nyota magazine: issue 3
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
i i / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
NYOTA Magazine was founded by two sisters who shared a love for discover-ing new talent and young entrepreneurs. Nyota /niːˈoʊtə/ means star in Swahili, this magazine focuses on finding and promoting the rising stars in fashion, music and culture. So if you know a young person who is serious about their craft, please contact us!
The magazine will be released quarterly, (winter, spring, summer and fall).
2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
Contents
004 Contributors
005 Editor’s Letter
007 Music Festival Lineup
008 Jillian Interview
012 Spring Playlist
014 Ron Dadon Interview
019 042
MUSIC
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3
Contents
019 Music Festival Outfits
032 Faded Royalty
040 Prom Queen
042 Fashion Week Recap
058 Spring Break Spots
060 Music Festival Essentials
063 Inspirational Intro
064 City Love Interview
071 Photography Feature
096 Genesis Dorsey Interview
100 New Releases & Gift Ideas
102 France Travel Diary
FASHION
CULTURE
058 064 102
4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
TEAMNIARA WRIGHT Co-Editor in Chief
CAROL WRIGHT Co-Editor in chief
JOCELYN NAARDEN Graphic Designer
BREANNA RIDDICK Youtube Host
SIMONE DREUX Editor at Large
VICTORIA KESSLER DIY Expert
CONTRIBUTORS & FEATURESSHOE LUSH DesignerLABELED BASIC DesignerBRANDY MARKS Model
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5
Being able to release a third issue of Nyota seems like a
dream. Looking at the growth Nyota has made from the first is-
sue to now shows what dedication and hard work can do. In this
issue we meet two young musicians, a faith motivated blogger,
and a music duo that uses their lyrics to inspire and spread
conversation. We have added an inspiration segment to our
culture section that will feature an inspirational person or
people creating positive change in their communities through
different mediums. To continue to grow with Nyota you can fol-
low us on our different social media accounts and subscribe to
our Youtube Page, and if you know any emerging talent contact
us at [email protected]!
Instagram: @nyotamagazine
Twitter: @NYOTAMagazine
Youtube: Nyota Magazine
Love your Co-EICs,
Carol and Niara Wright
EDITOR’S LETTER
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7
FESTIVALLINEUPS
GOVERNOR’S BALL
PANORAMA
Two Weekends: April 15th, 16th, and 17th and April 22nd, 23rd, and 24th
One weekend June 3rd, 4th, and 5th
One weekend July 22nd, 23rd and 24th
Who doesn’t want to spend an entire weekend in the valley? If you haven’t bought tickets yet it looks like you’re out of luck this year. Both weekends are sold out, but with good reason. The lineup this year is packed with some of music’s finest. Including LCD Soundsystem, Flume, The 1975 and Guns N’ Roses just to name a few. Coachella will be here in one month, and if you have purchased your ticket, get ready to ex-perience the festival of all festivals.
Three full days of non-stop music, fun and friendly faces on Randall’s Is-land. Speaking from personal experience, Gov Ball was one of the best times of my life. Everyone was friendly and happy to be there, from the festival goers to the staff. The food is A+ and the lineup is always worth buying a ticket for. If you’re heading to Gov Ball this year, you’ll be able to see The Killers, The Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club, Chet Faker and Yeezy himself. You better buy a ticket before they’re all gone!
Coachella is moving to the east coast for the very first time. This new festival that takes place on Randall’s Island during the weekend of July 22nd is a music lover’s heaven . You can see some of music’s best such as Kendrick Lamar, LCD Soundsystem, The National and Arcade Fire. Tickets aren’t on sale yet, but keep your eye out!
COACHELLA
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9
AT WHAT AGE DID MUSIC BECOME ONE OF
YOUR PASSIONS?
I became obsessed with music when I
was very little. I would put on little “shows”
for my family members, and I would make
them watch me as I stood in front of the
vacuum and sang Oops I Did it Again...
over and over and over again.
I KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALSO PASSIONATE
ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY, BUT WOULD YOU SAY
THAT MUSIC IS YOUR FIRST PASSION. WHAT
ABOUT MUSIC MAKES IT SPECIAL TO YOU?
Music is everything to me. It’s (basically)
all I care about. (I also really like food, and
my mom).
HOW WOULD YOU SAY THE ARTS HAVE
CHANGED YOUR LIFE? HOW HAS MUSIC
CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
Music and art in general have given me
an outlet in which I can put out all my feel-
ings unapologetically. I’ve always been
pretty angsty, and dramatic, and I let my
feelings out in art.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG OFF OF
YOUR EP?
Lyrically, I love Daughter of the Sun.
WHY DID YOU NAME YOUR EP HEADLIGHTS?
In Deadly Love, there’s a line that says
“It’s like walking into oncoming traffic/just
to feel the warmth of the headlights”. I’m
incredibly proud of that line, and I wanted
to name the EP after it.
by: Carol
Wright
1 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A M U S I C
MUSIC AND ART IN GENERAL HAVE GIVEN ME AN OUTLET IN WHICH I CAN PUT OUT ALL MY FEELINGS UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 1
MUSIC AND ART IN GENERAL HAVE GIVEN ME AN OUTLET IN WHICH I CAN PUT OUT ALL MY FEELINGS UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
WOULD YOU SAY STATIK IS YOUR ALTER
EGO? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CALL YOUR-
SELF STATIK?
Statik isn’t really my alter ego. I am Sta-
tik. The definition of “static” is motionless
and unchanging. I love the word, but I’m
not the definition, so I changed the “c” to a
“k”, and created my own definition, which
is the antonym of static.
ON ITUNES YOU GOT A LOT OF POSITIVE RE-
VIEWS, WERE YOU EXPECTING SUCH GREAT
FEEDBACK FROM YOUR FIRST EP?
I knew that a lot of my friends were
downloading it and writing good reviews
because they’re amazing, but there are a
few reviews up there from names I don’t
recognize. It feels crazy, you know? Hav-
ing “fans”. So yes and no, I was expecting
my family and friends to write reviews,
but I was surprised to see other people
writing good things, too.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE YOUR MUSIC TAKES
YOU?
I hope my music takes me across the
globe and into the houses of my fans
and onto cafe patios where I can have
big meetups. My followers have done so
much for me and I want to meet every
single one of them.
WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSI-
CIANS? WHICH MUSICIANS INSPIRE YOUR
MUSIC?
I’m really digging Devendra Banhart
right now. I’m also listening to a lot of
soundtracks and classical music. I have
artists that I love and listen to all the time,
but I love to listen to new artists (and old
artists) all the time to learn more. The
Headlights EP was heavily inspired by art-
ists like Natasha Bedingfield and Shania
Twain.
DO YOU WRITE ALL YOUR OWN MUSIC?
WHAT INSPIRES YOUR LYRICS?
I write all my lyrics! Nothing specifically
inspires my writing process, I mostly just
whine about things that happened forev-
er ago and get really emotional at two in
the morning. I do love nature though, and
try to incorporate it in my writing often.
WHERE CAN OUR READERS CHECK OUT YOUR
MUSIC?
Everywhere! My EP is now available on
iTunes, Spotify, and Google play.
WHO DO YOU HOPE TO INSPIRE WITH YOUR
MUSIC?
I hope to inspire people to be as dramat-
ic as they want to be, and to find a way to
channel all of it into something.
DOES LIVING IN CALIFORNIA INSPIRE THE
SOUND OF YOUR SONGS?
I wrote all of my songs in bedroom stu-
dios in Huntington Beach. California is a
huge part of myself and a huge part of my
music.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR LABEL
UNITED FAMILY MUSIC. WHAT DOES IT FEEL
LIKE BEING SIGNED TO A LABEL? HOW DID
YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WERE FIRST SIGNED?
I’m both the youngest and the only
woman currently signed to UFM. I feel
very exclusive. I worked with the label for
over a year before officially signing the
papers, so the feeling was even better. Ev-
eryone associated with UFM is wonderful
and talented, and I’m proud to work with
people who are so experienced.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 3
1. BLOOM/ ODESZA
2. HEY MAMI/ SYLVAN ESSO
3. KAMIKAZE/ MØ
4. MIDDLE/ DJ SNAKE (FT. BIPOLAR SUNSHINE)
5. NEVER BE LIKE YOU/ FLUME
6. NO REST FOR THE WICKED/ LYKKE LI (FT. A$AP ROCKY)
7. PILLOWTALK/ ZAYN
8. SEASONS (WAITING ON YOU)/ FUTURE ISLANDS
9. UGH/ THE 1975
10. WAVES/ ELECTRIC GUEST
1 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A M U S I C
1. WHEN DID YOUR INTEREST IN MUSIC
START?
I have been in love with music for my
entire life. I used to sing all the time as a
child and then when I was about 9 years
old I decided to learn how to play the guitar!
2. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR MUSIC?
My emotions, and just life in general. My
entire EP is about love and heartbreak be-
cause I always write about what I know.
My music is basically my diary. My songs
are the words I’m too afraid to say out
loud...so I decide to sing them instead.
3. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PUT OUT
YOUR EP LOVERS TO STRANGERS?
My first breakup. Having a boyfriend as
a freshman in high school was such an
exciting thing for me at the time, so once
the relationship ended I was heartbroken.
The thing is, after a few days of feeling
bad for myself, I decided that I was tired
of just sitting around listening to Taylor
Swift songs and crying. So that’s when I
decided to invest my time into creating an
EP. 2.5 years later and viola, it’s here!
4. WHICH SONG WAS THE MOST EXCITING TO
RECORD? WHY?
Definitely “Life Support.” It was the most
recent song I’d written for the EP. I had
been going through a really rough patch
with a boy and my friends at the time
so that song made me feel better every
single time I sang it. To be honest, It’s ba-
sically just a giant “F you!” to everyone in-
volved in the drama at the time.
Okay, I have to admit it was a super em-
powering feeling when I was able to per-
form it in front of everyone at the release
party. Seeing their faces was priceless.
5. WHICH SONG WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT
TO RECORD? WHY?
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Lover” was the hardest
to record because it was one of the first
by: Carol Wright
Ron Dadon
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 5
songs that I’d written for the EP. That song
was written in 2013, so you can imagine
how much my voice changed from the
time I wrote it to the release date. My pro-
ducer and I had to re-record it so many
times because my voice kept maturing
more and more every single time I went
back into the studio.
6. YOU HAVE A YOUTUBE WHERE YOU POST
SONG COVERS AND VLOGS, HOW DID YOUR
CHANNEL COME ABOUT? DID YOU EXPECT
SUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM VIEWERS
AND THE 4,000+ SUBSCRIBERS?
Not at all! I started my “livingwithron”
channel back in 2013, because I just
wanted a way to share my music with the
world. I did have a YouTube channel as a
child but I’d stopped posting on it when I
was 10 or 11, so I figured it was time for a
fresh start. Since I began my new channel
I’ve gotten the most incredible feedback.
I’ve also started vlogging so that has been
a huge help in getting to know my audi-
ence better. The community on YouTube
is just so amazing and I could never have
expected to be where I am today.
Ron Dadon
1 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A M U S I C
7. WHAT IS YOUR SONG-WRITING PROCESS?
I basically just scribble all of my frustra-
tions into my song book and hope for the
best.
8. WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS?
This is always the hardest question! I
have tons, but right now I’m really into:
Radiohead, Amy Winehouse, Rihanna, the
Broods, Daughter, FKA Twigs, Ed Sheeran,
Kanye West, Troye Sivan, and tons more.
My music taste changes depending on my
mood.
9. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM ONE
OF YOUR SONGS? WHY?
Okay, I have two!
“And I realized I wasn’t in love. I was only
in love with the idea of being in love with
you” from Fantasy.
When you’re 14 years old and someone
tells you that they love you, you’re inclined
to think that you love them too. You trick
your mind into thinking that you’re in love
with the person when you’re only in love
with the idea of having a relationship. I
was a child when I had my first boyfriend,
and now when I look back at it I really
wasn’t in love at all. It wasn’t real.
“She’s got eyes as bright as you used to
make my world” from Life Support.
This one’s quite simple. I was with a boy
and he left me for a girl with bright blue
eyes. I love how this line captures exactly
how I felt at the time.
10. WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE LOCATION
YOU’VE PERFORMED?
Performing, whether it be at a coffee
shop or live music venue, is always the
most amazing thing. But, performing at
the Nile Theatre for Bravefest 2015 was
the most surreal experience I’ve ever had.
11. HAS YOUR MOVE FROM ARIZONA TO
CALIFORNIA OPENED DOORS FOR YOU MU-
SICALLY?
Honestly, no. I’m not gonna lie, this move
has been really hard on me. It’s hard to
find places to perform here, especially
since I now live in a small town as opposed
to living in a big city (like I had in Arizona.)
And I have no inspiration, AT ALL! I literally
wrote a song yesterday about how unin-
spired I am, hahaha! But yeah, I’m moving
to LA in July so hopefully that’ll help my
music flourish.
I’m excited.
MUSIC IS MY ESCAPE. IT’S WHERE I’M ABLE TO UNLEASH MY FEELINGS IN A WAY THAT ENABLES ME TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS THROUGH MELODIES.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 7
MUSIC IS MY ESCAPE. IT’S WHERE I’M ABLE TO UNLEASH MY FEELINGS IN A WAY THAT ENABLES ME TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS THROUGH MELODIES.
12. HOW HAS MUSIC CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
I know that without music I wouldn’t be
the person that I am today. Music is my
escape. It’s where I’m able to unleash my
feelings in a way that enables me to share
them with others through melodies. I’m
so blessed to have incredible people and
mentors in my life that have supported
me and have helped me develop myself
into a musician who writes and performs
all of her own songs, and who is actually
confident in her work. Music is my life and
I wouldn’t wish for anything else.
13. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO LEARN
THE GUITAR? DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER IN-
STRUMENTS?
It took me about a year or so to learn
all of the basic chords, but I believe that
you never really stop learning when it
comes to instruments. There’s always
something new to learn. I don’t play any
other instruments, but I do want to begin
learning piano.
14. WHERE DO YOU HOPE MUSIC WILL TAKE
YOU? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIR-
ING MUSICIANS?
I hope to one day release a full album
and have the chance to go on tour. Per-
forming is the most amazing feeling, and
to travel the world by tour bus or plane
is my absolute dream. My advice to as-
piring musicians is to never give up. Keep
writing, keep performing, keep working
hard because one day all of your hard
work will pay off. Just never ever stop
making music!
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
1 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
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MUSIC FESTIVAL OUTFITS
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 9
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MUSIC FESTIVAL OUTFITS
Front Photo by: Carol Wright PhotographyStyling by: Niara Wright
Don’t know what to wear to a music festival? We partnered with The Wright Look, an east coast styling firm, to give you the latest in festival fashion inspo.
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
3 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
Faded
Earrings, $30, houseofflair.co; Necklace, stylist’s own; body suit worn as top, models own; Lace dress, $20, urbanoutfitters.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3 3
Faded
Photography & Styling by: Niara Wright
Makeup by: Alexandria Rodriguez
Model: Brandy Marx
Head
chai
n, $
20,
hous
eoff
lair
.co;
Vin
tage
style
Pea
rl d
rop
Earrin
gs,
$48,
ho
useo
ffla
ir.c
o; n
eckl
ace
and
bead
ed d
ress
, bo
th vin
tage
, st
ylis
ts o
wn.
Royalty
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
3 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
Earrin
gs,
$30,
hou
seof
flai
r.co
; Ne
ckla
ce,
stylis
t’s
own;
bod
y su
it w
orn
as t
op,
mode
ls o
wn;
Lace
dre
ss,
$20,
urb
anou
tfitte
rs.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3 5
Beanie,$30,houseofflair.co; Lace Neckpiece, $30,houseoflair.co; Necklaces,(from top to bottom) $30,$45,$50, atomik3.com; Demin Jacket,$40, Banana Republic; Dress( worn under jacket), $180, Rough and Tumble.
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
3 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
Oran
ge a
nd b
lue
neck
lace
(wor
n as
hea
d pi
ece)
,$25
, Gr
ey a
nd Tau
pe N
eckl
ace(
wor
n as
hea
dpie
ce),
$20
, ho
useo
ffla
ir.c
o; R
ings
, Mo
dels
own
; Be
aded
Nec
klac
e, $
50,
Gold
Fring
e Ne
ckla
ce,$
25,
hous
eoff
lair
.co;
Br
acel
ets,
styli
sts
own;
Dre
ss,$
200,
Rou
gh a
nd Tum
ble.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3 7
Lace Neckpiece, $30, houseofflair.co; crochet neckpiece, $30, houseofflair.com; Pearl Choker with Crystal beads, $50, houseofflair.co; Bra, $32, labeledbasic.com; Vintage blazer, stylists own.
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
3 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
Lace Neckpiece, $30, houseofflair.co; crochet neckpiece, $30, houseofflair.com; Pearl Choker with Crystal beads, $50, houseofflair.co; Bra, $32, labeledbasic.com.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3 9
Chan
el P
earl h
air
pins
, $3
0 a
set,
hou
seof
flai
r.co
; Ea
rrin
gs,$
30,
hous
eoff
lair
.co;
rin
gs,
mode
ls o
wn;
Foot
Ch
ain
worn
on
hand
, $2
5,ho
useo
ffla
ir.c
o; n
eckl
aces
, ho
useo
ffla
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o; Vin
tage
lac
e Sh
awl,
$50,
sec
ondt
imea
roun
d.co
m; B
ra(w
orn
unde
rnea
th,
$32,
Lab
eled
basi
c.co
m.
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
4 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
All can be found on ShoePlush.com
Prom Queen
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 4 1
Prom Queen
Amber Blue Perforated Faux Leather Chunky Heels,$44.99
Carmen Thigh High, $89.53
Confetti Silver Pointy Toe Pump, $37.49
Napa Wine Suede Laceup Bootie, $42.50
WITH PROM RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, SHOEPLUSH IS THE PLACE TO GO TO HAVE YOU STEPPING INTO PROM FEELING LIKE A QUEEN.
# N Y O T A F A S H I O N
4 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
This past February, The NYOTA team hit up the big apple for the newly revamped,
New York Fashion Week. With IMG as new management, NYFW has truly taken over
Manhattan. We had shows all over the city at fashionably famous venues such as
ARTBEAM Studios, The Metropolitan Pavilion and Pier 59, just to name a few. We
started the month with Concept Korea: Menswear. This season they showcased the
collections of Ordinary People and DBYD.
Menswear is headed in the right direction this fall with fur and wool coats, warm
color tones, and thick soled shoes.
Next was Canadian Duo, Maison Cyma. Their clothes screamed luxury and style
with classic silhouettes and pieces. They use recycled fur so it doesn’t go to waste.
That’s one way to be sustainable and stylish.
Our first presentation of the season was Nika Tang. If you are looking for a killer
coat next fall, you definitely should check out Nika’s collection. Her collection was all
about structure and details, every time you looked you saw something new.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 4 3
Alisha Tremble ended our night in elegance in Parlour Night Lounge. Her collec-
tion was inspired by a song by Sly and the Family Stone called Everybody is a Star
and the 70’s. She has a store in Williamsburg called I Love You Beckford, so if you
want to check her stuff out in person you can pay her a visit.
Next was Small Boutique Fashion Week where independent fashion designers
and boutiques showcased their collections. There were jewelry designers, street
wear collections and our very own House of Flair. The most impressive presenter
was 10 year fashion designer, Egypt Efele.
A few days later we attended the Nolcha Shows, another independent New York
Fashion Week event. They showcased student designers, international designers
and emerging brands.
A nice little surprise for us was that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Tour was in
town. We got to meet super models like Chanel Iman and Rose Bertman and saw
Gigi Hadid from afar.
Our final day of NYFW started off in an uber stuck in traffic on the way to the Victo-
rinox Presentation. Knowing this is an adventure gear company, I didn’t know what
to expect except swiss army knives but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
The closing show was Art Hearts Fashion. Being another independent designer
showcase, they never disappoint. Showing in an old gothic church and having an
art gallery as a backdrop, I would have to say this was the coolest show I had seen
this season.
Article by: Niara Wright
Photography by: Carol Wright
5 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
SPRING BREAK SPOTSATLANTIS
Enjoy a few days in the Bahamas with warm sandy beaches, great pools and water slides, even swim with the fish! www.atlantisbahamas.com 1-888-877-7525 or 954-809-2100
THE ERWINHOTEL
Who doesn’t want beaches, sunshine and the
chance to see Channing Tatum walking down
the street. Stay at The Erwin Hotel right on Ven-
ice Beach. www.hotelerwin.com (800)786-7789
California
Bahamas
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5 9
SPRING BREAK SPOTSTHE HAMPTONS
Shop, eat and be merry. Check out all the places you can rent on www.Airbnb.com and shop at a store like www.blueandcream.com
WYNWOODWALLS
Check out the Art walk in Wyn-
wood and unleash your inner Banksy.
www.wynwoodmiami.com
Miami
New York
By: Carol Wright
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 6 1
MUSIC FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS
FANNY PACK. Mocha Bags,$68. Etsy.com; Scarp City Iridescent Fanny Pack,$38, Nylon.com; Denim Fanny Pack, $24, American Apparel REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE. Infusion Water Bottle With Drink Tracker, $15.99, femmefitalefitclub.bigcartel.com; S’well Bottle, $42, swellbottle.com LIP BALM. Robin Lynns Organic Lip Balm, $2 per balm, $5 a set of 3, www.robinlynns.com MONEY. Brass Money Clips, $80, food52.com CAMERA. Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 Camera, $130; Mobile Lens Kit, $34; Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera, $70, urbanoutfitters.com PHONE. Liquid Gold and Mint Phone Case, $40, casetify.com; Iphone Gold Pineapple Case, $20, skinnydiplondon.com; Vivid Glow Purple Wrap, $24.95, slickwraps.com SNEAKERS. Chuck Taylors, $75, converse.com; Adidas Stan Smiths, adidas.com, $75 SUNGLASSES. Krill, $210, cocoandbreezy.com; Love’s Floral sunglasses, $160, tnemnroda.com, LA Hearts Classic Metal Round Sunglasses, $16.95, pacsun.com JEAN JACKET. Warren Lotas, $400, vfiles.com; Trouble Maker Denim Jacket, $125, nylon.com PHONE CHARGER. IKeep, $20, ikeep.com; Anker Powercore+ Portable Charger, $11.99, amazon.com; Chanel Lipstick phone charger, $25, storenvy.com
By:
Caro
l Wrig
ht
6 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
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At my High School I am in a class called Teach2serve. Teach-
2serve is either a one-year public service program or a two-year
social entrepreneurship program, both of which aim to educate,
train, assist and inspire high school students who are commit-
ted to effecting positive social change. In our second year of
Teach2serve, each student chooses a Capstone Project, for my
capstone project I am using Nyota as a way to highlight inspir-
ing young adults. In this issue we are highlighting City Love,
a Philadelphia based duo that makes music aimed to bring people
together and work to help heal the racial divide in our country.
City love synthesizes the power of music and deep conversation
to reach audiences in ways that dialogue alone often cannot.
Carol Wright
NYOTA’S INSPIRATIONAL
FEATURE
6 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
HOW DID YOU TWO MEET AND WHAT IN-
SPIRED YOU TO FORM CITY LOVE?
We had mutual friends around West
Philly (because it is a small city, and lots
of folks who are engaged in justice work
all mingle together) and we swapped mu-
sic the first time we met. I (Sterling) then
had the chance to listen to Caselli’s music
after a powerful conversation before one
of my shows with another group that I
was in, and was completely blown away
by his voice, the emotion, the power. We
had a passion for writing love songs,
both the romantic love and the kind of
love Cornell West talks about when he
says “Justice is what love looks like in pub-
lic”. We started just getting together for
some jam sessions, and the next thing we
knew, we were performing as City Love
around the City. It was fate, truly, that we
met and that we started building.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO MAKE MU-
SIC THAT INSPIRES PEOPLE AND STARTS
NYOTA’S
INSPIRATIONAL
FEATURE
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 6 5
CONVERSATION OF IMPORTANT TOPICS
INSTEAD OF MAKING MORE MAINSTREAM
MUSIC THAT DOES NOT HAVE A MESSAGE?
We believe all music has a message. As
Howard Zinn said, “you can’t stay neutral
on a moving train.” So we want to be
proactive and intentional about what
we put out into the world. All of our
songs are love songs. Some are about
romantic love - so we try to be mindful
of the gender roles and values we’re
broadcasting - and some of our songs
are about the great love along the lines
of James Baldwin’s brilliant insight that,
“If I love you, I have to make you con-
scious of things you don’t see.” So we
can seamlessly shift from a song about
falling in love to a song where we advo-
cate for equitable access to education or
an end to police violence.
WHO DO YOU HOPE TO INSPIRE WITH YOUR
MUSIC? WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO
GAIN AFTER LISTENING TO YOUR SONGS?
We played a fundraiser for Mill Creek
Farm a year ago, and seeing 2 and 3
year olds dancing around, really feeling
it, while we played a song about ending
mass incarceration was a powerful sign
that we were on the right track. Simi-
larly, playing at Pennswood Quaker Re-
tirement Village and having an elder in
their 80s shed a tear during a song we
shared about police violence and the
Black Lives Matter movement helped us
see the range of our music’s potential to
By: Caro
l Wright
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 6 7
touch others. We hope our music can
help others see the world and them-
selves in a way they hadn’t considered,
and that our music will inspire dialogue
that challenges us and helps us continue
to grow as well.
WHO INSPIRES YOUR MUSIC? YOUR
SOUND?
If we are wise enough and open
enough, the inspiration is everywhere.
There have been times when we’ve gone
to a march, a conference or a lecture to-
gether, and a new song bursts out of us
the next day.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE
EVER PERFORMED?
It was a surprise concert in a school
yard before school started as parents
dropped their children off. The energy,
the joy, the positivity that filled up the
school yard was unbelievable, and the
fusion of voices as some of the students
sang along to “Lean on Me” and other
songs reinforced the power of commu-
nity and connection. Hard to start off a
day better than that!
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MUSIC HAS THE
POWER TO STOP VIOLENCE IN THIS COUN-
IF WE ARE WISE
ENOUGH AND
OPEN ENOUGH,
THE INSPIRATION
IS EVERYWHERE.
6 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
TRY OR THAT IT HAS ENOUGH POWER TO
MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO NOT DO VIOLENT
THINGS?
Let’s say this, we can’t imagine anyone
having a fight while listening to Stevie
Wonder sing “Love’s In Need of Love
Today”. When music is about Love, it’s
going to send Love out into the world.
If you’re focusing on Love, it leaves less
time and space for hatred and greed.
Music is a soul education, and we be-
lieve it can inspire deep shifts.
BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU, HOW MANY
INSTRUMENTS DO YOU PLAY?
Hmmmmm. Let’s see. Guitar, mando-
lin, cajon, piano, synthesizer, melodica.
But we’re just getting started ;)
DO YOU SEE YOURSELVES BEING TOGETH-
ER AND MAKING MUSIC IN TEN YEARS?
We think it would be a true honor and
blessing to continue to make music with
each other. And we have no idea, if that
happens, what that would look like in
10 years. We each have music deep in
our core, and will be making music for
the rest of our lives, whether together or
separately. But we are hopeful that we
will continue to blend hip-hop and har-
monies well into the 21st century.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR WRITING YOUR
MUSIC? HOW LONG DOES IT USUALLY TAKE
FOR YOU TO WRITE A SONG?
Sometimes one of us comes with an
idea, other times we just vibe and jam
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 6 9
and something jumps right out at us.
Some songs are born in minutes, some
in weeks, but all of them continue to
grow and change with the months and
years as we gain clarity about what we
want to share and as we continue to
grow and change as individuals.
CASELLI, I KNOW YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR
AND PERFORMER. DO YOU EVER PERFORM
YOUR SONGS FOR YOUR KIDS AND TRY TO
DISCUSS IMPORTANT TOPICS OR PRESSING
ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOM?
My kiddos are 4-6 years old, but at my
school we try to draw on the rich diver-
sity of students’ families coming in to
share about themselves and use these
meetings as a chance to have develop-
mentally appropriate discussions about
race, class, gender, religion, and sexual
orientation. Music is definitely a part of
that sharing, and I wrote a song with the
kids called “We’re All Made of Stars” to
celebrate our differences and our com-
mon ground. Sterling and I have also
had the fortune of sharing our music
through performances and workshops
at a number of area schools, but usually
for 5th grade and above. We hope to do
more and more workshops and interac-
tive performances at schools, because
we believe our music can be a very pow-
erful tool for education, dialogue and
community building.
STERLING, BECAUSE YOU ARE ON THE
BOARD AT FRIENDS CENTRAL DO YOU
THINK THAT ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE A
GREATER INFLUENCE AMONGST THE
YOUNG PEOPLE IN PHILADELPHIA?
Co-Clerking the Diversity Board at
Friends’ Central is a wonderful experi-
ence, though the act of being on that
Board doesn’t directly connect with my
connection to young people in the city,
as we focus a lot on structural and pro-
grammatic things specific to our school
community. What the opportunity does
afford me is the ability to have a balco-
ny view of systems and how they work,
and to think about how to better con-
nect with young people and think about
experiences that are meaningful and
transformative. Being on on the Diver-
sity Board ensures that I remain focused
on the experiences of young people, and
keeping that at the center is definitely
key to building authentic relationships,
which in turn impacts the trust built be-
tween me and young people.
WHERE CAN READERS CHECK OUT YOUR
MUSIC?
You can visit our webpage, www.
muchcitylove.com, like us on Facebook
- www.facebook.com/muchcitylove) or
stream our music on Soundcloud - www.
soundcloud.com/muchcitylove.
WE BELIEVE ALL MUSIC HAS A MESSAGE. AS HOWARD ZINN SAID, “YOU CAN’T STAY NEUTRAL ON A MOVING TRAIN.” SO WE WANT TO BE PROACTIVE AND INTEN-TIONAL ABOUT WHAT WE PUT OUT INTO THE WORLD.
9 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR
MOVEMENT THAT IS CENTERED AROUND
GOD?
My life and the people around it. Many
people would call it religion. However,
it’s not that for me. It’s a relationship
with someone who showed me that life
was more than what society pre-
sented to me. Due to God, I am
able to share and create a move-
ment that empowers people to connect
to one another and ultimately God.
AT WHAT AGE DID GOD START SPEAKING/
REVEALING TO YOU YOUR PURPOSE? HOW
DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
I was 19 when everything started to hap-
pen. It made me question my self-worth.
Someone thought that I was the perfect
candidate to start a platform to empower
women. That was the beginning of it all.
ARE YOUR PARENTS A LARGE INFLUENCE
IN YOUR LIFE?
Large is an understatement. They are
my pastors, parents, and former bosses.
They have invested in my business, plat-
forms, and more. My mother just placed
an order on my business site for a mug
and t-shirt. I was about to fulfill the or-
der when I saw that it was my address.
My parents are the ones who taught me
about business and leadership in gen-
eral. I am honored to be their child.
I LOVE HOW GENESIS 1 IS A MOTIVATIONAL
GENESIS DORSEYBy: Niara Wright
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9 7
SCRIPTURE FOR YOU, IS THIS INTEN-
TIONAL OR IRONY?
Many people think that it’s inten-
tional but it’s not. When I started my
graphic design & branding business,
I knew that I wanted a scripture as a
backbone. I live by the Word of God
and words are important to me. The
original graphic designer was God.
In design, we discuss UI and UX. God
was a master at making our bodies
so detailed yet functional that sci-
entists have committed their lives
to understanding who we are as hu-
mans. I found this scripture as the
best fit.
I READ THAT YOU ARE ALSO AN ELE-
MENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER. DO YOUR
POSITIONS AS TEACHER AND YOUNG
ADULT/BUSINESS MINISTER EVER
OVERLAP?
So that was a temporary position.
I was an elementary school teacher
for close to 2 years at my mother’s
school. This position was for me to learn
more about the teacher’s side of the
business and understand their perspec-
tive. It also opened my eyes into work-
ing with parents from the teacher’s per-
spective and the expectations within the
classroom. The position was definitely
not for me. I’m glad it was a short term
position. Being that the school is a Chris-
tian school, there were several opportu-
nities for me to teach the children about
spiritual leadership. This is a huge topic
for me. In the classroom on certain days
there would be character development
days. We used the 7 Habits of Happy Kids
(Based off of 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People) as the foundation. I integrated
biblical lessons with the book. That was
the most rewarding thing of all. It doesn’t
matter how intelligent you are if you
don’t have the character to sustain it.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT GIRLS OF
ROYALTY IS? HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH
THAT NAME?
Girls of Royalty is an Online Christian
Network for women of all ages. We offer
two main programs. Girls of Royalty is for
the adults and we have Branded Teens
for teenagers. Our goal is to use tech-
nology to connect women from across
the world. We offer weekly live teach-
ings, prayer calls, mentoring, and more.
My father actually came up with the
name back in late 2012. I was going to call
it Esther’s Girls. I thank God for my father
telling me that his idea was better.
BEFORE THE BIRTH OF GOR IN 2012, YOU SAID
THAT YEAR WAS THE LOWEST PART OF YOUR
LIFE. CARE TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY?
My parents were wrongly indicted in
late 2011 and went to prison in 2012. We
spent so much time trying to fight for the
truth to come to light. The slander was
hard to handle being that I had never
seen so many people who “supported”
us turn their backs at one mention of
a lie. My parents fought to appeal and
the state worked even harder to turn it
down. So at 19, I had to come home from
Spelman and take care of things at home
while both of my parents left. My mother
went to Connecticut and my father went
to New Jersey. My parents were also pas-
tors and leaders so this really shook up
the “public image”. However, I learned
more from my parents during that time.
They taught me how to trust in God no
matter what people said. However, it
took me some time to digest what faith
really meant. I rebelled for some time
9 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
and tried different ways of releasing
the anger and pain. However, God was
there the entire time. He was there try-
ing to be all I needed. He was there with
me in the bar, to the bedrooms that I
shouldn’t have been in. In 2012, I gave
God my all and I never looked back.
HOW HAD GOR IMPACTED THE COMMUNI-
TY? WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE FEED-
BACK/ TESTIMONY FROM A USER?
Our user base stretches all over the
world, thanks to technology. As far as
impact, we’ve been able to put togeth-
er local events to help the community
such as going to kitchens, giving blan-
kets to the homeless, and more. As far
as memorable feedback, one in particu-
lar impacted me. This had to be from
maybe 2 years ago where a mother had
her daughter reading a confession that
I had written. Each month, our mem-
bers have access to a new study. Each
month our studies are written different-
ly. However, in some studies, we have a
confession at the end. Well this mother
recorded her daughter reading the con-
fession on the way to school. That hit
me really hard that people who I never
met were impacted by our ministry.
HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE/ENGAGE NON-
BELIEVERS WITH GOR?
One of the things that I love about
our ministry is how open we are due
to technology. We have so many teach-
ings online and on our site that it isn’t
“inclusive”. We also use our social media
pages to offer encouragement in a way
that isn’t judgemental or condemning.
Jesus didn’t come to condemn. He came
to love us according to John 3:17. We
have a “Learn about Jesus” page on our
site where people can learn and connect
with our team as well. Our team makes
sure that anyone can listen to our teach-
ings and not feel “on the outside”
TWO YEARS AFTER GOR, CAME THE BIRTH
OF GIGICREATES.COM. WHAT WAS THE IN-
SPIRATION FOR THIS PLATFORM?
GigiCreates.com came about when
I figured out that all of the things I do
for Girls of Royalty could be a rev-
Someone thought that I was the perfect candidate to start a platform to empower women. That was the beginning of it all.
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9 9
enue stream for me to do what I love
full time. Through developing Girls of
Royalty, I have learned so much and I
knew people wanted to learn the same.
HAD YOU ALWAYS DONE GRAPHIC DESIGN?
(ONE OF YOUR MANY TALENTS I SEE)
I started graphic design back in
high school while designing fly-
ers and layouts for my church.
So, the deeper I dug into the brand that
is Genesis Dorsey.
I DISCOVERED HOW MUCH OF A FULL PLATE
YOU HAVE! ASIDE FROM BEING AN ENTRE-
PRENEUR, A MINISTER, MENTOR, AND
TEACHER, YOU HAVE ALSO LAUNCHED AN
ONLINE MAGAZINE, CROWNED MAGAZINE.
(WOW!) CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT PROJECT?
Crowned Magazine is under the Girls
of Royalty’s umbrella. Our editor Britt
had done a fantastic job bringing togeth-
er some amazing female writers. So far
we have released two “collections”. Our
magazines don’t come out based upon
seasons but instead themes. To make
room for this growing platform, they are
developing their own site to make room
for weekly content in the form of a blog.
HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED?
We invite our writers to contact our
Crowned Team at: [email protected] to learn more.
WHERE CAN WE GET A COPY?
Our members of Girls of Royalty get a
free copy for signing up. You can also re-
ceive a free copy by joining the Crowned
email list on their site.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG
ENTREPRENEURS TRYING TO START A BUSI-
NESS?
Understand that you are in start-up
mode. Not enough entrepreneurs un-
derstand what it means to be a true
start-up. You’re not promised anything.
You have to work very hard to get it off
the ground and that may take 3 months,
a year, or 5 years. You have to make sure
that you believe in your product/service
and that it’s scalable to make real profit.
If I may be honest, many people have
cute ideas that are great as a thought
but there’s no scale factor. If you don’t
see your business growing beyond your
basement or home office, that’s an is-
sue. Most people could see their busi-
ness growing past a home office, but
is the product good enough to do that?
If not, work on what you provide and
make it something unforgettable. Look
at the market and learn more about
your customer base.
WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE ANYONE HAS
GIVEN YOU?
Out of the different interviews and ses-
sions I’ve been at, I always give a differ-
ent answer to this question because it
depends on what’s happening in my life
at the moment. For right now, it would
have to be Gary Vaynerchuk when he
talked about having balance in his life.
He said: “Just do it”. As an entrepreneur,
ministry leader, church creative director,
and more, I’ve learned that there are no
tips for having perfect balance. Do what
you can and be grateful for those mo-
ments.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS WE SHOULD
LOOK OUT FOR? ( NOT THAT YOU DON’T
ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH TO DO,LOL)
Right now, my main focus is on writing.
I’m working on releasing a book around
Christmas of this year. I’ve already re-
leased many resources for entrepre-
neurs and women which I’m also looking
at turning into study kits. My goal is to
focus more and more on full time minis-
try and writing as the months pass.
Due to God, I am able to share and create a movement that empowers people to con-nect to one another and ultimately God.
1 0 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
Movies
Get a Job ( March 25th)This new flick might be one of the most relatable movies that came out this year. It stars Anna Kendrick and Miles Teller as two recent college graduates who after having a few strange jobs can’t seem to find a desirable one, but with the help of family and co-workers learn that the most important adventures are the unexpected ones.
THE JUNGLE BOOK (APRIL 15, 2016)This April you can see one of your favorite Disney movies come to life in this remake starring Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, and Idris Elba just to name a few of the big names in this cast. Go back to the Jungle and follow Mowgli’s journey as he has to leave the only home he’s ever known in order to get away from the Tiger that is threaten-ing his life.
BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (MARCH 25TH)One of the most anticipated films of the year has hit theaters! We get to watch Henry Cavill reprise his role as Superman and Ben Affleck step into new shoes as Batman. The storyline is simple, two years after the destruction Superman has caused from his fight with Zodd. Batman deems Superman as a threat to Earth and makes it his duty to end Superman’s reign, while Lex Luther (who is being played by Jesse Eisenberg) is beginning to launch his own battle against the man of steel.
New ReleasesBy: Carol Wright
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 1
Buy your mother unique jewelry and accessory pieces
from The House of Flair! Located in Haddonfield, NJ. The
HoF houses independent artists so you are sure to find
something new each time you visit. You can also shop
with them online at www.houseofflair.co
You’re never too old for noon tea with mom. Treat her to
a lovely evening at The Picket Fence & Garden Tea room.
Make reservations online at www.picketfencegarden-tearoom.com or call (856)795-5357
Nothing says “I love you Mom” like a home and body set
from Rlynns! Order your set today at www.robinlynns.com Foot care set, $15
Mother's Day Gift Ideas
Books
N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 3
During spring break I travelled through
France with my school. We started out in
Paris and went sight seeing for two days.
I got the chance to see the Eiffel Tower,
go to The Louvre and climb the Arc De
Triomphe. ( I also ate my bodyweight
in bread) After Paris we took a train to
Avignon where we stayed for one day.
Avignon had beautiful buildings and
cute shops, we went exploring for a
bit and got a tour of the Pope’s Palace.
Then the next morning we took a bus to
Aix En Provence. On the way to Aix en
Provence we stopped and saw an aque-
duct in Pont Du Gard which was a great
experience. The Mediterranean sea was
glistening and the sun was shining on us.
After leaving the aqueduct we got to Aix
En Provence and had the chance to go
to an art museum and explore the town.
The shops were quaint and the food
was delicious and I saw numerous well-
dressed Frenchies. The next day we trav-
elled to Cannes. Cannes is now one of
my favorite places of all time, just from
the beautiful beach and the sunshine. I
FranceTravel Diary
got to relax on the sand, eat ice-cream
and bask in the moment. I also got to
see a few celebrity hand prints near
the casino where they have the famous
Cannes Film Festival every year. After
Cannes we travelled to St. Paul De Vence
which was peaceful but still bustling
with life. There were numerous beauti-
ful views no matter where you looked,
and the cutest small alleyways and win-
dowsills with potted plants. St. Paul is
somewhere I would like to retire when
I hit the age of seventy. After St. Paul
de Vence we continued on our journey
and made our way to Nice. We checked
into the hotel and then had the chance
to explore. First we explored the beach
area (which will now hold a special place
in my heart). The beach was covered in
rocks and my friends and I took time to
sit on the rocks, live in the moment and
just talk. Nice’s beach is gorgeous in ev-
ery aspect from the water to the view
By: Carol Wright
1 0 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E
# N Y O T A C U L T U R E
you have when you are on it. After being
on the beach we had the chance to shop
around and basically tear up Zara and
H&M. It was overall one of the best days
of our trip. The next day we took the
train from Nice to Monaco. I had heard
about Monaco from Grace Kelly but was
not completely sure what to expect. I
was blown away by the beauty of Mona-
co. The water was sparkling, the shops
were vibrant in colors and in life. It was
a great place to end our journey. We ate,
we shopped and we made sure to take
a moment to stare in awe at the beauty
of it all. Then we took the train back to
Nice and made our way to a candy shop
where we got to test candies and buy
candies (which I obviously did). After it
all we had dinner and went back to the
hotel and our journey had come to a
close. Spending spring break in France
was memorable and every moment was
captured either in Videos or Photos so
that I would never forget it. Stay tuned
for a video on Nyota’s Youtube page.
XOXO
Carol Wright