MINIMALIST: New Approach to Sustainability

When you think about ethical fashion brands, the first thing that comes to mind is ethical practices and the use of sustainable materials. Minimalist takes it up a notch! The NYC-based designer and a proud mom of two children, Tamara Daydova, was motivated to build a purpose-driven sustainable fashion brand that rebels against the norm design and production processes. She founded the ethical luxury that adopted a circular business model, which aims to eliminate fashion’s landfill problem, as opposed to the take-make-waste linear production model practiced by most apparel companies these days. Definitely a wow factor! Besides designing for circularity, Minimalist really carries its name in that they keep the number of components in each garment as low as possible and only keep what is absolutely necessary to reduce environmental impact. Explore with Jejune how Minimalist contribute to the world of sustainability with their circular business model in our exclusive interview below.

Lexie Stevenson Fights Fearlessly for Passion

Lexie Stevenson is inspirational and fearless. After her near-death experience suffering from endometriosis at the age of 17, she comes back stronger fighting fearlessly and positively for her passion. Stevenson made her big break as Mattie Ashby on the CBS Daytime Award-Winning drama The Young and the Restless. On top of being a wonderful actress, she also holds multiple titles (model, philanthropist, theatrical performer, competitive athlete) with a hidden talent in singing. Jejune is excited to share our exclusive interview with her on her incredible journey as an actress and advisory board for the Endometriosis Foundation of America.

Laura Marano's New Deluxe EP Has Strong Bestie Energy

Strong Bestie Energy is the best way to describe the actress-turned-singer-songwriter, Laura Marano. Known for the role of Ally on Disney Channel’s Austin and Ally, Laura Marano has always been known as the best friend, the girl next door, and overall, a down to earth star. All of these qualities are manifested in Laura’s EP You. This past month, Laura released the Deluxe EP of You, featuring duets “Honest With You” with Alextbh Duet and “Can’t Help Myself” with Poe Leos and Jean Deaux. Jejune got the opportunity to sit down with Laura in a live listening session of the album from Laura’s cozy home (via Zoom of course) and learn all about the album’s new sound.

Delicious Sounds With Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds

Bonjour! Are you a new age funk lover? Well, keep reading because this is the band for you (with a bilingual twist). Canada-based group Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds is the French-English fusion band you didn’t know you needed. With their latest single “Stuck in Quarantine,” they explore romance and isolation all in one track. The song channels feelings of seclusion with funky soul-pop beats and melodies. No doubt “Stuck in Quarantine” is the ultimate theme song for all of the restless souls sick of FaceTime and ready for the real thing.

Let’s introduce the band members: Jérémie Brémault, the lead vocalist and guitarist, Ryan Toupin, lead guitarist, Nelson Sprout, bassist, and Diego Guzman, drummer. What makes this band different from all the others? They value and take into account all voices, ideas, and concepts from each band member. This inclusive mentality shines through on their debut LP, “Cruel,” and latest single alike. This interview covers the message behind “Stuck in Quarantine,” the creatives that came together to produce it, and the band’s experience sponsoring a child from World Vision. For our exclusive interview with Jérémie & The Delicious Hounds, please continue reading below!

Niki Tonik on Finding Balance With Double Life

What is the first thing that comes to mind about Yin and Yang? Duality. Niki Tonik is the real-life version of Hannah Montana, except for the part of concealing her second identity. The American-Israeli finds balance in life and sharing positivity through her dual identities as a recording artist and a Taoist Tonic Herbalism master. Both identities fulfill and satisfy different areas of Niki’s life and her needs for different reasons. Follow Jejune and dive in together in our exclusive interview with Niki on her perspective from the “Yin” (Israeli–Palestinian conflict) to the “Yang” (her exciting double life).

Miranda Joan: Home Is Where Your Heart Is

Hard to miss! Miranda Joan, traveler of the world, is spreading her music with positivity everywhere in the western hemisphere. Despite her new recently-released single “Rushed”, the French-English neo-soul singer is unstoppable in spreading her musical talent, and we will even be seeing a new single in French later this year. She further shares her talent through Femme Jam, NYC's first all-female-led jam session which she co-founded. In our interview with Miranda, we talk about her sensational journey in spreading positivity through music. Keep reading!

Li Dong: Be Kind

Li Dong, the Canadian-born Asian filmmaker, pushes boundaries to spread inclusivity through films. The multifaceted risk-taker, from undertaking med & law school to becoming a strip club DJ before settling on directing and screenwriting, released his first feature film - Stealing School - which was debuted in the USA by Vertical Entertainment recently. “Stealing School” reflects on systematic racism happening in higher institutions. Dong gets candid with Jejune on film directing and racism faced as an Asian creative. Keep on reading to find out how we can follow his example to create more inclusive spaces!

COVER - Pride House LA Is Here To Stay!

Happy Pride Month! June is, without a doubt, the most colorful and unapologetic time of the year. Pride amplifies the LGBTQIA + community’s voice and uplifts the message of “loud and proud” queerness. Why cant it be pride every month?

Speaking of amplifying voices, TikTok has become an important vehicle for the LGBTQIA + community to express themselves. Many gay, non-binary, and gender varying influencers have built meaningful platforms on TikTok; proving it remains a safe place for LGBTQIA + youth and allies.

Alexa Nisenson Inspires Through Actions

While many teens dream of making a presence in Hollywood, Alexa Nisenson is living it! Aside from voicing a character for Cartoon Network and landed a starring role in AMC’s hit series - Fear The Walking Dead - she is also challenging herself with writing books and music at the age of 15. The rising star is also a passionate humanitarian. She is a mental health activist and cancer research advocate. Alexa is truly an inspiring role model for young teens everywhere. Jejune is excited to share our interview with Alexa to learn more about her remarkable journey as a teen actress.

Celebrating Pride: Support the Courageous LGBTQ+ Community

Let’s release the rainbow flags and douse ourselves in glitter, it is Pride! One of our favorite times of the year! While we are super excited to see so many big companies selling merchandise to commemorate it, we worry that not all of it is coming from the right place. Instead of going to one of the big companies (who will remain nameless), how about you show your support and influence a positive change to the community by supporting LGBTQ+-owned businesses!? Don’t know any LGBTQ+-owned brands? Jejune has you covered. We have compiled a list of some amazing stylish ethical LGBTQ+-owned businesses to to go full pride with. Check them out below!

Expanding Creativity with Dakota Gorman

Best known for her roles in Teen Wolf and Criminal Minds, Dakota Gorman is attaining more attention in Hollywood with her new creative endeavors as a director. She recently made her directional debut, All About Sex, in the Gravitas Ventures film. The movie takes us on a journey illuminating the flaws of the human condition and the inevitable mistakes we make in life as we forever grow into ourselves. What’s more than creating an influential movie is that Dakota is inspirational as she is an active volunteer with Water Drop LA helping her local community. Take a journey with Jejune to learn more about the up-and-rising director in the interview below.

The 2021 New York Mayoral Race

The race for the office of Mayor of New York City, in the wake of the Trump presidency and the ongoing pandemic, is a litmus test for both the will for meaningful progress and the resiliency of old ideas. New York is a traditionally blue state, and its namesake city is the largest in the United States, with a population of over eight million people, of which three million of which are of foreign birth.

The primaries will be held on June 22nd, followed by an election on November 2nd. For the first time, the primaries will employ a ranked-choice system rather than the traditional plurality vote.

This article is intended to provide a thumbnail guide to the personalities and issues, with quick links to further information, along with some of our opinions.

Honoring Juneteenth: Celebrating Black-Owned Sustainable and Ethical Businesses

Juneteenth is in the works to become a national holiday in the USA! And, we at Jejune, couldn’t be more thrilled! Juneteenth is a day dedicated to celebrating the end of slavery in the United States, and we want to celebrate by supporting some amazing socially aware Black-owned businesses! You can impact a community and redistribute economic empowerment in choosing to shop and support Black-owned businesses on Juneteenth and every day. In honor of Juneteenth we have compiled a list of vegan, cruelty-free, ethical, and sustainable brands for you to check out!

Kyle Matthew: Progress with Impact

Keep an eye out for Kyle Matthew! With multiple talents up his sleeves - actor, writer, and producer - Kyle is definitely making his name known. Why do I say that? Because he starred in two films which were premiered successfully in Burbank International Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival straight after finishing USC’s B.A. Acting Program. Now, more opportunities are on the horizon for him such as landing a guest star role in Disney's Bunk'd and taking the comedy world by storm. Let’s dive into our exclusive interview with Kyle on the footprints he is imprinting in the entertainment industry and working with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Rachel LaiJune 15, 2021actor, Jewish, big brother, big sister, giveback, comedy, film industry, filmComment

#MeTooMpls —The Music of the #MeToo Movement

The power of a single story becomes stronger when that story becomes a movement for change. That is what the #MeToo Movement is about: survivors sharing their stories of harassment, assault, and violence in order to promote awareness, change, and empathy. In using music as a catalyst for storytelling, Mischa Suemnig organized the #MeTooMpls project, a songwriting collective of Minnesota Women/Femmes/Trans/Non-Binary Folk. The mission of #MeTooMpls is straight forward: It is aimed at creating songs to raise Minneapolis Women/Femmes/Trans/Non-Binary Folk voices; Supporting sexual assault survivors; And raising funds for Planned Parenthood. All the songwriters involved were asked to write and record an original song on the subject of #MeToo. Without any further guidelines, the artists delivered songs ranging from heartbreaking songs about surviving sexual assault to inspiring songs about feminist icons and their influence on their lives. The album that they created is at once polyvocal and unified —it is a a mixture of lamentation, hope, and demand for change. It is the music of #MeToo.

Sir Daniel Winn, Sculpting The History of The Arts

Not many, in fact, only a few in the world, are honored with the prestigious title of ‘Sir.’ Sir Daniel Winn is one of them! On top of raising funds for non-profit aid in the US and Asia, he has created an art empire on his own where his work has been featured at esteemed exhibitions worldwide and even founded one of the most prestigious art galleries in Beverly Hills, Winn Slavin Fine Art. Now, despite the harsh times caused by the pandemic, his passion and determination are leading him to open another art gallery on Rodeo Drive. Sir Daniel has quite a career, and, we think, his story will inspire you to chase after your own dreams. We’re excited to share our exclusive interview with Sir Daniel on his journey in conquering both the world of arts and business.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 33, Most PopularRachel LaiJune 9, 2021artist, sculptor, philanthropy, Art, curator, career, doctor, advocacy, advocate, positivity, anti-hate, EnglandComment

Lalalow- The Electro-pop Duo Taking the World Of Musical Expression By Storm

Music has proven to be a cathartic outlet for many. But Lalalow takes that notion to the next level. Finland-based group Lalalow has integrated electric pop sounds with psychedelic aesthetics that will liberate your mind. The group consists of two members. Nina Jackson, vocalist and keyboard player, and Tommi Laivama, guitarist. Lalalow’s mission is simple: They let the sounds, rhythms, harmonies, and melodies do the talking. In a world where words often fail to capture the true essence of meaning, music serves as a direct form of expression. On the topic of expression, Lalalow’s latest single “Sensory Deprivation” will certainly get you into your feels. Most importantly, it reminds us we are all in this together. In our interview we cover all things “Sensory Deprivation,” the collective struggle of mental health, and Nina’s course, Generations ‘Lab, which is suited for creative thinkers who value inclusivity and wish to dedicate their time solving societal problems with modern solutions. Please read our exclusive interview with Lalalow below!

The Emoji Story: Emojis As The Voice Of The People

Have you ever spent hours thinking about an emoji that was sent to you? Trying to make sense of it and/or attaching new meaning to it? Trying to see symbols within symbols or personal meaning of you who are in character form. Maybe it is about who you are and sometimes who you aren't. In the current digital age, emojis are the voices of people. These little visual symbols have a big world which consists of infinite meanings. They aren't just for communicating, they’ve become an accessible symbol of activism, sexual identity, and politics.

Art, zIssue 33Başak YirmibeşogluJune 4, 2021#theemojistory, #documentaries, #film, #jennifer8lee, #emojis, representation, Art, generation, gen-z, emojis, emojiComment

Becky CJ: Losing Your Perspective, Finding Yourself

A loss of perspective makes us feel many different emotions, but, sometimes, we can learn that it is ok to lose something to help us discover new doors in our lives. South London-based Queer artist Becky CJ reminds us with her song Losing Your Perspective that we should lose our perspective to finding ourselves. The song is about falling in love with your best friend because when she and her current partner lost their perspective, they started to explore their relationship again. The song shows Becky CJ’s velvety vocals and her music that blends glitchy electronics and soft hues. We also knew her from hilarious Tinder Nightmares TikToks that she created from the awful tinder messages of people. We talked to Becky CJ about her music, TikTok videos, and queer representation in the music industry. Please read our exclusive interview below to learn more about her.

Pockets Warhol Will Paint His Way Into Your Heart

Ok, to say I’m obsessed with Pockets Warhol might be a little bit of an understatement, but you don’t meet a monkey who does paintings for charity everyday! His style is a bit more Pollock than Warhol, but his abstract pieces of art are colorful and raw. Pockets, who lives in Canada, was once a therapy animal eventually handed over to his current home, the Story Book Primate Sanctuary. Story Book is a beautiful space created to give primates a second chance after being research animals or victims of the exotic animal trade. It is also the only primate sanctuary in Canada. When Pockets came to Story Book they were quick to notice how smart he is. He would constantly be playing with toys to entertain himself, and since his handler was a big fan of primate art, it seemed worth a try on Pockets. It was love at first paint stroke! Now Pockets’s pieces are being used at charity auctions and sold to help support the sanctuary. To learn more about this adorable artist and Story Book Primate Sanctuary, please read our exclusive interview below.