Read a sampling of some of my published work from both professional and on-campus publications. Click on the images to read the stories.
Bustle Digital Group
I was an Editorial Intern at Bustle Digital Group in their lifestyle department, where I pitched and wrote web stories across different brands like Elite Daily, The Zoe Report, and Bustle.
Alix Earle’s MUA Shares The TikTok Beauty Hack You’re Doing Wrong
A lot of influencers are known for their full-face glam. Exhibit A: Alix Earle. The social media star regularly posts makeup tutorials and GRWM videos detailing how to achieve her beauty looks. But did you know that some of her most iconic full beats weren’t created with her own two hands? When she isn’t rushing to get ready before a night out in Miami or a brand trip in Turks & Caicos, Earle often enlists celebrity makeup artist Alexis Oakley to work her magic. She’s the visionary behind the TikTok star’s edgy Coachella looks, Brittany Mahomes’ Met Gala glam, and Tana Mongeau’s endlessly creative Halloween makeup, to name a few.
A College Grad Attending Eras Tour Tracks Her Screen Time For 1 Week
When I was in high school, I once went one month without even seeing my phone. My friends and I made a documentary about the alarming rate at which phones have become a part of our lives (which has only increased in the five years since we made it). We wanted to do a social experiment, so we locked away our phones in a briefcase in our film teacher’s classroom. Text messages became emails, and nighttime doom-scrolling rituals became reading. Overall, the month honestly wasn’t too bad. (But had TikTok been around, I think I’d feel differently.) Five years later, I wanted to track my screen time to become more self-aware of my phone usage.
Planning A Summer Outfit? There’s A White Dress For That.
Few things have the dependability of a white dress in the summer — save, perhaps, for the glass of chilled rosé you might drink while wearing it. The light color is ideal for steamy temperatures and looks fresh and polished in even the sweatiest of conditions. And while, sure, it can be fun to experiment with bright colors or pastels in warm, sunny weather, these are not likely options one reaches for several times in a row. A crisp silhouette in an optic milk shade, however, is a blank slate you can reinvent every day (until you need to wash it, that is). Also, there’s a white dress option for every imaginable occasion: a ruffled shift for date night, a sheer lace maxi to party in, a crochet cover-up you’ll wear at the beach. Whatever route you take, the look is easy to transform with your choice of accessories.
10 Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ Outfits Only Swifties Would Understand
When you think *happiness,* I hope you think *that little black dress* — or of any other outfits fans have worn to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. As the Grammy winner travels the world in celebration of her most iconic moments, her concerts have been shaping up to be some of the biggest fashion events of the year. With Swift’s career spanning 17 years and 10 studio albums, there’s a lot of material to cover in her three-hour set and endless possibilities for concert attire for those lucky enough to have snagged tickets.
How To Get TikTok’s Coastal Cowgirl Trend For Spring 2023
TikTok found a replacement for one of last year’s most popular style trends, the coastal grandmother. The relaxed, romantic look, which went viral in spring 2022, borrowed from the timeless, clean style worn largely by middle-aged women in coastal destinations like Nantucket or the Hamptons. It served major Martha Stewart- or Diane Keaton-at-the-beach vibes with a hint of Ina Garten-picking-flowers chic. Now, just in time for spring-summer 2023, it’s all about the coastal cowgirl. Think of the aesthetic as the coastal grandmother’s cousin from the South — a little rougher around the edges, but just as loose and laid-back.
‘Succession’ Sparks “Ludicrously Capacious” Bag Debate On TikTok
There’s always something about Cousin Greg. Somehow, the biggest faux pas from Logan’s birthday party on the Season 4 premiere of Succession wasn’t Greg accidentally making an NSFW video — but it still related to him; more specifically, his date Bridget and her Burberry purse. Now, fans can’t stop talking about the large accessory, which Tom called a “ludicrously capricious” bag, and it’s actually caused quite the debate on social media.
Flaunt Magazine
I was an editorial intern for Flaunt Magazine, where I wrote a variety of articles related to arts and culture for their website and print issue.
Zen McGrath | That Radical Energy, Those Chrysalis Vibes
While we may grow up believing our future to be bound to one certain path, the reality is closer to an inexplicable butterfly effect that feels impossible to trace back to one root cause, each definitive stage neatly enveloped from cocooning until we are thrust into maturity. For 20-year-old actor, Zen McGrath, his early life was set in Melbourne, Australia, living with his parents and an older brother, Gulliver, and a younger brother, Winta (also actors).
MICHELLE | New Single "Pulse" + Tour
MICHELLE can’t be tied down—not to a genre, a leader, or any societal expectations. The diverse, six-piece, New York-based group is the true definition of a collective. The six members (Charlie Kilgore, Emma Lee, Jamee Lockard, Julian Kaufman, Layla Ku, and Sofia D’Angelo) are all part of the creative process.
Eman Esfandi | Fate, Creative Inspiration, + Bitter Truths
Creative inspiration can sometimes feel like zaps, little sparks of energy that sporadically buzz you. For Eman Esfandi, it feels like a lightning strike, over and over — the kind that pulses through your body and makes your hair stand on your neck. Esfandi channels this electricity through acting in roles like King Richard, directing in shorts Pepito and 120, writing poetry, and releasing rap music under the name DragonWulf.
Jonathan Bennett | Holiday Sitter, Producing, + On-Screen Dynamics
Eighteen years have flown by since Cady Heron in the ever-quotable Mean Girls told Aaron Samuels it was October 3. Actor Jonathan Bennett has paid homage to his breakout role since then, starring in Ariana Grande’s pop culture tribute music video for “thank u, next” and publishing a parodic cookbook with celebrity chef Nikki Martin called The Burn CookBook in 2018.
Primavera Sound | 3-Day Music Festival Debuts in LA
Primavera Sound, the music festival that started in Barcelona premiered for the first time in Los Angeles last weekend, September 16-18. Chinatown’s LA State Historic Park provided the backdrop for headliners Lorde, Nine Inch Nails, and Arctic Monkeys, and performers like Clairo, Cigarettes After Sex, and Mitski.
Sienna Mae Gomez | Diving into New Swimwear Line, NYFW, and Mental Health
Sienna Mae Gomez, an 18-year-old social media influencer, garnered a following in 2020 for her dancing TikToks, often in her Southern California home or on the beach. Since then, she’s amassed over 1 billion views and 13 million followers on her TikTok. The influencer has extended into other industries, including acting and, most recently, entrepreneurship. Her swimwear line, Sienna Swim, launched this summer and is focused on inclusivity and styles everyone can enjoy.
Lykke Li | Album Release Showcase 'Ü & EYEYE'
Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li presented an interactive showcase Ü & EYEYE for her recent album EYEYE at The Broad museum’s Oculus Hall from September 1-4. Li collaborated with creative director Theo Lindquist and artist Nick Verstand for the Resonant Tones series exhibit, which was produced by Solana Rivas.
Five Cent Sound
I was a co-online director and staff writer for Five Cent Sound, a music blog at Emerson College. Previously, I also served as a general editor and copy-editor. I contributed a variety of articles, including features and reviews.
Maude Latour Shines at Cambridge’s Sonia
Not to toot my own horn, but I predicted that indie pop singer-songwriter Maude Latour was on the verge of hitting a more mainstream audience last year, and she seems to be doing just that. The 22-year-old Columbia University senior has been spending her weekends between classes touring cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle. She made stops on April 15 and 16 in Cambridge at Sonia, a general admission venue owned by The Middle East—and she did not disappoint.
Living My 2014 Dreams at Bleacher's Brighton Performance
My inner 14-year-old felt healed at the Roadrunner in Brighton. Bleachers, the indie pop group fronted by producer-musician Jack Antonoff (who has worked with Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey, among others), performed night one of their exclusive shows dedicated to their first two albums. Night one was dedicated to their 2014 debut Strange Desire, the album that catapulted them into mainstream success through singles like “I Wanna Get Better” and “Rollercoaster.”
Boston Nonprofits Make Music More Accessible
Learning a new instrument is hard enough as is — try mixing in high costs, an almost two-year-long pandemic, and identity-based obstacles. Nonprofits in Boston are combating just that. Bipop and Boston Music Project are both providing a platform for students to build community and express themselves.
Maude Latour is Indie Pop's Most Promising Newcomer
Like many other people, I miss Lorde so much. I listen to her old music to fill that void in my heart, but it’s not the same—I need new music. So until she finally releases her third album, which sounds like the latest iteration of “when pigs fly,” I have to find substitutes for her energy by listening to similar artists—among them, Maude Latour.
Boston Podcast "Music You're Missing" Features Up-And-Coming Artists
New music can be hard to find. For as many personalized Spotify playlists and recommendations from friends you receive, it still feels like there are so many songs out there you’ve never heard of, from artists with unseen potential. That’s where Brendan Jeannetti and Devon O’Heron come in. Jeannetti and O’Heron created “Music You’re Missing,” a podcast that spotlights up-and-coming artists who have not yet hit the mainstream in hopes of exposing their music to new audiences and learning more about them.
Kasey’s Playlist: Music For Any Situation
Have you ever been in a situation where you wished you had a playlist to convey your feelings? Well, Kasey Gelsomino probably has one. The 21-year-old New York City resident noticed last spring that content about new music or playlists performed well, and she was no stranger to showing others music.
Liz B: Growing Music Through TikTok
In your—let’s face it—endless hours of scrolling through Tiktok, you may have come across Liz B’s song, Keep on Walking. An indie pop song with rock influences, the song has been likened to mainstream artists like Clairo. Elizabeth Bos, better known as Liz B, is a 17-year old musician from Texas who found success not through contacting record labels, but by telling TikTok users to hit random buttons on her post. The buttons—follow, like, comment, share—play into TikTok’s algorithm to boost the spread of the video.
Gravitating Toward Comfort Music
Whether you played Animal Crossing, rewatched the same TV show again, or scrolled through your camera roll to reminisce on old times, many of us likely sought comfort in something familiar to us over the past several months during the COVID-19 pandemic. And this is not a coincidence. Experts have found that this sense of nostalgia “counteracts the meaningless that individuals experience when they are bored” as well as “acts as a buffer against existential threats.”
EM Magazine
I was a Staff Writer for EM Magazine, a lifestyle print and online publication at Emerson College. I often wrote personal essays on topical social issues.
The Fashion Industry Has a Fatphobia Problem
Too often, mid- and plus-sized fashion creators on social media are shamed by commenters for supporting fast-fashion companies. Fast fashion, motivated by capitalism, is the mass production of clothing sold at cheap price points at the expense of workers. Some examples of fast-fashion brands are Forever 21, SHEIN, H&M, Primark, and Urban Outfitters. Their focus is to produce trendy, cheap clothes that will inevitably go out of style quickly, prompting consumers to buy more clothes to keep up with the ever-changing trend cycle.
The Girl Who Got Frozen
I’m a memory hoarder. I remember full names and birthdays of elementary school classmates who probably haven’t thought about me since leaving school. I recall anecdotes friends tell me about their lives in passing. I hold onto every card and note I receive, even from people no longer in my life. I don’t delete texts off my phone until I absolutely have to.
The True Harm of True Crime
There’s probably a good chance you’ve heard about Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old travel blogger who disappeared and was later murdered in September. After some police-body camera footage was released, the primary subject in the investigation was her boyfriend Brian Laundrie. Petito’s case isn’t exactly what I want to talk about. Instead, I want to discuss people’s reactions to it.
With ICA’s “The Visitors,” We’re Alone Together
For some, art can be one of the greatest sources of comfort. The Institute of Contemporary Art’s latest exhibition, Ragnar Kjartansson’s “The Visitors,” explores the idea of being alone together in a way that isn’t sad, but rather, poetic and comforting. While it was recorded in 2012, the piece’s themes are arguably more topical now than ever.
Atlas Magazine
I was City Section Editor and staff writer for Atlas Magazine, a biannual lifestyle print publication at Emerson College. I focus on highlighting students, organizations, and topics relevant to Boston.
Lunchbox: A Magazine for Asian Creatives
While on a leave of absence from Emerson last fall, junior journalism student Jo Malicdem took an Asian American history class at Pasadena City College. Prior to that, they had never learned about Asian American history in much depth. One assignment stood out in particular. When researching Asian news coverage and journalists, they discovered an old UCLA magazine called Gidra.
Crafting an Income
Last year, over 4.4 million new businesses were created, a 26.9 percent increase from 2019, according to data from the U.S. Business Formation Statistics. So while some students were confined to their homes, people like Tayla Dixon and Eryn McCallum were creating their own small businesses. Dixon, a jewelry maker, began creating at the beginning of the pandemic.
Creating in Chaos
It seems everything in our lives turned upside down when the pandemic began. Yes, some things remain unchanged, but things will likely never fully go back to the way they once were. The same rings true for art. It only makes sense that such a historic year — filled with a pandemic, social movements and a presidential election — would be reflected within art.
Your Magazine
In addition to my duties as Head Copy Chief of Your Magazine, Emerson College's only monthly magazine, I also contributed articles for their print edition, focusing on lifestyle topics.
I Should’ve Asked You Questions
I still remember the last words I told my Nana when she was still coherent: “Good luck with your surgery. I’ll see you soon. I love you!” Except I never saw her soon—at least never in the same way. I didn’t know that would be the last time we would have a normal conversation. I said an off-handed goodbye to my Grandpa when I went off to school in fall 2020, sure I would see him over Thanksgiving.
Goodbye to "Historically Inaccurate"
Period pieces are fan favorites for their aesthetics, nostalgia, and ability to transport us to another time. Emerson College Visual and Media Arts professor Tom Cooper says they also feed into humans’ innate curiosity. “People are interested in their ancestors and their roots,” he says. But for films revered for their grandiosity and extravagance, there is often one thing missing: diversity, especially when it comes to race.
Library Love
I grew up surrounded by books. My mom is a school librarian, so my childhood was filled with trips to our local public library with my siblings, where I would scour each section and grab books by the armful. The librarians would call us the "Fifty Book Fergusons" because of all the books we checked out. The library also hosted events like used book sales and guest readers, like Lucy the “R.E.A.D.” dog. My love for reading and writing came from the books I checked out there.
The (TikTok) Doctor Is In
When I was 10, most kids my age were focused on sports teams, school, or friends. I was concerned with my skincare routine. In fact, I would give skincare advice to my older sister, mom, and other relatives. Ten years later, nothing has changed. And I’m not alone. Generation Z has demonstrated a profound interest in skincare and curating the perfect routine.
The Berkeley Beacon
Here are some columns from my time as staff columnist and eventually Opinion Editor of The Berkeley Beacon, Emerson College's only, student-run newspaper.
Smiles, greetings, and eye contact: How interaction humanizes the homeless
When I left class a few weeks ago, I noticed a homeless person on the street corner asking for money. No one did anything—they kept walking without even looking at the man. He angrily said, “A ‘sorry, I can’t help, but have a nice day’ would be fine!” His words are still ingrained in my memory weeks later.
VSCO Girls: Why we need to stop belittling teenage girls’ interests
With all of the hate and prejudice in the world, who knew teenage girls wearing oversized T-shirts and scrunchies would be the bane of our society’s existence? It seems that whatever teen girls do, they get mocked for it. But why? Over the past year, the latest teenage subculture, VSCO girls, rose to prominence. Named after the photo-editing app popular with teenagers on social media, VSCO girls are known as the “Tumblr girls of 2019.”
Stop using addiction-related language for comedic effect
Last January, Devour Foods aired a Super Bowl commercial to promote their frozen foods. It focuses on a wife who reveals her husband suffers from frozen food porn addiction. With somber music and a serious tone, the commercial delegitimizes actual addicts and uses their struggles for comedic relief.
Coping with acne insecurities in college
Part of me thought that when I first came to college, acne would be a thing of the past. Though I have struggled with it for years, I always assumed it was some juvenile thing I would grow out of. Four years after my acne started, my skin still has its issues. Since moving to college, my skin has been thrown for a loop. Acne has trickled its way back into my life, and I do not feel it stopping any time soon.
Emerson College
Here is a selection of some of the multimedia assignments I completed in my journalism studies at Emerson College, including my senior capstone thesis and a senior news production course.
