NYOTA Magazine: Issue 3

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / iISSUE 3

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).

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / i i i

@nyotamagazine

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


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


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 U S I C# N Y O T A M U S I C


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 U S I C


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


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.

1 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

# N Y O T A M U S I C# N Y O T A M U S I C

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


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


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

MORE

INF

ORMATION

ON

INDIVI

DUAL

LIP

STICKS

CAN

BE

FOUN

D AT W

WW.M

DMFL

OW.C

OM.

MDMF

LOW

IS C

URRE

NTLY S

TOCK

ED AT

TOPS

HOP

(FLA

GSHI

PSTO

RE)

LOND

ON,

COLE

TTE

PARI

S, A

ND N

ASTY

GAL

LOS

ANG

ELES

MUSIC FESTIVAL OUTFITS

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 9

MORE

INF

ORMATION

ON

INDIVI

DUAL

LIP

STICKS

CAN

BE

FOUN

D AT W

WW.M

DMFL

OW.C

OM.

MDMF

LOW

IS C

URRE

NTLY S

TOCK

ED AT

TOPS

HOP

(FLA

GSHI

PSTO

RE)

LOND

ON,

COLE

TTE

PARI

S, A

ND N

ASTY

GAL

LOS

ANG

ELES

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.


2 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

COACHELLA

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 2 1

AFROPUNK


2 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

GOV’S BALL

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 2 3

PANORAMA


2 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

GOV’S BALL

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 2 5

COACHELLA


2 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

COACHELLA

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 2 7

AFROPUNK


2 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

PANORAMA

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 2 9

AFROPUNK


3 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

PANORAMA

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 3 1

GOV’S BALL


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


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.


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.


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

ir.c

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.


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.


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


4 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

Alis

haTr

imbl

e

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 4 5

Co-EIC, Niara Wright, interviewing designer, Alisha Trimble


4 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

ART HEARTS fashion

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 4 7

ART HEARTS fashion


4 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

conceptKorea

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 4 9

conceptKorea

maisoncyma


5 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

Nika

Tan

g

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5 1


5 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

Nolc

ha

Show

s

sportsillustrated

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5 3

Vict

orin

ox


5 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E

SBFW

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5 5

5 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

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 5 7

5 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N 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

6 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


MUSIC FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS

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


MORE

INF

ORMATION

ON

INDIVI

DUAL

LIP

STICKS

CAN

BE

FOUN

D AT W

WW.M

DMFL

OW.C

OM.

MDMF

LOW

IS C

URRE

NTLY S

TOCK

ED AT

TOPS

HOP

(FLA

GSHI

PSTO

RE)

LOND

ON,

COLE

TTE

PARI

S, A

ND N

ASTY

GAL

LOS

ANG

ELES

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 6 3

MORE

INF

ORMATION

ON

INDIVI

DUAL

LIP

STICKS

CAN

BE

FOUN

D AT W

WW.M

DMFL

OW.C

OM.

MDMF

LOW

IS C

URRE

NTLY S

TOCK

ED AT

TOPS

HOP

(FLA

GSHI

PSTO

RE)

LOND

ON,

COLE

TTE

PARI

S, A

ND N

ASTY

GAL

LOS

ANG

ELES

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


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

6 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


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


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.

7 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7 1

photo-graphyfeature

Phot

ogra

phy

by R

on a

nd J

illi

an

7 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7 3

7 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7 5

7 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7 7

7 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 7 9

8 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 8 1

8 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 8 3

8 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 8 5

8 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 8 7

8 8 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 8 9

9 0 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9 1

9 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9 3

9 4 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 9 5

9 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N 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


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


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

1 0 2 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


France

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


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

N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 5

1 0 6 / / N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E


N Y O T A M A G A Z I N E / / 1 0 7

Documents

NYOTA Magazine: Issue 3