By Ruby Velez
I don’t really draw inspiration from a particular place, it’s more about capturing the beauty in the moments around me, trying to get that angle and those colors that haven’t been documented before.
By Annie Radillo
she was staring at the slice of
light that escaped below the door
blue and twisted like glass
the rustling of a starlings grey
feathers as shadows pulsed over it
every muscle in her eye sitting up
straight wondering if it would be her
shadow next that would obscure
the bit of light
if it would be her feet that would
pause outside the door and her
hand to pull it open
her face, solemn and thinking, that
would walk towards her
I have always been a very impatient person, and this poem recounts just one of the times I waited for something to happen. I still don’t know what.
By Maya Levy
Maya Levy was born and raised in Tucson to a family of curly-haired people. She watched as her sister and so many other women in her family struggled with their curls, most of them deciding to hide and straighten their hair, rather than wear it proudly. This year, Maya has embarked on an artistic journey to portray the beauty of natural curls and hopes that her work can make all people love their curls, and embrace their natural beauty.
By Jocelyn Bentlage
For some odd reason, I always find myself thinking about love. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt it. Have I? Or was it just infatuation? What is love, anyway? Am I too young to feel “true love?” Too young to understand it?
For sure, I have a family that loves me. Friends too. I love them back. However, there is a fantasy always lingering in the back of my mind: “I’ll fall in love with someone. Someone who I’d be able to grow, learn, experience…die with?”
For one to be in love, they’ll ride a wave of emotions incorporated with loving someone. One of those emotions is heartbreak. I’ve felt heartbreak. At least, I think I have. Or am I too young to feel “real heartbreak?” Too young to understand it?
Personally, many adults have invalidated my feelings, not just romantic ones, because they think I am too young or haven’t experienced enough to truly understand my own feelings. When I wrote this short piece, it was just a reflection towards those statements, and I came to the conclusion that my feelings are real–they are what I feel in the present, so no one really has the right to tell me they’re wrong.
By Audrey Epling
“Bug-Eyed”This picture is one of my favorites, and again was shot in my backyard. I spent probably around an hour chasing around butterflies with my phone camera. I was really proud of the quality and detail I was able to get with this shot as well as the composition of the photo.“Bee on Texas Sage”Bees are one of my favorite subjects to shoot because of how they take their time to move across flowers and are not very bothered by having a camera really close to them. I really liked the amount of detail I got in this shot, specifically in the bee and in the background with the particles in the air.
By Julia Stark
Silk, a lightweight material
A beautiful luxurious substance held by those of great stature, from lords to ladies
No question why a child would want to see a fabric of this caliber
But this child did not want just a look
When no one was watching, he took the fabric into the washroom
He draped the shimmering cloth along the wall where he tugged at the edges
Stretching the seams, tense
The durable cloth remained strong but the pressing and prying was far too much
Small tears traced edge to edge
Rip… rip … rip
The tiny sewn on pearls fell delicately to the floor
One after another they dropped
But only until he was satisfied and finished did his prodding cease
The torn silk that was one whole, was dusted off, wiped down and folded messily
The boy ran before a seamstress could see what he had done to the silk
But the tear was still there
Episodically I remember the night
My body shakes, my eyes flood with tears, my chest tightens
Making it harder and harder to breathe..
But that’s only first period
Some days, more
Some days, less
Some days, when I am talking to my mom about my day
But most days I rely on the same procedure to get me through the day
I leave class a bit later,
To not run into him
I avoid taking certain routes,
In the chance he might be there
If I see him
I hide
I put my head down
I cover my face
I look away
I run
Anything
Anything to get away from him
Anything for him not to see me
Or look at me, with those eyes
Those invasive eyes that continue to watch me shudder with every cold touch
Those eyes that saw the tears drench my face
But my days are not unique or special
The truth is that many people live in this world of constant fear
The fear of reliving these nightmares
The fear of receiving more pain
The fear of not being believed
These fears are common
And may reside in someone near
Maybe even you
Because the inevitable truth is this
One in three women will be sexually assaulted within their lifetime
And one in five women will be raped
Those have been statistics for so long and yet nothing has happened
Society has created a false sense of safety
But I walk the halls in constant fear
Afraid that I will see him
But he
He still walks to class
With a smile
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