploration of fashion photography began with visual masters such as Cecil Beaton and George Hoyningen-Huene in the late 1920s. In the next decade, the innovative photographer Horst P. Horst opened new avenues with his striking compositions. In late 1940’s Richard Avedon’s jumping models began appearing in Harper’s Bazaar. Furthermore, an accurate image of commercialized ready-to-wear garments became vital for mass production market. The new technology, such as Photoshop, gave photography limitless possibilities; fashion photographers such as Steven Klein, Annie Leibovitz, and Nick Knight began heavily using digital manipulations in their work.

Yet, everything in fashion moves very quickly. There are four seasons Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter, Resort, and Pre-Fall. For each season hundreds of designers from all over the world have to come up not only with new collections but also with fresh advertising campaigns. Additionally, fashion publications have to create new editorials for new collections mostly on a bi-monthly basis. “Photography is too mundane now and we kind of stretched the limits of it, people want something fresh on the page, what can draw their eye,” said Connie Gray, an art curator and co-founder of London-based gallery Gray Modern & Contemporary Art (Gray M.C.A.).

Recently, with social media’s popularity, fashion illustration is finding a renewed appreciation. Designer houses such as Prada for its 2014 Spring/Summer Prêt–à–Porter collection collaborated with illustrators to create wearable art pieces. This year almost every haute couture house from Dior to Chanel hired illustrators to draw their runway shows. “The wonderful thing about illustration is its impressionistic style,” said Ashley Gray, Director at Gray M.C.A., “Illustration got that golden key to open imagination.”

 

Social Media Influence

Social media let thousands of artists from different continents to share their imagination. An up-and-coming artist Diana Sultanova, a Moscow-based fashion illustrator, found Instagram encouraging, “It helped me to show my artwork to the whole world.” Young fashion illustrators like Marija Verde, a 28 years-old graduate from Fine Arts of Naples, Italy, as well benefits from social media, “It is a sort of virtual gallery where anyone can notice you and your work. It is like going to an exhibition.”

Many artists find the use of social media very helpful in building a clientele. London-based artist Abbey Watkins who is known for her dark style said that Instagram enabled her to talk to people who buy her art, “It’s such a blessing,” she said. Another European illustrator Anna Halarewicz from Poland emphasized that social media “definitely expanded my range of customers.” Natalia Jnete, Florida’s native who currently lives and works in Manhattan, even received commissions from ODDA and Nylon Magazines through social media, “I don’t think I would be able to get it on my own.”

Even thought social media helped numerous emerging artists to find an audience, established artists such as Donovan find it unfair, “I often see how young artists on social media copying work of famous illustrators without giving them any credits. It’s just unethical.” It happened to Donovan on several occasions. Yet, art collectors know whose work is valuable, “Bil is the contemporary master of fashion illustration today,” said Connie Gray. This year, during London’s Fall Fashion Week, Gray curated “Drawing on Style” a contemporary fashion illustration exhibition. There, Donovan’s work was shown next to that of the fashion illustration pioneers such as René Gruau, René Bouché, Carl ‘Eric’ Erickson and Antonio Lopez. “Most contemporary illustrators work digitally but Bil takes the tradition of fashion illustration back and draws from life. It is very rare these days,” said Connie Gray.

 

Digital Drawing

In today’s digital age, Bil Donovan is unique. Many artists enhance their hand-drawings in software such as Adobe Illustrator. Seoul’s, South Korea, emerging artist Paige Jang loved to use ink pens and crayons but recently she began coloring her work digitally, “I like it because of the editing and re-editing is much easier.” An established fashion illustrator Esra Roise from Oslo, Norway, whose client list includes Stella McCartney, Burberry and NIKE prefers to draw with pencil and watercolor, yet, digital embellishment found its way in her work too, “I enjoy the juxtaposition of something handmade mixed with something digital.”

Digital illustration made it possible for fashion apps such as Chic Sketch app to find its audience. This app allows its users to have their photographs turned into a custom fashion illustration for only $9.99 per photo. Ksusha Kovaleva, a Ukrainian artist and one of the leading illustrators for this app, shared that she never leaves her Samsung tablet out of her eyesight because almost every other minute she receives request notifications for new illustrations, sometimes as late as midnight. She is required to finish a sketch within 30 minutes. “I feel that digital drawing is killing my art. I find myself often missing my ink and quality paper,” she said. The perks of her job, however, keeps her motivated: “I worked at many fashion events that I could not even dream of! During this New York Fashion Week, I illustrated for Kate Spade’s fashion show and often illustrate at Bloomingdales for special events.”

The Contemporary Master

Ever-growing fashion is still a small market where everybody knows each other. Donovan teaches his students at FIT and the School of Visual Arts (SVA) that an illustrator should be versatile. Besides having an understanding of graphic design, digital drawing, and composition, an illustrator should be able to hand draw anything. Throughout his career, he learned that it’s vital to make mistakes on a paper and see what shows up because “it’s more about discovery than about success or failure.”

Aside from teaching and doing commissioned work, Donovan facilitates events at the Society of Illustrators in New York, where he encourages illustrators to hand draw from life, and he hires a range of models from professional boxers to high fashion models. “You never stop learning and if you want to be the best you have to continue taking classes. Push yourself beyond your comfort zone,” he said to his students at Washington Square Park where he took them for a field drawing session.

“Simplicity of brush strokes, leaving far more out than putting in. This is where he is an absolute genius,” said Ms. Gray while looking through Donovan’s original pieces and evaluating potential prices for her collectors. Donovan acknowledged that he receives numerous comments about how effortless and easy his work looks. However, he is upset that not everybody understands that his talent comes from years of practice, from taking many classes and learning from so many different teachers.

Decades ago, as a FIT freshmen student, Donovan began drawing 24/ 7 from a life figure, never copying from photographs. He drew his roommate, his cat Porkchop, his toothpaste, even his toilet. Later, Donovan went to SVA where he enrolled in Jack Potter’s class. Potter, an innovative 1950’s fashion illustrator, completely changed Donovan’s artistic approach. He only taught selectivity and was known for teaching artists to feel their drawings, instead of copying what they see. During the first class with Potter, students were required to bring all their best work. Donovan brought two drawings and when Potter approached them and exclaimed,“ Whose are these?” Bil proudly proclaimed, “They are mine.” Potter said, “Oh my Gosh, what is such a young man doing such an old lady work for?! You are young and you should not do this. Draw your age.” Bil laughingly recalled, “I just wanted to die. But I learned a lot. And I’ve studied with Potter for over eight years even after I graduated from college.”

Fashion imagery development follows trends and new technologies. The mixture of different medias: photography, illustration, digital manipulation, and video already have built a platform for new ideas. Perhaps, a century from now, art collectors will find value in those ideas and call them masterpieces of contemporary fashion illustration. Social media that helped to discover emerging fashion illustrators could as easily cause depreciation of this art form. However, there is always going to be something about having a blank piece of paper, whether it’s digital or not, simply because art begins from a pure imagination. “It’s almost like being an alchemist you are creating something out of nothing. It has merit and spirit and essence. It’s magical,” Bil concluded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Junior Martinez

With a TV dinner table, park chair and a signage that says “Meet The Author”, Garrett Buhl Robinson, 45 is a self published author, who sells his novels outside the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building main branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL). Robinson is currently living in a homeless shelter In Jamaica, Queens. To make money for rent and to continue to run his business of selling his novels, his option is selling his books in the street. “When I came to New York City five years ago, my purpose in New York City was to make contacts with publishers to sell my novels I knew from the beginning if it did not happen I was going to sell them in the streets,” said Robinson.

Robinson will be outside selling his novels outside the library almost everyday except bad weather conditions. He will wake up at 6 a.m., take the World Center bound E train to his storage facility in Chelsea, where he keeps his TV dinner table and boxes of copies of his books. Then will walk up to midtown, get coffee from the breakfast cart outside the library and set up his stand. He stays there for typically eight hours. Afterwards he has to run back to the shelter because he has a curfew of 10 p.m.“I am grateful for having at least having a bed to sleep at night, it is better than sleeping in the streets I tell you, I understand my situation I am at right now, It is not desirable, but my business helps me forget” said Robinson.

“I encounter so many different faces everyday from the typical library goer to tourist from different countries in the world” said Robinson. He has six books on display to sell. Two fictions; “Zoe” and “Nuntak” and four poetries; “Martha”, “Broken Open”, “Flowing Stone” and “Mobius Sphere” Robinson sells them for ten dollars with his autograph. “On a good day, I will typically sell five, is not much but it is better than nothing,” said Robinson.

 

Robinson knew at the age of 12, he would be a writer. Living in a small town in Trussville, Alabama. He was rewriting one of his favorite books “The Lord of the Ring” by J. R. R. Tolkien. “It was a challenge, I eventually gave up on it because I wanted to be a original piece of my own,” said Robinson

At the age of 21, Garett was stuck in life. He did not know what to do in his life. He wanted to leave his town. In February 1992, Robinson hopped on a coal train near his home and began a journey through the pacific North West. He traveled through Seattle, Vancouver and Portland for a year.

He would settle in Portland, where he would write his first novel. It was the first time he learned about the struggle of being author. “That was the first time, I learned about the mistakes of marketing my books,” said Robinson. After unsuccessfully marketing the book, he left for the state of Alaska to work at a salmon factory to pay the debts he owned to banks and book clubs.

In Alaska, He began to lost touch again with his writing, and started to question the future of his novels “When I arrived in Alaska I thought to myself my road to becoming a successful writer is coming to a close because I was stuck in a cannery packing fish, I had to accept that this was my life for now on, but me wanting to leave that factory motivated me to not forget about my passion and not give up, ” said Robinson.

In his recent novel “Nunatak” released in 2012. It is a novel he published about his experience in Alaska. Nunatak is a short story about one man’s life Evan and he shares his journey while working in a salmon factory during one summer. It is a story about the people he meets and his journey on the various paths he takes, the intersection of those paths, and not being willing to settle on life. “Evan is the fictional me and he learns that there is no rush. There is no finish. The real challenge is to survive,” said Robinson

 

After his stint in Alaska, Garrett moved to San Francisco. Garret worked various in part time jobs plus writing his poetry “Zoe” It was that moment when he realized he has to move to New York City, so he can get more connection with publishers. “San Francisco was the home for the tech, I did not belong there, so with the support of my parents I began my journey to New York City” said Robinson

“My couple of months here (New York City) was brutal, there was stretch I didn’t sell nothing,” said Robinson. After couple of months he learned how to become a strong salesperson. “Pitching to a consumer is really important if you want to sell at least one book,” said Robinson. He greets, who stops or who makes contact with a smile he says “Hi there, how is your day going?” Robinson asks a simple question. “Do you like to read?” and he follows up with, “Do you prefer fiction or poetry?” “Majority people love poetry,” said Robinson. He will usually recite one of his poetries from his latest poetry novel“Flowing Stone”

A Sonnet for the Sonnet

 Being a sonneteer, I am enamored

by sonnets, but today to my delight

serendipity favored me to find

a university class the explored

the passionate history of the form.

The lecture described this frame tumbling through lives,

uniting affections through centuries of time.

There is no language that it scorns.
There is no culture it cannot adorn.

This delicate and vigorous design

turns eternal through awakening minds

and endures with the desires it records.

I swear with my life and the lute I strum

as long as we love sonnets will be sung.

 

Regardless of getting a purchase or not he will give his business card, which include his website and his social media links. His hard work and hope of selling his books in front of the NYPL got him a big break. “Letters to Zoey” a play with music,”

“Zoe”, is his second novel that opened doors for Robinson. “Zoe” is a novella with fiction. It is in the same line as “Nunatak”, a character, who is finding himself as he traveling in a freight train, he writes letters to his childhood friend Zoey.

Producers United Solo Theatre Festival at Theatre Row were interested at “Zoe”. Robinson at that time recently added a musical piece explaining to consumers about his novel “Zoe”, which grabbed the attention of United Solo Theatre Festival. Robinson made his Off-Broadway debut performing his musical, “Letters to Zoey” this past year in October 2015, at the Theatre Row in New York City. It was the musical of his adaptation of his second novel, Zoe. Eventually he did performed in different gigs throughout the year of 2015-2016

 

The Future is bright for Robinson. “Hopefully with this new opportunity it can help me move out of the shelter and I can find a place on my own, til then I’m still selling my books in front of the NYPL” said Robinson. Many regulars come by to say hi to Robinson. Carol Smith, 54 from Brooklyn are one of the regulars, who come to check on him. “Garrett is great author, he is living his dream even with the circumstances, he will have a big smile in his face,” said Smith. As 2016 comes to a close, Robinson hopes to continue to hop on the success wave of his musical, just like he did in February 1992 hopped on to a train that led him to create his novels.

Broadway, the theatre hub of New York City and all of the United States, shrieks of money. Screens larger than most buildings in the outer boroughs blast advertisements at anyone within a three hundred yard radius of their glow. Drinks and food, movies, and Broadway productions dominate the ad space. Tourists stare up in awe at the light that reflects off their bodies. “Welcome to New York, Joe. You got a Coca-Cola ad all over your face.”

But the blocks on the periphery of the screens and theaters—the blocks that lock it all in—are quiet and calm. The Broadway machine has yet to reach them. Resting on one of these blocks is William Esper Studio, a studio for training actors. The front door of heavy glass can only be opened from within, keeping the chaos of Time’s Square out, while keeping in the kinetic energy produced by it’s actors toiling away in the basement studios.

Marissa Guinn is one of these actors. Having grown up in Fort Worth, Texas, Guinn has always had a passion for acting and performing. Her first try at acting came at age 12, when she performed in a theatre camp production of The Music Man. “Performing was such an awesome experience,” she says in the living room of her apartment in New York City. “I left the show feeling high. At least, high for a 12 year old.”

Guinn moved to New York City after graduating from Texas-Tech University in 2012 with a BFA in acting. Although she was moving up north to act, her experience at Texas-Tech had been trying and tough. “It was sometimes discouraging to be in a theatre program that lacked the amount of minorities needed for our productions to be considered diverse,” Guinn says. Guinn’s mother is from Mexico and her father is African-American, making her somewhat of an anomaly in a school that is over 60 percent white.

Beyond the limitations of race in shows, Texas-Tech University is in Lubbock, Texas, a conservative town in the North Western region of the state. “My junior year, our department put up a production of Equus where, at one point, the main character is completely naked and having a meltdown on stage. We had a number of people get up and walk out during the show because of the nudity,” says Guinn. Despite the lack of opportunity, Guinn worked diligently on her craft and participated in any and everything that she could so that by the time she graduated she would be well prepared to venture north to New York City, the home of the stage.

After making the move, Guinn walked past William Esper Studio by chance. Having read about it in a book in college, she took the encounter as an act of fate and applied to the studio’s two-year program. She was accepted and began to study in an environment that accepted her ethnicity and provided her with plenty of opportunity. Over the course of the program, Guinn began to foster strong relationships with her colleagues that would soon prove valuable beyond any of their expectations.

Broadway is coming to the close of one of its most successful years in history. According to The Broadway League, the industry grossed $1.3 billion in profits in 2016 and has increased attendance by hundreds of thousands for the fourth year in a row. While Broadway’s most successful show of the season was Hamilton, a show conceived mostly by outsiders, the general trend in the pinnacle of theatre revolves around the recruitment of Hollywood stars. The relationship between Hollywood and Broadway serves both sides well. While the actor enjoys a return to form—just listen to any actor plug their show on late night television—Broadway benefits from the attention that the stars bring and ultimately, the money they bring as well.

While this trend isn’t overtly sinister—after all, Broadway is a business— it does make it difficult for actors at the beginning of their career to envision their names in lights, shinning inside the marquee. “Broadway has changed,” says Marianne Hardart, a colleague of Guinn, “Now you need Hollywood names and I’m not ‘The Name’. I know and understand that.” But she also understands why the model has changed in this way. “The audience wants to get up close with the stars and that makes sense,” she says. “But as an actor, things have become a little less accessible.”

The dream of Broadway has blurred. For many actors, the dream they had as kids and as adults appears to be so far off that it can only be achieved after a lifetime of work. Only after establishing themselves as stars will they finally be able to perform on the stages designated for history. But in a rehearsal space in William Esper Studio on Sunday mornings—starting at the same time  Broadway’s weekend matinees begin—works a group of actors, calling themselves the Share Care Group, with no intention of letting this blurred dream slow them down.

The stage is set. There are two wooden dressers, two beds outfitted in blue sheets and heavy quilts, five tables of various sizes and shapes, a couch in the corner, an office chair, and a bookshelf that holds rows of plates and cups, a microwave, a disconnected telephone, and an empty bottle of tequila and an empty bottle of wine. It is a domestic space that lacks nothing. Around 30 seats sit opposite the space.

The group members, all of whom graduated from William Esper Studio, shuffle in quietly so as not to disturb their colleagues who have already begun their warm-ups. One by one, they shed their heavy coats, puffy and long, and their hats and scarves, and move with soft intention towards the middle of the rehearsal space.

Deep moans, jabs of breath, and pattering lips fill the room. They are funny noises but no one laughs. Despite having gone out drinking together the night before, there is little talk about the day’s hangover. Inside the studio they are professional and respectful of each other’s desire to improve their craft. Once they have all arrived, there are six, and they begin their group warm-up.

“Hoo!” yells one. “Ha!” replies another. “Hee!” two say in unison as they make a chopping motion towards the stomach of the person between them. The object of the game is to follow the pattern. Each ‘hoo’, ‘ha’, or ‘hee’ is sent across the circle and the person receiving must voice the next sound of the pattern. As the game proceeds, the actors practice their projection, and the sounds get louder, deeper, and increasingly more engulfing. Through out the game, each actor has a creeping smile on his or her face and each failure sends the group into a fit of giggles. Their laughs and smiles work their acting muscles better than any game ever could, whether they know it or not.

The object of the next game is count to twenty together as a group. If multiple people say a number at the same time, the group must start again from zero. Their first attempt ends at four. They get to twenty on the second try. On the third round they fail at six. The next time, they reach twenty-five. The group is in sync and the session begins.

The Share Care Group started as a Facebook page designed for its members to share inspirational videos or articles. The group evolved and the actors began to share their successes and their troubles. Upon graduation, the actors were encouraged to stay in touch and make a community that could offer support in times of need. The group moved from online to in person, and they rented out a studio space where they could meet every Sunday.

Each session is structured the same: Warm-ups come first, then each actor has the opportunity to work shop a monologue, a scene, or an exercise for the group to comment on and critique, and to finish, each member shares the progress they made in the past week.

“The group allows us to celebrate in love and to also go through struggle in love,” says Hardart. Her fellow actors echo her sentiment. “It allows me to express myself with no judgment at all,” says Robert Cabrera, an actor in the group who has not only recently been signed by an agent but is also slated to begin acting in a pilot for a television show later this month.

“We have all felt really lonely at some point during our acting journey” says Lea Pfändler, an actor in the group, “but here we can feel lonely, together.” Without the group, Pfändler believes her ability to act may quickly falter. “This amazing studio has saved my artist soul.”

After their warm-ups have finished, Estelle Lee, a Korean actor, volunteers to share first. She recruits the help of Cabrera to act as her scene partner. Lee is practicing a cold read—acting out a script that the actor has not previously read. After the scene, Lee starts the conversation, commenting on what she thought she did well, and also what she believes she could improve on. The group responds and Lee heads back to her seat, her face in deep concentration, dedicated to improvement.

Next, Pfändler and her colleague, and also fiancé, Pavel Shatu, take the stage to improvise a situation the two had crafted together. Before their Sunday session started, Pfändler and Shatu were huddled close together in a couch in the lobby of Esper Studio, but now, in the throws of the scene, they were spewing hateful words back and forth, calling each other names like, “idiot,” “stupid,” and “selfish motherfucking shit.”

After their scene, the group offered their suggestions. Shatu felt that he hadn’t performed his best and went over a few reasons why. And the biggest reason for his scattered performance? “I love you too much.”

Broadway may be fairly inaccessible at this point in their young careers but the Share Care group continues to work diligently to refine their skills and explore the art of acting. Members of the group believe that in the face of the Californication of Broadway, artists are forced to find more creative spaces to share their art. Not all great art has to be performed on Broadway.

Arriving late to the session one day, Lee apologized and joined the group. It wasn’t until they shared their weeks at the end of the session that Lee revealed the reason for tardiness. On her way, a man had stopped her a few blocks away from the studio and asked her for directions to a restaurant she happened to know. They spoke briefly and the man asked if Lee had ever done any voice-over work. She told him, no. The man happened to work for a television show and suggested that Lee come in and audition for a role.

The group applauded and congratulated Lee. All of them are finding success in different ways. Hardart is a month away from debuting a show that she wrote, Cabrera begins acting in a pilot soon, Guinn has started working freelance for an agent, and Lee is getting job offers in the street. Maybe the Broadway lights just around the corner aren’t so far away after all.

On a hot and sweaty evening in early June, Tir Na Nog in Midtown Manhattan had been transformed into a hippie heaven. The back room was illuminated by lava lamps which cast a purple shadow on life-size cut outs of Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, and Bob Weir who were all lined up in front of a tie-dye backdrop.

Tir Na Nog had been the host of yet another exclusive Wall Street Dead aHead networking event- where Deadheads network with likeminded professionals.

Formed in the 1960’s, the Grateful Dead has the most loyal fan base a band will ever see. Grateful Dead fans, known as “Deadheads” are die-hard fans that traveled around the country to see as many shows as possible. Urban Dictionary defines Deadheads as “a collective sub-culture of ‘dedicated’ fans of the American psychedelic/jam/rock band the Grateful Dead.”

The Grateful Dead formed in the height of psychedelic music when bands like the Beatles dominated the charts. They created their own unique sound combining rock, blues, folk, jazz, country and reggae, and it was this sound that coined them as a “jam band.” For many fans, the Grateful Dead was more than just music; it was a lifestyle.

No two Dead shows were ever the same since the Grateful Dead had a different set list for every show played. Although it was looked down upon by other bands at the time, the Grateful Dead encouraged their fans to record their shows. This is one way the Dead built a community between the band and their fans. Fans began traveling from city to city across the country to watch the Grateful Dead perform.

The Grateful Dead gave birth to a culture that was never seen before. Fans began to follow the Dead in bands of strangers who soon became family. The Deadhead culture was built off of love, friendship, and lending a hand to those in need. It was obvious that people within this community cared about one another. This loving culture soon became a widespread phenomenon. Wall Street Dead aHead family member Nathan Duvall describes the Dead culture as a world filled with kindness.

“Grateful Dead culture is based on one word, ‘Kindness,’” says Duvall. “Just be kind. Put your best thoughts and actions forward and it results in the most amazing experiences. Telepathy, communion, surrender…it all happens if you’re willing to just be kind and open minded.”

In order to survive, Deadheads began selling items in the parking lots before shows on “Shakedown Street.” Here, Deadheads sold tie-dye shirts, jewelry, stickers, skulls, and even food. Tie-dye, dancing bears, and Steal Your Face skulls are some images that are long associated with the band and its fans. This culture is still very alive and present today.

Fast forward almost fifty years later and the free-spirted loving culture of the Grateful Dead still exists today. Portfolio manager Deb Solomon began to see Wall Street professionals time and time again at various Dead shows. A new business was born in 2012 when Solomon created Wall Street Dead aHead Networking Events– exclusive networking events for Wall Street professionals who all have one thing in common: the love of the Dead.

Solomon holds networking events throughout the year for professionals who are a part of the “family.” In order to become a part of the family, one needs to send an $85 check and fill out a form which includes their contact information, the name of their employer, their title and favorite Dead song. Through this loving culture, Solomon is changing the networking game.

“I discovered Wall Street Dead aHead through Rolling Stone’s profile on the networking group,” says Duvall. “I saw how Deb Solomon created this amazing opportunity to create business opportunities with a moral compass. Thank you, Deb!”

In a day in age where society is so technology obsessed, many are forgetting the importance of building strong, personal relationships. Wall Street Dead aHead seeks out to change this current phenomenon with unique events aimed at old-fashion networking. I was lucky enough to intern with Wall Street Dead aHead this past summer and I was able to witness firsthand how awesome these events are.

A line in the famous Sugar Magnolia goes “strangers stopping strangers just to shake their hand.” This is exactly what goes on inside Wall Street Dead aHead events. When a member arrives at a networking event, they are greeted with a nametag with their name, the name of the company they work for, and their favorite song. The love of the Dead is the only icebreaker you’ll need inside these events.

The Girls Hang was my first networking event with Wall Street Dead aHead. This was an exclusive “Dead Girls” event- only female family members could attend. Women began to flood the room in fun, flowy sundresses. Being in a room filled with successful women who all share a common love for the Grateful Dead was such a unique experience. Striking up conversations with each woman was so easy since we already shared that common musical interest. This was an intimate event with less than 40 people in attendance and because of this; I was able to really get to know each and every one of these women.

Solomon’s idea of adding the attendee’s favorite song on their nametag is a brilliant idea. Right away, women began striking up conversations about the Dead asking questions like: “out of all songs, why is that your favorite song? “Who is your favorite band member? How many times did you see the Dead live?”

9 out of 10 times, these women had attended the same show and they began remonetizing about their younger days before getting into to a more serious, business dialogue. From sale executives to CEOS, business connections were being made.  Just like back in the day- strangers slowly started to become family. While interning with Wall Street Dead aHead, I also attended a wine tasting event where even more business connections had been made.

C-Suite family members met at TriPoint Global Equities in the heart of Times Square for a wine tasting event. Cleartrust, a stock transfer agent, sponsored this event with Wall Street Dead aHead in order to make new business connections with people they knew they could trust. Because Solomon personally selects those she welcomes in the family, she puts the right people in contact with one another.

Men showed up in their business suits with their tie-dye shirts underneath. Cleartrust opened the event with a speech regarding the type of business connections they needed, and family members began to interact. Hands were shaken and numbers were exchanged. Once again, Solomon held another successful networking event.

Deadheads are now able to relive their glory days with the formation of Dead and Company. Formed in 2015, Dead and Company consists of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann with the very talented John Mayor. Dead and Company played their first show Halloween night at Madison Square Garden in 2015 and went on tour the following year. Just like they did with the Grateful Dead, Deadheads began to follow Dead and Company from city to city to see their shows.

I was lucky enough to see Dead and Company in June 2016 at Citi Field in Corona, Queens. Solomon insisted I go to the tailgate so I can get a true taste of the Dead culture. Entering the parking lot was like walking into the 1970’s- it was littered with men and women in tie-dye and Volkswagen Westfalia campers were parked all over the place. I hung with a group of Wall Street Dead aHead family members before the show.

This was where I met Duvall. He was decked out in tie-dye with a Steal Your Face logo smack in the middle of his t-shirt. He was everything a Deadhead is: kind, loving, and all around welcoming. I asked Duvall how he got into the Dead:

“I was literally dragged to my first show at Irvine Meadows in April of ’87. Howard Lehr bought me my first ticket and promised me LSD, naked women, and a long drum solo halfway through the show. I relented. As a drummer I lost my shit when I first heard Mickey and Billy going nuts on Home Plate and playing The Beam. A strange beautiful girl kissed me for smiling, people shared their drugs, and I ate a perfect steak from a stranger’s BBQ in the parking lot. I was sold!” says Duvall.

Duvall witnessed firsthand how accepting this culture is. As a musician, this band holds a special place in his heart. “Grateful Dead music feeds the soul,” explains Duvall. “I use it as a tool for greater understanding in my music career. I use it as a coping mechanism against a cold hard world. I will climb into a song and you can’t fucking touch me. I use music to share and communicate simple stories of truth.”

The music and culture behind the Grateful Dead is something so special to their fans. Because of Solomon, Wall Street Dead aHead is yet another aspect of the Dead they hold dear.

“On a personal level it (Wall Street Dead aHead) gave me a new group of friends that I love dearly like you. We communicate if not daily at least weekly and that’s more important than anything. On a business note, Deb has put me in touch with real players and I’m now extremely close to starting a project with a Dead member. We’ll see. Fingers crossed. I worked for Peter Jackson on Lord of the Rings as his trailer music supervisor and producer. I reached over a billion people with my music adaptations and I would like to do the same for the Grateful Dead. That’s my gift…Inspiring people to act with the power for music…and I learned a lot of that from Grateful Dead concerts and the community that supports them!”

Mandeep Singh stretched his arms while the American custom’s security officer patted him down. The officer told him he was going to move onto his turban. Mandeep agreed while he silently cursed the man. He knew the airport security mistook him and his family for people of the Islamic faith—the same religion well-known terrorist groups follow. Mandeep, however, is not a Muslim; he is a Sikh.

Mandeep, 24 years old, visits a Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) on a Sunday. He sits in the corner of the basement with people close to his age. His head is buried in his phone, making time to study for his finals. A group of young children run up to him and ask him to play. He doesn’t outright tell the kids to leave, but lets them pull on his arm as they feebly try to move him from his positon. Mandeep is adamant and won’t budge. A young boy, who also wears a turban, goes to his side and tackles him, but fails to push him from his seat. His turban becomes crooked. Mandeep helps him fix it before snatching his phone back from another kid.

Next week, Mandeep says, he won’t be at the Gurudwara. He had to focus his time on studying for finals at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine.

***

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, and it is the world’s fifth most popular religion, originating in the 16^th century. It is often mispronounced as “seek.” Major tenets of the religion include worshipping one god, treating everyone equally, working hard, and never begging.

Male Sikhs wear turbans and grow their beards as a commitment of their faith. These visible identifications cause confusion between Sikhs and Muslims, who wear turbans for fashion or status reasons. However, many Muslims in the west don’t wear turbans. Most people who wear turbans are Sikhs.

Due to the rise of Islamophobia, Sikhs have been targets for Muslim hate crimes and discrimination. In recent years, these incidents include Sikh-American actor Waris Ahluwalia being denied passage on his flight because he refused to remove his turban and the 2012 Wisconsin shooting at a Sikh Temple.

Dr. Simran Jeet Singh, an assistant professor at Trinity University and a senior religion fellow at the Sikh Coalition, was mistaken for a Muslim even though he is a Sikh. During the annual New York City Marathon in November, Simran participated in the marathon and received anti-Muslim remarks from fellow participants and volunteers. It was his fifth year running.

He took to twitter to share his experience. “To the woman who just pulled back the water cup as I reached out and called me a ‘dirty Muslim’—screw you… also, to the dude who just yelled out: ‘Run faster everyone! That guy from ISIS is right behind you!’ Seriously, not cool.”

***

“We like to tell ourselves ignorance only really occurs in rural communities and that’s also really ignorant,” says Simran. “I lived in New York City for nine years, and me and my friends experienced a lot of attacks.”

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, an American news satire and talk show program, explored this very topic in a video called, “Confused Islamophobes Target American Sikhs.” In the video, News Correspondent Hasan Minhaj walked around Times Square with a large photograph of “a bird, binoculars, a child playing hide-and-go-seek, and a man in a turban and a beard” and asked New Yorkers which one was a “Sikh.” All those who answered in the video answered incorrectly.

“[The video] was pretty interesting but, in my experience, not that surprising,” says Mandeep. “I think they should’ve asked them to name each one of the pictures to the best of their abilities. If they did that, I wonder how many would’ve said the Sikh was a Muslim.”

Minhaj asked a group of Sikhs, “Why don’t you go, ‘Hey, I’m not Muslim’?”

An unnamed Sikh said, “It’s just not an option for us to throw another community under the bus, even if it means things are harder for us. We believe it’s the right thing to do.”

Mandeep, Simran, and many Sikhs, aim to follow this disposition.

“I don’t resent Muslims or their community for the harassment of Sikhs,” says Mandeep. “They haven’t done anything to me personally. The way I see it, they’re the victims in all this, too.”

Hate crimes in the Middle Eastern and South Asian, including Sikh, communities soared as a result of the September 11 attacks.

Osama Bin Laden, leader of terrorist group al-Qaeda, wore a turban. During the 2000s, Laden’s likeness became familiar to Americans, who then started to associate turbans with Muslims, a common stereotype today. Through the rise of more terrorist attacks and Islamophobia, Muslims are associated with terrorism. Thus, Sikhs who wear turbans are also associated with terrorism.

Although President George W. Bush acknowledged the contributions Muslim Americans made in America through several public appearances, it did not prevent the ensuing prejudice. According to CNN, one month after 9/11, more than 300 cases of violence and discrimination against Sikhs were documented. The first hate crime after 9/11 was a fatal shooting of a Sikh man—not Muslim—in Arizona.

***

Prior to 9/11, in elementary school, students knew Mandeep and his reasons for wearing a turban.

Mandeep was 10 years old during the attacks, and he graduated to middle school two years later.

In this new environment, the students were not as familiar with Mandeep or Sikhs. They were familiar with, however, Laden, terrorism, and turbans.

Students would pull on Mandeep’s turban in the stairwell and run away. They would pass him in the hallways and taunt him openly. As the outcast, the brown sheep, Mandeep held his head down and accepted the reality.

Although school bullying was a difficult ordeal, Mandeep acknowledges his experience was not worse than other members of the Sikh community.

“The things I’ve gone through compared to other Sikhs is nothing,” says Mandeep. “I was lucky to never have been assaulted physically. You hear stories of a Sikh being attacked all the time in Gurudwaras.”

Whether he is walking on the sidewalks or going to his local grocery story, Mandeep always senses eyes on him wherever he goes. Walking at a normal pace, looking straight ahead, he tries not to draw too much attention from his actions, however small.

“The general attitude of New Yorkers is no one cares to look at you twice,” he says. “When you wear a turban, it’s different. Everyone gives you a glance. I understand that it’s noticeable…but, when you’ve been through the things I’ve been through, that glance can mean a lot of things… That insecurity is always in the back of my mind.”

***

The root of Sikh prejudice is ignorance.

According to a 2015 Hart Research Associates survey, 60% of Americans admitted to having no knowledge of Sikhism.

“When you say you’re a Christian, you don’t have to elaborate on anything,” says Mandeep. When you say you’re a Sikh, you have to spell it out, give the other pronunciation to see if they are familiar with that one, or explain that it’s a religion.”

This ignorance leads to hate crime against the wrong community.

In August 2012, there was a mass shooting at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, resulting in the deaths of six Sikhs. Law enforcements concluded that the perpetrator, Wade Michael Page, had ties to white supremacy, and believed he confused the Sikhs for Muslims.

The ignorance extends to government agencies, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). American-Sikh actor Waris Ahluwalia was not allowed to board his flight in Mexico City, because he refused to remove his turban during security check. The actor had already faced extra screening, and was delayed for two days.

When a person travels back to their home country, they go through their home country’s customs. In this case, it was American customs who denied Ahluwalia his flight to home as it was American customs who had Mandeep and his family go through additional security measures.

The Sikh Coalition, an organization that defends Sikhs’ civil rights, stepped in to assist Ahluwalia at the airport. They also have guidelines for Sikhs when traveling by plane, and a system for Sikhs to file a TSA complaint if they felt they have been treated discriminately.

“The number one issue is ignorance,” says Simran as the coalition’s senior religious fellow. “How we combat ignorance is by educating America [about] who Sikhs are and what they believe. What we try to do is release their fear by introducing a humanity.”

***

In the wake of President-Elect Donald Trump, Mandeep worries about the impassioned racists and Islamophobes that will be given a voice in the coming years.

He watches the Sikh children run around in the basement of the Gurudwara.

“After 9/11, the wound was fresh, so the worse has passed. At least, I hope so,” says Mandeep. “I hope Trump won’t be able to spread the hate the same way 9/11 did. Then, [these children] won’t have to face the same hate I did.”

Comic Conventions: For Geeks Of All Types

By: Nicole Caropolo

Rows of pop culture merchandise, hour-long lines waiting to meet the drool-worthy cast of the latest film, and 40 people dressed like Thor taking pictures with awe-inspired kids. No, you’re not in Times Square. This is a scene straight from a comic convention.

When you think of comic conventions, what do you think of? People running around in capes debating the relationship dynamic between Harley Quinn and the Joker? Maybe you picture lots of light saber fights and yoda talk from people bashing the “Star Wars” prequels. Well there is much more to comic book conventions than meets the eye. Pop culture from every topic, and from every medium, is embraced and celebrated by the attendants. Comic conventions are centered around “geek” culture, but expand to so much more.

Comic conventions are generally geared towards fans of comic books, superheroes, and science fiction. As years have passed since the first one in 1964, which took place in New York, the world of comic conventions has spread out to all masses of entertainment.

Merchandise, discussion boards, and celebrity meet-and-greets can be found in a place where things that may be considered “geeky” are honored. Comic conventions represent what it means to be proud of being a “geek” and showing off your interests.

Cosplay is a huge segment of comic conventions. The word cosplay refers to dressing up as a character from a movie, television show or video game. Most people cosplay for fun, but there are actually people that make a living off of it. At most conventions, you will find professional cosplayers that are often paid for appearances and photos.

Rae Allen, 23, doesn’t get paid for her cosplay (yet), but she takes it very seriously. Allen has been attending conventions for anime, Japanese cartoons, for the last 10 years, but recently began attending comic conventions like New York Comic Con and Wizard World Comic Con in Philadelphia.

Her recent cosplay costumes include Spider-Gwen from Marvel Comics, Maya from the Borderlands 2 video game, and Harley Quinn from DC’s Bombshells’ comics.

“What I personally enjoy most about it is showing what I can do, showing what I’ve made,” Allen said.

The cosplayer also loves how the costumes break her out of her shell.

“One of the most important things I enjoy about cosplaying is the confidence it gives you. In person, I’m a very shy person with social anxiety who also happens to be quite self-conscious,” Allen said. “But in cosplay, I’m outgoing. I make new friends. I don’t have an issue talking to new people. Most importantly, I feel confident in myself.”

Anime and manga, Japanese comic books, are huge communities in the world of “geek” culture. For example, Dragon Ball Z, an extremely popular anime cartoon, is a common topic at conventions, and the voice actors from the show often make appearances.

Alina Palubinskas, 20, attends conventions because anime is one of her greatest passions in life, often cosplaying as the characters.

Her first convention was called MegaCon in Orlando, and she was instantly taken by the amount of anime fans.
“It was hugely busy, with thousands of people in wigs in every color,” Palubinskas said. “I’d never seen anything so exciting as a little kid.”

Daisy Elise Feddoes, 19, is a manga lover who loves the international interest it brings to the conventions.

Feddoes said, “TV shows and comics are pretty regularly covered in the US, but comic con makes it a lot easier to get cool merchandise more common to Japan.”

These conventions are also seen as a think tank for people to debate and share ideas about topics that may not be seen as important or influential in common day-to-day conversations.

Sheraz Farooqi sees the deeper meaning in comic books and science fiction. He is so passionate about the ideas that stem from them that he created an educational course on it.

Farooqi is a 22-year-old finance major at Baruch College that created a Marvel and DC course for the Resource and Opportunity Center, referred to as the ROC, for homeschoolers. The course idea was sparked by a twitter page that Farooqi created, called ComicBook Debate, that quickly gained over 5,000 followers. His professor recommended him to the ROC, where his pitch for a class about superheroes and comic books was approved.

Farooqi said, “I think getting kids to think and get their imagination going is awesome, and the school director is very positive on programs like this that deviate from the normal curriculum.”

Topics at conventions can range from Doctor Who to Disney to science fiction literature, and everything in between. The expansion of interest in entertainment has translated into events that are attended by thousands of people every year.

The reason why so many people flock to comic conventions is because they find it has a sense of community and excitement in the air that just can’t be ignored.

Gabriel Nash, 21, has attended Tampa Bay Comic Con for the past three years, and plans on continuing the annual tradition because he enjoyed how it felt to walk in for the first time and see his favorite pieces of entertainment being celebrated by other people that he can relate to.

Nash said, “I thought it was my whole imaginative world come to life.”

He is not alone. Over 180,000 people attended the New York Comic Con in 2016, and 130,000 fans swarmed the San Diego Comic Con in 2015.

The New York and San Diego Comic Cons embody what it means to bring together different communities of pop culture.

The pop culture diversity really stems from the meet-and-greet aspect of the conventions. At the large city comic cons, such as New York, San Diego and Tampa Bay, hundreds of people line up for hours to meet well-known celebrities and voice actors. These are places where the term “fangirling” run rampant. The term refers to the excitement and nerves a fan faces when they meet one of their favorite stars.

Imagine being face-to-face with your celebrity crush that you’ve been daydreaming about for years, or your idol that inspires you. That is where the term “fangirling” comes into play at comic conventions.

And don’t be fooled by the word either. Men are just as prone to getting excited over celebrities as any other “fangirl.”

“My favorite memory would probably have to be meeting Jack Gleeson, also known as Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones!” Nash said.

Nash says he will never forget when he met “King Joffrey” at Tampa Bay Comic Con in 2016, known as one of the most hated characters on television, and was actually the nicest celebrity he met.

In 2016, New York Comic Con had guests like Christopher Meloni from “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”, Alano Miller from “Jane The Virgin”, and the “Impractical Jokers” from the popular TruTV show. These shows stand out from the typical “comic nerd” world, and bring people together with all different entertainment tastes. Your mom definitely watches at least one of those shows.

Pop culture fans also find comic conventions to be a spot for business opportunities. Hundreds of small town businesses, vendors, and artists set up shop at convention centers every year to get their name out there. Fans buy homemade fan art and merchandise faster than Avengers’ movie tickets. At every large convention, there is even a section of the venue dedicated to original artwork, called “Artists’ Alley.”

Don’t just think that comic conventions are a place to blow all your money on Big Bang Theory t-shirts and meeting the cast of “Sherlock.” At nearly every minute, there is an event, a competition or a live show happening.

Discussion panels are often the main event. For instance, San Diego Comic Con is known as the “mothership” of conventions due to the high-leveled stars that attend panels. For a majority of their airtime, hit shows like “Teen Wolf” and “Supernatural” have had the main stars hold panels where they discuss the past, present, and future of the show, as well as answer questions from their adoring fans. Events like these bring the television world to life for the viewers.

Caitlin MacDougall, 21, has attended Tampa Bay Comic Con due to her love of all things Doctor Who. She enjoyed how the parts of the British science-fiction fantasy world were brought to life at the conventions for her to admire with her fellow “Whovian” friends, the name that Doctor Who fans have dubbed themselves. They even posed with the phone-booth time machine that is featured in the show, the TARDIS, which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space.

“When we came across a professional photo-op with a life sized TARDIS, I didn’t even think twice to shell out the money for the two of us to have our picture taken,” MacDougall said.

Television and movie sneak peaks are not uncommon at conventions, and what many attendants look forward to the most. Devoted fans are rewarded for their support with screenings of future episodes or movie trailers. This year’s New York Comic Con was choc-full of exclusive looks at movies like “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” and the FX shows “Legion” and “Archer.”

There can be many misconceptions about the reality of comic conventions that may make people feel wrongly excluded or like an outsider, but con-goers think the opposite.

“I think it’s generally a nice, judgement free space for adults who consume video game and cartoon media to fully embrace what they enjoy!” Feddoes said. “I think it’s very important to have that space as adults and teenagers who can often feel marginalized.”

Due to the ever-expanding content coverage, Allen thinks that conventions are finally being seen as a place for not only “geeks,” but for everyone who enjoys entertainment.

“I think the misconception is that the only people who go to these things are people who dress up are often socially inept people who live in their parents’ basements. I think that misconception has slowly started to fade as more and more casual fans or just people who are curious about conventions have started going.” Allen said. “Sure, you might see a person or two who fits the stereotype of the misconception, but honestly, it’s a lot of “normal” people who just want to enjoy their hobbies.”

At the end of the day though, the “geek” community is at the heart of these pop culture events.

“Sometimes people say that ‘Oh, only nerds go to cons’ is a misconception, but honestly it’s completely true,” Palubinskas said. “You have to be some degree of nerdy to have fun at a convention and to keep going back year after year.

So whether you are a proud nerd, or just an average pop culture admirer, comic conventions welcome you into a place to let your inner “fangirl” out.

 

 

 

 

“Mass hysteria is a terrible force, yet New Yorkers seem always to escape it by some tiny margin: they sit in stalled subways without claustrophobia, they extricate themselves from panic situations by some lucky wisecrack, they meet confusion and congestion with patience and grit–a sort of perpetual muddling through,” E.B White, Here is New York, 1948.

In White’s, Here is New York, he gathers that in this city the connection and separation of two lives is found eighteen inches apart.

A lawyer, a supermodel, a college student, a musician, a mother of two and a homeless person all assemble quietly and tightly side by side at 8:00 am on the 6 train uptown. One head up, one head down, one pair of eyes closed, one set of headphones in, one book, one big bag of God knows what. If they are lucky they could find these eighteen inches between them to relax their shoulders for just a few minutes before they march out into the streets and face the demands of the day.

Between these eighteen inches are endless stories of victories and tragedies. There are moments of breakdown and breakthrough. There is loneliness and fellowship. There is a constant influx of bright-eyed dreamers and the departure of beat-down visionaries.

It has been discovered that being a New Yorker comes with a different type of brain chemistry; in turn, a different way of handling life, or not handling life. Scientists have found that growing up in the city doubles the risk of psychosis and other mental health issues later in life.

“I am so stressed out I have like 5 papers due this week and my sister is about to have a baby any minute. I have so much going on and my professors are giving us a whole book to read for each class on top of regular assignments that are due. It’s like they think we have nothing else to do except schoolwork. And on top of all that I have to work too,” says Sabrina Mendizabal, student at Baruch College. For most, college is a time to soak up the last moments of freedom from real responsibility before reality smacks you in the face. However, being a student in New York City is not quite the same. There is no campus that enables you to detach from reality at most colleges in the city. You are in it along with the rest of the working masses, whether you like it or not. Megan Aronson, assistant director of the Health and Wellness Center at Baruch, notices the growing student anxiety saying, “Oh, yeah, you can feel it in the hallways. Students are so stressed out working part-time or full-time jobs, coming to a commuter campus, and taking care of families.”

While the students of New York are just trying to make it through the day, week, and year with their work done and good grades, other New Yorkers are riding the edge of their sanity in hopes of their big break.

“I don’t know how I am going to pay my rent this month. I haven’t booked any jobs. I’m freaking out, I’ve been calling all different places to find someone who is hiring but no one will call me back. I’m going to have to call my boss at the bar I used to work at and start bartending there again for some quick cash,” says model and aspiring entrepreneur Ashley Sweeny.

These moments of crisis lead me to a question. Is New York a sharp jolt into a harsh reality with no mercy for the risk takers or a world of endless opportunity and possibilities that is abounding in grace, or both?

For someone like Oren Moverman it may be perceived more as a pool of potential opportunities. “I just got really lucky. I came here from Israel and I didn’t even know how to write in English. Then I got a job at Interview Magazine as a journalist. After that, opportunities kept coming my way and I just ended up meeting the right people to help me out. I still feel like it can end at any moment. I never take it for granted. I always think my career is over and then something happens and I seem to get another chance to create something.”

Whether you feel the weight of the city life or not there is no question that it is affecting you either way.

In an international study, researchers at University of Heidelberg and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute at McGill University report in the journal Nature that people who live or were raised in cities show distinct differences in activity in certain brain regions than those who do not live in cities.

Those currently living in the city show higher activation the amygdala, the brain region that regulates emotions such as anxiety and fear. The amygdala is most often called into action under situations of stress or threat. The data suggest that the brains of city residents have a more sensitive, ‘hair-trigger’ response to such situations when compared to those living in the suburbs or more rural areas.

The study also found that people who were raised in the city during their first 15 years of life were more likely to show increased activation in another brain region called the anterior cingulate. This region is a more global regulator of stress. This change appears to be more permanent in the people who were raised in the city, than those who moved there later on in life because the change occurs during key period of development in their brain, according to Jens Pruessner, director of aging and Alzheimer’s research at the Douglas Institute. Pruessner says that this means, “you will become more alert to stress situations via the anterior cingulate for the rest of your life.”

Scientists have also found that when they compared the placentas of mothers from a busy city and a quiet rural district, they found that the city moms had far higher levels of chemical pollutants called xenoestrogens in their blood, and in that of their unborn babies. Xenoestrogens are industrial chemicals that affect our bodies in similar ways to the female hormone, oestrogen. They are found in countless man-made pollutants such as petrol fumes, and are more abundant in industrial areas than the countryside. As well as causing excess foetal growth, they have been linked to problems such as obesity, hyperactivity, early puberty, fertility problems and cancers of the lung, breast and prostate.

City life can take a toll on a human being just by breathing in the air. When you add additional stressors it may not make for a good outcome.

“Dealing with drunk people is the worst.”

Bartender, Andy Antonopolus at the Gramercy Park Hotel says, “It makes you want to drink too just so they don’t completely drive you crazy. And then staying up to 4 am and waking up hungover doesn’t help your state of mind either. The good thing is I don’t have to worry about money, haha.”

Although a life in New York can lead to mental and physical health risks E.B White believes that there is still a light at the end of the tunnel. He says in Here is New York, “The city makes up for its hazards and its deficiencies by supplying its citizens with massive doses of a supplementary vitamin–the sense of belonging to something unique, cosmopolitan, mighty and unparalleled.”

That silver lining seems to be a common thread among most who come here to turn a dream into a reality.

(Insert Interview with Brian Newman. This will be a more positive perspective of a New York life that connects to the uniqueness of New York proposed by White)

When it comes to finding love New York is not known for its good track record.

“Dating in New York is like getting to Mars. Nearly impossible and we’re going for broke trying, ” says Fred Castleberry, Menswear Clothing Designer.

There may be no more expensive place to find a relationship than New York. Men like Castleberry are getting tired of spending all their money to draw that conclusion. However women feel that have just as many complaints to fire back with.

“Guys here are so delusional. They think everything revolves around them. They want you to be exactly what they hope in their mind you would be, and then they can just do whatever they want. It’s crazy. They can’t get out of their own heads to see reality,” remarks Alana Ramnarine.

Unfortunately it doesn’t help Ramnarine that “because women have been graduating from college in 30-plus percent greater numbers than men for years, there are now four women for every three men nationally in the marriage-age, college-educated dating market,” says Jon Birger, author of “Date-onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game.” In Manhattan specifically there are 38 percent more young female college grads than male, while, “the imbalance is also exacerbated by New York’s large population of gay males. Some 9 to 12 percent of men in Manhattan are gay,” says Gary Gates, a demographics expert at UCLA’s Williams Institute.

 

**(I am still trying to figure out how to work in the other interviews that I have so that it seems like it is one coherent point)

Numerous parents and children gathered at P.S. 19’s auditorium on the evening of Dec. 5 for an immigration forum hosted by city officials in Corona, Queens. As residents took their seats, the atmosphere reflected their concerns about the future. In a neighborhood largely populated by immigrants, there was one common question on everyone’s mind that night: How will Trump affect me?

Corona is known for its rich diversity of immigrants hailing from different regions of Latin America. Its bustling streets along Roosevelt Avenue are filled with residents and businesses that highlight the neighborhood’s vast immigrant presence, from Mexican restaurants to boutiques offering clothing from Colombia and other countries in South America. 

However, the effects of a Trump presidency in January has been on the minds of many residents, who fear deportation and being separated from their families. Amid increasing worries and fear, officials and community groups have begun responding throughout the city by promising to protect and defend immigrants.

In Corona, this has shaped into an effort to actively inform immigrants about their rights and provide them with supportive resources.

On Dec. 1, officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs and members from neighborhood groups such as Make the Road New York distributed handbooks in the early morning on Corona Plaza. The handbook contained consumer tips for immigrants pertaining to tax preparation, finances, employment agencies and immigration services.

The handbooks were a response to fraudulent immigration services in the area that were charging immigrants for inaccurate information and in specific cases jeopardizing their immigration status.

Community organizer of Make the Road New York, Vicente Mayorga, was part of those distributing the material. He explained that although he was glad the information was being provided to residents, they needed to do more to reach out to people.

“Some people received us well, others are afraid,” said Mayorga. “They believe we are offering something illegal.”

In order to further address community concerns, officials held a panel at P.S. 019 for immigrants to learn about their protections during the Trump presidency. In attendance were representatives from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Education, NYC Commission of Human Rights, idNYC, New York Police Department, and immigration attorneys, which evidenced the far reaching influence Trump could have in numerous areas for immigrants.

Although residents welcomed the information at the panel, many still remained anxious.

“As a mother, I’m worried the most about being taken away from my children. They need me to take care of them and I can’t imagine being separated from them,” said a parent who requested to remain anonymous.

Community groups have also stepped up efforts to aid immigrants in Corona.

“We’re doing as much as we can,” said Anthony Posada, a staff attorney from the Legal Aid Society who was present at the panel to provide legal information.

Posada explained that although he understood immigrants were afraid during this time, the organization had built trust with the Corona community through its collaborations with other groups and presence in other neighborhoods. In addition, he stated their efforts in removing ICE from Rikers Island and denouncing immigrant lawyers that defrauded immigrants were significant in maintaining their reliability. 

“Those kinds of actions let immigrant undocumented community know that we have their back and are in in the fight with them,” said Posada. “That helps us overcome a lot of the bad stereotypes that are sometimes attached to free legal aid services.”

______________________________________________

*Interview with Vicente Mayorga rescheduled to this afternoon.

*Interview with Antonio Alarcon, MRNY Community Youth Organizer, who works with college students on Friday.

By now, everyone in New York, the United States, the world and the universe know that Donald John Trump will be the 45^th President of America come January 20^th.

Trump becoming the President-elect has received many mixed reactions, from those that love and support him and those who oppose and berate him.

“Trump no va se nada en este pais” said Jaime Soto, 38. “I don’t understand how he won the election, I just don’t.”

Soto is a hard working construction worker that camps out at the local home depot at five in the morning trying to find work so that he can provide for his family.

“I don’t have one of those nice jobs where I work in an office and make a lot of money, but, I am proud of what I do.”

Soto migrated to the United States from Mexico in 2002, hoping he could land a good job and send money back to his family in Mexico.

“This isn’t what I thought it would be, but I can’t complain.”

Trump becoming the next president of the United States has Soto worried.

“I am not an American Citizen. I don’t have the benefits they do. I don’t want to leave this country. I don’t want to be kicked out. What about my kids? They need a father!”

Soto like many other Mexican immigrants are facing an uncertain future with Trump taking office. The uncertainty at times according to Soto can be overbearing.

“I know what I will do tomorrow, but what about the next day and the day after that… I just don’t know anymore.”

With Trump taking office in less than two months, his name remains polarizing throughout all parts of the United States

In Sunset Park, many of the reactions are no different.  “I’m scared for myself and my children” said Rosa Leon, 44. It feels like the world is ending.”

Sunset Park has a very vast immigrant community. Almost 75% of the population in Sunset Park have a different background.

Whether they be Hispanics, Latinos, Asians, etc. each provide diversity to a community that embraces it heavily.

Trumps victory in this election hasn’t resonated well with many in this community as it should. Trump is a man who at one point called all Mexicans “rapists and criminals.”

Those within the community say Trumps animosity towards Mexicans leaves them feeling unpleasant. “When he first announced he was running, I knew it would be trouble, I just never thought he’d make it this far,” said Leon.

That is the sentiment many have within the community. Many are terrified for their futures, as they should be.

Over the span of a few weeks, Trump has changed many people’s futures from uncertain to unknown. He has changed the way Americans, eat, sleep and breathe all in the span of a year and a half.

Trump’s campaign began way back in June of 2015, where Trump amidst all of his new supporters promised to “Make America Great Again.”

With that the Trump train set off, with hopes of landing the presidency in November of 2016.

With each passing day came tons of media scrutiny, questionable decisions and hypocrisy and yet, Trump remained a man unfazed.

Most of the media had built Trumps campaign up as a joke, nothing Americans should take seriously, but yet here he was winning almost every republican primary around America.

Trump, though unconventional made a statement. By May 3^rd 2016, Trump had locked up the presidential nomination, a whole two and a half months before the Republican convention, which was supposed to determine the nominee.

From there, Trump campaigned across America until the November 8^th election. Going in, Trump was supposed to lose handily to Hilary Clinton, instead she was the one who lost handily to Mr. Trump.

The result was a complete and utter shock to many around the nation. Protests and riots started almost immediately. These individuals would not accept living in a “white America.”

Rosa Leon has lived in parts of Sunset Park for almost 15 years and is very frustrated with the outcome of the election.

“I came to America twenty years ago to make a better life, looking back I should have just stayed home. How this man was given this power by the American people? I don’t understand and I will never forgive them.”

Leon came to America in 1995, with her two brothers. They had family that had immigrated here in the early 90’s and new this was a great opportunity to do something special.

“You know in Mexico, you hear all about how the United States is this and the United States is that, well I wanted to be part of that United States and that is what I did.”

Leon’s first job was at a nail salon. “I knew I couldn’t choose what I wanted to do, so I took the first thing that opened up.” From there she went on to get married and had two kids, Ramona and Jacqueline.

Now twelve and ten respectively, the girls attend P.S. 124. “I’m so proud of my girls. They are smart and beautiful, I love them so much.”

Leon now wonders what the future holds, “I know they’re American citizens but I’m not, thinking I might be separated from them (pause)… I don’t think I can do that.”

Leon’s life could be uplifted right before her eyes, all because of Donald Trump.

“If I could I would spit in his face and tell him how much Mexicans hate him, I would. He is horrible and deserves nothing, nothing at all.”

Leon’s feelings of frustration can certainly be sympathized with as she is not alone. Eric Tapia, owner of Pablito’s on 5^th Avenue in Sunset Park expressed his displeasure for Trump as well.

“I remember coming to this country with a few dollars to my name, that was hard. But I had hope, hope that something better will come from all of this for me and mi familia. Now Trump takes that hope away.”

Tapia came to America in 1998 from Mexico, with hopes of starting his own business. “I never thought I’d enter the restaurant business and I also never thought I would make it to the Estados Unidos, but here I am”

Tapia like many other citizens, struggled in Mexico. “My family was dirt poor. If you didn’t like the food, you still had to eat it. if you had a hole in your sock, mi abuela would stitch it up,” said Tapia. “If we were lucky we would get two meals a day. Being a poor skinny boy was not fun.”

Tapia worked in a restaurant for his first few years in America, while living with two of his brothers and their families.

They lived in Sunset Park, where in 2013 one of the local coffee joints closed down.

Tapia knew this was the perfect time to start a business.

“The space was big enough and with the rest of my brothers, we could afford to take on the place, we just needed an Idea. My brother Frederico thought we should bring the Mexican Culture here and we couldn’t agree more.

Opened for two years now, Tapias restaurant has done relatively well, especially within the Mexican community. “I love coming here. The food is great and everyone is just like you. It feels like home,” said Ricardo Islas.

Tapia takes much pride from his work. He is happy he has made it this far and only hopes to expand.

“For me, I am not satisfied with this place. I want to expand, I want to hire more people, I want to do everything I can to be even more successful.”

However, with Trump as the President to be, Tapia believes much of his progress can be stalled.

“This idiot believes that all Mexicans are bad people, well let me tell you something Donald Trump, tu es basura, no eres nada para mi y mi familia.”(you are trash and don’t mean anything to my family and I

“How can you be the President of the greatest country of the world and be against culture. We make America what it is and when he realizes that, then I can respect him as a man.”

Soto, Leon, Tapia and many others have vocally shared their displeasure for Trump, however, that’s not to say no one in Park Slope supports Trump.

Take James Dreval for example, his family emigrated from Russia to the United States in the beginning of the twentieth century.

His Grandfather worked in the farming industry up until the great depression and eventually fought in World War two.

His Grandmother played a vital part as well as she became a part of women’s transition into the workforce.

From there has family migrated from Louisville to Sunset Park, where Dreval’s family have lived for the past 34 years.

Furthermore, Dreval’s father was a stock broker during his hay day and his mother was a first grade teacher.

Dreval went on to somewhat follow in his father’s footsteps as he has went on to become a financial advisor at Chase Bank

“My family has a very rich history. Over the last one hundred years, we have made a very large impact on this country. This country gave everything to my family and for that I will never forget that,” said Dreval.

Dreval, 30, has lived in Brooklyn for a majority of his life, except for when he attended Penn State University. Dreval is a third generation American, who doesn’t forget his roots.

“I have family in Russia that I always talk too. I am here because of them.”

Dreval is happy with Donald Trump being the future leader of America.

“I’m happy for America. We finally did something right. For a while their it looked like we were rolling down a hill.”

Dreval added “Everyone believes Trumps a bad man, but honestly all they really should do is give him a chance. I know he’s said nasty things, but I doubt he’ll actually do all that shit.”

Now just because there is one success story, it does not take away from the fact that many immigrants, especially Mexicans are scared for their lives.

Leon, Soto and Tapia are just three people that live in Sunset Park. Now imagine what the whole country has to say about Donald Trump, the opinions are endless.

As for Sunset Park, it will continue to grow, not only as a city, but socially and physically as well. It is one of the most diverse cities in Brooklyn.

In regards to the election, it may have come and gone, but it’s still one of the most talked about topics in America and it’s been a month since it took place. .. Even Romney didn’t demand a recount!

Nonetheless, Donald Trump will assume office in less than two months. Love him or hate him America, meet Donald J. Trump the 45^th President of the United States.