Sophia Strauss can be considered a seasoned actress while still in her teens. She appeared in Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Sound of Music, Annie and Beauty and the Beast, to name a few. Sophia will be appearing in the upcoming series, yA, which is a spinoff of the popular Amazon series, The Bay. Not only confined to acting, she's walked LA Fashion Week and the Cannes Fashion Festival.

In addition to Sophia being a cherished voice onscreen, she is a huge animal lover and has hosted several fundraiser events to raise money for the ASPCA. She also was one of the youngest runners in the ASPCA Rock n Roll 1/2 marathon. Sophie fosters cats and kittens for a local rescue called Zazzy Cat Kitty Rescue and has attended their adoption events at local pet stores and also at Disney studios.

Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Madison Margot and her work.

El Pital Ometepe - The Chocolate Paradise

Nestled unassumingly between two volcanoes, Volcán Concepción and Volcán Maderas, on the infinity shaped inside of Ometepe, Nicaragua, El Pital Ometepe, aka The Chocolate Paradise, thrives, sprawling within the abundance of wildlife. Much like its name suggests, El Pital visually looks like a naturally occurring paradise, think The Promised Land or Garden of Eden except there's chocolate - a lot of chocolate.

El Pital is multipurpose, a getaway, hostel, vegan cafe/ cacao, raw chocolate factory, and cacao farm all in one. Workshops are offered daily, varying from yoga to meditations. Meals are all plant-based and vegan. In addition, tours are given around the farm. Visitors are taught about the history of the cacao plant medicine and learn the process of how chocolate is made. Please read our interview here with one of the partners of El Pital Ometepe - The Chocolate Paradise, Justin Waxman, to learn more.

Paxton Booth Is Seriously Woke

Nine year old Paxton Booth can teach everyone of us a little bit about how to be a better and more woke person. Actor, activist, fashionista, and stuntman, Paxton will having you smiling ear to ear as you watch him being rad on his BMX bike, doing stunts on his show Coop & Cami, and being more stylish than most New Yorkers I know. Paxton is an active animal rights advocate and is looking to start his own fashion line for kids, which will help fight bullying and give other youngsters a chance to fully embrace who they are. To learn more about Paxton, who I hope to be as cool as when I grow up, please read our exclusive interview here.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 20, Editor's PickKira BuccaFebruary 21, 2020kids, youth, animal rights, animals, fashion, actor, fitness, athlete, FashionComment

Why Being Overly Clean is Toxic to Your Health (How to Swap Harsh Chemicals for Natural Alternatives) - By Dr. Marina Buksov

A lot of cleaning and personal care products on the market today contain harsh chemicals that are overtly toxic to us. Disinfectants like bleach, preservatives such as parabens, antibacterials such as triclosan, and synthetic fragrances and colorants, just to name a few - are ubiquitous. These ingredients can act as endocrine disruptors, inflammatory mediators, and even carcinogens. In addition, they are released into the environment and linger in the air, contributing to pollution and airborne inhalation by other people and living things. So, what should we use instead?

COVER - Garcelle Beauvais Fights For What She Loves

Haitian born beauty, Garcelle Beauvais, has been making waves in the industry all her life. After moving to the United States with her mother, she found her way to New York City to be a fashion model, working with some of the largest brands out there. Wanting to prove she is versatile, she went into acting and has been seen in a plethora of roles since. Her next big adventure is being the first African American cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills! Kinda crazy to think it took this long! When Garcelle isn’t being so glamorous, she can be seen getting her hands dirty with organizations like Step Up Women’s Network and Angels for Humanity, which help support women and children in Haiti, respectively, two causes she feels strongly about fighting for. Children are particularly important to Garcelle, as family is very important to her, so much so, that she even wrote a Children's book series, ‘I AM’, which she wrote for her children. Please click here to learn more about this incredible and inspiring woman in Jejune’s exclusive interview here.

Madison Margot Is A Lover

The singer, songwriter, and actress Madison Margot has been creating music for a good majority of her life. Her now pop hits frequent themes of ardent romance and trust, which is no exception with her latest album, The Chronicles of Lovers, which was appropriately released today (Happy Valentines Day, everyone!). Starting at age 11, she began writing songs and playing instruments, proudly showcasing her early musical talents.

Madison's passion goes further beyond music. She believes in the importance of giving back. Madison is involved with the non-profit Aid For Africa, an alliance of U.S.-based nonprofits and their African partners that empowers children, families, and communities throughout Sub Saharan Africa.

Please read our exclusive interview here to learn more about Madison Margot and her work.

Healthy Kitchen Gadgets, 3 Part Video Series- Marina Buksov and Nataliya Ostrovskaya - Part 3: Kitchen Gadgets (You Didn’t Know You Needed) For Healthy Cooking

Did you love our first two videos on having a healthy kitchen? Learn more here where we dive into some awesome gadgets you never knew you needed!

Wellness, zIssue 19Dr. Marina BuksovFebruary 12, 2020health, healthy, #healthylifestyle, food, #cooking, #healh, #healthy, eat healthy, health care, #health, kitchen, WellnessComment

Bree Taylor's Journey With Mental Health

As a musician, song composition often, or ideally, delineates the boundaries of creative expression through euphonic melodies, captivating lyrics, and innovation. Musician Bree Taylor directly subverts contemporary tropes within modern country music. Blending pop and country, Bree elevates and explores elements, both uncommon and familiar with her own unique flair. Recently nominated for Best New Artist by the Mississauga Music Awards, Bree Taylor is definitely a star on the rise

Beyond music, Bree is a strong advocate for mental health awareness. Her own struggles with depression influenced her philanthropic endeavors. Bree values, and is active within, charitable organizations including the Oakville, Milton and Toronto Humane Society, To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA), and the Canadian Mental Health Association. Please read our exclusive interview here to learn about Bree and her works.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 19Jejune ContributorFebruary 10, 2020musician, music, #singer, singer song writer, mental health, health, #health, country, depressionComment

ECOALF Is Making Clothes For The Future

There are very few fashion brands as dedicated to sustainability as ECOALF. In every step of the process, from production, manufacturing, fabrics, to packaging, ECOALF (and founder Javier Goyeneche) have carefully considered their impact on the environment. They even started a subsidiary non-profit organization called The Ecoalf Foundation. The Ecoalf Foundation’s main objective is to promote the recovery of waste in order to recycle it for their clothing and avoid its harmful impact on the environment. In layman’s terms, one of the things this incredible brand is doing is pulling plastic trash out of our oceans and turning it into beautiful fashion! They are doing this “Because there is no planet B”, which is also one of their collections. I’m totally obsessed with it. Please read more to learn about ECOALF, its founder, and their efforts towards sustainability.

Filmmaker Meredith Grace Dabney Casts A Spotlight On Depression

Meredith Dabney, actress, activist, filmaker, and writer is set to release her first breakthrough short film titled HERE TODAY, which is currently doing its festival run and its wide release early this year. Meredith uses her platform to raise awareness for those individuals struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide; partnering with the non-profit To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA). Please click here to learn more about Meredith and her works.

EDITORIAL - Desmond Richardson Inspires With Dance

Famed international dancer, and first African-American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, Desmond Richardson talks with Jejune about his career, thoughts towards dance, and upcoming projects. Please click here to learn more about Desmond and his art.

Editorials, zIssue 19Jejune ContributorFebruary 3, 2020dance, Dance, Film, films, African American, Inspiring, inspiration, Art, #artist, art, artist, African American rightsComment

Unocup Has A New Fold On Fighting The Plastic Crisis

Plastic can easily be seen as a strong contender for the most blatant and obnoxious source of waste and hazard to our environment and wildlife. Despite this, plastic is still a common mainstay in our society because of its multifaceted practicality. According to the UN, today we produce about 300 million metric tons of plastic waste every year. Researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced since the early 1950s. About 60% of that plastic has ended up in either a landfill or the natural environment. Plastic lids produce an estimate of over 20,000 tons of waste each year.

Unocup is actively facing the battle against plastic in the form of a small foldable paper cup and does away with the lid. Unocups origami-like design enables the cup to serve dual functions as a cup and lid. In addition, the lifecycle of the Unocup from production to waste is fully sustainable. Please click here to learn about Unocup from our exclusive interview with its founders: Tom Chan and Kaanur Papo.

Why Yoga is My Church (But Not My Religion) - By Marina Buksov

In a world of faceless strangers, often appearing as empty shells, busily navigating their individual lives in an overcrowded, fast-paced metropolis like New York City, it’s quite a wonder to find small pockets of community; and moreover, communion with spirit. One such treasure exists for me in a small, dimly lit, superbly hot room of sweating, writhing bodies on a quest for physical and spiritual release. Ironically, this room, too, is crowded and full of strangers, but it doesn’t feel like it during the 1-2 hour sessions of hot vinyasa yoga…

Wellness, zIssue 19Dr. Marina BuksovJanuary 29, 2020fitness, #fit, #fitness, #healthylifestyle, #healthconscious, #holistichealth, #holistic, live healthy, yoga, religionComment

Sasha Anne is Beautiful

YouTuber, beauty-guru, entrepreneur, Sasha Anne has made a name for herself garnering internet attention through her makeup videos. Her most popular video, with over 60,000 views, is a makeup tutorial inspired by the Darren Aronofsky directed film, Black Swan.

Her love of make-up inspired her to create her own lip gloss beauty line, Teeny Wee Lip Gloss, which was developed and founded by Sasha when she was only 17. Equally as important as her love for makeup is her affinity with animals. Teeny Wee Lip Gloss was designed to be cruelty free as a compassion for all animals and a personal gesture of love for her dog Chloe.

Please click here to learn more about Sasha Anne and her work.

EDITORIAL - Nathan Kehn Is The Cat's Meow

Actor Nathan Kehn, aka Nathan The Cat Lady, is definitely not shy about his love for animals. Currently, he has amassed 214k followers on Instagram for comedic prowess and his four adorable cats who, more often than not, gracefully contend with him for the spotlight, which you see is consistent in our exclusive fashion editorial and interview below. Please click here to see our adorable exclusive editorial, that we are all obsessed with, and learn how this Cat Lady uses his powers for good to help multiple animal orientated charities.

Sarayu Blue Is Raising Awareness for Multiple Myeloma

Sarayu Blue has played many roles on the screen, but in real life she is health conscious, fit, and has a heart of gold as she helps to raise awareness for Multiple Myeloma. Click here to learn more.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 19Jejune ContributorJanuary 22, 2020music, female power, Dance, fitness, #healh, self care, health care, #fitness, #fit, actress, #holistichealth, cancerComment

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - A Man To Make Proud - By David Pratt

Ninety-one years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia. In the course of a too-short life, ended by a gunshot in Memphis 39 years later, Dr. King would spend nearly half of it fighting for the equality of all people. The movement he led was catapulted to national notoriety when he, along with fellow activist E.D. Nixon, organized the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, an event which eventually led to the end of segregation of Montgomery public buses, an enormous triumph for African Americans at the time. But where are we now?

COVER - Can't Catch Violett Beane

Violett Beane is best know for her role as Jesse Quick on CW’s The Flash, but she has been more recently starring in a really sweet show called God Friended Me on CBS. In God Friends Me, her friends and her are randomly connected with strangers who need help through a “God” Facebook account. Talk about a feel good show. Clearly, Violett has a knack for the hero roles! In addition to doing good on the screen, she also is a passionate vegan and animal rights advocate. Please click here to see our sustainable cover fashion story and interview with Violett Beane.

Samuel Jack Will Inspire The World For Change

In a time where mass art and music is repetitive and safe, Samuel Jack is a breath of fresh air. Seemingly a kinder spirit, Samuel soulfully sings about the world in a real and honest way, that I can genuinely tell you I have been hunting for for a long time. His song “Refugee” brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it, and “We Are The Future” inspires me to get out there and do good. It is a good thing that everyone in New York City is a little crazy so they don’t bat an eye while I march down the street cryingly, angrily, dancing to his bluesy rhythm. I’m ready to take on the world, and I know that I will have Samuel Jack right along side me. Please click here to learn more about this amazing artist.

A Season of Ashes - by Mike Adamson

A country that is known for its delightful accents and wonderfully unique animals is on fire because of climate change. Their government is more occupied with how they can make money off of one of the leading causes of climate change, rather than saving the 1.25 billion (and rising) killed wild animals, hundreds of thousands of dead farm life, and a nation of people who will never be able to look at their great country the same way again. Please take in the words of Mike Adamson, a local South Australian from Adelaide, as he helps us understand the gravity of the situation.