From Braces to Barack:
A Gen-Y Look at Our World Since 9/11

Paul Eulette: Creator of Quarterlife Magazine

I was so thankful that morning, I couldn’t have been happier to be at the orthodontist at 8 in the morning. I was almost thrilled to be in an uncomfortable chair having my braces tightened, than be at early morning marching band practice with Mr. Walsh. For me, just like many of us (then) kids, it could have been any other morning. We were starting our school day, rolling our eyes at our teachers and texting our friends on our coolest monochrome Nokia phones.

It was the last day of our normality.

Normal, do you remember what that felt like then? It was the feeling of knowing what tomorrow held. We would go to school, read our Harry Potter Books and go to bed knowing we would do it all over again tomorrow. But that Tuesday morning changed everything, and we came to realize after 9/11 that tomorrow really wasn’t a sure thing. After 9/11, while many of us were trying to understand basic algebra or trying to get a (then perfect) 1600 SAT score, we were also trying to understand the malignant diatribe between nations, terrorists, and countrymen that have seemed to unravel our world with every utterance.

In 2001, I would have bet my newly downloaded Aaliyah CD from Napster that I was not the only one who thought, “will things ever be normal” after 9/11. And today, I’d bet my (rumored) iPhone 5 that a lot of us still don’t know that answer. To those of us now Gen-Y adults, the past 10 years have played out like an elaborate movie plot. Only Hollywood could interject such a level of political absurdity, death, devastation, and unknowing into our lives. As we’ve watched and listened, our developing minds have seemed to stand still since 2001, as the world continues to stumble around us.

Why does it seem that after 10 years, our world cannot regain its footing? Was this how the world felt for our grandparents after WWII? Did the young generation of that time find a gleaming and defining moment that reigned in “normality”? Many would say things are back to normal, but the truth is the past decade has raised a generation of children watching adults squabble, steal, and murder—and now as adults, what are we supposed to do?

The road to the “status quo” has been repaved over the past 10 years, and no one knows where the median is; leaving us to decide if we will be the ones to answer “will things ever be normal,” or are we still waiting for someone to tell us, “Mission Accomplished”?

Jenna Wessinger: Editor-in-Chief of Quarterlife Magazine

I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001 when I heard about the World Trade Center being hit. I was in the 11th grade, and everyone had just arrived to homeroom for 1st quarter progress reports. Everyone, including our teacher, sat in silence watching the news, not sure of how to react. It was completely inconceivable. First processing that we, our country, had been attacked; and secondly, the repercussions of this attack on our lives. The latter of which I don’t think is something that will ever be able to be fully understood.

In the aftermath of this day, in the last ten years, our country has shown incredible durability, and incredible hubris. Immediately following the chaos of 9/11/2001, our country, our leaders, our people, everyone showed a remarkable ability to band together and refuse to cower in the face of such unequivocal evil. While we mourned for the loved ones who were taken from us, we proved that we, as a country, are far more than the sum of our parts. We were attacked by people who simply had no capacity to understand what it was they were attacking. Freedom, simply put. Our inalienable rights as Americans.

Our enemies hate it, because they don’t understand it. And that’s something that should be remembered, but often seems lost in a world now consumed with hate and finger-pointing. This was not an attack on a religion. This was not an attack on a political party. This was not an attack on a race. This wasn’t Christianity vs. Muslim, Radical vs.Extremist, Black vs. White vs. Yellow vs. Brown, vs. Green vs. Blue. This attack was on the fundamental principle for which all of the Americans just listed live and base their lives.

Freedom.

My most fervent wish in the coming decades is that we are able to remember that all creeds and types of American citizens were attacked that day – “We are all Americans”.

How are you feeling 10 years after 9/11?

“Well I guess I’ve always been “destined” to be a bridal designer. I’ve been fascinated with wedding fashions since I was little (think Jennifer Lopez in the Wedding Planner when she’s a little girl playing “wedding” with her Barbie dolls – that was me!), so it was no surprise when I decided to make it a career.” Faith Thornburg had big aspirations at a very young age – she knew she wanted to one day design the gowns that would help define one of the most exciting days of a woman’s life – her wedding day. She has done just that.

After finishing high school Faith applied to one school, The Savannah School of Art and Design – she got in – and starting in the fall of 2007 – she had her eye on one degree – Fashion Design.

While at SCAD, she started working at a bridal store in Savannah, where as she described, she played “dress up” with “brides to be” all day long in beautiful Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, Priscilla of Boston and Oscar de la Rent (just to name a few).

The following summer she interned at Anne Barge and Badgley Mischka Bride in Atlanta, GA. Upon returning to Savannah, she started her senior collection. Each year, SCAD works with top designers in the “SCAD Style Lab”. Seniors are encouraged to submit their collection vision and then a few are selected to work one on one with a designer. This past year’s designers were Christian Cota and Chris Benz and they were so impressed with Faith’s vision, she was selected to work with one on one with Christian Cota – an opportunity which she describes as a dream come true!

Cota would visit Savannah throughout the year, assisting Faith in the whole “collection process” – she explains that it was at that point in her career that she was truly shaped into a designer. Along with that incredible opportunity, Faith’s work was also chosen (in a select group of senior designs) to have her collection “walk the runway” in a show choreographed by Miss J. Alexander from Project Runway.  After the show she was personally showered with praise and implausible advice from Andre Leon Talley, Miss J and Manolo Blahnik – some of the industry’s leading men!

Faith thought all of her dreams had come true until she was told that her collection had been chosen by Elle Magazine to be showcased at New York’s Fashion Week this September as well as have a special feature in the magazine in it’s October and December issues (so keep your eyes peeled for her)!

Faith is now working on a few gowns for brides that will be worn this fall and will be moving to Atlanta, GA in three weeks to get her career “up and running” – she is well on her way!

Check out her website to get to see all of her collection!

www.faithannettethornburg.com

As it stands now in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and its players, 57% of all basketball related income goes directly to the players.

According to Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver,

“We need a new system. The current system is broken and unsustainable… If we continue to pay 57 percent off the top to the players association, it would require such an enormous amount of additional revenue to reduce losses beyond where we are.  We are only going to make very small, incremental changes.”

The latest stand by the NBA is that it is losing money. Apparently 22 NBA teams lost money last season at a total of $300 million. That fact coupled with having to pay top dollar to acquire great talent plus other business expenses can understandably lead to debt. While the NBA has some unprofitable teams, it also has some very profitable teams. Yet instead of creating a revenue sharing system or something along those lines to keep the entire league healthy, the NBA has instead proposed a deal that includes a $45 million hard salary cap. Not only would that hurt player salaries by removing the ability for teams to go over the cap, but it would also cut the current salary cap by 25%. I personally don’t view this as a possible option but I must say the current system was put in place by the Association, NOT the players or anyone else so it is no wonder why the burden has fallen on them to fix this mess.

NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver says that the NBA and NBAPA are scheduled to have discussions about an agreement for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in whichever city hosts the Western Conference Finals. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and its players will expire on July 1.

The current NBA business model is backwards in favor of the athletes. Yet and still, a change needs to be made in which neither side is likely to budge. These are the perfect makings for another NFL situation. As negotiations continue Quarterlife will keep the sports world updated.

About a year and a half ago I wrote my first article for QL Magazine.  The topic was about the pull and presence that Generation Y currently holds in the political arena on both a domestic and international level.  I think that given the recent and ongoing events in the Middle East, that is a topic that needs revisiting.

People Power: A New Gen-Y Contribution?

For 18 days, the world marveled over the sheer voracity at which protesters marched on Tahrir Square day after day.  On February 11, President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after 30 years in office.  At once a barrier of fear it seemed, had been broken.

Now the fight has moved to the African nation of Libya.  Moammar Gadhafi, the latest tyrant under attack, has taken to the airwaves to convince his people and the world that Libyans love Libya just the way it is.  But already there have been victories for those inclined to revolution.  The Eastern border of the country has been taken over by protesters, more riots are encroaching on the capital Tripoli, and government officials are defecting and taking up arms with protesters.  Gadhafi himself has tried to blame these protests on any and everything he can, including pill-popping youthful followers of Osama bin Laden!  Yea, talk about a blast from the past.

Many experts watching have labeled this a tsunami of people power and a domino effect of change in a region often seen as completely out dated and out of touch with the current world order.  Since Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, protest’s have been forming and gaining steam in nearby countries like Bahrain, Yemen, Iran, Algeria, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq just to name a few.  Many other countries are still at risk for similar unrest.  The majority of the protester’s are seeking retribution and action against extremely high unemployment (35% in Yemen), extreme poverty, and shortages on basic elements of life like food and water.

But there is still another common thread to these protests.  The age of the protesters themselves.  The countries with the largest generational gaps between the empowered regime and those protesting on the streets seem to be the places most lacking in stability.  This young generation is proving to be a worthy opponent to presidents, dictators, and royal families 3 centuries-long in power.  They are far more organized and far more secure in their stance against greed and oppression than their predecessors.

In January of this year, a Tunisian college graduate, who was unemployed and recently beaten by local cops, set himself on fire in protest of his government’s inability to react to the rampant unemployment and poverty of Tunisia.  His name was Mohammed Bouazizi, and he was 26 years old.  He was also, it could be argued, a catalyst.

In less than two weeks after Bouazizi’s death, the Tunisian dictator Zine El Abedine Ben Ali had been overthrown and fled to a neighboring country.  A few weeks later, rallies similar to those seen in Tunisia were forming in Egypt’s Tahrir Square.

The protests in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, not to mention those that are now spreading to the majority of the region, were and are different than most seen in this region of the world prior to 2011.  They are being planned, advertised, encouraged, and popularized on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  In Iran, mass texts are being forwarded from person to person to spread the word faster than people had been able to before, not to mention faster than the government can quash them.

Most experts agree that regime change is unlikely in the near future for any of the countries now under protest.  Moammar Gadhafi has sworn that the only way he’ll abdicate is through death.  But change has happened.  Bahrain’s king has promised his subjects new reforms.  In Jordan, the king swore in a new government last week.  This should stand as a warning to other similarly affluent countries.  If this change is ignored, time will continue to click by on this powder-keg region, waiting for the slightest spark to ignite again as in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya.  A spark like 26-year old Mohammed Bouazizi.

Interracial Relationships: Does Race Really Matter?

I say, yes.

I know, it’s hard to believe people are still taken aback by those who find love outside of their own ethnicity/race. I mean, we are connected to almost everyone from Twitter to television; and while we all claim that “race does not matter,” and “everyone is the same…”  we continue to make a distinction between relationships and interracial relationships. So clearly race still matters, right?

Again, I say yes. We watch how we address these “delicate” situations, and do our best never to offend someone with our opinions. And with all this extra stress, it’s obvious that the only difference, so to speak is race; and because of that some have to wonder if these relationships are even worth the trouble.

Now coming from a racially diverse background myself, I know firsthand how difficult certain aspects of life can be wtih an interracial relationship. I myself have been questioned if  “she’s your real mother” or “are you guys really related?”

Of course, in my home we do not feel different or “interracial”. Our family is a unit of one, no one is an outsider and we were just, normal. However when we step out into the world, we are beholden to the views of what is and is not “normal” and we are labeled accordingly.

Though we are not the same racially charged nation we were a few decades ago, we are still people who have trouble accepting things that seem like they do not belong together.

Let us be honest, as humans we all have a natural inclination to group ourselves together by some common characteristic, be it physical attributes or life experiences.

With that said, it is hard to deny the fact that some people, though not prejudice or racist, naturally make an observation and categorization of interracial relationships, because they are not used to seeing two different groups together.

I mean, even outside of humans in the animal kingdom, animals stay in their own groups. It is not too often you see a duck hanging with a dolphin…and although these things happen, we still view them as an anomaly.

Now I am not an advocate of separatism, but I am merely suggesting that if one should chose to date outside of their race, they’ll have to understand to deal with the baggage that comes along with it. Mainly knowing that people will, in the present, feel the need to define your relationship on the basis of race.

So although the views of race and interracial relationships have changed drastically in the U.S., the fact of the matter is that at this time, race does matter and until the word “interracial” is no longer used to classify these relationships, race will always be a factor.

Quarterlife Educators 2.0

Designed for not only classroom usage, ProjectExplorer.org provides people access to other peoples and places they may never have seen or knew existed. Jenny (pictured far right) was nice enough to let me interview some of her Explorers. The three women (pictured from far left to middle) Lindsay Clark, Vijaya Selvaraju & Jazmine da Costa, are all in their Quarterlives. They are experiencing something many of us would only dream of in our 20′s, traveling the world. Not only are they traveling, but they are helping others learn while doing so. Jenny and I both agreed that it would be a waste not to share the insights of these wonderful women. So with this interview, I was able to peer into their passions, goals and outlook of the world and the future of the next set of Quarterlifers.

Enjoy!

How would you describe the quarterlife?

Vijaya: The quarterlife represents the period in my life in which I take the time to understand who I am, and what makes me happy in life. It is a time where I consistently expose myself to new opportunities, push my comfort zone, and experiment with new ideas in an effort to expand my potential, and develop the foundation for my future goals and ambitions.

Are you/have you had a quarterlife crisis?

Jazmine: I think I had a snippet of a quarterlife crisis after graduating from Princeton. I had a BA in Anthropology and the world was telling me to go make something of myself and do what I loved, but I didn’t know what I loved. So I had a nervous breakdown instead.

What does it mean to you to be an Explorer?

Lindsay: I consider myself a team member that has to constantly bring work and input to the table in order to produce the best quality content possible. Being a ProjectExplorer.org member also means being an ambassador for the open-minded, not just my nation, in my opinion.

Jazmine: To me, being a member of “ProjectExplorer.org” means I am one of the luckiest people I know. I have the unique opportunity to get paid to do the things I truly love and am passionate about: travel and learning.

Vijaya: Being a part of the ProjectExplorer team is an honour. I am surrounded by women who are incredibly intelligent, creative, and generous. It is inspiring to be a part of a team that is as collaborative and supportive as ours.

Is your idea of an Explorer different from others?

Lindsay: I think words like ‘explorer’ and ‘travel’ could use a modern-day reevaluation and reinterpretation, since there is no more job market for guys like Magellan. I consider exploring to be about a conquest of lifelong learning rather than about geographic placement. You’re an explorer if you want to be and if you feel you’re breaking boundaries, both conceptual and physical, in your own life.

Prior to ProjectExplorer, how’d you embody being an Explorer?

Jazmine: I seize every opportunity I have to study the countries I am interested in and then make the greatest effort to visit them. In the past I have never let my monetary situation stop me from traveling. As long as I could afford the plane ticket, I could make my way on cheap hostels and street food- saving money where I could and taking in as much free culture as possible. Luckily for me I have many friends who are also avid travelers and so it was easy for me (sometimes too easy) to pick different countries to visit purely for the convenience of having a place to stay and a go-to guide.

Were you always interested in traveling/teaching?

Vijaya: I am fortunate to have been brought up in a home where travel has always been a part of my life. When I was younger, most of my trips were made to India, where the majority of my extended family resides. My mom and dad would tell me stories of how they travelled all over Europe and Asia when they were a young couple. Their stories inspired me to jump-start my travel adventures.

Does the internet feed our generation’s wanderlust?

Lindsay: I’m involved in the online travel blogging world, which means I encounter Gen-Y travelers hourly, but I also know ‘the small town bubble’ can restrict thought or movement far away from home. I would like to believe our generation is intrigued by the world and wants to experience it, but the internet does enable us to space out our escapes and changes of pace. In general, and compared to our elder generations, I’m assuming Gen-Y’ers are more open and, hopefully, less fearful of cultural differences.

Vijaya: I think that most Gen-Y’ers have a strong desire to learn about the world. Their fascination stems from various media that they encounter in their day to day lives including television shows, online forums, and magazines which communicate the wonders of different countries. Many in this age bracket try to make travel a priority, even if it means putting a dent in their wallets. For them, travel is an education that is worth investing in. It allows them to embrace different cultures and experiences and develop their global citizenship, something that is becoming more and more valued in the workplace nowadays.

How have social networks helped share and connect our generation?

Jazmine: The Internet and social networks are the driving force behind a rising globally minded generation who will want to be active in exploring and improving the world. The amount of people the Internet reaches is unrivaled by any other piece of technology, save the television. The Internet has been about connecting people and it naturally lends itself to advertising the idea that the world is open to all of us.

Of the places you’ve been, where do you want to retire?

Lindsay: If I knew what city I connected with most, I’d be there right now. I used to think it was Florence, Italy, but a couple months there proved to me I was meant for a more open society. I also, at one point, believed I was a beach bum, but a winter in Fiji proved to me I’m a bit stubborn and stuck in my ways. I like seasons and warm people, not to mention family and friends. I may be in Indiana for a while, much to my mother’s delight.

Jazmine: It is questions like this that spiral me into an anxiety ridden quarter life crisis moment. I don’t know where I will end up spending the rest of my life. I haven’t even a clue and I think that is okay. Hopefully it will be out of my mother’s house. And at least I can say that it won’t be in an office because I can think of nothing more spiritually draining than sitting in a temperature control roomed in front of a computer. I think whatever I end up doing it will involve learning and adventure, as long as I have those two things, I will be content.

Vijaya: With each new country that I visit, I find aspects of culture, climate, and people that make me consider settling down. Right now I call Toronto home, although I have considered moves to New York, London, and Florence in the past. Only time will tell where I will set up shop.

What’s the best part about educating children?

Vijaya: The best thing about an education is its ability to develop character, shape personality, and instil discipline in children. Moreover, it is inspiring to see how children use these tools to follow their dreams, and eventually become contributing members of society.

Do you ever wake up and realize that you are changing the world?

Lindsay: : No. I can’t think beyond the little efforts I know I can make right now. Long term thinking makes my brain spin.

Jazmine: I think that would be a little self-righteous if I woke up every morning thinking that. I feel the work I am contributing is important, but I don’t think I could wrap my mind around changing a whole generation’s mentality. For me it is one child at a time. I like to think of the individuals, instead of the collective, it seems more real that way.

Vijaya: It is overwhelming to think of how our program will influence future generations of travellers. When we film, I think of the children that will watch the end product of our work. It motivates me to do the best job I possibly can, because for many of them this is their only opportunity to travel. However, it is hard to grasp who these little people are, who they are going to grow up to be, and how they will in turn impact our world. It’s a lot to take in!

Can our generation do better at setting an example for younger generations?

Lindsay: Always. And we could start by canceling Jersey Shore.

What scares/excites you about the future?

Jazmine: When I think about the future I immediately think about the environment and the unsustainable rate of population growth. It saddens me to think that my children may never be able to see Lions in the wild or parts of the world that have not been reached by a Mac Donald’s. I am scared to think where we will end up if we do not slow down, resources we are using and make more conscious decisions to preserve our planet.

Vijaya: It makes me happy to know that the world is shaping up to be more understanding and open minded. Progressive thinking has made a difference in how people treat each other, and I can only imagine the leaps that we will take in bringing people together over time.

Conversely, it scares me to think of the people out there that try to destroy this very notion.

What’s the one thing in the world you wouldn’t change, now or in the future?

Jazmine: If there were one thing that I would not change it would be diversity. Not only is it boring for everything to be the same, it is dangerous.

Anyone want to add in anything we missed?

Jazmine: I feel like a lot people have quarter life crises because they are scared to step off the conventional life path paved by so many. But stepping off that path is becoming easier since many are admitting the 9 to 5 job is not for everyone. It was stepping off that path that led me to ProjectExplorer.org and it has been one of the best things ever to happen to me. There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by Lindsay, Vijaya or Jenny. These three women are some of the most driven, committed and talented people I have worked with and I am humbled by their ambition. I do not think we would be as successful as a team or as an organization if we did not believe in the importance in opening up the world for as many children as possible.

What’s your one ambiguous, yet profound tip you’d like to leave?

Lindsay: Follow your passions toward the right career, and let that path grow organically. Sometimes we don’t know where our passions will land, and making too many plans can obstruct your vision.

Jazmine: Life is about creating yourself, not finding yourself. So stop looking.

Vijaya: Believe in yourself. Never let others tell you what you can and can’t do. Acknowledge your ambition and abilities, and always fight to fulfill your dreams.

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About the Women:

Lindsay

A passion to pursue performing and fine arts moved my family and me away from a small town, but during my quest for got a coveted internship with a travel company, gained the skills to be a serious travel documentarian, and became committed to a creative and nomadic lifestyle. There isn’t a line between my work and play, so my hobbies are what I do professionally: read, write, create videos, travel. I have very few favorite pastimes because I have trouble rating one experience over another, aside from dancing, which is second nature to me. I’m often grooving, and I don’t even know it.

Jazmine

I graduated from Princeton in 2009 with a BA in Anthropology and excavated two archaeological sites: one in France and one in Turkey. I am an avid traveler and visited my first country when I was a freshman in high school. I have since been to 14 countries. In my ideal world I would be a female version of Indiana Jones, minus all the Nazis/ fighting with the natives. I love being outside, bouldering and encouraging people to have as much creative, free fun as possible. I have worked a wide arrange of jobs since graduating, some highlights include interning at the National 9-11 Memorial Museum, working for Narativ Inc, a storytelling consulting company, and my current role as Community Correspondent for ProjectExplorer.org. My travel experience in combination with my archaeology background and my puppeteer skills are what set me apart from over 300 applicants and got the attention of Jenny Buccos. Aside from working post-production for the ProjectExplorer.org Mexico series, I am a full time Playground Associate at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, part time instructor at Brooklyn Boulders- teaching kids to climb and as a tour guide at Tigers: Tracking a Legend- an interactive, multimedia exhibit about tracking the big cats through the jungles of India.

Vijaya

I worked through my university career as an Associate Producer on a Canadian trivia game show called “Reach for the Top” which helped cement my love for media. Post-graduation I had the opportunity to work on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada as an Assistant Talent Coordinator, and made my mark in front of the camera as a panellist on MTV Canada’s, The Aftershow. My love of travel took me to Europe, where I began to document personal diaries of my time abroad in a Youtube series called ‘Foodcapades’. From the gelato shops in Florence, to the storefront at Harrod’s in London, to a traditional Saree draping in India, I’ve covered some interesting experiences around the world. I quickly came to realize that media was my calling, and that I wanted to establish a career in front of the camera. Cooking is one of my favourite hobbies. I’ve been a foodie ever since I was a little girl, and love experimenting in the kitchen.

Alyssa Milano:
140 Characters of True Character

Skip ahead to today, and now that problem is a thing of the past, all thanks to Twitter. Who we can directly connect with in 140 characters, is nearly limitless. For those who think you are familiar with Twitter (but really aren’t) Twitter is more than just 140-character update about breakfast, traffic and bad dates.

Twitter is your own “Instant Messenger” for information and conversation, with a global audience.

Twitter provides an open and equal place for connections where we all can gain respect by being able to passionately and sincerely share what we believe in; and allow people to speak with us openly,  even if they are a celebrity.

Communication, information and passion are the factors which bring people to follow one another on Twitter, (not just celebrities), because on Twitter we can all listen and talk…and talking is what makes Twitter tick.

So what does this have to do with Alyssa Milano?

Well, if you could say there’s one ideal person who is “doing it right,” when it comes to Twitter, it’d be Alyssa. She’s like a good friend who sends you a funny YouTube video, shares a cute pic of her dogs & she inspires us to do better via her Tweets. But most importantly, she talks with you.

She doesn’t just tweet other celebrities, or talk to herself on Twitter; she talks to the people who make a difference, you.

Responding on Twitter through the @Reply (at reply) is essentially Twitter 101, but it is the one thing most celebrities, brands and even some average people forget. Most people tend to stop carrying on conversations once they become “established” on Twitter, for various “reasons.” However, if you just send updates about your day to Twitter, that’s like just talking to yourself in a mirror — you look crazy.

Alyssa is different. She is  a celebrity, yes — but that doesn’t make her not want to talk to other people. When I asked her what was the best thing about getting on Twitter everyday, she simply stated “Feeling connected to the world.”

She doesn’t pay some PR company to write her Tweets, nor plan them out a month in advance. She’s real and true and reacts to the world events like the Iran Elections, Haiti Earthquake and BP Oil Spill like everyone else, with lasting conversations and viewpoints.

You see, Alyssa values her conversations and opinions a lot (especially when it comes to baseball.)

But for Alyssa it’s not about breaking the latest story, or being first to find the next “Bed Intruder” video — but it’s about using social media to inform and have fun socially; and she’s not afraid to use it.

You’ll often catch Alyssa “sneaking up” on an unsuspecting fan who isn’t expecting Alyssa to read their Tweets, and drop them a cute one-liner that more than makes their day (it’s happened to me a few times!)

She’s not just fun, she is continually engaged in philanthropic causes, and seeing those causes through to fruition with an unrivaled intent. You’ll find her warmly-soliciting help to raise money and awareness from her followers, with @replies and tweets.

Then, you’ll also find her profusely thanking her followers and friends who helped her on her endless  endeavors…which is the best way any person could use social media.

For her birthday last year, Alyssa didn’t flaunt a lavish party, or only tweet pictures from an exotic vacation — she Tweeted her friends and followers and asked for money, for charity.water.

Her birthday gift from over 1,400 people brought in over $90k for charity.water. In 140-characters Alyssa brought about change to so many people, it was unreal to witness. The best part was, after the goal had been met, she had the character to thank the individuals who made it possible.  She thanked everyone from $1 to $3,700 donors in @Replies, Direct Messages and in a Blog Post.

She thanked you.

Despite a genuine and candid approach to being open with the world, the way Twitter is meant to be used, some people remain skeptical of Alyssa’s authenticity. While claims of being “fake” are at best annoying, dealing with imitators and others being extremely negative must be next to damaging.

I asked Alyssa about dealing with the consistent attacks from people who deny her authenticity, she said:

“Occasionally, there will be someone that thinks it’s funny to be hurtful. I think people forget that there is a human on the other side of the computer screen.”

But despite the attacks she’ll receive those masked behind the veil of online anonymity; Alyssa maintains a brave and cheerful face for her 1-million+ followers.

In a word, you can sum up Alyssa’s use of Twitter as, natural. So, if you aren’t already on Twitter, or want a good start—Alyssa Milano is the ideal candidate to have a welcome introduction into Twitter…and no matter how long after this is published, if you check her out now (@Alyssa_Milano) I’m sure you’ll catch her providing not only a good conversation but “Peace, Light, Love” and lots of laughter.

Thank you, Alyssa!

It always amazes me when I have the chance to pick the minds of influential individuals…their humility and humbleness seems to overpower the celebrity that their passions have awarded them. None more so than with Lauren Leto, influential creator and promulgator of all things texted last night. I personally rank Ms. Leto with influential women in entertainment like Carol Burnett,  Betty White or even Sarah Palin. These women are a rare find, (as unique as an honest politician), and Lauren Leto definitely ranks with the best of them.

Lauren Leto:

Texts From Last Night’s Unsung Heroine

Lauren Leto is a genuine cultural influence, with effortless charm and refined dry wit that would leave any pedantic lost for words; all wrapped in a twenty-something year old chick, who says, “People are highly unimpressed with me.”

Leto is co-creator and owner of the infamously popular, “Texts from Last Night” website and book, which came to start after Leto finished college when most of her friends moved away to seek employment. Leto, who now lives in New York City, recites what many in and out of their twenties all know too well,  “there are no jobs ANYWHERE!”

When Leto was in law school , she approached her friend, Ben, (who was also unemployed at the time) to help her out with a side project she was starting. The side project which now almost none of us can (or really want to), escape from in our daily-humor. Texts from Last Night.

We see the ubiquitous 3-digit area code, followed by a hilarious/raunchy SMS posted on our friend’s Facebook Walls, Twitter Feeds, Blogs, E-mails or forwarded to us via Text. Leto’s side project is an international hit, to which she claims people are still relatively “unimpressed” with her. (I think she was being sarcastic)

To a lesser degree, I’m sure the explosion of TFLN was something similar to the “Facebook Phenomenon.” Whereas Leto admittedly only expected for her “side project” to pay a bar tab or two, her success has brought a new level of wealth to which Leto boasts,  [enter sarcasm here] “I am surprised and grateful, everyday that Texts from Last Night now pays my phone bill!”

Of course in our modern world, where a few individuals can sit in someone’s living room and create a multimillion dollar company, Leto and TFLN do have to face some competition. She states that websites like “Fuck My Life” (FML) are competition and also are not competition.

Sites like FML are competition, in the regards that people might put TFLN & FML in the same online-entertainment category and say they are a bigger fan of one over the other.

However, FML may not be competition to Leto, because some TFLN fans have told her FML and other sites do not compare to the unique entertainment TFLN brings.

Personally though, Leto feels TFLN and sites like FML are in fact similar, as she feels most individuals who find TFLN entertaining will more than likely check both sites.

It is usually hard for content creators to pick favorite aspects from their sites when they discuss their own creation, but since Leto only hosts the content provided by others, she had no trouble talking about some of her favorite TFLN texts. Her favorite text she quoted was (from my home city of Atlanta):

(770): I got us kicked out of the bar because the waitress found me in the kitchen trying to make spaghetti

Continually sorting through some of the more raunchy and far-off-color text that come through the TFLN approval process has to be entertaining/a chore at the same time. Leto says that for the website, they choose texts which “strike us as unique and funny without being racist or sexist.” For the TFLN book however, the co-creators chose the funniest texts, including many, many texts that have never been posted on the site.

(So if you’re a TFLN fan, I’d highly recommend getting the book!)

Leto who is very excited about her book because she believes it will continue to make people laugh and says “confessing via text to a friend is our generation’s version of confessing to a priest. It purges the soul.” (However, unlike most of our friend’s, our local corner-Catholic establishments do not forward our confessions to Leto’s inbox…)

Of course, the internet is the playground for all ages, and though the site is predominately populated by the twenty-something, Leto says that plenty of “older people” also enjoy the  humor. “It’s relatable humor; everyone who has lived through their twenties can find something to laugh at on TFLN.”

For many like Leto who are in their twenties, and have faced unemployment call this time the, “Quarterlife Crisis.” She admits many of the texts submitted to TFLN do speak to individuals being unable to find a job or not knowing where their life is going, and she says “…so yes, I do believe they sometimes reflect a ‘Quarterlife Crisis.’”

And as far as Leto’s own quarterlife crisis, she admits that she is a “recovering” agoraphobic and she used to wonder if she would  be one forever. She said “I was scared I wouldn’t be able to have a normal life. Eventually, I got through the worst of it.”

Once you do some reading about all that is Leto, it is easy to become a fan of her personality (Her personal blog is a smart one to follow–as I have since I interviewed her.) She states she is the middle child in a large Italian family, and her snarky/sarcastic personality comes from having to be able to assert your opinion in order to be counted in that environment.

What may seem contradictory to her very strong personality, she self-proclaims herself as a “nerd.” A nerd, because outside of just taking many advanced placement classes in high school, Leto was able to graduate college in three years.

She worked in the science lab of her high school, instead of having a study hall & she’d gladly pass up a night out in favor of a good book. She has a severe internet addiction, studied Arabic “for fun” in college, loved law school & is a hotaku. (I have no idea what a hotaku is…)

Of course Leto is far from her nerdy “Sailor Moon Days” [pictured left] and now that she is paying for her own health insurance, she says that she is indeed “grown up.” Even though she’s grown up, one would imagine that fun and frivolity now runs Leto’s life since TFLN started. However, there is a very adult and genuine side to this wonderful woman.

Leto does state that in growing up, she noticed something about the majority of the Generation-Y population. She feels one of the main issues with the current set of twenty-somethings is “they hide behind the notion of not yet being a grown up.” She believes this to be a mistake many in their 20′s are making, as they are not fully embracing the fact they can finally grab hold of  their dreams & that it is a privilege not to be so young anymore.

When she was asked what her one wish would be to change the world through her actions, Leto said…”Could I wish away racism? Dare I dream.” Her main point to this not so frivolous wish was to better education, because as she stated “…knowledge unlocks prejudice.”

To end, Lauren Leto’s “Good, Ambiguous and Profound Advice”:

Trust yourself

From a teenage boy’s harrowing fleet from a war torn Lebanon, to sleeping on a park bench in California; to the high school student who took a chance on his passion — the past of Said Faraj (Sy-eed Fair-ahge) has run the proverbial gamut of the modern human experience. Now

Said Faraj: From Hardship to Hollywood

Before actor Said Faraj took to the silver screen playing opposite of Matt Damon in the March 2010 film, “Green Zone,” there was a Said who lead a less conspicuous life. There was a Said of only 9-years-old who witnessed the deaths of close friends and family, including his 8-year-old brother when civil war took hold of Lebanon. And the teenage and quarterlife Said who escaped bombs and bullets to flee his beloved country to seek safe haven in America, and find a passion in entertainment.

When I spoke with Said, he began by telling me of how his parents worried over him after losing his younger brother. Said told me his family began to set into motion the steps needed to save him from an early death and the journey to remove himself from harms way; which ironically turned out to be a journey even more dangerous as the war itself.

To begin the process, Said needed to receive what was considered an almost impossible military grant to leave the embattled Lebanon. However, through an auspicious family connection a “favor” was granted by a military General who allowed Said to leave Lebanon for “10 days.” Said stated candidly that although he obtained this pass through a family connection, this particular General was known for liberally bestowing multiple day passes to move individuals out of Lebanon. With a mixed-emotional voice of joy and sadness, Said spoke about receiving his pass from the General just in time, as within a few days of being granted permission to leave, the General who helped Said was executed for his misuse of his power.

Said recalled how lucky he felt, but how this particular bittersweet circumstance was merely the foreshadowing of many dark situations he encountered while attempting to leaving Lebanon.

Relieved to have his pass, Said wasted no time to head to to the United States Embassy in Beirut with his father on April 18, 1983 to file for his visa to enter America. Said patiently waited at the embassy from about 3am on April 18, until early afternoon the same day for “a blessing” which nearly cost him his life. The visa was “a blessing” because Said was the last person to receive a visa from the US embassy on April 18, 1983, as Said was no more than 100ft (30m) walking distance from the embassy when a suicide-bomber exploded his car at the embassy, killing 63 people. (If you’re not familiar with recent history, you can read details of that day here)

Literally escaping with his life from the embassy bombing, Said repeatedly called his visa a “blessing from God,” and puts this experience above all, as you could hear the resonance of fear still within as he recalled this story with greater detail among all the others of his journey.

There were a few months in between Said receiving his “blessing,” and his departure date for America. However, with all the trips Said had made to government buildings and military officials, he had left a “paper trail” of passes and embassy visits which was just enough for ill-hearted individuals to notice him; and unfortunately, Said’s plan was found out.

Over the months leading up to his October departure, unbeknownst to Said and his father, these ill-hearted individuals were setting out to capture Said and his family in his attempt to leave Lebanon.

Early one October morning, with the combination of an early flight and Said’s father knowledge of snipers on the route to the airport, Said and his family were on an predawn dash to the airport, much earlier than anyone had anticipated. So early, they left literally minutes before his would-be captures entered his hotel room, with a furious intent, that same morning.

Unaware of the capture they inadvertently escaped, an en route to the airport, as Said retold the near cinematic encounter he and his father endured after just missing the captures at the hotel, they fell victim to the sniper fire they tried to avoid.

The bullets came down from the hillsides, upon Said and his father’s car, who were on the one road many trying to flee Lebanon via the airport took. Said recalled the moments in the car as bullets flew past him, pinging off the car’s fender, that it all seemed like, “something from a movie.”

With the “hand of God” protecting him, Said and his father made it to the airport, with rattled nerves yet untouched, they emerged from the car and rushed to his terminal, where he was finally bound for New York City.

As Said stood amongst the rest of the passengers in the Lebanese airport, he noticed something more pronounced than the bullets he had just experienced, he was the only male over 10 in the entire airport.

Starkly contrasted amongst children and women, Said was a lone male his age boarding a flight, and he was not missed by the scrutiny of the airport staff checking passports. Before he boarded his flight Said recalled, with agitation in his voice, how he was let into an hour interrogation which annoyingly analyzed the minutiae of his life…tirelessly trying to find inaccuracies in his story and disloyalty to his country.

Since Said had obtain military approval, US Visa and proved his patriotism in his native language, he was free to take his flight; and on October 17, 1983, a day that Said will never forget as “freezing,” he landed, unceremoniously, in New York City.

When he landed, he underwent a customs interrogation in America. Said couldn’t really expound on this experience stating, “My English was so bad back then, that till this day I have no idea as to what I told them!”

After his interrogation in New York, customs put him on a flight to a relative in North Hollywood, California, only giving him 10 days to stay in the country; and he needed every minute to make his stay in America permanent.

What should have been a simple plane flight, phone call and pick-up for the 16-year-old Said headed to California, turned into an almost 2-week ordeal of sleeping on a park bench and eating one hamburger a day. To completely understand how this happened, you have to have a deeper knowledge of Said’s thought process.

In Lebanon, there were only so many people with certain surnames in the country, and those names are specific to a certain cities, and certain parts of town. With this interconnected and tight-knit community in Lebanon, if you were to show up and ask a stranger for someone with the surname “Smith,” someone would point you in the direction where they lived.

With this mentality, Said landed in LA and knew his uncle lived in North Hollywood. So he got in a cab and asked for his uncle by last name in North Hollywood. Naturally, in the classic cab driver fashion, the driver dropped him off in the middle of North Hollywood, and told him, “that not really the way it works here…”

With no way to contact anyone, poor English and no where to go; Said saw was a park bench and a hamburger stand.

So for almost two weeks, at the age of 16, slept on a park bench and ate one hamburger a day (except on Saturdays, he had two, because they were closed on Sundays) and tried day-in and day-out to find his uncle. Running out of money and time, he began asking around and eventually ran into a ESOL school and a Lebanese employee. They exchanged stories, and midway through their conversation Said realized that if they were both back in Lebanon, they would not be speaking to one another, as the ESOL teacher would have been on the “enemy side” firing from the hillside on Said and his father’s car.

However, this was America, and the “enemy” was able to help Said in his quest to find his uncle in North Hollywood; and as Said says, “to get to the best part, it turns out my uncle was only 2 blocks away from the park bench!”

Understanding Said’s journey makes understanding Said’s unbreakable passion to pursue acting in his quarterlife very easy. However, before we began to speak about how he got into his career in Hollywood, he backtracked to talk about the war, outside of the bullets, bombs and interrogations. He described the atmosphere of Lebanon during the war as, “warm,” with so much love and camaraderie between neighbors and families during war. He said families and communities became closer when they were huddled into homes together and moving about to gather supplies. But what Said thinks is best is how after the war. when dispersed family members came back to Lebanon, they had a chance to shared their worldly experiences from all around the globe, and this has helped Lebanon, in his view to become a better country.

Said particularly spoke of the main aspect which brought people together, it was entertainment. He said, “people were truly one,” most notably, during Soccer games. Said states, “Soccer was what really brought everyone together, and was the only time when everyone just stopped shooting, and everybody watched the game.”

But more close to Said was the theater.

When I asked Said about his interest in acting, and if he had not fled Lebanon would he still be an actor, he told me how deep his passion and interests for acting went.

Despite starting life in war time, where it was difficult to look to the future as you only “lived to survive.” However, Said enjoyed the escape of the theater and the sense of euphoria he captured when seeing movies (Starting with “Tarzan” being the 1^st movie he ever saw) and with a great national appreciation for classical theater, he knew he was meant to be on stage and film.

By the time Said was entering the “quarterlife”, he had a bigger crisis than most. Fleeing his home land, flying to America and now graduated from North Hollywood High, Said began a few odd jobs, but knew he wasn’t truly enthralled with the idea of “working.”

He always loved acting and wanting pursue acting.

At this time in his early 20′s, Said remembered his favorite teacher Ms. Haber, who told him — “If you are passionate about something, why don’t you just go out and make it happen.” When he went back to visit her, she recommended an acting agency for him, gave him a card, with which Said jumped right in without doing any research or asking any questions. He set up an appointment, and lacking any experience, he was cast in extra roles, and began to do some minor work alongside actors like Gene Hackman.

Enjoying his growing experiences and his drive for “just wanting to be in FRONT of the camera,” his persistence gave him opportunity to learn some tricks of the trade and shortly after found a new manager who had him auditioning like a fiend.

I asked him if he ever wanted to give up, and he said without hesitation “No — I just enjoy being here, and even the thought of getting the “small roles,” I would just get so excited!” He continued,  “I never thought of them as small roles, but saw it as a challenge and accomplishment.”

Said knows that God allowed him to have the focus he needed to stay true to his passion, and give him the focus and positive mentality to get him where he is today.

Today, though out of his quarterlife, Said still carries the war torn childhood memories and the years of minor “Cabbie and Clerk” roles, typical for Arab actors, and has made a productive career for himself. Though Said is working along side Matt Damon, flying across the country to movie premiers and meeting heads-of-state, Said still does have his role models. Said looks to actors like Tony Shalhoub, who as another Lebanese-American, as a great artistic role model for Said, as well as for Said’s young children.

While on the subject of Arab actors, I asked Said how he felt the portrayal of his characters in previous movies, and if those roles were helping the stereotype of Arab-Americans, and additionally if he had noticed an overall sentiment change towards Arabs in Hollywood.

Said had to pause, and explained how although it was empowering to have some representation on screen as an Arab in America, he said the common portrayal of a Middle Eastern characters such as, clerks, terrorists or minor roles of that nature can limit artists in their career.

He said, “It has certainly become more of a stereotype for us Arab artists to play those roles. If you’re not taking your acting seriously, you can take whatever they give you you just to be on screen. However, when you go to acting class, read books and study the artistic nuances and theories, you feel almost incapable of playing those roles, because they put you in a box, and limit you your artistic creativity.”

Said added “…if you want to establish yourself as a credible actor, you have to get out of that box and use film and independent film to give you the chance to do more creative and even “normal” roles.”

Creative and “normal” is what Said Faraj had the chance to portray in Green Zone. Playing a high ranking military father, Said was able to be someone normal and not the “Cabbie and Clerk” as he had been previously.

Consistently reiterating his great appreciation for the “Green Zone” team for providing him the opportunity to help popularize the portrayal of Arabs in Hollywood, Said wants to thank Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon for being great supporters.

Of course, he thanks God for the blessings of allowing to even be alive to experience this, and for protecting him and his family over the years to allow this dream to come to fruition.

Though this is not the typical story of “Rags to Riches,” Said’s life has holds the story of an unsung potential behind a passion too many would have ignored. Despite facing the perils of war, Said beat incredible odds to make it where he is today, and every time we speak, he continues to thank God, each time sounding more and more surprised by the things that are happening around him.

Said Wants to Thank:

Acting Coach: Candy Kaniecki

Director: Paul Greengrass

Co-Star: Matt Damon

Be sure to watch “Green Zone”!

It is a rarity these days to find an individual in the entertainment industry who is influential, responsible, humble and under the age of 30. Moreover, one who neglects the trappings of life’s successes and turns their trying past experiences into a genuine positive message. This rare culmination of positivity only begins to illustrate the elemental character which is Nina Brown.

“Be creative with your hustle, committed to the grind & fearless of the world”
- Nina Brown

Images by: Allen Cooley (@AllenCooley)

Self-described as “God’s Girl 24/7,” Brown is the successful radio and television producer of Atlanta’s V-103 “Frank and Wanda” morning shows. Leaving the corporate world behind at a young age and entering the entertainment world as an underpaid broadcast intern, Brown, through her “hustle and grind” mantra and blessings from God now radiates the self-confidence and passionate drive many in their 20’s dream of.

However, like most in Generation-Y and previous quarterlifers, Brown was not immune to her own self-doubt and has turned the lessons of a rambunctious teenage rebellion into a professional and inspirational path.

So when does one go from being the epitome of a rebellious teen, to an accomplished 29-year-old with a sense of purpose?

Brown always thought she was “late and behind in her professional development,” claiming if she had only completed “x, y and z” earlier, then she would be further along in her profession at a younger age. However, she has come to realize her quarterlife maturation is just on time.

Brown says maturity is a recent event for her, occurring only in the past 5 years, and it has been a spiritual awaking…

“I didn’t find real peace within and wasn’t truly comfortable with what God created in me until now. I no longer have the feeling of needing to compete, or being insecure about my life experiences…or even feeling guilty about mistakes I’ve made. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by my mistakes – because I now realize it has played a huge role in who I am today.”

It is ironic, because when we were “growing up” (I use the term loosely) we all probably thought “maturity” happened somewhere in between puberty and high school graduation. However for Brown and many others, we now realize “growing up” is a continuous process, including the time period of your quarterlife, which most people call it becoming “responsible.”

Brown, who has called Atlanta, Ga. home since 1994, says she loves this city because she can be the inspiration to the youngest of Generation-Y by culminating her “cool factor” with the importance of her inspirational messages. Brown says, “…there’s no place in the world where you can see so many successful people from the same background as you, and be leaders and trendsetters for success, especially in media.”

Brown, who gives more than her fair share back to the community, reiterates this point to her youth audiences, telling them mistakes made earlier in life are not the end all of life, but a beginning to show you a better path. Brown stated she was once an out of control 16-year-old who, in order to “find herself,” went against authority. Her passion for working with at-risk-youths, who are crying out for attention in high schools is close to heart, because as she stated, “it wasn’t that long ago that I went through the same things, and I can show them the light at the end of the tunnel.”

When she visits those students and listens to them detail their trials of peer pressure, sex, drugs and being lost without a stable home life, Brown is more than willing to jump in and spread her wisdom.

Brown said lightheartedly, “I tell them, ‘Yeah! I know Rick Ross!’ and ‘Yeah! I know Young-Jeezy, we hangout, we kick-it, we talk’…” but she doesn’t say this to boast or self-promote her own agenda. Brown uses it as a tool to connect with and illustrate to these kids how you can be a responsible adult and at the same time live within your passions and be successful.

Now, success and passion are things we all hear about a lot, usually as two separate entities, however Brown has her own definition of success that includes passion. She defines success as your personal drive to obtain the peace of mind of knowing who you are, and your worth and value as an individual.

Brown said, “You can have as much money as you want in the world and be very unhappy – and I don’t want to be in a position where I have the buco amounts of money and not the family or friends who I can trust, because that’s a lonely world.”

When Brown spoke about leaving her “Corporate-America Job” to become an underpaid intern in broadcast, she said “Look, I’ve always had a passion for radio and television, more along the lines of radio for the love of music…and I am a big proponent of finding your passion; this is one life you have.”

Finding your passion to obtain success sounds great, but some believe you have to do what needs to be done, no matter what. Brown said some of us have our mind set early in life that “this” is what we were meant to do, or “this” is what I have to do to make money, but “this” may not be your passion. We may have a dream or at some point in our lives realize we are really prolific at something, and that becomes your passion. However, because of fear of failure, Brown says, we give up on our passions, and ultimately our success.

“Fear is or worst enemy, it keeps us from being unable to succeed, because you allow that fear to hang over your head for the rest of your life.”

Brown states, you need to go for what you would do for free, and this is your passion, and fulfilling your passion is where you will make your money. Plainly put, she said “I mean, who wants to spend the rest of your life at a job that you hate – always watching the clock and saying ‘ugh – I have HOW many hours left‘?”

It seems simple enough, “do what you love, to make you happy,” but many still do not know when their passions have led to “success” or if it ever will. Brown said she has been able to gauge her level of success, not through paychecks, cars, houses or fame but through the e-mails, tweets, Facebook messages and face-to-face interaction she receives from her listeners.

Brown said, “I have people tell me I made them want to do better in life, and through them, I know people are watching and listening, and if I know I can improve one person’s life ,then I have succeeded at what I’ve set out to accomplish.”

Brown’s mantra to completing her success is, “Be creative with your hustle, committed to the grind and fearless of the world.” As she further explains to her teen audiences, this means you essentially have to be quick on your feet and never give up – and that when people tell you “no” or you face rejection and adversity, that those obstacles are not the end of the line – they are just a part of life. In summary, Brown believes you have to believe in yourself and your path, because no one else will, and if you believe in you, you can have everything you want.

Though Brown said she had the “American Dream” of the suburban house, the SUV, revolving credit and cash in the bank – she states personal success is not achieved through these monetary and material keepings – but by finding your inner passion and God given path in life.

“When I die, do I want to be known for this nice house I own, or to I want to be known for this legacy I am creating, because I was able to change people’s lives by setting the example?”