Photography by Joana Meurkens, Interview by Carolina Meurkens In this installation of “Hair Stories”, we interviewed New York native and curly hair dreamboat Ian Deane. Ian (they/he) is a triple threat actor studying Musical Theater at Texas State University. His artistry seeks to highlight stories that speak to social change and challenge audiences. When he’s…
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Photo by @annaparade Imagine this, you’re in an escape room and you’ve used all of your options before realizing there’s no way out—that is what it feels like to be in a constant battle with your mind. This pandemic has taken such a toll on my already struggling mental health, and I have decided to…
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I was taking a walk in Ridgewood capturing pictures of flowers and sending them to one of my close friend. We do this often, our texts are full of things we saw and wanted to share: selfies of us with a terrible sunburn, a snack we enjoyed, a weird-shaped cloud, or a cute new outfit.…
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It is uncomfortable.. Damn. It is so f*cking uncomfortable. I’m not even gonna lie to you. I hate it sometimes. Being “in the closet” at home means listening to “harmless” queer jokes (that sometimes are kinda funny) but that I can’t even laugh at. You know how if someone makes fun of your best friend…
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It is known that pain trickles down through generations, that the life we call our own is intertwined with the lives that came before us. The roads that our ancestors walked paved our current paths. I believe that strength trickles down through generations as well. Their prayers and dreams are within me. It is as…
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Interviewed by Kimber Monroe. Photography by Joana Meurkens I’m so excited to be back for Hair Stories. In this column, we speak with a lot of people about their journeys toward acceptance and love when it comes down to hair. It’s not easy to exist in our society if you don’t fit into the Eurocentric…
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“Cancel Culture” habits die hard. Every outraged response, every spiteful comment liked, every video made in response to a cancellation affects our mental health. Cancel Culture is more than holding individuals accountable. It directly interferes with our mental health due to our response. Constantly being saturated with petty commentary towards a cancellation can make us…
Read MoreOne “funny” cliché about Arab people, which is often used in comedy sketches, is how Arab kids can’t be anything aside from a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer. As funny as this cliché might sound, it is actually the tree that hides the forest. This forest is a culture that has been transmitted from…
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April of 2021 was an immense month for me. Overall, this entire year has been monumental, but April definitely had a lot going on. Between podcasts, performances, and my birthday, I also released my first book Corazón De Seda in April. And though busy feels like an understatement at this point, the sleepless nights have felt…
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Photography by Joana Meurkens. Forward and Interview by Kimber Monroe It has been an honor taking over Hair Stories this month for my best friend and fellow colleague Carolina Meurkens. When I thought about who to feature, I thought of close friends of mine who’ve discussed and shared their hair journeys with me, who I…
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