Knife Wound
Hello APC community! My name is Sydney Balan. I am an 18-year-old, black, lesbian woman from Atlanta, Georgia. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a passion for writing. I wrote poems to help me express my feelings. I wrote stories with the diverse, nuanced characters I wished to see on bookshelves in Barnes and Noble. My hope is to one day write Black stories where we are the protagonists. When the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor hit the world, I couldn’t sleep. I was feeling a range of different, heavy emotions – just like many of us did. But there was also this…
Shibboleth
Hey APC! I’m Semilore, an 18-year old, first-generation Nigerian-American writer from Irvine, CA. I am a recently graduated senior at Orange County School of the Arts, where I studied creative writing. I’m a 2020 YoungArts Finalist in Writing, an active slam competitor, and am well-versed in poetry, spoken word, playwriting, prose, and more. I’ve been writing since I was small and now often speak on activism, the African diaspora, community, racial issues, family, and identity. I also serve as a senior editor of Inkblot Literary Magazine. Away from the pull of poetry books, you may find me on twitter, celebrating magical realism, ’80s art, Noname, and the color yellow; or…
A Journey of My Fat Sex
To the explorer within you who ventured here to understand my gaze, Hey APC! My name is Mimi Tempestt. I’m a multidisciplinary artist, academic, and poet. I’m also a daughter of California. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and currently live in Oakland. Most of the time, my works are aimed at disrupting negative and stereotypical narratives around the iconography and constructions of black and queer people. And in other moments, I find myself simply writing to measure the moments between each breath. My debut collection of poems, The Monumental Misrememberings , is forthcoming with Co-Conspirator Press in 2020, and I’m glad you made it here. I’m honored…
An Analysis of Normal
Hey APC, my name is Sasha DuBose! First and foremost, I am an 18-year-old black girl. I’m from Maplewood, New Jersey and I’m an incoming freshman at New York University majoring in Nutrition and Food Studies. Recently I discovered a musical treasure – and by that, I mean SZA’s live performance of her song “Normal Girl” at The Roots Picnic. I have always turned to this song during my thoughtful late nights. However, the mellow yet melancholy vibes of SZA’s lyrics struck me in a deeper way this time around. Current events, such as the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau, and countless others sparked…
Strange Fruit
Hey APC! My name is Skye Jackson-Williams, I’m a Belizean- American woman from New York City, and I’m 18 years old. Growing up in Harlem and later moving to the Bronx kept me surrounded by raw artists and specifically hip hop culture. I am a trained technical and hip hop dancer, but freestyle is where I feel the most authentic. Besides dance, I love to write and make and direct creative videos. I want to be known for my artistry and storytelling.This essay I wrote shows my story of growing up in Harlem and the valuable lessons I learned about community. My parents told me the story of the Exonerated Five…
The Fight For Equality
Hi APC! My name is Zikora Akanegbu and I am a 15 year old Nigerian-American based in Maryland. As founder of GenZHER, I lead a youth initiative to empower the girls of Gen Z. I am determined to make a difference in society, as well as, passionate about the change this generation can enact. Find me on Instagram @zikora.a. In my piece I discuss the topic of racial inequality, what I hope for my vocal generation, and filling the gap with my initiative. The Fight For Equality As a Black teen girl, there’s a constant fear in my head of being judged or killed solely based on the color of…
Reclaiming Identity Through Art
Hello APC, and my beautiful people! My name is Ava Rose Ragasa and I am an 18-year-old artist from San Francisco, California. Ever since my birth, I have always adored all elements of art and design. Growing up I’d create paper towel dresses for my barbies, draw fruit-inspired dresses, and create all kinds of artwork! Through my upbringing, I’ve been inspired to implement my Filipino-American culture into my art. I wanted to create artwork that celebrated my background and multicultural identity. As a queer Asian American woman growing up in the U.S, I struggled a lot with my identity, trying to find where I belonged. This struggle may be the…
When I Speak
Hey APC! I’m Paige, a 25-year-old, black poet. I write for the healing of myself and others. I am inspired by the work needed to be done in relation to black and brown bodies, mental health awareness and queer POC. She Gave Me Poetry You know I never really had a voice Or I had a voice just no reason to speak No I had a reason to speak just no one to listen Well I actually had someone to listen I just didn’t talk I just didn’t talk My words have always felt Voided Discarded Lost My words sunken into the abyss of tied tongues Where letters don’t form…
Difficult Conversations
Hi! My name’s Christina Li, and I’m an 18-year-old songwriter from Hong Kong. I use she/her pronouns, and I identify as a lesbian, Chinese-American woman. I attended a boarding school in Western Massachusetts and will be starting college in New York City this fall. As a musician, my goal is to tell stories that touch and inspire others the way music does for me. This piece you’re about to hear is titled “If You Care”, and is an acoustic, stripped-down rendition of the same track on my upcoming debut EP. To put it simply, this song is about coming out to my parents, with lyrics that tell of a one-sided…
Behind the Lens
Hey APC! My name is Natalie Jasmine and I am a 21-year-old film student from Maryland and I am studying film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. I identify as Black/African American. My passions for film lie particularly in coming of age narratives and stories that center explorations of identity. All three of the films below do just that but across different genres. One is a music video, one is an experimental short film, and the other is a narrative short film. Follow my work on Instagram, @nataliearising and my website nataliejharris.com Metamorphosis Metamorphosis is a short film that I created in my intermediate production class at NYU. It…
Release
Hi APC! My name is Alexia Sambrano. I’m a Los Angeles local. I was born in East LA and raised in South Gate for the majority of my childhood and adolescence. I identify as queer/bisexual, and I am a first-generation, low-income Chicanx artist. I’m currently a second-year student at the University of Southern California (USC) studying Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, with a minor in LGBTQ Studies. I began selling my art in the summer of 2019, and just recently decreased lots of prices on my Etsy alexiasambranoart.etsy.com in hopes of getting more sales to support myself and my family. I also have a Depop depop.com/alexiety where I sell clothing and…
Through the Pages
Hey APC! My name is Jillian Louie, I’m 17 and born and raised in New York City! Growing up between Chinatown, Long Island and Queens, my mother is an immigrant from Hong Kong and my father is a first-generation American, born in New York City. These specific pieces are pieces of my previously fractured identity, the fear and confusion and love that comes with realizing you are unable to change who you are, but you can change how you feel. As a part of the LGBTQ community and also the daughter of a deeply traditional immigrant, I have learned that although they might not feel as if you are the…
