Brush Strokes
Hello APC! My name is Andrea Gonzales and I am a sophomore at the University of San Francisco, studying Business Marketing and Design. As a first-generation Filipina with strict (but loving) parents in the medical field, I’ve been told that art will always be “just a hobby.” Since my family members consistently reduced the importance of art to merely a “pastime,” I forced myself to believe that the medical field was meant for me and neglected my passion for art. Plagued by the idea that medicine was the only opportunity to be successful, I initially enrolled at the University of San Francisco as a nursing major. But as I finished…
Broken Words
Hey APC, my name is Tiffany Jacome and I am a senior at an all-girls school in NYC. I am Latina, born and raised in Ecuador, having come to America to pursue a future for myself. I am 18 and if my life could be described in one quote, it would be: what is said can be done. If you say you can’t do it, then you’re most likely right. In this piece, I could talk about all the struggles I’ve gone through as a teenager. The heartbreaks, lost friends, insecurities, fears and more, however, if we went into that, I’d never stop writing. Instead, I’d rather share with you…
Moment Captured
Hey APC! My name is Sokhna Samb and I’m an aspiring cinematographer. When it comes to my work, I am constantly inspired by vibrant colors, symmetry, and most importantly by what’s being captured and what’s not. In my future work, I would like to explore how detached the camera is as a tool of photography and cinematography. Inspired by watching movies as a kid, as a teenager, I began to make my own short films. I hope that in my life I’ll be able to both create and participate in spaces where black women are directing films and creating stories that are universal yet very specific to poc experiences. I’m…
A Look in the Mirror
Hey APC! My name is Andrea, and I’m a junior at Phillips Exeter Academy. I go to a boarding high school in New Hampshire, I grew up in Hong Kong. Although there are numerous differences between these two places, such as in culture and social norms, I’ve discovered one striking thing they have in common—the disturbing prevalence of white beauty standards. You’d think that a homogeneous Asian city would at least adhere to a less restrictive set of beauty standards, but I’ve come to realize that this notion is naive and untrue. The presence of white supremacy manifests in subtle, insidious, indelibly damaging ways, whether in countries next to or…
“Oreo”
Hey APC! My name is Karla Sterrett and I am a 16-year-old from New York. You’re not black enough! You “talk white”! You’re an Oreo, white on the inside but black on the outside! Hearing these comments from the age of 11 to 16 hurts. How am I supposed to respond to a comment so degrading? Words such as these make me feel powerless, tearing down my confidence, enlarging the insecurities I already have about myself. Being black is apart of who I am, so for another black person to say that I’m not “black enough” is worse than a slap in the face. It’s as if your own pride…
A Single Note
What’s up APC? My name is Ritika, and I am an incoming freshman at Duke University. I’m trained in classical Italian opera, but I sing pretty much anything and everything! Singing is a lot of things to me—an outlet, a hobby, a voice for change—and it’s one of the few things in life I know I’ll never be able to give up. Music has given me a place in the world to share who I am and being able to express myself in a way that is completely unique to me. I love singing because it gives me a way to connect with people, whether it be fellow musicians, theater…
Crush
Hey APC, my name is Tyra Hughes and I am a sophomore at West Orange High School. From a young age, I was surrounded by a heteronormative idea of love. In the movies I watched, to the books I read and even the relationships that my family members had, I had only ever seen love as being between a man and a woman. That lack of LGBT representation made it incredibly hard for me to understand and accept my sexuality as a sophomore in high school. Our society has always set straight as the default sexuality of the human race, and so when I first began to question my own…
“Different”
Hey everyone, my name is Jannat Chaudry and I’m a staff writer for APC. This piece I have written is an exploration of what it’s like to be different Be different; Be unique; Be yourself. These are quotes that girls all around the world grow up hearing and they start believing are true. That is, until a girl actually steps into her difference and actively lives a life where she embraces all the aspects of herself. Then, difference becomes dangerous. Honestly, it’s not all glitz and glamour being different. It’s hard and exhausting. Anybody who is different in any sort of way may understand this feeling; the feeling of standing…
To Be a “Lady”
Hello, it’s staff writer Isa Dominguez here! I’m so excited to share the following narrative that I wrote called To Be a Lady, which explores the role of gender norms in American society and how they impact a female’s relationship with the word “no”. Enjoy! She waved at him, rushing into the garage, thank God that ten-minute workout’s done – “Wait!” His eyes—there was always something strange in them—burned into her. “Can’t we go into your pool?” Immediately, her gut tensed, her mind whispered, No, no, NO, don’t you dare let him in, not without anyone home. We can come up with som- “Sure,” she sighed. At a young age,…
Princeton Prize in Race Relations Certificate of Achievement
Hi APC, it’s Tyler Newman. Tuesday evening I had the amazing opportunity to accept a Certificate of Achievement from the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for my work in diversity and equity. Among the several projects of which I was being recognized for, was Afro Puff Chronicles. I wanted to take the time to thank all of you in the APC community for being active supporters of this space. Being involved with Afro Puff Chronicles has changed my life in multiple ways, from making me more confident and purposeful with my life, to become more educated about the diverse lives and experiences of other young women in the world. I…
A Song for You
Hi, I’m Ume/Sheizaf! I’m half Chinese, half Moroccan Israeli and I’ve lived in Japan my whole life. I’m a singer-songwriter! I’ve always had identity and self-acceptance issues and music has always been there for me, helping me forget about my problems, giving me confidence. Because of music, I learned to love myself. I want my music to help and inspire other women, let them know they’re not alone, and to help them learn to love themselves. I’m releasing my first album in July. I’m super excited about it and I hope you all will love it too! Stay tuned by following my Instagram @sheizaf.ume.
One Lap at a Time
Hello APC! My name is Kouri Peace and I am an incoming freshman at the University of Florida. I have been doing track ever since I was seven years old. I have always been pretty fast and I find it thrilling to compete against other fast girls. The very first year I ran in a race, I made it to the Junior Olympics! After that day, I knew that running could end up changing my life if I continued to work hard at improving my times. At my high school, I was the only black girl on the track team. It made me feel so special when I would win…
