 Art is beautiful. It manages to tell stories that words couldn’t describe. They bring us to alternate universes and make us picture life through someone else’s life. A Gen Z artista who is doing just that is Aisha Coello, an artist from New Jersey. She paints stunning images and takes us to her world. We got the chance to speak with her about her art, and how she’s painting all the colors of the wind! It takes a very skilled, and patient person to be able to paint. Aisha has been doing art for a while now. She told us, “I was always aware that I enjoyed being inside the realm of creativity. I poured my heart out dancing to every rhythmic beat, I explored writing poetry in rhymes to match my emotions, and lastly acting and partaking with any form of theatrics. There was one form I never really touched upon was the talent I would never take for granted. Drawing and Painting was my newest form of expression and it all started with practicing anime characters. My closest friend Yailin was drawing anime at the same time which jumps started my efforts to try. Informing me of the basics. From there I decided to move on to a variety of art mediums.” Art is a beautiful thing, and it has paved the way for so many famous stories. Stories like Van Gogh, and even Frida Kahlo. Artists come from greatness and Aisha is just getting started! Aisha has done so many paintings that she must have a favorite! She told us, “My favorite creation has to be one of my recent drawings during the quarantine. As I was listening to The Weeknd’s new album After Hours and the idea struck to do my interpretation of his album. Drawing this creation felt like a revival within my soul because I haven’t done the hobby I adored in awhile. Those three days putting all my fixation towards the colors, proportions, and concepts that can coexist.” She has painted phone cases, murals and so much more! We can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us! In the future, she wishes to study law or political science. She mentioned, “I would love to keep my art as a side hustle for sure. As of right now, I have plans of studying Law or Political Science. I believe that Justice or Peace hasn’t been restored in many aspects of society and I would love for change to happen. The change starts with us.” What an incredible role model! Every artist has their inspirations. For Aisha, she stated, “My inspirations would be those close to me. My grandmother who recently passed. I keep her clearly in my heart as I paint. Seeing her smile as I evolve as an artist. She would be proud of the recent and future works to come. Another inspiration is my sister's friend Jeremy who I inspired as well. He told me one day as I was viewing his artwork, ‘You know your drawings were the reason why I started doing art.’ Looking at how genuine he was saying this made me feel important on his journey and be so honored. He inspires me further that I am planting seedlings for the evolution of many more upcoming artists. Pushing me to new limits in the world of art.” A Gen Z artist who can paint and build bridges for more people like her. It is never easy to draw. It takes strength, and a keen eye to be able to create images with hands. Aisha is just getting started in showing the world that her art is transformational. In her hometown, she got the chance to create a mural outside of a restaurant. She said, “This painting was a blessing in disguise. I describe it like this because this painting is what lifted me up from a scary abyss I was encountering personally. With college coming next year, the recent loss I had, self-depreciation that I cannot do much due to a pandemic. I questioned a lot, I was really hitting the rocks. Being asked by the owner ‘Aisha would you like to paint the back of our patio that will be soon renovated?’ When I tell you my spirits felt lifted and I thought about one thing: painting. Those days and hours working on my mural it feels like a million stars staring back at you saying ‘you're doing amazing kiddo.’ Every time in the back of my mind I thought of my Abuela as she would have sat back at that table admiring how far I’ve come. I personally dedicated that to her as my way of finishing the painting I wanted to give her. I truly cannot thank the owner of Piccolino’s enough for this opportunity to share my imaginative mind into his world.” You can visit the mural itself at Piccolino’s in New Jersey. The painting got a lot of recognition and it is so great that she got the chance to be able to display her creation! Aisha Coello is going to do amazing things with both her art and her intelligence. In the future, she wishes to keep art close with her. Aisha said, “When I am asked about my future with art, I haven’t ruminated enough but I believe I’d like to make an impact on many more as I have with Jeremy. I’d love to have my creations be seen for a younger audience to discover the talent they never knew they had. I would also love to do more art pieces for the community. Seeing residents and their eyes beam with awestruck as they are surrounded by the vibrancy of colors and ideas. This was the same exact feeling I had about Bayonne's artwork surrounding me. I would love for others to feel lo mismo of amor and unity in the neighborhood they live in.” We are so proud of you, and we hope you continue every aspect of life with a paintbrush in one hand and your spark of creativity in the other. Continue doing you Aisha, the world is your canvas! Every artist has their inspirations. For Aisha, she stated, “My inspirations would be those close to me. My grandmother who recently passed. I keep her clearly in my heart as I paint. Seeing her smile as I evolve as an artist. She would be proud of the recent and future works to come. Another inspiration is my sister's friend Jeremy who I inspired as well. He told me one day as I was viewing his artwork, ‘You know your drawings were the reason why I started doing art.’ Looking at how genuine he was saying this made me feel important on his journey and be so honored. He inspires me further that I am planting seedlings for the evolution of many more upcoming artists. Pushing me to new limits in the world of art.” A Gen Z artist who can paint and build bridges for more people like her. It is never easy to draw. It takes strength, and a keen eye to be able to create images with hands. Aisha is just getting started in showing the world that her art is transformational. In her hometown, she got the chance to create a mural outside of a restaurant. She said, “This painting was a blessing in disguise. I describe it like this because this painting is what lifted me up from a scary abyss I was encountering personally. With college coming next year, the recent loss I had, self-depreciation that I cannot do much due to a pandemic. I questioned a lot, I was really hitting the rocks. Being asked by the owner ‘Aisha would you like to paint the back of our patio that will be soon renovated?’ When I tell you my spirits felt lifted and I thought about one thing: painting. Those days and hours working on my mural it feels like a million stars staring back at you saying ‘you're doing amazing kiddo.’ Every time in the back of my mind I thought of my Abuela as she would have sat back at that table admiring how far I’ve come. I personally dedicated that to her as my way of finishing the painting I wanted to give her. I truly cannot thank the owner of Piccolino’s enough for this opportunity to share my imaginative mind into his world.” You can visit the mural itself at Piccolino’s in New Jersey. The painting got a lot of recognition and it is so great that she got the chance to be able to display her creation!
"I would also love to do more art pieces for the community. Seeing residents and their eyes beam with awestruck as they are surrounded by the vibrancy of colors and ideas. This was the same exact feeling I had about Bayonne's artwork surrounding me. I would love for others to feel lo mismo of amor and unity in the neighborhood they live in," Aisha continues. We are so proud of you, and we hope you continue every aspect of life with a paintbrush in one hand and your spark of creativity in the other. Continue doing you Aisha, the world is your canvas!
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By: Kiana Maria Building a business takes a lot of courage and ingenuity. Especially when you use your business to be able to give back to the community. Sixteen-year-old Lilly Marsh from New Jersey knows how to make giving back and triple its meaning. She is a young entrepreneur who started TumblingBooks. She makes jewelry and gives 50% of her profits to charity. She is also a graphic designer for a very successful teen run magazine on Instagram called Zenerations. We got the chance to speak with this amazing role model to learn more about her success and journey. Starting a company is never easy, however, Lilly shows that she can do whatever she wants if she puts her mind to it. When asked about her business she said, “I have always wanted to have my own business. When I was in elementary school I would sell duct tape wallets and other handmade items and I found it super fun. However, I first thought of starting an Etsy when I was in middle school. In 2018, when Women's marches were happening all over the country, my mom went to a march in DC. I was sad that I couldn't go and I knew that I wanted to find a way to help. I decided to make pink hat charms and donate all of the proceeds to Women Rising in Jersey City. In the end, I raised over $1000 and I was invited to their founders day and given an award.” It is astonishing what hard work and determination can do for this young woman.  Pictured: A piece of artwork by Marsh She told us about the experience saying, “I loved every part of the experience, and being able to help others through my love for design and business was the best feeling. After that, I decided that I wanted to be able to reach even more people than the ones in my town so I opened my Etsy shop.” It is amazing to see such a great contributor to society in the way she runs TumblingBooks. We got the chance to ask her what running a business is like. She said, “It is amazing and I love every moment of it. Creating the products, assembling the items, designing cute packaging, putting them in the mailbox, and more! Of course, there are the days where you have no orders, but there are also the days where you launch a new collection and have tons of new orders! Overall it is a great experience and has taught me a lot.” Visit Lilly’s Instagram for her drawings and jewelry designs @tumblingbooksco and don’t forget to purchase some of her amazing jewelry on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/tumblingbooks/ TumblingBooks has been giving back through charities. She recently worked with the Hudson Pride Center for a jewelry sale and 50% of the proceeds went to them. She told us that working with charities has been amazing. She said, “After I sold pink hat charms to raise money for Women Rising I realized that being able to help people through my passion for design is so amazing and I wanted to continue doing it. Once quarantine began I had a lot more free time and decided to devote more time to my Etsy. I made a collection of polymer clay earrings and bookish jewelry and I decided to donate 50% of the proceeds to The Spa Diner in Hoboken. They were making sandwiches for the homeless which was great because it allowed me to help people keep their jobs and give food to those in need. I also created another collection called the Pride Project where I partnered with Zenerations and Hudson Pride Center in Jersey City to create a collection of LGBTQ+ inspired jewelry. 50% of the proceeds from this collection go to Hudson Pride Center.” The link to purchase from this collection is https://www.etsy.com/shop/Tumblingbooks?ref=seller-platform-mcnav§ion_id=29552403 Zenerations was started in Hudson County by Sophia Delrosario, an amazing writer, and artist. Lilly Marsh has been working with Zenerations since the beginning. She told us how working with Zenerations has been such a rewarding experience. “It's amazing! I discovered my love for digital art during quarantine and I thought that my drawings would never leave my Ipad. Zenerations allows my art to have an incredible impact.” Her work is incredible. She also told us, “The process is pretty simple. Sophia will either give me a photo of the person in the article, the topic, or any ideas she has for the graphic and then I will draw it. I've been doing it every day for the last three months so I am getting pretty good at executing her vision.” When asked why she enjoys she said, “I love it because it gives my art meaning. If a drawing I create just sits on my iPad, it has no impact. But when something I created is seen by millions of people and educates or helps them, it is the best feeling in the world.” Be sure to visit Zenerations on Instagram @zenerations.
As stated before, being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. Despite challenges Lilly truly shows that Gen Z is more than just TikTok videos and social media. She proves that starting a business can be anyone's turf. Her biggest advice to those trying to start a business is, “If you want to create something, now is the time. Because we are so young, we don't have to worry about making enough money to pay for a house, taxes, etc. There is no stress, so you can just enjoy the experience and have fun.” Her future is as bright as the sun. Speaking of her future, she told us that she hopes to bring more of her designs in local stores. She said, “A couple of years ago I got the opportunity to have some of my jewelry in the Washington General Store in Hoboken. I loved seeing my products in a store and I had planned on trying to get into more stores in my community but because of the pandemic, I have had to put that plan off to the side. However, I am planning on making that happen as soon as I can! I am also looking forward to making new collections and helping more and more people.” Lilly Marsh, you are an entrepreneur extraordinaire, take your journey and run with it! By: Kiana Maria  Serendipity means to find happiness or fortune in an unforeseen time. For four sixteen-year-old boys, it means getting the chance to create one of the greatest forms of art together: music. Luke Rodriguez, Toby Harrison, Joshua Ibarra, and Joaquim Pereira are all a part of a boy band Joaquim and Joshua formed called Serendipity. They all come from different parts of New Jersey in the Hudson County area. Between writing their songs, forming a schedule to practice, and recording their videos, these boys are sure to rock any stage they perform at! A band is like a car, it needs certain parts to get going. In Serendipity, the role of each member goes as such; Joshua is the singer, Luke is the bassist/vocalist, Joaquim is the guitarist/vocalist, and Toby is the drummer. They each have a love for music and a lot of brotherly love for one another. Toby told us that his favorite part of being in the band is, “Coming together and making music. Figuring out problems that we [may have] sometimes, which just helps us become friends and create a bond of a lifetime.” They have worked together for a while now, and yet they have so much more to offer! Joshua also mentioned, “I love how each member of the band loves making similar music, but what makes it so interesting is that we all have slightly different musical inspirations and they all complement each other.” The way these boys work together to create their art is something that a lot of more people need to see! Every living thing starts at the roots, similar to a band. Every band has to start with the greeting of a member to a member. Luke Rodriguez told us of their first encounter stating, “Joaquim and Joshua have known each other for a very long time. Joaquim and Joshua first formed Serendipity in middle school with some of their friends. After they broke up they kept the name.” He continues by stating, “I first met Joaquim at lunch, [in high school], he was playing guitar and I thought he was super cool. I was originally trying to start my own band, so I asked him if he wanted to join mine. He flipped the script and asked me to join his band. I said yes. A couple of weeks later, Joaquim recruited Toby Harrison, and the rest is history.” After that, it was as if fate knew exactly what to do. Since they met, they have performed in school events, festivals in nearby cities, and fundraisers. Further talking about their initial steps, Joaquim Pereira, the guitarist/vocalist of the group, told us their roots in how the name, Serendipity, was chosen. He said, “...the name Serendipity came from a discussion I had with my aunt. We were painting a room in my new house and I was talking to her about trying to find a name for my band. She had recently gotten back from a trip to Ghana and took a picture with an Anaconda snake named Serendipity. The word stuck with me and soon after I told Joshua I wanted that to be the name of our band.” Who knew snakes could be such inspiration! In March of 2020, the Coronavirus hit the United States. New Jersey schools were closed by the second week of March. Even though it was hard to be around each other to continue creating their art, the band did not hesitate to do it virtually in the meantime. Joshua Ibarra told us how quarantine affected the process by saying, “Sometimes you just have to make the best out of a really bad situation. So we took advantage of quarantine to practice and improve the instruments we play, and we were able to write a lot of material.” Since cases have gone down in New Jersey and places are opening up again, the boys are slowly getting back to their normal music ways. They are however taking precautions and taking care of each other.  In terms of inspirations, the boys each have their style and look up to many artists. Toby’s inspirations include Inner Wave and Queens of the Stone Age. Luke’s inspirations consist of Childish Gambino and Jimi Hendrix. He said, “He is versatile, creative, original, and unique in every aspect. He is a pioneer and is never afraid to step out of his comfort zone and try something new,” about Childish Gambino. Joaquim told us the impact of his favorite band stating, “I’m inspired by Nirvana. As corny as it seems, I wouldn’t be playing the guitar if it wasn’t for the Nevermind album. The Smiths, another great band. The guitar riffs and the vibes make them a great listen.” Lastly, Joshua told us that his biggest inspirations were 5 Seconds of Summer and Wallows. We also asked a few questions just to learn more about the idea behind their style. Toby told us that he would describe their music to be similar to indie pop-rock. When asked if Serendipity were to be categorized into a decade of music what would it be, he stated, “If I were to generalize the band into a decade it would probably be the early 2000s which was the rise of pop-punk music and set a course for a new indie wave of music.” For their far out future, the boys hope to, “drop great music and play out as much as possible. We want to gain fans and be known as well. But most of all we want to have fun,” according to Luke Rodriguez. In the meantime, Joshua told us, “...We really wanna put ourselves out there and we want as many people as possible to know about us. We’re going to be uploading a lot of content on our social media to get people to know us and what we’re about. We have lots of new stuff coming out in the fall that we can’t wait to share with the world.” Go follow them on Instagram @sserendipitybandd and check their recent cover of Remember When by Wallows out on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Cc6kVA7AfJM
Luke, Toby, Joshua, and Joaquim, we wish you luck, and we hope you continue to create your art!
By: Kiana Maria  “To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less.” - Andre Malraux -- Being a flight commander in a military program comes with responsibility and a lot of work. However, fifteen-year-old Alondra Rosas strives for the stars when it comes to her assignments. This amazing young woman from New Jersey is one who will dazzle the sky. She is dedicated to a program called Civil Air Patrol, CAP for short. During the pandemic, she has even worked with her family to make hundreds of masks. She is also a Steminist and loves woodworking. Alondra is also taking part in her school’s apprenticeship for manufacturing and design. Read more on our girl in uniform. Her sister was a part of the Civil Air Patrol and before Alondra could join, she would attend the weekly meetings at the age of ten. She was officially a part of it two years ago. Throughout the program, she told us she has, “...gone to encampment which is a military boot camp style week-long activity which takes place on the Air Force base in NJ. I’ve volunteered at air shows both on and off base to help out and ensure the safety of those attending. I have also attended the North East Regional Cadet Leadership School which aims to educate officers (higher-ranking cadets) in leadership, professionalism, courtesies, e.t.c. Lastly, since CAP is a part of the Air Force, we were called upon to assist in disaster relief for the COVID-19 pandemic. Although these missions included helping at food banks, helping at testing sites, and demobilizing the testing sites I was unfortunately too young to participate. Instead, I participated in the at-home mask sewing mission.” CAP is, “a civilian auxiliary of the Air Force that offers adolescents and adults the opportunity to learn skills in leadership, aerospace, and emergency services. We hold many of the Air Force’s core values and provide a military-based experience without actually enlisting in the military.” Alondra and many others have taken time out of their lives to give back to the community! CAP gave her a learning experience and motivated her. In this program, she is a Cadet Flight Commander of her squadron. When asked about being a commander she said, “I am entrusted with prospective cadets and the new cadets who join our squadron. I teach them specifics about the program, basic drill, the core values, and help them ease into the squadron. It’s a really fun thing to do because, in the process of the cadets learning about the program, I learn about the cadets as individuals to try and make their time in the program easier and more enjoyable.” She knows the difficulty and responsibility of the job and does what she can to make sure newcomers feel welcome. She told us about what she has learned from the program and stated, “Being a part of CAP is being a part of something bigger. Since this program is nationwide, I have met so many amazing people with the same love I have for this program. On top of that, the program has taught me discipline, how to manage my responsibilities, and create a routine. Lastly, CAP has given me a second family, outside of my day to day life. The memories and experiences I have created with my peers are ones I will always hold close to my heart, as cheesy as that sounds…” Not cheesy at all! It is so important to learn those lessons early in life because of the substantial difference they will make in adulthood.
She and her family have made over 500 masks for children and adults since the end of March. When asked about this experience she said, “From cutting the materials to marking the pleats to finally sewing the masks together, it can be a very time-consuming task. However, it is a very fulfilling mission to be a part of. Since the masks are made through CAP they are all donated to those in need such as essential workers and immunocompromised patients. When the pandemic hit hard in NJ I was thankfully one of the few who were not so severely impacted by all of the new restrictions or conditions in the state. So this mission was, to me, a way to give back and do my part to help during a pandemic. Even if it may just be a little thing, being able to help meant a great deal to my family and I. On the days where it was getting to be a bit too much I would just jokingly say to myself, ‘for the doctors, nurses, and all essential workers, just do your part.’ It did help to keep me motivated, especially when school work piled up on top. On top of that, I also had a very good line of communication with the commanding officer for the mission which made receiving the materials and handing off the completed masks 100x easier.” It’s amazing to see how much she’s accomplished. Alondra has made a huge impact on herself, and the world around her! When it comes to education and learning, Alondra pushes through with both eagerness and strength. This Summer she was accepted into her school’s Design and Fabrication Apprenticeship. When questioned about the apprenticeship, she said, “The D-FAB ExPand Pre-Apprenticeship program was a welcome surprise to me when it was first announced. I’m asked a lot what I want to do as a career, especially now as a rising junior. I know many people don’t mean any pressure behind that question but there is an underlying message that by this age we’re supposed to have our lives planned out...” She goes on to tell us that, “...upon being accepted into the D-FAB major at High Tech I grew to be interested in woodwork. It is a very hands-on job that intrigues me. There are so many things that you can do with wood, the possibilities are endless if you can conjure up some ideas. So after taking Wood Tech I freshman year, then Wood Tech II as a sophomore I chose Wood Tech as my major for my Junior year. I knew it would be fun and I was super excited. Then when I heard about the Pre-Apprenticeship program my interest seriously piqued. I read through the flyers attached to the emails and the information provided about the program and decided to apply. This program would help further my education in the manufacturing industry by partnering with companies such as Eastern Millworks. This program also seemed like a good way for me to still enjoy and do woodworking while also learning skills outside of the trade which could be transferred over to other jobs in the future. All in all, I thought of the ExPand program as an opportunity to find my career path and grow through the experiences while enrolled in it.” Alondra will do everything she can to do what she wants, and that is truly inspiring. Due to the pandemic, it has been postponed until the Fall. She has also begun taking Pre-Calculus virtually this Summer. Which means she will be among a few taking Calculus next year as a Junior. Being a young Latina woman, struggles and obstacles are sure to pass by. Despite that, Alondra pushes through each one with elegance and poise. Her advice for young Latinas trying to pursue a career in STEM would be, “The best piece of advice I can provide to anybody is to push yourself. If you cannot push yourself to do things that will help you in the long run or even short term, what good is it to have others push you? Even though the struggle and work you put in now may seem grueling, as you grow older you’ll be thankful for the work ethic that you have instilled in yourself. What you learn as an adolescent and how you deal with struggles now will help you with the struggles you may face going into the STEM field.” How wonderfully said! It’s that determination and tenacity in her advice that so many people need to hear.  Alondra Rosas is an amazing role model for young girls and boys everywhere. Whether it be taking extra math classes in the morning, or making masks, she is ready for anything! In the future, she wishes to be, either a lawyer or someone in the manufacturing industry, however, she still wants to figure out her paths. Alondra is what Gen Z is all about, helping out the community, and doing what they want to. We can’t wait to see where her path leads her! Written by: Kiana Maria  Madison Huff is sixteen years old and she resides in New Jersey. She is a singer and she is also a woman trying to pursue her dreams in the STEM Field. She has talent, perspective, and so much more. She gives back to her community, and she even helped conserve water at her old middle school. She has so many brilliant ideas, and with the perseverance and strength that she has, there is no stopping this sensation! Madison has been singing for many years. When asked how she got started she said, “I have a really musical family, and I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember! So I wouldn’t really say anything got me into singing, rather it’s just been a part of my life forever.” She has utilized social media as a way to get her talent out there. She has done numerous competitions and open mics as well. To listen to her, go check out @maddie.music_ on Instagram. She also performs with a group called Manasquan Music and Dance Academy. Their Instagram is @mmdacademy. The STEM Field is a predominantly male field, however, Madison is quite fond of it, and strives past the stereotypes. “My brother was interested in STEM, and we did a lot of cool projects in my middle school science class. Those two things combined made me interested in STEM as a whole. Once I looked into everything I was able to find the individual factors of it that I liked the best.”
Being the bright young woman that she is, she persisted. In the Summer of 2017, Madison was 1 of 60 girls in the Northeast area chosen to attend the AAUW’s annual all-girl Summer camp called Tech Trek. It took place at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ. At the camp, the girls learned very great skills that’d benefit them when they went after their career to be in the STEM field. She claimed that the best thing she learned from that experience was “Tech Trek really helped me learn what type of science I wanted to explore. I’ve always had a passion for the environment, but never really looked into what went into being an environmentalist in depth before Tech Trek introduced me to water conservation through the class, ‘Our Water.’ I will always be thankful that I attended Tech Trek because I gained a lot of valuable experience and knowledge.” To go check out more about Tech Trek visit: https://aauw-nj.aauw.net/
In her main class that the program offered, she was to make a water barrel to help conserve water. She could have done whatever she wanted with it, and what she did is truly inspiring. She said, “We created water barrels at this summer camp I went to called Tech Trek to learn about water conservation. We then were told that once we created it, we could do whatever we wanted with it. I thought it would be a good idea to donate it to my school’s garden so the community could use it, and in turn, more water would be recycled and conserved.” Her advice to young female readers who wish to follow in a STEM career is, “I think that young women should not be afraid to try new things and go for what you want. If you’re interested in STEM, but don’t know if you’ll fit in with the status quo, just go for it. Doing what you love and what you’re interested in will provide you with a happier life and a more prosperous future.” This singing sensation/science lover is someone to aspire to be. She will bring everything needed to the plate in such a male-dominated field. In her future, she aspires to be a sustainability scientist. She said, “When I get older, I would like to be a sustainability scientist. Sustainability science is a relatively new field that focuses on the interactions between humans, the environment, and engineering systems to help solve the world's climate and general environmental problems.” We need more steminists like Madison, and voices like hers are exactly what’ll change the world! Feature by: Kiana Maria Baking is an art that requires precision, creativity, and most importantly, skill. Jordyn Weathers, the founder and creator of The Mystic Whisk, has shown people that baking is not just a hobby. She can bake macarons, cakes, and so much more! This sixteen-year-old baking guru from New Jersey has turned her baking into a way to be an activist. This year she participated in the Bakers Against Racism Bake Sale which worked with the Innocence Project. Her success and her voice are continuing to show everyone that baking goes beyond the Easy-Bake Oven. Jordyn began baking two years ago in March. At her high school, she is a part of the Culinary Major, a group of students who want to pursue a career in cooking. She got involved with culinary arts at an early age: “My passion for culinary in general came from spending my childhood in the kitchen with my grandmother, but after some years I wanted to try something new. I hadn’t done much baking, but I remember watching a bunch of cake decorating videos online and [being[ so intrigued. I made my first cake in 2018, and my passion for baking blossomed from there!”
In late May of 2020, she debuted her baking to the world by making an Instagram account for her new business called The Mystic Whisk. She told us how she got the name: “When I decided to start a real business, I knew I wanted to have a unique name that was catchy enough for people to remember. I didn’t want it to be something like “Cakes by Jordyn” or “Treats by Jordyn” so I put my mind to work to think of a brand name that hasn’t been thought of before. After a lot of research, The Mystic Whisk came about and I thought it was the perfect fit.” It is truly a perfect fit for someone who is as sweet as her treats! Orders are available through her Instagram which is @themysticwhisk. Further talking about her business she said, “I started off making cakes and found that I actually enjoyed it a lot. Eventually, family friends would start asking me to bake for them, and I decided that I had the potential to start my own business.” Racism has been an issue for hundreds of years. Gen Z has shown an overflowing amount of support and help for the communities hurting most. Jordyn has definitely been a part of the millions of supporters in the end to racism. In June of this year, she worked with the Innocence Project and participated in The Bakers Against Racism Bake Sale. She described, “Bakers Against Racism is a global bake sale that supports the BLM movement. It was organized by three chefs to encourage bakers around the world to hold their own bake sales in which their proceeds are donated to organizations that support black lives. So far bakers across all five continents have raised a total amount of over $1.8 million, and that amount continues to grow every day. As part of the bake sale, I was able to raise $900 towards the Innocence Project!”  Between baking at school, to creating her own baking business, Jordyn is ready to whisk up anything that comes her way! In the future she wishes to bake “creme brûlée, ice cream cake, and macarons.” She shows young bakers and culinary artists just how rewarding her work is. She explains, “My favorite part of baking might be everything towards the end. I really enjoy decorating and working on the presentation of my desserts. I also love the feeling I get when I finally get to see the finished product or even when customers see how their order came out. That feeling of accomplishment is amazing and it’s what keeps motivated on my baking journey.” Be sure to check out The Mystic Whisk on Instagram. Feature by: Izayah Edwards Monna Wei is the co-founder, creative director, and public relations manager of Care to Cure. This fifteen year old, jack of all trades, is a current high school student at the University of Toronto. When Monna has free time, she enjoys drawing, dancing, and participating in artistic events.
Care to Cure focuses on raising funds for research on DIPG and educating the public on the condition. When asked what the mission was behind Care to Cure, Mona responded, “Our mission is to be able to give every DIPG patient a chance at life beyond the tumour, and to eradicate DIPG.” She then proceeded to go into further depth on the condition, “DIPG stands for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, and it is a pediatric neurological cancer occuring in the brain pons that spreads out in a butterfly form, therefore making it impossible to operate on. Due to its quickness of spreading, DIPG patients tend to only live up to two years, with a less than one percent chance survival rate within the first five years.”  Monna Wei plans on continuing Care to Cure and its mission for as long as she can. She wants to establish a stable budget that can give the organization a broader reach: “I will be eternally grateful if we have enough to make a visible difference in childrens' lives in the next few years.” As far as the future, Monna hopes that Care to Cure can become a chartered non-profit organization. This would help the organization secure sponsors. Monna also hopes that Care to Cure can reach the United States, as it has more cases of DIPG than Canada does. The Coronavirus pandemic has sadly put on hold a large event Care to Cure had organized for the month of May. However, Monna and her team are persevering amidst the uncertainty. Holding meetings frequently, Care to Cure is seeking ways to keep their audience engaged. Care to Cure is actively seeking collaborations with other organizations and sponsorships that can build their reach. When asked how others could help contribute to this organization, Monna responded with, “It is hard to ask for unconditional support during this time of the pandemic as it is fully others' rights to focus on donating toward pandemic-related causes, therefore we cannot directly ask for funding.” She follows up with, “However, I hope people can participate in our future online activities and raise awareness for us to shine more light on this issue. Shoutouts, engaging with us on our posts, or doing something we might ask for to support us or someone else would be very appreciated.” Written by: Kiana Maria Poetry is a lost art form. However, in recent years it has had a comeback. With poets like Rupi Kaur, Rudy Francisco, Sarah Kay, Phil Kaye, and so many more, poetry has brought itself back to life. One teenage poet who is adding a flame to the poetic fire is 15-year old Kyeila-Keziah. She is a poet and activist from New Jersey. She uses her voice to talk about subjects that not many people tend to talk about. She has used her gift as a way to talk about the misunderstanding and hurt that the black community feels. Within the 50 poems that Kyeila has written, she has certainly spoken her truth!  Pictured: Kyeila-Keziah Kyeila’s poetry is truly art - not necessarily like Pablo Picasso, but more like Pablo Neruda. When asked about how her love for poetry began, she shared with us that “growing up listening to old school hip hop and R&B gave me a real love for lyrics. When I was in seventh grade my English teacher gave us a project where we had to make original poems. He told me, ‘Wow, you really impressed me with your work. Have you considered writing for yourself?’ I never had until that day. Ever since that day, I fell in love with everything poetry related.” Within this period, she has written about 50 poems and has since performed at her high school’s annual poetry production called Word Up annually. She has written about her ups and downs of life from the perspective of a woman in this day and age who is a part of the black community.
Change does not start until there is a conversation. Gen Z has contributed more to the conversation of how the black community has received ignorance and injustice from police and the country they live in for hundreds of years and how it needs to stop. When asked about her favorite poem she has ever written, entitled “Talking Animals and All the Magic In the World,” she mentioned what it was about and how it contributed to that conversation. “[It] talks about being a young black female in today’s society. [...] We don’t talk about it a lot and I want to open up that conversation. I am proud of myself for being able to write it and get out a lot of the feelings that I have suppressed.” Being a black woman in this country holds its hardships, however, it is truly inspiring to see a Gen Z black female contribute to this world with an astounding voice and charisma.  Pictured: Kyeila-Keziah Even though Gen Z has shown support and its enthusiasm for fighting against racial prejudice, there are a few who choose to be silent. When asked what she would say to her friends of non-color who aren’t using their platforms, she stated, “Don’t be afraid. I know a lot of people feel as though they don’t have a place to be a part of these conversations but it's important that they do so. Strength comes in numbers and we need all the support that we can get. We are in a fight for this country’s integrity. All of this hatred, and ignorance needs to stop at the end of the day. Silence as it may speak, is sometimes not loud enough…” One poem of hers that displays frustration of the black community is the way people mispronounce foreign names. In a poem entitled, Do Not Pronounce My Name, Kyeila talks about how people have taken her name and mispronounced it throughout the years even though they were told the correct way. She explains, “It goes way deeper than names for me. Names are someone’s identity given to them by birth. It’s hard to see people walking around and not even try to just recall their story.” … “This name is something that someone holds for the rest of their lives, even if they change it. You can’t change the fact that someone looked at you at birth and said, ‘yeah, this is you.’ It is important to me that you learn someone’s story. When you learn it, at least try your best to understand it.” The way she sees names as a gateway for expression and identity is truly insightful.
Kyeila-Keziah is a poetic force to be reckoned with. She uses her voice as a bridge for others, and that is what we need more of in this world. Gen Z artists like her have shown so many people how strong the power of empathy can be. To walk in someone’s shoes is an art form that is so in tune with poetry. With her words and strength on how her poetic journey can teach and help others is something more people need to embody. In the future, Kyeila-Keziah would like to be a psychologist to work with veterans; however, she will never forget her poetic roots, and will continue to write in her future.
Ariana Pineda is a rising high school senior passionate about the intersection of STEM, medicine, and entrepreneurship. She is a fierce advocate of equity and bridging social divides by utilizing her personal skills and interests to make a difference.  Pictured: Ariana Pimeda and Font Femme Magazine's Logo Pineda started Font Femme Magazine to share opportunities and stories in STEM, entrepreneurship, and youth-led initiatives with underrepresented women who want to get further involved in STEM. She also hopes to foster a sense of community during a time where everyone is so isolated due to the pandemic. Font Femme Magazine is a space where all women can share their experiences, involvement, and voice regarding the STEM world. It serves as a platform for girls to go above and beyond in writing about and sharing their STEM-related passions with the world. Font Femme is a 501c(3) nonprofit with global readership as well as 60+ writers and over 12 staff members running the magazine. Currently, the organization is in the process of organizing a global all-girl innovation makeathon.  Image Credit: Font Femme on Instagram Growing Font Femme has taken a lot of time and hard work to expand the magazine’s social media presence and readership. By holding countless meetings with their management team, they ensure tasks are being completed on time and that all content is up to par with the magazine’s standards. Throughout this process, Ariana learned the importance of negotiation to successfully secure a multitude of partnerships, sponsorships, and connections with people who help contribute to the nonprofit’s mission. Ariana’s favorite part about Font Femme is the people she meets and works with, her amazing and driven writers, and the fact that it is an all-female opportunity. She explains, “Our magazine would not have been able to come this far without the help of the management team, and what really makes our magazine is the amazing content our writers post.” All young women are free to apply as a writer to introduce even more women to STEM and make a global impact. get involvedRegister for Font Femme's upcoming makeathon at https://www.fontfemme.com/makeathon.
 Roma Ankolekar’s grandmother tragically passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, motivating her to start the website Dementia Insight to spread awareness about dementia and provide resources for the families affected. It has over 200 readers monthly and has 38 blog articles published. On September 21, 2019, World Alzheimer’s Day, Dementia Insight hosted a seminar titled “Dementia Insight: Aging Well in the 21st Century” in Cupertino, California to educate community members about dementia and the resources available. The Vice-Mayor of Cupertino, President of the Cupertino Library Foundation, a neurologist, and a memory care facility owner presented at the event to 54 attendees.  Ankolekar’s favorite part about her organization is her interactions with followers on social media. She feels as if her purpose is renewed every time she receives a message that one of her blog posts positively impacted someone’s journey. “Dementia Insight was started to help individuals who have family members dealing with dementia, and it feels great to know that it is achieving its goal.” Dementia Insight grew through persistence: “It took months of creating weekly content, posting on social media, and sending out monthly bulletins to keep readers actively engaged.” Her advice to aspiring youth activists is to just get started! “Starting an organization may seem daunting at first but it gets easier as you begin building your platform. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to your fellow activists for advice!”
A rising senior at Monta Vista High School, Ankolekar is passionate about STEM and hopes to be a part of a research team that finds a cure for Alzheimer’s disease in the future. She is also actively involved in the Future Practicing Physicians Network, Neuroscience, California Scholarship Foundation, and TedX clubs at her high school. Learn more at dementiainsight.org  Image Credit: Anu Prasad of Bezzie While talking to her long-distance friend about how students are coping with social isolation during the COVID-19 shelter in place, Anu Prasad developed the idea for Bezzie. In quarantine, students get much less social interaction than they would going to school each day. Using video calls is a great way to keep in touch with friends and feel connected. This is where Bezzie comes in: Bezzie connects children with high school volunteers to create a student-mentor bond but also a strong friendship. Kids are able to develop the social and verbal skills that are crucial during their adolescent years as well as prevent feelings of isolation.  Pictured: Anu Prasad, founder of Bezzie Since its opening on May 11, Bezzie has received over 200 volunteer applications and is continuing to expand its team. The first few pairings have already been made, with sessions already going on. Volunteers come from countries all around the world like Malta and Germany. Through Bezzie, Prasad has had the opportunity to talk to and meet new people and learn about their lives and diverse cultures. By starting Bezzie, Prasad has also had the opportunity to dive into marketing. She began by simply sending texts to her friends and group chats. From there, word began to spread, and people sent volunteer applications to their other friends. Prasad discovered that the up-and-coming platform Tik Tok was the most effective for marketing. By a stroke of luck, one of their volunteers saw a video on Tik Tok that told viewers about online volunteer opportunities and commented about Bezzie. The organization then gained over 100 volunteers in a week. Bezzie has recently decided to start offering volunteer hours to those who made Tik Tok videos and let parents who might be interested know about Bezzie. Additionally, a volunteer of the month program has been implemented to award those who go the extra mile.
As daughters of educators and proud advocates of education themselves, life-long best friends Sarah Shapiro and Skye Loventhal saw the hardships parents and students were facing with the shift to online classes and created the Covid NineTEEN Project to provide resources and address worldwide educational inequality. Every day, their organization hosts free teen-led activities and one-on-one tutoring sessions in English, Math, Science and History in multiple languages. Over 300 elementary school students are currently enrolled with over 150 teen mentors leading sessions. The Covid NineTEEN Project has expanded internationally with students from Argentina, Bangladesh, South Africa, Colombia, Canada, and many more!  Image courtesy: Covid NineTEEN Project Shapiro and Loventhal’s favorite part about their organization is creating meaningful connections with students and inspiring them to reach their fullest potential. Even in a short time frame, they have been able to make a positive impact on hundreds of students’ lives. Speaking about her time working with one student, Shapiro said, “We have truly built a wonderful connection where I can serve as a mentor to her. All of the learning moments and laughs have made any difficulties in establishing this program worth it.” Social media was vital in growing the Covid NineTEEN Project and spreading its message. Many of the organization’s volunteers discovered the program through Instagram, and parents found information on the Covid NineTEEN Project through posts on Facebook groups. Additionally, the organization has reached out to individual schools, school districts, news channels, magazines, and more to share information about the Covid NineTEEN Project. Shapiro and Loventhal “encourage youth activists to feel empowered to create their own organizations and to not feel discouraged from doing so simply because of their age.” It is important that students surround themselves with a group of peers who can develop and bounce ideas off of each other and motivate them to keep working towards their goals. Outside of working on the Covid NineTEEN Project, Sarah Shapiro is an eleventh-grade student in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Granada Hills Charter High School, a nationally ranked speech and debate competitor, and the founding president of her school’s Girl Up Chapter. She aims to enact positive social change worldwide by using her voice to bring pertinent issues to the attention of the public. Co-founder Skye Loventhal is also a high school junior at Granada Hills Charter and part of the AP Capstone program. She is also the founding Vice President of her school’s Girl Up chapter, a softball coach, a kindergarten teaching assistant, and math tutor for underclassmen through her school’s Academic Mentor Program. Learn more about Sarah, Skye, & the Covid NineTEEN Project:
https://sites.google.com/view/covidnineteenproject The inherent invalidation of marginalized communities in society is often echoed in specific fields such as STEM, a fact that isn’t surprising given the far-reaching limitations that have been placed upon minority groups. However, if you look deep enough, you’ll find organizations that are actively trying to change such blatantly discriminatory standards, such as Superposition. What’s Superposition, you may ask? Well, keep reading to find out all about it! Stephanie Su, a high school junior from the Bay Area, had been interested in STEM ever since her grandmother taught her basic math concepts in Kindergarten. She, like many others, felt an indomitable thrill from the problem-solving process which drove her to explore and learn more. However, as she became more intertwined with Science, she couldn’t help but notice that regardless of the type of STEM classes she was in, be it math or physics, she was always part of the gender minority. Once, when walking into a competitive math class, her teacher announced, “Look, we have our first girl in the class!”  Image credit: Stephanie Su Stephanie, at first, chose to laugh off the skewed gender ratio in her STEM lessons; however, she eventually realized that many other girls were having the same experiences as her, perhaps even being discouraged by the lack of representation. “The feeling does make sense—when you don’t see any face that looks like yours, it’s easy to feel alienated,” she said. One day, Stephanie saw an unassuming advertisement for an all-women and non-binary hackathon called Superposition II. At first, it seemed like a fun opportunity; however, she didn’t think much of it. Alas, the experience ended up being like no other! Spending 24 hours in San Francisco with free food and a chance to meet other girls interested in code was extremely inspiring, and Stephanie knew that she wanted to help bring such empowering experiences to as many discouraged students as possible. Several months later, Stephanie was extended a position on the Superposition III Operations team. Eventually, she was promoted to Lead Director. Throughout the past 4 years, Superposition has organized the Bay Area’s largest all-women and non-binary hackathon at companies such as VSCO and Uber. In February 2020, they hosted 220 attendees at the Uber headquarters in San Francisco, establishing Superposition as one of the Bay Area’s largest student-run hackathons, even among co-educational groups. “With 35% of our attendees having never programmed before, and 77% attending their first hackathon, we were able to bring so many girls into the world of technology,” says Stephanie. One attendee even reported feeling “reluctant to pursue computer science because of male dominance,” but changed her mind after “seeing such a diverse community and being able to connect with girls pursuing technology.”  Image credit: Stephanie Su  Pictured: Stephanie Su During the COVID-19 pandemic, Superposition is working to continue creating educational opportunities for the community through its virtual workshops and panel series. Just 3 weeks into their virtual series’, they’ve had a total of 520 students in 9 countries and 20+ US states participate. Most recently, Stephanie held a review session for AP Computer Science and had one attendee tell her that "words could not describe how grateful [she was]." Stephanie realized that being able to help even a single individual makes the process incredibly worthwhile. Of the hundreds of hackathons around the world, Superposition is among the few dedicated to underrepresented gender minorities in technology. Their mission is to empower young women and non-binary students in technology by providing a supportive environment in which students can explore their passions. Though they offer prizes for outstanding work, their purpose is to recognize the attendees for their hard work, rather than to foster a competitive environment. Superposition’s first and foremost priority is maintaining the attendee experience. “Often, Superposition is an attendee's first hackathon, and we want to create an empowering community so that every individual who attends our hackathon leaves feeling confident and important,” says Stephanie. Superposition’s amazing attendee experience is a factor that attracts students from across the country, year after year. One attendee from New York said, "My most important takeaway from Superposition IV was that there are many others out there, even miles away, that are willing to support me and I do not have to get through the tech industry alone or without support from my peers, mentors, or even professionals at companies. I see that there are so many creative women that are not only in the same place as me but that have come before me and have done tremendous things and I see myself being a similar mentor for the next generation." Superposition is currently expanding beyond an annual hackathon to provide year-round events for the community in the form of hackathons, workshops, panels, and other opportunities. Stephanie was motivated to take the next step forward with Superposition because she realized that all of her many months of hard work and lost sleep were solely contributing to a measly 24 hours, and even after the hackathon itself, there would be so much work left to do to bridge the gender gap in tech. Back in December, she'd thought to herself, Female empowerment doesn't stop after 24 hours, and neither should Superposition. “It's been incredible to see how great of an impact our initiative, which started off in the Bay Area, could make, and I plan on continuing to bring empowering experiences to more girls,” Stephanie says. Stephanie and her team are hoping to release their team applications soon to get more female changemakers on board as well. “There's a lot of exciting opportunities coming up that we can't wait to share with the community!” she says. Keep your eyes peeled for more news from this inspirational group!  As a young girl, Haerin So never truly felt encouraged to explore her career options and felt her dreams and lofty goals would be unachievable. However, as she began hearing stories of women overcoming adversity in the workplace, she felt empowered to turn her aspirations into a reality. In 2018, So started SHEDIDTHAT! to share the experiences of professional career women with young females of the future. She hopes to empower and inspire other girls through the same experience she had when first listening to the stories of incredibly impactful women like Oprah Winfrey and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In the future, SHEDIDTHAT! hopes to publish a Medium publication and host conferences and webinar panels. So hopes that SHEDIDTHAT! will become widely known and referenced by thousands of girls for inspiration. Ultimately, she wants SHEDIDTHAT! to create a ripple effect, where girls empowered by stories on the SHEDIDTHAT! website to begin to inspire others with their own journeys. They are currently planning online events for girls to get and stay connected and will hopefully introduce those this summer! THE POWER OF ART: Serena Ding is a current junior at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Arts and Performing Arts, a specialized dual mission school in New York known for its prestigious arts education. Before high school, Serena always saw music and the arts merely as hobbies but nothing more. She was more focused on pursuing STEM and business-related activities and did not think she had much use for music or the arts besides school or a means of relaxation. Inspired by the documentary “Alive Inside,” which depicted elderly dementia patients “coming alive” to music from their childhood, Serena started volunteering for a local nursing home in her community.  The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact on humanity, specifically in schools and the workforce. The vast majority of the world’s students have transitioned to remote learning, isolated at home from their peers and teachers, and about sixty-six percent of all of the employees in the United States alone have been laid off. Sheltering in place has driven many people stir-crazy, as they are confined to their homes and only able to travel to places that are essential like grocery stores. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health, but luckily, The All For One Project has made it their mission to boost society’s morale.
Meet Justin Witt: Improving Literacy Rates and a Quality Education for Low-Income Students5/18/2020 Student Activist Takes Action Against COVID-19 Pandemic by Launching Online Volunteer Platform5/18/2020 Driven by his own experiences living with an autoimmune deficiency, activist Jonah Liss launched a volunteer platform called Mediumize, centered around assisting high-risk individuals and COVID-19 carriers. The platform connects with individuals in need and recruits volunteers to run essential errands such as picking up groceries and medicine for them.
Our feature format for Gaby was a little different than our usual format. Since her feature is about an event she organized, we kept it in the interview-like format- as this feature is different than the rest of ours.
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