The Heart2Art Project's president Caitlyn Phu interviewed Kaylie Flowers, a 16 year old performer living in Huntington Beach, about her experience as a theatrical performer and artist. Here's what she had to say. Caitlyn Phu: What is your passion and when did it begin? How did it develop and grow throughout your life? Kaylie Flowers: My passion is theatre. I started theatre when I was in the 5th grade after my dad had randomly brought it up. I had no friends at the time and was getting bullied at my elementary school, so I felt like maybe I could make some friends there and just do [theatre] to escape. I remember standing in a circle in a small, dingy warehouse and just watching all these pre-teens let loose, leaving the drama outside. After a year [of practice at the theatre], I did a show; the lights, the comradery, and a different attention was what called me to the stage. From then on, I did more improvisation shows and plays and, when I had moved middle schools, I did more plays there. I knew that I wanted the stage as soon as I heard the first applause. Now, it’s all I do and I’m trying to make it my future. CP: What aspect of theatre interests you the most and why? Why is it important to you? KF: I love being someone else. I love the costumes, accents, hair, and culture that I can be sucked into by just reading lines. It’s important to me because it’s something I’m good at. I’m not great at math or economics, but, in theatre, that doesn’t matter. An, honestly, [I value] the attention. When I was bullied, they focused on my look and on my low self confidence. However, when I’m on stage, it’s a fixation on my talent. It’s a nicer attention. CP: What kinds of obstacles did you face in pursuing the arts, either as a hobby or career? Did you have any supporters along the way? KF: I face obstacles constantly. Mostly rejection for roles, and that’s normal, but actors should be cast based on talent and not on pressure [from outside expectations]. For film roles, the case is the color of my skin, but now that I’m going for ethnically ambiguous, it’s easier. I love my supporters. I consider some of them family. They’re mostly my mom, dad, some friends, and past/current directors that have given me great notes on how to expand my career. CP: What similar artists inspire you and why? KF: I try not to aspire to be anyone else because I’ll focus on them and their methods and try to be like them. Sure, I’ll admire their talent, but I don’t want to be known as a copy of someone because, then, who would I be? Every actor is so individually different and that is what is so great about acting. I adore the whole cast of The Office, so much so that I met Rainn Wilson and have his book. The writing and reactions in that show are so real and genuine it feels like they are at an actual office. Also, [I am inspired by] the women of SNL, because they are such polished improvisers that they can literally become anyone. Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey, to just name a few, are gold plated comedians, along with Will Ferrell and many more. CP: Throughout history, the arts have been perceived as an extremely male-dominated practice, and an absence of recognition for women’s role in the arts has led to a lack of opportunity and acknowledgement for females in the arts today. Has this impacted your pursuit of the arts? What would you like to see change? KF: Yes! Men will always be precast when it comes to small theatre. Currently, we are in need of more guys in theatre. Because boys are scared of being called derogatory terms [in theatre], men don’t care about the theatre. For women, it’s more competitive. Freshman year, at callbacks for Antigone, I got called a “whore” in front of the everyone because I didn’t want to kiss a boy. Rather than staying quiet and letting him get away with that I told him off in front of everyone, even the director, which could have really ruined my chances at getting the role. However, because I stood up to him, I landed the role. Additionally, there needs to be more leading female minorities. That’s a change I want to see, especially seeing more lead characters that are a color other than white, more women who aren’t cast as a sex symbol or a damsel in distress, and female directors that aren’t criticized for making films that are “too feminist.” CP: Why do you think it is important to recognize and give opportunities to more female artists? KF: Art inspired art. Women should be considered just as qualified and talented because they are, it shouldn’t be based off of if I have a penis or not. This also goes for anything out of the business as well. If a women does better work than a man, has a child, and pays for her house, she should be recognized as equal not at submissive or “ too emotional.” Just shut up already, you’re just as emotional as a girl too. CP: What impact do you wish to make with your art? KF: I want to inspire. I want people to see me and think, “Hey, if that brown girl with that body can do it, so can I.” CP: Is there anything else you would like to say or share? KF: Being a teen, it is harder for me to answer these questions because, although I’m experienced for these years, college and the industry is going to bring up new obstacles that will both trip me up but also push me forward. Follow Kaylie! Instagram: @kaylie.flowers Twitter: @kaylie_flowers
0 Comments
In 2005, producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald convinced a 17-year old Kesha Rose Sebert to dropout of high school in Tennessee and relocate to Los Angeles to record under his label, Kemosabe Records, a branch of Sony Music. She worked with Gottwald on several projects leading up to her 2009 breakout hit, “TiK ToK,” sang under the moniker Ke$ha. “TiK ToK” became an instant party anthem and remains widely recognizable by teens and young adults alike. Between her first and second albums, Animal (2010) and Warrior (2012), the public began to take note of rising tensions between Ke$ha and Gottwald; it was alleged that Ke$ha was forced to sing graphic lines in her single “Die Young” following the Sandy Hook incident in December of 2012. In early 2014, Ke$ha was admitted to a rehab facility under the claims that Gottwald had sexually and physically abused her. Upon leaving rehab, Ke$ha returned to being Kesha, signifying a gradual departure from Gottwald and Sony Music.
In October of 2014, Kesha filed her first lawsuit against Gottwald for an abundance of charges including sexual assault and battery to which Gottwald countersued her for defamation. To make matters worse, when seeking an injunction to disconnect from Gottwald and Kemosabe Records, Kesha sought help from Sony Music but they disregarded her claims of abuse and harassment and her injunction was later denied in 2016. In April, her claims against Gottwald were dismissed by a judge and in March of 2017, when seeking to amend a case, a judge denied, claiming that she had not paid her royalties. Finally in July of last year, Kesha released her first single in nearly 4 years, “Praying,” along with an essay about finding peace with herself and coping with the nightmares of her personal life and societal issues. In the wake of Hollywood scandals such as that of Harvey Weinstein, “Praying” has become an anthem for the #MeToo movement for those seeking to be heard- those who are not given a voice while their experiences need to be shared. And last night, January 28th, at the 2018 Grammy Awards, Kesha was joined by Camila Cabello, Andra Day, Cindy Lauper, Bebe Rexha, Julia Michaels, and the Resistance Revival Chorus in performing her single. In an empowering, emotional performance of solidarity and sisterhood, Kesha and her fellow singers and friends brought the audience together to address the unseen issues and oppression in both the music industry and in society. Gradually distancing herself from her past, Kesha’s performance was a testament to her talent and her strength even after such a crisis ridden past. -Randal Macias Guest Writer Huntington Beach, CA Cambodia is among the many nations notable for their high numbers of sexual and domestic abuse cases, being that about one in five Cambodian women have been subjected to sexual or domestic violence. Domestic violence and gender-based abuse has become a significantly complex issue in Cambodia, as culture and a complicated national history plays a suggestive role in why women are so widely regarded as inferior to men throughout the country, leading to a broad and convoluted issue of gender-based abuse that can not be solved with a single solution.
Cambodia, categorized as a Least Developed Country (LDC) by the United Nations, had a dramatic change in social structure when the communist Khmer Rouge regime had come into power in April 1975, whose merciless and brutal leadership had garnered global attention as more than two million Cambodian citizens died as a result of the severely harsh dictatorship. During the era of Khmer Rouge rule, violence was common and perceived as a necessity. While a significant number of Cambodians had begin to murder their own parents and friends as a symbol of loyalty to the communist regime, women were forced to prostitute themselves or act as sex slaves in order to provide themselves and their families with necessities to live, such as food, water, and medicine. Additionally, as violence continued to be encouraged and even glorified by the emerging Khmer culture, a rising number of women became victims of sexual and domestic violence, illustrating the creation of a society and environment where violence against women was considered inevitable and where women were undoubtedly regarded as subordinate to men. While the regime had fallen from over 35 years ago, its effects and consequences can still be observed in modern Cambodia, as the healing nation suffers from a barely functioning judicial system and a society with lingering ideologies of those made prevalent during Khmer Rouge rule. The Khmer culture shaped the way women were raised and treated since the regime’s end, as highlighted by national traditions like the popularly taught code of conduct for women, entitled Chbab Srey, which teaches subserviency to women and the common Cambodian proverb, “Men are gold and women are cloth”. Unfortunately, the simple truth of mental illnesses is that they are much more prevalent than the majority chooses to admit or outright confront. An estimated 20% of teenagers in the United States suffer depression, one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, and illustrates the abundance of the many mental disorders and illnesses that plague the teenage population in America today.
One of the most frequent reactions individuals have when confronted with a mental health issue is to ignore it or to disregard it, claiming that it is not your responsibility or concern; however, this is something that simply encourages the negative ruminations in the minds of those who are affected by these illnesses. A common misconception, as well, is that a mental illness holds less significance than physical illnesses. In reality, mental illnesses can lead to self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or even suicidal actions. In a generation where a teenager may feel an immense amount of pressure to be portrayed as, to act, or to be a certain way, it gets extremely difficult to cope with those unrealistic expectations, because one cannot expect anything more than being their true selves. Mental illnesses, shortly, are deserving of social, medical, familial, and economic attention and assistance. The communal handling of mental illnesses, especially in the school environment are far too ill-skilled and inadequate to tend and assist with mental health issues in the youth. It is easy to feel misunderstood, to feel anxious or upset often, to get stuck into a tunnel of seemingly endless stress when you are a teenager. The only difference that society has not yet received is that a message needs to be sent to those who feel relations to those statements. That lacking message should be preaching that they're going to make it and be okay because high school does not determine their entire lives. There is so much more to a single fascinating human being surpassing their grades, extracurricular activities, or body type. A drastic translation must be enacted upon to actually improve all of these issues, in addition to many others pertaining to mental health. Everyone, whether they pertain to a mental health issue or not should educate themselves of how to act accordingly and considerately to others because we really don't know what's going on in the lives of each and every other human being. The overall moral is to be kind, to spread love, and to be equal with one another. Mental health issues deserve to be addressed on a large scale, globally for the sake of the safety and maintenance of well being of the precious human beings that make up this world. A message to those who don't believe these illnesses are real: Stop being ignorant, and take it seriously. -Aislyn Nihan VP of Campaigns and Events Co-VP of Journalism and Publication Our nation has a long history of protests and marches in the name of freedom and equality. On August 28, 1963, one of the largest civil rights rallies was held in Washington D.C. and has become known as arguably the most influential and iconic march in American history, setting a precedent for countless of other monumental protests that followed. This march, commonly known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, was organized by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, two African American activists who collaborated with numerous labor, civil rights, and religious organizations to plan the legendary march. While famous singers such as Bob Dylan, Mahalia Jackson, and Joan Baez performed in the name of racial, social, and political equality at this rally, the march also featured famed civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., who gave his “I Have a Dream” speech towards the end of the demonstration. With over 250,000 people in attendance, it has undoubtedly changed political and social aspects of the United States and its influences can still be seen in today’s society.
At the march, Randolph and Rustin read aloud their demands for America, which ranged from a call for a civil rights legislation from Congress to a national minimum wage act that will provide all Americans with a “decent standard of living”. These demands mixed with all the momentum that the rally had created eventually led to what would be known as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was a landmark law that outlawed discrimination, especially in the workplace, based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The March on Washington had illuminated the racial and labor injustices that were prevalent in our society, building popular support for a change in American labor, political, and social laws, especially among those who were not African American. Along with banning discrimination, this act had also outlawed segregation in public places, pinpointing a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement in America. The rally had also led to the eventual passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which allowed African Americans to exercise their right to vote under the 15th amendment, with both acts largely reflecting the demands of the rally. Another tangible outcome of the March on Washington was the NFL’s first African American quarterback. At the time, African Americans in pro-football were normally switched to receiver or defensive back positions on the team, as they were deemed not intelligent enough for the position of quarterback. However, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech at the rally, James Harris worked to become a professional quarterback, despite the low chances of success. His work had paid off, however, when he became the first full-time NFL black quarterback, playing for the Los Angeles Rams. While this may not seem like a momentous effect of the rally, it demonstrates both the cultural impact and the influence of the rally, making it possible for African Americans to do what was once thought to be impossible ten years before. The most important outcome of the rally, however, must be how it changed how the world viewed African Americans and the civil rights movement. The rally had inspired peaceful, non-violent protests around the world and made it clear that racism was not going to be faced with compliance. After the protest, bigotry was more frequently and publicly ridiculed and there was a clear transition from a society where racism was seen as a normality to one where it was criticized by more people. While African Americans were still widely discriminated against following the protest, the March on Washington was a clear turning point for the civil rights movement, leading to the passing of many civil rights legislations and inspiring others to resist inequality with more determination than before. Following the footsteps of civil rights activists in the 1960's and before, society continues to fight for a wider spread of social equality throughout the U.S. and the world, as rallies such as the 1963 demonstration have given countless of people a glimpse into what a world of love and freedom could look like. -Caitlyn Phu President of the Heart2Art Project as ter·ror·ism ˈterəˌrizəm/ noun
Last night, a white man named Stephen Paddock opened fire on a concert near Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. As of 9:28 A.M. on Monday morning, over 515 people have been injured and more than 58 were killed. This is the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The state of Nevada defines terrorism as “any act that involves the use or attempted use of sabotage, coercion, or violence which is intended to ... cause great bodily harm or death to the general population.” That definition clearly applies to this extreme case of terrorism. Sheriff Joe Lombardo indicated that they are not treating this crime as a terrorist attack. We are constantly seeing clear cases of terrorism be treated as a simple crime of madness. How this attack is being dealt with reflects the killing in Charlottesville, when a alleged white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counter protesters, yet was never deemed a terrorist by the government. Our own president failed to recognize the Las Vegas attack as a terrorist attack, even though it embodied the exact definition of terrorism. The hundreds of shots that had rang out were heard around the world, causing pain, grief, and, most importantly, terror. We need to stop making a certain race or religion solely responsible for terrorism. The true definition is more important than one person's opinion about the color of skin. Modernized terrorism has stained the images of Muslims in the minds of Americans. Some people tend to label terrorism by looking at the color of skin rather than facts. As Americans, we need to fight these stereotypes and make everyone truly equal in the eyes of the government and the people around us if we are to accurately address these attacks and educate our generation. -Julia Barry Co-VP of Journalism and Publication It's quite difficult to explain to someone what it feels like to be so unimaginably confused with figuring out what you're a part of, what you're supposed to identify with, and who you are. It's just one of those things that you can't quite phrase right. So, I figured, why not put it in art? The following is a sonnet that I wrote called "To World, From a Biracial Teen", which is from the perspective of a Filipina-American in 2017.
To World, From a Biracial Teen So, once upon a time, there was just her Not brown, not white, she was just in between She built this wall, in hopes it'd be a blur And yet, for years her pain just went unseen That girl is me, in a world full of dreams But I'm the one that just can't fall asleep Why don't you see you've torn me from the seams I promise you, those words cut very deep So this goes out to the world, please hear me Because it seems as though you never have I feel like I will never be set free But I know this can all be in the past 'Cause FYI, this skin comes with a voice And world, you'll hear us, you don't have a choice. -Aislyn Nihan VP of Campaigns and Events Co-VP of Journalism and Publication The Brown versus Board of Education case is one of the major milestones in the ending of racial segregation, often taught in history classes or discussed when talking about modern issues on race or transgender rights. In 1951, the NAACP asked certain African American families, such as Leola and Oliver Brown in Topeka, Kansas, to attempt to enroll their child into an exclusively white school. In the neighborhood that the Browns were living in, the African-American dominated school was an extremely far walk for Linda, in sometimes freezing weather, whereas the white school was a simple three blocks away. Now, when they initially went to the school, the Browns were rejected and the school put the blame on the district board, saying it was out of their hands and that there was nothing they could do.
So, the Browns decided to sue the school and, for the first time in history, they won the case and therefore the right to send Linda Brown, a black child, to a primarily white school. However, when reexamining this case, it is important to look at background of the Brown family. Leola Brown, the mother of Linda, had actually attended the black school in Topeka and stated in interviews that “the teachers were fantastic” and that the education was wonderful there. The main reason for the switch in schools was because Leola and Oliver believed they should have the right to send their children to whichever school they choose, especially if it is one that is more convenient to attend. When the decision to allow the Browns to send Linda to the white school was made, however, the court voiced it as if they were allowing her to go because she was disadvantaged. In the decision, the court stated that it was mentally handicapping to send kids to black schools, a very different reason than stated by Leola Brown for ending educational segregation. Although many in history might see this milestone in the civil rights movement as an advancement, African Americans were still the ones who suffered for this decision. Not long after more schools began to mix races, there was a mass firing of all black teachers across Southern states, such as Virginia and Kansas. As Malcolm Gladwell points out in his podcast Revisionist History, there should have been more teachers integrated into schools as well. As a child, having a teacher of your ethnicity does, in fact, matter. If a black child who is equally as gifted as a white child is paired up with a black teacher, they are found to be fifty percent more likely to be placed into a gifted program. However, this is not special treatment. It is simply because their abilities are more likely to go unrecognized by a white teacher. However, this isn’t to say that all white teachers are racist. It’s due to subconscious racism that has been prevalent since 1954, when this court decision was made, and it continues to happen today, leading to more disadvantages and obstacles that must be overcome by African American children. In my opinion, teacher unions and school boards must make more of a conscious decision to integrate black teachers into the educational system, elementary schools in particular, and start teaching school teachers that their biases may lead to the misidentification of gifted black children. The way that teachers impact students is important and somehow, even when segregation was ending, black educators were still the ones who sacrificed to stop racism and division, a fact that should be recognized more often. To learn more details on this issue, I highly recommend checking out Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast Revisionist History. -Emma Sexton VP of Operations and Engagement Ever since I first came up with the idea for Heart2Art, I contemplated the reason for why we wanted to focus on impacting our generation. Why not adults? Why not all people?
Well, of course, we do wish to reach out to people of all ages and identities, but there is a real reason for why we decided to focus our project on our world's youth. Partially, it was because I am a part of this generation. I know what they prefer, what impacts them, and what they value. The other, and arguably the more significant, part of the reason for why we wanted to reach out to teens was because we wanted our generation to start stepping up and taking responsibility. Our world isn't going to change on its own, and our role in the advancement of society is more important then one may think. Our generation is struggling to find its voice. We call ourselves heroes for tweeting about a protest in Los Angeles, but we never see the need for us to get up and really do something worthwhile. Even furthering my point, barely any teens will even take the time to post something on social media about issues in our world, let alone using a tweet to bring attention to a protest. When did we stop having opinions? When did we stop standing up for them? If you have a platform, use it to make a statement. This brings me to a question I have been asking myself for some time now: What could our project do to inspire teens to make a change? We aren't making any changes because we don't have opinions, and we don't have opinions because we stopped caring, and this is because we aren't educated. So, this is where I came up with our new series, Taco Bout It! I wanted to create a platform for local teens to speak their mind and a place where teens can learn about current events, so this will be a series where they get to do just that. In each episode, our host, Karly Low, will have a different guest on and discuss everything that needs to be discussed (from politics to favorite TV shows). Wait! There's more! We didn't want to make a basic podcast-style series. Oh, no. What did we do to fix this? We added tacos. Along with discussing current events and societal issues, Karly will be introducing a new taco shop each episode. Plus, the host and guest will be eating tacos while they discuss Donald Trump's presidency, Europe's immigration crisis, and everything in between. At the end, we get a little food review. Needless to say, I'm excited for the series. This series will provide teenage insight into our world's pressing issues and also provide some cool food stuff. Coming soon. -Caitlyn Phu Two issues that will be further addressed in our upcoming month of September is cultural and racial tolerance. There are an abundance of untrue and offensive stereotypes present in our society that are abused and shared far too often.
I am a biracial girl, meaning that I identify two ethnicities. I am Filipino-Caucasian, and I felt a personal need to spread further awareness of such atrocious behavior. I would like to bring attention to the fact that an extreme amount of culturally or racially offensive phrases/names are thrown around too easily. These phrases and names need to be eliminated from everyday conversation and dialogue if we are to encourage a more inclusive and equal society. We need to understand that laughing at a racially or culturally offensive joke, or simply not speaking up about it, is only helping to encourage the normalcy and justification of these jokes. With no one to speak up against cultural slander, these examples of intolerance will continue on as common dialogue. It is vital for our community to also understand that the level of respect that someone is given should not be determined by whether or not they are of mixed race or someone who is not "black enough" or "white enough" or "brown enough", because the shade of someone's skin is not who they are as an individual. Regardless of skin color, people are people. The color of our skin and whether or not we follow a certain culture does not dignify that we are more or less of anything. If you have a certain ethnicity running through your blood, hold it with pride and do not allow false and intolerable comments define who you are. You are amazing and you are important to this country and to the world. Love yourself regardless of your culture, religion, ethnicity, or gender and embrace all parts of you. Fight forever against the hate, and fight with voices that will never be silenced. -Aislyn Nihan VP of Campaigns and Events Co-VP of Journalism and Publication |