NY/NJ: Travel Journal

This past month was filled with unforgettable travels, new friends and memories, and mini revelations that lead me to the next few steps of self-discovery. This past month has been interesting and memorable, and I want to share it all with you. If you're wondering why I've been absent for this past month, here's why...

Teen Vogue Summit 2018

The annual and opportunistic event, the Teen Vogue Summit was one of the reason why I travelled to New York. Attended by, perhaps, one of the most forward-thinking and diverse generation of history, this event was a powerhouse of activism and political engagement. The speakers who spoke and discussed about important issues today were some of the most powerful people - artists, journalists, businesspeople, and activists. 

Kid Fury + Crissle talking about the recent tweet of Roseanne Barr as well as issues involving racism.

From left to right: Akila Hughes (moderator); Laura Harrier; Logan Browning; Aja Naomi King; Diane Guerrero; and Amara La Negra - discussion about the lack of diverse representation in the media.

Naomi Wadler making a final speech to end the summit.

There were also workshops which taught us skills, such as: how to fundraise for your cause, learning speech writing (with Michelle Obama's former speechwriter), and how to run for office. One of the workshops I was in was how to organize a campaign with Planned Parenthood. 

Little freebies they offered, including condom packs, stickers, pens and info cards as well as pins.

It was truly an amazing experience, and what an honor and opportunity it was to share the same room as the future's next powerhouses, world leaders and history shifters! 

The Brooklyn Stroll

During a visit with my sister, we did a little saunter around one of my favorite NY boroughs - Brooklyn. We promenaded around Brooklyn Heights where we saw, from a distance, the Statue of Liberty and went up, close, and personal with the Brooklyn Bridge. It was a beautiful area, with a balance of green nature and the buildings of the New York that never sleeps. 

Another cool opportunity that I had the chance of seizing was being one of the first audiences to watch a dress rehearsal of off-Broadway play Teenage Dick; a modernized version of Shakespeare's Richard III. One of the motifs that they explored was the philosophical concept of power, presented through the revengeful schemes by the protagonist. Funny, eye-opening, and immensely interesting, it's something truly worth watching. 

Trip to the MET Museum

As an art fanatic, who also briefly studied art history, I couldn't and shouldn't miss visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I saw beautiful paintings and sculptures, with several coming from some of my favorite eras of art history, including Impressionism, Classical, Renaissance and Romanticism. I also couldn't miss the exhibition of Heavenly Bodies which was featured in this year's Met Gala: I managed to take a look at some of the most divine gowns and garments as well as the real crown jewels of the Catholic hierarchy. 

And that, my friends, was a brief overview of my recent travels around the Big Apple and the state of NJ. Most of my time nowadays are spent with my family, who live in New Jersey and whom I don't get to see as often as I can since I study in Florida. 

I hope everyone has been enjoying a healthy and fun summer, and root for England!