WE NEED DIVERSITY!

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

Writers of YA – Go ahead and clear out 83 minutes of your day, because SEASHORE is a MUST SEE, LGBT film about teens growing up and sexuality. 

Riveting, raw, and very realistic, this film gives viewers an intimate look into the lives of two Brazilian teen boys during their most vulnerable moments. 

RENT THIS DVD HERE: WolfeOnDemand.com.  

Written and directed by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon

Starring: Mateus Almad and Maurício José Barcellos

“It’s is a film about growing up, and sexuality - one of the challenges everyone has to deal with (Especially if you are LGBT). And Brazil is a country that faces a complicated situation on this at moment, where young LGBT people have their self-steam constantly destroyed by politicians in the media, and by a growing religious fundamentalist part of the society.”

Want to learn more? Of course you do! 

Here is my Q & A with writers / directors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon: 

Q: What did you learn about the topic of sexuality and teens that you weren't aware of before? 

Probably the main thing we realized during the process (and we brought it into the film) is that there is a less and less for labels among teenagers. Of course, if you want to define yourself somehow, you have all the right to do it. But we think that this is becoming less of an issue. And one of our main characters is not defined by the story as gay, straight, bi, whatever. He only has experiences, and that is what we show. Perhaps in the future he will create a stronger identification, but for now that is all that matters. 

Q: Did you have any fears about not portraying these teens in the right way? And how did you ensure that the choices you made were honest?  

We were pretty close to the age of the characters. The main reason why we wanted to do this film while we were still young is that we didn't want to have a nostalgic or idealized portrait of youth. It is our vision of youth, and many things are based on our own teenage-hood. So far, we have received very kind feedback  from our young audiences, so we believe they can connect to it. 

Q: Do you have any research methods or sites or outlets that you used in writing this film, that other writers might find useful? 

The film is based on our individual memories of when we were 18 years-old. So the first thing was to share these memories and see which ones we wanted to use and how to confront them. 

Also, both of us love photography, so we looked a lot into tumblrs, flickrs and other social networks. Every time we found a photo related to youth that we liked, we would put it aside. After this research, many photos gave us ideas for characters development, scenes, situations and locations.  




Q: In writing about friendship and sexuality, where there any cliches you found yourself wanting to avoid and if so why?  

Yeah, coming out is hard most of the times, and therefore it is natural the most of its representations will be on a harsh portray, but we truly wanted to send an encouraging message to LGBT youth. And also to their friends, for them to know that you don't have to be an asshole if your friend comes out. When that happens, you actually have the opportunity to do something beautiful by supporting him or her, and then you grow into a much better human being. We also didn't want to define Martin's sexuality. Some people ask us if, in the end, he is gay or not. And that doesn't really matter to us. The interesting thing about him is that, after he confronts his father and decides to choose his own path, he embraces an attraction or perhaps love that he has for his friend. And we don't know how it is going to be from now on, but Martin feels enough courage to face the cold and raging waters of life, knowing that he and Tomaz will be there for each other as friends. 

The whole film is guided a lot more by an inner journey of the characters then by external facts or social labels. And that was fundamental for us from the very start of the conception of the film.  

**WATCH THE TRAILER***

AGAIN! TO RENT THIS DVD - You can find it via Wolfe Video and many major retailers, and across all digital platforms including iTunes, and Vimeo On Demand. 

About the Writer / Director Team: Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon are writers and directors that perform an autoral search focused on pieces that talk about conflicts inherently linked with youth and sexuality. The region where they live in the extreme south of Brazil is far from the typical image of the country, with cold weather and more reserved people, and it also reflects a lot in their work. Their short films have traveled over 200 film festivals, including Festival de Cine en Guadalajara, Frameline - San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, UppsalaShort Film Festival, Festival de Cinema Luso Brasileiro de Santa Maria da Feira, Inside Out – Toronto LGBT IFF,Short Shorts IFF, Mecal IFF, among others around the world.

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

Today... We Hear YA has the pleasure of chatting with acclaimed, 23 year-old, transgender actress Michelle Hendley - star of the just released narrative film BOY MEETS GIRL, available on DVD from Wolfe Video. 

In the authentic, Southern romantic-comedy BOY MEETS GIRL, Michelle Hendley portrays a young transwoman trying to navigate life while looking for romance in her small Kentucky hometown. In real life, Michelle has already worked hard to navigate through some hard times and she's offered to share aspects of that long road with us.

First off - Congrats Michelle on BOY MEETS GIRL! What did you learn about yourself, in making this film, that you didn't realize before? 

I learned I can act! I mean,  I've received a few awards for my work! It's kind of mind blowing to tell the truth. I do not have a background in theater/ acting, and prior to 'Boy Meets Girl' I was just some kid from Missouri trying to get through beauty school. Now I have a potential career in front of me and I am ECSTATIC! 

Q: Growing up as a transgender teen - What day to day aspects made you feel most different from everyone else?

By the time I started transition I had lived over a decade and a half as an outcast queer kid. I already felt unbearably different from anyone else I ever met, and I didn't expect that to change after pursuing gender transition. I will say though, in my early transition I felt like I needed to explain myself to every confused person who didn't know whether to call me "he" or "she." Who else has to explain their gender to random strangers? I felt very beside myself at the time. 

Q: What social aspects of growing up were more challenging in terms of choices you had to make. Whether it was clothing shopping or at parties, etc.?

Dating was probably the most challenging. Before I began transition it really did seem impossible to find guys who were cool with my androgynous look and eccentric personality. Especially in good ol' Mid-Missouri. 

Q: What does it mean to you when you hear the term 'Diverse Books' or LGBT books? And what types of stories did you search for as a teen?

'Diverse Books' sounds more like a descriptor of someone's personal library, not a specific genre (if it is that?). I have never heard the term used before. I understand 'LBGT Books' in terms of LBGT specific self-help books, but why should books that touch on LBGT issues be deemed as "diverse?" Like they are so different or special simply by the nature of being LBGT related? No. Books are books, people are people, regardless of their contents. Does that make sense? I tend to get wordy...

I was a big comic book and anime nerd back in the day, and I always loved old mythological stories.  I was drawn to stories about misunderstood (female) characters who possessed great power. I obsessed over bloody samurai revenge tales, and cried when Jean Grey (X-men) died for the sake of the planet. Oh. And I still read my old Sailor Moon comics.

Q:  Can you think of one moment in life that helped you gain a stronger perspective or deeper strength?

Like I mentioned earlier, dating was kind of a nightmare for me back in the day. Years of rejection from gay men who thought I was too much like a girl (go figure) built up, and I remember when the straw finally broke that metaphorical camel's back. I was in my dorm room, and this guy I was talking to online told me the same thing I had been told over and over again. I had a full on anxiety attack. Fetal position under my desk and everything. After I calmed down, I was angry - at the world, at men, at every person in my life who never gave me the time of day. I used that energy to figure myself out, and began research on "the middle gender." I read about cultures that actually celebrated individuals like myself, learned what "transgender" means, and began the initial steps of gender transition. We all hit a brick wall at some point in our lives, and I'm glad I figured out how to bust through mine. KA POW!

Q: How do want to see transgender girls and boys portrayed within media? What irks you about the media you've seen? And what has been done right?

I would love to see transgender characters portrayed in as many ways as their cisgender counterparts. For now, the media is going to try its best to portray us as a one-dimensional plot point; like our entire existence and purpose is based around our gender identity. Once the initial novelty of "transliness" starts to dim I'm sure we will see much more colorful representations of trans characters. Like, we aren't all down-trodden prostitutes with tragic pasts, you know? I am thrilled to see representatives like Laverne Cox and Janet Mock who are working proactively to spread awareness and education on trans issues though, and the media's willingness to hear those voices.  It really is just a matter of time for the trans community.  

And a few fun, quick questions:

What is your favorite YA book?

One book that really resonated with me during my teen years was "Goddess of Yesterday" by Caroline B. Cooney. Ancient Greece, strong female heroine...It was just meant to be.

What is one quirky habit you have?

When I get home from a grocery run, I like to eat a little bit of everything I bought. All those unopened packages and fresh produce are just too inviting!

What is up next for you?

I will be moving up to NYC in a couple months to continue working as an actress. Kinda freaking out to tell the truth, but in the best way possible. 

Wow, Michelle! It sounds like you have an amazing adventure ahead of you. We look forward to your continued success in the future. KA POW! 

Check out Michelle's YouTube Channel. Follow her @chellehendley

BOY MEETS GIRL is available: ON iTUNES, GOOGLE PLAY, AMAZON INSTANT, VUDU, WOLFEONDEMAND.COM + ON CABLE VIA TIME-WARNER, COMCAST, CHARTER & COX. DVD WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH AMAZON, NETFLIX, BESTBUY.COM,BARNESANDNOBLE.COM, FAMILY VIDEO, WOLFEVIDEO.COM, AND MANY OTHER RETAILERS.

Teens Sharing What Religion Means to Them!

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

We Hear YA is thrilled to share teen insights from members of the First United Methodist Church Youth Ministry in Tupelo, MS!

We asked each of these teens...

Q: What does being religious mean to you and how does this affect the choices you make as you interact with peers?

Rachel, 11th grade girl

Being religious isn't only a public thing for me, being religious effects my morals and personal life. Being religious for me effects the way I see and interact with people. Being religious makes me more loving and caring towards everyone. Jesus loved everyone, no matter what their race, sexuality, disability, or social class. I try to follow him the best I can through this. Every day I try to be kinder than I was the last, whether it's holding the door for someone, complimenting a stranger on their outfit, or consoling a friend. All of these things can make someone happier, and being religious teaches me to think of others before myself. Of course sometimes I struggle with wanting things for myself like clothing, I'm especially guilty of this, but the money I spend there could go other places like gifts for a friend or donation to a charity. Being religious makes me accountable for the mistakes I make.

Ellen, 11th grade girl

Being religious means following Jesus no matter the circumstance. And circumstances can often be difficult. It means showing Christ's love among a group of snotty teenage girls. All my friends claim to be Christian just like I do. We all have our faults and we all forget to treat others right though. Being a Christian means that I have to stick up for my friend when another one of our friends is casually trying to exclude her. I have to be the go between & be nice to both friends. It's not that I have to, it's my choice. I choose to follow Christ and I choose to stick up for him and his people.

Chris, 12th grade boy

My religion to me is one of my top priorities, because in past I haven't been very close to God and I'm really trying to get closer with him It does effect choices I make with peers because I take into account that doing what makes my God happy may not be what other people think is cool.

Megan, 12th grade girl

Being religious means being able to put God before materialistic and worldly things. Especially as a teenager it's really hard because you have to choose between going out with your friends and being surrounded by temptations versus not going out with your friends and directing your attention to God instead. I have had the hardest time balancing out God and social life which sounds crazy but it really is hard in high school to resist things. To be religious means for others to see Christ through you instead of being a bad influence.

Thank you for your replies & inspirational insights!

Enter At Your Own Risk!

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

Introducing a NEW series of posts sharing pics of a teen's room - to help YA writers create authentic character profiles.  

 FIRST UP...

MEET: Eve Nicholson, age 18

Fave Book: Outlander

Prized Possession: My kitty (whose name is Rory Williams but I call him Mr. Pitty Witty)

Fave Saying: “Whoever thought of that is GENIUS!” 

Unique Habit: I like to make funny faces at the camera at the bottom of the hills of roller coasters and then wait to see the hilarious picture when we exit.

 ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK... Eve's Bedroom!

Emmy Kate Bickford - Chats about college application thoughts and stresses

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

Remember your pre-college days? Well, 19yo Emmy Kate Bickford is about to take us back there, by sharing her mindset during the crucial application process. 

Hello Emmy! 

Q: What thoughts went through your mind as you were applying for college?

The most important thing for me when looking for colleges was finding a school that had great programs in both of my intended majors, theatre and dance. It was easy, then, to knock off schools early on in the application process. When you know what you want to do after college, it makes it much easier to find the right college and program for you. Another factor I considered was whether the college was part of the Disney College Program since I’ve always dreamed of participating in their intern program. Money was another important factor in deciding where to apply, as some schools that had excellent programs in theatre and dance were simply too expensive.

2. What was the most nerve-racking aspect of applying and why?

As a theatre and dance major, the audition aspect of applying to schools was the most nerve racking part since I was being judged on how well I performed in the moment rather than being able to hide behind a written application.

3. How often did the topic of college apps come up with your friends?

I attended a college preparatory school, Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School, so it was essentially understood that everyone would go to college and we’d been preparing for years. Hume-Fogg is consistently ranked among the Top 50 public high schools in the nation, as well as the number one public high school in Tennessee; as a result, everyone was working on college apps, so no one really felt the need to talk about it. I did discuss theatre programs at different schools with my friend Vonnie, who planned to major in stage management; and I discussed dance programs with my friend Olivia, also a dance major.

4. What stress dealing habits did you pick up during this time?

In high school, I took dance classes five days a week and was able to rid work off my stress through that. However, in college, now that dance is a class where I receive a grade, it creates some of my stress. Thus, I’ve had to develop some new stress relievers, such as going to the gym, drinking lots of water and avoiding caffeine, and also setting aside time just to relax whether this means hanging out with friends or simply taking a much needed nap.

5. Now that you are a Freshman at Western KY University, what do you miss most about high school? 

When I was in high school, I thought the only thing I would miss would be the comfort of knowing my surroundings and everyone around me. The idea of going to a new place, not knowing anyone, or how to get anywhere scared me a bit. I also thought I would miss my friends; but overall, I didn’t think I would miss much because I was generally very excited to start the next chapter of my life. Now that I’m in college and have been here long enough to know my surroundings and make quite a few friends, I feel comfortable where I am and don’t miss much about high school.

Thanks Emmy! We can't wait to see you perform with Disney :)

STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEK'S BLOG POST - Featuring pics from a teen gal's bedroom!

SWEET MADNESS

We Hear YA! is super excited to spotlight a GIVEAWAY

and the haunting COVER REVEAL of...

SWEET MADNESS

Coming: September 18 2015 from Merit Press

Lizzie Borden took an axe

And gave her mother forty whacks.

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty one.

ABOUT SWEET MADNESS:  

Who was Lizzie Borden? A confused young woman, or a coldhearted killer? For generations, people all over the world have wondered how Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, met their gruesome deaths. Lizzie, Andrew’s younger daughter, was charged, but a jury took only 90 minutes to find her not guilty. In this retelling, the family maid, Bridget Sullivan, shines a compassionate light on a young woman oppressed by her cheap father and her ambitious stepmother. Was Lizzie mad, or was she driven to madness?

Check SWEET MADNESS OUT on Goodreads 

Preorder: Amazon     Barnes and Noble

About the Authors:

Trisha Leaver lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three children, and one rather irreverent black lab.  She is a chronic daydreamer who prefers the cozy confines of her own imagination to the mundane routine of everyday life.  She writes Young Adult Contemporary fiction, Psychological Horror and Science Fiction and is published with FSG/ Macmillan, Flux/Llewellyn and Merit Press. To can learn more about Trisha’s books, upcoming shenanigans, and her quest to reel in the perfect tuna, visit her website www.trishaleaver.com

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Lindsay Currie lives in Chicago with her three awesome children, husband, and a one hundred and sixty pound lap dog named Sam. She has an unnatural fondness for coffee, chocolate and things that go bump in the night. She spends her days curled up in the comfortable confines of her writing nook, penning young adult psychological horror, contemporary fiction and science-fiction and is published with Flux/Llewellyn, Merit Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary. Learn more about her at www.lindsaycurrie.com

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To celebrate, the authors are giving away four AMAZING books from our publisher Merit Press. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet 18 YO Actor - Writer - Netflix Lover: JUSTINE WINANS

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

TODAY! Blast off in a YA time machine with JUSTINE WINANS, who's taking us from the age of 15 to the ripe, young age of 18, to see how (dramatically?) her mindset has shifted over this time frame. 

Justine Winans  is a senior in high school, where she studies Performing Arts in a half-day college preparatory program, along with regular, less-exciting academic classes. When she is not at rehearsal for a play, she can probably be found writing, reading, or watching Netflix. She definitely watches too much TV, and makes references to a variety of movies that most people her age don't understand. Although currently living in Northeast Ohio with her family, she's hoping to continue her studies out-of-state in the fall.

Okay @JustineWinans, We Hear YA! has our seat belt fastened.

Q: Most YA characters are 16/17. So between 16/17  to 18 - What differences have you noticed in your choices, mentality, personality, etc?

To be honest, there's not much difference in personality. To me, the biggest difference between 16/17 and 18 is that the whole Holy shit, I have to do adult things is thrust onto you. Most other changes stem from that. 

When you are 16, sure, you have your dreams, but everything seems farther away. You focus more on the little things. What is happening now. One stupid test or date or premiere of a TV show...it matters. You also rely more on your family, even though they probably annoy the hell out of you. You care about everything. But when you get to be eighteen, you have to start worrying about different things, and making that transition into independence (for the most part). Filling out college applications, scholarship applications, financial aid documents (which is excruciating), figuring out where you're going to live. When you are 16, money issues are of the wow, I need to buy books or movie tickets or new mascara. 

At 18, it's more along the lines of wow, I'm going to be drowning in debt for the rest of my life. I better teach myself to like ramen noodles. I recently starting thinking of all the things I have to do for myself, which is new and crazy. Or even that I'll need to buy a bunch of things I currently share with my mom and/or sister because I'll be off on my own soon. It's the age of being overwhelmed, that's for sure. But I also think that it's around the time you are able to see the bigger picture, and be a little (little) more realistic. 

Also, and this is something that I think plenty of writers might overlook, but relationships with family and friends are one of the biggest things that changed for me. When you're sixteen and all angsty and whatnot, it's so easy to get annoyed with your family and definitely prefer to hang out with friends. I'm not saying that now, at eighteen, my family doesn't get on my nerves, because they do, but knowing that I'll be leaving soon has me wanting to spend more time with them. I enjoy shopping with my mom, and have even declined invitations to hang out with friends because my family had something planned (not all the time, but occasionally). I mean, believe it or not, some of us teenagers actually have good relationships with our parents! 

When it comes to friends, at 16, they are more of a main focus. Not just best friends, but all of your peers. But when you get close to leaving high school, you realize how much bullshit other kids will give you, and it's hard to deal with that. It's easier to see who your real friends are, and that anyone else isn't worth your time. Which is fine, because, as you constantly remind yourself, you're leaving soon anyway.

Q: How do you communicate with your friends? Phone calls ever? Text? Twitter? FB? And how has this changed for you in the past 3 years, since you were 15?

The only time I call my friends now is if someone is driving and can't text. Really, we rarely talk on the phone. I know some people in relationships who do, often, but I'm not one for phone conversations if I can avoid them. Although I'm a person who prefers to speak face-to-face (is it just me, or does everyone always seem angry or annoyed in texts if they don't overuse smiley faces and exclamation points?). texts are definitely a go-to. Snapchat has also gotten pretty big lately, which is great for minor cases of blackmail, if that's ever needed. I still sent texts when I was 15, although I believe Facebook was much more popular at the time. Another difference is that, through websites like Facebook or GroupMe (group texting app) or Skype, it's easy to talk to friends that don't live near you. Or even friends you've never actually met in person. As far as Twitter, there's a few comments made, but it definitely wouldn't be a first-choice for communication.

Q: How have your concerns about the future changed over the past 3 years? 

When I was fifteen, I sort of had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I always had so much time that I didn't really have to think about it. Mostly, the plan outline was pretty much do well in school so you can go to college. Of course. Whatever. No big deal. But your senior year of high school is basically plan out the rest of your life and make choices that will affect your entire future, don't screw up. On top of school, and homework, and rehearsals or practices, possibly a social life. All you really want to do is hide in your bedroom and binge-watch Netflix or sleep for more than five hours, but hey. 

There is so much pressure. Pressure to, if you don't know what you want to do with your life, figure it out. Now. Or, if you are like me and know exactly what you want to do, convince your parents that majoring in theatre is not an awful idea. (And, if you want to go into the arts, people will be condescending to you and try to convince you otherwise. Both family members and not. It's annoying, but so very true. Because adults will ask you where you are going to college (even in the fall when you've hardly applied yet) and they will ask you your major. When you say "theatre" or "acting", they will give you that "oh." and then go on about how their kid is going to be a chemical engineer or something.) But, you also tend to focus on what you want more. Did anyone manage to convince me that going across the country to study acting was a bad idea? No, of course not. And nobody could either. But financial concerns are DEFINITELY amplified. I sort of went into this before, but it isn't until you really start worrying about college and independence that you realize how screwed you are financially. Some teens are in a pretty good spot, but there aren't many that can afford $50,000 a year. There's a lot of cringing. So much cringing. Three years ago, I thought paying four bucks for candy at the movie theater was ridiculous. Hah.

Q: What do you think most people may have forgotten about being 18?  

I think a big thing that is missing is having passion for something. People tend to remember that 18-year-olds are delusional and hopeful and self-serving and, oh boy, are we. But I think a lot of that stems from being passionate about something. Maybe it is not everyone, but I really don't see it enough with characters. And I don't just mean a kid who has a hobby. I mean a real passion. I fell in love with acting, and I really can't imagine doing much else with my life. It's what I'm choosing to study and eventually turn into a career. Because, at 18, we have dreams and as crazy as they are, we believe with all of our beings that they will come true. There seems to be endless possibilities, and no matter what other people say, you truly think you can do something great. Maybe that is delusional, but it's also a beautiful feeling. In a strange way, it sort of feels like your life is just beginning now, and as incredibly stressful as that is, you know that you're going to do something with it.

Q: As an 18 year old - do you read YA, New adult, Adult? What types of books interest you most and why?

I read YA. That's pretty much all I read, although there are a few exceptions. I feel like I should probably start given NA a try, although it seems harder to find books in that category. Maybe it isn't marketed as much? Maybe it's just because I'm a Young Adult enthusiast? I'm not sure. But, regardless, I've been reading YA for many years, and I'll probably keep reading it for many years to come. When it comes to genre, I read books all across the board. Genre doesn't matter to me. I care about characters, I want to be able to connect with them, which leads to why voice is also a biggie. But the most important thing is a book that draws me in. I want to be able to escape into the pages. I also tend to love the darker side of YA more. I like messed-up characters and brutally honest writing. And I'm a sucker for a good villain. I want more villains (or antiheroes) that are evil, but do it with some class, and/or have some redeemable qualities. Like, if anyone knows of or has a YA with a character like Pierre Despereaux (Psych) or Francis Underwood (House of Cards) PLEASE pass word to me.

Thank you Justine for the tour! 

BTW Y'all - JUSTINE was also in this year's Pitch Wars by @BrendaDrake. GO TEAM PITCH WARS! GO 18 yr old ROCK STARS! Hunt her down @JustineWinans

To keep up on teen life, follow We Hear Ya! @WeHear_Ya - Thanks all.

Business Owner * Image Changer * Millennial to watch - MEGAN GRASSELL

Welcome to We Hear YA! 

Connecting YA Writers with their Teen Audience.

Today: GET READY TO BE WOWED! By Yellowberry company owner, 19 year old  - Megan Grassell!

@Megrassell began her own company @Yellowberrybras at age 17, and today she is on Yahoo! Style's list of Millenials to watch in 2015! 

The idea for Yellowberry first came to Megan when she saw her 13 year old sister try on a "leopard push-up bra that was as empty and as fake as the ad on the wall beside her." 

“Mary Margaret, you can't wear that!” Megan whispered. A mere week later, Megan decided “I’m going to make my own bras for girls.”

Hooray for you Megan!

We Hear YA! is thrilled to share this determined teen's hopes and insights...

Hello Megan!

Q: You were 17 when you started Yellowberry - can you walk us through the mental hopes and fears as you began your own company at such a young age? 

When I first started, I literally could not stop thinking about my idea, brand, and vision for the company.  What made me the most excited however was that I gained so much confidence in what I knew and wanted for Yellowberry.  Each time I would reach out to someone who had started a company or been a success in the business world, I felt as though I always left our meetings with yes more knowledge, but also an even more solidified view of what I had already created.  That was really neat, because I learned my skills are really in the branding area, which is what I love the most!

Q: What are some of the specific pressures society puts on teens these days?

I think that each and every day we as teens are flooded with images of girls who are stunning and flawless.  In that way, it’s really hard to try to measure up.  I know that when I scroll through instagram for example, or any social media really, it’s so easy to literally side-by-side compare yourself to models and actresses.  However, as I’ve moved forward with his company, I’ve learned that it’s really just not fair to do that.  I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be size 2, nor be 6 feet tall.  And that is OK!

As for a specific example, I don’t really have one. But sometimes after enough small things stack up, you realize that you need to just be you, do you, and be comfortable in your own skin.