You are NOT Alone - Domestic Violence Awareness Month
/One of our Locals pointed out to us that as a women owned business it is important to be vocal about where we stand on largely female impacting issues. With that being said, as October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month we want to make sure that we project the importance of self love, self care, and open communication on the negatives that impact us…
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS AN ISSUE.
WE STAND WITH THE FIGHT TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
* Information provided by Milwaukee Health Department *
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is the use of a pattern of abuse to maintain power and control in a familiar relationship. Abuse affects all populations, regardless of their age, race, sex, nationality, religion, ability, socioeconomic status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
(That means it can happen to any of us!)
What is considered abusive behavior?
Abusive behaviors may include:
Physical Abuse: Use of physical force in a way that injures or puts others at risk of injury
Emotional Abuse: Use of words, tone, actions, or lack of action meant to control, hurt, or demean
Sexual Abuse: Forced or coerced sexual act or behavior motivated to acquire power and control
Financial Abuse: Use or misuse of financial or monetary resources of the partner or of the partnership without the partner’s freely given consent
Spiritual Abuse: Using victim’s religious or spiritual beliefs to manipulate
Identity Abuse: Using personal characteristics to demean, manipulate, and control partner; comprised of “isms” around race, gender, sex, age, sexual orientation, etc.
(How do we use our power? To help or to cause harm?)
Why don't victims leave?
The decision to leave an abusive relationship is difficult, and a victim's reasons for staying may be numerous, including:
Fear of physical harm, retaliation, dealing with the legal system, or changing their situation
Love for their significant other
Lack of resources (housing, money, accessible programs)
Isolation from supportive friends and family members
Familial pressure
Normalization of violence in the relationship
A sense of guilt or responsibility for the abuse
A desire to help their abuser
Potential public shaming or humiliation
Optimism that things will change
Religious belief and values
(Individual issues have individual outcomes, non-judgmental support is key.)
If you want to help us create awareness tag us in your 20 second video on instagram or Facebook (@copywritemag) video to let us know why you stand against Domestic Violence. (Email that video to copywrite.mke@gmail.com to be apart of our #SociallyResponsible 2019 campaign video).
Your voice matters!
Click Here for a list of local resources that can help if you or someone you love is being abused.
/CW
#WCW Nicole Acosta
/“You can’t be what you can’t see.” - Marian Wright Edelman
This quote often holds true when thinking of career paths for people of color. Often seeing people who look like you in the same types of jobs over and over again.
This was me as a creative in Milwaukee’s advertising community.
For the company I worked for I had quickly became the only creative of color (female too) and throughout Milwaukee’s (WHOLE) creative ad community, I knew of one Black Interactive Art Director, one Asian copywriter and about five to six graphic designers that were of color (non-white folks). This left me feeling isolated and alone for most of the beginning of my career but very disappointed in the lack of diversity and inclusion in the region.
Leading to a lot of questions: Why? Why were there no people that looked like me? Was this just a Milwaukee problem? Why did I work at an agency of 250+ people and there was only four people of color? Why don’t more people of color know that they NEED to be in advertising/marketing? Just why?
My main answer came back to the quote “You can’t be what you can’t see.” And though it’s not that simple; Learning about new career paths and seeing people who look like you and come from similar backgrounds like you, can often change your path in life.
Now enough with me, but into showcasing people that are doing their thing to change the game. **drum roll please**
Our #WCW this week is Nicole Acosta, a Chicana-first generation Mexican-American. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI with indigenous roots in Mexico. Nicole has made it her life’s mission to preserve cultural practices and traditions and activate safe spaces in her hometown where people can connect to their cultural identities. Whether through dance, visual art or written word, most of Nicole’s work reflects movement, oral and visual storytelling and identity. A lover of travel, Nicole seeks to learn from the origins of where our cultural practices were birthed.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Management from Alverno College with a minor in Elective Studies and is also a dedicated student of Puerto Rican Bomba dance at the AfriCaribe Cultural Center in Chicago, IL. She is a proud graduate of the Milwaukee High School of The Arts, and prior to her transfer to Alverno, spent years at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Milwaukee Area Technical College studying photography.
As an intersectional artist, Nicole’s work has been exhibited throughout the city of Milwaukee, published locally and nationally; and she has performed spoken word and dance. In most recent years Nicole has devoted her life to art education for Milwaukee Public Theatre, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, Latino Arts, providing hands-on teaching and creating original curriculum focused on the restoration and preservation of Latinx cultural experiences. Her next career move will be in the summer of 2018 were alongside her partner they launch Botaníca Creative, a marketing-branding-photography & design agency! I’m excited.
Campaign sample photos of Pascual and young girls: Creative Direction and Photography: Nicole Acosta, Graphic Design: Jazmin Delgado
Also in honor of being a WOC in advertising I asked her to answer the following questions to get a different perspective of advertising life in Milwaukee.
1. How does being a Latinx creative influence your work in advertising?
"Being a Latinx creative first and foremost automatically suggests that I will create from a place of culture or of my ethnic upbringing. Which is true to a certain point. This is where being a Latinx creative in the advertising/marketing industry becomes a challenge. When I was in my final year of college at Alverno where I earned my degree in Marketing Management, I researched agencies in Milwaukee specifically seeking POC in the industry. The results were not very surprising as you can imagine. This is where I saw an opportunity to pursue marketing and advertising, I had a niche. I could reach specific target audiences that a lot of these agencies could not. I am Latinx, bi-lingual, I stay relevant with socio-cultural trends and I take pride in being a Millennial. I consider myself a hyper-intersectional artist, meaning I have studied multiple art forms and have taught and worked hands on in some capacity throughout the years as this artist but never really knew how to make a career out of it. I binged watched MadMen for an entire month and fell in love with the idea that I would one day I would be the Latinx version of Don Draper because this is exactly how I could channel my creativity. So I befriended my partner Jazmin Delgado, a graphic designer and together we began to envision Botaníca Creative, an agency that specializes in assisting clients through the creative process resulting in visual dialogue aka visual communications. We were intentional about our branding, that we plan to launch this summer. We want to be taken seriously, as as women of color in the creative industry without our culture being at the forefront defining our work because this is not the expectation for non-woc. Although our Latinx culture is extremely important to us. We want our work to speak for itself. Being Latinx influences us creatively no doubt, and we see this in the authentic relationships we build with clients, and most importantly representing Latinx in the creative industry, we hope more young Latinx women/girls pursue careers in marketing, advertising and graphic design!"
Campaign sample photos of Pascual and young girls: Creative Direction and Photography: Nicole Acosta, Graphic Design: Jazmin Delgado
2. If you could change one troubling aspect you’ve experienced in the advertising community into a positive outcome, what would it be?
"I would say the lack of women of color in the industry. It’s such a disappointment. Most times it’s because women of color don’t have access to the same opportunities as non-woc. I feel like agencies should see this as an opportunity to recruit from local colleges such as Alverno (shameless plug) or at least offer internships. A little outreach and authentic community building goes a long way."
Nicole continually inspires me to keep working and developing my craft so that these conversations become a lesson from the past.
Follow our #WCW Nicole on Instagram @MOSSCROWNMUJER @BOTANICACREATIVE
And if you have a story you want to share about our #WCW or an experience in advertising; let me know in the comments.
Keep creating. /Syn
#WCW Aja Janay of Heal + Glow
/“Close your eyes. Then breathe in; breathe out.
Take a moment for you.”
This is why I love yoga and meditation. It’s not about anyone else other than yourself. It’s a time to be selfish; to check in with yourself and to remind yourself of how you’re feeling at that moment.
This is why this month’s #WCW is Aja Janay; the creative director and founder of heal + glow. She “began making candles during my time as an undergraduate to relieve [her] … stress, anxiety and moments of deep depression. During those really dark moments of sadness, the flames of each [lit] candle reminded [her] that there's always a little bit of light in a space full of darkness. This light did not come easy. [She] had to fight for the light. [She] was forced to journey into the crevasses of my being to find what was there.”
Photo by FreakishNerd for Papyrus and Charms
heal + glow is a candle line but it’s also more than that. They use their online and social platforms to discuss and share self-love and self- care along with visual arts, literature, performing arts, and the latest in fashion and beauty.
But back to the candles, their packaging is beautiful. The scents are magical and their perfect “to add to your meditation practices, your alters for rituals, or to your relaxing baths.” A FreakishNerd favorite is the Egyptian Amber; because well, who doesn’t love Amber candles? And I'll be buying some new additions to my candle collection soon. :)
Local2Local - Natural Mystic Co.
/My Local2Local this month, has Black Girl Magic sprinkled all over it and it will keep your glow from never dimming a wink.
So meet Natural Mystic; an Austin-based (but Wisconsin started) company skincare line. Their products are “handcrafted in small batches to ensure that each one is created with love + good intentions.” Owned and operated by Nyesha Lashay (@nyeshalashay), this graduate student is not only enhancing the skin you’re in but promoting self-love along with bringing forth your inner natural mystic. #WeWokeUpLikeThis
But in reality, your skin changes when you move across country. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst. It has to do with a lot of changes happening to not only your life but in general, the water and climates your body is use to are different. So usually you have to change up your face cleaning regimens to keep your skin in the best shape. For me, I’ve finally have my new skin regimen down packed and that includes a lot of masks and deep cleaners...i.e. why I had to try out Natural Mystic’s products.
Syn’s review of The Elements Pack:
What it includes: The Moroccan earth mask + the zen hydration jelly ($30 + shipping)
The Moroccan earth mask: It smelled great and had the texture of a deep cleansing scrub with the color of brown clay (hence the Moroccan earth haha). It was smooth to apply and dried in about 10 minutes. I prefer to leave my masks on for the time it takes to watch a full episode of a cartoon (20/30 minutes). The mask made my face feel tight and rejuvenated right away.
The Zen hydration jelly: A little bit went a long way. I used about the size of a dime to apply to my whole face. However it did leave my face smelling good and my skin was soft and GLOWING.
Overall: The purchasing process was simple. I got an email when I could expect my package (It came a day earlier but I am in the Austin area.) I also liked that the website included a quick 2-step process to make sure I knew what I was doing.
It was a little more expensive than something I would normally purchase for my face but it was worth it to support a Woman of color business and get a handmade quality product.
I think I’ll be using this pairing at least once a week to make sure my skin is on point and beaming.
Support this boss lady business by following them on Instagram for some self-love and self care motivation. Or support them now by buying the products on http://naturalmystc.bigcartel.com/ I'm eyeing more products on the site as I type.
Leave a comment below and tell me your self-care secrets and other skin care regimens you love. I'm listening. /Syn
Slay with The Style Hub
/At CopyWrite, we think that your style is a quick snapshot of self. Since it can quickly tell people who you are without you having to speak.
In the music industry (and sometimes in life), the way you dress and your appearance can get someone to take that extra second to stop and ask "Who is this person? And what do they do?" It's just how it works. Having a style, a steez, a look; can get you far; as long as you have the talent to match.
This is why we're introducing you to The Style Hub, an online directory offering an one-stop shop for style.
A women-owned and operated business, The Style Hub is there for all your style needs.
As a client, The Style Hub connects you to the people you need by managing all of your stylists needs in one. Need a wardrobe stylist? Need a makeup artist? Need a beautician? They're ready to help you with your needs from photoshoots to video shoots to parties. You name it.
As a stylist, The Style Hub works to feature talented stylists in the Milwaukee area increasing the stylists awareness and credibility as well as showing off their talents by hosting styling events in hair, beauty and fashion.
Check out some of the photos from their last event below.
And if you want to know more, subscribe to their website and stay informed on the official launch of the web and app coming May and July 2017 by liking their Facebook or Instagram page...
IMAGES provided by The Style Hub.
** THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. **
However, we only sponsor businesses we believe in and would support regardless. No fake frauds here. You want in? E-mail us at copywrite.mke@gmail.com with your business information.
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