Author: Visionary Artistry Magazine

Dasia Taylor: Beeting the Odds

Imagine being extremely excited about entering your first science fair in high school, and as soon as you get there you notice that you’re the only Black girl in the room. This was Dasia Taylor’s experience at age 16. 

Dasia and her mom live in a predominantly white suburb near Iowa City, IA. Dasia is an avid Black History buff, and spends a lot of her time after school in the Black History Game Show club. She also attends district and school board meetings in order to advocate for an anti-racist curriculum in schools. Dasia has a strong interest in science, and as a junior she took an honors chemistry class where that passion was able to flourish. 

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Carolina Caycedo: Advocacy through Art

In the world we live in, the fight to gain awareness for social justice and environmental issues is an everyday battle. The constant outcries for advocacy reaches millions of people through news outlets, social media channels and even works of art. Even though the first three strategies seem to be the most commonly used, raising awareness through works of art can educate the masses in an entirely different way that is beautiful to the eye and just as moving to the soul. 

Art as a form of advocacy is an age-old concept. It is the individual artist, however, that creates a piece and reestablishes the originality of art. Art serves as an outlet that allows the experiences, moral beliefs and voice of an artist to be displayed through their work. 

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Mia Morris: One Woman Band

Exclusive interview with Va Mag's Andrew Kacer

“A lot of these older men classify me and my music as, ‘She’s bringing rock back.’ I don’t wanna bring anything back, I’m trying to make new rock.”

-Mia Morris

These days, it’s quite rare to find a high school girl who prefers the likes of The Beatles or Led Zeppelin over a pop artist like Doja Cat - or whoever the latest TikTok sensation may be. However, after conducting an exclusive interview with17-year-old Mia Morris, I discovered that classic rock runs deep through her veins. “Growing up, in the house my parents would always be playing the best music. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but you know, I like classic rock: The Beatles, Police. I just grew up knowing really rad music.” 

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Nathan Cyprys: Shutter Speed

We’re often drawn to the flamboyant, bright colors. Big expressions and odd angles are often what we define as “good” photography. Then, there are artists like Nathan Cyprys. His photos are gloomy. There’s a stillness to every photograph whether it’s a landscape shot or a portrait of a person and there is an unmistakable coldness that comes across louder than the most vibrant of photographs.

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Kings of Leon: ‘Rockin Out

Alternative rock meets Southern blues; The Kings of Leon have been deemed comparable to rock legends of the past by Rolling Stone magazine. 

It’s hard to believe that the band members were prohibited to listen to secular music while growing up. The brothers, Nathan Followill (drums), Caleb Followill (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), and Jared Followill (bass) along with their cousin Matthew Followill (lead guitar) make up the American rock band, Kings of Leon. The brothers Nathan, Caleb, and Jared had a non-traditional childhood, they traveled across the South with their mother and father Leon, which the group is named after. Their father was a Pentecostal preacher who spoke at various churches and tent revivals, while their mother homeschooled the boys.

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Eid: Fashion Doesn’t Take a Holiday

Eid al-Hadha is a Muslim holiday that celebrates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael to God and the completion of the Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca), but socially, it is also a time to show the best and brightest of fashion. It provides an opportunity to showcase beautiful makeup looks, or perhaps most notably for gorgeous outfits, while also serving as a festival of sacrifice. Although Eid’s notoriety for being a time to display fashion and luxury is known, it has allowed designers and individuals within the Islamic community to make their mark.

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