“Representation doesn’tcomefrom hidingwhoyouare— itcomesfromstanding inwhoyouare.”
-MarcelloHernández
NotesFromtheEditors
WhileworkingonPRISM’sfirstissue,Ifoundmyselfviewingartinanewlight: everypiecewasitsownentitybutalsopartofalargerpicture.Ilovedseeinghow eachartistinterpretedthethemedifferentlyandhowallthosepiecescame togetherinamultifacetedexplorationofidentity.IbelievethatthethemeofSelfIdentitytrulycapturesPRISM’smissiontocreateaspaceforteenstoexploreand sharetheiridentityandthatthisissueoffersaglimpseintothevibrancyand creativitythatoccurswhenteensaregivensuchaspace.
-Mariela
“Identitywasatrickysubjectformetoarticulateinbothartandsong,asIonly recentlyrealizedmyownidentity.I'mgladIwasgiventhisopportunityto expressmyselfthough!ThankyoueveryoneonthePRISMteamformaking thispossible…IsthatthankingmyselfsinceItooamonthePRISMteam?”
-Levi
“IdentityissomethingthatIthinkqueerpeoplestrugglewith,includingmyself. Ittookmealongtimetofeelconfidentandcomfortableinmyidentitynotonly asaqueer,transman,buteveryotherpartofitaswell.That’swhythismonth’s thememeanssomuchtome.Ithinkthathavingaplacewherepeoplecan expressthemselves,andwhereallourartcancometogetherintoonefinished zine,muchlikehowonesidentityaredifferentpartsthatcometogetherisso beautiful.”
-Elliot
Tome,identityissomethingthatiseverevolving.Itrepresentswheresomeone hasbeen,whotheyare,andwheretheycouldgonext.Ifeelthatthisfirstissue beautifullyencapsulatesPRISM’smissionofshowcasingasmanyvoicesand backgroundsaspossible.Everyone,especiallythosewhoaren’ttypicallyheardas loudly,deserveaplatformwheretheycanauthenticallyexpressthemselves. Workingonthisfirstissuehascertainlyhaditsupsanddowns,butthroughit,I gottoknowanamazinggroupofpeople.Icouldn’timagineworkingonthezine withoutthem.Becauseoftheirhardworkanddedication,PRISMwentfrommy ideatoourproject.Thankyou,andnow,enjoyourfirstissue!
-Sofia
VisualArts
Untitled -K.Hennessey
Portals
-Mariela
Self-portraitin Words
-Mariela
Song Lyrics
Self-Image
Levi Scanlan (She/They)
Y’know I always thought
I deserved more then I got
But what does it mean
To be more then me
I look in the mirror
I look in pure terror
A face that is not mine
A face not of my design
I wished upon star
I wished that I could go so far
See places that I love
But when push came to shove
I could not be the person they wanted me to be
Freedom of a choice is not mine to see
I gave up hope long ago
What’s the point of hopes and dreams
When they’re pulling at the seams
Of my life
When I speak out my truth
They try to pull me out the booth
Why do I try?
Why do I lie whenever they speak to me
Not like I would take a deal
That involves trying to appeal
People who were never real
Once I stop and start
I’ll prove I have a heart
Just so you can tear it apart
Looking at me with devilish eyes
Scheming, plotting, trying to scam
I think therefore I truly am
The person I decide I can be at the end of the day
What’s the point of anything
When I tear my throat and I cannot sing
Fear. All I hold is fear.
So up up down and all around
In the judgement hall
What’s going down
Am I just another martyr to a cause I never signed up for
Or will I be a hero with a cape who will soar
Can I decide my own identity?
When I devolve into insanity
People judge on my sin
Wheres the yang to the yin
Where to start, where to begin?
I’ll peel the flesh from my skin
Be reborn into a new soul
So I can finally feel whole
Who am I, what can I-
Wrong from right
Love from hate
Songs I’ll write
Won’t be so great
Bite the apple that they bare
Bite it without a care
Show the world you can do it
Even if just for a little bit
Look in the mirror
Look at it clearer
The identity you pick
I’m sure it’ll do the trick
Poetry
That Something Sofia Armestar
You know the feeling when Something inside of you Strives to break free
From the shackles you placed it in. When that something screams and cries Begging to start anew?
That something had caused you trouble before, Because you allowed it to run wild, And in the end, it broke the soul
Of your inner child.
So you stashed it away With the rest of your trauma, Never to let it see the light of day Again.
But that doesn’t mean it went away. In fact, every time you open the closet And reminisce, It reminds you that it’s here to stay, Whispering, coaxing, to let it free, Even if it’s in a different way.
But you keep the door closed, Because you remember all the trouble It posed. It ruined your life, Cut through your world, and left your Identity decomposed.
The Manuscript
Sofia Armestar
Re-reading the manuscript Is the best part about Your journey.
The journey of your initial spark, Inspiration, failure, and success.
Its words show the truth in ways that are Both ugly and beautiful. It shows the person that you truly are, Even if you don’t want to know it.
The story of how you came to be Is in the manuscript For all to see. If anyone picked it up And flipped through the pages, They would see that yes, you failed at this and this, And you excelled at that and that.
The weight of all your successes and failures Are clear in the typed letters, That make up every word and sentence In the fibers of the weathered page. Your memories and mistakes Make up every ink stain And grammatical error That falls between each line Of the manuscript.
The manuscript shows the world the person That you were, am, and strive to be. The manuscript is your story. So make sure it’s worth reading.
These Souls
Sofia Armestar
I used to fear that I Was a puzzle, With each part being pieces Of souls I had encountered, Loved, and who at one point, Brought me the peace I sought out.
These souls came from the most magnificent places, Toronto, Manhattan, Staten Island. They captivated rooms and built empires, Things that in my life, Had never transpired.
No one had ever paved the way for me Or showed what the road could look like With certain opportunities. So I looked for someone else to do it Someone who had done it before And knew the best ways to go So my shoes wouldn’t become worn.
These souls were similar to mine They know what it’s like
To see the sun behind the jagged mountains And believe that there is where they Must be.
I feared that they did too much of my work. I feared that my own soul has become a collection Of theirs
Hidden under layers, and layers, and layers Of man…
But now I see the truth They weren’t doing my work. They were giving me tools So I could build my roads and continue
My search for the sun. And for that, I thank them. Those tools were not originally Purposed for my use, But now they are.
They are because now I see That those roads Can be meant for me.
Pink Mari V
The color of a baby’s cheeks, rose-petaled dawns and lips, shiny with gloss. The color of girl. The color of pretty. In pink, you are only skin deep. Polished and opened to the world softly like the flushed interior of a seashell. Pink the color of blushes, giggles, self-conscious smiles.
There is no sung blues to pink, no violet bruise. I wanted a soul color, mysterious and true to my mind. More than a good match to my complexion. But my cheeks were bright roses every morning, so I wore pink to pretend roses over those crawling vines of insecurity. Pink became my enemy. Became my dream. Bloomed forth and intertwined me in all my shades. Bloomed forth and painted me in the pink light of dawn.
PRISMSpotlight
Miles Payden sits down and talks about their passion for speaking up in their local community, as well as their experiences with activism, horseback riding, and finding their voice.
By: Sofia Armestar
Sofia: Hey! So do you want to introduce yourself?
Miles: My name is Miles Payden. I’m currently a freshman at Gatsak High School and I’m 15 years old.
Sofia: Nice to meet you, Miles. I’m Sofia from PRISM. So my first question for you is which experiences in the last year do you think have shaped you the most?
Miles: I think the things that have shaped me the most in the last year have been starting high school, competing with my horse, and speaking up at several government meetings.
Sofia: That’s so cool! What kinds of things do you speak up about at these meetings?
Miles: I speak out about issues happening in my community. One topic that I was a part of and spoke on were regulations for farmlands because people were going to be taxed further on rights that were held by Washington State, the right to farm act. So, there was an outcry for help on the topic and I felt very strongly to protect our farmlands in Kitsap County.
Sofia: That’s crazy, but it’s great that you were an advocate for your community. My next question is what activities in your life have contributed most to your identity?
Miles: I feel that speaking out against topics and horseback riding and being a musician are some of the biggest things that shape my life and make me who I am.
Sofia: What kind of music do you play?
Miles: I play a range of orchestral to rock and roll. I’m a pretty avid music player and love to play different varieties. I feel that music is the gateway into how our minds work and it’s a relaxing and peaceful thing to do.
Sofia: Okay, I know you mentioned horseback riding earlier. When did riding shift away from being a hobby to becoming a meaningful part of your identity?
Miles: I have always lived on a farm and growing up as a farm kid, riding horses was always a big part of my life, and I’ve never really known a world other than that. But recently, I’ve taken it on as a prideful thing being queer as well, and fighting for a place in the agriculture community and saying “I’m here, and you should listen to my voice.”
So horseback riding is such an amazing thing that I do and it’s my gateway into helping state that queer people are a part of everything.
Sofia: It sounds like such an empowering thing to do, that’s awesome! Do you think working with animals and specifically horses has changed the way you understand yourself?
Miles: I feel it does. I’ve struggled a lot with mental health in my life and having to learn how to deal with that has really taught me to grow with animals because we tend to think that the brains of farm animals are just like our pets’ brains and that animals and humans are very different. But the truth is that we’re very similar if we break it down to the basics. So learning about stuff I’ve struggled with and taking that over to my horses and realizing that I’m so similar to them has made it easier to handle them and brought an insight of how we’re all one big family on Earth. It has brought me closer to nature and to the people and animals around me.
Sofia: That’s such a wonderful way to look at it. What is it about riding that you love the most?
Miles: I love the aspect of being in a team with an animal. It really shows the connection and the community I have with not just the people, but with the animals as well. With the issues I’ve struggled with in the past around my identity and mental health, it’s such a strong thing to know that I have a community and a team with an animal that depends on me and I depend on it.
Sofia: That’s really sweet. It’s almost like the animal acts as your companion or your friend during that experience. I love that. Now, going back to you speaking at government meetings, I wanted to ask, what do you love most about public speaking?
Miles: I love the aspect of letting people hear my voice and having the ability to speak not just my own opinion, but other people’s opinions when they don’t have that option. I feel like a leader and a role model, and it’s an amazing thing. Bringing it back to the identity piece, everything I do is because sometimes I wasn’t able to access those platforms or it was harder for me to do so, and I don’t want other people to go through that. So, public speaking allows me to voice the concerns I have and fight for action.
Sofia: Do you think public speaking has helped you find your voice in everyday life?
Miles: I feel it has. I was bullied when I was younger and now that I’ve done more public speaking, I’ve learned that my voice is strong. It makes me not care as much about what other people say. It makes everyday life seem easier and less dramatic than it would be.
Sofia: That totally makes sense. What’s something you’ve learned about yourself through competing, performing, or leading?
Miles: Something I’ve learned is that I’m a competent person and that I always want other people to have the same chances I have. I feel that when we make it harder for other people to try something, we should look into that and make it easier for them to access it because everyone should be able to have the same opportunities.
Sofia: You aim to give people a platform for people to share their voices. That’s beautiful. I love that so much. How do your passions, such as horseback
riding or public speaking, interact with your queer identity?
Miles: Like I said earlier, I feel that queer people don’t have a space in the agriculture community, and that it’s hard to voice opinions for queer farmers or queer people who are doing other agriculture work. With me being an equestrian and also participating in agricultural activism, it shows that even though I’m queer, I still have a right to speak on topics, even if I’m not the majority.
Sofia: Do you think you’ve begun to see the effects of what you’ve been doing, like your riding, public speaking, or your activism, around you?
Miles: I feel I have. We’re missing our concerns for taxing agriculture properties. I’m voicing my concern for queer people in sports, and I can see that it’s changing. So it makes it easier to see the main problem.
Sofia: What do you hope other teens take away from your story?
Miles: I hope other teens take away that you should be able to want something and fight for it, and it should be
something you love. I hope that every teen reading this can see that there is a possibility for you to be in any community you want. You can fight for your room in any space. You just need to stand up and start screaming.
Sofia: Thank you so much for all your responses, Miles. All of them were so beautiful. Thank you for speaking with us here at PRISM. We’re looking forward to having you in our first issue!
Miles: Thank you again.