When one usually thinks of the rock scene in LA, bands like Guns N’ Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mötley Crüe, etc., mid 80s, glam rock, metal, and “Sex, Drugs, and Rock N’ Roll”, famously coined by British musician Ian Dury, come to mind. The impact of these words could be felt far across the ocean, and would eventually become a lifestyle rockstars would live by, and were revered for. It built a larger than life image that would come to define an era of music and culture.

The modern depiction of rock fails to conjure any real notable tropes. Good or bad, no matter how the genre shifts, individual bands are now dissected on a case by case basis, devoid of stereotypes. Trope is an alternative progressive/rock band located in Los Angeles. Formed in 2016, lead singer Diana Studenberg’s vocals help create their dark aura and introspective angst. Tropes debut album, Eleutheromania, expands on the ideas on truth, human behavior, and our ability to navigate through life challenges with faith in mankind. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Trope.

Staying Sheek In 2020 - 12 Sustainable Face Masks That Are A Breath Of Fresh Air

Fashion is in a weird place these days, with people leaving their homes less than ever, and many designers still in flux, but there is one way we can still make a huge fashion statement, and do a bit of good with it: a mask!

Soo many amazing brands are coming out with super cute masks these days that it is actually hard to decide which to go with! So, we tried to make your job a little easier. We found 12 great designers who are producing not only fashionable masks, but they are sustainable/give back in some away.

As always, it is important that we look amazing while we save the world. Remember, not all superheroes wear capes, but they do all wear masks!

Ainsley Ross Advocates In Support Of Music Theory For The Blind

Ainsley Ross has proven to be a an absolute treat of a human being, thanks, in part, to her extensive resume and talent. Actress, model, martial artist, singer, writer, and more, the Texas native began her career in entertainment at an early age. She began writing music and acting in a community theater when she was only nine, and had written over 80 songs by 14. Combining her love for martial arts (Taekwondo) and performing, Ainsley has honed her skill to compliment her stunt work. Her work in the entertainment industry also includes her role as a composer for “The Reins Maker” soundtrack. In her spare time, Ainsley is a mentor and public speaker, and volunteers at the Academy of Music for the Blind, teaching music theory. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Ainsley Ross.

The Ultimate Guide to Your Best Diet - Part 8: What’s Your Flavor? Discover the Dietary Theory for Your Best Health

Jejune is excited to put out The Ultimate Guide to Your Best Diet in eight “digested” parts. This is Part 8: What’s Your Flavor? Discover the Dietary Theory for Your Best Health.

Rufescent Lips Is The Perfect Shade Of Red

Born under the desire to find the perfect red lip color for black women, Kristin McIntyre created the vegan and cruelty free beauty brand (or according to her “beauty band”) Rufescent Lips. Rufescent — tinged with red, focuses on one thing, rich red lips, and Kristin’s goal is for these lips to empower other black women to feel beautiful while bringing the revolution. To learn more about Kristin McIntyre and Rufescent Lips, please read our exclusive interview here.

Bernard Hiller - Your Life Is A Work Of Art

One may think that most actors are born perfect for the stage, but it takes years of training and the right teams behind them. Bernard Hill, life coach and acting teacher, is just one of the many people who can make a career. He has worked with stars such as Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Al Pacino. When he is not teaching the next star, he is focuses on giving back, especially fighting against climate change. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Bernard Hiller, as he helps us to stay creative during unusual times.

Francois Klark Bring ASL To His Music

As a well decorated artist, Francois Klark has won a number of awards, including the Oscar Peterson Award, Standard Bank Award for best original composition, and Most Promising Performing Solo Artist. His latest song, ‘Always’, recently got picked up by Resonate Entertainment to appear in their Netflix dance film, ‘Feel The Beat’, where the company, which has a deaf member, played by deaf actress Shaylee Mansfield, beautifully brings American Sign Language (ASL) into the choreography. This, along with Shaylee Mansfield’s instagram movement, #InstaCaptioning, inspired Francois to include an American Sign Language interpretation of the song, in addition to choreography that is influenced by the restraints of COVID-19, for his music video ‘Always’. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Francois Klark.

Art, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 21, 2020music, musician, singer, singer song writer, #singer, ASL, deaf, deaf cultureComment

EDITORIAL - The New Norm?

Social distancing — the act of keeping space (six feet) between yourself and other people, and limiting trips to places where you might interact with other people.

Humans all over the world are trying to find creative ways to be close while being apart. Never have we, as a planet, ever been so easily in communication, yet not allowed to connect in a physical way. Even as an introvert, I feel the strain of going months without seeing my family and friends. However, unlike during the 1918 pandemic, we do have the luxury of the internet and video calls. I am still able to workout, have group hangouts, play charades with my mother, and even do photo shoots. We may feel there is a lot to be concerned about, but there is even more to be grateful for.

Editorials, zIssue 24Kira BuccaJuly 20, 2020social distancing, covid-19, fashion, summer fashion, model, female model, Asian, female fashion, stay home, cats, animalsComment

Montana L. Jacobowitz Proves You Can Do It All

At 18 years old, Montana is an accomplished actress, musician, and writer. As a musician, she is a multi-instrumentalist, skilled in the electric and acoustic guitar, ukulele, piano, alto saxophone, etc. At the mere age of seven years old, Montana created her first play, in honor of her brother, Arizona, who is autistic. Her call to advocacy runs deeper than familial ties. She can be seen working hard to assist children and adults with special needs via the Special Olympics, 401 A League Of Our Own, and Power Of You Teens, an organization that helps young women in New York City plan their future through mentorship. Montana and her brothers even created an organization, Children’s Voice, which gives kids a platform to speak out about issues that affect them. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Montana Jascobowitz.

How to Stay Fit And Healthy During COVID-19 - By Krista Stryker

With gyms continuing to be closed in many places around the world due to COVID-19, more people than ever are trying to figure out how to work out using their own bodyweight or the few pieces of workout equipment they have at home. Here are some tips!

Wellness, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 15, 2020health care, health, healthy, #health, #healthy, Wellness, #wellness, wellness, covid-19, stay home, stay strong, fitnessComment

Kenny Sway: To Protest & Unify Through R&B

Music has a strange way of conveying emotions. Our memories, conversations, relationships with people, and their personalities, can be permanently etched into hearts, even if just fleeting. Kenny Sway has an innate ability to evoke these feeling, whether it be joyful, sorrowful, or contemplative. As a student of musical greats, he grew up listening to the likes of R&B and soul legends like Whitney Houston, and Marvin Gaye.

Now Kenny has adopted his own style and approach to music and performance. He was known as a street performer, sharing his grassroots performances directly with audiences. So, it was no shock when he took his voice to the Washington D.C. police brutality protests and inspired the crowd to sing along with him as he sang the Bill Withers classic, "Lean On Me". Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Kenny Sway.

Bear Walker: The Skateboard Craftsman

The skateboarding subculture has long thrived on it rebellious inclinations. Quite like graffiti and punk rock subcultures, skateboarding held an anti-establishment sensibility derived from pure instinct. In the late 80s - 90s, when the popularity of vert skating was on the decline, many skaters turned to street skating as a means of accessibility to complex spots. However, in recent times the modern perception of skateboarding has changed drastically. Skateboard decks are now seen as genuine art pieces and even designed by revered artists, designer fashion houses, and collected in mass with brands like Supreme at the forefront of the revolution. Some skateboard artists are even taking their art and using it for good.

Bear Walker creates custom boards by incorporating intricate carving techniques, encompassing aspects of art and functionality. For every board sold, the Bear Walker brand plants two trees. In addition, they’ve also partnered with Shazam’s Zachary Levi to help create a limited edition run of skateboards that were auctioned off with all proceeds going to Covenant House. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Bear Walker and his beautiful boards.

Art, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 13, 2020sports, #sports, #positivity, Art, artisans, art, artist, environment, eco friendly, climate change, Eco-Friendly, #eco-friendlyComment

Denell Nawrocki: Holistic Healing & HPV

While modern medicine presents qualities both miraculous and restrained in nature, there is more that can be done. Preventative and holistic medicine often takes a backseat in our heavy science and drug based culture. It often feels like why heal or prevent, when we can make more money by treating. Denell Barbara Nawrocki, MA, a guide, speaker, and specializing in Women's wellness and Earth-based health, is on the side of using natural and preventative measures and, it seems, she is on the right path! After having a run in with HPV, she learned how important self care and natural methods could be in helping her regain her health. She received her MA in Integrative Health Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), and a BA in History from UC Davis. Denell has done extensive study in the fields of health, healing, personal transformation, indigenous wisdom, plant medicine and history, which can be seen in her latest book “Informed, Aware, Empowered: A Self-Guided Journey to Clear Paps”. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Denell Nawrocki, and her journey with HPV.

Treasure's "Suffocation & Air" EP Is A Re-Calibration Of The Ego

Music is well known to have a significant beneficial impact on mental health — both for creator and listener. The therapeutic aspects of composition and soothing harmonies are thought to engage a variety of brain areas involved in emotion, motivation, cognition, and motor functions. Musical interventions have been used to increase socialization and cognitive, emotional, and neuromotor functioning. North London musician, Treasure, utilizes his passion to explore the therapeutic and creative components melody. Coincidentally, he works for a mental health hospital, which is a valiant testimony to his authenticity and intrigue in psychology and mental health.

The nine track EP “Suffocation & Air” is a revelation to emotions held close — it’s an entry into the psyche, the trauma, and ego. It chronicles his journey to coexist with his demons. The release skirts on modern genres of R&B, pop, with a blend of funky synthscapes. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Treasure.

Savannah Maddison: How Country Encourages Our Country's Finest

Florida-born, Nashville based singer-songwriter, author, and philanthropist Savannah Maddison takes on Country through the lens of the modern adolescent. The 19 year old country artists explores themes of love and relationships centered in contemporary youth experiences.

Savannah's prowess includes her writing endeavors, one of which is her book entitled “Sincerely: YOU, Letter Writing to Change the World,” which tells the story of her organization’s roots and encourages youth to start their own movements and service projects. Additionally, Savannah founded “Savannah’s Soldiers", an organization that sent over 350,000 letters of encouragement to soldiers deployed globally from students across the country. Please read our exclusive interview to learn more about Savannah.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 24Jejune ContributorJuly 7, 2020music, musician, #singer, singer, empowering girls, female power, #positivity, kids, USAComment

The Unheard

Dr. King called riots the language of the unheard. That "unheard" is too passive a description. This element of society isn't unheard, it's forcibly silenced and held in place with a knee on its neck. The murder of George Floyd resonated so deeply because it wasn't like so many of the swift, brutal incidents we've grown so shockingly accustomed to. There was no sudden spray of bullets into unarmed black bodies. This was a slow, merciless, brutal suffocation. A killing horrifying not because it illustrated indifference, but rather the enjoyment taken in slowly snuffing out a life.

Video Games, Not Just A Man's World, Meet Bad A** Avori Henderson!

It is often thought that women are a minority within the video game industry — both as consumers and game developers. In 2019, 71 percent of responding game developers were men, while 24 percent were women. However, with self declared gamers, the stats differ drastically at almost equal percentages - 54% Male to 46% Female.

Gamer, model, designer, and streamer, Avori Henderson is one of the many women gaining traction in professional gaming. Avori is best known as s PUBG streamer and professional gamer. She gained notoriety as she began her streaming career on Twitch. Eventually, this led her to run the first ever all Female PUBG Tournament that was professionally broadcasted — a natural cascading of events due to her passion for female inclusion of gaming. Now, Avori streams on Facebook Gaming Live, to her 282,000+ followers. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Alvori Henderson.

Saying Goodbye During COVID

As I am writing this, the United States has already lost over 124K people to COVID-19, and our numbers are only increasing. The likelihood that you will know someone who passes from COVID 19 is high, but what happens after that, during a pandemic, while socially distancing? Read further to learn about how funerals are far from normal during COVID.

Articles, zIssue 24Kira BuccaJuly 1, 2020covid-19, loss, coronavirus, goodbye, funeral, Shelter-in-place, stay home, stay strong, family, community, JewishComment

Aneesa Sheikh: The Miracles of Music

Aneesa Sheikh’s fateful encounter with music began by chance. At eight years old, Aneesa fell in love with her sister skating to Santana’s, “Black Magic Woman.” From then on, Aneesa began taking lessons on a classical 3⁄4 sized guitar and joined the youth choir. At the age of fourteen, she began to write songs on her grandfather’s twelve-string guitar. Soon after writing her first three songs, she was invited to perform on the “Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour” in Lexington, KY. Aneesa’s love for music doesn’t stop there. She founded the non-profit organization, “Music4M.I.R.A.C.L.E.”, which aims to spread music therapy. Her non-profit venture ensued as a result of her fathers declining health — a testament to her sharp and compassionate nature. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Aneesa Sheikh.

Cover - New York City Has Hope

New York City has been in lockdown for 106 days. Yes, things are slowly starting to open up, but most of us are still being as careful as possible as COVID rages through the rest of our country. This editorial was shot during the peak of the New York City shelter in place order. Like many business, fashion was hit very hard. As designers were forced to close shops, they were still able to make masks, leaving masks the only new fashion available.