Spirituality, sexuality and Americana don’t usually go hand in hand. The terms can at first seem contradictory, but American musician Sufjan Stevens combines them as his influences, along with folk and indie rock, to create a wholly unique sound that not even he can replicate from album to album. The Musician is perhaps best known for his soundtrack for the 2017 film, “Call Me By Your Name,” where his song “Mystery of Love” was later performed at the Oscars, but Stevens has been around for decades, making critically acclaimed music that speaks on deeply personal topics, despite Stevens being a private person outside of his music. As Stevens stated in a 2015 interview with the London-based magazine Uncut, “You have to cast out your demons and rebel against your traditions, but you always have to crawl back to the motherland.” Stevens’ music pushes and pulls from his surroundings, but he is always tied to his own histories and traditions. 

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Fashion is so often associated with clean lines and simple colors, and in a world of cheaply made outfits with little sustainability and no heart that went into their production, it’s hard to find long-lasting clothing that is also chic. However, Los Angeles-based Illustrator and Fashion Designer Tuesday Bassen takes typical ideas of modern fashion, that of limited sizes and non-sustainable production, Bassen’s background in illustration allows her to not only make unique pins and patches, but her clothing designs are also original.

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Years from now, when someone mentions March 2020, most people will be reminiscent of COVID-19, but for Khalilah Womack, March 2020 will be remembered as the month that her dream project, I Scream Ice Scream Rolls, came to life. Womack opened up shop in Underground Atlanta on March 13, days before the mandatory quarantine, an experience not many small business owners have gone through, but she has persevered through these unprecedented challenges. Through community and (especially) family support, I Scream has made it through to be a shining new face for the revitalization of Underground Atlanta. The revitalization of the area, as said by Underground’s website, is dedicated to turning the “historic four-block radius into a sustainable community where people can live, work, create, and explore… with unique shops, restaurants, markets, entertainment, and a variety of workspace options.”

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Modeling is an industry that often reflects the epitome of Western ideals; the “traditional” supermodels are often white, skinny, not disabled, and cisgender. Even if models outside of the traditional scope are used (every now and then), problems such as colorism, ableism, fatphobia persist. However, as time goes on, new faces emerge on the modeling scene, like Mari Malek Mbaye.

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The stereotype for an artist is usually a moody, unathletic, quiet person who has spent years dedicated to their craft at an art school. Anthony Ricciardi, breaks all of these stereotypes, and that is clear to anyone who looks at his art or even just his Instagram page. In his profile on the social media platform, he describes himself as “creating artwork & murals around the world, Left a Career in Finance, Former Division 1 NCAA, Spotify & Itunes: MORNING RICHUAL,” complete with emojis. So many things from this profile, like his podcast Morning Richual, which discusses how to use your creative mind, even if you’ve never considered yourself artistic or creative before, but there is also something at the end of his profile that sticks out, especially since he’s an artist known for his use of color: he’s colorblind.

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High fashion models often represent what most people want in life: to be beautiful and wear beautiful clothes. Devon Windsor, a popular model with over 2 million Instagram followers, and her own swimwear line, and with appearances on MasterChef and the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, is at the top of the fashion industry, but there is more to her than what’s on the surface. 

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