Sophie Reynolds was forever impacted by her best friend, Cameron Boyce. Losing a best friend at a young age is devastating, but Sophie and Cameron’s family and friends choose to remember Cameron’s legacy in a beautiful way through the Cameron Boyce Foundation. Cameron was a light in people’s lives and a passionate activist, ergo, his foundation was created to continue the positive energy he put out into the world. After all, a legacy is not what you do for yourself, but what you do for others. Sophie joins alongside the Cameron Boyce Foundation to find ways to eliminate Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), raise funds for epilepsy research, fighting gun violence, and so much more. In our interview with Sophie, we catch up on her acting career, life on set, and how she is giving back with the Cameron Boyce Foundation. Please read our exclusive interview with Sophie Reynolds below!

LOCI- The Vegan Footwear Brand Built on Positivity

I don’t know about you, but as sustainable clothing continues to gain traction, I need some environmentally conscious kicks to stay on trend! Climate change has proven to be a global calamity. No doubt about that. The planet continues to suffer from the consequences of depleting natural resources. Since that is the case, why not splurge on quality —and may I add snazzy— 100% premium vegan sneakers? Enter LOCI: The sustainable footwear brand perfect for any lifestyle. LOCI’s methods of embodying their mission of eco-friendly sneakers is nothing short of innovative. LOCI prides themselves on being a vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainable shoe brand. They keep you stylish and sustainable by creating their products with various type of non-animal leathers and recycled materials. Jejune spoke with Emmanuel Eribo, the co-founder of LOCI, and touched on LOCI’s mission, future ventures, and their partnership with Nikki Reed. To learn more about LOCI and their contribution to the world of sustainability, please read our exclusive interview below.

EDITORIAL: Lexy Panterra - Baddie Good

Lexy Panterra dances through life and never says sorry. The singer, rapper, and dancer uses her platform to empower women and girls to be their best, authentic selves. From “TwerkOut” - her online twerking classes to her latest album Baddie Vibez, Panterra leads with an image of confidence, strength, and femininity, encouraging her fans to unapologetically practice self-love. Jejune had the pleasure to get to know more about Lexy Panterra, we got to talk about her music, venturing into rapping, her passion for dancing, and what makes her feel good. To learn more about Panterra, continue reading below.

COVER: Adam Waheed - The King Of Comedy

If you don’t mind, I would like to tell you a little bit about Adam Waheed. This handsome Egyptian from New York City is a lot more than a pretty face. In fact, his good looks are almost an after thought in his comedy. He is known for playing innocent and playful roles where he is typically the ridiculous guy who leaves his ladies, friends, co-workers, or doctors completely flabbergasted. The shocking story behind Adam, and his massive social media following, is that he is a self-made man. He started out as wanting to be an actor, but there were just not enough roles for someone who looks like him. So, he took things into his own hands and started an empire of social media comedy. Cute, short skits that resemble videos one would see on sites like Funny or Die and CollegeHumor, with one small exception — Adam always casts a very diverse group of talent in all his videos. While the rest of the world is waking up to this, this is just natural for all of Adam’s skits. Adam’s skills don’t stop there. He has recently branched out to producing and acting in short films, like Tribes, and opening schools across the world for underprivileged kids. Adam certainly does it all. To learn more, please click here!

Re-exploring Photography From The Queer Lens

Art is most enjoyable when it represents us, much like our favorite clothes to wear. There are many labels in society that assign gender to people according to their appearances, especially with how they choose to dress, and the same can be said for art. Binary gender is pervasive in the art industry, and often times queer artists have been systematically excluded. It needs to be changed. And we will change it. There are artists that are challenging the industry standard through their art. Queer, non-binary, Latinx, fashion photographer Daniel Roa is one of them. They created a fashion photographic series on 120mm film where they photographed queer people who were assigned male at birth as representations of themselves so that we can see what Non-binary representation outside of the cis gaze looks like. The concept is embracing the fluidity of one’s gender and it allows us to see non-binary people as they see themselves because Non-binary identity has no single appearance and representation. Thus, at the end of the day, we realize that we can look the way we are and we can be represented as we want through a queer lens. We talked to Daniel Roa about queer photography series, fashion and the definition of being non-binary. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Daniel Roa.

Kazy Tauginas - Raising Awareness for Lupus in Film

Kazy Tauginas is an actor and an athlete. You may recognize him from his work in John Wick, Dolomite is My Name, The Broken Tower, and most recently, as Ari in the box office smash The Equalizer 2, starring Denzel Washington. Kazy has a passion for bringing awareness to Lupus in film, a cause close to his heart. After writing several short films (and starring in over 20 of them), Tauginas drew inspiration from his mother who’d been diagnosed with Lupus and his own boxing experience, and decided to write “Standing Eight,” a short about a boxer who is forced to retire and contend with life outside of the ring after being diagnosed with systemic lupus. During the spring of 2015 he oversaw two successful Kickstarter campaigns to fully fund the film. Since its completion, “Standing Eight” has won ten festival awards including Trinity International Film Festival’s Best Short Film, and is currently nominated for another four. Tauginas advocacy for the disease is driven by passion and rooted in art and we are excited to share his interview with you. for more on Kazy Tauginas, please read out exclusive interview below.

Art, zIssue 31, Most PopularForrest JohnsonApril 2, 2021advocacy, lupus, awareness, representation, film, short film, actor, director, disease, athlete, boxing, actionComment

COVER - Victoria Konefal Dreams Of A Green Future

Victoria Konefal brings passion to this world by dreaming of a green future. You may know Victoria from her work on Day of our Lives, where she plays the fierce and independent Ciara Brady, and Victoria’s legacy is continuing to grow off-screen with her tremendous conservation efforts with organizations like Heal the Bay and Thirst Project. Conservation has taken a backseat during the turmoil of the pandemic and it is people like Victoria who are helping to put the spotlight back onto what we can do in our everyday lives to make a real contribution to conservation. In honor of Women’s History Month, we were very excited to talk to Victoria about the impact of a woman’s voice — we discuss her experience in Hollywood as an actress, working with women directors, and being an advocate for a better and brighter future. For more on Victoria Konefal, please read our exclusive editorial interview below.

EDITORIAL - Jarry Lee Is A Voice In The Silence

Jarry is a NYC-based model/actress, musician, and influencer who did something courageously out of the ordinary — she came out as bisexual on the hit Netflix show, Dating Around. With a social media following rising at astronomical rates, Jarry never chooses silence. Jarry is a bold voice with an extra aesthetic, and she is committed to lending her voice to strengthen the visibility of the LGBTQ+ and Asian community. In our interview with Jarry, we talk about her life in NYC during the pandemic, her coming out moment, and the current wave of violence against Asian Americans. You don’t want to miss this moment with Jarry! Please read our full and exclusive editorial and interview below.

COVER - The Wellness Of Sustainability

In just a month it already feels like a new world. We have a president who wears a mask, recognizes science, and very importantly is making steps in the right direction for our environment. In a lot of ways, I feel that the pandemic has awaken us to what is truly important to us — our loved ones, our health, and our future. While we are navigating this current situation, it is very important to not forget about the other issues on hand. Climate change is hot on our heels! I mean, Texas is frozen over, while ice caps are melting.

We talk about sustainable improvements to our lives, but one of my favorite is fashion. Fashion is notorious for being very wasteful, but it doesn’t have to be! There is an ever increasing array of designers who are eco-friendly and amazing! But while I feel people are starting to notice this, we are not talking as much about one part of fashion that can also be sustainable and vegan, shoes! So, I thought, what would be a better way to show off some amazing sustainable shoe brands than on a contortionist! Side note: Victoria Gibbs doesn’t think she is a contortionist, but if she isn’t she is certainly up there for me. If you can put your feet over your head and put them on the ground, then I’m convinced you are a contortionist!

On addition to showing off amazing shoes in a cool way, Victoria talks with us about health, wellness, being very bendy, and her work with Lupus. To learn more about Victoria, please read our exclusive interview below.

Editorial - Ava Cantrell - Brains ~ Heart ~ Beauty

Brains, heart, beauty… Ava Cantrell is a triple threat. The nineteen-year-old actress has grown up on the sets of Hollywood (you may recognize her from The Haunted Hathaways or Young Sheldon) and now she is a young entrepreneur! Ava’s new company ZOOMe is all about protecting your eyes during screen time. Blue light has become the ambiance of our everyday lives. From work screens to scrolling on Instagram, the slight glare of blue light has situated itself as a constant. When Ava realized the constant strain, she set out to make her own line of blue lens glasses with her family. Her brand ZOOMe offers lenses that give much-needed protection to our eyes so we can keep scrolling safely and stylishly. Ava brings her heart to her business and also to several charity initiatives —even during quarantine! Please continue reading for our exclusive editorial with Ava Cantrell.

EDITORIAL - Keith L. Williams Is Out Of This World

Jejune loves to interview the next generation and hear how they are deciphering the current social and political situation, as well as the health crisis. There’s plenty of flack given to Millenials (who are coming on 40 years old on the older end of the generation’s spectrum) and Gen-Z gets a bad wrap for being a technology-dependent generation; however, these groups of individuals are movers and shakers who are not afraid to share their opinions. Gen-Z’s coming of age story is occurring during a pandemic and that’s nothing to shy away from. We were delighted to interview Keith L. Williams and learn more about how he sees his generation making an impact and envisioning a better future, particularly in light of COVID-19 and continuing to seek out philanthropic opportunities. To us, Keith is out of this world for more reasons than one. The 13-year-old actor stars in Nickelodeon’s The Astronauts as the lovable big-brother character, Martin Taylor, and has worked on titles such as The Last Man On Earth and Good Boys. Keith has big dreams of continuing to shoot for the stars in Hollywood while remaining grounded through supporting causes close to his heart, demonstrated by his work with Palace of A.U.T.I.S.M. Please continue reading for our exclusive editorial with Keith L. Williams.

Lexia Hayden: Gen Z Brings Hope For The Future

Gen-Z is growing up during challenging circumstances. This year the Covid pandemic has taken so much from their lives but still, they are up for the challenge and will reshape the world. Lexia Hayden —who is a stylish model, influencer, actress, and competitive tennis player— is the evidence of gen-z’s tenacity. She started her influencer career at the age of ten when she didn’t know anything about social media. Right now, she creates content on her passions for style, health, and fitness with her strong 230k Instagram followers. Aware of the issues that affect kids her age, she became a volunteer for Candlelighters New York City which has been helping kids fighting cancer and their families. We talked to Lexia Hayden about her career, style, voluntary projects. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Lexia Hayden.

COVER - Marcy Richardson, The Show Must Go On

What is your favorite part of New York City? If you live here, why did you move here or why did you decide to stay? If you just love to visit, why is that? I think almost every single person who loves NYC loves it, at least partly, for the arts. I moved here 10.5 years ago, 100% for the arts. I then fell in love with the grit and the people. My people, artists who make magic happen. These are the people who are being ignored. These people are hard-working and living off their art, now they are not allowed to work at all, and they are given no alternatives. This pandemic has taught us many things about our society, and one of the loudest messages is that “the arts do not matter.” But I ask you this: How will we look back on this pandemic in history? It will be through the photography, the songs, the murals, the books, and who knows what else amazing ideas and creations come from this lockdown. We won’t be all sitting around watching videos of Trump or Cuomo’s daily briefings. We will be looking towards the art. Look back on history. How do we think about the most famous moments? From a painting, a song, or a poem. We need to be supporting the arts more than ever right now! Not only do they mark our history, but they give us the most important gift of all —hope.

Jejune had the pleasure to sit down, chat with, and photograph an amazing hard-working artist in New York City, Marcy Richardson. When the pandemic hit all her venues closed, but like most NYC artists, she is full of passion and grit. She will weather this storm and come back to the stage like a phoenix. Please read further to learn a bit about Marcy’s journey.

Editorials, Cover, Editor's Pick, Most Popular, zIssue 29Kira BuccaJanuary 29, 2021performer, singer, actress, newyorker, aerialists, theatre, newyork, covid, pole, pole dancers, artist, nyc, HustlersComment

Reggie Watkins Is Creating Systematic Change As An Actor

Our contemporary politics makes it is easy to see the stark difference in police treatment of Black Lives Matters protesters in comparison to the Trump rioters. Actor, Sports Enthusiast, and Civil Rights Activist Reggie Watkins is creating systematic change, saying everyone should understand why the entire system needs to be defunded and overhauled. His journey has been long as an actor but apparently, he always knew what he wanted. He recently portrayed Sgt. Lawrence Sims’ in Activision's new “Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War” game. At the same time, he co-founded the San Fernando Valley-based non-profit organization “The Valley Of Change,'' which is a community-based team of people who wanted to see change and decided to assist in the progress. Also, he gives importance to diversity in the sports talk space so that he is busy with his podcast, “Brothas On Football'', which covers football from a Black man's perspective. We talked to Reggie Watkins about his career, activism, and BLM movement. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Reggie Watkins.

EDITORIAL - Glitter & Gold - Yozmit

At the Indian Canyons, the ancestral home to the Agua Caliente Tribe, stands a lone figure clad in glitter and gold. Her artist name is Yozmit and she transcends more than her surroundings as she is surrounded by the elements of California —Yozmit transcends gender, time, and space. She is a transgender music-visual performance artist who is also a costume designer. Her art and performance intend to spread her message of *DoYou* - "a process of becoming fully self-realized and acting upon self-identity. DoYou is [her] artistic mantra to shift power from external conformity to internal realization/” She has collaborated with the likes of Alex Sandar, Susanne Bartsch, The BOX New York, The Box London, Supper Club, Sleep No More, Queen on the Night, and has performed at Burning Man, Coachella, Life Ball, Lincoln Center, and many other notable venues and events. In our interview with Yozmit, we talk about her identity as “Two-Spirit” and the artistic value of SELF. Please enjoy our exclusive editorial with Yozmit below.

Staying Curious with The Bachelor's Kendall Long

If there’s such a thing as a curiosity guru, Kendall Long would certainly be one. After she made her debut on season 22 of The Bachelor and later on Bachelor in Paradise, Kendall became a sensation. Her lovable personality, quirky interest in taxidermy, and kind heart are what make Kendal a person we couldn’t wait to interview. We talk to Kendall about her new book Just Curious: A Notebook of Questions, which is exactly that: a book of questions (and a journal too!). And let’s be honest: Just Curious is coming at the best time of the pandemic when Zoom calls and staying indoors during winter could not be more monotonous. We need to stay curious! We also chat about Kendall’s love for animals, represented by her secondhand taxidermy hobby and her rescue pup Pistachio. If you’re curious about Kendall and interested in what she has been up to since her time on reality TV, please read our exclusive interview below.

COVER - Emma Norton Will Dance Her Way Into Your Heart

While TikTok certainly existed before the pandemic, the popular (and might we add addictive) video app became a beloved past time for creators, viewers, and consumers during shelter-in-place. For 16-year-old Emma Norton, TikTok is a place where she can exhibit her mad make-up skills and penchant for entertainment. Her personality is as charismatic as it is authentic, — making Emma a magnet for admiration and attracting over 5.9 million followers on TikTok (and counting!) and over 300 thousand on Instagram. Emma gives us insight on TikToker’s place in speaking out on social issues —a hot and growing topic in 2020— and the positive potential of social media to spread awareness as we move forward into another year with bigger goals for our society and the world at large. We are so excited to share our interview with Emma and we are sure that this TikTok star, actress, and influencer will dance her way into your heart. Please read our exclusive interview with Emma below.

Otoja Abit Is A Quadruple Threat

Otoja Abit is best known for his award-winning debut short, Jitters, in which he wrote, directed, produced, and starred. Otoja expands on his short Jitters’ theme with his first-of-its-kind urban-leaning holiday film A New York Christmas Wedding now available on Netflix. The film touches on some of the themes involving the LGBTQIA Community and religion. Check out our exclusive interview with Otoja Abit here.

Art, zIssue 27, Most PopularJejune ContributorDecember 23, 2020Actor, netflix, film, writers, producer, blm, covid-19, story, christmas, holiday, Holidays, LGBTQ+, lgbtq, LGBTQ rights, LGBTQ, love is love, loveislove, writerComment

Sirens Of Hope - Diana Sophia

As an individual who lived through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, I have been waiting for the music and art that would come from it, and Diana Sophia did not disappoint. If you did not have the experience or if you did, please take a moment to listen to her new song “Sirens.” This song will transport you to those months of 24/7 ambulance sirens and the anxiety we all felt, but she also laces in hope that came with them. This song is heavy, and not something I will listen to every day, but it is true historic art and should be respected as such. Diana might be from Mexico, but in many ways, she is nothing but a New Yorker. She is all about grit and passion. In addition to being an incredible singer-songwriter, she is a survivor and helps support an amazing organization for sexual abuse victims called Hidden Water. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about Diana Sophia.

Being Outspoken Through Art With Doomsday Entertainment

We are at a time when art and entertainment manipulate society and the next generations systematically but, also, we believe that these days, art has moved away from the manipulative purpose to involve social engagement and political motives. Doomsday Entertainment is a production company founded by Danielle Hinde in 2010 and this is why we are hopeful about today's art. Danielle Hinde has overseen groundbreaking and award-winning videos for Marvin Gaye, David Guetta, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Childish Gambino, One Republic, J. Lo, and hundreds more. She produced many culture-reset music videos like This Is America and according to Danielle Hinde, the success of these videos is a direct result of combining the right director with an artist — together they can tell a powerful story through the music. Being outspoken through art is her priority because she is passionate about speaking about social issues. We see the reflection of this with the projects and the people she worked with. Recently, she produced a music video premiere by FKA Twigs, "Sad Day," and Nike’s ‘You Can’t Stop Our Voice’ campaign, which was directed by Hiro Murai. We talked Danielle Hinde about Doomsday’s latest projects and the role of politics in music videos. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about her and Doomsday Entertainment.