EDITORS NOTE: SEPTEMBER
Where did the year go? Every time I write this note for ya’ll I’m equally amazed at how quickly the months are running us by… This is by far the fastest year I’ve had in my adult life… and maybe that’s because I’m doing more? Not sure.
Anywho, before I get all self-reflective on that ass, I’m going to re-focus and talk to you about September! This month we’re all about two of my favorite things in the universe:
FASHION + CELEBRATING HISPANIC/LATINO CULTURE
September is fashion week virtually in all the fashion cities of the world (NYC, London, Paris etc) and we (WOC) are at the top of the pyramid when it comes to style and finesse — no need to even discuss it, it’s a fucking fact, everyone knows this.
September is also when Hispanic Heritage month begins (September 15- October 15 to be exact), and although we at TGM feel hella salty that we don’t get a consistent month, we’re just gonna make lemonade out of the lemons we got! SO! We shall keep it moving and drop the confetti.
Expect to see us blend both of these themes with each other, like how we did on our latest PODCAST EPISODE where we feature Laura Zapata —stylist to your favorite ladies, like Dascha Polanco and Gina Rodriguez, and Aurea Zanabria who is literally a wizard at Event Production and is part of the team that executes Refinery29’s 29Rooms series (aka the place you want to take all your IG photos at).
Being bi-cultural and growing up in NYC I’ve had the honor to be around WOC who kill it everyday as they make the streets of NY their runway. All I need is to walk outside to get inspiration and reimagine my entire closet. S/O to the ladies who make the most of their tiny budgets and still come out looking like they have an infinite pool of spending money at their disposal… WE are where top designers and brands draw inspiration from — just look at how Vogue started to cover things like AfroPunk! That’s where all that “style forecasting” comes from. So the next time you’re getting dressed, know that you have the influence of a thousand suns.
And on the topic of Hispanic Heritage month… I’m not happy with the way this is actually executed, but I think it’s up to us— the 18 y/o to 38 y/o generation to reimagine what that looks like. The truth is that being Hispanic/Latino is a melting pot that will never stop blending… not unless we have a time machine that stops the conquistadores from bringing African slaves to the islands/south america and or taking advantage of indigenous people (I’m putting it lightly I’m aware). And so FOR ME and for TGM, we want to get that conversation rolling.
What would you like Hispanic Heritage Month to look like? How do we make it our own? How do we dust it off so it doesn’t feel like we’re stuck in 1965 and revolutionize it? And more importantly, how do we make it inclusive for those that don’t fall into stereotypes and want to discuss the nitty gritty shit?
I’m so proud to be a part of the Black cultural experience in the U.S and I want the Latinx community to feel the same way. Haci que, saquen las tamboras y ponganse las pilas! If we don’t do it, no one else will!
Until October!
Peace & Light